bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coupled effects of land-use patterns and hydrological regimes on fecal indicator bacteria in a coastal watershed
Authors: Huang Yicheng , Wang Jian , Xie Zheyu , Huang Jinliang
Published: December 2023

Monitoring and assessing fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) can inform aquatic ecosystem health and management. However, knowledge of the patterns of fecal coliforms and the underlying mechanisms in rivers is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the coupled effects of land-use patterns and hydrological regimes on FIB patterns in a subtropical coastal watershed, the Jiulong River Watershed (JRW). Water samples were collected quarterly for nutrient and FIB measurements across the watershed, from October 2020 to July 2021. The results indicate that Escherichia coli and Fecal E. coli concentrations peaked in summer and autumn, with significantly higher concentrations observed in urban watersheds than in natural watersheds. Redundancy analysis further revealed that of the four sampling seasons, the relative contribution of land use to FIB characteristics in the JRW was the highest in autumn, whereas that of water quality was the highest in the other three seasons. Water flow showed the lowest relative contribution in all the seasons and a positive correlation between high nutrient concentrations and E. coli counts exhibited. This study enhances our understanding on the coupled effects of seasonal hydrological regimes and land-use patterns on FIB characteristics, which might provide implications for mitigating the risk of E. coli contamination in similar human-impacted watersheds.
A comparison of two systems for group housing of sows - effects on productivity, removal, and treatments
Authors: SYLVÉN KAISA RYYTTY , WALLGREN TORUN , ALMERHEIM PONTUS , SELLING LENA ELIASSON- , JACOBSON MAGDALENA , WALLGREN PER
Published: December 2023

Background
Group housing of sows has been extensively studied since the EU banned gestation crating. Well-managed group housing promotes sow welfare, but the impact varies based on factors such as feeding, group characteristics, and environmental features etc. Adequate floor space, particularly directly post-mixing, is crucial for social interactions, innate behaviours, and to reduce injuries caused by aggression. The aim of this study was to compare two group housing systems for pregnant sows with respect to productivity, treatment frequency, and removal of sows.
Results
The mean parity number was 3.1 ± 1.3 in both groups. Sows housed in System I with large groups (n = 40) in large pens with deep litter straw gave birth to 16.8 ± 0.33 (Least Squares Means, LSM) piglets, compared to 15.4 ± 0.31 (LSM) for sows in System II kept in smaller groups (n = 8–10) in smaller pens (p = 0.0005). Medical treatments of sows were more frequent (p < 0.001) in System II. The incidence of replacement of sows was comparable in both systems, and there was a high occurrence of sows becoming pregnant during the subsequent insemination in both groups.
Conclusions
This study indicated that sows kept in larger groups provided with a larger floor space (a total area of 156 m2, corresponding to 3.9 m2 per sow) and housed on deep straw had a higher number of liveborn and weaned piglets and lower incidence of antibiotic treatments than sows with less floor space (a total area of 24.5 m2, corresponding to 2.5–3.1 m2 per sow) and less bedding/manipulable material. Increased total floor space appeared to alleviate the negative effects of mixing, even in larger groups.
Reducing Time to Diagnosis of Rare Genetic Diseases in a Medically Underserved Hispanic Population- Lessons Learned for Meaningful Engagement
Authors: Vuocolo Blake , Sierra Roberta , Brooks Dan , Holder Christopher , Urbanski Lauren , Rodriguez Keila , Gamez Jose David , Mulukutla Surya Narayan , Berry Lori , Hernandez Ana , Allegre Alberto , Hidalgo Humberto , Rodriguez Sarah , Magallan Sandy , Gibson Jeremy , Bernini Juan Carlos , Watson Melanie , Nelson Robert , Mellin-Sanchez Lizbeth , Dai Hongzheng , Soler-Alfonso Claudia , Carter Kent , Lee Brendan , Lalani Seema R.
Published: December 2023

Background
The utilization of genomic information to improve health outcomes is progressively becoming more common in clinical practice. Nonetheless, disparities persist in accessing genetic services among ethnic minorities, individuals with low socioeconomic status, and other vulnerable populations. The Rio Grande Valley at the Texas-Mexico border is predominantly Hispanic with a high poverty rate and an increased prevalence of birth defects, with very limited access to genetics services. The cost of a diagnosis is often times out of reach for these underserved families. Funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Project GIVE (Genetic Inclusion by Virtual Evaluation) was launched in 2022 to shorten the time to diagnosis and alleviate healthcare inequities in this region, with the goal of improving pediatric health outcomes.
Methods
Utilizing Consultagene, an innovative electronic health record (EHR) agnostic virtual telehealth and educational platform, we designed the study to recruit 100 children with rare diseases over a period of two years from this region, through peer-to-peer consultation and referral.
Conclusions
Project GIVE study has allowed advanced genetic evaluation and delivery of genome sequencing through the virtual portal, effectively circumventing the recognized socioeconomic and other barriers within this population. This paper explores the successful community engagement process and implementation of an alternate genomics evaluation platform and testing approach, aiming to reduce the diagnostic journey for individuals with rare diseases residing in a medically underserved region.
Comparing Bayesian models for genetic evaluation of oocytes and embryo counts in Dairy Gir cattle
Authors: Feltes Giovani Luis , Campos Gabriel Soares , Raidan Fernanda Santos Silva , Feres Luiz Fernando Rodrigues , Ribeiro Virgínia Mara Pereira , Cobuci Jaime Araujo
Published: December 2023

