bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More Than Ninety Percent of the Light Energy Emitted by Near-Infrared Laser Therapy Devices Used to Treat Musculoskeletal Disorders Is Absorbed Within the First Ten Millimeters of Biological Tissue
Authors: Kaub Leon , Schmitz Christoph
Published: November 2022

There is increasing interest in the application of near-infrared (NIR) laser light for the treatment of various musculoskeletal disorders. The present study thoroughly examined the physical characteristics of laser beams from two different laser therapy devices that are commercially available for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Then, these laser beams were used to measure the penetration depth in various biological tissues from different animal species. The key result of the present study was the finding that for all investigated tissues, most of the initial light energy was lost in the first one to two millimeters, more than 90% of the light energy was absorbed within the first ten millimeters, and there was hardly any light energy left after 15 – 20 mm of tissue. Furthermore, the investigated laser therapy devices fundamentally differed in several laser beam parameters that can have an influence on how light is transmitted through tissue. Overall, the present study showed that a laser therapy device that is supposed to reach deep layers of tissue for treatments of musculoskeletal disorders should operate with a wavelength between 800 nm and 905 nm, a top-hat beam profile, and it should emit very short pulses with a large peak power.
Prognostic Evaluation of Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer and Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer with 68Ga DOTATATE PET-CT
Authors: Bilen Mehmet A , Akintayo Akinyemi , Liu Yuan , Abiodun-Ojo Olayinka , Kucuk Omer , Carthon Bradley C. , Schuster David M. , Parent Ephraim Edward
Published: November 2022

Objectives: Prostate cancer is well known to express high levels of somatostatin receptors and preliminary data suggests that PET imaging with the somatostatin analog, 68Ga-DOTATATE, may allow for whole body staging of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NePC). This study explores the utility of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT to identify metastatic deposits in men with mCRPC and NePC and prognosticate disease progression. Methods: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT was performed in 17 patients with mCRPC and of those 2/17 had NePC. Semiquantitative analysis with standardized uptake values (SUV) (e.g. SUVmax, SUVmean) was performed for each metastatic lesion and reference background tissues. 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake in metastatic deposits was further classified as: mild (less than liver), moderate (up to liver average), or marked (greater than liver). Serial prostate-specific antigen measurements and patient survival were followed up to 3 years after PET imaging to assess response to standard of care treatment. Results: All patients had at least one metastic lesion with identifiable 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake. Marked 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake was found in 7/17 patients, including both NePC patients, and all were non-responders to systemic therapy and died within the follow up period, with a mean time to death of 8.1 months. 3 patients had mild 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake, and all were responders to systemic therapy and were alive 36 months after 68Ga-DOTATATE imaging. Conclusions: 68Ga-DOTATATE is able to identify mCRPC and NePC metastatic deposits, and lesions with 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake > liver may portend poor outcomes in patients with mCRPC.
Skin Phototype and Disease. A Comprehensive Genetic Approach to Pigmentary Traits Pleiotropy using PRS in the GCAT Cohort
Authors: Farré Xavier , Blay Natalia , Cortés Beatriz , Carreras Anna , Iraola-Guzmán Susana , De Cid Rafael
Published: November 2022

Human pigmentation has been largely associated with different disease prevalence among populations, but most of these studies are observational and inconclusive. Known to be genetically determined, pigmentary traits have been largely studied by GWAS, mostly in Caucasian ancestry cohorts from North Europe, identifying robustly, several loci involved in many of the pigmentary traits. Here, we conduct a detailed analysis of 13 pigmentary-related traits in a South European cohort of Caucasian ancestry (n=20,000). We observed fair phototype strongly associated with non-melanoma skin cancer and other dermatoses and confirmed by PRS-approach the shared genetic basis with skin and eye diseases, such as melanoma (OR=0.95), non-melanoma skin cancer (OR=0.93), basal cell carcinoma (OR=0.97) and darker phototype with vitiligo (OR=1.02), and cataracts (OR=1.04). Detailed genetic analyses revealed 37 risk loci associated with 10 out of 13 analyzed traits, and 16 fine-mapped genes significantly associated with at least two pigmentary traits. Some of them widely reported, such as MC1R, HERC2, OCA2, TYR, TYRP1, SLC45A2, and unveiling three new candidates RP11-1084J3.4, C1QTNF3 and C17orf112, not reported in GWAS Catalog. These results highlight the importance of phototype assessment as a genetic proxy of skin functionality when evaluating disease screening in mixed populations.
Direct in Vivo Comparison of 99mTc-labeled Scaffold Proteins, DARPin G3 and ADAPT6, for Visualization of HER2 Expression and Monitoring of Early Response for Trastuzumab Therapy
Authors: Tolmachev Vladimir , Bodenko Vitalina , Oroujeni Maryam , Deyev Sergey , Konovalova Elena , Schulga Alexey , Lindbo Sarah , Hober Sophia , Bragina Olga , Orlova Anna , Vorobyeva Anzhelika
Published: November 2022

