bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Intergrowth-21 and Fenton Charts for Extrauterine Growth in Very Low Birth Weigth Infants
Authors: Turktan Ilkyaz , Erdeve Omer , Kostekci Ezgi , Okulu Emel , Atasay Begum , Arsan Saadet
Published: January 2024

Background: The growth of premature babies is expected to be equivalent to healthy fetal growth, but this is rarely achieved in practice. It is predicted that many premature babies, especially severe premature babies, will be discharged with growth restriction. Extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR), which was developed as a definition for this purpose, is defined as being below the 10th percentile according to the growth curve at discharge at the corrected 36th/40th gestational week or the difference between birth and discharge z-score being >1 SD. The aim of our study is to reveal the differences between Intergrowth-21 lie Fenton curve in the evaluation of extrauterine growth.
Methods: Infants under 1500 g who were born in Ankara University Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 or transferred in the first 24 hours were included. Infants with major congenital anomalies, unknown gestational age, chromosomal anomalies, hydrops fetalis, TORCH infection, infants of substance-abusing mothers and infants who died during hospitalization were excluded.
Results: According to the Fenton chart, the rate of EUBG at discharge was 66.3%. There was no significant difference between the groups with and without EUGR in gender, gestational diabetes, maternal smoking during pregnancy, placental abruption, magnesium prophylaxis, development of respiratory distress and the need for intubation in the first 3 postnatal days.
When the patients were grouped according to birth weight, the highest rate of EUGR according to the Fenton chart was found in the group with a birth weight ≤1000 g (78.8%) (p=0.036). The proportion of patients defined as SGA by the Intergrowth-21 was significantly higher than the Fenton chart (p<0.001). When EUGR rates according to body weight were evaluated in Fenton and Intergrowth-21 charts; EUGR rate was found to be higher than Fenton (p<0.001). When the mean z-scores of body weight, height and head circumference calculated according to Fenton and Intergrowth-21 charts at birth and discharge were compared, it was observed that body weight and height z-scores at birth and discharge were significantly lower in the negative direction in the Intergrowth-21 (p<0.001). Head circumference z-score was found to have higher values in the Fenton chart than in the Intergrowth-21 at birth and discharge (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The results show that when Intergrowth-21 and Fenton charts are compared, the Intergrowth-21 is more sensitive in defining the SGA rate. The Fenton chart is more sensitive in defining EUBG at discharge. These differences observed between the charts make growth monitoring of premature infants and follow-up of comorbidities difficult. Therefore, establishing ideal growth curves is of great importance both during hospitalization and post-discharge follow-up of premature infants.
Cover-Source Mismatch in Steganalysis: Systematic Review
Authors: Mallet Antoine , Benes Martin , Cogranne Rémi
Published: January 2024

Operational steganalysis contends with a major problem referred to as the cover-source mismatch (CSM),
which is essentially a change of distribution caused by different parameters and settings over training and test data.
Despite it being of fundamental importance in operational context, the CSM problem is often overlooked in the literature.
With the goal to increase the visibility of this problem and attract the interest of the community,
the present paper proposes a systematic review of the literature.
It summarizes gathered knowledge and major open questions over the last 20 years of active research on CSM:
terminology, methods of measurement, known causes, and mitigation strategies.
Over 100 papers exploring, mitigating, assessing or discussing steganalysis
under train-test mismatch were collected by sampling scholar databases, and tracing references, cited and generated.
For image steganalysis, the literature provided enough evidence to quantify the impact of causes,
and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies.
WITHDRAWN: Influence of carbonization process parameters on copper (II) ion adsorption performance of biochar from exhausted coffee husk (ECH)
Authors: Das S. K.
Published: January 2024

Biochar derived from agro industrial waste has been considered as promising green adsorbent due to its significant availability and affordable production This study investigated and evaluated the adsorption performance of biochar from exhausted coffee husk (ECH). The influence of carbonization process parameter, namely temperature (300, 400, 500, 600°C), residence time (30, 60 and 120 minutes), and rate (5, 10, 15°C/min) on the removal of copper (II) ion (Cu2+) at different biochar dosages (0.2, 4, 0.6, 0.8, 1 g) were investigated. The increasing of carbonization temperature, residence time, rate and biochar dosage showed different adsorption characterization on Cu2+ The carbonization temperature of 600°C resulted in highest removal efficiency of 92%. Furthermore, surface analyzer Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) was used to characterize the adsorbent while and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of biochar at the different carbonization The results showed that the carbonization temperature affected the surface area of the ECH
Occurrence and Ecological Risk of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Water Samples From Obuasi Metropolis of Ghana
Authors: Azanu David , Arthur Charles Ato , Adu-Poku David , Adu Abenaa Owusuwaa , Oppong Agnes , Alemya Timothy Abane
Published: January 2024

The occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds in surface water is of global concern. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the occurrence of acetaminophen, caffeine, ibuprofen, diclofenac, aspirin, diazepam, and tramadol in water samples from hospitals, waste stabilisation ponds, and river in the Obuasi metropolis, Ghana. Solid phase extraction (SPE) sample preparation followed by analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was performed on the water samples. The removal efficiency of these pharmaceuticals by waste stabilisation ponds in the study area was also determined. Finally, the ecological risk posed by pharmaceuticals analysed was estimated as risk quotient (RQ). All seven pharmaceuticals analysed were found in all hospital effluent, waste stabilisation ponds, and surface water, indicating their occurrence in the aquatic systems in Obuasi municipality. Acetaminophen was the most prevalent compound found in this study, with a maximum concentration of 23.0 µg/L, while diazepam was the least pervasive compound, with a maximum concentration of 2.0 µg/L. The percentage removal efficiency of the waste stabilisation pond ranged from 61.5 to 82.2%. The RQs ranged from 0.0 to 0.191 for surface water, 0.0002 to 0.209 for waste stabilization pond water, and 0.0–0.295 for hospital wastewater. This indicates that the RQ for all pharmaceuticals analysed could pose low to medium risk. This study has revealed the occurrence and estimated the possible threat posed by these pharmaceuticals; thereby staking a justifiable claim for an urgent action against the removal of pharmaceuticals in water. ,
A Novel 3D Distributed Energy Efficient Clustering Algorithm for Underwater Acoustic Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Lakshmi Kadali , Hossain Ashraf , Mummaneni Kavicharan
Published: January 2024

Underwater acoustic communication is a unique and challenging area, particularly in terms of designing a network topology with low energy consumption, minimal delay, and an extended network lifetime. Energy efficiency is a challenging problem in the design of underwater acoustic wireless sensor networks (UAWSN) because of the limited energy availability from batteries and the difficulty of replacing these batteries. However, it is necessary to design network placement, cluster selection, and routing to extend the network lifetime by reducing energy consumption. In this study, the Three-Dimensional Distributed Energy Efficient Clustering (3D-DEEC) algorithm is proposed for optimizing energy efficiency and prolonging network life through the utilization of clustering techniques. The proposed algorithm considers multiple factors, such as cluster head (CH) selection, distance between the base station and each sensor node, total transmitting energy, residual energy of each node, and time delay. Compared with existing clustering schemes, 3D-DEEC not only increases the efficiency of the network, but also prolongs the network lifetime and improves network integrity with optimum packet delivery ratio, minimizing energy consumption and improving network coverage area. The proposed algorithm is designed to achieve optimum three-dimensional clustering scheme for the UAWSN in terms of energy efficiency in hostile underwater acoustic environments.
Preoperative clinical radiomics model based on deep learning in prognostic assessment of patients with gallbladder carcinoma
Authors: Jin Zhechuan , Li Qi , Zhang Jingwei , Chen Chen , Zhang Dong , Yang Min , Wang Qiuping , Cai Zhiqiang , Si Shubin , Geng Zhimin
Published: January 2024

Objective
We aimed to develop a preoperative clinical radiomics survival prediction model based on the radiomics features via deep learning to provide a reference basis for preoperative assessment and treatment decisions for patients with gallbladder carcinoma (GBC).
Methods
A total of 168 GBC patients who underwent preoperative upper abdominal enhanced CT from one high-volume medical center between January 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The region of interest (ROI) was manually outlined by two physicians using 3D Slicer software to establish a nnU-Net model. The DeepSurv survival prediction model was developed by combining radiomics features and preoperative clinical variables.
Results
A total of 1502 radiomics features were extracted from the ROI results based on the nnU-Net model and manual segmentation, and 13 radiomics features were obtained through the 4-step dimensionality reduction methods, respectively. The C-index and AUC of 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival prediction for the nnU-Net based clinical radiomics DeepSurv model was higher than clinical and nnU-Net based radiomics DeepSurv models in the training and testing sets, and close to manual based clinical radiomics DeepSurv model. Delong-test was performed on the AUC of 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival prediction for the two preoperative clinical radiomics DeepSurv prediction models in the testing set, and the results showed that the two models had the same prediction efficiency (all P > 0.05).
Conclusions
By using the DeepSurv model via nnU-Net segmentation, postoperative survival outcomes for individual gallbladder carcinoma patients could be assessed and stratified, which can provide references for preoperative diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Bayesian Change Point Detection via a General Sparse Recursive Filter
Authors: Lu Shaochuan
Published: January 2024

We propose a sparse recursive filtering method for Bayesian multiple change point detection. The sparse recursive filtering is generally applicable when either conjugate priors or nonconjugate priors are elicited. This approach is also applicable when either cross-segment dependence or cross-segment independence occurs. The computational and storage costs of the forward-filtering backward-sampling (FFBS) algorithm are quadratic to the number of uniformisation times generated by the uniformisation scheme. We demonstrate the methods through simulation studies and real data analysis in these scenarios.
Impact of Spatial Functional Division in Urban Agglomeration on Urban Carbon Emissions: An Empirical Study of 19 Urban Agglomerations in China
Authors: Chen Haijiang , Wang Yunsong , Zhang Songlin
Published: January 2024

