bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taming hyperparameter tuning in continuous normalizing flows using the JKO scheme
Authors: Vidal Alexander , Wu Fung Samy , Tenorio Luis , Osher Stanley , Nurbekyan Levon
Published: March 2023

A normalizing flow (NF) is a mapping that transforms a chosen probability distribution to a normal distribution. Such flows are a common technique used for data generation and density estimation in machine learning and data science. The density estimate obtained with a NF requires a change of variables formula that involves the computation of the Jacobian determinant of the NF transformation. In order to tractably compute this determinant, continuous normalizing flows (CNF) estimate the mapping and its Jacobian determinant using a neural ODE. Optimal transport (OT) theory has been successfully used to assist in finding CNFs by formulating them as OT problems with a soft penalty for enforcing the standard normal distribution as a target measure. A drawback of OT-based CNFs is the addition of a hyperparameter,$$\alpha $$α, that controls the strength of the soft penalty and requires significant tuning. We present JKO-Flow, an algorithm to solve OT-based CNF without the need of tuning$$\alpha $$α. This is achieved by integrating the OT CNF framework into a Wasserstein gradient flow framework, also known as the JKO scheme. Instead of tuning$$\alpha $$α, we repeatedly solve the optimization problem for a fixed$$\alpha $$αeffectively performing a JKO update with a time-step$$\alpha $$α. Hence we obtain a ”divide and conquer” algorithm by repeatedly solving simpler problems instead of solving a potentially harder problem with large$$\alpha $$α.
Thin film notch filters as platforms for biological image processing
Authors: Sulejman Shaban B. , Priscilla Niken , Wesemann Lukas , Lee Wendy S. L. , Lou Jieqiong , Hinde Elizabeth , Davis Timothy J. , Roberts Ann
Published: March 2023

Many image processing operations involve the modification of the spatial frequency content of images. Here we demonstrate object-plane spatial frequency filtering utilizing the angular sensitivity of a commercial spectral bandstop filter. This approach to all-optical image processing is shown to generate real-time pseudo-3D images of transparent biological and other samples, such as human cervical cancer cells. This work demonstrates the potential of non-local, non-interferometric approaches to image processing for uses in label-free biological cell imaging and dynamical monitoring.
Extremely small wasps independently lost the nuclei in the brain neurons of at least two lineages
Authors: Polilov Alexey A. , Hakimi Kamila D. , Makarova Anastasia A.
Published: March 2023

Anucleate animal cells are a peculiar evolutionary phenomenon and a useful model for studying cellular mechanisms. Anucleate neurons were recently found in one genus of miniature parasitic wasps of the family Trichogrammatidae, but it remained unclear how widespread this phenomenon is among other insects or even among different tissues of the same insect species. We studied the anatomy of miniature representatives of another parasitic wasp family (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) using array tomography and found two more species with nearly anucleate brains at the adult stage. Thus, the lysis of the cell bodies and nuclei of neurons appears to be a more widespread means of saving space during extreme miniaturization, which independently evolved at least twice during miniaturization in different groups of insects. These results are important for understanding the evolution of the brain during miniaturization and open new areas of studying the functioning of anucleate neurons.
Remdesivir and corticosteroids in the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Authors: Coelho Luís , Falcão Fatima , Póvoa Pedro , Viegas Erica , Martins Antonio Pais , Carmo Eduarda , Fonseca Candida , Campos Luis , Mansinho Kamal , Carmo Inês , Soares Joana , Solano Mariana , Mendes Dina , Miranda Ana Cláudia , Carvalho Antonio , Mirco Ana , Farinha Helena , Aldir Isabel , Correia José
Published: March 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic infection caused by the newly discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Remdesivir (RDV) and corticosteroids are used mainly in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure. The main objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of remdesivir with and without corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. We conducted a prospective observational study, including adult patients consecutively hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure. Patients were divided according to treatment strategy: RDV alone versus RDV with corticosteroids. The primary outcome was the time to recovery in both treatment groups. We included 374 COVID-19 adult patients, 184 were treated with RDV, and 190 were treated with RDV and corticosteroid. Patients in the RDV group had a shorter time to recovery in comparison with patients in the RDV plus corticosteroids group at 28 days after admission [11 vs. 16 days (95% confidence Interval 9.7–12.8; 14.9–17.1; p = .016)]. Patients treated with RDV alone had a shorter length of hospital stay. The use of corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy of RDV was not associated with improvement in mortality of COVID-19 patients.
TRAF6 as a potential target in advanced breast cancer: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and bioinformatics validation
Authors: Zeng Feier , Carrasco Giovana , Li Boya , Sophocleous Antonia , Idris Aymen I.
Published: March 2023

