bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A microphysiological system reveals neutrophil contact-dependent attenuation of pancreatic tumor progression by CXCR2 inhibition-based immunotherapy
Authors: Shao Shuai , Delk Nikki A. , Jones Caroline N.
Published: December 2023

Cancer cells recruit neutrophils from the bloodstream into the tumor tissue, where these immune cells promote the progression of numerous solid tumors. Studies in mice suggest that blocking neutrophil recruitment to tumors by inhibition of neutrophil chemokine receptor CXCR2 could be a potential immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Yet, the mechanisms by which neutrophils promote tumor progression in humans, as well as how CXCR2 inhibition could potentially serve as a cancer therapy, remain elusive. In this study, we developed a human cell-based microphysiological system to quantify neutrophil-tumor spheroid interactions in both “separated” and “contact” scenarios. We found that neutrophils promote the invasion of tumor spheroids through the secretion of soluble factors and direct contact with cancer cells. However, they promote the proliferation of tumor spheroids solely through direct contact. Interestingly, treatment with AZD-5069, a CXCR2 inhibitor, attenuates invasion and proliferation of tumor spheroids by blocking direct contact with neutrophils. Our findings show that CXCR2 inhibition reduces neutrophil migration toward tumor spheroids. These results shed new light on the tumor-promoting mechanisms of human neutrophils and the tumor-suppressive mechanisms of CXCR2 inhibition in pancreatic cancer and may aid in the design and optimization of novel immunotherapeutic strategies based on neutrophils.
Controlling the Nutritional Status Score: A New Tool for Predicting Postoperative Mortality in Patients with Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treated with Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Ye Sheng−Lin , Xu Tian−Ze , Wang Chuang , Han Kang , Jiang Xu−Dong , Tang Tao , Song Bin , Hu Nan , Du Xiao−Long , Li Xiao−Qiang
Published: December 2023

Background
Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a fatal condition that commonly occurs during vascular surgery. In many diseases, nutritional status is closely associated with prognosis. Scores from the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) screening tool have been shown to predict outcomes of certain malignancies and chronic diseases. However, the impact of nutritional status on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) treated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has not yet been reported. In this study, we explored the relationship between CONUT scores and postoperative prognoses of AAA patients treated with EVAR.
Methods
This was a retrospective review of 177 AAA patients treated with EVAR from June 2018 to November 2019 in a single center. Patient characteristics, nutritional status (CONUT scores), and postoperative status were collected. These patients were divided into groups A and B based on the CONUT scores. We compared the baseline characteristics of the two groups. Cox proportional risk and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent predictors of mid − term mortality and complications, respectively.
Results
Compared with group A, patients in group B had higher midterm mortality (P < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that CONUT scores; respiratory diseases; stent types; preoperative hemoglobin (Hb), preoperative C − reactive protein, preoperative prothrombin time, and preoperative fibrinogen levels were risk factors for death. Multivariate analysis confirmed that CONUT score [hazard ratio, 1.276; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.029–1.584; P = 0.027] was an independent risk factor for mortality. Logistic regression analysis showed that prior arterial disease, smoking, and D − dimer levels were risk factors, although multivariate analysis showed smoking (odds ratio, 3.492; 95% CI, 1.426–8.553; P = 0.006) was an independent risk factor. Kaplan − Meier curves showed that patients in group B had shorter mid − term survival than those in group A (log − rank P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Malnutrition was strongly associated with mid − term mortality in patients with infrarenal AAA treated with EVAR.
Single-cell analysis reveals heterogeneity in the molecular profile of the tumor microenvironment of biliary tract cancers
Authors: Lai Hua-ping , Mai Qicong , Tsauo Jiaywei , Wang Qi , Mo Zhiqiang , He Shunfa , Wang Senrui , Yang Yifan , Zhou Zejian , Yu Yilan , Wang Kejian , Zhang Jing , Mo Steven , Gou Qing
Published: December 2023

