bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Approach for Real-Time Enumeration of Escherichia coli ATCC 47076 in Water through High Multi-Functional Engineered Nano-Dispersible Electrode
Authors: Panhwar Sallahuddin , Aftab Adnan , Keerio Hareef Ahmed , ilhan Hasan , Sarmadivaleh Mohammad , Tamer Ugur
Published: March 2021

The climate change is significantly evolving novel microbes in the environment. In addition, nanoscience is advancing promptly to provide environmentally friendly engineering solutions to detect these microbes (i.e., pathogenic bacteria and viruses) in blood and water. There is a need to develop smart and efficient nano-biosensor to detect the pathogens, Escherichia coli (ATCC 47076) in the drinking water to protect the public against the diseases like hemolytic uremic, gastroenteritis, and acute diarrheas. The immunomagnetic separation strategy enables detecting bacteria in water samples fast and efficiently. The developed sensor is capable for the detection targeted E. coli ATCC 46076 based on Stripping differential pulse voltammetry (SDPV) and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) measurements with a dynamic linear range of 101 to 107 CFU ml−1. Functionalized magnetite metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) serve as a capture probe and Spectro-electrochemical label. The developed disposable electrode offers advantages such as large dynamic range, high sensitivity, high selectivity, and short analysis time (5 min). As for as we know, this is the first report to display the potential of the AuNPs and MOFs nanoparticles based dispersible electrode for the detection of targeted E. coli from water and blood.
The long noncoding RNA TUNAR modulates Wnt signaling and regulates human β-cell proliferation
Authors: Zhou Alex-Xianghua , Mondal Tanmoy , Tabish Ali Mustafa , Abadpour Shadab , Ericson Elke , Smith David M. , Knöll Ralph , Scholz Hanne , Kanduri Chandrasekhar , Tyrberg Björn , Althage Magnus
Published: March 2021

The discovery that long noncoding RNA TUNAR regulates β-cell proliferation may be important in designing new treatments for diabetes.
An Experiment to Discover Usability Guidelines for Designing Mobile Tourist Apps
Authors: Garcia-Lopez Eva , Garcia-Cabot Antonio , de-Marcos Luis , Moreira-Teixeira António
Published: March 2021

Tourist apps can be very useful for sightseeing, and this is one of the reasons that makes them so numerous in app stores. Good usability can make the difference when choosing an app, from the user’s point of view, so this study is aimed at analyzing and discovering common usability issues in apps for tourism. This paper presents a research study with two objectives: analyzing the most common usability problems in mobile apps for tourism and proposing recommendations for improving the usability of those apps. The research process firstly identifies the main functionalities that tourist guides should have, by filtering the results obtained through the store. This was followed by a two‐part experiment. The first part was a Keystroke Level Modelling analysis, where the number of taps needed to perform each main functionality in each tourist guide app was registered. Secondly, a heuristic evaluation was carried out on the best rated apps in the previous stage. Four usability experts tested the apps in real devices, by performing several tasks with a smartphone, and evaluated them according to some mobile heuristics. After this process, the most frequent usability problems in tourist guide apps were found, which allowed to discover recommendations for designing and developing mobile tourist guides. One of the recommendations is that tourist guide apps should provide at least the following functionalities: listing POIs (Points of Interest), showing information of a POI, selecting language, showing a map, working offline, and showing a tourist’s current location. Other recommendations proposed are, for example, showing relevant and complete information of POIs, such as opening hours and admission fees; showing more than one POI on the map and the distance to the tourist; and avoiding showing at the same time commercial information and tourist information.
Dissecting Sex‐Related Cognition between Alzheimer’s Disease and Diabetes: From Molecular Mechanisms to Potential Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Ashraf Ghulam Md , Ebada Mahmoud Ahmed , Suhail Mohd , Ali Ashraf , Uddin Md. Sahab , Bilgrami Anwar L. , Perveen Asma , Husain Amjad , Tarique Mohd , Hafeez Abdul , Alexiou Athanasios , Ahmad Ausaf , Kumar Rajnish , Banu Naheed , Najda Agnieszka , Sayed Amany A. , Albadrani Ghadeer M. , Abdel-Daim Mohamed M. , Peluso Ilaria , Barreto George E.
Published: March 2021

The brain is a sexually dimorphic organ that implies different functions and structures depending on sex. Current pharmacological approaches against different neurological diseases act distinctly in male and female brains. In all neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), sex‐related outcomes regarding pathogenesis, prevalence, and response to treatments indicate that sex differences are important for precise diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Pathogenesis of AD includes vascular dementia, and in most cases, this is accompanied by metabolic complications with similar features as those assembled in diabetes. This review discusses how AD‐associated dementia and diabetes affect cognition in relation to sex difference, as both diseases share similar pathological mechanisms. We highlight potential protective strategies to mitigate amyloid‐beta (Aβ) pathogenesis, emphasizing how these drugs act in the male and female brains.
The Flotation Separation of Magnesite and Limonite Using an Amine Collector
Authors: Han Jiahong , Li Xiaoan , Dai Shujuan , Liu Guozhen
Published: March 2021

