bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of cognitive impairment with the interaction between chronic kidney disease and depression: Findings from NHANES 2011-2014
Authors: Zhou Tong , Zhao Jiayu , Ma Yimei , He Linqian , Ren Zhouting , Yang Kun , Tang Jincheng , Liu Jiali , Luo Jiaming , Zhang Heping
Published: September 2023

Background: Cognitive impairment (CoI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and depression are prevalent among older adults and are interrelated, imposing a significant disease burden. This study evaluates the association of CKD and depression with CoI and explores their potential interactions.
Method: Data for this study were sourced from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Multiple binary logistic regression models assessed the relationship between CKD, depression, and CoI while controlling for confounders. The interactions were measured using the relative excess risk of interaction (RERI), the attributable proportion of interaction (AP), and the synergy index (S).
Results: A total of 2,666 participants (weighted n=49,251,515) were included in the study, of which 700 (16.00%) had CoI. After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of CoI was higher in patients with CKD compared to non-CKD participants (odds ratio [OR]=1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.11–1.97). The risk of CoI was significantly increased in patients with depression compared to those without (OR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.68–2.94). Furthermore, there was a significant additive interaction between CKD and depression in terms of the increased risk of CoI (adjusted RERI=1.88, [95% CI: 0.27–3.48], adjusted AP=0.49 [95% CI: 0.24–0.75], adjusted S=2.97 [95% CI: 1.24–7.13]).
Conclusion: CKD and depression synergistically affect CoI, particularly when moderate-to-severe depression co-occurs with CKD. Clinicians should be mindful of the combined impact on patients with CoI. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and assess the effects specific to different CKD stages.
Coverage and Factors associated with utilization of Pyrethroid-Piperonyl Butoxide treated nets in Malaria Endemic Region, Western Kenya
Authors: Aricha Stephen Akuma , Owiny Maurice , Odhiambo Fredrick , Mangeni Judith , Oyugi Elvis
Published: September 2023

Background: Increased resistance to pyrethroid based Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) informed WHO recommendation to deploy Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) based LLINs. Kenya adopted use of PBO nets in endemic areas, though coverage is not known. We determined coverage and factors associated with utilization of PBO nets in a malaria endemic county.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with multi-stage sampling in Matayos Sub-County, Busia County. Data were collected using questionnaire from June-July 2022. Data was analyzed by Stata version 16. Universal coverage was defined as ownership of one PBO net for two household members. Proper utilization was defined as sleeping under a mosquito net the previous night, net usage on all days of the week, hanging the net adequately. Data was collected on net ownership, access, utilization. Proper utilization of nets was the dependent variable. We calculated measures of central tendency and dispersion for continuous variables and proportions for categorical variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was used to test for association between dependent and independent variables and variables with a p-value< 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.
Results A total of 402 participants were interviewed; mean age was 41.2 years (±16.7 years), 268 (66.7%) resided in rural areas, 77.9% (313) were female, 71.4% (287) were married, 45% (181) had at least 8 years of formal education and 86.6% (348) had informal occupations. Among all respondents, 86.3% (347) had bed nets, 92.8% (322/347) were PBO nets. A total of 64.9% (261) households attained universal coverage for bed nets. The utilization of PBO treated LLINs was significantly lower in households with heads in informal occupations compared to those in formal occupations (aOR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.11-0.78). Additionally, households without universal coverage for bed nets had significantly lower odds of utilizing a PBO-treated LLIN compared to those with universal coverage (aOR = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01-0.03).
Conclusion: Universal coverage of PBO nets was below the national target (80%). Occupation and universal coverage were associated with the utilization of PBO nets. We recommend for continuous PBO nets distribution through additional innovative channels.
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthy blood donors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ukwishaka Joyeuse , Fotabong Mela Cyril , Aseneh Jerry Brown Njoh , Ettaj Malak , Ilboudo Dieudonné , Danwang Celestin , Samadoulougou Sekou , Kirakoya-Samadoulougou Fati
Published: September 2023

