bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of bread fortification with pomegranate peel powder on metabolic profile in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients: A randomized blind control trial
Authors: Zare Maryam , Rezaei Atefe , Karimifar Mozhgan , Tarrahi Mohammad Javad , Saraf-Bank Sahar , Goli Sayed Amir Hossein , Amani Reza
Published: October 2024

Background
Among the leading causes of mortality in the world is type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and diet plays an important role in T2DM risk factors. A primary objective of this study was to explore the effects of pomegranate peel powder (PPP) fortified bread on glycemic control, lipid profile, and anthropometric indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).
Methods
The PPP was added to the bread by adding 0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 5 percent. We measured phenol content using Folin-Ciocalteu and antioxidant activity using DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). Ninety participants were allocated to a randomized parallel controlled intervention study and the effect of consuming 100 g/day of bread with PPP (3.5%) on glycemic markers, lipid profile, and anthropometrics was assessed.
Results
No significant effects of bread with PPP intake compared with the control bread were observed on anthropometric, blood pressure, glycemic, and lipid markers after adjusting age, sex, and change in calorie.
Conclusions
Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the preventive roles of PPP on diabetes metabolic complications.
Trial Registration:
IRCT20191209045672N1 is the trial ID in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. Date of registration 21/09/2020. https://en.irct.ir/trial/48132.
Successful Treatment of Autochthonous Aemonella orientalis Pneumonia in an HIV-Infected Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Li Ru , Chai Zhi , Yang Jingkai , Fan Yucheng , Shi Jieran
Published: October 2024

A case of an HIV-infected patient was admitted to the respiratory department presenting with cough, yellow and white sputum, and fever. Chest imaging revealed infectious lesions in both lungs. Examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using next-generation sequencing (NGS) identified Aemonella orientalis and pulmonary pathology confirmed the presence of fungal spores, indicating a fungal infection. The patient underwent approximately 8 weeks of progressive treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, followed by oral voriconazole tablets, resulting in significant resolution of the chest infection.
Radiological outcomes according to Matta radiographic criteria after surgical fixation of acetabular fracture.
Authors: Durrani Muhammad Younus Khan , Ali Usman , Jameel Zaigham , Umer Masood
Published: October 2024

Background.
Acetabular fractures, a rising concern in developing countries, pose a significant challenge due to their complexity and association with post-operative complications. Often caused by high-energy mechanisms like falls and motor vehicle accidents, these fractures require accurate reduction to prevent long-term issues and potential need for hip replacement. This study investigates the radiological outcomes of acetabular fracture surgery at six months, focusing on the effectiveness of achieving anatomical reduction using the Matta criteria in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) setting.
Methods and material.
This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Pakistan from May 2023 to December 2023, with ethical approval. Patients with isolated acetabular fractures were recruited. Preoperative X-rays and CT scans classified fractures using the Judet and Letournel Classification. Six-month postoperative X-rays were assessed using Matta radiographic criteria. Appropriate statistical analysis was deployed with a significance level set at p < 0. 05.
Results
A total of 33 cases met the study criteria, with an average patient age of 43.2 years. Males constituted 87.9% of the cases. Longer hospital stays were associated with poorer outcomes (p < 0.001). Fracture patterns were significant predictors of outcomes (p < 0.001). Six months post-surgery, 45.5% of patients had excellent results, 24.2% had good results, and 15.2% each had fair and poor results according to the Matta radiographic criteria. Avascular necrosis (AVN) developed in 9.1% of patients. Of the ten patients with femoral head dislocation, only one developed AVN
Conclusion.
This LMIC-based study investigated factors affecting outcomes in patients with acetabular fractures treated using ORIF. We found a younger patient population compared to high-income countries, and injury patterns suggested a link to the local environment (e.g., traffic accidents). Optimizing hospital stay and timely surgery improved radiological outcomes as assessed by Matta criteria. While limitations exist, the study supports using Matta criteria in LMICs. Future research with larger, multicenter designs incorporating function is needed. Importantly, our findings highlight the need for a new LMIC-specific classification system considering factors like comminution and femoral head dislocation to improve surgical planning and outcomes.
Genetic Susceptibility and Disease Activity in Ankylosing Spondylitis: The Role of GPR35 rs4676410 Polymorphism in a Turkish Population
Authors: KIRKIK Duygu , HACIMUSTAFAOGLU Fatih , GÜNDOGDU Barış , DOGANTEKİN Betül , KARIKSIZ Mesut , TAS Sevgi KALKANLI
Published: October 2024

