bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Monitoring Water Area in Irrigation Area by Local Space Self-correlation Index
Authors: su tao , Wang Jian , Cui Xingyuan , Wang Lei
Published: January 2022

Landsat remote sensing image is a widely used data source in water remote sensing. Normalized difference water index (NDWI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) and automated water extraction index (AWEI) are commonly used water extraction classifiers. In the process of their application, because the threshold varies with the location and time of the research object, how to select the threshold with the highest classification accuracy is a time-consuming and challenging task. The purpose of this study was to explore a method that can not only improve the accuracy of water extraction, but also provide a fixed threshold, and can meet the requirements of automatic water extraction. We introduced the local spatial auto correlation statistics and calculate the Getis-Ord Gi* index to have hot spot analysis. Comparative analysis showed that the accuracy of water classification had been greatly improved through hot spot analysis. AWEIsh classifier had the best classification accuracy under the condition of INVERSE_DISTANCE neighborhood rule and Z>1.96, and the accuracy changes least in different time, different location and different vegetation coverage images. Therefore, in the process of regional water extraction, hot spot analysis method was effective, which was helpful to improve the accuracy of water extraction.
In Vitro Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Efficacy of Abrus Precatorius Seed Extracts on Hep2c Cells and its Inhibitory Efficacy with Receptors of Cervical Carcinoma
Authors: Kaur Amritpal , Sharma Yash , Waidha Kamran , Ghosh Madhumita P , Kumar Anoop , Bala Kumud
Published: January 2022

Abrus precatorius is a widely distributed tropical medicinal plant with several therapeutic properties, however its seed extract has not been studied against cervical cancer (CaCx) till date. Herein, we have assessed the antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of A. precatorius seed extracts (ethyl acetate and 70% ethanol) prepared from different extraction methods (Soxhlet and maceration) against human cervix carcinoma cells (Hep2C). We observed a significantly higher total flavonoid content of APE (sox) i.e.,112.7±0.127 mg Quercetin Equivalent/g of extract than others; total phenolic content of APA (mac) seed extract was higher i.e.,108.53±0.089 mg Quercetin Equivalent/g of extract and total tannin content of APA (sox) was higher i.e., 98.98± 0.011 mg tannic acid equivalents/g of extract. In addition, tannic acid, rutin and piperine were identified in extracts by HPLC. Furthermore, APA (sox) exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 14.49±0.93µg/ml. APE (mac) showed the most significant antiproliferative activity with IC50 value of 85.90±0.93µg/mL against Hep2c cells. SOD and GST activity was observed as highest in the APA(Mac) extract whereas the catalase activity and GSH content was maximum in the APE(Mac) extract. Further, the MDA content was observed to be the least in APE(Mac) extracts. Docking results suggested maximum binding energy between tannic acid and Her2 receptor compared to doxorubicin (standard). This study provides evidence that A. precatorius seed extracts possess promising bioactive compounds with probable anticancer and antioxidant properties against CaCx which might be utilized as a possible herbal remedy aimed at restricting tumor growth.
Minimum Dietary Diversity and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Government Health Facilities of Soro District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Tadesse Tegegn , Beyamo Abera , Markos Yilma , Sulamo Dawit , Lema Lire , Handiso Mengistu , Abute Lonsako , Endale Fitsum
Published: January 2022

Background: Dietary diversity is a good proxy indicator for micronutrient adequacy in pregnant women. Despite some improvements in dietary intake among pregnant mothers, achieving the minimum dietary diversity among them is still a great challenge in Ethiopia. There are no enough studies done on minimum dietary diversity among pregnant women and factors identified were more of local based. Therefore this study determined the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in government health facilities of Soro district, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia.Methods: This is the facility based study conducted in government health facilities of Soro district, Hadiya Zone from Oct. 2020-Jan 2021. Cross sectional study design was undertaken by using systematic sampling on 422 pregnant women attending antenatal care. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association of independent variables with outcome variable.Result: From the total of the 422 study subjects, 416 pregnant women attending antenatal care were participated in the study and making the response rate 98.6 percent. The overall prevalence of pregnant mothers who have met the minimum dietary diversity was only 7.9%. Maternal educational status being grade nine above, eating meal more than three times per day and women being currently not married were factors found to be significantly associated with minimum dietary diversity among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in government health facilities.Conclusion: The prevalence of the minimum dietary diversity among pregnant women attending ANC in public health facilities of Soro district was very low and far from national and international recommendations to enhance the maternal food diversity. Inter sectoral collaboration is very important to enhance the minimum dietary diversity during pregnancy and should be worked intensively and in an integrated manner.
Plasmonic Refractive Index Sensor and Plasmonic Bandpass Filter Including Waveguide and Four Teeth Based On Fano Resonances
Authors: Najjari Vahid , Mirzanejhad Saeed , Ghadi Amin
Published: January 2022

