bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bank deposits and textual sentiment: When an European Central Bank president's speech is not just a speech
Authors: Anastasiou Dimitris , Katsafados Apostolos
Published: November 2022

We investigate whether the textual sentiment affects European depositors' behavior in withdrawing their deposits. We construct two textual sentiments able to capture the perceived uncertainty. Our findings suggest that a high frequency of uncertainty and weak modal words in the European Central Bank (ECB) president's monthly speeches leads both households and non‐financial corporations to withdraw their bank deposits. We also find that non‐financial corporations' deposits are more sensitive than households' deposits to these textual sentiments. These findings suggest that regulators and policymakers could expand the already existing early‐warning systems for the banking sector by considering the frequency of uncertainty and weak modal words in the ECB president's speeches.
Extended Fixation for Paprosky Type III Acetabular Defects in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty with a Minimum Follow‐Up of 2 Years
Authors: Tang Hao , Huang Yong , Zhou Yixin , Ma Zhuyi , Guo Shengjie
Published: November 2022

Objective

Revision of total hip arthroplasty for patients with severe acetabular bone defects is challenging. This study aims to report the minimum 2 years outcome of the iliac extended fixation technique in patients with Paprosky type III acetabular defects.

Methods

Fifty‐seven revision total hip arthroplasty patients were retrospectively reviewed who underwent reconstruction with the concept of iliac extended fixation from 2014 to 2017 in our hospital. We proposed a new concept of “iliac extended fixation” in revision total hip arthroplasty as fixation extending superiorly 2 cm beyond the original acetabular rim with porous metal augments, which was further classified into intracavitary and extracavitary fixation. Patients were assessed using the Harris Hip Score and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Score. Radiographs and patient‐reported satisfaction were assessed.

Results

At an average follow‐up of 63 months (range 25–88 months), the postoperative Harris Hip Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores were significantly improved at the last follow‐up (p < 0.001). The center of rotation was significantly improved (p < 0.05). Fifty‐three (93.0%) patients were satisfied with the outcome. The extracavitary iliac extended fixation group had higher rate of osteointegration in zone 1A (the superior lateral zone) than the intracavitary iliac extended fixation group (82.3% vs 55.0%, p = 0.015), and significantly more horizontal screws fixation (5.1 ± 24.7° vs 42.3 ± 36.8°, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Intracavitary and extracavitary iliac extended fixation with porous metal augments and cementless cups are effective in reconstructing severe superior acetabular bone defects. The difference in screw direction might reflect the different biomechanics of augment fixation.
Classification of wheat diseases using deep learning networks with field and glasshouse images
Authors: Long Megan , Hartley Matthew , Morris Richard J. , Brown James K. M.
Published: November 2022

Crop diseases can cause major yield losses, so the ability to detect and identify them in their early stages is important for disease control. Deep learning methods have shown promise in classifying multiple diseases; however, many studies do not use datasets that represent real field conditions, necessitating either further image processing or reducing their applicability. In this paper, we present a dataset of wheat images taken in real growth situations, including both field and glasshouse conditions, with five categories: healthy plants and four foliar diseases, yellow rust, brown rust, powdery mildew and Septoria leaf blotch. This dataset was used to train a deep learning model. The resulting model, named CerealConv, reached a 97.05% classification accuracy. When tested against trained pathologists on a subset of images from the larger dataset, the model delivered an accuracy score 2% higher than the best‐performing pathologist. Image masks were used to show that the model was using the correct information to drive its classifications. These results show that deep learning networks are a viable tool for disease detection and classification in the field, and disease quantification is a logical next step.
Reputation management as an interplay of structure and agency: A strategic‐relational approach
Authors: Boon Jan
Published: November 2022

Reputation scholars in the field of regulation tend to focus on the strategic nature—or: “agency”—of reputation management. We know fairly little about the precise nature of the dynamics and conflicts between structural and agential factors that are experienced by regulators in practice, and how these dynamics impact reputation management and its outcomes. This study addresses these questions, using conceptual language from the strategic‐relational approach to study the reputation management of the Belgian financial regulator during an event of high reputational salience: the global financial crisis. The results present an image of a regulator as a strategic actor who—either consciously or more intuitively—calculated its possible moves in light of a strategically selective context (which, in turn, was constantly evolving as a result of strategic actions). This contributes to a more complex and behaviorally realistic understanding of regulatory reputation management.
Utility of HLA‐DR in screening panel for inborn errors of immunity
Authors: Yadav Reetika Malik , Jodhawat Neha , Gupta Maya , Dalvi Aparna , Bargir Umair Ahmad , Hule Gouri , Setia Priyanka , Shinde Shweta , Saxena Shilpi , Parab Ankita , Gada Ashita , Kambli Priyanka , Dhawale Amruta , Gaikwad Pallavi , Taur Prasad , Chougule Akshaya , Iyengar Vaishnavi , Gowri Vijaya , Desai Mukesh , Madkaikar Manisha
Published: November 2022

