bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a framework-informed codebook for analyzing qualitative data using i-PARIHS
Authors: Ritchie Mona J , Drummond Karen L. , Smith Brandy N. , Sullivan Jennifer L. , Landes Sara J.
Published: May 2022

Background: The terminology and constructs of theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) can provide a common language that enhances our ability to talk about implementation processes and fosters our ability to synthesize research findings across studies. Use of a deductive codebook based on a TMF can help investigators focus analysis of qualitative data, as well as test and refine the TMF. Although the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework has been widely utilized in implementations studies, individual studies have had to develop their own codebooks to aid in the analysis of qualitative data because sub-constructs for the Innovation, Recipients, and Context constructs lack definitions and there is no sub-classification of facilitation activities for the Facilitation construct. The lack of a standardized codebook hinders our ability to synthesize research finding across studies. This paper describes a rigorous process of developing a detailed qualitative codebook informed by the i-PARIHS framework.Methods: A VA Behavioral Health QUERI workgroup conducted a rigorous four-phase process to develop a codebook informed by i-PARIHS. In phase 1, workgroup members reviewed and discussed literature, consulted an organizational scientist, and drafted and refined subcodes and definitions for i-PARIHS constructs. In phase 2, subcodes and definitions were further refined based on feedback from an expert panel. In phase 3, feedback from i-PARIHS developers/experts was incorporated into the codebook. Finally, two studies piloted application of the codebook which informed the final version.Results: The resulting i-PARIHS-informed codebook includes definitions for the four main constructs of the i-PARIHS framework: Innovation, Recipients, Context, and Facilitation; definitions for subcodes within each main construct; and instructions for the suggested application of individual codes and use of the codebook generally.Conclusions: The standardized codes and definitions in the codebook can facilitate data exploration, pattern identification, and insight development informed by the i-PARIHS framework. Qualitative analysts can also use them to explore interactions between i-PARIHS constructs, maximize the potential for comparing findings across studies, and support the refinement of the i-PARIHS framework using empirical findings from multiple studies.
Pre- and perinatal aspects of sex chromosome abnormalities and other gonadal dysgeneses
Authors: Pinti Eva , Lengyel Anna , Nemethi Zarand , Abonyi Tunde , Fekete Gyorgy , Haltrich Iren
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Sex chromosome aberrations (SCAs) and other gonadal dysgeneses (OGDs) compose a huge part of disorders of sex development (DSD), but a comprehensive pre- and perinatal picture of this wide spectrum is missing. Our aim was to support genetic counseling with evidence, and improve the feasibility of personalized medicine, genotype-phenotype specific clinical practice, management, and prevention of complications.Clinical data: We collected the pre- and perinatal data of 137 patients, who were diagnosed with SCAs and OGDs between 2009 and 2019 at the Genetic Division of Semmelweis University’s 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Hungary.Methods: Data of patients were systemized and analyzed according to karyotype, which involved the relative prevalence, risk factors, prenatal signs and genetic tests, possible perinatal complications, and suggestive neonatal signs. We reviewed the recent scientific literature in relation to SCAs and OGDs.Results: Relative ratio of Turner, Klinefelter, Triple/Poly X and Double Y syndromes was 4:2:1:1. Diagnostic prenatal tests (DPTs) were performed in 18%, mostly due to advanced maternal age. Four patients were conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF). 20% of mothers were older than 35, whereas 18% of fathers were over 40 years of age. 25% of patients were premature, only one tenth had suggestive neonatal signs. Without prematures, 6% of the cohort had low and 3% had high birth weight, whereas 2% had low and 24% had high birth length. The main reason underlying the high prevalence (28%) of cesarean section (CS) was abnormal fetal development.Discussion: Advanced parental ages and IVF increase the risk for SCAs and OGDs, which are important to recognise in time because certain forms predispose to prematurity, abnormal somatic growth, perinatal complications and the need for CS. The diagnostic efficacy of SCAs and OGDs is poor due to the lack of prenatal ultrasound signs and characteristic neonatal symptoms, which could be offset by including paternal age in prenatal risk assessment and the further spread of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT).
Accelerating Minimap2 for accurate long read alignment on GPUs
Authors: Sadasivan Harisankar , Maric Milos , Dawson Eric , Iyer Vishanth , Israeli Johnny , Narayanasamy Satish
Published: May 2022

Long read sequencing technology is becoming increasingly popular for Precision Medicine applications like Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and microbial abundance estimation. Minimap2 is the state-of-the-art aligner and mapper used by the leading long read sequencing technologies, today. However, Minimap2 is very slow for long noisy reads. ∼60-70% of the run-time on a CPU comes from the highly sequential chaining step in Minimap2. On the other hand, most Point-of-Care computational workflows in long read sequencing use Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). We present minimap2-accelerated (mm2-ax), a heterogeneous design for sequence mapping and alignment where minimap2’s compute intensive chaining step is sped up on the GPU and demonstrate its time and cost benefits.
We extract better intra-read parallelism from chaining without loosing mapping accuracy by forward transforming Minimap2’s chaining algorithm . Further, we better utilize the high memory available on modern cloud instances apart from better workload balancing, data locality and minimal branch divergence on the GPU. We show mm2-ax on an NVIDIA A100 GPU improves the chaining step with 12.6 - 5X speedup and 9.44 - 3.77X speedup : costup over the fastest version of Minimap2, mm2-fast, benchmarked on a single Google Cloud Platform instance of 30 SIMD cores.
Factors affecting students desire to stay in physics program in Nigeria universities
Authors: Uzorka Afam
Published: May 2022

