bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Knee Scores of Patients with Non‐Lateral Compartmental Knee Osteoarthritis Undergoing Mobile, Fixed‐Bearing Unicompartmental Knee and Total Knee Arthroplasties: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wu Li‐ping , Mayr Hermann O , Zhang Xing , Huang Yuan‐qiao , Chen Yuan‐zhuang , Li Yu‐ming 
Published: December 2021

ObjectiveTo evaluate knee scores and clinical efficacies of patients with non‐lateral unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis (OA) who randomly underwent mobile‐bearing (MB) unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), fixed‐bearing (FB) UKA, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).MethodsFrom September 2015 to February 2017, a prospective, randomized, parallel, single‐center trial of 180 patients (78 males and 102 females; 63.3 ± 6.9 years) with non‐lateral compartmental knee OA was performed in the first author‐affiliated hospital. The patients were randomly divided into three groups (each group included 60 patients) and received medial cemented Oxford phase 3 MB UKA, medial cemented Link FB UKA, or cemented DePuy Sigma PFC TKA, respectively. A similar perioperative management and fast‐track surgery program was carried out for all patients. The knee scores at 3‐year follow‐up after operation and clinical efficacies of these three groups of patients were recorded, investigated, and compared.ResultsPrimarily, compared to the TKA group, the UKA groups (MB UKA and FB UKA) had shorter operative time (median 63.2 < 67.1 min), less bleeding (8.6 < 30.0 mL), earlier resumption of walking without crutches (3.0 < 8.0 days) and walking up and down the stairs (5.0 < 10.0 days) (P < 0.001), higher FJS scores (78.0 > 74.5) (P = 0.007), better results in all knee scores (except VAS and KSS function scores) (P < 0.05), and a larger maximum flexion angle of the knee at the 3‐year follow‐up (123.0° > 96.0°) (P = 0.001). Secondarily, compared to the TKA group, the MB UKA group showed better results in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities index (WOMAC) stiffness (83.6 > 79.6), WOMAC total (86.3 > 83.2), Oxford knee score (OKS) (20.0 < 23.0), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) (78.5 > 74.5), and a larger maximum flexion angle of the knee (123.0 > 96.0) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the FB UKA group showed higher Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Score (HSS) (91.0 > 88.5), WOMAC stiffness (84.3 > 79.6), WOMAC function (85.2 > 81.7), WOMAC total scores (87.6 > 83.2), and a larger maximum flexion angle of the knee (119.0° > 96.0°) than the TKA group (P < 0.05). Overall, there was no significant difference in all knee scores and maximum flexion angles of the knee for the MB UKA and FB UKA groups (P > 0.05). There was one case with original bearing dislocation in MB UKA group. One patient with displacement of the femoral component caused by a fall injury, and another patient, who lost his life in a car accident, were involved in the FB UKA group. There was an infection case and an intermuscular vein thrombosis case in TKA group.ConclusionUKA showed more advantages than TKA; however, there was no significant difference between the MB UKA and FB UKA groups for treatment of non‐lateral compartmental knee OA.
Stover return and nitrogen application affect soil organic carbon and nitrogen in a double‐season maize field
Authors: Liu Y. X. , Pan Y. Q. , Yang L. , Ahmad S. , Zhou X. B. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACT

Cultivation techniques have an important influence on grain yield of maize. This experiment investigated the effect of stover return (SR) and different nitrogen (N) application rate on soil organic carbon (SOC) composition, soil nutrient and maize yield.

Different nitrogen application rate 100 (N100), 150 (N150), 200 (N200), 250 (N250) or 300 (N300) kg ha−1 applied to the maize field with stover return and without stover return traditional planting (TP) method.

Nitrogen application rate and stover return affected the SOC, labile organic carbon (LOC), microbial biomass (MBC), NO3−‐N, NH4+‐N and maize yield. Soil N, soil carbon content and maize yield of SR were all higher than TP. The SOC content of SR and TP were 9.67 and 9.19 g kg−1, respectively. Nitrogen application was significantly and positively correlated with soil MBC, LOC, SOC, NO3−‐N, NH4+‐N and yield. The maximum values of SOC composition, soil nutrients and maize yield were reached at SR with 250 kg ha−1.

Stover return with application of N 250 kg ha−1 significantly increased the growth attribute and maize yield in subtropical region compared with traditional planting.
