Helmholtz energy equations of state with independent variables of temperature and density were developed for n-perfluorobutane, n-perfluoropentane, and n-perfluorohexane based on experimental thermodynamic property data from the literature and simulation results (for n-perfluorobutane) of this work. The ranges of validity for temperature, pressure, and density of the equations of state for these three fluids were determined from the available data. The uncertainties in density, vapor pressure, saturated liquid and vapor densities, and caloric properties of the equations of state were also estimated from comparisons with the data. The behavior of thermodynamic properties was analyzed to assess the quality of the equations of state; they have reasonable behavior within the range of validity, as well as at high temperatures and pressures, and temperatures far below the triple point temperature.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between infective complications after retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and RIRS scoring systems includes the Resorlu-Unsal Stone Score (RUSS), Modified Seoul National University renal stone complexity score (modified S-ReCS) and R.I.R.S score. Methods: Patients with renal calculi detected on imaging, who underwent RIRS in the urology clinic of a tertiary hospital between January 2013 and May 2020 were included in the study. A total of 581 patients who underwent RIRS for the kidney stones detected with imaging methods were included in the study. The RUSS and modified S-ReCS and R.I.R.S. scores of the patients were determined. Results: Infective complications were detected in 47 (8.1%) patients who underwent RIRS. There were fever in 27 (4.6%), urinary infection in 15 (2.5%), sepsis in 2 (0.3%) and septic shock in 3 (0.5%) patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1-3.4; p:0.049), surgical duration of >60 minutes (OR: 1.9; 95% Cl: 1.1–3.5; p:0.027) RIRS score (OR: 8.9; 95% CI: 1.9-42.4; p:0.006) have been shown to be independent risk factors for the development of infective complications. A ROC curve analysis showed that the R.I.R.S scoring system can be used as a marker to predict infective complications. (Area under the curve (AUC):0.619, CI: 0.55–0.69; p:0.007) The cut-off point for the R.I.R.S scoring system was found to be 5.5 points using Youden’s test. Conclusion: In our study, we showed that the R.I.R.S scoring system can be used to predict infective complications in RIRS.

Recently, guaranteed cost synchronization of different complex dynamical systems is one of the main issues in engineering which has a lot of applications in applied sciences. In this work, a T-S fuzzy model-free state feedback (MFSF) methodology is designed for the synchronization of different chaotic fractional-order systems (FOSs) with input saturation. Based on the non-integer version of the Lyapunov stability theorem and linear matrix inequality concept, a T-S fuzzy model-free state feedback method is driven to suppress the undesired behavior of the FOSs without any unpleasant chattering phenomenon. Besides, by operating the proposed technique on synchronization of two chaotic FOSs, the effectiveness and applicability of the T-S fuzzy MFSF are validated.

In this study, data were sampled from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) databases of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). With the help of CiteSpace visualization software, a systematic analysis was carried out on 1,939 publications from various countries in the field of seed dispersal. The activity index (AI) and attractive index (AAI) were used to evaluate the research effort and academic impact of different countries/territories in this field, and the global research progress and dynamic changes in research on seed dispersal were discussed. The results showed that (1) the number of publications on seed dispersal has increased rapidly, and research on seed dispersal is in a growth stage and has great potential. Ecology was the journal with the highest impact in this field, and ecology was the most popular subject category among the studies analysed. (2) The most productive authors in the field of seed dispersal are from Spain, and the most productive institution is in the USA. The research effort and academic impact of the USA were higher than the global average level in most years; the research effort and academic impact of Brazil, China and Japan were lower than the global average level in most years, but in recent years, the academic impact of these countries has been continuously increasing. (3) Keyword burst analysis showed that the new research hotspots or frontiers were mainly concentrated on seed conservation and the spatial patterns of seed dispersal. In-depth analysis of seed dispersal research indicated that the increasing development of mathematical models related to seed dispersal creates an opportunity to study the processes of seed dispersal and their consequences.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa related with Th2 lymphocyte. Dendritic cells (DCs) have been considered to play an important role in the development and maintenance of AR. But the particular therapies specifically targeting DC are still lacking in clinic. Shikonin (SHI) is a natural naphthoquinone compound isolated from the Chinese herb Radix Arnebiae. It is reported that SHI can inhibit the phenotype and function of DCs, so we speculate that SHI may be an effective drug for the treatment of AR. However, the clinical usage of SHI has been limited by the bioactive properties of poor solubility, short retention time and low bioavailability. Therefore, in order to better exert the anti-inflammatory effect of SHI, an efficient SHI delivery system is urgently needed. Methods: we prepared and characterized SHI-PM and NGR-SHI-PM with the thin-film hydration method. Retrodialysis method was employed to determine the release behavior. We took immunofluorescence to investigate the expression of CD13 in vitro. Then we tested BM-DCs mature cell detection by flow cytometry. An allergic rhinosinusitis murine model, hematoxylin and eosin stain and flow cytometry were established to detect the anti-inflammatory efficiency in vivo. At last, western blot analysis and plasmid construction and transfection assay were taken to reveal the molecular mechanisms. Results: In the present study, we revealed that NGR-modifified could strengthen the intracellular uptake of PM and CD13 was high expressed on mature BM-DCs. NGR-modified could enhance the inhibition of SHI in vitro. NGR-modifified could increase the distribution of PM in vivo by DiI fluorescently. NGR-modified could enhance SHI anti-allergic activity in OVA-sensitized mice and enhance the inhibition of SHI on DC maturation in lymph node. Our findings also suggest that SHI may have the inhibitory effect on AR through NF-κB pathway by targeting PARP. Conclusions: In summary, we have shown that NGR-PM-SHI may provide a promising platform for improving targeted therapy AR both in vitro and in vivo through the NF-κB pathway by targeting PARP and could be a novel strategy for treating allergic rhinitis.

