bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“The most culturally safe training I’ve ever had.” The co-design of a culturally safe Managing hepatitis B training course with and for the Aboriginal health workforce of the Northern Territory of Australia
Authors: Hosking Kelly , De Santis Teresa , Vintour-Cesar Emily , Wilson Phillip Merrdi , Bunn Linda , Gurruwiwi George Garambaka , Wurrawilya Shiraline , Bukulatjpi Sarah Mariyalawuy , Nelson Sandra , Ross Cheryl , Binks Paula , Schroder Phoebe , Davis Joshua S , Taylor Sean , Connors Christine , Davies Jane
Published: April 2023

Background The Aboriginal health workforce provide responsive, culturally safe health care. We aimed to co-design a culturally safe course with and for the Aboriginal health workforce. We describe the factors which led to the successful co-design, delivery, and evaluation of the “Managing hepatitis B” course for the Aboriginal health workforce.Methods A Participatory Action Research approach was used, involving ongoing consultation to iteratively co-design and then develop course content, materials, and evaluation tools. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research and teaching team received education in chronic hepatitis B and teaching methodologies. Pilot courses were held, in remote communities of the Northern Territory, using two-way learning and teach-back methods to further develop the course and assess acceptability and learnings. Data collection involved focus group discussions, in-class observations, reflective analysis, and use of co-designed and assessed evaluation tools.Results Twenty-six participants attended the pilot courses. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander facilitators delivered a high proportion of the course. Evaluations demonstrated high course acceptability, cultural safety, and learnings. Key elements contributing to success and acceptability were acknowledging, respecting, and integrating cultural differences into education, delivering messaging and key concepts through an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lens, using culturally appropriate approaches to learning including storytelling and visual teaching methodologies. Evaluation of culturally safe frameworks and findings from the co-design process led to the creation of a conceptual framework, underpinned by meeting people’s basic needs, and offering a safe and comfortable environment to enable productive learning with attention to the following: sustenance, financial security, cultural obligations, and gender and kinship relationships.Conclusions Co-designed education for the Aboriginal health workforce must embed principles of cultural safety and meaningful community consultation to enable an increase in knowledge and empowerment. The findings of this research can be used to guide the design of future health education for First Nations health professionals and to other non-dominant cultures. The course model has been successfully transferred to other health issues in the Northern Territory.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of band 3 impairs the storage quality of SRBCs in the Tibetan HAPC population
Authors: Wu xiaodong , Liu Zhijuan , Hao Doudou , Zhao Qin , Li Wanjing , Xie Maodi , Feng Xia , Liao Xia , Chen Siyuan , Wang Siyu , Zhou Chaohua , Long Wenchun , Zhong Yajun , Li Shen , Cao Ye , Wang Hong , Wang Aiping , Xu Yuehong , Huang Min , Liu Jiaxin , Zhong Rui , Wu Yunhong , He Zeng
Published: April 2023

Due to environmental hypoxia on the Tibetan Plateau, local residents often exhibit a compensative increase in hemoglobin concentration to maintain the body's oxygen supply. However, increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit (Hct) pose a serious challenge to the quality of stored suspended red blood cells (SRBCs) prepared from the blood of high-hemoglobin populations, especially populations at high altitude with polycythemia in Tibet. To explore the difference in storage quality of SRBCs prepared from plateau residents with a high hemoglobin concentration, blood donors were recruited from Tibet (> 3600 m) and Chengdu (≈ 500 m) and divided into a high-altitude control (HAC) group, high-altitude polycythemia (HAPC) group and lowland control (LLC) group according to hemoglobin concentration and altitude of residence. The extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), pyruvate kinase (PK) activity and band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation were analyzed on the day of blood collection. Then, whole-blood samples were processed into SRBCs, and storage quality parameters were analyzed aseptically on days 1, 14, 21 and 35 of storage. Overall, we found that tyrosine 21 phosphorylation activated glycolysis by releasing glycolytic enzymes from the cytosolic domain of band 3, thus increasing glucose consumption and lactate accumulation during storage, in the HAPC group. In addition, band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation impaired erythrocyte deformability, accompanied by the highest hemolysis rate in the HAPC group, during storage. We believe that these results will stimulate new ideas to further optimize current additive solutions for the high-hemoglobin population in Tibet and reveal new therapeutic targets for the treatment of HAPC populations.
Structural and Humidity Sensing Properties of Polypyrrole composites containing Li2O and ZnO nanoparticles
Authors: Madival Rajshekar L , M Prashantkumar , N Nagaraja , Kannur Vinay V , T Ravikiran Y
Published: April 2023

