bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthrax in the Republic of Tatarstan (1920–2020)
Authors: Savitskaya T. A. , Trifonov V. A. , Milova I. V. , Isaeva G. Sh. , Reshetnikova I. D. , Serova I. V. , Lopushov D. V. , Ziatdinov V. B.
Published: November 2022

The aim of the work was to characterize the epidemiological and epizootic situation on anthrax among population and animals in the Republic of Tatarstan over a period of 1920–2020.

Materials and methods. The analysis of the epidemiological and epizootic situation is based on the archival data, epidemiological maps of anthrax patients, results of epizootiological-epidemiological survey of anthrax foci conducted by the Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Republic of Tatarstan and Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Republic of Tatarstan, materials of the Main Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the Republic of Tatarstan. Microbiological studies of samples from patients and environmental objects were performed in accordance with the requirements of MR 4.2.2413-08 “Laboratory diagnostics and detection of anthrax pathogen”, real-time PCR was set using the AmpliSense Bacillus anthracis-FRT test-system (Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow). Statistical data processing was carried out using the quantile ranking method.

Results and discussion. There are more than 1000 anthrax soil foci in the Republic of Tatarstan, which territorially belongs to the Volga Federal District. Analysis of the epizootic and epidemiological situation in the Republic of Tatarstan over the period of 1920–2020 has revealed that it has undergone significant changes, from mass diseases in animals and humans in early 20th century to sporadic cases of infection among population and animals at the beginning of the 21st century, primarily due to preventive veterinarysanitary measures, including veterinary and sanitary examination of animal products, mass specific immunization of animals against anthrax, arrangement of anthrax cattle burial grounds. In view of the improvement of epizootiological situation and implementation of preventive measures, there was a decrease in the incidence of anthrax among the population. The regions of the Republic have been ranked by the number of animal anthrax cases.
Comparative Analysis of Potential Determinants of Resistance to Aminoglycosides in Burkholderia pseudomallei Strains with Different Level of Sensitivity to Gentamicin
Authors: Chirskov P. R. , Bui T. L.A. , Ustinov D. V. , Viktorov A. D. , Zakharova I. B.
Published: November 2022

The aim of the study was to identify and compare potential determinants of aminoglycoside resistance in gentamicin susceptible Burkholderia pseudomallei strains.

Materials and methods. A bioinformatics analysis of whole genome shotgun sequences of three B. pseudomallei strains having different levels of sensitivity to gentamicin was carried out.

Results and discussion. B. pseudomallei is intrinsically resistant to aminoglycosides. Such strains, as a rule, are not taken into account in the classical scheme of isolation and identification. At the same time, there were no significant differences in the clinical manifestations of melioidosis during infection with gentamicin-resistant and sensitive strains. In B. pseudomallei strains of different sequence types (ST70, ST948, and ST1566), point missense mutations were found in the genes of three efflux pumps of the RND family: AmrAB-OprA, BpeAB-OprB, BpeEF-OprC, and one with unknown functions, as well as in the gene aminoglycoside-6’-N-acetyltransferase AAC(6’)-III. All three strains had amino acid substitutions in the AmrA periplasmic linker: ARG160SER, Arg116Gln and Gly237Arg, Thr317Lys, respectively. In moderately sensitive strains (ST948 and ST1566), an identical Val222Met substitution was found in the repressor of the AmrAB-OprA operon, AmrR. It is likely that the intermediate level of sensitivity to gentamicin in the studied strains is mediated by the constitutive expression of the AmrAB-OprA operon, which partially compensates for the structural defects. It is also possible that a dinucleotide deletion in the AAC (6’)-III aminoglycoside-6’-N-acetyltransferase gene, as well as detected mutations in the homologues of the periplasmic linker (BPSL2234) of an uncharacterized efflux operon of the RND family, are involved in the loss of resistance to gentamicin.
Pathogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Variants of Concern for the Syrian Golden Hamster
Authors: Shipovalov A. V. , Kudrov G. A. , Tomilov A. A. , Bodnev S. A. , Boldyrev N. D. , Ovchinnikova A. S. , Zaikovskaya A. V. , Taranov O. S. , Ivleva E. K. , P’yankov O. V. , Maksyutov R. A.
Published: November 2022

The aim of the work was to study the pathogenicity of newly emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 on the model of the Syrian golden hamster.

Materials and methods. We used the strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus related to the VOC circulating in the territory of the Russian Federation. The experiments were carried out on outbreed Syrian hamsters obtained from the nursery of the SSC VB “Vector”. The infectious titer of coronavirus in tissue samples collected from infected laboratory animals was determined on a Vero E6 cell culture. The Ct in RT-PCR was considered an additional parameter for monitoring the viral load in the samples. The severity of lung tissue damage in Syrian hamsters with COVID-19 was assessed by histological preparations.

