AIM： To evaluate the influence of preoperative biliary drainage on morbidity and mortality after surgical resection for ampullary carcinoma.METHODS： We analyzed retrospectively data for 82 patients who underwent pot...AIM： To evaluate the influence of preoperative biliary drainage on morbidity and mortality after surgical resection for ampullary carcinoma.METHODS： We analyzed retrospectively data for 82 patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for ampullary carcinoma between September 1993 and July 2007 at the Singapore General Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital. Diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma was confirmed histologically. Thirty-five patients underwent preoperative biliary drainage （PBD group）, and 47 were not drained （non-PBD group）. The mode of biliary drainage was endoscopic retrograde cholanoiopancreatography （n = 33） or percutaneous biliary drainage （n = 2）. The following parameters were analyzed： wound infection, intra-abdominal abscess, intra-abdominal or gastrointestinal bleeding, septicemia, biliary or pancreatic leakage, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and re-operation rate. Mortality was assessed at 30 d （hospital mortality） and also longterm. The statistical endpoint of this study was patient survival after surgery.RESULTS： The groups were well matched for demographic criteria, clinical presentation and operative characteristics, except for lower hemoglobin in the non- PBD group （10.9 ± 1.6 vs 11.8 ± 1.6 in the PBD group）.Of the parameters assessing postoperative morbidity, incidence of wound infection was significantly less in the PBD than the non-PBD group [1 （2.9%） vs 12 （25.5%）]. However, the rest of the parameters did not differ significantly between the groups, i.e. sepsis [10 （28.6%） vs 14 （29.8%）], intra-abdominal bleeding [1 （2.9%） vs 5 （10.6%）], intra-abdominal abscess [1 （2.9%） vs 8 （17%）], gastrointestinal bleeding [3 （8.6%） vs 5 （10.6%）], pancreatic leakage [2 （5.7%） vs 3 （6.4%）], biliary leakage [2 （5.7%） vs 3 （6.4%）], pancreatitis [2 （5.7%） vs 2 （4.3%）], gastroparesis [6 （17.1%） vs 10 （21.3%）], need for blood transfusion [10 （28.6%） vs 17 （36.2%）] and re-operation rate [1 �展开更多
AIM To perform a systematic review to determine the survival outcomes after curative resection of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinomas(HCC).METHODS A systematic review of the published literature was pe...AIM To perform a systematic review to determine the survival outcomes after curative resection of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinomas(HCC).METHODS A systematic review of the published literature was performed using the PubM ed database from 1 st January 1999 to 31 st Dec 2014 to identify studies that reported outcomes of liver resection as the primary curative treatment for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC) stage B or C HCC. The primary end point was to determine the overall survival(OS) and disease free survival(DFS) of liver resection of HCC in BCLC stage B or C in patients with adequate liver reserve(i.e., Child's A or B status). The secondary end points were to assess the morbidity and mortality of liver resection in large HCC(defined as lesions larger than 10 cm in diameter) and to compare the OS and DFS after surgical resection of solitary vs multifocal HCC.RESULTS We identified 74 articles which met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this systematic review. Analysis of the resection outcomes of the included studies were grouped according to(1) BCLC stage B or C HCC,(2) Size of HCC and(3) multifocal tumors. The median 5-year OS of BCLC stage B was 38.7%(range 10.0-57.0); while the median 5-year OS of BCLC stage C was 20.0%(range 0.0-42.0). The collective median 5-year OS of both stages was 27.9%(0.0-57.0). In examining the morbidity and mortality following liver resection in large HCC, the pooled RR for morbidity [RR(95%CI) = 1.00(0.76-1.31)] and mortality [RR(95%CI) = 1.15(0.73-1.80)] were not significant. Within the spectrum of BCLC B and C lesions, tumors greater than 10 cm were reported to have median 5-year OS of 33.0% and multifocal lesions 54.0%.CONCLUSION Indication for surgical resection should be extended to BCLC stage B lesions in selected patients. Further studies are needed to stratify stage C lesions for resection.展开更多
Epidemiological studies indicate that treatment with metformin, an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, reduces the incidence of cancers. Activation of AMPK has also been reported to oppose tumor progression...Epidemiological studies indicate that treatment with metformin, an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, reduces the incidence of cancers. Activation of AMPK has also been reported to oppose tumor progression in diverse types of cancers and offers promising cancer therapy. Furthermore, AMPK is a primary regulator of energy metabolism and has also been implicated in cell cycle progression, angiogenesis, cell transformation, migration, and cancer. We have recently synthesized novel flavonoids, namely, triphenylmethanol derivatives (TPMs), but the effectiveness of the TPMs on the activity of AMPK remains unclear. We hypothesized that the novel TPMs would inhibit cancer cell proliferation through the activation of AMPK isoforms in cells. The effects of TPMs on prostate cells (PC-3) were investigated. Cells were exposed to TPMs for either 12 or 24 hr. at the respective doses of 0, 25, 50 100, and 200 µM based on the cell viability studies by the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole) (MTT) assay. The results indicate that cells exposed to the respective doses of TPMs increased both phospho- and total-AMPKα1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effects of the increases for the phospho- and total-AMPKα in cells were greater for the 24-hr than the 12-hr. incubation. Further studies are currently going on to elucidate the specificities of the said insults in increasing the phospho- and total-AMPKα activities and for the other respective isoforms.展开更多
Background: Taurodontism is one of the most significant deviations from the normal tooth morphology affecting the molars in both primary and permanent dentition. Taurodontism refers to the Enlargement of the pulp cham...Background: Taurodontism is one of the most significant deviations from the normal tooth morphology affecting the molars in both primary and permanent dentition. Taurodontism refers to the Enlargement of the pulp chamber, resulting in its bifurcation pushed toward the apex of a tooth’s root. This study evaluated the prevalence of Taurodontism from radiographs taken at the University of Ghana Dental School Oral Radiology Unit from January 2017 to December 2022. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, panoramic and periapical radiographs of 1000 randomly selected patients who visited the Oral Radiology Unit from January 2017 to December 2022. Radiographs were evaluated for apically displaced pulp chamber. Data was statistically evaluated, and the chi-square test was employed to assess the prevalence of taurodontism in the upper and lower jaws (p Results: Taurodontism was found in 171 radiographs giving it a prevalence of 17.1% of which 57% (98 radiographs) were from females and 43% (73 radiographs) were from males. This finding was not significant (p > 0.05). Taurodontism occurred more in the maxilla (289 teeth, 80.7%) compared to the mandible molars (186 teeth, 64.3%) giving it a ratio of 1.6:1. This finding was highly significant (p Conclusion: Taurodontism is relatively common in the Ghanaian population affecting more females compared to males according to this study. Further studies using a large sample need to be carried out to determine its incidence in the general community.展开更多
