bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic accommodation measurement using Purkinje reflections and machine learning
Authors: Ozhan Faik Ozan , Aygun Ugur , Sahin Afsun , Urey Hakan
Published: May 2023

Quantifying eye movement is important for diagnosing various neurological and ocular diseases as well as AR/VR displays. We developed a simple setup for real-time dynamic gaze tracking and accommodation measurements based on Purkinje reflections, which are the reflections from front and back surfaces of the cornea and the eye lens. We used an accurate eye model in ZEMAX to simulate the Purkinje reflection positions at different focus distances of the eye, which matched the experimental data. A neural network was trained to simultaneously predict vergence and accommodation using data collected from 9 subjects as well as synthetic data generated using the eye model. We demonstrated that the use of Purkinje reflection coordinates together with pupil center and shape in machine learning improves the accuracy of the prediction. The proposed system accurately predicted the accommodation with an accuracy better than 0.21D using two-point calibration data in tests performed with 9 subjects in our setup.
The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) online training on perceived stress of nursing students: An interventional study
Authors: Khataei Roya , Khoshnoud Zohreh , Ahmadi Atefeh , Moadeb Shabnam , Bagherian Behnaz
Published: May 2023

Background: Perceived stress is a psychological state or process during which a person perceives a threat to their physical and psychological well-being. One of the most important sources of stress in nursing students is issues related to the nature of the nursing field, especially the completion of clinical internships. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) can affect a person’s perceived stress. To this end, the present study sought to explore the effect of MBCT online training on the level of stress perceived from the clinical environment in nursing students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2020-2021.
Methods: This two-group interventional study was conducted on 82 fourth- and sixth-semester nursing students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The level of perceived stress was evaluated before and after the MBCT online training intervention using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS). The participants were divided into intervention and control groups, and the participants in the intervention group attended a 4-session online program for 120-150 minutes, along with daily exercises for 45 minutes. The effect of the intervention on the students’ level of perceived stress was evaluated immediately after and one month after the training intervention. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including the chi-square test, paired samples t-test, and independent samples t-test.
Results: The participants’ average was 21 years, and no significant difference was observed in the demographic variables between the participants in the intervention and control groups. The results showed that the perceived stress in the participants in the intervention group after the MBCT online training program decreased by three points (P-value=0.024). An analysis of positive and negative perceptions of stress indicated that positive perceptions in the students in the intervention group decreased significantly and the average score of positive perceptions after the intervention decreased from 13.195 to 10.71 (p-value = 0.002). The results also showed that the intervention significantly reduced the level of perceived stress in students after the intervention, but its effect was not prolonged.
Conclusion: The data in this study showed that the implementation of MBCT online training in clinical settings can reduce the stress perceived by nursing students and nurses working in hospitals, and help them provide better services and nursing care to patients. For this reason, future studies should investigate the long-term effect of MBCT interventions on nursing students’ perceived stress.
Assessment of air pollution removal by urban trees based on the i-Tree Eco Model: The case of Tehran, Iran
Authors: Rasoolzadeh Reihaneh , Dinan Naghmeh Mobarghaee , Esmaeilzadeh Hassan , Rashidi Yousef , Sadeghi Seyed Mohammad Moein
Published: May 2023

As the population grows and economic development accelerates, urbanization is also increasing at a fast pace and this has resulted in severe air pollution that poses a significant threat to human health. Air quality issues have become increasingly serious in metropolises like Tehran (Iran) in recent years. Hence, this study aims to estimate the role of Tehran’s urban trees in air pollution removal and evaluate this ecosystem service’s economic value, based on the i-Tree Eco model. This study’s results illustrate that Tehran urban trees produce 160,271.4 tons of oxygen and remove 1286.42 tons of pollutants in 2020. The rate of air pollution removal varies among pollutants which are 134.83, 299.68, 270.32, 0.68, 489.41, and 91.50 t yr− 1 for the CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, PM10, and SO2, respectively, with an associated monetary value of US$ 1,536,619. This effect is small compared to the amount of pollution emitted in 2020 (0.17%) due to the high emissions rate and low per capita green space in Tehran. Therefore, tree planting should not be considered a single solution to emission reduction but rather a complementary one. The findings could serve as a basis for future replication in other locations and serve as a guide for enhancing urban green spaces to promote sustainable urban development.
Multistage entanglement swapping using superconducting qubits in the absence and presence of dissipative environment without Bell state measurement
Authors: Salimian S. , Tavassoly M. K. , Ghasemi M.
Published: May 2023

