bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Precision-Guided Transjugular Extrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TEPS) in the Management of Cavernous Transformation of the Portal Vein with Portal Hypertension: A Case Series
Authors: Zhang Liu , Zhu Yi-jiang , Wang Xue-qing , Wang Rui-feng , Dong Li , Yin Liang , Lv Wei-fu , Cheng De-lei , Zhou Chun-Ze
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims: Performing a Transjugular intrahepatic portal system shunt (TIPS) in patients with portal vein cavernous transformation (CTPV) poses significant challenges. As an alternative, transjugular extrahepatic portal vein shunt (TEPS) may offer a potential solution for these patients. Nonetheless, the effectiveness and safety of TEPS remain uncertain. This case series study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEPS in treating patients with CTPV portal hypertension complications.
Methods:The study encompassed a cohort of twenty-two patients diagnosed with CTPV who underwent TEPS procedures.Of these, thirteen patients manifested recurrent hemorrhagic episodes subsequent to conventional therapies, eight patients grappled with recurrent or refractory ascites, and one patient experienced acute bleeding but refused endoscopic treatment. Comprehensive postoperative monitoring was conducted for all patients to rigorously evaluate both the technical and clinical efficacy of the intervention,as well as long-term outcomes.
Results:The overall procedural success rate among the 22 patients was 95.5% (21/22).During the TEPS procedure, nine patients were guided by percutaneous splenic access, three patients were guided by percutaneous hepatic access, five patients were guided by transmesenteric vein access from the abdomen, and two patients were guided by catheter marking from the hepatic artery. Additionally, guidance for three patients was facilitated by pre-existing TIPS stents.The postoperative portal pressure gradient following TEPS demonstrated a statistically significant decrease compared to preoperative values (24.95±3.19 mmHg vs. 11.48±1.74 mmHg, P<0.01).Although three patients encountered perioperative complications, their conditions ameliorated following symptomatic treatment, and no procedure-related fatalities occurredDuring a median follow-up period of 14 months, spanning a range of 5 to 39 months, we observed four fatalities. Specifically, one death was attributed to hepatocellular carcinoma, while the remaining three were ascribed to chronic liver failure.During the follow-up period, no instances of shunt dysfunction were observed.
Conclusions:Precision-guided TEPS appears to be a safe and efficacious intervention for the management of CTPV.
Site quality for Araucaria angustifolia plantations at subtropical Cambisol is driven by soil organisms' assemblage and the litter and soil compartments
Authors: Souza Tancredo , Dobner Mário , Nascimento Gislaine dos Santos , Silva Lucas Jónatan Rodrigues da
Published: November 2023

Soil quality is a driver for biodiversity enrichment, soil fertility, and soil organic matter dynamics. Different soil quality levels at Araucaria angustifolia plantations may influence the soil organisms, and the interaction between litter and soil compartments by providing habitat and nutrients in different pathways. Our aim was to present a deeper view of the litter-soil compartments, and soil organisms community composition associated with three degrees of site quality (low-, average-, and high-quality sites), which reflect productivity levels, at the highlands of southern Brazil. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) grouped the influence of soil quality degrees in three groups considering the dissimilarities on the soil organisms among each other. The ordination of the soil organisms, richness, and Shannon’s diversity in each studied soil quality degree had a stress value of 0.08. The structural equation models indicated that the loss of soil quality showed a negative relationship among soil organisms’ assemblage, and soil-litter compartments. Our results highlighted the importance of considering soil biotic and abiotic attributes for achieving high productivity levels from A. angustifolia plantations within its natural occurrence range.
Recurrent circuits encode visual center-surround computations in the mouse superior colliculus
Authors: Kardamakis Andreas , Cui Peng , Song Kuisong , Mariatos-Metaxas Dimitrios , Isla Arturo , Femenia Teresa , Lazaridis Iakovos , Meletis Konstantinos , Kumar Arvind
Published: November 2023

The interaction of retinal center-surround processes with early visual subcortical and cortical circuits forms the basis for saliency computations. The subcortical circuit mechanisms contributing to surround modulation, however, remain unclear. We developed an optogenetic approach to functionally delineate visual center and surround zones of individual neurons in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SCs). We demonstrate that local circuit interactions within the SCs are sufficient to generate visual surround suppression. Notably, surround network activation leads to decreases in center excitation rather than increases in synaptic inhibition. Using a range of complementary methods, we reveal the identity of a SCs-based circuit with two key interacting circuit motifs, recurrent excitation and feedback inhibition, capable of modulating levels of center excitation when the visual surround is active. We propose that subcortical and cortical visual circuits are both recurrent-based and have evolved to independently perform surround modulation, thus enabling parallel saliency computations across multiple levels.
Fractional Hitting Sets for Efficient Multiset Sketching
Authors: ́e Timoth ́e Rouz , Martayan Igor , Marchet Camille , Limasset Antoine
Published: November 2023

