bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Biomarkers Aid in Differentiation of Kawasaki Disease from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19
Authors: Walton Mollie , Raghuveer Geetha , Harahsheh Ashraf , Portman Michael A. , Lee Simon , Khoury Michael , Dahdah Nagib , Fabi Marianna , Dionne Audrey , Harris Tyler H. , Choueiter Nadine , Garrido-Garcia Luis Martin , Jain Supriya , Dallaire Frédéric , Misra Nilanjana , Hicar Mark D. , Giglia Therese M. , Truong Dongngan T. , Tierney Elif Seda Selamet , Thacker Deepika , Nowlen Todd T. , Szmuszkovicz Jacqueline R. , Norozi Kambiz , Orr William B. , Farid Pedrom , Manlhiot Cedric , McCrindle Brian W. , Alsalehi Mahmoud , Ballweg Jean A. , Barnes Benjamin T. , Braunlin Elizabeth , Buffone Ashley , Bustamante-Ogando Juan Carlos , Chang Arthur J. , Corral Nicolas , Cowles Heather , Dancey Paul , de Ferranti Sarah D , Ganzoury Mona El , Elias Matthew , Elsamman Nora , Cooke Elisa Fernández , Goldenberg Guillermo Larios , Grcic Michelle M. , Harris Kevin C. , Jone Pei-Ni , Kajimoto Hidemi , Khare Manaswitha , Kutty Shelby , Lanari Marcello , Mauriello Daniel , McHugh Kimberly E. , Merves Shae A. , Mohandas Sindhu , Mondal Tapas , Pagano Joseph J. , Prasad Deepa , Ravi Prasad
Published: September 2023

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 show clinical overlap and both lack definitive diagnostic testing, making differentiation challenging. We sought to determine how cardiac biomarkers might differentiate KD from MIS-C.
Methods: The International Kawasaki Disease Registry enrolled contemporaneous KD and MIS-C pediatric patients from 42 sites from January 2020 through June 2022. The study population included 118 KD patients who met American Heart Association KD criteria and compared them to 946 MIS-C patients who met 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case definition. All included patients had at least one measurement of amino-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide(NTproBNP) or cardiac troponin I (TnI), and echocardiography. Regression analyses were used to determine associations between cardiac biomarker levels, diagnosis, and cardiac involvement.
Results: Higher NTproBNP (>1500 ng/L) and TnI (>20 ng/L) at presentation were associated with MIS-C versus KD with specificity of 77 and 89% respectively. Higher biomarker levels were associated with shock and intensive care unit admission; higher NTproBNP was associated with longer hospital length of stay. Lower left ventricular ejection fraction, more pronounced for MIS-C, was also associated with higher biomarker levels. Coronary artery involvement was not associated with either biomarker.
Conclusions: Higher NTproBNP and TnI levels are suggestive of MIS-C versus KD and may be clinically useful in their differentiation. Consideration might be given to their inclusion in the routine evaluation of both conditions.
Short Text Analytics based on BERT by using Multivariate Filter Methods for Feature Selection
Authors: Qais Emad , MN Veena
Published: September 2023

This article present a short text analytics method that uses BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) and multivariate filter methods for selecting features. In a world where there is a lot of short written data from many different fields, it is hard to find meaningful insights. This makes it important to come up with new methods that can take into account the context and pick out the most important parts for analysis. This study goes into this area and looks at how BERT's understanding of context and the ability of multiple filters to make distinctions can work together. Through a series of carefully planned experiments, the proposed model shows that a hybrid method improves the accuracy, readability, and speed of short text analysis. The results show that predictive metrics have gotten a lot better, which proves that proposed model way will make a big difference. This work not only helps move the field of natural language processing forward, but it also has real-world uses in areas like sentiment analysis, social media tracking, and understanding customer feedback. As digital communication continues to change, the method is set up to find nuanced insights in the short textual data that is dense with information.
Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Problematic Expansive Soil using Copper Slag and Its Statistical Validation
Authors: Jangid Amit Kumar , Grover Kamaldeep Singh
Published: September 2023

This experimental research has been conducted to improve the mechanical properties of the problematic expansive soil using copper slag. The copper slag has been utilized to improve the Talab soil in Nainwa for the first time. These mechanical properties are consistency limits, compaction, and strength properties. The swelling properties show that the collected soil has a high degree of expansive nature and low specific gravity. Therefore, the copper slag has been added to the soil from 5–30% at a 5% variation by its oven-dry weight. The experimental results reveal that the free swell index of soil has decreased by 69.88% with the addition of 30% copper slag. It has also been observed that the liquid and plastic limits have been decreased. The plastic limit of soil decreases because copper slag takes place in voids. Due to this phenomenon, the maximum dry density of soil has been increased by 14.75% with the addition of 25% copper slag. The California bearing ratio (CBR) value of soil has been increased to 1.13% (soaked condition) and 3.8% (unsoaked condition) by adding 25% copper slag. This research introduces an empirical relationship between unsoaked and soaked CBR with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.8254. Moreover, it has been observed that the unconfined compressive strength of soil has increased by 51.68% with the addition of 25% copper slag. Moreover, the value of R2 for the experimental results obtained in this research is higher than the published experimental results, presenting the experimental study's accuracy and reliability. In addition, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test accepts the research hypothesis for the present investigation.
Prediction of BMI traits in the Chinese population based on the gut metagenome
Authors: Liang Yu , Dou Shujie , Zhao Guangzhong , Shen Jie , Dong Chunnan , Fu Guangping , Fu Lihong , Li Shujin , Cong Bin
Published: September 2023

