bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inclusion of Quillaja Saponin Clarity Q Manages Growth Per-Formance, Immune Response, and Nutrient Transports of Broilers During Subclinical Necrotic Enteritis
Authors: Blue Candice E.C. , Emami Nima K. , White Mallory B. , Cantley Staci , Dalloul Rami A.
Published: June 2023

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an intestinal disease that results in poor performance, inefficient nu-trient absorption, and has a devastating economic impact on poultry production. This study evaluated the effects of a saponin-based product (Clarity Q [CQ]) during a NE challenge. A to-tal of 1,200 male chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (10 pens/treatment; 30 birds/pen): treatment 1 (NC): a non-medicated corn-soybean basal diet; treatment 2 (PC) NC + 50 g/metric ton (MT) of Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD); treatments 3 (CQ15) and 4 (CQ30) NC + 15 and 30 g/MT, respectively. On day (d) of placement, birds were challenged by a coccidia vaccine to induce NE. On d 8, 14, 28, and 42, performance parameters were measured. On d 8, three birds/pen were necropsied for NE lesions. On d 8 and d 14, jejunum samples from one bird/pen were collected for mRNA abundance of tight junction proteins and nutrient trans-porter genes. Data were analyzed in JMP (JMP Pro, 16) and significance (P ≤ 0.05) between treatments identified by Fisher’s least significant difference (LSD) test. Compared to PC and NC, CQ15 had higher average daily gain (ADG), while CQ30 had lower average daily feed in-take (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). NE lesions in the duodenum were lower in CQ15 compared to all other treatments. On d 8, mRNA abundance of CLDN1, CLDN5, AMPK, PepT2, GLUT2, and EAAT3 were significantly greater in CQ30 (P < 0.05) compared to both PC and NC. On d 14, mRNA abundance of ZO2 and PepT2 was significantly lower in PC when compared to all treatments, while that of ANXA1, JAM3, and GLUT5 was comparable to CQ15. In summary, adding Clarity Q to broiler diets has the potential to alleviate adverse effects caused by this enteric disease by improving performance, reducing intestinal lesions, and positively modulating the mRNA abundance of various tight junction proteins and key nutrient transporters during peak NE infection.
New Subfamily of Bi-starlike and Bi-convex Functions Defined by the q-Janowski Function
Authors: Alsoboh Abdullah , Amourah Ala , Sakar Fethiye Müge , Breaz Daniel
Published: June 2023

In this study, we introduce a new class of bi-univalent functions using q-Janowski Function.
We derive the Fekete-Szegö functional problems for functions in this new subclass, as well as estimates
for the Taylor-Maclaurin coefficients |α2| and |α3|. Furthermore, a collection of fresh outcomes are3
presented by customizing the parameters employed in our initial discoveries.
The Conceptual Independence of Health Status, Respiratory Symptoms and Dyspnea in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Dis-Ease in Real Clinical Practice
Authors: Nishimura Koichi , Kusunose Masaaki , Mori Mio , Shibayama Ayumi , Nakayasu Kazuhito
Published: June 2023

The hypothesis that health status is the highest-ranking concept, followed by respiratory symptoms and dyspnea as the lowest-ranking concepts in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was tested in a real clinical setting with 157 subjects with stable COPD. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients for scores of health status using the COPD assessment test (CAT), respiratory symptoms using the COPD Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms (E-RS) and dyspnea using the Dyspnoea-12 (D-12) between any two were 0.6 to 0.7. Upon categorizing the patients as "abnormal" or "normal" according to the threshold, it was found that 30 patients (19.1%) had dyspnea, respiratory symptoms, and impaired the health status. Dyspnea was considered an important part of respiratory symptoms though seven patients had dyspnea but no respiratory symptoms. There were 10 patients who had respiratory symptoms without dyspnea but without health status problems. Furthermore, there were six patients who had both dyspnea and respiratory symptoms but whose health status was classified as fine. Thus, the hypothesis was correct in approximately 85% of cases.
Agricultural Sciences in the Big Data Era: Genotype and Phenotype Data Standardization, Utilization and Integration
Authors: Deng Cecilia H. , Naithani Sushma , Kumari Sunita , Cobo-Simon Irene , Quezada-Rodriguez Elsa H. , Skrabisova Maria , Gladman Nick , Correll Melanie J. , Sikiru Akeem Babatunde , Afuwape Olusola O. , Marrano Annarita , Rebollo Ines , Zhang Wentao , Jung Sook
Published: June 2023

The Genotype-Phenotype Working Group was established in November 2021 as part of the AgBioData Consortium (https://www.agbiodata.org) with the goal of identifying current challenges in annotating and integrating large-scale genotype and phenotype data. Over the course of the year, the members of this working group identified different types of data sets, explored experimental platforms and methods for data generation, and examined how these data are annotated including the metadata requirements. We conducted a thorough review of publicly funded repositories for raw and processed data for each data type. We also examined several secondary databases and knowledgebases that enable the integration of heterogeneous data types in the context of the Genome Browser, Pathway Networks and tissue-specific gene expression. The review revealed a need for additional infrastructural support, standards, and tools to connect Genotype to Phenotype data and enhance data interoperability for knowledge synthesis and to foster translational research.
The Role of Virgin Coconut Oil in Corn Starch/NCC-Based Nanocomposite Film Matrix: Physical, Mechanical, and Water Vapor Transmission Characteristics
Authors: Arifin Heni Radiani , Utaminingsih Fitriana , Djali Mohamad , Nurhadi Bambang , Lembong Elazmanawati , Marta Herlina
Published: June 2023

