bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Study of npm Ecosystem Related Tweets by Core Software Developers: A Case Study
Authors: Islam Syful , Nugroho Yusuf Sulistyo , Shahrear Akib , Wahed Nuhash , Gunawan Dedi , Pamungkas Endang Wahyu , Kabir Mohammed Humayun , Kurniawan Yogiek Indra
Published: March 2023

npm ecosystem is crucial for the JavaScript community and its development is significantly influenced by the opinions and feedback of core software developers.Many software developers have utilized social media, such as Twitter, to share community-related information and their views. However, the communication between npm developers via Twitter in terms of topics, nature, and sentiment have not been analyzed.This study conducts an empirical analysis of tweets by core software developers related to the npm ecosystem to understand their perceptions and opinions better. A dataset of tweets was collected and analyzed using qualitative analysis techniques to identify the topic of tweets, their nature and their sentiments. Our study demonstrated that most tweets belong to the package management category followed by notifications and community-related information.The most frequently discussed topics among core software developers in the package management category are usage scenarios. It appears that developers use a variety of approaches, with information tweets dominating, followed by questions and answers.Additionally, the sentiment analysis revealed that developers express more positive sentiments towards notification and community-related discussion while expressing more neutral opinions towards the package ecosystem discussion category. This case study provides valuable insights into the perceptions and opinions of core software developers regarding the npm ecosystem and can inform future development and decision-making.
Diagnostic yield and novel candidate genes for neurodevelopmental disorders by exome sequencing in an unselected cohort with microcephaly
Authors: Wang Chunli , Zhou Wei , Zhang Luyan , Fu Luhan , Shi Wei , Qing Yan , Lu Fen , Tang Jian , Gao Xiucheng , Zhang Aihua , Jia Zhanjun , Zhang Yue , Zhao Xiaoke , Zheng Bixia
Published: March 2023

Objectives: Microcephaly is caused by reduced brain volume and most usually associated with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). To provide an overview of the diagnostic yield of whole exome sequencing (WES) and promote novel candidates in genetically unsolved families, we studied the clinical and genetic landscape of an unselected Chinese cohort of patients with microcephaly.
Methods: We performed WES in an unselected cohort of 103 NDDs patients with microcephaly as one of the features. Full evaluation of potential novel candidate genes was applied in genetically undiagnosed families. Functional validations of selected variants were conducted in cultured cells. To augment the discovery of novel candidates, we queried our genomic sequencing data repository for additional likely disease-causing variants in the identified candidate genes.
Results: In 71 families (68.9%), causative sequence variants (SVs) and clinically relevant copy number variants (CNVs) were identified. By incorporating coverage analysis to WES, a pathogenic or likely pathogenic CNV was detected in 15 families (16/103, 15.5%). In another eight families (8/103, 7.8%), We identified eight novel neurodevelopmental disorders /microcephaly candidate genes, which involved in cell cycle and division (PWP2, CCND2), CDC42/RAC signaling related actin cytoskeletal organization (DOCK9, RHOF), neurogenesis (ELAVL3, PPP1R9B, KCNH3) and transcription regulation (IRF2BP1). By looking into our data repository of 5066 families with NDDs, we identified additional two cases with variants in DOCK9 and PPP1R9B, respectively.
Conclusion: Our results expand the morbid genome of monogenic neurodevelopmental disorders and support the adoption of WES as a first-tier test for individuals with microcephaly.
Lyophilization process optimization and molecular dynamics simulation of mRNA-LNPs for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
Authors: Yu Peng , Li Mingyuan , Jia Lin , Xie Yanbo , Ma Wenlin , Yan Zhihong , Ma Yuman , Deng Jie , Zhu Ali , wei Xue Si , Su Wen , Liu XiaoFeng , Li Shiqin , Wang Haomeng , Zhu Tao
Published: March 2023

Some studies have shown that lyophilization significantly improves the stability of mRNA-LNPs and enables long-term storage at 2–8 ℃. However, there is little research on the lyophilization process of mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Most previous studies have used empirical lyophilization with only a single lyoprotectant, resulting in low lyophilization efficiency, often requiring 40–100 h. In the present study, an efficient lyophilization method suitable for mRNA-LNPs was designed and optimized, shortening the total length of the lyophilization process to 8–18 h, which significantly reduced energy consumption and production costs. When the mixed lyoprotectant composed of sucrose, trehalose, and mannitol was added to mRNA-LNPs, the eutectic point and collapse temperature of the system were increased. The lyophilized product had a ginger root-shaped rigid structure with large porosity, which tolerated rapid temperature increases and efficiently removed water. In addition, the lyophilized mRNA-LNPs rapidly rehydrated and had good particle size distribution, encapsulation rate, and mRNA integrity. The lyophilized mRNA-LNPs were stable at 2–8 ℃, and they did not reduce immunogenicity in vivo or in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to compare the phospholipid molecular layer with the lyoprotectant in aqueous and anhydrous environments to elucidate the mechanism of lyophilization to improve the stability of mRNA-LNPs. This efficient lyophilization platform significantly improves the accessibility of mRNA-LNPs.
Investigation the effect of nano carbon tube prepared from tea waste on Microstructure and properties of cement mortar
Authors: Biajawi Mohammad I. Al , Abdulrahman May F. , Saod Wahran M. , Hilal Nahla , Embong Rahimah , Sor Nadhim Hamah
Published: March 2023

