bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of the patient microbiome to surgical site infection and antibiotic prophylaxis failure in spine surgery
Authors: Long Dustin R. , Bryson-Cahn Chloe , Waalkes Adam , Holmes Elizabeth A. , Penewit Kelsi , Tavolaro Celeste , Bellabarba Carlo , Zhang Fangyi , Chan Jeannie D. , Fang Ferric C. , Lynch John B. , Salipante Stephen J.
Published: April 2024

Despite modern antiseptic techniques, surgical site infection (SSI) remains a leading complication of surgery. However, the origins of SSI and the high rates of antimicrobial resistance observed in these infections are poorly understood. Using instrumented spine surgery as a model of clean (class I) skin incision, we prospectively sampled preoperative microbiomes and postoperative SSI isolates in a cohort of 204 patients. Combining multiple forms of genomic analysis, we correlated the identity, anatomic distribution, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of SSI pathogens with those of preoperative strains obtained from the patient skin microbiome. We found that 86% of SSIs, comprising a broad range of bacterial species, originated endogenously from preoperative strains, with no evidence of common source infection among a superset of 1610 patients. Most SSI isolates (59%) were resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic administered during surgery, and their resistance phenotypes correlated with the patient’s preoperative resistome (
P
= 0.0002). These findings indicate the need for SSI prevention strategies tailored to the preoperative microbiome and resistome present in individual patients.
Nuclear factor kappa B-dependent persistence of
Salmonella
Typhi and Paratyphi in human macrophages
Authors: Stepien Taylor A. , Singletary Larissa A. , Guerra Fermin E. , Karlinsey Joyce E. , Libby Stephen J. , Jaslow Sarah L. , Gaggioli Margaret R. , Gibbs Kyle D. , Ko Dennis C. , Brehm Michael A. , Greiner Dale L. , Shultz Leonard D. , Fang Ferric C.
Published: April 2024

Salmonella
serovars Typhi and Paratyphi cause a prolonged illness known as enteric fever, whereas other serovars cause acute gastroenteritis. Mechanisms responsible for the divergent clinical manifestations of nontyphoidal and enteric fever
Salmonella
infections have remained elusive. Here, we show that
S
. Typhi and
S
. Paratyphi A can persist within human macrophages, whereas
S
. Typhimurium rapidly induces apoptotic macrophage cell death that is dependent on
Salmonella
pathogenicity island 2 (SPI2).
S
. Typhi and
S
. Paratyphi A lack 12 specific SPI2 effectors with pro-apoptotic functions, including nine that target nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Pharmacologic inhibition of NF-κB or heterologous expression of the SPI2 effectors GogA or GtgA restores apoptosis of
S
. Typhi-infected macrophages. In addition, the absence of the SPI2 effector SarA results in deficient signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) activation and interleukin 12 production, leading to impaired T
H
1 responses in macrophages and humanized mice. The absence of specific nontyphoidal SPI2 effectors may allow
S
. Typhi and
S
. Paratyphi A to cause chronic infections.

IMPORTANCE

Salmonella enterica is a common cause of gastrointestinal infections worldwide. The serovars
Salmonella
Typhi and
Salmonella
Paratyphi A cause a distinctive systemic illness called enteric fever, whose pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Here, we show that enteric fever
Salmonella
serovars lack 12 specific virulence factors possessed by nontyphoidal
Salmonella
serovars, which allow the enteric fever serovars to persist within human macrophages. We propose that this fundamental difference in the interaction of
Salmonella
with human macrophages is responsible for the chronicity of typhoid and paratyphoid fever, suggesting that targeting the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) complex responsible for macrophage survival could facilitate the clearance of persistent bacterial infections.
Foreland basin development in response to Proto-Tethyan Ocean closure, western North China Block
Authors: Sun Jiaopeng , Dong Yunpeng
Published: April 2024

Closure timing of the northeastern Proto-Tethyan Ocean between the Qilian-Qinling Terranes and the North China Block remains unsolved, with assumptions ranging from end-Ordovician to the Devonian. To address this issue, integrated studies of stratigraphy and geochronology were conducted on Late Ordovician strata in the southwestern Ordos, which recorded the earliest tectonic transition from passive margin to foreland basin in the westernmost North China Block. Stratigraphic and paleontologic syntheses demonstrate that pre-Katian strata are shallow-marine deposits dominated by benthonic faunas. Meanwhile, Katian successions above a paraconformity are characterized by deep-water debrites and turbidites containing abundant planktonic graptolites. Provenance analysis reveals an evolving source from the North China Block basement to the Qilian-Qinling arc terranes at the beginning of Katian (ca. 450 Ma). Detrital zircons from pre-Katian quartz arenites yield ages of ca. 1600–2800 Ma, significantly older than their depositional timing. In contrast, Katian turbidites in the southwestern Ordos and the North Qilian Orogen display similar age patterns dominated by ca. 450–900 Ma ages. These clues imply a basin-filling shift from passive margin to underfilled foreland, separated by forebulge unconformity formation at Sandbian-Katian boundary. Stratigraphic correlation further suggests that sequence of foreland basin-infill transitions was broadly simultaneous along strike more than ~1200 km across the southwestern North China Block, including forebulge flexural uplift, followed by rapid shallow shelf drowning to abyssal plain, until arrival and superimposition of arc-derived turbidites. Along-strike synchronicity of orogenic activities implies that closure of the northeastern Proto-Tethys was nearly synchronous. The L-shaped orogen-parallel foreland encompassing the southwestern North China Block unveils oroclinal bending of the Qilian-Qinling collision belt, which still dominates the geology of present northeastern Tibet. Our new insights provide a stratigraphic constraint for the timing and mode of the initial elimination of the northeastern Proto-Tethys.
Metastatic mediastinal hepatoid adenocarcinoma
Authors: Caruana Gayle , Cachia Robert , Micallef Sara , Sammut Matthew , Psaila Josephine
Published: April 2024

