bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Deep learning for tumor margin identification in electromagnetic imaging
Authors: Mirbeik Amir , Ebadi Negar 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn this work, a novel method for tumor margin identification in electromagnetic imaging is proposed to optimize the tumor removal surgery. This capability will enable the visualization of the border of the cancerous tissue for the surgeon prior or during the excision surgery. To this end, the border between the normal and tumor parts needs to be identified. Therefore, the images need to be segmented into tumor and normal areas. We propose a deep learning technique which divides the electromagnetic images into two regions: tumor and normal, with high accuracy. We formulate deep learning from a perspective relevant to electromagnetic image reconstruction. A recurrent auto-encoder network architecture (termed here DeepTMI) is presented. The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated by segmenting the reconstructed images of an experimental tissue-mimicking phantom. The structure similarity measure (SSIM) and mean-square-error (MSE) average of normalized reconstructed results by the DeepTMI method are about 0.94 and 0.04 respectively, while that average obtained from the conventional backpropagation (BP) method can hardly overcome 0.35 and 0.41 respectively.
Numerical analysis of pile group, piled raft, and footing using finite element software PLAXIS 2D and GEO5
Authors: Chimdesa Firanboni Fituma , Chimdesa Firaol Fituma , Jilo Nagessa Zerihun , Hulagabali Anand , Babalola Olusola Emmanuel , Tiyasha Tiyasha , Ramaswamy Krishnaraj , Kumar Adarsh , Bhagat Suraj Kumar 
Published: September 2023

AbstractFoundation plays a vital role in weight transfer from the superstructure to substructure. However, foundation characteristics such as pile group, piled raft, and footing remain unfolded due to their highly non-linear behaviour in different soil types. Bibliography analysis using VOSvierwer algorithm supported the significance of the research. Hence, this study investigates the load-bearing capacity of different types of foundations, including footings, pile groups, and piled rafts, by analyzing experimental data using finite element tools such as PLAXIS 2D and GEO5. The analysis involves examining the impact of various factors such as the influence of surcharge and the effect of different soil types on the load-bearing capabilities of the different types of foundation. For footing, parametric investigations using PLAXIS 2D are conducted to explore deformational changes. Pile groups are analyzed using GEO5 to assess their factor of safety (FOS.) and settling under various criteria, such as pile length and soil type. The study also provides insight into selecting the right type of foundation for civil engineering practice. Findings showed that different soil types have varying deformational behaviours under high loads with sandy soil having less horizontal deformation than clayey soil. Also, it was observed that increasing the pile thickness by 50% resulted in a reduction of 13.88% in settlement and an improvement of 16.66% in the FOS. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of professionalism, exceptional talent, and outstanding decision-making when assessing the load-bearing capabilities of various foundation types for building structures.
Nano-CT characterization of dentinal tubule occlusion in SDF-treated dentin
Authors: Menzel Matthias , Kiesow Andreas , de Souza e Silva Juliana Martins 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDentin hypersensitivity is an oral health concern affecting a large percentage of the world's adult population. Occlusion of the exposed dentinal tubules is among the treatment options available, and silver diammine fluoride (SDF) is an occluding agent used for interrupting or dampening the stimulus of the dental pulp nerves that produce pain. In addition to dentin permeability testing, the evaluation of desensitizing agents occluding dentinal tubules strongly relies on microscopic techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Limitations of SEM are that it provides only surface images that lack detailed information on the depth of penetration and amount of material present within the treated specimen, and it is prone to sample preparation artifacts. Here, we present high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT) as a potential method for investigating dentin specimens with occluded tubules. We studied human dentin treated with SDF as an exemplary dentinal occlusion treatment option. We evaluated the silver deposits formed on the dentin surface region near the dentinal tubules and in the tubular regions using cross-section SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and nano-CT. The resulting images obtained by SEM and nano-CT had comparable resolutions, and both techniques produced images of the tubules' occlusion. Nano-CT provided three-dimensional images adequate to quantitate tubule size and orientation in space. Moreover, it enabled clear visualization of dentinal tubules in any virtual plane and estimation of the amount and depth of occluding material. Thus, nano-CT has the potential to be a valuable technique for evaluating the occluding effects of virtually any material applied to dentinal tubules, supporting deciding between the best occluding treatment options.
