bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking Barriers: How Women's Empowerment Affects Children's Nutrition Status – Further Analysis of the 2016 and 2019 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Berde Éva , Mengesha Seyoum Teffera , Amare zerihun
Published: June 2023

Background: The issue of women and children is integral to the 17 SDGs adopted by all UN member states in 2015 and all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development. But women's empowerment and children's nutritional status are challenges at different levels across the globe, especially in developing countries, including Ethiopia, making it essential to identify the characteristics of these children and their caregivers. Thus, the overarching objective of this study was to investigate how women's empowerment affects the nutritional status of children in Ethiopia.
Methods: We used the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) and 2019 Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) data to investigate how women's empowerment affects the nutritional status of children in Ethiopia. Stunting and wasting were the two indicators of a child's nutritional status. We tried to operationalize women's empowerment by three validated measures which comprised three latent domains from the survey: social and human assets, intrinsic agency, and instrumental agency. We used multivariate probit regression to find out the significant factors which influence the children’s health status.
Results: The study found that improvements in women's empowerment were not significantly associated with a reduction in stunting and wasting in Ethiopia. But the study discovered that women's educational attainment and other variables significantly influenced their children's nutrition status.
Conclusions: The insignificant direct association between women's empowerment and stunting or wasting in children in Ethiopia could be due to various factors, including the lack of standardized indexes for measuring women's empowerment, social desirability bias in survey responses, and missing data. However, it is still essential to consider and prioritize women's empowerment because it may indirectly contribute to reducing stunting and wasting in children by improving other underlying factors. Therefore, we recommend future research should carefully select women's empowerment indicators in context-specific ways, aggregate them meaningfully, and use appropriate statistical methods to account for desirability bias and related issues.
Hook plate fixation of Neer type II distal clavicle fractures results in satisfactory patient-reported outcomes but complications and revisions are high
Authors: Beisemann Nils , Spiller Yannik M. , Schnetzke Marc , Grützner Paul Alfred , Nolte Philip-Christian
Published: June 2023

Background:Surgical treatment of distal clavicle fractures Neer type II is challenging. A gold standard has not yet been established, thus various surgical procedures have been described. The purpose of this study is to report the radiological and clinical outcomes using hook plate fixation in Neer type II distal clavicle fractures.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed data of 53 patients who underwent hook plate fixation between December 2009 and December 2019 with ≥2 years of follow-up. Patients with preexisting pathologies or concomitant injuries of the ipsilateral shoulder were excluded. Pre- and postoperative coracoclavicular distance (CCD), bony union and patient-reported outcomes were collected, including the Constant Score (CS) and Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV). Complications and revisions were recorded.Results:At a mean final follow-up of 6.2 years, mean SSV was 91.0% (range, 20 – 100) and mean CS was 80.9 points (range, 25 – 99). The mean preoperative CCD was 19.0mm (range, 5.7 – 31.8), the mean postoperative CCD was 8.2mm (range, 4.4 – 12.2) and the mean CCD following hardware removal was 9.7mm (range, 4.7 – 18.8). The loss of reduction following hardware removal was statistically significant (P = 0.007). Eleven (20.8%) patients had complications, with 5 cases of deep or superficial infection (9.4%), four non-unions (7.5%), one periosteosynthetic fracture, one postoperative seroma, one implant failure and one symptomatic acromioclavicular joint arthritis (all 1.9%). A total of 10 patients (18.9%) underwent revision surgery at a mean of 113 (range, 7 – 631) days.Conclusion:Medium-term patient-reported outcomes for hook plate fixation of Neer type II distal clavicle fractures are satisfactory; however, one in five patients suffers a complication with the majority of them requiring revision surgery.
The potential impact of MYH9 gene (rs3752462) and ELMO1 (rs741301) variants on the risk of Nephrotic syndrome incidence
Authors: Hassan Eglal EL. A. , Elsaid Afaf M. , Elzahab Mohammed M. Abou , Elrefaey Ahmed A. , Elmougy Rehab , Youssef Magdy M.
Published: June 2023

