bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between High Density Lipoprotein Level With Degree Of Stenosis In Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Pratama Arrizki Azka , Abduh Saugi , Zulaikhah Siti Thomas
Published: April 2022

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) can be prevented by early detection and control of risk factors. This study aimed to determine the relationship of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels with stenosis levels based on Significant Non-Significant angiography in CAD patients. Observational research method with cross-sectional design from secondary data at RSI Sultan Agung Semarang in January 2016 - October 2018, 363 respondents met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed by  Spearman test and logistic regression. In low HDL, significant stenosis was found to be 80.5% and non-significant 19.5%, significant HDL was found with significant stenosis 67.0% and non-significant 33.0%, whereas in high HDL, all (100%) with significant stenosis. The results with the Spearman test obtained p = 0.022. In the multivariate analysis of sex as the predominant variable (p=0,000; PR=4.743; 95%CI=1.496-4.109). age (p = 0.013; PR = 3.48; 95% CI = 1.24- 6.13), hypertension (p = 0.044; PR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.10-3.17). There was a significant relationship between HDL levels and significant stenosis levels based on significant non-angiography in CAD patients and after being analyzed together with the disrupting variables as sex the most influential factors.
Mid-Upper Arm Circumference vs Body Mass Index in Association with Blood Pressure in Young Men: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Fatchurohmah Wiwiek , Muflikhah Khusnul , Candrawati Susiana , Mustofa Mustofa
Published: April 2022

Hypertension and obesity are major risks factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is one of the leading causes of mortality. Many studies have shown that body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements are associated with blood pressure in children and adults. However, the association has not been studied extensively in young men. This study aims to investigate the correlation between BMI with blood pressure and MUAC and MUAC with blood pressure in young men. This is a cross-sectional study that consisted of 38 male participants who met the criteria. Blood pressure, BMI, and MUAC were measured using standard procedures. The mean of BMI, MUAC, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (SBP) was 24.68±4.41 kg/m2, 30.23±5.45 cm, 117.39±10.47 mmHg, and 75.57±8.44 mmHg, respectively. The Pearson correlation test between the BMI with SBP and BMI with DBP was statistically significant (p≤0.05) with r=0.446 and r=0.537, respectively. Contrarily, the MUAC and blood pressure show no significant association. This study concluded a moderate positive correlation of BMI with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in young men subjects.
Factors of Father Support Related to Exclusive Breastfeeding Behavior in Semarang City
Authors: Febiani Puja Anggun , Shaluhiyah Zahroh , Nugraheni Sri Achadi
Published: April 2022

A breastfeeding father is a father who takes part in supporting his wife to breastfeed the baby. The success of exclusive breastfeeding can be achieved if there is husband involvement in it. Breastfeeding really requires a stable emotional condition. The husband’s role in the breastfeeding process in Indonesia is still lacking so that the husband has to understand the importance of support for a mother. This study aims to analyze the factors of father support related to exclusive breastfeeding behavior in Semarang City. This study was an analytical study with a Cross-Sectional design using a Simple Random Sampling technique. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The Chi-Square Test was used for bivariate analysis and the logistic regression test for multivariate analysis. The study results showed that variables of knowledge, attitude, emotional support, and instrumental support were related to exclusive breastfeeding in Semarang City. The most dominant factor influencing breastfeeding behavior was instrumental support with an OR value = 52.044. Father awareness regarding the important role of the breastfeeding father in supporting exclusive breastfeeding is expected to be improved. Family and health workers must collaborate to encourage the important role of the breastfeeding father.
COMPARING USBILITY SATISFACTION OF GOOGLE MEET AND ZOOM MEETING APPLICATION: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX AND GAP ANALYSIS CASE STUDY AT K UNIVERSITY
Authors: Setiowati Noni Oktiana , Rizalmi Sigit Rahmat , Zamzani Muhamad Imron , Suprapto Sena Sukmananda
Published: April 2022

With the policy of learning from home, the role of information technology become more important. The use of technology in online learning can provide new learning experiences for students. There are several online learning application platforms available and the most popular platforms are Zoom Meeting application and Google Meet. In using the online learning platform, usability aspect is one the most important things. Usability is a measure of the quality of the user experience when interacting with the user-operated device application with the perceived expectations. The purpose of this study is to compare usability satisfaction of Google Meet and Zoom Meeting application using Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and GAP analysis. The Customer Satisfaction Index is measured from the five usability aspects of learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Meanwhile, the GAP Analysis is measured based on the perception and expectations of the user of Google Meet and Zoom Meeting application. The result shows that Google Meet has a higher level of usability satisfaction compared to Zoom Meeting application. Google Meet has a usability satisfaction level of 84.29%, meanwhile Zoom Meeting has a usability satisfaction level of 76.67%. The results of GAP analysis on both platforms show that the users made a lot of errors when using Google Meet and find it difficult when using Zoom Meeting application for the first time.
ANALYSIS OF QUALITY CONTROL OF T-SHIRT SCREEN PRINTING PRODUCTS WITH SIX SIGMA DMAIC METHOD ON CV. MACCA CLOTHING.
Authors: Rauf Nurhayati , Padhil Ahmad , Alisyahbana Takdir , Saleh Anis , Dahlan Muhammad
Published: April 2022

