bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk of Infection After Septic and Aseptic Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Lee Chang-Rack , Kim Chang-Wan , Park Dae-Hyun , Kwon Yong-Uk , Yoon Jun-Min
Published: August 2023

Background:

The causes of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) failure can be divided into septic and aseptic etiologies. It is unclear whether the etiology affects the infection rate after revision TKA. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate whether there is a difference in infection rates between septic and aseptic revision TKA. We hypothesized that infection rates would be higher after septic revision TKA.

Methods:

The PubMed and Embase databases and the Cochrane Library were searched to find studies evaluating infection rates following septic and aseptic revision TKA. We included studies that compared the postoperative infection rates of a group that received revision TKA for aseptic failure and a group that received 1- or 2-stage revision TKA for septic failure. Studies on re-revision TKA and on revision surgery after partial knee arthroplasty were excluded, as were studies of debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR).

Results:

Twelve studies were included in this systematic review. In studies in which 1- or 2-stage revision TKA was performed for septic failure, septic revision TKA had a significantly higher infection rate than aseptic revision TKA (odds ratio [OR], 6.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54 to 30.33; p = 0.01). Similarly, in studies in which 2-stage revision TKA was performed for septic failure, septic revision TKA had a significantly higher infection rate than aseptic revision TKA (OR, 4.14; 95% CI, 2.33 to 7.36; p < 0.00001). In the comparison of revision TKA for aseptic loosening and septic revision TKA, septic revision TKA had a higher infection rate than aseptic revision TKA (OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 2.28 to 8.70; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Overall, septic revision TKA had a higher infection rate than aseptic revision TKA. Even when 2-stage revision TKA was performed for septic failure, the infection rate was higher after septic revision TKA than after aseptic revision. Surgeons should explain the relatively high infection rates to patients undergoing revision TKA for septic failure of their primary joint replacement.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Giant Anomalous Cervical Spinous Process Causing Dynamic Cord Compression: An Unusual Cause for Myelopathy
Authors: Ramachandran Karthik , Patel Yogin , Arumugam Thirumurugan , Shetty Ajoy Prasad , Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran
Published: August 2023

Case:

A 47-year-old male patient presented with progressively worsening gait instability caused by a giant anomalous, free-floating C5 spinous process resulting in dynamic cord compression and myelopathy. The patient was successfully managed with a C5 laminectomy and total excision of the anomalous spinous process with a good functional outcome at the final follow-up.

Conclusion:

Anomalies of the posterior arch of the subaxial cervical spine are relatively uncommon and asymptomatic. This case is being reported for its rarity and to highlight the role of dynamic imaging in patients presenting with congenital anomalies of the cervical spine presenting with compressive myelopathy.
Entegre Raporların Okunabilirliğinin İşletmelerin Finansal Performansları ile İlişkisi: Sektörel Bir Araştırma
Authors: AKALIN Rahiye , TUĞAY Osman
Published: August 2023

İşletmeler faaliyetlerine ilişkin bilgiyi çeşitli raporlar aracılığıyla bilgi kullanıcılarına iletmektedir. Bilgi aktarımını finansal raporlar, faaliyet raporları, sürdürülebilirlik raporları gibi çeşitli araçlarla sağlamaktadır. Hem finansal hem de finansal olmayan bilgilerden oluşan bu raporlar, işletmeler hakkında bilgi edinmek isteyen ilgililerin ihtiyacını karşılamakla birlikte bazen bilgi karmaşasına sebep olabilmektedir. Günümüzde bilgi karmaşıklığını gidermek amacıyla kurumsal raporlama gelişiminin sonucu niteliğinde yeni bir raporlama paradigması olarak entegre raporlama sistemi ortaya çıkmıştır. Bilgi kullanıcıları için hazırlanan uzun ve karmaşık geleneksel raporlar çoğunlukla eleştirilmektedir. Entegre raporlama bunların aksine raporu hazırlayan işletmelerin mevcut durumunu ve performanslarını; bilgi kullanıcılarına açık, anlaşılır, sade bir dille aktarmayı vaat etmektedir. Entegre raporlamanın bu hedefi doğrultusunda; çalışma entegre rapor hazırlayan işletmelerin yayımladıkları raporların kolay okunabilir olup olmadığını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada öncelikle Readable Pro metin analizi programıyla entegre raporlar analiz edilmektedir. Analiz sonucunda program her bir rapora ait okuma kolaylığı puanı ve okunabilirlik derecesi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında sekiz farklı hipotez kurularak öncelikle farklı sektörlerde faaliyet gösteren işletmelerin entegre raporlarının okunabilirlik derecesinin sektörlere bağımlı olup olmadığını sonrasında elde edilen okuma kolaylığı puanları ile işletmelerin rapor uzunlukları ve finansal performans oranları arasındaki ilişki analiz edilmektedir.
An Investigation on the Monkeypox Virus Dynamics in Human and Rodent Populations for a Deterministic Mathematical Model
Authors: Leandry Leonce , Mureithi Eunice
Published: August 2023