Background
Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are heterogeneous malignancies with diverse tumor microenvironment (TME) cells that contribute to tumor progression. However, the characteristics of the TME among different subtypes of BTCs remain unclear.
Methods
We integrated single-cell RNA sequencing data from BTC patients (iCCA, GBC, and eCCA) and RNA sequencing data from cholangiocarcinoma samples to construct a cellular molecular atlas of BTCs. Through enrichment analysis, we explored signaling pathways in tumor and TME cells, identified developmental trajectories and characterized transcription factors regulating different cell subpopulations using pseudotime analysis and gene regulatory network analysis. Moreover, we analyzed the intercellular communication between tumor cells and TME cells in different BTCs and developed a prognostic model.
Results
Malignant cells in different BTCs displayed significant heterogeneity, with variations in immune cell composition, biological functions, and metabolic pathways. Notably, the iCCA subpopulation demonstrated enhanced invasive potential, while the eCCA and GBC subpopulations showed significant activation of energy metabolism-related pathways. The carcinoma-associated fibroblast subpopulations in eCCA and GBC may regulate tumor cell metabolism through metabolic reprogramming, thereby facilitating tumor proliferation. GBC specifically exhibited enrichment of CXCL13 + tumor-reactive CD8 + T cells, indicating a potentially favorable response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Additionally, as tumor progression occurred, macrophage subpopulations in all three BTCs displayed M1/M2 dichotomous polarization, and the antigen-presenting ability of monocyte-derived dendritic cells gradually decreased.
Conclusion
This study analyzed single-cell landscape heterogeneity across BTC subtypes, revealing complex intercellular communication within the TME. A prognostic model was developed, providing insights for personalized precision medicine.
A randomized controlled trial evaluating low-intensity shockwave therapy for treatment of persistent storage symptoms following transurethral surgery for benign prostatic obstruction
Authors: Elshal Ahmed , Hegazy Mohammed , Sheir Khaled , Gaballah Mohamed
Published: December 2023

Background: Low-intensity shockwave therapy (Li-SWT) can improve bladder function through enhancement of angiogenesis and nerve regeneration and suppression of inflammation and overactivity. In this trial, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Li-SWT on persistent storage symptoms after transurethral surgery (TUS) for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).Methods: Between July 2020 and July 2022, 132 patients with persistent storage symptoms; urgency episodes/24 h ≥ 1 and daytime frequency ≥ 8, for at least three months after TUS for BPO were randomly allocated to Li-SWT versus sham versus solifenacin 10 mg/day in 3:1:1 ratio. The primary end point was the percent reduction from baseline in overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) at 3-month follow-up. The changes in 3-day voiding diary parameters, quality of life (QoL) score, peak flow rate and residual urine at 3 and 6-month follow-up were compared. Treatment-related adverse effects were also evaluated.Results: Baseline data were comparable between groups. The percent reduction from baseline in OABSS at 3-month follow-up was significantly higher in Li-SWT compared to sham (-55% versus − 11%), and it was comparable between Li-SWT and solifenacin 10 mg (-55% versus − 60%). Li-SWT achieved significant improvement like solifenacin 10 mg in 3-day voiding diary parameters and QoL score at 3-month follow-up. This improvement remained comparable between Li-SWT and solifenacin-10 at 6-month follow-up. No adverse effects related to Li-SWT were noted apart from tolerable pain during the procedure. Solifenacin 10 mg was associated with bothersome adverse effects in 73% of the patients with 11.5% discontinuation rate.Conclusions: Li-SWT ameliorates persistent storage symptoms and promotes QoL after TUS for BPO, with comparable efficacy and better tolerance compared to solifenacin.
Classical Monocyte Marker Gene Signatures (CMMGS) Identified by Analysis of Single-Cell and Bulk-RNA Sequencing to Predict Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: LIN HAN , Huang Yuhan , Ren Shencheng , Ma Teng , Ge Di
Published: December 2023

Background Classical monocytes, pivotal in the innate immune response, wield considerable influence over cancer prognosis and response to immunotherapy. Our aim was to construct lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) prognostic signature associated with Classical monocytes.Methods This study encompassed 1,822 samples drawn from diverse public datasets. Initially, we conducted an comprehensive analysis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) single-cell RNA sequencing data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), identifying 145 marker genes specific to classical monocyte. Univariate Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage Operator (LASSO) analyses were performed on the TCGA training cohort to construct a signature for classical monocyte marker genes.Result Patients in the TCGA LUAD cohort were categorized into high- and low-risk groups based on polygenic prognostic signature derived from these marker genes. The predictive capacity of this signature was robustly validated across distinct clinical subgroups and GEO cohorts. Notably, this signature emerged as an independent prognostic indicator via multivariate analysis. Low-risk patients exhibited heightened immune cell infiltration, correlating inversely with inflammatory activity and risk score. Conversely, the low-risk group demonstrated amplified abundance and diversity in T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoires, higher Immunophenotype scores (IPS), and lower Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores. Significantly, an assessment across three GEO immunotherapy cohorts showcased superior immunotherapeutic response and prognosis among low-risk patients compared to their high-risk counterparts.Conclusion In summary, our study introduces a novel signature rooted in monocyte marker genes that proficiently prognosticates and predicts immunotherapeutic response in LUAD patients.Supplementary Information: Supplementary information is uploaded in the attached document.
Clinical Outcomes of Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty with Feeding Vessels Suture Ligation. A Retrospective Study in a Single Center
Authors: Chen Kai-Hsiang , Huang Yi-Ling , Lin Chun-Yu , Chen Ming-Cheng , Chiu Teng-Yi , Chiang Feng-Fan
Published: December 2023