This paper empirically examines the impact of spatial functional division in urban agglomeration on carbon emissions in Central and Peripheral City using data from 19 urban agglomerations in China spanning from 2010 to 2019. The findings indicate that: (1) The spatial functional division in urban agglomeration contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions in Central City but exacerbates them in Peripheral City. (2) Technological progress partially mediates the effect of spatial functional division in urban agglomeration on carbon emission reduction in Central City, while both technological progress and manufacturing agglomeration have partial mediating effects on the increase of carbon emissions due to spatial functional division in urban agglomeration in Peripheral City. (3) Industrial collaborative agglomeration and digital economy enhance the carbon emission reduction effect of spatial functional division in urban agglomerations for Central City; however, industrial collaborative agglomeration mitigates the exacerbating role of spatial functional division in urban agglomeration on carbon emissions for Peripheral City. (4) The impact of spatial function division in urban agglomeration on carbon emissions exhibits regional heterogeneity within urban agglomerations. The findings hold certain reference significance for relevant countries when formulating public policies that strike a balance between economic development and carbon emissions amidst deepening of spatial functional division in urban agglomeration.
Mobile-Aware Task Offloading Strategy in Large-Scale Asynchronous Mobile Edge Computing based on a Hybrid Deep Q-learning and an Index Policy Scheme
Authors: Wang Jinpeng , Meng Qingyong , Kang Yufang , Gillbanks Jeremy , Zhao Xin
Published: January 2024

Mobile-edge computing (MEC) offloads computational tasks from wireless devices to network edge, and enables realtime information transmission and computing. Most existing work concerns a small-scale synchronous MEC system. In this paper, we focus on a large-scale asynchronous MEC system with random task arrivals, distinct workloads, and diverse deadlines. We formulate the offloading policy design as a restless multi-armed bandit (RMAB) to maximize the total discounted reward over the time horizon. However, the formulated RMAB is related to a PSPACE hard sequential decision-making problem, which is intractable. To address this issue, by exploiting the Whittle index (WI) theory, we rigorously establish the WI indexability and derive a scalable closed form solution. Consequently, in our WI policy, each user only needs to calculate its WI and report it to the BS, and the users with the highest indices are selected for task offloading. Furthermore, when the task completion ratio becomes the focus, the shorter slack time less remaining workload (STLW) priority rule is introduced into the WI policy for performance improvement. When the knowledge of user offloading energy consumption is not available prior to the offloading, we develop Bayesian learning-enabled WI policies, including maximum likelihood estimation, Bayesian learning with conjugate prior, and prior-swapping techniques. Simulation results show that the proposed policies significantly outperform the other existing policies.
Radiomics analysis of multiphase contrast-enhanced CT imaging for differentiating primary gastric lymphoma and Borrmann type IV gastric cancer
Authors: Liu Xia , Chen Xiao-li , Zhang Xin , Pu Hong , Li Hang
Published: January 2024

Clinical diagnosis of Borrmann type IV GC is highly challenging since it has many similar clinicopathologic features with PGL. Radiomics is a promising medical application that demonstrates image analysis may be improved by extracting and selecting a lot of imformation. Previous studies used texture-based or radiomics techniques to differentiate the two gastric malignancies. Nevertheless, radiomics features were extracted only from venous CT images rather than multiphase contrast-enhanced CT images. In the present study, Radiomics features were extracted from unenhanced phase, arterial phase, venous phase, double-phase(arterial + venous), three-phase (unenhanced + arterial + venous) CT images. As a result, we found Clinical model comprised of high-enhanced serosa sign, normalized CT value on venous phase, and perigastric fat infiltration showed good performance with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.902 and 0.878 in the training set and testing set. Compared with the other radiomics models, three-phase radiomics model showed better performance with AUC of 0.871 and 0.865 in the training set and testing set, respectively. The clinical-radiomics model further improved the discriminatory performance (AUC, 0.960) in the training set and testing set (AUC, 0.932). The DCA showed the highest benefit for clinical-radiomics model. Overall, this study shows that the combined clinical-radiomic model incorporating three-phase radiomics signatures and CT findings achieved a satisfactory performance in distinguishing PGL from Borrmann type IV GC.
Methodological Advances in Patient-centered Rare Disease Research: the UTHealth Houston Turner Syndrome Society of the United States Research Registry
Authors: Mansoorshahi Sara , Scurlock Cindy , Registry Scientific Advisory Board of the Turner Syndrome Research , Prakash Siddharth K.
Published: January 2024

