bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences between gridded population data impact measures of geographic access to healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Hierink Fleur , Boo Gianluca , Macharia Peter , Ouma Paul , Timoner Pablo , Levy Marc , Tschirhart Kevin , Leyk Stefan , Oliphant Nicholas , Tatem Andrew , Ray Nicolas
Published: April 2022

Access to health care is imperative to health equity and well-being. Geographic access to health care can be modelled by combining different spatial datasets, among others, on the distribution of existing health facilities and populations. Several population datasets are currently available, but their impact on accessibility analyses is unknown. In this study, we model the geographic accessibility of public health facilities at 100-meter resolution in sub-Saharan Africa and explore the effect of six among the most popular gridded population datasets on coverage statistics at different administrative levels. We found differences in accessibility coverage of more than 70% at the sub-national level, based on a one-hour travel time threshold. Differences are significant in large and sparsely populated administrative units, dramatically shaping patterns of health care accessibility at the national and sub-national level. The results underscore an essential source of uncertainty in accessibility analyses that should be systematically assessed in policy-making.
Natural Product P57 Induces Hibernation-like State through Targeting Pyridoxal Kinase
Authors: Dang Yongjun , Wang Rui-Na , Xiao Lei , Pan Jianpo , Zhu Di , Wang Jun , Pei Chengfeng , Ma Qinfeng , Bao Guangsen , Wang Ziruoyu , Zhu Mengdi , Wang Guoxiang , Gong Ling , Tong Qiuping , Jiang Min , Hu Junchi , He Miao , Wang Yun , li Tiejun , Li Wei , Liang Chun-Min , Li Zengxia , Ma Dengke , Tan Minjia , Liu Jun-Yan , Jiang Wei , Luo Cheng , Yu Biao
Published: April 2022

Hibernation/torpor enables certain mammals to survive under extreme environmental conditions. However, pharmacological induction of hibernation-like or torpor state in most mammals remains a huge challenge. Here we show that a natural product P57 promptly induces hypothermia and decreases energy expenditure in rodents. Mechanistically, P57 inhibits the kinase activity of pyridoxal kinase (PDXK), a key metabolic enzyme of vitamin B6 catalyzing phosphorylation of pyridoxal (PL), resulting in the accumulation of PL in hypothalamus to cause hypothermia. The hypothermia induced by P57 is significantly recuperated in the mice with knockout of PDXK in medial preoptic area (MPA). We further found that P57 and PL have consistent effects on gene expression regulation in hypothalamus, and both directly activate MPA neurons to induce hypothermia. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that P57 has a potential application in therapeutic hypothermia through regulation of vitamin B6 metabolism and PDXK serves as a previously unknown target of P57 in thermoregulation. In addition, P57 may serve as a chemical probe for exploring the neuron circuitry related to hibernation-like state in rodents.
A thalamostriatal parvalbumin interneuron circuit suppresses risky reward-motivated behaviors and is disengaged by opioids
Authors: Vollmer Kelsey , Green Lisa , Grant Roger , Winston Kion , Doncheck Elizabeth , Bowen Christopher , Paniccia Jacqueline , Clarke Rachel , Tiller Annika , Siegler Preston , Siemsen Benjamin , Denton Adam , Jhou Thomas , Rinker Jennifer , Scofield Michael , Otis James
Published: April 2022

Suppression of dangerous or inappropriate reward-motivated behaviors is critical for survival, whereas therapeutic or recreational opioid use can unleash risky behavioral actions and addiction. Nevertheless, the neuronal systems that suppress maladaptive motivated behaviors remain unclear, and whether opioids disengage those systems is unknown. Using two-photon calcium imaging in vivo, we identify paraventricular thalamostriatal neuronal ensembles that are inhibited upon sucrose self-administration and seeking, yet these neurons are tonically active when behavior is suppressed by a fear-provoking predator odor, a pharmacological stressor, or inhibitory learning. Electrophysiological, optogenetic, and chemogenetic experiments reveal that thalamostriatal neurons innervate accumbal parvalbumin interneurons through synapses enriched with calcium permeable AMPA receptors, and activity within this circuit is necessary and sufficient for the suppression of sucrose seeking regardless of the behavioral suppressor administered. Furthermore, systemic or intra-accumbal opioid injections rapidly dysregulate thalamostriatal ensemble dynamics, weaken thalamostriatal synaptic innervation of downstream parvalbumin interneurons, and unleash reward-seeking behaviors in a manner that is reversed by genetic deletion of thalamostriatal µ-opioid receptors. Overall, our findings reveal a thalamostriatal to parvalbumin interneuron circuit for the suppression of reward seeking that is rapidly disengaged by opioid-driven inhibition of presynaptic thalamostriatal neurons.
Magnet-free nonreciprocal metasurface for on-demand bi-directional phase modulation
Authors: Yang Weihao , Qin Jun , Long Jiawei , Yan Wei , Yang Yucong , Li Chaoyang , Li En , Hu Juejun , Deng Longjiang , Du Qingyang , Bi Lei
Published: April 2022