Environmental contamination and the massively higher cost of disposal of wastes have been a big concern for scholars throughout the globe, prompting them to seek a way to recycle waste materials in various implementations filed. The rising expenditure of disposal and the shortage of naturally big aggregate have increased interest in reusing recycled waste materials to manufacture concrete and mortar. The some of the country population annually consumes hundreds of tonnes of black tea, resulting in a considerable number of discarded teabags. These huge quantities are disposed of in landfills without being recycled or otherwise used. Moreover, landfills are considered one of the country's biggest global issues. Therefore, the aim of this experimental work to investigate influence of nano carbon tube produced from tea waste as cement replacement materials in mortar mixtures. Cement mortar mixes contain four replacement levels (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) of cement with nano carbon tube produced from tea waste. The compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and water absorption were tested to demonstrate the effect of the nano carbon tube made from recycled tea waste on the mechanical properties of the mortar mix. The fresh properties such as flow rate were evaluated in accordance with the specific standards. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) analyses were performed to demonstrate the microstructure of the mixtures. The results show that the fresh properties (flowability) of mortar containing nanocarbon tubes from tea waste were improved with the increase of the replacement ratio. In addition, the compressive strength was improved by substitution of up to 2%. For the other levels of substitution, it decreased with increasing proportion. In contrast, the density was increased with the increase in the substitution level of tea waste. Based on the results of the experiments, it seems that the suggested bio-mixture could increase the compressive strength of the material by up to 2% of the replacement at 28 days of curing.
Crenolanib inhibits retinal fibrosis associated with resistance to anti-VEGF in neovascular age-related macular degeneration in retinal Müller cells
Authors: Joo Jin-Ho , Chung Junkyu , Seo Jung-Woo , Moon Sang Woong
Published: March 2023

Backgorund
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) may cause fibrosis in primary cultured mouse retinal Müller cells (PMCs), resulting in resistance to treatment. This study aimed to confirm the decrease in the expression of fibrosis-related proteins after treatment with platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) inhibitor.
Methods
PMCs were treated with anti-VEGF, bevacizumab, and PDGF, for 24 and 72 h, and the expression of fibrosis-related proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and PDGFR was confirmed. After 72 h of co-treatment of PMCs with bevacizumab and crenolanib, a PDGFR inhibitor, fibrosis-related protein expression was confirmed.
Results
When PMCs were treated with 1 mg/mL bevacizumab for 72 h, the expression of VEGF and inflammatory cytokines decreased, and the expression of fibrosis-related proteins and PDGFR-β increased. When PMCs were treated with 100 ng/mL PDGF-B for 72 h, the expression of VEGF and inflammatory cytokines increased, and the expression of fibrosis-related proteins and PDGFR-β decreased. When PMCs were treated with 1 mg/mL bevacizumab and 5 nM crenolanib, the expression of fibrosis-related proteins decreased.
Conclusion
If PMCs are treated with anti-VEGF agents for a long time, fibrosis may occur that may lead to resistance to NVAMD treatment. When PMCs are treated with anti-VEGF and crenolanib, a PDGFR inhibitor, the expression of fibrosis-related proteins is reduced.
Research on Key Acoustic Characteristics of Soundscapes of the Classical Chinese Gardens
Authors: Chen Wei , Liu Juanjuan
Published: March 2023

Soundscapes have played an important role in the design and building of classical Chinese gardens. In Chinese classical poetry, biophonies such as bird calls, and geophonies such as wind, are the preferable sound sources. Although these major sound sources have been categorized and summarized by scholars extensively, little research has been conducted to analyze the physical characteristics and preference matrix of these preferred sound sources. Moreover, the perceived loudness of sound in classical Chinese gardens has received more attention from scholars than acoustic frequency. In this study, we selected 12 sound sources that are most typically present in classical Chinese gardens based on extensive literature research on Chinese classical poetry, and acquired respective audio samples from the BBC’s library of Sound Effects. Through the spectrogram analyses, pitch detection algorithm and LSTM audio classification methods, the sound sources were classified into discrete sound sources with pitch variation and continuous sound sources with spectral characteristics of white noise or pink noise. The reasoning behind the preference for these two types of sound sources was then discussed from physical and mental healing perspectives, which aims to help provide perspectives on the associated implications in the planning of urban green spaces.
Atomic Delocalization in Solar Flare Heavy-Ion Tracks and Its Impact on the Plastic Deformation of CE-5 Lunar Soil
Authors: Chen Yujie , Fang Yan , Fu Xiaoqian , Guo Jiangang , Ying Tianping , Ding Jun , Liu Suya , Yang Guang , GU Lin , Bo Zheng , Zhang Ze , Chen Xiaolong , Li Jinhua , Yu Qian
Published: March 2023

