bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Individualized high-Dose preoperAtive (AIDA) chemoradiation in high-risk rectal cancer: a phase II trial
Authors: GUIDO Alessandra , CUICCHI Dajana , CASTELLUCCI Paolo , CELLINI Francesco , FABIO Francesca DI , LLIMPE Fabiola Lorena ROJAS , STRIGARI Lidia , BUWENGE Milly , CILLA Savino , DEODATO Francesco , MACCHIA Gabriella , GALIETTA Erika , GOLFIERI Rita , ARDIZZONI Andrea , ZAGARI Rocco Maurizio , FANTI Stefano , POGGIOLI Gilberto , FUCCIO Lorenzo , MORGANTI Alessio Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Purpose
To evaluate the pathological complete response (pCR) rate of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) after adaptive high-dose neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) based on 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18 F-FDG-PET/CT).
Methods
The primary endpoint was the pCR rate. Secondary endpoints were the predictive value of 18 F-FDG-PET/CT on pathological response and acute and late toxicity. All patients performed 18 F-FDG-PET/CT at baseline (PET0) and after 2 weeks during CRT (PET1). The metabolic PET parameters were calculated both at the PET0 and PET1. The total CRT dose was 45 Gy to the pelvic lymph nodes and 50 Gy to the primary tumor, corresponding mesorectum, and to metastatic lymph nodes. Furthermore a sequential boost was delivered to a biological target volume defined by PET1 with an additional dose of 5 Gy in 2 fractions. Capecitabine (825 mg/m2 twice daily orally) was prescribed for the entire treatment duration.
Results
Eighteen patients (13 Males, 5 Females; median age 55 years [range, 41–77 years]) were enrolled in the trial. Patients underwent surgical resection at 8–9 weeks after the end of neoadjuvant CRT. No patient showed grade > 1 acute radiation-induced toxicity. Seven patients (38.8%) had TRG = 0 (complete regression), 5 (27.0%) showed TRG = 2, and 6 (33.0%) had TRG = 3. Based on the TRG results, patients were classified in two groups: TRG = 0 (pCR) and TRG = 1,2,3 (non pCR). Accepting p < 0.05 as the level of significance, at the Kruskal-Wallis test, the medians of baseline-MTV, interim-SUVmax, interim-SUVmean, interim-MTV, interim-TLG, and the MTV reduction were significantly different between the two groups. 18 F-FDG-PET/CT was able to predict the pCR in 77.8% of cases.
Conclusions
Our results showed that a dose escalation on a reduced target in the final phase of CRT is well tolerated and able to provide a high pCR rate.
The efficacy and safety of immunotherapy and palliative radiotherapy in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Dedong , Zhou Dingjie , Zhao Nan , Xu Huilin , Zheng Yongfa , Ming Pingpo , Xu Ximing , Jiang Zhenmin , Ge Wei
Published: March 2022

Objective:Palliative radiotherapy (pRT) is usually used in the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). However, whether pRT could influence the outcomes of mNSCLC patients who considered immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as maintenance treatment is still under debate. Here we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of this combination strategy in mNSCLC patients.Methods:The PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases were searched for prospective studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The main outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), and treatment-related adverse events. All data was analyzed with Stata v 16.0 and Review Manager version 5.4 software.Results:A total of 12 studies were included. pRT plus ICIs was significantly associated with improved DCR (OR=2.27, 95%CI [1.27, 4.04]; p=0.008), OS (HR=0.66, CI [0.54, 0.80]; p<0.0001) and PFS (HR=0.60, CI [0.44, 0.81]; p=0.0009). In safety analyses of III-IV grade adverse events (AEs), patients receiving ICIs plus pRT showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.43) when compared with those in the control group.Conclusion:Patients with mNSCLC may benefit from the ICI and pRT combination therapy with acceptable incidence of grade III-IV AEs.
Quantifying heterologous gene expression during ectopic MazF production in Escherichia coli
Authors: Nikolic Nela , Sauert Martina , Albanese Tanino G. , Moll Isabella
Published: March 2022

ObjectiveMazF is a sequence-specific endoribonuclease-toxin of the MazEF toxin-antitoxin system, which cleaves single-stranded RNA regions at ACA sequences in Escherichia coli. The MazEF system has been used in various biotechnology and synthetic biology applications. In this study, we infer how ectopic mazF overexpression affects production of heterologous proteins. To this end, we quantified the levels of fluorescent proteins expressed in E. coli from reporters translated from the ACA-containing or ACA-less mRNAs. Additionally, we addressed the impact of the 5’-untranslated region of these reporter mRNAs under the same conditions by comparing expression from mRNAs that comprise (canonical mRNA) or lack this region (leaderless mRNA).ResultsFlow cytometry analysis indicates that during mazF overexpression, fluorescent proteins are translated from the canonical mRNAs, as well as from the leaderless mRNAs. Our analysis further indicates that longer mazF overexpression generally increases the concentration of fluorescent proteins translated from ACA-less mRNAs, however it also substantially increases bacterial population heterogeneity. Finally, our results suggest that the strength and duration of mazF overexpression should be optimized for each experimental setup, to maximize the heterologous protein production and minimize the amount of phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial populations, which is unfavorable in biotechnological processes.
CNC Synthesis and Fabrication of PVA/TiO2/CNC bio-nanocomposite thin film for biomedical applications
Authors: Raj P L Joseph , Kulkarni Seema A , Krishnan Kalimuthu , Selvam S Periyar
Published: March 2022

