bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spark of Life: Role of electrotrophy in the emergence of Life
Authors: Pillot Guillaume , Santiago Óscar , Kerzenmacher Sven , Liebgott Pierre-pol
Published: December 2022

The emergence of Life has been a subject of intensive research for decades. Different approaches and different environmental “cradles” have been studied, from space to the deep-sea. Since the recent discovery of a natural electrical current through the deep-sea hydrothermal vent, a new energy source is considered for the transition from inorganic to organic. This energy source is used by modern microorganisms using a new trophic type, called electrotrophy. In this review, we draw the parallel between this metabolism and a new theory for the emergence of Life based on this electrical electron flow. Each step of the creation of Life is revised in the new light of this prebiotic electrochemical context, going from the evaluation of similar electrical current during the Hadean, the CO electroreduction into a prebiotic primordial soup, the production of proto-membranes, the energetic system inspired of the nitrate reduction, the proton gradient, and the transition to a planktonic proto-cell. Finally, this theory is compared to the two other theories in hydrothermal context, to assess its relevance to overcome the limitations of each one. Many critical factors that were limiting each theory can be overcome with the effect of the electrochemical reactions and the environmental changes produced.
7,7-difluoropentaphen-6(7H)-one
Authors: Dyan Ok Ton , Zaikin Pavel A
Published: December 2022

New fluorinated pentaphene derivative has been obtained as a potential precursor for fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In this work 7,7-difluoropentaphen-6(7H)-one was prepared from 1,1-difluoroanthracen-2(1H)-one via Diels-Alder reaction with o-quinodimethane generated in situ from o-bis(dibromomethyl)benzene. The structure of newly synthesized compound was confirmed by 1H, 13C, 19F NMR, IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Prediction of Protein Function from Tertiary Structure of the Active Site in Heme Proteins by Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Kondo Hiroko X. , Iizuka Hiroyuki , Masumoto Gen , Kabaya Yuichi , Kanematsu Yusuke , Takano Yu
Published: December 2022

Structure–function relationships in proteins have been one of the crucial scientific topics. Heme proteins have diverse and pivotal biological functions. Therefore, clarifying their structure–function correlation is significant to understand their functional mechanism and is informative for various fields of science. In this study, we constructed convolutional neural network models for predicting protein functions from the tertiary structures of heme-binding sites (active sites) of heme proteins to examine the structure–function correlation. As a result, we succeeded in the classification of oxygen-binding protein (OB), oxidoreductase (OR), proteins with both functions (OB–OR), and electron transport protein (ET) with high accuracy. Although the misclassification rate for OR and ET was high, the rates between OB and ET and between OB and OR were almost zero, indicating that the prediction model works well between protein groups with very different functions. However, predicting the function of proteins modified with amino acid mutation(s) remains a challenge. Our findings indicate a structure–function correlation in the active site of heme proteins. This study is expected to be applied to the prediction of more detailed protein functions such as catalytic reactions.
Fintech as a Financial Disruptor: The Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Nanaeva Zhamal , Aysan Ahmet F.
Published: December 2022

The present-day financial system is being influenced by the rapid development of Fintech (financial technologies), which are technologies created to improve and automate traditional forms of finance for businesses and consumers. The topic of Fintech as a financial disruptor is gaining popularity in line with the swift spread of digitalization across the banking industry, whereby this paper contributes to the field by presenting a novel bibliometric analysis of academic literature related to Fintech as a financial disruptor. The analysis is based on metadata extracted from the Scopus database through the VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software. The bibliometric analysis of 363 documents identified the most impactful sources of publication, keywords, authors, and most cited documents on the topic of Fintech as a financial disruptor. As our analysis demonstrates the number of publications on the given topic increases, defining both the interest among academia and potential for future research.
Young People and Carers’ Experience of a Rural Mobile Mental Health Support Service: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Allan Julaine , Thompson Anna
Published: December 2022

1)Background: Mental health difficulties during adolescence are common and are a risk factor for later mental and physical health problems. Rural young people are at greater risk for mental health difficulties and have less access to services than their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to explore young people and their carers’ experiences of mental health support provided by a rural mobile service, and to identify access enablers from the service users’ perspective. 2) Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse twelve interviews with current service users and eight interviews with family members of young people who had accessed the service. 3) Results: Three main themes were identified: (a) Access and flexibility, (b) Clinicians’ qualities and strategies, and (c) Experiences of change. The mobile service was perceived to be effective in producing positive change in mental health, relationships and attainment of life goals. Key enablers to access included the flexibility of the mobile service, the variety of service delivery modes and therapeutic methods offered, the ease of access facilitated by location in schools, and young people’s autonomy in how they chose to utilise the service. 4) Conclusion: This study provides information about what is important to rural young people and their families in mental health service provision.
A Numerical Investigation of Dimensionless Numbers Characterizing Meltpool Morphology of the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process
Authors: Bhagat Kunal , Rudraraju Shiva
Published: December 2022

