bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aetiological and prognostic roles of frailty, multimorbidity and socioeconomic characteristics in the development of SARS-CoV-2 health outcomes: protocol for systematic reviews of population-based studies
Authors: Makovski Tatjana T , Ghattas Jinane , Monnier Besnard Stephanie , Ambrozova Monika , Vasinova Barbora , Feteira-Santos Rodrigo , Bezzegh Peter , Ponce Bollmann Felipe , Cottam James , Haneef Romana , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Speybroeck Niko , Nogueira Paulo , Forjaz Maria João , Coste Joel , Carcaillon-Bentata Laure
Published: November 2022

Introduction

There is growing evidence that the impact of COVID-19 crisis may be stronger for individuals with multimorbidity, frailty and lower socioeconomic status. Existing reviews focus on few, mainly short-term effects of COVID-19 illness and patients with single chronic disease. Information is also largely missing for population representative samples.

Applying population-based approach, the systematic reviews will have two objectives: (1) to evaluate the aetiological roles of frailty, multimorbidity and socioeconomic status on SARS-CoV-2 infection probability, hospitalisation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation and COVID-19 related mortality among general population and (2) to investigate the prognostic roles of frailty, multimorbidity and socioeconomic characteristics on the risk of hospitalisation, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, COVID-19 mortality, functioning, quality of life, disability, mental health and work absence.

Methods and analysis

For this ongoing work, four databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, WHO COVID-19 Global literature on coronavirus disease and PsycINFO, for the period between January 2020 and April 7 2021. Peer-reviewed published literature in English and all types of population-based studies will be considered. Studies using standard tools to assess multimorbidity such as disease count, comorbidity indices or disease combinations will be retained, as well as studies with standard scales and scores for frailty or measurement of a socioeconomic gradient. Initial search included 10 139 articles, 411 for full-text reading. Results will be summarised by risk factor, objective and outcome. The feasibility of meta-analysis will be determined by the findings and will aim to better understand uncertainties of the results. Quality of studies will be assessed using standardised scales.

Ethics and dissemination

The study will be based on published evidence, and it is exempt from the ethical approval. This work is part of the Population Health Information Research Infrastructure (PHIRI) project. Dissemination of the results will imply conference presentation, submission for scientific publication and PHIRI project report.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021249444.
Effect of balanced opioid-free anaesthesia on postoperative nausea and vomiting after video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Long Yu-qin , Wang Dan , Chen Shaomu , Xu Yu , Feng Chang-dong , Ji Fu-Hai , Cheng Hao , Peng Ke
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) may reduce opioid-related side effects such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and hyperalgesia. This study aims to investigate the effects of balanced OFA on PONV and pain outcomes in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Methods and analysis

This randomised controlled trial will be conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China. A total of 120 adults scheduled for VATS lung resection will be randomly assigned with a 1:1 ratio to either an OFA group or a control group, stratified by sex (n=60 in each group). Patients will receive balanced anaesthesia with esketamine, dexmedetomidine and sevoflurane (the OFA group), or sufentanil and sevoflurane (the control group). All patients will receive PONV prophylaxis with intraoperative dexamethasone and ondansetron. Multimodal analgesia consists of intraoperative flurbiprofen axetil, ropivacaine infiltration at the end of surgery and postoperative patient-controlled sufentanil. The primary outcome is the incidence of PONV within 48 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes are nausea, vomiting, need for antiemetic therapy, pain scores at rest and while coughing, postoperative sufentanil consumption, need for rescue analgesia, length of post-anaesthesia care unit stay, length of postoperative hospital stay, and 30-day and 90-day post-surgical pain and mortality. Safety outcomes are hypotension, bradycardia, hypertension, tachycardia, interventions for haemodynamic events, level of sedation, headache, dizziness, nightmare and hallucination. All analyses will be performed in the modified intention-to-treat population.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (2022-042). All patients will provide written informed consent. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059710).
Content and process: using continuous quality improvement to teach and evaluate learning outcomes in quality improvement residency education
Authors: Burra Tara , Peck Jared R , Waddell Andrea E
Published: November 2022

Background

Psychiatry has not prioritised quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) to the same degree as other medical specialties. Professional capacity building in QIPS through the education of residents is essential to improving the quality and safety of mental healthcare delivery.

Local problem

The University of Toronto postgraduate psychiatry program is the largest psychiatry training program in North America. Training in QIPS was introduced in 2006. In 2019, a curricular review found that few trainees acquired competence in QIPS.

Methods

Curricular change was undertaken using Kern’s Six-Step Approach to curricular design. We used a continuous quality improvement framework to inform the evaluation with data collection using an online educational application. We aimed to improve competence in QIPS as demonstrated by assessment of the quality of individual quality improvement projects (IQIP) on an 11-item rubric. We used a family of quality improvement measures to iteratively improve the curriculum over 3 years.