A plasmonic refractive index sensor including a Metal-Insulator-Metal waveguide (MIM) with four teeth is proposed. Transmittance (T), Sensitivity (S) and Figure of Merit (FOM) investigated numerically and analysed via Finite Difference Time Domain method (FDTD). The simulation results show the generation of double Fano resonances in the system that the resonance wavelength and the resonance line-shapes can be adjusted by changing the geometry of the device. By optimizing the structure in the initial configuration, the maximum sensitivity of 1078nm/RIU and FOM of 3.62×105 is achieved. Then change the structure parameters. In this case, the maximum sensitivity and FOM are 1041nm/RIU and 2.94×104 respectively, thus two detection points can be used for the refractive index sensor. Due to proper performance and adjustable Fano resonance points, this structure is significant for fabricating sensitive refractive index sensor and plasmonic bandpass filter.
The Long-Term Outcome of CyberKnife-Based Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Intra/ Extracranial Non-Vestibular Schwannomas: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Hong Sukwoo , Kagawa Kenji , Sato Kengo , Nomura Ryutaro , Ichi Shunsuke
Published: January 2022

The long-term outcomes of CyberKnife-based hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for intra/ extracranial non-vestibular schwannomas (nVS) need to be accumulated. Patients who received SRT by CyberKnife for nVS from 2010 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 45 patients with nVS were identified. The mean age was 53 (± 18) years old, and 23 patients (51%) were female. Twenty-nine patients (64%) had previous procedures. As for the tumor extension, 22 (49%) nVS were classified as primary intracranial, five (11%) were classified as intra/ extracranial (dumbbell shape), and 18 (40%) were classified as primary extracranial. The median prescribed dose, covering 95% of the planning target volume, was 21 (IQR 21 – 25) Gy, and the median target volume was 7 (IQR 3.6-13.1) cm3. The local control rate of nVS for patients without neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) was 100%. Old age (OR 0.92, p-value 0.03) and previous surgery (OR 0.02, p-value 0.02) were significant risk factors for no symptomatic improvement. The progression-free survival was 74 (±33) months clinically and 69 (IQR 36 – 94) months radiologically. During follow-up, two cases (4%) with NF2 resulted in treatment failure, 13 cases (41%) resulted in transient tumor expansion (TTE), 10 (22%) suffered from transient adverse radiation effect (ARE), and two (4%) resulted in permanent ARE. Hypofractionated SRT by CyberKnife for head, neck, and spine nVS was an effective treatment regardless of tumor extension relative to the cranium. Although the risk of permanent ARE was low, some patients experienced transient clinical worsening due to TTE.
Nonlinear Mixing of Two Laser Beams and THz Plasmons Generation in Graphene Coated Optical Fibre
Authors: Verma Neha , Govindan Anil , Kumar Pawan
Published: January 2022

Graphene is a most suitable material for Terahertz (THz) radiation generation. An efficient mechanism of THz surface plasmons (THz SPs) generation in graphene coated optical fibre by nonlinear mixing of two laser beams is proposed. The graphene coated fiber supports THz SPs with plasmon resonance in the THz regime and controllable by thickness of graphene and radius of optical fibre. The laser beams exert a difference frequency ponderomotive force on the electrons of the graphene. This ponderomotive force induces a nonlinear current in graphene which driving the difference frequency THz SPs. The normalized amplitude of THz SPs decreases with frequency as the nonlinear coupling gets weaker. The efficiency of the device is around 0.01% at a laser intensity of 3x1014 W/cm2. This scheme will be useful making the compact THz radiation source and THz plasmon sensor.
Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals the Prognostic Value and Immunological Role of EPHX2
Authors: Hu Weiquan , Zhao Qinfei , Xu Jing , Li Huaying , Zhu Longyu , Hu Suping , Li Juan , Chen Fangfang
Published: January 2022

Background
Accumulating evidence indicates the essential role of EPHX2 in tumorigenesis. However, to date, no studies have performed a systematic evaluation of EPHX2 gene in human cancers and the predictive role of EPHX2 in cancer immunotherapy response has still not been explored.
Methods
In the present study, Oncomine, TIMER2, UALCAN, GEPIA2, PrognoScan, HPA and Kaplan-Meier Plotter database were utilized to comprehensively analyze the expression landscape and prognostic clinical value of EPHX2 across 33 human cancers. To gain a better understanding of the role of EPHX2 in cancer immunotherapy, the correlations between EPHX2 and tumor immune microenvironment (TME) such as immune cell infiltrations, immune modulators, and the major histocompatibility complex were demonstrated. The underlying EPHX2-associated signaling pathways in cancer were also analysed. Moreover, the correlation between EPHX2 and immunotherapeutic biomarkers such as tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI) was explored. At last, the potential immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) response was predicted using tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithm.
Results
Overall, the mRNA expression of EPHX2 was significantly downregulated in the majority of tumors compared with normal tissues. Despite the significant prognostic value of EPHX2 expression across cancers, EPHX2 played a protective or detrimental role in different kinds of cancers. Generally speaking, immune cell infiltrations, immune modulators and immunotherapeutic biomarkers were all strongly related to the expression of EPHX2. Besides, EPHX2 expression was significantly related to immune-relevant pathways, especially in PAAD, THYM and UVM. Furthermore, our study demonstrated diverse response patterns of ICB in response to EPHX2 expression in different tumor types.
Conclusion
Our findings here suggest that EPHX2 could be a prognostic factor in multiple cancers and play an important role in tumor immunity by affecting infiltrating immune cells, TMB and MSI. This study provides further insight into the role of EPHX2 in tumor immunotherapy.
Integration of Information Theory, Fractal Theory and Statistical Analyses for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping at Regional Scales
Authors: Deng Xiaolong , Sun Guangji , He Naiwu , Yu Yonghua
Published: January 2022

