bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of the Diabetes Health Plan with emergency room and inpatient hospital utilization: a Natural Experiment for Translation in Diabetes (NEXT-D) Study
Authors: Moin Tannaz , Steers Neil , Ettner Susan L , Duru Kenrik , Turk Norman , Chan Charles , Keckhafer Abigail M , Luchs Robert H , Ho Sam , Mangione Carol M
Published: January 2021

Introduction

To examine the association of a novel disease-specific health plan, known as the Diabetes Health Plan (DHP), with emergency room (ER) and hospital utilization among patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Research design and methods

Quasi-experimental design, with employer group as the unit of analysis, comparing changes in any ER and inpatient hospital utilization over a 3-year period. Inverse probability weighting was used to control for differences between employers purchasing DHP versus standard plans. Estimated differences in utilization are calculated as average treatment effects on the treated. We used employees and dependents from employer groups contracting with a large, national private insurer between 2009 and 2012. Eligibility and claims data from continuously covered employees and dependents with diabetes and pre-diabetes (n=74 058) were aggregated to the employer level. The analysis included 9 DHP employers (n=7004) and 183 control employers (n=67 054).

Results

DHP purchase was associated with 2.4 and 1.8 percentage points absolute reduction in mean rates of any ER utilization, representing 13% and 10% relative reductions at 1 and 2 years post-DHP (p=0.012 and p=0.046, respectively). There was no significant association between DHP purchase and hospital utilization.

Conclusion

Employers purchasing diabetes-specific health benefit designs may experience lower rates of resource-intensive services such as ER utilization.
Coffee consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Xiaonan , Zhao Yiqiao , Tao Zijia , Wang Kefeng
Published: January 2021

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of cohort studies to evaluate the association of coffee consumption with the risk of prostate cancer.

Data sources

PubMed, Web of Science and Embase were searched for eligible studies up to September 2020.

Study selection

Cohort studies were included.

Data extraction and synthesis

Two researchers independently reviewed the studies and extracted the data. Data synthesis was performed via systematic review and meta-analysis of eligible cohort studies. Meta-analysis was performed with the “metan” and “glst” commands in Stata 14.0.

Main outcomes and measures

Prostate cancer was the main outcome. It was classified as localised prostate cancer which included localised or non-aggressive cancers; advanced prostate cancer which included advanced or aggressive cancers; or fatal prostate cancer which included fatal/lethal cancers or prostate cancer-specific deaths.

Results

Sixteen prospective cohort studies were finally included, with 57 732 cases of prostate cancer and 1 081 586 total cohort members. Higher coffee consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Compared with the lowest category of coffee consumption, the pooled relative risk (RR) was 0.91 (95% CI 0.84 to 0.98), I2= 53.2%) for the highest category of coffee consumption. There was a significant linear trend for the association (p=0.006 for linear trend), with a pooled RR of 0.988 (95% CI 0.981 to 0.995) for each increment of one cup of coffee per day. For localised, advanced and fatal prostate cancer, the pooled RRs were 0.93 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.99), 0.88 (95% CI 0.71 to 1.09) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.66 to 1.08), respectively. No evidence of publication bias was indicated in this meta-analysis.

Conclusions

This study suggests that a higher intake of coffee may be associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.
Demand for self-managed online telemedicine abortion in eight European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a regression discontinuity analysis
Authors: Aiken Abigail R A , Starling Jennifer E , Gomperts Rebecca , Scott James G , Aiken Catherine E
Published: January 2021

Objectives

In most European countries, patients seeking medication abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic are still required to attend healthcare settings in person. We assessed whether demand for self-managed medication abortion provided by online telemedicine increased following the emergence of COVID-19.

Methods

We examined 3915 requests for self-managed abortion to online telemedicine service Women on Web (WoW) between 1 January 2019 and 1 June 2020. We used regression discontinuity to compare request rates in eight European countries before and after they implemented lockdown measures to slow COVID-19 transmission. We examined the prevalence of COVID-19 infection, the degree of government-provided economic support, the severity of lockdown travel restrictions and the medication abortion service provision model in countries with and without significant changes in requests.

Results

Five countries showed significant increases in requests to WoW, ranging from 28% in Northern Ireland (97 requests vs 75.8 expected requests, p=0.001) to 139% in Portugal (34 requests vs 14.2 expected requests, p<0.001). Two countries showed no significant change in requests, and one country, Great Britain, showed an 88% decrease in requests (1 request vs 8.1 expected requests, p<0.001). Among countries with significant increases in requests, abortion services are provided mainly in person in hospitals or abortion is unavailable and international travel was prohibited during lockdown. By contrast, Great Britain implemented a fully remote no-test telemedicine service.

Conclusion

These marked changes in requests for self-managed medication abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate demand for remote models of care, which could be fulfilled by expanding access to medication abortion by telemedicine.
Sex differences in heart failure hospitalisation risk following acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Yandrapalli Srikanth , Malik Aaqib , Pemmasani Gayatri , Aronow Wilbert , Shah Falak , Lanier Gregg , Cooper Howard , Jain Diwakar , Naidu Srihari , Frishman William , Panza Julio
Published: January 2021

Objective

We evaluated the sex differences in 6-month heart failure (HF) hospitalisation risk in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors.

