bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current status of plant resources in the Ferghana Valley and opportunities to use them
Authors: M.R. Kholikulov
Published: December 2022

In  the southern part of  Kurama mountains of  North Fergana near Havasay, Chadaksay and Rezaksay  on   the  relatively large areas of medicinal plants found  Eremurus sogdiana, Perovskija scrophulariifolia and other species.  And Ferula tenuisecta,  Prangos pabularia, Ligularia alpigena, Lagotis korolkovii, Festuca valesiaca and others meet  on  the Angren plateau
Banks' loans to reduce the risk of leasing lines
Authors: Nozimov Eldor Anvarovich
Published: December 2022

In this article, theoretical views on leasing lending, improving lending practices and ways to reduce risks, as well as current problems and their practical solutions and prospects for future development will be widely considered.
Age- and sex-specific differences in the association of serum osteocalcin and cardiometabolic risk factors in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Li Wei , Wang Yan , Dong Jie , Di Ruiqing , Liu Xiaojun , Liu Shengyun
Published: December 2022

Background: Serum osteocalcin levels are closely related to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum osteocalcin levels and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) according to age and sex.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1500 patients with T2D (991 men and 509 women) aged ≥18 years old. The age- and sex-specific disparities in glycemic and lipid control, as well as cardiometabolic risk factors were evaluated.
Results: The levels of serum osteocalcin were significantly higher in women aged ＞50 years old compared with women aged ≤50 years old (15.6 ± 6.5 ng/mL vs. 11.3 ± 4.5 ng/mL, p < 0.0001). However, this was lower in men aged ＞50 years old than men aged ≤50 years old (12.2 ± 4.2 ng/mL vs. 12.9 ± 4.3 ng/mL, p = 0.0081). We performed correlation analyses between serum osteocalcin and cardiometabolic parameters. Serum osteocalcin concentrations had a negative association with FBG and HbA1c levels in women and men aged ≤50 years old, but not in men aged ＞50 years old. Serum osteocalcin were negatively related to TG and positively related to HDL-C and LDL-C only in men aged ≤50 years old. In binary logistic regression analysis, serum osteocalcin levels were associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, as follows: being overweight/obese (odds ratio [OR], 0.944; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9–0.991, p = 0.02) in men aged ＞50 years old; high HbA1C and high FBG in women and men aged ≤50 years old, but not in men aged ＞50 years old; and high TG (OR, 0.905; 95% CI 0.865–0.947, p < 0.0001), metabolic syndrome (OR, 0.914; 95% CI 0.874-0.956, p < 0.0001), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR, 0.933; 95% CI, 0.893-0.975, p = 0.002) only in men aged ≤50 years old, after adjustment for confounding factors.
Conclusions: Serum osteocalcinlevel has significant relationships with cardiometabolic risk factors and several age- and sex-related differences in patients with T2D. Decreased serum osteocalcin levels are associated with a worse cardiometabolic risk profile.
Designing TiC@GNPs reinforced pure Ti matrix composites by mechanochemical ball milling and semi-solid sintering
Authors: Zhang Zai-Yu , Yang Jian-jun , Yang Yuan , Cao Liang , Zhang Zai-Qi
Published: December 2022

In this work,we report on a novel in-situ TiC nanoparticles sticking to graphene nanoplatelets(TiC@GNPs)reinforced titanium matrix composites. In-situ TiC nanoparticles are produced in both mechanical ball milling and sintering processes.Ultrafine composite powder is obtained by mechanochemical ball milling from refined pure titanium powder and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) .A new type of TiC@GNPs/Ti composite materials with high strength and toughness and three-dimensional network distribution are made of ultrafine composite powder by various curing methods.The effects of different hot pressing parameters and reinforcing phase content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were studied. The results shown that the strength and plasticity of the ultrafine TiC@GNPs/Ti composites prepared by hot pressing sintering are obviously improved compared with the matrix. The strengthening mechanism of composites is mainly the synergistic effect of fine grain strengthening and dislocation strengthening. The ductility is due to grain refinement and in situ layered structure of TiC@GNPs particles. This layered structure is a double-scale microstructure, which is characterized by the lamellar composed of ultrafine bcc-Ti and ultrafine GNPs surrounding the fine crystal equiaxed fcc second phase TiC. The in-situ synthesis of nano-tic and nano-GNPs synergistic growth shows a criss-cross in the microstructure. The three-dimensional network distribution of GNP in titanium matrix can regulate the contradiction between strength and plasticity of titanium matrix composites.
The Smoothing Method for DNA Methylome Analysis Identifies Highly Accurate Epigenomic Signatures in Epigenome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Oussalah Abderrahim , Trégouët David-Alexandre , Guéant Jean-Louis
Published: December 2022