Microstructure evolution in metal additive manufacturing (AM) is a complex multi-physics and multi-scale problem. Understanding the impact of AM process conditions on microstructure evolution and the resulting mechanical properties of the printed part is an area of active research. In this context, high-fidelity numerical modeling of the AM process at various relevant length-scales has been finding favor. At the meltpool scale, the thermo-fluidic governing equations have been extensively modeled to understand the meltpool conditions and thermal gradients. In many phenomena governed by partial differential equations, dimensional analysis and identification of important dimensionless numbers can provide significant insights into the process dynamics. Hence, the use of dimensionless numbers to understand the complex multiphysics interactions active during metal AM is also gaining traction. In this context, we present a novel strategy using dimensional analysis and the least-squares regression approach, in conjunction with physics-based insights, to investigate the thermo-fluidic governing equations of the Laser Powder Bed Fusion AM process. Through this approach, we identify important dimensionless quantities influencing meltpool morphology. The governing equations are solved using the Finite Element Method, and the model predictions are validated by comparing with experimentally estimated cooling rates, and with numerical results from the literature. We then present our dimensional analysis and define an important dimensionless quantity - interpreted as a measure of heat absorbed by the powdered material and the resulting meltpool. We then use this dimensionless measure of heat absorbed, along with classical dimensionless quantities relevant to the thermo-fluidic governing equations, to investigate advective transport in the meltpool for different metal alloys. This understanding helps us characterize the meltpool aspect ratio and volume in terms of the Marangoni, and Stefan numbers. Further, we study the variations of thermal gradients and the solidification cooling rate using this framework and examine the effect of the Peclet number on the microstructure of the solidified meltpool region.
Popularity, social preference, and social behaviors: the moderation of social status goals
Authors: Wright Michelle F. , Wachs Sebastian
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the associations between attained status and adolescents’ social behaviors, as well as the moderating effects of social status goals, culture, and gender. Participants were 1,267 adolescents (Mage = 13.36; 49% girls overall) from China (n = 667) and the United Sates (n = 600). Social status goals, relational and overt aggression, and prosocial behaviors were self-reported, whereas popularity and social preference were peer reported. The findings suggest that the relationships between popularity and relational aggression and overt aggression were stronger when adolescents endorsed high popularity goals, whereas this relationship was weaker when these adolescents endorsed high social preference goals. For prosocial behaviors, these associations were stronger when adolescents endorsed high social preference goals, but lower when they endorsed high popularity goals. The patterns for social preference were stronger for Chinese adolescents, while the relationships for popularity were stronger for American adolescents. No moderation effects were found for gender. These findings indicate the need to consider the cultural context when examining adolescents’ social status and the associated social behaviors.
Ship-induced waves at Tybee Island, Georgia
Authors: Bain Rachel , Styles Richard , Lopes Jared
Published: December 2022

Commercial vessels transiting the Savannah entrance channel intermittently generate large wake events at Tybee Island, Georgia, creating a potential hazard for beachgoers. However, not all commercial vessels generate large wakes, and the relationship between vessel dimensions, operating conditions, wake height, and drawdown magnitude is unclear. This study evaluates bathymetric data, high-frequency wave and vessel wake measurements, and broadcast vessel identification over a 4-month period with the goal of providing a quantitative characterization of vessel wake conditions at Tybee Island. Data from 1,386 cargo vessel passages and 202 tanker passages indicate that vessel dimensions (length and beam) are positively correlated with drawdown magnitude and secondary wake height, although large vessels do not consistently generate large wakes. Container ships, which tended to travel faster than tankers, corresponded to the largest wakes in the dataset. A further hypothesis is that tidally modulated energy dissipation may favor smaller vessel wake uprush at low tide and larger uprush at high tide, but this idea cannot be confirmed without additional measurements to quantify nonlinear wave propagation on the beach face. Based on the collected data, the study concludes with four recommendations for reducing risk to beachgoers.
Low Self-Esteem and Music Performance Anxiety Can Predict Depression in Musicians
Authors: Sickert Christine , Klein Jan Philipp , Altenmüller Eckart , Scholz Daniel S
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Music performance anxiety (MPA) is an issue concerning musicians from all levels but is still a rather neglected topic in the education and employment of musicians. This study investigated the link between self-esteem, MPA, and depression within a German-speaking sample
of musicians of different professions. The underlying question of this study was generated during psychotherapy treatment of musicians with depression and MPA. Thus, we investigated whether musicians with low self-esteem had MPA or depression. METHODS: An online questionnaire on self-esteem,
performance anxiety, and depression was sent to a sample (n=295) of German musicians of different professions and levels of education. The assessment tools in the online questionnaire included the Rosenberg-Self-Esteem-Scale, the Kenny Music-Performance-Anxiety-Inventory, and the Beck-Depression-Inventory.
RESULTS: Music students had a significantly lower self-esteem scores compared to employed professionals and amateurs and a higher MPA compared to employed musicians. Regression analyses showed a significant prediction of depression by self-esteem and MPA. Specifically, low self-esteem and
the cognitive and behavioral aspects of MPA were significant predictors of depression. Partial mediation by MPA between self-esteem and depression was found. CONCLUSION: Low self-esteem and MPA could predict depression. The scores of the entire sample of musicians regarding their MPA and depression
were higher than in the general German population. These results highlight the importance of education and removal of negativity regarding performance anxiety in order to improve psychotherapy methods and ensure musicians’ health in general.
Plan de negocios para la elaboración y comercialización de granola sin azúcar para personas diabéticas en el distrito de Miraflores Lima-Perú 2022
Authors:   , Pinedo Alfaro Yajaira Elamith , Aguirre Gómez Jean Carlos , Auqui Chávez Alexander , Soto Cárdenas Sonia Rocio , Pinedo Silva Orlando Xavier
Published: December 2022

