bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of methane emission from the risers of urban gas network in the metropolis of Mashhad and evaluation of its economic and environmental effects
Authors: Parastesh HamidReza , Ashrafi Khosro , Zahed Mohammad Ali
Published: May 2022

Background: It is evident that leakage through pipelines, especially in areas where environmentally sensitive can cause many threats to the creatures that live on the earth. Methane gas has a relatively stronger effect on global warming than carbon dioxide thus the identification and prevention of long-term leaks is also of particular importance. Therefore, the current study was designed to estimate methane gas leaks from Mashhad gas risers and investigate the environmental and economic impacts.Methods: This study was conducted in the form of cross-sectional and aiming analytical-descriptive in all 8 town gas zones of Mashhad (2021). The total stages of this study include: 1) computing the numbers of town gas risers of Mashhad and their ground variables (longevity of risers, service and user type of riser, urban zones, and etc.). 2) Computing the number of risers which have leakage. 3) Determining the sample size and method of sampling. 4) Checking the relationship between leakage and equipment/risers’ connections. 5) Estimating the relationship between the service life of the riser and leakage. 6) Determining the relationship between leakage rate and service type of riser (household, industrial and commercial). 7) The relationship between leakage rate and urban zones. 8) Determining the leak rate of the riser in different seasons. 9) Calculating the rate of the economic cost caused by methane leak. 10) Evaluating the environmental aspects of the gas leak.Results: There was no significant difference between the riser type and leakage rate. However, there was a significant difference between the leakage rate of the riser and urban zones, leakage rate and season, and leakage rate and service life of the riser. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one molecule of methane will increase heating by 28 to 36 times more than one molecule of carbon dioxide over a period of 100 years. Another effect of global warming that can have an adverse effect is to increase the water requirement of plants. By realizing the fact that the service life of the riser, urban zones, and season directly affects methane gas leak, thus a significant amount of gas leakage can be prevented widely by controlling the above items: which demonstrate its effects on the environmental and economic aspects over a long time. Other hands, the direct Methane's effect is global warming and the most important indirect effects include economic, social, cultural and climate changes, extinction of animal species, and human diseases.
Rapid re-establishment of an invasive bivalve following its apparent eradication
Authors: Cottingham Alan , Bossie Andrew , Maus Charles , Valesini Fiona , McDonald Justin I. , Tweedley James R.
Published: May 2022

The invasive mytilid Arcuatula senhousia was thought to be eradicated from the Swan-Canning Estuary in temperate Western Australia in 2000 following an unseasonal heavy rainfall event. The novel use of a drop camera survey at 2,037 sites throughout the lower estuary over a 15 day period in February 2019 demonstrated A. senhousia was present at 212 sites, representing >10% of those surveyed. The presence of A. senhousia was most prominent in the upper half of the estuary basin and the lower Canning River, with those 1,288 sites accounting for 98% of detections. Of those, 75 sites had percentage covers of A. senhousia of 0 – 25 %, 66 sites coverage of 25 – 50 %, 19 had 50 – 75% and 12 sites had coverages of >75%. While the vast majority of A. senhousia occurred at depths of 2 to 8 m, a small number of detections occurred at 1-2 m, where percentage coverage was always <50%. The use of simple drop camera was cost-effective and facilitated the collection of data at a fine spatial scale and was shown to be suitable for benthic species such as A. senhousia that form benthic matts and whose spatial distribution and abundance may change markedly and so be missed by less exhaustive sampling.
BMSC derived exosomes accelerate diabetic wound healing via circ-Snhg11 delivery
Authors: Tang Tao , Chen Linyi , Wang Chuang , Du Xiaolong , Ye Shenglin , Hu Nan , Chen Hong , Li Xiaoqiang
Published: May 2022

Background: Exosome (Exo) secreted by bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) enhances cutaneous wound healing in mouse with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the mechanism remains unclear. Methods: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was applied to study abnormal circular RNA (circRNA) expressions in ulcer tissues with or without Exo treatment. Bioinformatics and luciferase outputs were employed to verify interactional correlations amongst RNAs. EPCs cells were utilized to study the ROS under high glucose conditions by immunofluorescence. A DM ulceration mouse model was established and the therapeutic Exo effect was investigated through immunofluorescence. Results: Data showcased that Exo treatment significantly promoted cutaneous wound healing in mice with DM. NGS discovered that circ-Snhg11 functioned in Exo-mediated tissues repair. circ-Snhg11 downregulation reduced therapeutic effects regarding Exo upon wound healing in diabetic mice. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporting outcomes verified that both miR-144-3p and SLC7A11 were circ-Snhg11 downstream targets. SLC7A11 downregulation or miR-144-3p overexpression reversed protective effect regarding circ-Snhg11 on EPCs after exposure to a high glucose microenvironment. circ-Snhg11 upregulation increased the therapeutic Exo effect on wound healing in diabetic mice by stimulating angiogenesis and reducing GPX4-mediated ferroptosis. Furthermore, Exo circ-Snhg11 delivery promoted the miR-144-3p/SLC7A11/GPX4 signal. Conclusions: In conclusion, circ-Snhg11 from BMSC Exo promoted the SLC7A11/GPX4-mediated anti-ferroptosis signal by sponging miR-144-3p. This promoted angiopoiesis and accelerated diabetic wound healing.
Four algorithms for propositional forgetting
Authors: Liberatore Paolo
Published: May 2022