A new model, integrating information theory, fractal theory and statistical model for accurate landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) at regional scales, has been proposed. In this model, landslide conditional factors are firstly classified with an optimal number of classes, which is determined by maximizing their information coefficients estimated from Shannon’s entropy model. The spatial association between influencing factors and induced landslides has been measured by introducing the variable fractal dimension method (VFDM). The VFDM approach fully considers the characteristics of landslide fractal distribution. Then the fractal dimensions (\(D\)) are calculated to provide multiple factors with various numerical weights. The proposed model eventually combines the landslide frequency ratio (\(fr\)) of each factor with corresponding weight to achieve spatial prediction of landslides, illustrated by an example area in China. In the study area, 500 landslides have been identified by aerial photograph interpretation, extensive field investigations, historical and bibliographical landslide data. In the model, these landslides are randomly split into a training dataset (70 %)and a validating dataset (30 %) Seven factors are recognized and analyzed by frequency ratio (FR) method, including lithology, distance to fault, altitude, slope, aspect, distance to stream and distance to the road. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) has been adopted to compare and validate the model results. Results show that the proposed landslide model achieved a more accurate prediction with AUROC equal to 0.8467, over-performing than the conventional frequency ratio method (AUROC=0.8088). According to the final prognostic landslide susceptibility map, 16.37 % f the study area shows very high and high susceptibility, accounting for 63.55 % f the entire landslides. Evaluation of relative factor importance based on a one-by-one factor removal test indicates that the lithology factor contributes unique information for landslides. In conclusion, the example demonstrates that the proposed framework is promising for further improvement of LSM.
Incidence of Oxaliplatin Hypersensitivity Reaction Among Colorectal Cancer Patients: a 5-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Palapinyo Sirinoot , Klaewsongkram Jettanong , Sriuranp Virote , Areepium Nutthada
Published: January 2022

PurposeWe explored the clinical data of colorectal cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin-based regimen to determine the incidence, severity, and risk factors of oxaliplatin-related hypersensitivity reaction (HSR). MethodThis retrospective study investigated 245 colorectal cancer patients (1,690 treatment cycles) receiving care at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross society between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. The patients’ demographic data, laboratory data, and clinical features suggesting hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin were reviewed. The Fisher’s Exact test and unpaired t-test were used to determine the differences among patients with and without oxaliplatin HSR. The potential risk factors for oxaliplatin HSR were analyzed for statistical significance by logistic regression.Results A total of 245 colorectal cancer patients (1,690 treatment cycles) were included in this study. The incidence of oxaliplatin HSR was 37.96%, according to the NCI-CTCAE v.5, (grade 1, grade 2, and higher grades were 27.35% (67 patients), 6.53% (16 patients), and 4.08% (10 patients), respectively). The proportion of male patients and patients with history of prior exposure to platinum-based chemotherapy were statistically higher in the HSR group. The eosinophil count and serum creatinine level were also significantly greater in the HSR group. On the contrary, the total lymphocyte count and serum albumin level were significantly lower in the HSR group. The multivariate logistic regression found 5 risk factors with significant difference. Male gender, prior exposure to platinum-based chemotherapy, and elevated eosinophil count were associated with increased risk of oxaliplatin HSR, whereas elevated monocyte count and elevated serum albumin were protective factors for the development of oxaliplatin HSR. ConclusionColorectal cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin-based regimen with male gender, prior exposure to platinum-based chemotherapy, and elevated eosinophil count have a greater risk of oxaliplatin related hypersensitivity reactions.
Current and Proposed Treatment Strategies for Siewert Type II Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Narumiya Kosuke , Kudo Kenji , Yagawa Yosuke , Maeda Shinsuke , Toyoshima Yukinori , Ogawa Kyohei , Izumika Sho , Osugi Harushi , Egawa Hiroto
Published: January 2022

BackgroundIncidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) is increasing in Japan as well as Western Country. However, there is no consensus on treatment strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal range of resection and lymph node dissection for Siewert type II AEG and to develop a strategy for treatment that includes adjuvant therapy to improve the survival rate. MethodsWe retrospectively investigate 88 cases of advanced AEG in patients who underwent surgery with lymph node dissection with 52 cases of superficial AEG, 23 of whom underwent endoscopic treatment (endoscopic mucosal resection [EMR] or endoscopic submucosal dissection [ESD]), and 29 of whom underwent surgery with lymph node dissection. Results The optimal lymph nodes to resect for advanced AEG were in the inferior mediastinum (No. 110), in the lesser curvature (Nos. 1, 3, 7), No. 2, and No 11. According to area of actual lymph node metastasis, lymphadenectomy of lymph nodes 1, 2, 3, 7, and 11 was sufficient to improve survival of patients with superficial AEG. If esophageal involvement was >40 mm, we performed esophagectomy through right thoracotomy. The 5-year overall survival rates were 88% for patients treated with ESD, 78% for those with superficial AEG who under-went surgery, and 24% for those with advanced AEG (p = 0.011). Despite of lymph node dissection, twenty-five patients experienced lymph node metastasis after operation in advanced AEG and there were many disseminations in advanced AEG. There were no differences in survival between patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy with S-1 for advanced AEG and those who received surgery alone (p = 0.5192).ConclusionAlthough surgical procedures of superficial and locally advanced AEG are standardized, the role of adjuvant therapy for AEG is still controversial. We recommend nab-paclitaxel plus radiotherapy for advanced AEG as neoadjuvant therapy.
Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination and its Related Factors Among HIV/AIDS Patients in Guangxi, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
Authors: Su Jinming , Jia Zhenwei , Qin Fengxiang , Chen Rongfeng , Wu Yuting , Lu Beibei , Lan Chunlin , Qin Tongxue , Liao Yinlu , Shi Minjuan , Liao Yanyan , Pan Peijiang , Ye Li , Jiang Junjun , Liang Hao
Published: January 2022

Background

Vaccination is the most effective approach against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) pandemic. This study aimed to investigate acceptance and the predominant influential factors of COVID-19 vaccination among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in five cities in Guangxi from 7 May to 1 June 2021. Questionnaires on the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination and the influential factors were conducted among HIV/AIDS patients recruited by random cluster sampling. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among HIV/AIDS patients.
Results

Of all the participants (n = 903), 72.9% (n = 658) were willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and there was no statistically significant difference between CD4+T cell count and willingness to vaccinate using stratified analysis (P > 0.05). The main reason for willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine was fear of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (76.0%), whereas patients who were reluctant to receive the vaccine were mainly concerned about the safety of the vaccine (54.7%) and whether it would impact anti-retroviral therapy(ART) efficacy (50.6%). The most significant factors influencing vaccination were concerns that the vaccine was unsafe in HIV patients (OR=0.082, 95%CI = 0.024–0.282) and that it would be less effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in HIV patients (OR = 0.093, 95%CI = 0.030–0.287). Other factors associated with acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine included Zhuang ethnicity (OR=1.653, 95%CI=1.109–2.465), the highest education level of middle school and high school or above (OR=1.747, 95%CI=1.170–2.608; OR=2.492, 95%CI=1.326–4.682), unknown vaccination type (OR=0.487, 95%CI=0.305–0.776) and little vaccine influence on ART efficacy (OR=2.889, 95%CI=1.378-6.059).
Conclusions

Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination is high among HIV/AIDS patients, although some patients refused vaccination because of vaccine safety and influence on ART efficacy. More research is needed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on the efficacy of ART and to evaluate its effectiveness in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in HIV patients so that concerns about COVID-19 vaccination issues can be addressed in HIV patients.
Serological Study of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Japanese Cats: Analysis of Risk Factors Among Cat Lifestyles
Authors: Imanishi Ichiro , Asahina Ryota , Hayashi Shunji , Uchiyama Jumpei , Hisasue Masaharu , Yamasaki Masahiro , Murata Yoshiteru , Morikawa Shigeru , Mizutani Tetsuya , Sakaguchi Masahiro
Published: January 2022

Background

Little is known about the epidemic status of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in cats living in Japan, and about the influence of cat lifestyles on the SARS-CoV-2 infection epidemic in cats.
Results

We developed protein A/G-based ELISA, which was standardized using positive rabbit antibodies. The measured values of this ELISA were consistent with those of conventional anti-feline IgG-based ELISA. We then collected blood samples from 1,969 cats that visited veterinary clinics in Japan from June to July 2020 and examined for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Using protein A/G-based ELISA, nine cats were found to have SARS-CoV-2 S1-specific IgG, among which four had RBD-specific IgG. Among those nine samples, one showed neutralizing activity. Based on these, we estimated that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in cats living in Japan was 0.05% (1/1,969 samples). This prevalence did not differ much from the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 in humans conducted in Japan at that time. Furthermore, we searched for factors associated with the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies in cats using our data and information from five countries (China, Croatia, France, Germany, and Italy). The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cats was correlated with the rate of keeping indoor-only.
Conclusions

Protein A/G-based ELISA has the potential to be a standardized method to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in cats. The infection status of SARS-CoV-2 in cats in Japan is linked to that in humans, and the epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats may be controlled by their living environment.
Association Between Urinary Flow Rate and Cognition in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Li Yifan , Deng Linghui , Qiu Shi , Cai Boyu , Wang Sheng , Xiong Xingyu , Jin Kun , Yang Lu , Dong Pro Birong
Published: January 2022

