bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations of COVID-19 lockdown with gestational length and preterm birth in China
Authors: Dong Moran , Qian Rui , Wang Jiaqi , Fan Jingjie , Ye Yufeng , Zhou He , Win Brian , Reid Eve , Zheng Suijin , Lv Yanyun , Pu Yudong , Chen Hanwei , Jin Juan , Lin Qingmei , Luo Xiaoyang , Chen Guimin , Chen Yumeng , He Zhongrong , He Guanhao , Cheng Shouzhen , Hu Jianxiong , Xiao Jianpeng , Ma Wenjun , Liu Tao , Wen Xiaozhong
Published: January 2024

Objective：to examine the associations of COVID-19 lockdown with
gestational length and preterm birth (PTB). Design: Hospital-based
retrospective study. Setting: All hospitals in Foshan (n=62) and several
other hospitals in Guangzhou (n=1), Shenzhen (n=1), Dongguan (n=2), and
Jiangmen (n=1) in Guangdong Province, China were selected. Population
and Methods: A total of 595396 singleton live infants born between 2015
and 2020 were included. The exposed group (N=101900) included women who
experienced the COVID-19 Level I lockdown (1/23-2/24/2020) during
pregnancy, while the unexposed group (N=493496) included women who were
pregnant during the same calendar months in 2015-2019. Cumulative
exposure was calculated based on days exposed to different levels of
emergency responses with different weighting [1/22/2020 or earlier (no
response, weighting=0), level I (weighting=3), 2/25-5/9/2020 (level II,
weighting=2), and 5/10-12/31/2020 (level III, weighting=1)]. Main
outcome measures: demographics, lockdown exposure, preterm birth,
gestational week. Results: The exposed group had a shorter mean
gestational length than the unexposed group (38.66 vs 38.74 weeks:
adjusted β=-0.06 week [95%CI, -0.07, -0.05 week]). The exposed
group also had a higher risk of PTB (5.7% vs 5.3%; adjusted OR=1.08
[95%CI, 1.05, 1.11]). These associations seemed to be stronger when
exposure occurred before or during the 23rd gestational week (GW) than
during or after the 24th GW. Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown measures
were associated with a slightly shorter gestational length and a
moderately higher risk of PTB. Early and middle pregnancy periods may be
a more susceptible exposure window. Funding: National Natural Science
Foundation of China.
The compensation effect between safety and efficiency in xylem and its role in photosynthesis of gymnosperms
Authors: Xie Jiang-bo , Wang Zhongyuan , Li Yan
Published: January 2024

The safety-efficiency trade-off (SETO) hypothesis is a common theme in
plant sciences. Despite safety and efficiency are physiologically
compensated for each other, they are always mathematically described
into trade-off against one another. However, the compensation effect has
never been defined and quantified. What remains unclear is how
compensation effect has influenced the xylem water transport and
subsequently photosynthesis. Here, we proposed that the compensation
effect between safety and efficiency was actually a safety-efficiency
tie-up strategy (SETU; a positive relationship between safety and
efficiency) within xylem functions. Then we proposed a theoretical
framework that integrated the compensation effect into the xylem
hydraulic functional strategy to quantify SETU and SETO. Finally, we
tested SETO- and SETU-photosynthetic rate relationships across different
levels, based on a common garden experiment using nine conifers and
published data for gymnosperms. The results demonstrated that the
compensation effect in xylem functions was the dominant force in
facilitating photosynthetic rates at scales from the species to the
phylum. By integrating the compensation effect into the xylem hydraulic
functional strategy, our study clearly indicates that the compensation
effect is the evolutionary basis for the coordination of xylem hydraulic
and photosynthesis physiology.
Mechanistic investigations in sonoenzymatic synthesis of n-butyl levulinate
Authors: Kumar Karan , Roy Kuldeep , Moholkar Vijayanand
Published: January 2024

