bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cheese wastewater treatment through combined Coagulation-Flocculation and Photo-Fenton-like advanced oxidation processes for reuse in irrigation: Effect of Operational Parameters and Phytotoxicity assessment
Authors: Belkodia Kaltoum , mersly Lekbira El , Edaala Mohammed-amine , Achtak Hafid , Tahiri Abdelaziz Alaoui , Briche Samir , RAFQAH salah 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the efficiency of a combined cheese wastewater treatment approach involving coagulation with ferric chloride coupled with a Photo-Fenton-like oxidation process for potential reuse in irrigation. Laboratory-scale tests were conducted, examining the influence of various operational parameters on the treatment process. Specifically, the effects of initial wastewater pH, coagulant dosage, decantation time for the coagulation process, and initial pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration, Fe3+ and H2O2 dosages for Photo-Fenton-like oxidation were studied. Coagulation was found effective at natural pH of 6 and showed a highest removal efficiency in terms of COD (50.6%), biological oxygen demand BOD5 (42.1%), turbidity (99.3%), and least sludge volume generation (11.8% v/v) for an optimum coagulant dose of 400 mg Fe3+ L–1 and 8 hours of decantation time. Thereafter, the sequential treatment of cheese wastewater based on coagulation as a pre-treatment process and then Photo-Fenton-like oxidation (Fe3+/H2O2/UVA-300W), enhanced the removal of COD, BOD5 and total organic carbon (TOC) to 91.2%, 91.4% and 97.5%, respectively using the optimized conditions (pH = 3; [Fe3+] = 5.0×10− 4 mol L− 1; [H2O2] = 0.2 mol L− 1 and 24 hours of irradiation time). Furthermore, the phytotoxicity of treated cheese wastewater was evaluated by seed germination and root elongation tests using lentil seeds as bioindicators. The experimental results showed that the combined process allowed a significant phytotoxicity reduction. The obtained outcome was encouraging and supports the possible use of the treated cheese wastewater as an additional water source for agricultural irrigation, helping to reduce the existing deficit and conserve water resources.
Identification of EGR4 as a prospective target for inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and a novel biomarker in colorectal cancer
Authors: Liu Li , Wang Bangting , Zhang Shijie , Wang Haiyang , Wang Min , Tao Yuwen , Ye Mujie , Fan Zhining , Wang Yan 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
EGR4 (Early Growth Response 4) is a member of the EGR family, involving in tumorigenesis. However, the function and action mechanism of EGR4 in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. To address this, we assessed the prognosis of CRC based on EGR4 using the Kaplan-Meier plotter tool and tissue microarray. The abundance of immunoinfiltration was evaluated through ssGSEA, TISIDB, and TIMER. In vitro experiments involving knockdown or overexpression of EGR4 were performed, and RNA-sequencing was conducted to explore potential mechanisms. Furthermore, we used oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil to validate the impact of EGR4 on chemo-resistance. Pan-cancer analysis and tissue microarray showed that EGR4 was highly expressed in CRC and significantly correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. Moreover, EGR4 expression was associated with immunoinfiltration and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the CRC microenvironment. Functional enrichment demonstrated that high-expressional EGR4 were involved in chromatin and nucleosome assembly. Additionally, EGR4 promoted the proliferation of CRC cells. Mechanistically, EGR4 upregulated TNFα to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway, and its knockdown reduced p65 nuclear translocation. Importantly, combining siEGR4 with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil significantly inhibited CRC proliferation. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the potential prognosis and therapeutic targets of EGR4 in colorectal cancer.