Introduction: The development of a potent immune response and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is important for attaining herd immunity. This serological response could be due to past infection or vaccines. Healthy blood donors could represent and provide information on the immune status of the general population. Hence, we estimated the global and regional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthy asymptomatic blood donors.
Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest for eligible articles published between December 1, 2019, and January 12, 2023, without language restrictions. After critical appraisal and quality assessment, a qualitative synthesis of the identified pertinent articles was performed. The random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Funnel plots and Egger’s test were used to assess publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was performed, and heterogeneity was quantified using I2 statistics.
Results: A total of 70 peer-reviewed articles were selected and included 2,453,937 blood donors. The global estimated pooled prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthy blood donors was 10.9% (95% CI: 5.0 – 18.8%, n=68). A high seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was observed in Asia (20.4%, 95% CI: 10.1 – 33.1%, n=24), followed by Africa (16.1%, 95% CI: 6.8 – 28.3%, n=7). The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in studies conducted before the introduction of the vaccine was 6.5% (95% CI: 4.9 – 8.3%, n=50), while that of studies conducted after the vaccine was 27.6% (95% CI: 12.4 – 46.2% n=18). High seroprevalence was observed in studies that measured antibodies against the S protein of the virus (16.2%, 95% CI: 11.4 – 21.8%, n=27), while it was 12.5% (95% CI: 5.3 – 22.1%, n=16) in those that measured antibodies against the N protein. A high seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was observed in studies that only measured IgG antibodies (17.2%, 95% CI: 10.5 – 25.1%, n=33) and in studies that measured total antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (6.2%, 95% CI: 0.7 – 16.5%, n=33).
Conclusion: In view of all evidence, there is variation in the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthy blood donors globally. Noticeably, there is a regional difference that could depict differences in transmission and vaccination rates. Based on the results of our analysis, we recommend evidence-based booster vaccination strategies informed by seroprevalence trends and waning immunity and reinforcing seroprevalence surveillance for outbreak management. It is advisable to mitigate socioeconomic disparities through inclusive health policies coupled with adaptable public health measures given local seroprevalence rates. These will contribute to informed policy decisions to build community resilience during the post-PHEIC phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental influences of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Shandong Province, China
Authors: Duan Qing , Tian Xueying , Pang Bo , Zhang Yuwei , Xiao Chuanhao , Yao Mingxiao , Ding Shujun , Zhang Xiaomei , Jiang Xiaolin , Kou Zengqiang
Published: September 2023

Background
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease discovered in China in 2009. The purpose of this study was to describe the spatiao-temporal distribution of SFTS and to identify its environmental influencing factors and potential high-risk areas in Shandong province of China.
Methods
Data of SFTS incidence from 2010 to 2021 were collected. Spatio-temporal scanning statistic was used to identify the time and area of SFTS clustering. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model was used to analyze environmental influences and predict high-risk areas.
Results
From 2010 to 2021, a total of 5705 cases of SFTS were reported in Shandong. The number of SFTS cases increased year by year, with a peak incidence from April to October each year. Spatio-temporal scanning statistic showed the existence of one most likely cluster and two secondary likely clusters in Shandong. The most likely cluster was in the eastern region, from May to October in 2021. The first secondary cluster was in the central region, from May to October in 2021. The second secondary cluster was in the southeastern region, from May to September in 2020. MaxEnt model showed that mean annual wind speed, NDVI, cattle density and annual cumulative precipitation were the key factors influencing the occurrence of SFTS. The predicted risk map showed that the area of high-prevalence, was 28,120 km2, accounting for 18.05% of the total area of the province.
Conclusions
The spatio-temporal distribution of SFTS was heterogeneous and influenced by multidimensional environmental factors. This should be considered as a basis for delineating SFTS risk areas and developing SFTS prevention and control measures.
A molecular atlas of brain neurovascular interactions reveals a spatiotemporal requirement of TGFβ signaling in brain angiogenesis
Authors: Dubrac Alexandre , Bizou Mathilde , Howard Joel , Drape Elise , Chen Mei Xi , Severine Leclerc , Irgolitsch Frans , Boisseau Blanche , Robillard Isabelle , Ruiz Matthieu , Lesage Frederic , Cagnone Gael , Joyal Jean-Sébastien , Andelfinger Gregor
Published: September 2023

Neurovascular interactions (NVIs) are critical in establishing vascular patterning, barrier function, and in regulating cerebral blood flow, thereby maintaining neuronal homeostasis and brain health. While developmental programs and neuronal activity play a central role in cerebral cortex angiogenesis during a critical postnatal period, whether cellular heterogeneity causes region-specific angiogenic regulation remains unknown. Here, we combine spatial and endothelial single-cell RNAseq (scRNAseq) transcriptomic analysis to establish a molecular atlas of developing brain regions and a comprehensive list of spatiotemporal-specific NVIs. We find that the thalamic area has a higher vascular density than the other brain regions and our atlas identifies transforming growth factor β (Tgfβ) and Vegfc ligands enrichment in this area during a critical postnatal period. Neonatal endothelial Tgfβr1 deletion (Tgfβr1iEKO) induces vascular malformations and hemorrhages, primarily in the thalamic area. Mechanistically, we show that loss of endothelial TGFβ signaling increases VEGFC-induced AKT/mTOR signaling in vitro and in vivo, and that mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin efficiently inhibits intracerebral bleeding and vascular defects in Tgfβr1iEKO mice. Altogether, our data suggest that spatiotemporal-specific NVIs control brain vascular heterogeneity, which extends our knowledge of region-specific cerebrovascular development and will benefit our understanding of neurovascular disorders.
A repeated cross-sectional study of the association of community health worker intervention with the maternal continuum of care in rural Liberian communities.
Authors: Blizzard Sam , Dennis Mardieh , Subah Marion , Tehoungue Bentoe , Zizi Romax , Kraemer John D. , White Emily , Hirschhorn Lisa R.
Published: September 2023

