bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Prospective Cohort Study: Erector Spinae Plane Block Decreases Chronic Postoperative Pain Severity in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Authors: Wiech Marcin , Żurek Sławomir , Kurowicki Arkadiusz , Horeczy Beata , Czczuwar Mirosław , Piwowarczyk Paweł , Widenka Kazimierz , Borys Michał
Published: September 2022

Up to 56% of patients develop chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). CPSP can affect patients’ moods and decrease daily activities. The primary aim of this study was to investigate CPSP severity in patients following off-pump (OP)-CABG using the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI). This was a prospective cohort study conducted in a cardiac surgery department of a teaching hospital. Patients undergoing OP-CABG were enrolled in an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) group (n = 27) or a control (CON) group (n = 24). Before the induction of general anesthesia, ESPB was performed on both sides under ultrasound guidance using 0.375% ropivacaine. The secondary outcomes included cumulative oxycodone consumption, acute pain intensity, mechanical ventilation time, hospital length of stay, and postoperative complications. CPSP intensity was lower in the ESPB group than in the CON group 1, 3, and 6 months postsurgery (p < 0.001). Significant between-group differences were also observed in other outcomes, including postoperative pain severity, opioid consumption, mechanical ventilation time, and hospital length of stay in favor of the ESPB group. Preemptive ESPB appears to decrease the risk of CPSP development in patients undergoing OP-CABG. Reduced acute pain severity and shorter mechanical ventilation times and hospital stays should improve patients’ satisfaction and reduce perioperative complications.
Towards Substitution of Hexane as Extraction Solvent of Food Products and Ingredients with No Regrets
Authors: Cravotto Christian , Fabiano-Tixier Anne-Sylvie , Claux Ombéline , McAlinden Christine , Abert-Vian Maryline , Tabasso Silvia , Cravotto Giancarlo , Chemat Farid
Published: September 2022

Hexane is a solvent used extensively in the food industry for the extraction of various products such as vegetable oils, fats, flavours, fragrances, colour additives or other bioactive ingredients. As it is classified as a "processing aid", it does not have to be declared on the label under current legislation. Therefore, although traces of hexane may be found in final products, especially in processed products, its presence is not known to consumers. However, hexane, and in particular the n-hexane isomer, has been shown to be neurotoxic to humans and has even been listed as a cause of occupational diseases in several European countries since the 1970s. In order to support the European strategy for a toxic-free environment (and toxic-free food), it seemed important to collect scientific information on this substance by reviewing the available literature. This review contains valuable information on the nature and origin of the solvent hexane, its applications in the food industry, its toxicological evaluation and possible alternatives for the extraction of natural products. Numerous publications have investigated the toxicity of hexane, and several studies have demonstrated the presence of its toxic metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) in the urine of the general, non-occupationally exposed population. Surprisingly, a tolerable daily intake (TDI) has apparently never been established by any food safety authority. Since hexane residues are undoubtedly found in various foods, it seems more than necessary to clearly assess the risks associated with this hidden exposure. A clear indication on food packaging and better information on the toxicity of hexane could encourage industry to switch towards one of the numerous other alternative extraction methods already developed.
Realignment of tRNA Variable Loops, the 3-31 nt Minihelix Theorem and Consequences for the Origin of Life
Authors: Lei Lei , Burton Zachary Frome
Published: September 2022

Evolutionary, sequence and structural analyses of tRNA variable (V) loops provides a new understanding. Type I tRNA V loops have a primordial length of 5 nt, and type II tRNA V loops have a primordial length of 14 nt. Sequence-based alignments of type I and type II V loops gave deceptive results. Type II V loops are characterized by the trajectory of the V arm, the size and sequence of the loop and the first and last V loop nucleotides and their known contacts. Depending on the V arm trajectory, type II V stems and loops can be interaction sites for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. So, type II V arms for tRNALeu, tRNASer and tRNATyr (found in Bacteria) were coevolved and selected to distinguish determinants to support cognate tRNA charging. The alignment of type I and type II V loops was adjusted based on tRNA evolution. Results are consistent with Archaea being an older and simpler life form than Bacteria. TRNAome sequences were derived from radiation of an ordered tRNAPri (Pri for primordial) sequence comprised of known RNA repeats and inverted repeats. V loop and tRNA sequences, therefore, convey a history of the primary successful pathway in the origin of life.
Adult Day Services, Health Equity for Older Adults With Complex Needs, and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sadarangani Tina R. , Gaugler Joseph E. , Dabelko-Schoeny Holly , Marx Katherine A.
Published: September 2022

Morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 have unduly affected older adults from racial and ethnic minority groups. In this article, we highlight the experiences and vulnerabilities of diverse older adults with complex health and social needs when their access to vital, but overlooked, community-based adult day service centers (ADSCs) was abruptly cut off during a pandemic.

Pandemic-related ADSC closures left vulnerable older adults and their care partners without essential daily support and services, such as health monitoring and socialization. However, the magnitude of the impact of ADSC closures on well-being, particularly among members of racial/ethnic minority groups, has yet to be measured with any form of “big data” because large-scale, nationally representative data sets consisting of participant-level information and outcomes associated with ADSC participation do not yet exist. Unmet needs of older adults resulting from pandemic-related ADSC closures are underrecognized because of a lack of systematic data collection, undermining efforts to achieve health equity.