In order to reduce the iron impurities in magnesite ore and improve the purity of magnesium products, the difference in floatability between magnesite and limonite has been studied by using mixtures with a collecting agent—KD (cationic amine collectors, containing soluble components). Sodium hexametaphosphate, pH, sodium silicate, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose were used as regulators. Adsorption mechanisms of the reagents on minerals were analyzed by a zeta potential analyzer and infrared spectroscopy. Sodium silicate increased the floatability of both minerals at 11.6. All the three regulators reduced the zeta potential of both minerals, while KD increased the zeta potential of magnesite and decreased the zeta potential of limonite. All the three regulators were likely chemically adsorbed on the surface of both minerals; KD has electrostatic adsorption on the surface of the minerals.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Xingtai City
Authors: Duan Zhihui , Duan Qiong , Liu Kun , Zhang Xiaochong , Zhou Shengyun , on behalf of Xingtai Society of Digestive Endoscopy
Published: March 2021

Background and Aims. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has severely impacted the daily practice of gastrointestinal endoscopy worldwide. Most endoscopy centers in China were shut down in late January 2020. We investigated the impact of the shutdown on acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) events in Xingtai City, Hebei Province, China. Methods. A web-based survey collected information on gastroscopy workload and AUGIB events. The study period was from 4 weeks before to 4 weeks after lockdown initiation in Xingtai City. Fourteen public gastrointestinal endoscopy centers performing emergency endoscopies were contacted via e-mail to collect weekly emergency gastroscopy volumes and the number of AUGIB events. AUGIB was defined as recent melena, hematemesis, or both, with an endoscopically visible source of bleeding. Results. Twelve (85.7%) of the 14 surveyed gastrointestinal endoscopy centers in the city- and county-level hospitals responded. Altogether, 4,045 and 1,077 gastroscopy procedures were performed 4 weeks before and after lockdown initiation (73.4% reduction), respectively. Peptic ulcer-related AUGIB and variceal AUGIB events showed a 58.5% and 52.9% decline, respectively, compared with pre-COVID-19 data. Although the absolute number of AUGIB events decreased during the pandemic (from 149 to 66), the likelihood of detecting AUGIB during gastroscopy increased (3.68% (pre-COVID-19 period) versus 6.13% (COVID-19 period);

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a considerable reduction in gastroscopy workload and AUGIB events; however, the likelihood of detecting AUGIB increased significantly during gastroscopies.
Prediction of Volleyball Competition Using Machine Learning and Edge Intelligence
Authors: Liu Qiang , Liu Qiannan
Published: March 2021

Data analysis and machine learning are the backbones of the current era. Human society has entered machine learning and data science that increases the data capacity. It has been widely acknowledged that not only does the number of information increase exponentially, but also the way of human information management and processing is completed to be changed from manual to computer, mainly depending on the transformation of information technology including a computer, network, and communication. This paper is aimed at a solution to the lag of the methods and means of volleyball technique prediction in China. Through field visits, it is found that the way of analysis and research of techniques and tactics in Chinese volleyball practice is relatively backward, which to a certain extent affected the rapid development of Chinese volleyball. Therefore, it is a necessary and urgent task to realize the reform of the methods and means of volleyball technical and tactical analysis in China. The data analysis and prediction are based on the machine learning and data mining algorithm applied to volleyball in this paper is an inevitable trend. The proposed model is applied to the data produced at the edges of the systems and thoroughly analyzed. The Apriori algorithm of the machine learning algorithm is utilized to process the data and provide a prediction about the strategies of a volleyball match. The Apriori algorithm of machine learning is also optimized to perform better data analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed model is also highlighted.
Inhibition of miRNA-155 Alleviates High Glucose-Induced Podocyte Inflammation by Targeting SIRT1 in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Wang Xiaolei , Gao Yanbin , Yi Wenming , Qiao Yu , Hu Hao , Wang Ying , Hu Yan , Wu Shuxin , Sun Hongfeng , Zhang Taojing
Published: March 2021

