bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of APS-HVOF Bond Coating Thickness Ratio on TBC Furnace Cycle Lifetime
Authors: Lance Michael J. , Kane K. A. , Pint B. A.
Published: May 2022

Combinations of NiCoCrAlY APS and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) bond coatings were deposited on alloy 247 disk substrates with APS yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coatings to assess the benefit of air plasma sprayed (APS) ‘flash’ bond coatings. Using 1-h cycles at 1100°C in air with 10% H2O and HVOF-only and APS-only bond coatings as a baseline, it was found that APS flash coatings extended the average coating lifetime by 16–35% with the thicker flash coating performing best. Principal component analysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) compositional mapping on coatings characterized after 0, 100, 300 and 500 cycles and after failure showed that the Al in the bond coatings was depleted due to both oxidation and back diffusion into the substrate. The APS-only bond coating had significant oxidation throughout the bond coating and was so depleted in Al, that Al diffused from the substrate to the coating. Residual stress maps of the thermally-grown alumina scale were obtained every 100 cycles using photo-stimulated luminescence piezospectroscopy (PLPS) revealing that the thick flash coating had the slowest rate of damage accumulation in the oxide scale.
D-shaped surface plasmon photonic crystal fiber temperature sensor
Authors: Wang Shutao , Lu Yuhong , Ma Wenbo , Liu Na , Fan Shuanhe
Published: May 2022

This work presents a D-shaped photonic crystal fiber temperature sensor based on surface plasmon resonance with high sensitivity and high figure of merit. To enhance surface plasmon resonance, the gold film is deposited on the polished flat of D-shaped photonic crystal fiber. Ethanol and chloroform are employed as temperature-sensitive materials, which are placed on the outside of the fiber to detect temperature changes. When the phase-matching condition is met, the core mode couples with the surface plasma mode, resulting in energy transfer. The finite element method is used to perform all numerical simulations of sensor characteristics in the COMSOL software. The results show that the highest sensitivity of the sensor can reach 6.36 nm/°C, and the maximum figure of merit (FOM) is 0.3440/°C between − 5 ℃ and 60°C. To our knowledge, the achieved sensing characteristics are significantly better than those of the current PCF temperature sensors. Furthermore, excellent linearity with a polynomial fit R2 of up to 0.9981. The proposed sensor has exceptional performance in terms of temperature detection range, sensitivity, FOM and fabrication, making it suitable for a wide variety of biochemical and medical applications.
Radiomics predicts the EGFR mutation and subtypes in metastatic lung adenocarcinoma: a multi-center study
Authors: Cao Ran , Dong Yue , Wang Huan , Wang Hongbo , Zhao Peng , Luo Yahong , Jiang Wenyan
Published: May 2022

Purpose: To investigate the use of multiparameter MRI-based radiomics in the in-depth prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and subtypes based on the spinal metastasis in patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma.Methods: A primary cohort was conducted with 257 patients who pathologically confirmed spinal bone metastasis from the first center between Feb. 2016 and Oct. 2020. An external cohort was developed with 42 patents from the second center between Apr. 2017 and Jun. 2021. All patients underwent sagittal T1-weighted imaging (T1W) and sagittal fat-suppressed T2-weight imaging (T2FS) MRI imaging. Radiomics features were extracted and selected to build radiomics signatures (RSs). Machine learning classify with 5-fold cross-validation were used to establish radiomics models for predicting the EGFR mutation and subtypes. Clinical characteristics were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U and Chi-Square tests to identify the most important factors. Nomogram models were developed integrating the RSs and important clinical factors.Results: The RSs derived from T1W showed better performance for predicting the EGFR mutation and subtypes compared with those from T2FS in terms of AUC, accuracy and specificity. The nomogram models integrating RSs from combination of the two MRI sequences and important clinical factors achieved the best prediction capabilities in the training (AUCs, EGFR vs. Exon 19 vs. Exon 21, 0.829 vs. 0.885 vs.0.919), internal validation (AUCs, EGFR vs. Exon 19 vs. Exon 21, 0.760 vs. 0.777 vs.0.811), external validation (AUCs, EGFR vs. Exon 19 vs. Exon 21, 0.780 vs. 0.846 vs.0.818). DCA curves indicated potential clinical values of the radiomics models.Conclusions: This study indicated potentials of multi-parametric MRI-based radiomics to assess the EGFR mutation and subtypes. The proposed clinical-radiomics nomogram models can be considered as non-invasive tools to assist clinicians in making individual treatment plans.
Time-varying Comprehensive Evaluation Technology of CNC Machine Tool RMS Based on Improved ADC Model
Authors: Li YuLong , Liu Shengquan , Li Junfa , Li Donglong , Zhang Genbao
Published: May 2022

