bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnitude and determinants of biological risk factors of non-communicable diseases among reproductive age women in Gofa and Basketo Zones, Southern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Domba Markos Manote , Fava Salvatore , Gelibo Terefe , Mulatu Bahiru
Published: April 2024

Background:- The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among women of reproductive age has surged two fold in various African countries. This escalation in NCD burdens combined with inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health services is progressively impacting women of reproductive age, posing substantial risks to forthcoming generations. This research endeavors to evaluate the extent of biological risk factors and their associated determinants among women of reproductive age in the Gofa and Basketo Zones of Southern Ethiopia.
Methods: A community-based survey following the World Health Organization (WHO) stepwise approach was undertaken, employing a multistage cluster sampling method to select participants from the designated zones. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software encompassing descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. Associations were deemed statistically significant if the p-value was ≤ 0.05.
Result: Approximately 27.0% of participants exhibited one or more biological risk factors. Significant associations were observed among participants in older age groups, residing in rural areas, those with lower educational attainment, belonging to the Gofa zone, those from households with higher wealth index, widowed/divorced individuals, single individuals, government employees, merchants, and housewives. Additionally, those with larger family sizes (>4), getting no health professional advice, had a family history of NCD and were not members of a functional women development army (WDA) displayed statistically significant associations with the co-occurrence of biological risk factors.
Conclusion: The escalation of biological risk factors is concerning, highlighting the urgency for targeted community-based interventions. Prioritizing older age groups, rural residents, individuals from households with higher wealth status, and lower educational attainment is advised. Implementing family-oriented changes and reinforcing healthcare systems are crucial. Policy and socio-political factors influencing the rise of NCD risk factors should also be addressed.
Spatial chemistry of citrus reveals molecules bactericidal to Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
Authors: Aksenov Alexander A. , Blacutt Alex , Ginnan Nichole , Rolshausen Philippe , Melnik Alexey V. , Lotfi Ali , Gentry Emily C. , Ramasamy Manikandan , Zuniga Cristal , Zengler Karsten , Mandadi Kranthi , Dorrestein Pieter , Roper Caroline
Published: April 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB), associated with the psyllid-vectored phloem-limited bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is a disease threat to all citrus production worldwide. Currently, there are no sustainable curative or prophylactic treatments available. In this study, we utilized mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics in combination with 3D molecular mapping to visualize complex chemistries within plant tissues to explore how these chemistries change in vivo in HLB-impacted trees. We demonstrate how spatial information from molecular maps of branches and single leaves yields insight into the biology not accessible otherwise. In particular, we found evidence that flavonoid biosynthesis is disrupted in HLB-impacted trees, and an increase in the polyamine, feruloylputrescine, is highly correlated with an increase in disease severity. Based on mechanistic details revealed by these molecular maps, followed by metabolic modeling, we formulated and tested the hypothesis that CLas infection either directly or indirectly converts the precursor compound, ferulic acid, to feruloylputrescine to suppress the antimicrobial effects of ferulic acid and biosynthetically downstream flavonoids. Using in vitro bioassays, we demonstrated that ferulic acid and bioflavonoids are indeed highly bactericidal to CLas, with the activity on par with a reference antibiotic, oxytetracycline, recently approved for HLB management. We propose these compounds should be evaluated as therapeutics alternatives to the antibiotics for HLB treatment. Overall, the utilized 3D metabolic mapping approach provides a promising methodological framework to identify pathogen-specific inhibitory compounds in planta for potential prophylactic or therapeutic applications.
Fuzzy random sensitivity analysis for the overall structure reliability of reinforced concrete freezing wellbores in deep alluvium based on HMM model
Authors: Yafeng YAO , Yan ZHU , Yongheng LI , Wei WANG , Zhemei ZHANG
Published: April 2024

To address the shortcomings of traditional reliability theory in characterizing the stability of deep underground structures, the advanced first order second moment of reliability was improved to obtain fuzzy random reliability, which is more consistent with the working conditions. The traditional sensitivity analysis model was optimized using fuzzy random optimization, and an analytical calculation model of the mean and standard deviation of the fuzzy random reliability sensitivity was established. A big data hidden Markov model and expectation-maximization algorithm were used to improve the digital characteristics of fuzzy random variables. The fuzzy random sensitivity optimization model was used to confirm the effect of concrete compressive strength, thick-diameter ratio, reinforcement ratio, uncertainty coefficient of calculation model, and soil depth on the overall structural reliability of a reinforced concrete double-layer wellbore in deep alluvial soil. Through numerical calculations, these characteristics were observed to be the main influencing factors. Furthermore, while the soil depth was negatively correlated, the other influencing factors were all positively correlated with the overall reliability. This study provides an effective reference for the safe construction of deep underground structures in the future.
Mixed copula-based bivariate drought risk analysis combined with a composite index in the Fenhe River Basin, China
Authors: Wei Ting , Zhao Xuehua , Chen Pan
Published: April 2024

