bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic of land use and vegetation change in the eastern bank of Bénoué (North Cameroon).
Authors: Djosebe Azaria , Froumsia Moksia , Tchobsala Tchobsala , Kamblaba Pierre , bakary Prudence Tezore
Published: October 2023

The eastern part of the Benoue River bank is undergoing degradation marked by a significant decrease in vegetation cover and woody resources due to anthropogenic activities and climatic deterioration. The main objective of this study is to analyze the farmers' knowledge of vegetation evolution and the dynamics of land use using satellite images in the east of the bank of the Benoue. The methodological approach used is an integrated one combining field surveys, remote sensing, mapping, and modeling. The results obtained show that 88% of the population surveyed believe that the area covered by vegetation has decreased. The reasons for this decrease are numerous, but the main one remains the strong anthropic activity that would be at the origin of the progressive degradation of the land. The evolutionary trend of plant formations is essentially regressive for natural formations from 1991 to 2021. The analysis of the evolution of land use showed that in the Rey-Bouba district during 1991, 58.24% of the area formerly made up of dense woody formations regressed considerably to 25.77% in 2021. The same is true for the Bibemi district where the area of wooded zone has decreased from 65.47% in 1991 to 28.45% of the total area in 2021. This regression of the surface area of wooded formations was done to the benefit of anthropized occupation classes whose area has increased. They suggest an effective awareness in the monitoring of the dynamics of the vegetation cover subjected to anthropic pressures and climatic variations for a better-integrated management of the vegetation of this area.
Crosstalk among TFEB, the autophagy lysosomal pathway and ROS derived from damaged mitochondria in NaAsO2-induced auditory senescent cells
Authors: Hayashi Ken , Suzuki Yuna , Goto Fumiyuki , Nomura Yasuyuki , Makishima Makoto
Published: October 2023

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the most prevalent types of sensory decline in a superaging society. Although various studies have focused on the effect of oxidative stress on the inner ear as an inducer of ARHL, there are no effective preventive approaches for ARHL. Recent studies have suggested that oxidative stress-induced DNA damage responses (oxidative DDRs) drive cochlear cell senescence and contribute to accelerated ARHL, and autophagy could function as a defense mechanism against cellular senescence in auditory cells. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) is a unique oxidative stress inducer associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) that causes high-tone hearing loss similar to ARHL. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) functions as a master regulator of the autophagy‒lysosome pathway (ALP), which is a potential target during aging and the pathogenesis of various age-related diseases. Here, we focused on the function of TFEB and the impact of intracellular ROS as a potential target for ARHL treatment in a NaAsO2-induced auditory premature senescence model. Our results suggested that short exposure to NaAsO2 leads to DNA damage, lysosomal damage and mitochondrial damage in auditory cells, triggering temporary signals for TFEB transport into the nucleus and, as a result, causing insufficient autophagic flux and declines in lysosomal function and biogenesis and mitochondrial quality. Then, intracellular ROS derived from damaged mitochondria play a role as a second messenger to induce premature senescence in auditory cells. These findings suggest that TFEB activation via transport into the nucleus contributes to anti-senescence activity in auditory cells and represents a new therapeutic target for ARHL. We have revealed the potential function of TFEB as a master regulator of the induction of oxidative stress-induced premature senescence and the senescence-associated secretion phenotype (SASP) in auditory cells, which regulates ALP and controls mitochondrial quality through ROS production.
Short-term frequently relapsing ischemic strokes followed by rapidly progressive dementia in CADASIL: a case report and literature review
Authors: Geng Yumei , Cai Chang , Li Huimin , Zhou Qing , Wang Mengying , Kang Huicong
Published: October 2023

Background: Ischemic stroke and cognitive impairment are common in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), which exists a natural disease process and progresses slowly. Here, we report a rare 50-year-old woman who had rapid disease progression with C. 457C > T, p. Argl53Cys heterozygous mutation in exon 4 of NOTCH3 gene, and discuss the possible reasons. Furthermore, we summarize clinical and imaging characteristics of 14 patients with Arg153Cys mutation.
Case presentation: The proband suffered acute ischemic stroke five times in five months followed by rapidly progressive dementia (RPD), inability to be living independently, though she didn’t have vascular risk factors and under standardized secondary prevention therapy from the first stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging showed extensive white matter hyperintensities, numerous ischemic infracts and microbleeds, and severe brain atrophy. Her elder brother and other patients with Arg153Cys mutation all did not progress so quickly. Her multiple strokes may associate with the poor self-regulation of blood vessels, which may promote the occurrence of RPD. Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs were difficult to prevent ischemic strokes. Severe imaging findings may indicate rapid progression of CADASIL. Additionally, we found that headache was a very frequent symptom in Arg153Cys mutation patients, accounting for 76.9%.
Conclusions: CADASIL can also appear rapid progression, as illustrated by our proband, which is worthy clinicians' attention and intervention timely. The relationship between genotype and phenotype may also need to be further studied.
Spontaneous diaphragmatic rupture in a case of muscular dystrophy misdiagnosed as pneumothorax – Case report.
Authors: DAMMALAPATI PAVAN KUMAR
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Diaphragmatic rupture is almost always iatrogenic with variable presentation. It should be diagnosed with a high suspicion index in blunt thoracic trauma cases. Muscular dystrophy is associated with diaphragmatic muscle weakness. Spontaneous pneumothorax is also common in cases of muscular dystrophy which might be asymptomatic. The authors here describe a case of a 9-year-old male child who presented with a semi-acute diaphragmatic hernia that was misdiagnosed as pneumothorax and a faulty chest drain insertion was done in a background of chronic muscular dystrophy which was later repaired. The knowledge of muscular dystrophy and its varied presentation including the rare presentation of spontaneous diaphragmatic rupture (SDR) is very important to the clinicians to have a high index of suspicion in treating such patients. To conclude a placement of the ryles’ tube before placing an intercostal drainage would have prevented the misdiagnosis of the pneumothorax.
‘Talking Lines’: The Stories of Diagnosis and Support as Told by those with Lived Experience of Rarer Forms of Dementia
Authors: Rossi-Harries Samuel , Harrison Charles R. , Camic Paul M. , Sullivan Mary Pat , Grillo Adetola , Crutch Sebastian James , Harding Emma
Published: October 2023