The quality of CNC (computer numerical control) machine tool is the key to the survival of manufacturing enterprises. How to comprehensively and accurately evaluate and analyze its quality is very important for the timely discovery and improvement of machine tool defects. The current research either only evaluates and analyzes a certain quality characteristic of CNC machine tool, or ignores the dynamic nature of CNC machine tool quality parameters, which reduces the accuracy of quality analysis results. To address this problem, firstly, reliability, maintainability and supportability were taken as the comprehensive evaluation indexes of CNC machine tool quality characteristics, so as to improve the comprehensiveness of the analysis. Secondly, on the basis of considering the dynamic characteristics of machine tool reliability, the ADC (availability, dependability, capability) model was improved to obtain a comprehensive quality evaluation index function E RMS with time-varying characteristics. Finally, the characteristics of E RMS were analyzed, and its specific evaluation criteria were also given. Several CNC machine tools were tracked, and the method proposed in this paper was applied. The E RMS of the machine tools was obtained, and its characteristics were analyzed. The results verify the correctness of the proposed method, and provide theoretical basis and technical support for the improvement of the quality of CNC machine tool and the market competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises.
Selenium-enriched and ordinary black teas regulate the metabolism of glucose and lipid and intestinal flora of hyperglycemic mice
Authors: Shang Lutong , Li Fanglan , Zhu Jiangxiong , Sun Chuanwen , Wang Yuanfeng
Published: May 2022

Black tea is one of the six major tea categories and has a variety of bioactivities. However, little is known about its comprehensive evaluation of hypoglycemic effects and potential mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the in vivo hypoglycemic activity and potential mechanism for aqueous extracts of ordinary black tea (BT) and selenium-enriched black tea (Se-BT) by using an established high-fat diet together with streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic mouse model. Additionally, we also explored their α-glucosidase inhibition activity. The results show that both BT and Se-BT had a favorable glycosidase inhibitory activity. Moreover, the intervention of BT and Se-BT could regulate the mRNA expression and the level of serum parameters related to glucose and lipid metabolisms. Accordingly, they could activate the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway and alleviate insulin resistance (IR) and hyperglycemia. Moreover, supplementation of BT and Se-BT increased the richness and diversity of intestinal flora and altered the abundance of beneficial and harmful bacteria. Both BT and Se-BT could regulate glucose metabolism, alleviate tissue damage, and restore intestinal flora dysbiosis, suggesting that they could be used as a natural functional food for preventing hyperglycemia.
Identification of a homozygous mutation in the ABHD5 gene in two non-consanguineous Iranian-Azari Turkish families with Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome
Authors: Saei Hassan , Jabbarpour Neda , Radmehr Afsaneh , Bonyadi Mortaza
Published: May 2022

Background: Chanarin-Dorfman Syndrome (CDS) is a rare autosomal recessive type of Non-bullous Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma (NCIE) caused by mutations in the ABHD5. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on a 4-year-old boy born to a non- consanguineous marriage. This boy had developed skin dryness and scaling. Two other individuals from a related family with non-consanguineous marriage also shared the same clinical manifestations. DNAs were extracted from the blood samples of all the three affected individuals and subjected to PCR-Sanger sequencing to confirm the WES results. Results: WES data analysis identified a single nucleotide (C) insertion at the position of 594 (c.594dup) at exon 4 of the ABHD5 gene in homozygous state. This mutation, disturbing the vital domain (α/β hydrolase fold domain) of the encoded protein and also not being observed in our control population nor being reported in any other population database, is classified as a pathogenic mutation. PCR-Sanger sequencing data analysis confirmed the WES result and also showed that the two other affected individuals carried the same mutation in homozygous state. Parents were carriers for the mutation. Conclusions: An insertion (c.594dup) mutation resulting in a frameshift and creating an early stop codon at the ABHD5 gene and ultimately removing an essential domain of the encoded protein, is associated with dry skin, hepatomegaly, subsequent elevations in liver enzymes, and the buildup of lipid vacuoles in white blood cells. Observed different clinical manifestations in two studied-family members could be due to modifier genes and/or the gender impact.
Herbivory promotes more negative plant-soil feedbacks particularly for legumes and forbs
Authors: Kelsey Scott , Malacrinò Antonino , Marrero Matthew , Snyder Karen , Alabyadh Wed , Bingman James , Borrero Isabella , Chappidi Chandu , Darling Danielle , Fulton Vannessa , Harris Kristian , Huynh Christine , Lin Xin , Moore Brianna , Roach Bryan , Heinze Johannes , Bennett Alison
Published: May 2022