Count traits are usually explored in livestock breeding programs and it usually does not fit into Normal distribution, requiring alternatives to adjust the phenotype to estimate accurate genetic parameters and breeding values. Alternatively, distribution such as Poisson can be used to evaluate count traits. This study aimed to compare and discuss the genetic evaluation for oocyte and embryo counts considering Gaussian (untransformed variable – LIN, transformed by logarithm – LOG, transformed by Anscombe – ANS) and Poisson (POI) distributions. The data comprised 11343 total oocytes, viable oocytes, cleaved embryos, viable embryos records of ovum pick-up from 1740 dairy Gir heifers and cows. The genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated by the MCMCglmm package of the R software. The posterior means of heritability varied from 0.40 (LIN) to 0.49 (POI) for TO; 0.39 (LIN) to 0.49 (POI) for VO; 0.30 (LOG) to 0.41 (POI) for CE; 0.19 (LIN) to 0.32 (POI) for VE, respectively. The posterior means of repeatability varied from 0.56 (LIN) to 0.65 (POI) for TO; 0.53 (LOG) to 0.63 (POI) for VO; 0.44 (LOG) to 0.60 (POI) for CE; 0.36 (LOG) to 0.56 (POI) for VE, respectively. Deviance information criterion and mean squared residuals indicated that POI model should be used for genetic evaluation of embryo and oocytes count traits. The Spearman rank correlation between estimated breeding value (EBV) for embryo and oocytes count traits computed by POI, LOG, and ANS models was high (ranging from 0.77 to 0.99), indicating little reordering among the best animals. The POI model is the most adequate for genetic evaluation, resulting in more reliable EBV for Dairy Gir cattle of oocyte and embryo counts traits.
Active Quasi-Circulator based on Wilkinson Power Divider For Miniaturized Wireless Communication System
Authors: Song Kaijun , Zhao Meng , Fan yong
Published: December 2023

An active quasi-circulator based on Wilkinson power divider has been proposed and analyzed in this paper. A power divider, two common-source connected transmits and receive transistor amplifiers are used to consist of the circuit. The single conductivity of the transistor and the isolation of the power divider's isolation resistor are used to eliminate the interference between the received and transmitted signals, thus achieving the role of the quasi-circulator. The advantage of this circuit is that the received and transmitted electromagnetic signals can be amplified by two transistor amplifiers to a certain extent, which can save the design of additional signal power amplification circuits and improve the efficiency of circuit design. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed structure, an active quasi-circulator with a frequency band of 5GHz-6GHz is designed and the simulated structure is machined and fabricated. According to the measured results, in the frequency band of 5GHz-6GHz, the input return loss of antenna port is lower than − 10dB, the output return loss of transmit and receive ports are lower than − 15dB, and the degree of isolation between receive and transmit branches of the quasi-circulator is lower than − 18.6dB, which shows that the quasi-circulator has good working characteristics.
Impact of Climate Change on water diversion risk of Inter‑basin Water Diversion Project
Authors: Mu Linhui , Bai Tao , Liu Dong , Li Lei
Published: December 2023

Aiming at impact of climate Change on water diversion risk of Inter‑basin Water Diversion Project, this paper constructs a risk operation system based on runoff forecast and risk theory. Firstly, this study uses the EEMD-LSTM model to predict future runoff processes. Secondly, the runoff forecast data is incorporated into the data source. The risk degree formula is deduced by the risk theory. Finally, taking risk degree as decision variable established a risk operation model and develop a risk operating scheme. Results indicate that: (1) The risk dispatching scheme transfers the water diversion risk from the dry period to the wet period, to reduce the probability of extreme risk. (2) The time distribution and variation law of water diversion risk are consistent between the water source area and the water receiving area. The spatial law of water diversion risk is decreasing transmission from the water source area to the water receiving area. (3) Risk source and risk bearing body of the water receiving area are directly related to the water shortage and its probability distribution. Rate of socio-economic loss decreases with the increase of water shortage probability. The research results have important application value for risk control of inter-basin water diversion projects and regional security of water supply.
Influence of hormonal changes in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Authors: Droege Freya , Thangavelu Kruthika , Koeninger Angela , Huessler Eva Maria , Lang Stephan , Stuck Boris A. , Geisthoff Urban W.
Published: December 2023