Hablando en la actualidad del país somos testigos del aumento de enfermedades latentes como la diabetes, anemia, colesterol y entre otros con un número de porcentaje considerable que nos empuja a la reflexión alimenticia y cuidado de nuestra salud, es aquí la razón de nuestro bionegocio llamado “GRANOLIFE´S”, promueve combatir la mala alimentación y sumar un buen hábito saludable mediante el consumo de nuestro producto elaborado de granolas sin azúcar. Mencionada propuesta contiene distintas ventajas saludables y naturales que ayudarán a disminuir dicho problema en nuestra salud, además estamos contando con un valor agregado en el producto con un consejo profesional de un nutricionista desde la segunda compra para el seguimiento del consumidor final con la finalidad que se obtenga buenos resultados en nuestros clientes fidelizados. Como iniciativa realizamos una encuesta de análisis de mercado en que los resultados arrojaron datos positivos dando, así como respuesta la aceptación del público, además también se realizó análisis cuantitativos y cualitativos que sirve para tener una idea de negocio más centrada y organizada. Posteriormente podemos considerar a un tiempo futuro nuevas presentaciones del producto que nos permita innovar y llenar las expectativas del cliente. Para concluir este trabajo de investigación y propuesta mencionada consideramos que nuestro bionegocio es rentable gracias a los estudios de plan financiero que nos empuja hacerlo realidad juntamente con la reflexión del cuidado de nuestra salud.
Educación superior y situación laboral: Un análisis de su relación en tiempos de COVID19 para el Perú
Authors:   , Grande Espino Alexander
Published: December 2022

El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar si la educación superior ayuda a predecir la probabilidad de tener empleo en el Perú. Para ello, se utilizó la información de la Encuesta Nacional de Hogares (ENAHO), publicada por el Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) para el periodo 2014 - 2020, tiene un enfoque cuantitativo y se basa en la estimación de un modelo de regresión probit. Los resultados muestran que la educación superior ayuda a predecir la probabilidad de tener empleo en el sector formal e informal. Específicamente, el modelo predice que una persona con educación superior tiene mayor probabilidad de tener empleo en el sector formal y menor probabilidad en el sector informal. Además, la relación positiva entre la educación superior y la probabilidad de tener empleo en el sector formal fue mayor durante la pandemia, mientras que la relación negativa en el sector informal se intensificó.
The impact of COVID-19 on a large pragmatic clinical trial embedded in primary care
Authors: Leatherman Sarah M. , Hau Cynthia , Klint Alison , Glassman Peter A. , Taylor Addison A. , Ferguson Ryan E. , Cushman William C. , Ishani Areef
Published: December 2022

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impact on clinical care and traditional clinical trial operations, but it is unclear whether these impacts persist in pragmatic trials with a centralized study design. The Diuretic Comparison Project (DCP) is a Point-of Care pragmatic trial testing the hypothesis that chlorthalidone is superior to hydrochlorothiazide at the prevention of major cardiovascular (CV) events and non-cancer death. DCP relies on telephone consent, data collection from the electronic health record and Medicare, forgoes study visits, and limits provider time beyond usual care. DCP paused recruitment on VA directive in response to COVID-19 from 3/17/2020 until 7/1/2020. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the centralized recruitment, patient follow-up, data collection, and outcome ascertainment performed in the DCP.
Methods
To assess clinical activity level and trial metrics, we compared data from two 8-month time periods: Pre-Pandemic (July 2019 – February 2020) and Mid-Pandemic (July 2020 – February 2021). Consent and randomization rates, study medication adherence, blood pressure (BP) and electrolyte follow-up rates, VA records of CV events, all-cause hospitalization, and death rates were compared for these two periods.
Results
Providers agreed to participate at a lower rate mid-pandemic (71%) than pre-pandemic (65%), but more patients were contacted (5,363 vs. 7,622) and consented (3,048 vs. 3,718) mid-pandemic. Patients refilled medications and remained on their randomized diuretic at the same frequency (90%) in both periods. Overall, rates of BP, electrolyte measurements, and hospitalizations decreased mid-pandemic while deaths increased.
Conclusions
While recruitment, enrollment, and adherence did not suffer during the pandemic, documented blood pressure checks and laboratory evaluations decreased, likely due to fewer in-person visits during the pandemic. All-cause VA hospitalizations decreased, despite a considerable number of COVID-related hospitalizations. While this suggests some changes in clinical care during the pandemic, the overall impact on DCP’s ability to operate mostly unimpacted during a global pandemic is another important strength of Point of Care clinical trials.
Clinical Trial Registration
NCT02185417
Registered 9 July 9 2014
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02185417
What if the upwelling weakens? Effects of rising temperature and nutrient depletion on coastal assemblages
Authors: Chabrerie Axel , Arenas Francisco
Published: December 2022