This study investigated factors affecting student’s desire to stay in physics program in Nigeria universities. The study was conducted using open-ended questionnaire. The participants in this study were second year and third year students in the Physics department in 15 universities in Nigeria. The completed questionnaire was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program (SPSS, 19). Factors affecting student’s desire to stay in physics program was presented. The outcomes of the study are encouraging in that the majority of students intended to stay in their physics program and continue their education. The students' decisions about their academic program are influenced by the subject matter, enjoyment of the subject, and career opportunities. For those who had decided to stay in the physics major, enjoyment of the subject was the most frequently reported reason. With enjoyment of the subject and content of the subject as the main reasons for continuing or switching program, this result implies that efforts should be undertaken to develop new courses, or to incorporate within existing courses, more interactive modes of learning, and to adapt the learners' needs.
The impact of climate change on drought and its adaptation strategies: findings from regional climate models and households in Tien Giang Province, Vietnam
Authors: BUI NGHIA PHAN QUOC , Pal Indrajit , Pramanik Malay , DasGupta Rajarshi
Published: May 2022

Drought is one of the most frequent and widespread natural hazards in Tien Giang province of Vietnam, which is aggravating under the influence of climate change. As agriculture is the primary economy of the province, it is crucial to understand the influence of climate change on drought severity and how the local farmers perceive and adapt to climate change. Therefore, to examine the impacts of climate change on drought in the Tien Giang province in the Mekong Delta, the present study used three General Circulation Models (GCMs) - ACCESS 1.3, CNRM-CM5 and MRI-CGCM3 under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. In addition, the study evaluated household-level adaptation strategies based on structured questionnaire-based household survey data and focuses group discussion. This study identifies that the drought will be getting more severe for the future in the province based on using three GCMs and two climate change scenarios. The estimated results of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) showed that there would be many potential extreme drought years between 2020–2050. The results from the questionnaires survey depicted that the household perception of drought is moderate in the Mekong Delta. The current adaptation measures are good enough to adapt to fair drought and can be improved to adapt to more potential extreme drought condition in the future. This study provides important insights for decision-makers to manage future drought situations in the Mekong region.
Concept, hardware development, and clinical trials of a Galinstan based Mercury free sphygmomanometer – Merkfree
Authors: Kumar Ravinder , Kumar Mohit , Wander Gurpreet Singh , Sahani Ashish kumar
Published: May 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Experience with Radiopharmacy Information System
Authors: Perales Jesús Luis Gómez
Published: May 2022

Background
The efficient management of hospital radiopharmacy is very important for a good workflow in nuclear medicine and essential to ensure the correct traceability of the radiopharmaceuticals administered to patients. In the hospital radiopharmacy of our nuclear medicine department, it was developed and implemented a radiopharmacy information system (Radiolab).
Results
From its implementation, important additional functionalities have been added to this software application, according to our requirements and according as well to some of the specific requirements proposed in a recently published consensual tool for validating radiopharmacy software. After more than ten years from the implementation of this software application, it has been analysed its contribution to our hospital radiopharmacy and nuclear medicine department.
Conclusion
As a result, this radiopharmacy information system provides comprehensive management of our hospital radiopharmacy in an efficient way, and reliable traceability of every dose of radiopharmaceutical administered in our nuclear medicine department.
Optimization of Number of Observation Wells in an Aquifer by Applying the Variation Coefficients of groundwater level and Variogram Analysis, Case Study: Sarfirouzabad Aquifer/ Iran
Authors: Gooya Hossein Rashidi , Katibeh Homayoon , Maleki Amjad
Published: May 2022

Groundwater monitoring of an aquifer performed by an observation well network plays an important role in the management of groundwater resources in which, if the number of wells is small, the calculation of groundwater level is less accurate, and if the number of observation wells is high, the cost of drilling and maintenance of wells and the cost of measurement will increase. This study aimed to identify observation wells' number and optimal density in an aquifer using classical statistics and geostatistical techniques. The Sarfiroozabad aquifer with 45 observation wells was selected as a case study, in which the effective range of each observation well was determined through examination of the coefficients of water table variations in parallel profiles perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aquifer and examining geostatistical items including variograms related to water table variations by specifying the optimal number of observation wells. Classical statistics and geostatistics showed the same effective range for wells in the northern aquifer. According to the observations, to obtain the optimal number and density of observation wells, at least 6 observation wells shall be added to the northern aquifer, while only one well should be added to the southernmost part of the southern aquifer and six wells should be eliminated that reduces the cost of sampling. Also, by adding essential wells, the accuracy of groundwater estimation increases which helps better manage groundwater resources.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Postoperative Medial Shoulder Imbalance in Lenke Type 2 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis with Lateral Shoulder Balance
Authors: Deng Zhipeng , Wang Liang , Wang Linnan , Yang Xi , Wang Lei , Liu Limin , Song Yueming
Published: May 2022

