bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Nomogram Integrated with Preablation Stimulated Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin/Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Ratio to Predict the Therapeutic Response of Intermediate‑ and High‑Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients: a Bi-center Retrospective Study
Authors: Wen Runze , Zhao Min , Chen Chang , Yang Yi , Zhang Bin
Published: September 2023

Purpose
To investigate the factors influencing the outcome of radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment in intermediate- to high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).
Methods
We enrolled 553 DTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and categorized them into two groups according to their response to RAI therapy: excellent response (ER) and non-ER groups. Clinical and pathological characteristics of the patients were collected and retrospectively analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and diagnostic cutoff values were analyzed to assess the predictive value of important quantitative influences on 131I treatment outcomes. A new nomogram model was developed based on the above independent risk factors. R software was used to develop nomograms with all the independent prognostic factors included.
Results
The multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (LNM), stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg), thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), and sTg/thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were significantly associated with non-ER of DTC patients. In the training set, the consistency index (C-index) of the new column line graph was 0.868 (95% CI 0.865–0.871), which was significantly higher than the C-index of the conventional 8th edition AJCC TNM staging.
Conclusion
We proposed a new nomogram to predict non-ER for DTC with excellent discrimination and calibration.
Deep Learning for Predicting Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of Progress and Future Directions
Authors: kansal Kanika , Sharma Sanjiv
Published: September 2023

Breast cancer prediction is a critical area of research aimed at improving early detection and enhancing treatment strategies. Considering the fast development of Machine Learning techniques, the level of curiosity has increased dramatically in leveraging these algorithms for accurate and efficient breast cancer prediction. This survey paper comprehensively overviews the present condition of the art Machine Learning approaches employed in breast cancer prediction. This study analyzed a wide range of research studies, methodologies, and datasets to present a complete image of the state of the field, the problems it faces, and where it's going. Diverse techniques for Machine Learning, including deep learning models, SVMs, random forests, ANNs, and ensemble methods, are explored in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, and specific breast cancer prediction tasks they have been applied. Furthermore, the study also discussed the diverse input data modalities used, ranging from traditional mammograms and histopathological images to genomics and proteomics data. Challenges such as dataset imbalance, feature selection, interpretability, and generalizability are examined, along with proposed solutions and prospective directions for research. This survey paper aims to give a wealth of information for scientists, doctors, and others in the healthcare field to understand the advancements and potential of predicting breast cancer with Machine Learning, contributing to the development of improved precision and dependable predictive models for improved patient outcomes in the battle against breast cancer.
Novel Methodology of Chitosan-Salicaldehdye Polymers: Synthesis, Charactrization, and application in NH3 sensing
Authors: Saeed Ahmed M. , Taha Ahmed G. , Dardeer Hemat M. , Aly Moustafa F.
Published: September 2023

Chitosan-salicylaldehyde polymer derivatives were formed via chitosan modification. These polymers were synthesized through inclusion with β-cylcodextrine and doping with ZnO nanoparticles to give pseudopolyrotaxane and Chs-Sal/ZnO NPs composite, respectively. Additionally, the complicated polymer (Chs-Sal/ β-CD/ZnO NPs) was prepared via insertion of generated composite (Chs-Sal/ZnO NPs) through β-cyclodextrin ring. The structural and morphological characterizations of the novel synthesized derivatives were confirmed by utilizing FT-IR, XRD and SEM analysis, respectively. Also, the optical properties and thermal gravimetric analysis of the synthesized polymers were explored. The released results confirmed that using β-CD or ZnO NPs for modification of polymer (chs-sal) dramatically enhanced the thermal stability and optical features of the synthesized polymers. Investigations on the NH3-sensing properties of Chs-Sal/β-CD/ZnO NPs composite were carried out at concentrations down to 10 ppm at RT. It was found that modification by β-CD and doping with ZnO NPs improves effectively the NH3-sensing response of Chs-Sal and exhibited good selectivity and good response-recovery time at RT.
Gene expression analysis of LncRNAs and Wnt/ β -catenin signaling pathway genes in skeletal disorders with limb involvement
Authors: Kaur Karandeep , Panigrahi Inusha , Ghosh Sujata , Raj Nirmal , Srivast Priyanka , Dhiman Shalini
Published: September 2023