In recent decade the entangled state generation is of great importance in the quantum information processing and technologies. In this paper, producing the distributed entangled state of superconducting (SC) qubits is considered using an entanglement swapping protocol in three successive stages. The SC qubit pairs (i, i+1 with i=1, 3, 5, 7), where each pair of the qubits has been placed on a separate chip, are initially prepared in maximally entangled states. The external magnetic fields on capacitively coupled pairs (2, 3) and (6, 7) are implemented for modulating the qubits. Then, the SC qubits (1, 4) and (5, 8) are converted into entangled states via operating proper measurements instead of Bell state measurement (which is generally a hard task). Finally, the distributed entangled state of target SC qubits (1, 8) can be obtained by applying external magnetic fields on qubits (4, 5) and operating suitable measurements. This process is studied in the absence and presence of thermal decoherence effects. The concurrence, as a measure of entanglement between two qubits, success probability of the distributed entangled states and fidelity are evaluated, by which we find that the state of target SC qubits (1, 8) is converted to Bell state at some moments of time. Also, there exist appropriate conditions in which maximum of success probability of the obtained states in each stage approaches 1. Also, the maxima of concurrence and success probability gradually decrease due to thermal noise as time goes on. Moreover, convincing amounts of fidelity, success probability and entanglement can be obtained for the achieved entangled states.
Integration of transcriptome analysis with CRISPR/Cas9 technology provides new opportunities for uncovering transcriptional regulation of hyperaccumulation in Sedum plumbizincicola
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Mo Yanlan , Han Liyuan , Wu Xiaotong , Peng Xin , Xue Boyang , Wu Longhua , Sun Zhenyuan , Xu Wenzhong
Published: May 2023

Cadmium-hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola possesses strong capacities of Cd transport, accumulation and detoxification, but the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of Cd hyperaccumulation remain unknown. In this study, we examined the comparative transcriptome between S. plumbizincicola and non-accumulator Sedum alfredii with or without Cd treatments. Many differentially expressed genes involved in heavy metal transport and detoxification were found to be abundantly expressed in S. plumbizincicola. Meanwhile, a large number of differentially expressed transcription factor genes had been identified and revealed the complexity of transcriptional regulatory networks. Four transcription factor genes that were highly expressed in the roots of S. plumbizincicola were screened as candidate genes for creating CRISPR/Cas9 knockout mutations. The mutant lines of SpARR11 and SpMYB84 exhibited decreased Cd accumulation in the aboveground parts, indicating that the two transcription factors may be involved in the regulation of the Cd hyperaccumulation in S. plumbizincicola. Although further research will be needed to determine the precise targeted genes of these transcription factors, this study combining transcriptome analysis and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology offers unprecedented opportunities to mine transcription factors related to Cd hyperaccumulation and contributes to uncovering the transcriptional regulation mechanism of hyperaccumulation in S. plumbizincicola.
TerC Proteins Function During Protein Secretion
to Metalate Exoenzymes
Authors: Helmann John , He Bixi , Sachla Ankita
Published: May 2023

Cytosolic metalloenzymes acquire metals from buffered intracellular pools. How exported metalloenzymes are appropriately metalated is less clear. We provide evidence that TerC family proteins function in metalation of enzymes during export through the general secretion (Sec-dependent) pathway. Bacillus subtilis strains lacking MeeF(YceF) and MeeY(YkoY) have a reduced capacity for protein export and a greatly reduced level of manganese (Mn) in the secreted proteome. MeeF and MeeY copurify with proteins of the general secretory pathway, and in their absence the FtsH membrane protease is essential for viability. MeeF and MeeY are also required for efficient function of the Mn2+-dependent lipoteichoic acid synthase (LtaS), a membrane-localized enzyme with an extracytoplasmic active site. Thus, MeeF and MeeY, representative of the widely conserved TerC family of membrane transporters, function in the co-translocational metalation of Mn2+-dependent membrane and extracellular enzymes.
Influence of Government Policies on Hand Washing and Vaccine Uptake in Kenya, Uganda, And Tanzania in Relation to COVID-19 Prevention and Control: A Systematic Review
Authors: Muchangi Josphat Martin , Mturi James , Mukasa Hajra , Kithuki Kioko , Kosgei Sarah Jebet , Kanyangi Lennah Muhoja , Mararo Rogers , Nankaja Mauren
Published: May 2023

Background: The government’s role in influencing policies related to COVID-19 vaccine distribution and handwashing uptake is essential in controlling the spread of the virus. This study aims to systematically review published studies to determine how government policies have influenced hand washing and vaccine uptake in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in relation to COVID-19 prevention and control.
Methods and analysis: Using systematic approach, this study reviewed 136 published research papers to examine and understand how government policies have influenced hand washing and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in relation to COVID-19 prevention and control. The search strategy was applied in three databases, papers were selected using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria including papers published between December 2019 and January 2023. The review was undertaken according to the PRISMA-P 2015 checklist and the PRISMA flow diagram was used for research article selection and screening.
Findings: Eleven of the initial records were found eligible for review. The findings reveal that the government has a role in influencing policies related to COVID-19 vaccine distribution and handwashing uptake. Study results indicate that employment of public health campaigns and communication strategies by the government in Uganda increased vaccine acceptance and hand hygiene uptake. Similarly, results revealed that government efforts in making hand hygiene accessible increases uptake of handwashing. In Kenya, government efforts show informal settlements access soap and clean water at markets, results revealed that government incentives such as cash could increase vaccination rates and vaccination reminders combined with cash incentives increased childhood immunization coverage. Studies have indicated monitoring and enforcing compliance increases vaccine and handwashing uptake.
Conclusion: The government’s role in influencing policies that promote handwashing and vaccine uptake. The effectiveness of these polices are also influenced by various factors including safety and efficacy, access to information among other. It is important to address these factors to successfully implementation these policies.
Registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42023396319; registered on 2nd February 2023
Clinical significance of antinuclear antibody as prognostic marker for first-line pembrolizumab in advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Mouri Atsuto , Kaira Kyoichi , Yamaguchi Ou , Hashimoto Kosuke , Miura Yu , Shiono Ayako , Kawasaki Tomonori , Kobayashi Kunihiko , Imai Hisao , Kagamu Hiroshi
Published: May 2023

