bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finding Turning Points in the History of the Republic of Venice through Statistical Analysis of the Time Series of Noble Marriages
Authors: Merelo JJ
Published: December 2023

The Republic of Venice was one of the longest-lived states in modern history, and its stability and survival has been studied through many different angles, and one of them is to try and find pivotal moments in its history that explain it, or its eventual demise. In this paper, through the rigorous statistical analysis of the dataset of marriages by nobles in the Republic, we will try to define a methodology for the detection of these events through mono and multivariate change point analysis, and validate that methodology through cross-validation of different procedures, as well as matching the results to historical events. Our analysis shows that these change points occur with statistical significance and that they match political and historical events. These results can be built upon for a better understanding of the historical causes of the success and failure of the Republic of Venice and, by extension, other states.
Enhancing Day-Ahead Cooling Load Prediction in Tropical Commercial Buildings Using Advanced Deep Learning Models: A Case Study in Singapore
Authors: Namitha Kondath , Myat Aung , Yong Loke Soh , Whye Loon Tung , Khoo Aik Min Eugene , Hui An
Published: December 2023

Commercial buildings situated in hot and humid tropical climates rely significantly on cooling systems to maintain optimal occupant comfort. A well-accurate day-ahead load profile prediction plays a pivotal role in planning the energy requirements of cooling systems. Despite the pressing need for effective day-ahead cooling load predictions, current methodologies have not fully harnessed the potential of advanced deep-learning techniques. This research paper aims to address this gap by investigating the application of innovative deep learning models in day-ahead hourly cooling load prediction for commercial buildings situated in tropical climates. A range of deep learning techniques, including Deep Neural Network, Convolutional Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, and Long Short-Term Memory networks are employed to enhance prediction accuracy. Furthermore, these individual deep learning techniques are synergistically integrated to create hybrid models, such as CNN-LSTM and Sequence-to-Sequence models. An extensive comparative analysis is conducted to identify the most effective hybrid model. Sequence-to-sequence model provided better performance compared to the other single and hybrid models. Experiments are conducted to choose the time horizons from the past that can serve as input to the models. Further, the influence of various categories of input parameters on prediction performance has been assessed. Historical cooling load, calendar features and outdoor weather parameters are found in decreasing order of influence on prediction accuracy. This research focuses on buildings located in Singapore and presents a comprehensive case study to validate the proposed models and methodologies.
Decline of Affective Prosody Recognition with a Positivity Bias among Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Fan Xinran , Tang Enze , Zhang Minyue , Lin Yi , Ding Hongwei , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Understanding how older adults perceive and interpret emotional cues in speech prosody contributes to our knowledge of cognitive aging. This study provides a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the extent of the decline in affective prosody recognition (APR) among older adults in terms of overall and emotion-specific performance and explore potential moderators that may cause between-study heterogeneity. Method: Incorporated into the literature search were six electronic databases, with a specific emphasis on studies comparing the APR performance of older adults with that of younger adults. This comparison was focused on basic emotions. Meta-regression analyses were executed to pinpoint potential moderators related to demographic and methodological characteristics. Results: A total of 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 560 older adults with a mean age of 69.15 years. The findings indicated a substantial negative effect size (g = －1.21). Furthermore, the magnitude of aggregated effect sizes showed a distinct valence-related recognition pattern with positive prosody exhibiting smaller effect sizes. Years of education were found to moderate the overall performance effect estimate while age and gender significantly influenced the effect estimate of happiness. Conclusions: The results confirmed a significant decline in APR ability among older adults, but this decline was unbalanced across basic emotions. Educational level emerged as a significant factor influencing APR ability. Moreover, participants with a higher mean age exhibited notably poorer performance in recognizing happy prosody. These findings underscore the need to further investigate the neurobiological mechanisms for APR decline associated with aging.
What’s New about Parsley, a Potential Source of Cardioprotective Therapeutic Substances?
Authors: Casanova Livia Marques , Dos Santos Nascimento Luana Beatriz , Costa Sônia Soares
Published: December 2023

Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss (Apiaceae), popularly known as parsley, is a ubiquitous aromatic herb used for culinary and medicinal purposes worldwide. Besides the richness in nutrients, sev-eral bioactive secondary metabolites, especially the flavone apigenin and its glycosides, have been described in the species. Parsley has already been shown to have several health-promoting activi-ties, such as antithrombotic, antihypertensive, and hypolipidemic. The multiple studies conducted in animal models so far suggest the species is a potential source of cardioprotective agents. This review provides up to date information and perspectives on the potential of parsley and its bioac-tive compounds for the development of nutraceutical products and drugs for the promotion of cardiovascular health. It includes not only a discussion on reported bioactivities, but also the knowledge of supplements and food additives developed as innovative parsley-based products.
uso de ferramentas de gestão da qualidade na área de expedição de materiais
Authors: De Andrade Pereira Leticia , Gonçalves de Carvalho Wolff Mariana
Published: December 2023