Limb abnormalities include conditions such as arm & leg discrepancy, upper & lower limb deficiency and associated angular/rotational deformities of the arms, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and feet. The recent 11th edition of nosology and classification of 2023 comprises of different genetic skeletal disorders classified into 41 groups that are linked to 552 genes. Mutations in several Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway genes have been linked with the skeletal disorders with involvement of limb deformity. Despite the fact that many studies have evaluated Wnt/β-catenin signaling from diverse perspectives, research covering the function, composition and clinical trials of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway involvement in the genetic skeletal disorders in the patients with limb abnormality is lacking. In addition, there is a class of RNAs known as long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) which performs a wide range of biological functions. In this research article, the effect of MEG3 and DANCR LncRNAs on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway genes, namely CTNNB1, ROR2, WNT10A, WNT1, LRP6, GSK3β, DACT1, and COL1A2 in the children with skeletal disorders was studied, in order to gain insight into the pathophysiology of the disease process.
Characteristics and risk factors for postoperative mortality in children with congenital heart disease (CHD): a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Liu Guangjian , Guo Yuxiong , Pan Liyan , Chen Peiling , Huang Zijian , Zhang Lei , Wu Jiaxing , Cai Yuanbin , Chen Chunling , Zhang Jingwen , Sun Yueyu , Zhou Chengbin , Yuan Haiyun , Liu Xiaobing , Cen Jianzheng , Wen Shusheng , Zheng Guilang
Published: September 2023

Objectives:We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study to determine the characteristics and risk factors for postoperative mortality in children who underwent CHD surgery.
Design: A cross-sectional retrospective study.
Setting: Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2020.
Patients:All pediatric patients who underwent open heart surgery for CHD.
Interventions: None.
Measurements and Main Results: Patients’ demographic features, clinical data, preoperative comorbidities and postoperative complications, and outcomes were collected. The in-hospital mortality rate was computed, and the relationship with independent variables was determined. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine risk factors for in-hospital mortality in children with CHD surgery. A total of 23,366 children with CHD were included in the analysis, of whom 502 patients (2.15%) died after CHD surgery. Complex mixed defect CHD, neonatal period and male sex were the CHD type, age group and sex with the highest in-hospital mortality of 4.56%, 11.85% and 2.55%, respectively. Male (OR=1.31; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.65; p=0.006), infant period (OR=0.55; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.71; p<0.001), toddler age (OR=0.37; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.56; p<0.001), preschool age (OR=0.31; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.50; p<0.001), school age and adolescence (OR=0.37; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.61; p<0.001), left obstructive lesion CHD (OR=2.13; 95% CI 1.43 to 3.17; p=0.014), right to left shunt CHD (OR=3.21; 95% CI 2.39 to 4.30; p<0.001), complex mixed defect CHD (OR=2.34; 95% CI 1.80 to 3.06; p<0.001), critical case at admission (OR=2.44; 95% CI 1.90 to 3.12; p<0.001), number of rescues, postoperative infection and respiratory failure were independently associated with in-hospital mortality.
Conclusions: The younger the age and the more complicated the cyanotic heart disease, the higher the mortality rate, especially for boys. A critical condition at admission and postoperative infection especially in the respiratory system, increased in-hospital mortality. Further studies are needed paying more attention to preoperative condition maintenance and postoperative complication control.
Comparative Accuracy Assessment of Dental Surgical Robotics and Dynamic Navigation in Immediate Implant Prosthesis Restoration
Authors: zhang kaiyue , wang dashan , wu yupeng , chen hao , zhao baodong , teng minhua
Published: September 2023

Objectives
To compare dental surgical robotic systems and dynamic navigation in dental implant accuracy and immediate restoration.
Materials and Methods we studied 31 patients to compare dental surgical robotic systems and dynamic navigation in dental implant accuracy and immediate restoration. They underwent either dental robot-assisted implantation (Group A) or dynamic navigation-assisted implantation (Group B) at Qingdao University Hospital from June 2019 to September 2022.
Results
Group A had 20 implants; Group B had 25. Statistical analysis showed non-normal data distribution. Group A's implant neck deviation was 0.58 mm (0.45-0.73 mm), similar to Group B's 0.71 mm (0.51-1.01 mm, p > 0.05). However, Group B had a statistically significant implant apex deviation (0.80 mm vs. 0.58 mm, p < 0.05) and angle deviation (3.15 mm vs. 0.88 mm, p < 0.05).Within six months, Group A showed no prosthetic issues, while Group B had two prosthesis fractures.
Conclusions
Compared to dynamic navigation, dental surgical robotic systems significantly enhance implant placement precision. They are not constrained by tooth position, ensuring maximum adherence to accuracy standards for immediate implant restoration with prefabricated prostheses. When integrated with temporary restoration, this approach reduces chair-side time and enhances patient comfort.
Clinical Relevance
In summary, our study demonstrates that dental surgical robotic systems offer advantages in implant surgery, providing greater accuracy compared to dynamic navigation. These systems are versatile and adaptable, allowing for precise implantation and immediate restoration with prefabricated prostheses, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Neuron-Specific Enolase as a predictor for outcomes in ischemic stroke: a prognostic biomarker review
Authors: Mochetti Matheus Menão , Porello Estevão Garcia , Corrêa Adriana Aparecida Feltrin , Cabette Marcela Rocha , Perissinotti Iago Dias , Junqueira Lucas Oliveira , Pessoa Adriano Souza , Oliveira Rodrigo Cardoso , Silva Luiz Fernando Ferraz , Souza Heraldo Possolo , Alencar Júlio César Garcia
Published: September 2023