The exponential increase in publicly available sequencing data and genomic resources necessitates the development of highly efficient methods for data processing and analysis. Locality-sensitive hashing techniques have successfully transformed large datasets into smaller, more manageable sketches while maintaining comparability using metrics such as Jaccard and containment indices. However, fixed-size sketches encounter difficulties when applied to divergent datasets.
Scalable sketching methods, such as sourmash, provide valuable solutions but still lack resource-efficient, tailored indexing. Our objective is to create lighter sketches with comparable results while enhancing efficiency. We introduce the concept of Fractional Hitting Sets, a generalization of Universal Hitting Sets, which uniformly cover a specified fraction of the k-mer space. In theory and practice, we demonstrate the feasibility of achieving such coverage with simple but highly efficient schemes.
By encoding the covered k-mers as super-k-mers, we provide a space-efficient exact representation that also enables optimized comparisons. Our novel tool, SuperSampler, implements this scheme, and experimental results with real bacterial collections closely match our theoretical findings.
In comparison to sourmash, SuperSampler achieves similar outcomes while utilizing an order of magnitude less space and memory and operating several times faster. This highlights the potential of our approach in addressing the challenges presented by the ever-expanding landscape of genomic data.
SuperSampler is an open-source software and can be accessed at github.com/TimRouze/supersampler. The data required to reproduce the results presented in this manuscript is available at github.com/TimRouze/supersampler/experiments.
Neuronal Glycogen Breakdown Mitigates Tauopathy via Pentose Phosphate Pathway-Mediated Oxidative Stress Reduction
Authors: Kapahi Pankaj , Bar Sudipta , Wilson Kenneth , Hilsabeck Tyler , Alderfer Sydney , Dammer Eric , Burton Jordan , Shah Samah , Holtz Anja , Carrera Enrique , Beck Jennifer , Chen Jackson , Kauwe Grant , Tracy Tara , Seyfried Nicholas , Schilling Birgit , Ellerby Lisa
Published: November 2023

Tauopathies encompass a range of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Unfortunately, current treatment approaches for tauopathies have yielded limited success, underscoring the pressing need for novel therapeutic strategies. We observed distinct signatures of impaired glycogen metabolism in the Drosophila brain of the tauopathy model and the brain of AD patients, indicating a link between tauopathies and glycogen metabolism. We demonstrate that the breakdown of neuronal glycogen by activating glycogen phosphorylase (GlyP) ameliorates the tauopathy phenotypes in flies and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived neurons from FTD patients. We observed that glycogen breakdown redirects the glucose flux to the pentose phosphate pathway to alleviate oxidative stress. Our findings uncover a critical role for increased GlyP activity in mediating the neuroprotection benefit of dietary restriction (DR) through the cAMP-mediated protein kinase A (PKA) activation. Our studies identify impaired glycogen metabolism as a key hallmark for tauopathies and offer a promising therapeutic target in tauopathy treatment.
Non-linear relationship between blood urea nitrogen to albumin (BUN/ALB) ratio and 3-month outcomes with acute ischemic stroke: a second analysis based on a prospective cohort study
Authors: Liu Ren-li , Peng Gang-gang , Zhou Pan , Hu Hao-fei , Deng Zhe
Published: November 2023

Objective
There is still little evidence on the relationship between blood urea nitrogen to albumin (BUN/ALB) ratio and 3-month outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between BUN/ALB ratio and 3-month poor outcomes in AIS patients.
Methods
A retrospective study of 1868 AIS participants was conducted in a Korean hospital from January 2010 to December 2016. Binary logistic regression, smooth curve fitting, and subgroup sensitivity analysis were used to analyze the association between BUN/ALB ratio and 3-month poor outcomes.
Results
After adjusting covariates, the results of the binary logistic regression model suggested that the relationship between the BUN/ALB ratio and the risk of 3-month poor outcomes for AIS patients was not statistically significant in model II. However, there was a special nonlinear relationship between them, and the inflection point of the BUN/ALB ratio was 0.326. On the left side of the inflection point, 0.1-unit increase in the BUN/ALB ratio reduces the risk of 3-month poor outcomes by 42% (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.83, P = 0.0033). On the right side of the inflection point, the relationship is not statistically significant.
Conclusion
There is a nonlinear relationship with saturation effect between BUNALB ratio and 3-month poor outcomes in AIS patients. Maintaining a patient's BUN/ALB ratio of around 0.326 can reduce the risk of 3-month poor outcome in AIS patients.
Forecasting the fate of vertically propagating dikes from geodetic data
Authors: Aoki Yosuke
Published: November 2023