Understanding the impact of space weathering on the mechanical properties of materials can provide strong implications for the exploration of the space including the building of a permanent base on airless planets. By examining the structure of solar flare tracks, which exist prevalently in lunar soils returned by Chang’e-5 mission, we revealed that the solar flare tracks are nanosized tubular defects where the silicon and oxygen atoms are delocalized. They are created by implantations of particles with atomic number larger than vanadium. The solar flare tracks first function as dislocation sources and act as strong hindrance for dislocation motions subsequently, resulting in dislocation multiplication and strain hardening. These changes make the mechanical properties of lunar soil significantly distinct from its counterpart residing on the Earth.
The first case of acute necrotizing encephalopathy associated with coronavirus disease in a child in Asia: a case report and literature review
Authors: Liang Xing-Zhen , Wang Ji-Gan , Tang Yu-Peng
Published: March 2023

Background
Acute necrotic encephalopathy（ANE） in children is a very rare complication of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2（SARS-CoV-2） infection, which has rarely been reported worldwide.
Case presentation
A 45-day-old girl was admitted to our hospital with fever and listlessness. A nose swab tested positive for novel coronavirus nucleic acid, and her cerebrospinal fluid was positive for SARS-CoV-2. An early head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan indicated multiple abnormal signals in her bilateral cerebral hemispheres, and encephalitis was diagnosed. Twenty-three days after hospitalization, bilateral cerebral atrophy-like changes were observed by MRI, with multiple softening lesions in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres, accompanied by convulsions. She was admitted to hospital for mechanically-assisted ventilation, and her condition improved after treatment of her symptoms, including anti-epileptic medication, anti-infection drugs, glucocorticoids, and immunoglobulins.
Conclusions
Acute necrotic encephalopathy associated with novel coronavirus infection in children should be detected and treated as early as possible. Satisfactory short-term efficacy can be obtained, but long-term neurological sequelae often linger.
CRISPR/sgRNA-directed synergistic activation mediator (SAM) as a therapeutic tool for Parkinson´s disease
Authors: Narvaez-Perez Luis Fernando , Paz-Bermudez Francisco , Avalos-Fuentes Jose Arturo , Campos-Romo Aurelio , Floran-Garduño Benjamin , Segovia Jose
Published: March 2023

Parkinson`s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, and different gene therapy strategies have been used as experimental treatments. As a proof of concept for the treatment of PD, we used SAM, a CRISPR gene activation system, to activate the endogenous tyrosine hydroxylase gene of astrocytes to produce dopamine (DA) in the striatum of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Potential sgRNAs within the ratthpromotor region were tested, the expression of the Th protein was determined in the C6 glial cell line. Employing pseudo-lentivirus, the SAM complex and the selected sgRNA were transferred into cultures of rat astrocytes, and gene expression and Th protein synthesis were ascertained; furthermore, DA release into the culture medium was determined by HPLC. The DA-producing astrocytes were implanted into the striatum of 6-OHDA hemiparkinsonian rats. We observed motor behavior improvement in the lesioned rats that received DA-astrocytes compared to lesioned rats receiving astrocytes that did not produce DA. There were no differences between the DA-producing astrocytes group compared to the Sham (non-lesioned group) on the motor behavior tests. Our data indicate that the SAM-induced expression of the astrocyte´s endogenousthgene can generate DA-producing astrocytes that effectively reduce motor symptoms in a rat PD model.
Plasma Proteomic Determinants of Common Causes of Mortality
Authors: Sethi Anurag , Raj Anil , Wright Kevin , Melamud Eugene
Published: March 2023

In complex physiological systems, causal associations between protein concentration and outcomes can be difficult to determine, as proteins can be both effectors of outcomes and responders. This problem becomes especially difficult when the outcome of interest is death because this is often preceded by the failure of multiple physiological systems. Our aim in this study was to determine the extent to which variation in plasma protein abundance can predict all-cause and disease-specific mortality, and to assess the potential causal nature of any observed associations. To identify biomarkers for mortality, we analyzed the largest plasma proteome dataset compiled to date: 1,459 proteins measured in 54,306 individuals with over 12 years of prospective follow-up data from the UK Biobank (during which 5,032 mortality events occurred). We carried out a multivariate stability selection analysis of all biomarkers and identified 14 proteins that were robustly predictive of all-cause mortality. These biomarkers remained significant after accounting for pre-existing conditions and medication usage. Participants in the highest quintile of mortality risk prediction had ~25 times higher number of events as compared to participants in the lowest quintile. Moreover, these proteins are more robustly associated with mortality than established diagnostic biomarkers such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and cholesterol. To complement our epidemiological analyses, we quantified the genetic determinants of plasma protein abundance and assessed causality via Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis using polygenic scores. Integrating multiple lines of evidence, we prioritized eight plasma protein biomarkers causally associated with human lifespan.
Research on the influence of team performance on fan loyalty of Chinese Men's National Football Team: data analysis based on online comments
Authors: Zhou Yiheng , Wang Zerong , Hu Mengyue , Tian Jiajie , Xiao Yi
Published: March 2023

