bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudorabies virus causes splenic injury via inducing the oxidative stress and apoptpsos related factors in mice
Authors: Sun Wei , Liu Shanshan , Wang Qingyan , Fan Yu , Yan Yi , Okyere Samuel Kumi
Published: September 2023

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an immunosuppressive disease that causes significant damage to the pig industry. This study aimed to detect the effects of PRV on oxidative stress related factors and cell apoptosis in the spleen, providing a basis for the research on the pathogenesis of PRV in mice model. Pathological observation was performed by hematoxylin and eosin Y staining. Biochemical and Flow cytometry method were performed to determine the reactive oxygen species profile of the spleen post-infection and apoptosis detection. In addition, q-PCR and Western blot were adopted to measure the apoptotic conditions of the spleen infected with PRV. The results indicated that the ROS level in the PRV infection group was remarkedly increased (p < 0 01) at a time-dependent pattern. Furthermore, the Malondialdehyde levels in the spleen of mice in the infection group increased significantly (p < 0.01) in a time-dependent mode. However, the Catalase, Superoxide dismutase, and Glutathione activity and expression levels in the infection group were significantly decreased with the control group (p < 0 01) in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the ratio of splenocyte apoptosis in the infection group significantly increased (p < 0 05, p < 0 01) in a time-dependent manner. In conclusion, PRV infection causes apoptosis of the spleen via oxidative stress in mice.
Deep Neural Networks for Crack Detection Inside Structures
Authors: Moreh Fatahlla , Lyu Hao , Rizvi Zarghaam Haider , Wuttke Frank
Published: September 2023

Crack detection is a long-standing topic in structural health monitoring. Conventional damage detection techniques rely on intensive, time-consuming, resource-intensive intervention. The current trend of crack detection emphasizes using deep neural networks to build an automated pipeline from measured signals to damaged areas. This work focuses on the seismic-wave-based technique of crack detection for plate structures. Previous work proposed an autoencoder network to extract crack-related wave patterns from measured wave signals and predict crack existence on the plate. We extend previous work with extensive experiments on different network components and a data preprocessing strategy. The proposed methods are tested on an expanded crack detection dataset. We found that a robust backbone network, such as DenseNet can effectively extract the features characterizing cracks of wave signals, and by using the reference wave field for normalization, the accuracy of detecting small cracks can be further improved.
The value of lung function assessment and Testin expression detection in clinicopathological features and prognosis of NSCLC patients
Authors: Zhang Yanmin , Wang Gaoming , Zhang Qian , Wang Qian , Luo Jing , Ling Chunhua
Published: September 2023

Objective
The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical value and potential prognostic significance of lung function assessment and Testin expression in NSCLC patients.
Methods
The NSCLC patients were classified into three groups according to lung function: group of normal lung function, group of PRISm (FEV1 < 80% predicted and FEV1/FVC ≥ 70%) and group of COPD (FEV1/FVC < 70%). The pre-operational clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were recorded and the markers of systemic inflammatory response, including neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and eosinophils (EOS), were compared between three groups. The expression of Testin in NSCLC samples was detected by IHC and we further explored the correlation between Testin expression and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of NSCLC patients. Finally, Cox regression analysis was conducted to study the prognostic factors of NSCLC patients.
Results
Of the 158 NSCLC patients, percentages of normal lung function, PRISm and COPD were 41.4%, 22.8% and 36.1%, respectively. Patients with tumor in the left lung were more likely to have pulmonary dysfunction (PRISm and COPD) than the right lung. The markers of systemic inflammatory response showed differences to various degree in the three groups and NSCLC patients with PRISm or COPD presented more unfavorable prognosis than patients with normal function. The expression of Testin correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and tumor invasion of NSCLC patients. Moreover, patients with low Testin expression exhibited poorer disease-free survival and overall survival than those with high Testin expression. In Cox regression analysis, we found that PRISm, COPD and Testin expression served as prognostic factors in NSCLC patients.
Conclusions
The presence of COPD or PRISm influenced systemic inflammatory response and prognosis of NSCLC patients. Testin expression correlated with clinicopathological features and could be potentially used as a prognostic marker in NSCLC.
Investigation on myopia and related factors among high school students in Hefei during COVID-19
Authors: Li Yinglong , Peng Xiaoning , Wen Wen , Shao Chen , Hu Wei , Feng Lixia , Xing Mengmeng , Wu Shuaihui , Liu Shuai
Published: September 2023