n-Butyl levulinate (n-BL) has numerous applications in biofuel and green
solvents. In this paper, we have reported mechanistic accounts of
sonoenzymatic synthesis of n-BL using Novozym 435. Esterification
parameters were optimized with statistical design of experiments.
Application of 35 kHz sonication boosted n-BL yield from 70.9% to
92.22%. Mechanistic investigation using Ping-Pong Bi-Bi kinetics model
and molecular docking simulations revealed interesting influence of
sonication on esterification reaction. Exposure to sonication induced
significant changes in the secondary structure of enzyme, as revealed in
ATR-FTIR analysis. Sonication increased α-helix content of enzyme that
increased enzyme activity by opening of flapping lid and widening the
catalytic cavity. Sonication also caused unfolding of secondary
structural motifs with rise in random coil content that favored
formation of enzyme-ligand complexes. These effects enhanced reaction
velocity and substrate affinity with reduction in inhibition and
unfavorable dissociation of intermediate complexes, which ultimately
enhanced n-BL yield.
Modular Characteristics and Mechanism for Chinese Medicine Treatment of Gastric cancer, A Data Mining and Pharmacology--Based Identification
Authors: Xu Xintian , Chen Yaling , Qiang Yonghu , Yuan Mengyun , Zhang Ruijuan , Chen Xu , Liu Shenlin , Wu Jian , Sun qingmin
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is
increasingly extensively applied as a complementary therapy for gastric
cancer (GC); however, there is a lack of large-scale evidence-based deep
learning for the guidance of clinical prescriptions. EXPERIMENTAL
APPROACH We collected eligible studies of TCM treatment on GC over the
past three decades from China National Knowledge Infrastructure database
(CNKI), and established a library of the prescribed herbs with basic
attributes. The prescription patterns were explored using association
rules mining of IBM SPSS Modeler 18.1, and candidate prescriptions were
subsequently explored by deep machine learning. Molecular targets of the
candidate clusters were predicted by STITCH, SEA and Swiss. The
affinities between bioactive compounds and protein targets of the
preferred decoction were confirmed by molecular docking. Mechanisms of
the preferred decoction were investigated in vitro and in vivo. KEY
RESULTS We extracted 194 clinical trial-based decoctions and found that
Atractylodis Mcacrocephalae Rhizoma, Poria and Astragali Radix are the
core herbs for treating GC. The preferred decoction for GC is composed
of Atractylodis Mcacrocephalae Rhizoma, Astragali Radix, Pinelliae
Rhizoma, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae,
Crataegi Fructus, etc. The predominant bioactive compounds are
quercetin, kaempferol, nobiletin, baicalein and luteolin, etc. Moreover,
the preferred decoction was indicated to effectively inhibit GC cellular
proliferation, invasion and metastasis via hTERT/MDM2-p53 signaling
pathway in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS TCM focusing
on invigorating Spleen and tonifying vital-Qi is a promising adjuvant
therapy for GC, which offers a guidance of TCM treating GC in worldwide.
Total arterial revascularization with RIMA-LIMA-Y Configuration in a case of Situs Inversus Totalist
Authors: POTDAR SHREYAS , Kapoor Lalit , Narayan Pradeep , ZAIDI ISHAN , AHMED AKHLAQUE , Topno Bernadett
Published: January 2024

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in dextrocardia with situs
inversus patients is comparatively rare in literature. Abnormalities in
the embryonic cardiac loop and other associated congenital anomalies
pose challenges in both anaesthesia and surgery. We describe, a
successful elective off pump total arterial revascularization coronary
artery bypass surgery with RIMA-LIMA en Y configuration with 5 distal
anastomosis were performed in a 64-year-old patient with dextrocardia,
situs inversus and triple vessel coronary artery disease. The
peri-operative periods were uneventful. This report highlights the
feasibility, benefits and relative ease of Off-pump RIMA-LIMA en Y graft
in such patients
The correlation between tumor thickness and aggressive histopathological pattern in Basal cell carcinoma
Authors: Gulseren Duygu , Elcin Gonca , Erkin Gül , Gököz Özay
Published: January 2024

Background: The significance of tumor thickness is not clear in the
prognosis of basal cell carcinoma. We aimed to identify the relationship
between the tumor thickness and aggressive histopathological growth
pattern in BCC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 85 primary BCCs of
82 patients and recorded the histological subtype, ulceration,
perineural invasion, and thickness of the tumor. Tumors with
infiltrative, micronodular, morpheaform and basosquamous features were
classified as having an aggressive growth pattern. Results: The
aggressive growth pattern was determined in 21 (26.9%) tumors with a
mean tumor thickness of 2.19±0.71 mm (range, 0.9-3,40). The
non-aggressive growth pattern was detected in 57 (73%) tumors and the
mean tumor thickness was 1.76±0.87 mm (range 0.50-4.40 mm). There was a
statistically significant difference in the mean tumor thickness between
the tumors with aggressive growth pattern and non-aggressive growth
pattern (p=0.033). Conclusion: Tumor thickness might have positive
correlation with aggressive histological pattern. Measuring and
reporting tumor thickness may be a more practical way to determine the
pathological risk for BCC.
Secondary care vestibular function testing for management of balance disorders.
Authors: mahmood khalid , jaramillo mario , Grant Andrew
Published: January 2024

This is a prospective study on the outcome of vestibular function tests
for the investigation of dizziness in patients referred to an ENT
department in a district general hospital in Wales. Design, setting and
participants Videonystagmography (VNG) is carried out as initial
assessment of the integrity of the peripheral vestibular function in
patients with balance dysfunction. The study was carried out in district
general hospital and 110 patients were included in this study. Patient
information were collected with the aid of questionnaire. Dizziness, a
common symptom of imbalance in adults is commonly under treated and
often becomes chronic; it can lead to deterioration in quality of life
with substantial socioeconomic impact. It is a common problem in
patients managed in primary care. Main outcome measure The aim of the
study was to quantify the number of patients referred by general
practitioners to ENT for investigation and what proportion were further
referred for vestibular function tests. Results We wanted to establish
the usefulness of VNG in the management of dizzy patients. In a large
proportion of patients it was difficult to establish the true nature of
dizziness. Conclusion We found that VNG is useful for exclusion of
peripheral vestibular disorders and often to corroborate adequate
vestibule-ocular reflex.
Endocrine Sequelae in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients with Sickle Cell Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Authors: Waldner Richelle , Guilcher Gregory , Monagel Dania , Ho Josephine , Desai Sunil , Rosolowsky Elizabeth
Published: January 2024

