bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Short-term Surgical Outcomes of Papillary Craniopharyngiomas: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Catalino Michael P. , Pham Duy , Rennert Robert C. , Couldwell William T , Kim Won , Pacione Donato , Suryadevara Carter , Kim Albert , Silverstein Julie M. , Chicoine Michael R. , Gardner Paul , Barkhoudarian Garni , Fernandez-Miranda Juan , Benjamin Carolina , Kshettry Varun R. , Zada Gabriel , Gompel Jamie Van , Palit Sandhya R. , Zwagerman Nathan , Cheok Stephanie , Prevedello Daniel M. , Wu Kyle C. , Mamelak Adam , Pacult Mark , Little Andrew S. , Karsy Michael
Published: November 2024

Purpose: Craniopharyngiomas are rare parasellar tumors, and papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCP) represent 8-20% of cases. We assessed surgical outcomes of these very rare tumors among patients treated in the last decade.
Methods: Retrospective data from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) were used to evaluate patients with PCP treated between 2011 and 2023 at 14 US-based academic skull base centers. Demographic, imaging, surgical, and outcome variables were analyzed.
Results: Ninety-nine patients with PCP were included. Mean age was 51.8±14.7 and 57.6% were male. Most tumors showed mixed cystic/solid components (67.5%), were trans-infundibular (50.0%), and were treated endoscopically (74.5%), with 51.1% demonstrating gross total resection (GTR). Pituitary stalk was preserved in 51.9%. Permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency was seen in 68.8% and was associated with pituitary stalk sacrifice (p=0.02). Cerebrospinal fluid leak was the most common nonendocrine postsurgical, 30-day complication (9.1%), reason for return to the operating room (3.1%), and reason for 90-day readmission (8.1%). Return to the operating room was associated with discharge to a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility (p=0.0001). Most patients (63.9%) received no adjuvant therapy; GTR was associated with decreased radiotherapy use (p=0.0001). BRAFV600E mutation was detected in 64/69 tumors tested, although only 1 patient was treated with a BRAF inhibitor.
Conclusion: To our knowledge, the RAPID consortium enabled the largest real-world clinical information dataset for PCP. Our data can be used as a benchmark for short-term surgical outcomes. Longer-term follow-up studies are needed to understand how to optimize outcomes from each treatment modality.
Gene Expression Profile of Synchronized Cells Identifies Alzheimer's Disease in Autopsy Validated Skin and Blood Samples
Authors: Chirila Florin V. , MacTurk William , Wallace Jack , Xu Guang , Alkon Daniel L.
Published: November 2024

A gene expression profile has not been identified for late-onset Alzheimer's Disease (LOAD) in more than 95% of cases. However, autosomal dominant genes are known for early-onset (EOAD). Moreover, the genetic convergences between familial EOAD and sporadic LOAD have not previously been identified despite the common neuropathology. Here, synchronized skin fibroblast samples from individuals with LOAD, confirmed by autopsy, revealed 36 statistically significant (P < 0.05) LOAD-dysregulated genes, with 26 showing an essential gap with non-Alzheimer's disease (non-ADD) dementia patients. Notably, five LOAD-dysregulated genes in the skin - FAM149B, NHLH1, SHISA5, URB2, and WASF2 - were also dysregulated in blood B-lymphocytes. Importantly, an additional 18 LOAD-dysregulated gene families in the skin were validated in the blood. In total, 23 LOAD-dysregulated gene families in the skin were confirmed in the blood. An intriguing and novel aspect is the genetic convergence between late-onset and early-onset Alzheimer's disease, demonstrated by dysregulated gene families ADAM, IL, and RAB. The gene expression profile aligns remarkably well with prior autopsy-validated biomarkers: Morphometric Imaging, PKC epsilon, Cell Size, Growth Rate, and Protein Amount. Our findings indicate a promising potential for personalized genomic profiling in LOAD diagnosis and treatment, offering hope for more effective and targeted approaches.
The Association between Metformin treatment in type 2 DM and vitamin B12 Deficiency
Authors: Mahmoud Sahar H. , Elfargani Fatma , Mohamed Nagwa , Alhamdi Fiaza A.
Published: November 2024

