bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
10-year stability of magnetite nanopowder prepared by the exploding wire method: is it a useful feature for environment safety and biomedical applications?
Authors: Khlusov I. A. , Omelyanchik A. S. , Rodionova V. V. , Shupletsova V. V. , Khaziakhmatova O. G. , Yurova K. A. , Litvinova L. S. , Norkin I. K.
Published: April 2023

Aim. To analyze the structural, magnetic, and cytotoxic features of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) prepared by the exploding wire method and stored in a dark place at ambient temperature (65 ± 15% humidity, air pressure 760

± 20 mm Hg., temperature 22 ± 4 °C) for 10 years.

Materials and methods. The properties of MNPs were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM). Viability of human blood mononuclear leukocytes was determined using 0.4% trypan blue staining after 24-hour culture with the nanopowder.

Results. The calculated size of the particles remained almost unchanged after 10 years of storage. The XRD and SAED patterns showed that crystallinity was preserved for 10 years. The diameter of the crystalline component of MNPs (DXRD) was close to the particle size determined by TEM. It confirms high crystallinity of the tested nanoparticles. Saturation magnetization (MS) of the MNP powder after 10 years of storage was unexpectedly higher than that of the as-prepared MNP powder. Reduced remanent magnetization (MR / MS) was equal for both samples within the margin of error. No cytotoxic effect of MNPs in vitro was detected in the long-term study.

Conclusion. No dramatic changes in the structural, magnetic, and cytotoxic features of MNPs were noted after 10 years of storage. It indicated 10-year stability of MNP powder that may be a useful feature for environment safety and biomedical applications.
A DQN-based Multi-Objective Participant Selection for Efficient Federated Learning
Authors: Xu Tongyang , Liu Yuan , Ma Zhaotai , Huang Yiqiang , Liu Peng
Published: April 2023

As a new distributed machine learning (ML) approach, federated learning (FL) shows the great potential to preserve data privacy by enabling distributed data owners to collaboratively build a global model without sharing their raw data. However, the heterogeneity in terms of data distribution and hardware configurations make it hard to select participants from the thousands of nodes. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective node selection approach to improve time-to-accuracy performance while resisting malicious nodes. We firstly design a deep reinforcement learning assisted FL framework. Then the problem of multi-objective node selection under this framework is formulated as a Markov decision process (MDP), which aims to reduce the training time and improve model accuracy simultaneously. Finally, a deep Q-netwok (DQN) based algorithm is proposed to efficiently solve the optimal set of participants for each iteration. Simulation results show that the proposed method not only significantly improves the accuracy and training speed of FL, but has stronger robustness to resist malicious nodes.
Water Level Control and Monitoring System in a Tank Made With Arduino Uno and NodeMCU ESP8266 Development Boards
Authors: Petru Livinti T , Tivlea Marius V , Popa Sorin Eugen
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This work is presenting a water level control and monitoring system in a tank, by using the development boards Arduino Uno, NodeMCU ESP8266 and the ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04. The water tank is supplied through a pump controlled by the development board Arduino Uno by means of a relay. The author has issued a control algorithm for controlling the water level and a program in the development environment Arduino IDE that has been implemented and validated on the experimental stand. For monitoring the development board NodeMCU ESP8266 has been used that takes the information from the ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 and sends it through Wi-Fi to the platform ThingSpeak. Based on the experimental results it has been found out that the water level control system in the tank provides the performances imposed through the designing stage, and the pump running has been automatically stopped when the limit, settled through the program for the water maximum level in the tank, has been reached. The measured value of the water level is shown on the LCD 1602 display. In the water circuit of the home consumers or irrigation systems supplied from the tank a pump controlled by means of a mobile phone has been installed. In order to implement this control system, the author has issued a program for another development board Arduino Uno, whilst for the mobile phone he used the application Arduino Bluetooth Control. The advantage of this water level control and monitoring system in the tank is given by the very low costs in comparison to the cost of an industrial type control system.
Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) and Supervised Ma-Chine Learning Based Algorithms for Prediction of Surface Roughness of Additive Manufactured Polyactic Acid (PLA) Specimens
Authors: Mishra Akshansh , Jatti Vijaykumar S. , Sefene Eyob Messele , Paliwal Shivangi
Published: April 2023