In the context of climate change, drought events were likely to be frequent and severe in Fenhe river basin (FRB). This study developed a multivariate composite drought index (CDI) combining standardized precipitation index (SPI), standardized runoff index (SRI), and agricultural standardized precipitation index (aSPI) based on entropy weight method for comprehensive characterizing drought in the FRB. A mixed copula was then developed for comprehensively modeling the dependent structures of drought variables (duration, severity, peak), through coupling three single copulas (Gumbel, Clayton and Frank copulas). The drought variation was examined by modified Mann-Kendall test (MMK) method and the historical droughts of the basin were examined in three periods: the first period (1951–1974), the second period (1975–1998), and the third period (1999–2022). The bivariate return periods and bivariate risk of drought variables were finally analyzed based on mixed copula. The results indicate that (1) the constructed CDI is consistent with SPI, SRI and aSPI series, and it is sensitive and effective to capture historical drought events. (2) the CDI, SPI, SRI and aSPI present significant decreasing trend indicating the increasingly serious drought condition in the basin. (3) drought variables are higher in the third period than in other periods and the basin experienced an increasingly serious dry condition. (4) the mixed copula provides more reliable return periods and drought risk results.
Is Platelet Rich Plasma a safe and effective treatment in Erectile Dysfunction?
Authors: Moubasher Amr , Saleh Islam Yasser Ismael , Moubasher Amr , Ghalwash Mohamed Abo El-enen , Ragab Maged Moustafa , Almekaty Khaled
Published: April 2024

Background: Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the consistent or recurrent inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. ED influences between 12.9% and 28.1% of men worldwide, presenting a strong aged-correlated prevalence.
Aim and objectives: to assess the safety and efficacy of intracavernosal injection of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as a new regenerative treatment for men with ED.
Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial performed on sixty patients at the outpatient clinic of the Andrology unit of the Urology department, Tanta University Hospitals, Tanta, Egypt. This study was conducted between April 2022 and April 2023.These patients were categorized as mild and moderate ED according to the IIEF -5 questionnaire. Each patient received two injections of PRP or Placebo with 1 month in between.
Results: there was no statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding Baseline data, Baseline evaluation and Efficacy of treatment.
Conclusion: The results of our clinical trial suggest that the treatment of mild to moderate ED with two injections of intracavernosal PRP separated by 1 month is safe, but not more effective than placebo.
Transcriptomic analysis of giant congenital melanocytic nevi across different anatomic sites
Authors: Zhou Zhiyu , Xu Mingyuan , Chen Jiashe , Wu Fei , Wu Nanhui , Xie Yongyi , Xu Xiaoxiang , Deng Dan , Liu Yeqiang
Published: April 2024

Background: Giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN) is a skin disorder characterized by extensive abnormal proliferation and migration of melanocytes, which has the potential to be malignantly transformed into melanoma. Most studies have focused on revealing somatic mutation in GCMN. However, the specific alterations in gene expression across different anatomic sites of GCMN remain ambiguous.
Methods: A total of 18 GCMNs including eight from the trunk, six from the head, and four from the extremities, as well as eight normal skin tissues were collected for transcriptome sequencing. Differential expression gene (DEG) analysis and a series of bioinformatics analyses were employed to explore the distinct expression pattern and involved pathways among different anatomic sites of GCMN.
Results: A total of 258 (head), 1,472 (trunk), and 185 (extremities) site-specific DEGs were identified respectively, with a total of 368 up-regulated and 312 down-regulated DEGs in three tissues. Among them, ALB, CNTN2, GLI1, POU5F1 and CACNA1Dwere identified as core genes in head, as well as ERBB2, PPARA, VEGFA, FOSand IL1B in trunk, PRF1, STAT1, CXCR4, CD8A and CXCL8 in extremities, and SOX10, TYR, GRIN1, GRIA1 and PLP1 in all three tissues.
Conclusion: This study mined the specific and common DEGs in the head, trunk, and extremities of GCMN and systematically explored the possible mechanism of action of these genes based on transcriptome sequencing data, which could provide insights for the research of GCMN and afford new therapeutic targets for GCMN patients.
Structural characterization and protective effect against myocardial fibrosis of polysaccharide from Stellariae Radix (Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge.)
Authors: Wang Hong , Niu Pilian , Li Haishan , Feng Lu , Li Zhenkai , Bai Mingsheng , Peng Li
Published: April 2024