Unconstrained by Lorentz reciprocity, nonreciprocal metasurfaces are uniquely capable of encoding distinctive optical functions on forward- and backward-propagating waves. The nonreciprocal metasurfaces reported to date require external electric or magnetic field biasing or rely on nonlinear effects, both of which are challenging to practically implement. Here, we propose and experimentally realize a magnet-free, linear, and passive nonreciprocal metasurface based on self-biased magnetic meta-atoms. Record transmittance up to 77% and operation angle reaching ±64˚ are experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, on-demand bidirectional phase modulation in a “LEGO-like” manner is theoretically proposed and experimentally demonstrated, enabling a cohort of nonreciprocal functionalities such as microwave isolation, nonreciprocal beam steering, nonreciprocal focusing, and nonreciprocal holography. The design can also be extended to MHz and optical frequencies, taking advantage of the wide variety of self-biased gyrotropic materials available. We foresee that the nonreciprocal metasurfaces demonstrated in this work will have a significant practical impact for applications ranging from nonreciprocal antennas and radomes to full-duplex wireless communication and radar systems.
Network Pharmacology-based Analysis on Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy by Berberine
Authors: Wang Ting-Hua , Li Na , Fu Cong , Chen Jin-Lin , Guo Xi-Liang
Published: April 2022

The diabetic retinal injury model was established. After treatment with berberine, OCT and water maze were measured, and 10 genes were screened out by 4D-DIA quantitative proteomic analysis. Heat map difference analysis and molecular docking were performed. The key words "diabetic retinal injury" were input in PubMed, and the related genes queried were combined with the results of 10 screened proteome analysis to conduct PPI protein interaction. Then GO and KEGG analyses were performed with the interacting genes. Results :OCT results showed that the outer nucleus, inner layer and outer accessory layer of RPE were thickened after berberine treatment. The results of water maze experiment showed that after berberine treatment, the learning and cognitive function of BBR group rats was significantly higher than that of DM group on day 5. By screening proteome analysis data and making Venny cross map, 10 genes could be obtained and heat map could be made. Dennd1a and Utp6 were down-regulated in diabetes group. Atp7a, Ppl, Ogn, Nsmcel, Mme, Lmo4, Ca1 and Fn1 were upregulation, and the berberine treatment group was opposite to the diabetic group. Molecular docking results showed that berberine and berberine could form stable molecular binding patterns except Fnl, Ogn and Utp6 target proteins. 343 genes were searched through PubMed keywords, and 353 genes were combined for PPI protein interaction, and 331 genes were obtained for mutual relationship, which were analyzed by GO and KEGG. Conclusion: Berberine has protective effect on diabetic retina injury.
Association between Childcare disagreements with children, Life Satisfaction, and Loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China
Authors: Zhao Yang , Kong Fanlei , Li Shixue
Published: April 2022

Background: More and more migrant elderly following children (MEFC) appeared as the fast urbanization and population aging in China. This study aimed to explore the association between childcare disagreements with children, life satisfaction and loneliness of MEFC in Jinan, China, and furtherly provide evidence-based suggestions for China's aging policy. Methods: A total of 656 MEFC (36.7% males and 63.7% females) were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling in Jinan, China. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive analysis, T test, F test and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted in this study. Results: Childcare disagreements with children was found to be positively significantly associated with loneliness of the MEFC, and a greater impact was found among MEFC without temporary residence permits (TRP) than those had TRP. There was a significant negative correlation between the life satisfaction and loneliness among the MEFC. Childcare disagreements with children was found to be negatively associated with life satisfaction of the MEFC. Conclusion: Childcare disagreements with children was found to be positively corelated with the loneliness of MEFC, while life satisfaction was negatively corelated with the loneliness of MEFC. Besides disagreement with their children was negatively associated with life satisfaction of MEFC. More psychological care from children and less conflicts in raising up grandchildren are needed to lower the loneliness of the MEFC.
Trial of labor following cesarean in preterm deliveries: success rates and maternal & neonatal outcomes- a multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Rotem Reut , Hirsch Ayala , Barg Moshe , Mor Pnina , Michaelson-Cohen Rachel , Rottenstreich Misgav
Published: April 2022

Purpose: To evaluate rates of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) among parturients attempting preterm trial of labor following a cesarean delivery (TOLAC) vs. term TOLAC.Methods: A multicenter historic cohort study at two university-affiliated centers between August 2005 and March 2021. Parturients in their 2nd delivery, attempting TOLAC after a single low segment transverse cesarean delivery (CD) were included. We retrospectively examined computerized medical records of all preterm (<37 weeks) and term (37-42 weeks) births. Multifetal gestations and post-term deliveries (≥42 weeks) were excluded. A univariate analysis was conducted followed by a multivariate analysis. Results: 4,865 second deliveries following previous CD were identified; 212 (4.4%) preterm and 4653 (95.6%) term. Hypertensive disorders, diabetes and fertility treatments were significantly more prevalent in the preterm group. VBAC rate was significantly lower in preterm group (57.5% vs 79.7%., p<0.01), including both spontaneous and vaginal-assisted deliveries. In multivariate analysis, preterm TOLAC was independently associated with TOLAC failure [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.24, [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.62-3.09]. Overall, maternal outcomes were favorable. Rates of uterine rupture, re-laparotomy and post-partum hemorrhage were comparable between groups. Neonatal outcomes were less favorable among the preterm group, however, preterm vs. term TOLAC was not associated with low 5-minute Apgar score (aOR 1.76, 95% CI 0.92-3.40).Conclusion: In our study, VBAC rates were lower in preterm compared to term deliveries. Maternal outcomes were comparable. Neonatal outcomes were less favorable in the preterm group, more likely due to prematurity than delivery mode.
Effect of Date Molasses on Levetiracetam Pharmacokinetics in Healthy Rats
Authors: Dayyih Wael Abu , Layth Raghad , Hailat Mohammad , Alkhawaja Bayan , AlTamimi Lina , Zakaraya Zainab , Aburumman Aseel , Dmour Nisreen Al , Al-Matubsi Hisham , Saadh Mohamed , Aldalaen Saed
Published: April 2022