Background
The relationship between antinuclear antibody (ANA) and the efficacy of programmed death-1 (PD-1) blockade remains controversial. Here, we investigated the prognostic significance of ANA titer in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving pembrolizumab monotherapy as the first-line treatment, compared with that of platinum-based chemotherapy with PD-1 blockade.
Methods
Our clinical data based on the ANA titer (1:80) were retrospectively reviewed for patients with advanced NSCLC, who were treated with first-line pembrolizumab monotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy with PD-1 blockade. Immunohistochemical staining for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes such as CD4, CD8 and Foxp3 was performed.
Results
Among 106 patients treated with pembrolizumab, 19 (17.9%) tested positive for ANA. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) was significantly different between patients with positive and negative ANA. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly better in patients with positive ANA than in those with negative ANA, and positive ANA was identified as an independent prognostic predictor, particularly in the subgroup with programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) ≥ 50%. However, no statistically significant difference in PFS and OS based on the ANA titer was observed in 59 patients treated with combinational chemotherapy and immunotherapy. High numbers of intratumoral Foxp3 and stromal CD8 were significantly associated with negative ANA.
Conclusions
Assessment of preexisting ANA titers was useful to prognose PD-1 blockade as a first-line setting, particularly for the PD-L1 ≥ 50% subgroup, but not in the case of combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Riemann-Hilbert method and soliton dynamics for a mixed spectral complex mKdV equation with time-varying coefficients
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Zhou Huimin
Published: May 2023

This paper reports the feasibility of using Riemann-Hilbert method (RHM) to reveal the soliton dynamics with variable velocity and amplitude in mixed spectral nonlinear integrable systems. To achieve this goal, we consider a novel mixed spectral complex mKdV equation (mscmKdV) with time-varying coefficients. Firstly, Lax representation of the time-varying coefficient mscmKdV equation is first abstracted from Ablowitz-Kaup-Newell-Segur (AKNS) matrix spectral problem equipped with a mixed spectrum. With the help of the Lax representatoin, a Riemann-Hilbert problem (RHP) associating with the mscmKdV equation is then established. Due to the confirmation of solvability of the RHP, scattering data used for recostructing the potential are further determined, and N-soliton solution of the mscmKdV equation is finally obtained. In addition, the one- and two-soliton solutions are shown to explore the characteristics of soliton dynamics in the mscmKdV equation. It is revealed from the mscmKdV equation that compared with the constant velocity and amplitude propagation of a soliton in the background of constant-coefficient isospectral model, the one of variable-coefficient isospectral system propagates with variable velocity but constant amplitude, while for the case of non-spectrum, whether its coefficients are variable or not, soliton always propagates with variable velocity and amplitude.
Predictive Value of 99mTc-MAA-based Dosimetry in Personalized 90Y-SIRT planning for Liver Malignancies
Authors: Riveira-Martin Mercedes , Akhavanallaf Azadeh , Mansouri Zahra , Wolf Nicola Bianchetto , Salimi Yazdan , Ricoeur Alexis , Mainta Ismini , Garibotto Valentina , Medina Antonio Lopez , Zaidi Habib
Published: May 2023

Background Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) with 90Y radioembolization aims to selectively irradiate liver tumors by administering radioactive microspheres under the theragnostic assumption that the pre-therapy injection of 99mTc labeled macro-aggregated albumin (99mTc-MAA) provides an estimation of the 90Y microspheres biodistribution, which is not always the case. Due to the growing interest in theragnostic dosimetry for personalized radionuclide therapy, a robust relationship between the delivered and pre-treatment radiation doses is required. In this work, we aim to investigate the predictive value of absorbed dose metrics calculated from 99mTc-MAA (simulation) compared to those obtained from 90Y post-therapy SPECT/CT.Results A total of 79 patients were analyzed. Pre- and post-therapy 3D-voxel dosimetry was calculated on 99mTc-MAA and 90Y SPECT/CT, respectively, based on Local Deposition Method (LDM). Mean absorbed dose, tumor-to-normal ratio, and dose distribution in terms of dose-volume histogram (DVH) metrics were obtained and compared for each volume of interest (VOIs). Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between both methods. The effect of the tumoral liver volume on the absorbed dose metrics was also investigated. Strong correlation was found between simulation and therapy mean absorbed doses for all VOIs, although simulation tended to overestimate tumor absorbed doses by 26%. DVH metrics showed good correlation too, but significant differences were found for several metrics, mostly on non-tumoral liver. It was observed that the tumoral liver volume does not significantly affect the differences between simulation and therapy absorbed dose metrics.Conclusion This study supports the strong correlation between absorbed dose metrics from simulation and therapy dosimetry based on 90Y SPECT/CT, highlighting the predictive ability of 99mTc-MAA, not only in terms of mean absorbed dose but also of the dose distribution.
Sodium Butyrate Alleviates Neuroinflammation in Fluorosis Mice by Suppressing NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Jiang Tao , Sun Jinghua , Xu Lingling , Li Rui , Lu Kemou , Qu Xiaona , Cheng Ye , Zhang Yang , He Hongmei
Published: May 2023