Background: Identifying the individual characteristics of trace evidence left at a crime scene is crucial in forensic identification. Microbial communities found in fecal traces have high individual specificity and could serve as potential markers for forensic characterization. Previous research has established that predicting body type based on the relative abundance of gut microbiome is relatively accurate. However, the long-term stability and high individual specificity of gut microbiome are closely linked to changes in the microbiome genome levels. No studies have been conducted to deduce body size from genetic traits. Therefore, this study investigates the vital role of gut bacterial community characteristics and genetic traits in predicting body mass index (BMI) using gut metagenomic data from a healthy Chinese population.
Results: Regarding the gut microbial community, the underweight group displayed increased α-diversity in comparison to the other BMI groups. There were significant variations in the relative abundance of 19 species between these three BMI groups. There were significant differences in the relative abundance of 19 species among these three BMI groups. The BMI prediction model, based on the 31 most significant species, showed a goodness of fit (R2) of 0.56 and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.09 kg/m2. The overweight group exhibited significantly higher α-diversity than the other BMI groups at the level of gut microbial genes. Furthermore, there were significant variations observed in the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) density of 732 contigs between these three BMI groups. The BMI prediction model, reliant on the 62 most contributing contigs, exhibited a model R2 of 0.72 and a MAE of 1.56 kg/m2. The model predicting body type from 44 contigs correctly identified 93.55% of the study participants.
Conclusion: Based on metagenomic data from a healthy Chinese population, we demonstrate the potential of genetic traits of gut bacteria to predict an individual's BMI. This discovery suggests a novel method for determining the body type of suspects in forensic applications using the genetic traits of the gut microbiome and holds great promise for forensic individual identification.
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Science Fund Project (81701865), Hebei Province Natural Science Foundation Project (H2020206107).
Transarterial chemoembolization for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma after failure of first-line systemic treatment: a single-center case series
Authors: Leng Bin , Diao Lingfeng , You Ran , YU Zeyu , Xu Qingyu , Yin Guowen
Published: September 2023

Purpose:To demonstrate the potential benefits of additional transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after the failure of first-line systemic treatment (ST).Methods: This retrospective single-center study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2022 on patients with advanced HCC who failed to respond to initial first-line ST. Patients who had previously undergone TACE were excluded. Eligible patients underwent on-demand TACE in addition to ST and were followed until death or until March 2023. The duration of response was recorded. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of failure of first-line ST to the date of death or last follow-up. The primary outcomes were OS and safety, and the secondary outcomes were time to progression (TTP) and objective response rate (ORR).Results: In total, 18 patients were included; 8 patients had failed to respond to lenvatinib or sorafenib monotherapy, and 10 had failed to respond to a combination therapy. The most common progression pattern was the development of new intrahepatic lesions. Salvage treatment consisted of 16 triple therapies and 2 dual therapies, including TACE. The median duration of follow-up was 9.5 months. The median OS from the start of second-line treatment was 24 months. The median TTP was 3.5 months. The ORR was 55.6%, and disease control was achieved in 94.4% of patients. Treatment-related adverse events were common but acceptable.Conclusion: Patients with advanced HCC who face significant treatment challenges could potentially benefit from the addition of TACE to second-line ST.
ZnO-incorporated chitin hydrogels for infected wound therapy
Authors: Zhang Hongli , Xu Mengqing , Wang Liang , Luo Haihua , Wu Shuangquan , Gao Tian , Wu Qiong , Xu Huan
Published: September 2023

Chronic wounds caused by pathogenic bacterial infections have been a worldwide medical threat and challenge, ZnO is a promising antibacterial agent to promote infected wound healing. However, ZnO particles need to be with a wound dressing material to improve low-dose antibacterial efficacy while reducing cytotoxicity. The natural polysaccharide, chitin-based hydrogels can be applied as a preferential supporting matrix for the deposition of ZnO. In this study, we developed chitin/ZnO composite hydrogels (CZG hydrogels), which were applied for the biofilm-infected full-thickness wound treatment. The three-dimensional hydrophilic network structure of chitin hydrogels provided a large number of absorption sites for Zn2+ ions, and CZG hydrogels were prepared by in situ synthesis of ZnO. CZG hydrogels had potent broad-spectrum and long-lasting antibacterial activity, good bacteriostatic ability against high concentration of bacterial fluids. The in vivo studies showed that CZG hydrogels have a significant effect of accelerating biofilm-infected wound healing. Collectively, this work confirmed that chitin hydrogels could be applied as a preferential natural supporting matrix for the deposition of inorganic metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, and provided alternative antibacterial dressing for treating microbial infections and promoting wound healing.
A comprehensive study of noise pollution level in eco- friendly CNC wood machining
Authors: Rabiei Farshad , Souri Shiva
Published: September 2023

