bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Risk Factors for Subsequent Fractures Following Percutaneous Kyphoplasty for Single-Segment Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures
Authors: Zhang Aiqi , Wang Xun , Lin Yichen , Kong Mingxiang
Published: October 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to look into the risk factors for recurrent fractures following percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in patients with single-level osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).
Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the clinical data of 289 patients who underwent PKP for single-segment OVCF at our institution from January 2018 to December 2020. The patients were categorized into the refracture group (39 cases) and the non-refracture group (250 cases) based on whether new vertebral fractures occurred postoperatively. Sex, age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes, bone mineral density (BMD), osteoporosis treatment, fracture level, bone cement injection volume, bone cement leakage, bone cement distribution, spinal scoliosis, pre-and postoperative Cobb angles, and vertebral height restoration rate were recorded. Univariate analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between variables and subsequent vertebral fractures. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors.. Nonrestrictive cubic spline functions were employed to explore the correlations between the independent risk factors selected from the multivariate analysis.
Results: The univariate analysis revealedthat age, BMI, BMD, postoperative anti-osteoporosis treatment, fracture level, preoperative Cobb angle, and vertebral height restoration rate were significantly correlated with postoperative vertebral refracture after PKP (P<0.05). The results of the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a BMD less than -2.6 (odds ratio (OR)=0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI)0.45,0.90, P<0.05) and a vertebral height restoration rate greater than 9.8% (OR=1.40, 95% CI 1.17,1.68, P<0.01) were significantly linked to post-PKP recurrent fractures. The results of the nonrestrictive cubic spline function indicated a monotonic relationship between BMD and risk of PKP refracture. The risk of PKP refracture decreased with increased BMD after PKP surgery. The relationship between vertebral height restoration rate and the risk of PKP refracture followed a "U" shaped pattern. After the vertebral height restoration rate exceeded 9.8%, the risk of PKP refracture increased, reaching its highest point at 26.1% and then slightly declining.
Conclusions: BMD<-2.6 and a vertebral height restoration rate>9.8% are independent risk factors for postoperative vertebral refracture in patients with OVCF following PKP.
Drivers of the mean biases of the tropical atmospheric circulation in a moist static energy framework
Authors: Fan Chen-Shuo , Dommenget Dietmar
Published: October 2023

In this study, we apply the moist static energy for first baroclinic mode (MSEB) model to examine the drivers of the mean tropical atmospheric circulation biases over oceanic regions. The model diagnoses the vertical motion in an air column of the tropical regions based on net energy heat flux and advection of moisture or heat into the air column in relation to the stability of the air column due to the gradients in moist static energy. Analysis of CMIP and AMIP simulations helped to identified errors intrinsic to the atmospheric models or errors due to atmosphere-ocean coupling process with a focus on some of the main large-scale biases (double-ITCZ, Pacific cold tongue, southward shift of ITCZ over the Atlantic, and dipole bias over the Indian Ocean). Despite some limitations of the MSEB model we find that the primary drivers of the tropical circulation biases result from biases in the top of the atmosphere long wave radiation and the surface latent heat flux, suggesting a link to biases in the hydrological cycle. Biases in the advection of moist static energy also play an important role, while biases in the gross moist stability profiles play only a minor role. Most biases are intrinsic to the atmospheric model, but some are significantly enhanced or altered in pattern in the coupled model simulations.
Estimation of sodium consumption in hypertensive patients based on urine sodium excretion: A Preliminary study
Authors: Usman Suharno
Published: October 2023

Adults and children ingested an average of 8.0–4.7 grams (444.45–261.11 mmol) of sodium daily, with an average urine sodium excretion of 151.78–54.78 mmol/l. As a result, it is strongly advised to limit sodium intake. The objective of this study to investigate and identify sodium intake by estimating urinary sodium excretion in hypertensive patients. A cross-sectional assessment of the 24-hour urine collection procedure using the KME-03 salinity checker and blood pressure (BP). Estimates of average daily salt (sodium) consumption (6.44 grams; 110.104 mmol). Female participants had greater estimated average sodium intake than males (6.49 grams-110.99 mmol; 6.35 g-108.57 mmol). The correlation with systolic BP had a small significant negative correlation (r=-.330, p = .014) and positive correlation with diastolic BP (r = .343, p = .003). The participants' average urine salt excretion exceeded the reference norm and salt consumption was more than five g/d. Diverse population, repeated measurements, and determining the frequency of meals were needed.
Persian Typographical Error Type Detection Using Deep Neural Networks on Algorithmically-Generated Misspellings
Authors: Dehghani Mohammad , Faili Heshaam
Published: October 2023