Background: Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious health condition affecting people worldwide with a high prevalence rate. DM is classified according to its etiology into T1DM and T2DM; several risk factors contribute to the development of T2DM such as age, genetic predisposition, and obesity. Metformin is a proven drug of choice, and it is used as a first-line treatment for T2DM patients to improve their glycemic levels. Vitamin B12 is an important water-soluble vitamin, and its deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia.
Aims of the study: To determine the prevalence of diabetic patients and patients under metformin treatment, the level of vitamin B12 for patients who have T2DM and the correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency, metformin dose, and the duration of T2DM are measured.
Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted on 366 patients with T2DM in a Sedi Hussein diabetic polyclinic in Benghazi- Libya. Patients were divided into two groups: the control group (not on metformin) consisted of 71 patients, and the group that received metformin (1st group) consisted of 295 patients.
Results: The total sample was 381 patients; T1DM 15 patients (3.94%), and T2DM 366 (96.06%) patients. In T2DM The first group had 295 patients (117 male/178 female), and the control group had 71 (28 male / 43 female). The 1st group significantly decreased vitamin B12 serum levels by 443.56 mg/ml versus the control group of 541.33 pg/ml (p=0.003). There was no significant difference in correlation between serum vitamin B12 levels and both doses of metformin and duration of diabetes mellitus.
Conclusion: vitamin B12 was significantly decreased in T2DM patients receiving metformin.
Velocity changes in the Haichenghe fault zone in Liaoning, China revealed by S coda of repeating microearthquakes
Authors: Sun Qingshan , Li Zihao , Wang Liang , Zhang Zhihong , Yang Zhenpeng , Cui Zhengdong
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we use the observation data of the Haicheng area in Liaoning, China, from 2021 to 2023 to investigate the velocity variation in the Haicheng area using the coda wave of the repeating microearthquakes. To minimize the velocity perturbation caused by source location variations, the double-difference location method is used to obtain the precise location of small earthquakes. Combined with the seismic rupture scale, the repeating microearthquakes with overlapping rupture zones are strictly selected. A total of 91 repeating microearthquakes in 38 sequences are finally identified in the study area, which is temporally concentrated in three series. The relative velocity variations between the first and subsequent events in each sequence are calculated using the coda wave interferometry technique. We found that differences in the velocity change in different time clusters. Three earthquakes with M ≥ 3.0 occurred in the study area during the observation period. The results indicate a preseismic increase in velocity of approximately 0.2%. Additionally, the postseismic velocity changes measured by the S coda of the repeating events also demonstrate an increase, which suggests that the faults are healing. For an ML 3.0 earthquake, this process takes no more than 10 months.
Simulation of organic acid migration and transformation in mangrove soils based on soil column experiments
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Yang Yunan , Lin Yangang
Published: November 2024

The practice of directly applying unfermented and decomposed organic matter to plants is rare in the growth process of terrestrial plants. The organic matter content at the discharge outlet of shrimp ponds is usually high. Therefore, it is necessary to collect soil from the discharge outlet of shrimp ponds and simulate the migration and transformation pathways of organic acids and related metabolic microorganisms in soil of mangrove wetlands through laboratory soil columns and the HYDRUS-1D model. Results showed that the content of oxalic acid remained relatively stable in the soil column at different depths, citric acid settled downward along the vertical direction, the concentration of acetic acid in the depth range of 30–50 cm increased. The organic acids formed insoluble or slightly soluble precipitates in the form of organic acid calcium, the organic acids in 40–50 cm were completely neutralized on the 18th day. The abundance of acid-producing Acinetobacter increased during the later stages of anaerobic acidification and disappeared after the addition of Ca(OH)2. The results of HYDRUS-1D simulation showed that the adsorption, deposition and transport of organic acids in the mangrove wetland were poor, the results of vertical infiltration modelling were in agreement with the soil column experiments.
Identifying subgroups of Chinese men who have sex with men based on sexual behavior and drug use patterns using a clustering analysis approach
Authors: She Bingyang , Sun Jiajun , Lu Fang , Lin Siqi , Liu Yi , Li Gaixia , Hu Yawu , Tang Weiming , Tan Rayner , Ong Jason , Su Shu , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Sexualized drug use (SDU) refers to using drugs before and during sex to enhance experiences, increasing high-risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study explores how SDU affects sexual behavior in Chinese MSM.
Methods: We collected information on demographics, sexual acts, drug use, and condom attitudes among 890 MSM in six Chinese cities via WeChat ads through community-based organizations from March 23 to April 22, 2022. Cluster analysis using Gower’s distance and hierarchical clustering explored differences in sexual acts among MSM who reported SDU in their last encounter and otherwise.
Results: Cluster analysis categorized participants into three clusters. Cluster 3 (n=155) reported 100% SDU in their last sexual encounter (83.87% poppers use), whereas Clusters 1 (n=581) and 2 (n=154) reported none. Compared to other clusters, Cluster 3 had significantly higher PrEP use (34.90% vs. 17.02% vs. 8.00%, p<0.0001), more sexual acts over the past 12 months (35.80-61.30 vs. 31.30-56.10 and 4.37-21.22, p<0.001), more regular (3.16±4.37 vs. 2.27±3.52 vs. 2.51±2.53, p=0.028) and casual partners (4.55±6.55 vs. 2.48±3.21 vs. 2.74±3.66, p<0.0001), more partners with STIs (8.39% vs. 3.79% vs. 3.90%, p=0.029), and lower consistent condom use (48.53% vs. 59.41% vs. 72.28%, p<0.0001). Cluster 1 had moderate frequency in all sexual acts except self-masturbation, which was most common in Cluster 2.
Conclusion: SDU is a stratum for identifying MSM subgroups, and MSM who reported SDU demonstrated higher sexual risk behaviors and PrEP usage. Among those not practicing SDU, self-masturbation is a key behavioral indicator for subgrouping.
A gold nanoparticle/peptide vaccine designed to induce SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8 T cells: a double-blind, randomized, phase 1 study in Switzerland
Authors: Besson Juliette , Audran Régine , Karlen Maxime , Miauton Alix , Hajjami Hélène Maby-El , Warpelin-Decrausaz Loane , Sene Loredana , Schaufelberger Sylvain , Faivre Vincent , Faouzi Mohamed , Hartley Mary-Anne , Spertini François , Genton Blaise
Published: November 2024

