bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of dental students towards abrupt curriculum changes: a qualitative study
Authors: Nafea Ebtihaj
Published: August 2023

Background
Any abrupt changes in the educational system can have a negative effect on students. Dental students at X University faced two abrupt changes in the undergraduate curriculum over a two-year period, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and the national shift to the three-term system. This research aims to investigate the effect of these changes on dental students.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with ten fifth-year students, who were asked about their perception of the curriculum changes and their thoughts and adaptation strategies.
Results
The results showed that high levels of stress and impaired academic achievements were associated with sudden changes in curriculum. The students perceived the national transition in the curriculum negatively and worse than what they experienced during the pandemic.
Conclusions
Justifying the reasons for curriculum change greatly affected the students’ perceptions. Recommendations for smooth curriculum transition were provided in this research.
Growth Hormone Impact on Psychological Health in Children with Short Stature： An Exploratory Study
Authors: zheng zhichao , Shan Xiaoou , Jin Jiahui , Lu Yili , Rong Xing , Luo Yue , Wu Huiping
Published: August 2023

Background
Growth hormone is widely used in children with short stature. However, the relationship between growth hormone and psychological health remains unclear. Our aim is to explore the correlation between growth hormone and psychology in children with short stature and to evaluate potential confounders.
Methods
All participants were recruited from the Pediatric Endocrine Unit at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. They were divided into two groups: the growth hormone deficiency group (GHD-G) and the idiopathic short stature group (ISS-G). The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) was used to assess psychological health. Other confounding variables were studied through background surveys and blood chemistry examination.
Results
Linear regression analysis revealed that a higher growth hormone stimulation peak (GHSP) was associated with a higher score on the SCL-90 (β = 0.027, 95%CI = 0.007 to 0.047, P = 0.00962). This association remained after adjusting for age, sex, and laboratory indices (β = 0.023, 95%CI = 0.003 to 0.043, P = 0.02652). Further analysis showed an interaction between GHSP and luteinizing hormone (LH) (P = 0.0018). When LH was greater than 0.2 U/L, the SCL-90 score increased as the GHSP increased (β = 0.0566, P = 0.0001); however, when LH was less than 0.2 U/L, no significant relationship was found (β = -0.0022, P = 0.8631).
Conclusions
Growth hormone deficiency does not negatively affect psychological health in children with short stature. However, elevated GH levels may have adverse effects on psychological health, especially in adolescents. Therefore, it is important to reassess GH and its potential psychological impact on children with short stature
Design and Optimization of a Transparent and Flexible MIMO Antenna for Compact IoT and 5G Applications
Authors: Abbasi Muhammad Nawaz , Aziz Abdul , AlJaloud Khaled , Chishti Abdul Rehman , Alqahtani Ali H. , Abbasi Durria , Tahir Farooq A. , Khan Zia Ullah , Hussain Rifaqat
Published: August 2023

This work presents an optically transparent and flexible MIMO antenna that features two square patch elements placed in close proximity, aiming to meet the demands of compactness, flexibility, optical transparency, and visual appeal for IoT applications and future 5G wireless communication. The design includes a simple offset feed configuration to achieve the required isolation and impedance matching. It simplifies the process of creating closely spaced transparent MIMO antenna configurations. By optimizing and analyzing this structure, the antenna achieves better isolation and diversity gain performance, even when the patch elements are positioned very close to each other. To achieve optical transparency and flexibility, the antenna uses thin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material as a substrate, which is a thermoplastic polymer resin from the polyester family. The wired metal mesh parameters for conducting parts of the MIMO antenna and offset position of the feed are carefully optimized to achieve required optical transparency, isolation, impedance matching and radiation performance without any complex decoupling or impedance matching network.
A Hybrid Method Using FABRIK and Custom ANN in Solving Inverse Kinematic for Generic Serial Robot Manipulator
Authors: Bai Ye , Hsieh Sheng-Jen
Published: August 2023

Solving Inverse kinematic(IK) of general robot manipulators remains significant challenge in current industrial manufacturing, particularly in human-robot collaborative scenarios. Most current approaches employ numerical, analytical or machine learning methods to solve IK. However, accurately determining the end-effector(EE) position and capable of handling multiple solutions are unresolved challenges. In this paper, we propose a hybrid method that combines Forward and Backward Reaching Inverse Kinematics(FABRIK) with a custom Artificial Neural Network(ANN) to solve IK for a broad range of serial robot manipulators. The results demonstrate that the hybrid method yields a unique solution and achieves a lower position error(up to 0.002 inches) compared to a standard ANN implementation. Furthermore, compared to the numerical method(FABRIK), the hybrid approach offers a more versatile framework for solving IK, resulting in superior overall performance in terms of solving complexity and accuracy among the three methods.
Devosia lacusdianchii sp. nov., an attached bacterium inhibited by metabolites from its symbiotic algae
Authors: Deng Qing-Lin , Xiao Yao , Jia Ru , Xie Xin , Wang Le , Wang Xin , Yang Jian-Yuan , Zhang Bing-Huo
Published: August 2023