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based films with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and Titanium dioxide (TiO2) in varying concentrations have been prepared and characterised in this study, to discover their application in the biomedical field. Acid hydrolysis method is applied to extract CNC from pea peel waste fibres (PPWF) and their sizes were determined. The films - PVA/CNC/T0.5, PVA/CNC/T1.0 and PVA/CNC/T1.5 were subjected to biophysical, microscopic and mechanical property characterization. Through SEM and FTIR analysis, uniform distribution and successful incorporation of CNC and TiO2 has been confirmed. From the X-ray diffraction pattern of the films, it could be noted that the crystallinity increased with the addition of CNC and rutile TiO2. The tensile strength of the films also greatly improved with the CNC reinforcement and increase in TiO2 content in the films. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the PVA/CNC/ TiO2 films have the potential to find application in biomedical devices.
Detection of pyrophosphate and alkaline phosphatase activity based on PolyT single stranded DNA - copper nanoclusters
Authors: Yao Liu , Li Xin , Li Hong , Liao Zhibin , Ning Ge , Wu Yaohui , Wang Yonghong
Published: March 2022

The determination of pyrophosphate and alkaline phosphatase activity plays a significant role in medical diagnosis. In this work, a label-free "ON-OFF-ON" fluorescence strategy is developed for the analysis of pyrophosphate and alkaline phosphatase activity. Using PolyT single strand DNA as templates to synthesize fluorescent copper nanoparticles, the coordination effect of pyrophosphoric acid on Cu2+ inhibited the generation of fluorescence. Afterwards, the addition of alkaline phosphatase into hydrolyze pyrophosphoric acid resulted in the release of Cu2+, whereby the fluorescence intensity could be recovered. Thereupon enhanced-sensitivity for alkaline phosphatase was obtained (0.1 mU/L), much better than previously reported methods. Meanwhile, it could be performed directly in homogeneous solution, which was very close to the actual activity level of alkaline phosphatase under physiological conditions. Likewise, satisfactory results were also obtained in specificity assessment, which demonstrated its potential application in clinical diagnosis. Notably, a new, sensitive, low-cost, short-time, and high-sensitivity platform for alkaline phosphatase detection was constructed, and the design of biosensor using DNA-templated Copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) was instructed in this study.
Variation of antinutrients in faba bean cultivars during seed development
Authors: Nurmi Markus , Kahala Minna , Pihlava Juha-Matti , Hellström Jarkko , Bragge Rina , Pihlanto Anne
Published: March 2022

Several chemical compounds of seven faba bean cultivars—Sampo, Louhi, Talia, Tiffany, Julia, Gloria, and Vroma—grown in Finland were determined. The effect of seed maturity on the levels of vicine/convicine (vc), trypsin inhibitors, condensed tannins, phytic acid, lectins, and oligosaccharides was analyzed. The overall vc ratio remained similar in all the samples, and the largest amounts of vc were found in the early stage of the bean and decreased during maturation. Talia and Gloria had lower trypsin inhibition than the other cultivars. The smallest amounts of condensed tannins were found in the Talia and Gloria cultivars, and the largest in the Tiffany and Julia cultivars. Overall, it seems that maturation decreased the amount of condensed tannins. The fully mature faba bean contained an average of 10.3 to 13.4 g/kg (DW) phytic acid, and there was no difference between the seven cultivars. The highest lectin activity was found in the Sampo, Julia, and Tiffany cultivars, and the lowest activity was in Vroma and the mature seeds of Talia and Louhi. The simple sugars (rhamnose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, and fructose) were dominant in the early developmental stage, whereas the amount of long chain oligosaccharides (stachyose and verbascose) increased during maturation of beans, and the level of raffinose was similar in all developmental stages. In conclusion, the content of chemical compounds depended on the maturation stage and the faba bean cultivar. The low content of stachyose, verbascose, and raffinose in young Tiffany and Julia beans is beneficial when consumed as green bean.
Missed opportunity for alcohol use disorder screening and management in primary health care facilities in northern rural Tanzania: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Mushi Dorothy , Moshiro Candida , Hanlon Charlotte , Francis Joel M , Teferra Solomon
Published: March 2022

