bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive landscape of the GZM gene family in pan-cancer: Based on large-scale omics research and single-cell sequencing validation
Authors: Li Zitao , Xie Qiqi , Zhao Fuxing , Ren Dengfeng , Liu Zhilin , Shen Guoshuang , Zhao Jiuda
Published: October 2023

The granzyme family plays a crucial role in the immune response against tumor cells. It is involved in inflammation, tumor development, and various survival pathways. However, the precise function of the GZM gene family in a wide range of cancers remains unclear. Through an analysis of cancer genome mapping data, we observed differential expression of the GZM gene family in tumors, which was associated with somatic copy number changes (SCNA) and DNA methylation. Notably, we found a strong positive correlation between the GZM gene family and PD-1 expression in various cancers, suggesting its involvement in tumor immune evasion. To elucidate the function of this gene family, we developed GZMscores, which showed significant differences between tumor and normal tissues across different cancers, and were also correlated with prognosis and clinical features. Pathway analysis revealed close associations between GZMscores and multiple immune and inflammatory pathways. High GZMscores were predictive of poor prognosis in diverse tumors. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the GZM gene family and underscores the potential of GZMscores-based cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, our single-cell pan-carcinoma analysis demonstrated the close relationship between the GZM gene family and pDC_LILRA4 cells and cDC1_CLEC9A cells, suggesting their influence on tumor immunity and recruitment of effector T cells through the modulation of inflammatory factor release from pDC_LILRA4 cells. In TNBC single-cell analysis, we observed widespread expression of the GZM gene family in T cells and NK cells, and a strong correlation with CD8_MAIT-KLRB1, CD8-CXCL13, Bfoc-MKI67, Bmem-MKI67, cDC2-CD207, pDC-LILRA4, ILC1-CD160, ILC1-CX3CR1, ILC1-IFNG, and ILC1-IL32. In summary, our extensive multiomics and single-cell analysis shed light on the function and characteristics of the GZM gene family in different types of cancer. These findings emphasize the potential of harnessing the GZM gene family for patient immunotherapy responses and offer new directions for future immunotherapy. Additionally, our findings present a promising avenue for immunotargeted therapy in triple-negative breast cancer.
When Intensive Care Unit nurses delegate oral care to nursing assistants: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Li Xingru , Yao Lin , Yang Xinchen , Huang Meixia , Zhang Bo , Yu Tao , Tang Yun
Published: October 2023

Background
Although oral hygiene is closely related to various diseases, it is sub-optimal in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Oral care in the ICU is challenged by nursing workloads, low staffing, and higher acuity patients, there are few policies and written guidelines for oral care. Nurses often delegate oral care to nursing assistants (NAs) whose role is overlooked. This study is to explore the perspectives, obstacles, and challenges of NAs in the oral care of the ICU.
Methods
A qualitative study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with NAs in three ICU units, and Colaizzi’s phenomenological method was used to analyze the records.
Results
Initially, 13 NAs met the inclusion criteria, and two did not participate in this study as they refused to be recorded. Finally, 11 ICU NAs were interviewed, with three receiving face-to-face interviews and eight receiving telephone interviews. Using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method, two themes and eight subthemes emerged from the data, we examined the self-perception, barriers and challenges of NAs regarding oral care and identified the subthemes: (1) The target audience, frequency, and importance; (2) Role; (3) Evaluation; (4) Patient-related factors; (5) Oral care tools; (6) Psychology of NAs; (7) Lack of education and training; (8) Lack of team support.
Conclusion
Nursing assistants whose roles are overlooked by the nursing team are important members of the ICU team. Though oral care is closely related to disease prevention, it is rarely considered an essential task. Major barriers to implementing oral care in the ICU environment and patients include the psychological quality of participants, non-standard education and training, and inadequate team support. The expectation is that medical personnel will prioritize oral hygiene and recognize the significance of NAs in nursing work. Furthermore, future ICU oral care should investigate suitable tools and mouthwashes, simplified and standardized processes, standardized training, and multidisciplinary team collaboration.
Prediction of Normalized Shear Modulus and Damping Ratio for Granular Soils Over a Wide Strain Range Using Deep Neural Network Modelling
Authors: Bayat Meysam , Mousavi Zohreh , Li Ai-Guo , Yin Zhen-Yu , FENG Wei-Qiang
Published: October 2023