CV. Macca Clothing is a company engaged in Clothing screen printing. The resulting product is a short sleeve t-shirt screen printing. In producing the production, on average per month there are defective products of 6% types of defects, namely blurred colors, wrong colors, and wrong screen printing. Therefore, this study aims to providelevels sigma and DPMOand then analyze the factors causing disability and provide suggestions for improvements to reduce defective products at CVMacca Clothing. The data collection method used is to conduct interviews with CV.Macca Clothing. Then in analyzing the data using the method DMAIC and theapproach six sigma.From the research results, thevalue DPMO is 21,000 and the conversion result is 3.53, which means that out of a million opportunities there will be 3.53 possibilities for the production process to produce defective products. in thelevel stage  sigma CV.Macca Clothing has not yet reached thelevel Six Sigma, but it is still in the average industrial condition because in the production process there are still product defects that have not reached zero defect. The factors that cause defects in the product are the operator is not careful in doing the work, the quality of raw materials is not good, the cleanliness of the equipment is not maintained, and the production room facilities are inadequate. From the results of the analysis based on the implementation tools kaizen , the control and improvement to reduce defects that must be carried out by CV.Macca Clothing is to carry out stricter supervision or control, carry out regular machine maintenance, and provide complete facilities.
Examining fish movement in terms of advection or diffusion: a case study of northeastern Atlantic cod
Authors: Lundgreen RBC , Nielsen A , Krüger-Johnsen M , Righton D , Mion M , Radtke K , Plikshs M , Leskelä AJ , Raitaniemi J , Griffiths CA , Casini M , Krumme U , Hüssy K
Published: April 2022

Advection (directional movement) and diffusion (dispersed movement) were applied for the first time to describe movement patterns in Atlantic cod in the North Sea and Baltic Sea between 1955 and 2020. The advection-diffusion approach provided more detailed estimates of movement that corresponded to previously observed patterns using different analytical techniques. Spatial patterns were evident with greater movement distances in cod from the North Sea and eastern Baltic Sea compared to the western Baltic and Kattegat-Skagerrak. Furthermore, comparative case studies on different ecotypes in the western and eastern Baltic suggested that inshore cod were more resident compared to offshore cod. This preliminary study highlights the usefulness of the advection-diffusion method to describe movements in fish populations, and can be further expanded by incorporating information on environment and mortality and providing information to spatially explicit population models.
Sulfur stable isotope ratios provide further insight into movements of the fin whale, an oceanic long-range migrant
Authors: García-Vernet R , Aguilar A , Zafra J , Víkingsson G , Halldórsson SD , Borrell A
Published: April 2022

Stable isotope ratios have proven a valuable tool to investigate marine mammal ecology, including diet, distribution, and migratory movements. While most studies have focused on δ15N and δ13C values, δ34S values have been little used because their pattern of variation and tissue dynamics remain unclear. We examined the sequential variation of δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S values along the baleen plates from fin whales occurring off West Iceland in summer. All baleen plates exhibited fluctuations along their growing axis. A significant synchronic correlation was found between δ15N and δ34S values, while the relation of these values to the δ13C value was highly variable and inconsistent. These results were similar to those obtained in previous studies of Greenland bowhead whales, although the pattern of the oscillations in fin whales showed an increase in values during winter, while those of bowhead whales showed a decrease. Although seasonal variations in food intake and the associated cycles of protein synthesis and catabolism may have played a role in such fluctuations and the observed differences between species, we suggest that the main driver for the δ34S fluctuations reflected in baleen plates is the variation of local baselines between winter and summer grounds. This suggests ample potential for using δ34S values to study migratory movements and destinations of marine megafauna, provided that the geographic variation in δ34S baselines is clarified.
Cross-culture adaptation and validation of the Indonesian version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC 2.0)
Authors: Suryani Lilis , Letchmi Santhna , Binti Moch Said Faridah
Published: April 2022