We call on ADSCs to link rigorous collection of racial and ethnic data to quality measures of access to equitable “age-friendly” care as a means of better supporting diverse community-dwelling older adults beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(10):1421–1428. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306968 )
Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in the Utilization of TKA Among Patients with Posttraumatic Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Atarere Joseph , Agudile Emeka , Orhurhu Vwaire , Agudile Ukamaka M. , Sorescu George , Suleiman Zakari Aliyu , Weaver Michael J. , Von Keudell Arvind
Published: September 2022

Background:

Advanced posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) of the knee is a cause of substantial disability, particularly in younger individuals, and the treatment of choice is total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in the use of TKA, but, to our knowledge, there have been no studies examining these disparities among patients with PTOA.

Methods:

We performed chi-square and logistic regression analyses on data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). The outcome of interest was the rate of TKA utilization, and the primary predictors were racial/ethnic group and insurance status. The regression models were adjusted for age, sex, household income, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

Results:

The odds of receiving TKA for Black patients (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48 to 0.62) and Hispanic patients (OR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.62) were lower compared with White patients. Patients with Medicare (OR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.57), those with Medicaid (OR = 0.48; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.55), and those who self-paid (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.25) had significantly lower odds of TKA compared with those with private insurance.

Conclusions:

Black and Hispanic patients are less likely than White patients to utilize TKA, and patients with private insurance are more likely to utilize TKA.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Impact of different nitrogen additions on microbes and exopolysaccharides excretion in cyanobacterial biocrusts
Authors: Qian Long , Xiao Jingshang , Zhang Zulin , Yang Lie , Xia Ling , Farías María E. , Torres Rosa María , WU LI
Published: September 2022

Background
Recently, it has been found that nitrogen (N) deposition could strongly affect the spatial pattern of biocrusts by reducing their cover. However, as the key cementing materials in the formation and stabilization of biocrusts, little has been known about the response of exopolysaccharides (EPS) excreted by cyanobacteria in biocrusts to N deposition.
Method
Three N sources nitrate nitrogen (NN), ammonia nitrogen (AN), urea nitrogen (UN) with three gradients (2 mg/g, 4 mg/g, 8 mg/g) were set to evaluate the effects of N addition on the growth of biocrusts.
Results
Our results showed that AN and UN (2–4 mg/g) both strongly decreased the cyanobacterial biomass in biocrusts, indicated by chlorophyll-a and 16s rDNA gene copy-number. The results also suggested that although medium and high NN (4–8 mg/g) inhibited the growth of dominant cyanobacteria (Microcoleus vaginatus) in biocrusts, they promoted other cyanobacterial growth. High-throughput sequencing results suggested N increased the α-biodiversity of biocrusts, and bacterial community shifted from more Cyanobacteria to more Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, especially driven by AN and UN. Notably, EPS was significantly reduced after high-N addition, and the co-reduction of cyanobacterial biomass and EPS would affect the stabilization of early-stage biocrusts. Meanwhile, the reduced proportion of Rhamnose and Fucose in EPSs may further reduce the adhesion of EPS to soil.
Conclusion
These findings improve our understanding of biocrusts' responses to N deposition. Considering the importance of cyanobacteria and EPS in biocrusts, cyanobacterial biocrust coverage may face more serious challenges with the continuous increasing N deposition in drylands.
Modelling Bodyweight to Avoid Anthelmintic Underdosing of Goats in Resources Limited Settings
Authors: Evans Mike , Kaona Love , Barros Allan Kardec Duailibe , Bailey Jordana Burdon , Chikungwa Patrick , Costa-Junior Livio Martins , Gamble Luke , Hopker Andy , Kelly Rob , Lohr Frederic , Silva Ronaldo , Sargison Neil Donald
Published: September 2022

There is a need to improve the management of endemic diseases of livestock in resource limited settings as a means towards improved human nutrition and livelihoods. Gastrointestinal nematode infections (GIN) are some of the most significant endemic diseases, and improved management would significantly improve animal health and production. Anthelmintics play a role in GIN management; however, very few anthelmintics are available in many low-middle income countries. Utilising a limited range of anthelmintic classes may increase selection for anthelmintic resistance, as well as reducing mitigation strategies once resistance establishes. Strategies to reduce other selective pressures for anthelmintic resistance are therefore of heightened importance. Avoiding anthelmintic underdosing is one such strategy, and whilst it may appear simple, it can be challenging in settings without access to accurate bodyweight measurement. Many previous studies have used thoracic girth as a practical proxy for bodyweight in goats; however, they have rarely considered the potential impact of natural variation on therapeutic doses. Here, the relationship between bodyweight and thoracic girth was modelled using data from 820 goats from three Malawian biomes in two seasons, with the specific aim of avoiding underestimation of bodyweight. This resulted in the development of a simple linear regression (readily convertible into a weigh tape) that was internally cross-validated and then successfully tested against data from an additional 352 Malawian goats (from the same 3 biomes, across two seasons). Further testing using a historical dataset of 150 goats from Assam, India suggests that a more globally generalisable approach would be feasible.
Wool dyeing using Ziziphus bark extract as a natural dye: Studies on the dyeing, antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics
Authors: Mirnezhad Somayeh , Sadeghi-Kiakhani Mousa , hashemi elaheh
Published: September 2022

