bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating the potential of bubbling and ultrasonic processes in reducing the fouling of the ultrafiltration membrane during the purification of raw sugar beet syrup
Authors: Soleymani Mostafa , Hakimzadeh Vahid , Noghabi Mostafa Shahidi , Arianfar Akram 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Effective removal of impurities and appropriate decolorization in raw or thin beet juice are considered as important processes to obtain premium sugar industrially. Environmentally friendly processes, such as membrane processes, have the potential to replace some old processes in the sugar industry completely or partially. However, membrane fouling and flux reduction are important challenges facing this process. One of the methods to reduce fouling and improve the flux is bubble generation or cavitation in the inlet flow to create a turbulent flow and as a result reduce the concentration polarization. In this research, the injection of nitrogen gas along with ultrasound was used in the raw beet syrup inlet stream during its purification by ultrafiltration to investigate the efficiency of the membrane such as the improvement of the permeate flux, fouling, membrane resistance and the refining properties of the filtrated syrup. During the bubbling, by increasing the amount of nitrogen gas from 0.5 to 1.5 Lit/min, the permeate flux improved and the overall membrane fouling decreased. This reduction was more evident in the continuous gasification than in the interrupted method. Also, the results showed that the continuous gasification caused a slight disturbance in the purification properties such as purity, color and turbidity due to the improvement of the permeate flux. Furthermore, the results showed that the application of the ultrasonic process in the pulse form simultaneously with the gassing process could put the flux in a higher and more stable state than the gassing state alone during the ultrafiltration process.
Rumen DNA virome and its relationship with feed efficiency in dairy cows
Authors: Liu Xiaohan , Tang Yifan , Chen Hongyi , Liu Jian-Xin , Sun Hui-Zeng 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
There are numerous viruses in the rumen that interact with other microorganisms, which play crucial roles in regulating rumen environmental metabolism. However, the knowledge of rumen viruses is limited, and their relationship with production traits (e.g., feed efficiency) has not been reported. In this study, we combined next-generation sequencing (NGS) and HiFi sequencing to investigate the rumen DNA virome and reveal the potential mechanisms of how viruses influence feed efficiency in dairy cows.
Results
Compared with NGS, HiFi sequencing improved the length, completeness, and resolution of viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) obviously. A total of 6,922 vOTUs were recruited, including 4,716 lytic and 1,961 temperate vOTUs. At family level, lytic viruses were mainly composed of Siphoviridae (30.35%) and Schitoviridae (23.93%), while temperate viruses were predominantly Siphoviridae (67.21%). A total of 2,382 auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were annotated, which involved in the pathways of carbon metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, energy metabolism, etc. A total of 2,232 vOTU-hMAG (host metagenome-assembled genome) linkages were predicted, with Firmicutes_A (33.60%) and Bacteroidota (33.24%) being the most common host at phylum level. Differential viruses were detected between high and low feed efficiency groups at the family, genus and species levels (P < 0.05). By integrating differential viruses, vOTU-hMAG linkages and AMGs, two pathways have been proposed for how rumen viruses affect feed efficiency in dairy cows: 1) lytic viruses lyse host related to cattle phenotypes, such as vOTU1836 can lyse Ruminococcaceae that have a positive effect on organic acids, and 2) AMG-mediated modulation of host metabolism, for example, GT2 carried by vOTU0897 may enhance the fermentation capacity of Lachnosopraceae to produce more organic acids.
Conclusions
Overall, we constructed a rumen DNA virome profile of Holstein dairy cows, showing the structural and functional composition of rumen viruses, the roles of AMGs carried by vOTUs and the linkages between vOTUs and their hosts. By integrating the above information, we proposed potential mechanisms through which rumen viruses influence feed efficiency in dairy cows, providing new insights into the regulation of feed digestion and nutrient utilization in dairy cows.
Comparison of the accuracy of 99mTC-MDP and 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis
Authors: Xu Houwei , Tang Ting , Yin Zhiliang , Qu Jia , Geng Yao , Zhong Xuemei , Chen Lu 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
There is a lack of effective imaging tools for the clinical confirmation of chronic osteomyelitisis. At present, there are few studies/reports on the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis by nuclear medicine at home and abroad. In this study, we retrospectively observed the accuracy of 99mTC-MDP and 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis and explored the clinical value of the two nuclear medicine imaging modalities for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis.
Methods
Patients who underwent 99mTC-MDP or 99mTC-SC bone scan imaging with surgical treatment for suspected chronic osteomyelitisis in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. They were categorized into the 99mTC-MDP group and 99mTC-SC group according to their bone scan imaging modality. The bone scan results were also compared with the postoperative pathology and culture results to clarify the accuracy of the two imaging modalities.