Recent developments in male fertility evaluation, sperm cryopreservation and artificial fertilisation, and their potential application to decapod crustacean aquaculture
Authors: Aquino Jon Irish Legaspi , Elliott Lisa , Zeng Chaoshu , Paris Damien B.B.P. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractTo maximise productivity, a better understanding of the underlying causes of subfertility that lead to inferior offspring and high mortality is imperative. In decapod crustaceans, most research has focused on female reproductive performance, with little attention given to male fertility. Paternal genetic contribution is critical to both successful embryonic and post‐embryonic development. Assessment of sperm quality can be a direct method to determine male subfertility in decapods. Sperm quality parameters such as sperm concentration and morphology have traditionally been used to determine male reproductive performance, but these procedures are time‐consuming and can only assess a limited number of sperm cells and males. Alternative diagnostic biomarkers used widely in humans and other mammals could be adapted to decapod crustaceans and may be more indicative of sperm fertilisation competence and male reproductive performance. These predictive biomarkers use fluorescent cellular dyes and high‐throughput flow cytometry or computer‐assisted sperm microscopic analysis to evaluate sperm viability, mitochondrial function, acrosome reaction and DNA fragmentation. This review examines current and advanced biomarkers to evaluate sperm quality and further explores state‐of‐the‐art procedures of sperm cryopreservation (conventional vs. vitrification techniques) and artificial fertilisation in decapod crustaceans. Sperm freezing coupled with artificial fertilisation in decapods permits the long‐term storage, controlled timing and selection of individuals for reproduction. Collectively, these tools can be applied to commercial broodstock management to improve productivity and accelerate selective breeding in the crustacean aquaculture industry.
Investigating the well‐being implications of mobile money access and usage from a multidimensional perspective
Authors: Sakyi‐Nyarko Carlos , Ahmad Ahmad Hassan , Green Christopher J. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractUsing household survey data gleaned from Ghana, we carried out a microeconometric analysis of the relationship between mobile money (m‐money) and multidimensional well‐being. A key feature of this paper is the computation of a well‐being index, incorporating important household welfare dimensions including health, education, and wealth, thus allowing an examination of the link between m‐money and well‐being from a multidimensional perspective. Using instrumental variable probit models with phone ownership and public sector employment as instruments, we find that although access to m‐money is important it is its usage that has a profound well‐being effect. We also explore alternative specifications of the models in which access to, and usage of, m‐money explains the variations in the individual well‐being components, which also relate to the Sustainable Development Goals. The results from these alternative specifications suggest that there are significant welfare disparities between those who just have access to m‐money and those who use it frequently. The policy implication of this finding is that measures that encourage m‐money usage would not only promote financial inclusion but also lead to improvement in welfare outcomes and living standards, especially in rural households.
Sibling caring roles and responsibilities when a child suffers from a chronic illness
Authors: Hilário Ana Patrícia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSiblings' lives and well‐being are potentially affected in profound ways when their brother or sister suffers from a chronic illness in childhood. The shift in the care of chronically ill children from the hospital to the home in recent years has had an impact on family relationships and interactions. Whilst studies on caregiving have focused on the parental care of children who are chronically ill; siblings may nevertheless take on some caring roles and responsibilities. This article intends to make a novel contribution to the sociological literature on siblings, caring, and chronic illness by presenting a review of the literature addressing siblings' caring roles and responsibilities in families of children with a chronic illness. Knowing about the caring roles and responsibilities undertaken by siblings when a brother or sister has a chronic illness, may be beneficial to healthcare professionals and influence their caring practice. In addition, this work may contribute to a better understanding of family relationships and further improve healthcare policies.
A prospective interventional study to assess the impact of a ‘structured compact training’ on knowledge and skills of safe blood transfusion practices among nurses working in a tertiary care institute
Authors: Malhotra Sheetal , Negi Gita , Sharma Suresh Kumar , Kaur Ravneet 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionThere is scarce information on the baseline knowledge and practices of nursing officers in relation to administration of blood components. We set out to evaluate the influence of training on their knowledge and skills through Kirkpatrick's levels of Training Evaluation.Materials and MethodsThis interventional cross sectional study of 7 months duration conducted in a tertiary care teaching institute involved 200 nursing officers. Hundred were assigned to study/intervention group and 100 were assigned to control/ comparison group by systematic random sampling. Knowledge was tested in different domains—blood components, pre‐transfusion checks, transfusion process, post‐transfusion process and blood administration practice.ResultsThe baseline knowledge scores of intervention and control group were similar—15.16 ± 4.11 and 15.02 ± 4.75 (p = 0.831). Post‐intervention (phase I) after 1 month, the scores improved significantly for domain A, B, C, D and E to 4.3 ± 2.21 (p = 0.0001), 3.46 ± 2.15 (p = 0.0001), 7.02 ± 3.55 (p = 0.0001), 2.51 ± 1.46 (p = 0.0012), and 5.86 ± 3.61 (p = 0.0018) respectively. In phase II, after 3 months of training, and the scores were significantly better from baseline for all domains except E. For domain A, B, C, D and E, scores were 3.82 ± 2.46 (p = 0.0001), 3.53 ± 1.98 (p = 0.0001), 7.38 ± 3.87 (p = 0.0001), 2.48 ± 1.55 (p = 0.0035), and 5.86 ± 3.61 (p = 0.95) respectively.ConclusionsOur study showed that baseline scores were low in the nursing officers. No significant difference was found in baseline scores in subject and control population. However, post‐intervention, a significant improvement in scores was observed in the study group across all domains.