Cardiovascular disease is characterized by thedevelopment of myocardial fibrosis, Stellariae Radix is a traditional Chinese medicine. A novel polysaccharide named SRP-1 from Stellariae Radix was structurally identified and its effect against myocardial fibrosis was explored. SRP-1 was extracted from Stellariae Radix and purified by DEAE-52 cellulose chromatography. According to physicochemical methods and monosaccharide composition analysis, SRP-1 was found to be mainly composed of galactose, glucose, xylose, fructose, mannose, and rhamnose, and its weight average molecular weight (Mw) was 31,309 Da. Tests of activity against myocardial fibrosis indicated marked downregulation of the expression of Col I, Col III, α-SMA, and proteins related to the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, which were induced by TGF-β1, in mouse cardiac fibroblasts pretreated with SRP-1. In addition, SRP-1 restrained the abnormal growth of cardiac fibroblasts cells and the expression of Snail 1, Snail 2, Twist 1, and Slug mRNA in vitro. SRP-1 can reduce the expression of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway related proteins induced by TGF-β1. Taken together,SRP-1 can protect CFs from myocardial fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 by inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling. These results indicate that Stellariae Radix polysaccharide may warrant further analysis as a novel therapeutic agent for cardiovascular diseases.
Deciphering the effects of PYCR family on cell function, prognostic value, immune infiltration in ccRCC and pan-cancer
Authors: Chen Hongquan , Chen Qing , Chen Jinyang , Mao Yazhen , Duan Lidi , Ye Dongjie , Cheng Wenxiu , Chen Jiaxi , Gao Xinrong , Lin Renxi , Lin Weibin , Zhang Mingfang , Qi Yuanlin
Published: April 2024

Background
Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (PYCR) is pivotal in converting pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) to proline, the final step in proline synthesis. Three isoforms, PYCR1, PYCR2, and PYCR3, existed and played significant regulatory roles in tumor initiation and progression.
Methods
In this study, we firstly assessed molecular and immune characteristics of PYCRs by a pan-cancer analysis, especially focusing on their prognostic relevance. Then, a kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC)-specific prognostic model was established, incorporating pathomics features to enhance predictive capabilities. The biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of PYCR1 and PYCR2 were investigated by in vitro experiments in renal cancer cells.
Results
The PYCRs’ expressions were elevated in diverse tumors, correlating with unfavorable clinical outcomes. PYCRs were enriched in cancer signaling pathways, significantly correlating with immune cell infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). In KIRC, a prognostic model based on PYCR1 and PYCR2 was independently validated statistically. Leveraging features from H&E-stained images, a pathomics feature model reliably predicted patient prognosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PYCR1 and PYCR2 enhanced the proliferation and migration of renal carcinoma cells by activating the mTOR pathway, at least in part.
Conclusion
This study underscores PYCRs' pivotal role in various tumors, positioning them as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, particularly in malignancies like KIRC. The findings emphasize the need for broader exploration of PYCRs' implications in pan-cancer contexts.
Inertial Induction Vibration Transducers and Study of Their Dynamic Characteristics
Authors: Fayzullayevich Amirov Sulton , Abdunabiyevich Shoimkulov Asror
Published: April 2024

In the article, it is shown that the implementation of the inertial element in the form of four cross-shaped magnetic conducting sectors with permanent magnets installed in them, the poles of which alternate in adjacent sectors, the placement of the measuring windings on the pole tips of the magnetic conductor, located coaxially with the corresponding sectors of the inertial element, the implementation of the mass of two adjacent sectors of the inertial element, exceeding the mass of the other two adjacent sectors provides the measurement of linear vibration oscillations in all three mutual components of the transducer. It is established that in the investigated transducers, the transient characteristic consists of two free (oscillatory and aperiodic) components and one forced component. Forced oscillations occur with the frequency of the input perturbing force; the amplitude of forced oscillations does not depend on the initial conditions and time, and in forced oscillations with damping, there is always a shift of the oscillation phase compared to the phase of the input perturbing force. It is revealed that the attenuation rate of the free oscillatory component depends on the attenuation coefficient of the mechanical circuit, and the aperiodic component depends on the time constant of the measuring circuit of the transducer. In the structural schemes of automatic control systems, the investigated transducers are represented as a series of connected oscillating, ideal differentiating links and an inertial link of the first order.
TPE and conventional treatment in the management of hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis: a Meta Analysis
Authors: Chen Yi-hui , Xia Qi , Wang Qingyu , Yang Yufang , Zhang Ming , Cai Jiming
Published: April 2024

Background
The proportion of hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) in acute pancreatitis is increasing year by year. The risk of AP occurrence and recurrence is positively related to triglyceride levels. At present, the application of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in HTG-AP is gradually popularized, but there is no consensus on whether it can improve the mortality and prognosis of HTG-AP. Therefore, we aimed to compare the differences between TPE and conventional therapy in the treatment of HTG-AP.
Methods
Our study collected nearly 5 years of literature and analyzed the differences between TPE and conventional therapy in HTG-AP management by meta.
Results
The results show that TG could get a higher clearance rate within the first 24 hours by TPE, compared with conventional treatment (P = 0.001). However, TPE can not improve the prognosis of HTG-AP (P = 0.13), and even make patients suffer more time (P = 0.03) and money costs (P = 0.004).
Discussion
Conventional treatments can effectively manage HTG-AP without the need for TPE.
Combining Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis for chemotyping of cell wall composition in Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wizcek).
Authors: Das Shouvik , Bhati Vikrant , Dewangan Bhagwat Prasad , Gangal Apurva , Mishra Gyan Prakash , Dikshit Harsh Kumar , Pawar Prashant Anupama-Mohan
Published: April 2024