Background
In clinical practice, there are a significant percentage of Lenke 2 AIS patients suffered from medial shoulder imbalance (MSI) despite achieving good lateral shoulder balance (LSB) following surgery. However, there are few studies evaluating the features of the medial shoulder. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and independent risk factors for MSI with LSB after Lenke 2 AIS corrective surgery.
Methods
One hundred and twenty Lenke 2 AIS patients with LSB at the last follow-up were reviewed from 2009 to 2018. Preoperative, and 3-month and the last postoperative follow-up radiographs were measured using a number of specific measurements. At the last follow-up, patients were divided into medial shoulder balance (MSB) group and the MSI group according to whether the T1 tilt was greater than 3°.
Results
Up to 69.2% of patients suffered from MSI with LSB after Lenke Type 2 AIS corrective surgery. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that postoperative upper instrumented vertebra tilt (UIVt), proximal thoracic curve (PTC), the ratio of PTC and main thoracic curves (PTC/MTC) and T2 vertebra rotation ratio (T2-VR) were significant predictors for MSI (UIVt: b = 0.398, p < 0.001; PTC/MTC: b = 2.085, p < 0.001; PTC: b = 0.155, p < 0.001; T2-VR: b = 3.536, p = 0.008; adjusted R2 = 0.711). Only 72 patients completed the SRS-30 questionnaire survey, and the MSB group were scored the higher in in overall SRS-30 scores.
Conclusion
Although the patients with Lenke 2 AIS achieve LSB after corrective surgery, up to 69.2% of them suffered from MSI. Postoperative UIVt, PTC, PTC/MTC and T2-VR were significant predictors for MSI. Sufficient correction of these variables may facilitate the achievement of MSB.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms Are Associated with Increased Risk of Progression from Non- severe to Severe Illness in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Zhao Shengbing , Chen Cui , Huang Xinxin , Wang Rundong , He Zixuan , Wu Jiayi , Kong Xiangyu , Zhang Yun , Zhang Yidan , Dong Xuan , Zhou Jixue , Fang Jun , Zheng Namei , Liu Jinhong , Liu Liyuan , Liu Yanping , Wang Shuling , Chang Xin , Pan Peng , Xia Tian , Wang Tongchang , Yang Xia , Li Zhaoshen , Bai Yu
Published: May 2022

BackgroundThe involvement of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the progression of illness in COVID-19 patients has not been illustrated, with the association between GI symptoms and illness severity remaining controversial. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between GI symptoms and the illness progression, severity, and prognosis in COVID-19 patients.MethodsThis study retrospectively recruited consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from three hospitals in Wuhan. The severity of illness was classified as non-severe and severe for analyses. The primary outcome was the association between GI symptoms and progression from non-severe to severe illness (PNTS) in COVID-19 patients. ResultsOf the 934 COVID-19 patients (mean age 59.3 years; 43.7% males), the prevalence of overall and specific GI symptoms at/prior to admission were 59.9% and 13.0%, respectively. Patients with GI symptoms were associated with increased risk of fever (56.1% vs. 48.1%; P=0.02), increased IL-6 (18.2% vs. 11.7%; P=0.04), ground-glass opacity (56.8% vs. 43.1%; P<0.001), bilateral pneumonia (80.4% vs. 72.3%; P=0.005), secondary infections (12.6% vs. 6.5%;, P=0.003), and hypoalbuminemia (26.2% vs. 18.4%; P=0.01). Patients with GI symptoms had a higher risk for PNTS (2.9% vs. 0.6%; P=0.02), even after full adjustments (OR, 6.50; (95%CI:1.34-31.6); P=0.02), but comparable risk for severe illness or deaths. GI symptoms and the specific GI symptoms were identified as the independent risk factors for PNTS.Conclusions The occurrence of GI symptoms is proved to be an independent risk factor for PNTS, which might be a predicting indicator in the prevention of illness deterioration at an early stage.
Chopstick technique versus cross technique in LESS hysterectomy (CCLEH study): a prospective randomized controlled trial
Authors: Dou Yuya , Deng Li , Tang Shuai , Yao Yuanyang , Liang Xiaolong , Hu Qunying , Wang Yanzhou
Published: May 2022

