bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the disease entities and typical characteristics of day surgery -based on three Public Tertiary A hospitals in China
Authors: wang ying , sun hui
Published: March 2023

Background: Although the number of medical facilities in China that perform day surgeries is rapidly rising, little research has been done on the current state of day surgery performance and patient distribution. This thesis focuses on three more developed tertiary general hospitals in different parts of China where day surgery has been performed in the past. These hospitals offer a wider variety of day surgery procedures, and are located in areas that are more developed. Other medical facilities will benefit from the study's hands-on experience with day surgery.
Methods: 67,337 valid items of data were retrieved from Hospital Information Systems of the three hospitals. In this thesis, descriptive analysis was carried out on basic information about day surgery patients, including composition of patients' major diseases, hospitalization costs. Nonparametric tests were used to compare the data in each group, and the mean standard deviation (x±s) was used to show the trend in the concentration of the relevant indicators. The difference was considered statistically significant at P<0.05.
Results: The largest proportion of day surgery patients are between the ages of 51 and 70. About 57.30% of day surgery patients pay for their medical care with the basic medical insurance of urban employees. Senile cataract, benign breast tumor, and endometrial polyp are the top three major diagnoses of day surgery patients. The cost of consumables accounted for approximately 46.01 percent of the total hospitalization cost for day surgery patients, followed by the cost of treatment, which accounted for approximately 31.01 percent of the total cost.
Conclusions: The majority of day surgery patients are middle-aged and elderly, with fewer children and seniors over 80. The payment system for day surgery that is supported by medical insurance needs to be improved. While each hospital has its own characteristics, the majority of day surgery patients are afflicted with ophthalmic, breast, and reproductive system conditions. The majority of day surgery procedures are secondary and tertiary procedures; the more challenging procedures continue to be primarily general inpatient procedures. Day surgery's development has positive effects on society and the economy.
Health literacy strengths and challenges of people in New South Wales Prisons: A cross-sectional survey using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ)
Authors: Gill Scott W , Zeki Reem , Kaye Sharlene , Zingirlis Panayiota , Archer Vicki , Lewandowski Amy , Creighton Grantley , Shaw Caron , Bowman Julia
Published: March 2023

Background: Health literacy is an important factor for enabling people to manage their health and live long fulfilling lives. People in prison are frequently from marginalised communities, often out of reach of conventional community based health organisations, and have poorer health outcomes. It is essential to understanding the health literacy profiles of people in prison, and its contribution to the well-established health inequities and outcomes of this population. This study aimed to use a multi-dimensional health literacy measurement tool to describe the strengths and challenges of adults incarcerated in NSW prisons.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted for people in prison across 14 publicly operated metropolitan prisons. Data were collected from 471 participants using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Participant characteristics and health conditions were also collected. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Effect sizes (ES) for standardised differences in means were used to describe the magnitude of difference between participant characteristic groups.
Results: Participants’ median age was 38.0 (range 19 – 91) years. Males comprised 81% of the sample, 21% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and 53% reported a health problem. People in prison had lower scores for all nine HLQ scales when compared to the general Australian population. Small to medium ES were seen for mean differences between most demographic groups. Compared to males, females had lower scores for a majority of the HLQ scales including ‘having sufficient information to manage health’ (ES 0.30 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.07, 0.53]), ‘ability to actively engage with health care professionals’ (ES 0.30 [95% CI 0.06, 0.53]), ‘navigating the healthcare system’ (ES 0.30 [95% CI 0.06, 0.53]), and, ‘ability to find good health information’ (ES 0.33 [95% CI 0.10, 0.57]). Differing health literacy scale scores with small to medium ES were found when comparing participants by legal status. Mainly small ES were seen when comparing other participant characteristic groups.
Conclusions: This study provides insights into the health literacy strengths and challenges for people in NSW prisons. These findings highlight the important role health literacy could have in addressing health disparities in this vulnerable population and can inform prison health services.
Beneficial glycaemic effects of barley bread compared to wheat bread in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Bohl Mette , Gregersen Soeren , Zhong Yuyue , Hebelstrup Kim , Hermansen Kjeld
Published: March 2023

Background:
Cereals foods with a high content of dietary fibres or amylose have potential to lower postprandial glucose levels. Optimisation of cereal foods may delay development of or improve management of type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Methods:
We investigated the impact on postprandial glucose metabolism of bread made of hulless barley flour (50% or 75%) and wheat flour (50% or 25%) or an RNAi-based amylose-only barley flour (AmOn) (50%) and wheat flour (50%) in subjects with T2D.
Design:
Twenty adults with T2D were randomly allocated to one of four bread each corresponding to 50 g carbohydrate at four separate visits. We measured fasting and 4h postprandial responses of glucose, insulin, glucagon, triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, glucagon-like peptide-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide. Mixed model ANOVA was used to examine the differences.
Results:
Bread made from 50% AmOn lowered the postprandial glucose by 34%, 27%, 23% (P < 0.05) compared with 100% wheat, 50% or 75% hulless barley, respectively. Bread made from 75% hulless barley reduced the postprandial glucose by 11% (P < 0.05) compared to 100% wheat bread.
Postprandial insulin responses were reduced for 50% AmOn by 24% and 35% (P < 0.05) compared with 100% wheat and 50% hulless barley, respectively. Postprandial insulin was reduced by 22% (P < 0.05) for 75% compared to 50% hulless barley bread.
Conclusions:
Bread made by replacing wheat flour with either 75% hulless barley or 50% AmOn flour lowered postprandial glucose responses compared to 100% wheat bread indicating a beneficial impact in management of T2D.
This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04646746.
The associations between cardiometabolic index and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Xue Feiben , Zhang Shengguo , He Lingnan , Yang Naibin , Chen Yuanwen
Published: March 2023

