bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Propagation of Traffic Noise and Its Impact on High- rise Apartment Buildings Adjacent to an Urban Expressway: A Case Study in Chengdu, China
Authors: Yu Heng , Li Ailing 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

With rapid urbanization, traffic growth has accelerated in specific Chinese cities. Due to strict urban construction land policies, many high-rise apartment buildings have been constructed near expressways. The substantial traffic volume generates significant noise pollution, negatively affecting the residents of these high-rise buildings. To gain a comprehensive understanding of how expressway traffic noise impacts the living environment of adjacent high-rise apartments, thorough field investigations and analyses have been conducted. Professional noise measuring instruments, such as the DT-8852 Sound Level Meter, were employed to assess noise levels on different floors and at various times. The propagation pattern of traffic noise was analyzed based on the measured data, taking into account factors that could influence noise propagation, such as time periods, building floors, and horizontal distance. According to the results of a questionnaire survey, approximately 64% of respondents perceive the impact of traffic noise as high or very high. Moreover, 37% and 19% of respondents believe that traffic noise significantly affects their sleep quality and mood, respectively. These survey findings indicate that traffic noise has a significant impact on the residential experience of the studied buildings. The field investigation of noise reveals that the daytime average noise LAeq on the 9th to 28th floors ranges from 61 to 67 dB on weekdays and 57 to 66 dB on weekends, which is higher compared to other floors. Meanwhile, the daytime average noise LAeq on the 4th to 8th floors during weekdays and weekends ranges from 55 to 63 dB and 52 to 63 dB, respectively. These test results suggest that the 4th to 8th floors experience less impact, while the 9th to 28th floors are more affected by the traffic noise induced by Jian-Nan Avenue. The field investigation results for horizontal noise measuring points indicate that the distance between the building and the avenue edge should be at least 42.4m (51.18m) if an indoor noise LAeq (Lmax) of less than 45 dB is desired. This finding highlights the importance of appropriate distance to mitigate the effects of traffic noise on indoor environments.
Synthesis of Novel Plant-Derived Encapsulated Radiolabeled Compounds for the Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease and the Evaluation of Biological Effects with In Vitro/In Vivo Methods
Authors: Uygur Emre , Karatay Kadriye Büşra , Derviş Emine , Evren Vedat , Kılçar Ayfer Yurt , Güldü Özge Kozguş , Tekin Volkan , Müftüler Fazilet Zümrüt Biber 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder with a substantial impact on a significant number of individuals worldwide. Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in specific brain regions, namely the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNc) and striatum. The diagnosis of PD is utilized neuroimaging techniques, such as Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), Positron emission tomography (PET), and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which aid in the identification and evaluation of pathological changes associated with the disease. In this study, the focus was on developing technetium-99m ([99mTc]Tc) radiolabeled drug delivery systems using plant-derived compounds for the diagnosis of PD. Madecassoside (MA), a plant-derived compound, was conjugated with Levodopa (L-DOPA) to form MA-L-DOPA, which was then encapsulated using PLGA to create MA-PLGA and MA-L-DOPA-PLGA nanocapsules. Extensive structural analysis was performed using various methods such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), thin layer chromatography (TLC), High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to characterize the synthesized products. Radiochemical yields of 99mTc]Tc-MA, [99mTc]Tc-L-DOPA, [99mTc]Tc-MA-L-DOPA, [99mTc]Tc-MA-PLGA and [99mTc]Tc-MA-L-DOPA-PLGA were determined using thin layer radiochromatography (TLRC) and High-performance liquid radiochromatography (HPLRC) methods. In vitro cell culture studies were conducted on Human neuroblastoma (SY-SH5Y) and rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cell lines to assess the incorporation of radiolabeled compounds and the cytotoxicity of inactive compounds. Additionally, biodistribution studies were carried out on healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats and a Parkinson's disease experimental model to evaluate the compounds' bioactivity using [99mTc]Tc radiolabeled compounds. Overall, the results indicate that radiolabeled plant-derived encapsulated drug delivery systems with [99mTc]Tc hold potential as diagnostic agents for PD symptoms. This study contributes to the advancement of drug delivery agents in the field of brain research.
Relationship between proteinuria and changes in antepartum and postpartum choroidal thickness in patients with pre-eclampsia
Authors: Lee You Hyun , Kim Do Yeon , Bae Jin Gon , Kim Yu Cheol 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder characterised by systemic vascular resistance and endothelial dysfunction. It is known to influence choroidal thickness (CT). No previous studies have explored the antepartum and postpartum changes in CT with respect to the protein-creatinine ratio (PCR), a measure of proteinuria that is a clinical hallmark of PE. This study evaluated the correlations between antepartum and postpartum CT and the PCR in patients with PE. In this retrospective study, sixty-six eyes (66 patients) were analysed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median PCR value (2.36 mg/mg): group 1 (< 2.36 mg/mg) and group 2 (≥ 2.36 mg/mg). Ophthalmologic clinical data were collected and assessed. We observed higher antepartum CT and higher mean arterial pressure in group 2 than in group 1. Moreover, postpartum CT decreased significantly in group 2. In the multivariate analysis, CT changes were correlated with antepartum CT and PCR after logarithm transformation. In conclusion, a greater decrease in CT was observed in group 2 than in group 1. Further, the PCR showed a correlation with the extent of CT reduction.