Dynamic properties (i.e., shear modulus and damping ratio) of geomaterials play a vital role in civil engineering applications and are essential for reliable dynamic response analysis. This paper presents a novel approach for predicting the normalized shear modulus (G/Gmax) and damping ratio (D) of granular soils across a wide strain range using a Deep Neural Network (DNN) modeling strategy. Traditional methods for predicting these properties often rely on empirically derived relationships that may not capture the full complexity of granular soil behavior under varying strain conditions. A comprehensive dataset of shear modulus and damping ratio measurements from laboratory cyclic triaxial (CT) and resonant column (RC) tests conducted under various conditions is utilized. The dataset covers a wide range of strain levels, allowing for a more robust and versatile modeling approach. For predicting the G/Gmax and D of granular soils, a Deep Feed-Forward Neural Network (DFFNN) model was developed to learn the features from input data. The proposed model considers the influence of grading characteristics (Gravel Content, GC, median particle size, D50, Uniformity Coefficient, Cu, and Coefficient of Curvature, Cc), shear strain (\(\gamma\)), void ratio (e), mean effective confining pressure (\({\sigma ^{\prime}_m}\)), consolidation stress ratio (KC) and specimens’ preparation method (S-P) as input data. The empirical models (EMs) and three other intelligent techniques, namely Shallow Neural Network (SNN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR) were used for comparison. The testing accuracy of the proposed DFFNN for predicting the G/Gmax and D was 0.9830 and 0.9396, respectively. The results demonstrate that the proposed DFFNN modeling strategy provides a highly accurate means of predicting G/Gmax and D for granular soils across a broad shear strain range. This method offers advantages over EMs by incorporating a data-driven approach that can adapt to the specific behavior of different granular soil types and loading conditions.
Design and Implementation of a High-Level Security Evaluation of Blockchain System
Authors: Qing'an ZHENG , Zhiqiang Xu
Published: October 2023

In recent years, blockchain technology integration and application has gradually become an important driving force for new technological innovation and industrial transformation. While blockchain technology and applications are developing rapidly, the emerging security risks and obstacles have gradually become prominent. Attackers can still find security issues in blockchain systems and conduct attacks, causing increasing losses from network attacks every year. In response to the current demand for blockchain application securitydetection and assessment in all industries, and the insufficient coverage of existing detection technologies such as smart contract detectiontechnology, this paper proposes a blockchain core technology security assessment system model, and studies the relevant detection and assessment key technologies and systems. A security assessment scheme based on a smart contract and consensus mechanism detection scheme is designed. And the underlying blockchain architecture supports the traceability of detection results using super blockchains. Finally, the functionality and performance of the system were tested, and the test results show that the model and solutions proposed in this paper have good feasibility.
Efficacy and safety of a music-therapy facilitated pulmonary telerehabilitation program in COPD patients: The COPDMELODY study protocol
Authors: Shi Minghui , Yang Lulu , Qumu Shiwei , Lei Jieping , Huang Ke , He Ruoxi , Niu Hongtao , Dong Feng , Wang Siyuan , He Jiaze , Yang Ting
Published: October 2023

Background: Despite considerable evidence for the benefit in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is insufficient. However, music therapy may help address this gap due to its unique benefits. Therefore, we aimed to develop a music-therapy facilitated pulmonary telerehabilitation program based on rhythm-guided walking, singing, and objective telemonitoring.
Methods: A supervised, parallel-group, single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial will be conducted, and 75 patients with COPD are anticipated to be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio into three groups. The intervention groups will receive a 12-week remotely monitored rehabilitation program, while the usual care group will not receive any rehabilitation interventions. Of the two intervention groups, the multi-module music therapy group will contain rhythm-guided walking and singing training, while the rhythm-guided walking group will only include music tempo-guided walking. The primary outcome is the distance of the incremental shuttle walking test. Secondary outcomes include respiratory muscle function, spirometry, lower extremity function, symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and depression levels, physical activity level, training adherence, and safety measurements.
Discussion: The results of this study can contribute to develop and evaluate a home-based music-facilitated rehabilitation program, which has the potential to act as a supplement and/or substitute (according to the needs) for traditional center-based PR in patients with stable COPD.
Trial registration number: NCT05832814
Reusable self driven microfluidic pump with large pumping capacity for POCT
Authors: Niu Wenjie , Shan Helu , Bai Yunxia , Li Dongsheng , Liu Xuesheng , Wang Yanhao , Zhang Hongyu
Published: October 2023

There is increasing demand for self-driven microfluidics to facilitate the implementation related technology for rapid point-of-care analysis. The driving flow of contemporary single modular micropumps can reach 0–9 µL·min− 1. To improve pumping capacity, pump body has to be stacked; however, this increases the total volume and reduces the driving time. To address this problem, this study proposes a single modular micropump with the following parameters: driving flow of 0.25–22 µL·min− 1, driving time up to 300 min, and volume ≤ 6000 mm3; three contact surface thicknesses of 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm, and 0.5 mm are designed. The pumping capacity varies with the thickness of polydimethylsiloxane on the effective contact surface. The pump pressure range is designed to meet different pump pressure requirements. Fluid experiments are demonstrated, such as mixing and bisection of microfluidic channels, and various performance parameters of the self-driven micropump are evaluated. As proof of concept, a self-driven colorimetric test for starch detection is demonstrated.
Spatial Network Connectivity Research of Luanchuan Tourism specialized Villages in Henan
Authors: Hu Yujie , Jiang Kailun , Chen Zhun , Chen Taizheng , Wang Wei
Published: October 2023

