bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remote Disseminated Vaccine-Strain Varicella-Zoster Virus in an Adolescent with Secondary Immunodeficiency: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Fashina Oluwatomini A. , Chuang Tony M. , Galardy Paul J. , Huskins W. Charles , Levy Emily R. , Streck Nicholas T. , Chakraborty Rana
Published: October 2023

Background Routine childhood immunization against varicella-zoster virus has led to a dramatic reduction in the incidence of primary varicella. However, there are rare, yet significant cases reported of reactivated Oka-strain varicella, primarily in immunocompromised hosts.Case Presentation A 16-year-old female with Hodgkin’s lymphoma developed a tender vesicular rash shortly after completing chemotherapy. Swabs obtained from the vesicles were positive for varicella-zoster virus. By the time of hospitalization, the patient developed a disseminated rash involving multiple dermatomes. Subsequent polymerase chain reaction confirmed Oka vaccine-strain varicella-zoster virus. The patient had previously received a primary series against varicella in 2008 and 2012, 11 years before her diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The patient was treated with parenteral acyclovir upon hospitalization and was monitored clinically for cutaneous disease progression as well as sequelae. After 8 days of inpatient treatment, her rash had stopped spreading with no new lesions. All earlier lesions had crusted over. No serious sequelae of disease such as pneumonitis, hepatitis, encephalitis, or meningitis occurred, and she made a complete recovery.Conclusions There are individual and community-wide benefits to childhood immunization against varicella. This case highlights an unusual presentation of disseminated vaccine-strain varicella-zoster virus in an adolescent with secondary immunodeficiency 11 years after completing primary immunization. In addition, this case informs pediatricians of complications that can arise in immunized subjects if they become immunosuppressed years later. Providers should be cognizant of potential vaccine virus reactivation in their differential. Considerations for work-up and management should include infection control and viral resistance in refractory cases.
Local excision versus radical surgery for anal squamous cell carcinoma –a multicenter study in Japan-
Authors: Murai Shin , Nozawa Hiroaki , Yamada Kazutaka , Saiki Yasumitsu , Sasaki Kazuhito , Murono Koji , Emoto Shigenobu , Matsuzaki Hiroyuki , Yokoyama Yuichiro , Abe Shinya , Nagai Yuzo , Yoshioka Yuichiro , Shinagawa Takahide , Sonoda Hirofumi , Sugihara Kenichi , Ajioka Yoichi , Ishihara Soichiro
Published: October 2023

Background
The standard treatment for anal squamous cell carcinoma is chemoradiation therapy (CRT), but there is a possibility of overtreatment for early stage disease. cTisN0 and cT1N0 disease is currently indicated for local excision, but it is unclear whether the indication of local excision can be expanded to cT2N0 disease.
Methods
126 patients with cTis-T2N0 anal cancer treated at 47 centers in Japan between 1991 and 2015 were included. Patients were first classified into the CRT group and surgical therapy group according to the initial therapy, and the latter was further divided into local excision (LE) and radical surgery (RS) groups. We compared prognoses among the groups, and analyzed risk factors for recurrence after local excision.
Results
The CRT group (n = 87) and surgical therapy group (n = 39) showed no difference in relapse-free survival (p = 0.29) and overall survival (p = 0.94). Relapse-free survival curves in the LE (n = 23) and RS groups (n = 16) overlapped for the initial 3 years, but the curve for the LE group went lower beyond (p = 0.33). By contrast, there was no difference in overall survival between the two groups (p = 0.98). In the LE group, the majority of recurrences distributed in locoregional areas, which could be managed by salvage treatments. Muscular invasion was associated with recurrence after local excision (hazard ratio: 22.91, p = 0.011).
Conclusion
LE may be applied to selected patients with anal cancer of cT2N0 stage. Given the high risk of recurrence in cases with muscular invasion, it may be important to consider close surveillance and additional treatment in such patients.
A unilateral external fixator combined with bone transport and tibia-talar fusion for the treatment of severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures
Authors: Qinghu Li , Xin Wang , Yonghui Wang , Fanxiao Liu , Baisheng Fu
Published: October 2023