Sports play an important role in daily life. Every year, thousands of people watch sports events on TV or on the Internet, in which football events attract more attention. The performance of a team may have a huge impact on its fan loyalty. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore whether the performance of a team will affect the loyalty of fans, and how to affect the loyalty of fans. Applying web crawler to collect spectators’ comments on the performance of the Chinese Men's National Football Team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification, word frequency analysis, semantic network analysis and emotional analysis on these comments, it was concluded that the factors that affect fan loyalty from high to low were: fan attitude loyalty factor, fan identity factor, fan behavior loyalty factor, fan satisfaction factor. It was believed that this study could provide a reference for managers to improve fan loyalty.
Barriers and Facilitating Factors to Healthcare Accessibility among Nepalese Migrants during COVID-19 Crisis in Japan: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Paudel Sushila , Bhandari Aliza K C , Gilmour Stuart , Lee Hyeon Ju , Kanbara Sakiko
Published: March 2023

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for global unity and timely access to healthcare for all including multilingual and intercultural societies. This study aimed to identify barriers to healthcare access due to the COVID-19 crisis among Nepalese migrants in Japan and explore ways to counter these barriers, both in routine and crisis situations.
Methods
This study used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study design. The researchers conducted 11 focus group discussions including 89 participants and an online survey involving 937 respondents. The integration of focus group discussions and logistic regression analysis from the survey was reported via a ‘joint display’.
Results
26 themes on barriers to and six on facilitators of healthcare accessibility were identified by the focus group discussions among which 17 barriers like lack of knowledge of health insurance, limited operating hours of hospitals, language barriers, fear of catching the virus, fear of discrimination etc. had significant association in our logistic regression analysis after adjusting for all confounders. Similarly, the only facilitator that had a significant impact, according to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, was receiving health information from Nepali healthcare professionals (OR = 1.36, 95% CI= (1.01–1.82), p-value < 0.05).
Conclusion
The study suggests the need for a crisis information hub which could be coordinated by the Nepal embassy or concerned authorities, flexible policies for active deployment of Nepalese health workers and volunteers, accessible hotlines in the Nepali language, and incorporation of Nepali telehealth services in Japan.
Why should we strive to let them thrive? Exploring the links between health professionals thriving at work, employee ambidexterity and innovative behavior
Authors: Slåtten Terje , Mutonyi Barbara Rebecca , Lien Gudbrand
Published: March 2023

Background: The concept of thriving at work (TAW) has received increased interest within health services research in recent years. TAW embraces employees’ experience of being energized and feeling alive when employed in an organization. However, previous research has been limited mainly to the investigation of factors that promote TAW. Consequently, there is a lack of research linking TAW to potential outcomes. Based on this knowledge gap, the aim of this study was to examine links between TAW and two potential outcomes: employees’ individual innovative behavior (IIB) and employee ambidexterity (EA). Thus, the study contributes to a relatively neglected area within the domain of health services research.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of N = 258 Norwegian health professionals, in nine municipalities, were selected through convenience sampling. Results of the conceptual model was analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling, with SmartPLS 3 software. The study tested both for the direct and the indirect relationships. Indirect relationships were achieved through bootstrap.
Results: The main results from the empirical study can be summarized as follows: (i) TAW was found to be positively linked to both EA (b = 0.46) and IIB (b = 0.22); (ii) TAW and EA explained about 30% (R2 = 0.29) the variance in IIB; (iii) The relationship between TAW and IIB was found to be mediated by the EA; (iv) TAW was positively linked to each of the two dimensions that constitute EA. However, when comparing the individual strength of linkages, TAW was found to be most strongly linked to the exploitation dimension of EA (b = 0.50) and less strongly linked to the exploration dimension of EA (b = 0.35).
Conclusions: Employees’ level of TAW in health care services is linked to desirable outcomes, in this study represented by EA and IIB. Managers should be aware of the development and changes in the levels of TAW of their individual employees. Consequently, continuously monitoring and cultivating the TAW of individual employees to determine whether they experience a sense of being energized and feeling alive as a member of the organization is an important practical implication. TAW is clearly a key to important outcomes. Managers should therefore strive to let all of their employees thrive.
Consensus-based statements for assessing clinical competency in podiatry-related work integrated learning
Authors: Causby Ryan Scott , Dars Sindhrani , Ho Malia , Walmsley Steven , Munteanu Shannon , Banwell Helen A
Published: March 2023

