bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the real world: a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Xiaoqiang , Zhao Rui , Ma Huaxing , Zuo Shi
Published: January 2023

Background Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab was approved in 2020 as a first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to assess the curative effect and tolerability of the combination treatment in advanced HCC. Methods Web of Science, PubMed and Embase were retrieved for qualified literatures on the treatment of advanced HCC with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab until September 1, 2022. The outcomes included pooled overall response (OR), complete response (CR), partial response (PR), median overall survival (mOS), median progression-free survival (mPFS), and adverse events (AEs). Results Twenty-three studies, comprising 3168 patients, were enrolled. The pooled OR, CR, and PR rates of the long-term (more than six weeks) therapy response based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) were 26%, 2%, and 23%, respectively. The pooled OR, CR, and PR rates of the short-term (six weeks) therapeutic response evaluated with RECIST were 13%, 0%, and 15%, respectively. The pooled mOS and mPFS were 14.7 months and 6.66 months, respectively. During the treatment, 83% and 30% of patients experienced any grade AEs and grade 3 and above AEs, respectively. Conclusions Atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab showed good efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of advanced HCC. Compared with short-term, non-first-line, and low-dose therapy, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in long-term, first-line, and standard-dose treatment for advanced HCC showed a better tumor response rate.
Mid-Holocene West African Monsoon Rainfall enhanced in high-resolution EC-Earth simulation with dynamic vegetation feedback
Authors: Berntell Ellen , Zhang Qiong
Published: January 2023

Proxy records have shown that the Mid-Holocene was a period of humid conditions across West Africa, with an enhanced West African Monsoon (WAM) and vegetated conditions in areas currently characterized by desert, often referred to as the Green Sahara. However, General Circulation Models regularly struggle with recreating this strengthened Mid-Holocene monsoon in West Africa. The vegetation-albedo feedback has long been viewed as an essential process modulating the monsoon variability in West Africa, and simulations using prescribed vegetation to recreate a Green Sahara have shown a strengthened WAM and increased rainfall. However, these simulations represent an idealized vegetation cover and do not take any environmental heterogeneity into account. Furthermore, this only represents a one-directional forcing by the vegetation on the climate rather than the vegetation-albedo feedback. Using idealized vegetation cover might therefore over-/underestimate the changes of the WAM, as well as over-/understate the importance of the vegetation feedback. To address this, we have simulated the Mid-Holocene (~ 6 ka) climate using the high-resolution Earth System Model EC-Earth3-Veg. The results show that coupled dynamic vegetation reproduces an apparent enhancement of the WAM, with the summer rainfall in the Sahel region increasing by 15% compared to simulations with a prescribed modern vegetation cover. Vegetation feedbacks enhance the warming of the Sahara region, deepens the Sahara Heat Low, results in increased rainfall and strengthens monsoonal flow across West Africa. However, the enhancement is still below what can be viewed in proxy reconstructions, highlighting the importance of investigating other processes, such as the interactive aerosol-albedo feedback.
Screening invitro antibacterial properties of Apis mellifera L. monofloral honey in Ethiopia
Authors: Tesfaye Ofijan
Published: January 2023

Background
Honey is a natural sweetener and viscous food which is synthesized from the nectar of flowering plants by bees. As a worldwide, it has been traditionally used for incurring different diseases. However, In recent times, the emergence of multi and extended drug-resistant human pathogens called for an urgent search for more effective sources of natural products to treat infectious diseases. The biological activity of honey primarily relies on its botanical and entomological origin. Hence, the objective of this study was to screen the in vitro antibacterial activity of honey based on botanical origin produced in Ethiopia.
Methods
Botanical origin was identified by the Melisopalynological analysis method. The inhibition zone was determined by agar well diffusion assay. Minimum inhibitory concentration was done by broth diffusion.
Result
Six different monofloral honey namely: Guizotia (75.3% pollen grain counted), Coffee arabica (68.6%), Vernonia (90.5%), Schefflera abyssinica (100%), Croton macrostachyus (64.4%) and Eucalyptus (100%) honey was harvested through December, February, February, April, May, and June respectively from the study area. All the monofloral honey inhibited the growth of all the bacterial strains even though the diameter of the inhibition zone varied. C. macrostachyus, Vernonia, Guizotia, and C. arabica were comparatively more whilst S. abyssinica was the least effective against all the tested bacterial strains. The grand mean inhibition zone ranged from 17.0 ± 1 mm by C. macrostachyus to 10.5 ± 1 mm by S. abyssinica against all the bacterial strains. Besides, the MIC of botanical honey type ranged from 11.7 ± 3.3% w/v by C. macrostachyus against S. aureus to 37.5 ± 1% w/v by S. abyssinica against P. aeruginosa.
Conclusion
The current result indicated that there is a disparity in antibacterial properties between monofloral honey. The more effective honey against the tested bacterial strain were those produced from the nectar of Ethiopian medicinal plants; based on literatures. Therefore, further in-vivo and in-vitro research would be expected from the concerned researchers on the association between the biological compounds present in each part of medicinal plants and honey samples.
Abnormalities in Hematological Profile in Solid Tumors/Non-Hematological Malignancies
Authors: KHAN QUYOOM BASHIR , BHARDWAJ SUBHASH , GUPTA RAJAT
Published: January 2023