Although CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinery have many technological and economic advantages in wood machining, they have serious health problems especially in case of noise pollution level (NPL). In this research, the effective parameters on NPL in CNC wood milling are investigated and optimized after modeling. For this purpose, the design of the experiment was done based on the RSM (Response Surface Method) and subsequently 27 experimental tests were performed. The results of the analysis of variance shows that the parameters of cutting speed, feed speed and depth of cut have a great impact on the noise level (respectively). In general, increasing depth of cut, feed rate and cutting speed leads to increasing NPL. Cutting speed has more effect than others. The step over does not have a significant effect on the NPL. By changing machining parameters amount of noise level changes from 97.4 to 103.8 dB (= decibel). Also in 100% of experimental tests noise level is higher than NIOSH standard value (85 dB) (NIOSH = The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). Therefore, it is necessary for all CNC wood workers to be entered in a hearing loss prevention program (HLPP). In the next step, based on the RSM, a quadratic regression equation was derived and optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) after validation. By choosing the optimum parameters depth of cut = 3.2mm, feed rate = 58mm/s, cutting speed = 12730 rpm and step over = 6.4 mm the level of noise pollution is reduced to 96.2 dB. This prediction tested and validated by experimental test (95.8 dB).
Cuk Converter based Wireless Power Transfer System for Low Power Applications: A Grey Wolf Optimization Approach
Authors: Amin Ifte Khairul , Jaman Azam , Islam Md. Nahid
Published: September 2023

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) has emerged as a compelling technology offering a wide range of applications. Even though it is predominantly used in high-power applications such as Electric Vehicle (EV) charging, nowadays it is opening up a realm of possibilities for low-power devices. The ability to transmit power wirelessly revolutionizes seamless integration and enhanced functionality to power electronic devices such as smartphones, wearables, Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors, medical implants and smart-home devices. This paper presents a novel strategy for cuk converter based WPT system designed in MATLAB/Simulink environment specifically for low power applications. The control system for the proposed technique has been tuned using Grey-wolf optimization (GWO) owing to its efficient and powerful search capabilities. The simulation results with integration of the cuk converter exhibit robustness against variations in load conditions, improve power conversion efficiency, and overall system performance, making it a promising solution for low voltage wireless power transfer applications.
A Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Analysis of 33 Human Cancers Reveals the Immunotherapeutic Value of Opa interacting protein 5
Authors: Dong Wenjing , Luo Jinquan , Yuan Runqiang , Li Yueming , Feng Shengxing , Zhou Dongsheng , Wang Jiaxin , Huang Jian , Gong Mancheng
Published: September 2023

Background: In previous research, the potential significance of the interaction between Opa interacting protein 5 (OIP5) and tumor immunotherapy has been documented. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the therapeutic value of this interaction remains lacking. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate the correlation between OIP5 and cancer immunotherapy in a total of 33 human malignancies
Methods: The data on the clinical characteristics and gene expression of 33 types of human cancers were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The immunotherapy groups, which consist of GSE67501, GSE78220, and IMvigor210, were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We also evaluated the prognostic significance of OIP5 by analyzing the clinical parameters related to tumor stage. Through single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, we examined the activity of OIP5 to illustrate the disparity between the protein expression level and transcriptome. In order to enhance our comprehension of the role played by OIP5 in the immunotherapy of human cancers, we investigated its association with the tumor microenvironment and its correlation with immune processes/elements such as the infiltration of immune cells, immune stimulants, immune inhibitors, and the major histocompatibility complex. We also conducted research to explore the relevant pathways that are linked to the signaling of OIP5 in cancer. Additionally, we explored the correlation between OIP5 and two biomarkers of immunotherapy, namely tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability. Lastly, we examined the relationship between OIP5 and the response to immunotherapy using the three independent immunotherapy groups mentioned earlier.
Results: OIP5 was significant associated with tumor stage (9/21) in the studied human cancers and revealed potential prognostic value for predicting patient survival. Consistency has been observed between OIP5 activity in some cancers (21/33). Generally, OIP5 displayed a strong correlation with immune cell infiltration, immune modulators, and immunotherapeutic markers. Moreover, overexpression of OIP5 was markedly related to immune-relevant pathways. What’s more, significantly positive correlation was observed between OIP5 and the immunotherapeutic response in cohorts of GSE78220.
Conclusions: This study provided evidence regarding the function of OIP5 and its role in clinical treatment by investigating the immunotherapeutic value of OIP5 in 33 human cancers. However, the current results are preliminary and require further verification for the reason of adopting a bioinformatics approach.
In-house real-time PCR to detection Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women candidates for amniocentesis and comparison with nested PCR and serologic methods in several clinical samples
Authors: Abedian Rohallah , Fakhar Mahdi , Kordi Shirafkan , Roshan Hadi Shokrollahnia , Rahmani Zahra , Esboei Bahman Rahimi , Montazeri Mahbobeh , Hezarjaribi Hajar Ziaei
Published: September 2023