Background: Many different clinical specialists provide care to patients with Turner syndrome (TS), who have highly variable clinical manifestations. Therefore, a national TS registry is essential to inform a cohesive approach to healthcare and research. In 2015, the Turner Syndrome Society of the United States (TSSUS) created the Turner Syndrome Research Registry (TSRR) to engage directly with community participants who voluntarily provide longitudinal data about their experiences with TS. TSRR projects are collaborative partnerships between people with TS, TSSUS, and researchers.
Results: To ensure that registry workflows conform to the data privacy choices of participants, TSSUS collaborated with UTHealth Houston in 2021 to create a new version of the TSRR that completely separates participant health data (stored at UTHealth) and personal identifiers (maintained at TSSUS). We developed an innovative Visual Basic (VB) script that, when embedded into Microsoft Outlook, redirects REDCap surveys through TSSUS to participants by matching registry IDs to participant email addresses. Additionally, the utilization of REDCap allows for portability of data as it is an open source platform.
Conclusion: In this report, we will highlight three recent changes that more closely align the TSRR with this mission: a unique and equal collaborative partnership between UTHealth and TSSUS, an open-source platform, REDCap, that ensures data portability and compatibility across institutions, and an innovative survey routing system that retains participant confidentiality without sacrificing REDCap survey distribution capabilities to connect researchers with thousands of participants.
Dual Release of Daptomycin and BMP-2 from a Composite of β-TCP Ceramic and ADA Gelatin for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Ritschl Lucas , Schilling Pia , Wittmer Annette , Serr Annerose , schmal hagen , Seidenstuecker Michael
Published: January 2024

Background
Antibiotic-containing carrier systems are one option that offers the advantage of releasing active ingredients over a longer period of time. In vitro sustained drug release from a carrier system consisting of microporous β-TCP ceramic and alginate has been reported in previous works. Alginate dialdehyde (ADA) gelatin gel showed both better mechanical properties when loaded into a β-TCP ceramic and higher biodegradability than pure alginate.
Methods
Dual release of daptomycin and BMP-2 was measured on days 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 14, 21, and 28 by HPLC and ELISA. After release, the microbial efficacy of the daptomycin was verified and the biocompatibility of the composite was tested in cell culture.
Results
Daptomycin and the model compound FITC protein A (n = 30) were released from the composite over 28 days. A Daptomycin release above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by day 9 and a burst release of 71.7 ± 5.9% were observed in the loaded ceramics. Low concentrations of BMP-2 were released from the loaded ceramics over 28 days.
Physical properties and chemical composition of banana blossom sheaths with different skin colors and its application as a raw material for healthy pasteurized banana blossom juice
Authors: Jongrattanavit Kankanit , Pinkaew Panyapathk
Published: January 2024

The objectives of this research were to study the physical properties, chemical composition of banana blossom sheaths, and microbial quality of its juices. Banana blossom sheaths have different skin colors; the inner is light-yellow, and the outer is pink red. It was found that the light-yellow inner banana blossom sheaths were a source of protein (24.12 g/100 g of sample) and total phenolic compounds (13.58 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight), and the pink-red outer sheaths of banana blossoms were a source of fibers (27.39 g/100 g of sample) and total anthocyanin content (6.43 mg). The healthy pasteurized banana blossom juices produced from the inner and the outer sheaths of banana blossoms are sources of phenolic compounds (254 and 124 mg GAE/100 mL), total anthocyanin contents (0.19 and 15.01 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent (CGE)/100 mL), and antioxidant properties using the DPPH method (2,280.49 and 2,156.53 µmol of Trolox equivalents/100 mL), respectively.
A Novel Cyclic Voltamnetric Study for the Selective and Sensitive Electroanalytical Determination of Chromium Picolinate in Absence and Presence of Some Reagents in KBr Medium Using Gold Electrode. Application to Commercial Capsules
Authors: Salem Yara , Gomaa Esam A. , Sheribah Z. A. , Fathy M. E. , EL-Din M. K. Sharaf
Published: January 2024

This study aims to investigate the electrochemical behavior of chromium picolonate (Cr-Pic) in a KBr medium using cyclic voltammetry (CV) with an Au electrode. The determination of Cr-Pic is of great importance due to its potential health benefits and industrial applications. The impact of the presence of various reagents on the electrochemical response of Cr-Pic is also discussed. The study further explores the applicability of the developed method for the analysis of Cr-Pic in commercial capsules. Chromium ions gave a reduction wave above 2.0 V, mainly because of the evolution of gases in the medium. In this work, the catalytic chromium peaks have appeared, affected by the gold electrode. The results were analyzed in the presence or absence of the dye Diamond Fuchsial Basic Violet (1.0 10-2) M in order to assess how the dye and metal ions will interact in solution. We assess the values of the solvation and kinetic parameters (surface coverage, heterogeneous rate constant, diffusion coefficient, and amount of electricity) based on this research. Moreover, the impact of various reactant concentrations, scan rates, and temperatures Different concentrations of Cr-Pic were applied, and the redox peaks were analyzed. Oxidation and reduction waves of Cr-Pic were linearly dependent on its concentration, and calibration curves were linear in the range (0.662–3.23) µM with limits of detection (LOD) (0.215) or (0.053) µM and limits of quantitation (LOQ) (0.654) or (0.163) µM for the gold electrode reduction and oxidation waves, respectively. Adding different concentrations of the dye Diamond Fuchsial Basic Violet (1.0 ×10-2) M to Cr-Pic was necessary, and accordingly, the analysis data is presented in text. The method was successful in the analytical quantification of Cr-Pic in the pharmaceutical capsule. The results were evaluated in comparison with those attained by the comparative approach, and they revealed an acceptable level of agreement. The International Council of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines approved the method to be validated. The effect of Cr-Pic on oxygen waves was also studied, and it was found that a decrease in O2 waves was observed, proving the use of Cr-Pic as a useful antioxidant supplement. Conclusion: Therefore, with minimal risk to people or the environment, the new approach may be employed in the regular quality control investigation of Cr-Pic.
Assessment of the fuel efficiency in Air Traffic Management
Authors: Malikov Bahruz
Published: January 2024