Background:The traditional cross technique can be used to complete most Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) procedures, but some relatively fine operations, such as vaginal stump suture, are challenging. In practice, we have introduced a novel technique named the chopstick technique and applied it to more complex operations, such as cervical cancer, and found that it contributes to delicate surgery. The efficacy and safety of two different surgical techniques in LESS hysterectomy remain to be validated.Methods:Patients who receive the total hysterectomy are enrolled in this RCT. Stratified randomization will be performed according to uterine size (< 10 weeks, 10-16 weeks, ≥ 16 weeks). The participants will be divided into the chopstick technique group or cross technique group to undergo LESS-TH, then be evaluated the perioperative and postoperative data, including total operation time and other time, transfer rate, estimated blood loss, surgeon fatigue, intraoperative and postoperative complications (within 8 weeks after surgery), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), postoperative hospital stay, and hospitalization expenses. The primary outcome is the operating time for total hysterectomy under LESS, the other outcomes are secondary. Discussion:It is expected to compare the efficacy of the two techniques in LESS: the chopstick technique vs. the cross technique and accumulate safety data on the new techniques.Trial registration: ChiCTR2000040843, registered on June 16,2020Protocol version:Version 2.0; Date: 2020.05.10
Impact of ICU bed availability on ovarian cancer surgical hospitalization rates during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: an ecological study.
Authors: Moterani Vinicius Cesar , Junior Nino Jose Wilson Moterani , Pimentel Franklin Fernandes , Reis Francisco Jose Candido dos
Published: May 2022

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, disrupted healthcare services. Reports of changes in surgical activity coincide with the outbreak period. We aimed to identify if any changes could be determined in hospitalization rates of ovarian cancer patients from 2016 to 2020, comparing pre-pandemic and pandemic levels. ResultsHospitalization rates in the state fell, coinciding with the pandemic. Surgical hospitalization rate ratios were inversely correlated with COVID-specific ICU bed occupation rates during the third trimester of 2020, with a Pearson Correlation coefficient of -0.50 (95% CI: -0.78 to -0.05, p = 0.03). Observed ovarian cancer hospitaliation rates were 85% compared to expected values if pre-pandemic trends were mantained.ConclusionA 15% reduction on ovarian cancer hospitalization rates was identified in this scenario. ICU availability was inversely correlated with ovarian cancer surgical activity. These results demonstrate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the treatment of conditions that compete for the same healthcare resources.
Effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on oxidative stress and lipid metabolism in livers of male Xenopus tropicalis
Authors: Pan Xinying , Zheng Li , Ding Yishen , Dai Zhuo , Qi Xufeng , Zhang Xiaochun , Xu Yanbin , Xie Guangyan , Qiao Qingxia
Published: May 2022

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), used as a popular plasticizer to enhance the flexibility of plastics, is a major pollutant in aquatic environments. DEHP poses severe risks to aquatic organisms since it is an endocrine-disrupting compound. To comprehensively evaluate the toxicity of DEHP on the growth and livers of male Xenopus tropicalis(X. tropicalis), sexually mature male X. tropicalis were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of DEHP, 0.2, 0.6, 1.8, 5.4 mg/L, for 49 days. The results showed that DEHP had a severe toxic effect on the livers of male X. tropicalis. Histopathological analysis of livers in all the DEHP-exposed groups showed changes in terms of vacuolization, loose cell cords, and an increasing amount of melanin. Large lipid droplets were markedly formed, and there were changes in the mitochondrial morphology upon DEHP exposure. In addition, oxidative stress (excessive ROS and inhibition of antioxidants) was induced through the suppression of biochemical indicators and the downregulation in the mRNA expression of genes (nrf2, cat, sod, gst, and gpx) related to oxidative stress. A reduction in expression of fatty acid metabolism-related gene (pparα) was seen post-DEHP exposure. Thus, our study suggests that the hepatotoxicity induced by DEHP could be attributed to oxidative stress and disordered fatty acid metabolism. In conclusion, long-term exposure to DEHP at environmentally relevant concentrations poses ecological risks to aquatic organisms, which serves as a reminder that the application of DEHP and other plasticizers should be limited.
Occupational injury and associated factors among building construction workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional institution based Study
Authors: Wondimneh Fenta , Jiru Tilahun , Wubetie Andualem
Published: May 2022

Background: The World Health Organization describes the occupational injury as an epidemic problem in the field of public health in underdeveloped countries. Work-related injuries are significantly associated with various factors including lack of safety and health training programs, employing young workers, low literacy workers, smoking, low work experiences, and not using personal protective equipment.Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of occupational injury and its associated factors among building construction workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Cross-sectional institution-based study was conducted on selected construction sites in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using pretested and structured questionnaires. The collected data were entered using the epi data version 4.2.0 and exported to SPSS version 26 for further analysis and interpretation. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to see the association between the independent and dependent variables. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of 220 study participants, 88(40%) workers reported occupational injury during the past 12 months, and their main causes of injury were struck by an object 24(27.2%) and falling at ground level 23(26.1%). Factors associated with occupational injuries were temporary employment (AOR = 2.7;95% CI: 1.02,7.1]), work experience(AOR =2.9;95% CI:1.5,5.7) and prolonged working hours(AOR=2.3;95% CI:1.3,4.1).Conclusion: This study finding showed that there is high occupational injury and this is related to lack of training, less work experience, and prolonged working hours per week.
Alanine aminotransferase as marker of cardiometabolic risk in overweight adolescents
Authors: Silva Maria Eduarda Bezerra da , Pimentel Jéssica Bastos , Pinheiro Ana Beatriz Rodrigues , Araújo Eduarda Pontes dos Santos , de Azevedo Paulo Roberto Medeiros , Arrais Ricardo Fernando , de Rezende Adriana Augusto , Maciel Bruna Leal Lima , Lopes Márcia Marília Gomes Dantas , Lima Severina Carla Vieira Cunha
Published: May 2022