Background: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) is considered one of the most scientifically rigorous tools available with excellent psychometric properties. However, it is not yet available in an Indonesian version.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the validity of the content and psychometric properties of HSOPSC 2.0 for use in Indonesian hospitals.
Methods: The study was divided into three stages: translation, adaptation, and validation. Culture-adaptation was assessed using cognitive interviews with ten direct care nurses who worked in the hospital to evaluate their perceptions and the coherence of the translated items, response categories, and questionnaire directions. Content validity was also done by ten experts from academic and clinical settings. Finally, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and reliability testing were conducted among 220 nurses from two Indonesian hospitals.
Results: The cognitive test results indicated that the language clarity was 87.8 % and 84.5% for cultural relevance. The Content Validity Index (CVI) ranged between 0.73 to 1.00, while the construct validity results indicated that each factor had factor loadings above 0.4, from 0.47 to 0.65. The fit indices showed an acceptable fit for the data provided by the 10-factor model, with RMSEA = 0.052, SRMR = 0.089, and CFI = 0.87. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the ten subscales ranged from 0.276 to 0.579 (p < 0.05). The Cronbach’s alpha for all sub-scales was more than 0.70, except for organizational learning – continuous improvement, response to error, and communication openness.
Conclusion: This study offers initial evidence of the psychometric properties of the Indonesian-HSOPSC 2.0. Future studies are needed to examine its psychometric features to improve generalizability. However, nurses and other healthcare professionals could use the tool to measure hospital patient safety culture in Indonesia.
Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) application design for early detection of pregnancy danger signs
Authors: Widyawati Melyana Nurul , Astuti Ery Hadiyani Puji , Kurnianingsih Kurnianingsih
Published: April 2022

Background: Pregnancy period is a period for mothers to empower themselves to be safe and comfortable. Pregnant women must acquire pregnancy-related information, such as warning signs of pregnancy, to avoid severe complications and even death during pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, developing an application for pregnant women would be very helpful.
Objective: This study aimed to apply Human-In-The-Loop design with an android application to detect pregnancy risk early and avoid maternal morbidity and mortality.
Methods: We collected data from the cohort of 5324 pregnant women at the community health centers in the West Lombok District from 2020 to February 2021. The data included age, parity, height, inter-pregnancy interval, hemoglobin levels, upper arm circumference, previous diseases, and bleeding history. We developed a Human-In-The-Loop mobile application and employed the decision tree for identifying pregnancy danger signs. The midwife (human-in-the-loop) reviewed and clarified the data to generate the final detection and made a recommendation.
Results: The ordinal regression model revealed that older patients who have more parity, lower height, the distance of children <2 years, hemoglobin <11 g/dl, upper arm circumference (UPC) <23.5 cm, have positive HBsAg, have HIV disease, have a history of diabetes mellitus (DM), have a history of hypertension, positive protein urine, and have other diseases are more likely to have a high maternal risk. The decision tree outperformed and obtained a high accuracy of 92% ± 0.0351 compared to the nine individual classifiers (Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest, Neural Net, AdaBoost, Gaussian Naïve Bayes, Bagging, Extra Tree, Gradient Boosting, and Stacking).
Conclusion: The Human-In-The-Loop mobile app developed in this study can be used by healthcare professionals, especially midwives and nurses, to detect danger indications early in pregnancy, accurately diagnose the high risk of pregnancy, and provide treatment and care recommendations during pregnancy and childbirth.
The mechanism of anger and negative affectivity on the occurrence of deviant workplace behavior: An empirical evidence among Malaysian nurses in public hospitals
Authors: Mansor Maslina , Ibrahim Rashidah Mohd , Afthanorhan Asyraf , Salleh Ahmad Munir Mohd
Published: April 2022

Background: Employees’ work experience significantly impacts their cognition and workplace actions. Anger and negative affectivity are two personality traits that have been linked to workplace deviant behavior conduct.
Objective: This study aimed to empirically analyze the deviant workplace behavior and its antecedents among Malaysian nurses in public hospitals.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed in this study. The survey questionnaires were distributed proportionately to staff nurses in six government hospitals in 2020, with a total of 387 nurses selected using a simple random sampling. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis.
Results: Trait anger triggered deviant workplace behavior in Malaysian nurses, thus supporting the argument that the personality trait could increase deviant behavior (β = 0.245, p = 0.000). At the same time, there was no evidence that negative affectivity could influence deviant behavior in the workplace among nurses in selected public hospitals in Malaysia (β = 0.074, p = 0.064).
Conclusion: The Malaysian nurses had positive affectivity, related to positive emotions like happiness, work interest, and attentiveness. On the other hand, the nurses were suffering from high levels of emotional tiredness. Further research should highlight a deeper understanding of Malaysian nurses’ work experiences and workplace stress affecting their physical and mental health.
Acceptance Theory of Family Caregiving
Authors: Feliciano Alfredo , Feliciano Evelyn , Palompon Daisy , Gonzales Ferdinand
Published: April 2022

