bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart Healthcare System with Light-Weighted Blockchain System and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Singh Randeep , Mir Bilal Ahmed , J Lohith J. , Chakravarthi Dhruva Sreenivasa , Alharbi Adel R. , Kumar Harish , Hingaa Simon Karanja
Published: April 2022

A radio communication sensor system is a collection of sensor modules that are connected to one another through wireless communication. It is common for them to be battery-powered and responsive to a nearby controller, referred to as the base station. They are capable of doing basic computations and transferring information to the base station in most scenarios. They are also in charge of transporting data from distant nodes, putting a burden on nodes with limited resources, and contributing to the quick depletion of energy in these nodes in the process. Nodes in close proximity to the base station are responsible for more than only detecting and sending data to the base station; they are also responsible for transmitting data from faraway nodes. To reward nodes that perform well, a protocol known as the Improved Fuzzy Inspired Energy Effective Protocol (IFIEEP) employs three separate sorts of nodes in order to provide more energy to those who do not. It takes into account the remaining node energy, the node's proximity to the base station, the node's neighbor concentration, and the node's centrality in a cluster when determining node viability. All of these assumptions are founded on a shaky understanding of the situation. Adaptive clustering must be applied to the most viable nodes in order to identify cluster leaders and transmit data to the base station, in addition to disseminating data across the rest of the network, in order to achieve success. In addition, the research provides proper heterogeneity parameters, which describe, among other things, the number of nodes as well as the starting energy of each node. The percentage gain in-network lifetime when compared to current approaches is minor for smaller numbers of supernodes; however, the percentage gain in the area covered 12.89 percent and 100% when more significant numbers of super nodes are used. These improvements in stability, residual energy, and throughput are accomplished by combining these improvements while also taking into consideration the previously neglected energy-intensive sensing energy aspect. The protocol that has been presented is meant to be used in conjunction with applications that make use of blockchain technology.
Simultaneous Bilateral Proximal Humerus Fractures Treated with Single-Stage Bilateral Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Tokuhiro Taiki , Urita Atsushi , Kameda Yusuke , Motomiya Makoto , Watanabe Naoya , Iwasaki Norimasa
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Simultaneous bilateral fractures of the proximal humerus are infrequent, and simultaneous bilateral three- or four-part fractures are even rarer. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is being used increasingly for the treatment of three- and four-part fractures of the proximal humerus. However, treatment of simultaneous bilateral fractures of the proximal humerus is difficult because of concern about postoperative immobilization and rehabilitation. Case Presentation. A 75-year-old woman presented with bilateral shoulder pain subsequent to a fall on the street. Physical examination and radiographs showed simultaneous bilateral fractures of the proximal humerus. The right side fracture was classified as a four-part fracture and the left side fracture as a three-part fracture, according to Neer’s classification. The right shoulder had a risk of avascular necrosis of the humeral head. For the left shoulder, the fracture type had caused ischemia of the humeral head. Single-stage bilateral RSA was performed 9 days after the injury. An abduction pillow was applied for 5 weeks postoperatively. Passive motion exercises were permitted starting at 4 weeks postoperatively, and active range of motion exercises were permitted at 6 weeks postoperatively. At the patient’s most recent follow-up 30 months after surgery, the patient reported no restriction of the activities of daily living. Radiographs revealed no lucent line on the humerus and glenoid components, although bone resorption and superior retraction of the tuberosities on both sides were observed. Conclusions. Single-stage bilateral RSA improved shoulder function, but healing of the greater tuberosity can affect the improvement in external rotation after the operation. Although a long-term follow-up is needed, single-stage bilateral RSA appears to be a viable treatment option.
Study on Vibration Control and Parameters Influence of Cable Inerter Viscous Damping System
Authors: Zhang Ruoyu , Cao Meigen
Published: April 2022

In this study, a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model with cable inerter viscous damper (CIVD) is established, and the vibration control equations and frequency response functions are established. Then, the influence of parameters, including inertia mass ratio, additional damping ratio, and stiffness ratio, is studied. Finally, the dynamic time history analysis of SDOF with CIVD under earthquake and fluctuating wind load is carried out to verify the damping performance of CIVD. The research shows that the additional mass and damping of CIVD can be amplified hundreds of times through the rotation, so as to realize the lightweight and high efficiency of the damper and make up for the engineering defects of the traditional TMD system. Meanwhile, when designing CIVD, the inertia mass ratio and additional damping ratio should be reduced as much as possible under the condition of meeting the target damping ratio. The CIVD can significantly suppress the resonance response of the structure and the continuous vibration response in the stable state. The peak displacement can be reduced by 30%–50%. Installing the cable and inerter element can control only the structural vibration, but it cannot reduce the amplitude in the steady state. The CID can control the inertial force output of the original structure, but the rotating speed of the inerter element is high, and the shaking speed of the original structure is fast. Therefore, in order to control the acceleration, velocity, and displacement of the original structure at the same time, we must add the appropriate inerter, additional damping, and additional stiffness.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Magnetite Nanoparticles Coated with Hydrophobic Polyethyleneimine for Oil Spill Cleaning
Authors: Ezzat Abdelrahman O. , Ali Mohd Sajid , Al-Lohedan Hamad A.
Published: April 2022

