bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of ZrO2 Additive on Microstructure, Magnetic Properties, and Temperature Dependence of the Initial Permeability of LiTiZn Ferrite Ceramics
Authors: Malyshev Andrey , Petrova Anna B. , Surzhikov Anatoly P. 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The effect of the diamagnetic ZrO2 addition on the microstructure and magnetic properties of LiTiZn ferrite ceramics, including the shape and parameters of the temperature dependence of the initial permeability, has been investigated. The defect structure of ferrite ceramic samples is assessed according to our earlier proposed method based on mathematical treatment of the experimental temperature dependencies of the initial permeability. The method is recommended for defects monitoring of soft ferrite ceramics and ferrite products. It was found that the defect structure of ferrite ceramics increased by 350% with an increase in the concentration of the ZrO2 additive in the range of (0–0.5) wt.%. In this case, for the same samples, the increase in the true physical broadening of reflections is only 20%, and the coercive force by 50%. Simultaneously, the maximum of the experimental temperature dependence of the initial permeability dropped by 45%. The microstructure of all samples is characterized with a similar average grain size according to the SEM data. However, samples with the 0.5wt.% of ZrO2 are characterized by the formation of conglomerates. A linear relationship was obtained between the defect structure and the width of the reflections, which indicates that this parameter is related to the elastic stress of ferrite ceramics.
Transvaginal Ultrasound-indicated Cervical Cerclage Versus Vaginal Progesterone in Singleton Women with a Short Cervical Length: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Liu Yijun , Cao Tiantian , Zeng Shuai , Chen Ruixin , Liu Xinghui , He Lei 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Introduction: Cervical cerclage and vaginal progesterone are two primary methods for preventing preterm birth. However, their effectiveness in preventing singleton pregnancies with a short cervical length is unclear. We compared the effects of cervical cerclage and vaginal progesterone on the mother and neonate in asymptomatic singleton pregnancies in women with a cervical length between 10–30 mm.Material and Methods: Asymptomatic singleton pregnant women with a cervical length of 10–30 mm, measured using transvaginal ultrasound at 12–26 weeks of gestation, who delivered at our hospital were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was preterm birth at <37, 34, 32, and 28 weeks of gestation. The secondary outcome measures were neonatal mortality, latency period from diagnosis to delivery, hemorrhage during delivery, birth weight, and cesarean delivery.Results: In the unadjusted analysis, the number of preterm births was significantly higher in the cerclage group than in the vaginal progesterone group. After multivariate adjustment for confounding factors, this relationship narrowed. The latency period from diagnosis to delivery was significantly prolonged.Conclusions: Cervical cerclage showed no benefit over vaginal progesterone in preventing preterm birth. However, it prolonged gestational age by 39 days compared to vaginal progesterone treatment.
Impacts of traverse speed and material thickness in abrasive waterjet contour cutting of Austenitic stainless steel AISI 304L
Authors: llanto Jennifer , Tolouei-Rad Majid , Vafadar Ana , Aamir Muhammad 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Austenitic stainless steel 304L (AISI304L), of varied thickness, is widely used in the fabrication industry and in many cases, it requires contour machining for achieving intricate profiles. Abrasive water jet machine is a proficient alternative for machining difficult-to-cut, reflective, conductive, and heat-sensitive materials such as austenitic stainless steel with complex geometries. However, due to differences in machining responses for varied material conditions, the abrasive waterjet machine experiences challenges such as kerf geometric inaccuracy and low material removal rate. In this study, an abrasive waterjet machine is employed to perform contour cutting of different profiles to investigate the impacts of traverse speed and material thickness in achieving a lower kerf taper angle and higher material removal rate. Experimental results show that all profiles encountered a similar trend of obtaining higher kerf taper angle and material removal rate as traverse speed increased. Analysis of variance revealed that material thickness denotes a more significant impact to kerf taper angle and material removal rate with a contribution within the range of 69%-91% and 62-69% respectively; whereas traverse speed indicates the least contributing factor within the range of 5%-18% in kerf taper angle and 27%-36% for material removal rate.