Background
To investigate the clinical effects of a unilateral external fixator combined with bone transport and tibial-talar fusion in the treatment of severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures.
Methods
The clinical data of 32 patients (22 men and 10 women) with severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ age ranged from 26 to 62 (mean, 42 ± 9.5) years old. The types of fractures were as follows: distal tibial fracture in 25 cases, distal tibial and fibula fracture in 5 cases, and talus fracture in 2 cases. All patients underwent treatment with unilateral external fixation combined with bone transport and tibia-talar fusion. In the initial stage, 6 patients with severe infection received treatment involving focal debridement and external fixation. In the second stage, they underwent osteotomy and bone transport. The remaining 26 patients underwent debridement, external fixation, and osteotomy simultaneously. The length of bone transport, total fixation time of the external fixator, and postoperative complications were recorded for all patients. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed using the American Association of Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score.
Results
Patients were followed up for 16–36 months, with an average follow-up time of 24 months. The length of tibial bone transport ranged from 5 to 15 cm, with a mean length of 8.5 cm. The external fixator was applied for 12–24 months, with an average duration of 16 months. One patient experienced a re-fracture of the tibial-talar fusion after the removal of the external fixation, while eventually recovered well. No complications, such as recurrent infection, poor mineralization, refracture, or fusion failure, were found in the remaining patients. The preoperative AOFAS ankle hindfoot function score was 40.0 ± 3.8 (range, 30–52)points, and it increased to 75.0 ± 3.0 (range, 67–78) points at the last follow-up.
Conclusion
A unilateral external fixator combined with bone transport and tibial-talar fusion is an effective method for treating severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures. This approach is capable of reconstructing large bone defects that remain after clearing the infected lesion. Additionally, it provides stability to the ankle, enhances ankle-hindfoot function, and improves the patient’s quality of life.
Prediction of the risk of severe small bowel obstruction and effects of Houpu Paiqi mixture in patients undergoing surgery for small bowel obstruction
Authors: Wang Ze-zheng , Liu Zhe-kui , Ma Wen-xing , Duan Xiang-long , Wu Yun-hua
Published: October 2023

Aim: Small bowel obstruction is a common condition that requires emergency surgery. Postoperative complications can result in severe small bowel obstruction (SSBO), which may greatly impact recovery. Therefore, it is necessary to identify factors that predict SSBO, to allow early intervention for patients likely to develop this condition.Methods:Of the 260 patients who underwent emergency or elective surgery for small bowel obstruction between January 2018 and December 2022, 45 developed SSBO. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model was applied to optimize factor selection and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to construct a predictive model. The performance and clinical utility of the nomogram were determined and internal validation was conducted. In addition, the effects of the Houpu Paiqi mixture on postoperative recovery were analyzed by comparing the clinical data of 28 patients who were treated with the mixture and 61 randomly selected patients who were not.Results:The predictors included in the prediction nomogram were age, peritonitis, intestinal resection and anastomosis, complications, operation time, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, white blood cell count, and procalcitonin level. The model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.948 (95% confidence interval: 0.814–0.956). Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the SSBO risk nomogram had a good net clinical benefit. In addition, treatment with the Houpu Paiqi mixture reduced postoperative exhaust time, postoperative defecation time, time to first postoperative liquid feed, and length of stay in hospital.Conclusions:We developed a nomogram that can assist clinicians in identifying patients at greater risk of SSBO, which may aid in early diagnosis and intervention. Additionally, we found that the Houpu Paiqi mixture promoted postoperative recovery.
Syndrome Types Classification Method of Skin Diseases Based on Tongue Hierarchical Feature Fusion
Authors: Wang Xianmi , Wang Shasha , Wang Lin , Li Pu , Ji Zhihang , Xia Liye , Shang Zhiwei
Published: October 2023

Tongue diagnosis is a non-invasive, painless diagnostic method by observing the tongue image of patients to diagnose and analyze their pathological conditions, which provides an opportunity for the future development of tongue diagnosis. However, the traditional tongue diagnosis method mainly relies on the experience and judgment of doctors, and is also easily affected by external factors. These factors hinder the development and application of tongue diagnosis. Currently, most studies use machine learning, which is time consuming and labor intensive. Other studies use deep learning based on convolutional neural network (CNN), but the affine transformation of CNN is less robust and easily loses the spatial relationship between features. In this work, we propose a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome classification model of skin diseases based on tongue image hierarchical feature fusion. By adding a multi-scale residual module to the feature extraction part of the capsule network, we can extracted richer feature of tongue image. At the same time, the attention mechanism module is embedded in the multi-scale residual module, with the help of the attention mechanism module, the interference of tongue impurity information is suppressed, and accurate features are extracted for classification. Through experiments, it has been proven that our proposed method has achieved accuracy of 89.6\% in the classification of tongue for acne syndrome, and accuracy of 91.6\% in the dermatitis syndrome.
Analyzing Landslide Susceptibility of Forest Roads by Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in Of Forest Planning Unit of Turkiye
Authors: Küçüker Derya Mumcu
Published: October 2023