Background: The genome-wide assessment of the DNA methylome has revolutionized our comprehension of epigenome alterations linked to complex human traits and diseases. The ability of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) to translate into biologically meaningful results relies on detecting epigenomic signatures with a high level of statistical certainty. However, the classical analyses of EWAS are prone to statistical inflation and bias, leading to spurious associations, particularly in case series with small sample sizes, such as those analyzing patients with rare inherited disorders.
Methods: Based on the co-methylation pattern of CpG dinucleotides within the CpG islands, we propose the smoothing method at the genome-wide level through a sliding window approach to calculate and visualize data from EWAS to decipher the most informative epigenetic alterations of EWAS with a high degree of accuracy.
Results: The smoothing method is a simple method that identifies epigenomic signatures with a high degree of certainty while controlling the risk of spurious findings outside the significant loci at a genome-wide level. We have systematically compared the smoothing method with a classical supervised approach in several EWAS settings, including two monogenic epigenetic diseases (epi-cblC and primary constitutional MLH1epimutation) and epigenetic predictors of aging. In the latter example, we showed that the smoothing method remained efficient even after applying an 80% reduction of the original sample size.
Conclusions:
The smoothing method for DNA methylation analyses is based on the biological correlate of the epigenome structure and identifies highly accurate epigenomic signatures in DNA methylation analyses. Its application to several settings of epigenome-wide analyses confirmed its usefulness for deciphering the most informative epigenomic signatures with a high degree of certainty while controlling the risk of spurious findings outside the significant loci at a genome-wide level.
Our results suggest revisiting EWAS by applying the smoothing method to already available datasets to re-analyze and potentially identify highly accurate epigenomic signatures that could translate into biologically meaningful results.
The combination treatment of methylprednisolone and growth factor-rich serum ameliorates the structural and functional changes after spinal cord injury in rat
Authors: Naseh Maryam , Mousavi Seyed Reza , Farrokhi Majid Reza , Ghaffari Mahdi Khorsand , Karimi Fatemeh , Keshavarz Somaye , Dehghanian Amir Reza
Published: December 2022

This study aims to evaluate the combined effect of Methylprednisolone (MP) and growth factor-rich serum (GFRS) on structural and functional recovery in rats following spinal cord injury (SCI). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups: 1- sham group (laminectomy); 2- SCI group (the spinal cord clip compression model); 3- SCI-MP group (30 mg/kg MP was administrated intraperitoneally (IP) immediately after SCI); 4- SCI-GFRS group (GFRS (200 µl, IP) was administrated for six consecutive days); and 5- SCI-MP + GFRS group (the rats received MP (30 mg/kg, IP) immediately after SCI, and GFRS (200 µl, IP) for six consecutive days). Motor function was assessed weekly using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale. After four weeks, we conducted the rotarod test, then removed and prepared the spinal cords (including the epicenter of injury) for stereological and histological estimation (n = 6 for each group), and biochemical assays (n = 5 for each group). The results showed that MP and GFRS combining treatment enhanced functional recovery, which was associated with a decrement in lesion volume, increased spared white and gray matter volume, reduced neuronal loss, as well as decreased necrosis and hemorrhage after SCI. Moreover, administration of MP and GFRS inhibited lipid peroxidation (MDA content), and increased antioxidant enzymes including glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) after rat SCI. Our study suggests that the combination treatment of MP and GFRS may ameliorate the structure and functional changes following SCI by reducing oxidative stress, and increasing the level of antioxidants enzymes.
Application of Opioid-Free General Anesthesia for Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery Under ERAS Protocol: A Non-inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Chen Liang , He Wensheng , Liu Xue , Lv Fahui , Li Yuanhai
Published: December 2022

Background
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is now widely used in various surgical fields including gynecological laparoscopic surgery, but the advantages of opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) in gynecological laparoscopic surgery under ERAS protocol are inexact.
Aims
This study aims to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of OFA technique versus traditional opioid-based anesthesia (OA) technique in gynecological laparoscopic surgery under ERAS.
Methods
Adult female patients aged 18 ~ 65 years old undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery were randomly divided into OFA group (Group OFA, n = 39) with esketamine and dexmedetomidine or OA group (Group OA, n = 38) with sufentanil and remifentanil. All patients adopted ERAS protocol. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores (AUCVAS) postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative hemodynamic variables, awakening and orientation recovery times, number of postoperative rescue analgesia required, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) perioperatively.
Results
AUCVAS was (Group OFA, 16.72 ± 2.50) vs (Group OA, 15.99 ± 2.72) (p = 0.223). No difference was found in the number of rescue analgesia required(p = 0.352). There were no between-group differences in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) (p = 0.211 and 0.659, respectively) except MAP at time of surgical incision immediately [(Group OFA, 84.38 ± 11.08) vs. (Group OA, 79.00 ± 8.92), p = 0.022]. Times of awakening and orientation recovery in group OFA (14.54 ± 4.22 and 20.69 ± 4.92, respectively) were both longer than which in group OA (12.63 ± 3.59 and 18.45 ± 4.08, respectively) (p = 0.036 and 0.033, respectively). The incidence of PONV in group OFA (10.1%) was lower than that in group OA (28.9%) significantly (p = 0.027). The postoperative PSQI was lower than the preoperative one in group OFA (p = 0.013).
Conclusion
In gynecological laparoscopic surgery under ERAS protocol, OFA technique is non-inferior to OA technique in analgesic effect and intraoperative anesthesia stability. Although awakening and orientation recovery times were prolonged compared to OA, OFA had lower incidence of PONV and improved postoperative sleep quality.
Trial registration:
ChiCTR2100052761, 05/11/2021.
Dynamic Goal Tracking for Differential Drive Robot using Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Shahid Mahrukh , Khan Semab Neimat , Khawaja Fahad Iqbal , Ali Sara , Ayaz Yasar
Published: December 2022

