bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Cycling Stability of LFP by W-Ti Co-Doping Strategy for Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Huang Yingde , Chen Yujing , Li Peiyao , Wen Qing , Luo Yuhong , Chen Hezhang , Zhang Xiahui , Zheng Junchao
Published: April 2024

Olivine-type lithium iron phosphate (LFP) is used widely as a cathode material with excellent cycling stability, thermal stability, and low cost for lithium-ion batteries in power vehicles and energy storage. However, it has inherent drawbacks that limit its further development, such as low electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusion rate. Here, secondary spherical particles LFP-W/Ti@C were synthesized using a simple sanding and spray drying method. The pyrolysis of glucose forms a uniform and dense amorphous carbon on the surface of LFP, and the constructed three-dimensional conductive network accelerates the transfer of electrons and ions while mitigating the volume expansion during the lithiation-delithiation process. In addition, the synergistic co-doping of W/Ti achieves nanosizing of primary particles with more active sites providing locations for lithium ions storage, while reducing polarization and internal resistance and enhancing the diffusion kinetics of lithium ion. The LFP-W/Ti@C obtained after optimization still has a discharge capacity of 107.7 mAh g−1 (with a cycle retention rate of up to 100%) after 500 cycles at 5 C. This simple W/Ti co-doping strategy provides excellent rate performance and shows great potential for fast charging in electric vehicles.
Auditory discrimination learning and acoustic cue weighing in female zebra finches with localized FoxP1 knockdowns
Authors: Heim Fabian , Scharff Constance , Fisher Simon E. , Riebel Katharina , ten Cate Carel
Published: April 2024

In humans, mutations of the transcription factor FoxP1 are implicated in speech and language problems. In songbirds, FoxP1 has been linked to male song learning and female preference strength. We found that FoxP1 knockdowns in female HVC and caudomedial mesopallium (CMM) did not alter song discrimination or categorization based on spectral and temporal information. However, this large dataset allowed to validate different cue weights for spectral over temporal information for song recognition.
Urinary Cell Cycle Arrest Biomarkers and Diuretic Efficiency in Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Núñez-Marín Gonzalo , Romero-González Gregorio , Bover Jordi , Górriz Jose Luis , Bayés-Genís Antoni , Sanchis Juan , Núñez Julio , de la Espriella Rafael
Published: April 2024

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the association between the NephroCheck® test AKIRisk® score, diuretic efficiency (DE), and the odds of worsening kidney function (WKF) within the first 72 h of admission in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). Methods: The study prospectively enrolled 125 patients admitted with AHF. NephroCheck® test was obtained within the first 24 h of admission. DE was defined as net fluid urine output per 40 mg of furosemide equivalents. Results: The median AKIRisk® score was 0.11 (IQR 0.06–0.34), and 38 (30.4%) patients had an AKIRisk® score >0.3. The median cumulative DE at 72 h was 1,963 mL (IQR 1317–3,239 mL). At 72 h, a total of 10 (8%) patients developed an absolute increase in sCr ≥0.5 mg/dL (WKF). In a multivariable setting, there was an inverse association between the AKIRisk® score and DE within the first 72 h. In fact, the highest the AKIRisk® score (centered at 0.3), the higher the likelihood of poor DE (below the median) and WKF at 72 h (odds ratio [OR] 2.04; 95%; CI: 1.02–4.07; p = 0.043, and OR 3.31, 95% CI: 1.30–8.43; p = 0.012, respectively). Conclusion: In patients with AHF, a higher NephroCheck® AKIRisk® score is associated with poorer DE and a higher risk of WKF at 72 h. Further research is needed to confirm the role of urinary cell cycle arrest biomarkers in the AHF scenario.
Global growth phase response of the gut bacterium Phocaeicola vulgatus (phylum Bacteroidota)
Authors: Vital Sören-Tobias , Clausen Urte , Füssel Jessika , Neumann-Schaal Meina , Lambertus Pia , Gehler Martina , Scheve Sabine , Wöhlbrand Lars , Dittmar Thorsten , Rabus Ralf
Published: April 2024

Phocaeicola vulgatus belongs to the intestinal microbiome, where it fermentatively breaks down of food-derived biopolymers , thereby, contributing to the gut metabolome. Moreover, due to its product range, P. vulgatus is a potential nonstandard platform organism for sustainable production of basic organic chemicals. Complementing a recent physiologic-proteomic report deciphering the strain's versatile fermentation network [1], the present study focuses on the global growth phase-dependent response.

P. vulgatus was anaerobically cultivated with glucose in process-controlled bioreactors. Close sampling was conducted to measure growth parameters (OD, CDW, ATP content, substrate/product profiles) to determine growth stoichiometry. A coarser sampling (½ODmax, ODmax, and ODstat) served the molecular analysis of the global growth phase-dependent response, applying proteomics (soluble and membrane fractions, nanoLC-ESI-MS/MS) and targeted/untargeted metabolome analyses.