A mathematical deterministic model for the dynamics of Monkeypox disease is developed. Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans, through contact with infected rodents. The model captures both the human and rodent populations and incorporates control strategies such as vaccines and quarantine for the human population. The model is analysed for local and global stability of the equilibrium solutions. In addition, numerical simulations of the model equations and sensitivity analysis of the parameters are carried out. The solutions obtained show that an increase in vaccination and quarantine measures could reduce the number of reproductions and ultimately eradicate the virus.
Dysfunction of External Switching and Backward Inhibition in Major Depressive Disorder：General or Emotional specific?
Authors: Huang Sai , Zhang Bao , Zhou Jing , Zhao Yating , Lu Xiaobing , Zhang John X
Published: August 2023

The debate continues regarding whether individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience dysfunctions in switching and/or inhibition when shifting their attention from one task set to another and whether such dysfunctions, if they exist, are broad in general or specific to emotional content. This study aims to address these uncertainties by utilizing an adapted task-switching paradigm to evaluate the "switch cost" (the capacity to activate a new task set) and "backward inhibition" (the ability to suppress a task set that has become irrelevant) in both clinical MDD patients and non-depressive control (NDC) individuals. The present findings identified the dysfunctions in MDD were to be in both the general and emotional domain compared with NDC when they performing the external task switching. Especially, MDD encountered challenges when switching attention from an emotional task to a non-emotional task. Further, this dysfunction was independent of rumination. In contrast, although emotional dysfunction in backward inhibition was also observed in MDD, it was closely related to elevated rumination scores. The results suggest a pattern wherein distinct symptoms of MDD are associated with different cognitive dysfunctions.
Application of the CatBoost Model for Stirred Reactor State Monitoring Based on Vibration Signals
Authors: Ren Xukai , Yu Huanwei , Chen Xianfeng , Shou Mingyao , Tang Yantong , Wang Guobiao , Du Xiyong
Published: August 2023

Stirred reactor is a key equipment in the production process, and will result in large economic losses and safety issues when unpredictable failures occur. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor their health state. With this goal, firstly, this study presets five states of the stirred reactor: normal, shaft bending, blade eccentricity, bearing wear, and bolt looseness. x, y, z axes vibration signals are collected and analyzed in time and frequency domain. Secondly, 93 statistical features are extracted evaluated by Relieff, MIC and XGBoost. The above evaluation results are then fused by D-S evidence theory to obtain the final 16 features that are most relevant to the state of the stirred reactor. Finally, CatBoost algorithm is introduced to establish the health state monitoring model of the stirred reactor.The validation results show that accuracy of the proposed model is 100% for state recognition and 98% for fault diagnosis.
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Towards Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis Among Residents in Weliso and Ejaji Towns, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Authors: Weya Weraka , Zewdu Endrias
Published: August 2023

Background: Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) is a significant vector‑borne meta zoonotic disease caused by agents belonging to the L. donovani complex. The disease is transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine female sandflies of the genera Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia in the old and new worlds, respectively.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2019 and September 2020, using an interview questionnaire as the study instrument. The study participants were selected through a simple random sampling method. Pearson’s Chi-square and logistic regression tests were used to evaluate the association between the study participants’ knowledge, attitude, and practices toward CVL and possible risk factors.
Results: The study included a total of 400 participants, and the results indicated that 77.25% had good knowledge, 60.5% had a favorable attitude, and 59.25% had good practices toward CVL. The town of Ejaji and dog ownership were significantly associated with good knowledge (P = 0.001), and attitude (P = 0.001) towards CVL while having a dog (P = 0.001), having a diploma (P = 0.019) or degree and above (0.018), being divorced or widowed (0.012), and being Oromo (P = 0.013) were all significantly associated with good CVL practice.
Conclusion: The majority of participants in both study areas had good knowledge but moderate attitude and practice toward CVL. Therefore, there is a need to enhance community health education and awareness of VL and its vectors through various means.
Probabilistic Analysis of Agent-Based Opinion Formation Models
Authors: Devia Carlos Andres , Giordano Giulia
Published: August 2023

When agent-based models are developed to capture opinion formation in large-scale populations, the opinion update equations often need to embed several complex psychological traits. The resulting models are more realistic, but also challenging to assess analytically, and hence numerical analysis techniques have an increasing importance in their study. Here, we propose the Qualitative Outcome Likelihood (QOL) analysis, a novel probabilistic analysis technique aimed to unravel behavioural patterns and properties of agent-based opinion formation models, and to characterise possible outcomes when only limited information is available. The QOL analysis reveals which qualitative categories of opinion distributions a model can produce, brings to light their relation to model features such as initial conditions, agent parameters and underlying digraph, and allows us to compare the behaviour of different opinion formation models. We exemplify the proposed technique by applying it to four opinion formation models: the classical Friedkin-Johnsen model and Bounded Confidence model, as well as the recently proposed Backfire Effect and Biased Assimilation model and Classification-based model.
A randomised clinical trial study assessing the efficacy of 5% losartan potassium loaded in ethosomal gel based on POSAS 3.0 score, degree of erythema and pigmentation, surface area, thickness and pliability of human keloids: a study protocol
Authors: Anggraini Yuni Eka , Trisnowati Niken , Martien Ronny , Danarti Retno
Published: August 2023