To ensure the steady navigation for robot stable controls are one of the basic requirements. Control values selection is highly environment dependent. To ensure reusability of control parameter system needs to generalize over the environment. Adding adaptability in robots to perform effectively in the environments with no prior knowledge reinforcement leaning is a promising approach. However, tuning hyper parameters and attaining correlation between state space and reward function to train a stable reinforcement learning agent is a challenge. In this paper we designed a continuous reward function to minimizing the sparsity and stabilizes the policy convergence, to attain control generalization for differential drive robot. We Implemented Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient on Open-AI Gym Race Car. System was trained to achieve smart primitive control policy, moving forward in the direction of goal by maintaining an appropriate distance from walls to avoid collisions. Resulting policy was tested on unseen environments including dynamic goal environment, boundary free environment and continuous path environment on which it outperformed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient.
Coastal rocky slopes instability analysis and landslide frequency-area distribution alongside the road network in west Mediterranean context (Northern of Morocco)
Authors: Obda Oussama , Kharim Younes El , Obda Ilias , Ahniche Mohamed , Kouffi Abdelaaziz El
Published: December 2022

The Mediterranean coasts are known for their tourist attractiveness due to its richness in fishing resources and beach resorts as well as landscapes at the level of different ecosystems (forests, rocky and sandy beaches). The construction of the Mediterranean coastal road (RN16), which aims to enhance the tourist value of these resources and to improve access to this coastal region, has triggered an almost radical modification in the development process of this area, where the risks are increasing because of the multiplication of the challenges and the hazards due to the instability of its slopes. These events are mainly the result of marine erosion, the involvement of geological, geomorphological, climatic factors and also anthropic parameters with a strong littoralisation. The study area is characterized by active tectonics translated by the presence of faulting sets affecting the rock mass. The aim of this study is to assess the characteristics of the rock mass and its stability, and to anticipate landslide occurrence frequency with a particular size in a specified region with a certain rock mass quality as well. The methodology followed in this work consists of the elaboration of a complete inventory of landslides, the fracturation analysis and the rock mass engineering conducted to evaluate the stability of the slopes and the statistical analysis of the landslide size distribution. The combination of these two approaches has allowed us to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the landslide hazard on coastal rocky fractured areas.
Consensus clinical management guidelines for Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (Niemann-Pick disease types A, B and A/B)
Authors: Geberhiwot Tarekegn , Wasserstein Melissa , Wanninayake Subadra , Bolton Shaun Christopher , Dardis Andrea , Lehman Anna , Lidove Oliver , Dawson Charlotte , Giugliani Roberto , Imrie Jackie , Hopkin Justin , Green James , Corbeira Daniel de Vicente , Madathil Shyam , Mengel Eugen , Ezgu Fatih , Pettazzoni Magali , Sjouke Barbara , Hollak Carla , Vanier Marie T , McGovern Margaret , Schuchman Edward
Published: December 2022

Background: Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in SMPD1 gene. This rarity contributes to misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis and barriers to good care. There is no published national or international guideline for diagnosis and management of patients with ASMD. For these reasons, we at INPDR have developed a clinical guideline that define standard of care for ASMD patients
Methods: The information contained in these guidelines was obtained through a systematic review of the literature and the experiences of the authors in their care of patients with ASMD. We adopted the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE II) system as method of choice for the guideline development process.
Results: The clinical spectrum of ASMD, although a continuum, varies substantially with subtypes ranging from a fatal infantile neurovisceral disorder to an adult-onset chronic visceral disease. We made 39 conclusive statements and scored them according to level of evidence, strengths of recommendations and expert opinions. In addition, this guideline has identified gaps in the knowledge that must be filled by future research.
Conclusion: This guideline can inform care providers, care funders, patients and their carers about best clinical practice and lead to a step change in the quality of care for patients with ASMD.
Prevalence of Pituitary Dysfunction After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Song Xiaowei , Cong Shengnan , Zhang Ming , Gan Xiaokui , Meng Fan , Huang Baosheng
Published: December 2022