Background
The training of undergraduate and graduate-entry podiatry students in Australia and New Zealand includes practical sessions in a simulated and real-life clinical setting and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) comprising professional clinical placements. Student performance during WIL is evaluated by their Clinical Educators using clinical competency tools. Having a standardised and validated clinical assessment tool for WIL in podiatry would facilitate consistency in assessment, promote standardisation between programs, and ensure that all podiatry students are assessed against a set of criteria over the course of their clinical programs to the point of threshold clinical competency. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a series of consensus-based statements via Delphi technique as the first step towards developing guidelines to direct the assessment of podiatry students during WIL.
Methods
This study used a three-round modified Delphi consensus method. A panel of 25 stakeholders was sought. Specifically, representation from each of the universities in Australia and New Zealand who provide entry level programs, Clinical Educators, podiatry student representatives, new podiatry graduates and consumers (podiatrists hiring new graduates). The survey for Round 1 aimed for consensus and consisted of five open-ended questions. Questions one to three asked respondents to nominate what they considered were the important elements that needed to be assessed for podiatry students undertaking WIL for: Clinical performance/skills, Communication and Professional behaviour, Question 4 asked respondents to identify further/other elements of importance, whilst Question 5 asked a) how these elements should be evaluated and b) how should overall competency and ability to progress within the program be determined. Round 2 and 3 aimed to gather agreement and the questions were based on the responses from previous rounds.
Results
Twenty-five participants agreed to participate, 17 females (68%) and eight males (32%). The panel consisted of 10 podiatry educators (40%), nine Clinical Educators (36%), two student representatives (8%), two new podiatry graduates (8%) and two consumers (8%). From the 25 recruited participants, 21 responded to Round one, 18 to Round two and 17 in Round three. At the conclusion of the Delphi survey, 55 statements had reached consensus or agreement.
Conclusions
This Delphi study is the first of its kind for the podiatry profession to develop consensus-based statements regarding the assessment of WIL. Fifty-five statements pertinent to the assessment of WIL were identified. This is an important first step toward the development of a consistent WIL assessment tool which may be applied across entry-level podiatry programs across Australia and New Zealand.
Thermal Performance Evaluation of Bio-Bricks and Conventional Bricks in Residential Buildings in Aswan City, Egypt
Authors: El-Hady Rania Emad Abd , Mohammed Abdelaziz Farouk
Published: March 2023

From raw material extraction through final product disposal, the construction industry is integrally involved in every stage of the lifecycle of greenhouse gas emissions. A major cause of climate catastrophe is the increasing use of dirty energy sources to power our homes and businesses. This tremendous problem of global warming has now forced nations to act. To further address sustainability, they seek to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by adopting more sustainable materials. The present tendency in scientific inquiry is to use waste resources to improve the properties of diverse materials. So, one of the most environmentally friendly alternatives to the standard procedure is to use agricultural waste to enhance the quality of building materials. This enhancement will modify the thermal properties of building materials like brick. After testing research scenarios, it seems that bio-building materials can save energy consumption in residential buildings by about 7%( rice straw–cement brick) and about 12%( sugarcane bagasse brick) in the operating phase, in addition to energy saving in manufacturing phase. All of these enhancing in traditional bricks decrease CO2 and greenhouse gases emissions.
S1PR1 regulates ovarian cancer cell senescence through the PDK1-LATS1/2-YAP pathway
Authors: Liu shengbing , PAN Wei-Wei , Cheng Shuqun , tao yiping , zhu hengyan , shi qianyuan , wang caixia , hua yuxin , Zhou Qi-Yin , zhou zilu , sun ying , Wang Xiaomin , wang yu , zhang yaling , guo yanjun , wang ziying , Che Xuan , Xu Chunwei , Zhang Xian-Chao , Heger Michal , tao suping , zheng xin , Xu Ying , liu aijun , Hu Han-Yin , ao lei
Published: March 2023

Cell senescence deters the activation of various oncogenes. Induction of senescence is therefore a potentially effective strategy to interfere with vital processes in tumor cells. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) has been implicated in various cancer types, including ovarian cancer. The mechanism by which S1PR1 regulates ovarian cancer cell senescence is currently elusive. In this study we demonstrate that S1PR1 was highly expressed in human ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. S1PR1 deletion inhibited the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells, which concurred with cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase. S1PR1 deletion enhanced cisplatin-induced ovarian cancer cell senescence. Treatment of ovarian cancer cells with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) led to increased expression of 3-phosphatidylinositol-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), decreased expression of large tumor suppressor 1/2 (LATS1/2), and increased activity of the yes-associated protein (YAP). Opposite results were obtained in S1PR1-knockout or pharmacological inhibition in ovarian cancer cells. LATS1/2 inactivation caused by S1PR1 deletion increased YAP expression, inhibited senescence, and lead to increased S1PR1 expression. Transcriptional regulation of S1PR1 by YAP was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Accordingly, the S1PR1-PDK1-LATS1/2-YAP pathway regulates ovarian cancer cell senescence and does so through a YAP-mediated feedback loop. S1PR1 constitutes a druggable target for the induction of senescence in ovarian cancer cells. Pharmacological intervention in the S1PR1-PDK1-LATS1/2-YAP signaling axis may augment the efficacy of standard chemotherapy.
Risk of endocarditis among patients with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus bacteremia
Authors: Ramos-Martínez Antonio , González-Merino Patricia , Suanzes-Martín Elena , Fuente Marta Murga-de la , Escudero-López Gabriela , Andrés-Eisenhofer Ane , Expósito-Palomo Esther , Gutierrez-Villanueva Andrea , Diego-Yagüe Itziar , Múñez Elena , Fernandez-Cruz Ana , Calderón-Parra Jorge
Published: March 2023