Forest roads are essential for the management of forest goods and services. However, the forest roads located in areas prone to landslides, particularly in Black Sea Region in Turkiye, can be damaged. Hence, the interest in Landslide Susceptibility Maps (LSMs) an important decision basis has become one of the crucial concerns in landslide risk areas in order to determine where to build new roads or to take necessary precautions on existing roads. This study aims to reveal the potential risk of forest roads for landslide in the Of Planning Unit. For this purpose, LSM was created by combining the MCDA Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) related to expert knowledge and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Twelve landslide-related criteria, such as slope, bedrock type, relative relief, drainage density and frequency, rainfall, and land cover, were fabricated in raster format by ArcGIS domain. After the effects or weights of each main or sub factor were calculated by the pairwise comparison matrix in AHP, each layer was assigned to weight. The potential landslide areas were separated into five different categories, including extremely low, low, moderate, high, and extremely high through overlay analysis in ArcMap. Then overlapping analysis with forest roads and LSM was performed to obtain information on what planned roads are located in landslide-prone areas. The results indicated that this area is greatly susceptible to landslides. In addition, 18.45% of all roads are detected to be under high and extremely high risk, 28.7% of all roads are figured out to be under moderate susceptibility classes, and the remains are found to be under low and extremely low susceptibility classes. With respect to the high performance of AUC value (81%), the AHP technique can be used in landslide hazard risk management.
Distinct Intestinal Microbial Signatures Linked to Accelerated Biological Aging in People with HIV
Authors: Singh Shalini , Giron Leila B. , Shaikh Maliha W. , Shankaran Shivanjali , Engen Phillip A. , Bogin Zlata R. , Bambi Simona A. , Goldman Aaron R. , Azevedo Joao L. L. C. , Orgaz Lorena , de Pedro Nuria , González Patricia , Giera Martin , Verhoeven Aswin , Sánchez-López Elena , Pandrea Ivona Vasile , Kannan Toshitha , Tanes Ceylan E. , Bittinger Kyle , Landay Alan L. , Corley Michael J. , Keshavarzian Ali , Abdel-Mohsen Mohamed
Published: October 2023

Background
People with HIV (PWH), even with controlled viral replication through antiretroviral therapy (ART), experience persistent inflammation. This is partly due to intestinal microbial dysbiosis and translocation. Such ongoing inflammation may lead to the development of non-AIDS-related aging-associated comorbidities. However, there remains uncertainty regarding whether HIV affects the biological age of the intestines and whether microbial dysbiosis and translocation influence the biological aging process in PWH on ART. To fill this knowledge gap, we utilized a systems biology approach, analyzing colon and ileal biopsies, blood samples, and stool specimens from PWH on ART and their matched HIV-negative counterparts.
Results
Despite having similar chronological ages, PWH on ART exhibit accelerated biological aging in the colon, ileum, and blood, as measured by various epigenetic aging clocks, compared to HIV-negative controls. Investigating the relationship between microbial translocation and biological aging, PWH on ART had decreased levels of tight junction proteins in the colon and ileum, along with increased microbial translocation. This increased intestinal permeability correlated with faster intestinal and systemic biological aging, as well as increased systemic inflammation. When investigating the relationship between microbial dysbiosis and biological aging, the intestines of PWH on ART had higher abundance of specific pro-inflammatory bacterial genera, such as Catenibacterium and Prevotella. These bacteria significantly correlated with accelerated local and systemic biological aging. Conversely, the intestines of PWH on ART had lower abundance of bacterial genera known for producing short-chain fatty acids and exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties, such as Subdoligranulum and Erysipelotrichaceae, and these bacteria taxa were associated with slower biological aging. Correlation networks revealed significant links between specific microbial genera in the colon and ileum (but not in feces), increased aging, a rise in pro-inflammatory microbial-related metabolites (e.g., those in the tryptophan metabolism pathway), and a decrease in anti-inflammatory metabolites like hippuric acid and oleic acid.
Conclusions
We identified a specific microbial composition and microbiome-related metabolic pathways that are intertwined with both intestinal and systemic biological aging in PWH on ART. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying these connections could potentially offer strategies to counteract premature aging and its associated health complications in PWH.
Osimertinib readministration for central nervous system metastases in non–small cell lung cancer positive for EGFR activating mutations
Authors: Inutsuka Yu , Iwama Eiji , Shiraishi Yoshimasa , Yoneshima Yasuto , Shibahara Daisuke , Tanaka Kentaro , Okamoto Isamu
Published: October 2023

Purpose Osimertinib shows pronounced efficacy for EGFR mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) including associated central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Tumors inevitably develop resistance to the drug, however. Osimertinib is sometimes readministered after completion of standard chemotherapy. To clarify which patients might receive benefit from osimertinib readministration, we have retrospectively assessed its efficacy with a focus on CNS metastases.
Methods A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 21 patients who underwent osimertinib readministration at Kyushu University Hospital between March 2016 and April 2023. CNS metastases were evaluated according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST).
Results Among the 21 enrolled patients, 16 individuals had target lesions on the basis of RECIST. One (6.3%) of these 16 patients achieved a partial response to osimertinib readministration, with the remaining 15 patients showing stable or progressive disease. The median overall progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival for all 21 patients were 3.8 and 13.9 months, respectively. The efficacy of osimertinib readministration for CNS metastases was evaluable in eight patients including five individuals with leptomeningeal metastases. The objective response rate for CNS metastases and the improvement rate for leptomeningeal metastases were both 100%. The median PFS with regard to CNS or non-CNS lesions for these eight patients was 24.7 and 10.5 months, respectively.
Conclusion Osimertinib readministration showed limited efficacy for non-CNS lesions but excellent efficacy for CNS metastases, suggesting that such treatment is an option for EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with CNS metastases.
Association between failed eradication of 7-day triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori and untreated dental caries in Japanese adults
Authors: Iwai Komei , Azuma Tetsuji , Yonenaga Takatoshi , Sasai Yasuyuki , Watanabe Kazutoshi , Obora Akihiro , Deguchi Fumiko , Kojima Takao , Tomofuji Takaaki
Published: October 2023