Background
New vaccines with broader protection against SARS-CoV-2 are needed to reduce the risk of immune escape and provide broad and long-lasting cellular immunity. The objectives of the naNO-COVID trial were to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a CD8+ T cell, gold nanoparticle-based, peptide COVID-19 vaccine.
Methods
A randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, phase 1 trial in healthy adults to receive PepGNP-Covid19 or Vehicle-GNP, followed over 180 days, using a dose-escalation strategy.
Results
20 participants received PepGNP-Covid19 (low dose [LD] or high dose [HD], n=10 each) and 6 Vehicle-GNP (LD or HD, n=3 each).
Vaccinations were safe. No serious adverse events were reported. Most of the adverse events were mild, two adverse events of special interest related to the product (fever and fatigue). Reactogenicity was similar overall between vaccine, comparator, and doses.
Virus-specific humoral responses in LD PepGNP-Covid19 and Vehicle-GNP groups coincided with SARS-CoV-2 infections. PepGNP-Covid19 vaccination induced the modulation of Covid19-specificCD137+CD69+CD8+, and an increase at day 35 particularly in central and effector memory T cells in LD group, and in late effector memory cells in HD group.
Conclusions
The favourable safety profile and cellular responses observed support further development of PepGNP-Covid19.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05113862, approved 09.11.2021.
Hyssopus cuspidatus volatile oil: a potential treatment for steroid-resistant asthma via inhibition of neutrophil extracellular traps
Authors: Wang Xu , Peng Hui-Ming , Zhang Meng-Ru , Li Jing-Jing , Zhao Chuan-Peng , Zhang Ya-Li , Wang Si-Yu , Zhu Si-Ying , Lu Jian-Kang , Yin Hai-Long , Yin Qiang , Fang Jinbo
Published: November 2024

Background
Steroid-resistant asthma (SRA) is a form of asthma resistant to corticosteroid therapy, which is characterized by the presence of neutrophil-predominant inflammatory response and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation. Hyssopus cuspidatus Boriss., a traditional Uyghur medicine, is known for its efficacy in treating inflammatory lung conditions such as asthma. However, the therapeutic impact and underlying mechanisms of Hyssopus cuspidatus volatile oil (HVO) in SRA have not been fully elucidated.
Methods
This study established an ovalbumin/lipopolysaccharide (OVA/LPS)-induced SRA mice model to evaluate the therapeutic effect of HVO on SRA. UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS was applied to analyze the serum compositions of HVO. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to predict potential pathways, targets and effective compounds and uncover the complex mechanisms of HVO in treating SRA. Furthermore, in vivo studies in SRA mice and in vitro studies using HL-60 cells and bone marrow neutrophils were conducted to validate the mechanism.
Results
HVO could significantly ameliorate OVA/LPS-induced SRA symptoms, including airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, mucus overproduction and airway remodeling. 41 prototype compounds, 65 Phase I metabolites and 50 Phase II metabolites were identified in serum-containing HVO. The integration of network pharmacology with experimental validation revealed that HVO can inhibit the formation of NETs by targeting neutrophil elastase, thereby exerting a therapeutic influence on SRA. Meanwhile, molecular docking results showed that 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy mandelonitrile, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,5,7-trimethyl-naphthalene, cis-calamenene and aristol-1(10)-en-9-yl isovalerate may be the therapeutic compounds of HVO in treating SRA.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that HVO is a promising therapeutic candidate for neutrophil-dominant SRA by targeting NETs formation.
Adherence to Routine Antenatal Medications and Its Determinants Among Pregnant Women in Selected Primary Health Centers in Ogbomoso,oyo State
Authors: Olajide Adetunmise Oluseyi , Toriola Mushrafat Adenike , Omotoso Grace opeyeoluwa , Ogunmodede Eunice Oluwakemi , OYEDEJI Yetunde Omolola , Esan Deborah Tolulope , Isaiah Oluwaseyi Olabisi , Bello Oyeronke Olubunmi , Adeniran Ganiyat Odunola , Awotunde Titilope Abisola
Published: November 2024