Background: The NIH non-myeloablative regimen has been successfully
implemented for pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) patients undergoing
matched sibling donor (MSD) hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) in
an effort to prevent late complications, including infertility and other
endocrine sequelae. This retrospective cohort analysis evaluated the
prevalence of endocrine complications in 17 pediatric SCD patients who
underwent non-myeloablative MSD HSCT. Procedure: Medical records between
June 2013 and June 2020 were reviewed. Data was extracted from baseline
and 1,2,3, and 5-years post HSCT. Results: There were 12 females and 5
males. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) elevation post HSCT occurred
in 42.8%; 4 females and 2 males. All females with elevated FSH had
subsequent normalization of their values with time. FSH elevation in
males did not resolve. Post HSCT secondary amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea
was described in 4 females; however, improvement or resolution occurred
in all. One female subject with normal gonadotrophin levels post HSCT
had a successful pregnancy and live birth. Vitamin D deficiency (100%
when measured), and obese or overweight body mass index post HSCT
(41.2%) were also reported. Conclusions: A notable endocrine issue post
HSCT described in this cohort is FSH elevation. The elevation was
transient in females, and we identified one successful pregnancy,
suggesting that non-myeloablative conditioning may convey favorable
fertility outcomes compared to busulfan-based conditioning. Not all
patients had baseline endocrine evaluations or consistent post HSCT
endocrine testing. We recommend standardizing pre- and post HSCT
endocrinology assessments for this population.
An insight to novel corona virus- pathogenesis, replication and effects on children, cancer, diabetic patients and on pregnant women
Authors: Ashique Sumel , Khatun Tahamina , Sandhu Navjot , Mittal Vaibhavi , Upadhyay Aakash , Sahu Garima
Published: January 2024

‘Corona’ this alarming word comes from ‘Latin’ word, ‘Crown’ that
protecting around the virus. In Dec, 19 first this virus was isolated
from three patients having pneumonia connected to cluster of acute
illness. WHO declared it as a ‘pandemic’ in Jan, 20 but later on Feb WHO
general director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus named the virus as
nCOVID-19. First identified in Wuhan, China as a respiratory illness
causing novel disease (SARS and MERS). CDC informed corona primarily
causing mild to moderate upper RTI and in few cases lower RTI
(pneumonia, bronchitis). Transmission going through direct contact or
through air droplets of sneezing, coughing etc. The origin not cleared
but recent studies reported that ACE 2, membrane exopeptidase receptor
was used to enter into human cell. The primary symptoms are, fever above
104°F, shortness of breath, pneumonia, throat sore, diarrhoea etc.
Available approved therapeutics are hydroxychloroquine, This current
review updates about the viral transmission and mainly effect of this
virus on children, pregnant women, diabetic and on cancer patients.
The relationship between the severity of radiological involvement in COVID-19 pneumonia and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, the platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein level
Authors: erdoğan aysel , Arslan Yusuf Kemal , Aydin Sonay , Ölmez Hasan , Tosun Mustafa
Published: January 2024

Background: Various studies describing the clinical characteristics of
patients with COVID-19 pneumonia have shown that patients with a severe
disease course have a tendency to have higher C-reactive protein (CRP)
levels, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio
(PLR). Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether or not there
was a correlation between the CRP value, NLR, and PLR, which are simple,
effective, and repeatable predictive values, and the lung involvement
severity score determined from the thoracic computed tomography (CT)
findings of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: This
retrospective study included 200 patients admitted to the COVID-19
clinic of Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Mengucek Gazi Training and
Research Hospital between 01.10.2020 and 31.12.2020. The thoracic CT
examination results and CT scores of the patients were recorded. The
relationships were investigated between the thoracic CT score and the
systemic inflammatory mediator levels. Results: A positive correlation
was determined between the radiological scoring and NLR at a weak level
(r=0.22, p=0.001), PLR at a weak level (r=0.18, p=0.012) and CRP at a
moderate level (r=0.43, p<0.001).
Molnupiravir: A new candidate for COVID-19 treatment
Authors: Pourkarim Fariba , Pourtaghi-Anvarian Samira , Rezaee Haleh
Published: January 2024

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in late December
2019 in china and has rapidly spread to many countries around the world.
The effective pharmacotherapy can reduce the mortality of COVID-19.
Antiviral medications are the candidate therapies for the management of
COVID-19. Molnupiravir is an antiviral drug with anti-RNA polymerase
activity and currently is under investigation for the treatment of
patients with COVID‐19. This review focuses on summarizing published
literature for the mechanism of action of molnupiravir in COVID-19,
safety, efficacy, and clinical trials of molnupiravir in the treatment
of COVID‐19 patients.
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Diagnosis: A Case Report
Authors: Goode Erin , Smith Jaron , Gilpatrick Maryam , Matney Chelsea , Borch-Christensen Bo , Henry Michael
Published: January 2024

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a disorder of
lymphocyte apoptosis characterized by nonmalignant lymphadenopathy,
splenomegaly, immune dysregulation, and autoimmune cytopenias.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a neoplasm of myeloid precursor
cells, primarily presenting as bone, soft tissue, lung, skin, and
pituitary lesions. The association between the two diagnoses is
uncharacterized. Here we describe a patient presenting with fever of
unknown origin, cytopenias, and failure to thrive. She was diagnosed
with ALPS, then subsequently LCH, within three months. This case
highlights the diagnostic and management challenges associated with
these two rare diagnoses.
Almost Sure Global Well-posedness for the Fourth-order nonlinear Schrodinger Equation with Large Initial Data
Authors: Chen Mingjuan , Zhang Shuai
Published: January 2024