Purpose: An abnormal hematological picture is the first presenting manifestation in solid tumors. The present study was carried out to evaluate various hematological abnormalities and correlate these parameters with the histological diagnosis in patients with solid tumors.
Methods: A total of 98 solid tumor patients were included in the study. Blood samples from all the cases were collected at the time of diagnosis for various hematological investigations.
Results: Out of these 98 patients, 54 were males and 44 were females. Anemia was found to be the most common haematological manifestation. We found 89 (90%) of the patients were anaemic, out of which 48 patients had mild anemia, 32 patients had moderate anemia and 9 patients had severe anemia. Thrombocytopenia was present in 33 (33.67%) out of 98 casesand was most common in breast cancer patients (18.18%) followed by stomach cancer patients (12.12%). Only 3 patients had thrombocytosis.Leucocytosis was noticed in 19 (19.38%) patients, out of which 15 (78.94%) patients had neutrophillia. Leucocytosis was found to be the most common in lung cancer patients (31.57%).
Conclusion: The present study showed a definite association of hematological manifestations viz. anemia, thrombocytopenia and leucocytosis with various non-hematological malignancies.
Effect of self-curing admixture and nature of the sand on the mechanical and microstructural properties of concrete in hot climate condition
Authors: Benouadah Abdelatif , Benammar Abdelhafid , Belkadi Ahmed Abderraouf , Maafi Nabil , Kessal Oussama
Published: January 2023

Hot climates predominate in many countries of the world. The average summer temperature in hot and desert areas is around 40 to 50°C. Concreting in these regions creates different difficulties in the fresh and hardened properties of the concretes due to the rapid loss of the mixing water by evaporation. In this study, the effects of hot climate and formulation parameters on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete in hot weather were investigated. Three types of sand (calcareous sand, silico-calcareous sand and siliceous sand), presence or not of the superplasticizer and the curing compound were used on fresh concrete surface. The hot weather concrete test parameters are the temperature of the dry materials and the water (50°C) at the time of mixing, thus the air velocity and humidity were set at 12 km/h and 10%, respectively. The properties tested were workability and compressive strength. in addition, the microstructural analysis of the concrete was examined by SEM and XRD. The results showed that the concrete containing calcareous sand revealed a higher compressive strength than the concrete with siliceous or silico-calcareous sands. However, a high fluidity was obtained by concrete based on siliceous or silico-calcareous sands. In hot weather, by using a curing compound and a superplasticizer, the compressive strength of concrete was increased especially for concrete with calcareous sand. This study helps concrete technologists determine the optimum formulation to achieve concrete with desired hot weather properties.
Polyaniline Sandwiched Ultra-strong PVA/PAA Hybrid Hydrogel for Low-temperature Resistant Supercapacitors and Strain Sensors
Authors: Xu Chang , Guan Shiqiang , Dong Xufeng , Huang Hao , Qi Min
Published: January 2023

Hydrogels are a class of promising candidate materials for the preparation of emerging quasi-solid-state supercapacitor electrolytes. However, the inherent defects of poor mechanical strength, easy fragmentation, and bad low-temperature tolerance seriously hinder their further practical application. Herein, a polyaniline sandwiched polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid hybrid hydrogel (PVA-PAA-PANI) electrolyte with high strength and ideal low-temperature resistance was constructed by combining the Hofmeister effect and in-situ polymerization. This PVA-PAA-PANI hydrogel can provide amazing comprehensive mechanical properties, including 3.5 MPa of breaking strength, 700% of elongation at break, and 11.5 MJ/m3 of toughness, and exhibits satisfactory fatigue resistance. This PVA-PAA-PANI hydrogel-based supercapacitor has a specific capacitance of 32.4 mF/cm2 and achieves 61% capacitance retention even under the harsh cold environment of -20°C. Notably, the capacitance retention reaches 79.2% of the initial state after suffering more than 5000 continuous charge/discharge cycles at -20°C. This PVA-PAA-PANI hydrogel also has good linear sensing behavior and can accurately detect different limb movements and even breathing or speech, demonstrating ideal strain sensing properties. This work develops new strategies for the preparation of high-strength hydrogels for energy storage devices and sensors, and promotes their application in real-life applications.
CDC42—a promising target of glioma treatment related to Treg cell proliferation
Authors: Jiang Tao , Wang Xianwei , Huang Jiaming , Chen Dong
Published: January 2023