Introduction:Laiza and nearby areas(LNA)in Myanmar are identified as the primary malaria hotspots in the bordering regions of Yunnan Province,China.Methods:Six sentinel surveillance sites were established at the China...Introduction:Laiza and nearby areas(LNA)in Myanmar are identified as the primary malaria hotspots in the bordering regions of Yunnan Province,China.Methods:Six sentinel surveillance sites were established at the China-Myanmar border in LNA to monitor malaria.Data from 2019 was used as a baseline to analyze malaria incidence and trends in LNA and Myanmar,as well as the importation of malaria cases into China from 2019 to 2023.Results:Plasmodium vivax was the predominant species,representing 99.95%(14,060/14,066)of confirmed malaria cases in LNA.A total of 8,356 malaria cases were identified in 2023,with an annual parasite incidence(API)of 19.78 per 100 person-years.Compared to 2019,the incidence rate ratio was 21.47(95%confidence interval:18.84,24.48),indicating that the API in 2023 was 21.47 times higher than that in 2019.In Yunnan,out of 1,016 reported cases,545 imported cases(53.64%)originated from LNA and spread to 18(13.95%)out of 129 counties.Ten provinces in China,including Yunnan,reported imported malaria cases from LNA in Myanmar.Conclusions:The increase in population,particularly among internally displaced persons,along with inadequate healthcare services,has led to a notable resurgence of malaria in LNA.This resurgence poses a risk to preventing the re-emergence of malaria transmission in China.There is an urgent need for novel collaborative policies,as well as financial and technical assistance,to enhance malaria control efforts in LNA,Myanmar.展开更多
BACKGROUND Recipient functional status prior to transplantation has been found to impact post-transplant outcomes in heart,liver and kidney transplants.However,information on how functional status,before and after tra...BACKGROUND Recipient functional status prior to transplantation has been found to impact post-transplant outcomes in heart,liver and kidney transplants.However,information on how functional status,before and after transplant impacts post-transplant survival outcomes is lacking.AIM To investigate the impact of recipient functional status on short and long term intestinal transplant outcomes in United States adults.METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 1254 adults who underwent first-time intestinal transplantation from 2005 to 2022.The primary outcome was mortality.Using the Karnofsky Performance Status,functional impairment was categorized as severe,moderate and normal.Analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression.RESULTS The median age was 41 years,majority(53.4%)were women.Severe impairment was present in 28.3%of recipients.The median survival time was 906.6 days.The median survival time was 1331 and 560 days for patients with normal and severe functional impairment respectively.Recipients with severe impairment had a 56%higher risk of mortality at one year[Hazard ratio(HR)=1.56;95%CI:1.23–1.98;P<0.001]and 58%at five years(HR=1.58;95%CI:1.24–2.00;P<0.001)compared to patients with no functional impairment.Recipients with worse functional status after transplant also had poor survival outcomes.CONCLUSION Pre-and post-transplant recipient functional status is an important prognostic indicator for short-and long-term intestinal transplant outcomes.展开更多
Afforestation has been observed as a green trend in urban areas. The incorporation of trees in urban infrastructure is highly recommended to act as a solution to outlined environmental problems such as global warming....Afforestation has been observed as a green trend in urban areas. The incorporation of trees in urban infrastructure is highly recommended to act as a solution to outlined environmental problems such as global warming. However, it has been precipitously introduced in cities, towns, and metropolitans. The introduction of the green practice was so abrupt that it became devoid to meeting the essential needs for tree growth, thus, failing to bring out the desired effects. Inappropriately selecting and planting trees in urban spaces has resulted in stressed trees that are deficient at reaching up to the calculated goals and in the long run end up being problematic. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the implications of planting southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) trees in the wrong urban space so as to aid in recommending sustainable green solutions for the urban community. By studying southern live oaks planted in Howell Community Park and three randomly selected areas in Southern University Baton Rouge Campus, this study analyzes how the selection of these tree species in the urban spaces influenced their growth and general well-being. These urban spaces were randomly drafted based on accessibility and availability of several southern live oaks. Planting approaches in the four study areas were explored and the general health condition of the trees was determined using the tree appraisal method presented by the i-tree model: my tree. ArcGIS collector was used to collect the GPS coordinates of the trees and ArcMap was used to generate the maps of the study areas. ArcMap software geolocated the coordinates of the southern live oaks in all the four-study areas. The software was used to generate shapefiles of the four study areas and their location in East Baton Rouge. The analysis of the results proved that none of the southern live oaks had an excellent health condition and most of the trees experienced different issues due to planting them in the wrong urban spaces.展开更多
The use of renewable energy is steadily being adopted as a mitigative measure for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By assessing biomass production and consumption estimates from Louisiana parishes, this study examin...The use of renewable energy is steadily being adopted as a mitigative measure for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By assessing biomass production and consumption estimates from Louisiana parishes, this study examines the utilization of agricultural biomass as a convenient renewable energy source, and the potential of marginal lands for growing bioenergy crops in Louisiana. This was achieved by retrieving parish-level acreage production of some biofuel crops recorded in 2021 using the Quick Stats Database, to map out the spatial locations and distribution of the biofuel crops. To examine the potential of Louisiana’s marginal lands in bioenergy crop production, data was obtained from the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database and mapped-out according to the eight Land Capability Classes numbered I-VIII. The results of the mapped-out acreage data revealed that 25% of the 64 parishes including Morehouse recorded high corn production estimates, while 43%, such as East Carroll, recorded high soybean production. Meanwhile, cotton production estimates were relatively low, as recorded in only 9 parishes, with one parish, Tensas, having the highest acreage production of around 23,000. Although the identified marginal lands in parishes such as Allen and Vernon had no records of corn, soybean, or cotton production, the soil survey database revealed that these marginal lands have high nutrient soils like Alfisols, Entisols and Inceptisols with optimal nutrient balance essential for high yield bioenergy crop production. Hence, this paper highlights Louisiana’s agricultural biomass to be leveraged as sustainable renewable sources while adhering to clear production guidelines, biofuel sustainability certification, and internationally agreed sustainability criteria.展开更多