We consider the following fourth-order nonlinear
Schr{\”o}dinger equation(4NLS)
\begin{align*}
(i\partial_t+\varepsilon\Delta+\Delta^2)u=c_1u^m+c_2(\partial
u)u^{m-1}+c_3(\partial u)^2u^{m-2},
\end{align*} and establish the conditional almost sure
global well-posedness for random initial data in
$H^s(\mathbb{R}^d)$ for $s\in
(s_c-1/2,\ s_c]$ when $d\geq3$ and
$m\geq5$, where $s_c:=d/2-2/(m-1)$ is the scaling
critical regularity of 4NLS with the second order derivative
nonlinearities. Our proof relies on the nonlinear estimates in a new
$M$-norm and the stability theory in the probabilistic setting.
Similar supercritical global well-posedness results also hold for
$d=2,\ m\geq4$ and $
d\geq3,\ 3\leq
m<5$.
Species associations in common bird communities are declining
Authors: Rigal Stanislas , Devictor Vincent , Gaüzère Pierre , Dakos Vasilis
Published: January 2024

As the state of biodiversity worsens, the dynamics of species
interactions is a growing conservation concern. However, estimating and
monitoring species interactions across large spatial and temporal scales
remain challenging. Here, we assess changes in the number and type of
pairwise associations using large-scale spatial and temporal data on the
French avifauna. We estimate species associations through space and time
for 109 species monitored across 1,969 sites during 17 years, and we
show their ecological significance by testing their relationships with
species functional proximity or shared habitat preference. We finally
track temporal changes in reconstructed association networks. We show
that birds’ local association networks were less and less connected
through the study period. This decrease in network connectance does not
similarly affect the different types of species associations. Overall,
we show that large-scale temporal monitoring of species association
networks can reveal overlooked consequences on how communities can cope
with global change.
Is Diastolic Global Longitudinal Strain Rate Associated with Mortality and Re-hospitalization in Patients with Heart Failure?
Authors: Tatar Sefa , Aribas Alpay , Akilli Hakan , Akilli Nazire , Icli Abdullah , Sertdemir Ahmet
Published: January 2024

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the
association between diastolic global longitudinal strain (GLS) rateand
mortality, re-hospitalization as well as hospitalization period in heart
failure (HF) patients. Methods:Clinical, laboratory and
echocardiographic parameters within the first 24 hours for 116 patients
with ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 40% and Class 3 to Class 4 symptoms of
New York Heart Association who were hospitalized in the cardiology
clinic of our hospital were reviewed.Fiftyeight individuals without any
diagnosis for cardiac failure were included as the control group.
Echocardiographic measurements, tissue Doppler and diastolicstrain rate
(SR) were reviewed. The N-terminal pro-brainnatriuretic peptide
(ProBNP)level was analysed in addition to standard biochemical and
hematological parameters. Results: The diastolic E strain rate and
E/E’SR was statistically significant in patients with mortality within
one month (p<0.05). These two parameters were statistically
significant also in patients with one-month mortality (p
<0.005).When looked under the guidance of these findings, E
strain rate and E / E ’SR are a predictive parameter for one month
mortality in HF patients. Conclusion: The E strain rate and E/E’SR are
superior parameters than other tissue doppler parameters to predict the
prognosis and the mortality in patients with heart failure. E/E’SR is a
superior indicator for diastolic function of thre left ventricle when
compared to other tissue doppler parameters.
Is the effectiveness of USG-assisted percutaneous release therapy in the treatment of trigger finger disease affected by the stage of the disease?
Authors: Arı Bünyamin , Akçiçek Mehmet , Altunkılıç Tarık , Deniz Serdar
Published: January 2024

Abstract Aim: We aimed to contribute to literature by evaluating the
effectiveness of the results of USG-assisted percutaneous release
according to the stages of the disease in trigger finger treatment.
Material and Method: 81 patients who were examined for trigger finger
disease between 2015-2017 were included in the study. USG-assisted
percutaneous release was performed on 52 fingers of 52 patients who met
the inclusion criteria. According to Quinkel staging, those with grade 1
and 2 were grouped as group 1, and those with grade 3 and 4 were grouped
as group 2. After the intervention, our patients were recorded by
measuring their visual pain score (VAS) on the 7th day, 1st month and
6th month control and the time to return to work. Results: Thirty-two
(61.5%) of the patients were female, 20 (38.5%) were male. In the
analysis performed by taking 1st and 2nd grade (group1) and 3rd and 4th
grade (group 2) together, it was determined that there was a significant
relationship between grade and VAS scores. It was seen that this
relationship was effective on all 4 VAS scores. It was determined that
the mean of all 4 VAS scores in the second group was statistically
significantly higher than the first group (p <0.001). In the
comparison of the time to return to work according to grade, it was
determined that group 1 could return to work earlier than group 2 (1.67
± 0.77 and 2.09 ± 0.83, respectively), but this difference was not
statistically significant. Conclusion: We think that the percutaneous
release procedure, which is performed carefully after the location of
the lesion has been precisely determined and marked by USG, is a method
that can be preferred especially in the early stages of the disease.
ARE CESAREAN SECTION AND APPENDECTOMY IN PREGNANCY AND PUERPERIUM INTERRELATED? A COHORT STUDY
Authors: Şahin Banuhan , Tinelli Andrea , Augustin Goran
Published: January 2024