Tourism specialized villages serve as essential spatial carriers for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. This study, using Luanchuan County in Henan Province as a case study area, employed a modified location advantage model and social network analysis to explore the spatial network structure characteristics of tourism specialized villages in Luanchuan County from 2010 to 2020. The research findings are as follows:The overall density of the spatial network of tourism specialized villages shows an increasing trend. Spatial connections have gradually become more complex and denser. However, the overall network density is not particularly high, indicating the need for further strengthening of connection intensity.Each tourism specialized village plays different roles and functions within the spatial network. Dominant tourism specialized villages in the network tend to cluster together in block-shaped aggregations, and they exhibit a strong "trickle-down effect" on surrounding villages.
Quality of care provided to sick children in health facilities in Ethiopia: a systematic review
Authors: Bayou Negalign Berhanu , Tesfaye Biruk Hailu , Gelaye Kassahun Alemu , Worku Alemayehu , Haneuse Sebastien , Tadesse Lisanu , Bekele Delayehu , Tolera Getachew , Chan Grace J , Nigatu Tsinuel Girma
Published: October 2023

Background
Despite the increasing number of primary studies on the quality of health care for sick children in Ethiopia, the findings have not been systematically synthesized to inform quality improvement in policies or strategies. This systematic review synthesized published evidence on the quality of care provided to sick children in Ethiopia's health facilities and on related barriers and enablers.
Methods
We searched studies that measured the structure, process, and outcome measures of quality of care as proposed by Donabedian’s framework. We searched in PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science using the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework. Grey literature was searched in Google Scholar and institutional websites. We appraised the studies’ quality using the Mixed Method Quality Appraisal Tool version 2018. Data were analysed using content thematic analysis and presented using a narrative approach.
Results
We included 36 of 701 studies. Thirty (83.3%) were nonexperimental including 21 (70%) cross-sectional studies and 5 (16.7%) qualitative studies. Of the 31 facility-based studies, 29 (93.5%) were conducted in public facilities. The structural, technical and interpersonal processes of care were low quality. While some studies reported the effectiveness of interventions in reducing child mortality, the uptake of services and providers’ and caretakers’ experiences were suboptimal. The major structural barriers to providing quality care included inadequacy of essential drugs, supplies and equipment, training, clinical guidelines, and ambulance services. Caretakers’ non-compliance to referral advice was a common demand-side barrier. The enabling factors were implementing various health system strengthening interventions including quality improvement strategies such as user-centered service delivery and optimizing engagement of community-level structures such as health promotors and religious leaders to create demand.
Conclusion
The quality of care provided to sick children in health facilities is generally low in Ethiopia. Structural barriers were common constraints to quality care provision. Health systems strengthening and quality improvement interventions were identified as enablers. More research is needed on the quality of care provided in private facilities.
Contact Problem for an Interface Crack Under Action of a Moving Punch
Authors: Kudish Ilya , Sahakyan Avetik , Hakobyan Vahram , Amirjanyan Harutyun
Published: October 2023

Nowadays coatings are used in many applications to reduce contact friction, reduce energy losses, improve wear and pitting resistance etc. in various machine parts. In some cases coating applications are limited due to coating delamination. The latter is caused by a crack growth due to cyclic loading along a coating interface with the substrate. The paper is focused on modeling and analyzing the behavior of interface cracks between a coating and a substrate. A flat rigid punch subjected to normal and tangential loading is slowly moving along the solid surface. The solid is represented by an elastic half-plane covered by two elastic layers bonded to each other and to the substrate. The elastic materials of the coatings and the substrate are homogeneous but different. The thickness of the layer adjacent to the substrate is considered to be (significantly) smaller than the one above it. This thin layer plays the role of the interface between the other one and the substrate. The interface layer has a crack parallel to its surface and located in the middle of it. The crack surfaces are free from friction and can partially open/closed or completely open/closed. Some numerical results for the crack stress intensity factors and other solution parameters are presented for cracks small and comparable in size with the punch contact region. Insert your abstract here. Include keywords, PACS and mathematical subject classification numbers as needed.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) MSC 74A45 · MSC 74G70 · MSC 65R20
Association between estimated pulse wave velocity and in-hospital and one-year mortality of patients with chronic kidney disease and atherosclerotic heart disease: a retrospective cohort analysis of the MIMIC-IV database
Authors: Cui Xinhai , Shi Huishan , Hu Yuanlong , Zhang Zhiyuan , Lu Mengkai , Wu Jibiao , Li Chao
Published: October 2023