In this article, statistical analyses were conducted to assess the environmental benefits of ATM operational measures. Both overflights and arrivals-departure traffic data were referred as the primary evaluation source. The post-pandemic rate of air traffic was utilized to project its progress until 2027. PBN measures and airspace upgrades impact were reckoned upon the fuel efficiency within the boundary of the flight information region Baku. Ultimately, the fuel efficiency from the implementation of PBN operational measures and modernization of airspace within the boundary of FIR Baku was assessed.
A combined method for the stability characteristics of FG a nanobeam embedded in an elastic matrix
Authors: Uzun Büşra , Yaylı Mustafa Özgür
Published: January 2024

The investigation conducted in this work aims to investigate the stability response of functionally graded restrained nanobeams with four different porosity distributions and embedded in the Winkler foundation. To take into concern the size effects, Eringen's nonlocal elasticity is employed as a higher-order continuum theory. The material properties of the functionally graded porous nano-sized beam with deformable boundaries are changed gradually in spatial coordinates through the power-law model which covers four kinds of porosity distributions. A system of linear equations consists of infinite power series for an embedded functionally graded porous nanobeam under axial point loads obtained from Fourier trigonometric series and Stokes’ transformation is solved by an eigenvalue problem which satisfies rigid or deformable supporting conditions including classical boundary conditions such as simply supported, clamped-clamped and clamped-pinned. Analytical results are obtained for various porosity distributions and boundary conditions to reveal the effects of nonlocality, Winkler foundation and power-law index on the lateral buckling behavior of a functionally graded nanoscale nanobeam.
Multifidus restoration combined with intraoperative soft tissue debridement to reduce surgical site infections in spine surgery: A retrospective study
Authors: Ma Zheng , Chen Tao-Ping , Chen Kang , Wang Yun-Fei , Zhang Xin-Rong
Published: January 2024

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are serious postoperative complications that significantly increase the suffering of patients and increase hospitalization costs. Debridement is effective in treating surgical incision infections, but intraoperative soft tissue debridement for preventing postoperative infections after spinal surgery is rarely reported.
Purpose: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of multifidus restoration combined with soft tissue debridement in reducing the incidence of SSIs in spinal surgery.
Study Design: This was a retrospective study.
Patient Sample: All patients undergoing spinal surgery in our orthopedic department over a 9-year period were included in this study.
Outcome Measures: The SSI rate, operative time, fixed segment, incision length, subcutaneous fat thickness at the incision site, intraoperative blood loss, drainage tube indwelling time, volume of drainage, surgical site visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and white blood cell count were observed and recorded.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients undergoing spinal surgery at our institution from January 2013 to December 2021. The patients were assorted into the following groups: group 1, patients who underwent multifidus restoration combined with soft tissue debridement (MR/STD) during spinal surgery from January 2018 to December 2021; group 2, patients who did not receive the aforementioned treatment during the surgery, from January 2013 to December 2018. The primary outcome was SSIs.
Results: A total of 500 patients were included. In group 1 (N = 254), 4 (1.6 %) patients developed SSI. In group 2 (N= 246), 13 (5.3%) patients developed SSI. No significant differences were found in age, sex, average surgery time, fixed segment, incision length, blood loss, drainage tube indwelling time, and total drainage fluid between the two groups (P > 0.05). Statistically significant differences between the two groups were observed in SSI rate, white blood cell count, and VAS scores (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: MR/STD could reduce the rate of spinal surgery site infection and partially relieve postoperative surgical site pain symptoms. Moreover, these procedures did not incur additional surgical trauma.
Correlation between the degree of alveolar bone resorption and oral and maxillofacial cancer: A cohort study.
Authors: Wang ChenRu , Liu XiaoShan , He RuiWen , Wang ShuoYu , Wu MengXun , Zhang TongHan
Published: January 2024