Background
Age-related lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is a common disease in the elderly. The reduction of urinary flow rate (UFR) as an assessment of LUTS is associated with cognitive impairment. The association between UFR and cognitive performance has not been studied to date.
Methods
We used data from the 2011 to 2014 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Finally, 2,724 participants aged 65-80 with available data on UFR and cognitive assessments were included. The cognitive function assessment used the digit symbol substitution test (DSST), Animal Fluency Test (AFT) and the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) immediate recall test. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the association between UFR (exposure) and cognitive performance (outcome). Additionally, to ensure the reliability of data analysis, we converted UFR into categorical variables through tertile and then calculated the P for trend.
Results
Among 2,724 participants, the mean (SD) age was 69.26 (6.65) years, and 54.56% were women. After adjusting for covariates, UFR showed a positive correlation with DSST score (β = 2.00, [95%Cl:1.20-2.80], P<0.0001), AFT score (β = 0.57,[95%Cl:0.28-0.87], P=0.0001), CERAD immediate score(β = 0.24, [95%Cl:0.01-0.47], P=0.0435). In addition, we found a similar linear trend when UFR was regarded as a categorical variable (tertile) (P for trend <0.0001(both in AFT and DSST); P for trend =0.0403 in CERAD immediate test).
Conclusions
The decrease of UFR is related to cognitive decline in the elderly, which may suggest that UFR may be a clinical marker of predicting cognitive decline.
Abbreviated Perioperative Fasting Management for Elective Fresh Fracture Surgery: Guideline Adherence Analysis
Authors: Sun Zhi-jian , Sun Xu , Huo Yan , Mi Meng , Peng Gui-ling , Zhang Chun-ling , Jiang Yao , Zhou Yan , Zhao Xia , Li Ting , Wu Xin-bao
Published: January 2022

BackgroundLong-term fasting for elective surgery has been proven unnecessary based on established guidelines. Instead, preoperative carbohydrate loading 2 hours before surgery and recommencing oral nutrition intake as soon as possible after surgery is recommended. This study was performed to analyze the compliance with and effect of abbreviated perioperative fasting management in patients undergoing surgical repair of fresh fractures based on current guidelines.MethodsPatients with fresh fractures were consecutively enrolled from May 2019 to July 2019 at our hospital. A carbohydrate-enriched beverage was recommended up to 2 hours before surgery for all surgical patients except those with contraindications. Postoperatively, oral clear liquids were allowed once the patients had regained full consciousness, and solid food was allowed 1 to 2 hours later according to the patients’ willingness. The perioperative fasting time was recorded and the patients’ subjective comfort with respect to thirst and hunger was assessed using an interview-assisted questionnaire.ResultsIn total, 306 patients were enrolled in this study. The compliance rate of preoperative carbohydrate loading was 71.6%, and 93.5% of patients began ingestion of oral liquids within 2 hours after surgery. The median (interquartile range) preoperative fasting time for liquids and solids was 8 (5.2–12.9) and 19 (15.7–22) hours, respectively. The median postoperative fasting time for liquids and solids was 1 (0.5–1.9) and 2.8 (2.2–3.5) hours, respectively. A total of 70.3% and 74.2% of patients reported no thirst or hunger during the perioperative period. Logistic regression analysis showed that the preoperative fasting time for liquids was an independent risk factor for perioperative hunger. No adverse events such as aspiration pneumonia or gastroesophageal reflux were observed.ConclusionsIn this study of a real clinical practice setting, abbreviated perioperative fasting management was carried out with high compliance in patients with fresh fractures. The preoperative fasting time should be further shortened to further improve patients’ subjective comfort.
Dynamic Changes in Quality of Life, Psychological Status, and Body Image in Women With Different Types of Breast Cancer Surgery: 8-year Follow Up
Authors: K.M Sriyani padmalatha , Wu Yi-Lin , Kukreti Shikha , Chen Chang-Chun , Lin Chia-Ni , Tsai Yi-Tseng , Ku Han-Chang , Fang Su-Ying , Wang Jung-Der , Ko Nai-Ying
Published: January 2022

PurposeTo explore the dynamic changes in Quality of Life (QoL), anxiety/depression status, and body image (BI) of women who received different types of breast cancer (BC) surgery within an 8-years follow-up period.MethodsWomen with major BC surgeries were invited to complete the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief (WHOQOL-BREF), the European quality of life five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D), and a body image scale within 8 years of surgery. Kernel smoothing methods were applied to describe dynamic changes in QoL, anxiety/depression, and BI at different time points. Linear mixed effects models were constructed to identify the interaction between time, different types of surgery, and the determinants of QoL in these patients.ResultsA total of 1,803 women who had undergone a mastectomy, a modified radical mastectomy (MRM), and breast reconstruction (BR) were included. The BR group exhibited a high QoL score of WHOQOL one to five years after surgery with some fluctuations. The MRM group had comparatively stable, low QoL scores of WHOQOL items and less depressed/anxious. BR group generally showed fluctuated, lower scores of BI two years after operation, but they exhibited more anxiety/depression status after five years. Medical comorbidities, the status of anxiety/depression, and BI were the major factors influencing all domains and items of the WHOQOL BREF.Conclusion﻿While MRM may decrease the likelihood of depression in patients with BC and BR would significantly improve their QoL in the first 5 years. We recommend that these findings should be considered and discussed in the patient participatory decision-making for breast surgery.
Dental Awareness and Barriers in Reducing the Risk of Medication-related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) Among Non-head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Lim Xin Yi , Chan Zhiling , Malik Rozita Abdul , Chai Wen-Lin
Published: January 2022