Recent studies have investigated the role of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) as a potential predictor for outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients. However, up to date, the current body of research has yielded inconclusive results, as its role in cerebrovascular diseases remains poorly understood. Moreover, the limited sample sizes in these studies have restricted the applicability of any potential findings. This study aims to determine whether NSE serum concentrations at Emergency Department (ED) admission correlate with stroke severity, infarcted brain volume, functional outcome, and/or death rates. Literature was searched using Pubmed, Embase and Scopus databases, and all published reports identified as potentially relevant were independently assessed by each reviewer. All relevant original observational studies (cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies) were included. Eleven studies (1,398 patients) satisfied the entry criteria. Among these, six studies reported a significant correlation between NSE serum levels and stroke severity, while only one study found no association. Regarding infarcted brain volume assessed by imaging, four studies indicated a positive relationship with NSE levels, contrasting with the findings of only one study. In terms of functional outcome and death rates, four studies identified an association, while three others did not reach statistical significance in their findings. These data highlight that NSE levels at the admission to the ED proved to be a promising tool in predicting ischemic stroke patients' outcome in the majority of the studies, although with some discrepancies. Therefore, further research is necessary to establish and define the role of NSE in clinical practice.
Scholtes relaxation method for pessimistic bilevel optimization
Authors: Benchouk Imane , Jolaoso Lateef , Nachi Khadra , Zemkoho Alain Zemkoho Alain
Published: September 2023

The Scholtes relaxation has appeared to be one of the simplest and most efficient ways to solve the optimistic bilevel optimization problem in its Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) reformulation or the corresponding more general mathematical program with complementarity constraints (MPCC). Inspired by such a success, this paper studies the potential of the Scholtes relaxation in the context of the pessimistic bilevel optimization problem. To proceed, we consider a pessimistic bilevel optimization problem, where all the functions involved are at least continuously differentiable. Then assuming that the lower-level problem is convex, the KKT reformulation of the problem is considered under the Slater constraint qualification. Based on this KKT reformulation, we introduce the corresponding version of the Scholtes relaxation algorithm. We then construct theoretical results ensuring that a sequence of global/local optimal solutions (resp. stationarity points) of the aforementioned Scholtes relaxation converges to a global/local optimal solution (resp. stationarity point) of the KKT reformulation of the pessimistic bilevel optimization. The results are accompanied by technical results ensuring that the Scholtes relaxation algorithm is well-defined or that the corresponding parametric optimization problem can easily be solved. Furthermore, we perform some numerical experiments to assess the performance of the Scholtes relaxation algorithm using various pessimistic bilevel programs. In particular, we study the effectiveness of the algorithm in obtaining solutions that can satisfy the corresponding C-stationarity concept.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2000) 90C26 · 90C31 · 90C33 · 90C46
Public Investment, Political Institution, and Economic Growth under Two-Sided Altruism
Authors: Tamai Toshiki
Published: September 2023

This paper examines how intergenerational conflicts between young and senior people affect fiscal policies and macroeconomic performance in the democratic economy. A two-sided overlapping generations model of endogenous growth with private and public capital is developed to analyze the public investment financed by a distortionary tax under parliament decision-making. Two-sided altruism generates future bias for young people rather than for senior people. The parliament in society is future-biased through the political power of the young relative to the old. Stronger young’s political power leads to higher tax rates for larger public investment because the future-biased young people are willing to receive the benefits from public investment in the future rather than decreased tax in the present. Increased public investment boosts private investment, leading to high economic growth, by the complementarity between two capitals in production. Therefore, it implies that the weaker young’s political power impedes economic growth through smaller public investment as population aging proceeds.
Image Synthesis-based Backdoor Attack Approach in the Face Classification Task
Authors: Na Hyunsik , Choi Daeseon
Published: September 2023

Although deep neural networks (DNNs) are applied in various fields owing to their remarkable performance, recent studies have reported that DNN models are vulnerable to backdoor attacks. They generated backdoored images by adding a backdoor trigger in original training images that activates the backdoor attack. However, most of previous attack methods are noticeable, not natural to the human eye, and easily detected by certain defense methods. In this study, we propose an image synthesis-based backdoor attack approach to resolve these limitations. To overcome the aforementioned limitations, we set a conditional facial region such as hair, eyes, or mouth as a trigger and modified that region using an image synthesis technique that replace the region of original image with the region of target image. Consequently, we achieved an attack success rate of up to 88.37% using 20% of the synthesized backdoored images injected in the training dataset, while maintaining the model accuracy for clean images. Moreover, we analyzed the advantages of the proposed approach by applying image transformation, visualization of activation regions on DNN models, and human tests. In addition to its implementation in both label flipping and clean label attack scenarios, the proposed method can be utilized as an attack approach to threaten security in the face classification task.
Efficient Privacy Protection Scheme with Batch Verification in Smart Grid
Authors: Wang Mingxiang , Zhang Lei
Published: September 2023