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) of the mediastinum is a rare extrahepatic tumour that pathologically and morphologically resembles hepatocellular carcinoma. Extrahepatic HACs primarily occur in the stomach, ovaries, lung, gallbladder, pancreas and uterus. Patients with mediastinal HAC tend to be male smokers over forty years of age. Clinical symptoms of HAC are non-specific and varied in nature; therefore, diagnosis can be challenging and often delayed. Diagnostic investigations encompass haematological, radiological and histological assessment. Surgical resection is reserved for early-stage patients; however, since diagnosis may be delayed, most patients present with metastatic disease, for which the treatment of choice is platinum-based chemotherapy.
Severe DRESS with myocarditis secondary to naproxen/esomeprazole
Authors: O'Mahony Sarah , Tobin Ann-Marie , Donnelly Teresa Mary
Published: April 2024

A man in his 60s presented with a widespread erythematous rash and associated chills, paraesthesia and haematuria. He had recently commenced naproxen/esomeprazole. Blood tests showed hypereosinophilia (0.73×109/L) and moderate acute kidney injury. Histology revealed parakeratosis, mild spongiosis with eosinophils. He developed acute coronary syndrome with rapid atrial fibrillation. Coronary angiogram was non-obstructive. Cardiac MRI (CMR) revealed acute myocarditis secondary to Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). Naproxen/esomeprazole was discontinued, and he was supported with oral corticosteroids. A repeat CMR 3 months later showed resolution of myocarditis. Naproxen/esomeprazole is not a common offending drug. DRESS is a rare drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction with a mortality rate of 10%. The objective of this case report is to highlight the significant but rare cardiac complications that can ensue from DRESS, which warrant prompt recognition and withdrawal of the causative drug.
Early and unintended pregnancy in Eastern and Southern Africa: analysis of adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights policies
Authors: Choonara Shakira , Hwati Roseline , Tayebwa Morris , Govender Kaymarlin
Published: April 2024

In 2019, there were 21 million pregnancies among adolescents aged 15–19 years globally; close to half of these pregnancies were unintended. Early and unintended pregnancy (EUP) remains a pressing concern with severe socioeconomic and health outcomes for adolescent girls aged 15–19 years, their offspring and society. In Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Uganda have adolescent fertility rates (AFR) of more than 100 live births per 1000 adolescent girls aged 15–19 years. Ministers of Health and Education, through the ESA Ministerial Commitment, aimed to reduce EUP by 75% by 2020; the renewed ESA Ministerial Commitment aims to reduce EUP by 40% by 2030. This descriptive policy content analysis assesses the prioritisation of EUP within adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) policies. An assessment of nine countries in the region shows that EUP is a key policy priority among countries; however, other than Kenya, the majority of ASRHR policies in the region do not set out clear and costed interventions for EUP, and few have monitoring and evaluation frameworks in place. Despite AFRs declining in Kenya and strong policies in place, the gains made are at risk due to the rollback on SRHR, and the country has not renewed the ESA Ministerial Commitment. This policy content analysis points towards the gaps we are still to meet within the universal health coverage agenda: better planning, prioritisation, sound policy frameworks and long-term commitments to meet the needs of adolescents.
Demographics of focused ultrasound thalamotomy for essential tremor and trends in deep brain stimulation surgery after its introduction in the USA
Authors: Gautam Diwas , Venkatraman Vishal , Horns Joshua , Yang Lexie Zidanyue , Lee Hui-Jie , Kassavetis Panagiotis , Alshaikh Jumana , Moretti Paolo , Shofty Ben , Rahimpour Shervin
Published: April 2024

Background

Essential tremor (ET) is a movement disorder that affects 4%–5% of adults >65 years. For patients with medically refractory ET, neurosurgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and unilateral MR-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy (MRgFUS) are available. In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the demographics of patients with ET who have received MRgFUS and evaluated trends in DBS usage in the USA after the introduction of MRgFUS in 2016.

Methods

We used multiple databases to examine the demographics of patients who received DBS and MRgFUS, and trends in DBS. To assess the demographics, we queried the TriNetX database from 2003 to 2022 to identify patients diagnosed with ET and stratify them by DBS or MRgFUS treatment by using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Patient demographics were reported as frequencies and percentages. To examine the trends in DBS for ET, the yearly frequency of DBS procedures done for ET between 2012 and 2019 was extracted from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, and breakpoint analysis was performed. Additionally, the yearly frequency of MRgFUS procedures for ET was obtained from Insightec Exlabate.