Background
As a common complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, the prevalence of pituitary dysfunction ranges widely at the global level and has not been synthesized by meta-analysis for a few years. Updated estimates of the prevalence of pituitary dysfunction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are urgently needed to improve recognition and attention from medical.
Methods
We comprehensively searched four literature databases including Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and PubMed, and performed a random-effects meta-analysis for the search results. Heterogeneity in the prevalence estimates was analyzed by subgroup analysis in terms of WHO region and type of pituitary dysfunction.
Results
27 studies with 1848 subjects were included in this study. The pooled prevalence of pituitary dysfunction in the acute phase was 49.6% (95% CI, 32.4%-66.8%), and decreased in the chronic phase to 30.4% (95% CI, 21.4%-39.4%). Among the hormonal deficiencies, growth hormone dysfunction was the most prevalent in the acute phase with 36.0% (95% CI, 21.0%-51.0%), and in the chronic phase was hypoadrenalism accounting for 21.0% (95% CI, 12.0%-29.0%). While referring to the WHO region, the prevalence of pituitary dysfunction in the acute phase was the highest in SEARO, up to 81.0% (95%CI, 77.0%-86.0%), while the EURO with the highest prevalence of pituitary dysfunction in the chronic phase, was only 33.0% (95%CI, 24.0%-43.0%). Moreover, single pituitary hormone dysfunction occurred more frequently than that of multiple regardless of in the acute or chronic phase.
Conclusions
In up to 49.6%, patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage may be complicated with pituitary dysfunction, which deserved more attention. Although the prevalence decreased over time, early detection and early treatment were more beneficial for the quality of life of patients. However, the number of existing studies on PD after aSAH is limited. Therefore, more studies based on larger populations and countries are necessary to provide early warning.
Roles of Iron in Chemoresistance of Multiple Myeloma Depends on the Interaction with Bone Marrow Stromal Cells
Authors: Jiang Hongmei , Wang Sheng , Wang Jingya , Cheng Hao , Li Xin , Xie Ying , Wang Yixuan , Li Qian , Hu Meilin , Peng Ziyi , Wang Mengqi , Wang Jing , Xie Yangyang , Wang Yafei , Swaminathan Sundararaman , Bergsagel P. Leif , Liu zhiqiang
Published: December 2022

Bone marrow (BM) niche plays critical roles in promoting progression and chemoresistance of multiple myeloma (MM), but the iron metabolism bridging the malignant plasma cells and BM stromal cells (BMSCs) has not been well elucidated. Using in vitro and in vivo models of interaction of MM and BMSCs, we identified that iron level was augmented due to the elevated expression of transferrin in MM cells, and the accumulation of iron desensitized MM cells to proteasome inhibitors (PIs) treatment and promoted productions of cholesterol and lanosterol. Simultaneously, direct contact with BMSCs remarkably upregulated the protein level of GPX4, a ROS eraser, to obviate ferroptosis in MM cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) signaling promoted the expressions of transferrin and SUMO-specific protease 3 (SENP3), and SENP3 stabilized GPX4 protein via deSUMOylation modification. GPX4 inhibitor induced ferroptosis was cell-cell contact dependent, since blocking CD40/CD40L interaction, or depletion of Cd40l in BMSCs from Cd40lfl/fl;Prx1Cre/+ mice, eliminated the anti-MM efficacy of RSL3 in the Vk*MYC mouse model of myeloma, but not in the patient-derived xenografts (PDX) model. Our study deciphers mechanism of iron metabolism in regulating MM chemoresistance, and clarifies the therapeutic potential of non-apoptosis strategies in managing refractory or relapsed MM patients.
Antibiotic Resistance in Potential Probiotic Lactobacillary Strains of Fermented Foods and Human Origin From Nigeria
Authors: Duche Rachael T. , Singh Anamika , Wandhare Arundhati Ganesh , Sangwan Vikas , Sihag Manvesh Kumar , Nwagu Tochukwu T. N. , Panwar Harsh , Ezeogu Lewis. I.
Published: December 2022

Probiotic Lactobacillus strains are generally recognized as safe and are being used in several food and pharma formulations. Antimicrobial resistance is of growing concern globally. The presence of antibiotic resistance traits in bacterial strains of food origin and their possible transmission via functional foods is increasingly being emphasized. To be adequately suitable for use in foods/feed production for human and animal consumption, probiotic strains need to be free from transferable antibiotic resistance traits. This study screened potential probiotic Lactobacillus strains for their phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles. A wide spectrum of susceptibility and resistance was observed against different antibiotic classes. LAB isolates irrespective of origin displayed marked resistance against cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, quinolones, glycopeptides and methicillin among beta-lactams with few exceptions. In contrary, high sensitivity was recorded against macrolides, sulphonamides and carbapenems sub-group of beta-lactams with few variations. The parC gene, associated with resistance to ciprofloxacin was detected in 76.5% of the strains. Other prevalent resistant determinants observed were aac(6’)Ii (42.1%), ermB and ermC (29.4%), and tetM (20.5%). Six (≈ 17.6%) of isolates showed none of the resistance genes screened in this study. Study revealed the presence of AR genes among Lactobacillus species isolated from both fermented foods and human sources.
Spatial trend and Probabilistic health risk assessment of heavy metals, Nitrate, and Fluoride in groundwater resources, West Azerbaijan province, Iran
Authors: Jahani Hamed , Mohammadi Amir , Khatibi Mohammad Shaker , Sabeti Zahra , Mosaferi Mohammad
Published: December 2022

The quality of water resources used for drinking and their health effects is vitally important. The present study investigated the concentrations of F¯, NO3¯, and metal elements like Hg, Mn, As, and Pb in the groundwater resources and their health risk assessment. The study area was part of West Azerbaijan, west of Urmia Lake, located northwest of Iran. Sampling points were selected and were taken from 121 groundwater resources. Heavy metals (Pb, As, Mn, and Hg) and ions (Na+, NO3¯, F¯, and Cl¯) were measured, respectively. The probabilistic method and Monte-Carlo simulation are used to estimate carcinogenic and Noncarcinogenic risks. The Concentration of study elements was obtained in the range of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended. The order of Heavy metals (HMs) concentrations is based on the overall mean: Mn > As > Hg > Pb. The hazard index (HI) level was found to be more than 1 for noncarcinogenic risk for As and NO3¯, also permissible risks for the other elements. ELCR levels of As were acceptable, except for some sampling points, the central region in the study area, near the seashore of Urmia Lake. Finally, it can be stated that the groundwater resources in the studied area are acceptable for drinking in most places. Still, due to the effects of As and NO3¯ contaminated water, the quality is unacceptable for drinking in some places. So, in the study area, monitoring water quality is recommended by finding contamination sources to decrease the health risks of drinking consumption.
Efficiently accelerated free electrons by metallic laser accelerator
Authors: Li Jianqi , Zheng Dingguo , Huang Siyuan , Li Jun , Tian Yuan , Zhang Yongzhao , Li Zhongwen , Tian Huanfang , Yang H. X.
Published: December 2022

