bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different sequential chemical treatments used to obtain bleached cellulose from orange bagasse
Authors: Pereira Paulo Henrique Fernandes , Fernandes Luana , Santos Liziane , Benini Kelly , Pereira Bárbara , Ornaghi Heitor , Cioffi Maria Odila
Published: June 2021

The development of efficient pretreatments is widely used in biobased products aiming to add value to the residue. In this study, orange bagasse is investigated for cellulose extraction under moderate chemical sequential extraction conditions. Three pretreatments are evaluated: alkaline treatment, organosolv, and residue insoluble alcohol. After, all pretreated samples are bleached. The results are analyzed by chemical composition, Fourier–transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. In general, similar results are observed for all bleaching samples, independently of the pretreatment. It is observed a similar cellulose amount among the samples. When compared only to the pretreatments, alkaline shows to be a more effective way of presenting a higher crystallinity index. Hemicellulose and lignin are mostly removed after pretreatment. FTIR and XRD indicated that the pretreatment seems to be more effective in the first step. TG curves presented a more homogeneous pattern due to cellulose removal showing three steps for pre-treatment and two steps for bleached samples. The obtained cellulose has numerous potential applications, and a suitable route can be selected according to available reagents.
Crowdsourced Manufacturing Cyber Platform and Intelligent Cognitive Assistants for Delivery of Manufacturing as a Service: Review of Fundamental Issues and Outlook
Authors: Gong Xuejian , Jiao Jianxin Roger , Jariwala Amit , Morkos Beshoy
Published: June 2021

Future cyber manufacturing is envisioned to be fulfilled in a crowdsourcing environment that will engage a large population of manufacturer crowds to collaborate with the cyber platform on a shared understanding of the tasks for delivering manufacturing as a service (MaaS). This review paper is motivated towards a symbiosis of crowdsourcing cyber platform technologies to enhance intelligent decision support to manufacturing planning for achieving MaaS operational goals. The paper reviews the fundamental issues of MaaS through crowdsourcing from a model-based systems engineering perspective that is in line with a systematic framework of platform-driven MaaS. Also discussed is the outlook of analytic and model-based approach for crowdsourced manufacturing in order to enable new cyber manufacturing capabilities that represent a significant transformation of the manufacturing sector. The vision is to facilitate transition from the current practice of focusing on automation and manufacturing informatics within individual enterprise to open manufacturing crowds throughout the cloud platform to fulfill MaaS. The cyber platform and intelligent cognitive assistants enhance MaaS fulfilment by adopting computational modeling and decision analytics to exploit the implicit design and manufacturing knowledge that is incorporated in the library of previously executed manufacturing tasks, which in turn facilitates generation of manufacturing process plans by parametric adjustment of process plans for similar tasks.
How Low Can You Go? Examining the Effects of Brief Online Training and Post-Training Consultation Dose on Implementation Mechanisms and Outcomes for Measurement-Based Care
Authors: Lyon Aaron R , Liu Freda F. , Connors Elizabeth H. , King Kevin M. , Coifman Jessica I. , Cook Heather , McRee Erin , Ludwig Kristy , Law Amy , Dorsey Shannon , McCauley Elizabeth
Published: June 2021

Background: Initial training and ongoing post-training consultation are among the most common implementation strategies used to change clinician practice. However, extant research has not experimentally investigated the optimal dosages of consultation necessary to produce desired outcomes. Moreover, the degree to which training and consultation engage theoretical implementation mechanisms – such as provider knowledge, skills, and attitudes – is not well understood. This study examined the effects of a brief online training and varying dosages of post-training consultation (BOLT+PTC) on implementation mechanisms and outcomes for measurement-based care (MBC) practices delivered in education sector mental health services. Methods: A national sample of 75 clinicians who provide mental health interventions to children and adolescents in schools were randomly assigned to BOLT+PTC or control (services as usual). Those in BOLT+PTC were further randomized to 2-, 4-, or 8- week consultation conditions. Self-reported MBC knowledge, skills, attitudes, and use (including standardized assessment, individualized assessment, and assessment-informed treatment modification) were collected for 32 weeks. Multilevel models were used to examine main effects of BOLT+PTC versus control on MBC use at the end of consultation and over time, as well as comparisons among PTC dosage conditions and theorized mechanisms (skills, attitudes, knowledge). Results: There was a significant linear effect of BOLT+PTC over time on standardized assessment use (b = .02, p < .01), and a significant quadratic effect of BOLT+PTC over time on individualized assessment use (b = .04, p < .001), but no significant effect on treatment modification. BOLT + any level of PTC resulted in higher MBC knowledge and larger growth in MBC skill over the intervention period as compared to control. PTC dosage levels were inconsistently predictive of outcomes, providing no clear evidence for added benefit of higher PTC dosage. Conclusions: Online training and consultation in MBC had effects on standardized and individualized assessment use among clinicians as compared to services as usual with no consistent benefit detected for increased consultation dosage. Continued research investigating optimal dosages and mechanisms of these established implementation strategies is needed to ensure training and consultation resources are deployed efficiently to impact clinician practices.Clinical Trial Registration: Not applicable.
Volumetric Study Reveals the Relationship Between Outcome and Early Radiographic Response During Bevacizumab-Containing Chemoradiotherapy for Unresectable Glioblastoma
Authors: Takigawa Kosuke , Hata Nobuhiro , Michiwaki Yuhei , Hiwatashi Akio , Yonezawa Hajime , Kuga Daisuke , Hatae Ryusuke , Sangatsuda Yuhei , Fujioka Yutaka , Funakoshi Yusuke , Otsuji Ryosuke , Sako Aki , Togao Osamu , Yoshiura Takashi , Yoshimoto Koji , Mizoguchi Masahiro
Published: June 2021

