bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excess Fatal Overdoses in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Geography and Substance Type: March 2020–August 2021
Authors: Chandra Jay , Charpignon Marie-Laure , Bhaskar Anushka , Therriault Andrew , Chen Yea-Hung , Mooney Alyssa , Dahleh Munther A. , Kiang Mathew V. , Dominici Francesca
Published: May 2024

Objectives. To assess heterogeneity in pandemic-period excess fatal overdoses in the United States, by location (state, county) and substance type.

Methods. We used seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models to estimate counterfactual death counts in the scenario that no pandemic had occurred. Such estimates were subtracted from actual death counts to assess the magnitude of pandemic-period excess mortality between March 2020 and August 2021.

Results. Nationwide, we estimated 25 668 (95% prediction interval [PI] = 2811, 48 524) excess overdose deaths. Specifically, 17 of 47 states and 197 of 592 counties analyzed had statistically significant excess overdose-related mortality. West Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and New Mexico had the highest rates (20–37 per 100 000). Nationally, there were 5.7 (95% PI = 1.0, 10.4), 3.1 (95% PI = 2.1, 4.2), and 1.4 (95% PI = 0.5, 2.4) excess deaths per 100 000 involving synthetic opioids, psychostimulants, and alcohol, respectively.

Conclusions. The steep increase in overdose-related mortality affected primarily the southern and western United States. We identified synthetic opioids and psychostimulants as the main contributors.

Public Health Implications. Characterizing overdose-related excess mortality across locations and substance types is critical for optimal allocation of public health resources. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):599–609. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307618 )
STEM PjBL Sparks Global Ecoliteracy Advancement
Authors: Indrasari Ayu , Wulandari Fitria Eka
Published: May 2024

This study examines the impact of a STEM-based Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model on Class VIII students' ecoliteracy abilities at SMP Negeri 1 Tanggulangin using a quantitative pre-experimental approach. The research design employs a One Group Pretest-Posttest Design with non-probability purposive sampling. Results from administering valid ecoliteracy tests and analyzing data with the N-Gain Test and One Way ANOVA reveal a significant increase in ecoliteracy abilities after implementing the STEM-based PjBL model, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing students' environmental literacy. These findings have implications for incorporating innovative teaching methods to improve environmental education in schools.
 
Highlight: 

Evaluates STEM-based PjBL for ecoliteracy in students.
Uses purposive sampling for targeted research.
Shows significant increase in ecoliteracy skills post-implementation.

 

Keyword: STEM-based PjBL, Ecoliteracy, Quantitative Approach, Pre-experimental Methods, Environmental Education
Exploring Science Attitudes, Misconceptions, and Temperature Correlations
Authors: Alfania Citra Aulia , Shofiyah Noly
Published: May 2024

This study investigates junior high school students' attitudes towards science and their misconceptions regarding temperature changes, aiming to understand the relationship between these two factors. Conducted at SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Krian with 93 seventh-grade students, the research utilizes non-experimental quantitative methods, including questionnaires and statistical analyses. Findings reveal that while students exhibit generally positive attitudes towards scientific investigation, misconceptions about temperature changes are low. However, the correlation between students' attitudes towards science and their misconceptions is observed to be low. These results underscore the importance of addressing both attitudes and misconceptions in science education to optimize learning outcomes.Highlight:

Investigates student attitudes and misconceptions about temperature changes in science.
Positive attitudes but low misconceptions found in junior high students.
Correlation between attitudes and misconceptions in science education explored.

Keywoard: Attitudes Towards Science, Misconceptions, Temperature Changes, Junior High School Students, Science Education
Social media for improving the students’ vocabulary mastery in ESP Maritime English
Authors: Ratnaningsih Dyah , Purwati Oikurema , Munir Ahmad
Published: May 2024

The ever-expanding globalization era brings with it a host of new developments in people's lives, including methods of learning, especially when it comes to increasing vocabulary in English, the universal language of communication. Economic issues are greatly impacted by globalization; as a result, trade between countries is growing quickly, and shipping is the most suitable means of transportation. Consequently, there is a growing need for proficient sailors who speak English, especially maritime English, in order to demonstrate clear communication and reduce accidents brought on by miscommunications between crew members and ships. For students in maritime schools, learning Maritime English (ME) terminology is a prerequisite to developing proper communication skills. Social media is one of the teaching strategies used with students at the maritime academy.
Keywords: social media, vocabulary mastery, ESP, maritime English
Coastal breeding bird phenology on the dredged-material islands of the Baptiste Collette Bayou, US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, Louisiana
Authors: Guilfoyle Michael , Anderson Amanda , Jackson Samuel , Jung Jacob , Zenzal Theodore , Suedel Burton , Corbino Jeffrey
Published: May 2024