Eighteen healthy eight-week-old male Wister rats weighing 200 g were used. Rats were chosen randomly, their tails were identified, and separated into cages/groups. The first group received 0.1 mL of levetiracetam intravenously. The second received an oral dose of 11.5 mg of levetiracetam in 5 mL of water, and the third was the control group. . One week of pre-administered date molasses significantly decreased levetiracetam pharmacokinetic parameters in rats, as Cmax (72 vs. 14 ng/mL, p=0.01), Tmax (1.78 vs. 0.44 hr, p<0.001), and AUC (880 vs. 258 ng.h/mL, p<0.001). This decrease in plasma levetiracetam levels caused by date molasses could be attributed to decreased levetiracetam absorption. On the other hand, the current study discovered that rats given date molasses for a week had a reduced rate and extent of absorption. Polysaccharides in date molasses could theoretically increase the risk of epileptic seizures. When taking levetiracetam to stop epileptic seizures, doctors and patients should be told not to overdose.
Kinetics of immune responses elicited after three mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses in predominantly antibody-deficient individuals.
Authors: Ainsua-Enrich Erola , Pedreño-Lopez Nuria , Bracke Carmen , Avila-Nieto Carlos , Concepcion Maria Luisa Rodriguez de la , Pradenas Edwards , Trinite Benjamin , Marfil Silvia , Miranda Cristina , Gonzalez Sandra , Toledo Ruth , Font Marta , Benet Susana , Escriba Tuixent , Jimenez-Moyano Esther , Peña Ruth , Cedeño Samandhy , Prado Julia G , Mothe Beatriz , Brander Christian , Izquierdo-Useros Nuria , Vergara-Alert Julia , Segales Joaquim , Massanella Marta , Benitez Rosa Maria , Romero Alba , Molina-Morata Daniel , Blanco Julia , Clotet Bonaventura , Mateu Lourdes , Pedro-Botet Maria Luisa , Carrillo Jorge
Published: April 2022

Purpose
Mass vaccination campaigns have reduced the incidence and severity of COVID-19. However, there is limited information about how patients with predominantly antibody-deficiencies (PAD) respond to COVID-19 vaccination. Here, we evaluated humoral and cellular responses developed in SARS-CoV-2-naïve PAD individuals after three mRNA-1273 vaccine doses.
Methods
Patients and healthy controls (HCs) were immunized at week 0 (w0) and w4. PAD individuals received an additional dose at w24. Blood samples were collected at w0, w4, w8, w24, and/or w28. We determined levels of anti-Spike and anti-RBD antibodies, Spike-specific IgG avidity, and neutralizing activity (Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta, and Omicron variants). Cellular responses were evaluated by IFN-γ ELISpot and flow cytometry.
Results
Unclassified primary antibody-deficiency patients (unPAD, n = 9) and HCs developed comparable vaccine-induced humoral responses. However, common variable immunodeficiency patients (CVID, n = 12) showed lower antibody responses than HCs. While the frequency of Spike-specific CD4 + T cells was similar between PAD patients and HCs, CD8 + T cells responses were reduced in CVID individuals. Both PAD groups showed lower levels of Spike-specific IFN-γ-producing T-cells. Combined immunodeficiency (CID, n = 1) and thymoma with immunodeficiency (TID, n = 1) patients developed cellular but not humoral responses after two immunizations. The third vaccine dose boosted humoral responses in most PAD patients, but had little effect on cellular immunity.
Conclusion
mRNA-1273 vaccine-induced immune responses in PAD individuals are heterogeneous, depend on the type and degree of antibody-deficiency, and should be immunomonitored to define a personalized vaccination strategy.
Broadband Mechanoresponsive Liquid Metal Sensors
Authors: Scheideler William , Rahman Md Saifur , Huddy Julia , Hamlin Andrew
Published: April 2022

