bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of the Nb content on the microstructure evolution and properties of the CrFeCoNiNbx layers prepared by laser cladding
Authors: Xiao Dongzhen , Jiang Fulin , Song Pengfang , Song Tao
Published: February 2024

Marine engineering components, such as ship stern shafts, are often subject to local overload, wear and seawater erosion. In order to improve the performance and service life of marine engineering components, the CrFeCoNiNb x ( x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating were prepared on the 42CrMo substrate by laser cladding. The microstructure, microhardness, wear behaviour and the corrosion resistance of the prepared HEA coatings with different Nb contents were evaluated. Results show that the cladding layer of CrFeCoNiNb0 is composed of single dendrites with a small amount of short rod-shaped protrusions distributed along the dendrites. The addition of Nb promotes growing of the original dendrite structures into interdendritic structures with internal substructures retained. Apart from the variations in the microstructure, the formation of the Laves phase, which is both hard and corrosion resistant, is also an important factor in the performance of the cladding. This variation leads to the increase of the microhardness of the cladding layer, accompanying with the improvement of wear resistance property. Notably, the improvement of microhardness is ascribed to the combined contribution from the refinement strengthening, the solid-solution strengthening and the dispersion strengthening by Laves phase. The improvement of the corrosion resistance is mainly attributed to dense passivation film formed by the Cr and Nb on the surface of the cladding layer. The above results suggest that the CrFeCoNiNb x cladding layer could achieve synergistic interaction between the mechanical properties and the corrosion resistance on stern shaft surface.
Selection of a sustainable location for waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling plant using Entropy and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution
Authors: Maden Ayça
Published: February 2024

The production and consumption of electronic goods have experienced a significant increase over the years, leading to a substantial surge in the global volume of electronic waste, commonly referred to as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The selection of a sustainable location for WEEE recycling plants plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental concerns, preserving resources and promoting economic development. It signifies a proactive and responsible approach to electronic waste management in the contemporary world. To tackle the challenge of selecting sustainable locations for WEEE recycling plants, this study employed the Entropy and Entropy and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) methodologies, evaluating 10 alternative cities in Turkey based on 13 criteria. The selected criteria include land cost, personnel cost, energy cost, availability of labour, government support degree, tax preferences, road network accessibility, number of electronic equipment producers, existence of recycling plants, suitability of land use, population and availability of renewable resources (wind power and solar energy). The Entropy method was employed to calculate the weights assigned to each criterion, whereas the EDAS method was utilized to evaluate the decision alternatives. The results provide region-specific recommendations, such as Antalya for the Mediterranean region and Samsun for the Black Sea region. The literature lacks sufficient research on the selection of sustainable locations for WEEE recycling plants. Furthermore, the utilization of real data enhances the study’s credibility and provides practical insights for decision-making. The selection of a sustainable location for a WEEE recycling plant in Turkey not only demonstrates the country’s environmental commitment but also sets a global example for responsible waste management.
An entire life-cycle rolling bearing remaining useful life prediction method using new degradation feature evaluation indicators
Authors: Song Xudong , Sun Jialiang , Li Changxian
Published: February 2024

The rolling bearing remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is a hot topic issue in the field of rail transportation. The existing RUL prediction methods for rolling bearing have problems such as unreasonable division of rolling bearing degradation stages and incomplete extraction of degradation features by feature selection indicators. In order to solve these problems, an entire life-cycle rolling bearing RUL prediction method using new degradation feature evaluation indicators is proposed. Firstly, the degradation feature evaluation indicator is designed to evaluate the stability of the degradation feature. Then, the combination of stability evaluation indicator and correlation evaluation indicator is used as the basis for feature selection. Secondly, the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) method is fused with the Support Vector Machine (SVM) to divide the bearing entire life-cycle into three stages: normal stage, early degradation stage, and degradation stage. Finally, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network model is trained separately to predict the rolling bearing RUL for different rolling bearing degradation stages. The effectiveness of the proposed prediction method based on different degradation stages of rolling bearing in predicting the RUL of rolling bearing is verified through PRONOSTIA bearing dataset. The comparison with existing methods shows that this approach demonstrates superior accuracy and predictive performance. For example, the Mean Square Error (MSE) evaluation metric has decreased by 60%. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) evaluation metric has decreased by 36.5%. The Mean Absolute Error (MAE) evaluation metric has decreased by 48.6%. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) evaluation metric has decreased by 36.9%.
Availability of E-resources in private agriculture collages in Uttar Pradesh, Bharat
Authors: Singh Varsha , Kharwar Vishwadeep , Singh Avinash Kumar
Published: February 2024

Background

Libraries support us by giving us the information we require, which is a very important part of their role in our lives. It is regarded as a group or establishment that assists us in effectively storing information and collects, protects, and disperses it to people that require it. The documents are gathered by the agricultural library, which then makes them accessible to its users by giving them the necessary details. Teachers, students, and researchers who study zoology, genetics, plant and animal breeding, anatomy and physiology, plant and animal pathology, entomology, soil science, horticulture, and agricultural economics are among the users of agricultural libraries. The agricultural library’s users must cater to a variety of patrons, including those with very specific needs, such teachers, and scientists.