Coastal bird populations in North America have experienced significant population declines over the past four decades, and many species have become dependent upon human-made islands and other sediment-based habitats created through dredged material deposition. We monitored the breeding phenology of coastal bird populations utilizing dredged-material islands and open depositional areas in the Baptiste Collette Bayou in coastal Louisiana. Monitoring began in early May, prior to when most coastal species begin nesting, and continued through late August, when most breeding activity has ceased. Semimonthly surveys included area searches by foot and boat. Two deposition areas and one island supported large numbers of foraging, roosting, or breeding birds; surveys on these areas included using spotting scopes to identify species and count nests or young. Six islands and two open deposition areas were monitored. We also collected high-definition and lidar imagery using an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in June, during peak nesting season. We recorded 77,474 cumulative detections of 68 species. Virtually all colonial nesting birds (terns and skimmers) nested on Gunn Island in 2021. We discuss these results in the context of dredged-material deposition by the US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, and offer recommendations for management of these areas.
Octahedronoides tethysianus n.gen., n.sp., enigmatic clusters of microspheres at the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition
Authors: Granier Bruno R.C.
Published: May 2024

In the literature, numerous accounts exist of microspheres scattered in the pelagic environments of the Tethys realm at the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. These microspheres are commonly associated with genera such as Cadosina, Colomisphaera, or Stomiosphaera, and attributed to calcareous dinocysts. On the other hand, there are few records of the microsphere, initially described as Cadosina minuta BORZA, 1980, which are arranged in small clusters, likely comprising six cells. This distinctive grouping and its architecture preclude attribution to the calcareous dinocysts. A new genus and a new species (as Octahedronoides tethysianus n.gen., n.sp.) are introduced to define these clusters of leiospheres, which are here reascribed to the acritarchs.
Programable Albumin-Hitchhiking Nanobodies Enhance the Delivery of STING Agonists to Potentiate Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Wilson John , Kimmel Blaise , Arora Karan , Chada Neil , Bharti Vijaya , Kwiatkowski Alexander , Finklestein Jonah , Hanna Ann , Arner Emily , Sheehy Taylor , Pastora Lucinda , Yang Jinming , Pagendarm Hayden , Stone Payton , Taylor Brandie , Hubert Lauren , Gibson-Corley Kathern , May Jody , McLean John , Rathmell Jeffrey , Richmond Ann , Rathmell Wendy , Balko Justin , Fingleton Barbara , Hargrove-Wiley Ebony
Published: May 2024

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a promising target for potentiating antitumor immunity, but multiple pharmacological barriers limit the clinical utility, efficacy, and/or safety of STING agonists. Here we describe a modular platform for systemic administration of STING agonists based on nanobodies engineered for in situ hitchhiking of agonist cargo on serum albumin. Using site-selective bioconjugation chemistries to produce molecularly defined products, we found that covalent conjugation of a STING agonist to anti-albumin nanobodies improved pharmacokinetics and increased cargo accumulation in tumor tissue, stimulating innate immune programs that increased the infiltration of activated natural killer cells and T cells, which potently inhibited tumor growth in multiple mouse tumor models. We also demonstrated the programmability of the platform through the recombinant integration of a second nanobody domain that targeted programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), which further increased cargo delivery to tumor sites while also blocking immunosuppressive PD-1/PD-L1 interactions. This bivalent nanobody carrier for covalently conjugated STING agonists stimulated robust antigen-specific T cell responses and long-lasting immunological memory, conferred enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and was effective as a neoadjuvant treatment for improving responses to adoptive T cell transfer therapy. Albumin-hitchhiking nanobodies thus offer an enabling, multimodal, and programmable platform for systemic delivery of STING agonists with potential to augment responses to multiple immunotherapeutic modalities.
Targeting Fatty Acid Synthase Reduces Aortic Atherosclerosis and Inflammation
Authors: zayed Mohamed , Meade Rodrigo , Engel Connor , Belaygorod Larisa , Arif Batool , Hsu Fong-Fu , Adak Sangeeta , Catlett Ryan , Semenkovich Clay
Published: May 2024

