bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Generation Interval from the Incidence Rate, the Optimal Quarantine Duration and the Efficiency of Fast Switching Periodic Protocols for Coronavirus (COVID- 19) Disease
Authors: Lippiello Eugenio , Petrillo Giuseppe , de Arcangelis Lucilla 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The transmissibility of an infectious disease is usually quantified in terms of the reproduction number Rt representing, at a given time, the average number of secondary cases caused by an infected individual. Recent studies have enlightened the central role played by w(z), the distribution of generation times z, namely the time between successive infections in a transmission chain. In standard approaches this quantity is usually substituted by the distribution of serial intervals, which is obtained by contact tracing after measuring the time between onset of symptoms in successive cases. Unfortunately, this substitution can cause important biases in the estimate of Rt. Here we present a novel method which allows one to simultaneously obtain the optimal functional form of w(z) together with the daily evolution of Rt , over the course of an epidemic. The method uses, as only information, the daily series of incidence rate and thus overcomes biases present in standard approaches. We apply our method to one year of data from COVID-19 officially reported cases in the 21 Italian regions, since the first confirmed case on February 2020. We find that w(z) has mean value z̄≃6 days with a standard deviation σ≃1 day, for all Italian regions, and these values are stable even if one considers only the first 10 days of data recording. This indicates that an estimate of the most relevant transmission parameters can be already available in the early stage of a pandemic. We use this information to obtain the optimal quarantine duration and to demonstrate that, in the case of COVID-19, post-lockdown mitigation policies, such as fast periodic switching and/or alternating quarantine, can be very efficient.
Association between low eosinophil count and mortality in SARS-COV-2 infection on the 70+, a discussed observation
Authors: Baudouin Edouard , Kosowki Jill , Mesinele Lea , Pujol Tom , Brunetti Nicoletta , Colas Marion , Neiss Marie , Simon Pauline , Trivalle Christophe , Tiramine Soraya , Laraaj Fahd , Vetillard Anne-Laure , Houenou-Quenum Nadège , Souques Cecile , Verdier Sébastien , Houdre Julie , Sorrel-Dejerine Adrien , Sanchez Joge , Jean-Sebastien Vidal , Guichardon Magali , Jean-Emmanuel Kahn , Collarino Rocca , Duron Emmanuelle 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background: Biological COVID-19 abnormalities are varied (lymphopenia, high levels of blood inflammatory markers, …). Regarding physiological immune responses, eosinophils were for a long time thought to be mainly against extra-cellular pathogen like helminthes. It has recently been pointed out that they appear to play a part in recognition of virus and to have the capacity to perform direct action against viruses. This study aimed to seek for an association between eosinophils count < 10 /mm3 and mortality in an older adults suffering from COVID-19 hospitalized in a specific geriatric ward. Methods: This observational retrospective study was conducted in a French geriatric ward from March 17 to April 18, 2020. All 118 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 over 70 yo in acute stay care were enrolled. Patients with a treatment or a condition which could interfere with eosinophil count were excluded. Results: No statistical difference was found between surviving or deceased patient regarding age (mean age (SD): 87 years (7)) and sex (34% of males). Differences for the most frequent acute events were statically different: Quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score was ≥ 2 at admission for 23% in the survivor group vs 72% in the deceased (p < .001); acute kidney injury concerned 17% of the survivors vs. 69% of the decease (p< .001). Eosinophil count < 10/mm3 was significantly associated with mortality (OR (95% CI)) = 3.54 (1.23-11.4) after adjustment on age, gender, and activity of daily living.Conclusion: Low eosinophil count (< 10/mm3) seems to be associated with mortality on older adults. Due to the specific physiological ageing process of the immune system, this calls to explore more globally the impact of inflammaging and immunosenescence on SARS-CoV-2 infection in this population.
Influence of Spatial Characteristics of Green Spaces on Microclimate: A Case Study in Suzhou Industrial Park, China
Authors: Xiao Xiangdong , Zhang Lulu , Xiong Yimei 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Continuous urban development leads to urban heat island effects. Research suggests that urban green spaces can help effectively reduce urban heat island effects in the summer. Previous studies have mainly focused on the influence of different underlying surfaces on air cooling and humidification. There is a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between park structure and microclimatic effects. Here, we examined the main landscape parameters of green spaces in 15 parks located in Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) with a subtropical maritime monsoon climate zone during the summer to analyze their influence on the microclimate. The average cooling and humidifying effect of medium-size green spaces was most significant during high-temperature hours in the daytime. When the distance to a water body was the same, the average cooling and humidifying effect ranked as follows: large-size green space > small-size green space > medium-size green space. We explored the mechanisms of the local cooling and humidifying effects of woodland and water areas in parks by numerical simulations. The significance of the cooling and humidifying effects of water areas of different shapes was as follows: annular water > massive water > banded water. This confirmed that the shape and size of water areas within a green space has a significant influence on local cooling and humidification.
