bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Cognitive Aspect of Hope in the Semantic Space of Male Patients Dying of Cancer
Authors: Baczewska Bożena , Wojciechowska Krystyna , Antoszewska Beata , Malm Maria , Leśniewski Krzysztof
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study is to characterize the cognitive aspect of the semantic space of hope in patients in the terminal stage of cancer. This was confirmed in the research on hope by C. R. Snyder and B. Schrank. Hope is of great importance in all the great world religions and belief systems, both as regards a personal God or impersonal deities. Hoping is a human capacity with varying affective, cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Psychological, pedagogical (particularly in the framework of special needs pedagogy and thanatological pedagogy) and theological reflection on hope can provide support for dying people. In order to conduct the research, the semantic differential research method was selected. The research technique employed was a therapeutic conversation, and the research tool was the B.L. Block’s DSN-3 test. The DSN-3 test allows one to assess hope in the semantic space in three aspects: cognitive, emotional and functional. For the purposes of this study, only the cognitive aspect was taken into account. The study was begun on 1 April 2010 and ended in the last days of December 2020. It included 110 male patients in the terminal stage of cancer. The youngest respondent was 19 years old and the oldest was 94 years old. The surveyed men most often perceived hope in the semantic space in the cognitive aspect as more true, wise, meaningful and real than false, stupid, meaningless and deceptive. Their attitude to hope was, therefore, more affirmative than negative. The research did not reveal the importance of the age of the respondents on the degree of affirmation/negation of hope in the cognitive aspect in the semantic space; however, men in the period of late maturity and professional activity expressed the lowest level of the affirmation of hope. It is worthwhile to conduct further research concerning hope in other aspects (especially emotional and functional) in the semantic space in order to use the obtained results to consider what to take into account when providing patients in the terminal stage of cancer with better personalized holistic care than before.
The Relationships between Self-Reported Motor Functioning and Autistic Traits: The Italian Version of the Adult Developmental Coordination Disorders/Dyspraxia Checklist (ADC)
Authors: Zappullo Isa , Conson Massimiliano , Baiano Chiara , Cecere Roberta , Raimo Gennaro , Kirby Amanda
Published: January 2023

Background: We developed the Italian version of the adult developmental co-ordination disorders/dyspraxia checklist (ADC), providing reliability and concurrent validity data for the scale (Aim 1). In addition, we investigated the relationships between motor coordination difficulties and different autistic traits (Aim 2). Methods: 498 participants (341 females; age range = 18–34) underwent the Italian version of the ADC, as well as a handwriting speed test, the autism spectrum quotient, the empathy quotient, and the systemizing quotient. Results: The distinction between three main factors (A, B, and C) identified in the original version of the ADC was confirmed here. Internal consistency of the ADC subscales was adequate, as well as the correlation with the handwriting speed test used to assess concurrent validity. No substantial sex differences on the ADC scores were found. Furthermore, data revealed that poor autistic-related communication skills and lower levels of systemizing tendencies were, among all the investigated autistic traits, those more strongly associated with higher motor coordination difficulties. Conclusions: The Italian ADC seems a valuable tool for assessing motor coordination difficulties in adults and can reveal the nuanced impact exerted by different autistic traits on self-reported motor functioning.
Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Differences between Mains and Bottled Water, in an Area in the Central Area of Romania
Authors: Florina Ruta , Calin Avram , Raluca Maior
Published: January 2023

The human body is mostly made up of water. The largest proportion of the human body is water, hence the growing interest of specialists in defining the importance of water in the body and the risks of dehydration. This study determined the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of the drinking water distributed in the public network in the area of operation of Water Distribution Operator in Mureș County and samples of bottled water existing on the market in Mureş County (mineral, spring or table). The water supplied to the network can be safely consumed. This is demonstrated both by the results of the analyses of the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters related to the legislative standards and by the values of the similar parameters analyzed for the bottled water.
Spillover Effects among Electricity Prices, Traditional Energy Prices and Carbon Market under Climate Risk
Authors: Liu Donglan , Liu Xin , Guo Kun , Ji Qiang , Chang Yingxian
Published: January 2023

With the increase in global geopolitical risks and the frequent occurrence of extreme climate in recent years, the electricity prices in Europe have shown large fluctuations. Electricity price has an important impact on the cost of production and living, while electricity demand will also affect other energy markets. A double-layer system based on the spillover effects from a systematic perspective is constructed in this paper to explore the connectedness between different electricity markets and other related energy markets in Europe, considering the impact of climate risks. The results show that there are certain spillover effects among electricity markets in different countries, with a temporary upward trend in the beginning of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, and the electricity markets in the UK and Germany have a more important role in Europe. There are two-way spillover effects between the electricity market and fossil fuel markets, carbon market and carbon emission. Since 2022, the electricity market is affected by gas prices, while it has a certain impact on carbon emissions. The heating degree day (HDD) has significant spillover effects on the electricity market and other energy markets, while the spillover effects of the cooling degree day (CDD) are relatively small.
Cost of Surgical Treatment of Obesity and Its Impact on Healthcare Expense–Nationwide Data from a Polish Registry
Authors: Osińska Magdalena , Towpik Iwona , Sanchak Yaroslav , Franek Edward , Śliwczyński Andrzej , Walicka Magdalena
Published: January 2023

