bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orthographic Priming in Second‐Language Visual Word Recognition
Authors: Jiang Nan , Wu Xuesong
Published: February 2022

Several previous studies showed that prime‐target pairs with orthographical overlap but no semantic or morphological relationship (e.g., freeze‐free) produced a masked priming effect in second language (L2) speakers but not in first language (L1) speakers. The present study further explored this intriguing L1–L2 difference by comparing English native speakers and nonnative speakers in the masked priming paradigm in combination with a lexical decision task. The stimuli included prime‐target pairs with orthographical overlap at both the word‐initial and word‐final positions (e.g., rubber‐rub, stage‐age) but without any semantic or morphological relationship. The results replicated orthographic priming in L2 speakers for words with both overlap positions. Two accounts of this L1–L2 difference are discussed, one focusing on the representational aspect and the other on the processing characteristics of the L2 lexicon.
The Mechanism and Function of miRNA in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Wang Chenglong , Cui Liqiang , Gu Qinwen , Guo Sheng , Zhu Bin , Liu Xueli , Li Yujie , Liu Xinyue , Wang Dingxuan , Li Sen
Published: February 2022

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) disease has been considered as the main cause of low back pain (LBP), which is a very common symptom and the leading cause of disability worldwide today. The pathological mechanism of IDD remains quite complicated, and genetic, developmental, biochemical, and biomechanical factors all contribute to the development of the disease. There exists no effective, non‐surgical treatment for IDD nowadays, which is largely related to the lack of knowledge of the specific mechanisms of IDD, and the lack of effective specific targets. Recently, non‐coding RNA, including miRNA, has been recognized as an important regulator of gene expression. Current studies on the effects of miRNA in IDD have confirmed that a variety of miRNAs play a crucial role in the process of IDD via nucleus pulposus cells (NPC) apoptosis, abnormal proliferation, inflammatory factors, the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and annulus fibrosus (AF) degeneration. In the past 10 years, research on miRNA has been quite active in IDD. This review summarizes the current research progression of miRNA in the IDD and puts forward some prospects and challenges on non‐surgical treatment for IDD.
Understanding source monitoring subtypes and their relation to psychosis: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Damiani Stefano , Donadeo Alberto , Bassetti Nicola , Salazar‐de‐Pablo Gonzalo , Guiot Cecilia , Politi Pierluigi , Fusar‐Poli Paolo
Published: February 2022

Aims

Source monitoring (SM) is the metacognitive ability to determine the origin of one's experiences. SM is altered in primary psychiatric psychosis, although relationships between SM subtypes, other cognitive domains and symptoms are unclear. Our aims were to synthesize evidence comparing psychosis ‐with and without hallucinations‐ and healthy controls classifying SM subtypes by source discrimination (internal/external/reality monitoring) and stimulus modality (visual/auditory/imagined/performed).

Methods

This systematic review adopted Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses, Meta‐analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes guidelines. Core demographical and clinical parameters were extracted. Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale was used as quality check. SM differences between (i) psychosis patients versus healthy controls and (ii) patients with versus without hallucinations were investigated via random‐effect model meta‐analysis. The primary effect size measure was standardized mean difference (SMD) in each SM subtype performance (error or accuracy). Heterogeneity, publication biases and meta‐regressions were assessed.

Results

Five thousand two hundred and fifty‐six records were screened to finally include 44 studies (1566 patients, 1175 controls). Mean Newcastle‐Ottawa score was 7.41 out of 9. Few studies measured SM associations with cognition (n = 9) and symptoms (n = 19), with heterogeneous findings. SM performance across all measures was reduced in psychosis versus healthy controls (SMD = 0.458). Internal SM (SMD: errors = 0.513; accuracy = 0.733) and imagined stimuli (SMD: errors = 0.688; accuracy = 0.978) were specifically impaired. Patients with versus without hallucinations showed SM deficits only for externalizing (SMD = 0.410) and imagined/auditory (SMD = 0.498/0.277) errors.

Conclusion

The proposed classifications highlight specific SM deficits for internal/imagined stimuli in psychosis, providing evidence‐based indications to design and interpret future studies.
Delayed diagnosis of Kawasaki disease in Malaysia: Who is at risk and what is the outcome
Authors: Mat Bah Mohd Nizam , Alias Emieliyuza Yusnita , Sapian Mohd Hanafi , Abdullah Nisah
Published: February 2022

Background

Data on the delayed diagnosis of (KD) is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and trend of delayed diagnosis over time and identify the associated risk factors in Malaysia.

Methods

This retrospective, observational, population‐based study involved all children with KD registered in Johor Kawasaki Clinical Registry over 10 years (January 2010 and December 2019). The prevalence of delayed diagnosis and its trend over time was calculated. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the independent risk factors for delayed diagnosis.

