bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing transformative public health education for the developing world: how one course re-imagined a more indigenous MPH
Authors: Faiz-Rashid Sabina , Idris-Islam Mikhail
Published: January 2023

This manuscript proposes a novel version of an academic program for community outreach in Native populations of Bangladesh. The curricular content was designed to gather and comprehensively understand community health experiences, and the design methodology proposed structured student learning around integrative factors that determined community health realities. The authors refer to the need to curricularly assign a basic human health need, such as water, nutrition, housing, sanitation, or work, so as to undertake an in-depth exploration of that topic and understand the practical conceptual foundation and interdependencies among the social determinants of health that produce community health outcomes. This document showcases student projects, their own practical solutions to real health problems, and how they and their community of teachers successfully learned and carried out simple solutions that can be applied to disadvantaged communities.
Outcome classification model for Covid-19 patients using artificial intelligence
Authors: Saad-Manzanera María Isabel , Hernández-Galván Jesús Alan , González-Cristóbal Sofía Carolina , Vázquez-Torres Eliden , Ramírez-Alonso Graciela María de Jesús , Valenzuela-Aldaba Yaeli Estefanía , Hinojos-Gallardo Luis Carlos , Enríquez-Sánchez Luis Bernardo
Published: January 2023

Not available
Efecto del confinamiento durante la pandemia de Covid-19 en los niveles séricos de lípidos y composición corporal de estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Tirado-Aguilar Ricardo Daniel , Valdés-Velázquez Juan Alejandro , Segovia-Hernández Héctor Ulises , Martínez-Quintanilla Jorge Humberto , Pérez-García Eugenia , Pierdant-Pérez Mauricio
Published: January 2023

No disponible
Risk symptoms for progression in Covid-19. Telemedicine cohort study
Authors: Murillo-Villanueva Karla , Velázquez-Hernández Blanca , Jácome-Mondragón José Antonio , Cervantes-Llamas Judit Joquebek , Talavera Juan O
Published: January 2023

Not available
Detección de plomo en alimentos preparados en utensilios de barro vidriado, un peligro latente para la salud pública
Authors: Ortiz-Sánchez Juan Pedro
Published: January 2023

Not available
Pérdida de peso no intencionada, un diagnóstico de patología orgánica con costos a la salud
Authors: Juárez Daniel , Vázquez-Macías Ciria , Solís José Gabriel , Zepeda-Quiroz Iván , Aguilar-Zúñiga Iván , Flores-Padilla Guillermo , Olascoaga-Lugo Arturo , Ibarra-Stone Karen Aida , Toledo-Ramírez Sebastián , Zavala-Jonguitud Fernando
Published: January 2023

No disponible
Comorbilidades en pacientes con infección por Covid-19 grave posvacunación en el Hospital Juárez de México
Authors: Alonso-Bello Cesar Daniel , Aranda-Cano Evelyn , Otero-Leyva Jhizzel , Mondragón-Jiménez Edwin , Callao-Torrico Dennis Marcel , Manzano-Martínez Heber Gabriel , Chico-Juárez Carlos , Becerril-Mendoza Lizbeth Teresa , Moncayo-Coello Carol Vivian , Rojo-Gutiérrez María Isabel
Published: January 2023

No disponible
Bacteriophage Liquid Propagation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Kunisch Fabian , Moreno Mercedes Gonzalez
Published: January 2023

This protocol provides a liquid production method for the propagation of bacteriophages (phages), wherein bacteria and phages are co-incubated in liquid medium under constant agitation. The advantages of this protocol are its easy use and the low costs, as there is no specialized equipment required. Besides the fact that not all phages can be propagated using a liquid approach, another disadvantage of this protocol is the strong dependence on the bacterial growth rate which will result in different protocol durations (e.g., 25:15 h for P. aeruginosa).
Bacteriophage DNA Organic Extraction
Authors: Kunisch Fabian , Wagemans Jeroen , Moreno Mercedes Gonzalez
Published: January 2023

This protocol is designed for the extraction of bacteriophage (phage) DNA used in downstream applications such as whole genome sequencing. For this purpose, the phage lysate is treated with DNase I and RNase A to degrade any DNA or RNA that is not enclosed by the viral capsid (e.g., from bacterial origin), and then EDTA and SDS are added to inactivate the DNase I/RNase A along with the addition of proteinase K to digest the viral capsid. Thereafter, protein debris are removed by sequential extraction with phenol-chloroform and precipitation with ethanol, which increases DNA concentration and removes excess salts. Compared to commercial kits, the price per sample is lower for this protocol, without entailing greater complexity or yielding inferior results.
Bacteriophage Precipitation with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Authors: Kunisch Fabian , Wagemans Jeroen , Moreno Mercedes Gonzalez
Published: January 2023