Methods

For this retrospective cohort analysis, adult survivors of an AMI between January and June 2014 were identified from the US Nationwide Readmissions Database. The primary outcome was a HF hospitalisation within 6 months. Secondary outcomes were fatal HF hospitalisation and the composite of index in-hospital HF or 6-month HF hospitalisation.

Results

Of 237 549 AMI survivors, females (37.9%) were older (70±14 years vs 65±13 years; p<0.001), had a higher prevalence of cardiac comorbidities and a lower revascularisation rate compared with males. The primary outcome occurred in 12 934 patients (5.4%), at a 49% higher rate in females (6.8% vs 4.6% in males, p<0.001), which was attenuated to a 19% higher risk after multivariable adjustment. Findings were consistent across subgroups of age, AMI type and major risk factors. In the propensity-matched time-to-event analysis, female sex was associated with a 13% higher risk for 6-month HF readmission (6.4% vs 5.8% in males; HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.21, p<0.001), and the increased risk was evident early on after the AMI. Fatal HF rate was similar between groups (4.7% vs 4.6%, p=0.936), but females had a higher rate of the composite HF outcome (36.2% vs 27.5%, p<0.001).

Conclusion

In a large all-comers AMI survivors’ cohort, females had a higher HF hospitalisation risk that persisted after adjustment for baseline risk differences. This was consistent across several clinically relevant subgroups and was evident early on after the AMI.
Another gender data gap: female drowning in Aotearoa, New Zealand
Authors: Richardson Karen , Peden Amy E
Published: January 2021

Introduction

A gender gap is present in drowning research and prevention interventions, resulting in an inequitable focus on males. This study aimed to address the gender data gap, exploring female drowning in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Methods

National data on female fatal and non-fatal drowning requiring hospitalisation between 2003 and 2019 were sourced from DrownBase, Water Safety New Zealand’s drowning database. Univariate and χ2analyses were conducted for fatal and hospitalisation data. Crude rates were calculated and used to explore temporal trends and RR by age groups and ethnicity for fatal and non-fatal drowning. Ratios for drowning-related hospitalisations and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claims to drowning deaths were also calculated.

Results

From 2003 to 2019, a total of 1087 female drowning fatalities and non-fatal (76.0%) drowning incidents requiring hospitalisation occurred. Linear trends indicate hospitalisations increased (y=0.0766x+1.4271; R2=0.4438), while fatal drowning decreased (y=−0.0101x+0.7671; R2=0.1011). The highest fatal (1.60) and non-fatal (8.22) drowning rates were seen among children aged 0–4 years. For every one female drowning fatality, there are 3.46 hospital admissions and 675.55 ACC claims.

Discussion

Female drowning represents a significant burden on the health system and the community in New Zealand. Further investment in interventions targeting females about their own risky behaviours around water (not only children in their care) is suggested, including interventions focused on hazardous conditions and alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

For decades, the focus of drowning prevention among adolescents and adults has been on males. However, efforts must be broadened to prevent any further increase in drowning-related incidents among females in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Therapeutic application of exosomes in ischaemic stroke
Authors: Li Yongfang , Tang Yaohui , Yang Guo-Yuan
Published: January 2021

Ischaemic stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the world, with limited effective treatments. Increasing evidence demonstrates that exosomes are involved in ischaemic pathology and exhibit restorative therapeutic effects by mediating cell–cell communication. The potential of exosome therapy for ischaemic stroke has been actively investigated in the past decade. In this review, we mainly discuss the current knowledge of therapeutic applications of exosomes from different cell types, different exosomal administration routes, and current advances of exosome tracking and targeting in ischaemic stroke. We also briefly summarised the pathology of ischaemic stroke, exosome biogenesis, exosome profile changes after stroke as well as registered clinical trials of exosome-based therapy.
N,N′-dialkyl-2-thiobarbituric acid based sulfonamides as potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors
Authors: Sarfraz Muhammad , Rauf Abdul , Keller Paul , Qureshi Ashfaq Mahmood
Published: January 2021

An efficient methodology was developed to generate novel N,N′-dialkyl-2-thiobarbituric acid based sulfonamides S1–S4 in good to excellent yields (84%–95%). The synthesized compounds S1–S4 were docked to screen their in silico activities against two enzymes i.e., SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme with unliganded active site (2019-nCoV, coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) PDB ID: 6Y84 and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro PDB ID: 6LU7. Furthermore, some in silico physicochemical and physicokinetic properties were evaluated using the OSIRIS Property Explorer, Molinspiration property calculator, ADMET property calculator, and GUSAR to assess these compounds as potential candidates as lead compounds for the quest of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. Molecular docking analyses of the synthesized compounds predicted that compound S3 is more potent as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor with binding energy –11.65 kcal/mol in comparison with reference inhibitor N3 (–10.95 kcal/mol), whereas compounds S1, S2, and S4 recorded comparable binding energies –9.89, –10.84, and –10.94 kcal/mol with reference inhibitor N3, which were much better than remdesivir (–9.85 kcal/mol). In case of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, all compounds S1–S4 with docking energy values of –7.28, –8.38, –8.31, and –7.34 kcal/mol, respectively, were found to be potent in comparison with reference inhibitor N3 (–6.31 kcal/mol) and remdesivir (–6.33 kcal/mol). Ligand efficiency values against the target SARS-CoV-2 proteins, as well as α-glucosidase and DNA-(apurinic or apyrimidinic site) lyase inhibition results of these newly synthesized compounds, were also found to be promising.
Behavior of high-performance RC composite corbels with inclined stirrups
Authors: Shakir Qasim M.
Published: January 2021