Results and discussion. 50 % infecting doses in case of the intranasal infection have been determined, histological analysis of lung tissues performed. The pathogenicity of various variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus for the Syrian hamster has been evaluated, differences in infecting doses and pathological changes in the lungs have been revealed. SARS-CoV-2 viruses belonging to Beta genetic variant have the highest virulence, while Alpha variant has the lowest one when comparing the studied strains by the ID50 value. The Delta and Omicron variants have a matched ability to cause specific damage to the tissues of the respiratory tract, while being inferior only to the Beta variant. It has been demonstrated that Syrian hamsters are an adequate model for assessing the pathogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern. Variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus during intranasal infection has shown different degree of pathogenicity in the Syrian hamster model.
Classification of Municipalities in the Republic of Buryatia by the Level of Tick-Borne Viral Encephalitis Incidence
Authors: Ayugin N. I. , Andaev E. I. , Nikitin A. Ya. , Khankhareev S. S. , Istomina T. F.
Published: November 2022

Tick-borne viral encephalitis (TBVE) is one of the most significant natural-focal infections in the Russian Federation.

The aim of the study was to analyze the current epidemiological situation on TBVE in the Buryat Republic in 2010–2020 with a subsequent differentiation of municipalities by epidemiological risk groups in order to elaborate proposals for optimization of preventive measures.

Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of the epidemiological situation on TBVE in the Buryat Republic was carried out using forms of federal statistical surveillance No. 2 “Information on infectious and parasitic diseases” over 2010–2020 and the data from the Reference Center of the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and Far East of the Rospotrebnadzor on the epidemiological situation and preventive measures in the municipalities of the constituent entity. Statistical processing was performed applying conventional methods of variation statistics. Based on calculated 95 % parametric confidence interval for the data on variability of the long-term average TBVE incidence in the municipalities of the Republic of Buryatia over a 10-year period, the entities were differentiated by epidemiological risk groups. QGis 2.18.28 and a set of open geodata OpenStreetMap were used for mapping.

Results and discussion. All municipalities have been classified into five groups by the level of epidemiological risk: with zero TBVE incidence – 2 districts, with a low level – 4, medium – 8, high – 5, very high – 2. In addition, the administrative center has been placed into a separate group. Each individual group of municipalities is characterized by the number of TBVE cases, the level of morbidity, the frequency of seeking medical aid because of tick bites, the scope of specific and non-specific prevention measures. Recommendations for optimizing the tactics of TBVE prevention in certain municipal districts have been provided.
Exposure of Food Samples to Pulsed Microwave Radiation to Increase their Microbiological Safety and Shelf Life
Authors: Gulyaev Yu. V. , Meshchanov V. P. , Kats B. M. , Koplevatsky N. A. , Lopatin A. A. , Sayapin K. A. , Elkin V. A. , Komarov V. V. , Bayburin V. B. , Rytik A. P.
Published: November 2022

The aim of the study was to increase the efficiency of decontamination of biological material and media (by the example of food products) by pulsed (non-thermal) radio emission and asses the prospects of its application in medicine and biology.

Materials and methods. To achieve the goal an experimental setup has been designed, manufactured and tested, which makes it possible to study the process of exposure of biological materials and media to pulsed (non-thermal) radio emission, in particular, by the example of food products. The basis of the method is optimum control of the electro-physical parameters of the irradiating radio signal, depending on the type of the irradiated object. We used pulsed magnetrons with operating frequency of (2.45±0.05) GHz, authorized for bio-medical research, generating pulsed radiation with an adjustable power within the range of 0.1...10 kW. The pulse repetition rate with a duty cycle of 500...10000 is 0.1...5 kHz. The setup has an operating chamber into which the test sample is placed, as well as additional elements of magnetron protection and measuring the parameters of the microwave power incident on biological object.

Results and discussion. The setup has been successfully used to irradiate various food samples with pathogenic micro flora (Salmonella spp. etc.) with pulsed microwave radiation. In particular, as shown by the studies, the arithmetic mean number of pathogenic bacteria in the irradiated samples of minced meat decreased by 27.5 times after 28 days of storage as compared to the control group of non-irradiated samples. Preliminary conducted experiments in the field of investigating the effect of microwave radiation on the process of cell division and other aspects of electromagnetic field influence on pathological microorganisms confirm the prospects and the expediency of continuing the ongoing studies in medicine and biology.
Epizooty of Tularemia, Detected in the Population of the Common Vole in the Natural Focus of Steppe Type in the South-East of the Rostov Region in 2020
Authors: Zabashta M. V. , Pichurina N. L. , Khametova A. P. , Zabashta A. V. , Orekhov I. V. , Dobrovol’sky O. P. , Stakheev V. V. , Fomina E. S. , Kovalev E. V. , Fedchenko A. V. , Noskov A. K.
Published: November 2022

The aim of study was to conduct epizootiological monitoring of natural tularemia foci of the steppe type and investigate epizootic activity in the south-east of the Rostov Region.

Materials and methods. An epizootiological survey was carried out on the territory of Remontnensky, Sal’sky and Peschanokopsky districts of the Rostov Region in 2019–2021. To capture and collect mammals, Ixodidae ticks and to study the samples of field material conventional methods were used.