Introduction: In East Asians, an additional genome-wide association study finally detected several new immune-related susceptibility loci for AS. There have been some investigations conducted for genetic variations, and it was found that the single nucleotide polymorphisms of GPR35 gene would play an important role in the pathophysiology of AS. The primary goal of the study was to explore the role of the rs4676410 polymorphism in the GPR35 gene in contributing to the susceptibility to Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and its influence on clinical and biochemical outcome parameters within the Turkish population. The study also aimed to understand how these genetic factors interact with the disease's pathogenesis and severity.
Methods:We isolated DNA and examined the rs4676410 variation in GPR35 among 200 participants (100 with AS individuals and 100 with healthy individuals) by using real time PCR. Compared the results with biochemical data and then we evaluated results using IBM SPSS 26.
Results:Our research has shown that having the AA genotype or A allele seems associated with a susceptibility or risk of developing AS in Turkish population.
Conclusion: The strong correlational basis between disease-activity scores and genetic variants supports the utility of exploring genetics, which underscores as one of main player affecting parametric severity evaluations. This is the first study conducted in Turkey.
The Role of Eco-Anxiety in the Presentation of Bulimia Nervosa: A Case Report
Authors: Runfola Cristin D. , Safer Debra L.
Published: October 2024

Background: Despite a growing literature demonstrating the significant impacts of climate change on mental health, research is urgently needed to investigate how climate change-related concerns may contribute to the development, exacerbation, or re-emergence of eating disorders, as well as affect the effectiveness of existing interventions. This case report contributes to this scant knowledge base by offering empirical evidence for how responses to climate change can influence eating disorder symptoms and, importantly, limit the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E).
Case presentation: A 24-year-old female graduate student studying environmental science presented to a specialized eating disorder clinic with worsening bulimia nervosa. Her symptoms initially improved with CBT-E; however, after three months, concerns about food waste significantly impeded further progress. The therapist, identifying symptoms of eco-anxiety, adapted standard CBT-E strategies to include psychoeducation about eco-anxiety, cognitive restructuring of beliefs about food waste and other eating-related eco-concerns, relevant exposures related to such concerns, and problem-solving to increase social support. These adaptations led to resumed progress, with the patient achieving nutritional adequacy by treatment end (38 sessions) and maintaining treatment gains through one year follow-up.
Conclusions: To our awareness, this is the first case report on the co-occurrence of eco-anxiety and eating disorders. This case underscores the importance of screening for concurrent eco-anxiety, suggests ways in which eating disorders and eco-anxiety can influence one another longitudinally, describes how coexisting eco-anxiety can limit standard CBT-E’s effectiveness, and provides examples of successful treatment adaptations tailored to address eco-anxiety-related concerns.
How do children understand and respond to the EQ-5D-Y-3L? A mixed methods study in a community-based sample of 6–12-year-olds.
Authors: Khanna Diana , Lay Kiri , Khadka Jyoti , Mpundu-Kaambwa Christine , Ratcliffe Julie
Published: October 2024

Background: The EQ-5D-Y-3L is widely used for measuring and valuing HRQoL in paediatric populations. This mixed methods study used the EQ-5D-Y-3L measure and applied a retrospective think-aloud approach to examine the self-report validity in children of varying chronological age.
Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted in a community-based sample of 39 children aged 6-12 years. In a semi-structured interview, children self-completed the EQ-5D-Y-3L and then engaged in retrospective think-aloud. Conversations were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis in NVivo using the Tourangeau four-stage response model framework to assess comprehension, judgment, recall, and response mapping issues. To assess the differences between the self and the two proxy reports, Fisher’s exact test was used. The overall inter-rater agreement was assessed with CCC and dimension level using Gwet’s AC1.
Results: Overall, response issues were detected in n=18 (46%) children. Comprehension issues were apparent in the “having pain or discomfort” dimension where children found it challenging to understand ‘discomfort’. Recall-related issues were observed where children’s responses were influenced by their typical tendencies (e.g., being usually worried) or past incidences (e.g., feeling pain sometimes). Judgement-related issues were the most common, particularly in the “doing usual activities” dimension, where children tended to respond based on their self-perceived ability to engage in activities rather than health-related limitations. None of the participants were found to have problems with response mapping. A healthy lifestyle that included diet and exercise was a notable consideration in EQ VAS ratings.
The younger age groups had the highest proportion of response issues (6-7 years: 64%, 8-10 years: 62%), while the oldest age group had the lowest (11-12 years: 20%). Moreover, children with response issues demonstrated significantly lower EQ-5D-Y-3L scores (mean=0.78, se=0.04) as compared to those with no response issues (mean=0.95, se=0.02) (p-value=0.0007). The overall inter-rater agreement was higher for those without any response issues (CCC=0.33) than those with (CCC=0.14). Additionally, higher agreement was noted across all the five dimensions in the subgroup with no response issues relative to those with.
Conclusions: Children in the general community may have different perceptions of HRQoL when responding to the EQ-5D-Y-3L possibly due to their limited experience with health-related challenges. The relatively higher prevalence of response issues in the younger children (ages <11 years) highlights the need for caution in the self-assessment of HRQoL using the current version of the EQ-5D-Y-3L for this age group in this population.
Impact of IVF/ICSI on Grades of Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders and Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Hu Miao , Du Lili , Zhang Lizi , Lin Lin , Zhang Yuliang , Gu Shifeng , Gu Zhongjia , Liang JingYing , Lai Siying , Liu Yu , Huang Minshan , Huang Yuanyuan , Huang Qingqing , Luo Shijun , Zhang Shuang , Chen Dunjin
Published: October 2024