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is predominantly expressed in the liver and adipose tissue. It plays vital roles in de novo synthesis of saturated fatty acid and regulates insulin sensitivity. We previously demonstrated that serum circulating FAS (cFAS) is a clinical biomarker for advanced atherosclerosis, and that it is conjugated to low-density lipoproteins (LDL). However, it remains unknown whether cFAS can directly impact atheroprogression. To investigate this, we evaluated whether cFAS impacts macrophage foam cell formation – a important cellular process leading to atheroprogression. Macrophages exposed to human serum containing high levels of cFAS showed increased foam cell formation as compared to cells exposed to serum containing low levels of cFAS. This difference was not observed using serum containing either high or low LDL. Pharmacological inhibition of cFAS using Platensimycin (PTM) decreased foam cell formation in vitro. In Apoe−/− mice with normal FAS expression, administration of PTM over 16 weeks along with a high fat diet decreased cFAS activity and aortic atherosclerosis without affecting circulating total cholesterol. This effect was also seen in Apoe−/− mice with liver-specific deletion of hepatic FAS. Reductions in aortic root plaque were associated with decreased macrophage infiltration. These findings demonstrate that cFAS can impact arterial atheroprogression.
Label free metabolic imaging to enhance the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy
Authors: Skala Melissa , Pham Dan , Cappabianca Daniel , Forsberg Matthew , Weaver Cole , Mueller Katherine , Tommasi Anna , Vidugiriene Jolanta , Lauer Anthony , Sylvester Kayla , Bugel Madison , Capitini Christian , Saha Krishanu
Published: May 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for solid tumors is challenging not only because of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, but also because of a complex manufacturing process that is difficult to monitor. Manufacturing directly impacts CAR T cell yield, phenotype, and metabolism, which correlate with in vivo potency and persistence. In particular, though metabolic fitness is a critical quality attribute, how T cell metabolic requirements vary throughout manufacturing remains unexplored. Here, we address this limitation with optical metabolic imaging (OMI), a non-invasive, label-free method to evaluate single-cell metabolism based on autofluorescent metabolic coenzymes NAD(P)H and FAD. Using OMI, we identified the dominating impacts of media composition over the selection of antibody stimulation and/or cytokines on anti-GD2 CAR T cell metabolism, activation strength and kinetics, and phenotype. We demonstrated that OMI parameters can indicate cell cycle stage and optimal gene transfer conditions for both viral transduction and electroporation-based CRISPR/Cas9. Notably, in a virus-free CRISPR-edited anti-GD2 CAR T cell model, OMI measurements allowed accurate prediction of an oxidative metabolic phenotype that yielded higher in vivo potency against neuroblastoma. Our data supports OMI’s potential as a robust, sensitive analytical tool to identify optimal manufacturing conditions and monitor cell metabolism throughout manufacturing for increased CAR T cell yield and metabolic fitness.
Empowered, Accountable, and Committed? Applying self-determination theory to examine work-place procrastination.
Authors: Kausar Fazia , Ijaz Muhammad Umer , Rasheed Maria , Suhail Aamir , Islam Usman
Published: May 2024

Background – This research examines the role of psychological characteristics (psychological empowerment and psychological ownership) in reducing employees’ workplace procrastination. Further, using organizational commitment theory, this research examines the mediating mechanism of organizational commitment in the relationship between psychological characteristics and employees’ workplace procrastination.
Methods– Two studies were conducted to test our hypotheses. In Study 1, we collected online data from 146 working individuals via the crowdsourcing platform Prolific. For Study 2, we gathered data from 384 employees in the banking sector in Pakistan using a paper-and-pencil survey questionnaire. Both studies employed a time-lagged data collection approach to minimize common-method bias.
Results – The research findings supported our hypotheses that organizational commitment mediated the positive relationship between psychological characteristics and employees’ workplace procrastination.
Conclusion – Previous studies have focused on the factors responsible for employees’ workplace procrastination. This study advances our knowledge by identifying the antecedents of employees’ workplace procrastination and examining the underlying mediating mechanism.
Quantifying the impact of the food we eat on species extinctions
Authors: Ball Thomas , Dales Michael , Eyres Alison , Green Jonathan , Madhavapeddy Anil , Williams David , Balmford Andrew
Published: May 2024

Agriculturally-driven habitat degradation and destruction is the biggest threat to global biodiversity, yet the impacts on extinctions of different types of food and where they are produced and the mitigation potential of different interventions remain poorly quantified. Here we link the LIFE biodiversity metric – a high-resolution global layer describing the marginal impact of land-use on extinctions of ~30K vertebrate species – with food consumption and production data and provenance modelling. Using an opportunity-cost framing we discover that the impact of what we eat on species extinctions varies widely both across and within foods, in many cases by more than an order of magnitude. Despite marked differences in per-capita impacts across countries, there are consistent patterns that could be leveraged for mitigating harm to biodiversity. We anticipate the approach and results outlined here could inform decision-making across many levels, from national policies to individual dietary choices.
SegPhase: Development of Arrival Time Picking Models for Japan’s Seismic Network Using the Hierarchical Vision Transformer
Authors: Katoh Shinya , Iio Yoshihisa , Nagao Hiromichi , Katao Hiroshi , Sawada Masayo , Tomisaka Kazuhide
Published: May 2024

A seismic arrival time picking model, SegPhase, is introduced to automatically process a large amount of seismic data recorded by large dense seismic networks with different sampling frequencies and numbers of observed components. Three models were created to address different sampling frequencies and the number of observed components in each network. The model structure uses a hierarchical Vision Transformer structure, which has not previously been used in seismic arrival time picking models and shows superior performance compared to conventional models using convolutional layers. The performance of SegPhase models was verified in terms of the relationship between arrival time residuals, output probability values, epicentral distance, signal-to-noise ratio, and magnitude, and compared to the PhaseNet models. The SegPhase models had better picking performance and number of seismic detections. Moreover, when the SegPhase models are applied to continuous waveforms, the relationship between the number of detections, O-C values and hypocenter determination error, and the threshold of output probability values used in the analysis was then investigated. It was found that when the threshold was lowered, more arrival times were used for earthquake detection not only with lower output probability values but also with higher output probability. Therefore, lowering the threshold allows the Phase association to make better use of the arrival times that the model assumes to be highly accurate. Although lowering the threshold value increases the error, its effect does not significantly impact the overall result.
Exploring Internet Use and Parental Mediation in Pakistan: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Ali Sana , Riaz Saqib , Pasha Saadia Anwar , Youseef Enaam
Published: May 2024

