bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Study on copper oxide modified biochar for activating persulfate high efficiency and application for the removal of bisphenol A
Authors: Hua Li , Cheng Taozhi , Wei Ting 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAdvanced oxidation based on persulfate applied for the removal of organic pollutants has received widespread attention. Here, combining hydrothermal synthesis and a high‐temperature calcination approach, we constructed an effective copper oxide‐modified biochar from wood waste (Ginkgo biloba rods) for the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) from contaminated waterways. The modified biochar with copper oxide in its structure (CuO/BC) exhibited a densely arranged needle‐shaped structure different from pristine timber waste biochar (BC). CuO/BC can activate persulfate efficiently, and the removal rate of BPA could reach 100% within 20–30 min, approximately three times higher than that of BC. Moreover, CuO/BC was more suitable for treating BPA wastewater under alkaline conditions. The stability of CuO/BC, reaction intermediates, and possible degradation pathway were investigated. These results demonstrate the potential of the application of CuO/BC for organic wastewater treatment and shed light on a new approach to develop wastewater treatment materials that are carbon‐based and cost‐effective.
CarpNet: Transformer for mitral valve disease classification in echocardiographic videos
Authors: Vafaeezadeh Majid , Behnam Hamid , Hosseinsabet Ali , Gifani Parisa 
Published: April 2023

AbstractMitral valve (MV) diseases constitute one of the etiologies of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. MV pathologies need evaluating and classifying via echocardiographic videos. Transformers have significantly advanced video analytics. MV motion is divided by Carpentier functional classification into four types: normal, increased, restricted, and restricted only during systole. This paper introduces CarpNet, a deep transformer network that incorporates video transformers capable of direct MV pathology Carpentier's classification from the parasternal long‐axis (PLA) echocardiographic videos. The network, instead of processing frames independently, analyzes stacks of temporally consecutive frames using multi‐head attention modules to incorporate MV temporal dynamics into the learned model. To that end, different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are evaluated as the backbone, and the best model is selected using the information of the PLA view. The use of information obtained by our proposed deep transformer network from consecutive echocardiographic frames yielded better results concerning the Carpentier functional classification than information obtained by CNN‐based (single‐frame) models. Using the Inception_Resnet_V2 architecture as the backbone, CarpNet achieved 71% accuracy in the test dataset. Deep learning and transformers in echocardiographic videos can render quick, precise, and stable evaluations of various MV pathologies.
Er:YAG laser‐assisted comprehensive periodontal pocket therapy for residual periodontal pocket treatment: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Aoki Akira , Mizutani Koji , Mikami Risako , Ohsugi Yujin , Kobayashi Hiroaki , Akizuki Tatsuya , Taniguchi Yoichi , Takeuchi Yasuo , Katagiri Sayaka , Sasaki Yoshiyuki , Komaki Motohiro , Meinzer Walter , Izumi Yuichi , Iwata Takanori 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel pocket therapy (Er:YAG laser‐assisted comprehensive periodontal pocket therapy [Er‐LCPT]) for residual pocket treatment, compared with conventional mechanical treatment alone, in a randomized controlled clinical trial.MethodsTwo sites in 18 patients having residual periodontal pockets of ≥5 mm depth, extant following initial active therapy, or during supportive therapy, were randomized into two groups in a split mouth design: the control group received scaling and root planing (SRP) by curette, and the test group received Er‐LCPT using curette and laser. With Er‐LCPT, after root debridement, inflamed connective tissue on the inner gingival surface and on the bone surface/within extant bone defects was thoroughly debrided. Furthermore, removal of proximate oral epithelium and coagulation of the blood clot in the pocket entrance were performed with laser. Clinical parameters were evaluated, before and after treatment, through 12 months.ResultsBoth groups showed significant improvements in clinical parameters. With Er‐LCPT, pocket debridement was thoroughly and safely performed, without any adverse side effects and complications, and favorable healing was observed in most of the cases. At 12 months, Er‐LCPT demonstrated significantly higher probing pocket depth reduction (2.78 mm vs. 1.89 mm on average; p = 0.012, Wilcoxon signed‐rank test), clinical attachment gain (1.67 mm vs. 1.06 mm; p = 0.004) as primary outcomes, and reduced BOP value (0.89 vs. 0.56; p = 0.031), compared with SRP alone.ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that Er‐LCPT is more effective for residual pocket treatment, compared with SRP alone.