Weight loss surgery is linked to health benefits and may reduce the cost to the public healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to assess the cost and cost-structure in the one-year periods before and after a bariatric surgery in the Polish nationwide registry. The study included 2390 obese adults which underwent surgical treatment for obesity in 2017. The cost structure and the total costs per patient for one year before bariatric surgery, preoperatively, and for one year after surgery were analyzed. The total cost of the postoperative period was about PLN 3 million lower than during the preoperative period. After bariatric surgery, a reduction of approximately 59% in costs associated with hospital treatment was observed. The costs of outpatient specialist services, hospital treatment, psychiatric care, and addiction treatment also significantly decreased. There was a negative correlation between the changes in the cost of treatment of patients undergoing obesity surgery and their age. The health care cost during the period of one year after bariatric surgery is lower than in the year preceding the surgery (a greater cost difference is observed in younger people). This is mainly influenced by the reduction in costs associated with hospital treatment.
Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among Children in Japan before and during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Tanaka Chiaki , Shikano Akiko , Imai Natsuko , Chong Kar Hau , Howard Steven J. , Tanabe Kosuke , Okely Anthony D. , Taylor Ellie K. , Noi Shingo
Published: January 2023

This study examined changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), screen time, sleep, and executive function among Japanese preschoolers between COVID-19 pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, using cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Accelerometer data from 63 children aged 5–6 years were collected from three kindergartens in Tokyo, Japan, in late 2019 (pre-COVID-19). This was compared to the data of 49 children aged 5–6 years from the same kindergartens, collected in late 2020 (during COVID-19). Sixteen children in the pre-COVID-19 cohort also participated in the 2020 survey and provided data for the longitudinal analysis. The mean minutes of PA, SB, screen time, and sleep duration, as well as executive function, were compared between the pre- and during COVID-19 cohorts. After adjusting for school, sex, and accelerometer wear time, there were no significant differences in any of the measured outcomes between the two cohorts. However, the analysis of longitudinal data revealed significant increases in time spent in SB and on screens, and a decrease in light-intensity PA and sleep duration during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Results suggest that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, young children’s activity levels and SB did not significantly differ from pre-pandemic levels. However, school-aged children’s SB, light PA, and sleep time were affected, although this cannot be disentangled from the effects of the transition to school.
How the Built Environment Moderates Gender Gap in Active Commuting to Schools
Authors: Javadpoor Masoud , Soltani Ali , Fatehnia Leila , Soltani Negin
Published: January 2023

This study investigates the influences of built environmental (BE) factors, network design, and sociodemographic factors on active school travel (AST). Although numerous studies have explored these relationships, this study is trying to assess this issue with a focus on gender differences. Data from a cross-sectional sample of children from first to sixth grades from 16 public primary schools exclusive for girls and boys (N = 1260) in Shiraz collected in November 2019 was used. The analysis of the data revealed that, on average, boys are more willing to walk than girls, but that the boys’ tendency to walk is less elastic with respect to distance. Moreover, it is shown that street connectivity for all distance thresholds has a positive relationship with walking level, but the street network choice parameter decreases the chance of walking within an 800 metre threshold. It is demonstrated the need to take gender differences into account in local planning policies to promote AST in a developing country context.
Serum Catestatin Level as a Stratification Assessment Tool in Non-Critical COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Jerkovic Ivan , Kovacic Vedran , Ticinovic Kurir Tina , Bozic Josko , Tandara Leida
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Catestatin (CST) is a peptide with immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial activities. There are only a few studies that have investigated plasma CST levels in COVID-19 patients (mostly in ICU patients). In our work, the aim was to demonstrate serum CST levels and their correlation with clinical outcomes in a group of severe COVID-19 patients admitted to the non-ICU department. Methods: The subjects were 32 patients (25 females, 7 males) admitted to the non-ICU unit for COVID-19 patients. Results: CST levels in our cohort were higher (8.91 ± 7.00) than previously reported CST levels in control subjects. We found a significant positive correlation between serum CST levels and C-reactive protein (r = 0.423, p = 0.008), D-dimers (r = 0.395, p = 0.013), hsTNT (high-sensitivity troponin T) (r = 0.603, p < 0.001), proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) (r = 0.569, p < 0.001), and hospitalization days (r = 0.388, p = 0.014). There was a difference between groups of participants with SOFA <3 (n = 18) and SOFA >=3 (n = 14) in catestatin serum levels (7.25 ± 3.66 vs. 11.05 ± 9.52 ng/mL), but the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.065). Conclusion: We considered plasma CST level at hospital admission as a possible tool for early risk assessment in non-critical COVID-19 patients. This study is an attempt to clarify the complex pathophysiological mechanisms present in the development of severe forms of SARS-CoV2 infection.
Evaluation of Affective Coexistence in Young Afro-Colombians in the Department of Chocó-Colombia
Authors: Bringas Molleda Carolina , Beltrán Espitia Manuel , Mosquera Ruiz Yineth , Herrero Díez Javier , Rodríguez Díaz Francisco Javier
Published: January 2023