Glioma is the worst prognostic neoplasm in the central nervous system. A polarity-regulating GTPase in cells, which is called CdC42, has been proven that its overactivation is tightly connected to the high malignancy of tumor. The RNA-seq and protein expression of CDC42 in tumor and comparison tissues were analyzed based on the online tools, CDC42 is remarkably boosted in tumor tissue compared to controls. 600 patients in the analysis set from the TCGA database and 654 patients in the validation set from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database were adopted. The expression of CDC42 in various clinicopathological features was analyzed, including differential expression, survival analysis, GO and KEGG analysis, immune infiltration, correlated signaling pathway. It was found that CDC42 could be a potential biomarker of glioma transcriptional subtyping. The enrichment of CDC42 was shown to be an independent indicator of poor prognosis for glioma by Cox analysis and KM curves.Additionally, the concentration extent of CDC42 was closely related to immune infiltration, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and Treg cell markers (CD4, CD25, CD127). Further GSEA analysis demonstrated that CDC42 was significantly connected with the differentiation, migration and proliferation of T regulatory (Treg) cell through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Construction of the first ultra-dense genetic map for faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and quantitative trait loci mapping for seed-related traits
Authors: Zhao Na , Xue Dong , Miao Yamei , Wang Xuejun , Wang Yongqiang , Zhou Yao , Zhou Enqiang , Yao Mengnan , Gu Chunyan , Wang Kaihua , Li Bo , Wei Libin
Published: January 2023

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a valuable legume crop and data on its seed-related traits is required for yield and quality improvements. However, basic research on faba bean is lagging compared to that of other major crops. In this study, an F2 faba bean population, including 121 plants derived from a WY7 and TCX7 cross, was genotyped using the Faba_bean_130 K targeted next-generation sequencing genotyping platform. The data were used to construct the first ultra-dense faba bean genetic map consisting of 12,023 single nucleotide polymorphisms markers covering 1182.65 cM with an average distance of 0.098 cM. The map consisted of 6 linkage groups, which is consistent with the 6 faba bean chromosome pairs. A total of 65 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed-related traits were identified (3 for 100-seed weight, 28 for seed shape, 12 for seed coat color, and 22 for nutritional quality). Furthermore, 333 candidate genes that are likely to participate in the regulation of seed-related traits were also identified. Our research and its findings can provide a basis for future faba bean marker-assisted breeding and reference genome assembly.
Granular cell tumor of the hypopharynx: a rare case report.
Authors: Oulghoul Omar , Rizkou FatimaEzzahra , BENHOUMMAD OTHMANE , ROCHDI YOUSSEF , RAJI ADBELAZIZ
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Originating from the Schwann cells; Granular cell tumor is an extremely rare tumor, accounting for 0.5% of all soft tissue tumors. Variant of this tumor can be classified as either as synchronous or metachronous, or either malignant, begin or atypical. We report a scarce case of granular cell tumor of the hypopharynx, adding to the rare count of this entity in this localization, in a 74 years-old female patient.
Case presentation : We add to the literature arsenal of this entity by reporting this rare case of benign of granular cell tumor of the hypopharynx in A 74 years-old female patient with hypertension, suffered from dysphonia for about 6 months. Examination identified a budding tumor in the left piriform sinus. Ct scan showcased a 1 cm irregular, spontaneously hypodense, slightly enhanced after injection mass, infiltrating the left piriform sinus. Excisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis and follow-up was uneventful.
Conclusion: This rare neoplasia have variable age, sex and ethnicity predilection; and depending on the localization, nonspecific symptoms and it is usually displays as small, smooth, submucosal lesion. Positive staining for S-100 protein confirms the diagnosis and no harmonized treatment guideline is established.
C-Terminal Domain Phosphatase-Like 1 Protein Promotes Flowering With TAF15b by Repressing the Floral Repressor Gene Flowering Locus C
Authors: Kyung Jinseul , Jeong Daesong , Eom Hyunjoo , Kim Jeesoo , Kim Jong-Seo , Lee Ilha
Published: January 2023