A comprehensive evaluation of immune parameters while screening for inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) provides valuable information about the underlying defect. In 2019, the ICMR‐National Institute of Immunohaematology adopted a screening panel modified from the Euroflow consortium‐recommended PIDOT tube, the difference being the addition of HLA‐DR. In the present study, we evaluate the utility of HLA‐DR in our screening panel. The HLA‐DR expression on CD3 + T, its CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, natural killer (NK) and double‐negative T cells (DNT) was compared between patients and controls. HLA‐DR expression on CD3+ T cells or its subsets was significantly elevated in SCID and Omenn's phenotype (P <.001), combined immunodeficiencies (P < .05) including DOCK8 and WAS, diseases of immune dysregulation including FHL (P < .0001) and ALPS (P < .05) and CVID with complications (P < .05). An absence of HLA‐DR marker can help in identifying cases of MHC II deficiency at the time of screening including atypical cases which present without reduction in CD4+ T cell counts and reversal of CD4+/CD8+ ratio. ROC analysis revealed a cut‐off of 14.62%, 19.11% and 1.5% for percentage HLA‐DR expression on CD3+ and CD8+ T cells and HLA‐DR on CD8/HLA‐DR on CD4, respectively, for FHL. Random forest analysis identified HLA‐DR (%) on NK cells, ratio of HLA‐DR CD8+/HLA‐DR CD4+, NK cell (%), T cell (%), HLA‐DR+ CD8(%) and CD45pos NK cell (%) as important predictors for FHL. Evaluation of HLA‐DR expression during screening can provide corroborative clues to the diagnosis of underlying IEI along with other immunological abnormalities.
Direct evidence gap on fixed versus adjusted‐dose benznidazole for adults with chronic Chagas disease without cardiomyopathy: Systematic review and individual patient data meta‐analysis
Authors: Ciapponi Agustín , Barreira Fabiana , Perelli Lucas , Bardach Ariel , Gascón Joaquim , Molina Israel , Morillo Carlos , Prado Nilda , Riarte Adelina , Torrico Faustino , Villar Juan Carlos , Reidel Sara , Gibbons Luz , Sosa‐Estani Sergio
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To determine the comparative efficacy and safety of a fixed dose of benznidazole (BZN) with an adjusted‐dose for Trypanosoma cruzi‐seropositive adults without cardiomyopathy.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta‐analysis following Cochrane methods, and the PRISMA‐IPD statement for reporting. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) allocating participants to fixed or adjusted doses of BZN for T. cruzi‐seropositive adults without cardiomyopathy were included. We searched (December 2021) Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and trial registries and contacted Chagas experts. Selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane tool, and a GRADE summary of finding tables were performed independently by pairs of reviewers. We conducted a random‐effects IPD meta‐analysis using the one‐stage strategy, or, if that was impossible, the two‐stage strategy.

Results

Five RCTs (1198 patients) were included, none directly comparing fixed with adjusted doses of BZN. Compared to placebo, BZN therapy was strongly associated with negative qPCR and sustainable parasitological clearance regardless of the type of dose and subgroup analysed. For negative qPCR, the fixed/adjusted rate of odds ratios (RORF/A) was 8.83 (95% CI 1.02–76.48); for sustained parasitological clearance, it was 4.60 (95% CI 0.40–52.51), probably indicating at least non‐inferior effect of fixed doses, with no statistically significant interactions by scheme for global and most subgroup estimations. The RORF/A for treatment interruption due to adverse events was 0.44 (95% CI 0.14–1.38), probably indicating no worse tolerance of fixed doses.

Conclusions

We found no direct comparison between fixed and adjusted doses of BZN. However, fixed doses versus placebo are probably not inferior to weight‐adjusted doses of BZN versus placebo in terms of parasitological efficacy and safety. Network IPD meta‐analysis, through indirect comparisons, may well provide the best possible answers in the near future.

Registration

The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019120905).
Variations in the application of equine prosthetic laryngoplasty: A survey of 128 equine surgeons
Authors: Byrne Christian A. , Hotchkiss Joel W. , Barakzai Safia Z.
Published: November 2022

Objective

To document variations in the application of equine prosthetic laryngoplasty among equine surgeons.

Study design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Sample population

Six hundred and seventy‐eight equine surgeons performing prosthetic laryngoplasty.

Methods

An online questionnaire was sent to equine surgeons, including diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and European College of Veterinary Surgeons. Questions focused on participant profile, surgical technique, antimicrobial therapy, and concurrent procedures. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the survey output.

Results

Complete responses were received from 128/678 individuals, mostly from experienced surgeons. Most participants used 2 prostheses (106/128, 82.8%) and a single loop was the most common method used to anchor the prosthesis in the cricoid (95/128, 74.2%) and arytenoid (125/128, 97.7%) cartilages. Use of general anesthesia was common, although 46/128 (35.9%) participants now performed most laryngoplasty surgery with standing sedation. The material used as a prosthesis varied among surgeons, although participants typically aimed to achieve grade 2 intraoperative arytenoid abduction. Participants most commonly administered perioperative systemic antimicrobial therapy for 1‐3 days (57/128, 44.5%) and 48/128 (37.5%) used local antimicrobial therapy.

Conclusion

Most surgeons performed laryngoplasty with 2 prostheses, a single loop construct at the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage and systemic antimicrobial therapy. There was variation in the preferred method of surgical restraint, prosthesis material selection, and use of local antimicrobial therapy.

