bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
External validation of a four-tiered grading system for chromophobe renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Liu Shuai , Hou Mingyu , Yao Yu , Mei Jingchang , Sun Lijiang , Zhang Guiming
Published: June 2022

Background
This study aimed to validate the prognostic value of a four-tiered grading system recently proposed by Avulova et al. and to explore the prognostic ability of another four-tiered classification grading system in which there is a separate Grade 3 for tumor necrosis. Grading of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) by the Fuhrman system is not feasible because of the inherent nuclear atypia in ChRCC.
Methods
We collected relevant data of 263 patients with ChRCC who had undergone surgery in our hospital from 2008 to 2020. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate and Cox proportional hazard regression models to assess associations with cancer-specific survival (CSS) and distant metastasis-free survival by hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Ten patients died from ChRCC, and 12 developed metastases. The 5-year CSS rates were 95.9%. Grades 2 (HR = 10.9; Cl 1.11–106.4; P = 0.04), 3 (HR = 33.6, Cl 3.32–339.1; P = 0.003), and 4 (HR = 417.4, Cl 35.0-4976.2; P < 0.001) in a four-tiered grading system were significantly associated with CSS in a multivariate setting. However, the difference in CSS between Grades 2 and 3 was not significant (HR = 2.14, 95% CI 0.43–10.63; P = 0.35). The HRs of the associations between an exploratory grading system that includes a separate Grade 3 for tumor necrosis and CSS were as follows: Grade 2, 10.2 (Cl 1.06–97.9, P = 0.045); Grade 3, 11.4 (Cl 1.18–109.6, P = 0.04); Grade 4, 267.9 (Cl 27.6-2603.3, P < 0.001). Similarly, Grades 2 and 3 did not differ significantly.
Conclusion
The four-tiered grading system studied is useful for predicting death from ChRCC and metastasis. However, Grade 3 did not more accurately predict risk of death and metastasis than did Grade 2. This was also true for the other exploratory grading system that we investigated.
Experimental and numerical investigation into material removal mechanism of fast ED-milling
Authors: Wang Jian , Xi Xue-Cheng , Chu Hao-Yu , Zhang Ya-Ou , Zhao Fu-Chun , Zhao Wan-Sheng
Published: June 2022

Fast electrical discharge milling (Fast ED-milling) has become a promising technology in the manufacturing industry for machining complex structures such as diffuser-shaped film cooling holes. However, the mechanism of the efficient removal of materials in this technology is not yet fully understood. To gain a further insight into this matter, an experimental investigation on the morphology of discharge craters including the absolute material removal volume per discharge, material residual volume per discharge, and directionality, is firstly carried out. The obtained results imply that a high-pressure inner flushing can significantly promote the expelling of molten material from a molten pool and is a fundamental reason why fast ED-milling can be of higher machining efficiency than regular ED-milling. To explore the mechanism behind, a novel thermal-fluid coupling model is developed to simulate the evolution process of the molten material under the effect of a flow field. The results of numerical simulation show that during a discharging, the molten material moves along the workpiece surface towards the outlet of a gap channel and solidifies at the side of a crater that is away from the electrode center. Another interesting finding is that an inappropriately high flushing pressure can result in a low machining efficiency because the severe heat convection will consume a large part of the heat generated by a discharge. This well explains the phenomenon that occurred during the experimental investigation.
State Gun Regulations and Reduced Gun Ownership are Associated with Fewer Firearm-Related Suicides Among both US Juveniles and Adults
Authors: Paul Megan E. , Coakley Brian A.
Published: June 2022

Background: Few studies have investigated the relationship between specific gun regulations and gun ownership with the number of firearm-related suicides among juveniles across U.S. states. Therefore, this study seeks to determine if measures of state gun ownership and gun restrictions are related to the rate of firearm-related suicide in both the pediatric and adult populations.Methods: Sixteen measures of state gun law restrictions, gun ownership and firearm-related statistics by the ATF were collected. These measures included ATF registered weapons, ATF federal firearm licensees, Giffords Center rankings, gun ownership percentages, and 12 specific firearm laws. Bivariate linear regression was used to model the relationship between each individual variable and the rate of firearm-related suicides for adults and children in each state. This was repeated using a multivariate linear regression adjusting for poverty, poor mental health, race, educational attainment, and divorce rate by state.Results: In the bivariate linear regression, 11 of 16 of the firearm-related measures were statistically associated with fewer firearm-related suicides in the adult population. Similarly, 11 of 16 measures were also found to be associated with fewer firearm-related suicides in the pediatric population. In the multivariate regression, 6 of 16 measures were still statistically associated with fewer firearm-related suicides in the adult population vs. 5 of 16 measures in the pediatric population, even after controlling for all five potentially confounding variables. No restrictions were associated with higher levels of suicides for either analysis. Conclusions: Ultimately, this is one of the first studies linking state gun restrictions and gun ownership with fewer firearm-related suicides among juveniles in the United States at the state level. This data suggests that US lawmakers should focus on strengthening gun restrictions and reducing gun ownership rates to potentially reduce the rate of firearm-related suicide among children and adults.
The effect of trigger day maximal follicle size greater than 25 mm on pregnancy result in patients receiving IVF-ET treatment.
Authors: XIN XIN , DONG LI , LI JIAXI , XIA FANGDAN , ZHAO CONGCONG , WU HAICUI , LIAN FANG , SONG JINGYAN
Published: June 2022