Arabidopsis TBP-ASSOCIATED FACTOR15b (TAF15b) is a plant-specific component of the transcription factor IID (TFIID) complex. TAF15b is involved in the autonomous pathway for flowering and represses transcription of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), a strong floral repressor in Arabidopsis. Although the components of the autonomous pathway for flowering have been studied extensively, little is known about the functional partners of TAF15b and the mechanism of how TAF15b works. Here, we show that C-TERMINAL DOMAIN PHOSPHATASE-LIKE 1 (CPL1) is a physical and functional partner of TAF15b for the transcriptional repression of FLC. CPL1 is a protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Through the immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry technique, we fished out the CPL1 protein as an interacting partner of TAF15b. Similar to taf15b, the cpl1 mutant showed a late-flowering phenotype caused by the increase of FLC expression. In addition, FLC increase in cpl1 was correlated with the enrichment of phosphorylated Pol II in FLC chromatin as expected. We also found that CPL1 and TAF15b share additional common target genes through transcriptome analysis. Such results suggest that the TAF15b–CPL1 complex directly represses transcription through dephosphorylation of Pol II, especially at the FLC locus.
Combined effects of freezing-thawing cycles and livestock excreta deposition complicate soil nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient dynamics in an alpine steppe of northern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Du Ziyin , Zhang Qingsong , Sun Jian , Hong Jiangtao , Xu Xin , Pang Bo , Li Jiaxiu , Wang Xiaodan
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims: Livestock excreta (dung and urine) is one of the significant sources of soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrients in grazed grasslands, and freezing-thawing cycle (FTC) during non-growing season are considered to complicatedly affect soil N and P dynamics by changing excreta nutrients release, soil physicochemical, and microbial properties. However, the combined effects and functional mechanisms of FTCs and excreta deposition on the availability, transformation, and migration processes of soil N and P nutrients in alpine grasslands need further clarifications.
Methods: A 277-day experiment was conducted to investigate the response of dung N and P nutrients release, soil available N and P dynamics, and N transformation process to FTCs at different freezing-thawing periods, including treatments of control (CK), soils respectively treated with yak dung (YD), Tibetan sheep dung (TSD), yak urine (YU), and Tibetan sheep urine (TSU) in an alpine steppe of northern Tibetan Plateau.
Results: Enhanced mineralization during the stable freezing period significantly (P < 0.05) increased alpine steppe soil ammonium-N (NH4+-N) and available P (AP) concentrations at 0–5 cm depth. The significant (P < 0.05) increase in soil nitrate-N (NO3--N) concentration at 0−5 and 5−10 cm depths during the thawing period was a response to the improvement in nitrification. The YU and TSU deposition respectively resulted in the 0−5 cm soil NH4+-N concentration reached 127 and 89.4 mg/kg and the corresponding NO3--N concentration reached 90.5 and 29.6 mg/kg, with these peaked values occurred during freezing period significantly (P < 0.05) greater than other freezing–thawing periods. Interactions between excreta treatment and freezing–thawing periods significantly (P < 0.001) affected soil NH4+-N and NO3--N concentrations, and soil AP variation was strongly (P < 0.001) correlated with freezing–thawing periods. Trade-off between NH4+-N and NO3--N was closely related to the influence of nitrification and denitrification, which were affected by frequent FTCs during the winter freezing and spring thawing.
Conclusion: Increases in mineral N and AP concentrations during the spring thawing period likely altered the phenological properties of vegetation and the productivity of grassland ecosystems to varying degrees. Our study would provide scientific guidance for optimizing the management mode of livestock excreta during freezing–thawing periods and promoting the sustainable development of alpine grassland ecosystems.
Novel anoikis-related diagnostic biomarkers for aortic dissection based on machine learning
Authors: Zhang Hanyi , Dong Xiangling , Ouyang Zhen , Zhou Tianji , Chen Jia , Wang Mi
Published: January 2023

Aortic dissection (AD) is one of the most dangerous diseases of the cardiovascular system, which is characterized by acute onset and poor prognosis, while the pathogenesis of AD is still unclear and may affect or even delay the diagnosis of AD. Anchorage-dependent cell death (Anoikis) is a special mode of cell death, which is programmed cell death caused by normal cells after detachment from extracellular matrix (ECM)and has been widely studied in the field of oncology in recent years. In this study, we applied bioinformatics analysis, according to the results of research analysis and Gene Ontology (GO), as well as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), finally found 3 anoikis-related genes (ARGs) based on machine learning. Then we further verified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), gene set enrichment analysis (GSVA)and other methods. We hypothesize ARGs may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD through pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and ECM. Therefore, we conclude that the ARGs can be an important factor in determining the diagnosis of AD.
Sustainable transhumance practices in European landscapes. A comparative study
Authors: Pablo Vidal-González , Gylfi Helgason , Daníel Júlíusson Árni
Published: January 2023

Transhumant practices are a clear and diachronic example of sustainable use of the available pasture land, taking advantage of climatic and environmental differences between summer and winter pastures. This more balanced use of natural resources has an ancient history and made it possible for local communities in rural societies to exploit areas that would otherwise not have been used for agricultural purposes. Industrialisation, globalisation, and the collapse of rural economy in the 20th century led to a profound transformation of these traditional pastoral practices. In this paper, we present a cursory look on transhumance from Northern Iceland and Eastern Spain to give us an insight regarding how different communities strived towards sustainable livestock practice and landscape management in the past. Traditional pastoralism aims to use balancing strategies to prevent the degradation of land and the environment. The implementation of seasonal schedules of pasture areas to avoid overgrazing, implementing control regarding the utilisation of the grazing areas, and setting disputes between different social groups that have access to the pasture lands are great examples of social strategies maintained by transhumance communities to promote sustainable landscape management. This paper will examine archaeological and ethnoarchaeological evidence to enable the comparison between the two selected case studies. We believe that the diversity and complex history of these case studies can offer us a valuable lesson of good practice for a sustainable and environmentally friendly use of European pastoral territories in present-day societies.
Study Protocol Supporting family caregivers of people with dementia and identifying an effective adaptive intervention to reduce their depressive symptoms: protocol of a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial
Authors: Kor Patrick Pui Kin , Chou Kee Lee , Zarit Steven Howard , Gallagher-Thompson Dolores , Galante Julieta , Wong Samuel Yeung Shan , Cheung Daphne Sze Ki , Leung Angela Yee Man , Chu Leung Wing
Published: January 2023