Surface temperature of the oceans has increased globally over the past decades. In coastal areas influenced by eastern boundary upwelling systems (EBUS) winds push seawater offshore and deep, cold and nutrient rich seawater rise toward the surface, partially buffering global warming. In North coast of Portugal, the NW Iberian upwelling system allows extensive kelp forests to thrive in these “boreal-like” conditions, fostering highly diverse and productive communities. However, the warming of the upper layer of the ocean may weaken this upwelling, leading to higher sea surface temperature and lower nutrient input in the coastal areas. The impacts in the structure and function of coastal ecosystems of these changes in the upwelling dynamics remain unexplored. The present study aimed to examine the combined effects of elevated temperature and nutrient depletion on semi-naturally structured assemblages. The eco-physiological responses explored included growth, chlorophyll fluorescence and metabolic rates at individual and assemblage’s levels. Our results showed synergistic effects of the combination of elevated temperature and lack of nutrients on the large canopy forming species (i.e. kelp), those effects drove community responses with significant losses in productivity levels. Smaller assemblage components like (sub-canopy and turf specie) were affected in an additive way (Subcanopy species Chondus crispus) or only affected by temperature (Turf). Our results suggest that under weakening upwelling scenarios, the ability of the macroalgal assemblages to maintain high productivity rates could be seriously affected and predict a shift in community composition with the loss of marine forests.
Revealing U.S. Retail Industries’ Functional Hierarchy Through Demand Thresholds
Authors: Sandt Anders Van , Carpenter Craig , Dudensing Rebekka , Loveridge Scott , Niehm Linda
Published: December 2022

We explore the structure of the U.S. retail sector by estimating county-level demand thresholds for 11 retail industries using establishment-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Business Database and Integrated Longitudinal Business Database. In addition to providing accurate and precise demand threshold estimates at a highly disaggregated industry level, we also explore how location outcomes differ across employers and non-employers using Poisson and negative binomial estimations as well as their zero inflated counterparts. Findings provide insight into the industrial organization of retail industries and suggest that important retail location determinants include retail leakages, sector interdependencies, social capital, natural assets, and other place-based factors.
JEL Codes: D0, R1, L1, L8
Development and evaluation of a blended-learning training for healthcare professionals to become ‘CURA-ambassadors’
Authors: Schaik Malene Vera van , Kröger Charlotte Louise , Zuidema Lisa , Stolper Margreet , Widdershoven Guy A.M. , Pasman H.Roeline W. , Metselaar Suzanne
Published: December 2022

Background
CURA is an instrument for ethical reflection on morally challenging situations. A previous study found that a training could optimally equip healthcare professionals to introduce CURA in their organization, initiate and facilitate reflections with CURA, and contribute to the implementation of CURA.
Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a training for so-called ‘CURA-ambassadors’.
Method
The blended learning program of the training was developed and evaluated using two cycles. We trained 72 health care professionals. The training was evaluated by means of a questionnaire and six semi-structured interviews.
Results
The study resulted in a blended learning training combining training sessions with an e-module. The main objectives of the training are to enable CURA-ambassadors to introduce CURA within their organization, initiate and facilitate ethical reflections using CURA, and contribute to the implementation of CURA. Participants were positive about the training program and the trainers. Technical difficulties related to the e-module were mentioned as main point of improvement.
Discussion
The training program enables CURA-ambassadors to introduce CURA within their organization, to initiate and facilitate the use of the instrument. It can generate ownership, responsibility, and competency, which are essential for implementing complex interventions. The training program received positive evaluations shortly after completing the program. However, evaluation of a training program is ideally conducted over a longer period of time. Further research is needed to assess whether participants experience the training as sufficient and effective when using and implementing CURA structurally in their organizations.
Early experience of adopting a generative diffusion model for the synthesis of fundus photographs
Authors: Kim Hong Kyu , Ryu Ik Hee , Choi Joon Yul , Yoo Tae Keun
Published: December 2022