Background
Dissection of complex plant cell wall structures demands a sensitive and quantitative method. FTIR is used regularly as a screening method to identify specific linkages in cell walls. However, quantification and assigning spectral bands to particular cell wall components is still a major challenge, specifically in crop species. In this study, we addressed these challenges using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy as it is a high throughput, cost-effective and non-destructive approach to understand plant cell wall composition. This method was validated by analysing different varieties of mungbean which is one of the most important legume crop grown widely in Asia.
Results
Using standards and extraction of a specific component of cell wall components, we assigned 1050-1060 cm-1 and 1390-1420 cm-1 wavenumbers that can be widely used to quantify cellulose and lignin, respectively, in Arabidopsis, Populus, rice and mungbean. Also, using KBr as a diluent, we established a method which can relatively quantify the cellulose and lignin composition among different tissue types of the above species. We further used this method to quantify cellulose and lignin in field-grown mungbean genotypes. The ATR-FTIR-based study revealed the cellulose content variation ranges from 27.9% to 52.37%, and the lignin content variation ranges from 13.77% to 31.6% in mungbean genotypes.
Conclusion
Cell wall composition in different mungbean genotypes was determined by the developed FT-IR-based method, which was cross-validated using canonical wet-chemistry methods. Overall, our data suggested that ATR-FTIR can be used for the relative quantification of lignin and cellulose in different plant species. This method can be used for rapid screening of cell wall composition in large number of germplasms of different crops including mungbean.
Sex Differences in the Association between Repetitive Negative Thinking, Allostatic Load and Neurofilament Light
Authors: Marchant Natalie , Lau Yolanda , Bansal Amit , Palix Cassandre , Demnitz-King Harriet , Wirth Miranka , Klimecki Olga , Chetelat Gael , Poisnel Géraldine , Group Medit-Ageing Research
Published: April 2024

Emerging evidence suggests that Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT; i.e., worry and ruminative brooding) is associated with biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is neither known whether RNT may be a marker of neurodegenerative disease more generally, nor the mechanism through which RNT may act. Given that women have greater risk of many neurodegenerative diseases, this study aimed to investigate (I) the relationships between worry and ruminative brooding and a blood-based biological correlate of neurodegeneration, neurofilament light chain (NfL), (II) whether this relationship differs by sex, and (III) the extent to which allostatic load, a marker of chronic stress, may mediate this relationship. Cross-sectional baseline data from 134 cognitively healthy older adults (61.2% women) enrolled in the Age-Well clinical trial were utilised. Worry and brooding were assessed by the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Rumination Response Scale brooding subscale, respectively. Plasma NfL levels were quantified using a Meso Scale Discovery assay. A composite measure of allostatic load was calculated using 18 biomarkers spanning five sub-categories (anthropometric, cardiovascular and respiratory, metabolic, immune, neuroendocrine). Associations were examined using linear regressions adjusted for demographic characteristics. We found a positive interaction between brooding and ex on NfL, with higher brooding associated with greater NfL levels in women. No associations were observed with worry or allostatic load. These results offer preliminary support that RNT is associated with worse brain health, specifically in women. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that explains the association between RNT and markers of dementia risk in women.
Environmental factors influencing the development and spread of resistance in erythromycin-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Zhao Yi-Chang , Sun Zhi-Hua , Li Jia-Kai , Liu Huai-yuan , Cao Wei , Yu Feng , Zhang Bi-Kui , Yan Miao
Published: April 2024

Background: Bacterial drug resistance is becoming increasingly serious,This study aims to investigate the relationship between the resistance rate of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and reasons for the epidemic under complex geographical and climatic factors in China.
Methods: Data spanning from 2014 to 2021, including drug resistance rates, isolate rates, meteorological variables, and demographic statistics, were collected from the China Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, the China Statistical Yearbook and China Meteorological Website. Our analysis involved nonparametric tests and the construction of multifaceted regression models for rigorous multivariate analysis.
Results: Single-factor analysis revealed significant differences in the resistance rate and isolate rate of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae across different regions characterized by Hu Huanyong lines or different climate types. Multivariate regression analysis indicated positive correlations between the drug resistance rate and temperature, Subtropical climate, GDP, Hu Huanyong line, and Tm; the isolate rate showed a positive correlation with regional GDP and a negative correlation with monsoon climate.
Conclusion: The prediction model developed in this study holds significant value for forecasting the resistance rate of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae amidst China's diverse meteorological and climate conditions.
Determinants of Uncontrolled Blood Pressure Among Adult Hypertensive Patients on Follow Up at Negelle and Adola General Hospital, Guji Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Facility Based Case Control Study
Authors: HABTEGIORGIS AZMACH , EDIN ALO , LEMA KIBEBEW , GETACHEW DAWIT , GIRMA DEREJE , Elema Teshome Bekele
Published: April 2024