Various works of research into violence in relationships between young couples refer to a lack of perception of some behavior patterns such as abuse. This means that the relationship has the potential risk of developing into one of victimization should it last into adulthood. Although it has been shown that this phenomenon may occur in any sector of the population, the interest of our study rests upon determining the prevalence of the perception of violent behavior patterns in relationships between adolescent and young adult couples. We also aim to analyze the differences obtained with respect to the characteristics of the aggressors in the young Afro-Colombian population of Quibdó, Colombia. The participants in the study consisted of 540 young Afro-Colombians of both sexes between 15 and 27 years of age. The instrument used was the reduced version of the Dating Violence Questionnaire. The results show a high level of victimization through violent behavior on the part of the partner, in great measure exercised by generalist aggressors. However, a small proportion could be perceived as abuse. The implications and possible means of intervention are discussed.
The Effect of Work Stress on the Well-Being of Primary and Secondary School Teachers in China
Authors: Liao Jingyi , Wang Xin-Qiang , Wang Xiang
Published: January 2023

Primary and secondary school teachers face increasing work stress, and more attention needs to be paid to their well-being. The present study was conducted to analyze the influence of work stress on the well-being of such teachers in China, and to explore the effects of family–work conflict and a self-transcendent meaning of life. A total of 562 primary and secondary school teachers completed questionnaires assessing work stress, family–work conflict, and a self-transcendent meaning of life (including grasping the meaning of failure and detachment from success or failure) as potential predictors of well-being. Work stress negatively predicted teachers’ well-being; family–work conflict mediated this relationship and a self-transcendent meaning of life moderated it. The results of this study can be used as a reference for education departments seeking to intervene to prevent teachers from developing well-being problems from the perspective of a self-transcendent meaning of life.
Health Risks of Temperature Variability on Hospital Admissions in Cape Town, 2011–2016
Authors: Makunyane Malebo Sephule , Rautenbach Hannes , Sweijd Neville , Botai Joel , Wichmann Janine
Published: January 2023

Epidemiological studies have provided compelling evidence of associations between temperature variability (TV) and health outcomes. However, such studies are limited in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between TV and hospital admissions for cause-specific diseases in South Africa. Hospital admission data for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and respiratory diseases (RD) were obtained from seven private hospitals in Cape Town from 1 January 2011 to 31 October 2016. Meteorological data were obtained from the South African Weather Service (SAWS). A quasi-Poisson regression model was used to investigate the association between TV and health outcomes after controlling for potential effect modifiers. A positive and statistically significant association between TV and hospital admissions for both diseases was observed, even after controlling for the non-linear and delayed effects of daily mean temperature and relative humidity. TV showed the greatest effect on the entire study group when using short lags, 0–2 days for CVD and 0–1 days for RD hospitalisations. However, the elderly were more sensitive to RD hospitalisation and the 15–64 year age group was more sensitive to CVD hospitalisations. Men were more susceptible to hospitalisation than females. The results indicate that more attention should be paid to the effects of temperature variability and change on human health. Furthermore, different weather and climate metrics, such as TV, should be considered in understanding the climate component of the epidemiology of these (and other diseases), especially in light of climate change, where a wider range and extreme climate events are expected to occur in future.
Long-Term Efficacy and Toxicity of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy in Bulky Cervical Cancer
Authors: Wang Yu , Lo Tan-Tzu , Wang Lily , Hsu Shih-Tien , Hwang Sheau-Feng , Lu Chien-Hsing , Sun Lou
Published: January 2023

Treatment of bulky cervical cancer is associated with both high adverse effects and local recurrence rates with traditional box method radiotherapy. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been adopted for the treatment of cervical cancer in order to deliver more precise radiation doses to the target region. We retrospectively enrolled a total of 98 patients with cervical cancer ≥4 cm who completed IMRT and point A-based brachytherapy treatment. The median follow-up time of the cohort was 6.84 years, with the 5-year OS and DFS being 66.33% and 75.12%, respectively. In addition, 7.14% of patients experienced local recurrence, 12.24% had distant recurrence, 6.12% had both local and distant recurrence, and 3.06% had persistent disease. In the univariate analysis, lymph node metastasis, higher creatinine levels, higher initial CA-125 and receiving chemotherapy other than cisplatin were all associated with a worse PFS. A tumor size ≥6 cm was associated with an increased incidence of higher grade of acute diarrhea. Grade 3 late radiation proctitis and cystitis developed in 11.22% and 13.27% of patients, respectively. The local recurrence rates and overall efficiencies were not inferior to other studies involving traditional pelvic external beam radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy. The safety and efficacy of IMRT for bulky cervical cancer were acceptable.
Nurse, Give Me the News! Understanding Support for and Opposition to a COVID-19 Health Screening System
Authors: Gulbransen-Diaz Natalia , Yoo Soojeong , Wang Audrey P.
Published: January 2023