Corn starch-based nanocomposite films usually have low moisture barrier properties. The addition of virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a hydrophobic component can improve the nanocomposite film's characteristics, especially the film's permeability and elongation properties. This study aimed to determine the role of VCO with various concentrations (0,3,5 wt%) on the physical, mechanical, and water vapor transmission characteristics of corn starch/NCC-based nanocomposite films. The results showed that the concentration of 3 wt% VCO was most effective in reducing the WVTR value of nanocomposite films with a value of 4.721 g/m2.h. While the value of tensile strength was 4.243 MPa, elongation 68.58%, modulus of elasticity 0.062 MPa, thickness 0.219 mm, lightness 98.77, and water solubility 40.51%. However, the addition of 5 wt% VCO was more effective in increasing the elongation properties of the film. The addition of VCO gave the appearance of a porous film surface and a finer structure was formed. The FTIR test on corn starch nanocomposite films with the addition of VCO did not show any new absorption peaks. The results of this study may provide opportunities for the development of nanocomposite films as biodegradable packaging in the future.
Integrating Single-Cell RNA-Seq and Bulk RNA-Seq to Explore the Key Role of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Breast Cancer
Authors: Chen Yongxing , Jin Chenxin , Cui Jiaxue , Diao Yizhuo , Wang Ruiqi , Xu Rongxuan , Yao Zhihan , Wu Wei , Li Xiaofeng
Published: June 2023

Abstract: (1) Background: Cancer immune escape is associated with the metabolic reprogramming of TME, and combining metabolic targets with immunotherapy has great potential to improve clinical outcomes. Among all metabolic processes, lipid metabolism, especially fatty acid (FA) metabolism, has a huge role in cancer cell survival, migration, and proliferation, but its mechanism and role in the tumor immune microenvironment remain to be investigated. (2) Methods: We comprehensively analyzed 309 fatty acid-related genes, screened 121 different genes, and used one-way COX regression to select 15 genes with prognostic impact. Systematically evaluated the correlation between FMGs modification patterns and Tumor Microenvironment Infiltration, prognosis, and Immunotherapy. The FMGs-Score was constructed to quantify the FMGs modification patterns using principal component analysis. (3) Results: Three clusters based on FMGs-related genes were demonstrated in breast cancer, with three patterns of distinct immune cell infiltration and biological behavior. An FMGsScore signature was constructed to reveal that patients with a low FMGsScore had higher immune checkpoint expression, higher immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) scores, increased immune microenvironment infiltration, better survival advantage, and were more sensitive to immunotherapy than those with a high FMGsScore. Finally, the expression and function of the signature key gene NDUFAB1 were examined by in vitro experiments. (4) Conclusions: This study significantly demonstrates the non-negligible role of FMGs in the immune microenvironment of breast cancer, and that FMGsScores can be used to guide the prediction of immunotherapy in breast cancer patients. In in vitro experiments, knockdown of the NDUFAB1 gene resulted in reduced proliferation and migration of MCF-7 cell lines.
Design and Simulation of Soft Decision Decoding Based on Chaotic M-ary Spread Spectrum System
Authors: Liu Ruopeng , Wang Pengyi , Wang Xiduo
Published: June 2023

In this paper, chaos sequence is used to replace the traditional Spread Spectrum sequence. From the perspective of the communication partner, a new method of generating the initial value of chaotic sequence is proposed, which is more suitable for the multi-base Spread Spectrum System and easy to extract. In order to further improve the error performance of the system and ensure the integrity of the system, an improved suboptimal soft information extraction method based on log-likelihood ratio (LLR) is proposed in the channel coding module, which can further improve the error performance of the system. On this basis, we choose the synchronization mode of multiple transmission of one reference signal to solve the problem that chaotic sequence is difficult to obtain synchronization because of its aperiodic characteristics. Finally, the system is simulated in the channel with low SNR. The simulation results show that chaotic sequence as Spread Spectrum code can make the signal transmit accurately in the worse channel environment. The performance gain of applying soft information decoding decision in the M-ary Spread Spectrum System with chaotic sequence as Spread Spectrum code can reach 5.2dB compared with the traditional Direct Spread Spectrum System.
Electrochemical Properties of Sputtered Ruthenium Oxide Neural Stimulation and Recording Electrodes
Authors: Chakraborty Bitan
Published: June 2023