Non-invasive radionuclide molecular visualization of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) can provide stratifcation of patients for HER2-targeting therapy. This method can also enable monitoring of the response to such therapies and thereby the treatment will be more personalized and efficient. Phase I clinical evaluation of two scaffold protein-based imaging probes, [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 and [99mTc]Tc-ADAPT6, demonstrated that their injections are safe, well-tolerated and cause low level of absorbed and equivalent doses. The goal of this preclinical study was to select the best probe for patients’ stratification and for response monitoring. Biodis-tribution of both tracers was compared in mice bearing SKOV-3 xenografts with high HER2 ex-pression and MDA-MB-468 xenografts with very low expression. Changes in accumulation of both probes in SKOV-3 tumors 24 h after injection of trastuzumab were evaluated. Both [99mTc]Tc-ADAPT6 and [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 permitted high contrast imaging of HER2-expressing tumors and clear discrimination between tumors with high and low HER2 expression. However, [99mTc]Tc-ADAPT6 has better preconditions for higher sensitivity and specificity of stratification. On the other hand, [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 is capable to sense the decrease of HER2 expression on re-sponse to trastuzumab therapy only 24 h after injection of loading dose. This indicates that this tracer would be better for monitoring early response to such treatment. Results of this study should be considered in planning of further clinical development of HER2 imaging probes.
Stress Relaxation Analysis in Bulk and Porous Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
Authors: Statnik Eugene S. , Salimon Alexey I. , Gorshkova Yulia E. , Kaladzinskaya Natallia S. , Markova Ludmila V. , Korsunsky Alexander M.
Published: November 2022

The reported study was devoted to the investigation of viscoelastic behavior for solid and porous ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) under compression. The obtained experimental stress curves were interpreted using a two-term Prony series to represent the superposition of two coexisting activation processes corresponding to long molecular (~160 s) and short structural (~20 s) time scales, respectively, leading to good statistical correlation with the observations. In the case of porous polymer, the internal strain redistribution during relaxation was quantified using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) analysis. The strongly inhomogeneous deformation of the porous polymer was found not to affect the relaxation times. In order to generalize the results to three dimensions, X-ray tomography was used to examine the porous structure at the macro- and micro-scale levels. DIC analysis revealed positive correlation between the applied force and relative density. The apparent stiffness variation for UHMWPE foams with mixed open and closed cells was described using a newly proposed three-term expression. Furthermore, the in situ tensile loading and X-ray scattering study was applied for isotropic solid UHMWPE specimens to investigate their parameters of internal structure during orientation and stress relaxation process at another mode.
Comparative Study of Intravenous Iron Sucrose Versus Ferric Carboxymaltose for the Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia during Pregnancy and Postpartum Period
Authors:   Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ACPM Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra 424002, India., Kulkarni Nitin , Pawar Pankaj ,   Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ACPM Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra 424002, India., Bansal Radhika ,   Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ACPM Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra 424002, India.
Published: November 2022

Objectives: The present study aims at advantages of ferric carboxymaltose therapy over iron sucrose in iron deficiency anaemia of ante natal and postnatal patient. Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out at ACPM medical college during January 2017 to December 2017 for 50 antenatal and 50 postnatal women, total 100 women. Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia done by proper history taking, examination, peripheral blood smear and blood indices. Baseline haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were noted on first, eighth, fifteenth and thirtieth day of treatment with iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose for randomly selected 50 antenatal and 50 postnatal women. Results: The mean rise of haemoglobin value was 4.3 g/ L for ferric carboxymaltose and 4.0 g/L for iron sucrose in pregnant women. For postpartum women mean rise of haemoglobin was 4.9 g/L after treatment with ferric carboxymaltose and 4.4 g/L for iron sucrose. Conclusion: For the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy as well as postnatal women ferric carboxymaltose is safe, efficient and having many advantages over iron sucrose.
Matheuristics to solve an integrated scheduling and vehicle routing problem in a cross-docking center
Authors: Hamdi Imen
Published: November 2022

The cross-docking center is an intermediate node in a distribution network, it presents a great advantage especially for perishables as it provides fast customers deliveries without storage in between or less than 24 hours. Receiving shipments from different suppliers, sorting them according to their characteristics, and transferring them to different demand points in the minimum standby time requires many operations. Reaching this goal leads to optimize a combination of a hybrid flowshop scheduling problem during the cross-docking process from inbounding to outbounding and a Vehicule Routing Problem (VRP) from the outbound trucks of the cross-docking center to the customers. The makespan is the objective to be minimized in this research. To solve such original problem, two matheuristics are proposed where each of them is based on two phases that combine the strengths of the linear programming and the heuristic algorithms. Indeed, we determine a set of variables in the first phase which will be used in the second phase to find the makespan value. Finally, computational experiments on instances from the literature and newly generated are reported and show the good performance of the proposed methods to solve large instances in a very competitive running time.
Evaluation of Sd-LDL, MDA, AOPPs , Atherogenic index as Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Diabetic Atherosclerosis Patients
Authors: Shahsavari Gholamreza , Nouryazdan Negar , Nasiri Mansoure ,   Mina Ghayebi1, Kazemi Alireza Moayyed , ahmadpour fatemeh
Published: November 2022