This protocol can be employed to both purify and concentrate bacteriophages (phages) after their production. As a hygroscopic substance, polyethylene glycol in combination with its co-precipitant sodium chloride binds water molecules leading to the precipitation of the phages. After centrifugation, those can then be collected and resuspended in a buffer solution. While the purification with polyethylene glycol is a cost effective, fast (approx. 4:50 h) and easy to use method, it also has weaknesses related to the quality of purification, as both PEG and NaCl, as well as bacterial components, can contaminate the centrifuged phage precipitate.
Bioinformatics analysis of PDAC subtypes
Authors: Hyeon Do Young , Nam Dowoon , Han Youngmin , Kim Duk Ki , Kim Gibeom , Kim Daeun , Bae Jingi , Back Seunghoon , Mun Dong-Gi , Madar Inamul Hasan , Lee Hangyeore , Kim Su-Jin , Kim Hokeun , Hyun Sangyeop , Kim Chang Rok , Choi Seon Ah , Kim Yong Ryoul , Jeong Juhee , Jeon Suwan , Choo Yeon Woong , Lee Kyung Bun , Kwon Wooil , Choi Seunghyuk , Goo Taewan , Park Taesung , Suh Young-Ah , Kim Hongbeom , Ku Ja-Lok , Kim Min-Sik , Paek Eunok , Park Daechan , Jung Keehoon , Baek Sung Hee , Jang Jin-Young , Hwang Daehee , Lee Sang-Won
Published: January 2023

The associated publication reports proteogenomic analysis of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where we provided significantly mutated genes (SMGs)/biomarkers, cellular pathways, and cell types as potential therapeutic targets to improve stratification of patients with PDAC. This protocol describes the detailed methods for bioinformatics analysis of PDAC subtypes, including tumour purity estimation, subtype prediction for tumour samples in previous cohorts, pathway enrichment analysis, kinase activity analysis, and pan-omics analysis.
Pre- and post-genotype filtration protocol to improve the variant imputation metrics with further quality control
Authors: C Charon , R Allodji , V Meyer , JF Deleuze
Published: January 2023

The search for loci linked to diseases or drug targets is being studied by genotyping variants. Missing variants can be imputed, but the standard filtration methods applied during quality control(QC) reduced their number for downstream analyses.There is no standard protocol to retain the maximum of variants with reliable quality. To counteract this loss, we first limited the stringency of MAF SNP pre-filtration (MAF-DS), which improved post-imputation metrics with the 1000 Genomes (inc. INFO based on allele frequencies). Second, our two-step post-filtration strategy (1)computes a confident MAF threshold (MAF-DH), (2)filters with the quality score >0.3 and gains ~18% of reliable markers compared to conservative methods (single-step INFO>0.8) and confidence vs. non-conservative methods (single-step INFO>0.3).During the pre-and post-filtration steps, the MAF and allele accuracies were validated against a public database for further QC.The protocol is also applicable to any study since the metric MAFs are adapted to the sample set.
A Variegated GWO Algorithm Implementation in emerging power systems optimization problems
Authors: DEY BISHWAJIT , Raj Saurav , Mahapatra Sheila
Published: January 2023

This paper proposes a novel strong and robust hybrid algorithm which is mathematical modelled by amalgamating the superior features of recently developed grey wolf optimizer (GWO), sine cosine algorithm (SCA), and crow search algorithm (CSA). Researchers have already implemented the aforementioned three algorithms and obtained superior quality results for solving diverse optimization problems. The novel hybrid Variegated GWO Algorithm (VGWO) developed in this paper is initially realized for solving a long list of uni-cum-mutli modelled CEC-C06 2019 benchmark functions. Thereafter, proposed VGWO is utilized as optimization tool to solve three emerging power system optimization problems which include energy management of microgrid systems operating in both islanded and grid-connected mode, dynamic economic emission dispatch and reactive power planning of standard IEEE-57 bus test system. Numerical results show that the novel hybrid VGWO algorithm outperformed an ample number of optimization techniques in providing better quality solutions. The capability of handling many complex constraints within a minimum amount of computational time to provide consistently best solutions prioritize the proposed hybrid algorithm among its kinds. Statistical analysis validates the authenticity and viability of the proposed algorithm.
A modified genetic algorithm for combined heat and power economic dispatch
Authors: Li Deliang , Yang Chunyu , Zou Dexuan
Published: January 2023

Combined heat and power economic dispatch (CHPED) is an important issue in the energy field, since it has great potential in improving the utilization efficiency of power and heat energies. This paper proposes a modified genetic algorithm (MGA) to determine the power and heat outputs of three kinds of units for CHPED. First, MGA replaces the simulated binary crossover by a new one based on the uniform and guassian distributions, and its convergence can be enhanced. Second, MGA modifies the mutation operator by introducing a disturbance coefficient based on guassian distribution, which can decrease the risk of being trapped into local optima. Eight instances with or without prohibited operating zones are used to investigate the efficiencies of MGA and other four genetic algorithms for CHPED. MGA attains the smallest mean and standard deviation related to 50 cost values for every instance, thus it has desirable convergence and stability for CHPED in comparison with the other four genetic algorithms.
An Efficient Privacy Preserving Scheme for Internet of Things Environment
Authors: Taha Mohammad Bany
Published: January 2023

While Internet of Things (IoT) systems, including cloud-enabled IoT systems, are becoming the norm, ensuring the security and privacy of data without impacting performance remains challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate how one can outsource attribute-based encryption (ABE) operations (e.g., encryption and decryption) to proxy servers in order to reduce the computation overhead of encryption and decryption. Our proposed scheme is also designed to incur minimal storage overhead of the ciphertext (CT), by generating constant ciphertext, regardless of the number of access policy attributes required for encryption. We also evaluate the performance of our proposed scheme and demonstrate that our scheme is more efficient than two other schemes.
Evaluation of GPS Signal Vulnerabilities against Time Synchronization Attacks
Authors: Bagheri Z. , Orouji N. , Mosavi Mohammad Reza
Published: January 2023