Pollution with oil spills, a major contributor to water contamination, has a remarkable effect on the economy, biodiversity, and environment. To protect marine species and environment, efforts should be undertaken for developing efficient ways to remove oil spills. The current work discusses the oil spill removal using magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with hydrophobic polyethyleneimine (HPEA). In this respect, nonylphenol pentaethylenehexamine (NTEPA) and nonylphenol triethylenetetramine (NDETA) were prepared by a simple one-step method and used as capping agents in the synthesis of hydrophobically modified magnetite nanoparticles designated as NDETA/Fe3O4 (magnetite as a core and NDETA as a shell) and NTEPA/Fe3O4 (magnetite as a core and NTEPA as a shell). The prepared MNPs were characterized using FTIR, XRD, TEM, DLS, TGA, and DSA to determine their physical and chemical properties. Additionally, MNPs were applied as oil spill collectors with high efficiencies that reached 93% and 90% for NDETA/Fe3O4 and NTEPA/Fe3O4, respectively, at low magnetite to oil ratios.
Combination Treatment of Omega‐3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin C Exhibited Promising Therapeutic Effect against Oxidative Impairment of the Liver in Methotrexate‐Intoxicated Mice
Authors: Alorabi Mohammed , Mohammed Doha Saad , Mostafa-Hedeab Gomaa , El-Sherbeni Suzy A. , Negm Walaa A. , Mohammed Ali Ismail A. , Al-kuraishy Hayder M. , Nasreldin Nani , Alotaibi Saqer S. , Lawal Bashir , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Conte-Junior Carlos Adam
Published: April 2022

Drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) is the main cause of liver damage mediated by the excretion of toxic active drug metabolites. Omega‐3 fatty acids and vitamin C have potent antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects that could offer protection against oxidative stress and liver damage. This study evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of omega‐3 and vitamin C alone as well as in a combined form in methotrexate‐ (MTX‐) induced acute liver injury in mice. Male ICR mice of seven groups (7 mice per group) were used. Groups 1 (control group) and 2 (MTX) received 0.9% saline/day (po) for 9 days. Groups 3 and 4 received 100 and 200 mg/kg bw/day omega‐3 (po), respectively, for 9 days. Groups 5 and 6 received 100 and 200 mg/kg bw/day vitamin C (po), respectively, for 9 days, while group 7 received omega‐3 (100 mg/kg bw/day) and vitamin C (100 mg/kg bw/day) (po) for 9 days. All animals in groups 2 to 7 received 20 mg/kg/day MTX (I.P.) once on the 10th day. Our results revealed that MTX significantly induced the elevation of transaminases, alkaline phosphates (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and malonaldehyde (MDA) while depleting the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) when compared to the control group. Treatment with omega‐3 fatty acids or vitamin C significantly attenuated the antioxidants and biochemical alterations in a dose‐independent manner. Our molecular docking study of ligand‐receptor interaction revealed that both ascorbic acid and omega‐3 docked well to the binding cavity of LDH with high binding affinities of –5.20 and –4.50 kcal/mol, respectively. The histopathological features were also improved by treatment with omega‐3 and vitamin C. The combined form of omega‐3 and vitamin C showed a remarkable improvement in the liver enzymes, oxidative stress biomarkers, and the histopathological architecture of the mice. Conclusively, the combination of omega‐3 and vitamin C demonstrated a synergistic therapeutic effect against MTX‐intoxicated mice, hence representing a potential novel strategy for the management of drug‐induced liver disorders.
System Design for Online Foreign Language Education Based on Blockchain Technology
Authors: Song Yuchen , Shen Yun
Published: April 2022

This study aims to solve the problem that the traditional online foreign language teaching system focuses on function development, ignoring system security, and has certain risks. An online foreign language education system is designed and developed based on the blockchain technology. First, the blockchain technology and key technologies of system design are described in detail. Second, the overall technical architecture of the system, functional modules, and business logic of each module are designed. Finally, the basic performance of the system is tested. The results show that the system can realize the user’s unrestricted office work and zero maintenance of the system. The separation of presentation logic and business logic facilitates the development and maintenance of the system. The system mainly includes six functional modules: user management, course management, course order, course study, course certificate, and credit authentication. These modules are guaranteed for daily teaching use. The event processing success rate of the six functional modules of the system is greater than 99%, and the processing success rate is relatively high. The central processing unit (CPU) usage and memory usage are both below 30%. The host throughput of the six major modules is greater than 100 times/s when processing services. The average response time on the terminal side is maintained below 0.5 s. The average response time of business-side processing is maintained below 0.4 s, which is in line with the standard. The event processing success rate of the constructed system is 10.75% higher than that of other systems, and the average response time, CPU usage, and memory usage are 53.38%, 51.49%, and 50% lower than other systems, respectively. Therefore, the proposed system has better performance. To sum up, the designed system has excellent throughput, event processing capability, response speed, and low CPU and memory occupancy when processing business and is suitable for promotion and use in foreign language online education in colleges and universities. The use of the proposed system can improve its overall teaching efficiency and quality. The purpose is to provide important technical support for the improvement of the security of the online foreign language teaching system.
Understanding the Correlation between Metabolic Regulator SIRT1 and Exosomes with CA‐125 in Ovarian Cancer: A Clinicopathological Study
Authors: Roy Sraddhya , Das Ananya , Vernekar Manisha , Mandal Syamsundar , Chatterjee Nabanita
Published: April 2022