Results

There were 556 cases of KD, with 28% having incomplete criteria, 11% atypical presentation, while 10% developed a coronary aneurysm. The overall prevalence of delayed diagnosis was 9.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.6–12.7%). There was a statistically significant decrease in delayed diagnosis over time (P = 0.008), with the latest rate of 4.6%. The majority of delayed diagnoses were due to failure to diagnose the disease during the initial consultation. Independent risk factors for delayed diagnosis were children older than 1 year, diagnosis before 2015, atypical presentation, and incomplete KD, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.7, 2.3, 4.3, and 3.6, respectively. Compared to early diagnosis of KD, delayed diagnosis was significantly associated with coronary aneurysms (27.3% vs. 8.2%, P < 0.001, OR 4.2, [95% CI: 2.1–8.3]).

Conclusions

One‐tenth of cases of KD were diagnosed late, but it has improved over time. Children > 1 year, presenting with atypical presentation, and incomplete criteria are associated with late diagnosis.
Hookworm infections: Reappraising the evidence for a role of neutrophils in light of NETosis
Authors: Doolan Rory , Bouchery Tiffany
Published: February 2022

In Hookworm infection, neutrophils have long had the image of the villain, being recruited to the site of larval migration because of damage but participating themselves in tissue injury. With recent developments in neutrophil biology, there is an increasing body of evidence for the role of neutrophils as effector cells in hookworm immunity. In particular, their ability to release extracellular traps, or neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), confer neutrophils a larvicidal activity. Here, we review recent evidence in this nascent field and discuss the avenue for future research on NETs/hookworm interactions.
Global Perspectives on the Absent Presence of Marginalised Children and Young People in the Public Realm
Authors: McKendrick John H. , Skelton Tracey , Van Melik Rianne
Published: February 2022

This paper introduces a collection of papers drawn from a session sponsored by the Geographies of Children, Youth and Families Research Group at the Annual International Conference of the RGS‐IBG in Cardiff (2018). This subsequent dossier seeks to advance our understanding of the ‘absent presence’ of marginalised children and young people in the public realm. The idea of an absent presence has permeated many fields of geographical scholarship and generally refers to the influence that is exerted by something that is not physically present (anymore); this can be an idea, object or person. The empty playground visualises such an absent presence in children's geographies. The three papers in this dossier discuss children and young people in public spaces in respectively the Netherlands, New Zealand and the US. The dossier closes with a commentary that reviews the theoretical, conceptual and substantive learning that has emerged across the papers.
Diversity of funnel plasmodesmata in angiosperms: the impact of geometry on plasmodesmal resistance
Authors: Ostermeyer Grayson P. , Jensen Kaare H. , Franzen Aslak R. , Peters Winfried S. , Knoblauch Michael
Published: February 2022

In most plant tissues, threads of cytoplasm, or plasmodesmata, connect the protoplasts via pores in the cell walls. This enables symplasmic transport, for instance in phloem loading, transport and unloading. Importantly, the geometry of the wall pore limits the size of the particles that may be transported, and also (co‐)defines plasmodesmal resistance to diffusion and convective flow. However, quantitative information on transport through plasmodesmata in non‐cylindrical cell wall pores is scarce. We have found conical, funnel‐shaped cell wall pores in the phloem‐unloading zone in growing root tips of five eudicot and two monocot species, specifically between protophloem sieve elements and phloem pole pericycle cells. 3D reconstructions by electron tomography suggested that funnel plasmodesmata possess a desmotubule but lack tethers to fix it in a central position. Model calculations showed that both diffusive and hydraulic resistance decrease drastically in conical and trumpet‐shaped cell wall pores compared with cylindrical channels, even at very small opening angles. Notably, the effect on hydraulic resistance was relatively larger. We conclude that funnel plasmodesmata generally are present in specific cell–cell interfaces in angiosperm roots, where they appear to facilitate symplasmic phloem unloading. Interestingly, cytosolic sleeves of most plasmodesmata reported in the literature do not resemble annuli of constant diameter but possess variously shaped widenings. Our evaluations suggest that widenings too small for unambiguous identification on electron micrographs may drastically reduce the hydraulic and diffusional resistance of these pores. Consequently, theoretical models assuming cylindrical symmetries will underestimate plasmodesmal conductivities.
Two new larval species of Birjandtrombella (Neotrombidiidae) from Brazil
Authors: Noei Javad , Šundić Miloje , Bernardi Leopoldo Ferreira Oliveira
Published: February 2022

Two new larval species of Birjandtrombella minae sp. nov. and Birjandtrombella pataxo sp. nov., (Acari: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata: Neotrombidiidae) are described and illustrated from neotropical caves in Brazil (South America). The generic diagnosis of Birjandtrombella is modified and a key to larvae is presented.
Online survey comparing coping responses to SARS-CoV-2 by people with and without existing health conditions in the UK
Authors: Hewitt Rachael Marie , Pattinson Rachael , Daniel Rhian , Carrier Judith , Sanders Oliver , Bundy Christine
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on self-reported mood, coping and health behaviours of people living with existing health conditions in the UK to understand how to improve coping responses to the threat of SARS-CoV-2.