A spoofing attack is an intervention aimed at forcing the GPS receiver to obtain and track invalid navigation data. Time Synchronization Attack (TSA) is a type of spoofing attack that changes the receiver clock information, such as clock offset and drift. The purpose of TSA is to create an error in the estimated time of the receiver. These attacks usually target static receivers that use GPS signals for their time-synchronization applications. One of the main countermeasures for any security vulnerabilities is comprehending the process of thread generation and weak points of the system. In this research, for the first time, the TSA generation process is discussed and explained in detail. The proposed method demonstrates the feasibility of a spoof attack on the GPS receiver. The attack is defined as an optimization problem that aims to maximize the receiver clock offset error while maintaining the receiver position. The decision variables in the optimization problem are the coordinates of the receiver and the satellite's ephemerides variables. The constraints are such that the decision variables and satellite positions calculated from solving the optimization problem are close to pre-attack values to avoid possible detection schemes that examine large mutations in the values of these variables. Due to the ability to solve complex problems, simple concepts, and easy implementation of Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms (MOA), Chimp Optimization Algorithm (ChoA), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithms are exploited. According to the achieved solutions, the maximum modification in the receiver clock offset is 1.6 ms, which is a severe attack based on IEEE C37.118 standard. This result is achieved despite a change of 10 meters in the coordinates of the receiver position.
Numerical solution of nonsingular fuzzy LR algebraic linear equations
Authors: Zhou Hongyi
Published: January 2023

In order to solve a fuzzy LR algebraic linear equation, a linear programme with much larger dimension than the original one is employed in [14]. Thus it is a expensive method to solve the fuzzy LR algebraic equations. In this paper, By studying the algebraic structure of the fuzzy equations, a much cheaper method is proposed. Numerical tests show the efficiency of our method. Here our method can also be used to study the conditions of the solution existence.
Traditional Chinese medicine formula Xiaoyaosan alleviates autistic behaviors and anxiety behaviors in valproic acid-induced autistic rats
Authors: Li Yanyan , Yang Junjie , Li Honglei , Xu Chengming , Li Enyao , Dong Xianwen
Published: January 2023

Background
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is correlated with anxiety behavior. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Xiaoyaosan (XYS) on anxiety behavior in autism rats and its potential mechanism.
Materials and Methods
The autistic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of pregnant rats with sodium valproic acid (VPA) at 12.5 days of pregnancy. The newborn rats (n = 15 in each group) were given XYS solution gavage daily for 21 days. The autistic behaviors were identified by the marble-burying behavior test (MBT), ultrasonic vocalization (USV) test, three-chamber social interaction task (TCT), and novel object recognition (NOR) task. The anxiety behaviors were detected by open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), and sucrose preference test (SPT). Heart rate variability (HRV) was used to detect the changes in the autonomic nerve. The expression of Ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) in microglia of the hippocampus and amygdala was detected by immunohistochemistry.
Results
Compared with the control group, the number of buried marbles in MBT was increased, the number of vocalizations at 50 kHz in the USV test was reduced, the social ability in the TST was reduced, and the exploration time and distance of new objects in NOR task were reduced in the VPA group. In the OFT, the activity time in the central zone was reduced, the open arm activity time in EPM was reduced, and the sucrose consumption rate in SPT was reduced in autistic rats. The autonomic sympathetic balance of autistic rats was impaired. In hippocampus and amygdala regions, the number of Iba-1 positive cells was increased in VPA-induced rats. After XYS treatment, the above effects caused by VPA were reversed.
Conclusion
XYS could improve autism and anxiety behaviors. It could also maintain the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in autistic rats. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of microglia in the hippocampus and amygdala.
Design and Development of Open Source Software Solution for Hyperspectral Data Simulation: Hydas.
Authors: Tiwari Varun , Kumar Vinay , Pandey Kamal , Anand Shivesh , Ranade Rigved , Singh Mohit , Agrawal Shefali
Published: January 2023

Multispectral remote sensing data is available with broad spectral bands in the wavelength range of Visible-NIR-SWIR, and finds its applications in assessment of Land Use Land Cover classes (LULC). There are plenty of onboard sensors which are providing these datasets regularly. However, for detailed LULC classification there is a requirement of distinguishing spectrally similar land cover features, which is possible through hyperspectral data. These datasets are spectrally rich and are available with narrow spectral bandwidth but the availability of such datasets is limited. This is due to requirement of sophisticated detectors and high storage, which makes the acquisition of these datasets challenging. Therefore, there is a opportunity to utilize the available multispectral data for generating hyperspectral data. Existing spectral reconstruction technique is used for simulating hyperspectral bands from multispectral bands in combination with ground spectra. In this study, an attempt has been made to develop a software solution for automating the simulation of hyperspectral data using multispectral data in an open source platform. The developed software solution (HyDAS) consists of modules for satellite data visualization, spectral library creation, spectral unmixing and hyperspectral data simulation. HyDAS toolbox is successfully tested for simulating hyperspectral data from EO-1 ALI multispectral data. The simulated results were validated using the available EO-1 Hyperion data and results were satisfactory with similarity being 80–90%. This open source solution was also tested for simulating hyperspectral bands from EO-1 ALI and Indian Satellite (LISS III & LISS IV) multispectral datasets, the results obtained were satisfactory for species level classification
Role of the lipid bilayer at the dielectric relaxations in human erythrocytes
Authors: Ivanov Ivan T. , Paarvanova Boyana Kaancheva
Published: January 2023