Background
People living with, or caring for someone with, rarer forms of dementia can encounter issues while obtaining a diagnosis and trying to access appropriate support. This can affect their wellbeing, quality of life, social relationships and employment status. This study makes use of an arts-based narrative approach to explore individual accounts of these experiences whilst also exploring how, in telling their stories, those affected by rare dementia might invoke, and situate their stories in relation to, broader cultural narratives around dementia and illness.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted via video-conferencing software with participants (N = 27), living with, or caring for someone with, a rare dementia. Participants used line drawings to depict their journey from initial symptoms to the present day, followed by prompts to verbally narrate their experiences. All interview transcripts and line drawings were subjected to narrative analysis. Four sets of transcripts and drawings were then subjected to more in-depth analysis.
Results
Analysis shed light on the struggles encountered by both care-partners and people with a diagnosis, while navigating a health and social care system that does not always understand their needs. This often led to individuals feeling isolated and unsupported. Accounts also depicted challenges to identity brought on by the process. The moment of diagnosis was also drawn in a complicated light. Individuals found comfort in gaining understanding, but felt fear at recognising upcoming challenges. Participants situated their own accounts against mainstream cultural narratives around what good support for cognitive impairment and dementia might look like, whilst also demonstrating the influential role they took on in pursuing the right care.
Conclusions
The use of line drawing, alongside narrative interviews, allowed participants to tell complicated, sometimes anachronistic, stories about difficult experiences, whilst also reflecting on, and attaching meaning to, them. These stories highlighted pressing gaps in healthcare services and shone a light on the various pieces of collective action individuals were engaged in in order to improve them. Finally, in modelling some elements of the participants’ service provision which were working, the narratives pointed to future directions services might move in.
Design and simulation of a new type of composite flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tire
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Fu Hongxu , Ni Shanqian , Chen Kai , Zhang Jinyan
Published: October 2023

This paper proposes a new type of composite flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tire structure to address issues such as easy fatigue failure, difficult maintenance and high replacement costs of the support bodies of conventional non-pneumatic tires. Firstly, a new composite flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tire model was established using ABAQUS software. Finite element simulation analysis was then carried out to study the basic mechanical properties of this tire, as well as the relationship between the sinking amount of the tire and motion interference between adjacent support body units under different thicknesses of the double arcs sections of individual support body units. The results show that the larger the sinking amount of the new composite flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tire, the easier it is for adjacent support body units to interfere with each other's motion. To avoid motion interference, two improvement schemes were proposed on the basis of the original tire model, and the rationality of the improvement schemes was verified through finite element simulation. This research provides a new solution to reduce the difficulty of maintenance and cost of replacement of non-pneumatic tire support bodies.
A network analysis of depressive and anxiety symptoms and their associations with quality of life among patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Authors: Dong Shuwen , Ru Shouhang , Zhu Liwan , Sun Xinchang , Wang Wanxin , Chen Xiaosheng , Wang Weijun , Zhu Zhixiang , Yang Lei , Lu Ciyong , Yan Bin
Published: October 2023