Background. Ovarian cancer (OvCa), the deadliest gynaecological malignancy, is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Ovarian cancer has been related with CA‐125 and metabolic reprogramming by SIRT1 leading to metastasis with the involvement of exosomes. Methods. Clinicopathological data of OvCa patients were collected to perform the analysis. Patients’ samples were collected during surgery for immunohistochemistry and flow cytometric analysis of SIRT1, HIF‐1α, exosomal markers (CD81 and CD63), ki‐67, and PAS staining for glycogen deposition. Adjacent normal and tumor tissues were collected as per the CA‐125 levels. Results. CA‐125, a vital diagnostic marker, has shown significant correlation with body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.0153), tumor type (P = 0.0029), ascites level, ascites malignancy, degree of dissemination, tumor differentiation, FIGO stage, TNM stage, laterality, and tumor size at P < 0.0001. Since significant correlation was associated with BMI and degree of dissemination, as disclosed by IHC analysis, metabolic marker SIRT1 (P = 0.0003), HIF‐1α (P < 0.0001), exosomal marker CD81 (P < 0.0001), ki‐67 status (P = 0.0034), and glycogen deposition (P <0.0001) were expressed more in tumor tissues as compared to the normal ones. ROC analysis of CA‐125 had shown 327.7 U/ml has the best cutoff point with 82.4% sensitivity and specificity of 52.3%. In addition, Kaplan‐Meier plots of CA‐125 (P < 0.0001), BMI (P = 0.001), degree of dissemination (P < 0.0001), and ascites level (P <0.0001) reflected significant correlation with overall survival (OS). Upon multivariate Cox‐regression analysis for overall survival (OS), BMI (P = 0.008, HR 1.759, 95% CI 1.156‐2.677), ascites malignancy (P = 0.032, HR 0.336, 95% CI 0.124‐0.911), and degree of dissemination (P = 0.004, HR 1.994, 95% CI 1.251‐3.178) were significant proving to be independent indicators of the disease. Conclusion. Clinicopathological parameters like BMI, degree of dissemination, and ascites level along with CA‐125 can be prognostic factors for the disease. Levels of CA‐125 can depict the metabolic and metastatic factors. Thus, by targeting SIRT1 and assessing exosomal concentrations to overcome metastasis and glycogen deposition, individualized treatment strategy could be designed. In‐depth studies are still required.
Combination Therapy of Ledipasvir and Itraconazole in the Treatment of COVID‐19 Patients Coinfected with Black Fungus: An In Silico Statement
Authors: Saha Supriyo , Yeom Gyu Seong , Nimse Satish Balasaheb , Pal Dilipkumar
Published: April 2022

The manuscript mainly aimed at providing clues on improving the innate immunity of coronavirus patients and safeguarding them from both new mutant strains and black fungus infections. Coronavirus is readily mutating from one variant to another. Among the several variants, we selected SARS‐CoV‐2 B.1.1.7 in this study. Upon infection of any virus, ideally, the phagocytic cells of the host engulf and destroy the virus by a mechanism called phagocytosis. However, compromised immunity impairs phagocytosis, and thus, restoring the immune system is crucial for a speedy recovery of infected patients. The autophagy and activation of Toll‐like receptor‐4 are the only ways to restore innate immunity. Recently, immunocompromised COVID‐19 patients have been suffering from the coinfection of black fungus. Rhizomucor, a black fungus species, causes more than 75% of cases of mucormycosis. Here, we present the results of molecular docking studies of sixty approved antiviral drugs targeting receptors associated with the SARS‐CoV‐2 B 1.1.7 variant (PDB id: 7NEH), activating the innate immune system (PDB id: 5YEC and 5IJC). We also studied the twenty approved antifungal drugs with Rhizomucor miehei lipase propeptide (PDB id: 6QPR) to identify the possible combination therapy for patients coinfected with coronavirus and black fungus. The ledipasvir showed excellent docking interactions with the 7NEH, 5YEC, and 5IJC, indicating that it is a perfect candidate for the treatment of COVID‐19 patients. Itraconazole showed significant interaction with 6QPR of Rhizomucor miehei, suggesting that itraconazole can treat black fungus infections. In conclusion, the combination therapy of ledipasvir and itraconazole can be a better alternative for treating COVID‐19 patients coinfected with black fungus.
Hirudin Regulates Vascular Function in Chronic Renal Failure through Modulating Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Chen Bo , Ding Xunfang , Yang Yanbo
Published: April 2022