Helping the sick and protecting the vulnerable has long been the credo of the health profession. In response to the coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19 pandemic), hospitals and healthcare institutions have rapidly employed public health measures to mitigate patient and staff infection. This paper investigates staff and visitor responses to the COVID-19 eGate health screening system; a self-service technology (SST) which aims to protect health care workers and facilities from COVID-19. Our study evaluates the in situ deployment of the eGate, and employs a System Usability Scale (SUS) and questionnaire (n = 220) to understand staff and visitor’s acceptance of the eGate. In detailing the themes relevant to those who advocate for the system and those who oppose it, we contribute towards a more detailed understanding of the use and non-use of health-screening SSTs. We conclude with a series of considerations for the design of future interactive screening systems within hospitals.
Virtual Reality and Spatial Augmented Reality for Social Inclusion: The “Includiamoci” Project
Authors: De Luca Valerio , Gatto Carola , Liaci Silvia , Corchia Laura , Chiarello Sofia , Faggiano Federica , Sumerano Giada , De Paolis Lucio Tommaso
Published: January 2023

Extended Reality (XR) technology represents an innovative tool to address the challenges of the present, as it allows for experimentation with new solutions in terms of content creation and its fruition by different types of users. The potential to modulate the experience based on the target audience’s needs and the project’s objectives makes XR suitable for creating new accessibility solutions. The “Includiamoci” project was carried out with the aim of creating workshops on social inclusion through the combination of art and technology. Specifically, the experimentation involved ten young people between the ages of 28 and 50, with cognitive disabilities, who participated in Extended Reality workshops and Art Therapy workshops. In the course of these activities, the outputs obtained were two: a virtual museum, populated by the participants’ works, and a digital set design for a theatrical performance. Through two tests, one on user experience (UX) and one on the degree of well-being, the effectiveness of the entire project was evaluated. In conclusion, the project demonstrated how the adopted solutions were appropriate to the objectives, increasing our knowledge of UX for a target audience with specific user needs and using XR in the context of social inclusion.
Model for Interference Evaluation in 5G Millimeter-Wave Ultra-Dense Network with Location-Aware Beamforming
Authors: Fokin Grigoriy , Volgushev Dmitriy
Published: January 2023

Location-Aware Beamforming (LAB) in Ultra-Dense Networks (UDN) is a breakthrough technology for 5G New Radio (NR) and Beyond 5G (B5G) millimeter wave (mmWave) communication. Directional links with narrow antenna half-power beamwidth (HPBW) and massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) processing systems allows to increase transmitter and receiver gains and thus facilitates to overcome high path loss in mmWave. Well known problem of pencil beamforming (BF) is in construction of precoding vectors at the transmitter and combining vectors at the receiver during directional link establishing and its maintaining. It is complicated by huge antenna array (AA) size and required channel state information (CSI) exchange, which is time consuming for vehicle user equipment (UE). Knowledge of transmitter and receiver location, UE or gNodeB (gNB), could significantly alleviate directional link establishment and space division multiple access (SDMA) implementation. Background of SDMA is in efficient maintenance of affordable level of interference, and the purpose of this research is in signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) evaluation in various 5G UDN scenarios with LAB. The method, used to evaluate SIR, is link level simulation, and results are obtained from publicly released open-source simulator. Contribution of research includes substantiation of allowable UE density, working with LAB. Practical implications include recommendations on terrestrial and angular separation of two UE in 5G UDN scenarios.
Metal Organic Polygons and Polyhedra: Instabilities and Remedies
Authors: Samanta Soumen K.
Published: January 2023

The field of coordination chemistry has undergone rapid transformation from preparation of monometallic complexes to multimetallic complexes. So far numerous multimetallic coordination complexes have been synthesized. Multimetallic coordination complexes with well-defined architectures are often called as metal organic polygons and polyhedra (MOPs). In recent past, MOPs have received tremendous attention due to their potential applicability in various emerging fields. However, the field of coordination chemistry of MOPs often suffer set back due to the instability of coordination complexes particularly in aqueous environment-mostly by aqueous solvent and atmospheric moisture. Accordingly, the fate of the field does not rely only on the water solubilities of newly synthesized MOPs but very much dependent on their stabilities both in solution and solid state. The present review discusses several methodologies to prepare MOPs and investigates their stabilities under various circumstances. Considering the potential applicability of MOPs in sustainable way, several methodologies (remedies) to enhance the stabilities of MOPs are discussed here.
Hydrothermally Synthesized Fluorine Added O3-NaFe1-xMgxO2 Cathodes for Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Alam Mir Waqas , BaQais Amal , Nahvi Insha , Yasin Amina , Mir Tanveer Ahmad , Shajahan Shanavas
Published: January 2023