Objective The study aimed to identify the missed opportunity for detection and management of alcohol use disorder by primary health care workers. Design A cross-sectional surveySetting Outpatient services in the six governmental primary health care facilities in Moshi district council in Tanzania.Participants 1604 adults were screened for alcohol use disorder (AUD) using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Participants scoring 8 or above then provided details about their help-seeking behavior and barriers to seeking care. Participants’ records were reviewed to assess screening and management of AUD. Results In the last 12 months, 60.7% reported alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking (HED) was reported by 37.3%. AUD (AUDIT ≥8) was present in 23.9%. Males were more likely to have HED (aPR= 1.43;95% CI:1.3 to 1.4) or AUD (aPR=2.9; 95% CI 1.9 to 4.2). Both HED and AUD increased with age. Only one participant (0.3%) had documented AUD screening and management. Only 5% of participants screening positive for AUD had sought help. Reasons for not seeking care were thinking that the problem would get better by itself (55.0%), wanting to handle the problem alone (42.0%), or not being bothered by the problem (40.0%). Conclusion. While reported alcohol use, HED, and AUD are common among patients presenting to primary healthcare facilities in northern Tanzania, help-seeking behavior and detection are very low. Not screening for AUD in primary health care is a missed opportunity for early detection and management. There is an urgent need to develop interventions to increase detection of AUD by health care providers, while also addressing help-seeking behavior and barriers to seeking care.
Rethinking D-dimer’s role in the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with COVID-19: analysis of a diagnostic test study
Authors: Estrada Víctor Hugo Nieto , Valle Anacaona Martínez Del , Moreno Albert Alexander Valencia , Franco Daniel Leonardo Molano , Álvarez Elsy Sofía Calle , Perdomo Daniela Osorio , Ramírez Carlos Hernán Castañeda , Zárate Natalia Andrea González , Cáceres Dayang Sulai Jaramillo , Salazar Tatiana Andrea Bernal
Published: March 2022

Background: D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product present in the blood after infection, thrombosis, or pregnancy. Covid-19 is a prothrombotic inflammatory condition, where D-dimer is often detectable showing higher levels in severe COVID-19 cases. The usefulness of D-dimer for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) in SARS CoV2 has not been determined.Aim: To determine the operational characteristics of D-dimer as a diagnostic method for PE in patients with COVID-19 treated at a university hospital in Bogotá, Colombia.Methods: Diagnostic test study that included data from patients with COVID-19 with suspected PE who were screened with the index test (D-dimer measured by turbidimetric immunoassay technique) and reference test (Angiotomography of pulmonary arteries). Results: Among the 209 patients analyzed, the prevalence of PE was 14.4%, D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the group of PE cases (2888 vs. 1114 ng/Dl; p=0.002). 80% of PE cases were submassive and 53% segmental. The operating characteristics for the reference cut-off point of the technique (>499ng/mL) were Sensitivity: 93.9%, Specificity: 8.9%, Positive predictive value: 14.7%, Negative predictive value: 8.9%, proportion of false positives: 91.1%, a Youden J- index of 0.02. The area under the receiving operating curve was 0.684. The coordinates of the curve showed a Youden J- index of 0.367 for a value of 2.281 ng/mL (4.5 times the reference value), using this cut-off point, we obtained a sensitivity of 60%, a specificity of 76%, PPV of 30%, NPV of 92%, and a proportion of false Negatives of 40%.Conclusion: D-dimer does not have appropriate characteristics to be used alone for the diagnosis PE in patients with severe COVID-19. It can be used as part of a rational diagnostic process, being just as specific as the patient’s signs and symptoms.
Trends in Extreme Weather Events with Socio-Economic Damage in Russia
Authors: Romanovskaya Anna
Published: March 2022

Analytical studies of regional trends in the number of extreme weather events, primarily causing social and economic damage, are lacking in Russia, although this is the basis for developing mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change. Therefore, we investigated trends in the number of extreme weather events that caused damage in Russia by their type, their distribution by regions and identified regions where urgent adaptation is needed. The results show an increase in the number of meteorological extreme events with damage for 1990–2019 in Russia from 130 to 257 events per year on average for the 1990s and 2010s, respectively (statistical significance of the trend at the 0.001 level). However, the proportion of events with damage in relation to events which did not cause damage decreased over this period by almost a third (from 63–47%). This can be explained both by a possible methodological inconsistency in the time series of damage events and by more effective adaptation measures. The trends and regional distribution of extreme hot and cold temperature events are not unequivocally consistent with the literature and show regions with both positive and negative changes in the number of extreme events that caused damage. Statistically significant changes in the number of extreme events of strong winds, heavy rains and soil drought by regions are generally positive and observed only in some southern and central regions of European Russia. These results are in good agreement with the results of other studies. The development and rapid implementation of regional adaptation plans is a priority for these regions, given that these are densely populated areas with predominantly agricultural production.
Comparative examination of the physical parameters of the sol gel produced compounds La0.5Ag0.1Ca0.4MnO3 and La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3
Authors: RASHEED Mohammed , Assoudi N. , Chaabani A. , Walha I. , Dhahri E. , Barille R.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, the physical characteristics of La0.5Ag0.1Ca0.4MnO3 and La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3 compounds have been studied. Structural analysis by XRD showed that both samples crystallize in an orthorhombic structure. For the La0.5Ag0.1Ca0.4MnO3 sample it can be seen that there are two bands: the first is due to the stretching Mn-O bond the υS vibration mode, relates to the internal motion of a length-changing Mn-O, whereas the second corresponds to the υb bonding mode, which is sensitive to a change in the Mn-O-Mn angle. For the compound La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3 the υb band is absent. The magnetic measurements show that the two compounds have a single transition from the PM state to the FM state with an increase in the Curie transition temperature Tc for the compound La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3. Similarly, the substitution of silver in calcium increases the value of the magnetization at low temperature. We also studied the magnetocaloric effect of our compounds. This study shows a significant change in magnetic entropy ΔSM that took place around their magnetic transition temperatures Tc. Under the influence of a 5 T magnetic field. The largest fluctuation in magnetic entropy is in the order of -8.67 J/kg.K for the compound La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3 this value is considered significant. The magnetocaloric results indicate that the compound La0.6Ca0.3Ag0.1MnO3 is the best sample which has a large RCP which suggests its good candidate in the field of magnetic cold. Based on the Banarjee criterion and Landau theory, a second-order transition is observed for both samples in the vicinity of the Curie transition TC. The experimentally obtained value of ΔSM is smaller than the theoretically calculated one, which proves that the transition is an unconventional transition even under the influence of a 5 T magnetic field.
Distinct roles of HMGB1 in the regulation of P-glycoprotein expression in the liver and kidney of mice with lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation
Authors: Kawase Atsushi , Irie Kota , Matsuda Naoya , Takai Yuzuki , Shimada Hiroaki , Iwaki Masahiro
Published: March 2022