Objective: It is not known whether appendectomy for acute appendicitis
(AA) increases the Cesarean section (CS) rate and whether CS increases
the likelihood of AA and appendectomy in the early puerperium. In this
study, delivery type and delivery outcomes and appendectomy during
pregnancy and puerperium were analyzed. Material and Methods: This
cross-sectional retrospective study was performed on 11513 women,
delivered during 2015-2020. Inclusion criteria were patients submitted
to appendectomy for AA during pregnancy and the first six weeks after
delivery. Evaluating parameters were age, parity, gestational week at
birth, delivery type, and babies’ birth weight. Results: Thirty-two
patients underwent appendectomy: 12 during pregnancy (2 in the first
trimester, 6 in the second trimester, 4 in the third trimester) and 20
women during puerperium. 58.2% of pregnant women and 65% of puerperal
women were submitted to CS. Conclusions: Half of the women who underwent
appendectomy for AA during pregnancy may require urgent CS. The cause of
acute abdomen in the postpartum period, especially in the first week,
could be AA, especially in women delivered by CS.
COVID-19 Management and Outcome of 76 Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Single Centre Experience from a Developing Country
Authors: Hammad Mahmoud , shalaby lobna , Sidhom Iman , Sherif Nancy , Abdo Ibrahim , Soliman Sonya , Madney Youssef , Hassan Reem , Elmeniawy Shaimaa , Khamis Nagwa , zaki Iman , Mansour Tarek , El-Ansary Mohamed , El-Halfawy Ahmed , Abouelnaga Sherif , Elhaddad Alaa
Published: January 2024

Background: Sufficient data pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on pediatric cancer patients is still currently lacking. The
main aim of this prospective study was to describe clinical management
and outcomes of COVID-19 in this vulnerable group. Methods: Conducted
between May 1st and November 30, 2020, this study included 76 pediatric
oncology patients with confirmed COVID-19. Remdesivir (RDV) was the
antiviral therapy used. Results: The median age of patients was 9 years.
Sixty patients were on first line treatment. Haematological malignancies
constituted 86.8% of patients. 35.4% of cases had severe to critical
infections. The commonest presentation was fever (93.4%). Chemotherapy
was delayed in 59.2% of cases and doses were modified in 30.2%. The
sixty-day overall survival (OS) stood at 86.6%, with mortalities
occurring only among critically ill patients. Of sixteen acute leukaemia
patients in the first induction phase of treatment, 13 survived and 10
achieved induction remission. A negative PCR within 2 weeks and
improvement of radiological findings were statistically related to
disease severity (p=0.008 and, 0.002 respectively). Better OS was
associated with regression of radiological findings after 30 days from
infection (p=0.002). Of the forty-five cases who received RDV, 70% were
severe to critically ill cases with comparable outcome to patients who
did not receive the drug. Conclusions: Most pediatric cancer patients
with COVID-19 should have good clinical outcomes, except for those with
critical form of infections. Newly diagnosed cases seem to tolerate
induction therapy alongside COVID-19 treatment. RDV was well tolerated
with no serious adverse events observed.
Easier extraction of rare earth elements (REEs) by Janus particle
Authors: Liu Haipeng , chen zhuo , Yuan Jifang , Du Deming , Liang Fuxin , Xu jianhong , Yang Zhenzhong
Published: January 2024

Deep treatment of wastewater containing low concentration rare earth
elements (REEs) is significant for environmental remedy and full
utilization of resources. Effective extraction of such system at a high
phase ratio remains challenging. A new strategy is proposed to perform
the highly efficient extraction by using the paramagnetic Janus particle
(PJP) as the functional solid surfactant. A larger interface area is
provided by forming the emulsion in the presence of PJP, facilitating a
faster mass transfer. The ion contained extractant emulsion droplets
stabilized with the PJP can be easily collected from the aqueous phase
with a magnet. Taking neodymium (Nd3+) contained aqueous solution (100
ppm) as the model of low concentration wastewater, a high extraction
efficiency over 99% can be achieved within a short time. The PJP can be
easily isolated from the extractant by using a stronger magnet, which
can preserve the same capability as the original one.
COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS EFFECT THE GAIT SPEED IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT NEUROPATHY
Authors: FINDIKOGLU GULİN , ALTINKAPAK ABDURRAHIM , ALKAN HAKAN , YILDIZ NECMETTİN , SENOL HANDE , Ardic Fusun
Published: January 2024

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the several physical,
cognitive and metabolic factors effecting the gait speed in individuals
with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without neuropathy. Patients and
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Seventy-one diabetic
individuals were questioned for clinical symtomps of neuropathy and
screened with DN4. The mean age of the participants was 55.87±7.74 years
and M/F ratio was 14.1/85.9 %. Participants were grouped as slow
walkers (SW) and average or brisk walkers (ABW) with a cut-off point of
1 m/s. The groups were compared with age, sex, body mass index (BMI),
HbA1c level, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, VO2max, percent
of muscle mass, percent of lower extremity muscle mass, Mini-Mental
State Examination (MMSE) score and the year of education. A multivariate
regression analysis was made to explain the effects of these factors on
the gait speed. Results: VO2max (14.49 ± 2.95 vs 16.25 ± 2.94), MMSE
(25.01 ± 3.21 vs 27.35 ± 1.97), year of education and sex were
significantly different between SW and ABW (p<0.05). Age, sex,
and year of education were considered as confounding factors. Among
models the combination of factors VO2max, sex, MMSE Score, fasting
glucose, systolic blood pressure explained only 24.1 % of the gait
speed. MMSE score and VO2max were significantly related to the gait
speed. Conclusion: VO2max and MMSE were significantly lower in SW and
were independent determinants for the gait speed in diabetic people
without neuropathy.
Multiobjective nonlinear model predictive control of the microbial process
Authors: Sridhar Lakshmi
Published: January 2024