Using the dielectric changes in red blood cells (RBCs) at the temperature of spectrin dissociation and denaturation,TA, two dielectric relaxations have been detected on spectrin network, βsprelaxation at 1.4 MHz and γ1sprelaxation at 9 MHz. In this study, the βsprelaxation was linearly strengthened on increasing the ion accumulation at either side of RBC plasma membranes, while the strength of γ1sprelaxation remained unaffected. In Triton shells, produced by mild extraction of RBC ghost membrane lipids by Triton-X-100 (up to 0.1%) and in RBCs, treated by acid medium (pH 5.2), known to disconnect the glycophorin C integral protein from the actin-spectrin junction, the βsprelaxation was strongly to fully inhibited while γ1sprelaxation was preserved. In RBCs, acid-treated RBCs, RBC ghost membranes and Triton-X shells the capacitance contribution and dielectric loss curve of spectrin network were both positive for βsprelaxation and negative for γ1sprelaxation. The above results support the view that βsprelaxation exhibits piezo effect on spectrin network prior toTA, powered by the electrodeformation of lipid membrane mainly through the glycophorin C-actin-spectrin bridge. This piezo effect adds strength (~ 25%) to the interfacial polarization of RBC lipid membrane and could be adjuvant factor in the elasticity and flicker of RBC membrane. The results and the amended equivalent circuit of RBC suspension support the claim that γ1sprelaxation reflects direct interaction and resonance of the field with the natural oscillations of dipoles (segments) of spectrin tetramers.
Load-dependent dynamic model of spur gear considering effects of oil film
Authors: Cao Zheng , Rao Meng , Chen Zaigang
Published: January 2023

Gear system is usually lubricated to generate an oil film to avoid dry contact at the mesh interface. As the oil film separates the engaging gear teeth, its effect on the transmission error (TE) is opposite to the teeth elasticity. How to consider the combined influence of the oil film and the tooth elasticity on the TE, and further on the dynamic performance of gears, is still not revealed completely. In this paper, a new mesh stiffness (MS) involving the effect from the oil film and the tooth elasticity is defined, and a nonlinear dynamic model of a spur gear system with developed MS and drive-side and back-side contact is proposed. The effect of the oil film on the dynamic responses of the gear pair is revealed by comparing the received results with that from the dry contact situation and the experiment. It is indicated that the oil film will affect the effective MS and dynamic transmission error (DTE) of the gear system, especially under the situation with the light load. For a tip relived gear pair, the dynamic load sharing ratio (DLSR) between teeth pairs changes significantly when the lubrication is considered.
A Computed Tomography and Dissection Study of a Unique Ychsma Burial Bundle from the site of Pachacamac, Peruvian Central Coast
Authors: Owens Lawrence S. , Eeckhout Peter A.
Published: January 2023

Computed tomography (CT) scans of funerary bundles have become the convention for mummy studies, especially in Andean contexts. Increasingly high-resolution 3D imaging – as well as ethical issues surrounding the treatment of human remains, has led to the increasing conviction that mummy studies should be carried out using solely digital approaches. However, the fact that these approaches are non-invasive inevitably stymies our understanding of how accurate they are, compared to traditional unwrapping. A large, complex Ychsma bundle (dated to AD1020-1150) was recovered from Pachacamac, Peru, in 2018, and was analysed using a dual approach. A series of CT images were scored for bundle structure, body position, element presence, and anatomy/pathology; the bundle was then dissected and the data was compared. CT imaging performed well for body position, element presence and certain aspects of anatomy/pathology. However, the presence of radio-opaque inclusions following the internal deterioration in antiquity served to obscure various elements, while the CT was also unable to distinguish any of the layers of textile and botanical wrappings or any artefacts within them. The CT was also unable to determine that the bundle contained two individuals; the original individual had been partially removed and other elements incorporated, but as there was no element duplication the CT imaging could not differentiate the individuals. In addition to providing new information concerning bundle reprocessing and the use of trophy items among the Ychsma, this is both a support and cautionary tale towards the use of radiographic imaging in the analysis of Andean bundles.
Potentials of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Genetic Diversity Studies at HSP90AB1 Gene in Nigerian White Fulani, Muturu and N’Dama Cattle Breeds
Authors: De Campos John , Onasanya Gbolabo , Ubong Akpan , Yusuff Afolabi , Adenaike Adeyemi , Mohammed Afolarin , Ikeobi Christian
Published: January 2023

The study was aimed at genetic characterization of the (Heat Shock Protein 90AB1) HSP90AB1 gene in the Muturu, N’Dama and White Fulani Nigerian cattle. Total number of 200 blood samples were collected from white Fulani, muturu and N’Dama breeds of cattle out of which 20 samples each were used for the wet laboratory experiment. DNA was extracted from the blood samples using the Zymo-bead extraction kit and DNA sequencing of our samples was performed. A total number of 9 and 11 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected using the codon code aligner software within exons 5–6 and 12–13 of the HSP90AB1 gene. ARLEQUIN 2.0001 software was used to estimate the basic population genetic statistics while the DnaSP version5.10.01 was used to estimate the genetic diversity indices. In exons 5–6, the N’Dama cattle had the highest (5) for number of SNPs and genetic diversity indices while other breeds including White Fulani and Muturu had the least (2) number of SNPs and genetic diversity indices breeds. In exons 12–13, White Fulani had the highest (7) for the numbers of SNPs and genetic diversity indices while Muturu had the least (1) number of SNPs and genetic diversity indices. Some of the SNPs identified at these loci were shared by the breeds, suggesting the likelihood of shared ancestral alleles and similar functions. The study concluded that the HSP90AB1 was polymorphic and highly diverse in Nigerian cattle breeds.
Study on the resolution of DC resistivity sounding exploration with differential array and integral array in layered media
Authors: Ling Jiaxuan , Dai Shikun , Zhou Yinming
Published: January 2023

In order to study the exploration device to improve the resolution of DC resistivity exploration, we introduced the differential array and integral array, and gave the basic principle and apparent resistivity expression of these two arrays. Based on the forward and inversion theory in layered media, we have demonstrated the exploration resolution of these two arrays through several examples. The results show that, compared with other arrays, the differential array has better sensitivity and resolution to layered media. The integral array and dipole-dipole array have the same resolution to the underground, which is inferior to the differential array, and the integral array has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than the dipole-dipole array.
Pattern of CD4 + T cell recovery and determinants of HIV infected individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral treatment in Mekelle Hospital, Tigray Northern Ethiopia; Retrospective study
Authors: Weldemhret Letebrhan , Aregay Abraham , Bekurtsion Hadish , Gebreegziabher Gebremicheal , Asmelash Tsehaye , Hagos Dawit Gebreegziabher
Published: January 2023

Background: With the advent of antiretroviral treatment, HIV related morbidity and mortality have tremendously decreased. However, some HIV patients on ART don’t optimally respond to the ART regimen to restore the immunity. This study was aimed to determine the pattern of CD4+ T cell recovery and determinants of HIV infected individuals receiving the ART in Mekelle Hospital, Tigray northern Ethiopia.
Methods: A hospital based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January, 2010 to August, July 2020 among HIV positive individuals on ART follow up. Data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire by trained data collector. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V. 20. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the possible predictors for immune reconstitution after ART administration. P-values < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the total 424 study participants, 248(58%) were females. The mean age of the study participants was 37+9 (mean + sd). The median time of ART follow up was 60 (IQR: 36-84) months and the recent median CD4+ T-cell count was 388 (IQR; 254-527) cells/µl. The CD4 cell count increment compared to pre-ART was 166 cells/µl of blood. Age ranges 25-34 years (AOR 2.62, 95%CI: 0.82-8.35), CD4+ T-cell count >200 cells/µl at baseline (AOR 3.53, 95%CI: 2.23-5.58), duration of ART follow up at 12, 48 and 49 and above months respectively (AOR 8.053, 95%CI:1.45-44.84; 4.82, 95%CI:1.16-20.11); and (AOR 6.36, 95%CI:1.63-24.77), and TDF-3CT-Efv ART regimen combination (AOR 2.29, 95%CI:1.32-3.97) were found predictors significantly associated with CD4+ T-cell recovery after long term ART uptake, which characterized by >350 cells/µl increments.
Conclusions: The immune restoration of HIV positive individuals depends on the length of ART follow up time and CD4+ T-cell level during the initiation. Moreover, individuals who were taking TDF-3CT-Efv ART drug combination demonstrated a rapid CD4+ T-cell restoration than these who were taking other ART drug regimens.
Comparative function of blacklight and visual light sources in capturing Harmonia axyridis in the field and laboratory conditions; effect of color polymorphism
Authors: Farhoudi Farhad , Sahragard Ahad , Hosseini Reza , Saboori Atefeh
Published: January 2023

Light trapping is one of the most popular sampling methods for monitoring pests’ populations in IPM programs. Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), which is a voracious aphid predator, needs to be monitored for several reasons; e.g. for its function as an invasive alien species newly appeared in many non-native countries. Lots of studies and observations show that this ladybird is significantly attracted to blacklight traps. Two major color morphs of H. axyridis (melanic and nonmelanic) appear with different ratios in different populations. In this study, the outcome of two sampling methods, including light trapping and foliage beating were evaluated in terms of the color morph combination and sex ratio in the field. Also, two types of light sources (blacklight (UV) and visual light LED) were compared in attracting the two color morphs in the laboratory conditions. Field results, where the ladybirds could fly towards the light source, indicated that blacklight trap captures less melanic individuals compare to mercury light trap and foliage beating, while there was no difference between the two latter methods. Also sex ratios were not different among the sampling methods. However, blacklight (UV) and visual light sources did not show any effect on attracting the two morphs in laboratory conditions, where the ladybirds could only walk towards the light sources. Comparing the results from field and laboratory experiments suggest that H. axyridis shows different phototaxic reactions based on its locomotion options.
A case-control study of the association between the gut microbiota and colorectal cancer: exploring the roles of diet, stress, and race
Authors: Carson Tiffany L , Byrd Doratha A , Smith Kristen S , Carter Daniel , Abaskaron Michael , Little Rebecca B , Holmes Sh'Nese Townsend , Pol William J van Der , Lefkowitz Elliot J , Morrow Casey D , Fruge Andrew D , Gomez Maria
Published: January 2023