Analysis of Influencing Factors of Community Management of Diabetes Based on Adaptive-Lasso Logistic Regression Model: A Community-based Study
Authors: Lin Wei , Tian Yang , Khoja Adeel , Zhao Xuan , Hu Peng , Zheng Mingyue 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background This study aimed to analyse which influencing factors may be more effective to achieve diabetes management targets in the community by the adaptive-lasso logistic regression model. Methods A cross-sectional study (N=1,127) was adopted to establish the adaptive-lasso logistic regression model of influencing factors for community management based on multi-stage cluster sampling data among patients with diabetes in China. Patient’s fasting blood glucose level, blood pressure, and triglycerides was collected. Results Overall, 90.6% of included people had a fasting glucose level higher than 6.1mol/L, and 9.4% of them were below 6.1mol/L. By cross-validation, after folding eight times, the variables involved in the adaptive lasso-logistic regression model include age, education level, main source of income, marital status, average monthly income, free medical service, basic medical insurance for residents, hospital history, number of follow-up evaluations by family doctor team, voluntary participation in community blood glucose measurement. The Akaike Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion of adaptive lasso-logistic regression model were 1980 and 2021, which were lower than the full-variable logistic model (2041, 2245) and the ridge logistic model (2043, 2348). The adaptive-lasso logistic regression model was better than the other two models regarding time cost.Conclusions The adaptive-lasso logistic regression model can analyse the influencing factors of community management in patients with diabetes. Community intervention and intensive management measures can significantly improve the blood glucose status of patients with diabetes.
A Novel Automatic Platform Based on Nanostructured Microfluidic Chip for Isolating and Identification of Circulating Tumor Cells
Authors: Jou Hei-Jen , Chou Li-Yun , Chang Wen-Chun , Ho Hsin-Cheng , Zhang Wan-Ting , Ling Pei-Ying , Tsai Ko-Hsin , Chen Tze-Ho , Chen Szu-Hua , Lo Pei-Hsuan , Chen Ming , Hsu Heng-Tung 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Circulating tumor cell (CTC) is commonly used as biomarker for early detection, prognostication, decision making, and evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. Unfortunately, the poor reproducibility and limited sensitivity with the CTC detection have limited its potential impact on clinical management. A reliable automated CTC detection system is therefore needed. We have designed an automated microfluidic chip-based CTC detection system consisting of three main parts: V-BioChip, Cell RevealTM enrichment and staining system, and an automatic scanning and locating system. We hypothesized this novel system can reliably detect CTC from clinical specimens. SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell line was used first to test the reliability of our system. Ten healthy volunteers, 5 patients with benign ovarian tumors, and 8 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) were recruited after obtaining written consents to validate the CTC capturing efficacy in the peripheral blood. The capture rates for spiking test in SKOV3 cells were as 48.3% and 89.6% using EpCAM antibody alone and a combined EpCAM antibody and N-cadherin antibody, respectively. The system was sensitive to detection of low cell count and showed a linear relationship with the cell counts in our test range. The sensitivity and specificity were 62.5% and 100% when CTC was used as a biomarker for EOC. Our results demonstrated that this automatic CTC platform has a high capture rate and is feasible for detection of CTCs in EOC.
