bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of corrosion behavior of 321 stainless steel in NaCl solution
Authors: Li Yintao , Wang Yutuo , Zhang Zhengquan , Zhou Yuanlin , Wang Shanqiang
Published: August 2023

321 stainless steel has high room temperature strength and oxidation resistance. It is investigated that the corrosion resistance of 321 stainless steel in hydrochloric acid solutions containing different concentrations of NaCl in the research. The alloy is mainly composed of austenitic stainless steel. The results of electrochemical tests were analyzed, and it was confirmed that NaCl could promote the corrosion of 321 stainless steel, but the corrosion would be suppressed to a certain extent when the NaCl concentration reached 0.10 mol/L. The research results can provide a reference for the corrosion resistance improvement research of 321 stainless steel.
Effects of flowering mode and pollinator sharing on reproductive success in natural hybrid of two Epimedium (Berberidaceae) species
Authors: Chen Lan-ying , Quan Qiumei , Li Yunxiang
Published: August 2023

Natural hybridization mediated by pollen flow has been considered as an important factor to drive speciation in floral plants. The diversity of Epimedium species is centered in southwestern China, yet the potential role of interspecific pollination in natural hybridization has not been empirically examined. The flowering period and floral visitors, and conducted a series of pollination experiments to examine breeding systems and hybrid compatibility within three Epimedium which are commonly sympatric in the Jinchengshan National Foreast Park, Nanchong of Sichuan Province. Epimedium pubescens and Epimedium wushanense are morphologically clearly distinct and easily recognied by flower morphology, the putative hybrids (not been named) are morphologically between them. We found that E. pubescens and E. wushanense had 15 days of overlapping anthesis during consecutive three years of observation. Both species in research region are self-incompatible and need pollinators service for successful reproduction. Their pollinators are different in quantity and species, but Lasioglossum spp. (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) visited all of them. No breeding barrier between any of the three species were detected by artificial pollination, and the hybrids seeds were fertile. The overlapping time of flowering, common floral visitors and compatible of hybrid may be important factors to make interspecific pollination and speciation successfully for natural hybrids species of E. pubescens and E. wushanense. The role of potential interspecific pollination is essential to hybrids speciation and the evolution of Epimedium species.
Bone marrow stromal antigen 2 is associated with immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer
Authors: Fu Yuewu , Fu Tiannan , Zhou Youtao
Published: August 2023

Aims
This study aimed to investigate the involvement of bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2) in the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer (CRC).
Methods
BST2 expression profiles, clinical information, and chemosensitivity data of CRC patients were downloaded from TCGA, GEO, and GDSC databases. The relationship between BST2 and immune cell infiltration was evaluated using CIBERSORT and TIMER. Immune-related coexpressed genes of BST2 were identified by GeneMANIA and Immport. A prognostic model containing BST2 and immune-related genes was constructed and tested by ROC curves. Kaplan-Meier plot was used for survival analysis. BST2 promoter methylation and the correlation of BST2 expression with TMB and MSI were assessed using UALCAN and SangerBox.
Results
BST2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in high-stage CRC tumors compared with those in low-stage tumors and correlated with poor survival of patients. The fractions of M1 macrophages, CD8+ T cells, and gamma delta T cells were markedly increased in patients with high BST2 expression versus those with low BST2 expression. IFITM1, ISG15, MX1, and OAS1 were identified as immune-related coexpressed genes of BST2 in CRC and performed well in predicting the overall survival of patients. Furthermore, BST2 expression was associated with DNA methylation and positively correlated with TMB and MSI in CRC. BST2 expression also positively correlated with IC50 values of chemotherapeutic agents in patients with MSI-L/MSS CRC.
Conclusion
BST2 upregulation is associated with the immune microenvironment of CRC and poor prognosis of patients. Patients with high expression of BST2 or MSI-H CRC may respond well to immunotherapy.
Warfarin tautomers in solution: a structural, computational and thermodynamic study
Authors: Osborne Daniel A. , Danielyan Edward , Hoang Khoi , Valente Edward
Published: August 2023