Four algorithms for propositional forgetting are compared. The first performs all possible resolutions and deletes the clauses containing a variable to forget. The second forgets a variable at time by resolving and then deleting all clauses that resolve on that variable. The third outputs the result of all possible linear resolutions on the variables to forget. The fourth generates a clause from the points of contradiction of a backtracking search. The latter emerges as the winner, with the second and first performing well in some cases. The linear resolution algorithm is inadequate, at least in the current implementation.
Prethermalization in confined spin chains
Authors: Birnkammer Stefan , Bastianello Alvise , Knap Michael
Published: May 2022

Unconventional nonequilibrium phases with restricted correlation spreading and slow entanglement growth have been proposed to emerge in systems with confined excitations, calling their thermalization dynamics into question. Here, we investigate the many-body dynamics of a confined Ising spin chain, in which domain walls in the ordered phase form bound states reminiscent of mesons. We show that the thermalization dynamics after a quantum quench exhibits multiple stages with well separated time scales. The system first relaxes towards a prethermal state, described by a Gibbs ensemble with conserved meson number. The prethermal state arises from rare events in which mesons are created in close vicinity, leading to an avalanche of scattering events. Only at much later times a true thermal equilibrium is achieved in which the meson number conservation is violated by a mechanism akin to the Schwinger effect.
Fore-Arm Rhabdomyosarcoma in Neurofibromatosis type 1: A unique case
Authors: Kakkar Vikas , (MS MRCS) Dheeraj Makkar
Published: May 2022

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the commonest soft sarcoma in kids, with alveolar and embryonal variants distinguishable by histopathology and, more significantly, molecular biology. RMS occurs intermittently in a substantial proportion of cases without a predisposing condition. Nevertheless, it is well established that certain hereditary factors enhance the likelihood of developing RMS. Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome, Gorlin syndrome, Costello, NF1, and Li Fraumeni syndromes are some of them. These syndromes present with RMS during childhood. A 47-year-old female with NF 1 discovered a lump in her right forearm one year prior to presentation. When the patient noticed ulceration on the swelling, she sought medical attention. A tumor was detected in the center of the right forearm via MRI, and it was suspected to be a cystic or myxoid soft-tissue tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma or a peripheral neural tumor. We classified the tumor as stage 4 due to axillary lymph node involvement and lung metastasis. Histopathology confirmed rhabdomyosarcoma. The patient then received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and her tumor went into remission. After confirming NF1 syndrome, we advise patients to adhere to the standard cancer screening protocol. The screening would assist in the earlier diagnosis of tumors, leading to a reduction in complications.
Anti-COX-2 Autoantibody is a Novel Marker of Immune Aplastic Anemia
Authors: Kelkka Tiina , Tyster Mikko , Lundgren Sofie , Feng Xingmin , Kerr Cassandra , Hosokawa Kohei , Huuhtanen Jani , Keränen Mikko , Kawakami Toru , Patel Bhavisha , Maeda Yuka , Nieminen Otso , Kasanen Tiina , Aronen Pasi , Yadav Bhagwan , Rajala Hanna , Nakazawa Hideyuki , Jaatinen Taina , Hellstrom-Lindberg Eva , Ogawa Seishi , Ishida Fumihiro , Nishikawa Hiroyoshi , Nakao Shinji , Maciejewski Jaroslaw , Young Neal S. , Mustjoki Satu
Published: May 2022

In immune aplastic anemia (IAA), severe pancytopenia results from the immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem cells. Several autoantibodies have been reported, but no clinically applicable autoantibody tests are available for IAA. We screened autoantibodies using a microarray containing > 9 000 proteins and validated the findings in a large international cohort of IAA patients (n = 405) and controls (n = 815). We identified a novel autoantibody that binds to the C-terminal end of cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2, aCOX-2 Ab). 37% of all adult IAA patients tested positive for aCOX-2 Ab, while only 1.7% of the controls were aCOX-2 Ab positive. Sporadic non-IAA aCOX-2 Ab positive cases were observed among patients with related bone marrow failure diseases, multiple sclerosis, and type I diabetes, whereas no aCOX-2 Ab seropositivity was detected in the healthy controls, in patients with non-autoinflammatory diseases or rheumatoid arthritis. In IAA, anti-COX-2 Ab positivity correlated with age and the HLA-DRB1*15:01 genotype. 83% of the > 40 years old IAA patients with HLA-DRB1*15:01 were anti-COX-2 Ab positive, indicating an excellent sensitivity in this group. aCOX-2 Ab positive IAA patients also presented lower platelet counts. Our results suggest that aCOX-2 Ab defines a distinct subgroup of IAA and may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool.
Determination of Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolic and Ascorbic Acid Contents of Some Fruits and Vegetables with an Electrochemical Approach
Authors: Koc Tugca Bilenler , Savan Ebru Kuyumcu , Karabulut Ihsan
Published: May 2022