We report the structural properties and humidity sensing abilities of polypyrrole (PPy) composites containing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and Li2O. The PPy was synthesized following chemical oxidation method. The PPy50-ZnO(NPs) 50- Li2O x (where x = 0,2,4,6,8 & 10) composites were prepared by physical mixing using ball-milling method. The as-prepared composites were subjected to XRD, FTIR and EDAX. The structural analysis using these tools hinted at the presence of Li2O in the composites and the effect of variation of Li2O in the composites is emphasized. The humidity sensing ability of pristine PPy and the composites has been investigated, at room temperature, by measuring the change in electrical resistance of the sample due to the variation in relative humidity from 11–97% RH. The response to humidity and recovery times were determined. The mechanism of humidity sensing in these composites was understood by Grotthus theory. Among all the composites, the composite x = 10 (PZL10) has exhibited very good response and recovery time and has the potential to be used as a low-cost and highly effective humidity sensor.
Added value of the pulmonary vein pulsatility index and its correlation to neonatal umbilical artery pH in fetal growth restrictions: A Vietnamese matched cohort study
Authors: Pham Minh Son , Tran Dinh Vinh , Pham Chi Kong , Truong Thi Linh Giang , Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy
Published: April 2023

Background: In clinical obstetrics, many guidelines recommended the use of Doppler fetal ductus venosus blood flow to monitor and to manage fetal growth restriction (FGR). The ductus venosus and the pulmonary venous flow pattern of fetuses are similar. Umbilical artery pH (UA pH) is essential in identifying adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly in fetal growth restriction cases. Nevertheless, the literature indicates that the relationship between pulmonary vein pulsatility index (PVPI) and UA pH in FGR cases has not been well investigated. This study aimed to identify the alteration in PVPI in FGR cases and evaluate the correlation between PVPI and UA pH in FGR newborns.
Methods: This matched cohort study of singleton pregnancies from 28+0 to 40+0 weeks of gestation without congenital abnormalities included 135 cases of FGR (disease group) and 135 cases of normal growth (control group). The PVPI was measured at the proximal segment of the right or left pulmonary vein, approximately 5 mm from the left atrium wall. The umbilical artery pulsatility index (UAPI) was measured on the free umbilical cord. An elective cesarean section or labor induction are both options for ending the pregnancy, depending on the condition of the mother or fetus. Umbilical artery blood samples were collected within 5 minutes of delivery for UA pH measurement. SPSS version 20 and Medcalc version 20.1 were used for data analysis.
Results: FGR cases had a significantly higher mean fetal PVPI than the control group (1.16 ± 0.26 vs. 0.84 ± 0.16; p < 0.01), and PVPI and UAPI were positively correlated (r = 0.63; p < 0.001). PVPI and UA pH were negatively correlated in FGR patients, with r = -0.68; p < 0.001. The PVPI value on the 95th percentile had a prognostic value of UA pH < 7.20 with a sensitivity of 88.2%, specificity of 66.3%, positive predictive value of 46.9%, and negative predictive value of 94.3%.
Conclusions: There was a statistically significant difference in PVPI values in FGR cases compared to the normal growth group, a positive correlation between PVPI and UAPI, and a negative correlation between PVPI and UA pH. PVPI might have a prognostic meaning in predicting UA pH at birth.
Cortical and Subcortical Structural Differences in Psychostimulant-Free ADHD Youth With and Without a Family History of Bipolar I Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Morphometric Comparison
Authors: Lei Du , Zhu Ziyu , Qin Kun , Tallman Maxwell , Patino L. Rodrigo , Fleck David , Gong Qiyong , Sweeney John , DelBello Melissa , McNamara Robert
Published: April 2023

Although attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a family history of bipolar I disorder (BD) both increase the risk for developing BD, associated neuroanatomical substrates remain poorly understood. This study compared cortical and subcortical gray matter morphology in psychostimulant-free ADHD youth with and without a first-degree relative with BD and typically developing healthy controls. ADHD youth (ages 10–18 years) with (‘high-risk’, HR) or without (‘low-risk’, LR) a first-degree relative with BD and healthy comparison youth (HC) were enrolled. High-resolution 3D T1-weighted images were acquired using a Philips 3.0 T MR scanner. The FreeSurfer image analysis suite was used to measure cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volumes. A general linear model evaluated group differences with age and sex as covariates, and exploratory correlational analyses investigated associations with different symptom ratings. A total of n = 142 youth (mean age: 14.16 ± 2.54 years, 35.9% female) were included in the analysis (HC, n = 48; LR, n = 49; HR, n = 45). The HR group exhibited a more severe symptom profile, including higher mania and dysregulation scores, compared to the LR group. For subcortical volumes, the HR group exhibited smaller bilateral thalamic, hippocampal, and left caudate nucleus volumes compared to both LR and HC, and smaller right caudate nucleus compared with LR. No differences were found between LR and HC groups. For cortical surface area, HR exhibited lower parietal and temporal surface area compared with HC and LR, and lower orbitofrontal and superior frontal surface area compared to LR. LR exhibited greater right pars opercularis surface area compared with the HC group. A subset of these cortical regions correlated with relevant symptom ratings. These findings suggest that ADHD in conjunction with BD family history is associated with a more a severe symptom profile and a neuroanatomical phenotype that distinguishes it from ADHD without a BD family history.
Immuno-physiological effects of dietary beta-glucan on Rohu, Labeo rohita challenged with Aeromonas veronii
Authors: Saha Tutul Kumar , . Mariom , Rahman Tanvir , Moniruzzaman Mohammad , Min Taesun , Hossain Zakir
Published: April 2023