Clinical significance

Long‐established techniques remain popular in clinical practice despite evidence that variations offer advantages, particularly in relation to biomechanics. Other factors are also likely to influence technique selection in a clinical context.
Prediction of Mechanical Responses of a Uniaxially Stretched Neural Fiber Bundle: Theoretical Approach for a Traumatic Loading Condition
Authors: Tamura Atsutaka , Hongu Jun-ichi
Published: November 2022

Viscoelasticity of the spinal nerve roots may play a significant role in predicting nerve root damage caused by overall spinal motion. However, only a few studies have investigated the complex mechanical behavior of this tissue. The current study presents a theoretical protocol for predicting mechanical responses of soft biological materials, and this method was used to a uniaxially stretched neural fiber bundle isolated from porcine spinal nerve roots with various loading configurations. Stress relaxation tests were performed to systematically determine a set of parameters dictating the stress decaying process, i.e., a set of relaxation moduli and the corresponding time constants. Based on the obtained experimental and numerical test data, it was confirmed that the proposed method is effective even for the prediction of mechanical response to a cyclic stretch immediately after the ramp-hold test. In addition, an elastic response, i.e., a stress–strain relationship under a high-rate loading regime, was determined analytically. The results demonstrated that instantaneous mechanical responses of neural fiber bundles can be stiffened against very rapid stretch (>10 s−1); however, the fibers are relatively insensitive to moderate loading rates (<1 s−1). The ultimate tensile strength was estimated to be approximately 8 MPa at the structural failure strain (15%). This information will enable the computational assessment of traumatic nerve root injuries sustained during traffic accidents and contact sports.
Numerical Investigation on the Leakage and Rotordynamic Characteristics for a Hole-Pattern Seal in Wet-Gas Conditions
Authors: Fang Zhi , Li Zhigang , Li Jun
Published: November 2022

For turbomachinery working in wet-gas conditions, liquid-phase fluid may worsen the rotordynamic characteristic of an annular seal, which induces a subsynchronous vibration problem and destabilizes the rotor-bearing system. The hole-pattern seal, demonstrated as effective to eliminate synchronous or subsynchronous vibrations for gas turbomachinery, is an ideal seal scheme to increase rotor stability and liquid tolerance capability of wet-gas turbomachinery. In this paper, the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of a hole-pattern seal are numerically investigated under wet-gas conditions, using a three-dimensional transient CFD-based perturbation method. The accuracy and reliability of the present numerical method are demonstrated based on published experimental data. The rotordynamic force coefficients are presented and compared for the wet-gas hole-pattern seal with various inlet liquid volume fractions (LVF = 0%–20%), rotor speeds (ω = 0–20 krpm), inlet preswirl ratios (Sr = −0.2–0.5), and pressure ratios (Pr = 0.3–0.7). Numerical results show that the hole-pattern seal possesses desired tolerance capability for high inlet liquid volume fraction (LVF) of up to 20%. With inlet LVF increasing from 0 to 20%, the effective damping of the hole-pattern seal increases by about 50%, suggesting an improvement in rotor stability. The leakage flow rate of the oil-air mixture increases by 97.5%, combined with the sharply increasing oil leakage flow rate (by 636%) and decreasing air leakage flow rate (by 40%). The increasing rotor speed and inlet preswirl ratio both result in an obvious increase (by 50%) in the cross-coupled stiffness, yielding a smaller effective damping and worse rotor stability. With the increase in pressure ratio, all the rotordynamic force coefficients show a weaker frequency dependency and smaller magnitudes. The swirl velocity in the seal clearance can cause an accumulation of the liquid component in the hole cavities. With the increase of swirl velocity, more liquid component accumulates in the hole cavities, and the main accumulation position gradually moves upstream.
Numerical and Theoretical Investigation of the Gap Flow in Centrifugal Fans for Design and Off-Design Conditions
Authors: Fritsche Manuel , Epple Philipp , Delgado Antonio
Published: November 2022

Industrial turbomachines, such as fans and blowers for drying, venting, cooling or conveying tasks, are often used in industrial applications and frequently are large energy consumers. Thus, there is a need for further optimization and efficiency increase. For fans and blowers, gaps between moving parts are unavoidable due to manufacturing tolerances and possible thermal expansion. In this work, the radial gap and axial overlap between the inlet nozzle and the impeller and its impact on the performance characteristics have been investigated, because detailed knowledge of the losses due to the gap is important for the design of more efficient fans. The presented analysis was performed with the Navier–Stokes-solver ansyscfx. After a detailed grid study, the quantitative effect of the gaps on the performance of the centrifugal fan has been investigated by a variation of the radial gap and axial overlap. It was found, that at the best efficiency point (BEP) the efficiency drops between 1 and 6% depending on the gap width and at partial load it might drop fast also depending on the gap width, up to 50–60%. At overload the drop in efficiency is smaller than at partial load, dropping between 1 and 10%, depending on the gap width and the flowrate. In addition, a metamodel based on a dimensional and regression analysis was developed for partial and overload to predict the gap flowrate without additional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The prediction accuracy between the CFD results and the dimensional analysis based metamodel is about 5–10%.
Exploring (Semi) Professionalization in Women’s Team Sport Through a Continuum of Care Lens
Authors: O’Brien Wendy , Taylor Tracy , Hanlon Clare , Toohey Kristine
Published: November 2022