The COVID-19 pandemic posed a serious threat to life on the entire planet, necessitating the imposition of a lockdown mechanism that restricted people’s movements to stop the disease’s spread. This period experience...The COVID-19 pandemic posed a serious threat to life on the entire planet, necessitating the imposition of a lockdown mechanism that restricted people’s movements to stop the disease’s spread. This period experienced a decline in air pollution emissions and some environmental changes, offering a rare opportunity to understand the effects of fewer human activities on the earth’s temperature. Hence, this study compares the changes in Land Surface Temperature (LST) that were observed prior to the pandemic (March & April 2019) and during the pandemic lockdown (March & April 2020) of three parishes in Louisiana. The data for this study was acquired using Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) Level 2, Collection 2, Tier 2 from the Google Earth Engine Catalog. For better visualization, the images that were derived had a cloud cover of less than 10%. Also, images for the three study areas were processed and categorized into four main classes: water, vegetation, built-up areas, and bare lands using a Random Forest Supervised Classification Algorithm. To improve the accuracy of the image classifications, three Normalized Difference Indices namely the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) were employed using the Near Infrared (NIR), Red, Green and SWIR bands for the calculations. After, these images were processed in Google Earth Engine to generate the LST products gridded at 30 m with a higher spatial resolution of 100 m according to the pre-pandemic (2019) and lockdown (2020) periods for the three study areas. Results of this study showed a decrease in LST values of the land cover classes from 2019 to 2020, with LST values in East Baton Parish decreasing from 44°C to 38°C, 42°C to 38°C in Lafayette Parish, and 43°C to 38°C in Orleans Parish. The variations in the LST values therefore indicate the impact of fewer anthropogenic factors on the earth’s temperature which requires regulatory and mitigative measures展开更多
Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) is a critical component of all pXRF geochemistry processes. A properly constructed pXRF QA/QC programme identifies possible instrumental errors and provides a means of sec...Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) is a critical component of all pXRF geochemistry processes. A properly constructed pXRF QA/QC programme identifies possible instrumental errors and provides a means of securing fit for purpose data from the pXRF programme. pXRF QA/QC programmes involve daily contamination, precision, and accuracy checks to ensure the generation of fit for purpose data. In the exploration field or mine-site, pXRF is capable of producing extremely valuable data that is fit for purpose if calibrated properly. However, it should not be used as a replacement for acquiring data from an accredited laboratory using established analytical techniques that produce high quality data. Contamination is the checking of the cleanliness of the analyser window or the presence of dust in the measuring environment. At Polymetals, using Olympus Vanta C-Series pXRF analyser with silver anode, contamination is assessed by measuring an instrumental blank (SiO<sub>2</sub>), to identify any foreign matter on the analyser window. Assuming that the window film is new, and the fused silica disc is dust free, only Si should be detected. If any other significant element is detected, the film is replaced, and the test is re-run. Accuracy is a measure of how close the measured value is to the true value and is assessed by measuring the abundance of selected elements contained within a Certified Reference Material (CRM) or the NIST check standard sample supplied with the pXRF analyser. Elements of interest must report within ±20% of the standard value. Precision is a measure of how close repeat measurements are to one another and is assessed by taking multiple readings on a particular sample to determine the stability of the analyser. The Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) of the replicate measurements is then calculated. The RSD values should be less than 20% for most analytes, except chromium, for which the value should be less than 30%. Once contamination, accuracy and precision are within accepted limits, the batc展开更多
INTRODUCTION Occupational safety and health (OSH) is generally the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace. The study sought to assess and evaluate occupational h...INTRODUCTION Occupational safety and health (OSH) is generally the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace. The study sought to assess and evaluate occupational health and safety hazards experienced among health workers in the Bono region of Ghana. METHODOLOGY The study was descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study. Data was from two hundred (200) health workers and was analyzed using the binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The findings from the study show that risk factors associated with biological hazards were clinical staff [OR = 2.487 (1.146 - 5.397), p = 0.021], poor maintenance of hospital items [OR = 0.446 (0.240 - 0.831), p = 0.011], assault (verbal) abuse [OR = 2.581 (1.317 - 5.059), p = 0.006] and extreme pressure from work [OR = 2.975 (1.519 - 5.829), p = 0.001]. Non-biological hazards were associated with being single [OR = 0.499 (0.263 - 0.947), p = 0.034], being verbally assaulted [OR = 3.581 (1.865 - 6.876), p CONCLUSION Risk factors related with biological hazards include poor maintenance of hospital items and extreme pressure from work whereas non-biological hazards were associated with being single, being verbally assaulted. Clinical healthcare providers are more vulnerable to occupational health and safety hazards. The study recommends the provision of strategic policies to promote and protect the workers’ health based on the development of the epidemiological profile of health, needs to be readjusted and strengthened.展开更多
Background: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the quantum of calories needed for optimum body function when at rest. This has long been an indicator of one’s health and the basis for determining the metabolic age of indi...Background: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the quantum of calories needed for optimum body function when at rest. This has long been an indicator of one’s health and the basis for determining the metabolic age of individuals. Many scholastic projects have led to the establishment of mathematical models and inventions that measure the BMR and other body composition parameters. However, existing computations have limitations as they do not offer accurate results for Ghanaians. Aim: The purpose of the study was to model BMR metrics that are most suitable for Ghanaians and to investigate the effect of caloric difference on weight, Lean Body Mass (LBM) and % fat composition that can be implemented with Information Technology. Research Methods and Procedures: This was an experimental study that adopted a quantitative approach. BMR and body composition were measured in a sample of 242 Ghanaian adults (141 males and 101 females) from 19 to 30 years of age. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impendence analysis (BIA) in all participants. Each participant was under study for 7 days. A simple linear regression model was used to examine associations between BMR/calorie intake and total body weight and LBM. Results: There was a significant statistical relation between BMR and LBM and between BMR and weight of both men and women. Equations for BMR and weight were established for males and females. Furthermore, caloric intake differences affected changes in total weight as well as differences in % fat composition. Caloric intake however did not affect the difference in LBM. Conclusion: Caloric difference had an impact on total body weight and Lean Body Mass. The model derived from the study predicts weight change and BMR of Ghanaians from 19 to 30 years of age. It is termed the Health and Age Monitoring System (HAMS).展开更多
