bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Angami Naga Women in Agriculture: Its Impact on Household Economy
Authors: Ngukha Metepienuo
Published: June 2024

The economy of any human society whether primitive or modern has been sustained and developed with the contribution and support of women. Agriculture is the backbone of the village economy, Angami women from their childhood were being trained or taught to perform agricultural or domestic activities for the welfare of the family. The level of women's participation in agriculture is extensive in the Angami villages. It is estimated that 75% of the workforce in agricultural pursuits consists of women in the villages. Although women constitute the highest productive class in the agrarian structure, their status remained subordinate in society due to unequal treatment in the land ownership system. This study is an attempt to examine the productive inputs made by women in agriculture and their impact on the household economy. It will also provide insight into the land ownership system in Angami Naga culture to assess the social and economic position of women. The study will be foundational for the inclusion of women’s experiences and perspectives in the historical record of the village economy of the Angamis.
An Analysis Comparing the Precision of Stainless- Steel Orthodontic Brackets with 0.022-Inch Slots Offered by Various Manufacturers
Authors: Pradip Wagh Madhura , Pulluri Sunilkumar , Lavate Akash , Hoshing Sneha , Shinde Sneha , Warate Phalguni
Published: June 2024

Introduction A satisfactory outcome when using straight wire devices depends on a precise representation of the bracket's prescription, that may be the consequence of the archwire's mechanical characteristics, the location of the bracket, or the precision and exactness of the space. Because obtaining the proper torque of both the anterior and the posterior dentition is crucial and depends greatly on the alloy qualities of the arch wire as well as a tight connection between the slot and the arch wire. Third order information may be lost in clinical orthodontics due to torsional play in brackets that have already been corrected. A few variations may inadvertently occur within the bracket slot measurements during the fabrication process. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine the accuracy of the bracket slot measurements provided by various manufacturers.  Materials and Method: The MBT 0.022 slot upper right central incisor stainless-steel brackets from four manufacturers— American Orthodontics (Mini Master series), JJ Orthodontics (Orthox), Desire (Ozone series), and Koden (Basic series)—were the subject of an in vitro investigation. Using a stereo microscope, the brackets were scanned, and the distal face, base, and mesial face and base were evaluated using Image Pro analysis software. Data was sorted and quantitatively examined.  Result: Every bracket slot measured for this inquiry appeared to be larger in relation to the standard value. The bracket slot size values were the closest to American Orthodontics' ideal values. The brackets from JJ Orthodontics and Koden seemed to have a profoundly substantial variance from the optimal slot size, while desire had a large departure from the ideal slot size.  Conclusion: This analysis revealed a difference between the measured and expressed values of the brackets, indicating dimension errors. Because of the distinctiveness of the slot walls and the oversize of the space, a glaring error about the appliance may be required through the finishing as well as detailing phase to prevent torque control from being lost.
Examining the Shortage of Petrol Hazards in Nigeria: Strategic Management Assessment and SWOT Analysis
Authors: Chidi Nwauba Eze
Published: June 2024

One of Nigeria's most pressing economic issues is the country's chronic petrol shortage. The intractable macroeconomic monster that is petrol scarcity in Nigeria has resisted the political achievements made by successive administrations. Petrol is essential, and its accessibility and price are critical issues, particularly given the unsavoury nature of the hazards and their consequences. Therefore, the methods of strategic management that aim to reduce its incidence are the primary subject of this study. The investigation revealed that fuel shortages are caused by things like excessive corruption and mismanagement of the government treasury and that the hazards associated with them include things like social and economic turmoil, increases in transportation costs, and slowdowns in economic growth. Government efforts to alleviate the petrol shortage, such as forming task forces and reforming the downstream industry, were also determined to be ineffective. As a result, effective strategic ways to control and prevent petrol shortage in Nigeria were suggested, such as the use of balanced scorecards and SWOT assessments.
Daugiamečių pievų stebėsena, taikant sintetinės apertūros radaro (SAR) koherencijos ir intensyvumo bangų kompoziciją
Authors: Metrikaitytė-Gudelė Gustė , Sužiedelytė-Visockienė Jūratė
Published: June 2024

Straipsnyje pateiktas tyrimas, kuriam naudojami sintetinės Apertūros radaro (SAR) palydovinių vaizdų duomenys. Taikant koherencijos ir intensyvumo bangų kompozicijas atikta daugiamečių pievų stebėsena. Penkerių metų periodo analizė, remiantis kasmetinėmis SAR vaizdų kompozicijomis, leido įvertinti šio metodo tinkamumą. Gautas rezultatas su išskirtinai aukštais tikslumo rodikliais – tikslumas siekia 95,8 %, daugiamečių pievų identifikavimo su kontroliniais duomenimis atitikimas – 97,1 %, o gauta svertinio tikslumo vidurkio F1 vertė – 96,5 %. Aukšti tikslumo rodikliai patvirtina, kad SAR palydoviniai vaizdai yra itin patikimi duomenys ir gali būti efektyviai naudojami nuosekliai (periodinei) daugiamečių pievų stebėsenai vykdyti.
On the Origin of the Variety of Velocity Dispersion Profiles of Galaxies
Authors: Han San , Yi Sukyoung K. , Oh Sree , Pak Mina , Croom Scott , Devriendt Julien , Dubois Yohan , Kimm Taysun , Kraljic Katarina , Pichon Christophe , Volonteri Marta
Published: June 2024