Efficacy of Septoplasty in Patients with Nasal Obstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Alessandri‐Bonetti Mario , Costantino Andrea , Cottone Giuseppe , Carbonaro Riccardo , Cardone Federica , Amendola Francesco , De Virgilio Armando , Robotti Enrico , Persichetti Paolo , Vaienti Luca 
Published: April 2023

ObjectiveSeptoplasty is the most frequently performed ENT surgery to correct nasal septal deviation (NSD). The present study aimed to quantify the effectiveness of septoplasty with or without turbinate surgery according to NOSE questionnaire scores, with the hypothesis that it is able to clinically improve patient‐reported nasal obstructive symptoms in the post‐operative follow‐up.MethodsAn electronic search was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The primary outcome was the change in NOSE score at 6 months after surgery. It was assessed with the mean difference (MD) between baseline and postoperative results.ResultsA total of 2577 patients (males: 65.1%, 95% CI: 59.9–70.2) with a mean age of 33.3 years (n = 1456, 95% CI: 30.4–36.2) were included in this meta‐analysis. The pooled baseline NOSE mean score was 68.1 (n = 2577, 95% CI: 64.3–71.9). The pooled MD in NOSE score at 6‐months follow‐up compared to baseline was −48.8 (n = 1730, 95% CI: −54.6 to −42.9).ConclusionsFunctional septoplasty with or without turbinate surgery shows a critical improvement of obstructive symptoms and quality of life according to the validated NOSE score.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 133:3237–3246, 2023
Conductive Hydrogel Scaffolds for the 3D Localization and Orientation of Fibroblasts
Authors: Tringides Christina M. , Mooney David J. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractDermal wounds and their healing are a collection of complex, multistep processes which are poorly recapitulated by existing 2D in vitro platforms. Biomaterial scaffolds that support the 3D growth of cell cultures can better resemble the native dermal environment, while bioelectronics has been used as a tool to modulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. A porous conductive hydrogel scaffold which mimics the properties of dermis, while promoting the viability and growth of fibroblasts is described. As these scaffolds are also electrically conductive, the application of exogenous electrical stimulation directs the migration of cells across and/or through the material. The mechanical properties of the scaffold, as well as the amplitude and/or duration of the electrical pulses, are independently tunable and further influence the resulting fibroblast networks. This biomaterial platform may enable better recapitulation of wound healing and can be utilized to develop and screen therapeutic interventions.
Risk of antidepressant initiation among users of cardiovascular agents and metformin.
Authors: Bojanić Ivana , Bjerkeset Ottar , Williams Lana J. , Berk Michael , Bjørngaard Johan Håkon , Sund Erik R. , Sletvold Hege 
Published: April 2023

AbstractCardiovascular disease and diabetes are risk factors for depression, yet the relationship between the drug treatments for these diseases and the risk of antidepressant initiation remains unclear. This study aimed to examine possible associations between the use of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), beta‐blockers (BB), calcium channel blockers (CCB), diuretics, or metformin and risk of antidepressant initiation. The Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3), Norway, was linked to the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD). Participants with no prescriptions of cardiovascular agents, metformin, or antidepressants for at least 6 months before HUNT3 (baseline) were eligible and followed for 10 years. The exposure was the use of cardiovascular agents or metformin, defined as mono‐ or polytherapy from baseline to end of follow‐up. The outcome was the initiation of antidepressant use, indicated by the first drug dispensation during the study period and expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Among 20 227 adults aged 40–70 years at baseline, we observed different associations between cardiovascular agents or metformin and the risk of antidepressant initiation. ARBs or CCB monotherapy was associated with a lower risk of initiating antidepressant use (HR 0.70; 95%CI 0.56–0.88 and HR 0.81; 95%CI 0.61–1.06, respectively) compared to no use of any drugs included in the study (reference). Reduced risk of antidepressant initiation was among ASA or statin polytherapy users, whereas there was a small increased risk among participants on ASA monotherapy. In contrast, there was no statistical evidence of associations between ACEI, BB, diuretics, or metformin and increased or decreased risk of antidepressant initiation. Our mixed findings indicate the possibility that some cardiovascular agents may be associated with a reduced risk of initiating antidepressant use while others may not. However, bias due to the limitations of the study design is possible.