Purpose. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are not considered typical microorganisms causing infective endocarditis (IE). The objective was to determine variables associated with IE in patients with CoNS bacteremia. Methods. Analysis of the clinical characteristics of patients with CoNS bacteremia admitted to a university hospital in Madrid (Spain) from 2021 to December 2022 according to the occurrence of IE. Results. During the study period, 106 patients with CoNS bacteremia were detected. Twelve patients presented IE (11.3%). Echocardiogram was performed in all patients with IE and in 73 patients without IE (78.5%; p = 0.117). Of the 7 patients with heart valve prostheses, 5 patients (71.4%) had IE (p < 0.001). Patients with IE more frequently had positive blood cultures more than 12 hours after the first extraction (58.3% vs. 10.2%; p < 0.001). There was a tendency to associate community-acquired bacteremia with an increased risk of IE (p = 0.075). Attributable mortality was higher in patients with IE relative to all other patients (16.7% vs. 1.1%; p = 0.033). The multivariate analysis included having valve prosthesis and persistent bacteremia for more than 12 hours. Both were significant: valve prosthesis OR 38.6 (95% CI 5.8–258; p < 0.001) and persistent bacteremia OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.1–6.8; p = 0.046). Conclusion. A high percentage of cases of CNS bacteremia may be due to IE. Some of the variables related to a higher risk of IE, such as having a valvular prosthesis or presenting positive blood cultures for more than 12 hours, should lead us to rule out or confirm the presence of IE by performing echocardiography.
Evaluation and Ranking of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms for Performance Prediction in Sheep
Authors: Hamadani Ambreen , Ganai Nazir
Published: March 2023

In a rapidly transforming world, farm data is growing exponentially. Realizing the importance of this data, researchers are looking for new solutions to analyse this data and make farming predictions. Considering all this, this research was undertaken to evaluate machine learning (ML) algorithms as potential tools for evaluating 52-year data for sheep. Data was appropriately prepared was done before analysis. Winsorization was done for outlier removal. Principal component regression (PCA) and feature selection (FS) were done and based on that, three datasets were created viz. PCA, PCA+ FS, and FS bodyweight prediction. Among the 11 ML algorithms that were evaluated, the correlations between true and predicted values for MARS algorithm, Bayesian ridge regression, Ridge regression, Support Vector Machines, Gradient boosting algorithm, Random forests, XgBoost algorithm, Artificial neural networks, Classification and regression trees, Polynomial regression, K nearest neighbours and Genetic Algorithms were 0.993, 0.992, 0.991,0.991,0.991, 0.99, 0.99,0.984,0.984,0.957, 0.949.0.734 respectively for bodyweights. The top five algorithms for the prediction of bodyweights, were MARS, Bayesian ridge regression, Ridge regression, Support Vector Machines and Gradient boosting algorithm. A total of 12 machine learning models were developed for the prediction of bodyweights in sheep in the present study. It may be said that machine learning techniques can perform predictions with reasonable accuracies and can thus be viable alternatives to conventional strategies.
Semi-Supervised Segmentation of Retinoblastoma Tumors in Fundus Images
Authors: Rahdar Amir , Ahmadi Mohamad Javad , Naseripour Masood , Akhtari Abtin , Sedaghat Ahad , Hosseinabadi Vahid Zare , Yarmohamadi Parsa , Hajihasani Samin , Mirshahi Reza
Published: March 2023

Retinoblastoma is a rare type of cancer that can appear in young children as the most common primary intraocular malignancy. Studies in developed and some developing countries have shown that more than 90% of children with retinoblastoma have been successfully cured thanks to early detections. The most common presenting sign is an unusual white reflection in the pupil. Medical experts may choose different approaches and treatments for retinoblastoma, based on the size, shape and location of the tumors. Given the high dependence of the process on prior knowledge, the results may vary. This study aims to present a model based on semi-supervised machine learning, with segmentation results comparable to the labeling done by medical experts. To do so, the gaussian mixture model is utilized to detect abnormalities in nearly 4200 fundus images. Due to the high calculational cost of this process, the results of this approach are used to train a cost-effective model for the same purpose. The second method demonstrated excellent results in the case of extracting highly detailed boundaries in fundus images. Using Sørensen–Dice coefficient as the comparison metric for the tasks of segmentation, an average accuracy of 77.19% on evaluation data has been achieved.
On the Application of Acoustic Liners for the Reduction of Jet-Flap Installation Noise
Authors: Sirotto José R. L. N. , Bonomo Lucas A. , Cordioli Julio A.
Published: March 2023

In this work, an experimental and numerical analysis of the feasibility of using acoustic liners to reduce the acoustic far-field radiation of a subsonic jet near a flat plate is presented. The Boundary Element Method (BEM) with a wavepacket model of the jet noise and considering an acoustic impedance boundary condition was used to calculate the far-field noise for different conditions. A parametric optimization was performed in order to find an optimum impedance in terms of the Overall Sound Pressure Level (OASPL) reduction. Semi-empirical models of acoustic liners were then used to design a liner with an impedance as close as possible to the optimum impedance. The liners were built using additive manufacturing and tested in terms of their acoustic impedance and the resulting noise reduction when applied to a region of the flat plate. The BEM simulations, considering the impedance, showed good agreement with experimental data. Overall, by means of the BEM model, optimization and liner semi-empirical models, it was possible to design an acoustic liner which significantly reduced the installation noise at the far-field.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Transient Overvoltages Suppression Measures in Different Wind Farm Topologies
Authors: Eliyan Tamer , Wadie Fady
Published: March 2023