TRAF6 has emerged as a key regulator of breast cancer (BCa). However, the TRAF family constitutes of seven members that exhibit distinct and overlapping functions. To explore which TRAF represents a potential druggable target for BCa treatment, we searched Medline, Web of Science and Scopus for relevant studies from inception to June 27, 2021. We identified 14 in vitro, 11 in vivo and 4 human articles. A meta-analysis of pharmacological studies showed that in vitro inhibition of TRAF2/4 (mean difference (MD): − 57.49, 95% CI: − 66.95, − 48.02, P < 0.00001) or TRAF6 (standard(Std.)MD: − 4.01, 95% CI: − 5.75, − 2.27, P < 0.00001) is associated with reduction in BCa cell migration. Consistently, inhibition of TRAF2/4 (MD: − 51.08, 95% CI: − 64.23, − 37.94, P < 0.00001) and TRAF6 (Std.MD: − 2.80, 95% CI: − 4.26, − 1.34, P = 0.0002) is associated with reduced BCa cell invasion, whereas TRAF2/4 inhibition (MD: − 40.54, 95% CI: − 52.83, − 28.26, P < 0.00001) is associated with reduced BCa cell adhesion. Interestingly, only inhibition of TRAF6 (MD: − 21.46, 95% CI: − 30.40, − 12.51, P < 0.00001) is associated with reduced cell growth. In animal models of BCa, administration of pharmacological inhibitors of TRAF2/4 (Std.MD: − 3.36, 95% CI: − 4.53, − 2.18, P < 0.00001) or TRAF6 (Std.MD: − 4.15, 95% CI: − 6.06, − 2.24, P < 0.0001) in mice is associated with reduction in tumour burden. In contrast, TRAF6 inhibitors (MD: − 2.42, 95% CI: − 3.70, − 1.14, P = 0.0002) reduced BCa metastasis. In BCa patients, high expression of TRAF6 (Hazard Ratio: 1.01, CI: 1.01, 1.01, P < 0.00001) is associated with poor survival rate. Bioinformatics validation of clinical and pathway and process enrichment analysis in BCa patients confirmed that gain/amplification of TRAF6 is associated with secondary BCa in bone (P = 0.0079), and poor survival rate (P < 0.05). Overall, TRAF6 inhibitors show promise in the treatment of metastatic BCa. However, low study number and scarcity of evidence from animal and human studies may limit the translation of present findings into clinical practice.
Prevalence of asthma in preterm and associated risk factors based on prescription data from the Korean National Health Insurance database
Authors: Kim Kwanghoon , Lee Ji Young , Kim Yoo-Mi , Kim Geena , Kim Eun-Hee , Lee Byoung Kook , So Hyejin , Kwon Yoowon , Shin Jeongmin , Kim Minji
Published: March 2023

We retrospectively analyzed National Health Insurance claims data (January 2002–December 2018) to determine the asthma prevalence and risk factors among preterm infants born in Korea. Patients with asthma were defined as those with a history of asthma medication prescriptions at least twice per year with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition codes J45 and J46. We enrolled 99,139 preterm infants. The prevalence of asthma among preterm and term infants was 32.7% and 26.9%, 21.2% and 19.1%, 6.7% and 5.9%, 2.0%, and 1.6%, and 2.4% and 1.6% at 2, 5, 10, 15, and 16 years of age, respectively. The relative risk (RR) of asthma in preterm infants was 1.1-fold that in female preterm infants. The RR of asthma medication prescriptions for infants with extreme prematurity was 1.92-fold that of infants with moderate/late pre-term status. Among preterm with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) without comorbidities, the RRs for the number of asthma medication prescriptions were 1.34 and 1.06, respectively. This study revealed a higher prevalence of asthma among preterm infants than that in term infants. Male sex, extreme prematurity, BPD, and RDS were identified as risk factors for asthma medication prescriptions in preterm infants.
Application of a linear interpolation algorithm in radiation therapy dosimetry for 3D dose point acquisition
Authors: Guo Yixiao , Li Bo , Li Yazhou , Du Wen , Feng Weigui , Feng Shifang , Miao Guoying
Published: March 2023

Air-vented ion chambers are generally used in radiation therapy dosimetry to determine the absorbed radiation dose with superior precision. However, in ion chamber detector arrays, the number of array elements and their spacing do not provide sufficient spatial sampling, which can be overcome by interpolating measured data. Herein, we investigated the potential principle of the linear interpolation algorithm in volumetric dose reconstruction based on computed tomography images in the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique and evaluated how the ion chamber spacing and anatomical mass density affect the accuracy of interpolating new data points. Plane measurement doses on 83 VMAT treatment plans at different anatomical sites were acquired using Octavius 729, Octavius1500, and MatriXX ion chamber detector arrays, followed by the linear interpolation to reconstruct volumetric doses. Dosimetric differences in planning target volumes (PTVs) and organs at risk (OARs) between treatment planning system and reconstruction were evaluated by dose volume histogram metrics. The average percentage dose deviations in the mean dose (Dmean) of PTVs reconstructed by 729 and 1500 arrays ranged from 4.7 to 7.3% and from 1.5 to 2.3%, while the maximum dose (Dmax) counterparts ranged from 2.3 to 5.5% and from 1.6 to 7.6%, respectively. The average percentage dose/volume deviations of mixed PTVs and OARs in the abdomen/gastric and pelvic sites were 7.6%, 3.5%, and 7.2%, while mediastinum and lung plans showed slightly larger values of 8.7%, 5.1%, and 8.9% for 729, 1500, and MatriXX detector arrays, respectively. Our findings indicated that the smaller the spacing between neighbouring detectors and the more ion chambers present, the smaller the error in interpolating new data points. Anatomical regions with small local mass density inhomogeneity were associated with superior dose reconstruction. Given a large mass density difference in the various human anatomical structures and the characteristics of the linear interpolation algorithm, we suggest that an alternative data interpolation method should be used in radiotherapy dosimetry.
Natural and engineered mediators of desiccation tolerance stabilize Human Blood Clotting Factor VIII in a dry state
Authors: Packebush Maxwell H. , Sanchez-Martinez Silvia , Biswas Sourav , KC Shraddha , Nguyen Kenny H. , Ramirez John F. , Nicholson Vincent , Boothby Thomas C.
Published: March 2023