Objective: To investigate the relationship between multiple factors and myopia development among high school students with intense learning and eye use during covid-19 outbreak in Hefei, a first-tier city in China.​
Methods: The degree of myopia and related factors of 6000 senior high school students in 130 classes from different schools in Hefei city, Anhui province were analyzed by overall sampling combined with questionnaire survey and field inspection.
Results: The age group of the students was mainly 17-19 years old, of which 50% were 18 years old and 34.6% were 17 years old. Boys accounted for 55%, girls accounted for 45%; ​myopia accounted for 85.3%; ​the average myopia of the students was (right eye: 3.38± 2.17D, left eye: 3.04± 2.21D). The ratio of myopia in female students was 88.9% higher than that in male students (χ²=46.434, p <​ 0.01). There was significant difference in the incidence of myopia among students with different outdoor exercise time (χ²=110.5, p <​ 0.01). The incidence of myopia greater than 1 h/day was only 29%. The incidence of myopia in children of two nearsighted parents was higher than that of non-nearsighted parents (χ²=84.69, p <​ 0.01).
Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a high myopia rate was found among high school students in Hefei, China. Girls have a higher rate of myopia than boys, and students whose parents have myopia are at greater risk of developing myopia. In addition, >​ 1 hour of outdoor activities can effectively reduce the incidence of myopia, and parents' understanding and implementation of myopia prevention and control can significantly affect the degree of myopia in children.
Promoter Methylation Levels of Progesterone Receptor-B (PR-B) and Expression of mRNA DNA Methyltransferase-1 (DNMT-1) In Menstrual Blood Patients with Endometriosis
Authors: Madjid Tita Husnitawati , Saputra Mondale , Rowawi Roni
Published: September 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the differences and correlation of progesterone receptor-B (PR-B) promoter methylation and mRNA DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT-1) expression of eutopic endometrium via menstrual blood between endometriosis patients and non-endometriosis.
Patients and methods: We conducted a study of PR-B promoter methylation and mRNA DNMT-1 expression in menstrual blood obtained on the first and second day of the period from forty women with endometriosis and without.
Results: Methylation analysis and mRNA analysis revealed a significant difference in the level of DNA methylation of PR-B promoters in the endometriosis group compared to non-endometriosis (79.129%±4.719 vs 28.716% ± 4.732, p<0.05). DNMT-1 mRNA expression was higher, though statistically insignificant, in the endometriosis group than non-endometriosis (10.517±13.421 vs 9.532 ± 10.269, p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between PR-B methylation and mRNA DNMT-1 expression in endometriosis. (r=0.526, p < 0.05).
Improved nonlinear Burger creep model for soft rocks based on the fractional-order theory and considering viscoplastic deformation
Authors: Tarifard Abolfazl , Török Ákos , Görög Péter
Published: September 2023

The significance of creep behavior in soft rocks is crucial in rock engineering, particularly when ensuring the time-dependent stability of underground structures. This study proposed a new nonlinear creep constitutive model to represent the soft rock’s creep behavior subjected to uniaxial and triaxial stress conditions. The Burger model was modified by substituting the traditional Newton dashpot with the fractional derivative Abel dashpot, and a viscoplastic body was introduced in series with the improved Burgers model to simulate the accelerating phase of rock creep. The model's efficacy was confirmed by fitting the parameters using creep test data from different soft rocks. The isochronous stress-strain curve approach was employed to calculate the long-term strength of rocks, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate how the model parameters affect creep deformation. The high agreement between the predicted outcomes and the actual creep experimental data for salt, shale, and sandstone demonstrates the proposed model's accuracy and logic. These results indicate that the model reliably represents soft rocks' nonlinear creep characteristics and the whole creep process.
Impact of obesity on heart failure risk is mediated by hypertension: univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Hong , Zhang Xu , Wu Min , Lv Ying , Zhu Zhanfang , Wei Na , Liu Bo , Zhou Jinna , Zhang Wei , Cui Qianwei , Liu Fuqiang , Ma Meijuan
Published: September 2023

Obesity is a risk factor for heart failure, and patients with obesity and heart failure have a better prognosis. We attempted to explain this paradox by exploring the role of hypertension in obesity and heart failure.We performed univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to investigate causal effects of obesity and hypertension on heart failure. Analysis using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method showed that obesity Ⅱ (ORIVW= 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05–1.15, P = 2.86 × 10− 5) and obesity Ⅰ (ORIVW= 1.17, 95% CI = 1.11–1.24, P = 8.41 × 10− 8) had a positive effect on the occurrence of heart failure. The IVW method showed a causal effect of obesity Ⅰ (ORIVW= 1.02, 95% CI = 1.00–1.02, P = 2.807× 10− 25) and obesity Ⅱ (ORIVW= 1.01, 95% CI = 1.00–1.02, P = 7.14 × 10− 11) on hypertension. After adjusting for hypertension using multivariate IVW, obesity II was not causally associated with heart failure.Both obesity and hypertension are risk factors for heart failure, and the effect of obesity on heart failure is mediated by hypertension.
Preparation of de-crosslinked polyethylene from waste crosslinked high-density polyethylene using supercritical fluids
Authors: Cho Hang-kyu , Kim Hansang
Published: September 2023

This study examined a method for de-crosslinking high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for use in heating pipes using supercritical fluids and recycling them into polyethylene. Waste crosslinked HDPE is mostly incinerated because it is a thermosetting plastic and cannot be recycled. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new recycling technologies for crosslinked HDPE to prevent environmental pollution. Many experiments have been conducted under various subcritical and supercritical conditions using ethanol as the supercritical solvent to recycle crosslinked HDPE. Consequently, PE can be prepared via a de-crosslinking reaction. This study evaluated the characteristics of recycled polyethylene based on the reaction conditions using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and tensile strength analyses. In this study, samples with the same chemical and crystal structures were prepared under all conditions.
Nitrogen transformations in soil under plastic film mulching
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhang Zihao , Liu Zhe , Lei Tingting , Zhang Jinbo , Müller Christoph , Aloufi Abeer S , Filimonenko Ekaterina , Kuzyakov Yakov , Jiang Rui
Published: September 2023