Excessive inflammation is responsible for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure, which determines the therapeutic effect of chronic renal failure (CRF). Macrophage polarization is of great significance in the inflammatory response. Hirudin (Hiru) has been reported to possess a definite anti‐inflammatory effect. This study is to uncover the impacts of Hiru on classically (M1)/alternatively (M2) macrophage polarization in the CRF rat model and rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). After the CRF rat model was administrated with different concentrations of Hiru, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) levels were tested. H&E staining was to detect vascular injury, and IHC assay was to analyze inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and arginase‐1 (Arg‐1) expressions in vascular tissues. Levels of inflammatory factors were examined by ELISA. Besides, western blot was to estimate the levels of marker proteins related to macrophage, proliferation, and apoptosis. CCK‐8 was to measure cell viability. We discovered that Hiru alleviated renal function injury and vascular injury, exacerbated VSMC hyperplasia, and stimulated the differentiation and activation of M1 macrophage towards M2 macrophage in vivo. Moreover, after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/IFN‐gamma (IFN‐γ), the increased M1/M2 ratio and enhanced levels of inflammatory factors were observed. Furthermore, Hiru boosted the proliferation and ameliorated the inflammatory response and apoptosis of rat VSMCs during the process of coincubation of M1‐conditioned medium (CM). Collectively, Hiru played a protective role against vascular injury in CRF directly or through its influence on M1 macrophage polarization and inflammation.
Evaluation of Pediatric COVID-19 Screening Process in a Tertiary Hospital of Indonesia
Authors: Kaswandani Nastiti , Putri Nina Dwi , Jasin Madeleine Ramdhani , Tartila Tartila , Puspitasari Henny Adriani , Indawati Wahyuni , Karyanti Mulya Rahma , Prayitno Ari , Puspaningtyas Niken Wahyu , Prawira Yogi , Putri Ajeng Kartika Ayu , Indana Hana Anindya , Hendarto Aryono
Published: April 2022

Objectives. To identify parameters that can improve the effectiveness of COVID-19 screening in the pediatric population according to the demographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients screened for COVID-19 at our hospital. Methods. A cross-sectional study of suspected and confirmed pediatric patients (0–18 years old) with COVID-19 using data from the electronic medical records of Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Central Hospital from March to December 2020. Results. From 1,018 data of suspected COVID-19 pediatric patients, there were 94 (9.2%) confirmed cases of COVID-19. The proportions of children with travel history (

p
=
0.022

), positive contact history (

p
<
0.001

), fever ≥38°C (

p
=
0.034

), cough (

p
=
0.038

), and abdominal pain (

p
=
0.022

) were significantly higher in the confirmed COVID-19 group compared to the non-COVID-19 group. Conclusions. A majority of the confirmed COVID-19 pediatric patients have travel and positive contact history, along with symptoms of fever, cough, and abdominal pain. However, these are nonspecific symptoms that may also be misdiagnosed as other diseases. Improving access and turnaround time of the RT-PCR test is mandatory, as no specific screening variables have been identified.
Qualitative Analyses of Fractional Integrodifferential Equations with a Variable Order under the Mittag-Leffler Power Law
Authors: Jeelani Mdi Begum , Alnahdi Abeer S. , Almalahi Mohammed A. , Abdo Mohammed S. , Wahash Hanan A. , Alharthi Nadiyah Hussain
Published: April 2022

This research paper intends to study some qualitative analyses for a nonlinear fractional integrodifferential equation with a variable order in the frame of a Mittag-Leffler power law. At first, we convert the considered problem of variable order into an equivalent standard problem of constant order using generalized intervals and piecewise constant functions. Next, we prove the existence and uniqueness of analytic results by application of Krasnoselskii’s and Banach’s fixed point theorems. Besides, the guarantee of the existence of solutions is shown by different types of Ulam-Hyer’s stability. Then, we investigate sufficient conditions of positive solutions for the proposed problem. In the end, we discuss an example to illustrate the applicability of our obtained results.
Novel Evaluation of Fuzzy Fractional Cauchy Reaction-Diffusion Equation
Authors: Shah Nehad Ali , El-Zahar Essam R. , Dutt Hina M. , Arefin Mohammad Asif
Published: April 2022

The present research correlates with a fuzzy hybrid approach merged with a new iterative transform method known as the fuzzy new iterative transform method. With the help of Atangana-Baleanu under generalized Hukuhara differentiability, we show that this system works well by getting fractional fuzzy Cauchy reaction-diffusion equations with the initial fuzzy condition. Fractional Cauchy reaction-diffusion equations play a significant role in diffusion, and instabilities can lead to formation and stabilization. The suggested technique looks at fuzzy set theory to figure out how to solve the fuzzy Cauchy reaction-diffusion equations. In this way, the components can be quickly defined and a couple of numerical solutions with the uncertainty parameter can be found. Several numerical instances are looked at to show how effective and valuable the proposed technique is to see if the given problem will come to a solution. The simulation results show that the fuzzy new iterative transform method is an excellent way to study a proposed model’s behaviour precisely and accurately.
On Discrete Fractional Complex Gaussian Map: Fractal Analysis, Julia Sets Control, and Encryption Application
Authors: Elsonbaty Amr , Elsadany A. , Kamal Fatma
Published: April 2022