Area of Study

13 private agriculture colleges in Uttar Pradesh were chosen by the researcher for the study.

Methodology

Data were gathered using the survey method. 770 survey questionnaires were handed out.

Findings

Despite having a proper library, ICT infrastructure, and many other things, the study’s findings demonstrate that private agriculture colleges in Uttar Pradesh do not have a collection of electronic resources. The report makes several recommendations for the creation of libraries for private agriculture institutions in Uttar Pradesh.
Asymmetric two-dimensional poroelastic analysis of heterogeneous smart discs considering hygrothermal loading
Authors: Eldeeb Ahmed M , Shabana Yasser M , Guo Licheng , Elsawaf Ahmed
Published: February 2024

The objective of this study is to examine through the finite element method the impacts of employing two-dimensional (2D) properties grading on the behaviors of piezoelectric sensors/actuators due to their significance. These structures are modeled as variable thickness discs and are assumed to be exposed to simultaneous asymmetric loading conditions (thermal, hygral, electrical, and mechanical loads). Results demonstrate that the 2D grading is superior compared to the conventional one-dimensional grading for reducing the von Mises stress. The reduction reached, for instance, 8.3% allowing further increase of loading and/or safety. Also, the change of the displacement is varied between −4.5% and 31% depending on the considered grading pattern, and thus can be controlled to a desired value which helps to improve the sensing and actuating functionality for certain requirements. The study also examines the effects of porosity, and the results are compared to nonporous discs. Reductions of the maximum compressive tangential stress and von Mises stress reached 79.75% and 33.6%, respectively at specific porosity distribution patterns and volume fractions. These findings have significant implications for the manufacturing of smart structures, enabling them to operate in severe working conditions with better sensing and actuating capabilities than previously possible.
Was that discrimination? Perceptions of bisexual people’s relative status inform attributions of discrimination
Authors: Quinn-Jensen Elizabeth A. , Burke Sara E. , Major Brenda , Liberman Zoe
Published: February 2024

Current models of discrimination fail to account for the fact that many people belong to intermediate identity groups, that is, groups that share characteristics with both a low-status minority and a high-status majority group (e.g., biracial, bisexual), and thus do not occupy one clear position on a status hierarchy. We investigated bisexual targets to test whether perceivers rely on perceived status differentials to determine whether someone faced discrimination. As predicted, whether bisexual people were perceived as victims of discrimination depended on contextual cues about their relative status. Participants expected both gay/lesbian and bisexual individuals to face more discrimination than heterosexual individuals. But they were more likely to say that a bisexual woman who had lost out to a heterosexual woman competitor had faced discrimination compared to a bisexual woman who had lost out to a lesbian woman. These results may help make sense of how real-world discrimination claims are adjudicated.
Crisis classifications in mobility: Reporting the first COVID death in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Sheng-Hsun
Published: February 2024

Crisis classifications are integral to COVID-19 press conferences. During the initial outbreak of the pandemic, public health officials classified the crisis status of the community. Depending on the status assigned, the community faced various consequences such as lockdowns and travel restrictions. This study traces Taiwanese health officials’ classification practices across temporal orders and participation frameworks. I call this successive link of discursive practices ‘crisis classifications in mobility’ to elucidate the processes of category production and dissemination. The mobility moved from uncertainty to certainty as health officials and journalists negotiated whether the first death of COVID-19 constituted a sign of community infection or community spread. Officials deployed metadiscourse to render some categories mobile and others immobile. Journalists used metadiscourse to push forward candidate categories and animate conflicting accounts given by local experts and a global superpower. Classifications in mobility capture these challenges of deconstructing and reconstructing categories in building public consensus.
Analysis of Individualized Silicone Rubber Bolus Using Fan Beam Computed Tomography in Postmastectomy Radiotherapy: A Dosimetric Evaluation and Skin Acute Radiation Dermatitis Survey
Authors: Chen Xue-mei , Xu Chen-di , Zeng Li-ping , Huang Xiao-tong , Chen Ao-qiang , Liu Lu , Lin Liu-wen , Jia Le-cheng , Li Hua , Jiang Xiao-bo
Published: February 2024

