bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visceral Adipose Tissue Indices Independently Correlated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Zheng Caiyu , Zheng Xuanling , Lin Xiaoyan , Ye Jiawen , Xu Ziqing , Hu Huixian , Wang Wengui , Huang Caoxin , Tian Jianqing , Liu Changqin
Published: February 2022

Aims. We aimed to explore whether visceral adiposity indices were significantly associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. Methods. 100 patients with T2DM who underwent overnight polysomnography were analyzed in this study. Anthropometric data, lipid profiles, and glycemic parameters were recorded. Body fat percentage (BFP) and visceral adipose tissue area (VAT area) were collected from a whole body scan using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the associations of AHI with BFP, VAT area, and CVAI. Results. The prevalence rate of OSA was 80%, and the mean (±SD) of age was

47.0
±
13.6

years. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was significantly and positively associated with either VAT area (

r
=
0.433

,

p
≤
0.001

) or Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) (

r
=
0.355

,

p
≤
0.001

) but not for BFP (

r
=
0.107

,

p
=
0.294

). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that VAT area and CVAI were significantly associated with increased risk of OSA, and the adjusted ORs were (95% CI) 1.025 (1.003-1.047,

p
=
0.023

) and 1.018 (1.002-1.034,

p
=
0.030

), respectively. However, there was no significant association between BFP and increased risk of OSA. Conclusions. VAT area and CVAI were independent risk factors of OSA in the patients with T2DM.
Designing and Sensitivity Analysis of an Off-Grid Hybrid Wind-Solar Power Plant with Diesel Generator and Battery Backup for the Rural Area in Iran
Authors: Ganjei Nima , Zishan Farhad , Alayi Reza , Samadi Hossein , Jahangiri Mehdi , Kumar Ravinder , Mohammadian Amir
Published: February 2022

Because of the lack of transmission and distribution grid of electricity in remote and inaccessible areas due to the high cost of construction of the transmission line along with the unsuitable geographical conditions and taking into account the factors affecting sustainable energy production, renewable energy seems like a sensible solution. Therefore, in this paper, considering the solar and wind potential of Turkalan village located in East Azerbaijan Province, the combined solar-wind-diesel generator system with battery bank and independent of the grid was evaluated. Sensitivity analysis and optimal measurement of the studied system were performed by HOMER software. Sensitivity analysis was performed on the parameters of solar radiation, light reflection from the environment, and wind speed. The goal was to supply 22 kWh/d of energy with a maximum load demand of 2.5 kW. The four hybrid systems proposed by the software considering the total net present cost (NPC) were solar-generator-battery, solar-wind-generator-battery, solar-battery, and solar-wind-battery, respectively. The studies were conducted to determine which of the systems is more suitable for the area.
Comparison of Consecutive Therapeutic Effects of Nanoemulsion and Emulsion Cyclosporin in Dry Eye Patients after Short-Term Treatment with Topical Fluorometholone
Authors: Choi Yeon Sun , Paik Hae Jung , Kim Dong Hyun
Published: February 2022

Purpose. To compare the consecutive therapeutic effects of 0.05% emulsion and nanoemulsion cyclosporine (CsA) in dry eye patients after short-term treatment with unpreserved 0.1% fluorometholone (FML). Methods. A prospective, randomized, and double-blinded study of dry eye patients was conducted in a single center. Patients were assigned to the nanoemulsion CsA (group 1) and emulsion CsA (group 2) groups. To relieve discomfort, unpreserved 0.1% FML was used in both groups for 4 weeks and then changed to 0.05% CsA for the next 8 weeks. Symptom assessment in dry eye (SANDE) score, tear secretion, tear film breakup time (TBUT), corneal staining score (CSS), meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) grade, and meibomian gland (MG) expression were evaluated at baseline and at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. Results. Twenty-four patients completed the treatment (9 and 15 patients in groups 1 and 2); in both the groups, SANDE score, TBUT, MGD grade, and MG expression were significantly improved after treatment with unpreserved 0.1% FML (each

p
<
0.005

), and the therapeutic effects were enhanced with changes in nanoemulsion or emulsion CsA compared with baseline (each

p
<
0.001

). TBUT and CSS after treatment in group 1 were significantly improved compared to those in group 2 (

p
=
0.003

and 0.020, respectively). Conclusion. Consecutive therapeutic effects of nanoemulsion or emulsion CsA after short-term treatment with unpreserved FML were excellent in patients with dry eyes. Topical nanoemulsion CsA showed better improvement in TBUT and OSS than CsA. This trial is registered with KCT0006070.
Two Kinds of Laplacian Spectra and Degree Kirchhoff Index of the Weighted Corona Networks
Authors: Liu Haiqin , Shao Yanling
Published: February 2022