This study sought to clarify the involvement of HMGB1 in the regulation of P-glycoprotein expression in the liver and kidney of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. Mice were treated with LPS or LPS + glycyrrhizin (GL) as an HMGB1 inhibitor. Further, the expression of transporters, such as P-glycoprotein, and HMGB1 receptors, such as TLR4 and RAGE, were determined. For the in vitro study, we used HepG2, KMRC-1, and a co-culture of KMRC-1 with differentiated THP-1 cells. The mRNA and protein levels of Mdr1a and Tlr4 in the kidneys of LPS + GL-treated mice were significantly decreased compared to those of LPS mice. HMGB1 had little effects on the expression of Mdr1a and Tlr4 in the liver. However, for MDR1 mRNA levels, KMRC-1 was more responsive to LPS than HepG2 cells. In differentiated THP-1 cells after LPS treatment, the levels of TLR4 mRNA were decreased, but were restored to control levels by HMGB1. In conclusion, HMGB1 in the plasma and TLR4 in macrophages are involved in the regulation of P-gp expression in the kidneys of inflamed mice.
Craniofacial and Upper Airway Characteristics with Class III Malocclusion in 4-to 5-Year-Old Children in Shijiazhuang: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hu XiaoYing , Pan Cheung Gary. Shun. , Zhang YiYang , Sun RuoNan , Tang Hui , Dong FuSheng
Published: March 2022

Background: To provide a craniofacial and upper airway cephalometric characteristics of Chinese children analysis with Class III malocclusion (skeletal and dental) in 4-to 5-Year-Old Children in shijiazhuang, China. Materials & methods: Lateral cephalographs of male and female groups of 78 children (aged from 3.5 to 5.5 years) with skeletal Class III (S III) malocclusion were compared to those of 64 children (aged from 3.5 to 5.5 years) with dental Class III (D III) malocclusion. 19 indicators were involved in which represented the maxilla、mandible and their relative position, the growth pattern of the mandible and the width of the upper airway. Wilcoxon two-sample test and Student's t-tests were performed to assess differences between S III malocclusion (group 1) and D III malocclusion (group 2) with SPSS 21.0.Results: Significant differences were showed in the measurements as follows. Compared to the D III group, in the S III group, maxillary sagittal growth deficiency apparently localized around the point A , with the mandible being more excessive forward and less backward and downward rotation (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference at the level of the nasopharynx sagittal diameter between the two groups. However, the data of tonsil plate at the level of the oropharynx sagittal diameter showed significant smaller in S III group than D III group. This difference extended down into the laryngopharynx.Conclusions: In a word, for the skeletal Class III malocclusion 4-5 year children, the jaw disharmony assumed retruded maxilla and retrusive mid-face in the sagittal planes, narrow oropharynx and laryngopharynx upper airway, protracted mandible and shorter lower face height.
NOTCH gene alterations in metastatic colorectal cancer in the Nationwide Cancer Genome Screening Project in Japan (SCRUM-Japan GI-SCREEN)
Authors: Kajiwara Takeshi , Nishina Tomohiro , Nakasya Akio , Yamashita Natsumi , Yamashita Riu , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Shiozawa Manabu , Yuki Satoshi , Taniguchi Hiroya , Hara Hiroki , Ohta Takashi , Esaki Taito , Shinozaki Eiji , Takashima Atsuo , Moriwaki Toshikazu , Denda Tadamichi , Ohtsubo Koushiro , Sunakawa Yu , Horita Yosuke , Kawakami Hisato , Kato Takeshi , Satoh Taroh , Ando Koji , Mizutani Tomonori , Yasui Hisateru , Goto Masahiro , Okuyama Hiroyuki , Yamazaki Kentaro , Yoshino Takayuki , Hyodo Ichinosuke
Published: March 2022