Background
The maternal continuum of care (CoC) (antenatal care, facility-based delivery, postnatal care) is critical to maternal and neonatal health and reducing mortality, but completion in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries is often limited. We used repeated cross-sectional household surveys from a rural Liberian county to explore changes in rates of completion of all steps and no steps in the maternal CoC after implementation of the National Community Health Assistant Program (NCHAP), a community health worker (CHW) intervention designed to increase care uptake for families over five kilometers from a facility.
Methods
We analyzed repeated cross-sectional household surveys of women of childbearing age served by NCHAP in Rivercess County, Liberia. We measured survey-weighted, before-to-after implementation difference in completion of all steps and no steps in the maternal CoC. We used multivariable regression to explore covariates associated with completion rates before and after NCHAP implementation.
Results
Three timepoints (2015, n = 354; 2018, n = 312; 2021, n = 302) were analyzed. A significant increase in completing the full maternal CoC (2015:23.6%, 2018:53.4%, change:29.7 percentage points (pp), 95% confidence interval (CI) [21.0,38.4]) and a decrease in completing no steps in the CoC (2015:17.6%, 2018:4.0%, change: -12.4pp [-17.6, -7.2]) after implementation of NCHAP were observed from 2015 to 2018, with rates maintained from 2018 to 2021. Following the NCHAP implementation, only higher maternal education was negatively associated with completion of the CoC (adjusted odds ratio (aOR:0.57, 95% CI [0.34, 0.93]) and living twenty kilometers or more from a facility was associated with completing no steps (aOR:7.64 [1.87, 31.26]). Wealth was significantly associated with differences in rates pre-NCHAP but not post-NCHAP.
Conclusions
Following NCHAP implementation, completion rate of the full maternal CoC in Rivercess County more than doubled while the rate of completing no steps in the continuum fell below 5%. These rates were sustained over time including during COVID-19 with reduced differences across wealth groups, although very far distance remained a risk for no steps. CHW programs providing active outreach to pregnant women distant from facilities can be important tools for improving uptake of interventions and reducing risk of no formal care during and after pregnancy.
Leveraging Accreditation to Advance Diversity in Health Professions Education: Is Institutional Support the Missing Link?
Authors: Fleming Shani , Kulo Violet , Andrew Stakem , Gordes Karen , Jun Hyun-Jin , Ludemean Emilie , Cawley James , Kayingo Gerald
Published: September 2023

Background
Shortages of underrepresented groups in the US health professions are widening, necessitating a diverse health workforce to increase access to quality care, patient satisfaction, and treatment adherence. Health workforce diversity is crucial for addressing health disparities and advancing health equity. However, in the physician assistant (PA) profession, over 80% of certified PAs are white, and only 3.3% are Black/African American. Accreditation, as a critical quality assurance mechanism, has the potential to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In 2019, the Accreditation Review Commission-Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) introduced Standard A1.11, which required sponsoring institutions to demonstrate commitment to DEI. This qualitative study aims to examine the impact of this standard on diversity and inclusion in the PA profession and explore challenges faced by programs in compliance.
Methods
This three-phase exploratory qualitative study first collected and reviewed diversity standards in accreditation manuals across health professions; secondly, data on the frequency of ARC-PA citations related to diversity were gathered; lastly, participants were recruited through maximum variation sampling for semi-structured interviews. A sample of 56 individuals with diverse backgrounds were interviewed. Two research team members analyzed the transcription of interviews using common validation strategies to increase the trustworthiness of the findings, including peer debriefing, reflexivity, triangulation of researchers, and interviewing until saturation was reached.
Results
All six health professions organizations addressed DEI through at least one accreditation standard. Most institutions were already engaged in diversity efforts before the inception of standard A1.11. Interview participants were mainly female (52%), White (74%), and predominately program directors (65%). Participants were from various geographic regions and institution types, program affiliations, and differing accreditation statuses. Four major themes emerged from the data: institutional support, early pipeline development, increase faculty first or the students, and local context. Institutional support and focus on pipeline development were the most dominant themes. Between June 2020 and March 2023, 16 DEI citations on Standard A1.11 were levied on seven programs.
Conclusions
The inclusion of Standard A1.11 in the ARC-PA Standards and the focus on diversity by other accrediting bodies signifies the growing recognition of DEI in healthcare education. Institutions can advance DEI in the PA profession by leveraging accreditation-related activities through leadership, partnerships, and accountability measures.
Environmental DNA integrity index is sensitive for species biomass estimation in freshwater
Authors: GE Qinyu , Li Zhihui , Yang Yuwei , Shi Huajuan , Zhang Junyi , Pan Min , Sun Beili , Bai Yunfei
Published: September 2023