Background
Previous studies have involved the impact of the dominant follicle diameter on the number of eggs retrieved and pregnancy outcome during in vitro fertilization embryo transfer assisted pregnancy. In the natural physiological cycle of normal women, when the follicle diameter reaches 18–25 mm, it is discharged autonomously, while in the process of assisted reproduction, asynchronous follicular development often occurs, although these large follicles may not affect the level of reproductive endocrine. However, there is no study on whether giant follicles with a diameter of more than 25 mm on trigger day will affect pregnancy outcome.The goal of this study is to see whether a trigger day maximum dominant follicle diameter more than 25 mm affects the outcome of an IVF-ET pregnancy.
Methods
From January 2018 to January 2021, 569 patients (610 cycles) underwent IVF-ET at a university Hospital's reproductive Center and were categorized based on whether the greatest dominant follicle diameter on trigger day was larger than 25 mm: Group A (n = 435, maximum dominant follicle diameter 25 mm), group B (n = 175, maximum dominant follicle diameter 25 mm). The cumulative live birth rate was the key outcome index, clinical pregnancy rate was the secondary outcome index, and additional outcomes were normal fertilization rate, embryo formation rate, and ectopic pregnancy rate.
Results
The existence of follicles with a trigger day diameter greater than 25 mm may alter the result of IVF-ET, lowering the clinical pregnancy rate (40.92 percent vs 30.2 percent, P = 0.008) and the live birth rate (37.24 percent vs 27.43 percent, P = 0.017). Multivariate logistic regression study demonstrated that the presence of follicles with a diameter of more than 25 mm on trigger day was connected with the pregnancy result after embryo transfer. More prospective clinical trials are required to further investigate the influence of trigger day maximum follicle diameter on pregnancy outcome due to the limitations of this research and the paucity of prior studies on this issue.
Conclusions
The maximal trigger day follicle diameter of more than 25 mm seems to impact the pregnancy outcome of IVF-ET, resulting in a somewhat unfavorable outcome, and the development of gigantic trigger day follicles should be avoided in clinical practice as much as feasible.
The aging behavior of biochar and its immobilizing ability to heavy metals in the rhizosphere
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhai Lulu , Zhang Xiyang , Pan Yuting , Zhang Long , Shen Zhenguo , Chen Yahua
Published: June 2022

The application effect of biochar in soil is often affected by environmental factors, but the effect of rhizosphere processes on the properties and functions of biochar remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the aging process in the rhizosphere on the properties of biochar and the influence of the rhizosphere effect on the performance of biochar for immobilization of heavy metals through different wheat rhizosphere simulation experiments. After aging in the wheat rhizosphere, the physicochemical properties of rice husk biochar (RH BC) and sludge biochar (Sl BC) changed significantly. In general, ash content, specific surface area (SAA), and thermal stability were significantly reduced, while the oxygen (O) content, polarity and surface O-containing functional groups content were significantly increased. The increase of C = O and O = C-OH on the aged biochar surface promotes its adsorption capability for Cd2+ and Pb2+. In addition, the results of the root box experimental showed that the RH BC and Sl BC could effectively reduce the concentration of bioavailable heavy metals in soil, while the rhizosphere effect increases the bioavailability of heavy metals in rhizosphere soil, and then weakens the immobilization effect of RH BC, but has no significant effect on the Sl BC. The increased dissolved organic matter (DOM) content in the rhizosphere soil caused by wheat roots may be an important factor contributing to this phenomenon. Therefore, although the aging process in the rhizosphere may enhance the adsorption performance of biochar for heavy metal, the immobilization effect of biochar for heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil is still at risk of being weakened by the rhizosphere effect.
Metabolomic and transcriptomic exploration of the effects of biological fertilizer on the growth of Alfalfa
Authors: Wang Yubo , Du Weifeng , Dai Yue , Jiang Hui , Dong Kuiling , Irfan Muhammad , Xiao Lifeng , Chen Lijing , Wang Yong
Published: June 2022

Alfalfa is a forage grass with excellent grass quality and high protein content. It is one of the most important feeds in the world.However, according to the conventional alfalfa planting method,long-term excessive application of chemical fertilizer will seriously affect soil fertility, enzyme activity and Alfalfa protein content. Biofertilizer can effectively change soil nutrients, activity of soil enzymes, and increase concentrations of crude protein and soluble protein.Therefore, it is necessary to fully understand the changes of transcriptome and metabolome under the condition of applying biological fertilizer to alfalfa. In this study, leaf transcriptome and metabolomics were used to study the effect of alfalfa treated with bio-organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer(control group) on mature alfalfa. Compared with the control group (applying chemical fertilizer), the treatment group (applying biological fertilizer) has higher growth and higher nutrition index, and the soil enzyme activity has also been significantly improved. In addition, through the combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolomics, it was shown that the external application of biological fertilizer improved some signal transduction, tryptophan metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism and isoflavone metabolism of alfalfa.In conclusion, the study provides a notional basis for evaluating the induction of nutrients in alfalfa growth and maturity stage and the potential mechanism of remediation of fertilizer contaminated soil.
Expression profile of lncRNA induced by DPP4 in human aortic smooth muscle cells and calcification gene prediction
Authors: Xu Tongjie , Chen Hao , Xu Xiongfei , Sun Xiaolei , He Huqiang , Zeng Hong , Shi Sen , Liu Yong
Published: June 2022