Beta-glucans have immense potential to stimulate immune modulation in fish by being injected intramuscularly, supplemented with feed or immersion routes of administration. Here, we looked at how supplementing the diet of Rohu carp, Labeo rohita, with beta-glucan, influenced the immune function. A beta-glucan-supplemented diet containing 10% mushroom powder was administered for 120 days. Afterward, analyses were conducted on different immunological parameters such as antioxidants, respiratory burst, reactive oxygen species (ROS), alternative complement activity, and serum immunoglobulin, which resulted significant increases (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) for the beta-glucan fed immune primed L. rohita, indicating enhanced immunity. Additionally, analyzing various hematological parameters such as erythrocytes and leukocytes count were assessed using standardized methods to elucidate the immunomodulatory effects, indicating a positive effect of beta-glucan on overall fish health. Furthermore, the bacterial challenge test with a 1.92×104 CFU/ml intramuscular dose of Aeromonas veronii showed an enhanced disease-defending system as total serum protein and lysozyme activity levels accelerated significantly (p < 0.01). Nevertheless, beta-glucan ameliorated the stress indicating parameters like Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) enzyme activities results suggested the fish's physiology was unaffected. Therefore, it was determined that adding dietary beta-glucan supplementation could significantly boost up the immune responses in Rohu carp.
Osmo-respiratory compromise in the mosshead sculpin (Clinocottus globiceps): effects of temperature, hypoxia, and re-oxygenation on rates of diffusive water flux and oxygen uptake
Authors: Onukwufor John O. , Somo Derek A. , Richards Jeffrey G. , Wood Chris M.
Published: April 2023

In nature, mosshead sculpins (Clinocottus globiceps) are challenged by fluctuations in temperature and oxygen levels in their environment. However, it is unclear how mosshead sculpins modulate the permeability of their branchial epithelia to water and O2 in response to temperature or hypoxia stress. Acute decrease in temperature from 13 to 6 oC reduced diffusive water flux rate by 22% and ṀO2 by 51%, whereas acute increase in temperature from 13 to 25 oC increased diffusive water flux rate by 217% and ṀO2 by 140%, yielding overall Q10 values of 2.08 and 2.47 respectively. Acute reductions in oxygen tension from >95% to 20% or 10% air saturation did not impact diffusive water flux rates, however, ṀO2 was reduced significantly by 36% and 65% respectively. During 1-h or 3-h recovery periods diffusive water flux rates were depressed while ṀO2 exhibited overshoots beyond the normoxic control level. Many responses differed from those seen in our parallel earlier study on the tidepool sculpin, a cottid with similar hypoxia tolerance but much smaller gill area that occupies a similar environment. Overall, our data suggest that during temperature stress, diffusive water flux rates and ṀO2 follow the traditional osmo-respiratory compromise pattern, but during hypoxia and re-oxygenation stress, diffusive water flux rates are decoupled from ṀO2.
Association of marine PUFAs intakes with cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality in American adult male patients with dyslipidemia: The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 to 2016
Authors: Tang Xuanfeng , Lv Xinyi , Wang Ruohua , Li Xiaoqing , Xu Wenyu , Wang Nan , Ma Shuran , Huang He , Niu Yucun
Published: April 2023

Background Among the studies on the relationship between marine polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and health, few studies have focused on docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and cardiovascular health. And the health effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) were not consistent.Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between different types of marine polyunsaturated fatty acids intakes and cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality in adult U.S. males with dyslipidemia.Methods Adult male with dyslipidemia in the study were screened from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2016. Death outcomes were determined by linking them to National Death Index (NDI) records through 2019. Weighted logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used in the study.Results In the fully adjusted models, participants with the highest tertile of dietary docosapentaenoic acid had lower risks of angina (OR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.37–0.77), stroke (OR = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.42–0.87), all-cause death (HR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.67–0.92) and CVD-specific death (HR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.55–0.98) than those with the lowest tertile. The risks of cardiovascular disease, all-cause death, and cardiovascular disease-specific death among participants in the highest tertile of EPA and DHA were not significantly different from those in the lowest tertile (p > 0.05).Conclusions Cardiovascular disease risk, all-cause mortality, and CVD mortality were inversely associated with dietary DPA intake but not EPA and DHA intakes in U.S. male participants with dyslipidemia.
Association between concomitant proton pump inhibitor use and survival of patients with metastatic prostate cancer receiving abiraterone acetate: a post-hoc analysis of pooled data from three randomized controlled trials
Authors: Fukuokaya Wataru , Mori Keiichiro , Yanagisawa Takafumi , Akazawa Kohei , Shimomura Tatsuya , Kimura Takahiro
Published: April 2023

Background

Evidence suggests proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use may attenuate the effect of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) in metastatic prostate cancer via the modification of gut microbiota. This study aimed to examine whether concomitant PPI use is associated with survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and AAP.

