bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PCSK9 inhibitors ameliorate arterial stiffness in ACS patients: evidences from mendelian randomization, cohort studies and basic experiments
Authors: Xu Linghao , Wang Liang , Wang Yuanqi , Wang Yiqiong , Jiang Yuanzhen , Du Peizhao , Cheng Jing , Zhang Chunsheng , Wang Ruijie , Jiao Tiantian , Lin Xueqi , Xing Lijian , Tapu Md Sakibur Rahman , Li Jiming
Published: March 2024

Background
Current evidences suggest that Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin Type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) exhibit a protective influence on acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Nevertheless, further investigation is required to comprehend the impact and mechanisms of these pharmaceutical agents on inflammatory factors and arterial stiffness (AS) in patients with ACS. Consequently, the objective of this study is to ascertain the influence of PCSK9i on arterial stiffness in ACS patients and elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind their actions.
Methods
This study employed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine the association between genetic prediction of PCSK9 inhibition and arterial stiffness. A total of 71 patients with ACS were randomly allocated into either a PCSK9i group or a control group. Blood lipid levels, inflammatory markers and pulse wave velocity (PWV) data were collected before treatment and at 1 and 6 months after treatment for analysis. Additionally, cell experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of PCSK9i on osteogenesis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), utilizing western blot (WB), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and calcification index measurements.
Results
The results of the MR analysis suggest that genetic prediction of PCSK9 inhibition has potential to reduce the pulse wave reflection index (PWV). Following treatment of statins combined with PCSK9 inhibitors for 1 and 6 months, the PCSK9i group exhibited significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen (FIB) and procalcitonin (PCT) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, PWV in the PCSK9i group demonstrated significant reduction after 6 months of treatment and was found to be associated with the circulating CRP level. In cell experiments, PCSK9i pretreatment ameliorated osteogenesis of VSMCs through reducing the deposition of calcium ions, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and expression of runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2).
Conclusion
PCSK9i have potential to enhance arterial stiffness at various aspects, including the genetic, clinical, and cellular domains. Specifically, at the clinical level, this impact may be attributed to alterations in circulating CRP levels. At the cellular level, it is associated with the signaling pathway linked to RUNX2.
miR-361 prevents the formation of hypertrophic scars by inhibiting TGF-β1
Authors: Han Ziyang , Lin Feng , Wu Weiping , Bai Zeming , Zuo Na , Wang Hongyi , Zhou Dapeng
Published: March 2024

Excessive wound repair following dermal injuries, such as burns or trauma, may lead to pathological scar formation. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a potent growth factor involved in wound healing. It is considered to be a key regulator of hypertrophic scars (HS) and various fibrotic diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) widely participate in the pathophysiological processes of various diseases by playing a role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. At present, at least to the best of our knowledge, there are no study assessing the role of miR-361 in HS. The present study thus investigated the role of this miRNA in HS and found that miR-361 expression was downregulated in HS. miR-361 suppressed the proliferation of HS fibroblasts by inhibiting TGF-β1 expression. Moreover, miR-361 inhibited the formation of scars on rabbit ears by inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1. Thus, miR-361 may play a protective role in HS by suppressing TGF-β1.
Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of the Xiachehe granite porphyries in the Wutai-Hengshan area (North China Craton): Constraints from geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes
Authors: Ye Feng , Dong Guochen , Ren Jianxun , Lemdjou Yanick Brice , Ketchaya Yanick Blaise , Li Songfeng , Bai Yubo
Published: March 2024

The Wutai-Hengshan area located in the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) is a classic example of the geological evolution in the North China Craton (NCC) and carries varied Mesozoic magmatism associated with lithospheric destruction. In this paper, we provide zircon U-Pb geochronology, whole-rock chemistry, and zircon Lu-Hf isotopic data of the Xiachehe granite porphyries to discuss their petrogenesis and tectonic implications. According to the results of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), Xiachehe granite porphyries yield zircon U-Pb ages of 135.1 ± 0.8 Ma, representing age in the Early Cretaceous. The Xiachehe granite porphyries are high-K calc-alkaline and peraluminous. These rocks have REE and trace element patterns, characterized by enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare-earth elements (LREE), and depletion in high-field-strength elements (HFSE), heavy rare-earth elements (HREE), with negative Eu anomalies. Therefore, They are classified as I-type granites with adakitic features. The Xiachehe granite porphyries have homogeneous zircon Hf isotopic compositions. Their zircons have negative εHf(t) values (-20.7 to -19.3) and two-stage Hf model ages of 2417–2501 Ma, indicating that the studied rocks were derived from partial melting of Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic crustal materials with mantle-derived inputs. Therefore, it is suggested that the Xiachehe granite porphyries formed in a back-arc extensional setting likely associated with the ancient Pacific Plate subduction and retreat beneath the Eurasian continent. The TNCO was influenced by the subduction and retreat of the ancient Pacific Plate in the Early Cretaceous.
Safety and efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with PD1 inhibitors for the treatment of primary liver cancer with microvascular invasion
Authors: Zhang FengTao
Published: March 2024