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate and intracellular parasite, that affects both humans and animals globally. It can cause severe damage to neonates during pregnancy and immunocompromised patients. Therefore, finding a new method with high sensitivity for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis that involves low-risk sampling is crucial for patient management. This study aims to diagnose toxoplasmosis in pregnant women from plasma, amniotic fluid, buffy coat, and urine specimens using serological, nested PCR, and real-time PCR tests.
Methods: We collected amniotic fluid, blood, and urine samples from 100 pregnant women referred to a gynecologist in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, who were candidates for amniocentesis. We performed anti-T. gondii IgM, IgG, and IgG avidity tests using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (chemiluminescence, ELISA), as well as nested PCR, real-time PCR, and multilocus PCR genotyping using RE and GRA6 target genes, respectively.
Results: Based on the serologic test, 52% of subjects were seropositive (51 samples were positive for IgG, and 1 was positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies), and all cases showed high avidity. Among 100 amniotic fluid samples, 2 and 3 cases tested positive using nested and real-time PCR, respectively, while all samples from buffy coat and urine were negative. All positive DNA samples were genotyped as type I.
Conclusions Our study results suggest that diagnosing congenital toxoplasmosis is achievable using a combination of serological and molecular tests. We also found that the real-time PCR method is more sensitive than the nested PCR.
The effect of multimedia-based peer-to-peer education on anxiety among Covid-19 patients: A parallel randomized clinical trial
Authors: Shariati Esmail , Bakhshiarab Amirheidar , Shariati Zahra , Hosseinzadeh Ali , Bagheri Hossein
Published: September 2023

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increased patient anxiety, necessitating the use of educational communication programs considering the capacity of medical centers to reduce the psychological burden of Covid-19 patients. This research aimed to determine the effect of multimedia-based peer-to-peer education on anxiety among Covid-19 patients.
Methods
In this clinical trial, 100 COVID-19 patients hospitalized from May to August 2021 were included. Participants were assigned into two groups; i.e., control (routine ward interventions) and experimental (multimedia-based peer education) via quadruple blocking. The intervention content included a 20-minute short educational video, which involved interviews with two COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the hospital. One of these patients was admitted to the general ward and the other to the COVID-19 ICU ward. The demographic questionnaire was completed before the intervention, and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was also completed pre- intervention and post-intervention by participants in both groups. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics and analytical statistics tests in SPSS ver. 24.
Results
There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic variables (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference between the two groups regarding mean and standard deviation of anxiety scores pre-intervention (P = 0.327). However, the mean post-intervention anxiety score in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Considering limitations associated with the implementation of educational-communication programs in COVID-19 wards, it is suggested to use multimedia-based peer education as a highly practical solution for this group of patients.
Trial registration:
registered with Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) dated on 11/01/2021, registration number IRCT20200223046586N3.
Involvement of IL17A and IL17RA variants in interleukin-17A levels and disease activity in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Zanotti Mariana Paula Sanchez , Alcântara Camila Cataldi , Inoue Cláudia Junko , Gonçalves Beatriz Piantoni , Espinosa Beatriz Rabello , Cassela Pedro Luiz Cândido Souza , Trigo Guilherme Lerner , Ahrens Tainah Mendes , Batisti Marcell Alysson , Reiche Edna Maria Vissoci , Simão Andrea Name Colado
Published: September 2023

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the large intestine. Disease activity and mucosal injury are affected by the Th17 cells and their interleukin (IL)-17A. A link between genetic variations in IL17A genes and autoimmunity susceptibility has been reported; however, the results in UC are limited and contradictory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of IL17A and IL17A receptor (IL17RA) variants on susceptibility, IL-17A plasma levels, and endoscopic activity in UC. The case-control study included 104 UC patients and 213 healthy controls. Patients were divided according to the endoscopic activity: remission/mild (Mayo ≤ 1) and moderate/severe (Mayo > 1). The IL17A (rs3819024, rs3819025) and IL17RA (rs2241043, rs2241049, rs6518661) variants were genotyped by allelic discrimination using the real time polymerase chain reaction. IL-17A plasma levels were determined using microspheres immunofluorimetric assay. Neither IL17A nor IL17RA variants were associated with UC susceptibility. However, IL17A GA genotype (rs3819024) was associated to elevated levels of IL-17 only in UC patients; moreover, patients with the G allele (dominant model) of IL17RA (rs2241049) showed 2.944 more chance of developing moderate/severe disease. In conclusion, IL17A GA genotype (rs3819024) was associated with elevated IL-17A plasma levels in UC patients but not in controls. In addition, AG + GG genotypes of IL17RA (rs2241049) variant were associated to moderate/severe UC. The results suggest a possible hidden interaction between the IL17A rs3819024 variant and other genetic, epigenetic or environmental variables in the IL-17A expression that is present in patients with UC and absent in controls.
Metadichol induced differentiation of pancreatic ductal cells (PANC-1) into insulin-producing cells
Authors: Raghavan Palayakotai R
Published: September 2023