Observed and simulated galaxies exhibit a significant variation in their velocity dispersion profiles. We examine the inner and outer slopes of stellar velocity dispersion profiles using integral field spectroscopy data from two surveys, SAMI (for z < 0.115) and CALIFA (for z < 0.03), comparing them with results from two cosmological hydrodynamic simulations: Horizon-AGN (for z = 0.017) and NewHorizon (for z ≲ 1). The simulated galaxies closely reproduce the variety of velocity dispersion slopes and stellar mass dependence of both inner and outer radii (0.5 r
50 and 3 r
50) as observed, where r
50 stands for half-light radius. The inner slopes are mainly influenced by the relative radial distribution of the young and old stars formed in situ: a younger center shows a flatter inner profile. The presence of accreted (ex situ) stars has two effects on the velocity dispersion profiles. First, because they are more dispersed in spatial and velocity distributions compared to in situ formed stars, it increases the outer slope of the velocity dispersion profile. It also causes the velocity anisotropy to be more radial. More massive galaxies have a higher fraction of stars formed ex situ and hence show a higher slope in outer velocity dispersion profile and a higher degree of radial anisotropy. The diversity in the outer velocity dispersion profiles reflects the diverse assembly histories among galaxies.
Effects of Alpha Particle Fraction on Kinetic Plasma Turbulence
Authors: Xiong Q. Y. , Parashar Tulasi N. , Huang S. Y. , Yang Y. , Yuan Z. G. , Zhang J. , Jiang K. , Yu L.
Published: June 2024

Solar activities have an extraordinary impact on interplanetary space, enriching the plasma dynamics including turbulent heating of various species. The small fraction of alpha particles is believed to play a significant role in the turbulent dynamics of the solar wind. Here we present fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations to reveal the influences of the alpha particles in decaying plasma turbulence. Multiple run cases with different controlled variations of proton and alpha density are performed to compare and evaluate the energy conversion processes. It is found that the alpha particles can suppress the energy conversion rate with increasing density. Besides, the alpha particles show more heating intermittency than the proton species. Interestingly, on the other hand, the electrons do not show any change in their dynamics, including overall heating. These two positive charge species have more correlation in temperature anisotropy as their densities are comparable. Our results provide valuable insights on the turbulence with different species compositions to a certain extent, especially with abundant heavy particles.
The Effect of a Dark Matter Core on the Structure of a Rotating Neutron Star
Authors: Konstantinou Andreas
Published: June 2024

Neutron stars represent unique laboratories, offering insights into the physics of supranuclear-density matter and serving as potential hosts for dark matter. This study explores the impact of dark matter cores on rapidly rotating neutron stars through the two-fluid approximation, assuming minimal interaction between baryonic matter and dark matter. The investigation employs phenomenological models for fermionic and bosonic dark matter, revealing that universal relations governing mass and radius changes due to rotation remain largely unaffected in the presence of a dark matter core. Specifically, for a 5% dark matter mass fraction, the percent deviations in total mass (M
tot), the baryonic equatorial radius (R
Be), and polar-to-equatorial baryonic radius ratio (R
ratioB) are within 3.9%, 1.8%, and 1.4%, respectively. These findings suggest that the universal relations governing neutron star shape can be utilized to infer constraints on the properties of dark matter cores even in cases where the dark matter significantly softens the neutron star’s equation of state.
Soft No More: Gas Shielding Protects Soft Binaries from Disruption in Gas-rich Environments
Authors: Rozner Mor , Perets Hagai B.
Published: June 2024

Binaries in dense environments are traditionally classified as soft or hard based on their binding energy relative to the kinetic energy of surrounding stars. Heggie’s law suggests that stellar encounters tend to soften soft binaries and harden hard binaries, altering their separations. However, interactions with gas in such environments can significantly modify this behavior. This study investigates the impact of gas on binary softening and its consequences. We find that gas interactions can actually harden binaries, extending the soft–hard boundary to larger separations. This introduces a “shielding radius” within which binaries are likely to harden due to gas interactions, surpassing the traditional soft–hard limit. Consequently, a notable portion of binaries initially classified as “soft” may become “hard” when both gas and stars are considered. We propose a two-stage formation process for hard binaries: initial soft binary formation, either dynamically or through gas-assisted capture, followed by gas-induced hardening before eventual disruption. In environments with low gas density but high gas content, the shielding radius could exceed the typical hard–soft limit by 1 order of magnitude, leading to a significant fraction of originally soft binaries effectively becoming hard. Conversely, in high-gas-density environments, gas-induced hardening may dominate, potentially rendering the entire binary population hard. Gas hardening emerges as a crucial factor in shaping binary populations in gas-rich settings, such as clusters, star-forming regions, and possibly active galactic nucleus disks. This highlights the complex interplay between gas dynamics and stellar interactions in binary evolution within dense environments.
New Galaxy UV Luminosity Constraints on Warm Dark Matter from JWST
Authors: Liu Bin , Shan Huanyuan , Zhang Jiajun
Published: June 2024

We exploit the recent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) determination of galaxy UV luminosity functions over the redshift range z = 9–14.5 to derive constraints on warm dark matter (WDM) models. The delayed structure formations in WDM universes make high-redshift observations a powerful probe to set limits on the particle mass m
x of WDM candidates. By integrating these observations with blank-field surveys conducted by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) at redshifts z = 4–8, we impose constraints on both astrophysical parameters (β, γ, ϵ
N, and M

c
for a double-power-law star formation efficiency, and

σ

M

UV

for a Gaussian magnitude–halo mass relation) and the WDM parameter (dark matter particle mass m
x) simultaneously. We find a new limit of m
x ≥ 3.2 keV for the mass of thermal relic WDM particles at a 95% confidence level. This bound is tighter than the most stringent result derived using HST data before. Future JWST observations could further reduce the observation uncertainties and improve this constraint.
Is resistance to Covid-19 vaccination a “problem”? A critical policy inquiry of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers
Authors: Chaufan Claudia , Hemsing Natalie
Published: June 2024