Background
Depressive and anxiety symptoms are mental disorders common in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Severe mental disorders result in a diminished quality of life (QOL). This study investigated the network structure of depressive and anxiety symptoms and explored how these symptoms are connected with QOL among patients with AIS.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2021 to February 2023. Patients aged 10 to 16 years who had been diagnosed with AIS (Cobb angle ≥ 10°) at the Spine Health Centre of Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital were included. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) were used to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms, and QOL, respectively. A network analysis was performed to explore central symptoms, bridge symptoms and their associations with QOL. Sex differences in the structure and connectivity were identified by the network comparison test (NCT).
Results
A total of 811 patients with AIS (205 males [25.3%]) and 606 females ([74.7%]) aged 10 to 16 years (mean [SD], 13.51 [1.7] years) participated. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among patients diagnosed with AIS was 36.3% and 34.6%, respectively, while a comorbidity rate of 26.8% was observed. Network analysis revealed that “Sad mood”, “Excessive worry” and “Fatigue” were identified as the central symptoms in the whole depressive and anxiety symptoms network, while “Sad mood” and “Irritability” served as bridge symptoms. “Uncontrollable worry” exhibited the most robust direct association with physical QOL, while “Irritability”, “Anhedonia” and “Sad mood” were directly associated with mental QOL. Gender did not exert a discernible influence on the global strength and network structure of the depressive and anxiety symptoms network.
Conclusions
The central and bridge symptoms identified within the network may serve as potential targets for intervention in depressive and anxiety symptoms and the comorbidity among patients with AIS. Interventions that target specific symptoms directly related to QOL are necessary to mitigate depressive and anxiety symptoms and improve the QOL of patients with AIS.
Validation of a modified version of the Gross Motor Function Measure in PPPR5D related neurodevelopmental disorder
Authors: Kanner Cara H. , Uher David , Zreibe Kyle , Beard Gabriella , Patterson Madison , Harris Matthew , Doerger Jerome , Calamia Sean , Chung Wendy K , Montes Jacqueline
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND
Protein phosphatase 2 regulatory subunit B’ Delta (PPP2R5D)-related neurodevelopmental disorder is a rare genetic condition caused by pathogenic variants in the PPP2R5D gene. Clinical signs include hypotonia, gross motor delay, intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, speech delays, and abnormal gait among other impairments. As this disorder was recognized within the last decade, there are only 103 people published diagnoses to date. A thorough understanding of the motor manifestations of this disorder has not yet been established. Knowledge of the natural history of PPP2R5D related neurodevelopmental disorder will lead to improved standard of care treatments as well as serve as a baseline foundation for future clinical trials. Appropriate outcome measures are necessary for use in clinical trials to uniformly measure function and monitor potential for change. The aim of this study was to validate the gross motor function measure (GMFM) in children and adults with PPP2R5D-related neurodevelopmental disorder in order to better characterize the disorder.
RESULTS
Thirty-eight individuals with PPP2R5D pathogenic variants, median age 8.0 years (range 1–27) were evaluated. Gross motor, upper limb and ambulatory function were assessed using the GMFM-66, six-minute walk test (6MWT), 10-meter walk run (10MWR), timed up and go (TUG), and revised upper limb module (RULM). The pediatric disability inventory computer adapted test (PEDI-CAT) captured caregiver reported assessment. Median GMFM-66 score was 60.6 (SD = 17.3, range 21.1–96.0). There were strong associations between the GMFM-66 and related mobility measures, 10MWR (rs=-0.733; p < .001), TUG (rs=-0.747; p = 0.003), 6MWT (r = 0.633; p = 0.006), RULM (r = 0.763; p < .001), PEDICAT-mobility (r = 0.855; p < .001), and daily activities (r = 0.822; p < .001) domains.
CONCLUSIONS
The GMFM is a valid measure for characterizing motor function in individuals with PPP2R5D related neurodevelopmental disorder. The GMFM-66 had strong associations with the RULM and timed function tests which characterized gross motor, upper limb and ambulatory function demonstrating concurrent validity. The GMFM-66 was also able to differentiate between functional levels in PPP2R5D related neurodevelopmental disorder demonstrating discriminant validity. Future studies should examine its sensitivity to change over time, ability to identify sub-phenotypes, and suitability as an outcome measure in future clinical trials in individuals with PPP2R5D variants.
Design and performance analysis of an adjustable quasi-zero-stiffness isolator with four parallel springs for different loads
Authors: Ju Jinyong , Ji Xuyang , Liu Yufei
Published: October 2023

Aiming at the problem that the vibration isolation performance of existing quasi-zero-stiffness isolators will be weakened under varying load conditions, an adjustable four-spring parallel quasi-zero-stiffness isolator (FPQZSI) is proposed by introducing the tilt linkage, which can actively adapt to load changes by adjusting the angle between the tilt linkage and the horizontal plane. The FPQZSI consists of a vertical spring that provides positive stiffness and three tilt springs, installed on the tilt linkages, that provide negative stiffness. According to the static equilibrium relationship, the conditions that the FPQZSI has zero stiffness at the equilibrium position are obtained. Then, the optimal structure parameters of the FPQZSI are determined based on maximizing the system quasi-zero-stiffness interval, and the quantitative relationship between the angles of the tilt linkage and the load mass is investigated. Furthermore, a unified dynamic equation for the FPQZSI under varying load conditions is established. The influences of the device structural parameters, the tilt linkage angle, and the load mass on the vibration response and displacement transmission characteristics of the FPQZSI are analyzed by using the harmonic balance method. The results indicate that by actively adjusting the tilt linkage angle, the designed FPQZSI can ensure good vibration isolation performance under varying load conditions.
Single Sensor Compressive Ultrasound Imaging: A Study of Affecting Factors
Authors: Pasyar Pezhman , Makkiabadi Bahador , Montazeriani Zahra , Amoli Ehsan Roodgar
Published: October 2023