Background: Keloid is a skin disorder that results from excessive fibrous tissue growth in the area of the initial trauma. Treating keloids can be challenging since the success of various treatments varies from one study to another. Triamcinolone acetonide injection, a standard treatment, can cause undesirable side effects. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of existing topical therapies for keloids is not always reliable. The pro-inflammatory, pro-proliferative, and pro-fibrotic effects of angiotensin II in human skin contribute to keloid formation. Losartan potassium, an angiotensin II blocker, has the potential to act as an anti-keloid agent. Due to the thicker skin structure of a keloid and ease of application, ethosome gel is chosen as a safe and comfortable carrier for losartan potassium, making it a good choice for treating keloids.
Methods: In this randomised clinical trial, 46 adults with keloids were divided into two treatment groups. One group of 23 participants received 5% losartan potassium loaded in ethosomal gel, while the other group of 23 participants received intralesional injections of 10% triamcinolone acetonide. Over 12 weeks, changes in POSAS 3.0 scores, erythema and pigmentation, surface area, thickness, and pliability of the keloids will be measured at four different times: baseline, four weeks, eight weeks, and twelve weeks. Statistical analysis will be conducted using SPSS software version 24, with a significance level of p<0.05.
Discussion: Losartan potassium is believed to be beneficial for keloid management because it inhibits the angiotensin II receptor, which plays a role in inflammation, proliferation, and fibrosis. This study aims to examine the efficacy of 5% losartan potassium loaded in ethosomal gel for human keloids.
Trial registration: Clinicaltrial.gov identifier NCT05893108. Registered on 7 June 2023.
Deep Learning Based CETSA Feature Prediction cross Multiple Cell Lines with Latent Space Representation
Authors: Zhao Shenghao , Yang Xulei , Zeng Zeng , Qian Peisheng , Zhao Ziyuan , Dai Lingyun , Prabhu Nayana , Nordlund Par , Tam Wai Leong
Published: August 2023

Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA), a biophysical principle-based technique measuring the protein thermal stability inside cell, has contributed significantly to the understanding of drug mechanisms of action (MoAs) and the dissection of protein interaction states as well as cell biology processes, etc. One of the barriers for CETSA applications is that CETSA experiments must be conducted on the specific cell lines of interest, which is typically time-consuming and costly in terms of reagents and machine time. In this work, we made efforts to explore the prediction of CETSA features cross different cell lines by proposing a computational framework based on a novel deep neural network called CycleDNN. Given a set of cell lines {C_1, C_2, ..., C_n}, the proposed CycleDNN consists of encoders {E_1, E_2, ..., E_n} and decoders {D_1, D_2, ..., D_n}. E_i encodes the CETSA features from cell line C_i into Z in the latent space Z, and D_i decodes Z into the CETSA features in cell line C_i (i = 1, 2, ..., n). Any encoder and decoder can be combined into an auto-encoder to perform CETSA feature prediction from one cell line to the other. In this way, the auto-encoders form a cyclic feature prediction across multiple cell lines. The prediction loss, cycle-consistency loss, and latent space regularization loss are adopted to guide the model's training. The experimental results on a public CETSA dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach. Moreover, the validity of the predicted CETSA data from our model has also been verified by using a decision tree for Protein-Protein Interaction prediction.
RotatedStomataNet: a deep rotated object detection network for directional stomata phenotype analysis
Authors: Yang Xiaohui , Wang Jiahui , Li Fan , Zhou Chenglong , Luo Xingzhe , Wu Minghui , Zheng Chen , Yang Lijun , Li Zhi , Li Yong , Guo Siyi , Song Chunpeng
Published: August 2023

Stomata act as a pathway for air and water vapor during respiration, transpiration and other gas metabolism, so the stomata phenotype is important for plant growth and development. Intelligent detection of high throughput stoma is a key issue. However, current existing methods usually suffer from detection error or cumbersome operations when facing densely and unevenly arranged stomata. The proposed RotatedStomataNet innovatively regards stomata detection as rotated object detection, enabling an end-to-end, real-time and intelligent phenotype analysis of stomata and apertures. The system is constructed based on the Arabidopsis and maize stomatal data sets acquired in a destructive way, and the maize stomatal data set acquired in a nondestructive way, enabling one-stop automatic collection of phenotypic such as the location, density, length and width of stomata and apertures without step-by-step operations. The accuracy of this system to acquire stomata and apertures has been well demonstrated in monocotyledon and dicotyledon, such as Arabidopsis, soybean, wheat, and maize. And the experimental results showed that the prediction results of the method are consistent with those of manual labeled. The test sets, system code, and its usage are also given (https://github.com/AITAhenu/RotatedStomataNet).
Surname Order and Revaccination Intentions: The Effect of Mixed- Gender Lists on Gender Differences during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Yamamura Eiji , Tsutsui Yoshiro , Ohtake Fumio
Published: August 2023