Biologics, pharmaceuticals containing or derived from living organisms, such as vaccines, antibodies, stem cells, blood, and blood products are a cornerstone of modern medicine. However, nearly all biologics have a major deficiency: they are inherently unstable, requiring storage under constant cold conditions. The so-called ‘cold-chain’, while effective, represents a serious economic and logistical hurdle for deploying biologics in remote, underdeveloped, or austere settings where access to cold-chain infrastructure ranging from refrigerators and freezers to stable electricity is limited. To address this issue, we explore the possibility of using anhydrobiosis, the ability of organisms such as tardigrades to enter a reversible state of suspended animation brought on by extreme drying, as a jumping off point in the development of dry storage technology that would allow biologics to be kept in a desiccated state under not only ambient but elevated temperatures. Here we examine the ability of different protein and sugar-based mediators of anhydrobiosis derived from tardigrades and other anhydrobiotic organisms to stabilize Human Blood Clotting Factor VIII under repeated dehydration/rehydration cycles, thermal stress, and long-term dry storage conditions. We find that while both protein and sugar-based protectants can stabilize the biologic pharmaceutical Human Blood Clotting Factor VIII under all these conditions, protein-based mediators offer more accessible avenues for engineering and thus tuning of protective function. Using classic protein engineering approaches, we fine tune the biophysical properties of a protein-based mediator of anhydrobiosis derived from a tardigrade, CAHS D. Modulating the ability of CAHS D to form hydrogels make the protein better or worse at providing protection to Human Blood Clotting Factor VIII under different conditions. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of tardigrade CAHS proteins and other mediators of desiccation tolerance at preserving the function of a biologic without the need for the cold-chain. In addition, our study demonstrates that engineering approaches can tune natural products to serve specific protective functions, such as coping with desiccation cyclingversusthermal stress. Ultimately, these findings provide a proof of principle that our reliance on the cold-chain to stabilize life-saving pharmaceuticals can be broken using natural and engineered mediators of desiccation tolerance.
Exploring the impact mechanism of low-carbon multivariate coupling system in Chinese typical cities based on machine learning
Authors: Yang Haonan , Chen Liang , Huang Huan , Tang Panyu , Xie Hua , Wang Chu
Published: March 2023

Low-carbon city construction is one of the key issues that must be addressed for China to achieve high-quality economic development and meet the Sustainable Development Goals. This study creates a comprehensive evaluation index system of low-carbon city multivariate system based on carbon emission data from 30 typical Chinese cities from 2006 to 2017 and evaluates and analyzes the trend of city low-carbon levels using the CRITIC-TOPSIS technique and MK method. Meanwhile, the influence mechanism of the multi-coupled system is investigated using the coupling coordination degree model and random forest algorithm.The results show that there are 8 cities with a significant increasing trend of low-carbon level, 19 cities with no significant monotonic change trend, and 3 cities with a decreasing trend of low-carbon level. By analyzing the coupling coordination degree, we found that the coupling coordination degree between low-carbon level and economic development in most cities tends to increase year by year, from the initial antagonistic effect to a good coordination development trend, which confirms the “inverted U-shaped” relationship between economy and carbon emission. In addition, industrial pollutant emissions, foreign direct investment, and economic output are the core drivers of low-carbon levels in cities.
Influence of α-amylase, xylanase and cellulase on the rheological properties of bread dough enriched with oat bran
Authors: Liu Wenjun , Brennan Margaret , Tu Dawei , Brennan Charles
Published: March 2023

A better understanding of dough rheology during processing is crucial in the bakery industry, since quality attributes of the final product are influenced by those properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of xylanase, α-amylase and cellulase on the rheological properties of bread dough enriched in oat bran. A DoughLAB was used to measure the mixing characteristics of dough. According to the results, adding a single enzyme did not significantly affect the water absorption, development time, or stability of oat bran dough. In contrast, when blended enzymes were used at high concentrations (10, 120, and 60 ppm), the water absorption, development time, and stability of the oat bran dough were significantly reduced compared to using the single enzyme (62.1%, 7.1 and 6.6 min). It was found that combining α-amylase, xylanase and cellulase resulted in better extensibility and stickiness (16.5 mm and 60.8 g) of oat bran dough than using these enzymes individually. As a result, α-amylase, xylanase and cellulase complemented each other in determining the rheology of bread dough.
Malaria hotspots and climate change trends in the hyper-endemic malaria settings of Mizoram along the India–Bangladesh borders
Authors: Lalmalsawma Pachuau , Balasubramani K. , James Meenu Mariya , Pautu Lalfakzuala , Prasad Kumar Arun , Sarma Devojit Kumar , Balabaskaran Nina Praveen
Published: March 2023