Results and discussion. Habitation of 16 species of small mammals, 6 species of Ixodidae ticks has been found. Molecular-genetic analysis of the voles has revealed the presence of the species Microtus arvalis obscurus in the studied area of the region. The circulation of the tularemia agent has been established in the population of common and social voles, forest mouse, hare, rook, Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma marginatum, removed from rooks. In May 2020, a high increase in the number of the social vole in the Remontnensky district (up to 21 %), in July 2020 – the common vole in the agrocenoses of the Sal’sky district (up to 33 %) was observed. An extensive epizooty of tularemia was detected in the population of common vole in the south-east of the Rostov Region and in adjacent territories in the Republic of Kalmykia and the Stavropol territory. Two cultures of the pathogen were isolated from the fallen and captured social voles, and four cultures – from the common vole. The isolated strains belong to the Holarctic subspecies of Francisella tularensis EryR. The results obtained attest to the activation of the natural tularemia focus in the south-east of the Rostov Region and its high epizootic activity.
System of Monitoring and Response to Public Health Emergencies of Sanitary-Epidemiological Character in the CIS Countries
Authors: Kutyrev V. V. , Shcherbakova S. A. , Karnaukhov I. G. , Kas’yan Zh. A. , Shiyanova A. E. , Gorbunov V. A. , Kras’ko A. G. , Leshkevich A. L. , Fedorovich E. V. , Semizhon P. A. , Rustamova L. M. , Petkevich A. S. , Erubaev T. K. , Ayazbaev T. Z. , Turegeldieva D. A. , Kovaleva G. G. , Berdiev S. K. , Usenbaev N. T. , Kazybaeva Zh. S.
Published: November 2022

The most important component of strengthening the potential for responding to biological threats both at the national and interstate levels is the formation of a unified system for monitoring and responding to emergencies (ES) of sanitary-epidemiological nature in the CIS territory.

The aim of the work was to review the systems for monitoring and responding to emergencies of sanitary-epidemiological character in the CIS countries by the example of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, to characterize the main areas of international cooperation on countering biological threats and coordinating international response measures in the CIS countries.

Materials and methods. Information and analytical materials provided by organizations responsible for epidemiological surveillance and control in the CIS countries, Internet sources, and publications were used for the study.

Results and discussion. The organization and functioning of the systems for monitoring and responding to emergencies in the CIS countries is a state function. It includes, as a rule, the national, regional (sub-national) and territorial (local) levels, which have horizontal and vertical connections. The legal framework is made up of documents of the legislative level. Interdepartmental interaction in response to emergencies is carried out both at the republican level and in administrative territories; the basis for interaction is the integrated planning of preventive and anti-epidemic measures and the functioning of the relevant organizational structures on an ongoing basis. Since 2015, with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation, programs have been implemented aimed at assisting partner countries in the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) in order to increase national response capacity and form a unified sanitaryepidemiological emergency response system in the CIS countries. The main areas of collaboration are strengthening the material and technical base and human resources of specialized institutions and scientific cooperation. As a result of the program implementation, a unified system for monitoring and prompt response to emergencies in the field of public health of sanitary-epidemiological nature has essentially been formed in the CIS countries to date, uniting more than 15 specialized institutions from 8 CIS countries.
Community general practitioner trainers’ knowledge and training needs of asymptomatic carotid stenosis management and prevention: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Cen Mengchai , Chen Xinyue , Yu Kai , Gao Xiaotong , Wang Shuang
Published: November 2022

Background
To investigate the general practitioner (GP) trainers’ knowledge level of asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) management and the impact factors, and their potential training needs in community training bases of General Practitioners' Standardized Training (GPST).
Methods
A regional cross-sectional study was conducted. All the community GP trainers in Liaoning GPST institutes were included. We use a self-designed instrument to collect participants’ general information, knowledge of ACS management and prevention, and training needs.
Results
Between Mar 2022 and April 2022, 167 participants were invited in Community Base of Liaoning GPST, 134 GP trainers’ answers were reliable and were included in the final analysis. The mean score of GP trainers’ knowledge of ACS prevention and management was 13.04 with an accuracy rate of 0.38. Gender (OR: 2.93) and working experience as a GP (OR: 2.84) were the significant impact factors(P < 0.05). The majority of GP trainers would like to be trained to improve their knowledge while only nearly 20% prefer high-frequency training.
Conclusions
In Liaoning province, community GP trainers’ knowledge of ACS management and prevention was at a low level. Gender and years of working experience as a GP were major impact factors on the GP trainers’ knowledge.
Validation of the Vietnamese version of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32: A measure of spiritual well-being in cancer patients
Authors: Pham Huong , Vu Dau , Nguyen Tam , Nguyen Huong , Pham Ngoc , Nguyen Nga
Published: November 2022