Background Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity has been identified as an autonomous predictor of cardiovascular mortality and kidney injury. This important clinical parameter can be non-invasively estimated using the calculated pulse wave velocity (ePWV). The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between ePWV and in-hospital as well as one-year mortality among critically ill patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD).Methods This study included a cohort of 1173 patients diagnosed with both CKD and ASHD, sourced from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The four groups were compared using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve to assess variations in survival rates. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to analyze the correlation between ePWV and in-hospital as well as one-year mortality among critically ill patients with both CKD and ASHD. To further investigate the dose-response relationship, a restricted cubic splines (RCS) model was utilized. Additionally, stratification analyses were performed to examine the impact of ePWV on hospital and one-year mortality across different subgroups.Results The survival analysis results revealed a negative correlation between higher ePWV and survival rate. After adjusting for confounding factors, higher ePWV exhibited a statistically significant association with an increased risk of both in-hospital and one-year mortality among patients diagnosed with both CKD and ASHD (HR = 5.32, 95% CI = 1.92–14.71, P = 0.010; HR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.07–3.39, P = 0.031). The analysis incorporating an RCS model confirmed a linear escalation in the risk of both in-hospital and one-year mortality with rising ePWV values (P for nonlinearity = 0.251; P for nonlinearity = 0.646).Conclusions Elevated ePWV was strongly correlated with an elevated mortality risk in patients diagnosed with both CKD and ASHD. Additionally, the ePWV was found to independently predict both in-hospital and one-year mortality in critically ill patients with coexisting CKD and ASHD.
Inhibition of caspases 3/6 and cathepsins L/B decreases apoptosis caused by laminopathy in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Rustamzadeh Auob , Tafakhori Abbas , Ariaei Armin , Heydari Mahdi , Shah-abadi Mehran Ebrahimi , Seif Farhad
Published: October 2023

Background
Laminopathy is one of the pathological manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease, leading to neuron apoptosis. We aimed to evaluate the inhibitor enzymes potentially involved in laminopathy.
Methods
The mRNA expression of the cathepsins L and B, caspases 3 and 6, lamins b1 and b2, granzymes A and B, and lamins A and C were extracted and analyzed from GSE5281 and GSE28146 datasets. A total number of 143 ligands structurally similar to the inhibitors of selected enzymes were implemented through molecular docking. Subsequently, 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) with NAMD and Martini 3 were performed for two selected ligands.
Results
The expression level of the mRNAs highlighted caspase 6 and lamin A/C upregulation in the hippocampus of the AD samples, in contrast to cathepsin B, lamin b2, and caspase 3. Moreover, there was a strong correlation between the expression level of cathepsin B, lamin A/C, and caspase 6 in the AD group. Besides, in exploring potential inhibitors for the enzymes involved in the laminopathy, molecules with PubChem id of 608841, and ChEMBL id of 550872 were selected. Eventually, the MD results suggested the molecule with PubChem id of 608841 to be more stable in complex with the receptor.
Conclusion
We indicate that lamins A/C, cathepsins B/L, caspase 6, and lamin b2 are associated with laminopathy as the potential factor of apoptosis in AD. We suggest that simultaneous inhibition of caspases 3/6 and cathepsins L/B may decrease the rate of apoptosis triggered by lamin degradation.
AFF-YOLO: A Real-time Industrial Defect Detection method based on Attention Mechanism and Feature Fusion
Authors: Mehta Manas
Published: October 2023

Steel, as a pivotal material in industrial society, demands stringent quality control to ensure its structural integrity and safety. Surface defects in steel pose significant challenges to the manufacturing process, affecting mechanical properties and visual aesthetics. In this paper, we introduce an enhanced version of the YOLOv5 object detection model tailored for the precise identification of surface defects in steel plates. Our proposed architecture incorporates innovative modifications, including the integration of an Effective Channel Attention Network (ECA-Net) specifically within the neck of the network to enhance attention and filtering, allowing the model to focus on relevant steel surface defects while reducing noise and distractions. In addition to the change made in the neck of the architecture, the Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) concatenation was added to introduce bidirectional informational flow. Finally, Adaptive Spatial Feature Fusion (ASFF) in the prediction head which enhances feature fusion across different scales, enabling the model to better learn and recognize complex patterns associated with steel defects. These enhancements empower the YOLOv5 network to focus on relevant objects while filtering out distracting information, resulting in improved accuracy and detection speed. To evaluate the model's performance, we conducted experiments using the NEU-DET dataset as a base and then further enhanced it with preprocessing techniques. Our model was compared it with the original YOLOv5 object detection algorithm, and achieved an mAP of 84.7%. Our findings demonstrate a remarkable 6.5% increase in mean Average Precision (mAP) compared to the original YOLOv5 architecture while maintaining an FPS of 97.08 for real-time usage, affirming the effectiveness of our proposed enhancements.
Flotillin-1 as a housekeeping target mediates Nrf2 inhibition of blood–retinal barrier ferroptosis in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Zhang Jie , Chang Ke , Shangguan Yanyu , Yan Hui , Bai Shanwang , Yu Zicheng , Li Bing
Published: October 2023