A Substitutional Clinical Nomogram Model for Medical Thoracoscopy to Identify Tuberculous Pleural Effusion
Authors: Guo Jie-Ru , Zhang Jing , Wu Xian-Li , Huang Zan-Sheng , Zhang Ming-Zhou , Fu Wan-Lei , Wang Ping , Fan Ye 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background: Tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) is one of the most prevalent causes of exudative pleural effusion. As it is curable, early diagnosis is essential. Nevertheless, direct examination is not so sensitive while thoracoscopy is invasive and resource-demanding.Objective: To seek a less-invasive but also cost-effective substitute for medical thoracoscopy to identify TPE. Methods: We retrospectively collected 662 patients with pleural effusions who have undergone thoracoscopy as the training cohort, developed a predictive model and then validated it in another independent cohort. Independent predictor was screened by univariate analysis, feature selection and multivariate logistic regression. A predictive nomogram model was then established and evaluated by calibration, discrimination and clinical values. A standard model with a pleural adenosine deaminase (plADA) cut-off value at 40 IU/L was applied for comparison.Results: A lower plADA threshold at 24.5 IU/L was identified to discriminate TPE from other etiologies. Furthermore, serum tumor marker CA153 and Cyfra21.1, pleural lactic acid dehydrogenase and pleural interstitial cells were also identified as independent predictors (p<0.05) in multivariate logistic regression. The multivariate nomogram model presented good calibration, discrimination and clinical values, superior to the standard model. Excellent discrimination was demonstrated by the Harrell’s concordance index of 0.993 in the training cohort and 0.968 in the validation cohort. Furthermore, decision curve analysis demonstrated that the multivariate nomogram model added more benefit to patients with TPE.Conclusion: A multivariate nomogram model involved biochemical examinations and thoracentesis performed well in TPE clinical diagnosis among undetermined pleural effusions with approximate efficacy to medical thoracoscopy.
Triassic Low Temperature Hydrothermal Activities(LTHA) From the Ordos Basin of Northern China
Authors: You Jiyuan , Liu Yiqun , Zhou Dingwu , Yang Yiyao 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Because few well-preserved hydrothermal channels have been found in terrestrial sedimentary rocks, research on LTHA in geological history is relatively sparse. In this study, we present our original discovery of “hydrothermal channels” from the Chang 7 source rocks of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin, China, and provide the best evidence for deciphering LTHA preserved in the geological record (i.e., sedimentary rocks). Three possible LTHA samples (i.e., samples 1551.6, 1551.6-2 and 1574.4) were collected for this study; they were interbedded with mudstones and oil shales, indicative of a deep-lake sedimentary environment. All three samples consist mainly of anhydrite, pyrite, and dolomite with the formation of mineral zoning across the walls of these structures, suggesting a sulfate-dominated stage and a carbonate-sulfide replacement stage. Moreover, their in situ geochemistry is characterized by high Eu, U, Th, Sr, Mn and U/Th ratios, which are typical indicators of hydrothermal vents. In addition, their S isotopes range from 7.89% to 10.88%, the magmatic sulfur accounted for approximately 94.3%, implying a possible magmatic trigger for these hydrothermal channels. All this evidence shows that the Triassic sedimentary rocks of the Ordos Basin probably contain LTHA. Comparing ancient LTHA to modern hydrothermal chimneys, we should note the important implications of LTHA; their formation mechanism may have been related to oil production, and they are possible indicators for future oil investigations. Further, they have great significance for studying the hydrothermal properties of primary dolomite.
Developing a Novel Parameter-free Optimization Algorithm for Flood Routing
Authors: Bozorg-Haddad Omid , Sarzaeim Parisa , Loáiciga Hugo A. 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The Muskingum model is a popular hydrologic flood routing method; however, the accurate estimation of Muskingum model parameters is a critical task in the successful and precise implementation of flood routing. Evolutionary and metaheuristic optimization algorithms (EMOAs) are well suited for parameter estimation associated with various complex models including the nonlinear Muskingum model. Among EMOAs, teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) is a relatively new parameterless metaheuristic optimization algorithm, inspired by the relationship between teacher and students in a classroom to improve the overall knowledge of a topic in a class. This paper presents an application of TLBO to estimate Muskingum model parameters by minimizing the prediction error of outflow measurements. Several examples evaluate and confirm the successful performance of TLBO for the estimation of Muskingum-routing parameters precisely. The results show TLBO-Muskingum’s high accuracy for estimating accurately Muskingum’s parameters based on the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) to evaluate the TLBO’s predictive skill with benchmark problems.