Background: Alanine aminotransferase is a marker present in cases of liver damage, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Objective: To identify the relationship between serum alanine aminotransferase values and cardiovascular risk markers in overweight adolescents. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, were recruited 120 overweight adolescents aged 10-19 years. Height, weight and waist circumference were evaluated and used to calculate the body mass index. Taper index and arterial pressure were measured. Biomarkers lipid and glycemic profiles, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase values were measured and the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Fisher's exact test. Results: Boys showed significantly increased values of alanine aminotransferase (p <0.050), aspartate aminotransferase (p <0.010) and taper index (p <0.010), while girls had higher levels of fasting insulin (p <0.010). In boys, alanine aminotransferase was positively correlated with fasting insulin (p <0.050), triglycerides (p <0.050) and systolic blood pressure (p <0.050), whereas in girls, alanine aminotransferase was correlated with waist circumference (p <0.050), taper index (p <0.050), mass index body (p <0.010), fasting insulin levels (p <0.010), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (p <0.010) and high-density lipoprotein (p <0.010). Conclusion: Important correlations were identified between serum alanine aminotransferase values and cardiovascular risk markers in overweight adolescents.
Epigenomic profiling of glucocorticoid responses identifies cis-regulatory disruptions impacting steroid resistance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Bergeron Brennan , Diedrich Jonathan , Zhang Yang , Barnett Kelly , Dong Qian , Ferguson Daniel , Autry Robert , Yang Wenjian , Hansen Baranda , Smith Colton , Crews Kristine , Fan Yiping , Pui Ching-Hon , Pruett-Miller Shondra , Relling Mary , Yang Jun , LI CHUNLIANG , Evans William , Savic Daniel
Published: May 2022

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a mainstay of contemporary, multi-drug chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and resistance to GCs remains a major clinical concern. Resistance to GCs is predictive of ALL relapse and poor clinical outcome, and therefore represents a major hurdle limiting further improvements in survival rates. While advances have been made in identifying genes implicated in GC resistance, there remains an insufficient understanding of the impact of cis-regulatory disruptions in resistance. To address this, we mapped the gene regulatory response to GCs in two ALL cells using functional genomics and high-throughput reporter assays and identified thousands of GC-responsive changes to chromatin state, including the formation of over 250 GC-responsive super-enhancers and a depletion of AP-1 bound cis-regulatory elements implicated in cell proliferation and anti-apoptotic processes. By integrating our GC response maps with genetic and epigenetic datasets in primary ALL cells from patients, we further uncovered cis-regulatory disruptions at GC-responsive genes that impact GC resistance in childhood ALL. Overall, these data indicate that GCs initiate pervasive effects on the leukemia epigenome, and that alterations to the GC gene regulatory network contribute to GC resistance.
A semantic segmentation network based on multi-branch structures and multi-scale modules
Authors: Hui Jiangxin , Zhang Hong
Published: May 2022

A novel semantic segmentation model is proposed to improve segmentation accuracy for small and obstructed image targets. This multi-branch structure increased gradient flow paths and prevented vanishing gradients. The architecture was based on a DeepLabv3 + framework and utilized grouped convolutions in each bottleneck of the backbone network (ResNet50), to reduce both the number of model parameters and the model size. The network was also re-parameterized to increase speed during the inference period, which had little effect on the segmentation results. A multi-scale hierarchical attention module (MHAM) was applied in parallel with atrous spatial pyramid pooling (ASPP) in the encoder, to fuse feature information output from the two modules and achieve adaptive segmentation of multi-scale targets. Transfer learning and data augmentation were also used to accelerate convergence and further improve model robustness. The proposed network was evaluated using an aerial semantic segmentation benchmark (AeroScapes), to assess segmentation performance for objects at different scales. The mean intersection over union (mIoU), calculated for the validation set, improved by 43.12% and 47.51% compared with the DeepLabv3+ (Xception65) network and the DeepLabv3+ (ResNet50), respectively. In addition, the proposed network achieved a higher mIoU (84.98%) and a higher mean pixel accuracy (mPA, 97.57%) than six other advanced semantic segmentation networks (U-Net, RefineNet, PSPNet, DADA, DSRL, and HANet), as well as higher mIoUs than comparable algorithms for the CityScapes (84.96%) and ADE20K (52.72%) datasets. It was also found that doubling the number of channels after the grouping convolutions did not significantly change the number of model parameters or the model size. However, the acquired features were more detailed and the images were more complete, indicating the proposed model achieved better segmentation accuracy for small and occluded targets.
Predicting the presence of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy using Este’s Criteria with Support Vector Machine
Authors: Sinha Nidhi , JOSHI AMIT MAHESH
Published: May 2022