Recently, the study related to network has aroused wide attention of the scientific community. Many problems can be usefully represented by corona graphs or networks. Meanwhile, the weight is a vital factor in characterizing some properties of real networks. In this paper, we give complete information about the signless Laplacian spectra of the weighted corona of a graph G1 and a regular graph G2 and the complete information about the normalized Laplacian spectra of the weighted corona of two regular graphs. The corresponding linearly independent eigenvectors of all these eigenvalues are also obtained. The spanning trees’ total number and the degree Kirchhoff index of the weighted corona graph are computed.
A Metaheuristic Approach for Encrypting Blockchain Data Attributes Using Ciphertext Policy Technique
Authors: Deb Nabamita , Elashiri Mohamed A. , Veeramakali T. , Rahmani Abdul Wahab , Degadwala Sheshang
Published: February 2022

Unlike public chains, the Alliance Blockchain Hyperledger Fabric has a member management service mechanism that may provide data isolation security at the channel level. However, because this data isolation security technique synchronizes plaintext data inside the channel, data leakage is still a possibility. Furthermore, in some fine-grained privacy protection circumstances, channel-based data access restriction is ineffective. In order to solve the data privacy security problems in the above-mentioned consortium chain superledger, a blockchain data attribute encryption scheme based on ciphertext policy is proposed. Combining the original Fabric Certificate Authority module in the Hyperledger, the proposed scheme can realize the user-level fine-grained security access to control blockchain data while also realizing the secure distribution of user attribute keys in the blockchain data attribute encryption scheme based on the ciphertext policy scheme. The security analysis of the scheme shows that the scheme achieves the security goals of attribute-based encryption user attribute private key secure distribution and data privacy protection. The scope of this research is that this study confirms that the solution’s architecture achieves fine-grained access control of private data on the Hyperledger Blockchain network and also the security objectives of secure transmission of user characteristic secret keys and data privacy protection. The performance analysis part also shows that the proposed scheme has good usability.
Research on Intelligent Classification of Ultrasonic Phased Array Image of Welding Seam of Naval Gun Cradle
Authors: Liu Wenjing , Zhang Erqing , Wang Jianguo , Wang Shaofeng , Huang Shunzhou
Published: February 2022

This study is interested in extracting representative features of the ultrasonic phased array image intelligent classification of the internal defects of naval gun mounts. Thus, an improved sparse self-encoding network model (RSAE) is proposed to realize the re-expression of sample data. First of all, in intelligent classification, the deterministic initial weight will lead to the best or worst result of neural network training, but in complex problems, it is very likely to get the worst result; at the same time, the neural network uses random weights. The results of training multiple times fluctuate greatly, which is not conducive to the performance evaluation of the network model. Therefore, this paper does not directly use the correlation parameter between the feature and the defect category as the initial feature weight of the RSAE. Instead, given a cell, the correlation parameter between the feature and the defect category is located in this cell. Then, on this basis, the optimization goal is to minimize the reconstruction error of training sample data, minimize the deviation of similar sample data, and maximize the difference of sample data between classes to realize the re-expression of sample data. The experimental results show that the advanced features obtained by the improved sparse autoencoder proposed in this paper are better than the original features in pattern recognition. This network can be used to more accurately identify the types of internal defects in the welds of naval gun mounts.
Improved Empirical Modal Decomposition Coupled with Interwoven Fourier Decomposition for Building Vibration Signal Denoising
Authors: Luo Xi , Abubakar Shitu
Published: February 2022

The precise detection of building vibration signals is a crucial problem for the identification of building vibration sources and characteristics. However, the building vibration signal is usually accompanied by complex high-frequency noise. The present study proposed a novel building vibration signal denoising method based on improved empirical modal decomposition coupled with interwoven Fourier decomposition (IEMD-IWFD). The noise-embed building vibration signal is first decomposed by the IEMD-IWFD. Then, the intrinsic mode function (IMF) components with useful information are extracted from the original building vibration signal using the energy criterion of the autocorrelation function. After that, the building vibration signal is formed by reconstructing the IMF component using the Hilbert transform. Based on the comparison of similarity coefficient and mean square error between the reconstructed signal from IEMD-IWFDM and EMD and target signal, it is indicated that the IEMD-IWFDM exhibits a better denoising performance for the simulated building vibration signal induced by trains.
Construction of Online Agricultural Product Consumption Demand Analysis Model Based on Data Mining Technology
Authors: Yi Xin
Published: February 2022

The traditional offline marketing mode of agricultural products was relatively single and difficult to adapt to the effective communication between agricultural and commercial enterprises and customers under the new situation, while the coordination between online agricultural products marketing management and customers’ consumption needs was not enough. Therefore, this paper puts forward the research on the construction of online agricultural product consumption demand analysis model based on data mining technology. Based on the supply-demand relationship between agricultural and commercial enterprises and consumers, this paper analyzed consumers and their demand behavior for agricultural products and gave an evaluation model of customers’ consumption demand for agricultural products. Using data mining technology, this paper made a cluster analysis on the characteristics of consumer demand behavior and established the mapping relationship between agricultural products and consumer demand. Then, the online consumption demand prediction and analysis model of agricultural products was put forward. Finally, the performance of demand forecasting model based on data classification was analyzed. The empirical results showed that the model proposed in this paper can better predict and analyze the consumption demand behavior of online agricultural products and had certain feasibility and effectiveness. The online consumption demand analysis model proposed in this paper played a positive role in improving the marketing management level of agricultural products.
Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Combined with Music Relaxation Therapy on the Self-Identity of College Students
Authors: Yin Jing
Published: February 2022