Variable temperature NMR spectroscopic measurements on (S)-warfarin [open-form: 3-(1’-phenyl-3’-oxobut-1’-yl)-4-hydroxycoumarin] in CDCl3, CD3OD and d6-DMSO generally showed tautomeric compositions in the order trans (2S,4S) coumarin hemiketal > cis (2R,4S) coumarin hemiketal > open (S) coumarin enol in slow dynamic equilibrium over temperature ranges rising modestly from ambient. A computational (DFT - M06-2X) examination of the lower energy tautomers including coumarin and chromone open and cyclic forms (gas phase, chloroform or DMSO fields) was consistent with the general solution compositions. The crystal and molecular structures for model compounds of the major solution tautomers are reported: (2S,4S)-warfarin methyl ketal [orthorhombic, P212121], (2R,4S)-warfarin methyl ketal [orthorhombic, P212121], (rac)-warfarin-4-methyl ether [monoclinic, P21/n], and the open chromone (S)-warfarin-2-methyl ether [monoclinic, P21, Z = 8]. A combination of direct integration and line-fitting methods were used to determine solution (S)-warfarin tautomer compositions. As temperatures were increased, the concentrations of the open coumarin form increased at the expense of the cyclic hemiketals. Equilibrium constants were used to determine the standard free-energy differences for the two open-cyclic equilibria (trans hemiketal open, open cis hemiketal, respectively) in three solvents: CDCl3 [+ 3.7(4), -2.8(6) kJ/mol], CD3OD [+ 7.6(16), -4.7(9) k/mol], d6-DMSO [+ 3.5(7), -1.1(2) kJ/mol]. Standard enthalpy and entropy differences were also determined from van’t Hoff analysis. Rates of the respective reactions were estimated from line-widths for the cyclic hemiketals and solution equilibrium compositions for each species. Eyring analysis gave ΔG‡, ΔH‡, and ΔS‡, respectively, for the forward and reverse reactions of coumarin trans hemiketal open-form and for the open-form cis hemiketal. Negative entropic contributions to the observed transition state energies were consistent with solvent or solute ordering in the prototropic reactions. Open-form NMR signals were broader than could be accounted for by the open-cyclic equilibria alone, increasingly so in polar and protic solvents and with rising temperatures. While a conformational equilibrium may operate, an increasingly faster intermediate dynamic equilibrium between open coumarin-chromone tautomers may be a more likely explanation.
Comparative analysis of transposable elements reveals the diversity of transposable elements in decapoda and their effects on genomic evolution
Authors: Xu Yuanfeng , Tang Yongkai , Feng Wenrong , Yang Yanan , Cui Zhaoxia
Published: August 2023

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that exist in the host genome and exert considerable influence on the evolution of the host genome. Since crustaceans, including decapoda, are considered ideal models for studying the relationship between adaptive evolution and TEs, TEs were identified and classified in the genomes of eight decapoda species and one diplostraca species (as the outgroup) using two strategies, namely homology-based annotation and de novo annotation. The statistics and classification of TEs showed that their proportion in the genome and their taxonomic composition in decapoda were different. Moreover, correlation analysis and transcriptome data demonstrated that there were more PIF-Harbinger TEs in the genomes of Eriocheir sinensis and Scylla paramamosain, and the expression patterns of PIF-Harbingers were significantly altered under air exposure stress conditions. These results signaled that PIF-Harbingers expanded in the genome of E. sinensis and S. paramamosain and might be related to their air exposure tolerance levels. Meanwhile, sequence alignment revealed that some Jockey-like sequences (JLSs) with high similarity to specific regions of the White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) genome existed in all eight decapod species. At the same time, phylogenetic comparison exposed that the phylogenetic tree constructed by JLSs was not in agreement with that of the species tree, and the distribution of each branch was significantly different. The above-mentioned results signaled that these WSSV-specific JLSs might originate from the endogenesis of WSSV and were horizontally transferred via WSSV. This study accumulated data for expanding research on TEs in decapod species and also provided new insights and future direction for the breeding of stress-resistant and disease-resistant crab breeds.
Electrospun polysulfone hybrid nanocomposite fibers as membrane for separating oil/water emulsion
Authors: Ponnamma Deepalekshmi , Elgawady Yara , Hassan Mohamed , Adham Samer , Al-Maas Mashael , Alamgir Karim , Al-Maadeed Mariam
Published: August 2023

Commercial polymer membranes are largely utilized to separate oil/water mixtures, however membrane fouling, flux decline and short lifetime often inhibit their high performance. In order to resolve these drawbacks of the commercial membranes, we introduce a surface modification strategy following the electrospinning method. Electrospun fibers of polysulfone (PSf)/iron oxide (FeO)/halloysite nanotubes (HNT) nanocomposite is applied to modify the polyether sulfone (PES) standard membrane support surface for developing highly efficient oil/water emulsion separating membranes. This facile and simple spinning process for shorter periods ensures nanocomposite coatings on the standard PES membranes and allows better oil/water separation process. We analyze the structural and morphological characteristics of the modified membrane surface in addition to the hydrophilicity from contact angle studies. FeO nanoparticles of 2-5 nm and HNTs of <50 nm size mixed in PSf produce fibers of 531 ± 162 nm average diameter at a relatively lower applied electrical voltage 14.5 kV, compared to PSf. Under water and under oil contact angle values are used to prove the surface characteristics of the membranes and TOC values for the emulsion separation performance. From PES support to PSf and to PSf/HNT-FeO, the TOC values respectively change from 67 % to 75 % and to 79 %. We find the moderately hydrophilic membranes resulting in the higher permeate flux and quicker separation performance. We believe this study provides a notable solution to modify the surface of commercial membranes for better emulsion separation performance.
LINC01852 inhibits tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer by regulating SRSF5-mediated PKM alternative splicing
Authors: Bian Zehua , Yang Fan , Xu Peiwen , Gao Ge , Yang Chunyu , Cao Yulin , Yao Surui , Wang Xue , Yin Yuan , Fei Bojian , Huang Zhaohui
Published: August 2023