Failure to tolerate continuous subcutaneous treprostinil in pediatric pulmonary hypertension patients
Authors: McSweeney Julia , Colglazier Elizabeth , Becerra Jasmine , Leary Brienne , Miller‐Reed Kathleen , Walker Stephen , Tillman Katy , Magness Melissa , Ogawa Michelle , Bannon Whitney , Kivett Tisha , Jackson Emma O. , Davis Anne , Shepard Cathy , Richards Susan , Whalen Elise , Engstrand Shannon , DiPasquale Zachary , Connor Jean A. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractContinuous subcutaneous (SubQ) treprostinil is an effective therapy for pediatric patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH). To date, the clinical characteristics and factors associated with failure to tolerate this therapy have not been described. The purpose was to describe patient‐reported factors contributing to SubQ treprostinil intolerance in pediatric patients with PH. A retrospective descriptive study was performed at 11 participating sites in the United States and Canada for patients younger than 21 years of age diagnosed with PH who failed treatment to tolerate SubQ treprostinil between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2019. All data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Forty‐one patients met the inclusion criteria. The average age at SQ treprostinil initiation, and length of treatment, was 8.6 years and 22.6 months, respectively. The average maximum dose, concentration, and rate were 95.8 ng/kg/min, 6.06 mg/mL, and 0.040 mL/h, respectively. The reasons for failure to tolerate SubQ treprostinil included intractable site pain (73.2%), frequent site changes (56.1%), severe site reactions (53.7%), infections (26.8%), and noncompliance/depression/anxiety (17.1%). Thirty‐nine (95.1%) patients transitioned to a prostacyclin therapy with 23 patients transitioning to intravenous prostacyclin, 5 to inhaled prostacyclin, 5 to oral prostacyclin, and 7 to a prostacyclin receptor agonist. A subset of pediatric PH patients failed to tolerate SubQ treprostinil infusions despite advances in SubQ site maintenance and pain management strategies. Intractable site pain, frequent SubQ site changes, and severe localized skin reactions were the most common reasons for failure.
Crystal and morphology development in immiscible nonpolar polymer blend nanocomposite based on low‐density polyethylene and linear low‐density polyethylene in presence of clay and compatibilizer
Authors: Khederlou Khadijeh , Eslamian Mohammadjavad , Shojaei Akbar , Bagheri Reza , Tamsilian Yousef 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIn this work, polyolefin‐blend/clay nanocomposites based on low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), and organically modified clay (OC) were prepared by melt extrusion. Various grades of maleic anhydride (MA) grafted polyethylene (PE‐g‐MA) were used and examined as compatibilizers in these nanocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that OC and compatibilizer affect the crystallization behavior of LDPE/LLDPE with different mechanisms. Thermodynamic calculations of wetting coefficient based on interfacial energy between OC, LD, and LL, Morphological characterization based on field emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, small angles X‐ray scattering, and dynamic rheology measurements revealed that the compatibilizer and OC were localized at the interface of LDPE and LLDPE phases with a preferred tendency toward one phase. Results demonstrated that at a specific amount of OC, there is an optimum compatibilizer concentration to achieve nanodispersed OC and beyond that the compatibilizer causes a structural change in the polymer crystalline morphology. It was also found that the tensile property enhancement of LDPE/LLDPE/OC nanocomposites is closely related to the crystalline structure development made by incorporation of both OC and compatibilizer.