The generative diffusion model has been highlighted as a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technique for image synthesis. Here, we show that a denoising diffusion probabilistic model (DDPM), which is currently a popular diffusion technique, can be used for a domain-specific task generating fundus photographs. The trained DDPM successfully generated synthetic fundus photographs with a resolution of 128 × 128 pixels. We failed to train the DDPM for 256-by-256-pixel images due to the limited computation capacity. In a comparative analysis, the progressive growing generative adversarial network (PGGAN) model synthesized more sharpened images than the DDPM in the retinal vessels and optic discs. Because the DDPM has disadvantages, including difficulty in training and low image quality compared with generative adversarial networks such as PGGAN, further studies are needed to improve diffusion models for domain-specific medical tasks. This is the first study to use a domain-specific generative diffusion model to synthesize fundus photographs.
Effects of esketamine-based anaesthesia on the Systemic Inflammatory Response in Thoracic Surgical Patients: a prospective, single-center, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Song Wanxue , Huang Xingshuai , Li Yingke
Published: December 2022

Background
Thoracic surgery with one-lung ventilation (OLV) leads to a postoperative inflammatory response. In this prospective randomized study, we compared the effect of esketamine-based anaesthesia on perioperative inflammatory cytokine levels in patients under routine anaesthesia with opioids undergoing thoracic surgery with OLV.
Methods
Adult patients undergoing wedge resections or total lobectomies under video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive esketamine-based anaesthesia (Esketamine group, n = 22) or sufentanil-based anaesthesia (Sufentanil group, n = 22). Blood samples for measurement of inflammatory factors were collected from the radial artery at three time points: before anaesthesia induction (T1); 1 h after OLV (T2) and 2 h after surgery (T3). Peripheral venous blood was collected 24 hours before surgery (Preop) and 24 hours after surgery (Postop) to measure leukaemia cell lines and C-reactive protein (CRP).
Results
Compared with the sufentanil group, the increase in proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 (10.23 ± 5.60 vs. 20.97 ± 18.22 pg/ml, P = 0.029) and IL-8 secretions (4.88 ± 18.29 vs. 81.69 ± 130.34 pg/ml, P = 0.026) was significantly lower in the esketamine group 2 h after the intrathoracic procedure. CRP levels (24.36 ± 12.64 vs. 49.71 ± 29.60 mg/L, P < 0.001) and blood loss volumes (11.14 ± 4.86 ml vs. 28.18 ± 18.16 ml, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the esketamine group than in the sufentanil group (24.36 ± 12.64 vs. 49.71 ± 29.60, P < 0.001). There was no difference in biometric data, surgical procedures, duration of surgery, OLV and mechanical ventilation, or length of hospital stay among the groups.
Conclusions
Our study demonstrates that esketamine possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties. Anaesthesia with esketamine may play a beneficial role in reducing both the OLV-induced systemic inflammatory response and intraoperative blood loss.
Trial registration:
ChiCTR2200065915. Registered on 18/11/2022.
Escherichia coli cells are primed for survival before lethal antibiotic stress
Authors: Hossain Tahmina , Singh Abhyudai , Butzin Nicholas
Published: December 2022

Non-genetic factors can cause significant fluctuations in gene expression levels. Regardless of growing in a stable environment, this fluctuation leads to cell-to-cell variability in an isogenic population. This phenotypic heterogeneity allows a tiny subset of bacterial cells in a population, referred to as persister cells, to tolerate long-term lethal antibiotic effects by entering into a non-dividing, metabolically altered state. One fundamental question is whether this heterogeneous persister population is due to a pre-existing genetic mutation or a result of a transiently-primed reversible cell state. To explore this, we tested clonal populations starting from a single cell using a modified Luria–Delbrück fluctuation test. Through we kept the conditions the same, the diversity in persistence level among clones was relatively consistent: varying from ~ 60–100 and ~ 40–70 fold for ampicillin (Amp) and apramycin (Apr), respectively. Then we divided and diluted each clone to observe whether the same clone had comparable persister levels for more than one generation. Replicates had similar persister levels even when clones were divided, diluted by 1:20, and allowed to grow for ~ 5 generations. This result explicitly shows a cellular memory passed on for generations and eventually lost when cells are diluted to 1:100 and regrown (> 7 generations). Our result demonstrates 1) the existence of a small population prepared for stress ("primed cells") resulting in higher persister numbers, 2) the primed memory state is reproducible and transient, passed down for generations but eventually lost, and 3) a heterogeneous persister population is a result of a transiently-primed reversible cell state and not due to a pre-existing genetic mutation.
Virtual Screening–Molecular Docking–Activity Evaluation of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle Bark in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Ma Shanbo , Liu Lun , Li Xiang , Xie Yan-hua , Shi Xiao-peng , Wang Si-wang
Published: December 2022