Objective:Excessive fluoride intake results in fluorosis, which is responsible for skeletal fluorosis and neuroinflammation. Fluoride activates microglia in the central nervous system to release inflammatory factors that exaggerate nerve injury. Sodium butyrate (NaB) has the potential to regulate the immune response; however, its function in fluorosis still needs to be clarified.Methods:This study involved the development of an animal model of chronic fluorosis, which was then treated with NaB.We evaluated animal activities, pathological features, and inflammation-associated signaling pathways in vivo and considered cell viability and inflammatory signaling in vitro.Results:The results revealed that NaB treatment induced a reliable preventative effect on fluorosis in mice based on restored learning and memory, decreased intranuclear NF-κB signaling, and inflammatory factors. Additionally, 0.2 mM NaB restored cell viability and corrected the elevated inflammatory signaling in BV-2 cells under sodium fluoride stress.Conclusion:NaB can alleviate fluorosis by suppressing NF-κB signaling and inflammasomes, providing a reliable method for the treatment of clinical fluorosis.
Mediating Effect of Self-management on Health Empowerment and Quality of Life of Elderly Comorbid Patients
Authors: Wu Lanxin , Zhang Yan , Meng Lixue , Liu Li , Zhao Ting
Published: May 2023

Background
Under the general trend of global aging, comorbidity among the elderly is becoming more and more common, which may have a certain impact on the quality of life of the elder. There is evidence that self-management and health empowerment are positively correlated with quality of life. However, limited research has explored the potential mechanism among them. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the interaction path and mechanism among health empowerment, self-management and quality of life of elderly comorbid patients, and to provide theoretical basis for formulating intervention programs to improve their quality of life in the later stage.
Objective
To explore the relationship among health empowerment, self-management and quality of life of elderly patients with comorbidity.
Methods
309 elderly patients with comorbidity in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province were investigated by questionnaire, including Health Empowerment Scale, Chronic Disease Self-management Scale and SF-12 Scale.
Results
The score of health empowerment, self-management and quality of life of the elderly patients with comorbidity were (92.18±8.917), (136.58±12.42) and (89.30±8.72) respectively. Health empowerment, self-management and quality of life of elderly patients with comorbidity were positively correlated (P < 0.01). The direct effect of health empowerment on quality of life is 0.493, the indirect effect is 0.207, the total effect is 0.724, and the intermediary effect accounts for 28.75% of the total effect. Self-management plays a partial intermediary role between health empowerment and quality of life.
Conclusion
The health empowerment, self-management and quality of life of elderly comorbid patients need to be further improved. The self-management of elderly comorbid patients plays a partial intermediary role between health empowerment and quality of life, and the quality of life of patients can be effectively improved by improving their health empowerment and self-management ability.
A Preliminary Study of Wall Shear Stress in Carotid Artery Stenting
Authors: Xiaoyong Tao , Yuping Chen , Wei Huang , Juan Chen , Zhuo Li , Feng Qiu
Published: May 2023

Objective: To characterize carotid wall shear stress (WSS)following carotid artery stenting (CAS) in patients with carotid stenosis.
Methods: Twenty-eight patients with carotid stenosis treated with CAS between March 2021 to May 2022 in the eighth medical center of the PLA General Hospital were selected for our study. Carotid ultrasound was performed before the operation, one week post-operation, and six months post-operation. Carotid artery WSS was detected by blood flow vector imaging, and the changes in WSS before and after the operation were collected. Genetic testing of drugs was detected for patients with restenosis.
Results: Pre-operative WSS of the proximal, narrowest region, and distal carotid arteries in patients with ischemic carotid artery stenosis was 7.88±3.18Pa, 14.36±6.66Pa, and 1.55±1.15Pa, respectively. Comparatively, pre-operative WSS of the proximal, narrowest region and distal carotid arteries in patients without ischemic symptoms was 5.02±1.99Pa, 9.68±4.23Pa, and 1.10±0.68Pa, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.001). Overall WSSof the proximal, narrowest region, and distal carotid arteries in patients before CAS was 6.68±3.0Pa, 12.47±5.98Pa, and 1.39±0. 96Pa. WSS of the proximal, narrowest region, and distal carotid was 4.15±1.42Pa, 6.71±2.64Pa, and1.86±1.13Pa one week after CAS, compared to 4.44±1.91Pa, 7.90±4.38Pa, and 2. 36±1.09Pa six months after CAS. WSS of the proximal and narrowest region of the carotid artery was reduced after carotid stenting, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in WSS between one week and six months after stenting (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Changes in carotid WSS are closely related to carotid stenosis, which can provide important hemodynamic information for the treatment of CAS. The technique has important application value in pre-operative evaluation, curative effect evaluation, and long-term follow-up.
Grain yield and adaptation of spring wheat to Norwegian growing conditions is driven by allele frequency changes at key adaptive loci discovered by genome-wide association mapping
Authors: Mróz Tomasz , Dieseth Jon Arne , Lillemo Morten
Published: May 2023