Objective: To investigate the dosimetric effects of using individualized silicone rubber (SR) bolus on the target area and organs at risk (OARs) during postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT), as well as evaluate skin acute radiation dermatitis (ARD). Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 30 patients with breast cancer. Each patient was prepared with an individualized SR bolus of 3 mm thickness. Fan-beam computed tomography (FBCT) was performed at the first and second fractions, and then once a week for a total of 5 times. Dosimetric metrics such as homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI), skin dose (SD), and OARs including the heart, lungs, and spinal cord were compared between the original plan and the FBCTs. The acute side effects were recorded. Results: In targets' dosimetric metrics, there were no significant differences in Dmean and V105% between planning computed tomography (CT) and actual treatments ( P > .05), while the differences in D95%, V95%, HI, and CI were statistically significant ( P < .05). In OARs, there were no significant differences between the Dmean, V5, and V20 of the affected lung, V5 of the heart and Dmax of the spinal cord ( P > .05) except the V30 of affected lung, which was slightly lower than the planning CT ( P < .05). In SD, both Dmax and Dmean in actual treatments were increased than plan A, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < .05), while the skin-V20 and skin-V30 has no difference. Among the 30 patients, only one patient had no skin ARD, and 5 patients developed ARD of grade 2, while the remaining 24 patients were grade 1. Conclusion: The OR bolus showed good anastomoses and high interfraction reproducibility with the chest wall, and did not cause deformation during irradiation. It ensured accurate dose delivery of the target and OARs during the treatment, which may increase SD by over 101%. In this study, no cases of grade 3 skin ARD were observed. However, the potential of using OR bolus to reduce grade 1 and 2 skin ARD warrants further investigation with a larger sample size.
Effectiveness of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic Review and GRADE Compliant Bootstrapped Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Mudgal Shiv Kumar , Kumar Subodh , Gaur Rakhi , Singh Harminder , Saikia Dibyajyoti , Varshney Saurabh , Gupta Pratima , Grover Ashoo , Varikasuvu Seshadri Reddy
Published: February 2024

Diabetic foot (DF) represents a severe complication of diabetes mellitus, imposing substantial psychological and economic burdens on affected individuals. This investigation sought to assess the therapeutic efficacy of stem cell interventions in the management of DF complications. A comprehensive systematic search across PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and the Cochrane library databases was conducted to identify pertinent studies for meta-analysis. Outcome measures encompassed ulcer or wound healing rates, amputation rates, angiogenesis, ankle–brachial index (ABI), and pain-free walking distance. Dichotomous outcomes were expressed as risk differences (RDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), while continuous data were articulated as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with corresponding 95% CIs. Statistical analyses were executed using RevMan 5.3 and Open Meta, with bootstrapped meta-analysis conducted through OpenMEE software. A total of 20 studies, comprising 24 arms and involving 1304 participants, were incorporated into the meta-analysis. The findings revealed that stem cell therapy exhibited superior efficacy compared to conventional interventions in terms of ulcer or wound healing rate [RD = 0.36 (0.28, 0.43)], pain-free walking distance [SMD = 1.27 (0.89, 1.65)], ABI [SMD = 0.61 (0.33, 0.88)], and new vessel development [RD = 0.48 (0.23, 0.78)], while concurrently reducing the amputation rate significantly [RD = –0.19 (–0.25, −0.12)]. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference in adverse events was observed [RD −0.07 (–0.16, 0.02)]. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation assessment indicated varying levels of evidence certainty, ranging from very low to moderate, for different outcomes. Bootstrapping analysis substantiated the precision of the results. The meta-analysis underscores the significant superiority of stem cell therapy over conventional approaches in treating DF complications. Future investigations should prioritize large-scale, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trials, incorporating rigorous long-term follow-up protocols. These studies are essential for elucidating the optimal cell types and therapeutic parameters that contribute to the most effective treatment strategies for DF management.
Clinical outcomes of extensor indicis proprius tendon transfer for extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture
Authors: Ha Cheungsoo , Hong In-Tae , Oh Chi-Hoon , Ryu Han-Seung , Chung Jaiwoo , Han Soo-Hong
Published: February 2024

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the clinical results of extensor indicis proprius tendon transfer for extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture, with a focus on objective measurement of extensor strength. We studied 40 patients who underwent extensor indicis proprius transfer with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Outcome measurements included the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score, range of motion and grip power of the thumb and index finger. The thumb and index finger of the operated hand showed approximately 20% lower extensor power ( p < 0.001) compared to the non-operated hand at final follow-up. However, the DASH score significantly improved. The range of motion in the index finger was near normal, while there was an extension deficit in the thumb of 1.2 cm and a flexion deficit of 1.7 cm compared to the normal side. Despite the decrease in extension strength, clinical functional scores and range of motion were favourable.

Level of evidence:

IV
Negotiation between ambition and reality: The path to Chinese feminist media’s development
Authors: Chen Zhijuan , Ding Liangqi
Published: February 2024