The kidney lost a lot of protein in the urine when you have nephrotic syndrome (NS). Clinical manifestations mostly common in NS include massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and edema. Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is currently classified into steroid-sensitive (SSNS) and steroid-resistant (SRNS) based on the initial response to corticosteroid therapy at presentation. Several reports examined the association of the MYH9 gene (rs3752462, C >T) variant and ELMO1 (rs741301 G >A) variant as risk factors for Nephrotic Syndrome. This study aimed to determine the potential effect of the MYH9 gene (rs375246, C >T) and ELMO1 (rs741301) variant on the risk of (NS) among Egyptian Children. This study included two hundred participants involving 100 NS cases and 100 healthy controls free from NS. The MYH9 gene (rs3752462, C >T) variant and ELMO1 (rs G>A741301) variant were analyzed by ARMS-PCR technique. Nephrotic syndrome cases include 74% SRNS and 26% SDNS. Higher frequencies of the heterozygous carrier (CT) and homozygous variant (TT) genotypes of the MYH9 (rs375246, C >T) variant were observed in NS patients compared to the controls with p-value < 0.001.The frequencies of the MYH9 (rs375246, C >T variant indicated a statistically significant elevated risk of NS under various genetic models, including allelic model (OR=2.85, p<0.001), dominant (OR =3.97, P < 0.001) models and the recessive model OR = 5.94, p< 0.001). Higher frequencies of the heterozygous carrier (GA) and homozygous variant (AA) genotypes of ELMO1 (rs G>A741301) variant were observed in NS patients compared to the controls with p-value <0.001. The frequencies of the ELMO1 (rs G>A741301) variant indicated a statistically significant elevated risk of NS under various genetic models, including allelic model (OR=2.15, p<0.001), dominant models (OR=2.8, p<0.001) and the recessive model (OR = 4.17, p=0.001). Both MYH9 and ELMO1variants are significantly different in NS in comparison with the control group (p<0.001).The MYH9 gene (rs375246, C >T) and ELMO1 (rs G>A741301) variants were considered independent risk factors for NS among Egyptian Children.
Scalable manufacturing of cellulose nanofibrils to enhance melt-processed poly(vinyl alcohol) composites
Authors: Yu yuchuansong , Zhu Huanhui , Deng Hongkai , Zhou Peng , Zhang Xinxing , Chen Zhenming
Published: June 2023

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is used in various fields as a degradable polymer with excellent physical properties and good film-forming capability. However, it is challenging to melt due to the melting point being so near to its decomposition temperature. Here, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) are added to the PVA matrix to form strong hydrogen bonding and achieve melt-processing of PVA. Specifically, a facile but efficient mechanical exfoliation method with the aid of organic stone wastes (OSWs) is designed to realize scalable manufacturing of CNFs. As an industrial by-product, OSWs have abundant oxygen-containing groups on the surface, which can combine with the hydroxyl groups of cellulose to break down its inherent hydrogen bonding network. At the same time, OSWs are expected to enhance the shear force and friction force of cellulose during the mechanical exfoliation process. The resulting CNFs with an average diameter of 33.85 nm can significantly expand the melt-processing window of PVA to 66.6°C and enhance its mechanical properties. This strategy not only opens up scalable manufacturing of CNFs but also provides a new path for PVA melt-processing.
Acute thrombus in pulmonary trunk after autologous pericardial revascularization : a case report
Authors: Ma Shenglong , Guo Zixin , Hu Weidong
Published: June 2023

Background: the occurrence of thrombi after revascularization procedures in patients with primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma (PPL) is rare.
Case presentation:We report the case of a patient with PPL who developed an acute thrombus in the pulmonary trunk after revascularization with autologous pericardium. The patient was a 39 year old woman diagnosed with PPL, in order to preserve the patient's more pulmonary function, the first surgery was performed with resection and revascularization of the upper lobe of the left lung, resulting in postoperative thrombosis of the pulmonary trunk. We consider that the appearance of thrombus is related to tumor, operation, materials and postoperative management measures. After that we had to resect the patient's remaining lower lobe of the left lung with no significant event. The patient was discharged without postoperative complications.
Conclusions: We report a case of a patient with PPL who developed a thrombus after revascularization.
A Facile and Catalyst-Free Microwave-Promoted Method for the Synthesis of 3-Trifluoromethyl 1,2,4-triazole-5-thiones
Authors: Zeinali Najmeh , Darehkordi Ali
Published: June 2023

Herein, a fast, simple, efficient, and eco-friendly procedure for the synthesis of 4-aryl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thiones under microwave irradiation is introduced. The current strategy enabled the synthesis of triazole-5(4H)-thiones scaffolds at 70°C under shorter reaction times through the sequential nucleophilic addition and then intramolecular ring closing reactions between trifluoromethylated arylacetimidohydrazides and carbon disulfide in high yields.
A new model for evaluating pressure-induced vascular tone in small cerebral arteries
Authors: Coccarelli Alberto , Pant Sanjay , Polydoros Ioannis , Harraz Osama F.
Published: June 2023

The capacity of small cerebral arteries (SCAs) to adapt to pressure fluctuations has a fundamental physiological role and appears to be relevant in different pathological conditions. Here, we present a new computational model for quantifying the link, and its contributors, between luminal pressure and vascular tone generation in SCAs. This is assembled by combining a chemical sub-model, representing pressure-induced SMC signalling, with a mechanical sub-model for the tone generation and its transduction at tissue level. The devised model can accurately reproduce the impact of luminal pressure on different cytoplasmic components involved in myogenic signalling, both in the control case and when combined with some specific pharmacological interventions. Furthermore, the model is also able to capture and predict experimentally recorded ‘pressure-diameter’ relationships obtained for vessels under control conditions, both in a Ca 2+-free bath and under drug inhibition. The modularity of the proposed framework allows the integration of new components for the study of a broad range of processes involved in the vascular function.
Association between Social Relationship of Mentors and Depressive Symptoms in First- Time Mothers during the Transition from Pregnancy to 6-Months Postpartum
Authors: Gasperowicz Malgorzata , Benzies Karen M.
Published: June 2023