As the COVID-19 global vaccination campaign was launched in December of 2020, vaccination became mandatory for many healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. Large minorities resisted the policy, and the responses of authorities to this resistance led to damaged professional reputations, job losses, and suspension or termination of practice licenses. The joint effect of dismissals, early retirements, career changes, and vaccine injuries disabling some compliant HCWs from adequate performance has exacerbated existing crises within health systems. Nevertheless, leading health authorities have maintained that the benefits of a fully vaccinated healthcare labor force—believed to be protecting health systems, vulnerable patient populations, and even HCWs themselves—achieved through mandates, if necessary, outweigh its potential harms. Informed by critical policy and discourse traditions, we examine the expert literature on vaccine mandates for HCWs. We find that this literature neglects evidence that contradicts official claims about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, dismisses the science supporting the contextual nature of microbial virulence, miscalculates patient and system-level harms of vaccination policies, and ignores or legitimizes the coercive elements built into their design. We discuss the implications of our findings for the sustainability of health systems, for patient care, and for the well-being of HCWs, and suggest directions for ethical clinical and policy practice.
Silicosis mortality in Spain (1999–2020): A temporal and geographical approach
Authors: Sánchez-Díaz Germán , Arias-Merino Greta , Gallego Elisa , Sarmiento-Suárez Rodrigo , Alonso-Ferreira Verónica
Published: June 2024

Background

Silicosis is an occupational respiratory disease linked to silica dust inhalation. The main driver was traditional coal mining, but in recent decades, new sources of exposure have emerged. Our aim in this study was to assess the temporal and spatial distribution of mortality due to this disease over a 22-year period in Spain.

Methods

Silicosis records, as an Underlying Cause of Death, were extracted from the National Institute of Statistics from 1999 to 2020 using the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (code J62.8). Age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates per 1,000,000 inhabitants were calculated for the territory and by province. A geographic analysis was performed, and clusters of deaths were identified at the municipal level, and then the outcomes were compared in two periods of 11 years.

Results

There were 2618 deaths due to silicosis in Spain. The mean age of death increased significantly by 0.66% annually from 1999 to 2013. The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased by 7.30% per year, falling from 3.00 to 0.65 per 1,000,000 inhabitants. The temporal pattern showed a significant decrease of mortality rate in 31% of the provinces (16 out of 52), while it increased in Pontevedra. Regarding the spatial analysis, 11 clusters were found in both periods, but some variations were observed in terms of their distribution in the Spanish territory, as well as in the affected municipalities.

Conclusions

The decrease in mortality due to Silicosis could be related to less exposure to silica dust over the years and an improvement in the survival of those affected. It is thus essential to analyze the role of preventive measures for this occupational disease.
Enhancement of Vapor Compression Refrigeration System by Adding Different Nano-Fluids: A Review
Authors: Qaid Dalya Shaker
Published: June 2024

Scientists from a variety of fields have joined forces to study a world so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, not even under a light microscope. That is the domain of nanotechnology, the universe of atoms and nanostructures. Anything between 1 and 100 nm in size is generally considered to be within the purview of nanotechnology, despite the occasional disagreement among experts regarding precisely what is included in the nanoscale. That is not the atomic scale and the microscale is still larger. This paper will define nanotechnology and discuss its potential future applications. The application of nanoparticles in one of the mechanical engineering field's most significant uses will also be reviewed. The Vapor Compression Refrigeration System (VCRS) uses nanobased refrigerants to deliver a better, faster cooling process with less power consumption. resulting in the provision of a healthier environment and a more effective system.
Analysis of metabolic characteristics of metabolic syndrome in elderly patients with gastric cancer by non-targeted metabolomics
Authors: Zhang Huan , Shen Wen-Bing , Chen Lin
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and gastric cancer (GC), which is a common metabolic disease, has attracted much attention. However, the specific metabolic characteristics of MetS in elderly patients with GC remain unclear.

AIM

To investigate the differentially abundant metabolites and metabolic pathways between preoperative frailty and MetS in elderly patients with GC based on nontargeted metabolomics techniques.

METHODS

In this study, 125 patients with nonfrail nonmeal GC were selected as the control group, and 50 patients with GC in the frail group were selected as the frail group. Sixty-five patients with GC combined with MetS alone were included in the MetS group, and 50 patients with GC combined with MetS were included in the MetS group. Nontargeted metabolomics techniques were used to measure plasma metabolite levels by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed by principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares, pattern recognition analysis, cluster analysis, and metabolic pathway annotation.

RESULTS

A total of 125 different metabolites, including amino acids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, sugars, nucleosides and nucleotides, and acidic compounds, were identified via nontargeted metabolomics techniques. Compared with those in the control group, there were 41, 32, and 52 different metabolites in the MetS group, the debilitated group, and the combined group, respectively. Lipid metabolites were significantly increased in the MetS group. In the weak group, amino acids and most glycerol phospholipid metabolites decreased significantly, and fatty acids and sphingosine increased significantly. The combined group was characterized by significantly increased levels of nucleotide metabolites and acidic compounds. The alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamate metabolic pathways were obviously enriched in the asthenic group, and the glycerol and phospholipid metabolic pathways were obviously enriched in the combined group.