Purpose Plant-soil feedbacks and herbivory impact plant growth. We conducted a meta-analysis to test for an interaction between plant-soil feedbacks and herbivory, including effects on the magnitude and direction of feedbacks and the biomass or growth of herbivores. Methods Our literature search identified 244 studies to address our first question about herbivore impacts on plant-soil feedbacks as well as 179 studies to address our second question about plant-soil impacts on herbivores. We developed a database, calculated plant-soil feedback values for each study, then calculated Hedge’s D values for 1) the difference in plant-soil feedback values with and without herbivory for plants, and 2) the difference between home and away soils for insects. Results We found an overall significant weak negative effect of herbivory on plantsoil feedbacks, and effects differed between plant functional type. In legumes herbivory changed the outcome of plant-soil feedbacks from positive to negative, in forbs it further decreased negative feedbacks, and grasses were unaffected. We also found soil preconditioned in the lab produced consistently negative feedbacks whereas there was no significant change for soil preconditioned in the field. By contrast, there was no significant overall effect of plant-soil feedbacks on herbivores. Conclusion This first meta-analysis of the impact of herbivores on plant-soil feedbacks and vice versa identified an important potential role of plant functional type in determining the impact of conditioned soil on the magnitude and direction of feedbacks as well as some clear gaps that need to be addressed experimentally.
Safety of online MR-based adaptive ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy for prostate cancer in China: Preliminary analysis of data from a phase II trial
Authors: Lu Ning-Ning , Han Su-Jun , Tian Yuan , Qin Shi-Rui , Guan You-Yan , Wang Dong , Xiao Ze-Jun , Shou Jian-Zhong , Xiao Zhen-Dong , Song Song-Wen , Xia Wen-Long , Yan Ling-Ling , Xing Nian-Zeng , Li Ye-Xiong
Published: May 2022

Background This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of online adapt-to-shape (ATS) workflow for prostate cancer patients on 1.5-T MR linac in China. Methods This prospective phase II study enrolled patients with localized or oligometastatic prostate cancer. Ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy (UHF-RT) with dose of 36.25-40 Gy in five fractions was delivered every other day. After each fraction, feasibility and tolerability of the treatment were assessed. The primary endpoints were acute grade 2 or above genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities after up to 12 weeks follow-up.Results From March 2021 to November 2021, 26 patients were enrolled (23 with localized prostate cancer, 3 with oligometastatic prostate cancer). For all fractions, the online ATS plans met the dose criteria for both the target volume and normal tissues. The median on-couch time was 55 (34-95) minutes and 39 (24-50) minutes with T2WI 6-minute sequence and 2-minute sequence scans, respectively. For 98.4% fractions, treatment was well tolerated. Twenty-four patients completed treatment and were followed-up for at least 2 weeks. Grade 2 or above GU and GI toxicities occurred in 33.3% and 8.3% patients, respectively; two patients had RTOG grade 3 GU toxicity (hourly nocturia). IPSS remained unchanged during UHF-RT, increased from week 2 (mean, 9.1) to week 4 (mean, 12.4), and then gradually decreased at week 6. Patient-reported urinary and bowel scores were consistent with IPSS.Conclusions UHF-RT with ATS workflow is well tolerated by patients with localized and oligometastatic prostate cancer, with only moderate GU and mild GI toxicities. Trial Registration: NCT05183074, ChiCTR2000033382
Patients’ Attitudes Towards Robotic Gynaecological Surgery
Authors: Ismail Aemn , McDermott Hilary , Moss Esther
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Robotic gynaecological surgery (RS) has become established in many countries, however has been reported to be associated with feelings of apprehension and anxiety pre-operatively in a proportion of patients. Objectives: To investigate patients’ understanding and perceptions towards RS and to explore whether age, ethnicity and educational background influenced attitudes.Methods: A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews of patients who had undergone RS for a gynaecological condition. Purposeful sampling was used to obtain views from a wide demographic range. Interviews were audio-recorded and continued until data saturation. Results: The majority of participants reported very little knowledge of RS. Younger participants were more prepared to accept new technology compared to older patients. Many participants stated that written pre-operative information leaflets did not adequately describe the robotic set up and procedure, leading to anxiety and information seeking from alternative sources. The use of videos or models to visually demonstrate how the surgery would be performed and the interaction between the surgeon and the robot were proposed to address patients’ pre-operative information needs.Conclusion: This study gives a detailed insight as to how RS is perceived by patients and the impact of age and educational background on attitudes towards the introduction of new technology in surgery. It also provides an understanding of patients' information needs before RS.
Bile Microbiome in Patients with Recurrent Common Bile Duct Stones and correlation with the Duodenal Microbiome
Authors: Lee Jungnam , Park Jin-Seok , Bae Jaewoong , Lee Sohee , Hwang Yeonju
Published: May 2022