A rigorous multiobjective nonlinear model predictive control is
performed on the microbiome dynamic model that takes into account
competition, amensalism, parasitism, neutralism, commensalism and
cooperation. The optimization language pyomo is used in conjunction with
the state of the art global optimization solver BARON. It is
demonstrated that when the species that produces the required product is
favorable to the other species there is an initial decrease in the
required product before an increase happens.
Fractional order log barrier interior point method in ℓp− norm minimization problems
Authors: Grigoletto Eliana Contharteze
Published: January 2024

In this work we include the Caputo fractional derivatives in the first
order optimality conditions of Karush-Kuhn-Tucker for the barrier
optimization problem to minimize ℓ p − norms for both super-Gaussian ( 1
< p < 2 ) and sub-Gaussian ( 2 < p
< ∞ ) cases. The optimality conditions associated with the
Newton method provides search directions to the so-called fractional
order log barrier interior point method. As a result of this
methodology, we apply the fractional order log barrier interior point
method to curve fitting data on the mechanical properties of
polypropylene composites, and compare it with the standard log barrier
interior point method. Numerical experiments show that the fractional
order log barrier interior point method can be used without impeding the
convergence of the method and, in some cases, presents less residual
norm and number of iterations.
Random matrices based schemes for stable and robust nonparametric and functional regression estimators
Authors: Saber Asma Ben , Karoui Abderrazek
Published: January 2024

In the first part of this work, we develop a novel scheme for solving
nonparametric regression problems. That is the approximation of possibly
low regular and noised functions from the knowledge of their approximate
values given at some random points. Our proposed scheme is based on the
use of the pseudo-inverse of a random projection matrix, combined with
some specific properties of the Jacobi polynomials system, as well as
some properties of positive definite random matrices. This scheme has
the advantages to be stable, robust, accurate and fairly fast in terms
of execution time. Moreover and unlike most of the existing
nonparametric regression estimators, no extra regularization step is
required by our proposed estimator. Although, this estimator is
initially designed to work with random sampling set of uni-variate
i.i.d. random variables following a Beta distribution, we show that it
is still work for a wide range of sampling distribution laws. Moreover,
we briefly describe how our estimator can be adapted in order to handle
the multivariate case of random sampling sets. In the second part of
this work, we extend the random pseudo-inverse scheme technique to build
a stable and accurate estimator for solving linear functional regression
(LFR) problems. A dyadic decomposition approach is used to construct
this last stable estimator for the LFR problem. The performance of the
two proposed estimators are illustrated by various numerical
simulations. In particular, a real dataset is used to illustrate the
performance of our nonparametric regression estimator.
Statistical Growth Prediction Analysis of Rice Crop with Pixel-Based Mapping Technique
Authors: Mangla Monika , Mehta Vaishali , Mohanty sachinandan , Sharma Nonita
Published: January 2024

Agriculture has attracted eminent researchers during the past few
decades owing to revolutionary advancements in the field of data
analysis using machine learning and computer vision techniques. The
continuous monitoring of plant growth is an important aspect in the
field of agriculture and has associated challenges also. The current
work aims to define the significance of the pixel-based clustering
techniques for analyzing plant growth in terms of height calculation. In
the proposed work, pixel-based mapping has implemented its two
applications viz. vertical and horizontal scaling for height
calculation. Here, vertical mapping implements an image processing
technique to monitor the height of a single plant whereas the horizontal
mapping technique determines the average volume of the whole field using
k-means. During the result analysis, it is observed that the proposed
model provides an accuracy of 97.58% outperforming the state-of-the-art
models. Another exciting characteristic of the proposed model is that it
is hardware-free which further escalates the scope of its implementation
in a real-life scenario.
A novel dynamic model describing the spread of virus
Authors: Shakhmurov Veli , kurulay muhammet , sahmurova Aida
Published: January 2024

We study here, the dynamics and stability behaviour of mathematical
model of virus spread in population and its interaction with human
immune systems cells. The endemic equilibrium points are nd and local
stability analysis to all equilibria points of the related model are
obtained. Further the global stability analysis either, at disease free
equilibria, andco at endemic equilibria is discussed by constructing
Lyapunov function which show the validity of the concern model exist.
Effect of Notch1 signaling pathway on the differentiation of alveolar epithelial cells in the nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia rat model
Authors: Cheng Kaisheng , Ma Huixu , Yuan Miao , Yang Gang , Luo Dengke , Fu Xiaoying , xu chang
Published: January 2024