Magmas, especially mafic ones, usually intrude into the upper crust as dikes. The intruded dike is often arrested before reaching the surface to make an eruption. Many geophysical observations, including geodetic measurements, have documented dike intrusions and arrests. Also, many theoretical considerations and analog experiments explored the mechanics of dike propagation and arrest. However, insights gained from theoretical considerations, analog experiments, and geophysical observations have yet to be well reconciled. This study attempts to reconcile geodetic measurements with insights gained from theoretical considerations and analog experiments to investigate how to forecast whether an intruded dike results in an eruption or not. This study considers four causes of dike arrests: (1) solidification of the intruded magma, (2) insufficient volume of dike intrusion, (3) negative buoyancy acting on the intruded magma, and (4) stress perturbation near the dike tip by a large earthquake. Then, this study investigates the cause of dike arrests associated with the 1997 and 1998 seismic swarm off the Izu Peninsula, Japan, and the 2015 failed eruption of Sakurajima volcano as an example. This study suggests that the dike intrusions associated with the 1997 and 1998 seismic swarm off the Izu Peninsula are caused by insufficient volume of the intruded dike, the loss of buoyancy acting on the intruded magma, or both. The failed eruption of the 2015 Sakurajima eruption cannot be caused by magma solidification but is most likely by insufficient volume. To investigate the contribution of geodetic data in understanding the cause of dike arrests, it is essential to consider the characteristics of geodetic data. They are: (1) geodetic data constrain the intruded volume and the location relatively well, (2) geodetic data cannot constrain the geometry of the intruded dike very well, (3) an assumption of the host rock as homogeneous halfspace underestimates the depth and volume of the intruded dike. These limitations indicate that geodetic data cannot fully understand the cause of dike arrests. Independent information gained from, for example, the location of dike-induced earthquakes, seismic structures, or density structure from gravity anomalies or muon radiography helps better understand the cause of dike arrests.
Reassessing Human Genetic Diversity in T Cell Studies.
Authors: Scheeren Ferenc , Slieker Roderick , Warmerdam Daniel , Vermeer Maarten , Doorn Remco van , Heemskerk Mirjam
Published: November 2023

The Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) system plays a vital role in immune responses by presenting antigens to T cells. Allele specific technologies, including recombinant MHC-I technologies, have been extensively used in T cell analyses for COVID-19 patients and are currently used in the development of immunotherapies for cancer. However, the immense diversity of MHC-I alleles presents challenges. The genetic diversity serves as the foundation of personalized medicine, yet it also poses a potential risk of exacerbating healthcare disparities based on MHC-I alleles. To assess potential biases, we analyzed (pre)clinical publications focusing on COVID-19 studies and TCR-based clinical trials. Our findings reveal an underrepresentation of MHC-I alleles associated with Asian, Australian and African descent. Ensuring diverse representation is vital for advancing personalized medicine and global healthcare equity, transcending genetic diversity. Addressing this disparity is essential to unlock the full potential of T cells for enhancing diagnosis and treatment across all individuals.
Spontaneous Donor Defects and Voltage–Assisted Hole Doping in Beta-Gallium Oxides under Multiple Epitaxy Conditions
Authors: Luo Guangfu , Nie Chenxi , Liu kai , Ke Chengxuan , Jiang Xisong , He Yifeng , Deng Yonghong , Yan Yanhua
Published: November 2023

Beta-phase gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) is prone to the spontaneous formation of donor defects but poses a formidable challenge in achieving high-quality p-type doping, mainly due to its exceptionally low valence band maximum (VBM). In this study, we utilize first-principles computations to investigate the origin of spontaneous donor defects in β-Ga2O3 grown by three typical techniques: molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). Our findings elucidate that the primary donor defects vary with the growth techniques, specifically Gai33+ for MBE, Hi2+ for MOCVD, and (2VGa1+Gai2+2VO1)+ for HVPE. Employing a recently developed voltage–assisted doping method, we demonstrate that the dominant spontaneous donors can be significantly reduced accompanied by a noticeable increase in acceptors, leading to a stepwise reduction of Fermi level to 0.54, 0.88, and 2.10 eV above VBM for the MOCVD, HVPE, and MBE methods, and a hole concentration of 4.3 × 1017, 8.7 × 1011, and 2.7 × 10-9 cm-3, respectively, at room temperature without the use of external dopants. By further introducing Mg doping, we identify a strategy that reduces the Fermi level to 0.39 eV above VBM for both the MBE and HVPE experiments, achieving a high hole concentration of ~1020 cm-3 at room temperature. Furthermore, our study uncovers an intriguing phenomenon that defects of identical composition can concurrently exhibit two distinct charge states under specific Fermi levels, as was often overlooked in the conventional understanding.
Study on The Bottom-Type Back Scattering Layer Precursor to The Equatorial Plasma Bubble
Authors: chang qihai , zheng ming , zheng xuanyu , wang xiaomeng , liu yifei , zhang gaosai
Published: November 2023

The bottom-type scattering layer precursor to the equatorial plasma bubble is named by its belt feature in the temporal record of the coherent scattering radar. Its spatial structure is rarely studied and has not been clearly described so far. Through the data observed by the coherent scattering radar and digisonde at Fuke observatory, we argued that the shape of the bottom-type scattering layer in space should be a plasma structure of a quasi-circular cross-section extending along the geomagnetic field with the quasi-static velocity feature. Such a plasma structure along the geomagnetic field line at the F region bottom has the characteristics of a waveguide. Based on this derived result, it’s proposed the possible origination of the equatorial plasma bubble. On the condition that the state of plasma density in the waveguide greater than that of the background reversed, the transverse bipolar electric field of the hybrid electric eigen-mode in the waveguide excited by resonance break out of the boundary, and the equatorial plasma bubble will generate. Electromagnetic disturbances such as Alfven wave and ULF wave etc. may be the source of exciting the hybrid electric eigen-modes of plasma waveguide.
Finite variation sensitivity analysis in the design of isotropic metamaterials through discrete topology optimization
Authors: Cunha Daniel Candeloro , Pavanello Renato
Published: November 2023

