bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nationwide Demographic Characteristics of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in South Korea between 2010 and 2021
Authors: Lee Nam-Hun , Oh Hyeon-Muk , Jeong Seok-ju , Cho Jung-Hyo , Ahn Yo-Chan , Son Chang-Gue 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
This study aimed to explore the demographic characteristics of NAFLD in South Korea. Using nationwide medical records provided by the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA), we analyzed the entire dataset of patients with NAFL (ICD10 - K76.0) and NASH (ICD10 - K75.8) from 2010 to 2021. The annual incidence of NAFL/NASH increased significantly from 9.71/0.37 in 2010 to 13.95/5.52 per 1,000 persons in 2021 (P < 0.01). The annual prevalence of NAFL increased from 15.69 in 2010 to 34.23 per 1,000 persons in 2021, while the annual prevalence of NASH increased from 0.49 to 9.79 per 1,000 persons between 2010 and 2021(P < 0.01). Regarding the sex-dimorphic feature of NAFLD, there was male predominance < 50 years old but female predominance ≥ 50 years old for the incidence and prevalence of NAFL and the incidence of NASH. The incidence of NAFL increased by 3–4% every year, while the incidence of NASH increased 14.91-fold from 2010 to 2021. The increasing trend is noteworthy compared with previous reports.
Clinical efficacy of one-finger meditation massage on IBS-C based on the"gut-brain axis" theory: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zeng Xiayang , He Jingjing , Li Xiaoyu , Chen Peng , Zuo Jinhong , Cai Xinlei , Fan Zhenyu , Qu Jianpeng 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background As a common disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can have negative effects on patients and society, with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation(IBS-C) accounting for a large proportion of these effects. The main clinical manifestations of IBS-C are constipation, abdominal pain, and abdominal distension, which seriously impact the quality of life of patients. The mechanisms of IBS are complex, and the gut-brain axis has been an emerging and recognized theoretical system in recent years. Based on the theory of the gut-brain axis and the theory of Chinese medicine, we designed this study to evaluate the efficacy of one-finger meditation massage in treating IBS-C. Methods/design Thisis a randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) were randomized 1:1 to a test group (massage plus probiotics) and a control group (probiotics). Patients in the test group were treated once every 10 days for three consecutive courses of treatment (i.e., three months) and were given Bifidobacterium trifolium capsules 630 mg/dose three times daily 30 mins after meals every day during the treatment period, with follow-up observations at the end of the third and sixth months of thetreatment period. The control group were given Bifidobacterium trifolium capsules 630mg/dose, 3 times a day for 3 months, with follow-up observations at the end of the third and sixth months of the treatment period. The primary outcome indicators are the concentrations of 5-HT and substance P and the IBS Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) assessment. Secondary outcomes are the Bristol Rating Scale (BRSA) score, the IBS Quality of Life Questionnaire (IBS-QOL scale) score, and the assessment of the effectiveness of the evidence. The results were assessed at the pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up stages. Any side effects were subject to assessment.
Discussion The aim of this trial is to provide a new method of treatment based on pharmacological treatment that is easy to use, easy to promote and has proven efficacy and to establish the efficacy and safety of treating IBS-C through this trial.
Registration for Trial Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200066417 on 5 December 2022.
AI-Driven Cheminformatics Models of Chemical Mixtures for Sustainable Design of Drop-in Biofuel Blends
Authors: Bediaga Harbil , Moreno-Benítez Isabel , Arrasate Sonia , Vilas-Vilela José Luis , Orbe Lucía , Gómez-Martín Juan Pedro , Unzueta Elías , González-Díaz Humberto 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Complex chemical mixtures (involving multiple chemical compounds) such as polymers mixtures, ionic liquids, azeotropes, metabolites, and drop-in biofuels, are present in almost all areas of chemical research and industry. Specifically, designing sustainable fuel blends and/or drop-in biofuels by adding eco-friendly pre-mixtures of chemical compounds (compounding) may help to reduce environmental impact. However, experimental testing of all possible pre-mixtures is time and resources consuming. In this context, Cheminformatics approach to complex fuel mixtures is an important challenge of the major relevance. Artificial intelligence/Machine learning (AI/ML) models may help to reduce experimentation cost but there are not publicly available datasets with detailed chemical composition of fuel blends. Consequently, in this work, we assembled a dataset of 1222 fuel blends previously reported with at least 20 compounds each one. After this, Information Fusion and Perturbation Theory Machine Learning (IFPTML) strategy was used to pre-process the data. Next, we seek multiple linear and non-linear AI/ML models able to predict the RON and MOM values of these mixtures. In so doing, Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR), Radial Basis Function (RBF), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), And Deep Neural Network (DNN) algorithms were tested for comparative purposes. The best models found predict the output values with r2 in the range 0.89–0.99 in training and validation series. Last, we run simulations with > 10000 and > 5000 data point of drop-in biofuels and eco-friendly fuel blends both made of a pre-mixture of eco-friendly components and a base blend of reference. We submitted the top scored fuel blends predicted to experimental testing. The experimental results were coincident with computational simulations. In fact, different blends of standard fuel (90%v/v) with different pre-mixtures (10%v/v) comply with specifications. In addition, the C + + code of all the ANN models was released online for public research purposes at the GitHub repository: https://github.com/glezdiazh/biofuels.ptml. The new model may be useful for eco-friendly fuel blends design with lower environmental impact.