Stretchable electronics have the fundamental advantage of matching the complex geometries of the human body, providing novel opportunities for real-time biomechanical sensing. We report a new method for high frequency AC-enhanced resistive mechanical sensing that leverages the deformability of liquid metals to enhance low-power detection of mechanical stimuli in wearable electronics. The fundamental mechanism for this enhancement is the geometrical modulation of the AC skin effect, which induces current crowding at the surface of a liquid metal trace. This method can be applied in combination with DC sensing to quantitatively pinpoint varying mechanical modes of deformation such as stretching in-plane and compression out-of-plane that are otherwise impossible to distinguish by traditional methods. This novel sensing method, which we explore by FEA simulations, is experimentally employed in a glove to detect various hand gestures and tactile forces as well as a respiratory sensor band to measure breathing rate. Moreover, this AC sensor inherently uses lower power, enabling a new generation of efficient wearable radio-frequency (RF) systems for haptics and biomedical sensing.
Quality of Family Planning Among Married Women at Ngo Supported and Non-supported Districts in Bati Woreda Oromia Special Zone Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2021
Authors: Abebaw Nigusie , Girma Natnael , Berhanu Wosensew , Tefera Zenebe
Published: April 2022

Background: Good quality of family planning service helps individuals and couples meet their reproductive health needs safely and effectively. This study may provide important information to family planning providers, policy makers, and program managers to improve quality of family planning service.Objective: To assess quality of family planning among married women at NGO supported and non-supported in Bati Woreda Oromia special zone Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2021.Method: Institutional based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted during study period. Data was collected from March 1-30/2021 by using 344 sample size . Data were entered to Epi Data 4.1 and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with 95%Confidence interval was used to measure association variable with p-value <0.05 Result: 344 participants were enrolled to this study making the response rate of 100 %.This finding showed that , 63.3% were supported and 58.1% non-supported by NGO. The mean age was 36 SD + 6.17 years old with range between 23-49 years. Contraceptive users who are supported by NGO [95% CI, 2.17(1.19-6.13)],Short waiting time [95% CI, 1.276(0.54-2.99)], Availability of different choice, [95% CI, 0.3(0.12-0.71)], Good counseling, [95% CI, 0.04(0.0-0.0043)] and Keeping privacy for contraceptive users[95% CI,0.21(0.08-0.48)] were significantly associated with the dependent variable. Conclusion: Supported status, waiting time availability of method, provider good service and Clear and satisfactory counseling were the most determinant factor for the dependent variable. Therefore all health care provider give clear and precise about contraceptive method .
Differential expression of immune-regulatory proteins C5AR1, CLEC4A and NLRP3 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Pakvisal Nussara , Kongkavitoon Pornrat , Sathitruangsak Chirawadee , Pornpatrananrak Nopporn , Boonsirikamchai Piyaporn , Ouwongprayoon Pongsakorn , Aporntewan Chatchawit , Chantranuwat Poonchavist , Mutirangura Apiwat , Vinayanuwattikun Chanida
Published: April 2022

Background: Changes in gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) appear to represent the host’s response to the cancer cells via paracrine signaling. We speculated that protein expression on circulating T-lymphocytes represent T-lymphocyte trafficking before infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. The possibility of using protein expression on circulating T-lymphocytes as a biomarker to discriminate early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was explored in this study.Methods: Four independent PBMC gene expression microarray datasets (GSE12771, GSE13255, GSE20189 and GSE3934) were analyzed. We selected C5AR1, CLEC4A and NLRP3 based on their significant protein expression in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, but not in normal lymphoid tissue. A validation study using automated flow cytometry was conducted in 141 study participants including 76 treatment-naive early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients (NSCLC), 12 individuals with non-malignant pulmonary diseases, and 53 healthy individuals. Results: Median ratios of C5AR1, CLEC4A and NLRP3 specific antibody staining to CD3 positive cells in early-stage NSCLC patients compared to healthy controls were 0.014 [0-0.37] vs. 0.01 [0-0.07, p=0.13], 0.03 [0-0.87] vs. 0.02 [0-0.13, p=0.10] and 0.19 [0-0.60] vs. 0.09 [0.02-0.31, p<0.0001], respectively. Median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD3+C5AR1+, CD3+CLEC4A+ and CD3+NLRP3+ expression in early-stage NSCLC patients compared to healthy volunteers was 185 [64.2-4801] vs. 107.5 [27-229, p<0.0001], 91.2 [42.4-2355] vs. 71.25 [46.2-103, p=0.0005], and 1585 [478-5224] vs. 758.5 [318-1976, p<0.0001], respectively. NLRP3:CD3 ratio, CD3+C5AR1+, CD3+CLEC4A+ and CD3+NLRP3+ MFI were significantly higher in early-stage NSCLC than healthy volunteers with an area under the ROC curve of 0.69-0.76. The CD3+NLRP3+ MFI provided the most distinguishable expression at 71.5% sensitivity and 70% specificity. Furthermore, CD3+NLRP3+ MFI potentially discriminated between early-stage NSCLC from malignant-mimic inflammation and infection pulmonary disease.Conclusions: Our proof-of-principle findings strengthen the hypothesis that malignancies generate distinctive protein expression fingerprints on circulating T-lymphocytes.
Shared and Distinct Factors Underlying In-Hospital Mobility of Older Adults in Israel and Denmark (97/100)
Authors: Zisberg Anna , Shadmi Efrat , Andersen Ove , Shulyaev Ksenya , Petersen Janne , Agmon Maayan , Gil Efrat , Gur-Yaish Nurit , Pedersen Mette Merete
Published: April 2022