A novel alphaproteobacterial strain JXJ CY 41T was isolated from a culture mass of Microcystis, collected from Lake Dianchi, south-west, China. Strain JXJ CY 41T was gram-negative, aerobic, motile, with rod-shaped cells (0.4–1.0 × 1.7–3.5 μm). It was positive for catalase and starch hydrolysis, negative for oxidase and hydrolysis of Tweens (20, 40, and 80). Growth occurred at 10–44°C, pH 5.0–10.0, and 0–5.0% (w/v) NaCl. Major fatty acids included C16:0 (28.1%), 11-methyl C18:1 ω7c (36.7%) and C18:1 ω7c (20.8%). Q10 was the sole ubiquinone. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, and an unidentified lipid. The DNA G + C content was 63.1%. Its 16S rRNA gene sequence showed high similarities with Devosia oryziradicis G19T (99.5%; not validly published), D. yakushimensis Yak96BT (98.3%) and D. ginsengisoli Gsoil 520T (98.1%), and less than 98.1% similarities with other members of the genus Devosia. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain JXJ CY 41T and its 5 closest similar strains were 19.9-24.1% and 75.7-80.5%, respectively. Based on these data above, strain JXJ CY 41T was identified as a novel species of the genus Devosia, for which the epithet Devosia lacusdianchii sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain is JXJ CY 41T (=KCTC 72812T=CGMCC 1.17502T). Strain JXJ CY 41T exhibited different interactions with Maf under different conditions, and Maf could control the bacterial cellular density by secreting unknown specific chemical compounds according to algal nutritional requirement.
Development and validation of a prediction model for in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis
Authors: SHI WEN , Xie Mengqi , Mao Enqiang , Yang Zhitao , Zhang Qi , Chen Yinyin , Ni Tongtian , Chen Erzhen , Chen Ying
Published: August 2023

Objective
The aim of this study is to develop and validate a multivariate prediction model for mortality risks at 28, 42, and 56 days in patients with sepsis in the intensive care units (ICUs) by utilizing locally sourced datasets, eschewing reliance on open-source clinical databases in developing nations.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 2389 sepsis patients admitted to ICUs across two campuses of a tertiary hospital from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022. An independently developed clinical decision support system captured electronic data. Enrolled patients were randomly divided into a training set (n = 1673) and a validation set (n = 716) in a 7:3 ratio. Variables identified through Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis were integrated into a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model to construct a nomogram. Model accuracy was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Nomogram performance was evaluated for discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility in both sets.
Results
The risk score was developed based on 9 independent predictive factors from an original pool of 32 potential predictors. Notably, the prognostic nomogram revealed the minimum APACHE II score's paramount influence on prognosis, followed by days of mechanical ventilation, number of vasopressors, maximum and minimum SOFA scores, infection sources, gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, and malignancy. A publicly accessible online calculator implementing this nomogram is available at (https://tingyutongji.shinyapps.io/Nomogram/). The nomogram demonstrated superior discriminative ability, with AUROC values of 0.882 (95%CI, 0.855–0.909) and 0.851 (95%CI, 0.804–0.899) at 4 weeks; 0.836 (95%CI, 0.798–0.874) and 0.820 (95%CI, 0.761–0.878) at 6 weeks; and finally, at week 8, it achieved AUROC values of 0.843 (95%CI, 0.800-0.887) and 0.794 (95%CI, 0.720–0.867) in both training and validation sets. Furthermore, both sets exhibited strong discrimination and calibration, supported by C-indexes of 0.872 and 0.839, respectively, confirmed through decision curve analysis, highlighting the significant net clinical benefit provided by the developed nomogram.
Conclusion
A risk assessment model and web-based calculator have been devised to predict in-hospital mortality among ICU sepsis patients. Targeting factors identified as relevant in the model could potentially enhance survival rates for critically ill patients during their hospital stay.
Clinical outcomes of sentinel node navigation surgery in patients with preoperative estimated stage IA endometrial cancer and evaluation of validity for continuing sentinel node navigation surgery based on dispersion of recurrence probability
Authors: YAMASHITA TSUYOSHI , Itoh Takahiro , Asano Takuya , Suina Asuka , Nishimori Mitsutaka , Munakata Satoru , Satoh Hideki
Published: August 2023

Background To evaluate the feasibility of the use and continuation of sentinel lymph node navigation surgery (SNNS) for patients with preoperative estimated stage IA endometrial cancer
Methods This retrospective study selected the electronic medical records of all patients who had received CT scans and MRI imaging prior to surgery from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2021. Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were detected by administrating 99mTc-phytate and/or indocyanine green into the cervix, and the clinical outcomes of the patients who underwent SNNS or pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) were evaluated. Furthermore, in case of recurrence, a procedure to determine whether the facility should continue with SNNS or not was developed that compares the maximum likelihood hypothesis and an alternative one based on recurrence rates.
Results Among 137 patients, SLN biopsies with ultrastaging were performed on 91 patients. The SLN detection rate was 95.6%. During the 59-month median observation period, no statistically significant differences were shown in overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival between the SNNS and PLND groups when introducing the propensity score method (with p-values of 0.06, 0.153, and 0.625, respectively). Our procedure demonstrated that, in our department without recurrence up to the 65th attempt, it was possible to continue SNNS if a recurrence occurs at the 66th attempt.
Conclusions SNNS for patients with preoperative estimated stage IA does not seem to worsen the prognosis. We confirmed the validity of continuing SNNS by using our procedure even in the absence of evidence like randomized control trials.
Investigation of the quartz cuvette surface contamination used for permanganate quantification in tap water by photothermal lens spectroscopy
Authors: Soyeh Ilhem , Hannachi Riadh , Sammouda Habib
Published: August 2023