Design

Quantitative design using a cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Online survey in the UK.

Participants

UK adults (18+ years) were eligible to participate. A total of 9110 people participated. Of these, 4377 (48%) reported at least one existing health condition, 874 (10%) reported having two or more existing conditions, and 715 (8%) reported having an existing mental health condition.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Multivariable linear regression and sequential multiple mediation analysis were used to estimate differences in average scores for active and avoidant coping response scores due to pre-existing health conditions, and to investigate the extent to which these differences are explained by differences in perceptions, beliefs, concerns and mood.

Results

People with pre-existing physical (+1.11 higher; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.34) and especially mental health conditions (3.06 higher; 95% CI 2.65 to 3.48) reported poorer health and used more avoidant coping compared with healthy participants. Under some strong untestable assumptions, we estimate that experiencing low mood or concern related to SARS-CoV-2 mostly explained the relationship between existing health conditions and avoidant coping.

Conclusion

Psychological support and interventions including behaviour change are required to mitigate the psychological burden of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and increase autonomy in people with and without pre-existing conditions during this highly uncertain time. Psychologists are well placed to support clinicians and people with existing health conditions to minimise the psychological impact of SARS-CoV-2, in order to alleviate the subsequent strain on healthcare services.
Risk of poor mental health and experience of violence among a young adult population with same-sex sexuality: a cross-sectional study in southern Sweden
Authors: Agardh Charlotte , Asamoah Benedict Oppong , Herder Tobias , Larsson Markus
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To assess prevalence and correlates of same-sex sexuality and its relationship to poor mental health and experiences of violence among youth and young adults in Sweden. A secondary aim was to estimate the same-sex sexuality attributable fractions.

Design

A population-based cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Southern Sweden.

Participants

2968 respondents out of 7000 youth and young adults between 18 and 29 years old, resident in southern Sweden, selected randomly by the Swedish Central Population Registry (final sample=2931 respondents, 318 with same-sex sexuality and 2613 without).

Outcome measures

The outcome measures were self-reported poor mental health (depression and anxiety) and experience of violence (physical violence, sexual violence and sexual coercion).

Results

Increased odd of high scores of depression (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.26) and anxiety (adjusted OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.07) were observed among youth and young adults with same-sex sexuality. Similarly, increased odds of experience of physical violence (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.51), sexual violence (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.96 to 3.89) and sexual coercion (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.95 to 3.30) were observed with same-sex sexuality. Within the entire young population, same-sex sexuality accounted for 4.7% and 4.1% of the self-reported experience of depression and anxiety, respectively. The estimated same-sex sexuality attributable fractions of violence within the entire population of young people were 4.5% for physical violence, 7.3% for sexual violence and 6.4% for sexual coercion.

Conclusions

This study findings suggest that same-sex sexuality is associated with poor self-rated mental health and experience of violence among youth and young adults in Sweden. Some differences were observed between males and females, indicating that the vulnerabilities and experiences vary between young males and females. Further research is needed in order to gain a deeper knowledge of the factors underlying these associations and the gender differences observed.
Global status of essential medicine selection: a systematic comparison of national essential medicine lists with recommendations by WHO
Authors: Piggott Thomas , Nowak Artur , Brignardello-Petersen Romina , Cooke Graham S , Huttner Benedikt , Schünemann Holger J , Persaud Nav , Magrini Nicola , Moja Lorenzo
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Examining the availability of essential medicines is a necessary step to monitor country-level progress towards universal health coverage. We compared the 2017 essential medicine lists (EML) of 137 countries to the WHO Model List to assess differences by drug class and country setting.

Methods

We extracted all medicines prioritised at country level from most recently available national EMLs and compared each national EML with the 2017 WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (MLEM) as the reference standard. We assess EMLs by WHO region and for different types of medicine subgroups (eg, cancer, anti-infectives, cardiac, psychiatric and anaesthesia medicines) using within second-level anatomical therapeutic class (ATC) drug classes of the ATC Index.

Results

We included 406 medicines from WHO’s 2017 MLEM to compare to 137 concurrent national EMLs. We found a median of 315 (range from 44 to 983) medicines listed on national EMLs. The global median F1 score was 0.59 (IQR 0.47–0.70, maximum possible score indicating alignment with MLEM is 1). The F1 score was the highest (ie, most similar to MLEM) in the South-East Asia region and the lowest in the European region (ie, most dissimilar to MLEM). The F1 score was highest for stomatological preparations (median: 1.00), gynaecological—anti-infectives and antiseptics (median: 1.00), and medicated dressings (median: 1.00), and lowest for 9 anatomical or pharmacological groups (median: 0.00, eg, treatments for bone diseases, digestive enzymes).