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and chemoresistance is a major obstacle in the treatment of this disease. Despite advances in therapy, the molecular mechanism underlying chemoresistance in CRC is not fully understood. Recent studies have implicated the key roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of CRC chemoresistance.
Methods In this study, we investigated the role of lncRNA LINC01852 in CRC chemoresistance. The expression of LINC01852 was evaluated in multiple CRC cohorts using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We conducted in vitro and in vivo functional experiments using cell culture and mouse models. RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and dual luciferase assays were used to investigate the molecular mechanism of LINC01852 in CRC.
Results Our findings a lncRNA with tumor-inhibiting properties, LINC01852, that is downregulated in CRC and inhibits cell proliferation and chemoresistance both in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that LINC01852 enhances TRIM72-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of SRSF5, inhibiting SRSF5-mediated PKM alternative splicing and thereby decreasing the production of PKM2. Overexpression of LINC01852 causes a metabolic switch from aerobic glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, which attenuates the chemoresistance of CRC by inhibiting PKM2-mediated glycolysis.
Conclusions Our results demonstrate that LINC01852 plays an important role in repressing CRC malignancy and chemoresistance by regulating SRSF5-mediated PKM alternative splicing, and that targeting the LINC01852/TRIM72/SRSF5/PKM2 signaling axis may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CRC.
Dorsal Striatum in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Texture Analysis Study
Authors: Baykara Sema , BALCI Hale Nur , Kaşıkcı Halim Ömer , Baykara Murat
Published: August 2023

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the MR images of the dorsal striatum, which is known to play a role in the etiopathogenesis in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), using texture analysis method.
Methods: Twenty-eight OCD patients with brain MRI images in the Hospital Picture Archiving and Communication System were included in the study. The control group were formed with 28 healthy individuals of the same age and gender as the study group. T1 weighted MRI images were obtained with 1.5T systems. All regions of the putamen, and caudate nucleus were selected individually in the axial images that best represent the anatomy, without exceeding their borders. Both symmetrical locations were used as separate samples (56 samples caudate 56 samples putamen for both groups).
Results: Most of the parameters for both locations showed statistically significant differences. ROC curve analysis showed high sensitivity and specificity for mean values for both nuclei. Logistic regressions for values to determine the effects of the calculated parameters of the nuclei on the probability of participants having OCD yielded important findings.
Conclusion: Tissue parameters in the dorsal striatum of OCD patients were found to be different from healthy controls. The study findings demonstrated that tissue analyzes are a useful technique for demonstrating tissue changes in the dorsal striatum using MR images of patients with OCD.
Sialyllactose Preserves Residual Hearing after Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Lee Min Young , Jung Seo-Kyung , Jang Jongmoon , Choi Hongsoo , Choung Yun-Hoon , Jang Jeong Hun
Published: August 2023

In individuals with hearing loss, protection of residual hearing is essential following cochlear implantation to facilitate acoustic and electric hearing. Hearing preservation requires delivery of the optimal quantity of a pharmacological agent using osmotic pumps. Several studies have reported variable hearing outcomes with osmotic pump-mediated steroid delivery. Several new drugs, including sialyllactose (SL), can prevent tissue overgrowth. In the present study, we used an animal model to simulate the damage due to electrode insertion during cochlear implantation. The positive effects of the pharmacological agent SL against insults were evaluated in vitro using HEI-OC1 cells. SL was delivered using osmotic pumps to prevent loss of the residual hearing in this animal model. We demonstrated hearing deterioration and tissue fibrosis and ossification in this model. Increased gene expressions of inflammatory cytokines were identified in the cochleae following dummy electrode insertion. Following the administration of SL, insertion led to a decrease in hearing threshold shifts, tissue reactions, and inflammatory markers. These results emphasize the possible role of SL in hearing preservation and improve our understanding of the mechanism underlying hearing loss after cochlear implantation.
Deep eutectic solvent-assisted fast and green synthesis of benzochromenopyrimidines and pyranopyrimidines
Authors: Monem Arezo , Habibi Davood , Goudarzi Hadis
Published: August 2023

A novel Deep Eutectic Solvent (MTPPBr/GA-DES) was prepared by a mixture of methyl triphenylphosphonium bromide (MTPPBr) and gentisic acid (GA: 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid). The eutectic point phase diagram showed that one mole of MTPPBr to one mole of GA is the best mole ratio for the synthesis of the new DES. Then, it was characterized by the FT-IR, NMR, densitometer, and TGA/DTA techniques and used as a capable and novel catalyst for the very fast and green synthesis of:
i) Five new 2(a-e) and five known benzo[6,7]chromeno[2,3-d]-pyrimidines 2(f-j) and
ii) Fourteen known pyrano[2,3-d]-pyrimidines 3(a-l), in solvent-free conditions, short reaction times and high yields.
Lessons Learnt in the First Year of an Australian Pediatric Cardio Oncology Clinic
Authors: Toro Claudia , Felmingham Ben , Jhadav Mangesh , Celermajer David S. , Gerche Andre La , O’Sullivan John , Kumar Sanjeev , Mateos Marion K. , Fulbright Joy , Govender Dinisha , Collier Lane , Cheung Michael , Eisenstat David , Lange Peter W. , Ayer Julian , Elliott David A. , Conyers Rachel
Published: August 2023