Objective
To investigate the impact of IVF/ICSI on grades of placenta accreta spectrum disorders and pregnancy outcomes.
Methods
Placenta accreta spectrum disorders patients who underwent cesarean section at a single clinical center from January 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively included in this study. Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared between the IVF/ICSI group and the spontaneous conception group. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the risk factors associated with adverse outcomes related to IVF/ICSI. A 1:1 ratio propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to minimize selection bias between the two groups. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 25.0) software.
Results
No increase in the incidence of grades placenta was detected for IVF/ICSI group, and the difference is not statistically significant (P = 0.290). PAS grading is not associated with IVF/ICSI (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.45 ~ 1.27, P = 0.290). In contrast, a significant risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage (OR = 9.20, 95%CI: 2.68 ~ 9.22, P < 0.001) and red cells transfusion ≥ 4U (OR = 3.71,95%CI:1.21 ~ 11.33, P = 0.021) was observed in IVF/ICSI group. No additional adverse pregnancy outcomes arose as a result of IVF/ICSI.
Conclusion
It is necessary to further investigation into the potential risk factors that might impact PAS grading. It has been shown that IVF/ICSI treatment is associated with a higher risk of postpartum hemorrhage and blood transfusion requirements. Therefore, in order to provide patients the best chance of recovery, professionals must carefully evaluate the patient's health as well as the available treatment options.
Nutritional status as a predictor of 30-day mortality among intensive care unit patients in sub-Saharan Africa: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Abate Semagn Mekonnen , Jemal Bedru , Taddesse Muhidin , Berhanu Mahalet , Nega Solomon , Mantefardo Bahru , Meno Abinet
Published: October 2024

Background: Malnutrition is a major public health issue, causing significant mortality and morbidity, especially in developing nations. However, the magnitude and its impact on clinical outcomes in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients need to be investigated better in Sub-Saharan Africa, and this study was intended to address these issues.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of malnutrition on clinical outcomes among ICU patients
Method: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 436 ICU patients, 218 of whom were malnourished. After obtaining ethical approval, malnourished and well-nourished patients were followed for thirty days to examine the effects of nutritional status on clinical outcomes and its determinants. At admission, nutritional screening and evaluation were performed with Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and during the next thirty days, it was evaluated every seven days with SGA, MUST, and modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (NUTRIC).
Result: This study demonstrated that the incidence of 30-day mortality was 47.9 %( 95% CI: 43.2 to 52.6). The hazards of death in patients with malnutrition increased by 40% as compared to well-nourished patients (aHR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.33 to 2.56), and patients with diabetes mellitus had 4 times the hazards of death (aHR= 4.2, 95% CI: 2.12 to 8.28).
Conclusion: Malnutrition is prevalent in adult ICU patients and has been linked to a higher 30-day mortality and a more extended ICU stay. MUST, SGA, and NUTRIC, well-validated, practical, cost-effective, and non-invasive techniques for routinely evaluating nutritional status in critically ill patients, were good predictors of mortality.
Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with a Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS) Regimen for T4b Gastric Cancer
Authors: Long Vo Duy , Thong Dang Quang , Dat Tran Quang , Nguyen Doan Thuy , Phuoc Tran Duy , Hai Nguyen Viet , Vuong Nguyen Lam , Trung Lam Quoc , Bac Nguyen Hoang
Published: October 2024

Background: No studies on neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer (GC) with T4b stage were reported. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy using DCS regimen (docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1) for GC with T4b stage
Methods: Forty-three patients diagnosed GC with surgical or clinical T4b stage received three or four preoperative cycles of DCS therapy followed by gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy between Jan-2018 and Dec-2022. Short-tern outcomes including tumor response, completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, toxicity and adverse events, rate of treatment-related death, R0 resection, rate of complete adjuvant chemotherapy and short-term surgical results were investigated. The oncologic outcomes comprised 3-year OS and 3-year disease-free survival (DFS).
Results: The completion rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 88.4%, including 4 cycles of 51.2% and 3 cycles of 37.2%. The disease-control and clinical response rate were 88.4% and 58.1%, respectively. During preoperative chemotherapy, grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 20.9%, anemia in 13.9%, hyponatremia in 4.8%, and vomiting in 2.3%. Pathologic complete response was achieved in 8.0%. After surgery, no patient experienced severe complications (Clavien Dindo >= 3). The R0 resection rate was 72.0% and the rate of complete adjuvant chemotherapy was 83.3%. The 3-year OS and DFS rates were 49% and 38%, respectively.
Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with DCS regimen demonstrated a high tolerance, high tumor response rate, high complete adjuvant chemotherapy rate and satisfactory 3-year survival outcomes. Three- or four-course of preoperative DCS regimen is a promising approach for GC with T4b stage.
Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes and Drug Targets in Prostate Cancer Using Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Paranthaman C. , Blessy J. Jino , Asiffa J. Noorin , Jaswanthi D.
Published: October 2024