Smart grids can establish two-way communication with users, collect their electricity consumption data and provide reasonable pricing, but fine-grained electricity consumption data leads to the leakage of user privacy. In order to protect the privacy of user data and the security of data transmission process, this article proposes an efficient and batch validated privacy protection scheme. In this scheme, legitimate entities transmit encrypted electricity data after mutual authentication. To ensure the correct data is received, we propose a new batch signature verification algorithm. Security analysis shows that our solution achieves user privacy and data security. The simulation experiments provided demonstrate that the efficiency of the proposed scheme can satisfy the requirements of real-time communication.
Multi-parametric radiomics of conventional T1 weighted and susceptibility-weighted imaging for differential diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy
Authors: Bu Shuting , Pang Huize , Li Xiaolu , Zhao Mengwan , Wang Juzhou , Liu Yu , Yu Hongmei
Published: September 2023

Objectives This study aims to investigate the potential of radiomics with multiple parameters from conventional T1 weighted imaging (T1WI) and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in distinguishing between idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA).Methods A total of 201 participants, including 57 patients with IPD, 74 with MSA, and 70 healthy control (HCs) individuals, underwent T1WI and SWI scans. From the 12 subcortical nuclei (e.g. red nucleus, substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, and caudate nucleus), 2640 radiomic features were extracted from both T1WI and SWI scans. Three classification models - logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) - were used to distinguish between MSA and IPD, and MSA, IPD, and HC, respectively, based on T1WI features, SWI features, and a combination of T1WI and SWI features. Five-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of the models with metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). During each fold, the ANOVA and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) methods were used to identify the most relevant subset of features for the model training process.Results The LGBM model trained by the features combination of T1WI and SWI exhibited the most outstanding differential performance in both the three-class classification task of MSA vs. PD vs. HC and the binary classification task of MSA vs. PD, with an accuracy of 0.814 and 0.854, and an AUC of 0.904 and 0.881, respectively. The texture-based differences (GLCM) of the SN and the shape-based differences of the GP were highly effective in discriminating between the three classes and two classes, respectively.Conclusions Radiomic features combining T1WI and SWI can achieve a satisfactory differential diagnosis for PD, MSA, and HC groups, as well as for PD and MSA groups, thus providing a useful tool for clinical decision-making based on routine MRI sequences.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR23 isolated from oil contaminated soil tolerate and degrades mixture of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and express novel proteins
Authors: Jindal Shanky , Aggarwal Kamal Krishan
Published: September 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR23 isolated from the hydrocarbon contaminated soil tolerate and degrades mixture of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having initial concentration of 1300 ppm. The degradation and intermediates formed were assessed through GC-MS analysis. The isolated strain was able to degrade 59.2% mixture of PAHs in 3 days and 71.6% by day 15. Effect of PAHs on protein expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR23 was studied through nano LC-MS/MS. Thirty-six proteins were observed that showed more than 2-fold increased expression in the presence of mixture of PAHs. Out of these proteins, 7 proteins are reported for their role in degradation of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. Data also showed the presence of 16 proteins that are uniquely expressed in the presence of mixture of PAHs. A Twin-arginine translocation signal peptide (tat system) known for transportation of folded proteins across the cell membrane showed more than 8-fold increased expression in the presence of mixture of PAHs. Results indicate that isolated strain adopts the conditions in the presence of mixture of PAHs by modulating its metabolic and physiological processes. These findings suggest that Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR23 may be a suitable candidate to be used for the development of strategies for bioremediation of mixture of PAHs.
A Novel Solar Power Generation Forecasting Using Inductive Analysis and Bi-lstm Model
Authors: Vanitha R , Swaroopan N M Jothi
Published: September 2023

High-efficiency integration of solar power into large-scale regional power grids depends on accurate photovoltaic power prediction. However, the inefficient and intermittent power output generation significantly affect the economic integration of solar generation within existing power system, therefore, an effective forecasting method is needed to enhance solar power prediction in both good and bad weather condition. This paper proposed a novel intelligent model for accurate power forecasting in PV solar systems based on Bidirectional LSTMs (Bi-LSTMs). A combination of a data-driven Bi-LSTM model and inductive data analysis is employed to predict photovoltaic power generation. This approach takes into account various factors that can affect or limit power generation, including sun irradiance, ambient and relative temperature. The solar power output is evaluated for the good and bad datasets. The input data is pre-processed and combined with generation data and weather data where missing values are removed to avoid performance reduction. Through Inductive analysis, the dataset is separated into good and bad using a k-means clustering algorithm, which divides the data based on its similarity. An efficient output in good weather means the solar panel is functioning correctly, and bad data means the solar panel malfunctions or dust blocks the solar panel. Three deep learning models (GRU, Stacked GRU, and Bi-LSTM) are evaluated on historical weather data series. Bi-LSTM (0.0096) achieves the lowest MSE and RMSE value for good and bad data compared to stacked GRU (0.0129) and GRU (0.0044). After the evaluation, our proposed forecasting Inductive analysis with Bi-LSTM algorithm provides an optimal performance than other deep learning models.
The causal relationship between genetic prediction of iron homeostasis and Parkinson's disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Hong , Wang Xie , Chang Ze , Zhang Juan , Xie Daojun
Published: September 2023