The development and study of Na ion batteries are expanding. This study employs the hydrothermal technique to produce single-phase, well-crystallized, fluorine-added O3-type NaFe1-xMgxO2. Using XRD, FESEM, and HRTEM, the sample’s phase structure and morphological information were characterized. Initially, without adding fluorine the electrode suffers from poor stability at high voltage ranges and also during long-term cycling. So, fluorine was added to the structure and the electrochemical performance of the material was greatly increased. The electrochemical performance of O3-type positive electrode materials for rechargeable Na ion batteries is evaluated. The capacity of fluorine-added O3-type NaFe1-xMgxO2 is approximately 163 mAh g−1 (50 mA g−1). Adding fluorine to the host structure increases the stability of the electrode, leading to improved electrochemical performance during long-term cycling. The electrochemical results indicate that fluorine-added O3-type NaFe1-xMgxO2 cathode material for cost-effective and environmentally friendly sodium-ion batteries is promising. Fluorine-based electrodes will be a future for Na ion energy storage devices
Longitudinal Assessment of Plasma Syndecan-1 Predicts 60-Day Mortality in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Zhang Quan , Ye Zhan , Bignotti Antonia , Zheng X. Long
Published: January 2023

Background: Endotheliopathy is a common pathologic finding in patients with acute and long COVID-19. It may be associated with disease severity and predispose patients to long-term complications. Plasma levels of a proteoglycan, syndecan-1, are found to be significantly elevated in patients with COVID-19, but its roles in assessing disease severity and predicting long-term outcome are not fully understood. Methods: A total of 124 consecutive hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were prospectively enrolled and blood samples were collected on admission (T1), 3–4 days following treatment (T2), and 1–2 days prior to discharge or death (T3). Plasma levels of syndecan-1 were determined using an immunosorbent assay; various statistical analyses were performed to determine the association between plasma syndecan-1 levels and disease severity or the 60-day mortality rate. Results: Compared with those in the healthy controls, plasma levels of syndecan-1 in patients with critical COVID-19 were significantly higher (p < 0.0001). However, there was no statistically significant difference among patients with different disease severity (p > 0.05), resulting from large individual variability. Longitudinal analysis demonstrated that while the levels fluctuated during hospitalization in all patients, plasma syndecan-1 levels were persistently elevated from baseline in critical COVID-19 patients. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed that elevated plasma levels of syndecan-1 (>260 ng/mL at T1, >1018 ng/mL at T2, and >461 ng/mL at T3) were significantly associated with the 60-day mortality rate. Conclusions: Endotheliopathy, marked by glycocalyx degradation and elevated plasma syndecan-1, occurs in nearly all hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection; elevated plasma syndecan-1 is associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Use of Sewage Sludge for the Substitution of Fine Aggregates for Concrete
Authors: Feitosa Maria C. A. , Ferreira Sílvio R. M. , Delgado João M. P. Q. , Silva Fernando A. N. , Oliveira Joaquim T. R. , Oliveira Pedro E. S. , Azevedo António C.
Published: January 2023

This work analyzes the use of sewage sludge, generated in wastewater treatment plants, as an alternative for small aggregate to be used in concrete. Concrete cylindrical specimens with height h = 20 cm and diameter D = 10 cm were prepared using different amounts of sludge in the substitution of fine aggregates. Portland cement (CP II Z 32 RS cement) was used in all concrete mixtures, and two water-cement ratios and four cement-sludge mixtures were investigated. Compressive strength, sclerometer index, ultrasonic wave transmission velocity, and water absorption capillary tests were performed. The results showed that the use of sewage sludge as a replacement for fine aggregate to produce concrete exhibited a positive effect on both its compressive strength and its capillary water absorption. The results, even preliminary ones, demonstrated that the sludge could be used as an effective replacement for fine aggregate to produce concrete. The replacement of fine aggregate with 5% sewage sludge proved to be the optimal replacement value for the type of sewage sludge investigated.
Four-Dimensional Superimposition Techniques to Compose Dental Dynamic Virtual Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Yuan Ying , Liu Qian , Yang Shuo , He Wulin
Published: January 2023