Methods

Post-hoc analysis was conducted in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated in the LATITUDE, COU-AA-301, and COU-AA-302 trials (ADT vs. ADT plus AAP). PPI users and non-users were compared for restricted mean overall survival time (RMOST) and restricted mean progression-free survival time (RMPFST) based on inverse probability of treatment weight (IPTW)-adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves. IPTW-adjusted Cox regression models were used to assess heterogeneity of treatment effect.

Results

In patients treated with AAP, PPI use was associated with inferior RMOST [difference (95% confidence interval): -4.2 (-7.0 to -1.4)] and RMPFST [-3.5 (-6.6 to -0.4)] compared with non-users. However, RMOST and RMPFST were similar between PPI users and non-users in patients treated with ADT alone [RMOST, -2.6 (-5.8 to 0.6); RMPFST, -1.7 (-4.8 to 1.4)]. Interaction term analyses did not show evidence of heterogeneity in treatment effect between AAP and ADT, despite the prominent treatment effect shown in mCSPC vs. mCRPC.

Conclusions

PPI use may be associated with inferior survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer who receive ADT plus AAP. Discontinuing unnecessary PPI use might improve those outcomes.
Fabrication, characterization, and in vitro release of vitexin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles
Authors: Yoksan Rangrong , Noivoil Narumol
Published: April 2023

Vitexin is a natural bioactive compound with many functional properties. However, its poor water solubility and dispersion stability and short half-life limit its practical applications for targeting specific sites. The current work demonstrates that encapsulation of vitexin in chitosan nanoparticles via an oil-in-water emulsion followed by ionic gelation using pentasodium triphosphate overcomes these limitations. The successful loading of vitexin into chitosan nanoparticles was confirmed using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The vitexin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were spherical, 50–250 nm in diameter, and had a negatively charged surface (zeta potential of -6.2 mV to -13.8 mV), 2.8–21.0% loading capacity (LC), and 16.6–58.2% encapsulation efficiency. Vitexin LC increased with increasing initial concentration. The vitexin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles showed antioxidant and lipid oxidation retardation activities that increased as a function of LC. Encapsulation of vitexin into chitosan nanoparticles could improve its dispersion stability in water. Vitexin release from chitosan nanoparticles into the buffer media was faster at pH 11 (completed within 10 days) than at pH 7 (80 days) and 3 (> 4 months). These results suggest that vitexin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles are stable in acidic and neutral pH media, and the loaded vitexin can potentially withstand the harsh gastrointestinal environment.
Benchmark of tools for in silico prediction of MHC class I and class II genotypes from NGS data
Authors: Claeys Arne , Merseburger Peter , Staut Jasper , Marchal Kathleen , Eynden Jimmy Van den
Published: April 2023

Background The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes are a group of highly polymorphic genes that are located in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region on chromosome 6. The HLA genotype affects the presentability of tumour antigens to the immune system. While knowledge of these genotypes is of utmost importance to study differences in immune responses between cancer patients, gold standard, PCR-derived genotypes are rarely available in large Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) datasets. Therefore, a variety of methods for in silico NGS-based HLA genotyping have been developed, bypassing the need to determine these genotypes with separate experiments. However, there is currently no consensus on the best performing tool.Results We evaluated 13 MHC class I and/or class II HLA callers that are currently available for free academic use and run on either Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) or RNA sequencing data. Computational resource requirements were highly variable between these tools. Three orthogonal approaches were used to evaluate the accuracy on several large publicly available datasets: a direct benchmark using PCR-derived gold standard HLA calls, a correlation analysis with population-based allele frequencies and an analysis of the concordance between the different tools. The highest MHC-I calling accuracies were found for Optitype (98.0%) and arcasHLA (99.4%) on WES and RNA sequencing data respectively, while for MHC-II HLA-HD was the most accurate tool for both data types (96.2% and 99.4% on WES and RNA data respectively).Conclusion The optimal strategy for HLA genotyping from NGS data depends on the availability of either WES or RNA data, the size of the dataset and the available computational resources. If sufficient resources are available, we recommend Optitype and HLA-HD for MHC-I and MHC-II genotype calling respectively.
New Fluorescence Derivatization Reagent for the Determination of 7 Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Oil Samples by Pre-Column Derivatization HPLC-FLD
Authors: Yu Shuiqiang , You Jinmao , Shi Xinxin , Zou Xiaocong , Lu Zhihao , Wang Yu , Song Cuihua
Published: April 2023

4-((2-Methyl-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-6-yl)amino)-Ethyl-4-Methyl Benzenesulfonate (MNDMB), was designed and synthesized, and it was first successfully applied to label unsaturated fatty acids and HPLC-FLD determination. MNDMB can quickly complete the derivatization reaction with unsaturated fatty acids within 40 min with K2CO3 as the catalyst. The derivatives exhibit high stability and strong fluorescence properties with excitation and emission wavelengths of 285 and 522 nm, respectively. The 7 unsaturated fatty acid derivatives were separated on an Agilent ZORBAX 300SB-C18 column with gradient elution, and good linear correlation coefficients were obtained for all unsaturated fatty acids with correlation coefficients of ≥ 0.9998. The method has low limits of detection (LODs) (4–21 nmol/L) and good precisions ( intraday relative standard deviations [RSDs] were 1.91–3.51%, and interday RSD were 3.33–5.41%). The method was used to analyze two edible oils and successfully detected some unsaturated fatty acids with recoveries ranging from 90.2 to 103.5%. The proposed method has several advantages including specific labeling, simple enrichment operation, and high sensitivity, demonstrating its great utility for monitoring trace unsaturated fatty acids in various complex matrices.
P16 promotes aging-induced lipid droplet accumulation via up-regulation of PCSK9 in hepatocytes
Authors: Hao Nannan , Peng Chengyi , Shi Yumeng , Liu Chang , Qiu Yulu , Yong Hui , Gu Xin , Wang Fang
Published: April 2023