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a cause of gastric disorders and is treated mainly by pharmacotherapy with antimicrobial agents. An association has been reported between dental caries and H. pylori infection. As antimicrobial agents are less effective inside dental caries because of impaired blood circulation, the presence of untreated dental caries (decayed teeth) may influence the success of H. pylori eradication treatment. In this cross-sectional study, we examined whether failed eradication of H. pylori was associated with decayed teeth in Japanese adults. Enrolled were 226 participants (150 males, 76 females; mean age, 52.7 years) who received dental checkups among those treated for eradication of H. pylori at Asahi University Hospital between April 2019 and March 2021. Treatment efficacy was assessed by urea breath test. Eradication failed in 38/226 participants (17%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that failed eradication of H. pylori was associated with decayed teeth (presence: odds ratio, 2.611; 95% confidence interval, 1.072–6.362) after adjusting for gender, age, and brushing frequency. These results indicate that failed eradication of H. pylori was associated with decayed teeth and suggest that untreated dental caries may impact treatment for eradication of H. pylori.
The interaction mechanism between interstitial-substitutional pairs and defects in nitrogen-added austenitic stainless steels
Authors: Kawahara Yasuhito , Kobatake Shunya , Kaneko Kenji , Sasaki Taisuke , Ohkubo Tadakatsu , Takushima Chikako , Hamada Jun-ichi
Published: October 2023

Interstitial-substitutional pairs have been acknowledged to contribute to the increase in the strengths of steels. For further improvements in mechanical properties, their atomic-scale structures and interaction mechanisms with defects are required to be examined. In this study, both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atom-probe tomography were used to correlate interstitial-substitutional pairs with defect characteristics in austenitic stainless steels. Three types of defect core structures are identified and associated with their strain fields as well as N-Cr pairs in the N-added steels. It is revealed that N atoms interact elastically with the defects, followed by the formation of N-Cr pairs via the chemical interaction between N and Cr atoms. This insight significantly improves the understanding of the multiple alloying mechanism in metallic materials such as interstitial alloys and high-entropy alloys.
EDB-FN-Targeted Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Breast Cancer in Mice
Authors: Zhang Yun , Zheng Xiao-Bin , Huang Yan-Fang , Li Si-Jia , Yang Xiao-Chun , Yang Yi-Ling
Published: October 2023

Purpose The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) have some limitations in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The extra domain B splice variant of fibronectin (EDB-FN), which is overexpressed in several cancer types, including breast cancer, is an approved diagnostic and therapeutic target of EDB-FN-positive cancers. Herein, we provide the EDB-FN-targeted peptide EDBp as a noninvasive oncological imaging modality for the molecular imaging of breast cancer.Procedures The binding of the peptide EDBp-Cy5 to EDB-positive breast cancer cells was investigated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Near-Infrared Fluorescence (NIRF) imaging was performed at 48 hours after 1 µmol EDBp-Cy5 was intravenously injected into subcutaneous MDA-MB-231 breast cancer model mice or pulmonary metastasis model mice. Model mice were intravenously injected with approximately 100 µCi of [18F]-EDBp, and PET/CT scanning was performed after 2 hours of in vivo circulation.Results Our results demonstrate that EDBp-Cy5 had a strong binding ability to the MDA-MB-231 cells. EDBp-Cy5 exhibited specific tumor accumulation in MDA-MB-231 subcutaneous and pulmonary metastasis model mice. Importantly, we proposed and validated an EDBp peptide-based radiotracer [18F]-EDBp for PET imaging. [18F]-EDBp provided excellent diagnostic value for PET imaging of breast cancer, especially in subcutaneous tumors. The uptake of [18F]-EDBp in subcutaneous tumors (6.53 ± 0.89%, ID/g) was unexpectedly higher than that in the kidney (4.96 ± 0.20, %ID/g), which is the main metabolic organ of peptides. In the pulmonary metastasis model mice, PET/CT imaging showed that [18F]-EDBp moderately accumulated in the pulmonary metastases.Conclusion The high tumor uptake of this radiotracer in mice suggests its potential for application in PET imaging of EDB-FN-positive breast cancer for disease staging of regional and distant metastases and relapse monitoring.
Host-specific co-evolution likely driven by diet in Buchnera aphidicola
Authors: Burger N Francois V , Nicolis Vittorio F , Botha Anna-Maria
Published: October 2023

Background Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia Kurd.) is a severe pest to wheat, and even though resistance varieties are available to curb this pest, they are becoming obsolete with the development of new virulent aphid populations. Unlike many other aphids, D noxia only harbours a single endosymbiont, Buchnera aphidicola. Considering the importance of Buchnera, this study aimed to elucidate commonalities and dissimilarities between various hosts, to better understand its distinctiveness within its symbiotic relationship with D. noxia. To do so, the genome of the D. noxia’s Buchnera was assembled and compared to those of other aphid species that feed on diverse host species.Results The overall importance of several features such as gene length and percentage GC content was found to be critical for the maintenance of Buchnera genes when compared to their closest free-living relative, Escherichia coli. Buchnera protein coding genes were found to have percentage GC contents that tended towards a mean of ~ 26% which had strong correlation to their identity to their E. coli homologs. Several SNPs were identified between different aphid populations and multiple isolates of Buchnera were confirmed in single aphids.Conclusions Establishing the strong correlation of percentage GC content of protein coding genes and gene identity will allow for identifying which genes will be lost in the continually shrinking Buchnera genome. This is also the first report of a parthenogenically reproducing aphid that hosts multiple Buchnera strains in a single aphid, raising questions regarding the benefits of maintaining multiple strains. We also found preliminary evidence for post-transcriptional regulation of Buchnera genes in the form of polyadenylation.
New Quantum LDPC Codes Based on Euclidean Geometry
Authors: Feng Ya’nan , Tang Chuchen , Bai Chenming
Published: October 2023