Study on the co-pyrolysis behavior of copper slag and biomass and the adsorption of Cr (VI)
Authors: Zhou Tianxing , Zhong Wanzhen , Shen Yujie , Yu Qiuyang , Luo Siyi , Zhang Weiwei , Ren DongDong 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The co-pyrolysis behavior of PS(pine sawdust) biochar doped with CS(copper slag) and the adsorption performance of the prepared CS catalyzed composite adsorbent is studied.Thermogravimetric,SEM and BET is used to analyze the co-pyrolysis characteristics and the adsorption performance of PS and its mixed samples with different ratios of PS and CS. When the mixing ratio PS: CS = 3:1, the pyrolysis release characteristics were the highest, The most favorable for the pyrolysis reaction. The co-pyrolysis of CS and PS effectively improves the activation energy of the reaction process. The activation energy increased by co-pyrolysis shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of reaction order. When the reaction order n = 1, the activation energy increased by co-pyrolysis of PS and CS is the highest, at 13.311 kJ/mol. The H3PO4, KOH, and ZnCl2 was used to modify PS carbon improved its adsorption capacity. The results showes that the modified PS carbon has a larger specific surface area and providing more adsorption sites, effectively improving the adsorption effect. The adsorption capacity of PS carbon is inversely proportional to the concentration of Cr (VI) solution.Under the conditions of catalyzing PS at 1:1 based on CS, the concentration of Cr (VI) solution is 20mg, and the adsorption effect is best in an acidic environment with pH = 1. Realized the high value-added utilization of metallurgical solid waste and agricultural waste, namely the governance concept of "treating danger with waste".
A multi-level closing based segmentation framework for dermatoscopic images using ensemble deep network.
Authors: srivast varun , Gupta Shilpa , Singh Ritik , Gautam Vaibhav Kumar 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The proposed framework is a hybrid model of extensive multi-level closing based hair removal pre-processing followed by training using an ensemble deep network. In this way, a highly optimised pedagogy for lesion segmentation in dermatoscopic images has been obtained. Two publicly available datasets are then used to analyse the performance of the framework. One is HAM10k dataset and another is ISIC dataset. The segmented images are compared with the mask given with the dataset and accordingly the value of Dice Coefficient, Jaccard Similarity index and other performance metrics are computed. The average values of Dice Coefficient and Jaccard value for both datasets are found to be 0.9555 and 0.8545 respectively. These values along with other performance metrics are compared with values of base models and state of the art techniques and was found to be better. The proposed framework achieved an average accuracy of 95.87% for both datasets which is better than all base models and even better than the proposed framework without pre-processing.
The Effect of Tool Geometry on Chip Formation and Chip Morphology of Lead-Free Brass Alloy CW511L
Authors: Müller Magdalena Susanne , Sørby Knut 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Lead as an alloying element in brass is legally restricted. Investigations to adapt to the properties of lead-free brass alloys in machining are necessary. The main problems in machining lead-free brass alloys are increased cutting forces and long snarled chips. This paper investigates the impact of the rake angle and different chip-breaking geometries on the chip breakability of the lead-free brass alloy CW511L (CuZn38As). Orthogonal cutting tests were conducted on a lathe. Cutting force measurements, chip analysis, and high-speed camera recordings were performed to analyze the cutting process. The camera recordings were used to analyze the chip formation process with tools with varying chip-breaking geometries. Chips were investigated in microscopic studies. An increased rake angle led to increased chip length but decreased cutting forces. A chip-breaking geometry with a restricted contact length could help to counteract the negative impact of a positive rake angle on the chip breakability with only a marginal effect on the cutting forces. It is crucial to choose a chip-breaking geometry following the cutting parameters. Out of the investigated tools, a tool with a chip breaker land width of 0.7 mm and a groove radius of 3.5 mm was the most beneficial regarding the chip breakability.
A novel two-stage deep learning model used to assist in diagnosing neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and determining the need for surgical treatment
Authors: Qi Guoqiang , Ding Jian , Li Jing , Duan Mengyu , Liu Zhicong , Huang Shoujiang , Liu Taixiang , Liu Tianmei , Lai Dengming , Yu Gang 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background and Aims: Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common life-threatening gastrointestinal disease in newborns. Abdominal X-rays (AXRs) is an important basis for diagnosing NEC and determining the need for surgical treatment. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) is extensively utilized in the clinical diagnosis of numerous diseases. Nevertheless, the efficacy of CAD for NEC has not been widely validated. Methods: We proposed for the first time a two-stage multimodal classification method for NEC based on AXRs data. The objective is to achieve early diagnosis of NEC and determine the optimal timing for surgical intervention. This method addresses the problem of insufficient labeled data through transfer learning and introduces coordinate attention to enhance the accuracy of target region localization and identification, thereby improving the capability of image feature extraction. Results: In total, the dataset was sourced from 2 children’s hospital consisted of 3,176 AXRs from 845 newborns diagnosed with NEC. Additionally, there were 1,825 AXRs from 470 newborns without NEC. The task for determining whether newborns has NEC achieved an accuracy of 97.49%, recall of 97.44%, precision of 83.09%, F1-score of 98.02% and AUC of 99.68%. Similarly, for the task of identifying if NEC patients require surgery, the accuracy, recall, precision, and F1-score were 78.96%, 81.50%, 80.30%, 80.89%, and 84.49% respectively. Our method performed better than the four commonly used baseline methods in the two-stage NEC diagnosis task. Conclusions: We have introduced a novel two-stage diagnostic model for NEC in newborns, which can rapidly and accurately identify NEC patients and determine if surgery is necessary.