Objective: Low in-hospital mobility is widely acknowledged as a major risk factor in acquiring hospital-associated disabilities. Various predictors of in-hospital mobility limitations have been proposed across studies, however, it is unknown whether similar risk factors are associated with in-hospital mobility across countries, given different mobility measurement methods, variations in measurement of predictors, and differences in populations studied. The study was a secondary analysis of data investigated the relationship between in-hospital mobility and a set of similar risk factors in older adults who were independently mobile prior to hospitalization in acute care settings in Israel (N=206) and Denmark (N=113). In Israel, mobility was measured via ActiGraph GT9X and in Denmark by ActivPal3 up to seven hospital days. Results: Higher level of community mobility prior to hospitalization and higher mobility ability status on admission were common predictors of a higher number of in-hospital steps, whereas longer length of hospital stay was significantly correlated with a lower number in both samples. Risk of malnutrition on admission was correlated with a lower number of steps, but only in the Israeli sample. Despite different measurement methods, older adults’ low in-hospital mobility has similar risk factors in Israel and Denmark: pre-hospitalization mobility and admission mobility ability.
Trends, pattern & socio demographic factors associated with use of contraceptive among adolescent girls in India: Descriptive analysis of four NFHS surveys
Authors: Bawa Mukesh Suresh , Thatkar Pandurang Vithal , Desale Atul Vilas , Chavan Rahul Bhagchand , Pandve Harshal Tukaram
Published: April 2022

Background
About half of pregnancies among adolescent women aged 15–19 living in developing regions are unintended, and more than half of these end in abortion, often under unsafe conditions. Evidence shows low contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) among adolescent females aged 15–19 years in low income countries. The aim of this study was to examine the patterns, trends and factors associated with contraceptive use among adolescents in India over the period 1992 to 2016.
Methods
This study involved an analysis of cross-sectional data from four National Family Health Survey (NFHS 1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-06 and 2015-16). A descriptive analysis was conducted and results were presented as proportions. Appropriate statistical tests were used to test the significance of association between the outcome and explanatory variables and multilevel logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of contraceptive use.
Results
The current contraceptive use among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years was found to be 7.06%, 7.57%, 2.83% and 1.87% during NFHS 1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-06 and 2015-16 surveys respectively.
Conclusions
Over the period of four NFHS surveys, the current contraceptive use shows declining trend while use of modern contraceptive methods is improving among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years.
Altered spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity in patients with end-stage renal disease
Authors: Bai Di , Ma Chi , Wang Chengjian , Zhou Tong , Wang Jiachen , Bi Yuzhen , Ren Yande
Published: April 2022

Background: Neurological complications occurs frequently in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the neuropathological mechanisms of which remains unclear. This study investigated changes in local neuronal functional activity in ESRD patients using regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) algorithms based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and analysed associations between spontaneous brain activity changes and blood biochemical indices. Methods: Thirty-six patients with ESRD and Thirty-two healthy controls were scanned with rs-fMRI to calculate ReHo values across the whole brain. Brain areas with altered ReHo values were selected as regions of interest (ROIs) for FC analysis, which was used to explore the functional integration between ROIs. Independent sample t tests were used for comparison between groups, and Pearson’s correlation analyses were used for the correlation between altered ReHo values and clinical data. Results: Compared with the healthy controls, ESRD patients showed increased ReHo in the left temporal pole (TPO), right orbital inferior frontal gyrus (ORBinf) and bilateral rectus gyrus (REC) (P<0.01, AlphaSim corrected), while the ReHo values in the bilateral calcarine sulcus (CAL), left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) were significantly decreased (P<0.01). ESRD patients showed decreased FC between the right CAL and both the left IFG and right SMG (P<0.01). We also found decreased FC between the right SMG and right STG. Correlation analyses showed that ReHo values in the right CAL were positively correlated with haemoglobin levels (r=0.347, P=0.048) and haematocrit (r=0.357, P=0.041). Conclusion: ESRD patients had dyssynchrony in local functional activities in several brain regions, mainly involving the default mode network (DMN), and dyssynchrony in local and remote brain activities in the IFG-CAL-SMG-STG circuit, which may contribute to further understanding of the neuropathological mechanism of brain injury in patients with ESRD.
ConFlow: Contrast Network Flow Improving Class-Imbalanced Learning in Network Intrusion Detection
Authors: Liu Lan , Wang Pengcheng , Ruan Jianliang , Lin Jun
Published: April 2022