Neurogenic keratoconjunctivitis sicca in 34 dogs: A case series
Authors: Galley Amy P. , Beltran Elsa , Tetas Pont Roser 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the clinical findings, imaging features, underlying conditions, treatment, and progression of dogs presented between 2010 and 2019 with neurogenic keratoconjunctivitis sicca (NKCS).MethodsDogs diagnosed with NKCS were searched in the clinical database. Inclusion criteria were STT‐1 readings <15 mm/min, clinical signs of KCS with concurrent ipsilateral xeromycteria.ResultsThirty‐four cases were identified. Mean age at presentation was 8.2 years, median 8.9 years (0.3–14.7). Twenty dogs were male, and 14 dogs were female. Concurrent neurological deficits included facial neuropathy (n = 13, 38%), peripheral vestibular syndrome (n = 10, 29%), and Horner's syndrome (n = 5, 15%). Advanced imaging was acquired in 53% of cases (n = 18). Etiologies included idiopathic (n = 18, 53%), endocrinopathy (n = 6, 18%), otitis interna (n = 4, 12%), head trauma (n = 3, 9%), iatrogenic (post‐TECA‐LBO, n = 1, 3%), brainstem mass (n = 1, 3%), and an area of inflammation in the pterygopalatine fossa (n = 1, 3%). Treatment for NKCS was initiated in most cases (n = 30, 88%) including: oral pilocarpine 2% and lacrimostimulant (n = 19), oral pilocarpine 2% only (n = 3), or lacrimostimulant only (n = 8). A mean time follow‐up of 3.7 months, median 3 months (1–14) was available in 23 cases (68%). Eleven cases with follow‐up were responsive (48%) with resolution of the clinical signs in a median time 4 months (1–10), and all of them were treated with oral pilocarpine (±lacrimostimulant).ConclusionsMost cases presented as idiopathic NKCS; in others, an underlying cause of facial neuropathy was identified. All responsive cases were treated with oral pilocarpine 2%.
Sensitivity Analysis of the Levelized Cost of Electricity for a Particle-Based Concentrating Solar Power System
Authors: González-Portillo Luis F. , Albrecht Kevin J. , Sment Jeremy , Mills Brantley , Ho Clifford K. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
This study presents a sensitivity analysis of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for a particle-based system with the costs of the most current components. New models for the primary heat exchanger, thermal energy storage, and tower are presented and used to establish lower and upper bounds for these three components. The rest of component costs such as particle cost, cavity cost, and lift cost are set to lower and upper bounds estimating an uncertainty between 25% and 50%. Other relevant parameters related to lift and storage performance are also included in the analysis with the same uncertainty. This study also includes an upgrade to the receiver model by including the wind effect in the efficiency, which was not included in previous publications and may have a big impact in the system design. A parametric analysis shows the optimum values of solar multiple, storage hours, tower height, and concentration ratio, and a probabilistic analysis provides a cumulative distribution function for a range of LCOE values. The results show that the LCOE could be below $0.06/kWh with a probability of between 80% and 90%, where the costs of primary heat exchanger, particles, and lifts have largest contribution to the variance of the LCOE.
Correlating Time-Resolved Pressure Measurements With Rim Sealing Effectiveness for Real-Time Turbine Health Monitoring
Authors: DeShong Eric T. , Peters Benjamin , Berdanier Reid A. , Thole Karen A. , Paynabar Kamran , Gebraeel Nagi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPurge flow is bled from the upstream compressor and supplied to the under-platform region to prevent hot main gas path ingress that damages vulnerable under-platform hardware components. A majority of turbine rim seal research has sought to identify methods of improving sealing technologies and understanding the physical mechanisms that drive ingress. While these studies directly support the design and analysis of advanced rim seal geometries and purge flow systems, the studies are limited in their applicability to real-time monitoring required for condition-based operation and maintenance. As operational hours increase for in-service engines, this lack of rim seal performance feedback results in progressive degradation of sealing effectiveness, thereby leading to reduced hardware life. To address this need for rim seal performance monitoring, this study utilizes measurements from a one-stage turbine research facility operating with true-scale engine hardware at engine-relevant conditions. Time-resolved pressure measurements collected from the rim seal region are regressed with sealing effectiveness through the use of common machine learning techniques to provide real-time feedback of sealing effectiveness. Two modeling approaches are presented that use a single sensor to predict sealing effectiveness accurately over a range of two turbine operating conditions. Results show that an initial purely data-driven model can be further improved using domain knowledge of relevant turbine operations, which yields sealing effectiveness predictions within 3% of measured values.