Background
In Japanese primary schools, students are listed according to their surname's alphabet-ical order. Teachers unconsciously rely on the alphabetical list to call on students during class and at non-academic events. Students with surnames appearing early in these lists tend to be called upon sooner in various school situations, enabling them to learn from new experiences earlier. Early listed surnames enhance cognitive and non-cognitive skill development. Through this channel, early surnames are thought to have a long-term effect on adulthood behaviours such as being vaccinated. The adoption of mixed-gender lists since the 1980s has amplified this effect, particularly for females.
Methods
We conducted internet surveys nearly every month between March 2020 and September 2022 with the same subjects. During this period, COVID-19 vaccines were developed and became available. Many studies have explored how unvaccinated people are motivated to get inoculated against COVID-19. As of March 2023 in Japan, most people have received their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine. It has now become crucial for vaccinated people to get revaccinated as the vaccines lose effectiveness over time. Our study focuses on revaccinations, using a sub-sample of individuals who have received their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. In the survey, we asked subjects in which alphabetical column their childhood and adulthood surnames were located. This enables us to identify how surname order plays a critical role in forming non-cognitive skills.
Japanese people could receive their third dose starting from December 2021. The 19th wave of our survey was conducted the following month, in January 2022. Therefore, to examine how surname’s alphabetical order influenced the intention to revaccinate, we used a sub-sample covering the period from December 2021 to September 2022. Ordinary Least Square regression method was used.
Results
Females with early surnames had approximately 4% stronger intentions than males with early surnames. Female’s early name order is more strongly correlated with revaccination intention than males. The surname effect for females was about three times larger if mixed gender list was used than if mixed gender list was not used. The effect was only observed for childhood surname but not for adulthood one.
Discussion
This study is the first to identify how surname order plays a critical role in forming non-cognitive skills in school life to promote revaccination in their adulthood. We show the long-term effect of adopting a mixed-gender list in schools when unexpected events such as the COVID-19 pandemic occur.
Robot-Assisted Partial Knee Replacement versus Standard Total Knee Replacement (RoboKnees): A Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Madden Kim , Flood Breanne Louise , Malek Monica , Milantoni Vincent , Wilson Janie L Astephen , Tarride Jean-Eric , Khanna Vickas , Adili Anthony
Published: August 2023

Background
Total knee arthroplasty is a common surgery for end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Partial knee arthroplasty is also a treatment option for patients with arthritis present in only one or two knee compartments. Partial knee arthroplasty can preserve the natural knee biomechanics, but these replacements may not last as long as total knee replacements. Robotic assisted orthopaedic techniques can help facilitate partial knee replacements, increasing accuracy and precision. This trial will investigate the feasibility and assess clinical outcomes for a larger definitive trial.
Methods
This is a protocol for an ongoing parallel randomized pilot trial of 64 patients with uni- or bicompartmental knee arthritis. Patients are randomized to either receive robot assisted partial knee arthroplasty or manual total knee arthroplasty. The primary outcome for this pilot is investigating the feasibility for a larger trial. Secondary (clinical) outcomes include joint awareness, return to activities, knee function, patient global impression of change, persistent post-surgical pain, re-operations, resource utilization and cost-effectiveness, health-related quality of life, radiographic alignment, knee kinematics during walking gait, and complications up to 24-months post-surgery.
Discussion
The RoboKnees pilot study is the first step in determining the outcome of robot-assisted partial knee replacements. Conclusions from this study will be used to design the future large-scale trial. This study will inform surgeons about the potential benefits of robot-assisted partial knee replacements.
Trial Registration:
This study has been prospectively registered on clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT04378049) on 4 May 2020, before the first patient was randomized.
Comprehensive assessment of fetal ventriculomegaly in a tertiary referral center
Authors: Guo Danhua , He Shuqiong , Lin Na , Dai Yifang , Li Ying , Xu Liangpu , Wu Xiaoqing
Published: August 2023

Fetal ventriculomegaly (VM) is a condition in which the cerebral ventricular diameter measures ≥10 mm during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy as detected by prenatal ultrasound scan. The prognosis of fetal VM vary widely. We conducted the retrospective study aims to systematically evaluate the genetic disorders, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, and pregnancy outcomes of ventriculomegaly (VM) in fetuses. Our results demonstrated that non-isolated ventriculomegaly increased linearly with the atrial width. 8.68% VM fetus had chromosomal aberrations through conventional karyotyping, chromosomal microarray analysis revealed additional 4.1% of copy number variants with clinical significance. 2.5% VM fetus were confirmed as CMV intrauterine infection. Additional abnormalities, especially CNS abnormalities often led to TOP and unfavorable outcomes. Severe VM, intrauterine progression or stability are risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. At least 61.9% of the adverse outcomes have the sustained intracranial imaging anomalies. Thus, chromosomal disorders and congenital CMV infection are common etiologies of VM. Consistent prenatal and postnatal imaging scans should be provided for fetuses with VM to ensure better pregnancy management.
Cost-Effective Efficient Materials for Dye Degradation using Green and Facile Chemistry Routes
Authors: Yadawa Yogendra , Jha Divanshu , Joshi Nitesh
Published: August 2023