Are preoperative oral antibiotics effective in reducing the incidence of anastomotic leakage after Colorectal cancer surgery: Study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, randomized controlled study
Authors: Gao Rui Qi , Wang WeiDong , Yu PengFei , Mo ZhenChang , Dong DanSheng , Yang XiSheng , Li XiaoHua , Ji Gang 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Introduction The optimal preoperative preparation for elective colorectal cancer surgery has been debated in academic circles for decades. Previously, many expert teams have conducted studies on whether preoperative mechanical bowel preparation and preoperative oral antibiotics can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, such as surgical site infections and anastomotic leakage. Most of the results of these studies have suggested that preoperative mechanical bowel preparation for elective colon surgery has no significant effect on the occurrence of surgical site infections and anastomotic leakage. Methods/design This study will examine whether oral antibiotic bowel preparation (OABP) influences the incidence of anastomotic leakage after surgery in a prospective, multicentre, randomized controlled trial that will enrol 1500 patients who need colon surgery. The primary endpoint, incidence of anastomotic leakage, is based on 2.3% in the OABP ± mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) group in the study by Morris et al. The patients will be randomized (1:1) into two groups: the test group will be given antibiotics (both neomycin 1 g and metronidazole 1 g) the day before surgery, and the control group will not have any special intestinal preparation before surgery, including oral antibiotics or mechanical intestinal preparation. All study-related clinical data, such as general patient information, past medical history, laboratory examination, imaging results, and surgery details, will be recorded before surgery and during the time of hospitalization. The occurrence of postoperative fistulas, including anastomotic leakage, will be recorded as the main severe postoperative adverse event and will represent the primary endpoint. Ethics and dissemination Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee at the Chinese Ethics Committee of Registering Clinical Trials(ChiECRCT20200173). The results of this study will be disseminated at several research conferences and as published articles in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration: ChiCTR2000035550. Registered on 13 Aug 2020.
Numerical solution for initial and boundary value problems of high-order ordinary differential equations using Hermite neural network algorithm with improved extreme learning machine
Authors: Lu Yanfei , Weng Futian , Sun Hongli 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
In this paper we put forth Hermite neural network (HNN) algorithm with improved extreme learning machine (IELM) to solve initial/boundary value problems of high-order ordinary differential equation(ODEs) and high-order system of ordinary differential equations (SODEs). The model function was expressed as a sum of two terms, where the first term contains no adjustable parameters but satisfies the initial/boundary conditions, the second term involved a single-layered neural network structure with IELM and Hermite basis functions to be trained. The approximate solution is presented in closed form by means of HNN algorithm, whose parameters are obtained by solving a system of linear equations utilizing IELM, which reduces the complexity of the problem. Numerical results demonstrate that the method is effective and reliable for solving high-order ODEs and high-order SODEs with initial and boundary conditions.Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) 34A30 ; 65D15
Immediate Newborn Care Practice and Associated Factors Among Newborns Delivered at Public Health Facilities of Debre Markos Town, North West Ethiopia
Authors: Fantahun Firehiwot , Tura Gurmessa , Habtamu Abebe , Oljira Rut 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background: About 47% of under-five deaths occurred in the first month of life. Even though under-five mortality declines globally, death is more concentrated in the first days of life. This provides a clue to focus more on immediate newborn care than ever before. Therefore, this study aimed to assess level of immediate newborn care practice and associated factors among newborns delivered at public health facilities in Debre Markos Town, North West Ethiopia from March 28 to May 27, 2020. Methods: Facility based cross sectional study with quantitative and qualitative methods were used. For the quantitative study a total of 286 mothers with their newborns were included. For the qualitative study 10 key-informants were interviewed. Pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaires and observational checklists were used for the data collection. Collected data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1, and exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression were done. Independent variables with a P-value of ≤ 0.25 in bivariable analysis were considered as candidate for multivariable analysis. P-value < 0.05 was used as cut off point for presence of statistical significance in the multi-variable model. Goodness of fit test was checked using Hosmer and Lemeshow test. Results: The level of immediate newborn care practice was 76.9% [(95% CI = (72.0-82.0)].History of ANC follow up(AOR=3.36;95%CI:1.50,7.53), mother’s knowledge on immediate newborn care(AOR=5.29;95%:2.00,14.00), birth-preparedness of the mother(AOR=7.80;95%:3.36,18.06) and availability of drugs, equipment and materials(AOR=6.79;95%CI:3.05,15.12) were found to be independent predictors of the level of immediate newborn care practices.Conclusion: In this study, the level of immediate newborn care practices among newborn neonates was found to be unsatisfactory compared to the national target. So it is important to promote immediate newborn care through adequate supply of essential drugs and equipment, counseling and education on immediate newborn care, promotion of birth preparedness activity and strengthen ANC service for all pregnant women.