Background: The accumulation of senescent cells promotes hepatic fat accumulation. P16, a proto-typical marker of senescent cells, is closely correlated to hepatic lipid accumulation. PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) plays a critical role in lipid metabolism via PCSK9/LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor) axis. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of p16 modulating PCSK9 expression to enhance hepatic lipid accumulation.
Methods: All aging mice (12 months old) were randomly assigned two groups: control group with HF (high fat) diet for 6 months, and medicine group with ABT263 (senolytic drug) treatment for 6 months in the presence of HF diet. To induce the senescent cells, cells were treated with bleomycin or adenovirus overexpressing p16 (ad-p16). Cells were treated with cell culture medium containing oleic acid (OA) and palmitic acid (PA) to mimic hepatic steatosis in vivo. The senescent cells were evaluated by SA-β-gal staining. For lipid droplets visualization, Oil red O and Nile red staining were performed. Eventually, the effect of p16 on PCSK9/LDLR axis was determined by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
Results: We found ABT263 treatment markedly reduced lipid droplets, accompanied with dramatically decreased expression of p16 and PCSK9 in the liver. P16 silencing in senescent HL7702 inhibited lipid droplet accumulation, while p16 overexpression in AML12 remarkably increased lipid droplets, cellular content of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Moreover, total PCSK9 protein level enhanced in p16-overexpressed hepatocytes, while LDLR significantly decreased in membrane and increased in cytoplasm in these cells. Mechanically, we found p16 overexpression inhibited K48-linked polyubiquitination of PCSK9.
Conclusions: These results indicate a novel role of p16 in lipid droplet accumulation through aberrant regulation of PCSK9/LDLR axis with PCSK9 ubiquitination in hepatocytes. Lowering p16 expression may be a novel strategy to reduce aberrant lipid metabolism in aging-related diseases.
Natural pterostilbene-grafted-chitosan for fabrication of ecological and durable antibacterial cotton fabric via lay-by-lay assembled coating
Authors: Wang Lili , Zhao Xiaomin , Li Hao , Wu Minghua
Published: April 2023

Natural antibacterial agents have tremendous potential for the fabrication of ecofriendly and durable antibacterial fabrics. Herein, natural pterostilbene (PL) was grafted onto chitosan (CS) by Mannich reaction to obtain PLCS with high antibacterial activity. Ecofriendly and durable antibacterial cotton fabric was fabricated via lay-by-lay assembled coating using PLCS as antibacterial agent. The results showed that under a molar ratio of CS and PL 1: 0.2 at 80 ℃, PLCS with grafting ratio of 17.3% attained the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration of 33.2 µg/mL and 16.6 µg/mL against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Compared with CS and PL, antibacterial activity of PLCS against S. aureus improved by 67.0% and 58.5%, and those against E. coli improved by 94.8% and 44.7%, respectively. Antibacterial rates of PLCS cotton fabric against S. aureus and E. coli reached up to 99.9% after 3 assembled layers and maintained more than 80% after 20 washing times. PLCS antibacterial fabrics possessed good wearing safety and wearing performances.
Exploring the Correlation between HAdV Infection and Respiratory Tract Infection Symptoms: A Study in Nanning, China
Authors: Qin Jianqiu , Yan Tengyue , Yin Liujiang , Yang Cheng , Wang Liang , Qiu Hong , Hu Yanling , Xu Bin
Published: April 2023

Background Human adenoviruses (HAdV) can cause various diseases, but there is limited information about the genotype diversity and epidemiology of HAdV associated with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Nanning.Methods From Jun 2019 to December 2021, throat swab, nasal swab, or nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from hospitalized patients with RTIs, and Epidemiological data were analyzed using statistical software. HAdV were detected using a qPCR assay targeting a highly conserved 132-bp gene region of the HAdV hexon, and phylogenetic analysis was performed on the 875-bp hexon gene fragment.Results The age and sex distribution of HAdV-positive patients showed significant differences (P = 0.014 and P = 0.025, respectively). The majority of HAdV-positive patients were in the 0–6 age group (67.89%). The HAdV detection rate showed the highest prevalence in spring and autumn, peaking in February. In addition, a total of 37 HAdV-positive samples with 875-bp fragments were successfully genotyped and found to be circulating in Nanning from 2019 to 2021 with HAdV species B, C, and E.Conclusions HAdV prevalence is associated with age and season, with HAdV-B, HAdV-C, and HAdV-E co-circulating among hospitalized patients with RTIs in Nanning. The most frequent genotypes were HAdV-C1, HAdV-C6, and HAdV-E4.
Revisiting the cortisol reference ranges in humans: the role of demographics
Authors: Pai Jayeeta , Joshi Revan Kumar , Bhaskar Shanthi , Patil Seema , V. Subash B. , R Shriyanka , Iyengar Asha R. , Agarwal Nitin , Shorie Munish
Published: April 2023