The determined growth performance of features 1.74 h doubling time, 0.06 gCDW/mmolGlc biomass yield, 0.36 (succinate) and 0.61 (acetate) mmolP/mmolGlc as predominant fermentation product yields, and 0.43 mmolATP/mmolC as theoretically calculated ATP yield. The fermentation pathway displayed growth phase-dependent dynamics: the levels of proteins and their accompanying metabolites constituting the upper part of glycolysis peaked at ½ODmax, whereas those of the lower part of glycolysis and of the fermentation routes in particular towards predominant acetate and succinate were highest at ODmax and ODstat. While identified proteins of monomer biosynthesis displayed rather unspecific profiles, most of the intracellular amino acids peaked at ODmax. By contrast, proteins and metabolites related to stress response and quorum sensing showed increased abundances at ODmax and ODstat. The composition of the exometabolome expanded from 2,317 molecular formulas at ½ODmax via 4,258 at ODmax to 4,501 at ODstat, with growth phase-specific subsets increasing in parallel.

The present study provides insights into the distinct growth phase-dependent behavior of P. vulgatus during cultivation in bioreactors. This could serve as a valuable knowledge base for further developing P. vulgatus as a non-conventional platform organism for biotechnological applications. In addition, the findings shed new light on the potential growth phase-dependent imprints of P. vulgatus on the gut microbiome environment, e.g. by indicating interactions via quorum sensing and by unraveling the complex exometabolic background against which fermentation products and secondary metabolites are formed.
Mídia Ninja, mídia tradicional e accountability
Authors: Rosas Juliana de Amorim
Published: April 2024

Surgido em 2011, o grupo Mídia Ninja ganhou mais visibilidade em junho de 2013, cobrindo e participando das manifestações de rua ocorridas no Brasil neste período. Suas imagens, veiculadas ao vivo e ininterruptamente pela internet, obtiveram grande audiência, pautaram a grande imprensa e tiveram grande influência na mudança de discurso da mídia hegemônica sobre o fato. A mídia alternativa se alimentou contrapondo-se ao discurso hegemônico e a grande mídia foi pautada por imagens e coberturas da mídia alternativa, fato que fugiu do habitual. A sociedade desconfiou do discurso hegemônico, mas também dos motivos e financiamento dos “ninjas”. Em meio a essas questões, nossa intenção é refletir sobre o accountability noticioso.
Guano e burguesia nacional no Peru: 1840-1880
Authors: Megale Januário Francisco
Published: April 2024

(1º parágrafo do artigo)

Nosso objetivo neste pequeno estudo é mostrar a sociedade peruana na época do Guano em sua composição de classes e estrutura de poder. Procuramos descrever e analisar o surto do guano e suas consequências para a economia e política peruanas. Reconhecemos de antemão nossa limitação sobre o tema, o que torna este estudo um tanto geral, não precisando este ou aquele ponto relevante para uma análise histórico-estrutural do referido período.
A contribuição de Gilberto Freyre em Casa Grande e Senzala para o estudo da sociedade brasileira: o papel da cultura africana
Authors: Mourão Fernando Augusto Albuquerque
Published: April 2024

(1º parágrafo do artigo)
Casa Grande e Senzala marcou época na história do pensamento brasileiro, quer pelo seu pioneirismo, quer pelas amplas sugestões que oferece ao pesquisador. Uma vez que a obra, que tem merecido várias edições nacionais e estrangeiras, vem, de longa data, sendo objeto de análises mais ou menos sistemáticas, pretendemos identificar as sugestões nela contidas e as examinar em função de um tempo novo, dentro de uma perspectiva temporal. Partindo da hipótese da existência de uma especificidade da cultura brasileira, de uma síntese em elaboração no devir da história, pretendemos recolocar o problema do papel representado pela contribuição da cultura africana a esta síntese em plena elaboração no “novo mundo”.
resenha do livro: O Egito antigo - coleção Saber Atual
Authors: Mello Maria Martha Pimentel de
Published: April 2024

resenha do livro:

VERCOUTTER (Jean). — O Egito Antigo. Coleção "Saber Atual", tradução de Francisco G. Heidemann. São Paulo. Difusão Européia do Livro. 1974, 121 páginas. 1 mapa fora do texto, 1 ilustração de hieróglifos, 1 volume nº 164 (12 x 18.5 cms). Título do original francês: L'Egypte Ancienne (Col "Que sais-je?", nº 247).