In this work, the PhotoThermal Lens (PTL) spectroscopy was used to investigate the contamination effect of the quartz cuvette on the quantification of permanganate concentration in tap water at neutral pH. Different permanganate solutions were prepared at a concentration range from 0.2 µM to 10 µM. The PTL signal measurements performed for samples having the same permanganate concentration in tap water increase continuously. Contrary to the solutions prepared in distilled water where the PTL signal remains constant for all the measurements. Thus, it results from that the main cause of this behavior is related to the decomposition reaction of permanganate in tap water giving rise to manganese dioxide, which then will be adsorbed on the optical window surfaces of the quartz cuvette. The contribution of the adsorbed amount on the PTL signal was examined and its variation was described based on Langmuir model. To remove this contamination effect caused by the adsorption process, three 0.1 M acidic solutions (HCl, H2SO4 and H3PO4) were applied separately for the cleaning of the optical window surfaces. The obtained results show that 4 min is sufficient to reach a desorption rate higher than 90% whatever the used acid.
Design and Implementation of an IoT Drowsiness Detection System for Drivers
Authors: KALLEL Fathi
Published: August 2023

Drowsiness stands as a significant peril to road safety, manifesting as a prominent contributor to severe injuries, fatalities, and substantial economic ramifications within the realm of road accidents. The presence of drowsiness substantially diminishes driving performance, fostering a decline in attentiveness and reaction times. This, in turn, exacerbates the potential for accidents and underscores the criticality of addressing drowsiness-related issues to mitigate the adverse consequences on road safety. The objective of this research work is to design and implement an IoT based intelligent alert system for vehicles, capable of automatically mitigating the risks associated with drowsy driving. Indeed, we propose a real time drowsy driver alert system including a hardware and a software parts. The hardware part includes a camera for face image acquisition and a Raspberry Pi 4 platform for real time face image processing to analyze eye blinks and drowsiness detection. The software part includes a web application for drivers’ management and a mobile application for drowsiness detection and notification management. In fact, once the driver's drowsiness is detected, the system instantaneously sends all details to a wireless connected real-time database and the mobile application module issues a warning message, while a Raspberry Pi monitoring system delivers an audible alert to the driver.
An efficient approach to investigate the learner performance in academia
Authors: Murugan Stalin. M , Kalyani S
Published: August 2023

Now a days, teaching and learning process demands a lot of supervision and analysis to provide quality and easy understanding of subject concepts. Though a lot of innovative approaches are introduced, still looks for efficient mechanism to broadcast the concepts understanding. Many students lose their interest in studies due to traditional way of teaching and memorizing the answers. In addition to that, the assortment of multiple language people and various family background, the investigation of individual student performance still lacks with existing traditional techniques. This paper introduces a novel approaches to deal the students information in higher education level and suggest the hybrid machine learning approaches to provide high quality and amicable education content. The proposed approach investigates ten different traditional machine learning algorithms and finds the optimal solutions. The investigated techniques are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using different datasets and yields plausible performance by addressing various challenges.
Swift Augmented Human-Robot Dynamics Modeling for Rehabilitation Planning Analyses
Authors: Akbari Vahid , Mahdizadeh Omid , Moosavian S. Ali A. , Nabipour Mahdi
Published: August 2023

With the widespread implementation of robotics exoskeletons in rehabilitation, modeling and dynamics analysis of such highly nonlinear coupled systems has become significantly important. In this paper, a swift numerical human-robot dynamics modeling has been developed to achieve accurate and realistic interpretation. This takes into consideration the separation and impact between multiple bodies for rehabilitation planning. To this end, first, a novel parallel algorithm combined with sequential interaction conditions is proposed based on the numerical Recursive Newton-Euler method. The approach begins by deriving separated numerical models for the complicated system: i.e. both the human and the robot. These models are then augmented, with a primary focus on reducing the error of the interaction conditions, including positions and forces. To evaluate the proposed model accuracy, the results are compared with a previously validated non-recursive analytical model. Additionally, the quality of the connection between the human and the robot is assessed to establish a suitable control objective and an effective interaction strategy for rehabilitation planning. The study employs a lower-limb walking assistive robot developed in the ARAS lab (RoboWalk) to validate the proposed method. The algorithm is empirically implemented on the RoboWalk test stand, ensuring the integrity of the proposed dynamics modeling. Finally, the effectiveness of the model-based controller is assessed by using the proposed method, providing valuable tools for the enhancement of overall performance of such a complex dynamics system.
The Faraoskop Event: a significant moment in the history of foraging in the Western Cape, South Africa?
Authors: Parkington John , Loftus Emma , Manhire Antony , Webley Lita
Published: August 2023