In the context of antenatal care, adherence to routine medications is vital for preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes and ensuring maternal and fetal health. Non-adherence can lead to a range of complications, including maternal anemia, preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital abnormalities. This study aimed to assess adherence to routine antenatal medications and its determinant among pregnant women in selected primary health centers in Ogbomoso North, Oyo state. A descriptive research design was used in this study and convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 136 respondents. A self-structured questionnaire of reliability index 0.768 was used as instrument of data collection. The responses were analysed with descriptive statistic (frequency and table) using SPSS Version 23 and the hypothesis stated was tested using inferential statistics (chi square). The results showed that the study concluded that majority of the respondents 93(68.4%) have good perception and 43(31.6%) have poor perception towards the adherence of routine antenatal medications. Majority of the respondents 76(55.9%) has low level of adherence and 60(44.1%) has high level of adherence to routine antenatal medications. The determinants of adherence to routine antenatal medications are accessibility of routine antenatal medications 113(83.1%), experience in previous pregnancies 97(71.3%), and support from family or partner 84(61.8%). There is significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and adherence to routine antenatal medications among pregnant women in selected primary health centers (religion (0.000), level of education (0.014), ethnicity (0.000), marital status (0.001), employment status (0.006), household income (0.038) and number of pregnancies (0.000)]. Also, there is no significant relationship between determinants (accessibility and availability) and adherence to routine antenatal medications among pregnant women in selected primary health. In conclusion, there should be regular antenatal educations on the routine antenatal medications during the antenatal visits.
Genome integrity maintaining variants in EGFR gene related to ionizing radiation resistance in the Lithuanian Chornobyl clean-up workers cohort
Authors: Samaitė Katažyna , Domarkienė Ingrida , Žukauskaitė Gabrielė , Urnikytė Alina , Kučinskas Vaidutis , Ambrozaitytė Laima
Published: November 2024

Background: Ionizing radiation (IR) is a well-known factor that predisposes cells to mutagenesis, cancerous processes, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA repair. However, the genetic factors maintaining genome integrity after ionizing radiation exposure are not fully defined. Relatively healthy Lithuanian Chornobyl catastrophe clean-up workers (LCCWs) are a unique study group. We hypothesize that the group’s genomic variation determines their reaction to IR. We aimed to perform the genomic variation analysis of the preselected set of genes that might be involved in genome integrity maintenance. The set consists of six sub-groups of genes representing different molecular mechanisms or pathways (apoptosis, tumor suppression, inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA repair, and regulatory molecules) potentially related to the genome and cell integrity after exposure to high-dose IR. The study group included 38 male LCCWs. The control group consisted of 27 unrelated, not exposed to IR males of Lithuanian descent. Variants of the genes were filtered out from whole-genome short-read sequencing data. Targeted gene-set association analysis was performed using PLINK v1.9 software.
Results: The study identified statistically significant (p=0.0122) associations in the 7p11.2 genomic region spanning the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene.
Conclusion: Analysis showed that variation in the EGFR gene important for DNA repair, apoptosis, and resistance to IR might have specific effects on maintaining genome and cell integrity after exposure to high-dose IR.
REGγ regulates antiviral response by activating TBK1-IFNβ signaling through degradation of PPP2CB
Authors: Yao Liangfang , Li Jinbao , Li Yi , Wang Pei , Ma Jiamin , Tu Qing , Yuan Yuan , Chen Ying , Wang Lin , Chen Yuwei , Chen Feng , Biesinger Suvi , Li Henry J.
Published: November 2024

Although significant progressions in antiviral studies of IFNβ have been demonstrated, the role of the proteasome in modulating cross-talk between TBK1-IFNβ signaling and viral replication during viral infection is not fully elucidated. Here, we discover that deficiency of REGγ, a proteasome activator, significantly reduces IFNβ production and increases viral replications in mice, leading to increased mortality in virus infection models. Our mechanistic study indicates that REGγ interacts with and degrades the protein phosphatase subunit Protein Phosphatase 2 Catalytic Subunit Beta (PPP2CB). This degradation disrupts the dephosphorylation of TBK1 and its interaction with IRF3, resulting in the activation of IFNβ-mediated antiviral signaling. In response to viral infection, up-regulation of REGγ in macrophages accelerates the degradation of PPP2CB, which increases the activation of TBK1-IRF3-IFNβ axis and thereby restricts viral replications and pathology. Interestingly, IFNβ enhances REGγ expression in viral infection, forming a positive feedback regulatory loop. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that REGγ is a positive modulator of IFNβ signaling during antiviral response, highlighting that this procedure is regulated via REGγ degradation of PPP2CB and provides a new insight into the coordination between antiviral response and proteasome activity. Thus, REGγ-proteasome activity and phosphatase PPP2CB may be potential targets in host defense against viruses.
Assessing the ecological impact of non-native species: single-species manipulation fails to reveal impact of invading shrimp
Authors: Jakubavičiūtė Egle , Rahman Tawfiqur , Candolin Ulrika
Published: November 2024

To experimentally assess the ecological impact of non-native species, their presence or abundance is usually manipulated under simplified conditions. Yet, their impact may depend on interactions with native species, whose presence and abundance then also need to be considered. We examined whether the ecological impact of a recent invader in the Baltic Sea, the shrimp Palaemon elegans, is shaped by interactions with two native mesopredators: the shrimp P. adspersus and the threespine stickleback. Using mesocosm experiments, we show that single-species manipulations fail to capture the full ecological impact of the non-native shrimp and that multi-species manipulations are required. In single-species treatments, the effect of the non-native shrimp on lower trophic levels—grazers and primary producers—was similar to those of the native species; all fed on animal prey, which increased algae biomass. However, in multi-species treatments, where shrimps competed with the stickleback for prey, the consumption of algae increased. Notably, the non-native shrimp increased its consumption of algae less than the native shrimp, indicating stronger competitive ability. Thus, the replacement of the native shrimp by the non-native could reduce the control algae biomass. This suggests that the future state of the ecosystem may depend on the absolute and relative abundances of the three species and whether the non-native shrimp will displace or coexist with the native one. These results emphasize the importance of accounting for species interactions when investigating the impact of non-native species on ecosystems. Single-species manipulations may fail to capture full ecological consequences.
Predicting Working Memory Efficiency Across Adulthood: The Role of Enhancement and Suppression Attentional Mechanisms, Moderated by Age and Other Factors
Authors: López-González Elissa , Caballero-Sánchez Ulises , Gómez-González Ixchel , Méndez-Díaz Mónica , Prospéro-García Oscar E. , Ruiz-Contreras Alejandra E.
Published: November 2024