In the present work, a new modified arrangement for shear reinforcement in corbels is proposed. Inclined, rather than horizontal, alignment of stirrups was studied. In addition, the performance of composite corbels incorporated with the usual and proposed alignments of the shear reinforcement were investigated. The experimental work consisted of testing 12 specimens. Four corbels are non-composite and eight are composite with two shapes of rolled steel, namely, WF and tapered WT sections. Two values of shear span to depth ratio (av/d) have been considered, which are 0.70 and 1.0, to study both when shear is dominant and when bending moment is dominant. The behavior of the tested specimens was discussed in terms of the history of loading, first cracking load, failure load, ductility, toughness, and history of the first crack development. It was found that the proposed configuration of shear reinforcement improved the ductility and toughness with respect to the conventional arrangement by 16% and 38%, respectively, for av/d value of 0.70, and 55% and 64%, respectively, for an av/d value of 1.0. Furthermore, the results revealed that using the composite corbel with the proposed alignment rather than RC corbel improved the ductility and toughness by 35%–80% and 45%–173%, respectively, for av/d = 0.70. The values for corbels with av/d = 1.0 are 38%–101% and 67%–88%, respectively. Moreover, tests revealed that the composite WF-steel corbel with diagonally aligned stirrups showed relative performance indicators (with respect to the conventional corbel) for av/d = 0.7 of 82%, 98%, 105%, and 273% for the first cracking load, failure load, ductility, and toughness, respectively. The respective values for av/d = 1.0 were 111%, 115%, 138%, and 188%, respectively.
Genomics and bioinformatics capacity in Africa: no continent is left behind
Authors: Mboowa Gerald , Sserwadda Ivan , Aruhomukama Dickson
Published: January 2021

Despite the poor genomics research capacity in Africa, efforts have been made to empower African scientists to get involved in genomics research, particularly that involving African populations. As part of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium, an initiative was set to make genomics research in Africa an African endeavor and was developed through funding from the United States’ National Institutes of Health Common Fund and the Wellcome Trust. H3Africa is intended to encourage a contemporary research approach by African investigators and to stimulate the study of genomic and environmental determinants of common diseases. The goal of these endeavors is to improve the health of African populations. To build capacity for bioinformatics and genomics research, organizations such as the African Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology have been established. In this article, we discuss the current status of the bioinformatics infrastructure in Africa as well as the training challenges and opportunities.
A FOCUS ON FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE ROLE OF ALERTNESS AND INSTITUTIONS ON VENTURE PERFORMANCE
Authors: URBAN BORIS , MSIMANGO-GALAWE JABULILE
Published: January 2021

This article examines the extent to which institutions and entrepreneurial alertness influence and interact to improve the venture performance of female entrepreneurs. Having established instrument validity and reliability, hypotheses are tested using multiple regression analyses based on survey data from South African female entrepreneurs. Results reveal that it is the normative and cognitive institutional dimensions, rather than the regulatory dimension, which have an effect on venture performance. Several positive interaction results are also noted between entrepreneurial alertness and the different institutional factors in terms of their effect on performance. Development support agencies should encourage more female entrepreneurship by supporting evidence-based programs designed to foster higher levels of entrepreneurial alertness and provide a mix of institutional conditions that directly support female entrepreneurs. By linking an essential individual-level entrepreneurial factor (alertness) with institutions, the study widens the theoretical reach of these factors to the domain of female entrepreneurship in the South African context.
JUST HOW RISKY? COMPARATIVE INSTITUTIONAL RISKS OF MISSION-BASED DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS
Authors: FAIRCHILD GREGORY B. , JUELFS MEGAN E.
Published: January 2021

We examine the relative institutional failure risks for three sets of bank depositories: Community Development Banking Institutions (CDBIs), Minority Depositories (MDIs) and what we term Non-Mission Depository Institutions (NMDIs). CDBIs have primary missions of community development and serving underserved populations; MDIs are typically led by minorities and serve minority populations (a single institution can be both a CDBI and an MDI, either or neither). In this analysis, NMDIs represent all other depository banks. Given their operation within lower-income and minority communities, MDIs and CDBIs appear, prima facie, to face greater institutional failure risks. We examine these risks across each set of institutions, ceteris paribus. Utilizing data from a number of sources, including the Reports of Condition and Income (call reports) for a substantial set of FDIC-insured banks in the United States, we apply a modified Capital, Assets, Management, Earnings and Liquidity model (CAMEL) to measure the predictive likelihood of failure. Recognizing that MDIs are not homogeneous, we also examine relative institutional failure across types of depositories. The results indicate that CDBIs and MDIs are systematically at lower failure risks and that there are differences across service designations.
Optimization of Signal Processing Applications Using Parameterized Error Models for Approximate Adders
Authors: Dharmaraj Celia , Vasudevan Vinita , Chandrachoodan Nitin
Published: January 2021