Accuracy of a Zero-Heat-Flux Thermometer in cardiac surgery: a prospective, multicentre, observational study
Authors: Pedersen Carsten , Munch Peter , Kjaergaard Jesper , Grønlykke Lars , Bräuer Anselm 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Accurate measurement of core temperature is of utmost importance during on-pump cardiac surgery, for detection of hypothermia before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), guidance of temperature management on CPB, active rewarming on CPB and guidance of warming therapy after CPB. Most temperature measurement methods are known to become inaccurate during rapid changes in core temperature and suffer from delayed detection of temperature changes. Zero-heat-flux temperature (ZHF) measurement from the lateral forehead may be an alternative, non-invasive method quantifying the core temperature. A prospective, observational, multicentre study was conducted in one hundred patients scheduled for on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Core temperatures were measured every minute by two Zero Heat Flux Thermometers (SpotOn™) and a bladder thermometer and a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in the period after induction of anesthesia until CPB. Accuracy and precision of both methods were compared against core temperature measured in the pulmonary artery using the method of Bland and Altman. A high accuracy (around 0.1°C) and a very good precision (Limits of agreement (LoA) -0.6; 0.4°C) were found between zero-heat-flux thermometer and core temperature measured by PAC. Among the two ZHF thermometers the bias was negligible (-0.003°C) with narrow LoA of -0.42°C and 0.41°C. In contrast, bias between bladder temperature and PAC temperature was large (0.51°C) with corresponding LoA of -0.06°C and 1.1°C. ZHF thermometers are in contrast to bladder temperature a reliable core temperature monitor in cardiac surgery during the period after induction of anestesia until CPB. The zero-heat-flux method can provide clinicians reliably with continuous and non-invasive measurements of core temperature in normothermic and hypothermic temperature ranges. Text
A First-in-man Study of [18F] FEDAC: A novel PET Tracer for the 18-kDa Translocator Protein
Authors: Tamura Kentaro , Nishii Ryuichi , Tani Kotaro , Hashimoto Hiroki , Kawamura Kazunori , Zhang Ming-Rong , Maeda Takamasa , Yamazaki Kana , Higashi Tatsuya , Jinzaki Masahiro 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Purpose
N-benzyl-N-methyl-2 - [7, 8-dihydro-7 - (2 - [18F] fluoroethyl) -8-oxo-2-phenyl-9H-purin-9-yl] acetamide ([18F] FEDAC) is a novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracer that targets the translocator protein (TSPO; 18 kDa) in the mitochondrial outer membrane, which is known to be upregulated in various diseases such as malignant tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuroinflammation. This study presents the first attempt to use [18F]-FEDAC PET/CT and evaluate its biodistribution as well as the systemic radiation exposure to the radiotracer in humans.
Materials and Methods
Seventeen whole-body [18F]-FEDAC PET/CT (injected dose, 209.1 ± 6.2 MBq) scans with a dynamic scan of the upper abdomen were performed in seven participants. Volumes of interest were assigned to each organ, and a time–activity curve was created to evaluate the biodistribution of the radiotracer. The effective dose was calculated using IDAC-Dose 2.1.
Results
Immediately after the intravenous injection, the radiotracer accumulated significantly in the liver and was subsequently excreted into the gastrointestinal tract through the biliary tract. It also showed high levels of accumulation in the kidneys, but showed minimal migration to the urinary bladder. Thus, the liver was the principal organ that eliminated [18F] FEDAC. Accumulation in the normal brain tissue was minimal. The effective dose estimated from biodistribution in humans was 19.47 ± 1.08 µSv/MBq, and was 3.60 ± 0.20 µSV for 185 MBq dose.