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the heart condition where the walls of the left ventricle would be thicker than the normal condition. That obstructs the electrical activity of the heart and hence significantly decreases the pumping efficiency. LVH develops as the response to pressure overload that might arise from high blood pressure, stenosis etc. This condition of the heart can be reversed if diagnosed and treated in time. Its symptoms like short breathing, fatigue, palpitation of the heart, dizziness, chest pain after exercise are often misinterpreted or masked by the process of homeostasis, and it develops silently over the years. The prediction of presence of LVH using effective machine learning model would be helpful to have early diagnosis of the disease. This paper focuses on the prediction of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) using the SVM machine learning model with the help of an electrocardiogram (ECG). The proposed methodology could be integrated with the IoT framework for smart healthcare solutions. Data is taken from the UCI machine learning repository i.e Cleveland, Hungary, Switzerland, and the VA Long Beach database consisting of 920 subjects. Data is split into 8:2 for training and testing purposes. Python 3.0 is used to analyze the data and the classification is verified by the 10-fold cross-validation technique. In this study, normal subjects and subjects with a high probability of LVH are classified successfully with greater ROC-AUC value than 0.5 which shows the unbiased classification. The results show that the proposed model with enhanced accuracy of 81+% and high specificity of 92.36% stands promising for futuristic smart healthcare applications.
Ensemble-based Gene Selection and an Enhanced Deep Multi-Layer Perceptron-based Classification Model for Classifying Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Mahendran Nivedhitha , PM Durai Raj Vincent
Published: May 2022

Memory and cognitive disabilities have been known to humankind for a long time. However, the pathology and symptoms associated with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are documented during the current century's first decade. Over the years, AD became the common form of Dementia that has complex pathology and is termed a heterogeneous disorder. The advancements in microarray technology made capturing hundreds and thousands of gene sequences possible. However, the data generated is complex and beyond the understanding of the human brain. AD symptoms are slow but fatal, and the diagnosis is made only through autopsy. Thus, early and accurate diagnosis of the disease is critical. The significant difficulty in handling the gene expression data is the curse of dimensionality or the High Dimensional Low Sample Size (HDLSS) issue. The HDLSS issue demands interdisciplinary research, such as Artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc. This study proposed an ensemble-based feature selection to isolate the necessary genes responsible for causing AD. After selecting the relevant features, the Deep Multi-layer Perceptron (DMLP) is used to classify the AD and non-AD patients. The results are compared with other state-of-the-art feature selection techniques and classification algorithms.
Simulation-based holistic education in physiotherapy interns to increase empathy toward older adults and individuals with disabilities: a feasibility prospective study
Authors: Lin I-Hsien , Wang Chien-Yung , Lin Yen-Nung , Chen Hung-Chou , Lin Li-Fong
Published: May 2022

Background: With the annually increasing ratio of individuals with disabilities in an aged society, clinical clerkships for physiotherapy interns should provide more than just knowledge and skills. The cultivation of interns’ empathy and positive attitudes toward patients to meet future job requirements is essential. In this study, we explored the effect of simulation-based holistic health-care education on physiotherapy interns’ empathy, attitudes, and knowledge.Methods: A parallel-group design. Thirty physiotherapy interns in a medical institution were enrolled as participants. The experimental and control groups each had 15 participants. Both groups received standard clinical training. However, the experimental group participated in an additional simulation-based empathy enhancement program. The pretest and posttest measured the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, Kogan’s Attitudes toward Old People Scale, Attitudes Towards Elderly Scale, Knowledge about Aging scale, Knowledge of Situation of Older People, Perceptions of Working with Older People, and Care Willingness scale. Results: After the experimental group received 9 weeks intervention, the experimental group had a 6.4 points improvement on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (p=0.001), a 7.7 points improvement on the Kogan’s Attitudes toward Old People Scale (p=0.002), a 3.5 points improvement on the Attitudes Towards Elderly Scale (p= 0.002), a 2.5 points marginal improvement on the Knowledge about Aging (p=0.055), a 4.5 points nonsignificant improvement on the Knowledge of Situation of Older People (p<0.001), a 2.1 points nonsignificant improvement on the Perceptions of Working with Older People (p=0.046), and a 0.5 points nonsignificant improvement on the CW (p=0.723),Conclusion: The simulation-based holistic health-care education intervention significantly improved physiotherapy interns’ empathy, knowledge, and attitudes.
Analysis of the disease constituent ratio and prognosis of patients undergoing ambulatory surgery in oral and maxillofacial medicine: a monocentric retrospective analysis of 427 patientsAuthors
Authors: Wang Haohong , Chi Yifan , Huang Hanxiao , Yang Mingen , Li Tingyu , Hou Jun
Published: May 2022