Background
First-time motherhood is characterized by high psychosocial distress, which untreated, has serious consequences. Informal social support provided by specially trained mentors may be protective against postpartum depressive symptoms but may vary by women’s social relationship with the mentor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of types of mentors on women’s depressive symptoms between late pregnancy to 6-months postpartum and the characteristics of women associated with mentor type.
Methods
This study was a secondary analysis of data from a community sample of 312 primiparous women from a single-group, longitudinal intervention study of Welcome to Parenthood. Welcome to Parenthood provided education and mentorship for women during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum. Women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in late pregnancy, and 2- and 6-months postpartum.
Results
Women who recently relocated were less likely to be mentored by their mothers and more likely to be mentored by friends or volunteers. Women who were mentored by their mothers or sisters scored the lowest on the EPDS; those mentored by their mothers-in-law scored the highest. Women who were mentored by other family, friends, or volunteers scored between the two extremes. EPDS scores of women mentored by each type of mentor decreased from pregnancy to 6-months postpartum; only for mother-, sister-, and volunteer-mentored groups was this decrease significant.
Conclusions
During transition to parenthood, support provided by mothers or sisters is best for women’s mental health but may not always be available to women who have recently relocated. In such situations, specially trained community volunteers may be the second-best option.
Synthesis and application of novel benzophenone photoinitiators
Authors: Feng Chao , Wang Qinlin , Liu Feng , Zhang Bianxiang
Published: June 2023

A series of new benzophenone derivatives were synthesized by the esterification reaction of hydroxy-benzophenone and acyl chloride or sulfonyl chloride. All the compounds were characterization by NMR and MS spectroscopy technology. The resulting products exhibited efficient UV light absorption in the range of 225–325 nm, leading to excellent photoinitiating effects as photoinitiators in light-cured coatings. The cured film showed comparable mechanical performance with the commercial product. Moreover, we discussed the photoinitiation mechanism of the new benzophenone derivatives, which would promote the further development of novel photoinitiators for industry application.
A host-specialized aphid lineage helps another conspecific lineage utilize new host by disrupting the plant defenses
Authors: Hu Xiaoyue , Hereward James P. , Wang Duoqi , Yang Qinglan , Wang Yongmo
Published: June 2023

Polyphagous aphids often have host-specialized lineages and the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The aphid Aphis gossypii has several host-specialized lineages including one specialized on Cucurbitaceae and one on Malvaceae. We found that the performance of Malvaceae lineage were poor on cucumbers, but significantly improved on cucumbers that were previously infested by Cucurbit lineage for 14 d. Following feeding experience on pre-infested cucumbers Malvaceae lineage acquired ability to use healthy cucumbers. The pre-infestation largely decreased insect-negative metabolites such as cucurbitacins and phenols and increased insect-negative metabolites such as soluble sugars. The pre-infestation decreased salicylic acid by 25.9% while increased jasmonic acid by 13.37-fold in cucumbers, which corresponded to expression of marker genes in phytohormone signaling pathways. Exogenous salicylic acid significantly decreased performance improvement of Malvaceae lineage on pre-infested cucumbers, but exogenous jasmonic acid did not. Those results indicate that infestation by Cucurbit lineage altered the metabolism of cucumbers and interrupted the defense-associated phytohormones, from which we conclude that the disability in overcoming cucumber's defenses caused the incompatibility of Malvaceae lineage to cucumbers. The process of acclimation to cucumbers may activate some effector genes targeting cucumber in Malvaceae lineage. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of aphid host-specialization and new clues for preventing A. gossypii switching from Malvaceae hosts to cucurbits.
Machine Learning Model for Predicting Brain Metastases in Lung Adenocarcinomas
Authors: y Larkey , Tao Dan , Wang Dehuan , Zeng Siwei , Yuan Ze , Yang Dingyi , Jiang Yong , Munai Erha , Zhou Wei , Yang Li
Published: June 2023