To investigate the safety and efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody (anti-PD1 mAb) in advanced primary liver cancer with microvascular invasion. Patients were retrospectively classified into two cohorts, namely the HAIC-PD1 group and the HAIC group, based on their treatment regimen. Clinical data were collected from January 2018 to December 2021 for a cohort of 61 patients with advanced primary liver cancer who underwent combination therapy of HAIC-mFOLFOX6 and anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody (HAIC-PD1 group), alongside a separate cohort of 95 patients who received HAIC-mFOLFOX6(HAIC group) alone. The above-mentioned 156 patients were matched by propensity score to obtain the overall cohort and the matched cohort. The differences in overall survival(OS) and progression-free survival(PFS) were compared between the groups and the tumor treatment response was evaluated according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Furthermore, a comparison of objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) was conducted between the overall cohort and the matched cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to identify independent risk factors affecting OS and PFS. In both the overall cohort and the matched cohort, the HAIC-PD1 group demonstrated superior OS and PFS outcomes compared to the simple HAIC group (P<0.0001). However, no significant differences were observed in ORR or DCR between the HAIC-PD1 group and the HAIC group. Multivariate analysis revealed that ALBI grade and treatment group served as predictive factors for OS, while extrahepatic metastasis along with the treatment group acted as independent risk factors for PFS. Notably, combining HAIC with anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody therapy exhibited more pronounced survival benefits than HAIC alone in patients with advanced HCC featuring vascular invasion; moreover, both approaches displayed similar efficacy in controlling tumor progression.
The Relationship Between autoimmune disorders and intracranial aneurysms in East Asian and European populations: A bidirectional and multivariable two-sample mendelian randomization study
Authors: Tang Chao , Ruan Rongcheng , Pan Bingxiao , Xu MingHong , Huang Jing , Xiong Zhaoying , Zhang Zhenxing
Published: March 2024

Background In the setting of autoimmune disorders(ADs), the formation of intracranial aneurysms (IA) is poorly understood, and the underlying systemic inflammatory characteristics of ADs may affect IA through shared inflammatory pathways. Our research sought to determine the likelihood that ADs contributed to IA and to calculate the magnitude of causal effects.
Methods We included 6 common ADs to explore their causal relationship with IA. We performed a bidirectional two-sample univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) analysis. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) and Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization (BWMR) method were used as the primary analysis and a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of our results. Data for ADs are from open GWAS, and data for IA are from the ISGC Cerebrovascular Disease Knowledge Portal (11084 cases and 311458 controls). These analyses were conducted in both East Asian and European populations. We grouped 6 ADs by connective tissue disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and thyroid disease, and futher performed a multivariate MR (MVMR1) analysis to explore the independent causal relationship between each AD and IA, and MVMR 2 analysis to account for potential confounders such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and systolic blood pressure.
Results In UVMR, we found that Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was associated with a high risk of IA in East Asian populations (IVW OR, 1.06; 95%CI, 1.02-1.11; p = 0.0065, UVMR), and this result is supported by BWMR (OR, 1.06; 95%CI, 1.02-1.11; p = 0.0067, BWMR), MVMR1(OR, 1.06; 95%CI, 1.01-1.10; p = 0.015, MVMR1), MVMR2(OR, 1.05; 95%CI, 1.00-1.11; p = 0.049, MVMR2), and sensitivity analyses. Reverse MR analysis did not show a causal relationship between IA and ADs.
Conclusion This MR study provides evidence to support SLE as a risk factor for IA in East Asian populations, and the management of intracranial aneurysms in patients with SLE should be strengthened to avoid stroke events.
The association between infrastructure damage in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai and malaria risk in Sofala Province, Mozambique: an ecological study
Authors: Glowac Calder , Ferrão João L. , Searle Kelly M.
Published: March 2024

Background
In April of 2019 Mozambique was hit by Cyclone Idai leaving substantial damage to infrastructure and nearly two million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Malaria risk has been associated with living in a rural setting, vicinity to water, and household structure, all factors which are impacted by severe storms. This study quantified the association between damage to infrastructure (health care facilities and schools) following Cyclone Idai and malaria outcomes: malaria incidence, severe malaria, and administration of intermittent preventative treatment (IPTp) in Sofala Province, Mozambique.
Methods
To quantify infrastructure damage, historical satellite imagery was assessed visually using Google Earth Pro®. Damage to 66 school and 105 health centers was assessed for severity and duration. Location data was imported to QGIS and joined with district level data on malaria outcomes and environmental covariates. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to quantify the associations between facility damage and malaria incidence and severe malaria. Generalized linear models were used to determine the association between facility damage and changes in malaria incidence and administration of IPTp from 2018–2019.
Results
An increase in facility damage was associated with an increase in malaria incidence and severe malaria. An increase in proportion of facilities damaged by 10% was associated with a 7.3% (95% CI: 6.8–7.8%) increase in malaria incidence. Risk of severe malaria was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.42–3.32) times higher in districts with any damage compared to those with no damage. However, proportional facility damage was associated with decreased malaria incidence and increased access to IPTp from 2018–2019, but these were not statistically significant.
Conclusion
An increase in proportion of facilities damaged following Cyclone Idai was associated with increased risk of malaria and severe malaria at the district level. This may be a function of decreased access to healthcare and an increased exposure to risk factors for malaria. A non-statistically significant decrease in malaria incidence was also found at the district level from 2018 to 2019, indicating that malaria may have been underreported in 2019, likely again a function of decreased access to healthcare.
Exploring the Controversy: Dysplasia in Oral Lichen Planus - A Comparative Study Based on WHO Criteria and the Binary System
Authors: Marques Letícia Côgo , Lopes Danielle Nobre , Gonçalves Lúcio Souza , Cunha Karin Soares , Junior Arley Silva , Conde Danielle Castex
Published: March 2024