(1º parágrafo da resenha)

A Coleção "Saber Atual" consegue realizar tarefa relevante, publicando obras de valor científico, numa apresentação despretenciosa e usando uma linguagem simples capaz de satisfazer o grande público, e, ao mesmo tempo atender o especialista sequioso de uma síntese científica e objetiva somente possível através de uma exposição didática.
resenha do livro: A Daughter of Han: The Autobiography of a Chinese Working Woman (From the Story Told Her by Ning Lao T'ai-t'ai)
Authors: Zaratin Terezinha Naked
Published: April 2024

resenha do livro

PRUITT, Ida. A Daughter of Han — The Autobiography of a Chinese Working Woman. (From the Story Told Her by Ning Lao T'ai-t'ai). Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1967, 254 págs.
Are Character-level Translations Worth the Wait? Comparing ByT5 and mT5 for Machine Translation
Authors: Edman Lukas , Sarti Gabriele , Toral Antonio , Noord Gertjan van , Bisazza Arianna
Published: April 2024

Pretrained character-level and byte-level language models have been shown to be competitive with popular subword models across a range of Natural Language Processing tasks. However, there has been little research on their effectiveness for neural machine translation (NMT), particularly within the popular pretrain-then-finetune paradigm. This work performs an extensive comparison across multiple languages and experimental conditions of character- and subword-level pretrained models (ByT5 and mT5, respectively) on NMT. We show the effectiveness of character-level modeling in translation, particularly in cases where fine-tuning data is limited. In our analysis, we show how character models’ gains in translation quality are reflected in better translations of orthographically similar words and rare words. While evaluating the importance of source texts in driving model predictions, we highlight word-level patterns within ByT5, suggesting an ability to modulate word-level and character-level information during generation. We conclude by assessing the efficiency tradeoff of byte models, suggesting their usage in non-time-critical scenarios to boost translation quality.
Do Text Simplification Systems Preserve Meaning? A Human Evaluation via Reading Comprehension
Authors: Agrawal Sweta , Carpuat Marine
Published: April 2024

Automatic text simplification (TS) aims to automate the process of rewriting text to make it easier for people to read. A pre-requisite for TS to be useful is that it should convey information that is consistent with the meaning of the original text. However, current TS evaluation protocols assess system outputs for simplicity and meaning preservation without regard for the document context in which output sentences occur and for how people understand them. In this work, we introduce a human evaluation framework to assess whether simplified texts preserve meaning using reading comprehension questions. With this framework, we conduct a thorough human evaluation of texts by humans and by nine automatic systems. Supervised systems that leverage pre-training knowledge achieve the highest scores on the reading comprehension tasks among the automatic controllable TS systems. However, even the best-performing supervised system struggles with at least 14% of the questions, marking them as “unanswerable” based on simplified content. We further investigate how existing TS evaluation metrics and automatic question-answering systems approximate the human judgments we obtained.
Revisiting the nomenclature and taxonomy of the Malagasy Kalanchoe uniflora (K. subg. Alatae; Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae), which has Kitchingia uniflora as its basionym, and its homotypic and heterotypic synonyms
Authors: SMITH GIDEON F.
Published: April 2024

The Malagasy Kalanchoe uniflora (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) was at first described as a species of Kitchingia, but soon thereafter transferred to Kalanchoe. The taxonomy and nomenclature of Kalanchoe uniflora are reviewed and discussed in a historical context. An amplified description and illustrations are provided for the species. The typification of the name Kitchingia uniflora, basionym of Kalanchoe uniflora, is corrected, and the typification of the name Kalanchoe ambrensis, a heterotypic synonym of Kalanchoe uniflora, is dealt with.
Begonia dakrongensis (Begoniaceae), a new species from Dakrong Nature Reserve, Quang Tri province in Central Vietnam
Authors: NGUYEN CUONG HUU , LE ANH TUAN , HA VAN BAC , LIN CHE WEI
Published: April 2024

A new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae), B. dakrongensis, from Central Vietnam is described and illustrated. B. dakrongensis resembles B. abbreviata in its rhizomatous habit, short cymose-paniculate inflorescence with congested bracts, 4-tepaled staminate flowers, and 5-tepaled pistillate flowers. However, the new species markedly differs by having obtriangular-spathulate to oblong-obovate or widely obovate lamina (vs. ovate to broadly ovate), not oblique or nearly so (vs. oblique), widely obovate anthers (vs. narrowly obovate), and trigonous-globose ovary (vs. trigonous-ellipsoid).
Scratching the surface of Afrotropical Dissomphalus (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae): a revision uncovering 114 new species
Authors: COLOMBO WESLEY D. , BRITO CHIRLEI D. , AZEVEDO CELSO O.
Published: April 2024