Efficacy of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Cough-suppression Therapy to Reduce Urinary Incontinence in Women With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – a Randomised Controlled Study
Authors: Haukeland-Parker Stacey , Frisk Bente , Spruit Martijn A , Stafne Signe Nilssen , Johannessen Hege Hølmo 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known regarding treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) or cough-suppression techniques (CST) on UI in women with COPD.MethodsA three armed, two centred, single blinded, randomised controlled study was performed. Subjects were randomised to a) PFMT for 16 weeks, b) 2-3 educational sessions in CST, or c) written information only. All participants completed questionnaires about UI, cough symptoms and health status, and underwent clinical examinations to evaluate strength of the pelvic floor muscles and exercise capacity. Daily physical activity levels were measured using an activity monitor, and lung function with spirometry. With a significance level of 5% and an 80% chance of detecting a significant difference between groups of 2.5 points on the ICIQ UI SF score, our sample size calculation showed that a total of 78 women, 26 in each group, was required to complete the study. ResultsDuring the period 2016 to 2018, 95 women were invited to the study. A total of 42 were recruited, 3 were excluded and 10 (24%) dropped out during the follow-up period. Mean ICIQ-UI SF total baseline score was 9.6 (range: 1-17) and 7.0 (range: 0-16) at follow up. Significant changes in subjective UI as measured with the ICIQ-UI SF questionnaire were seen in the PFMT group (p=0.03) and control group (p=0.02), but not in the CST group (p=0.46).Conclusionue to the low number of available participants and recruitment difficulties including practical issues such as travel distance, lack of interest, poor state of health and high number of comorbidities, our results are inconclusive. However, reduced subjective UI was observed in the PFMT and control groups with a trend towards best effect in the PFMT group. Screening for UI is advisable in all women with COPD to be able to identify and treat these women to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life. Future studies should focus on barriers to recruitment as well as randomised controlled studies with larger sample sizes. Trial registration﻿The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02614105).
Associations Between Uncertainty and Self-Care Ability Among Chinese Enterostomy Patients: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Huang Lijie , Wang Feijie , Zhang Hongmei , Zhang Haixin , Chang Xiaoxia , Jiang Hongxia , Chu Yinping , Wang Lu , Zhen Yuling 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Purpose The relationship between uncertainty and self-care behaviors is well documented in the literature, however, there exists a paucity of information on the mediating effect of perceived stress on the relationship between uncertainty and self-care ability among enterostomy patients. This study aimed to examine the relationship between uncertainty and self-care ability among enterostomy patients, and explore the mediating role of perceived stress.Methods 462 enterostomy patients aged (60.00 ± 12.81) years old participated in the study. Cross-sectional study was conducted among them by a set of self-administered questionnaires, which includes demographic information, perceived stress scale, illness uncertainty scale, and ostomy self-care ability scale. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore the role of perceived stress between Uncertainty and self-care ability, structural equation modeling was used to verify it.Results 450 participants finally completely finished the research, with the recycling rate of 97.4%. Uncertainty was demonstrated positively related to perceived stress(r = 0.215, P < 0.01), and negatively related to self-care ability(r=-0.470, P < 0.01), perceived stress was negatively related to self-care ability(r=-0.640, P < 0.01). Perceived stress played a partially mediating role between Uncertainty and self-care ability, which accounted 40.8 % of the total effect.Conclusions The findings present a conceptual model containing the mediated effects of perceived stress, which facilitated our understanding of the relationship among uncertainty, perceived stress, and self-care ability. Thus, perceived stress and uncertainty should be the focus, in order to improve self-care ability of the enterostomy patients.
Development and Testing of “Is Lung Cancer Screening for You?”: A Computer-Based Decision Aid
Authors: Owens Otis L , McDonnell Karen Kane , Newsome Brandi R , Humphrey Mark E 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Purpose

To reduce lung cancer mortality, individuals at high risk should receive a low-dose computed tomography screening annually. To increase the likelihood of screening, interventions that promote shared decision-making are needed. The goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, usability, and preliminary effectiveness of a computer-based decision aid.
Methods

Thirty-three participants were recruited through primary-care clinics in a small southeastern-US city. Participants used a computer-based decision aid (“Is Lung Cancer Screening for You?”) during a clinic appointment. Paper surveys collected self-reported feasibility, acceptability, and usability data. A research coordinator was present to observe each patient’s and health-care provider’s interactions, and to assess the fidelity of shared decision-making.