Professional team male-dominated sports have been built on masculine values; however, these values are challenged by the increasing number of women athletes entering this workplace. In this research, we explore the suitability and gender appropriateness of existing management processes and practices through three women’s professional and semiprofessional leagues. Drawing on a feminist perspective of continuum of care, players (n = 36) and organizational representatives (n = 28) were interviewed to gain insights into how athletes and organizations contend with their rapidly evolving workplaces. Framed around the values of affirmation, empowerment, and belonging, the continuum of care contrasts players’ everyday experiences of care with how organizations administer care. The research contributes through application of the feminist continuum of care. We present considerations for the management of female professional athletes in ways that are careful and an alternative value system that is affirmative, inclusive, and empowering.
Clinical heterogeneity in monogenic chylomicronaemia
Authors: Heidemann Britt E , Bemelmans Remy H H , Marais A David , Visseren Frank L J , Koopal Charlotte
Published: November 2022

Chylomicronaemia accompanies hypertriglyceridaemia, usually due to a polygenic predisposition in combination with secondary risk factors. Monogenic chylomicronaemia represents a small subgroup of patients with hypertriglyceridaemia. This article describes three patients and illustrates the heterogeneity in the presentation of monogenic chylomicronaemia. The first case is a man with mild hypertriglyceridaemia who is a compound heterozygote for two variants in theLMF1gene, without relevant medical history. The second case is a woman who is a double heterozygote of variants in theLPLandAPOA5genes. She experienced pancreatitis. The third case is a man, with recurrent pancreatitis attributed to severe hypertriglyceridaemia and homozygous for a variant in theAPOC2gene. This article highlights that in patients with hypertriglyceridaemia, the absence of pancreatitis or the presence of mild hypertriglyceridaemia does not exclude monogenic chylomicronaemia. Genetic screening should be considered in patients with unexplained or severe hypertriglyceridaemia, to determine appropriate treatment and follow-up.
Recurrent small bowel obstruction as a rare presentation of undiagnosed sarcoidosis
Authors: Naumann Ashton A , Rodriguez Vanessa I , Shychuk Andrew
Published: November 2022

Sarcoidosis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disorder with unknown aetiology that is marked by non-caseating granulomas in affected organs. Pulmonary sarcoidosis is the most common manifestation, but gastrointestinal involvement, particularly in the small bowel, is exceedingly rare. While symptom-driven treatment guidelines that are steroid based are well established for pulmonary and few extrapulmonary manifestations (ie, cardiac, neurologic, renal), gastrointestinal sarcoidosis treatment is largely extrapolation with optimal management under investigation. Additionally, few works document small bowel obstruction related to small bowel sarcoidosis. We present a case of short-interval recurrent small bowel obstruction in a man in his sixties that revealed newly diagnosed sarcoidosis with suspected small bowel involvement who never underwent steroid therapy. The patient exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms, despite asymptomatic pulmonary disease and a course of prednisone may have reduced his risk of recurrence. We also review suggested gastrointestinal sarcoidosis treatment and surveillance guidelines with focus on the small bowel.
Costs associated with retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gyllensten Hanna , Humayun Jhangir , Sjöbom Ulrika , Hellström Ann , Löfqvist Chatarina
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To review and analyse evidence regarding costs for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening, lifetime costs and resource use among infants born preterm who develop ROP, and how these costs have developed over time in different regions.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Data sources

PubMed and Scopus from inception to 23 June 2021.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Included studies presented costs for ROP screening and the lifetime costs (including laser treatment and follow-up costs) and resource use among people who develop ROP. Studies not reporting on cost calculation methods or ROP-specific costs were excluded.

Data extraction and synthesis

Two independent reviewers screened for inclusion and extracted data, including items from a published checklist for quality assessment used for bias assessment, summary and random-effects meta-analysis for treatment costs. Included studies were further searched to identify eligible references and citations.

Results

In total, 15 studies reported ROP screening costs, and 13 reported lifetime costs (either treatment and/or follow-up costs) for infants with ROP. The range for screening costs (10 studies) was US$5–US$253 per visit, or US$324–US$1072 per screened child (5 studies). Costs for treatment (11 studies) ranged from US$38 to US$6500 per child. Four studies reported healthcare follow-up costs (lifetime costs ranging from US$64 to US$2420, and 10-year costs of US$1695, respectively), and of these, three also reported lifetime costs for blindness (range US$26 686–US$224 295) using secondary cost data. Included papers largely followed the quality assessment checklist items, thus indicating a low risk of bias.

Conclusion

The costs of screening for and treating ROP are small compared with the societal costs of resulting blindness. However, little evidence is available for predicting the effects of changes in patient population, screening schedule or ROP treatments.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020208213.
Intention to use contraceptives among married and cohabiting women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis of cross-sectional data
Authors: Budu Eugene , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Seidu Abdul-Aziz , Armah-Ansah Ebenezer Kwesi , Salihu Tarif , Aboagye Richard Gyan , Yaya Sanni
Published: November 2022

Objective

To examine the factors associated with intention to use contraceptives among married and cohabiting women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design

Data for the study were extracted from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 29 countries in SSA conducted from 2010 to 2020. We included a total of 180 682 women who were married or cohabiting. Multilevel regression analysis was carried out and the results were presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR), with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Setting

29 countries in SSA.