With the development of quantum error correction techniques, quantum low density parity check (QLDPC) codes become a promising area in quantum error correction codes. In this paper, the requirements of QLDPC codes based on points except the origin and lines not passing through the origin of Euclidean geometry are given. QLDPC codes based on all the lines and parallel classes are obtained respectively.
Detection of pharmaceutically active compounds in tap water samples by direct injection HPLC/MS-MS: A danger signal in deficiency in residue management
Authors: Peregrina-Lucano Alejandro Aarón , Mendoza-Michel Judith , Rodríguez-Arreola Ariana , Peña-Velasco Gabriela
Published: October 2023

The growing and decelerated presence of pharmaceutically active compounds in water samples is further studied due to the risks to the environment and the health public. Evidence suggests that antibiotics, oncologic, and endocrine disruptor compounds classified as emerging pollutants have been released into the aquatic environment and maintained in diverse aquatic compartments until networks of tap water are affected. Therefore, an HPLC–MS/MS method is developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 active pharmaceutical compounds in tap water samples of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara: amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, cyproterone, erythromycin, flutamide, spironolactone, sulfamethoxazole, tamoxifen, and trimethoprim, using a direct injection technique. The implemented method obtained results of linearity determination coefficients (r2) higher than 0.998; limits of detection (LOD) of 0.3–15 µg/L and quantification limits (LOQ) from 1.5 to 50 µg/L, recoveries percentages in the range of 70–125% and time retentions ≤ 2.2 min. The methodology developed allowed the analysis of a total of 22 tap water samples where the highest concentrations corresponding to amoxicillin (147 mg/L) and ciprofloxacin (44 mg/L). Overall, most tap water samples analyzed presented more than six pharmaceutical active compounds at diverse levels of concentrations. The alternative methodology proposed in this research work and its findings could be a precedent for framework regulatory and establishing safe levels of these compounds in water associated with significant human health and environmental risks, as well as increasing the standards for quality tap water represents a main source of diseases in terms of the health public.
Comparative Investigation of the Antimicrobial Properties of the Root, Leaf, and Seed Oils of Carrot Plant Growing in Sierra Leone
Authors: Vandy Ahmed , Kamara Marie-kholipha , Mattia Sia Christiana , Buffa Tamba , Marah Foday , Conteh Eugene , Lahai Michael , Marah Mohamed , Suma Kadiatu M. , Kamara Fatmata S. , Sower Hawanatu , Gbla Zainab , Sheriff Matilda S. , Ogaya Jericho , Comabig Rey , III Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno
Published: October 2023

Daucus carota L. (Carrot) is a biennial herbaceous plant which has various nutritional, cosmetic, and medicinal benefits. This study determined the antimicrobial activity of the oil extract from the leaves, roots, and seeds of carrot plants against four selected bacterial isolates. The leaves, roots, and seeds of the carrot plant were weighed and the oils were extracted by hydrodistillation using the Clevenger apparatus. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc and well diffusion methods against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nigella sativa oil was used as the positive control. The extraction process of essential oils from the part of the carrot plants yielded varying quantities of oil, spanning from the roots (0.3%), the leaves (0.4%) and the seeds (0.8%). The results of the study showed that all the extracted essential oils had some activity against the selected bacterial isolates, with varying degrees of inhibition. The root oil showed the highest antimicrobial activity (14mm) against Streptococcus Pneumoniae, matching the control oil using the well diffusion method and a higher activity (17mm) than the control when the disc diffusion method was used. The seed oil had the highest activity (15mm) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is slightly less than the control oil using the disc diffusion method. The zones of inhibition were generally higher by the disc diffusion method than the well diffusion method for most of the isolates. The essential oils extracted from Daucus carota L. oils had antimicrobial activity against the four bacterial isolates used, with higher activity against gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative. The antimicrobial activity varied according to the extracted plant parts, the bacterial isolate and the susceptibility test methods used.
Few-shot Adaptation of Multi-modal Foundation Models: A Survey
Authors: Liu Fan , Zhang Tianshu , Dai Wenwen , Cai Wenwen , Zhou Xiaocong , Chen Delong
Published: October 2023