Annular multi-focal-phase mask multiplexing based large depth of field imaging by interferenceless coded aperture correlation holography
Authors: Liu Chao , Wan Yuhong , Ma Teng , Ma Tian , Man Tianlong 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Extending depth-of-field (DOF) of the imaging system without modifying the structure and sacrificing imaging performances of the optical system is of great significance to broaden the capability and application of the imaging system. In this paper, the interferenceless coded aperture correlation holography(I-COACH) is developed to be a large-depth incoherent imaging system by employing an annular multi-focal coded phase mask (AM-CPM). Based on the analyses of axial defocus characteristics in I-COACH, the defocus compensation function is defined and the AM-CPM is designed and multiplexed on the system optical pupil, which plays the role of a gradual lens. In AM-CPM, multi-annular zones with different focal lengths are used to compensate different axial defocus aberrations and adjacent annular zones have symmetric axial defocus aberration correction capability according to the imaging characteristics of the system. The simulations and experimental results fully demonstrate that the axial point spread function distribution of the system obtained by AM-CPM is continuous and the development method enables the extension of the DOF of the I-COACH system by only single exposure point spread hologram. This proposal is expected to provide great potential in synthetic aperture imaging and other fields of that based on I-COACH system.
Molecular detection of human adenovirus and bocavirus in wastewater and drain water in the western Nile Delta of Egypt
Authors: Badr Kareem Rady , Elmahdy Elmahdy M. , Shaheen Mohamed N.F. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background:
Human Adenovirus (HAdV) and Human Bocavirus (HBoV) are frequently found in different water sources throughout the year. Due to their health impact on humans, especially children, continuous monitoring of these viruses is one of the important tools to evaluate their circulation within society. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HAdV and HBoV in different environmental samples collected from the western Nile Delta of Egypt.
Methods
A total of 264 samples were collected from treated and untreated sewage (48), sewage sludge (24), drainage water (96), and drainage sediment (96) from December 2019 to November 2021. Molecular detection by nested PCR was performed to detect both HAdV and HBoV in the collected samples.
Results
The results indicated that HAdV was more prevalent than HBoV in all types of sewage samples, with the highest detection rate in untreated sewage. Moreover, the detection rates of both viruses were relatively lower in sludge sewage samples. In drainage water and sediment samples, HAdV and HBoV were detected with similar frequencies, although the detection rates were generally lower than those observed in sewage samples.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that sewage and drainage water may serve as potential sources for the dissemination of these viruses in the environment. The results of this study emphasize the importance of monitoring the presence of these viruses in wastewater and other environmental samples to ensure public health and safety. Proper treatment and disposal of sewage should be done correctly to minimize their transmission and potential health risks.
An efficient proxy-based message authentication framework in vehicular ad- hoc networks
Authors: Asaar Maryam Rajabzadeh , Barjoei Pouya Derakhshan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn the recent research of vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs), new practical goals are pursued. They provide real-world communications between vehicles and make them reliable and easy-used. The VANETs have a fundamental role in reducing traffic accidents and improving traffic on the roads. Authentication in VANETs is a critical security service, and vehicles should be protected from breaking their personal information. Vehicles can be traced and investigated in the event of an accident or liability arising out of non-repudiation when the vehicle is faced with a rush of incoming messages. Hence, the roadside units' (RSUs) efficiency is reduced and causes delays in checking messages. This study presents an authentication framework using proxy vehicles for VANETs. Reducing the computational cost and proficiency increment are the features of the proposed method on the RSUs side. The proposed framework supports managing the revocation list. The Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) authentication protocols are guaranteed and designed in this proposed framework, to show this, a merged V2I and V2V authentication is presented and embedded in the proposed framework. The designed protocol applies offline and online signatures to check messages and the revocation key to prevent malicious messages from being sent, and the time limit to use the network. The analysis shows that the suggested protocol is more feasible and reasonable for use in VANETs.
