bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rice Husk Ash as a Sustainable and Economical Alternative to Chemical Additives for Enhanced Rheology in Drilling Fluids
Authors: RAZA ALI , hussain Maham , raza Nadeem , aleem Waqas , AHMED SHERAZ , qamar sabih
Published: July 2023

Performance evaluation of drilling fluids is eminent for a successful drilling project as they not only remove drill cuttings but also prevent undesired penetration or outflow of formation fluids by sealing off wellbore walls. However, concerns have been raised about the use of chemical additives in drilling fluids due to their toxicity and non-biodegradability. To this end, agricultural waste materials are recognized as a promising alternative as they are cost-effective, environmentally sustainable, and can be used as a substitute for lost circulation materials. Rice husk ash (RHA) has become popular as an additive due to its renewable characteristics including large surface area, silica content, and microporous structure. This research article explores the rheological properties of drilling fluid with RHA as a filter control medium. The results showed that increasing concentrations of RHA in the drilling mud significantly improved its rheology particularly at higher concentrations (15 and 20 wt.%). The addition of RHA modified the filtration and rheological properties of the drilling mud resulting in improved plastic viscosity, yield point, density, gel strength, and thixotropy. However, the filter loss and mud cake thickness increased at elevated RHA concentration. Furthermore, the pH test revealed that the mud's properties shifted towards the acidic region as the RHA concentration increased. The results indicate that RHA could be used as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional chemical additives with a positive environmental impact. This study may also provide valuable insights into the use of RHA in water-based bentonite mud and could serve as a guide for future research in the drilling industry.
Emergence of modern-style continental subduction modulated by rifted margin-subduction feedback
Authors: Ganade Carlos , Riel Nicolas , Manatschal Gianreto , Tesser Lucas , Rubatto Daniela , Hermann Joerg , Weinberg Roberto , Lanari Pierre , Kaus Boris
Published: July 2023

Modern-style continental subduction is the main carrier of rifted margins to mantle depths (> 90 km) where ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphism above coesite stability is attained[1,2]. An open question is why exhumed UHP rocks, a key feature of modern-style continental orogens, only appeared and became common late in Earth’s history. The long-standing explanation relies on the higher geothermal gradient of the ancient Earth, which would either prevent continental subduction to reach UHP conditions or prevent their exhumation[3,4]. Although different exhumation mechanisms for UHP rocks have been discussed[5], none of them integrate the recent paradigm shifts in understanding the architecture and lithology of rifted continental margins[7]. Here, we perform high-resolution thermomechanical numerical experiments to demonstrate that segments of magma-poor rifted margins that reach UHP conditions can exhume back to shallower levels, while segments of magma-rich rifted margins cannot. This is because the thick layer of basaltic rocks in magma-rich margins becomes negatively buoyant during metamorphism, preventing their exhumation. We further argue that the secular decrease in both mantle potential temperature and fertility would have favoured the formation of magma-rich rifted margins in the first half of Earth’s history, affecting the recycling and exhumation of deep subducted margins. The record shows that the conditions for development of magma-poor rifted margins may have become achievable during the Earth’s middle age (1.5-0.8 Ga), when cold and more refractory, depleted mantle limited melting and therefore magmatism. When these magma-poor rifted margins reached collision zones in the Neoproterozoic, their positive buoyancy forced the exhumation of the oldest unequivocally coesite-bearing UHP rocks at 0.6 Ga[8,9]. Since then, UHP rocks have become a key and ubiquitous feature of modern-style continental orogens.
Study on application and environmental effect of phosphogypsum - fly ash - red mud composite cemented paste backfill
Authors: Pan Zude , Pan Rongxiang , Cao Yang , Chen Qianlin , Yang Min
Published: July 2023

Phosphogypsum (PG) cementitious paste backfill (CPB) was prepared by using PG and Fly ash (FA) as the main raw materials, Red mud (RM) as the alkaline activator, Portland cement (OPC) as the binder, and silica fume (SF) as the additive, and its properties were investigated to achieve the objective of "treating harm with waste". The results showed that the addition of OPC facilitated the flowability of the slurry, while the addition of RM and SF had the opposite effect. The slurry presented ideal flowability when the water/binder ratio was 0.2 and the superplasticizer (SP) content was 0.7%. The mechanical properties and water resistance was improved significantly with increasing OPC, RM, and SF doping. The strength of the CPB material exceeded 22 MPa after curing at room temperature for 28 d, which met the mine filling requirements. Changes in the ion concentrations of the solution were first monitored during immersion. The dissolution rules of Ca2+and SO42−at different immersion ages confirmed that RM promoted the continuous hydration of CPB, which was the key to improving water resistance. Microstructural analysis showed that the main hydration products were AFt and C-S-H, which played an important role in the strength development of the material. The leaching results demonstrated that the metal ion content satisfied the requirements of the Ⅲ categories of Chinese environmental standards (GB/T 14848 − 2017), indicating that the technology is a reliable and environmentally friendly technology for PG, FA, and RM recovery that can simultaneously support safe mining.
Factors influencing physicians’ decision to conduct cardiovascular risk assessments among cancer patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Teh Hoon Shien , Subramaniam Shridevi , Thiagarajan Muthukkumaran , Hwong Wen Yea
Published: July 2023