Objective. Microinflammation plays a crucial role in podocyte dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy, but its regulatory mechanism is still unclear. This study is aimed at discussing the mechanisms underlying the effect of miRNA-155 on podocyte injury to determine its potential as a therapeutic target. Methods. Cultured immortalized mouse podocytes and diabetic KK-Ay mice models were treated with a miR-155 inhibitor. Western blotting, real-time PCR, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and Luciferase reporter assay were used to analyze markers of inflammation cytokines and podocyte injury. Results. miRNA-155 was found to be highly expressed in serum and kidney tissue of mice with diabetic nephropathy and in cultured podocytes, accompanied by elevated levels of inflammatory factors. Inhibition of miRNA-155 can reduce proteinuria and ACR levels, diminish the secretion of inflammatory molecules, improve kidney function, inhibit podocyte foot fusion, and reverse renal pathological changes in diabetic nephropathy mice. Overexpression of miRNA-155 in vitro can increase inflammatory molecule production in podocytes and aggravates podocyte injury, while miRNA-155 inhibition suppresses inflammatory molecule production in podocytes and reduces podocyte injury. A luciferase assay confirmed that miRNA-155 could selectively bind to 3′-UTR of SIRT1, resulting in decreased SIRT1 expression. In addition, SIRT1 siRNA could offset SIRT1 upregulation and enhance inflammatory factor secretion in podocytes, induced by the miRNA-155 inhibitor. Conclusions. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that miRNA-155 inhibits podocyte inflammation and reduces podocyte injury through SIRT1 silencing. miRNA-155 suppression therapy may be useful for the management of diabetic nephropathy.
Gualou Guizhi Granule Protects against OGD/R-Induced Injury by Inhibiting Cell Pyroptosis via the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Yuqin , Wang Hongyun , Li Huang , Nan Lihong , Xu Wei , Lin Yu , Chu Kedan
Published: March 2021

Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory form of regulated cell death that plays an important role in ischemic stroke. Gualou Guizhi granule (GLGZG) is a classic prescription that has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. In the present study, we examined the involvement of pyroptosis and its associated mechanism in protecting nerve function. Methods. Primary neurons were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) conditions in the presence or absence of GLGZG. Cellular viability was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay. The number of apoptoic cells was detected by NeuN and NSE protein expression. The expression levels of the pyroptosis markers, namely, NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), caspase-1, interleukin-18 (IL-18), and IL-1β were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, western blot, and ELISA analyses as appropriate. Moreover, the expression levels of the PI3K/Akt pathway key proteins were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis and western blot assays. To determine the PI3K/Akt pathway involvement in GLGZG-mediated neuroprotection, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (LY, 10 μM) was added. The expression levels of NeuN, Akt, and p-Akt were evaluated. Results. It was found that GLGZG could inhibit OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis, increase neuronal cell viability, decrease the production of IL-18 and IL-1β, and downregulate the expression levels of pyroptosis markers (NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1). Furthermore, GLGZG could modulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of the PI3K pathway not only abrogated the effects of GLGZG on Akt but also neutralized its prosurvival and antipyroptotic actions. Conclusions. The findings indicated that GLGZG pretreatment effectively reduced OGD/R-induced injury by inhibiting cell pyroptosis and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. These data provide important evidence for the therapeutic applications of this regimen in ischemic stroke.
Fourier–Boas-Like Wavelets and Their Vanishing Moments
Authors: Kathuria Leena , Goel Shashank , Khanna Nikhil
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we propose Fourier–Boas-Like wavelets and obtain sufficient conditions for their higher vanishing moments. A sufficient condition is given to obtain moment formula for such wavelets. Some properties of Fourier–Boas-Like wavelets associated with Riesz projectors are also given. Finally, we formulate a variation diminishing wavelet associated with a Fourier–Boas-Like wavelet.
Research on Hybrid Collaborative Filtering Recommendation Algorithm Based on the Time Effect and Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Wang Xibin , Dai Zhenyu , Li Hui , Yang Jianfeng
Published: March 2021

In this study, we focus on the problem of information expiration when using the traditional collaborative filtering algorithm and propose a new collaborative filtering algorithm by integrating the time factor (ITWCF). This algorithm considers information influence attenuation over time, introduces an information retention period based on the information half‐value period, and proposes a time‐weighted function, which is applied to the nearest neighbor selection and score prediction to assign different time weights to the scores. In addition, to further improve the quality of the nearest neighbor selection and alleviate the problem of data sparsity, a method of calculating users’ sentiment tendency by analysis of user review features is proposed to mine users’ attitudes about the reviewed items, which expands the score matrix. The time factor and sentiment tendency are then integrated into the K‐means clustering algorithm to select the nearest neighbor. A hybrid collaborative filtering model (TWCHR) based on the improved K‐means clustering algorithm is then proposed, by combining item‐based and user‐based collaborative filtering. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can address the time effect and sentiment analysis in recommendations and improve the predictive performance of the model.
The Dynamic Relationship between Stock Market and Macroeconomy at Sectoral Level: Evidence from Chinese and US Stock Market
Authors: Jin Zhenni , Guo Kun
Published: March 2021

As a most important component of capital market, stock market has always been regarded as the “barometer” of macroeconomy. However, many researchers have found that the stock market is not always in the lead, especially for the emerging markets, and the leading role of different sector indices is also different for the corresponding sectors. From the perspective of a comparison between mature market and emerging market at sectoral level, this paper utilizes the thermal optimal method to examine the dynamic lead‐lag relationships between stock sector indices and macroeconomic variables for the USA and China. The results show that, for the US stock market, three sector indices including consumption, industry, and real estate have been leading the corresponding macroeconomic variables since 2013; for the Chinese stock market, the lead‐lag relationships are different for these sectors. The real estate sector index and the industry sector index have been leading the corresponding macroeconomic variables since 2010, and the lead‐lag relationship between the consumption sector index and the total retail sales is not always positive or negative, which means that the consumption sector index does not always lead the total retail sales. The empirical results confirm that the “barometer function” of immature stock market is still weak and easier to be disabled by factors such as irrational market sentiment.
A Sparse Volume Reconstruction Method for Fetal Brain MRI Using Adaptive Kernel Regression
Authors: Ni Qian , Zhang Yi , Wen Tiexiang , Li Ling
Published: March 2021