Real-time prediction of grinding surface roughness based on multi-sensor signal fusion
Authors: Pan Yuhang , Qiao Yajuan , Wang Yonghao , Liu Xubao , Zhou Ping 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
In this study, aiming at problems that the existing surface roughness prediction models fail to consider the time-varying characteristics of the rough grinding process and the difficulty in feature selection, a real-time surface roughness prediction model based on multi-sensor signal fusion is developed. Firstly, features are extracted from the time domain, frequency domain, and time-frequency domain of force and vibration signal, and then features that do not reflect the time-varying characteristics of the machining process are eliminated. Finally, a multi-sensor signal fusion method is proposed based on the principal component analysis (PCA). Results show that fused features are capable of retaining the physical meaning of original features, and achieving stable and high-precision prediction of surface roughness when they are input into the BP neural network (BPNN). In addition, it is found that the surface roughness at different stages of grinding processing is dominated by different factors. Specifically, during the first stage, the fourth principal component PC4 is the redundant information for the model. However, this feature significantly affects the performance of the model during the second stage. Overall, this paper lays the foundation for understanding mechanisms of time-varying surface roughness in an actual grinding process and realizing accurate monitoring.
Application of flow cytometry and measurement of water activity to evaluate the stability of probiotic products
Authors: Sielatycka Katarzyna , Śliwa-Dominiak Joanna , Radaczyńska Martyna , Juzwa Wojciech , Kaczmarczyk Mariusz , Marlicz Wojciech , Łoniewski Igor 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The flow cytometry method (FCM) is a widely renown practice increasingly used to assess the microbial viability of the probiotic products. Also, water activity (aw) can be used to verify of viable cells in probiotic products throughout their shelf lives. The aim of this study was to analyze and demonstrate the effective, time-efficient and economical method of combining FCM and aw for assessing the shelf life of various probiotic products and guaranteeing their quality. We controlled the stability of probiotic products for bacterial counts (using flow cytometry, SYTO24 and PI dyes) and aw levels in commercially available capsules containing freeze-dried bacteria such as Lactobacillus sp. or combinations of Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp. in standard conditions (25°C ± 2°C and 60% relative humidity) over a period of 24 months. During this time, the bacterial contents decreased by 0.1 Log10 in the single-strain product, by 0.14 Log10 in the two-strain product and by 0.25 Log10 in the multi-strain product. The aw at the end point of the stability study did not exceed 0.15 in each of the three tested products. FCM in combination with aw is an innovative, valuable and prospective method for assessing the stability of probiotic products both for their ability to detect bacterial viability, but also for practical (analysis time) and economic reasons.
Developing Laser-Assisted Machining Process for Nickel based Superalloy IN625 Using Experimental and Statistical Analysis
Authors: Rao B. Amarendhar , Tak Manish , Rao R. Narasimha , Bathe Ravi 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
This study evaluated the optimization of process parameters in laser-assisted turning of IN625 nickel-based superalloy. IN625 is renowned for its high-temperature strength and work-hardening properties, making it challenging to machine using traditional techniques. In order to overcome this difficulty, a laser-assisted machining setup was employed that combined a conventional lathe with a 6 kW fibre-coupled diode laser and dynamometer. The Box-Behnken design of experiments strategy based on Response Surface Methodology was used to optimize the machining conditions. The interplay between various machining properties, such as cutting forces, flank wear, and surface roughness, and machining process parameters, such as laser power, spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut, was investigated. The optimal parameters for laser-assisted turning of IN625 alloy included a laser power of 625 W, speed of 45 m/min, and feed of 0.15 mm/rev. These parameters led to reductions in cutting forces of 20% (Fx), 17% (Fy), 30% (Fz), as well as maximum flank wear and surface roughness of 18% and 16%, respectively. This study provides an effective strategy for optimizing the machining of IN625 alloys, which is difficult to machine by traditional techniques due to its high-temperature strength and work-hardening properties.