This paper extends recently developed Finite Variation Sensitivity Analysis (FVSA) approaches to an inverse homogenization problem. It is stated as a topology optimization problem, which is used to design metamaterials with prescribed mechanical properties. The objective function depends on the homogenized Poisson's ratio, and the homogenized Young's modulus is constrained. A hexagonal base cell, discretized by the finite element method, with dihedral D3 symmetry is used, which results in metamaterials with isotropic properties. Under these conditions, elemental stiffness matrices are not all identical, and each design variable is related to six different elements. The FVSA is suitable for discrete density topology optimization methods, it is used to properly linearize the functions of binary variables, then the optimization problem can be solved through sequential integer linear programming. In this work, novel sensitivity expressions, more accurate than the ones from the mainstream approach in literature, are developed. The obtained improvements are illustrated with numerical examples.
The antimicrobial peptide Abaecin alleviates colitis in mice by regulating inflammatory signaling pathways and intestinal microbial composition
Authors: Liu Zhineng , Qin Xinyun , Nong Keyi , Fang Xin , Zhang Bin , Chen Wanyan , Wang Zihan , Wu Yijia , Shi Huiyu , Wang Xuemei , Liu Youming , Zhang Haiwen
Published: November 2023

Objective
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Abaecin on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) -induced ulcerative colitis in mice and to explore its related mechanisms.
Methods
Twenty-four mice with similar body weight were randomly divided into 4 groups. 2.5% DSS was added to drinking water to induce colitis in mice. Mice were executed after Abaecin administration treatment, and mouse serum and tissues were collected. We measured the concentration of serum inflammatory cytokines in mice and produced colon tissue sections to observe the damage to the colonic structure. Then, we assessed the integrity of the intestinal barrier by the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins. In addition, we determined the phosphorylation levels of NF-κb/MAPK inflammatory signaling pathway proteins and the microbial composition of the intestinal flora to preliminarily investigate the alleviation mechanism of ulcerative colitis by Abaecin.
Results
The results showed that Abaecin significantly alleviated histological damage and intestinal mucosal barrier damage caused by colitis, reduced the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the phosphorylation of NF-κB / MAPK inflammatory signaling pathway proteins, and improved the composition of intestinal microorganisms.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that Abaecin may have potential prospects for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
DiZyme: The Ultimate Resource for Nanozyme Multiple Catalytic Activity Prediction
Authors: Vinogradov Vladimir , Razlivina Julia , Dmitrenko Andrei
Published: November 2023

Nanozymes are unique materials with many valuable properties for applications in biomedicine, biosensing, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and beyond. However, it is usually challenging to find new nanozymes. In this work, we developed a machine learning (ML) approach to search for new nanozymes and deployed a web platform DiZyme, featuring a unique database of nanozymes, catalytic activity prediction, data visualization and DiZyme Assistant interface powered by a large language model (LLM). For the first time, we enable prediction of multiple catalytic activities of nanozymes by training an ensemble learning algorithm achieving R2 = 0.75 for the Michaelis-Menten constant and R2 = 0.77 for the maximum velocity. We envision accurate prediction of multi-catalytic activity (peroxidase, oxidase, and catalase) promoting entirely novel applications for a wide range of surface-modified inorganic nanozyme compositions. The DiZyme state-of-the-art database of nanozymes contains 1210 experimental samples with a wide range of compositions and molecular features. The DiZyme Assistant based on the ChatGPT model provides users with supporting information on experimental samples, such as synthesis procedures, measurement protocols, etc. DiZyme (dizyme.aicidlab.itmo.ru) is now openly available worldwide.
FH-like protein 1-Y402H mutation promoted microglial synapse phagocytosis and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease model
Authors: Cheng Yulian , Chen Sihan , Tao Ran , Huang Zhihong , Ye Qinyong , Huang En
Published: November 2023