Causal association between frailty and arthritis: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Yan Yunbo , He Furong , Zhao Hairong , Yang Haiyan 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Epidemiological data suggest close associations between frailty and osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, whether these associations are causal is unclear. We therefore conducted a bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) study to assess the causal relationship between frailty and OA and RA.
Methods
We extracted the summary genome-wide association statistics data of individuals of European ancestry for FI (N = 175266), OA (826690), and RA (58284). The two-sample MR analysis was primarily conducted using the inverse variance weighting method (IVW), followed by heterogeneity testing and sensitivity analysis.
Results
Genetically determined FI was significantly associated with an increased risk of all OA [odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21 to 1.78, P < 0.001] and knee OA [OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.30 to 2.45, P < 0.001] but was not associated with hip OA [OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.97 to 1.59, P = 0.092] and RA [OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.66, P = 0.635]. In the reverse direction analysis, genetically determined all OA [beta = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.29, P < 0.001], hip OA [beta = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.05, P = 0.002], knee OA [beta = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.14, P < 0.001], and RA [beta = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.04, P < 0.001] showed significant associations with an increased risk of FI. The results were stable across sensitivity and validation analyses.
Conclusion
Our results indicate that frailty increases the risk of both all OA and knee OA but not hip OA and RA. In the reverse MR study, both OA and RA increased the risk of FI.
Healthcare Providers’ Satisfaction and associated factors with clinical laboratory service at government hospitals in Southwest Shewa Zone Oromia, Ethiopia: Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Asaye Sintayehu , Alemu Getachew , Gebre Dejene , Teshager Lule , Yadesa Girma 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Background: Healthcare providers are vital clients of the clinical laboratory. Problems in laboratory services have a significant impact on healthcare providers' diagnosis, intervention, or prevention strategies during patient healthcare. Healthcare providers’ satisfaction wasn’t assessed in the study area. So, the study aimed to evaluate their satisfaction, which helps improve laboratory services and serves as a prerequisite for accreditation.
The study aims to assess healthcare providers’ satisfaction associated factors with laboratory services among all government hospitals in the southwest Shewa zone, Oromia, Central Ethiopia 2022.
Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted on 314 healthcare providers from June to July 2022. Healthcare providers who met the eligibility criteria and volunteers were included. Before being exported to SPSS version 25, the data were coded and entered into Epi Data version 3.1 for completeness checks. After descriptive statistics were performed, variables were subjected to bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify associated variables, and variables with a p. value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Finally, the results were shown in the text and table.
Results:According to the study, 54 % of healthcare providers were satisfied with laboratory services. The assistance of the lab. Handbook (AOR=1.676, 95% CI=1.002, 2.801), notification of the change in services (AOR=1.735, 95% CI=1.029, 2.925), getting urgent test results in time (AOR=2.349, 95% CI=1.39, 3.68), courtesy of lab. Staff (AOR=1.924, 95% CI=1.115, 3.321), reliable/quality of lab. result (AOR=3.69, 95% CI= 2.083, 6.538), and consistency of laboratory quality services (AOR=1.706, 95% CI=1.012, 2.875) were factors significantly related to satisfaction.