Structural integrity is a crucial aspect of engineering components, particularly in the field of additive manufacturing (AM). Surface roughness is a vital parameter that significantly influences the structural integrity of additively manufactured parts. In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation into the relationship between surface roughness and structural integrity of Polyactic Acid (PLA) specimens produced through additive manufacturing. This research work focuses on the prediction of surface roughness of Additive Manufactured Polyactic Acid (PLA) specimens using eight different supervised machine learning regression-based algorithms. For the first time, Explainable AI techniques are employed to enhance the interpretability of the machine learning models. The eight algorithms used in this study are Support Vector Regression, Random Forest, XG Boost, Ada Boost, Catboost, Decision Tree, Extra Tree regressor, and Gradient Boosting regressor. The study analyzes the performance of these algorithms to predict the surface roughness of PLA specimens, while also investigating the impact of individual input parameters through Explainable AI methods. The experimental results indicate that the XG Boost algorithm outperforms the other algorithms with the highest coefficient of determination value of 0.9634. This value demonstrates that the XG Boost algorithm provides the most accurate predictions for surface roughness compared to other algorithms. The study also provides a comparative analysis of the performance of all the algorithms used in this study, along with insights derived from Explainable AI techniques.
Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Magnetic Field and Heat Transfer on Plasma Through an Asymmetric Non-Uniform Channel
Authors: Moseti Lilian , Kerongo Joash , Bulinda Vincent
Published: April 2023

Theoretical approaches were applied to study the effect of magnetic field and heat transfer on the flow of blood plasma through an asymmetric arterial segment. The plasma was considered to be unsteady, laminar and an incompressible fluid through non-uniform arterial segment in a two-dimensional flow. Axial velocity, pressure gradient, stream function and pressure shift per wavelength were evaluated in blood plasma flow in arteries by use of coupled linear partial differential equations, solved with the help of Finite difference method. The corresponding initial and boundary conditions were obtained by discretizing the flow channel. The effect of magnetic field on blood plasma in arteries was determined by creating a magnetic field gradient through the application of a varying strength of magnetic field on the flow. Heat transfer characteristics due to applied magnetic field and viscosity of blood was obtained by use of linear partial differential equations to determine varying temperature conditions in heat transfer characteristics. Numerical results for velocity profiles, magnetic profiles and temperature profiles were obtained to characterize blood plasma viscosity by use of various non-dimensional parameters. The results were graphically presented using MATLAB software. The results obtained helped in analyzing theoretically the effects of magnetic field and heat transfer in arterial plasma flow.
Variation of Aerosol Optical Properties and Trends over Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Based on 10 Years of AERONET Data and Satellite-Based Observations
Authors: Stefanie Horatiu Ioan , Radovici Andrei , Mereuta Alexandru , Arghius Viorel , Camarasan Horia , Costin Dan , Botezan Camelia Sabina , Ginsca Camelia , Ajtai Nicolae
Published: April 2023

Aerosols play an important role in Earth’s climate system, thus long time ground based measurements of aerosol optical properties are useful in understanding this role. 10 years of quality-assured measurements between 2010 and 2020 are used to investigate the aerosol climatology in the Cluj-Napoca area, in North-Western Romania. In this study, we analyze the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Ångström exponent obtained by CIMEL sun photometer, part of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) to extract the seasonality of aerosols in the region and investigate the aerosol climatology of the area. Higher aerosol loads are found during July and August. Ångström exponent has the lowest values in April and May and the highest in August. The classification of aerosols using AERONET data is performed to separate dust, biomass burning, polluted urban, marine and continental dominant aerosol mixtures. In addition, the study presents the validation efforts of the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) dataset against AERONET AOD over 10 years period.
The Effect of Lameness on Milk Production of Dairy Goats
Authors: Jaques Natasha , Turner Sally-Anne , Vallée Emilie , Heuer Cord , Lopez-Villalobos Nicolas
Published: April 2023

Lameness on dairy goat farms is a welfare concern and could negatively affect milk production. This study's objective was to evaluate the effects of clinical lameness on the daily milk production of dairy goats. Between July 2019 and June 2020, 11,847 test-day records were collected from 3,145 goats on three farms in New Zealand. Locomotion scoring of goats used a 5-point scoring system (0 to 4). The dataset was split into two groups by lactation type, where goats were classified as being in seasonal lactation (≤305 days in milk) or extended lactation (>305 days in milk). A linear mixed model was used to analyze datasets using milk characteristics as the dependent variables. Clinically lame goats (score 3 or 4) in seasonal and extended lactation produced 2.63% and 4.66% less milk than goats not lame, respectively. Severely lame goats (score 4) in seasonal and extended lactation produced 7.10% and 8.56% less milk than goats not lame, respectively. The estimated average daily milk income lost was between NZD 26 and 104 per goat. This study established the negative impact of lameness on milk production and annual income in dairy goats on three farms.
Factors Impacting the Adoption of Online Banking among Self Help Groups in India
Authors: Malhotra Nishi , Baag Pankaj Kumar
Published: April 2023