Background
Laser hemorrhoidoplasty has demonstrated significant therapeutic effectiveness. In order to diminish postoperative bleeding and enhance overall outcomes, we have additionally adopted suture-ligating the feeding vessels.
This study aimed to investigate patients who underwent this procedure and to better understand the treatment outcomes and any associated complications.
Methods
This study included 173 patients who had grade II to III symptomatic hemorrhoids and had undergone laser hemorrhoidoplasty with feeding vessels suture ligation between September 1, 2020 and August 31, 2022 consecutively.
First, hemorrhoid-feeding vessels located approximately 2 cm above the dentate line were identified by grasping the hemorrhoid tissues. These vessels were then suture-ligated. Subsequently, diode laser shots were administered to each hemorrhoid.
Surgical-related information, short-term postoperative pain, discomfort following discharge, hemorrhoid recurrence and any complications were all obtained from inpatient records, outpatient follow-ups, and telephone interviews.
Results
173 patients were included in the study. The median pain score at four hours postoperatively was 3. Nine patients (5.2%) experienced bleeding. Six patients (3.5%) developed abscesses. Twelve patients (6.9%) reported a symptomatic recurrence, at an average time of 6.2 months. Three patients (1.7%) still experience a tenesmus sensation, while 6 (3.5%) have had a change in flatulence sensation which has now gradually improved. More than 90% of the patients were satisfied with the results, while 8.7% expressed dissatisfaction.
Limitations
This was a retrospective study at a single medical center. We cannot obtain long-term follow-up results due to the fact we began this procedure in 2020.
Conclusions
Laser hemorrhoidoplasty with feeding vessels suture ligation appears to be a promising minimally invasive treatment option for symptomatic grade II and III hemorrhoids.
Angels or Demons: Investigating and Detecting Decentralized Financial Traps on Ethereum Smart Contracts
Authors: Chen Jiachi , Hu Jiang , Xia Xin , Lo David , Grundy John , Gao Zhipeng , Chen Ting
Published: December 2023

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) uses blockchain technologies to transform traditional financial activities into decentralized platforms that run without intermediaries and centralized institutions. Smart contracts are programs that run on the blockchain, and by utilizing smart contracts, developers can more easily develop DeFi applications. Some key features of smart contracts -- self-executed and immutability -- ensure the trustworthiness, transparency and efficiency of DeFi applications, and have led to a fast-growing DeFi market. However, misbehaving developers can add traps or backdoor code snippets to a smart contract, which are hard for contract users to discover. We call these code snippets in a DeFi smart contract as ''DeFi Contract Traps" (DCTs). In this paper, we identify five DeFi contract traps and introduce their behaviors, describe how attackers use them to make unfair profits, and analyse their prevalence in the Ethereum platform. We propose a symbolic execution tool, DeFiDefender, to detect such traps and use a manually labeled small-scale dataset that consists of 700 smart contracts to evaluate it. Our results show that our tool is not only highly effective but also highly efficient. DeFiDefender only needs 0.48s to analyze one DeFi smart contract and obtains a high average accuracy (98.17%), precision (99.74%), and recall (89.24%). Among the five DeFi contract traps introduced in this paper, four of them can be detected through contract bytecode without the need for source code. We also apply DeFiDefender to a large-scale dataset that consists of 20,679 real DeFi related Ethereum smart contracts. We found that 52.13% of these DeFi smart contracts contain at least one contract trap. Although a smart contract that contains contract traps is not necessarily malicious, our finding suggests that DeFi related contracts have many centralized issues in a zero-trust environment and in the absence of a trusted party.
Inside the Matrix: A pancreas-derived hydrogel for the culture of hiPSC-derived pancreatic endocrine cells
Authors: Berger Constantin , Glaser Markus , Ziegler Anna-Lena , Neukel Valentina , Walz Fabiola , Zdzieblo Daniela
Published: December 2023