Purpose Activated Notch receptor signaling has been implicated in tumor growth and progression in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the pathogenic relevance of NOTCH gene alterations remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify mutational landscapes and assess their clinical significance in patients with metastatic CRC.Methods Pre-chemotherapy tumor tissues obtained from 1154 metastatic CRC patients in the Nationwide Cancer Genome Screening Project in Japan between April 2017 and March 2019 were studied using the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay.Results The frequencies of NOTCH1, NOTCH2, and NOTCH3 nonsynonymous sequence variants were 11.5%, 4.4%, and 10.4%, respectively. The majority of variants were missense of unknown significance that were distributed across all domains of all three NOTCH genes. The gain-of-function mutations in NOTCH reported in multiple malignancies were not identified. The NOTCH amplification rate was less than 1%. No NOTCH fusions were detected. In patients who were registered before, or within one year of, first-line chemotherapy, overall survival for 51 patients with only NOTCH3 variants was significantly longer than for 540 patients with no NOTCH variants (median, 40.2 months vs 27.7 months; P = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that variant NOTCH3 was an independent prognostic factor for increased survival (hazard ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.94; P = 0.03) besides poor prognostic factors associated with mutant TP53, KRAS, and BRAF, as well as amplified MYC.Conclusion NOTCH genes are unlikely to harbor driver mutations and amplifications in patients with metastatic CRC. NOTCH3 variants should be further investigated as a favorable prognostic marker.
The development of a visual dashboard report to assess physician assistant and nurse practitioner financial and clinical productivity
Authors: Kidd Vasco Deon , Liu Joe Haoming , Reamer-Yu Andy , Wang Joann Hao , Deng Mei
Published: March 2022

The evolving COVID-19 pandemic has unevenly affected academic medical centers (AMCs), which are experiencing resource-constraints and liquidity challenges while at the same time facing high pressures to improve patient access and clinical outcomes. Technological advancements in the field of data analytics can enable AMCs to achieve operational efficiencies and improve bottom-line expectations. While there are vetted analytical tools available to track physician productivity, there is a significant paucity of analytical instruments described in the literature to adequately track clinical and financial productivity of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) employed at AMCs. Moreover, there is no general guidance on the development of a dashboard to track PA/NP clinical and financial productivity at the individual, department, or enterprise level. Therefore, the aim of the project is to leverage our institution’s existing visualization tools coupled with the right analytics to track PA/NP productivity trends using a dashboard report. Methods:We created a customizable highly visual clinical/financial analytical dashboard to track productivity of PA/NPs employed at our AMC. Key Findings: The APP financial and clinical dashboard is organized into two main components. The volume-based key performance indicators (KPI) included work relative value units (wRVUs), gross charges, collections (payments), and payer-mix. The session utilization (KPIs) included (e.g., new versus return patient ratios, encounter type, visit volume and visits per session by provider). The dashboard was internally and externally validated. After successful piloting, the dashboard was deployed across multiple specialty areas and results showed improved data transparency and reliable tracking of PAs/NPs productivity across the enterprise. The dashboard analytics were helpful in evaluating the break-even analysis for many of the PAs/NPs. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first paper to highlight steps AMCs can take in developing, validating, and deploying a financial/clinical dashboard specific to PAs/NPs. However, research is needed to assess the impact of qualitative and quantitative dashboards on provider engagement, revenue, and quality of care.
Synthesis, Physical, Optical and Structural Studies of B2O3-CdO-Al2O3-PbF2 Glasses Modified with MoO3 Ions
Authors: Siddoju Rajesham , Sekhar Kotagiri Chandra , Shareefuddin Md. , Kumar J. Siva
Published: March 2022

This manuscript deals with the preparation and detailed physical and structural study of B2O3-CdO-Al2O3-PbF2 glasses reinforced with MoO3 ions. With the addition of MoO3, the density and band gap values decreased while the refractive index increased, confirming the transformation of Mo6+ ions to Mo5+ ions and resulting in the generation of NBO's in these glasses. The FTIR spectra revealed the presence of different borate and aluminate units. The FTIR spectra also indicated the conversion of Mo6+ ions to Mo5+ ions. The effect of MoO3 ions on Raman spectra was clearly visible and indicated the conversion of BO4 to BO3 units, increasing NBO’s which helped to explain the density variation.
Automated detection of over- and under-dispersion in baseline tables in randomised controlled trials
Authors: Barnett Adrian
Published: March 2022

Background: Papers describing the results of a randomised trial should include a table of summary statistics that compares randomised groups at baseline. Researchers who fraudulently generate trials often create randomised groups that are implausibly similar (under-dispersed) or accidentally create large differences between groups (over-dispersed) because they do not understand how to create realistic summary statistics from truly random data. We aimed to automatically screen for under- and over-dispersion in the baseline tables of published randomised trials.Methods: We examined randomised controlled trials published in open access health and medical journals on PubMed Central. We estimated probability that a trial’s summary statistics were under- or over-dispersed using a Bayesian model that examined the distribution of t-statistics for the between-group differences from the baseline table, and compared this with an expected distribution without dispersion. We used a simulation study to test the ability of the model to find over- or under-dispersion and compared its performance with an existing test of dispersion based on a uniform test of p-values.Results: The algorithm had a relatively good accuracy for extracting the data from baseline tables, matching well on the size of the tables and sample size. Using t-statistics in the Bayesian model out-performed the uniform test of p-values, as it had a higher probability of detecting over-dispersed data and lower false positive percentage for skewed data that was not under- or over-dispersed. For the trials published on PubMed Central, some tables were flagged because: they were not from trials, had a non-standard presentation, or had likely reporting errors. The algorithm also flagged some trials as under-dispersed where there was a striking similarity between groups.Conclusion: Due to the variance in reporting across journals, the current method may not be suitable for automated screening for fraud of all submitted trials, but could be useful in targeted checks of suspected trials. If used in automated screening of papers at the submission stage, it would likely flag many instances of non-standard table presentation and poor reporting.
Import Vertical Characteristic of Rain Streak for Single Image Deraining
Authors: Yu Jun , Zhang Zhexin , Ding Jiajun , Yuan Yiming
Published: March 2022