Approximate circuit design has gained significance in recent years targeting error-tolerant applications. In the literature, there have been several attempts at optimizing the number of approximate bits of each approximate adder in a system for a given accuracy constraint. For computational efficiency, the error models used in these routines are simple expressions obtained using regression or by assuming inputs or the error is uniformly distributed. In this article, we first demonstrate that for many approximate adders, these assumptions lead to an inaccurate prediction of error statistics for multi-level circuits. We show that mean error and mean square error can be computed accurately if static probabilities of adders at all stages are taken into account. Therefore, in a system with a certain type of approximate adder, any optimization framework needs to take into account not just the functionality of the adder but also its position in the circuit, functionality of its parents, and the number of approximate bits in the parent blocks. We propose a method to derive parameterized error models for various types of approximate adders. We incorporate these models within an optimization framework and demonstrate that the noise power is computed accurately.
Social Behavior as a Transdiagnostic Marker of Resilience
Authors: Feldman Ruth
Published: January 2021

The recent shift from psychopathology to resilience and from diagnosis to functioning requires the construction of transdiagnostic markers of adaptation. This review describes a model of resilience that is based on the neurobiology of affiliation and the initial condition of mammals that mature in the context of the mother's body and social behavior. The model proposes three tenets of resilience—plasticity, sociality, and meaning—and argues that coordinated social behavior stands at the core sustaining resilience. Two lines in the maturation of coordinated social behavior are charted, across animal evolution and throughout human development, culminating in the mature human reciprocity of empathy, mutuality, and perspective-taking. Cumulative evidence across ages and clinical conditions and based on our behavioral coding system demonstrates that social reciprocity, defined by plasticity at the individual, dyadic, and group levels, denotes resilience, whereas the two poles of disengagement/avoidance and intrusion/rigidity characterize specific psychopathologies, each with a distinct behavioral signature. Attention to developmentally sensitive markers and to the dimension of meaning in human sociality may open new, behavior-based pathways to resilience.
Asymptotically Optimal Sampling-Based Motion Planning Methods
Authors: Gammell Jonathan D. , Strub Marlin P.
Published: January 2021

Motion planning is a fundamental problem in autonomous robotics that requires finding a path to a specified goal that avoids obstacles and takes into account a robot's limitations and constraints. It is often desirable for this path to also optimize a cost function, such as path length. Formal path-quality guarantees for continuously valued search spaces are an active area of research interest. Recent results have proven that some sampling-based planning methods probabilistically converge toward the optimal solution as computational effort approaches infinity. This article summarizes the assumptions behind these popular asymptotically optimal techniques and provides an introduction to the significant ongoing research on this topic.
In‐Hospital 3D Printed Scaphoid Prosthesis Using Medical‐Grade Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Biomaterial
Authors: Honigmann Philipp , Sharma Neha , Schumacher Ralf , Rueegg Jasmine , Haefeli Mathias , Thieringer Florian
Published: January 2021

Recently, three‐dimensional (3D) printing has become increasingly popular in the medical sector for the production of anatomical biomodels, surgical guides, and prosthetics. With the availability of low‐cost desktop 3D printers and affordable materials, the in‐house or point‐of‐care manufacturing of biomodels and Class II medical devices has gained considerable attention in personalized medicine. Another projected development in medical 3D printing for personalized treatment is the in‐house production of patient‐specific implants (PSIs) for partial and total bone replacements made of medical‐grade material such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK). We present the first in‐hospital 3D printed scaphoid prosthesis using medical‐grade PEEK with fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing technology.
DefogNet: A Single‐Image Dehazing Algorithm with Cyclic Structure and Cross‐Layer Connections
Authors: Chen Suting , Fan Wenhao , Peter Shaw , Zhang Chuang , Chen Kui , Huang Yong
Published: January 2021

Inspired by the application of CycleGAN networks to the image style conversion problem Zhu et al. (2017), this paper proposes an end‐to‐end network, DefogNet, for solving the single‐image dehazing problem, treating the image dehazing problem as a style conversion problem from a fogged image to a nonfogged image, without the need to estimate a priori information from an atmospheric scattering model. DefogNet improves on CycleGAN by adding a cross‐layer connection structure in the generator to enhance the network’s multiscale feature extraction capability. The loss function was redesigned to add detail perception loss and color perception loss to improve the quality of texture information recovery and produce better fog‐free images. In this paper, the novel Defog‐SN algorithm is presented. This algorithm adds a spectral normalization layer to the discriminator’s convolution layer to make the discriminant network conform to a 1‐Lipschitz continuum and further improve the model’s stability. In this study, the experimental process is completed based on the O‐HAZE, I‐HAZE, and RESIDE datasets. The dehazing results show that the method outperforms traditional methods in terms of PSNR and SSIM on synthetic datasets and Avegrad and Entropy on naturalistic images.
Exosomes Released from CaSR‐Stimulated PMNs Reduce Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Zhai Tai-yu , Cui Bao-hong , Zhou Yang , Xu Xin-yu , Zou Lei , Lin Xin , Zhu Xiao-shuang , Zhang Si-wen , Xie Wan-lin , Cheng Yang-yang , Sun Yi-hua
Published: January 2021

Ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury caused by acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can initiate a strong inflammatory response. Polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) are the most important inflammatory cells. Our previous studies found that the calcium‐sensing receptor (CaSR) regulates the proinflammatory effects of PMNs. However, the role and mechanism of CaSR‐regulated PMNs in I/R injury remain uncertain. A rat AMI model was developed in this study and showed that the expression of CaSR on PMNs increased in AMI; however, the levels of Bcl‐xl and SOD in myocardial tissue decreased, while Bax and MDA levels increased. Then, after coculture with CaSR‐stimulated PMNs, the expression of Bcl‐xl in cardiomyocytes significantly increased, Bax expression and the apoptotic rate decreased, and ROS production was significantly inhibited. At the same time, the cardiomyocyte damage caused by hypoxia‐reoxygenation was reduced. Furthermore, we found that exosomes derived from PMNs could be taken up by cardiomyocytes. Additionally, the exosomes secreted by CaSR‐stimulated PMNs had the same effect on cardiomyocytes as CaSR‐stimulated PMNs, while the increased phosphorylation level of AKT in cardiomyocytes could be revered by AKT transduction pathway inhibitors. Subsequently, we identified the exosomes derived from CaSR‐stimulated PMNs by second‐generation sequencing technology, and increased expression of lncRNA ENSRNOT00000039868 was noted. The data show that this lncRNA can prevent the hypoxia‐reoxygenation injury by upregulating the expression of PDGFD in cardiomyocytes. In vivo, exosomes from CaSR‐stimulated PMNs played a significant role against AMI and reperfusion injury in myocardial tissue. Thus, we propose that exosomes derived from CaSR‐stimulated PMNs can reduce I/R injury in AMI, and this effect may be related to the AKT signaling pathway.
Controllability of a Family of Nonlinear Population Dynamics Models
Authors: Simporé Yacouba
Published: January 2021

Considering a nonlinear dynamical system, we study the nonlinear infinite-dimensional system obtained by grafting an operatorAand an age structure. This system is such that the nonlinearity is at the level of births. We show that there is a timeTdependent on the constraints on the age and the observability minimal timeT0of the pairA,B(Bis the control operator), from which the system is null controllable. We first establish an observability inequality useful for the proof of the null controllability of an auxiliary system. We also apply Schauder’s fixed point in the proof of the null controllability of the nonlinear system..
Global Research Trends in Shock Wave for Therapy from 1990 to 2019: A Bibliometric and Visualized Study
Authors: Zhang Qingxi , Zhao Yu , Xing Dan , Lin Jianhao
Published: January 2021

Objective. The publications of application and development of shock wave therapy showed consistent growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the global status and trends in the shock wave therapy field. Methods. Publications about shock wave therapy from 1990 to 2019 were collected from the Web of Science database. The data were studied and indexed by using bibliometric methodology. For a visualized study, VOSviewer software was used to conduct bibliographic coupling analysis, coauthorship analysis, cocitation analysis, and co‐occurrence analysis and to analyze the publication trends in shock wave therapy. Results. A total of 3,274 articles were included. The number of publications was increasing per year globally. The USA made the largest contributions to the global research with the most citations (the highest h‐index). The Journal of Urology had the highest publication number. The University of California System was the most contributive institution. Studies could be divided into seven clusters: urology, hepatology, cardiology, orthopedics, mechanism research of shock wave therapy, andrology, and principle of shock wave therapy. Orthopedics, andrology, and mechanism research of shock wave therapy could be the next hot topics in this field. Conclusions. Base on the trends, shock wave therapy is the theme of a globally active research field which keeps developing and extends from bench to bedside.
Autoimmune Factor V Deficiency That Took 16 Years to Diagnose due to Pseudodeficiency of Multiple Coagulation Factors
Authors: Kato Takaaki , Hanawa Takaya , Asou Mea , Asakawa Tomohiko , Sakamaki Hisashi , Araki Makoto
Published: January 2021