Serum Erythropoietin level in anemia of elderly with unclear etiology
Authors: Seong Ju Yong , Shin Dong-Yeop , Byun Ja Min , Koh Youngil , Hong Junshik , Kim Inho , Yoon Sung-Soo 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAnemia is a common condition, but its causes are often unclear, especially in elderly adults. Erythropoietin (EPO) levels are known to be elevated in myelodysplastic syndrome and hematologic malignancies, but decreased in chronic benign anemia. This study aimed to investigate whether EPO levels could be used to identify underlying bone marrow diseases including malignancies, among elderly anemic patients with unclear etiology. This single centered retrospective study included patients presented with isolated anemia and had their EPO levels measured at their first visit. Patients were divided into two groups: bone marrow disease and benign etiologic anemia, based on observation and bone marrow test results. Out of 1180 patients reviewed, 81 patients with anemia of unclear etiology were identified, including 67 with benign anemia and 14 with bone marrow disease. Statistically significant difference in EPO levels between these two groups (P < 0.001) were observed. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that an EPO cut-off value of 36.4 mU/mL had a sensitivity and specificity of 92.8% and 94.0% for detecting underlying bone marrow disease, respectively. We suggest measuring serum EPO levels can aid in the early detection of benign anemia from bone marrow disease, including malignancies, with high sensitivity and specificity.
Improving CNNs classification with pathologist-based expertise: the renal cell carcinoma case study
Authors: Ponzio Francesco , Descombes Xavier , Ambrosetti Damien 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) malignant neoplasms deeply relies on an accurate determination of the histological subtype, which currently involves the light microscopy visual analysis of histological slides, considering notably tumor architecture and cytology. RCC subtyping is therefore a time-consuming and tedious process, sometimes requiring expert review, with great impact on diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of RCC neoplasms. In this study, we investigate the automatic RCC subtyping classification of 91 patients, diagnosed with clear cell RCC, papillary RCC, chromophobe RCC, or renal oncocytoma, through deep learning based methodologies. We show how the classification performance of several state-of-the-art Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are perfectible among the different RCC subtypes. Thus, we introduce a new classification model leveraging a combination of supervised deep learning models (specifically CNNs) and pathologist’s expertise, giving birth to a hybrid approach that we termed ExpertDeepTree (ExpertDT). Our findings prove ExpertDT’s superior capability in the RCC subtyping task, with respect to traditional CNNs, and suggest that introducing some expert-based knowledge into deep learning models may be a valuable solution for complex classification cases.
SGLT-2 inhibitors improve cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with CKD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mavrakanas Thomas A. , Tsoukas Michael A. , Brophy James M. , Sharma Abhinav , Gariani Karim 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe effect of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors on cardiovascular and renal outcomes has not been systematically reviewed across baseline kidney function groups. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) with SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with and without CKD. We performed a PubMed/Medline search of randomized, placebo-controlled, event-driven outcome trials of SGLT-2 inhibitors versus active or placebo control in patients with and without diabetes from inception to November 2022. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 (PROSPERO registration CRD4202016054). The primary outcome was cardiovascular death. Secondary outcomes included hospitalization for heart failure, major adverse cardiovascular events, CKD progression, all-cause mortality, treatment discontinuation, and acute kidney injury (AKI). The relative risk (RR) was estimated using a random-effects model. Twelve RCTs were included in this meta-analysis (89,191 patients, including 38,949 with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2). Use of an SGLT-2 inhibitor in patients with CKD was associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular death (RR 0.87; 95% CI 0.79–0.95) and of heart failure (RR 0.67; 95% CI 0.61–0.75), compared with placebo. Heart failure risk reduction with SGLT-2 inhibitors was larger among patients with CKD compared with patients without CKD (RR for the interaction 0.87, 95% CI 0.75–1.02, and p-value for interaction 0.08). SGLT-2 inhibitors were associated with a lower incidence of CKD progression among patients with pre-existing CKD: RR 0.77 (95% CI 0.68–0.88), compared with placebo. Among patients with CKD, a lower risk of AKI (RR 0.82; 95% CI 0.72–0.93) and treatment discontinuation was seen with SGLT-2 inhibitors compared with placebo. SGLT-2 inhibitors offer substantial protection against cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with CKD. These results strongly advocate in favor of using them in patients with CKD and keeping them as kidney function declines.