Acceptance of roles in the care of older adults by a family caregiver depends on factors emanating from commitment to familial relationships, widespread cultural expectation, and debt of gratitude. This study aims to develop a theory that explains the acceptance of the role of caregiving of the older adults by the family caregiver necessary to predict behavioral adaptation and control caring phenomenon that favors successful meeting of caring expectation across trajectory phases and transitions. A deductive axiomatic approach to theory generation was utilized, resulting in four axioms that served as bases for four propositions. Acceptance Theory of Family Caregiving implies that older adults who expect their children to take care of them as they age have cultural influence and that the acceptance of the role will determine the caregiver’s acceptance of consequences in the form of physical, economical, psychological, and spiritual aspects. In terms of preparedness, family members who accept the possibility of the decline of their older adults are more likely to be assume caregiving roles efficaciously. In the process that family members face in this so-called trajectory caregiving process, resources play a significant role. The developed theory suggests that the care of the older adult in the family caregiving process is determined by the acceptance of role assumption by the family caregiver across trajectory phases. This study highlights the vital implication of acceptance of role assumption to the outcomes of the caregiving process with respect to older adult care, prevention of family caregiver burden, and establishment of strong familial and social relationships.
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM BASED APPLICATION FOR READING AND LEARNING AYURVEDA
Authors:   Associate Professor, Department of Information and Science., B S JANANYA , N PAVANA ,   Associate Professor, Department of Information and Science., DRAVID SM AYUSH ,   Associate Professor, Department of Information and Science., MANJULA G ,   Associate Professor, Department of Information and Science., P DR. ARPANA ,   Associate Professor, Department of Samhita Samskrita & Siddhanta, Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science & Research,
Published: April 2022

The main objective of this application is to provide the user with a better understanding and learning of the Ayurvedic sutras. Because most of the Ayurvedic sutras are based in Sanskrit. It is difficult for everyone to learn and understand the same. So, with this application users can understand the sutras and implement them. The basic idea of this application is to provide the user with audio of the sutra and the context of that particular sutra.
A CASE STUDY ON GLOBAL BUSINESS OF SPORTS LEAGUE
Authors: SHARMA DR. MONIKA
Published: April 2022

Huge investments have been carried out in sports teams and professional sports leagues all over the world. There are different sports that are popular in different parts of the world. In the United States, it's American Football, in Europe and UK it is Football (soccer); in the Indian sub-continent and Australia, it is Cricket that attracts the largest crowd. The research analyses this business of investments in sports leagues around the world. The paper looks at the potential interest in investing in clubs and team franchises of sports leagues. The aim of this paper was to find out the attractiveness and risks, economically and financially, involved in the Global business of sports leagues and the Involvement of business in the field of sports and critically analyze different business models used in the field of sports leagues for conducting business globally. The research utilized the primary data through questionnaires, case studies, and secondary data through government agencies like the census bureau, information compiled for sale by commercial vendors, data published by universities, government, equity research, reports, trade association newsletter, etc. The research concluded sports have always been a unique game of business for players and investing organizations. However, the research recommended the franchise business model used for the business is the appropriate model for conducting business in the field of sports leagues.
Gold Nanoparticles Based Optical Biosensors for Cancer Biomarker Proteins: A Review of the Current Practices
Authors: Tai Jinghua , Fan Shuang , Ding Siqi , Ren Lishen
Published: April 2022

Cancer prognosis depends on the early detection of the disease. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted much importance in biomedical research due to their distinctive optical properties. The AuNPs are easy to fabricate, biocompatible, surface controlled, stable, and have surface plasmonic properties. The AuNPs based optical biosensors can intensely improve the sensitivity, specificity, resolution, penetration depth, contrast, and speed of these devices. The key optical features of the AuNPs based biosensors include localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), SERS, and luminescence. AuNPs based biomarkers have the potential to sense the protein biomarkers at a low detection level. In this review, the fabrication techniques of the AuNPs have been reviewed. The optical biosensors based on LSPR, SERS, and luminescence are also evaluated. The application of these biosensors for cancer protein detection is discussed. Distinct examples of cancer research that have a substantial impact on both scientific and clinical research are presented.
Hypoxic Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Aggravate Rectal Injury Following Radiotherapy via MiR-122-5p
Authors: Xu Yiqing , Ge Yulong , Chen Xuming , Zhang Yingzi , Chen Huanliang , Liu Dongli , Lu Yue , Liu Yong , Tu Wenzhi
Published: April 2022

Radiation-induced rectal injury is a common side effect of radiotherapy. Hypoxia often occurs after radiotherapy. This study aimed to explore the bystander effect of hypoxia on radiation-induced rectal injury. In vivo, apoptosis increased nearby the highly hypoxic area in the rectal tissues in the mouse models of radiation-induced rectal injury, indicating the potential involvement of hypoxia. In vitro, flow cytometry and Western blotting showed that both hypoxia and hypoxic human intestinal epithelial crypt (HIEC) cell supernatant promoted apoptosis in normoxic HIEC cells. The pro-apoptotic effect of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from hypoxic HIEC cell to normoxic HIEC cells was then determined. MiR-122-5p was chosen for further studies through a microRNA (miRNA) microarray assay and apoptosis was alleviated in cells receiving miR-122-5p inhibiting hypoxic EVs. Together, our study demonstrated that the miR-122-5p containing-EVs derived from hypoxic HIEC cells promoted apoptosis in normoxic HIEC cells. Hypoxic EV-derived miR-122-5p plays a critical pathologic role in radiation-induced rectal injury and may be a potential therapeutic target.
Tetrathienothiophene Porphyrin as a Metal-Free Sensitizer for Room-Temperature Triplet–Triplet Annihilation Upconversion
Authors: Vasilev Aleksey , Kostadinov Anton , Kandinska Meglena , Landfester Katharina , Baluschev Stanislav
Published: April 2022