India has made tremendous progress in reducing malaria mortality and morbidity in the last decade. Mizoram State in North-East India is one of the few malaria-endemic regions where malaria transmission has continued to remain high. As Mizoram shares international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar, malaria control in this region is critical for malaria elimination efforts in all the three countries. For identifying hotspots for targeted intervention, malaria data from 385 public health sub-centers across Mizoram were analyzed in the Geographic Information System. Almost all the sub-centers reporting high Annual Parasite Index (> 10) are located in Mizoram’s districts that border Bangladesh. Getis-Ord Gi* statistic shows most of the sub-centers located along the Bangladesh border in the Lawngtlai and Lunglei districts to be the malaria hotspots. The hotspots also extended into the Mamit and Siaha districts, especially along the borders of Lawngtlai and Lunglei. Analysis of terrain, climatic, and land use/land cover datasets obtained from the Global Modelling and Assimilation Office and satellite images show Mizoram’s western part (Lawngtlai, Lunglei, and Mamit districts) to experience similar topographic and climatic conditions as the bordering Rangamati district in the Chittagong division of Bangladesh. Climatic trends in this region from 1981 to 2021, estimated by the Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope estimates, show an increasing trend in minimum temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and the associated shift of climatic pattern (temperate to tropical monsoon) could facilitate malaria transmission. The quasi-Poisson regression model estimates a strong association (p < 0.001) between total malaria cases, temperature range, and elevation. The Kruskal–Wallis H test shows a statistically significant association between malaria cases and forest classes (p < 0.001). A regional coordination and strategic plan are required to eliminate malaria from this hyper-endemic malaria region of North-East India.
Evaluation of transcutaneous near-infrared spectroscopy for early detection of cardiac arrest in an animal model
Authors: Raschdorf Katharina , Mohseni Arman , Hogle Kaavya , Cheung Amanda , So Kitty , Manouchehri Neda , Khalili Mahsa , Lingawi Saud , Grunau Brian , Kuo Calvin , Christenson Jim , Shadgan Babak
Published: March 2023

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The SCA-to-resuscitation interval is a key determinant of patient outcomes, highlighting the clinical need for reliable and timely detection of SCA. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a non-invasive optical technique, may have utility for this application. We investigated transcutaneous NIRS as a method to detect pentobarbital-induced changes during cardiac arrest in eight Yucatan miniature pigs. NIRS measurements during cardiac arrest were compared to invasively acquired carotid blood pressure and partial oxygen pressure (PO2) of spinal cord tissues. We observed statistically significant decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) 64.68 mmHg ± 13.08, p < 0.0001), spinal cord PO2 (38.16 mmHg ± 20.04, p = 0.0028), and NIRS-derived tissue oxygen saturation (TSI%) (14.50% ± 3.80, p < 0.0001) from baseline to 5 min after pentobarbital administration. Euthanasia-to-first change in hemodynamics for MAP and TSI (%) were similar [MAP (10.43 ± 4.73 s) vs TSI (%) (12.04 ± 1.85 s), p = 0.3714]. No significant difference was detected between NIRS and blood pressure-derived pulse rates during baseline periods (p > 0.99) and following pentobarbital administration (p = 0.97). Transcutaneous NIRS demonstrated the potential to identify rapid hemodynamic changes due to cardiac arrest in periods similar to invasive indices. We conclude that transcutaneous NIRS monitoring may present a novel, non-invasive approach for SCA detection, which warrants further investigation.
Enhancing a SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen test sensitivity with cost efficient strategy through a cotton intermembrane insertion
Authors: Nicollete Diego Rinaldi Pavesi , Benedetti Rafael , Valença Beatriz Arruda , Kuniyoshi Keyla Kaori , de Jesus Thainá Caroline Schuartz , Gevaerd Ava , Santiago Erika Bergamo , de Almeida Bernardo Montesanti Machado , Júnior Sérgio Renato Rogal , Figueredo Marcus Vinícius Mazega
Published: March 2023

Lateral flow antigen tests have been widely used in the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing faster diagnostic test results and preventing further viral spread through isolation of infected individuals. Accomplishment of this screening must be performed with tests that show satisfactory sensitivity in order to successfully detect the target protein and avoid false negatives. The aim of this study was to create a lateral flow test that could detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in low concentrations that were comparable to the limits of detection claimed by existing tests from the market. To do so, several adjustments were necessary during research and development of the prototypes until they were consistent with these criteria. The proposed alternatives of increasing the test line antibody concentration and addition of an intermembrane between the conjugate pad and the nitrocellulose membrane were able to increase the sensitivity four-fold and generate a new rapid test prototype called “lateral flow intermembrane immunoassay test” (LFIIT). This prototype showed an adequate limit of detection (2.0 ng mL−1) while maintaining affordability and simplicity in manufacturing processes.
A novel intelligent bearing fault diagnosis method based on signal process and multi-kernel joint distribution adaptation
Authors: Xiong Jundi , Cui Shihai , Tang Haihong
Published: March 2023