This paper analyzes various effects of acceptance and commitment therapy combined with music relaxation therapy on the self-identity of the college students. Through open recruitment and following the principle of voluntary and confidential, 80 college students were selected from our school, and then they were divided into two groups: the control group (40 cases) and the observation group (40 cases). The observation group received acceptance and commitment therapy combined with music relaxation therapy. For the control group, conventional mental health interventions were administered. Two months after intervention, psychological status, mental resilience, and quality of life scores were compared between the two groups. Before intervention, there was no significant difference in SAS and SDS scores between the two groups

P
>
0.05

. After intervention, SAS and SDS scores were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant

P
<
0.05

. Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the scores of toughness, strength, and optimism between the two groups

P
>
0.05

. After intervention, the scores of toughness, strength, and optimism in the two groups were all improved, and the scores of mental resilience in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, with statistical significance

P
<
0.05

. Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the quality of life scores between the observation group and the control group

P
>
0.05

. After intervention, the quality of life score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant

P
<
0.05

. The combined application of acceptance and commitment therapy and music relaxation therapy can help college students to improve their mental state, improve their mental resilience, enhance their evaluation of life quality, improve their sense of self-identity, and reduce the probability of the occurrence of unhealthy emotions such as depression.
Thyroid Hormone Levels Help to Predict Outcome of Critically Ill Patients Undergoing Early Neurological Rehabilitation
Authors: Boltzmann Melanie , Schmidt Simone B. , Rollnik Jens D.
Published: February 2022

The present study was aimed at examining thyroid hormones and other clinical factors to improve the accuracy of outcome prediction among critically ill patients undergoing early neurological rehabilitation. Patients consecutively admitted to an intensive or intermediate care unit were screened for eligibility. Serum levels of free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) were collected during the first three days after admission. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was defined as the primary outcome measure. Thyroid hormone levels and other clinical factors were entered into a binary logistic regression model to predict a good outcome at the end of early rehabilitative treatment. 395 patients (268 males) with a median age of 62 years (IQR = 52 − 76) and a median disease duration of 19 days (IQR = 13 − 28) were included in the study. Most patients (80%) had decreased fT3 values. Patients with low fT3 were admitted earlier to the rehabilitation facility and had more severe impairment upon admission compared to patients with fT3 values within the normal range. Both decreased fT3 and TSH levels were associated with an unfavorable outcome (GOS ≤ 3), but only TSH proved to be an independent predictor in multivariate analyses (OR = 1.11; 95%CI = 1.02 − 1.22). These data suggest that decreased fT3 and TSH levels upon admission may predict an unfavorable outcome at the end of early rehabilitative treatment. Thus, thyroid hormone levels are not only important during acute treatment but also in prolonged critical illness.
On the Benefits of Channel Bonding in Dense, Decentralized Wi-Fi 4 Networks
Authors: Gimenez-Guzman Jose Manuel , Marsa-Maestre Ivan , Orden David , Fernandez Susel , Tejedor-Romero Marino
Published: February 2022

Channel bonding is a technique first defined in the IEEE 802.11n standard to increase the throughput in wireless networks by means of using wider channels. In IEEE 802.11n (nowadays also known as Wi-Fi 4), it is possible to use 40 MHz channels instead of the classical 20 MHz channels. Although using channel bonding can increase the throughput, the classic 802.11 setting only allows for two orthogonal channels in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, which is not enough for proper channel assignment in dense settings. For that reason, it is commonly accepted that channel bonding is not suitable for this frequency band. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is not any accurate study that deals with this issue thoroughly. In this work, we study in depth the effect of channel bonding in Wi-Fi 4 dense, decentralized networks operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. We confirm the negative effect of using channel bonding in the 2.4 GHz frequency band with 11 channels which are 20 MHz wide (as in North America), but we also show that when there are 13 or more channels at hand (as in many other parts of the world, including Europe and Japan), the use of channel bonding yields consistent throughput improvements. For that reason, we claim that the common assumption of not considering channel bonding in the 2.4 GHz band should be revised.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with 18F-FGA for Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction in a Coronary Artery Ligation Model
Authors: Awasthi Vibhudutta , Gali Hariprasad , Hedrick Andria F. , Da Huining , Eeda Venkateswararao , Jain Diwakar
Published: February 2022