A logística é uma das áreas operacionais mais importantes das organizações, não somente por envolver diversas atividades integradas, mas também por ser responsável pela sincronização operacional com fornecedores e clientes. Além disso, as transformações tecnológicas, a estruturação de novos modelos de negócios e o levantamento de pautas sustentáveis permitem que o sistema logístico das empresas ganhe papel de destaque na satisfação dos consumidores e no relacionamento delas com seus stakeholders. Nessa direção, o objetivo do artigo é verificar os impactos do uso das ferramentas de Gestão da Qualidade (GQ) na área de expedição de materiais dentro do sistema logístico de uma organização petroquímica da Baixada Fluminense do Rio de Janeiro. A pesquisa é classificada como um estudo de campo, tendo seus dados coletados através de entrevistas por pautas e da técnica de observação participante. Seu tratamento se deu de forma qualitativa e por meio da análise de discurso. Ao final, conclui-se que os principais impactos do uso dessas ferramentas dentro da área de expedição da empresa são o aumento da eficácia na comunicação com os clientes, a prevenção da reincidência de problemas nas operações e a melhoria dos processos operacionais e da avaliação dos custos da área. Verificou-se também que a operação possui alguns desafios a serem superados tanto no que se refere à aplicabilidade destes instrumentos da qualidade quanto aos sistemas e mecanismos utilizados para tal. O método utilizado permitiu levantar as informações sob uma perspectiva mais gerencial do que operacional quanto à utilização das ferramentas, visto que os entrevistados foram os gestores dos operadores logísticos das unidades, e não as equipes destes que realizam tal aplicação. A originalidade da pesquisa está na análise das ferramentas a partir de entrevistas por pautas com os gestores da operação.
Palavras-chave: Gestão da qualidade; Logística; Ferramentas da qualidade; Expedição; Processos.
Proposta de melhorias no processo de beneficiamento de polpas de açaí
Authors: Carneiro Marian , Alves Tassy Walveria , Monteiro Mariana da Silva , Ueoka Nyna Arisa , Silva Giovanna Moreira
Published: December 2023

A comercialização do fruto açaí se intensificou bastante a partir de 1990, o que aumentou a demanda e o preço do fruto, além de ter atraído novos investimentos em indústrias de beneficiamento de polpas de açaí para a região do nordeste do estado do Pará. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse trabalho é, por meio dos princípios e métodos do Lean Seis Sigma, propor melhorias no processo de beneficiamento de polpas de açaí. Tais melhorias objetivam  reduzir o tempo de paradas de máquinas, a fim de proporcionar à empresa maior rentabilidade, bem como o desenvolvimento do fluxo contínuo. Primeiro foi realizado um estudo acerca da literatura para compreender as metodologias do Lean Manufacturing, Seis Sigma e como elas se complementam, o Lean Seis Sigma. Em seguida, utilizou-se o método do Seis Sigma, o DMAIC, com as fases Definir, Medir e Analisar. Na fase, foram identificados os principais motivos e o percentual de paradas que cada um representa dentro da linha, tais como: falta de produto na área de processo −33,75%, falta de ordem de produção −23,91%, troca de laminados e bobinas − 12,7%, limpeza antes da produção −7,49% e quebra/falha mecânica − 7,35%, que juntos somam 85,2% do total de paradas da linha. Sendo assim, para cada motivo identificado foi proposto um plano de ação para reduzir ou eliminá-lo. As principais limitações da pesquisa se referem à ausência de equipe qualificada, bem como uma cultura organizacional centralizada, que permitisse análises de dados mais rápidas. Dentre as principais implicações práticas, é possível citar o uso de métodos estatísticos para a tomada de decisão na agroindústria de açaí, um setor que tem buscado a profissionalização da gestão e melhoria na oferta de seus produtos.
Palavras-chave: Indústria do açaí; Aplicação Lean Seis Sigma; Redução de Paradas; Fluxo.
Crédito de carbono e a biotecnologia
Authors: Esteves Lattanzi Iasmim , Alves Daflon Sarah Dario , Silva Pierri Bruno da , Monteiro da Fonseca Estefan
Published: December 2023

A industrialização representa a base da expansão econômica e urbanização global, que estimula diversos setores em paralelo com o crescimento da população mundial. Espera-se que até 2050, a humanidade atinja 9,9 bilhões, aumentando a demanda de energia e alimentos em 80% e 70%, respectivamente (Wang et al., 2021). Durante os dois últimos séculos, a economia mundial se desenvolveu por meio da superexploração dos recursos naturais e do desvio e/ou desbalanço dos ciclos biogeoquímicos, dos quais a biosfera é dependente. Neste contexto, o desmatamento desenfreado para uso da terra na produção de alimentos, além do uso de recursos como a queima de combustíveis fósseis, levou à intensificação das emissões de fontes antropogênicas de gases de efeito estufa (GEEs), impactando o clima global (Malhi et al., 2021). Como exemplo, em 2016, sistemas energéticos e alimentares representaram mais de 90% de todas as emissões globais de GEEs (principalmente na forma de CO2). Por fim, calcula-se que as emissões de GEE aumentem em 50% até 2050, principalmente devido ao incremento de 70% nas emissões de CO2 relacionadas à energia, com impactos diretos no equilíbrio dos ecossistemas mundiais e sobrevivência da biosfera.
PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC SPACE – CASE STUDY ZAGREB, CROATIA
Authors:   Department of History of Architecture, Heritage Conservation and Urban Regeneration Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Lodz University of Technology, Poland, Nevescanin Antonio , Walczak Bartosz M. ,   Department of History of Architecture, Heritage Conservation and Urban Regeneration Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Lodz University of Technology, Poland
Published: December 2023