Strong electron-photon (e-p) interactions occurring in a dielectric laser accelerator provide the potential for development of a compact electron accelerator, and certain critical features of the p-e interactions can be characterized well using ultrafast electron microscopy. Theoretically, metallic materials with notable surface plasmon-field enhancements can possibly generate a high electron acceleration capability. Herein, we present a design for metallic material-based on-chip laser-driven accelerators that show a remarkable electron acceleration capability, as demonstrated in ultrafast electron microscopy investigations. Under phase-matching conditions, efficient and continuous acceleration of free electrons on a periodic nanostructure is achieved. Momentum transfer via inelastic scattering is also studied in association with the electron beam acceleration. Importantly, an asymmetric spectral structure where the vast majority of the electrons are in the energy-gain states has been obtained in a periodic bowtie-structure accelerator. The nonlinear optical effects are found to promote the p-e interactions efficiently and improve the acceleration gradient to be as high as 0.335 GV/m. This demonstrates that a prototype metallic laser accelerator could provide a new way to develop compact accelerators on chip.
Performance evaluation of the main kinetic models applied in anaerobic co-digestion process: description of synergistic effect of total solids concentration and particle size in biogas production
Authors: Leite Valderi D. , Ramos Railson Oliveira , Lopes Wilton Silva , de Araújo Mário César Ugulino , de Almeida Valber Elias , Viriato Crislanne Lemos
Published: December 2022

The present study investigated the kinetic modeling of anaerobic co-digestion under the optics of Modified Gompertz, Function transfer, Logistic function, Modified first order, and Cone models. As substrate, vegetables and fruits solid waste (VSW) and anaerobic sewage sludge (ASS) were used. The synergistic effects of substrate particle size (SPS) and total solids (TS) concentration were investigated. With the application of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the NRMSE it was possible to determine the performance order of performance of the models: Logistic function > Cone > Modified 1st order > Modified Gompertz > Function transfer. The biogas production and kinetic parameters predicted by Logistic function model reached the maximum likelihood in relation to the experimental result (AIC 36; NRMSE 43.292). SPS had a statistic significant effect on the cumulative biogas (Mmax) yield and on the hydrolysis constant (K’’hyd). In turn, the TS concentration influenced the latency phase time (λ) and the maximum rate of biogas production (Rmax).
Anomalously 13C-depleted organic matter from CO in early Mars atmosphere
Authors: Ueno Yuichiro , Schmidt Johan , Johnson Matthew , Zang Xiaofeng , Gilbert Alexis , Kurokawa Hiroyuki , Usui Tomohiro
Published: December 2022

Organic matter found in early Martian sediment1-4 may help in defining early Martian environmental conditions and provide the key to understanding Mars’ prebiotic chemistry and habitability. However, the origin of this organic matter remains uncertain. Anomalous 13C depletion was recently discovered in this organic matter5, and has the potential to elucidate their origins, though plausible mechanism to cause the strong 13C depletion is unknown. Here, we present experimental and theoretical studies which demonstrated that solar ultraviolet photolysis of CO2 yields strongly 13C-depleted CO. In a reducing atmosphere, isotopically anomalous CO is converted into organic molecules that are deposited into sediments. Therefore, atmospheric synthesis of organics from CO is a plausible mechanism to explain the presence of organics in early Martian sediments and its strong 13C depletion. Furthermore, this mechanism could explain 13C enrichment of early Martian CO2 without the aid of long-term carbon escape into space. A mass balance model calculation using the estimated isotopic fractionation factor indicated approximately 20% conversion of volcanic CO2 into organics via CO, which satisfied the available data for carbon isotopes. Consequently, our results suggest that considerable amounts of organic matter may have been synthesized in a reducing early Martian atmosphere and stored within sediment.
Surgical Management Outcome and Its Associated Factors Among Intestinal Obstruction Patients Admitted to Adult Surgical Ward of Wollega University Referral Hospital, Ethiopia
Authors: Shama Adisu Tafari , Terefa Olana , Gadisa Iyasu , Feyera Gemechu , Tamiru Getnet , Terefa Dufera Rikitu , Merdassa Emiru
Published: December 2022