CONCLUSION

Elderly GC patients with simple frailty, simple combined MetS, and frailty combined with MetS have different metabolic characteristics, among which amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolite levels are significantly lower in frail elderly GC patients, and comprehensive supplementation of fat and protein should be considered. Many kinds of metabolites, such as amino acids, lipids, nucleotides, and acidic compounds, are abnormally abundant in patients with MetS combined with fthenia, which may be related to tumor-related metabolic disorders.
Predictive value of preoperative routine examination for the prognosis of patients with pT2N0M0 or pT3N0M0 colorectal cancer
Authors: Jing Peng-Fei , Chen Jin , Yu En-Da , Miao Chao-Yu
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing. With the popularization of endoscopic technology, a number of early CRC has been diagnosed. However, despite current treatment methods, some patients with early CRC still experience postoperative recurrence and metastasis.

AIM

To search for indicators associated with early CRC recurrence and metastasis to identify high-risk populations.

METHODS

A total of 513 patients with pT2N0M0 or pT3N0M0 CRC were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Results of blood routine test, liver and kidney function tests and tumor markers were collected before surgery. Patients were followed up through disease-specific database and telephone interviews. Tumor recurrence, metastasis or death were used as the end point of study to find the risk factors and predictive value related to early CRC recurrence and metastasis.

RESULTS

We comprehensively compared the predictive value of preoperative blood routine, blood biochemistry and tumor markers for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of CRC. Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that low platelet count was significantly associated with poor DFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.995, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.991-0.999, P = 0.015], while serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (HR = 1.008, 95%CI: 1.001-1.016, P = 0.027) and serum total cholesterol level (HR = 1.538, 95%CI: 1.026-2.305, P = 0.037) were independent risk factors for OS. The cutoff value of serum CEA level for predicting OS was 2.74 ng/mL. Although the OS of CRC patients with serum CEA higher than the cutoff value was worse than those with lower CEA level, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.075).

CONCLUSION

For patients with T2N0M0 or T3N0M0 CRC, preoperative platelet count was a protective factor for DFS, while serum CEA level was an independent risk factor for OS. Given that these measures are easier to detect and more acceptable to patients, they may have broader applications.
Association between Helicobacter pylori infection, mismatch repair, HER2 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in gastric cancer
Authors: Castaneda Carlos A , Castillo Miluska , Bernabe Luis A , Sanchez Joselyn , Fassan Matteo , Tello Katherine , Wistuba Ignacio Ivan , Chavez Passiuri Ivan , Ruiz Eloy , Sanchez Juvenal , Barreda Fernando , Valdivia Daniel , Bazan Yaqueline , Abad-Licham Milagros , Mengoa Claudio , Fuentes Hugo , Montenegro Paola , Poquioma Ebert , Alatrista Raul , Flores Claudio J , Taxa Luis
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The influence of Helicobacter-pylori (H. pylori ) infection and the characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels has not been extensively studied. Analysis of infiltrating-immune-cell subtypes as well as survival is necessary to obtain comprehensive information.

AIM

To determine the rates of deficient mismatch-repair (dMMR), HER2-status and H. pylori infection and their association with TIL levels in GC.

METHODS

Samples from 503 resected GC tumors were included and TIL levels were evaluated following the international-TILs-working-group recommendations with assessment of the intratumoral (IT), stromal (ST) and invasive-border (IB) compartments. The density of CD3, CD8 and CD163 immune cells, and dMMR and HER2-status were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). H. pylori infection was evaluated by routine histology and quantitative PCR (qPCR) in a subset of samples.

RESULTS

dMMR was found in 34.4%, HER2+ in 5% and H. pylori -positive in 55.7% of samples. High IT-TIL was associated with grade-3 (P = 0.038), while ST-TIL with grade-1 (P < 0.001), intestinal-histology (P < 0.001) and no-recurrence (P = 0.003). dMMR was associated with high TIL levels in the ST (P = 0.019) and IB (P = 0.01) compartments, and ST-CD3 (P = 0.049) and ST-CD8 (P = 0.05) densities. HER2- was associated with high IT-CD8 (P = 0.009). H. pylori -negative was associated with high IT-TIL levels (P = 0.009) when assessed by routine-histology, and with high TIL levels in the 3 compartments (P = 0.002-0.047) and CD8 density in the IT and ST compartments (P = 0.001) when assessed by qPCR. A longer overall survival was associated with low IT-CD163 (P = 0.003) and CD8/CD3 (P = 0.001 in IT and P = 0.002 in ST) and high IT-CD3 (P = 0.021), ST-CD3 (P = 0.003) and CD3/CD163 (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

TIL levels were related to dMMR and H. pylori -negativity. Low CD8/CD3 and high CD163/CD3 were associated with lower recurrence and longer survival.
Extrahepatic cholestasis associated with paracoccidioidomycosis: Challenges in the differential diagnosis of biliopancreatic neoplasia
Authors: dos Santos José Sebastião , de Moura Arrais Vitor , Rosseto Ferreira William José , Ribeiro Correa Filho Ricardo , Brunaldi Mariângela Ottoboni , Kemp Rafael , Sankanrakutty Ajith Kumar , Elias Junior Jorge , Bellissimo-Rodrigues Fernando , Martinez Roberto , Zangiacomi Martinez Edson , Ardengh José Celso
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) may involve the hepatic pedicle and peripancreatic lymph nodes, cause damage to the bile duct and manifest, exceptionally, in combination with extrahepatic cholestasis (EHC), making investigation and treatment challenging.

AIM

To investigate the management of patients with visceral PCM admitted with EHC.