The present research on intelligent bearing fault diagnosis assumes that the same feature distribution is used to obtain training and testing data. However, the domain shift (distribution discrepancy) issue generally occurs in both datasets because of different operational conditions. The domain adaptation techniques are preferably applied for fault diagnosis to handle the domain shift issue. Moreover, collecting sufficient testing data or labelled data in real industries is a challenging task. Therefore, the multi-kernel joint distribution adaptation (MKJDA) with dynamic distribution alignment is proposed for bearing fault diagnosis. This method dynamically joins both the marginal and conditional distributions and uses the multi-kernel to solve the non-linear problems to extract the most effective and robust representation for cross-domain issues. Moreover, it runs with the unlabelled task domain to perform the diagnosis by iteratively updating the pseudo code. The experimental results (two public datasets and one experimental dataset) demonstrated that the proposed method (MKJDA) exhibited stable and robust accuracy while conducting bearing fault diagnosis. It can effectively address the most crucial issue: intelligent diagnosis methods must re-train the model when the distribution differs between the source domain (the model is learned) and the target domain (the learned model is applied).
Extraction, structural characterization, and biological activities of a new glucan from Codonopsis pilosula
Authors: Lu Shanshan , Gu Wei , Ma Qihan , Tian Rong , Qiu Rongli , Ma Lijie , Wu Yinzhi , Liu Mengxue , Tang Junjie
Published: March 2023

In this study, a powerful and rapid aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) method was used to extract polysaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula. The ATPS process was investigated with response surface methodology (RSM). At an ammonium sulfate concentration of 17%, ethanol concentration of 30%, and extraction temperature of 40 °C at pH 6, the total extraction yield of polysaccharides reached (31.57 ± 1.28)%. After separation and purification, a homogenized polysaccharide CPP 2–4 with molecular weight of 3.9 × 104 kDa was obtained from the bottom phase. The physicochemical properties and structural features confirmed that CPP 2–4 was an α-1,6-glucan. Activity studies showed that the IC50 of CPP 2–4 for DPPH radical scavenging was 0.105 mg/mL. The FRAP and ABTS assays showed that CPP 2–4 had strong antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, CPP 2–4 inhibited NO release in RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide, which indicated a certain anti-inflammatory effect. This study improved the extraction rate of polysaccharides from C. pilosula and identified a glucan for the first time, that can contribute to a better understanding of the composition and structure of polysaccharides from C. pilosula and provide data support for the medicine and food homology of C. pilosula.
Microbial diversity and metabolic function in duodenum, jejunum and ileum of emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
Authors: Kim Ji Eun , Tun Hein M. , Bennett Darin C. , Leung Frederick C. , Cheng Kimberly M.
Published: March 2023

Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae), a large flightless omnivorous ratite, are farmed for their fat and meat. Emu fat can be rendered into oil for therapeutic and cosmetic use. They are capable of gaining a significant portion of its daily energy requirement from the digestion of plant fibre. Despite of its large body size and low metabolic rate, emus have a relatively simple gastroinstetinal (GI) tract with a short mean digesta retention time. However, little is known about the GI microbial diversity of emus. The objective of this study was to characterize the intraluminal intestinal bacterial community in the different segments of small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) using pyrotag sequencing and compare that with the ceca. Gut content samples were collected from each of four adult emus (2 males, 2 females; 5–6 years old) that were free ranged but supplemented with a barley-alfalfa-canola based diet. We amplified the V3-V5 region of 16S rRNA gene to identify the bacterial community using Roche 454 Junior system. After quality trimming, a total of 165,585 sequence reads were obtained from different segments of the small intestine (SI). A total of 701 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified in the different segments of small intestine. Firmicutes (14–99%) and Proteobacteria (0.5–76%) were the most predominant bacterial phyla in the small intestine. Based on species richness estimation (Chao1 index), the average number of estimated OTUs in the small intestinal compartments were 148 in Duodenum, 167 in Jejunum, and 85 in Ileum, respectively. Low number of core OTUs identified in each compartment of small intestine across individual birds (Duodenum: 13 OTUs, Jejunum: 2 OTUs, Ileum: 14 OTUs) indicated unique bacterial community in each bird. Moreover, only 2 OTUs (Escherichia and Sinobacteraceae) were identified as core bacteria along the whole small intestine. PICRUSt analysis has indicated that the detoxification of plant material and environmental chemicals seem to be performed by SI microbiota, especially those in the jejunum. The emu cecal microbiome has more genes than SI segments involving in protective or immune response to enteric pathogens. Microbial digestion and fermentation is mostly in the jejunum and ceca. This is the first study to characterize the microbiota of different compartments of the emu intestines via gut samples and not fecal samples. Results from this study allow us to further investigate the influence of the seasonal and physiological changes of intestinal microbiota on the nutrition of emus and indirectly influence the fatty acid composition of emu fat.
Development and validation of a simple machine learning tool to predict mortality in leptospirosis
Authors: Galdino Gabriela Studart , de Sandes-Freitas Tainá Veras , de Andrade Luis Gustavo Modelli , Adamian Caio Manuel Caetano , Meneses Gdayllon Cavalcante , da Silva Junior Geraldo Bezerra , de Francesco Daher Elizabeth
Published: March 2023