The determination of antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents with high accuracy and efficiency, low cost, and fast methods has great analytical importance. The antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents of apricot, arugula, banana, cranberry, spinach, and strawberry were investigated with an electrochemical approach and their compatibility with conventional methods. Antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS and DPPH assays, total phenolic content was determined by the Folin Ciocalteu method, which are spectrophotometric techniques, and ascorbic acid was quantified by HPLC technique. In order to perform more sensitive and simultaneous measurements in electrochemical measurements, the surface of the glassy carbon electrode was modified by electropolymerization of p-toluene sulfonic acid (TSA/GCE). The TSA/GCE modified sensor was used for the first time for the determination of antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. The surface of the modified sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy. The TSA/GCE sensor was linearly correlated with the DPV technique for Trolox and gallic acid in 0.1 M NaNO3 and ascorbic acid in phosphate buffer solution pH 7.4 supporting electrolyte solution. Electrochemical methods have offered a promising alternative for the determination of antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content due to their simplicity, rapid response, low cost, sensitivity, and reproducibility.
Adaptation and Validation of the COVID-19 Stigma Instrument in Nurses:A Cross-sectional Survey
Authors: Huang Feifei , Chen Wei-Ti , Sun Wenxiu , Lin Meilian , Shiu Cheng-Shi , Zhang Lin , Lu Hongzhou
Published: May 2022

Background: Stigma is a prominent issue among nurses working with patients with infectious diseases, but the unavailability of validated measures of such stigma. The aim of our study was to adapt, modify, and validate the COVID-19 Stigma Instrument-Nurse -Version 3 (CSI-N-3) with both classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) analysis.Methods: We administered the scale to 249 eligible nurses who worked in a COVID-19 designed hospital in Shanghai, China. Results: The two-factor structure was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The 15-item CSI-N-3 achieved Cronbach's α of 0.64 to 0.84. Convergent validity was also demonstrated. In IRT analysis, the CSI-N-3 has ordered response thresholds, with the appropriate item difficulty and infit and outfit mean squares. Self-reported social support was the only factor influencing nurses' COVID-19 stigma (standardized coefficients β=-0.21). Conclusions: The CSI-N-3 is an instrument with sound psychometric properties that can be used to measure COVID-19 stigma during the COVID-19 outbreak or afterward among nurses.
Concerningly high breeding success rates for the European Starling after a recent invasion in the Neotropics
Authors: Jauregui Adrián , Gerstmayer Paula A. , Colombo Martín A. , Segura Luciano N.
Published: May 2022

The European Starling is a highly invasive passerine that recently started to expand throughout South America. Despite its negative impacts on the native fauna, there are no reports of its breeding success, the population recruitment rate, or the factors affecting its nest success in these recently invaded natural habitats. In this study we monitored 100 European Starling nests in a native forest of central-eastern Argentina, during the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 breeding seasons. We estimated the most common breeding parameters for the population (clutch size, number of fledglings, nest fate, nest survival) and measured nest-site features at different spatial scales to assess if they affected nest survival. Starlings used natural and woodpecker cavities, and nest initiation peak was in September. Successful nests produced ~ 3 fledglings and estimated nest success was 38%. Daily survival rates were negatively affected by nest-tree diameter at breast height. Nest survival was high compared to native cavity-nesting birds. Moreover, the breeding onset as soon as spring begins favors the successful occupancy of cavities by starlings. Here, we provide the first detailed information on the breeding parameters of the starling in South America, which is now available to help in the design of management programs. Given our results, in addition to their effective cavity usurpation behavior, we believe starlings represent a serious threat for endangered native cavity-nesting species and need to be controlled.
Comparison of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in COVID-19 Myocarditis and Nonspecific Viral Myocarditis
Authors: Altay Sedat , Sinci Kazım Ayberk , Bayraktar Ezgi Suat , Ozdemir Emre , Gümüş Cesur
Published: May 2022

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare laboratory, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) findings in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) associated myocarditis and nonspecific viral myocarditis (NSVM).METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 25 patients who were considered to have COVID-19-associated myocarditis according to the Lake-Louise criteria and clinical findings. We retrospectively evaluated 41 patients who were accepted as NSVM according to the Lake Louse criteria between January 2016 and March 2020. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), ejection fraction, stroke volume, peak ejection rate, and cardiac index data were analyzed for two groups. Echocardiography findings and clinical data were evaluated. Comparisons were made one-way analysis of variance and Student's t-test.RESULTS: LGE was detected in 25 (30%) patients with COVID-19 through CMR examination. LGE was detected most frequently in the inferior segments (mean 2.8 segments) in the patients. Pericardial thickening was observed in 8 (32%) patients. In the NSVM patients, LGE was observed only in the inferior segments in 25 patients, in the lateral–inferior segments in 10 patients, and the septal–inferior segments in 6 patients (mean of 2.4 segments). Pericardial thickening was present in 14 (34%) patients. T2 hyperintensity was not observed. Echocardiography findings were within normal limits in myocarditis groups. There was no statistically significant difference between myocarditis groups' CMR functional data (p = 0.027).CONCLUSION: Functional heart parameters and laboratory findings were similar and normal limits, and no significant difference was observed in imaging features and functional data ​​between NSVM and COVID-19-associated myocarditis.
Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) in China
Authors: Du Danchao , Zhu Li , Pu Zhanxu , Lu Lianming , Huang Zhendong
Published: May 2022