Object: To explore the association between cardiometabolic index(CMI) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) detected by Fibroscan in Americans.
Methods: A total of 2054 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on the following criteria: controlled attenuation parameter(CAP) value≥274 dB/m indicating liver steatosis and exclusion of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and excessive alcohol consumption. The relationship between CMI and NAFLD was assessed using a weighted multivariable logistic regression. Subgroup analyses stratified by gender, race, and BMI were further conducted.
Results: A total of 796 (38.8%) participants were confirmed with NAFLD. CMI was significantly higher in NAFLD group than that in non-NAFLD group (P<0.001). In all the three regression models, CMI were positively associated with the prevalence of NAFLD (model 1: OR=6.76, 95% CI: 5.27 to 8.68; model 2: OR=5.54, 95% CI: 4.30 to 7.14; model 3: OR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.65 to 2.76). After stratified by gender, race and BMI, the positive correlations existed steadily in different subgroups. The smooth curve fit showed an inverted U-shaped association between CMI and the prevalence of NAFLD.
Conclusion: CMI was positively correlated with the prevalence of NAFLD in the general American population. Moreover, the positive relationship between CMI and NAFLD existed steadily after stratified by gender, race, and BMI.
Sulfonic-coordinated Co–N–C solid acid catalysts for high-performance solvent regeneration for efficient carbon capture
Authors: Li Yuchen , Yuan Bingling , Xing Lei , Zhan Guoxiong , chen zhen , Peng Yue , Wang Lidong , li Junhua
Published: March 2023

Atomically dispersed Co–N–C coordination is a promising strategy for providing acidic activity sites for catalytic amine solvent regeneration, but the control of the coordination environment remains a major challenge. Herein, the sulfo group (-SO3H) introduced to improve the Co–N–C coordination and morphology of COF supports. The new coordination configuration (Co–N/C/O) significantly increased the acidic activity of the COF catalysts with single-atom Co and promote the surface areas (696 m2/g). The sulfonic-coordinated Co–N–C (S–Co/NC) catalysts exhibited superior spent solvent regeneration activity at lower concentrations compared with previously described catalysts. Moreover, the maximum desorption rate (3.74 CO2 mmol/min) considerably increased by 733% compared with the catalyst-free reaction, resulting in approximately 39% lower relative heat duty. This study presented an efficient and feasible method for atomic-level tuning of the Co–N–C catalyst for developing excellent solid acid catalysts for energy-efficient amine solvent regeneration.
Dengue virus infection during window period of consecutive outbreaks in Nepal and assessment of clinical parameters
Authors: Rauniyar Ramanuj , Prajapati Sabita , Manandhar Binod , Bastola Anup , Chalise Bimal Sharma , Shrestha Srijan , Khanal Chetana , Thapa Machchhendra , Napit Rajindra , Adhikari Anurag , Manandhar Krishna Das
Published: March 2023

Nepal is an endemic country for dengue infection with rolling of every three year’s clear cyclic outbreaks with exponential growth since 2019 outbreak and the virus gearing towards the non-foci temperate hill regions. However, the information regarding circulating serotype and genotype is not frequent. This research discusses on the clinical features, diagnosis, epidemiology, circulating serotype and genotype among 61 dengue suspected cases from different hospitals of Nepal during the window period 2017–2018 between the two outbreaks 2016 and the then expected 2019 outbreak along with the challenges of DENV infection in Nepal. E-gene sequences from PCR positive samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis under time to most recent common ancestor tree using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and BEAST v2.5.1. Both evolution and genotypes were determined based on the phylogenetic tree. Serotyping by Real-time PCR and Nested PCR showed the co-circulation of all the 3 serotypes of dengue in the year 2017 and DENV-2 in 2018. Genotype V for DENV-1 and Cosmopolitan Genotype IVa for DENV-2 were detected. The detected Genotype V of DENV-1 in Terai was found close to Indian genotype while Cosmopolitan IVa of DENV-2 found spreading to geographically safe hilly region (now gripped to 9 districts) was close to South-East Asia. The genetic drift of DENV-2 is probably due to climate change and rapid viral evolution which could be a representative model for high altitude shift of the infection. Further, the increased primary infection indicates dengue venturing to new populations. Platelets count together with Aspartate transaminase and Aalanine transaminase could serve as important clinical markers to support clinical diagnosis. The study will support future dengue virology and epidemiology in Nepal.
The novel oncogenic factor TET3 combined AHR to promote Thyroid cancer lymphangiogenesis via HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway
Authors: YANG Li-Yun , Zhao Runyu , Qiao Peipei , Cui Jiaxin , Chen Xiaoping , Fang Jinping , Hu An , Huang Shuixian
Published: March 2023