Background
Uncontrolled blood pressure is a significant public health problem with a high rate of mortality and morbidity globally. Its magnitude is high in Ethiopia (48%). Although the target goal for blood pressure control is well defined and effective and affordable therapies are available, the problem persists calling for further investigations into the determinants of uncontrolled blood pressure in Ethiopia particularly in the current study area. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of uncontrolled blood pressure among adult hypertensive patients on follow-up at Negelle and Adola General Hospitals in Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Methods
A facility-based un-matched case-control study was conducted in Negelle and Adola General Hospitals, Guji Zone from January-01-30, 2023 on 384 samples. Study participants were selected consecutively as they came for treatment until the required sample size was obtained. The data were collected using an interview-administered structured questionnaire and medical chart review. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to model the association between dependent and independent variables. Those candidate variables with p < 0.25 in the bi-variable analysis were entered into multivariable logistic regression. An AOR and 95% CI were used to measure the strength of the association. Finally at a p < 0.05, statistical significance was declared.
Result
A sample of 384 respondents (128 cases; and 256 controls) were included with a response rate of 100%. Non-adherence to medication (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.16–3.44), non-adherence to smoking abstinence (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.05–3.22), non-adherence to weight management (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.04–3.92), poor hypertension knowledge (AOR = 2.18,95% CI: 1.26–3.76), use of traditional medicine(AOR = 9.13, 95% CI:5.31–15.69), and being overweight (AOR = 3.35,95% CI:1.79–6.26) were associated with uncontrolled blood pressure significantly.
Conclusion
This study found that non-adherence to medication, smoking, weight management, poor hypertension knowledge, traditional medicines use, and being overweight were Determinants of uncontrolled blood pressure. Since these are modifiable and preventable factors there is a need to implement interventions that will enhance self-care practice in this population to improve treatment outcomes.
A high-performance time to digital converter for dToF LIDAR applications
Authors: Chen Liying , Li Bangtian , Cheng Chuantong
Published: April 2024

As the resolution and conversion speed of Time-to-Digital Conversion (TDC) chips continue to improve, the bit error rate also increases, leading to a decrease in the linearity of TDC and seriously affecting measurement accuracy. This paper presents a high linearity, low power consumption, and wide dynamic range TDC that has been achieved based on the SMIC 180 nm V3E BCD process. Compared with previous research methods, the proposed phase arbiter structure can eliminate sampling errors and improve the linearity of TDC. The preprocessing circuit can eliminate fixed errors caused by Start and Stop signal transmission delays. Post-simulation results show that the TDC has high linearity, with ranges of DNL and INL being − 0.76LSB < DNL < 0.89LSB, and − 0.59LSB < INL < 0.73LSB, respectively. The highest resolution is 150 ps, dynamic range is 2.5 ms, and the power consumption is 1.73 mW. The overall system architecture of TDC is very simple, and it can be applied to dToF LIDAR to measure photon flight time, capable of measuring a range of up to a kilometer, with an accuracy of 2.25 centimeters, high linearity, and without any post-processing or time calibration.
HIV Associated Pre-eclampsia: Evaluation of Lymphangiogenesis in Placental Bed Samples.
Authors: onyangunga Onankoy atshakala , naidoo prelene , Naicker Thajasvarie , moodley Jack
Published: April 2024

Introduction
The role of angiogenesis in pre-eclampsia pathogenesis is widely studied, however despite the lymphatic vessels complementary role to the blood vascular system, studies on their morphology in the placenta and placental bed are lacking.
Methods
Eighty-seven placental bed specimens were utilised, which were grouped into normotensive pregnant (n = 28), early onset pre-eclampsia (n = 31), late onset pre-eclampsia (n = 28) and further stratified by HIV status. Tissue was immuno-stained with podoplanin antibody. The lymphatic capillaries density and luminal areas within the placental bed were morphometrically assessed.
Results
Lymphatic micro-vessel density and mean area /lumen in the pre-eclampsia group were higher and larger than the normotensive group respectively (p = 0.01 and p = 0.001). A correlation between blood pressure levels and lymphatic micro-vessel density was observed (r ≥ 0.272; p ≤ 0.032). Significant differences were observed between the mean micro-vessel density of normotensive HIV uninfected and HIV infected [(5.9 ± 2.3 vs 7.5 ± 2.8, p = 0.01) and late onset pre-eclampsia HIV uninfected and HIV infected groups (7.1 ± 3.9 vs 7.8 ± 2.7, p = 0.01)]. The mean area /lumen between normotensive HIV uninfected and HIV infected and late onset pre-eclampsia HIV uninfected and HIV infected groups were significantly different (p = 0.03 and p = 0.001). Small lymphatic capillaries were significantly abundant in late onset pre-eclampsia HIV infected (p = 0.03) and normotensive HIV infected (p = 0.0001) compared to uninfected groups.
Conclusion
Lymphatic capillary density and area/lumen upregulation was observed in the placental bed of HIV infected women, with a positive correlation between maternal blood pressure and lymphatic micro-vessel density, potentially affecting birthweight in the pre-eclampsia group.
LUNet: An enhanced upsampling fusion network with efficient self-attention for semantic segmentation
Authors: Zhou Yan , Zhou Haibin , Yang Yin , Li Jianxun , Irampaye Richard , Wang Dongli , Zhang Zhengpeng
Published: April 2024