Prostate cancer, a leading malignancy with significant impact on men’s health, was the focus of this study, which aimed to identify candidate genes through differential gene expression analysis using Galaxy, an open-source platform for analyzing next-generation sequencing data. RNA-Seq analysis was performed on several datasets from the GEO database, comparing nine tumor patient datasets with eight non-tumor datasets. This analysis revealed ten upregulated and ten downregulated genes with log2FC counts > 2.5 and p-values < 0.05. To further investigate these differentially expressed genes (DEGs), WebGestalt was used for comprehensive in silico analysis, visualizing enrichment via volcano plots. Additionally, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using STRING, identifying three gene modules and ten hub genes through Cytoscape cluster analysis. Molecular docking studies were then conducted on these hub genes using PyRx software, with protein structures retrieved from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). This included the addition of polar hydrogen atoms, the assignment of partial charges, and the removal of water molecules to prepare for efficient molecular docking. This research enhances our understanding of gene interactions and protein-phytochemicals binding mechanisms, thereby contributing to therapeutic advancements in the biopharmaceutical sector.
The Immune Signatures Predict Gastric/Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer Response to First-line Anti-PD-1 Blockade or Chemotherapy: Clinical and Multiplex Immunofluorescence Analysis
Authors: Wu Hui , Shu Wenzhi , Ding Yongfeng , Li Qiong , Li Ning , Wang Qiyue , Chen Yinqi , Han Yuejun , Huang Dongdong , Jiang Haiping
Published: October 2024

Background
Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy are key components of first-line treatment for advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer (G/GEJ). However, the role of immune cells infiltrating the tumor microenvironment in predicting both therapy responses is still unclear.
Methods
We performed exploratory analyses of progression-free survival(PFS) and overall survival (OS) based on PD-L1 expression and a landmark statistical method, and developed a multiplexed immunofluorescence assay for CD4, CD8, PD-L1, CD68 and FoxP3 coupled with digital image analysis and machine learning to assess prognostic survival associations of immune cells.
Results
For patients with PD-L1 CPS < 10, greater disparities in survival between anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and chemotherapy were shown around 300 days after treatment. High expression of PD-L1 was associated with longer survival when receiving anti-PD-1 blockade, but showed less benefit when receiving platinum-based chemotherapy by subgroup analysis. The analysis of mIF also demonstrated significantly higher stromal density of PD-L1 in the well-responder group of patients receiving immunotherapy than the poor-response group, but tended to be lower in patients receiving chemotherapy. Besides, we found that high tumor stromal density of CD8 could be used as a biomarker of good prognosis in anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, and high tumor stromal density of CD4 was found to be associated with worse prognosis in platinum-based chemotherapy.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that increased PD-L1 expression was associated with an increased effect on anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and reduced benefit from chemotherapy. The signature of TME immune cells has the potential to predict the response of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and chemotherapy in G/GEJ cancer.
REmote monitoring by viQtor Upon implemEntation on a Surgical departmenT (REQUEST-trial); a prospective implementation study
Authors: Jerry E. E. , Bouwman A. , Nienhuijs S.
Published: October 2024

Background
Continuous monitoring of patients’ vital signs is critical for early detection of postoperative complications. Traditional manual monitoring by nursing staff is time-consuming and provides only intermittent data. Wearable devices offer continuous monitoring capabilities, potentially enhance early warning systems, reduce nurse workload, and facilitate earlier patient discharge. However, research on their implementation and effectiveness in clinical settings remains limited.
Methods
The REQUEST study is a prospective observational study aimed at evaluating the implementation of continuous monitoring using PPG-sensor technology (viQtor device) in a surgical ward. Over eight months, the vital signs of 500 surgical patients will be continuously monitored using the device, which measures heart rate, breathing rates and oxygenation via an accelerometer. The study will use the Continuous Remote Early Warning Score (CREWS), a system designed to monitor and evaluate patient vital signs continuously, to assess patient status to assess patient status. The study will be conducted in two phases: an initial period of ongoing manual spot-checks monitoring as a standard three times a day, followed by a period wherein the manual checks are only on demand by judgement of the treating team. Outcomes will be assessed using the Integrated Workload Scale (IWS) for nursing workload and implementation outcomes according to a specific framework looking at; acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, adoption, penetration, implementation cost, and sustainability. Additional data will be collected through device performance metrics, questionnaires (Evidence-Based Practice Attitude and System Usability Scale), and focus groups analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.
Discussion
The REQUEST study aims to provide insights into the practical implementation of continuous monitoring in a surgical ward, focusing on its impact on nursing workload and overall feasibility. The findings will inform strategies for integrating wearable monitoring technologies into clinical practice, potentially improving patient outcomes and optimizing resource allocation. By addressing the challenges and benefits of continuous monitoring, this study will contribute to the broader understanding of wearable technology implementation in healthcare settings.
Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT06574867, Registered on 27 August 2024
Evidence of the detrimental effects of bacterial resistance to cephalosporins and penicillins in Egypt's primary healthcare facilities
Authors: Kassab Mohammed
Published: October 2024