Slice‐to‐volume reconstruction (SVR) method can deal well with motion artifacts and provide high‐quality 3D image data for fetal brain MRI. However, the problem of sparse sampling is not well addressed in the SVR method. In this paper, we mainly focus on the sparse volume reconstruction of fetal brain MRI from multiple stacks corrupted with motion artifacts. Based on the SVR framework, our approach includes the slice‐to‐volume 2D/3D registration, the point spread function‐ (PSF‐) based volume update, and the adaptive kernel regression‐based volume update. The adaptive kernel regression can deal well with the sparse sampling data and enhance the detailed preservation by capturing the local structure through covariance matrix. Experimental results performed on clinical data show that kernel regression results in statistical improvement of image quality for sparse sampling data with the parameter setting of the structure sensitivity 0.4, the steering kernel size of 7 × 7 × 7 and steering smoothing bandwidth of 0.5. The computational performance of the proposed GPU‐based method can be over 90 times faster than that on CPU.
Fuzzy Clustering Method Based on Improved Weighted Distance
Authors: Bei Honghan , Mao Yingchao , Wang Wenyang , Zhang Xu
Published: March 2021

As an essential data processing technology, cluster analysis has been widely used in various fields. In clustering, it is necessary to select appropriate measures to evaluate the similarity in the data. In this paper, firstly, a cluster center selection method based on the grey relational degree is proposed to solve the problem of sensitivity in initial cluster center selection. Secondly, combining the advantages of Euclidean distance, DTW distance, and SPDTW distance, a weighted distance measurement based on three kinds of reach is proposed. Then, it is applied to Fuzzy C-MeDOIDS and Fuzzy C-means hybrid clustering technology. Numerical experiments are carried out with the UCI datasets. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the clustering results is significantly improved by using the clustering method proposed in this paper. Besides, the method proposed in this paper is applied to the MUSIC INTO EMOTIONS and YEAST datasets. The clustering results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper can also achieve a better clustering effect when dealing with practical problems.
Pentraxin 3 and the TyG Index as Two Novel Markers to Diagnose NAFLD in Children
Authors: Ye Xiaolin , Li Jing , Wang Hongyu , Wu Jie
Published: March 2021

Background. The diagnosis of NAFLD requires a liver biopsy, which is difficult in children. This study explored the diagnostic value of pentraxin 3 (PTX-3) and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index for NAFLD in children. Methods. Sixty-eight children with NAFLD were selected as study subjects, and 68 healthy children enrolled during the same period served as controls. The TyG index was calculated, serum PTX-3 expression was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the correlations between PTX-3 or the TyG index and clinical and biochemical indicators were analyzed. A receiver operating characteristics curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Results. Serum PTX-3 level and the TyG index of the NAFLD patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy controls (

P
<
0.001

), which was closely related with the BMI, ALT, and insulin resistance. The AUC of PTX-3 for diagnosing NAFLD was 0.731 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.646-0.806), and the AUC of the TyG index for diagnosing NAFLD was 0.765 (95% CI 0.682-0.835). The AUC of PTX-3, the TyG index, and ALT for the combined diagnosis of NAFLD was 0.964 (95% CI 0.916-0.989). Conclusion. PTX-3 and the TyG index are novel diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD, as they effectively improved the diagnostic accuracy for NAFLD when combined with ALT.
Enhancement in Optical Properties of Lanthanum-Doped Manganese Barium Hexaferrites under Different Substitutions
Authors: Alzaid Meshal
Published: March 2021

The permeability and electrical resistivity of barium hexaferrite magnetic materials can be used in various products such as magnetic recording media, computers, electronic devices, materials for permanent magnets, and communication devices. This work focuses on the synthesis of rare earth lanthanum (La3+)-doped manganese in barium hexaferrite (Ba1−xLaxMnyFe12−yO19) (x = 0.02–0.10 and y = 0.02–0.10) prepared by using the coprecipitation method. The intensity peak is increased with increasing the concentration of lanthanum, which shows the enhancement in the degree of crystallinity and increase in the size of crystallite. The band gap energy decreased gradually with the increase of concentration of lanthanum. The micrographs observed that the material is basically made up of some rings or rods such as particles in pure La-Ma in barium hexaferrite. The agglomeration was observed because of heat behavior at 600°C or may be concentration effect. The structural studies are done using X-ray diffraction, UV, FT-IR, and SEM techniques.
Targeting Mitochondrial Iron Metabolism Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastasis by Inducing Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Mitophagy
Authors: Sandoval-Acuña Cristian , Torrealba Natalia , Tomkova Veronika , Jadhav Sukanya B. , Blazkova Kristyna , Merta Ladislav , Lettlova Sandra , Adamcová Miroslava K. , Rosel Daniel , Brábek Jan , Neuzil Jiri , Stursa Jan , Werner Lukas , Truksa Jaroslav
Published: March 2021