Grain yields in Norwegian spring wheat increased by 18 kg ha− 1 per year between 1972 and 2019 due to introduction of new varieties. These gains were associated with increments in the number of grains per spike and extended length of the vegetative period. However, little is known about the genetic background of this progress. To fill this gap, we conducted genome-wide association study on a panel consisting of both adapted (historical and current varieties and lines in the Nordics) and important not adapted accessions used as parents in the Norwegian wheat breeding program. The study concerned grain yield, plant height, and heading and maturity dates, and detected 12 associated loci, later validated using independent sets of recent breeding lines. Adaptation to the Norwegian cropping conditions is associated with the Vrn-A1 locus, and a previously undescribed locus on chromosome 1B associated with heading date. Two loci associated with grain yield, corresponding to the TaGS5-3A and Ta-Col5 loci, indicated historical selection pressure for high grain yield. A locus on chromosome 2A explained the tallness of the oldest accessions. We investigated the origins of the beneficial alleles associated with the wheat breeding progress in the Norwegian material, tracing them back to crosses with Swedish, German, or CIMMYT lines. This study contributes to the understanding of wheat adaptation to the Norwegian growing conditions, sheds light on the genetic basis of historical wheat improvement and aids future breeding efforts by discovering loci associated with important agronomic traits in wheat.
Thick-Wire Swing Arc Narrow Gap GMA Welding Assisted by Pre-embedding Cold Wires
Authors: Zhu Zhengyu , Wang Jiayou , Liu Shubin , Jiang Yuqing , Zhu Jie , Li Xuyang , Zhang Luxiao
Published: May 2023

To raise narrow gap GMA welding efficiency while ensuring weld formation, the present work presents a thick wire swing arc narrow gap GMA welding process assisted by cold wires. This process employs the thick wire and the pre-embedded cold wires to jointly increase the welding efficiency, while improving the groove sidewall penetration by the swing arc. Two types of thick wires, being conventional single-strand welding wire (SWW) and cable-type welding wire (CWW), are respectively used as main wire. After solving the series arc problem during CWW arc-igniting, the effects of the pre-embedded wire layer number on narrow gap weld formation and welding efficiency are investigated for the thick wire welding. Experimental results show that the weld thickness and the sidewall penetration do not obviously change with increasing the number of the cold wires, while the weld layer height significantly grows. Additionally, the SWW weld formation looks more sound. Compared to the thin-wire welding, the thick wire welding without the cold wire raises the deposition rate by about 38% and 58% as respectively using SWW and CWW. When pre-embedding two layers of cold wires, the increased percentage of the deposition rate further rises respectively to about 81% and 112%. These thus demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed process in addition to the higher efficiency of the CWW welding.
Infection with COVID-19 promotes the progression of pancreatic cancer through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Xusheng , Chen Bendong , Liu Kejun , Ma Yongxin , Liu Yimin , Zhou Hongcai , Wei Peng
Published: May 2023

Objective To investigate the effect of COVID-19 infection on pancreatic cancer .
Methods Based on the mRNA-Seq data of COVID-19 patients and pancreatic cancer (PC) patients in the GEO database, we used support vector machine (SVM), LASSO-Cox regression analysis and random forest tree (RF) to screen the common signature genes of the two diseases and further investigate their effects and functional characteristics on PC, respectively. And the above procedures were performed in R software.
Results The proteins COL10A1/FAP/FN1 were found to be common signature genes for COVID-19 and PC, were significantly up-regulated in both diseases, and showed good diagnostic efficacy for PC. The risk model based on COL10A1/FAP/FN1 showed good PC risk prediction ability and clinical application potential. Tumor typing based on COL10A1/FAP/FN1 expression levels effectively classified PC into different subtypes, and showed significant differences between the two subtypes in terms of survival prognosis, immune levels, immune checkpoint expression levels, mutation status of common tumor mutation sites, and drug sensitivity analysis. While pathway analysis also revealed that FN1 as an extracellular matrix component may be involved in the biological process of PC by regulating the PI3K-AKT signaling axis.
Conclusion The upregulated expression of COL10A1/FAP/FN1, the characteristic genes of COVID-19, are potential diagnostic targets for PC, and the upregulated expression of FN1 may promotes the progression of PC by activating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The COL10A1/FAP/FN1-based typing provides a new typing approach for PC, also provides a good reference and idea for the refinement of PC treatment and subsequent clinical research.
Modeling of above-ground biomass of pure Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) stands using Sentinel-2 time series and Sentinel-1 imagery; a case study from the south of Turkey
Authors: AKSOY Hasan
Published: May 2023