Semantic segmentation is an essential aspect of many computer vision tasks. Self-attention (SA) based deep learning methods have shown impressive results in semantic segmentation by capturing long-range dependencies and contextual information. However, the standard SA module has high computational complexity, which limits its use in resource-constrained scenarios. This paper proposes a novel LUNet to improve semantic segmentation performance while addressing the computational challenges of SA. The lightweight self-attention plus (LSA++) module is introduced as a lightweight and efficient variant of the SA module. LSA++ uses compact feature representation and local position embedding to significantly reduce computational complexity while surpassing the accuracy of the standard SA module. Furthermore, to address the loss of edge details during decoding, we propose the Enhanced Upsampling Fusion Module (EUP-FM). This module comprises an enhanced upsampling module and a semantic vector-guided fusion mechanism. EUP-FM effectively recovers edge information and improves the precision of the segmentation map. Comprehensive experiments on PASCAL VOC 2012, Cityscapes, COCO, and SegPC 2021 demonstrate that LUNet outperforms all compared methods. It achieves superior runtime performance and accurate segmentation with excellent model generalization ability. The code is available at https://github.com/hbzhou530/LUNet.
An on-chip programmable diffractive deep neural network based on Sb2Se3-incorporated silicon metalines
Authors: Zarei Sanaz , Ghazizadeh Ali
Published: April 2024

Artificial intelligence is a technology for simulating and extending human intelligence and has rapidly altered many aspects of modern society. Optical processors, which compute with photons instead of electrons, can fundamentally accelerate the development of artificial intelligence by offering substantially improved computing performance. Photonic approaches for demonstrating artificial neural networks as one of the most widely used frameworks in artificial intelligence, show extraordinary potential to achieve brain-inspired information processing at the speed of light. Recently, all-optical diffractive deep neural networks have been created that are based on passive structures and can perform complicated functions designed by computer-based neural networks. However, existing passive diffractive deep neural networks are not reconfigurable and once is fabricated, its function is fixed. This work reports an on-chip programmable deep diffractive neural network (OPD2NN), in which the optical neurons are built with Sb2Se3 phase change material, making the network reconfigurable and non-volatile. Using numerical simulations, the performance of the OPD2NN is benchmarked on two machine learning tasks that are learning a multifunctional (AND-OR-NOT) logic gate and classification of images of handwritten digits from the MNIST dataset and the obtained results are validated using FDTD simulations by a commercially available full-wave electromagnetic solver. Both numerical and FDTD simulations indicate that a five-hidden-layer OPD2NN with a footprint of 30μmx150μm can appropriately handle (AND-OR-NOT) logic functions. For handwritten digits (0-1-2-3) classification, a three-hidden-layer OPD2NN with a footprint of 60μmx105μm can achieve numerical testing accuracy of 91.5% on the test dataset and the FDTD verification results show 73% matching with numerical testing results.
Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Differentiation of Choroidal Nevi from Small Melanoma in Fundus Photographs
Authors: Sabazade Shiva , Michalski Marco A. Lumia , Bartoszek Jakub , Fili Maria , Holmström Mats , Stålhammar Gustav
Published: April 2024

Purpose
To develop and validate a deep learning algorithm capable of differentiating small choroidal melanomas from nevi.
Design
Retrospective, multi-center cohort study.
Participants
A total of 752 patients diagnosed with choroidal nevi or melanoma
Methods
Wide- and standard field fundus photographs from patients diagnosed with choroidal nevi or melanoma were collected across multiple centers. Diagnoses had been established by ocular oncologists in clinical examinations, using a comprehensive array of diagnostic tools. To be classified as a nevus, a lesion had to be followed for at least 5 years without being re-diagnosed as a melanoma. A neural network optimized for image classification was trained and validated across cohorts of 495 and 168 images, and subsequently tested on a separate set of 89 images.
Main outcome measures
Sensitivity and specificity of the deep learning algorithm in differentiation of small choroidal melanomas from nevi.
Results
In testing, the algorithm achieved 100% sensitivity in identifying small choroidal melanomas from nevi, with a specificity rate of 74%, using an optimal operating point of 0.63 (on a scale from 0.00 to 1.00) determined from independent training and validation datasets. It outperformed 12 ophthalmologists in sensitivity (Mann-Whitney U P=0.006) but not specificity (P=0.54). When comparing by level of experience, the algorithm showed higher sensitivity than both resident and consultant ophthalmologists (Dunn's test P=0.04 and P=0.006, respectively) but not ocular oncologists (P>0.99). Furthermore, the algorithm demonstrated greater discriminative capacity than ophthalmologists who used the MOLES and TFSOM-UHHD risk factors (DeLong’s test P<0.001, all P values Bonferroni corrected), despite the latter having access to supplementary examination data from ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Conclusions
This study develops and validates a deep learning algorithm for differentiating small choroidal melanomas from nevi, that matches or surpasses the discriminatory performance of experienced human ophthalmologists. Further research will aim to validate its utility in clinical settings.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF INJURY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF DAMAGE IN CHILDREN INJURED DURING ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVING
Authors: Shkatula Yurii , Badion Yurii , Tkachenko Yuliya , Sokol Bohdan
Published: April 2024