Objectives: The present study investigates the relationship between serum levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Small dense LDL cholesterol (sd-LDL-C), advanced products of protein oxidation (AOPP), Total antioxidant capacity (TCA) and Atherogenic indices in type 2 diabetic patients with atherosclerosis compared with healthy individuals.
Results: In this study, 50 healthy individuals and 60 patients were selected among the subjects referred to Shahid Madani Hospital. Atherosclerosis was determined with standard gold angiography. The serum levels of sd-LDL, MDA, AOPP, and TCA were evaluated by a specific method. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to examine the association between risk factors and disease. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that higher Triglycerides-Glucose (TYG) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), were associated with a higher risk of diabetic atherosclerosis patients compared with other risk factors (OR = 19.92, 95% CI: 6.65-39.67, p < 0.001) and (OR = 12.05, 95% CI: 4.88-29.70, p < 0.001), respectively. The area under the curve of disease predicted by sd-LDL and TYG was higher than other parameters (p < 0.001). The findings indicated that increased sd-LDL, TYG, and AIP might be useful for identifying individuals at higher risk of diabetic atherosclerosis patients.
Process optimization of the anaerobic co-digestion of Alternanthera philoxeroides and corn straw enhanced by biochar and Fe3O4
Authors: Fan Qiongbo , Shao Zhijiang , Guo Xiaohui , Zhou Qinqin , Qiu Ling
Published: November 2022

Alternanthera philoxeroides (AP), a highly invasive plant species, poses a serious threat to agriculture, ecological environment. In this study, the methane production properties of the anaerobic co-digestion (coAD) of AP and corn straw (CS) were studied. The interaction effects of total solids content (TS%), biochar, and Fe3O4 on methane yield were evaluated by regression model and response surface method (RSM). The regression model was extremely significant (p < 0.0001). The results show that the order of the effect of three factors on the methane yield of coAD was: TS% > Fe3O4 > biochar. With the aid of RSM, the optimum values of TS%, Fe3O4 and biochar were: 9.67 %, 8.41 g/kg and 5.51 %, respectively. The effects of three factors on the performance of coAD for methane yield were as follows: the content lower than the predicted optimal value was positively correlated with the methane yield, and the content higher than the predicted optimal value was negatively correlated with the methane yield. To improve the methane quality of AP, coAD could be carried out at a lower TS%, biochar and Fe3O4 were added to enhance the methane yield performance. This paper optimized the operational parameters of the coAD of AP and CS, which also provides new strategies for the treatment and utilization of AP.
The effectiveness and safety of botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of sialorrhea with Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Chun-Lan , Huang Jia-Peng , Tan Ying-chao , Wang Ting-ting , Zhang Han , Qu Yun
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injection is an important adjunctive method to treat sialorrhea. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the effect and safety of BoNT injections in the intervention of sialorrhea with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Methods

We searched PubMed, WOS, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Embase from inception until April 2022. Randomized controlled trials or randomized crossover trials comparing BoNT with placebo in sialorrhea with PD were eligible. PRISMA guidelines were used to carry out the meta-analysis. The Drooling Severity Frequency Scale (DSFS) score and the number of adverse events (AEs) were the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk differences (RDs) are used to express continuous and categorical outcomes, respectively. Heterogeneity among these studies was evaluated using I² tests. We used the GRADE method to assess the certainty of evidence (COE).

Results

Eight articles involving 259 patients compared BoNT injections with placebo for PD with sialorrhea. This meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in DSFS scores between BoNT injections and placebo (SMD=-0.98; 95% CI, -1.27 to 0.70, p < 0.00001; COE: high). This meta-analysis showed a significant difference in AEs between BoNT injections and placebo (RD = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.24, p = 0.002; COE: low).

Conclusions

The pooled results suggest that BoNT injections have some effect on DSFS scores with sialorrhea caused by PD. There are also mild adverse events, which generally recover within a week or so. The results indicate that BoNT injection is one of the treatments for sialorrhea caused by PD, but we need to pay attention to adverse events. In addition, the follow-up time was extended to observe oral hygiene, ulceration or dental caries, and digestive function.
Registration Our review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (42021288334).
West African Dwarf goat populations of Tropical Rainforest zone: Application of Multivariate analysis tools on their characterization using morpho-biometric traits.
Authors: Okoro Victor Mela Obinna , Chikereuba Uzoamaka , Iheanacho Gabrella , Ogundu Andrew , Chukwuocha Clara , Chikaodinaka Febechi , Ifediba Chukwuebuka , Kadurumba Ogechi Evangeline , Ogundu Uduak , Iloeje Micheal
Published: November 2022