Environmental DNA (eDNA) from aquatic vertebrates has recently been used to estimate the presence of a species. However, the estimation accuracy is affected by the degradation rate of eDNA. In this study, eDNA integrity index (eDI) was introduced to adjust eDNA concentration for carp biomass estimation. The adjusted eDNA concentration was defined as biomass index (BI). The degradation rate of eDNA was studied by simulation experiment, tank and pond experiment successively. The eDNA concentration decreasing slowly after the species was removed while eDI changed rapidly in all experiments. eDI decreased to closely zero in two days while eDNA remained detectable for more than one month. The temperature was found to have no significant effect on eDI. Although the eDNA concentration and BI were both positively correlated with carp biomass in all experiments, BI showed higher correlation (R2>0.95), was more sensitive to biomass changes, and accurate for carp biomass estimation. We used this method to estimate the biomass of carp in a fishpond successfully, which suggested that accurate biomass data can reflect the potential distribution of common carp in the natural environment. It offers a non-invasive, simple, rapid, and accurate method for biomass estimation.
Ant Colony Transmission Method Parallel Deployment for Wireless Sensor Network Optimization in a Multiobjective Routing Protocol
Authors: Chandra B Ravi , Roy Ajay , Chakraborty Somenath , Kumar Krishan
Published: September 2023

The commonly used wireless sensor networks need more efficient routing to preserve the harmony of the performance characteristics and to defend against security assaults. These networks are equipped with sensing, processing, and communication capabilities. Although the used cryptographic techniques were efficient, they required more energy for authentication, encryption, and decryption. As a result, the paper proposes routing that addresses security issues while minimizing energy use, delay, and Prefetching-aware Data Replication (PDR) failures and maximizing network longevity. This multiobjective networking issue for networks of sensors is resolved utilising ant colony networking methods while keeping energy consumption in view and extending the life of sensor networks by taking into account the nodes' remaining power, their distance from one another, and their private data. The suggested routing strategy outperforms existing methods in terms of energy usage, PDR, the longevity of networks of sensors, and the rate of safety improvement, according to a subsequent performance study carried out utilizing the network simulator 2.
AAV capsid bioengineering in primary human retina
Authors: Westhaus Adrian , Eamegdool Steven S. , Fernando Milan , Fuller-Carter Paula , Brunet Alicia A , Rashwan Rabab , Knight Maddison , Daniszewski Maciej , Lidgerwood Grace E. , Pébay Alice , Hewitt Alex , Santilli Giorgia , Thrasher Adrian J. , Carvalho Livia S , Gonzalez-Cordero Anai , Jamieson Robyn V , Lisowski Leszek
Published: September 2023

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated retinal gene therapy is an active field of both pre-clinical as well as clinical research. As with other gene therapy clinical targets, novel bioengineered AAV variants developed by directed evolution or rational design to possess unique desirable properties, are entering retinal gene therapy translational programs. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that predictive preclinical models are required to develop and functionally validate these novel AAVs prior to clinical studies. To this end, this study performed a large high-throughput screen of 51 existing AAV capsids in primary human retina explants and other models of the human retina. Furthermore, we applied transgene expression-based directed evolution to develop novel capsids for more efficient transduction of primary human retina cells and compared the top variants to the strongest existing benchmarks identified in the screening described above. A direct side-by-side comparison of the newly developed capsids in four different in vitro and ex vivo model systems of the human retina allowed us to identify novel AAV variants capable of high transgene expression in primary human retina cells.
Stability analysis of a rotor with crack and nonlinear stiffness by perturbation method
Authors: Kim Yun-Sam , Kim Jun-Sok , Ryom Chol-Ung
Published: September 2023

The vibration of the cracked rotor differs greatly from that of the uncracked rotor, resulting in unstable phenomena.
The nonlinear stiffness of the support is distinctly appeared in a rotor which operates at the high rotating speed. The equations of motion of the Jeffcott rotor were established to reflect the effect of crack and nonlinear stiffness of the support in a cracked rotor and those first approximate solutions were found by using the perturbation method.
The stability evaluation of the first approximation system shows that the greater the crack parameter, the greater the instability and the pitchfork and double bifurcations occur.
The occurrence of chaotic vibrations was evaluated with Lyapunov exponent and the existence of the chaotic vibration was analyzed with the fractal dimension in the rotor with the crack and the nonlinear stiffness.
RETRACTED: The Mechanism Preliminary Analysis of Spatiotemporal Evolution Effect of Ecosystem Quality in Wenchuan (Magnitude 8.0) Earthquake Disaster Area, China
Authors: Zhang Bing , shen biwen , wei huaidong , Hu jianyong , Hou Peng
Published: September 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Incidence of postoperative complications is underestimated if outcome data are recorded by interns and first year residents in a low volume hospital setting
Authors: Raguz Ivana , Meissner Thomas , Ahlen Christine , Clavien Pierre Alain , Bueter Marco , Thalheimer Andreas
Published: September 2023