This research study aims to explore how during COVID-19, the adoption of online banking is impacted by various factors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived security, and trust. The data were collected using the primary questionnaire with 98 respondents. The study investigates the direct effect using the PLS-SEM method, and the indirect effects are analyzed using mediation analysis. The study indicates that perceived security is an important factor that impacts the adoption of online banking by self-help groups in India. Trust in online banking without allaying the fears of banking online does not lead to the adoption of technology. Perceived ease of use and ease of usage directly impact the adoption of online banking by the members of self-help groups in India. The study is the first-ever study to measure the indirect impact of trust on the intention to use online banking by the members of self-help groups in India This study has far-reaching implications for policymakers and banks. To increase the adoption of online banking, it is important to allay the fears of security among the members of self-help groups in India.
Thiamine and High Dose Insulin Treatment for Sepsis
Authors: bradley Patrick
Published: April 2023

Sepsis is a major health problem and accounts for 20 per cent of deaths worldwide. It is the most expensive condition treated in United States hospitals at $27 billion per year or about $20,000 per patient. Treatment consisting largely of fluid resuscitation and antibiotics has only marginal impact. Mortality is about 27 per cent for hospitalized patients and about 42 per cent for patients in intensive care.There are two phases of sepsis – a hyper inflammatory phase and a subsequent hypo inflammatory phase.During the hyper inflammatory phase the metabolic rate increases associated with an increase in body temperature and a rapid escalation of immune system functioning including increased numbers of leucocytes and migration of those leucocytes to infected and damaged tissues and an increased supply and consumption of glucose to fuel this immune system.During the subsequent hypo inflammatory phase the metabolic rate declines and this is associated with a decrease in body temperature and a generalized decrease in the physiological activity of many organs including the immune system akin to hibernation. The activated immune system has priority for the available glucose over most other organs and physiological functions during such potentially life threatening circumstances. Thus adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria (the source of energy at the cellular level for the organism as a whole) also has a lower priority for the available glucose relative to the activated immune system. If glucose availability is threatened then mitochondrial production of ATP is partially or substantially suppressed in favor of glycolysis because glycolysis can rapidly produce large quantities of ATP that are necessary for immune cell function in infected, anaerobic, ischemic, or damaged tissues.However, glycolysis is only a temporary fix as it cannot produce the quantities of ATP necessary on an ongoing basis for the normal functioning of the healthy animal. Mitochondrial production of ATP must be recommenced for full recovery.It appears that the partial or substantial suppression of mitochondrial production of ATP by activation of the immune response becomes relatively fixated in some patients leading to a substantial ATP deficit. This is the fundamental issue of sepsis.This paper reviews the metabolism of glucose and insulin during sepsis and concludes that high dose insulin with mild hyper glycaemia in conjunction with the intravenous administration of thiamine, an inhibitor of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase enzymes, to re-establish physiological ATP production by mitochondria, administered early in the hypo metabolic (hypo inflammatory) phase of sepsis should significantly improve survival.
Optimization of Fermentation Conditions for Elevating Limonene Production with Engineered Rhodosporidium toruloides
Authors: Zhao Di , Gao Qidou , Zheng Xiaochun , Liu Sasa , Qi Qingsheng , Wang Xue , Yang Xiaobing
Published: April 2023

Limonene is a valuable monoterpenoid that with diverse applications. Microbial biosynthesis offers a sustainable alternative to plant-based extraction, which is prone to hinderance by climate change and acreage. In the present study, the effects on limonene production of carbon source, inoculum, working volume, temperature, pH, dodecane coverage, and media were investigated with engineered strains of Rhodosporidium toruloides. Through single-factor and orthogonal experiments, the limonene titer was improved from 52.2 to 358.1 mg/L on 250-mL flask, a 586% increase. The optimized medium was MM, with a working volume of 50 mL, inoculum OD600=0.6, 22 °C, pH 6, and dodecane coverage (v/v) of 20%. The results here demonstrated that the R. toruloides could be explored as an efficient limonene producer and facilitate other monoterpenoids biosynthesis with R. toruloides.
Prehabilitation for frail patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement: protocol for the Joint PREP feasibility randomised controlled trial
Authors: Khalid Tanzeela , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , Bertram Wendy , Culliford Lucy , England Clare , Henderson Emily , Jameson Catherine , Jepson Marcus , Palmer Shea , Whitehouse Michael , Wylde Vikki
Published: April 2023