Considering the growing importance of natural colorants and sustainable products, the research on application of natural dyes has been focused on new color resources, identification and standardization of natural dyes. Hence, the extraction of natural colorants available in Ziziphus bark was performed by ultrasound technique and its application on the wool yarn to produce the antioxidant and antibacterial fibers. Results indicated that the optimize condition for extraction process was achieved at ethanol/water (1/2 v/v) as solvent for extraction, concentration of ziziphus dye 14 g/L, pH 9, extraction temperature 50 ºC, time 30 min, and L.R ratio 50:1. Moreover, the effect of important variables for application of ziziphus dye on the wool yarn were investigated and optimized temperature 100°C, concentration of ziziphus dye 50% o.w.f., time for dyeing 60 min and pH 8, and L.R 30:1. The reduction values of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria on dyed samples at optimized condition were 85% and 76%, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant property of dyed sample was 78%. The color variations on the wool yarn were produced with diverse metal mordants, and color fastness properties were measured. Ziziphus dye not only can be used as an origin for a natural dye, but also provided the antibacterial and antioxidant agent on the wool yarn, which can be a step towards the fabrication of green products.
On the measurement of scaling factors in the RW3 plastic phantom during high energy electron beam dosimetry
Authors: Baghani Hamid Reza , Andreoli Stefano , Robatjazi Mostafa
Published: September 2022

Ionometric electron dosimetry inside water-equivalent plastic phantoms demands special considerations including determination of depth scaling and fluence scaling factors (cpl and hpl) to shift from in-phantom measurements to those relevant to water. This study evaluates these scaling factors for RW3 slab phantom and also introduce a new coefficient, k(RW3), for direct conversion from RW3 measurements to water without involving scaling factors. The RW3 solid phantom developed by the PTW Company was used and the corresponding scaling factors including cpl, hpl, and k(RW3) were measured for conventional electron energies of 4, 6, 9, 12, and 16 MeV. Separate measurements were performed in water and in the RW3 slab phantom using the Advanced Markus chamber. The validity of the reported scaling factors was confirmed by comparing the direct and indirect percentage depth dose (PDD) measurement in water and in the RW3 phantom. The cpl values for the RW3 phantom were respectively equal to 0.915, 0.927, 0.934, 0.937, and 0.937 for 4, 6, 9, 12, and 16 MeV electron energies. The hpl and k(RW3) values were dependent on the investigation depth and on the electron energy. Application of the cpl-hpl factors and of the k(RW3) coefficients to measured data inside the RW3 can reliably reproduce the measured PDD curves in water. The mean difference between the PDDs measured directly and indirectly in water and in the RW3 phantom was less than 1.5% in both approaches for PDD conversion (cpl-hpl coupling and the use of k(RW3)). The scaling factors measured and the k(RW3) coefficients are sufficiently relevant to mimic water-based dosimetry results through indirect measurements inside the RW3 slab phantom. Nevertheless, employing k(RW3) is more straightforward than the cpl-hpl approach because it does not involve scaling and it is also less time-consuming.
Genetic characterization of indigenous duck of Tripura state in India using microsatellite markers
Authors: Debnath Jowel , Debnath Somen , Sarkar Debajyoti , Debroy Biplab , Kumar Mritunjay , Das Ananta Kumar
Published: September 2022

Exploring genetic variability by microsatellite markers is essential for genetic improvement, preservation of indigenous breeds and production of high quality offspring. Lack of information on microsatellite profiling of indigenous duck of Tripura has endorsed interest for this present study. Genomic DNA from randomly selected thirty six (36) native ducks was analysed at twenty five duck specific microsatellite loci, alleles were separated on 3.4% MetaPhore™ agarose and their sizes were determined by Image Lab software. Allelic data were analyzed by POPGENE version 1.31. All the studied loci demonstrated polymorphic patterns resolving 112 alleles. Allele number varied from 2 to 15 and average number of allele (Na) was 4.480 ± 0.659. Allele sizes and allele frequency ranged from 96 to 357 bp and 0.014 to 0.819, respectively. Average Nei’s heterozygosity, effective number (Ne) of alleles and Shannon’s Information index (I) were 0.617 ± 0.036, 3.538 ± 0.527 and 1.184 ± 0.112, respectively. The estimated Botstein’s polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.252 (CAUD020) to 0.911 (CAUD019) with an average of 0.562 ± 0.040 and sixteen loci were moderate to highly polymorphic and informative (PIC˃0.5). Ne was less than Na at all the loci, indicating prevalence of heterozygosity. Chi-square and G-square statistics revealed Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium at all the loci. Moderate to high level of polymorphism at all analyzed microsatellite loci indicated that these markers might be helpful for genetic characterization and adoption of appropriate conservation strategies to exploit optimum genetic potentiality of indigenous duck of Tripura.
Analysis of risk factors of intracavitary treatment of hypokalemia in patients with urinary calculi
Authors: Lu Dongming , Ye Shuchao , Liao Shangfan , Wu Yongyang , Sun Yingming , Zhou Wenhu , Lian Zhoubiao , Liao Xiaohui , Xie Xueping , Guo Hui
Published: September 2022