Disruption of the blood-retinal barrier causes the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The mechanism of damage to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, retinal microvascular endothelial cells, and related targets is still awaiting in depth studies. In this study, flotillin-1, a key protein downregulated during the progression of DR, was screened by basic bioinformatics and was found to positively regulate Nrf2, which was further investigated and found to regulate the occurrence of SLC7A11-induced(a cystine-glutamate antiporter) ferroptosis. The downregulation of flotillin-1 levels that occurred at the time of DR due to the toxic stimulation of high glucose levels may have acted as a signal housekeeper on the surface of the cell membrane to participate in the bioregulation of intracellular and extracellular, releasing the downstream key sign. This notion was supported by the measured levels of glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), a negative regulator protein of ferroptosis and reactive oxygen species(ROS) concentration causing intracellular lipid peroxidation. By contrast, increasing the level of flotillin-1 could alleviate the ferroptosis mechanism of blood-retinal barrier(BRB) related cells and accelerate DR-induced damage to the RPE layer and disruption of the medial microvascular barrier. Thus, downregulation of flotillin-1 at the onset of DR can trigger the onset of SLC7A11-induced ferroptosis in blood-retinal barrier associated cells through downstream transmission of signals to downstream Nrf2, a phenomenon that can be mitigated by upregulating the expression level of flotillin-1. This finding suggests that targeting flotillin-1 can treat the onset and development of DR and improve the prognosis of patients.
Effect of different sugars on non-enzymatic browning and flavor in Choerospondias axillaris composite fruit puree using principal component analysis
Authors: Ye Yang , Xiao Chuanquan , Deng Wenxin , Li Anjiao , Tong Kai , Wang Yang
Published: October 2023

A Non-enzymatic browning reaction of Choerospondias axillaris composite fruit puree has occurred during storage, which diminishes its edibility. In this study, the effects of sucrose, maltose, and glucose on the quality and flavor of fruit puree were investigated by analyzing the changes in non-enzymatic browning-related indicators. The results showed that after 7 days of storage, the highest levels of total phenols (1.578 mg/mL), Vitamin C (3.084 mg/100g), and reducing sugars (1.692 mg/mL) were found in glucose + maltose, sucrose, and maltose, respectively; Sucrose resulted in the lowest browning index (0.268) and pH value (3.29); The lowest HMF content (0.597 mg/L) was observed in the glucose. Changes in the content of various indicators suggest that the degradation of Vitamin C may be the primary mechanism of non-enzymatic browning in the early stages of fruit puree storage. Aroma composition and principal component analysis indicate that the contribution of sweeteners to flavor substances, from highest to lowest, is glucose, maltose, and sucrose. The top four overall score rankings are sucrose, glucose + sucrose, maltose, and glucose + maltose + sucrose.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Dental Care Utilization During Pregnancy: Findings from the North and South Dakota PRAMS, 2017-2021
Authors: Testa Alexander , Jackson Dylan B. , Crawford Allison , Mungia Rahma , Ganson Kyle T. , Nagata Jason M.
Published: October 2023

Background: Research demonstrates adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—i.e., experiences of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction—adversely impact healthcare utilization over the life course. Several studies demonstrate that ACEs are related to lower dental care utilization in childhood and adolescence. However, limited research has explored the connection between ACEs and dental care utilization in adulthood, and no research has examined this relationship during pregnancy. The current study extends existing research by investigating the relationship between ACEs and dental care utilization during pregnancy.
Data: Data are from the 2017-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) North Dakota and South Dakota (n = 7,391). Multiple logistic regression is used to examine the relationship between the number of ACEs and dental care utilization.
Findings: Relative to respondents with 0 ACEs, those with 4 or more ACEs were significantly less likely to report having dental care during pregnancy (OR = 0.745, 95% CI = .628, .883). By racial and ethnic background, the results showed that the significant associations are concentrated among White and Native American respondents.
Conclusions: The results suggest that exposure to 4 or more ACEs is associated with a significantly lower likelihood of dental care utilization in adulthood, and this relationship is concentrated among White and Native American respondents. Further investigations are necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between ACEs and dental care utilization and replicate the findings in other geographic contexts.
Cytokine adsorption in patients with cardiac arrest receiving extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CAECR): a randomized controlled clinical trial protocol
Authors: Chen Chen , Zhou Hao , Yang Yang , Zhang Gang , Zhang Zhongman , Li Wei , Chen Xufeng
Published: October 2023

Introduction
: Even after the introduction of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), clinical prognosis following cardiac arrest (CA) remains poor. Post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) may contribute to cardiovascular instability and death after ECPR. Systemic inflammation constitutes is a significant component of PCAS, and the severity of PCAS is associated with the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Preliminary investigations supported further assessments of cytokine adsorption as adjunctive therapy for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and septic shock. This study aims to investigate whether cytokine adsorption can shorten the duration of Vein-Artery Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VA-ECMO) therapy in ECPR patients.
Methods and analysis:
The CAECR trial will be a single-center, randomized controlled, open-label trial. Patients will be randomized into two balanced parallel groups in a 1:1 ratio at the onset of ECMO initiation. Patients in the control group will undergo ECPR and receive standardized care, while those in the intervention group will undergo cytokine adsorption in addition to ECPR and receive standardized care. A 2-1-1 protocol will be adopted for cytokine adsorption: two units will be used for 12 h in the first 24 h, and then one unit per day for 24 h in the following 2 days. The primary outcome will be the duration of VA-ECMO therapy. The secondary outcomes will include related inflammatory markers, coagulation parameters, hemodynamic parameters, respiratory mechanics parameters, mechanical ventilation(MV) time, continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) time, and changes in vasoactive-inotropic score(VIS). To comprehensively evaluate the effect of cytokine adsorption on perioperative outcomes, we will also determine whether there are differences in the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, total hospitalization costs, and all-cause mortality.
f-MRI and High Throughput mRNA sequencing reveals potenti-al therapeutic targets of Si-Ni-San in a stress-induced depressionmodel
Authors: Li Junling , Zhang Yan , Li Te , Nie binbin , Qi Fang , Chen Qijun , Chen Tianxing , Liu Yuhang , Li Yubo , Li Gaifen
Published: October 2023