Introduction. Trauma as a result of road accidents is the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5–29. In recent years, a new type of road accident involving children driving light personal and low-speed electric vehicles has emerged, with its own specific traumagenesis and type of injury.
Objective: To improve the effectiveness of emergency medical care for children who were injured as a result of driving light personal and low-speed electric vehicles by determining the cause of injury, studying the structure and characteristics of injuries.
Materials and Methods. The total study population consisted of 57 injured children. The epidemiological and nosological characteristics of the patients were studied. The causes and circumstances of road traffic accidents were studied to determine risk factors. The condition of the injured children was assessed using the generally accepted injury scales PTS (Pediatric Trauma Score), ISS (Injury severity score) and SIPA (Shock Index, Pediatric Age-Adjusted). Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric statistics in accordance with the principles and criteria of evidence-based medicine.
Results: The main causes of the accident were violations of road safety rules by children driving the vehicle and violations of vehicle operation rules. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients indicate that males are at increased risk of injury, mainly in the age groups of 4–6 years and 12–14 years. The dominant mechanism of injury was a fall. The majority of patients sustained mild or moderate injuries. In the nosological structure of injuries, head injuries, bruises and abrasions of the extremities were the most common.
Conclusions: In recent years, a new type of road accident involving children driving light personal and low-speed electric vehicles has emerged, with a specific type of traumatogenesis and type of injury. Undoubtedly, the problem requires further careful study.
THE DEPENDENCE OF CHANGES IN LABORATORY INDICATORS ON ACCOMPANYING PATHOLOGY IN PATIENTS WITH VIRAL HEPATITIS C
Authors: Sumtsova Kateryna , Berezhok Vladyslav , Lishnevska Anastasiia , Chemych Mykola
Published: April 2024

Objective: to determine the dependence of changes in hematological, biochemical indicators and indexes of nonspecific reactivity, inflammation, endogenous intoxication on accompanying pathology in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV).
Materials and methods: hematological, biochemical, non-specific immunological changes were analyzed in 20 chronic HCV patients without cardiovascular system pathologies, in 20 chronic HCV patients with concomitant coronary heart disease (CHD), in 20 people with coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension, and in 40 healthy people. Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics and Microsoft Office Excel 2016 programs with the calculation of non-parametric criteria.
Results: men with minimal hepatitis C virus (HCV) activity predominated among the patients. The majority of patients without accompanying pathologies were young, and those with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease were elderly. In patients with viral hepatitis C, persons with concomitant cardiovascular pathology (ischemic heart disease and arterial hypertension), the following was observed: a decrease in the content of platelets, erythrocytes; increase in the number of rod neutrophils, ESR, de Ritis coefficient; an increase in the integral index of severity, indices of non-specific immunoreactivity (RC, IRI, IRLM, Ilymph) and endogenous intoxication (HII and II). Also, in these patients, the levels of platelets and lymphocytes were reduced against the background of an increased level of II compared to patients who had viral hepatitis C with only hypertension.
Conclusions: in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C, who have arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease, there is a decrease in the content of platelets, erythrocytes and an increase in rod-shaped neutrophils, ESR, de Ritis coefficient, integral indicators of severity, indices of non-specific immunoreactivity and endogenous intoxication in comparison with patients without coronary heart disease and patients with chronic HCV only.
Endophytic Bacteria Induce Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Production in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis)
Authors: Johari Nur Asna Faiqah , Zainal Abidin Aisamuddin Ardi , Ismail Nur Farhah Nabihan , Yusof Zetty Norhana Balia
Published: April 2024

Thiamine or vitamin B1 is a micronutrient that has a crucial function in all living organisms and involved in several biochemical reactions. Concerning the capability of thiamine in inducing plant health, a study was carried out by applying bacterial endophytes (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia cultures) in four-month-old oil palm seedlings (Elaeis guineensis) via soil drenching technique to evaluate the effect towards thiamine. Spear leaves were sampled at day 0 to 14 to analyse the expression of gene coding for the first two enzymes thiamine biosynthesis pathway, THI4 and THIC via qPCR analysis. The gene expression by qPCR showed a significant increase of up to 3-fold while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis for quantification of thiamine and its derivatives accumulated ~ 20-fold in total thiamine when compared to control seedlings. However, concentration of thiamine metabolites was negatively correlated with the expression of THIC and THI4 gene transcripts suggesting post-transcriptional regulation mediated by an RNA regulatory element, a thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) riboswitch. Our findings demonstrated that the application of bacterial endophytes affected thiamine biosynthesis and enhanced overall thiamine content. This might increase the plant’s resistance towards stress and would be useful in oil palm maintenance for maximum yield production.
SOME ISSUES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS IMPLEMENTATION UNDER THE MARTIAL LAW
Authors: Melnyk Olena D.
Published: April 2024