Deferoxamine (DFO) represents a widely used iron chelator for the treatment of iron overload. Here we describe the use of mitochondrially targeted deferoxamine (mitoDFO) as a novel approach to preferentially target cancer cells. The agent showed marked cytostatic, cytotoxic, and migrastatic properties in vitro, and it significantly suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. The underlying molecular mechanisms included (i) impairment of iron-sulfur [Fe-S] cluster/heme biogenesis, leading to destabilization and loss of activity of [Fe-S] cluster/heme containing enzymes, (ii) inhibition of mitochondrial respiration leading to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, resulting in dysfunctional mitochondria with markedly reduced supercomplexes, and (iii) fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and induction of mitophagy. Mitochondrial targeting of deferoxamine represents a way to deprive cancer cells of biologically active iron, which is incompatible with their proliferation and invasion, without disrupting systemic iron metabolism. Our findings highlight the importance of mitochondrial iron metabolism for cancer cells and demonstrate repurposing deferoxamine into an effective anticancer drug via mitochondrial targeting.

Significance:

These findings show that targeting the iron chelator deferoxamine to mitochondria impairs mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis of [Fe-S] clusters/heme in cancer cells, which suppresses proliferation and migration and induces cell death.
High-Specific-Activity-131I-MIBG versus 177Lu-DOTATATE Targeted Radionuclide Therapy for Metastatic Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
Authors: Jha Abhishek , Taïeb David , Carrasquillo Jorge A. , Pryma Daniel A. , Patel Mayank , Millo Corina , de Herder Wouter W. , Del Rivero Jaydira , Crona Joakim , Shulkin Barry L. , Virgolini Irene , Chen Alice P. , Mittal Bhagwant R. , Basu Sandip , Dillon Joseph S. , Hope Thomas A. , Mari Aparici Carina , Iagaru Andrei H. , Hicks Rodney J. , Avram Anca M. , Strosberg Jonathan R. , Civelek Ali Cahid , Lin Frank I. , Pandit-Taskar Neeta , Pacak Karel
Published: March 2021

Targeted radionuclide therapies (TRT) using 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (177Lu or 90Y) represent several of the therapeutic options in the management of metastatic/inoperable pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. Recently, high-specific-activity-131I-MIBG therapy was approved by the FDA and both 177Lu-DOTATATE and 131I-MIBG therapy were recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for the treatment of metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. However, a clinical dilemma often arises in the selection of TRT, especially when a patient can be treated with either type of therapy based on eligibility by MIBG and somatostatin receptor imaging. To address this problem, we assembled a group of international experts, including oncologists, endocrinologists, and nuclear medicine physicians, with substantial experience in treating neuroendocrine tumors with TRTs to develop consensus and provide expert recommendations and perspectives on how to select between these two therapeutic options for metastatic/inoperable pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. This article aims to summarize the survival outcomes of the available TRTs; discuss personalized treatment strategies based on functional imaging scans; address practical issues, including regulatory approvals; and compare toxicities and risk factors across treatments. Furthermore, it discusses the emerging TRTs.
A Novel Biomarker Panel for the Early Detection and Risk Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Cirrhosis
Authors: Khan Ilvira M. , Gjuka Donjeta , Jiao Jingjing , Song Xiaoling , Wang Ying , Wang Jing , Wei Peng , El-Serag Hashem B. , Marrero Jorge A. , Beretta Laura
Published: March 2021

Novel biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance in patients with cirrhosis are urgently needed. We previously identified osteopontin (OPN) as a promising biomarker for the early detection of HCC. This study is to further validate the performance of OPN and identify fatty acids (FA) that could improve OPN's performance in HCC risk assessment in patients with cirrhosis. To that end, we selected 103 patients with cirrhosis under surveillance. Among them, 40 patients developed HCC during follow-up. We investigated in these 103 patients, the association between HCC incidence and prediagnostic serum levels of AFP, OPN, and 46 FAs. OPN performance was higher than AFP in detecting prediagnosis HCCs and the combination with AFP further improved OPN's performance. For patients with a diagnosis of HCC within 18 months of follow-up (HCC < 18 months), AUC for OPN + AFP was 0.77. Abundance of 11 FAs [four long-chain saturated FAs (SFA), four n-3 poly-unsaturated FAs (PUFA), and three n-6 PUFAs] were statistically different between patients who developed HCC and those who did not. Abundance changes correlated with time to diagnosis for the PUFAs, but not for the SFAs. Adding arachidic acid (20:0) and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n3) to OPN and AFP improved the discriminatory performance (AUC = 0.83). AUC for this panel reached 0.87 for HCC < 18 months (82% sensitivity at 81% specificity). In conclusion, we identified a panel of 4 markers with strong performances that could have significant utility in HCC early detection in patients with cirrhosis under surveillance.