Background
To assess the presence and degree of epithelial dysplasia of epithelial dysplasia according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and the binary system in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL), and to compare the influence of individual architectural and cytological criteria on the assessment of the degree of epithelial dysplasia in these lesions.
Methods
Sixty-five biopsies from lesions diagnosed as OLP and OLL underwent evaluation by two oral pathologists to diagnose oral epithelial dysplasia. This assessment utilized both WHO criteria and the binary system, with consideration given to individual architectural and cytological criteria in the diagnostic process.
Results
All biopsies showed epithelial dysplasia, with the majority classified as mild epithelial dysplasia according to WHO criteria (73.8%) and low risk by the binary system (61.5%). There was a statistically significant association in the classification of epithelial dysplasia between WHO criteria and the binary system. No statistically significant differences were found in the association of the presence and degree of epithelial dysplasia with the diagnosis of OLP and LLO. Statistical analysis indicated that an increase in the number of mitotic figures was associated with the severity of epithelial dysplasia (moderate/severe) according to the WHO system. Drop-shaped projections of epithelial ridges, an increased number of mitotic figures, superficial mitoses, premature keratinization in single cells, abnormal variation in cell shape, and atypical mitotic figures were associated with the high risk by the binary system.
Conclusion
The presence of epithelial dysplasia is common in both oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions, and the degree of epithelial dysplasia does not statistically differ between these lesions. The absence of epithelial dysplasia should not be considered a diagnostic criterion for classifying OLP. The binary system may provide a more precise assessment of epithelial dysplasia in OLP and LLO lesions.
Numerical and experimental analysis of side polished single mode fiber for refractive index sensing
Authors: BILAL MUHAMMAD MUSAVIR , THOTTOLI AJMAL , LOPEZ-AGUAYO SERVANDO , GRANDE MARCO
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we introduced a comprehensive study, based on both numerical and experimental analyses, of side polished (SP) single mode fibers (SMF) to investigate their evanescent field interaction with air and liquid analytes (water, isopropanol). In particular, the finite element method (FEM) and the beam propagation method (BPM) are employed to predict the optical properties of the SP-SMF. The alteration of analytes at the sensing region enhances the change in refractive index of the materials. An ad-hoc experimental setup has been designed and built to characterize the side polished single mode fiber when air, water, and isopropanol are set in the side polished region. The sensitivity of the analytes is obtained as 1.207 V/RIU. The performance in terms of effective refractive index and transmittance are reported to show how these SP-SMF can be efficiently used for calculating the liquid refractive index. The simulation and experimental results display the significant performance of the SP-SMF as a sensing element.
Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health of Preschool Care Providers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Tham Sin Wan , Wong Min Fui Esther , Ismail Maslinor , Bukhary Noriklil Bukhary Ismail
Published: March 2024

Background: Child maltreatment in daycare is a public health issue. As childcare is stressful, high care provider negativity independently predicted more internalising behaviour problems, affecting children’s psycho-neurological development. This study aimed to determine psychosocial factors associated with the mental health of preschool care providers in Kuala Lumpur.
Methods: A random cluster sampling cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2019. The study involved registered care providers for preschoolers under 4 years old without acute psychiatric illness. Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Malay-CES-D) and Karasek’s Job-Content-Questionnaires (Malay-JCQ) were used to assess depression symptoms and psychosocial job-related risks. Logistic regression (p < 0.05) guided by Hosmer-Lemeshow strategy was used for analysis, with the final model evaluated for assumptions and goodness-of-fit.
Results: A total of 247 providers were recruited from 36 preschools. All respondents were females (mean age of 32.1 years old), Malays (70.4%), married (38.1%), attained secondary school education (51.8%) and had low income (80.2%). The prevalence of depressive symptoms and job strain were 28.7%. Final logistic regression revealed individual factors (married, stressful life events: assault and marital issues), job strain (AOR = 2.32, CI = 1.22, 4.42), and job insecurity (AOR = 1.30, CI = 1.08, 1.57) determine depressive symptoms. Good supervisor support was inversely associated with depression.
Conclusion: Job strain and insecurity contribute significantly to depressive symptoms among preschool care providers in Kuala Lumpur. The Social and Welfare Department can promote supportive supervision through skill training for supervisors, fostering a positive mental health environment for improving workers' mental health.
Central nervous system complications during treatment in childhood acute leukemia
Authors: Ekici Arzu , Isık Bilgen , Kazancı Elif Guler , Kusku Zeynep Beyza , Orcan Cengiz Gokhan , Havalı Cengiz , Dorum Sevil , Metin Taha , Orhaner Betul Biner
Published: March 2024