Location and extent of necrosis are valuable information in the management of myocardial infarction (MI). Methods. We investigated 2-deoxy-2-18F-fluoro glucaric acid (FGA), a novel infarct-avid agent, for positron emission tomography (PET) of MI. We synthesized FGA from commercially available 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-2-D-glucose (FDG). MI was induced in mice by permanently occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery. Biodistribution of FGA was assessed 1 h after FGA injection (11 MBq). PET/CT was conducted 1 h, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d, and 4 d after MI. Subcellular compartment of FGA accumulation in necrosis was studied by tracing the uptake of biotin-labeled glucaric acid with streptavidin-HRP in H2O2-treated H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Streptavidin-reactive protein bands were identified by LC-MS/MS. Results. We obtained a quantitative yield of FGA from FDG within 7 min ([Formula: see text]). Cardiac uptake of FGA was significantly higher in MI mice than that in control mice. Imaging after 1 h of FGA injection delineated MI for 3 days after MI induction, with negligible background signal from surrounding tissues. Myocardial injury was verified by tetrazolium staining and plasma troponin (47.63 pg/mL control versus 311.77 pg/mL MI). In necrotic H9c2 myoblasts, biotinylated glucaric acid accumulated in nuclear fraction. LC-MS/MS primarily identified fibronectin in necrotic cells as a putative high fidelity target of glucaric acid. Conclusion. FGA/PET detects infarct early after onset of MI and FGA accumulation in infarct persists for 3 days. Its retention in necrotic cells appears to be a result of interaction with fibronectin that is known to accumulate in injured cardiac tissue.
German S3 Evidence-Based Guidelines on Focal Therapy in Localized Prostate Cancer: The First Evidence-Based Guidelines on Focal Therapy
Authors: Borkowetz Angelika , Blana Andreas , Böhmer Dirk , Cash Hannes , Ehrmann Udo , Franiel Tobias , Henkel Thomas-Oliver , Höcht Stefan , Kristiansen Glen , Machtens Stefan , Niehoff Peter , Penzkofer Tobias , Pinkawa Michael , Radtke Jan Philipp , Roth Wilfried , Witzsch Ullrich , Ganzer Roman , Schlemmer Heinz Peter , Grimm Marc-Oliver , Hakenberg Oliver W. , Schostak Martin
Published: February 2022

Background: Focal therapy (FT) is an option to treat localized prostate cancer (PCa) and preserve healthy prostate tissue in order to reduce known side effects from primary whole-gland treatment. The available FT modalities are manifold. Until now, national and international PCa guidelines have been cautious to propose recommendations regarding FT treatment since data from prospective controlled trials are lacking for most FT modalities. Moreover, none of the international guidelines provides a separate section on FT. In this purpose, we provide a synopsis of the consensus-based German S3 guidelines for a possible international use. Summary: The recently published update of the German S3 guidelines, an evidence- and consensus-based guideline, provides a section on FT with recommendations for diagnostic work-up, indications, modalities, and follow-up. This section consists of 12 statements and recommendations for FT in the treatment of localized PCa. Key Message: The German S3 guidelines on PCa are the first to incorporate recommendations for FT based on evidence and expert consensus including indication criteria for FT, pretreatment, and follow-up diagnostic pathways as well as an extended overview of FT techniques and the current supportive evidence.
Laparoscopic Triple Segmental Bowel Resection for Endometriosis Revealed by Rectal Obstruction during Infertility Treatment
Authors: Nagakari Kunihiko , Azuma Daisuke , Takehara Kazuhiro , Ohuchi Masakazu , Ishizaki Yoichi , Sakamoto Kazuhiro
Published: February 2022

Intestinal endometriosis is a benign disease characterized by ectopic growth of the endometrium and causes extensive fibrosis and adhesions in response to repeated episodes of bleeding and inflammation with the menstrual cycle. We encountered a rare case of intestinal endometriosis that caused complete rectal obstruction in a 34-year-old woman undergoing infertility treatment. Colonoscopy showed rectal stenosis and obstruction but no evidence of a tumor. Bowel obstruction due to endometriosis was diagnosed based on the history and imaging findings. Transanal decompression was performed. Subsequent laparoscopic surgery revealed severe inflammation around both ovaries and a tumor-like rectal stenosis. Similar findings were obtained in the transverse colon and terminal ileum. We performed laparoscopic low anterior resection, partial transverse colon resection, ileocecal resection, bilateral cystectomy, and left salpingectomy. Infertility treatment was restarted and resulted in a successful term pregnancy. The patient remains well. Laparoscopic surgery, which has the advantage of being minimally invasive, allows for early postoperative recovery and discharge in patients with endometriosis; furthermore, the uterus and adnexa can be preserved due to the magnifying effect of the laparoscope. In this case, it was possible to resume infertility treatment. Intestinal endometriosis is a rare cause of bowel obstruction, but should be kept in mind if intestinal obstruction occurs during infertility treatment. Laparoscopic surgery may be useful for multiple endometriotic lesions and serve as a bridge to infertility treatment.
Coronary Artery Disease Risk of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Genetic Variants Independent of Clinically Observed Longitudinal Cholesterol Exposure
Authors: Clarke Shoa L. , Tcheandjieu Catherine , Hilliard Austin T. , Lee Kyung Min , Lynch Julie , Chang Kyong-Mi , Miller Donald , Knowles Joshua W. , O’Donnell Christopher , Tsao Philip S. , Rader Daniel J. , Wilson Peter W. , Sun Yan V. , Gaziano J. Michael , Assimes Themistocles L. ,   VA Million Veteran Program
Published: February 2022

Background:

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) genetic variants confer risk for coronary artery disease independent of LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) when considering a single measurement. In real clinical settings, longitudinal LDL-C data are often available through the electronic health record. It is unknown whether genetic testing for FH variants provides additional risk-stratifying information once longitudinal LDL-C is considered.