Background
The specific etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, is still unclear, and it is currently believed that its main pathological basis is a decrease in dopamine concentration in the striatum of the brain.Although many previous studies have suggested that iron, as an important nutrient, is involved in the development of PD, there has been a lack of validated genetic evidence on whether there is a causal association between iron homeostasis indices (ferritin, serum iron, TIBC, and TSAT) and PD.
Methods
We used Mendelian randomization (MR) as an analytical method to efficiently assess the genetic association of exposure and outcome, based on the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) data so far, for the causal association between iron homeostasis indicators and Parkinson's disease, controlling for confounders, by using genetic instrumental variables, that is, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are randomly assigned and are not subject to any causative effect.
Results
By coordinated analysis of 86 SNPs associated with iron homeostasis markers and 12,858,066 SNPs associated with PD, a total of 56 SNPs were finally screened for genome-wide significance of iron homeostasis associated with Parkinson's disease.The results of the IVW analysis suggested that total iron binding capacity ( β= -0.142; 95%Cl = -0.197 to 0.481; P = 0.4138421 ), transferrin saturation ( β= -0.316 ; 95%Cl = -0.861 to 0.229; P = 0.2553290 ), ferritin ( β= -0.387 ; 95%Cl = -1.179 to 0.405; P = 0.33783807 ) were not genetically causally associated with PD, serum iron ( β= -0.524; 95%Cl = -0.046 to -0.002; P = 0.03191512 ) was considered to have genetic causality with PD. Cochran's Q test for MR-IVW suggested that TIBC ( P = 0.1618872), TSAT ( P = 0.7099448), ferritin ( P = 0.09768154), serum iron ( P = 0.8557510) were not heterogeneous with the results of Mr analysis of PD. MR-PRESSO global test showed that TIBC ( P = 0.404), TSAT ( P = 0.759), ferritin ( P = 0.113), serum iron ( P = 0.87 ) were not detected the presence of horizontal pleiotropy.
Conclusion
Our study found that of the four iron homeostasis markers, TIBC, TSAT, and ferritin were not genetically causally associated with PD, whereas there was a genetically causal association between serum iron and PD, and the increase of serum iron level may reduce the risk of PD.
Gestational fallopian tubal choriocarcinoma cured surgically: a case report
Authors: Xie Xiaoyan , Peng Meilian , Wang Yan , Cai Liangzhi , Xu Mu , Shi Yuequan , Xu Shuxia , Lin Jiansong , Sun Pengming , Wu Qibin
Published: September 2023

Background
Fallopian choriocarcinoma is extremely rare and is still treated with a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. We report a case of gestational fallopian tubal choriocarcinoma treated solely with surgery and describe its clinical characteristics, treatment, and follow-up prognosis.
Case presentation
We report a patient who developed fallopian tube choriocarcinoma during the perimenopausal period. After surgical treatment, the patient was diagnosed with histopathology using immunohistochemistry staining combined with short tandem repeatdetection, and the diagnosis was confirmed as Gestational fallopian tubal choriocarcinoma. Postoperative monitoring serum β- HCG levels, this patient’s β- HCG value showed an exponential decrease and dropped to the normal range within 6 weeks for 3 years. Therefore, the patient did not receive chemotherapy
Conclusions
This report provides ideas for the simple surgical treatment of gestational fallopian tubal choriocarcinoma that meets conditions, which can reduce unnecessary chemotherapy side effects for such patients.
Is metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease a protective factor in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatectomy? A retrospective study based on different analysis methods
Authors: Kong Qingyan , Gao Qianqian , Li Wenjie , Chen Zheyu
Published: September 2023

Background
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been recognized as an accurate reflection of the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease by a consensus document. However, the relationship between MAFLD and the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of MAFLD on the prognosis of HCC patients after hepatectomy.
Methods
To identify risk factors associated with poor prognosis, we used a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. We also conducted propensity score matching (PSM) analysis to balance the baseline characteristics between the MAFLD and non-MAFLD groups. Kaplan‒Meier survival curves were used to compare the prognosis of the two matched groups.
Results
This study involved 909 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy between January 2011 and December 2017 at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University, including 97 patients with MAFLD (MAFLD group) and 812 patients without MAFLD (non-MAFLD group). Our multivariate analysis results indicated that MAFLD might be a protective factor for overall survival (OS) (p = 0.032), but not for recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.214). After conducting PSM analysis, we found that the RFS rates in the MAFLD group were higher at the 1-, 3-, and 5-year intervals, with rates of 72.7%, 59.0%, and 49.9%, respectively, than those in the non-MAFLD group, which had rates of 69.8%, 54.3%, and 43.2%, respectively. Therefore, MAFLD might improve the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year RFS rates of HCC patients who undergo hepatectomy. In the subgroup analysis, we found that patients in the overweight group had better RFS than those in the lean/normal group (p＜0.001).
Conclusions
In summary, our study suggests that MAFLD might be a protective factor for the OS of HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy through multivariate analysis. Furthermore, after PSM analysis, MAFLD was found to improve the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year RFS rates of HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy, especially those who were overweight. These findings may have implications for the management and treatment of HCC patients with MAFLD.
Unmasking the Complexity: Primary Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Coexisting with Drug-Induced Lupus – A Unique Case Report"
Authors: Siddiqui Aisha , Gul Muhammad Hamza , Siddiqui Farina Fatima , Oza Yugam Rajeshkumar , Saher Najam us
Published: September 2023