The main goal of this paper is to revise the Dissomphalus genus within the Afrotropical region. Specimens were collected across seventeen countries: Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A total of 127 species have been identified in the Afrotropical region. Thirteen of these species have been previously described, namely: D. adscitus Benoit, D. alberti Benoit, D. babaeculus (Benoit), D. clibanarius Benoit, D. crucialis Benoit, D. forchhammeri (Krombein), D. globiceps Benoit, D. indeceptilis Benoit, D. matticus (Benoit), D. nicaeus Benoit, D. prophylax Benoit, D. rwindianus Benoit and D. tridentatus (Kieffer). Additionally, we propose D. kiefferi Benoit syn. nov. as a junior synonym of D. matticus and D. orophilus Benoit syn. nov. as a junior synonym of D. adscitus. Furthermore, this study introduces 114 new species for the Afrotropical region. We also provide an updated key for both females and males in this region.
Formation par simulation et simulation comme méthode qualitative innovante en sociologie
Authors: Orival Tony
Published: April 2024

L’intention de cet article est de partager une expérience méthodologique basée sur la simulation immersive et de voir comment et à quelles conditions cette dernière peut être utilisée comme une méthode de recherche qualitative innovante en sociologie. Après avoir distingué deux types de simulation – simulation de type I et de type II –, l’utilisation de cette méthode dans un programme de recherche sur les technologies numériques en santé sera exposée, et les coulisses de sa mise en œuvre et de la méthode discutées. Cette méthode est apparue particulièrement pertinente pour avoir accès à une réalité difficile à atteindre autrement et comme un outil fécond pour recueillir des données qualitatives par des voies différentes que l’entretien ou l’observation. Les apports proprement sociologiques de cette méthode sont à considérer et pourraient être discutés, appropriés, et réinvestis dans d’autres enquêtes.
Big data analytics. A demographer’s perspective
Authors: Wunsch Guillaume
Published: April 2024

In the past few years, several demographers have pointed out the need to consider big data in population studies. Some are in favour of data-driven approaches, as statistical algorithms could discover novel patterns in the data. This paper examines some of the methods, both old and new, that have been developed for detecting patterns and associations in the data. It concludes with a discussion on how big data and big data analytics can contribute to improving the explanatory power of models in the social sciences and in demography in particular.
Femicide and COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining the Situation in Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia
Authors: Hacin Rok , Meško Gorazd
Published: April 2024

Government measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 affected crime opportunities and criminal justice systems, resulting in changes in crime trends. This article explores the effects of restrictions (lockdowns) on the number of femicides. The monthly data on femicides from 2017 to 2021 were collected in five Central and South-eastern European countries: Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. The total number of femicides from 2017 to 2021 decreased in all observed countries. Increases were detected in Croatia and Slovenia in 2020. However, they presented an exception to the general trend. The monthly distribution of femicides showed that there was no common point peak month(s) among observed countries. Analyzing the effects of the level of restrictions using the Stringency Index on the number of femicides confirmed the initial observation that the number of femicides was not dependent on lockdown measures. In general, the findings show that restriction measures had no effect on the number of femicides in the studied countries.
Development of an Interpretable Deep Learning Model for Pathological Tumor Response Assessment After Neoadjuvant Therapy
Authors: Wang Yichen , Zhang Wenhua , Chen Lijun , Xie Jun , Zheng Xuebin , Jin Yan , Zheng Qiang , Xue Qianqian , Li Bin , He Chuan , Chen Haiquan , Li Yuan
Published: April 2024

Background

Neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery has become the standard of care for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and accurate pathological response assessment is critical to assess the therapeutic efficacy. However, it can be laborious and inconsistency between different observers may occur. Hence, we aim to develop an interpretable deep-learning model for efficient pathological response assessment following neoadjuvant therapy in ESCC.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed 337 ESCC resection specimens from 2020–2021 at the Pudong-Branch (Cohort 1) and 114 from 2021–2022 at the Puxi-Branch (External Cohort 2) of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Whole slide images (WSIs) from these two cohorts were generated using different scanning machines to test the ability of the model in handling color variations. Four pathologists independently assessed the pathological response. The senior pathologists annotated tumor beds and residual tumor percentages on WSIs to determine consensus labels. Furthermore, 1850 image patches were randomly extracted from Cohort 1 WSIs and binarily classified for tumor viability. A deep-learning model employing knowledge distillation was developed to automatically classify positive patches for each WSI and estimate the viable residual tumor percentages. Spatial heatmaps were output for model explanations and visualizations.

Results

The approach achieved high concordance with pathologist consensus, with an R^2 of 0.8437, a RAcc_0.1 of 0.7586, a RAcc_0.3 of 0.9885, which were comparable to two senior pathologists (R^2 of 0.9202/0.9619, RAcc_0.1 of 8506/0.9425, RAcc_0.3 of 1.000/1.000) and surpassing two junior pathologists (R^2 of 0.5592/0.5474, RAcc_0.1 of 0.5287/0.5287, RAcc_0.3 of 0.9080/0.9310). Visualizations enabled the localization of residual viable tumor to augment microscopic assessment.