Objectives. The objectives of this study are to assess the dental awareness in reducing the risk of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) among non-head and neck cancer patients and their barriers of attending pre-medication dental evaluation (PMDE). Methodology: This study was conducted in the Department of Oncology of the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Non-head and neck cancer patients who are currently or will be undergoing anti-resorptive and/or anti-angiogenic therapy were interviewed using a questionnaire that consist of questions on patient’s awareness, attitude, and barriers of receiving PMDE. Ethics approval was obtained. Results. In total, 17 patients were interviewed. Only 6 patients were informed by the medical doctors about the risk of MRONJ. Nine patients were advised by the medical doctors to have the PMDE prior to the therapy, and most of them in this group follow the instruction and already had their PMDE done prior to the therapy. The other 8 patients, who did not attend a PMDE, thought it was not important because their medical doctors neither inform them about MRONJ, nor refer them for PMDE. Conclusion. Patients’ awareness of MRONJ risks and preventive strategies are poor. The main barrier for PMDE is the lack of referral and information on MRONJ from the medical doctors. Patients’ attitudes were positive towards PMDE if they were referred by the medical doctors.
The Uptake Characteristics of Prussian-Blue Nanoparticles for Platinum-Group Metal and Molybdenum Ions in a Nitric Acid Solution Toward Application for the Recovery of Precious Metals from Nuclear and Electronic Wastes
Authors: Watanabe Shinta , Inaba Yusuke , Harigai Miki , Takeshita Kenji , Onoe Jun
Published: January 2022

We have examined the uptake mechanisms of platinum-group-metals (PGMs) and molybdenum (Mo) ions into PBNPs in a nitric acid solution for 24-h sorption test, using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, powder XRD, and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy in combination with first-principles calculations, and revealed that the Ru4+ and Pd2+ ions are incorporated into PBNPs by substitution with Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions of the PB framework, respectively, whereas the Rh3+ ion is incorporated into PBNPs by substitution mainly with Fe3+ and minorly with Fe2+ ion, and Mo6+ ion is incorporated into PBNPs by substitution with both Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions, with maintaining the crystal structure before and after the sorption test. Assuming that the amount of Fe elusion is equal to that of PGMs/Mo substitution, the substitution efficiency is estimated to be 39.0% for Ru, 47.8% for Rh, 87% for Pd, and 17.1% for Mo6+. This implies that 0.13 g of Ru, 0.16 g of Rh, 0.30 g of Pd, and 0.107 g of Mo can be recovered by using 1g PBNPs with a chemical form of KFe(III)[Fe(II)(CN)6].
Plasmonic Sensor Based On Silver Nanoparticles For The Detection of Glucose
Authors: Li Lingqiao , Cui Wei , He Zhihui , Xue Weiwei , He Hui
Published: January 2022

Sensors for detecting glucose concentrations are crucial to medical testing. Here, we introduce silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) uniformly distributed in space to investigate the sensing properties for detecting glucose by using the finite-different time-domain (FDTD) and experimental methods. The results show that the transmittance of dip for the proposed structural model gradually decreases as the number of Ag NPs increases, when the concentration of glucose is constant. And the transmission spectrum shows slight red shift with the increasing of the glucose concentration. Moreover, the simulation results are in agreement with the experimental results. Especially, the maximum sensitivity S=1144.07407 nm/RIU can be realized for glucose concentration variation from 0.3 to 0.4 mol/L. The research results reveal an excellent sensing property that has important application value in medical detection.
O2 Physisorption in Coal Pore: Effects of Pore Size, Pressure, Temperature and Function Group
Authors: Cheng Gang , Tan Bo , Fu Shuhui , Wang Feiran
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the physical adsorption characteristics of oxygen in coal pores were systematically investigated by the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo and the COMPASS force field. Firstly, coal pore structures of different sizes were constructed by graphite slit models and different groups. Secondly, the physisorption behavior of oxygen in graphite slit models of different sizes was simulated. Finally, the physisorption behavior of oxygen in graphite slit models at different pressures and temperatures was analyzed. The results showed that the physisorption density and excess physical adsorption of oxygen were divided into the rapidly decreasing stage (0.4-0.7 nm), the slowly decreasing stage (0.7-1.4 nm), and the stable stage (1.4 nm-5 nm) with the increase of coal pores, and the excess oxygen physisorption amount was more sensitive to the change of pressure. The O2 isosteric heat of physisorption decreased with increasing pore size of coal. Oxygen is more strongly adsorbed by hydroxyl and ether bonds than by methyl, carboxyl and carbonyl groups. Through this study, the mechanism of oxygen physical adsorption in coal pores and the characteristics influenced by temperature and pressure can be better understood.
Influence of Fuel System Variations on Performance and Emission Characteristics of Combined Air-Wall Guided Mode Modified GDI engine with Alcoholic Fuels and Exhaust Gas Recirculation
Authors: Nagareddy Shivakumar , Govindasamy Kumaresan
Published: January 2022