Objective
Central nervous system (CNS) complications can be seen in patients with leukemia, depending on the disease itself and the chemotherapeutic agents used. This study focused on CNS complications during treatment in children with acute leukemia in a single pediatric institution
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical reports of 115 children with acute leukemia.
Results
A total of 115 children’ clinical records with acute leukemia over a four-year period, were reviewed. Acute CNS complications developed in 23.1% of AML patients and in 13.5% of ALL patients. CNS complication developed most frequently during the induction phase of the treatment (66.7%). Seizures were the most common symptom (9 patients, 50%), followed by hemiparesis (4 patients, 22.2%) and headache (4 patients, 22.2%). Six patients (33.3%) had chemotherapy-induced toxic leukoencephalopathy, two (11.1%) had Wernicke's encephalopathy, and one patient (5.6%) each had sinus vein thrombosis, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and CNS infection. Sequelae occurred in three patients (16.7%) and only one patient (5.6%) died due to a CNS complication.
Conclusion
CNS complications in children with leukemia may present with a wide variety of symptoms. Despite the long-term use of chemotherapeutic agents, their side effects are still not fully clarified. Systemic evaluation of the patients and a multidisciplinary approach are important.
A novel plaid fabric image retrieval method based on hand- crafted features
Authors: Zhang Xiaoting , Zhao Pengyu , Ruru Pan , Weidong Gao
Published: March 2024

Fabric image retrieval can obtain technological parameters of existing similar fabric images to guide production, saving lots of labor and material resources in the proofing process. This paper presents a novel image retrieval method for plaid fabrics based on hand-crafted features. First, local texture descriptors are extracted by the local binary pattern on the separated images which are processed by Fourier transform. Global texture descriptors are extracted by Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Vector of Locally Aggregated Descriptors (VLAD). Second, color moments with image partitioning are extracted to characterize spatial color information of plaid fabric images. Third, the similarities of the three features are calculated and fused by the weight assignment to realize the plaid fabric image retrieval. To verify the proposed method, over 30,000 plaid fabric samples are collected from the factory to build the image database as the benchmark. Experiments show that precision and recall at rank five reach 70.6% and 62.6%, respectively, and mAP reaches 0.690. Results prove that the proposed method is feasible and effective, which can provide references for the worker and help the fabric manufacturing factory save lots of labor and material resources.
Synthesis, spectral, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and molecular docking investigations of acridine derivatives
Authors: Rao Immani Ramachandra , Punitha P. , Premalatha B. , Prasad Thota Siva
Published: March 2024

Every synthesised molecule was assessed for IR, 1H, 13C NMR, and mass spectral analysis approaches to validate the new acridine derivatives we synthesized for this work's conventional method. Biological studies like anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities with DPPH radical scavenging activity, anti-diabetic properties, and molecular docking were examined. The anti-diabetic properties of acridine derivatives indicate that compounds 2 and 7 exhibit greater activity compared to the typical acarbose one, with IC50 values of 26 and 25, respectively. According to in-vitro investigations on anti-inflammatory effect, compounds 4 and 6 have larger inhibition percentages than the other compounds. The oxidoreductase tuberculosis protein is tightly docked with the synthesised moieties. Compound 7 exhibits the highest inhibition constant of 608.73 µM.
Concurrent Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: a Safe Strategy in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Santangelo Agustina , Scarpin Antonella , Imaz Francisco , Marino Paula Luján , Vargas Raúl Eduardo , Bidart Leandro Alfredo Cardozo , Darrigran Santiago , Macias Maria Alexandra , de Loria Juan Carlos Sanchez , Volonte Pablo Ricardo , Salgueiro Fabian Omar
Published: March 2024

Introduction:
Gallbladder disease incidence in the pediatric population and its complications have been consistently increasing. The standard treatment for choledocholithiasis involves performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). These therapeutic methods require pediatric patients to undergo two different procedures. This study aims to demonstrate the safety of performing ERCP and LC in a single session in patients diagnosed with choledocholithiasis.
Design and Methods:
A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients under 18 years diagnosed with choledocholithiasis. They were divided into two groups: the "intervention group" underwent simultaneous ERCP and LC, while the "control group" underwent ERCP and LC in two separate sessions.
Results:
The present study includes forty-two patients, with 27 assigned to the “intervention group” and 15 to the “control group”. The difference in the average anesthesia time between the two groups was significant (p=0.001). Two patients in the "control group" developed cholecystitis while awaiting LC.
Discussion:
Most patients endured both procedures without experiencing significant complications. The main goals were to reduce the total anesthesia duration and the morbidity associated with gallbladder stones. This prospective study, conducted at two centers, supports the safety of performing both procedures simultaneously in pediatric patients.
Efficacy of Self-Collected diagnostic tampon as a Novel Tool for Vaginal Sample Collection Towards the Detection of Genital Infections
Authors: Milanova Valentina , Mihaylova Kalina , Lazarova Iva , Gomes Michelle , Kiosseva Lora , Dobreva Dafina , Dechev Alexander
Published: March 2024