Compressed sensing has enabled 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging using a single transducer by encoding lateral and elevation spatial information as temporal variations in the transmitted and received ultrasound signal through a coded aperture in the form of a pseudo-random delay mask. This technology has become increasingly important with the development of ultrasound techniques as it allows for a reduction in machinery size and power consumption. In this article, we develop a model for compressive ultrasound imaging using a single coded sensor to investigate the factors that affect image quality and enable computationally-efficient simulation of the system. We provide a step-by-step guide to creating synthetic data and demonstrate compressive ultrasound experiments of scenes with varying levels of sparseness generated according to a linear image formation model. We then calculate qualitative and quantitative measurements and solve the inverse problem using several sparse recovery solutions to achieve faithful reconstruction of the scene under different signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and coded sensor geometries. Our model analysis reveals that failure to consider preferable conditions results in degraded peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), mean squared error (MSE), and structural similarity (SSIM) indexes related to the quality of the reconstruction.
Unraveling the Controversy: Transarterial Chemoembolization versus Radiofrequency Ablation in Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Abdelgalil Mahmoud Shaban , Elfakharany Bahaa , El-Samahy Mohamed , lkhawaldeh Ibraheem M. , Refaey Neveen , ALsaad Saad Ashraf , Alaraby Dina , Abd-ElGawad Mohamed
Published: October 2023

Background
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may face challenges when undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) if their tumors are located near critical liver regions, bile ducts, bowel lumen, or diaphragm due to increased risk of complications. In these cases, liver resection or transplantation is not possible; therefore, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) can be an alternative treatment for early HCC patients. Our study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of TACE versus RFA.
Methods
We collected data from different sources, including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Our inclusion criteria were patients with a single tumor less than 5 cm or three tumors, each less than or equal to 3 cm in size, without spread or invasion. The review examined various factors such as overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival rate (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), tumor response (TR), and adverse event rate (AER).
Results
Eighteen studies, involving 4,537 patients were reviewed. Pooled analysis revealed that RFA had better three-year and five-year OS rates compared to TACE (RR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.78, 0.92], p < 0.00001; RR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.73, 0.89], p < 0.0001, respectively). However, for one-year OS, no significant difference was observed, except in specific subgroups (patients aged ≥ 60 years, AFP ≥ 100 ng/ml, or received Adriamycin), where RFA showed better outcomes (RR = 1.02, 95% CI [0.99, 1.05], p = 0.29). Propensity score-matching analyses also demonstrated better three-year and five-year OS rates for RFA (RR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.85, 0.96], p = 0.001; RR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.79, 0.92], p < 0.001, respectively).
Differences in Nutritional Status and Level of Physical Activity Among Adolescents Living in Urban and Rural Areas of Montenegro - National Study
Authors: Vrevic Erol , Malovic Pavle , Bacovic Dragan , Bojanic Danilo , Muratovic Aldijana
Published: October 2023

Background and objectives
Nutritional status and physical activity are important factors for adolescent health. These factors may vary by the type of settlement. Hence, this study aims to assess the nutritional status and physical activity levels, as well as their variations by the type of settlement.
Method
The sample consisted of 1503 adolescents (46.3% male; 53.7% female), with a mean age of 15.7 ± 0.7 years. Nutritional status was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), and Body Fat Percentage (BF). Physical activity levels were assessed using the PAQ-C questionnaire. Differences in nutritional status by the type of settlement were analyzed using Chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05), while differences in physical activity levels were analyzed using independent samples t-test (p ≤ 0.05).
Results
In terms of BMI, 14.7% of males were overweight and 10.1% were obese, while 12% of female adolescents were overweight and 3.1% were obese. There were no differences in nutritional status by settlement type (BMI, WHtR, BF). Male adolescents in rural areas had significantly higher physical activity levels compared to urban areas (p = 0.032). They showed higher activity scores during a spare time (p = 0.002), physical education classes (p = 0.002), little breaks (p = 0.007), and lunchtime (p = 0.034). Female adolescents showed significance only in spare time activity (p = 0.020).
Conclusion
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in Montenegro in recent years, with no differences observed by settlement type. However, male adolescents living in urban areas showed lower levels of physical activity compared to their counterparts in rural areas. Strategies should be implemented to promote physical activity among adolescents in urban areas, considering its overall importance.
WITHDRAWN: Spectral and non-spectral property of self-affine measures on ℝn
Authors: Wei-jie Wang
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we study twofold questions regarding the spectrality and non-spectrality of the self-affine measure $\mu_{M,\mathcal{D}}$. Our result characterizes a necessary and sufficient condition on the spectrality of $\mu_{M,\mathcal{D}}$ generated by a generalized symmetric expanding integer matrix $M\in M_{n}(\mathbb{Z})$ and a non-consecutive collinear digit set $\mathcal{D}$.
For the lower triangular expanding integer matrix $M\in M_{n}(\mathbb{Z} )$ and $\mathcal{D}\subset \mathbb{Z}^{n}$, let $\mathcal{Z}_{\mathcal{D}}^{n}:=\{x\in [0,1)^{n} : m_{\mathcal{D}}(x)=0\}$ and $N_{m}^{n}=\{(\bm{r}, \bm{q})\in \mathbb{R}^{n}:\bm{r}:=(r_1,r_2,\ldots,r_{n-m})^{t}\in [0,1)^{n-m}, \bm{q}\in \mathbb{Q}^{m}\setminus \{\bm{0}\} \}$. Denote $p_{m,\mathcal{D}}$ as the positive integers which are determined by $m$ and $\mathcal{D}$ for any integer $m\geq 1$. We show that if $\gcd(\det(M), p_{m,\mathcal{D}})=1$ for $m\geq 1$ and $\emptyset\neq \mathcal{Z}_{\mathcal{D}}^{n}\subset N_{m}^{n}$, then there are at most $(p_{m,\mathcal{D}})^{m}$ mutually orthogonal exponential functions in $L^{2}(\mu_{M,D})$.
BMAL1 deletion protects against obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat diet
Authors: Shen Qiwei , Zhan Chongwen , Chen Haoran , Shao Yikai , Xu Bo , Hua Rong , Yao Qiyuan , Liu Wenjuan
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims: Obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are major health concerns. The circadian rhythm is an autonomous and intrinsic timekeeping system closely associated with energy metabolism and obesity. Thus, this study explored the role of brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like1 (BMAL1), a circadian clock regulator, in the development of obesity and NAFLD.Methods We generated BMAL1 knockout (BMAL1 KO) mice to imitate circadian rhythm disruption. The study comprised three groups from the same litter: BMAL1 KO mice fed a high-fat diet (to establish obesity and NAFLD phenotypes), wild-type mice fed normal chow, and wild-type mice fed a high-fat diet. The metabolic and NAFLD phenotypes were assessed via physiological measurements and histological examinations. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to identify and validate changes in the signaling pathways responsible for the altered NAFLD phenotypes in the wild-type and BMAL1 KO mice.Results BMAL1 depletion protected against obesity and metabolic disorders induced by a high-fat diet. BMAL1 deficiency also relieved hepatic steatosis and decreased cluster of differentiation 36 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (i.e., PPARγ) expression.Conclusion BMAL1 plays an important role in the development of obesity and NAFLD and, thus, is a potential therapeutic target for these conditions.
Effect of reductive soil disinfestation on soil properties and microbial communities of ginseng cultivated soils, and assessment of its sterilizing effect
Authors: Li Qiong , Wang Ergang , Zhou Yi , Miao Xinyue , Zhan Yu , He Guixiang , Lv Pengyuan , Wang LIxiang , Zhang Tao , Chen Changbao
Published: October 2023

Aims
Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) has been shown to restructure soil microbial communities and suppress soil-borne diseases. However, the effect of RSD on the chemical and microbial properties of ginseng cultivated soils has been little studied.
Methods
Ginseng cultivated soils in the ginseng genuine medicinal material producing area of China were used for field experiments using RSD with corn stover and bean dregs as substrates. RSD-treated soil chemical and microbial properties were evaluated using chemical analysis and high-throughput sequencing techniques.
Results
RSD significantly changed soil chemical properties as well as soil microbial community composition and structure and decreased the relative abundance of the pathogenic Fusarium genus. Moreover, the efficacy of RSD treatment based on different substrates varied widely, and RSD with bean dregs as substrate had a greater effect on microbial communities and a stronger sterilizing effect. In the next transplanting experiments, ginseng in the RSD-treated soil grew in better condition and with lower incidence and severity of disease.
conclusion
Our study highlights the potential of RSD as an effective method for soil amendment of ginseng cultivation. Its effects on nutrient and material cycling in ginseng cultivated soils need further exploration.
Ensemble of Plug-in Modules for Knee Osteoarthritis Severity Classification Using Radiographs
Authors: Lee Do Weon , Song DaeSeok , Han Hyuk-Soo , Ro Du Hyun
Published: October 2023

Fine-grained classification deals with data with a large degree of similarity such as cat or bird species and similarly, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) severity classification (Kellgren-Lawrence grading) is one of the fine-grained classification tasks. Recently, plug-in module (PIM) that can be integrated to CNN-based or Transformer-based networks has been proposed to provide strongly discriminative regions for fine-grained classification and the results have outperformed the previous deep learning (DL) models. Therefore, a DL model that classifies KOA severity of a knee radiograph was developed utilizing PIMs. The dataset used for the study was a combination of two different open source datasets, Osteoarthritis Initiative and Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (test set size: 13038). The final DL model was an ensemble of four different PIMs that used Swin and EfficientNet as the backbones (two each). The overall accuracy of the model was 82.252%, the lowest for KL grade 1 (65%) and the highest for KL grade 0 & 4 (90%). An ensemble of PIMs could classify KOA severity using simple radiographs with a fine accuracy, better than most of the previously proposed CNN-based models.
A multi-center cross-sectional study of Chinese Herbal Medicine-Drug adverse reactions using active surveillance in Singapore’s Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics.
Authors: Ng Chester Yan Jie , Zhao Yan , Wang Ning , Chia Kwan Leung , Teo Chun Huat , Peh William , Yeo Pansy , Zhong Linda L.D.
Published: October 2023

Background
This study aimed to investigate the rates and causality of patient-reported adverse events (AEs) associated with concomitant Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) and Western Medicine prescription drug (WMPD) consumption through active surveillance in Singapore’s Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted at five TCM clinics across Singapore from 8th May till 8th July 2023. Patients were screened to determine rates of CHM and WMPD consumption, and then interviewed if an AE was reported. An expert committee assessed the AE reports to determine causality. Along with descriptive statistics, odds ratios were calculated to determine AE occurrence likelihoods for patients who consumed both CHM and WMPD compared to CHM consumption alone.
Results
1028 patients were screened and 62.65% of them reported concurrent CHM-WMPD consumption. Patients who consumed CHM and WMPD were 3.65 times more likely to experience an AE as compared to CHM consumption alone. 18 AE reports were adjudicated, with most AEs deemed unlikely due to CHM consumption.
Conclusions
A large proportion of patients consumed CHM and WMPD concurrently, thus increasing their risk of experiencing AEs compared to those consuming CHM only. Active surveillance is feasible for detecting AEs, collecting data for causality assessment, and analysis.
Body mass index is associated with health-related quality of life and disease characteristics in young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Tuomi Anna-Kaisa , Rebane Katariina , Arnstad Ellen Dalen , Berntson Lillemor , Fasth Anders , Glerup Mia , Herlin Troels , Kautiainen Hannu , Nordal Ellen , Peltomiemi Suvi , Rygg Marite , Rypdal Veronika , Zak Marek , Aalto Kristiina
Published: October 2023

Background
There is a growing interest concerning the relationship between obesity and several medical conditions and inflammation. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies regarding body mass index (BMI) among patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Our aim was to investigate the impact of BMI on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured with a 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), disease activity, and functional ability in young adults with JIA.
Methods
This study is a part of the population-based Nordic JIA cohort study. Three hundred fifty-five patients from the original study cohort were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) into four groups based on their BMI. HRQoL, disease characteristics, functional ability, fatigue, sleep quality, physical activity, pain, comorbidities, and social status were assessed.
Results
A significant relationship was found between the JIA categories and BMI groups (p = 0.014). A significant relationship was also found between BMI and disease activity scores (DAS28) (p = 0.028), functional ability (p < 0.001), pain (p = 0.013), fatigue (p = 0.035), and sleep quality (p = 0.044). Moreover, a significant relationship between BMI and HRQoL regarding bodily pain (p = 0.010) and general health (p = 0.048) was revealed when adjusted for sex, age, and JIA subtype.
Conclusion
We discovered that BMI was significantly related to HRQoL, disease activity, and disability. BMI deserves more attention considering the treatment options and outcome of JIA in young adults.
Nanoparticle Vaccines Based on the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) Elicit Robust Protective Immune Responses in mice
Authors: Wang Yuanhong , Song Junhan , Wang Junna , zhang Miao , Liu Yun , Tang Pan , Huili Liu , Zhou Yanjun , Tong Guangzhi , Yu Lingxue , Li Guoxin , Deng Xiaoying
Published: October 2023

Background
Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), a novel swine enteropathogenic coronavirus, that causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and mortality in neonatal piglets, resulting in significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. At present, there are no effective prevention and control measures for PDCoV.
Methods
We expressed the dimer receptor binding domain of PDCoV spike protein (RBD-dimer) and ferritin (SC-Fe) through the prokaryotic expression system, and successfully constructed RBD-Fe nanoparticles by covalentially coupling PDCoV RBD-dimer and SC-Fe using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system. The immunoprotection of RBD-Fe nanoparticles was evaluated in mice.
Results
The boosting effect on immune responses of the homologous prime-boost regime showed that RBD-Fe nanoparticles promptly and efficiently elicited specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. Notably, PDCoV spike (S)-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody (NA) responses from the RBD-Fe group were detected in immunized mice. The histopathological results showed that immunization with RBD-Fe nanoparticles significantly enhanced the resistance of mice to PDCoV infection.
Conclusion
This study successfully developed a candidate nanoparticle vaccine, providing protection against virulent PDCoV in mice.
Predictors of Reflux Persistence After Endoscopic Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer Injection for the First Time in Pediatric Patients with Vesicoureteral Reflux: Short-term Results
Authors: Yilmaz Ismail Onder , Akdogan Nebil , Deger Mutlu , Aridogan Ibrahim Atilla , Izol Volkan , Satar Nihat
Published: October 2023

This study aims to investigate the factors effective in predicting the persistence of reflux after the first subureteric transurethral injection (STING) of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer in pediatric patients with vesicoureteral reflux. The data of patients without a previous history of surgery to treat vesicoureteral reflux and who underwent STING for the first time between September 2011 and November 2020 were investigated retrospectively. After considering exclusion criteria, of 199 patients, 127 patients and 180 renal unit were suitable for inclusion. A renal unit-based evaluation was made. Age < 61 months (univariate: p = 0.001, multivariate: p = 0.015, HR: 2.352 (1.181–4.686), OR (95% CI)), moderate reflux level (grade 3) (univariate: p < 0.001, multivariate: p = 0.019, HR: 2.703 (1.177–6.209), OR (95% CI)), DRF (differential renal function) < 45 (univariate: p = 0.020, multivariate: p = 0.047, HR: 1.992 (1.009–3.935), OR (95% CI)), and UDR (ureteral diameter ratio) > 0.15 (univariate: p < 0.001, multivariate: p = 0.005, HR: 2.786 (1.368–5.672), OR (95% CI)) were found to be factors that negatively affected reflux resolution after STING surgery. In our study, UDR and DRF were found to be factors affecting reflux persistence. UDR and DRF should be considered in order to predict reflux resolution in patients who will undergo STING.
Low-grade inflammation in the prognosis of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: the value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15)
Authors: Garganeeva Alla A. , Kuzheleva Elena A. , Tukish Olga V. , Repin Alexey N.
Published: October 2023

Background
Predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) after coronary interventions is an urgent and important task. Subclinical inflammation markers are becoming increasingly investigated for this purpose.
Aim
To determine the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in predicting MACE in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Methods
This prospective observational study included 80 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CABG and were followed up for at least 1 year. In a prospective follow-up, a combined endpoint (MACE) had 27.5% (a total of 22 events).
Results
The values of GDF-15 and NLR were comparable in groups with and without MACE. A ROC analysis showed a low AUC for NLR (AUC = 0.566 (p = 0.363)) and GDF-15 (AUC = 0.621 (p = 0.096)). The value of the product GDF-15*NLR was determined. The median was 3108.05 (2069; 4145) for patients who did not have MACE and 4108.8 (2779.4; 5890.5) for patients with MACE (p = 0.010). This association remained after the introduction of amendments to sex, age, diabetes, and left ventricular ejection fraction.
Conclusions
The value of the product indicators NLR and GDF-15 is associated with the development of adverse cardiovascular events in patients after CABG.
Developing New Sustainable Pyridinium Ionic Liquids: From Reactivity Studies to Mechanism-Based Activity Predictions
Authors: Borikhonov Bakhtiyor , Berdimurodov Elyor , Kholikov Tursunali , Katin Konstantin P. , DEMİR Muslum , Sapaev Frunza , Turaev Sherzod , Jurakulova Nigora
Published: October 2023

Recently, pyridinium-based ionic liquids have been received great attention thanks to their unique features, such as low melting points, low volatility, high thermal stability, and moderate solvation properties. In the present work, for the first time, three pyridinium-based ionic liquids 1-(2-(isopentyloxy)-2-oxoethyl)pyridin-1-ium chloride, 1-(2-(hexyloxy)-2-oxoethyl)pyridin-1-ium chloride, and 1-(2-(benzyloxy)-2-oxoethyl)pyridin-1-ium chloride were synthesized by simply reacting pyridine with esters of monochloroacetic acid. The biological activities of as-prepared compounds were evaluated experimentally through plant growth promotion, herbicidal, and insecticidal assays The biological test results show thate benzyloxy derivative stimulated wheat and cucumber growth over 20% at lower doses. The isopentyloxy compound was the most effective herbicide, reducing root/stem growth by >80%.. To support experimental data, the computational methods including DFT calculations, molecular docking and druglikeness prediction were also applied. It was found that the benzyloxy salt had the highest predicted binding affinities and druglikeness and yield was for pure salt production is in 78-86%. An integrated experimental-computational approach provided insights into structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action. The results showed the biological activity depends on substituent chain length/structure, influencing lipophilicity and membrane/target interactions. The findings support further development of optimized pyridinium ionic liquids as natural active agents for agriculture and pharmaceutical applications. These ionic salts are suggested as potential agent in agricultural, pharmaceutical and industrial application.
Construction of MoS 2 -rGO Hybrid Catalyst: An Efficient and Highly Stable Electrocatalyst for Enhanced Hydrogen Generation Reactions
Authors: Arunprasad Veeranan , Karthik P. Siva , Thulasi Selvam , Babu P. Sathish
Published: October 2023

It has been hypothesized that molybdenum disulfide, also known as MoS2, is an attractive option for the synthesis of hydrogen with a high degree of efficiency. It is preferred to construct a hybrid based on MoS2 in order to increase the catalytic efficiency, and it is vital to have a grasp of the nature of catalysis in order to make advances in this sector. In this paper, we use reduced graphene oxide, generally known as rGO, to create a MoS2@rGO hybrid catalyst with a number of favorable characteristics for the hydrogen evolution process (HER). The MoS2@rGO hybrids are next subjected to a battery of analytical tests, including TGA, XRD, TEM, XPS, Raman and BET. 1T MoS2@rGO hybrids demonstrated short Tafel slopes (46 and 52 mV.dec-1) and low levels of overall (70 and 71 mV versus RHE) in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes, allowing for a high current density of 10 mA.cm2. The findings show that HER exists in flawed heterostructures. Because 1T phase molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has more functional sites and a higher intrinsic permeability, it is responsible for the catalyst's outstanding HER efficiency. This paper presents a novel way for fabricating highly active and responsive HER catalysts, as well as a way that is both feasible and practical for fabricating defective-MoS2@rGO heterostructures.
MAFA-Net: Multimodal Attribute Feature Attention Network for visual question answering
Authors: Tang Mingwei , Ran Chaochong , Zong Liansong , Hu Jie , Li Linxi
Published: October 2023