Background:Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare and systemic vascular disorder which is characterized by recurrent epistaxis and mucocutaneous telangiectasia. The role of hormones in reducing epistaxis in these patients is assumed but so far clear evidence is missing.
An electronic questionnaire in English and German was distributed which included sections about the general medical history of HHT and the influence of hormonal changes on the disease symptoms.
Results:Of the 477 respondents with HHT 326 were female, i.e. 68%. The mean age of female patients was 54 years (standard deviation: ± 11.5 years, range [28, 83]). With aging, females suffered from more epistaxis compared to male patients. Out of the 228 female patients who stated that they had ever taken hormones, 73% have been taking hormones for contraception, 57% for hyper-/dysmenorrhea and 26% for menopausal discomfort. Under hormone intake 41% of the women with HHT stated an improvement of their nosebleeds, and 24% that their telangiectasia decreased. Patients who took estrogen and progestin combinations reported less epistaxis. Most female patients reported that their epistaxis increased during puberty (41%) and during pregnancy (39%), mainly in the second trimester.
Conclusions:In HHT, variation in levels of hormone concentrations seemed to contribute to symptom severity. A tentative off-label use of hormonal products might be discussed with women.
Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02690246
Unnatural amino acid substitutions to improve in vivo stability and tumor uptake of 68Ga-labeled GRPR-targeted TacBOMB2 derivatives for cancer imaging with positron emission tomography
Authors: Wang Lei , Kuo Hsiou-Ting , Zhang Zhengxing , Zhang Chengcheng , Chen Chao-Cheng , Chapple Devon , Wilson Ryan , Colpo Nadine , Bénard François , Lin Kuo-Shyan
Published: December 2023

Background
Overexpressed in various solid tumors, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is a promising cancer imaging marker and therapeutic target. Although antagonists are preferable for the development of GRPR-targeted radiopharmaceuticals due to potentially fewer side effects, internalization of agonists may lead to longer tumor retention and better treatment efficacy. In this study, we systematically investigated unnatural amino acid substitutions to improve in vivo stability and tumor uptake of a previously reported GRPR-targeted agonist tracer, [68Ga]Ga-TacBOMB2 (68Ga-DOTA-Pip-D-Phe6-Gln7-Trp8-Ala9-Val10-Gly11-His12-Leu13-Thz14-NH2).
Results
Unnatural amino acid substitutions were conducted for Gln7, Trp8, Ala9, Val10, Gly11 and His12, either alone or in combination. Out of 25 unnatural amino acid substitutions, tert-Leu10 (Tle10) and NMe-His12 substitutions were identified to be preferable modifications especially in combination. Compared with the previously reported [68Ga]Ga-TacBOMB2, the Tle10 and NMe-His12 derived [68Ga]Ga-LW01110 showed retained agonist characteristics and improved GRPR binding affinity (Ki = 7.62 vs 1.39 nM), in vivo stability (12.7 vs 89.0% intact tracer in mouse plasma at 15 min post-injection) and tumor uptake (5.95 vs 16.6%ID/g at 1 h post-injection).
Conclusions
Unnatural amino acid substitution is an effective strategy to improve in vivo stability and tumor uptake of peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals. With excellent tumor uptake and tumor-to-background contrast, [68Ga]Ga-LW01110 is promising for detecting GRPR-expressing cancer lesions with PET. Since agonists can lead to internalization upon binding to receptors and foreseeable long tumor retention, our optimized GRPR-targeted sequence, [Tle10,NMe-His12,Thz14]Bombesin(7–14), is a promising template for use for the design of GRPR-targeted radiotherapeutic agents.
Causal Effects of Gut Microbiota on Female Reproductive Tract Inflammation and Infertility: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Feng Zhoushan , Chen Jieyun , Zhang Yuliang , Jia Chunhong , Du Lili , Chen Dunjin
Published: December 2023

Background
Studies indicate a potential connection between gut microbiota and reproductive health issues in women, such as inflammation and infertility. However, the exact relationship remains uncertain, highlighting the need for further research.
Results
A two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and pelvic inflammatory diseases and infertility. The study identified that specific gut microbiota, such as Lachnospiraceae UCG001 and Ruminococcus 2, increased the risk of inflammatory disorders in female pelvic organs (OR [95%CI]: 1.13 [1.01–1.26] and 1.16 [1.03–13.1], respectively). In contrast, Butyricicoccus and Prevotella 7 were associated with a reduced risk. Further validation with another dataset confirmed Butyricicoccus's role in decreasing pelvic inflammatory disease risk. The study also found a causal relationship between gut microbiota and inflammation in specific pelvic organs, including salpingitis and oophoritis, uterine inflammation, cervical inflammation, and vulvar or vaginal inflammation. Regarding female infertility, Faecalibacterium was linked to an increased risk (1.31 [1.08–1.60]), while genera like Erysipelotrichaceae UCG003 and Ruminococcus (torques group) were associated with lower risks. Further analyses showed a causal connection between gut microbiota and various types of infertility, including anovulation, tubal factors, and others. These results were further confirmed by sensitivity analysis, and no reverse causation was found.
Conclusions
This study provides compelling evidence for the causal relationship between gut microbiota and female reproductive health. Identification of specific bacterial genera associated with increased or decreased risk offers new possibilities for early diagnosis and targeted treatment.
Automatic feature extraction by supervised and contrastive self-supervised learning based on wavelet and hard negatives to detect HIFU lesion area
Authors: Zavar Matineh , Ghaffary Hamid Reza , Tabatabaee Hamid
Published: December 2023