Participants

Women aged 15–49 years in sexual unions.

Outcome measure

Intention to use contraceptives.

Results

The pooled prevalence of intention to use contraceptives among married and cohabiting women in the 29 countries was 41.46%. The prevalence ranged from 18.28% in Comoros to 71.39% in Rwanda. Intention to use contraceptives was lower among women aged 45–49 (AOR=0.06, 95% CI= 0.05 to 0.07), those with no education (AOR=0.60, 95% CI= 0.58 to 0.61), and primary education (AOR=0.90, 95% CI 0.88 to 0.93), married women (AOR=0.81, 95% CI= 0.79 to 0.84), those of the poorest wealth quintile (AOR=0.78, 95% CI= 0.75 to 0.82), and women who were not exposed to mass media (AOR=0.87, 95% CI= 0.86 to 0.90). Women with four or more births (AOR=2.09, 95% CI= 1.99 to 2.19) had greater likelihood of contraceptive use intention compared to those with no birth. Women in rural settings were found to have greater likelihood of intention to use contraceptives compared to those in urban settings (AOR=1.10, 95% CI= 1.07 to 1.14).

Conclusion

There is a low prevalence of contraceptive use intention among married and cohabiting women in SSA with differences between countries. It is imperative for policymakers to consider these factors when developing and executing contraceptive programmes or policies to enhance contraceptive intents and use among married and cohabiting women. To resolve discrepancies and increase contraceptive intention among women, policymakers and other key stakeholders should expand public health education programmes.
Does the healthcare system know what to cut under the pandemic emergency pressure? An observational study on geographic variation of surgical procedures in Italy
Authors: Vainieri Milena , Nuti Sabina , Mantoan Domenico
Published: November 2022

Objectives

During 2020 many countries reduced the number of elective surgeries to free up beds and cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. This situation led healthcare systems to prioritise elective interventions and reduce the overall volumes of treatments.

The aim of this paper is to analyse whether the pandemic and the prioritisation policies on elective surgery were done considering the potential inappropriateness highlighted by the measurement of geographic variation.

Setting

The setting of the study is acute care with a focus on elective surgical procedures. Data were analysed at the Italian regional level.

Participants

The study is observational and relies on national hospitalisation records from 2019 to 2020. The analyses refer to the 21 Italian regional health systems, using 48 917 records for 2019 and 33 821 for 2020. The surgical procedures analysed are those considered at high risk of unwarranted variation: coronary angioplasty, cholecystectomy, colectomy, knee replacement, hysterectomy, tonsillectomy, hip replacement and vein stripping.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Primary measures were the hospitalisation rate and its reduction per procedure, to understand the level of potential inappropriateness. Secondary measures were the SD and high/low ratio, to map the level of geographic variation.

Results

For some procedures, there is a linear negative relationship (eg, tonsillectomy: ρ = −0.92, p<0.01; vein stripping: ρ = −0.93, p<0.01) between the reduction in hospitalisation and its starting point. The only two procedures for which no significant differences were registered are cholecystectomy (ρ = −0.22, p=0.31) and hysterectomy (ρ = −0.22, p=0.33). In particular, in all cases, data show that regions with higher 2019 hospitalisation rates registered a larger reduction.

Conclusions

The Italian data show that the pandemic seems to have led hospital managers and health professionals to cut surgical interventions more likely to be inappropriate. Hence, these findings can inform and guide the healthcare system to manage unwarranted variation when coming back to the new normal. This new starting point (lower volumes in some selected elective surgical procedures) should be used to plan elective surgical treatments that can be cancelled because of their high risk of inappropriateness.
Characteristics of exposure to 10 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites among pregnant women: cohort of pregnant women in Zunyi, southwest China
Authors: Tian Yingkuan , Zhang Renjuan , Liu Xiang , Liu Yijun , Xiong Shimin , Wang Xia , Zhang Haonan , Li Quan , Liao Juan , Fang Derong , Wang Linglu , Zhang Ya , Yuan Hongyu , Zhang Li , He Caidie , An Songlin , Chen Wei , Zhou Yuanzhong , Shen Xubo
Published: November 2022

Objective

Our aim was to elucidate the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites exposure levels of pregnant women in the underdeveloped region of Zunyi, southwest China.

Methods

Sociodemographic information was collected via questionnaires, and urine samples were collected at the same time. A total of 3047 pregnant women participated in the study. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to detect the urine concentrations of 10 PAH metabolites. A generalised linear model (GLM) was used to identify predictive factors of PAH metabolites.

Results

All PAH metabolites had a detection rate greater than 60% (67.21%–90.57%) except for 4-OH-PHE at 55.54%. The median concentrations were 0.02–0.11 µg/g Cre except for 1-OH-NAP, 2-OH-NAP, 2-OH-FLU and 9-OH-FLU (0.36–0.50 µg/g Cre). The cluster analysis identified the phenanthrene and fluorene metabolite clusters (containing no other metabolites), while naphthalene metabolites (1-OH-NAP, 2-OH-NAP) could not be clustered without other metabolites. GLM analysis identified that pregnant women with the following characteristics have high urinary concentration of PAH metabolites: overweight, in the last trimester of pregnancy, distance between their house and main traffic lines as <5 m, use fuel for cooking, passive smoking, renovated their residence for less than 3 years, middle family income and office workers.