This research was carried out to characterize the West African Dwarf (WAD) goats using multivariate approach based on their morpho-biometric traits in the Tropical Rainforest Zone of Nigeria. Data on four physical qualitative traits, six morphology indicators and nine morphological characters were generated from 279 goats. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric analysis and one-way approach of ANOVA with post hoc tests, Discriminant Analysis (Canonical), Principal Component Analysis (Categorical) and Regression Tree analysis were employed to discern the effects of location and sex on the parameters, as well as characterize the goats. The frequencies of the qualitative traits show black coat colour predominated (60.2%) over other coat colours, plain colour predominated (75.3%) over other colour patterns, straight horns (38.1%) predominates over other horn shape and beards presence (66.7%) predominated over non-beard presence amongst the goats in terms of locations and sexes. Location and age were significantly affected on the biometric characters (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001) with goats from Enugu having higher values than other states, while only HL was affected significantly by sex (P < 0.05). The morphological indicators were not significant affected by location and sex (P > 0.05 and P > 0.001), while age was significant. The discriminant analysis revealed a sparse, non-intermingling populations for the physical traits, biometric characters and body indices implying they are different distinct populations from each other. Generally, the goat populations could be characterized using HG, RH, and BW due to the Principal components, while the CHAID and Exhaustive CHAID algorithms analysis revealed BW and HL as the genetic classifiers of the WAD goats, both in terms of locations. Basically, the goats from the 3 locations appeared to be more homogeneous in nature, implying that a deployment of specific complimentary genomics work targeted at future selection and breeding programs to improve their productivity in the Tropical rain forest of Nigeria is necessary.
Selection of hazardous waste disposal company with multi-criteria decision making methods
Authors: Narli Müfide
Published: November 2022

The whole society, especially institutions and organizations, is responsible for the protection and improvement of the environment. The produce, collection and disposal of hazardous waste is a costly and time-consuming process subject to numerous environmental, social, technical and legal requirements. Wastes produced in hazardous waste generators are stored and delivered to a licensed hazardous waste disposal company with minimum legal requirements. Hospital management is faced with the problem of which disposal company to choose for the disposal of hazardous waste produced in the hospital. In hospitals, this choice is made by relying on the subjective judgment and previous experience of the managers. However, non-objective methods should be preferred instead of this objective choice. In this study, the importance level of the criteria that are effective in choosing a hazardous waste disposal company was determined by multi-criteria decision-making methods. Considering these importance levels, the most suitable disposal company was determined by the DEA method. In order to verify this model, disposal company selection was carried out with the BWM-TOPSIS method. During the validation, the AHP-DEA and BWM-TOPSIS results were tested statistically with Spearman's Correlation Coefficient.
Is the electron magnetic moment unique?
Authors: Golovko Vitaly
Published: November 2022

There exist two methods for finding the magnetic moment of the electron. In the first of them employed in quantum electrodynamics, one calculates the energy of the electron placed in a constant magnetic field, the extra energy due to the field being proportional to the magnetic moment. It is also possible to use the second method proceeding from the fact that the asymptotic form of the vector potential at infinity is proportional to the magnetic moment. If the electron were point-like, both the methods would yield identical results. In the present paper is studied the magnetic field created by the electron in hydrogen-like ions, which enables one to find the electron magnetic moment by the second method. The electron magnetic moment in this case proves to be different in different states of the electron in the Coulomb field of the ions and, moreover, is distinct from the magnetic moment calculated by the first method. The results of the paper show that the electron is not small and is deformable under action of external fields.
Variations in the type of adjuvant chemotherapy among Stage III colon cancer patients in England
Authors: Hassan Syreen , Miles Anne , Rachet Bernard , Morris Melanie
Published: November 2022

Purpose: Treatment with any adjuvant chemotherapy for Stage III colon cancer has been shown to differ between groups. Few studies, however, explore variations in the type of adjuvant chemotherapy received, none of which from the UK. The aim of this study is to explore variation in the type of chemotherapy received by Stage III colon cancer patients.
Methods: Data from the national cancer registry was linked to the Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy database, which provides detailed information on treatment of malignant diseases from all NHS England chemotherapy providers. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between those who received monotherapy (fluoropyrimidine) or combination chemotherapy (fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin) among Stage III colon cancer patients.
Results: Of 8,750 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, 22.3% (n=2,359) received monotherapy and 60.4% (n=6,391) received combination therapy. The odds of receiving combination therapy decreased with age. Those from the most deprived group had half the odds (OR: 0.5, CI: 0.42,0.59, p<0.001) of receiving combination therapy compared to the least deprived group. Women were 14% less likely to get combined therapy (OR: 0.86, CI: 0.77,0.95, p=0.005). Those with the largest tumour size (T4) and those with more than 3 lymph nodes involved (N2) had 30% (OR: 1.30; CI: 1.07,1.59; p=0.008) and 50% (OR: 1.50; 1.34,1.69; p<0.001) higher odds of receiving combination therapy compared to T1 or T2 and N1, respectively.
Conclusion: There is variation in the type of chemotherapy received for stage III colon cancer patients by sociodemographic factors, despite clear clinical guidelines.
Family physicians collaborating for health system integration: A scoping review
Authors: Grady Colleen , Han Han , Kim Julia Dahye , Coderre-Ball Angela Marie , Alam Nadia
Published: November 2022