Background:The dried bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle(BAA),which is a traditional Chinese medicine,is widely used in Chinese folklore for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.Consequently, the objective of this study was to explore the therapeutic basis of BAA for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) based on Virtual Screening–Molecular Docking–Activity Evaluation technology.
Methods:By searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) Database and Analysis Platform, 89 compounds from the chemical components of BAA were obtained. Then, after preliminarily screening the compounds based on Lipinski’s rule of five and other relevant conditions, the AutoDock Vina molecular docking software was used to evaluate the affinity of the compounds to UC-related target proteins and their binding modes by scoring function to identify the best candidate compounds.Additionally,Further verification of the compound's properties was achieved through in vitro experiments.
Results: Twenty-two compounds obtained from the secondary screening were molecularly docked with UC-related target proteins (IL-1R, TLR, EGFR, TGFR, and Wnt) using AutoDock Vina. The free energy of the highest scoring compounds binding to the active cavity of human IL-1R, TLR, EGFR, TGFR, and Wnt proteins was −8.7, −8.0, −9.2, −7.7, and −8.5 kcal/mol, respectively. Potential compounds, dehydrocrebanine, ailanthone, and kaempferol, were obtained by scoring function and docking mode analysis. Furthermore, the potential compound ailanthone (1, 3, and 10 μM) was found to have no significant effect on cell proliferation, while ailanthone (10 μM) reduced the level of proinflammatory factors caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
Conclusion:Among the active components of BAA, ailanthone plays a major role in its anti-inflammatory properties . The present study shows that ailanthone has advantages in cell proliferation and inhibition of inflammation, but further animal research is needed to confirm the pharmaceutical potential thereof in the future.
Clinical profile of strabismus at University of Gondar Tertiary Eye Care and Training Center-North West Ethiopia: A cross sectional study
Authors: Moges Solomon Tekewe , Ayele Fisseha Admassu , Dawud Teshager Wondale
Published: December 2022

Background: Strabismus has been defined as an intermittent or constant misalignment of the visual axes. Several studies have reported that strabismus affects about 1-6 % of the population across the world. This study aimed to assess the clinical profile of strabismus patients at the University of Gondar (UOG) tertiary eye care and training center.
Material and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to October 2021 on all consecutive strabismus patients attending at UOG tertiary eye care and training center. Interviewer-administered questionnaires and clinical examinations were performed by residents and pediatric ophthalmologist for data collection.
Results: A total of 258 strabismus patients with a median age of 8 (SD ±17.64) years old were enrolled in this study of whom 60.1% were esotropia (ET) and 32.6% were exotropia (XT). Accommodative-ET (AET) 46 (17.8%), constant type of XT 38 (14.7%), infantile ET 36 (14.0%) and acquired non-AET 34 (13.3%) were common sub-variants of strabismus. Having inferior oblique over action IOOA (AOR=7.6: 95% CI: 2.77 - 20.83) and being hyperopic in the left eye (AOR=8: 95% CI: 2.55-25) were significant factors associated with ET.
Conclusion: Esotropia was the most common type of deviation accounting for more than half of the strabismus patients. Having IOOA and being hyperopic on the left eye were significant factors associated with ET.
Toosendanin induces apoptosis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma cells through inhibition of p-STAT3 and inhibits tumor growth in a OSCC-PDX model
Authors: Wu Ye , He Shaohai , Wang Tao , Chen Lingling , Zheng Dali , Lin Lisong
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND
Toosendanin (TSN) has been found to inhibit the proliferation of different types of tumor cell lines. However, there is no data on the role of TSN in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of TSN on OSCC cells in vitro, and to verify its effects on oral squamous cell carcinoma in vivo in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model.
METHODS
The effect of TSN on OSCC cells was investigated by cytotoxicity assays and flow cytometry. The expression of proteins was detected by Western blotting. An OSCC PDX model was constructed to further study the role of TSN in regulating the function of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
RESULTS
The cell viability of CAL-27 and HN-6 cells decreased gradually when the concentration of TSN increased from 0.025µM and 0.05µM to 0.1µM, and the apoptosis rate increased. Compared with the control group, the cytotoxic effect of TSN on CAL-27 and HN-6 cells was enhanced in a dose-dependent manner, and it could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis at lower doses. TSN can also induce apoptosis by inducing cell cycle arrest and regulating the expression of proteins such as STAT3. After successfully constructing an OSCC-PDX model with high pathological homology to the primary tumor and treated with intraperitoneal injection of TSN, The results showed that TSN could significantly reduce the tumor size of PDX model mice without obvious toxicity.
CONCLUSIONS
The in vivo experiments showed that TSN has a significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth, suggesting that it may be a promising drug for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. TSN may be an effective potential anticancer drug for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Identification of mitophagy-associated proteins (MAPs) profile as potential plasma biomarkers of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Wang Wen-Wen , He Hai-Jun , Xiong Xi , Qian Shuangjie , Ye Qianqian , Feng Feifei , Zhou Shuoting , Xie Chenglong
Published: December 2022