Conclusion

This work illustrates deep learning's potential for assisting pathological response assessment. Spatial heatmaps and patch examples provide intuitive explanations of model predictions, engendering clinical trust and adoption (Code and data will be available at https://github.com/WinnieLaugh/ESCC_Percentage once the paper has been conditionally accepted). Integrating interpretable computational pathology could help enhance the efficiency and consistency of tumor response assessment and empower precise oncology treatment decisions.
Multi-trait GWAS for diverse ancestries: mapping the knowledge gap
Authors: Troubat Lucie , Fettahoglu Deniz , Henches Léo , Aschard Hugues , Julienne Hanna
Published: April 2024

Background

Approximately 95% of samples analyzed in univariate genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are of European ancestry. This bias toward European ancestry populations in association screening also exists for other analyses and methods that are often developed and tested on European ancestry only. However, existing data in non-European populations, which are often of modest sample size, could benefit from innovative approaches as recently illustrated in the context of polygenic risk scores.

Methods

Here, we extend and assess the potential limitations and gains of our multi-trait GWAS pipeline, JASS (Joint Analysis of Summary Statistics), for the analysis of non-European ancestries. To this end, we conducted the joint GWAS of 19 hematological traits and glycemic traits across five ancestries (European (EUR), admixed American (AMR), African (AFR), East Asian (EAS), and South-East Asian (SAS)).

Results

We detected 367 new genome-wide significant associations in non-European populations (15 in Admixed American (AMR), 72 in African (AFR) and 280 in East Asian (EAS)). New associations detected represent 5%, 17% and 13% of associations in the AFR, AMR and EAS populations, respectively. Overall, multi-trait testing increases the replication of European associated loci in non-European ancestry by 15%. Pleiotropic effects were highly similar at significant loci across ancestries (e.g. the mean correlation between multi-trait genetic effects of EUR and EAS ancestries was 0.88). For hematological traits, strong discrepancies in multi-trait genetic effects are tied to known evolutionary divergences: the ARKC1 loci, which is adaptive to overcome p.vivax induced malaria.

Conclusions

Multi-trait GWAS can be a valuable tool to narrow the genetic knowledge gap between European and non-European populations.
Atrial fibrillation: real-life experience of a rhythm control with electrical cardioversion in a community hospital
Authors: Okhotin Artemiy , Osipov Maxim , Osipov Vasilij , Barchuk Anton
Published: April 2024

Background

Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Electrical cardioversion, a well-established part of the rhythm control strategy, is probably underused in community settings. Here, we describe its use, safety, and effectiveness in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation treated in rural settings.

Methods

It is a retrospective cohort study. Data on all procedures from January 1, 2016, till December 1, 2022, in Tarusa Hospital, serving mostly a rural population of 15,000 people, were extracted from electronic health records. Data on the procedure’s success, age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, previous procedures, echocardiographic parameters, type and duration of arrhythmia, anticoagulation, antiarrhythmic drugs, transesophageal echocardiography, and settings were available.

Results

Altogether, 1,272 procedures in 435 patients were performed during the study period. The overall effectiveness of the procedure was 92%. Effectiveness was similar across all prespecified subgroups. Electrical cardioversion was less effective in patients undergoing the procedure for the first time (86%, 95% CI: 82-90) compared to repeated procedures (95%, 95% CI: 93-96), OR 0.39 (95% CI: 0.26-0.59). Complications were encountered in 13 (1.02%) procedures but were not serious.

Conclusions

Electrical cardioversion is an immediately effective procedure that can be safely performed in community hospitals, both in inpatient and outpatient settings. Further studies with longer follow-up are needed to investigate the rate of sinus rhythm maintenance in these patients.
Adverse birth outcome among women who gave birth at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Jejaw Melak , Teshale Getachew , Yazachew Lake , Dellie Endalkachew , Debie Ayal
Published: April 2024

Background

In Ethiopia, various maternal and child health interventions, including comprehensive and basic obstetric cares were conducted to curb high neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality. As such, adverse birth outcome has been a public health concern in the country. Thus, this study aimed to assess the burden and associated factors with adverse birth outcomes among women who gave birth at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A health facility-based cross-sectional study was employed from 30 March to 01 May 2021 at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. A total of 455 women were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. A binary logistic regression model was fitted Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95%CI and p-value < 0.05 were used to declare factors significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes.