In hot-humid climates,particularly in sub-Saharan Africa(SSA),ambient temperatures and relative humidity are as high as 35°C and 84%,respectively,requiring the use of mechanical cooling systems for indoor thermal...In hot-humid climates,particularly in sub-Saharan Africa(SSA),ambient temperatures and relative humidity are as high as 35°C and 84%,respectively,requiring the use of mechanical cooling systems for indoor thermal comfort.Split-type vapor-compression air-conditioners(SVAC)are mainly used for space cooling in SSA and consume 60-80%of total energy consumption in commercial and public buildings.Appropriate control strategy of the indoor set-point temperature of SVAC can result in significant energy savings in these buildings.In this study,modeling and dynamic simulation have been conducted using EnergyPlus to predict the energy saving potential and indoor thermal comfort of buildings in hot-humid climates by controlling set-point temperature of the SVAC.In a case study,climatic data for Ghana,was used to predict the energy saving potential and indoor thermal comfort.The study results revealed that,to ensure indoor thermal comfort at high outdoor temperature condition of 35°C,the least and optimum set-point temperatures of the SVAC should be 21°C and 25°C,respectively.On the other hand,for low outdoor temperature condition,the least and optimum set-point temperatures were 22°C and 26°C,respectively.Considering 1-star and 2-star rated SVACs which are dominantly used in Ghana,operating at 21-25°C in the case of high outdoor conditions,and 22-26°C for low outdoor conditions relative to the least temperatures resulted in energy savings of 8-33%and 12-44%,respectively.展开更多
In a recent study published in Nature Genetics,1 Han and colleagues employed a dual genetic lineage tracing approach in combination with a model of heart failure(HF)to identify a key sub-population of endocardium-deri...In a recent study published in Nature Genetics,1 Han and colleagues employed a dual genetic lineage tracing approach in combination with a model of heart failure(HF)to identify a key sub-population of endocardium-derived fibroblasts,which gives rise to excessive myofibroblast formation in a Wnt pathway-mediated manner and contributes to cardiac fibrosis.1 The identified fibroblast sub-population and Wnt signaling pathway could be novel targets for the therapy of HF.Improvements in risk management and cardiovascular inter-vention have significantly reduced age-specific cardiovascular disease-related mortality.In contrast,the rate of HF-related hospitalisations has increased over the past decades and HF is a disease with highest social and economic cost in industrialized countries.HF is defined as impairment of the heart’s blood pumping function and its severity is assessed based on ejection fraction.HF often occurs after myocardial infarction(MI),with infarct size and quality of ventricular remodeling after MI influencing ventricular dysfunctions.Causes of HF also include hypertension,atrial fibrillation,and cardiomyopathies(Fig.1).Especially elderly patients with recurrent MI and comorbidities are increasingly presenting with signs of HF.展开更多
Mouse double minute （Mdm） genes span an evolutionary timeframe from the ancient eukaryotic placozoa Trichoplox adhaerens to Homo sapiens, implying a significant and possibly conserved cellular role throughout histor...Mouse double minute （Mdm） genes span an evolutionary timeframe from the ancient eukaryotic placozoa Trichoplox adhaerens to Homo sapiens, implying a significant and possibly conserved cellular role throughout history. Maintenance of DNA integrity and response to DNA damage involve many key regulatory pathways, including precise control over the tumour suppressor pro- tein p53. In most vertebrates, degradation of p53 through proteasomal targeting is primarily mediated by heterodimers of Mdm2 and the Mdm2-related protein Mdm4 （also known as MdmX）. Both Mdm2 and Mdm4 have p53-binding regions, acidic domains, zinc fingers, and C-terminal RING domains that are conserved throughout evolution. Vertebrates typically have both Mdm2 and Mdm# genes, while analyses of sequenced genomes of invertebrate species have identified single Mdm genes, suggesting that a duplication event occurred prior to emergence of jawless vertebrates about 550-440 million years ago. The functional relationship between Mdm and p53 in T. adhaerens, an organism that has existed for 1 billion years, implies that these two proteins have evolved together to maintain a conserved and regulated function.展开更多
Anemia is a public health issue with serious ramifications for human health globally.Anemia particularly affects pregnant women and children from 6 to 59 months old even though every individual is at risk.Anemia occur...Anemia is a public health issue with serious ramifications for human health globally.Anemia particularly affects pregnant women and children from 6 to 59 months old even though every individual is at risk.Anemia occurs when the Hb level is below its normal threshold or when the red blood cells are weakened or destroyed.To discover medical remedies on time,early detection or diagnosis of anemia assist patients to understand their condition.The invasive approach for anemia detection is costive and time-consuming as compared to the non-invasive approach which is reliable and suitable for developing communities where medical resources and personnel are inadequate.This study uses palpable palm images(dataset)collected from 710 participants in selected hospitals in Ghana.The images were extracted,segmented and converted into RGB percentile to train,validate and tested the machine learning models.A hybrid model was developed with the application of ensemble learning models using the R programming language on the R Studio platform.Stacking,voting,boosting and bagging ensemble model techniques were used to build the hybrid models,the stacking ensemble model achieved an accuracy of 99.73%.The study justifies that ensemble models are efficient for medical disease diagnosis or detection such as anemia.展开更多
This study employs Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) thermal infrared satellite data to compare land surface temperature of two cities in Ghana: Accra and Kumasi. These cities have human populations above 2 mill...This study employs Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) thermal infrared satellite data to compare land surface temperature of two cities in Ghana: Accra and Kumasi. These cities have human populations above 2 million and the corresponding anthropogenic impact on their environments significantly. Images were acquired with minimum cloud cover (<10%) from both dry and rainy seasons between December to August. Image preprocessing and rectification using ArcGIS 10.8 software w<span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ere</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> used. The shapefiles of Accra and Kumasi were used to extract from the full scenes to subset the study area. Thermal band data numbers were converted to Top of Atmospheric Spectral Radiance using radiance rescaling factors. To determine the density of green on a patch of land, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated by using red and near-infrared bands </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">i.e</span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Band 4 and Band 5. Land surface emissivity (LSE) was also calculated to determine the efficiency of transmitting thermal energy across the surface into the atmosphere. Results of the study show variation of temperatures between different locations in two urban areas. The study found Accra to have experienced higher and lower dry season and wet season temperatures, respectively. The temperature ranges corresponding to the dry and wet seasons were found to be 21.0985</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:Simsun;font-size:14px;white-space:normal;background-color:#F展开更多