Various overvoltage mitigation schemes were used in literature in suppression of switching overvoltages in wind farms. However, the evaluation of how the effectiveness of these mitigation techniques would vary with the change of the wind farm topology is still un-explored territory. The main aim of this paper is to study the effectiveness of four mitigation schemes namely; R-L smart choke, R-C snubber circuit, surge capacitor and pre-insertion resistor (PIR) were studied in four different wind farm topologies; radial, single-sided ring, double-sided ring and star topologies. The topologies were based on a real wind farm located in Zaafrana, Egypt. The results showed that R-L choke to be the most effective scheme for all topologies followed by PIR, R-C snubber and surge capacitor schemes respectively. Their percentage of reduction of overvoltage ranged from 62–84% for R-L choke, 33–67% for PIR, 8–25% for R-C snubber circuits and 4–15% for surge capacitors. Also, it was shown that the change of the wind farm topology didn’t affect the order of effectiveness of the mitigation schemes such that R-L remained the most effective and surge capacitor the least effective for all topologies.
Spinal Anesthesia in a Healthy Parturient Causing Suspected Bullous Pemphigoid Lesions: A Case Report
Authors: Karam Cynthia , Nafeh Nancy Abou , Kaddoum Roland , Zeeni Carine , Khalili Amro
Published: March 2023

We present a case of suspected bullous pemphigoid lesions after spinal anesthesia in a previously healthy parturient presenting at term for an elective secondary cesarean section. On day 1 post-partum, pruritic red fluid-filled clustered bullae highly resembling those of bullous pemphigoid were noted around the spinal anesthesia injection site. Fusidic acid/betamethasone skin cream was prescribed by a dermatologist for twice-daily application. The bullae decreased in size gradually and became crusted 1 week post-partum with mild residual pruritus. At 6 weeks post-partum, the bullae completely disappeared without a scar. Checking the site of neuraxial blockade on the first day postoperatively allowed early detection of such unique skin lesions.
Predictive factors of early pregnancy loss during in vitro fertilization/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI): retrospective study on 1806 embryo transfers
Authors: Morcel Karine , Merviel Philippe , James Pandora , Bouée Sarah , Guillou Mathilde Le , Pertuisel Diane , Chabaud Jean-Jacques , Roche Sylvie , Perrin Aurore , Drapier Hortense , Beauvillard Damien
Published: March 2023

Early pregnancy loss (EPL) is a spontaneous miscarriage of a clinical pregnancy during the first trimester. Several factors of EPL have been studied but results were discordant. We performed a retrospective study in our ART center, comparing baseline data and IVF/ICSI outcomes between cycles with EPL, ongoing pregnancy and without pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies and biochemical pregnancies (without visualization of a gestational sac on ultrasound) were excluded. The aim of this study is to compare these different cycles, and analyze the risk factors for EPL. We included 2555 IVF/ICSI cycles leading to 2193 oocyte pick-ups and 1806 embryo transfers. Several characteristics (women’s age, infertility diagnosis and duration, estradiol level on the day of hCG-trigger, endometrial thickness, day of embryo transfer) appeared to be risk factors of EPL in univariate analysis. Only women’s age has a significant (p < 0.001) influence in multivariate analysis on the rate of EPL, with an OR: 1.71 if the woman’s age ≥ 35 years old (reference < 35 y.o = 1), 2.96 if ≥ 38 y.o and 5.31 if ≥ 40 y.o. In this study, we observed an increase in EPL rate by 4.15% per year in women over 35 years of age.
Clinical significance of MATN1-AS1 as ceRNA of Mir-200b in tissues and serum of patients with cervical cancer
Authors: He Lijie , Wang Jing , Zhang Heping
Published: March 2023