Background
Globally, bowel obstruction is the most common cause of surgical emergencies. It remains a challenge to healthcare workers in spite of improvements in management techniques. There is a lack of the study to determine the surgical management outcome and its associated factors in the area of study. Hence, this study aimed to determine management outcome and its associated factors among surgically treated intestinal obstruction patients at Wollega University Referral Hospital, 2021.
Methods
Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among all cases surgically managed for intestinal obstruction between September 1, 2018 and September 1, 2021. Data were collected using a structured checklist. The collected data were checked for completeness and entered into data entry software and then exported to SPSS version 24 for data cleaning and analysis. Both bi-variable and multivariable logistic regressions were run. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare a statistically significant association in multivariable logistic regression. The odds ratio along with 95%CI was estimated to measure the strength of the association.
Result
116 (59.2%) patients had favorable surgical management outcome for intestinal obstruction. Male sex (AOR = 3.694;95%CI:1.501,9.089), absence of fever (AOR = 2.636; 95%CI:1.124,6.18), ≤ 48hours duration of illness before operation (AOR = 3.045; 95%CI:1.399,6.629), viable intraoperative bowel condition (AOR = 2.372; 95%CI:1.088, 5.175), having bowel resection and anastomosis (AOR = 0.234; 95%CI:0.101,0.544) were the significantly associated factors of the favorable surgical management outcome for intestinal obstruction.
Conclusion and recommendation:
The favorable management outcome of patients with intestinal obstruction who were treated surgically in this study was low. Factors like sex, fever, short duration of illness, viable intraoperative bowel condition, and bowel resection and anastomosis were found to influence the surgical management outcome of patients with intestinal obstruction. The patient with intestinal obstruction should seek health care on time. Health professionals have to be skilled and provide appropriate care for the patients to reduce the risk of complications.
Repeatability of scheimpflug based corneal tomography parameters in advanced keratoconus with thin corneas
Authors: Wadhwa Himanshu , Gokul Akilesh , Li Ye , Cheung Isabella , Angelo Lize , McGhee Charles , Ziaei Mohammed
Published: December 2022

Objective
To determine the repeatability limits of corneal tomography parameters in patients with advanced and moderately thin keratoconic corneas to assist in planning thickness-based procedural interventions.
Methods
Prospective, single-centre, repeatability study. Three tomography scans using the Pentacam AXL were obtained from patients with keratoconus with thinnest corneal thickness TCT ≦ 400 µm (sub-400 group) and compared to those with TCT = 450–500 µm (450-plus group). Eyes with previous crosslinking, intraocular surgery, or acute corneal hydrops were excluded. Eyes were age and gender-matched. The within-subject standard deviations for flat keratometry (K1), steep keratometry (K2), maximal keratometry (Kmax), astigmatism and TCT were used to calculate respective repeatability limits (r). Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were also analysed.
Results
The sub-400 group comprised 114 eyes from 114 participants, and the 450-plus group comprised 114 eyes from 114 participants. In the sub-400 group, TCT was amongst the least repeatable parameters (33.92 µm; ICC 0.96), compared with the 450-plus group (14.32 µm; ICC 0.99, p < 0.01). In the sub-400 group, K1 and K2 of the anterior surface were the most repeatable parameters (r 3.79 and 3.22 respectively; ICC 0.97 and 0.98 respectively) compared with the 450-plus group (r 1.17 and 0.92 respectively; and ICC 0.98 and 0.99 respectively, p < 0.01).
Conclusions
The repeatability of corneal tomography measurements is significantly reduced in sub-400 keratoconic corneas when compared to 450-plus corneas. Consideration to repeatability limits should be carefully considered when surgical interventions are planned for such patients.
In-hospital mortality of older patients with COVID-19 throughout the epidemic waves in the Great Paris Area: A multicenter cohort study
Authors: Thietart Sara , Rozes Antoine , Tubach Florence , Marot Stéphane , Marcelin Anne-Geneviève , Raux Mathieu , Vallet Hélène , Riou Bruno , Boddaert Jacques , Zerah Lorène
Published: December 2022

Background
Mortality is high in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Previous studies observed lower mortality during the Omicron wave, yet no data is available on older patients. The objective was to compare in-hospital mortality between the Omicron and previous waves in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Methods
This retrospective observational multicenter cohort study used the Greater Paris University Hospitals Group’s data warehouse (38 hospitals). Patients aged ≥ 75 years with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalized from March 2020 to January 2022 were included. The study period was divided into five waves. The fifth wave (January 1st to 31st 2022) was considered as the Omicron wave as it was the predominant variant (≥ 50%), and was compared with waves 1 (March-July 2020), 2 (August-December 2020), 3 (January-June 2021) and 4 (July-December 2021). Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcome was occurrence of ICU admission or in-hospital death. Multivariate logistic regression was performed, with a sensitivity analysis according to variant type.
Results
Of the 195,084 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 19,909 patients aged ≥ 75 years were included (median age 85 [IQR 79–90] years, 53% women). Overall in-hospital mortality was 4,337 (22%), reaching 345 (17%) during wave 5. Waves 1 and 3 were significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality in comparison with wave 5 (adjusted Odds Ratios aOR 1.42 [95%CI 1.21–1.66] and 1.56 [95%CI 1.33–1.83] respectively). Waves 1 to 3 were associated with an increased risk of occurrence of ICU admission or in-hospital death in comparison with wave 5: aOR 1.29 [95% CI 1.12 to 1.49] for wave 1, aOR 1.25 [95% CI 1.08 to 1.45] for wave 2 and aOR 1.56 [95% CI 1.36 to 1.79] for wave 3. Sensitivity analysis found that Omicron variant was associated with decreased mortality, in comparison with previous variants.
Conclusions
Mortality was lower during the 5th Omicron wave in the older population, but remained high, implying that this variant could be considered as “milder” but not “mild”. This persistently high mortality during the 5th Omicron wave highlights the importance of including older patients in clinical trials to confirm the benefit/risk balance of COVID-19 treatments in this fragile population.
Neonatal risk factors for functional gastrointestinal disorders in preterm infants in the first year of life
Authors: Bi Dengqin , Jiang Honghua , Yang Kaiting , Guan Ting , Hou Ling , Shu Guihua
Published: December 2022