Precipitation is very important for both the environment and its inhabitants. Agricultural activities mostly depend on precipitation and its availability. Therefore, the ability to predict future precipitation values ...Precipitation is very important for both the environment and its inhabitants. Agricultural activities mostly depend on precipitation and its availability. Therefore, the ability to predict future precipitation values at specific stations is key for environmental and agricultural decision making. This research developed Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models for selected stations with Integrated component and Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) for selected stations without Integrated component at Louisiana State. The ARIMA module is represented as ARIMA(p, d, q)(P,D,Q). The selected lag order for the Autoregressive (AR) component is represented with p and P for seasonal AR component, while the integrated form (number of times data were differenced) is d and D for seasonal differencing, and the Moving Average (MA) lag order is q and Q for seasonal MA component. Data from 1950 to 2020 were employed in this research. Results of the analysis indicated that Baton Rouge (ARIMA (0,1,1) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Abbeville (ARMA (0,0,1) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Monroe Regional (ARMA (0,0,1) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), New Orleans Airport (ARMA (1,0,0) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Alexandria (ARMA (1,0,1) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Logansport (ARIMA (0,1,2) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), New Orleans Audubon (ARMA (1,0,0) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Lake Charles Airport (ARMA (2,0,2) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span styl展开更多
文摘AIM： To evaluate the influence of preoperative biliary drainage on morbidity and mortality after surgical resection for ampullary carcinoma.METHODS： We analyzed retrospectively data for 82 patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for ampullary carcinoma between September 1993 and July 2007 at the Singapore General Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital. Diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma was confirmed histologically. Thirty-five patients underwent preoperative biliary drainage （PBD group）, and 47 were not drained （non-PBD group）. The mode of biliary drainage was endoscopic retrograde cholanoiopancreatography （n = 33） or percutaneous biliary drainage （n = 2）. The following parameters were analyzed： wound infection, intra-abdominal abscess, intra-abdominal or gastrointestinal bleeding, septicemia, biliary or pancreatic leakage, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and re-operation rate. Mortality was assessed at 30 d （hospital mortality） and also longterm. The statistical endpoint of this study was patient survival after surgery.RESULTS： The groups were well matched for demographic criteria, clinical presentation and operative characteristics, except for lower hemoglobin in the non- PBD group （10.9 ± 1.6 vs 11.8 ± 1.6 in the PBD group）.Of the parameters assessing postoperative morbidity, incidence of wound infection was significantly less in the PBD than the non-PBD group [1 （2.9%） vs 12 （25.5%）]. However, the rest of the parameters did not differ significantly between the groups, i.e. sepsis [10 （28.6%） vs 14 （29.8%）], intra-abdominal bleeding [1 （2.9%） vs 5 （10.6%）], intra-abdominal abscess [1 （2.9%） vs 8 （17%）], gastrointestinal bleeding [3 （8.6%） vs 5 （10.6%）], pancreatic leakage [2 （5.7%） vs 3 （6.4%）], biliary leakage [2 （5.7%） vs 3 （6.4%）], pancreatitis [2 （5.7%） vs 2 （4.3%）], gastroparesis [6 （17.1%） vs 10 （21.3%）], need for blood transfusion [10 （28.6%） vs 17 （36.2%）] and re-operation rate [1 �
文摘AIM To perform a systematic review to determine the survival outcomes after curative resection of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinomas(HCC).METHODS A systematic review of the published literature was performed using the PubM ed database from 1 st January 1999 to 31 st Dec 2014 to identify studies that reported outcomes of liver resection as the primary curative treatment for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC) stage B or C HCC. The primary end point was to determine the overall survival(OS) and disease free survival(DFS) of liver resection of HCC in BCLC stage B or C in patients with adequate liver reserve(i.e., Child's A or B status). The secondary end points were to assess the morbidity and mortality of liver resection in large HCC(defined as lesions larger than 10 cm in diameter) and to compare the OS and DFS after surgical resection of solitary vs multifocal HCC.RESULTS We identified 74 articles which met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this systematic review. Analysis of the resection outcomes of the included studies were grouped according to(1) BCLC stage B or C HCC,(2) Size of HCC and(3) multifocal tumors. The median 5-year OS of BCLC stage B was 38.7%(range 10.0-57.0); while the median 5-year OS of BCLC stage C was 20.0%(range 0.0-42.0). The collective median 5-year OS of both stages was 27.9%(0.0-57.0). In examining the morbidity and mortality following liver resection in large HCC, the pooled RR for morbidity [RR(95%CI) = 1.00(0.76-1.31)] and mortality [RR(95%CI) = 1.15(0.73-1.80)] were not significant. Within the spectrum of BCLC B and C lesions, tumors greater than 10 cm were reported to have median 5-year OS of 33.0% and multifocal lesions 54.0%.CONCLUSION Indication for surgical resection should be extended to BCLC stage B lesions in selected patients. Further studies are needed to stratify stage C lesions for resection.
文摘Epidemiological studies indicate that treatment with metformin, an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, reduces the incidence of cancers. Activation of AMPK has also been reported to oppose tumor progression in diverse types of cancers and offers promising cancer therapy. Furthermore, AMPK is a primary regulator of energy metabolism and has also been implicated in cell cycle progression, angiogenesis, cell transformation, migration, and cancer. We have recently synthesized novel flavonoids, namely, triphenylmethanol derivatives (TPMs), but the effectiveness of the TPMs on the activity of AMPK remains unclear. We hypothesized that the novel TPMs would inhibit cancer cell proliferation through the activation of AMPK isoforms in cells. The effects of TPMs on prostate cells (PC-3) were investigated. Cells were exposed to TPMs for either 12 or 24 hr. at the respective doses of 0, 25, 50 100, and 200 µM based on the cell viability studies by the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole) (MTT) assay. The results indicate that cells exposed to the respective doses of TPMs increased both phospho- and total-AMPKα1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effects of the increases for the phospho- and total-AMPKα in cells were greater for the 24-hr than the 12-hr. incubation. Further studies are currently going on to elucidate the specificities of the said insults in increasing the phospho- and total-AMPKα activities and for the other respective isoforms.