A 70-year-old man presented to our hospital with intramuscular hemorrhage in the right thigh. He had exhibited a tendency to bleed for the last 16 years and had visited several medical institutions, but no diagnosis had been made. Since the risk of sudden bleeding was assumed to be high due to his age, we decided to examine him in our department. A coagulation abnormality with prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) of 4.5 and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of 99.6 seconds was observed, but the platelet count, fibrinogen, and PIVKAII were within normal limits. Coagulation activities of factor V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII were all reduced. Anti-factor VIII and IX antibodies which were measured by the Bethesda method, lupus anti-coagulant (diluted Russell snake venom time method) and anti-cardiolipin antibody were also positive. The results of these tests were comparable to those undertaken 15 years ago when they were scrutinized at the university hospital. We suspected the presence of anti-factor V antibodies because there was a dissociation between the thrombotest values measured and those calculated from the PT-INR. Moreover, cross-mixing test showed an immediate inhibitor pattern. Subsequently, factor V antibodies were confirmed by the immunoblot method and the diagnosis of autoimmune factor V deficiency was made. When factor V, which is downstream of the coagulation cascade, is inhibited, coagulation test using the one-stage clotting method shows a pseudolow value. Therefore, extensive abnormalities of coagulation factor activity and inhibitor assay should be interpreted with caution, and the presence of a high titer of factor V inhibitor should be considered.
A Robust Self-Organizing Tree-Based Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: He Qinbin , Mou Jinping , Lin Bin
Published: January 2021

For a wireless sensor network (WSN), routing protocols not only affect the reliability and real-time data transmission but also affect the energy consumption of communication and the survival time of the entire network. In this paper, a routing protocol is proposed that combines virtual potential energy with local density of nodes and sleep-wake-up mechanism. The proposed routing protocol is self-organizing and robust. The routing protocol allows nodes to dynamically join or leave the network and enables nodes to automatically transmit information along the shortest path to reach a corresponding sink. The protocol can be applied in scenarios of single sink, multiple sinks, and three-dimensional WSNs. At the same time, the protocol takes a sleep-wake-up mechanism into account, makes a significant decrease in total network traffic, and achieves energy-saving as much as possible. Examples are given in detail to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed routing protocol.
Extracellular Vesicles in Liquid Biopsies: Potential for Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Liu Jialing , Chen Ye , Pei Fang , Zeng Chongmai , Yao Yang , Liao Wen , Zhao Zhihe
Published: January 2021

Liquid biopsy is conducted through minimally invasive or noninvasive procedures, and the resulting material can be subjected to genomic, proteomic, and lipidomic analyses for early diagnosis of cancers and other diseases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), one kind of promising tool for liquid biopsy, are nanosized bilayer particles that are secreted by all kinds of cells and that carry cargoes such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, protecting them from enzymatic degradation in the extracellular environment. In this review, we provide a comprehensive introduction to the properties and applications of EVs, including their biogenesis, contents, sample collection, isolation, and applications in diagnostics based on liquid biopsy.
Multiparty Homomorphic Machine Learning with Data Security and Model Preservation
Authors: Kuang Fengtian , Mi Bo , Li Yang , Weng Yuan , Wu Shijie
Published: January 2021

With the widespread application of machine learning (ML), data security has been a serious issue. To eliminate the conflict between data privacy and computability, homomorphism is extensively researched due to its capacity of performing operations over ciphertexts. Considering that the data provided by a single party are not always adequate to derive a competent model via machine learning, we proposed a privacy-preserving training method for the neural network over multiple data providers. Moreover, taking the trainer’s intellectual property into account, our scheme also achieved the goal of model parameter protection. Thanks to the hardness of the conjugate search problem (CSP) and discrete logarithm problem (DLP), the confidentiality of training data and system model can be reduced to well-studied security assumptions. In terms of efficiency, since all messages are coded as low-dimensional matrices, the expansion rates with regard to storage and computation overheads are linear compared to plaintext implementation without accuracy loss. In reality, our method can be transplanted to any machine learning system involving multiple parties due to its capacity of fully homomorphic computation.
The Impact of Tai Chi on Motor Function, Balance, and Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yu Xing , Wu Xinze , Hou Guozhen , Han Peipei , Jiang Liying , Guo Qi
Published: January 2021

Objective. Parkinson’s disease adversely affects function and quality of life, leading to increased mortality. The practice of Tai Chi has been associated with multifaceted improvements in health-related fitness. Considering the limited number of clinical studies included in previous reviews, inconsistent methodological quality, and inconclusive results, this meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of Tai Chi in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Method. Four English language databases and four Chinese databases were systematically searched for existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Tai Chi in Parkinson’s disease from database inception through August 1, 2020. Methodological quality was appraised with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. A meta-analysis of comparative effects was performed using the Review Manager v.5.3 software. Results. Seventeen published RCTs totaling 951 subjects were included. Results showed that Tai Chi has a statistically significant effect on the outcomes of gait velocity, unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) motor score, activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) score, and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The effects on the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) were not statistically significant. Conclusions. This systematic review and meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease and Tai Chi suggests Tai Chi is a relatively safe activity that can result in gains in general motor function and improve bradykinesia and balance. It has no statistically significant advantage for quality of life and functional mobility. Further randomized trials with larger sample sizes and of higher methodological quality are needed to confirm these results and to assess the feasibility of Tai Chi intervention for potential different clinical applications.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Alizarin Red S, Amaranth, Congo Red, and Rhodamine B Dyes Using UV Light Modified Reactor and ZnO, TiO2, and SnO2 as Catalyst
Authors: Rehman Rabia , Waheed-Uz-Zaman  , Raza Asma , Noor Warda , Batool Amna , Maryem Hamna
Published: January 2021