Aims
Plastic film mulching induces significant shifts in soil temperature and water balance, thereby influencing microbial activities, particularly those associated with nitrogen (N) transformations. However, its effects on interactions between N fate and soil N transformations remain unclear.
Methods
We investigated the complex interplay of soil N transformation processes using a 15N tracing method, N availability, and N fate under plastic film mulched ridges (PFM), in contrast to a non-mulched flat system (control).
Results
PFM resulted in 20–28% reduction in gross N mineralization and nitrification rates and increased rates of gross microbial N immobilization. Maize showed a 19% increase in N uptake and a 127% increase in N accumulation in the PFM-treated soil (up to 80 cm depth) compared to the control. PFM effectively inhibited N leaching, while also reducing N2O and NH3 gas emissions (by 32 kg N ha-1). In the early stages of maize growth, PFM-treated soil showed increased N availability due to accelerated rates of gross N mineralization and nitrification, which in turn bolstered N uptake by both maize and microorganisms. Furthermore, PFM effectively mitigated gaseous N emissions and N leaching, contributing to increased soil N retention and N use efficiency. As the rates of gross N mineralization and nitrification declined in the later stages of maize growth, PFM maintained substantial N availability. This was achieved by limiting NO3- leaching and microbial N immobilization, resulting in heightened N uptake and increased maize yield.
Conclusion
Plastic film mulching produced changes in soil N transformation processes that included gross N mineralization, nitrification, and immobilization rates. These changes manifested in increased N availability, maize N uptake, soil N retention, and reduced N losses.
Genomic prediction for root and yield traits of barley under a water availability gradient. A case study comparing different spatial adjustments
Authors: Tessema Biructawit B. , Raffo Miguel A. , Guo Xiangyu , Svane Simon F. , Krusell Lene , Jensen Jens Due , Ruud Anja Karine , Malinowska Marta , Thorup-Kristensen Kristian , Jensen Just
Published: September 2023

Background In drought periods, water use efficiency depends on the capacity of roots to extract water from deep soil. A semi-field phenotyping facility (RadiMax) was used to investigate above-ground and root traits in spring barley when grown under a water availability gradient. Above-ground traits included grain yield, grain protein concentration, grain nitrogen removal, and thousand kernel weight. Root traits were obtained through digital images measuring the root length at different depths. Two nearest-neighbor adjustments (M1 and M2) to model spatial variation were used for genetic parameter estimation and genomic prediction (GP). M1 and M2 used (co)variance structures and differed in the distance function to calculate between-neighbor correlations. M2 was the most developed adjustment, as accounted by the Euclidean distance between neighbors. Results The estimated heritabilities (\({\widehat{h}}^{2}\)) ranged from low to medium for root and above-ground traits. The genetic coefficient of variation (\(GCV\)) ranged from 3.2 to 7.0% for above-ground and 4.7 to 10.4% for root traits, indicating good breeding potential for the measured traits. The highest \(GCV\) observed for root traits revealed that significant genetic change in root development can be achieved through selection. We studied the genotype-by-water availability interaction, but no relevant interaction effects were detected. GP was assessed using leave-one-line-out (LOO) cross-validation. The predictive ability (PA) estimated as the correlation between phenotypes corrected by fixed effects and genomic estimated breeding values ranged from 0.33 to 0.49 for above-ground and 0.15 to 0.27 for root traits, and no substantial variance inflation in predicted genetic effects was observed. Significant differences in PA were observed in favor of M2. Conclusions The significant \(GCV\) and the accurate prediction of breeding values for above-ground and root traits revealed that developing genetically superior barley lines with improved root systems is possible. In addition, we found significant spatial variation in the experiment, highlighting the relevance of correctly accounting for spatial effects in statistical models. In this sense, the proposed nearest-neighbor adjustments are flexible approaches in terms of assumptions that can be useful for semi-field or field experiments.
From Boost to Burden: Investigating Energy Drinks and Myocarditis
Authors: Temtem Margarida , Sousa Francisco , Sá Débora , Serrão Marco Gomes , Rodrigues Ricardo
Published: September 2023

There is a growing problem regarding energy drink consumption and several adverse cardiovascular events after consuming energy drinks have been reported in the literature, due to arrhythmic events or myocardial infarction, but none describing direct myocyte toxicity. We perform a brief review of energy drink associated cardiovascular effects already described in the literature and present the first ever described case associating energy drink consumption to myocarditis.
Olfactory bulb anomalies in KBG syndrome mouse model and patients
Authors: Goodkey Kara , Wischmeijer Anita , Perrin Laurence , Cordelli Duccio Maria , Toni Francesco , Gnazzo Maria , Benedicenti Francesco , Elmaleh-Bergès Monique , Low Karen J. , Voronova Anastassia
Published: September 2023