BackgroundCholedocholithiasis is highly prevalent in western populations, and stone recurrence is a common late adverse event after ERCP in patients with common bile duct (CBD) stones. Previous studies have reported that the recurrence rate of bile duct stones ranges from 4 to 24%. In this preliminary study, we compared the bile fluid and duodenum microbial profiles of patients with or without recurrent CBD stones to identify risk factors associated with recurrence. MethodsBile fluid samples of 47 consecutive patients who underwent ERCP for biliary diseases were subjected to microbiome analysis. Nineteen patients were stone recurrent (SR), and 28 patients were non-stone recurrent (NSR). Paired samples (duodenum biopsy tissue and bile fluid samples) from 5 SR patients were used to compare microbiome compositions in the biliary system and duodenum. In addition, we compared the microbiome compositions of these duodenal tissue samples with those 12 controls (gastric ulcer patients without recurrent CBD stones).ResultsPatient baseline characteristics were similar in the SR and NSR groups. Enterococcaceae_unclassified and enterococcus were more abundant in bile fluid in the SR group than in the NSR group (p=0.002 and p=0.003, respectively). A comparison of the microbiome compositions of duodenum tissue and bile fluid samples of the 5 recurrent CBD stone patients revealed proteobacteria compositions were almost identical from the phylum to genus level. In these 5 patients, alpha and beta diversities were no different in bile fluid and duodenal tissues. Furthermore, a comparison of the microbiome compositions of duodenal mucosa in patients with recurrent CBD stone patients (n=5) and controls (n=12) revealed significant differences between microbiome compositions.ConclusionsEnterococcus seems to contribute to CBD stone development. Furthermore, our results indicate retrograde migration of the duodenal microbiome may contribute to bile microbiome alterations. We recommend that more research be conducted to confirm this hypothesis.
Learning from Citation: Interpretable Patent Valuation via Conditional Variational Autoencoder
Authors: Kuo Chuan-Wei , Chen Bo-Yu , Hung Chih-Chieh , Peng Wen-Chih , Su Hsin-Ning
Published: May 2022

Patent value prediction is one of the most fundamental components in many applications for knowledge value retrieval. It is important in medical and high-tech fields and crucial in commercial legal proceedings. Since the patent citation relationship has been proven to be one of the most critical factors affecting the value of a patent. Hence, extracting such a citation relationship becomes an essential process. However, extracting the citation relationship between patent documents is still challenging because patent relationship updates frequently. This paper embeds the citation relationship from the patent's Cross Relationship Network (CRN) via the Conditional Variational Autoencoder (CVAE) into prediction tasks. This is the first attempt to leverage the deep generative model to extract a patent's citation relationship into a patent valuation prediction task. Moreover, we also design an interpretable mechanism to judge the goodness. Our approach shows a significant positive effect on refining the prediction of patent value and can enormously assist the Intellectual Property (IP) valuation. We also demonstrate the importance of utilizing patent CRN for extracting the citation relationship. After verifying real-world data, our proposed method shows outstanding results in valuing the newly granted patents by prediction models. In addition, the code and dataset employed in this research will be available to the research community.
Exploring Household medicine waste in Iraq
Authors: Al-Jalehawi Ahmad , Al-Zidan Radhwan Nidal , Al-Mahmood Sumayah , Azeez Ali , Fakhreldin Laith
Published: May 2022

Purpose: This study aims to explore household medicine wastes and their storage and disposal behavior in Iraq. This is a cross-sectional study conducted through an online questionnaire. Method: This is a cross-sectional study using an online form. The study collected data on the demographic of precipitants, the quantity and class of medication wastes, and the method of eliminating and discarding behaviors in Iraq. Results: A total of 742 house reports were included. There were 22,072 waste items in total. Paracetamol was the highest medication wasted (10.7%) product. The overall number of expired medications was 5332, with anti-infectives accounting for the biggest share (10.4 %). The majority of the expired drugs (78.1 %) were discarded in the garbage, whereas (61.7 %) of non-expired wastes are retained for future use. Among the various potential factors evaluated as a source of waste and expired drugs, 21.9 % were attributed to patient improvement. Regarding the storage sites, the refrigerator was the primary location. Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a large volume of domestic pharmaceutical waste which discarded in unplanned and harmful ways.
Long-term (11+ years) efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy as a stand-alone bariatric procedure: a single center retrospective observational study
Authors: Kehagias Ioannis , Bellou Aggeliki , Kehagias Dimitrios , Markopoulos George , Amanatidis Theofilos , Alexandrou Andreas , Albanopoulos Konstantinos , Lampropoulos Charalampos
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is currently the most commonly performed bariatric procedure worldwide. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of SG as a stand-alone bariatric procedure.Methods: A single center retrospective analysis of 104 patients who underwent SG as a stand-alone bariatric procedure between January 2005 and December 2009. Weight loss, weight regain, remission or improvement of comorbidities, and the new onset of comorbidities were the main outcomes of the study.Results: At a mean follow-up of 13.4 years, % excess body weight loss (%EBWL), % excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) and % total body weight loss (%TBWL) were 59 ± 25, 69 ± 29 and 29 ± 12, respectively. Approximately two third of patients (67.3%) maintained an %EBWL of > 50 at the last follow-up. The percentage of patients who experienced significant weight regain ranged from 47% to 64%, depending on the definition used for weight regain. The rate of improvement or remission of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea and degenerative joint disease at a mean follow-up of 13.4 years was 40%, 94.7%, 70%, 100% and 42.9%, respectively. The new onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the same period was 43%.Conclusion: Our data support that SG results in long-lasting weight loss in the majority of patients and acceptable rates of remission or improvement of comorbidities. Weight regain and GERD may be issues of particular concern during long-term follow-up after SG.
The population of Zambia: past, present and future
Authors: Moyo Nkuye , Nanyangwe-Moyo Tina , Mapoma Chabila C. , Munkombwe Brain , Phiri Million , Banda Andrew , Wu Jilei , Qiao Xiaochun
Published: May 2022