Background: Modern oncological therapies together with chemotherapy and radiotherapy have broadened the agents that can cause cardiac sequelae, which can manifest for pediatric oncology patients while on active treatment. Recommendations for high-risk patients who should be monitored in a pediatric cardio-oncology clinic have previously been developed by expert Delphi consensus by our group. In 2022 we opened our first multidisciplinary pediatric cardio-oncology clinic adhering to these recommendations in surveillance and management.
Objectives: Our pediatric cardio-oncology clinic aimed to:
(i) Document cardiovascular toxicities observed within a pediatric cardio-oncology clinic and
(ii) Evaluate the applicability of the Australian and New Zealand Pediatric Cardio-Oncology recommendations.
Methods: Monthly multidisciplinary cardio-oncology clinics were conducted in an Australian tertiary pediatric hospital. Structured standardised approaches to assessment were built into the electronic medical record (EMR). All patients underwent baseline echocardiogram and electrocardiogram assessment together with vital signs in conjunction with standard history and examination.
Results: Nineteen (54%) individuals had a documented cardiovascular toxicity or pre-existing risk factor prior to referral. The two most common cardiovascular toxicities documented during clinic review included Left Ventricular Dysfunction (LVD) and hypertension. Of note 3 (8.1%) patients had CTCAE grade III LVD. An additional 10 (27%) patients reviewed in clinic had CTCAE grade I hypertension. None of these patients had hypertension noted within their referral. Cascade testing for cardiac history was warranted in 2 (5.4%) of patients.
Conclusions: Pediatric cardio-oncology clinics are likely beneficial to documenting previously unrecognised cardiotoxicity and relevant cardiac family histories, whilst providing an opportunity to address lifestyle risk factors.
A biological cleaning agent for removing mold stains from paper artifacts
Authors: Meng Qingxia , Li Xianchao , Geng Junqiang , Liu Chenshu , Ben Songbin
Published: August 2023

Paper artifacts such as ancient books, documents and paper archives often suffer from microbial attack in the storage environment, forming mold stains on the paper surface, resulting in illegible content, and greatly reducing the artifact’s historical and artistic values. Therefore, efficient removal of mold stains becomes an important research topic for paper conservation. In this study, a cleaning scheme based on the combination of bioenzymes and biosurfactants was explored. Morphological and molecular biology identifications were first jointly applied to identify the dominant strains sampled from five ancient books that are stored in the same environment. Cellulolytic experiments were then conducted to evaluate the cellulose degradation ability of the strains according to the cellulolytic digestive index. Finally, paper Mockups for the ancient books were constructed to investigate the most effective combination of bioenzymes and biosurfactants in removing mold stains as well as its effect on the paper’s physical properties. The result concluded that the combination of 3% papain, 7% of sophorolipid or 7% of betaine, and distilled water, achieved optimal stain removal effect with over 50% cleaning rate at 35℃, after 30 minutes of infiltration. The maximum color difference of the paper material after cleaning was around 0.60, pH was between 7.45 to 7.79, and no significant changes in tensile strength were observed. At the same time, Sophorolipid and Betaine both have superior deacidification, anti-acidification, anti-aging, and reinforcement capabilities, which can provide extra support to the fibrous structure in addition to cleaning the paper materials. The microbial contamination cleaning agent proposed in this study shows promising application prospects in conserving mold-contaminated paper artifacts.
Optimizing Coverage and Deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Image Processing
Authors: Tossa Frantz , Ansari Keivan , Atchome Athanase
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a novel approach for optimizing the coverage and deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) using image processing techniques. The proposed method involves the placement of an initial grid network on the map image, followed by the gradual decrease or increase of the radius of the initial operation and the adjustment of the placement of the nodes while also maintaining full connectivity communication between the sensors deployed. Our experiments demonstrate that this approach is effective in achieving the desired coverage and deployment of the wireless sensor network. It ensures efficient coverage and fully connectivity and can be applied to various application scenarios.
PRP significantly promoted the adhesion and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells on the stent material
Authors: Wu Yin-Di , Jiang Hong-Jing , Zhou Hao-Hao , Xu Jian-Yi , Liu Qing , Sun Xu-Heng , Wu Yue-Heng , Lin Zhan-Yi
Published: August 2023

Background The adhesion and survival state between cells and scaffold material is a major problem in the process of tissue engineered blood vessel (TEBV) culture. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) contains a large amount of biologically active factors and fibrin, which is expected to play an important role in the process of TEBV culture.Purpose To combine PRP with cells and scaffold material to promote cell adhesion and biological activity on the scaffold material.Methods The adhesion status and migration ability of SMC cells under the conditions of optimal concentration suitable for SMC growth and optimal concentration of PRP were examined by scanning electron microscopy, HE staining, CCK8, qPCR, WB and other experimental means, and compared with the situation of conventional culture (20% FBS); finally, the effect of PRP on the deposition of ECM in vascular tissue engineering culture was verified by three-dimensional culture.Results 20% PRP is a more suitable concentration of SMC, compared with the control group, the 20% PRP group has better migration ability, the number of SMC adhesion is significantly higher than the control group, in addition to this, the collagen deposition in the experimental group is significantly higher than the control experimental group.Conclusion 20% PRP can promote the ability of SMC adhesion, migration and collagen deposition on the scaffold material.
Functional connectivity patterns in parosmia
Authors: Thaploo Divesh , Joshi Akshita , Yilmaz Eren , Yildirim Duzgun , Altundag Aytug , Hummel Thomas
Published: August 2023