Purpose: Although we have shown the clinical benefit of bevacizumab (BEV) in the treatment of unresectable newly diagnosed glioblastomas (nd-GBMs), the relationship between early radiographic response and survival outcome remains unclear. We performed a volumetric study of the early radiographic responses in nd-GBMs treated with BEV.Methods: Twenty-two patients with unresectable nd-GBM treated with BEV during concurrent temozolomide radiotherapy were analyzed. Early responses in fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images (GdT1WI) were interpreted by an experienced neuroradiologist. Volumetric changes were evaluated using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and GdT1WI according to the Response assessment in neuro-oncology (RANO) criteria. The results were categorized into improved (complete response [CR] or partial response [PR]) or non-improved (stable disease [SD] or progressive disease [PD]) groups; outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results: The volumetric GdT1WI improvement was a significant predictive factor for overall survival (OS) prolongation (p=0.0093, median OS: 24.7 vs. 13.6 months); however, FLAIR and DWI images were not predictive. The threshold for the neuroradiologist-interpretation of improvement in GdT1WI was nearly 20% of volume reduction, which was lesser than 50%, the definition of PR applied in RANO criteria; however, even less stringent neuroradiologist-interpretation could successfully predict OS prolongation (improved vs. non-improved: p=0.0067, median OS: 17.6 vs. 8.3 months). Significant impact of OS on the early response in volumetric GdT1WI was observed within the cut-off range of 20 to 50% (20%, p=0.0315; 30%, p=0.087; 40%, p=0.0456).Conclusions: Early response during BEV-containing chemoradiation can be a predictive indicator for patient outcome in unresectable nd-GBMs.
LINC 01436 is Overexpressed in Colorectal Cancer and Promotes Cancer Cell Proliferation by Suppressing the Maturation of Tumor Suppressive miR-466
Authors: Li Hong , Dong Wei , Hou Jie , He De
Published: June 2021

LINC 01436 (lncRNA) promotes lung and gastric two types of cancers. However, it is unclear that whether this lncRNA also participate in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study was therefore carried out to analyze the role of LINC 01436 in CRC. Expression of LINC 01436 in CRC patient tissues was analyzed by RT-qPCR and follow-up study was performed for prognostic analysis. Correlation between LINC 01436 and mature miR-466 or miR-466 precursor was analyzed by linear regression. Mature miR-466 and miR-466 precursor expression in CRC cells with the overexpression of LINC 01436 was studied by performing RT-qPCR. The proliferation of CRC cells was subjected to CCK-8 assay analysis. LINC 01436 was upregulated in CRC and predicted poor survival. LINC 01436 and mature miR-466 were inversely correlated, but LINC 01436 and miR-466 precursor were not correlated. In CRC cells, LINC 01436 mediated the downregulation of mature miR-466, but not miR-466 precursor. Cell proliferation analysis showed that LINC 01436 overexpression rescued cell proliferation reduced by miR-466. LINC 01436 is overexpressed in CRC and it may promote cancer cell proliferation by suppressing the maturation of miR-466.
Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis With Alveolar Hemorrhage and Ruptured Renal Aneurysm: a Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Deng Wang , Zhou Zhi-Yu , Liu Xi , Luo Xiao-Qing , Tong Jin , Wang Dao-Xin
Published: June 2021

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is characterized by necrotizing damage of small -vessel vasculitis and the main violation of the kidney or lung. Manifestation of alveolar hemorrhage and renal aneurysm is extremely rare in Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).Case presentation: A 50-year-old Chinese man was admitted due to repeated cough, expectoration, fever and shortness of breath. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral infiltrates in the lower lobe of the lung. GPA was considered based on the pulmonary capillaritis, alveolar hemorrhage, renal insufficiency and cANCA -PR3 positivity. Immunosuppressive therapy combined with plasma exchange (PE) was performed. The patient suffered from a rupture of renal aneurysm. Though selective renal arterial embolization was performed, the patient had a poor outcome. Conclusions: GPA could be life-threatening, especially large vessel vasculitis involved. The possibility of aneurysmal rupture should be carefully considered and checked frequently in the condition of immunosuppressive therapy.
Adaptation of the INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA) to the Context of the English-speaking Caribbean
Authors: Waechter Randall , Evans Roberta , Hanna Sean , Murray Toni , Mobley Cassandra , Holmes Stephanie , Isaac Rashida , Wolfe Rebeca , Andrew Elbernezer , Landon Barbara , Fernandes Michelle
Published: June 2021