This work is devoted to present a generalized complex discrete fractional Gaussian map. Analytical and numerical analyses of the proposed map are conducted. The dynamical behaviors and stability of fixed points of the map are explored. The existence of fractal Mandelbrot and Julia sets is examined along with the corresponding fractal characteristics. The influences of the key parameters of the map and fractional order are examined. Moreover, nonlinear controllers are designed in the complex domain to control Julia sets generated by the map or to achieve synchronization between two Julia sets in master/slave configuration. Numerical simulations are provided to attain a deep understanding of nonlinear behaviors of the proposed map. Then, a suggested efficient chaos-based encryption technique is introduced by integrating the complicated dynamical behavior and fractal sets of the proposed map with the pseudo-chaos generated from the modified lemniscate hyperchaotic map.
A Comprehensive Review of Recent Deep Learning Techniques for Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Le Viet-Tuan , Tran-Trung Kiet , Hoang Vinh Truong
Published: April 2022

Human action recognition is an important field in computer vision that has attracted remarkable attention from researchers. This survey aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent human action recognition approaches based on deep learning using RGB video data. Our work divides recent deep learning-based methods into five different categories to provide a comprehensive overview for researchers who are interested in this field of computer vision. Moreover, a pure-transformer architecture (convolution-free) has outperformed its convolutional counterparts in many fields of computer vision recently. Our work also provides recent convolution-free-based methods which replaced convolution networks with the transformer networks that achieved state-of-the-art results on many human action recognition datasets. Firstly, we discuss proposed methods based on a 2D convolutional neural network. Then, methods based on a recurrent neural network which is used to capture motion information are discussed. 3D convolutional neural network-based methods are used in many recent approaches to capture both spatial and temporal information in videos. However, with long action videos, multistream approaches with different streams to encode different features are reviewed. We also compare the performance of recently proposed methods on four popular benchmark datasets. We review 26 benchmark datasets for human action recognition. Some potential research directions are discussed to conclude this survey.
Global Economic Market Forecast and Decision System for IoT and Machine Learning
Authors: Liu Biao , Sun Zhipeng
Published: April 2022

The fast growth of IoT in wearable devices, smart sensors, and home appliances will affect every aspect of our lives. With the rapid development of economic globalization, how to integrate science and technology into economic decision-making is the focus of the current research field, and the research of this paper is precisely to solve this problem. This paper proposes a global economic market forecasting and decision-making system research based on the Internet of Things and machine learning. Using the wireless sensor network of the Internet of Things technology to perceive and predict the global economic market, through the decision tree method in machine learning, and combine the global economic market to make economic decisions, this paper explores the decision tree algorithm with the highest execution efficiency through the experimental comparison of four decision tree algorithms: ID3 algorithm, C4.5 algorithm, CART algorithm, and IQ algorithm. The output of the experiments in the paper indicates that the C4.5 algorithm has the fastest running speed. When the dataset increases to 110,000, its running time reaches 503 s.
Impact of an Interoception-Based Program on Emotion Regulation in Autistic Children
Authors: Mahler Kelly , Hample Kerri , Jones Claudia , Sensenig Joseph , Thomasco Phoebe , Hilton Claudia
Published: April 2022

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a 25-week school-based intervention and its ability to improve interoception and emotion regulation in an autistic pediatric population. Method. One-group pre- and posttest design implementing The Interoception Curriculum: A Guide to Developing Mindful Self-Regulation in a self-contained school. Participants were 14 (11 male, 3 female) students between 9 and 19 years old. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2 (BRIEF-2) and the Caregiver Questionnaire for Interoceptive Awareness-2nd Edition (CQIA-2) were used to determine changes in interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation. Results. Statistically significant improvements were found between the preintervention and postintervention scores for both interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation. Conclusion. This was the first study to examine the Interoception Curriculum in its entirety, providing evidence that the use of the Interoception Curriculum is feasible in a school setting and suggests that this intervention is effective for improvement of interoception. Findings also suggest that this improvement in interoception is related to improvement in emotional regulation for an autistic pediatric population.
Challenges of Surgical Treatment of Atypical Giant Choledochal Cyst with the Absence of Gallbladder in Adult Patient
Authors: Rasic Ismar , Mahmutovic Nermin , Custovic Samir , Hasic Nedim , Gavrankapetanovic Ali , Beciragic Edin , Brzika Sanela
Published: April 2022

Choledochal cysts (CCs) are rare congenital anomalies in the form of cystic dilatation of any part of the biliary tree, and they rarely reach the size over 10 cm. We present a case of a 51-year-old female with a one-year history of abdominal pain and palpable mass in the epigastrium and right upper abdomen. Diagnosis of giant CC was made using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Intraoperatively, a large CC without gallbladder (no previous cholecystectomy was performed) was found under the liver pushing the surrounding structures, extending into the intrapancreatic portion of bile ducts and leading to the destruction of the backside of the pancreas head. Complete excision of CC and biliopancreatic reconstruction was achieved by Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy and hepaticojejunostomy. This case report describes an extremely rare association between an atypical giant choledochal cyst and gallbladder agenesis.
Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Biosynthesized by Moringa oleifera through Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Mohammed A. B. Abeer , Mohamed Amr , El-Naggar Noura El-Ahmady , Mahrous Hoda , Nasr Ghada M. , Abdella Asmaa , Ahmed Rasha H. , Irmak Sibel , Elsayed Mohamed S. A. , Selim Samy , Elkelish Amr , Alkhalifah Dalal Hussien M. , Hozzein Wael N. , Ali Abdallah S.
Published: April 2022