Here we make the case that the interment of twelve skeletons in a small Western Cape rock shelter should be viewed as a single event. We present evidence of the partially disarticulated, clearly overlapping arrangement of human remains and the radiocarbon dating results from the individuals that point to a hasty but coordinated burial at a critical moment in the prehistory of the Cape. The moment was marked by the earliest appearance of the pastoralist lifestyle in an area previously dominated by hunting and gathering (Sadr 2015). Because, as others show (Dlamini et al., this volume), these interments are associated with peri-mortem violence, the demonstration of contemporaneity and entanglement implies a rare occurrence of so many deaths at a time when conflict between pastoralists and hunter-gatherers in the area seems likely. In describing the circumstances of bone recovery, the positioning of body parts and the associated radiocarbon ages, we lay the platform for further micro-stratigraphic, biological, genetic and isotopic studies of the twelve individuals and some contemplation on the nature of the event.
Diatomic Localization by Using Compton Scattering Effect
Authors: Ullah Maghfir , Haneef Muhammad , Khan Humayun , Dahshan Alaa , Rahim Muhammad , Akbar Jehan
Published: August 2023

Diatomic localization in a four level system is investigated by using absorption spectrum of Compton scattering beam. Information of diatomic molecules is obtained from absorption spectrum of Compton scattering beam through superposition of driving fields. Joint sharp absorption peaks are observed in a full wavelength domain, which exhibit localization of diatomic molecules. A single, double, and even many molecules are controlled in a wavelength domain of a two dimensional plane. The localization peaks have minimum uncertainty spread and have high probability of existence of the molecule within a full wave length domain. This study is hoped to be used in modern nanolithography, Bose-Einstein condensation, and Laser cooling.
In-Silico Investigations of High-Energy Density Properties and Effect of Ring Fusion on Dinitropyrazole Derivatives
Authors: Subramani Thangavel , Lakshmanan Sathya , Ponnusamy Srinivasan , Ganesan Logesh , Palanisamy Manivasakan
Published: August 2023

The molecular and high-energy density properties of isolated (3,4-dinitropyrazole, 34DNP) and fused pyrazole ring (1H,4H-3,6-dinitropyrazolo[4,3-c]pyrazole, DNPP) systems were studied by density functional theory (DFT). The theoretically optimized geometrical parameters of both molecules are similar to the corresponding experimental geometrical values. With this Atoms In Molecules (AIM), electrostatic, Intrinsic Bond Strength Index (IBSI) and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) properties of the 34DNP and DNPP molecules were studied. These studies show that one of the nitro groups in 34DNP is less stable than other nitro groups present in 34DNP and DNPP molecules. The optimized geometry, AIM analysis and NBO results confirmed that one of the C-NO2 groups in isolated dinitropyrazole 34DNP makes fewer orbital interactions with the pyrazole ring, and deviation in planarity leads to relatively less stability and acetic than the fused dinitropyrazole DNPP molecule. These studies reveal that the effect of ring fusion in dinitropyrazole derivatives may be used to design high-quality high-energy density materials.
Association Between Differences in Physical Activity Patterns and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Older Adults
Authors: Kim Hyeon-Ki , Kimura Yuga , Takahashi Masaki , Nakaoka Takashi , Yamada Yosuke , Ono Rei , Shibata Shigenobu
Published: August 2023

This study examined the effects of the differences in free-living daily physical activity patterns on blood lipid levels in older adults. This was a cross-sectional study. The study included 51 older participants The time from awakening to bedtime was used for group classification based on the amount (number of steps) and intensity (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, MVPA) of physical activity. The morning and afternoon step groups (M Step and A Step) included those who took more steps in the morning and afternoon, respectively. The same method was used for MVPA (morning MVPA: M MVPA; afternoon MVPA: A MVPA). Blood samples were collected before the experiment to determine blood lipid levels. Number of steps taken showed a trend toward lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the M Step group compared to the A Step group. The LDL/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio was significantly lower in the M Step group than A Step group (p < 0.05). The M MVPA group also had higher HDL-C levels and significantly lower LDL/HDL ratios than the A MVPA group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that daily morning physical activity (amount and intensity) is more effective than afternoon physical activity in improving blood lipid levels.
Associations of Muscle Mass, Bone Mineral Density, and Trabecular Bone Score in Chinese HIV-Infected Males
Authors: Zhang Zaizhu , Guan Wenmin , Xu Ying , Lin Qiang , Song Xiaojing , Li Yanling , Zhang Yi , Li Taisheng , Yu Wei
Published: August 2023