Background
Precisely predicting the onset of brain metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma is critical for making informed clinical treatment decisions. After brain metastasis occurs, the survival period of patients with lung adenocarcinoma is substantially reduced, and a dearth of models hinders accurate prediction of its onset in affected patients. In this study, we compared the performance of five models and identified the random forest model as the most effective for predicting brain metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
Methods
This study enrolled patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma between 2000 to 2018, sourced from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Correlation between variables was observed using a heatmap and the model's discriminative ability was assessed by calculating the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC). In addition, features were ranked according to their importance. Furthermore, the precision of the model was assessed by means of calibration curves, and a decision curve analysis was performed to evaluate its clinical usefulness.
Results
A total of 60,805 patients were included in this study. The heatmap analysis provided a preliminary assessment of the correlation between different feature variables, and all variables showed differences between cases with and without brain metastasis after standardization. The random forest model exhibited better predictive performance with an accuracy of 0.919 (95% CI: 0.915–0.926) and an AUROC of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.913–0.924). Regarding feature importance ranking, the most relevant features were radiation therapy, survival time, tumor size, age, and bone metastasis. The calibration curve showed the highest degree of consistency between the predicted probabilities and actual probabilities in the random forest model. The decision curve analysis revealed a considerable enhancement in net benefit for the models containing 10 features, 17 features, and all features, as compared to the basic model.
Conclusions
We developed predictive model using machine learning to predict brain metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma, utilizing only commonly available clinical variables. The model showed good discrimination in predicting the occurrence of brain metastasis. It may contribute to clinical decision-making and treatment strategies.
Establishing the Profile of Eye Diseases Among Elderly Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Northern, Malawi.
Authors: Banda Owen , Mzumara Thokozani , Ogbonna Grace
Published: June 2023

Background: Globally, there has been a dramatic increase in the geriatric population. Sadly, this populace is highly prone to develop various ocular morbidities.
Aim: To determine the distribution of ocular morbidities among elderly.
Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at Mzuzu Central Hospital in Malawi. We retrieved data from the hospital’s ophthalmology out-patient registry from January 2021 to December 2021. A non-probability census sampling technique was used to recruit 970 elderly patients. Data entry and analysis was done employing SPSS (v.26)
Results: More males than females had ocular morbidities. Cataract 400 (41.2%) was the most prevalent ocular morbidity followed by glaucoma 189 (19.5%), pinguecula 48 (4.9%) and allergic conjunctivitis 43 (4.4%). Majority of patients were attended to in July. Outer segment diseases were common. The prevalence of cataract, glaucoma, refractive error and allergic conjunctivitis was significantly associated with sex (p<0.05). Age association was found with the prevalence of cataract, glaucoma, pinguecula, allergic conjunctivitis and corneal scar (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The pattern of eye diseases is endemic to the country. More resources should be targeting cataract and glaucoma among the age group.
Effect of phosphate on the adsorption of cadmium on iron and manganese oxides: a comparative study of goethite, ferrihydrite, and potassium manganese materials
Authors: TANG Xuefang , Fayan JIANG , ZHANG Shizhou , WU Yong
Published: June 2023

Iron and manganese oxides participate in a variety of geochemical processes, controlling element cycling and soil quality. The co-adsorption properties of heavy metal cations and oxyanions on iron (manganese) oxides contribute to our understanding of these processes and the ions’ distribution and transformation in geological environments. In this study, ferrihydrite (Fh), goethite (Gt), and manganese oxide (K-MnO2) were prepared by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) Surface analysis were used to characterize the minerals. The Zeta (ζ) potential and zero potential point (pHIEP) were measured by a potential analyzer, and cadmium ions and oxygen anions (phosphate) were tested for ferrihydrite (Fh) and goethite (Gt). The adsorption behavior of manganese oxide (K-MnO2) was studied, and the pH change characteristics of the system before and after adsorption were analyzed. The results show that the maximum adsorption rate of K-MnO2 to Cd2+ (pH = 4, Cd2+20 mg·L− 1) is approximately 95%. After adding phosphate, the adsorption rate of K-MnO2 to Cd2+ increases significantly; the adsorption rate was close to 98% when pH = 4, and phosphate improved the process of K-MnO2 adsorption to Cd2+ reaching equilibrium. Goethite and ferrihydrite have similar adsorption trends for Cd2+ after adding phosphate. When pH = 2-3.5, the adsorption rate for Cd2+ is approximately 10–30%. When original pH is 3.5-5, the pH value of the reaction system is almost higher than 6 when the adsorption end point is reached, and the adsorption rate is already close to more than 95% at pH 7. The addition of phosphate enhanced the equilibrium process of Cd2+ adsorption on goethite ( or ferrihydrite ).
Effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors on surgical outcome of ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension patients; a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Shams Khaled A. , Ellahony Dalia Monir , Halima Ahmed Fouad , Elzayat Rania Salah
Published: June 2023

Childrens with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and large systemic-to-pulmonary shunts eventually develop pulmonary hypertension (PH). The perioperative management of patients with VSD and PH is quite troublesome and still debatable, especially in developing countries where the different management options and standardization of treatment is not available. Oral phosphodiesterase type 5(PDE-5) inhibitors are good treatment option being widely available, cheap, of easy administration and does not require extensive monitoring. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of the PDE-5 inhibitors when given orally, early pre-operative and continued for 3 months postoperative on controlling post-operative PH with its effect on right ventricle (RV) functions. Fifty-one patients were randomly assigned to either Sildenafil or Tadalafil, 1 week before and continued for 3 months after corrective surgery. The control group received a placebo. There was no significant difference in the improvement in the RVSP between both groups, early in the post operative period (P = 0.255) and on follow up (P = 0.259). there was also no significant difference in the changes in mPAP, post-operatively and on follow up (P = 0.788 and 0.059 respectively). There was a drop in RV functions in both groups post-operatively which improved on follow up, however it was not significant between both groups. The length of ICU stay was similar between both groups (P = 0.143). Peri-operative administration of PDE-5 inhibitors does not have an impact on the clinical course as regard improvement in PA pressure, ventricular functions and ICU stay.
A Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Trends in Erosion and Sedimentation studies
Authors: Chakraborty Arijit , Raj Ravi , Chakma Sumedha , Saharia Manabendra
Published: June 2023