The research highlights the environmentally sustainable biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from fresh leaves of the herbal medicinal plant Moringa oleifera. They may have been used as anti‐inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial agents. M. oleifera extract both reduces and stabilizes silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Optimum factors needed for AgNP biosynthesis were studied using a central composite design (CCD) matrix. Ultraviolet‐visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy were used to confirm and characterize the synthesized AgNPs. The biogenic AgNPs demonstrated substantial antibacterial potential against the pathogenic strains Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis. The antioxidant activity of biosynthesized AgNPs with M. oleifera extract increased from 11.96% when the concentration of the extract was 4 mg/mL to 63.79% at a plant concentration of 20 mg/mL. This research provides an easy and cost‐effective technique for the production of stable nanoparticles, with an evaluation of their bioactivity.
Mapping the Lay of the Land: Using Interactive Network Analytic Tools for Collaboration in Rural Cancer Prevention and Control
Authors: Carothers Bobbi J. , Allen Peg , Walsh-Bailey Callie , Duncan Dixie , Pacheco Rebeca Vanderburg , White Karen R. , Jeckstadt Debra , Tsai Edward , Brownson Ross C.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Cancer mortality rates in the United States are higher in rural than urban areas, especially for colorectal cancer. Modifiable cancer risks (e.g., tobacco use, obesity) are more prevalent among U.S. rural than urban residents. Social network analyses are common, yet rural informal collaborative networks for cancer prevention and control and practitioner uses of network findings are less well understood.

Methods:

In five service areas in rural Missouri and Illinois, we conducted a network survey of informal multisector networks among agencies that address cancer risk (N = 152 individuals). The survey asked about contact, collaborative activities, and referrals. We calculated descriptive network statistics and disseminated network visualizations with rural agencies through infographics and interactive Network Navigator platforms. We also collected feedback on uses of network findings from agency staff (N = 14).

Results:

Service areas had more connections (average degree) for exchanging information than for more time-intensive collaborative activities of co-developing and sustaining ongoing services and programs, and co-developing and sharing resources. On average, collaborative activities were not dependent on just a few agencies to bridge gaps to hold networks together. Users found the network images and information useful for identifying gaps, planning which relationships to establish or enhance to strengthen certain collaborative activities and cross-referrals, and showing network strengths to current and potential funders.

Conclusions:

Rural informal cancer prevention and control networks in this study are highly connected and largely decentralized.

Impact:

Disseminating network findings help ensure usefulness to rural health and social service practitioners who address cancer risks.
Improved T-cell Immunity Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Liu Min , Tayob Nabihah , Penter Livius , Sellars MacLean , Tarren Anna , Chea Vipheaviny , Carulli Isabel , Huang Teddy , Li Shuqiang , Cheng Su-Chun , Le Phuong , Frackiewicz Laura , Fasse Julia , Qi Courtney , Liu Joyce F. , Stover Elizabeth H. , Curtis Jennifer , Livak Kenneth J. , Neuberg Donna , Zhang Guanglan , Matulonis Ursula A. , Wu Catherine J. , Keskin Derin B. , Konstantinopoulos Panagiotis A.
Published: April 2022

Purpose:

Although local tissue-based immune responses are critical for elucidating direct tumor–immune cell interactions, peripheral immune responses are increasingly recognized as occupying an important role in anticancer immunity. We evaluated serial blood samples from patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) undergoing standard-of-care neoadjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy (including dexamethasone for prophylaxis of paclitaxel-associated hypersensitivity reactions) to characterize the evolution of the peripheral immune cell function and composition across the course of therapy.

Experimental Design:

Serial blood samples from 10 patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) were collected before the initiation of chemotherapy, after the third and sixth cycles, and approximately 2 months after completion of chemotherapy. T-cell function was evaluated using ex vivo IFNγ ELISpot assays, and the dynamics of T-cell repertoire and immune cell composition were assessed using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (RNAseq).