Prevention Relevance:

This study identified a panel of 4 biomarkers that identifies with high performance patients with cirrhosis at high risk for HCC. This panel could have utility in HCC early detection in patients with cirrhosis under surveillance.
Genotyping of Eight Human Platelet Antigen Systems in Serbian Blood Donors: Foundation for Platelet Apheresis Registry
Authors: Jovanovic Srzentic Snezana , Lilic Marko , Vavic Natasa , Radovic Ivana , Djilas Iva
Published: March 2021

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the allele and genotype frequencies of 8 human platelet antigen (HPA) systems among blood donors from the Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia and to compare them with published studies. These data would be useful to establish the basis for a platelet apheresis donor registry. Material and Methods: Seventy-two unrelated male platelet apheresis/blood donors from Serbia were typed for 8 HPA systems (HPA-1 to HPA-6, HPA-9, and HPA-15) via the FluoGene method, based on polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific amplification (PCR-SSP; PCR using sequence-specific primers) with fluorometric signal detection. Allele and genotype frequencies were estimated by direct counting and compared to the expected genotype frequencies according to the Hardy-Weinberg principle. The transfusion mismatch probability was calculated for every HPA specificity. Results: The allele frequencies were: HPA-1a, 0.868; HPA-1b, 0.132; HPA-2a, 0.917; HPA-2b, 0.083; HPA-3a, 0.611; HPA-3b, 0.389; HPA-5a, 0.903; HPA-5b, 0.097; HPA-9a, 0.993; HPA-9b, 0.007; HPA-15a, 0.472; and HPA-15b, 0.528. For HPA-4 and HPA-6 only allele a was detected. Discussion: The HPA allele frequencies of European populations showed no significant differences in comparison with our results. Statistically significant differences were revealed in comparison with some populations of non-European origin. In the tested donors no HPA-2 bb genotype was detected, but we found 1 donor with the rare HPA-9b allele. The biggest transfusion mismatch probability in the Serbian population is for systems HPA-15 (37.4%) and HPA-3 (36.2%), which means that more than a third of random transfusions could cause mismatch in these systems. This study was enabled by the introduction of molecular HPA typing, and it provides initial results of the HPA allele and genotype frequencies in the population of blood donors in Serbia. They will be used to provide a compatible blood supply on demand for treating patients with alloimmune thrombocytopenic disorders. The successful implementation of PCR-SSP with fluorometric signal detection could be further complemented in the future by the introduction of high-throughput methods, which will largely depend on the available financial resources.
Generalized swarm intelligence algorithms with domain-specific heuristics
Authors: Matrenin P. , Myasnichenko V. , Sdobnyakov N. , Sokolov D. , Fidanova S. , Kirilov L. , Mikhov R.
Published: March 2021

In recent years, hybrid approaches on population-based algorithms are more often applied in industrial settings. In this paper, we present the approach of a combination of universal, problem-free Swarm Intelligence (SI) algorithms with simple deterministic domain-specific heuristic algorithms. The approach focuses on improving efficiency by sharing the advantages of domain-specific heuristic and swarm algorithms. A heuristic algorithm helps take into account the specifics of the problem and effectively translate the positions of agents (particle, ant, bee) into the problem's solution. And a Swarm algorithm provides an increase in the adaptability and efficiency of the approach due to stochastic and self-organized properties. We demonstrate this approach on two non-trivial optimization tasks: scheduling problem and finding the minimum distance between 3D isomers.
Prediction of the effects of environmental factors towards COVID-19 outbreak using AI-based models
Authors: Mahmoud Khalid , Bebiş Hatice , G. Usman A. , N. Salihu A. , S. Gaya M. , Farouk Dalhat Umar , A. Abdulkadir R. , B. Jibril M. , I. Abba S.
Published: March 2021

The need for elucidating the effects of environmental factors in the determination of the novel corona virus (COVID-19) is very vital. This study is a methodological study to compare three different test models (1. Artificial neural networks (ANN), 2. Adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), 3. A linear classical model (MLR)) used to determine the relationship between COVID-19 spread and environmental factors (temperature, humidity and wind). These data were obtained from the studies (Pirouz, Haghshenas, Haghshenas, & Piro, 2020) with confirmed COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China, using temperature, humidity and wind as the independent variables. The measured and the predicted results were checked based on three different performance indices; Root mean square error (RMSE), determination coefficient (R2) and correlation coefficient (R). The results showed that ANFIS and ANN are more promising over the classical MLR models having an average R-values of 0.90 in both calibration and verification stages. The findings indicated that ANFIS outperformed MLR and ANN. In addition, their performance skills boosted up to 25% and 9% respectively based on the determination coefficient for the prediction of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhan city of China. Overall, the results depict the reliability and ability of AI-based models (ANFIS and ANN) for the simulation of COVID-19 using the effects of various environmental variables. 
Stock price forecast of macro-economic factor using recurrent neural network
Authors: Reza Pahlawan M. , Riksakomara Edwin , Tyasnurita Raras , Muklason Ahmad , Mahananto Faizal , A. Vinarti Retno
Published: March 2021