ANKRD11 (Ankyrin Repeat Domain 11) is a chromatin regulator and the only gene associated with KBG syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. We have previously shown that Ankrd11 regulates murine embryonic cortical neurogenesis. Here, we show a novel olfactory bulb phenotype in a KBG syndrome mouse model and two diagnosed patients. Conditional knockout of Ankrd11 in murine embryonic neural stem cells leads to aberrant postnatal olfactory bulb development and reduced size. We further show relatively normal formation of olfactory bulb outer neuronal layers with a reduced density of progenitors, neuroblasts, and neurons in the olfactory bulb core. Finally, we demonstrate incomplete migration of neuroblasts along the postnatal rostral migratory stream, which results in a decreased cell density in the olfactory bulb core. We also describe two clinically and molecularly confirmed KBG syndrome patients with anosmia and olfactory bulb and groove hypo-dysgenesis/agenesis. Our report provides evidence that Ankrd11 is a novel regulator of olfactory bulb development and neuroblast migration. Moreover, our study highlights a novel clinical sign of KBG syndrome linked to ANKRD11 perturbations in mice and humans.
Implementation of a Lipase A spore display in Paenibacillus polymyxa.
Authors: Zander Maximillian , Schmid Jochen , Kabisch Johannes
Published: September 2023

This study demonstrates the use of a spore display in Paenibacillus polymyxa for the first time, specifically incorporating fluorescent spores expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the functional display of the lipase A (LipA). Spore display allows the presentation of heterologous proteins on the surface of bacterial spores, offering numerous advantages in various biotechnological applications. The successful implementation of spore display in P. polymyxa involved engineering the spore surface to produce GFP fused to an anchoring protein in the crust, resulting in fluorescent spores that could be readily visualized. After this initial proof-of-concept, LipA from P. polymyxa was heterologously expressed and displayed on the spore surface. The lipase activity was measured over a wide temperature range and an increase in activity up to 70°C was observed. The immobilized catalyst was recycled using simple centrifugation seven times without significant loss of activity.
“Demarcation and Mapping of a Tree Species Using VHRS Data and Deep learning methods”
Authors: Biju Milan K , Trivedi Shivam , Hebbar R , Brema J
Published: September 2023

Coconut holds significant importance in India as a vital source of oil for consumption, particularly due to the high demand for coconut oil. As a result, there has been a rapid expansion of oil coconut tree plantations. Coconut cultivation is widespread, spanning across 90 plus countries, making it one of the majorly grown plantations globally. India, being one of the top producers of coconuts, annually yields 13 billion nuts, utilizing approximately 1.78 million hectares of land for coconut plantations. The primary aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of detecting coconut trees using advanced deep learning techniques applied to high-resolution remote sensing images. The process of tree counting serves two essential purposes. Firstly, it provides an estimate of the number of trees within the plantation, enabling farmers to plan irrigation and fertilization processes more effectively. Secondly, this information is crucial for evaluating the estimated production and determining the value of the field. Deep learning serves as a fundamental framework for accurately detecting trees in high-resolution remote sensing images. Cutting-edge software packages like ArcGIS Pro incorporate deep learning tools that utilize pattern recognition concepts to identify objects in such images. The study reveals the detection of 11,325 coconut trees in the village using deep learning approaches, achieving an accuracy of 87.4%. The findings demonstrate that deep learning techniques offer improved object interpretation. Additionally, the assessment of plantation density in the village suggests that moderately dense coconut plantations occupy a larger area (82.74 hectares) compared to other types of plantations.
Implementation of an “Opt-Out” Tobacco Treatment Program in Six Hospitals in South Carolina
Authors: Cummings K. Michael , Talbot Vincent , Roberson Avery , Bliss Asia A. , Likins Emily , Brownstein Naomi C. , Stansell Stephanie , Adams-Ludd Demetress , Harris Bridget , Louder David , McCutcheon Edward , Zebian Rami , Rojewski Alana , Toll Benjamin A.
Published: September 2023

Objective
To describe the implementation an opt-out tobacco treatment program (TTP) in 6 diverse hospitals located in different regions of South Carolina.
Methods
Between March 8, 2021 and December 17, 2021, adult patients (≥ 18 years) admitted to 6 hospitals affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) were screened for their cigarette status. Patients who smoked cigarettes were referred to an TTP offering a brief bedside consult and automated post-discharge follow-up calls with an opportunity to receive a referral to the South Carolina Quitline (SCQL). The hospitals included in this study ranged in size from 82 to 715 beds with diverse patient populations. Herein, we report on the results of screening and referring patients to the TTP, delivery of smoking cessation treatments, and patient smoking status assessed in a sample of patients followed 6-weeks after discharge from the hospital.
Results
Smoking prevalence ranged from 14–49% across the 6 hospitals. Among eligible patients reached, 85.6% accepted the bedside consult. Only 3.4% of patients reached were deemed ineligible because they claimed not to be currently smoking cigarettes. The automated post-discharge follow-up calls were answered by 43% of patients, with about a third of those who had relapsed back to smoking accepting the offer of a referral to the SCQL. Overall, about half of the 6,000 patients referred to the TTP received some type of treatment. Self-reported smoking abstinence rates assessed 6-weeks after discharge were similar across the five acute care hospitals ranging from about 20–30%.
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate the broad reach of implementing an opt-out TTP for patients in hospitals of varying size, rurality and patient populations.
Convergence research and training in computational bioengineering: a case study on AI/ML driven biofilm-material interaction discovery
Authors: Zylla Jessica LS , Z. Etienne Gnimpieba , Bomgni Alain B , Sani Rajesh K , Subramaniam Mahadevan , Lushbough Carol , Winter Robb , Gadhamshetty Venkataramana R , Chundi Parvathi
Published: September 2023