Background
Lymphangiogenesis is an important factor in the invasion and metastasis of thyroid cancer (THCA). The relative researches of lymphangiogenesis have always been a hot topic in THCA, but its specific regulatory mechanism has not been totally clear.
Methods
Public databases including the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TIMER, GEPIA, and UALCAN database were employed to analyze and visualize the expression and prognosis of TET3 and AHR in THCA. GEPIA and TIMER were used to analyze the correlation between these molecules. Rt-PCR and Western Blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of related proteins. Plate colony formation, cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis and transwell assay were used to examine the ability of proliferation, lymphangiogenesis and invasion of THCA cells.
Results
TCGA database were showed that TET3 and AHR in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue in THCA. And there was a high correlation between TET3 and AHR. UALCAN and GEPIA database were exhibited that high expression of TET3 and AHR were corelated with THCA TNM stages and poor prognosis of THCA patients. Moreover, the TET3 activation accelerated THCA cells proliferation by inducing G2/M phase arrest and restraining apoptosis, and the AHR inactivation reduced THCA cells proliferation by decreasing G2/M phase arrest and inducing apoptosis in vitro of THCA cells. Notably, TET3 and AHR markedly promoted THCA cells lymphangiogenesis and invasion. In addition, TET3 activation and AHR inactivation regulated HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.
Conclusions
TET3 combined AHR to promote THCA lymphangiogenesis via HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway and targeting TET3 and AHR might provide a potential treatment strategy for THCA.
Real-time detection of label-free submicron-sized plastics using flow-channeled differential interference contrast microscopy
Authors: Kim Jae Hun , Han Jiyun , Park Subeen , Seid Mingizem Gashaw , Park Byeongho , Lee Soo Hyun , Kim Hyung Min , Lee Jaesang , Hong Seok Won
Published: March 2023

Owing to the surge in plastic waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, concern regarding microplastic pollution in aqueous environments is increasing. Since sub-micron plastics can accumulate in the human body, their real-time detection in water is necessary. However, the decrease in the scattering cross-section of small polystyrene (PS) particles in aqueous media precludes detection by bright-field microscopy. To address this problem, we propose and demonstrate a differential interference contrast (DIC) system that incorporates a magnification-enhancing system to detect PS beads in aqueous samples. To detect micron-scale and sub-micron-scale PS beads in the stationary and mobile phases, a microfluidic chip was designed considering the imaging depth of focus and flow resistance. PS beads of various sizes flowing in deionized and tap water at varying speeds were quantitatively observed under Static and Flow conditions. The real-time detection and quantification of PS beads of size ≥ 200 nm at a constant flow rate in water was successful. It was also possible to classify two different sizes, 2 µm and 750 nm, in a mixed solution. Thus, the proposed novel method can significantly reduce the analysis time and improve the size-detection limit. The proposed DIC microscopy system can be coupled with Raman or IR spectroscopy in future study for chemical composition analysis.
Identification of ferroptosis-related diagnostic biomarkers in ischemic cardiomyopathy Abstract
Authors: Ma Guizhou , Zhou Linjie , Xu Ronghe , Wang Ying , Cai Zhixiong
Published: March 2023

Background:
Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), the frequently observed secondary cardiomyopathy, is a major factor leading to global mortality. Ferroptosis is a type of iron-dependent programmed cell death different from apoptosis or additional programmed cell death types, identified as the major cell death type of cardiomyocytes. Consequently, the present study focused on the identification of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) and determining their value in diagnosing ICM, thus, assisting in detecting and treating ICM.
Methods:
This study collected gene expression profiles for ventricular myocardium specimens in ICM cases and normal participants from the gene expression omnibus database. First, ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (FRDEGs) were detected in ICM. Then, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network related to FRDEGs was constructed through PPI network analysis, followed by the identification of the key network and hub genes whose expression was analyzed and assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and verified in the external validation set. Finally, hub genes were subject to single-gene GSEA pathway enrichment, targeted drug prediction, construction of miRNA as well as transcription factor regulatory network.
Results:
A total of 1396 DEGs were detected, among which 711 showed up-regulation, whereas 685 displayed down-regulation in patients with ICM compared with healthy controls. After overlapping with FRGs, 39 FRDEGs were obtained. Based on the gene Ontology function together with the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomesanalysis, the aforementioned genes were mostly associated with starvation, cellular extracellular stimulus, and cellular starvation responses, peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors signaling pathway, human cytomegalovirus infection, and hepatitis C. Eight hub genes were obtained from the PPI network related to FRDEGs. Hub gene expression was down-regulated in the ICM. ROC curves showed that the area under the curve of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), CCAAT enhancer binding protein gamma, X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alphawas greater than 0.7. After verification in the external dataset, XBP1, ATF4, and STAT3 were screened as the diagnostic genes for ICM.
Conclusion:
The XBP1, STAT3, and ATF4 were identified as potential diagnostic genes of ICM. Thus, these genes may provide novel markers or targets to diagnose and treat ICM.
Multiphase CT radiomics nomogram for preoperatively predicting the WHO/ISUP nuclear grade of small (< 4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Gao Yankun , Wang Xia , Zhao Xiaoying , Zhu Chao , Li Cuiping , Li Jianying , Wu Xingwang
Published: March 2023