GDI engines commercially existed with spray guided mode where the fuel injector placed almost vertically and sprayed fuel is occupied throughout the volume of combustion chamber. With the advanced emission norms, NOx and Soot emissions control is the major task along with lower fuel consumption. To achieve the advanced emission norms, further modifications are required before or during combustion. Combined air-wall guided mode combustion chamber modification is the advanced stage required for further improvement in mixing and superior combustion. Air-wall combined mode involved piston crown shape modification so that the modified shape should impart turbulence effects and divert the fuel/mixture flow towards the spark plug tip to initiate the combustion process. In this study, the combined air-wall guided mode gasoline direct injection engine was tested with gasoline blends using Ethanol, Methanol and N-Butanol at 20, 35 and 50% proportions under specific fixed conditions: 1500 rpm speed, 10% EGR and FIP of 150 bars with three split injections at 320˚, 220˚ and 100˚ before TDC. Tests were conducted over these gasoline blend proportions for engine performance and emission characteristics and achieved beneficial results with E20 gasoline blend over the entire applied torque values.
A Randomised Controlled Trial of Email Versus Mailed Invitation Letter In A National Longitudinal Survey of Physicians.
Authors: Harrap Benjamin , Taylor Tamara , Russell Grant , Scott Anthony
Published: January 2022

Background: Despite the low cost of using email to distribute surveys to medical practitioners, email invitations have been associated with lower response rates, potentially increasing response bias and reducing external validity. We examine if there is a difference in response rates from using email rather than a mailed invitation letter in a nationally representative longitudinal survey of qualified physicians. Methods: We use a parallel randomised controlled trial during the 11th annual wave of the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) longitudinal survey of doctors. Participants were from previous waves of MABEL and newly invited in Wave 11. The control group was invited using a mailed paper letter (including a paper survey plus instructions to complete online) and three mailed paper reminders. The intervention group was approached in the same way apart from the second reminder when they were approached by email only. The primary outcome is the response rate and the statistical analysis was blinded.Results: 18,247 doctors were randomly allocated to the control (9,125) or intervention group (9,127), with 9,108 and 9,107 included in the final analysis. Using intention to treat analysis, the response rate in the intervention group was 35.92% compared to 37.59% in the control group, a difference of -1.66 percentage points (95% CI: -3.06 to -0.26). The difference was larger for General Practitioners (-2.76 percentage points, 95% CI: -4.65 to -0.87) compared to other specialists (-0.47 percentage points, 95% CI: -2.53 to 1.60). For those who supplied an email address, the average treatment effect on the treated was higher at -2.63 percentage points (95% CI: -4.50 to -0.75) for all physicians, -3.17 percentage points (95% CI: -5.83 to -0.53) for General Practitioners, and -2.1 percentage points (95% CI: -4.75 to 0.56) for other specialists. Conclusions: For qualified physicians, using email to invite participants to complete a survey leads to lower response rates compared to a mailed letter. Lower response rates need to be traded off with the lower costs of using email rather than mailed letters.
Climatic Controls on Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Compositions of Temperate Grasslands in Northern China
Authors: Wu Yuntao , Zhang Xiaodong , Song Zhaoliang , Yu Changxun , Liu Man , Wang Yidong , Hao Qian , Li Qiang , Zhao Xiangwei , Wu Lele , Wang Xia
Published: January 2022

Aims The natural abundances of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) are extensively used to indicate the C and N biogeochemical cycles at large spatial scales. However, the spatial patterns of δ13C and δ15N in plant-soil system of grasslands in northern China and their main driving factors are still not well understood.Methods We conducted sampling campaigns during 2016-2018 in grasslands of northern China and measured plant and soil δ13C and δ15N compositions to determine effects soil physicochemical properties and climatic factors on spatial distribution of δ13C and δ15N.Results Generally, plant and soil δ13C values increased with the decrease of mean annual precipitation (MAP). The interactions between mean annual temperature (MAT) and soil organic carbon have significant impact on soil δ13C. However, plant and soil δ15N decreased with the increase of MAT. Within all factors, the interactions between MAT and MAP on soil δ15N were significant.Conclusions Our results suggest that C cycling in grasslands of northern China is strongly mediated by plant community and MAT, because C4 species were more prevalent in arid regions. Meanwhile, N cycling is mainly directly regulated by MAT and plant community composition via its effect on the plant δ15N. All of these will provide scientific references for future research on the C and N biogeochemical cycles of temperate grassland ecosystems in northern China.
Coinfection with PEDV and BVDV Induces Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathway Highly Enriched in PK-15 Cells
Authors: Cheng Jinghua , Tao Jie , Li Benqiang , Shi Ying , liu Huili
Published: January 2022