Results

In this study, 28% of women had adverse birth outcomes (8.4% stillbirths, 22.9% preterm births, and 10.11% low birth weights). Women aged 20–34) (AOR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.76), rural dwellers (AOR: 2.7, 95%CI: 1.06, 6.32), lack of ANC visits (AOR: 4.10, 95%CI: 1.55, 10.85), APH (AOR: 3.0, 95%CI: 1.27, 7.10) and fever (AOR: 7.80, 95%CI: 3.57, 17.02) were associated to stillbirths. Multiple pregnancy (AOR:7.30, 95%CI:1.75, 20.47), rural dwellers (AOR:4.60, 95%CI:1.36, 15.52), preterm births (AOR: 8.60, 95% CI: 3.88, 19.23), previous perinatal death (AOR:2.90, 95%CI:1.35, 6.24), fever (AOR:2.7,95%CI:1.17 ,6.23) and premature rupture of membrane (AOR:2.60, 95% CI:1.02, 6.57) were affecting low birth weights. In addition, previous antepartum hemorrhage (AOR: 2.40, 95%CI: 1.37, 4.10) and fever (AOR: 3.8, 95%CI: 2.13, 6.89) were also factors contributing to preterm births.

Conclusion

Adverse birth outcomes continue to pose a significant public health concern. Such high rates of adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects, can have serious and long-lasting effects on the health and well-being of both infants and their families, and the community at large. As such, public health efforts are crucial in addressing and mitigating the risk factors associated with adverse birth outcomes. This may involve implementing interventions and policies to improve maternal health, access to prenatal care and nutritional support, and reducing exposure to environmental risks.
Metabolic difference between patient-derived xenograft model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and corresponding primary tumor
Authors: Wen Shi , Lin Xianchao , Luo Wei , Pan Yu , Liao Fei , Wang Zhenzhao , Zhan Bohan , Feng Jianghua , Huang Heguang
Published: April 2024

Background

Patients-derived xenograft (PDX) model have been widely used for tumor biological and pathological studies. However, the metabolic similarity of PDX tumor to the primary cancer (PC) is still unknown.

Methods

In present study, we established PDX model by engrafting primary tumor of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and then compared the tumor metabolomics of PC, the first generation of PDX tumor (PDXG1), and the third generation of PDX tumor (PDXG3) by using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Then, we assessed the differences in response to chemotherapy between PDXG1 and PDXG3 and corresponding metabolomic differences in drug-resistant tumor tissues. To evaluate the metabolomic similarity of PDX to PC, we also compared the metabolomic difference of cell-derived xenograft (CDX) vs. PC and PDX vs. PC.

Results

After engraftment, PDXG1 tumor had a low level of lactate, pyruvate, citrate and multiple amino acids (AAs) compared with PC. Metabolite sets enrichment and metabolic pathway analyses implied that glycolysis metabolisms were suppressed in PDXG1 tumor, and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA)-associated anaplerosis pathways, such as amino acids metabolisms, were enhanced. Then, after multiple passages of PDX, the altered glycolysis and TCA-associated anaplerosis pathways were partially recovered. Although no significant difference was observed in the response of PDXG1 and PDXG3 to chemotherapy, the difference in glycolysis and amino acids metabolism between PDXG1 and PDXG3 could still be maintained. In addition, the metabolomic difference between PC and CDX models were much larger than that of PDX model and PC, indicating that PDX model still retain more metabolic characteristics of primary tumor which is more suitable for tumor-associated metabolism research.

Conclusions

Compared with primary tumor, PDX models have obvious difference in metabolomic level. These findings can help us design in vivo tumor metabolomics research legitimately and analyze the underlying mechanism of tumor metabolic biology thoughtfully.
Corneal endothelial cell density and associated factors among adults at a regional referral hospital in Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Namwase Shamiim , Ruvuma Sam , Onyango John , Kwaga Teddy , Ebong Abel , Atwine Daniel , Mukunya David , Arunga Simon
Published: April 2024

Background

To assess the prevalence of low corneal endothelial cell density and correlates of corneal endothelial cell density among adults attending Mbarara University and Referral Hospital Eye Centre in Uganda.

Methods

In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, participants 18 years and older, were enrolled. We obtained informed consent, and basic demographic data. We also conducted visual acuity, a detailed slit lamp examination, intra-ocular pressure, corneal diameter, tear-film break-up time, keratometry, A-scan, and pachymetry on all participants. A confocal microscope Heidelberg HRT3 was used to examine the central cornea and to obtain the mean cell density (cells/mm2). To calculate the proportion of low endothelial cell density, descriptive statistics were used, whereas correlates of endothelial cell density were assessed, using linear regression analyses.