Arterial media calcification caused by diabetes is an important cause of cardiovascular calcification. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) is associated with diabetic arterial media calcification. While, long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) is closely related to the cardiovascular diseases and calcification caused by diabetes. Experiment have shown that LncRNA can regulate DPP4 activation to modulate senescence and lncRNA ENST00000540293 may associated with human periodontal ligament cells development. our previous studies showed that DPP4 can promote the calcification of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) by activating the ERK/NF-kB pathway, but it is unknown whether it is related to the regulation of lncRNA. Calcification of HASMCs was induced by DPP4. There was a significant difference in the expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs between normal and calcified cells detected by gene chip technology. Based on the results of microarray detection, we found that lncRNA ENST00000540293 may be involved in vascular calcification induced by DPP4 through regulating target genes.
Residual compressive stress prediction determined by blade edge radius and feed rate during milling of thin-walled parts
Authors: Jiang Xiaohui , Cai Yan , Liu Weiqiang , Guo Miaoxian , Zhou Hong , Xu Zhou , Kong Xiangjing , Ju Pengfei
Published: June 2022

Residual compressive stress can effectively improve fatigue life of aerospace thin-walled parts. In this study, residual compressive stress control is taken as the target. Firstly, a surface residual stress prediction model is proposed, which considers both machining parameters and milling force-heat. The model of the relationship between milling force, thermal load and residual stress is established, which quantifies the effects of mechanical and thermal loads on the formation of residual compressive stresses. The results show that the feed rate of each tooth and the blade edge radius play an important role in the residual compressive stress of the milling surface. The prediction models of surface residual stress for thermal load, mechanical load, feed per tooth and radius are established. Secondly, the ratio α of the feed rate per tooth fz to the blade edge radius r is calculated. When αxx = 0.42 ~ 0.65 and αyy = 0.36 ~ 0.7, the surface residual compressive stress in X and Y directions of the workpiece reaches the maximum value. Thus, the ratio of the feed rate per tooth fz to the blade edge radius r is optimized to control the mechanical and thermal load quantization. It realizes active control of residual compressive stress on workpiece surface.
PARS: a bioinformatic tool for Protein Assignment Regarding Secondary structure
Authors: Fathinavid Amirhosein , Heshmati Emran , Khalifeh Khosrow
Published: June 2022

Based on the statistical observation, sequence motifs have been introduced as regular patterns of amino acids that convey a specific structural or functional feature to a group of proteins. But, there is no report about the frequency distribution of the short lengths regularities (such as dipeptides) regarding its structural feature. To find a systematic view about the issue as mentioned above, we developed a bioinformatics tool, namely, PARS (Protein Assignment Regarding Secondary Structure), to enumerate all possible di- and tri-peptides in a given protein structure accompanied by assigning secondary structural elements for the first and second residues. This program can extract structural information of a PDB file, and determines the frequency distribution of 16 and 64 possible secondary structural of possible dipeptides and tripeptides respectively. It is implemented in C# programming language using the dynamic programming method. Using the structural files of a group of proteins, one can construct a detailed structural dataset for further analysis. Other applications include systems biology studies and logical designing of mutations. As an example, a brief description of the published article will be introduced at the end of this paper. This program is freely available for download at: http://www.znu.ac.ir/members/newpage/702/en
A predictable prospect of the South Asian summer monsoon
Authors: Zhang Tuantuan , Jiang Xingwen , Yang Song , Chen Junwen , Li Zhenning
Published: June 2022

Prediction of the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) has remained a challenge for both scientific research and operational climate prediction for decades. By identifying two dominant modes of the SASM, we show that the unsatisfactory prediction may be due to the fact that the existing SASM indices are mostly related to the less predictable second mode. The first mode, in fact, is highly predictable. It is physically linked to the variation of the Indian monsoon trough coupled with large rainfall anomalies over core monsoon zone and the northern Bay of Bengal. An index is constructed as a physical proxy of this first mode, which can be well predicted one season in advance, with an overall skill of 0.698 for 1979-2020. This result suggests a predictable prospect of the SASM, and we recommend the new index for real-time monitoring and prediction of the SASM.
Anomalous circularly polarized light emission caused by the chirality-driven topological electronic properties
Authors: Wan Li , Liu Yizhou , Fuchter Matthew , Yan Binghai
Published: June 2022