Background
Improved cancer survivorship has led to untoward effects of developing cardiovascular complications, mainly due to exposure to cardiotoxic cancer therapy. Cardiovascular screening can provide substantial benefits to patient care and outcomes, but successful implementation is challenging. This systematic review consolidates factors from existing literature and explores its relationships to highlight key domains that need to be addressed to implement these risk assessment programs in clinical practice.
Methods
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO using search terms focused specifically on factors influencing the implementation of cardiovascular risk assessment among the cancer population. Two reviewers completed independently in study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. To get meaningful insight of the findings, we thematically matched those factors into the domain of the Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases (TICD) framework and inductively identified its relationships.
Results
Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Identified factors were grouped into six domains, of which the top three included factors related to individual health professionals, which were cited in 83% of studies, incentives and resources (75% of the studies), and professional interactions in 58% of studies. Within the domain of individual health professional, we include factors concerning cognitions and attitudes, knowledge and skills, and professional behaviour. The domain of incentives and resources highlighted the needs for availability of necessary resources, continuing education system, assistance for clinicians and financial-related issues. Communication influence, team and referral processes were found to be the main barriers in the domain of professional interaction. Bi-directional associations were evident between these domains, which were categorised into macro and micro levels for better interpretation.
Conclusion
This review identified key factors that could be leveraged to improve cardiovascular assessment reach and appeal. Future intervention efforts should first be targeted at the level of healthcare professionals, who are the key drivers of the entire process.
Multiple Hopf bifurcations of four coupled van der Pol oscillators with delay
Authors: Liu Liqin , Zhang Chunrui
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a system of four coupled van der Pol oscillators with delay is studied. Firstly, the conditions for the existence of multi-periodic solutions of the system are given. Secondly, the multi-periodic solutions of spatiotemporal patterns of the system are obtained by using symmetric bifurcation theory. The normal form of the system on the central manifold and the direction of the bifurcation periodic solution are given. Finally, numerical simulations are used to support our theoretical results.
MSC: 34K18, 35B32
Evaluating the Shear Stiffness of Asymmetric Angle-Ply Layers in Diagonal Cross-laminated Timber
Authors: kurzinski Shaghayegh , Crovella Paul
Published: July 2023

The perpendicular orientation of the cross-layer (s) makes Cross-laminated Timber (CLT) susceptible to rolling shear failure and reduced stiffness in bending. Under out-of-plane bending, rolling shear failure occurs in the cross layers along the radial-tangential plane. This weakness in CLT panels could be improved by varying the grain orientation of the cross-layers away from perpendicular-to-grain (90°), and closer to parallel-to-grain (0°). This paper studies the shear stiffness of a pair of asymmetric angle-ply layers rotated at angles from 90° to 70°, 40°, 20°, 10°, and 0°. These two layers with varying grain orientations were assumed to be representative of the inner layers of a four-ply Diagonal Cross-laminated Timber (DCLT) panel. For this purpose, Hankinson’s formula was applied in addition to two-plate shear tests and numerical modeling. The experimental testing and FE model results were compared with the theoretical values to evaluate the theory for shear stiffness prediction of the asymmetric angle-ply layers. The results of the three methods showed an agreement in predicting an increase in shear stiffness when the angle-ply orientation of the layers decreases from 90° to 0°. The results indicated that Hankinson’s formula seems to be a conservative theoretical predictor for the shear stiffness of diagonal layers. Regarding the experimental results, orienting the cross layers to an angle between 70° and 40° was shown to improve the rolling shear stiffness by 10% and 46% respectively. This research provides insights into innovations towards CLT development with improved rolling shear stiffness using diagonally-oriented layers.
Governing digital innovations for responsible outcomes – the case of digital healthcare and welfare services
Authors: Thapa Raj Kumar , Iakovleva Tatiana
Published: July 2023

Digital innovations integrated with Responsible innovation (RI) offer great potential to address complex societal challenges in the healthcare and welfare sector but depend on how well firms can manage the innovation process to ensure socially desirable solutions. However, there is a lack of empirical studies examining whether RI principles can be integrated into a firm’s innovation development process. This paper aims to fill this gap through longitudinal case studies of six digital start-ups in the healthcare and welfare sector from 2016 to 2019. We followed innovation development in these firms, observing the stakeholder inclusion, pivotal moments and the emergence of new solutions based on the need-solution interactions. We found that stakeholder inclusion is critical. Therefore, we suggest that managers and entrepreneurs consider including a diversity of stakeholders and users from the design phase throughout the innovation process.
A comparison of in vitro drug exposure modes: submerged versus ALI in the Vitrocell ® Cloud 24 aerosol exposure system
Authors: Steiner Sandro , Morelli Moran , Ferreira Sandra , Fischli Maica , Merg Celine , Titz Bjorn , Kondylis Athanasios , Xiang Yang , Sewer Alain , Toorn Marco , Hoeng Julia
Published: July 2023