Background: 30% of patients with hypokalemia develop ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Through clinical observation, we found that there are more patients with hypokalemia after surgical treatment of urinary calculi; as far as we know, there is no study on the changes of serum potassium after intracavitary treatment of urinary calculi.
Objective: The change of electrolyte level through intracavitary treatment of urinary calculi (including URSL, PCNL, FURS combined with double endoscopy). To analyze the risk factors of hypokalemia and to provide evidence-based medical evidence for peri-operative management of intracavitary treatment of urinary calculi.
Methods: 585 patients with urolithiasis (including URSL, MPCNL, FURS) from January 2020 to August 2021 were collected and analyzed. The relationship between age, sex, basic diseases, clinical manifestations, mode of operation, operation time, urinary leukocyte, urine culture, serum creatinine, electrolyte, location and size of urinary calculi and serum potassium were analyzed, and the independent risk factors were analyzed.
Results: Among the 228 eligible patients, the proportion of women with HK was 63% higher than that of 37% in NG group, 3% in diabetic patients with HK, lower than that in NG group, 14.1% white blood cells in urine of HK (188.5 / ul) was higher than that of NG (96.4 / ul), and the serum creatinine (76mmol/L) before HK was lower than that of NG (85mmol/L). There was no significant difference between the two groups in age, BMI, basic diseases complicated with hypertension and coronary heart disease, clinical manifestations of low back pain and fever, positive urine culture before operation, anti-infection, blood magnesium, blood sodium, blood glucose, stone size, urine red blood cell count and operation time. Compared with men, women had diabetes. The OR values of ureteroscopy and flexible ureteroscope relative to percutaneous nephroscope and urinary leukocyte ≥ 120 / uL were 2.325, 7.793, 3.993, 2.09, respectively.
Conclusion: Female, diabetes, ureteroscope, flexible ureteroscope and urinary calculi with elevated white blood cells may develop hypokalemia during the peri-operative period, so we should pay attention to blood potassium supplement.
Large depth-of-field ultra-compact microscope by progressive optimization and deep learning
Authors: Zhang Yuanlong , Xie Jiachen , Song Xiaofei , Hu Jing , Chen Jiawei , Li Xiang , Zhang Haiyu , Zhou Qiqun , Yuan Lekang , Kong Chui , Shen Yibing , Wu Jiamin , Fang Lu , Dai Qionghai
Published: September 2022

The optical microscope is customarily an instrument of substantial size and expense but limited performance. Here we report an integrated microscope that achieves the optical performance beyond a commercial microscope with a 5× objective but only at 0.15 cm3 and 0.5 gram, whose size is five orders of magnitude smaller than that of a conventional microscope. To achieve this, a progressive optimization pipeline is proposed which systematically optimizes both aspherical lenses and diffractive optical elements with over 30 times memory reduction compared to the end-to-end optimization. By designing a simulation-supervision deep neural network for spatially-varying deconvolution during optical design, we accomplish over 10-times improvement in the depth of field compared to traditional microscopes with great generalization in a wide variety of samples. To show the unique advantages, the integrated microscope is equipped in a cell phone without any accessories for the application of portable diagnostics. We believe our method provides a new framework for the design of miniaturized high-performance imaging systems by integrating aspherical optics, computational optics, and deep learning.
Temporal and spatial characteristic of Green Total Factor Productivity in Energy-intensive Industry in China
Authors: Lin Jinxian , Zhang Ling
Published: September 2022

China's Energy-intensive Industry (EII) is characterized by high pollution, high energy consumption, and high emissions. It is essential to boost this sector's green total factor productivity (GTFP) in order to support the sustainable development of the China’s economy and help to achieve the objective of carbon neutrality. This work measures the evolution of GTFP in EII and its subsectors at provincial and regional level from 2001 to 2019, identifies the causes of these changes, and finally analyze the particular spatial aggregation effect of GTFP in EII. It is discovered that the GTFP of China's EII has significantly improved throughout the sample period and exhibits a spatial structure of "high in the coastal areas and low in the west and center". The main driver of GTFP growth for China's EII and its subsectors was technological advance. Smelting and pressing of on-ferrous metals (SPNM) was the industry with the most significant technological progress. Remarkable spatial correlations existed among the GTFP of EII at provincial level. The GTFP values of EII in coastal regions are relatively high and tend to benefit the adjacent provinces but there is a polarization effect in the Middle Reaches of Yellow River (YR). Finally, policy implications are provided for the sustainable development of China's EII.
Analysis of related factors of portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis
Authors: xu xiaotong , jin jinglan , liu yuwei , Li Hang
Published: September 2022