The article explores the topic of privatization of public space occurring in the process of contemporary urban planning policies, on the example of city of Zagreb in Croatia. The division between public and private in the European cities, particularly post-socialist cities, has historically been rather clear. However, with the change of socio-economic system, continuous development and adopting the contemporary planning practices such as public-private partnerships, the line between public and private is becoming blurred. The article analyses current practices and explores the possible risk for the city in case these practices prevail.
On Argentina's Crimes against Humanity Trials
Authors: Jessee Erin
Published: December 2023

REVIEW OF: Eva Van Roekel, Phenomenal Justice: Violence and Morality in Argentina (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2020). 196 pp. (paperback). ISBN 978-1-978-80026-7.
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes of Crystalline Arthropathy in the Setting of Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Huffman Nickelas , Pasqualini Ignacio , Surace Peter , Molloy Robert M. , Piuzzi Nicolas S. , Deren Matthew E.
Published: December 2023

» Emerging evidence suggests the prevalence of crystalline arthropathy (CA) in the setting of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasing, and diagnosis of CA is often intricate because of symptom overlap with other common postoperative complications such as periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Consequently, an accurate and timely diagnosis becomes pivotal in guiding the choice of treatment.

» CA includes gout and calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease, and accurate diagnosis in patients with prior TKA requires a multifaceted approach. The diagnosis algorithm plays a critical role in determining the appropriate treatment approach.

» Management of CA typically involves a conservative strategy, encompassing the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, and steroids, regardless of whether patients have undergone prior TKA.

» There is conflicting evidence on the effect CA has on the surgical outcomes in postoperative TKA patients. While these patients may expect excellent functional outcomes and pain relief, they may be at a higher risk of complications such as infections, medical complications, and revision procedures.

» Additional research is required to fully comprehend the impact of CA on postoperative TKA outcomes and to establish effective strategies for enhancing patient care and optimizing long-term joint function.
Science Education Optimization: Evaluating the Impact of Science Kits on Improving Teacher Competence
Authors: Darmayanti Ni Wayan Sri , Suantara I Wayan , Astuti Ni Putu Eni , Partini Ni Ketut Sri , Wulandari Kadek Yuni , Dari Ni Komang Ayu Ulan
Published: December 2023

The researchers used a quantitative descriptive approach. The objective of the study is to determine how well teachers use KIT media in science learning. Ten teachers at Elementary School 7 Manukaya were used as research subjects. The research objective is to determine how well teachers use KIT media in science learning. A questionnaire was used. Of the ten teachers who were assessed for improving their ability to use KIT media, eight received positive results, while the other two received less positive results. The researchers examined the data using the Gain Score scale. Overall, the average N-Gain improvement was 0.7, the interpretation percentage was 75%, and included in the moderate improvement category.
Study on the Impact of Flow Dynamic Allocation Mechanism on the Balanced Propagation of Multicluster Fractures in Horizontal Wells
Authors: Chen Qi , Huang Hao , Kong Xiangwei , Liu Bing , Xin Fubin
Published: December 2023

The implementation of the multicluster fracturing technique in horizontal wells is crucial to the economic development of shale gas reservoirs. The stress shadow area generated by them suppresses the effective expansion of fractures, leading to lower construction quality. Numerous well logging and production data indicate that dynamic flow allocation is also an important mechanism restricting oil and gas production. To reveal the mechanism of multifracture synchronous competitive expansion, a multifracture expansion finite element model considering fluid-solid coupling in porous media was established. A wellbore model was built to characterize the fluid pressure drop, incorporating pipe flow and fluid connection elements to emulate fluid flow within the wellbore, and the influence of various factors on the balanced expansion of fractures was investigated. The results show that high porosity, uniform perforation, and high elastic modulus of sweet spots are favorable for the balanced expansion of multiple fractures when using high-volume and low-viscosity fracturing fluids. When the spacing is small and the porosity is low with nonuniform perforation, the threshold generated by perforation friction will dominate the balanced fluid injection and expansion of each fracture. The horizontal well fracturing plan in a certain area of southwest China was optimized using this model. After optimization, when the spacing is less than 15 m, the total number of perforations is 32, and the average injection rate per cluster will be increased by 0.125 m3/min, with a coefficient of variation of 3.9% among clusters. When the perforations are nonuniformly distributed, the average injection rate per cluster will be increased by 0.101 m3/min, the fluid inflow difference coefficient of each cluster is 4.1%, and multiclusters will have a uniformly developed fracture network. This study has certain guiding significance and reference value for the balanced expansion of multifractures in horizontal wells.
Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications of the Qulihai Pluton in the Northern Margin of the Yili Block, NW China
Authors: Cao Ming , Wang Meng , Chen Youxin , Pei Xianzhi , Li Zuochen , Zhang Jinjiang , Zhang Bo , Bao Zhian , Xu Da
Published: December 2023