Objective
Parosmia is a qualitative olfactory dysfunction presenting as “distorted odor perception” in presence of an odor source. Aim of this study was to use resting state functional connectivity to gain more information on the alteration of olfactory processing at the level of the central nervous system level.
Methods
A cross sectional study was performed in 145 patients with parosmia (age range 20–76 years; 90 women). Presence and degree of parosmia was diagnosed on the basis of standardized questionnaires. Participants also received olfactory testing using the “Sniffin’ Sticks”. Then they underwent resting state scans using a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner while fixating on a cross.
Results
Whole brain analyses revealed reduced functional connectivity in salience as well as executive control networks. Region of interest-based analyses also supported reduced functional connectivity measures between primary and secondary olfactory eloquent areas (temporal pole, supramarginal gyrus and right orbitofrontal cortex; dorso-lateral pre-frontal cortex and the right piriform cortex).
Conclusions
Participants with parosmia exhibited a reduced information flow between memory, decision making centers, and primary and secondary olfactory areas.
Novel homozygous mutation in DYSF gene with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B through whole exome sequencing in Iran
Authors: Rastegar Mandana , Shadmehri Aazam Ahmadi , Firoozabadi Mohammad Dehghani , Sorosh Zahra , Dehghani Hossein , parsamanesh negin
Published: August 2023

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is a type of genetically heterogeneous disorders. The goal of current training is discovering novel mutations or deletion in an Iranian family with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B patient by whole exome sequencing. Exome sequencing was completed, as well as complete physical examinations of the family. Then, in silico studies have been done to discovery the change that happened in the protein structure, in associated with the DMD phenotype. On chromosome 2p13.2, there was one new nonsense variant: c.6120G>A, p.(Trp2040Ter) in exon 54. These discoveries can developed genetic counseling of this family and others patients in the future.
Evaluation of reference genes suitable for studying mRNAs and microRNAs expression in thyroid neoplasms
Authors: Jahanbani Iman , Al-Abdallah Abeer , Almoualem Nada
Published: August 2023

Analysis of gene expression is a pivotal method at the core of biomarkers studies and cancer research. Currently, RT-qPCR is the most commonly used technique to investigate the expression of certain genes. The accurate and reliable result relies on an effective normalization step using suitable reference genes. The present study was designed to evaluate the eligibility of a set of candidate mRNAs and snoRNA as reference genes in the most common human thyroid neoplasms. We tested the expression levels of eleven mRNA and small RNA housekeeping genes in thyroid samples. The stability of the candidate genes was examined in different thyroid lesions and under different experimental conditions. Results were compared to the reported data in the TCGA database. Our results suggested HPRT1 and ACTB as the best mRNA reference genes and SNORD96A and SNORD95 as the best miRNA reference genes in thyroid tissues. These genes showed the most stable expression pattern among different thyroid lesions as well as different experimental conditions. The findings in this study highlight the effect of reference genes selection on data interpretation and emphasize the importance of testing for suitable reference genes to be used in specific types of cells and experimental conditions to ensure the validity and accuracy of results.
Isolation, characterization, and genome analysis of two novel virulent bacteriophages infecting extensively drug-resistant (XDR) clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae in Bangladesh
Authors: Ananna Nishat Tasnim , Shishir Tushar Ahmed , Syed Muktadir Al Sium , Ahmed Akash , Shakil Md. Salman , Haque Fahim Kabir Monjurul , Hasanuzzaman Md.
Published: August 2023

Background- Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic and difficult-to-treat pathogen, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality associated with multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) infections. This study evaluates the potential of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotics against XDR isolates of K. pneumoniae.
Methods- Thirty-one neonatal sepsis-causing Klebsiella spp. were collected, and K. pneumoniae were identified using both conventional and molecular techniques. Phenotypic and genotypic detection of ESBL (extended spectrum beta-lactamase) and carbapenem resistance was performed by disk diffusion and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To isolate bacteriophages, sewage water samples were collected and enriched using reference host bacteria. Distinct morphological phage plaques were isolated by double layer agar assay (DLA). Characterization of bacteriophages was performed based on host range, temperature (4°C - 80°C upon 1 h incubation), pH (1-14 upon 1 h incubation), one-step growth curve, optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), in vitro lytic ability and whole genome analysis.
Results- Two novel lytic bacteriophages, Klebsiella phage Kpn BM7 and Klebsiella phage Kpn BU9, were isolated and characterized based on their competency to kill more than one clinical strain of K. pneumoniae. Both phages can steadily survive until a temperature of 40°C and from pH 5 to pH 11 without any significant reduction. The optimal MOI was 0.1 and 1, with short latent times of 10 min and 25 min and burst sizes of 85 PFU/cell and 12 PFU/cell. Whole-genome analysis reported that phages BM7 and BU9 belong to class Caudoviricetes. BM7 was 170558 bp long, a member of the Marfavirus genus and Marfavirus F48 species, and phage BU9 was 60450 bp long, reported as unclassified. Both phages did not harbor any lysogenic, toxin, or antimicrobial resistance genes.
Conclusion- The isolated and established features of bacteriophages in this study can be a promising alternative solution to tackle XDR K. pneumoniae infection.
Thermodynamic evaluation of the surface tension and viscosity of liquid quaternary alloys: The Ti-Al-Cr-Nb system
Authors: Novakovic Rada , Giuranno Donatella , Mohr Markus , Fecht Hans-Joerg
Published: August 2023