Aboveground biomass (AGB) is an important source of information for natural resource conservation at spatial scales, accurate determination of carbon stocks and climate containment systems, and sustainable resource conservation planners. This study, it was aimed to model the Above-ground biomass (AGB) of pure Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) stands in southern Turkey. In the study, digital band, reflectance, and vegetation indices values obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite images of rainy, semi-arid and dry seasons were used to measure the effect of seasonality on the modeling of the AGB. Digital band, reflectance (VV/VH polarization), and backscatter values were also used from the Sentinel-1 satellite image. In addition to all these, topographic data of the study area was used as an independent variable. The multiple linear regression (MLR) method was used in the modeling of AGB and the most successful model was tried to be determined by the relative rank method. A total of 33 models were obtained by creating data sets with the independent variables first one by one and then with each other in combination. The highest model success of AGB was obtained in the data set created by the integration of digital band and vegetation indices, Sentinel-1 (S1) reflectance, and topographic values of Sentinel-2 (S2) images taken in rainy and semi-arid seasons (R2=0.49; RMSE=26.21 ton ha-1; MAE=22.50 ton ha-1; BIC=5.42; AIC= 21.23; Rj=57.68). It was observed that the integration of topographic data into each dataset increased the modeling success in all models. In addition, it was observed that the highest success in modeling the AGB with the data obtained from Sentinel-2 was obtained in the rainy season data. In particular, it was seen that the combination of S2, S1, and topographic data would contribute to the prediction accuracy of AGB.
Autocrine regulation of tumor cell repopulation by Hsp70-HMGB1 alarmin complex
Authors: Sverchinsky Dmitry V. , Alhasan Bashar A. , Mikeladze Marina A. , Lazarev Vladimir F. , Kuznetzova Lubov’ S. , Morshneva Alisa V. , Nikotina Alina D. , Zivana Amr , Koludarova Lidia V. , Margulis Boris A. , Guzhova Irina V
Published: May 2023

Background. Cancer recurrence is regulated by a variety of factors, among which is the material of dying tumor cells; it is suggested that remaining after anti-cancer therapy tumor cells receive a signal from proteins called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), one of which is heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70).
Methods. Two models of tumor repopulation were employed, based on minimal population of cancer cells and application of conditioned medium (CM). To deplete the CMs of Hsp70 affinity chromatography on ATP-agarose and immunoprecipitation were used. Cell proliferation and the dynamics of cell growth were measured using MTT assay and xCELLigence technology; cell growth markers were estimated using qPCR and with the aid of ELISA for prostaglandin E detection. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass-spectrometry was employed to identify Hsp70-binding proteins and protein-protein interaction assays were developed to reveal the above protein complexes.
Results. It was found that CM of dying tumor cells contains tumor regrowth-initiating factors and the removal of one of them, Hsp70, caused a reduction in the relapse-activating capacity. The pull out of Hsp70 alone using ATP-agarose had no effect on repopulation, while the immunodepletion of Hsp70 dramatically reduced its repopulation activity. Using proteomic and immunochemical approaches, we showed that Hsp70 in conditioned medium binds and binds another abundant alarmin, the High Mobility Group B1 (HMGB1) protein; the complex is formed in tumor cells treated with anti-cancer drugs, persists in the cytosol and is further released from dying tumor cells. Recurrence-activating power of Hsp70-HMGB1 complex was proved by the enhanced expression of proliferation markers, Ki67, Aurka and MCM-10 as well as by increase of prostaglandin E production and autophagy activation. Accordingly, dissociating the complex with Hsp70 chaperone inhibitors significantly inhibited the pro-growth effects of the above complex, in both in vitro and in vivo tumor relapse models.
Conclusions. These data led us to suggest that the abundance of the Hsp70-HMGB1 complex in the extracellular matrix may serve as a novel marker of relapse state in cancer patients, while specific targeting of the complex may be promising in the treatment of cancers with a high risk of recurrence.
What Effect on User Behavior Do Decorative or Symbolic Designs on Traditional Ghanaian and Chinese Seats Have?
Authors: Appiah-Kubi Obed Persie , Wu Zhihui , Asamoah Obed Atta , Feng Xinhao
Published: May 2023