Analysis of the utility of transbronchial lung biopsy culture under endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide-sheath
Authors: Shimoda Masafumi , Morimoto Kozo , Tanaka Yoshiaki , Ito Masashi , Moue Iori , Yoshimori Kozo , Ohta Ken 
Published: September 2023

AbstractTransbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) culture is not common in clinical practice, and TBLB culture for patients with mycobacterial disease provide limited value because the diagnostic accuracy of TBLB culture is very low. Recently, bronchoscopic devices have been further developed, such as endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide-sheath (EBUS-GS). Therefore, this study investigated the utility of TBLB culture obtained by using EBUS-GS compared to washing cultures. A total of 31 patients who underwent TBLB culture by using EBUS-GS (GS-TBLB) were collected retrospectively at Fukujuji Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. The diagnostic accuracies of GS-TBLB culture and bronchial and device washing cultures (namely, washing culture) were compared. The patients comprised 13 individuals with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, 7 with pulmonary aspergillosis, 6 with lung abscess, and 5 with pulmonary tuberculosis. The diagnostic accuracy of GS-TBLB culture was lower to that of TBLB culture than those of washing culture (n = 11 [35.5%] vs. n = 20 [64.5%], p = 0.016), and there was only one patient with positive GS-TBLB culture results and negative washing culture results. Comparing between patients with mycobacteria and non-mycobacteria, GS-TBLB culture positivity were no significant difference between patients with mycobacteria and non-mycobacteria (n = 6 [33.3%] vs. n = 5 [38.5%], p = 1.000), however, patients with mycobacteria diagnosed by washing culture more than those with non-mycobacteria (n = 15 [83.3%] vs. n = 5 [38.5%], p = 0.021). Our results demonstrate that the utility of TBLB culture for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections might provide limited value even if EBUS-GS is performed and lung tissue is successfully obtained.
Promising application of probiotic microorganisms as Pickering emulsions stabilizers
Authors: Nejadmansouri Maryam , Eskandari Mohammad Hadi , Yousefi Gholam Hossein , Riazi Masoud , Hosseini Seyed Mohammad Hashem 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe purpose of this work was to study the ability of nineteen food-grade microorganisms as Pickering emulsion (PE) stabilizers. Medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) oil-in-water (50:50) PEs were fabricated by 10 wt% or 15 wt% of thermally-inactivated yeast, cocci, Bacillus spp. and lactobacilli cells. The characteristics of microorganisms related to “Pickering stabilization” including morphology, surface charge, interfacial tension, and “contact angle” were firstly studied. After that, the cells-stabilized PEs were characterized from both kinetic and thermodynamic viewpoints, microstructure and rheological properties. The interfacial tension and “contact angle” values of various microorganisms ranged from 16.33 to 38.31 mN/m, and from 15° to 106°, respectively. The mean droplet size of PEs ranged from 11.51 to 57.69 µm. Generally, the physical stability of cell-stabilized PEs followed this order: lactobacilli > Bacillus spp. > cocci > yeast. These variations were attributed to the morphology and cell wall composition. Increasing the microorganism concentration significantly increased the physical stability of PEs from a maximum of 12 days at 10 wt% to 35 days at 15 wt% as a result of better interface coverage. Shear-thinning and dominant elastic behaviors were observed in PEs. Physical stability was affected by the free energy of detachment. Therefore, food-grade microorganisms are suggested for stabilizing PEs.