Optically excited triplet states of organic molecules serve as an energy pool for the subsequent processes, either photon energy downhill, such as room temperature phosphorescence, or photon energy uphill process—the triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC). Manifestation of a high intersystem crossing coefficient is an unavoidable requirement for triplet state formation, following the absorption of a single photon. This requirement is even more inevitable if the excitation light is non-coherent, with moderate intensity and extremely low spectral power density, when compared with the light parameters of 1 Sun (1.5 AM). Coordination of a heavy atom increases substantially the probability of intersystem crossing. Nevertheless, having in mind the global shortage in precious and rare-earth metals, identification of metal-free organic moieties able to form triplet states becomes a prerequisite for environmental friendly optoelectronic technologies. This motivates us to synthesize a metal-free thienothiophene containing porphyrin, based on a condensation reaction between thienothiophene-2-carbaldehyde and pyrrole in an acidic medium by modified synthetic protocol. The upconversion couple tetrathienothiophene porphyrin/rubrene when excited at λ = 658 nm demonstrates bright, delayed fluorescence with a maximum emission at λ = 555 nm. This verifies our hypothesis that the ISC coefficient in thienothiophene porphyrin is efficient in order to create even at room temperature and low-intensity optical excitation densely populated organic triplet ensemble and is suitable for photon energy uphill processes, which makes this type of metal-free sensitizers even more important for optoelectronic applications.
Performance Evaluation and Mechanism Study of Seawater-Based Circulatory Fracturing Fluid Based on pH-Regulated WormLike Micelles
Authors: Tang Haifeng , Song Jiamei , Zhao Min , Zhang Zhiyang , Liu Weixing , Yan Zhihu
Published: April 2022

In this article, a novel salt-resistant pH-sensitive surfactant N-carboxystearamido methanesulfonic acid (MSA) was designed and synthesized. The rheological properties of the MSA/CTAB mixed system prepared using seawater were evaluated, and the variation laws of the related rheological parameters were discussed. The relevant fracturing technical parameters of the MSA/CTAB mixed system were comprehensively evaluated. The wormlike micelles formed by the non-covalent binding of MSA and CTAB molecules can resist the electrostatic effect of inorganic salts in the seawater. Meanwhile, the MSA/CTAB mixed system has an excellent pH response and revealed that the change from wormlike micelles to spherical micelles leads to the decrease of the apparent viscosity and the transition from Maxwell fluid to Newton-type fluid. Furthermore, the MSA/CTAB mixed system has excellent cyclic fracturing performance, which can meet the dual requirements of fracturing fluid cost and performance of offshore oilfield, and has a good application prospect.
Development and Validation of a Prediction Model for Cardiovascular Events in Exercise Assessment of Coronary Heart Disease Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Shen Tao , Ren Chuan , Zhao Wei , Tao Liyuan , Xu Shunlin , Zhang Chengduo , Gao Wei
Published: April 2022

Objective

This study aimed to develop a model for predicting cardiovascular events in the exercise assessment of patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) based on multidimensional clinical information.

Methods

A total of 2,455 post-PCI patients who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) at the Peking University Third Hospital from January 2016 to September 2019 were retrospectively included in this study; 1,449 post-PCI patients from January 2018 to September 2019 were assigned as the development cohort; and 1,006 post-PCI patients from January 2016 to December 2017 were assigned as the validation cohort. Clinical data of patients before testing and various indicators in the exercise assessment were collected. CPET-related cardiovascular events were also collected, including new-onset angina pectoris, frequent premature ventricular contractions, ventricular tachycardia, atrial tachycardia, and bundle branch block during the examination. A nomogram model for predicting CPET-related cardiovascular events was further developed and validated.

Results

In the development cohort, the mean age of 1,449 post-PCI patients was 60.7 ± 10.1 years. CPET-related cardiovascular events occurred in 43 cases (2.9%) without fatal events. CPET-related cardiovascular events were independently associated with age, glycosylated hemoglobin, systolic velocity of mitral annulus, ΔVO2/ΔWR slope inflection, and VE/VCO2 slope > 30. The C-index of the nomogram model for predicting CPET-related cardiovascular events was 0.830, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.830 (95% CI: 0.764–0.896). For the validation cohort of 1,006 patients, the area under the ROC curve was 0.807 (95% CI: 0.737–0.877).