Endocrine gene expression in PANC-1, a type of pancreatic cancer cell, has been studied in the context of their potential to be reprogrammed toward a normal, differentiated state. Alkaline phosphatase activity has also been shown in pluripotent stem cells to differentiate between feeder and parental cells in reprogramming experiments. Metadichol®-based cell programming holds promise as a versatile and potentially safer approach for manipulating cellular behavior without the use of viral vectors, gating, or CRISPR. This study investigated the multifold increase in the gene expression of CA9, GCG, INS MAFA, NEUROD1, NGN3, NKX2-2, PAX6: PDX1, SLC2A2, FOXO1, and SIRT1 using qRT‒PCR. These genes regulate endocrine cell development in the pancreas and are involved in insulin and glucagon secretion. Gene network analysis is presented to show how Metadichol-induced expression leads to a closed loop feedback network and biological process that would help in mitigating diabetes and other related disorders.
Performances of black seed sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under low fertility saline soils
Authors: Bunphan Darika , Wanna Ruchuon , Malambane Goiseone
Published: September 2023

The world need for healthy cooking oil has readjusted research into other non-conventional oil crops like sesame. The importance of sesame is not only because of its healthy oil crop but also because of its short life cycle making it an attractive cash crop. The crop has been reported to be moderately sensitive to saline-soil and drought. Previous reports on the salinity tolerance were conducted on artificial saline soils with considering fertility thus it is important to evaluate the crops performance on naturally low fertility saline soils. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of saline-soil on growth, development and yield and yield related traits of black seed sesame. The pot experiment was conducted at Buri Ram province Thailand, in a 2 × 6 factorial in RCBD with three replications, where factor A was the soil salinity levels and factor B was the sesame cultivars. Sesame seeds were planted in a seedbed and later were transplanted into the 72 experimental pots each filled with 9 kg soil. Observed results showed that salinity levels had effect on sesame i.e. plant height, number of branches at 30 DAT, SCMR, total chlorophyll content, number of capsules, total dry weight and capsules dry weight. An interaction between salinity level and cultivar was also investigated i.e. number of branches and capsules, total and capsules dry weight and harvest index (HI). Salinity levels had influence on sesame both on growth and yield parameters; cv. Kanchanaburi and KKU2 showed higher number of capsules when compared with other cultivars grown under saline soil, whereas cv. Kanchanburi, UB3 and Buriram gave higher capsules dry weight under saline-soil.
Human Activity Recognition with Smartwatch Data by using Mahalanobis Distance-Based Outlier Detection and Ensemble Learning Methods
Authors: SAĞBAŞ Ensar Arif , BALLI Serkan
Published: September 2023

Recognition of human activities is part of smart healthcare applications. In this context, the detection of human actions with high accuracy has been a field that has been working for many years. With the increase in the usage of smart devices, smartphones and smartwatches have become the constant equipment of these studies thanks to their internal sensors. Sometimes abnormal data are included in data sets due to the way the data were collected and for reasons arising from the sensors. For this reason, it becomes important to detect outlier data. In this study, step counter and heart rate sensors were used in addition to an accelerometer and gyroscope in order to detect human activities. Afterward, the outliers were detected and cleared with a Mahalanobis distance-based approach. With the aim of achieving a better classification performance, machine learning methods were used by strengthening them with ensemble learning methods. The obtained results showed that step counter, heart rate sensors, and ensemble learning methods positively affect the success of the classification. In addition, it was found that the Mahalanobis distance-based outlier detection method increased the classification accuracy significantly.
Artificial Neural Networks-Based Route Selection Model for Multimodal Freight Transport Network During Global Pandemic
Authors: KAYIKCI Yaşanur , CESUR Elif
Published: September 2023

The global pandemic caused major disruptions in all supply chains. Road transport has been particularly affected by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The selection of an efficient and effective route in multimodal freight transport networks is a crucial part of transport planning to combat the challenges and sustain supply chain continuity in the face of the global pandemic. This study introduces a novel optimal route selection model based on integrated fuzzy logic approach and artificial neural networks. The proposed model attempts to identify the optimal route from a range of feasible route options by measuring the performance of each route according to transport variables including, time, cost, and reliability. This model provides a systematic method for route selection, enabling transportation planners to make smart decisions. A case study is conducted to exhibit the proposed model's applicability to real pandemic conditions. According to the findings of the study, the proposed model can accurately and effectively identify the best route and provides transportation planners with a viable option to increase the efficiency of multimodal transport networks. In conclusion, by proposing an innovative and efficient strategy for route selection in complex transport systems, our research significantly advances the field of transportation management.
The Relationship between Theory of Mind and Pragmatic Language Skills in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Typical Development
Authors: ÜNÖZKAN AKSU Gamze , CANGİ Mehmet Emrah
Published: September 2023