The composition of the vaginal microbiome plays a crucial role in women's health, and disruptions in microbial balance can lead to various health issues. This study aimed to assess the suitability of self-collected diagnostic tampons as a specimen collection device for analyzing the vaginal microbiome using qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR). Tampon samples were compared to self-collected lower vaginal swabs (LVSs) and clinician-collected 1 cervical swabs in a cohort of 83 female subjects. The tampons used for self-sampling are 100% organic cotton diagnostic tampons (Daye brand, Anne’s Day Ltd). The results showed that the tampon samples detected significantly higher levels of Total Bacterial Mass (TBM), compared to cervical and vaginal swabs (7.24, 6.87 and 7.25 log (GE/ml) respectively, p = 0.0002), Lactobacillus spp. (7.13, 6.76 and 7.16 log (GE/ml) p = 0.0019), and Ureaplasma spp. (4.12, 3.78 and 4.23 log (GE/ml), p = 0.0279), compared to cervical and vaginal swabs. There was no significant difference in the detection of Candida spp. (3.92, 3.83 and 4.27 log (GE/ml), p = 0.3346) or Gardnerella vaginalis (4.43, 4.29 and 4.46 log (GE/ml), p = 0.2293). Overall, the diagnostic tampons showed promise as a convenient and effective self-collection tool for analyzing the vaginal microbiome. This paper highlights the importance of understanding and maintaining a healthy vaginal microbiome for women's health and provides valuable insights into new methods for sample collection towards detecting genital infections.
UBTD1 is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhao Zihan , Yang Changjiang , Geng Xuhua , Yuan Congrui , Yang Ruoshen , Yang Guibin
Published: March 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a complex malignancy with poorly understood molecular mechanisms, necessitating the identification of genetic markers. Although Ubiquitin domain-containing protein 1 (UBTD1) has received significant attention in the study of human cancers, its specific role in CRC is yet to be fully clarified. This study sought to examine how UBTD1 expression was associated with various clinical and pathological characteristics of CRC, and to determine its prognostic significance and biological function, utilizing data from clinical samples and large-scale databases. Notably, UBTD1 expression was found to be upregulated in CRC, resulting in decreased survival rates and unfavorable clinical characteristics such as advanced T, N, and pathological stages. The findings of the multivariate Cox regression analysis illustrated that UBTD1 expression upregulation is a significant independent marker of unfavorable outcomes in CRC patients. An examination of the functional enrichment of UBTD1 and the genes it co-expresses indicated that it could serve as an oncogene by modulating the expression of genes implicated in crucial tumorigenesis pathways and functions. Additionally, immune cell infiltration analysis suggested a link between UBTD1 levels and various immune cells, particularly macrophages. In conclusion, the use of UBTD1 as a biomarker for both the prognosis and diagnosis of CRC has promising prospects for further investigation and therapeutic approaches.
Beyond Competitiveness: Is Productivity Everything?
Authors: Antonakakis Nikolaos , Fisera Boris , Tiruneh Menbere Workie
Published: March 2024

Our study examines whether productivity is a better predictor of economic growth than the Competitiveness Index (GCI). Our empirical findings suggest the following. First, we find that ranking countries by productivity matches the GCI results. Second, the correlation between all 12 sub-pillars of GCI, and the overall GCI and productivity yield similar results. Third, using a panel dataset for 104 countries over 2007–2019, our panel VAR (PVAR) results indicate that productivity has a stronger prediction power for both real GDP growth, as well as for the inequality-adjusted GDP growth compared to the GCI. Finally, using the residuals of a regression of productivity on GCI, we explore the drivers of the differences between productivity and GCI. We find that higher values of rule of law, property rights, economic freedom and political stability explain why advanced economies are positioned higher in their level of productivity than in the GCI ranking.
JEL codes: C33; E24; E61; O47
Contraceptive Risk Events among Family Planning Specialists: a Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Weckstein Taylor N. , Simmons Rebecca G. , Baayd Jami , Fay Kathryn E.
Published: March 2024