Adaptation of standardized early child development (ECD) assessments to low- and middle-income countries can be challenging because of culture specific factors relating to language, content, context, and tool administration, and because the reliance of these tests on specialist healthcare professionals limits their scalability in low resource settings. We report the cross-cultural adaptation of an international, standardized ECD instrument, the INTERGROWTH-21st Project Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA), measuring cognitive, language, motor and behavioural outcomes in 2-year-olds, from a UK-based English-speaking population to the English-speaking Caribbean. Children aged 20–30 months were recruited from a pre-existing randomized controlled neurodevelopment intervention study in Grenada, West Indies. Eight of 37 INTER-NDA items (22%) were culturally and linguistically adapted for implementation in the Caribbean context. Protocol adherence across seven newly-trained non-specialist child development assessors was 89.9%; six of the seven assessors scored ≥ 80%. Agreement between the expert assessor and the non-specialist child development assessors was substantial (κ = 0.89 to 1.00 (95% CI [0.58, 1.00]). The inter-rater and test-retest reliability for non-specialist child development assessors was between κ = 0.99 -1.00 (95% CI [0.98, 0.99]) and κ = 0.76–1.00 (95% CI [0.33, 1.00]) across all INTER-NDA domains.
Implementation of Real Time Hybrid Simulation Based on GPU Computing
Authors: Tang Zhenyun , Dong Xiaohui , Li Zhenbao , Du Xiuli
Published: June 2021

With combination of physical experiment and numerical simulation, real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) can enlarge the dimensions of testing specimens and improve the testing accuracy. However, due to the limitation of computing capacity, the maximum degrees of freedom for numerical substructure are less than 2000 from the reported RTHS testing. It cannot meet the testing requirements for evaluating the dynamic performance of large and complex engineering structures. Taking advantages of parallel computing toolbox (PCT) in Matlab and high-performance computing of graphics processing unit (GPU). A RTHS framework based on MATLAB and GPU was established in this work. Using this framework, a soil-structure interaction system (SSI) was tested by a shaking table based RTHS. Meanwhile, the dynamic response of this SSI system was simulated by finite element analysis. The comparison of simulation and testing results demonstrated that the proposed testing framework can implement RTHS testing successfully. Using this method, the maximum degrees of freedom for numerical substructure can reach to 27,000, which significantly enhance the testing capacity of RTHS testing for large and complex engineering structures.
Chaotic Dynamics of a Tri-Topic Food Chain Model with Beddington-DeAngelis Functional Response in Presence of Fear Effect
Authors: Debnath Surajit , Majumdar Prahlad , Sarkar Susmita , Ghosh Uttam
Published: June 2021

The most important fact in the field of theoretical ecology and evolutionary biology is the strategy of predation for predators and the avoidance of prey from predator attack. A lot of experimental works suggest that the reduction of prey depends on both direct predation and fear of predation. We explore the impact of fear effect and mutual interference into a three-species food chain model. In this manuscript, we have considered a tri-topic food web model with Beddington-DeAngelis functional response between interacting species, incorporating the reduction of prey and intermediate predator growth because of the fear of intermediate and top predator respectively. We have provided parametric conditions on the existence of biologically feasible equilibria as well as their local and global stability also. We have established conditions of transcritical, saddle-node and Hopf bifurcation in vicinity of different equilibria. Finally, we performed some numerical investigations to justify analytical findings.Mathematics Subject Classification : 39A30, 92D25, 92D50.
Time Blast Wave Theory for the Expansion of the Universe
Authors: Jarvis G K
Published: June 2021