The adoption of Deep Neural Networks has surged due to their ability to automatically extract features and employ diverse approaches in data analysis. This research proposes a novel feature extraction method that doesn't rely on labeled training data, particularly considering the utilization of hard negatives. Given the remarkable success of DNN-based models in analyzing various medical images, including disease diagnosis and detection, this paper delves into diagnosing the lesion area against the normal area, particularly in the context of the non-invasive treatment of HIFU. Monitoring and analyzing inputs related to the lesion area are crucial to prevent damage to normal tissue during the heating process. However, several challenges exist in ultrasound medical imaging, including small sample sizes, data lacking labels, and the time-intensive nature of deep supervised training. These challenges have motivated the introduction of a new self-supervised deep learning method. While supervised learning excels in accuracy, unlabeled data holds valuable information discarded in supervised approaches. Conversely, ultrasonic data's nature lies in the RF signal, offering a detailed acoustic structure of tissue. Acknowledging the limitations and advantages of each method, an effective approach leveraging both signal and image simultaneously is presented. This integrated method enhances diagnostic capabilities and contributes to improve monitoring of HIFU procedures. The proposed methodology for classifying HIFU lesion areas attained high performance metrics: 95% accuracy, 94% precision, 96% recall, and a 95% F1-score. These outcomes underscore the efficacy of the proposed method in accurately classifying HIFU lesion areas.
Genetic diversity and population structure of the corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the subtropical region of America
Authors: Brentassi María Eugenia , Virla Eduardo Gabriel , Aulicino Mónica , Franco Mario Emilio Ernesto , Paradell Susana Liria , Balatti Pedro , Lenicov Ana María Marino de Remes
Published: December 2023

The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis, is the vector of the disease complex known as "Corn Stunt," a serious threat to corn production in subtropical regions of South America. The aim of this study was to estimate the structure and genetic differentiation of D. maidis populations from three distinct geographical regions collected during two maize growing seasons in northwestern Argentina using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Populations in the Monte High-altitude Valley and Dry Plain sites, despite being geographically separated by mountains of high elevations, were genetically similar, while the nearest populations located in Humid Piedmont and Dry Plain were the most genetically different. The results suggested that the populations of D. maidis in subtropical maize-growing areas are structured according to the climatic conditions, mainly humidity and precipitation. Additionally, this structure might be influenced by annual migrants from northern tropical areas, as well as by individuals that occasionally survive from one season to the next as occurs in the Humid Piedmont region.
Robotic Mitral Valve Repair: impact of experience on costs, results, and complex mitral disease treatment
Authors: Lio Antonio , Sangiorgi Beatrice , Nicolò Francesca , Russo Marco , Chirichilli Ilaria , Irace Francesco , Ranocchi Federico , Musumeci Francesco
Published: December 2023

Background. Robotically assisted mitral valve (MV) surgery is the least invasive surgical approach to the MV. The aim of the present study is to report 10-year experience with robotically assisted MV repair trying to define how experience could impact on costs and postoperative results.Methods. Retrospective study on 144 patients who underwent robotic MV repair from November 2011 to March 2023. Patients were divided in two groups: Group 1, including 39 patients (November 2011- January 2013) operated using the Da Vinci Si system and Group 2, including 105 patients operated (February 2020 - March 2023) using the new Da Vinci Xi system.Results. Mean age was 58 ± 10 years. Increased use of external aortic clamp was observed in Group 2. A significant reduction of surgical times was observed: cardiopulmonary bypass time was 155 ± 44 minutes in Group 1 and 121 ± 36 minutes in Group 2 (P = 0.002), whereas cross-clamp time was 112 ± 25 minutes in Group 1 and 68 ± 39 minutes in Group 2 (P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was 0.7%. 10-year survival was 96 ± 2%. Freedom from reoperation was 100%. A higher percentage of complex and most complex MV repairs were performed in Group 2 (36% in Group 1 vs 52% in Group 2, P = 0.001).Conclusion. Robotic assisted MV repair is associated with excellent results. Experience is a key element to overcome the limitations of this technology, including costs. Finally, the robotic platform could improve results in difficult MV repair.
Combined use of TLR4 and TLR7/8 agonists to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in “hot” tumor treatment and the establishment of long-term immune protection
Authors: Wang Mengjiao , Wan Quan , Wang Chenglv , Jing Qianyu , Nie Yujie , Zhang Xiangyan , Chen Xin , Yang De , Pan Runsang , Li Linzhao , Zhu Lan , Gui Huan , Chen Shuanghui , Deng Yuezhen , Chen Tao , Nie Yingjie
Published: December 2023