Background
Approximately 8% of community-based adults aged ≥50 years in England are frail. Frailty has been found to be associated with poorer outcomes after joint replacement. Targeting frailty pre-operatively via protein supplementation and exercise has the potential to improve outcomes for people undergoing joint replacement. Prior to proceeding with a randomised controlled trial (RCT), a feasibility study is necessary to address key uncertainties and explore how to optimise trial design and delivery.
Methods
The Joint PRehabilitation with Exercise and Protein (Joint PREP) study is a feasibility study for a multicentre, two-arm, parallel group, pragmatic, RCT to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation for frail patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. Sixty people who are ≥65 years of age, frail according to the self-reported Groningen Frailty Indicator and scheduled to undergo total hip or knee replacement at 2-3 hospitals in England and Wales will be recruited and randomly allocated on a 1:1 ratio to the intervention or usual care group. The usual care group will receive the standard care at their hospital. The intervention group will be given a daily protein supplement and will be asked to follow a home-based, tailored daily exercise programme for 12 weeks before their operation, in addition to usual care. Participants will be supported through six follow-up calls from a physiotherapist during the 12-week intervention period. Study questionnaires will be administered at baseline and 12 weeks after randomisation. Embedded qualitative research with patients will explore their experiences of participating, reasons for non-participation and/or reasons for withdrawal or treatment discontinuation. Primary feasibility outcomes will be eligibility and recruitment rates, adherence to the intervention, and acceptability of the trial and the intervention.
Discussion
This study will generate important data regarding the feasibility of a RCT to evaluate a prehabilitation intervention for frail patients undergoing total hip and knee replacement. A future phase-3 RCT will determine if pre-operative nutrition and exercise improves the recovery of frail patients after primary joint replacement.
Trial registration: ISRCTN11121506, registered 29/09/2022
Anthropogenic activities mediate stratification and stability of microbial communities in freshwater sediments
Authors: Zhou Xiaotian , Lennon Jay , Lu Xiang , Ruan Aidong
Published: April 2023

Background
As important decomposers on Earth, freshwater sediment microbes play a key role in regulating biogeochemical cycles and controlling greenhouse gas emissions. They often exhibit a highly ordered structure along depth profile. Besides redox effect, sediment stratification could also reflect historical transition. Recently, the Anthropocene as a candidate geological epoch has attracted great concern. Lake sediment is a typical environment for hosting traces that mark the anthropogenic pressure rise in the mid-20th century. However, little is known about the human impact on sediment zonation under cover of natural redox niches. Dam construction is one of the most far-reaching anthropogenic modifications of aquatic ecosystems. Here we attempted to identify the ecological imprint of damming on freshwater sediment microbiome.
Results
We conducted a year-round survey on sediment profiles of Lake Chaohu, a large shallow lake in China. Depth-discrete shotgun metagenomics, metataxonomics, and geophysiochemical analyses revealed a unique prokaryotic hierarchy contributed by coupling of redox regime and historical damming (labeled by the 137Cs peak in AD 1963). Dam-induced initial differentiation was amplified by nitrogen and methane metabolism, forming an abrupt transition which localized the nitrate-methane transition zone and controlled the depth of methane sequestration. At the transition zone, we observed significant taxonomic differentiation and identified damming-sensitive taxa via a random forest algorithm. Null model analysis showed that damming altered microbial community assembly, from a selection-oriented deterministic process above to a more stochastic, dispersal-limited one below. Temporal investigation revealed that the rapid transition zone acted as an ecotone where the local community exhibited high richness, low stability, and emergent stochasticity. Path analysis showed the emergent stochasticity mainly came from high microbial metabolic flexibility which potentially brought both ecological and statistical neutralities.
Conclusions
We delineate a picture in which dam-induced changes to the nutrient availability and sedimentation rate modify the microbial metabolic activities and generate great changes in the community structure, assembly and stability of the freshwater sediment microbiome. These findings reflect profound ecological and biogeochemical ramifications of human-Earth system interactions and help re-examine the mainstream views in the formation of sediment microbial stratification.
Shifts in coral reef fish populations linked to human pressure and tourism activities revealed by COVID-19 restrictions
Authors: Gairin Emma , Bertucci Frédéric , Roux Natacha , Minier Lana , Berthe Cécile , Waqalevu Viliame , Maueau Tehani , Sturny Vincent , Sang Gaston Tong , Mills Suzanne C , Lecchini David
Published: April 2023

Throughout the world, anthropogenic pressure on natural ecosystems is intensifying notably through urbanisation, economic development, and tourism. Coral reef organisms worldwide have become exposed to stressors related to tourism activities. To reveal the impact of human activities, the COVID-19-related social restrictions put in place since 2020 can be used. In French Polynesia, from February to December 2021, there was a series of restrictions of local activities as well as bans of international tourism. These led to variations in the intensity of tourism activities. Here, we aim to determine the consequences of the rapidly changing activity restrictions on the species richness and density of juvenile and adult fish of all species and of harvested species in the lagoon of Bora-Bora (French Polynesia) across sites dedicated to tourism activities, affected by boat traffic, or with low traffic and tourism. Underwater visual surveys demonstrated that the density and species richness of juvenile and adult fish of all species and of harvested species were highest during total lockdowns and lowest when all activities were authorised. Adult and juvenile fish density and species richness increased the most during periods without tourism on sites usually visited by tourists. Fish density and diversity were lowest on sites affected by boat traffic regardless of restriction level, indicating a strong influence of human presence on fish sightings in the lagoon. Overall, COVID-19-related restrictions highlight that human activities are major drivers of fish abundance and species richness on Bora-Bora, calling for a sustainable planning of the lagoon usage.
A Rare Cause of Prolonged Jaundice-Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis: A Case Report
Authors: Şentürk Sevde , Gökçe Şule , Kaltakkıran Atakan , Koç Gonca , Demir Hilal , Mestanoğlu Perin , Satymkanova Rabiia
Published: April 2023