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects multiple systems in the body, and it follows a relapsing-remitting course. Certain medications can trigger SLE in individuals who are genetically susceptible to the condition, leading to drug-induced lupus (DIL). Currently, over 100 drugs are suspected to induce DIL, and the list of drugs continues to grow as new drugs arise. In this case, we present the case of a 50-year-old patient who had primary SLE and subsequently developed drug-induced SLE after receiving ATT treatment. Previous literature has shown that the risk of drug-induced lupus increases with age, and our patient's age supports this finding. Therefore, the patient was admitted and treated as a case of primary SLE with Superimposed Drug-Induced SLE.
Quantum Phase Synchronization via Electronic-Vibronic Energy Dissipation Sustains Long-lived Coherence in Photosynthetic Antennas
Authors: Weng Yuxiang , Zhu Ruidan , Li Wenjun , Zhen Zhanghe , Zou Jiading , Liao Guohong , Wang Jiayu , Wang Zhuan , Chen Hailong , Qin Song
Published: September 2023

Coherent energy transfer is a highly efficient energy transfer pathway in photosynthesis. Matching of long-lived quantum coherence to the time scale of energy transfer is a prerequisite1–3. In contrast to short-lived electronic coherence4, the presence of excitonic-vibronic coherence in photosynthetic systems5,6 can account for the observed long-lasting quantum coherence. However, uncovering the mechanism of such coherence within a biological environment is challenging because of the presence of noise typically encountered at room temperature. This paper presents conclusive evidence of the existence of long-lasting electronic vibronic coherence in the allophycocyanin trimer, in which pigment pairs behave as excitonic dimers after photo-excitation. Employing ultrafast two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, our study demonstrates an extension of the electronic-vibronic coherence time within the trimer compared with the isolated pigments. The prolonged quantum coherences were identified as arising from the quantum phase synchronization of the resonant vibrational collective modes for the pigment pair. The anti-symmetric resonant collective modes undergo fast energy dissipation when coupled to the delocalized electronic states of fast dephasing, while the decoupled symmetric resonant collective modes survive, exhibiting significantly lowered energy dissipation and supporting long-lasting quantum coherences. The presence of the quantum phase synchronization was confirmed by two experimental indicators consistent with the expectation. This paper provides empirical evidence revealing how biological systems effectively employ a quantum synchronization strategy to uphold persistent coherences, and our findings pave the way for protecting coherences against the noisy environment in quantum biology7.
The feasibility of physical activity interventions for older adults living with and beyond carcinomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dulai-Piper Anne E
Published: September 2023

Background
Older adults are increasingly being diagnosed with and surviving cancers, which can profoundly impact quality of life (QoL). Evidence suggests physical activity interventions can help manage the side effects of cancer and its treatment, and therefore improve QoL. However, older adults are often poorly represented within physical activity and cancer-related research, being excluded because of secondary cancers, comorbidities, and frailty. Therefore, the feasibility of such interventions still requires further investigation. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the feasibility of physical activity interventions specifically designed for older adults living with and beyond carcinoma cancers.
Methods
This systematic review included feasibility and pilot studies investigating physical activity interventions for older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) living with or beyond any carcinoma, and at any stage of cancer and treatment. Feasibility outcomes were categorised under four metrics (process, resource, management, scientific) and Synthesised Without Meta-analysis according to published guidelines (SWiM). A meta-analysis was performed on four studies with physical activity outcome. The reporting quality of studies was reviewed using the consolidated standards of reporting trials extension for randomised pilot and feasibility studies.
Results
This current review included 19 studies and 571 participants and revealed that physical activity interventions are feasible for older adults living with or beyond carcinomas, based on adherence, participant-reported acceptability, retention, and safety. It was, however, identified that recruitment was a challenge, with a median of 73% (range 11–100%) eligible for recruitment whilst a median of 58% (range 3-100%) were recruited. It was further found that several feasibility outcomes had limited to no reporting (e.g., intervention fidelity), especially concerning resource and management metrics. Finally, only 8 studies included pre-specified criteria of success which is a key element in assessing if a study was feasible or not based on the criteria set.
Conclusions
Physical activity interventions are feasible for older adults living with or beyond carcinoma cancers. However, the reporting of feasibility outcomes could be improved to inform future research methodologies, and ultimately improve certainty in study feasibility.
Registration: This current systematic review was pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022343724). The full protocol is on the open science framework https://osf.io/qpagz/.
The Intersection of Gambling with Smoking and Alcohol use in Great Britain: A Cross-Sectional Survey in October 2022
Authors: Kock Loren , Cox Sharon , Roberts Amanda , Sharman Steve , Buss Vera , Brown Jamie
Published: September 2023