A chronically stable electrode material with low impedance for recording neural activity and high charge-injection capacity for functional electro-stimulation is desirable for the fabrication of implantable microelectrode arrays that aims to restore impaired or lost neurological functions in humans. For this purpose, we have investigated the electrochemical properties of sputtered ruthenium oxide (RuOx) electrode coatings, deposited on planar microelectrode arrays, using an inorganic model of interstitial fluid (model-ISF) at 37o C as the electrolyte. Through a combination of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) modelling study we have established the contribution of faradaic reaction as the major charge-injection contributor within the safe neural stimulation potential window of 0.6 V vs Ag|AgCl. We have also established the reversibility of the charge-injection process for sputtered RuOx film by applying constant charge-per-phase current stimulations at different pulse widths and by comparing the magnitudes of leading and trailing access voltages during voltage transient measurements. Finally, the impedance of the sputtered RuOx film was found to be reasonably comparable in both its oxidized and reduced states, although electronic contribution from capacitive double-layer was found to be slightly higher for the completely oxidized film around 0.6 V than its reduced counterpart around -0.6V.
An Advanced Energy-Efficient Environmental Monitoring in Precision Agriculture Using Lora-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Križanović Višnja , Grgić Krešimir , Spišić Josip , Žagar Drago
Published: June 2023

Sensor networks, as a special subtype of wireless networks, consist of sets of wirelessly connected sensor nodes often placed in hard-to-reach environments. Therefore, it is expected that sensor nodes will not be powered from the power grid. Instead, sensor nodes have their own power sources, the replacement of which is often impractical and requires additional costs, so it is necessary to ensure minimum energy consumption. For that reason, the energy efficiency of wireless sensor networks used for monitoring environmental parameters is essential, especially in remote networking scenarios. In this paper, an overview of the latest research progress on wireless sensor networks based on LoRa was provided. Furthermore, the analyses of the energy consumption of sensor nodes used in agriculture to observe environmental parameters were carried out. Optimization methods of energy consumption, in terms of choosing the appropriate data collection processes, as well as the settings of wireless network radio parameters were suggested. In the conducted analyses, special emphasis was placed on choosing the optimal package size. In this paper, it was proven that the adjustment of the transmission speed to the actual size of the packet is important for better energy efficiency of communication.
Competences to innovate in the Brazilian textile and clothing Industrie 4.0
Authors: Rodrigues Merle Kamila , Kropf Santos Fermam Ricardo
Published: June 2023

For the use of the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, organizational skills are needed to provide conditions for the implementation of new technologies, which the Brazilian textile and clothing industry does not currently have, so it needs to identify and develop the necessary skills. To this end, it is necessary to search for a robust literary base, which conditions the definition of organizational skills for innovation in this context. The methodology used has four stages. As a result of the search carried out within the theoretical framework, several concepts and definitions of the competencies to innovate in the national industrial context were identified. It was concluded that while the systematic literature review contributes to the understanding of the theme, it is still little addressed in the academic area. The organizational competencies identified will provide conditions for planning and implementing innovation, contributing to industrial competitiveness in the national textile and clothing sector.
Keywords: innovation; Industry 4.0; Brazilian Industrie 4.0; textile industry; and organizational competencies.
Comparison of treatment among pulmonary tuberculosis patients with and without Covid- 19 and the impact of type 2 DM
Authors: Fachri Muhammad , Hatta Mochammad , Ubaidah Firda Muthi , Akaputra Risky , Dwiyanti Ressy , Syukri Ahmad , Junita Ade Rifka , Febrianti Andini , Primaguna Muhammad Reza , Azhar Azhar
Published: June 2023

Background
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on tuberculosis (TB) was great enough for COVID-19 to replace TB as the leading cause of death worldwide. The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2020 stated that the number of TB cases reported was 845,000. The pandemic caused a decline in the detection of tuberculosis cases, and the attention of the Indonesian government became more focused on making COVID-19 a top priority in prevention and control measures so that tuberculosis cases were neglected.
Methods
This study used a cross-sectional. The research subjects were recruited using the consecutive sampling technique. The variable of this study was a comparison between pulmonary TB with confirmed COVID-19 and pulmonary TB without COVID-19 using the research subjects for total sampling. Bivariate analysis was used, which was carried out on two compared variables.
Results
Based on the results of this study, of the 127 samples studied, 101 pulmonary TB patients without COVID-19 and 26 pulmonary TB patients with confirmed COVID-19 were declared cured. This was observed more often among male patients than among female patients. Among TB patients with confirmed COVID-19, two age groups dominated, namely, the 17–25 (23.1%) and > 64 (23.1%) age groups. Moreover, most TB patients without COVID-19 were in the 26–35 age group (23.8%). The results of the length of treatment analysis among pulmonary TB patients without COVID-19 showed ≥ 6 months (82.2%) until these patients were cured. Moreover, the length of treatment for pulmonary TB patients with confirmed COVID-19 until they were declared cured was 7–9 months (61.5%). In this study, the number of pulmonary tuberculosis patients without COVID-19 who had type 2 DM (Diabetes Mellitus) was 77.1%.
Conclusions
The treatment period for pulmonary tuberculosis patients with confirmed COVID-19 was significantly longer than that for pulmonary tuberculosis patients without COVID-19.
Dietary connections of marine species to kelp and eelgrass
Authors: Chittaro Paul , Andrews Kelly , Tolimieri Nick , Gates Jonelle , Buckner Emily , Ylitalo Gina , Tonnes Dan
Published: June 2023