Visual Question Answering (VQA) is a hot topic task to answer natural language questions related to the content of visual images. In most VQA models, visual appearance and attribute features are ignored, resulting in complex questions without correct answers.To solve these problems, we propose a new end-to-end VQA model called Multi-modal Attribute Feature Attention Network (MAFA-Net).Firstly, the self-guided word attention modulus is designed to connect entity words with semantic words. Secondly, two problematic adaptive visual attention modules are presented not only to extract important regional features, but also to focus on key attribute features (e.g., color, spatial relationships, etc.). Additionally, a combining strategy is proposed to better explore spatial relationships between objects and their appearance properties. Finally, the experimental results show that MAFA-Net achieves performance competitive with state-of-the-art models on two large-scale VQA datasets.
Food and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices among urban and peri-urban public primary school canteens children in southern Benin: a case study
Authors: Bello Faïck Moctar Yanausse , KOUKOU Elie , BODJRENOU Sam , TERMOTE Céline , AZOKPOTA Paulin , HOUNKPATIN Waliou AMOUSSA
Published: October 2023

Background: Food and nutrition notion among schoolchildren in Benin is still less documented. Few studies have looked into the determinants of food and nutrition among schoolchildren while other have attempted to link knowledge, attitude and practices to diet. The present study aims to evaluate food and nutrition knowledge, attitude and practices among schoolchildren enrolled in public primary schools canteens in Cotonou and surroundings.
Methods: A diagnostic study was conducted in twelve public primary schools canteens. A structured interview questionnaire was used to collect data from 861 schoolchildren aged 7 to 14 years. Three scores were used to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice. The overall score was the total of correct responses. The maximum score for all the 3 parameters was 15, 6 and 4 respectively for knowledge, attitude and practices. Data were analyzed using STATA 16. Logistic regression was performed to identify relationship between food and nutrition practices and knowledge and attitude. Pearson goodness of fit test was performed to verify the adequacy of the model. A P-value of less than 0.05 (P<0.05) was considered significant at 95% confidence interval.
Results: schoolchildren’s nutrition knowledge was low (mean score 2.52 ± 1.33) while attitude and practices were acceptable (mean score 4.08 ± 1.39 and 2.84 ± 0.77). Only 18.2% of schoolchildren knew the different food groups and 3.4% knew that they should eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Most of the schoolchildren (93.6%) were favorable to eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables and 86.8% were willing to eat more than 3 times a day. Among all practices, snacking between meals and eating breakfast were poorly observed by the schoolchildren.
Nutrition knowledge was associated with practices observed among schoolchildren but not with attitudes. However, a significant positive association was observed (p<0.05) between attitudes and practices.
Conclusion: Knowledge on food and nutrition among schoolchildren from public primary school with canteen was low. This study suggests implementation of nutritional education to improve schoolchildren knowledge and attitudes for healthy diets and nutrition.
Feasibility of Oropharyngeal pH-metry in diagnosing LPR – A single centre experience
Authors: Rahim Norazila Abdul , Hamzah Syarifah Nafisah Syed , Remacle Marc
Published: October 2023

Purpose: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is commonly diagnosed based on symptoms, nonspecific clinical findings, or positive response to empirical treatment. This single centre data highlights the role of Oropharyngeal pH-metry (Restech®) in diagnosing LPR and its practicality as an alternative to Hypopharyngeal-esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring (HEMII-pH).
Methods: A retrospective data of patients who underwent Oropharyngeal pH-metry (Restech®) at Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Center Hospitalier de Luxembourg Eich, Luxembourg from January 2022 until November 2022. 66 patients with probable LPR symptoms with suggestive flexible scope findings were included in the study.
Results: 66 patients consist of 29 male and 37 female patients (43.94%, 56.06% respectively). The median age is 51.5 ranges from 16 to 87 years old. A positive RYAN score demonstrated in 38 (57.57%) patients while negative RYAN score demonstrated in 28 (42.42%) patients. Furthermore, 24(36.36%) patients showed severe LPR, 28(42.42%) moderate and 12(18.18%) mild, 1(1.52%) no LPR and 1(1.52%) neutral LPR. Throat discomfort and irritative cough were the main symptoms reported by the patients. Proton pump inhibitor such as Pantoprazole and Esomeprazole were the common medications given to treat LPR. The dose given is either 20mg twice daily or 40mg twice daily depending on the severity of the LPR.
Conclusion: Oropharyngeal pH-metry (Restech®) is a feasible tool as an alternative to HEMII-pH in evaluating LPR.