Interventions

We restructured the QIPS curriculum into four case-based seminars for third year psychiatry residents. The curriculum included: clear learning objectives, multimodal instructional methods, and an IQIP.

Results

The mean score on preintervention project evaluations was 5.3/11 (49% (18)), which increased to 9.2/11 (84% (11.5)) with the revised curriculum (t=8.80, two tail, p<0.001; Cohen’s ds2.63). In the first two cohorts of residents to complete the IQIPs, 67/72 (93%) completed at least one Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle, compared with 11/23 (48%) in the 2 years before the new curriculum.

Conclusions

To ensure our trainees were attaining the educational goal of competence in QIPS, we introduced a revised QIPS curriculum and embedded an evaluation rooted in improvement science. This study adds to the limited literature which uses continuous quality improvement to enhance QIPS education, which is particularly needed in mental health.
Cost of living crisis: a UK crisis with global implications – A call to action for paediatricians
Authors: Singh Guddi , Uthayakumar-Cumarasamy Amaran
Published: November 2022

The UK’s ‘cost of living crisis’ (COLC) has thrown millions of families into poverty in 2022, delivering an intensifying economic shock that will likely eclipse the financial impact of the global coronavirus pandemic for children, families and communities alike. But what is the relevance for paediatricians? Written by doctors who spend considerable time confronting social problems from clinical, public health and advocacy perspectives, this article aims to untangle the COLC for those working in child health and seeks to stimulate a meaningful conversation about how we might reimagine paediatrics for life in the 21st century.

Taking the current crisis as our point of departure, we argue that the UK’s COLC can be best understood as a ‘crisis of inequality’, which has been created through social, economic and political processes that were not inevitable. The health impacts, then, are a matter of health equity and social justice. While the acuity of the crisis unfolding in the UK garners much attention, the implications are global with lessons for paediatricians everywhere. We propose that using a‘social lens’for understanding the true ‘causes of the causes’ of complex challenges such as COLC is essential for the 21st century paediatrician, as the consequences for child health is deep, wide-ranging and long-lasting. However, the current gap in knowledge, skills and infrastructure in this area leads to disempowerment in the profession.

We end with this provocation: What, after all, does it mean to be a paediatrician in a time of economic crisis? We offer thoughts about how paediatrics might respond to social challenges, such as the COLC, acknowledging that organised and concerted action must be taken both inside and outside of health systems if we are to help bring about the changes that our patients and their surrounding communities urgently need.
Paediatric acute non-traumatic limp presenting to the emergency department: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Tu Jacky , Haines Mitchell , Gowdie Peter , Craig Simon
Published: November 2022

Background

Acute non-traumatic limp in children has many causes, ranging from common benign and self-limiting disease to serious time-sensitive emergencies such as septic arthritis. We aimed to (1) describe the epidemiology and workup of paediatric acute non-traumatic limp presentation in three Australian EDs and (2) compare investigations and treatment between a tertiary paediatric centre and two non-tertiary centres.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of children aged 0–16 years, with an initial presentation of non-traumatic limp to three EDs in Melbourne, Australia. Data on presentation, management and outcomes was systematically collected on all eligible patients.

Results

Of 63 941 presentations over a 12-month period, 475 (0.7%) met inclusion criteria. The median (IQR) age of presentation was 5 (3–8) years, with a male predominance (61%). Blood tests and imaging were performed in 39% and 51%, respectively. 34% of presentations had no investigations. The most frequent ED diagnoses were transient synovitis (37%) and viral myositis (16%). 84% were discharged home after ED evaluation. Compared with the two non-tertiary hospitals, children who presented to the tertiary centre were less likely to have any investigation performed (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.62, p<0.001) and more likely to be discharged home after evaluation (OR=4.67, 95% CI: 2.79 to 7.81, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Although mostly due to benign disorders, an important number of limping children who presented to the ED had serious disease, with approximately one-third of these not diagnosed at the initial ED visit. There is large variation in workup including blood test, imaging and decisions regarding ED disposition.
Investigating genetic causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety, depressive symptoms, neuroticism and subjective well-being
Authors: Cai Lei , Liu Yonglin , He Lin
Published: November 2022

Background

High blood pressure is a leading cardiovascular disease risk factor and considered to be associated with psychological factors. However, the causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety, depressive symptoms, neuroticism and subjective well-being are not clear.

Aims

The current study explored the genetic causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety, depressive symptoms, neuroticism and subjective well-being.

Methods

Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses were performed using the generalised summary-data-based MR analysis method with eight large-scale genome-wide association study datasets for hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure, anxiety, depressive symptoms, neuroticism and subjective well-being.

Results

A causal effect of DBP on neuroticism was found, and 1074 independent instrumental single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified by the incorporated Heterogeneity in Dependent Instruments-outlier test among the bidirectional causal relationship between blood pressure and the four psychological states.

Conclusions

DBP has a causal effect on neuroticism. Appropriate management of blood pressure may reduce neuroticism, neuroticism-inducing mood disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
Early palliative care in newly diagnosed cancer in Ethiopia: feasibility randomised controlled trial and cost analysis
Authors: Reid Eleanor Anderson , Abathun Ephrem , Diribi Jilcha , Mamo Yoseph , Wondemagegnhu Tigeneh , Hall Peter , Fallon Marie , Grant Liz
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Globally, cancer deaths are rising. In low-and-middle-income countries, there is a gap in access to palliative care (PC). We designed a feasibility trial to study the initiation of early PC in patients with cancer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of standard cancer care versus standard cancer care plus in-home PC was conducted. Follow-up was at 8 and 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were: (1) feasibility, (2) patient-reported PC outcomes (African Palliative Care Association Palliative Outcome Scale (APCA POS)), and (3) costs.

Results

Of 95 adults randomised (mean age 49.5 years; 66% female), 27 completed 3 study visits. Of these, 89% had stage III or IV disease. Recruitment was feasible, but attrition was high. APCA POS use was feasible, with significant within-arm improvements: 24% versus 18% reduction (p<0.0002, p<0.0025) in PC versus standard care, respectively. Standard care subjects reported higher out-of-pocket payments (5810 Ethiopian birr) (ETB) and lost wages of informal caregivers (74 900 ETB), multiple times an average Ethiopian salary (3696 ETB).

Conclusion

It is feasible to conduct an RCT of early PC for patients with cancer in Ethiopia. Retention was the biggest challenge. This study revealed opportunities to improve care, and important feasibility results to inform future, larger scale PC research in Ethiopia and beyond.
Comparing the performance of three common species distribution modelling frameworks for freshwater environments through application to eel species in New Zealand
Authors: Charsley Anthony R. , Sibanda Nokuthaba , Hoyle Simon D. , Crow Shannan K.
Published: November 2022

Globally, many freshwater species are depleting and require population-level assessments. Many species distribution modelling frameworks are available for such assessments, but comparisons are needed to understand their predictive performance under different settings. K-fold cross-validation techniques were employed to compare the performance of three commonly used frameworks: machine learning, spatiotemporal modelling, and Gaussian process (GP) modelling. Through application to New Zealand populations of longfin eel ( Anguilla dieffenbachii) and shortfin eel ( Anguilla australis), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and true skill statistic (TSS) model performance metrics were estimated. All modelling frameworks produced approximately consistent distribution maps but differed in predictive performance. AUC and TSS results indicated that model predictions from the spatiotemporal modelling framework were the most accurate, followed by GP modelling. However, all modelling frameworks performed similarly when training and test data were spatially independent. In addition to having the best predictive performance, the spatiotemporal modelling framework showed the greatest promise for advancement in population-level assessment and is therefore recommended. The results are useful for freshwater ecologists and resource managers to make informed decisions on the appropriateness of a modelling framework for their research objective.
Higgs inflation and scalar weak gravity conjecture
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: November 2022

In this article, we intend to find a specific model which can satisfy the further refining dS swampland conjecture and scalar weak gravity conjecture (SWGC) simultaneously, in particular, Higgs inflation model and its two extensions: Higgs-dilaton model and Palatini Higgs inflation. We determine the conditions if the three inflation models satisfy scalar weak gravity conjecture (SWGC) and strong scalar weak gravity conjecture (SSWGC).
Probing the diffusive behaviour of beam-halo dynamics in circular accelerators
Authors: Montanari C. E. , Bazzani A. , Giovannozzi M.
Published: November 2022

Circular particle accelerators at the energy frontier are based on superconducting magnets that are extremely sensitive to beam losses as these might induce quenches, i.e. transitions to the normal-conducting state. Furthermore, the energy stored in the circulating beam is so large that hardware integrity is put in serious danger, and machine protection becomes essential for reaching the nominal accelerator performance. In this challenging context, the beam halo becomes a potential source of performance limitations and its dynamics needs to be understood in detail to assess whether it could be an issue for the accelerator. In this paper, we discuss in detail a recent framework, based on a diffusive approach, to model beam-halo dynamics. The functional form of the optimal estimate of the perturbative series, as given by Nekhoroshev’s theorem, is used to provide the functional form of the action diffusion coefficient. The goal is to propose an effective model for the beam-halo dynamics and to devise an efficient experimental procedure to obtain an accurate measurement of the diffusion coefficient.
COMSOL multiphysics-based modeling approach to solar cell development
Authors: Beepat Kevin Gurbani , Sharma Davinder Pal , Pathak Dinesh , Mahajan Aman
Published: November 2022

Solar cell development has been largely done by investigating how changes in the structural design of new materials will affect the cell’s performance. Although this process has been used for decades, it can sometimes be slow and expensive. Therefore, a new approach to solar cell development must be taken via simulations and modeling to enhance the cell performance. Simulations and modeling before actual fabrication have the added benefit of avoiding wastage of costly materials and time. This paper reviews the various types of solar cells and discusses the latest developments in the photovoltaic field. It also expounds how modeling solar cells before the developmental phase is beneficial with a focus on COMSOL Multiphysics describing how it is particularly advantageous.
The Performance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for Screening of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Chinese Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Hong Kong
Authors: Lok Eugenia Yung Ching , Mok Chi Chiu
Published: November 2022

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for screening of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Hong Kong.

Methods: Consecutive RA patients in the outpatient clinic of Pok Oi Hospital were invited to complete the validated Chinese-Cantonese version of the HADS questionnaire before clinical assessment by a psychiatrist for depressive disorders and anxiety disorders using the Chinese-bilingual Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, patient research version. Psychometric properties of the HADS were analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results: For the HADS full scale, sensitivity and specificity at the optimal cut-off score of 16 for any psychiatric disorders were 83.0% and 81.0%, respectively (area under ROC curve [AUC] 0.91). For the depression subscale (HADS-D), sensitivity and specificity at the optimal cut-off score of 10 for any depressive disorders were 89.7% and 84.8%, respectively (AUC 0.93). For the anxiety subscale (HADS-A), sensitivity and specificity at the optimal cut-off score of 8 for any anxiety disorders were 88.5% and 74.1%, respectively (AUC 0.87). The HADS-D showed better screening properties for any depressive disorders than major depressive disorder. The HADS-A showed better screening properties for generalized anxiety disorder than any anxiety disorders.

Conclusion: The HADS had good performance to screen for any psychiatric disorders and the HADS-D had good performance to screen for any depressive disorders. On the other hand, the HADS-A performed better for generalized anxiety disorder than for any anxiety disorders.
Seeing beneath the skin with computational photography
Authors: Nowara Ewa , Mcduff Daniel , Sabharwal Ashutosh , Veeraraghavan Ashok
Published: November 2022

Optical imaging technologies hold powerful potential in healthcare.
A Survey of Data Marketplaces and Their Business Models
Authors: Azcoitia Santiago Andrés , Laoutaris Nikolaos
Published: November 2022

Data is becoming an indispensable production factor for the modern economy, matching or exceeding in importance traditional factors such as land, infrastructure, labor and capital. As part of this, a wide range of applications in different sectors require huge amounts of information to feed machine learning models and algorithms responsible for critical roles in production chains and business processes. A variety of data trading entities including, but not limited to data marketplaces, have thus appeared in order to satisfy and match the offer with the demand for data. In this paper, we present the results and conclusions from a comprehensive survey covering 190 commercial data trading entities, the types of data that their trade, as well as their business models and the technologies that they rely upon. We also point to promising open research questions in the areas of data marketplace federation, pricing, and data ownership protection that could benefit the growing ecosystem of data trading entities that we have surveyed.
A Comprehensive Roadmap on Bangla Text-based Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Shammi Shumaiya Akter , Das Sajal , Chakraborty Narayan Ranjan , Banshal Sumit Kumar , Nath Nishu
Published: November 2022

The effortless expansion of Internet access has eventually transformed the dissemination behavior toward E-Mode. Thus, the usage of online or, more specifically, “Digital” texts has expanded abruptly. “Bangla,” the seventh most spoken language globally, has no different nature. Communication in the Bangla language has also been exposed on the Internet, which describes the feelings of individuals in any specific context. These enormously generated data from diverse sources have drawn the interest of the researchers working in the Natural Language Processing domain. Despite its relatively complicated structure, a lesser amount of annotated data, as well as a limited number of frameworks and approaches, exist. This lacking of resources has kept several stones unturned in this diverse, emotion-rich, and widely spoken language. To bridge the lacking and absence of resources, this article aims to provide a generalized deduced working procedure in this domain. To do so, the existing research work in the domain of sentiment analysis using Bangla text has been collected, evaluated, and summarized. Also, in this article, the techniques used in pre-processing, feature extraction, and eventually used algorithms have been identified and discussed. Considering these facts, this research work sketches a tentative blueprint of sentiment analysis using Bangla text. Additionally, this article discusses existing regional language corpora such as Tamil, Urdu, and Hindi, as well as English and methodologies used to extract emotional essence from Bangla language comparing other languages. That will assist in determining the probable chosen path of exploring Bangla in a deeper aspect. Moreover, this work has deduced and presented a generalized framework that will direct aspiring researchers to decide the pathway of choosing data vis-à-vis methodologies based on their interests.
Chemical Constituents of the Bark of Zanthoxylum gilletii (Rutaceae) and Their In Vitro Antiplasmodial and Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Dzouemo Liliane Clotilde , Mouthé Happi Gervais , Ahmed Sikiru Akinyeye , Dongmo Tekapi Tsopgni Willifred , Nde Akuma Michael , Salau Shina , Ngeufa Happi Emmanuel , Wansi Jean Duplex
Published: November 2022

The phytochemical investigations of the methanol extract of Zanthoxylum gilletii bark led to the isolation of thirteen compounds identified as two alkaloids including one acridone 5-hydroxynoracronycine (1) and one benzo [c] phenanthridine decarine (2), three lignans trans- and cis-fagaramide (3 and 4) and sesamin (5), two coumarins scoparone (6) and scopoletin (7), three pentacyclic triterpenoids fridelin (8), lupeol (9) and erythrodiol-3-O-palmitate (10), one phenolic compound vanillic acid (11) as well as two common steroids stigmasterol (12), and its derivative stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13). The structures of all the isolated compounds were elucidated by means of their spectroscopic and spectrometric data (1D, 2D-NMR, MS) as well as the comparison of these data with those reported in the literature. Except for compounds 9 and 11–13, all the other isolated compounds are reported for the first time from Z. gilletii but have been already obtained from other Zanthoxylum species and in the Rutaceae family. Compounds 1, 3–5, and 9 were tested in vitro for their antiplasmodial potencies against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7, and the results revealed that all the tested compounds displayed an inhibition between 51.89% and 54.69% while only the mixture of 3 + 4 gave an IC50 lower than 10 000 nM (IC50 = 1333 nM). Furthermore, all the compounds have been evaluated in silico for their ability to inhibit the Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase 5TBO. Sesamin (5) showed the greatest affinity to the antiplasmodium receptor than artemether® and chloroquine®. Further recorded data from their ADMET study, as well as their chemotaxonomy, are also discussed herein. The present study provides further information to enrich the chemistry of Z. gilletii and its qualification as an important source for good candidates in new antiplasmodial drug development.
Phase-Change Materials, 1/f Noise, and Phase Synchrony
Authors: Martinez J. C. , Simpson R. E.
Published: November 2022

In this article, we study

1
/

f

γ

,
γ
≈
1

electrical noise in amorphous phase-change materials. Given the relevance of noise in recent applications, it is necessary to gain a deeper perspective on its nature in phase-change semiconductors, a promising class of materials. Electron conduction is envisaged in terms of an envelope function and a field-dependent Bloch wave function; the electron transport across the structure is modeled as driven phase oscillators under a weak field and obeys a Kuramoto-type equation. Its solutions naturally divide into a phase-synchronized group and phase-desynchronized oscillators. The former is comprised by long-lived pairs or aggregates and are responsible for

1
/
f
,
γ
=
1

noise. We identify the dividing frequency between

γ
=
1

noise and

γ
≠
1

noise. The phase-desynchronized carriers generate

γ
≠
1

noise and are single carriers, not aggregates, and are short-lived. We apply our analysis to recent experiments.
Something Got Your Tongue? A Unique Cause of Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy
Authors: Tesson Alan , Kranz Peter , Zomorodi Ali , Morgenlander Joel
Published: November 2022

Introduction. The authors report a rare cause of isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy caused by a high cervical osteophyte. This case increases clinical knowledge of an underreported condition and teaches the clinician radiologic pearls in making the diagnosis. To their knowledge, this is the first case report showing surgical remediation of this condition. Symptoms and Clinical Findings. A 73-year-old female presented with several months of occipital headache, progressive dysarthria, dysphagia, and tongue deviation to the right. Her neurologic exam was significant for atrophy of the right hemitongue with tongue fasciculations. On protrusion, her tongue deviated rightward. Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention. Careful review of her initial head computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed that a high cervical osteophyte caused unilateral, isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy. Neurosurgery performed a right, far lateral approach for decompression of this osteophyte and over the ensuing months her symptoms improved. Conclusion. High cervical osteophyte is an underrecognized cause of isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy. The imaging investigation should be systematic and focus on the skull base with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT. This is a rare occasion when high resolution CT of the skull base can actually be the more helpful imaging modality. As shown in this case, an osteoarthritic cause can be surgically ameliorated.
An Accurate Mathematical Model and Experimental Research of Pressure Distribution in the Spool Valve Clearance Film
Authors: Chen Jia , Li Fei , Yang Yi
Published: November 2022

As an actuator control element of the electrohydraulic system in aerospace, airplanes, and other equipment, the spool valve is prone to the “hydraulic lock” problem, which may cause major accidents of these electrohydraulic systems. The grooves engraved on the spool can effectively eliminate this problem by migrating the uneven pressure distribution in the clearance film between the sleeve and the spool. The effect of migrating uneven pressure distribution depends on the groove parameters. This paper proposed an accurate mathematical model with rectangular grooves to investigate the effect. Unlike previous mathematical models based on the Reynolds equation, the proposed model is based on the Navier–Stokes equation, which is more valid in the range where the clearance film thickness is much less than the groove depth. Meanwhile, the mathematical model takes the distributions, width, depth, and the number of grooves into consideration. Then, the proposed mathematical model was used to investigate the effects of mitigating the uneven pressure distribution under various parameters of grooves. To verify the accuracy of the mathematical model, the volume flow leakage in the clearance film obtained by the proposed model and the Reynolds equation, respectively, is compared with that obtained by the experimental test. The comparison results indicate that the results obtained by the Reynolds equation could reach a maximum of 14.75% different from the experimental results, while the results obtained by the NS equation are only 5.57% different under the same conditions, implying that the mathematical model derived from the NS equation is more accurate.
Pan-Cancer Analysis of TLE3 Revealed Its Value in Tumor Microenvironment and Prognosis
Authors: Li Tianyu , Liu Ranran , Zhang Guohong , Jia Yejuan , Pan Lijia , Li Yunfeng , Jia Chunsheng
Published: November 2022

Background. Transducin-like enhancer of split 3 (TLE3), a member of the TLE gene family, is related to tumor genesis and progression. However, whether TLE3 played a crucial role in the whole pan-cancer remained unknown. Methods. Comprehensive analysis of TCGA, GEO, and GTEx data with an online tool, and R language was performed to explore the relationship of TLE3 expression between prognosis, gene mutation, protein phosphorylation, DNA methylation, tumor microenvironment, and related pathways in 33 tumors. Results. TLE3 was high-expressed in most tumors, and TLE3 expression and the prognosis of some tumor types were significantly correlated. The level of TLE3 expression in 33 cancer types was closely associated with DNA methylation. High-level phosphorylation sites of Tle3, such as S267 and S217, may promote cancers. In terms of the tumor microenvironment, TLE3 affected a wide variety of cancers, especially PRAD and LIHC, and TLE3 may act on them via immune-related pathways. Conclusions. The current work provided the first comprehensive investigation of TLE3 in a pan-cancer study, highlighting the role of TLE3 in the tumor immune microenvironment, and also determined the potential of TLE3 as a prognostic, immunotherapy response, and diagnostic biomarker in many cancers. However, the present results were preliminary and required further validation as this study was based on bioinformatics analyses.
Preliminary Analysis of the Glycolipid Profile in Secondary Brain Tumors
Authors: Serb Alina-Florina , Novaconi Cristina , Georgescu Marius , Puiu Maria , Dema Alis , Onulov Robert , Sisu Eugen
Published: November 2022

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) play numerous roles in cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and cell signaling. Alteration of the GSLs metabolism leads to the accumulation of particular species of GSLs, which can lead to various pathologies, including carcinogenesis and metastasis; in essence, all neoplasms are characterized by the synthesis and aberrant organization of GSLs expressed on the cell surface. Secondary brain tumors make up the majority of intracranial cancers and generally present an unfavorable prognosis. In the present work, a native GSL mixture extracted and purified from a secondary brain tumor with primary pulmonary origin was obtained through extraction and purification and analyzed by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. Research in the field of lipidomics could offer new data for the understanding of brain tropism and metastatic pathways, by studying the glycolipid molecules involved in the process of metastasis in general and in the production of brain metastases in particular. This could shed new light on the pattern of lipid glycosylation in secondary brain tumors, with a great impact on the effectiveness of cancer therapies, which could be adapted to the specific molecular pattern of the tumor.
Discrete Wavelet Transform-based Approach of Real-time Wave Filtering for Dynamic Positioning of Marine Vessels
Authors: Liu Changde , Zhang Yufang , Gu Min , Zhang Longhui , Teng Yanbin , Liu Zhengfeng , Sun Qiang , Wei Naxin
Published: November 2022

The ongoing development of deep-sea resources has contributed toward the widespread use of dynamic positioning (DP) systems that can operate in arbitrary sea areas without the limitation of operating water depth compared to mooring systems. The second-order slowly varying forces can be compensated by DP feedback control. Wave filtering techniques are crucial for designing the DP controller, which can improve the positioning performance and service of multiple actuators. The objective of wave filtering is to separate the motion induced by the first-order high-frequency oscillatory waves from the motion caused by the second-order low-frequency (LF) slowly varying disturbances. This paper proposes a novel real-time wave filtering approach for DP systems on the basis of the discrete wavelet transform without relying on the previous knowledge of dynamics of the vessel. Meanwhile, to suppress the end effects of wavelet filtering and achieve real-time application, symmetric boundary extension and the sliding window method are investigated in order to capture the slow time-varying LF motion of DP vessels. The proposed real-time wavelet filtering approach can significantly improve the quality of the separated components by selecting the optimal decomposition level, wavelet function parameters, and threshold denoising method. The real-time and filtering performance of the proposed approach is verified using a scaled model of an offshore supply vessel as well as full-scale experiments on the EXPLOERE I scientific investigation vessel under the action of winds, currents, and waves. The experimental results confirm that the proposed wave filtering algorithm is efficient and that the LF component waveform can be effectively recovered after wavelet filtering.
Relationship between the UPLC Fingerprints of Citrus reticulata “Chachi” Leaves and Their Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Nie Qin-Xin , Zhang Qiu-Xia , Zhu Yin-Ji , Wu Pei-Jun , He Ya-Li , Wang Jin-Yu
Published: November 2022

Citrus reticulata “Chachi” (CRC) leaves contain abundant flavonoids, indicating that they possess good nutritional/pharmacological research and development potential. This study aims to explore chemical antioxidant quality markers based on the spectrum-effect relationship and quality control strategy of CRC leaves. The ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system was used to establish chromatographic fingerprints of Citrus reticulata “Chachi” leaves. Simultaneously, they were evaluated by using similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA). Afterwards, the DPPH assay was adopted to study the antioxidant effects. The spectrum-effect relationship between UPLC fingerprints and DPPH radical-scavenging activities was studied with grey relational analysis (GRA). Analysis results indicated that there were twenty-one common peaks of fourteen batches of CRC leaves which were from different regions of Guangdong province, and their similarities ranged from 0.648 to 0.997. HCA results showed that fourteen batches of samples of CRC leaves could be divided into six classes at Euclidean distance of 5. The results from GRA showed that tangeretin and hesperidin were the main flavonoids responsible for the antioxidant activity in CRC leaves. In conclusion, this research established a chromatographic analysis method suitable for CRC leaves and demonstrated that chromatographic fingerprints analysis combined with the antioxidant activity could be used to evaluate the material basis of CRC leaves and may provide a reference to establish a quality standard.
Evaluation of In Vivo Wound-Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Solvent Fractions of Fruits of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae)
Authors: Mengie Ayele Teklie , Chekol Abebe Endeshaw , Tilahun Muche Zelalem , Mekonnen Agidew Melaku , Shumet Yimer Yohannes , Tesfaw Addis Getu , Dagnaw Baye Nega , Bogale Kassie Achenef , Adela Alemu Muluken , Gobezie Yiblet Tesfagegn , Ayalew Tiruneh Gebrehiwot , Berihun Dagnew Samuel
Published: November 2022

Introduction. The solvent fractions of the fruits of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) have not yet been explored scientifically for in vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate in vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities of the solvent fractions of the fruit of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) in rats. Method. The crude extract of Argemone mexicana was fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and distilled water. Wound healing activity was evaluated using excision and incision wound models while anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced rat paw and cotton pellet-induced granuloma models. The fractions were evaluated at 5 and 10% ointments using moist-exposed burn ointment as the standard drug, and 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg test doses using aspirin, and dexamethasone as standard drugs for wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively. All treatment administrations were made orally for anti-inflammatory activity and applied topically for wound healing activity. Result. The 10% w/w ethyl acetate fraction ointment showed a significant percentage of wound contraction, reduced period of epithelialization, increased amount of fibrosis, neovascularization, and collagen tissue formation (

p
<
0.01

). The ethyl acetate fraction also showed a significant increase in tensile strength (55%;

p
<
0.01

) and (81.10%;

p
<
0.01

) at the tested doses of 5 and 10% w/w ointments, which was comparable to moist-exposed burn ointment. The ethyl acetate fraction also revealed a significant percent edema inhibition (61.41%;

p
<
0.01

), suppression of the exudate (38.09%

p
<
0.01

), and granuloma mass formations (53.47%

p
<
0.01

) at the tested dose of 400 mg/kg. Conclusion. The results of this study showed that the Ethyl acetate fraction of Argemone mexicana fruit has significant wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities which support the traditional claims of the experimental plant.
Study of Concrete Crack Repair using Bacillus megaterium
Authors: Shi Wenbo , Wang Meng , Wu Lan , Xie Xinhang , Wang Miao , Lu Tianjing
Published: November 2022

The low yield of microbial calcium carbonate precipitation due to the strong pH environment has limited the development of biotechnology-based concrete crack repair techniques. In this study, Bacillus megaterium was selected to determine the optimal nutrient formulation through orthogonal tests. The growth and reproduction characteristics and urease activity of this strain were analysed by controlling different pH values, and the calcium carbonate precipitation yield under different pH conditions was investigated, and the lower precipitation yield under strong alkaline conditions was improved by using alkaline environment domestication with the addition of urea to the nutrient solution. It has been shown that higher pH results in lower growth and multiplication of Bacillus megaterium and weaker urease activity, and a strong alkaline environment can significantly suppress its growth and multiplication and urease activity. At pH 7, the growth and multiplication of Bacillus megaterium were the fastest, the urease activity was the strongest, and the precipitation yield was greater. The addition of urea to the nutrient solution to domesticate Bacillus megaterium in an alkaline environment can significantly increase the growth rate and precipitation yield, which can effectively solve the problem of insufficient calcium carbonate precipitation under alkaline conditions. Comparing the effectiveness of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) in repairing concrete after damage before and after microbial domestication shows that the domesticated Bacillus megaterium is more effective in reducing the permeability characteristics of concrete and improving its strength.
Drivers’ Eye Movement Characteristics in a Combined Bridge-Tunnel Scenario on a Mountainous Urban Expressway: A Realistic Study
Authors: Bai Jingrong , Lin Qinghai , Bi Huiyun , Tang Boming
Published: November 2022

Combined bridge-tunnel scenarios of driving on mountainous city expressways occur when bridges and tunnels frequently alternate during driving. The complex nature of these driving scenarios imposes crucial requirements on the drivers’ eye movement characteristics. This paper attempts to clarify these characteristics using descriptive statistics and the box graph method, registering the pupil diameter, blink duration, fixation, saccades, and fixation loci at different tunnel locations, bridges, and ramps. Realistic driving experiments were performed on the road segment spanning from the Nanchang tunnel to the Liujiatai tunnel freeway in Chongqing, China. Eye movement data were collected for 21 drivers. The experimental results showed that, while driving in the tunnel, the maximal pupil diameter of the participating drivers was approximately 4.0 mm as the driving mileage and the number of tunnels increased, and the maximal visual load on the drivers in the tunnel tended to be stable. At the second tunnel exit, the ramp, the middle section of the first bridge, and the third tunnel exit, the driving load was the highest, while the fixation duration was shorter for nighttime driving. The fixation duration was the longest for the diversion road of bridge B1 to the ramp during the day, and the fixation times were the longest at the beginning and end of the test road. The drivers more often paid attention to the speed dashboard while entering tunnels during daytime driving (compared with nighttime driving).
Protective Effect of Photobiomodulation against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Damage by Promoting Autophagy through Inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway in MC3T3-E1 Cells
Authors: Zuo Xiaoshuang , Wei Xinghui , Ju Cheng , Wang Xuankang , Zhang Zhihao , Ma Yangguang , Zhu Zhijie , Li Xin , Song Zhiwen , Luo Liang , Hu Xueyu , Wang Zhe
Published: November 2022

Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been repeatedly reported to play a major role in the regulation of osteoblast proliferation and mineralization. Autophagy is closely associated with various pathophysiological processes in osteoblasts, while its role in oxidative stress is even more critical. However, there is still no clear understanding of the mechanism of the role of autophagy in the regulation of osteoblast mineralization and apoptosis under oxidative stress by PBM. It was designed to investigate the impact of 808 nm PBM on autophagy and apoptosis in mouse preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. PBM could inhibit MC3T3-E1 cell apoptosis under oxidative stress and promote the expression of osteogenic proteins, while enhancing the level of autophagy. In contrast, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) inhibited the expression of osteoblast autophagy under oxidative stress conditions, increased apoptosis, and plus counteracted the effect of PBM on osteoblasts. We also found that PBM suppressed the activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway during oxidative stress and induced autophagy in osteoblasts. PBM promoted autophagy of MC3T3 cells and was further blocked by 740 Y-P, which reversed the effect of PBM on MC3T3 cells with H2O2. In conclusion, PBM promotes autophagy and improves the level of osteogenesis under oxidative stress by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Our results can lay the foundation for the clinical usage of PBM in the treatment of osteoporosis.
The Construction of an Aircraft Control Multilayer Network and Its Robustness Analysis
Authors: Ren Guangjian , Zhang Ming , Guo Yushuai
Published: November 2022

When aircraft are flying along the routes, their states present diversity and complexity. To clarify the control or monitoring relationship between air sectors and aircraft in the airspace and to promote reliability and efficiency of air traffic control (ATC), in this paper, an aircraft control multilayer network (ACMN) model is built by considering the air sector network (ASCN) and the aircraft state network (ASTN). The characteristics of ACMN are studied based on complex network theory. Simultaneously, according to the multilayer characteristics of ACMN and the relative entropy theory, a robustness analysis method is proposed. Results show that the proposed method is applicable for evaluating the structural stability and robustness of ACMN and is effective in improving the efficiency of ATC. It can also provide a new idea for the robustness research of multilayer networks.
Knockdown of Brachyury Suppresses Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration via Targeting E2F3
Authors: Chen Ming , Liu Jinyan , Liang Xiao , Huang Ying , Yang Zhengjie , Lu Pei , Shen Jun , Shi Keqin , Qu Huiheng
Published: November 2022

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women and is the major cause of most cancer-related deaths. We previously reported that Brachyury, as a sensitive and specific marker, has been verified to involve in the process of carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer, but the mechanism by which Brachyury promotes breast cancer cells proliferation and migration still remains less clear. In this study, we identified that Brachyury was markedly increased in breast cancer compared with the adjacent tissues. We have also shown that Brachyury knockdown could decrease the proliferation and migration capability in breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we found an important transcriptional factor, E2F3, which is a direct downstream target gene of Brachyury by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. Knockdown of E2F3 also decreased breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, we reported that Brachyury may act as an oncogenic role in the progression of breast cancer by positively-regulating E2F3 expression.