BackgroundThe population size, age structure, and the changes thereof have significant effects on a country’s social, economic and political dispensation. Understanding future fertility and mortality trends is key in forecasting future population patterns and levels; an outcome crucial for planning for the changing population age structure, economic and social needs as well as the geopolitical space. In this paper, we used fertility, mortality and migration forecasts from expert opinions to project the population of Zambia from the year 2015 to 2060 and consequently discuss what this may mean in terms of implications both for population programming and policy changes.MethodsIn order to project Zambia’s future population size, PADIS INT, a deterministic modelling tool capable of supporting multi-scenario and multi-group forecasts with extensive horizons was used. Projections were split into three variant-based scenarios, which included – a reference scenario also called medium, alternative scenarios (plunge and enhanced) – based on the rate of change of fertility, mortality and migration. Results The medium scenario projects the population growth rate at 2% per annum in 2060, a drop of about 0.8% percentage points from the 2015 growth rate. The medium variant shows further that the population will reach a high of 49.4 million people in 2060 representing a 2.1 times increase in population size from the base of 16.1 million people in 2015. Our findings also indicate a shifting age structure in the medium scenario from 3% to 6% of the population age 65 years and above. Overall dependency ratio will reduce from 92% to 61% while old age dependency will increase from 5.8% to 9.7% between 2015 and 2060. TFR would reduce from 4.8 in 2020 to 3.2 in 2060 and RNI from 29% to 20% during the same time interval. The medium scenario projects that a bit more people are likely to leave Zambia with a net migration of 62 persons per 100,000 population in 2020 and 43 persons per 100,000 population in 2060. ConclusionsThese results show that while the population will increase significantly for the period in question, fertility will continue to reduce; these results are consistent in both the reference and alternative scenarios. These results may be indicative of improvements in female education attainment, female participation in remunerable work, as well as better sexual and reproductive health and rights. Continued population growth has other several policy implications for the social, economic and political development of Zambia. Such population projections as conducted in this paper ideally supplement conventional data collection processes necessary for national development planning and policy space adjustment.
A dynamic domain ontology model based on the optimal matching method of network news
Authors: Xi Xiaotao , Chen Ming , Zhu Juezhang
Published: May 2022

The method of constructing domain ontology (DO) models is one of the hot issues in ontology research. At present, researchers have conducted in-depth research on the theory and application of ontology construction from their own research fields and obtained abundant research results. However, it is still a puzzle to construct DO models by mining semantic information in web news. Based on the analysis of network news data, this paper proposed a dynamic DO model based on the concept of semantic information optimization and matching and designs an ontology structure updating algorithm according to the relationship between semantic triple concept and pattern to ensure the ability of ontology to keep learning new data structures. Experiments showed that the coverage rate of the ontology model exceeded 70% when processing news data, and it can extract different semantic information of a certain topic news fact, proving the effectiveness of semi-automatic construction of network news DO.
Tree - open grassland mosaics drive the herbaceous structure and diversity in Mediterranean wood pastures
Authors: Ibañez Mercedes , Chocarro Cristina , Leiva María José , Sebastià Maria-Teresa
Published: May 2022

Mediterranean wood pastures are seminatural savannahlike agroecosystems that result from traditional silvopastoral practices, which shaped these systems into a mosaic of trees and open grassland. However, traditional silvo-pastoral uses are declining with the implications that this may have on the herbaceous layer, which is a very diverse and valuable resource. Here, we aim at assessing the influence of the tree – open grassland mosaic on the structure, diversity, and composition of the herbaceous layer. Specifically, assessing the canopy effect (a) under representative Iberian canopy types, considering traditional Quercus species stands and Pinus pinea plantations at different locations; and (b) along seasonality. For that purpose, we carried out vegetation surveys in Mediterranean wood pastures of the south SouthWest of the Iberian Peninsula. Our results show that the different components of the herbaceous layer performed differential responses to the presence/absence of tree canopies, as for instance shows the dominance of grasses under the canopy, while legumes and forbs were favoured in the open grassland. Also, the study plots differed in their composition of species and species richness, with a certain a reduction in the species richness in the plot dominated by P. pinea compared to plots dominated by Quercus species. The canopy effect was more pronounced at the more environmentally constrained location. Such canopy effects were generally more pronounced in spring than in autumn. In conclusion, it is highly advisable preserve the tree – open grassland mosaic and traditional Quercus species stands to maximize and preserve plant specific and functional diversity and ecosystem functionality.
In Vivo, Antifungal Property of Aqueous Extracts of Nephrolepis Cordifolia on the Plant Solanum Lycopersicum
Authors: Zala Priyanka zala
Published: May 2022