The stock market is one of the investment choices that always have traction from time to time. Aside from being a means of corporate funding, investing in the stock market can benefit investors. Investing also has a higher risk because the pattern of stock prices is volatile, which is caused by internal and external factors. One external factor that affects stock prices is the macro-economic, where these factors are events that occur in a country where one of the economic sectors affected is stock prices. Investors often feel confused about the right time in decisions making related to buying or selling stock. One way to look at how the prospect of stock prices is a stock price forecasting activity. For this study, we will be making use of the recurrent neural network (RNN) to forecast stock prices for the next periods. This research involves two variables: the closing stock price and the rupiah exchange rate against the dollar for the daily period. We achieve a MAPE value of 1.546% for RNN model without the variable foreign exchange rate and 1.558% for the RNN model that uses the foreign exchange rate against the dollar.
Automated smart car parking system for smart cities demand employs internet of things technology
Authors: Atiqur Rahman
Published: March 2021

The use of smart cities rises quickly with the fast progress of the Internet of Things (IoT) advances. The smart city idea essentially getting city life; as well raises the capability of municipal jobs and facilities plus form viable economic progress of the city. The point of convergence of this paper is to introduce an automated smart automobile parking system for smart cities demand employs internet of things (IoT) technology. The offered automobile parking system covers an IoT entity sent nearby for getting sorted out the existing parking spots which are quicker contrasted with different frameworks. It is a viewpoint gave as an iOS application for reservation, entrance, supervision, and leaving the car park places.
Mental stress post-COVID-19
Authors: Makhbul Zafir Khan Mohamed , Rawshdeh Zainab
Published: March 2021

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is plaguing the world today surely carves a dark, unforgettable history. It has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This shows that it has spread worldwide, transcending every border, and then finally penetrating every corner of the world. Despite its small size (measured in nanometer), its influence is great enough in triggering stress. As various countries declare a state of Emergency, restricted movement order and lockdown, varying reactions like sorrow, anxiety, misperception and fear have been ignited in the society. All of these have cumulatively caused stress among them. This current review paper summarizes and discusses the published literature addressing mental health concerns linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies show that excessive stress causes the failure in the individual’s mental and physical systems. The issue here is how the situation at the workplace, post-COVID-19 is different from the previous situation. Thus, the psychological preparation of every member in the organization is crucial to face the challenges coming their way. The available literature showed consensus that the COVID-19 pandemic not only affects physical health, but also stress and well-being. In conclusion, emotional well-being must be emphasized through training and human resource development strategy to prepare and empower the mentality of the organizational members to address this stress.
Factors affect the vasectomy uptake of married couples in Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia
Authors: Irawaty Dian Kristiani , Rafani Yudi
Published: March 2021

Vasectomy is a highly effective male contraception. However, the 2007 to 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys reported no vasectomy cases in Bangka Belitung Islands. This study aimed to identify the number and its barriers to low vasectomy use in the Bangka Belitung Islands. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods used in this study. This study utilized health clinics’ reports between 2015 and 2018 to identify whether or not vasectomy was executed in Bangka Belitung Islands. In-depth interviews were also carried out for medical practitioners, husbands, and wives to point out other crucial purposes of low vasectomy cases in the area. Vasectomy is regarded as a sexual displeasure contraceptive method. Those husbands had perceptions that vasectomy was similar to castration. They consider it as a sickening procedure. The wives perceived that vasectomy could make their husbands promiscuous. The misconceptions and stigma had been found as barriers for the low practice of vasectomy in the Islands. Reproductive health counseling for both husbands and wives need to be intensified to clarify those misconceptions about vasectomy. Vasectomy-specified campaign messages through various media channels should be conducted for couples in the area.
An overview of malaria elimination efforts in South Kalimantan from 2010 to 2018
Authors: Ridha Muhammad Rasyid , Fakhrizal Deni , Hidayat Syarif , Liani Evi
Published: March 2021