Purpose: The quality of life of people with cancer can be improved by helping them discover meaning and purpose in life, even if they are faced with a potentially fatal illness. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and applicability of the Vietnamese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Spiritual Well-being 32 (EORTC QLQ-SWB32) measurement in cancer patients.
Methods: A total of 214 patients from four hospitals with cancer treatment facilities or having an oncology department were invited to participate in the study. The data were collected from November 2021 to April 2022 and analyzed for validation.
Results: In this group of participants, the type of cancer with the highest prevalence rate was lung cancer (71%). The confirmatory factor analysis of construct validity with Chi-Square/df = 2.283, goodness-of-fit index = 0.846, comparative fit index = .742, and root mean square error of approximation = .078 confirmed the culturally distinguished model fit in Vietnamese people with cancer. The reliability of the instrument ranged from 0.604 to 0.749 for Relationship with Someone or Something Greater (RSG) and Relationship with Others (RO). In the group of patients who identified as having a religion, patients with no religion had lower RSG scores than Catholics or Buddhists. There were distinctions in the median Relationship with Self (RS) scores according to the severity of most Edmonton symptoms.
Conclusion: The Vietnamese version of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32 tool was accepted and reliable, specifically for cancer patients in Vietnam.
Budget Impact Analysis of High-priced Orphan Medicinal Products intended for the treatment of Rare Diseases in China: Evidence from a densely populated metropolis of Chengdu
Authors: ZHANG Xiaoxing , ZHOU Tingting , ZHOU Jing , ZHANG Doudou , YANG Yili , Pan Jay
Published: November 2022

Background
In China, in addition to cost-related reasons, most high-priced orphan medicinal products (OMPs) remain excluded from the coverage of the social health insurance program due to the lack of reimbursement budget via economic evaluation approaches.
Purpose
To estimate the budget of high-priced OMPs for life-threatening rare diseases (RDs) from the societal and health care payers’ perspectives, while analyzing the budget sustainability.
Methods
Based on the patient data in a densely populated metropolis of Chengdu, China in 2019, the budget impact posed by high-priced OMPs was analyzed from a societal perspective. Next, a scenario analysis was performed based on 3 parameters, namely the assumed policy scenarios, the number of patients, and the OMPs price to assess the variation of the budget from the payers’ perspective. Finally, the budget for OMPs was estimated for the next three years.
Results
According to the survey, 98 rare disease patients were in the need of high-priced OMPs in Chengdu, China in 2019, which suggested the necessity of projecting a budget of CNY 179 million for this group of patients without the coverage of reimbursement policies from the societal perspective. Such budget would range from CNY 32 million to CNY 156 million under the context of six assumed policy scenarios. For the next three years, the budget for each single year was estimated to range from CNY 200 million to CNY 1.303 billion.
Conclusions
The study found that the financial burden posed by OMPs on each patient was exceptionally heavy, while the budget impact of OMPs for RDs on the whole society and payers was relatively limited due to the limited number of patients. The estimated budgets based on scenario analysis were expected to inform the formulation regarding OMPs.
TalkToModel: Explaining Machine Learning Models with Interactive Natural Language Conversations
Authors: Slack Dylan , Krishna Satyapriya , Lakkaraju Himabindu , Singh Sameer
Published: November 2022

Practitioners increasingly use machine learning (ML) models, yet they have become more complex and harder to understand. To address this issue, researchers have proposed techniques to explain model predictions. However, practitioners struggle to use explainability methods because they do not know which to choose and how to interpret the results. We address these challenges by introducing TalkToModel: an interactive dialogue system that enables users to explain ML models through natural language conversations. TalkToModel comprises three components: 1) an adaptive dialogue engine that interprets natural language and generates meaningful responses, 2) an execution component, which constructs the explanations used in the conversation, 3) a conversational interface. In real-world evaluations, 73% of healthcare workers agreed they would use TalkToModel over existing systems for understanding a disease prediction model, and 85% of ML professionals agreed TalkToModel was easier to use, demonstrating that TalkToModel is highly effective for model explainability.
WITHDRAWN: Immersive Experience Arousal Process of Vocal Music Language: From Perspectives of "Music" and "Lyrics"
Authors: Wei Ying
Published: November 2022