Background
Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) serve as a new model for integrative and accessible healthcare. Core to these teams are family physicians and their ability to collaborate with other family physicians and healthcare providers. Whereas the factors for intra-organizational collaboration have been well-studied, the approaches employed to strengthen inter-organizational collaboration between family physicians and other healthcare organizations as an integrated care network, are less understood. This paper aims to explore the structural factors, processes, and theoretical frameworks that support family physicians’ collaboration for integrated healthcare around globe.
Methods
A scoping review was undertaken based on JBI methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Review (PRISMA_ScR) checklist. A search for academic literature published between 2000–2021 was conducted across databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCOhost). A search for relevant grey literature was performed. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify the key findings of the selected studies.
Results
Beginning with 11,831 references, title/abstract screening and full text review identified 32 studies as eligible for this review. Three key structural components were identified as critical to family physicians’ successful participation in inter-organizational partnerships: (1) ensuring shared vision/values in place, (2) having strong, positive leadership by family physicians, and (3) having well defined decision-making procedures. Also, three key processes were identified: (1) effective communication between partners, (2) a collective sense of motivation for change and collaboration, and (3) relationships built on trust and not hierarchical command. Three theoretical frameworks elicited from the literature provided insight into collaborative initiatives that included family physicians: (1) Social Identity Approach, (2) framework of interprofessional collaboration, and (3) competing values framework.
Conclusion
Family physicians hold unique positions in healthcare and this review is the first to synthesize the best evidence for building collaborations between family physicians and other healthcare sectors. These findings will inform future
Construction and Verification of Prognosis Model Based on Autophagy-related Gene Signatures in Digestive System Tumor
Authors: Zhang Yongming , Wang JiangTao , Liu Fang , Wei Yong , Cheng Yu , Wang Haitao
Published: November 2022

Due to the limitations of traditional histopathological diagnosis and tumor staging system, the accuracy of prognostic evaluation of digestive system tumors (DSTs) still needs to be improved. Therefore, powerful and accurate prognostic models must be developed to help clinicians optimize treatment strategies. Here, we screened 13 Prognosis-related autophagy genes (PR-ATGs) and seven independent PR-ATGs, which showcased notable prognostic value for DSTs. Upon this basis, we constructed a risk score model which assesses the prognosis of DSTs more accurately than clinicopathology. In addition, the C-index of the nomogram we constructed was 0.664. Verified by the calibration plots, there was an superior consistency between the nomogram prediction and actual observation. In Conclusion, the risk score model based on PR-ATGs and the nomogram established in conjunction with clinicopathology can better provide prognostic analysis for patients with DSTs.
Initial Development of Tools to Identify Child Abuse and Neglect in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Hanson Rochelle F. , Zhu Vivienne , Are Funlola , Espeleta Hannah , Wallis Elizabeth , Kautz Marin , Lenert Leslie
Published: November 2022

Background: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is prevalent, associated with long-term adversities, and often undetected. Primary care settings offer a unique opportunity to identify CAN and facilitate referrals, when warranted. Electronic health records (EHR) contain extensive information to support healthcare decisions, yet time constraints preclude most providers from extensive EHR reviews that could indicate CAN. Strategies that summarize EHR data to identify CAN and convey this to providers has potential to mitigate CAN-related sequelae. This study used expert review/consensus and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to develop and test a lexicon to characterize children who have experienced or are at risk for CAN and compared machine learning methods to the lexicon+NLP approach to determine the algorithm’s accuracy for identifying CAN.
Methods: Study investigators identified 90 CAN terms and invited an interdisciplinary group of child abuse experts for review and validation. We then used NLP to develop pipelines to finalize the CAN lexicon. Data for pipeline development and refinement were drawn from a randomly selected sample of EHR from patients seen at pediatric primary care clinics within a U.S. academic health center. To explore a machine learning approach for CAN identification, we used Support Vector Machine algorithms.
Results: The investigator-generated list of 90 CAN terms were reviewed and validated by 25 invited experts, resulting in a final pool of 133 terms. NLP utilized a randomly selected sample of 14,393 clinical notes from 153 patients to test the lexicon, and .03% of notes were identified as CAN positive. CAN identification varied by clinical note type, with few differences found by provider type (physicians versus nurses, social workers, etc). An evaluation of the final NLP pipelines indicated 93.8% hit rate for the training set and 71.4% for the test set, with decreased precision attributed primarily to false positives. For the machine learning approach, SVM pipeline performance was 92% for CAN+ and 100% for non-CAN, indicating higher sensitivity than specificity.
Conclusions: The NLP algorithm’s development and refinement suggest that innovative tools can identify youth at risk for CAN. The next key step is to funnel this information to care providers to guide clinical decision making.
Micro(bio)robotics: design and applications
Authors: Mistry Kruti J. , Markande Anoop R.
Published: November 2022