This study explores the development of Chinese feminist media by presenting a case study of a leading feminist media account, Way to Non-Violence (WTNV) (Jieshu baoli zhi lu). Utilizing Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchical Model, this study analyzes the factors shaping and constraining WTNV’s development, and investigates the strategies WTNV deploys to meet its objectives amidst survival challenges. We carried out in-depth interviews with WTNV’s staff members and contributors, observed their online meetings, and conducted thematic analyses of 1,331 WTNV’s posts. We identify the influencing factors at five levels, specifically organizational level (WTNV), routines level (WTNV’s daily operational practices), individual level (the staff and contributors), social system level (censorship and content regulation, misogyny patriarchy culture and anti-feminism), and extra-media level (economic pressures). We find that caught between ambition and reality, WTNV maintains a moderate and inclusive feminist stance, deploys survival tactics, keeps a low profile, and continues to advocate feminist ideas. This study offers feminist media scholars and practitioners insight into how political and cultural factors, organizational attributes and routines, and individual agency collectively shape feminist media in the Chinese context.
How Do Students Develop Creativity and Curiosity? The Role of Out-of-School Activities
Authors: Zhang (张静) Jing , Fan (范舒茗) Shuming , Huang (黄忠敬) Zhongjing
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the degree to which students’ participation in out-of-school activities promotes their curiosity and creativity. In doing so, this study addresses the question of whether various out-of-school activities function differently in the development of students’ curiosity and creativity.

Design/Approach/Methods

This study sampled 3,647 students for the younger cohort and 3,621 students for the older cohort from the city of Suzhou, China.

Findings

Both younger and older students who participated in artistic activities and sports consistently rated their creativity and curiosity higher than those who did not. After controlling for family socio-economic status and gender, students’ participation in outdoor socially-oriented activities (e.g., meeting with friends outside school) and indoor activities (e.g., reading books) contributed to the development of creativity and curiosity. In contrast, participation in Internet-based activities negatively predicts adolescents’ creativity and curiosity.

Originality/Value

Creativity and curiosity are related to students’ academic performance and future success. Therefore, cultivating students’ creativity and curiosity should be of interest to educators and policymakers. This study examines the roles of different out-of-school activities on students’ creativity and curiosity, revealing a potential path for educators.
Primary Versus Revision ACL Reconstruction Using Quadriceps Autograft: A Matched-Control Cohort Study
Authors: Meena Amit , Farinelli Luca , Hoser Christian , Abermann Elisabeth , Hepperger Caroline , Patralekh Mohit Kumar , Herbort Mirco , Fink Christian
Published: February 2024

Background:

The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is increasing, and quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft is gaining popularity for both primary and revision ACL reconstruction.

Purpose:

To evaluate the differences in the patient-reported functional outcomes, concomitant injuries, and graft failure in primary versus revision ACL surgery using QT autograft.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 376 patients with primary ACL reconstruction and 138 patients with revision ACL reconstruction were retrospectively retrieved from a prospectively collected ACL registry. A minimally invasive technique was used for QT autograft harvesting. The surgical procedure and rehabilitation protocol were identical in both groups. To maintain a homogeneous cohort for the study, the groups were matched by age, sex, and preinjury outcome scores (Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity level, and visual analog scale [VAS] for pain). Initial baseline assessments of outcome scores were compared with scores collected at the 2-year postoperative mark.

Results:

The mean age of the primary group and revision group was 32.9 ± 10.2 years (range, 18-55 years) and 32.3 ± 9.9 years (range, 19-55 years) respectively. Significant preinjury to postoperative improvements were noted in Lysholm (88.2 ± 16.4 vs 83.5 ± 15.0; P = .007) and VAS pain (0.9 ± 1.3 vs 1.5 ± 1.6; P = .001) scores after primary ACL reconstruction compared with revision reconstruction. However, no significant difference was found in Tegner activity level (6.7 ± 1.8 vs 5.9 ± 1.8; P > .430). Primary ACL injury was associated with significantly higher concomitant medial collateral ligament injuries ( P = .019), while the revision group was associated with significantly higher concomitant cartilage ( P = .001) and meniscal ( P = .003) injuries. A significantly higher graft failure rate was noted in the revision group compared with the primary ACL reconstruction group (13.0% vs 5.6%; P = .005).

Conclusion:

Both primary and revision ACL reconstruction with QT autograft had acceptable functional outcomes. The primary group had better outcomes than the revision group, possibly due to the lower prevalence of meniscal and cartilage injuries in the primary group compared with the revision group. The revision group was associated with higher graft failure than the primary group. QT autograft is a viable graft choice for both primary and revision ACL reconstruction.
Determining Safe Working Hours of Wearing Medical Disposable Protective Clothing From Physiological Thermal Limits: A Pilot Study
Authors: Li Jian , Cui Xinwen , Huang Qianqian , Li Jun
Published: February 2024