Despite extensive research work that has been done, whether the northern margin of the Yili Block (YB) is still an active continental margin during the early Carboniferous period is still in debate. Herein, we conducted zircon U–Pb geochronology, geochemistry, and zircon Lu–Hf isotope studies on the Qulihai pluton in the northern margin of the YB to constrain the petrogenesis and dynamic process. The Qulihai pluton is a granitoid complex that is composed of quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, and syenogranite. The zircon U–Pb dating results revealed that the pluton was formed and emplaced between 346 and 342 Ma. The three different Qulihai pluton rock types had comparable εHf(t) values, ranging from +3 to +8. The corresponding two-stage model ages of 817–1182 Ma indicated their potential derivation from the Meso-Neoproterozoic juvenile crust. The Qulihai pluton typically features medium-to-high SiO2, K2O, and Al2O3 contents and low MgO and Fe2O3T contents. The quartz diorite and quartz monzonite samples had Mg# values of 43–47, indicating the input of mantle-derived melts in the source area. In contrast, the source region of syenogranite was purely crustal material. The Qulihai pluton is mainly characterized as strong metaluminous moderate-to-high-K cal-alkaline rocks of the I-type granite series, which are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and depleted in high field strength elements while exhibiting active continental margin island arc magmatism. Our findings, combined with the comprehensive analysis of previous studies, suggest that the Qulihai pluton formation resulted from the subduction of the North Tianshan oceanic crust beneath the YB during the early Carboniferous period, contemporary with the tectonic regime transition from subduction advance to subduction retreat.
Topological barrier to Cas12a activation by circular DNA nanostructures facilitates autocatalysis
Authors: Li Yi , Yang Biyao , Deng Fei , Goldys Ewa
Published: December 2023

Trans-cleavage rates of Cas endonucleases such as Cas12a remain limited despite optimisation efforts. We found that Cas12a ribonucleoproteins poorly bind to, and are only minimally activated by small circular DNA nanostructures which partially match the gRNA sequence. However, activation is restored when the nanostructure is linearised. Building on this finding, we established a novel Autocatalytic CRISPR/Cas12a Amplification Reaction (AutoCAR) system which allows a single nucleic acid target to activate multiple ribonucleoproteins, and increase the achievable trans-cleavage rates per target by over 3 orders of magnitude. A rate equation-based model was built to interpret the observed nonlinear, near-exponential rate trends. The AutoCAR system was applied for genomic DNA (H. Pylori) and RNA (SARS-CoV-2) diagnostics at 1 aM level sensitivity (1.4 copies/µL and 0.36 copies/µL, respectively), comparable to the polymerase chain reaction without any additional signal amplification at room temperature. The RNA detection with Cas12a RNPs did not require reverse transcription.
Voriconazole trough concentration and clinical outcomes in patients with Talaromycosis
Authors: Zhiwen Jiang , Cong Song , Bingkun Li , Xiuying Li , Xiaoshu Yu , Siru Zhou , Tiantian Li , Qihua Huang , Nanfang Mo , Xiaojuan He , Qian Pang , Changjing Zhou , Zhijian Yao , Cao Cunwei
Published: December 2023

Background: Voriconazole (VRC) has been used as an alternative regimen for the treatment of talaromycosis. This study first analyzed the correlation between the VRC trough concentration and clinical outcomes.
Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients diagnosed with talaromycosis who received VRC as induction therapy. Clinical information was collected for study analysis.
Results: This study included 76 patients diagnosed with talaromycosis from October 2019 to June 2022. The results showed that 62 patients had clinical remission, and 5 patients died of talaromycosis. The overall effective rate of VRC was 89.9%. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) was 17.4%, mainly including neurotoxicity and hypokalemia. The range of the initial VRC trough concentration was 0.23-16.95 μg/mL, indicating a large variability. No correlation was found between the VRC trough concentration and treatment failure. The mortality rate significantly increases when the patient's APSCHE II score > 10. The trough concentration threshold for AEs of VRC is 5.4 μg/mL.
Conclusion: Voriconazole is an effective antifungal drug for the treatment of talaromycosis in patients with APACHE II scores < 10. Routine TDM may improve the management of treatment-related adverse events.
Happiness among consecrated community in India: a PERMA model study
Authors: Shaji Drishya Theres , Rema M.K. , Rodrigues Hansel Chris
Published: December 2023

The aim of this study is to study the happiness among consecrated community using PERMA model and to explore the factors influencing happiness of nuns. The sample of the study is nuns and the sample size for present study is 30 nuns between the age group 25–55. The study was conducted using a Mixed approach using both quantitative and qualitative method using sequential explanatory research design. The results have shown that the level of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, overall wellbeing, negative emotions, health, loneliness and happiness among nuns are high functioning while engagement and accomplishment are normal functioning. The level of negative emotions and loneliness among working and studying nuns is also found to be higher than that among the nuns with less than 8 years and 8 and above 8 years. The negative factors affecting happiness include harm to dear ones, people's sins and sadness of others, lack of spiritual services and non-cooperation of co-workers.
Shoden Promotes Relief from Stress and Anxiety: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled Study on Healthy Subjects with High Stress Levels
Authors: Mishra Deo Nidhi , Kumar Manoj
Published: December 2023