Background: The degree of alveolar bone resorption was observed via cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and its correlation with the site of oral and maxillofacial cancer was investigated.
Methods: A total of 110 patients with an average age of 57.07 years were enrolled from June 2020 to June 2023 according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The degree of alveolar bone resorption was analyzed via CBCT, and its correlation with oral and maxillofacial cancer sites, pathological findings and TNM stages was statistically analyzed.
Results: Different pathological findings of oral and maxillofacial tumors were significantly associated with the degree of alveolar bone resorption (P<0.05). The factors affecting the degree of alveolar bone resorption included sex, age, and cancer site. There was a positive linear relationship between the different TNM stages and the degree of alveolar bone resorption (P<0.05), and there was no significant linear relationship between the different degrees of pathological differentiation and the degree of alveolar bone resorption (P>0.05). Regardless of the presence or absence of cervical lymph node metastasis, the alveolar bone in the oral cavity had different degrees of resorption (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The correlation between the degree of alveolar bone resorption and postoperative TNM stage of oral and maxillofacial tumors can provide a certain degree of reference value for oral and maxillofacial and head-neck tumors in clinical workers.
Silver Nanoparticles Decorated Wide Band Gap MoS 2 Nanosheet: Enhanced Optical and Electrical Properties
Authors: Gogoi Priyanku , Deb Sulochana
Published: January 2024

Metal nanoparticles decorated Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) nanosheets have received great attention of researchers due to their potential applications in biosensing, optoelectronics, photocatalysis, SERS, etc. Here, we report the enhanced optical and electrical properties of wide band gap MoS2 nanosheets when decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag-MoS2 nanosheets). Field Emission Scanning Electron Spectroscopy (FESEM) images reveal the formation of well-shaped MoS2 nanosheet-like structures decorated with silver nanowires. MoS2 nanosheets are 27.9 µm long and 12.9 µm wide and the thickness is in the range of nanometer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra show peaks at 25.46°, 33.79°, 36.28°, and 50.97° corresponding to (111), (100), (102), and (105) crystalline planes for pure MoS2 and at 47.26° and 78.28° corresponding to the (200) and (311) crystalline planes for silver in Ag- MoS2 nanosheets respectively. The UV-Vis absorption peak is observed at 340 nm for MoS2 but gets blue-shifted for Ag-MoS2 nanosheets. The calculated band gap is found to be 3.05eV for MoS2 nanosheet, so it falls under the category of wide band gap (2–4 eV) semiconductors which can have potential application in UV photodetection. From the photoluminescence spectra, we have observed enhanced emission for Ag-MoS2 in the range of 410–470 nm for the excitation wavelength 280 nm. Raman peak intensity of MoS2 nanosheet has increased significantly when decorated with Ag nanostructure which can have potential SERS application. I-V characteristic of Ag-MoS2 nanosheets under illumination exhibits negative photoconductivity but is positive for pristine MoS2 nanosheets.
EEG control intention decoding based on improved discriminant analysis
Authors: Fu Rongrong , Li Linyu , Xiang Yifan , Lu Bin , Chen Junxiang , Wang Fuwang
Published: January 2024

Decoding the intent of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals is a crucial topic in brain-computer interface research. As a classical multivariate statistical method, discriminant analysis is widely used in EEG-based intent decoding. The core prin-ciple entails building a discriminant model with established observation indices as training samples, enabling the discrimi-nation and classification of unattributed samples based on this model. In the process of deciding the discriminant rules, typical discriminant analysis methods are efficient and simple, but they rely on two traditional estimators leading to the sample mean and the sample scatter matrix, which implies that they lack robustness. This study examines four discriminant analysis methods including linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, regularized discriminant analysis, general-ized discriminant analysis. The study further introduces robust discriminant analysis, investigating the classifier performance when robustness is enhanced in the estimation of mean vectors and covariance matrices. Research findings indicate that the proposed robust discriminant analysis classifier exhibits superior classification accuracy and enhanced robustness.
Analysis of the social and cognitive changes of the human brain in autism based on functional properties
Authors: Lv Rui , Zhao Hai-Chen , Zhang Guang-Yu , Wang Xin-Ran , Fu Bin , Cai Xiao-Tao , Bao Xiang-Yuan , He Le-min
Published: January 2024

Many previous studies have suggested the atypical functional changes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about potential influences mediated by the alterations of functional properties of brain regions in ASD. To study this issue, data of forty-seven people with ASD and 47 well-matched typical developing (TD) individuals from a single site NYU Langone Medical Center was used in the current study. Functional properties of brain regions, including neural activity strength, functional complexity, and entropy connectivity, were utilized to explore atypical changes of brain function in people with ASD. We found weakened or enhanced changes of functional properties in the amygdala, PHG, frontal superior medial gyrus, precuneus, and SMG in ASD compared with TD. Additionally, we observed significant correlations between those altered functional properties and clinical characteristics, which included symptom-related indicators, age, and handedness in ASD. Our findings indicated that altered functional properties might have negative impacts on social and cognitive function in ASD, which contributes to the basis of some characteristic aspects of ASD symptomatology. In addition, the atypical local functional architectures of some brain regions might adjust the directional connectivity pattern of the default mode network, amygdala, and PHG, which might potentially affect the behavioral performance in ASD.
HPLC-UV monitored photostability-test of LE404 and identification of the degradation products via NMR and LC‑HRMS
Authors: Zergiebel Stephanie , Ueberschaar Nico , Plentz Jonathan , Seeling Andreas
Published: January 2024