Quality of outcome measurement in a district hospital is poor if done by unexperienced residents and significantly underestimates the true complication rate. Outcome measurement must be done or supervised by experienced surgeons to ensure correct and reliable outcome data.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of outcome reporting after elective visceral surgery in a low volume district hospital.
Outcome measurement as well as transparent reporting of surgical complications becomes more and more important. In the future, financial and personal resources may be distributed due to reported quality and thus, it is in the main interest of healthcare providers that outcome data are accurately collected.
Between 10/ 2020 and 09/ 2021 postoperative complications during the hospitalisation were recorded using the Clavien - Dindo classification (CDC) and comprehensive complication index (CCIâ) by residents of a surgical department in a district hospital. After one year of prospective data collection, data were retrospectively analyzed and re-evaluated for accuracy by senior consultant surgeons.
In 575 patients undergoing elective general or visceral surgery interns and residents reported an overall rate of patients with complications of 7.3% (n=42) during the hospitalization phase, whereas a rate of 18.3% (n=105) was revealed after retrospective analysis by senior consultant surgeons. Thus, residents failed to report postoperative complications in 60% of cases (63/105). In the 42 cases, in which complications were initially reported, the grading of complications was correct only in 33.3% of cases (n=14). Complication grades that were most missed were CDC grade I and II.
Subtle outer retinal and choroidal alterations in patients at high risk of progression to AMD
Authors: Bao Lulu , Liu Hui , Ying Haihang , Wang Xiaomin , Wu Miaoqin
Published: September 2023

AIM
To explore the changes in the microstructure and blood supply of the outer retina in eyes at high risk of progression to age–related macular degeneration (AMD).
METHODS
Forty-seven patients of unilateral neovascular AMD (nAMD) were enrolled, twenty-two of the healthy contralateral eyes were considered at high risk of progression to AMD (Group1), the other twenty-five eyes were of dry AMD (Group2). Fifty healthy subjects (50 eyes) were enrolled as control. Swept-source optical coherence tomography equipped with angiovue was used to obtain three-dimensional retinal thickness maps, microvascular images of the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP) around the macula and choroid vessel index (CVI). Quantitative analyze was automatically calculated by inbuilt algorithm in the SS-OCT.
RESULTS
Compared to the controls, the densities of the SCP and DCP tend to decrease in Group2 without significance in all regions (P > 0.05). However, the CVI of patients in S and T regions was significantly decrease compared to the controls (P < 0.05). The outer retinal thickness of the Group1 trend to be increased without significance compared to the controls, while the Group2 in the C, S and T regions were significantly decreased compared to the controls and Group1. Meanwhile, compared to the controls, the thickness of total retina and choroid of the Group2 were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The outer retinal thickness was significantly correlated to choroidal thickness in AMD patients.
CONCLUSION
Significantly thinning of outer retina and choroid were observed in patients with dry AMD. For eyes at high risk of progression to AMD, the outer retinal thickness trend to be increased while the choroidal thickness and CVI trend to be decreased. SS-OCT might be useful in evaluating the microstructural and blood supply disorders of the outer retinal layers in healthy eyes of unilateral nAMD patients, which might be a quantitative approach to identify the earliest progression of AMD.
Gibberellic Acid's Role in Bud Break Dynamics Among Mulberry Genotypes with Distinct Growth Patterns
Authors: Thomas Tinu , Patil Shivasharanappa , S Shridhar , Nataraja Karaba
Published: September 2023

Bud break in mulberry, a crucial process for foliage production, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to uncover its underlying mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the significance of starch metabolism in buds. Considering gibberellic acid's (GA) role in starch hydrolysis, we investigated GA's contribution to bud break via exogenous application to single-node cuttings, potted plants, and field-grown ones. GA3 treatment prompted early bud break in cuttings and induced uniformity (45.30%) in potted plants, countering apical dominance versus the control (19.26%). GA3's impact was reflected in the upregulated expression of cell cycle regulators, callose degradation enzymes, carbohydrate metabolism, and redox homeostasis genes. These findings emphasize GA's pivotal role in regulating mulberry bud break. Furthermore, the assessment of bud break in mulberry genotypes with diverse growth habits highlighted early bud break in the high-growth genotype. Augmenting GA3 in the low-growth genotype aligned its bud break timing with the high-growth one. This emphasizes the influence of endogenous GA levels on distinct bud break patterns. Breeding mulberry genotypes with higher GA content in buds emerges as a viable strategy to overcome apical dominance, and enhance bud break and foliage yield.
Quantifying iodine concentration in the normal bowel wall using dual-energy CT: Influence of Patient and Contrast Characteristics.
Authors: Nehnahi Majida , Piton Gael , Camelin Camille , Ronot Maxime , Delabrousse Éric , Calame Paul , Simon gabriel , moinet romain
Published: September 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to establish quantitative references of bowel wall iodine concentration (BWIC) using DECT.
Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 248 patients with no history of gastrointestinal disease who underwent abdominal contrast-enhanced DECT between January and April 2022. The BWIC was normalized by the iodine concentration of upper abdominal organs (BWICorgan,) and the iodine concentration of the aorta (BWICaorta)
Results: BWIC decreased from the stomach to the rectum (mean 2.16±0.63 vs. 2.19±0.63 vs. 2.1±0.58 vs. 1.67±0.47 vs. 1.31±0.4 vs. 1.18±0.34 vs. 0.94±0.26 mgI/mL for the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, right colon, left colon and rectum, respectively; P < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, BWIC was associated with a higher BMI (OR:1.01, 95%CI: 1.00–1.02, P < 0.001) and with a higher injected contrast dose (OR:1.51; 95%CI: 1.36–1.66, P < 0.001 and 2.06; 95%CI:1.88–2.26, P < 0.001 for 500 mgI/kg and 600 mgI/kg doses taking 400 mgI/kg dose as reference). The BWICorgan was shown independent from patients and contrast-related variables while the BWICaorta was not.
Conclusion: BWIC concentration vary according to bowel segments and is dependent on the total iodine dose injected. It shall be normalized with the IC of the upper abdominal organs.
The Effect of Magnetic Bead Size on the Isolation Efficiency of Lung Cancer Cells in a Serpentine Microchannel with Added Cavities
Authors: Su Tzu-Cheng , Vu-Dinh Hien , Lin Shu-Hui , Quang Loc Do , Duc Trinh Chu , Jen Chun-Ping
Published: September 2023