Four-dimensional virtual patient is a simulation model integrating multiple dynamic data. This study aimed to review the techniques in virtual four-dimensional dental patients. Searches up to November 2022 were performed using the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The studies included were based on the superimposition of two or more digital information types involving at least one dynamic technique. Methodological assessment of the risk of bias was performed according to the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Methods, programs, information, registration techniques, applications, outcomes, and limitations of the virtual patients were analyzed. Twenty-seven full texts were reviewed, including 17 case reports, 10 non-randomized controlled experimental studies, 75 patients, and 3 phantoms. Few studies showed a low risk of bias. Dynamic data included real-time jaw motion, simulated jaw position, and dynamic facial information. Three to five types of information were integrated to create virtual patients based on diverse superimposition methods. Thirteen studies showed acceptable dynamic techniques/models/registration accuracy, whereas 14 studies only introduced the feasibility. The superimposition of stomatognathic data from different information collection devices is feasible for creating dynamic virtual patients. Further studies should focus on analyzing the accuracy of four-dimensional virtual patients and developing a comprehensive system.
Image Analysis Based Evaluation of Print Quality for Inkjet Printed Structures
Authors: Horter Tim , Ruehl Holger , Yang Wenqi , Chiang Yu-Sheng , Glaeser Kerstin , Zimmermann André
Published: January 2023

Inkjet printing for printed electronics is a growing market due to its advantages, including scalability, various usable materials and its digital, pixel based layout design. An important quality factor is the wetting of the ink on the substrate. This article proposes a workflow to evaluate the print quality of specific layouts by means of image analysis. A self-developed image analysis software, which compares a mask with the actual layout, enables a pixel-based analysis of the wetting behavior by the implementation of two parameters called over- and underwetting rate. A comparison of actual and targeted track widths can be performed for the evaluation of different parameters, such as the tested plasma treatment, drop spacing (DS) and substrate temperature. To prove the functionality of the image analyses tool, the print quality of Au structures inkjet printed on cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) substrates was studied experimentally by varying the three previously mentioned parameters. The experimental results showed that the wetting behavior of Au ink deposited on COC substrates influences various line widths differently, leading to higher spreading for smaller line widths. The proposed workflow is suitable for identifying and evaluating multiple tested parameter variations and might be easily adopted for printers for in-process print quality control in industrial manufacturing.
Combining Clinical and Genetic Data to Predict Response to Fingolimod Treatment in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Precision Medicine Approach
Authors: Ferrè Laura , Clarelli Ferdinando , Pignolet Beatrice , Mascia Elisabetta , Frasca Marco , Santoro Silvia , Sorosina Melissa , Bucciarelli Florence , Moiola Lucia , Martinelli Vittorio , Comi Giancarlo , Liblau Roland , Filippi Massimo , Valentini Giorgio , Esposito Federica
Published: January 2023

A personalized approach is strongly advocated for treatment selection in Multiple Sclerosis patients due to the high number of available drugs. Machine learning methods proved to be valuable tools in the context of precision medicine. In the present work, we applied machine learning methods to identify a combined clinical and genetic signature of response to fingolimod that could support the prediction of drug response. Two cohorts of fingolimod-treated patients from Italy and France were enrolled and divided into training, validation, and test set. Random forest training and robust feature selection were performed in the first two sets respectively, and the independent test set was used to evaluate model performance. A genetic-only model and a combined clinical–genetic model were obtained. Overall, 381 patients were classified according to the NEDA-3 criterion at 2 years; we identified a genetic model, including 123 SNPs, that was able to predict fingolimod response with an AUROC= 0.65 in the independent test set. When combining clinical data, the model accuracy increased to an AUROC= 0.71. Integrating clinical and genetic data by means of machine learning methods can help in the prediction of response to fingolimod, even though further studies are required to definitely extend this approach to clinical applications
Increasing Trend in Violence-Related Trauma and Suicide Attempts among Pediatric Trauma Patients: A 6-Year Analysis of Trauma Mechanisms and the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Maina Cecilia , Cioffi Stefano , Altomare Michele , Spota Andrea , Virdis Francesco , Bini Roberto , Ragozzino Roberta , Renzi Federica , Reitano Elisa , Corasaniti Lucia , Macchini Francesco , Chiara Osvaldo , Cimbanassi Stefania
Published: January 2023

Background: Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. During the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19), different trends for pediatric trauma (PT) were described. This study aims to explore the trend over time of PT in our center, also considering the effects of COVID-19, focusing on trauma mechanisms, violence-related trauma (VRT) and intentionality, especially suicide attempts (SAs). Methods: All PT patients accepted at Niguarda Trauma Center (NTC) in Milan from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. We considered demographics and clinical variables and performed descriptive and year comparison analyses. Results: There were 684 cases of PT accepted at NTC: 84 in 2015, 98 in 2016, 125 in 2017, 119 in 2018, 114 in 2019 and 144 in 2020 (p < 0.001), 66.2% male, mean age 9.88 (±5.17). We observed a higher number of traffic-related, fall-related injuries and an increasing trend for VRT and SAs, peaking in 2020. We report an increasing trend over time for head trauma (p = 0.002). The Injury Severity Score did not significantly change. During COVID-19 we recorded a higher number of self-presenting patients with low priority codes. Conclusions: NTC is the adult level I referral trauma center for the Milan urban area with pediatric commitment. During COVID-19, every traumatic emergency was centralized to NCT. In 2020, we observed an increasing trend in SAs and VRT among PT patients. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 restriction could explain this evidence. The long-term effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of the pediatric population should not be underestimated. Focused interventions on psychological support and prevention of SAs and VRT should be implemented, especially during socio-demographic storms such as the last pandemic.
Outcome Analysis of Distal Radius Fracture with Orthosis Versus Cast Immobilization after Palmar Plate Osteosynthesis: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Klopfer Tim , Hemmann Philipp , Rupprecht Verena , Stuby Fabian , Stöckle Ulrich , Meder Adrian
Published: January 2023