Background:
Worldwide, bacterial resistance to several antibiotic classes is seen as a grave threat. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics was mostly caused by the abuse and overuse of antibiotics, particularly penicillins and first-generation cephalosporins, in Egypt's primary healthcare facilities.
Aim of the study:
To investigate the main resistant bacteria to a few chosen penicillins and first-generation cephalosporins, as well as the characterization of these antibiotics' resistant genes and their detrimental effects in Egypt's main medical facilities.
Methodology:
Two hundred respiratory and urinary tract infection (RTI and UTI) specimens were gathered from Egyptian primary medical center patients. The turbidimetric assay at 630 nm wavelength, the broth dilution technique, and the nanopore sequencing homology approach were used to characterize the major resistant pathogenic bacteria and their resistant genes to cefadroxil (first generation cephalosporins) and nafcillin (antipseudomonal penicillin). Moreover, adverse outcomes resulting from antibiotic resistance were noted.
Results:
Out of 200 specimens with RTI and UTI, 186 samples showed the proliferation of resistant bacteria isolates. Enterococcus faecium strain NFC and Staphylococcus aureus strain CDX were among them. Nanopore sequencing confirmed that the antibiotic-resistant gene in Enterococcus faecium was the NFC gene, whereas the antibiotic-resistant gene in Staphylococcus aureus was the CDX gene.
Penicillin-binding proteins with modest affinity were encoded by both genes. These bacterial resistance patterns were linked to a low death rate of 5% and a high morbidity rate of 47%.
Conclusion:
By expressing low affinity penicillin binding proteins through resistant NFC and CDX genes, Enterococcus faecium strain NFC and Staphylococcus aureus strain CDX were found to be the predominant bacterial isolates that cause antibiotic resistance to first-generation cephalosporins and penicillins.
Optimal offsets to improve postoperative outcomes following total hip arthroplasty - consideration of independent of con-tra-lateral side –
Authors: Imai Norio , Hirano Yuki , Endo Yuki , Horigome Yoji , Suzuki Hayato , Kawashima Hiroyuki , Homma Daisuke
Published: October 2024

Background
Global femoral offset (GFO), a sum of acetabular offset (AO), and femoral offset (FO) have been reported to influence outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA). There are several reports on the optimal offset using plain radiographs; however, internal and ex-ternal rotations of the hip affect the offset value, and it produces unclear results when the non-surgical side is not intact. We aimed to investigate the relationship between functional hip score evaluated using the Harris hip score (HHS) and its effect on the AO, FO, GFO, anterior fem-oral offset (AFO), anterior pelvic offset (APO), and global pelvic offset (GPO) after THA, and iden-tify the optimal offset value. Materials and Methods: This study was done cross-sectionally and ret-rospectively in a single center. A total of 140 patients with hemilateral osteoarthritis of the hip (HOA) who underwent THA were included in the analysis, and parameters were examined using three-dimensional pelvic and femoral models generated from computed tomography. Results: There was a significant binomial correlation among modified HHS, FO, and GFO, with maximum values of 21.3 mm and 40 mm/100 cm body height, respectively. Conclusions: The pelvic and femo-ral parameters were measured and evaluated through alignment with a specific coordinate system. Based on our findings, preoperative planning using the parameters is expected to improve post-operative hip function, even when the nonoperative side is not suitable as a reference, as in bilateral HOA cases.
Diet affects reproductive development and microbiota composition in honey bees
Authors: Zumkhawala-Cook Anjali , Gallagher Patrick , Raymann Kasie
Published: October 2024

Background Gut microbes are important to the health and fitness of many animals. Many factors have been shown to affect gut microbial communities including diet, lifestyle, and age. Most mammals have very complex physiologies, lifestyles, and microbiomes, making it virtually impossible to disentangle what factors have the largest impact on microbiota composition. Honeybees are an excellent model to study host-microbe interactions due to their relatively simple gut microbiota, experimental tractability, and eusociality. Worker honey bees have distinct gut microbiota from their queen mothers despite being close genetic relatives and living in the same environment. Queens and workers differ in many other ways including development, physiology, pheromone production, diet, and behavior. In the prolonged absence of a queen or Queen Mandibular Pheromones (QMP), some but not all workers will develop ovaries and become “queen-like”. Using this inducible developmental change, we aimed to determine if diet, reproductive development, or pheromone exposure impacts the gut microbiota of honey bee workers.Results Microbiota-depleted newly emerged workers were inoculated with a mixture of queen and worker gut homogenates and reared under four conditions varying in diet and pheromone exposure. Three weeks post-emergence, workers were evaluated for ovary development and their gut microbiota communities were characterized. The proportion of workers with developed ovaries was increased in the absence of QMP but also when fed a queen diet (royal jelly). Overall, we found that diet, rather than reproductive development or pheromone exposure, led to more “queen-like” microbiota in workers. However, we revealed that diet alone cannot explain the microbiota composition of workers.Conclusion Here we demonstrated that diet is one of the main drivers of differences between the gut microbial community compositions of honey bee queens and workers, but cannot fully explain the distinct microbiota of queens. Thus, we hypothesize that behavioral differences play a major role in shaping the microbiota of honey bee workers and queens. Our findings not only contribute to our understanding of the factors affecting the honey bee microbiota, which is important for bee health, but also illustrate the versatility and benefits of utilizing honeybees as a model system to study host-microbe interactions.
Beyond Static Brain Atlases: AI-Powered Open Databasing and Dynamic Mining of Brain-Wide Neuron Morphometry
Authors: Peng Hanchuan , Jiang Shengdian , Wang Lijun , Yun Zhixi , Chen Hanbo , Yao Jianhua
Published: October 2024