Conclusion
[18F]FEDAC PET/CT provided adequate image quality at an acceptable effective dose with no adverse effects. Therefore, [18F]FEDAC may be useful in human TSPO-PET imaging.
Quality of Emergency Obstetric Referral Practice and Associated Factors Among Mothers Referred to Public Heath Facility in Jimma Zone South West Ethiopia
Authors: Belina Sena , Legese Tilahun 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background: One of the important aspects of health care facilities is the referral system, especially in the case of obstetric emergencies. Implementation of a well-managed and functional referral system leads to good health care quality. The referral system is an important public health issue. Timely and appropriate emergency obstetric referral to a suitable health facility is an indicator of effective health systems. Even though quality referral is a subject of paramount importance for health care organizations, to the best of our knowledge there is no studies are done so far in Ethiopia.
Objectives: To assess quality of emergency obstetric referral practice and associated factor among mothers referred to public health facility in Jimma zone south west Ethiopia.
Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted in three randomly selected public hospitals in Jimma zone. The data was collected from total of 396 participants with response rate of 98% from August 20, 2021 to October 20, 2021; through observation, interview and record review Data was entered into Epi-data Version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23 for further analysis.
Result: Quality of emergency obstetric referral practice was poor in 206(52%). Out of referred clients 77.3% sent with standard referral paper, 68.9 have been provided transportation and 60.6 % pre referral communication of health professionals, 39.1% was sent without escorting health professional, 59.8% have community-based health insurance. Concerning referral papers, the most recorded item was the name of referring health facility in 92.4%, date of referral was recorded in 76.3%. The structural part of referral practice was good in only 44.7% and patient satisfaction was good in 48.2% of referral.
Being illiterate husband decreases quality of emergency obstetric referral practice by 36% as compared to husband has higher educational level with P-value of 0.021(AOR=0.360, 95%CI= 0.127-1.021). Being primiparous decreases quality of emergency obstetric referral practice by 55.3% compared to being multiparous with P-value of 0.032 (AOR= 0.553 95%CI=0.321- 0.950). Ages between 25-34 increases quality of emergency obstetric referral practice by 40.9% compared to ages greater than 40 with p- value 0.021 (AOR =0.409 95%CI= 0.195-0.045).
Conclusion and recommendation: The quality of a referral practice of public health facility was poor. So, special attention should be given by government and other stake holdersto increase communication between health facilities, transport arrangement, and educational level of husbands.
Inequalities in the prevalence of Caesarean section and associated factors in rural and urban Nigeria: insights from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Adewuyi Emmanuel O , Akosile Wole , Olutuase Victory , Philip Aaron Akpu , Olaleru Rhoda , Adewuyi Mary I , Auta Asa , Khanal Vishnu 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Introduction
When medically indicated, caesarean section (CS) can be a lifesaving intervention for mothers and their newborns. This study assesses the within-population CS prevalence and associated factors with an emphasis on inequalities between rural and urban areas in Nigeria.
Methods
We disaggregated the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey and performed analysis separately for the overall, rural, and urban residences in Nigeria. Data were summarised using frequency tabulations, and factors associated with CS were identified through multivariable binary logistic regression analysis.
Results
The prevalence of CS was 2.7% in Nigeria (overall), 5.2% in urban and 1.2% in rural areas. The North-West region had the lowest prevalence, with 0.7% overall, 1.5% in urban, and 0.4% in rural areas, respectively. Mothers with higher education demonstrated a greater CS prevalence of 14.0% overall, 15.3% in urban and 9.7% in rural residences. Frequent internet use increased the prevalence of CS in Nigeria (14.3%), urban (14.1%) and rural (10.1%) residences. Across all residences, rich wealth index, maternal age ≥35, 8+ antenatal contacts and lower birth order increased the odds of a CS. In rural Nigeria, husbands' education, spouses’ joint healthcare decisions, birth size, and unplanned pregnancy were associated with higher CS odds. In urban Nigeria, multiple births, Christianity, frequent internet use, and ease of healthcare permission were associated with greater CS odds.