Background
Proponents of abortion restriction cite advancements in contraceptive technology as a reason against the need for abortion care today, most recently through oral arguments in the Supreme Court of the United States case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. However, consistent and correct use of contraception requires reproductive health literacy. Our objectives were to quantify contraceptive risk events and assess contraceptive history and preferences among a population well-equipped to evade contraceptive risks, family planning specialists following initiation of their medical training. “Risk events” are defined as reported episodes of contraceptive failure, emergency contraception use and/or unprotected or underprotected intercourse.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study among current members of a professional organization of family planning specialists. Inclusion criteria included: status as a current or retired clinician, consensual penile-vaginal intercourse since the start of medical training, and personal or partner capacity to become pregnant. Descriptive statistics were performed. This study was IRB exempt.
Results
Among 229 respondents, 157 (69%) reported experiencing a contraceptive risk event since training. Twenty-nine (13%) respondents reported an occurrence within the last year. By category, 47% (108/229; 3 reported unknown) reported under- or unprotected intercourse, 35% (81/229) reported emergency contraception use, and 52% of participants (117/227; 2 unknown) reported known or suspected contraceptive failure. The mean number of contraceptive methods used was 3.7 (SD 1.7) out of the 13 methods listed. Almost all (97%) participants reported at least one method was not an acceptable option, with a mean of 5.6 (SD 2.7) of the 13 listed methods.
Conclusions
The majority of family planning specialists have experienced contraceptive risk events during times of active pregnancy prevention since their medical training. Contraceptive method change is common and most respondents were limited in the number of methods that were personally acceptable to them. Dialogue idealizing the role of contraception in minimizing or eliminating abortion need is simplistic and inaccurately represents the lived realities of pregnancy-capable individuals and their partners, including among those with exceptional contraceptive literacy and access.
A Intelligent Speech Recognition Method Based on Stable Learning
Authors: Zhou ZhiChao , Hu Chaofan , Wang Yanxue
Published: March 2024

Speech is the main way of human communication, which carries both the speaker's information and the speaker's emotion. A variety of applications can harness emotion in speech to serve human needs more effectively. The deep learning algorithm is a practical solution to the classification nature of speech recognition. Various algorithms have been widely utilized for voice data and achieved remarkable performance. However, in real life, the testing data to be under a different distribution from the training data, this will cause the out-of-distribution(OOD) problem. This article proposes a new domain generalization method for speech classification based on Stable Learning (StableNet) to address the OOD problem. The StableNet can remove the connection between features through learning weights for training samples, which makes deep models learn more useful features instead of the fake connection between the discriminative features and labels. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method by conducting speech classification experiments on voice datasets. We also investigate the importance of various features on speech classification in noisy environments. The effects of proposed method on speech recognition performance are evaluated.
Combustion modeling of bituminous coal using turbulence- chemistry interactions for sustainable fuel
Authors: Qureshi Muhmmad Zubair , Manzoor Tareq , Naseem Asad , Manzoor Habib Ullah
Published: March 2024

Studies in the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) context have made it possible in short duration, to deliver the insights into complex combustion processes involved in solid fuel combustion such as, pyrolysis /evaporation, de-volatilization, char combustion as well energy exchange between gases, particles, and burner walls. In this work, computational investigation has been performed on a fluid dynamically stabilized pilot-scale oxy-coal burner at standard thermodynamic conditions. Turbulent combustion modeling was carried out with turbulence chemistry interaction model using Finite Rate / Eddy Dissipation model along with other sub-models. More specifically, the concept of CO2 recirculating oxy-fuel combustion technology is utilized to achieve the stable flame and air-coal combustion like flame parameter especially the flame temperature. The radial profiles of combustion parameters were observed at radial lines located at different axial distances downstream of combustor inlet. Effects of varying turbulent mixing time scale or mean residence time is studied owing to its importance in optimizing fuel-oxidizer mixing and sub-sequent combustion process. It is observed that stable flame in air like oxy-coal combustion is achieved, and flame temperature of 1850 K have been noticed. Lower turbulent mixing scale or residence time caused higher flame temperature of 1950 K. CO2 recirculating oxy-coal combustion process can be optimized by aerodynamic control strategies for efficient mixing while keeping the NOx emissions in control. Because of N2 replacement with CO2 in the oxy-fuel combustion environment, the dissociation of N2 species even at higher temperature can be avoided.
Effective Elimination of Pb (II) Cations from Waste Water and Polluted Water Using Siderite Magnetic Biochar
Authors: Sanaei Mahsa , Pour Saeid Giti , Lak Razyeh , Karbassi Abdolreza
Published: March 2024