A new theory is presented and tested that time itself is the phenomenon that causes the expansion of the universe and that without expansion, time would simply not be. The model of the theory accurately matches observed cosmological luminosity data consequently accurately describing the observed expansion of the universe. The theory implies that the universe exploded outwards within the dimension of time with all particles expanding from this event within a time blast sphere. Each space dimension is wrapped around the time dimension and every object that is gravitationally separate within the time blast-wave will progress on their own time trajectory of time away from time zero. This has the effect that all objects will expand or move apart as the time sphere expands. We observe distant, and therefore historic, objects on a spiral timeline. We have modelled the theory and shown strong agreement with luminosity observations both at low and high redshift without the need for a cosmological constant thus indicating that the universe is not accelerating in its expansion. The model in fact predicts it is decelerating. The theory also predicts that the unperturbed speed of time expansion will impose a limit on the universe in terms of the fastest speed possible and the speed that light must always travel at. With this limit and as no object can ever be stationary in the time dimension, but that faster and heavier objects will expand less, the theory consequently leads us to explain why special and general relativity occur. Gravity can be explained by the clumping of matter into the dimension of time causing a localised slowing of expansion subsequently causing time dilation and thus resulting in an attractive force with other objects. By this theory, black holes are not singularities but are simply dimples on the time blast wave front.
Absence of Survival Improvement for Patients with Esthesioneuroblastoma Over the Past Two Decades: A Population-based Study
Authors: Vuong Huy Gia , Nguyen Duy Duc , El-Rassi Edward , Ngo Tam N. M. , Dunn Ian F.
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignancy of the sinonasal tract and its infrequency has confounded efforts at clearly describing the survival trends associated with this neoplasm over the years. In this study, we studied survival trends in ENB and investigated the impact of treatment extent and modality on patient outcomes.Methods: We accessed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) program to identify ENB cases from 1998 to 2016. A Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical covariates whereas a t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was utilized for continuous variables. The impact of prognostic factors on survival was computed using a Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. We divided ENB patients into four periods including 1998-2002, 2003-2007, 2008-2012, and 2013-2016, and investigated survival trends using the Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank test.Results: ENB patients who underwent biopsy alone were associated with older age, larger tumor diameter, increased rates of tumor extension, nodal/distant metastases, and advanced stages as compared to patients undergoing tumor resection. Our results also demonstrated that surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy could confer survival advantages whereas chemotherapy was associated with reduced survival in patients with ENB. Over the past two decades, surprisingly, there has been no change in survival rates for patient with ENB (p = 0.793).Conclusion: Despite advanced diagnostic studies and modernized treatment approaches, ENB survival has remained unchanged over the years, calling for improved efforts to develop appropriate individualized interventions for this rare tumor entity. Our results also confirmed that surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy is associated with improved patient survival whereas the use of chemotherapy should be considered carefully.
Psychological interventions of virtual gamification as a motivational basis: A mixed-method systematic review
Authors: Xu Joy , Lio Aaron , Dhaliwal Harshdeep , Andrei Sorina , Balakrishnan Shakthika , Nagani Uzhma , Samadder Sudipta
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUNDStudents constantly seek ways to improve productivity within academia. With the advancement of technology in the recent decade, virtual implementations may provide additional support for student productivity, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic with online learning. One of the virtual realms for motivation include gamification, which has potential as an effective tool to further bolster an individual’s source of intrinsic motivation.METHODUsing a convergent integrated synthesis approach, qualitative and quantitative studies were extracted from APA PsycInfo, ProQuest, and IEEE for relevance to virtual gamification and intrinsic motivation. Studies were reviewed based on a pre-determined and piloted screening tool. Included studies were published between 1990 and 2020 in English within Asia, North America, and/or Europe. Only systematic reviews, randomized control trials (RCTs), metaanalysis, and grey literature were included. Study screening, extraction, and quality appraisals using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) were performed independently among two authors. Disagreements following reconciliation between two authors were settled by a third author. Heterogeneity in study designs, outcomes, and measurements precluded meta and statistical analyses; thus, a qualitative analysis of studies was provided.RESULTSBased on the appraised articles, gamification improves intrinsic motivation through badges, social interactions, points, and leaderboards. Experimental studies also displayed a correlation between learning behaviour.CONCLUSIONThe data exhibited an increase in intrinsic motivation due to gamification features, which can be integrated within a virtual context to enhance motivation with potential for application towards online learning settings.
Mechanochemistry of Phosphate Esters Confined between Sliding Iron Surfaces
Authors: Latorre Carlos Ayestarán , Remias Joseph , Moore Joshua , Spikes Hugh , Dini Daniele , Ewen James
Published: June 2021

Small changes to the molecular structure of lubricant additives affect their adsorption and dissociation behaviour at the nanoscale, as well as their friction and wear performance at the macroscale. Here, we show using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations with a reactive force field that secondary trialkylphosphates dissociate much faster than primary trialkylphosphates between sliding iron surfaces. For both molecules, dissociative chemisorption proceeds through cleavage of the carbon − oxygen bond. The rate increases exponentially with temperature and stress, which is indicative of a stress-augmented thermally activated process. Both molecules show similar activation energy and activation volume. The much higher reactivity of secondary trialkylphosphates is driven mostly by the pre-exponential factor, which is almost an order of magnitude larger than for primary trialkylphosphates. These observations and the associated kinetic parameters are consistent with recent macroscale tribometer experiments of the antiwear additive zinc dialkyldithiophosphate. This study represents a crucial step towards the virtual screening of lubricant additives with different substituents for optimal tribological performance.
The Ecotourism Hub: A joint cross-border marketing strategy for peripheral islands
Authors: Agius Karl
Published: June 2021