Chirality of organic molecules is characterized by selective absorption and emission of circularly-polarized light (CPL). A consensus for chiral emission (absorption) is that molecular chirality determines the favored light handedness regardless of the light-emitting (incident) direction. Refreshing above textbook knowledge, we discover an unconventional CPL emission effect in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), where counter-propagating CPLs exhibit opposite handedness. This direction-dependent CPL emission boosts the net polarization rate by orders of magnitude in OLED devices by resolving the long-lasting back-electrode reflection problem. The anomalous CPL emission originates in a ubiquitous topological electronic property in chiral materials, i.e., the orbital-momentum locking. Our work paves the way to design novel chiroptoelectronic devices and reveals that chiral materials, topological electrons, and CPL have intimate connections in the quantum regime.
Rates, Facilitators, and Barriers to Exclusive Breastfeeding among Syrian Refugee Mothers: A Cross-sectional Survey
Authors: Halasa Suhaila , Safadi Reema , Al-Maharma Dua' , Ahmad Muayyad , Saleh Mohammed , Nabolsi Manar , Dohrn Jennifer
Published: June 2022

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding becomes more crucial for infants’ survival during humanitarian crises. The purpose of this study was to assess breastfeeding rates and identify the facilitators of and barriers to exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among Syrian refugee mothers residing in host communities in Jordan.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey using a proportional quota sampling technique was employed. The sample consisted of 523 Syrian refugee mothers with an infant less than or equal to six months old. A developed questionnaire was used to collect door-to-door data over a period of six months. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results: This study demonstrated low rates of (EBF) (35.8 %), low early initiation rate (37%), and high pre-lacteal feeding rate (64.3%) among Syrian refugee mothers. The facilitators of adherence to (EBF) included mothers’ satisfaction with breastfeeding, past breastfeeding experience, and giving birth to a female infant. The main barriers to breastfeeding included perceptions of insufficient milk supply, perceptions of the infant staying hungry after breastfeeding, and mothers’ and infants’ health problems. Conclusions: The findings revealed factors that are modifiable with appropriate counseling efforts. Considering the facilitators and barriers of EBF, nurses and midwives must encourage refugee mothers to initiate and continue EBF to promote both mothers’ and infants’ well-being.
Correlation between estimated glucose disposal rate and in-stent restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention in individuals with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Liu Chi , Zhao Qi , Ma Xiaoteng , Cheng Yujing , Sun Yan , Zhang Dai , Liu Xiaoli , Zhou Yujie
Published: June 2022

Background
Insulin resistance (IR) is closely associated with in-stent restenosis (ISR) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Nevertheless, the predictive power of the newly developed simple assessment of IR, estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), for ISR after PCI in individuals with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) remains unclear.
Methods
Based on eligibility criteria, 1218 NSTE-ACS cases administered PCI in Beijing Anzhen Hospital Between January and December 2015 were included. The included individuals were submitted to at least one coronary angiography within 48 months after discharge. Patients were assigned to 2 groups according to ISR occurrence or absence. eGDR was derived as 21.16 - (0.09 * waist circumference [cm]) - (3.41 * hypertension) - (0.55 * glycated hemoglobin [%]). Multivariate logistic regression analysis model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was established for evaluating eGDR’s association with ISR.
Results
In multivariate logistic analysis, the odds ratios (ORs) of eGDR as a nominal variate and a continuous variate were 3.393 (confidence interval [CI] 2.099–5.488, P < 0.001) and 1.210 (CI 1.063–1.378, P = 0.004), respectively. The incremental effect of eGDR on ISR prediction based on traditional cardiovascular risk factors was reflected by ROC curve analysis (AUC: baseline model + eGDR 0.644 vs. baseline model 0.609, P for comparison = 0.013), continuous net reclassification improvement (continuous-NRI) of -0.264 (p < 0.001) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) of 0.071 (p = 0.065).
Conclusion
In NSTE-ACS cases administered PCI, eGDR levels are independently negatively associated with increased ISR risk.
An enhancer demethylator phenotype tightly associated with immune exhaustion and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in clear-cell renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Malouf Gabriel , Lu Xiaofan , Vano Yann , Helleux Alexandra , Su Xiaoping , Lindner Véronique , Davidson Guillaume , Mouawad Roger , Spano Jean-Philippe , Rouprêt Morgan , Elaidi Reza , Compérat Eva , Verkarre Virginie , Sun Chengming , Chevreau Christine , Bennamoun Mostefa , Lang Hervé , Tricard Thibault , Cheng Wenxuan , Xu Li , Davidson Irwin , Yan Fangrong , FRIDMAN Wolf , Sautès-Fridman Catherine , Oudard Stéphane
Published: June 2022