Spelling correction is a remarkable challenge in the field of natural language processing. The objective of spelling correction tasks is to recognize and rectify spelling errors automatically. The development of applications that can effectually diagnose and correct Persian spelling and grammatical errors has become more important in order to improve the quality of Persian text. The Typographical Error Type Detection in Persian is a relatively understudied area. Therefore, this paper presents a compelling approach for detecting typographical errors in Persian texts. Our work includes the presentation of a publicly available dataset called FarsTypo, which comprises 3.4 million words arranged in chronological order and tagged with their corresponding part-of-speech. These words cover a wide range of topics and linguistic styles. We develop an algorithm designed to apply Persian-specific errors to a scalable portion of these words, resulting in a parallel dataset of correct and incorrect words. By leveraging FarsTypo, we establish a strong foundation and conduct a thorough comparison of various methodologies employing different architectures. Additionally, we introduce a groundbreaking Deep Sequential Neural Network that utilizes both word and character embeddings, along with bidirectional LSTM layers, for token classification aimed at detecting typographical errors across 51 distinct classes. Our approach is contrasted with highly advanced industrial systems that, unlike this study, have been developed using a diverse range of resources. The outcomes of our final method proved to be highly competitive, achieving an accuracy of 97.62%, precision of 98.83%, recall of 98.61%, and surpassing others in terms of speed.
The CdSe nanoparticles surface corona proteins cause immunotoxicity affecting to nematode
Authors: Xu Xinyi , Shi Keru , Xie Hui , Chen Xueli
Published: October 2023

The selenium and cadmium from waste streams were uptake by microorganism. Those engineered nanoparticles (BioQs), which coated by corona proteins in microorganism or released. However, there is a lack of multilevel toxicity validation and immunotoxicity evaluation on corona proteins in vivo. In this study, the toxicity evaluating and immune-toxicity of BioQs with corona protein was tested by Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in vivo. The results showed that BioQs were superior to quantum dots (QDs) without the corona protein in the acute toxicity test, longevity and the body length experiments in nematodes. In the BioQs group, there was no significant effect on mobility of C. elegans because the the corona protein could reduce the oxidative stress response of C. elegans. However, BioQs would be detected to accumulate in the gonad if under BioQs long-term treatment (≥ 72 hours) by fluorescence microscopy. The effect of BioQs on the innate immune system of nematodes was examined by tracking the expression of early (HSF, f49f1.6, f56d6.2 and k08d8.5) and late (spp-1, nlp-31, lys-7 and lys-8) immune pathway genes. Genes related to the DAF-2/DAF-16 and PMK-1 pathway were up-regulated shortly after exposure to BioQs, but expression across all immune pathway genes was suppressed after extended times. The results showed that the treatment of heavy metal pollution from waste stream by microorganisms, in which metal nanoparticles were formed containing corona proteins, affects, and this issue deserves attention.
Managing Fusobacterium necrophorum-Induced Pneumonia and Septic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Geng Chen , Wang Suyun , Zhang Miao
Published: October 2023

In this report, we summarize the nursing care administered to a patient with severe pneumonia and septic cardiomyopathy due to Fusobacterium necrophorum. The nursing care plan includes preventing and monitoring infections to avoid healthcare-associated infections, monitoring blood coagulation function, implementing anticoagulation measures, and adopting dynamic management. The plan also includes an anticipatory nursing management program for stress injury in critically ill patients, skin care to maintain skin integrity, early and gradual rehabilitation to prevent ICU-acquired debilitation, full-course follow-up, and an emphasis on the long-term quality of life of the survivors of critical illness. After receiving 18 days of specialized care, the patient's condition improved, and she was successfully discharged from the hospital after being transferred to the respiratory department. One year later, during the follow-up, the patient's life and work resumed normal.
Predictive nomogram for preoperative differential diagnosis of benign and malignant gallbladder lesions. Nomogram for diagnosis of gallbladder cancer
Authors: Wu Shurui , Zhao Jiahang , ran zikun , tang haowen , zhang yan
Published: October 2023

Background
Gallbladder cancer is a rare and fatal malignant tumor, and difficult to be found in time due to the atypical symptoms. Early detection and treatment of gallbladder cancer is essential.
Methods
By evaluating the relationship between clinical features and contrast-enhanced ultrasound nature of 237 cases of gallbladder lesions, the preoperative predictors with differential diagnosis value for malignancy and benignity were identified and integrated into the nomogram by stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predictive performance of the nomogram was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, calibration curve analysis and decision curve analysis, and compared with the prediction model combining neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and CA19-9. Bootstrap analysis was used for the interval validation.
Results
The nomogram predicting benign and malignant gallbladder lesions was constructed by the predictors with preoperative diagnostic value (L, DBil, gallbladder wall thickness and features of gallbladder lesions by CEUS). The C-statistic of the nomogram is 0.981 and superior than the C-statistic of the combination of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and CA19-9. The prediction accuracy, reliability and clinical utility were considerable in the performance evaluation. Internal validation of the nomogram was performed using Bootstrap with 1000 resamplings, yielding a Kappa value of 0.800 and an Accuracy of 0.911.
Conclusions
The predictive nomogram is conducive to the differentiation of benign and malignant gallbladder lesions and play an important guiding role in the clinical treatment decision-making process.
Diversity of Late Yangshao agricultural intensification at Xishanping, Gansu
Authors: Sheng Pengfei , Allen Edward , Wang Taizhi
Published: October 2023