Notwithstanding their ecotourism potential, small peripheral islands have been closely associated with the enjoyment of sun, sea and sand (3S) as their major tourism product. Fieldwork was conducted in a group of islands/archipelagos collectively known as the Maltese-Sicilian archipelago to identify marketing challenges. Interviews were held with stakeholders to assess their views on the use of a joint cross-border marketing strategy to overcome such challenges. Marketing challenges identified included limited promotion, mostly conducted indirectly, and spearheaded by 3S tourism operators owing to the limited resources of ecotourism operators. Results indicate that several joint marketing and cross- border initiatives are already in place and others are being developed. This approach has the potential to avoid a scenario where small islands are overshadowed by bigger islands and reduces futile competition. By pooling resources, islands will be in a better position to determine their brand, reach more markets and showcase their distinctiveness. Furthermore, products that promote cross-border island hopping increase the competitiveness of small peripheral islands and archipelagos which have experienced habitat fragmentation or islands which are too small to serve as an ecotourism destination on their own.
Definiciones Estándar de Pérdidas de Agua
Authors: Pearson David
Published: June 2021

Compendio de términos y acrónimos y su definición asociada de uso común en el campo de la gestión de las pérdidas de agua

ISBN: 9781789060874 (Pasta blanda)

ISBN: 9781789062533 (Libro electrónico)
Evaluation of bentonite clay in modified and unmodified forms to remove fluoride from water
Authors: Kalsido Adane Woldemedhin , Kumar Arun , Tekola Beteley , Mogessie Beshah , Alemayehu Esayas
Published: June 2021

The feasibility of fluoride adsorption from aqueous solutions using naturally available bentonite clay in both modified and unmodified forms is investigated in this report. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was applied to describe the structure and nature of modified and unmodified bentonite clay. The physicochemical characteristics of the adsorbent were also investigated for moisture content, pH, apparent density, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity and its point-of-zero charge. SEM images reveal particles are dispersed homogeneously and are irregular in shape. XRD and EDX analyses reveal that the bentonite is composed of seven materials: calcite, silica, alumina, hematite, bornite and green cinnabar, and chloride which are considered as impurities. Raw bentonite clays have shown very low fluoride removal efficiency (47.19%). Modification of the clay surface with HCl and aluminum oxide, on the other hand, increased fluoride removal efficiency to 79.77% and 94.38%, respectively. At 5 mg/L initial fluoride concentration, 10 cm bed depth packed dose of adsorbent, and 180 min breakthrough time, a 2.88 mg/g of fluoride removal capacity was observed. As a result, aluminum oxide modified bentonite clay was chosen for further investigation and the results are not presented here.
Design and Synthesis of Tri-substituted Imidazole Derivatives as CD73 Inhibitors for Their Anticancer Activity
Authors: Ghara Abhishek , Andhale Ganesh Sakharam , Matada Gurubasavaraja Swamy Purawarga , Dhiwar Prasad Sanjay
Published: June 2021

Background:

Monoclonal antibodies licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) target diverse biological targets relevant to immuno-oncology, and small compounds in clinical trials target various aspects of immuno-oncology. Several small compounds that target CD73 are at various stages of clinical studies. Several imidazoles are currently being utilized to treat malignancies, including Dacarbazine, Zoledronic acid, Mercaptopurine, and others. As a result, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of modified tri-phenyl imidazoles against breast cancer cell lines, as well as conducted virtual tests.

Methods:

We used Accelrys Drug Discovery Studio 3.5 software to undertake molecular docking, ADMET, and molecular properties studies on 68 proposed imidazole derivatives. The synthesized compounds' binding mechanisms were investigated against the CD73 protein (PDB Code: 4H1S). To find the drugs with the best pharmacokinetics, researchers assessed ADMET solubility, BBB penetration, hepatotoxicity, PPB binding, and polar surface area. The MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line was treated with these produced compounds, and the MTT test method was used to determine the IC50 values.

Results:

The selected 14 compounds showed good binding in the active site of CD73 by forming Hbonds with amino acid residues, according to molecular docking studies. Breast cancer cell lines were treated with substituted tri-phenyl imidazole derivatives, which displayed anticancer activity. Compounds 3a and 3h, which had an electron-donating group at the 2nd and 3rd positions and p-substitutions of the chloro and nitro groups, respectively, showed considerable anticancer action.

Conclusion:

Fourteen imidazole derivatives were produced and tested against breast cancer cell lines based on in-silico research. The MDA-MB-231 cell line was strongly suppressed by compounds 3a and 3h. In-vitro enzyme inhibition experiments revealed that only 3h demonstrated considerable inhibition.
Preliminary Results of Expandable Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Cages
Authors: Kitsopoulos Kyriakos , Wiedenhoefer Bernd , Hemmer Stefan , Fleege Christoph , Arabmotlagh Mohammad , Rauschmann Michael , Rickert Marcus
Published: June 2021

Background:

Compared with static cages, expandable cages for Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF), are thought to require less posterior bony removal and nerve root retraction. They may allow the creation of a greater lordotic angle and lordosis restoration.

Objective:

This study investigated whether TLIF using an expandable lordotic interbody cage facilitates an improvement in both segmental lordosis and the restoration of intradiscal height.