Conclusions

Most countries are expected to improve their national health coverage by 2030 offering access to essential medicines, but our results revealed substantial gaps in selection of medicines at the national level compared with those recommended by WHO. It is crucial that governments consider investing in those effective medicines that are now neglected and continue monitoring progress towards essential medicine access as part of universal health coverage.
Protocol for a prospective open-label clinical trial to investigate the utility of concurrent TBS/fNIRS for antidepressant treatment optimisation
Authors: Kan Rebecca L D , Mak Arthur D P , Chan Sherry K W , Zhang Bella B B , Fong Kenneth N K , Kranz Georg S
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with theta burst stimulation (i.e. TBS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is an innovative treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, fewer than 50% of patients show sufficient response to this treatment; markers for response prediction are urgently needed. Research shows considerable individual variability in the brain responses to rTMS. However, whether differences in individual DLPFC modulation by rTMS can be used as a predictive marker for treatment response remains to be investigated. Here, we present a research programme that will exploit the combination of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) with brain stimulation. Concurrent TBS/fNIRS will allow us to systematically investigate TBS-induced modulation of blood oxygenation as a proxy for induced brain activity changes. The findings from this study will (1) elucidate the immediate effects of excitatory and inhibitory TBS on prefrontal activity in TBS treatment-naïve patients with MDD and (2) validate the potential utility of TBS-induced brain modulation at baseline for the prediction of antidepressant response to 4 weeks of daily TBS treatment.

Methods and analysis

Open-label, parallel-group experiment consisting of two parts. In part 1, 70 patients and 37 healthy controls will be subjected to concurrent TBS/fNIRS. Intermittent TBS (iTBS) and continuous TBS (cTBS) will be applied on the left and right DLPFC, respectively. fNIRS data will be acquired before, during and several minutes after stimulation. In part 2, patients who participated in part 1 will receive a 4 week iTBS treatment of the left DLPFC, performed daily for 5 days per week. Psychometric evaluation will be performed periodically and at 1 month treatment follow-up. Statistical analysis will include a conventional, as well as a machine learning approach.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. Findings will be disseminated through scientific journals, conferences and university courses.

Trial registration number

NCT04526002.
Dynamic analysis on the epidemic model of infectious diseases using a powerful computational method
Authors: Mohsenian S. , Ghasemi S. E. , Gouran Sina , Zolfagharian Ali
Published: February 2022

In this research, a convenient and effective semi-analytical technique namely the Differential Transformation Method (DTM) is employed to investigate the nonlinear epidemic model. The design of the mathematical model is explained according to five classifications of susceptible, exposed, infective, asymptomatic and recovered people. The corresponding solution points are validated against numerical outcomes. The results reveal a high degree of accuracy for DTM combination with Padé approximation. Moreover, this technique is a promising method to solve various nonlinear equations applicable for epidemic models. The results indicate that by increasing [Formula: see text] parameter, the values of infected individuals are enhanced. Also, it can be concluded that increasing in [Formula: see text] parameter leads to increase of recovered profile.
Propagation of diverse exact solitary wave solutions in separation phase of iron (Fe-Cr − X(X = Mo, Cu)) for the ternary alloys
Authors: Younas U. , Rezazadeh H. , Ren J. , Bilal M.
Published: February 2022

In this paper, a specific consideration is paid to the nonlinear dynamics of solitary waves to kinetics of phase separation in iron [Formula: see text] based on ternary alloys. The convective–diffusive Cahn–Hilliard (CH) equation is used as a mathematical model to describe the dynamics of the separation phase for the ternary alloys of iron. A variety of solitary wave solutions with unknown parameters are extracted in different shapes like kink-type, bell-shape, shock-type, combine soliton, trigonometric, hyperbolic and Jacobi’s elliptic function solutions with the assistant of recently computational tools, namely, extended Fan-sub equation method (EFSEM) and extended auxiliary equation method (EAEM). In addition, 3D, 2D, and their corresponding contour profiles of earned results are sketched in order to observe their dynamics with the choices of involved parameters. On the bases of achieved results, we may claim that the proposed computational methods are direct, dynamics, well organized, and will be useful for solving the more complicated nonlinear problems in diverse areas together with symbolic computations.
Drag and pressure pulsation reduction of a low-specific-speed centrifugal pump by employing bionic structure
Authors: Cui Bao-Ling , Wang Zhen , Zhang Ying-Bin , Han Xiao-Tian
Published: February 2022