Results

Most of the patients (88.69%) in the cohort extracted from TriNetX database self-identified as white, followed by black or African American (2.40%) and Asian (0.52%). A higher percentage of black patients received MRgFUS treatment than DBS (4.10% vs 1.88%). According to the NIS database, from 2012 to 2020, 13 525 patients received DBS for ET.

Conclusion

This study provides an overview of the characteristics of patients who undergo DBS or MRgFUS. We found notable differences in sex and race among patients who underwent each treatment type. Additionally, until at least the beginning of 2020, the number of DBS procedures for ET was not negatively affected after the introduction of MRgFUS.
Effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir versus azvudine for adult inpatients with severe or critical COVID-19
Authors: Zhang Huan , Xiaojiao Tan , Chen Junjun , Zhang Zheng , Wang Chenxi , Shi Haiqing , Li Yao , Li Jianbo , Kang Yan , Jin Xiaodong , Liao Xuelian
Published: April 2024

Background

In China, both nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) and azvudine have been granted approval to treat adult SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with moderate symptoms. Information about the clinical effect of the two available agents among inpatients with severe or critical COVID-19 is scarce.

Purpose

To compare the clinical outcomes of Paxlovid and azvudine among adult inpatients with severe or critical COVID-19.

Method

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in two large medical centres after the epidemic control measures were lifted in China. A new propensity score matched-inverse probability of treatment weighting cohort was constructed to evaluate the in-hospital all-cause mortality, hospital length of stay, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and safety.

Results

A total of 955 individuals were in the cohort. The antiviral therapy strategies were decided by the senior physician and the supplies of the pharmacy. A total of 451 patients were in the Paxlovid group, and 504 patients were in the azvudine group. Compared with Paxlovid, the effects of azvudine on in-hospital all-cause mortality were not significantly different, and the OR (95% CI) was 1.084 (0.822 to 1.430), and the average hospital length of stay of patients discharged alive was also similar in the azvudine group, and the difference (day) and (95% CI) was 0.530 (−0.334 to 1.393). After 7 days of therapy, the degree of decline in the SOFA score was greater in the Paxlovid group than in the azvudine group (p<0.001). The change in glomerular filtration rate was not significantly different (p=0.824).

Conclusion

Paxlovid and azvudine had similar effectiveness on in-hospital all-cause mortality and hospital length of stay. Compared with the azvudine group, after 7 days of therapy, the degree of decline in SOFA score was significantly higher in the Paxlovid group. These findings need to be verified in larger prospective studies or randomised controlled trials.
Lactococcus lactis HkyuLL 10
suppresses colorectal tumourigenesis and restores gut microbiota through its generated alpha-mannosidase
Authors: Su Anthony Chin Yang , Ding Xiao , Lau Harry Cheuk Hay , Kang Xing , Li Qing , Wang Xueliang , Liu Yali , Jiang Lanping , Lu Yinghong , Liu Weixin , Ding Yanqiang , Cheung Alvin Ho-Kwan , To Ka Fai , Yu Jun
Published: April 2024

Objective

Probiotic
Lactococcus lactis
is known to confer health benefits to humans. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of
L. lactis
in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Design

L. lactis
abundance was evaluated in patients with CRC (n=489) and healthy individuals (n=536).
L. lactis
was isolated from healthy human stools with verification by whole genome sequencing. The effect of
L. lactis
on CRC tumourigenesis was assessed in transgenic
Apc
Min/+
mice and carcinogen-induced CRC mice. Faecal microbiota was profiled by metagenomic sequencing. Candidate proteins were characterised by nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Biological function of
L. lactis
conditioned medium (
HkyuLL 10
-CM) and functional protein was studied in human CRC cells, patient-derived organoids and xenograft mice.

Results

Faecal
L. lactis
was depleted in patients with CRC. A new
L. lactis
strain was isolated from human stools and nomenclated as
HkyuLL 10. HkyuLL 10
supplementation suppressed CRC tumourigenesis in
Apc
Min/+
mice, and this tumour-suppressing effect was confirmed in mice with carcinogen-induced CRC. Microbiota profiling revealed probiotic enrichment including
Lactobacillus johnsonii
in
HkyuLL 10
-treated mice.
HkyuLL 10
-CM significantly abrogated the growth of human CRC cells and patient-derived organoids. Such protective effect was attributed to
HkyuLL 10
-secreted proteins, and we identified that α-mannosidase was the functional protein. The antitumourigenic effect of α-mannosidase was demonstrated in human CRC cells and organoids, and its supplementation significantly reduced tumour growth in xenograft mice.

Conclusion

HkyuLL 10
suppresses CRC tumourigenesis in mice through restoring gut microbiota and secreting functional protein α-mannosidase.
HkyuLL 10
administration may serve as a prophylactic measure against CRC.
Exacerbating effects of circadian rhythm disruption on the systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Shen Luping , Han Mo , Luo Xuan , Zhang Qixiang , Xu Huanke , Wang Jing , Wei Ning , Liu Qing , Wang Guangji , Zhou Fang
Published: April 2024

Objective

Circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) has been associated with inflammation and immune disorders, but its role in SLE progression is unclear. We aimed to investigate the impact of circadian rhythms on immune function and inflammation and their contribution to SLE progression to lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods

This study retrospectively analysed the clinical characteristics and transcriptional profiles of 373 samples using bioinformatics and machine-learning methods. A flare risk score (FRS) was established to predict overall disease progression for patients with lupus. Mendelian randomisation was used to analyse the causal relationship between CRD and SLE progression.