We introduce NeuroXiv (neuroxiv.org), a large-scale, AI-powered database that provides detailed 3D morphologies of individual neurons, designed to support a wide array of neuroscience applications. NeuroXiv offers a comprehensive collection of 175,149 atlas-oriented reconstructed morphologies of individual neurons derived from more than 518 mouse brains, classified into 292 distinct types and mapped into the Common Coordinate Framework Version 3 (CCFv3). The platform also allows uploading and databasing custom neuron morphologies, which are systematically mapped to brain atlases for objective comparisons. Powered by a cutting-edge AI engine (AIPOM), NeuroXiv enables interactive, user-specific analysis and data mining. We specifically optimized a mixture-of-experts algorithm to harness the capabilities of multiple large language models, deploying it on a client program to achieve more than 10 times better performance compared to a typical server-side setup. We demonstrate NeuroXiv's scalability, efficiency, flexibility, openness, and robustness through various applications.
Dapagliflozin Ameliorates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Modulating EGFR Signaling and Targeting NCOA4-mediated Ferritinophagy
Authors: Yu Peng , Ling Jitao , Chen Feng , Xu Zhou , Hu Kaibo , Liu Fuwei , Zhang Deju , Chen Yixuan , Liu Xiao , Xia Panpan , Wu Yuting , Zhang Jing , Huang Tieqiu , Zhan Yuliang
Published: October 2024

SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin (Dapa) has gained increasing attention in the treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). However, the mechanism of action of the cardiovascular benefits of Dapa is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Dapa on myocardial IRI and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The effects of Dapa on myocardial IRI were investigated using the in vitro perfusion Langendorf model and the in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) cell model. Histological changes, myocardial enzymes, oxidative stress and mitochondrial structure/function were assessed. Mechanistic studies involved various molecular biology methods such as ELISA, immunoprecipitation, western blot, immunofluorescence and Bioinformatics. Our findings demonstrate that Dapa upregulates EGFR phosphorylation, suppresses NHE1 expression in myocardial tissues, modulates NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy to enhance mitochondrial function, reduces ROS expression, and mitigates myocardial IRI. In the Langendorf model, Dapa effectively attenuates cardiac dysfunction, myocardial injury, mitochondrial damage, and oxidative imbalance induced by ischemia-reperfusion. In vitro experiments revealed that blocking EGFR or autophagy with inhibitors (AG and Baf, respectively) or inducing ferroptosis with Era promotes ROS release, exacerbates mitochondrial injury, and diminishes the protective effects of Dapa. Notably, Era did not affect NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy. Conversely, the EGFR agonist NSC counteracted these effects, underscoring that Dapa confers cardioprotection by modulating mitochondrial function through EGFR-mediated regulation of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy. In summary, Dapa activates EGFR phosphorylation, regulates NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy, modulates mitochondrial function, and effectively mitigates myocardial IRI. These findings provide a robust theoretical foundation for the clinical application of Dapa in treating cardiovascular conditions.
The Prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease and Hospital Readmissions Rates: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Nekkalapu Hima
Published: October 2024

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting the elderly population and is a major public health challenge worldwide. The objective of this Retrospective quantitative study was to investigate the prevalence rates of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in the United States within the population aged 65 and above and explore variations within the study population. In addition, the study also examined the AD prevalence and readmission rates in comparison with other specific chronic conditions to provide a holistic understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. The study’s primary data source was the specific chronic conditions data derived from the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) from the year 2018, which included specific chronic conditions, patient demographics, prevalence and hospital readmission rates, emergency room visits, beneficiary status, and Medicare payments. The study conducted a comprehensive literature review to better understand the complex interplay of different key variables in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. The next step was data mining, followed by descriptive and inferential analysis to investigate the dataset. The study observed significant correlations between Age and Alzheimer’s disease, along with noteworthy variations based on gender, ethnicity, and location. The study also observed significant differences in the hospital readmission rates and healthcare utilization metrics when compared to other specific chronic conditions. The study findings reflect the unique healthcare challenges associated with Alzheimer’s disease and offer valuable information to the key stakeholders encouraging further research and futuristic healthcare designs to optimize care strategies and resource allocation to mitigate the impact of Alzheimer's disease.
Hospitality's resilience and regenerative adaptations towards sustainability
Authors: Kagisho Stanley , Joao Erica Soa
Published: October 2024