Conclusion

The results clarified pregnant women from the economically underdeveloped area could be the victims of PAHs. In addition, PAHs present a demographic and seasonal differential distribution, which will aid in the development of targeted interventions and reduce exposure to PAHs during pregnancy.
Effects of freshwater residence time on reproductive success in anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus): climate change implications
Authors: Marjadi Meghna N. , Roy Allison H. , Devine Matthew T. , Gahagan Benjamin I. , Jordaan Adrian , Rosset Julianne , Whiteley Andrew R.
Published: November 2022

Earlier spring warming and anadromous fish migrations prompted by climate change are linked to shorter freshwater residency. Impacts of phenological change on anadromous fish populations are poorly understood with limited studies focused on iteroparous non-salmonids. We assessed freshwater residence time and reproductive success in an iteroparous clupeid, alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus) using a pedigree analysis and otolith-based spawning dates from captured juveniles. The primary objectives were to (1) estimate adult spawning duration in a freshwater pond (freshwater residence time) and (2) evaluate adult freshwater residence time, arrival date, length, sex, and reproductive success across 2 years in one system. Estimated freshwater residence times varied widely (1–64 days), and longer residence times were associated with earlier arrival dates, higher reproductive success, and more mating events. Longer freshwater residence times may allow alewife to spawn with more mates, produce more gametes, and experience a range of spawning and nursery conditions. Plasticity in alewife freshwater residence time could support earlier and shorter migration periods but may result in lower reproductive output if adults spend less time in freshwater ponds.
Andrographolide Inhibits Lipotoxicity-Induced Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages
Authors: Yen Chih-Ching , Lii Chong-Kuei , Chen Chih-Chieh , Li Chien-Chun , Tseng Meng-Hsien , Lo Chia-Wen , Liu Kai-Li , Yang Ya-Chen , Chen Haw-Wen
Published: November 2022

Andrographolide is the major bioactive component of the herb Andrographis paniculata and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Obesity leads to an excess of free fatty acids, particularly palmitic acid (PA), in the circulation. Obesity also causes the deposition of ectopic fat in nonadipose tissues, which leads to lipotoxicity, a condition closely associated with inflammation. Here, we investigated whether andrographolide could inhibit PA-induced inflammation by activating autophagy, activating the antioxidant defense system, and blocking the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then activated with PA. LPS/PA treatment increased both the mRNA expression of NLRP3 and IL-1[Formula: see text] and the release of IL-1[Formula: see text] in BMDMs. Andrographolide inhibited the LPS/PA-induced protein expression of caspase-1 and the release of IL-1[Formula: see text]. Furthermore, andrographolide attenuated LPS/PA-induced mtROS generation by first promoting autophagic flux and catalase activity, and ultimately inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our results suggest that the mechanisms by which andrographolide downregulates LPS/PA-induced IL-1[Formula: see text] release in BMDMs involve promoting autophagic flux and catalase activity. Andrographolide may thus be a candidate to prevent obesity- and lipotoxicity-driven chronic inflammatory disease.
Development of Convolutional Neural Networks for Analyzing Game Icon and Screenshot Images
Authors: Suatap Chayanin , Patanukhom Karn
Published: November 2022

Icons and screenshots are important media displayed in game distribution platforms for providing a brief understanding of the game content to the customers. In this study, we develop ensemble convolutional neural networks for icon and screenshot analysis as three applications: an automatic genre classification, a similar game searching, and a recognition quality assessment. First, the genre classifier is developed using 154358 images from 18 030 games in 17 genres. The proposed genre classifiers achieve 40.5% and 47.6% accuracies for classifying a single icon and a single screenshot, which outperform the average performance of the human testers. The accuracy can be boosted to 54.2% by aggregating results from every image of the game. The Grad-CAM is applied to analyze what models learned. Then, the feature extraction part trained by this task is transferred to the other two applications. For the similar game searching, a dissimilarity of two images is directly computed by the Euclidean distance in the feature space. We define a dissimilarity between two games which are sets of multiple images based on their image-pairwise dissimilarity. The results show that the features are successfully transferred, and the model seems to be able to cluster the games with a similar gameplay and differentiate them from the other gameplays even if they come from the same genre. For the third application, we develop a system for quality assessment of game images based on the correctness of viewers’ understanding of game content by combining multiple models from three different problem definitions. Our system can identify good-genre-representing game images which most of the human testers can recognize their genre correctly with 75.0% accuracy for icons and 76.2% accuracy for screenshots.
Ultrametric smale's α-theory
Authors: Suchen Jazz G. , Tonelli-Cueto Josué
Published: November 2022

We present a version of Smale's α-theory for ultrametric fields, such as the
p
-adics and their extensions, which gives us a multivariate version of Hensel's lemma.
Algorithms for multivariate laurent series
Authors: Trochez Juan Pablo González , Maza Marc Moreno , Calder Matt , Postma Erik
Published: November 2022