Background
Studies demonstrated that the complement system was involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A genetic screening study in a Chinese cohort identified that two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the complement regulator Factor H (CFH) rs1061170 (Y402H) and rs800292 (V62I) were robustly associated with AD. FH-like protein 1 (FHL-1) is a short alternative splicing derived from CFH gene. Due to its smaller size and more diffuseness, FHL-1 may provide greater protection via blocking complement 3 (C3). This study aims to investigate the role of FHL-1 and its two mutants V62I and Y402H via lentiviral overexpression of FHL-1 wild type (FHL-1WT), FHL-1V62I, and FHL-1Y402H in 5×FAD mice.
Methods
We produced lentivirus of control, FHL-1 wild type (FHL-1WT), FHL-1V62I, and FHL-1Y402H and injected into the hippocampus 5×FAD mice. We employed immunostaining and behavior test to investigate the role of these vectors in AD model.
Results
The result showed that overexpression of FHL-1WT and FHL-1V62I but not FHL-1Y402H ameliorated cognitive impairment in 5×FAD mice. In the other hand, overexpression of FHL-1WT, FHL-1V62I, and FHL-1Y402H did not differently affected the plaque load and astrocytic status. The V62I mutation lightly increased the diffuseness index of amyloid plaque and reduced the number of plaque-associated microglia. Notably, overexpression of FHL-1Y402H prominently promoted synapse phagocytosis by microglia in 5×FAD mice compared to FHL-1WT and FHL-1V62I.
Conclusions
this indicated that microglia-mediated synapse phagocytosis via complement system may be a key contributor to the cognitive impairment in 5×FAD mice independent on amyloid plaque. Our study provides a clue that blocking microglia-mediated synapse phagocytosis would be an effective therapeutic approach and strategy for AD.
Early Tocilizumab Administration was Associated with Decreased Mortality in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients
Authors: DUAN Shengchen , ZHANG Meng , WANG Yan , ZENG Zhechun , ZUO Huijuan , WAN Jun
Published: November 2023

Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still prevalent at present. Tocilizumab as an effective treatment in COVID-19 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor. But there is few articles that focused on the efficacious timing of tocilizumab administration. So we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab combined methylprednisolone in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Methods
This was a retrospective, observational cohort study. Intervention group selected patients received tocilizumab in addition to methylprednisolone treatment. Patients in the control group received standard of care treatment including methylprednisolone. The primary outcome was the patients’ clinical status, including recover rate at discharge and death rate in hospitalization. And the secondary outcome was the time from admission and methylprednisolone to tocilizumab use.
Results
In total, 112 patients included in this group (56 patients in the intervention group and 56 patients in the control group). The proportions of death during hospitalization was higher in the intervention group than those in the control group (p = 0.043). Both time from methylprednisolone to tocilizumab and time from admission to tocilizumab was much shorter in the recover group than that in the death group of intervention group (p = 0.004 and p = 0.008).
Conclusions
We found that tocilizumab was more used in COVID-19 hospitalized patients who have elevated systemic inflammation and lower Lymphocyte count. And early tocilizumab administration was associated with decreased mortality.
Exploring Mitochondrial Heteroplasmy in Neonates: Implications for Growth Patterns in the First Years of Life
Authors: Cosemans Charlotte , Alfano Rossella , Sleurs Hanne , Martens Dries , Nawrot Tim , Plusquin Michelle
Published: November 2023

Background: Mitochondrial heteroplasmy reflects genetic diversity within individuals due to the presence of varying mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences, possibly affecting mitochondrial function and energy production in cells. Rapid growth during early childhood is a critical development with long-term implications for health and well-being. In this study, we investigated if cord blood mtDNA heteroplasmy is associated with rapid growth at six and 12 months and overweight in childhood at four to six years.
Methods: This study included 200 mother-child pairs of the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort. Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing was performed to determine mtDNA heteroplasmy levels (in variant allele frequency; VAF) in cord blood. Rapid growth was defined for each child as the difference between WHO-SD scores of predicted weight at either six or 12 months and birth weight. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association of mitochondrial heteroplasmy with rapid growth and childhood overweight. Determinants of relevant cord blood mitochondrial heteroplasmies were identified using multiple linear regression models.
Results: One % increase in VAF of cord blood MT-D-Loop16362T>C heteroplasmy was associated with rapid growth at six (OR=1.03; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.05; p=0.001) and 12 months (OR=1.02; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.03; p=0.02). Furthermore, this variant was associated with childhood overweight at four to six years (OR=1.01; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.02; p=0.05). Additionally, rapid growth at six (OR=3.00; 95% CI: 1.49 to 6.14; p=0.002) and 12 months (OR=4.05; 95% CI: 2.06 to 8.49; p<0.001) was also associated with childhood overweight at four to six years. Furthermore, we identified maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal education, parity, and gestational age as determinants of cord blood MT-D-Loop16362T>C heteroplasmy.
Conclusions: Our findings, based on mitochondrial DNA genotyping, offer insights into the molecular machinery leading to rapid growth in early life, potentially explaining a working mechanism of the development towards childhood overweight.
High-resolution co-seismic fault offsets of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake ruptures using satellite imagery
Authors: Provost Floriane , Karabacak Volkan , Malet Jean-Philippe , Woerd Jerôme Van Der , Meghraoui Mustapha , Masson Frédéric , Ferry Matthieu , Michéa David , Pointal Elisabeth
Published: November 2023