It is noteworthy that despite many efforts to screen biochemical plasma markers for PD diagnosis, there is still not an accepted and validated surrogate biomarker. To decipher the role of the mitophagy-associated proteins (MAPs) in idiopathic PD subjects and investigate whether the diagnosis is related to MAP levels and whether the levels predict motor and cognitive progression. This prospective study totally enrolled 150 PD patients. 71 age-matched controls (CN) alongside 41 PDs in two cohorts: modeling cohort (cohort 1), including 121 PD, 52 CN, and 29 PDs; validated cohort (cohort 2), including 29 PD, 19 CN, and 12 PDs. The MAPs (PINK1, Parkin, PGAM5, BNIP3, and p-TBK1) and a-synuclein-related proteins (ASPs: total a-synuclein, phosphorylated a-synuclein, and a-synuclein oligomer) levels were measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. MAPs are elevated in the plasma of PD patients. The PINK1, Parkin, and PGAM5 displayed the top three measurable increase trends in amplitude compared to BNIP3 and p-TBK1. Moreover, the AUCs of PINK1, PGAM5, and Parkin were ranked the top three MAP candidates in diagnosis accuracy for PD from CN, but the MAPs hard to differentiate the PD from PDs. In addition, Plasma PINK1 positively correlated with total UPDRS, UPDRS part III, and H-Y stage, with no significant correlations with HAMA, HAMD, and RBD scores. As expected, higher plasma PINK1-Parkin levels and prominent diagnostic accuracy in A-synuclein (+) subjects than in A-synuclein (-) subjects. These results uncover that plasma MAPs (PINK1, Parkin, and PGAM5) may be potentially useful target biomarkers for PD diagnosis. Studies on larger cohorts would be required to test whether elevated plasma MAP levels are related to PD risk or prediction.
Genetic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of Leishmania infecting sandflies and humans based on the kDNA and ITS2 gene dataset in the new focus of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Shiraz, south of Iran
Authors: shahabi saeed , Sarkari Bahador , Dabaghmanesh Sorna , Asgari Qasem , Azizi Kourosh
Published: December 2022

Objective
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with an incidence of one million people annually worldwide. Iran has many important fuci for this disease which Leishmania major and L. tropica cause. However, this study aimed to investigate Zoonotic and environmental factors in the spread of leishmaniasis in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran with a phylogenetic inference of Leishmania by examining the infection of patients and vectors with Leishmania parasite based on molecular datasets of kDNA and ITS2 genes.
Methods
Sand flies were caught using sticky paper traps indoors (bedrooms, bathrooms, storage rooms, etc.) and outdoors. Twenty samples of human lesions were also examined. Leishmania infection was evaluated by PCR of kinetoplast (k) DNA. Subsequently, parasite species identification was confirmed by PCR and DNA sequencing of the 18S ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer two (ITS2) gene.
Results
All Phylogenetic reconstruction based on Bayesian, UPGMA, and Neighbor-Joining methods revealed sequences of Leishmania parasites infecting patients and sand-fly species were clustered into two main monophyletic clades of L. major and L. tropica. The overall infection rate of sand flies (pools) with Leishmania DNA was 72.5%, and the Mean diversity within L. major clade was 0.01.
Conclusions
A new focus on ACL and ZCL is reported in the tourist city of Shiraz. Human interference in the environment, such as habitat destruction, housing in orchards and foothills, and other health factors, have caused the emergence of both diseases in this area which need to be considered for a survival health program.
A treatment-refractory and aggressive MDS-MLD with multiple highly complex chromosome 5 intrachromosomal rearrangements: a case report
Authors: Sasi Ramakrishnan , Senft Jamie , Spruill Michelle , Barua Subit , Dougaparsad Sam , Vos Jeffrey A. , Perrotta Peter L.
Published: December 2022

Background
A patient with a myelodysplastic neoplasm exhibited a karyotype with multiple complex chromosome 5 rearrangements. This patient appeared to have a catastrophic cytogenetic event that manifested as a treatment-refractory aggressive form of disease, which lead to patient demise within one year. Both the clinical presentation and disease course were unusual based on the medical history and morphologic findings. Such cases of Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Multilineage Dysplasia (MDS-MLD) with complex abnormalities are not reported in the literature.
Case presentation
The patient was a 62-year-old female who presented with pancytopenia and dyspnea. The morphologic appearance of the peripheral blood smear and bone marrow biopsy, along with flow cytometric findings, favored the diagnosis of MDS-MLD unclassifiable. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with multilineage dysplasia (MDS-MLD), is an MDS characterized by one or more cytopenias and dysplastic changes in two or more of the myeloid lineages (i.e., erythroid, granulocytic, and megakaryocytic). The bone marrow, in particular, showed prominent dysplasia, including the presence of atypical megakaryocytes with small hypolobated morphology reminiscent of those typically seen in MDS with isolated 5q deletion. Cytogenetic analysis, including interphase and metaphase FISH, karyotype and SNP chromosomal microarray were performed, as well as DNA sequencing studies. Cytogenetic analysis showed a very complex karyotype featuring multiple 5q intrachromosomal rearrangements including a pericentric inversion with multiple interspersed deletions and monosomy 7. FISH studies showed a partial deletion of the PDGFRβ gene, and SNP chromosomal microarray and targeted panel-based sequencing identified biallelic loss of function of the TP53 gene. Based on the pathologic findings, the patient was treated for MDS but did not respond to either lenalidomide or azacitidine.
Conclusion
The genetic changes described, in particular, the complex intrachromosomal rearrangements of chromosome 5, suggest the occurrence of a sudden catastrophic event that led to an aggressive course in the patient’s disease. Conventional karyotyping, metaphase and interphase FISH, SNP chromosomal microarray and NGS helped to identify the complex genetic changes seen in this case. This highlights the importance of utilizing a multimodality approach to fully characterize complex chromosomal events that may significantly impact disease progression, treatment and survival.
A new prognostic model related to tumor microenvironment in colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yuan Jianxu , Jiang Qing , Wang Jiawu , Hua Zhengzhao , Yu Shengjie
Published: December 2022