Conclusion

Post-PCI patients with older age, unsatisfactory blood glucose control, impaired left ventricular systolic function, oxygen uptake parameter trajectory inflection, and poor ventilation efficiency have a higher risk of cardiovascular events in exercise assessment. The nomogram prediction model performs well in predicting cardiovascular events in the exercise assessment of post-PCI patients and can provide an individualized plan for exercise risk prediction.
Five-Year Outcomes of Patients With Mitral Structural Valve Deterioration Treated With Transcatheter Valve in Valve Implantation – A Single Center Prospective Registry
Authors: Schamroth Pravda Nili , Mishaev Raffael , Levi Amos , Witberg Guy , Shapira Yaron , Orvin Katia , Barkan Yeela Talmor , Hamdan Ashraf , Sharoni Ram , Perl Leor , Sagie Alexander , Assa Hana Vaknin , Kornowski Ran , Codner Pablo
Published: April 2022

The Valve-in-Valve (ViV) technique is an emerging alternative for the treatment of bioprosthetic structural valve deterioration (SVD) in the mitral position. We report on intermediate-term outcomes of patients with symptomatic SVD in the mitral position who were treated by transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TM-ViV) implantation during the years 2010–2019 in our center. Three main outcomes were examined during the follow-up period: NYHA functional class, TM-ViV hemodynamic data per echocardiography, and mortality. Our cohort consisted of 49 patients (mean age 77.4 ± 10.5 years, 65.3% female). The indications for TM-ViV were mainly for regurgitant pathology (77.6%). All 49 patients were treated with a balloon-expandable device. The procedure was performed via transapical access in 17 cases (34.7%) and transfemoral vein/trans-atrial septal puncture in 32 cases (65.3%). Mean follow-up was 4.4 ± 2.0 years. 98% and 91% of patients were in NYHA I/II at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Mitral regurgitation was ≥moderate in 86.3% of patients prior to the procedure and this decreased to 0% (p < 0.001) following the procedure and was maintained over 2 years follow-up. The mean trans-mitral valve gradients decreased from pre-procedural values of 10.1 ± 5.1 mmHg to 7.0 ± 2.4 mmHg at 1 month following the procedure (p = 0.03). Mortality at 1 year was 16% (95%, CI 5–26) and 35% (95%, CI 18–49) at 5 years. ViV in the mitral position offers an effective and durable treatment option for patients with SVD at high surgical risk.
Effect of Sulfate on the Aggregation of Clay Particles in Loess
Authors: Gu Liuyang , Zhang Jingke , Guo Lianxing , Lv Qingfeng
Published: April 2022

The type and structure of clay minerals are among the main factors affecting the physical and mechanical properties of loess, and the salt content plays a dominant role in many factors affecting aggregation. In this study, the grain size analysis, Atterberg limits tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy spectrum analysis (EDS) were used to explore the microstructure and physicochemical mechanisms of the aggregation of clay particles. Finally, the unconfined compressive test, direct shear test, and elastic wave velocity test were conducted to explore the effect of sulfate agglomeration on loess properties. The results show that the salt-washing process leads to the loss of the original soluble salt, dispersion of the original aggregates, and increase of fine particles, such as fine silt and clay. With the increase of sulfate content, the content of fine silt and clay decreases, the liquid limit and plasticity index decrease, the plasticity limit remains unchanged, the aggregate content of fine silt and clay increases, the adsorption capacity weakens, and the diffusion layer compresses and thins. The mechanical test results show that when the sulfate content is less than 3%, the sulfate is almost completely dissolved and the aggregate is less, which increases compressive strength and the cohesion; when the sulfate content is more than 3%, too much sulfate cannot be dissolved and precipitated; hence, the aggregate increases. However, the existence of large volume mirabilite crystals reduces the cementation, which reduces the compressive strength, increases the internal friction angle, and weakens the cohesion.
Analysis of Energy Evolution Characteristics of Salt Rock Under Different Loading Rates
Authors: Wang J. B. , Liu X. , Zhang Q. , Song Z. P.
Published: April 2022

The existing uniaxial compression test results of salt rock under different loading rates are used to study its energy evolution characteristics during deformation and failure in this study. First of all, the influence of loading rate on the total energy density, elastic energy density, and dissipated energy density is analyzed. Afterward, the relationship between the number and size of fragments, crushing intensity after rock destruction, and energy density of each part is discussed. The results show that the energy evolution process of salt rock during deformation and failure contains three stages, namely, energy accumulation stage, energy dissipation stage, and energy release stage. With the increase in loading rate, the total energy density and dissipated energy density gradually decrease, whereas the elastic energy density increases. When the volume of rock remains constant, the greater the dissipated strain energy, the more the number of fragments will be produced after rock failure. When the dissipated strain energy remains unchanged, the larger the dissipated strain energy (surface free energy) is, the smaller the number and the larger the size of fragments will be produced. When the total strain energy is constant, the splash rate of the fragments increases with increasing elastic strain energy ratio.
Rapid Exhumation Processes of the Gaoligong Mountain Range in the Southeastern Margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Since the Late Cenozoic
Authors: Wang Jialong , Li Ni , Stuart F. M. , Nicola L. D. , Zhang Huiping , Wang Ying , Pang Jianzhang , Zhao Yongwei
Published: April 2022