Previous work at the Xishanping site, located in the upper Wei River basin in eastern Gansu Province, China, identified the earliest regional evidence for rice cultivation (5070 cal. yr BP).This study presents the first integrated archaeobotanical and isotopic research on charred cereal crop remains at Xishanping site obtain via flotation. This is combined with new archaeobotanical and cereal crop seed δ15N data suggests. We suggest that late Yangshao populations at Xishanping not only implemented a mixed-crop millet-based agricultural regime, but intensified their cultivation during the period 5300 − 4800 cal. yr BP. This study enriches current understandings of the spatial and temporal changes in agricultural practices in the late Neolithic Wei River Basin on the eve of the formation of complex society in north China.
Hyperoxia promotes osteogenic differentiation of diabetic tendon stem/progenitor cells via ROS/HIF-1a signaling axis
Authors: Zhang Ming , Dai Guang-Chun , Zhang Yuan-Wei , Lu Pan-Pan , Wang Hao , Li Ying-Juan , Rui Yun-Feng
Published: October 2023

Diabetic calcified tendinopathy is the leading cause of chronic pain, mobility restriction, and tendon rupture in patients with diabetes. Tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic calcified tendinopathy. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we first found that blood vessels and hemoglobin increased significantly in the Achilles tendons of diabetic rats, indicating the existence of a hyperoxic environment in diabetic tendons. We found that hyperoxia promoted the osteogenic differentiation of TSPCs in vitro. Simultaneously, hyperoxia caused the change of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) signaling axis in TSPCs. In addition, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) intervention showed that blocking the ROS/HIF-1a signaling axis significantly inhibited the enhanced osteogenic differentiation ability of TSPCs induced by hyperoxia. In vivo, animal experiments indicated that NAC effectively inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced calcification of Achilles tendons. In a word, hyperoxia promotes osteogenic differentiation of diabetic tendon stem/progenitor cells via ROS/HIF-1a signaling axis and provides a new theoretical basis for preventing and treating diabetic calcified tendinopathy.
Investigation of Temperature, Chirality, Size, and Boundary Conditions Effect on the Tensile Properties of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) by Molecular Dynamic Approach.
Authors: Kabhi Ahsanul Alam , Tusher Md Mahamud Hasan , Rahman Maliha , Imam Alisan , Jabed Akib
Published: October 2023

Tensile properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been determined using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. AtomsK® was used to generate the LAMMPS data file, and OVITO was used to visualize the dump file. The molecular dynamics study examined how temperature, strain rate, size of CNT, chirality, and boundary conditions might affect the tensile characteristics of a typical SWCNT. Five intermediate temperatures were chosen: 300 K, 350 K, 400 K, 450 K, and 500 K. The findings showed that strength decreased when the temperature rose due to structural changes, thermally induced faults, thermal deterioration, and thermal expansion. To further examine how strain rate affects the tensile behavior of the material at 300 K, three strain rates of 0.25x10− 3 Ps− 1, 0.5x10− 3 Ps− 1, and 1x10− 3 Ps− 1 were selected. It was shown that SWCNT networks displayed strain rate-dependent behavior, with greater strain rates resulting in higher strength values; this feature is known as strain rate sensitivity. Tensile properties were also observed for three different sizes of CNT. From computational results, it can be concluded that the tensile strength of SWCNT decreased with increasing in radius of SWCNT. Also, the mechanical properties of SWCNT for different chirality and boundary conditions were compared. It showed that the strength of the armchair arrangement was higher than the strength of the zig-zag orientation.
Airborne transmission efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 in Syrian hamsters is not influenced by environmental conditions
Authors: Yinda Claude Kwe , Port Julia R. , Bushmaker Trenton , Schulz Jonathan E. , Gallogly Shane , Fischer Robert J. , Munster# Vincent J.
Published: October 2023

Several human respiratory viruses display a clear seasonal pattern with a higher incidence in the winter season in temperate regions. We previously determined that SARS-CoV-2 is more stable at low-temperature and low-humidity conditions compared to warmer temperature and higher-humidity. To determine if this translates into differential airborne transmission rates in vivo, we performed airborne transmission experiments in the Syrian hamster model under three different environmental conditions (10°C, 45% relative humidity (RH), 22°C, 45%RH, and 27°C, 65%RH). We compared the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Lineage A with the more transmissible Delta Variant of Concern (VOC). Airborne transmission was evaluated using SARS-CoV-2 infected donor animals at 24 hours post inoculation. Sentinels were placed at a 90cm distance in a transmission set-up and exposed for 1-hour to infected donor animals. While environmental conditions moderately impacted lung RNA titers, the shedding kinetics of the donors were not affected by the environmental conditions and did not differ significantly between variants on day 1. Overall, the highest transmission efficiency was observed at 22°C, 40%RH for Delta (62.5%, based on seroconversion), and ranged between 37.5–50% for all other conditions. However, these differences were not significant. To elucidate this further, we performed aerosol stability comparisons and found that infectious virus remained stable during a 1-hour time window across all conditions. Our data suggest that even when environmental conditions affect the stability of SARS-CoV-2, this may not directly be translatable to measurable impacts on transmission in an experimental setting when exposure time is restricted.
Privacy-Preserving Federated Learning Based On Partial Low-Quality Data
Authors: Wang Huiyong , Wang Qi , Ding Yong , Tang Shijie , Wang Yujue
Published: October 2023