Satsuma mandarin is one of the most widely cultivated citrus in the world. In this study, we firstly presented the complete chloroplast genome of Satsuma mandarin by using BGISEQ-500 sequencing technology. The complete chloroplast genome of Satsuma mandarin is 160,699 bp in size, including a pair of inverted repeat regions of 26,990 bp, a large single copy region of 87,918 bp, and a small single copy region of 18,801 bp. The complete chloroplast genome of Satsuma mandarin contains 108 unique genes, including 75 protein coding genes, 29 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome showed that the relationship between Satsuma mandarin and citrus reticulate was the closest.
Curbing hydrological alterations in the Mekong--limits and opportunities of dam re-operation
Authors: Galelli Stefano , Dang Thanh , Ng Jia Yi , Chowdhury Kamal , Arias Mauricio
Published: May 2022

In rivers around the world, hydropower development has altered the seasonal hydrological regime, which drives key ecosystem services. Dam re-operation efforts that minimize hydrological alterations are, therefore, critical to biological conservation, particularly in the tropics, where dam development is still booming. Here, we identify the limits and opportunities of alternative dam management strategies in the Mekong, a biodiverse but rapidly developing river. We show that basin-wide efforts are needed to completely restore seasonal hydrological variability, probably an unfeasible solution in the Mekong's institutional landscape. Instead, re-operation efforts focused on the Lower Mekong could yield tangible opportunities for partially restoring key elements of hydrological variability while preserving hydropower production. In fact, changing production plans across a few critical dams could raise hydropower revenues by almost $150 million per year. Nexus solutions like this one are a concrete basis for safeguarding crucial economic interests and catalyzing sustainable river management in international rivers.
Sperm DNA methylome abnormalities occur both pre- and post-treatment in men with Hodgkin disease and testicular cancer
Authors: Chan Donovan , Klein Kathleen Oros , Riera-Escamilla Antoni , Krausz Csilla , O’Flaherty Cristian , Chan Peter , Robaire Bernard , Trasler Jacquetta
Published: May 2022

Background
Combination chemotherapy has contributed to increased survival from Hodgkin disease (HD) and testicular cancer (TC). However, questions concerning the quality of spermatozoa after treatment have arisen. While studies have shown evidence of DNA damage and aneuploidy in spermatozoa years following anticancer treatment, the sperm epigenome has received little attention. Our objectives here were to determine the impact of HD and TC, as well as their treatments, on sperm DNA methylation. Semen samples were collected from community controls (CC) and from men undergoing treatment for HD or TC, both before initiation of chemotherapy and at multiple times post-treatment. Sperm DNA methylation was assessed using genome-wide and locus-specific approaches.
Results
Imprinted gene methylation was not affected in the sperm of HD or TC men, before or after treatment. Prior to treatment, using Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450K) arrays, a subset of 500 probes was able to distinguish sperm samples from TC, HD and CC subjects; differences between groups persisted post-treatment. Comparing altered sperm methylation between HD or TC patients versus CC men, twice as many sites were affected in TC versus HD men; for both groups, the most affected CpGs were hypomethylated. For TC patients, the promoter region of GDF2 contained the largest region of differential methylation. To assess alterations in DNA methylation over time/post-chemotherapy, serial samples from individual patients were compared. With restriction landmark genome scanning and 450K array analyses, some patients who underwent chemotherapy showed increased alterations in DNA methylation, up to two to three years post-treatment, when compared to the CC cohort. Similarly, a higher resolution human sperm-specific assay that includes assessment of environmentally-sensitive regions, or “dynamic sites”, also demonstrated persistently altered sperm DNA methylation in cancer patients post-treatment and suggested preferential susceptibility of “dynamic” CpG sites.
Conclusions
Distinct sperm DNA methylation signatures were present pre-treatment in men with HD and TC and may help explain increases in birth defects reported in recent clinical studies. Epigenetic defects in spermatozoa of some cancer survivors were evident even up to two years post-treatment. Abnormalities in the sperm epigenome both pre- and post-chemotherapy may contribute to detrimental effects on future reproductive health.
Response of Reinforced Concrete Box Girders Strengthened with composite Materials
Authors: Shaheen Yousry B.I. , Eltaly Boshra , Henish Amany
Published: May 2022