Objectives
Gambling is often associated with cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. This study aimed to explore the intersection of gambling across all risk levels harm with smoking and alcohol use among adults in Great Britain.
Design:
A nationally representative cross-sectional survey in October 2022.
Setting:
Great Britain.
Participants:
A weighted total of 2,398 adults (18 + years).
Outcome measures:
We examined the prevalence of gambling in the past year and, among those reporting gambling, assessed the associations between any risk of harm from gambling (scores of > 0 on the problem gambling severity index) and cigarette smoking and higher risk alcohol use. We also explored the average weekly expenditure on gambling, smoking and alcohol use among those categorised at any-risk of harm from gambling.
Results
Overall, 43.6% (95% CI 41.2–45.9) of adults gambled in the past year. Among those who gambled in the past year 7.3% (5.3–9.3) were classified at any-risk of harm from gambling, 16.0% 13.2–18.8) were currently smoking, and 40.8% (37.2–44.4) were drinking at increasing and higher risk levels. There were no apparent associations between any risk of harm from gambling and current cigarette smoking (ORadj = 0.80, 95% CI 0.35–1.66) or drinking at increasing and higher risk levels (ORadj = 0.94, 0.52–1.69), respectively. Analyses using Bayes factors indicated that these data were insensitive to distinguish no effect from a range of associations (OR = 0.5–1.9). The mean weekly spend on gambling was £7.69 (95% CI 5.17–10.21) overall, and £45.68 (12.07–79.29) among those at any risk of harm from gambling.
Conclusions
Pilot data in a population-level survey on smoking and alcohol use yielded estimates of gambling participation and at-risk gambling that are similar to other population-level surveys. Further data are needed to elucidate the intersections more reliably between gambling, smoking and alcohol use, and inform population-level approaches to reduce harms conferred by these behaviors.
Exploring biomarkers of intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury based on bioinformatics
Authors: chen wendong , Xu Wenping , Ma Li , Bi Chun , Yang Meixu , Yang Wei
Published: September 2023

Background: Intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury (IIRI) is relevant to crucial clinical manifestations. Hence, it was vital to screen the important biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of IIRI.
Methods: The transcript sequence data was yielded to screen out differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in IIRI. WGCNA was conducted to select key module genes related to IIRI vs normal groups. Venn Diagram was utilized to identify candidate genes. Further, PPI network of candidate genes was established to show the interaction relationship. LASSO and SVM-RFE analysis were implemented to screen biomarker of IRI. We finally performed immune infiltration and functional enrichment analysis based on biomarkers. Finally, the vital biomarkers ofin IIRI were verified by quantitative PCRand immunohistochemical.
Results: We identified 2919 DEGs and 1040 key module genes. Then, 483 candidate genes were obtained via venn diagram. Subsequently, 5 biomarkers (Ccl7, Cd14, Cxcl1, Hmox1 and Nfkbia) were identified via machine learning. Moreover, we found that these biomarkers was mainly enriched in the ‘reactome activation of NF -kappa-B in B cells’ pathway. We also found that 5 biomarkers were significantly positively correlated with actived DC, M2 Macrophage and Th2 cells, whereas all biomarkers was negatively correlated with immature DC, gammadelta T cells. For expression validation of the biomarkers, we observed higher expression of Ccl7,Cd14, Cxcl1, Hmox1 and Nfkbia in IIRI group in the sequencing data. we validated the expression in mouse tissue by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical, which all tested and verified the conclusion of sequencing data analysis.
Conclusion: Overall, we obtained 5 biomarkers (Ccl7, Cd14, Cxcl1, Hmox1 and Nfkbia), which laid a theoretical foundation for the mechanism and clinical research of IIRI.
Sources of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Their Fate during Land Application of Wastes
Authors: Gerba Charles P. , Smith James E.
Published: September 2023

The hazards associated with pathogens in land‐applied animal and human wastes have long been recognized. Management of these risks requires an understanding of sources, concentrations, and removal by processes that may be used to treat the wastes; survival in the environment; and exposure to sensitive populations. The major sources are animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, and on‐site treatment systems. More than 150 known enteric pathogens may be present in the untreated wastes, and one new enteric pathogen has been discovered every year over the past decade. There has been increasing demand that risks associated with the land treatment and application be better defined. For risks to be quantified, more data are needed on the concentrations of pathogens in wastes, the effectiveness of treatment processes, standardization of detection methodology, and better quantification of exposure.
Manure Management Effects on Grass Production, Nutritive Content, and Soil Nitrogen for a Grass Silage–Based Dairy Farm
Authors: VanWieringen Lynn M. , Harrison Joe H. , Nennich Tamilee , Davidson Debra L. , Morgan Lloyd , Chen Shulin , Bueler Mike , Hoisington Floyd
Published: September 2023