In medical applications, inhalable drugs are commonly delivered as aerosols in which the drug is i) the only bioactive constituent and ii) confined to the particulate fraction. For these low complexity aerosols, there are indications that in vitro exposure at the air-liquid interface (ALI) does not increase in vitro-in vivo translatability compared to the less complex and more controlled exposures under submerged conditions. We characterized aerosol delivery within the Vitrocell® Cloud 24 an in vitro aerosol exposure system frequently used for conducting ALI exposures—and used the system to test the hypothesis that there are no relevant differences between exposure modes. Cultures of the human adenocarcinoma-derived cell line A549 were exposed to bortezomib, anatabine, or the selective IκB kinase IKK-16, either in submerged state or at the ALI. The drugs’ toxicities and efficacies to counteract an induced pre-inflammatory state were compared between the exposure modes. The impact of the complexity of the biological test system was investigated by including ALI exposures of organotypic bronchial epithelial cultures. Our results demonstrate that i) the Vitrocell® Cloud 24 is useful for conducting controlled aerosol exposures and ii) ALI and submerged exposures are not equivalent.
Depletion of two-level systems in highly stable glasses with different molecular ordering
Authors: Moratalla Manuel , Rodríguez-López Marta , Rodriguez-Tinoco Cristian , Rodriguez-Viejo Javier , Jimenez-Rioboo Rafael , Ramos Miguel
Published: July 2023

Recent findings of structural glasses with extremely high kinetic and thermodynamic stability have attracted much attention. The question has been raised as to whether the well-known, low-temperature “glassy anomalies” (attributed to the presence of two-level systems [TLS] and the “boson peak”) persist or not in these ultrastable glasses of much lower configurational entropy. To resolve previous contradictory results, a particular type of ultrastable glass has been studied, TPD, which can be prepared by physical vapor deposition in a highly-stable state with different degrees of layering and molecular orientation, and also as a conventional glass and in crystalline state. After a thorough characterization of the different samples prepared, their specific heat was measured down to 0.4 K. Whereas the conventional glass exhibited the typical glassy behavior and the crystal the expected Debye cubic dependence at very low temperatures, a strong depletion of the TLS contribution was found in both kinds of ultrastable glass, regardless of their layering and molecular ordering.
Impact of preoperative docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) therapy on degree of malignant esophageal stenosis
Authors: Yamaguchi Takahisa , Okamoto Koichi , Saito Hiroto , Shimada Mari , Tsuij Toshikatsu , Moriyama Hideki , Kinoshita Jun , Nakamura Keishi , Inaki Noriyuki
Published: July 2023

Background:
Malignant esophageal stenosis is a common and severe complication of advanced esophageal cancer that can be a serious problem in the continuation of chemotherapy and other anticancer treatments. The impact of chemotherapy regimens on the degree of improvement in esophageal stenosis is unknown. In this study, we focused on the impacts of chemotherapy on the direct anticancer effects, and in the improvement of malignant stenosis.
Methods:
Patients who underwent radical esophagectomy after chemotherapy, either adjuvant 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (FP) or docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) regimen, were included. We assessed the length of the cancerous stenosis, the width of the narrowest segment, and the size of the intraluminal area in the stenotic segment, and compared the differences before and after chemotherapy. The antitumor effects of chemotherapy were also investigated.
Results:
A total of 81 patients were enrolled: 50 were treated with FP, and 31 were treated with DCF. The expansion rate in the length of the narrowest part was significantly increased in the DCF group compared with the FP group. Furthermore, the stenosis index (intraluminal stenotic area/stenotic length) was significantly increased in the DCF group compared with the FP group (112% vs 96%, P=0.038). The response rates were 60% in the FP group and 67.7% in the DCF group. Effective histopathological response (improvement to grade 2 or 3) was 24% in the FP group and 38.8% in the DCF group.
Conclusion:
DCF therapy is more effective than FP treatment in the improvement of malignant esophageal stenosis.
Optimizing the hydrolysis-acidification stage in municipal wastewater treatment: comparison of immobilized fillers and granular sludge
Authors: Liu Xuyan , Yang Hong , Yang Kai
Published: July 2023