The current study explores the effect of demographics on serum cortisol expression in a study group of 52 individuals to improve the current serum reference ranges to produce personalized expression profiles consequently increasing clinical confidence in the diagnosis. The serum cortisol concentration was inspected against demographical data like age, sex, and body mass index and showed an association with age and sex. The serum cortisol values also indicated a positive association with chronic illnesses however this finding requires a more focused study for establishment. Additionally, saliva samples are also collected from the same study group at the same time through drool and an absorbent sponge and correlated with serum values to draw an alternative route of serological testing. Salivary cortisol from drool showed a linear correlation of 0.51 and 0.52 with serum cortisol and with saliva samples collected using a porous sponge respectively. Overall, the study shows the role of demographics in shaping the reference ranges for cortisol, suggesting a path for developing personalized diagnostics. The study also highlights the efficacy of saliva as an alternative to serum cortisol to facilitate cortisol measurement for efficient stress management.
Prognostic value of post-induction medullary myeloid recovery by flow cytometry in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: ROW Céline , Lechevalier Nicolas , VIAL Jean-Philippe , Mimoun Aguirre , Bastie Jean-Noël , caillot denis , Sleiman Emmanuel , Pigneux Arnaud , Leguay Thibault , Callanan Mary , Maynadie Marc , Béné Marie-Christine , Dumas Pierre-Yves , Guy Julien
Published: April 2023

Risk stratification and treatment response evaluation are key features in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) management. Immunophenotypic and molecular approaches all rely on the detection of persisting leukemic cells by measurable residual disease techniques. A new approach is proposed here by assessing medullary myeloid maturation by flow cytometry through a myeloid progenitor ratio (MPR). The normal MPR range was defined using reference normal bone marrows (n= 48). MPR was considered balanced if between 1 and 4 and unbalanced if <1 or >4. MPR was retrospectively assessed at baseline and post-induction for 206 newly diagnosed AML patients eligible for intensive treatment from two different French centers. All AML baseline MPR were unbalanced and thus significantly different from normal MPR (p<0.0001). Patients with an unbalanced MPR after induction had worse 3-year overall survival (OS) (44.4%vs80.2%, HR, 2.96; 95%CI, 1.81-4.84, p<0.0001) and 3-year relapse free survival (RFS) (38.7%vs64.4%, HR, 2.11; 95%CI, 1.39-3.18, p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, post-induction unbalanced MPR was significantly associated with shorter OS and RFS regardless of the European LeukemiaNet 2010 risk stratification orNPM1/FLT3-ITD status. A balanced post-induction MPR conversely conferred favorable outcomes and reflects medullary myeloid recovery.
Existence and uniqueness for a nonlinear fractional integro-differential equation via fixed point theory and the maximum principal
Authors: Khaldi Soumia , Mecheraoui Rachid
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we discuss the existence and the uniqueness of positive solutions for a nonlinear fractional mixed Volterra-Fredholm integro-differential equation in the setting of HÖlder spaces via fixed point technique. Moreover, we establish some new results concerning the maximum principal to ensure the uniqueness of the solutions.
Naje Haje Toxins and Inflammatory Signaling Pathways Are Inhibited By Moringa Oleifera Leaf Fractions for Toxicity Testing Materials on Animal Embryos
Authors: Mafruchati Maslichah , Ismail Wan Iryani Wan
Published: April 2023

Blood toxicity, antioxidant poisoning, and nervous system poisoning are just a few of the unfavorable side effects of naja haje envenoming. Although Moringa oleifera has been used to treat a variety of toxicities brought on by snake venom, no studies have been conducted to determine its efficacy as an antivenom for Naja haje to investigate the effects of Moringa Oleifera leaf partitions on the inflammatory and antioxidant pathways that prevent N from passing through cells. There were 45 rats in total, broken up into 9 groups of 5 males each. Samples injections had a LD50 of 0 mg/kg in groups 2 through 9. While Group 2 was treated with saline solution, group 1 was given a placebo. Each participant in Group 3 received a shot of a very antigenic antivenom. Result showed that the acute anemia brought on by venom was significantly reduced by the partition of Moringa Oleifera ethanol extract and ethyl acetate. Alcohol is a powerful antivenom for haje venom. The antioxidant enzyme nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is also present in serum and the brain, was more active before envenoming than it was after. Alternatives include extraction partitions, which increase Nrf2 while restarting regular antioxidant enzyme activity. The tissues of the treated envenomed rats also had lower concentrations of TNF- and interleukin-1.
Planting and farmers’ perception on environmental impacts of Moringa stenopetala Tree in Offa Woreda, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Taye Tagay
Published: April 2023