Background: Family caregivers of people with dementia (FG-of-PWD) suffer from a high level of stress and depressive symptoms, which usually require different interventions at different stages. Although some standalone interventions such as behavioral activation (BA) and mindfulness practice (MP) have been shown to be potentially effective at reducing depressive symptoms, the best sequence and combination of these interventions for caregivers are unknown. This study aims to develop and identify a two-stage adaptive intervention with pre-specified rules guiding whether, how, or when to offer different interventions initially/over time to reduce depressive symptoms in FG-of-PWD.
Methods: A sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) design will be adopted. 272 FG-of-PWD with mild to moderate depressive symptoms will be recruited from the community. Four two-stage embedded adaptive interventions involving behavioral activation and mindfulness practice with different sequences and dosages (e.g., 8 weeks of Behavioral Activation followed by booster sessions for responders, and 8 weeks of mindfulness practice for non-responders) will be assigned to the participants following a set of decision rules. The primary outcomes will be depressive symptoms, assessed after the second stage of the intervention. Other outcomes (e.g., positive aspect of caregiving and sleep quality) and time-points will also be assessed. The analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. In addition, several process indicators (e.g. engagement in meaningful activities and level of mindfulness) will also be assessed.
Discussion: The traditional RCT design allows for the effectiveness of an intervention to be rigorously tested but provides limited data to develop “treatment strategies” that may involve a number of different interventions, dosages, or components. We propose using the SMART design to provide evidence of which intervention to provide initially, how to determine whether the first stage of the intervention is working or not, and which intervention to provide next if the first stage of the intervention is not working. The findings will have strong implications for the further development of psycho-social adaptive intervention in reducing the depressive symptoms among FC-of-PWD.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05634317
Effect of the addition ratio of rice flour and molasses on growth performance and survival of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) stocked by biofloc technology
Authors: Phuong Ta Van , Hoa Nguyen Van , Vo Van-Thanh , Diep Doan Xuan
Published: January 2023

The 63-day experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different rice flour and molasses ratio on Pacific white shrimp, which were reared by biofloc technology. The five treatments (R10-M90, R30-M70, R50-M50, R30-M70, R10-M90) and one control were randomly arranged with three repetitions in 18 plastic tanks. The content of adding two carbohydrate sources was calculated and added to water to gain the C:N ratio of 15:1. The experimental shrimps (mean initial weight of 0.095 g) were stocked at a density of 150 m−3 and fed Lotus pellets (40% protein) for 63 days. The results showed that the temperature, pH, DO, and alkalinity are suitable for shrimp. The carbohydrate-supplemented treatments increased floc volume (FVI), mean floc length (MFL) and mean floc width (MFW), total suspended solids (TSS), reduced total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite (NO2-), as compared to control, in which R70-M30 treatment exhibited the most pronounced effects. Shrimp culture applying biofloc process stimulated the density of total bacteria and zooplankton to thrive and limited phytoplankton. Maintaining the C:N as 15 by adding carbohydrates showed a more effective impact. There was no significant difference in final average weight, but final biomass and survival tended to be highest in treatment R70-M30 (results were only significantly different from R90-M10). In conclusion, combining two carbohydrate sources positively improved water quality and had no negative impact on shrimp growth.
Informed consent an illusion or legal litigation? Perceptions of today’s doctors.
Authors: mulla humeera , mulla huzaifa
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Informed consent is a foundation of modern medical practice. It is a process that bridges the gap and leads to the interaction between the health care provider and the patient. One of the four key principles of biomedical ethics outlined by Beauchamp and Childress works to defend patients' autonomy.1 An ethical and legal need is to obtain a proper informed consent. The doctor has a moral obligation to uphold patients' human dignity while seeking informed consent.3 Aim: To evaluate the perception of doctors towards informed consent in a quaternary care hospital. Material and method: A questionnaire was prepared and distributed among the doctors personally. Results: Consultants and senior residents of both clinical and nonclinical departments have adequate awareness and knowledge of medical ethics. Conclusions: Any medical professional must prioritise patient satisfaction. It is largely influenced by informed consent, which is a medico-legal contributing factor. In order to bridge the gap between professionals and their knowledge, awareness, and ethical practises, efforts should be made to sensitise them. Possible interventions include conferences, symposiums, and workshops on health care ethics.
French translation and validation of the Neck Dissection Impairment Index, a quality of life measure for the surgical oncology population
Authors: Khoury Michel , Guertin William , Hao Cameo , Saltychev Mikhail , Ayad Tareck , Bissada Eric , Christopoulos Apostolos , Moubayed Sami , Olivier Marie-Jo , Chepeha Douglas , Lai Stephen Y. , Maniakas Anastasios
Published: January 2023