On February 6, 2023, southern Türkiye was hit by two major earthquakes at 01:17 UTC (Mw=7.8, Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş) and at 10:30 UTC (Mw=7.6, Elbistan, Kahramanmaraş) leading to severe damages at the complex junction of the Dead Sea Fault (DSF), the Cyprus arc and the East Anatolian fault zone (EAFZ). The ruptures propagated along several known strands of the southwestern termination of the EAFZ, the main Pazarcık and Karasu valley faults and the Çardac-Sürgü fault. Here, we present the high-resolution mapping of the entire coseismic surface rupture and an estimation of the rupture width, the total and on-fault offset, and of the diffuse deformation obtained a few days after the two mainshocks. The mapping is derived from image correlation of optical Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and is validated with offset measurements collected on the ground. We found that the ruptures extend over lengths of 310 km and 140 km for the Mw 7.8 and Mw 7.6 mainshocks, respectively. The maximum offsets reach 7.5 ± 0.8 m and 8.7 ± 0.8 m, near the epicenters of the Mw 7.8 and Mw 7.6, respectively. We propose a segmentation of the two ruptures based on these observations, and further discuss the location of potential supershear rupture. The use of optical image correlation complemented by field investigations along earthquake faults provides new insights into the seismic hazard assessment.
Abnormal heart rate responses to exercise in non-severe COPD: Relationship with pulmonary vascular volume and ventilatory efficiency
Authors: Shi Minghui , Qumu Shiwei , Wang Siyuan , Peng Yaodie , Yang Lulu , Huang Ke , He Ruoxi , Dong Feng , Niu Hongtao , Yang Ting , Wang Chen
Published: November 2023

Background
Despite being a prognostic predictor, cardiac autonomic dysfunction (AD) has not been well investigated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to characterise computed tomography (CT), spirometry, and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) features of COPD patients with cardiac AD and the association of AD with CT-derived vascular and CPET-derived ventilatory efficiency metrics.
Methods
This observational cohort study included stable, non-severe COPD patients. They underwent clinical evaluation, spirometry, CPET, and CT. Cardiac AD was determined based on abnormal heart rate responses to exercise, including chronotropic incompetence (CI) or delayed heart rate recovery (HRR) during CPET.
Results
Out of 49 patients, 24 (49%) had CI, and 15 (31%) had delayed HRR. According to multivariate analyses, CI was independently related to reduced vascular volume (VV; VV ≤ median; OR [5–95% CI], 7.26 [1.56–33.91]) and low ventilatory efficiency (nadir VE/VCO2 ≥ median; OR [5–95% CI], 10.67 [2.23–51.05]). Similar results were observed for delayed HRR (VV ≤ median; OR [5–95% CI], 11.46 [2.03–64.89], nadir VE/VCO2 ≥ median; OR [5–95% CI], 6.36 [1.18–34.42]).
Conclusions
Cardiac AD is associated with impaired pulmonary vascular volume and ventilatory efficiency. This suggests that lung blood perfusion abnormalities may occur in these patients. Further confirmation is required in a large population-based cohort.
The etiology-specific effects of impaired functional status on liver transplant outcomes
Authors: Lee David Uihwan Uihwan , Bhowmick Kuntal , Althwanay Aldanah , Sandlow Sarah , Wiseman Michal , Lee Ki Jung , Fan Gregory Hongyuan , Chou Hannah , Chou Harrison , Schuster Kimberly , Lee KeeSeok , Lominadze Zurabi
Published: November 2023

Background & Aims: Pre-liver transplant (LT) functional status is an important determinant of prognosis post LT. There is insufficient data on how functional status affects outcomes of transplant recipients based on the specific etiology of liver disease. We stratified LT recipients by etiology of liver disease to evaluate the effects of functional status on post-LT prognosis in each subgroup.
Methods: 2005-2019 United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Standard Transplant Analysis and Research (STAR) was used to select patients with liver transplant. A total of 14,290 patients were included in the analysis. These patients were stratified by functional status according to Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score: no assistance, some assistance, or total assistance. They were then further divided into six diagnosis categories: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), hereditary disorders, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, autoimmune disease (AID), and alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Primary endpoints included all-cause mortality and graft failure, while secondary endpoints included organ-specific causes of death. Those under the age of 18 and those with non-whole liver or prior liver transplantation were excluded.
Results: Patients with MASH requiring some assistance (aHR: 1.57, 95% CI 1.03–2.39, p=0.04) and those requiring total assistance (aHR: 2.32, 95% CI 1.48–3.64, p<0.001) had higher incidences of graft failure compared to those requiring no assistance. Those with MASH requiring total assistance had a higher all-cause mortality rate than those needing no assistance (aHR: 1.62, 95% CI 1.38–1.89, p<0.001). Patients with hereditary causes of liver disease showed a lower incidence of all-cause mortality in recipients needing some assistance compared with those needing no assistance (aHR: 0.52, 95% CI 0.34–0.80, p=0.003). LT recipients with hepatitis C, AID, and ALD all showed higher incidences of all-cause mortality in the total assistance cohort when compared to the no assistance cohort. For the secondary endpoints of specific cause of death, transplant recipients with MASH needing total assistance had higher rates of death due to general cardiac causes, graft rejection, general infectious causes, sepsis, general renal causes, and general respiratory causes.
Conclusion: Patients with MASH cirrhosis demonstrated the worst overall outcomes, suggesting that this population may be particularly vulnerable. Poor functional status in patients with end-stage liver disease from hepatitis B or hereditary disease was not associated with a significantly increased rate of adverse outcomes, suggesting that the KPS score may not be broadly applicable to all patients awaiting LT.
Creation of prestige ileostomy and when Release down: our observation
Authors: Saad Hassan A. , Baz Azza , Riad Mohamed , Eraky Mohamed E , Farid Mohamed I , Sharaf Khaled , El-Taher Ahmed k , Arafa Ahmed Salah
Published: November 2023