To improve the performance of a low-specific-speed centrifugal pump, the bionic structure extracted from the dung beetle was distributed on the blade surface to reduce the drag. The flow fields in the centrifugal pumps with and without the bionic structure blade were calculated based on the RNG [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] turbulence model. The results showed that the bionic structure can reduce the energy loss and improve the hydraulic efficiency of the centrifugal pump, with a maximum increase of 5%. The bionic structure can affect the turbulence structure of the boundary layer near the wall and reduce the blade outlet velocity gradient and wall shear, thereby improving the pressure pulsation characteristics of the centrifugal pump. With the increase in flow, the drag reduction gradually becomes evident for the impeller with a bionic structure.
Hawking radiation from nonrotating singularity-free black holes in conformal gravity
Authors: Zhang Jun , Sun Yuan
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we study the sparsity of Hawking radiation from nonrotating singularity-free black holes in conformal gravity. We give a rigorous bound on the greybody factor for massless scalar field and calculate the sparsity of Hawking radiation from the black hole. Besides, we investigate the dependence of the bound of the greybody factor and the sparsity of Hawking radiation on the conformal parameters, respectively. Our study shows that when the conformal parameters are large, the increase of conformal parameters will lead to a more sparse Hawking radiation, while to a less sparse Hawking radiation if the conformal parameters are small.
Functionalized Fullerenes as Photosynthetic Mimics
Authors: George Thomas K.
Published: February 2022

Photo-induced electron transfer is an important primary event in many chemical and biological systems. In bacterial photosynthesis, the early events involve the trapping of sunlight by antenna complexes, a protein structure containing several bacteriochlorophylls. The singlet excitation energy is then transferred to another membrane-bound protein pigment complex called the reaction center.
Free Achilles tendon strain during selected rehabilitation, locomotor, jumping, and landing tasks
Authors: Devaprakash Daniel , Graham David F. , Barrett Rod S. , Lloyd David G. , Obst Steven J. , Kennedy Ben , Adams Kahlee L. , Kiely Ryan J. , Hunter Adam , Vlahovich Nicole , Pease David L. , Shim Vickie B. , Besier Thor F. , Zheng Minghao , Cook Jill L. , Pizzolato Claudio
Published: February 2022

Our work combines medical imaging and electromyogram-informed neuromusculoskeletal modeling data to estimate free Achilles tendon strain during selected rehabilitation, locomotor, jumping, and landing tasks in trained middle-distance runners. These data may potentially be used to inform Achilles tendon training and rehabilitation to maximize anabolic tendon remodeling.
Hybrid Beamforming Grouping Sum-Rate Maximization Algorithm for Multiuser mmWave Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: Liu Jian , Yang Xuan , Sun Qianfang , Zhang Renmin , Qian Yingjing
Published: February 2022

For multiuser millimeter wave (mmWave) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, the key factor that causes the system sum-rate to change is its interference plus noise, corresponding to the number of base station (BS) antennas and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) variation causing the system sum-rate changes, which in turn affects the user’s communication quality. Based on this, this paper proposes an improved low-complexity hybrid beamforming grouping sum-rate maximization (HBG-SRM) algorithm to achieve system sum-rate maximization under the premise that both BS and user side use hybrid beamforming architecture and the channel state information (CSI) of the downlink channel is perfect. The algorithm first predefines a relevant threshold value, which is used to group multiusers; then, the user uses the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion to identify the optimal beam and estimate its beamforming gain within each group, and finally, the user compares all the candidate optimal beam gains between each group to confirm the optimal beamforming vector. The simulation results also verify the superiority of the proposed algorithm’s sum-rate over other algorithms.
Correlation between hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, ET-1, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Yang Danfen , Wang Li , Jiang Pengfei , Kang Rui , Xie Yuanyuan
Published: February 2022

With the development of society, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common respiratory disease, suffers an increasing incidence. To explore the correlation between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined with pulmonary hypertension (COPD-PH), a total of 112 COPD patients admitted to our hospital from July 2017 to December 2020 were analyzed prospectively, of which 57 patients combined with PH were enrolled in the research group and the other 55 patients without PH were enrolled in the control group. Serum hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, ET-1, blood gas indexes, and related indexes of lung function of the two groups were detected and their correlations were analyzed. The research group was divided into the mild group, moderate group, and heavy group according to pulmonary average arterial pressure, and serum hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, ET-1, and disease severity were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to serum hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, and ET-1 of COPD-PH patients, and independent risk factors for COPD-PH were analyzed. The research group showed significantly higher serum hs-CRP, IL-6, and ET-1 and significantly lower IL-10 expression than the control group (all

P
<
0.05

); serum hs-CRP, IL-6, and ET-1 were negatively correlated with PaO2, FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC and positively correlated with PaCO2; IL-10 was positively correlated with PaO2, FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC and negatively correlated with PaCO2; hs-CRP, IL-6, and ET-1 were positively correlated with COPD-PH severity, and IL-10 was negatively correlated with it. hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, and ET-1 were closely and significantly related to the pathological process of COPD-PH, including onset and development, and the elevation of hs-CRP, IL-6, and ET-1 and decrease of IL-10 are independent risk factors for the onset of COPD-PH. With relatively high predictive value for COPD-PH, hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, and ET-1 can be promoted as predictors for it.
Face Forgery Detection Based on the Improved Siamese Network
Authors: Wang Bo , Li Yucai , Wu Xiaohan , Ma Yanyan , Song Zengren , Wu Mingkan
Published: February 2022