Conclusion
CS utilisation remains low and varies across rural-urban, regional, and socioeconomic divides in Nigeria. Targeted interventions are imperative for uneducated and socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers across all regions and Muslim mothers in urban areas. Health insurance was not a significant predictor; hence, rather than merely subsidising costs, a holistic intervention that confronts social inequalities (between rural and urban residents), fosters high-quality education, promotes access to the Internet, guarantees equal opportunities, and empowers individuals and communities to improve their socio-economic well-being, is likely to yield more impactful and sustainable outcomes.
Intraoperative transcystic laparoscopic common bile duct stone clearance with SpyGlass™ Discover during emergency and elective cholecystectomy: a single-center case series
Authors: Fugazzola Paola , Bianchi Carlo Maria , Calabretto Francesca , Cicuttin Enrico , Mas Francesca Dal , Dominioni Tommaso , Maestri Marcello , Mauro Aurelio , Podestà Alice , Tomasoni Matteo , Brucchi Francesco , Viganò Jacopo , Ansaloni Luca , Anderloni Andrea , Cobianchi Lorenzo 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background and study aim: The development of a new cholangioscope, the SpyGlass™ Discover (Boston Scientific), has allowed the laparoscopic trans-cystic common bile duct exploration and stone clearance. The possibility of simultaneous treatment of choledocholithiasis during early laparoscopic cholecystectomy offers the opportunity to enormously reduce the time between acute cholecystitis diagnosis and the execution of cholecystectomy with better outcomes for patients. Furthermore, an altered anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract is not an obstacle to this technique. The goal of the study was to determine whether this new procedure is feasible, safe, and effective.
Patients and Methods: The investigation employs a retrospective case series study including all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of common bile duct stones undergoing cholecystectomy and intraoperative laparoscopic common bile duct clearance using SpyGlass™ Discover at IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Pavia (Italy). 18 patients were included from May 2022 to May 2023.
Results: A complete clearance of the common bile duct was obtained in 88.9% of patients. The mean postoperative length of stay was 3 days. No major complications occurred. After a median follow-up of 8 months, no recurrence of biliary events or readmissions occurred.
Conclusion: This procedure has proven to be feasible, safe, and effective.
Blood inflammatory markers and cytokines in patients with COVID-19 and bacterial coinfections
Authors: Bi Qingqing , Zhu Jie , Zheng Jinju , Xu Qingyun , Zhang Lei , Mu Xiaofeng 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background
Bacterial coinfection in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is an important risk factor for death. This study investigated and analyzed whether there were differences in the levels of serum PCT and CRP and the expression of 12 cytokines, including IL-6, IL-10, IL-2, TNF, and other markers, in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection combined with bacterial infection compared with those without bacterial infection, aiming to provide references for early clinical diagnosis and empirical treatment.
Methods
A total of 121 inpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to Qingdao Central Hospital from December 7, 2022, to February 7, 2023, were included. Patients were divided into a bacteria-positive group (61 cases) and a bacteria-negative group (60 cases) according to whether they had bacterial infections. PCT, CRP, and 12 cytokines were compared between groups, and the composition of bacterial species in the positive group was statistically analyzed.
Results
There was no significant difference in the sex ratio or age between the two groups (P > 0.05). The serum levels of CRP (Z = 3.95, P < 0.001), PCT (Z = 3.20, P = 0.001), IL-1β (t = 2.90, P = 0.008), IL-2 (t = 3.83, P = 0.001), IL-12p70 (t = 3.28, P = 0.004), IL-17 (t = 2.22, P = 0.039) and TNF-α (t = 3.02, P = 0.007) between the two groups were significantly different. IL-17 increased more significantly than other markers, while IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon-α, interferon-γ, IL-4 and IL-5 were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Among the 61 bacteria-positive patients, 27 patients were positive for one species, mainly Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Eleven patients were two species positive, and Acinetobacter baumannii combined with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was common. Fourteen patients were three species positive, and 6 patients were four species positive.
Conclusions
Serum PCT and CRP levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with bacterial coinfection are higher than those in patients without bacterial infection. Cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-2, IL-12 p70, IL-17, and TNF-α may be involved in the progression of COVID-19 combined with bacterial infection. They can be used as potential markers to evaluate the disease condition and prognosis.