Introduction:
Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a disorder that causes a near-complete occlusion of the gastric outflow and leads to forceful vomiting in young infants. The congenital anomaly classically presents as being a dehydrated and underweight infant with several electrolyte abnormalities. Prolonged jaundice is an entity that has been described as total bilirubinemia (> 8 mg/dl) persisting beyond 14–21 postnatal days in newborns. The underlying etiologies of prolonged jaundice is generally as follows breast milk, congenital hypothyroidism, urinary tract infection, hemolysis and congenital methabolic disorders. Prolonged jaundice caused by Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis has been extremely rare reported in the literature.
Case Presentation:
A 33-day-old boy presented with acute onset non-projectile vomiting and prolonged jaundice. The common etiological factor of prolonged jaundice alongside non-projectile vomiting has been evaluated and the laboratory markers for hypothyroidism, urinary tract infection or hemolysis have not been detected. Although there was no failure to thrive, projectile vomiting, and pathological laboratory results; other rare etiologies of prolonged jaundice was analyzed and finally the ultrasonographic imaging showed a positive for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. The case was operated on with the technique of Ramstedt pyloromyotomy, recovered uneventfully, and jaundice regressed.
Conclusions:
Albeit breastmilk jaundice is the most common cause of prolonged jaundice; the radiological investigations should not be delayed for the correct diagnosis of infants presented with vomiting that could be associated with the possibility of less definite clinical features of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.
CD38 coordinates with NF-κB to promote cochlear inflammation in noise-induced hearing loss：the protective effect of Apigenin
Authors: Liu Da , Sai Na , Zhou Ying , Yu Ning , Jiang Qing-qing , Sun Wei , Han Wei-ju , Guo Weiwei
Published: April 2023

Noise exposure is one of the most common scause of sensorineural hearing loss. Although a large number of studies considered inflammation as a major contributor to noise-induced hearing loss, the process of cochlear inflammation is still unclear. Studies have found that activation of the NF-κB signal caused the accumulation of macrophages in the inner ear plays an important role in hair cell damage. In this study, Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) technique was used to analyze the changes of basilar membrane proteome expression before and after acoustic injury. After noise exposure, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) metabolism level was down-regulated and NF-κB signal pathway was activated. It seemed that the expression of CD38, the main NAD hydrolase in mammals, could straightly lead to the inflammation onset. Then Anakinra, an IL-1 receptor blocker, and Apigenin, a CD38 inhibitor, were given to animals to protect noise induced hearing loss. Our results showed that Anakinra had a littlt influence on the hearing threshold shift, while Apigenin could significantly reduce the threshold shift of hearing by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and CD38. These results suggest that inhibition of the expression of NF-κB and CD38 can be a promising target for protecting noise-induced hearing loss.
Stroke knowledge attitude behavior and practice in Sennar population, Sudan
Authors: Ismail Yasir Ahmed , Diab Dania Abdalla Hassan , Mohammed Ahmed Babiker Eltayb , Alteib Mogahid Alteib Yousif , Babiker Osman Asim , Balla Esraa Mohammed Ahmed , Balla Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed , Elteraifi Aya Mortada Awad Elkarim , Mohamedelnour Mohamed Elbadawi Elshaikh , Suliman Ahmed Elmahi Mohamed , Fadlallah Khalid Ali Mustafa , Balla Samer Mohammed Ahmed , Saifaldeen Monzer Mohammed Almahadi Ali , Nasereldin Elbasil
Published: April 2023

Introduction:
Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years. (1) this study aims to measure the knowledge about the stroke in Sennar city population.
Methodology:
This will be A Cross-sectional analytic study in the Sennar population town not in the medical field.
Result:
Of a total of 384 respondents, 63.3% (n =243) chose that HTN is the most important risk factor that can cause stroke, 35.4 % (n=136) choose obesity, while those who choose that lack of physical activity reached 33.6 % (n=129). While smoking came forth.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the survey findings revealed good stroke-related knowledge in the Sennar community. Knowledge of stroke risk factors was above average, as was awareness of the need to call an ambulance in response to stroke symptoms.
Prediction of no-reflow phenomenon in patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention by using optical coherence tomographyA systematic review and meta analysis
Authors: Qin Sirun , Sheng Zhe , Cao Yu
Published: April 2023