Background: From the 1078 diarrhea stools tested in our survey from 2017 to 2020 in local area of China, PEDV was the key pathogen which was closely related to the death of diarrhea piglets. Besides, co-infection of PEDV-positive samples with BVDV reached 17.24%. Although BVDV infection in swine is typically subclinical, the effect of PEDV and BVDV coinfection on disease severity and the potential molecular mechanism of coinfection with these two viruses remain unknown.Methods: In this study, we developed a model of coinfection with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in PK15 cells, and a tandem mass tag (TMT) combined with LC–MS/MS proteomic approach was used to identify differential protein expression profiles. Additionally, we take the drug experiments to explore the inflammatory response induced by PEDV or BVDV mono- or coinfection.Results: A total of 1094, 1538, and 1482 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified upon PEDV monoinfection, BVDV monoinfection and PEDV/BVDV coinfection, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PEDV and BVDV coinfection leaded to a highly significantly enrichment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathway. In addition, the NF-κB signaling pathway was more intensively activated by PEDV and BVDV coinfection, which induced higher production of inflammatory cytokines, than PEDV or BVDV monoinfection.Conclusions: Our study indicated that cattle pathogens might play synergistic roles in the pathogenesis of porcine diarrhea disease, which might also improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of multiple infections in diarrhea disease.
Quantification Analysis of Geometric Characteristics of Micro Crack Network On Fault Rock Surface
Authors: Yu Haitao , Liu Zhibin , Zhang Yun , Luo Tingyi , Tang Yasen
Published: January 2022

Fault is a common water conduit in coal mine, and the cracks of fault rock will greatly affect its permeability. In this study, three fault samples obtained in the mining area in Southwest Shandong of China was tested and observed by SEM, XRD and plane-polarized light microscope. The geometric characteristics, including crack density, fractal dimension and crack connectivity, of the crack network on the sample surface were calculated. Combined with the mineral content obtained by XRD, the nonuniformity coefficient of mineral composition in rock is defined. The results show that the crack geometric characteristics of the three samples are quite different and the above geometric parameters of crack network on three fault rock samples are correlated. The optical photomicrographs and SEM images show that the crack network is developed most in the fault rock samples with the least clay content. The study suggests that the nonuniformity coefficient of rock samples is positively correlated with the geometric characteristic of crack network. The difference in the crack network of fault rock samples is related to the coefficient of friction of clay.
A Ratiometric Fluorescent Aptamer Homogeneous Biosensor Based on Hairpin Structure Aptamer for AFB1 Detection
Authors: Feng Beibei , Zhao Fei , Wei Min , Liu Yong , Ren Xinyu , Suo Zhiguang
Published: January 2022

On the basis of aptamer (Apt) with hairpin structure and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), a ratio fluorescent aptamer homogeneous sensor was prepared for the determination of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Initially, the Apt labeled simultaneously with Cy5, BHQ2, and cDNA labeled with Cy3 were formed a double-stranded DNA through complementary base pairing. The fluorescent aptamer sensor demonstrates a weak fluorescence emission of Cy3 and a high fluorescence emission of Cy5 due to the quenching effect of BHQ2. The double-stranded DNA structure will be disintegrated in the presence of AFB1, resulting the removal of Cy3 and the close of Cy5 with BHQ2. The fluorescence signal of Cy3 and Cy5 were restored and quenched respectively. Thus, the ratio change of FCy3 to FCy5 was used to realized the detection of AFB1 with wider detection range and lower limit of detection (LOD). The response of the optimized protocol for AFB1 detection was wider linear range from 0.05 ng/mL to 100 ng/mL and the LOD was 12.6 pg/mL. The sensor designed in this strategy has the advantages of simple preparation and fast signal response. It has been used for the detection of AFB1 in labeled corn and wine, indicating it had good application potential in practical samples.
Magnitude and Determinants of Treatment Outcome Among Surgically Treated Patients with Intestinal Obstruction at Public Hospitals of Wolayita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Across Sectional Study
Authors: Batebo Muhaba , Loriso Bereket , Beyene Tilahun , Haile Yosef , Hailegebreal Samuel
Published: January 2022

Background: Procedures to treat intestinal obstruction range from minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to more complicated open surgical procedures. It may end with high morbidity and mortality because of different reasons. It is very important to know about the determinants of favorable outcome of surgical management for intestinal obstruction however, little is known about this problem at public hospitals of Southern Ethiopia. Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted. A total of 230 medical records which fulfill the inclusion criteria were used for this study. Variables with p value of less than 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered in multivariable logistic regression to control confounding. Finally, odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to identify variables which were significantly associated with dependent variable. Results: According to this study the magnitude of favorable surgical management outcome of intestinal obstruction was 177(77.0%) [95% CI, 71.4, 82.4]. Having small bowel obstruction (AOR=2.49) [95% CI 1.91, 5.12], having simple bowel obstruction (AOR=4.32) [95% CI, 2.00, 9.35], early presentation of patients (AOR=4.44) [95% CI, 1.99, 9.92] and intraoperative procedure other than resection and anastomosis was performed (AOR=0.45) [95% CI, .21, .96] were significantly associated with favorable outcome among surgically treated patients.Conclusion: The overall magnitude of favorable surgical management outcome of intestinal obstruction was moderate compared to other study. Having small bowel obstruction, having simple bowel obstruction, other procedure other than resection and anastomosis done, and early presentation of patients were significant predictors. Physicians should diagnose intestinal obstruction early and appropriate interventions should be taken on time before the complication happened. On time consultation and decision at the hospital setting is also recommended.