In the present studies, the synthesis of Mg and S-doped ZnO nanoparticles was carried out using a non-aqueous sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to examine the crystallisation of ZnO, Mg-ZnO, and S-ZnO samples. The Mg-ZnO and S-ZnO samples exhibit significant c-axis compression and smaller crystallite sizes as compared to undoped ZnO. To investigate the electronic, optical, and functional group characteristics of the nanoparticles, various spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV/vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were employed. The optical band gap of Mg-ZnO and S-ZnO NPs were found to be 2.93 eV and 2.32 eV, respectively, which are lower than that of ZnO NPs (3.05 eV). The S-doped ZnO resulted in the homogenous distribution of sulfur ions in the ZnO lattice crystal. XPS analysis revealed that the doped S element was mostly S4+ and S6+. Furthermore, we investigated the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, Mg-ZnO, and S-ZnO samples with and without PVP mixed with 5 ppm Rhodamine 6G dye at room temperature. Results indicated that pure ZnO nanoparticles have the highest photocatalytic degradation rate with Rh 6G in both situations. The enhanced visible white light photocatalytic activities of pure ZnO NPs were attributed to their superior surface properties (18.30 m2/g) and effective electron-hole separation.
Performance of castor oil polyurethane resin in composite with the piassava fibers residue from the Amazon.
Authors: Aparício Rosinaldo Rabelo , Santos Gabrielle Machado dos , Giacon Virgínia Mansanares , silva Cristina Gomes da
Published: August 2023

The intensive global environmental changes have motivated researchers to follow new routes to reuse or recycle waste. Castor oil for producing polyurethanes is one of the most viable routes for resin production. This study combined castor oil resin-based with the piassava fibers waste generated by the industry. Higher content of mercerized piassaba fibers (10 mm, 85 wt.%) reinforced polyurethane castor oil-based resin, resulting in composite boards. Characterizations included FTIR, TGA, DSC, FTIR, DMA, and SEM analyses. Piassaba fibers, after alkaline treatment, present excellent performance reported by physical characterization for all composites, highlighting the CP3 sample with higher density and lower swelling and water absorption percentage than other composites. FTIR results indicated NCO traces after the resin cured in the PU3, possibly contributing to the interaction with the fibers. DMA results reported relevant information about more flexibility to CP1 and CP3 than CP2. This study suggests that the proper combination with natural products must lead to composites with potential applications as engineering materials.
HEBE Project: Healthy aging versus inflamm-aging: the role of physical Exercise in modulating the Biomarkers of age-associated and Environmentally determined chronic diseases, Study Protocol.
Authors: Bianchi Francesca , Biganzoli Elia Mario , Bollati Valentina , Clerici Mario , Lucini Daniela , Mandò Chiara , Rota Federica , Consortium HEBE
Published: August 2023

Background: Inflamm-aging refers to the chronic low-grade inflammation that occurs with aging and cellular senescence, and it is linked to various diseases. Understanding the markers involved in inflammation and aging, as well as their interaction with environmental factors and bodily control mechanisms, can provide crucial tools for assessing the resilience (i.e. the ability to adapt and improve) of the human body, particularly in the presence of chronic degenerative conditions or vulnerable life stages, that place the individual and the community to which he belongs in a state of potential fragility.
HEBE focuses on physical exercise, along with nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, to reduce systemic inflammation and promote healthy aging.
Methods: HEBE encompasses multiple research lines (LR). In the ongoing LR1 (“proof of concept”), healthy lifestyle recommendations were provided to University of Milan employees, and changes in quality of life and well-being were assessed using a specialized questionnaire. The first 100 eligible subjects, who expressed their willingness to participate, underwent a personalized physical exercise protocol based on clinical and objective assessments. Biomedical samples were collected at baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1) to establish a shared biobank and identify non-invasive biomarkers that monitor the impact of physical exercise on individual characteristics such as cardiovascular and metabolic health. Subsequently (LR2-LR10), the proof of concept findings will be expanded to include various conditions of vulnerability such as obesity, cancer, endocrine disorders, cardiovascular diseases, infertility, functional syndromes, respiratory disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune conditions.
Discussion: The research lines will leverage the expertise of the 94 participating investigators to form a collaborative network that maximizes the potential for investigation and knowledge exchange. This approach fosters a culture of health promotion and disease prevention.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05815732
Critical distance of the sacroiliac joint for open reduction using screw fixation for traumatic sacroiliac joint diastasis: a retrospective study
Authors: Chin Ruei-Shyuan , Chen I-Jung , Lai Chih-Yang , Chen Jui-Ping , YU YI HSUN
Published: August 2023