The decomposition of organic macromolecules in sewage is currently greatly aided by hydrolysis-acidification. The full use of its qualities can help domestic sewage biodegrade more quickly, promoting the subsequent aerobic reactions. This study evaluated the hydrolysis-acidification performance of granular sludge and filler in residential sewage. Both forms had a high VFA production capacity at the beginning of the reaction, but the granular sludge gradually disintegrated over time, especially at low temperatures, which decreased its performance. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the filler included a greater quantity of hydrolytic-acidifying bacteria than the granular sludge, with a higher performance.
Predicting Trajectories of Vocational Indecision from Motivational Profiles in Early Adolescence
Authors: Mbanga Remy , Ratelle Catherine , Duchesne Stéphane
Published: July 2023

Background and objective
During emerging adulthood, vocational indecision (i.e., the inability to make coherent career choices) develops in a heterogeneous fashion, with three distinct patterns: low; decreasing (i.e., developmental or adaptative); high and stable or increasing (i.e., chronic, or maladaptive). Among the determinants of vocational indecision that have been identified in past research, academic motivation is an excellent choice, since it is at school that students' vocational choices are validated or not. So, the purpose of this longitudinal study was to verify if the patterns found with emerging adulthood students characterized vocational indecision in adolescent students, and if so, to predict the belonging to the most problematic trajectory by using students’ academic motivational profiles. Academic motivation was assessed using self-determination theory.
Method and Results
Using data from 384 students (56% female) surveyed annually from Secondary 2 to 5, person-centered analyses allowed to estimate motivational profile in Secondary 2 and vocational indecision trajectories during the 4-year period. Results revealed four distinct patterns of vocational indecision during adolescence labelled Low and Stable, Moderate and Stable, Developmental and Chronic Intermittent. Four motivational profiles were also identified in Secondary 2, ranging from poor (Highly Amotivated) to moderate (Autonomous-Introjected) quality of self-determination level. Also, in reference to the most self-determined profile, students in the Mixed profile were at greatest risk of following Chronically-Intermittently Undecided trajectory. Finally, the most self-determined students were at greatest probability of following the Developmentally Undecided trajectory.
Conclusion
Overall, the findings suggest that the student motivational functioning in early secondary school years could be used to identify students at risk of experiencing the negative indecision patterns across secondary school. Several theoretical and practical implications are suggested.
Virtual Machine Consolidation Based on Load Distribution and Realtime Scheduler With Multi-objective Optimization
Authors: Brahmam Madala Guru , R Vijay Anand
Published: July 2023

Optimal resource utilization and reduced energy consumption have been the primary objectives of cloud data centers as the dependency on cloud platforms is increasing day by day. Consolidating the virtual machines is a standard procedure for addressing the common issues and meeting the objectives. Though the approach seems viable for effective functionality, it is observed that consolidation performed over the permissible limit may result in violating the service level agreements in cloud service providers. When energy conservation is concentrated in the cloud platforms, multiple other factors are neglected or compromised. The supposed strategy for effective virtual machine consolidation must contemplate the parameters such as quality of service, service level agreements, reducing violations, resource distribution, load management, migration overheads, network resource management and other communication protocols. The proposed approach focusses on determining the dynamic load and resource management based on multiple objectives in order to reduce the power consumption. The dynamic load is derived based on a time-series analysis over the distributed load in different time zones. Increment in load distribution owing to virtual machine consolidation and selection is observed for improving the efficiency of consolidations. The load prediction approach along with current load detection has included multiple objectives as desired. The proposed approach, from the experimental analysis, has delivered a promising solution for load prediction, distribution and energy conservation in cloud service providers and optimized the functionalities of users. The energy efficiency was observed to be higher than existing virtual machine consolidation approaches along with effective load sequencing and maintaining the service level agreements.
The association of acetabulum fracture and mechanism of injury with BMI, days spend in hospital, blood loss, and surgery time – a retrospective analysis of 67 patients
Authors: Wójcicki Rafał , Pielak Tomasz , Walus Piotr , Jaworski Łukasz , Małkowski Bartłomiej , Jasiewicz Przemysław , Gagat Maciej , Łapaj Łukasz , Zabrzyński Jan
Published: July 2023

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate the association between acetabulum fractures, mechanism of injury, and variables such as BMI, duration of hospital stay, blood loss, and surgery time. By exploring these factors, we aim to enhance our understanding of the accompanying factors of pelvic fractures and their impact on the healing process and subsequent management.
Methods: This study included 136 consecutive patients who were admitted for pelvic ring fracture surgery between 2017 and 2022. The data was collected prospectively at a single trauma center. . The inclusion criteria were acetabulum fractures and indications for operative treatment. The exclusion criteria were non-operative treatment for acetabular and pelvic ring fractures, fractures requiring primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), and periprosthetic acetabular fractures. Upon admission, all patients underwent evaluation using X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scans of the pelvis.
Results: The present study found no statistically significant differences among the examined groups of patients with pelvic fractures in terms of BMI, surgery duration, length of hospital stay, and blood transfusion. However, two notable findings approached statistical significance. Firstly, patients who experienced a fall from height while sustaining a pelvic fracture required a higher number of blood transfusions (2.3 units) compared to other mechanisms of injury (Fig. 2D), which was close to achieving statistical significance (p=0.07).
Secondly, patients undergoing posterior wall stabilization exhibited a significantly lower number of blood transfusions compared to other specific pelvic injuries (0.33 units per patient), approaching statistical significance (p=0.056).
Conlusions: We firmly believe that our study has provided valuable insights into pelvic fractures and their association with the investigated factors. The findings indicate that factors such as BMI, time of surgery, blood loss, and duration of hospital stay are not directly correlated with the morphology of acetabular fractures, the presence of additional trauma, or the mechanism of injury. However, it is worth noting that many of our findings align with existing literature on the subject.
Biogenic approach for synthesis of ZnO/NiO Nanocomposites as a highly efficient photocatalyst and evaluation of their biological properties
Authors: D Puttaraju T , M Manjunath , g Nagaraju , K Lingaraju , L Soundarya T , V Manjula M , S Devaraja
Published: July 2023