Background
This randomized placebo-controlled study examined the effect of ashwagandha root and leaf extract 60mg (AE60) and 120 mg (AE120) (35% withanolide glycosides, Shoden) in physically healthy subjects with higher stress and anxiety. It is hypothesized that a low dose extract with higher withanolide glycosides would decrease cortisol and increase testosterone thereby reducing stress and anxiety.
Methods
This parallel arm study recruited 60 subjects with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1 (AE60:AE120: placebo) for 60 days. Subjects who fulfilled the DSM –IV Criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with a HAMA score > 20, and morning serum cortisol > 25 mcg/dl were included in the study. The participants did not have depression symptoms and were screened using Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale.. The primary outcome measure was HAMA and the secondary measures were morning serum cortisol, testosterone, perceived stress scale (PSS), clinical global impressions scale (CGI), and patient’s global impression of change scale (PGIC).
Results
After 60 days, AE60 and AE120 significantly decreased HAMA by 59% (p < 0.0001) whereas placebo had a negligible increase of 0.83%. Morning serum cortisol decreased significantly in AE60 and AE120 by 66% and 67% (p < 0.0001) respectively, whereas the placebo had only a 2.22% change. Testosterone increased significantly by 22% and 33% (p < 0.0001) in AE60 and AE120, respectively, whereas placebo had a 4% increase in males. PSS significantly decreased by 53% and 62%, CGI- severity by 72% and 68%, and PGIC by 60% respectively for AE60 and AE120.
Conclusion
AE60 and AE120 were significantly better than placebo in reducing anxiety and stress. The hypothesis that low dose extracts with 35% withanolide glycosides reduces non-depression high anxiety and stress was met. AE60 and AE120 significantly reduced morning serum cortisol and increased total testosterone. Hence low dose Shoden may be recommended for reducing high stress and anxiety.
Reducing Echo Chamber Effects: An Allostatic Regulator for Recommendation Algorithms
Authors: Henry Nathan , Pedersen Mangor , Williams Matt , Martin Jamin , Donkin Liesje
Published: December 2023

Recommendation systems are prevalent on the Internet but are prone to feedback loops that cause ‘echo chamber’ effects. We present an allostatic regulator for recommendation systems based on opponent process theory and behavioral posology principles to combat these effects. When applied as a code wrapper to a supervised K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm for movie recommendations, our prototype algorithm can dynamically restrict the proportion of potentially harmful content recommended to users. This technique is adaptable to other domains and is scalable to more complex machine learning algorithms with minimal changes to their internal parameters. Combining allostatic regulation with insights from human-derived models on the healthy limits of digital content consumption may provide app developers with a flexible tool to help users regulate their online experiences. In turn, allostatic regulation moderates positive feedback loops, potentially reducing echo chamber effects while increasing the transparency and interpretability of machine learning models.
Analysis of Urban Growth in Kolhapur City Using Geoinformatic Techniques
Authors: Jarag Amol , Patil Prashant , Yedage Anil , Jitkar Harshal , Masal Nandkumar
Published: December 2023

This research investigates the dynamic urban expansion of Kolhapur, the largest city in South Maharashtra, from 1989 to 2019, amidst the global phenomenon of rapid urbanization. With the population in India exceeding one billion, the study employs GIS and remote sensing techniques to unveil the extent and pattern of urban sprawl over nearly three decades. Kolhapur Municipal Corporation's jurisdiction, covering 66.82 sq. km., is home to 5,49,239 people across 81 wards. The results depict significant growth and expansion, offering valuable insights for future urban planning and management. The utilization of satellite imagery and temporal data contributes to understanding the changing landscape, crucial for planning essential amenities such as water, electricity, roads, parks, schools, and health centres. This research, offering a comprehensive view of urban growth, is vital for informed decision-making and sustainable development in the evolving urban landscape of Kolhapur.
Unraveling the Impact of Abdominal Arterial Calcifications on Kidney Transplant Waitlist Mortality Through Ensemble Machine Learning
Authors: Salehinejad Hojjat , Spaulding Aaron C. , Hanouneh Tareq , Jarmi Tambi
Published: December 2023

The scarcity of organ donors relative to the number of patients with End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) has led to prolonged waiting times for kidney transplants, contributing to elevated cardiovascular mortality risk. Transplant professionals are tasked with the complex allocation of limited organs to a vulnerable patient group facing heightened morbidity and mortality risk. The need for continuous re-evaluation of waitlisted patients is evident due to the significant number who perish while awaiting transplantation. Among individuals with ESKD, vascular calcification, particularly Abdominal Arterial Calcifications (AAC), holds predictive value for cardiovascular events and mortality. However, a standardized method to quantify AAC's prognostic potential remains lacking, especially for kidney transplant evaluations. This study presents an ensemble machine learning (ML) approach to study the relationship between AAC score and mortality in patients on the waitlist and triage patients needing transplantation. Using the AAC score, the proposed ML model can predict kidney transplant waitlist morality with an accuracy of 78% while its accuracy is 68% without using this score. This study leverages explainable ML to explore the relationship between predictors and mortality in waitlisted patients, aiming to improve patient triage accuracy.
Prognostic value of red blood cell width distribution-to-platelet ratio in patients with snakebite-associated multiple organ dysfunction syndrome：A retrospective observational study
Authors: Liang Xun , Xing Dan-Lei , Zhuang Zhi-Wei , Feng Hui , Li Shi-ji , Fang Xiao , Wang Fei , Qiu Le , Chen Xu-Lin
Published: December 2023