Dibenzoazecines are a new class of potential neuroleptics with a high potential for the treatment of schizophrenia. Initial stress tests indicated that the lead compound, LE404, decomposed when exposed to oxygen and sunlight. In this follow up study, the influence of oxidative stress and photosensitivity was examined in compliance with ICH guidelines. The results of this study are important for identifying and predicting potential impurities of LE404 and for adjusting storage condition to prevent compound degradation. The exposure of LE404 to a light source, similar to the natural sunlight spectrum and intensity, was investigated in compliance with ICH-Q1B. The influence of oxidizing agents was investigated under exclusion of light. Two degradation products were observed. The extent and rate of degradation in both experiments were continuously monitored using RP-HPLC-UV. Chromatographic separations were achieved with a phenomenex™ Gemini 5 µm C18 110 Å (250×4.60 mm) column at 220 nm, using acetonitrile/KH2PO4 buffer (4 mmol⋅L-1, pH 2.5) as mobile phase. The photodegradation product was isolated by using semi-preparative RP-HPLC. The oxidation product was obtained by quantitative conversion of LE404 in hydrogen peroxide followed through purification using preparative TLC. The structures of both degradation products were elucidated using HR-MS/MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR as well as FTIR spectroscopy. The structural characterization of the degradation products serves as the basis for subsequent investigations into their toxicity. This is of high importance because phototoxic and photoallergic reactions pose a significant risk, especially with long-term medications, as it is not possible to completely avoid exposure to sunlight.
Cluster analysis of medical students' attitudes regarding people who use drugs: a first step to design a tailored education program
Authors: Richelle Lou , Dramaix-Wilmet Michèle , Vanderhofstadt Quentin , Kornreich Charles
Published: January 2024

Introduction: People with a substance use disorder (SUD) are dealing with many stigmas including from the health care system. In this study, we investigated the attitudes of final year medical students towards SUD people and tried to understand what influence.
Methods: We conducted a two-stage cluster analysis (hierarchical ascending classification followed by K-means clustering) based on the “beSAAS”. We administrated this 23-item questionnaire to 923 final-year medical students in Belgium (response rate = 71,1%). Socio-demographic characteristics were compared between the clusters.
Results: 4 clusters of students with specific characteristics emerged. The first, “The Inclusive” (including 27,9% of respondents) had the less negative attitudes, they wanted to specialize mainly into psychiatry and gynecology. The second, “The Centrists" (23,6%) consisted mainly of male students. They had many private and professional experiences with substance use and considered themselves less healthy than the others. Most of them wanted to specialize in pediatrics and general practice. Their attitudes were slightly negative towards people with SUD. The third, “The Moralists” (27,6%), were mainly older, from non-European countries, had the least experience with substance use (or contact mainly in hospitals), had the less high mother’s level of education and reported excellent health. They were heading toward other specialities. They had the most stereotypes and moralism and the less treatment optimism. The fourth, “The Specialists” (20,8%), were the most in favor of specialized treatment. This group had a higher proportion of Belgians, females, and students with specific contacts with this population. They intended especially to specialize into internal medicine. This study revealed 4 profiles of medical students with different attitudes towards SUD people. “The Moralists", including more than a quarter of the respondents, were characterized by strong stereotypes and moralism and very little treatment optimism.
Conclusion: These clusters could contribute to designing a learner-centered program aimed at addressing stigma within the main curriculum.
Barriers to Contraceptive Access and Use among Youth (15-24 Years) Living in Informal Urban Settlements of Kigali, Rwanda: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Okello Emmanuel Okiror , Murinzi Alexandre Edgard , Nduwimana Colyse , Nambaziira Rashidah
Published: January 2024

Background: Contraceptive use among youth below 19 years in Rwanda is still very low, as low as 3.7%, yet their level of sexual activity is high. By 2020, 42% and 31% of women and men respectively had initiated sex before the age of 20 years. Rwanda’s total population is composed of 67% young people below 25 years. Low contraceptive use among this youth population increases their risk of unintended pregnancies, sexual violence, and sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, 61.3% of Rwanda’s population lives in informal settlements/slums. There is no documented study in Rwanda that has examined contraceptive use among youth living in informal urban settlements/slums. Therefore, this study was to identify the barriers to contraceptive access and use among youth aged 15-24 years, living in informal urban settlements in Kigali.
Methodology: This was a cross sectional study that employed qualitative methods of data collection. Forty five participants were conveniently and purposively selected and guided interviews were conducted with them in six focused group discussions and thirteen in-depth interviews. Recorded audios were transcribed and translated before a deductive thematic analysis was conducted.
Results: Barriers faced by the participants were summarized deductively into four themes. 1) Accessibility barriers – including closed service points, far service points, long waiting time, not knowing where to go with health facilities; 2) Acceptability barriers – perceived or real lack of confidentiality and privacy at service points and among service providers; 3) Affordability barriers – expensive contraceptives and financial challenges; 4) Availability barriers –unavailability and constant stock out and 5) Accommodation barriers – concerns about contraceptives (myths), fear of side effects, busy/absent service providers, feeling embarrassed/guilty, service provide bias, restrictive laws and stigma/poor attitude.
Conclusion: The youth living in impoverished communities within large cities face a lot of challenges accessing and utilizing reproductive health services. In this study several accessibility, acceptability, accommodation, availability and affordability barriers were identified. The government and other implementing partners can benchmark on these barriers to improve the contraceptive and reproductive health services for youth living in informal urban settlements.
Transumbilical single-site double-port laparoscopic appendectomy versus three-port laparoscopic appendectomy in children: a single center experience
Authors: QIN Hong , LIU Hongzhen , XIA Tian , TANG Bingqiang , ZHANG Shisong
Published: January 2024