Abstract Metabolic heat responses during Carboxypeptidase Y production by Kluyveromyces marxianus was estimated by optimizing the aeration and agitation rates. 1 LPM and 150 RPM was found to be optimum for maximum Carboxypeptidase Y production in a 2L capacity bioreaction calorimeter. The effect of pH on Carboxypeptidase Y production was carried out extensively in this study. Under controlled pH conditions, Kluyveromyces marxianus utilized both the substrate (glucose) and the by-product (ethanol) effectively to yield a maximum of 19 IU/mL compared to 10 IU/mL Carboxypeptidase Y under uncontrolled pH conditions. Biokinetic constants, Oxygen Mass Transfer coefficient, Shear stress and total metabolic heat of the reaction were estimated. For the first time, biocalorimetric coupled respirometric studies have given a maximum Carboxypeptidase Y yield making it attractive for commercial applications.

Aim: Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common procedure worldwide that is considered cost-effective with excellent long-term survivorship. This study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HQOL), functional status, and associated factors before and after 3 to 12 months of TKR. Furthermore, several demographical factors were included in this study to evaluate the potential association with the procedure’s outcome. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study including 118 selected patients from January 2020 to January 2021. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scale (WOMAC) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scale were used in this study. Results: Patients before the TKR operation experienced severe pain, joint stiffness, physical impairment, and psychological demand issues. After the TKR operation, all symptoms were improved significantly. It was found that the main change occurred 6-12 months after the procedure. Gender and age were found to be the primary predictor of quality of life among TKR patients. Conclusion: TKR procedure can provide an overall improvement in the quality of life for patients. The improvement can be detected for several months after the procedure. Function and pain are the most critical indicators of improvement in quality of life. Assessing the quality of life is a key indicator for identifying patients without improvement, and essential for improving the health care process and comparing other alternatives to an intervention.

The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the hospitalizations rate for acute coronary syndromes. The origin was multifactorial. In parallel, the incidence of mechanical complications after acute myocardial infarction increased. Is presented the case of a 54-years-olds female with COVID-19 and acute anterior myocardial infarction, apical aneurysm, and interventricular septal rupture. The surgical repair consisted of ventriculoplasty, septal rupture closure with a pericardial patch, and it was impossible to perform coronary revascularization.

Google Scholar (GS) is the most commonly used tool for literature searches and obtaining citations among researchers across all academic fields, including in the fields of ecology and conservation. However, recent analyses of GS citation outputs have found a high degree of inaccuracy, especially with regard to last authors, which for some disciplines (e.g. biomedicine, ecology) are of equal or even greater weight than first authors in terms of leadership on the work. As the average scientific paper has five or more authors, the order and visibility of listed names is of importance for academic recognition and promotion. This is also concerning as the last author may also be the corresponding author: the primary point of contact for the research and the leader of the research group. In this article we describe common errors with the Google Scholar citation function and the impact this can have on the visibility of scholarly work.