Ecosystem-based fisheries management requires an understanding of the interactions between managed and unmanaged species and the connections they have with their habitats. Although aquatic plants are known to provide important shelter for a variety of species, an often-overlooked component is the extent to which primary producers contribute to their diet. In this study, we reconstructed the dietary connections between 18 consumers, including vulnerable rockfish species, and several primary producers. Two of these primary producers, Zostera marina (eelgrass) and Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp), have experienced spatial variation in abundance and substantial declines, respectively, within Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Using stable isotope ratio data, we estimated that both bull kelp and Smithora naiadum (an epiphytic algae) were the most important sources of carbon in consumer diets, followed by particulate organic matter and eelgrass. Our results indicated strong dietary connections for certain consumers, such that epiphytic algae was found to comprise greater than 40% of the diets of copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus), while bull kelp contributed most to the diets of Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) and quillback rockfish (S. maliger). For several consumers, we observed habitat-mediated prey choice because the relative importance of bull kelp or epiphytic algae in their diets increased when these consumers were collected from sites dominated by kelp or eelgrass, respectively. Understanding the strength of these trophic relationships is an important step for predicting ecosystem consequences following perturbations within these habitats, and such information is vital to managers making decisions related to the conservation of valuable populations.
A Novel Synergetic Process for Scandium Separation from Scandium Concentrate with Titanium Dioxide Wastewater
Authors: ZHONG Nanlan , Xiao Junhui , Deng Bing , Gao Deqiang , Zou kai
Published: June 2023

An effective process was proposed to extract scandium from a scandiumconcentrate with Sc2O3 content of 0.006624% and titanium dioxide wastewater with Sc content of 3.661 mg/L. After roasting and modified pretreatment of scandium Concentrate, the free acid in titanium dioxide wastewater is used as a leaching agent for the co-leaching of scandium. The result shows that: under the conditions of salt-free roasting, the roasting temperature of 850℃, roasting time of 2.0 h, leaching temperature of 80℃, leaching time of 2.0 h, leaching liquid-solid ratio of 8, leaching additive of NH4F and leaching additive consumption of 12%, the leaching results are optimal. A leaching efficiency of 83.90% can be reached. Meanwhile, the scandium content of the leaching residue decreases to 0.00115%. The SEM-EDS, XRD and Thermogravimetric analyses of scandium Concentrate, roasted ore and leaching residue show that: There will be two weight-loss phenomena during the roasting process. After roasting and modification, pyroxene and feldspar minerals can effectively decompose and release scandium element. It would create favourable conditions for the leaching of scandium with titanium dioxide wastewater and accomplish the purpose of synergic strengthening leaching and separation of scandium.
A new feedforward mechanism of Parkin activation
Authors: Lenka Dipti , Dahe Shakti , Sahoo Pritiranjan , Kumar Atul
Published: June 2023

Parkin E3-ligase is an auto-inhibited enzyme activated by phosphorylation of ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain of parkin by PINK1. Parkin mutations are known to affect its function leading to the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Herein, we show a competitive binding mode of the phospho-Ubl and RING2 domains on the RING0 domain, which regulates parkin activity. We show that phosphorylated parkin forms complex with native parkin leading to the activation of autoinhibited parkin in trans. Furthermore, we show that the activator element (ACT) of parkin is required to maintain the enzyme’s kinetics, and removal of ACT slows the enzyme catalysis. We also show that ACT can activate parkin in trans; however, it is more effective when present in the cis molecule. Furthermore, we identified and characterized a new donor ubiquitin binding pocket that plays a crucial role in parkin function.
NMRlipids Databank makes data-driven analysis of biomembrane properties accessible for all
Authors: Ollila Samuli , Kiirikki Anne , Antila Hanne , Bort Lara , Buslaev Pavel , Favela-Rosales Fernando , Ferreira Tiago , Fuchs Patrick , Garcia-Fandino Rebeca , Gushchin Ivan , Kav Batuhan , Kucerka Norbert , Kula Patrik , Kurki Milla , Kuzmin Alexander , Madsen Jesper , Miettinen Markus , Ricky Nencini , Piggot Thomas , Pineiro Angel , Suarez-Leston Fabian
Published: June 2023