Recently, deep convolutional neural networks show good effect for single image deraining. These networks always adopt the conventional convolution method to extractfeatures, which may neglect the characteristic of rain streak.A novelty vertical module is proposed to focus on the verticalcharacteristic of rain streak. Such module uses 1 x Xconvolution kernel to extract the vertical information of rainstreaks and a X x X convolution kernel to keep relative locationinformation. Use this module in the front of derainingnetwork can better detach rain streaks from background. Inaddition, the contrastive learning is employed to improve theperformance of the model. Extensive experimental resultsdemonstrated the superiority of the deraining methods withthe proposed methods in comparison with the base ones.
Network-based identification of the genetic mechanism behind acute lung injury in acute pancreatitis
Authors: Wan You-Dong , Zhu Rui-xue , Song Lei , Pan Xin-Ting
Published: March 2022

Background
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common gastrointestinal disease. The incidence of acute pancreatitis complicated with acute lung injury is high. In fact, the complication is the primary cause of early death in patients with acute pancreatitis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the genetic mechanism of acute pancreatitis complicated by lung injury using bioinformatics and to identify possible therapeutic drug options.
Methods
The dataset for acute pancreatitis, numbered GSE77983, and the dataset for acute lung injury, numbered GSE58654, were identified from the Gene Expression Ombibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was used to identify the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology and pathway analyses were used to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of DEGs. A protein interaction network from common DEGs was constructed using the STRING database to screen for hub genes. The transcription factors and miRNAs of hub genes were identified based on the NetworkAnalyst platform. Hub genes were validated at the human organ and single-cell levels. Finally, potential therapeutic compounds were designed.
Results
We found 61 common DEGs. The enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly concentrated in the cellular response to external stimuli, nutrient levels, and apoptosis. Fifteen hub genes were identified with a protein interaction network, and six hub genes (Angptl4, Cyr61, F3, Krt8, Sphk1, and Vcan) were verified at the single-cell and human tissue levels. At the single-cell level, the gene was shown to be mainly expressed in alveolar type I and II epithelial cells and mesothelial cells of the pancreas. Potential therapeutic compounds include MS-275 PC3 UP, 7614-21-3 CTD 00000893, troglitazone CTD, anisomycin PC3 UP, and 8-azaguanine PC3 UP.
Conclusions
Acute pancreatitis and acute lung injury co-express six hub genes, which may be the bridge to understanding the genetic mechanism of acute pancreatitis complicated with acute lung injury.
Quantum Multi-guide Particle Swarm Optimisation for Dynamic Multi-objective Optimisation Problems
Authors: Ombuki-Berman Beatrice M. , Joćko Paweł , Engelbrecht Andries P.
Published: March 2022

The multi-guide particle swarm optimisation (MGPSO) algorithm, originally developed for static multi-objective optimisation problems (SMOPs), has been recently adapted for dynamic multi-objective optimisation problems (DMOPs). The MGPSO is a multi-swarm approach where each subswarm optimises one of the objectives. It uses a bounded, crowding distance archive implementation that is managed at each environment change. This paper further adapts the MGPSO for DMOPs by proposing alternative quantum particle swarm optimisation (QPSO) strategies to allow efficient tracking of the changing Pareto-optimal set (POS) and Pareto-optimal front (POF). Specifically, the self-adaptive QPSO and the parent-centric crossover (PCX) QPSO are explored with varying quantum proportions of particles. A total of twenty-nine benchmark functions and six performance measures were implemented to evaluate the performance of the QPSO approaches. The experiments were run against five environment types with varying temporal and spatial severities. The best QPSO strategy was then compared with other state-of-the-art dynamic multi-objective optimisation algorithms (DMOAs). An extensive empirical analysis shows that MGPSO with 10% proportion of self-adaptive quantum particles achieves very competitive and oftentimes better results when compared with other DMOAs.
The molecular mechanism of Radix astragali, Ginseng, Radix puerariae, and Mulberry leaf in the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy based on bioinformatics and network pharmacology
Authors: Guo Xingchen , Zhang Dongdong , Gao Wanhao , Li Muwei
Published: March 2022