Erosion and sedimentation in streams, lakes, reservoirs, and watersheds are a global issue. Runoff and flood waves erode soil and streambank material, destroying agricultural land. Erosion and sedimentation in water bodies induce soil loss in the watershed and diminish channel flow depth and conveyance. Agricultural runoff can pollute aquatic ecosystems by carrying sediment. As per IPCC 2019 report, in tropical and subtropical regions, the impacts of soil erosion can be observed from the high rates of soil loss, in some cases exceeding 100 t/ha/yr. Therefore, it becomes necessary to address the problem of erosion and sedimentation with serious concern. This paper focuses on highlighting the research advancements in the field of erosion and sedimentation phenomenon, estimation of erosion and sedimentation rate in watersheds, streams and reservoirs and resulting impact assessment from reach scale to watershed scale in last five decades and assessing further research scope in this regard. A bibliometric analysis considering 1000 research articles database extracted from the Web of science has been conducted in the Biblioshiny platform using the R-programming tool. The Bibliometric analysis shows an annual scientific production growth of 2.27% in the field of erosion and sedimentation. Most of the articles have been published in the USA, followed by China, UK, and Belgium. This is the first such bibliometric analysis of erosion and sedimentation together considering one thousand articles associated with it. The study can help in observing the publication trend and identifying the recent emerging topics for research in the field of erosion and sedimentation.
Stability Analysis of New Generalized Mean-Square Stochastic Fractional Differential Equations and Their Applications
Authors: Khan Tahir Ullah , Markarian Christine , Fachkha Claude
Published: June 2023

Stability theory has significant applications in technology, especially in control systems. On the other hand, the newly-defined generalized mean-square stochas-tic fractional (GMSF) operators are particularly interesting in control theory and systems due to their various controllable parameters. Thus, the combined study of stability theory and GMSF operators becomes crucial. In this research work, we construct a new class of GMSF differential equations and provide rigorous proof of the existence of their solutions. Furthermore, we investigate the stability of these solutions using the generalized Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability criterion. Some examples are also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in solving fractional differential equations (FDEs) and evaluating their stability. The paper concludes by discussing potential applications of the proposed results in technology and outlining avenues for future research.
MSC Classification: 34A08 , 34B15 , 34B27
Evaluation of Serum Levels of Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 in Patients with Vitiligo using Luminex-Based Assay
Authors: Sandes Isis Lustosa Lacrose , Almeida Isabella Barros , Menezes-Silva Lucas , Bomfim Lays Gisele Santos , Gomes Isla Alcântara , Santos Priscila Lima dos , Oliveira Pedro Dantas , Santos Márcio Roberto Viana dos , Quintans-Júnior Lucindo José , Martins-Filho Paulo Ricardo , Araujo Adriano Antunes Souza , Nunes Paula Santos , Moura Tatiana Rodrigues
Published: June 2023

Vitiligo is a chronic acquired disorder characterized by skin depigmentation, and its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. The identification of reliable biomarkers is crucial for enhancing our understanding of the disease and developing effective therapeutic strategies. Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 (TREM-1) is a cell surface receptor constitutively expressed in neutrophils and monocytes, playing a significant role in amplifying and regulating the inflammatory response. However, its role in vitiligo remains unknown. In this context, we aimed to investigate the levels of soluble form of TREM-1 (namely sTREM-1) and inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the levels of sTREM-1 in patients with the disease. Blood samples were collected from 19 vitiligo patients and 10 healthy individuals as a control group. We used the ProcartaPlex Multiplex Immunoassay kit (Thermo-Fisher Scientific, MA, USA) and the Luminex® 100/200™ System (Luminex Corp., Texas, USA) to measure IL-8, IL-17A, IL-33, IL-10, TNF-α, and sTREM-1 in the serum of both groups. The results demonstrated significantly elevated levels of sTREM-1, IL-17A, and IL-33 in vitiligo patients compared to the control group. Additionally, positive correlations were observed between sTREM-1 and IL-8 and IL-10, suggesting a potential role of sTREM-1 in the inflammatory process associated with vitiligo. These findings provide insights into the pathogenesis of vitiligo and highlight the potential of sTREM-1 as a biomarker for disease activity and therapeutic targeting.
Analysis of postoperative complications of orbital fracture
Authors: Jinhai Yu , Qihua Xu , Hongfei Liao , Yaohua Wang , Chao Xiong , Puying Gan
Published: June 2023