Predicting risk factors for death in leptospirosis is challenging, and identifying high-risk patients is crucial as it might expedite the start of life-saving supportive care. Admission data of 295 leptospirosis patients were enrolled, and a machine-learning approach was used to fit models in a derivation cohort. The comparison of accuracy metrics was performed with two previous models—SPIRO score and quick SOFA score. A Lasso regression analysis was the selected model, demonstrating the best accuracy to predict mortality in leptospirosis [area under the curve (AUC-ROC) = 0.776]. A score-based prediction was carried out with the coefficients of this model and named LeptoScore. Then, to simplify the predictive tool, a new score was built by attributing points to the predictors with importance values higher than 1. The simplified score, named QuickLepto, has five variables (age > 40 years; lethargy; pulmonary symptom; mean arterial pressure < 80 mmHg and hematocrit < 30%) and good predictive accuracy (AUC-ROC = 0.788). LeptoScore and QuickLepto had better accuracy to predict mortality in patients with leptospirosis when compared to SPIRO score (AUC-ROC = 0.500) and quick SOFA score (AUC-ROC = 0.782). The main result is a new scoring system, the QuickLepto, that is a simple and useful tool to predict death in leptospirosis patients at hospital admission.
The preventive role of the red gingeng ginsenoside Rg3 in the treatment of lung tumorigenesis induced by benzo(a)pyrene
Authors: Xiong Jie , Yuan Hongmei , Fei Shihong , Yang Shengli , You Ming , Liu Li
Published: March 2023

Red ginseng has been used in traditional medicine for centuries in Asia. In this study, we evaluated four types of red ginseng grown in different areas (Chinese red ginseng, Korean red ginseng A, Korean red ginseng B, and Korean red ginseng C) for their ability to inhibit lung tumor formation and growth induced by the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) in A/J mice and found that Korean red ginseng B was the most effective at lowering the tumor load among the four red ginseng varieties. Moreover, we analyzed the levels of various ginsenosides (Rg1, Re, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, Rb1, Rh1, Rd, Rg3, Rh2, F1, Rk1, and Rg5) in four kinds of red ginseng extract and found that Korean red ginseng B had the highest level of ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3), which suggested that G-Rg3 may play an important role in its therapeutic efficacy. This work revealed that the bioavailability of G-Rg3 was relatively poor. However, when G-Rg3 was coadministered with verapamil, a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, the G-Rg3 efflux in Caco-2 cells was lowered, the small intestinal absorption rate of G-Rg3 in the rat models was increased, the concentration levels of G-Rg3 were elevated in the intestine and plasma, and its tumor-preventive abilities in the tumorigenesis rat model induced by B(a)P were also augmented. We also found that G-Rg3 reduced B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity and DNA adduct formation in human lung cells and rescued phase II enzyme expression and activity through Nrf2 pathways, which may be the potential mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of G-Rg3 on lung tumorigenesis. Our study showed a potentially vital role of G-Rg3 in targeting lung tumors in murine models. The oral bioavailability of this ginsenoside was augmented by targeting P-glycoprotein, which allowed the molecule to exert its anticancer effects.
Minimally invasive colonoscopy treatment of inflammatory fibroid polyps in the terminal ileum
Authors: Tang Yin-Si , Liu Lu , Gao Ying , He Qiao-Chu , Guo Hai-Mei , Zhao Zhi-Feng
Published: March 2023

To identify the characteristics of inflammatory fibroid polyps (IFP) in the terminal ileum and to investigate the methods, safety, and efficacy of colonoscopic minimally invasive dissection and resection therapies for its treatment. Colonoscopy and colonoscopic ultrasonography were used to diagnose patients with protruding mucosal lesions in the terminal ileum, and the results suggested a high suspicion of IFPs. Colonoscopic minimally invasive dissection and resection were performed for these patients, and IFP was confirmed by postoperative pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining. Twelve cases of IFP from April 2016 to December 2020 in our hospital were examined pathologically and immunohistochemically. The IFPs in the terminal ileum were all successfully excised by colonoscopy. There were no postoperative perforation, bleeding, or recurrence cases during the follow-up. The features of the lesions, as well as the efficacy of colonoscopic minimally invasive dissection and resection, were reviewed. Terminal ileum IFPs have corresponding colonoscopic and endoscopic ultrasonographic features. For IFPs less than 2 cm in size and within 10 cm of the ileocecal valve, removal by colonoscopy was proven less invasive, safe, and effective.
Enhancing earthquake preparedness knowledge and practice among Nepalese immigrants residing in Japan
Authors: Bhandari Aliza K. C. , Rahman Mahbubur , Takahashi Osamu
Published: March 2023