Multi-modal models, such as CLIP, are replacing traditional supervised pre-training models (e.g., ImageNet-based pre-training) as the new generation of foundational visual models. These multi-modal models with robust and aligned semantic representations from billions of internet image-text pairs and can be applied to various downstream zero-shot tasks. However, in some fine-grained domains like medical imaging and remote sensing, the performance of multi-modal foundation models often leaves much to be desired. Consequently, many researchers have begun to explore few-shot adaptation methods for multi-modal foundation models, gradually deriving three technical approaches: 1) prompt-based fine-tuning adaptation methods, 2) adapter-based fine-tuning adaptation methods, and 3) adaptation methods based on external knowledge. Nevertheless, this rapidly developing field has produced numerous results without a comprehensive survey to systematically organize the research progress. Therefore, in this paper, we provide an extensive survey and analysis of the research advancements in few-shot adaptation methods for multi-modal models, summarizing commonly used datasets and experimental setups, and comparing the results of different methods. In addition, due to the lack of reliable theoretical support for existing methods, we derive the few-shot adaptation generalization error bound for multi-modal models. The theorem reveals that the generalization error of multi-modal foundation models is constrained by three factors: domain gap, model capacity, and sample size. Based on this, we propose three possible solutions from the following aspects: 1) domain distribution adaptation, 2) model selection adaptation, and 3) knowledge utilization adaptation.
On fast iterative methods for solving the split fixed point problem of multiple output sets involving demicontractive mappings
Authors: Majee Prashanta , Bai Sonu , Padhye Sahadeo
Published: October 2023

This paper aims to formulate some novel inertial-type iterative methods for approximating the solution of a split fixed point problem involving demicontractive mappings in real Hilbert spaces. We construct the iterative methods with the help of two selection techniques of stepsize. One type of iterative method is introduced with fixed stepsize, and the other type of method is introduced with the help of variable stepsize. First, we prove weak convergence of the proposed methods with the mild conditions on the control parameters. Then, we establish strong convergence results for approximating the solution of the split fixed point problem. Finally, we give some numerical examples to justify the validity and efficiency of the proposed iterative methods.
MSC Classification: 47H09 , 47H10 , 47J05
Age-of-Information in Distributed Systems caused by Asynchronous Computing Modeled as Parallel Renewal Processes
Authors: Redder Adrian , Karl Holger
Published: October 2023

We consider methods where processors from a distributed computing (DC) infrastructure compute updates for a set of parameters asynchronously. In such scenarios, the parameter updates can experience practically unbounded stochastic processing times caused by effects like queuing, processor sharing, priorities, preemption, or heavy-tailed traffic. As a result, processors will update parameters multiple times while one processor observes the parameters and calculates a new parameter update based on it. The resulting error between the current parameter and the older version used to calculate the parameter update is thus a function of a discrete information delay that we call Age-of-Information (AoI). To counter the errors caused by AoI, predict the performance of asynchronous algorithms, and effectively solve problems in machine learning and artificial intelligence, it is important to know AoI properties. To do this, we model the processing times in a DC system as parallel renewal processes. For this model, we derive the distribution and moment bounds for the discrete AoI affecting asynchronous algorithms executed on the DC system. We also derive exact expressions for the asymptotic mean and sharp bounds for the asymptotic variance.
Spatiotemporal coordination in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: insights from a bimanual goal-directed task
Authors: Mailleux Lisa , Decraene Lisa , Kalkantzi Alexandra , Kleeren Lize , Crotti Monica , Campenhout Anja Van , Verheyden Geert , Ortibus Els , Green Dido , Klingels Katrijn , Feys Hilde
Published: October 2023

Background: In children with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP), bimanual assessments mostly focus on qualitative assessments of the impaired upper limb during bimanual tasks, which do not capture the spatiotemporal coordination between both hands. Hence, we aimed to advance our understandings in spatiotemporal coordination in children with uCP compared to typically developing children (TDC) using a bimanual goal-directed task. Participants and methodology: In this observational study, thirty-seven children with uCP (11y8m±2y10m, 20 males, 16 right-sided uCP, Manual Ability Classification System level I=23, II=11, III=3) and 37 age and sex-matched TDC opened a box with one hand and pressed a button inside using the opposite hand. Spatiotemporal bimanual (movement time, temporal coupling, movement overlap, goal synchronisation) and unimanual (movement time, path length and smoothness) parameters were extracted. Between groups comparisons were investigated using a two-way mixed ANCOVA with age as covariate (α<0.05). Additionally, correlation coefficients between unimanual and bimanual parameters were calculated. Results: Compared to TDC, children with uCP did not differ in bimanual coupling relative to their movement time (p>0.31, ηp2<0.03). However, they were slower (p=0.01, ηp2=0.13) and presented with unimanual spatiotemporal deficits bilaterally (p<0.03, ηp2>0.10), which worsened in children with lower manual abilities (p<0.04, ηp2>0.19). Moreover, slower movement time was related with increased unimanual spatiotemporal deficits bilaterally (r=0.34-0.80, p<0.001-0.04), suggesting that reduced performance at both sides contributes to bimanual difficulties in children with uCP. Conclusions: The bilateral reduced spatiotemporal coordination, related to longer bimanual movement time, stresses the importance to assess and treat both upper limbs in children with uCP.
In Silico Predictive Homology Modeling of PKHD-1 Protein: A Comparative Study among Three Different Species
Authors: SB Arunannamalai
Published: October 2023