Interpersonal interaction through vocal music language has become an important channel for cross-cultural social life. How to skillfully use vocal music language to stimulate the audience's emotional arousal and trigger their immersive experience has become a research focus in the field of music. At present, the academic research on vocal music language is diversified, and has explored the path of vocal music occurrence and its development direction under specific circumstances. However, the process of immersive experience arousal from the perspective of "music" language and "lyrics" language is a hidden code study. In order to comprehensively consider various styles of vocal music, we selected the music of three different singing styles including folk style singing, bel canto and popular singing as experimental materials to study the arousal process of the audiences' immersive experience of vocal music language when listening to music. The results indicate that both "music" and "lyrics" language perceptions exert a significantly positive impact on the audience's emotional arousal and immersive experience, and in addition, arousal plays a significant mediating role between vocal music language and immersive experience. Therefore, by means of clarifying the internal logic of the audience's immersive experience from the perspectives of "music" and "lyrics" in the vocal music language, this study provides new theoretical insights for the applicable boundary of telepresence in the vocal music field, facilitate operators to design on-the-scene vocal music art environment to convey the emotional connotation of vocal music, and further promote the development of the vocal music field.
Establishment of In Vitro Cultures and Investigation of Micropropagation Possibilities In Shoot Tip Explants of Different Mastic Tree (Pistacia lentiscus L.) Genotypes
Authors: Uysal Hüseyin , Kılıç Malum Umut
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to perform in vitro clonal micropropagation of mature mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus L.). In addition, browning problems in culture media, different sampling periods and success of genotypes were investigated. In the study, 1–2-years-old wood cuttings which are approximately 20–25 cm belonging to 4 different genotypes were used as the starting plant material. Samples were taken in November, December and January. The shoot tips obtained by forcing the hardwood cuttings in distilled water were used as explants in tissue culture. When all genotypes are averaged, the average shoot value per cutting was found at the highest level in January with 6.57. The application of paraffin, which covers the basal parts of the explants, significantly reduced or even completely prevented browning. In the second stage of the January period, 51.33% of the explants formed adventitious buds in MS media containing 1 mg/l BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) and 0,5 mg/l GA3 (gibberellic acid). Explants of wild genotype showed 61.54% rooting in MS medium containing 2 mg/l IBA (indole-3-butyric acid). The rooting success achieved in the wild genotype indicates that it is possible to micrograft shoot tips of culture clones onto rooted wild genotype explants rather than related species. If it was further developed, this method would stand out as the most reasonable method for commercial micropropagation of mastic trees.
NFKBIE Is a Predictive Factor of Survival and Is Correlated With Immune Infiltration, Antigen Processing, And Presentation In Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Qian Liting , Li Heng , Tu Jinqi , Zhang Yang , Dai Tiancheng , Sun Sinan , Wang Jian , Tu Congyin , Zheng Lin
Published: November 2022

Background
The important role of the NFκBpathway in tumor development has long been recognized. but the role of the NFκB inhibitor family in liver cancer has not been studied. Hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）has become a serious public health burden with high incidence, poor prognosis, and early detection, especially in Asia where hepatitis is prevalent.
Methods
The transcript level of the NFκB inhibitor family was investigated in HCC and normal tissues using Metabolic Gene Rapid Visualizer, UALCAN, and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource database（TIMER）respectively. Survival curves of NFKBIE were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier database. Genes co-expressed with NFKBIE in hepatocellular carcinoma were studied by LinkedOmics and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Database（HCCDB） respectively. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) Networks, gene ontology, and KEGG enrichment pathway analyses provide a novel method for investigating the NFKBIE mechanism in HCC. Using the TIMER database, the connection between immune infiltration and NFKBIE was determined. RNA-Seq was used to evaluate NFKBIE's function in HCC and its impact on proliferation and migration. Western Blot was used to confirm the expression of NFKBIE in HCC cell lines.In addition, we demonstrated NFKBIE overexpression in HCC using tissue microarrays encompassing 80 pairs of HCC and normal liver tissues.
Results:
NFKBIE was the only NFκBinhibitor in its family with high expression and a better prognosis in HCC.NFKBIE was correlated with clinical characteristics such as tumor grade, TP53 mutation status, and tumor stage.GSCA database suggested that NFKBIE might inhibit the PI3K/AKT, RAS/MAPK, RTK, and TSC/mTOR pathways. In addition, NFKBIE was significantly associated with B cell immune infiltration, and our RNA-Seq data showed that NFKBIE knockout significantly affected antigen presentation and hepatocellular carcinoma pathways. Immunohistochemistry on microarrays of tissue samples revealed that NFKBIE was overexpressed in various stages of HCC. Inhibition of NFKBIE also decreased the growth and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
Conclusion：
Due to its prognostic value and overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma, NFKBIE distinguished itself from other NFκB inhibitors. As such, it may provide a novel prognostic indicator and immunotherapeutic target in HCC.
A fuzzy-based framework for diagnosing esophageal motility disorder using high-resolution manometry
Authors: Rafieivand Safa , Moradi Mohammad Hassan , Sanat Zahra Momayez , Soleimani Hosein Asl
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the high-resolution manometry (HRM) technique has been increasingly used to study esophageal and colonic pressurization and has become a standard routine for discovering mobility disorders. In addition to evolving guidelines for the interpretation of HRM like Chicago, some complexities, such as the dependency of normative reference values on the recording device and other external variables, still remain for medical professions. In this study, a decision support framework is developed to aid the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders based on HRM data. To abstract HRM data, a new graph-based representation method is introduced that is derived from the spatio-temporal dependencies of pressure values of HRM components. Convolutional graph networks are then utilized to embed relation graphs to the features vector. In the decision-making stage, a novel Expert per Class Fuzzy Classifier (EPC-FC) is presented that employs the ensemble structure and contains expertized sub-classifiers for recognizing a specific disorder. Training sub-classifiers using the negative correlation learning method makes the EPC-FC highly generalizable. Meanwhile, separating the sub-classifiers of each class gives flexibility and interpretability to the structure. The classification results show that our system can distinguish motility disorders with an average accuracy of 78.03% for a single swallow and 92.54% for subject-level classification. Our framework outperforms other comparative classifiers such as SVM and AdaBoost. Moreover, compared with the other studies, the suggested framework has an outstanding performance considering that it imposes no limits on the type of classes or HRM data.
Generalized Spoof Detection and Incremental Algorithm Recognition for Spoofing Voice
Authors: Guo Jinlin , Zhao Zuxing
Published: November 2022