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of patients with clear-cell renal carcinomas. Although, analyses of transcriptome, genetic alterations, and the tumor microenvironment have shed light into mechanisms of response and resistance to these agents, the role of epigenetic alterations in this process remains fully unknown. Herein, we investigated the methylome of six clear-cell renal cell carcinomas cohorts and discovered a group of tumors with enhancer demethylation, namely \(TED\). \(TED\) was associated with tumors with sarcomatoid differentiation and poor clinical outcome. \(TED\) harbored TET1 and JAK3 promoter demethylation, activated the gene expression signature of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 pathways, and displayed a tumor microenvironment characterized by immune exhaustion, fibroblasts infiltration, and endothelial depletion. In addition, \(TED\) was the only predictive factor of resistance to the combination of first-line ipilimumab-nivolumab in the BIONIKK clinical trial. Finally, \(TED\) was associated with activation of specific regulons, which we also found to be predictive of resistance to immunotherapy in an independent cohort. In conclusion, we report on the discovery of a novel epigenetic phenotype associated with resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors that may pave the way to better personalizing patients’ treatments.
One-Stage Transanal Endorectal Pull-through for Hirschsprung Disease: experience with 229 neonates
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Liu Zhaozhou , Li Shuangshuang , Yang Shen , Zhao Jiawei , Yang Ting , Li Siqi , Chen Yongwei , Guo Weihong , Hou Dawei , Li Yingzi , Huang Jinshi
Published: June 2022

Objective
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the transanal endorectal pull-through (TEPT) and the long-term outcomes in newborns with HD.
Methods
A total of 229 newborns with HD underwent one-stage TEPT between 2007 and 2020, and the diagnoses were confirmed by rectal biopsy. The perioperative clinical course for all patients was reviewed, and the postoperative short- and long-term outcomes were assessed.
Results
A total of 229 neonates (187 male and 42 female) had a median age at TEPT of 17 days (range, 6–28 days). Sixty-eight patients (29.7%) underwent TEPT combined with an abdominal approach or laparoscopy. Early postoperative complications were documented in 26 patients (11.4%). The follow-up period in the remaining 165 children ranged from 1.2 to 14.0 years (median, 5.0 years), and late postoperative complications were noted in 6 patients (3.6%). A total of 106 of the patients older than four years old took part in an interview about bowel function, and 85 patients (80.2%) had a bowel function scores (BFS) ≥ 18.
Conclusion
TEPT is effective and safe in the treatment of neonatal HD and presents with a low rate of complications and an acceptable outcome.
A green synthetic method for co(ii,iii) oxide nanoparticles with high surface activity.
Authors: Absalan Yahya , Alabada Rusul , Razavi Mohammad Reza , Gholizadeh Mostafa , Kovalchukovac Olga
Published: June 2022

An environmentally friendly method is proposed to isolate Co3O4 nanoparticles with high surface activity. Instead of usual organic solvents, three different natural sugars, including glycogen, sucrose, and glucose are used for the first time as templates, and water as a green solvent, is used in all the steps. The crystallite sizes of the samples are 22.61 nm, 36.22 nm, and 30.093 nm for glucose, glycogen, and sucrose templates, respectively. The adsorption-desorption isotherms for all the samples match with IV type, which show a strong interaction between adsorbent and adsorbed sample. The pores of compounds obtained from glucose and glycogen templates, with H4 hysteresis, are slits and conical in the case of sucrose. The pore diameters are found in the interval 1.21–1.64 nm. The result illustrates a simple method with high novelty which can produce a variety of nanoparticles with a very large surface activity that can be used in different industries.
Scoping review using PRISMA-SCR on m-health interventions on self-care management of type 2 diabetes at home
Authors: Sinha Abhijeet Prasad , Singhal Manmohan , Gupta Mansi , Joshi Ashish
Published: June 2022

Objectives: To do scoping review on the global evidence on m-health interventions and determine the effectiveness of mobile based self-management interventions on type 2 diabetes mellitus Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus research data base were examined. Studies globally published in English from 2010 to 2020 and studies done on Type 2 diabetes and including age groups 18-75 years are included. The studies included intervention such as Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mobile based self-management for type 2 diabetes patients and charting and analysis of outcomes at patient level. The reviewer screened the studies, and it was consequently reviewed by a second reviewer independently. The data was extracted, charted and quality of the studies was assessed. The scoping study methodology using operational framework of Arksey, and O’Malley is used to present study outcomes and 27 pointers PRISMA-SCR checklist is used to present this paperResults: A total of 40 articles, consisting of RCT based interventions studies with 3800 plus participants, were included in the assessment. 40 original research articles were selected for inclusion. The selected studies largely focused on the self-management of type 2 diabetes (N = 40), hypertension (N = 2). Various interventions involved the use of mobile SMS (N = 17) or mobile on phone (N = 12), the content on session education with use of mobile (N = 10) or the placement of devices mobile (N = 4). The interventions were generally effective and often led to improved glycemic control and better health indicators.Conclusions: Mobile based self-management interventions seem to have positive effects on self-care and management and significant outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes. Overall progress in physiologic indicators, selfcare and improvement in quality of patient life with Type 2 Diabetes. Though, the studies emphasized results in small populations, with little indication of future scaling of the intervention. Moreover, the results indicate a need for further research into the self-management which includes nutrition informatics in self-care management regime, and it needs to focus on region wise availability of informatics on nutrition. This will also help in co-management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Self-management appears to be an effective means of improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and therefore mobile led selfcare management interventions with nutritional informatics can be advantageous.
Core genome sequencing and genotyping of Leptospira interrogans in clinical samples by target capture sequencing
Authors: Grillova Linda , Cokelaer Thomas , Mariet Jean-François , Fonseca Juliana Pipoli , Picardeau Mathieu
Published: June 2022