PKHD-1 (Polycystic Kidney and Hepatic Disease-1) gene encodes a vital pro- tein critical for renal and hepatic functions. Mutations in PKHD-1 lead to a severe type of disorder in early infancy called Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD). The PKHD-1 protein structure remains unavailable in databases such as PDB, with only a few low-resolution structures accessible in the Swiss Model Template Library. Therefore, Homology Modeling was employed to generate structural models of PKHD-1 proteins derived from three different species [Homo sapiens (Human), Mus musculus (Mouse), Canis lupus familiaris (Dog)]. The mouse PKHD-1 protein was structurally predicted by employing the AlphaFold DB model based on the PKHD1 ciliary IPT domain of fibro- cystin/polyductin from Rattus norvegicus as a reference template. Additionally, the human and dog PKHD-1 proteins were modeled using the AlphaFold DB model of the G8 domain-containing protein from Marmota monax as the template for the prediction process. In addition, we employ GOR4 for analyzing secondary structure, ProtParam for assessing physicochemical properties, QMEAN for eval- uating the quality of protein structure, and MolProbity for validating protein structures along with obtaining the Ramachandran plot. The binding pockets were also predicted using P2Rank tool (PrankWeb web server).
Experiences and lessons learned from a global research administration capacity building project to support and expand HIV/AIDS research in southwestern Uganda
Authors: Bajunirwe Francis , Armstrong Lauren , Karuhanga Jacqueline , Mbabazi Margaret , Muhindo Ezrah , Steen Amber , Olmsted Elizabeth
Published: October 2023

International collaborative research projects conducted at academic research institutions, including complex basic science, clinical, and translational HIV/AIDS research, require intensive communication, coordination, and thoughtful relationship-building at all institutional levels and especially require the support of experienced and well-trained Research Administrators. To be successful, global research teams must be not only scientifically adept, but supported by a staff skilled in identifying opportunities, submitting proposals, and managing all aspects of award administration and reporting. Using a National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center funded training grant, the project team aimed to develop a comprehensive Research administration capacity-building program that would improve the support provided to investigators at Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda through collaboration with the University of Virginia in the United States and expand future funding success for innovative HIV/AIDS and HIV-related research. The experiences and achievements of conducting a comprehensive, primarily remote training program are documented for other global partnerships to highlight successes and uncover opportunities to ensure sustainability. Despite the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic, this program was able to succeed through a long-term relationship of mutual respect between the two institutions. Project success was achieved by the team’s unwavering commitment to collectively explore and implement various methods to achieve its goals.
The impact of knowledge management on SMES’ performance during the COVID-19 pandemic: Assessing the significance of digital variables
Authors: Selamet Riadi Sukisno , Hapsari Pebiansyah , Wahyu Budiman Puput , Anwar Khairil , Yudaruddin Rizky
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of knowledge management on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises during the COVID-19 period in Indonesia. Furthermore, the study also highlights the role of digital variables such as digital capability, digital orientation, and digital innovation as mediating variables. A total of 247 valid responses were collected for this study through the survey conducted among managers of SMEs in Indonesia. The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with the Partial Least Squares approach. The study’s findings revealed several significant insights. It established the positive impact of knowledge management on digital capability, digital orientation, and digital innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study identified digital capability as a mediating factor between knowledge management and SMEs’ performance. However, the full support for the mediating roles of digital orientation and digital innovation in the relationship between knowledge management and SME performance was not confirmed, suggesting potential context-specific variations. This implies that the influence of knowledge management on SMEs’ performance is mainly channeled through digital capability. The research underscores the importance of knowledge management and digital factors in shaping SMEs’ performance, particularly in the challenging context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study of temporal changes in the hydrographic network of small mountain rivers in the Ile Alatau, Kazakhstan
Authors: Duskayev Kassym , Mussina Ainur , Rodrigo-Ilarri Javier , Zhanabayeva Zhanara , Tursyngali Marzhan , Rodrigo-Clavero María-Elena
Published: October 2023

The article presents the outcomes of an assessment of hydrographic network changes within the Almaty city, utilizing geographic information system (GIS) technology and Earth remote sensing data. Two gauge stations were selected along the main rivers within the Almaty city. To identify distinctive alterations in these rivers, hydrological data series encompassing the maximum runoff from 1970 to 2021 were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. Differential integral curves were constructed to pinpoint periods corresponding to peak and trough runoff levels. For each of these identified periods, the processing of satellite imagery allowed for the computation of meandering coefficients for the river channels. Additionally, refinements were made to the slope values of the rivers during these same timeframes, and connectivity graphs were established to elucidate the relationship between slope and liquid runoff for each period. The analysis encompassed an assessment of the impact of anthropogenic factors on both artificial and natural bodies of water while also considering shifts in the boundaries of the Almaty city. The findings derived from this study have practical applications in the planning and design of water supply systems and in the implementation of measures aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of anthropogenic factors on water bodies.
Chromium (VI) and lead (II) adsorption using Mangifera kemanga leaves
Authors: Arrisujaya Dian , Utami Niti Sae , Mulyawati Tia , Rahmalisa Dea , Wati Siska , Hidayat Hidayat
Published: October 2023