文摘Background: Taurodontism is one of the most significant deviations from the normal tooth morphology affecting the molars in both primary and permanent dentition. Taurodontism refers to the Enlargement of the pulp chamber, resulting in its bifurcation pushed toward the apex of a tooth’s root. This study evaluated the prevalence of Taurodontism from radiographs taken at the University of Ghana Dental School Oral Radiology Unit from January 2017 to December 2022. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, panoramic and periapical radiographs of 1000 randomly selected patients who visited the Oral Radiology Unit from January 2017 to December 2022. Radiographs were evaluated for apically displaced pulp chamber. Data was statistically evaluated, and the chi-square test was employed to assess the prevalence of taurodontism in the upper and lower jaws (p Results: Taurodontism was found in 171 radiographs giving it a prevalence of 17.1% of which 57% (98 radiographs) were from females and 43% (73 radiographs) were from males. This finding was not significant (p > 0.05). Taurodontism occurred more in the maxilla (289 teeth, 80.7%) compared to the mandible molars (186 teeth, 64.3%) giving it a ratio of 1.6:1. This finding was highly significant (p Conclusion: Taurodontism is relatively common in the Ghanaian population affecting more females compared to males according to this study. Further studies using a large sample need to be carried out to determine its incidence in the general community.
基金Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFC1200105).
文摘Introduction:Laiza and nearby areas(LNA)in Myanmar are identified as the primary malaria hotspots in the bordering regions of Yunnan Province,China.Methods:Six sentinel surveillance sites were established at the China-Myanmar border in LNA to monitor malaria.Data from 2019 was used as a baseline to analyze malaria incidence and trends in LNA and Myanmar,as well as the importation of malaria cases into China from 2019 to 2023.Results:Plasmodium vivax was the predominant species,representing 99.95%(14,060/14,066)of confirmed malaria cases in LNA.A total of 8,356 malaria cases were identified in 2023,with an annual parasite incidence(API)of 19.78 per 100 person-years.Compared to 2019,the incidence rate ratio was 21.47(95%confidence interval:18.84,24.48),indicating that the API in 2023 was 21.47 times higher than that in 2019.In Yunnan,out of 1,016 reported cases,545 imported cases(53.64%)originated from LNA and spread to 18(13.95%)out of 129 counties.Ten provinces in China,including Yunnan,reported imported malaria cases from LNA in Myanmar.Conclusions:The increase in population,particularly among internally displaced persons,along with inadequate healthcare services,has led to a notable resurgence of malaria in LNA.This resurgence poses a risk to preventing the re-emergence of malaria transmission in China.There is an urgent need for novel collaborative policies,as well as financial and technical assistance,to enhance malaria control efforts in LNA,Myanmar.
文摘BACKGROUND Recipient functional status prior to transplantation has been found to impact post-transplant outcomes in heart,liver and kidney transplants.However,information on how functional status,before and after transplant impacts post-transplant survival outcomes is lacking.AIM To investigate the impact of recipient functional status on short and long term intestinal transplant outcomes in United States adults.METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 1254 adults who underwent first-time intestinal transplantation from 2005 to 2022.The primary outcome was mortality.Using the Karnofsky Performance Status,functional impairment was categorized as severe,moderate and normal.Analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression.RESULTS The median age was 41 years,majority(53.4%)were women.Severe impairment was present in 28.3%of recipients.The median survival time was 906.6 days.The median survival time was 1331 and 560 days for patients with normal and severe functional impairment respectively.Recipients with severe impairment had a 56%higher risk of mortality at one year[Hazard ratio(HR)=1.56;95%CI:1.23–1.98;P<0.001]and 58%at five years(HR=1.58;95%CI:1.24–2.00;P<0.001)compared to patients with no functional impairment.Recipients with worse functional status after transplant also had poor survival outcomes.CONCLUSION Pre-and post-transplant recipient functional status is an important prognostic indicator for short-and long-term intestinal transplant outcomes.
文摘Afforestation has been observed as a green trend in urban areas. The incorporation of trees in urban infrastructure is highly recommended to act as a solution to outlined environmental problems such as global warming. However, it has been precipitously introduced in cities, towns, and metropolitans. The introduction of the green practice was so abrupt that it became devoid to meeting the essential needs for tree growth, thus, failing to bring out the desired effects. Inappropriately selecting and planting trees in urban spaces has resulted in stressed trees that are deficient at reaching up to the calculated goals and in the long run end up being problematic. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the implications of planting southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) trees in the wrong urban space so as to aid in recommending sustainable green solutions for the urban community. By studying southern live oaks planted in Howell Community Park and three randomly selected areas in Southern University Baton Rouge Campus, this study analyzes how the selection of these tree species in the urban spaces influenced their growth and general well-being. These urban spaces were randomly drafted based on accessibility and availability of several southern live oaks. Planting approaches in the four study areas were explored and the general health condition of the trees was determined using the tree appraisal method presented by the i-tree model: my tree. ArcGIS collector was used to collect the GPS coordinates of the trees and ArcMap was used to generate the maps of the study areas. ArcMap software geolocated the coordinates of the southern live oaks in all the four-study areas. The software was used to generate shapefiles of the four study areas and their location in East Baton Rouge. The analysis of the results proved that none of the southern live oaks had an excellent health condition and most of the trees experienced different issues due to planting them in the wrong urban spaces.
文摘The use of renewable energy is steadily being adopted as a mitigative measure for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By assessing biomass production and consumption estimates from Louisiana parishes, this study examines the utilization of agricultural biomass as a convenient renewable energy source, and the potential of marginal lands for growing bioenergy crops in Louisiana. This was achieved by retrieving parish-level acreage production of some biofuel crops recorded in 2021 using the Quick Stats Database, to map out the spatial locations and distribution of the biofuel crops. To examine the potential of Louisiana’s marginal lands in bioenergy crop production, data was obtained from the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database and mapped-out according to the eight Land Capability Classes numbered I-VIII. The results of the mapped-out acreage data revealed that 25% of the 64 parishes including Morehouse recorded high corn production estimates, while 43%, such as East Carroll, recorded high soybean production. Meanwhile, cotton production estimates were relatively low, as recorded in only 9 parishes, with one parish, Tensas, having the highest acreage production of around 23,000. Although the identified marginal lands in parishes such as Allen and Vernon had no records of corn, soybean, or cotton production, the soil survey database revealed that these marginal lands have high nutrient soils like Alfisols, Entisols and Inceptisols with optimal nutrient balance essential for high yield bioenergy crop production. Hence, this paper highlights Louisiana’s agricultural biomass to be leveraged as sustainable renewable sources while adhering to clear production guidelines, biofuel sustainability certification, and internationally agreed sustainability criteria.