Purpose: Pulmonary hypoplasia remains a major cause of high mortality in
congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Notch1 signaling pathway plays a
critical role in alveolar epithelial cells(AECs) differentiation which
dominated in the pulmonary hypoplasia of CDH. However, the effect of
Notch1 pathway in CDH remains unclear. We design this study to
investigate the hypothesis that the aberrant Notch1 pathway leads to the
pulmonary dysplasia in nitrofen-induced CDH rat model. Methods: Pregnant
rats were designed as follows: Control, CDH, CDH+CUR. Morphological,
Immunostaining and qRT-PCR study were performed to determine the
expression levels of T1α and TTF1 in AECs and the expression levels of
gene including NICD1 and Hes1 associated with Notch1 signaling pathway.
Results: Immunostaining of AEC-I marker T1α and AEC-II marker TTF1
showed that the positive area ratio of T1α in CDH group was less in CUR
and Control group, TTF1 was larger in CUR and Control than CDH group
(p< 0.05). NICD1 and Hes1 in CDH group were lager than CUR and
Control group (p< 0.05). qRT-PCR showed that the expression
levels of T1α in CDH group was lower than that in CUR and Control group
(p< 0.05), and TTF1, NICD1 and Hes1 in CDH group were higher
than CUR and Control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Aberrant
Notch1 signaling pathway and AECs differentiation disorders are involved
in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypoplasia in nitrofen-induced CDH rat
model. Our data suggest that overexpressed Notch1 signaling pathway may
cause pulmonary hypoplasia in CDH by inhibiting the differentiation of
AECs.
Diagnostic Biomarkers of Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Afshar Aysan Moein , Yazdanpanah Niloufar , Rezaei Nima
Published: January 2024

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition involving
dilation of cardiac chambers, which results in contraction impairment.
Besides invasive and non-invasive diagnostic procedures, cardiac
biomarkers are of great importance in both diagnosis and prognosis of
the disease. These biomarkers are categorized into three groups based on
their site; cardiomyocyte biomarkers, microenvironmental biomarkers and
macroenvironmental biomarkers. Aims: In this review, an overview of
characteristics, epidemiology, etiology and clinical manifestations of
DCM is provided. In addition, the most important biomarkers, of all
three categories, and their diagnostic and prognostic values are
discussed. Conclusion: Considering the association of DCM with
conditions such as infections and autoimmunity, which are prevalent
among the population, introducing efficient diagnostic tools if of high
value for the early detection of DCM to prevent its severe
complications. The three discussed classes of biomarkers are potential
candidates for the detection of DCM. However, further studies are
necessary in this regard.
Crosstalk of immune cells in chronic spontaneous urticaria
Authors: peng cong , Chen Xiang , Zhou Bingjing , Li Jie , Liu Runqiu , Zhu Lei
Published: January 2024

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined as the recurrent episodes
of spontaneous wheals and/or angioedema for more than 6 weeks, and at
least twice a week. The core link in the pathogenesis of CSU is the
activation of mast cells and other immune cells caused by various
reasons. These activated immune cells release a series of inflammatory
active mediators such as histamine, arachidonic acid metabolites,
chemokines, etc., resulting in clinical features such as wheals and/or
edema. However, the specific mechanisms leading to the activation of
various immune cells have not been fully elucidated. Previous evidence
has shown that about 50% of CSU patients have potential autoimmune
reactions. Here we review the functional implication of immune cells in
CSU focusing on the crosstalk between them and discuss whether their
crosstalk promotes the occurrence and development of the disease.
Awareness and perceptions among members of a Japanese cancer patient advocacy group concerning the financial relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians: a mixed-methods analysis of survey data
Authors: Murayama Anju , Senoo Yuki , Harada Kayo , Kotera Yasuhiro , Suzuki Yosuke , Saito Hiroaki , Sawano Toyoaki , Tanimoto Tetsuya , Ozaki Akihiko
Published: January 2024

Rationale, aims and objectives Financial conflicts of interest (FCOI)
between pharmaceutical companies (Pharma) and healthcare domains may
unduly influence physician-led clinical practice and patient-centered
care. However, the extent of awareness and perceptions of FCOI among
Japanese cancer patients remains unclear. This study aimed to assess
these factors and their impacts on physician trustworthiness among
Japanese cancer patients. Methods A cross-sectional study using
self-administered surveys was conducted on a Japanese cancer patient
advocacy group with 800 registered members from January to February
2019. Main outcome measures included awareness and perceptions of
physician-Pharma interactions, their impact on physician
trustworthiness, and attitudes towards FCOI among professions. We also
performed thematic analyses on additional comments responders provided
in the surveys. Results Among the 524 invited members, 96 (18.3%)
completed the questionnaire. Of these, 69 (77.5%) were cancer patients.
The proportion of participants aware of such interactions ranged from
2.1% to 65.3%, depending on the interaction type. Participants were
generally neutral on how the interactions would affect physician
trustworthiness. A large proportion of participants agreed that these
interactions were unethical, could influence physicians’ prescribing
behavior leading to unnecessary prescriptions, and negatively affect
physician trustworthiness. Qualitative responses (n=56) indicated that
patients expected physicians to use sound ethical judgment and avoid
accepting incentives. Participants were also concerned about their
treatment and the undue influence of FCOI on physicians. Conclusion Most
participants were aware of at least one FCOI between Pharma and
physicians and perceived them negatively. Further efforts to regulate
FCOI appear necessary to protect patient-centered care.
A Scale Development: Brain Fog Scale
Authors: atik DERYA , Manav Ayşe İnel
Published: January 2024