Cellular membrane lipid composition is implicated in diseases and controls major biological functions, but membranes are difficult to study experimentally due to their intrinsic disorder and complex phase behaviour. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been useful in understanding membrane systems, but they require significant computational resources and often suffer from inaccuracies in model parameters. Applications of data-driven and machine learning methods, currently revolutionising many fields, remain of limited use for membrane systems due to the lack of suitable training sets. Here we present the NMRlipids Databank—a community-driven, open-for-all database featuring programmatic access to quality-evaluated atom-resolution MD simulations of lipid bilayers. The NMRlipids Databank will benefit scientists in different disciplines by providing automatic ranking of simulations based on their quality against experiments, programmable interface for flexible implementation of data-driven and machine learning applications, and rapid access to simulation data through a graphical user interface. To demonstrate how it unlocks possibilities beyond current MD simulation studies, we analyzed the NMRlipids Databank to reveal how anisotropic diffusion of water and cholesterol flip-flop rates depend on membrane properties.
Effect of Intravenous N-acetylcysteine on Prevention of Mechanical Ventilation and Mortality among COVID-19 Patients: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Claridad Karen Anne , Angeles Roland Reuben , Fernandez Lenora
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND
COVID-19 is a looming disease that continuous to challenge medical systems all over the world due to its significant effect on morbidity and mortality. Early in the pandemic and even until present time, repurposing of a known drug significantly hasten the deployment of a novel approach for COVID- 19. One existing medication explored that could potentially provide invaluable treatment for COVID-19 is N-acetylcysteine (NAC) due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating characteristics that has been hypothesized to modulate cytokine storm in patients with COVID-19.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the effect of intravenous N-acetylcysteine in the prevention of mechanical ventilation and mortality among COVID-19 confirmed patients.
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search showed 7 records from which 5 were excluded and only 2 passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently selected studies, assessed quality, and extracted and pooled outcomes. All selected studies were found to be of low risk of bias based on Review Manager Bias Assessment tool. Statistical analysis and forest plot generation were done using the Review Manager Software 5.3.
RESULTS
Pooled results showed a total of 227 patients in both NAC (n = 114) and control groups (n = 113) of COVID-19. There was no sufficient evidence to show that NAC prevents the need of mechanical ventilation among COVID-19 patients with odds ratio of 0.97 (95% CI, 0.54–1.74) and with p-value of 0.93. There was also no sufficient evidence to show that NAC prevents mortality among COVID-19 patients with odds ratio of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.44–1.7) and with p-value of 0.68.
CONCLUSION
NAC is an accessible, safe and highly tolerated drug used for many years already in patients with respiratory infection. This study showed that there is no sufficient evidence to prove that NAC prevents mechanical ventilation and mortality among COVID-19 patients and it’s use in resource limited areas cannot be recommended.
Physics-based 18-month lead forecast of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall
Authors: Sharma DEVABRAT , Das Santu , Chakraborty Deepayan , Mitra Adway , Goswami B.
Published: June 2023

Long-lead forecasts (6, 12, 18-month leads) of the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) are crucial for adaptive planning and damage minimization against climate change-induced increasing threats of higher frequency and intensity of hydrological disasters in the coming decades1–4. A recent study5 indicates that the ISMR is potentially predictable up to 24-months in advance as its variability is closely associated with the slowly varying Global El Niño and Southern Oscillation (G-ENSO). However, the growth of small initial errors and the chaotic nature of the climate system makes it formidable to achieve the ‘potential skill’ of long-lead ISMR forecasts by global Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCMs). Overcoming the challenge, here, we unravel a novel ‘hybrid long-lead forecast system’ for ISMR where predictor discovery is done using a deep learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) model trained on the nonlinear relationship between ISMR and the global depth of 20O isotherm (D20) from a large ensemble of AOGCMs and past observations. Our hybrid model demonstrates successful prediction capability of almost all ISMR droughts/floods at 18 and 5-month leads between 1980-2011. Our findings establish the physical basis and methodology for long-lead seasonal prediction of tropical systems like the ISMR and ENSO with unlimited socio-economic benefits.
Effect of dietary supplementation of Ganoderma lucidum residue on growth performance, immune organ index and faecal microbial community diversity in broiler chickens
Authors: Shi Chunfang , Guo Lipeng , Yang Huiting , Leng Xiaoyun , Deng Panbo , Bi Jie , Wang Yueming
Published: June 2023

Ganoderma lucidum residue (GLR) contains a variety of medicinal and nutritional components and is a potentially high quality roughage. The purpose of the experiment was to study the effects of GLR on the growth performance, immune function and intestinal flora of broilers. The study was conducted in a 90-day indoor cage experiment with broilers, and three feeding groups were set up with the addition of GLR to the basal diet at 0 (A), 10% (B) and 15% (C), with three replicates of 10 broilers in each group. The growth performance, immune organ index, and fecal microbial community structure of broiler chickens in different feeding groups were compared. The results showed that (1) there were no significant differences in the average daily weight gains of broilers in the different feeding groups. (2) The immune organ indices of broilers in Group B were higher than those in Groups A and C, with the spleen index in Group B being significantly higher than that in Group A. (3) The dominant phyla in the broiler faecal bacterial communities in all feeding groups were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and the dominant genera were Lactobacillus, Bacteroides and Alistipes; however, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A, and the relative abundances of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides and Alistipes were higher in Groups B and C than in Group A. (4) Manure microbial FAPROTAX functions predicted that GLR increased the abundances of heterotrophic and fermentative broiler manure microorganisms and significantly reduced the abundances of animal parasites or symbionts. In summary, group B was superior to other groups in terms of growth performance, spleen index and probiotic level. Adding GLR to the base feed has a positive effect on enhancing the immunity of broiler chickens, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, and maintaining the ecological balance of the intestinal flora. These findings reveal the effect of GLR on the fecal microorganisms of broiler chickens and provide a new development direction for improving poultry health.
Discerning Rise Time Constants to Quantify Charge Carrier Extraction in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Ravishankar Sandheep , Kruppa Lennard , Jenatsch Sandra , Wang Yueming
Published: June 2023