The Internet has become one of the most influential components of a child’s everyday life. While it offers certain benefits, it also contains some darker sides, needing strong consideration by the parents and guardians. This research examines parents' perceptions and role in ensuring safe internet use among Pakistani children. Theoretically supported by parental mediation theory, this research gathered qualitative data from 12 parents with children under 18. Data analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis revealed that parents showed a subtle understanding of children's internet usage patterns among participants. While acknowledging the educational benefits of the internet, parents also share concerns about its possible risks, including exposure to inappropriate content and online predators. Regular communication, confidence-building practices, and active monitoring approaches are essential for protecting children's online experiences. These results highlight the critical role of parental mediation in navigating the complexities of children's internet use and encouraging a secure online environment. Considering the findings, it is concluded that parents can effectively mitigate possible risks associated with children's internet use by promoting open communication and implementing assertive monitoring strategies. These insights highlight the need for ongoing research and collaborative efforts among parents, educators, and policymakers to develop extensive frameworks prioritizing children's digital well-being in an increasingly connected world.
Advancing Sepsis Diagnosis and Immunotherapy Machine Learning-Driven Identification of Stable Molecular Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Liu Fangpeng , Xiong Weichuan , Xiao Rui , Zhan Yian
Published: May 2024

This research presents a novel integrated approach combining genomic analysis and machine learning to identify biomarkers and drug sensitivities specific to sepsis, aiming to facilitate personalized treatment strategies. We comprehensively examined gene expression profiles from sepsis patients and healthy controls by utilizing the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, specifically datasets GSE154918 and GSE134347. Through the application of the ESTIMATE algorithm, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and a range of machine learning techniques, we identified crucial Sepsis-Related Genes (SRGs), Immune-Related Differentially Expressed Genes (IRDEGs), and Important Immune-related genes (IIRGs). Our analysis revealed significant differences in immune and stromal scores between sepsis patients and controls, highlighting the altered immune landscape in sepsis. The study also uncovered specific genes associated with drug sensitivity, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets. The predictive model developed demonstrated high accuracy in sepsis diagnosis and prognosis, validated by independent datasets. These findings contribute to understanding sepsis at a molecular level and open new avenues for developing personalized therapeutic interventions, underscoring the potential of integrating genomic analysis and machine learning in sepsis research.
Evaluating Machine Learning Approaches for Detecting Fake News on Social Media
Authors: Negi Jyoti , Sood Sumesh , kumari Kritika
Published: May 2024

The study aims to evaluate the efficiency of machine learning and ensemble methods in identifying fake news using the liar dataset. A novel model is proposed that utilizes a voting ensemble method to achieve optimal accuracy in fake news detection. The proposed methodology involves data collection from Kaggle, preprocessing to clean and prepare the dataset, and feature selection using term frequency and inverse document frequency. Subsequently, machine learning algorithms are trained and tested, and model performance is evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score metrics. Various classifiers, including Naive Bayes, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, Decision Tree, and Random Forest and the vote method were utilized. During the implementation phase, Support Vector Machine achieved the highest accuracy among individual machine learning algorithms i.e. 62%. However, upon applying the vote algorithm on various machine learning models, the best combination, consisting of Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Random Forest, achieved the highest accuracy of 63.07%. This indicates that combining multiple classifiers into a single classifier using the vote algorithm produced the best results compared to individual machine learning algorithms. The research introduces novel contributions to fake news detection by proposing a unique model utilizing a voting ensemble method. The effectiveness of ensemble methods compared to individual machine learning algorithms is explored, and combining classifiers trained on different feature sets is investigated. Through experimentation with the Liar dataset, the optimal combination of classifiers for fake news detection is identified.
Optimum Strata Boundaries for Breast Cancer Patients Using Dynamic Programming Approach
Authors: Danish Faizan
Published: May 2024

The study examines the determination of stratification points for two study variables within the framework of simple random sampling, particularly focusing on calculating the population mean using a closely associated variable. Utilizing a superpopulation model, the investigation seeks to derive minimal equations by minimizing aggregated variance with the assistance of the variables under scrutiny. In order to improve the accuracy of estimating population parameters within a stratified sampling framework, it is suggested in the article to establish optimal strata boundaries (OSB) instead of categorizing variables, the study focuses on continuous variables for analysis. The creation of homogeneous units within each stratum, facilitated by optimally constructed OSB, leads to more effective sample sizes (SS) and consequently enhances precision in estimation. However, it's noted that the OSB and SS may not remain optimal in cases where a fixed total sample size is mandated, particularly in survey designs constrained by a fixed budget. To address this challenge, the article outlines a methodology for calculating the OSB and SS under the condition that the survey's per-unit stratum measurement costs or its probability density function is understood. An empirical demonstration of a design-based stratification approach is showcased using breast cancer data, where the mean perimeter is estimated based on mean radius and mean texture. Furthermore, numerical examples are provided for hypothetical study variables following Cauchy and standard power distributions. The novel approach has been integrated into the revised stratifyR package and LINGO software. The research outcomes indicate that the newly introduced method demonstrates superior efficiency or comparable performance when aiming to refine the precision of population parameter estimations.
Fas Ligand enhances vessel maturation and inhibits vascular leakage associated with age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Koirala Adarsha , Marshak-Rothstein Ann , Ksander Bruce R. , Gregory-Ksander Meredith
Published: May 2024