Despite the mandatory use of medical disposable protective clothing to protect against infectious hazards, how to determine optimal safe working hours induced by physical fatigue while wearing medical disposable protective clothing remains unknown. Driven by these questions, here we quantify the extent of physical fatigue experienced by medical staff wearing medical disposable protective clothings in isolation wards to identify a safe work duration. Eight healthy males were subjected to light (2.1 km/h) and moderate (4.3 km/h) treadmill exercises while wearing two different ensembles. Four physiological (tympanic temperature Tcore, mean skin temperature Tsk, heart rate, and sweat loss) and two subjective indicators (thermal sensation and humidity sensation) were measured. We then introduced a discrete gray model(1,1) to determine safe working hours. The study indicated that even at lower temperatures, prolonged wearing of medical disposable protective clothing could significantly affect physiological indicators such as Tcore and Tsk ( p < 0.001), with Tcore being the predominant factor limiting safe working hours. Regarding medical disposable protective clothing-1-light, medical disposable protective clothing-1-moderate, medical disposable protective clothing-2-light, and medical disposable protective clothing-2-moderate intensity activities, the safe working hours were 6.33, 2.83, 2.83, and 2.25 h. This article presented a new approach to determining safe working hours for wearing medical disposable protective clothing from physiological thermal limits with small sample data. However, this is a preliminary study, and further validation of the prediction model through additional experiments is necessary.
Porphyry and skarn Cu prospectivity of Sumatra with GIS spatial modelling techniques
Authors: Mulja Thomas , Heriawan Mohamad Nur , Hawu Hede Arie Naftali
Published: February 2024

Although Sumatra Island hosts only one mid-sized, economically viable porphyry Cu deposit and a few exploited Cu-rich polymetallic skarns, studies indicate that more Cu resources remain to be discovered. This contribution integrated geochemical, structural, and relief evidential layers with the fuzzy logic- and weights-of-evidence (WoE) methods to produce mineral prospectivity maps that show a strong correlation between the generated favourable areas and the existing porphyry and skarn Cu prospects, as well as potentially new exploration districts throughout Sumatra. Moreover, a local singularity fractal map of Cu-enriched zones reduces the proposed target areas and cross-validates the results of the fuzzy model. The inclusion of relief data in the modelling filters out signal noise arising from other evidential layers and overcomes the over-fitting issue encountered in the model that excluded a relief map. The resulting Cu potential maps can thus be used as base maps for regional porphyry and skarn Cu exploration.
The relationship of fat and muscle measurements with emphysema and bronchial wall thickening in smokers
Authors: Bunk Stijn A.O. , Ipema Jetty , Sidorenkov Grigory , Bennink Edwin , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn , de Jong Pim A. , Pompe Esther , Charbonnier Jean-Paul , Luijk Bart H.D. , Aerts Joachim , Groen Harry J.M. , Mohamed Hoesein Firdaus A.A.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Differences in body composition in patients with COPD may have important prognostic value and may provide opportunities for patient-specific management. We investigated the relation of thoracic fat and muscle with computed tomography (CT)-measured emphysema and bronchial wall thickening.

Methods

Low-dose baseline chest CT scans from 1031 male lung cancer screening participants from one site were quantified for emphysema, bronchial wall thickening, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat and skeletal muscle. Body composition measurements were performed by segmenting the first slice above the aortic arch using Hounsfield unit thresholds with region growing and manual corrections. COPD presence and severity were evaluated with pre-bronchodilator spirometry testing.

Results

Participants had a median age of 61.5 years (58.6–65.6, 25th–75th percentile) and median number of 38.0 pack-years (28.0–49.5); 549 (53.2%) were current smokers. Overall, 396 (38.4%) had COPD (256 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 1, 140 GOLD 2–3). Participants with COPD had less subcutaneous fat, visceral fat and skeletal muscle (p<0.001 for all). With increasing GOLD stages, subcutaneous (p=0.005) and visceral fat values (p=0.004) were higher, and skeletal muscle was lower (p=0.004). With increasing severity of CT-derived emphysema, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat and skeletal muscle values were lower (p<0.001 for all). With increasing CT-derived bronchial wall thickness, subcutaneous and visceral fat values were higher (p<0.001 for both), without difference in skeletal muscle. All statistical relationships remained when adjusted for age, pack-years and smoking status.

Conclusion

COPD presence and emphysema severity are associated with smaller amounts of thoracic fat and muscle, whereas bronchial wall thickening is associated with fat accumulation.
Upper-limb intervalversusconstant-load exercise in patients with COPD: a physiological crossover study
Authors: Paneroni Mara , Vogiatzis Ioannis , Cavicchia Alessandro , Salvi Beatrice , Bertacchini Laura , Venturelli Massimo , Vitacca Michele
Published: February 2024

Objective

Upper-limb exercise is recommended for patients with COPD, albeit there are limited data concerning the optimal modality to implement. We compared interval (INT-EX) to continuous (CONT-EX) upper-limb exercise in terms of exercise tolerance, ventilatory and metabolic responses when both conditions were sustained at an equivalent work rate.

Methods

26 stable COPD patients undertook three upper-limb exercise sessions to initially establish peak work rate (PWR)viaan incremental exercise test and subsequently two equivalent work rate tests to the limit tolerance in balanced order: 1) INT-EX consisting of 30-s work at 100% PWR interspersed with 30-s work at 40% of PWR; and 2) CONT-EX at 70% PWR.