Aims: The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate predictors of no-reflow in primary PCI using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Methods and results: We conducted a systematic search of published or presented studies in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases for studies that compared no reflow and normal flow in patients with coronary artery disease following PCI guided by OCT.A total of five observational studies total number of patients = 356; No-reflow group = 96, Normal flow group =260) were included in the analysis. On pooled analysis, the presence of TCFA were significantly greater in the no reflow group than in the normal flow group, and the no reflow group had higher frequencies of plaque rupture and thrombus.In addition,we found that larger lipid arc (MD=66.51°, 95% CI: 3.05 to 129.96, p<0.00001) and length (MD=3.86mm, 95% CI: 2.01 to 5.70, p<0.0001) were more frequently observed in no reflow group.
Conclusion:The thin-capped fibroatheroma (TCFA) and large lipid plaque were good morphological features in identifying high-risk lesions for no-reflow after PCI. And these two features can serve as high-risk factors for no-reflow and guide clinical early prediction and prevention .
Association of hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease with COVID-19 in Africa: scoping review protocol
Authors: Nooh Faisal , Utzinger Jürg , Paris Daniel H. , Probst-Hensch Nicole , Chernet Afona
Published: April 2023

Background
The unprecedented spread of COVID-19 posed devastating effects on the global health care systems. People with chronic comorbidities have been at a particularly high risk for severe COVID-19. However, evidence on association of COVID-19 severity with hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the African population is still scarce.
Objective
The aim of this scoping review is to estimate the severity of COVID-19 among African patients with hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and its implications for case management in Africa.
Methods and analysis
The current scoping review will be conducted in compliance with the extension for Scoping Reviews of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-ScR). Articles will be served on the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL and the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews. The search will be conducted after the publication of this protocol. Articles published after March 2020 will be considered without language restrictions. Two reviewers will extract data from relevant articles. Descriptive analysis of the important findings will be conducted and a narrative synthesis of the results will serve as the basis for interpretation.
Expected results and conclusion
This scoping review is expected to determine the likelihood of patients with chronic comorbidities to progress to severe stage of COVID-19. In doing so it will generate evidence and set foundations for recommendations towards the establishment of surveillance systems and referral guidelines for the management of non-communicable diseases in face of COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Open label randomized controlled trial of a digital therapeutics in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients: A preliminary study
Authors: Kim Young-Kyun , Park Sang-Yoon , Kim Daehyun , Kim Bongju , Lee Jong-Ho
Published: April 2023

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a common condition that affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles of the jaw, resulting in pain and dysfunction. TMD is affected by both behavioral and psychological factors. However, the effectiveness of conservative treatments varies among patients. Digital therapeutics (DTx) is a new treatment approach where a software based medical device is used such as smartphone application. DTx can expect therapeutic effects by controlling behavioral factors through delivery of appropriate intervention and cognitive behavioral therapy. DTx have emerged as a promising alternative treatment option for various chronic conditions, but the development of DTx and the efficacy for TMD have not been fully evaluated.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a DTx for TMD called ‘Clickless®’, which is the first DTx using a smartphone application for TMD.
Methods: We recruited 40 participants diagnosed with TMD who visited the Bundang Seoul National University Hospital from March to May 2022. Participants were randomly divided into an intervention test group (DTx use) and a control group. The intervention group received the usual treatment process for TMD in addition to the use of the DTx. The control group received the usual treatments only. The patients were followed up in 3-4 weeks for both groups, and the outcome data were collected and analyzed.
Result: The intervention group showed a significant reduction in pain score as measured by the numeral rating scale (NRS) (mean difference 0.82, p = 0.038). Additionally, the intervention test group showed a statistically significant increase in maximal mouth opening compared to the control group. (mean difference 1.38(mm), p = 0.040] However, there was no significant difference of improvement in jaw functional limitation scale, oral behavior checklist, and patient health questionnaire-4 between the two groups.
Conclusion: DTx is an effective treatment option for TMD patients when it applied with the conventional treatments, however further research is necessary to confirm its efficacy and wider application.
Secure Image Transmission through LTE Wireless Communications Systems
Authors: Al-Fahaidy Farouk , Bouthigy Radwan AL , Al-Shamri Mohammad Yahya H. , Abdulkareem Safwan
Published: April 2023