Background: Neck dissections (ND) are a routine procedure in head and neck oncology. Given the post-operative functional impact that some patients experience, it is imperative to identify and track quality of life (QoL) symptomatology in order to tailor each patient’s therapeutic needs. To date, there is no validated francophone questionnaire for this patient-population. We therefore sought to translate and validate the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) in French. Methods: A three-phased approach was used. Phase 1: The NDII was translated from English to French using a “forward and backward” translational technique following international guidelines. Phase 2: A cognitive debriefing session was held with ten French-speaking otolaryngology patients to evaluate understandability and acceptability. Phase 3: The final version was administered prospectively to 30 patients with prior history of ND and 30 control patients. These patients were asked to complete the questionnaire 2 weeks after their first response. Test-retest reliability was calculated with Spearman’s correlation. Internal consistency was elicited using Cronbach’s alpha.
Results: NDII was successfully translated and validated to French. Cronbach’s alpha revealed high internal consistency (0.92, lower 95% CL 0.89). The correlation for test-retest validity were strong or very-strong (0.61-0.91).
Conclusion: NDII is an internationally recognized QoL tool for the identification of ND-related impairments. This validated French version will allow clinicians to adequately assess the surgery-related QoL effect of neck surgery in the French-speaking population, while allowing French institutions to conduct and/or participate in multi-site clinical trials requiring the NDII as an outcome measure.
Consolidative thoracic radiation could not improve survival of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer with first-line chemoimmunotherapy: results from a single cancer center
Authors: Li Yuying , Jing Wang , Jing Xuquan , Sun Yulan , Tang Xiaoyong , Guo Jun , Zhang Yan , Zhu Hui
Published: January 2023

Objective
To investigate the role of consolidative thoracic radiation (TRT) in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) receiving first-line chemo-immunotherapy followed by immunotherapy maintenance.
Patients and Methods:
Outcomes of patients without disease progression after first-line chemotherapy were reviewed (January 2020 to December 2021). Based on TRT or not, patients were allocated to TRT group or non-TRT group. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and local-recurrence free survival (LRFS) were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test.
Results
Of 100 patients, 47 received TRT and 53 non-TRT. The median follow-up was 20.3 months. The median PFS and OS in TRT were 9.1 months and 21.8 months, versus 8.8 months (p = 0.93) and 24.3 months (p = 0.63), respectively, in non-TRT. The median LRFS time in TRT was not reached, but significantly longer than 10.8 months in non-TRT (HR = 0.27, p < 0.01). Second-line chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival compared to that with chemo-free patients (mOS: 24.5 vs. 21.4 months, p = 0.026). The subgroup analysis showed a trend of patients with brain metastases benefit from TRT (21.8 versus 13.7 months, HR 0.61, p = 0.38) while liver metastases did not. Of 47 patients with TRT, only 10.6% of patients experienced grade 3 radiation-induced pneumonitis, while no grade 4 or 5 adverse events occurred.
Conclusion
Consolidative TRT in the period of immunotherapy maintenance followed first-line chemo-immunotherapy did not prolong OS and PFS but increased LRFS in ES-SCLC.
Community Outreach Initiatives in Dermatology - Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Fritsche Madelaine , Maglakelidze Natella Natella , Zaenglein Andrea , Lam Charlene
Published: January 2023

Disparities in health care coverage, chronic diseases, mental health, and mortality among racial and ethnic groups, incarcerated individuals, and low-income communities are prevalent in the United States (U.S.). There is a need to address these shortfalls in access to care. Community outreach efforts can help reduce these disparities and bridge access to adequate healthcare to meet patient needs. In dermatology, there is a lack of studies assessing community outreach initiatives and whether these initiatives address diverse community needs. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify and categorize community outreach initiatives offered by academic dermatology programs in the U.S. to recognize potential areas of improvement to better serve our communities. We surveyed 142 ACGME-accredited U.S. dermatology programs regarding their community outreach initiatives and obtained information for 68% of the programs. Most dermatology residency programs provided traditionally popular community outreach initiatives like skin cancer screenings and free general dermatology clinics. Conversely, very few programs offered initiatives addressing the needs of patients of color, minoritized communities such as American Indians, or chronic skin disease patients. These may be opportunities to broaden our definition of community outreach and address the dermatological needs of all communities.
Reduced hepatocyte mitophagy is an early feature of NAFLD pathogenesis and hastens the onset of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis
Authors: Undamatla Ramya , Fagunloye Olayemi G. , Chen Jeffrey , Edmunds Lia R. , Murali Anjana , Mills Amanda , Xie Bingxian , Pangburn Martha M. , Sipula Ian , Gibson Gregory , Croix Claudette St. , Jurczak Michael J.
Published: January 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of pathologies that includes steatosis, steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis and is strongly associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Changes in mitochondrial function are implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, particularly in the transition from steatosis to NASH. Mitophagy is a mitochondrial quality control mechanism that allows for the selective removal of damaged mitochondria from the cell via the autophagy pathway. While past work demonstrated a negative association between liver fat content and rates of mitophagy, when changes in mitophagy occur during the pathogenesis of NAFLD and whether such changes contribute to the primary endpoints associated with the disease are currently poorly defined. We therefore undertook the studies described here to establish when alterations in mitophagy occur during the pathogenesis of NAFLD, as well as to determine the effects of genetic inhibition of mitophagy via conditional deletion of a key mitophagy regulator, PARKIN, on the development of steatosis, insulin resistance, inflammation and fibrosis. We find that loss of mitophagy occurs early in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and that loss of PARKIN hastens the onset but not severity of key NAFLD disease features. These observations suggest that loss of mitochondrial quality control in response to nutritional stress may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
Value of proteinuria in evaluating the severity of HELLP and its maternal and neonatal outcomes
Authors: Jiao Yan , Song Zimeng , Li Hongyuan , Wang Shiliang , Zhang Jiao , Li Jian , Liu Jia , Wang Peng , Chen Yanhong
Published: January 2023