Development of a novel virtual reality-enabled remote monitoring device for maintenance of cathodic protection systems on oil and gas pipelines
Authors: Mgbemena Chika Edith , Onuoha David Obike , Godwin Harold Chukwuemeka 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPeriodic inspections are required for oil and gas pipelines equipped with cathodic protection systems (CPS) to prevent corrosion. This inspection takes time and requires money, mobilisation of specialised staff, and accessibility of pipeline right of way which is often hindered by security issues, and bad terrain. A novel virtual reality-enabled remote monitoring device, developed using the NACE SP0169 standard, which measures the pipe-to-soil potential (PSP) reading, transmits the measured data to an IoT server, and a virtual environment for analysis and feedback while providing an immersive experience to the user, all in real-time, is presented. The hardware and software components are developed using Sensors, Arduino Mega 2560 board, AWS Sumerian 1.2.0 software, ThingSpeak IoT server, Blender modelling software and AutoCAD. When implemented on real test posts of oil and gas facilities and compared with the traditional methodology, the system showed consistency of data measurement and analysis, with real-time feedback to users, and a Spearman rank’s correlation coefficient of 0.998944. The study is significant as it provides the oil industry with an expert, easy-to-understand tool which helps to reduce the rate of oil spillage and losses through corrosion.
Identification of MIR600HG/hsa-miR-342-3p/ANLN network as a potential prognosis biomarker associated with lmmune infiltrates in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Qian Baolin , Liu Qi , Wang Chaoqun , Lu Shounan , Ke Shanjia , Yin Bing , Li Xinglong , Yu Hongjun , Wu Yaohua , Ma Yong 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPancreatic cancer is one of the tumors with the worst prognosis, causing serious harm to human health. The RNA network and immune response play an important role in tumor progression. While a systematic RNA network linked to the tumor immune response remains to be further explored in pancreatic cancer. Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, the MIR600HG/hsa-miR-342-3p/ANLN network was determined. WB and IHC were used to confirm the high expression of ANLN in pancreatic cancer. The prognostic model based on the RNA network could effectively predict the survival prognosis of patients. The analysis of immune infiltration showed that the MIR600HG/hsa-miR-342-3p/ANLN network altered the level of infiltration of T helper 2 (Th2) and effector memory T (Tem) cells. Furthermore, we found that the chemokines chemokine ligand (CCL) 5 and CCL14 may play a key role in immune cell infiltration mediated by the RNA network. In conclusion, this study constructed a prognostic model based on the MIR600HG/hsa-miR-342-3p/ANLN network and found that it may function in tumor immunity.
Global insight into understanding wheat yield and production through Agro-Ecological Zoning
Authors: Dadrasi Amir , Chaichi Mehrdad , Nehbandani Alireza , Soltani Elias , Nemati Ahmad , Salmani Fatemeh , Heydari Moslem , Yousefi Ali Reza 
Published: September 2023

AbstractGlobal food security requires food production to be increased in the future decades. Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) methodology is a successful approach used in land evaluation studies to support sustainable agricultural development. This approach can facilitate finding suitable areas for wheat production on a global scale. This study was conducted based on a climate zone map, soil data, wheat cultivation area, yield, and production under irrigated and rainfed conditions, worldwide. The results for irrigated wheat indicated that there is an area of 59.5 Mha with an average yield of 4.02 t/ha which leads to the production of about 239.6 Mt of grain yield. Furthermore, climate zones (CZs) of 8002, 5203, 5302, 5403, and 8102 have the highest wheat production with an average of 20.7, 14.2, 13.3, 11.8, 11.5 Mt, respectively. The highest amount of irrigated wheat production has been achieved in soil type code 17 (Loam LF120), which has a cultivation area of around 23.6 Mha and a production of about 106.8 Mt. Rainfed wheat production is 410 Mt, and the cultivation area is 160.2 Mha. The highest rainfed wheat production with an average of 17 Mt was related to the 3702 CZ, followed by the other CZs (3802, 1303, 1203, 3602, 4602, etc.). The soil codes 11 (Loam HF120), 10 (Loam HF180), and 14 (Loam MF120) showed the highest rainfed wheat production. The findings of this study can be useful for agricultural scientists, authorities, and decision-makers around the world to find suitable lands to expand wheat cultivation and also to find new locations for increasing global wheat production to feed the increasing population in the world.