Background
The life-threatening pathogen Leptospira interrogans is the most common agent of leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease. However, little is known about the strains that are circulating worldwide due to the fastidious nature of the bacteria and its difficulty to be culture isolated. In addition, the paucity of bacteria in blood and other clinical samples has proven to be a considerable challenge for directly genotyping the agent of leptospirosis directly from patient material.
Methods
Here, to elucidate the genomic diversity of Leptospira circulating strains, hybridization capture followed by Illumina sequencing of the core genome was performed directly from 20 clinicall samples that were PCR positive for pathogenic Leptospira.
Results
A set of samples subjected to capture with RNA probes covering the L. interrogans core genome resulted in 72 to 13,000-fold increase in pathogen reads when compared to standard sequencing without capture. A SNP analysis of the genomes sequenced from the biological samples using 273 Leptospira reference genome was then performed in order to determine the genotype of the infecting strain. For samples with sufficent coverage (19/20 samples with coverage > 8X), we could unambigously identify L. interrogans sv Icterohaemorrhagiae (14 samples), L. kirschneri sv Grippotyphosa (4 samples) and L. interrogans sv Pyrogenes (1 sample) as the infecting strain.
Conclusions
We obtained for most of our clinicall samples high quality genomic data at suitable coverage for confident core genome genotyping of the agent of leptospirosis. The ability to generate culture-free genomic data opens new opportunities to better understand the epidemiology and evolution of this fastidious pathogen.
New splice variants of VEGF as relevant targets for the treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Montemagno Christopher , Durivault Jérôme , Gastaldi Cécile , Dufies Maeva , Vial Valérie , He Xingkang , Ambrosetti Damien , Négrier Sylvie , Bernhard Jean-Christophe , Borchiellini Delphine , Cao Yihai , Pagès Gilles
Published: June 2022

Background
The efficacy of anti-VEGF/VEGF receptors in the treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) varies from patient to patient. Discovering the reasons for this variability could lead to the identification of relevant therapeutic targets. We have investigated the possibility of splicing events leading to new forms of VEGF that are less efficiently inhibited by anti-VEGF/VEGFR targeting the conventional forms.
Methods
In silico analysis identified the presence of an unknown splice acceptor in the last intron of the VEGF gene resulting in an insertion of 23 bases in VEGF mRNA. Such an insertion can occur in previously described splice variants of VEGF (VEGFXXX) and shift the open reading frame, leading to a change in the c-terminal part of VEGF. We investigated the role of the resulting new major form of VEGF, VEGF222NF, in physiological and pathological angiogenesis. We analyzed the expression of these new alternatively spliced forms in normal tissue and in a series of RCC cells by qPCR and ELISA. We generated experimental RCC in mice by implanting ccRCC cells overexpressing VEGF222NF. The experimental RCC were also treated with polyclonal anti-VEGF/NF antibodies. The relationship between plasmatic VEGF/NF levels and resistance to anti-VEGFR and survival was also investigated in a cohort of patients from the NCT00943839 clinical trial.
Results
VEGF222/NF stimulated endothelial cell proliferation and vascular permeability through activation of VEGFR2. Overexpression of VEGF222/NF stimulated proliferation and metastatic properties of RCC cells, whereas its downregulation resulted in cell death. RCC cells overexpressing VEGF222/NF generated aggressive experimental tumors that developed functional blood and lymphatic vessels. Anti-VEGFXXX/NF antibodies slowed the growth of experimental RCC by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and the development of blood and lymphatic vessels. High plasmatic VEGFXXX/NF levels correlated with shorter survival and lower efficacy of anti-angiogenic drugs.
Conclusions
The existence of new VEGF isoforms has shed new light on the VEGF field.
An efficient method for Multiple UAV Cooperative Forest Fire Reconnaissance Task Assignment
Authors: Liu Xinlin , Jing Tian , Hou Linyi
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we present a three-layer centralized multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) task assignment method in collaboration with satellites for forest fire reconnaissance task, based on Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and multidimensional 0-1 knapsack model. The goal of UAVs reconnaissance task assignment problem is to maximize the utilization of UAVs by the reasonable allocation of UAV group. Hence, it is taken as a combinatorial optimization problem in this paper. We first obtain the basic information of the fire field through the space-based infrared sensors carried by satellites. Then we fit the fire points distribution through expectation maximization algorithm (EM) based on GMM to obtain the initial position of each UAV. Finally, we consider the task assignment problem of UAVs as a multidimensional 0-1 knapsack problem and use the improved genetic algorithm (GA) inspired by the fireworks algorithm (FWA) with improved select operator and elite opposition-based learning strategy (SeEl-FWGA) to solve the UAVs task assignment problem. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated and compared with other methods under the background of forest fires in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The simulation results show the superiority to the traditional genetic algorithm in terms of iteration speed and iteration results, and the high efficiency to solve the UAVs task assignment problem.
Multigene phylogeny and morphology of Ophiocordyceps macroascus sp. nov., a Zombie-ant fungus
Authors: Tang Dexiang , Xu Zhihong , Wang Yao , Wang Yuanbing , Tran Ngoc-Lan , Yu Hong
Published: June 2022