The photocatalytic degradation of dyes (alizarin red S, amaranth, congo red, and rhodamine B) present in wastewater was performed with UV lamp. The catalysts employed for this investigation were ZnO, TiO2, and SnO2. The kinetic studies of dyes degradation followed first order reaction. ZnO was found to be most efficient photo-catalyst for degrading these dyes. The optimal result for alizarin red S was k = 0.2118 min−1, t1/2 = 3.27 min, and R2 = 0.7998, for amaranth was k = 0.146 min−1, t1/2 = 4.74 min, and R2 = 0.8348, for congo red was k = 0.2452 min−1, t1/2 = 2.8 min, and R2 = 0.8382, and for rhodamine B was k = 0.1915 min−1, t1/2 = 3.6 min, and R2 = 0.76.
Magnetite Functionalized Nigella Sativa Seeds for the Uptake of Chromium(VI) and Lead(II) Ions from Synthetic Wastewater
Authors: Thabede Patience Mapule , Shooto Ntaote David , Xaba Thokozani , Naidoo Eliazer Bobby
Published: January 2021

The aim of the present study was to utilise pristine and magnetite-sucrose functionalized Nigella Sativa seeds as the adsorbents for the uptake of chromium(VI) and lead(II) ions from synthetic wastewater. Prestine Nigella Sativa seeds were labelled (PNS) and magnetite-sucrose functionalized Nigella Sativa seeds (FNS). The PNS and FNS composites were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The FTIR analysis of both adsorbents revealed the presence of vibrations assigned to 1749 and 1739 cm-1 (-C=O) for ketonic group for both adsorbents. The amide (-NH) peak was observed at 1533 and 1527 cm-1 on FNS and PNS composites, respectively, whilst the carboxyl group (-COOH) were observed at 1408 cm-1 on both adsorbents. The XRD results of FNS and PNS composites showed a combination of spinel structure and [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3 phase confirming the formation of iron oxide. The influence of operational conditions such as initial concentration, temperature, pH, and contact time was determined in batch adsorption system. The kinetic data of Cr(VI) and Pb(II) ions on both adsorbents was described by pseudo-first-order (PFO) model which suggested physisorption process. The sorption rate of Cr(VI) ions was quicker, it attained equilibrium in 20 min, and the rate of Pb(II) ions was slow in 90 min. Freundlich isotherm described the mechanism of Pb(II) ions adsorption on PNS and FNS composites. Langmuir best fitted the uptake of Cr(VI) ions on PNS and FNS. The results for both adsorbents showed that the removal uptake of Pb(II) ions increased when the initial concentration was increased; however, Cr(VI) uptake decreased when the initial concentration increased. The adsorption of Cr(VI) and Pb(II) ions on both adsorbents increased with temperature.
Change Detection and Feature Extraction of Debris‐Flow Initiation by Rock‐Slope Failure Using Point Cloud Processing
Authors: He Xiaoying , Yu Zeqing , Kemeny John M. , Youberg Ann , Wang Yunkun
Published: January 2021

Our understanding of debris‐flow initiation by slope failure is restricted by the challenge of acquiring accurate geomorphic features of debris flows and the structural setting of the rock mass in the remote mountainous terrain. Point cloud data of debris flows in Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona, July 2006, with initiation by joint‐controlled rock slope were obtained using multitemporal LiDAR scanning. Topographic changes were detected by comparing historical LiDAR scanning data of this area since 2005 by adopting open‐source CloudCompare software. The results showed persistent scour and erosion in the debris flows after 2006. Point cloud data of joint‐controlled rock in the initiation zone were generated by the means of photogrammetry using Pix4D software. The joint planes, the dip direction and the dip value of the joint plane, the joint spacing, and the joint roughness were therefore acquired by point cloud processing. Our study contributes a foundation for analyzing the relationship between the rock features, the generation of slope failure, and the initiation of debris flows.
Experimental Study of the Influence of the Adsorbate Layer Composition on the Wetting of Different Substrates with Water
Authors: Heier Michaela , Merz Rolf , Becker Stefan , Langenbach Kai , Kopnarski Michael , Hasse Hans
Published: January 2021

Wetting is strongly influenced by adsorbate layers, which are omnipresent on surfaces. The influence of the composition and thickness of adsorbate layers on the water contact angle of sessile drops on different substrates was systematically investigated in the present work. Measurements were carried out for gold-sputtered substrates. These new results are compared to results from a previous study, in which corresponding measurements were carried out for technical steel and titanium substrates. In all experiments, different pretreatments of the samples were used to obtain variations of the adsorbate layer. The samples were either exposed to an oil bath or not, and different cleaning agents were used. The analysis of the adsorbate layer was carried out with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results for the different substrates reveal that the water contact angle depends mainly on the composition of the adsorbate layer. The substrate has only an indirect influence, as it influences the composition of the adsorbate layer. The thickness of the adsorbate layers was between 1.4 and 14 nm and was large enough to prevent a direct influence of the substrate on the water contact angle. It is shown that using the information on the adsorbate layer composition from XPS and the results for the water contact angle obtained for the gold samples alone, the water contact angles on the steel and titanium samples can be predicted.
Revision of a Stemless Anatomic Implant into a Stemless Reverse Implant
Authors: Schoch Christian , Dittrich Michael , Ambros Leander , Geyer Michael
Published: January 2021