Many types of biochars are being used as an adsorbent to remove multiple contaminants, including heavy metals, nutrients and organic compounds from environments. Magnetic biochar composites have been widely used to maximize biochar recycling from aqueous solutions. Magnetic biochar composites were created by pyrolyzing siderite and sawdust in nitrogen gas (N2). adsorption was done in a variety of pH and temperature ranges on magnetic biochar. A magnet was used to extract the MB-liquid from each other following 24-hour shaking period. At Iran's Geological Survey, Pb(II) concentration was measured using an ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma). The adsorption-desorption process was carried out five times in order to evaluate the magnetic biochar's reusability. The characterizations showed a higher specific surface area and porous structures in the magnetic biochar. An external magnetic field (magnet) was used to easily separate the magnetic biochar suspension because XRD investigation revealed that the primary component of the siderite magnetic biochar absorbent is magnetite, a ferrimagnetic mineral with substantial magnetic characteristics. The magnetic biochar composites' strong adsorption capabilities toward Pb (II) ions were demonstrated by the batch adsorption tests. At pH 5.0 and T = 45°C, Pb had its highest adsorption capability on magnetic biochar. The mesoporous structure of magnetic biochar was indicated by the type IV isotherm. It has been demonstrated that adsorption most closely matches Langmuir's model. Therefore, it can be said that monolayer adsorption has occurred. Biochar's active sites were probably responsible for the fast adsorption process. Kinetics of lead adsorption with MB have been harmonized with pseudo-second order, indicating that the predominant mechanism for Pb adsorption onto magnetic biochar is chemisorption/surface complexation. For Pb(II) environmental remediation, MB adsorbent is suggested to be employed because of its straightforward synthesis process, inexpensive cost, ease of separation, good efficiency and environmental friendliness.
Risk of Alzheimer's Disease in People with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Tunio Abdul Raheem , Batool Shafaque , Khan Muhammad Umer Zaheer , Samo Ufaque Batool K. , Saldera Kausar Abbas , Lakho Rizwan , arshad Jehan zaib
Published: March 2024

Background
Diabetes mellitus (DM) may increase the risk of Alzheimer dementia (AD) in a number of biologically conceivable ways, although it is still uncertain how DM and the development of AD are related.
Objective
To assess the risk of AD in subjects with and without DM.
Design:
Prospective community-based cohort study.
Participants:
Framingham Research Participants (n = 2210; 1325 women; mean age, 70 years) who were part of the first cohort and did not have dementia and participated in the biennial test.
Main Outcome Measures:
Relative risk of incident Alzheimer disease within the overall group and within subgroups defined by plasma homocysteine levels and apolipoprotein E genotype (based on criteria from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Association for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders); models were adjusted for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Results
At baseline, 202 people (9.1%) in total had DM. During the follow-up period (mean, 12.7 years; range, 1–20 years), the development of AD created a relative risk of 1.15 (95% confidence interval, 0.65–2.05) in 17 of 202 persons with diabetes (8.1%) and 220 of 2008 people without diabetes (11.0%). Of the 684 participants, 44 (6.4%) did not have elevated plasma homocysteine levels or an apolipoprotein E 4 allele; the relative risk of AD was 2.98 (95% confidence range, 1.06–8.39; P = .03) in patients with diabetes compared to those without diabetes. The effect was greatest among individuals 75 years of age or older, with a relative risk of 4.77 (95% confidence interval, 1.28–17.72; P = .02).
Conclusion
Overall, diabetes mellitus did not increase the incidence of incident AD in the Framingham cohort; however, in the absence of other major risk factors for AD that are known to exist, diabetes mellitus may be a risk factor for AD.
Educação do corpo em movimento
Authors: De Lima Deivide Telles , Corrêa Evandro Antonio , Hunger Dagmar
Published: March 2024

O presente artigo objetiva apresentar uma síntese do pensar a educação do corpo na perspectiva de um grupo de intelectuais que discutem tal questão, especialmente por intermédio, das ciências humanas e explorar a teia de interdependências configuradas no ensino da educação física escolar. Como problema de pesquisa, analisou-se o que pensam, quais os referenciais teóricos e argumentos apresentados em relação à “educação do corpo em movimento”. O método de análise se pautou em pesquisa bibliográfica e na abordagem de compreensão histórica do fenômeno social, conforme a teoria configuracional. Constatou-se que a pluralidade de interpretações se trata de uma reafirmação conceitual da academia, de disputas argumentativas científicas em se estabelecer o corpo/criança/jovem escolar em sua plenitude. Conclui-se em defesa do agir e intervir inter e transdisciplinarmente, ressignificando a formação inicial, continuada e, concomitantemente, a intervenção pedagógica no que diz respeito ao ensino da educação física escolar e educação do corpo em movimento.
Ser homem nas quebradas: um olhar sobre videoclipes de grupos musicais de rap e rock do sul do Brasil
Authors: Lopes Maurício Nazarete , Ribeiro Paula Regina Costa , De Vargas Juliana Ribeiro
Published: March 2024

Neste artigo, buscamos investigar as representações de masculinidades juvenis contemporâneas visibilizadas em dois videoclipes de grupos musicais, compartilhados em páginas do Facebook direcionadas ao público do rock e rap de uma cidade do interior cidade do Rio Grande do Sul/RS. Para tanto, no texto estabelecemos algumas conexões com os Estudos Culturais nas suas vertentes pós-estruturalistas, bem como com os Estudos de Gênero e das Masculinidades. Em ambos os videoclipes, identificamos jovens que são subjetivados por suas vivências locais, as quais são marcadas pela violência e criminalidade. Dessa forma, encontramos representações de masculinidades juvenis contestadoras, no que se refere às suas realidades sociais, além de resistentes às práticas que delimitam seus modos de ser e de viver. Esses grupos musicais tensionam as ações violentas do Estado e a criminalidade presente em suas quebradas, as quais atingem a vida cotidiana de seus pares.
Dinâmica para formação docente no planejamento de ensino estruturado para projeto integrador
Authors: Veraldo Júnior Lucio Garcia , Marins Fernando Augusto Silva
Published: March 2024