Background:
Osteosynthesis for sacroiliac joint (SIJ) diastasis using an iliosacral screw (ISS) and a trans-iliac-trans-sacral screw (TITSS) can be performed either by a closed or open method. However, a clear indication for open reduction remains controversial.
Methods:
Data on patients with unilateral traumatic SIJ diastasis who underwent ISS and TITSS fixation were retrospectively collected and separated into groups according to the reduction method: closed reduction group (C group) and open reduction group (O group). Demographic data and perioperative image assessments were compared between the groups. The critical distance of the SIJ was identified to elucidate the indication for open reduction of the diastatic SIJ.
Results:
Fifty-six patients met the inclusion criteria over a 3-year period. There was no significant difference in the reduction in quality of the pelvic ring injuries between the groups, according to Matta’s and Lefaivre’s criteria. The improvement in the SIJ distance was significantly greater in the O group than in the C group in the axial plane on multiplanar computed tomography (p = 0.021). This model predicted that a difference >3.71mm between the injured and healthy SIJ was recommended to undergo open reduction under an area under the curve of 0.791 (95% confidence interval 0.627–0.955, p = 0.004).
Conclusions:
Open reduction for SIJ diastasis might achieve better reduction quality than does closed reduction in the axial plane in selected cases. When the difference between the injured and healthy SIJ was wider than 3.71 mm, open reduction for the SIJ is recommended for satisfactory radiological outcomes.
Causal associations between gut microbiota and three prostate diseases: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Xiaoyang , Yang Luchen , Peng Zhufeng , Song Pan , Liu Zhenghuan , Zhou Jing , Ma Kai , Yu Yunfei , Dong Qiang
Published: August 2023

Background: According to observational research and clinical trials, the gut microbiota is associated with prostate disorders. However, the causal association between gut microbiota and prostate disorders is yet uncertain.
Methods: We first identified groups of gut microbiota based on knowledge on the phylum, class, order, family, and genus levels, and acquired prostate diseases statistics from the FINNGEN study and PRACTICAL consortium. Next, two-sample mendelian randomization was used to investigate the potential associations between three prevalent prostate diseases and gut microbiota. In addition, we performed a reverse MR analysis and Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) test for further research.
Results: We investigated the connection between 196 gut microbes and three prevalent prostate diseases and discovered 42 nominally significant relationships and 2 strong causative connections. The BH corrected analysis indicated that the risk of prostatitis is positively correlated with the presence of the Order Gastranaerophilales, while the risk of prostate cancer is inversely correlated with the presence of the Class Alphaproteobacteria.
Conclusions: Our MR analysis revealed that the gut microbiota was causally associated with prostate diseases and the results may serve as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for prostate diseases.
Associations of Longitudinal Multiparametric MRI Findings and Clinical Outcomes in Intra-Articular Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kang Woo Young , Woo Ok Hee , Hong Suk-Joo , Bae Ji-Hoon , Yang Zepa , Kim In Seong
Published: August 2023

Background
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex heterogeneous disease and degradation of the articular cartilage is the hallmark of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of pre-structural and structural features and cartilage volume/thickness with clinical outcome in knee OA patients who received intra-articular injection for one year.
Methods
A total of 24 patients with mild-to-moderate OA were included in this retrospective study. Patients received intra-articular injections and were assessed for one year after treatment onset using knee Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. OA features were assessed semi-quantitatively using a Whole Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging score (WORMS). Cartilage thickness and volumes of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) and medial tibial plateau (MTP) were quantified. T1ρ and T2 values for MFC cartilage were measured. Clinical outcome was measured using Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (K-WOMAC) score and Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcomes (KOOS) score. Spearman’s rank test was used to evaluate the associations between change of imaging findings and clinical parameters.
Results
MTP and MFC cartilage thickness and MTP cartilage volume at baseline showed significant associations with clinical outcome. Changes in WORMS cartilage score for the medial femorotibial joint (MFTJ) and total joint were significantly correlated with clinical outcome.
Conclusion
Thicker baseline MFTJ cartilage and less progressive MFTJ and total joint cartilage loss were associated with favorable clinical response over 12 months in knee OA patients undergoing intra-articular injection.
Alpha-spinasterol in the roots of Impatiens glandulifera
Authors: Vrchotová Naděžda , Bednář Jan , Tříska Jan
Published: August 2023

The roots of Impatiens glandulifera belong to plants, or to part of plants with a higher content of α-spinasterol. Chromatographic analysis of roots hexane extract using GC-MS revealed that α-spinasterol is the dominant substance in the freeze-dried roots of Impatiens glandulifera and its content reaches ca. 1 % wt. When the hexane extracts are concentrated, α-spinasterol crystals fall out in the form of tiny needles, so the isolation of this substance from the roots of Impatients glandulifera is very easy.
Intelligent Building Construction Cost Prediction Based on BIM and Elman Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Yanfen , Mo Haijun
Published: August 2023

This paper aims to predict the construction cost more accurately to promote the digital and visual development of the design and construction process in the construction field. In this paper, an intelligent building construction cost prediction model based on BIM and Elman neural network (ENN) is constructed. In this model, firstly, BIM technology is introduced, and the BIM intelligent building model is established, including the digitalization and visualization of the information of building structure, electromechanical and pipeline. Then the data information in BIM intelligent building model is imported into ENN as input data, and the construction cost of intelligent building is predicted by optimizing the parameters of neural network. Finally, the model is evaluated experimentally. The results show that the predicted value of the construction cost of the intelligent building is highly fitted with the original information price, the root mean squared error (RMSE) is less than 75. The determination coefficient is greater than 0.95, which is clearly superior to the single ENN. The algorithm of the intelligent building construction cost prediction model has thus been found through this paper to have high accuracy and reliability, and can successfully predict the construction cost, providing strong decision support for the digital and intelligent development of construction enterprises.
PC12 transformation to neuron cells activated by low-level laser at 660 nm on the UV pre-treated CR-39 scaffolds with parallel microchannels
Authors: Hashamdar Somayeh , Parvin Parviz , Jafargholi Amir , Refahizadeh Mitra , Heidari Omid , Ramezani Fatemeh
Published: August 2023