Moringa stenopetala has increased a great consideration currently in Ethiopia due to its multiple uses. The study was accompanied in Offa district of Southern Ethiopia through the objective of evaluating planting and farmer’s perception of Moringa stenopetala tree on the environmental impacts. In order to attain these objectives, three potential sites were purposively selected due to the availability and distribution of M.stenopetala tree on the farmstead. Data collected from 116 respondents across wealth categories. The data obtained via these techniques were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, chi-square and one way ANOVA. The results revealed that majority (48%) of respondents initially planted M.stenopetala to consume its leaves as household food. The Chi-square test showed that there is no difference in reason for initial planting of M.stenopetala among wealth categories. However, the results revealed that there is difference in reason for primary planting among different age categories. Accordingly, households those in age group >61 (50%) planted it to protect fields on the farm land. Most farmers experienced positive environmental impacts from M.stenopetala, but few farmers had negative experiences which is the tree harbours birds which destroy other crops and it usually is associated with expansion of Monsonia angustifolia weed. However, therefore, it could be concluded that there is a great scope to improve the planting of M.stenopetala with suitable M.stenopetala approaches for maximizing income of the farmers.
The correlation between rs2501577 gene polymorphism and biliary atresia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Tengfei , Ke Xingyuan , Zhang Yanran , Zhan Jianghua
Published: April 2023

Importance:
Multiple studies indicate a possible correlation between ADD3 rs2501577 and biliary atresia susceptibility; however, a conclusive determination has yet to be made.
Objective:
Investigate the role of ADD3 rs2501577 in biliary atresia susceptibility across diverse populations.
Data Sources:
The study protocol has been registered on PROSPERO, an international platform for systematic review registration (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023384641). The following databases will be searched until February 1, 2023: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, CBM, Web of Science, and CNKI.
Study Selection:
Eight studies were selected from seven papers to assess the data. A total of 7,651 participants were included, consisting of 1,662 in the BA group and 5,989 in the NC group.
Data Extraction and Synthesis:
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed while conducting the systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Two authors independently assessed the quality of the included studies using the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The significance of the pooled odds ratio (OR) was evaluated with a Z test, and statistical heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the I2 and Q statistics. Publication bias was assessed using Egger’s and Begg’s tests.
Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s):
The primary study outcome was the development of biliary atresia. Subgroup analysis was performed based on race, region, and assessment of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE).
Results:
The studies indicate that the ADD3 rs2501577 susceptibility locus increases the risk of developing biliary atresia, regardless of allelic, homozygote, dominant, and recessive gene inheritance models. Furthermore, ADD3 has been found to be associated with apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell damage repair based on functional analysis.
Conclusions and Relevance:
The ADD3 rs2501577 polymorphic locus is associated with an increased risk of biliary atresia, particularly in Asian populations. This study recommends further investigation of the ADD3 rs2501577 locus in Asian populations to validate its role in the diagnosis of biliary atresia.
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection is Associated with Male Circumcision among Senior High School Students in the Krachi Nchumuru District in the Oti Region of Ghana: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Nyambah Patrick K. , Adjei Richard , Sarfo Bismark
Published: April 2023

Background: There is paucity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) data among student populations although Ghana is HBV endemic. Screening and identification of factors associated with HBV transmission in schools will support the intervention in the elimination of the virus by 2030. This study assessed the seroprevalence and factors associated with HBV among students in two Senior High Schools in the Krachi Nchumuru District in Ghana.
Methods: Through descriptive cross-sectional design and simple random sampling technique, 300 first-year students were enrolled from selected Senior High Schools. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic and exposure factors while rapid test kit was used to detect HBV infections. Chi-square/Fisher exact test and multivariable logistic regression were performed to determine the association between the variables at a 95% confidence interval and 0.05 significant level.
Results:Seroprevalence of HBV was 14% (42/300) among the students. The prevalence was significantly (p=0.001) higher in males 19.4% (34/175) than females 6.4% (8/125). 77.7% (233/300) were aware of HBV infection. Males who were circumcised were 4 times more likely to be infected with HBV (AOR=4.09, 95%CI=1.82-9.19) (p=0.001) compared with those uncircumcised.
Conclusion: HBV screening and education on hygienic genital circumcision practices must be prioritized in endemic countries.
Does Dual Quality of Products in the European Union Truly Bother Consumers?
Authors: Bartkova Lucia , Veselovska Lenka
Published: April 2023