Background and aims:
To investigate the usefulness of IL-6、TNF-α、Protein C(PC) and Thromboelastography (TEG) to serve as a predictor of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with liver cirrhosis. At the same time, we explored the clinical significance of the above indicators in the disease progression.
Methods: A total of 123 patients with liver cirrhosis were recruited from May 2021 to December 2021, according to the imaging findings. They were divided into the PVT group (n=52) and the non-PVT group (n=71). Furthermore, patients with PVT were divided into plasma transfusion groups (n=13) and non-plasma transfusion groups (n=39). The basic general information, past medical history, laboratory, and imaging examination data were collected and analyzed.
Results: In univariate analysis, there was no significant difference in IL-6, PC, R, Angle, MA, and CI between the two groups (P > 0.05). TNF-α in the PVT group was significantly lower than that in the non-PVT group (P =0.001). K in the PVT group was significantly higher than that in the non-PVT group (P =0.031) There was no significant difference in IL-6, TNF-α, PC, or TEG between different Child-Pugh classification groups (P＞0.05). There was no significant difference in TEG between the plasma transfusion group and the non-plasma transfusion group. In Binary logistic regression analysis, TNF-α (OR=0.9881,95%CI=0.971,0.990,P＜0.001) ,K(OR=1.28,95%=1.053,1.569，P=0.014) ,APTT (OR=0.753,95%CI=0.656,0.865,P＜0.001) , diameter of portal vein (OR=1.310,95%CI=1.108，1.549，P=0.002）and the history of splenectomy or embolism (OR=7.565,95%CI=1.514，37.799，P=0.014）were related to the formation of PVT. Conclusions: TNF-α, K, APTT, the diameter of the portal vein and the history of splenectomy or embolism were the related factors of PVT formation, but IL-6 was not related to the formation of PVT.
Improving Autoencoder-Based Anomaly Detection in Embedded Systems using Data Transformation
Authors: de Oliveira Jose Paulo G. , Bastos-Filho Carmelo J. A. , Oliveira Sergio Campello
Published: September 2022

Quality control is a critical aspect of modern electronic circuit industry. In addition to being a prerequisite for proper functioning, circuit quality is closely related to safety, security, and economics. Deep learning models have been extensively used in embedded systems testing and anomaly detection. However, performance is heavily dependent on the data available for training. Often, the number of samples or even its quality is limited. This leads to poor training process and low performance. We present a solution to improve anomaly detection in embedded systems by transforming time signals acquired from the printed circuit board under test. The proposed approach is experimentally validated in two autoencoder-based anomaly detection systems. Hence, two types of signals are analyzed: electric current and thermographic signatures. In both cases, electrical or thermographic signals are pre-processed prior to being converted into spectrogram images, which are then used to train and test the autoencoder. The achieved anomaly detection accuracy improvement for the thermographic case is 71%, compared with the raw data. For the electric current case, we show how data transformations enable autoencoder training where, using raw data, training is not feasible. In this case, we find accuracy improvements of up to 98%. The results indicate that, even in a scenario where the available data are limited, it is possible to achieve an acceptable performance using the proposed technique.
Enhancing Structural Plasticity of PC12 Neurons During Differentiation and Neurite Regeneration with a Catalytically Inactive Mutant Version of the zRICH Protein
Authors: Bandla Ashoka C. , Sheth Aditya S. , Zarate Sara M. , Uskamalla Suraj , Hager Elizabeth C. , Villarreal Victor A. , González-García Maribel , Ballestero Rafael P.
Published: September 2022

Background
Adult humans, as warm-blooded vertebrates, do not regenerate axons in their central nervous system (CNS) spontaneously. Conversely, cold-blooded vertebrates demonstrate remarkable abilities for nerve regeneration in their CNS. Studies of the molecular mechanisms of nerve regeneration have led to the discovery of several proteins that are induced during successful nerve regeneration. RICH proteins were identified as proteins induced during the regeneration of the optic nerve of teleost fish. These proteins are 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide, 3’-phosphodiesterases that can bind to cellular membranes through a carboxy-terminal membrane localization domain. They interact with the tubulin cytoskeleton and are able to enhance neuronal structural plasticity by promoting the formation of neurite branches.
Results
PC12 stable transfectant cells expressing a fusion protein combining a red fluorescent protein with a catalytically inactive mutant version of zebrafish RICH protein were generated. These cells were used as a model to analyze effects on neuritogenesis. Computer-assisted morphometric analysis methods were developed to determine the effects of expressed proteins on neuritogenesis with this model system.
Conclusions
Two different methods indicated that the catalytically inactive RICH protein induced the formation of branching points and secondary neurites both during differentiation and neurite regeneration. The use of a fluorescent fusion protein facilitates detection of expression levels, and a procedure based on analysis of random field images was developed to increase the efficiency for determining effects of expressed proteins on neuronal structural plasticity, providing comparable results to classic neurite tracing methods.
Fossil organic carbon utilization in marine Arctic fjord sediments
Authors: Ruben Manuel , Hefter Jens , Schubotz Florence , Geibert Walter , Butzin Martin , Gentz Torben , Grotheer Hendrik , Forwick Matthias , Szczucinski Witold , Mollenhauer Gesine
Published: September 2022