Methods:

A total of 32 patients with 40 operated segments underwent TLIF surgery for lumbar degenerative disc disease and were consecutively included in this prospective observational study. Of those patients, 25 received monosegmental treatment, six were treated bisegmentally, and one was treated trisegmentally. All patients were assessed clinically and radiographically preoperatively, as well as one week, six months, and two years postoperatively.

Results:

Two patients required revision for screw loosening and pseudarthrosis. In four patients, the endplate was violated intraoperatively due to cage placement. Postoperatively, cage subsidence was observed in four patients. Significant improvement in the mean degree of spondylolisthesis was noted at the two-year mark. Mean segmental lordosis improved postoperatively. A significant increase in mean disc height of the treated segment was also found. Overall, with the exception of pain, no significant clinical or radiographic changes were reported between the first postoperative week and the two-year year follow-up mark. The mean pain, functional, and quality of life outcomes improved significantly from the preoperative to postoperative period, with no deterioration between six months and two years.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that favorable outcomes can be achieved by using an expandable titanium cage in TLIF procedures.
Research work of Prof. Yoshioka on high-dose-rate brachytherapy monotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Yoshioka Yasuo
Published: June 2021

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. If identified early, treatment can be very effective, but morbidity rates are higher in older patients and in cases where the cancer is identified in the later stages. Three main treatment options are surgery, external beam
radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Professor Yasuo Yoshioka, Radiation Oncology Department, Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, believes brachytherapy to be the most effective treatment option for prostate cancer patients and is working to improve the methods
by which brachytherapy is performed in order to further enhance its effectiveness, while reducing the amount of damage to the patient during the course of treatment. Yoshioka and his team are focused on high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy as they believe it has advantages over low-dose-rate
(LDR) brachytherapy, including its ability to treat advanced-stage patients, the ability to adjust the strength of radiation at each source position and the fact that no radiation sources will be left in the patient's body after treatment. Yoshioka reported the world's first HDR monotherapy
experience for prostate cancer and, over the past decade, he and his team have been refining the procedure in order to maximise the effect of the treatment while minimising damage to the patient.
Elucidation of new vitamin K function aiming at application to cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment
Authors: Nakagawa Kimie
Published: June 2021

Although Vitamin K is known to be required by the human body for blood clotting and bone metabolism, there remain many unknowns about this group of vitamins and there is a lack of biochemical research on vitamin K. Limitations in knowledge about vitamin k may mean that decisions about
the vitamin's uptake and bone health may not be optimal. Professor Kimie Nakagawa Laboratory of Hygienic Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Japan, is performing detailed investigations on vitamin K to shed light on its specific functions in the human body
and contribute to advancements in disease prevention and treatment, including cardiovascular disease. Her studies centre on UBIAD1 (UbiA prenyltransferase domain containing protein 1) and MK-4 (menaquinone-4). She is seeking to elucidate the role of MK-4 in the human body and reveal the unknown
functions of UBIAD1. Nakagawa and the teams are doing so using UBIAD1 tissue-specific gene-deficient mice, which they are analysing in order to clarify the significance of biosynthesis of MK-4 in vivo and unravel the role of UBIAD1 and MK-4 in each tissue. Specific research goals for Nakagawa
are to elucidate vitamin K conversion mechanisms, establish improved understanding of the physiological function of the vitamin, identify vitamin K converting enzymes and learn and explain more about the physiological function of this enzyme. The team made an important discovery in that UBIAD1
is the enzyme responsible for the conversion of vitamin k to MK-4 and the researchers will continue to build on this groundbreaking finding.
Novel antimicrobial method to tackle drug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Kawano Mitsuoki
Published: June 2021

COVID-19 has further highlighted the importance of effective treatments for different conditions. Together, researchers have developed vaccines for COVID-19 that will save countless lives by preventing infection. Antibiotics are an example of another revolutionary and life-saving medical
development. However, antibiotic resistance is on the rise, with drug-resistant bacteria becoming less responsive to antibiotics. This is a serious problem that requires urgent solutions. Associate Professor Mitsuoki Kawano, Department of Human Nutrition, Chugokugakuen University, Japan, is
working to develop a novel antimicrobial method to tackle Antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He and his team are developing a technology that uses antisense RNA to control bacterial gene expression. Kawano also wishes to limit the damage caused to indigenous bacteria and intestinal flora by existing
antibacterial drugs, To do this, he and the team are developing a method that can prevent the transmissive plasmid from being transmitted to other bacteria. The researchers have developed a system that can inhibit cell growth by suppressing the synthesis of proteins that are essential for
bacterial growth through the action of antisense RNA transcribed from phagemid nucleic acid introduced into bacteria by phage infection.
Construction of effective induction of immune tolerance to rheumatoid arthritis using fingolimod
Authors: Yoshida Yuya
Published: June 2021