Methods:

We used the extensive electronic health record data available through the Million Veteran Program to conduct a nested case-control study. The primary outcome was coronary artery disease, derived from electronic health record codes for acute myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization. Incidence density sampling was used to match case/control exposure windows, defined by the date of the first LDL-C measurement to the date of the first coronary artery disease code of the index case. Adjustments for the first, maximum, or mean LDL-C were analyzed. FH variants in
LDLR
,
APOB
, and
PCSK9
(Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) were assessed by custom genotype array.

Results:

In a cohort of 23 091 predominantly prevalent cases at enrollment and 230 910 matched controls, FH variant carriers had an increased risk for coronary artery disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.53 [95% CI, 1.24–1.89]). Adjusting for mean LDL-C led to the greatest attenuation of the risk estimate, but significant risk remained (odds ratio, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.08–1.64]). The degree of attenuation was not affected by the number and the spread of LDL-C measures available.

Conclusions:

The risk associated with carrying an FH variant cannot be fully captured by the LDL-C data available in the electronic health record, even when considering multiple LDL-C measurements spanning more than a decade.
Fetal Brain Volume Predicts Neurodevelopment in Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Sadhwani Anjali , Wypij David , Rofeberg Valerie , Gholipour Ali , Mittleman Maggie , Rohde Julia , Velasco-Annis Clemente , Calderon Johanna , Friedman Kevin G. , Tworetzky Wayne , Grant P. Ellen , Soul Janet S. , Warfield Simon K. , Newburger Jane W. , Ortinau Cynthia M. , Rollins Caitlin K.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Neurodevelopmental impairment is common in children with congenital heart disease (CHD), but postnatal variables explain only 30% of the variance in outcomes. To explore whether the antecedents for neurodevelopmental disabilities might begin in utero, we analyzed whether fetal brain volume predicted subsequent neurodevelopmental outcome in children with CHD.

Methods:

Fetuses with isolated CHD and sociodemographically comparable healthy control fetuses underwent fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging and 2-year neurodevelopmental evaluation with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3). Hierarchical regression evaluated potential predictors of Bayley-III and ABAS-3 outcomes in the CHD group, including fetal total brain volume adjusted for gestational age and sex, sociodemographic characteristics, birth measures, and medical history.

Results:

The CHD group (n=52) had lower Bayley-III cognitive, language, and motor scores than the control group (n=26), but fetal brain volumes were similar. Within the CHD group, larger fetal total brain volume correlated with higher Bayley-III cognitive, language, and motor scores and ABAS-3 adaptive functioning scores (
r
=0.32–0.47; all
P
<0.05), but this was not noted in the control group. Fetal brain volume predicted 10% to 21% of the variance in neurodevelopmental outcome measures in univariate analyses. Multivariable models that also included social class and postnatal factors explained 18% to 45% of the variance in outcome, depending on developmental domain. Moreover, in final multivariable models, fetal brain volume was the most consistent predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome across domains.

Conclusions:

Small fetal brain volume is a strong independent predictor of 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes and may be an important imaging biomarker of future neurodevelopmental risk in CHD. Future studies are needed to support this hypothesis. Our findings support inclusion of fetal brain volume in risk stratification models and as a possible outcome in fetal neuroprotective intervention studies.
Second Heart Field–Derived Cells Contribute to Angiotensin II–Mediated Ascending Aortopathies
Authors: Sawada Hisashi , Katsumata Yuriko , Higashi Hideyuki , Zhang Chen , Li Yanming , Morgan Stephanie , Lee Lang H. , Singh Sasha A. , Chen Jeff Z. , Franklin Michael K. , Moorleghen Jessica J. , Howatt Deborah A. , Rateri Debra L. , Shen Ying H. , LeMaire Scott A. , Aikawa Masanori , Majesky Mark W. , Lu Hong S. , Daugherty Alan
Published: February 2022

Background:

The ascending aorta is a common location for aneurysm and dissection. This aortic region is populated by a mosaic of medial and adventitial cells that are embryonically derived from either the second heart field (SHF) or the cardiac neural crest. SHF-derived cells populate areas that coincide with the spatial specificity of thoracic aortopathies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and how SHF-derived cells contribute to ascending aortopathies.

Methods:

Ascending aortic pathologies were examined in patients with sporadic thoracic aortopathies and angiotensin II (AngII)–infused mice. Ascending aortas without overt pathology from AngII-infused mice were subjected to mass spectrometry–assisted proteomics and molecular features of SHF-derived cells were determined by single-cell transcriptomic analyses. Genetic deletion of either
Lrp1
(low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 1) or
Tgfbr2
(transforming growth factor–β receptor type 2) in SHF-derived cells was conducted to examine the effect of SHF-derived cells on vascular integrity.