Results:

T cells exhibited an improved response to viral antigens after NACT, which paralleled the decrease in CA125 levels. Single-cell analysis revealed increased numbers of memory T-cell receptor (TCR) clonotypes and increased central memory CD8+ and regulatory T cells throughout chemotherapy. Finally, administration of NACT was associated with increased monocyte frequency and expression of HLA class II and antigen presentation genes; single-cell RNAseq analyses showed that although driven largely by classical monocytes, increased class II gene expression was a feature observed across monocyte subpopulations after chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

NACT may alleviate tumor-associated immunosuppression by reducing tumor burden and may enhance antigen processing and presentation. These findings have implications for the successful combinatorial applications of immune checkpoint blockade and therapeutic vaccine approaches in EOC.
The TAZ-CAMTA1 Fusion Protein Promotes Tumorigenesis via Connective Tissue Growth Factor and Ras–MAPK Signaling in Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma
Authors: Ma Shuang , Kanai Ryan , Pobbati Ajaybabu V. , Li Shuo , Che Kepeng , Seavey Caleb N. , Hallett Andrea , Burtscher Ashley , Lamar John M. , Rubin Brian P.
Published: April 2022

Purpose:

A consistent genetic alteration in vascular cancer epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is the t(1;3)(p36;q25) chromosomal translocation, which generates a WWTR1(TAZ)-CAMTA1 (TC) fusion gene. TC is a transcriptional coactivator that drives EHE. Here, we aimed to identify the TC transcriptional targets and signaling mechanisms that underlie EHE tumorigenesis.

Experimental Design:

We used NIH3T3 cells transformed with TC (NIH3T3/TC) as a model system to uncover TC-dependent oncogenic signaling. These cells proliferated in an anchorage-independent manner in suspension and soft agar. The findings of the cell-based studies were validated in a xenograft model.

Results:

We identified connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as a tumorigenic transcriptional target of TC. We show that CTGF binds to integrin αIIbβ3, which is essential for sustaining the anchorage-independent proliferation of transformed NIH3T3/TC cells. NIH3T3/TC cells also have enhanced Ras and MAPK signaling, and the activity of these pathways is reduced upon CTGF knockdown, suggesting that CTGF signaling occurs via the Ras-MAPK cascade. Further, pharmacologic inhibition of MAPK signaling through PD 0325901 and trametinib abrogated TC-driven anchorage-independent growth. Likewise, for tumor growth in vivo, NIH3T3/TC cells require CTGF and MAPK signaling. NIH3T3/TC xenograft growth was profoundly reduced upon CTGF knockdown and after trametinib treatment.

Conclusions:

Collectively, our results demonstrated that CTGF and the Ras-MAPK signaling cascade are essential for TC-mediated tumorigenesis. These studies provided the preclinical rationale for SARC033 (NCI 10015-NCT03148275), a nonrandomized, open-label, phase II study of trametinib in patients with unresectable or metastatic EHE.
Dosing of Aminoglycosides in Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Treated with Intermittent Hemodialysis
Authors: Halouzková Barbora Agatha , Hartinger Jan Miroslav , Krátký Vojtěch , Tesař Vladimír , Slanař Ondřej
Published: April 2022

Background: The dosing of aminoglycosides (AGs) in patients with kidney disease is challenging due to their markedly prolonged half-life, which renders pulse dosing schedules unsuitable. We performed a review of the literature that describes the pharmacokinetics of, and dosing recommendations for, AG for patients with abnormal renal functions and various renal replacement therapy modalities, focusing on patients treated with intermittent hemodialysis (iHD). Summary: During one iHD session, dialysis removes a remarkable amount of the drug regardless of the dialyzer type. In patients with severely reduced kidney functions, the distribution phase is prolonged, which needs to be taken into account when drawing samples shortly after drug administration or following an iHD session. Key Messages: The doses recommended for the pulse dosing of patients without kidney disease leads to unacceptably high overall systemic exposure for patients with severely reduced kidney functions even with dosing intervals extended up to 48 h. Therefore, lower doses accompanied by extended dosing intervals must be applied for this patient group. The clinical evidence and current recommendations support the dosing of AG following, rather than before, HD sessions. In patients with end-stage kidney disease, the samples for TDM of AGs should not be drawn earlier than 2 h after end of the infusion and 4 h after the end of iHD session to allow full (re)distribution of the drug.
Optimistic Youth: Young Adults Predicted a Faster Decrease in Risk during COVID-19 Emergency State in Portugal
Authors: Scaletti Sara , Duarte Inês , Senra Catarina , Almeida Jorge , Ferreira António Jorge , Walbrin Jon , Pilacinski Artur
Published: April 2022

Perception of risk is known to change throughout the lifespan. Previous studies showed that younger adults are more prone to risk behaviours than older adults. Do these age-related differences influence risk perception during a pandemic crisis? Here, we investigated how age influenced predicted risk during the COVID-19 emergency state in Portugal. We show that time-projected estimations (e.g., appraisals based on ‘now’ vs. ‘in two weeks’ time’, or ‘in four weeks’ time’) of both risk behaviour and importance of transmission prevention decrease over time. Importantly, projected risk decreased more steeply for younger than older adults. Our findings suggest that younger adults have a different perception of epidemic-related risk than older adults. This seems to support the view that public health policy making during epidemics should differentially target younger adults.
Nurse Caseload and Patient Survival in Hemodialysis Units: A Korean Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Kim Do Hyoung , Park Hayne Cho , Cho Ajin , Kim Juhee , Yun Kyu-sang , Kwon Young Eun , Ryu Dong-Ryeol , Kim Jinseog , Yang Ki Hwa , Shin Ji Hyeon , Jung Jin Ju , Lee Young-Ki
Published: April 2022