Results

We evaluated a total of 798 eyes of 404 participants aged between 18 and 90 years (males = 187, females = 217). The average endothelial cell density was 2763.6 cells/mm2, and there was a decrease in endothelial cell density with increasing age, irrespective of gender. There was no significant difference in endothelial cell density between males and females. Increasing age (adjusted coefficient − 10.1, p < 0.001), history of smoking (adjusted coefficient − 439.6, p = 0.004), history of ocular surgery (adjusted coefficient − 168.0, p = 0.023), having dry eye (adjusted coefficient − 136.0, p = 0.051), and having arcus senilis (adjusted coefficient − 132.0, p = 0.08), were correlated with lower endothelial cell density. However, increasing corneal diameter (adjusted coefficient 134.0, p = 0.006), increasing central corneal thickness (adjusted coefficient 1.2, p = 0.058), and increasing axial length (adjusted coefficient 65.8, p = 0.026), were correlated with higher endothelial cell density. We found five eyes (0.63%) from different participants with a low endothelial cell density (< 1000cells/mm2).

Conclusion

Our study established baseline normal ranges of ECD in a predominantly black African population, and found that low ECD is rare in our population. The elderly, smokers, and those with past ocular surgery are the most vulnerable. The low prevalence could be due to a lack of reference values for the black African population.
Seizures in febrile children with SARS-CoV-2 infection: clinical features, short-term follow-up
Authors: Jiang Jipeng , Shen Zhengsong , Cao Jie
Published: April 2024

Background

As the Omicron variant of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerges, the neurological manifestations correlated with this epidemic have garnered increasing attention. This study was primarily intended to compare seizures in febrile children with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection and to conduct short-term follow-up of the SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of patients admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University for fever and seizures between October 1 and December 30, 2022. Based on the results of SARS-CoV-2 Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR) at the time of admission, the patients were divided into a Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) positive group and a COVID-19 negative group. Aside from that, we followed up COVID-19-positive patients for 3 months after their discharge from the hospital. The follow-up included monitoring for post-discharge seizures.

Results

Compared with the COVID-19-negative group, the COVID-19-positive group had a higher proportion of seizure duration ≥ 15 min(18.7%VS5.1%;P = 0.001), seizure ≥ 2 time(54.4%VS41.0%; P = 0.024), status epilepticus(15.4%VS5.1%; P = 0.005), and Electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities(29.4%VS13.6%; P = 0.016). Among the 161 individuals under follow-up, 21 (13.0%)experienced a recurrence of seizures.

Conclusions

Although the incidence of seizure duration ≥ 15 min, number of seizures ≥ 2 time, and status epilepticus was higher in the COVID-19-positive group, the majority of patients had a favorable prognosis. Nonetheless, patients with COVID-19 who present with seizures and persistent impaired consciousness need to be alerted to serious neurological disorders such as acute necrotizing encephalopathy. Owing to the consideration that some patients may experience a recurrence of seizures within a short period of time, it is paramount to provide guardians with education about the emergency management of seizures and to follow up with patients over time.
Assessment of the correlation between KAP scores regarding sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and hyperuricemia amongst Chinese young adults
Authors: Zhang Yun , Di Hong , Wu Juan , Wang Xiaoxue , Han Xinxin , Zhang Bingqing , Zeng Xuejun
Published: April 2024

Background

The prevalence of hyperuricemia in China has been consistently increasing, particularly among the younger generation. The excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with hyperuricemia. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese young adults regarding sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the correlation with hyperuricemia.

Methods

This cross-sectional investigation was conducted from June 28th, 2023, to July 21st, 2023, and enrolled Chinese young adults. Demographics and KAP were evaluated using a questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.787). Factors influencing KAP scores were analyzed using multivariable analyses.

Results

A total of 1288 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The median knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 16 (12,19)/22, 22 (20,24)/30, and 27.5 (23,31.75)/40. The multivariable analysis showed that bachelor’s/associate education (OR = 1.912, 95%CI: 1.128–3.239), white collar/employee (OR = 0.147, 95%CI: 0.105–0.206), educator (OR = 0.300, 95%CI: 0.174–0.518), healthcare worker (OR = 0.277, 95%CI: 0.188–0.407), not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.253–0.590), and not having gout (OR = 0.456, 95%CI: 0.282–0.736) were independently associated with knowledge. Age 26–30 (OR = 1.470, 95%CI: 1.052–2.052), age 31–35 (OR = 1.489, 95%CI: 1.097–2.022), age 36–40 (OR = 0.328, 95%CI: 1.010–1.746), age 41–44 (OR = 1.548, 95%CI: 1.091–2.198), and not having hyperuricemia (OR = 0.512, 95%CI: 0.345–0.760) were independently associated with attitude. White collar/employee (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.285–0.521), educator (OR = 0.534, 95%CI: 0.317–0.899), healthcare worker (OR = 0.341, 95%CI: 0.236–0.493), having siblings (OR = 0.725, 95%CI: 0.573–0.917), and not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.442, 95%CI: 0.296–0.659), were independently associated with practice.