Background
The gut microbiota is associated with risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), a chronic disease for which racial disparities persist with Black Americans having a higher risk of CRC incidence and mortality compared to other groups. Given documented racial differences, the gut microbiota may offer some insight into previously unexplained racial disparities in CRC incidence and mortality. A case-control analysis comparing 11 women newly diagnosed with CRC with 22 cancer-free women matched on age, BMI, and race in a 1:2 ratio was conducted. Information about participants’ diet and perceived stress levels were obtained via 24-hour Dietary Recall and Perceived Stress Scale-10 survey, respectively. Participants provided stool samples from which microbial genomic DNA was extracted to reveal the abundance of 26 genera chosen a priori based on their previously observed relevance to CRC, anxiety symptoms, and diet.
Results
Significantly lower alpha diversity was observed among cancer-free Black women compared to all other race-cancer status combinations. No group differences were observed when comparing beta diversity. Non-Hispanic White CRC cases tended to have higher relative abundance of Fusobacteria, Gemellaceae, and Peptostreptococcus compared to all other race-cancer combination groups. Perceived stress was inversely associated with alpha diversity and was associated with additional genera.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that microbiome-CRC associations may differ by racial group. Additional large, racially diverse population-based studies are needed to determine if previously identified associations between characteristics of the gut microbiome and CRC are generalizable to Black women and other racial, ethnic, and gender groups.
Exploring the Mechanism of Action of Lobetyolin in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Hou Li , Yang Jing , Li YanRong , Kang Jing , Ma Zheng , Luo XiaoYa , Yang XiaoLing , Shao Hui
Published: January 2023

Lobetyolin (LBT) is an important active ingredient in the traditional medicinal plant Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. However, the pharmacological targets and mechanisms of action of LBT against allergic rhinitis (AR) are not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible functional role and potential mechanism of LBT as an anti-AR treatment through a combination of network pharmacology and molecular docking. The disease database and target screening database were used to find potential targets for screening LBT for the treatment of AR. Further network visualization analysis, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for potential targets. Finally, we performed some molecular docking with LBT and core targets to verify their relevant effects. The results revealed that a total of 64 target genes were obtained for LBT for AR. The top 10 targets with the highest enrichment scores were TNF, EGFR, MMP9, TLR4, ERBB2, JUN, CXCR4, HSP90AA1, KDR, and MMP2. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that multiple signaling pathways are involved in LBT for AR. Molecular docking results showed that LBT binds strongly to the target proteins MMP2, MMP9, TNF, JUN, and EGFR through intermolecular forces. This study reveals for the first time the pharmacological targets and related pathways of LBT for the treatment of AR, indicating that LBT can intervene in the intrinsic molecular mechanism of AR through multiple targets and pathways.
Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome and evolutionary position of Clematis tomentella (Ranunculaceae)
Authors: Liu Wangsuo , Wang Zhanjun , Tian Ying , Ji Bo
Published: January 2023

Background Clematis tomentella 2001 (Ranunculaceae) is a typical drought-tolerant and sand-fixing plant in the desert ecosystem of northwest China. To elucidate the phylogenetic status of C. tomentella and its related species, we determined the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. tomentellaand analyzed their interspecific relationships.
Methods and results The complete cp genome sequence of C. tomentella was performed in this study. The result suggested that the cp genome of C. tomentella was 159,816 bp in length, including two inverted repeats of 31,045 bp, a large single copy of 79,535 bp, and a small single copy of 18,191 bp. 136 genes were annotated across the whole cp genome, including 92 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 36 tRNA genes, as well as the GC content accounted for 38%. Crucially, we found that the sequencing regions of psbE-petL, trnG_UCC-atpA, ndhF-rpl32, and rps8-infA were highlydivergent, which could be marked as DNA barcodes for the identification of C. tomentella in Ranunculaceae. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree revealed that C. tomentella was closely related to C. fruticosa.
Conclusions Our results filled the gap in cp genome sequence of C. tomentella, elucidating the taxonomic evolutionary position and relationship among Clematis. It provides the references and implications for the phylogenetic study of Clematis in Ranunculaceae in the future.
Angiotensin receptor blockers, but not angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, inhibit abnormal bone changes in spondyloarthritis
Authors: Choi Jin Sun , Kim Ji-Young , Ahn Min-Joo , Jang Hanbit , Song Seungtaek , Jo Sungsin , Choi Sung Hoon , Park Ye-Soo , Kim Tae-Hwan , Shim Seung Cheol
Published: January 2023

Background Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that results in bone ankylosis. The tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS), updated with new components, is an emerging phenomenon possibly implicated in SpA-associated bone changes. Therefore, we sought to determine the mechanism underlying this relationship. Methods Sakaguchi (SKG) mice injected with curdlan (SKGc), animal models for SpA, were treated with the RAS modulators, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis). Disease activity was assessed using clinical scores and computed tomography scans. Mouse primary bone marrow monocytes (BMMs), osteoblast (OB) progenitor cells, peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs), and bone-derived cells (BdCs) from patients with radiographic axial SpA (r-axSpA) were used to investigate the role of RAS in SpA pathogenesis. Results The expression of RAS components was significantly high in SKGc mouse joints, wherein ARBs significantly reduced erosion and systemic bone loss, whereas ACEis did not. Osteoclast (OC) differentiation from primary BMMs, mediated by TRAF6, was inhibited by ARBs but promoted by ACEis; the modulators also exerted opposite effects on OB differentiation. Expression of RAS molecules was higher in PBMCs and BdCs of patients with r-axSpA than in control participants. ARBs inhibited OB differentiation in the BdCs of patients with r-axSpA, whereas ACEi did not. Neither ARBs nor ACEis affected OB differentiation in the control participants. Conclusions In SpA, a condition characterized by RAS overexpression, ARBs, but not ACEis, inhibited OC and OB differentiation and bone progression. These findings must be considered when treating patients with SpA using RAS modulators.
Unraveling the Spatial Signature of Gully Erosion in the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of the Northeast of Iran: Every Single Factor Matters!
Authors: Nalivan Omid Asadi , Islami Iman , Arami Seyed Abdolhossein , Kornejady Aiding , Boustan Ali
Published: January 2023

The present study is aimed to model the spatial pattern of gully distribution across the silt-rich soils of the northeastern loess of Golestan province, Iran. To this end, multiple data-involvement scenarios were designed, and their further contributions to the performance of a presence-only probabilistic model (Maximum Entropy) were assessed. The results revealed that the interconnection of topological and hydrological factors mainly corresponds to the spatial signature of gully distributions across the study area. In particular, valley depth, height above the nearest drainage, and drainage networks contributed the most to the model's performance. Based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) index, engaging factors collectively result in the highest goodness-of-fit and prediction power with the respective values of 0.889 and 0.867. The areal extent of the susceptibility classes indicates that approximately 15% (~ 121 km2) of the region is highly susceptible to gully occurrence, which entails further pragmatic actions and mitigation measures.
Exogenous administration of appropriate dose of IL-17A helps to improve multiple organ dysfunction and improve survival in septic mice
Authors: Liang Yonghui , Meng Haining , Xie Weifeng , Meng Xiangqi , Qu Yan
Published: January 2023

Purpose
To explore the effect of exogenous interleukin-17A on multi-organ function and prognosis in septic mice.
Methods
Mice model of sepsis was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method, and the mice were randomly divided into 8 groups according to different intervention measures: Sham + PBS, CLP + PBS, CLP + 0.25µg IL-17A, CLP + 0.5µg IL-17A, CLP + 1µg IL-17A, CLP + 2µg IL-17A, CLP + 4µg IL-17A and CLP + Anti-IL-17A. Survival rates of each group were monitored and recorded at 12-hour intervals. The blood of each group of mice was collected at each observation node under aseptic condition, and the expression changes of blood routine, related inflammatory cytokines, liver and kidney function indexes. Pathological injuries of lung, liver and kidney of mice in each group were detected by H&E staining, and the evaluation of bacterial translocation in vitro was performed by inoculation medium.
Results
Except for the sham-operated group, the 7-day survival rate of the mice in the CLP + 1µg IL-17A group was the highest (75%) and exogenous administration of appropriate dose of IL-17A was beneficial to reduce alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cre) in septic mice. The pathological damage of lung, liver and kidney tissue also can be alleviated, and the colony count of peripheral blood and spleen tissue of mice were also significantly decreased.
Conclusion
Exogenous administration of appropriate dose of IL-17A can improve the bacterial clearance ability of septic mice, and improve the multiple organ dysfunction and 7-day survival rate of the septic mice.
A cost effectiveness evaluation of a dietitian-delivered telephone coaching program during pregnancy for preventing gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Jersey Susan , Keramat Syed Afroz , Chang Angela. T , Meloncelli Nina , Guthrie Taylor , Eakin Elizabeth , Comans Tracy
Published: January 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to calculate the cost-effectiveness of a telehealth coaching intervention to reduce GDM and to calculate the breakeven point of reducing GDM.
Methods: Data to inform the economic evaluation model was sourced directly from the large quaternary hospital in Brisbane, where the Living Well during Pregnancy (LWdP) program was implemented and further supplemented with literature-based estimates where data had not been directly collected in the trial. A cost-effectiveness model was developed using a decision tree framework to estimate the potential for cost savings and quality of life improvement. A total of 3,578 pregnant people (mean age 30.9 + 5.3 years, 18.8% BMI 25-29.9, 18.6% BMI >30kg/m2; 67.4% multiparous) were included in the analyses.
Results: The cost of providing routine care and routine care plus LWdP intervention to pregnant women was calculated to be AUD 22,827 and AUD 22,537, respectively. The effectiveness of LWdP program (0.894 utility) is slightly higher compared to routine care (0.893). Therefore, the value of ICER is negative and it indicates that the LWdP program is a dominant strategy to reduce GDM in pregnant women. We also performed probabilistic sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation over 1,000 simulations. The ICE scatter plot showed that LWdP intervention is dominant over routine care in 99.60% of the trials using a willingness to pay threshold of AUD 50,000.
Conclusions: Findings support consideration by healthcare policy and decision makers of telehealth and broad-reach delivery of structured lifestyle interventions during pregnancy to lower short-term costs associated with GDM to the health system.
Tailored versus conventional surgical debridement in complex facial lacerations: a retrospective study
Authors: Park Byeong Kwon , Min Jin Hong , Park Jung Soo , You Yeon Ho , Jeong Won Joon , Cho Yong Chul , Oh Se Kwang , In Yong Nam , Ahn Hong Joon , Kang Chang Shin , Kyung Hyun woo , Kim Joo Hak , Yang Ho Jik , Lee Byung Kook , Yoo Heon Jong
Published: January 2023

Background
Surgical debridement is usually an essential step in treating complex facial lacerations (CFL). As the severity of CFL increases, conventional surgical debridement (CSD) of wound edges becomes difficult and may be insufficient to remove damaged tissues and create clean edges. Because the severity and shape of CFL are diverse and different, it is necessary to tailor the customized pre-excisional design, the tailored surgical debridement (TSD), for each case before performing surgical debridement. Applying TSD is expected to enable effective debridement in CFL with higher severity. This study compared cosmetic outcomes and complication incidence of CSD and TSD, according to CFL severity.
Methods
This was a retrospective observational study. Eligible patients with CFL who visited the emergency department between August 2020 and December 2021 were examined. CFL severity was graded to Grades I and II. CSD and TSD outcomes were compared using the Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating (SCAR) scale. Furthermore, a good cosmetic outcome was defined as a SCAR score of ≤ 2. The percentage of good cosmetic outcome between the two groups was compared. The SCAR score and percentage of good cosmetic outcomes between the two groups were compared overall and by severity. For comparison of complication incidence, asymmetry, infection, and dehiscence incidence were compared.
Results
In total, 252 patients were enrolled (121 [48.0%] CSD and 131 [52.0%] TSD). In CSD and TSD groups, the median SCAR scores were 3 (1–5) and 1 (0–2) in all enrolled patients (p < 0.001), 2 (0–4) and 1 (0–1) in Grade I (p < 0.01), and 5 (4–6) and 1 (1–2) in Grade II (p < 0.001). The good cosmetic outcomes were 46.3% and 84.0% overall (p < 0.001), 59.6% and 85.0% in Grade I (p < 0.01), and 9.4% and 83.5% in Grade II (p < 0.001) for CSD and TSD. The incidence of complications was significantly higher in the CSD than in the TSD groups, but this was limited to asymmetry. There was no statistical difference in both infection and dehiscence.
Conclusion
TSD can lead to an objectively good cosmetic prognosis at higher CFL severity than CSD and can reduce the occurrence of facial asymmetry.
Heat Waves over India during Mar-May 2022: An object-based approach to Forecasting and Verification
Authors: Singh Harvir , Dube Anumeha , Ashrit Raghavendra , Srivast Prashant Kumar
Published: January 2023

Heatwaves are one of the most dangerous natural hazards in the world. Higher daily peak temperatures, duration, intensity and frequency of heatwaves are increasing globally due to climate change. In India, the instances of heatwaves have increased in recent years along with their intensity which has resulted in increased casualties. For the purpose of mitigation and reduction of damages due to heatwaves timely and accurate forecasts of such events are required. In order to check the accuracy and to generate more confidence in using these forecasts, an in-depth verification of the forecasts is required. Many traditional verification methods are commonly used to assess the performance of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models in predicting extreme weather like heatwaves. These methods have a limited utility as they are dependent only on a match at a grid-to-grid level. Spatial verification techniques, such as features or object-based approaches, can illustrate the model performance in a significant way by differentiating between forecast and observed features and comparing their spatial scale, shape, size, orientation, coverage area, displacement and intensity. In this study, we have tried to demonstrate the ability of a global model in predicting a maximum 2m temperature (Tmax), particularly in the heatwave-prone zones of India. For this purpose, the forecasts ofTmaxobtained from the National Centre for Medium Range Weather forecasting (NCMRWF) Unified Model (NCUM) are verified using the Method for Object-Based Diagnostic Evaluation (MODE). The study period is chosen to be March to May 2022. This study showed that NCUM forecast objects had a possible perfect timing and propagation ofTmax ≥ 41°C and ≥ 43°C objects when compared to the observations. It was also noticed that the NCUM model had a southwesterly bias in the location ofTmaxobjects forTmax ≥ 45°C, indicating a potential lag in system propagation. On the seasonal scale assessment showed that the forecast performance of the model for heatwaves (Tmax ≥ 41°C and ≥ 43°C) is reasonably good which is supported by many attributes like centroid distance; there was a small variation in the centroid distance median is ~ 150–200 km up to 120 hr lead times. The complexity ratio showed that the internal structure of the forecast matched ~ 83% and this result was supported by the curvature ratio was the near to perfect i.e. 95–97%, the 50th percentile intensity ratio which is also near to perfect 98–99% and the symmetric difference is the small enough to coincide with the observed heatwave zones. Based on thetotal interestvarying in the range of 90–97% up to 120 hr lead times it is evident that NCUM model accurately forecasts the heatwaves structure, shape and size well in advance up to 120 hr lead times.