The South African hospitality industry faces challenges such as economic volatility, climate change, and shifting consumer preferences. To address these effectively, hotels must adopt resilience and regenerative strategies. The theoretical framework of this study includes Resilience Theory, Service-Dominant Logic (SDL), and Ecological Modernisation Theory. This qualitative study utilised semi-structured interviews with hotel managers and a literature review. Thematic coding revealed strategies like robust crisis management, income diversification, and community ties. Regenerative practices focus on waste reduction, biodiversity support, and sustainable infrastructure, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9 and 1, which address building resilient infrastructure and poverty eradication. The study highlights the need for guest education on sustainability and explores emerging technologies like AI and blockchain to enhance resilience and sustainability. This research advocates for a holistic approach to hospitality management, combining innovation, community engagement, and environmental stewardship for lasting industry change.
Incorporating an attention layer in deep learning models to enhance short-term stock price predictions
Authors: Meena Jitesh Kumar , Banyal Rohitash Kumar
Published: October 2024

In recent years, deep learning models have gained significant attention in the field of stock market prediction. However, accurately forecasting short-term stock prices remains a challenging task due to the inherent volatility and complexity of financial markets. RNN Algorithms like LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) and GRU (Gated Recurrent Unit) provide decent predictions on stock market time series data. However, these algorithms face bottleneck situations that arise due to the complex nature of the input sequences. This research paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating attention layers in deep learning models to improve the accuracy of short-term stock price predictions. Subsequently, the layer assigns weights to the attributes based on their scores, highlighting the attributes that are more relevant within the sequence. With the integration of attention layer into the encoder-decoder model, we are able to extract and emphasize pertinent information from the complex time series sequences, thereby enhancing the accuracy of hybrid to 95% and attention reached to 99% accuracy.
Loss of PERIOD2 (PER2) induces HO-1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cisplatin resistance in Epi-A ovarian cancer
Authors: Hwang-Verslues Wendy , Tan Grace , Vinothkumar Priyanka , Cheng Li-Tzu , Lin Pei-Yi , Chen Chung-Lien William , Yu Chen-Hsin , Chiu Yi-Chia , Huang Ruby
Published: October 2024

Rapid metastasis and chemoresistance make ovarian cancer (OC) the deadliest gynecological cancer. These malignant phenotypes are strongly associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). OC is highly heterogenous with five distinct gene-expression based molecular subtypes (GEMS) correlated with different EMT levels and patient survival. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying GEMS-specific EMT and malignancy remain unclear. We found that PER2 gene expression was significantly downregulated in OC compared to normal ovarian tissues. Among the five GEMS, PER2 expression was relatively high in the Epithelial-A (Epi-A) subtype and Epi-A OC patients with higher PER2 level had better overall survival. Notably, PER2 expression was required to maintain the epithelial phenotype. Conversely, PER2 depletion drove EMT and consequently enhanced migration and invasion ability of Epi-A OC cells via upregulation of Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). PER2 depletion also increased cisplatin resistance. Inhibition of HO-1 in PER2-depleted Epi-A OC cells impeded invasion and migration, and re-sensitized the cells to cisplatin. Our results revealed new insights into how an epithelial-like, less malignant OC subtype acquires EMT to become more invasive and chemoresistant. These findings also indicate that prevention of PER2 downregulation and targeting HO-1 are promising strategies for treating Epi-A OC progression.
Can the movement ecology of the deep-sea bivalve Acesta excavata lead to a dynamic habitat?
Authors: Sacco Domenico , Cardinale Pierfrancesco , Canese Simonepietro , Greco Silvestro , Danovaro Roberto
Published: October 2024

Acesta excavata is one of the largest and ecologically relevant bivalves along continental margins and is often associated with cold-water coral assemblages of the upper bathyal zone. Like other habitat-forming species, Acesta excavata contributes to increasing the secondary substrates and provides opportunities for the colonization and feeding of other sessile and mobile organisms. Despite most of the bivalves producing byssus are thought to be sessile or sedentary throughout their adult life stages, some species are known to be able to displace. Here we investigated, in mesocosm conditions, the ability of this deep-sea species to move/displace and compared its mobility with that of other shallow-water species. We report here for the first time that Acesta excavata moves almost continuously, a maximum speed of 6.5 cm day− 1 (maximum weekly displacement of ca 28 cm), with average speeds of approximately 0.3–1.3 cm per day. This speed is the highest value reported so far for byssus-attached bivalves (including Mytilus spp and Pictada imbricata radiata). The movement of these bivalves, apparently due to the search for optimal feeding and substrate characteristics, can displace the habitat that they create, also in response to changes in environmental and ecological conditions. These findings offer new opportunities for using this species in restoration protocols of deep-sea habitats and change our view of deep-sea hard bottoms from static to dynamic entities.
Gold Nanoclusters Decorated Hollow ZIF-8 Encapsulating Iron-catecholates as Oxidase Mimetics for Ratiometric Colorimetric Detection of Nitrite
Authors: Wu Cunhui , Dai Mengzhen , Qin Xinguang , Liu Gang , Zhang Haizhi
Published: October 2024