Mixed metal oxide-based nanocomposites (NCs) had remained broadly used for photo catalysis-facilitated elimination of harmful substances from the aquatic ecosystem. Now a days searching for an improved photo catalyst looks plentiful metal oxide-based materials take began out of studies. In present works concerning the use of ZnO/NiO NCs as photocatalytic treatment of wastewater utilizing oxides of metals as photo catalysts has merged a subject of major concern. The way of coupling with other semiconductors for improved photo degradation in the presence of UV-visible light. NCs were mainly characterized by XRD, FT-IR, UV-DRS, morphological studies such as SEM and TEM, elemental composition by EDAX that all affirmed the effective synthesis of NCs. For instance, ZnO/NiONCs having a bandgap of about 3.11eV achieved an outstanding degradation activity toward 100% photo degradation of methylene blue (MB) within a short period of time. Further, prepared ZnO/NiO NCs have excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This behavior is primarily caused by the accumulation of ZnO/NiO NCs on the bacteria’s surface, which results in cytotoxic bacteria and a relatively increased ZnO, resulting in cell death. Also ZnO/NiO NCs exhibit essential harmless effects on human red blood cells and their intervention with the action of the clotting on both PPP and PRP in human erythrocytes. As an outcome, the studies have shown that Phyllanthus Niruri (L) mediated Green Synthesis by combustion methods performs well as a good capping agent to synthesize ZnO/NiO NCs with important multi-disciplinary applications.
Inferring the natural history of HPV from global cancer registries: insights from a multi-country calibration
Authors: Stuart Robyn M. , Cohen Jamie A. , Abeysuriya Romesh G. , Sanz-Leon Paula , Kerr Cliff C. , Rao Darcy , Klein Daniel
Published: July 2023

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the cause of almost all cases of cervical cancer, a disease that kills some 340,000 women per year. The timeline from initial infection with HPV to the onset of invasive cervical cancer spans decades, and observational studies of this process are limited to settings in which treatment of precancerous lesions was withheld or inadequate. Such studies have been critical for understanding the natural history of HPV, but some uncertainty remains as to how generalizable this process is across geographical settings, especially given variation in the prevalence of factors known to affect the host-side immune response to HPV, such as HIV and tobacco use. In this study, we create models for the 30 most populous countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, each with country-specific demographic, and behavioral inputs. We found that it was not possible to fit the data if we assumed that the natural history parameters were the same for all countries, even after accounting for demographic and behavioral differences, but that we could achieve a good fit with the addition of a single immunocompetence parameter for each country. Our results indicate that variation in host immune responses may play a role in explaining the differences in the burden of cervical cancer between countries, which in turn implies a greater need for more geographically diverse data collection to understand the natural history of HPV.
Development of a risk prediction model to predict the risk of hospitalization due to exacerbated asthma among adult asthma patients in a lower middle-income country
Authors: Punyadasa Dhanusha , Kumarapeli Vindya , Senaratne Wijith
Published: July 2023

Background: Asthma patients experience higher rates of hospitalizations due to exacerbations leaving a considerable clinical and economic burden on the healthcare system. The use of a simple, risk prediction tool offers a low-cost mechanism to identify these high-risk asthma patients for specialized care. The study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model to identify high-risk asthma patients for hospitalization due to exacerbations.
Methods: Hospital-based, case-control study was carried out among 466 asthma patients aged ≥20 years recruited from four tertiary care hospitals in a district of Sri Lanka to identify risk factors for asthma-related hospitalizations. Patients (n=116) hospitalized due to an exacerbation with respiratory rate >30/min, pulse rate >120 bpm, O2 saturation (on air) < 90% on admission, selected consecutively from medical wards; controls (n=350;1:3 ratio) randomly selected from asthma/medical clinics. Data was collected via a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire (IAQ). Logistic regression analyses were performed to develop the model with consensus from an expert panel. A second case-control study was carried out to assess the criterion validity of the new model recruiting 158 cases and 101 controls from the same hospitals. Data was collected using an IAQ based on the newly developed risk prediction model.
Results: The developed model consisted of ten predictors with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78 to 0.88, P<0.001), sensitivity 69.0%, specificity 86.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) 88.6%, negative predictive value (NPV) 63.9%. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were 4.9 and 0.3, respectively.
Conclusions: The newly developedmodel was proven valid to identify adult asthma patients who are at risk of hospitalization due to exacerbations. It is recommended as a simple, low-cost tool for identifying and prioritizing high-risk asthma patients for specialized care.
Assessing the Relationship between Psychopathological Conditions, Perceived Social Support and Chronic Low Back Pain among Patients of a Health Facility in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana
Authors: Ankomah Isaac , Sambah Francis , Amissah Nana K. , Seidu Abdul Aziz , Frimpong James Boadu , Ameyaw Edward Kwabena , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Ansah Edward Wilson , Ha John Elvis Jr
Published: July 2023