The global population of individuals aged 60 and above surpasses a billion and is expected to rise further, highlighting the need to address aging-related cognitive challenges. Studying healthy aging and factors like anxiety, depression, sleep, education, lifestyle, and cognitive challenges is equally important. This study aimed to assess the enhancement and suppression of attentional mechanisms and working memory efficiency (WME) across adulthood, as well as other factors moderating this relationship. Enhancement and suppression of attentional mechanisms prioritize processing relevant stimuli over irrelevant ones. Here, 194 participants aged 20 to 80 completed questionnaires and an experimental task to assess attentional mechanisms and WME. Our results showed that enhancement and suppression became similar across adulthood; and aging worsened WME. On the other hand, enhancement predicted WME, but only when sleep was in the recommended hours for adult age. The suppression mechanism was moderated by cognitive reserve, and WME was done by cognitive reserve, global cognitive function, anxiety and depression mechanisms predicted WME. This study suggests the presence of moderating factors that either enhance cognitive function or mitigate cognitive decline as individuals age.
The Impact of Stress, Social Support, and Quality of Life on Preterm Birth: Findings from a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Kaddoura Rima , Zankar Reine , Tamim Hani , Bejjani Martine El , Mahfoud Ziyad R. , Salameh Pascale , Charafeddine Lama
Published: November 2024

Background:
Preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The causes of preterm birth are multifactorial, with social determinants such as stress, socioeconomic status, and social support playing critical roles. In Lebanon, a country experiencing political, economic, and social crises, preterm birth poses additional challenges. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support, stress, and quality of life with preterm birth outcomes in a Lebanese cohort.
Methods:
This prospective cohort study was conducted in three tertiary care centers in Lebanon from September 2021 to December 2023. A total of 116 mother-infant pairs, including 78 full-term and 38 preterm infants, were recruited. Data on social determinants, perceived stress (PSS-10), social support (MSPSS), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were collected at birth and at 4–6 months postpartum. Statistical analysis included t-tests, chi-square tests, and linear mixed models to explore the associations between social determinants and preterm birth.
Results:
Compared to full-term births, preterm births were significantly associated with higher maternal stress levels as evidenced by PSS-10 scores (19.53 vs. 15.29, p-value = 0.011) and lower scores in physical (39.16 vs 57.4, p-value < 0.001), psychological (54.08 vs 66.91, p-value < 0.001), and social (58.53 vs 69.56, p-value = 0.007) domains of quality of life. At 4–6 months postpartum, mothers of preterm infants continued to report lower physical quality of life (55.92 vs 65.58, p-value = 0.043) and social support (62.52 vs 69.84, p-value = 0.038). In addition, all mothers reported lower social support (71.8 vs 67.3, p-value = 0.003), lower social quality of life (69.4 vas 61.4, p-value = 0.005), and lower environmental quality of life (70 vas 64.5, p-value = 0.012) at 4–6 months post-partum as compared to at birth. Stress was a significant mediator between social quality of life and gestational age (p-value = 0.035).
Conclusion:
This study highlights the noticeable impact of social support, stress, and quality of life on preterm birth outcomes in a crisis-affected region. Mothers of preterm infants experienced higher stress and lower quality of life at birth, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to support maternal mental health and social well-being. Addressing these social determinants is needed for improving pregnancy outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations facing multiple social and economic challenges.
Bioinformatics combined with single-cell analysis reveals the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Luo Wei , Wang Junxia , Wang Hongfei , Liu Fei , Yang Taiwei , Wu Zhongjun , Guo Wubin
Published: November 2024

Purpose
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer related death, and its molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this work is to discover the association between immune microenvironment changes and pyroptosis molecular mechanisms in HCC.
Methods
Select gene expression profiles from the comprehensive gene expression database, establish protein-protein interaction networks, and perform functional enrichment analysis using databases such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Single cell identification of HCC cell types and malignant cells, trajectory analysis and intercellular signal communication further analyze the molecular mechanisms between immune cells and liver cells. Bioinformatics combined with single-cell analysis to elucidate the immune pyroptosis molecular mechanism underlying the development of HCC.
Results
The key hub genes of immune pyroptosis were validated through immunohistochemistry and in vitro experiments. Molecular biology has identified six focal death hub genes in HCC. Enrichment analysis shows that intersecting genes are enriched in immune responses, chemokine mediated signaling pathways, and inflammatory responses. The cellular clustering of single cells revealed the infiltration of immune cells, especially the polarization of macrophages, which plays an important role. Immunohistochemistry suggests that hub genes such as HMGB1, CYCS, GSDMD, IL-1β, NLRP3, and IL18 are the link between macrophage polarization and pyroptosis during HCC development.
Conclusions
In summary, the main molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of HCC are related to immune cell infiltration, particularly macrophage infiltration polarization that promotes the secretion of inflammatory factors leading to hepatocyte pyroptosis. Our study may guide future research on the macrophage pyroptosis signaling pathway in HCC.
Improving Human Mobility Forecasts: A Study on Outlier Correction with Multi-Agent Techniques
Authors: Asanka PPG Dinesh , Takahashi Masakazu , Rajapakshe Chathura
Published: November 2024