Introduction: An outstanding research question is whether the interaction between theory of mind (ToM) and pragmatic language skills differs in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and typical development. This study investigated the relationship between ToM and pragmatics in individuals with ASD and children with typical development (CTD) and between these skills and Test of Language Development (TOLD-TR) scores which were determined as a participant criterion.
Method: Sixteen individuals with ASD with TOLD-TR test equivalent age 7;0-8;11 and 46 CTD aged 6;0-8;11 were included. Child Form of Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), Strange Stories Test, and Pragmatic Language Skills Inventory (PLSI) were used.
Findings: PLSI and RMET scores as well as PLSI and Strange Stories scores did not significantly correlate in the ASD group. Nevertheless, in CTD, there were many weak-to-moderate level significant relationships between Strange Stories and PLSI subtest scores. In both groups, there were significant relationships between all TOLD-TR subtest scores and Strange Stories scores, except for TOLD-TR Syntactic Understanding in the ASD group. Numerous weak-to-strong correlations between TOLD-TR and PLSI scores as well as between TOLD-TR and ToM scores were found in the CTD group. In the ASD group, however, moderate-to-strong relationships between Strange Stories and the TODIL composite, between Sentence Comprehension and Morpheme Completion, and between RMET and Morpheme Completion.
Discussion: It emerged that groups could have different patterns of interaction between these variables. The lack of correlation between ToM and pragmatics in ASD may be explained by the relatively small sample size and the fact that the norm group of the PLSI was largely composed of CTD. Additionally, the importance of sentence and syntax comprehension in ToM was revealed.
Evaluating the impact of leakage in intermittent water supply networks considering justice index: A case study
Authors: Dadras Mohaddeseh , Masoumi Fariborz , Masoumzadeh Sina , Najjar-Ghabel Saeid , Nikoo Mohammad Reza , Yazdani Shakiba
Published: September 2023

Intermittent water supply (IWS) is one of the effective methods to manage the consumption of urban water networks under water scarcity conditions. However, it is essential to minimize unfair water distribution in this method by defining a proper strategy. This study utilized the EPANET pressure-dependent hydraulic analysis and the gray wolf optimization algorithm to achieve maximum volumetric reliability under different scenarios in a district of the Hamedan urban water distribution network in Iran. The volumetric reliability of the network was evaluated in the IWS condition regardless of justice constraints, with the justice constraint, and by considering the leakage in the IWS network with the justice constraint. The first scenario demonstrated that the reliability decreased by an average of 4.6% for every meter of water level reduction in the tank. The second scenario revealed that the objective function was negligibly affected by the variation of the justice constraint; however, fluctuation of the water level in the tank significantly affected the volumetric reliability. In the third scenario, the objective function value was significantly impacted by leakage, ranging from 0 to 0.3 (representing the absence and presence of leakage in 30% of the nodes, respectively), resulting in an average decrease of about 17%.
Weather system classification and water vapor transport characteristics of extreme value rainstorm in northwestern Hunan
Authors: Zhao Enrong , Yao Qian , Pan Xiaolong , Yao Rong , Chen Hongzhuan , Su Tao
Published: September 2023

Using meteorological analysis, composite analysis and water vapor trajectory analysis, the extreme value rainstorm process in northwest Hunan was analyzed. The results show that three types are summarized: the Southwest Vortex and Warm Shear Line Pattern (SVWSLP), the Subtropical High Edge Pattern (SHEP) and the Cold Trough and Shear Line Pattern (CTSLP). The main influence systems are upper trough, southwest vortex, shear line, low-level jet and subtropical high edge. For SVWSLP, the water vapor transport channels are only from the low-latitude ocean whether it is affected by long-distance typhoons. For SHEP, the main water vapor channel comes from the long-distance ocean and is finally transported to northwestern Hunan around 650 hPa in the form of warm and wet airflow, whether it is affected by long-distance typhoons. The CTSLP appears a significant water vapor confrontation between the north and the south and the baroclinicity of the atmosphere in the rainstorm area. The southern and western boundaries are the input boundary, while the eastern and northern boundaries are the outflow boundary. Therefore, one of the three types of weather systems appears in northwestern Hunan in May–August, with strong water vapor transport from the ocean surface, which is likely to cause extreme rainstorm.
Editorial
Authors: Santos Fernando de Almeida
Published: September 2023

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Alkaloids as Additional Weapons in the Fight against Breast Cancer:
A Review
Authors: Chahat  , Jha Keshav Taruneshwar , Bhatia Rohit , Chawla Pooja A.
Published: September 2023

:

Breast carcinoma is among the most frequent cancerous tumour in females
around the globe. The major modalities now employed in the therapeutic management of
breast cancer include surgeries, chemotherapy, and specialized medicines. Despite their
potential to help individuals' problems, they are also associated with many negative impacts.
As a result, natural products are increasingly regarded to be a preferable alternative.
Alkaloids are essential biochemical substances that can be used to develop new drugs.
Numerous alkaloids that originate from natural plants have been shown in vitro and in vivo
to have anti-proliferation and anti-metastasis actions on different kinds of carcinoma.
According to the data collected in this study, the utilization of alkaloids as anti-tumor
medicines appears to be extremely potent; nevertheless, extensive studies and clinical trials
are required before utilizing individual alkaloids. In this overview, we provide a detailed and
vital exploration of pre-existing alkaloids possessing anti-tumor activities due to bioactive
compounds. This study also includes an overview of synthesized analogues and pharmacological
characteristics that will be beneficial to scientists working on alkaloids for medicinal
purposes. In a recent survey of the literature, alkaloids are an important component of plantderived
antitumor medicines that hold great potential for the future development of cancer
therapy and preventive therapies. We have also discussed structural analysis relationship
(SAR) studies. Moreover, it covers clinical trial medications and FDA-approved medicines
from the last five years that will be useful in further research.
Neuroprotective Effect of Natural Indole and β-carboline Alkaloids against Parkinson’s Disease: An Overview
Authors: Shome Abhimannu , Chahat  , Chawla Viney , Chawla Pooja A.
Published: September 2023

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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative condition that
mostly damages dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and impairs human motor
function. Males are more likely than females to have PD. There are two main pathways
associated with PD: one involves the misfolding of α-synuclein, which causes neurodegeneration,
and the other is the catalytic oxidation of dopamine via MAO-B, which
produces hydrogen peroxide that can cause mitochondrial damage. Parkin (PRKN), α-
synuclein (SNCA), heat shock protein (HSP), and leucine-rich repeat kinase-2 (LRRK2)
are some of the target areas for genetic alterations that cause neurodegeneration in Parkinson's
disease (PD). Under the impact of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
(MPTP), which is also important in Parkinson's disease (PD), inhibition of mitochondrial
complex 1 results in enhanced ROS generation in neuronal cells. Natural products are still
a superior option in the age of synthetic pharmaceuticals because of their lower toxicity
and moderate side effects. A promising treatment for PD has been discovered using betacarboline
(also known as "β-carboline") and indole alkaloids. However, there are not
many studies done on this particular topic. In the herbs containing β-carbolines and indoles,
the secondary metabolites and alkaloids, β-carbolines and indoles, have shown neuroprotective
and cognitive-enhancing properties.

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In this review, we have presented results from 18 years of research on the effects of indole and
β-carboline alkaloids against oxidative stress and MAO inhibition, two key targets in PD. In
the SAR analysis, the activity has been correlated with their unique structural characteristics.
This study will undoubtedly aid researchers in looking for new PD treatment options.
Efficient Hydrolysis of Cottonseed Oil with Amano Lipase Entrapped on Hydrolysed
Polyvinyl Alcohol Gel Pellets Optimized via Factorial Design
Authors: Talpur Farah Naz , Khan Sidra , Unar Ahsanullah , Afridi Hassan Imran , Ibrahim Adnan , Bashir Muhammad Sohail
Published: September 2023

The aim of this study was to obtain the optimum hydrolysis of cottonseed oil via immobilized lipases
(Lipases Rhizopus oryzae, SL from Pseudomonas (Burkholderia) cepacia, Amano lipase from Mucor javanica,
ANL from Aspergillus niger lipase, TL from Pseudomonas stutzeri, QLM from Alcaligenes sp., Triacylglycerol
lipase (EC 3.1.1.3), PL from Alcaligenes sp., AL from lysosomal acid lipase, Candida antarctica (CA), and Candida
cylindrea (CC)) on hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel pellets.

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The production of free fatty acids by the hydrolysis of triglycerides from several sources is an important component
in the economic exploitation of naturally produced renewable raw materials.

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Herein, various lipases, including Rhizopus oryzea, SL, Amano lipase from Mucor javanica, ANL, TL, QLM, EC,
PL, AL, CA, and CC were screened for optimum hydrolysis of cottonseed oil. Following the selection of lipase for
hydrolysis of cottonseed oil, transparent PVA gel was synthesized by physical gelation method employing Dimethyl
sulfoxide and a water system. In the last step, immobilization of selected lipase i.e. Amano lipase for cotton
seed oil was carried out at 4oC for one hour. After successful synthesis and immobilization, the PVA gel was characterized
by FTIR and SEM analysis. Finally, factorial design was employed for optimization of experimental variables
such as pH, time and amount of cotton seed oil hydrolysis by lipase immobilized PVA.

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The obtained results indicated that lipase Amano was found better with higher free fatty acids (FFA) yields (with
98.38%) in 5 hours using 3 g of cottonseed oil, suggesting that PVA immobilized Amano lipase is an efficient catalyst
to hydrolyze the cottonseed oil.

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The overall study indicated that hydrolysed PVA gel is an effective biocompatible solid support for immobilization
of lipases to obtain higher FFA from cottonseed oil following hydrolysis reaction.
Investigating the Precise Identification of Citrullination Sites with High-
Performance Score Metrics Using a Powerful Computation Predicting Tool
Authors: Ahmed Fee Faysal , Podder Anamika , Bulbul Md. Farhad , Hossain Md. Amzad , Hasan Mahedi , Sarkar Md. Abdur Rauf , Kim Daijin
Published: September 2023

Background:

To elucidate the detailed mechanisms of citrullination at the molecular
level and design drugs applicable to major human diseases, predicting protein citrullination sites
(PCSs) is essential. Using experimental approaches to predict PCSs is time-consuming and costly.
However, there is a limited scope of the current PCS predictors. In particular, most predictors are
commonly used for PCS prediction and have limited performance scores.