Malaria elimination in Kalimantan is targeted to be completed by 2020. This study aimed to analyze efforts to eliminate malaria in South Kalimantan from 2010-2018. This research is a descriptive study of the population of South Kalimantan who is at risk of suffering from malaria. This study used a total participation technique involving all cases of malaria recorded in the malaria surveillance information system (SISMAL) 2010-2018 for South Kalimantan. The data used are secondary data obtained from the South Kalimantan Provincial Health Office in 2010-2018, namely the number of suspected malaria cases, confirmation and inspection, treatment use data, bed nets distribution, village stratification and annual parasite incidence (API) in each district. The results showed that there was the trend of malaria elimination efforts in South Kalimantan was increased from 89% of suspected patients in 2010 to 100% in 2018, and trend of API decreased from 1.5‰ in 2010 to 0.21‰ in 2018. So, with the provision of artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), from 78% in 2010 increased to 100% in 2018. All regencies/cities in South Kalimantan showed API number <1‰ in 2018. Stratification of high case incidence (HCI) villages/sub-district in 2018 decreased compared to 2010, from 211 villages to 19 villages, while malaria-free stratification from 0 in 2010 to 1,761 villages. Malaria elimination efforts in South Kalimantan showed a significant increase and it is expected that 2020 South Kalimantan will be free of malaria.
Opioid-Associated Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Distinctive Clinical Features and Implications for Health Care and Public Responses: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Dezfulian Cameron , Orkin Aaron M. , Maron Bradley A. , Elmer Jonathan , Girotra Saket , Gladwin Mark T. , Merchant Raina M. , Panchal Ashish R. , Perman Sarah M. , Starks Monique Anderson , van Diepen Sean , Lavonas Eric J. ,   On behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research; and Council on Clinical Cardiology
Published: March 2021

Opioid overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans 25 to 64 years of age, and opioid use disorder affects >2 million Americans. The epidemiology of opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States is changing rapidly, with exponential increases in death resulting from synthetic opioids and linear increases in heroin deaths more than offsetting modest reductions in deaths from prescription opioids. The pathophysiology of polysubstance toxidromes involving opioids, asphyxial death, and prolonged hypoxemia leading to global ischemia (cardiac arrest) differs from that of sudden cardiac arrest. People who use opioids may also develop bacteremia, central nervous system vasculitis and leukoencephalopathy, torsades de pointes, pulmonary vasculopathy, and pulmonary edema. Emergency management of opioid poisoning requires recognition by the lay public or emergency dispatchers, prompt emergency response, and effective ventilation coupled to compressions in the setting of opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Effective ventilation is challenging to teach, whereas naloxone, an opioid antagonist, can be administered by emergency medical personnel, trained laypeople, and the general public with dispatcher instruction to prevent cardiac arrest. Opioid education and naloxone distributions programs have been developed to teach people who are likely to encounter a person with opioid poisoning how to administer naloxone, deliver high-quality compressions, and perform rescue breathing. Current American Heart Association recommendations call for laypeople and others who cannot reliably establish the presence of a pulse to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in any individual who is unconscious and not breathing normally; if opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone should also be administered. Secondary prevention, including counseling, opioid overdose education with take-home naloxone, and medication for opioid use disorder, is important to prevent recurrent opioid overdose.
Favorable Venous Outflow Profiles Correlate With Favorable Tissue-Level Collaterals and Clinical Outcome
Authors: Faizy Tobias D. , Kabiri Reza , Christensen Soren , Mlynash Michael , Kuraitis Gabriella M. , Broocks Gabriel , Flottmann Fabian , Marks Michael P. , Lansberg Maarten G. , Albers Gregory W. , Fiehler Jens , Wintermark Max , Heit Jeremy J.
Published: March 2021

Background and Purpose:

Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion and favorable tissue-level collaterals (TLCs) likely have robust cortical venous outflow (VO). We hypothesized that favorable VO predicts robust TLC and good clinical outcomes.

Methods:

Multicenter retrospective cohort study of consecutive acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion patients who underwent thrombectomy triage. Included patients had interpretable prethrombectomy computed tomography, computed tomography angiography, and cerebral perfusion imaging. TLCs were measured on cerebral perfusion studies using the hypoperfusion intensity ratio (volume ratio of brain tissue with [Tmax >10 s/Tmax >6 s]). VO was determined by opacification of the vein of Labbé, sphenoparietal sinus, and superficial middle cerebral vein on computed tomography angiography as 0, not visible; 1, moderate opacification; and 2, full. Clinical and demographic data were determined from the electronic medical record. Using multivariable regression analyses, we determined the association between VO and (1) favorable TLC status (defined as hypoperfusion intensity ratio ≤0.4) and (2) good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2).

Results:

Six hundred forty-nine patients met inclusion criteria. Patients with favorable VO were younger (median age, 72 [interquartile range (IQR), 62–80] versus 77 [IQR, 66–84] years), had a lower baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (median, 12 [IQR, 7–17] versus 19 [IQR, 13–20]), and had a higher Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (median, 9 [IQR, 7–10] versus 7 [IQR, 6–9]). Favorable VO strongly predicted favorable TLC (odds ratio, 4.5 [95% CI, 3.1–6.5];
P
<0.001) in an adjusted regression analysis. Favorable VO also predicted good clinical outcome (odds ratio, 10 [95% CI, 6.2–16.0];
P
<0.001), while controlling for favorable TLC, age, glucose, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and good vessel reperfusion status.

Conclusions:

In this selective retrospective cohort study of acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion patients undergoing thrombectomy triage, favorable VO profiles correlated with favorable TLC and were associated with good functional outcomes after treatment. Future prospective studies should independently validate our findings.