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of administrative proceedings during the period of martial law, in particular to issues of jurisdiction and terms of appeal to the administrative court. It has been analyzed that according to the norms of the Basic Law, in the conditions of martial law and state of emergency, the right of a person to judicial protection cannot be limited, hence - the need for the functioning of the judicial system during the period of martial law is key, because it is at this time that there is a high probability of violation of the rights and freedoms of citizens. According to the legislation, justice in the territory where martial law is imposed is carried out only by courts, shortening or speeding up any forms of judicial proceedings is prohibited; the territorial jurisdiction of court cases considered in these courts may be changed, or the location of the courts may be changed. A change in the territorial jurisdiction of administrative courts is possible with the help of the rules of the Civil Court of Ukraine, which states that the court transfers an administrative case to another administrative court, if the administrative court that considered the case is liquidated or terminated for reasons defined by law. The institution of time limits in administrative proceedings is considered, the common and distinctive features of the institution of statute of limitations in civil law and the institution of time limits for appeals to court in administrative litigation are analyzed. The procedural consequences of missing the application deadlines have been analyzed. On the basis of the judicial practice of the Supreme Court, the problematic issues related to the determination of the validity of the reasons for missing the specified period were revealed, and the conditions were formed for recognizing the reason for missing the deadline for applying to the court as valid.
PRÉ-TRATAMENTO E CARACTERIZAÇÃO DE PLACAS DE CIRCUITO IMPRESSO DE COMPUTADORES COM ÊNFASE NO CONTEÚDO METÁLICO
Authors: Pereira Matheus , Gomes Rodrigo , Costa Fabio , Rodrigues Michael , Leão Versiane
Published: April 2024

PRE-TREATMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS OF COMPUTERS WITH EMPHASIS IN METAL CONTENT. The recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a worldwide challenge and this is one of the biggest issues debated on 21st century, motivating the participation of governments research institutions and also the private sector in order to develop technologies based on the cleaner production (C + P) concept so that the eco-efficiency of the electronics industry is improved. In this work, the manual dismantling and mechanical processing steps, including grinding, magnetic and electrostatic separations were the procedures employed for this. Subsequently, the physical and chemical printed circuit board (PCB) characterizations was carried out by particle size classification and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy/scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (ICP OES/SEM-EDS) analyses, respectively in order to confirm the release, separation and concentration of metal content. After magnetic separation, the percentages of the magnetic and non-magnetic fractions were 15.18 and 56.70%, respectively. In the magnetic fraction, the concentration of iron, nickel, silver and gold reached 1.26 ± 0.33%, 1.24 ± 0.27%, 650.03 ± 77.60 mg kg-1 and 504.88 ± 18.53 mg kg-1, respectively. In the case of copper, the magnetic fraction had a content of 11.27 ± 1.41%, corresponding to about 50% of the value obtained in the non-magnetic fraction. Hence, iron, nickel, silver and gold were concentrated in the magnetic fraction, while copper was concentrated in the non-magnetic fraction.
Dielectric Properties During Microwave-Induced Interesterification Reactions for Biodiesel and Triacetin Production
Authors: Priebe Jonas Miguel , Dall'Oglio Evandro , de Vasconcelos Leonardo , de Sousa Jr. Paulo , Ramos Andressa , Rodrigues Emanuel , Kuhnen Carlos Alberto
Published: April 2024

The microwave-assisted interesterification of babassu oil with methyl, ethyl and butyl acetates was carried out via acid catalysis, using sulfuric, phosphoric, methanesulfonic and acetic acids for the production of biodiesel with triacetin as an additive. Dielectric measurements in the range of 0.3 to 13 GHz of pure reactants and reactions media lead to a clear understanding of the interaction between the medium and microwave irradiation, allowing achieving optimal conditions in terms of microwave power, kind and catalyst concentration, reactant molar ratios, and temperatures. Using ethyl acetate, reactions were carried out at various oil to acetate molar ratio (1:12 to 1:72) using sulfuric acid (0.5% m/mT) as a catalyst. For 1:60 molar ratio, the experiments were carried out with 0.5 to 2% m/mT sulfuric acid. The kind of catalyst and the applied microwave power to mass ratio were investigated using H3PO4, CH3COOH and CH3SO3H. The best catalytic activities were achieved with H2SO4 and CH3SO3H. It was found that under microwave or conventional heating the reactivity follows the ethyl→methyl→butyl trend. The best results were achieved using ethyl acetate with H2SO4 which yields 91.1% biodiesel and 18.3% triacetin in 120 min under microwave heating while using CH3SO3H yields 80.1% biodiesel and 11.2% triacetin.