Three continent-scale ductile shear zones trending N-S are distributed in the southeast margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Their tectonic deformation and exhumation histories are of great significance to understanding the orogenic processes within the continent and the growth as well as expansion mechanism of the plateau. The Gaoligong shear zone (GLGSZ) is the westernmost zone near the boundary of the Indian subduction plate and is less well studied than the Ailaoshan–Red River shear zone (ASRRSZ) in the east. In this study, low-temperature thermochronological methods including apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe), zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe), and apatite fission track (AFT) were used to date the vertical profile samples from the Gaoligong Mountain to understand the exhumation processes that occurred in the late Cenozoic. Our results show that the GLGSZ has experienced two stages of rapid exhumation events since the late Cenozoic: in the middle Miocene (∼14.5 Ma) and early Pleistocene (∼2.9 Ma). Based on our data, we divided the late Cenozoic tectonic deformation and exhumation processes in the Gaoligong Mountain area into two stages: 1) From the middle to the late Miocene, large-scale regional dextral strike-slip movements and lateral compressions controlled the ductile shear zone and continuously denuded the mountain surface; 2) in the Pleistocene, rapid river erosion and undercutting caused by fluctuations of the monsoon system, together with the continuous activity of brittle faults, drove the latest rapid exhumations. A comparison of the thermochronological data of the different areas along the Gaoligong Mountain shows that the exhumation rate in its northern transect is significantly higher and the time of the onset of exhumation is earlier than that in the southern transect. These results indicate that the deformation processes began in the north and continued southwards and controlled the geomorphological characteristics of the Gaoligong Mountain, whose elevation is higher in the northern part than in the southern part.
Attitude and Achievement of First-Year Chemistry Undergraduate Students at The University of the South Pacific
Authors: Johnson Joel , Reddy Pritika , Sharma Sushita , Wakeling Lara , Mani Janice , Benveniste Tessa , Naiker Mani , Brown Stephen
Published: April 2022

Student attitude toward chemistry may influence engagement and achievement in chemistry-related courses, however, equivocal results in studies conducted in Western countries to date indicate this relationship requires further investigation. In this study, we investigated the correlation between attitude toward chemistry and achievement amongst a cohort of first-year undergraduate students from The University of the South Pacific (USP). A cluster analysis was used to identify low- and high-achieving groups of students to further explore potential correlations. There was a positive correlation between the cognitive and affective components of attitude among low-achieving students, but not among high-achieving students. The cognitive component of attitude did not appear to be strongly correlated with achievement in students from either group, although the affective component was positively correlated with achievement. The single item most strongly correlated with student achievement was their response on the Worthless-Beneficial scale. One of the notable findings was the differences in the attitude-achievement relationship between low-achieving and high-achieving students, suggesting that combining these clusters of students into a single group for analysis may obscure underlying correlations. Chemistry educators should continue to target their teaching styles to cater to different learning styles and achievement levels of students, including cognitive and non-cognitive learning styles.
Voltage Optimization Control Strategy for Islanded Microgrid Source-Grid-Load Active-Reactive Power Coordination Based on Collaborative Di-MPC
Authors: Liu Xiaojie , Du Zhaobin , Tan Yefa , Liu Yao
Published: April 2022

To cope with the volatility and randomness of wind power, photovoltaic (PV) power, and load demands in the islanded microgrid, and also to ensure the safety and economic operation of the islanded microgrid system. A collaborative Distributed model predictive control (Di-MPC) based voltage optimization control strategy is proposed, which considers the strong coupling characteristic of active and reactive power due to the impedance ratio of islanded microgrid, and the requirements of real-time and robustness in the optimization as well. By coordinating the controllable devices in the source-grid-load side of the islanded microgrid, the proposed strategy aims to make full use of the voltage regulation capability of each controllable device. Firstly, by considering the different operating characteristics of the controllable devices, a multi-time scale distributed voltage optimal control model is established. It divides the optimal control process into long-time scale and short-time scale and optimizes for respective objective functions and control variables in different time scales. Secondly, a collaborative Di-MPC-based voltage optimal control strategy is proposed. With the proposed collaboration mechanism, the power output increments of the distributed generators (DGs) are solved in the short-time scale, and the errors in the long-time scale control are also fixed. Finally, the simulation results show that compared with a traditional optimal control method and a centralized model predictive control (CMPC) method, the proposed voltage optimization control strategy can effectively reduce the voltage deviation and fluctuation at each node while ensuring the economic operation of the islanded microgrid system.
The Regulatory Network and Role of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA Network in the Progression and the Immune Response of Wilms Tumor Based on RNA-Seq
Authors: Tian Xiao-Mao , Xiang Bin , Zhang Zhao-Xia , Li Yan-Ping , Shi Qin-Lin , Li Mu-jie , Li Qi , Yu Yi-Hang , Lu Peng , Liu Feng , Liu Xing , Lin Tao , He Da-Wei , Wei Guang-Hui
Published: April 2022