Background
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between muscle mass, bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS) in Chinese HIV-infected males.
Methods
We designed a retrospective and cross-sectional study of Chinese males with HIV. Muscle mass and BMD were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). TBS iNsight software was used for TBS. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the correlations between bone parameters and muscle mass after adjusting for confounding variables.
Results
A total of 295 males were included in the study (mean age 36.49 ± 11.16 years). Low muscle mass and abnormal bone microarchitecture were observed in 105/295 (35.6%) and 96/295 (32.5%) patients, respectively. Men with low muscle mass had lower BMDs, T-scores, muscle mass and fat mass at all the evaluated sites, lower Z-score at total hip (TH) and lower percentage fat mass (PFM) than their counterparts. In the multiple linear regression model adjusted for age, BMI, CD4 + cell count, viral load, treatment status and PFM, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) was positively correlated with BMDs at lumbar spine (LS) and TH.
Conclusions
Low muscle mass is more common than low bone mass/ abnormal bone microarchitecture in Chinese HIV-infected males. The reduction of muscle mass was significantly associated with decreased bone mass, particularly at LS and TH.
Depletion of PIEZO1 expression is accompanied by upregulating p53 signaling in mice with perioperative neurocognitive disorder
Authors: Bai Fuhai , Huang Lu , Long Zonghong , Zhang Min , Deng Qiangting , Huang Jing , Bao Xiaohang , Hao Xianglin , Li Hong
Published: August 2023

As the common complications observed in surgical elder patients, perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) cause a series of serious perioperative health problems. However, there are no effective treatments, and the exact mechanisms are still largely unknown. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was performed to investigate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs)in the hippocampus of C57BL/6J aged mice with or without PND. Compared with the Mock group, the expression of 352, 395, and 772 genes changed significantly in the PND group at day 1, 7, and 21 after surgery, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) showed that DEGs were mainly associated with p53 signaling. Moreover, GSEA revealed that potentially p53-related DEGs such as leucine-rich repeat serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (LRRK1), monooxygenase DBH-like 1 (MOXD1), and piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (PIEZO1). Furthermore, we confirmed the decreased interaction of PIEZO1 with p53 in PND, and upregulation of PIEZO1 resulted in a decrease in p53 protein levels through increased ubiquitination of p53. In conclusion, this study contributes to the knowledge of global changes in gene expression and mechanisms during PND.
A novel serum calprotectin (MRP8/14) particle enhanced immuno-turbidimetric assay (sCAL turbo) helps to differentiate systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis from other diseases in routine clinical laboratory settings
Authors: Foell Dirk , Saers Melanie , Park Carolin , Brix Ninna , Glerup Mia , Kessel Christoph , Wittkowski Helmut , Hinze Claas , Berntson Lillemor , Fasth Anders , Myrup Charlotte , Nordal Ellen , Rygg Marite , Hasle Henrik , Albertsen Brigitte Klug , Herlin Troels , Holzinger Dirk , Niederberger Christian , Schlüter Bernhard
Published: August 2023

Background Differential diagnosis in children with signs of unprovoked inflammation can be challenging. In particular, differentiating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) from other diagnoses is difficult. We have recently validated the complex of myeloid-related proteins 8/14 (MRP8/14, also known as S100A8/A9 complex or serum calprotectin) as a helpful biomarker supporting the diagnosis of SJIA. The results were subsequently confirmed with a commercial ELISA. However, further optimization of the analytical technology is important to ensure its feasibility for large-scale use in routine laboratory settings.Methods To evaluate the accuracy in identifying children with SJIA, the performance of a particle enhanced immuno-turbidimetric assay for serum calprotectin (sCAL turbo) on an automated laboratory instrument was analyzed. Samples from 615 children were available with the diagnoses SJIA (n = 99), non-systemic JIA (n = 169), infections (n = 51), other inflammatory diseases (n = 126), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, n = 147). In addition, samples from 23 healthy controls were included.Results The sCAL turbo assay correlated well with the MRP8/14 ELISA used in previous validation studies (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). It could reliably differentiate SJIA from all other diagnoses with significant accuracy (cut-off at 10,500 ng/ml, sensitivity 84%, specificity 94%, ROC area under curve 0.960, p < 0.001).Conclusions Serum calprotectin analyses are a helpful tool supporting the diagnosis of SJIA in children with prolonged fever or inflammatory disease. Here we show that an immuno-turbidimetric assay for detection of serum calprotectin on an automated laboratory instrument can be implemented in clinical laboratory settings to facilitate its use as a diagnostic routine test in clinical practice.
Revascularization Strategy on Outcome for Acute Myocardial Infarct under Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Yu Hsi-Yu , Wang Chih-Hsien , Chou Heng-Wen , Fu Hsun-Yi , Lin Lian-Yu , Lin Jou-Wei , Chi Nai-Hsin , Wang Yi-Chia , Chou Nai-Kuan , Chen Yih-Sharng
Published: August 2023

Background:
Revascularization of infarct-related vessel is effective in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with cardiogenic shock. However, for AMI patients complicated with cardiac arrest under extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), whether complete revascularization (CR) is associated with better clinical outcome is unknown.
Methods:
Patients with AMI under ECPR in 10 years were included. The study patients were grouped by the status of revascularization completeness in the coronary territories into incomplete revascularization (IR) and CR groups. The primary endpoint is favorable neurological outcomes at hospital survival. The second endpoint is the probability of a composite of major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE), defined as cardiac death, myocardial infarction, revascularization, or stroke at 1-year follow-up.
Results:
A total of 90 patients (32 IR and 58 CR) were included. Favorable neurological outcomes at hospital discharge were 21.9% and 37.9% in IR and CR patients, respectively (p = 0.12) Multivariate logistic regression analysis did not reveal CR a significant risk factor (odds ratio: 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70–4.77, P = 0.221). One-year freedom from MACCE probabilities were 24.6% and 42.4% in IR and CR patients, respectively (P = 0.051.) Cox regression analysis revealed that CR, in addition to age, low-flow duration, and initial shockable rhythm, was a risk factor (hazard ratio: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.31–0.91, P = 0.020).
Conclusion:
For patients with AMI under ECPR, CR strategy seems not to is associated with better one-year outcomes than IR. Culprit lesion approach may be reasonable in the critical status.
Transcription Profiling Analysis of Follicles at Different Develop mental Stages in Duck Ovaries
Authors: chen lin , Wu Yan , wang jiaxiang , Pi Jinsong
Published: August 2023