Let K be a field and
x
1
< ··· <

x
n

be ordered variables. Consider a set of polynomials
F
⊂ K[
x
1
,...,

x
n

]. If the zero set
V
(
F
) of
F
is of positive dimension, then any triangular decomposition
Geometrical Approaches for the Accurate Identification of Normal Vertical Positions of Sella and Nasion Points in Cephalograms
Authors: Jena Ashok Kumar , Nayyer Nida , Sharan Jitendra , Behera Binod Kumar , Marya Anand
Published: November 2022

Objective. The aim of the study is to identify the normal vertical positions of sella (S) and nasion (N) points in subjects with a normal inclination of anterior cranial bases. Materials and Methods. Lateral cephalograms of 117 subjects who had a normal ∠SN-FH plane (7° ± 1°), ∠SN-palatal plane (9° ± 2°), ∠FH-palatal plane (1° ± 1°), and cranial base angles (131° ± 4°) were included in the study. Various linear and angular parameters and ratios were evaluated to determine the normal vertical positions of S and N points. An unpaired t-test was used to identify any significant differences between males and females. The

P

value of 0.05 was considered as the level of significance. Results. Among subjects with the normal inclinations of SN, FH, and palatal planes and cranial base angle, the mean values of ∠Ar-S-Ptm, ∠S-Ptm-Ar, and ∠S-Ar-Ptm were 59.38° ± 3.52°, 59.70° ± 3.21°, and 60.84° ± 3.56°, respectively, forming an almost equilateral triangle between S, Ar, and Ptm points. The mean values of ∠Ba-S-PNS, ∠S-PNS-Ba, and ∠S-Ba-PNS were 59.56° ± 3.17°, 59.72° ± 3.47°, and 60.76° ± 3.11°, respectively, forming another approximate equilateral triangle between S, Ba, and PNS points. The mean S-FH to N-FH ratio was 0.67 ± 0.06% for the whole sample, but it was significantly greater in males (0.69 ± 0.07%) compared to females (0.65 ± 0.06%) (

P
=
0.002

). Conclusions. Two approximate equilateral triangles were formed between S, Ar, and Ptm points; and S, Ba, and PNS points in subjects with normal inclinations of SN, FH, and palatal planes and cranial base angle. The S-FH to N-FH ratio was an excellent guide to locating the normal vertical position of S and N points.
A Survey of Application and Key Techniques for Mobile Crowdsensing
Authors: Wang Hezhe
Published: November 2022

Mobile crowdsensing (MCS) uses ubiquitous smart devices and network access technology to migrate sensing tasks from a centralized platform to a distributed computing terminal across time and space and provides new approaches for solving large-scale, diversified, and complex sensing problems. MCS research is of great importance and has attracted wide attention from researchers. Accordingly, this article summarizes the current research status of MCS. First, the typical applications of MCS are summarized. Then, the research status of key technologies, such as task allocation, incentivizing, data transmission, quality assurance, and evaluation methods, is considered. Finally, future research directions of MCS are given to provide a reference for in-depth MCS research.
Bioadsorptive Removal of the Pollutant Zn(II) from Wastewater by Delftia tsuruhatensis Biomass
Authors: Al-Mijalli Samiah Hamad
Published: November 2022

This investigation suggests the applicability of Delftia tsuruhatensis biomass for the removal of Zn(II) from the aqueous environment. Twenty-three zinc-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from contaminated rhizosphere soils. Selectively, the bacterium strain SA-101 was selected as the most zinc-resistant and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Delftia tsuruhatensis SA-101. D. tsuruhatensis SA-101 has been assigned the accession number MW629784 in the GenBank database. The optimal pH and reaction contact time for Zn(II) removal by D. tsuruhatensis SA-101 were 6.0 and 30 min, respectively. Moreover, the equilibrium and kinetic models have been applied to the Zn(II) biosorption process. The Zn(II) concentration was estimated using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The qmax for bioadsorptive Zn(II) removal was calculated to be 90.91 ± 0.36 mg/g. The biosorption equilibrium was well fitted with the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. So, using the biomass of D. tsuruhatensis SA-101 as a biosorbent of Zn(II) from industrial wastewater represents a promising and viable alternative to chemical treatment from an environmental and economic view.
Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of the Current Status on STING Signaling Pathway and Cancer
Authors: Lu Zhongqi , Fu Qiang , Sui Jinyuan , Chang Ying , Jin Tiefeng , Zhang Meihua
Published: November 2022

Cancer, as the second leading cause of death worldwide, has become an ongoing public health challenge and its treatment has received much attention, with immunotherapy becoming a hot research topic in recent years. The interferon gene stimulating factor (STING)-mediated signaling pathway has a “double-edged sword” role in cancer, which plays different roles in different types and stages of tumors. In this paper, we discuss the current research status, cooperation, and hotspots of STING signaling pathway in cancer from 2008–2022 using CiteSpace software based on the literature of cancer and STING signaling pathway. In addition, we predicted future research trends in this field by analysis, and the results showed that the STING signaling pathway is rapidly increasing in cancer research, and its role in tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy has become a new hot spot in current research and will continue to receive high attention.
The Efficacy and Safety of Zaoren Anshen Capsule in Combination with Zolpidem for Insomnia: A Multicentre, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhu Xiangzhen , Tao Ming , Hu Haoyu , Gao Jingfang , Chen Jiong , Lu Tiaotiao , Wang Xiaole , Kong Wei , Lv Lijun , Wei Minjun
Published: November 2022