Conclusion: About half of the healthcare providers were dissatisfied with laboratory services. Therefore, to increase the satisfaction of healthcare providers’ hospital administrative and laboratory staff, they should work together on the identified factors. In order to determine overall clients’ satisfaction with laboratory services, an assessment of patient satisfaction will be required
Changes in mineral density and fluoridated apatite formation of artificial root caries using fluoridated toothpastes with or without bioactive glass
Authors: Chen Haoran , Zhang Jiaxin , Hill Robert , Baysan Aylin 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Objectives To explore the potential mineral exchange and fluoridated apatite formation within the artificial root carious lesions (ARCLs) subsurface using different toothpastes either containing 5,000ppm-F, 1,450ppm-F or bioactive glass (BG) with 540ppm-F.Material and Methods The crowns of three extracted sound teeth were removed. Subsequently, roots were divided into four parts (n = 12). Each sample was randomly allocated into one of four groups: Group-1(Deionised water); Group-2(BG with 540ppm-F); Group-3(1,450ppm-F) and Group-4(5,000ppm-F). ARCLs were developed using demineralisation solution (pH4.8). The 13-day pH-cycling for samples included demineralisation solution (6hrs) and remineralisation solution (pH7) for 16hrs. Standard tooth brushing twice a day with an assigned toothpaste was carried out during pH-cycling. XMT was performed for each sample at baseline, following ARCLs and after 13-day pH-cycling. Samples were then analysed using SEM/EDX and 19F-MAS-NMR.Results XMT showed an increase in mineral contents in the ARCL areas for each toothpaste group after 13-day pH-cycling, however there was mineral loss in subsurface for all groups. SEM showed the occlusion of dentinal tubules on the root surfaces in all toothpaste groups. 19F-MAS-NMR confirmed the partial/full fluoridated apatite formation in all groups, interestingly the presence of more fluorapatite was evident in the Groups-3 and 4.Conclusion All toothpastes were potentially effective to increase mineral density on surface while mineral loss in subsurface. The 5,000ppm-F toothpaste had a superior effect with respect to mineral density increase by promoting fluorapatite formation in comparison to the BG with 540ppm-F and 1,450ppm-F groups.Clinical Relevance: Toothpaste containing BG with 540ppm-F, 5000ppm-F and 1450ppm-F toothpastes are likely to manage root caries.
Identification of key genes and immune profile in rheumatoid arthritis by bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Yang Minliang , Chen Zhiwei , Zhang Haowei 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by immune disorders contributing to its pathogenesis. This study aimed to identify key biomarkers and immune-related pathways implicated in the progression of RA, as well as investigate the relationship between these biomarkers and immune cell infiltration in RA.
Methods: Gene microarray data from the GEO database were utilized. Key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with RA were identified through differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Functional enrichment analyses, including GO, KEGG, and GSEA, were performed on the key DEGs. Hub gene markers were determined using LASSO regression of the key DEGs. Single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) was employed to analyze the infiltration levels of 28 types of immune cells in the expression profile and their relationship with hub gene markers. Additionally, the diagnostic accuracy of the hub markers for RA was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis.
Results: A total of 2596 differential genes were identified, and 28 co-expression modules were obtained through WGCNA, with the green module showing the highest correlation with RA. By combining the differential genes, 496 intersecting genes were obtained. LASSO analysis yielded six hub genes (AIM2, ANKRD12, CXCL10, NCOA6, PPP3CA, and SRPR) as potential biomarkers for RA. The analysis of immune infiltration revealed significant relationships among activated B cells, activated CD4+ T cells, activated CD8+ T cells, and effector memory CD4+ T cells. ROC curve analysis demonstrated the excellent diagnostic value of the six hub genes. Functional enrichment analysis of the differential genes revealed their predominant enrichment in immune- and inflammation-related pathways.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the six hub genes (AIM2, ANKRD12, CXCL10, NCOA6, PPP3CA, and SRPR) may play a role in the progression of RA through immune-related signal pathways. B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells appear to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of RA.
Variations in actual evapotranspiration and their influence on the seasonal drought in China's Southeastern River basin
Authors: Hong Sheng , Zheng Zhouyao , Deng Yu , Chen Xingwei , Gao Lu , Chen Ying , Liu Meibing , Deng Haijun 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Revealing changes in actual evapotranspiration and their influencing factors is essential to understand regional extreme hydrological events (e.g., droughts). This study utilized the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) to analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of actual evapotranspiration over a 40-year period in the Southeast River basin of China. Then it quantified the relationship between changes in actual evapotranspiration and the drought index. Results indicated a significant increase in actual evapotranspiration in the Southeast River basin over the past 40 years (2.51 mm/yr, p < 0.01). From the perspective of actual evapotranspiration components, it was dominated by vegetation transpiration (73.45%) and canopy interception (18.26%). The actual evapotranspiration was closely related to the NDVI (r = 0.78, p < 0.01), and vegetation changes could explain 10.66% of the increase of actual evapotranspiration in the Southeast River basin since 2000. Meanwhile, actual evapotranspiration and SPEI index showed a highly significant negative spatial correlation with a Moran's I index of -0.513. The rise in actual evapotranspiration is an important reason for the frequent seasonal droughts in the region, for example, in 2003 and 2011. Therefore, these results help deepen the understanding of hydro-climatic process changes in the southeast coastal area of China.