Tense Logic Based on Finite Orthomodular Posets
Authors: Chajda Ivan , Länger Helmut 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIt is widely accepted that the logic of quantum mechanics is based on orthomodular posets. However, such a logic is not dynamic in the sense that it does not incorporate time dimension. To fill this gap, we introduce certain tense operators on such a logic in an inexact way, but still satisfying requirements asked on tense operators in the classical logic based on Boolean algebras or in various non-classical logics. Our construction of tense operators works perfectly when the orthomodular poset in question is finite. We investigate the behaviour of these tense operators, e.g. we show that some of them form a dynamic pair. Moreover, we prove that if the tense operators preserve one of the inexact connectives conjunction or implication as defined by the authors recently in another paper, then they also preserve the other one. Finally, we show how to construct the binary relation of time preference on a given time set provided the tense operators are given, up to equivalence induced by natural quasi-orders.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater in Thailand: occurrence, source identification and spatial distribution
Authors: Hongkachok C. , Boontanon S. K. , Boontanon N. , Sukeesan S. , Polprasert C. , Fujii S. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have the potential to leach into groundwater, particularly in areas with potential pollution sources, such as landfills. The composition and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as well as soil characteristics, are particularly useful for identifying the sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The objectives of the present study were to characterise per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance levels in groundwater in Thailand, identify their potential sources and highlight their spatial distribution. Groundwater samples were collected in areas hosting municipal and industrial waste disposal sites. Seven Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances were extracted from the groundwater samples using the solid-phase extraction technique and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. These samples contain mostly perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, with the highest concentrations of 34.96 and 25.88 ng L–1, respectively, obtained from industrial waste disposal site areas. The presence of perfluorohexane sulfonate in most samples from industrial waste disposal site areas suggests its usage as a substitute for perfluorooctane sulfonate-based products. In addition to waste disposal, hierarchical cluster analysis reveals that other sources likely influence the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater in Thailand. Livestock farming and ponds near groundwater wells probably impact per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels in the associated groundwater. The spatial distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances shows that in addition to waste disposal sources, soil characteristics and interactions between their negatively charged components and cations in soils significantly influence the contamination of groundwater in the areas studied.
Personalized Bayesian optimization for noisy problems
Authors: Wang Xilu , Jin Yaochu 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIn many real-world applications of interest, several related optimization tasks can be encountered, where each task is associated with a specific context or personalized information. Moreover, the amount of available data for each task may be highly limited due to the expensive cost involved. Although Bayesian optimization (BO) has emerged as a promising paradigm for handling black-box optimization problems, addressing such a sequence of optimization tasks can be intractable due to the cold start issues in BO. The key challenge is to speed up the optimization by leveraging the transferable information, while taking the personalization into consideration. In this paper, optimization problems with personalized variables are formally defined at first. Subsequently, a personalized evolutionary Bayesian algorithm is proposed to consider the personalized information and the measurement noise. Specifically, a contextual Gaussian process is used to jointly learn a surrogate model in different contexts with regard to the varying personalized parameter, and an evolutionary algorithm is tailored for optimizing an acquisition function for handling the presence of personalized information. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm by testing it on widely used single- and multi-objective benchmark problems with personalized variables.