Background: Despite the confirmed good efficacy of Si-Ni-San (SNS) in the treatment of depression, its antidepressant mechanism has remained unclear. Th-is study aimed to systematically explore the potential target brain areas and m-olecular biological basis of SNS in the treatment of depression.
Methods: Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, 18 male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were divided into three groups: a Control (C) group, a Model（M）group and a Stress + SNS (MS) group. The potential target brain regi-ons of SNS were explored using f-MRI. In experiment 2, 32 rats were rando-mly divided into four groups, with the same three groups (C, M and MS) andan additional Stress + Fluoxetine (MF) group. Open field test (OFT), sucrose
preference test (SPT), object recognition test (ORT) were performed to test S-NS’s antidepressant effect. High Throughput mRNA Sequencing (RNA-seq) was us-ed to explore the possible gene targets of SNS on the crucial brain region and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to verify the result. High-performance liquid chromatography was utilized to detect the neurotrans-mitters. Finally, correlation analyses between the behavior, genes, and neurotra-nsmitters were conducted to explore the relationship between them.
Results: Fifteen brain regions affected by SNS were screened out in experiment 1. In experiment 2, SNS significantly improved sucrose preference in the SPT and B-A in the ORT compared to the M group (P<0.05). Pons was selected from the fifteen brain regions for detailed study. RNA-seqfiltered 49 DEGs that SNS can reverse on the CUMS-depression model. Real-time PCR detected six genes, including Cplx2, Serpinf1, Nrg1, Anxa1, Arrb1 and Psen1. SNS significantly reversed the changes in the genes of Anxa1, Nrg1, and Psen1 caused by CUMS (P<0.05), which aligns with the DEGs result. SNS significantly reversed the NE change in the CUMS model. The correlation analysis discovered 18 noteworthy correlations between the behavior, genes, and neurotransmitters (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Pons is an important target brain region for SNS to exert its ant-idepressant effect. SNS may improve the level of pontine NE by regulating the genes of Anxa1, Nrg1, and Psen1, thereby exerting anti-depression and improv-ing cognitive function.
Temporal Dynamic of Hemoglobin Levels and Its Impact on Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 3- 4 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ye Shuqi , Zhu Fan , Gan Wenyuan , Chen Wenli
Published: October 2023

Background: Anemia is one of the most prevalent complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Previous researches have indicated associations between anemia and renal outcomes. However, recurrent limitations in these studies are their exclusive reliance on baseline hemoglobin (Hb) levels, leaving the implications of longitudinal Hb fluctuations on the progression of CKD uncharted.
Methods: In this cohort of 2,336 CKD stages 3-4 patients, we investigated the relationship between Hb levels, its temporal variations, and composite renal outcomes.
Result: The average follow-up period was 552.5 days (289.3-971.0), with 834 individuals (35.7%) experiencing the composite renal endpoints. Using a fully adjusted cubic spline model with Hb treated as a continuous variable showed that the relationship between Hb and the renal composite outcomes was non-linear. Additionally, in an adjusted multivariate Cox model, participants in the Q4 (12-13 g/dL) and Q5 (>13 g/dL) groups with higher Hb levels had a significantly lower risk of composite renal outcomes compared to the Q1 group (<10 g/dL) (HR=0.57, 0.50, respectively, all p<0.001). A similar trend is observed in time-varying multivariate models that incorporate the longitudinal dynamics of Hb levels (HR=0.25, 0.25, respectively, all p<0.001).
Conclusion: In the groups with higher Hb levels, the occurrence of renal endpoint events was notably lower than in the groups with lower Hb levels. Additionally, based on the longitudinal dynamics of Hb levels, the risk of renal endpoint events decreased progressively with rising Hb levels.
A gene expression signature based on cell-death related gene expression in multiple myeloma
Authors: Zhu Hongkai , Deng Zeyu , Li Ruijuan , Zhang Rong , Wang Zhihua , Li Heng , Yin Le , Ruan Xueqin , Cheng Zhao , Yuan Zhaoshun , Peng Hongling
Published: October 2023