Stem cell-derived β-cells (SC-BCs) display a potential source for curing diabetes. Up to now, in vitro generated SC-BCs display an immature phenotype and lack important features in comparison to their bona-fide counterparts. Transplantation into a living animal promotes SC-BCs maturation, indicating that components of the in vivo microenvironment trigger final SC-BCs development. Here, we investigated whether cues of the pancreas specific extracellular matrix (ECM) can improve the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) towards β-cells in vitro. To this aim, a pancreas specific ECM (PanMa) hydrogel was generated from decellularized pancreas of the pig and its effect on the differentiation and maturation of hiPSC-derived pancreatic hormone expressing cells (HECs) tested. The produced hydrogel solidified upon neutralization at 37°C with gelation kinetics similar to Matrigel. Cytocompatibility of the PanMa hydrogel was demonstrated for a culture duration of 21 days. Encapsulation and culture of HECs in the PanMa hydrogel over 7 days resulted in a stable gene and protein expression of β-cell markers, but did not improve β-cell maturation. In conclusion, the study describes the production of a PanMa hydrogel, which provides the basis for the development of ECM hydrogels that are more adapted to the demands of SC-BCs.
A Retrospective View on Triple Negative Breast Cancer Microenvironment: Novel Markers, Interactions, and Mechanisms of Tumor-Associated Components using public Single-cell RNA Seq Datasets
Authors: Kim Minsoo , Yang Wonhee , Hong Dawon , Won Hye Sung , Yoon Seokhyun
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer presents a significant clinical challenge due to its aggressive nature and limited treatment options. This subtype is notorious for a poorer prognosis compared to other breast cancer forms, primarily due to the lack of identifiable treatment targets.
Methods: In our study, we delve deep into the molecular landscape of TNBC using public single-cell RNA sequencing datasets. Our integrative analysis aims to identify unique markers specific to TNBC, unravel the intricate gene mechanisms they are involved in, and explore new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions.
Results: Employing three comprehensive datasets, our study offers a novel perspective on the tumor microenvironment of TNBC. Specifically, we found 12 marker genes, including DSC2 and CDKN2A, uniquely expressed in TNBC cells, marking an advancement in understanding this cancer subtype. A comparative analysis of these markers across various components of the tumor microenvironment, including both cancerous and normal cells, highlights a distinctive feature. A key discovery of our study is the interaction between DSC2 and DSG2 genes within TNBC cells, suggesting a novel pathway of intercellular communication exclusive to this cancer type.
Conclusion: This finding not only corroborates previous hypotheses but also lays the foundation for a new structural understanding of triple-negative breast cancer, as revealed through our single-cell analysis workflow.
Nighttime Driver Behavior Prediction Using Taillight Signal Recognition via CNN-SVM Classifier
Authors: Bagheri Elmira , Barshooi Amir Hossein
Published: December 2023

This paper aims to enhance the ability to predict nighttime driving behavior by identifying the taillights of both human-driven and autonomous vehicles. The proposed model incorporates a customized detector designed to accurately detect front-vehicle taillights on the road. At the beginning of the detector, a learnable pre-processing block is implemented, which extracts deep features from input images and calculates the data rarity for each feature. In the next step, drawing inspiration from soft attention, a weighted binary mask is designed that guides the model to focus more on predetermined regions. This research utilizes Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to extract distinguishing characteristics from these areas, then reduces dimensions using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Finally, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used to predict the behavior of the vehicles. To train and evaluate the model, a large-scale dataset is collected from two types of dash-cams and Insta360 cameras from the rear view of Ford Motor Company vehicles. This dataset includes over 12K frames captured during both daytime and nighttime hours. To address the limited nighttime data, a unique pixel-wise image processing technique is implemented to convert daytime images into realistic night images. The findings from the experiments demonstrate that the proposed methodology can accurately categorize vehicle behavior with 92.14% accuracy, 97.38% specificity, 92.09% sensitivity, 92.10% F1-measure, and 0.895 Cohen’s Kappa Statistic. Further details are available at https://github.com/DeepCar/Taillight_Recognition.
Screening and identification of critical Genes and Pathways Associated with Oxidative Stress in non-obstructive azoospermia patients: an integrative bioinformatics study
Authors: Bouk Sasan , Yari Kheirollah , Barzegari Ebrahim , Soleymani Bijan
Published: December 2023

Azoospermia affects nearly 1% of the entire male population, and 60% of these cases are included as non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). For a long time, oxidative stress has been considered a controversial factor in the etiology of infertility types, including male azoospermia. In various studies, the role of reactive oxygen species, as a double-edged sword, in the normal function of sperm cells and of course in DNA damage and sperm dysfunction has been reported. However, genes related to the oxidative stress process, which are responsible for infertility disorders in men, have not been specifically investigated. In this study, the expression profile of oxidative stress genes in non-obstructive azoospermia patients was investigated, and dysregulated and differentially expressed genes were obtained using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Besides the limma package, other packages and tools were used for Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the mentioned genes. Finally, Hub genes were identified using Cytoscape and CytoHubba plug-in. Finally, 75 differentially expressed oxidative stress-related genes were identified between azoospermic and control groups. These genes were enriched in the functions and pathways related to different cellular stress and oxidative stress. As far as we know, this is the first time the key genes of oxidative stress affecting non-obstructive azoospermia have been investigated. The present study suggests the hub genes JUN, FOS, ATF3, DUSP1, MYC, and HSPA5 as possible potential biomarkers in NOA. It is hoped that our results will shed light on the dark aspects of the association between oxidative stress and azoospermia and that these findings will be used as potential therapeutic and research targets.
YOSBG: UAV image data-driven high-throughput field tobacco leaf counting method
Authors: Xiao Hengshu , Li Junying , Liang Hong , Zhang Liuchen , Zhang Hong , Ma Erdeng , Deng Xiaopeng
Published: December 2023