Background
To develop and validate a CT-based radiomics nomogram for preoperatively predicting WHO/ISUP nuclear grade in small (< 4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).
Methods
A total of 113 patients with histologically confirmed ccRCC were randomly assigned to the training set (n=67) and the testing set (n=46). The baseline and CT imaging data of the patients were evaluated statistically to develop a clinical model. A radiomics model was created, and the radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated by extracting radiomics features from the CT images. Then, a clinical radiomics nomogram was developed using multivariate logistic regression analysis by combining the Rad-score and critical clinical characteristics. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the discrimination of small ccRCC in both the training and testing sets.
Results
The radiomics model was constructed using six features obtained from the CT images. The shape and relative enhancement value of the nephrographic phase (REV of the NP) were found to be independent risk factors in the clinical model. The area under the curve (AUC) values for the training and testing sets for the clinical radiomics nomogram were 0.940 and 0.902, respectively. Decision curve analysis (DCA) revealed that the radiomics nomogram model was a better predictor, with the highest degree of coincidence.
Conclusion
The CT-based radiomics nomogram has the potential to be a noninvasive and preoperative method for predicting the WHO/ISUP grade of small ccRCC.
Community perceptions of a biopsychosocial model of integrated care in the health center: the case of 4 health districts in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Authors: Kasongo Bertin , Molima Christian , Makali Samuel , Chiribagula Christian , Mparanyi Gérard , Karemere Hermès , Bisimwa Ghislain , Mukalay Abdon
Published: March 2023

Background: The concept of biopsychosocial care is one of the approaches recommended in the health system by the WHO. Although efforts are being made on the provider side to implement it, community involvement is needed to enable its integration into the health sector. For this to happen, the community must first have an understanding of the approach, as a stakeholder and direct beneficiary. The objective of this study is to understand the community's views on the concept of integrated health care according to the biopsychosocial approach (BPS) at the Health Center of a Health District.
Methods: We conducted a qualitative study based on individual semi-directive interviews with members of the Health Development Committees of six Health Areas belonging to four Health Districts as well as with some patients met in health facilities. A total of 15 interviews were conducted. The adapted NoMAD tool, derived from the Theory of the Normalization Process of Complex Interventions, allowed us to collect data from November 2017 to February 2018, and then from November 2018 to February 2019. After data extraction and synthesis, we conducted a thematic analysis using the NoMAD tool to build a thematic framework.
Results: Initially, community perceptions were diverse in relation to the BPS approach of integrated care in the Health Centre; but later, the concept became clearer with the implementation of the approach, even for the providers with the change in their way of working (interprofessional collaboration, sharing of responsibilities...). Certain practices were encouraged to help the approach, notably the development of financial autonomy and mutual support. According to the community, the BPS model has further strengthened the performance of health workers and should be expanded and sustained. Stakeholders throughout the country were called upon to support the BPS concept in its implementation.
Conclusions: The results of our study should encourage the involvement of community participation in any process of integrating the biopsychosocial model of person-centred health care, even at higher levels of care. However, the barriers and enablers to the BPS mechanism identified in our study should be taken into consideration.
Modulation of the rumen microbiome of dairy cows by inclusion of a live yeast supplement in a total mixed ration
Authors: Johnson Catherine A. , Snelling Timothy J. , Warren Helen , Taylor-Pickard Jules , Huntington James A. , Sinclair Liam A.
Published: March 2023

High yielding dairy cattle are typically fed a total mixed ration (TMR) to meet their energy requirements. However, inadequate mixing can lead to feed selection and dietary imbalance, negatively affecting rumen metabolism and the microbiome. To investigate the effect of TMR mixing, four dairy cows were fed a partial mixed ration with dietary concentrates (4 kg/cow/day) added separately in even and uneven patterns of allocation (CA) with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast supplement (YS) (1 g/cow/day). Rumen digesta samples were taken to measure microbial metabolism and microbiome using16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. No effect of CA on rumen metabolism was detected. YS inclusion tended to increase rumen pH (P= 0.088) reduce total VFA concentration (P= 0.033) and propionate concentration (P= 0.016). Clustering of the rumen microbiome was observed with YS supplementation, driven by a decrease in abundance of Gammaproteobacteria and Prevotellaceae OTUs respectively and an increase of a Christensenellaceae OTU. Pattern of concentrate allocation had no detectable effect on alpha diversity or Bray Curtis dissimilarity. However, reduction in relative abundance of a Prevotellaceae OTU biomarker was associated with uneven pattern of concentrate allocation. Pattern of concentrate allocation and YS supplementation did not adversely affect milk yield or composition.
Observational Evidence of the Prevalence of Bipolar Galactic Outflows out to 10 kpc at z ≈ 1 for Massive Galaxies
Authors: Guo Yucheng , Bacon Roland , Bouché Nicolas , Wisotzki Lutz , Schaye Joop , Blaizot Jérémy , Verhamme Anne , Cantalupo Sebastiano , Boogaard Leindert , Brinchmann Jarle , Cherrey Maxime , Kusakabe Haruka , Langan Ivanna , Leclercq Floriane , Matthee Jorryt , Michel-Dansac Léo , Schroetter Ilane , Wendt Martin
Published: March 2023