Background: Snakebite-induced organ dysfunction emerging as the primary determinant of morbidity and mortality. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic relevance of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) after snakebites.
Methods: A retrospective study included 637 patients with snakebite between 2015 and 2020 from two hospitals in Anhui province, China. Data were collected at two time points: on the 1st-day and the 5th-day after treatment. All patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of MODS. T-tests, chi-square tests, and univariate and multivariate logistical analyses were used to identify the prognostic factors for the development of MODS.
Results: 56 (8.8%) patients developed MODS following snakebite. Logistics analyses indicated that from being bitten at the hospital, the 1st-day of red blood cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR) and creatinine (CR) levels, and the 5th-day of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly associated with the development of MODS. The sensitivity and the specificity of the 1st-day RPR were calculated by the received operating characteristic curve (AUC=0.720, 95%CI, 0.642-0.798). The 1st day RPR=0.110 and the 5th day RPR=0.085.
Conclusion: The 1st-day RPR ＞0.110 is prone to be a new independent predictive factor for the development of MODS after snakebite.
Circadian Rhythm Analysis Using Wearable-Based Accelerometry as a Digital Biomarker of Aging and Healthspan
Authors: Shim Jinjoo , Fleisch Elgar , Barata Filipe
Published: December 2023

Recognizing the pivotal role of circadian rhythm in the human aging process and its scalability through wearables, we introduce CosinorAge, a novel digital biomarker of aging developed from wearable-derived circadian rhythmicity from 80,000 midlife and older adults in the UK and US. A one-year increase in CosinorAge corresponded to 8-12% higher all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks and 3-14% increased prospective incidences of age-related diseases. CosinorAge also captured a non-linear decline in resilience and physical functioning, evidenced by an 8-33% reduction in self-rated health and a 3-23% decline in health-related quality of life score, adjusting for covariates and multiple testing. The associations were robust in sensitivity analyses and external validation using an independent cohort from a disparate geographical region using a different wearable device. Moreover, we illustrated a heterogeneous impact of circadian parameters associated with biological aging, with young (<45 years) and fast agers experiencing a substantially delayed acrophase with a 25-minute difference in peak timing compared to slow agers, diminishing to a 7-minute difference in older adults (>65 years). Our findings underscore CosinorAge’s potential as a scalable, economic, and digital solution for promoting healthy longevity, elucidating the critical and multifaceted circadian rhythmicity in aging processes. Consequently, our research contributes to advancing preventive measures in digital medicine.
Preliminary impact of an mHealth education and social support intervention on maternal health knowledge and outcomes among postpartum mothers in Punjab, India
Authors: Ayadi Alison M. El , Diamond-Smith Nadia G. , Duggal Mona , Singh Pushpendra , Sharma Preetika , Kaur Jasmeet , Gopalakrishnan Lakshmi , Gill Navneet , Singh Garima , Ahuja Alka , Kumar Vijay , Weil Laura , Bagga Rashmi
Published: December 2023

Background. Significant disruptions in the perinatal continuum of care occur postpartum in India, despite it being a critical time to optimize maternal health and wellbeing. Group-oriented mHealth approaches may help mitigate the impact of limited access to care and the lack of social support that characterize this period. Our team developed and pilot tested a provider-moderated group intervention to increase education, communication with providers, to refer participants to in-person care, and to connect them with a virtual social support group of other mothers with similarly aged infants through weekly calls and text chat.
Methods. We analyzed the preliminary effectiveness of the pilot intervention on maternal health knowledge through 6 months postpartum among 135 participants in Punjab, India who responded to baseline and endline surveys. We described change in knowledge of maternal danger signs, birth preparedness, postpartum care use, postpartum physical and mental health, and family planning use over time between individuals in group call (synchronous), other intervention (asynchronous), and control groups.
Results. Participant knowledge regarding danger signs was low overall regarding pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period (mean range of 1.13 to 2.05 at baseline and 0.79 to 2.10 at endline). Group call participants had a significantly higher increase over time in knowledge of danger signs than other intervention and control group participants. Birth preparedness knowledge ranged from mean 0.89-1.20 at baseline to 1.31-2.07 at baseline, with group call participants having significantly greater increases in comparison to the control group. Group call participants had nearly three-fold increased odds of postpartum health check with a clinical provider than other intervention participants (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.07-7.74). No differences were noted in postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Conclusions. Preliminary effectiveness results are promising, yet further robust testing of the MeSSSSage intervention effectiveness is needed. Further development of strategies to support health knowledge and behaviors and overcoming barriers to postpartum care access can improve maternal health among this population.
Pedicled medial femoral condyle corticoperiosteal flap for resistant nonunion of the distal half of the femur
Authors: Salieb Nader , Moharram Ashraf Nehad , Shaheen Ayman , Ezzat Mostafa , Ebeid Walid
Published: December 2023