Highly deceptive deep-fake technologies have caused much controversy, e.g.,
artificial intelligence-based software can automatically generate nude photos and
deep-fake images of Obama, Putin, and other political figures. This brings
considerable threats to both individuals and society. In addition to video and
image forgery, audio forgery poses many hazards but lacks sufficient attention.
Furthermore, existing work has only focused on voice spoof detection, neglecting
the identification of spoof algorithms. It is of great value to recognize the
algorithm for synthesizing spoofing voices in traceability. This study presents a
system combining voice-spoof detection and algorithm recognition. In contrast,
the generalizability of the spoof detection model is discussed from the perspective
of embedding space and decision boundary to face the spoofing voice attacks
generated by spoof algorithms that are not available in the training set. This
study presents a method for voice spoof algorithms recognition based on
incremental learning, taking into account the data flow scenarios where new spoof
algorithms keep appearing in reality. Our experimental results on the LA dataset
of ASVspoof2019 show that our system can improve the generalization of spoof
detection and identify new voice spoof algorithms without catastrophic forgetting.
Molecular patterns identify distinct subclasses of myeloid neoplasia
Authors: Kewan Tariq , Durmaz Arda , Bahaj Waled , Gurnari Carmelo , Terkawi Laila , Awada Hussein , Ogbue Olisaemeka , Ahmed Ramsha , Pagliuca Simona , Awada Hassan , Kutoba Yasuo , Mori Minako , Ponvilawan Ben , Al-Share Bayan , Patel Bhumika , carraway hetty , Scott Jacob , Balasubramanian Suresh , Bat Taha , Madanat Yazan , Sekeres Mikkael , Haferlach Torsten , Visconte Valeria , Maciejewski Jaroslaw
Published: November 2022

Background
Genomic mutations drive the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While morphological and clinical features, complemented by cytogenetics, have dominated the classical criteria for diagnosis and classification, incorporation of molecular mutational data can illuminate functional pathobiology.
Methods
We combined cytogenetic and molecular features from a multicenter cohort of 3588 MDS, MDS/ myeloproliferative neoplasm (including chronic myelomonocytic leukemia [CMML]), and secondary AML patients to generate a molecular-based scheme using machine learning methods and then externally validated the model on 412 patients. Molecular signatures driving each cluster were identified and used for genomic subclassification.
Findings
Unsupervised analyses identified 14 distinctive and clinically heterogenous molecular clusters (MCs) with unique pathobiological associations, treatment responses, and prognosis. Normal karyotype (NK) was enriched in MC2, MC4, MC6, MC9, MC10, and MC12 with different distributions of TET2, SF3B1, ASXL1, DNMT3A, and RAS mutations. Complex karyotype and trisomy 8 were enriched in MC13 and MC1, respectively. We then identified five risk groups to reflect the biological differences between clusters. Our clustering model was able to highlight the significant survival differences among patients assigned to the similar IPSS-R risk group but with heterogenous molecular configurations. Different response rates to hypomethylating agents (e.g., MC9 and MC13 [OR: 2.2 and 0.6, respectively]) reflected the biological differences between the clusters. Interestingly, our clusters continued to show survival differences regardless of the bone marrow blast percentage.
Interpretation
Despite the complexity of the molecular alterations in myeloid neoplasia, our model recognized functional objective clusters, irrespective of anamnestic clinico-morphological features, that reflected disease evolution and informed classification, prognostication, and molecular interactions. Our subclassification model is available via a web-based open-access resource as well (https://drmz.shinyapps.io/mds_latent).
Evoked responses to single pulse electrical stimulation demonstrate impaired striatal excitability in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Gronlier Eloïse , Volle Julien , Coizet Véronique , Antoine Paccard , Habermacher Chloé , Roche Yann , Roucard Corinne , Duveau Venceslas , David Olivier
Published: November 2022