Machine learning-based analysis of regional differences in out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest outcomes and resuscitation interventions in Japan
Authors: Kawai Yasuyuki , Yamamoto Koji , Miyazaki Keita , Asai Hideki , Fukushima Hidetada 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRefining out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OHCA) resuscitation protocols for local emergency practices is vital. The lack of comprehensive evaluation methods for individualized protocols impedes targeted improvements. Thus, we employed machine learning to assess emergency medical service (EMS) records for examining regional disparities in time reduction strategies. In this retrospective study, we examined Japanese EMS records and neurological outcomes from 2015 to 2020 using nationwide data. We included patients aged ≥ 18 years with cardiogenic OHCA and visualized EMS activity time variations across prefectures. A five-layer neural network generated a neurological outcome predictive model that was trained on 80% of the data and tested on the remaining 20%. We evaluated interventions associated with changes in prognosis by simulating these changes after adjusting for time factors, including EMS contact to hospital arrival and initial defibrillation or drug administration. The study encompassed 460,540 patients, with the model’s area under the curve and accuracy being 0.96 and 0.95, respectively. Reducing transport time and defibrillation improved outcomes universally, while combining transport time and drug administration showed varied efficacy. In conclusion, the association of emergency activity time with neurological outcomes varied across Japanese prefectures, suggesting the need to set targets for reducing activity time in localized emergency protocols.
Vascular smooth muscle cells enhance immune/vascular interplay in a 3-cell model of vascular inflammation
Authors: Wiejak Jolanta , Murphy Fiona A. , Maffia Pasquale , Yarwood Stephen J. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a serious cardiovascular disease that is characterised by the development of atheroma, which are lipid-laden plaques that build up within arterial walls due to chronic inflammatory processes. These lesions are fundamentally attributed to a complex cellular crosstalk between vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and central immune cells, such as macrophages (Mɸs), which promote vascular inflammation. The presence of VSMCs exerts both positive and negative effects during atheroma development, which can be attributed to their phenotypic plasticity. Understanding the interactions between these key cell types during the development of vascular inflammation and atheroma will enhance the scope for new therapeutic interventions. This study aims to determine the importance of VSMCs for shaping the extracellular cytokine/chemokine profile and transcriptional responses of VECs (human coronary artery endothelial cells; HCAECs) to activated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP1 Mɸs, in a 3-cell model of human vascular inflammation. It is evident that within the presence of VSMCs, enhanced cytokine production was associated with up-regulation of genes associated with vascular inflammation t. Results demonstrate that the presence of VSMCs in co-culture experiments enhanced cytokine production (including CXCL1/GROα, IL-6, IL-8 and CCL2/MCP1) and inflammatory gene expression (including genes involved in JAK/STAT, Jun and NFκB signalling) in HCAECs co-cultured with LPS-stimulated THP1 Mɸs. Our results highlight the importance of VSMCs in immune/endothelial cell interplay and indicate that 3-cell, rather than 2-cell co-culture, may be more appropriate for the study of cellular crosstalk between immune and vascular compartments in response to inflammatory and atherogenic stimuli.