Results

20 patients (76.9%) had longer tolerance during INT-EX, while six out of 26 (23.1%) exhibited longer tolerance during CONT-EX. The average endurance time was 434.1±184.7 and 315.7±128.7 s for INT-EX and CONT-EX, respectively. During INT-EX at isotime (i.e.when work completed was the same between INT-EX and CONT-EX), the majority of patients manifested lower oxygen uptake, minute ventilation, pulmonary hyperinflation, heart rate, symptoms and higher CO2blood concentration. Patients with longer INT-EX had a lower comorbidity score (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale: 1.58±0.30versus1.88±0.29, p=0.0395) and better-preserved lung function (forced vital capacity 84.7±15.31%versus67.67±20.56%, p=0.0367; forced expiratory volume in 1 s 57.15±14.59versus44.67±12.99% predicted, p=0.0725) compared to patients with longer CONT-EX.

Conclusion

INT-EX is more sustainable than CONT-EX for the majority of COPD patients with moderate obstruction, leading to lower dynamic hyperinflation and symptoms at isotime. Further studies need to define the benefits of its application during pulmonary rehabilitation.
ClusTrast: a short read de novo transcript isoform assembler guided by clustered contigs
Authors: Westrin Karl Johan , Kretzschmar Warren W. , Emanuelsson Olof
Published: February 2024

Background

Transcriptome assembly from RNA-sequencing data in species without a reliable reference genome has to be performed de novo, but studies have shown that de novo methods often have inadequate ability to reconstruct transcript isoforms. We address this issue by constructing an assembly pipeline whose main purpose is to produce a comprehensive set of transcript isoforms.

Results

We present the de novo transcript isoform assembler ClusTrast, which takes short read RNA-seq data as input, assembles a primary assembly, clusters a set of guiding contigs, aligns the short reads to the guiding contigs, assembles each clustered set of short reads individually, and merges the primary and clusterwise assemblies into the final assembly. We tested ClusTrast on real datasets from six eukaryotic species, and showed that ClusTrast reconstructed more expressed known isoforms than any of the other tested de novo assemblers, at a moderate reduction in precision. For recall, ClusTrast was on top in the lower end of expression levels (<15% percentile) for all tested datasets, and over the entire range for almost all datasets. Reference transcripts were often (35–69% for the six datasets) reconstructed to at least 95% of their length by ClusTrast, and more than half of reference transcripts (58–81%) were reconstructed with contigs that exhibited polymorphism, measuring on a subset of reliably predicted contigs. ClusTrast recall increased when using a union of assembled transcripts from more than one assembly tool as primary assembly.

Conclusion

We suggest that ClusTrast can be a useful tool for studying isoforms in species without a reliable reference genome, in particular when the goal is to produce a comprehensive transcriptome set with polymorphic variants.
Multi-label classification with XGBoost for metabolic pathway prediction
Authors: Joe Hyunwhan , Kim Hong-Gee
Published: February 2024

Background

Metabolic pathway prediction is one possible approach to address the problem in system biology of reconstructing an organism’s metabolic network from its genome sequence. Recently there have been developments in machine learning-based pathway prediction methods that conclude that machine learning-based approaches are similar in performance to the most used method, PathoLogic which is a rule-based method. One issue is that previous studies evaluated PathoLogic without taxonomic pruning which decreases its performance.

Results

In this study, we update the evaluation results from previous studies to demonstrate that PathoLogic with taxonomic pruning outperforms previous machine learning-based approaches and that further improvements in performance need to be made for them to be competitive. Furthermore, we introduce mlXGPR, a XGBoost-based metabolic pathway prediction method based on the multi-label classification pathway prediction framework introduced from mlLGPR. We also improve on this multi-label framework by utilizing correlations between labels using classifier chains. We propose a ranking method that determines the order of the chain so that lower performing classifiers are placed later in the chain to utilize the correlations between labels more. We evaluate mlXGPR with and without classifier chains on single-organism and multi-organism benchmarks. Our results indicate that mlXGPR outperform other previous pathway prediction methods including PathoLogic with taxonomic pruning in terms of hamming loss, precision and F1 score on single organism benchmarks.

Conclusions

The results from our study indicate that the performance of machine learning-based pathway prediction methods can be substantially improved and can even outperform PathoLogic with taxonomic pruning.
Genome-wide identification and transcriptome profiling expression analysis of the U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase gene family related to abiotic stress in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Liu Yongle , Li Changgen , Qin Aokang , Deng Wenli , Chen Rongrong , Yu Hongyang , Wang Yihua , Song Jianbo , Zeng Liming
Published: February 2024

Background

The U-box gene family encodes E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in plant hormone signaling pathways and abiotic stress responses. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive analysis of the U-box gene family in maize (Zea mays L.) and its responses to abiotic stress.