Objective: An assessment of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in premature infants in their first year of life and neonatal factors influencing the progression of FGIDs is conducted in this research.
Methods: Subjects selected for the retrospective study involved preterm infants being hospitalized in the neonatal department of Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital from September 2018 to September 2021. Data on neonatal risk factors such as gestational age, gender, birth weight, mode of delivery, feeding pattern, antibiotic administration and addition of probiotics, duration of hospitalization, maternal history of smoking, and mental condition, were all collected and analyzed. FGIDs were diagnosed as per Rome IV criteria and a multivariate logistic regression model has been applied for determining factors linked to it.
Results: This study included 988 preterm infants, with 725 (73.4%) having at least one FGID, 449 (45.4%) having infant colic, 411 (41.6%) having infant regurgitation, 237 (24.0%) having infant dyschezia, 190 (19.2%) having functional constipation, and 34 (3.4%) having functional diarrhea throughout the first year of life. There was no evidence identified for infant rumination syndrome and recurrent vomiting syndrome. In total, 263 infants (26.6%) without FGID symptoms were included in the control group. Infant colic and infant regurgitation were found as the most prevalent FGIDs. Further, a higher prevalence of FGIDs was observed in preterm infants with infant colic as well as infant regurgitation in particular as being characterized by a low gestational age (<32w), low birth weight (<1.5kg), cesarean section, formula feeding, neonatal antibiotics use, hospitalization longer than 7 days, and maternal history of smoking. It was found from association analyses that infants exclusively breastfed in their first month of life were at lower risk for regurgitation than those in the control group. Moreover, a significantly low occurrence of functional constipation was found in infants being subjected to probiotics treatment than in the control.
Conclusion: Therefore, unnecessary antibiotic use in the neonatal period, cesarean delivery, passive smoking, lack of breastfeeding, along with inappropriate probiotics usage are major risk factors for FGIDs, and their systematic control may be effective in reducing the susceptibility to and prevalence of FGIDs in preterm infants in the first year of life.
The relationship between clinical phenotype and kallikrein-kinin bioregulation in different forms of arthritis
Authors: Tan Dino Bee Aik , Tedja Chantalia , Raymond Warren D , Harsanyi Andrea , Kuster Lukas , Misso Neil L , Bhoola Kanti D , Chowalloor Priya V , Argawal Shashi , Keen Helen I
Published: December 2022

Objective
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have shown increased levels of neutrophils generating kallikrein-kinin peptides in blood which are potent mediators of inflammation. This study investigated the association between the bioregulation of kinin-mediated inflammation with the clinical characteristics (e.g. ultrasound synovitis or pain score) of different arthritic diseases.
Methods
Patients with osteoarthritis (OA, n = 29), gout (n = 10) and RA (n = 8) were recruited and screened for clinical symptoms, quality of life, and inflammatory burden of affected joints using ultrasonography. Blood neutrophils were assessed for the expression of bradykinin receptors (B1R and B2R), kininogens and kallikreins by immunocytochemistry with visualization by bright field microscopy. Levels of plasma biomarkers were measured by ELISA and cytometric bead array.
Results
Quality of life (SF-36 domains and summary scores; and, HAQ) was similar across OA, gout and RA patients, including pain; with the exception of worse physical functioning scores between OA vs gout patients. Synovial hypertrophy (on ultrasound) was significantly different between groups (p = 0.001), and the dichotomised Power Doppler (PD) score of greater than or equal to 2 (PD-GE2) was marginally significant (p = 0.09). Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-8 were highest in patients with gout followed by RA and OA (both, P < 0.05). Patients with RA had higher plasma levels of sTNFR1, IL-1β, IL-12p70, TNF and IL-6, compared to OA and gout patients (all, P < 0.05). Patients with OA had higher expression of K1B and KLK1on blood neutrophils followed by RA and gout patients, both P < 0.05. Bodily pain correlated with B1R expression on blood neutrophils (r = 0.334, p = 0.05), and inversely with plasma levels of CRP (r=-0.55), sTNFR1 (r=-0.352) and IL-6 (r=-0.422), all P < 0.05. Expression of B1R on blood neutrophils also correlated with Knee PD (r = 0.403) and PD-GE2 (r = 0.480), both P < 0.05.
Conclusions
Pain levels and quality of life were similar between patients with OA, RA and gout with knee arthritis. Plasma inflammatory biomarkers and B1R expression on blood neutrophils correlated with pain. Targeting B1R to modulate the kinin-kallikrein system may pose as a new therapeutic target in the treatment of arthritis.
Thermal Fractional Diffusion: Experimental Evidence from the Discrepancies in the Amplitude and Phase in Photothermal Technique
Authors: Somer Aloisi , Novatski Andressa , Cruz Gerson Kniphoff da , Cruz Claudia Bonardi Kniphoff da , Serbena Francisco Carlos , Lenzi Ervin Kaminski
Published: December 2022