Objective:To analyze the clinical significance of MATN1-AS1 as ceRNA of Mir-200b in the tissues and serum of cervical cancer patients.
Methods: A total of 50 patients with cervical cancer admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to March 2019 were selected as the research objects. All patients underwent surgical resection of cancer tissues in our hospital, and cervical cancer tissues and adjacent tissues more than 2cm away from the edge of cancer tissues were retained. Patients with cervical cancer were selected as the research group, and 50 patients with benign uterine lesions were selected as the control group. The expressions of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in cervical cancer tissues and serum were detected by real-time PCR, and the correlation between MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b was analyzed. The relationship between MATN1-AS1, Mir-200b and clinical features was analyzed, and the 3-year survival rate of cervical cancer patients was analyzed.
Results:Compared with adjacent tissues, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in cancer tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and mir-200b in the study group were increased (P<0.05). The expression levels of matn1-as1 and mir-200b were higher in poorly differentiated, tumor ≥4cm, FIGO stage ⅲ-ⅳ, and lymph node metastasis patients (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that MATN1-AS1 was positively correlated with Mir-200b (r=0.625，P=0.001). Compared with blank control group, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in MATN1-AS1 silencing group were decreased (P<0.05). The 3-year survival rate of 48 patients with cervical cancer was 66.67% (32/48). The survival rate of patients with high expression of MATN1-AS1 was lower than that of patients with low expression of MATN1-AS1, and the survival rate of patients with high expression of Mir-200b was lower than that of patients with low expression of Mir-200b (x2=4.251, 5.244, P=0.011, 0.008).
Conclusion: There is a potential binding point between MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b. The expressions of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b are increased in the tissues and serum of cervical cancer patients, and they are positively correlated. Silencing of MATN1-AS1 in cervical cancer cell lines can reduce the expression of Mir-200b. Matn1-as1 can regulate the expression of Mir-200b and participate in the occurrence and development of cervical cancer.
Wild mushroom classification based on improvedMobileViT deep learning
Authors: Peng Youju , Xu Yang , Shi Jin , Jiang Shiyi
Published: March 2023

Wild mushrooms are not only tasty but also rich in nutritional value, but it is difficult for non-specialists to distinguish poisonouswild mushrooms accurately. Given the frequent occurrence of wild mushroom poisoning, we propose a new deep learningmethod (M-ViT) combining convolutional neural networks(ConvNets) and attention networks to solve this social problem. First, we introduce an attention mechanism SE module in the MV2 structure of the network to enhance the representation of picture channels. Then, design a multidimensional attention module ( MDA) to guide the network to thoroughly learn and utilize local and global features through short connections. Moreover, used the ASPP module to obtain longer distance relations, fuse the model features from different layers, and use the obtained joint features for wild mushroom classification. We validated on two datasets, mushroom and MO106, and the results showed that M-ViT performed the best on the two test datasets with accurate dimensions of 96.21% and 91.83%, respectively. We compared the performance of our method with that of more advancedConvNets and attention networks (Transformer), and our method achieved good results.
Effects of soda consumption on cardiac tissue in rats submitted to concurrent training.
Authors: Tomiazzi Maria Luisa , Moraes Thiago Pereira , Santos Rafael Felipe Siqueira dos , Valério Luis Felipe , Santos Lucas Silva , Garcia Thiago Alves , Ozaki Guilherme Akio Tamura , Marcelo Henrique Izaias , Filho José Carlos Silva Camargo , Chacon Robson
Published: March 2023

The association of aerobic resistance training (ART) and strength training (ST) is called "concurrent training" (CT), and this type of training can help combat the emergence of cardiovascular diseases. Despite the benefits of ST[U1] , it is known that a good portion of the population consumes soft drinks, which can bring negative consequences for health, especially the heart. The aim of this study was to compare the effects caused in cardiac tissue of animals that consumed soda and performed a CT protocol. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were used, subdivided into four groups: Control (C [n=8]); Soda Consumption (SC [n=8]); Concurrent Training (CT [n=8]); and CT with Soda Consumption (CTSC) [n=8]). The CT was composed of aerobic swimming exercises and resistance exercises through jumps in the aquatic environment. The animals performed 3 training sessions per week for 4 weeks. CT promoted an increase in the area, perimeter, and diameter of cardiomyocytes, while the consumption of soda, both isolated and added to the CT, did not generate alterations in the variables analyzed. CT generated an increase in cardiomyocytes and the consumption of soda caused a decrease in these cells. However, this decrease showed no statistically significant difference.
[U1]Deveria ser ‘CT’?
Verteporfin attenuates cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction by suppressing the YAP-Smad2/3 signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Pei , Liao Ruili , Gan Yang , Liu Hui , Mao Liang , Nie Yongmei , yu Fengxu , Deng Mingbing , LIAO Bing , Fu Yong
Published: March 2023

Purpose
Excessive cardiac fibrosis and remodeling occur after myocardial infarction. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a major transcriptional co-activator of the Hippo pathway and an important regulator of cardiac fibrosis. Verteporfin is a pharmacological inhibitor of YAP that effectively inhibits fibrosis and inflammatory responses. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of verteporfin on cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI) and its possible mechanisms.
Methods
Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were subjected to MI by ligating their left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and treating them with verteporfin (50 mg/kg/48 h) or phosphate-buffered saline for 2 weeks. Echocardiography was performed to evaluate cardiac function after 2 weeks, and hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining were performed to evaluate the degree of myocardial fibrosis and inflammatory response. The protein expression levels of the YAP-Smad2/3 pathway, inflammatory factors, and fibrosis markers in the heart and in vitro were determined using western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.
Results
Compared to the MI group, verteporfin treatment improved cardiac function and fibrosis in mice post-MI. Moreover, myocardial YAP and SMAD2/3 expression were reduced in verteporfin-treated animals. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and molecular examination showed inflammatory factor and cardiac fibrosis marker expression in the heart sections.
Conclusion
Verteporfin can attenuate cardiac fibrosis and inflammatory responses and improve cardiac function by suppressing the YAP-Smad2/3 signaling pathway post-MI.