Immunocheckpoint inhibitors, as an efficient cancer treatment, can only benefit some patients, so it is still necessary to find a better treatment strategy. As the strongest antigen presenting cell in human body, dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in innate and adaptive immune response. Previous research has shown that the combination of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) and toll-like receptor 7/8(TLR7/8) agonists can mutually stimulate DCs, thus they are being used in a mouse tumor model together with the recently discovered TNFR2 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) to promote Th1 response and restrain immune tolerance in the tumor microenvironment. The findings indicate that triple therapy exhibits the capability to eliminate “hot” tumors, enhance the secretion of T cytokines, and enhance the migration and maturation of DCs, consequently leading to anti-tumor effects, as well as creating long-term tumor-specific protection. The ineffectiveness on “cold” tumors may be attributable to their low immunogenicity. This research simultaneously creates a fresh theoretical foundation for preclinical treatments of cancer.
BTK inhibitors upregulate NKG2D ligand expression by modulating IL-10/STAT3 in activated non-GCB diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells
Authors: Jia zhuxia , Xiao Bitao , Li Jin , Cai Xiaohui , Han Wenmin , Qin Wei , Lu Xuzhang
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to investigate the role of the IL-10/STAT3 pathway in BTK inhibitor-induced NKG2D ligand (MICA and ULBP2) expression in non-GCB DLBCL cells. The expression of NKG2D ligands and IL-10/STAT3 in SUDHL4, U2932 and OCI-LY3 cells was detected by western blotting. After stimulation of the BCR signalling pathway with IgM antibodies, NKG2D ligand expression levels were significantly reduced, as were IL-10 and p-STAT3 levels. Ibrutinib treatment produced the opposite effects of IgM antibody treatment. Treatment of U2932 and OCI-LY3 cells with a STAT3 inhibitor (STAT3-IN-1) upregulated NKG2D ligand expression and downregulated IL-10 expression. When IL-10 neutralizing antibodies were added, p-STAT3 expression levels decreased, while NKG2D ligand expression levels increased. Similar results to those of ibrutinib were obtained when the BTK inhibitors ACP-196 and BGB-3111 were added. Our findings indicate that the IL-10/STAT3 pathway is involved in the upregulation of NKG2D ligands induced by BTK inhibitors in U2932 and OCI-LY3 cells.
Online Catalog of Activity Events of Solar Cycle 24 Related to Active Regions
Authors: Tsvetkov Tsvetan , Nakeva Yoana , Petrov Nikola
Published: December 2023

We present a statistical study on the relationship of solar dynamic events (solar flares and coronal mass ejections) with active regions during solar cycle 24 (December 2008 -- December 2019). Combining data from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center and observations of Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft we found that more than a half of the coronal mass ejections were generated inside active regions. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) soft X-ray flare listing data completed our study showing that almost 83% of solar cycle 24 flares are connected with active regions. Finally, we summarize the details for the related phenomena into an online catalog based on a list of all 1533 active regions that produced at least one flare and/or coronal mass ejection during solar cycle 24 and explore their properties like flare class, coronal mass ejection speed and angular width paying special attention to the most powerful and threatful to Earth solar events.
Repeatability and agreement of a Scheimpflug–Placido tomography and a Partial Coherence Interferometer in keratoconus and normal eyes
Authors: Özkan Yaprak , Gökçınar Nesrin Büyüktortop
Published: December 2023

PURPOSE
To assess the repeatability and agreement of anterior segment measurements obtained using a partial coherence interferometry − based optical biometry device (AL − Scan) and a combined Scheimpflug − Placido disc system corneal topography device (Sirius) in keratoconic and normal eyes.
METHODS
Central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), white-to-white distance (WTW), and keratometry values were measured in keratoconic and normal eyes using AL − Scan and Sirius. The agreement, repeatability, and reliability of the measurements were assessed.
RESULTS
The study included a total of 82 keratoconus patients (82 eyes) and 100 healthy subjects (100 eyes). The mean CCT and the mean ACD values of Sirius were significantly higher than those of AL − Scan in both groups (p < 0.001). WTW was not significantly different between the devices (p > 0.05). In keratometric comparisons between devices, there was mostly no significant difference in normal eyes, whereas almost all of them were significantly different in keratoconic eyes. Reliability was excellent in all parameters for both devices (intra-class-correlation [ICC] > 0.9). Repeatability was excellent in all parameters for all devices (coefficient-of-variation [CoV] < 1%) except for the CCT in keratoconic eyes (CoV) < 3%).
CONCLUSIONS
Both the AL − Scan and the Sirius are devices providing highly repeatable and reliable measurements, not only in healthy eyes but also in keratoconus. However, the agreement between these devices in eyes with keratoconus is very poor for parameters other than WTW.
TET1 regulates responses to house dust mite by altering chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation, and gene expression in airway epithelial cells
Authors: Brown Anthony P. , Parameswaran Sreeja , Cai Lucy , Elston Sweeney , Pham Chi , Barski Artem , Weirauch Matthew T. , Ji Hong
Published: December 2023