Background: HELLP syndrome refers to a group of clinical syndromes characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet, and the evidence on the association between proteinuria and the severity of HELLP and its maternal and neonatal outcomes is rare.
Methods: 106 pregnant women were assigned to the proteinuric group (24-hUPro ≥0.3 g, 79 cases) and the non-proteinuric group (24-hUPro<0.3 g, 27 cases). The proteinuric group was further divided into three subgroups: mild group (24-hUPro:0.3-2.0g, 33 cases), moderate group (24-hUPro:2.0-5.0g, 21 cases) and severe group (24-hUPro: ≥5.0 g, 25 cases). The general clinical data, laboratory indexes, complications and pregnancy outcome and adverse neonatal outcomes of HELLP with or without proteinuric were analyzed.
Results: Compared with proteinuricgroup, the non-albuminuric group or in the three proteinuric subgroups of HELLP pregnant women's , increased proteinuria was associated with earlier onset gestations, higher incidence of abdominal pain, skin jaundice, headache, blurred vision (p < 0.05 respectively), and also the higher levels of ALT, AST, LDH, Fib, APTT, ATⅢ, proportions of tubular urine and lower levels of ALB, PLT (p< 0.05 respectively). In the three subgroups of the proteinuric group, the ratio of fetal growth restriction, cesarean section and postpartum hemorrhage were compared, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05 respectively). Compared with the proteinuric group, the non-proteinuric group had higher birth weight, birth length, and lower SGA, admission rate in NICU (p < 0.05 respectively). In the three subgroups of the proteinuric group, significant differences were identified in the adverse outcomes of newborns (p < 0.05 respectively), and the incidence of adverse outcomes in neonates tended to be higher. Significant differences were identified in birth weight, birth length, and lower SGA and NICU occupancy rate among the three subgroups (p < 0.05 respectively).
Conclusions: HELLP syndrome is a severe complication of pregnancy, involving multiple systems of the whole body. It has posed a great challenge to obstetricians for its acute onset, dangerous condition, rapid progress, and great harm. Thus, insights into HELLP syndrome should be gained, and early diagnosis, early treatment and timely termination of pregnancy should be conducted to reduce the incidence of maternal and fetal adverse outcomes and improve maternal and fetal prognosis.
Firefly algorithm hybridized with genetic algorithm for multi-objective integrated process planning and scheduling
Authors: Ri Kwang-Won , Mun Kyong-Ho
Published: January 2023

The multi-objective integrated process planning and scheduling (MOIPPS) problem has huge search space and complex technical constraints.Therefore, there is considerable difficulty in obtaining efficient solutions, and hence, metaheuristic-based solution algorithms have been actively introduced. In our paper, we proposed a method to obtain a set of Pareto solutions using firefly algorithm hybridized with genetic algorithm for the MOIPPS problem.we considered a MOIPPS problem model that simultaneously optimizes the makespace, total flow time and total tardiness, maximum machine workload and total machine workload.Three different scale instances have been employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the proposed algorithm has excellent performance in solving the MOIPPS problem.
Transitioning to Adult Mental Health Services for young people with ADHD: an Italian-based Survey on practices for Pediatric and Adult Services
Authors: Roberti Elisa , Scarpellini Francesca , Campi Rita , Giardino Michele , Clavenna Antonio , Bonati Maurizio
Published: January 2023