Nitrite detection is of profound significance for guaranteeing food safety and avoiding poisoning incidents. Gold nanoclusters decorated hollow ZIF-8 encapsulating iron-catecholates (Fe-HHTP@HZIF-8@ AuNCs) was formed through self-assembly of Fe3+ and 2,3,6,7,10,11 -hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP), in situ embedding of ZIF-8, and Au3+ -Zn2+ exchange reaction. Its morphology and structure were fully characterized by HRTEM, XRD, TEM element mapping and XPS. Additionally, its oxidase-like activity was explored with Km of 0.21 mM and Vmax of 1.74×10− 6 M·s− 1 towards 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Due to its excellent catalytic activity and nitrite mediated diazotization of oxTMB, a ratiometric colorimetric method for nitrite detection was established and validated with wide linear range (2.0-400.0 µM), low LOD (0.12 µM), high accuracy (recovery of 95.11-102.14%) and fine selectivity. This method was then utilized to analyze nitrite content in sausages and tap water. This study provided a new idea for developing efficient nanozymes, and offered an accurate approach for nitrite determination.
Joint clustering and feature selection based on trace ratio model and coordinate descent method
Authors: Xu Liang , He Xingshi , Xue Jingjing , Zhang Qingqing
Published: October 2024

Joint clustering and dimensionality reduction methods have great potential involving high-dimensional problems. Feature extraction and feature selection are both of the feature reduction methods. Compared to feature extraction, feature selection retains the original features and has advantages in certain aspects. To achieve the optimized clusters while the distinct features are selected, this paper imposes L2,0 on the discriminative projected matrix based on the trace difference model. For solving the joint optimization model, we use the coordinate descent method for solving the discriminative projected matrix and cluster indicator matrix alternatively. Extensive experiments show that the proposed model have improved on accuracy, NMI and purity compared to other related clustering models, and the proposed algorithm not only has good the convergence is stable across different datasets.
Analysis of Perception Differences in Maxillofacial Aesthetics among the General Population in Northern and Southern China
Authors: Chan Iantong , Huang Jialiang , Mao Yanmin , Lu Yun , Ren Yongzhen , Lyu Jinzhao , Li Qiang
Published: October 2024

Objective: To study the differences in the perception of maxillofacial aesthetics among the general population in the north and south regions.
Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to investigate the preferences of people in various regions of China regarding the perception of maxillofacial aesthetics and excluded questionnaires in which the actual response time was less than the theoretical calculation of the average time needed to complete the questionnaire. The valid questionnaires were statistically analyzed by taking the Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River Line as the boundary between the north and south, and by adding the factors of gender and age.
Results: (1) Significant differences were observed in the importance attached to unfavorable aesthetics in the lower third of the face between northern and southern populations (P = 0.044). (2) Younger individuals in the south (Post-00s and Post-90s) showed a stronger preference for improving facial harmony through orthodontics than older generations (Post-70s andPost-80s) (P = 0.003). (3) In the north, older groups favored static beauty more than younger groups (P = 0.025), unlike the south (P > 0.05). (4) Southern youth perceived facial convexity as the most unfavorable feature in the lower third of the face (P = 0.021). (5) Northern females’ concern for facial harmony was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), while southern females’ concern was (P = 0.046).
Conclusions: While perceptions of maxillofacial aesthetics are generally similar between northern and southern Chinese populations, subtle differences exist, influenced by age and gender.
Synthesis, Purification, and Photocatalytic Evaluation of Nanostructured N 2 dopped Carbogenic Particles
Authors: Perveen Sonia , Bhatti Ijaz Ahmad , Jamil Saba , Zia Mohammad Anjum
Published: October 2024

Carbon dots (CDs) have brought in significant attention in material science due to their unique characteristics, such as exceptional biocompatibility, physiochemical stability, low toxicity, and photostability. This work aims to synthesize and purify nitrogen-doped carbon dots in a rapid and economical bottom-up (hydrothermal) method. The synthesized material characterization was carried out by utilizing UV spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Zeta sizer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The absorption potential of carbon dots, including dye content, pH, irradiation period, and oxidant concentration, was investigated in batch research. The measurement of parameters related to water quality, including total organic carbon (TOC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and carbon oxygen demand (COD), was evaluated. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to enhance operational parameters in wastewater treatment. Additionally, the substrate's (black pumice) reusability was examined for up to fourteen cycles.