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato is a common pathogenic fungus in ants. The ant manipulation behavior of the O. unilateralis species complex has attracted great attention, and many species of O. unilateralis complex have been described. However, there are likely many unknown species in the O. unilateralis complex. This study describes a new fungus species on Camponotus sp. collected from China and Vietnam. Ophiocordyceps macroascus sp. nov. is described based on morphology and phylogenetic evidence from five genes (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2). Ophiocordyceps macroascus was characterized by infected Camponotus sp. biting onto a leaf, multiple fertile cushions, perithecia immersed, asci wide and short, ascospores tapered at both ends, and conidiogenous cells cylindrical to lageniform. Both morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses support that this fungus is a distinct species in the core clade of O. unilateralis within the genus Ophiocordyceps. This study increased our knowledge of the colony, morphology and distribution in this group, and provided important taxonomic data further to explore the evolutionary relationship between fungi and hosts.
The Great Resignation: An Empirical Study on Employee Mass Resignation and its Associated Factors
Authors: Shukla Vishal , Pandiya Bhartrihari , Gupta Saurabh , Prashar Sanjeev
Published: June 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
In Search of the Aplysia Immunome: an in silico Study
Authors: Kron Nicholas
Published: June 2022

The immune repertoires of mollusks beyond commercially important organisms such as the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas or vectors for human pathogens like the bloodfluke planorb Biomphalaria glabrata are understudied. Despite being an important model for neural aging and the role of inflammation in neuropathic pain, the immune repertoire of Aplysia californica is poorly understood. Recent discovery of a neurotropic nidovirus in Aplysia has highlighted the need for a better understanding of the Aplysia immunome. To address this gap in the literature, the Aplysia reference genome was mined using InterProScan and OrthoFinder for putative immune genes. The Aplysia genome encodes orthologs of all critical components of the classical Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway. The presence of many more TLRs and TLR associated adapters than known from vertebrates suggest yet uncharacterized, novel TLR associated signaling pathways. Aplysia also retains many nucleotide receptors and antiviral effectors known to play a key role in viral defense in vertebrates. However, the absence of key antiviral signaling adapters MAVS and STING in the Aplysia genome suggests divergence from vertebrates and bivalves in these pathways. The resulting immune gene set of this in silico study provides a basis for interpretation of future immune studies in this important model organism.
Segmentation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography Using the Deep Learning Method
Authors: Aydin Nevin , Cihan Çağatay , Celik Ozer , Aslan Ahmet Faruk , Odabas Alper , Alatas Füsun , Yıldırım Hüseyin
Published: June 2022

Background
Pulmonary embolism is a type of thromboembolism seen in the main pulmonary artery and its branches. This study aimed to diagnose acute pulmonary embolism using the deep learning method in computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and perform the segmentation of pulmonary embolism data.
Methods
The CTPA images of patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism who underwent scheduled imaging were retrospectively evaluated. After data collection, the areas that were diagnosed as embolism in the axial section images were segmented. The dataset was divided into three parts as training, validation, and testing. The results were calculated by selecting 50% as the cut-off value for the intersection over union.
Results
Images were obtained from 1,550 patients. The mean age of the patients was 64.23 ± 15.45 years. A total of 2,339 axial computed tomography images obtained from the 1,550 patients were used. There were a total of 5,992 labels, with 1,879 images. PyTorch U-Net was used to train 400 epochs, and the best model, epoch 178, was recorded. In the testing group, the number of true positives was determined as 471 and false positives as 35, while 27 were not detected. The sensitivity of CTPA segmentation was 0.95, the precision value was 0.93, the F1 score value was 0.94, and the learning rate was 0.0001. The area under the curve value obtained in the receiver operating characteristic analysis was calculated as 0.88.
Conclusions
In this study, the segmentation of acute pulmonary embolism in CTPA performed using the deep learning method provided successful results.
Importance and Challenges of Nursing Undergraduates' Ideological and Political and Psychological Education in the New Medical Era
Authors: Gao XiaoLei , Zhao Tong , Du MinXia , Li Juan , Sang WenFeng , Zhang ZhaoHui
Published: June 2022