Background: Emerging evidence exhibited the importance of life quality of children with pediatric cancers and their parents. The child patients generally have poor life quality and pyschological status under the intensive comprehensive therapies. Procedure: The cultural and psychological program named Ward School Program (WSP) may ease the psychological stress for the child patients. The purpose of this study is to systemically evaluate the impact of the WSP on the quality of life and psychological behavior of children with pediatric cancers. We evaluated the life quality and negative emotions of the children and their parents individually. Results: 46 child patients and their parents have accepted the invitation. compared to the occasional participation group (OP), the WSP has significantly improved the life quality satisfaction, enhanced self-conception, and promoted learning ability and attitude of the In-depth participation group (IDP), while their parents have different opinions. The parents believe that the WSP could significantly improve children’s personality problems and relieve children’s anxiety, but it has not much help on their learning skills, it indicated that it is necessary to enhance communication between parents and children for better understanding of each other. Conclusion: The WSP have postive effects on the improvement of life quality and pyschosocial behaviors for the children with pediatric cancers.

Background: Neonatal bronchopulmonary (BPD) is a serious chronic respiratory disease in neonates and is associated with long term problems and even death in neonates. Objective: Early detection of serum vitamin A levels in neonates as a predictor for neonatal BPD. Patients and methods: A retrospective case-control study, was done on 30 neonates who were hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Tanta University Hospital (TUH) suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (patient group) and 30 healthy neonates (control group). Detection of serum vitamin A (retinol) was done for all studied neonates within the first four hours after birth. Results: It showed statistically significant difference (SSD) in the serum RT levels between the patient and control group (P=0.001) and also significant negative correlation between serum RT levels and grades of BPD (P=0.005*). It showed that in the cases of neonatal BPD, the cut off value of serum RT levels was 0.84 μmol/L, AUC was 0.836, Sensitivity was 87 %, Specificity was 83 %, PPV was 84%, NPV was 86% and Accuracy was 85%. Conclusion Neonatal serum vitamin A levels were low in BPD neonates and may be used as a predictor for BPD development. Recommendation: Serum vitamin A levels in neonates could be used as a novel predictor marker for neonatal BPD.

Title: Not another pacemaker-mediated tachycardiaShort title: Not another pacemaker-mediated tachycardiaAuthors: Álvaro Marco del Castillo1, Javier Ramos Jiménez1, Daniel Rodríguez Muñoz1, Adolfo Fontenla Cerezuela1, Luis Borrego Bernabé1, María López Gil1, Rafael Salguero Bodes1, Fernando Arribas Ynsaurriaga1Affiliations: 1Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.Fundings: no funding was received in exchange for this scientific material.Conflicts of interest: no conflict of interest exists for any of the authors.

Abstract Objectives: Children diagnosed with posterior fossa tumor are susceptible to neuromuscular and musculoskeletal impairments. This study was designed to address postural stability affection in those children. Methods: Sixty children treated for posterior fossa tumor in maintenance phase aged from five to twelve years were participated in this study. Postural stability was assessed using HUMAC balance and tilt system to assess both Static and dynamic balance. Results: There was a significant difference in postural stability in children with posterior fossa tumor as compared to HUMAC balance and tilt system tests’ norms. Conclusion: From the obtained study it can be concluded that there is an affection of postural stability in children with posterior fossa tumor. Periodic evaluation along the course of treatment could identify specific impaired motor domains providing the base for a successful rehabilitation program. Keywords: Posterior fossa tumor, Medulloblastoma, HUMAC, children, Postural stability, Balance.

Lumbar punctures (LPs) are performed frequently on children with leukemia and lymphoma as part of the standard of care. They are typically performed by pediatric oncology providers for both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions with the aid of moderate or deep sedation. Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as a promising strategy to aid in lumbar puncture procedures and has been found to be associated with lower number of attempts, and higher success rates. We describe our experience using POCUS to assist with LPs in a subgroup of pediatric oncology patients identified to be procedurally difficult secondary to obesity. This collaboration was well received and resulted in successful LPs in most (8/9) cases. This is a promising modality to improve the delivery of care and LP success in pediatric oncology patients.