Nonequilibrium Thermal Fluctuations of Flow in Thermal Systems
Authors: Li Wei 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Fouling is detrimental to the heat transfer performance of concentrated solar power plant components where heat exchange takes place with the cooling tower water. Wave elements cause an expression of deep insight of the fouling formation. A new physical concept of wave element is proposed; it is the wave interface between two molecule groups with an infinitesimal temperature difference in fluid. It is generated by density difference, which results from temperature difference. Tiny temperature differences always exist everywhere in a fluid. When a fluid is in motion, wave elements are generated among molecule groups. Wave motion and Brownian motion can serve as the two basic forms of motion of the molecules in flow. Temperature controls Brownian motion. Temperature differences and the fluid's motion cause the wave elements. Nonequilibrium thermal fluctuations present as wave elements in a flow. A wave element appears as wave behavior along the space and time dimensions that are based on the continuity relation. The direct experimental evidence for wave elements cannot be directly established at the present scientific testing cap ability because the temperature difference of two molecule groups adjoining each other in a flow is infinitesimal. A series of “enlarged size” experiments are conducted involving the cooling tower water fouling to show the wave elements’ behaviors by tracing the molecules’ movement. The experimental study presents that the wave interface along the space and time dimensions simultaneously exists between two densities due to fluid motion. The experimental evidence and theoretical analysis support each other.
Nanocracks upon Fracture of Oligoclase
Authors: Vettegren V. I. , Ponomarev A. V. , Mamalimov R. I. , Shcherbakov I. P. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract—The spectrum of fractoluminescence (FL) upon fracture of the surface of oligoclase is obtained. The analysis of the spectrum has shown that fracture of crystals leads to the formation of electronically excited free radicals ≡Si−O• and Fe3• ions as well as electron traps. FL consisted of a set of the signals with the intensities varying by an order of magnitude. The duration of the signals was ~50 ns and the time interval between them varied from ~0.1 to 1 μs. Each signal contained four maxima associated with the destruction of barriers preventing the motion of dislocations along the sliding planes. These breakthroughs cause the formation of the smallest (“primary”) cracks. All other, larger cracks are formed by the coalescence of the “primary” cracks. The sizes of “primary” cracks range from ~10 to 20 nm and the time of their formation is 16 ns. The distribution of cracks by size (surface areas of crack walls) is power law with the exponent –1.9.
Reducing carbon footprint of inhalers: analysis of climate and clinical implications of different scenarios in five European countries
Authors: Pernigotti Daniele , Stonham Carol , Panigone Sara , Sandri Federica , Ferri Rossella , Unal Yasemin , Roche Nicolas 
Published: December 2021

BackgroundInhaled therapies are key components of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatments. Although the use of pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) accounts for <0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, their contribution to global warming has been debated and efforts are underway to reduce the carbon footprint of pMDIs. Our aim was to establish the extent to which different scenarios led to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions associated with inhaler use, and their clinical implications.MethodsWe conducted a series of scenario analyses using asthma and COPD inhaler usage data from 2019 to model carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions over a 10-year period (2020–2030) in the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain: switching propellant-driven pMDIs for propellant-free dry-powder inhalers (DPIs)/soft mist inhalers (SMIs); transitioning to low global warming potential (GWP) propellant (hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-152a) pMDIs; reducing short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) use; and inhaler recycling.ResultsTransition to low-GWP pMDIs and forced switching to DPI/SMIs (excluding SABA inhalers) would reduce annual CO2e emissions by 68%–84% and 64%–71%, respectively, but with different clinical implications. Emission reductions would be greatest (82%–89%) with transition of both maintenance and SABA inhalers to low-GWP propellant. Only minimising SABA inhaler use would reduce CO2e emissions by 17%–48%. Although significant greenhouse gas emission reductions would be achieved with high rates of end-of-life recycling (81%–87% of the inhalers), transition to a low-GWP propellant would still result in greater reductions.ConclusionsWhile the absolute contribution of pMDIs to global warming is very small, substantial reductions in the carbon footprint of pMDIs can be achieved with transition to low-GWP propellant (HFA-152a) inhalers. This approach outperforms the substitution of pMDIs with DPI/SMIs while preserving patient access and choice, which are essential for optimising treatment and outcomes. These findings require confirmation in independent studies.