The current research includes the results of a practical and numerical program to determine the best way to enhance the behavior of RC box beams where the practical program relied on casting and testing 15 samples under bending. The factors that were taken into account were the use of ferrocement laminate at the tensile side or in the form of a U-shape, the number of meshes, as well as its type (welded or expanded) and the use of composite materials (CFRP, GFR). For composite materials, the strengthening was carried out in different ways, where it was applied at the tensile side only and wrapping the composite material around the web like a U-shape along the total beam’s length or as strips with different sizes and spacing. The outcomes showed that the girders strengthened by 4 GFRP and 1 CFRP layers as a U-shaped have the highest service load and ultimate load.
Smoothing Target Encoding and Class Center-Based Firefly Algorithm for Handling Missing Values in Categorical Variable
Authors: Nugroho Heru , Utama Nugraha Priya , Surendro Kridanto
Published: May 2022

One of the most common causes of incompleteness is missing data, which occurs when no data value for the variables in observation is stored. These common occurrences significantly affect the conclusions obtained from the specific data. An adaptive approach model outperforming other numerical methods in the classification problem was developed using the class center-based Firefly algorithm. This was accomplished by incorporating attribute correlations into the imputation process (C3FA). However, this model has not been tested on categorical data, which is essential in the preprocessing stage. This is because most machine learning algorithms only consider numerical variables. For processing, encoding is used to convert text or Boolean values into numeric parameters, and the target method is often utilized. This method uses target variable information to encode categorical data. However, it carries the risk of overfitting and inaccuracy within the infrequent categories. Therefore, this study aims to use the smoothing target encoding (STE) method to perform the imputation process by combining C3FA and standard deviation (STD). It also aimed to compare several methods for categorical data, such as mode imputation, DT imputation, and C3FA. The results on the tic tac toe dataset showed that the proposed method (STE + C3FA-STD) produced AUC, CA, F1-Score, precision, and recall values of 0.939, 0.882, 0.881, 0.881, and 0.882, respectively, based on the evaluation using the kNN classifier.
Reduced sensitivity of commercial Spike-specific antibody assays after primary infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant
Authors: Springer David Niklas , Perkmann Thomas , Jani Claudia , Mucher Patrick , Prüger Katja , Marculescu Rodrig , Reuberger Elisabeth , Camp Jeremy Vann , Graninger Marianne , Borsodi Christian , Deutsch Josef , Lammel Oliver , Aberle Stephan Walter , Puchhammer-Stöckl Elisabeth , Haslacher Helmuth , Höltl Eva , Aberle Judith Helene , Stiasny Karin , Weseslindtner Lukas
Published: May 2022

ObjectivesThe SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is characterized by substantial changes in the antigenic structure of the Spike (S) protein. Therefore, antibodies induced by primary Omicron infection lack neutralizing activity against earlier variants. In this study, we analyzed whether these antigenic changes impact the sensitivity of commercial anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays. MethodsSera from 37 unvaccinated, convalescent individuals after primary Omicron infection were tested with a panel of 20 commercial anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoassays. As controls, we used samples from 43 individuals after primary infection with the SARS-CoV-2 ancestral wildtype strain. In addition, variant-specific live-virus neutralization assays were used as a reference for the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in the samples. Results Notably, in Omicron convalescents, there was a statistically significant reduction in the sensitivity of all antibody assays containing S or its receptor-binding-domain (RBD) as antigens. Furthermore, antibody levels quantified by these assays displayed a weaker correlation with Omicron-specific neutralizing antibody titers than with those against the wildtype. In contrast, the sensitivity of nucleocapsid-protein-specific immunoassays was similar in wildtype and Omicron-infected subjects. ConclusionsIn summary, the antigenic changes in the Omicron S lead to reduced detection rates in commercial S- and RBD-specific antibody assays, impairing their diagnostic performance.
Identifying Soil Erosion Hotspot Area Using GIS and MCDA Techniques, Case Study of Dengora and Meno Watersheds in Belesa Woredas, Amhara Region
Authors: Munye Kefale , Sintayehu Gashaw , Belayneh Alemshet , Mulat Chalachew
Published: May 2022

In Ethiopia soil erosion and land degradation has become a key issue, because of roughed and steep slope topography that soil erosion become accelerating. The main objective of this study was to identify soil erosion hotspot areas in Dengora and Meno watersheds using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) techniques. To achieve such objective RUSLE model was used to estimate potential soil losses by utilizing information on Soil, land use/cover, topography, and climatic data. MCDA technique considered land use, soil type, topographic wetness index, stream power index and potential location of gullies. The factors were weighted using pair-wise comparison matrix and weights were combined using Weighted Overlay. Based on RUSLE model, the average annual soil loss of Dengora and Meno watersheds were reaches up to 223.97and 256.09-ton ha-1yr-1 respectively. In Dengora watershed 70.4%, 18.7%, 10.74% and 0.14% and Meno watershed 76%, 16.54%, 7.3% and 0.14% of the total watershed area slightly, moderately, highly and very highly sensitive to soil erosion respectively. On the other hand, GIS based MCDA technique reveals that in Dengora watershed 9.7%, 64.5%, 18% and 7.8% and Meno watershed 6.1%, 71.3%, 23.23% and 0.375% of the total watershed area was highly, moderately, slightly and currently not sensitive to soil erosion respectively. Based on validation, field level observation, MCDA model prediction was more accurate than RUSLE. Both of the watersheds were at moderate risk. Bottomlands of the watersheds under were highly sensitive areas for erosion. Therefore, immediate attention for soil and water conservation practices.
Over supplementation with vitamin B12 alters microbe-host interactions in the gut leading to accelerated Citrobacter rodentium colonization and pathogenesis in mice
Authors: Forgie Andrew J. , Pepin Deanna M. , Ju Tingting , Tollenaar Stephanie L. , Sergi Consolato M. , Gruenheid Samantha , Willing Benjamin P.
Published: May 2022