This research is part of designing and implementing an AutoML platform for time series forecasting. Having discussed missing value imputation and outlier detection in other research papers, this research is focused on outlier correction to forecast better in time series. This research has used human mobility data as a sample that was collected in Hiroshima, Japan, over a year. Master-Slave multi-agent design pattern was used with an outlier co-ordinator agent that direct other subagents to identify the best regression technique and correct the outlier data points. Extensible regression agents are used to determine the best regression technique using seasonal data and evaluated with the harmonic mean of regression evaluation parameters. Outlier correction was done iteratively to find the optimum outlier corrections, as fixing all the outlier data points is impossible. This research achieved different levels of outlier corrections for the ten selected locations in Hiroshima, Japan. These decisions are integrated with classification techniques as an emerging knowledge capability in the multi-agent.
Does acceleration-speed profile changes during the season in soccer players?
Authors: Cardoso Pedro , Tavares Francisco , Loureiro Nuno , Ferreira Ruben , Araújo João Pedro , Gomes João S. , Reis Joana , Vaz João R.
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to investigate the variation of the Acceleration-Sprint (A-S) profile throughout one season in different age groups of elite young and professional soccer athletes. A total of 126 athletes from under-14 to B-team levels were analysed across a season divided in six training blocks. Results revealed significant increases only in the S0 value for the under-15 age-group (p<0.05) during the season, while other age groups did not exhibit significant differences in the A-S profile over the same period. These findings emphasize the necessity of tailored training interventions to optimize acceleration and sprint capacities, particularly among younger players in the midst of physical development. Furthermore, the establishment of standardized norms tailored to different age groups based on these findings could facilitate the identification of outliers and inform individualized training strategies. This research could contribute to our understanding of the dynamic nature of sprinting performance and training demands in elite young soccer athletes, offering insights for optimizing performance outcomes and player development within soccer academies.
Rhein, A Component of Rhubarb, Protects Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Renal Aging and Injury by Inhibition of TNF-α- Mediated Autophagy and Necroptosis
Authors: Tu Yue , Liu Wenjie , Liu Siyi , Pan Liuyunxin , Wu Wei , Fang Qijun , Liu Yinglu , Wan Yigang , Liu Buhui
Published: November 2024

Rhein as an anthraquinone compound isolated from rhubarb is considered effective in treating kidney diseases and renal aging. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of rhein in aged kidney are not fully elucidated. In this study, we observed the renal protective effects of rhein and investigated the therapeutic mechanisms of rhein in oxidative stress-induced renal aging and injury. The results indicated that rhein increased the protein levels of klotho, phosphorylated (p)-mTOR, p-p62, and caspase-8, as well as decreased the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the staining for senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) and the protein levels of beclin1, light chain 3 II, receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK)1, RIPK3, and p-mixed lineage kinase-like (MLKL) in tubular cells (NRK-52E cells) exposed to D-galactose (D-gal). Compared with mTOR regulators (rapamycin or MHY1485) alone, the co-treatment of rhein and mTOR regulators decreased mTOR-mediated autophagy signaling in NRK-52E cells treated by D-gal. In addition, the research identified that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α signaling plays a pivotal role in the development of the “rhein–target–pathways” network framework. Rhein decreased TNF-α and TNF-α receptor1 protein levels. Interestingly, the changes in the effect of etanercept in TNF-α-mediated necroptosis and autophagy were similar to those of rhein. Accordingly, in D-gal-induced aged model rats, rhein alleviated aged kidneys by activating p-mTOR and downregulating autophagy signaling. Our results suggested that rhein exerted reducing oxidative stress level and renoprotective effects on D-gal-induced renal aging and injury by mTOR-mediated autophagy and RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL-dependent necroptosis. Further, rhein may regulate TNF-α-mediated autophagy and necroptosis in aged tubular cells. Thus, rhein may be a potential therapeutic drug against renal aging and injury.
Earthquakes big and small: same physics, different boundary conditions
Authors: Nielsen Stefan
Published: November 2024