Background Previous studies have identified TET1 as a potential key regulator of genes linked to asthma. TET1 has been shown to transcriptionally respond to house dust mite extract, an allergen known to directly cause allergic asthma development, and regulate the expression of genes involved in asthma. How TET1 regulates expression of these genes, however, is unknown. TET1 is a DNA demethylase; therefore, most prior research on TET1-based gene regulation has focused on how TET1 affects methylation. However, TET1 can also interact directly with transcription factors and histone modifiers to regulate gene expression. Understanding how TET1 regulates expression to contribute to allergic responses and asthma development thus requires a comprehensive approach. To this end, we measured mRNA expression, DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility and histone modifications in control and TET1 knockdown human bronchial epithelial cells treated or untreated with house dust mite extract. Results Throughout our analyses, we detected strong similarities between the effects ofTET1knockdown alone and the effects of HDM treatment alone. One especially striking pattern was that bothTET1knockdown and HDM treatment generally led to decreased chromatin accessibility at largely the same genomic loci. Transcription factor enrichment analyses indicated that altered chromatin accessibility following the loss of TET1 may affect, or be affected by, CTCF and CEBP binding. TET1 loss also led to changes in DNA methylation, but these changes were generally in regions where accessibility was not changing. Conclusions TET1 regulates gene expression through different mechanisms (DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility) in different parts of the genome in the airway epithelial cells, which mediates inflammatory responses to allergen. Collectively, our data suggest novel molecular mechanisms through which TET1 regulates critical pathways following allergen challenges and contributes to the development of asthma.
Dietary practice and associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients on follow-up in shashemene referral hospital, west Arsi zone, Oromia, Ethiopia ,2020
Authors: lemma Kelemua , kumsa kebede
Published: December 2023

Background
Diabetes' diet is a naturally nutrient-rich, fat-free and calorie-free diet. Dietary factors play a critical role in the management and prevention of type 2 diabetes due to their impact on weight and metabolic control.
Objective
The goal of this study was to evaluate dietary practices and associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients on follow-up at Shashemene referral hospital in West Arsi zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2020.
Methods
In April 2020, a hospital-based cross-sectional study of type II diabetic patients on follow-up was conducted at Shashemene referral hospital. A sample size of 389 was used based on the prevalence of dietary practice among type II diabetic patients. Pre-test, structured face-to-face interview questionnaires were used to collect data from systematically selected samples of type II diabetic patients. Data was entered into a computer using the statistical analysis software SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive analysis was used to present the findings. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to further analyze the data. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval.
Result
A total of 389 patients with type II diabetes were included in the study whose mean age and standard deviation (SD) was 42 ± 12.2 SD. The study revealed that 39.3% of the patients had good dietary practice. Factors significantly associated with dietary practice were patient religion (AOR = 10.32 ,95% CI (1.25,85.2), having family support, (AOR = 4.10 95% CI (2.05,8.18) awareness level about diet (AOR = 3.8, 95% CI (0.34,5.94) and high cost of food (AOR = 2.06 95% CI (1.08,3.89) were found independent predictors for good dietary practice.
Conclusion & Recommendations:
The dietary practices of diabetic patients are not enough and they need to be improved. Training and advice on components of the proposed nutritional diabetes must be provided. The quality and scope of health education at the hospital level can be improved and the lifestyle changed. This level of self-care should be achieved through collaboration between patients and health care providers.
Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Subpopulations as Predictive Biomarkers for First-line PD-1 Inhibitors Efficacy in ESCC
Authors: Sun Jiukang , Gan Wenyuan , Yao Jialin , Han Zhihang , Fang Zhang , Xiong Weili , Li Dongqing , Wu Jianhui , Cao Lei , Zhu Lingjun
Published: December 2023

Purpose：This study aimed to analyze the correlation between peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and the efficacy of ICIs treatment in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.
Methods：We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records from ESCC patients diagnosed between January 2020 and October 2023 at Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital. The median was used as the cut-off value for the lymphocyte subpopulation. All variables were included in univariate Cox regression analysis, and only those reaching a significance level of P < 0.05 were incorporated into multivariate Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves were applied to assess PFS.
Results：Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that peripheral blood CD16+CD56+ lymphocytes (HR 0.359, 95% CI 0.174-0.739; p=0.005) and the presence of visceral metastasis (HR 3.056, 95% CI 1.334-7.005; p=0.008) are independent predictive factors for esophageal cancer patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with higher CD16+CD56+ lymphocyte levels (CD16+CD56+-high versus CD16+CD56+-low, 18.9 versus 10.3 months, P=0.024) and those with a higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio (CD4+/CD8+-high versus CD4+/CD8+-low, 15.8 versus 9.6 months, P=0.038) had longer progression-free survival (PFS). Conversely, patients with a history of prior chemotherapy (Yes versus No, 5.8 versus 12.7, p=0.013), a history of prior surgery (Yes versus No, 5.5 versus 12.7, p=0.04), and those with visceral metastasis (Yes versus No, 5.8 versus 12.7, p=0.013) had shorter PFS.
Conclusion：Our study suggests that baseline peripheral blood CD16+CD56+ lymphocytes and visceral metastasis are independent predictive biomarkers for first-line PD-1 inhibitors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.
Association between environmental gradient of anthropization and phenotypic plasticity in two species of triatomines
Authors: Fiad Federico G , Cardozo Miriam , Nattero Julieta , Gigena Gisel V. , Gorla David E. , Rodríguez Claudia S.
Published: December 2023