Results

Abnormalities in the circadian pathway were detected in patients with SLE, and lower enrichment levels suggested a disease state (normalised enrichment score=0.6714, p=0.0062). The disruption of circadian rhythms was found to be closely linked to lupus flares, with the FRS showing a strong ability to predict disease progression (area under the curve (AUC) of 5-year prediction: 0.76). The accuracy of disease prediction was improved by using a prognostic nomogram based on FRS (AUC=0.77). Additionally, Mendelian randomisation analysis revealed an inverse causal relationship between CRD and SLE (OR 0.6284 (95% CI 0.3630 to 1.0881), p=0.0485) and a positive causal relationship with glomerular disorders (OR 0.0337 (95% CI 1.634e-3 to 6.934e-1), p=0.0280).

Conclusion

Our study reveals that genetic characteristics arising from CRD can serve as biomarkers for predicting the exacerbation of SLE. This highlights the crucial impact of CRD on the progression of lupus.
Anti-KIF20B autoantibodies are associated with cranial neuropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Krustev Eugene , Hanly John G , Chin Ricky , Buhler Katherine A , Urowitz Murray B , Gordon Caroline , Bae Sang-Cheol , Romero-Diaz Juanita , Sánchez-Guerrero Jorge , Bernatsky Sasha , Wallace Daniel J , Isenberg David , Rahman Anisur , Merrill Joan T , Fortin Paul R , Gladman Dafna D , Bruce Ian N , Petri Michelle A , Ginzler Ellen M , Dooley Mary Anne , Ramsey-Goldman Rosalind , Manzi Susan , Jönsen Andreas , Alarcón Graciela S , van Vollenhoven Ronald F , Aranow Cynthia , Mackay Meggan , Ruiz-Irastorza Guillermo , Lim Sam , Inanc Murat , Kalunian Kenneth C , Jacobsen Søren , Peschken Christine A , Kamen Diane L , Askenase Anca , Buyon Jill , Fritzler Marvin J , Clarke Ann E , Choi May Y
Published: April 2024

Background

Cranial neuropathies (CN) are a rare neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) manifestation. Previous studies reported that antibodies to the kinesin family member 20B (KIF20B) (anti-KIF20B) protein were associated with idiopathic ataxia and CN. We assessed anti-KIF20B as a potential biomarker for NPSLE in an international SLE inception cohort.

Methods

Individuals fulfilling the revised 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) SLE classification criteria were enrolled from 31 centres from 1999 to 2011 and followed annually in the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort. Anti-KIF20B testing was performed on baseline (within 15 months of diagnosis or first annual visit) samples using an addressable laser bead immunoassay. Logistic regression (penalised maximum likelihood and adjusting for confounding variables) examined the association between anti-KIF20B and NPSLE manifestations (1999 ACR case definitions), including CN, occurring over the first 5 years of follow-up.

Results

Of the 1827 enrolled cohort members, baseline serum and 5 years of follow-up data were available on 795 patients who were included in this study: 29.8% were anti-KIF20B-positive, 88.7% female, and 52.1% White. The frequency of anti-KIF20B positivity differed only for those with CN (n=10) versus without CN (n=785) (70.0% vs 29.3%; OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.4, 18.5). Compared with patients without CN, patients with CN were more likely to fulfil the ACR haematological (90.0% vs 66.1%; difference 23.9%, 95% CI 5.0%, 42.8%) and ANA (100% vs 95.7%; difference 4.3%, 95% CI 2.9%, 5.8%) criteria. In the multivariate analysis adjusting for age at baseline, female, White race and ethnicity, and ACR haematological and ANA criteria, anti-KIF20B positivity remained associated with CN (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.4, 19.1).

Conclusion

Anti-KIF20B is a potential biomarker for SLE-related CN. Further studies are needed to examine how autoantibodies against KIF20B, which is variably expressed in a variety of neurological cells, contribute to disease pathogenesis.
Assessment of automated vehicles’ freeway exit distances in mixed and managed lane traffic environments
Authors: Sarran Jana , Hassan Yasser
Published: April 2024

Vehicles planning to exit at an upcoming freeway off-ramp require adequate exit distance to execute lane change maneuvers, otherwise, traffic disturbances may be experienced. This research assesses the changes in exit distances for a mixed traffic environment comprising automated vehicles (AVs) and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) on freeways with and without a managed lane (ML). A left-side continuous ML was designed and eligible vehicles were AVs. Traffic microsimulation exercises were conducted on a 3.5 km freeway segment, and scenarios varied based on traffic demand, the number of freeway lanes, and AV adoption rates. Traffic demand was set relative to the queue discharge flow rate ( qQ). The results indicated an increase in qQ as the AV adoption rate increased. Also, the exit distances were influenced by the traffic environment, the freeway configuration, and the traffic demand. The optimal exit distance increased when an ML was implemented at 25% and 50% AV adoption rates.
The impact of noise on the stress response of Portunus trituberculatus in a land-based monoculture system
Authors: Imtiaz Nida , Wang Jiechi , Shi Ce , Waiho Khor , Ronghua Li , Changkao Mu , Chunlin Wang , Qingyang Wu
Published: April 2024