Traditional machine learning requires collecting data from participants for training, which may result in malicious acquisition of privacy in participants' data. Federated learning offers a method to protect participants' data privacy by transferring the training process from a centralized server to terminal devices. However, the server may still obtain participants' privacy information through inference attacks, among other methods. Additionally, the data provided by participants varies in quality, and excessive involvement of low-quality data in the training process can render the model unusable, which is an important issue in current mainstream Federated learning. To address the aforementioned issues, this paper presents a Privacy Preserving Federated learning Scheme with Partial Low-Quality Data (PPFL-LQDP). It achieves good training results while allowing participants to utilize partial low-quality data, thereby enhancing the privacy and ronutness of the Federated learning scheme. Specifically, we use a modified distributed Paillier cryptographic mechanism to protect the privacy and security of participants' data during the Federated training process. Simultaneously, we construct composite evaluation values for the data held by participants to reduce the involvement of low-quality data, thereby minimizing the negative impact of such data on the model. Through experiments on the MNIST dataset, we demonstrate that this scheme can complete the model training of Federated learning with the participation of partial low-quality data, while effectively protecting the security and privacy of participants' data. Comparisons with related schemes also show that our scheme has good overall performance.
Carbon capture in Latin American algal meadows: a case study on South American pacific coast
Authors: Cerna-Arrue Ariana , Aponte Héctor , Torres-Galarza Stephany
Published: October 2023

Algal meadows can significantly contribute to carbon (C) capture; nevertheless, few studies on South American Pacific coast reserves are available. Evaluation of these stocks allows proposing better measures for the sustainable use of these habitats and maintaining their ecosystem services. This study aimed to estimate biomass distribution and quantify the C captured in algal meadows of Chondracanthus chamissoi on the Laguna Grande coastal lagoon (Ica-Peru). To calculate the biomass, the area occupied by each patch of algae in each sampling zone was delimited and transects perpendicular to the coast were used in randomly located plots. To calculate the biomass, randomly located plots of algae transecting perpendicular to the coast were located in each sampling zone and delimited. In the laboratory, the dry biomass and C content were measured (the latter using an elemental analyzer). Monthly variation in the distribution and area was identified. September 2021 presented the highest total biomass (50416.4 kg; 50.4 t) and C captured (13 t C) while from February to June no algal biomass was found. Significant differences were found in the biomass and C capture in the sampling zones, the months of C capture, and the interaction between these two variables. C capture decreases with warm months and more intensive algae extraction. Our results provide valuable information on the distribution of biomass and C captured over time in the study area, which will help create a more sustainable extraction process.
COVID19 vaccination prevents functional loss in elderly
Authors: Muñoz-Gutiérrez José de Jesús , Gaytán-Ramos Ángel Ariel , Rodríguez-Quintanilla Karina Alejandra
Published: October 2023

Background
COVID19 caused high morbidity and mortality rates among the elderly population. SARS-CoV2 vaccination significantly reduced the severity of cases, hospitalizations, and mortality. There is limited research available on the impact of vaccination on the functional performance of the elderly. This paper aims to explore the functional performance of the elderly based on their vaccination status.
Methods
This is an exploratory, observational, cross-sectional, and prospective study, conducted within a COVID-19 concentration hospital in Northern Mexico. The research focused on patients 60 years and above, who were hospitalized and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between March 1 and October 31, 2021. Participants were categorized based on their vaccination status upon admission. Electronic records were utilized for data collection, and a 6-month follow-up phone call, using a purpose-built instrument. The study examined mortality post-discharge, daily life activities assessed using Katz index and Lawton Brody Scale for each group.
Results
A total of 266 patients were included. 255 survived. The average age was 74 years. Regarding vaccination status, 40% were not immunized, and 31.4% had completed their immunization schedule. The analysis revealed that immunization significantly preserved IADL. The highest level of protection was observed among individuals with complete immunization status (p < 0.001; OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01–0.18). Furthermore, complete immunization emerged as a protective factor for ADL (p = 0.008; OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09–0.71).
Conclusion
The key finding: even incomplete vaccinations prevent functional loss in the elderly. Our study underscores the need to remove barriers hindering elderly vaccination.
Inhibition of VCAM-1 gene transcriptional blockade by RHOdiroside through inhibition of P65 and CSN5 deubiquitination reduces atherosclerosis in monocytes and endothelial adherent cells
Authors: Zhang Xu , Tang WenLian , Liu Xingquan , Luo Lin , Xin Xin , Ju Nana , Xiong Huarong , Wu Ping , Zhang Xian , Zhang Daiwei , Yu Lan , Li Gen , Zhao Feipeng , Wang Jianing , Ji Jing , Liu chao
Published: October 2023

Monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion plays a crucial role in the early development of atherosclerosis, contributing to lipid disruption and exacerbating the condition. RHOdiola (RHO), a prominent Chinese medicinal drug, possesses diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-metabolic deregulation, and neuroprotective effects. However, the specific anti-atherosclerotic effects of RHO remain incompletely understood. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential beneficial impact of RHO on atherosclerosis. ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet and administered RHO treatment. Protein expression levels of GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 in the aortic endotheliμM were evaluated. Our findings demonstrate a reduction in GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 protein expression levels in the aortic endotheliμM, accompanied by decreased P65 phosphorylation levels. Additionally, GATA2 ubiquitination was downregulated, The binding strength of PP2AC and I2PP2A decreased while its binding to P65 increased. Moreover, RHO directly inhibited the transcriptional activity of NF-κB subunit P65 as a transcription factor by targeting the I2PP2A-PP2Ac axis. Furthermore, it interacted with the transcription factor GATA-2 through CSN5-mediated deubiquitination, thereby directly suppressing the transcription of the P65-regulated VCAM-1 gene. In conclusion, the combined dual inhibition of VCAM-1 gene transcription, along with the consequent reduction in monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, mediates the anti-atherosclerotic biological activity exerted by RHO.
Mechanistic understanding of the "gatekeeper" phosphofructokinase of the glycolytic pathway on the central carbon metabolism
Authors: Li Lingyun , Qin Ning , Chen Xin , Chen Yu , Ji Xu , Zhang Yijie , Nielsen Jens , Li Zihe
Published: October 2023

Background: Glycolysis is one of the oldest and most fundamental metabolic pathways responsible for glucose breakdown and energy production in cells. The key regulatory enzyme in glycolysis is phosphofructokinase (Pfks), which catalyzes the phosphorylation of fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. The regulation of Pfks plays a crucial role in fine-tuning glycolytic flux to meet the cellular energy demands, making it a "gatekeeper" enzyme of glycolysis. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pfks has evolved into a hetero-octameric phosphofructokinase, consisting of the Alpha and Beta subunits encoded by PFK1 and PFK2, respectively. Deletion of either PFK1 or PFK2 could significantly impair the organism's fitness, whereas the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the specific effects of PFK1 and PFK2 on the cellular metabolism of S. cerevisiae.
Results: Deletion of either PFK1 or PFK2 significantly reduced the cell growth, decreased ethanol and glycerol production and increased acetate production. Furthermore, through Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) and transcriptome analysis, we observed a significant upregulation of the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle and the electron transfer chain in the PFK2 deletion strain. This upregulation indicated a shift towards enhanced oxidative respiration and energy production under the absence of the Beta subunit of Pfks. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the deletion of PFK2 led to a 33% improvement in the free fatty acid production, indicating its effectiveness as a key factor in regulation of lipid metabolism as well as bioproduction.
Conclusions: Our physiological and transcriptomic data suggested that, as an isoenzyme, Pfk1 has a relatively limited influence on the metabolism of S. cerevisiae, whereas Pfk2 plays significant and vital roles in cellular metabolism. Deletion of PFK2 has the potential to greatly enhance respiration in yeast under aerobic conditions. These observations underscore the pivotal role of PFK2 in governing cellular energy metabolism and suggest that manipulation of PFK2 expression could hold promising implications for bioproduction processes.
Highway forecasting for weather factor and traffic flow interaction scenarios
Authors: Tao Ning , Shengteng Deng , Xiangkun Jia
Published: October 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
2-approximation algorithm for soft-capacitated facility location problem with linear penalties
Authors: Zhu Lihao , Qiu Xiangyan , Li Qiaoliang
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we will be discussing an extension of the classical facility location problem known as the soft-capacitated facility location problem with linear penalties. In this problem, some demand points are allowed to be abandoned under the condition of paying them established linear penalties. Each facility has its own inherent capacity limit, but each facility can be opened multiple times, just paying a corresponding multiple of the opening cost. This problem is a generation of the uncapacitated facility location with linear penalties. To solve this problem, we present a 2-approximation algorithm by reduction technique, and prove that the algorithm achieves the integrality gap of its standard linear programming relaxation. This means that if the value of the objective function corresponding to the optimal solution of the standard linear relaxation of the soft-capacitated facility location problem with linear penalties is used as the lower bound, a better approximation ratio will not be obtained.
Is metformin associated with a lower prevalence of polyps, adenomas and colorectal carcinoma in patients with diabetes mellitus?
Authors: Canha Maria Inês , Ramos Gonçalo , Prata Rita , Martins Pedro Lages , Ramos Marta Viúla , Coimbra João
Published: October 2023