Cell type specific polyploidization in the royal fat body of termite queens
Authors: Nozaki Tomonari , Tasaki Eisuke , Matsuura Kenji 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Tissue-specific endopolyploidy is widespread among plants and animals and its role in organ development and function has long been investigated. In insects, the fat body cells of sexually mature females produce substantial amounts of egg yolk precursor proteins (vitellogenins) and exhibit high polyploid levels, which is considered crucial for boosting egg production. Termites are social insects with a reproductive division of labor, and the fat bodies of mature termite queens exhibit higher ploidy levels than those of other females. The fat bodies of mature termite queens are known to be histologically and cytologically specialized in protein synthesis. However, the relationship between such modifications and polyploidization remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the relationship among cell type, queen maturation, and ploidy levels in the fat body of the termite Reticulitermes speratus. We first confirmed that the termite fat body consists of two types of cells, that is, adipocytes, metabolically active cells, and urocytes, urate-storing cells. Our ploidy analysis using flow cytometry has shown that the fat bodies of actively reproducing queens had more polyploid cells than those of newly emerged and pre-reproductive queens, regardless of the queen phenotype (adult or neotenic type). Using image-based analysis, we found that adipocytes became polyploid during queen differentiation and subsequent sexual maturation. These results suggest that polyploidization in the termite queen fat body is associated with sexual maturation and is regulated in a cell type-specific manner. Our study findings have provided novel insights into the development of insect fat bodies and provide a basis for future studies to understand the functional importance of polyploidy in the fat bodies of termite queens.
Thinking and Enacting the Patient Medical Home under Pandemic Conditions: A qualitative study from primary care in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Leslie Myles , Hansen Brian , Abboud Rida , Claussen Caroline , Aghajafari Fariba 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Background:The COVID-19 (C19) pandemic shocked primary care systems around the world. Those systems responded by supporting patients in the community, and acute care facilities in crisis. In Canada, the Patient Medical Home (PMH) is a widely adopted care model that aims to operationalize the tenets and principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) as developed since the Alma-Ata Declaration. This paper describes how personnel working in and with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in Alberta, Canada deployed the PMH model and its underlying PHC principles to frame and respond to the C19 shock.Methods: Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, we interviewed 57participants who worked in public health and primary care, including community-based family physicians. We used interpretive description to analyze the interviews.Results:PCN staff and physicians described how the PMH model was foundational to normal operations, and how C19 responses were framed by the patient-centric, team-delivered, and continuous care principles the model shares with PHC. Specifically, participants described ensuring access to care, addressing the social determinants of health, being patient centered, and redeploying and expanding PHC teams to accomplish these goals.Discussion:Delivering PHC through the PMH allowed physicians and allied health staff to deliver patient-centered, team-based, holistic bio-medical services to Albertans. In tailoring services to meet the specific social and health needs of the populations served by each PCN, healthcare providers were able to ensure relevant support remained available and accessible.
Parallelized immunomagnetic nanopore sorting: modeling, scaling, and optimization of surface marker specific isolation of extracellular vesicles from complex media
Authors: Lin Andrew A. , Shen Hanfei , Spychalski Griffin , Carpenter Erica L. , Issadore David 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The isolation of specific subpopulations of extracellular vesicles (EVs) based on their expression of surface markers poses a significant challenge due to their nanoscale size (< 800 nm), their heterogeneous surface marker expression, and the vast number of background EVs present in clinical specimens (1010-1012 EVs/mL in blood). Highly parallelized nanomagnetic sorting using track etched magnetic nanopore (TENPO) chips has achieved precise immunospecific sorting with high throughput and resilience to clogging. However, there has not yet been a systematic study of the design parameters that control the trade-offs in throughput, target EV recovery, and specificity in this approach. We combine finite-element simulation and experimental characterization of TENPO chips to elucidate design rules to isolate EV subpopulations from blood. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by increasing specificity > 10x relative to prior published designs without sacrificing recovery of the target EVs by selecting pore diameter, number of membranes placed in series, and flow rate. We compare TENPO-isolated EVs to those of gold-standard methods of EV isolation and demonstrate its utility for wide application and modularity by targeting subpopulations of EVs from multiple models of disease including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer.
A Requirements Management Approach to Ameliorate Regression Testing Cost Overruns and Deviations
Authors: Roncero Enrique , Silva Andrés 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Testing and regression testing tasks can become very complex and highly expensive. Currently, studies in the software industry that testing activities may absorb more than 50% of the project cost. Of this cost, 40% may correspond to the cost of regression testing which, if not taken into account from the beginning, leads to a cost increase large enough to jeopardize the success of the project. To address this issue, an approach named “TeqReq+” is proposed. The main objective of TeqReq + is to provide an early integration of the cost of regression testing into the initial estimates of the project effort. From this, a reduction of the difference between the initial effort estimate and the final cost of the project will take place, after the regression testing has already been carried out. Additionally, in order to record valuable information for the testing process, TeqReq + will also record information related to the testing status and to the person responsible for the testing tasks associated to a requirement. The proposed approach was validated in an industrial case study involving several real-world projects. The analysis of the information gathered was performed under a mixed approach and, in turn, the results were validated via double triangulation. The findings lead to confirm that TeqReq + had a positive impact not only at the time of budgeting the cost of regression testing but in reducing the deviations due to a bad estimation of the regression testing costs, while also providing several other improvements regarding the testing process.