Results

The decision aid was feasible, acceptable for use in a clinic setting, and easy for participants to use. Patients had low decisional conflict following use of the decision aid and had high screening intention and actual screening rates. Shared decision-making discussions using the decision aid were nearly 6 minutes on average.
Conclusion

Computer-based decision aids are feasible for promoting shared lung cancer–screening decisions. A more robust study is warranted to measure the added value of a computer-based version of this aid versus a paper-based aid.
Toughen and Strengthen Alginate Fiber by Incorporation of Polyethylene Glycol Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystals
Authors: Wang Yaqi , Chen Hang , Cui Li , Tu Chao , Yan Chao 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Alginate fibers have great potential in many applications, such as medical dressings, surgical sutures, and masks, etc. owing to their good biocompatibility and other properties. However, for alginate fibers prepared by wet spinning, the fibers have disadvantages such as low strength, poor toughness, and brittleness. Herein, a simple, scalable, and cost-effective blending spinning strategy was developed to produce the alginate composite fibers with excellent mechanical properties. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were incorporated directly in the wet spinning solution to improve its strength, wherein the CNCs were prepared from waste cotton fabrics. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular chain was grafted onto the CNC surface to be used as a plasticizer while increasing the dispersibility of CNCs in alginate matrix. It was worth noting that modification of alginate fibers with PEG grafted cellulose nanocrystals (CNC-g-PEG) enhanced the tensile strength and elongation at break, simultaneously. In addition, the CNC-g-PEG modified alginate fibers exhibited improved salt tolerance and reduced water absorbency. This work may make high-value utilization of waste cotton fabrics, and pave the way for the development of high-performance, green alginate fibers.
Hurst Exponent-Based Nonlinear Analysis for the Identification of Arrhythmia-Affected Cardiac Systems
Authors: Maji Chiranjit , Sengupta Pratyay , Batabyal Anandi , Chaudhuri Hirok 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The stochastic nature of the human heart, a complex biological system, is evident from electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, which are weak, non-linear and non-stationary signals. These temporal variations of electromagnetic pulses emanated from the heart are instrumental in indicating the cardiac health. The Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) technique was employed in order to decompose a total of 64 ECG signal data of arrhythmic and normal subjects, obtained from widely used MIT-BIH databases, into a finite number of Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). The rationale behind using this strategy was to extract non-linear features of ECG signals which are not explicitly expressed, while keeping the original signal unaltered. Following removal of non-stationary noises from the ECG signals by the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter, popular non-linear parameter Hurst Exponent (H) was estimated for every IMF by employing the R/S technique. A distinct difference between H values of 1st IMFs between normal individuals and arrhythmia affected patients was identified. This observation was further validated through an age-based and gender-based analysis, which demonstrated a unique alteration pattern with age. The study showed 94.92% probability in detection of arrhythmia in a patient. Adopting this EMD-based procedure for ECG data analysis and disease prediction may assist in reducing our dependence on intuition-based diagnosis of ECG reports by medical practitioners and may provide novel insights into the functioning of the human heart which might help develop new biomedical strategies to combat cardiac disorders.
Establishment of Reference Intervals For Serum Liver Function Tests Among Healthy Elderly Population In Northeast China: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Sun Zeyu , Chai Jiatong , Zhou Qi , Xu Jiancheng 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background: Liver function changes with age, however, there are few studies that are specific for the elderly. This study is aimed to establish reference intervals (RIs) of serum liver function tests among healthy elderly population aged between 60-89 in northeast China.Methods: Subjects were colleted from laboratory information system (LIS) in the First Hospital of Jilin University. The following parameters were collected: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP) albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL). Tukey method was used to eliminate outliers. The Harris and Boyd method and Mann-Whitney U-test were performed to evaluate significant differences between subgroups of sex and age. The lambda-mu-sigma (LMS) method was used to analyze the dynamic changes of analytes. RIs were established by the non-parametric method.Results: A total of 23597 healthy individuals, including 20048 subjects (18-59 years old) and 3549 subjects (60-89 years old) were enrolled in the study. AST, ALT, TP and ALB required no sex partition. Except for AST, ALP and TBIL, ALT, GGT, TP, ALB and DBIL required different levels of age partitions. Serum ALT and ALB levels decreased with age, ALB showed apparent decreases throughout the aging process. DBIL showed an increase trend over time. This study showed different results compared with RIs in other studies.Conclusions: The RIs for liver function tests among healthy elderly population were different from those of other young individuals. There were apparent sex or age differences in the RIs of liver function for the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to establish sex- and age-specific RIs of serum liver function tests among elderly population.