Background: Chronic low back pain significantly increases the risk/incidence of depression and has been the reason for many hospitalizations and the use of auxiliary healthcare services. This study examined whether any relationship existed among psychopathological conditions, perceived social support and chronic low back pain among patients with low back pain.
Methods: Adopting a cross-sectional study design, the study sampled 155 chronic low back pain patients from the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in the Central Region of Ghana. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were adopted for the study. Validated preexisting instruments comprising the Oswestry Disability Index, Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used for data collection. The data were analysed using multivariate regression.
Results: Chronic low back pain disability has a large influence on depression, anxiety and catastrophizing thoughts of patients. However, the relationship between chronic low back pain and catastrophizing is contingent on the respondent’s level of social support.
Conclusion: Chronic low back pain in patients leads to elevated levels of depression, anxiety and catastrophizing thoughts. However, social support reduces catastrophizing thoughts among people living with low back pain. Health practitioners should integrate nonpharmacological interventions such as moderate physical exercise as well as behavioural therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based treatments, and acceptance and commitment therapy to help with the usual pharmacological interventions of caring for chronic low back pain patients.
Intermittent fasting reduces alpha-synuclein pathology and functional decline in mice
Authors: Falkenburger Bjoern , Bernhardt Nadine , Szegö Eva
Published: July 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, and by intraneuronal accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (aSyn). Environmental factors contribute significantly to neurodegeneration in patients, and non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly explored. Among these, caloric restriction and time-restricted feeding have demonstrated beneficial effects in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. The ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) has been suggested to mediate some of these effects.
In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of intermittent fasting (IF, every other day feeding) in an aSyn-based mouse model of PD. IF was initiated four weeks after induction of aSyn pathology. Four weeks of IF mitigated the aSyn-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and axon terminals. IF also reduced aSyn pathology as reported by staining for phosphorylated aSyn and Triton X-100 solubility. IF mitigated the aSyn-induced motor phenotype, the decrease in striatal dopamine and the decrease in synaptic markers. Mechanistically, we observed an increased expression of the neurotrophin BDNF in the striatum and a shift in microglia activation towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype. In addition, IF induced neuronal autophagy, and we observed more aSyn in the expanded autolysosomal compartment. Furthermore, both starvation and BHB, but not BDNF, induced autophagy and reduced αSyn pathology in primary mouse neurons.
Taken together, IF might constitute a plausible neuroprotective strategy for patients with Parkinson’s diseases. BHB-induced autophagy and altered neuroinflammation are pathways that potentially contribute to the protective effect.
Identification and expression profiling of GAox gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Authors: Jiao Shujuan , Liu Zhen , Kang Yichen , Zhang Junlian , Liu Yuhui , Qin Shuhao
Published: July 2023

Background
GAox is a key enzyme involved in GA biosynthesis pathway and plays an important role in regulating various processes in plant life cycle.
Results
In this study, GAox gene family (StGAox) in potato was identified, and their physical and chemical properties, distribution on chromosomes, gene structure, conserved motifs, gene duplication events and expression patterns were analyzed. The results showed that a total of 33 GAox proteins were identified and unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes. According to their protein structure and phylogenetic protein characteristics, these 33 StGAoxes were divided into 5 distinct subclasses. Collinearity analysis revealed that there were 5 pairs of duplicated genes in the StGAox gene family, and all these genes evolved under purifying selection. RNA-seq data of doubled monoploid (DM) potato in different tissues, under abiotic stresses and hormone treatments were used to screen tissue-specifically expressed StGAox genes, and those responded to abiotic stress and hormone treatments. In addition, StGAox genes that might respond to drought stress in drought-sensitive and drought-tolerant tetraploid potato cultivars was further analyzed based on RNA-seq data.
Conclusions
These results provided a theoretical basis for further understanding the function of GAox genes in potato.
What species is it really? A comparison of morphological and collagen fingerprinting (ZooMS) methods using a double-blind protocol
Authors: Morin Eugène , Oldfield Ellie-May , Bakovic Mile , Bordes Jean-Guillaume , Castel Jean-Christophe , Crevecoeur Isabelle , Monnier Gilliane , Tostevin Gilbert , Buckley Michael
Published: July 2023