Human-induced noise, particularly from shipping and construction, significantly affects the stress responses of swimming crabs ( Portunus trituberculatus  (Miers, 1876)). Prolonged exposure can lead to stress responses, impacting the overall health of the crabs. This study aimed to assess how noise affects stress responses in P. trituberculatus. The sound had an intensity of 163 dB 1 µPa for the noise condition and 114 dB 1 µPa for ambient sound. Portunus trituberculatus was continuously exposed to the noise stimulus for 6 h. Samples of serum, muscle tissue, gills, and hepatopancreas were collected at multiple time points: 0 min, 10 min, 30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 7 h. The serum cortisol levels in the noise-exposed group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 30 min and 6 h. The two groups had no significant differences regarding serum glucose and muscle lactic acid content. In the noise-exposed group, the gills exhibited significantly lower superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Conversely, for the hepatopancreas, the SOD levels in the noise-exposed group were notably lower than those in the control group at 10 min but significantly higher at 6 and 7 h. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were substantially higher in the noise-exposed group than in the control group at 30 min and 6 h. This study demonstrates that P. trituberculatus experiences a physiological stress response to acoustic sounds.
North Kara and Vize–Ushakov Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Elements, Kara Sea
Authors: Drachev Sergey S. , Ershova Victoria B.
Published: April 2024

The North Kara Shelf and adjoining Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago represent a region of a complex tectonic interplay between two large Arctic fold-and-thrust belts: the Early Mesozoic Pay-Khoy–Novaya Zemlya–South Taimyr belt in the SW and the Late Paleozoic Taimyr–Severnaya Zemlya belt in the SSE and east; and an inferred early Carboniferous deformation zone in the north. Contractional deformations of different ages formed a series of basement highs and inverted sediment-cored swells that separate deeply subsided sedimentary basins. In the framework of this volume's terminology, this region consists of two composite tectono-sedimentary elements (CTSEs): the Vize–Ushakov CTSE and the North Kara CTSE. The principal difference between these elements is in the age of the underlying basement rocks, which, in turn, determines the stratigraphic span of the overlying sedimentary successions. In this chapter we characterize the geology of this remote Arctic region based on the available seismic data supported by published results and our own studies.
UAV-Assisted IoT Applications, QoS Requirements and Challenges with Future Research Directions
Authors: Adil Muhammad , Song Houbing , Jan Mian Ahmad , Khan Muhammad Khurram , He Xiangjian , Farouk Ahmed , Jin Zhanpeng
Published: April 2024

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted Internet of Things application communication is an emerging concept that effectuates the foreknowledge of innovative technologies. With the accelerated advancements in IoT applications, the importance of this technology became more impactful and persistent. Moreover, this technology has demonstrated useful contributions across various domains, ranging from general to specific applications. Examples include wildfire monitoring, coastal area monitoring, deforestation monitoring, and sensitive military operations, where human access is limited or not feasible. These examples underscore the technology’s importance in scenarios where direct human involvement is challenging or impossible. Although this technology offers numerous benefits, it is essential to note that it also faces several challenges. Among these, Quality of Service (QoS) is a key concern, which limits its useability in various applications. Unfortunately, most researchers in the present literature have overlooked this important factor without giving it considerable attention. To fill this gap, we are presenting a systematic review of the present literature associated with the QoS metrics of this emerging technology from 2015 to 2023 to highlight their contributions and limitations. Based on the systematic review, we highlight the open challenges of this technology to set a roadmap for futuristic research. Finally, we compared each portion of this work with the previously published review articles to confirm the essence of this work, along with an explanation of why this survey is needed and in-time.
FedUSL: A Federated Annotation Method for Driving Fatigue Detection based on Multimodal Sensing Data
Authors: Yu Songcan , Yang Qinglin , Wang Junbo , Wu Celimuge
Published: April 2024

Single-modal data has a limitation on fatigue detection, while the shortage of labeled data is pervasive in multimodal sensing data. Besides, it is a time-consuming task for board-certified experts to manually annotate the physiological signals, especially hard for EEG sensor data. To solve this problem, we propose FedUSL (Federated Unified Space Learning), a federated annotation method for multimodal sensing data in the driving fatigue detection scenario, which has the innate ability to exploit more than four multimodal data simultaneously for correlations and complementary with low complexity. To validate the efficiency of the proposed method, we first collect the multimodal data (aka, camera, physiological sensor) through simulated fatigue driving. The data is then preprocessed and features are extracted to form a usable multimodal dataset. Based on the dataset, we analyze the performance of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that FedUSL outperforms other approaches for driver fatigue detection with carefully selected modal combinations, especially when a modality contains only