The present study assessed the transitioning process of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patients in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) in the Italian territory. We asked child and adult psychiatrists to report the current state of services and their observations on limitations and possible future matters that need to be addressed. Seventy-seven centers (42 CAMHS, 35 AMHS) filled in a web-based survey in which they reported the number of ADHD patients, how many transitioning patients they had within the past year, and how they structured transition. A fragmented picture emerged from the survey. Lack of resources, training, and communication between services hinder the transition process, and many adult patients remain under CAMHS' care. While some services have a protocol, there is no structured guidance that can help improve integration and continuity of treatment. The observed situation reflects a need for improvement and for standard guidelines to enable a successful transition process, considering both clinicians' and patients' necessities.
Stem cell pathways and Notch signaling an emerging role in the development of acquired Drug Resistance in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Corrigal John Clark- , Zaka Masood , Myssina Svetlana , Michaelis Martin , Cinatl Jindrich , Ahmed Shafiq , Carr-Wilkinson Jane
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Neuroblastoma is a paediatric tumour that develops from embryonal neural crest cells that give rise to the sympathetic nervous system. Aggressive high-risk disease remains a clinical challenge and despite multi-modal therapy, survival rates are poor. Most neuroblastomas initially respond well to induction chemotherapy however, 50-60% of patients with high-risk disease will relapse with aggressive disease. A major obstacle in the successful treatment of this disease is the development of acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. We hypothesize that aggressive neuroblastomas acquire a more immature phenotype in addition to increased expression of genes linked to stem cell pathways.
Methods: In this study we investigated the role of stem cell related genes in the development of acquired drug resistance using Q- Real Time PCR and bioinformatics analysis on three-paired vincristine sensitive and resistant cell lines.
Results: The study outlines 11 differentially expressed genes with several targets involved primarily in notch signalling, and stem cell development.
Conclusions: The findings implicated in this study, which include comparative analysis against patient microarray data, warrants further study on the functional effects of these genes/pathways to elucidate their role in acquired drug resistance.
Application of tree based enhanced stacking ensemble learning
Authors: Xu XiaoFei , Wu Yonghong
Published: January 2023

Since it is difficult for machine learning algorithms, such as XGBoost, LightGBM, to extract feature interaction effectively and deep learning algorithms have high time complexity, a tree enhanced stacking integrated model is proposed in this paper, based on tree model feature generation theory and convolutional neural network(CNN) feature extraction theory. Firstly, to effectively extract feature interaction, tree-based-enhanced-stacking generates new features through tree model LightGBM and merges them with the original features. Secondly, to enhance the presentation ability, LightGBM is modified into ML LightGBM with hierarchical structure. Finally, ML_LightGBM, XGBoost, Random Forest and other models are introduced into the stacking integration framework to generate secondary data sets. To enhance the deep feature extraction ability of tree-based-enhanced-stacking, CNN model is used to extract features from the secondary data sets. Compared with ML_LightGBM, XGBoost, Random Forest in two data sets ppdai and default, the results show that the tree enhanced stacking model proposed in this paper has significantly improved in AUC, ACC, KS, loss and other indicators.
Bioleaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum by Aspergillus niger
Authors: Zhang Jiangang , Zhang Xinyue , Su Xiangdong , Du Haijun , Lu Yongzhong
Published: January 2023

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a solid waste product of the phosphoric acid industry. As it contains various rare earth elements (REEs), it is considered an important source of REEs. In this paper, direct and indirect contact methods were used to extract rare earth elements from PG by Aspergillus Niger(A. niger). the contents of REEs in the original PG sample and the leaching solution were analyzed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the morphology of A. niger cells was analyzed before and after leaching. At optimal conditions (Temperature 30℃, oscillation speed of 150 rpm, and solid-liquid ratio of 2:1), the REE leaching rate was 74%; the dominant elements were Y, La, Ce, and Nd. It was found that A. niger and its metabolites organic acids played a decisive role in the leaching process. Compared with inorganic acid leaching of REEs from PG, using A. niger is an environmentally friendly approach with potential in the large-scale industry.
Balanced appetite regulation of Shu-mu acupoint catgut embedding in abdominal obesity: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Zhang Xinghe , Li Qifu , Huang Gaoyangzi , Pei Xianmei , Tang Xin , Zhang Renrui , Yi Rong , Li Li , Xing Chonghui , Zhao Siwen , Guo Taipin , Liang Fanrong
Published: January 2023

Objective

To explore the effect of Shu-mu acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) on appetite in abdominal obesity (AO) patients.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Which was conducted in China between July 2018 and June 2022. Eighty AO participants who received Shu-mu ACE intervention were divided into moderate appetite (MA) and strong appetite (SA) subgroups, according to the appetite at baseline. While 79 AO participants who received NACE intervention were also divided into MA and SA subgroups. All participants were given a 12-week actual intervention period and a 4-week follow-up. Appetite was assessed at baseline and after 6, 12 and 16 weeks.

Results

71 participants who received Shu-mu ACE and 74 participants who received NACE were included in the final analysis. After the Shu-mu ACE, at 16 weeks, the appetite of the SA subgroup decreased to the same level as the MA subgroup (p > 0.05). All 36 AO participants’ appetite had decreased in the SA subgroup. While in the MA subgroup, 22 AO participants had a decrease in appetite, 7 increased, 4 had no change, and 2 had appetite data missing. During the NACE intervention and follow-up, the appetite of the SA subgroup was always higher than the MA subgroup (p < 0.01). In the SA subgroup, 32 decreased, 4 increased, 5 had no change, and 2 appetite data missing. While in the MA subgroup, 14 decreased, 7 increased, and 10 had no change.

Conclusions

Catgut embedding at Shu-mu acupoint could regulate the appetite of AO to the normal level, rather than dramatically inhibit the appetite.
Trial registration This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR1800016947). 4 July 2018; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=28782