Modeling the subsistence strategies of prehistoric groups depends on the accuracy of the faunal identifications that provide the basis for these models. However, our knowledge remains limited about the reproducibility of published taxonomic identifications and how they accurately reflect the range of species deposited in the archaeological record. This study compares taxonomic identifications at three Paleolithic sites (Saint-Césaire and Le Piage in France, Crvena Stijena in Montenegro) characterized by high levels of fragmentation. Identifications at these sites were derived using two methods: morphological identification and collagen fingerprinting, the latter a peptide-based approach known as ZooMS. Using a double-blind experimental design, we show that the two methods give taxonomic profiles that are statistically indistinguishable at all three sites. However, rare species and parts difficult to identify such as ribs seem more frequently associated with errors of identification. Comparisons with the indeterminate fraction indicate that large game is over-represented in the ZooMS sample at two of the three sites. These differences are possibly an artifact caused by differential fragmentation of elements from large species. Collagen fingerprinting can produce critical insights on the range distribution of animal prey in the past while also contributing to improved models of taphonomic processes and subsistence behavior.
Utility of Next Generation Sequencing in Paediatric Neurological Disorders: experience from South Africa
Authors: Moosa Shahida , Niekerk Magriet Van , Toorn Ronald Van , Solomons Regan
Published: July 2023

Next generation sequencing (NGS)-based tests have become routine first-line investigative modalities in paediatric neurology clinics in many high-income countries (HICs). Studies from these countries show that these tests are both cost-effective and reliable in diagnosing many complex childhood neurological diseases; however, NGS-based testing in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited due to cost. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and impact of targeted gene panels in a selected paediatric cohort attending a tertiary paediatric neurology clinic in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This retrospective study included 124 consecutive paediatric patients with neurological disease, referred for multi-gene panel testing over a 41-month period. Twenty-four different disease group-specific panels were utilized. A caregiver experience questionnaire was administered when a pathogenic variant was identified. The overall study diagnostic yield (DY) was 53% (66/124 patients). It was highest for neuromuscular disorders 64% (16/25), cerebral palsy spectrum disorders 54% (9/16) and early-onset epilepsies 44% (28/63). Testing proved inconclusive (variants of uncertain significance) in 38% (47/124). The majority of caregivers (97%) viewed NGS-based testing as a positive experience. The diagnostic yield in this study is similar to previously reported paediatric cohorts in HICs. The high yields for neuromuscular disorders and early epileptic encephalopathies suggest that NGS-based panels may be more cost-effective as first-line testing in well-defined phenotypes. The latter finding argues for early inclusion of all children with developmental epileptic encephalopathies (DEE), as early diagnosis leads to better treatment and avoidance of unnecessary investigations.
Robust prediction of patient outcomes with immune checkpoint blockade therapy for cancer using common clinical, pathologic, and genomic features
Authors: Ruppin Eytan , Chang Tian-Gen , Cao Yingying , Sfreddo Hannah , Dhruba Saugato , Lee Se-Hoon , Valero Cristina , Yoo Seong-Keun , Chowell Diego , Morris Luc
Published: July 2023

Despite the revolutionary impact of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in cancer treatment, accurately predicting patients’ responses remains elusive. We analyzed eight cohorts of ~2900 ICB-treated patients across 18 solid tumor types, the largest dataset to date, examining diverse clinical, pathologic, and genomic features. We developed the LOgistic Regression-based Immunotherapy-response Score (LORIS) using a transparent, compact 6-feature logistic regression model. LORIS outperforms previous signatures in ICB response prediction and can identify responsive patients, even those with low tumor mutational burden or tumor PD-L1 expression. Importantly, LORIS consistently predicts both objective responses and short-term and long-term survival across most cancer types. Moreover, LORIS showcases a near-monotonic relationship with ICB response probability and patient survival, enabling more precise patient stratification across the board. As our method is accurate, interpretable, and only utilizes a few readily measurable features, we anticipate it will help improve clinical decision-making practices in precision medicine to maximize patient benefit.
Plant Spacing Effects on Stem Secondary Growth Dynamics in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
Authors: Xu Na , Meng Lin , Tang Fang , Du Shasha , Xu Yanli , Kuang Shuai , Lv Yuanda , Song Wenjing , Li Yang , Qi Weicong , Zhang Yu
Published: July 2023