In poultry ovaries, the development of follicles is strictly and complex regulated by a series of factors such as genes, hormones, and cytokines. However, the specific molecular regulatory mechanism is still unclear. To identify the dominant genes controlling duck follicular development, the small white follicle (SWF), the small yellow follicle (SYF), the small yellow follicle (SYF), large yellow follicle (LYF), F6, F5, F4, F3 and F2 were collected for RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. There were 2530, 3893, and 168 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SWF and LWF, SWF and SYF, LWF and SYF, respectively. 1118, 3514 and 1034 DEGs were respectively identified between LYF and F6, LYF and F5, F6 and F5, 311, 1845, and 1601 DEGs were respectively identified between F4 and F3, F4 and F2, F3 and F2. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that cell adhesion, biological adhesion, DNA-binding transcription factor activity, transcription regulator activity, Focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, cellular homeostasis, regulation of biological quality, homeostatic process, response to external stimulus, PPAR signaling pathway, Nitrogen metabolism, Arachidonic acid metabolism (P-adjust < 0.05). Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed that, SPP1, RUNX2, CARTPT, LOX, ITGA8, FABP7, SLC43A3 and GPX2 might be key candidate genes for follicular development in duck. The current study identified dominant genes and pathways contributing to our understanding of duck follicular development.
Marijuana legalization and drug abuse as a cause for entry into foster care
Authors: Clark Chris , Evans Brent , Wallace Cullen
Published: August 2023

In recent years, many states have legalized marijuana for medical use, recreational use, or both. At the same time, parental drug abuse is now the second most frequent reason for a child’s placement into the foster care system (34 percent of all entries in 2019). We investigate the causal link between these two facts. Do states that legalize marijuana experience an increase in foster care entries related to drug abuse? We utilize multiple difference-in-difference approaches to exploit the state level variation in recreational and medical marijuana laws. Our findings suggest that when states permitted recreational marijuana use, there was no corresponding change in the number of foster care entries related to drug abuse, relative to control states. For the legalization of medical marijuana, we find an 8–10 percent decrease in the number of cases associated with parental drug abuse in the first two years, followed by an 18 percent decrease in the third year. We calculate that on average, approximately 700 fewer entries to foster care related to parental drug abuse occurred when a state legalized medical marijuana.
JEL codes: H75, I18, J13
XRD Line Profile Analysis for Calcite Produced by Precipitation Method at Different Pre-Cursor Concentration
Authors: Sulimai N. H. , Salifairus M. J. , Azhar N. E.A , Malek M. F. , Khusaimi Z. , Abdullah S. , Alrokayan Salman , Khan Haseeb , Rusop M.
Published: August 2023

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanocrystalline structural properties is rarely reported although it is critical for predictive behavior in a sensitive application. Calcite is the most thermodynamically stable phase, and its structures and lattice parameters are rarely reported. In this work, detailed structural studies were performed by X-ray diffraction line profile analysis. Single-phase crystalline calcite nanocrystals were synthesized by additives-free precipitation method to study the effect of different concentrations of precursors on the crystal structure. Titration was done for different concentrations (0.05-1.0) M of precursors at 25°C. The optimal titration technique at 25°C, 0.5M of precursor solution produced 85.71nm single-phase calcite in powder form. Analysis by X-ray diffraction confirmed that concentration limits at 0.5M, microstrain 5.34 x10-4 (lines-2/m4) produced the smallest single-phase calcite nanocrystals yet at 25°C by precipitation method. When concentration increases, distortion in the CaCO3 lattice occurs and the nucleation and growth decreases hence lattice constant decreases. The concentration limit is reached when the CaCO3 element is no more available to form hydrogen bonding for molecular recognition for CaCO3 crystalline and the formation of non-covalent bonding and interactions. Hence drastic bigger particles and agglomeration at concentrations above 0.5M. Agglomeration occurs due to attractive Van Der Waals forces from inadequate zeta potential for small particle suspension. It can be concluded that single-phase calcite nanocrystals were successfully synthesized by an additives-free precipitation method suitable for more sensitive applications like biosensor and medical devices.
Mitral valve abnormalities associated with single-ventricle palliation, cardiac death or transplant in fetuses with postnatally confirmed coarctation of the aorta
Authors: Foy Alex J. , Soslow Jonathan H. , Kavanaugh-McHugh Ann L. , Killen Stacy A. S.
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Predicting if a fetus with borderline left heart structures and coarctation of the aorta (CoA) will require single ventricle palliation (SVP) is challenging, partly due to the limitations of fetal echocardiography in defining valvar abnormalities. Fetal echocardiographic findings predictive of SVP, particularly in relation to the mitral valve (MV), are not well defined.
Methods: We performed a retrospective review of fetuses with postnatally confirmed CoA from 2010 to 2020. Fetuses with complex congenital heart disease or unequivocal hypoplastic left heart syndrome were excluded. Data were compared between those who underwent biventricular repair (BVR) vs. SVP, cardiac death or orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) to determine differences in fetal echocardiograms.
Results: Of 67 fetuses with 131 total echocardiograms, 62 (93%) underwent BVR and 5 (7%) experienced SVP, cardiac death or OHT. Fetuses with confirmed CoA who experienced SVP, cardiac death, or OHT, had fetal MV z-scores that were 2.06 lower, on average, than those who underwent BVR (z-score = -3.98 vs. -1.92, 95% CI: -2.96, -1.16). The incidences of MV anomalies and left to right flow across the foramen ovale were higher in the SVP, cardiac death and OHT group.
Conclusion: SVP, cardiac death or OHT in fetuses with confirmed CoA were associated with fetal MV hypoplasia, MV anomalies and left to right flow across the foramen ovale. These findings may help guide prenatal counseling about the likelihood of SVP, cardiac death or OHT in fetuses with CoA and borderline left heart structures.
Solid-state NMR reveals a structural deviation from cellulose Ibeta in bacterial cellulose
Authors: Brouwer Darren H. , Mikolajewski Janelle G.
Published: August 2023

Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for identifying the various polymorphs of cellulose, for example quantifying the proportions of cellulose Iα and Iβ polymorphs in the crystalline domains of various native celluloses. While marine invertebrate animals known as tunicates produce nearly pure cellulose Iβ, solid-state NMR reveals that bacterial cellulose is dominated by the Iα polymorph, but also has additional signals arising from a secondary crystalline form that are normally attributed to cellulose Iβ. However, in this paper we show that the 13C chemical shifts and correlation patterns in 2D NMR spectra for this secondary crystalline form in bacterial cellulose are not the same as those found in cellulose Iβ spectra reported for tunicate cellulose. In order to reach this conclusion, it was necessary to ensure all spectra were correctly set to the same chemical shift scale. In doing so, it became apparent there were spectral features for bacterial cellulose that were entirely consistent with previously reported spectra of bacterial cellulose but did not match those of the Iβ polymorph found in tunicate cellulose. Through a careful and detailed analysis of the 1D and 2D NMR spectra of three 13C-enriched bacterial cellulose samples, two sets of correlated 13C chemical shifts for this secondary crystalline form were identified. The fact that these chemical shifts and correlation patterns are different than those of tunicate cellulose suggests that there exists some sort of structural deviation from the Iβ polymorph in bacterial cellulose since the 13C NMR spectrum closely resembles, but is not identical to, the 13C spectrum of the Iβ polymorph found in tunicate cellulose.
New Sodium Halide Solid Electrolytes with High Ionic Conductivity for All-Solid-State Batteries
Authors: Xiang Hongfa , Fu Chengyu , Li Yifan , Xu Wenjie , Feng Xuyong , Gu Weijian , Liu Jue , Deng Wenwen , Wang Wei , Zhu Lingyun , Wu Xiaojun
Published: August 2023

Sodium halide solid state electrolytes (SSEs) suffer from low ionic conductivity (< 10-4 S/cm), which limits their applications in sodium all solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Here, a new LaCl3-based Na+ superionic conductor (Na1-xZrxLa1-xCl4) with high ionic conductivity of 2.9 × 10-4 S cm-1 (30 ℃) and low activation energy of 0.33 eV was developed. Structure characterizations by X-ray diffraction reveal a hexagonal structure (P63/m) of Na1-xZrxLa1-xCl4, with Na+ ions forming a one-dimensional diffusion channel along the c-axis. First-principles calculations and fine structure characterizations reveal that the ionic conductivity of Na1-xZrxLa1-xCl4 is mainly determined by the size of Na+-channels and the Na+/La3+ mixing in the 1D diffusion channels. The expanding of Na+ ion diffusion channel enhances the ionic conductivity, while Na+/La3+ mixing in the diffusion channel hinders the Na+ diffusion. Further structural adjustments can achieve mS/cm level ionic conductivity. The Na2Sn|Na2.9PS3.9Cl0.1|Na0.7Zr0.3La0.7Cl4|NaCrO2 all-solid-state batteries demonstrate an initial capacity of 119 mA h/g and high columbic efficiency of 98% at 0.1C, highlighting the excellent oxidation stability of Na0.7Zr0.3La0.7Cl4. This work demonstrates the possibility of high ionic conductivity sodium ion halide SSEs, which would promote the development of high voltage sodium ASSBs.
A novel synergistic enzyme-Antibiotic Therapy with Immobilization of Mycobacteriophage LysinB enzyme onto Rif@UiO-66 Nanocomposite for Enhanced Anti-TB Nanotherapeutic; Nanoenzybiotics approach
Authors: Eldin Zienab E. , Dishisha Tarek , Sayed Ossama M. , Salam Hanaa. M. , Farghali Ahmed.
Published: August 2023