Background: Estimating tobacco leaf yield is a crucial task. The number of leaves is directly related to yield. Therefore, it is important to achieve intelligent and rapid high-throughput statistical counting of field tobacco leaves. Unfortunately, the current method of counting the number of tobacco leaves is expensive, imprecise, and inefficient. It heavily relies on manual labor and also faces challenges of mutual shading among the field tobacco plants during their growth and maturity stage, as well as complex environmental background information. This study proposes an efficient method for counting the number of tobacco leaves in a large field based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) image data. First, a UAV is used to obtain high-throughput vertical orthoimages of field tobacco plants to count the leaves of the tobacco plants. The tobacco plant recognition model is then used for plant detection and segmentation to create a dataset of images of individual tobacco plants. Finally, the improved algorithm YOLOv8 with Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) and bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN) and GhostNet (YOSBG) algorithm is used to detect and count tobacco leaves on individual tobacco plants.
Results: Experimental results show YOSBG achieved an average precision (AP) value of 93.6% for the individual tobacco plant dataset with a model parameter (Param) size of only 2.5 million (M). Compared to the YOLOv8n algorithm, the F1 (F1-score) of the improved algorithm increased by 1.7% and the AP value increased by 2%, while the model Param size was reduced by 16.7%. In practical application discovery, the occurrence of false detections and missed detections is almost minimal. In addition, the effectiveness and superiority of this method compared to other popular object detection algorithms have been confirmed.
Conclusions: This article presents a novel method for high-throughput counting of tobacco leaves based on UAV image data for the first time, which has a significant reference value. It solves the problem of missing data in individual tobacco datasets, significantly reduces labor costs, and has a great impact on the advancement of modern smart tobacco agriculture.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward thyroid disorders among Jordanians
Authors: Abu-Humaidan Anas H. A. , Bdour Zain , Albdour Karam , Al-Sukhon Diala , Momani Yazan , Alaridah Nader
Published: December 2023

Thyroid disorders, despite their prevalence and possible significant complications, remain considerably underdiagnosed. Thus, awareness of thyroid disorders symptoms and risk factors is needed. This study gauged the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Jordanians towards thyroid disorders, using an online survey. The survey assessed knowledge of thyroid function; knowledge of risk factors, symptoms, and treatments of thyroid disorder; and finally, attitudes and practices toward thyroid disorders. The survey was completed by 579 participants, predominantly female (62.9%) and married (68.7%), with a mean age of 41.4. Participants had a mean knowledge score of 7.22 out of 14.00. Specific gaps in knowledge relevant to women’s health were recognized, where a minority recognized symptoms such as menstrual abnormalities (38.2%), and risk factors such as pregnancy (19.3%). Additionally, a minority believed that thyroid medications should not be stopped during pregnancy (31.8%). Better knowledge correlated with perceiving thyroid disorders as common, dangerous, and preventable. Factors predicting higher knowledge included being female, pursuing medical studies, and having a prior thyroid disorder diagnosis. Most participants preferred visiting an endocrinologist (75.6%) over primary care (19.3%) for thyroid-related symptoms. In conclusion, the study recommends targeted public health campaigns to enhance awareness, particularly among women and expectant mothers. Disseminating accurate information through various channels, including primary care centers, is crucial for creating an informed and proactive population regarding thyroid health.
Long-term periodic management of Phragmites australis maintains native brackish wetland plant communities
Authors: Brooks Hope , Jacobson Sylvia , Baldwin Andrew , McCormick Melissa , Kettenring Karin , Buehl Eric , Whigham Dennis
Published: December 2023

Complete eradication of invasive plants is often infeasible while in some cases ‘functional eradication’, the reduction of an invader to low levels with reduced ongoing management costs, is a sustainable option. Non-native Phragmites australis has challenged land managers across North America but functional eradication may yet be possible in some scenarios. Here we present data from Chesapeake Bay brackish tidal wetlands where two approaches to Phragmites management (long-term, continuous management and short-term, non-continuous management) were used. We demonstrate that the application of herbicides will lead to the establishment of native species, but long-term, continuous management is required to facilitate functional eradication of Phragmites by keeping it at low levels of occurrence and restoring native plant communities. Ultimately, historical data from sites that were sampled as part of this study indicate that if management is successful and results in functional eradication of Phragmites, then the recovering vegetation will include native species that were present before the sites were invaded by Phragmites.
Construction and validation of a prediction model for preoperative prediction of Ki-67 expression in endometrial cancer patients by apparent diffusion coefficient
Authors: Zhang Meng , Jing Mengyuan , Li Ruiping , Cao Yuntai , Zhang Shan , Guo Yuzhen
Published: December 2023