Background: Researches have shown that tumor microenvironment (TME) can regulate the proliferation and metastasis of solid tumors, and has an important impact on the immunotherapy of solid tumors. Based on the transcriptome data of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), we studied the prognostic role of TME related genes, established and verified the prognostic model of TME related signatures.
Methods: We Obtained relevant data from TCGA (the Cancer Genome Atlas) to calculate TME related genes which expressed differentially in distinct tissues. Then, we employed NMF (nonnegative matrix factorization) clustering method to get different clusters. Univariate Cox regression and Lasso regression analysis were used to screen genes with prognostic significance, the prognosis model and corresponding nomogram were completed according to the risk genes. Finally, the ROC (Receiver operating characteristic) and the DCA (Decision curve analysis) curves were used for internal and external verification.
Results: Our research obtained a gene panel consisting of 15 TME related genes (FOXD1, FSCN1, PRAME, SOX12, ATP6V1C2, EPHB4, CD36, BANK1, NOL3, DPP7, FAM24B, AEN, CCNF, PSRC1 and F2RL2). The established model clearly showed the survival time of patients in different risk groups based on the former genes. Kaplan Meier survival analysis showed that the survival time of high-risk group was significantly shorter than that of low-risk group. The ROC curve’s value of AUC with this prognostic signature was basically over 0.65. In addition, we further validated the model with GSE39582 from GEO (the Gene Expression Omnibus) database. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis proved that the risk score we established in this study was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of COAD patients.
Conclusion: The signature set we established could more accurately and effectively evaluate the prognosis of colon cancer patients. And the analysis of TME could also provide new opportunities for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with COAD.
A Lagrange-type interpolation method nearly free of oscillations
Authors: Ysern Bernardo de la Calle , Sastre Pedro Galán del
Published: December 2022

This work is concerned with the interpolation of a function f when using a low number of interpolation points, as required by several schemes intended to solve PDEs numerically. The function f is assumed to have a jump or a steep derivative, and our goal is to minimize the oscillations produced by the Gibbs phenomenon while preserving the approximation properties for smoother functions. This is achieved by interpolating the transform ḟˆ=g ᴼf using Lagrange polynomials, where g is a rational transformation chosen by minimizing a suitable functional depending on the values of f. The mapping g is monotonic and constructed to posses boundary layers that remove the Gibbs phenomenon. No previous knowledge of the location of the jump is required. The extension to functions of several variables is straightforward, of which we provide several examples.
MSC Classification: 65D05 , 65D15
The potential role of microRNA-155 in Neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Rasmi Yousef , Shokati Ameneh , Rahimi Atefeh , Aziz Shiva Golizadeh-Ghaleh , Farnamian Yeganeh , Hassan Amber , Alipour Shahriar
Published: December 2022

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) are caused by the destruction of nerve cells in the central nervous system and are severely debilitating. The incidence of NDDs increases, and they are expected to become more prevalent with life expectancy. Depending on the number of neurons involved, there are various types of NDDs, and one of the most common NDDs is Alzheimer's disease (AD). Due to the lack of treatment, NDDs had become a significant neurobiology challenge. Therefore, identifying accurate, early, and non-invasive biomarkers of NDDs, are an unmet challenge. The growing importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in biology has led scientists to investigate their potential relevance to neurodegeneration to identify novel therapeutic targets. Recent discoveries have found the role of miRNAs in many model organisms during aging and have revealed potential miRNA biomarkers of NDDs. Among the various miRNAs, the data confirm that miR-155 as so-called inflamma-miR, a potent activator of inflammation, is the fundamental miR in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases because it influences myeloid cell polarization to a phenotypic and functional proinflammatory form. miR-155 dysregulation also plays an essential role in many human cancers, hematological malignancies, and responses to viral infections. Here, we discuss this new field of miR-155 related to NDDs, focusing on AD and prospects.
577 nm yellow laser source using external pumping
Authors: Chayran Great , Jambunathan Venkatesan , Smrz Martin , Mocek Tomas
Published: December 2022

We demonstrated a 577 nm yellow laser source with a proper combination of Raman medium and frequency doubling medium, pumped externally. Cryogenic Yb:YAG oscillator acts as an external pump source and it generates 1.2 mJ energy at 1KHz emitting around 1029 nm. Using Raman resonator with Ba(NO3)2 as Raman medium, SRS around 1153.4 was generated. Finally, 577 nm yellow laser was generated using the frequency doubling medium LBO. A maximum average output power of 65 mW with a pulse duration of 18 ns at 1 KHz was achieved.