Surface tension and viscosity of complex Ti-based industrial alloys are important for simulation of liquid assisted industrial processes such as casting, joining, crystal growth and infiltration. Modelling of the interface and mass transport during liquid-solid phase transition requires reliable surface tension and viscosity data. Therefore, to obtain accurate predictions of microstructural evolution during solidification related processes, only reliable input data are necessary. In the case of liquid Ti-Al alloys, the experimental difficulties related to high temperature measurements and reactivity of these alloys with supporting materials or containers as well as inevitable presence of oxygen may lead to data gaps including a complete lack of property data. An alternative for container-based methods are containerless processing techniques that offer a significant accuracy improvement and / or make possible to measure temperature and composition dependent thermophysical properties of metallic melts, as in the case of the Ti-Al-Cr-Nb system. Advanced mathematical models and computer simulations, developed in several theoretical frameworks, can be used to compensate the missing data; on the other side, for the validation of theoretical models, the experimental data are used. In the present work, an evaluation of the surface tension and viscosity of liquid Ti-Al-Cr-Nb alloys by means of the predictive models and a comparison to the available experimental data were done. The proposed methodology is a tool to assess the reliability of thermophysical properties data of multicomponent alloy systems.
Study synthetic method, photoluminescence mechanism and optimistic applications of KAlSiO 4 Phosphor
Authors: Bhelave Samirkumar R. , Yerpude A. N.
Published: August 2023

KAlSiO4:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphor synthesized first time by simple combustion method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirms that the KAlSiO4 phosphor matrix successfully matches to standard JCPDS database file. Photoluminescence properties observed for rare earth Eu3+, Tb3+ at various concentration (x = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.3 mole %) shows an optimistic luminescence property. KAlSiO4 matrix shows unique emissions of Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions when excited by 395 nm, where the utmost emission intensity was received when x = 1.0 mole%. The excitation spectra of KAlSiO4:Eu3+ give proper peak position at 262 nm, 395 nm, and 465 nm corresponding to O2+→ Eu3+, 7F0 →5L6, 7F0 → 5D2. While sharp emissions peaked at 593 nm and 613 nm are obtained by 7F0 → 5D1 and 7F0 → 5D2 transitions. On the other hand, KAlSiO4:Tb3+ shows the excitation peak position at 352 nm,370 nm, and 378 nm which gives the sharp green emission peak at 545 nm due to the 5D4 →5F5 transitions. The particle size and elemental constitution determine using SEM-EDX analysis which is in the range of micrometers in size. The band gap and refractive index are determined using UV-visible spectroscopy. CIE chromaticity coordinate shows multicolor emission for KAlSiO4:Eu3+ while the green color emission for the KAlSiO4:Tb3+ phosphor. Photoluminescence (Pl) spectroscopy reveals the exciting luminescent properties of the KAlSiO4:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphor which may be applicable potential phosphor for fabrication of various light emitting devices.
Effect of vegetation degradation on the soil quality of green spaces in a tropical megacity (Lubumbashi, DR Congo): potential implications for ecosystem services
Authors: Mashagiro Grace Queen , Mujinya Bazirake Basile , Colinet Gilles , Mahy Grégory
Published: August 2023

Urban soils are degraded by a range of human pressures, including vegetation degradation, leading to modifications of physical and chemical characteristics, and affecting important ecosystem services. We assessed the impact of vegetation degradation in six urban green spaces (bare soils versus vegetated soils) on the physical (texture, soil bulk density and structure) and chemical (pH, CEC, OC, N, P, K, Cu and Mn) qualities of soils in a tropical megacity (Lubumbashi, DR Congo). Vegetated soils presented better physical and chemical qualities than bare soils. Vegetated soils were characterized by a high clay and silt content and a good consistency (structure), while bare soils were characterized by a high sand content and high bulk density. Vegetated soils were characterized by higher pH, OC, N, C/N, OM, CEC, P, and K. There was no significant difference in Mn or Cu between bare and vegetated soils. Cu was highly variable between sites (from 99±61 mg.kg-1 in VS-CHL to 8559±151 mg.kg-1 in BS-ZOO). Our results demonstrate that the destruction of vegetation, leading to bare soil, negatively affects soil properties and may interfere with ecosystem services provided by urban soils in tropical climates.
MuMUR : Multilingual Multimodal Universal Retrieval
Authors: Madasu Avinash , Aflalo Estelle , Stan Gabriela Ben Melech , Rosenman Shachar , Tseng Shao-Yen , Bertasius Gedas , Lal Vasudev
Published: August 2023