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in the preoperative non-invasive prediction of Ki-67 expression level in patients with endometrial cancer (EC), and to construct a nomogram prdiction model by combining clinical data.
Methods: We performed the retrospective analysis of 280patients with EC who underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and were confirmed by pathology after operation from January 2017 to February 2023 in our hospital. Two independent radiologists measured the ADC values (ADCmax, ADCmean, and ADCmin) of EC on the ADC image by comparing the MRI enhancement and DWI images, respectively. Potential non-linear relationships between ADC values and Ki-67 expression were assessed using a 3-node restricted cubic spline plot. The included patients were randomized into a training set (n = 186) and a validation set (n = 84). Using a combination of Logistic regression and LASSO regression results, from which the four best predictors were identified for the construction of the nomogram. The accuracy and clinical applicability of the nomogram were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve Analysis (DCA).
Results: ADCmax, ADCmean and ADCmin were significantly correlated with Ki-67 expression levels in EC patients(P=0.001). Among them, there was a non-linear correlation between ADCmin and Ki-67 expression (Nonlinear P = 0.019); and between ADCmean and Ki-67 expression (Nonlinear P = 0.048), specifically. The final obtained ADCmax, FIGO, Chemotherapy and grade were combined to construct the nomogram. The area under the curve (AUC) values of ROC for Nomogram, ADCmax, FIGO, Chemotherapy and Grade in the training set were 0.783, 0.718, 0.579, 0.636 and 0.654, respectively. In the validation set, the AUC values for Nomogram, ADCmax, FIGO, Chemotherapy and Grade were 0.820, 0.746, 0.558, 0.542 and 0.738, respectively. In addition, the calibration curves and the DCA curves suggested a better predictive efficacy of the model.
Conclusion: A nomogram prediction model constructed on the basis of ADCmax values combined with clinical data can be used as an effective method to noninvasively assess Ki67 expression in EC patients before surgery.
Utilizing Technology for Diet and Exercise Change in Complex Chronic Conditions Across Diverse Environments (U-DECIDE): Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Brown Riley C. C. , Keating Shelley E. , Jegatheesan Dev K. , Mayr Hannah L. , Barnett Amandine , Conley Marguerite M. , Webb Lindsey , Kelly Jaimon T. , Snoswell Centaine L. , Staudacher Heidi , Macdonald Graeme A. , Burton Nicola W. , Coombes Jeff S. , Campbell Katrina L. , Isbel Nicole M. , Hickman Ingrid J.
Published: December 2023

Background
Diet and exercise are important components of treatment for complex chronic conditions, however access to allied health support is limited. When available, support is often siloed and fragmented. Digital health incorporating patient choice may help to align health care services with preferences and goals. This study evaluated the implementation of a ubiquitously accessible patient-centred digital health diet and exercise service.
Methods
U-DECIDE was a single-centre, 26-week randomised controlled trial set in kidney and liver disease clinics in a tertiary hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Participants were adults with a complex chronic condition referred for dietetic consultation with at least one feature of the metabolic syndrome. All participants received a dietary consultation, an activity monitor and usual care. Intervention participants were offered one text message per week and access to additional digital health options (increased text message frequency, nutrition app, exercise app, group-based diet and/or exercise video consultations). The primary outcome of feasibility was determined by safety (study-related serious adverse events: SRSAEs), recruitment (≥ 50% eligible patients), retention (≥ 70%), exposure uptake (≥ 75% of intervention group had greater access to health professional contact than comparator) and video consultation adherence (≥ 80% attendance). Secondary outcomes included process evaluation metrics and clinical effectiveness.
Results
Of 67 participants (intervention n = 33, comparator n = 34), 37 (55%) were men, median (IQR) age was 51 (41–58) years. The most chosen digital health options were the nutrition app (n = 29, 88%) and exercise video consultations (n = 26, 79%). Only one participant chose no additional digital health options. The intervention group had no SRSAEs. The study exceeded targets for recruitment (52%), retention (81%) and exposure uptake (94%). Video consultation adherence was 42%. Engagement across digital health options was inconsistent.
Conclusions
Digital health options incorporating patient choice were feasible and can be offered to people with complex chronic disease as a service model option.
Trial registration
Australia and New Zealand Trials Register: Trial Registration Number: ACTRN12620001282976. Registered 27th November 2020.
Towards online training for RL-Based Query Optimizer
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed , El-Kilany Ayman , Mokhtar Hoda M. O. , Sobh Ibrahim
Published: December 2023