Background
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a complex hematological malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled monoclonal expansion of malignant plasma cells within the bone marrow. The identification of reliable prognostic biomarkers is paramount in the precise risk stratification of MM patients and the tailoring of personalized therapeutic interventions.
Methods
This comprehensive study harnessed gene expression profiles and clinical data obtained from a cohort of 2080 Multiple myeloma patients drawn from five distinct datasets. These resources were leveraged to construct a prognostic model centered around the intricate phenomenon of cell death. We meticulously integrated microarray gene expression data from the GEO database and the MMRF-CoMMpass dataset sourced from the TCGA website. Our approach for formulating the cell death signature encompassed genes associated with a diverse array of cell death mechanisms, including apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. Utilizing Lasso regression, we meticulously selected variables and assigned weights, ultimately culminating in the selection of 40 genes for the development of the cell death risk score model. In addition, we conducted a thorough gene set enrichment analysis to probe the biological pathways that underwent aberrant activation within the high-risk patient cohort.
Results
Our cell death prognosis model exhibited exceptional proficiency in predicting overall survival. When integrated with the International Staging System (ISS), our model further refined the precision of prognosis prediction. Furthermore, our gene set enrichment analysis unveiled the abnormal activation of multiple pivotal biological pathways within the high-risk patient subset.
Conclusion
The prognosis model founded upon cell death-associated genes not only offers outstanding predictive performance but also facilitates the enhanced identification of high-risk MM patients. It stands as a robust tool for customizing treatment strategies and refining risk stratification. This groundbreaking research holds substantial promise in advancing our understanding of MM pathogenesis, thereby bolstering the development of more efficacious therapeutic approaches.
Removal of Atrazine from Contaminated Water by Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots
Authors: Hellal Ahmed , Abdelsalam Hazem , Tawfik Prof Walid , Ibrahim Medhat A.
Published: October 2023

The limitation of clean water supplies and the increment of water pollution resources, like industrial processes, oil pollution, and herbicides, are urgent reasons for introducing new techniques for treating contaminated water. Atrazine is heavily used as a herbicide due to its high effectiveness and low price. However, its environmental persistence causes water contamination, and human exposure to AAtrazine is linked to several health effects.
This work presents a simulation study of the possibility of removing the Atrazine Atrazine from water by functionally activated carbon quantum dots (CQDs), using density functional theory (DFT)at a B3LYP level basis set. The activity of CQDs C46 with a total dipole moment of 0.9 is enhanced by the attachment of chemical groups; for instance, attaching CN and NO2 groups increases the total dipole moment to 8.744 and 9.123, respectively. The effect of the functionalized groups Carboxyl and cyanide was investigated, and confirmed that there was no structure deformation due to the functionalization process. Analysis of the obtained data shows the remarkable adsorption ability of CQDs activated by CN and NO2 groups toward the removal of atrazine herbicides due to positive adsorption energy 1.31, 128, and 1.3 eV obtained from pristine, Carboxyl, and cyanide Graphene respectively. According to the calculated total charge on the complexes Atrazine and CQD and Functionalized CQD, charge transfer mainly depends on the interaction pattern. The values of charges were -0.02, 0.004, and -0.004 for pristine, -Carboxyl, and cyanide graphene, respectively. Therefore, the observed results demonstrated the possibility of applying the chemically modified carbon quantum dots as a potential candidate for the treatment of contaminated water.
Explaining the relation between life expectancy and income inequality with fuzzy linguistic summaries
Authors: Rutkowska Aleksandra , Kaczmarek-Majer Katarzyna , Bartkowiak Marcin , Hryniewicz Olgierd
Published: October 2023

Life expectancy is an essential indicator of economic development and health status. However, the related databases describing the overall life expectancy are relatively large and created under conditions of uncertainty, particularly regarding adjustments related to redistributing deaths of unknown age or splitting data into finer age categories. In parallel, comprehension of general trends related to the life expectancy indicator is a crucial topic from the perspective of both the private and public sectors. It supports long-term decision-making about social policies. The key question addressed in this study is the relation between life expectancy and income inequality. Fuzzy linguistic summarization is applied to explore the inequity measured with the Gini coefficient and life expectancy. We show that the outcomes of this intelligent linguistic analysis reveal new information that complements the traditional correlation analysis. The fuzzy summarization approach enables capturing and explaining, in a human-consistent way, the relations between the considered indicators. The experimental results are presented for yearly data from 24 European countries observed from 1995 to 2021. The results are promising and show the usefulness of the linguistic summarization approach for explaining the relation between life expectancy and income inequality. In particular, although the length of life varies according to gender, the relationship between life expectancy and inequality follows a similar pattern for females and males. The relationship may seem intuitive, but previous research does not confirm it unequivocally. Furthermore, our study shows a level of inequality for which changes in income distribution do not significantly impact life expectancy.
JEL Classification: C0 , J1
Maternal Heart Rate Variability at 3-Months Postpartum: Associations with Mental Health and Infant Neurophysiological Function
Authors: Brandes-Aitken Annie , Hume Amy , Werchan Denise , Zhang Maggie , Brito Natalie H.
Published: October 2023