This work reports the use of Mangifera kemanga leaves (MKL) treated with ethanol and nitric acid as an adsorbent to remove Cr(VI) and Pb(II) ions at different pHs, adsorbent dosages, times, initial metal ion concentrations, and temperatures. The MKL's maximum adsorption capacity was 213 mg/g for Cr(VI) at pH 2 and 89 mg/g for Pb(II) at pH 6. Batch experiments showed that MKL follows the Langmuir isotherm model in absorbing Cr(VI) and Pb(II). The Cr(VI) and Pb(II) adsorption kinetics are best suited by the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Thermodynamic data studies indicated that surface complexation coexisted with ion exchange as the preliminary removal means. The results implied that MKL could potentially remove Cr(VI) and Pb(II).
Structure and diversity of earthworm communities in long-term irrigated soils with raw effluent and treated wastewater
Authors: Ababsa Nawal , Fellah Sihem , Chenchouni Haroun , Lallaouna Rania , Bouchama Khaled , Baha Mounia , Kribaa Mohamed
Published: October 2023

This study was conducted in two natural meadows: first, soils were irrigated with raw wastewater (SIRWW) and in the second, soils were irrigated with treated wastewater (SITWW). Earthworms were sampled in eight soil blocks spaced 10 m apart at each site. Earthworm community was characterized and compared using density, biomass, composition, structure, species richness, and diversity parameters. At both meadows, 459 earthworm individuals from two families and seven species were collected. The highest earthworm density and species richness were recorded at SIRWW. Nicodrilus caligenus was the most abundant species. Most of earthworm community parameters decreased significantly at SITWW. Only two species (N. caligenus and Octodrilus complanatus) were common between the two grasslands. Among the seven species identified at both meadows, four (Allolobophora longa, Eisenia foetida, Allolobophora rosea, Allolobophora chlorotica) were exclusively present in SIRWW, whereas a single species (Amynthas sp.) was characterized in SITWW. Three ecological earthworm groups (epigeic, endogeic, and anectic) were represented in SIRWW, with the dominance of endogeics. Further studies are needed to quantify pollution in this soils and the accumulation of pollutant load in earthworms. It is also important to highlight the relationship between the abundance and diversity of earthworms in these two ecosystems with soil biological activity.
Ocena jakości życia pacjentów po przebytym zawale mięśnia sercowego
Authors: Szudy Elżbieta , Chojnacka-Kowalewska Grażyna
Published: October 2023

Wstęp. Zawał mięśnia sercowego, jest dużym zagrożeniem zdrowia i życia wielu Polaków. Choroby układu krążenia w wielu przypadkach doprowadzają do niepełnosprawności a często i śmierci. Chory po zawale mięśnia sercowego powinien wprowadzić kilka zmian dotyczących jego trybu postępowania, ma to również wpływ na jakość życia.

Cel pracy. Celem badań jest ocena jakości życia pacjentów po przebytym zawale mięśnia sercowego. 

Materiał i metody. Badania zostały przeprowadzone w Wojewódzkim Szpitalu Specjalistycznym im. Bł. Ks. Jerzego Popiełuszki we Włocławku. W badaniu udział wzięło 100 pacjentów po przebytym zawale mięśnia sercowego. Badania były anonimowe i dobrowolne. Narzędziem badawczym był kwestionariusz ceny jakości życia SF – 36 oraz ankieta własnego autorstwa składająca się z 5 pytań. W pierwszej części ankiety, pierwsze 5 pytań dotyczy danych społeczno- demograficznych, natomiast druga część to kwestionariusz oceny jakości życia. Badania poddano analizie statystycznej testem t dla prób niezależnych i jednoczynnikowej ANOVA.

Wyniki. W aspekcie funkcjonowania fizycznego badani mogli uzyskać od 0 do 45 pkt. Średni wynik wyniósł 15,70 pkt. przy odchyleniu standardowym równym 12,188 pkt. W aspekcie ograniczenia z powodu zdrowia respondenci mogli uzyskać od 0 do 20 pkt. Wynik średni wyniósł 11,68 pkt przy odchyleniu standardowym SD=7,339.

Wnioski. Płeć, wiek oraz wykształcenie badanych po przebytym zawale serca nie różnicowała oceny jakości życia, natomiast miejsce zamieszkania wpływało na różnicowanie oceny stanu zdrowia przez badanych, niżej oceniali swój stan zdrowia mieszkańcy miasta niż wsi. Stan emocjonalny i fizyczny pacjenci oceniali gorzej niż sprzed wystąpienia zawału mięśnia sercowego. Występowały liczne ograniczenia fizyczne oraz problemy emocjonalne takie jak, np. występowanie depresji. Współwystępowanie chorób różnicowało ocenę aspektu Funkcjonowanie fizyczne. Istotnie niżej aspekt ten ocenili badani chorujący poza sercem także na otyłość niż chorzy na cukrzycę i nadciśnienie tętnicze.