文摘The COVID-19 pandemic posed a serious threat to life on the entire planet, necessitating the imposition of a lockdown mechanism that restricted people’s movements to stop the disease’s spread. This period experienced a decline in air pollution emissions and some environmental changes, offering a rare opportunity to understand the effects of fewer human activities on the earth’s temperature. Hence, this study compares the changes in Land Surface Temperature (LST) that were observed prior to the pandemic (March & April 2019) and during the pandemic lockdown (March & April 2020) of three parishes in Louisiana. The data for this study was acquired using Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) Level 2, Collection 2, Tier 2 from the Google Earth Engine Catalog. For better visualization, the images that were derived had a cloud cover of less than 10%. Also, images for the three study areas were processed and categorized into four main classes: water, vegetation, built-up areas, and bare lands using a Random Forest Supervised Classification Algorithm. To improve the accuracy of the image classifications, three Normalized Difference Indices namely the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) were employed using the Near Infrared (NIR), Red, Green and SWIR bands for the calculations. After, these images were processed in Google Earth Engine to generate the LST products gridded at 30 m with a higher spatial resolution of 100 m according to the pre-pandemic (2019) and lockdown (2020) periods for the three study areas. Results of this study showed a decrease in LST values of the land cover classes from 2019 to 2020, with LST values in East Baton Parish decreasing from 44°C to 38°C, 42°C to 38°C in Lafayette Parish, and 43°C to 38°C in Orleans Parish. The variations in the LST values therefore indicate the impact of fewer anthropogenic factors on the earth’s temperature which requires regulatory and mitigative measures
文摘Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) is a critical component of all pXRF geochemistry processes. A properly constructed pXRF QA/QC programme identifies possible instrumental errors and provides a means of securing fit for purpose data from the pXRF programme. pXRF QA/QC programmes involve daily contamination, precision, and accuracy checks to ensure the generation of fit for purpose data. In the exploration field or mine-site, pXRF is capable of producing extremely valuable data that is fit for purpose if calibrated properly. However, it should not be used as a replacement for acquiring data from an accredited laboratory using established analytical techniques that produce high quality data. Contamination is the checking of the cleanliness of the analyser window or the presence of dust in the measuring environment. At Polymetals, using Olympus Vanta C-Series pXRF analyser with silver anode, contamination is assessed by measuring an instrumental blank (SiO<sub>2</sub>), to identify any foreign matter on the analyser window. Assuming that the window film is new, and the fused silica disc is dust free, only Si should be detected. If any other significant element is detected, the film is replaced, and the test is re-run. Accuracy is a measure of how close the measured value is to the true value and is assessed by measuring the abundance of selected elements contained within a Certified Reference Material (CRM) or the NIST check standard sample supplied with the pXRF analyser. Elements of interest must report within ±20% of the standard value. Precision is a measure of how close repeat measurements are to one another and is assessed by taking multiple readings on a particular sample to determine the stability of the analyser. The Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) of the replicate measurements is then calculated. The RSD values should be less than 20% for most analytes, except chromium, for which the value should be less than 30%. Once contamination, accuracy and precision are within accepted limits, the batc
文摘INTRODUCTION Occupational safety and health (OSH) is generally the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace. The study sought to assess and evaluate occupational health and safety hazards experienced among health workers in the Bono region of Ghana. METHODOLOGY The study was descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study. Data was from two hundred (200) health workers and was analyzed using the binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The findings from the study show that risk factors associated with biological hazards were clinical staff [OR = 2.487 (1.146 - 5.397), p = 0.021], poor maintenance of hospital items [OR = 0.446 (0.240 - 0.831), p = 0.011], assault (verbal) abuse [OR = 2.581 (1.317 - 5.059), p = 0.006] and extreme pressure from work [OR = 2.975 (1.519 - 5.829), p = 0.001]. Non-biological hazards were associated with being single [OR = 0.499 (0.263 - 0.947), p = 0.034], being verbally assaulted [OR = 3.581 (1.865 - 6.876), p CONCLUSION Risk factors related with biological hazards include poor maintenance of hospital items and extreme pressure from work whereas non-biological hazards were associated with being single, being verbally assaulted. Clinical healthcare providers are more vulnerable to occupational health and safety hazards. The study recommends the provision of strategic policies to promote and protect the workers’ health based on the development of the epidemiological profile of health, needs to be readjusted and strengthened.
文摘Background: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the quantum of calories needed for optimum body function when at rest. This has long been an indicator of one’s health and the basis for determining the metabolic age of individuals. Many scholastic projects have led to the establishment of mathematical models and inventions that measure the BMR and other body composition parameters. However, existing computations have limitations as they do not offer accurate results for Ghanaians. Aim: The purpose of the study was to model BMR metrics that are most suitable for Ghanaians and to investigate the effect of caloric difference on weight, Lean Body Mass (LBM) and % fat composition that can be implemented with Information Technology. Research Methods and Procedures: This was an experimental study that adopted a quantitative approach. BMR and body composition were measured in a sample of 242 Ghanaian adults (141 males and 101 females) from 19 to 30 years of age. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impendence analysis (BIA) in all participants. Each participant was under study for 7 days. A simple linear regression model was used to examine associations between BMR/calorie intake and total body weight and LBM. Results: There was a significant statistical relation between BMR and LBM and between BMR and weight of both men and women. Equations for BMR and weight were established for males and females. Furthermore, caloric intake differences affected changes in total weight as well as differences in % fat composition. Caloric intake however did not affect the difference in LBM. Conclusion: Caloric difference had an impact on total body weight and Lean Body Mass. The model derived from the study predicts weight change and BMR of Ghanaians from 19 to 30 years of age. It is termed the Health and Age Monitoring System (HAMS).
文摘In hot-humid climates,particularly in sub-Saharan Africa(SSA),ambient temperatures and relative humidity are as high as 35°C and 84%,respectively,requiring the use of mechanical cooling systems for indoor thermal comfort.Split-type vapor-compression air-conditioners(SVAC)are mainly used for space cooling in SSA and consume 60-80%of total energy consumption in commercial and public buildings.Appropriate control strategy of the indoor set-point temperature of SVAC can result in significant energy savings in these buildings.In this study,modeling and dynamic simulation have been conducted using EnergyPlus to predict the energy saving potential and indoor thermal comfort of buildings in hot-humid climates by controlling set-point temperature of the SVAC.In a case study,climatic data for Ghana,was used to predict the energy saving potential and indoor thermal comfort.The study results revealed that,to ensure indoor thermal comfort at high outdoor temperature condition of 35°C,the least and optimum set-point temperatures of the SVAC should be 21°C and 25°C,respectively.On the other hand,for low outdoor temperature condition,the least and optimum set-point temperatures were 22°C and 26°C,respectively.Considering 1-star and 2-star rated SVACs which are dominantly used in Ghana,operating at 21-25°C in the case of high outdoor conditions,and 22-26°C for low outdoor conditions relative to the least temperatures resulted in energy savings of 8-33%and 12-44%,respectively.