Background: The university stage is an important period of life development. Ideological and political education and psychological education are crucial for schools to ensure the political direction of cultivating people. However, low teaching efficiency has been the common problem in education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance and to explore the challenges faced by those two kinds of education.Methods: First, the importance of ideological and political, and psychological education in specialty courses for nursing undergraduates was investigated and studied by literature research and a questionnaire survey. Additionally, we discussed the challenges of ideological and political, and psychological education faced in the New Medical era. Second, a total of 157 survey data were selected randomly from the nursing school of XX Medical University, and their attitudes toward ideological and political education in specialty courses were analyzed by a questionnaire survey partly through wenjuanxing online. Meanwhile, the opportunity and challenges undergraduates have encountered were revealed by analyzing the survey data. Results: The results show that most undergraduates accept ideological and political education and recognize its importance; however, there are also some problems in ideological and political education that need to be noticed and addressed. Approximately 54% of the respondents recognized the significance of ideological and political education in specialty courses for nursing undergraduates. Approximately 52% of the nursing students would like increased comprehensive quality in ideological and political education in specialty courses for nursing undergraduates, 47% of the respondents considered the teachers unable to interpret the knowledge simply, and 39% of them thought the class atmosphere was not good enough. Currently, approximately 70% of nursing undergraduates want to watch ideological and political content related to specialty nursing courses via the internet, which may be a new challenge for teaching.Conclusions: The current research enforced the importance of ideological and political and psychological education in the New Medical era of nursing undergraduates. Meanwhile, it provides a serious and useful reference for ideological and political and psychological education, which is beneficial for solving the problems in ideological and political and psychological education in specialty courses for nursing undergraduates.
Outcomes of the transsphenoidal approach for ACTH-secreting pituitary tumours; late recurrences and delayed remission after surgery of Cushing’s disease.
Authors: Saratziotis Athanasios , Munari Sara , Zanotti Claudia , Baldovin Maria , Denaro Luca , Ferfeli Maria , Hajiioannou Jiannis , Emanuelli Enzo
Published: June 2022

Background: To report surgical outcomes of transsphenoidal surgery as first-line treatment and predictors of remission in a specialist centre for patients with Cushing’s disease and to investigate long-term remission and delayed recurrence. Methods: Clinical data was obtained from a retrospective CD database while all electronic medical, laboratory and surgical patient records between 2012 and 2022 with a minimum 23 months’ follow-up, were evaluated. Result: In this single-centre study a total of 50 consecutive patients with CD (34F, 16M) underwent TSS. Median (range) age and follow-up were 37.8 (15-69) and 76.5 (23-122) months respectively. The initial remission rate was 84% (n = 42/50). Initial non-remission occurred in 8 patients (16%), with three macro- and five microadenomas. Three (2 micro, 1 macro) of the 42 patients with initial remission had late (>50 months) recurrence of hypercortisolism that required repeat TSS. Seven patients (16.6%) with non-reduced postoperative cortisol levels showed a subsequent remission. Male gender was the only factor significantly associated with lower remission rates in either short- or long-term follow-up (p = 0.003 and 0.038 respectively).Conclusions: A team-based approach, in a specialized pituitary centre, can lead to initial and durable long-term remission in patients with CD. Additionally, we found that the risk of relapse in patients with CD persisting for more than 5 years after surgery is real but low. Moreover, non-initially reduced postoperative cortisol levels do not preclude a subsequent remission. Lifelong follow-up for patients with CD appears essential, for all patients who have shown recovery of their axis relationship.
A closer look at the transition in environmental citizenship perception among K-12 students
Authors: Oral Hasan Volkan , Eren Ozge , Yay A.Suna Erses , Cermik Erkan , Kara Hazal Aylin , Saygin Hasan
Published: June 2022

By evaluating the transition from higher education institutions to universities, this study attempts to examine high school students' environmental attitudes and activities. A total of 296 students from Hisar School, a high school in Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey, participated in the current study. The samples of higher education institutions used in this analysis were taken from the authors' prior research. To verify the given hypothesis, the same statistical analysis methods are applied to all samples, and the data is analyzed using the following statistical methods: principal component analysis, independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and regression analysis. Significant findings comprise highly derived environmental thoughts and behaviors as well as statistically agreed-upon differences between female and male students. Aside from one aspect, female students participate in more environmentally conscious thinking and activity. Furthermore, it has been discovered that environmental concerns are more prevalent among high school students. Regression analysis was employed to investigate the links between environmental thoughts and practices, and the results indicated that environmental concerns have a considerably greater impact on environmental behavior than environmental knowledge and attitude.
Challenges and Opportunities of Big data and IoT in the Electronic Banking Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ebrahimi Parvaneh , Moghaddam Davood Karimzadgan , Mehrabani Yavar Safaei Safaei
Published: June 2022

The banking industry is one of the most complex and sensitive industries that undergoes significant changes daily. Most financial institutions and banks strive to diversify and innovate payment processes, making them more challenging and secure so that they can improve their digital skills .Understanding customer behavior has become a key factor in market success, which is why the Internet of Things (IoT) can be the best way to solve the problem of collecting and sharing data over the Internet, among different objects. Based on these concepts, the purpose of this paper is to show the current perspective of the e-banking industry with big data and the IoT, as well as the impact of big data on various financial and banking sectors, especially its impact on financial markets and banking, financial institutions, Internet credit services companies, risk analysis and so on. Since big data in the field of electronic banking and finance is a completely new concept, future research opportunities will be mentioned at the end of this study.