Introduction. Stemless anatomic implants are the growing standard for solving osteoarthritis of the shoulder. If there are secondary rotator cuff insufficiency and the need to revise the implant into a reverse total shoulder, there is usually the option to revise it into a stemmed implant with losing the benefits of stemless implants. There are only a few stemless reverse implants available on the market. Usually, they are recommended as primary implants, but not for revision surgery. Case Report. A 61-year-old male with an indwelling anatomic stemless TESS (Total Evolutive Shoulder System, Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, USA) implant presented in our clinic with growing pain and loss of range of motion. The TESS was implanted in 2007 as a hemishoulder arthroplasty. The X-ray was showing a stable implanted corolla with clearly growing protrusion of the glenoid. Because of the clinical presentation and the ultrasound investigation that showed only remnants of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus left, we decided that it is necessary to revise the stable implant in a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. As the TESS was not designed to be convertible, it was clear that it has to be explanted. Due to the young age of the patient, we proposed an “off-label” change to a stemless reverse implant, e.g., the LIMA SMR stemless reverse prosthesis. A revision was possible without much bone loss, so the stemless reverse implant could be used. The clinical and radiological 2-year follow-up showed a good result. Conclusion. Stemless implants are well known for anatomic implants, rarely for reverse implants, and seldom used for revision into reverse stemless. This case report shows that it is possible to revise a stemless anatomic implant with a stemless reverse, as long as the rules for implantation are applicable.
Screening of Prospective Plant Compounds as H1R and CL1R Inhibitors and Its Antiallergic Efficacy through Molecular Docking Approach
Authors: Zulfiqar Hasan , Masoud Muhammad Shareef , Yang Hui , Han Shu-Guang , Wu Cheng-Yan , Lin Hao
Published: January 2021

Allergens have the ability to enter the body and cause illness. Leukotriene is the widespread allergen which could stimulate mast cells to discharge histamine which causes allergy symptoms. An effective strategy for treating leukotriene-induced allergy is to find the inhibitors of leukotriene or histamine activity from phytochemicals. For this purpose, a library of 8,500 phytochemicals was generated using MOE software. The structures of histamine-1 receptor and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-1 were predicted by the homology modeling method through the SWISS model. The phytochemicals were docked with predicted structures of histamine-1 and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-1 in MOE software to determine the binding affinity of the phytochemicals against the targets. Moreover, chemoinformatics properties and ADMET of phytochemicals were assessed to find the drug likeness behavior of compounds. Compound ID 10054216 has the lowest

S

-score value for H-1 receptor that is -18.9186 kcal/mol which is lower than the value of standard -15.167 kcal/mol. The other compounds 393471, 71448939, 10722577, and 442614 also showed good

S

-score values than the standard. Moreover, compound ID 11843082 has the lowest

S

-score value for CL1R that is -15.481 kcal/mol which is lower than the value of standard -12.453 kcal/mol. The other compounds 72284, 5282102, 66559251, and 102506430 also showed good

S

-score values than the standard. In this research article, we performed molecular docking to find the best inhibitors against H1R and CL1R and their antiallergic efficacy. This in silico knowledge will be helpful in near future for the design of novel, safe, and less costing H-1 receptor and CL1R inhibitors with the aim to improve human life quality.
Equipment Operational Reliability Evaluation Method Based on RVM and PCA-Fused Features
Authors: Zhu Linbo , Chen Dong , Feng Pengfei
Published: January 2021

Reliability assessment is of great significance in ensuring the safety and reducing maintenance cost of equipment. The traditional statistical method is widely used to estimate the reliability of mass equipment; however, it cannot efficiently predict the overall reliability of single or small batch equipment due to lack of failure data. This paper introduced the operational reliability concept to describe the running condition of single or small batch equipment and proposed a method based on the combination of Relevance Vector Machines (RVMs) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to evaluate the operational reliability. Some representative characteristic indexes of operating equipment were firstly selected, and PCA was applied to obtain a hybrid index of the equipment’s running condition. Then, a RVM prediction model was trained to predict the development of the hybrid index and corresponding probability density function (PDF). Based on this, the operational reliability of the equipment was calculated by the interval integral defined by the failure threshold and the predicted value of the hybrid index. The approach was validated using the experimental test conducted on the aero-engine rotor bearings. The results show a good agreement in the evaluations of the failure time between the proposed method and the experimental test.
On Orthogonal Partial
b
-Metric Spaces with an Application
Authors: Javed Khalil , Aydi Hassen , Uddin Fahim , Arshad Muhammad
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we initiate the concept of orthogonal partial

b

-metric spaces. We ensure the existence of a unique fixed point for some orthogonal contractive type mappings. Some useful examples are given, and an application is also provided in support of the obtained results.