Although the benefits of hand orthoses were shown in previous studies, they have not been able to establish themselves in clinical routines. With a focus on patient satisfaction, this study aimed to evaluate the latest generation of hand orthoses after palmar plate osteosynthesis for isolated distal radius fractures in comparison with circular plaster casts. 50 patients (16% dropout rate) were randomly assigned to an orthotic group (immobilization by orthosis, OG) or a control group (immobilization by a plaster cast, CG). Intra-articular fractures were present in 74% of the cases, and unstable AO C3 fractures in 26%. Questionnaires on patient satisfaction, documentation of the time required, clinical scores (DASH, SF-36), range of motion, grip measurements and radiographs were used for evaluation. The OG proved to be equivalent to the plaster treatment in terms of patient satisfaction, and stability of the reduction, as well as clinical scores DASH and SF-36. The OG was even superior in terms of personal hygiene (p = 0.011), handling (p = 0.008) and better adaptability (p = 0.013). Significantly less time was required to apply the orthosis (p < 0.001). In addition to the good results achieved so far, the study showed that the latest generation of orthoses has several advantages over plaster cast therapy, and could therefore become established in everyday clinical practice.
Risk Assessment of Oil and Gas Pipeline Based on Vague Set-Weighted Set Pair Analysis Method
Authors: Bi Aorui , Huang Shuya , Sun Xinguo
Published: January 2023

This study focuses on a risk assessment method for oil and gas pipelines. Oil and gas pipelines are usually constructed in a complex geological environment and are potentially dangerous. Risk assessment is a key step for their safety management. Therefore, the present paper establishes a risk indicator system as the risk assessment foundation, and we propose a risk assessment method to obtain a quantitative assessment result for the pipeline based on set pair analysis (SPA) theory. For the weight values of each indicator in the assessment process, this paper presents a calculation method based on vague sets theory. Then, a pipeline in the Yanchang oilfield was taken as a case study to verify the feasibility of the method, and the final assessment result was 2.911, which meant the pipeline was relatively safe. The method could also obtain the risk level of each indicator, showing that geological conditions, extreme weather, and public safety awareness were particularly unsafe, and service time, pipeline deformation, ground activity, and operation training were relatively unsafe. It is expected that the risk assessment result could provide a reference for pipeline safety management.
Accuracy Analysis of the End-to-End Extraction of Related Named Entities from Russian Drug Review Texts by Modern Approaches Validated on English Biomedical Corpora
Authors: Sboev Alexander , Rybka Roman , Selivanov Anton , Moloshnikov Ivan , Gryaznov Artem , Naumov Alexander , Sboeva Sanna , Rylkov Gleb , Zakirova Soyora
Published: January 2023

An extraction of significant information from Internet sources is an important task of pharmacovigilance due to the need for post-clinical drugs monitoring. This research considers the task of end-to-end recognition of pharmaceutically significant named entities and their relations in texts in natural language. The meaning of “end-to-end” is that both of the tasks are performed within a single process on the “raw” text without annotation. The study is based on the current version of the Russian Drug Review Corpus—a dataset of 3800 review texts from the Russian segment of the Internet. Currently, this is the only corpus in the Russian language appropriate for research of the mentioned type. We estimated the accuracy of the recognition of the pharmaceutically significant entities and their relations in two approaches based on neural-network language models. The first core approach is to sequentially solve tasks of named-entities recognition and relation extraction (the sequential approach). The second one solves both tasks simultaneously with a single neural network (the joint approach). The study includes a comparison of both approaches, along with the hyperparameters selection to maximize resulting accuracy. It is shown that both approaches solve the target task at the same level of accuracy: 52–53% macro-averaged F1-score, which is the current level of accuracy for “end-to-end” tasks on the Russian language. Additionally, the paper presents the results for English open datasets ADE and DDI based on the joint approach, and hyperparameter selection for the modern domain-specific language models. The result is that the achieved accuracies of 84.2% (ADE) and 73.3% (DDI) are comparable or better than other published results for the datasets.
A Semisupervised Concept Drift Adaptation via Prototype-Based Manifold Regularization Approach with Knowledge Transfer
Authors: Muhammad Zaly Shah Muhammad Zafran , Zainal Anazida , Elfadil Eisa Taiseer Abdalla , Albasheer Hashim , Ghaleb Fuad A.
Published: January 2023