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant and phage-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) necessitates improving new therapeutic plans. The objective of the current work was to ensure the effectiveness of rifampin and the mycobacteriophage LysB D29 enzyme in the treatment of MDR-TB infection, where new and safe metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles were used in combination. UiO-66 nanoparticles were synthesized under mild conditions in which the antimycobacterial agent (rifimpacin) was loaded (Rif@UiO-66) and LysB D29 enzyme immobilized onto Rif@UiO-66, which were further characterized. Subsequently, the antibacterial activity of different ratios of Rif@UiO-66 and LysB/Rif@uio-66 against the nonpathogenic tuberculosis model Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis) was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. Impressively, the MIC of LysB/Rif@uio-66 was 16-fold lower than that of pure rifampicin. In vitro and in vivo toxicity studies proved that LysB/Rif@UiO-66 is a highly biocompatible therapy for pulmonary infection. A biodistribution assay showed that LysB/Rif@UiO-66 showed a 5.31-fold higher drug concentration in the lungs than free rifampicin. A synergistic interaction between UiO-66, rifampicin and the mycobacteriophage lysB D29 enzyme was shown in the computational method (docking). Therefore, all results indicated that the LysB/Rif@UiO-66 nanocomposite exhibited promising innovative enzyme-antibiotic therapy for tuberculosis treatment.
Analysis and validation of critical signatures and immune cell infiltration characteristics in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by integrating bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Huang Chao , Pei Jixiang , Li Daisong , Liu Tao , Li Zhaoqing , Zhang Guoliang , Chen Ruolan , Xu Xiaojian , Li Bing , Lian Zhexun , Chu Xian-Ming
Published: August 2023

Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) is a severe side reaction in cancer chemotherapy that greatly impacts the well-being of cancer patients. Currently, there is still an insufficiency of effective and reliable biomarkers in the field of clinical practice for the early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. We obtained high-throughput sequencing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and performed data analysis and visualization using R software, GO, KEGG and Cytoscape. Machine learning methods and weighted gene coexpression network (WGCNA) were used to identify key genes for diagnostic model construction. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and a nomogram were used to assess their diagnostic values. A multiregulatory network was built to reveal the possible regulatory relationships of critical signatures. Cell-cype identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcript (CIBERSORT) analysis was used to investigate differential immune cell infiltration. Additionally, a doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity cell model was constructed to investigate the relationship between the identified genes and doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Finally, among the 3713 differentially expressed genes, three hub genes ( CSGALNACT1, ZNF296 and FANCB) were identified. A nomogram and ROC curves based on three hub genes showed excellent diagnostic predictive performance. The regulatory network analysis showed that the TFs CREB1, EP300, FLI1, FOXA1, MAX, and MAZ modulated CSGALNACT1, ZNF296 and FANCB. An analysis of immune cell infiltration indicated that many immune cells (activated NK cells, M0 macrophages, activated dendritic cells and neutrophils) might be related to the progression of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, there may be various degrees of correlation between the three critical signatures and immune cells. RT‒qPCR in vitro demonstrated that the mRNA expression of CSGALNACT1 and ZNF296 was significantly upregulated, while FANCB was significantly downregulated in doxorubicin-treated cardiomyocytes. Our results suggested that the differential expression of CSGALNACT1, ZNF296 and FANCB is associated with cardiotoxicity and is involved in immune cell infiltration in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. They might be potential biomarkers for the early occurrence of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
Diallyl trisulfide causes male infertility with oligoasthenoteratospermia in Sitotroga cerealella through the ubiquitin proteasome pathway
Authors: Shah Sakhawat , Elgizawy Karam Khamis , Wu Meng-Ya , Yao Hucheng , Yan Wen-Han , Li Yu , Wang Xiao-Ping , Wu Gang , Yang Feng-Lian
Published: August 2023

Essential oil extracted from plant sources along with their biologically active components may have negative effects on insect. Diallyl trisulfide (DAT) is an active component of garlic essential oil, and it exhibits multi-targeted activity against many organisms. It has been observed that DAT induces male infertility and leads to dimorphic sperm disruption in Sitotroga cerealella. In this study, we conducted an analysis of testis-specific RNA-Seq data and identified 449 downregulated genes and 60 upregulated genes in the DAT group compared to the control group. The downregulated genes were significantly enriched in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Furthermore, DAT caused a significant reduction in mRNA expression of proteasome regulatory subunit particles required for ATP-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins as well as decreased the expression profile of proteasome core particles, including β1, β2, and β5. Sperm physiological analysis showed that DAT potently inhibited the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome and formed aggresomes in spermatozoa. Computational docking analysis revealed that DAT bound to the active sites of proteasome β1, β2, and β5 subunits, resulting in reversible inhibition. Overall, our findings demonstrate that DAT functions as an inhibitor of the testis-specific proteasome, ultimately causing male infertility characterized by oligoasthenoteratospermia due to disruption in sperm proteasome assembly in S. cerealella.