Background: Sensorimotor beta oscillations are increased in Parkinson’s disease (PD) due to the alteration of dopaminergic transmission. This electrophysiological read-out is reported both in patients and in animal models such as the 6-OHDA rat model obtained with unilateral nigral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Current treatments, based on dopaminergic replacement, transiently normalize this pathological beta activity and improve patients’ quality of life.
Objectives: We wanted to assess in vivo whether the abnormal beta oscillations can be directly linked to the striato-cortical excitability of the sensorimotor system and whether it is modulated by the pharmacological manipulation of the dopaminergic system.
Methods: In the unilateral 6-OHDA rat model and control animals, we used intra-striatal and intra-cortical single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) and concurrent local field potentials (LFP) recordings. In the two groups, we quantified basal cortico-striatal excitability from time-resolved spectral analyses of LFP evoked responses induced remotely by intracerebral stimulations. The temporal dependance of cortico-striatal excitability to dopaminergic transmission was further tested using electrophysiological recordings combined with levodopa injection.
Results: LFP evoked responses after striatal stimulation showed a transient reduction of power in a large time-frequency domain in the 6-OHDA group compared to the sham group. This observation is specific to the striatum, as no significant difference was observed in cortical LFP evoked responses between the two groups, and corresponds to an impaired striatal excitability in the 6-OHDA group compared to the controls. This PD-specific effect was observed in the striatum at least during the first 3 months after the lesion. In addition, the striatum responses to SPES during a levodopa challenge showed a transient potentiation of the decrease of responsiveness in frequencies below 40 Hz.
Conclusion: The spectral properties of striatal responses to SPES show high sensitivity to dopaminergic transmission in the unilateral 6-OHDA rat model. We thus propose that this approach could be used in preclinical models as a time-resolved biomarker of impaired dopaminergic transmission capable of monitoring progressive neurodegeneration and/or challenges to drug intake.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza spore abundance and species richness in main agroecosystems in five regions in southeast Mexico
Authors: Ricárdez-Pérez Juan David , Wal Hans van der
Published: November 2022

Geographical setting and agroecosystem management have been found to influence spore abundance and species composition of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) communities. In this study we determine how abundance and composition vary between five regions in Southeast México and between the main agroecosystems within them. Two-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey-tests of spore abundance data of home gardens, mixed maize crops and pasturelands showed higher abundances in Los Altos and Canón Usumacinta than in Los Ríos, a significant region–agroecosystem interaction and no effect of agroecosystem. Analysis by region showed significant differences between agroecosystems in the Chontalpa and the Cañón Usumacinta (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests), but not in Los Altos, Los Ríos and Southern Quintana Roo. We observed a total of 34 morphospecies from a total of 90 sampling sites and calculated an estimated total richness of 42.7 morphospecies. Estimated richness was higher in Los Rios (31.2.) and Chontalpa (19.1) than in southern Quintana Roo (9.6) and was intermediate in Los Altos (10.4) and Cañón Usumacinta (13.5). Species composition did not vary strongly between regions, as most species occurred in several regions. High spore abundance was associated with the moderate use of agrochemicals and of mechanized cropping practices.
Gut microbial profile of treatment-naive patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Zhou Yi-jun , Ying Gao-xiang , Dong Shi-lei , Xiang Bo , Jin Qiao-fei
Published: November 2022

Background and aims:
The pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is associated with alterations of gut microbiota. We compared the gut microbiota of PBC patients and healthy controls from Zhejiang province, and assessed the use of gut microbiota composition as a tool for diagnosis of PBC.
Methods
First, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the gut microbiota of patients with treatment-naive PBC (n = 25) and matched healthy controls (n = 25). Then, the use of gut microbiota composition for the diagnosis of PBC and as an indicator of PBC severity was determined.
Results
The gut microbiota of PBC patients had lower in three metric of alpha-diversity (ace, Chao1, and observed features) and fewer overall number of genera (all p < 0.01). PBC patients had significantly enrichment of 4 gut genera and significant depletion of 8 gut genera. We identified 6 amplicon sequence variants (Serratia, Oscillospirales, Ruminococcaceae, Faecalibacterium, Sutterellaceae, and Coprococcus) as optimal biomarkers to distinguish PBC patients from controls, based on receiver operating characteristic analysis which indicated the area under the curve was 0.824. PBC patients who were anti-gp210-positive had lower levels of Oscillospiraceae than those who were anti-gp210-negative. KEGG functional annotation suggested the major changes in the gut microbiota of PBC patients were related to lipid metabolism and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.
Conclusion
We characterized the gut microbiota of treatment-naive PBC patients from Zhejiang province. These patients had significant alterations in their gut microbiota, suggesting a potential use of gut microbiota as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of PBC.
Subsoiling tillage enhances wheat productivity, soil carbon and available nutrients status in dryland fields
Authors: Yan Qiuyan , Wu Linjia , Dong Fei , Yan Shuangdui , Zhang Qiang , Li Xun , Li Junhui , Lu Jinxiu , Yang Feng , Jia Yaqin , Shen Yanting
Published: November 2022