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), results from choroidal neovascularization (CNV), retinal edema and loss of photoreceptors. Previous studies suggested that Fas Ligand (FasL) on retinal pigment epithelial cells inhibited CNV by inducing apoptosis of infiltrating Fas + vascular endothelial cells. However, induction of apoptosis depends on membrane-bound (mFasL) while the FasL cleavage product (sFasL) is neuroprotective. To better understand how FasL regulates the development of CNV, we used a mouse model of laser CNV to evaluate the development of CNV in mice with a FasL cleavage site mutation (ΔCS) and can only express the membrane-bound form of FasL. There was no significant difference in CNV size and area of vascular leakage in homozygous FasLΔCS/ΔCS mice when compared to wild type mice. Unexpectedly, heterozygous FasLΔCS/WT mice developed significantly less vascular leakage and showed accelerated neovessel maturation. However, CNV was not prevented in heterozygous FasLΔCS/WT mice if the Fas receptor was deleted in myeloid cells (FasLΔCS/+ Fasflox/flox CreLysM). Thus, FasL-mediated CNV inhibition depends on the extent of FasL cleavage, and on FasL engagement of Fas + myeloid cells. Moreover, accelerated neovessel maturation prevents vascular leakage in AMD.
Soil organic carbon pools and Carbon sequestration of major Agroforestry tree species in semiarid region
Authors: Varshitha M. , Chaitanya T. , Jayasree G. , Neelima T. L.
Published: May 2024

A study was conducted to estimate soil organic carbon pools and the carbon sequestration of major agroforestry tree species in semiarid region of Telangana during the year, 2022. Major agroforestry tree species studied were eucalyptus, malabar neem, sandal wood, red sanders, teak, subabul, malabar neem + sandal wood, red sanders + sandalwood and barren land. There is an interaction between land use systems and soil depth. Significantly higher organic carbon (6.17 g kg− 1) was recorded in the eucalyptus tree species at 0–20 cm soil depth. Significantly low organic carbon (1.41 g kg− 1) was recorded in barren land at 20–40 cm soil depth. Significantly higher values of soil organic carbon pools viz., very labile (3.64 g kg− 1), labile (2.56 g kg− 1), less labile (2.11 g kg− 1) and nonlabile (2.06 g kg− 1), total organic carbon (10.37 g kg− 1) were recorded under eucalyptus tree species at 0–20 cm. Significantly low soil organic carbon pools viz., very labile (1.10 g kg− 1), labile (0.51 g kg− 1), less labile (0.66 g kg− 1), nonlabile (0.88 g kg− 1), total organic carbon (3.15g kg− 1) were recorded under barren land at 20–40 cm soil depth. Carbon sequestration of eucalyptus tree species ranged from 15 to 821 kg tree− 1(5–15 years), teak ranged from 11 to 704 kg tree− 1 (5–20 years), malabar neem ranged from 118–392 kg tree− 1 (5–8 years), sandalwood ranged from 33–164 kg tree− 1 (5–8 years), red sanders ranged from 17–611 kg tree− 1 (5–10 years), subabul ranged from 11–591 kg tree− 1 (5–10 years). There was significant and positive correlation between soil organic carbon and organic carbon pool and carbon sequestration. Amount of carbon sequestered by all these tree species was positively correlated with organic carbon of their respective soils (r = 0.408). This study reported the rate of carbon sequestration by these tree species and their importance in raising them in barren lands and as border plantations.
Breast milk dominant phyla and probiotic bacteria population in obese lactating women: a case-control study
Authors: Karami Shahla , Mousavi Seyedeh Neda , Shapouri Reza , Naderloo Hasti , Heidarzadeh Siamak , Afshar Davoud
Published: May 2024