Objective
To analyze the types and causes of complications after orbital fracture reconstruction, and improve the ability of clinicians to control or prevent orbital fracture complications.
Methods
A retrospective case series analysis was conducted, and the clinical data of patients with orbital fractures who were treated in the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanchang University from May 2012 to May 2022 and underwent surgical treatment were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Descriptive statistics were used to record the common postoperative complications and follow-up was done, and the complications that still existed after at least 6 months of follow-up were recorded.
Results
Among the 227 patients who underwent orbital fracture surgery, they were followed up for 6–36 months, and complications occurred in 15 cases, with an incidence rate of 6.61%. Among them, implant material infection and rejection occurred in 4 cases, persistent diplopia occurred in 3 cases, intraorbital hematoma occurred in 2 cases, epiphora occurred in 2 cases, lower eyelid eversion or retraction occurred in 2 cases, and skin scars occurred in 2 cases. The main reason for postoperative infection is chronic inflammation in the paranasal sinuses or closed cavity in the fracture area. Postoperative complications of orbital fractures are related to various factors such as the timing of surgery, surgical approach, repair materials, surgical skills, and surgical auxiliary techniques.
Conclusion
Standardizing the operation method and applying precise auxiliary technology may help to reduce the occurrence of complications and improve the success rate of the operation.
Single-cell and transcriptome analysis reveals TAL cells in diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Zhang Chengyu , Li Han , Wang Shixiang
Published: June 2023

Diabetic nephropathy is a global public health concern with multifaceted pathogenesis, primarily involving hypertension. Excessive activation of AT1R has been strongly associated with hypertension onset and progression in diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to conduct thick ascending limb cell single-cell and transcriptomic analysis in diabetic nephropathy, including screening for biological markers, cellular communication, and immune infiltration, to identify potential biomarkers and effective means for prevention and treatment. By using high-dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator, machine learning, neural deconvolution, quasi-chronological analysis, Non-negative Matrix Factorization clustering, and Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-induced Counter, we identified 7 potential thick ascending limb cell biomarkers for diabetic nephropathy and elucidated the Bone Morphogenetic Protein pathway's regulation of thick ascending limb cells through podocyte epithelial cells and podocyte cells. The study also highlighted the role of COBL, PPARGC1A, and THSD7A in Non-negative Matrix Factorization clustering and their relationship with thick ascending limb cell immunity in diabetic nephropathy. Our findings provide new insights and avenues for managing diabetic nephropathy, ultimately alleviating the burden on patients and society.
A lightweight method for real-time monitoring of lump coal on mining conveyor belts
Authors: Wu Ligang , Chen Le , Zhang Liang , Shi Jianhua
Published: June 2023

During the transfer of coal using mining conveyor belts, broken coal and lump coal are typically present, along with a few larger pieces of coal. These larger pieces can pose a safety risk during transportation, making it crucial to monitor the lump coal in real-time throughout the process. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes the real-time monitoring method Ghost-SE-Bi FPN (GSB) YOLOv5. First, for data pre-processing, we enhance the contrast of the dataset using adaptive histogram equalization. To further enrich the dataset, we combine Mosaic multi-data enhancement techniques. Second, in this paper, we introduce Ghost Net, a lightweight neural network that performs feature extraction and fusion. This reduces the computational complexity of the model while maintaining its performance. We also incorporate the Squeeze-Excitation attention mechanism to improve feature extraction and weight adjustment, which accelerates model convergence. Finally, in order to efficiently complete multi-source information fusion, a weighted bidirectional feature pyramid is employed to fuse features of varying resolutions. According to the experimental results, the GSB YOLOv5 algorithm has been improved to reduce the number of network layers by 35.256%. Furthermore, the number of parameters and floating point operations have been reduced by 63.023% and 68.582%, respectively. The model size is compressed from 92.7M to 34.4M. In terms of detection performance, the precision and recall rate of the model detection improved by 1.421% and 1.460%, respectively. Additionally, the real-time detection efficiency increased from 68.34 FPS to 107.91 FPS. These findings demonstrate that GSB YOLOv5 not only achieves lightweight, but also effectively enhances various detection performance of the model.
HybridTransferNet: Advancing Soil Image Classification through Comprehensive Evaluation of Hybrid Transfer Learning
Authors: R Chetan , V Ashoka D , V Ajay Prakash B
Published: June 2023

Soil image classification is an important task in agricultural and environmental applications. With the advent of deep learning, image-based soil classification has become a popular research topic. Transfer learning is a widely used approach in image classification, where a pre-trained model is fine-tuned on a new dataset. However, traditional transfer learning approaches only fine-tune the last layer of the pre-trained model, which may not be sufficient for achieving high performance on a new task. In this paper, we propose HybridTransferNet, a novel hybrid transfer learning approach for image-based soil classification. HybridTransferNet fine-tunes a small number of earlier layers in addition to the last layer of a pre-trained ResNet50 model, resulting in improved classification performance compared to traditional transfer learning approaches. We evaluate HybridTransferNet on a soil classification dataset and report multiple performance metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Our experimental results show that HybridTransferNet outperforms traditional transfer learning approaches and achieves state-of-the-art performance on the soil classification task.
An Experimental Study of the Heavy Hydrocarbon Impact on Phase Behavior of Hydrocarbon Mixtures
Authors: Buleiko V.M. , Buleiko D.V.
Published: June 2023