background
The benefits of ghost ileostomy (GI) in avoiding formal covering ileostomies in > 80% of cancer patients have been documented in numerous studies. However, none of the articles explained precisely how the GI tract was removed in the end in 80% of patients for whom formal maturation was not necessary.
Goal
To describe and evaluate the GIRD technique, including possible issues, hospital stays, and procedure times, for patients with GI for rectal carcinoma who underwent low anterior resection (LAR/uLAR) or ultra-low anterior resection (LAR/uLAR).
Methods
In this prospective cohort study, patients underwent restorative colorectal resection with GI for rectal cancer. Patients’ ease of GI release and any problems that might arise were then examined. Information was gathered, examined, and deduced.
Results
The final statistical analysis included 26 patients who required GIRD. Between the seventh and sixteenth postoperative days (POD), treatment was performed, all patients recovered well, and no additional surgeries were required. No further analgesics or injections of local anesthesia were required for any of the patients. The surgery took an average of five minutes, and none of the patients experienced any notable difficulties with GI release. No post-procedural issues emerged.
Conclusion
Without the need for anesthesia or additional analgesics, the GIRD approach is a rapid, easy, and safe operation that can be performed at the patient's bedside around the tenth POD.
Cellular and clinical impact of Protein Phosphatase Enzyme epigenetic silencing in multiple cancer tissues.
Authors: Wiltshire Edward , Joshi Ricky S.
Published: November 2023

Background
Protein Phosphatase Enzymes (PPE) and protein kinases simultaneously control phosphorylation mechanisms that tightly regulate intracellular signaling pathways and stimulate cellular responses. In human malignancies, PPE and protein kinases are frequently mutated resulting in uncontrolled kinase activity and PPE suppression, leading to cell proliferation, migration and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Cancer associated DNA hypermethylation at PPE promoters gives rise to transcriptional silencing (epimutations) and is a hallmark of cancer. Despite recent advances in sequencing technologies, data availability and computational capabilities, only a fraction of PPE have been reported as transcriptionally inactive as a consequence of epimutations. Using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, we compared DNA methylation profiles from 705 cancer patients in 5 major tissues and 3 cancer cell models against a cohort of healthy controls.
Results
Here, we report epimutations in PPE (and their interacting proteins or PPEIP) are a frequent occurrence in the cancer genome and manifest independent of transcriptional activity. We observed that different tumors have varying susceptibility to epimutations and identify specific cellular signalling networks that are primarily affected by epimutations. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis showed the negative impact of epimutations on most (not all) Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase transcription. Finally, we detected novel clinical biomarkers that inform on patient mortality and anti-cancer treatment sensitivity.
Conclusions
We propose that DNA hypermethylation marks at PPEIP frequently contribute to the pathogenesis of malignancies and within the precision medicine space, hold promise as biomarkers to inform on clinical features such as patient survival and therapeutic response.
Automation of MKID Simulations for Array Building With AEM (Automated Electromagnetic MKID simulations)
Authors: McAleer Cáthal , Creaner Oisin , Bracken Colm , Ulbricht Gerhard , De Lucia Mario , Piercy Jack , Ray Tom
Published: November 2023

Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) are photon detectors comprised of superconducting LC resonators with unique resonant frequencies corresponding to their geometrical structure. As each pixel has a unique resonance, simulations of every pixel in a kilo pixel array are impractical and current methods of interpolation across pixels are shown to lead to reduced pixel yield. We introduce a new software called AEM (Automated Electromagnetic MKID simulations) that automates the construction and simulation of every simulated MKID pixel in an array according to specified resonant frequencies and a Qc range. We show automated designs to have an increased pixel yield, accuracy in resonance frequency and Qc value when compared to interpolated structures. We also demonstrate a simulated trial of AEM for 100 MKIDs between 4–8 GHz to produce MKIDs with accuracies of ± 0.188 MHz with a runtime of 10 hours 45 minutes.
An in-depth analysis of young adults with osteonecrosis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip who underwent total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Nayar Sandeep Krishan , Marks Avi , Hashemi-Nejad Aresh , Roposch Andreas
Published: November 2023