Galactic outflows are believed to play a critical role in the evolution of galaxies by regulating their mass build-up and star formation [1]. These outflows tend to form bipolar shapes above and below the galactic planes and extend well into the circumgalactic medium (CGM), up to tens of kpc perpendicular to the galaxy. They have been directly observed in the local Universe, e.g., around the Milky Way and M82 [2, 3]. At higher redshifts, cosmological simulations of galaxy formation predict an increase in the frequency and efficiency of galactic outflows due to the increasing star formation activity [4]. Outflows are responsible for removing potential fuel for star formation from the galaxy, while at the same enriching the CGM and the intergalactic medium. These feedback processes, although incorporated as key elements of cosmological simulations, are still poorly constrained on CGM scales. Here we present an ultra-deep MUSE image of the mean Mg II emission surrounding a sample of galaxies at z ≈ 1 that strongly suggests the presence of outflowing gas on physical scales of more than 10 kpc. We find a strong dependence of the detected signal on the inclination of the central galaxy, with edge-on galaxies clearly showing enhanced Mg II emission along the minor axis, while face-on galaxies display much weaker and more isotropic emission. We interpret these findings as supporting the idea that outflows typically have a bipolar cone geometry perpendicular to the galactic disk. We demonstrate that the signal is not dominated by a few outliers. After dividing the galaxy sample in subsamples by mass, the bipolar emission is only detected in galaxies with stellar mass M* >∼ 109.5 M⊙.
Production profile and comparison analysis of main toxin components of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. sesami isolates with different pathogenicity levels
Authors: Li Hailing , Duan Yinghui , Xu Guizhen , Chang Shuxian , Ju Ming , Wu Yin , Qu Wenen , Cao Hengchun , Zhang Haiyang , Miao Hongmei
Published: March 2023

Fusarium wilt is a critical fungus disease for sesame, which is induced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. sesami (FOS). In order to determine the toxin production profiles of the FOS isolates with different pathogenicity levels under various culture conditions, we evaluated the content variation of fusaric acid (FA) and 9, 10-dehydrofusaric acid (9, 10-DFA) produced by the 4 representative FOS isolates. Results indicated that the maximum amount of FA reached to 2848.66 µg/ml in Czapek medium, while 9, 10-DFA was mainly produced in Richard and Low-carbon Richard medium. The concentration of 9, 10-DFA on Richard culture medium varied from 0 µg/ml to 716.89 µg/ml. Of the 5 kinds of culture media, Czapek culture medium was the most conductive to produce FA. FA production was significantly affected by culture medium, culture time, and their interaction (***, P < 0.001). The results suggest that there is no correlation between toxin production and pathogenicity level of FOS isolates. The findings give key information for the mechanism analysis of FOS- sesame interaction and pathogen control.
NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene C242T polymorphism and vascular complications in diabetes: a color Doppler ultrasound study
Authors: Xue Lu , Chongjun Xu , Baoding Shan , Zhang Shuhe , Wang Siqi , Guangming Jin
Published: March 2023

Background
To investigate the distribution of NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene C242T polymorphisms in T2DM patients and analyze the association of NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene C242T polymorphisms with vascular complications in diabetic patients.
Methods
We analyzed 273 patients with T2DM; these were divided into four groups: a normal IMT group, a thickened IMT group, a non-carotid atherosclerotic plaque group and a carotid atherosclerotic plaque group. Of the 273 patients, there were 186 cases of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and 212 cases of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The patients in each group were genotyped for NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). After that, the DN and DR Patients were divided into 2 groups: CC genotype and the CT + TT genotype, respectively. Then, maximal systolic velocity (Vmax), minimal diastolic velocity (Vmin), mean velocity (Vmean), time velocity integral (TVI), resistance index (RI) and Pulse index (PI) were measured by Doppler ultrasound in the left renal artery (LRA) of DN patients and the central retinal artery (CRA) of DR patients.
Results
There was a significant difference between the normal IMT group and the thickened IMT group (P < 0.05) with regards to NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene C242T polymorphism. There was also a significant difference between the non-carotid atherosclerotic plaque group and thecarotid atherosclerotic plaque group (P<0.05) with regards to NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene C242T polymorphism. Further analysis showed that CRA Vmax, Vmin, VTI decreased, PI and RI increased in CC genotype DR patients, which were significantly different from those in CT+TT genotype DR patients. CC genotype DN patients showed the same results as CT+TT genotype DN patients (P<0.05, P<0.001).
Conclusion
The polymorphism of NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox gene is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM, and can lead to the occurrence of DR and DN by affecting the hemodynamics of CRA and RA. Monitoring vascular conditions in patients with T2DM by CDUS can provide effective early warning information for patients to prevent vascular complications.
Remodeling of venous drainage after the treatment of dural sinus malformation with arteriovenous shunts in a neonate: A case report and literature review
Authors: Hanai Sho , Muroi Ai , Hitaka Daisuke , Murakami Takashi , Sato Masayuki , Matsumaru Yuji , Ishikawa Eiichi
Published: March 2023