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body begins to attack normal cells instead of fighting off diseases and infections. There are ways of treating autoimmune diseases, but these provide only short-term relief, and there is no cure. Therefore, relapse tends to be an inevitable part of
autoimmune diseases. Dr Yuya Yoshida is a specialist in immunology based in the Department of Pathological Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Japan, who is investigating the possibility of inducing immune tolerance and, in doing so, eliminating the need
for long-term treatment. He and his team are working to devise a treatment strategy that enables complete short-term treatment and can then maintain long-term remission without the need for drug treatment. The ultimate goal for the team is a breakthrough in the treatment of autoimmune diseases,
which would have far-reaching benefits for patients and the field of medicine. A key focus for Yoshida and his team is how an immunomodulating medication called fingolimod (FTY720) could be used to induce immune tolerance and, in doing so, stop the cycle of remission and relapse. There is
potential for FTY720 to be used to develop new treatments and eliminate the need for patients to rely on long-term treatment. In particular, the researchers are focusing on multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. One investigation involves the use of animal models to explore the construction
of effective induction of immune tolerance to rheumatoid arthritis using FTY720.
Development of a multi-sensory stimulation therapy device for the realization of tailor-made neurorehabilitation
Authors: Kodama Takayuki
Published: June 2021

The brain and the body are inextricably linked and therefore inevitably impact on one another. Despite this, medical treatments tend to separate the mental and the physical. Professor Takayuki Kodama, Kyoto Tachibana University, Japan, is a neurophysiological researcher who believes
that it is important to understand what is occurring in the brain at a structural and mental level in order to effectively treat conditions. His research is geared towards improving recovery and quality of life for people with brain dysfunction, including those who have been involved in serious
accidents or surgery, as well as the ageing population. Specifically, he is shedding light on the neurophysiology behind brain dysfunction and the process of physical therapy in order to improve the effectiveness of treatments. At the Kodama lab, researchers are combining the latest understanding
of brain activity with new virtual and augmented reality in the quest to develop innovative new treatments. A key focus for the lab is better understanding the link between mental and physical health. The researchers will utlise this knowledge to assist people with brain dysfunction with their
recovery - both physical and mental. At present, Kodama and the team are engaged in a deep exploration of the relationship between the degree of detailed sensorimotor dysfunction and the ability to generate body movements. They will apply this to the development of an optimised tailor-made
rehabilitation system that matches the disorders of sensorimotor function and body representation.
Elucidation of hepatitis B virus invasion control mechanism by host protein kinase
Authors: Iwamoto Masashi
Published: June 2021

Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver and can occur due to a variety of different infectious and non-infectious causes. Viral hepatitis is a well-known example of the disease, and can be caused by a number of viruses. Researchers across the globe are working to shed better light
on these viruses. An important discovery in this field was the identification of the receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection and, in 2012, Dr Wenhui Li led a team that reported on important findings regarding sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide
(NTCP) as a functional receptor of HBV and HDV. Dr Masashi Iwamoto, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, is working to further expand knowledge on viral hepatitis infection. He and his team believe that the viral internalization and trafficking processes from plasma membrane could
be a potential target for therapeutic solutions. In recent work, Iwamoto demonstrated that the dynamics of viral localization within cells, accompanied by EGFR, is crucial in understanding successful infection. Another element of the team's work is to elucidate the HBV invasion control mechanisms
by host protein kinase. In order to do this, the researchers are combining molecular virology with mathematical sciences.
Ethics and Law in Research on Algorithmic and Data-Driven Technology in Mental Health Care: Scoping Review
Authors: Gooding Piers , Kariotis Timothy
Published: June 2021

Background

Uncertainty surrounds the ethical and legal implications of algorithmic and data-driven technologies in the mental health context, including technologies characterized as artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and other forms of automation.

Objective

This study aims to survey empirical scholarly literature on the application of algorithmic and data-driven technologies in mental health initiatives to identify the legal and ethical issues that have been raised.

Methods

We searched for peer-reviewed empirical studies on the application of algorithmic technologies in mental health care in the Scopus, Embase, and Association for Computing Machinery databases. A total of 1078 relevant peer-reviewed applied studies were identified, which were narrowed to 132 empirical research papers for review based on selection criteria. Conventional content analysis was undertaken to address our aims, and this was supplemented by a keyword-in-context analysis.

Results

We grouped the findings into the following five categories of technology: social media (53/132, 40.1%), smartphones (37/132, 28%), sensing technology (20/132, 15.1%), chatbots (5/132, 3.8%), and miscellaneous (17/132, 12.9%). Most initiatives were directed toward detection and diagnosis. Most papers discussed privacy, mainly in terms of respecting the privacy of research participants. There was relatively little discussion of privacy in this context. A small number of studies discussed ethics directly (10/132, 7.6%) and indirectly (10/132, 7.6%). Legal issues were not substantively discussed in any studies, although some legal issues were discussed in passing (7/132, 5.3%), such as the rights of user subjects and privacy law compliance.