This study aims at increasing earthquake preparedness knowledge perception and practice among Nepalese immigrants residing in Japan through an educational intervention. A single arm quasi experimental study was conducted among Nepalese immigrants residing in Japan. An educational intervention was prepared along with a 52 itemed questionnaire. In total, 165 participants responded to our questionnaire. Majority of them were male (67.88%), and the mean age was 32.78 years. Generalized equation model showed that the knowledge score of earthquake preparedness was 4.01 points higher immediately after the intervention [95% CI (2.78–5.24), p-value < 0.001] compared to baseline with a further increase by 7.02 points [95% CI (5.96–8.09), p-value < 0.001] at two weeks follow up. However, the practice score increased only by 2.83 points [95% CI (2.51–3.14), p-value < 0.001] immediately after the intervention with a similar increase at two weeks and 12 weeks follow up period [OR: 2.62, 95% CI (2.29–2.96), p-value < 0.001]. The educational intervention, when conducted in native language, can increase both the knowledge and practice score of earthquake preparedness hence, information related to earthquake preparedness in Nepali languages in the government websites of Japan could potentially increase information seeking behavior of people.
Comparison of antioxidant activity in various spirulina containing products and factors affecting it
Authors: Stunda-Zujeva Agnese , Berele Megija , Lece Anna , Šķesters Andrejs
Published: March 2023

Spirulina is a popular food supplement known for its high antioxidant activity. Several studies have shown that antioxidant activity fluctuates depending on the combination of ingredients in the food. Fresh spirulina is a growing market trend; however, pure spirulina short shelf life is a strong limitation. This study aims to investigate antioxidant activity of various novel commercial fresh spirulina-containing products and the factors affecting it. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of each ingredient and binary combinations of spirulina and apple juices, Japanese quince syrup, or cranberry syrup were measured. Synergic, antagonistic, and additive interactions between samples were determined and expressed using the synergy coefficient. FRAP assay showed apparent synergism of spirulina and all the studied ingredients whereas ABTS and Folin–Ciocalteu methods revealed an antagonistic interaction between spirulina and apple juice. Despite the antagonistic interactions, all the products demonstrated at least the same antioxidant activity as pure fresh spirulina and had longer shelf life than, pointing to their commercial potential.
Utility of novel echocardiographic measurements to improve prenatal diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta
Authors: Fujisaki Takuya , Ishii Yoichiro , Takahashi Kunihiko , Mori Masayoshi , Matsuo Kumiyo , Asada Dai , Aoki Hisaaki , Tsumura Sanae , Iwai Shigemitsu , Kayatani Futoshi
Published: March 2023

Prenatal recognition of coarctation of the aorta (CoA) may improve neonatal survival and reduce morbidity. However, prenatal diagnosis of CoA remains challenging, with relatively high false-positive and false-negative rates. This study aimed to identify a novel formula based on fetal echocardiographic measures to predict prenatal identification of CoA. A retrospective comparison on the echocardiographic evaluation of 30 patients with suspected CoA between May 2016 and April 2021 was performed. The patients were divided into a postnatal surgical intervention group (n = 13) and a non-intervention group (n = 17). The measurements that showed significant differences were aortic isthmus diameter Z-score (p < 0.001), ductus arteriosus diameter/aortic isthmus diameter (p < 0.001), and distal aortic arch (DA) index (p < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic curves analysis, the DA index was the largest with an area under the curve of 0.941 and a cutoff value of 1.28, with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 94%. Measurement of the DA index improved the diagnostic rate of fetal CoA and a DA index ≧ 1.28 indicated fetal CoA cases requiring surgical intervention.
The effect of SARS-CoV-2 variant on respiratory features and mortality
Authors: Hughes Thomas D. , Subramanian Ajan , Chakraborty Rana , Cotton Shannon A. , Herrera Maria Del Pilar Giraldo , Huang Yong , Lambert Natalie , Pinto Melissa D. , Rahmani Amir M. , Sierra Carmen Josefa , Downs Charles A.
Published: March 2023

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has caused over 80 million infections 973,000 deaths in the United States, and mutations are linked to increased transmissibility. This study aimed to determine the effect of SARS-CoV-2 variants on respiratory features, mortality, and to determine the effect of vaccination status. A retrospective review of medical records (n = 55,406 unique patients) using the University of California Health COvid Research Data Set (UC CORDS) was performed to identify respiratory features, vaccination status, and mortality from 01/01/2020 to 04/26/2022. Variants were identified using the CDC data tracker. Increased odds of death were observed amongst unvaccinated individuals and fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals who received any vaccination during multiple waves of the pandemic. Vaccination status was associated with survival and a decreased frequency of many respiratory features. More recent SARS-CoV-2 variants show a reduction in lower respiratory tract features with an increase in upper respiratory tract features. Being fully vaccinated results in fewer respiratory features and higher odds of survival, supporting vaccination in preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19.
Role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in the mechanotransduction signaling pathways that link low shear stress with inflammation
Authors: Liu Martin , Panagopoulos Anastasios Nikolaos , Oguz Usama M. , Samant Saurabhi , Vasa Charu Hasini , Agrawal Devendra K. , Chatzizisis Yiannis S.
Published: March 2023