Join query optimization aims to find the best join order for tables in a query, which is critical for query processing performance. Recently, reinforcement learning models have been proposed to solve the challenges existing with query processing and join query optimization. However, changes in the data distribution can turn the trained reinforcement learning models into obsolete models, resulting in longer execution times. In this paper, we propose a new training strategy in order to extend the existing reinforcement learning models and improve their adaptation when the data distribution changes. The experiments show that the proposed strategy has a significant benefit in decreasing training time for the models given the changes in the data distribution.
Impact of time from diagnosis to chemotherapy on prognosis in advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: Nishida Tsutomu , Sugimoto Aya , Hosokawa Kana , Masuda Haruka , Okabe Satoru , Fujii Yoshifumi , Nakamatsu Dai , Matsumoto Kengo , Yamamoto Masashi , Fukui Koji
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Due to the aggressive nature and poor prognosis of advanced pancreatic cancer (PC), prompt initiation of treatment is critical. We investigated the effect of the survival time interval between cancer diagnosis and initiation of chemotherapy in patients with advanced PC.
Methods
In this retrospective, single-center study, consecutive patients with advanced PC between April 2013 and March 2022 were analyzed. Data were extracted from the electronic medical records of patients who received chemotherapy for metastatic, locally advanced, or resectable PC or who received chemotherapy due to either being intolerant of or declining surgery. Chemotherapy followed clinical practice guidelines. We compared overall survival between two groups: the early waiting time (WT) group (WT ≤ 30 days from diagnosis to chemotherapy initiation) and the elective WT group (WT ≥ 31 days). Prognostic factors, including biliary drainage, were considered. The impact of WT on survival was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox proportional hazard models. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) approach balanced bias, accounting for significant poor prognosis factors, age and sex.
Results
The study involved 137 patients. Overall survival exhibited no statistically significant difference between the early and elective WT groups (207 and 261 days, P = 0.2518). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified poor performance status and metastasis presence as predictors of worse prognosis. This finding persisted post PSM (275 and 222 days, P = 0. 8223).
Conclusions
Our study revealed that initiating chemotherapy within 30 days of diagnosis, as opposed to more than 30 days later, does not significantly affect treatment efficacy.
Purification and characterization of a novel anticoagulant peptide from protein hydrolysate of Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker
Authors: Li Xidong , Zhuang Xuefei , Li Huifen , Pan Linmei , Liu Rui , Zhu Huaxu , Tang Zhishu
Published: December 2023

Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker (ESW), an animal drug in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used clinically for thousands of years for cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. Many studies of ESW have reported that it had have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities due to the small-molecule ingredients. However, large-molecule compounds of ESW representing significant pharmacological effects such as anti-thrombotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory have not been revealed yet. Here, a novel anticoagulant peptide (P9) containing 9 amino acids was isolated from the hydrolysate of aqueous extracts of ESW. Further, P9 synthesized by solid-phase synthesis was able to prolong APTT and TT and bind to thrombin in a mixed mode. Molecular docking and spectroscopy demonstrated that P9 was able to inhibit thrombin activity by binding to the active site of thrombin and altering the secondary structure of thrombin. In an in vivo study, P9 was able to reduce the intensity of Phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced cardiac staining in thrombosed zebrafish with antithrombotic activity. The results suggest that peptides originated from ESW hydrolysates could exert an anticoagulant effect, which is likely to be a potential source of bioactive peptides with anticoagulant activity.
Analysis of the effect of spray mode on coating porosity and hardness when spraying press screws by the high velocity oxy fuel method
Authors: Nguyen Tuan-Linh , Nguyen Hong Tien , Nguyen Van Thien , Khuat Duc Duong
Published: December 2023

Porosity and coating hardness are two very important properties of the coating. In order to achieve low coating porosity and high hardness, a suitable spray mode is desired. In the particular application for press screws with the complex surface, a suitable spray mode plays a significant role in the formation of the coating properties. This paper employs the Taguchi experimental design method combined with ANOVA analysis to evaluate the impact of the spray mode on the porosity and hardness of the coating while spraying the screw surface using the High Velocity Oxy Fuel (HVOF) method. The injection material used is WC HMSP1060-00 +60 % 4070, with its main components being Nickel and Carbide Wolfram. And the press screw material is 1045 steel. The impactful parameters of the spray mode investigated and tested are the flow rate of spray (F) with a range varying from 25 g/min to 35 g/min, spray distance (D) with a range of values varying from 0.25 m to 0.35 m, and an oxygen/propane ratio (R) from 4 to 6. The analysis shows that the spray mode significantly affects the coating properties, and a suitable set of spray parameters is found to achieve low coating porosity and high coating hardness. The spray mode with the lowest porosity is achieved at a spray rate (F) of 35 g/min, a spray distance (D) of 0.3 m, and an oxygen/propane ratio (R) of 6. The interactions between D and R, as well as between F and D, are statistically significant, influencing each other's effects on porosity. However, the interaction between F and R is relatively low, indicating that changes in one parameter have less impact on porosity when the other parameter is varied. Similarly, for the highest coating hardness, the optimal spray mode includes an F of 35 g/min, D of 0.25 m, and R of 6. There is a significant interaction between F and D, while the interaction between F and R is relatively low. Notably, there is no interaction between F and R
Vision of the third mission in Saint Petersburg State University and the universities of the Republic of Korea
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kropachev Nikolay M. , Lavrikova Marina Yu. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Molitvin Mikhail N. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: December 2023