\(10\% \)

labeled data.
An Anonymous Authenticated Group Key Agreement Scheme for Transfer Learning Edge Services Systems
Authors: Meng Xiangwei , Liang Wei , Xu Zisang , Li Kuanching , Khan Muhammad Khurram , Kui Xiaoyan
Published: April 2024

The visual information processing technology based on deep learning can play many important yet assistant roles for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) navigation in complex environments. Traditional centralized architectures usually rely on a cloud server to perform model inference tasks, which can lead to long communication latency. Using transfer learning to unload deep neural networks to the edge-fog collaborative networks has become a new paradigm for dealing with the conflicts between computing resources and communication latency. However, ensuring the security of edge-fog collaborative networks entity remains challenging. For such, we propose an anonymous authentication and group key agreement scheme for the UAV-enabled edge-fog collaborative networks, consisting of the UAV authentication protocol and the collaborative networks authentication protocol. Utilizing the AVISPA assessment tool and security analysis, the security requirements and functional features of the proposed scheme are demonstrated. From the performance results of the proposed scheme, we show that it is superior to existing authentication schemes and promising.
DBGAN: Dual Branch Generative Adversarial Network for Multi-Modal MRI Translation
Authors: Lyu Jun , Yan Shouang , Hossain M. Shamim
Published: April 2024

Existing magnetic resonance imaging translation models rely on generative adversarial networks, primarily employing simple convolutional neural networks. Unfortunately, these networks struggle to capture global representations and contextual relationships within magnetic resonance images. While the advent of Transformers enables capturing long-range feature dependencies, they often compromise the preservation of local feature details. To address these limitations and enhance both local and global representations, we introduceDBGAN, a novel dual-branch generative adversarial network. In this framework, the Transformer branch comprises sparse attention blocks and dense self-attention blocks, allowing for a wider receptive field while simultaneously capturing local and global information. The convolutional neural network branch, built with integrated residual convolutional layers, enhances local modeling capabilities. Additionally, we propose a fusion module that cleverly integrates features extracted from both branches. Extensive experimentation on two public datasets and one clinical dataset validates significant performance improvements with DBGAN. On Brats2018, it achieves a 10% improvement in MAE, 3.2% in PSNR, and 4.8% in SSIM for image generation tasks compared to RegGAN. Notably, the generated MRIs receive positive feedback from radiologists, underscoring the potential of our proposed method as a valuable tool in clinical settings.
FETILDA: Evaluation Framework for Effective Representations of Long Financial Documents
Authors: Xia Bolun (Namir) , Rawte Vipula , Gupta Aparna , Zaki Mohammed
Published: April 2024

In the financial sphere, there is a wealth of accumulated unstructured financial data, such as the textual disclosure documents that companies submit on a regular basis to regulatory agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are typically very long and tend to contain valuable soft information about a company’s performance that is not present in quantitative predictors. It is therefore of great interest to learn predictive models from these long textual documents, especially for forecasting numerical key performance indicators. In recent years, there has been great progress in natural language processing via pre-trained language models (LMs) learned from large corpora of textual data. This prompts the important question of whether they can be used effectively to produce representations for long documents, as well as how we can evaluate the effectiveness of representations produced by various LMs. Our work focuses on answering this critical question, namely, the evaluation of the efficacy of various LMs in extracting useful soft information from long textual documents for prediction tasks. In this article, we propose and implement a deep learning evaluation framework that utilizes a sequential chunking approach combined with an attention mechanism. We perform an extensive set of experiments on a collection of 10-K reports submitted annually by U.S. banks, and another dataset of reports submitted by U.S. companies, to investigate thoroughly the performance of different types of language models. Overall, our framework using LMs outperforms strong baseline methods for textual modeling as well as for numerical regression. Our work provides better insights into how utilizing pre-trained domain-specific and fine-tuned long-input LMs for representing long documents can improve the quality of representation of textual data and, therefore, help in improving predictive analyses.
The Endo-Lysosomal Damage Response
Authors: Meyer Hemmo , Kravic Bojana
Published: April 2024

Lysosomes are the degradative endpoints of material delivered by endocytosis and autophagy and are therefore particularly prone to damage. Membrane permeabilization or full rupture of lysosomal or late endosomal compartments is highly deleterious because it threatens cellular homeostasis and can elicit cell death and inflammatory signaling. Cells have developed a complex response to endo-lysosomal damage that largely consists of three branches. Initially, a number of repair pathways are activated to restore the integrity of the lysosomal membrane. If repair fails or if damage is too extensive, lysosomes are isolated and degraded by a form of selective autophagy termed lysophagy. Meanwhile, an mTORC1-governed signaling cascade drives biogenesis and regeneration of new lysosomal components to reestablish the full lysosomal capacity of the cell. This damage response is vital to counteract the effects of various conditions, including neurodegeneration and infection, and can constitute a critical vulnerability in cancer cells.
Replication and Transcription of Human Mitochondrial DNA
Authors: Falkenberg Maria , Larsson Nils-Göran , Gustafsson Claes M.
Published: April 2024

Mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is replicated and transcribed by phage-like DNA and RNA polymerases, and our understanding of these processes has progressed substantially over the last several decades. Molecular mechanisms have been elucidated by biochemistry and structural biology and essential in vivo roles established by cell biology and mouse genetics. Single molecules of mtDNA are packaged by mitochondrial transcription factor A into mitochondrial nucleoids, and their level of compaction influences the initiation of both replication and transcription. Mutations affecting the molecular machineries replicating and transcribing mtDNA are important causes of human mitochondrial disease, reflecting the critical role of the genome in oxidative phosphorylation system biogenesis. Mechanisms controlling mtDNA replication and transcription still need to be clarified, and future research in this area is likely to open novel therapeutic possibilities for treating mitochondrial dysfunction.
Advanced Modeling and Optimization Strategies for Process Synthesis
Authors: Pistikopoulos Efstratios N. , Tian Yuhe
Published: April 2024

This article provides a systematic review of recent progress in optimization-based process synthesis. First, we discuss multiscale modeling frameworks featuring targeting approaches, phenomena-based modeling, unit operation–based modeling, and hybrid modeling. Next, we present the expanded scope of process synthesis objectives, highlighting the considerations of sustainability and operability to assure cost-competitive production in an increasingly dynamic market with growing environmental awareness. Then, we review advances in optimization algorithms and tools, including emerging machine learning–and quantum computing–assisted approaches. We conclude by summarizing the advances in and perspectives for process synthesis strategies.
CRISPR Tools for Engineering Prokaryotic Systems: Recent Advances and New Applications
Authors: Burbano Diego Alba , Kiattisewee Cholpisit , Karanjia Ava V. , Cardiff Ryan A.L. , Faulkner Ian D. , Sugianto Widianti , Carothers James M.
Published: April 2024

In the past decades, the broad selection of CRISPR-Cas systems has revolutionized biotechnology by enabling multimodal genetic manipulation in diverse organisms. Rooted in a molecular engineering perspective, we recapitulate the different CRISPR components and how they can be designed for specific genetic engineering applications. We first introduce the repertoire of Cas proteins and tethered effectors used to program new biological functions through gene editing and gene regulation. We review current guide RNA (gRNA) design strategies and computational tools and how CRISPR-based genetic circuits can be constructed through regulated gRNA expression. Then, we present recent advances in CRISPR-based biosensing, bioproduction, and biotherapeutics across in vitro and in vivo prokaryotic systems. Finally, we discuss forthcoming applications in prokaryotic CRISPR technology that will transform synthetic biology principles in the near future.
Deductive Machine Learning Challenges and Opportunities in Chemical Applications
Authors: Jin Tianfan , Savoie Brett M.
Published: April 2024

Contemporary machine learning algorithms have largely succeeded in automating the development of mathematical models from data. Although this is a striking accomplishment, it leaves unaddressed the multitude of scenarios, especially across the chemical sciences and engineering, where deductive, rather than inductive, reasoning is required and still depends on manual intervention by an expert. This review describes the characteristics of deductive reasoning that are helpful for understanding the role played by expert intervention in problem-solving and explains why such interventions are often relatively resistant to disruption by typical machine learning strategies. The article then discusses the factors that contribute to creating a deductive bottleneck, how deductive bottlenecks are currently addressed in several application areas, and how machine learning models capable of deduction can be designed. The review concludes with a tutorial case study that illustrates the challenges of deduction problems and a notebook for readers to experiment with on their own.
Accelerating Diverse Cell-Based Therapies Through Scalable Design
Authors: Peterman Emma L. , Ploessl Deon S. , Galloway Kate E.
Published: April 2024

Augmenting cells with novel, genetically encoded functions will support therapies that expand beyond natural capacity for immune surveillance and tissue regeneration. However, engineering cells at scale with transgenic cargoes remains a challenge in realizing the potential of cell-based therapies. In this review, we introduce a range of applications for engineering primary cells and stem cells for cell-based therapies. We highlight tools and advances that have launched mammalian cell engineering from bioproduction to precision editing of therapeutically relevant cells. Additionally, we examine how transgenesis methods and genetic cargo designs can be tailored for performance. Altogether, we offer a vision for accelerating the translation of innovative cell-based therapies by harnessing diverse cell types, integrating the expanding array of synthetic biology tools, and building cellular tools through advanced genome writing techniques.
HMGB1 Modulates High Glucose‐Induced Erroneous Differentiation of Tendon Stem/Progenitor Cells through RAGE/β‐Catenin Pathway
Authors: Lu Panpan , Dai Guangchun , Shi Liu , Li Yingjuan , Zhang Ming , Wang Hao , Rui Yunfeng
Published: April 2024