Results
A total of 72 patients were included, including 38 patients in the 99mTC-MDP group and 34 patients in the 99mTC-SC group. A total of 51 patients were diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitisis. Bone scanning imaging in the 99mTC-MDP group showed positive results in 29 cases and negative results in 9 cases, consistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 24 cases and inconsistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 14 cases. Bone scanning imaging in the 99mTC-SC group showed positive results in 27 cases and negative results in 7 cases, consistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 29 cases and inconsistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 5 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, misdiagnosis rate, leakage rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 99mTC-MDP bone scan for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis were 80% (20/25), 30.77% (4/13), 69.23% (9/13), 20% (5/25), 68.97% (20/29), and 44.44% (4/9), respectively, 63.16% (24/38); the sensitivity, specificity, misdiagnosis rate, leakage rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 99mTC-SC bone scan for diagnosing chronic osteomyelitisis were 92.31% (24/26), 62.5% (5/8), 37.5% (3/8), 7.69% (2/26), and 88.89% (24/27), respectively, 71.43% (5/7), 85.29% (29/34). The accuracy of the two tests by chi-square test (2) was 2 = 8.25, P < 0.05, so 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging was more accurate than 99mTC-MDP bone scanning imaging in diagnosing chronic osteomyelitisis.
Conclusion
Based on the current results, 99mTC-SC has a higher diagnostic accuracy for chronic osteomyelitisis than 99mTC-MDP bone scan imaging.
Shedding Light on Diagnostic Precision: GANs for Low Light Endoscopy Image Enhancements
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Song Hong , Zia Muhammad Azam , Ali Sajid , Awwad Emad Mahrous , Ghadi Yazeed Yasin , Al-Razgan Muna , Bhatti Uzair Aslam , Talpur Kazim Raza , Talpur Bandeh Ali 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Understanding and identifying polyps in their early stages is crucial, and computerized diagnostic systems can significantly boost the effectiveness of screening through a large volume of endoscopy images. To achieve this, it's essential to enhance the quality of these images. In our research, we employ a well-established model called CycleGAN, introduced by Zhu et al. , which utilizes Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The CycleGAN model is trained on a diverse natural image database called RAISE and then tested on low illuminance endoscopy images from the Kvasir dataset, specifically created for polyp segmentation. Since there's no established ground truth for low illuminance endoscopy images, we use the non-reference Naturalness Image Quality Evaluator (NIQE) parameter to evaluate the quality of the generated high illuminance images in comparison to their low illuminance counterparts. Our main focus is to showcase how this image enhancement technique can be a valuable preprocessing step to avoid missing polyp detection during subsequent image analysis. Both visual observations and quantitative results suggest that our proposed method has the potential to effectively enhance endoscopic images analysis, contributing to an overall improvement in accuracy when it comes to polyp detection.
Retrospective comparison of local anesthesia for mandibular molars: articaine buccal infiltration vs. lidocaine intraosseous anesthesia
Authors: Yoon Ji-Young , Park Damin , Ku Jeong-Kui 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Objectives
It is vital to identify more efficient anesthesia techniques for restorative or endodontic treatments of mandibular molars. Both articaine buccal infiltration anesthesia (ABI) and lidocaine inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia (LIANB) may not provide profound anesthesia, necessitating supplementary anesthesia. This study aims to investigate whether lidocaine intraosseous (LIO) injection, compared to ABI, is suitable for primary anesthesia for caries treatments of mandibular molars.
Materials and Methods
This study retrospectively analyzed on patients for the treatment of advanced caries corresponding to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) 5 and 6. The study involved 48 patients, split evenly between those receiving ABI and LIO, examining anesthesia success rate, pain during anesthesia, onset time, duration, and lower lip numbness, with data analyzed using Chi-square and Independent T-tests.
Results
In the ABI group, 17 individuals (70.8%) did not require additional anesthesia, whereas all 24 individuals (100%) in the LIO group did not require additional anesthesia (P<.001). ABI showed significantly higher pain during anesthesia, slower onset time, and longer duration of anesthesia compared to LIO. There was no significant difference in lower lip numbness between the two anesthesia methods.
Conclusions
For treating severe caries in mandibular molars, intraosseous anesthesia using lidocaine is more effective for its higher success rate, decreased pain during anesthesia, faster onset, and shorter recovery time.
Clinical Relevance
The findings of this study suggest that LIO may be considered as a primary anesthesia method for mandibular molar caries treatments in clinical practice, providing beneficial effects for patients.