Multi-modal retrieval has seen tremendous progress with the development of vision-language models. However, further improving these models require additional labelled data which is a huge manual effort. In this paper, we propose a framework MuMUR, that utilizes knowledge transfer from a multilingual model to boost the performance of multi-modal (image and video) retrieval. We first use state-of-the-art machine translation models to construct pseudo ground-truth multilingual visual-text pairs. We then use this data to learn a joint vision-text representation where English and non-English text queries are represented in a common embedding space based on pretrained multilingual models. We evaluate our proposed approach on a diverse set of retrieval datasets: five video retrieval datasets such as MSRVTT, MSVD, DiDeMo, Charades and MSRVTT multilingual, two image retrieval datasets such as Flickr30k and Multi30k . Experimental results demonstrate that our approach achieves state-of-the-art results on all video retrieval datasets outperforming previous models. Additionally, our framework MuMUR significantly beats other multilingual video retrieval dataset. We also observe that MuMUR exhibits strong performance on image retrieval. This demonstrates the universal ability of MuMUR to perform retrieval across all visual inputs (image and video) and text inputs (monolingual and multilingual).
Comprehensive analysis of multiomics data for the identification of a cuproptosis-related gene signature predicting prognostic outcomes and drug responses in gastric cancer
Authors: Huang Hongxin , Zhu Chuming , Yan Mengpei , Wang Jihuan , Lv Jialun , Fang Lang , Xu Penghui , Chen Zetian , Wang Weizhi , Xu Zekuan
Published: August 2023

Background: Cuproptosis, a recently elucidated copper-dependent mechanism of cell death associated with the tricarboxylic acid cycle, lacks a comprehensive understanding of its relation to clinical prognosis and drug response in gastric cancer (GC). This study aims to discern potential prognostic signatures of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) and evaluate drug response.
Methods: Using publicly available datasets from TCGA and GEO, we initially obtained transcriptomic and clinical data of GC patients. We employed consensus clustering approach to delineate molecular subtypes based on the expression of CRGs. Utilizing least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis, we formulated a prognostic signature derived from the differentially expressed genes among these molecular subtypes. We constructed a nomogram that amalgamates both clinical characteristics and the prognostic model to provide a comprehensive prognosis prediction. Rigorous assessment of prognostic performance was carried out through Kaplan‒Meier curve analysis, the log-rank test, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and time-dependent ROC curve analysis. Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) andthepRRophetic package in R were used to assess the potential response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Seurat was utilized to analyze the general characterization of the single-cell dataset. Additionally, the validation of hub gene expression in both cells and clinical samples was undertaken via qRT‒PCR.
Results: Upon conducting an exhaustive investigation into the distinct differential expression and prognostic implications of each CRG, we delineated two distinct cuproptosis-associated molecular subtypes. Following Lasso regression analyses, we formulated a prognostic model comprising six specific genes. Patients were effectively stratified into either high-risk or low-risk categories by utilizing this model. Patients classified as high-risk experienced poorer prognosis and were associated with higher TNM stages compared to those with low risk. Furthermore, patients belonging to the low-risk group exhibited enhanced benefits from chemotherapeutic drugs and demonstrated better susceptibility to immunotherapy. The validation of our prognostic model's efficacy was established through ROC analysis, affirming its commendable sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusions: Our study illuminates the significance of cuproptosis in drug response and clinical prognosis in Asian GC patients, underscoring its clinical significance and providing a reliable tool for predicting overall survival in this patient population.
Wolbachia and Mosquitoes: Exploring Transmission Modes and Coevolutionary Dynamics in Shandong Province, China
Authors: zang Chuanhui , Wang Xuejun , Liu Yan , Wang Haifang , Sun Qintong , Cheng Peng , Zhang Ye , Gong Maoqing , Liu Hongmei
Published: August 2023

Background
Mosquito-borne diseases, including outbreaks of novel mosquito-borne diseases, pose a serious threat to human health. Deployment of the intracellular symbiont Wolbachia has been proposed as a novel strategy to modify mosquitoes with increased resistance to pathogen infection. However, little is known about its interaction with mitochondria during maternal transmission.
Method
Here, we aimed to determine the genetic structures of 11 Culex pipiens pallens populations and the incidence of Wolbachia infections in Shandong Province, China, to gain a better understanding of the relationship between mosquitoes and Wolbachia. The genetic structure of the Cx. p. pallens population was investigated using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Wolbachia infection status assessment, molecular classification, and phylogenetic analysis were performed using molecular markers for the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) gene. Mosquito–Wolbachia relationship was investigated using tanglegram and distance-based approaches.
Results
Sequence analysis of the COI gene revealed 26 different mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. The neutrality test and haplotype networks for Cx. p. pallens populations indicated that the species is undergoing demographic expansion in Shandong Province, with significant genetic differentiation between the populations from Qingdao and most other cities. The overall Wolbachia infection rate of Cx. p. pallens was 90.7%; 15 WSP haplotypes were detected.
Conclusion
Our study revealed the genetic structure of Cx. p. pallens and the prevalence of Wolbachia in Shandong Province, China, offering important scientific information required for developing Wolbachia-based vector control approaches in Shandong Province. These findings would advance current understanding of Wolbachia’s diversity and evolution, aiding in its application as a biocontrol agent.
The invasiveness of robot-assisted total hip replacement is similar to that of conventional surgery
Authors: Ma Mingyang , Cao Zheng , Yang Minzhi , Kong Xiangpeng , Chai Wei
Published: August 2023