A formação docente desempenha um papel fundamental na capacitação de professores para o planejamento de ensino estruturado em projetos integradores. O ensino estruturado é uma abordagem pedagógica que busca organizar o conteúdo de forma clara e sequencial, promovendo a aprendizagem significativa dos alunos. No contexto do projeto integrador, os professores são responsáveis por elaborar um plano de ensino que integre diferentes disciplinas ou áreas do conhecimento, proporcionando uma visão holística e interdisciplinar aos estudantes. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é estabelecer o conjunto de atividades a serem desenvolvidas no projeto integrador utilizando o método 30-60-10. A formação proposta para o desenvolvimento do plano de ensino estruturado referente ao projeto utilizou o método World Café. A formação docente no planejamento de ensino estruturado para projetos integradores deve ser contínua e atualizada, considerando as mudanças no campo da educação e as demandas da sociedade contemporânea.
Teoria e prática para a educação de bebês: Necessidades formativas
Authors: De Vitta Fabiana Cristina Frigieri , Scarlassara Bárbara Solana , De Vitta Alberto
Published: March 2024

Neste ensaio, objetivamos discutir a formação do professor como cenário para iniciar e fortalecer as mudanças necessárias na educação de bebês, garantidas pela Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação, em 1996, baseados nas pesquisas realizadas pelo grupo no decorrer dos últimos 20 anos. Acreditamos que para que tenhamos uma prática qualificada, é preciso trabalhar de forma conjunta a formação inicial e a continuada, considerando o panorama de atuação e as demandas particulares desse contexto. Recorremos às análises de pesquisas na área que forneceram dados sobre como esse contexto influencia e é influenciado pela formação. Defendemos que para mudarmos a atual conjuntura educacional junto a bebês, é preciso investimento na aprendizagem do professor, propondo alterações nos currículos de formação para que contemplem conteúdos relacionados ao desenvolvimento infantil, sobre as atividades executadas no contexto educacional e no poder do professor em planejar e organizar intencionalmente experiências significativas para a criança.
Dynamic Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms: An Overview
Authors: Guerrero-Peña Elaine , Araújo Aluízio , Garrozi Cícero
Published: March 2024

Evolutionary algorithms have been widely explored and applied in optimization problems. The introduction of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) has facilitated the adaptation and creation of new methods to handle more complex and realistic optimizations, such as dynamic multi-objective optimization problems (DMOPs). A dynamic MOEA (DMOEA) can be constructed by changing the MOEA structure and variation operators used to solve DMOPs. Furthermore, DMOEAs can implement change-detection strategies and mechanisms to handle the dynamics of the environment. DMOEAs are often designed to solve unconstrained DMOPs. However, several studies have been conducted to solve dynamic constrained MOPs and more recently, to solve dynamic many-objective optimization problems. There are many real-world DMOPs; however, few DMOEAs have been evaluated with respect to those problems. Evaluation of algorithm performance is an essential aspect of using DMOEAs. Several measures used to validate MOEAs have been adapted to assess DMOEAs and quantitatively compare them. This paper presents a broad review of DMOEAs. The information is summarized and organized according to current research branches. Furthermore, a more general classification scheme for DMOEAs is proposed, based on the method of incorporating diversity to solve DMOPs.
Effect of aging process on precipitated phase and properties of mechanical extruded aluminum alloy
Authors: Zhang Honggang , Chen Rui , Gu Xiaomei
Published: March 2024

As the industrial sector develops, the performance requirements for aluminum alloys are also constantly improving. The study explores how aging and rolling treatment affect aluminum alloys' precipitates and mechanical properties by controlling the parameters of aging process and rolling deformation variables. 7N01 aluminum alloy was selected as the experimental object, and the samples were treated with non-aging, natural aging, artificial aging, and rolling deformation. How aging processes and rolling deforming affected alloys’ mechanical properties was evaluated through performance testing (mechanical and tensile testing) and material fiber characterization methods (advanced electronic instruments). These results confirmed that the combination of three aging pre-treatments + R20 % + 120 °C re-aging could significantly improve the hardness of aluminum alloys and maintain high ductility. As the deformation decreased, the time for the sample to reach the hardness peak was shorter and the hardness was higher. The 20 % deformation sample’s strength was better than the 80 % deformation sample’s. This confirmed that appropriate aging process and deformation combinations could improve the strength and hardness of aluminum alloys. These results have certain guiding significance for optimizing the aging process of mechanical extruded aluminum alloys and provide reference for the study of related alloy properties.