Serum Midkine: Emerging Biomarker for Detection and Prognosis of Non-small Lung Cancer
Authors: Stern Louisa , Mueller Erik , Bellon Eugen , Reeh Matthias , Grotelueschen Rainer , Guengor Cenap , Melling Nathaniel , Goetz Mara , Perez Daniel , Izbicki Jakob , Rawnaq-Möllers Tamina , Ghadban Tarik 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause for cancer-related deaths in men and women worldwide. Sufficient screening tools enabling early diagnosis are essential to improve patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum midkine (S-MK) both as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This single-center analysis included 59 NSCLC patients counting 30 squamous cell cancers and 29 adenocarcinomas. Preoperative S-MK concentration was determined using ELISA. Patients were followed up to five years. S-MK was found to be significantly overexpressed in patients with NSCLC compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). The discriminative power of S-MK to differentiate NSCLC subjects from controls was fairly high with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.83 (p < 0.001). Optimal sensitivity of 92 % and reasonable specificity of 68% was reached at a threshold of 416 pg/ml S-MK. Patients with high S-MK concentration showed a significantly shorter overall survival compared to patients with low S-MK expression (p < 0.05). In conclusion, S-MK is overexpressed in patients with NSCLC and serves as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. S-MK may thus be considered as an additional non-invasive biomarker not only for NSCLC screening but also for outcome prediction.
Auditory Exostosis in Australian Warm Water Surfers: a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Simas Vini , Hing Wayne , Rathbone Evelyne , Pope Rodney , Climstein Mike 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
BackgroundSurfing is a popular sport in Australia, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the population. External auditory exostosis (EAE), also referred to as surfer’s ear, is recognized as a potentially serious complication of surfing. Cold water (water temperature below 19⁰C) is a commonly cited risk factor, with prevalence of EAE in cold water surfers ranging from 61 to 80 percent.However, there is a paucity of studies reporting the prevalence of EAE in surfers exposed to water temperatures above 19⁰C. With mean water temperature ranging from 19°C to 28°C, the Gold Coast region of Australia provides the ideal environment to assess the main goal of this study: to assess the prevalence and severity of EAE in warm water surfers.MethodsEligible participants were surfers living and surfing on the Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia). Currently active surfers over 18 years of age, surfing year-round, with a minimum of five consecutive years of surfing experience were recruited to participate. Included individuals were asked to complete a questionnaire and underwent bilateral otoscopy.ResultsA total of 85 surfers were included, with mean age 52.1 years (standard deviation [SD] ±12.6 years) and mean surfing experience of 35.5 years (SD ±14.7 years). Nearly two-thirds of participants (65.9%) had regular otological symptoms, most commonly water trapping (66%), hearing loss (48.2%), and cerumen impaction (35.7%). Less than one-fifth of the surfers (17.7%) reported regular use of protective equipment for EAE. The overall prevalence of exostosis was 71.8%, with most of the individuals having bilateral lesions (59%) and a mild grade (grade 1, 47.5%). There was insufficient evidence for any significant associations between the main outcomes (presence and severity of EAE) and factors related to age, surfing experience, winter exposure, surfing ability, symptoms, and use of protective equipment.ConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study assessing EAE in surfers exposed to warm waters (above 19oC). The prevalence of 71.8% highlights the high prevalence of the condition in the surfing population, regardless of water temperature. Future research should focus on ways to prevent EAE.