Background: Vitamin B12 supplements typically contain doses that far exceed the recommended daily amount, and high exposures are generally considered safe. Competitive and syntrophic interactions for B12 exist between microbes in the gut. Yet, to what extent excessive levels contributes to the activities of the gut microbiota remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of B12 on microbial ecology using a B12 supplemented mouse model with Citrobacter rodentium, a mouse-specific pathogen. Mice were fed a standard chow diet and received either water or water supplemented with B12 (cyanocobalamin: ~120 mg/day), which equates to approximately 25 mg in humans. Infection severity was determined by body weight, pathogen load, and histopathologic scoring. Host biomarkers of inflammation were assessed in the colon before and after the pathogen challenge.Results: Cyanocobalamin supplementation enhanced pathogen colonization at day 1 (P < 0.05) and day 3 (P < 0.01) post-infection. The impact of B12 on gut microbial communities, although minor, was distinct and attributed to the changes in the Lachnospiraceae populations and reduced alpha diversity. Cyanocobalamin treatment disrupted the activity of the low-abundance community members of the gut microbiota. It enhanced the amount of interleukin-12 p40 subunit protein (IL12/23p40; P < 0.001) and interleukin-17a (IL-17A; P < 0.05) in the colon of naïve mice. This immune phenotype was microbe-dependent, and the response varied based on the baseline microbiota. The cecal metatranscriptome revealed that excessive cyanocobalamin decreased the expression of glucose utilizing genes by C. rodentium, a metabolic attribute previously associated with pathogen virulence.Conclusions: Oral vitamin B12 supplementation promoted C. rodentium colonization in mice by altering the activities of the Lachnospiraceae populations in the gut. A lower abundance of select Lachnospiraceae species correlated to higher p40 subunit levels, while the detection of Parasutterella exacerbated inflammatory markers in the colon of naïve mice. The B12-induced change in gut ecology enhanced the ability of C. rodentium colonization by impacting key microbe-host interactions that help with pathogen exclusion. This research provides insight into how B12 impacts the gut microbiota and highlights potential consequences of disrupting microbial B12 competition/sharing through over-supplementation.
PTPAMP: Prediction Tool for Plant-derived Antimicrobial Peptides
Authors: Jaiswal Mohini , Singh Ajeet , Kumar Shailesh
Published: May 2022

The emergence of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics has led to the development of efficient computational methods for predicting AMPs. Amongst all organisms, the presence of multiple genes encoding AMPs in plants demands development of a plant-based prediction tool. To this end, we developed models based on multiple peptide features like amino acid composition, dipeptide composition, and physicochemical attributes for predicting plant-derived AMPs. The selected compositional models are integrated in a web server termed PTPAMP. The designed web server is capable to classify a query peptide sequence into four functional activities i.e. antimicrobial (AMP), antibacterial (ABP), antifungal (AFP), and antiviral (AVP). PTPAMP achieved an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.95, 0.91, 0.85, and 0.88 for AMP, ABP, AFP, and AVP, respectively on benchmark datasets, which were ~ 6.75% higher than the state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, our analysis indicates the abundance of cysteine residue in plant-derived AMPs and distribution of other residues like G, S, K, and R which differs as per the peptide structural family. Finally, the developed web server is made user-friendly and presently available at http://www.nipgr.ac.in/PTPAMP/. We expect the substantial input of this predictor for high throughput identification of plant-derived AMPs followed by the additional insights into their functions.
Isolation and In silico prediction of potential drug-like compounds with a new dimeric prenylated quinolone alkaloid from Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) root extracts targeted against SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro)
Authors: Zohora Fatema -Tuz- , Ahmed Sinthyia , Rahman Khondaker Miraz , Halim Mohammad A. , Anwar Md. Rafi , Sohrab Md. Hossain , Tabassum Fatema , Hasan Choudhury Mahmood , Ahsan Monira
Published: May 2022

A new dimeric prenylated quinolone alkaloid, named 2,11-didemethoxy-vepridimerine A, was isolated from the root bark of Zanthoxylum rhetsa, together with thirteen known compounds. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic investigations (NMR and Mass). The interaction of the isolated compounds with the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) was evaluated using molecular docking followed by MD simulations. The result suggests that 2, 11-didemethoxy- vepridimerine A, the new compound has the highest negative binding affinity against the Mpro with free energy of binding of-8.5 Kcal/mol indicating interaction with the Mpro. This interaction was further validated with the help of MD simulation using remdesivir, one of the currently approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2, as a control.
Resolving glycogen and related enzymes reveals correlates of Lactobacillus crispatus dominance in a cohort of young African women
Authors: Lithgow Karen V. , Cochinamogulos Athena , Muirhead Kevin , Konschuh Shaelen , Oluoch Lynda M. , Mugo Nelly R. , Roxby Alison C. , Sycuro Laura K.
Published: May 2022