Dual quality is a situation when a company places its products on international markets under the same brand and in identical or very similar packaging but with different composition or different quality. This has the greatest impact on the satisfaction of consumers, who may feel inferior if they receive lower quality than abroad. Several comparative tests were carried out in Europe, which showed that dual quality exists in the EU, although it was not confirmed that there were always better products in Western Europe. Testing bodies, national politicians, the European Commission, manufacturers and distributors, and consumers abroad also commented on the topic. Several countries conducted research on consumer opinions on dual quality, but similar research was lacking in Slovakia. For a long time, there was also a lack of a solution to this situation, as manufacturers defended themselves by saying that they were only fulfilling the demands of consumers. The main aim of this paper is to examine consumers’ opinions on dual product quality and to identify a solution to this problem that meets their requirements. The analysis of the opinions of consumers in the Slovak Republic was based on the results of primary research conducted on a sample of 987 respondents. The general methodology established by the European Union served as a guideline for formulating proposals for solving the problem of dual quality of goods in the EU, which was adapted to the conditions of the Slovak Republic in accordance with the opinions of Slovak consumers. The main proposal is the establishment of the Slovak Trade Inspection (STI) as the main body responsible for solving the issue of dual quality in Slovakia. STI is supposed to be responsible for receiving and processing suggestions in case of suspicion of dual quality, coordination in ensuring product testing and communication with brand owners. Another important proposal is the intensification of communication with brand owners and the creation of more space for their expression in the event that dual quality offered by them is discovered. As part of testing the use of dual quality as an unfair practice, the prices of the affected products in individual countries should also be investigated.
Tourism as a Factor of Local and Regional Development
Authors: Vrablikov Maria , Hrnciarova Turciakova Anna , Baranova Miroslava
Published: April 2023

The development of tourism in the region can be managed and guided by an appropriate regional policy that has realistic objectives. The paper focuses on the area of regional development in the context of tourism within the local government in the municipality of Besenova (situated in Slovakia, belongs to the natural region Liptov and to the administrative region Zilina at the level NUTS 3), taking into account the economic, social and ecological aspects of the region and shows the impact of tourism on the lives of local residents, the operation of the local economy, the overall attractiveness and appearance of the municipality. It focuses on both the positive and negative impacts of the tourism industry on the locality, with the intensity of their impact depending mainly on the volume and structure of visitors who come to this popular destination not only from Slovakia but also from abroad. Literature review contains information about regional and local development, new trends in this area (e. g. triple, quadruple and quintuple helix model) and pros and cons of tourism. In the theoretical part of contribution are used books, internal materials and articles indexed in WOS or Scopus. In the contribution are used these methods: analysis and study of internal materials of village, mathematical-statistical methods (e.g. extrapolation of future values, trend analysis, absolute and relative number), analysis of secondary data & desk research, synthesis of results and suggestions for further development of tourism in the village Besenova. The results of the survey point to the importance of planned integrated tourism development, which will allow to exploit the tourism potential of the region, which has a sufficiently attractive natural and anthropogenic potential. Further regional and local development has potential not only for tourism, but also for employment, business, study and whole quality of life of inhabitants. It also could improve some macroeconomic indicators and increase competitiveness of region.
Loop amplitudes from precision networks
Authors: Badger Simon , Butter Anja , Luchmann Michel , Pitz Sebastian , Plehn Tilman
Published: April 2023

Evaluating loop amplitudes is a time-consuming part of LHC event generation. For di-photon production with jets we show that simple, Bayesian networks can learn such amplitudes and model their uncertainties reliably. A boosted training of the Bayesian network further improves the uncertainty estimate and the network precision in critical phase space regions. In general, boosted network training of Bayesian networks allows us to move between fit-like and interpolation-like regimes of network training.
Online News Discourse of the Chelyabinsk State University Website
Authors: Pastuhova Oksana , Moseeva Ekaterina
Published: April 2023

This article describes the discourse of Internet news published on the official website of the Chelyabinsk State University. Internet communication represents an integral part of everyday life, which makes it a relevant research topic. The study involved 300 news articles published between January 29, 2021, and December 31, 2021. The continuous sampling method was used to collect the material, which underwent a statistical analysis. The most frequent topics included students and student life, holidays and events, and science, while sports appeared to be the least frequent topic. Each topic was tested for the most common words and phrases. All groups appeared to have an overlapping vocabulary zone, which included such words as university, student, and CSU.
Regeneration of copper-loaded pine bark biochar using simultaneous bio-sulfide precipitation of copper
Authors: Bashir Misbah , Mohan Chander , Annachhatre Ajit P.
Published: April 2023

This research investigated adsorption of copper from aqueous solution onto the pine bark biochar, removal of adsorbed copper by bio-sulfide precipitation, and simultaneous regeneration of pine bark biochar adsorbent. A sulfidogenic reactor was established and operated under anaerobic conditions. During the sulfidogenic phase, COD:SO42− was gradually increased from 24:1 to 4:1. Use of sulfide-rich effluent from bio-sulfide reactor at neutral pH yielded above 99% copper removal from the aqueous solution. In the experiment's second stage, pine bark biochar was prepared through slow pyrolysis at 650 °C from pine bark residue that had a carbon content of 81% and a surface area of 368 m2/g. This biochar was then used in subsequent experiments. Initially, copper was adsorbed onto the biochar under neutral pH at contact time of 6 h. Maximum biochar adsorption capacity of 106 mg/g of copper was obtained. Finally, biochar was regenerated by precipitating the adsorbed copper as copper sulfide using sulfide-rich effluent from the sulfidogenic reactor. Complete recovery of adsorbed copper from biochar as copper sulfide precipitates were obtained was also confirmed by EDX-SEM analysis of biochar and precipitates. Regenerated biochar could be reused as an adsorbent in the subsequent adsorption cycle.