The Cyclophyllidea comprise the most species-rich order of tapeworms (Platyhelminthes, Cestoda) with, for helminths, perhaps the most severe health impact on wildlife, livestock, and humans. Rodent biodiversity of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and its surrounding ranges provide a significant reservoir for numerous species of Cyclophyllidea. We collected cyclophyllidean species from QTP and Xinjiang province in China, resolving four unsequenced and likely new species. Phylogenetic construction of partial 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and mitochondrial ( mt) genes provided high nodal support for the categorisation of the three of the putative new species, assigning each respectively to the genera Hydatigera (ex Eospalax fontainierii), Mesocestoides (ex Neodon irene) and Paranoplocephala (ex Neodon irene). Poor nodal support for the unidentified (‘new’) species collected from pika ( Ochotona curzoniae) in Yushu county, Qinghai province. Combined with the current investigation, the other three cyclophyllidean species found in this study ( Taenia caixuepengi, Taenia crassiceps and Versteria mustelae) may be widely distributed in western China. The phylogenetic reconstructions based on 28S rDNA and cox1- nad1 indicate that some families and genera may require taxonomic revision. Estimates of divergence time based on mt genes showed that the differentiation rate of tapeworms was strongly associated with the rate of change in the biogeographic scenarios caused by the uplift of the QTP, i.e. species differentiation of Cyclophyllidea was driven by host-parasite co-evolution caused by the uplift of QTP. We propose an “out of QTP” hypothesis for the radiation of cyclophyllideans.

The depth distribution of carbon inputs to soil has been unquantified globally, hindering our understanding of belowground carbon dynamics. We synthesize global observational data to infer the allocation of carbon inputs to soil depths down to 2 m, and map depth-specific carbon inputs globally at 1 km resolution. Global average carbon input to the 0–20 cm soil layer is 1.1 Mg C ha–1 yr–1, accounting for >50% of total soil carbon inputs. Across the globe, the depth distribution of carbon inputs shows large variability, and there are relatively more carbon inputs to deeper layers in hotter and drier regions. Edaphic, climatic and topographic properties (in the order of importance) explain >80% of such variability in soil depths; and the direction and magnitude of the influence of individual properties are soil depth- and biome-dependent. Our results provide global benchmarks for prediction of whole-soil carbon profiles across global biomes.

Purpose: To study cardiac structural and functional abnormalities some 20 years after initial treatment in a sample of adolescent-onset anorexia nervosa (A-AN) and to compare them with matched healthy controls (HC). Methods: A sample of 29 women diagnosed and treated for AN during adolescence (A-AN) were assessed more than 20 years later. A complete cardiac evaluation was carried out including an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a standard 2D echocardiography. Thirty matched HC were also assessed. Results: In the A-AN group, four subjects had a body mass index lower than 18.5 and met full DSM 5 criteria for AN at follow-up (Low-Weight group). They were compared with the rest of the sample (n=25) who had normalized their weight (Normal-Weight group), though some still showed some eating disorder symptoms. Both groups were compared with the HC group. Subjects in the Low-Weight group presented statistically significant decreases in the left ventricular end-diastolic and left atrium dimensions and left ventricular mass in comparison with the Normal-Weight group and the HC. No other differences in cardiac parameters were found between groups. Conclusions Echocardiographic and ECG parameters of adults who had presented A-AN twenty years earlier and currently maintained normal weight were similar to those of HC who had never been treated or diagnosed with AN. Adult subjects with A-AN who still had low weight in the long term present certain cardiac abnormalities similar to those seen in short-lasting disease. More studies are needed to confirm these results in a larger sample.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) function as molecular chaperones, which play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress response. However, the function of the sHSP gene in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) has not been extensively investigated. In total, 54 C. Sinensis small heat shock proteins (CssHSPs) in the tea plant genome were screened. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that CssHSPs in the same group have similar conserved domains and motifs; conversely, significant structural differences exist in the different groups. Most CssHSP genes had tissue-specific expression. They also responded to one or more abiotic or biotic stresses, CsHSP24.6 was selected for functional analysis. The results demonstrated that the expression of CsHSP24.6 increased under abiotic stresses such as temperature, light intensity, and NaCl. In addition, under high temperature and high light intensity treatments, CsHSP24.6 and its target gene CspTAC5 interacted to enhance the heat and light resistances of the plant. CsHSP24.6 facilitates resistance to abiotic stresses in tea plants. These results further support that CsHSP24.6 plays an essential role in maintaining plant growth and development under abiotic stress.