It is of much interest to study an impact of heavy hydrocarbons on the phase behavior of hydrocarbon mixtures. Using a method of the precision adiabatic calorimetry the phase equilibria in quaternary mixtures of methane, propane, octane, and nonane have been studied. The phase diagrams for investigated mixtures have been plotted based on the experimental data. The phase transitions were localized by the finite discontinuities in temperature derivatives of the thermodynamic potentials. The heat capacity, internal energy, pressure, and temperature derivative of pressure at constant volume were measured in the range 170–320 K, up to 40 MPa. Quaternary mixtures as quasi-binary mixtures are presented. The first quasi-component of the quasi-binary mixture is a binary mixture with the constant methane/propane ratio. The second quasi-component of the quasi-binary mixture is a binary mixture of octane and nonane. Investigated hydrocarbon system is a combination of the simple hydrocarbon mixtures for the low concentration of octane and nonane. In the earlier papers we presented the simple hydrocarbon mixtures for the low concentration of octane, nonane, and decane, and quaternary mixtures of methane, propane, octane, and decane for the low concentration of octane and decane, which are a combination of the simple hydrocarbon mixtures for the low concentration of octane and decane. Our investigations show that quaternary hydrocarbon mixture for the low concentration of octane and nonane as well as the simple hydrocarbon mixtures for the low concentration of octane, nonane, and decane split into three phases, the octane-nonane-lean macrophase and the microphases formed by octane and nonane. Besides, the heavy components provoke a split of the liquid part of a quaternary mixture into two liquid phases, the octane-nonane-rich phase and the octane-nonane-lean phase.
The nucleolar protein NOL12 is required for 5' end processing of large ribosomal subunit rRNA precursors in Arabidopsis
Authors: Zakrzewska-Placzek Monika , Golisz-Mocydlarz Anna , Krzyszton Michal , Piotrowska Justyna , Lichocka Malgorzata , Kufel Joanna
Published: June 2023

Background
NOL12 5'-3' exoribonucleases, conserved among eukaryotes, play important roles in pre-rRNA processing, ribosome assembly and export. The best described yeast counterpart, Rrp17, is required for maturation of 5.8S and 25S rRNAs, whereas human hNOL12 is crucial for the separation of the large (LSU) and small (SSU) ribosome subunit rRNA precursors.
Results
Here we show that plant AtNOL12 is also involved in rRNA biogenesis, particularly in the processing of the LSU rRNA precursor, 27S pre-rRNA. Importantly, the absence of AtNOL12 alters the expression of many ribosomal protein and ribosome biogenesis genes, which may further exacerbate rRNA biogenesis defects, or, alternatively, may be the effect of the disturbed ribosome assembly caused by delayed pre-rRNA processing. Also, exposure of nol12 mutants to stress factors, including heat, salt and pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, enhances the observed molecular phenotypes, linking pre-rRNA processing to stress response pathways. AtNOL12-dependent aberrant rRNA processing may affect ribosome function, as indicated by improved mutant resistance to ribosome-targeting antibiotics.
Conclusion
The pre-rRNA processing pathway, although extensively studied, is still poorly described in plants. Our work reveals the involvement of AtNOL12 in the 5' end maturation of rRNA precursors, which is related to stress response in Arabidopsis. This contributes to a better characterization of plant ribosome biogenesis.
Alterations in the transcript level of the Contactin Associated Protein 2 gene could conceivably influence verbal Theory of Mind and predict autism spectrum disorder incidence
Authors: Ghamari Rana , Tahmaseb Mohammad , Alizadeh Fatemeh , Mohammadzadeh Azar , Tavakolian Najmeh , Sarabi-Jamab Atiye , Tehrani-Doost Mehdi
Published: June 2023