Self-similarity indicates that large and small earthquakes share the same physics, where all variables scale with rupture length L. Here I show that rupture tip acceleration during the start of dynamic rupture (break-out phase) is also self-similar, scaling with Lc in space and Lc/Clim in time (where Lc is the breakout patch length and Clim the limiting rupture velocity in the subsonic regime). Rupture acceleration in the breakout phase is slower for larger initial breakout patches Lc. Because small faults cannot host large breakout patches, a large and slower initial breakout may be indicative of a potentially large final earthquake magnitude. Initial moment rate ˙Mo also grows slower for larger Lc, therefore it may reflect fault dimensions and carry a probabilistic forecast of magnitude as suggested in some Early Warning studies. This result does not violate causality and is fully compatible with the shared fundamental, self-similar physics across all the magnitude spectrum.
The Effectiveness of a Body Positioning Device for Controlling Patient Movement and Additional Sedative Use during ERCP: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Masuda Haruka , Nishida Tsutomu , Matsumoto Kengo , Nakamatsu Dai , Hayashi Shiro , Yamamoto Masashi
Published: November 2024

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a precise procedure requiring appropriate body movement control for procedural safety and efficiency. Sedatives are commonly used but pose risks, especially for elderly patients. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Medo V-Fix device for controlling patient movement during ERCP.
Methods: Of 1558 ERCP procedures performed between January 2021 and March 2024, 1,723 were analyzed after excluding cases with missing data. Patients were divided into two groups, the device group (n=697) and the nondevice group (n=831). The two groups were compared in terms of body movement control, additional sedative administration, and procedure discontinuation.
Results: The baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Body movement control was better with the device (good, 65.7%; poor, 24.0%; and very poor, 10.3%) than without it (good, 48.1%; poor, 30.7%; and very poor, 21.2%) (P<0.0001). The device reduced the need for manual assistance and additional doses of sedatives. Fewer patients in the device group required an additional dose of thiopental (9.5% vs. 15.6%, P=0.0003), and the dose was lower (4.5 mg vs. 6 mg, P=0.0015). There were no procedure discontinuations in the device group and 5 discontinuations in the nondevice group. Multivariate analysis revealed that device use and emergency procedures indicated good movement control. Propensity matching confirmed the association between devise use and better control (good: 64.9% vs. 49.1%, poor: 30.7% vs. 24.7% vs. 31.8%, and very poor: 10.4% vs. 19.1%, P<0.0001).
Conclusions: The Medo V-Fix device significantly improved body movement control and reduced the need for both additional doses of sedatives and manual intervention, suggesting its potential for improving procedural safety and efficiency.
Investigating the various impacts of COVID-19 using Sentiment Analysis and Topic Modeling over three years
Authors: Hankar Mustapha , Kasri Mohammed , Mzili Toufik , Beni-Hssane Abderrahim
Published: November 2024

The world health organization (WHO) has officially declared the COVID-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020. Consequently, nations worldwide took some preventive measures, including lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing to slow down the spread of coronavirus. This unprecedented event has profoundly disrupted the normal way of life. The pandemic had devastating impacts on various aspects of society such as healthcare systems, social life, the economy, and education. People from around the world began expressing emotions of fear, isolation, and various kinds of traumatic disorders on social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook. This research paper explores the impacts of COVID-19 in Morocco using topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and time series analysis. The study follows a two-step process. Initially, we employed a topic model, specifically BERTopic, to extract the main themes from a dataset containing comments gathered from the online newspaper Hespress and Twitter. Subsequently, we conducted a topic-based sentiment analysis to assess how COVID-19 has impacted Moroccans through a time window of three years. The findings revealed that sentiments related to the various topics were highly negative. In addition, we leveraged time-series data on COVID-19 to examine how the evolving epidemiological situation influenced sentiments from March 2020, the beginning of the pandemic, until the end of 2022. Our analysis indicated a strong correlation between changes in COVID-19 cases and sentiment analysis results.
Improving Dhaka-Chattogram Existing National Highway By Minimizing Traffic Interruption
Authors: Chy Sazzad Hossain , Barua Pial , Imam Mahmood Omor
Published: November 2024

A national highway is a major road within a country that connects cities, regions and states. It facilitates the passage of people, goods, and services across the nation, serving as a vital transportation artery. Dhaka-Chattogram National Highway links the capital city of Dhaka to the port city Chattogram. Congestion on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway has become a serious issue. The traffic on the highway has exceeded 40,000 passenger car equivalents a day (PCU/day) at most of the locations. This paper addresses the problem of highway congestion and proposes ways to alleviate traffic congestion. The study begins with a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to congestion on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. Analysis was more emphasized on the existing traffic conditions, peak hour congestion patterns and all the important points on highway that are mainly responsible for congestion based on data at different times of a day. This analysis depicts the busiest 31 points of highway that need to be dealt with. To mitigate the congestion based on its intensity, 15 overpasses, 9 culverts and 11 parking spaces are proposed. These solutions will lead to minimize traffic congestion by ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow and offer a reduced journey time to the road users.
Improving Depression Detection through Biomedical Entity Linking: A Hybrid Approach Using Embedding Models and Full-Text Search
Authors: Kumar Akshi , Sangwan Saurabh Raj , Sharma Aditi
Published: November 2024