Face tampering is an intriguing task in video/image genuineness identification and has attracted significant amounts of attention in recent years. In this work, we propose a face forgery detection method that consists of preprocessing, an improved Siamese network-based feature extractor (including a feature alignment module), and postprocessing (a voting principle). Roughly speaking, our method extracts the features in the grey space of face/background image pairs and measures the difference to make decisions. Experiments on several standard databases prove the effectiveness of our method, and especially on the low-quality subdataset of the FaceForensics++ , our method achieves a competitive result.
Age-Adjusted D-Dimer in Ruling Out Acute Aortic Syndrome
Authors: Lee Dayeon , Kim Yong Won , Kim Tae Youn , Lee Sanghun , Do Han Ho , Seo Jun Seok , Lee Jeong Hun
Published: February 2022

Background. Recently, D-dimer has been suggested as a biomarker to rule out acute aortic syndrome (AAS). Since it increases with age, this study was conducted to reveal whether an age-adjusted D-dimer can increase diagnostic accuracy in ruling out AAS. Method. A retrospective observational study design was used. Consecutive adult patients who visited an emergency room between January 2015 and September 2020 and who underwent a D-dimer test and computed tomography angiography for suspected AAS were enrolled. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of both the conventional (0.5 μg/ml) and age-adjusted (age × 0.01 in patients >50 years) D-dimer cut-offs. Result. D-dimer was higher in the AAS group (n = 82) than in the non-AAS group (n = 122) (10.85 (3.61–33.12) vs. 0.40 (0.23–1.07), OR: 1.139 (CI: 1.085 – 1.195),

p
<
0.001

). The D-dimer plasma level had an area under the ROC curve of 0.915 (CI: 0.873–0.956) with AAS. At the age-adjusted cutoff point compared to a 0.5 μg/ml cutoff, the sensitivity of 97.6% and the NLR of 0.04 did not change, but the specificity increased by 5.7% to 65.6%, the PPV increased by 3.6% to 65.6%, and the NPV slightly increased by 0.2% to 97.6%. Conclusion. Compared with a conventional method, the age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff may have higher specificity and PPV while maintaining high sensitivity for ruling out AAS.
Experimental Study on Application Performance of Foamed Concrete Prepared Based on a New Composite Foaming Agent
Authors: Qiu Youqiang , Zhang Liujun , Chen Yashao , Liu Yang , Zhang Feng
Published: February 2022

The performance of foaming agent plays a key role in the forming quality of foamed concrete. In order to overcome the limitation of single composition of traditional foaming agent, this paper adopts the research method of multicomponent composite combined with the foaming theory and preparation technology of foaming agent, a new protein composite foaming agent was prepared using a mixture of anionic surfactant (SCA), nonionic surfactant (APG), and foam stabilizer (AR), and then, the effects of different surfactant mass ratios and foam stabilizer concentrations on the properties of composite foaming agent were studied by a series of tests. The results show that the optimal mass ratio of surfactants is mAPG: mSCA = 2 : 1, and the optimal concentration of foam stabilizer is 0.5 g/L, which verified that the self-made composite foaming agent system in this paper has the advantages of strong foaming ability, excellent foam stability, and low cost. In addition, foamed concrete was prepared on the basis of the optimized composite foaming agent system, and the influence rules of different foaming agent solution volumes, water-cement ratios, and diatomite dosages on the performance of foamed concrete were revealed through laboratory tests and SEM images. At the same time, the optimal ratio of each component required for the preparation of high-quality foamed concrete was further obtained by using the response surface analysis of compressive strength. The research results provide an important reference for the preparation of high-performance foamed concrete and corresponding foaming agent, which is beneficial for solving the disadvantages of poor foam stability in the existing foaming agents and improving the application level of foamed concrete in engineering construction.
Classification of Citrus Diseases Using Optimization Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Elaraby Ahmed , Hamdy Walid , Alanazi Saad
Published: February 2022

Most plant diseases have apparent signs, and today’s recognized method is for an expert plant pathologist to identify the disease by looking at infected plant leaves using a microscope. The fact is that manually diagnosing diseases is time consuming and that the effectiveness of the diagnosis is related to the pathologist’s talents, making this a great application area for computer-aided diagnostic systems. The proposed work describes an approach for detecting and classifying diseases in citrus plants using deep learning and image processing. The main cause of decreased productivity is considered to be plant diseases, which results in financial losses. Citrus is an important source of nutrients such as vitamin C all around the world. On the contrary, citrus diseases have a negative impact on the citrus fruit and quality. In the recent decade, computer vision and image processing techniques have become increasingly popular for the detection and classification of plant diseases. The suggested approach is evaluated on the citrus disease image gallery dataset and the combined dataset (citrus image datasets of infested scale and plant village). These datasets were used to identify and classify citrus diseases such as anthracnose, black spot, canker, scab, greening, and melanose. AlexNet and VGG19 are two kinds of convolutional neural networks that were used to build and test the proposed approach. The system’s total performance reached 94% at its best. The proposed approach outperforms the existing methods.
Impact of statin use on major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with normal stress myocardial perfusion imaging and elevated coronary artery calcium score
Authors: To Yi Hui , Tan Xi Min , Low Cher-Lyn , Min Htet Htet , Yew Min Sen
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

Normal stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) carries a favourable prognosis. Conversely, elevated coronary artery calcium (CAC) is associated with increased major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). There is limited information on the prognosis and management of patients with elevated CAC and normal MPI. We aimed to assess the outcomes of patients with elevated CAC and normal MPI in relation to post-MPI statin use.