An investigation was conducted to examine the effect of magnetic bead (MB) size on the effectiveness of isolating lung cancer cells using the immunomagnetic separation (IMS) method in a serpentine microchannel with added cavities (SMAC) structure. Carboxylated-magnetic beads were specifically attached to cells through a modification process using aptamers. Cells immobilized with different sizes (in micrometers) of MBs were captured and isolated in the proposed device for comparison and analysis. A computational model was performed to clarify the working principles of the device. To accurately evaluate the impact of MB sizes on capture efficiency, we have included the issue of MB-cell accumulation at the interface between the vertical inlet and the microfluidic channel, despite it being overlooked in many previous studies. A detailed examination of both the accumulation rate and the capture efficiency was conducted. Our findings demonstrated an increasing trend in binding efficiency as the size of MBs decreased, evidenced by coverage values of 50.5%, 60.1%, and 73.4% for MB sizes of 1.36 μm, 3.00 μm, and 4.50 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the overall capture efficiency (without considering the inlet accumulation) was higher for smaller MBs. However, when accounting for the actual number of cells entering the channel (i.e., the effective capture), larger MBs showed higher capture efficiency. The highest effective capture achieved was 88.4% for the size of 4.50 μm. This research provides a comprehensive insight into the impact of MB size on the performance of IMS-based devices and holds promise for the efficient separation of circulating cancer cells in practical applications.
Early Selection of Drought Tolerant Maize Genotypes Using Physio- Morphological Traits
Authors: Naeem Muhammad , Ali Muhammad Haider , Ahmed Hafiz Ghulam Muhu-Din , Saeed Amjad , Ali Muhammad , Shah Adnan Noor , Ali Amjed , Yang Seung Hwan , Gaafar Abdel-Rhman Z. , Hodhod Mohamed S. , Lamlom Sobhi F.
Published: September 2023

Maize (Zea mays) is a broadly cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain and it is a global staple food. However, water shortage pose a serious threat to its production globally. Drought stress negatively affects the growth and development of maize leading to, less germination, diminished grain yield and quality. The experiment was performed in a wire house of the department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Eighteen maize genotypes were screened for drought at various levels during the seedling stage using complete randomized design (CRD). The major traits chlorophyll content, shoot length, root length, fresh shoot weight, dry root weight, fresh root weight and dry root weight traits were studied. The genotypes MERAJ-2019, SILVER-2019, SAR-SUBZ-2019, Sarhad white performed when water stress was imposed and considered as drought-tolerant keeping in view these performances, we can increase the yield by using this breeding material from above screening genotypes of maize under drought stress and overcome the challenges of drought in Agriculture sector of Pakistan.
A mid-high spatial frequency error suppression method based on the pseudo-random path with spatial MABF mapping for complex surface
Authors: Wang Wei , Ji Shijun , Zhao Ji , Li Xiaoya
Published: September 2023

Optical lenses, mirrors and other precision optical components will inevitably produce mid-high spatial frequency errors in polishing, which will cause light scattering in different degrees, and seriously affect the imaging performance of the optical system such as contrast and reflectivity. The pseudo-random path has high direction randomness, effectively suppressing the machined surface's periodic polishing marks. In this study, a mesh surface pseudo-random path planning method based on the Matrix Angle Based Flattening (MABF) algorithm is proposed to suppress the mid-high spatial frequency errors generated in the polishing process of free-form surface, and it extended the application scope of the pseudo-random path planning method from the plane to the complex surface. Firstly, to improve the computational efficiency and reduce the deformation of the mesh in the parameterization process, an improved Angle-based Flattening (ABF) algorithm called the MABF algorithm is proposed. Then, a pseudo-random path planning method for complex surfaces is proposed based on spatial mapping. This method mainly includes pseudo-random path planning in the parameterized plane, path inverse mapping and NURBS smoothing processing. The pseudo-random path obtained by this method has the advantages of smooth and uniform distribution. Simulation results show that the MABF algorithm is superior to the ABF algorithm in computing efficiency and error control. Simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed path planning method in complex surface polishing and the effectiveness of suppressing mid-high spatial frequency errors.
Unraveling neurotoxicity discrepancies: comparative in vitro and In vivo analysis of colistin and polymyxin B and the underlying mechanisms
Authors: Yang Rui , Xiang Debiao , Yuan Fang , Yang Yuan , Wang Pengkai , Xu Bing , Li Xin
Published: September 2023