Purpose. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder with high rate of prevalence, persistence, and leads to negative consequences. The mainstays of insomnia treatment have limitations due to either the side effects of hypnotics or limited accessibility to cognitive behavioral therapy. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Zaoren Anshen capsule alone or as an adjunct treatment with different doses of the nonbenzodiazepine medication zolpidem tartrate in treating insomnia. Method. This randomized, double-blind, multicentre placebo control trial was conducted in 131 patients with chronic insomnia. The patients were randomly assigned to one of the following four regimen groups: Group ZA + Z5 : Zaoren Anshen capsule and 5 mg zolpidem tartrate (n = 32); Group Z5: 5 mg zolpidem tartrate and placebo capsule (n = 35); Group Z10 : 10 mg zolpidem tartrate and placebo capsule (n = 32); Group ZA : Zaoren Anshen capsule and placebo pill (n = 32). The drugs were administered for 4 weeks. All patients were evaluated by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at 0, 2, 4, 5, and 6 weeks, and adverse events were recorded. Result. There are significant differences in the comparison between the four groups at each treatment stage (

P
<
0.05

). Repeated measurement analysis of variance (ANOVA) of ISI scores in each treatment stage of the four groups exhibits significant differences in time effect, intergroup effect, and interaction effect (

P
<
0.05

). After four weeks of drug administration, the treatment efficacy is similar in Groups ZA + Z5 and Z10 (93%) and in Groups Z5 and ZA (62% and 65%, respectively). Groups ZA + Z5 and Z10 present significantly lower ISI scores compared with Groups Z5 and ZA (

P
<
0.05

), which indicates better treatment response of Groups ZA + Z5 and Z10. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events between the groups. Conclusion. Zaoren Anshen capsule can effectively treat insomnia disorder either alone or in combination with zolpidem tartrate. A preferred combination of TCM Zaoren Anshen capsule with zolpidem can provide a magnified therapeutic efficacy with fewer side effects than zolpidem-only management, clinical trial registration number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-IPR-1600969.
A Provable Secure Cross-Verification Scheme for IoT Using Public Cloud Computing
Authors: Khan Naveed , Zhang Jianbiao , Ali Jehad , Pathan Muhammad Salman , Chaudhry Shehzad Ashraf
Published: November 2022

Public cloud computing has become increasingly popular due to the rapid advancements in communication and networking technology. As a result, it is widely used by businesses, corporations, and other organizations to boost the productivity. However, the result generated by millions of network-enabled IoT devices and kept on the public cloud server, as well as the latency in response and safe transmission, are important issues that IoT faces when using the public cloud computing. These concerns and obstacles can only be overcome by designing a robust mutual authentication and secure cross-verification mechanism. Therefore, we have attempted to design a cryptographic protocol based on a simple hash function, xor operations, and the exchange of random numbers. The security of the proposed protocol has formally been verified using the ROR model, ProVerif2.03, and informally using realistic discussion. In contrast, the performance metrics have been analyzed by looking into the security feature, communication, and computation costs. To sum it up, we have compared our proposed security mechanism with the state-of-the-art protocols, and we recommend it to be effectively implemented in the public cloud computing environment.
Deep Learning Models to Predict Fatal Pneumonia Using Chest X-Ray Images
Authors: Anai Satoshi , Hisasue Junko , Takaki Yoichi , Hara Naohiko
Published: November 2022

Background and Aims. Chest X-ray (CXR) is indispensable to the assessment of severity, diagnosis, and management of pneumonia. Deep learning is an artificial intelligence (AI) technology that has been applied to the interpretation of medical images. This study investigated the feasibility of classifying fatal pneumonia based on CXR images using deep learning models on publicly available platforms. Methods. CXR images of patients with pneumonia at diagnosis were labeled as fatal or nonfatal based on medical records. We applied CXR images from 1031 patients with nonfatal pneumonia and 243 patients with fatal pneumonia for training and self-evaluation of the deep learning models. All labeled CXR images were randomly allocated to the training, validation, and test datasets of deep learning models. Data augmentation techniques were not used in this study. We created two deep learning models using two publicly available platforms. Results. The first model showed an area under the precision-recall curve of 0.929 with a sensitivity of 50.0% and a specificity of 92.4% for classifying fatal pneumonia. We evaluated the performance of our deep learning models using sensitivity, specificity, PPV, negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy, and F1 score. Using the external validation test dataset of 100 CXR images, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1 score were 68.0%, 86.0%, 77.0%, and 74.7%, respectively. In the original dataset, the performance of the second model showed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 39.6%, 92.8%, and 82.7%, respectively, while external validation showed values of 38.0%, 92.0%, and 65.0%, respectively. The F1 score was 52.1%. These results were comparable to those obtained by respiratory physicians and residents. Conclusions. The deep learning models yielded good accuracy in classifying fatal pneumonia. By further improving the performance, AI could assist physicians in the severity assessment of patients with pneumonia.