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicines Radix astragali (Huangqi, HQ), Ginseng (Renshen, RS), Radix puerariae (Gegen, GG), and Mulberry leaf (Sangye, SY) on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) based on bioinformatics and network pharmacology, through gene expression analysis of geo clinical samples, molecular docking of compounds and targets, and molecular dynamics simulation, and to discover new targets for prevention or treatment of DC, in order to facilitate and better serve the discovery of new drugs as well as their application in the clinic. Materials and methods: For the initial selection of ingredients and targets using the TCMSP as a starting point, we performed a primary screening of ingredients and targets of the four herbs using tools including Cytoscape, Tbtools, R 4.0.2, Autodock Vina, PyMOL, and GROMACS. To further screen the effective ingredients and targets, we performed protein interaction network (PPI) analysis (gene = 12), gene expression analysis (n = 24) by clinical samples of DCs from the gse26887 dataset, biological process (BP) analysis (FDR ≤ 0.05, gene = 7), KEGG pathway analysis (FDR ≤ 0.05, gene = 7), and ingredient target pathway network analysis (gene = 7) by applying these targets from the screen, Biological processes, disease pathways regulated by targets and the relationship between each component target and pathway were obtained. We further screened the targets and visualized the docking results by precision molecular docking of ingredients and targets, after which we performed molecular dynamics simulation and consulted a large number of relevant literatures for validation of the results. Results: Through screening, analysis and validation of the data, we finally confirmed the presence of 36 active ingredients in HQ, RS, GG, and SY, which mainly act on AKT1, ADRB2, GSK3B, PPARG, and BCL2 targets, and these five targets mainly regulate PI3K-Akt, Adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, JAK-STAT, cGMP-PKG, AMPK, and mTOR signaling pathway exert preventive or therapeutic effects on DCM. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the complex formed by Calycosin, Frutinone A, Puerarin, Inophyllum E, the four active components of HQ, RS, GG, and SY, and the four target proteins ADRB2, PPARG, AKT1, and GSK3B acting on DCS is able to exist in a very stable tertiary structure under human environment. Conclusions: our study successfully explains the effective mechanism of HQ, RS, GG, and SY in ameliorating DC, while predicting the potential targets and active components of HQ, RS, GG, and SY in treating DC, which provides a new basis for investigating novel mechanisms of action at the network pharmacology level and a great support for subsequent DC research.
Writing around War: Parapolemics, Trauma, and Ethics in Ukrainian Representations of the War in the Donbas
Authors: Blacker Uilleam
Published: March 2022

The article considers a range of literary texts about the war in Donbas and argues that one of the primary representational strategies employed by Ukrainian writers has been the use of “parapolemics.” The article operates with Kate McLoughlin’s definition of this term as a focus on the “outskirts” of armed conflict, but also relates the idea to concepts drawn from trauma studies. While, on the one hand, the use of parapolemics may be a way of avoiding direct representation of wartime violence and death, the opportunities it affords are extremely valuable: focusing on the “backstage” of war and eschewing direct representation of violence allows writers to explore otherwise marginalized, and highly complex, dimensions of wartime experience. At the same time, connecting the parapolemic approach to ideas taken from trauma theory, particularly relating to empathy and responsibility, allows us to understand how parapolemics provide a way of reflecting both on the ethics of representing war and the of self-other relationships that arise in wartime.
Translating Ukrainian War Poetry into English: Why It Is Relevant
Authors: Ivashkiv Roman
Published: March 2022

This article explores the English translations of contemporary Ukrainian war poetry featured in the two anthologies Lysty z Ukrainy (Letters from Ukraine, 2016) and Words for War: New Poems from Ukraine (2017), through the prism of Jacques Derrida’s concept of “relevant.” It argues that although the economy of the original poems could not always be sustained, these translations nonetheless remain relevant primarily thanks to what they do rather than what they say. After contextualizing the recent (re)emergence of war poems as a genre of Ukrainian literature and providing an overview of the two translation anthologies, the article compares the Ukrainian originals with their English translations and discusses the various translation challenges. It then returns to Derrida’s own case study to extend the modifier “relevant” beyond its “economic” parameters to apply it more broadly to translation’s socio-political significance. It concludes with a discussion of how the two anthologies in question reflect the state of the reception of contemporary Ukrainian literature in the English-speaking world and how the translations they feature inform our understanding of the (un)translatability of poetry.
A real-time defect detection in printed circuit boards applying deep learning
Authors: Nguyen Van-Truong , Bui Huy-Anh
Published: March 2022

Inspection of defects in the printed circuit boards (PCBs) has both safety and economic significance in the 4.0 industrial manufacturing. Nevertheless, it is still a challenging problem to be studied in-depth due to the complexity of the PCB layouts and the shrinking down tendency of the electronic component size. In this paper, a real-time automated supervision algorithm is proposed to test the PCBs quality among different scenarios. The density of the PCBs layout and the complexity on the surface are analyzed based on deep learning and image feature extraction algorithms. To be more detailed, the ORB feature and the Brute-force matching method are utilized to match perfectly the input images with the PCB templates. After transferring images by aiding the RANSAC algorithm, a hybrid method using modern computer vision algorithms is developed to segment defective areas on the PCBs surface. Then, by applying the enhanced Residual Network –50, the proposed algorithm can classify the groove defects on the surface mount technology electronic components which minimum size up to 1x3 mm. After the training process, the proposed system is capable to categorize various types of overproduced, recycled, and cloned PCBs. The speed of the quality testing operation maintains at a high level with an average precision rate up to 96.29 % in case of good brightness conditions. Finally, the computational experiments demonstrate that the proposed system based on deep learning can obtain superior results and it outperforms several existing works in terms of speed, precision, and robustness
Statistical analysis of the relative position of the rod hanger and the wellhead
Authors: Habibov Ibrahim , Abasova Sevinc , Huseynova Vusala
Published: March 2022

One of the leading methods of exploitation of oil fields is oil production with the help of downhole rod pumping units (DRPU). Over 80 % of the operating well stock of Azneft PA is equipped with deep well pumps and about 30 % of oil is produced in the country with their help.