Background: A healthy vaginal microbiome is dominated by Lactobacillus species that produce lactic acid, lowering vaginal pH and limiting colonization by pathogens. Lactobacillus dominance (LD) is established during puberty, but many women, especially those of Black race, lose LD during their reproductive years. Glycogen is thought to be a key host nutrient that supports vaginal lactobacilli and their fermentative lactic acid production, but mechanisms of glycogen utilization by Lactobacillus species are incompletely understood. By partitioning glycogen and glycogen-derived maltodextrin, as well as the activity of glycogen-degrading amylase and pullulanase enzymes (targeting glycogen α-1,4 and α-1,6 linkages, respectively) in vivo, this work refines understanding of vaginal glycogen catabolism and identifies correlates of LD. Results: Vaginal swab samples were collected from a cohort of young women with limited sexual experience in Thika, Kenya (N=17, ages 16–21). Metagenomic profiling of the vaginal microbiome revealed that most samples exhibited LD, particularly dominant Lactobacillus crispatus. Glycogen and pullulanase activity, but not maltodextrin and amylase activity correlated with lactic acid levels. Amylase activity showed a positive correlation with glycogen-derived maltodextrin, but no relationship with L. crispatus dominance. In contrast, pullulanase activity was 3-fold higher in L. crispatus-dominated samples. Metagenomics and targeted PCR revealed that 36% of L. crispatus-dominated metagenomes from our African cohort lacked a functional L. crispatus pullulanase (pulA) gene, a 3-fold higher frequency of gene loss than that seen in metagenomes from European and North American women. Our findings suggest pulA gene loss or inactivation may correspond with reductions in pullulanase activity, lactic acid, and L. crispatus abundance compared to samples dominated by pulA-competent L. crispatus. Conclusions: Our results indicate that although amylase activity drives the accumulation of glycogen catabolites in vaginal fluid, pullulanase appears to specifically contribute to maximal D-lactic acid production by L. crispatus. However, this is only possible when a functional pulA gene is present, which was not the case in a substantial proportion of young African women with dominant L. crispatus. Scaling this analysis to a larger cohort will address whether genomic and enzymatic indicators of L. crispatus pullulanase activity are predictive of sustained LD and vaginal health.
Climate Change, Rural Livelihood, and Sustainability: In Higher Himalayas of Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Jamal Shahid , Namkha Tenzen
Published: May 2022

Mountains host rich cultural and biological diversity and generate different ecosystem services. It acts as a water tower and source of food, but at the same time suffers from poverty, risks, and vulnerabilities. Climate change is the biggest threat overshadowing living organisms negatively impacting the rural livelihood of people living in the Himalayas. The warming has accelerated surpassing the global average over the past hundred years. Receding glaciers are leading to water scarcity not only for drinking but also for agriculture and allied activities. The erratic rainfall results in frequent flash floods and landslides causing huge damage to public and private infrastructures, life, and property. The basic objective of the study is to identify and analyse the interdependence between climate change and rural livelihood in the higher Himalayas. Both primary and secondary data were used for data analysis while descriptive and ethnographic methods were applied to achieve the desired result. A household survey using purposive sampling was conducted in Gandhari valley of Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2019. It was concluded that climate change has brought multiple changes in their environment and affected their livelihood in many folds. Migration has become a natural phenomenon in the valley where mostly males migrate to cities in winter due to unemployment and unbearable climatic condition. The rural poor were the worst hit because they were the most economically backward and vulnerable to these changes. Adaption to climate change is quite necessary and there is more need to promote traditional practices to retain sustainability in the valley.
Value of ypTNM stage in patients with rectal cancer
Authors: Chen Yue , Sun Zhe , Dong Xinxin , Liu Fang , Sun Deyu
Published: May 2022

Purpose: In the current NCCN guidelines, the prognosis and adjuvant chemotherapy regimen of patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which are based on pre-radiotherapy clinical TNM stage or neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stage, are not clearly described. We investigated neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stage and clinical TNM stage, which can better reflect the prognosis of patients. Moreover, the clinical significance of the adjuvant chemotherapy regimen in different neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stages was studied.Methods: Between 2010 and 2015, a total of 316 rectal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, followed by radical resection, were retrospectively studied.Results: Our findings revealed that neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stage was a more important prognostic factor than clinical TNM stage. In different neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stages, adjuvant chemotherapy played important roles in stage-II and -III disease, but played no significant role in pCR and stage-I disease.Conclusion: Neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stage, rather than clinical TNM stage, was a more important prognostic factor. Among the patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy had no significant benefit on the survival of patients in terms of pCR and neoadjuvant pathologic TNM stage I, but had different benefits in stage-II and -III disease.
Cognitive-aware Short-text Understanding for Inferring Professions
Authors: Esmailzadeh Sayna , Hosseini Saeid , Kamran Sara , Kangavari Mohammad Reza , Hua Wen
Published: May 2022