Background: Robot-assisted total hip arthroplasty (R-THA) is increasingly being performed throughout the world. The invasiveness of this operation is unknown.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cohort of consecutive osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) patients who received primary R-THA or manual THA (M-THA) from January 2020 to January 2022 in our institution. One experienced surgeon performed all procedures. We calculated the propensity score to match similar patients in different groups by multivariate logistic regression analysis for each patient. We included confounders consisting of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and operation time. Preoperative serum markers and Harris hip scores (HHS), postoperative serum markers at first day and third day, complications rate, postoperative HHS and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) at 6 months after surgery of different cohorts were compared.
Results: We analyzed 218 ONFH patients treated with THA (98 R-THA patients, and 120 M-THA patients). After propensity score matching, we generated cohorts of 95 patients in R-THA and M-THA groups. We found no significant difference in preoperative serum markers and HHS. In the R-THA cohort, the PLT count was significantly lower on the postoperative day 1 (192.36 ± 41.72*109/L Vs 210.47 ± 72.85*109/L, p < 0.05). The Hb level was significantly lower on the postoperative third day in the R-THA cohort (98.52 ± 12.99 g/L Vs 104.74 ± 13.15 g/L, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the other serum markers between the cohorts on postoperative day 1 and 3 (p > 0.05). The FJS was significantly higher in the R-THA than M-THA group (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the postoperative HHS or complication rate between the groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The R-THA is not associated with a serious invasiveness compared to M-THA. Patients who underwent R-THA had a better early function compared to those who underwent M-THA.
Optimization of vision transformer-based detection of COVID-19 from chest X-ray images
Authors: Ko Jinsol , Park Soyeon , Woo Hyun Goo
Published: August 2023

Background: For diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), chest X-rays have emerged as a preferred modality because of their accessibility, affordability, and capability to identify various pathologies. Recent advances in deep learning algorithms have shown promise in distinguishing COVID-19 from other lung diseases. However, the use of different optimization methods can affect the performance of the deep learning models. We aimed to compare the effects of the different optimization methods, identifying the best-performing algorithms for the detection of COVID-19 using chest X-rays.
Methods: Chest X-ray images, including the seven classes of Normal, COVID-19, Viral Pneumonia, Bacterial Pneumonia, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and Tuberculosis, were obtained. We trained the Vision Transformer (ViT) model using different optimizers such as Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam), AdamW, Nesterov accelerated Adam (NAdam), Rectified Adam (RAdam), Stochastic Gradient Descent with weight decay (SGDW), and Momentum, and compared their performances.
Results: We found that the RAdam optimizer at a learning rate of 10-5 achieved the highest accuracy, highest weighted average of F1-score, and lowest false negative rate of COVID-19 for both 4 Class and 7 Class Dataset. On the other hand, AdamW showed better performance for the samples with small sample sizes. The optimizers derived from Adam (i.e. Adam, AdamW, NAdam, and RAdam), showed robust results against different learning rates, while SGDW and Momentum showed less significant robustness.
Conclusions: We suggest that Adam-derived optimizers, particularly RAdam, showed best performance in training the ViT model for detecting COVID-19 using chest X-ray images. Our results may help in the efforts to improve the performance of the model and to make it clinically useful.
RETRACTED: Extraction of lipophilic components from rowanberry pomace with supercritical CO2 and their fractionation at subcritical conditions at low temperatures
Authors: Sarv Viive , Venskutonis Petras Rimantas , Jūrienė Laura , Baranauskienė Renata , Urbonavičienė Dalia , Viškelis Pranas , Bhat Rajeev
Published: August 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Association between gut microbiota and venous thromboembolism: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Chao , Wang Jia , Fei Bojian
Published: August 2023

Background: Recent studies have suggested an association between gut microbiota (GM) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, observational studies cannot indicate causality and population-level studies with a higher evidence level for causality are lacking. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the causal association of GM with VTE.
Methods: This study utilized the summary-level data of respective genome-wide association study for 196 gut microbial taxa and VTE. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) design was deployed and comprehensively sensitive analyses were followed to validate the robustness of results. We used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, the weighted median method, weighted mode method, simple mode method, MR-Egger regression, MR-Egger intercept test, Cochrane’s Q-test, outlier test, and leave-one-out analysis as the primary analysis.
Results: We identified suggestive associations between 17 bacterial traits and the risk of VTE. Porphyromonadaceae (IVW odds ratio (OR): 1.3729, p=0.0035) and Cyanobacteria (IVW OR: 1.2151, p=0.0048) were associated with increased risk of VTE. Three gut microbiota taxa (Eubacteriumrectalegroup (IVW OR: 1.0038, p=0.0278), Coprococcus2 (IVW OR: 1.0041, p = 0.0063), and LachnospiraceaeUCG001 (IVW OR: 1.0041, p=0.0009) were predicted to play a causal role in enhancing the risk of encompassing deep vein thrombosis. And three gut microbiota taxa (Christensenellaceae (IVW OR: 1.0023, p=0.0497), Streptococcaceae (IVW OR: 1.0031, p=0.0279), Victivallaceae (IVW OR: 1.0014, p=0.0493) were positively associated with pulmonary embolism.
Conclusions: This study suggested the role of the specific GM on the risk for VTE, which may provide new ideas and a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of VTE in the future.