Results

In this study, 85 U-box family proteins were identified in maize and were classified into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis. In addition to the conserved U-box domain, we identified additional functional domains, including Pkinase, ARM, KAP and Tyr domains, by analyzing the conserved motifs and gene structures. Chromosomal localization and collinearity analysis revealed that gene duplications may have contributed to the expansion and evolution of the U-box gene family. GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified a total of 105 GO terms and 21 KEGG pathways that were notably enriched, including ubiquitin-protein transferase activity, ubiquitin conjugating enzyme activity and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathway. Tissue expression analysis showed that some ZmPUB genes were specifically expressed in certain tissues and that this could be due to their functions. In addition, RNA-seq data for maize seedlings under salt stress revealed 16 stress-inducible plant U-box genes, of which 10 genes were upregulated and 6 genes were downregulated. The qRT-PCR results for genes responding to abiotic stress were consistent with the transcriptome analysis. Among them, ZmPUB13, ZmPUB18, ZmPUB19 and ZmPUB68 were upregulated under all three abiotic stress conditions. Subcellular localization analysis showed that ZmPUB19 and ZmPUB59 were located in the nucleus.

Conclusions

Overall, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the U-box gene family in maize and its responses to abiotic stress, suggesting that U-box genes play an important role in the stress response and providing insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the response to abiotic stress in maize.
Gut microbiota composition and changes in patients with sepsis: potential markers for predicting survival
Authors: Luan Feiyu , Zhou Yang , Ma Xiaohui , Li Yue , Peng Yahui , Jia Xiaonan , Li Nana , Wang Xibo , Luo Yinghao , Man Mingyin , Zhang Qianqian , Wang Chunying , Yu Kaijiang , Zhao Mingyan , Wang Changsong
Published: February 2024

Background

Sepsis can cause immune dysregulation and multiple organ failure in patients and eventually lead to death. The gut microbiota has demonstrated its precise therapeutic potential in the treatment of various diseases. This study aimed to discuss the structural changes of the gut microbiota in patients with sepsis and to analyze the differences in the gut microbiota of patients with different prognoses.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter study in which rectal swab specimens were collected on the first and third days of sepsis diagnosis. A total of 70 specimens were collected, and gut microbiota information was obtained by 16S rRNA analysis.

Results

The relative abundance of Enterococcus decreased in rectal swab specimens during the first three days of diagnosis in patients with sepsis, while the relative abundance of inflammation-associated Bacillus species such as Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and Bacteroidetes increased. By comparing the differences in the flora of the survival group and the death group, we found that the abundance of Veillonella and Ruminococcus in the death group showed an increasing trend (p < 0.05), while the abundance of Prevotella_6 and Prevotella_sp_S4_BM14 was increased in surviving patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, reflecting overall gut microbial composition, was significantly lower on day three of sepsis diagnosis. Changes in the abundance of specific gut microbiota may serve as prognostic markers in patients with sepsis.
Disseminated Nocardia nova in a child with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report
Authors: Arahirwa Victor , Thahir Sahal , Hernandez Lauren , Willis Zachary Inskeep
Published: February 2024

Background

Nocardiosis is a rare infection that typically results from inhalation of or inoculation with Nocardia organisms. It may cause invasive disease in immunocompromised patients. This case describes nocardiosis with bacteremia and pulmonary involvement in a child with a hematologic malignancy.

Case presentation

A boy with testicular relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia with marrow involvement presented with sudden onset of fever, body aches, headaches, chills, and moderate respiratory distress during continuation 2 chemotherapy. Radiographic imaging demonstrated consolidation and ground glass opacities in bilateral lower lungs. Central line blood cultures grew Nocardia nova complex, prompting removal of the central line and initiation of triple therapy with imipenem-cilastatin, linezolid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with rapid improvement of symptoms. Antibiotic susceptibilities showed a multidrug-susceptible isolate. The patient is anticipated to remain on trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for at least 12 months.

Conclusions

In an immunocompromised child, blood cultures, chest imaging, and head imaging can aid in the diagnosis of disseminated nocardiosis. Long-term antibiotic therapy is necessary, guided by the organism and simplified with the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
A multicentric, single arm, open-label, phase I/II study evaluating PSMA targeted radionuclide therapy in adult patients with metastatic clear cell renal cancer (PRadR)
Authors: Kryza David , Vinceneux Armelle , Bidaux Anne-Sophie , Garin Gwenaelle , Tatu Delphine , Cropet Claire , Badel Jean-Noël , Perol David , Giraudet Anne-Laure
Published: February 2024

Background

Despite advancements in managing metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma (mccRCC) through antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy, there remains a demand for novel treatments for patients experiencing progression despite the use of these medications. There is currently no established standard treatment for patients receiving third therapy line. Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) whose high expression has been demonstrated in metastatic aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma is also highly expressed in neovessels of various solid tumors including renal cell carcinoma (RCC): 86% of clear cell RCC, 61% of chromophobe RCC, and 28% of papillary RCC. Therefore, PSMA may be a target expressed in metastatic ccRCC for radionuclide therapy using PSMA ligands radiolabeled with Lutetium-177 (PRLT). 177Lu-PSMA delivers ß-particle radiation to PSMA-expressing cells and the surrounding microenvironment with demonstrated efficacy in metastatic prostate cancer.