The association of tendinopathy with diabetes has been well recognized. Tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) play critical roles in tendon repair, regeneration, and homeostasis maintenance. Diabetic TSPCs exhibit enhanced erroneous differentiation and are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic tendinopathy, whereas the underlying mechanism of the erroneous differentiation of TSPCs remains unclear. Here, we showed that high glucose treatment promoted the erroneous differentiation of TSPCs with increased osteogenic differentiation capacity and decreased tenogenic differentiation ability, and stimulated the expression and further secretion of HMGB1 in TSPCs and. Functionally, exogenous HMGB1 significantly enhanced the erroneous differentiation of TSPCs, while HMGB1 knockdown mitigated high glucose‐promoted erroneous differentiation of TSPCs. Mechanistically, the RAGE/β‐catenin signaling was activated in TSPCs under high glucose, and HMGB1 knockdown inhibited the activity of RAGE/β‐catenin signaling. Inhibition of RAGE/β‐catenin signaling could ameliorate high glucose‐induced erroneous differentiation of TSPCs. These results indicated that HMGB1 regulated high glucose‐induced erroneous differentiation of TSPCs through the RAGE/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings suggest a novel essential mechanism of the erroneous differentiation of TSPCs, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic tendinopathy and provide a promising therapeutic target and approach for diabetic tendinopathy.
Expressions and Clinical Significance of Met and YAP in Gastric Cancer Tissue Microarray
Authors: Li Jinxia , Zhang Xinyun , Liu Ying , Zhou Jinyong , Shen Li , Yue Guangxin
Published: April 2024

Objective. This study is aimed at investigating the expression of Met and YAP in gastric cancer and their impact on clinical prognosis. Methods. Tissue samples and clinical data were collected from 89 patients with gastric cancer. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify the expression of Met and YAP using tissue microarray. The correlation between the expressions of Met, YAP, and clinicopathological characteristics of patients was determined using a chi‐square test. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan‐Meier method, while multivariate survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Bioinformatics analysis was carried out by downloading chip data from TCGA. Results. The expression levels of both Met and YAP were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues compared to adjacent tissues (P < 0.001). Met expression showed a positive association with P53 and CD133, whereas YAP expression correlated positively with tumor grade and CD133 (P < 0.05). Pearson’s analysis revealed a significant correlation between Met expression and VEGFR as well as CD133, while YAP expression correlated with Ki67 and VEGFR (P < 0.05). Patients with high levels of both Met and YAP exhibited decreased survival time (P < 0.01). Furthermore, Met expression, N stage, and VEGFR were identified as independent risk factors for gastric cancer prognosis (P < 0.05), whereas no such association was observed for YAP expression. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between the expressions of Met and YAP; both proteins were highly expressed in gastric cancer patients accompanied by markedly reduced survival time. Conclusion. The expressions of Met and YAP are closely associated with the survival outcomes as well as clinicopathological features in patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, our findings highlight that Met serves as an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Lungworm Infection in Small Ruminants in Selected Districts of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Tessema Wondimu , Getachew Minale , Tora Ephrem
Published: April 2024

Among small ruminants, lungworms are important parasitic nematodes that infect the lower respiratory tract and are implicated in a high mortality and morbidity rate. However, the magnitude and its determinants of lungworm infection in the study districts are not known. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of lungworm infection and assess associated risk factors in selected districts, Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. A total of 742 fecal samples collected from 443 sheep and 299 goats were examined, using modified Baermann techniques, to recover first-stage larvae from fecal samples. Lungworms were detected in 271 (36.52%) samples infecting 192 (43.34%) sheep and 79 (26.42%) goats, respectively. Lungworm species Dictyocaulus filaria, Protostrongylus rufescens, and Muellerius capillaris were recovered in 114 (15.36%), 68 (9.16%), and 57 (7.68%) fecal samples, respectively. Mixed infection by two or more above species was noted in 32 (4.31%) of the samples. Among the determinants examined, agroecological environment, management system, and season showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) with the prevalence of infection in small ruminants. On the other hand, lungworm infection among sexes, age groups, and body condition scores showed no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). The present study indicated that lungworm infection was a problem for sheep and goats in this study area. Thus, measures like deworming, early treatment, and improving animal husbandry should be practiced.
UAV Detect and Avoid from UTM-Dependent Surveillance
Authors: Lin C. E. , Shao P. C. , Bai J. Y. , Lin Y. Y. , Bui H. T.
Published: April 2024

A hierarchical unmanned aircraft system (UAS) traffic management (UTM) system has deployed 45 ground transceiver stations (GTS) for UAS services in Taiwan. This UTM system covers most areas for UAV-dependent surveillance using ADS-B Like technology. UTM Controller can monitor all UAV flights under transparent surveillance in low airspace. Controller-initiated UAV “detect and avoid” (DAA) mechanism assists UAV separation to ensure flight safety on UTM for small multirotor UAVs. From similar concept to traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) for the manned aircraft system, the UTM software executes DAA functions to generate approach alerts to UTM Controller. Conflict is detected by heading arrow extrapolation from multiple approaching UAVs by their time to conflict (TTC) on icons. Traffic advisory (TA) and resolution advisory (RA) are pronounced on UTM console to controllers. The less priority UAV pilot will receive the controller-pilot communication (CPC) to perform avoidance resolution. In UTM, the surveillance data period is broadcasting at 5~8 seconds on LoRa (long-range wide-area network) chip. Referring to TA=48 seconds and RA=24 seconds, the signal delay in ADS-B Like system to UTM server is about 0.5 seconds and CPC response is measured about 3~5 seconds. From real flight tests, the RA is enough for the less priority pilot to maneuver UAV for avoidance. From real flight tests, the proposed DAA mechanism based on UTM-dependent surveillance is feasible to resolve multiple approaches. The developing UTM system using ADS-B Like technology is also examined of high availability with redundant reliability and performance stability for flight safety.