Microrobots are motile microsystems constructed using physical, chemical and biological components for operations with respect to definite application. In the present review, we have discussed the various aspects of bio-microrobots, their history and design. While designing a microrobot, two important parameters (and their varities)- actuation and sensing affect the different micromanipulation techniques to be employed (Magnetic, Optical, Electric, fluidic or acoustic). The controlling and actuation system (Vision-based or Force-sensing) selected for the specific application can dictate the fabrication type to be used for manufacture of the microrobot to be used. The controlling parameters are further influenced by the type of propulsion systems, Powering system, and mobility in complex environment and applicability of the microrobot. Presently, the microrobotics has applications in biomedical and environmental engineering. In this review, we have analyzed various aspects of bio-microrobot design, fabrication and applications which can help the future works in nanosciences and bio-based microrobotics.
Effects of personal and health characteristics on the intrinsic capacity of older adults in the community: A cross-sectional study using the healthy aging framework
Authors: Jiang Xin , Chen Fenghui , Yang Xuanxuan , Yang Mei , Zhang Xuehong , Ma Xuan , Yan Ping
Published: November 2022

Background
Intrinsic capacity can better reflects the physical functioning of older adults, however, few studies have been able to systematically and thoroughly examine its influencing factors and provide limited evidence for improvement of intrinsic capacity. This study aimed to describe the status of intrinsic capacity of older adults in the community, compare the decline rate of older adults, explore the its influencing factors, and analyze the correlation between each of the five domains of intrinsic capacity and the factors.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Chinese community. The self-designed general characteristics questionnaire was created based on the healthy aging framework and a systematic review. Intrinsic capacity was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), self-reported visual and hearing status, Mini Nutritional Assessment Brief Form (MNA-SF), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). The influencing factors of intrinsic capacity were investigated using stepwise logistic regression. The correlation between the five domains of intrinsic capacity and the factors using Spearman correlation.
Results
A total of 968 older adults with a mean age of 71.00 (68.00, 76.75) were examined, and 704 older adults (72.7%) showed a decline in intrinsic capacity. There was a decline in at least one domain in 39.3% of older adults, with declines in each domain ranging from 5.3% (psychological) to 52.4% (sensory). Older adults had a higher risk of intrinsic capacity decline if they were 75–89 years old (95% CI: 1.153–2.293), had a low education level (95% CI: 0.284–0.652), lived alone (95% CI: 1.130–3.210), smoked (95% CI: 0.307–0.858), high Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (95% CI: 1.246–1.810) scores, did not regular exercise (95% CI: 0.324–0.869), with lower handgrip strength (95% CI: 0.946–0.983). All the above factors influenced most of the domains of intrinsic capacity except smoking, and CCI can negatively influenced all domains of intrinsic capacity.
Conclusions
We found a relatively high prevalence of intrinsic capacity; more attention should be paid to olde adults who are older, less educated, live alone, and have more comorbidities. A healthy lifestyle should be emphasized for older adults with smoking, no regular exercise, and low handgrip strength.
Clinical Observation of Phacoemulsification under the Low Perfusion Pattern and Low Negative Pressure in Patients with Low Corneal Endothelial Cell Density
Authors: Lin Yan , Zhu Yihua , Zhou Biting , Yao Yihua , Ye Qin , Wang Xiaohui
Published: November 2022

Background
To observe the safety and effect of phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with low corneal endothelial cell density (CD) under the low perfusion pattern with low negative pressure.
Methods
In this retrospective case series study, a total of 16 patients (17 eyes) were studied. They had all been diagnosed with low corneal endothelial CD and cataracts in the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from December 2019 to October 2021. They underwent phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation under the low perfusion pattern with low negative pressure. The variations of corneal endothelial CD, coefficient of variation (CV) of the cell area, central corneal thickness (CCT), visual acuity, and intraocular pressure before and after the operation were observed, and the corresponding influencing factors were assessed. Then a paired t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analysis were adopted for data analysis.
Results
The mean intraocular pressure of the 17 eyes was 16.88 ± 6.47 mmHg before the operation and 14.41 ± 3.10 mmHg after the operation, showing a statistically significant difference of t = 2.222, and p = 0.041. Before the operation, the mean visual acuity was 0.16 ± 0.09, and after the operation, it was 0.45 ± 0.16, displaying a statistically significant difference of t = -9.917, p < 0.001. Before and after the operation, four of the 17 eyes had no detectable CD. In addition, CCT could not be measured in three eyes of them. The mean CD of the other 13 eyes at one day after the operation (645.62 ± 112.22 cells/mm2) and at one month after the operation (644.308 ± 106.24 cells/mm2) was lower than that before the operation (709.62 ± 119.19 cells/mm2), and the differences were statistically significant (F = 20.044, p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant differences were found in the mean CV before the operation (31.23 ± 4.21), at one day after the operation (31.92 ± 5.62), and at one month after the operation (32.62 ± 3.80; F = 2.130, p = 0.157). Moreover, the mean CCT of 14 eyes at one day after the operation (587.07 ± 35.00 µm) and one month after the operation (562.72 ± 27.82 µm) was larger than that before the operation (534.79 ± 24.69 µm), with statistically significant differences (F = 27.953, p < 0.001). Corneal endothelial decompensation did not occur in any case.
Conclusions
The low perfusion pattern with low negative pressure is safe and effective for corneal endothelial dysfunction patients complicated with cataracts, and appropriate measures should be taken to reduce the endothelial cell injury during the operation.
Renal‑rotation techniques in retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy for giant pheochromocytomas: a clinical intervention study with historical controls
Authors: Xue Ruizhi , Hu Caoyang , Zheng Zhongyi , Wei Liang , Yuan Xiaobin , Lyu Xiao , Shen Pengliang , Li Jun , Cao Xiaoming
Published: November 2022

Background

Dealing with the giant pheochromocytomas (maximum diameter ≥ 6cm) has long been a tough challenge for urologists. We introduced a new retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy method modified with renal-rotation techniques to treat giant pheochromocytomas.