METHODS

All patients diagnosed with PCM treated in a public, tertiary teaching hospital between 1982 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Those also identified with EHC were allocated to two groups according to the treatment approach for the purpose of comparing clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings, resources used for etiological diagnosis, treatment results, and prognosis. Statistical analyses were performed using the linear mixed-effects model (random and fixed effects), which was adjusted using the PROC MIXED procedure of the SAS® 9.0 software, and Fisher’s exact test.

RESULTS

Of 1645 patients diagnosed with PCM, 40 (2.4%) had EHC. Of these, 20 (50.0%) lived in the rural area and 29 (72.5%) were men, with a mean age of 27.1 years (3-65 years). Jaundice as first symptom and weight loss of at least 10 kg were observed in 16 patients (40.0%), and a mass in the head of the pancreas was observed in 8 (20.0%). The etiological diagnosis was made by tissue collection during surgery in 4 cases (10.0%) and by endoscopic methods in 3 cases (7.5%). Twenty-seven patients (67.5%) received drug treatment alone (Group 1), whereas 13 (32.5%) underwent endoscopic and/or surgical procedures in combination with drug treatment (Group 2). EHC was significantly reduced in both groups (40.7% in Group 1, with a mean time of 3 months; and 38.4% in Group 2, with a mean time of 7.5 months), with no statistically significant difference between them. EHC recurrence rates, associated mainly with treatment nonadherence, were similar in both groups: 37% in Group 1 and 15.4% in Group 2. The mortality rate was 18.5% in Group 1 and 23% in Group 2, with survival estimates of 71.3% and 72.5%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSION

Although PCM-related EHC is rare, it needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of malignancies, as timely treatment can prevent hepatic and extrahepatic sequelae.
Development of a novel staging classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Zhang Jian , Liu Hao , Yu Hang , Xu Wei-Xiang
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Stage classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been established.

AIM

To investigate the optimal stage classification for Siewert II AEG with NAC.

METHODS

A nomogram was established based on Cox regression model that analyzed variables associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The nomogram performance in terms of discrimination and calibration ability was evaluated using the likelihood-ratio test, Akaike information criterion, Harrell concordance index, time-receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Data from 725 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and gastrectomy were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that sex, marital status, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors of OS, whereas sex, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors for DSS. These factors were incorporated into the OS and DSS nomograms. Our novel nomogram model performed better in terms of OS and DSS prediction compared to the 8th American Joint Committee of Cancer pathological staging system for esophageal and gastric cancer. Finally, a user-friendly web application was developed for clinical use.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram established specifically for patients with Siewert type II AEG receiving NAC demonstrated good prognostic performance. Validation using external data is warranted before its widespread clinical application.
Comprehensive analysis of clinical and biological value of ING family genes in liver cancer
Authors: Liu Shi-Cai
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Liver cancer (LIHC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the liver and has a high mortality in cancer. The ING family genes were identified as tumor suppressor genes. Dysregulated expression of these genes can lead to cell cycle arrest, senescence and/or apoptosis. ING family genes are promising targets for anticancer therapy. However, their role in LIHC is still not well understood.

AIM

To have a better understanding of the important roles of ING family members in LIHC.

METHODS

A series of bioinformatics approaches (including gene expression analysis, genetic alteration analysis, survival analysis, immune infiltration analysis, prediction of upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) of ING1 , and ING1 -related gene functional enrichment analysis) was applied to study the expression profile, clinical relationship, prognostic significance and immune infiltration of ING in LIHC. The relationship between ING family genes expression and tumor associated immune checkpoints was investigated in LIHC. The molecular mechanism of ING1 mediated hepatocarcinogenesis was preliminarily discussed.

RESULTS

mRNA/protein expression of different ING family genes in LIHC was analyzed in different databases, showing that ING family genes were highly expressed in LIHC. In 47 samples from 366 LIHC patients, the ING family genes were altered at a rate of 13%. By comprehensively analyzing the expression, clinical pathological parameters and prognostic value of ING family genes, ING1/5 was identified. ING1/5 was related to poor prognosis of LIHC, suggesting that they may play key roles in LIHC tumorigenesis and progression. One of the target miRNAs of ING1 was identified as hsa-miR-214-3p. Two upstream lncRNAs of hsa-miR-214-3p, U91328.1, and HCG17, were identified. At the same time, we found that the expression of ING family genes was correlated with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint genes.

CONCLUSION

This study lays a foundation for further research on the potential mechanism and clinical value of ING family genes in the treatment and prognosis of LIHC.
Socioeconomic traits and the risk of Barrett’s esophagus and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Yu-Xin , Bin Cheng-Li , Zhang Lu , Yang Wen-Tao , An Bai-Ping
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Previous observational studies have shown that the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is associated with socioeconomic status. However, due to the methodological limitations of traditional observational studies, it is challenging to definitively establish causality.

AIM

To explore the causal relationship between the prevalence of these conditions and socioeconomic status using Mendelian randomization (MR).

METHODS

We initially screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to serve as proxies for eight socioeconomic status phenotypes for univariate MR analysis. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analytical method to estimate the causal relationship between the eight socioeconomic status phenotypes and the risk of GERD and BE. We then collected combinations of SNPs as composite proxies for the eight socioeconomic phenotypes to perform multivariate MR (MVMR) analyses based on the IVW MVMR model. Furthermore, a two-step MR mediation analysis was used to examine the potential mediation of the associations by body mass index, major depressive disorder (MDD), smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep duration.