Background: Ambulatory surgery and single-visit surgery are becoming increasingly accepted and practiced worldwide due to their social and economic benefits. In China, however, their use is still insufficient and falling behind. To innovatively optimize the surgical procedure, research on the types and frequencies of surgeries is needed.Methods: The prognosis of patients also has yet to be studied. The clinical data of patients undergoing the ambulatory surgery were collected, and information on their chief complaint and basic information was specifically included. Follow-up phone calls were conducted 1 and 3 days, 1 and 2 weeks, and 1 month after treatment. Information on their recovery and well-being was collected.Results: A total of 427 patients were recruited for this study, including 224 males and 203 females. Their ages ranged from 1-68 and averaged 23.07±11. Ambulatory surgery was voluntarily selected by 43.55% of the patients. A total of 62.9% of them selected it for convenience, while 43.55% selected it for pain reduction. The three top diseases treated via ambulatory surgery were impacted teeth (56.7%). Postoperative complications occurred in 248 of the 427 patients, and the incidence rate was 58.08%. The top complication was postoperative pain (56.44%). The complications frequently occurred on Day 3 after the operation and resolved after 2 weeks. Conclusion: We believe ambulatory surgery is a safe and effective treatment for oral and maxillofacial diseases.Clinical Relevance: In current settings, ambulatory surgery can be further developed by optimizing the regulations regarding diagnosis and treatments, promoting the dissemination of medical and clinical knowledge, increasing the engagement of related personnel, and improving the professionalism and timeliness of postoperative follow-ups.
Comparison of Maxillary Tuberosity and Palatal Donor Sites for Soft Tissue Augmentation at Implant Placement.
Authors: Kotsailidi Elli Anna , Tatakis Dimitris N. , Chen Yo-wei , Caton Jack G. , Ercoli Carlo , Barmak Abdul Basir , Tsigarida Alexandra
Published: May 2022

Objective: To compare the outcomes of soft tissue augmentation (STA) during one-stage implant placement using grafts harvested from the hard palate (PAL) or the maxillary tuberosity (TUB).Materials and Methods: Non-smoking adults with single missing tooth, between the premolar region, and ridge dimensions adequate for implant placement were enrolled. Each received single implant and connective tissue graft harvested either from PAL (n=10) or TUB (n=10). Digital impressions were taken pretreatment (T0), and at 2 (T1) and 12 months (T2) postoperatively. Soft tissue thickness (STT) changes was the primary study outcome. Secondary outcomes included marginal bone level (MBL) changes over time, pain levels at the first two postoperative weeks (W1, W2), pink esthetic score (PES) and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) at T2. Data analysis included repeated measures analysis of variance for intergroup comparisons.Results: STT significantly increased in both groups (p≤0.002), at all apico-coronal levels examined, with no significant intergroup differences. There was no significant intergroup difference in MBL changes (p=0.376). PAL group experienced higher donor site pain levels at W1 (p=0.023). PES and PROMs were similar between groups at T2.Conclusions: STA during one-stage implant placement results in significant STT increases. Clinical relevance: When performed simultaneously with single one-stage implants, palatal and tuberosity grafts result in similar and significant soft tissue augmentation outcomes.
Comparative investigation of catalytic application of α/β/γ-MnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by green and chemical approaches
Authors: Shehroz Hamza , Ali Sarmed , Bibi Guria , Khan Tahreem , Jamil Saba , Khan Shanza Rauf , Hashaam Muhammad , Janjua Muhammad Ramzan Saeed Ashraf
Published: May 2022

It is first time reported that three phases (α, β, and γ) of manganese dioxide (MnO2) are successfully stabilized in a single entity. For this purpose, Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple) extract is used as natural surfactant in green synthesis. MnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized in the presence and absence of plant extract under same conditions. The morphology of both products are analyzed by SEM and STEM to understand the role of plant extract in controlling the morphology of particles. The crystallinity and composition are analyzed by XRD and confirmed that product is comprised of multiple phases α, β, and γ. The reduction of dyes and nitroarenes are studied by using MnO2 nanoparticles (green and chemical products) as a catalyst. Apparent rate constant, percentage reduction, time reduction and reduced concentration are determined to compare the activity of both catalysts. After comparative data analysis, the catalytic reduction of picric acid is found fastest among all the substrates. All the results are analyzed on the basis of structure, functional group and affinity towards catalyst.
Insights in forest structural diversity indicators with machine learning: What is indicated?
Authors: Ette Jana Sophie , Ritter Tim , Vospernik Sonja
Published: May 2022

Indicator choice is a crucial step in biodiversity assessments. Forest inventories have potential to overcome data deficits for biodiversity monitoring on large spatial scales which is fundamental to reach biodiversity policy targets. This case study focuses on indicator-indicandum relationships of structural diversity indicators in a lowland, European beech (Fagus sylvatica) dominated forest in Austria, Central Europe. We employed five indicators as surrogates for structural diversity which is an important part of forest biodiversity i.e., Clark & Evans-, Shannon, Stand Density, Diameter Differentiation index, and Crown Competition Factor. The indicators are evaluated by machine learning, to detect statistic intercorrelation in an indicator set and the relationship to twenty explanatory stand variables and five variable groups on a landscape scale. Using the R packages randomForest, VSURF, and randomForest Explainer, 1555 sample plots are considered in fifteen models.