Plants are an important source of medicine, food, and nutrition’s. Pteridophytes, which is commonly known as ferns contains leaflets, stem and rhizome does not produce fruits and seed but reproduce by spores, the spores are consists of sours. Its vascular plants grow in damp, shady areas. The present study is aimed at investigating the antifungal properties of three selected solutions. The aerial parts of the selected ferns N. cordifolia, were used in different solutions of 50%, 70% and 90% these were more effective than the controls tested. Present study suggests that the pteridophytes N. cordifolia could be good source of antimicrobials and antifungals. The above findings advocate further investigations of the extracts from various parts the species of Nephrolepis to identify the active constituents.
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) to predict outcome and differentiate between viral and bacterial pneumonia in the intensive care unit: a retrospective study
Authors: Ng Wincy Wing-Sze , Lam Sin-Man , Yan Wing-Wa , Shum Hoi-Ping
Published: May 2022

Purpose Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) are emerging biomarkers to predict outcome in general ward patients. However, their role in the prognostication of critically ill patients with pneumonia is unclear. Material and Methods 216 adult patients were enrolled over 2 years. They were classified into viral and bacterial pneumonia groups, represented by influenza A virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. Demographics, outcomes, and laboratory parameters were analysed. The prognostic power of blood parameters was determined by their respective area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Their performance was compared with the APACHE IV score. Discriminant ability in differentiating viral and bacterial aetiologies was studied. Results Viral and bacterial pneumonia were identified in 111 and 105 patients, respectively. In predicting hospital mortality, the APACHE IV score was the best prognostic score compared with all the studied blood parameters (AUC 0.769, 95% CI 0.705-0.833). In classification tree analysis, the most significant predictor of hospital mortality was the APACHE IV score (adjusted P=0.000, χ2 = 35.591). Mechanical ventilation was associated with higher hospital mortality in those patients with low APACHE IV score <=70 (adjusted P=0.014, χ2 = 5.999). In patients with high APACHE IV score >90, age (>78, adjusted P=0.007, χ2 = 11.221) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count <=128, adjusted P=0.004, χ2 = 12.316) were predictive of higher hospital mortality. Conclusion Novel inflammatory biomarkers were not comparable to the APACHE IV score in predicting hospital mortality. In differentiation between viral and bacterial pneumonia, there is no ideal biomarker.
Exploring the definition, measurement, and reporting of engagement in remote measurement studies for physical and mental health symptom tracking: A systematic review
Authors: White Katie M , Williamson Charlotte , Bergou Nicol , Oetzmann Carolin , de Angel Valeria , Matcham Faith , Henderson Claire , Hotopf Matthew
Published: May 2022

BackgroundRemote Measurement Technologies (RMTs) could revolutionise management of chronic health conditions by providing real-time symptom tracking. However, the promise of RMTs relies on user engagement, which at present is variably reported in the field. This review aimed to synthesise the RMT literature to identify how and to what extent engagement is defined, measured, and reported, and to present recommendations for the standardisation of future work.MethodsSeven databases (Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO (via Ovid), PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched in July 2020 for papers using RMT apps for symptom monitoring in adults with a health condition, prompting users to track at least three times during the study period. Data were synthesised using critical interpretive synthesis.ResultsA total of 76 papers met the inclusion criteria. Sixty five percent of papers did not include a definition of engagement. Thirty five percent included both a definition and measurement of engagement. Four synthetic constructs were developed for measuring engagement: i) engagement with the research protocol, ii) objective RMT engagement, iii) subjective RMT engagement, and iv) interactions between objective and subjective RMT engagement.DiscussionThe field is currently impeded by incoherent measures and a lack of consideration for engagement definitions. A process for implementing the reporting of engagement in study design is presented, alongside a framework for definition and measurement options available. Future work should consider engagement with RMTs as distinct from the wider eHealth literature, and measure objective versus subjective RMT engagement.RegistrationThis review has been registered on PROSPERO [CRD42020192652].
Remote sensing exploration of Fullerene bearing Shungite in Mangampet baryte mines, India
Authors: Rejith R. G. , Sundararajan M. , Mohammed‑Aslam M. A. , Verma Sarika , Srivast AK
Published: May 2022