RESULTS

The study identified three socioeconomic statuses that had a significant impact on GERD. These included household income [odds ratio (OR): 0.46; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.31-0.70], education attainment (OR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.18-0.29), and the Townsend Deprivation Index at recruitment (OR: 1.57; 95%CI: 1.04-2.37). These factors were found to independently and predominantly influence the genetic causal effect of GERD. Furthermore, the mediating effect of educational attainment on GERD was found to be mediated by MDD (proportion mediated: 10.83%). Similarly, the effect of educational attainment on BE was mediated by MDD (proportion mediated: 10.58%) and the number of cigarettes smoked per day (proportion mediated: 3.50%). Additionally, the mediating effect of household income on GERD was observed to be mediated by sleep duration (proportion mediated: 9.75%)

CONCLUSION

This MR study shed light on the link between socioeconomic status and GERD or BE, providing insights for the prevention of esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions.
New perspectives in prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma: The role and clinical implications of transient receptor potential family genes
Authors: Guan Shi-Hao , Hu Wen-Jing , Wang Xin-Yu , Gu Yue-Xia , Zhou De-Hua
Published: June 2024

The study titled “Transient receptor potential-related risk model predicts prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients” is a significant contribution to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) research, highlighting the role of transient receptor potential (TRP ) family genes in the disease’s progression and prognosis. Utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, it establishes a new risk assessment model, emphasizing the interaction of TRP genes with tumor proliferation pathways, key metabolic reactions like retinol metabolism, and the tumor immune microenvironment. Notably, the overexpression of the TRPC1 gene in HCC correlates with poorer patient survival outcomes, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker and a target for personalized therapy, particularly in strategies combining immunotherapy and anti-TRP agents.
Retraction note to: RNA-binding protein CPSF6 regulates IBSP to affect pyroptosis in gastric cancer
Authors: Wang Xue-Jun , Liu Yong , Ke Bin , Zhang Li , Liang Han
Published: June 2024

The authors have decided to retract the article published on World J Gastrointest Oncol (2023) for further consideration due to data errors and some misunderstandings in communication.
Giant Brunner's gland hyperplasia of the duodenum successfully resected en bloc by endoscopic mucosal resection: A case report
Authors: Makazu Makomo , Sasaki Akiko , Ichita Chikamasa , Sumida Chihiro , Nishino Takashi , Nagayama Miki , Teshima Shinichi
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Duodenal Brunner's gland hyperplasia (BGH) is a therapeutic target when complications such as bleeding or gastrointestinal obstruction occur or when malignancy cannot be ruled out. Herein, we present a case of large BGH treated with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).

CASE SUMMARY

An 83-year-old woman presented at our hospital with dizziness. Blood tests revealed severe anemia, esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a 6.5 cm lesion protruding from the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb, and biopsy revealed the presence of glandular epithelium. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) demonstrated relatively high echogenicity with a cystic component. The muscularis propria was slightly elevated at the base of the lesion. EMR was performed without complications. The formalin-fixed lesion size was 6 cm × 3.5 cm × 3 cm, showing nodular proliferation of non-dysplastic Brunner's glands compartmentalized by fibrous septa, confirming the diagnosis of BGH. Reports of EMR or hot snare polypectomy are rare for duodenal BGH > 6 cm. In this case, the choice of EMR was made by obtaining information on the base of the lesion as well as on the internal characteristics through EUS.

CONCLUSION

Large duodenal lesions with good endoscopic maneuverability and no evident muscular layer involvement on EUS may be resectable via EMR.
Integration of a Belt Starter Generator in a Flex-Fuel
Vehicle
Authors: Lins Alice , Hanriot Sergio , Sales Luis Carlos Monteiro
Published: June 2024

The concern with global warming has led to the creation of legislation aimed at
minimizing this phenomenon. As a result, the development of technologies to
minimize vehicle emissions and reduce fuel consumption has gained market share.
A promising alternative is the use of a belt starter generator (BSG): an
electric machine to replace the vehicle’s alternator. This research analyzes the
effects of introducing a 12 V BSG into a flex-fuel vehicle, specifically
examining its impact on fuel economy and CO2 emissions when using
both gasoline and ethanol. The utilization of a low-voltage BSG in a flex-fuel
vehicle has not been previously studied. Numerical simulations and experimental
fuel consumption and CO2 emissions tests were performed for the
normal production flex-fuel baseline configuration and the vehicle with the 12 V
BSG, following the standards ABNT NBR 6601 and ABNT NBR 7024. The use of the BSG
led to a 10.06% reduction in CO2 emission in the urban cycle for the
vehicle running on gasoline and a 6.28% reduction in energy consumption in the
combined cycle. The results demonstrated that the low-voltage BSG is a promising
solution for reducing fuel consumption and GHG emissions in flex-fuel vehicles.
The electrical machine installation required minimal modifications to the
vehicle and had a low adaptation cost. The BSG can also improve vehicle
performance and drivability.
Engine Behavior Analysis on a Conventional Diesel Engine Powered with
Blends of Lemon Grass Oil Biodiesel–Diesel Blends
Authors: Swami Punniakodi Banumathi Munuswamy , Arumugam Chelliah , Suyambazhahan Sivalingam , Senthil Ramalingam , Balasubramanian Dhinesh , Papla Venugopal Inbanaathan , Nguyen Van Nhanh , Cao Dao Nam
Published: June 2024