Amis Additional tillage practices such as subsoiling (SS) and deep tillage (DT) during fallow period are beneficial to water storage and yield increases in dryland wheat fields compared with no tillage (NT). However, soil chemical characteristics responses to tillage practices that change within growth seasons are less understood. Methods This study evaluated the effects of three tillage practices (NT, SS and DT) on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nutrient and its relations with yield. Soil samples from five experimental years were analyzed to determine the contents of SOC, TN, and available nutrients. Soil samples from the fifth experimental year were analyzed to determine the soil aggregate and aggregate-associated C and N fractions. Results The SS and DP treatments favored grain yield, straw yield and straw carbon return compared to NT. In the whole profile (0–40 cm), the mean annual SOC stock and sequestration rate were 62.3, 59.4 and 38.5 t ha− 1and + 0.73, + 0.59 and − 8.27 t ha− 1yr− 1under NT, SS and DT. The mean annual TN stock and sequestration rate were 5.45, 6.18 and 5.95 t ha− 1and + 0.28, + 0.53 and + 0.67 t ha− 1yr− 1under NT, SS and DT. Higher SOC levels under SS and NT were associated with greater aggregate-associated C fractions. Similarly, soil available nutrients improved under NT and SS at 0–20 cm soil layer. Conclusions This result indicated that SS was an excellent practice for increasing wheat productivity, SOC, TN and nutrient availability synergistically in dryland wheat fields in North China.
Targeting the inward rectifier potassium channel 5.1 in thyroid cancer: artificial intelligence-facilitated molecular docking for drug discovery
Authors: YANG XUE , Du Yaying , Wu Yonglin , Xu Shaojie , Li Hanning , Peng Chengcheng , Cui Xiaoqing , Dhoomun Deenraj Kush , Wang Ge , Xu Tao , Dong Menglu , Li Xingrui
Published: November 2022

Purpose: Recurrent and metastatic thyroid cancer is more invasive and can transform to dedifferentiated thyroid cancer, thus leading to a severe decline in the 10-year survival. The thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) plays an important role in differentiation process. We aim to find a therapeutic target in redifferentiation strategies for thyroid cancer.
Methods: Our study integrated the differentially expressed genes acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus database by comparing TSHR expression levels in the Cancer Genome Atlas database. We conducted functional enrichment analysis and verified the expression of these genes by RT-PCR in 68 pairs of thyroid tumor and paratumor tissues. Artificial intelligence-enabled virtual screening was combined with the VirtualFlow platform for deep docking.
Results: We identified five genes (KCNJ16, SLC26A4, T.G., TPO, and SYT1) as potential cancer treatment targets. TSHR and KCNJ16 were downregulated in the thyroid tumor tissues, compared with paired normal tissues. In addition, KCNJ16 was lower in the vascular/capsular invasion group. Enrichment analyses revealed that KCNJ16 may play a significant role in cell growth and differentiation. The inward rectifier potassium channel 5.1 (Kir5.1, encoded by KCNJ16) emerged as an interesting target in thyroid cancer. Artificial intelligence-facilitated molecular docking identified Z2087256678_2, Z2211139111_1, Z2211139111_2, and PV-000592319198_1 (-7.3 kcal/mol) as the most potent commercially available molecular targeting Kir5.1.
Conclusion: This study may provide greater insights into the differentiation features associated with TSHR expression in thyroid cancer, and Kir5.1 may be a potential therapeutic target in the redifferentiation strategies for recurrent and metastatic thyroid cancer.
The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is positively associated with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Zhang Yao , Wang Leigang , Zhao Jianqi , Pang Lin , Fan Hongxuan , Zhang Wenjing , Liang Bin
Published: November 2022

Background
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inflammation and dyslipidemia have been demonstrated to show excellent influence in atherosclerosis in patients with NAFLD. Monocyte (MON) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (MHR), one of the inflammation markers, is associated with the occurrence and severity of NAFLD. However, evidence of MHR in the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) among NAFLD patients is limited.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study of 612 patients with ultrasonogram-confirmed NAFLD who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). All patients were divided into NAFLD + CAD group and NAFLD + non-CAD group. For univariate analysis between the two groups, continuous variables were compared using independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney test, and categorical variables were compared using chi-square test or Fisher Exact tests. In addition, we used binary logistic regression analysis to identify risk and protective factors associated with CAD, constructed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the predictive value of MHR for CAD, and methodological studies of chi-square test for trend analysis the distribution of Gensini scores in MHR at different levels, and the risk degree of Gensini scores at different MHR levels by ordinal logistic regression.
Results
The study included a total of 336 CAD patients and 277 non-CAD patients. Univariate analysis showed that CAD patients had higher MHR than non-CAD patients (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, compared with pure NAFLD patients, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MHR remained to be an independent risk factor for CAD after adjusting for confounding risk factors (OR = 15.57, 95% CI 4.68–51.85, P < 0.001). At the same time, it was superior to traditional lipid parameters. NHR, NLR, and TG were also independent risk factors for CAD. HDL-C is a protective factor for CAD among NAFLD patients. The ROC curve showed that MHR or other inflammatory markers combined with traditional risk factors can improve the ability to predict CAD. In further study, trend chi-square showed that higher levels of MHR predicted more severe coronary lesions (P < 0.05). Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that MHR was independently associated with changes in Gensini score (OR = 2.95, 95% CI 1.78–4.89, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
The MHR was positively associated with CAD risk among NAFLD patients and reflected coronary atherosclerosis severity.