Methods

28 diagnosed patients were prospectively recruited as the intervention group. Meanwhile, by referring to the historical records in our database, matched patients who had undergone routine retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (RA), transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (TA), or open adrenalectomy (OA) for giant pheochromocytomas were selected as controls. Perioperative and follow-up data were collected for comparative assessment.

Results

Among all the groups, the intervention group had the minimal bleeding volume (28.93 ± 25.94 ml, p < 0.05), the least intraoperative blood pressure variation (59.11 ± 25.68 mmHg, p < 0.05), the shortest operation time (115.32 ± 30.69 mins, p < 0.05), the lowest postoperative ICU admission rates (7.14%, p < 0.05), and shortest drainage time length (2.57 ± 0.50 days, p < 0.05). Besides, compared with TA and OA groups, intervention group was also characterized by lower pain scores (3.21 ± 0.63, p < 0.05), less postoperative complications (p < 0.05), earlier diet initiation time (1.32 ± 0.48 postoperative days, p < 0.05) and ambulation time (2.68 ± 0.48 postoperative days, p < 0.05). Follow-up blood pressure and metanephrine and normetanephrine levels in all intervention group patients remained normal.

Conclusion

Compared with RA, TA, and OA, retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy with renal-rotation techniques is a more feasible, efficient, and secure surgical treatment for giant pheochromocytomas.
Trial registration: This study has been prospectively registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website (ChiCTR2200059953, date of first registration: 14/05/2022).
Novel thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membranes modified with WS 2 /CuAl LDH nanocomposite to enhance desalination and anti- fouling performance
Authors: Bagherzadeh Mojtaba , Nikkhoo Mohammad , Ahadian Mohammad Mahdi , Amini Mojtaba
Published: November 2022

Designing efficient membranes for desalination to help reduce the water shortage crisis has been the subject of various studies. In this study, first, CuAl LDH nanosheets were prepared and the surface of some thin-film composite (TFC) membranes was modified by them. Afterward, the novel heterostructure nanocomposite consisting of CuAl LDH and WS2 nanosheets was synthesized by hydrothermal method, and a new kind of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes were made using them. All the obtained membranes performance was studied in the forward osmosis (FO) process. The effects of the prepared compounds on the morphology, chemical structure, hydrophilicity, and topology of the polyamide (PA) active layer were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), water contact angle (WCA) goniometer and atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis. Finally, by comparing the results for both types of modified membranes, the membrane containing 0.025 wt% of the nanocomposite modifier showed the highest water flux (29.30 LMH) and selectivity (0.38 g/L) that was chosen as the optimal membrane. Also, the anti-fouling properties of this membrane were studied and the obtained results showed an increase in the fouling resistance compared to the membrane without filler.
The Effects of Salicylic acid and Silicon on Seed Yield, Oil Content, and Fatty Acids Composition in Safflower under Salinity Stress
Authors: Jam Bahareh Jamshidi , Shekari Farid , Andalibi Babak , Fotovat Reza , Jafarian Vahab , Dolatabadiyan Aria
Published: November 2022

Soil and water salinization has global impact on crop production and food security. Application of phytohormones and nutrients management is major approaches to reduce salinity risks. The effects of salicylic acid (0, 600, 1200, and 1800 μM) and silicon (0, 1.5, and 2.5 mM) foliar application on safflower seed yield and quality was investigated under salt stress conditions (1.7, 7.5, and 15 dS m-1). Salinity decreased capitulum number, seed number per capitulum, 100-seed weight, seed yield, oil percentage, oil yield, linoleic acid content, palmitic and linoleic acids yield, and seed potassium content. Application of salicylic acid (SA) and silicon (Si) increased biological yield, seed yield, oil content, oil yield, linoleic acid content, palmitic and linoleic acid yield but decreased stearic and oleic acid content and oleic acid yield. Harvest index was decreased with increasing salinity level, which indicates a stronger effect of salinity on seed yield rather than biomass production. In contrast, SA and Si, whether alone or together increased HI. The appropriate concentration of Si was different in salinity levels. Under non-stress and moderate stress conditions 2.5 mM Si showed better performance, while at severe salinity level, 1.5 mM Si showed a suitable state. Oil content and quality improved by increasing linoleic acid and reducing stearic and palmitic acids by application of SA and Si. Results suggest that the application of 1200 μM SA along with either levels of Si was more effective in improving quantitative and qualitative yield, especially under salinity stress conditions.
Estimating of Gases Emission from Dumping Waste Sites to Generating Energy; Case Study: Al-Hillah City, Iraq
Authors: Chabuk Ali , Jahad Udai A. , Majdi Ali , Majdi Hasan SH. , Isam Mubeen , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Laue Jan , Al-Ansari Nadhir
Published: November 2022

Methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) are only a few of the greenhouse gases that are significantly produced by humans and are found in landfills. This study presents an application of the Land GEM model to determine the environmental loads of dumping waste sites gases released from the landfill in Al-Hillah city, Iraq. The expected quantity of waste for the period (2023–2070) was used to calculate the environmental loads of dumping site gases. The quantified emission findings from loads of dumping site gases were contrasted with those from the model's default. The estimated landfill methane emissions from 2023 to 2070 total 874,904 tons of CH4, or an average of 18,227 tons of CH4each year. The findings of the gas emissions demonstrated that local elements significantly influenced the output of loads of landfill gases. The anticipated loads of total landfill gases, methane, and carbon dioxide can be utilized as supporting data for policies on landfill-derived renewable energy. the results showed that methane gas can produce the average value of electricity power of 287,442 Mw/year from 2023 to 2070. This process will reduce the environmental problems brought on by loads of landfill gas emissions and get rid of cumulative solid waste.
SUMOylation of RNF146 results in Axin degradation and activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yin Dong , Li Wenjia , Han Qingfang , Zhu Yuanxin , Zhou Yingshi , Zhang Jingyuan , Wu Weijun , Li Yu , Liu Long , Qiu Yuntan , Hu Kaishun
Published: November 2022

Aberrant SUMOylation contributes to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet the molecular mechanisms have not been well elucidated. RNF146 is a key regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which is frequently hyperactivated in HCC. Here, it is identified that RNF146 can be modified by SUMO3. By mutating all lysines in RNF146, we found that K19, K61, K174 and K175 are the major sites for SUMOylation. UBC9/PIAS3/MMS21 and SENP1/2/6 mediated the conjugation and deconjugation of SUMO3, respectively. Furthermore, SUMOylation of RNF146 promoted its nuclear localization, while deSUMOylation induced its cytoplasmic localization. Importantly, SUMOylation promotes the association of RNF146 with Axin to accelerate the ubiquitination and degradation of Axin. Intriguingly, only UBC9/PIAS3 and SENP1 can act at K19/K175 in RNF146 and affect its role in regulating the stability of Axin. In addition, inhibiting RNF146 SUMOylation suppressed the progression of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. And, patients with higher expression of RNF146 and UBC9 have the worst prognosis. Taken together, we conclude that RNF146 SUMOylation at K19/K175 promotes its association with Axin and accelerates Axin degradation, thereby enhancing β-catenin signaling and contributing to cancer progression. Our findings reveal that RNF146 SUMOylation is a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
Risk Factors Associated with Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in non-HIV Immunocompromised Patients and Co-pathogens Analysis by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Huang Liping , Xu Shuyun , Huang Zhimin , Chen Yusheng , Xu Nengluan , Xie Baosong
Published: November 2022

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is one of the most common opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. However, the accurate prediction of the development of PJP in non-HIV immunocompromised patients is still unclear.
Methods: Non-HIV immunocompromised patients confirmed diagnosis of PJP by the clinical symptoms, chest computed tomography and etiological results of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) were enrolled as observation group. Another group of matched non-HIV immunocompromised patients with non-PJP pneumonia were enrolled to control group. The risk factors for the development of PJP and the co-pathogens in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) detected by mNGS were analyzed.
Results: A total of 67 (33 PJP, 34 non-PJP) participants were enrolled from Fujian Provincial Hospital. The ages, males and underlying illnesses were not significantly different between the two groups. Compared to non-PJP patients, PJP patients were more tends to have the symptoms of fever and dyspnea. The LYM and ALB were significantly lower in PJP patients than in non-PJP patients. Conversely, LDH and serum BDG in PJP patients were significantly higher than in non-PJP controls. For immunological indicators, the levels of immunoglobulin A, G, M and complement C3, C4, the numbers of T, B, and NK cells, had no statistical difference between these two groups. Logistic multivariate analysis showed that concomitant use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressant (OR 14.146, P=0.004) and the lymphocyte counts < 0.7×109/L (OR 6.882, P=0.011) were risk factors for the development of PJP in non-HIV immunocompromised patients. 81.82% (27/33) and 64.71% (22/34) mixed infections were identified by mNGS in the PJP group and non-PJP group separately. CMV, EBV and Candida were the leading co-pathogens in PJP patients. The case numbers of CMV and EBV identified by mNGS in PJP group were significantly higher than that in the control group(p<0.005).
Conclusions: Clinicians should pay close attention to the development of PJP in non-HIV immunocompromised patients who possess the risk factors of concomitant use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressant and the lymphocyte counts < 0.7×109/L. Prophylaxis for PJP cannot rely solely on CD4+ T counts in non-HIV immunocompromised patients. Whether CMV infection increases the risk of PJP remains to be further investigated.