Model outcome is decisively impacted by type and number of explanatory variables tested. Relationships to interval-scaled, common stand characteristics can be assessed most effectively. Variables of ´stand age & density´ are disproportionally indicated by our indicator set while other forest stand characteristics relevant to biodiversity are neglected. Within the indicator set, pronounced intercorrelation is detected. The Shannon index indicates overall highest, the Stand Density index lowest number of stand characteristics. Machine learning proves to be a useful tool to overcome knowledge gaps and provides additional insights in indicator-indicandum relationships.
GLUT2 expression by glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive tanycytes is required for promoting feeding-response to fasting
Authors: MJ Barahona , Langlet F , Labouèbe G , Croizier S , Picard A , Thorens Bernard , MA García-Robles
Published: May 2022

Feeding behavior is a complex process that depends on the ability of the brain to integrate hormonal and nutritional signals, such as glucose. One glucosensing mechanism relies on the glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) in the hypothalamus, especially in radial glia-like cells called tanycytes. Here, we analyzed whether a GLUT2-dependent glucosensing mechanism is required for the normal regulation of feeding behavior in GFAP-positive tanycytes. Genetic inactivation of Glut2 in GFAP-expressing tanycytes was performed using Cre/Lox technology. The efficiency of GFAP-tanycyte targeting was analyzed in the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes by evaluating GFP fluorescence. Feeding behavior, hormonal levels, neuronal activity using c-Fos, and neuropeptide expression were also analyzed in the fasting-to-refeeding transition. In basal conditions, Glut2-inactivated mice had normal food intake and meal patterns. Implementation of a preceeding fasting period led to decreased total food intake and a delay in meal initiation during refeeding. Additionally, Glut2 inactivation increased the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the ventromedial nucleus in response to fasting and a deregulation of Pomc expression in the fasting-to-refeeding transition. Thus, a GLUT2-dependent glucose-sensing mechanism in GFAP-tanycytes is required to control food consumption and promote meal initiation after a fasting period.
Maternal Performance in Relation to Food Security among Infants Aged 1-2 Years
Authors: Yeganeh Sedigheh , Motamed Niloofar , Boushehri Saeid Najafpour , Bagherzadeh Razieh , Ravanipour Maryam
Published: May 2022

Background: In spite of increasing awareness about food security, countries are still dealing with food insecurity. The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal performance in relation to food security during the complementary feeding in Bushehr, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out to select 400 mothers of children aged 1-2 years in Bushehr, using random quota sampling method. Data were collected using a localized reliable version of a 32-item food frequency questionnaire containing six subgroups (Cronbach's α: 0.81). Anthropometric indicators of height and weight were estimated in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Data analysis was performed using the Mean±SD, Median, Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, multinomial logistic regression, and odds ratio in SPSS, version 18.Results: As a standard serving, only 24% of the mothers fed their infant cereals, whereas 54.8%, 36.3%, 39.8%, and 20.3% of the mothers provided meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, respectively. The highest correlation was found between attendance at educational classes and vegetable consumption, age at the onset of complementary feeding and the consumption of meat and fruits, and maternal educational level and dairy products. No significant relationship was found between the food groups and anthropometric indicators. Conclusions: Mothers in Bushehr performed poorly in providing a balanced diet. However, this performance can be improved by enhancing basic nutrition knowledge, holding practical education classes on food preparation, periodic evaluation of anthropometric indicators of infants, and by focusing on mothers with infants in high-risk groups (e.g., excessive weight, obesity, and malnutrition).
Effects of Sweet Potato Intercropping in Banana Orchard on Soil Microbial Population Diversity
Authors: Li Yanpei , Lin Jiaqi , Feng Dou , Deng Yingyi , Xuan Weiyan , Xiao Shixiang
Published: May 2022

In order to study the effect of intercropping banana and sweet potato on soil microbial diversity, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to study the population composition of soil microorganisms in banana plantation. The results showed that from May to September, the number of soil bacterial population in intercropping sweet potato was 5.54–28.67% higher than that in monoculture, and the richness and diversity of the population were significantly or extremely significantly higher than that in monoculture. The number of dominant bacterial population was less than that in monoculture, and the relative abundance of non dominant population was 10.58–58.81% higher than that in monoculture. The number, abundance and diversity of soil fungal populations in intercropping were higher than those in monoculture. The intercropping of banana and sweet potato has a significant effect on regulating the composition structure of soil microbial population and improving the abundance and diversity of microbial population. There has a great significance to improve the micro ecological environment of banana root soil and promote the stable and sustainable development of banana industry.