Effect of the number of layers of multilayer graphene synthesized by ultrasonic exfoliation method on the electrode performance of SiO anode
Authors: Ajiki Yoshiharu , Sakamoto Taichi , Ikeuch Yuta N. , Yamashita Naoto , Mukai Takashi 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

In this study, multilayer graphene produced by ultrasonic crushing method was applied as a conductive aid for SiO anode. The SiO anode with multilayer graphene was superior in all cycle, high-rate charge, and high-rate discharge properties, although the resistivity of the active material layer was slightly higher than that with conventional AB. These properties are understood to be due not only to the electronic conductivity of graphene, but also to effects based on its shape. Comparing two types of multilayer graphene with different number of layers produced by the same manufacturing method, it was confirmed that the graphene with fewer layers was superior in cycle(Sustain initial capacity in XP), high-rate-of-charge(after 2.0C charge capacitance in XP is 1.5 times larger than that of AB), and high-rate-of-discharge properties e(after 2.0C discharge capacitance in XP is 1.3 times larger than that of AB). This may be due to the difference in the number of conductive paths formed within the active material layer due to the difference in the number of graphene particles per weight.
Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Translation of the 7-item Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire among a sample of Arabic-speaking adults
Authors: Awad Emmanuelle , Malaeb Diana , Alhuwailah Amthal , Helmy Mai , Barakat Muna , Hallit Rabih , El-Khatib Sami , Rahal Mohamad , Rabbani Syed Arman , Alzayer Reem , Farrag Nada H. , Hajjar Rita El , Mallouh Jinan , Hallit Souheil , Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Obeid Sahar 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background: Intrusive thoughts represent undesirable cognitive activity that can cause distress, and occurs in individuals with and without psychological disorders. In order to deal with unwanted interrupting thoughts, individuals might consciously stop the flow of such cognitions in an attempt to stop through suppression, or unconsciously avoid intrusive thoughts automatically through repression. This study aimed to psychometrically evaluate and validate the Arabic translation of the 7-item Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire (EBRIQ) among a sample of Arabic-speaking adults.
Methods: Using the snowball sampling technique, participants (n=755) were adults from five Arab countries (Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait), who completed the Arabic translation of the Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire. To examine the factor structure of the EBRIQ, we conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis using the data from the total sample.
Results: A total of 755 participants filled the survey. CFA indicated that fit of the one-factor model of EBRIQ scores was modest. Internal reliability was excellent (ω = .96; α = .96). No significant difference was found in terms of EBRIQ scores between males (M = 10.37, SD = 7.80) and females (M= 10.52, SD = 7.99) in the total sample, t(753) = -.22, p = .830. The highest EBRIQ scores were found in Jordanian participants (12.55 ± 6.94), followed by Emirati (12.23 ± 8.20), Lebanese (11.12 ± 7.69), Egyptian (8.96 ± 8.05) and Kuwaiti (8.20 ± 7.75) participants, F(4, 750) = 10.36, p < .001.
Conclusion: This study suggests that our Arabic translation of the EBRIQ is psychometrically proven to be reliable for use. This validated tool will allow researchers and practitioners to assess emotions and behaviors related to intrusive thoughts.
CircSorbs1 regulates myocardial regeneration and reduces Cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity through the Mir-99/GATA4 pathway
Authors: Huang Kang , Huang Denggao , Li Qiang , Zeng Jiangting , Qin Ting , Zhong Jianghua , Zhong Zanrui , Lu Shijuan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Due to the cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity, heart failure following cancer therapy has a significant mortality rate. Gene-targeted therapy promotes the re-entry of existing cardiomyocytes into the cell cycle to achieve myocardial regeneration, which is a promising strategy for preventing and treating heart failure after myocardial infarction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are considered as potential targets for myocardial regeneration due to their strong stability, resistance to degradation, and potential role in heart development and cardiovascular diseases. By comparing the myocardial tissue of mice in the sham operation group and the cancer therapy group(CT), we observed a significant increase in Cirsorbs expression in the MI group. Cirsorbs was predominantly localized in cardiomyocytes and exhibited high conservation. Subsequent investigations revealed that Cirsorbs could promote myocardial proliferation and inhibit myocardial apoptosis. Mechanistic studies further demonstrated that Cirsorbs could bind to miR99 and reduce its expression level. Meanwhile, miR99 was found to bind to GATA4 mRNA and decrease its expression level. The binding of Cirsorbs to miR99 alleviated the repression of miR99, thereby enhancing GATA4 expression and the transcription of downstream cyclin A2 and cyclin E1. This, in turn, increased cardiomyocyte proliferation and reduced apoptosis. In conclusion, Cirsorbs holds promise as an effective target for myocardial regeneration in reducing cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity.
The impact of remimazolam on hypoxemia in elderly patients undergoing bronchoscopy: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Ma Dongmei , Li Li , Han Fuyi , Chen Ping , He Jiannan , Xu Jianhong 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a complex procedure that requires adequate anesthesia/sedation, and maintenance of safety is paramount. The elderly are at an increased risk of experiencing hypoxemia during flexible bronchoscopy. This prospective cohort study aimed to estimate whether remimazolam can reduce the incidence of hypoxemia during flexible bronchoscopy in elderly patients.