Objective：Transumbilical single-site double-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TSSDPLA) is a new and minimally invasive technique for the treatment of acute appendicitis. This study aimed to explore the clinical outcomes of TSSDPLA versus three-port laparoscopic appendectomy(TPLA) for children with acute appendicitis．
Methods：A total of 246 patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between July 2022 and July 2023 at Department of General Surgery, Children's Hospital affiliated to Shandong University were were divided into two groups: TSSDPLA and TPLA groups. The collected data were: patient demographics, leukocyte count on arrival, operation time, operating room costs, and complications.
Results: No significant differences in age, gender, leukocyte counts, liquid diet, length of stay pathology or complications were found between TSSDPLA and TPLA groups. The mean operating room costs were significantly lower in TSSDPLA group(p<0.001), and the mean operation time of the TSSDPLA group is slightly longer than that of the TPLA group.
Conclusions：Transumbilical single-site double-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TSSDPLA) was a technically feasible method of treating uncomplicated acute appendicitis compared with TPLA. It has advantages such as better cosmetic incision, less trauma, lower cost. This’s a supplement and improvement to three-port laparoscopic surgery. It can be used widely.
Gait analysis and improvement in sports based on optical holographic imaging and pressure sensor
Authors: Lin Junxian
Published: January 2024

Gait analysis is an important indicator for evaluating athletes' technical level and physical condition, but traditional methods have limitations on the accuracy and real-time performance of gait. Therefore, this article proposes a novel gait analysis method using optical holographic imaging technology and pressure sensor technology. This article establishes an experimental system consisting of an optical holographic imaging device and a pressure sensor, which captures real-time gait data of athletes and converts it into digital signals. By using optical holographic imaging technology, obtain 3D gait images of athletes, as well as detailed information such as joint angles and joint motion trajectories. Pressure sensors can measure the pressure distribution of athletes' feet in real-time, providing more comprehensive gait data. Subsequently, the collected gait data is analyzed and identified, and accurate gait patterns are established through training models for evaluating and classifying different gait types. The research results indicate that gait analysis methods based on optical holographic imaging and pressure sensors have great potential and can be applied to gait improvement and technical training in sports.
Application of Dynamic Image Simulation Based on Optical Sensor Networks in Optimizing the Quality of Physical Education Course Videos
Authors: Lv Dongwei
Published: January 2024

With the development of video physical education course management simulation, in order to improve the quality of video transmission, this study proposes a video transmission technology based on optical flow estimation network. Firstly, an optical flow estimation network model is established, which can automatically extract optical flow information from input video and estimate object motion by analyzing pixel displacement between successive images. Then, according to the optical flow information, the video frame is repaired and compensated to reduce the information loss and quality degradation in video transmission. The experimental results show that the video transmission technology based on optical flow estimation network can significantly improve the quality and stability of video. Compared with the traditional video transmission method, this technology has better adaptability and robustness in the case of low network bandwidth or network congestion, and provides high quality and stable video transmission, which provides strong support for the application of distance education and sports course management simulation.
Gait analysis of athletes based on fiber optic sensors and computer vision algorithms
Authors: Liu Nina
Published: January 2024

Walking may seem simple, but it actually involves complex control processes. Walking is accomplished through a series of collaborative operations, including coordinated control, balance control, central command, and various other physiological mechanisms. When problems arise between these links, it may cause abnormal gait or motor injury. Gait analysis of athletes can help coaches and medical personnel evaluate their athletic skills and physical health. Therefore, this article aims to develop an effective athlete gait analysis method based on fiber optic sensors and computer vision algorithms. Fiber optic sensors capture subtle changes in athletes' gait by measuring the changes in optical signals in the fiber optic. The collected gait data includes parameters such as stride length, stride frequency, and gait phase. Step length refers to the distance traveled during a walk, providing detailed information about an athlete's gait and helping to evaluate their athletic skills and physical health. Using computer vision algorithms to process and analyze the collected gait data, accurate gait parameters are obtained for identifying athletes' walking patterns and identifying abnormal gait.