Background
The main purpose was to determine amount of dominant phyla, Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus in breast milk of obese mothers versus normal at 3rd of lactation in Iranian population.
Methods
Eighty health women at the third month of lactation, without any chronic, and gastrointestinal disorders were included and categorized base on body mass index (BMI) to two groups as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and normal (18.5 < BMI < 24.9). Bacterial DNA was extracted and qPCR of the 16S region was performed after human milk donation in sterile conditions. A linear regressions model was used to determine the baseline parameters on the population.
Results
Bifidobacteria population was significantly higher in normal group than obese mothers. Current BMI showed a significant effect on the Actinobacteria population in milk. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes population were significantly lower in mother’s milk with cesarean delivery (p = 0.04). Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with lower Firmicutes and Lactobacillus population in maternal milk (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01). A significant association was observed between the infant height with Actinobacteria and Bifidobacteria population of milk (p = 0.008 and p = 0.04).
Conclusions
Current and pre-pregnancy obesity are associated with lower beneficial phylum and probiotic bacteria in breast milk. Both of them are associated with infant’s height.
Construction of a Nomogram to Predict the Progression Free Survival in Patients With Lung Cancer
Authors: TAFENZI Hassan Abdelilah , CHOULLI Farah , ESSAADI Ismail , BELBARAKA Rhizlane
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE
For a personalized cancer prognosis, a nomogram is a practical and helpful tool. In addition to creating a clinical nomogram to forecast progression free survival (PFS) for patients with various histological types, clinical stages, and treatment regimens, our goals included assessing the prognostic variables of lung cancer (LC) patients.
METHODS
Clinical characteristics, peripheral blood parameters, and treatment records were collected from 1200 newly diagnosed LC patients in the Medical Oncology Department at Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech between 2013 and 2021. Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Analysis was used to identify the independent prognostic factors. The nomogram we created and tested was used to predict the PFS of patients with LC. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn, stratified, and compared using the log rank test.
RESULTS
A total of 342 individuals met the inclusion criteria and were then included in the study. Prognostic factors for LC included gender, tabacco status, number of cures of the first-line chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and thrombocytopenia; these factors were combined to create the nomogram. The clinical prediction model performed satisfactorily in prognosis prediction, as evidenced by the calibration and receiver operating characteristics curves. In comparison to the clinical TNM staging method for a one-year prediction, the nomogram's area under the ROC curve (AUC) value for 6- and 12-month PFS rates was 0.8 and 0.83, respectively.
CONCLUSION
We developed and verified a unique nomogram that can offer personalised PFS predictions for Moroccan and African LC patients. The development of this tool is extremely important for clinical study design and decision-making.
Characterization of a Novel Natural Cellulosic Fiber Extracted from the Petiole of Corypha umbraculifera for Potential Application as a Reinforcing Agent in Fiber-based Composites
Authors: Jayasooriya B.G. Nilupul Piyumantha , SAMARASINGHE S.A.S.C. SAMARASINGHE
Published: May 2024

This study investigated the potential of Corypha umbraculifera fibers as reinforcing agents in fiber-based composites, providing a novel sustainable solution. The chemical, thermal, mechanical, crystallographic, and morphological characteristics of the fibers were determined to evaluate their performance as reinforcing agents. The high cellulose content (66.37%) found in the chemical analysis suggested good potential for fiber strength, which was further supported by the measured mechanical properties, a tensile strength of 516.1 ± 115 MPa, and a Young's modulus of 3.15 ± 0.57 GPa. The maximum breaking elongation was 2.73 ± 0.37%. FTIR analysis confirmed the functional groups of the chemical components. The low density of the fibers (0.52 ± 0.009 g/cm3) shows their potential for use as a reinforcing agent for lightweight composites. The hollow fiber structure of these fibers observed in the SEM images also contributes to their low density. The analysis identified fibers with extraordinary lengths (1.5-3.0 m) and diameters ranging from 230 to 820 µm. XRD was employed for crystallographic analysis, and a microfibril angle of 18.32 ± 1.28°, influenced the axial strength of the fibers. The fibers demonstrate notable thermal stability with a maximum degradation temperature of 323.3 ℃, as measured by TGA, making them ideal for withstanding high-temperature processing conditions in composites. Upon thorough examination of the characteristics in this study, it was established that fibers extracted from Corypha umbraculifera are promising and environmentally friendly as reinforcing agents for fiber-based composites.
Mendelian Randomization Analysis of the Causal Relationship Between Immune Cells and Epilepsy: The Mediating Role of Metabolites
Authors: Chen Jiangwei , Yu Haichun , Liu Huihua , Yu Han , Liang Shuang , Wu Qiong , Zhang Xian , Zeng Rong , Diao Limei
Published: May 2024

Our study investigated the causal relationship between immune cells, metabolites, and epilepsy using two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) and mediation MR analysis of 731 immune cell traits and 1,400 metabolites. Our core methodology centered on inverse-variance weighted MR, supplemented by other methods. This approach was crucial in clarifying the potential intermediary functions of metabolites in the genetic links between traits of immune cells and epilepsy. We found a causal relationship between immune cells and epilepsy. Specifically, the genetically predicted levels of CD64 on CD14-CD16 are positively correlated with the risk of epilepsy (p < 0.001, OR = 1.0826, 95% CI 1.0361–1.1312). Similarly, metabolites also exhibit a causal relationship with both immune cells (OR = 1.0438, 95% CI:1.0087–1.0801, p = 0.0140) and epilepsy (p = 0.0334, OR = 1.0897, 95% CI: 1.0068–1.1795), and sensitivity analysis was conducted to further validate these relationships. Importantly, our intermediate MR results suggest that the metabolite Paraxanthine to linoleate (18:2n6) ratio may mediate the causal relationship between immune cell CD64 on CD14-CD16 and epilepsy, with a mediation effect of 5.05%. The results suggest the importance of specific immune cell levels and metabolites in understanding epilepsy's pathogenesis. This is significant for understanding the pathogenesis of epilepsy and its prevention and treatment.
Sense of alienation, security, and life satisfaction among undergraduate: a cross-sectional study from China
Authors: Wu Hui , You Jing , An Zhen , Hu Han , Tian Meichen , Cao Tingting , Li Huijun , Song Jie , Ding Yu , Zhang Guofu , Zhang Xintian , Wu Weidong
Published: May 2024