Conclusions

Ethical and legal issues tend to not be explicitly addressed in empirical studies on algorithmic and data-driven technologies in mental health initiatives. Scholars may have considered ethical or legal matters at the ethics committee or institutional review board stage. If so, this consideration seldom appears in published materials in applied research in any detail. The form itself of peer-reviewed papers that detail applied research in this field may well preclude a substantial focus on ethics and law. Regardless, we identified several concerns, including the near-complete lack of involvement of mental health service users, the scant consideration of algorithmic accountability, and the potential for overmedicalization and techno-solutionism. Most papers were published in the computer science field at the pilot or exploratory stages. Thus, these technologies could be appropriated into practice in rarely acknowledged ways, with serious legal and ethical implications.
Does Social Media Breed Misinformation and Conspiracies? Survey on Iraqi Undergraduate Students: The Case of COVID-19 (Preprint)
Authors: Numan Haitham Hadi
Published: June 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

This paper aims to explore the general relationship between believing in conspiracy theories, and media preference to topics aiming to expand recent research suggesting that college students who have conspiratorial thinking tend to use social media to promote their conspiracy theories. This study surveyed a sample of 331 college students (230 male and 101 female) using the psychometric assessment of the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCBS), the most widely used measure of the general belief in conspiracy theories. The scale includes five related but distinct theory types: government malfeasance, extraterrestrial cover-ups, malevolent global conspiracies, personal well-being, and information control. This research demonstrated that most conspiracies that attract undergraduate students were ones that stated the reasons for the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of world conflict, as part of an international war, and as a result of the US-China trade war, and found that 58.44% of undergraduate students believe that COVID-19 is a global conspiracy. Among these, 35.67% said that this plot is part of a competition between China and the USA, 26.11% believe it is a biological war. Social media is an important part of these students’ information consumption: 71% prefer Facebook as the leading info resource on social media.
ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS APPLICATION TO PREDICTION OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
Authors: Andrejević Stošović Miona , Radivojević Novak , Jovanović Igor , Petrušić Andrija
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we will present an artificial neural network (ANN) model trained to forecast hourly electricity consumption of energy in industry for a day-ahead. We will start with a brief analysis of the global electricity market with a special reference to the Serbian market. Next, the daily electricity consumption amounts between August 1st and December 19th 2019 will be analyzed using statistical tools. According to the obtained results, we will give predictions of our models, based on different number of previous days.
GUIDELINES TO SIMULATE LINEAR VISCOELASTIC MATERIALS WITH AN ARBITRARY NUMBER OF CHARACTERISTIC TIMES IN THE CONTEXT OF ATOMIC FORCE MISCROSCOPY
Authors: Forstenhäusler Maximilian , López-Guerra Enrique A. , Solares Santiago D.
Published: June 2021

We provide guidelines for modeling linear viscoelastic materials containing an arbitrary number of characteristic times, under atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization. Instructions are provided to set up the governing equations that rule the deformation of the material by the AFM tip. Procedures are described in detail in the spirit of providing a simple handbook, which is accompanied by open-access code and workbook (Excel) sheets. These guidelines seek to complement the existing literature and reach out to a larger audience in the awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of science. Examples are given in the context of force-distance curves characterization within AFM, but they can be easily extrapolated to other types of contact characterization techniques at different length scales. Despite the simplified approach of this document, the algorithms described herein are built upon rigorous classical linear viscoelastic theory.
MODELING OF TITANIUM ALLOYS PLASTIC FLOW IN LINEAR FRICTION WELDING
Authors: Skripnyak Vladimir A. , Iokhim Kristina , Skripnyak Evgeniya , Skripnyak Vladimir V.
Published: June 2021

The article presents the results of the analysis of the plastic flow of titanium alloys in the process of the Linear Friction Welding (LFW). LFW is a high-tech process for joining critical structural elements of aerospace engineering from light and high-temperature alloys. Experimental studies of LFW modes of such alloys are expensive and technically difficult. Numerical simulation was carried out for understanding the physics of the LFW process and the formation laws of a strong welded joint of titanium alloys. Simulation by the SPH method was performed using the LS DYNA software package (ANSYS WB 15.2) and the developed module for the constitutive equation. The new coupled thermomechanical 3D model of LFW process for joining structural elements from alpha and alpha + beta titanium alloys was proposed. It was shown that the formation of a welded joint occurs in a complex and unsteady stress-strain state. In the near-surface layers of the bodies being welded, titanium alloys can be deformed in the mode of severe plastic deformation. A deviation of the symmetry plane of the plastic deformation zone from the initial position of the contact plane of the bodies being welded occurs during a process of LFW. Extrusion of material from the welded joint zone in the transverse direction with respect to the movement of bodies is caused by a pressure gradient and a decrease in the alloy flow stress due to heating. The hcp-bcc phase transition of titanium alloys upon heating in the LFW process necessitates an increase in the cyclic loading time to obtain a welded joint.