Methods:

A retrospective review of normal MPI with CAC score >300 was performed between 1 March 2016 and 31 January 2017 in a Singapore tertiary hospital. Patients with known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or left ventricular ejection fraction <50% on MPI were excluded. Patient demographics, prescriptions and MACE (cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and/or ischaemic stroke) at 24 months after MPI were traced using electronic records. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate for independent predictors of MACE.

Results:

We included 311 patients (median age 71 years, 56.3% male), of whom 65.0% were on moderate to high-intensity statins (MHIS) after MPI. MACE was significantly lower in the post-MPI MHIS group (3.5% vs. 9.2%, P = 0.035). On univariate binary logistic regression, post-MPI MHIS use was the only significant predictor for MACE (odds ratio [OR] 0.355 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.131–0.962], P = 0.042), even after multivariate adjustment (adjusted OR 0.363, 95% confidence interval 0.134–0.984, P = 0.046).

Conclusion:

Post-MPI MHIS use is associated with lower MACE and is an independent negative predictor for 24-month MACE among patients with normal MPI and CAC >300.
Calculated parameters for the diagnosis of Wilson disease
Authors: Zulkufli Nada Syazana , Sthaneshwar Pavai , Chan Wah-Kheong
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

The diagnosis of Wilson disease (WD) is plagued by biochemical and clinical uncertainties. Thus, calculated parameters have been proposed. This study aimed to: (a) compare the diagnostic values of non-caeruloplasmin copper (NCC), NCC percentage (NCC%), copper-caeruloplasmin ratio (CCR) and adjusted copper in WD; and (b) derive and evaluate a discriminant function in diagnosing WD.

Methods:

A total of 213 subjects across all ages who were investigated for WD were recruited. WD was confirmed in 55 patients, and the rest were WD free. Based on serum copper and caeruloplasmin values, NCC, NCC%, CCR and adjusted copper were calculated for each subject. A function was derived using discriminant analysis, and the cut-off value was determined through receiver operating characteristic analysis. Classification accuracy was found by cross-tabulation.

Results:

Caeruloplasmin, total copper, NCC, NCC%, CCR, adjusted copper and discriminant function were significantly lower in WD compared to non-WD. Discriminant function showed the best diagnostic specificity (99.4%), sensitivity (98.2%) and classification accuracy (99.1%). Caeruloplasmin levels <0.14 g/L showed higher accuracy than the recommended 0.20 g/L cut-off value (97.7% vs. 87.8%). Similarly, molar NCC below the European cut-off of 1.6 umol/L showed higher accuracy than the American cut-off of 3.9 umol/L (80.3% vs. 59.6%) (P < 0.001). NCC%, mass NCC, CCR and adjusted copper showed poorer performances.

Conclusion:

Discriminant function differentiates WD from non-WD with excellent specificity, sensitivity and accuracy. Performance of serum caeruloplasmin <0.14 g/L was better than that of <0.20 g/L. NCC, NCC%, CCR and adjusted copper are not helpful in diagnosing WD.
A catalog of the Sciomyzidae of Chile, with a key to genera (Diptera: Sciomyzoidea)
Authors: MURPHY WILLIAM L. , GONZÁLEZ CHRISTIAN R. , ELGUETA MARIO
Published: February 2022

A catalog of the Sciomyzidae of Chile is presented. Included are all valid names and synonyms for the 27 species and 11 genera known from Chile, including information about name, author, year of publication, page number, type species, type depository, type locality, and references. Tetanoceroides Malloch is the most species-rich genus in Chile, with seven species, followed by Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, with five species; however, if undescribed species are included, Pherbellia is the most species-rich genus in Chile, with nine species. The geographic distribution of species was determined from examination of bibliographic data and label data on specimens in collections. A key is provided to the genera of Sciomyzidae in Chile.
Covid-19 Pandemic: Response of the Government through Public Policy Mainly Direct Taxation
Authors: Sharma Mritunjaya
Published: February 2022

The sudden occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic affected millions of lives in India. The Indian government inter alia took immediate steps to give relief to the taxpayers under direct tax laws for sustaining their livelihood and to stabilise the economic growth. Post-lockdown, further measures were undertaken to address genuine concerns and hardships of the taxpayers. The suggestions of the international agencies, economic survey, some revenue officers for handling the emerging situation, and policy decisions taken by the direct tax administration pre- and post-Budget 2021 have been examined. Finally, it was found that an ongoing progressive tax structure and administration is the need of the hour for consistent economic growth and human development.
India’s Cooperative Federalism during Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jha Prakash Chandra
Published: February 2022