Traditional decorations, symbolic designs, or motifs on traditional seats do not only hold aesthetic values but also provide a conduit for expressing cultural philosophies and beliefs. In most Ghanaian and Chinese homes, seats meant for interior use are adorned with unique traditional symbols or decorative designs that continue to serve various domestic purposes. One unique value of traditional seats which needs to be documented is the effect and correlation between traditional symbols or decorative designs engineered in the seat and the behavior of people who continually use these artifacts. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study used a survey design. The data was sourced using interviews and questionnaires. 40 respondents were interviewed while 491 traditional seat users also responded to the questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used in analyzing the qualitative bit of the study while a Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient (PMCC) was used to compute the extent of correlation between conveyed traditional symbols or decorative designs and the seat users’ behavior. Traditional decorative designs such as Gye Nyame, Sankofa, Akoma, Bi-nka-bi, akofena, Odo nnyew fie kwan, Hye Wonhye, Nyansapo, adinkrahene, Nkyinkyim, Mmere Dane, etc. which are associated with Ghanaians, and traditional Chinese decorative designs such as the bat, dragon, Moiré, eagle, elephant, the eight immortals, lotus flower, Kylin pattern, Babao pattern, ox, tiger, Buddha, etc. respectively conveyed on traditional Ghanaian and Chinese seat products negatively, neutrally, or positively affect the behavior of users of the seat (r = .4769, p = .00). Spiritually, the symbols or designs impact their prayer life, and their faith, and affect their fortune and luck. The feeling of comfort, courage, calmness, being optimistic, and being cheerful was the psychological impact of decorative designs. Culturally, users of traditional seat-bearing decorative designs or symbolic designs have become more tolerant, patient, chaste, honest, and loyal while they have also been assertive and unrelenting. Psychologically, it affects users’ comfort, courage, calmness, being optimistic, and being cheerful, while users’ personal development may also be affected leading to an automatic correlation with behavior. It was recommended that people should be encouraged to use traditional seats with traditional decorations or symbols that have positive meanings to help shape their lives in a positive direction.
WITHDRAWN: The Genetic Structure and Marker- Morphological Trait Associations in Forage Kochia Population Grown in Central Anatolia
Authors: KOYUN Nur KOÇ , HAKKI Erdoğan E. , ACAR Ramazan
Published: May 2023

Forage kochia, a naturally growing and semi-shrub in Türkiye's flora, tolerates adverse soil and climatic conditions. In the research, the morphological and yield values ​​of the forage kochia populations collected from 5 different locations in Konya were examined during 2018–2019. According to morphological and yield values, we determined 80 plants, 76 plants with excellent yield potential, and four outgroup plants for molecular studies. A total of 250 polymorphic fragments were obtained from these 80 plants. In our study, the average PIC value was 0.322, and the mean MI value was 8.99. Genetic diversity parameters of the populations were obtained using the GenAlEx program, and it was found that the mean He was 0.209, and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 81.20%. According to the results of AMOVA, among-population variation was 9%, while within-population variation was 91%. The dendrogram obtained as a result of the study determined that the genetic distance between plants varied between 0.63 and 0.90. According to the similarity index used in the study, it was stated that there was a high degree of similarity (90%) between 3212 and 5419 coded plants. Furthermore, it was noted that the markers related with plant height were associated with canopy diameter, number of main branches, and leaf color. The results show us that these populations are a treasured gene resource for plant breeding.
A Supervised Learning Regression method for the analysis of oral sensitivity of healthy subjects and patients with chemosensory loss
Authors: Naciri Lala Chaimae , Mastinu Mariano , Melis Melania , Green Tomer , Wolf Anne , Hummel Thomas , Barbarossa Iole Tomassini
Published: May 2023

The gustatory, olfactory, and trigeminal systems are anatomically separated. However, they interact cognitively to give rise to oral perception, which can significantly affect health and quality of life. We built a Supervised Learning (SL) regression model that, exploiting subjects’ features, was capable of automatically analyzing with high precision the self-ratings of oral sensitivity of healthy participants and patients with chemosensory loss, determining the contribution of its three components: gustatory, olfactory, and trigeminal. CatBoost regressor provided predicted values of the self-rated oral sensitivity close to experimental values. Patients showed lower predicted values of oral sensitivity, lower scores for measured taste, spiciness, astringency, and smell sensitivity, higher BMI, and lower levels of well-being. CatBoost regressor defined the impact of the single components of oral perception in the two groups. The trigeminal component was the most significant, though astringency and spiciness provided similar contributions in controls, while astringency was most important in patients. Taste was more important in controls while smell was the least important in both groups. Identification of the significance of the oral perception components and the differences found between the two groups provide important information to allow for more targeted examinations supporting both patients and healthcare professionals in clinical practice.
Neurological Outcome in Children Post–Sildenafil Therapy for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
Authors: Parapurath Rajiv , DM Madan Samuel
Published: May 2023