Initially, research disciplines operated independently, but the emergence of trans-
disciplinary sciences led to convergence research, impacting graduate programs and research laboratories, especially in bioengineering and material engineering as presented here. Current graduate curriculum fails to efficiently prepare students for multidisciplinary and convergence research, thus creating a gap between the students and research laboratory expectations. We present a convergence training framework for graduate students, incorporating problem-based learning under the guidance of senior scientists and collaboration with postdoctoral researchers. This case study serves as a template for transdisciplinary convergent training projects - bridging the expertise gap and fostering successful convergence learning experiences in computational biointerface (material-biology interface). The 18-month Advanced Data Science Workshop, initiated in 2019, involves project-based learning, online training modules, and data collection. A pilot solution utilized Jupyter notebook on Google collaborator and culminated in a face-to-face workshop where project presentations and finalization occurred. The program started with 9 experts in the four diverse fields creating 14 curated projects in data science (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning), material science, biofilm engineering, and biointerface. These were integrated into convergence research through webinars by the experts. The experts chose 8 of the 14 projects to be part of an all-day in-person workshop, where over 20 learners formed eight teams that tackled complex problems at the interface of digital image processing, gene expression analysis, and material prediction. Each team was comprised of students and postdoctoral researchers or research scientists from diverse domains including computer science, materials science, and biofilm research. Some projects were selected for presentation at the international IEEE Bioinformatics conference in 2022, with three resulting Machine Learning (ML) models submitted as a journal paper. Students engaged in problem discussions, collaborated with experts from different disciplines, and received guidance in decomposing learning objectives. Based on learner feedback, this successful experience allows for consolidation and integration of convergence research via problem-based learning into the curriculum. Three bioengineering participants, who received training in data science and engineering, have received bioinformatics jobs in biotechnology industries.
A stable and low loss oxide layer on α-Ta (110) film for superconducting qubits
Authors: Ding Zengqian , zhou Boyi , Wang Tao , Yang Lina , Wu Yanfu , Cai Xiao , Xiong Kanglin , Feng Jiagui
Published: September 2023

The dielectric loss of amorphous oxide layers is a major limiting factor for the coherent time of superconducting qubits. Usually, the surface oxides of superconductor film are lossy and unstable in air. To increase the coherence time, it is essential for qubits to have stable and low dielectric loss oxides, either as barrier or passivation layers. Here, we demonstrate that a kind of amorphous tantalum oxide on α-Ta (110) film is robust and stable by means of chemical and structural analysis. Such kind of oxide layer forms in a self-limiting process on the surface of α-Ta (110) film in piranha solution, yielding stable thickness and steady chemical composition. Quarter-wavelength coplanar waveguide resonators are made to study the loss of this oxide. One fresh resonator have a Qi of 3.0×106 in the single photon region. The Qi of most devices are higher than 2.0×106. And most of them are still over one million even after exposed to air for months. Based on these findings, we propose an all-tantalum superconducting qubit utilizing such oxide as passivation layers, which possess low dielectric loss and improved stability.
Interpretation of Thermoluminescence Dosimetry System from the Information Theory Perspective
Authors: Moslehi A. , Ataeinia V. , Payervand F. , Semsarha F.
Published: September 2023

Shannon’s information theory expresses that reduction in entropy of a communication system quantifies the increase in information one receives about the system. In this work, the thermoluminescence (TL) dosimetry system is investigated from this perspective. It is supposed that the quantum energy of radiation is transmitted by the TLD chip and is converted to the TL light(s) by the TLD reader. Hence, we get some information about the TL system. To examine this concept, the TL responses of GR-200 chips (irradiated with 90Sr beta rays, 60Co gamma rays) and TLD-600 chips (irradiated with thermal neutrons) before and after irradiation with different dose-equivalents are determined. Shannon’s entropy is calculated using the measured glow curves (GCs). The results show that while the TL response increases after irradiation, the entropy decreases and then remains stable with the increase in dose-equivalent. Furthermore, the maximum transmission rate of TL lights increases by the dose-equivalent.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) related signature acted as the immunotherapy clinical response index in melanoma
Authors: Yue Chao , Lian Wenqin , Duan Mengying , Xia Die , Cao Xianbin , Peng Jianzhong
Published: September 2023