Results:

Pathologies in human ascending aortic aneurysmal tissues were predominant in outer medial layers and adventitia. This gradient was mimicked in mouse aortas after AngII infusion that was coincident with the distribution of SHF-derived cells. Proteomics indicated that brief AngII infusion before overt pathology occurred evoked downregulation of smooth muscle cell proteins and differential expression of extracellular matrix proteins, including several LRP1 ligands. LRP1 deletion in SHF-derived cells augmented AngII-induced ascending aortic aneurysm and rupture. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed that brief AngII infusion decreased
Lrp1
and
Tgfbr2
mRNA abundance in SHF-derived cells and induced a unique fibroblast population with low abundance of
Tgfbr2
mRNA. SHF-specific
Tgfbr2
deletion led to embryonic lethality at E12.5 with dilatation of the outflow tract and retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Integration of proteomic and single-cell transcriptomics results identified PAI1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1) as the most increased protein in SHF-derived smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts during AngII infusion. Immunostaining revealed a transmural gradient of PAI1 in both ascending aortas of AngII-infused mice and human ascending aneurysmal aortas that mimicked the gradient of medial and adventitial pathologies.

Conclusions:

SHF-derived cells exert a critical role in maintaining vascular integrity through LRP1 and transforming growth factor–β signaling associated with increases of aortic PAI1.
Faster Convergence in Multiobjective Optimization Algorithms Based on Decomposition
Authors: Lavinas Yuri , Ladeira Marcelo , Aranha Claus
Published: February 2022

The Resource Allocation approach (RA) improves the performance of MOEA/D by maintaining a big population and updating few solutions each generation. However, most of the studies on RA generally focused on the properties of different Resource Allocation metrics. Thus, it is still uncertain what the main factors are that lead to increments in performance of MOEA/D with RA. This study investigates the effects of MOEA/D with the Partial Update Strategy (PS) in an extensive set of MOPs to generate insights into correspondences of MOEA/D with the partial update and MOEA/D with small population size and big population size. Our work undertakes an in-depth analysis of the populational dynamics behaviour considering their final approximation Pareto sets, anytime hypervolume performance, attained regions, and number of unique nondominated solutions. Our results indicate that MOEA/D with partial update progresses with the search as fast as MOEA/D with small population size and explores the search space as MOEA/D with big population size. MOEA/D with partial update can mitigate common problems related to population size choice with better convergence speed in most MOPs, as shown by the results of hypervolume and number of unique nondominated solutions, and as the anytime performance and Empirical Attainment Function indicate.
German cities with universities: Socioeconomic position and university performance
Authors: van Raan Anthony F. J.
Published: February 2022

A much-debated topic is the role of universities in the prosperity of cities and regions. Two major problems arise. First, what is a reliable measurement of prosperity? And second, what are the characteristics, particularly research performance, of a university that matter? I focus on this research question: Is there a significant relation between having a university and a city’s socioeconomic strength? And if so, what are the determining indicators of a university; for instance, how important is scientific collaboration? What is the role of scientific quality measured by citation impact? Does the size of a university, measured in number of publications or in number of students matter? I compiled a database of city and university data: gross urban product and population data of nearly 200 German cities and 400 districts. University data are derived from the Leiden Ranking 2020 and supplemented with data on the number of students. The socioeconomic strength of a city is determined using the urban scaling methodology. My study shows a significant relation between the presence of a university in a city and its socioeconomic indicators, particularly for larger cities, and that this is especially the case for universities with higher values of their output, impact and collaboration indicators.
A taxonomic review of the Tracheliodes quinquenotatus (Jurine, 1807) species complex and some new records of rare European Tracheliodes A. Morawitz, 1866 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae)
Authors: DIVELEC ROMAIN LE
Published: February 2022

Tracheliodes quinquenotatus (Jurine, 1807), as currently interpreted, is a widely distributed circummediterranean species. Three species are actually confused under this name. Two species are resurrected from synonymy: Tracheliodes trochantericus (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1841) stat. rev. and Tracheliodes herinaceus (Gribodo, 1894) stat. rev. One new synonymy is established: Crossocerus festivus Marquet, 1881 = Tracheliodes trochantericus (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1841) syn. nov. Neotypes are designated for Crossocerus luteicollis Lepeletier & Brullé, 1834 and Ceratocolus (?) trochantericus (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1841). Lectotypes are designated for Crossocerus festivus Marquet, 1881 and for Fertonius formicarius Ferton, 1896. New records for Tracheliodes curvitarsus (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1841) and Tracheliodes varus (Panzer, 1799) are provided.
Prehospital Simple Thoracostomy Does Not Improve Patient Outcomes Compared to Needle Thoracostomy in Severely Injured Trauma Patients
Authors: Harris Charles T. , Taghavi Sharven , Bird Emily , Duchesne Juan , Jacome Tomas , Tatum Danielle
Published: February 2022

Background

ATLS suggests simple thoracostomy (ST) after failure of needle thoracostomy (NT) in thoracic trauma. Some EMS agencies have adopted ST into their practice. We sought to describe our experience implementing ST in the prehospital setting, hypothesizing that prehospital ST would reduce failure rates and improve outcomes compared to NT.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of adult trauma patients who received prehospital ST or NT from 2017 to 2020.