Purpose. Recent studies suggested a protective role of metformin in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursors. We aimed to investigate if metformin was associated with a lower prevalence and number of colorectal polyps in diabetic patients and, secondarily, adenomas, high-risk adenomas and CRC.Methods. Retrospective study on adult patients with diabetes mellitus followed in our hospital with a total colonoscopy between 2015–2019, treated with either metformin for > 5 years or other antidiabetic agent (control group). We assessed the number, size and histology of proliferative lesions detected on colonoscopy.Results. We included 401 patients aged 69 ± 9 years, 57% males, divided in two groups: treated with metformin (n = 260) and without (n = 140). The number of polyps detected was significantly lower in patients under metformin (p = 0.014). There was a nonsignificant trend towards lower polyp detection rates in the metformin compared to the control group both in unadjusted analysis (50% vs 60%, p = 0.058) and adjusted analysis (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–1.09, p = 0.111). In the latter we identified male gender (OR 2.24, 95%CI 1.44–3.49, p < 0.001), age (OR 1.35 for every 10 years, 95%CI 1.07–1.71, p = 0.012), glycated hemoglobin value (OR 1.20 for every 1% increase, 95%CI 1.06–1.37, p = 0.005) and hypertension (OR 1.76, 95%CI 1.01–3.08, p = 0.046) as factors associated with a higher prevalence of polyps. We saw no statistically significant differences regarding adenoma (p = 0.231), high-risk adenoma (p = 0.810) and CRC (p = 0.705) diagnoses between groups.Conclusion. In our study, metformin was associated with less colorectal polyps in diabetic patients compared to other treatment modalities. The polyp detection rates, although lower in the metformin group, had no statistically significant differences between groups both in unadjusted and adjusted analysis.
Impact of Delayed Removal of Pectus Bar on Outcomes Following Nuss Repair: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Keong Der-En , Tzeng I-Shiang , Htut Nay , Fan Yu-Jiun , Hsieh Min-Shiau , Cheng Yeung-Leung
Published: October 2023

Background
Usually, pectus bars are removed 3 years after Nuss procedure in patients with pectus excavatum. However, the optimal timing for postoperative pectus bar removal remains undefined. Our study investigated the effects of delayed pectus bar removal after Nuss repairs.
Methods
Retrospective data were collected on patients who underwent Nuss procedures for pectus excavatum and had their bars removed from August 2014 to December 2020. Patients with correction period > 3 years were divided into group A (< 6 years) and group B (≥ 6 years). Propensity score matching was used to compare complications and radiological outcomes associated with bar removal.
Results
Of the 542 patients who underwent bar removal, 451 (Group A: 419 patients, Group B: 32) had correction duration > 3 years. The average correction duration was 4.5 ± 1.4 years. After propensity score matching analysis, group B (mean: 8.0 (6.0–16.2) years) exhibited significantly longer median operative times (85 vs 55 min; P = 0.026), higher callus formation rates (68.8% vs 46.9%; P = 0.029), and greater median intraoperative blood loss (35 vs 10 mL; P = 0.017) than group A (mean: 4.2 (3.0–5.9) years). However, following bar removal, the groups showed no statistical differences in the surgical complication rates (group A: 6.3% vs group B: 9.4%; P = 0.648) or median ratio of radiological improvement (an improvement on the Haller index on chest radiograph, 21.0% vs 22.2%; P = 0.308).
Conclusions
Delaying pectus bar removal after Nuss repair presents certain challenges but does not compromise overall outcomes. These findings suggest that a longer correction period may be unnecessary. However, further multicenter studies with long-term follow-up are warranted to assess long-term outcomes.
Study on the dynamic adsorption and recycling of phosphorus by Fe-Mn oxide/mulberry branch biochar composite adsorbent
Authors: Meina Liang , Qiao Mushi , Zhang Qing , Xu Shuiping
Published: October 2023

In this study, the Fe-Mn oxide/mulberry stem biochar composite adsorbent (FM-MBC) was used to conduct dynamic adsorption experiments on phosphate in water. The effects of pH value (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0), initial concentration of phosphorus (10, 20, and 30 mg L− 1), adsorbent bed height (2, 3, and 4 cm), and solution flow rate (1, 2, and 3 mL min− 1) were investigated to analyze the breakthrough curves. The results showed that as the initial phosphorus concentration and flow rate increased, and the bed height decreased, the breakthrough time was shortened. This indicates that higher initial phosphorus concentrations and flow rates, as well as lower bed heights, led to faster breakthrough of phosphate ions in the FM-MBC adsorbent. Additionally, it was observed that increasing the pH value was not conducive to the adsorption of phosphorus by the FM-MBC adsorbent. To analyze the experimental data, three different models [Yoon Nelson, Thomas, Adams-Bohart and Bed depth service time (BDST)] were fitted to the dynamic adsorption data under different experimental conditions. These models were used to predict the breakthrough curves and evaluate the model parameters of the fixed bed for process design reference. Among the four models, the Thomas model showed good agreement with the experimental data, indicating its suitability for describing the dynamic adsorption process of phosphate ions using FM-MBC. The saturated fixed-bed column including FM-MBC were regenerated with NaOH and HCl, which 0.3 mol L− 1 NaOH solution had the best regeneration effect. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated that FM-MBC has excellent adsorption properties for removing phosphate from aqueous solutions.
Alterations of the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with Moyamoya disease after revascularization: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Qi Yi-Chen , Deng Yu-En , Wen Jia-Yi , Chen Lu-Jia , Wu Di , Wu Shi-Nan , Shao Yi
Published: October 2023