Trend analysis of hydro-climate variables in the Jemma sub-basin of Upper Blue Nile (Abbay) Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Lebeza Tadele Melese , Gashaw Temesgen , Tefera Gebrekidan Worku , Mohammed Jemal Ali 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe change in climate elements such as rainfall and temperature are determinant factors of hydrological components (e.g., streamflow, water yield, evapotranspiration). Thus, understanding the trends of hydro-climate variables are imperative for planning water resources management measures. This study examines the trends of precipitation and temperature (1980–2014) as well as streamflow (1990–2008) changes in the Jemma sub-basin of the Upper Blue Nile (Abbay) Basin. A homogeneity test was performed for pre-processing data to inspect the statistical nature of data homogeneity viz., Pettitt’s, SNHT, Buishand range test, and Von Neumann test (VNT). The Mann–Kendall (MK) test, Modified Mann–Kendall (MMK) test, Sen’s slope estimator, and Innovative trend analysis (ITA) were applied to compute the existence of trend and the magnitude of change at an annual timescale. In a nutshell, the study portrays a change in the trends of hydro-climate variables when using different statistical tests. The result showed that the mean annual temperature in many stations depicted upward trends. There is a significant increasing trend (p < 0.05) by 0.029 °C per year in the mean annual temperature of all climatic stations. Based on Sen’s slope estimator, the annual precipitation and streamflow were increased by 1.781 mm/year and 0.085 m3/s, respectively. But no significant trends were detected in precipitation and streamflow when using Sen’s slope estimator test. The results of this study are worthwhile for evaluating the trends of hydro-climatic variables in other areas of Ethiopia in particular and elsewhere in the world in general, which are fundamental for planning water resource management measures.
Intubation practices and outcomes for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19: a national observational study by the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN)
Authors: Leeies Murdoch , Rosychuk Rhonda J. , Ismath Muzeen , Xu Ke , Archambault Patrick , Fok Patrick T. , Audet Thomas , Jelic Tomislav , Hayward Jake , Daoust Raoul , Chandra Kavish , Davis Phil , Yan Justin W. , Hau Jeffrey P. , Welsford Michelle , Brooks Steven C. , Hohl Corinne M. ,   The Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) investigators for the Network of Canadian Emergency Researchers, the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Objective
Intubation practices changed during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect healthcare workers from transmission of disease. Our objectives were to describe intubation characteristics and outcomes for patients tested for SARS CoV-2 infection. We compared outcomes between patients testing SARS COV-2 positive with those testing negative.

Methods
We conducted a health records review using the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) registry. We included consecutive eligible patients who presented to one of 47 EDs across Canada between March 1, 2020 and June 20, 2021, were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and intubated in the ED. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients experiencing a post-intubation adverse event during the ED stay. Secondary outcomes included first-pass success, intubation practices, and hospital mortality. We used descriptive statistics to summarize variables with subgroup differences examined using t tests, z tests, or chi-squared tests where appropriate with 95% CIs.

Results
Of 1720 patients with suspected COVID-19 who were intubated in the ED during the study period, 337 (19.6%) tested SARS-CoV-2 positive and 1383 (80.4%) SARS-CoV-2 negative. SARS-CoV-2 positive patients presented to hospital with lower oxygen levels than SARS-CoV-2 negative patients (mean pulse oximeter SaO2 86 vs 94%, p < 0.001). In total, 8.5% of patients experienced an adverse event post-intubation. More patients in the SARS-CoV-2 positive subgroup experienced post-intubation hypoxemia (4.5 vs 2.2%, p = 0.019). In-hospital mortality was greater for patients who experienced intubation-related adverse events (43.2 vs 33.2%, p = 0.018). There was no significant difference in adverse event-associated mortality by SARS-CoV-2 status. First-pass success was achieved in 92.4% of all intubations, with no difference by SARS-CoV-2 status.

Conclusions
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a low risk of adverse events associated with intubation, even though hypoxemia was common in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2. We observed high rates of first-pass success and low rates of inability to intubate. The limited number of adverse events precluded multivariate adjustments. Study findings should reassure emergency medicine practitioners that system modifications made to intubation processes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic do not appear to be associated with worse outcomes compared to pre-COVID-19 practices.