Results

There were 48 patients with 64 procedures included. 83.7% were male and 65.8% injured by penetrating mechanism and of median (IQR) age of 31 (25-46) years. 28 (43.8%) procedures were NT and 36 (56.3%) were ST. Rates of improved patient response ( P = .15), noted return of blood/air ( P = .19), and return of spontaneous circulation ( P = .62) did not differ. On-scene times were higher for ST (16.8 vs 11.5 minutes; P < .02). Overall mortality did not differ between ST and NT (68.2% vs 46.4%, respectively; P = .125). For patients that survived beyond the ED, procedure-related complication rates were 2 of 21 patients (9.5%) in ST and 1 of 12 (8.3%) in NT. In penetrating trauma, simple thoracostomy had longer on-scene time and total prehospital time.

Discussion

ST did not improve success rates of ROSC and was associated with prolonged prehospital times, especially in penetrating trauma patients. Given the benefit of “scoop and run” in urban penetrating trauma, consideration should be given to direct transport in lieu of ST. Use of ST in blunt trauma should be evaluated prospectively.
The forgotten ‘immortalizer’: Recovering William H Whyte as the founder and future of groupthink research
Authors: Pol Oliver , Bridgman Todd , Cummings Stephen
Published: February 2022

Irving Janis’s concept of ‘groupthink’, the idea that a collective desire for consensus overrides the realistic appraisals of alternatives and leads to poor group decision making, is a staple of social science textbooks. Despite gaining little support in empirical studies, Janis’s eight symptoms of groupthink remains a popular framework. What has been forgotten, however, is that nearly 20 years before Janis’s supposed invention, groupthink was coined by social critic William H Whyte, author of one of the 1950s, most influential books on management. Adding to the growing interest in a historical turn in Management and Organization Studies, we investigate how and why Whyte’s groupthink was over-written by a history that found Janis’s ideas more useful, and outline how recovering Whyte can add value to our thinking now.
The fabrication and properties of a flexible sensor based on polyvinylidene fluoride fiber
Authors: Xu Liyun , Du Keyuan , Liu Yuegang , Xie Kaifang , Tang Hong , Zhang Chengjiao
Published: February 2022

Smart textiles have a wide range of applications in all walks of life. Wearable sensors have become the main research hotspot due to their excellent performance in both perception and response. In this paper, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used as the raw material to fabricate continuous fiber via melt spinning method, and β-phase crystal PVDF fiber was obtained at a melting temperature of 230°C and draft ratio of 5. The plain weave fabric of PVDF fiber was dipped into hot dimethyl silicone oil for thermal polarization treatment. When the plate was at a distance of 4 mm, the polarization temperature was 90°C and the polarization voltage was 9 kV, the PVDF had the best polarization property. After polarization, the PVDF fabric showed a good piezoelectric response and a PVDF flexible sensor could be applied to chemical fiber and natural fibers fabrics, in human health monitoring equipment in contact with close-fitting clothing or in home textile products for intelligent alarm systems.
ERDOĞAN'S ENDLESS DREAMS
Authors: Dolatabadi Ali Bagheri , Rezaei Reza
Published: February 2022

After the Justice and Development Party (AKP) rose to power in 2002, Turkey's Middle East policy underwent a radical change. Erdoğan's readings of the Arab Spring events are a vivid example of Turkey's new foreign policy. In the last months of 2019 and 2020, Turkey took two other important steps that have attracted the attention of the international community: engagement in Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria without UN Security Council authorization, and steps to reach an agreement with the Libyan government on oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean in tandem with sending troops to Libya. Turkey's recent actions, which violate international law and UN resolutions, raise several questions: what changes have taken place in Turkey's foreign policy? What are its core drivers and main components? And what results will the new policy deliver in the future? We argue that Turkey's behavior conforms to the principles of offensive realism. The shift in Turkey's foreign policy and the trend toward offensive realism are rooted in the 2011 Arab Spring and subsequent events in the Middle East. The failed coup of 2016 accelerated these changes and pushed them in new directions. Turkey is now seriously aiming to maximize its power, particularly in the politico‐military field, which could increase tensions in the sensitive region. We submit that Turkey cannot be guided by offensive realism in the long term, however.
TRSAv1: A new benchmark dataset for classifying user reviews on Turkish e-commerce websites
Authors: Aydoğan Murat , Kocaman Veysel
Published: February 2022