Introduction: The patient-to-nurse ratio is highly variable among dialysis facilities. However, there is little known about the association between nurse caseload and hemodialysis (HD) patient outcomes. We evaluated the association between patient-to-nurse ratio and mortality in the Korean patients undergoing HD. Methods: We used HD quality assessment data and National Health Insurance Service claim data from the year of 2013 for collecting demographic and clinical data. Altogether, 21,817 patients who participated in the HD quality assessment in 2013 were included in the study. Nurse caseload was defined as the number of HD sessions performed by a nurse per working day. The patients were divided into two groups according to the nurse caseload as follows: low nurse caseload group (≤6.0) and high nurse caseload group (>6.0). We analyzed mortality risk based on nurse caseload using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The mean age was 59.1 years, and males accounted for 58.5%. The mean hemoglobin was 10.6 g/dL and albumin was 3.99 g/dL. At the mean follow-up duration of 51.7 (20.6) months, the ratio between low and high groups was 69.6% (15,184 patients) versus 30.4% (6,633 patients). The patients in the high nurse caseload group were older and showed lower levels of hemoglobin, albumin, calcium, and iron saturation and higher levels of phosphorus than those in the low nurse caseload group. A high nurse caseload was associated with a lower survival rate. In the adjusted Cox analysis, a high nurse caseload was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.14; p = 0.01). Conclusion: High nurse caseload was associated with an increased mortality risk among the patients undergoing HD. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether a caseload of nursing staff can improve the prognosis of HD patients.
A Comparison of the Commonly Used Surrogate Markers for Citrate Accumulation and Toxicity during Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy with Regional Citrate Anticoagulation
Authors: Anstey Chris M. , Venkatesh Balasubramanian
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Continuous renal replacement therapy using regional citrate anticoagulation is commonly used as a modality of organ support in the critically ill population. Currently, citrate accumulation or toxicity is assessed using surrogate markers, notably the uncorrected total-to-ionized calcium ration. The accuracy and utility of this method have been questioned. Objectives/Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the surrogate markers used for assessing citrate accumulation or toxicity using the measurement of plasma citrate as the gold standard. Methods: Blood was sampled from 20 patients before, during, and after episodes of filtration with citrate concentration measured using spectrophotometry. Demographic and other clinical and biochemical data were also collected. According to protocol, a 15 mmol/L solution of trisodium citrate was used as the prefilter anticoagulant. Results were analyzed using STATA (v16.0) and presented as mean (SD), median (IQR), or simple proportion. Univariate linear regression using citrate concentration as the dependent variable was performed with all surrogate markers. Results: Twenty patients (17 males) were enrolled in the study with a mean (SD) age of 62.7 (9.9) years. The uncorrected calcium ratio had the best fit to the citrate data with an R2 value of 0.39. The albumin-corrected calcium ratio, pH, anion gap (AG), albumin-corrected AG, standard base excess, and strong ion gap all had R2 values less than 0.05. Conclusion(s): In the absence of direct measurement of citrate concentration, uncorrected total-to-ionized calcium ratio is superior to other surrogate markers, though not ideal, in assessing citrate accumulation or toxicity.
Design and testing of systolic array multiplier using fault injecting schemes
Authors: Rayudu Kurada Verra Bhoga Vasantha , Jahagirdar Dhananjay Ramachandra , Rao Patri Srihari
Published: April 2022

Nowadays low power design circuits are major important for data transmission and processing the information among various system designs. One of the major multipliers used for synchronizing the data transmission is the systolic array multiplier, low power designs are mostly used for increasing the performance and reducing the hardware complexity. Among all the mathematical operations, multiplier plays a major role where it processes more information and with the high complexity of circuit in the existing irreversible design. We develop a systolic array multiplier using reversible gates for low power appliances, faults and coverage of the reversible logic are calculated in this paper. To improvise more, we introduced a reversible logic gate and tested the reversible systolic array multiplier using the fault injection method of built-in self-test block observer (BILBO) in which all corner cases are covered which shows 97% coverage compared with existing designs. Finally, Xilinx ISE 14.7 was used for synthesis and simulation results and compared parameters with existing designs which prove more efficiency.
A hybrid of the selected mapping and partial transmit sequence approaches for reducing the high peak average to power ratio based on multi-carrier systems – review
Authors: Nahar Ali , Hussein Mohammed A.
Published: April 2022

The orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-4G and 5G filter technology suffer a drawback that represents the direction of the peak average to power ratio (PAPR) in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing due to the nonlinear nature of the transmitter. There are a lot of traditional and hybrid methods of these traditional methods to reduce the harmful high PAPR value. Newly, several new hybrid methods have been adopted to reduce PAPR but it faces an increasing level of computational complexity in the system. In this paper, two important and effective conventional methods for reducing PAPR are studied, analyzed, and investigated for the hybrid pathway which is the incorporation of selective mapping (SLM) method and partial transport sequencing (PTS) method, which achieve increased efficiency of PAPR reduction while computing the computational complexity of each method. The method depends and balances with computational complexity. The search is based on multi-carrier connections such as multi carrier-code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) and OFDM.