The small-perturbation analysis of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) highlights a fundamental conundrum - while time domain measurements yield two time constants corresponding to the rise and subsequent decay of the photovoltage or photocurrent, the corresponding frequency domain methods only yield one time constant from the analysis of the imaginary part of the transfer function. To solve this problem, we propose a modification of the frequency domain transfer function that focusses on the transition of its real part to negative values at high frequencies. After verification using drift-diffusion simulations and equivalent circuit analysis, the application of the method to experimental intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy data of a PSC allows calculation of the hidden rise time constant, showing a good agreement with rise time constants obtained from transient photovoltage measurements. The calculated rise time constants are indicators of the charge extraction efficiency of the contacts, that determines short circuit and low-bias recombination losses.
In vitro naive CD4+ T cells differentiation upon treatment with miR-29b-loaded exosomes from Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Bolandi Zohreh , Hashemi Seyed Mahmoud , Abasi Mozhgan , aghamiri Shahin , Ghanbarian hossein
Published: June 2023

Background: Gene regulation by microRNA is central in T cell differentiation processes. Here, we investigate miR-29b roles in the reprogramming of T cell differentiation, which can be a promising therapeutic avenue for various types of inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Methods and Results: Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cell derived exosomes (AMSC-Exo) enriched with miR-29b were delivered into naive CD4+ T cells (nCD4+) cells. The expression level of some important transcription factors including RORγt, GATA3, T-bet, and Foxp3 was determined by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR). Moreover, flow cytometry and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was respectively used to measure the frequency of T regulatory cells and the levels of cytokines production (IL-17, IL-4, IFN-γ, and TGF-β). This study indicates that the transfection of miR-29b mimics into T lymphocytes through AMSC-Exo can alter the CD4+ T cells differentiation into other types of T cells.
Conclusions: In conclusion, AMSC-Exo-based delivery of miR-29b can be considered as a new fascinating avenue for T cell differentiation inhibition and the future treatment of several inflammatory disorders.
Description of chest pain patients in the Emergency Department of a central hospital in Ajman
Authors: Fouda Ghada , Vallabh Kamil , Elbahrawi Magda
Published: June 2023

Chest pain accounts for 8 million visits to the Emergency Department annually, which contributes to 5% to 10% of all ED visits. A recent study revealed that between 2% to 5% of acute coronary syndrome patients visiting the emergency department were missed without being diagnosed correctly. Study design: retrospective cross-sectional study, we analyzed the database in SKGH emergency department for all patients presenting with chest pain, between November 2017 and October 2019, using SPSS program. Analysis included: Demographics: age, sex, country of origin and mode of arrival. Medical data: vital signs, triage grade, pain scale, seen within 72 hours or not, discharged within 7 days or not, final diagnosis and predisposition. Exclusion criteria: patients less than 18 years old. Two hundred patients met the inclusion criteria. Results: Mean age of the studied population was 49.22± 12.65, Male to female ratio was 2:1, mode of transport by Walking 94 (47%), private vehicle 50 (25%) and by ambulance 31(15.5%). Majority of patients were given triage 3 (moderate pain severity) 156 (78%), mean heart rate was 87.56 ± 17.97. One hundred three were diagnosed as nonspecific chest pain (51.5%), 27 (13.5%) were diagnosed as musculoskeletal chest pain. We found that 26 patients (13%) suffered from acute myocardial infarction (18 STEMI and 8 NSTEMI). Regarding the eighteen patients with STEMI 15 (83.3%) were males and 3 (16.7%) were females, 12 sent for PCI and 6 for thrombolysis. Admitted patients were 38 (19%) with different diagnoses.
Mutational spectrum of breast cancer by shallow whole-genome sequencing of cfDNA and tumor gene panel analysis
Authors: Ambriz-Barrera Fernando , Rojas-Jimenez Ernesto , Díaz-Velásquez Clara Estela , De-La-Cruz-Montoya Aldo Hugo , Martínez-Gregorio Héctor , Ruiz-De-La-Cruz Miguel , Huertas Antonio , Montealegre Ana Lorena , Castro-Rojas Carlos , Acosta Gabriela , Vaca-Paniagua Felipe , Perdomo Sandra
Published: June 2023