The amount of data produced significantly increased with the development of Internet technologies. Accordingly, the importance of natural language processing studies increased, and this topic became one of the most studied artificial intelligence subjects. Even though it is a popular topic that is widely studied on, not enough studies have been conducted on the Turkish language. Even the studies conducted in Turkey are primarily on English and other natural languages instead of Turkish. The lack of a Turkish dataset is the most crucial reason for the lack of studies. Therefore, to create a solution, user reviews on e-commerce websites were collected and labelled reviews as positive, negative and neutral, and a new and unique dataset consisting of 150,000 reviews was created. This dataset was named TRSAv1, which was publicly shared with the researchers will contribute to the Turkish natural language processing studies; however, the effect of different word representation methods on algorithm performance was examined in detail, and the results were compared.
An Aesthetic Model for Popular Illustration
Authors: Lin Yen-Ching
Published: February 2022

Although the aesthetic experience of popular illustrations is frequent in modern life, no scientific research can fully explain its psychological structure so far. This study aims to develop an aesthetic model of perception, affection, and cognition, presenting an aesthetic psychological framework for contemporary popular illustration. Thirty representative illustrations were selected as experimental stimuli from design media, and a seven-point scale with 10 paired adjectives of underlying psychological factors was built by analyzing systematic aesthetic researches by literature review. A total of 386 volunteers were recruited for the experimental survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) through structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to confirm the proposed model. The results showed that beauty, pleasure, and interestingness are the optimum indicators measuring the aesthetic experience of popular illustrations, and instead of the underlying meanings, the positive self-rewarding quality makes aesthetic experience of popular illustrations special.
Alternatively-spliced lncRNA-PNUTS promotes HCC cell EMT via regulating ZEB1 expression
Authors: Zhao Haiyan , Liu Chang , Zhao Chongyu , Che Chi , Liu Wuguang , Mei Yan
Published: February 2022

Background:

Long non-coding RNAs have been implicated in various cancers as they regulate critical cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis in tumorous tissues. lncRNA-PNUTS is newly reported as an alternatively-spliced lncRNA from PNUTS pre-mRNA that promotes oncogenesis in breast cancer. However, whether LncRNA-PNUTS plays a role in other forms of cancers, such as liver cancer, remains unknown.

Method:

In the current study, we investigated the potential role of lncRNA-PNUTS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The levels of lncRNA-PNUTS in tumorous tissues obtained from HCC patients were measured. The potential impacts of lncPNUTS on metastasis and invasion were investigated through gain- or loss- of function experiments in cell models of liver cancers, as well as other cellular assays such as trans-well assays and wound-healing assays.

Results:

Here, we report that lncPNUTS was upregulated in human HCC tissues. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments indicated lncPNUTS promoted metastasis and invasion. In addition, ZEB1, which is involved in the activation of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), was identified as a downstream target of lncPNUTS.

Conclusion:

Our findings indicated lncPNUTS promotes HCC cancer cell metastasis and invasion via targeting ZEB1 to activate the EMT pathway, suggesting that lncPNUTS is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for HCC patients.
Health Promotion Planning and an Interview With Dr Andrea Gielen
Authors: Terry Paul E.
Published: February 2022

This editorial features an interview with Dr. Andrea Gielen and the newly released book Health Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation: Creating Behavioral, Environmental and Policy Change, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Co-Editors for this edition are Lawrence Green, Andrea Gielen, Judith Ottoson, Darleen Peterson, and Marshall Kreuter. The PRECEDE/PROCEED planning model is summarized and the interview features research examples and practical applications of components of the model. PRECEDE, developed in 1974, stands for Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation. PROCEED, added in 1991, stands for Policy, Regulatory, and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development. Each chapter of this 5th edition of “Health Program Planning” details the specific public health competencies needed to meet ever more rigorous certification and accreditation standards.
An Evaluation of the Signs of Nipple Trauma Associated With Breastfeeding: A Delphi Study
Authors: Nakamura Maya , Asaka Yoko
Published: February 2022

Background:

No consensus on the definitions of nipple trauma has been reported. Thus, different individuals assess identical events inconsistently.

Research Aims:

To establish clear definitions for the seven signs of nipple trauma related to breastfeeding—erythema, swelling, scabbing, blistering, fissure, purpura, and peeling—and to reach consensus among multiple specialists.

Methods:

We implemented a longitudinal, prospective survey design using a 3-step Delphi method. In the first survey we targeted specialists in breastfeeding, dermatology, and cosmetics, and we presented images as representative cases during a set of semi-structured interviews. In the second and third surveys, we questioned midwives who were certified as “advanced midwives” through mail, using a questionnaire prepared based on the results of the first survey. The agreement criteria of this study were as follows: (1) a median of 2.0 or below; (2) an interquartile range of 1.0 or below; and (3) at least 51% showing responses of either “strongly agree” or “agree.”

Results:

Based on the responses of the 42 experts, we reached a consensus on 48 items: eight related to erythema, 10 to swelling, nine to scabbing, seven to blistering, seven to fissure, four to purpura, and three to peeling. We then classified these items based on the condition or possible mechanism of the wound. Finally, we developed an observation tool: “seven signs of nipple trauma associated with breastfeeding,” along with images.

Conclusions:

Application of this tool for breastfeeding support could improve objectivity in observing and evaluating nipple trauma.