In today's cyberspace, network traffic is more massive, complex, and multi-dimensional than ever before. In order to capture malicious network attacks, a machine learning-based network intrusion detection system (NIDS) has become the mainstream method. However, there are still high false-positive and false-negative rates, which cannot guarantee detection accuracy. On the one hand, normal behaviour dominates the Internet, and network traffic presents uneven distribution. On the other hand, the goal of machine learning algorithms is usually to obtain the highest overall accuracy without considering class-imbalanced. It is difficult for the model to learn good performance from a few attack examples. Training the model with an imbalanced data distribution often leads to severe overfitting and severely damages the model's generalization ability. To improve class-imbalanced learning in network intrusion detection, it is necessary to capture the similarities between samples in different classes and compare them with samples in other classes. Based on this, we propose ConFlow, a supervised contrastive learning method for network intrusion detection. First, we design a feature extraction encoder for bidirectional network flow, and add GELU, LayerNorm, and Skip-connection units to the MLP framework, which can enhance the representation ability of the neural network. Then, we use the dropout layer's randomness in the encoder for data augmentation, and different vector representations can be obtained by feeding the same network flow into the encoder twice. Lastly, through the weighted supervised contrastive loss and cross-entropy loss in the training phase. The ConFlow method can improve class-imbalanced learning and does not need the two stages of pre-training and fine-tuning, which can further mine maliciously attacks hidden under normal traffic. The experimental results on the ISCX-IDS2012 and CSE-CIC-IDS2017 datasets show that the ConFlow outperforms other works, and the performance improvement on few-shot learning and robustness test is more significant. The reference PyTorch code is released at https://github.com/AshinWang/ConFlow.
The contribution of mate-choice, couple convergence and confounding to assortative mating
Authors: Sjaarda Jennifer , Kutalik Zoltan
Published: April 2022

Increased phenotypic similarity between partners, termed assortative mating (AM), has been observed for many traits. However, it is currently unclear if these observations are due to mate choice for certain phenotypes, post-mating convergence, or a result of confounding factors such as shared environment or indirect assortment. To dissect these underlying phenomena, we applied Mendelian randomisation (MR) to 51,664 couples in the UK biobank to a panel of 118 phenotypes under AM. We found that 54% (64 of 118) of the tested traits had a causal relationship between partners, with female-to-male effects on average being larger. Forty traits, including systolic blood pressure, basal metabolic rate, weight and height, showed significantly larger phenotypic correlation than MR-estimates, suggesting the presence of confounders. Subsequent analyses revealed household income, overall health rating, education and tobacco smoking as major overall confounders, accounting for 29.8, 14.1, 11.6, and 4.78%, of cross-partner phenotypic correlations, respectively. We detected limited evidence for couple-correlation convergence (e.g. increased similarity with respect to smoking and medication use), measured by stratifying couples by their time spent together. Finally, mediation analysis revealed that the vast majority (> 77%) of causal associations between one trait of an individual and a different trait of their partner is indirect. For example, the causal effect of the BMI of an individual on the overall health rating of their partner is entirely acting through the BMI of their partner. In summary, this study revealed many novel causal effects within couples, shedding light on the impact of confounding on couple phenotypic similarity.
Data Fusion based on Big Data Techniques in Intrusion Detection Context
Authors: Jemili Farah
Published: April 2022

Intrusion detection is seen as the most promising way for computer security. It is used to protect computer networks against different types of attacks. The major problem in the literature is the data classification problem in two main classes: normal or intrusive. To solve this problem, several approaches have been proposed but the problem of false alarms is still present. To provide a solution to this problem we have proposed a new intrusion detection approach based on Big data techniques. The objective of this work is to present an approach of data fusion using Big Data techniques in order to detect intrusions. This article presents how to merge two or more intrusion detection datasets using the Hadoop ecosystem and Neo4j graph database. The main objective of this paper is to build one dataset which combines various datasets and contains all the attack types. This research consists in merging the heterogeneous datasets and removing redundancy information using Hadoop and Neo4j. In final step fuzzy decision tree algorithm is implemented for learning. This algorithm is called SSDM (Semantically Similar Data Miner), it is to classify the data detected in intrusive or normal classes and uses fuzzy logic whose purpose is to generate association rules between the different elements extracted from the database. The K2 algorithm is also implemented in order to learn from data and detect intrusions. Experimentation results prove that data fusion contributes to have better results in terms of detection rates and false positives.
PHGDH as a Prognostic-Related Biomarker in Endometrial Carcinoma Correlating with Immune Infiltrates
Authors: Zhang He , Kong Weimin , Chen Shuning , Zhao Xiaoling , Luo Dan , Xie Yunkai , Zhang Heng
Published: April 2022

Background: PHGDH (Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase) is the first branch enzyme in the serine biosynthetic pathway and plays a vital role in several cancers. However, little is known about the clinical significance of PHGDH in endometrial cancer.Methods: Clinicopathological data were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). First, the expression of PHGDH in pan-cancer and its expression and prognostic value in endometrial cancer were investigated. The effect of PHGDH expression on the prognosis of endometrial cancer was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier plotter and Cox regression. The relationship between PHGDH expression and clinical features of endometrial cancer was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and nomograms were established. Possible cellular mechanisms were explored using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, the Gene Ontology (GO), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Finally, TIMER and CIBERSORT were used to analyze the relationship between PHGDH expression and immune infiltration. CellMinerTM was used to analyze the drug sensitivity of PHGDH.Results: The results showed that PHGDH expression was significantly higher in endometrial cancer tissues than in normal tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients in the high expression group had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) than patients in the low PHGDH expression group. Multifactorial COX regression analysis further supported that high PHGDH expression was an independent risk factor associated with prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer. The results showed estrogen response, mTOR, K-RAS, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) were differentially elevated in the high-expression group of the PHGDH group. CIBERSORT analysis showed that PHGDH expression is related to the infiltration of multiple immune cells. When PHGDH is highly expressed, the number of CD8+T cells decreases.Conclusions: PHGDH plays a vital role in the development of endometrial cancer, which is related to tumor immune infiltration, and can be used as an independent diagnostic and prognostic marker for endometrial cancer.
The resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging of PTSD after subarachnoid hemorrhage: a preliminary study
Authors: Li Chunyong , Luo Gaoquan , Chen Zhuang , Jiang Che
Published: April 2022