Plant spacing usually refers to distances between plants within and between rows in the field. Different spacing of crop planting would generally influence the size, plant architecture, economical productivity et al. Present research provided a time course monitoring on the tissue transmission in tobacco stem development from the plants with different spacing. The result showed cambium activity, vascular bundle thickness, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content differed in the stem because of the varied plant spacing, as well as the macro nutrients deposition. Furthermore, the genes coding the homologous of key transcription factors HB8 and NST3 (NtHB8s and NtNST3s) which involved in plant secondary growth were clone in tobacco. In the time course, they also indicated diverse expression patterns among altered plant spacing treatment. Their transcriptomic activities were validated and the motifs which might bind transcription factor in their promoter regions were predicted. Promoters of NtHB8s and NtNST3s gene were rich in light response elements, as a result, light might be the main environmental factor for plant spacing to regulate stem secondary growth.
Study on CNT/TPU Cubic under the 3D Printing Conditions of Infill Patterns and Density
Authors: Jung Imjoo , Shin Eun Joo , Lee Sunhee
Published: July 2023

Soft sensors applicable to wearable robots can be manufactured using stretchable polymers and conductive fillers. In this study, 3.25 wt% carbon nanotubes/thermoplastic polyurethane composites were used to manufacture filaments with shore 94 A. Three infill densities (20%, 50%, and 80%) and patterns (zigzag (ZG), triangle (TR), honeycomb (HN)) were applied to print a cubic via fused filament fabrication 3D printing. Most suitable infill conditions were confirmed based on the slicing images, morphologies, compressive properties, electrical properties, and electrical heating properties. For each fill pattern, ZG and TR divided the layers into lines and figures, and the layers were stacked by rotation. For HN, the same layers were stacked in a hexagonal pattern. Consequently, TR, in which the layer was divided in various directions, showed the strongest compressive properties. For each infill density, 20%, 50%, and 80% measured 0.18 J, 0.84 J, and 1.99 J, respectively. The HN pattern became tougher with increased infill density. The HN laminated with the same layer showed excellent electrical properties, with results greater than 14.7 mA. The electrical heating properties confirmed that ZG had the highest layer density, which exhibited excellent heating characteristics.
IL-1β and iNOS May Contribute to Asthmatic Comorbidities and Decreased Lung Function in Children with Perennial Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Kim Song Hee , Oh Inbo , Lee Jiho , Woul Han Myung
Published: July 2023

Background: Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis (AR) often coexist, with a significant number of AR patients eventually developing asthma. Early detection and treatment of AR can prevent disease progression and enhance the quality of life.
Objectives and Methods: This study explores the roles of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) in the comorbidity of AR and asthma, as well as their impact on lung function in Korean children with perennial AR. A cohort of 240 subjects (aged 6-10 years old) with AR and comorbid asthma were assessed for various biomarkers, including IL-1β, iNOS, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) markers. We examined the blood levels of eosinophils and Immunoglobulin E (IgE). IL-1β, CCL-24, E-cadherin, and vimentin were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), while epithelial iNOS was evaluated with the NOS kit.
Results: Our observations revealed that elevated serum levels of IL-1β, iNOS, and vimentin emerged as significant risk factors for the development of AR and asthma comorbidity. Additionally, IL-1β, iNOS, and vimentin were identified as significant risk factors for decreased lung function in children with perennial AR. Moreover, IL-1β expression was found to correlate with the expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, and CCL-24. iNOS expression correlated with the expression of CCL-24 in children with AR. However, there was no observed correlation between IL-1β and iNOS.
Conclusions: This study underscores the significance of IL-1β and iNOS in the progression of AR and asthma comorbidity, suggesting them as potential targets for early intervention and treatment.
Structural insights into photosystem II supercomplex and trimeric FCP antennae of a centric diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana
Authors: Wang Wenda , Zhao Songhao , Shen Lili , Li Xiaoyi , Tao Qiushuang , Li Zhenhua , Xu Caizhe , Zhou Cuicui , Yang Yanyan , Sang Min , Han Guangye , Yu L.-J. , Kuang Tingyun , Shen Jian-Ren
Published: July 2023

Diatoms are dominant marine algae and contribute around a quarter of the global primary productivity. The ecological success of diatoms is largely attributed to their photosynthetic capacity due to the presence of specific fucoxanthin chlorophyll-binding proteins (FCPs) as antennae to enhance the absorption of blue-green light under water. We purified a PSII-FCPII supercomplex and a trimeric FCP from Cyclotella meneghiniana (Cm), and solved their structures by single particle cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM). The structures showed detailed organizations of monomeric, dimeric and trimeric FCP antennae, as well as new assemblies of an Lhcx6_1 and dimeric FCP-H in the PSII core. In each Cm-PSII-FCPIImonomer, an Lhcx6_1, an FCP dimer and other three FCP monomers are bound, which form an efficient Chls a network to relay excitation energy. More diadinoxanthins and diatoxanthins are found in the FCPs, which may function to quench excess energy. The trimeric FCP contained more Chls c and fucoxanthins. These diversified FCPs and PSII-FCPII provide a structural basis for efficient light energy harvesting, transfer, and dissipation process in C. meneghiniana.