Objective
To explore the factors influencing alienation among college students and to explore the relationship between alienation and feelings of security and life satisfaction.
Methods
2,932 students in university were surveyed by using web-based survey, the adolescent students alienation scale(ASAS), the Life Satisfaction Scale for Adolescent Students(ASLSS), and the Security questionnaire(SQ) in the form of a questionnaire star.
Results
The average score of alienation sense was 3.46. Dichotomous logistic regression analysis showed that gender, grade, major field, relationship with parents of alienation were different. Alienation were negatively correlated with satisfaction and sense of security. Life satisfaction had a direct effect on alienation, and the mediating effect of security accounted for 49.02% of the total effect, and the mediating effect explained 49.02% of the variance variance of the dependent variable.
Conclusion
life satisfaction was an important factor influencing alienation and was predictive of alienation; and security was a partial mediating variable.
Factors associated with muscle mass
Authors: Zhu Xiao , Zheng Yongli , Gao Lei , Liu Ying , Wang Yan , Zhang Wei , Hu Ting ting , Yang Meiling
Published: May 2024

Background:Sarcopenia is a common elderly syndrome that increases the risk of falls and fractures, affects the ability to live daily and reduces quality of life.The present study try to explore the factors associated with muscle mass by using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DXA) in Chinese postmenopausal women.
Methods: The clinical information of 234 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 79, was included in this study. Every subject's height, weight, calf circumference (CC), and grip strength were recorded. The body mass index, or BMI, was computed. All subjects' DXA characteristics, such as their total mass, lean mass, fat mass, T value, and relative skeletal muscle index (RSMI), were also noted. Based on RSMI, the patients were separated into two groups: those with sarcopenia and those without. An analysis was conducted on the variations in grip strength, CC, DXA parameters, and demographic data between the two groups. The relationship between a number of variables and RSMI was investigated using bivariate correlation analysis. The link between each index and RSMI was examined using both univariate and multiple linear regression analysis, and a regression equation was produced.
Results:The study revealed that the sarcopenia group had significantly reduced BMI, grip strength, CC, RSMI, T value, total mass, lean mass, and fat mass compared to the non-sarcopenia group (P<0.05). Weight, fat mass, and CC had moderate correlations with RSMI (r=0.696, r=0.507, r=0.638, respectively, P < 0.05); T value and grip strength had weak correlations with RSMI (r=0.280, r=0.265, respectively, P < 0.05); BMI, total mass, and lean mass had strong correlations with RSMI (r=0.736, r=0.726, r=0.782, respectively, P < 0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that BMI (r=0.120, P<0.001) and CC (r=0.078, P<0.001) were the key variables linked to the muscle mass of postmenopausal women. We have RSMI = 0.473 + 0.120×BMI + 0.078×CC as the regression equation.
Conclusions: Compared to patients without sarcopenia, people with sarcopenia have lower BMIs, grip strengths, CCs, T values, total masses, lean masses, and fat masses. In postmenopausal women, there is a positive correlation between muscle mass and BMI and CC.
An innovative process chain for the production of antibiofouling polymer parts using ultra-fast laser texturing
Authors: Oubellaouch Keltoum , Orazi Leonardo , Brun Paola , Lucchetta Giovanni , Pelaccia Riccardo , Sorgato Marco
Published: May 2024

Polymers are versatile materials widely used in various industries, with significant applications in biomedicine where biofouling on polymer surfaces presents major health and economic challenges. Biofouling, initiated by bacterial adhesion, can be mitigated by modifying surface properties through laser micro- and nano-texturing, an approach that offers advantages over chemical treatments. This study introduces an economical mass production process for textured polymeric components using injection molding to replicate hierarchical textures. Testing revealed that all textured samples significantly reduced bacterial adhesion compared to untextured surfaces across different designs and bacteria types after 24 hours of culture. The study examined factors like wettability, nanoscale roughness, and pattern dimensions to explain these outcomes, comparing them with existing studies. Despite all textured samples showing decreased wettability and roughness, these factors alone did not ensure reduced bacterial adhesion. The most effective anti-adhesive performance was observed in surfaces with parallel ridge patterns, which segmented the surface into isolated areas that limited bacterial interaction and hindered micro-colony formation, highlighting the importance of specific surface patterning in combating biofouling.
Malignant Triton tumor of the retroperitoneum: a case report about a rare diagnostic trap and a geriatric challenge
Authors: SAUVINET Guillaume , ALGHAMDI Khalid , WEINGERTNER Noëlle , SCHEER Louise , TAIEB Elias , HEITZ Damien , BRIGAND Cécile
Published: May 2024