Background
Triatoma garciabesi and T. guasayana are considered secondary vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and frequently invade rural houses in central Argentina. Wing and head structures determine the ability of triatomines to disperse. Environmental changes exert selective pressures on populations of both species, promoting changes in these structures that could have consequences for flight dispersal. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a gradient of anthropization and phenotypic plasticity in flight-related traits.
Methods
The research was carried out in Cruz del Eje and Ischilín departments (Córdoba, Argentina), and included 423 individuals of the two species of triatomines. To measure the degree of anthropization, a thematic map was constructed using supervised classification, from which seven landscapes were selected and nine landscape metrics were extracted and used in a hierarchical analysis. In order to determine the flight capacity and the invasion of dwellings at different levels of anthropization for both species, entomological indices were calculated for each species. Digital images of the body, head and wings were used to measure linear and geometric morphometric variables related to flight dispersion. One-way ANOVA and canonical variate analysis (CVA) were used to analyze differences in size and shape between levels of anthropization. Procrustes variance of shape was calculated to analyze differences in phenotypic variation in heads and wings.
Results
Hierarchical analysis was used to classify the landscapes into three levels of anthropization: high, intermediate and low. The dispersal index for both species yielded similar results across the anthropization gradient. However, in less anthropized landscapes, the density index was higher for T. garciabesi. Additionally, in highly anthropized landscapes, females and males of both species exhibited reduced numbers. Regarding phenotypic changes, the size of body, head and wings of T. garciabesi captured in the most anthropized landscapes was greater than those captured in less anthropized landscapes. There were no differences in body size observed in T. guasayana collected in the different landscapes. However, males from highly anthropized landscapes had smaller heads and wings than those captured in less anthropized landscapes. Both wing and head shape varied between less and more anthropogenic environments in both species.
Conclusions
Results of the study indicate that the flight-dispersal characteristics of T. garciabesi and T. guasayana changed in response to varying degrees of anthropization.
Development of an optimised method for the analysis of human blood plasma samples by atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry
Authors: Eardley-Brunt Annabel S. J. , Jones Anna , Mills Thomas , Kotronias Rafail , Lapolla Pierfrancesco , Study The Oxford Acute Myocardial Infarction (OxAMI) , Study The Oxford Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (OxAAA) , Handa Ashok , Lee Regent , Channon Keith , de Maria Giovanni Luigi , Vallance Claire
Published: December 2023

Introduction:
Analysis of small-molecule metabolites in plasma has the potential for development as a clinical diagnostic and prognostic tool. Atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry (ASAP-MS) is capable of providing rapid metabolite and small molecule fingerprinting and has the potential for use in a cinical setting. Such an approach could provide clinicians with a rapid patient risk metric, predicting disease progression and response to treatment, and thereby aiding in treatment decisions.
Objectives:
To develop a robust experimental protocol for performing ASAP-MS measurements on plasma samples.
Methods:
We performed ASAP-MS measurements on plasma samples from patients recruited for two prospective clinical studies: the Oxford Acute Myocardial Infarction (OxAMI) study; and the Oxford Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (OxAAA) study. Over the course of a carefully designed series of measurements, we optimised the method of sample introduction, together with a number of key instrument and data acquisition parameters.
Results:
Following the optimisation process, we are consistently able to record high quality mass spectra for plasma samples. Typical coefficients of variation for individual mass peaks are in the range from 20-50%, in line with those obtained by other researchersresearchers [1, 2] using more sophisticated LC-MS approaches.
Conclusions:
We have developed a measurement protocol for ASAP-MS measurements on plasma samples which optimises mass spectral quality and reproducibility, while still retaining the simplicity of measurement required for use in a clinical setting. While tested on samples from two specific cohorts of patients, the protocol can be employed in measurements on any blood plasma samples.
A qualitative exploration of moderating factors shaping implementation fidelity to post-abortion care guidelines in a rural district of Zambia
Authors: Mubanga Chikwanka , Silumbwe Adam , Munakampe Margarate Nzala , Lubeya Mwansa Ketty , Zulu Joseph Mumba
Published: December 2023

Background The Zambian government introduced the standards and guidelines for comprehensive abortion care in 2017, to address the high number of maternal deaths resulting from unsafe abortions among women and girls. However, there is little information regarding how the guidelines on post abortion care (PAC) are being adhered to by providers in some rural settings. This study explored the moderating factors shaping implementation fidelity to post-abortion care guidelines in rural health facilities of Chibombo District, Zambia.Methods The study utilized a qualitative case study design, comprising key informant interviews with program managers (n = 4) and in-depth interviews with PAC providers (n = 22). Purposive-homogenous sampling was employed to specifically include current PAC providers from health facilities within the study district. The data was subsequently analyzed using thematic analysis.Results The involvement and support from local leaders and stakeholders such as traditional leaders, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the district health office as well as effective monitoring and communication strategies put in place, positively contributed to PAC provider’s adhering to the guidelines. However, there were several barriers to the use of the guidelines such as late dissemination and unavailability of revised PAC guidelines, lack of reference to the guidelines due to work overload, lack of resources stipulated in the guidelines to provide the services and gaps in technical support, such as training, supervision, and supplies, created by withdrawing NGOs.Conclusion The study underscores that adherence to PAC guidelines is significantly influenced by contextual factors, rather than inherent shortcomings in the guidelines. The challenges identified in the study district predominantly arise from external health system barriers. These include ineffective dissemination, inadequate allocation of resources, insufficient training, and gaps in technical support. Addressing these systemic challenges will be crucial in enhancing adherence to PAC guidelines and ultimately improving the quality of care for women in need of post-abortion services.
A diverse panel of 755 bread wheat accessions harbors untapped genetic diversity in landraces and reveals novel genetic regions conferring powdery mildew resistance
Authors: Leber Rebecca , Heuberger Matthias , Widrig Victoria , Jung Esther , Paux Etienne , Keller Beat , Sánchez-Martín Javier
Published: December 2023