The fullerene (C60) is economically significant due to its significant applications in diverse areas like nanochemistry, superconductivity, materials science, etc. The carbon allotrope fullerene C60 and C70 are identified within the thick sequence of black carbonaceous units belonging to the shungite suite of rock at the baryte mine, Mangampet, Andhra Pradesh. Since this is the first of its kind from India's geological material, the exploration of fullerenes enriched barytes from the mines at Mangampet in the Kadapa district is essential. In the present study, remote sensing techniques such as hyperspectral analysis followed by Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used for exploring the presence of fullerene bearing baryte deposits in the Mangampet mine. The detailed characterisation of structure and chemistry of the baryte samples were carried out using techniques like Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry analyses confirm fullerene presence in baryte deposits. The retention time at 11.783-11.822 min obtained from HPLC and high-intensity rate m/z at 720.178 obtained from MALDI spectra suggest fullerene in baryte mine deposits. The remote sensing exploration of fullerene bearing shungite suite of rocks in baryte mineral deposits of Mangampet mine has opened up new research areas for converting this material into value-added products.
Effectiveness and safety of Daixie Decoction granules combined with metformin for the treatment of T2DM patients with obesity: study protocol for a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicentre clinical trial
Authors: Liu zhidong , Zhang Kepei , Zhang Jianpin , Wang Fei , Zhou Yang , Wang Lin , Wang Miao , Zhang Yi , Zhou Shigao
Published: May 2022

Background:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with obesity is a glycolipid metabolism disorder, which makes hypoglycaemic treatment more complex and increases the proportion of multidrug combinations. In addition, patients are more prone to adverse reactions and gradually lose compliance with treatment. Previous clinical trials have demonstrated that Daixie Decoction granules (DDG) can reduce body weight and blood lipids and improve the quality of life of T2DM with obesity. But there are lack of further evaluations for the efficacy and safety of DDG combined with metformin.
Methods/design:
The study is designed as a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants who meet the Nathrow criteria will be randomly assigned to the intervention group and control group (n1 = n2 = 133). Based on a unified diet control and exercise therapy, the intervention group will be treated with DDG and metformin, and the control group will be treated with DDG placebo and metformin. All subjects will receive a 6-month treatment followed by a 6-month follow-up. Changes in glycosylated haemoglobin and weight will serve as the main therapeutic indexes. The secondary therapeutic evaluation indexes include fasting plasma glucose, blood lipids, C-peptides, insulin, inflammatory factors, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and the subcutaneous and visceral fat content in the upper abdomen measured by MRI. Blood routine, urine routine, stool routine, liver and kidney function, EKG and other safety indicators and major adverse reactions were monitored during total treatment and follow-up time.
Discussion:
We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of DDG combined with metformin for the treatment of T2DM patients with obesity
Trial registration number
Trial registration: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2000036290. Registered 22 August 2014, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx? proj = 59001.
Underfive Mortality and Associated Factors among Children Born from 15-49 Years Old Mothers in Haramaya Town, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Ahmed Mohammed , Demena Melake , Teklemariam Zelalem , Desalew Assefa , Assefa Nega
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUNDGlobally, since 2000, a decline in the underfive mortality rate has been recorded, indicating that over 50 million children’s lives have been saved. More than 80 countries globally, specifically 69 developing nations, have reduced the underfive mortality by half since 2000. In the eastern part of Ethiopia, evidence from the Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the Kersa district of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, suggested a decline in the underfive mortality rate from 131.8 per 1000 live births in 2008 to 77.4 per 1000 live births in 2013. The death rates still remain far from the Sustainable Development Goals’ target reduction to 25 or less per 1000 live births by 2030. However, the magnitude and determinants of underfive mortalities have not been studied in Haramaya town.OBJECTIVETo assess the underfive mortality rate and its associated factors among children born from 7th August 2015 to 6th August 2020 in Haramaya town, east Ethiopia, by 7th–31st August 2020.METHODOLOGYA quantitative cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on 391 pairs of 15- to 49-year-old mothers and their live-born underfive children selected using a systematic random sampling technique from Haramaya town to compare child mortality between the <=24 and >=25 mother’s age groups. Data were collected using an interview-based questionnaire, double entered into EpiData 3.1, and then exported to the statistical package for social sciences program version 20.0 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis (p value <0.20) was performed to examine the crude association of predictors with underfive mortality, and then multiple logistic regression analysis (p value <0.05) was performed to measure the statistical association.RESULTSThe deaths of 28 out of 372 live births resulted in an underfive mortality rate of 75 per 1000 live births. Children born in households with fewer than 6 members had 7. 98 times higher odds of dying than those born in households with at least 6 members (AOR =7.98, 95% CI =1.59-40.17). Those children who did not feed colostrum were associated with a 17.45 times increased risk of underfive deaths compared to colostrum-fed children (AOR =17.45, 95% CI =6.54-46.55).CONCLUSIONThe study suggests that 75 per 1000 live births die before celebrating their fifth birth day. Household size and colostrum feeding are significantly associated factors.RECOMMENDATIONAll concerned should inform the mothers of the role of identified factors such as household size and colostrum feeding in child survival.
Thermochemical liquefaction of wheat straw in sub- and supercritical tetralin
Authors: Evstaf‘ev S. N. , Fomina E. S. , Tiguntceva N. P.
Published: May 2022