The photoacoustic (PA) signal is the pressure variation in the PA cell and by means of the open photoacoustic cell (OPC) technique, its amplitude and phase components are measured. In this work, the issue of disagreement between experimental measured amplitude and phase for AISI 316 samples with the expected theoretical result from the classical model is studied. The results of the thermal diffusivity obtained from amplitude are inconsistent with phase analysis. This work aims to show a way to get a unique value of thermal parameters from simultaneous analysis of the amplitude and phase of the PA signal. Also, the fractional models were applied to improve the fit of experimental data and provided results closed with the expected thermal diffusivity value.
Psychosocial Stressors and E-cigarette Use in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Authors: Erhabor John , Boakye Ellen , Osuji Ngozi , Obisesan Olufunmilayo , Osei Albert D. , Mirbolouk Hassan , Stokes Andrew C. , Dzaye Omar , El-Shahawy Omar , Rodriguez Carlos J. , Hirsch Glenn A. , Benjamin Emelia J. , DeFilippis Andrew P. , Robertson Rose Marie , Bhatnagar Aruni , Blaha Michael J.
Published: December 2022

Background: Psychosocial stressors may influence tobacco use. Few studies have examined the association of stressors and e-cigarette use in adolescents. Therefore, we examined the associations between psychosocial stressors and e-cigarette use among adolescents in the United States (U.S.).
Methods: Using the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data (YRBS) (N=13,677), students were categorized as non, e-cigarette, and combustible cigarette users based on past 30-day use. The prevalence of use was assessed by participants’ sociodemographic characteristics. Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between stressors and e-cigarette and combustible cigarette use. To estimate the stressor burden score, stressors were grouped into scores: 0, 1-2, 3-4, and 5-7.
Results: Overall, 65.0%, 32.7% and 6.0% were non, e-cigarette and combustible cigarettes users, respectively. E-cigarette use prevalence was higher among students who experienced stressors than those who did not ([bullying: 43.9% vs 29.0%]; [skipping school due to safety concerns: 48.0% vs 29.0%]; [depressive symptoms: 43.5% vs 26.5%]; [suicidal thoughts: 47.6% vs 29.3%]; [physical fight: 51.1% vs 28.3%]; [threatened with a weapon56.4% vs 30.9%]). Similar patterns were observed with combustible cigarette use. Students who experienced stressors were more likely to use e-cigarettes (Prevalence Ratio [PR] range: 1.08-1.21) and combustible cigarettes (PR range: 1.34-2.06) than students who did not. Students with higher burden scores had a higher prevalence and PR of e-cigarette use than those with score of zero (1-2 [1.28; 95% CI:1.15-1.42]; 3-4 [1.42; 95% CI:1.23-1.65]; 5-7 [1.45; 95% CI:1.22-1.73]) (ptrends <0.001).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated significant association between psychosocial stressors and e-cigarette use.
The effect of gum chewing on xerostomia and salivary flow rate in elderly and medically compromised subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dodds Michael , Haddou Mohamed Ben , Day Jon
Published: December 2022

Background
Xerostomia negatively affects quality of life. Symptoms include oral dryness; thirst; difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing food; oral discomfort; mouth soft tissue soreness and infections; and rampant tooth decay. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate if gum chewing is an intervention that results in objective improvements in salivary flow rates and subjective relief from xerostomia.
Methods
We searched electronic databases including Medline, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar and the citations of review papers (last searched 15/11/22). The study populations were elderly people with xerostomia (> 60 years old, any gender, and any severity of xerostomia), and medically compromised people with xerostomia. The intervention of interest was gum chewing. Comparisons included gum chewing vs. no gum chewing. The outcomes included salivary flow rate, self-reported xerostomia, and thirst. All settings and study designs were in scope. We conducted a meta-analysis on studies where measurements of unstimulated whole salivary flow rate for both a gum chewing, and no gum chewing intervention (daily chewing of gum for two weeks or longer) were reported. We assessed risk of bias using Cochrane’s Risk of Bias tool (version 1).
Results
Five thousand and sixty-two studies were screened and 0.44% (n = 24) met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Eight of the 24 papers had a high overall risk of bias. Of the 24 papers selected for the systematic review, 23.08% (n = 6) met the criteria to be included in the meta-analysis which confirmed a significant overall effect of gum on saliva flow outcomes compared to control (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22–0.66; p = 0.00008; I2 = 46.53%).
Conclusions
Chewing gum can increase unstimulated salivary flow rate in elderly and medically compromised people with xerostomia. Increasing the number of days over which gum is chewed increases the improvement in the rate of salivation. Gum chewing is linked with improvements in self-reported levels of xerostomia (although it is noted that in five of the studies reviewed, no effects were detected). Future studies should eliminate sources of bias, standardise methods to measure salivary flow rate, and use a common instrument to measure subjective relief from xerostomia.
Study registration:
PROSPERO CRD42021254485.