Background: At present, melanoma has become an important factor that seriously threatens people's life, property and health. Oxidative stress is currently believed to affect the prognosis of melanoma patients by affecting the progression of melanoma cells.
Method: In this study, the TCGA-SKCM dataset was used to obtain the HTSeq-FPKM RNA-seq transcriptome and clinical data of 471 cutaneous melanoma patients. Subsequently, the GEO database was used to obtain the GSE65904 dataset and GSE120575 single-cell sequencing data, and EMBL-EBI database was used to obtain the transcriptome data of PRJEB23709 as the validation group. In the analysis of single-cell sequencing data, logarithmic normalization was performed on the combined data, and the
FindVariableFeatures function was used to identify the first 2000 highly variable genes. All genes were then normalized using the ScaleData function and the dimensions of the data were reduced to 50 principal components by the RunPCA function. Cluster analysis using the "FindNeighbors" and "FindClusters" functions to identify cell clusters at a resolution of 0.1. Next, reduce the dimensions further by selecting the first 50 principal components and applying the UMAP method. CIBERSORT analysis was used to estimate changes in immune cell subpopulations in different groups, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the association between risk scores and immune infiltrating cells. Predictors were selected using LASSO analysis, and prognostic models were constructed by Cox regression analysis. The TIDE approach was used to evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy in melanoma patients, and statistical methods were used to analyze the data.
Result: In the study, immune cells from melanoma patients were analyzed using the GSE120575 single-cell RNA sequencing dataset and genes associated with ROS were identified. Further studies found that most cell types in the non-responding group had higher ROS marker scores than those in the responding group, and multiple up-regulated gene pathways were present in cells with high ROS markers. By Lasso-Cox regression analysis, a prognostic model based on five ROS-related genes was constructed, and the reliability and validity of the model in the TCGA-SKCM and GSE65904 datasets were verified. In addition, the study found a negative correlation between risk scores and immune-related genes and immune-infiltrating cells, and that patients in the low-risk group responded better to immunotherapy.
Thymoquinone Modifies CD4+:CD8+ Ratio without Affecting Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-1β Levels in Wallerian Degeneration Crush Injury Rat Model
Authors: Besin Valentinus , Bajamal Abdul Hafid , Nugraha Jusak , Notopuro Paulus Budiono , Naesilla Naesilla , Humardani Farizky Martriano
Published: September 2023

Background Wallerian degeneration following nerve injury not only suppresses CD4 + T-cell responses but also promotes pro-inflammatory immunological responses through TNF-α and IL-1β. Recent research suggests that thymoquinone might enhance nerve recovery by exerting anti-inflammatory effects on both the innate and adaptive immune systems. This study aims to evaluate the effect of thymoquinone on neuroinflammation in a sciatic nerve crush injury, as represented by TNF-α, IL-1β, and the CD4+:CD8 + ratio.Methods In this study, 126 Wistar rats were divided into three main groups: placebo, thymoquinone 100 mg/kg, and thymoquinone 250 mg/kg administered daily. Rats were euthanised at six distinct time points: 12, 18, and 24 hours, as well as on day-5, day-6, and day-7. TNF-α and IL-1β levels were assessed using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The CD4+:CD8 + ratio in peripheral blood was determined via flow cytometry. Data analysis was conducted using MANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests.Results No significant difference was noted in TNF-α levels between the treatment and placebo groups across all observation times. However, on day-6, the IL-1β level in the TQ 250mg/kg group was statistically lower than in the placebo group (p = 0.008). Furthermore, both the TQ 100mg/kg and 250mg/kg groups exhibited a higher CD4+:CD8 + ratio compared to the placebo group on day-5 (p = 0.007).Conclusion Daily TQ administration did not consistently reduce TNF-α and IL-1ß levels. However, both doses elevated the CD4+:CD8 + ratio during the early stages of Wallerian degeneration, suggesting a potential benefit of TQ on nerve regeneration.
Long Non-Coding RNAs Related to N6-Methyladenosine and Immune Cell Infiltration in Cervical Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Analysis
Authors: Lu Lidan , Bao Neng , Wei Qingxue , Cai Ximei , Ji Hongjian , Ni Haiyan , Wang Peijuan
Published: September 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of N6-methyladenoxin (m6A-lncRNAs) on the prognosis of cervical cancer (CC).
Method: The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was used to comprehensively analyze the prognostic value of m6A-lncRNAs in cervical carcinoma (CC) and their relationship to tumor microenvironment. These data were then used to generate a prognostic model by LASSO regression. Finally, all prognosis-related m6A-lncRNAs were validated in HeLa cells.
Results: A total of 87 m6A-lncRNAs were found to be significantly associated with the overall survival of patients with CC. Two subtypes were isolated by clustering the 87 prognostic m6A-lncRNAs. Cluster 1 performed better in terms of patient survival than cluster 2. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of CC using gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the ADHESION_JUNCTION pathway was the most active in Cluster 1, while the OXIDATIVE_PHOSPHORYLATION pathway showed higher activity in Cluster 2. The clinical correlation heatmap and boxplot showed differences in age, tumor grade, immune characteristics, and clustering. Thirteen prognosis-related m6A-lncRNAs were identified by LASSO regression, and of these, LINC006 and NNT-AS1 were finally validated through in vitro studies.
Conclusion: Prognostic m6A-lncRNA markers could be an important mediator of the immune microenvironment of CC and a potential target for immunotherapy.
K.F Mini- Implant Placement Guide: A Simplified Template for Mini-Implant Placement in Orthodontics.
Authors: Agrawal Amol Rajendra
Published: September 2023