Objective: Revascularization surgery is commonly used to treat Moyamoya disease (MMD). To assess the effects of revascularization, we investigated the neural activities in patients with MMD using the alterations of the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF).
Methods: Eighteen patients with MMD (6 male and 12 female) who had undergone revascularization surgery and 18 healthy controls of the same sex were selected for the study. The fALFFs in the brain regions of all the participants were investigated and analyzed.
Results: The fALFF of the Right Medial Frontal Gyrus, Frontal_Inf_Orb_R, Frontal_Inf_Tri_R, Frontal_Sup_L, and Right Medial Frontal Gyrus increased after the surgical intervention. The fALFF in Thalamu_R, Hippocampus_L, and Cerebellum_L decreased. However, the alternations of mean ALFF values in the different regions did not correlate with postoperative clinical manifestations in MMD patients.
Conclusion: Surgical interference can improve brain function in patients with MMD, and fALFF can be used for more accurate predictions of the prognosis of MMD.
Comparison in radiographic outcomes between robotic-assisted cruciate- retaining and posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized controlled study
Authors: Huang Zhenchao , Zhang Zian , Yu Chaoqun , Wang Wenzhe , Zhang Haining
Published: October 2023

Background
Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) is currently increasingly used in the field of joint arthroplasty, with cruciate-retaining (CR) and posterior-stabilized (PS) prostheses currently being the most widely used prosthesis designs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in radiographic outcomes and early clinical outcomes between CR and PS in RA-TKA.
Methods
This prospective randomized controlled study enrolled 120 patients who underwent primary CR or PS RA-TKA between July 2022 and March 2023. Knee radiographs were taken one-day postoperative, while range of motion (ROM) and clinical scores were recorded in the outpatient clinic six-month postoperative. Radiographic outcomes and early clinical outcomes between the two groups were compared, respectively.
Results
Patients implanted with PS achieved a lower postoperative PTS (P < 0.001), as well as a higher ΔFTA (P = 0.001), ΔHKA (P < 0.001) and absolute ΔPTS (P < 0.001) compared to patients with CR RA-TKA. All radiographic parameters in both groups were changed significantly after surgery (P < 0.001). No difference was found in Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) or 5-point Likert Score. However, postoperative ROM (P = 0.034) and ΔROM (P = 0.012) was significantly higher in CR than in PS group.
Conclusion
Patients with PS can achieve a lower postoperative PTS, and a higher ΔFTA, ΔHKA and absolute ΔPTS compared to patients with CR RA-TKA. Postoperative ROM and ΔROM were higher in CR than in PS group. However, the significant difference in radiographic outcomes and ROM did not translate into any difference in clinical outcomes. No difference was found in FJS-12 or 5-point Likert Score.
A Traffic Flow Prediction Method Based on Blockchain and Federated Learning
Authors: Zhi Hui , 段 苗苗 , Yang Lixia
Published: October 2023

Traffic flow prediction is the an important issue in the field of intelligent transportation, and real-time and accurate traffic flow prediction plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of traffic networks. Existing traffic flow prediction methods use deep learning models and collected traffic flow datasets to predict traffic flow. These datasets contain the private data of clients, so if some clients are unwilling to participate in the traffic flow prediction, the traffic flow prediction results will be inaccurate. Therefore, it is important to address the issue that how to motivate clients to actively participate in the traffic flow prediction while protecting the privacy data. So, this paper proposes a traffic flow prediction method based on blockchain and federated learning (TFPM-BFL). Firstly, the traffic flow prediction problem is described as federated learning (FL) task, the improved long and short-term memory (LSTM) model is used to predict the traffic flow at the client side, the traffic flow data is decomposed by wavelet function, and the LSTM network with added attention mechanism is used to obtain traffic flow prediction results; Then, incentive mechanism based on reputation value is proposed, the model parameters are uploaded to the blockchain for local and partial reputation evaluation through smart contracts, and the corresponding global reputation update is obtained, the reward is distributed to clients according to global reputation, so the clients are motivated to participate in the traffic flow prediction; Finally, the model aggregation method based on reputation value and compression rate is designed. Based on the reputation evaluation results, the edge server uses the Topk algorithm to perform high-quality aggregation of the local model parameters uploaded by clients (roadside units), central server aggregates the partial model parameters from edge server, and then the central server distributes the global aggregated model parameters to clients to perform the next round of FL. By using the FL framework, TFPM-BFL uploads the model parameters instead of the original traffic flow data, so it can protect private data. Moreover, it can provide incentive mechanism through reputation evaluation and reward to encourage clients to participate in the FL task. Simulation results show that TFPM-BFL can realize accurate and timely traffic flow prediction, and it can effectively motivate clients to participate in FL task while ensuring the privacy of the underlying data.
Molecular Characterization of the Multi-drug Resistant Myroides Odoratimimus Isolates: a Whole Genome Sequence-based Study to Confirm Carbapenem Resistance
Authors: Yartaşı Esra , Durmaz Rıza , Arı Oğuz , Mumcuoğlu İpek , Dinç Bedia
Published: October 2023

The bacteria belonging to the Myroides genus are opportunistic pathogens causing community or hospital-acquired infections that result in treatment failure due to antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to investigate molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, clonal relatedness, and the biofilm forming capacity of the 51 multi-drug resistant Myroides odoratimimus. All isolates were screened for blaKPC, blaOXA, blaVIM, blaIMP, blaMUS, blaTUS, blaNDM, and blaB genes by using PCR amplification. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was applied on three isolates for further investigation of antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Clonal relatedness was analyzed by Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and the microtiter plate method was used to demonstrate biofilm formation. All isolates were positive for biofilm formation. PCR analysis resulted in a positive for only the blaMUS-1 gene. WGS identified blaMUS-1, erm(F), ere(D), tet(X), and sul2 genes in all strains tested. PFGE yielded a clustering rate of 96%. High clonal relatedness, biofilm formation, and multi-drug resistance properties may lead to the predominance of these opportunistic pathogens in hospital environments and make them cause nosocomial infections.
mmu-miR-374b-5p modulated inflammatory factors via downregulation of C/EBP β/NF-κB signaling in Kupffer cells during Echinococcus multilocularis infection
Authors: Pu Guiting , Li Yanping , Liu Tingli , Li Hong , Wang Liqun , Chen Guoliang , Amuda Tharheer Oluwashola , Guo Xiaola , Luo Xuenong
Published: October 2023

Background
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is an important infectious disease caused by the metacestode larva of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), seriously threatening global public health security. Kupffer cells (KCs) play important roles in inflammasome. However, its role in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis not yet fully elucidated.
Methods
In this study, qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-374b-5p in KCs. C/EBP β, one of the targets of miR-374b-5p, was identified through luciferase reporter assays and loss-of-function and gains. Critical genes involved in NFκB signaling pathway were analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blot.
Results
This study reported that miR-374b-5p was significantly up-regulated in KCs during E. multilocularis infection, and further showed that miR-374b-5p was able to bind to the 3'-UTR of the C/EBP β gene and regulated its expression. The expression levels of NF-κBp65 and p-NF-κBp65 and pro-inflammatory factor including iNOS, TNFα, and IL6 was attenuated after overexpression of miR-374b-5p while enhanced after suppression of miR-374b-5p. However, the Arg1 expression level was promoted after overexpression of miR-374b-5p while suppressed after suppression of miR-374b-5p. Additionally, the increased protein levels of NF-κBp65 and p-NF-κBp65 were found in the C/EBP β-overexpressed KCs.
Conclusions
These results demonstrated that miR-374b-5p probably regulated the expression of inflammatory factors via C/EBP β/NF-κB signaling. This finding is helpful to explore the mechanism of inflammation regulation during E. multilocularis infection.
Smart Poultry Supported by Edge-Fog-Cloud Continuum: A Performance Evaluation Using Petri Nets
Authors: Barbosa Vandirleya , Sabino Arthur , Lima Luiz Nelson , Brito Carlos , Feitosa Leonel , Pereira Paulo , Silva Francisco Airton
Published: October 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) application in agriculture provides rural poultry farmers with automated tools and decision support systems to increase productivity and profit. The integration of Edge, Fog, and Cloud Computing technologies in this scenario enables real-time data collection, processing, and analysis. This, in turn, empowers poultry farmers to make informed decisions, enhancing production efficiency and ensuring poultry quality. However, when implementing IoT devices, the challenge arises in dealing with a large volume of generated data. Delays in data transfer between the Edge, Fog, and Cloud layers can impact the system's real-time responsiveness. Slowness in the system's responsiveness can compromise performance, especially in poultry monitoring systems, which are time-sensitive, and an error could result in losses. This work proposes a Stochastic Petri Net (SPN) model to analyze the performance of an integrated smart poultry house with Edge, Fog, and Cloud Computing. The proposed model covers the analysis of metrics such as average response time, resource utilization, discard probability, and system throughput. Furthermore, the highly flexible model allows developers and system administrators to calibrate various parameters.
Exploring the impact of diabetes on the prognosis of gastric cancer patients based on the survival data of gastric cancer patients in NHANES database and the survival data of Chinese gastric cancer patients
Authors: Zhou Weiguo , Cheng Yixian , Chen Junjie , Chen Haosong , Wang Mingqing , Cao Wei , He Cuiqi , Zhao Qi , Zhang Peng , Wang Wei , Zheng Yun , Chen Bo
Published: October 2023

Objectives
At present, the prognosis of gastric cancer patients is poor, and many factors affect their prognosis. This study mainly explored the relationship between diabetes and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.
Methods
Collect clinical data of gastric cancer patients from the NHANES database from 1999 to 2020 and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from 2015 to 2017. Integrating survival time, survival status, and covariates affecting prognosis in gastric cancer patients. To explore the relationship between diabetes and prognosis of gastric cancer patients by univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis
Results
In the clinical data of gastric cancer patients in NHANES database, in the three models constructed, there were differences between the history of diabetes and the prognosis of gastric cancer patients (p < 0.05). In the clinical data of gastric cancer patients in the first affiliated hospital of anhui medical university, there were differences between diabetes and gastric cancer prognosis in univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
By analyzing the clinical data of gastric cancer patients in NHANES database and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, we found that diabetes is a risk prognostic factor for gastric cancer.