Wheat breeding for disease resistance relies on the availability and use of diverse genetic resources. More than 800,000 wheat accessions are globally conserved in gene banks, but they are mostly uncharacterized for the presence of resistance genes and their potential for agriculture. Based on the selective reduction of previously assembled collections for allele mining for disease resistance, we assembled a trait-customized panel of 755 geographically diverse bread wheat accessions with a focus on landraces, called the LandracePLUS panel. Population structure analysis of this panel based on the TaBW35K SNP array revealed an increased genetic diversity compared to 632 landraces genotyped in an earlier study and 17 high-quality sequenced wheat accessions. The additional genetic diversity found here mostly originated from Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani landraces. We characterized the LandracePLUS panel for resistance to ten diverse isolates of the fungal pathogen powdery mildew. Performing genome-wide association studies and dividing the panel further by a targeted subsetting approach for accessions of distinct geographical origin, we detected several known and already cloned genes, including the Pm2a gene. In addition, we identified 22 putatively novel powdery mildew resistance loci that represent useful sources for resistance breeding and for research on the mildew-wheat pathosystem. Our study shows the value of assembling trait-customized collections and utilizing a diverse range of pathogen races to detect novel loci. It further highlights the importance of integrating landraces of different geographical origins into future diversity studies.
Quality of life and symptoms of pain in patients with endometriomas compared to those with other endometriosis lesions: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kanti Fleur Serge , Allard Valérie , Maheux-Lacroix Sarah
Published: December 2023

Background
Endometriomas are genetically distinct from other endometriosis lesions and could be associated with a predisposition to excessive inflammation. However, differences in clinical presentation between types of endometriosis lesions remain understudied. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life and pain scores among patients with endometrioma compared to those with other types of endometriosis lesions.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between January 2020 and August 2023. Patients diagnosed with endometriosis completed the Endometriosis Health Profile 30 pain subscale questionnaire for their quality of life score and rated their endometriosis-associated pain symptoms using an 11-point numerical rating scale. Data were analyzed for comparison through multivariable linear regression models.
Results
A total of 248 patients were included and divided into endometrioma (81, 33%) and non-endometrioma (167, 67%) groups. The mean age of the patients was 37.1 ± 7.5 years old. Most participants were Canadian or North American (84%). One-third of the patients reported experiencing up to four concurrent pain symptoms. The most reported pain included deep dyspareunia (90%), chronic pelvic pain (84%) and lower back pain (81%). The mean quality of life score was 45.9 ± 25.9. We observed no difference in quality of life score between patients with and without endometriomas. Patients with endometriomas had lower mean scores for deep dyspareunia of 0.8 (95%CI, [0 to 1.5]; p = 0.049) and higher for superficial dyspareunia of 1.4 (95%CI, [0.2 to 2.6]; p = 0.028).
Conclusion
Among patients with endometriosis, the presence of endometriomas is not associated with a greater or lesser quality of life but difference in specific symptoms of dyspareunia.
Modification of Combustion Performance and Mechanical Properties of HTPB-Based High-Energy Composites with Non- Reactive Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Nanostructures
Authors: Moein Abolfazl , Kebritchi Abbas
Published: December 2023

This research effort was aimed at elucidating the effect of Octa-isobutyl-silsesquioxane (OIBS) and Octa-phenyl-silsesquioxane (OPS) nanostructures on the mechanical and Combustion Performance of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) High-energy composites (HECs). This research included the investigation of mechanical properties in different concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 wt% of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS). It should be noted that in the concentration of 0.1 wt% of POSS, elongation was observed along with a decrease in the mechanical strength of the composite On the contrary, with increasing concentration from 0.1 to 2.5 wt%, an increase in mechanical strength occurred. These findings were more pronounced for OPS than OBS. In addition, the combustion performance of HEC mixed with 0.5 wt% POSS was evaluated. Then the original samples, these nanostructures showed an increase in the burning rate of the sample. Significantly, the burning rate of HECs containing OIBS exceeded that of OPS. Findings obtained through XRD (X-ray Diffraction) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) analysis proved that POSS nanostructures increase the performance and combustion efficiency of HECs. In conclusion, a mechanism was proposed to improve the mechanical and combustion properties of HECs by POSS nanostructures distributed in the composite matrix.