Objective: Social interaction and communication impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are supposed to be related to impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM), which is the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and other social agents. Language and ToM are intertwined cognitive components, and higher-order manifestations of the ToM cannot be achieved in the absence of specific language competencies. The gene Contactin Associated Protein 2 (CNTNAP2) is associated with language/verbal skills as well as changes in social cognition. As of yet, no study has assessed the association of CNTNAP2 expression with ASD and ToM. This study aimed at assessing CNTNAP2 expression alterations in ASD individuals and to model ASD and ToM leveraging cognitive and genetic measures.
Method: 43 children and adolescents with high-function autism between the ages of 8 and 18 years old, as well as 44 matched age and sex typically developed (TD) individuals participated in the study. SYBR green Real-time PCR was used to determine CNTNAP2 expression evaluation. To measure verbal and non-verbal ToM, Happe's Strange Stories test and Moving Shapes paradigms were employed. The social responsiveness scale (SRS-2) was also used to assess social functioning. The statistical analysis was performed using a 95% confidence interval.
Results: Compared to TD group, we found a significant downregulation of CNTNAP2 expression in ASD subjects. Moreover, correlation tests and linear regression indicated that there is no significant correlation between cognitive variables and expression of CNTNAP2 in the ASD group. However, the expression of CNTNAP2 in TD was significantly correlated with verbal ToM variables, but not with non-verbal ToM. Finally, the general linear model suggested that non-verbal ToM parameters and CNTNAP2expression could predict ASD, and verbal ToM may serve as a moderator variable for CNTNAP2 expression.
Conclusion: Briefly, we found that CNTNAP2was downregulated in ASD samples compared to TD individuals. Also, our results suggest a molecular-cognitive model for ASD. Further studies should be conducted to determine whether the findings of this study are reliable.
Automated bone marrow cell classificationthrough dual attention gate dense neural networks
Authors: Peng Kaiyi , Peng Yuhang , Liao Hedong , Yang Zesong , Feng Wenli
Published: June 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Primary testicular microcystic stromal tumor: two case reports with a broad morphological spectrum and frequency of predilection site
Authors: LIU HONG , Zheng Jiawen , Wang Xiaotong , Zhou Xiaodie , Wang Xuan , Ye Shengbing , Shi Qunli , Zhou Xiaojun , Shen Qin
Published: June 2023

Background
The microcystic stromal tumor (MCST) is a rare neoplasm included in the category of pure stromal tumors of the ovary. Only two cases were previously reported to occur in the testis. Here, two additional cases of testicular MCST presented with clinicopathological manifestation, immunohistochemical profile and genomic analysis.
Materials and methods
Retrospectively, detailed data on these cases were collected by morphological observation, immunohistochemistry staining (IHC) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) test.
Results
The two patients aged 31 and 34 years found accidentally a solid mass of 2.1 cm and 1.7 cm in diameter on radiological images. Microscopically, the tumors showed nodular or lobular growth arranged in a variety of structures, such as microcystic, solid, macrocystic or cords, mixed with hyalinization stroma in variable proportions. No atypical mitotic figure or necrosis was observed. Immunohistochemically, both were strongly positive for β-catenin (nuclear and cytoplasmic staining), CD10 and CD99, while negative for α-inhibin and calretinin. NGS analysis revealed missense mutation in exon 3 of CTNNB1. They were disease-free 30 to 45 months after initial diagnosis.
Conclusion
The MCST, particularly in testis, is extremely rare and characterized by classical morphology. Our findings indicate that the MCST would have broader morphological spectrum but relatively constant immunophenotypes and molecular events to those of ovarian tumors reported.
A nomogram was developed using clinicopathological features to predict postoperative liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Dou Xinyu , Xi Jiaona , Zheng Gaozan , Ren Guangming , Tian Ye , Dan Hanjun , Xie Zhenyu , Niu Liaoran , Duan Lili , Li Ruikai , Wu Hongze , Feng Fan , Zheng Jianyong
Published: June 2023

Purpose
The objective of this study is to examine the risk factors that contribute to the development of liver metastasis (LM) in patients who have suffered radical resection for colorectal cancer (CRC), and to establish a nomogram model that can be used to predict the occurrence of the LM.
Methods
The present study enrolled 1377 patients diagnosed with CRC between January 2010 and July 2021. The datasets were allocated to training (n = 965) and validation (n = 412) sets in a randomly stratified manner. The study utilized univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a nomogram for predicting LM in patients with CRC.
Results
Multivariate analysis revealed that T stage, N stage, number of harvested lymph nodes (LNH), mismatch repair (MMR) status, neutrophil count, monocyte count, postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, postoperative cancer antigen 125 (CA125) levels, and postoperative carbohydrate antigen 19 − 9 (CA19-9) levels were independent predictive factors for LM after radical resection. These factors were then utilized to construct a comprehensive nomogram for predicting LM. The nomogram demonstrated great discrimination, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.782 for the training set and 0.768 for the validation set. Additionally, the nomogram exhibited excellent calibration and significant clinical benefit as confirmed by the calibration curves and the decision curve analysis, respectively.
Conclusion
This nomogram has the potential to support clinicians in identifying high-risk patients who may develop LM post-surgery. Clinicians can devise personalized treatment and follow-up plans, ultimately leading to an improved prognosis for patients.
Short-term feed supplementation with alcoholic extract of Artemisia annua improves health conditions and productive performance of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Soares Michelly Pereira , Angelis Carolina Fernandes , Silva Ludmila Mendes , Montanari Beatriz Helena , Campos Cristiane Meldau , Queiroz Sonia Claudia Nascimento , Fernandes Marisa Narciso , Longhini Wolney , Peres Miguel , Leite Cléo Alcantara Costa , Rantin Francisco Tadeu , Sampaio Fernanda Garcia
Published: June 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.