基金J.B.received funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG)grants DFG-SFB1123-A3,BE 1977/14-1the Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology(DFG,EXC 2145 SyNergy-ID 390857198)+2 种基金well as from the German Center for Cardiovascular Diseases(DZHK)partner site Munich Heart Alliance(grant DZHK B 20-004 Extern-81×2600258)Y.A.acknowledges support from DFG grant SFB1123-B3 and AS 575/1-1 and C.S.received funding from DFG grant STO 1099/8-1.
文摘In a recent study published in Nature Genetics,1 Han and colleagues employed a dual genetic lineage tracing approach in combination with a model of heart failure(HF)to identify a key sub-population of endocardium-derived fibroblasts,which gives rise to excessive myofibroblast formation in a Wnt pathway-mediated manner and contributes to cardiac fibrosis.1 The identified fibroblast sub-population and Wnt signaling pathway could be novel targets for the therapy of HF.Improvements in risk management and cardiovascular inter-vention have significantly reduced age-specific cardiovascular disease-related mortality.In contrast,the rate of HF-related hospitalisations has increased over the past decades and HF is a disease with highest social and economic cost in industrialized countries.HF is defined as impairment of the heart’s blood pumping function and its severity is assessed based on ejection fraction.HF often occurs after myocardial infarction(MI),with infarct size and quality of ventricular remodeling after MI influencing ventricular dysfunctions.Causes of HF also include hypertension,atrial fibrillation,and cardiomyopathies(Fig.1).Especially elderly patients with recurrent MI and comorbidities are increasingly presenting with signs of HF.
文摘Mouse double minute （Mdm） genes span an evolutionary timeframe from the ancient eukaryotic placozoa Trichoplox adhaerens to Homo sapiens, implying a significant and possibly conserved cellular role throughout history. Maintenance of DNA integrity and response to DNA damage involve many key regulatory pathways, including precise control over the tumour suppressor pro- tein p53. In most vertebrates, degradation of p53 through proteasomal targeting is primarily mediated by heterodimers of Mdm2 and the Mdm2-related protein Mdm4 （also known as MdmX）. Both Mdm2 and Mdm4 have p53-binding regions, acidic domains, zinc fingers, and C-terminal RING domains that are conserved throughout evolution. Vertebrates typically have both Mdm2 and Mdm# genes, while analyses of sequenced genomes of invertebrate species have identified single Mdm genes, suggesting that a duplication event occurred prior to emergence of jawless vertebrates about 550-440 million years ago. The functional relationship between Mdm and p53 in T. adhaerens, an organism that has existed for 1 billion years, implies that these two proteins have evolved together to maintain a conserved and regulated function.
文摘Anemia is a public health issue with serious ramifications for human health globally.Anemia particularly affects pregnant women and children from 6 to 59 months old even though every individual is at risk.Anemia occurs when the Hb level is below its normal threshold or when the red blood cells are weakened or destroyed.To discover medical remedies on time,early detection or diagnosis of anemia assist patients to understand their condition.The invasive approach for anemia detection is costive and time-consuming as compared to the non-invasive approach which is reliable and suitable for developing communities where medical resources and personnel are inadequate.This study uses palpable palm images(dataset)collected from 710 participants in selected hospitals in Ghana.The images were extracted,segmented and converted into RGB percentile to train,validate and tested the machine learning models.A hybrid model was developed with the application of ensemble learning models using the R programming language on the R Studio platform.Stacking,voting,boosting and bagging ensemble model techniques were used to build the hybrid models,the stacking ensemble model achieved an accuracy of 99.73%.The study justifies that ensemble models are efficient for medical disease diagnosis or detection such as anemia.
文摘This study employs Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) thermal infrared satellite data to compare land surface temperature of two cities in Ghana: Accra and Kumasi. These cities have human populations above 2 million and the corresponding anthropogenic impact on their environments significantly. Images were acquired with minimum cloud cover (<10%) from both dry and rainy seasons between December to August. Image preprocessing and rectification using ArcGIS 10.8 software w<span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ere</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> used. The shapefiles of Accra and Kumasi were used to extract from the full scenes to subset the study area. Thermal band data numbers were converted to Top of Atmospheric Spectral Radiance using radiance rescaling factors. To determine the density of green on a patch of land, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated by using red and near-infrared bands </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">i.e</span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Band 4 and Band 5. Land surface emissivity (LSE) was also calculated to determine the efficiency of transmitting thermal energy across the surface into the atmosphere. Results of the study show variation of temperatures between different locations in two urban areas. The study found Accra to have experienced higher and lower dry season and wet season temperatures, respectively. The temperature ranges corresponding to the dry and wet seasons were found to be 21.0985</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:Simsun;font-size:14px;white-space:normal;background-color:#F
文摘Precipitation is very important for both the environment and its inhabitants. Agricultural activities mostly depend on precipitation and its availability. Therefore, the ability to predict future precipitation values at specific stations is key for environmental and agricultural decision making. This research developed Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models for selected stations with Integrated component and Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) for selected stations without Integrated component at Louisiana State. The ARIMA module is represented as ARIMA(p, d, q)(P,D,Q). The selected lag order for the Autoregressive (AR) component is represented with p and P for seasonal AR component, while the integrated form (number of times data were differenced) is d and D for seasonal differencing, and the Moving Average (MA) lag order is q and Q for seasonal MA component. Data from 1950 to 2020 were employed in this research. Results of the analysis indicated that Baton Rouge (ARIMA (0,1,1) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Abbeville (ARMA (0,0,1) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Monroe Regional (ARMA (0,0,1) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), New Orleans Airport (ARMA (1,0,0) (0,0,2)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Alexandria (ARMA (1,0,1) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Logansport (ARIMA (0,1,2) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), New Orleans Audubon (ARMA (1,0,0) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">), Lake Charles Airport (ARMA (2,0,2) (0,0,0)</span><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12</span></sub><span styl