Objective:

This work aims to provide an improved sophisticated predictor of citrullination sites using
a benchmark dataset in a machine learning platform.

Methods:

This study presents a reliable citrullination site predictor based on a benchmark dataset
containing a 1:1 ratio of positive and negative samples. We classified citrullination sites using the
Composition of the K-Spaced Amino Acid Pairs (CKSAAP) and Support Vector Machine (SVM).

Results:

We developed PCS predictors using integrated machine-learning methods that produced
the highest average scores. Using 10-fold cross-validation on test datasets, the True Positive Rate
(TPR) was 98.34%, the True Negative Rate (TNR) was 99.44%, the accuracy was 98.89%, the
Mathew Correlation Coefficient (MCC) was 98.21%, the Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) was
0.999, and the partial Area Under the ROC Curve (pAUC) was 0.1968.

Conclusion:

According to overall performance, our developed predictor has a significantly higher
implementation in comparison with the current tools on the same benchmark dataset. Moreover, it
showed better performance metrics on both test and training datasets. Our developed predictor is
promising and can be implemented as a complementary technique for identifying fast and precise
citrullination sites.
Circular RNA Translation in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Wang Lijun , Cui Xinxin , Jiang Fei , Hu Yuxue , Wan Wensi , Li Guoping , Lin Yanjuan , Xiao Junjie
Published: September 2023

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous functional RNA generated by backsplicing.
Recently, circRNAs have been found to have certain coding potential. Proteins/peptides
translated from circRNAs play essential roles in various diseases. Here, we briefly summarize the
basic knowledge and technologies that are usually applied to study circRNA translation. Then, we focus
on the research progress of circRNA translation in cardiovascular diseases and discuss the perspective
and future direction of translatable circRNA study in cardiovascular diseases.
Role of Vitamins in Cardiovascular Health: Know Your Facts - Part 1
Authors: Manolis Antonis A. , Manolis Theodora , Melita Helen , Manolis Antonis S.
Published: September 2023

Cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality world-wide,
thus it is important to adopt preventive interventions. Observational data demonstrating CV benefits of
vitamin supplements, advanced by self-proclaimed experts have resulted in ~50% of Americans reporting
the use of multivitamins for health promotion; this practice has led to a multi-billion-dollar business
of the multivitamin-industry. However, the data on the extensive use of multivitamins show no consistent
benefit for CVD prevention or all-cause mortality, while the use of certain vitamins might prove
harmful. Thus, the focus of this two-part review is on the attributes or concerns about specific vitamins
on CVD.

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In Part 1, the CV effects of specific vitamins are discussed, indicating the need for further supportive
evidence of potential benefits. Vitamin A preserves CV homeostasis as it participates in many biologic
functions, including atherosclerosis. However, supplementation could potentially be harmful. Betacarotene,
a pro-vitamin A, conveys pro-oxidant actions that may mitigate any other benefits. Folic acid
alone and certain B-vitamins (e.g., B1/B2/B6/B12) may reduce CVD, heart failure, and/or stroke, while
niacin might increase mortality. Vitamin C has antioxidant and cardioprotective effects. Vitamin D may
confer CV protection, but all the data are not in agreement. Combined vitamin E and C have antiatherogenic
effects but clinical evidence is inconsistent. Vitamin K seems neutral. Thus, there are individual
vitamin actions with favorable CV impact (certain B-vitamins and vitamins C and D), but other
vitamins (β-carotene, niacin) may potentially have deleterious effects, which also holds true for high
doses of fat-soluble vitamins (A/D/E/K).
Vilsmeier Haack Reaction: An Exemplary Tool for Synthesis of different
Heterocycles
Authors: Tyagi Shivani , Mishra Rakhi , Mazumder Avijit , Jindaniya Varsha
Published: September 2023

Heterocyclic compounds and their derivatives epitomize the building blocks of many biological
entities, e.g., alkaloids, antibiotics, enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and others that are abundant in
nature. The Vilsmeier-Haack reaction has fascinated organic chemists due to its significant use in the
synthesis of numerous heterocycles. This analytical evaluation provides a scrutinized overview of the
literature on the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds.

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A comprehensive review of the literature related to Vilsmeier- Haack reagents and reactions is done
from PubMed and other sources like google scholar and Google websites.

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This precise analytic evaluation provides a revolutionary update on the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction and its
applications in the synthesis of natural and synthetic compounds.

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Presently researchers are developing and looking for unconventional reagents that are inexpensive, have
high chemical yields, are environmentally benign, recyclable, and robust. The information incorporated
in this review paper may inspire more research on the Vilsmeier-Haack reagent and its usage in heterocycle
synthesis.