Purpose: Evaluation of neurological outcome post sildenafil and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) therapy in the first 72-months of life.
Material and Methods: Prospective linear study of 84-neonates with severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). All neonates were on high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), surfactant, and inotropic support. In 40-neonates iNO was utilized, and intragastric sildenafil in 44-newborns. Bayley IIIUK was used at 38-months of age for developmental assessment. Intellectual ability was evaluated at 72-months of age by Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth EditionUK.
Results: iNO monotherapy had a mortality rate of 4% versus 0% on sildenafil, p = 0.001. Resolution of PPHN without sequelae occurred in 81%, iNO 68% versus 93% sildenafil, p = 0.0001. Resolution with neurological impairment ensued in 19%, iNO 32% versus 7% on sildenafil, p = 0.0001. Resolution with chronic lung disease was observed in 5%, iNO 8% versus 2% sildenafil, p = 0.020. Intragastric sildenafil monotherapy failure rate was 14%. Sildenafil was the predominant variable that reduced mortality, p = 0.02, CI: 0.010 – 0.080. At 38-months, Bayley IIIUK scores were normal ≥85 in 81%. Neurologically normal children at 72-months of age scored either average or high average, qualitatively, on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth EditionUK. Effect of sildenafil in the neonatal period was global leading to preserved intellectual, cognitive, and neurological outcome, in later childhood.
Conclusions: Intragastric sildenafil can be safely and effectively used in neonates with severe PPHN on HFOV and exogenous surfactant. Effect of sildenafil on neurodevelopment was positive.
Effects of dietary zinc on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant status and immune responses of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus
Authors: Xu Yuling , Gao Qinfeng , Dong Shuanglin , Hou Zhishuai , Mei Yaoping , Li Xueqi , Dong Kang , Li Zhao
Published: May 2023

This study evaluated the effects of dietary zinc on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant status and immune responses of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Five experimental diets were formulated with graded levels of zinc (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/kg, respectively), and the actual dietary zinc values were 31.4, 51.0, 68.2, 91.9, and 110.8 mg/kg diet, respectively. Sea cucumbers were fed with diets for 2 months. The results showed the growth performance, amylase and trypsin activities of sea cucumber increased significantly with zinc supplementation, and the best growth performance and enzyme activities were observed at 40 mg/kg zinc diet. Zinc supplementation significantly increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), anti-superoxide anion (ASA) and inhibiting hydroxyl radical (AHR), while significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MAD) content. Furthermore, the higher Zn supplementation levels resulted in significantly upregulated immune-related genes of hsp90、p105、rel、lsz, suggesting that excessive zinc caused oxidative stress. The broken-line regression analysis of specific growth rate (SGR) indicated dietary zinc requirement in sea cucumber was ~ 66.3 mg/kg diet.
The DNA repair pathway as a therapeutic target to synergize with trastuzumab deruxtecan in HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate–resistant HER2-overexpressing breast cancer
Authors: Lee Jangsoon , Kida Kumiko , Liu Huey , Manyam Ganiraju C. , Gi Young Jin , Multani Asha S. , Wang Jing , Jayachandran Gitanjali , Reuben James M. , Huo Lei , Tripathy Debu , Ueno Naoto T.
Published: May 2023

Background: Anti-HER2 therapies, including the HER2 antibody-drug conjugates trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) and trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), have improved survival outcomes for patients with HER2-overexpressing/amplified (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer. However, intrinsic or acquired resistance to anti-HER2–based therapies remains a clinical challenge for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, as there is no standard of care following progression on T-DXd. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance to the anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate (HER2-directed ADC) and identify targets whose inhibition enhances the efficacy of T-DXd in HER2-directed ADC–refractory HER2+ breast cancer.
Methods: Next-generation sequencing was performed to investigate genetic aberrations that arose after anti-HER2 therapy in 10 breast cancer patient samples. We generated T-DM1 and T-DXd–resistant HER2+ breast cancer cell lines. To elucidate their resistance mechanisms and to identify potential synergistic kinase targets for enhancing the efficacy of T-DXd, we used fluorescence in situhybridization, droplet digital PCR, Western blotting, whole-genome sequencing, cDNA microarray, and synthetic lethal kinome RNA interference screening. In addition, cell viability, colony formation, and xenograft assays were used to determine the synergistic antitumor effect of T-DXd combinations.
Results: We found reduced HER2 expression in 4 patients and amplified DNA repair–related genes in 4 patients after anti-HER2 therapy compared to levels before anti-HER2 therapy. We observed reduced ERBB2gene amplification in all HER2-directed ADC–resistant HER2+ breast cancer cell lines through DNA damage and epigenetic mechanisms. In HER2-directed ADC–resistant HER2+ breast cancer cell lines, pathway analysis identified the DNA repair pathway as a potential target canonical pathway to enhance the efficacy of T-DXd. The combination of T-DXd with ATR inhibitor BAY 1895344 led to significant breast cancer cell death in vitro (P<0.01) and in vivo (P<0.01) compared to single agents.
Conclusions: The DNA repair pathways may contribute to HER2-directed ADC resistance. Our data justify further exploring the combination of T-DXd with DNA repair–targeting drugs to treat HER2-directed ADC–resistant HER2+ breast cancer.