Secure transmission of images over wireless communications systems can be done using RSA, the most known and efficient cryptographic algorithm, and OFDMA, the most preferred signal processing choice in wireless communications. This paper aims to study and investigate the performance of OFDMA system for wireless transmission of RSA-based encrypted images. In fact, the performance of OFDMA systems, based on different signals processing techniques such as, discrete sine transforms (DST) and discrete cosine transforms (DCT), as well as the conventional discrete Fourier transforms (DFT) are tested for wireless transmission of gray scale images with/without RSA encryption. The progress of transmitting the image is carried by firstly, encrypting the image with RSA algorithm, then, the encrypted image is modulated with DFT-based, DCT-based, and DST-based OFDMA systems. After that, the modulated images are transmitted over a wireless multi-path fading channel. The reverse operations will be carried at the receiver, in addition to the frequency domain equalization to overcome the channel effect. Exhaustive numbers of scenarios are performed for study and investigation of the performance of the different OFDMA systems in terms of PSNR and MSE, with different subcarriers mapping and modulation techniques, is done. The obtained results indicate the ability of different OFDMA systems for wireless secure transmission of images. However, the DCT-OFDMA system has shown its superiority over the DST-OFDMA system and the conventional DFT-OFDMA system.
The factors affecting the HRQOL of kidney transplant recipients in the land of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan - A cross-sectional study.
Authors: Dorji Choki , Tobgay Tashi , Na-Bangchang Kesara
Published: April 2023

Purpose
To study the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Bhutanese kidney transplant recipients and to examine the relationship between factors affecting the HRQOL.
Methods
An observational study was conducted from January to July 2022. A kidney transplant recipient who underwent surgery until December 2021 and came for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) was recruited. Data on HRQOL were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A descriptive analysis was used to describe sociodemographic characteristics and HRQOL. Factors affecting HRQOL were analysedusing Mann‒Whitney U and Kruskal‒Wallis tests. Linear regression was used to assess the link between factors and HRQOL.
Results
One hundred kidney transplant recipients were recruited in this study. Of these, 25 of them did not have a formal education, and 48 are employed. 53.0 % of kidney failures were due to hypertension, and 62 of them had dialysis for less than one year. Overall, physical symptoms contributed to poor HRQOL with a mean ± SDscore of 4.9 ± (1.0) and the appearance dimension of better HRQOL at a mean ± SD of 4.0 ± (1.3). Unemployment was significantly associated with poor physical symptoms, uncertainty/fear and emotional dimension. Physical symptoms and age were found to be positive and statistically significant (r = .321, P<0.001).
Factors such as age, hematocrit and BMI are linked with physical symptoms, fatigue and appearance.
Conclusion
Hypertension is the leading cause of kidney failure in Bhutan. The physical symptoms are associated with poor HRQOL among transplant recipients affecting mostly the unemployed. Recipients who are employed and the related donor had a better HRQOL.
Attention to climate change only temporarily diverted by COVID-19
Authors: Repke Tim , Callaghan Max , Lamb William F. , Lück Sarah , Müller-Hansen Finn , Minx Jan C.
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted peoples’ daily lives and dominated the public discourse. It thus displaced people’s attention to and concerns about climate change. We analyze 13.5 million tweets on climate change posted before and after the onset of the pandemic (2018–2021) and show that attention to climate dropped substantially in 2020 with the onset of the pandemic. While research has helped to explain this drop in the context of issue attention theory, our analysis highlights a remarkable recovery in attention in 2021 towards pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, our large-scale, transformer-based text analysis reveals important thematic shifts during this period. In particular, we show a sustained drop in attention to activist movements and subsequently an increased focus on climate causes and climate solutions. This means, that while the climate change discourse in general recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, activist movements such as the school protests that have mobilized millions around the globe in 2019 have measurably lost traction on Twitter.
Climate Change projections- Impacts and Adaptations on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in West Bengal
Authors: Rana Anchal , Chauhan Nirmla , Dua V K , Chaukhande Paresh
Published: April 2023