In the 21st century researchers redefine the role of universities in the life and development of society. Activities in this area have become so important that they are considered as a special mission along with the traditional educational and research missions. At the same time, no consensus has been formed yet on which areas of university activities should be in the centre of the third mission. Experts from Western universities put emphasis on the commercialization of the products of educational and especially research missions in the interests of the society. Our study examines the vision of the third mission at St. Petersburg State University, as well as at universities in the Republic of Korea. The material for the study make the speeches of the participants of the 9th Forum of Rectors of the leading Universities of Russia and the Republic of Korea as well as a wide range of information on this topic on the St. Petersburg University portal. The analysis showed the similarity of the approaches of St. Petersburg State University and Korean universities to interaction with society and industry. St. Petersburg State University meets the society’s expectations about education and development. Representatives of employers are involved in the development of specialized programs and evaluation of learning outcomes. Internships in research institutes and enterprises provide students with employment and future career growth. University pays a special attention to creating comfortable working conditions at the university, in which students and teachers are part of the local society. In addition, access to the university’s cultural and museum resources is open to all citizens.
Regional ecosystem of technological entrepreneurship: Model and methodology for assessing performance (the case of the Novgorod region)
Authors:   Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University, Daneykin Yuri V.
Published: December 2023

The article proposes a model of a multi-level regional ecosystem of technological entrepreneurship and a methodology for assessing its effectiveness. The problems of innovative development of high-tech industries are significant, but only a small part of first-time entrepreneurs associate their businesses with high technology. In Russia, only 3% of startups emerge at universities. The most favorable environment for the development of technological entrepreneurship is entrepreneurial ecosystems covering university, regional and sectoral levels. The article focuses on the formation of technological entrepreneurship ecosystems in the regions that generate business projects with a high potential for market success. Using the ecosystem approach, the theory of entrepreneurship, the structural and functional typology of economic systems, the study discusses a methodical approach to the creation and development of regional ecosystems of student technological entrepreneurship. The paper shows the object, project, process, and environmental elements of the regional ecosystem of student technological entrepreneurship. Methodology for assessment of the performance of regional ecosystems of student technological entrepreneurship is proposed, including assessment at the level of university (the effectiveness of educational technologies, programs, climate, and infrastructure), industry and the region. The results are significant for the formation of an optimally functioning economy in the current conditions, the acceleration of import substitution, and the achievement of the country's technological sovereignty.
The role of generations in family firms’ internationalization: Systematic literature review
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kriklivetc Anna A.
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study is to summarize the existing knowledge on the role of generations in the internationalization of family businesses and to outline promising future research directions in the field. The search for relevant papers was conducted in two major databases — Web of Science and EBSCO. The final sample consists of 51 articles published from 2000 to 2021. The articles were grouped into 5 major clusters, according to the research focus. Every cluster revealed several further research directions. Also there has been found an important research gap in the application of the theory of generations to the family business internationalization research. The main implication of this research is that the investigation of the topics identified in this paper would enrich and deepen our knowledge about family business internationalization in a systematic manner.The main limitation of this research is that the role of generations is considered only in the process of internationalization. Family business owners can use the results of this research when planning to launch their businesses on international markets. The process of internationalization of family firms is complex and multifaceted since these firms are unique and significantly differ from non-family firms. Thus, the understanding of how this process is influenced by the involvement of family members from different generations would help to advance the existing knowledge on the topic.
The idea of the museum and its implementation: On the example of the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons
Authors:   Tula State Museum of Weapons, Gerasimov Grigoriy I.
Published: December 2023

The purpose of the article is to test the theoretical provisions of the idealistic approach to history developed by the author, as well as idealistic views on the museum. The author examines the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons. The article substantiates the decisive importance of ideas in the evolution of the museum of weapons, the formation of its collection. The pre-revolutionary museum collection was formed on the basis of ideas: the preservation of weapons; savings necessary in the technological process of “exemplary” products; preservation of original designs that may be useful for the production of weapons in the future; storage of various “curious” weapons. The exposition of the Tula Museum of Weapons of that time clearly carried out the monarchist idea. In 1917, the museum, given its monarchical orientation, was liquidated. In 1920, it was recreated on a new ideological basis, which was determined by the installation of the Soviet government. In the post-war period, the main idea was the participation of museums in the education of workers on revolutionary and labor traditions. The museum funds were formed, the exposition was organized, all forms of work were filled with content. The collapse of the communist worldview devalued the ideological foundations of the exposition created in 1989 on the basis of communist ideas. The purpose of the modern exposition is to generate interest in the development of weapons as an important component of the general historical process of Russian civilization. The ideas embodied in the exposition are also transmitted by all other forms of museum activity. The author believes that the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons confirms the position of an idealistic approach to history that every museum is based on ideas that determine its goals, objectives, content of the collection, exposition and forms of work.