Depression is a multifaceted mental health disorder that necessitates accurate identification of symptoms, treatments, and comorbidities for effective diagnosis and treatment planning. This paper introduces a hybrid approach to Biomedical Entity Linking (BEL) for depression detection by combining full-text search and advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques using vector embedding models. We leveraged models like BioBERT, BioWordVec, BlueBERT, FastText, MetaMap, and Llama to improve the linking of depression-related entities in un- structured clinical texts to structured knowledge bases such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). Additionally, we propose a novel Depression Entity Relevance Ranker (DERR), which com- bines Token Set Ratio, Jaro-Winkler Similarity, and cosine similarity of embeddings to ensure accurate ranking of entities by contextual relevance. This hybrid approach ad- dresses ambiguities and variations in depression-related terminology, significantly enhancing the accuracy of entity linking. The system achieved an overall accuracy of 84%, with a Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR) of 0.92 and Hits@5 of 95%, demonstrating its practical value for clinical decision support systems and mental health research.
PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE, ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF LEAF EXTRACT OF Dipteryx lacunifera DUCKE
Authors: A. L. Guedes Araujo Krislany , G. Sousa Herbert , da Silva Gomes João P. , Pinto de Sousa Renato , de França Ferreira Éverton L. , T. Pupo Monica , da Silva Costa Pedro M. , Pessoa Claúdia , Rai Mahendra , H. Chaves Mariana , Magela Vieira Junior Gerardo
Published: November 2024

The Dipteryx genus, a member of the Fabaceae family with approximately 14 species, is found in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest, Northeast and Central regions, and Central America. Plants of this genus are used in popular medicine and contain coumarins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and fatty acids. Dipteryx lacunifera Ducke, known as “garampara” or “fava de morcego”, occurs in Brazil’s central-north region and has economic and energy value, along with antioxidant properties. For this study, ethyl acetate and ethylic ether soluble fraction of ethanol extract were subjected to chromatographic analysis leading to the isolation of two flavonoids, vitexin (1) and isoquercetin (6). In addition, analysis by electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI(–)-ITMS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) annotated twenty-one compounds (1-21), with seventeen of these being reported for the first time in D. lacunifera. Molecular network (GNPS) analysis grouped compounds (7-21) into flavonoids-O-glucoside, flavononol-O-glucoside, flavone-C-glucoside, proanthocyanidin, flavonol, and flavonoid-O-methoxylated classes. The FEtOAc fraction demonstrated potential antioxidant activity (half maximal effective concentration (EC50) 39.50 ± 6.51 mg mL–1), suggesting it as a promising source of antioxidants. However, neither fraction exhibited inhibition of tumor cell lines tested. These findings enhance our understanding of the chemical and biological potential of the D. lacunifera species.
Dividend policy as an intervening variable between return on asset and earning per share on stock prices
Authors: Prasetyoningrum Ari Kristin , Vanni Kartika Marella , Mustika Anjar
Published: November 2024

Purpose - The aim of this study is to investigate how Return on Asset (ROA) and Earnings per Share (EPS) impact stock prices, while considering dividend policy as a mediating factor.Method - This research uses 6 samples of pharmaceutical companies listed on ISSI during the period of 2017-2021 using purposive sampling technique. The data analysis used in this research is SEM-PLS with the help of WarpPLS software version 7.0.Result - The findings indicate that dividend policy does not act as a mediator between ROA and share prices; however, it does serve as a mediator between EPS and share prices. The direct effects reveal that ROA has a non-significant positive impact on dividend policy, whereas EPS demonstrates a significant positive influence on dividend policy. Both ROA and dividend policy exhibit a significant negative impact on share prices, whereas EPS has a positive and significant influence on share prices. In addition, this research reveals that dividend policy is unable to mediate the relationship between ROA and share prices but is proven to mediate the relationship between EPS and stock prices.Implication - The concept of signaling theory in general can still be used in carrying out financial analysis even when anomalies occur in economic conditions.Originality - This research is research conducted on pharmaceutical companies which are different from other companies which have experienced negative impacts, but pharmaceutical companies have experienced an increase in share prices and profits during the pandemic.
Mergers and acquisitions in OIC countries: the role of strategic similarity in bank performance
Authors: Nisa Raudhatun , Laela Sugiyarti Fatma , Shah Mohamed Eskandar
Published: November 2024

Purpose - This research aims to evaluate the impact of strategic similarity on MA performance in banking within OIC countries. The study investigates how strategic alignment influences MA outcomes and explores the role of cultural fit, cross-border factors, and capital adequacy in shaping post-merger success.Method - A quantitative approach is used in this study, using secondary data from annual reports of banking institutions in OIC member countries that experienced mergers and acquisitions from 2013 to 2022. This study uses 38 MA transaction data obtained from Bank Focus. The hypothesis is tested using a partial least squares structural equation model.Result - The finding reveals that the strategic similarity factor could not explain the success of MA performance for both Islamic and conventional banks. Cultural misalignment and cross-border regulatory issues are key factors affecting post-merger success. The one-year observation period was too short, but capital adequacy was found to influence performance significantly.Implication - Theoretically, models of MA success should include cultural and regulatory dimensions and consider a longer-term view. Managers should prioritise cultural integration, address regulatory challenges, and align capital adequacy strategies to improve post-merger outcomes and resilience.Originality - This research discussed the factors determining successful MA performance in banks in OIC countries. The findings can be used to develop insights into mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector.