bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for Gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Kisumu City, western Kenya
Authors: Ottaro Anita Amukhuma , Ayodo George , Amolo Asito S.
Published: February 2023

Background: Globally there is a rapid increase in the prevalence of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, screening for GDM is not part of the standard routine antenatal (ANC) services in Kenya. There is a paucity of data on the factors associated with and predictors of GDM. Therefore, this study sought to determine factors associated with and predictors of GDM among pregnant women in western Kenya.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted from September 2021-October 2022. Using a validated questionnaire, data were obtained from 210 randomly sampled pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu city, western Kenya. Screening and diagnosis for Gestational Diabetes mellitus was performed using the 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were done in SPSS V.23 using Chi-square (χ2) test to test for associations and Binary logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of GDM.
Results. Among the 105 GDM cases, majority were in 30-34 years age group (51%), overweight with a BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2 (56%), had history of hypertension (53%), had hypertensive relatives (64%), had history of glycosuria (64%), were multiparous (69%), had history of cesarean delivery (61%), had history of macrosomic delivery (63%) and had history of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (53%). Multivariate analysis revealed that living in peri-urban area (adjusted OR [aOR] 3.30, 95%CI: 1.04-11.3, p=0.048), having a diabetic relative (aOR 8.09, 95%CI: 1.44- 73.0, p=0.031), being on iron-folic acid supplementation (IFAS) (aOR 13.0, 95%CI: 4.37-47.8, <0.001), having history of neonatal intensive care unit admission (NICU) (aOR 13.9, 95%CI: 3.45-70.5, p<0.001) and history of caesarean delivery (aOR 5.02, 95%CI: 1.42-19.5, p=0.015) significantly increased the odds of having GDM.
Conclusion: The predictors of GDM include having a diabetic relative, history of cesarean section, NICU admission and being on IFAS. There is need to incorporate GDM screening in the standard ANC services for optimal pregnancy outcomes. Multicenter studies looking at the long term effects of IFAS should be carried out to inform evidence based nutrition interventions during pregnancy.
Accelerated Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging from Spatial-Subspace Reconstructions (SPARS)
Authors: Mertens Alexander J. , Cheng Hai-Ling Margaret
Published: February 2023

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ideally requires a high spatial and high temporal resolution, but hardware limitations prevent acquisitions from simultaneously achieving both. Existing image reconstruction techniques can artificially create spatial resolution at a given temporal resolution by estimating data that is not acquired, but, ultimately, spatial details are sacrificed at very high acceleration rates. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of spatial subspace reconstructions (SPARS) and demonstrate its ability to reconstruct high spatial resolution dynamic images from as few as one acquired radial spoke per dynamic frame. Briefly, a low-temporal-high-spatial resolution organization of the acquired raw data is used to estimate a spatial subspace in which the high-temporal-high-spatial ground truth data resides. This subspace is then used to estimate entire images from single k-space spokes. In both simulated and human in-vivo data, the proposed SPARS reconstruction method outperformed standard GRASP and GRASP-Pro reconstruction, providing a shorter reconstruction time and yielding higher accuracy from both a spatial and temporal perspective.
Affective and cognitive symptoms associated with burnout in a general population: Are there sex-related differences?
Authors: Sundström Anna E , Löfgren Erland , Nordqvist Jarl , Nordin Steven
Published: February 2023

Background
Burnout is an increasing public health problem. Although research indicate that cognitive and affective factors are related to burnout, there is a lack of knowledge about the extent to which specific cognitive and affective symptoms are related to burnout, and whether there are sex-related differences. An aim of this study was to identify specific cognitive and affective symptoms that are particularly associated with burnout, both in the population in general and in men and women separately. Another aim was to examine the risk of burnout for specific symptoms and total number of symptoms in the general population and in men and women separately.
Methods
Cross-sectional data were used from a large population-based questionnaire study consisting of 3406 participants (18–79 years) randomly selected from a general population in northern Sweden. Eleven cognitive and affective symptoms were assessed with a subsection of the Environmental Hypersensitivity Symptom Inventory, and the 22-item Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ) was used to assess burnout. Based on their total SMBQ score, participants constituted either a case group of burnout (SMBQ score ≥ 4) or a reference group (SMBQ score < 4).
Results
The prevalence rate was higher in the burnout group for all specific cognitive and affective symptoms, as was also the total number of symptoms. The most common symptoms were feeling tired/lethargic, concentration difficulties, absent minded and feeling depressed. Women with burnout reported higher prevalence of feeling tired/lethargic and sleep disturbance. The results further showed a 1.68 times increased risk of having burnout for each additional symptom. Moreover, experiencing individual cognitive and affective symptoms, in particular feeling depressed, concentration difficulties and feeling tired/lethargic, were associated with being at high risk of burnout.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that burnout is associated with a rather large number of cognitive and affective symptoms, in particular feeling tired/lethargic, having concentration difficulties, sleep disturbance, feeling depressed and being absent minded. The results add to the understanding of affective and cognitive symptomatology in burnout, which might have implications for early identification and prevention of burnout and exhaustion disorder.
An Integrated New GIS-Based Multicriteria Approach for Identifying Potential Sites for Groundwater Artificial Recharge
Authors: Shaban Amin , Hage Mhamad El , Farhat Nasser
Published: February 2023

Coastal zones are witnessing excessive abstraction of groundwater due to the exacerbated water demand, and this impacted groundwater depth in the major coastal aquifers. Groundwater Artificial Recharge (GWAR) is often presented as an adaptive solution to protect coastal aquifers. However, sites positioning for GWAR is still a matter of debate, notably in identifying factors controlling GWAR and thus erroneous site selection results. A new method for locating sites suitable for GWAR using remote sensing and GIS is proposed in this study. It consists in analysing several factors influencing the recharge rate and the relevant spatial aspects of runoff mechanism and integrates geographic patches (as polygons) with linear features of watercourses (as polylines) and eventually with the points which are represented by streams' confluences and represent the best sites for GWAR. The method was applied on the coastal zone of Lebanon as a typical Mediterranean Region, where water table has been lowered to more than 25 m and most coastal aquifers are exhausted; this has been associated with saltwater intrusion which is widely spread over several kilometres on-land. The systematic manipulation of the influencing factors in the studied zone enabled determining 13 sites with primary priority to GWAR, besides 15 sites with secondary priority. The results are helpful for decision makers and concerned stakeholder to select potential GWAR sites for better water management approaches in the coastal zones.
Assessment of Immunohistochemical Expression of CD44 and Osteopontin in Colorectal Carcinoma and colorectal adenoma
Authors: El-maksoud Rasha A. Abd , El-Okda Mohamed O. , Zidan Azza H. M. , Wagih Heba M.
Published: February 2023

Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a foremost global health concern and remains one of the major causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. It is the third most common cancer in adults after lung cancer and breast cancer worldwide. The theory that cancer originates from a subpopulation of tumor cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC), they have important role of CSC in the initiation and maintenance of the tumor, as well as invasion, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Among CSC markers, CD44 and OPN are two of the most investigated colorectal CSC markers and their proteins are introduced as the subpopulation with a greater tumorigenicity. This study aiming assessing the immunohistochemical expression of CD44 & OPN in colorectal adenomas & CRCs. And their relation between immunohistochemical expression of CD44 & OPN with tumor differentiation (grading), lympho-vascular invasion, perineural invasion, desmoplasia and TNM stage.
Methods
this is a retrospective descriptive study that included Sixty paraffin embedded blocks from the pathology laboratory, Suez Canal University Hospital. Paraffin blocks included (14 cases of colorectal carcinoma and 18 cases of colorectal adenoma). paraffin blocks reviewed for clinicopathological prognostic factors and stained by CD44 & OPN, monoclonal antibodies by immunohistochemical method.
Results
The CD44 protein was overexpressed in 80% of CRC, while was positive (44.4%) in adenoma this difference was statistically significant. Also, in this study the difference between the expression OPN in CRC and adenomas was statistically insignificant.
Conclusions
CD 44 is highly expressed in large number of CRC (80 of tumors). It is also significantly more expressed in CRC than in adenomas, suggesting a role of CD 44 in CRC tumorigenesis and progression of adenomas into carcinomas. Our study also associated CD 44 overexpression with both late TNM stage and lympho-vascular invasion.
Flaw identification in Plane Linear Piezoelastic Media Using Linear Sampling Method
Authors: Manshadi S.H. Dehghan
Published: February 2023

In this paper, the linear sampling method is introduced for cavity detection in a two dimensional (2D) piezoelastic media using measurement of data on the boundary. This method is categorized as a qualitative approach to image the geometrical features of unknown targets. Although this method has been used in the context of inverse problems such as acoustics, electromagnetism and elastostatic, there is no specific attempt to apply this method to identification of cavities in piezoelastic media. This study emphasizes the implementation of the linear sampling method coupled with the finite element method (FEM). A set of numerical simulations on two-dimensional problems is presented to highlight many effective features of the proposed qualitative identification method.
Engineering Design-controlled Interwoven Multimaterial Scaffolds Combining Hard and Soft Phases
Authors: Cendrero Adrián Martínez , Dehne Tilo , Sittinger Michael , Lantada Andrés Díaz
Published: February 2023

The graded nature of human tissues asks for functional scaffolds with gradients of properties capable of biomimetically repairing injured or deteriorated tissues. These functionally graded tissue engineering scaffolds are of special relevance for promoting the personalized treatment of articular pathologies and osteochondral defects and, despite the multiple research directions explored, no solution is yet perfect. In this study an innovative approach for engineering design-controlled and functionally graded scaffolds is presented. It stands out for combining hard-phase 3D printed lattices and soft-phase PDMS sponges or networks. The developed procedure is illustrated through two case studies: one dealing with the creation of PDMS and PDMS-PLA constructs, as chondral and osteochondral plugs; another focused on the prototyping of personalized PDMS-PLA/resin constructs, as scaffolds for the tissue engineering or repair of the meniscus. Promising potentials for the tissue engineering of complex-shaped and large-size osteochondral and meniscal defects are discussed, and a systematic description of future research directions is included.
Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of the Bladder and Concomitant Urothelial Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Ozden Sami Berk , Simsekoglu Muhammed Fatih , Sertbudak Ipek , Demirdag Cetin , Gurses Iclal
Published: February 2023

Epitheloid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (eMPNST) of baldder, is a rare entity with devastating features. They are thought to originate from malignant transformation of pre-existing schwannomas of pelvic autonomic nerve plexuses and unlike the conventional MPNST’s they are not found to be in association with neurofibromatosis. In this case report we present the detailed clinical course of a 71-year- old patient with eMPNST of bladder alongside with a review of the literature.
“I was lying on a bed just like the wounded in the war”: A qualitative study explaining the experiences of brain injury patients hospitalized in ICU
Authors: Adineh Mohammad , Molavynejad Shahram , Elahi Nasrin , Jahani Simin , Savaie Mohsen
Published: February 2023

Background: The experiences of patients hospitalized in the ICU can be used as one of the important components to develop and provide a humane and holistic care tailored to the needs and preferences of these patients. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explain the experiences of brain injury patients hospitalized in ICU.
Method: This was a qualitative study using conventional content analysis. The participants included brain injury patients with a history of hospitalization in ICU, and were selected using a purposive sampling method. At least three months after discharge from ICU, face-to-face unstructured in-depth interviews were conducted with the participants to explore their experiences regarding hospitalization in ICU. Finally, the collected data were analyzed based on the content analysis model of Graneheim and Lundman.
Results: Data analysis yielded 238 compact semantic units (initial codes). Based on their similarities and differences, these codes were organized into 22 sub-categories, 6 categories, and 2 themes, including "The suffering body and soul" and "Illumination in the dark".
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that being hospitalized in the ICU is a very difficult and unpleasant experience for brain injury patients due to enduring an immense amount of physical and mental sufferings. Of course, the ICU care and treatment team can moderate this unpleasant experience to some extent by paying careful attention to the physical and mental needs of these patients. The results of the present study can serve as a clinical manual for providing humane and holistic care tailored to the needs and preferences of brain injury patients hospitalized in ICU.
New classification of rheumatoid arthritis based on immune cells and clinical characteristics
Authors: Wang Jiaqian , Zhou Liang , Xue Yuan
Published: February 2023

Background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic immune disease characterized by joint synovitis, but the specific etiology is unknown, and the characteristic serum diagnostic markers are also lacking.
Methods
First, we obtained the gene expression profile of synovium to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells in synovium, and screened the differentially expressed immune related genes for enrichment analysis. Subsequently, we classified RA into three subtypes by unsupervised clustering of serum gene expression profiles based on immune enrichment scores. Then, the enrichment and clinical characteristics of different subtypes were analyzed. Finally, according to the infiltration of different subtypes of immune cells, diagnostic markers were screened and verified by qRT-PCR.
Results
C1 subtype is related to the increase of neutrophils, CRP and ESR, and joint pain is more significant in patients. C2 subtype is related to the expression of CD8+T cells and Tregs, and patients have mild joint pain symptoms. The RF value of C3 subtype is higher, and the expression of various immune cells is increased. The function of this subtype is enriched in a variety of immune system diseases. T cells CD4, NK cells activated, macrophages M1 and neutrophils are immune cells significantly infiltrated in synovium and serum of RA patients. IFNGR1, TRAC, IFITM1 can be used as diagnostic markers of different subtypes.
Conclusion
In this study, RA patients were divided into different immune molecular subtypes based on gene expression profile, and immune diagnostic markers were screened, which provided a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.
Leaf area index and light interception relationship with seed yield of indeterminate soybean cultivars under reduced seeding rates
Authors: Ferreira André Sampaio , Zucareli Claudemir , Zeffa Douglas Mariani , Werner Flávia , Shimizu Gabriel Danilo , Junior Alvadi Antonio Balbinot
Published: February 2023

Owing to the recent increase in the cost of germplasm, transgenic royalties, and seed treatments, studies have been conducted to analyze the capacity of modern cultivars to maintain yield under reduced seeding rates (SR). This study elucidated the effect of reduced SR on the evolution of leaf area index (LAI) and light interception by the canopy of soybean cultivars with contrasting branching plasticity and identified the association of these variables with seed yield. Field experiments were conducted in randomized blocks using BRS 1010IPRO (high plasticity) and NS 5959IPRO (medium plasticity) cultivars, with five SRs: 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% of the recommended SR. The SR reduction did not reduce the seed yield to the point where the LAI and light interception in the reproductive phase were similar to those obtained with the recommended seeding rate. Higher LAI and light interception confer greater potential for reducing the seeding rate in cultivars with higher branching plasticity. The minimum optimal SR (MOSR) for cumulative LAI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (IPAR) in the reproductive phase was closer to the MOSR for seed yield than in the vegetative phase or the total crop cycle, indicating “luxury growth” in the vegetative phase at the recommended SRs. Cumulative LAI, NDVI, and IPAR in the reproductive phase had a greater correlation with seed yield than those in the vegetative phase or the total crop cycle. The cumulative NDVI had a higher correlation with seed yield than cumulative LAI and IPAR.
The double product breakpoint as predictor of stress and the correlation between IL-12 and biomarkers in athletes
Authors: Prampero Sérgio Luís , Gonçalves Luis Carlos Oliveira , Mourão Nádia Raquel Dutra Morais , Lopes Jaqueline Santos Silva , França Eduardo Luzia , França Adenilda Honório , Neto Aníbal Monteiro Magalhães
Published: February 2023

The study looked for the impact caused by a treadmill running test on different biomarkers, changes in the cardiovascular system, and correlation between IL-12 and performance. The heatmap showed a correlation of 1.0 (P = 0.00278) between IL-12 and VO2 in the respiratory compensation time and of 0.943 (P = 0 .0167) between pre-exercise IL-12 and the time to reach maximal effort, with the same correlation coefficient and P-value between pre-exercise IL-12 and the distance covered, and pre-exercise IL-12 and the test time. Post-exercise IL-12 presented a correlation coefficient of 0.9 (P = 0.0167) with the heart rate of the respiratory compensation point. A breakpoint for both the double product and heart rate was observed between minutes 2 and 3 of the test, both measurements being more acute than the anaerobic threshold and the respiratory compensation point, and even that breakpoint for systolic blood pressure. The average percentage change in heart rate and the double product obtained the same value (213%). In treadmill running tests with incremental load, the heart rate breakpoint and the double product are the most sensitive and acute markers of the stress level, and the production of IL-12 depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise, which may correlate with performance.
Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis of BPNN predicting PGA
Authors: Guo Xin , Li Hong-Nan , Zhang Hao , Wang Qi , Xu Ji-Ran
Published: February 2023

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) is recognized as a reasonable method for quantifying seismic threats. Traditionally, the method ignores the effect of focal depth and in which the ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are applied to estimate the probability distribution associated with the possible motion levels induced by the site earthquakes, but it is limited by the unclear geological conditions, which makes it difficult to give a uniform equation, and the equation cannot express the nonlinear relationship in geological conditions. Hence, this paper proposes a method to consider the seismic focal depth for the PSHA with the example of California, and use a back propagation neural network (BPNN) to predict peak ground acceleration (PGA) instead of the GMPEs. Firstly, the measured PGA and unknown PGA seismic data applicable to this method are collected separately. Secondly, the unknown PGA data are supplemented by applying the BPNN based on the measured PGA data. Lastly, based on the full-probability equation PSHA considering the focal depth is completed and compared with the current California seismic zoning results. The results show that using the BPNN in the PSHA can ensure computational accuracy and universality, making it more suitable for regions with the unclear geological structures and providing the possibility of adding other parameters to be considered for the influence of PSHA.
Salbutamol and Epinephrine Inhalation as a Conservative Treatment of Transient Tachypnea of Newborn: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Noaman Ahmed , Soliman Nahed , Elsallab Shadia , Shabaan Abd Elaziz
Published: February 2023

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and the safety of inhaled salbutamol and epinephrine in the treatment of TTN.
Design: Double-blinded randomized control pilot study was carried out on 135 near and full-term infants with TTN in the NICU of Mansoura University children's hospital. They were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of epinephrine, salbutamol, or placebo inhalation. The primary outcome was the level of TTN Downe’s score and the required respiratory support. PaO2 and PaCO2, duration of oxygen therapy, hospital stay, and the adverse effects were considered secondary outcomes. registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05006235).
Results: Downe’s score, CPAP requirement, and PaCO2 were significantly less in the salbutamol and epinephrine groups, in addition to a shorter duration of oxygen support and hospital stay with tolerable adverse effects.
Conclusion: Epinephrine or salbutamol inhalation in treatment of TTN is safe, well tolerated, and effective in reduction of the severity of respiratory distress.
Effect of neutral protease overproduction in Bacillus subtilis 168 via site-directed mutation against Meloidogyne incognita infecting eggplant under greenhouse conditions
Authors: Soliman Gaziea M. , El-Sayed Ghada M. , Nour Shaimaa A. , Elkelany Usama S. , Ameen Hoda H. , Hussein walaa
Published: February 2023

Root-knot nematodes (RKN),Meloidogyne incognita, caused significant problems for many important crops. Measuring control with low environmental impact has been required since EU legislation revised pesticide laws for crops. Bacteria-based control methods reduce pollutants and stabilise ecological changes, which makes them promising for controlling plant pathogens. In this study, the derivative ofBacillus subtilis168, termed Bs118, was generated by replacing the native promoter of the extracellular neutral metalloprotease-encoding gene (nprE) with a constitutive promoter of therepUgene responsible for replication of theStaphylococcus aureusplasmid pUB110. As a result, protease production increased to twice that of the wild type. Results revealed that the overproduction of neutral metalloprotease conferred Bs118 high nematocidal activity by inducing 98% mortality in theM. incognitaJ2 in vitro study. Bs118 stated its priority in affecting root-knot nematode reproduction under greenhouse conditions. The soil drench treatment was more promising than root dipping in controllingM. incognitacompared with the untreated control treatment. The same trend happened in the eggplant growth parameters, where Bs118 improved plant health more than Bs168. In conclusion, site-directed mutation via homologous recombination to replace the native promoter with another constitutive one is a promising approach to constructing modified strains with higher protease production that can be employed as an efficient biocontrol agent against root-knot nematodes in addition to the positive impacts on plant growth.
Assembly and comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.
Authors: He Yanfeng , Liu Wenya , Wang Jiuli
Published: February 2023

Background
Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (T. foenum-graecum) is a Leguminosae plant, and the stems, leaves, and seeds of this plant are rich in chemical components that are of high research value. The chloroplast (cp) genome of T. foenum-graecum has been reported, but the mitochondrial (mt) genome remains unexplored.
Results
In this paper, we use second- and third-generation sequencing methods, which have the dual advantage of combining high accuracy and longer read length. The T. foenum-graecum mitochondrial genome was assembled and other analyses such as annotation of the assembled sequences were performed. The results showed that the mitochondrial genome of T. foenum-graecum was 345,604 bp in length and 45.28% in GC content. There are 59 genes, including: 33 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 21 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes and 1 pseudo gene. Among them, 11 genes contained introns. Significant AT preferences for codons in the mitochondrial genome of T. foenum-graecum A total of 202 dispersed repetitive sequences, 96 simple repetitive sequences (SSRs) and 19 tandem repetitive sequences were detected. Nucleotide polymorphism analysis counted the variation in each gene, with atp6 being the most notable. Both synteny and phylogenetic analyses showed that T. foenum-graecum was similar to Trifolium pratense, Trifolium meduseum, Trifolium grandiflorum, Trifolium aureum, Medicago truncatula, which are five species of Leguminosae with high similarity. Among them, the highest similarity with Medicago truncatula was 100%. The interspecies non-synonymous substitutions (Ka)/synonymous substitutions (Ks) results showed that 23 Protein-coding genes had Ka/Ks < 1, indicating that these genes would continue to evolve under purifying selection pressure. In addition, 23 homologous sequences were detected in the mitochondrial genome of T. foenum-graecum, and tRNAs were more conserved than PCGs during gene migration.
Conclusions
This paper explores the mitochondrial genome sequence information of T. foenum-graecum and advances the phylogenetic diversity of Leguminosae plants.
Factors affecting lymphedema after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and axillary dissection in female breast cancer patients: A retrospective cohort study based on the Chinese population
Authors: Fu Jianqin , Chen Ruiliang , Yu Yushuai , He Lijuan , Bao Liqun , Lin Zhaodi , Jiang Weijing , Zhang Jie , Song Chuangui , Lin Yanjuan
Published: February 2023

Purpose
Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication in breast cancer survivors. Most BCRL studies have focused on patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, and relatively little attention has been paid to BCRL in patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with BCRL in Chinese women undergoing NAC and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).
Methods
In our institution, this cohort study collected data from 336 women with clinically node-positive breast cancer who received NAC and ALND surgery from 2015 to 2020. The BCRL was assessed by objective measurement of limb circumference. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for BCRL, including clinical, demographic and lifestyle-related characteristics.
Results
The cumulative incidence of BCRL within 2.5 years was 43.75%. The factors independently associated with BCRL were radiotherapy (versus no radiotherapy; hazard ratio [HR]=1.611; P=0.020), NAC for 105 days or shorter (versus NAC for 105-143 days; HR=0.471; P=0.020), >15 lymph nodes removed (versus ≤15 lymph nodes removed; HR=1.593; P=0.036 ), drainage for 20-29 days (versus drainage for 10-19 days; HR=1.568; P=0.028), and sleeping biased toward affected arm (versus sleeping biased toward healthy arm; HR=2.033; P=0.019).
Conclusion
This study identified several risk factors for BCRL in breast cancer patients after NAC and ALND. Patients with one or more of these factors should be monitored carefully for early detection and intervention. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of drainage time and sleep position on the development of BCRL.
Active site tuning based on pseudo-binary alloys for low-temperature acetylene semihydrogenation
Authors: Ma Jiamin , Xing Feilong , Shimizu Ken-ichi , Furukawa Shinya
Published: February 2023

The development of an efficient catalytic system for low-temperature acetylene semihydrogenation using nonnoble metals is important for the cost-effective production of polymer-grade pure ethylene. However, it remains challenging owing to the intrinsic low activity. Herein, we report a flexibly tunable catalyst design concept based on a pseudo-binary alloy, which enabled a remarkable enhancement in the catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability of a Ni-based material. A series of (Ni1 − xCux)3Ga/TiO2 catalysts exhibiting L12-type pseudo-binary alloy structures with various Cu contents (x = 0.2, 0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.75) were prepared for active site tuning. The optimal catalyst, (Ni0.8Cu0.2)3Ga/TiO2, exhibited outstandingly high catalytic activity among reported 3d transition metal-based systems and excellent ethylene selectivity (96%) and long-term stability (100 h) with near full conversion even at 150°C. A mechanistic study revealed that Ni2Cu hollow sites on the (111) surface weakened the strong adsorption of acetylene and vinyl adsorbate, which significantly accelerated the hydrogenation process and inhibited undesired ethane formation.
Influencing factors of Susceptibility Vessel Sign on Susceptibility-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Jiang Han , Li Ziqiang , Gao Haiyan , Shen Yu , Wei Wei , Bai Yan , Zhang Xianchang , Wang Meiyun
Published: February 2023

Objective: The presence of acute susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) in anterior circulation occlusive stroke reflects the presence of deoxyhemoglobin in the thrombus and the thrombus composition may change with time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the related factors affecting SVS.
Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 161 patients with acute stroke who underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination from July 16, 2020, to June 24, 2022. These patients all contained readable susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) information. The characteristics of the patients were compared according to the presence or absence of SVS. Univariate statistical analysis was performed, and then meaningful variables from the univariate statistical analysis were included in the multivariate statistical analysis.
Results: Of the 161 patients included in the study, 109 (67.7%) were in the SVS+ group. SVS+ was significantly correlated with age (P=0.031), cardiogenic stroke subtype (P=0.028), and the combination of atrial fibrillation/flutter (P =0.002). Multivariate analysis showed that combined atrial fibrillation/flutter was an independent risk factor for SVS+ (OR, 4.517; 95% CI, 1.324–15.413; P =0.016). There was no significant relationship between SVS+ and symptom onset -- imaging time.
Conclusion: In the acute phase of proximal middle cerebral artery occlusive stroke, atrial fibrillation/flutter was an independent risk factor for SVS positivity. For patients with known symptom onset time, SVS was not significantly associated with symptom onset -- imaging time.
Anlotinib inhibits the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Ji Shanshan , Wu Hongjiao , Li Ang , Xie Yuning , Hu Wenqian , Song Qinqin , Liu Jiawei , Zhang Xuemei , Zhang Zhi
Published: February 2023

Background: Anlotinib, a small molecule multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is widely used in the treatment of various diseases. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects and possible molecular mechanisms of anlotinib on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) .
Methods: Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Wound-healing and transwell assay were used to evaluate the migratory-invasive ability of ESCC cells. Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst33342 fluorescence staining. Transcript data were obtained by RNA sequencing. Transcript data were analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the DESeq2 program. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed using R package clusterProfiler. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression level.
Results: The results of functional experiments showed that anlotinib can inhibit the viability of KYSE30 cells with time- and dose-dependent toxicity. The IC50 at 24h, 48h and 72h were 124.85μM, 21.226μM and 13.03μM, respectively. Anlotinib also inhibited cell migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis. Transcriptome sequencing results showed that anlotinib resulted in 359 genes were up-regulated and 156 down-regulated in KYSE30 cells. GO analysis of these DEGs showed that GO mainly included biological processes and molecular functions. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PI3K/AKT pathway was the most critical signaling pathway. Western blot demonstrated that anlotinib inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT, and the total protein expression of PI3K and AKT.
Conclusion: Anlotinib inhibits the progression of ESCC cells by modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Time Flies, but You’re in Control: the Mediating Effect of Self-control between Time Attitude and Academic Procrastination
Authors: Wang Juanjuan , Sun Yi
Published: February 2023

A holiday is a time of rest. However, the abrupt lifting of lockdowns in China made middle schools postpone their final exams to the end of the winter holiday. Chinese middle school students experienced an unprecedented holiday, in which they struggled between procrastinating and sticking to the review plan. This study thus investigated their academic procrastination within this extraordinary context. Prior studies also suggested the correlation among academic procrastination, time attitude and self-control. Therefore, we expected a mediating effect of self-control on the relationship between procrastination and time attitude. Initially, we used a questionnaire survey to obtain students’ self-reported data on procrastination, time attitude and self-control. Then, we implemented a case study to check students’ completion of the review plan in real settings. The results of both the survey and the case study indicated that Chinese middle school students demonstrated a greater tendency for academic procrastination. Additionally, self-control negatively correlated with academic procrastination, and self-control significantly mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and positive time attitudes. This study enriches the existing research with data from a novel situation, and supplies empirical evidence for teaching regulation and intervention.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Chinese Medical Researchers Toward Electronic Informed Consent in Clinical Research: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Liu Xing , Tan Xin , Wu Ying , Zhong Yuqiong , Khoshnood Kaveh , Wang Xiaomin
Published: February 2023

Background: The use of electronic informed consent (eIC) in clinical research is trending in China. Nevertheless, even as Chinese medical researchers implement eIC, little is known about their knowledge of the technology or their perspectives on its use. Ours is the first study to assess the knowledge and attitudes of medical researchers toward eIC in clinical research in China. This study aims to better advance the application and development of eIC in clinical research in China.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Using stratified random sampling, we recruited medical researchers from six provincial hospitals and two municipal hospitals in Hunan Province, Central Southern China. We used a self-adapted questionnaire to examine the researchers’ knowledge about and attitudes toward eIC.
Results: Three hundred ninety-nine questionnaires were included in the analysis. Most medical researchers (67.9%) had learned about eIC through the research department within a hospital, and 74.9% had heard of the term “electronic informed consent.” We found that 61.9% of these respondents had not used eIC. Regarding their overall attitude toward eIC, most respondents (69%) preferred eIC to paper-based consent. Of the respondents, 81.7% said eIC was more convenient than paper-based consent, 79.7% thought it was more efficient than paper-based consent, and more than half (51.1%) thought eIC could completely replace paper-based consent. However, 60.7% of participants expressed concerns about its security and confidentiality, and 87.5% thought eIC should include more detailed confidentiality instructions. In addition, 47.4% expressed concerns about the legal effectiveness and medical researchers’ rights protections provided by eIC, and 89.7% believed that laws and regulations related to eIC need improvement.
Conclusion: Medical researchers generally have a high level of knowledge about eIC and a positive attitude toward its use. However, they have concerns about data security and privacy protection that need to be addressed. More than half of medical researchers believe that eIC can totally replace paper-based consent. Moreover, most participants would like more specific guidance on eIC implementation.
Polyautoimmunity with Polymyositis, Uveitis, and Progressive Cutaneous Depigmentation in a Mixed Breed Dog: A Case Report
Authors: Lee Mary Ann , Hulsebosch Sean E , Affolter Verena K , Dear Jonathan D , Knipe Marguerite F , Maggs David J , Moore Bret A , Outerbridge Catherine A , Marsilio Sina
Published: February 2023

Background:Polyautoimmunity is the expression of more than one autoimmune disease in a single patient. This report documents polyautoimmunity in a mixed breed dog with concurrent uveitis, cutaneous depigmentation, and polymyositis.
Case presentation: A 1-year-old male neutered mixed breed dog was presented for progressive generalized leukotrichia and leukoderma, bilateral panuveitis, and masticatory muscle atrophy. The latter progressed to myositis of lingual, pharyngeal, and masticatory muscles confirmed by biopsy. Temporalis muscle was completely replaced by adipose and fibrous tissue, and necrotic myofibers with extensive infiltration of mononuclear cells indicated active myositis of lingual muscle. Skin biopsies showed severe melanin clumping in epidermis, hair follicles, and hair shafts, and perifollicular pigmentary incontinence. Uveitis, depigmentation, and polymyositis were diagnosed based on clinical, histological, and laboratory findings.
Conclusions:To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of concurrent uveitis, progressive cutaneous depigmentation, and polymyositis involving the masticatory muscles in a dog.
Trans Sellar‐ Trans Sphenoidal Encephalocele Presenting as Nasal Obstruction in an Infant: a Rare Case Report
Authors: Basheer Noufal , Raj Aiswarya , Mathew Jim , Alapatt Jacob
Published: February 2023

Trans sellar trans sphenoidal encephalocele is a rare congenital anomaly, with only around 10 cases having been documented in literature around the world. Surgical repair of these defects in the pediatric population commonly uses either the trans cranial or the trans palatal approach, with the choice of approach being individualized based on the clinical features, age, and associated defects present in the patient. Here we document a case of a 4-month-old child who presented to us with nasal obstruction, who was diagnosed with this rare entity and successfully underwent a transcranial repair for the same.,
RSDFT-NEGF transport simulations in realistic nanoscale transistors
Authors: Mil'nikov Gennady , Iwata Jun-ichi , Mori Nobuya , Oshiyama Atsushi
Published: February 2023

The paper presents a device simulator for computing transport characteristics from first principles. The developed computer program effectively performs large-scale parallel calculation of quasi-one-dimensional quantum transport in realistic nanoscale devices with thousands of atoms in the cross section area of the device channel. Our simulator is based on the real-space Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian in the density functional theory and improved numerical algorithms for reducing computational burden in non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method. Several computational improvements have been introduced in constructing a reduced quantum transport model from the original Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian and implementing the R-matrix computational scheme in the NEGF simulations.
PACS numbers: 72.10.Bg, 73.23.-b, 73.40.Qv
Asymmetric Bi-directional Teleportation Scheme in the presence of a Mentor and a Controller
Authors: Mandal Manoj Kumar , Choudhury Binayak S. , Samanta Soumen
Published: February 2023

In this paper a quantum communication protocol is proposed for the purpose of the exchange of a single qubit and a three-qubit state between two parties. It is a bi-directional teleportation protocol where the two parties have no information about the states they possess. The protocol has a Mentor who initiates the process and by measurement fixes the course of it amongst several possible alternatives. The participants are not initially connected through a single entangled state. It is the action of the Mentor which creates a seven-qubit entanglement amongst the legitimate parties. The role of the Mentor ends thereby. There is a Controller to oversee the process whose action leads to the completion of the protocol. The efficiency of the present protocol is calculated and it is found to be higher than several existing bi-directional protocols.
Assessment of selected muscle and intestinal damage markers after maximum-intensity exercise in men with type 1 diabetes treated with a personal insulin pump
Authors: Matejko Bartłomiej , Tota Łukasz , Morawska-Tota Małgorzata , Pałka Tomasz , Malecki Maciej , Klupa Tomasz
Published: February 2023

Purpose
Exercise-induced muscle damage depends on exercise intensity and duration and on individual susceptibility. Mechanical and metabolic stress may disturb the intestinal microflora. The study evaluated selected intestinal and muscle damage markers after maximum-intensity exercise in type 1 diabetes (T1D) men compared with healthy control.
Methods
The study involved 16 T1D participants and 28 controls matched by age (22.7 [21.3–25.1] vs. 22.6 [20.9–26.3] years), body mass index (24.2 ± 1.6 vs. 24.2 ± 1.9 kg/m2), and body fat percentage (16.1 ± 5.2 vs. 14.9 ± 4.6%). The T1D group have 11.3 ± 5.1 years of diabetes duration and a suboptimal mean glycated haemoglobin level of 7.2 ± 1.1%. The subjects underwent a graded running treadmill test until exhaustion. Lactate concentration was assessed in arterialized blood at baseline and 3 and 20 minutes after the test. Cortisol, testosterone, tumour necrosis factor α, myoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, zonulin, and vitamin D levels were evaluated in cubital fossa vein blood before and 60 minutes after the test.
Results
T1D patients presented higher baseline zonulin, myoglobin concentration, testosterone/cortisol ratio, and lower maximal oxygen uptake. On adjusting for the baseline values, the groups differed in zonulin, lactate dehydrogenase, and myoglobin levels, testosterone/cortisol ratio, and lactate concentration determined 20 minutes after exercise (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Maximum-intensity exercise increased muscle and intestinal damage in T1D participants. In patients with lower physical activity, very-high-intensity exercise should be recommended with caution. Observing the anabolic-catabolic index may help individualize effort intensity in T1D individuals.
Treatment with buprenorphine increased the expression of norepinephrine genes in the lumbar spinal cords of methamphetamine rats
Authors: Jajaei Nina , Nemati Homeira Hatami , Khakpay Roghaieh , Khajehnasiri Nazli , Sadeghian Reihaneh
Published: February 2023

Background METH damages neurons by releasing reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress affects monoamine oxidase (MAO), a key enzyme in catecholamine oxidation. The pathogenesis of addiction may also be affected by MAO activity. Thus, the expression of MAO and norepinephrine (NE) genes was investigated in the lumbar spinal cord of METH rats during buprenorphine (PUB) treatment.
Methods and results Eleven groups of male Wistar rats (n=77) were randomly selected: control, METH (10 mg/kg; 5 days), BUP (6 or 10 mg/kg; for 5 or 14 days), BUP (6 or 10 mg/kg; for 5 or 14 days) + METH, and withdrawal syndrome for 72 hours after the last injection. After receiving treatments, the gene expression levels of MAO and NE using the real-time PCR method were assessed. METH chronically increased NE gene expression compared to the control group. The METH+ BUP (6 mg/kg; for 5 days) or METH+ BUP (10 mg/kg; for 14 days) groups increased the level of NE gene expression in comparison to the control group. The withdrawal group expressed less than the METH group. Conversely, there was no difference in MAO gene expression between groups.
Conclusion Based on the results, BUP increases neuronal health by modifying the expression of the NE gene, enabling it to reduce METH's harmful effects.