BackgroundPatients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head secondary to DDH frequently require total hip arthroplasty (THA), but it is not well understood which factors necessitate this requirement. We determined the incidence of THA in patients who have osteonecrosis secondary to DDH and factors associated with need for THA.MethodsWe included patients who received closed or open reductions between 1995 and 2005 with subsequent development of osteonecrosis. We determined osteonecrosis according to Bucholz and Ogden; osteoarthritis severity (Kellgren-Lawrence), subluxation (Shenton’s line); neck-shaft angle; and acetabular dysplasia (centre-edge and Sharp angles). We also recorded the number of operations of the hip in childhood and reviewed case notes of patients who received THA to describe clinical findings prior to THA. We assessed the association between radiographic variables and the need for THA using univariate logistic regression.ResultsOf 140 patients (169 hips), 22 patients received 24 THA (14%) at a mean age of 21.3 ± 3.7 years. Associated with the need for THA were grade III osteonecrosis (OR 4.25; 95% CI 1.70-10.77; p=0.0019), grade IV osteoarthritis (21.8; 7.55-68.11; p<0.0001) and subluxation (8.22; 2.91-29.53; p=0.0003). All patients who required THA reported at least 2 of: severe pain including at night, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Acetabular dysplasia and number of previous operations were not associated with the need for THA.ConclusionsWe identified a 14% incidence of THA by age 34 years in patients with osteonecrosis secondary to DDH. Grade III osteonecrosis (global involvement femoral head and neck) was strongly associated with THA, emphasising the importance to avoid osteonecrosis when treating DDH.
Transcutaneous bilirubin reliability during and after phototherapy depending on skin color
Authors: Candel-Pau Júlia , Maya-Enero Silvia , Garcia-Garcia Jordi , Duran-Jordà Xavier , López-Vílchez María Ángeles
Published: November 2023

Purpose
Measurement of transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) is a non-invasive, widely used technique to estimate serum bilirubin (SB). However, its reliability in multiethnic populations during and after phototherapy is still controversial even in covered skin. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of TcB in covered (cTcB) and exposed (eTcB) skin during and after phototherapy in a multiethnic population of neonates according to Neomar’s neonatal skin color scale.
Methods
Prospective, observational study comparing SB and TcB. We determined SB when clinically indicated and, at the same time, measured cTcB under a photo-opaque patch and eTcB next to it with a jaundice meter (Dräger JM-105TM). All dyads TcB-SB were compared, both globally and according to skin color.
Results
We obtained data from 200 newborns (color1: 44, color2: 111, color3: 41, color4: 4) and compared 296 dyads TcB/SB. Correlation between cTcB and SB is strong during (0.74–0.83) and after (0.79–0.88) phototherapy, both globally and by color group. The SB-cTcB bias depends on gestational age during phototherapy and on skin color following phototherapy. The correlation between eTcB and SB during phototherapy is not strong (0.54), but becomes so 12 hours after discontinuing phototherapy (0.78).
Conclusions
Our study supports the reliability of cTcB to assess SB during and after phototherapy, with differences among skin tones after the treatment. The use of cTcB and Neomar’s scale during and mainly after phototherapy may help reduce the number of blood samples required.
Evaluation of Potential Flood Areas in the Basin of Lake Ladik Through AHP and GIS Integration, (Samsun, Turkey)
Authors: OCAK Fatih , BAHADIR Muhammet
Published: November 2023

Floods are a problem of many countries on a global scale. In Turkey, especially in the summer months, large floods occur in the Black Sea Region coastal belt. The number and the destructive power of experienced floods are increasing day by day. It is not possible to prevent the occurrence of floods. But it is possible to take the necessary measures to prevent it from turning into a disaster. Recently, susceptibility analyses have been carried out for floods and similar natural disasters and the results help decision-makers. Within the scope of this study, flood susceptibility analysis was carried out by using multiple geographical factors together in the Basin of Lake Ladik of Samsun Province in the Black Sea Region. In the study, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques were used, which are multi-criteria decision-making methods. In this context, flood susceptibility analysis of the basin was carried out by using nine (9) different geographical factors (slope, aspect, lithology, soil, basin size, land use, landforms, precipitation, and drainage density). As a result of the study, for floods, there were identified four (4) different levels as low, medium, high, and very high; and 36.77% of the basin was found to be low, 30.03% was medium, 11.43% was high and 21,77% was found to be sensitive to possible floods at a very high level. The results of the study are also important for decision-makers to make flood risk planning.
Tuneable spectrometer for submillimeter astronomy based on silicon Fabry-Perot, preliminary results
Authors: Tollet Timothée , Rodriguez Louis , Revéret Vincent , Poglitsch Albrecht , Dussopt Laurent , Aliane Abdelkader , Delisle Cyrille , Goudon Valérie , Lasfargues Gilles
Published: November 2023

We are studying and developing high performance spectroscopy solutions in silicon technology in the framework of the instrumental developments around the B-BOP bolometer arrays [1] and in the continuity of the former developments of the Herschel space telescope instruments and in particular its PACS instrument [2]. The integration of multi-wavelength spectroscopic capabilities close to the array of a cooled bolometer would make it possible to detect the interstellar medium (ISM) continuum by scanning and to trace its evolution in particular by the detection of characteristic lines such as the cooling line [CII] at 158µm.
In this paper, we present the first concept under development and the preliminary results obtained in our cryogenic optical test bench. This solution is a tunable cavity Fabry-Perot (FP) with silicon mirrors driven by a cryogenic piezoelectric mechanism with a nanometric step. Each mirror is a dielectric Bragg structure, a stack of quarter-wave layers of silicon and air providing a high reflectivity without metal losses. This solution allows extremely accurate scanning around a targeted wavelength. The first prototype is a relatively bulky proof of concept and future optimizations will allow it to be adapted to a focal plane array.