Methods
The elderly patients who underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. We evaluated the incidence of hypoxemia during bronchoscopy with remimazolam exposed vs propofol. Remimazolam group patients received remimazolam 0.15mg/kg i.v followed 1mg/kg/hr. infusion, and propofol group patients received propofol 1mg/kg i.v followed 4-6mg/kg/hr. infusion. The incidence rates of hypoxemia, severe hypoxemia, fully alert time, and adverse effects in both groups were compared.
Results
In the exposed group, a prevalence of 29.42% was observed compared to 60.00% in the non-exposed group (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.18–3.74, P = 0.017) prior to controlling for potential confounding variables. Similarly, the overall incidence of severe hypoxemia was 24.64%, with a lower incidence in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group (11.76% vs. 37.14%, OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.18–3.74, P = 0.017) before adjusting for confounding factors. No significant differences were found in hypotension, bradycardia, or hypopnea between the two groups. The incidence of hypotension was 17.65%, with a lower occurrence in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group (17.65% vs. 37.14%, P = 0.0699), suggesting a trend towards clinical significance despite the small sample size. Modified Poisson regression found that remimazolam exposure was linked to a 57% lower risk of hypoxemia compared to propofol (RR 0.438, 95%CI 0.235–0.813, P = 0.009), and smoking was associated with a 64% lower risk of hypoxemia compared to non-smoking (RR 0.364, 95%CI 0.186–0.713, P = 0.003).
Conclusion
This observational cohort study highlights that using remimazolam sedative anesthesia can improve outcomes in elderly patients undergoing FB. Remimazolam is a safer option than propofol for FB in elderly.
Trial registration:
Clinicaltrails.gov: Retrospectively registered (ChiCTR2300071137; Registration date:05/05, 2023)
Optimizing Synthesis and Application of an Enhanced Oil Recovery Agent: Stability Assessment of the Optimized Nanostructured PNIPAM/PS Core-Shell Polymer using a Developed DLVO-based Model
Authors: Mohammadipour Ramin , Amiri Hossein Ali Akhlaghi , Dashti Ali , Tajbakhsh Seyed Farzan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of hydrophilic polymers in oil reservoirs, a method encapsulates the polymer within a protective shell, safeguarding the core polymer and enabling controlled release in demanding, high-temperature conditions. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanoparticles are encapsulated with Poly styrene shells through emulsion polymerization in this study. Varying the amounts of shell monmer and crosslinking agents resulted thick, sphere-shaped shells with homogeneous morphology, which protects the core polymer and enabling controlled release. Structural and morphological properties are characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H1NMR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. Increasing the styrene amounts lead to larger particles, while higher crosslinker amounts result in a narrower size distribution. Thermal testing indicates heat resistance up to 300°C, suitable for EOR applications. Rheological tests determine an optimal 30-day release for the PNIPAM core, with the CS polymer showing increased viscosity under harsh conditions. DLVO theory and experimental results demonstrate good stability and energy barriers at room temperature, but decreased stability and increased agglomeration at higher temperatures. Thickening the styrene shell leads to particle agglomeration and unsuitable stability. The study confirms the effectiveness of the model in analyzing CS colloidal latex systems.
Efficacy and safety of the disposable eyelid warming masks in the treatment of dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction
Authors: Wang Da-Hu , Guo Hua , Xu Wei , Liu Xin-Quan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Warm compresses are the routine treatment for Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in daily life, but in order to achieve satisfactory efficacy, the treatment needs to be sustained over a long time, which can affect the level of patient compliance. A more convenient warm compresses will help improve the patient compliance. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the disposable eyelid warming masks for treatment of dry eye disease (DED) due to MGD.
Methods
This is a randomized, controlled, non-masked, two-center clinical trial. One hundred and forty-four patients were treated by the masks or the hot towel twice daily for 12 weeks. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 4-week and 12-week visits for subjective symptoms, objective signs and safety assessments, including ocular symptom scores, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear break-up time (BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), Schirmer I test (SIT), meibum quality, meibum expressibility, and adverse events (AEs).
Results
A totle of 134 patients were followed in the study. The mean age of the masks group (14 males and 52 females) and the hot towel group (20 males and 48 females) was 43.7 ± 13.5 years and 39.5 ± 13.9 years, respectively. At 4-week visit, there were significant statistical differences in ocular symptom scores, OSDI and CFS between two groups (P < 0.05). At 12-week visit, except for SIT, the treatment group showed a greater improvement in subjective symptoms and objective signs than the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, 40 AEs occurred in 27 patients (37.5%) in the treatment group, and 34 AEs occurred in 21 patients (29.17%) in the control group. No serious AEs were reported.
Conclusions
The masks had a good efficacy and safety in the treatment of DED due to MGD, and might offer an attractive treatment option for some patients.
Trial registration:
The study was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900025443).