Based on virtual screening and simulation exploring the mechanism of plant-derived compounds with PINK1 to Postherpetic Neuralgia
Authors: Guo Wenjing , Feng Yi , Zhang Bo , Zhang Jiquan , Liu Minchen 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Recent studies have found that PINK1 mutation can mediate the dysfunction of mitochondrial autophagy in dopaminergic neurons; In order to reveal the role of PINK1 in the pathogenesis of PHN and find new targets for PHN treatment. Purpose: Herein, we have employed a rigorous literature review pipeline to enlist 2801compounds from more than 200 plants from the Asian region. The virtual screening procedure helps us to shortlist the total compounds into 20 based on their better binding energy. Moreover, the Prime MM-GBSA procedure screened the compound data-set further, where Vitexin, Luteoloside, and 2'-Deoxyadenosine-5'-monophosphate had a score of (−59.439, −52.421 and − 47.544) kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, the immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were conducted to verify the effective mechanism. The results of Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the first two compounds had notable therapeutic effects on PHN mice, while compound 3 had no significant therapeutic effect. Meanwhile, the TEM result indicated that Vitexin showed the most significant microstructural adjustment on mitochondria. We concluded that Vitexin could alleviate PHN by regulating mitochondrial autophagy through PINK1. In this study, we observed the level of autophagy of mitochondria and the expression of PINK1 in dorsal horn neurons of PHN.
Study on automatic determination method of roundness and sphericity of proppant and its influence on fracture conductivity
Authors: Wang Junting , Xu Dongjin , Xiong Qi , Tao Zhenqiang , Qu Yanying , Wu Yingsong 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The performance of fracturing proppant is very important for reservoir hydraulic fracturing design, roundness and sphericity is an important index to evaluate the performance of proppant. The higher the average roundness-sphericity of the proppant, the stronger the anti-crushing ability, and the better the fracture support effect in the formation, the greater the conductivity and the better the reservoir reconstruction effect. The traditional manual visual method is subjective and inefficient; in this paper, a new method of calculating roundness and sphericity by using image processing technology combined with particle corner mean curvature radius-multiple linear regression is proposed. Compared with the traditional manual visual method, the maximum error of the measurement results is only 5%. The samples used in the study of the effect of proppant roundness and sphericity on fracture conductivity were screened by the new method. In the process of simulating the field fracturing construction scheme, it is found that the low roundness and sphericity caused by proppant breakage in the fracture will lead to the decrease of the gap between the particles to hinder the oil and gas flow and reduce the fracture conductivity. The proppant with high roundness and sphericity can effectively reduce the breakage rate of the proppant squeezed by the formation closure pressure in the fracture. At the same time, At the same time, few scholars have studied the relationship between roundness and sphericity on crushing rate and fracture conductivity. The experimental results provide a basis for field fracturing design proppant optimization, maintaining fracture conductivity and increasing production.
Large deflection analysis of circular piezoelectric micro-actuator with flexoelectric effect
Authors: Ji Xue 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
At micro/nano scale, the stiffening effect and flexoelectric effect of strain gradient play important roles in the electromechanical coupling response of piezoelectric micro-components. In this paper, the large deflection bending problem of circular piezoelectric micro-actuator is studied based on the extended linear dielectric theory. In addition to the piezoelectric effect, the coupling of strain gradient to strain gradient is included to consider the stiffening effect, the coupling of strain gradient to polarization is considered to reflect the direct flexoelectric effect, the coupling of polarization gradient to strain is used to describe the inverse flexoelectric effect, and the coupling of polarization gradient to polarization gradient is introduced to capture the high-order electric field effect. A size-dependent model of circular piezoelectric micro-actuator is established to investigate the electromechanical coupling response of piezoelectric micro-actuator based on the variational principle. The contributions of piezoelectric effect and flexoelectric effect on large deflection behaviors of piezoelectric micro-actuator are revealed. It is hoped that the research results will be helpful to further understand the electromechanical coupling properties of piezoelectric micro-components and improve the control precision of piezoelectric micro-actuator.
Clinical Outcomes of En-Bloc Cervical Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Authors: Meral Mehmet 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is one of the most serious complications of cervical spondylosis. The pattern, timing and outcomes of surgical treatment are controversial. Hirabayashi's hardware-assisted open-door laminoplasty method is currently frequently used in the surgical treatment of CSM. This study analyzed the preoperative and postoperative outcomes of 32 patients who underwent en-bloc cervical laminoplasty for CSM. The effect of preop symptom duration on postop clinical outcomes and the clinical outcomes of the surgical technique applied were evaluated. Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score and Nurick scale were used for preop and postop functional and neurologic evaluation. The mean age of the patients was 66.34 years. Twenty-one patients were male (65.6%) and 11 were female (34.4%) and the mean follow-up period was 34.75 months. 7 of 8 patients with mJOA scores of 15 and above had complete recovery and one had partial benefit. Of the 10 patients with mJOA scores between 12 and 15, 7 had improved above 15 points and 3 had showed partial improvement. Of the 14 patients with a score below 12, 10 had improved to the 12–15 range, while 3 had remained unchanged. The deterioration had observed in one patient. It was found that low mJOA score, high Nurick grade and long preoperative symptom duration negatively affected the surgical treatment results.