Background
Orthodontic mini‑implants (MI) have gained popularity among orthodontists mainly because they provide an effective tool in orthodontic cases with high anchorage demands.
The main objective of this study is to avoid a risk of injury to dental roots during placement of orthodontic mini-implants, especially when they are inserted between teeth and design a placement guide which is simple in design, easy to fabricate, inexpensive, supportive and can be used with a variety of mini-screws.
Findings
The mini-implant placement guide was fabricated using rectangular 0.017 x 0.025/0.019 × 0.025 stainless steel (SS) archwire, the wire was bent vertically distal to second premolar along the long axis. The vertical length of the wire is according to the desired length for micro-implant insertion, which is generally 5-6 mm apical to the alveolar crest. After the vertical bend 2-3 mm (which is an interradicular space between two roots) [8] horizontal bend is given pointing posteriorly towards the first molar region. A periapical radiograph is taken to confirm the correct position of template guide, radiograph is repeated until the desired position is achieved. The point of mini-implant insertion site is just at the middle of the horizontal bend, which can be readily marked using a marker or a burr.
Conclusion
K.A. micro-implant placement guide is simple in design, easy to fabricate, inexpensive, supportive and can be used with a variety of mini-screws.
Disparities in Healthcare Access Experienced by Hispanic Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Cross Sectional Analysis
Authors: Ashrafi Sadia Anjum , Alam Rifat Binte , Kraay Alicia , Ogunjesa Babatope Ayokunle , Schwingel Andiara
Published: September 2023

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health concern, and the disease disproportionately affects Hispanics. Improved healthcare access for Hispanic CKD patients can reduce the disease burden. This study assesses the healthcare access disparities experienced by Hispanic CKD patients compared to Whites.
Methods: We analyzed three National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) datasets for 2013-2014, 2015-2016, and 2017-2018. The primary predictor variable was race, and the outcome variable was three domains of healthcare access: insurance status, having any routine place for healthcare, and having any health visits in the past year. Chi-square tests and unadjusted and adjusted multivariate logistic regressions were conducted. The models were adjusted for age, education, income, and CKD stages and were weighted to account for the sampling strategy.
Results: The sample size was 1864 CKD patients from three two years cycles of NHANES datasets (2013-2014, 2015-2016, and 2017-2018). The final adjusted model found that Hispanic CKD patients were more likely to be uninsured (OR: 2.52, CI: 1.66-3.83) and have no routine place for healthcare (OR: 1.68, CI: 1.03-2.75) than White CKD patients but did not have differences in healthcare visits in the past year.
Conclusions: Hispanic CKD patients have limited healthcare access compared to White populations showing existing care access disparities experienced by them. Policy-level attention is required to resolve the disparities and improve Hispanic’s kidney health.
PSR versus TSR Relaying Protocols: Leveraging Full-DuplexDF and Energy Harvesting for SWIPT in NOMA Systems
Authors: Q. Tran Huu
Published: September 2023

In this study, we introduce a cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA) system model for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer(SWIPT)withtheassistanceofarelaynode,allwithinthecontextoffull-duplex(FD)communication mode. Within this framework, we consider the utilization of two dis-tinct protocols: the power splitting protocol (PSR) and the time switching protocol (T-SR). These protocols are designed to accommodate both delay-limited-transmission(DLT) and delay-tolerant-transmission (DTT) modes, enabling efficient energy har-vesting and information processing at the relay user. The paper also presents compre-hensive closed-form expressions for various performance metrics, including outageprobability, throughput, ergodic rate, and energy efficiency (EE). Furthermore, weexplore the impact of key parameters such as energy harvesting time, power splittingratio, energy harvesting efficiency, source data rate, and inter-node distance acrossnormal and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regimes. Our findings demonstrate thatenhanced energy harvesting efficiency leads to improved overall system performance.Notably, our results underscore the superiority of NOMA over conventional orthog-onal multiple access schemes, particularly in terms of energy efficiency.
A measure for multiple bends and shear damage of RC rigid-frame bridge tall piers: application to seismic fragility analysis
Authors: MEI Zhu , Liu Yang , WU Bin , BURSI Oreste S. , LU Da-gang , PAOLACCI Fabrizio
Published: September 2023