The widespread use of DRPU is associated with a fairly high maturity of installations, simplicity of its design and maintenance, repair in field conditions, ease of adjustment, the possibility of servicing the installation by unskilled workers, a small effect on the operation of DRPU of the physical and chemical properties of the pumped liquid, as well as high efficiency.

However, along with the high efficiency of the applied DRPU, there are also complaints regarding the need to increase the reliability and resource of wellhead equipment, including in order to improve the environmental situation in the oil fields.

One of the conditions for ensuring high reliability of the ground equipment of the DRPU is to ensure the tightness of the wellhead rod-wellhead stuffing box assembly, the violation of which is not only a failure of the installation, but also leads to environmental pollution.

This is facilitated by inaccuracies in the assembly and installation of DRPU at the wellhead. When mounting the pumping unit, for many reasons, the tolerance of the wellhead rod with the suspension point of the rod string to the balancer head is not ensured.

In this regard, in the requirements for the accuracy of mounting the pumping unit at the point of application, a certain mismatch of the axes within the circular coordinates is allowed. So, for widely used pumping units of the CK8 type, the permissible mismatch between the axis of the wellhead rod and the suspension point of the rods is determined by the conditions under which the projection of the suspension point of the rods onto the plane of the base of the pumping unit at any position of the balancer is allowed within a circle with a diameter of 25 mm.
GPS observations of ionospheric TEC variations over Nepal during 22 July 2009 solar eclipse
Authors: Ghimire Basu Dev , Silwal Ashok , Chapagain Narayan Prasad , Gautam Sujan Prasad , Poudel Prakash , Khadka Balaram
Published: March 2022

As the study of ionospheric behavior during various solar activities is an important task, various studies of ionospheric changes during eclipse events have been widely performed in the different regions of the globe. This paper investigates the ionospheric responses to the solar eclipse on 22 July 2009 over Nepal using the total electron content (TEC) measured by dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. The time-averaged Vertical TEC (vTEC) of ten GPS stations from Nepal is analyzed and it is found that the value of ionospheric TEC decreases due to the reduction of ionizing radiation. In addition, the deviation in the TEC value on eclipse day from the mean vTEC value of the top five quietest days is found to lie in the range ~1–5 TECu at those regions which were associated with the partial eclipse shadow. On the other hand, the region with the total eclipse (BRN2 and RMTE) faced ~6–7 TECu on average reduction in the TEC value. Considering that the eclipse of 22 July 2009 occurred just at sunrise in the Nepalese zone, a maximum reduction of about 5 TECu is very significant. Higher deviation in TEC is therefore linked with the path of totality and the obscuration rate. This study reveals that the ionospheric TEC over Nepal was altered by wave-like energy and momentum transport, as well as obscuration of the solar disc due to the partial and total solar eclipse. Furthermore, the cross-correlation results presented similar type signatures of the eclipse-induced ionospheric modification over Nepal. This research work serves a crucial future reference for the comparative study of change of ionospheric TEC variability over the Nepal region during Eclipse events
Impacts of Window Factors and Building Orientation on Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings of Humid Temperate Climatic Zone in Iran
Authors:   Department of Science and Research, Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IRAN, Soudbaksh Kimia , Etminan Mahrokh ,   Department of Architecture, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, IRAN, Hakimazari Mohammad ,   Energy and Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Tehran, IRAN, Salavatian Seyedehmamak ,   Department of Architecture, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, IRAN
Published: March 2022

This article deals with the research into optimal passive design parameters, such as building’s envelope components and orientation that result in improving energy efficiency. Despite the ever-increasing demand for residential complexes in developing countries like Iran during recent decades, architects and engineers are deprived of the specific guidelines to design energy-saving residential units. The present article aims to monitor the influence of window and orientation variables through the case study in the microclimate region in Iran, which is determined to be a temperate and humid climate. The residential unit is simulated by Design Builder to assess the value of energy used to fulfill heating, cooling, lighting and annual energy consumption regarding controlled variables (shading devices and mechanical and natural ventilation). The window-to-wall ratio (WWR) is evaluated in the range of 15% to 85% for northern and southern external walls. Subsequently, the most conventional range of width-to-height ratio (WHR) among the regional dwellings reported from the National Road, Housing and Urban Development Research Center is investigated. Additionally, more variables like building orientation (BO) are considered in the parametric analysis as the effective parameter to design passive solar. The considered building is routed on the ground with the azimuth angles from 0° to 360° with 5° increments in a clockwise direction to create 72 building orientation intervals. The results reveal that WWR is recommended to be 15% and 65% on the northern and southern façade, respectively. Furthermore, the aspect ratio of the north-facing windows has the marginal effect on energy saving compared to south-facing windows. Although there is an optimal building orientation, most of the ideal values can be found in the narrow ranges 175° < BO < 190° and 345° < BO < 20°. Findings indicated that the reported variables played an important role in the reduction of energy consumption, particularly in housing units of residential complexes.