Circular RNA (circRNA), which is a newly discovered non-coding RNA, has been documented to play important roles in miRNA sponges, and the dysregulation of which is involved in cancer development. However, circRNA expression profiles and their role in initiation and progression of Wilms tumor (WT) remain largely unclear at present. Here, we used paired WT samples and high-throughput RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRs) and mRNAs (DE-mRs). A total of 314 DE-circRs and 1612 DE-mRs were identified. The expression of a subset of differentially expressed genes was validated by qRT–PCR. A complete circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was then constructed based on the common miRNA targets of DE-circRs and DE-mRs identified by miRanda prediction tool. The Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated that several signaling pathways involving targeted DE-mRs within the ceRNA network were associated with cell cycle and immune response, which implies their participation in WT development to some extent. Subsequently, these targeted DE-mRs were subjected to implement PPI analysis and to identify 10 hub genes. Four hub genes were closely related to the survival of WT patients. We then filtered prognosis-related hub genes by Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis to construct a prognosis-related risk score system based on a three-gene signature, which showed good discrimination and predictive ability for WT patient survival. Additionally, we analyzed the mutational landscape of these genes and the associations between their expression levels and those of immune checkpoint molecules and further demonstrated their potential impact on the efficacy of immunotherapy. qRT–PCR and western blotting (WB) analysis were used to validate key differentially expressed molecules at the RNA and protein levels, respectively. Besides these, we selected a key circRNA, circEYA1, for function validation. Overall, the current study presents the full-scale expression profiles of circRNAs and the circRNA-related ceRNA network in WT for the first time, deepening our understanding of the roles and downstream regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in WT development and progression. We further constructed a useful immune-related prognostic signature, which could improve clinical outcome prediction and guide individualized treatment.
Analysis of the Plastid Genome Sequence During Maize Seedling Development
Authors: Tripathi Diwaker , Oldenburg Delene J. , Bendich Arnold J.
Published: April 2022

Shoot development in maize progresses from small, non-pigmented meristematic cells to expanded cells in the green leaf. During this transition, large plastid DNA (ptDNA) molecules in proplastids become fragmented in the photosynthetically-active chloroplasts. The genome sequences were determined for ptDNA obtained from Zea mays B73 plastids isolated from four tissues: base of the stalk (the meristem region); fully-developed first green leaf; first three leaves from light-grown seedlings; and first three leaves from dark-grown (etiolated) seedlings. These genome sequences were then compared to the Z. mays B73 plastid reference genome sequence that was previously obtained from green leaves. The assembled plastid genome was identical among these four tissues to the reference genome. Furthermore, there was no difference among these tissues in the sequence at and around the previously documented 27 RNA editing sites. There were, however, more sequence variants (insertions/deletions and single-nucleotide polymorphisms) for leaves grown in the dark than in the light. These variants were tightly clustered into two areas within the inverted repeat regions of the plastid genome. We propose a model for how these variant clusters could be generated by replication-transcription conflict.
A Polygenic Score for Type 2 Diabetes Improves Risk Stratification Beyond Current Clinical Screening Factors in an Ancestrally Diverse Sample
Authors: Ashenhurst James R. , Sazonova Olga V. , Svrchek Olivia , Detweiler Stacey , Kita Ryosuke , Babalola Liz , McIntyre Matthew , Aslibekyan Stella , Fontanillas Pierre , Shringarpure Suyash ,   23andMe Research Team, Pollard Jeffrey D. , Koelsch Bertram L.
Published: April 2022

A substantial proportion of the adult United States population with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are undiagnosed, calling into question the comprehensiveness of current screening practices, which primarily rely on age, family history, and body mass index (BMI). We hypothesized that a polygenic score (PGS) may serve as a complementary tool to identify high-risk individuals. The T2D polygenic score maintained predictive utility after adjusting for family history and combining genetics with family history led to even more improved disease risk prediction. We observed that the PGS was meaningfully related to age of onset with implications for screening practices: there was a linear and statistically significant relationship between the PGS and T2D onset (−1.3 years per standard deviation of the PGS). Evaluation of U.S. Preventive Task Force and a simplified version of American Diabetes Association screening guidelines showed that addition of a screening criterion for those above the 90th percentile of the PGS provided a small increase the sensitivity of the screening algorithm. Among T2D-negative individuals, the T2D PGS was associated with prediabetes, where each standard deviation increase of the PGS was associated with a 23% increase in the odds of prediabetes diagnosis. Additionally, each standard deviation increase in the PGS corresponded to a 43% increase in the odds of incident T2D at one-year follow-up. Using complications and forms of clinical intervention (i.e., lifestyle modification, metformin treatment, or insulin treatment) as proxies for advanced illness we also found statistically significant associations between the T2D PGS and insulin treatment and diabetic neuropathy. Importantly, we were able to replicate many findings in a Hispanic/Latino cohort from our database, highlighting the value of the T2D PGS as a clinical tool for individuals with ancestry other than European. In this group, the T2D PGS provided additional disease risk information beyond that offered by traditional screening methodologies. The T2D PGS also had predictive value for the age of onset and for prediabetes among T2D-negative Hispanic/Latino participants. These findings strengthen the notion that a T2D PGS could play a role in the clinical setting across multiple ancestries, potentially improving T2D screening practices, risk stratification, and disease management.