Dural sinus malformations (DSMs) are rare congenital vascular diseases characterized by a giant venous pouch with or without arteriovenous shunts. We present a neonatal case of DSM that was diagnosed prenatally and treated via endovascular intervention in the early postnatal period. The patient presented with a large DSM involving the torcular Herophili on prenatal magnetic resonace imaging (MRI). Enlargement of the head circumference and respiratory failure rapidly progressed after birth. On the five day after birth, the neonate underwent endovascular occlusion via the umbilical artery. The arteriovenous shunt was occluded, and the reflux from the enlarged venous pouch to the dural sinus was decreased. No additional procedure other than ventriculoperitoneal shunting was required. The neonate’s development slowly caught up to normal parameters. Follow-up MRI demonstrated the successful development of the venous drainage system. DSMs are characterized by an abnormally dilated dural sinus, which can block the venous return and ultimately increase intracranial pressure and cerebral ischemia. Long-term follow-up indicates that an abnormally developed dural sinus can be reconstructed by appropriate and timely treatment.
USP51 promotes non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell stemness by deubiquitinating Twist1
Authors: Chen Jin , Wu Zhongqiu , Deng Wenyi , Tang Minying , Wu Lvying , Lin Na , Chen Liuyan , Fu Yunfeng , Zhao Min , Chen Changguo , Li Wenting
Published: March 2023

Background
USP51 is a deubiquitinase (DUB), which is involved in diverse cellular processes. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that USP51 contributes to cancer development. However, its impact on non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell malignancy is largely unknown.
Methods
In this study, we performed bioinformatics analysis on a TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) dataset to determine the association between USP51 and cell stemness markers in NSCLC patients. RT-qPCR, western blotting, and flow cytometry were performed to examine the effects of USP51 depletion on stemness marker expression. Colony formation and tumor sphere formation assays were used to assess the stemness of the NSCLC cells. Time-course assays directed by cycloheximide and polyubiquitination experiments were carried out to analyze the effects of USP51 on the TWIST1 protein. TWIST1 was overexpressed in USP51 knockdown NSCLC cells to determine whether TWIST1 is required. The effect of USP51 on the in vivo growth of NSCLC cells was tested through subcutaneous injections in mice.
Results
We found that USP51 expression was positively correlated with several stemness markers in NSCLC patients. USP51 depletion attenuated the stemness marker RNA, protein, and cell surface expression and stemness of NSCLC cells. Ectopic USP51 expression potentiated the TWIST1 protein stability by mitigating its polyubiquitination. In addition, the TWIST1 re-expression in NSCLC cells rescued the stemness-inhibitory effect of USP51 knockdown. Furthermore, in vivo results confirmed the suppressive effect of USP51 depletion on NSCLC cell growth.
Conclusions
Our results showed that USP51 knockdown alleviated NSCLC cell stemness by deubiquitinating TWIST1.
Electrochemically induced crystalline-to-amorphization transformation in sodium samarium silicate solid electrolyte for long-lasting all-solid-state sodium metal batteries
Authors: Sun Ge , Lou Chenjie , Wei Zhixuan , Yao Shiyu , Lu Ziheng , Chen Gang , Shen Ze , Tang Mingxue , Du Fei
Published: March 2023

Exploiting solid electrolyte (SE) materials with high ionic conductivity, good interfacial compatibility, and ultraconformal contact with electrode are essential for solid-state sodium metal batteries (SSBs). Here we report a crystalline Na5SmSi4O12 SE which features high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 2.90×10-3 S cm-1 and a low activation energy of 0.15 eV. All-solid-state symmetric cell with Na5SmSi4O12 delivers excellent cycling life over 800 h at 0.15 mA h cm-2 and high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm-2. Such excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to an electrochemically induced in-situ crystalline-to-amorphous (CTA) transformation propagating from the interface to the bulk during repeated deposition and stripping of sodium, which lead to faster ionic transport and superior interfacial properties. Impressively, the Na3V2(PO4)3||Na5SmSi4O12||Na SSBs achieves a remarkable cycling performance over 4000 cycles (6 months) with no capacity loss. These results not only identify Na5SmSi4O12 as a promising SE, but also emphasize the potential of the CTA transition as a promising mechanism towards long-lasting SSBs.
Effectiveness of Gender Budgeting in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: AMBASSA Laurent-Fabrice , ESSIMI Jean Aristide BILOA , GANKOU Jean Marie
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study is to verify the impact of gender budgeting on gender inequalities and on public spending in Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis covers a sample of thirty (30) countries in Sub-Saharan Africa covering the period 2000–2015. The results obtained using a panel data analysis by the generalized method of moments (GMM) in difference and in system show that gender budgeting significantly reduces gender inequalities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
JEL CLASSIFICATION: H00; I00; J16
Improved artificial intelligence discrimination of minor histological populations by supplementing with color-adjusted images
Authors: Hatta Satomi , Ichiuji Yoshihito , Mabu Shingo , Kugler Mauricio , Hontani Hidekata , Okoshi Tadakazu , Fuse Haruki , Kawada Takako , Kido Shoji , Imamura Yoshiaki , Naiki Hironobu , Inai Kunihiro
Published: March 2023