Study on Compound Mode Crack Propagation Law of Semi Circular Arch Roadway Under Impact Load
Authors: Li Chengxiao , Yang Renshu , Zhang Yuantong , An Chen 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Various kinds of defects are usually contained in the underground roadway. When the roadway is impacted by external load, the location of defects will influence the roadway with different degrees. In order to study the effect of the location of defects on crack propagation in roadway, in this paper, the stress wave produced by the bullet impacting the incident rod was used as the impact load. Meanwhile, the variations of speed, displacement and dynamic stress intensity factor (DSIF) of cracks, during crack propagation, were obtained by using the experimental system of digital laser dynamic caustics (DLDC). And the extended finite element software ABAQUS is used for numerical simulation. Based on the method of experimental-numerical simulation, the crack propagation path is verified and the impact fracture behavior of semi-circular arch roadway with different defect positions is presented. It can be concluded that when the prefabricated crack is located at the central axis of sample, the crack propagation belongs to pure mode I; when the prefabricated crack is 5mm away from the central axis, the crack propagation appears between mode I and I-II mixed mode alternately; when the prefabricated crack is at the edge of semi-circular arch roadway, the crack propagation follows I-II mixed mode
Highly Viscoelastic, Stretchable, Conductive, and Self-Healing Strain Sensors based on Cellulose Nanofibers-Reinforced Polyacrylic Acid Hydrogel
Authors: Jiao Yue , Lu Kaiyue , Lu Ya , Yue Yiying , Xu Xinwu , Xiao Huining , Li Jian , Han Jingquan 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Conductive and self-healing hydrogels are among the emerging materials that mimic the human skin and are important due to their probable prospects in soft robots and wearable electronics. However, the mechanical properties of the hydrogel matrix limit their applications. In this study, we developed a physicochemically dual cross-linked chemically modified-cellulose nanofibers-carbon nanotubes/polyacrylic acid (TOCNF-CNTs/PAA) hydrogel. The TOCNFs acted both as a nanofiller and dispersant to increase the mechanical strength of the PAA matrix and break the agglomerates of the CNTs. The final self-healing and conductive TOCNF-CNTs/PAA-0.7 (mass ratio of CNTs to AA) hydrogel with a uniform texture exhibited highly intrinsic stretchability (breaking elongation to ca. 850%), enhanced tensile properties (ca. 59kPa), ideal conductivity (ca. 2.88S·m− 1) and pressure sensitivity. Besides, the composite hydrogels achieved up to approximately 98.36% and 99.99% self-healing efficiency for mechanical and electrical properties, respectively, without any external stimuli. Therefore, the as-designed multi-functional self-healing hydrogels, combined with stretching, sensitivity, and repeatability, possess the ability to monitor human activity and develop multifunctional, advanced, and commercial products such as wearable strain sensors, health monitors, and smart robots.
Association of Lung CT Findings in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) With Patients' Age, Body Weight, Vital Sings and Medical Regimen
Authors: Al-Shudifat Abdel-Ellah , Al-Radaideh Ali , Hammad Shatha , Hijjawi Nawal , Baker Shaden Abu- , Azab Mohammed , Tayyem Reema 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
COVID-19 spread quickly in Jordan in the past few months. Many changes have been observed in lungs of COVID-19 patients which required their hospitalization. So far, many studies have been conducted on the epidemiological features of COVID-19 illness; however, the evidence regarding the pathological influence on lungs is still lacking. Therefore, the main aim of the present study was to detect the possible association between lung computed tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 and patients' age, body weight, vital sings, and medical regimen. The present cross-sectional study enrolled 230 COVID-19 patients in Prince Hamza Hospital in Jordan. Demographic data as well as major lung CT scan changes were obtained from the hospital records of the COVID-19 patients. The main observed major lung changes among the enrolled COVID-19 patients included ground glass opacification in 47(15.2%) patients and consolidation in 22(7.1%) patients. The higher percentage of patients with major lung changes (24%) was observed among patients above 60 years old, while (50%) of patients with no changes in their lung’s findings in the age group of 18-29 years old. Results obtained from the present study showed that only patients with major CT lung changes (9.7%) were prescribed more than three antibiotics. Additionally, 41.6 % patients with major lung CT scan changes had either dry (31.0%) or productive (10.6%) cough at the admission. Several predictors of lung CT scan changes have been detected in this study including age, BMI, medications, severity of symptoms, and cough at admission.