Objectives: Prevalence of occupational stress and burnout is on an increasing trend worldwide. Around 19-30% of workers had stress and 75% of them had burnout especially among the clinicians. The aim of this study was to synthesize research evidence for the prevalence and level of burnout among staffs of different categories according to the scores based on the fourth edition of Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual and to compare levels of Emotional Exhaustion, Cynicism and Professional Efficacy of burnout between them. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 194 participants from different categories participated from a hospital. Burnout scores were measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory of General Survey. The data analysis was accomplished using SPSS version 20.0 for Windows. The General linear Model (MANCOVA) was conducted to determine the mean scores of various domains among different categories of staffs from the hospital. Results: The scores were 13.12, 14.85 and 26.80 for high emotional exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy, respectively in the hospital. There were no differences in the levels of emotional exhaustion between participants from different categories. The cynicism score for the doctors and medical assistants was statistically significantly higher than attendants (p=0.044), partial η2=0.082 indicating a moderate to strong association. There were no significant differences detected in the mean scores between staffs from different categories for professional efficacy domain with p=0.056 and partial η2=0.059. Conclusions: Adoption based on fourth edition calculation of Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual had demonstrated lower levels of burnout compared to third edition of previous studies.

Objective: To design a career manual for new graduate nurses and verify the use of it. Method: Design a new graduate nurse’s career manual and applying it to clinical new graduate nurses, Nominal Group Technology were adopted to evaluate the contents of the manuals. Participants in the consensus meeting from new graduate nurses (n = 60，N=488) participated in the evaluation of the study manual. Results: Firstly, there are 9 important advantages,4 important disadvantages and 2 improvement area in Manual. Secondly, the turnover rate of hospital nurses using the manual has fallen. Conclusion: This manual is suitable for new graduate nurses.

Biomass productivity is limited by soil nitrogen in shallow active layer on permafrost. Trees and mycorrhizal roots are known to absorb amino acids to bypass slow nitrogen mineralization in nitrogen-limited soils. However, amino acid uptake strategy of tree roots cannot fully explain their advantages in competition for soil nitrogen with other plants and microbes. We demonstrated that black spruce roots have potentials to absorb intact urea in shallow soil on permafrost. Urea uptake is limited to soils with shallow permafrost, where urea accumulates due to limited microbial mineralization activity. This contrasts with soils with deep permafrost table, where roots absorb amino acids and inorganic nitrogen. Allocation of fine roots to colder subsoil above permafrost provides advantages for trees monopolizing urea-nitrogen. Despite lower energy efficiency of urea utilization compared to inorganic nitrogen and amino acids, urea uptake is one of nitrogen acquisition strategies for spruce growing on nitrogen-limited subarctic soil.

Gutman proposed a new alternative interpretation of vertex-degree-based topological index, called Sombor index. It is defined via the term $$, where dG(vi) is the degree of the vertex vi in graph G. Deng et al. [Int. J. Quantum Chem. 121(11) (2021), e26622] proposed the following two problems: to determine the maximum value of the (reduced) Sombor index among all molecular graphs of order n and to determine the extremal (minimum and maximum) of the (reduced) Sombor index among all connected graphs with n vertices and m edges. In this paper, we solve these two problems. KEYWORDS: Degree; Sombor index; Molecular tree AMS SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION 2010: 05C05, 05C12, 05C35

Background: This research was conducted as a quasi-experimental study to determine the effect of play therapy on pain in peripheral venous catheterization applied to children. Method: The universe of the study consisted of patients between the ages of 3-6 who were hospitalized in the pediatric service of a hospital between June 2019 and August 2019. In the study, 57 patients constituted the sample size by using simple random sampling method and by performing power analysis. While those who participated in the first peripheral venous catheterization procedure constituted the control group, those who participated in the second peripheral venous catheterization process constituted the experimental group. Results: In the peripheral venous catheterization applied to the patients, a significant difference was found between the test results of the control group and the experimental group Wong-Baker and Flacc Pain Scales. (p <0.001). It was determined that the experimental group Wong-Baker and Flacc Pain Scale scores of the patients were lower than the scores of the control group Wong-Baker and Flacc Pain Scales. In the peripheral venous catheterization applied to the patients, a significant difference was found between the control group and the experimental group Flacc Pain Scale sub-dimension results (p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, respectively). Conclusions: In the study, it was observed that the pain levels of play therapy in peripheral venous catheterization of children were significantly reduced with play therapy.

Introduction: Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) are the first-line standard of care for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR mutations. Rates of serious adverse events are lower with EGFR-TKIs than other drugs. However, some reports have described EGFR-TKI-associated cardiac dysfunction, but the underlying mechanism is currently unclear. Case: A 72-year-old women presented with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) associated with EGFR-TKI. Because the voltage map detected a low voltage area in the right ventricle, ablation was performed. Conclusion: In this patient, NSVT resolved after ablation, and EGFR-TKI could then be readministered at the original dose.