Background: This research was conducted to objectively evaluate the
level of brain fog that may develop due to many reasons. Methods: This
was a methodological study. This study was conducted between April and
May 2021 in Turkey. Content validity ratio, Exploratory Factor Analysis,
Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin analysis and Bartlett’s
test of sphericity, Item analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient,
Spearman-Brown, Guttman Analysis and test-retest correlations
validity-reliability analysis were performed. The statistical
meaningfulness level in all tests was determined as p<0.05.
Results: As a result of context validity, factor analysis and item
analysis, a 30 item scale with 3 subscale was obtained. In the scale,
the variance amount explained by the three sub components was on a very
good level (77.43%). The fact that all of the Cronbach alpha,
Spearman-Brown and Guttman internal consistency coefficients of the
scale and all of its subscale are above 0.70. When the test retest
reliability coefficients of the scale was examined, the scale was found
to present consistent results in different applications and the scale
was found to be reliable with regard to the constancy coefficient.
Conclusion: The Brain Fog Scale consists of 30 items and three
subscales. It is a valid and reliable instrument that is appropriate for
Turkish society. It can be used to determine the level of brain fog in
the last 30 days.
Title: Direct experimental high-level evidence validates the importance of classifying fetal heart rate decelerations into late (hypoxaemic) and early (non-hypoxaemic)
Authors: Sholapurkar Shashikant
Published: January 2024

Birth-attendants monitoring labour need to discern fetal heart rate
patterns. A novel hypothesis that ‘timing of decelerations is a red
herring’ has strange attraction. Notwithstanding, this review uniquely
highlights direct empirical evidence that hypoxaemic decelerations are
late in timing and decelerations with early timing cannot be explained
by hypoxaemic chemoreflex. Deceleration size/shape/area disregarding
timing seem poor predictors of acidaemia. Recognising the majority
non-hypoxaemic-reflex decelerations (early) allows focus/attention to
potentially pathological ones. Fetuses tolerate limited degree/duration
of hypoxaemia. Currently, there aren’t safe/reliable biomarkers of fetal
decompensation. Therefore, persistent hypoxaemic (late) decelerations
should be differentiated, ameliorated, additional tests performed or
delivery expedited.
Pharmacokinetics of low-dose dexmedetomidine and effect on surgical field visibility for middle ear microsurgery: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Wu Jinhong , Han Yuan , Lu Yu , Zhuang Yan , Li Wenxian , Jia Ji'e
Published: January 2024

Background and Purpose Dexmedetomidine has many benefits in
perioperative administration. This study aims to describe the
pharmacokinetics (PK) of intravenous, intranasal and oral administration
of dexmedetomidine before anaesthesia induction, and evaluate the
effects of dexmedetomidine on the visibility of the surgical field in
tympanoplasty. Methods This single-blind, randomised controlled trial in
a university-affiliated hospital. Forty-five patients underwent
tympanoplasty under general anaesthesia were enrolled. Patients were
randomly allocated, in blocks of 3, to dexmedetomidine by intravenous
infusion at 0.8 μg.kg-1 for 10 min, intranasal instillation at a drop
rate of 1 μg.kg-1, and oral intake at 4 μg.kg-1. PK of dexmedetomidine
after a single low-dose administration and effect on the surgical field
in tympanoplasty were analyzed. Results: A dexmedetomidine concentration
of 220 pg/mL was achieved immediately after intravenous. infusion, and
at 13.2 and 70.3 min for intranasal and oral administration,
respectively. Dexmedetomidine decreased heart rate (HR) and MAP in all
three groups, although these values remained higher in the oral
dexmedetomidine group at all the eight time points. Intravenous
dexmedetomidine provided the best visualisation of the surgical field
for opening of the tympanic sinus, 30 min after the start of the
infusion (P<0.05). Intranasal dexmedetomidine provided a
significantly better visual field than oral dexmedetomidine for repair
of a tympanic membrane perforation using the fascia temporal muscle (
P<0.05). Conclusion: A single low-dose of dexmedetomidine
administered intravenously or intranasally can decrease HR and MAP and
improve surgical field visibility, and appropriate for deliberate
hypotension for surgical procedures 1-2 h in length.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Medical School Students about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) And HPV Vaccine
Authors: AGADAYI EZGİ , Koç Mehmet Mert , Yavuz Bilgehan , Yıldız Zeynep İrem , Ece Ilgın , Karapınar Selin , Özelli Melih
Published: January 2024

Background: The objective of this study was to measure the knowledge,
attitudes and behaviors about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and HPV
vaccine and to detect the HPV vaccination status of medical school
students. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted
on students in a medical school. A sociodemographic data form and HPV
Knowledge Scale were used in the study. Statistical analysis was done
with the SPSS program for Windows Version 25 using chi-square,
independent samples t-test, one-way test ANOVA and Pearson correlation.
Frequencies and measures of a central distribution represented data. A
p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistical significance, with
a 95% CI. Results: Of the 518 students who participated in the study,
57.9% were women, and 61.6% were preclinical students. Rates of
smoking (p=0.018) and alcohol consumption (p=0.001) and sexual activity
status (p<0.001) were significantly higher in male than in
female students. Only 2.3% of participants reported having received the
HPV vaccination. Age (p<0.001), gender (p=0.017), and
nationality (p=0.045) were found to have a significant effect on student
receipt of HPV vaccine. HPV knowledge level was higher among those who
were female (p=0.004), studied in a clinical class (p<0.001),
were sexually active (p<0.001), could easily talk about
sexuality in the family (p=0.027), and had obtained their knowledge from
school (p<0.001) and medical personnel (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The HPV knowledge level of medical students was moderate
compared to the literature. While the vaccination rate was consistent
with the Turkish data, it was significantly lower than the international
literature. Increasing the knowledge level of medical students is
crucial as they can influence other peers through peer education.
Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the knowledge level and
vaccination rate in medical schools, both in the curriculum and in
extracurricular activities.