Background: Malignant Triton Tumor (MTT) constitutes a subtype of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor, whose retroperitoneal localization is extremely rare: at this time, only some twenty cases reports have been reported since its first description. We present the case of a MTT diagnosed on the histological examination after the mass resection, which was previously considered as myxofibrosarcoma according to biopsy findings.
Case presentation: A 76-year-old woman suffered from femoral pains resulting from a left retroperitoneal mass, 33cm in diameter, arising from the major psoas muscle. In view of the so-called diagnosis and the age, we decided to perform an up-front R1 left compartmentectomy sparing pancreas without neoadjuvant treatment. The tumor was found to involve the femoral trunk nerve, necessitating its resection so that the piece remains unfragmented. Immunohistochemical analysis finally revealed a MTT with a focal positivity for S100, as well as a focal staining with markers of skeletal muscle differentiation. The postoperative course was uneventful besides the foreseeable femoral paralysis, and adjuvant irradiation was proposed.
Tumor heterogeneity can explain the discrepancy between the settings of the core needle biopsy and the definitive histological conclusions, and highlights the difficulty bringing the correct diagnosis with a biopsy alone. Nevertheless, according to the acknowledged poor prognosis, the risk-benefit balance in this particular context should have discouraged a wider resection even if MTT was diagnosed before surgery.
Conclusions: This case report raises the question of the major place of geriatric preoperative assessment and the appropriateness of multi-organs removals in elder patients, more specifically in those presenting aggressive sarcomas such as MTT.
The MTIST platform: a microbiome time series inference standardized test
Authors: Schluter Jonas , Hussey Grant , Valeriano João , Zhang Chenzhen , Sullivan Alexis , Fenyö David
Published: May 2024

The human gut microbiome is a promising therapeutic target, but interventions are hampered by our limited understanding of microbial ecosystems. Here, we present a platform to develop, evaluate, and score approaches to learn ecological interactions from microbiome time series data. The microbiome time series inference standardized test (MTIST) comprises: a simulation framework for the in silico generation of microbiome study data akin to what is obtained with quantitative next-generation sequencing approaches, a compilation of a large curated data set generated by the simulation framework representing 648 simulated microbiome studies containing 18,360 time series, with a total of 2,182,800 species abundance measurements, and a scoring method to rank ecological inference algorithms. We use the MTIST platform to rank five implementations of microbiome inference approaches, revealing that while all algorithms performed well on ecosystems with few species (3 and 10), all algorithms failed to infer most interaction in a large ecosystem with 100 member species. However, we do find that the strongest interactions within a large ecosystem are inferred with higher success by all algorithms. Finally, we use the MTIST platform to compare different microbiome study designs, characterizing tradeoffs between samples per subject and number of subjects. Interestingly, we find that when only few samples can be collected per subject, ecological inference is most successful when these samples are collected with highest feasible temporal frequency. Taken together, we provide a computational tool to aid the development of better microbiome ecosystem inference approaches, which will be crucial towards the development of reliable and predictable therapeutic approaches that target the microbiome ecosystem.
New objective simple evaluation methods of amyloid PET/CT using whole brain histogram and Top20%-Map
Authors: Okuyama Chio , Higashi Tatsuya , Ishizu Koichi , Oishi Naoya , Kusano Kuninori , Ito Miki , Kagawa Shinya , Okina Tomoko , Suzuki Norio , Hasegawa Hiroshi , Nagahama Yasuhiro , Watanabe Hiroyuki , Ono Masahiro , Yamauchi Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Objective
This study aims to assess the utility of newly developed objective methods for the evaluation of intracranial abnormal amyloid deposition using PET/CT histogram without use of cortical ROI analyses.
Methods
Twenty-five healthy volunteers (HV) and 38 patients with diagnosed or suspected dementia who had undergone 18F-FPYBF-2 PET/CT were retrospectively included in this study. Out of them, 11C-PiB PET/CT had been also performed in 13 subjects. In addition to the conventional methods, namely visual judgement and quantitative analyses using composed standardized uptake value ratio (comSUVR), the PET images were also evaluated by the following new parameters: the skewness and mode to mean ratio (MMR) obtained from the histogram of the brain parenchyma; Top20%-map that highlights the areas with high tracer accumulation occupying 20% volume of the total brain parenchymal on the individual’s CT images. We evaluated the utility of the new methods using histogram compared with the visual assessment and comSUVR. The results of these new methods between 18F-FPYBF-2 and 11C-PiB were also compared in 13 subjects.
Results
In visual analysis, 32, 9, 22 subjects showed negative, border, and positive results, and composed SUVR in each group were 1.11 ± 0.06, 1.20 ± 0.13, 1.48 ± 0.18 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Visually positive subjects showed significantly low skewness and high MMR (p < 0.0001), and the Top20%-Map showed the presence or absence of abnormal deposits clearly. In comparison between the two tracers, visual evaluation was all consistent, and the ComSUVR, skewness, MMR showed significant good correlation. The Top20%-Maps showed similar pattern.
Conclusions
Our new methods using the histogram of the brain parenchymal accumulation are simple and suitable for clinical practice of amyloid PET, and Top20%-Map on the individual’s brain CT can be the great help for the visual assessment.