Fossil fuel usage causes environmental pollution, and fuel depletion, further
affecting a country’s economy. Biofuels and diesel-blended fuels are practical
alternatives to sustain fossil fuels. This experimental study analyses
lemongrass oil’s performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics after
blending with diesel. Lemongrass oil is mixed with diesel at 10 (B10), 15 (B15),
and 25% (B25) and evaluated using a 5.20 kW direct injection diesel engine. B10
brake thermal efficiency is 36.47%, which is higher than other blends. The B10
displays an 8.73% decrease in brake-specific fuel consumption compared to
diesel. An increase in exhaust gas temperature for B10 than diesel is 4.5%. It
indicates that higher lemongrass oil blends decrease exhaust gas temperature.
The decrease in average carbon monoxide emissions in B10 to diesel is 22.19%.
The decrease in hydrocarbon emissions for B10 to diesel is 7.14%. Biodiesel with
lemongrass oil increases nitrogen oxide (NOx) because of increased temperature
and poor combustion. Apart from NOx emissions, all other parameters of
lemongrass oil blends are suitable for practical diesel applications. The
significant findings benefit the biodiesel community toward the efficient
combustion of biodiesel blends.
Gaussian Processes for Vehicle Dynamics Learning in Autonomous
Racing
Authors: Ning Jingyun , Behl Madhur
Published: June 2024

In high-speed autonomous racing, it is necessary to have an accurate racecar
vehicle dynamics model in order to push the vehicle closer to its limits. The
choice of the dynamics model has to be made by balancing the computational
demands in contrast to model complexity. Learning-based methods, such as
Gaussian processes (GP)-based regression, have shown promise toward
approximating the vehicle dynamics model. In particular, such methods use a
simplified model structure that is easy to tune and then use GP to model the
mismatch between the output of the simple model and observed system dynamics.
However, current GP approaches often oversimplify the modeling process or apply
strong assumptions, leading to unrealistic results that cannot translate to
real-world settings. This article presents a comprehensive GP-based design for
modeling the dynamics of an autonomous racing car. We do so with high-fidelity
simulation data, a 1/10-scale autonomous racing car platform, and a full-scale
autonomous Indy racing car. In the first part of this article, we present a
rigorous empirical analysis highlighting how the open-loop and closed-loop
performance of GP models for autonomous racing is highly sensitive to the choice
of the GP kernel, the data sample size, and track configurations suggesting
there is no single easy choice that always works. We demonstrate this through a
combinatorial simulation setup for 1/10-scale autonomous racing cars. We then
present a novel method called DKL-SKIP, which uses deep kernel learning to
overcome the challenges of kernel selection and scalability for GP modeling. We
evaluate DKL-SKIP on a high-fidelity AutoVerse simulator as well as real data
from an autonomous real-world full-scale Indy racing car. Our results reveal
that DKL-SKIP surpasses scalable GP models and the N4SID algorithm in both
real-world and high-fidelity simulation environments.
ĐÁNH GIÁ ĐỘ TƯƠI CỦA TÔM THẺ CHÂN TRẮNG (LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI) THÔNG QUA XÁC ĐỊNH CHỈ SỐ HISTAMINE BẰNG HPLC VÀ QIM
Authors: LÊ NHẤT TÂM  , PHAN THỤY XUÂN UYÊN  , HUỲNH NGUYỄN QUẾ ANH  , ĐOÀN NHƯ KHUÊ  , NGUYỄN THỊ HƯƠNG  , PHẠM MINH TUẤN  , TRẦN THIỆN ÂN
Published: June 2024

Trong bài báo này, chúng tôi trình bày một phương pháp xác định histamin trong tôm thẻ chân trắng (Litopenaeus vannamei) bằng kỹ thuật HPLC. Histamin được phản ứng tạo dẫn xuất với o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) trước cột và được đo bằng đầu dò huỳnh quang. Các điều kiện sắc ký được khảo sát và dung môi trích ly histamin từ tôm cũng được xem xét trong nghiên cứu này. Kết quả cho thấy, pha động có thành phần 80% etanol, khoảng tuyến tính: 55 ppb – 330 ppb và thời gian phản ứng tạo dẫn xuất tối ưu từ là 10 phút. Đáng chú ý, dung môi etanol cho thấy hiệu quả cao hơn trong việc trích ly histamin (%H = 81,95%) so với metanol thường được sử dụng (%H = 46,29%). Dựa trên kết quả nghiên cứu, chúng tôi đề xuất một phương pháp xác định histamin trong tôm thẻ chân trắng bằng kỹ thuật HPLC. Phương pháp đánh giá chỉ số chất lượng (QIM) được sử dụng để đánh giá chất lượng cảm quan tôm thẻ chân trắng được lưu trữ ở nhiệt độ 0°C trong 10 ngày, và chỉ số chất lượng (QI) được ghi nhận theo ngày lưu trữ. Độ tươi của tôm thẻ chân trắng được ước tính bằng cấp độ phân loại dựa trên sự kết hợp của hàm lượng histamin và chỉ số QI.
KHẢO SÁT MỘT SỐ PHƯƠNG PHÁP BẢO QUẢN NẤM RƠM TƯƠI Volvariella volvacea
Authors: NGUYỄN THANH HOÀNG  , LÊ THANH NHÀN  , NGUYỄN THỊ MINH THƯ  , PHẠM THỊ THANH TUYỀN  , HỒ BẢO THUỲ QUYÊN  , PHẠM NGUYỄN ĐỨC HOÀNG
Published: June 2024