The reinforced-concrete (RC) rigid-frame bridges with tall hollow piers were widely constructed in Southwestern China with many seismic activities. For such bridges, the seismic damages would be underestimated because of the tall piers’ multiple bends caused by their high-mode shapes that can be activated under earthquakes. Moreover, the seismic damage assessment can be incorrect if we ignore the tall piers’ shear damages caused by their vastly weakened sectional areas and multiple bends. With this respect, this paper presents a fragility analysis for such bridges. A novel seismic damage measure (piecewise drift ratio, PDR) involving shear effects and multiple bends is proposed and experimentally validated. Damage states congruent to the PDR are provided by statistically acquiring from the 40 existing tests of hollow piers. A finite element (FE) model of an RC rigid-frame bridge with two tall piers was established and adequately calibrated based on the model-updating hybrid tests. To provide more comprehensive assessments of the damage measures and the seismic fragility, the ground motions were selected and divided into four categories by identifying their first two frequencies and their amplitude ratio. Both the 5% damped spectral acceleration of the fundamental period (Sa(T1, 5%)) and the peak ground acceleration (PGA) are adopted as the demand parameter to develop the seismic demand models (PSDMs). Results show the effectiveness of the proposed PDR, provide the more adverse types of ground motions, and reveal the high exceedance probability of the complete damage state of tall piers.
Evolution of Microbial Community Structure and Diversity Analysis during Acclimation for High-oil Food Waste Anaerobic Digestion
Authors: HU Yangqing , ZHOU Zhaozhi , SHEN Ce , SUN Guiling , TANG Yuanjun
Published: September 2023

Anaerobic digestion is one of the most promising options for dealing with biodegradable food waste. However, the relatively high content of oil in food waste inhibits the conversion efficiency of anaerobic digestion because of the accumulation of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). In this study, the activated anaerobic sludge was acclimated to accommodate the high-oil condition. The shift of the microbial communities during the acclimation period was represented by high-throughput sequencing based on the 16S rRNA gene. The results indicated that Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria were the dominant bacteria at the phylum level. The relative abundances of Anaerolinea, Clostridium and Longilinea at the genus level improved during the acclimation period, likely triggered by the degradation of LCFA. Among the archaea communities, the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanobacterium nearly supplanted the acetotrophic methanogen Methanosaeta. The fluctuations of pH and volatile fatty acids during the period provide extra evidence for the effectiveness of the acclimation. The methane yield of high-oil food waste digested by the acclimated sludge was 24.9% higher than with the raw sludge.
Organic water features of three adjacent Eastern Mediterranean urbanized watersheds
Authors: Abboud Nour , Maatouk Elias , Matar Zeinab , Wazne Mahmoud , Kazpard Veronique
Published: September 2023

Landscape urbanization broadly affects watersheds ecosystems, but until now the influence of nonpoint source urban inputs on dissolved organic matter (DOM) amount, composition and source is poorly understood. To understand how DOM composition varied with urbanization, fluorescence excitation emission matrices (EEMs) was collected from two types of waters: urban and non-urban waters from upstream to downstream sites along three adjacent watersheds that pour into the Mediterranean Sea. Two humic-like DOM fluorescent components (C1 and C4), two protein-like components (C5 and C7) and two microbial components (C2 and C3) were identified by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The results indicated that urbanization had an important influence on DOM concentration and composition, with urban waters having a high degree of DOM variation due to different land use surrounding each body of water. Urban waters presented higher DOM fluorescence index (FI), a greater proportion of protein-like manifested by BIX values, and less proportion of humic-like (demonstrated by HIX values) than non-urban waters which were dominated by allochthonous inputs. In addition, the EEM was compared in dry and wet season where higher DOM amount and FI appeared in summer due to autochthonous production coming from algae growth compared to allochthonous input from rainfall dominated in wet season.
Comparing survival rates and mortality in operative vs. non-operative treatment for femoral neck fractures in Alzheimer’s disease patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Yang Yijiong , Drake Stacy , Wang Jing , Shen Gordon , Miao Hongyu , Morgan Robert , Du Xianglin , Lairson David
Published: September 2023

Background.This study aims to assess the differences in survival rates and mortality outcomes between operative surgery and non-operative treatment approaches for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who have sustained femoral neck fractures. Given the complexities of treating patients with AD who experience ground level falls, understanding the variations in post-fracture survival rates, mortality, and hazard ratios within this population remains limited.Methods.This retrospective cohort study compared the mortality, hazard ratio and survival rate between operative treatment and non-operative treatment, controlling for patients’ demographic information and baseline health status. The study population consisted of Optum beneficiaries diagnosed with AD, who experienced an initial femoral neck fracture claim between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017. Claims records with diagnosis and procedure codes corresponding to AD and femoral neck fracture were included; combination of hip fracture sections and pathological hip fractures were excluded. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were applied to compare post fracture survival rates and mortality between the treatment groups. Cox regression was applied to examine the survival period by controlling the covariates.Results.Out of the 4,157 AD patients with femoral neck fractures, 59.8% were female (n = 2,487). The median age was 81 years. The one-year survival rate for non-operative treatment (70.19%) was significantly lower than that for internal fixation (75.27%) and arthroplasty treatment (82.32%). The arthroplasty surgical group exhibited the lowest mortality rate compared to the internal fixation and non-operative groups (mortality rate: 0.0215 vs 0.0243 vs 0.0246).Conclusions.The findings suggest that the operative treatment group experiences higher survival rates and lower mortality rates when compared to the non-operative group. Treating femoral neck fractures presents a substantial mortality risk for patients and places an economic burden on the healthcare system. This study offers valuable insights for healthcare providers, administrators, and policymakers in assessing optimal approaches to femoral neck fracture treatment.