Methods

This is a multicenter phase I/II study designed to assess the tolerability and effectiveness of 177Lu-PSMA-1 in individuals with PSMA-positive metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), identified through 68Ga-PSMA PET, conducted in France (PRadR). 48 patients will be treated with 4 cycles of 7.4 GBq of 177Lu-PSMA-1 every 6 weeks. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of 177Lu-PSMA-1 (phase I) and the efficacy of 177Lu-PSMA-1 in mccRCC patients (phase II). Primary endpoints are incidence of Severe Toxicities (ST) occurring during the first cycle (i.e. 6 first weeks) and disease Control Rate after 24 weeks of treatment (DCR24w) as per RECIST V1.1. Secondary objective is to further document the clinical activity of 177Lu-PSMA-1 in mccRCC patients (duration of response (DoR), best overall response rate (BORR), progression fee survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Discussion

Our prospective study may lead to new potential indications for the use of 177Lu-PSMA-1 in mccRCC patients and should confirm the efficacy and safety of this radionuclide therapy with limited adverse events. The use of 177Lu-PSMA-1may lead to increase disease control, objective response rate and the quality of life in mccRCC patients.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06059014.
Short-term exposure to extreme temperature and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases among children in the northern city of China: a time-series study
Authors: Wu Ya , Liu Xiaobo , Gao Lijie , Sun Xiaohong , Hong Qianqi , Wang Qian , Kang Zhen , Yang Chao , Zhu Sui
Published: February 2024

Background

Although studies have indicated that extreme temperature is strongly associated with respiratory diseases, there is a dearth of studies focused on children, especially in China. We aimed to explore the association between extreme temperature and children’s outpatient visits for respiratory diseases and seasonal modification effects in Harbin, China.

Methods

A distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to explore the effect of extreme temperature on daily outpatient visits for respiratory diseases among children, as well as lag effects and seasonal modification effects.

Results

Extremely low temperatures were defined as the 1st percentile and 2.5th percentile of temperature. Extremely high temperatures were defined as the 97.5th percentile and 99th percentile of temperature. At extremely high temperatures, both 26 °C (97.5th) and 27 °C (99th) showed adverse effects at lag 0–6 days, with relative risks (RRs) of 1.34 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21–1.48] and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.24–1.53), respectively. However, at extremely low temperatures, both − 26 °C (1st) and − 23 °C (2.5th) showed protective effects on children’s outpatient visits for respiratory diseases at lag 0–10 days, with RRs of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.76–0.97) and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.75–0.95), respectively. We also found seasonal modification effects, with the association being stronger in the warm season than in the cold season at extremely high temperatures.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that extremely hot temperatures increase the risk of children’s outpatient visits for respiratory diseases. Efforts to reduce the exposure of children to extremely high temperatures could potentially alleviate the burden of pediatric respiratory diseases, especially during the warm season.
Associations of triglyceride-glucose index with hyperuricemia among Royal Thai Army personnel
Authors: Lertsakulbunlue Sethapong , Sangkool Tanatip , Bhuriveth Varathpavee , Mungthin Mathirut , Rangsin Ram , Kantiwong Anupong , Sakboonyarat Boonsub
Published: February 2024

Background

Hyperuricemia has placed an immense burden on the global healthcare system. Studies have discovered a close correlation between serum uric acid (SUA) and insulin resistance (IR). The objective of this investigation is to examine the association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a simple surrogate for IR, and the presence of hyperuricemia.

Methods

Between 2017 and 2021, an epidemiologic study was conducted on Royal Thai Army (RTA) personnel aged 35–60 years, involving a total of 231,286 participants. In the study, hyperuricemia was defined as a SUA level of 7 mg/dL and 6 mg/dL among male and female participants, respectively. Using linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis, the association between the TyG index and SUA was determined.

Results

A positive relationship was demonstrated between the TyG index and the SUA. Overall, SUA increased by 0.32 per unit of TyG index growth (95% CI: 0.31–0.32). In comparison with the first quartile, employees in the fourth TyG quartile had a greater likelihood of having hyperuricemia [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.45, 95% CI: 2.38–2.52]. Effect modification by obesity on the association between the TyG index and SUA was observed (P-interaction < 0.001). Among individuals with obesity, compared with the first TyG index quartile, the AOR for hyperuricemia was 2.15 (95% CI: 2.06–2.25) and 2.14 (95% CI: 1.81–2.53) for the fourth quartile of the TyG index for males and females, respectively. However, for nonobese personnel, in comparison to the top quartile of the TyG index, the AOR for hyperuricemia was 2.73 (95% CI:2.61–2.84) and 5.03 (95% CI: 4.03–6.29) for the fourth quartile of the TyG index for males and females, respectively. Personnel in the fourth TyG index quartile revealed that the prevalence of hyperuricemia reached 44.2%.

Conclusion

A robust positive association between the TyG index and SUA was illustrated among active-duty RTA personnel. Obesity was identified as a modifier influencing this relationship. Furthermore, individuals in the fourth quarter of the TyG index, regardless of their obesity status, could be considered appropriate candidates for screening SUA levels.