Data stream mining deals with processing large amounts of data in nonstationary environments, where the relationship between the data and the labels often changes. Such dynamic relationships make it difficult to design a computationally efficient data stream processing algorithm that is also adaptable to the nonstationarity of the environment. To make the algorithm adaptable to the nonstationarity of the environment, concept drift detectors are attached to detect the changes in the environment by monitoring the error rates and adapting to the environment’s current state. Unfortunately, current approaches to adapt to environmental changes assume that the data stream is fully labeled. Assuming a fully labeled data stream is a flawed assumption as the labeling effort would be too impractical due to the rapid arrival and volume of the data. To address this issue, this study proposes to detect concept drift by anticipating a possible change in the true label in the high confidence prediction region. This study also proposes an ensemble-based concept drift adaptation approach that transfers reliable classifiers to the new concept. The significance of our proposed approach compared to the current baselines is that our approach does not use a performance measur as the drift signal or assume a change in data distribution when concept drift occurs. As a result, our proposed approach can detect concept drift when labeled data are scarce, even when the data distribution remains static. Based on the results, this proposed approach can detect concept drifts and fully supervised data stream mining approaches and performs well on mixed-severity concept drift datasets.
Emerging Use of Vaginal Laser to Treat Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Review
Authors: Jugulytė Nida , Žukienė Guoda , Bartkevičienė Daiva
Published: January 2023

Breast cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and endocrine therapy, can cause earlier and more sudden menopausal symptoms. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is one of the most bothersome side effects of breast cancer treatment, resulting in sexual dysfunction and impaired quality of life. GSM includes genital, urinary, and sexual symptoms. However, alleviating symptoms of GSM for breast cancer survivors may be challenging due to ineffectiveness, contraindications, and low adherence to treatment. The most recent data show the feasibility and safety of vaginal laser to treat GSM for breast cancer survivors. This narrative review provides the aspects of GSM in breast cancer patients, putting the focus on the efficacy and safety of vaginal laser therapy.
Recovery of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Excess Sludge Using High-Flux Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes
Authors: Cao Da-Qi , Liu Xiao-Dan , Han Jia-Lin , Zhang Wen-Yu , Hao Xiao-Di , Iritani Eiji , Katagiri Nobuyuki
Published: January 2023

The recycling of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) from excess sludge in wastewater treatment plants has received increasing attention in recent years. Although membrane separation has great potential for use in EPS concentration and recovery, conventional membranes tend to exhibit low water flux and high energy consumption. Herein, electrospun nanofiber membranes (ENMs) were fabricated using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and used for the recovery of EPSs extracted from the excess sludge using the cation exchange resin (CER) method. The fabricated ENM containing 14 wt.% PVDF showed excellent properties, with a high average water flux (376.8 L/(m2·h)) and an excellent EPS recovery rate (94.1%) in the dead-end filtration of a 1.0 g/L EPS solution at 20 kPa. The ENMs displayed excellent mechanical strength, antifouling properties, and high reusability after five recycles. The filtration pressure had a negligible effect on the average EPS recovery rate and water flux. The novel dead-end filtration with an EPS filter cake on the ENM surface was effective in removing heavy-metal ions, with the removal rates of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cr6+ being 89.5%, 73.5%, and 74.6%, respectively. These results indicate the potential of nanofiber membranes for use in effective concentration and recycling of EPSs via membrane separation.
Reduction of Ultrafiltration Membrane Fouling by the Pretreatment Removal of Emerging Pollutants: A Review
Authors: Zhang Jianguo , Li Gaotian , Yuan Xingcheng , Li Panpan , Yu Yongfa , Yang Weihua , Zhao Shuang
Published: January 2023

Ultrafiltration (UF) processes exhibit high removal efficiencies for suspended solids and organic macromolecules, while UF membrane fouling is the biggest obstacle affecting the wide application of UF technology. To solve this problem, various pretreatment measures, including coagulation, adsorption, and advanced oxidation, for application prior to UF processes have been proposed and applied in actual water treatment processes. Previously, researchers mainly focused on the contribution of natural macromolecular pollutants to UF membrane fouling, while the mechanisms of the influence of emerging pollutants (EPs) in UF processes (such as antibiotics, microplastics, antibiotic resistance genes, etc.) on membrane fouling still need to be determined. This review introduces the removal efficiency and separation mechanism for EPs for pretreatments combined with UF membrane separation technology and evaluates the degree of membrane fouling based on the UF membrane’s materials/pores and the structural characteristics of the cake layer. This paper shows that the current membrane separation process should be actively developed with the aim of overcoming specific problems in order to meet the technical requirements for the efficient separation of EPs.