Legislation in the United States has recently focused on improving water quality by establishing management practices that limit the quantities of nutrients entering the water supply. Timely application and quantification of the amount of manure applied throughout the grass‐growing season can reduce the loss of nutrients into ground or surface water while improving the quality and quantity of grass harvested. During the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons, we measured the effects of different manure application rates on grass yields, grass nutritive value, and soil chemistry on a dairy farm. On‐farm estimates of manure N were combined with yield estimates and forage quality measures to evaluate the effects of varying levels of manure application. Yield estimates, N content of grass, and the amount of N in soil and manure were monitored at each cutting for plots amended at different manure application rates. There are three major outcomes of this evaluation: (i) new grass seedings were at higher risk of elevated levels of nitrate N in forage; (ii) increased forage nitrate N at harvest was associated with malfermented silage and increased levels of ammonia N, which resulted in less efficient use of metabolizable protein for milk production; and (iii) increased understanding of N cycling between manure, soil, and plant provided an opportunity to reduce purchased fertilizer.
THE BINDING FORCE OF ENGLISH: BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES
Authors: Muhić Emir Z.
Published: September 2023

Preface
DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY IN NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON PIPELINE VANDALISM
Authors: Chukwu Mathias O.
Published: September 2023

Scholarly works on pipeline vandalism have paid extensive attention to empirical questions of causes and consequences. But there remains a dearth of studies on the representation of the acts of vandalism in newspapers, which is necessary for evaluating what message about the problem is being disseminated to the citizens and how that could contribute to resolving the problem or sustaining it. This paper examines the identity construction for critical social actors in Nigerian newspaper reports on pipeline vandalism. Sixteen –news samples were purposively selected from three newspapers: The Tide, New Waves, and The Guardian published between 2015 and 2019. Theoretically, the study is anchored on a combination of Fina’s (2011) identity process and van Dijk’s (1995, 2006a, 2006b) in-group/out-group description. The analysis involved accounting for the deployment of group self-schemata (van Dijk, 1995, 2005) and ideological strategies (van Dijk, 2006) in realising the three identity processes of indexing, positioning, and local occasioning established by Fina (2011). The study finds that through a combination of media identity ascription and social actors’ positive-self description in the news reports, each of the major stakeholders in the conflict assumes an identity of innocence and responsible entity while shifting the blame to others. It concludes therefore that this could be responsible for the difficulty in ending the conflict.
MATTHEW ARNOLD’S ‘THE FORSAKEN MERMAN’ AND ‘THE NECKAN’AS REFLECTIONS OF VICTORIAN FEARS
Authors: Tica Dijana D.
Published: September 2023

Based on folk tales of Northern European nations, Arnold’s poems ‘The Forsaken Merman’ (1849) and ‘The Neckan’ (1853), both tell a story of human women who marry sea creatures, mermen, and replace their home on the land with the mermen’s underwater world. By crossing the boundaries between their worlds, they cause numerous problems, most significantly the tension resulting from their different religious beliefs. In ‘The Forsaken Merman’, Margaret, the merman’s wife, fearing that her soul will be damned because of her marriage to a pagan, decides to rejoin the human world on the most important Christian holiday, Easter. In ‘The Neckan’, in order to comfort his wife, the Neckan goes to the human world to find a priest who would be willing to baptise him, but he is rejected because he is a ‘monster’ who cannot be saved.

The paper will examine the way in which Arnold’s poems reflect the fears of the Victorian era as well as his own anxieties. This will be accomplished by comparing the two opposite worlds of the poems – the human world of everyday activities, rules, laws, and expectations; and the mermen’s home, the mysterious, colourful, and peaceful world of sea-beasts. In addition, the paper will analyse the reversal of traditional gender roles and re-examine literary, cultural, and social stereotypes. The paper will also attempt to find a connection between the main topics of these poems and Arnold’s life and career of a poet and literary critic.
PRODUCTIVITY AND FREQUENCY OF SOME LATINATE VERB PREFIXES IN ENGLISH AND SERBIAN
Authors: Jurišić Roljić Jasna M.
Published: September 2023

The Latin language was the Lingua Franca of the ancient world, and the precursor of Romance languages. As such, it had a huge influence on European languages, and we can find elements of Latin both in English and in Serbian. In this paper, four Latinate verb prefixes with spatial and temporal meanings have been examined, and those are: trans-, re-, intra-, and post-, and their frequencies and productivities in both languages have been calculated. The analysis was made on the English corpus BNCweb, and the Serbian corpus srWaC, based on the hypothesis that these prefixes would be more frequent and productive in English, which was more exposed to Latin and Romance languages.