Breast cancer (BC) has various molecular subgroups with differing risks and treatments. Tumor biopsies for BC detection are invasive and may not reflect tumor heterogeneity. Liquid biopsies have become relevant because they might overcome these limitations. We evaluated the feasibility to detect somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) in BC using shallow whole genome sequencing (sWGS) in cfDNA from archived samples from National Cancer Institute of Colombia patients. We sequenced tumor tissues from 38 BC patients with different molecular subtypes using a panel of genes, and sWGS on 20 paired cfDNA samples to detect SCNAs and compare with the tumor samples. We identified an extensive intertumoral heterogeneity between the molecular subtypes of BC, with a mean tumor load of 602 mutations in the gene panel of tumor tissues. There was a 12.3% of concordance in deletions in the cfDNA-tumor pairs encompassing seven genes: BRCA1, CDK12, NF1, MAP2K4, NCOR1, TP53, and KEAP1 in 3 patients. Amplifications were only detected in tumor tissues. This study shows the feasibility to detect SCNAs in BC using sWGS in cfDNA. This strategy may improve tumor SCNA events detection, complementing tumor tissue biopsies, and facilitating a wider identification of potential therapeutic targets.
Strategies to Preventing pressure injuries among intensive care unit patients mechanically ventilated in prone position: a systematic review and a Delphi study
Authors: Wang Zonghua , Fan Jiangshan , Chen Ling , Xie Langlang , Huang Lingfang , Ruan Yang , Xu Xia , Liang Zeping
Published: June 2023

Background
Although the incidence of pressure injury in the prone position is high for the mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit, evidence-based strategies are still lacking.
Propose
To conduct a systematic review of current evidence, and to propose a series of strategies to prevent pressure injuries among mechanically ventilated patients with prone position in the intensive care unit.
Method
The study was guided by the Medical Research Council framework. After a systematic review of current evidence of original articles, guidelines, expert consensus and theories, a strategy draft was developed. Then we invited 20 experts to modify and refine these strategies through two rounds of Delphi consensus method.
Result
After two rounds of Delphi process, the importance of coefficient of variation (Cv) and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance in the strategies repository were 0.067 and 0.311, respectively. And the operability of Cv and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance in the strategy draft was 0.055 and 0.294, respectively. Ultimately, we established 31 strategies for including 7 themes (assess risk factors, assess skin and tissue, body position management, skin care, nutrition, preventing medical device-related pressure injuries, education and supervision).In addition, we also developed a strategy framework to clarify our strategies.
Conclusion
According to the Medical Research Council framework, we developed 7 themes and 31 strategies to prevention prone-position pressure injuries among the intensive care unit mechanically ventilated patients. This study was considered to improve the clinical management of pressure injuries among prone position patients in the intensive care unit settings.
Efficacy of rTMS for poststroke epilepsy and its effects on patients' cognitive function and depressive status
Authors: Hu Minting , Qin Bailing , Li Tong , Wei Chunyan , Su Dajing , Tan Zuocai
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVE: This stud aimed to investigate the efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of poststroke epilepsy and the effect of rTMS on patients' cognitive function and depressive status.
METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one poststroke epilepsy patients with mild cognitive impairment and depressive status admitted to the Department of Neurology of the Second People's Hospital of Nanning from January 1, 2017, to April 31, 2023, were selected and divided into the rTMS treatment group (treated group) and the control group. MMSE scores and HAMD scores were recorded before and after treatment. The frequency of EEG spiky and sharp waves recorded before and after treatment within 24 hours and the frequency of any clinical seizure form (the number of clinical seizures within 1 month after treatment) and changes in observed indices before and after treatment were calculated. The differences between the data of the two groups of scales were analyzed to further assess the efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of poststroke epilepsy and its effects in terms of cognition and depression.
RESULTS: Compared with drug treatment alone, rTMS significantly decreased clinical seizures and epileptiform discharges after stroke, especially in patients with lesions in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. Compared with drug treatment alone, rTMS treatment can effectively reduce cognitive impairment and mood disorders, such as depression, especially for patients with lesions in the frontal and temporal lobes. The results of this experiment suggest that rTMS treatment does not increase adverse effects.
CONCLUSION: rTMS reduces clinical seizures while improving cognitive impairment and depression in patients with epilepsy. Therefore, we suggest that low-frequency rTMS can be used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with epilepsy and provide some ideas and references for the treatment of epilepsy with cognitive impairment and depression.
Intermittent fasting reverses age- and obesity- associated adipose fibrosis through circadian reprogramming of adipose precursor cells.
Authors: Lee Ju Hee , Patel Yash , Yeung Joanna Lan-Hing , Zhang Qiwei , Pickel Lauren , He Xiaolin , Ealey Kafi , Togo Jacques , Kim Yun Hye , Kim Kyoung-Han , Park Jin Gyoon , Jackson Timothy , Okrainec Allan , Yuen Darren , Kim Jae-Ryong , Park So-Young , Dash Satya , Sung Hoon-Ki
Published: June 2023