Introduction:
Resistant nonunion of the distal half of the femur is considered a major challenge for both the patient and the treating surgeon. Resistant bone nonunion is defined as impairment of the biological potential at the fracture bony ends due to diminished vascularity and loss of osteogenic cells at the bony ends, thus nonvascularized bone grafts will have a low chance of achieving union. Resistant nonunion includes septic nonunion, atrophic nonunion with failed nonvascularized graft and nonunion of recycled bony segments. Vascularized bone grafts include vascularized fibular flap and medial femoral condyle periosteal flap and others.1Vascularized fibular flap is suitable for gap nonunion with large gaps more than 5 centimeters. In resistant nonunion with minimal gapping in the lower limb, medial femoral condyle periosteal flap is more suitable. Medial femoral condyle periosteal flap is harvested from the distal medial aspect of the femur, and can be transferred as a free flap for distal site nonunion. In the distal half of the femur, the medial femoral condyle periosteal flap can be pedicled and transferred to the nonunion site at any point in the distal half of the femur.2–5
Methods
we included three patients with resistant nonunion of the distal half of the femur. We calculated the transposition ratio for every patient by measuring the distance between the medial femoral epicondyle and the nonunion site (DMEB) and divided it by the distance between the medial femoral epicondyle and the apex of the lesser trochanter (DMELT). Patients with transposition ratio more than 0.5 were excluded from the study and other surgical options were done. Adequate rigid fixation was done in the three patients. The pedicled medial femoral condyle periosteal flap was harvested from the medial aspect of the distal femur.And was rotated to cover the nonunion site and was augmented by iliac crest graft to fill any gap. Bony union was followed up by monthly X ray and CT topography. All the three cases united (union rate 100%) with average duration of union was 6.7 months .We concluded that pedicled medial femoral condyle periosteal flap is a suitable surgical option for resistant nonunion of the distal half of the femur in addition to adequate rigid fixation.
Gut microbiota Parabacteroides distasonis enchances the efficacy of immunotherapy for bladder cancer by activating anti-tumor immune responses
Authors: Wang benlin , Qiu Yifeng , Xie Ming , Huang Pengcheng , Yu Yao , Sun Qi , Shangguan Wentai , Li Weijia , Zhu Zhangrui , Xue Jingwen , Feng Zhengyuan , Zhu Yuexuan , Yang Qishen , Wu Peng
Published: December 2023

Objective: Bladder cancer(BC) is a disease that seriously affects patients’ quality of life and prognosis. To address this issue, many research suggest that the gut microbiota modulates tumor response to treatment; however, this has not been well-characterized in bladder cancer. In this study, our objective was to determine whether the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota or the density of specific bacterial genera influence the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer.
Methods: We collected fecal samples from a total of 50 bladder cancer patients and 22 matched non-cancer individuals for 16S rDNA sequencing to investigate the distribution of Parabacteroides in these two groups. Further we conducted follow-up with cancer patients to access the impact of different genera of microorganisms on patients survival. We conducted a Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) and mono-colonization experiment with Parabacteroides distasonis(P. distasonis) to explore its potential enhancement of the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in MB49 tumor-bearing mice. Immunohistochemistry, transcriptomics and molecular experiment analyses were employed to uncover the underlying mechanisms.
Results: The 16S rDNA showed that abundance of the genus Parabacteroides was elevated in the non-cancer control group compared to bladder cancer group. The results of tumor growth curves showed that a combination therapy of P. distasonis and ICIs treatment significantly delays tumor growth, and increases the intratumoral densities of both CD4+T and CD8+T cells. The results of transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the pathways associated with antitumoral immune response were remarkably upregulated in the P. distasonis gavage group.
Conclusion: P. distasonis delivery combined with α-PD-1 mAb may be a new strategy to enhance the effect of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. This effect may be achieved by activating immune and antitumor related pathways.
AcornHRD: an HRD algorithm highly associated with anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer in China
Authors: Pan Jia-Ni , Li Pu-Chun , Wang Meng , Li Ming-Wei , Ding Xiao-Wen , Zhou Tao , Wang Hui-Na , Wang Yun-Kai , Chen Li-Bin , Wang Rong , Ye Wei-Wu , Wu Wei-Zhu , Lou Feng , Wang Xiao-Jia , Cao Wen-Ming
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Our study aimed to develop and validate a homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) scoring algorithm in the Chinese breast cancer population.
Methods and materials: Ninety-six in-house breast cancer (BC) samples and 6 HRD-positive standard cells were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Besides, 122 BCs from the TCGA database were down-sampled to ~1X WGS. We constructed an algorithm named AcornHRD for HRD score calculated based on WGS at low coverage as input data to estimate large-scale copy number alteration (LCNA) events on the genome. A clinical cohort of 50 BCs (15 cases carrying BRCA mutation) was used to assess the association between HRD status and anthracyclines-based neoadjuvant treatment outcomes.
Results: A 100kb window was defined as the optimal size using 41 in-house cases and the TCGA dataset. HRD score high threshold was determined as HRD score≥10 using 55 in-house BCs with BRCA mutation to achieve a 95% BRCA-positive agreement rate. Furthermore, the HRD status agreement rate of AcornHRD is 100%, while the ShallowHRD is 60% in standard cells. BRCA mutation was significantly associated with a high HRD score evaluated by AcornHRD and ShallowHRD (p=0.008 and p=0.003, respectively) in the TCGA dataset. However, AcornHRD showed a higher positive agreement rate than did the ShallowHRD algorithm (70% vs 60%). In addition, the BRCA-positive agreement rate of AcornHRD was superior to that of ShallowHRD (87% vs 13%) in the clinical cohort. Importantly, the high HRD score assessed by AcornHRD was significantly correlated with a residual cancer burden score of 0 or 1 (RCB0/1). Besides, the HRD-positive group was more likely to respond to anthracycline-based chemotherapy than the HRD-negative group (pCR [OR=9.5, 95% CI: 1.11–81.5, p=0.040] and RCB0/1 [OR=10.29, 95% CI: 2.02–52.36, p=0.005]).
Conclusion:
Using the AcornHRD algorithm evaluation, our analysis demonstrated the high performance of the LCNA genomic signature for HRD detection in breast cancers.
The use of scanning electron microscopy and fixation methods to evaluate the interaction of blood with the surfaces of medical devices
Authors: Nalezinková Martina , Loskot Jan , Fučíková Alena Myslivcová
Published: December 2023