Nấm rơm là một loại nấm ăn được trồng và tiêu thụ rộng rãi tại Việt Nam. Thói quen của hầu hết người tiêu dùng là sử dụng nấm rơm tươi còn búp, chưa bung mũ. Tuy nhiên, sau khi thu hái, nấm rơm vẫn tiếp tục phát triển để hoàn chỉnh. Do đó, việc bảo quản nấm rơm tươi rất khó, dẫn đến nguồn cung không ổn định và làm giá thị trường biến động. Nghiên cứu này được thực hiện để khảo sát một số phương pháp bảo quản nấm rơm tươi Volvariella volvacea nhằm đánh giá và hoàn thiện quy trình bảo quản sau thu hoạch.
Kết quả nghiên cứu đã xác định nấm rơm tươi chủng Thần Nông đang được trồng nhiều ở khu vực Nam Bộ có các chỉ tiêu chất lượng: nấm còn nguyên trong bao, bề mặt nấm có màu xám nhạt, khối lượng tươi từ 4,5 - 7,0 g/quả thể, độ ẩm dao động từ 70 - 90% và thể tích từ 5,5 - 9,0 cm3/quả thể.
Kết quả khảo sát một số phương pháp bảo quản nấm rơm tươi cho thấy quy cách đóng gói 250 g nấm rơm vào túi PE khử ethylene và giữ ở 15⁰C trong trường điện từ có thể bảo quản được 9 ngày. Chất lượng nấm tươi sau 9 ngày bảo quản tương đương 53,57% chất lượng nấm ban đầu.
SẢN XUẤT VÀ ĐỊNH HƯỚNG SỬ DỤNG PHÂN BÓN URÊ GIẢI PHÓNG KIỂM SOÁT CHO CANH TÁC LÚA NƯỚC Ở VIỆT NAM
Authors: NGUYỄN HỮU TRUNG  , LÊ VĂN NHIỀU  , TRẦN HOÀI ĐỨC  , TRỊNH VĂN DŨNG
Published: June 2024

Phân bón giải phóng kiểm soát là giải pháp đầy hứa hẹn cho sự phát triển của sản xuất nông nghiệp hiện đại và bền vững. Chúng giúp giảm chi phí sản xuất, tiết kiệm nguồn tài nguyên, tăng năng suất và chất lượng cây trồng, đồng thời ngăn ngừa được những tác hại về môi trường. Mục đích của nghiên cứu này là nhằm phát triển, sản xuất phân urê giải phóng kiểm soát và tiến hành xây dựng công thức sử dụng sản phẩm cho canh tác lúa nước ở Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu đã tiến hành sử dụng công nghệ bọc hạt phân urê với vật liệu bọc là hỗn hợp polyme phân hủy sinh học được phát triển các nguyên liệu như: poly(vinyl alcohol), tinh bột biến tính phốt phát, và poly(acrylic acid). Đặc trưng của sản phẩm được xác định bằng kính hiển vi quang học, kính hiển vi điện tử quét, phương pháp phân tích hình ảnh và so sánh với các sản phẩm urê khác. Nghiên cứu cũng đã thiết lập cơ chế và mô hình toán quá trình giải phóng urê của sản phẩm, từ đó xác định được thời gian trễ 1,5 giờ, thời gian ổn định 13,73 giờ, tỉ lệ giải phóng ổn định 0,548, hệ số khuếch tán nước 1,47 ×10-9 m2/h và hệ số khuếch tán urê qua màng 2,2×10-8 m2/h. Các kết quả này được sử dụng để tính toán, đánh giá sự phù hợp giữa lượng urê giải phóng và nhu cầu của cây lúa nước, đề xuất được công thức sử dụng sản phẩm đáp ứng cho điều kiện canh tác lúa nước ở Đồng Bằng Sông Cửu Long (ĐBSCL).
ĐÁNH GIÁ CHẤT LƯỢNG ĐẤT VÙNG TRỒNG CAM HUYỆN TRÀ ÔN, TỈNH VĨNH LONG
Authors: NGUYỄN VĂN PHƯƠNG
Published: June 2024

Thâm canh lâu dài mà không có biện pháp quản lý thích hợp dễ làm thoái hóa đất. Do đó, việc giám sát chất lượng đất ở các vùng trồng cam tại huyện Trà Ôn, tỉnh Vĩnh Long là điều cần thiết để bảo vệ chất lượng đất và duy trì phát triển nông nghiệp bền vững. Mục đích của nghiên cứu là đánh giá chất lượng đất (SQI) thông qua xác định các chỉ tiêu hóa lý của đất và sử dụng phương pháp thống kê phù hợp. Các mẫu đất ở vùng trồng cam huyện Trà Ôn, tỉnh Vĩnh Long đã được thu và phân tích các thông số hóa lý của đất bao gồm pH, độ dẫn điện (EC), dung trọng (D), độ xốp (P%), tổng hàm lượng hữu cơ (TOC), lân dễ tiêu, đạm amoni, khả năng giữ nước (WHC), lân tổng, khả năng trao đổi cation (CEC), % sét, % thịt, % cát. Kết quả nghiên cứu đã sử dụng phân tích thành phần chính (PCA) để xác định tập dữ liệu tối thiểu (MDS) cho thấy có 3 thành phần chính giải thích hoàn toàn 88,4 % độ biến thiên của các chỉ tiêu và xác định được 4 chỉ tiêu (bao gồm NH4+, pH, tỉ trọng và % thịt) là đại diện để đánh giá chất lượng đất. Chỉ số chất lượng đất cao nhất ở TO 1> TO 3> TO 2> TO 6> TO 4> TO 5. Phát hiện của chúng tôi cung cấp bằng chứng cho thấy phương pháp đánh giá chất lượng đất có thể là một công cụ hữu ích với việc đánh giá chất lượng đất nông nghiệp.