A rapid method of neuron regeneration is introduced on a novel synthetic scaffold. Initially, poly allyldiglycol carbonate (CR-39) substrate is textured under high dose of ArF UV excimer laser (1000 shot, 300 mJ/pulse at 193 nm) to create superficial periodic parallel microchannels with micrometer spacing and sub-micron width. Ultra violet treated CR-39 (UT CR-39) provides a suitable scaffold to speed up the transformation/differentiation of PC12 cells. The latter is pheochromocytoma from the rat adrenal medulla as an embryonic origin from the neural crest usually exposed to the nerve growth factor (NGF). In fact, PC12 cells are seeded on the microchannels and simultaneously stimulated by coherent red photons at 660 nm within the therapeutic window. The parallel microchannels improve oxygen and water diffusion in the scaffold providing better condition for the cell culture alongside the axon alignment to support the nerve outgrowth. The surface cross-linking due to UV exposure and subsequent induced hydrophilicity notably contribute in the neuron cell regeneration without adding NGF. The cell activation due to the coherent photons give rise to enhance the regeneration process too.
Here, we have shown that PC12 cells are efficiently transformed to nerves according to Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and Western Blot verification tests based on MAP2 and Synapsin1 protein antibodies. In general, UT CR-39 acts as a superior ridged bed to elevate the population of neural cells more than three times against those of untreated (control ones). Furthermore, the UT CR-39 scaffold undergoes extra improvement of ~ 30% after 12 minutes laser activation regarding the photo biomodulation (PBM) mechanism.
CFD analysis of multiphase flow in an airlift reactor: superficial velocity and gas holdup influence on the loop recirculation
Authors: Batista Pedro Henrique Rocha , Paz Diego Gaspar Souza , Oliveira Patrick Silva , Coimbra Jamille Coelho
Published: August 2023

Several products of great importance in the food and pharmaceutical industries are produced by biotechnological processes, using high conversion and high specificity chemical reactions carried out by microorganisms. Such processes can be conducted in airlift reactors (ALRs), which are capable of operating multiphase systems. The ALRs are pneumatically agitated, have a high surface area of contact between the phases and have satisfactory homogenization, favoring the transfer of mass and energy. The analysis of flow patternsinvolving recirculation zones, dead zones, gas holdup and phase velocity profiles, both in the riser and downcomer, is little explored. This study allows the evaluation of the influence of variables such as air inlet velocity and bubble size on the flow pattern to optimize operating conditions for more efficient reactors. In this work, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique was used to study the effects of different air inlet velocities (0.27 m/s, 0.36 m/s, 0.45 m/s and 0.54 m/s) and the average Sauter diameter of the bubbles injected by the sparger (12 mm, 15 mm, 18 mm and 21 mm) on the type of flow (stagnant, recirculation and preferential pathzones), gas holdup, alpha parameter and phase velocity profiles. The simulation results indicated that the higher the air velocity injected by the sparger, the greater the amount of gas in the riser relative to the downcomer, which results in a lower alpha parameter (useful information for reactor sizing). It was also observed that the velocity profile of the liquid phase is closely related to that of the gas phase. Both the velocity profile and the air volume fraction are strongly dependent on the reactor geometry, especially the riser and downcomer. This proves that techniques such as CFD are of great importance for designing, optimizing and controlling airlift reactors because it makes it possible to study different operating conditions through simulations without needing a pilot plant or benchtop.
Does health investment matter for productivity growth in Sub-Saharan Africa? Empirical insights from income and regional economic grouping perspectives
Authors: Okunade Solomon Oluwaseun , Olayiwola Abiodun Sunday , Joseph Kehinde Elizabeth
Published: August 2023

This study investigates whether investment in the health sector matters for achieving sustainable growth via the Dumitrescu-Hurlin heterogeneous panel non-granger causality test and the dynamic panel threshold model for 26 Sub-Saharan African countries (SSA). We report evidence of a bidirectional causality between health investment and productivity growth in the panel of SSA and find that investing a substantial part of GDP (about 7.96%) into the health sector is necessary to increase productivity growth levels in SSA. When we control heterogeneity in our sample using the regional economic grouping, we report unidirectional causality across the panels and variations in the estimated threshold with higher values for all groups except ECOWAS with 5.82%. Using the World Bank income classification, we also find varying evidence of unidirectional causal relationships between health investment and productivity growth in different income groups. Generally, above the threshold level, health investment has positive effects on productivity growth for all groups. We report other significant findings that are instructive to policymaking and future research and conclude that SSA countries should increase investment in the health sector to ensure greater productivity, and should deepen growth-oriented policies to further stimulate investment in the health sector.
JEL Classification: H51, I15, O47
Effective control of postoperative recurrence of pregnancy-related gastric cancer using anti-PD-1 as a monotherapy
Authors: Liu Xu , Li Xiaoqi Li , Zhu Chunchao Zhu , Ji Linhua Ji
Published: August 2023