Testing the hemocompatibility of medical devices after their interaction with blood entails the need to evaluate the activation of blood elements and the degree of their coagulation and adhesion to the device surface. One possible way to achieve this is to use scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The aim was to develop a novel SEM-based method to assess the thrombogenic potential of medical devices and their adhesiveness to blood cells. As a part of this task, also find a convenient procedure of efficient and non-destructive sample fixation for SEM while reducing the use of highly toxic substances and shortening the fixation time. A polymeric surgical mesh was exposed to blood so that blood elements adhered to its surface. Such prepared samples were then chemically fixed for a subsequent SEM measurement; a number of fixation procedures were tested to find the optimal one. The fixation results were evaluated from SEM images, and the degree of blood elements’ adhesion was determined from the images using ImageJ software. The best fixation was achieved with the May-Grünwald solution, which is less toxic than chemicals traditionally used. Moreover, manipulation with highly toxic osmium tetroxide can be avoided in the proposed procedure. A convenient methodology for SEM image analysis has been developed too, enabling to quantitatively evaluate the interaction of blood with the surfaces of various medical devices. Our method replaces the subjective assessment of surface coverage with a better-defined procedure, thus offering more precise and reliable results.
Variational Quantum Search with Shallow Depth for Unstructured Database Search
Authors: Zhan Junpeng
Published: December 2023

With the advent of powerful quantum computers, the quest for more efficient quantum algorithms becomes crucial in attaining quantum supremacy over classical counterparts in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum era. While Grover's search algorithm and its generalization, quantum amplitude amplification, offer quadratic speedup in solving various important scientific problems, their exponential time complexity limits scalability as the quantum circuit depths grow exponentially with the number of qubits. To overcome this challenge, we propose Variational Quantum Search (VQS), a novel algorithm based on variational quantum algorithms and parameterized quantum circuits. We show that a depth-10 Ansatz can amplify the total probability of k (k ≥ 1) good elements, out of 2n elements represented by n + 1 qubits, from k/2n to nearly 1, as verified for n up to 26, and that the maximum depth of quantum circuits in the VQS increases linearly with the number of qubits. Our experimental results have validated the efficacy of VQS and its exponential advantage over Grover's algorithm in circuit depth for up to 26 qubits. We demonstrate that a depth-56 circuit in VQS can replace a depth-270,989 circuit in Grover's algorithm. Envisioning its potential, VQS holds promise to accelerate solutions to critical problems.
Factors affecting pathological myopia and its prevalence among primary school children in Hawassa town, southern Ethiopia, 2023
Authors: Alemie Bersufekad Wubie , worku Endalew Mulugeta , Kite Ephrem Addisu , girum Mikael Gebresellasse , ayelign yared
Published: December 2023

Background
Pathological myopia is a serious and major challenging public health concern that needs our attention due to increased prevalence and it is an important cause of correctable visual impairment and preventable blindness worldwide. The highest prevalence of pathological myopia is seen in younger people, particularly in urbanized East and Southeast Asian countries in the last 50–60 years and it is highly associated with different factors that can easily be modifiable to decrease or control the progression of myopia.
Purpose
estimate the prevalence and identify associated factors of pathological myopia among primary school children in Hawassa town, southern Ethiopia 2023.
Method
The study was conducted in Hawassa Ethiopia, the total sample size was 806 children, a school-based cross-sectional study design was used, the sampling technique used to select the study participants was through simple random sampling methods, Data collection tools were Pre-tasted questionnaires, and ophthalmic refraction set both wet and dry retinoscopy, then the data was entered to SPSS version 16 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for selected variables. Binary and multivariable logistic regression will be used to identify factors associated with pathological myopia. Finally, the result will be presented in a table.
Result
A total of 806 students were included, and they had an age range of 6–16 years, The prevalence of pathological myopia was 1.9%. Family history of myopia, school being private, shorter time for outdoor activities, using visual display units, shorter near working distance, a longer time for near work, and age range of 11–16 were found to be independently associated with pathological myopia.