This study sought to investigate the role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) in the mechanotransduction signaling pathways that link low shear stress with inflammation. Human coronary artery endothelial cells, human coronary artery smooth muscle cells, and THP-1 monocytes were co-cultured and exposed to varying endothelial shear stress (ESS) conditions: low (5 ± 3 dynes/cm2), medium (10 ± 3 dynes/cm2), and high (15 ± 3 dynes/cm2). We showed that low ESS increased the expression of TREM-1 by the cultured cells leading to increased production of inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading enzymes, whereas high ESS did not have a significant effect in the expression of TREM-1 and inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, TREM-1 transcriptional inhibition with siRNA in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and monocytes exposed to low ESS, led to a significant reduction in the production of vascular inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading enzymes. Additionally, we identified the transcription factors that appear to upregulate the TREM-1 gene expression in response to low ESS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the pathophysiologic association and molecular pathways that link low ESS, TREM-1, and inflammation using a sophisticated in-vitro model of atherosclerosis. Future studies on animals and humans are warranted to investigate the potential of TREM-1 inhibitors as adjunctive anti-atherosclerotic therapies.
Development of a novel experimental technique for the measurement of residual wall layer thickness in water-oil displacement flows
Authors: Zhang Yao , Barrouillet Benjamin , Chavan Sachin M. , Skadsem Hans Joakim
Published: March 2023

The effective removal and displacement of fluids is important in many industrial and environmental applications, such as for operation and cleaning of process equipment, fluid injection in porous media for oil recovery or aquifer remediation, or for achieving subsurface zonal isolation in new or abandoned wells. The accurate measurement of the residual fluid wall film left behind after displacement by a cleaning fluid is a long-standing challenge, particularly so for very thin fluid films where the thickness can be of the order of micrometer. We focus on the characterization of oil films left on the wall of a horizontal pipe after the pipe has been displaced by water, and develop a novel, non-intrusive analytical technique that allows the use of relevant pipe materials. The oil that originally occupies the pipe is stained by a hydrophobic dye Nile red, and an intermediate organic solvent is used to collect the residual oil volume that remains after displacing the pipe with a known volume of water. Finally, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is used to measure the Nile red concentration in the collected fluid, which is proportional to the residual volume of oil in the pipe. We demonstrate the methodology by conducting experiments where the displacing fluid is injected at two different imposed velocities, and where the injected fluid volume is varied. As expected, we find a gradual thinning of the oil film with increasing injected fluid volume. We compare the measured film thicknesses to a displacement model based on the steady velocity profile in a pipe, and find that experiments consistently produce smaller film thicknesses. This developed technique allows quantification of displacement and cleaning mechanisms involved in immiscible displacements at laminar, transitional and turbulent regimes, for different non-Newtonian fluid pairs, and for different realistic pipe materials and surface roughnesses.
Distributed dynamic strain sensing of very long period and long period events on telecom fiber-optic cables at Vulcano, Italy
Authors: Currenti Gilda , Allegra Martina , Cannavò Flavio , Jousset Philippe , Prestifilippo Michele , Napoli Rosalba , Sciotto Mariangela , Di Grazia Giuseppe , Privitera Eugenio , Palazzo Simone , Krawczyk Charlotte
Published: March 2023

Volcano-seismic signals can help for volcanic hazard estimation and eruption forecasting. However, the underlying mechanism for their low frequency components is still a matter of debate. Here, we show signatures of dynamic strain records from Distributed Acoustic Sensing in the low frequencies of volcanic signals at Vulcano Island, Italy. Signs of unrest have been observed since September 2021, with CO2 degassing and occurrence of long period and very long period events. We interrogated a fiber-optic telecommunication cable on-shore and off-shore linking Vulcano Island to Sicily. We explore various approaches to automatically detect seismo-volcanic events both adapting conventional algorithms and using machine learning techniques. During one month of acquisition, we found 1488 events with a great variety of waveforms composed of two main frequency bands (from 0.1 to 0.2 Hz and from 3 to 5 Hz) with various relative amplitudes. On the basis of spectral signature and family classification, we propose a model in which gas accumulates in the hydrothermal system and is released through a series of resonating fractures until the surface. Our findings demonstrate that fiber optic telecom cables in association with cutting-edge machine learning algorithms contribute to a better understanding and monitoring of volcanic hydrothermal systems.
Pedestrian multiple-object tracking based on FairMOT and circle loss
Authors: Che Jin , He Yuting , Wu Jinman
Published: March 2023

Multi-object Tracking is an important issue that has been widely investigated in computer vision. However, in practical applications, moving targets are often occluded due to complex changes in the background, which leads to frequent pedestrian ID switches in multi-object tracking. To solve the problem, we present a multi-object tracking algorithm based on FairMOT and Circle Loss. In this paper, HRNet is adopted as the baseline. Then, Polarized Self-Attention is added to HRNet-w32 to obtain weights of helpful information based on its modeling advantages. Moreover, the re-identification branch is optimized, and the Circle Loss is selected as the loss function to acquire more discriminative pedestrian features and to distinguish different pedestrians. The method proposed is assessed on the public MOT17 datasets. The experimental results show that the MOTA score achieves 69.5%, IDF1 reaches 70.0%, and the number of ID switches (IDs) decreases 636 times compared to the TraDes algorithm.