Background: Pregnancy related gastric cancer is characterised by refractory nature and poor prognosis, few gastric cancer cases during pregnancy achieved acceptable outcomes by using anti-PD-1 as a monotherapy.
Case presentation: A 32-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency department of obstetrics and gynaecology department, and eventually diagnosed with gastric cancer. Radical surgery for gastric cancer was conducted after termination of pregnancy. One year postoperative follow-up exerted tumour recurrence, this patient has achieved promising results after receiving anti-PD-1 as a monotherapy.
Conclusions: Some specific pregnancy related gastric cancer patients may benefit significantly from immunotherapy.
State-agent and citizen-agent: Whether the Chinese government has inspired community healthcare workers’ public service motivation
Authors: Zheng Guanghuai , Wang Yean , Zhao Peihao , Lai Huaxiang , Li Wangwang
Published: August 2023

Community healthcare workers need to have a dual public service motivation of participating in policy-making and producing community services in China. The government has adopted the strategies of “embedding” and policy innovation to inspire public service motivations and set career capital requirements to select healthcare workers. Using data from a sample of 589 individuals in eight cities, this study developed structural equation models of leader-member exchange relationships, innovation climate, career capital, and state-agent motivation versus citizen-agent motivation to test the rationality of these strategies. We found that the leader-member exchange relationship was positively associated with two public service motivations, innovative climate fully mediated leader-member exchange relationship and state-agent motivation, while partially mediated leader-member exchange relationship and citizen-agent motivation. Healthcare workers with high political capital and educational capital have stronger citizen-agent motivation. These findings validate the rationality of Chinese community social work development strategies and also reveal their inadequacies.
Assessment of spatiotemporal patterns of the Kolonnawa marsh, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Authors: R.M.U B Rathnayake Rathnayake , Chandrathilake Guruluwana Gamaethiralalage Thilakawansha , Jayewardena Daham Taranga , Tanaka Nobuaki , Gunathilake Bhanuka Mahesha , Buddhima Abewickrama Vidana Pathirana Sandani
Published: August 2023

Kolonnawa Marsh (KM) is one of the important urban wetland ecosystems in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and plays an important role by providing invaluable ecosystem services. Owing to the continuous exploitation, and reclamation of home states and industries in recent decades, this urban wetland has experienced significant changes. To assess the spatiotemporal pattern of KM, land cover change (LC) from 2000 to 2022 and land use in 2022 were investigated. Land-use maps from the Survey Department of Sri Lanka in 2000, 2016 and Google Earth satellite images from 2000 to 2022 were developed to identify land cover; whereas land-use patterns in the KM were detected by drone data and analyzed with the Spatial Analyst extension of ArcGIS version 10.7. On the KM, marshy area, water-covered area, and area covered with vegetation were the dominant land cover features, and in the year 2000 marshy area covering by 65.81%, 55.69% in 2016, and 78.71% in 2022 of the total area respectively. However, from 2000 to 2016, the water-covered area increased from 34.19–44.31% (5.93 ha net gain), and 21.29% in 2016 to 022(16.2 ha net loss). In proportion to the total extent of KM, an area covered with vegetation increased by 24.25% in 2000, 29.98% in 2016 (3.43 ha net gain), and 44.99% (0.16 ha net gain) in 2022. Results of a drone survey done in the year 2022 has been revealed 9 land use features identified and accordingly, mixed woodland 37.66%, herb-dominated high vegetation 25.15%, highland vegetation associated with wetland 6.95%, herb dominated low vegetation 5.19%, stream reservation 0.78%. Thus, within a 300 m buffer zone from the margin of KM, 8.52% of the construction area, 40.39% of the built-up area, and 59.61% of home gardens respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that the extent of the KM is decreasing over the study period while transforming into a terrestrial ecosystem. Hence, immediate interventions are needed to preserve this valuable freshwater ecosystem.
Estimation of the causal effect of sex on neonatal intensive care unit outcomes among very low birth weight infants
Authors: Hagan Joseph
Published: August 2023

Objective: Estimate the causal effect of sex on outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study comparing NICU outcomes for VLBW males versus females. Odds ratios (OR) for outcomes that differed significantly by sex were computed using standard unweighted analysis and inverse probability weighted (IPW) analysis to correct for selection bias.
Results:Using standard analysis, males were significantly more likely to die before discharge and experience six other adverse outcomes. From IPW analysis, male sex causeda 60% increase in the odds of death before discharge (OR=1.60, 95% confidence interval: 1.18-1.94). Standard unweighted results were significantly biased towards increased risk of adverse outcomes for males (p=0.006) compared to IPW results for which three outcomes no longer significantly associated with male sex.
Conclusion: Standard statistical methods generally overestimate the casual effect of sex among VLBW infants.