Previous research has demonstrated a critical link between maternal stress and infant development. However, there is limited understanding of how stress physiology may influence a mother’s mental state and her infant's neurophysiological functions. In the current study, we tested 79 mothers and their 3-month infants from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. We recorded simultaneous ECG from mother-infant dyads while baseline EEG was collected from the infant. Heart rate variability (HRV) factor scores were calculated using both linear and non-linear measures, and we computed theta-beta ratio and alpha asymmetry as EEG markers for cognitive control and emotion regulation, respectively. Results first demonstrated that higher maternal heart rate variability (mHRV) was associated with lower self-reported maternal depression, anxiety, and perceived stress scores. Second, results showed positive concordance between mHRV with infant HRV scores. Finally, mHRV was not associated with differences in alpha asymmetry, but higher mHRV was associated with lower theta-beta ratios, reflecting less theta power relative to beta power. These findings suggest that mHRV may serve as a valuable physiological marker for stress regulation, influencing broader psychological states and potentially playing a role in regulating infant neurophysiology, which could result in longitudinal variations in infant self-regulation abilities.
Fat-to-muscle mass ratio is associated with physical activity and dietary intake of protein, carbohydrate, sodium, and fiber, independent of sex, age, and body mass index: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Fujita Satoshi , Nishikori Shu
Published: October 2023

Higher fat-to-muscle mass ratio (FMR) is reported to be a risk factor for various diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and mortality. Although this association suggests that reducing FMR may help to prevent certain diseases and mortality, the relationship between FMR and lifestyle factors is unclear. Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional study with the aim to elucidate this relationship. This cross-sectional study included 1,518 healthy Japanese adults aged 30 to 64 years. We measured FMR in the whole body, arms, legs, and trunk and assessed various lifestyle factors. Then, we performed forced entry multiple regression analyses for FMR with the following variables: sex, age, physical activity, dietary intake, sleep quality, cigarette smoking, stress levels, and body mass index. As a result, whole-body and regional FMRs were correlated with female sex (b = 0.71); age (b = 0.06); physical activity (b = -0.07); dietary intake of protein (b = -0.12), carbohydrate (b = 0.04), sodium (b = 0.13), and fiber (b = -0.16); and body mass index (b = 0.70). The results suggest that in the Japanese middle-aged population, FMR is associated with certain lifestyle factors, i.e., higher physical activity and a diet with higher protein and fiber and lower carbohydrate and sodium, independent of age, sex, and body mass index.
Outstanding ferroelectric properties in the narrow bandgap cobalt- substituted BiFeO 3 spin-coated films
Authors: Zhang Jing , Dai Jian-Qing , Zhang Guang-Cheng , Zhu Xin-Jian
Published: October 2023

Thin films of BiFe1 − xCoxO3 (BFCO, x = 0-0.05) were prepared using the sol-gel method and deposited on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/glass substrate. The crystal structure, surface morphology, dielectric properties, polarization, and optical characteristics of the BFCO thin films were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy analyses show that Co doping induces lattice distortion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrate that BFCO films with x = 0.03 possess uniform fine grains, which are crucial for their ferroelectric properties. From XPS pattern, it can be observed that Co doping can inhibit the conversion of Fe3+ into Fe2+ and BiFe0.97Co0.03O3 film greatly reduces the oxygen vacancy concentration. Therefore, BiFe0.97Co0.03O3 film was found to have the lowest leakage current density (J = 7.18×10− 7 A/cm2). The film demonstrates outstanding remnant polarization at room temperature, with a value of Pr = 152.1 µC/cm2, more than twice the magnitude of that in pure BFO (Pr = 72.33 µC/cm2). Moreover, the dielectric properties of BFCO films show a significant improvement when compared to those of pure BFO samples. This enhancement can be attributed to the Co doping-induced structural transition, along with a reduction in grain size and a decrease in the concentration of oxygen vacancies. Additionally, the BiFe0.97Co0.03O3 film exhibits a narrower band gap (Eg = 1.69 eV) in comparison to the BFO film (Eg = 1.87 eV). Consequently, this expansion in the range of photovoltaic applications for BFO films can be achieved.
Integrative Analysis of the Microbiome and Metabolome of Broiler Intestine: Insights into the Mechanisms of Probiotic Action as an Antibiotic Substitute
Authors: Li Yang , Zhang Jian-Ling , Deng Jun-Jin , Chen Zhuang , Liu Shi , Liu Jing , Huang Wen-Jie , Li Jia-Zhou , Ruan Dong , Wang Zhi-Lin
Published: October 2023

Antibiotic substitutes have become a research focus due to restrictions on antibiotic usage. Among the antibiotic substitutes on the market, probiotics have been extensively researched and used. However, the mechanism by which probiotics replace antibiotics remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigated this mechanism by comparing the effects of probiotics and antibiotics on broiler growth performance and intestinal microbiota composition. Results shown that both probiotics and antibiotics increased daily weight gain and reduced feed conversion rate in broilers. Analysis of ileum and cecum microorganisms via 16S sequencing revealed that both interventions decreased intestinal microbial diversity. Moreover, the abundance of Bacteroides increased in the mature ileum, while that of Erysipelatoclostridium decreased in the cecum in response to both probiotics and antibiotics. The main metabolites of probiotics and antibiotics in the intestine were found to be organic acids, amino acids, and sugars, which might play comparable roles in growth performance. Furthermore, disaccharides and trisaccharides may be essential components in the ileum that enable probiotics to replace antibiotics. These findings provide important insights into the mechanisms underlying the use of probiotics as antibiotic substitutes in animal breeding.