Background: Polymyxins, including colistin and polymyxin B, are a final resort against Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, its clinical application is restricted due to concerns related to neurotoxicity. Despite the similar antibacterial spectrum and mode of action shared between colistin and polymyxin B, there is still a lack of definitive evidence to support the idea that their neurotoxicity profiles are identical.
Purpose: To comprehensively compare the neurotoxicity between colistin and polymyxin B both in vivo and in vitro and establish a theoretical foundation to guide the rational use of polymyxins within clinical settings.
Methods: In vitro experiments simulated nerve damage by exposing N2a and RSC96 cells to colistin and polymyxin B. The evaluation of nerve injury included assessments of cell viability and apoptosis. To discern the variance in the mechanisms of nerve injury between colistin and polymyxin B, oxidative stress levels were examined, such as SOD, CAT, GSH, and MDA. In in vivo experiments, a rat nerve injury model was created through intraventricular injections of colistin and polymyxin B, respectively. The impact of these drugs on brain injury in rats, particularly within the hippocampus and medulla oblongata, was measured using HE and Nissl staining. The potential influence of polymyxins on the ferroptosis pathway was evaluated by assessing the levels of LPO and Fe2+ and the degree of mitochondrial impairment.
Results: At equivalent doses, colistin demonstrated a reduced level of neurotoxicity compared to polymyxin B, both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experiments revealed greater cell viability and a lower apoptosis rate after colistin treatment than after polymyxin B treatment. This variance in outcomes could be attributed to the comparatively lower levels of oxidative stress associated with colistin administration. In a rat model, nerve injury resulted in observable damage to both the hippocampus and the medulla oblongata. A comprehensive assessment of the extent of damage in the CA1 to CA4 regions of the hippocampus, the nucleus of the solitary tract, and the hypoglossal nucleus of the medulla oblongata underscored that the neurotoxic effects of colistin remained milder compared to those elicited by polymyxin B. Even when evaluated at equivalent multiples of clinically recommended doses, colistin exhibited lower neurotoxicity in vivo than polymyxin B. For the first time, this study demonstrated the role of ferroptosis in polymyxin B-induced nerve damage. The activation levels observed within the ferroptosis pathway due to polymyxin B exceeded those triggered by colistin.
Conclusions: Colistin exhibited a marked reduction in neurotoxicity compared to polymyxin B, evident in both the equivalent and clinically recommended doses. These findings suggest that, from the perspective of neurotoxicity, colistin presents a more favorable option for clinical use.
CD39 identifies a specific CD8+T cell population in EGFR- driven lung adenocarcinoma related metastatic pleural effusion
Authors: Lv Leilei , Wang Hong , Zhang Yao-xin , Zhai Jia-wei , Shen Yu , Qu Qiu-Xia , Chen Cheng
Published: September 2023

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is common in lung cancer, which was a complex microenvironment containing a plethora of immune and tumor signals. Gene alterations such as driver gene mutations were considered to affect the components in the TIME of non-small-cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Here, we demonstrated that pleural CD39+CD8+T cells were selectively elevated in firstly-diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRwt) compared to that in mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRmu), while abnormally more represented in MPE with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor acquired resistance (AR-EGFR-TKI). Analysis showed that pleural CD39+CD8+T cells display exhausted phenotype and potential cytolytic function, together with skewed usages of T cell receptor (TCR)-Vβ repertoire in comparison with CD39-CD8+T cells, which constituted common feature of lung adenocarcinoma related MPE. Further study revealed TCR-Vβ diversity tended to be more enhanced in pleural CD39+CD8+T cell from MPE coupled with AR-EGFR-TKI. Taken together, we have identified a subset of CD8+T cells expressing CD39 in MPE, whom proposed as the potential tumor-reactive CD8+T cells, and further provided a new understanding of dynamic immune composition of EGFR-mutant tumor microenvironment.
A Comparative Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Performed in the Supine and Prone Positions for the Treatment of Pediatric Kidney Stones: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Bitkin Alper , Özlü Deniz Noyan , Ekşi Mithat , Kargı Taner , Fakir Ali Emre , Ayten Ali , Polat Hakan , Taşçı Ali İhsan
Published: September 2023