The role of cooperative federalism in India in dealing with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects such as economic crisis and large-scale human migration, among others, is put to test. The initial stages of the pandemic response highlighted the unitary tilt in the Indian federal structure. At the later stages of this crisis, cooperative federalism also appears to be visible. Nevertheless, the lack of cooperation between the States, and the Centre’s failure to facilitate horizontal federalism without invoking any intergovernmental agency for the purpose has made the lives of migrant workers miserable. An intergovernmental institution such as Inter-Sate Council (ISC) could have been used as a common forum for the Centre and the States for the purpose of both vertical and horizontal cooperative federalism. The pandemic has also brought to the fore the importance of India’s grassroots level of government, though, unfortunately, their potential remains underutilised.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of a Participant of Color From an Open-Label Trial
Authors: Ching Terence H. W. , Williams Monnica T. , Reed Sara J. , Kisicki Michael D. , Wang Julie B. , Yazar-Klosinski Berra , Emerson Amy , Doblin Rick
Published: February 2022

MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) was shown in previous clinical trials to have promising efficacy and safety for alleviating treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, due to low ethnoracial diversity, the question remains as to whether ethnoracial minority participants would benefit similarly. Thus, a mixed-methods case study was conducted on a participant of color from an open-label trial of MDMA-AT for PTSD to provide a culturally informed lens on symptom recovery with this treatment approach. An additional aim was to elucidate mechanisms of change underlying this treatment for the participant. A case profile was provided, documenting quantitative improvement in PTSD symptoms. This was followed by an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of effects and mechanisms of action for this participant, based on integration session transcripts. Results of IPA indicated recurrent themes related to psychological mechanisms of symptom change, reduced PTSD symptoms, and additional effects (positive and negative) beyond PTSD symptom reduction. These themes were discussed and recommendations for attuning to culturally relevant material during MDMA-AT were provided.
State containment and closure of gendered possibilities among a millennial generation: On not knowing Muslim young men
Authors: Mac an Ghaill Mairtin , Haywood Chris
Published: February 2022

Within a British context, the South Asian Muslim community is currently a significant media spectacle with a millennial generation of British-born young men inhabiting public personae that officially are perceived as being a ‘suspect community’. An epistemological assumption of this perception appears to be that religion is the dominant and exclusive social category shaping their behaviour. Using qualitative research that synthesizes postcolonial and critical men’s studies, this article explores how Muslim millennial men are ‘categorically’ contained with accompanying forms of (de)gendering. The article is based upon research with Birmingham-born millennial young men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage, aged 18–25. The research found that a major effect over the last few years of establishing a securitized regime involving ascribed values, reviled violent bodies and designated locations has been to circumscribe the spaces within which Muslim young men are able to perform masculinities in public spheres. The ‘no-go’ spaces of hard physical borders and the increasing complexity of imagined (post-Brexit) borders have imposed racially intensified patterns of stratification in austerity Britain. We conclude by arguing that young men are subjectively negotiating the discursive construction of Muslim identities. This negotiation engages with dynamic dissonances that are (re)constituting their remembering of the past and the living and doing of the present and their imagined futures.
ORDER VS JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Authors: Hama Hawre Hasan
Published: February 2022

This article analyzes the Kurdish question in the Middle East from the English School perspective in international relations. The central argument is that the international community consistently deals with the Kurdish question through the principle of order rather than justice. It has respected the sovereignty of those nation‐states hosting the Kurds rather than protecting the Kurdish population from grave human rights violations. Consequently, the Kurds have failed to achieve a semblance of autonomy, let alone independence. However, I argue that while the implementation of the no‐fly‐zone over northern Iraq in 1991 by the international community is a case for justice, it is not necessarily a case against the principle of order. In other words, the international community only dealt with the Kurdish issue using the principle of justice when implementing the 1991 no‐fly‐zone—but, notably, this was not against the principle of order.
Technology-Enhanced Communities of Practice in an Asynchronous Graduate Course
Authors: Kerrigan John , Andres Debbie
Published: February 2022

Many undergraduate and graduate courses have been recently converted to fully remote offerings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even within the remote structure, courses vary in their frequency of synchronous and asynchronous meetings. Fostering collaboration through students’ idea-sharing and supporting their learning is especially challenging in the asynchronous setting where it is challenging to replicate in-person communities of practice. This is especially the case in courses that are very theoretical and have traditionally relied on discussion boards for engaging students asynchronously. This paper aims to contribute to the research on technology-enhanced communities of practice by offering examples of digital discourse among peers that can be implemented asynchronously, including social annotations and jointly-developed slideshows with voice annotation. These methods allow for higher-quality interaction between learners, between learners and content, and between learners and the instructor.