Despite the dedicated research of artificial intelligence (AI) for pathological images, the construction of AI applicable to histopathological tissue subtypes, is limited by insufficient dataset collection owing to disease infrequency. Here, we present a solution involving the addition of supplemental tissue array (TA) images that are adjusted to the tonality of the main data using a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network (CycleGAN) to the training data for rare tissue types. F1 scores of rare tissue types that constitute < 1.2% of the training data were significantly increased by improving recall values after adding color-adjusted TA images constituting < 0.65% of total training patches. The detector also enabled the equivalent discrimination of clinical images from two distinct hospitals and the capability was more increased following color-correction of test data before AI identification (F1 score from 45.2 ± 27.1 to 77.1 ± 10.3, p<0.01). These methods also classified intraoperative frozen sections, while excessive supplementation paradoxically decreased F1 scores. These results identify strategies for constructing AI with an imbalance among the training data, which is important for constructing AI for practical histopathological classification.
A framework for locating prescribed medication at pharmacies
Authors: Wondmagegn Matiwos Tekalign , Nabassa Evarist , Melesse Endashaw Amsalu , Kassaw Ewunate Assaye
Published: March 2023

The availability of medication at pharmacies is one of the major problems in the health sector of developing countries. Patients are frequently forced to arbitrarily switch pharmacies in search of the prescribed prescription. Lack of hospital and pharmacy drug information communication and inventory systems, as well as a lack of knowledge about the locations of pharmacies that carry the necessary medications, are some of the issues. The goal of this project is to provide a framework that will make it easier for anyone looking for a local pharmacy to find and locate one. The framework was created using the primary obstacles to obtaining necessary prescribed medications identified in the literature. The framework uses the client's and pharmacies' latitude and longitude coordinates to find the closest pharmacies that have the required prescribed medication in stock. To achieve this, the identified restrictions are optimized (distance, drug cost, travel time, travel cost, opening and closing hours of nearby pharmacies). The framework may reduce patient expenditures and prevent delays in the delivery of medications. It will also pave the way for future pharmacy and e-Health information systems.
Ice shelf changes in North Greenland reveal dramatic signs of ongoing ice sheet instability
Authors: Millan Romain , Jager Eliot , Mouginot Jeremie , Wood Michael , Larsen Signe Hillerup , Mathiot Pierre , Jourdain Nicolas , Bjørk Anders
Published: March 2023

We study the evolution of North Greenland ice shelves that are draining 25% of the total area of the Greenland ice sheet and have long-considered to be a stable region. We show that since 1978, ice shelves in North Greenland have lost 30% of their total volume, three of them collapsing completely. For the four ice shelves that are still standing we observe a substantial and widespread increase in mass losses, that are evenly distributed between basal melting and calving. Between 2000 and 2021, there was a widespread increase in basal melt rates that closely follows a rise in the ocean temperature. Glaciers are showing a direct dynamical response to ice shelf changes with retreating grounding lines and increased ice discharge. These results suggest that glaciers are entering a phase of destabilization that may have dramatic consequences for the contribution of Greenland to sea level rise.
Hydrochemistry and groundwater quality assessment of newly developed Dwarka region, New Delhi, India
Authors: Acharya sanigdha , Khandegar Vinita , Sharma Surendra Kumar
Published: March 2023