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease that can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study we compared 11 post-SAH PTSD patients with equal number of gender-matched SAH patients without PTSD. Methods: We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to detect the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of whole brains. Results: Compared with the control group, ALFFs in the PTSD group increased significantly in the left amygdala, left anterior cingulate gyrus, right insular lobe and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) after SAH, but decreased significantly in bilateral lingual gyrus. Conclusions: In our limited experience, post-SAH PTSD may have specific rs-fMRI features that are different from PTSD caused by exogenous traumatic events. However, we should be cautious due to the relatively small sample size of this preliminary study. The results may be helpful for the classification of PTSD and lay the foundation for the design of treatment strategy in the future.
A 10 cm spatial resolution distributed acoustic sensor based on ultra low-loss enhanced backscattering fibre
Authors: Masoudi Ali , Snook James H. , Lee Timothy , Beresna Martynas , Brambilla Gilberto
Published: April 2022

In this work, a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) with 10 cm spatial resolution is demonstrated. Such a high resolution is achieved by employing an ultra low-loss enhanced backscattering (ULEB) fibre as a sensing element. A conventional DAS system is modified to interrogate the ULEB fibre comprised of 50 discrete reflectors with an average reflectance of −56 dB. The sensing arrangement exhibits a phase noise of 1.9 nε/ √ Hz over 1 km sensing range.
First Detection and Molecular Characterization of Dientamoeba fragilis in Cattle
Authors: YILDIZ İbrahim , AYNUR Zeynep ERDEM
Published: April 2022

Dientamoeba fragilis is a flagellated protozoan with amoeba-like morphology that inhabits the human gastrointestinal tract. It is endemic in a vast geography around the world, including developed countries. There are limited studies on non-human hosts of the parasite, and suitable hosts have not been clarified. The parasite has been detected in non-human primates, pigs, cats, dogs, and rats. There is no study in the literature investigating and detecting the presence of this parasite in cattle.In the present study, stool samples taken from 128 different cattle and calves from 11 different farms between March 2017 and February 2020 were examined for the detection of D. fragilis via PCR. The isolates with the expected amplicon size were sequenced using the 18S ribosomal RNA region, and their genotypes were determined by BLAST analysis. Sequences were analyzed with the most similar and reference sequences in the literature, forming a phylogenetic tree.We detected D. fragilis in 26 (20.31%) of the 128 stool samples. All PCR products selected for molecular analysis from positive samples had the same nucleotide sequence. As a result of BLAST analysis, all sequences were determined to belong to D. fragilis genotype 1.This study determined for the first time that cattle are suitable hosts for D. fragilis. Furthermore, the parasite subtype we detected belongs to genotype 1, which is the most common type in humans, suggesting that the parasite may have a zoonotic character. Our result is important in terms of the epidemiology of the parasite, as the mode of transmission is controversial, and available data on its natural hosts are limited.
Microsporidians (Microsporidia) parasitic on mosquitoes (Culicidae) in central Europe are often multi-host species
Authors: Trzebny Artur , Mizera Justyna , Dabert Miroslawa
Published: April 2022

Microsporidians (Microsporidia) are a diverse group of obligate and intracellular parasites of eukaryotes. There is evidence to suspect that the real species diversity in the phylum could be largely unknown and it concerns in particular microsporidians parasitic on invertebrates. Among them, mosquitoes (Culicidae) are one of the most important microsporidian-host group. However, to date any extensive survey on the prevalence of microsporidians in European mosquitoes was performed. Here we used we mosquitoes collected in west-central Poland and metabarcoding approach to examine the prevalence and diversity of microsporidian species infecting European mosquitoes. We found that up to one-third of mosquitoes in Europe may be infected with at least 13 microsporidian species belonging to the genera Amblyospora, Hazardia, Encephalitozoon, Enterocytospora, Nosema, and the holding genus Microsporidium. The lack of differences between microsporidian prevalence and mosquito sex implies that other factors, e.g., temperature or humidity, may affect the levels of microsporidian infections in adult mosquitoes. Each microsporidian species was found in at least three mosquito species, which suggest that these microsporidians are polyxenic parasites rather than monoxenic ones. The co-occurrence of at least two different microsporidian species was found in 3.6% of host individuals. The abundance of microsporidian DNA sequences suggests interactions between the co-infecting parasites; however, these results should be confirmed by quantitative methods. In addition, further histological research is required to describe Microsporidium sp. PL01 species or link its DNA to the already known species.
The costs of interventions for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in South Africa – A systematic literature review
Authors: Masuku Sithabiso D. , Lekodeba Nkgomeleng , Meyer-Rath Gesine
Published: April 2022