Aim
Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL), which has a smaller tract size (14-20 Fr) than conventional percutaneous nephrolithotomy, has been shown to be safe and effective in pediatric patients with large and complex upper urinary tract stones. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of MPCNL between the supine and prone positions in a pediatric population.
Method
The data of pediatric patients who underwent MPCNL at our center between January 2010 and March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical position, the patients were divided into the prone (Group P) and supine (Group S) groups. In both groups, dilatation was performed using 14-18Fr metallic dilators. The two groups were compared in terms of perioperative data, postoperative stone-free rates (SFRs), and complications.
Results
There were 36 (59%) patients in Group P and 25 (41%) patients in Group S. Stones were mostly located in the pelvis (49.2%) and second most frequently in the lower pole (27.9%). Fluoroscopy time was shorter in Group S but did not statistically significantly differ compared to Group P (p = 0.181). However, operation time was statistically significantly shorter in Group S (73.8 ± 35 vs. 99.8 ± 37.4 min, p = 0.008). Although there was no significant difference, relatively higher SFR were detected in Group S (88% vs. 83%, p = 0.725). Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) was performed on six (24%) patients in Group S, and the SFR was 100% among these patients. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the presence of complications (16.7% vs. 16%, p = 0.945).
Conclusion
Both supine and prone MPCNL appear to be safe and effective in the pediatric age group, with similar stone-free and complication rates. In the supine procedure, the operation time is shortened compared to the prone. In addition, simultaneous retrograde access has the potential to increase the overall success rate of surgery.
Uptake of assisted partner notification among HIV-positive adults with severe mental illness at a national referral hospital in Uganda: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Nante Rachel Wangi , Kiweewa John M. , Muyinda Herbert , Ndagire Regina , Ssendikwanawa Emmanuel , Ojiambo Kevin Ouma , Nangendo Joanita , Nakku Juliet , Semitala Fred C.
Published: September 2023

Background: HIV more negatively affects people with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) than the general population. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced assisted partner notification (APN) as a strategy to increase HIV testing. Although research has demonstrated the effectiveness of APN in the general population, its use among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who have SMI is not well understood. This study sought to determine the uptake of the APN strategy among PLHIV who had a diagnosis of SMI.
Methods:This was a cross-sectional study to determine APN uptake among PLHIV with a documented diagnosis of SMI. We enrolled participants with a diagnosis of both HIV and SMI from August 2018 to January 2022, attending the HIV clinic at Butabika Hospital. We used pretested questionnaires to extract participants’ demographic and clinical data from their existing clinical charts, antiretroviral therapy (ART) registers and APN registers. We defined uptake of APN as the number of HIV clients with SMI diagnosis who agreed to provide information about their sexual partners. We used modified Poisson regression analysis to assess the factors associated with the uptake of APN.
Results: A total of 125 participants were enrolled, of whom 83 (66.4%) were female. The median age (interquartile range (IQR)) was 30 (25-34), and 41 (33%) of them accepted APN (95% CI: 25.05 - 41.61). Receipt of at least three counseling sessions before enrollment in APN (aPR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.72 - 1.98) was the most significant factor associated with increased uptake of APN. Poor adherence to ART (aPR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.54 - 0.80), being escorted to hospital by a distant relative (aPR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.39-0.80), being married/cohabiting (aPR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.60 - 0.81), and being a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) (aPR=0.53, 95% CI: 0.45-0.71) or Pentecostal (aPR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.22-0.98) by faithwere associated with reduced uptake of APN.
Conclusion. Uptake of APN is low among PLHIV with a diagnosis of SMI. More structured counseling would facilitate earlier identification of undiagnosed HIV-positive partners.
Terminal Synergetic Control for Biological Control of Sugarcane Borer
Authors: Boonyaprapasorn Arsit , Simatrang Sorn , Kuntanapreeda Suwat , Sethaput Thunyaseth
Published: September 2023

Sugarcane is an important agricultural commodity in economics that has been harmed by the invasion of sugarcane borer. Establishing a biological pest control strategy for sugarcane using their natural enemies can both protect agricultural products from pest invasion and the environment from chemical toxicity. In this regard, feedback control emerges as a practical and feasible approach to effectively implement the biological control strategy for managing the sugarcane borer. In this work, the terminal synergetic controller was designed to develop the control strategy containing multiple inputs. The controller design was conducted based on the pest-parasitoid model. In the design procedure, the auxiliary system was employed to compensate for the input saturation effects. The control ecosystem stability was conducted through the Lyapunov stability theorem. To confirm the capability and performance of the proposed strategy, the simulation results show that the proposed strategy has the capability to regulate pest population densities at the desired level, akin to the conventional sliding mode control strategy. However, what sets it apart is that the terminal synergetic controller provides the preferable characteristics for controlling the sugarcane borer population which are the finite-time convergence of the control system, and the absence of chattering phenomena in the control inputs.
Fault tolerant aware energy-efficient VM integration in Cloud Computing
Authors: Dixit Manoj Kumar , Kumar Dilip
Published: September 2023

Cloud computing has turned the IT industry by providing a service-oriented approach to computing. Users can access cloud computing services through a simple portal, even if they are not familiar with the underlying systems. Cloud computing systems perform many complex and challenging operations in addition to managing a large infrastructure of requests. These complex processes pose a number of challenges for service providers including reliability, security, sustainability, energy consumption, and management of the concern resources. This paper focuses on two of the most important challenges facing cloud computing providers: reliable resource provisioning and energy efficiency. These two challenges are often contradictory, as reliable resources often consume more energy. This paper proposes a new resource management policy that aims to deploy the most reliable and energy-efficient resources and allocate them to the appropriate virtual machines. The paper also proposes a mathematical framework for modelling the relationship between energy consumption and reliability. The proposed resource management policy significantly reduces service disruption or downtime, compared to environments that assume independent failure events. The policy also improves the reliability-to-power consumption ratio by 14%, according to the mathematical model.