The present work investigates the thermochemical conversion of wheat straw biomass in a suband supercritical tetralin medium. The experiment was carried out in a batch reactor at 285, 330, 380, 420 and 460 °C for 10 minutes. The process of straw liquefaction in subcritical tetralin was characterised by relatively high efficiency. At 420 °C, the biomass conversion rate amounted to 98.2% a.d.m. The maximum yield of liquid products during liquefaction (81.6% a.d.m.) was obtained at 380 °C. The liquid products were fractionated by successive extraction with hexane, water and ethanol. According to GC-MS data, the liquefaction products soluble in hexane comprised a mixture of low-molecular weight degradation products of straw components and tetralin derivatives, including methyl esters of fatty acids, aromatic compounds, alkanes and minor alcohols and ketones. When the process temperature increased, the content of esters diminished, followed by an increment in the proportion of aromatic compounds up to 50% rel. No esters and phenolic compounds were present in the liquefaction products soluble in hexane obtained at 460 °C. Dehydrogenation, alkylation and isomerisation of tetralin with the formation of naphthalene, 1,4-dihydronaphthalene and alkyl derivatives of tetralin, naphthalene and indane occurred under the given conditions. The conducted comparative analysis of infrared spectra for straw and solid products of liquefaction suggested that, at temperatures of up to 330 °C, the process of polysaccharide fragmentation is more pronounced in the straw biomass, while, at higher temperatures, the process of lignin fragmentation prevails. As a result, the IR-spectrum of the solid product obtained at 380 °C revealed weakly pronounced absorption bands of alkylaromatic structural fragments. At the same time, only the absorption bands of mineral components in straw ash and adsorbed water were observed in the IR-spectrum of the solid product obtained at 420 °C.
Self-aggregating properties of inulin in a dilute solution
Authors: Nasriddinov A. S. , Ashurov A. I. , Kholov Sh. E. , Ismoilov I. B. , Usmanova S. R. , Mukhidinov Z. K.
Published: May 2022

The creation of functional food products based on inulin-containing vegetable raw materials can provide the population with functional diabetic nutrition. In this regard, investigation of the technological parameters of obtaining inulin from Jerusalem artichoke tubers (Helianthus tuberosus L.) and determination of its quantitative characteristics seem highly relevant. This study aims to determine the qualitative characteristics of inulin obtained from Jerusalem artichoke tubers by both flash extraction and conventional methods. Jerusalem artichoke inulin samples were obtained by the flash extraction method at a high temperature of 105 °C during both shorter and longer periods of time and by the conventional method at a temperature of 75 °C in a neutral medium. The hydrodynamic properties and molecular weight of the samples demonstrated the self-aggregating properties of this biopolymer. Inulin obtained by the flash extraction method consists of two fractions: low-molecular weight inulin and high-molecular weight aggregate represented by a polysaccharide complex. These aggregates can be formed both by inter- and intramolecular interactions of various inulin fractions in the solution. As expected, their isolation using conventional methods appeared impossible: the method of concentration yielded a number of subfractions on the UV membrane and a large amount of aggregated water-insoluble microgel. At the same time, inulin obtained by the conventional method consists of one fraction, although having a high degree of polydispersity. In order to obtain high-quality inulin intended for nutritional and prophylactic purposes, it is preferable to use the flash extraction method over short periods of time.
The “Doctor Robik 109” complex biopreparation as a bioagent for utilizing aquatic plant phytomass in biofuel cells
Authors: Stom D. I. , Zhdanova G. O. , Yudina N. Yu. , Alferov S. V. , Chesnokova A. N. , Tolstoy M. Yu. , Kupchinsky A. B. , Saksonov M. N. , Zakarchevskiy S. A. , Enkhdul T. , Franzetti A. , Rahimnejad M.
Published: May 2022

The paper demonstrates the possibility of using the “Doctor Robik 109” complex microbiological preparation (OOO VIPEKO, Russia), applied in cesspools and sewage caissons, for obtaining electric current in biofuel elements during the utilization of the Ulothrix sp., Spirogyra sp., Elodea canadensis aqueous plant phytomass. The kinetics of electrical parameters of the studied biofuel cells was characterized by a steady and prolonged growth – for at least 30 days. This may be associated with the slow transformation of the used substrate by microorganisms, which additionally ensures the long-term operation of biofuel cells on their basis. In Spirogira sp. biofuel cells, the biological preparation generated the voltage (broken circuit mode) and current strength (short circuit mode) equal up to 746mV and 1745 A, respectively. In Ulothrix sp. biofuel cells, these values comprised 360 mV and 1120 μA for a 25-day period, respectively. When using a E. canadensis substrate, the studied bioagent microorganisms generated the voltage and current of up to 643 mV and 568 μA during a 25-day period, respectively. An increase in the electrical parameters of biofuel cells, which were based on the studied biological preparation and the phytomass of higher aquatic plants and algae, was accompanied by an increase in the number of viable microorganism cells and a decrease in the plant biomass. Since phytomass growth is activated by the phytoremediation measures of additional wastewater treatment or during the eutrophication of water bodies, the proposed method for applying aquatic plants in biofuel cells represents a promising approach to utilizing excess phytomass.