Background
In the context of a move to universal health coverage, three separate but connected systematic reviews were conducted to summarise available evidence on the direct costs of interventions for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease in South Africa.
Methods
PubMed® was searched for literature published between 01 January 1995 and 30 November 2021. Additionally, reference and citations lists of retrieved articles and systematic reviews were reviewed, and experts were consulted. Eligible publications were cost analyses of clinical interventions targeted at adults age 15 + reporting primary estimates of in- and out-of-hospital costs from a provider perspective. Costs were extracted and converted to 2021 US dollars, and article methodological and reporting quality was appraised using the 2013 CHEERS checklist.
Results
Of the 248, 650 and 968 identified publications for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, respectively, 10, 12, and 18 met full inclusion criteria. 60% of articles reported cardiovascular disease costs, 50% were of good reporting quality, and 10%, 50%, and 39% of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease papers reported private-sector costs only. Hypertension drug costs ranged from $2 to $85 per person-month, while type 2 diabetes mellitus drug costs ranged between $57 and $630 per person-year (ppy). Diabetes-related complication treatment costs ranged from $55 for retinopathy treatment to $25,193 ppy for haemodialysis, while cardiovascular disease treatment costs were between $160 and $37,491 ppy. Drugs and treatment of complications were major cost drivers for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, while hospitalisation drove cardiovascular disease costs.
Conclusions
The economic impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease care has received more attention recently, particularly diabetes-related complications and cardiovascular disease. However, 39% of identified cardiovascular disease treatment costs used a private sector perspective, leaving significant research gaps in the public sector and the cheaper to treat hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review provides an insightful, though incomplete, picture of the economic burden of these diseases in South Africa.
High-fidelity 3D live-cell nanoscopy through data-driven enhanced super-resolution radial fluctuation
Authors: Henriques Ricardo , Laine Romain , Heil Hannah , Coelho Simao , Nixon-Abell Jonathon , Jimenez Angelique , Galgani Tommaso , Stubb Aki , Follain Gautier , Culley Siân , Jacquemet Guillaume , Hajj Bassam , Leterrier Christophe
Published: April 2022

In recent years, the development of analytical approaches to super-resolution microscopy has highlighted the possibility of recovering super-resolution information from short sequences of wide-field images. Our recently developed method, SRRF (Super-Resolution Radial Fluctuations), enables long-term live-cell imaging beyond the resolution limit without specialized hardware. Here, we present eSRRF (enhanced-SRRF), a significant improvement over our initial method, enhancing image fidelity to the underlying structure and resolution. Especially, eSRRF uses automated data-driven parameter optimization, including an estimation of the number of frames necessary for optimal reconstruction. We demonstrate the improved fidelity of the images reconstructed with eSRRF and highlight its versatility and ease of use over a wide range of microscopy techniques and biological systems. We also extend eSRRF to 3D super-resolution microscopy by combining it with multi-focus microscopy (MFM), obtaining volumetric super-resolution imaging of live cells with acquisition speed of ~1 volume/second.
Agricultural intensification can help protect the Amazon Forest and reduce global warming
Authors: Marin Fabio , Zanon Alencar , Monzon Juan Pablo , Andrade Jose , Silva Evandro , Antolin Luis , Martin Bruna San , Ribas Giovana , Battisti Rafael , Heinemann Alexandre , Grassini Patricio
Published: April 2022

The Amazon basin includes 550 M ha covered with rainforests, with 60% of this area being in Brazil. Conversion of rainforest for soybean production raises concerns about the degree to which Brazil can reconcile production and environmental goals. Here we investigated the degree to which intensification could help Brazil produce more soybean without further encroachment of the Amazon Forest. Our analysis shows that continuation of current trends in soybean yield and area would lead to conversion of additional 5.7 M ha of forests and savannas during the next 15 years, with an associated 2550 Mt of CO2eq released into the atmosphere. In contrast, acceleration of yield improvement, coupled with expansion of soybean area only in areas currently used for livestock production, would allow Brazil to achieve similar economic benefits without deforestation and with substantially lower global climate warming.
Normal pace walking beneficial to young participants’ executive abilities
Authors: Zhang Jianan , Xiang Lisha , Shi Yue , Xie Fan , Wang Ya , Zhang Yi
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND Exercise can improve cognitive function. The impact of acute exercise on cognition is related to exercise intensity. This study aimed to explore whether slow walking had a beneficial effect on cognition. METHODS Thirty healthy young people walked in a resting position and walked slowly on a walking machine, and completed the Stroop test. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor the hemodynamic changes of the prefrontal cortex during the entire experiment. RESULTS Studies showed that slow walking did not stimulate higher average cerebral oxygen in the PFC, but the peak cerebral oxygen in cognitive tests during walking was higher, and better results were achieved, which was reflected in faster reaction times and higher accuracies. CONCLUSION For healthy young people, even a slow walk is therefore good for cognition