Simulation models are useful tools to evaluate the effects of future climatic scenarios on the potential productivity of potato. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of climate change using WOFOST and InfoCrop for representative concentration pathways (RCPs 4.5 and 6.0) and for future climate scenarios (2030, 2050, and 2080): also to establish the adaptation strategies, either by selecting suitable cultivar or by shifting date of planting or with proper irrigation and nitrogen management practices to compensate yield losses. Potato cultivars belonging to late (Kufri Badshah), medium (Kufri Jyoti), and early (Kufri Pukhraj) maturity cultivars were selected. Based on simulation results, it has been predicted that under RCP 4.5, the cumulative concentration of CO2 is likely to increase, leading to a potential productivity boost of 1.26%, 1.31%, and 1.03% for Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti, and Kufri Pukhraj potato varieties respectively by the year 2030. However, in 2050, a 0.20% and 0.02% increase is expected in Kufri Badshah and Kufri Jyoti, whereas, a decline (0.42%) is projected for Kufri Pukhraj. For 2080, a decline in potential productivity is anticipated for Kufri Badshah (-2.53%), Kufri Jyoti (-2.90%), and Kufri Pukhraj (-3.77%). However, the corresponding increase in temperature is likely to reduce the mean productivity by 5.7, 6.2, and 6.2% in 2030; 10.6, 11.6, and 11.8% in 2050 and 15.9, 17.2, and 17.9% in 2080, for Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti, and Kufri Pukhraj, respectively. However, when the combined influence of temperature and CO2 were considered, these losses can be compensated to some extent for 2030 (1.4, 1.4, and 1.1%), 2050 (0.3, 0.1, and − 0.4%) and 2080 (-2.4, -2.8 and − 3.7%) for Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti, and Kufri Pukhraj, respectively. Alike, for RCP 6.0, elevated concentration of CO2 is likely to increase the mean productivity in 2030 (7.1%), 2050 by 11.6% in, and by 21.1% in 2080. However, the elevated temperature is predicted to decrease the potential productivity in 2030 (-2.7%), 2050 (-6.3%), and 2080 (-17.8%). Although, when the combined effect of temperature and CO2 is considered, the potential productivity of potato is not much affected (4.2% in 2030, 4.6% in 2050, and by 1.0% in 2080). Further, by following adaptation strategies i.e shifting the date of planting and by selecting suitable cultivars productivity can be enhanced. In adaptation, among eleven varieties, Kufri Khyati emerged to be least affected and Kufri Kanchan was affected most by the effect of climate change for future climatic scenarios (2030, 2050, and 2080) for both RCPs (4.5 & 6.0). Further, with proper irrigation and nitrogen management practices, yield can also be increased.
Association between weight control behaviors and health-related quality of life in Korean adults without diabetes: an analysis based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017
Authors: Park Sat Byul
Published: April 2023

Background:Increasing evidence suggests that obesity is associated with a reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQL). HRQL is a widely used measure for assessing the degree of impairment in psychosocial and physical functions associated with disease states. This study aimed to examinethe association between weight control behaviors and HRQL in Korean adults without diabetes.
Methods: This study used data from the 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 3,575 adults without diabetes were selected and divided into four groups according to their weight control behavior: trying to lose weight, trying to maintain weight, trying to gain weight, and not trying to control weight. HRQL was evaluated using the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire. The EQ-5D consists of five multiple-choice questions and one subjective health level. Health status was determined with respect to the following five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The participants were asked to choose one of the following three responses: “No problem at all,” “There are some problems,” or “There are many problems.”
Results:A statistically significant difference in the EQ-5D index score was observed among the four groups before and after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test showed that the “trying to maintain weight” group had the highest EQ-5D index score. The “trying to lose weight” group had the second highest EQ-5D index score, followed by the “not trying to control weight” group, whereas the “trying to gain weight” group had the lowest EQ-5D index score(p-value compared with the “trying to maintain weight” group = 0.053, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively).
Conclusions: Participants trying to maintain their weight had the best quality of life. Individuals who are interested in their health tend to have a high quality of life. Conversely, individuals who are not interested in their health, such as those who are not trying to control their weight, tend to have a low quality of life. Furthermore, underweight individuals are against health promotion.
A synchronization/desynchronization module for droplet-based microfluidics
Authors: Hakimzadeh Mohammad , Aminizadeh Javad , Moosavi Ali
Published: April 2023

We propose a passive system that can be used to synchronize and desynchronize droplets in parallel microfluidic channels. The proposed system employs a droplet trap and release technique and a valve is also supplied to desynchronize the droplets. The proposed system is not sensitive to the exact time for entering the droplets into the system. The operation of the system was numerically checked.
Transcriptional factor FOXS1 promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo
Authors: Song Qihi , Tang Yukai , Wu Haijun
Published: April 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has emerged as a major public health concern due to its high incidence and mortality worldwide and a series of transcription factors have been proven by a number of studies to play crucial roles in the development of CRC. In this study, integrative bioinformatics analyses were performed to analyze differentially expressed transcription factors in CRC. FOXS1 was shown to be considerably up-regulated in CRC and linked to patients’ survival according to online data. Furthermore, the expression level of FOXS1 showed to be increased within clinical CRC tissues and cell lines. Concerning cellular functions, FOXS1 knockdown significantly suppressed colony formation and cell invasion of CRC cells; regarding epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, FOXS1 knockdown dramatically elevated E-cadherin proteins but reduced N-cadherin, vimentin, and β-catenin proteins than normal control and sh-NC groups. Conversely, FOXS1 facilitated CRC cell aggressiveness. In the subcutaneous xenograft tumor model, FOXS1 knockdown inhibited, whereas FOXS1 overexpression facilitated tumor growth and EMT. In conclusion, FOXS1 is significantly up-regulated in CRC. Functionally, FOXS1 knockdown repressed the capacity of cancer cells to proliferate and invade in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in the subcutaneous xenograft tumor model in vivo. FOXS1 exerts the oncogenic role in CRC through facilitating the EMT process in CRC.