Recent research has challenged the traditional view of rock-derived or petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) as non-bio-available and bypassing the active carbon cycle when eroded and buried in marine sediments1and identified it as a potential source of fossil greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere2. Due to rising global temperatures, glacial OCpetroexport rates are expected to increase3, thus, increasing the amount of OCpetroaccessible to modern microbes in downstream depositional environments like the carbon burial “hot spots” of fjord sediments4. Using compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of fatty acids from intact polar lipids derived from live microbes, we were able to quantify the bio-availability of OCpetroin marine sediments in Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard. Our data indicate that local bacterial communities utilize between 5 ± 2% and 55 ± 6% of OCpetro(average of 25 ± 16%) for their biosynthesis, providing evidence for OCpetrobio-availability and its importance as substrate after redeposition. We hypothesize that the lack of sufficient recently synthesized organic carbon from primary production forces microbes into OCpetroutilization as an alternative energy source. The enhanced input of OCpetroand subsequent utilization by subsurface microbes represents an increasing natural source of fossil greenhouse gas emissions and a potential further positive feedback mechanism in a warming climate.
miR-153-5p suppresses the proliferation, invasion and migration of malignant meningioma via the MEK/ERK signaling pathway by targeting GAB1
Authors: Chen Weifeng , Jiahui Zhao , Wu Qianlan , Shi Yunpeng , Yan Hongjing , Zhen Wu , Lei Chen , Zhao Zongmao
Published: September 2022

Aims:This study aimed to determine the role and correlation of miR-153-5p and GAB1 in the proliferation, invasion and migration of malignant meningioma.
Background:Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumor in adults.For meningioma, the only effective treatment and targeted therapy is excision and radiotherapy.However,some meningiomas are prone to recurring due to specific disease sites or an invasion of blood vessels and nerves, and the prognosis is poor.To discover biomarkers and develop targeted therapies, it is necessary to better understand meningioma oncogenesis.
Methods:Human meningioma tissues were collected from patients diagnosed in pathological examinations. In addition, human malignant meningioma cell lines IOMM-Lee was included. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the miR-153-5p and GAB1 level in the clinical tissues and cell lines.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect GAB1 expression.The specific binding site between miR-153-5p and GAB1 was predicted using bioinformatics, and dual luciferase assay was used to confirm their specific binding relationship. In IOMM-Lee, miR-153-5p was artificially overexpressed or suppressed and target gene expression GAB1 was blocked by siRNA. Cell proliferation, invasion and migration were measured using CCK-8,Transwell and Wound-healing assays.The activity of the MEK/ERK pathway was evaluated by detecting the key factors through Western blotting.
Results:We found that miR-153-5p expression was low and GAB1 mRNA was high in meningioma tissues and IOMM-Lee cell lines. GAB1 is a direct target gene of miR-153-5p.Both miR-153-5p overexpression and GAB1 silencing inhibited malignant meningioma cells proliferation, migration and invasion,and GAB1 silencing partially blocked the effect of miR-153-5p silencing in these respects.We also confirmed that miR-153-5p might regulate MEK/ERK pathway activation by inhibiting GAB1 expression.
Conclusions: miR-153-5p suppresses the proliferation, invasion and migration of malignant meningioma via the MEK/ERK signaling pathway by targeting GAB1, defining miR-153-5p and GAB1 as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant meningioma.
Sociodemographic effects on pandemic fatigue are multifaceted and context-specific: a longitudinal analysis of physical distancing adherence
Authors: Leach Damon , Morris Keeley J. , Fiecas Mark , Tarr Gillian A.M.
Published: September 2022

Pandemic fatigue emerged early during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a concern as new variants emerge and ongoing public health measures are needed to control them. A wide range of factors can affect pandemic fatigue, but empiric research indicating which may be most important to adherence in specific populations is lacking. Here we report results from a longitudinal study of physical distancing, in which we found that changes in contact rates over time differed according to several sociodemographic characteristics. Meaningful effects emerged along lines of age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, household composition, and access to transportation. Furthermore, the factors influencing the rate of change in contact rates differed by the type or setting of the contact, for example contacts as a result of visiting another person’s home versus during a retail outing. These results provide evidence for potential mechanisms by which pandemic fatigue has resulted in lower physical distancing adherence.
Development of a Universal Landslide Hazard Potential Model for Mudrocks - Fuzzy Logic and Molecular-level Modeling approaches
Authors: ur-Rehman Habib , Abduljauwad Sahel N. , Naeemuddin Muhammad
Published: September 2022

The phenomenon of the reduction of shear strength due to moisture-induced swelling and subsequent slaking of the mudrocks is one of the leading causes of landslide hazards in mountainous terrain. In the practice, empirical/semi-empirical approaches adopted for the determination of this hazard are mostly based on macro-level factors. But they do not comprehensively cover the micro-level factors, which contribute to the complex swelling/slaking process. Therefore, a comprehensive fuzzy-logic-based model was developed in this study, which includes both the macro-level landslide contributing factors and the micro-level factors, such as mineralogy, cementation, cation exchange capacity, in situ moisture content, density, and stress state. The model resulted from the molecular simulations of swelling and the subsequent slaking processes using Monte Carlo, molecular mechanics, and molecular dynamics. The results of the micro-level model are incorporated into the fuzzy-logic model to create a universal landslide hazard potential model for the slopes composed of mudrocks. The micro-level behaviour is incorporated in the coupled model via the cohesive energy density parameter for the mudrocks. The final coupled model was verified through the accurate prediction of the landslides and also by comparing the predicted terminal water content with the water content of the mudrock samples collected from the triggered landslides.
YOLO Based Multi-Objective Vehicle Detection and Tracking
Authors: costel tchanchou , XIN JIANG , YU WANG , RUI ZHENG
Published: September 2022

Vehicle recognition and monitoring are gaining importance in traffic management. However, due to the various sizes of cars, detection remains a difficulty, which directly impacts the accuracy of vehicle counts. The suggested vehicle recognition and counting method first extracts the highway road surface in the image and divides it into a distant regions. A newly developed segmentation strategy in the proposed vehicle identification and counting system first extracts a nd s eparates t he highway road Turface in the image into a distant region and a proximal area; the method is crucial for improving vehicle detection. The aforementioned locations are then sent to the YOLOv5m network to determine the vehicle’s kind and position. Finally, the ORB algorithm is utilized to create vehicle trajectories, which may be used to estimate the driving direction of the vehicle and determine the number of distinct cars. Several traffic surveillance recordings from various settings are utilized to validate the suggested meUhodoMoHZ. 5he experimental findings demonstrate that the suggested segmentation approach may give greater detection accuracy, particularly for the detection of little automobile things. In addition, the vehicle detection performance was significantly improved by 99.39 % of m AP compared to the Yolov5 basic. This work has broad practical implications for managing and controlling vehicle objects in traffic scenes.
Embedding-aided network dismantling
Authors: Osat Saeed , Papadopoulos Fragkiskos , Teixeira Andreia Sofia , Radicchi Filippo
Published: September 2022

Optimal percolation concerns the identification of the minimum-cost strategy for the destruction of any extensive connected components in a network. Solutions of such a dismantling problem are important for the design of optimal strategies of disease containment based either on immunization or social distancing. Depending on the specific variant of the problem considered, network dismantling is performed via the removal of nodes or edges, and different cost functions are associated to the removal of these microscopic elements. In this paper, we show that network representations in geometric space can be used to solve several variants of the network dismantling problem in a coherent fashion. Once a network is embedded, dismantling is implemented using intuitive geometric strategies. We demonstrate that the approach well suits both Euclidean and hyperbolic network embeddings. Our systematic analysis on synthetic and real networks demonstrates that the performance of embedding-aided techniques is comparable to, if not better than, the one of the best dismantling algorithms currently available on the market.
Liver fibrosis is associated with impaired bone mineralization and microstructure in obese individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Authors: Barchetta Ilaria , Lubrano Carla , Cimini Flavia Agata , Dule Sara , Passarella Giulia , Dellanno Arianna , Biasio Alberto Di , Leonetti Frida , Silecchia Gianfranco , Lenzi Andrea , Cavallo Maria Gisella
Published: September 2022

Background and purpose

Chronic liver diseases are associated with increased bone fracture risk, mostly in end-stage disease and cirrhosis; besides, data in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited. Aims of this study was to investigate bone mineralization and microstructure in obese individuals with NAFLD in relation to the estimated liver fibrosis.

Methods

We analyzed data from 1872 obese individuals (44.6 ± 14.1 years, M/F: 389/1483; BMI: 38.3 ± 5.3 kg/m2) referring to the Endocrinology outpatient clinics of Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Participants underwent clinical work-up, Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry for assessing bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitecture (trabecular bone score, TBS). Liver fibrosis was estimated by Fibrosis Score 4 (FIB-4). Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25(OH) vitamin D, osteocalcin and IGF-1 levels were measured.

Results

Individuals with osteopenia/osteoporosis had greater FIB-4 than those with normal BMD (p < 0.001). FIB-4 progressively increased in presence of degraded bone microarchitecture (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with the serum osteocalcin (p < 0.001) and IGF-1 (p < 0.001), which were both reduced in presence of osteopenia/osteoporosis. FIB-4 predicted IGF-1 reduction in multivariable regression models adjusted for confounders (β: −0.18, p < 0.001). Higher FIB-4 predicted bone fragility with OR 3.8 (95%C.I:1.5–9.3); this association persisted significant after adjustment for sex, age, BMI, diabetes, smoking status and PTH at the multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR 1.91 (95%C.I:1.15–3.17), p < 0.01), with AUROC = 0.842 (95%C.I:0.795–0.890; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our data indicate the presence of a tight relation between NAFLD-related liver fibrosis, lower bone mineral density and degraded microarchitecture in obese individuals, suggesting potential common pathways underlying liver and bone involvement in insulin-resistance associated disorders.
DCP: a pipeline toolbox for diffusion connectome
Authors: Huang Weijie , Fu Anguo , Shu Ni
Published: September 2022

The brain structure network constructed from diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) reflects the anatomical connections between brain regions, so the brain structure network can quantitatively describe the anatomical connectivity pattern of the entire brain. This method has been widely used in scientific research. While many toolboxes facilitating the construction of white matter networks and topological analysis have been developed, fully automated network analysis based on dMRI data in the Windows Operating System remains challenging. Here, we developed a MATLAB toolbox named “Diffusion Connectome Pipeline” (DCP) for fully automated construction of brain structure networks and analyzing networks. The toolbox integrates modules of a few developed packages, including Diffusion Toolkit, DiffusionKit, SPM, CAMINI, and MRIcron. It can process any number of raw dMRI datasets from different subjects in either DICOM or NIfTI format. It is also compatible with processed files from HCP and UK Biobank. Moreover, DCP has a friendly graphical user interface running on the Windows Operating System, which enables users to configure their processing pipeline without any programming. As an open-source package, DCP is freely available on https://www.nitrc.org/projects/dcp and will be regularly updated. This novel toolbox is expected to substantially standardize and facilitate human brain structural connectome studies.
Developmental screening of full-term infants at 16 to 18 months of age after in-utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Shah Aashish , Howell Heather , Kazmi Sadaf , Zaccario Michele , Sklamberg Felice , Groth Taylor , Martindale Pia , Dreyer Benard , Verma Sourabh
Published: September 2022

Full-term infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection may be at increased risk for neurodevelopmental delays at 16 to 18 months of life. Infants born to the mothers with mild symptoms had no differences in outcomes during developmental screening than those born to asymptomatic mothers with SARS-CoV-2.
Hypo- and Hyper-perfusion in MCI and AD Identified by Different ASL MRI Sequences
Authors: Camargo Aldo , Wang Ze
Published: September 2022

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion MRI has been increasingly used in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) research. Because ASL implementations differ greatly in signal preparations and data acquisition strategies, both resulting in a large difference of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a comparison of different sequences that are widely available in major MR vendors is vital. The purpose of this study was to compare three types of commercial ASL MRI methods in Siemens and GE scanners: 2D Pulsed ASL (PASL), 3D Background Suppressed (BS) PASL, and 3D BS Pseudo-Continuous ASL (PCASL). We used data from 100 healthy control (NC), 75 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 57 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) subjects from the AD neuroimaging initiative (ADNI). Both cross-sectional perfusion difference and perfusion vs clinical assessment correlations were compared across the three types of data. Different perfusions change patterns were observed, being 3D + BS ASL more sensitive than 2D ASL and 3D PASL the most sensitive. Significant lower CBF were found in MCI compared with NC subjects in the left and right middle temporal gyrus, right cerebellum, and left postcentral gyrus; and significantly higher CBF in MCI compared to NC in the left and right precuneus, left middle temporal gyrus, and right calcarine gyrus. Significant lower CBF were found in AD compared with MCI in left and right cerebellum and right MCC, and significantly higher CBF in AD compared with MCI in left and right insula lobe, right thalamus, right calcarine gyrus, left and right thalamus, and right and left cerebellum.
Players', head coaches and medical personnel knowledge, understandings and perceptions of injury and injury prevention in elite-level women’s football in Ireland.
Authors: Horan Dan , Kelly Seamus , Hägglund Martin , Blake Catherine , Roe Mark , Delahunt Eamonn
Published: September 2022

Background To manage injuries effectively, players, head coaches and medical personnel need to have excellent knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in relation to the identification of risk factors for injury, the implementation of injury prevention initiatives, and the implementation of effective injury management strategies. Understanding the injury context whereby specific personal, environmental and societal factors can influence the implementation of injury prevention initiatives and injury management strategies is critical for player welfare. To date, no qualitative research investigating the context of injury has been undertaken in elite-level women’s football. The aim of our study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of players, head coaches and medical personnel in the Irish Women’s National League (WNL) to injury prevention and injury management. Methods We used qualitative research methods to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of players, head coaches and medical personnel in the Irish WNL to injury prevention and injury management. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 17 players, 8 medical personnel and 7 head coaches in the Irish WNL. This study is located within an interpretivist, constructivist research paradigm and interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Results The participants had incomplete knowledge of common injuries in elite-level football, and many held beliefs about risk factors for injury, such as menstrual cycle stage, which lacked evidence to support them. Jumping and landing exercises were commonly used to reduce injury but evidence-based injury prevention exercises and programmes such as the Nordic curl, Copenhagen adduction and the FIFA 11 + were rarely mentioned. Overall, there was dissatisfaction amongst players with the medical and strength and conditioning (S & C) support with resultant inadequate communication between players, head coaches and medical personnel. Conclusion Poor quality and availability of medical and S & C support was considered to be a major obstacle in the effective implementation of injury risk reduction strategies and successful return-to-sport (RTS) practices. More original research is required in elite-level women’s football exploring injury risk factors, injury prevention initiatives and contextual RTS strategies so that players, head coaches and medical personnel can use evidence that is both up-to-date and specific to their environment.