Aging is a crucial factor for tissue fibrosis that is closely associated with the functional decline of various organs. Fibrosis of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a hallmark of dysfunctional WAT that is directly linked to age- and obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities. Recent studies have highlighted the role of dysfunctional adipose progenitor cells (APCs) in WAT fibrosis and impaired adaptive tissue plasticity, leading to systemic insulin resistance. However, therapeutic options for WAT fibrosis are limited. Intermittent fasting (IF) is an effective dietary regimen for weight control and metabolic improvement through various mechanisms. Here, we show that IF confers therapeutic benefits in aged and obese mice through the reduction of WAT fibrosis. Single-cell analyses revealed that IF significantly reduces fibrotic signatures within APCs along with the upregulation of circadian pathways. Importantly, mice lacking a core circadian gene exhibited increased fibrotic signatures in WAT and diminished beneficial response to IF, indicating the requirement of functional circadian rhythm in IF-induced WAT remodeling. Lastly, we observed that a dysregulated circadian rhythm in human APCs is associated with WAT fibrosis and insulin resistance. Collectively, our findings highlight the novel role of the APC circadian rhythm in the plasticity of WAT and the metabolic response to IF.
Neurocognitive Responses to Spatial Design Behaviors and Tools Among Interior Architecture Students: A Pilot Study
Authors: Şekerci Yaren , Kahraman Mehmet Uğur , Kaya Ümran , Özturan Özgü , Çelik Ertuğrul , Akay Diyar , Ayan Sevgi Şengül
Published: June 2023

The impact of emotions on human behavior is substantial, and the ability to recognize people's feelings has a wide range of practical applications including education. Here, the methods and tools of education are being calibrated according to the data gained over electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The issue of which design tools would be ideal in the future of interior architecture education, is an uncertain field. It is important to measure the students’ emotional states while using manual and digital design tools to determine the different impacts. Brain-computer interfaces have made it possible to monitor emotional states in a way that is both convenient and economical. In the research of emotion recognition, EEG signals have been employed, and the resulting literature explains basic emotions as well as complicated scenarios that are created from the combination of numerous basic emotions. Linguistic summarization is a technique that can assist in extracting knowledge from huge volumes of data by identifying pre-defined structures and expressing them in a concise manner. The purpose of this research is to investigate the attachment and emotional states of interior architecture students while they are designing in 2D or 3D with manual or digital tools, as well as to investigate differences in the use of design tools and behaviors that are based on teaching methodologies. The study produced summaries of the data using a fuzzy sets-based linguistic summarization technique, and it explained the findings in daily natural language that is easy to understand without expert.
A Deep Dive into the Hippocampal Proteome in a Rat Model of Hepatic Encephalopathy Unveils the Role of FAK1 and Tetraspanins in its Pathogenesis
Authors: Prasad Shambhu Kumar , Singh Vishal Vikram , Acharjee Arup , Acharjee Papia
Published: June 2023

Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is a debilitating neurological disorder associated with liver failure, characterized by impaired brain function. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular underpinnings of HE and identify potential therapeutic targets. A model of moderate HE was induced in rats using thioacetamide, simulating the liver damage observed in patients. We employed LC-MS/MS-based label-free proteomics to quantitatively profile hippocampal proteins, identifying 2175 proteins, 47 of which exhibited significant alterations in the HE condition. Utilizing Metascape, a network analysis tool, we discovered that biological pathways integral to brain function, including gliogenesis, modulation of chemical synaptic transmission, astrocyte differentiation, regulation of organ growth, and response to cAMP, myelination, synaptic function, were disrupted during HE. The STRING database further elucidated protein-protein interaction patterns among the differentially expressed proteins. Our findings highlight Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 (FAK1) and its associated tetraspanins (Tetraspanins 2 and CD9) as key contributors to the neurological dysfunction observed in HE. Additionally, we noted alterations in cellular morphology and neuronal arborization in the hippocampal neurons of HE rats, suggesting these proteins influence synaptic communication and memory storage. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms driving HE and paves the way for identifying novel therapeutic targets for improved disease management.
Comparing Outcomes of Fetal Growth Restriction Defined by Estimated Fetal Weight versus Isolated Abdominal Circumference
Authors: Griffin Myah , Mehta-Lee Shilpi , Penfield Christina , Roman Ashley
Published: June 2023

Purpose
The objective of this study was to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes when diagnosis of FGR was based on isolated abdominal circumference < 10th percentile for gestational age (GA) (iAC group) versus overall estimated fetal weight < 10th percentile (EFW group).
Methods
This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton gestations who underwent growth ultrasounds and delivered at a single health system from 1/1/19 − 9/4/20. The study group was comprised of patients with AC < 10th percentile and EFW ≥ than the 10th percentile (iAC group). The control group included patients with overall EFW < 10th percentile (EFW group). Outcomes evaluated included GA at delivery, mode of delivery, fetal and neonatal outcomes. Data was analyzed using Mann Whitney U, X2, and Fisher exact tests with significance defined as p < 0.05.
Results
635 women met inclusion criteria, 259 women in the iAC group and 376 women in the EFW group. The iAC group was noted to have a later GA at diagnosis and delivery. iAC was associated with lower rates of preterm birth (PTB), NICU admission, SGA at delivery and umbilical artery cord gas < 7.0.
Conclusion
Using iAC as a definition of FGR increased the number of FGR cases by 1.69-fold over EFW criteria alone. However, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes for the iAC group appear to be significantly better than those in the EFW group, with low rates of PTB, NICU admission, and umbilical artery cord gas < 7.0.