Leveraging short-text contents to estimate the occupation of microblog authors has significant gains in many applications. Yet challenges abound. Firstly brief textual contents come with excessive lexical noise that makes the inference problem challenging. Secondly, cognitive-semantics are not evident, and important linguistic features are latent in short-text contents. Thirdly, it is hard to measure the correlation between the cognitive short-text semantics and the features pertaining to various occupations. We argue that the multi-aspect cognitive features are needed to correctly associate short-text contents to a particular job and discover suitable people for the careers. To this end, we devise a novel framework that on the one hand, can infer short-text contents and exploit cognitive features, and on the other hand, fuses various adopted novel algorithms, such as curve fitting, support vector, and boosting modules to better predict the occupation of the authors. The final estimation module manufactures the R w-tree via coherence weight to tune the best outcome in the inferring process. We conduct comprehensive experiments on real-life Twitter data. The experimental results show that compared to other rivals, our cognitive multi-aspect model can achieve a higher performance in the career estimation procedure, where it is inevitable to neglect the contextual semantics of users.
safe threshold rate of indocyanine green retention at 15 minutes after extreme hepatectomy in patients who have remnant liver volume < 40% of the standard volume as well as chronic liver disease, hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis
Authors: gao junping , lu zhan , liang wanqiang , zhang jie , qin shangdong , zhao jingfei , huang juntao , gong wenfeng , xiang bangde
Published: May 2022

Background
Indocyanine green (ICG) kinetics are used to assess hepatic function in the perioperative period of major liver resection and liver transplantation. Here, we aimed to determine the threshold rate of ICG retention at 15 min (ICG-R15) associated with clinically relevant post-hepatectomy liver failure (CRPHLF) among patients with underlying chronic liver disease, hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis whose remnant liver volume was < 40% of the standard liver volume.
Methods
Data from 70 Chinese patients with a ratio of remnant to standard liver volume < 40% who underwent extreme hepatectomy at our medical center were analyzed prospectively. We investigated potential differences in several clinical and demographic factors between those who experienced CRPHLF and those who did not.
Results
Logistic regression showed that ICG-R15 was an independent predictor of the risk of CRPHLF. The ICG-R15 threshold for predicting CRPHLF risk was 5.25% across all patients, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.740, sensitivity of 68.4%, and specificity 78.4%. The ICG-R15 threshold was 4.95% for patients with hepatic fibrosis (AUC 0.770, sensitivity 78.0%, specificity 74.0%), and 4.55% for patients with cirrhosis (AUC 0.768, sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 64.7%).
Conclusions
The risk of CRPHLF after extreme hepatectomy may be lower in Chinese patients when the ICG-R15 is below 5.25% in the presence of chronic liver disease, 4.95% in the presence of hepatic fibrosis, or 4.55% in the presence of cirrhosis. Our results suggest that ICG-R15 can be used to identify patients who may safely undergo extreme hepatectomy despite a low ratio of remnant to standard liver and different stages of hepatic fibrosis.
Efficacy of geriatric multidisciplinary oncology clinic in surgical treatment decision-making process for frail elderly patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Yang In Jun , Oh Heung-Kwon , Lee Jeehye , Suh Jung Wook , Ahn Hong-min , Shin Hye Rim , Kim Jin Won , Kim Jee Hyun , Song Changhoon , Choi Jung-Yeon , Kim Duck-Woo , Kang Sung-Bum
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Multidisciplinary care has become a cornerstone of colorectal cancer management. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a geriatric multidisciplinary oncology clinic (GMOC), we analyzed the surgical treatment decision-making process and outcomes.Methods: Data of patients aged ≥65 years who participated in the GMOC at a tertiary referral hospital between 2015 and 2021 were reviewed. The clinical adherence rate, comprehensive geriatric assessment and a multidimensional frailty score (MFS) were obtained. The groups that were recommended and not recommended for surgery were compared, analyzing the factors impacting the decision and 1-year survival outcomes. Furthermore, the postoperative complications and 1-year survival outcomes of patients who underwent surgery were evaluated.Results: A total of 165 patients visited the GMOC, and 74 had colorectal cancer (85.5 [81.2 – 89.0] years). Among patients with systemic disease (n=31), seven were recommended for surgery, and five actually underwent surgery. Among patients with locoregional disease (n=43), 18 were recommended for surgery, and 12 underwent surgery. Patients recommended and not recommended for surgery had significantly different activities of daily living (ADL) (p=0.024), instrumental ADL (p=0.001), Mini-Mental State Examination (p=0.014), delirium risk (p=0.039), and MFS (p=0.001). There was no difference in the 1-year overall survival between the two groups (p=0.980). Of the 17 patients who actually underwent surgery, the median operation time was 165.0 (120.0-270.0) min; hospital stay, 7.0 (6.0-8.0) days; and three patients had wound complications. Conclusion: Proper counseling of patients through the GMOC could lead to appropriate management and favorable outcomes.