The present study investigates hydrochemistry and groundwater quality of 150 samples for drinking, and irrigation in the vicinity of newly developed Dwarka, New Delhi, India. The appropriateness of samples has been evaluated as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). For assessing drinking and irrigation suitability, various hydrogeochemical parameters, were determined. Based on the water quality Index (WQI) groundwater quality varied from undesirable for drinking purpose to excellent quality. The parameters of major concern were TDS and Nitrates. The overall quality of groundwater was graded as excellent, good or permissible for use in irrigation based on agricultural indices. The Piper trilinear and Chadha diagram used to understand the evolution of hydrochemistry of groundwater showed presence of both permanent and temporary hardness in the groundwater. Wilcox and Gibbs classification inferred that majority of groundwater samples fall under evaporation–crystallization category, partly influenced by water rock interaction and aquifer materials.
Melatonin ameliorates sleep-wake disturbances and autism-like behaviors in the Ctnnd2 knock out mouse model of autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Xu Man , Wang Luyi , Wang Yan , Deng Jing , Wang Xiaoya , Wang Feifei , Pan Sen , Zhao Yu , Liao Ailing , Wang Xiaoqing , Chen Di , Shen Jingjing , Yang Feng , Li Yingbo , Wang Shali
Published: March 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical patterns of social interaction and communication as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviors. Additionally, ASD often presents with sleep disturbances. Delta (δ) catenin protein 2 (CTNND2) encodes δ-catenin protein, a neuron-specific catenin implicated in many complex neuropsychiatric diseases. Our previous study had exhibited deletion of Ctnnd2 in mice lead to autism-like behaviors. However, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effects of Ctnnd2 deletion in sleep of mice. In this study, we investigated whether knockout (KO) of exon 2 of the Ctnnd2 gene could induce sleep-wake disorders in mice and identify the effects of oral melatonin (MT) supplementation on KO mice. Our results demonstrated that KO mice exhibited ASD-like behaviors and sleep-wake disorders and they were attenuated, in part, by MT supplementation. Moreover, we further proved the correlation between autism-like behaviors and sleep-wake disorders in KO mice. MT may improve ASD-like behaviors by attenuating sleep-wake dysfunction. Overall, our current study was the first to identify that knockdown of Ctnnd2 gene could induce sleep-wake disorders in mice and had a correlation between sleep and phenotypes of ASD in Ctnnd2 KO mice. Our findings suggest that treatment of sleep-wake disturbances benefits on Ctnnd2 gene-deletion caused autism-like behaviors.
Ectopic expression of a Maize Gene ZmDUF1645 in Rice Increases Grain Length and Yield, but Reduces Drought Stress Tolerance
Authors: Li Yaqi , Wang Wei , Hu Changqiong , Yang Songjin , Ma Chuan , Wu Jiacheng , Wang Yuwei , Xu Zhengjun , Li Lihua , Huang Zhengjian , Zhu Jianqing , Jia Xiaomei , Ye Xiaoying , Yang Zhiyuang , Sun Yongjian , Liu Huainian , Chen Rongjun
Published: March 2023

As the human population grows rapidly, food shortages will become an even greater problem, and therefore, increasing crop yield has become a focus of rice breeding programs. The maize gene, ZmDUF1645, encoding a putative member of the DUF1645 protein family with unknown function, was transformed into rice. Phenotypic analysis showed that enhanced ZmDUF1645 expression significantly altered various traits in transgenic rice plants, including increased grain length, width, weight, and number per panicle, resulting in a significant increase in yield, but a decrease in rice tolerance to drought stress. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of related genes regulating meristem activity, such as MPKA, CDKA, a novel crop grain filling gene (GIF1), and GS3, was significantly changed in the ZmDUF1645 overexpression lines. Subcellular colocalization showed that ZmDUF1645 was primarily localized on cell membrane systems. Based on these findings, we speculate that ZmDUF1645, like the OsSGL gene in the same protein family, may regulate grain size and affect yield through the cytokinin signaling pathway. This research provides further knowledge and understanding of the unknown functions of the DUF1645 protein family and may serve as a reference for biological breeding engineering to increase maize crop yield.
Simple Hierarchical PageRank Graph Neural Networks
Authors: yang Fei , Zhang Huyin , Tao Shiming , Fan Xiying
Published: March 2023

Graph neural networks (GNNs) have many variants for graph representation learning. Several works introduce PageRank into GNNs to improve its neighborhood aggregation capabilities. However, these methods leverage the general PageRank to perform complex neighborhood aggregation to obtain the final feature representation, which leads to high computational cost and oversmoothing. In this paper, we propose simple hierarchical PageRank graph neural networks (SHP-GNNs), which first utilize the simple PageRank to aggregate different neighborhood ranges of each node, and then leverage a jumping architecture to combine these aggregated features to enable hierarchical structure-aware representation. In this case, first, the simple PageRank turns the neighborhood aggregation process to no-learning, thereby reducing the computational complexity of the model. Then, the jumping structure combines the aggregation features of each node's different hierarchy (neighborhood range) to learn more informative feature representation. Finally, the successful combination of the above methods alleviate the oversmoothing problem of deep GNNs. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that SHP-GNNs achieve or match state-of-the-art results in node classification tasks, text classification tasks, and community prediction tasks. Moreover, since SHP-GNNs' neighborhood aggregation is a no-learning process, SHP-GNNs are successfully extended to node clustering tasks.
Nondestructive characterization and artificial intelligence recognition of acoustic identifiers of ancient ceramics
Authors: Jin Xiaoxue , Wang Xiufeng , Xue Chaohua
Published: March 2023

The identity management of cultural relics is the most basic and important content in their protection and exchange process. It is significant to provide a unique identifiable digital identity for ancient ceramics. At present, the identification information of ancient ceramics mainly consists of external visual features, there is urgent need for a feature identification information that can reflect the properties of cultural relics. Audible signal is rich in information, which not only has unique advantages in nondestructive testing, but also can be used as voiceprint information for identification, monitoring and analysis. In this paper, we took seven ancient ceramics as research objects, realized the construction of acoustic identifier (AID) and established a stable and reliable acoustic identification system of ancient ceramics. The acoustic identification model of ancient ceramics was established by using the artificial intelligence platform. This research has innovative significance for the establishment of digital encoding of ancient ceramics attribute and characteristic information, which can provide multiple practical applications of audio signal feature recognition technology in the display, protection, trading, identification and security management of ancient ceramics and other cultural relics.