Conclusion

Chinese young adults display moderate KAP toward sugar-sweetened beverages. Notably, an association was observed between hyperuricemia and each KAP dimension.
Association of daily sitting time and coffee consumption with the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among US adults
Authors: Zhou Huimin , Nie Jing , Cao Yanmei , Diao Linjing , Zhang Xiaoli , Li Jiafu , Chen Siyu , Zhang Xu , Chen Guochong , Zhang Zengli , Li Bingyan
Published: April 2024

Background

Sedentary behavior has been demonstrated to be a modifiable factor for several chronic diseases, while coffee consumption is believed to be beneficial for health. However, the joint associations of daily sitting time and coffee consumption with mortality remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the independent and joint associations of daily sitting time and coffee intakes with mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among US adults.

Methods

An analysis of a prospective cohort from the 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of US adults (n = 10,639). Data on mortality were compiled from interview and physical examination data until December 31, 2019. Daily sitting time was self-reported. Coffee beverages were from the 24-hour diet recall interview. The main outcomes of the study were all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. The adjusted hazard ratios [HRs] and 95% confidence intervals [CI] were imputed by Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

Among 10,639 participants in the study cohort, there were 945 deaths, 284 of whom died of CVD during the follow-up period of up to 13 years. Multivariable models showed that sitting more than 8 h/d was associated with higher risks of all-cause (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.17–1.81) and CVD (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.21–2.66) mortality, compared with those sitting for less than 4 h/d. People with the highest quartile of coffee consumption were observed for the reduced risks of both all-cause (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54–0.84) and CVD (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.30–0.69) mortality compared with non-coffee consumers. Notably, joint analyses firstly showed that non-coffee drinkers who sat six hours or more per day were 1.58 (95% CI, 1.25–1.99) times more likely to die of all causes than coffee drinkers sitting for less than six hours per day, indicating that the association of sedentary with increased mortality was only observed among adults with no coffee consumption but not among those who had coffee intake.

Conclusions

This study identified that sedentary behavior for more than 6 h/d accompanied with non-coffee consumption, were strongly associated with the increased risk of mortality from all-cause and CVD.
Associations between COVID-19 incidence, weight status, and social participation restrictions in the U.S.: evidence from the national population, cross-sectional study
Authors: Jung SuJung
Published: April 2024

Background

To explore the associations between coronavirus infection incidence and weight status and social participation restrictions among community-dwelling adults in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a representative sample of 29,394 individuals (Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): 3,205) and a weighted total of 252,461,316 individuals (COVID-19: 31,697,404), considering the complex sampling design used in the survey.

Results

Age, race/ethnicity, education level, family income index, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status were significantly associated with COVID-19 infection. Weight status was significantly correlated with social participation restrictions and strongly associated with COVID-19 infection, particularly among individuals who were overweight or obese.

Conclusion

Weight status was shown to be associated not only with social participation restrictions but also with COVID-19 infection among U.S. adults. Understanding the complex interplay between weight status, social participation, and COVID-19 is crucial for developing effective preventive measures and promoting overall well-being in the community population.
Cystitis glandularis with concomitant Crohn’s disease leading to a paroxysm of Crohn’s disease with ulcerated external iliac vessels
Authors: Ronghua Wu , Ji Zheng , Gang Liu , Yun Zhang , Xubiao Nie
Published: April 2024

•we report the case of a 36-year-old female patient who presented to our hospital with a diagnosis of cystitis glandularis manifesting as a vesicovaginal fistula. She underwent cystoscopic biopsy at a local hospital, but anti-inflammatory treatment was ineffective, and the patient was experiencing low urination frequency and urgency, as well as pain. The patient underwent laparoscopic repair of a cystoscopy-confirmed vesicovaginal fistula. After surgery, the patient experienced a paroxysm of Crohn’s disease with multiple small bowel fistulas and erosion of the external iliac vessels that ruptured to form an external iliac vessel small bowel fistula. The fistula was confirmed by surgical exploration, and the patient eventually died.
Association between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese adults: a retrospective study
Authors: Tang Jiaming , Cai Xiaohua , Liu Aijie , Yu Nannan , Wang Shilei
Published: April 2024

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to have obesity as a risk factor. Body mass index cannot distinguish between lean mass and fat mass. We aimed to examine the association between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and risk of T2DM in Japanese adults. We also explored whether these three new parameters could predict T2DM better than other obesity markers.

Methods

This present study is a secondary data analysis. The study enrolled 20,944 Japanese individuals who participated in the NAGALA medical assessment program between 2004 and 2015. 15,453 participants who are eligible and have complete information were included to our analysis. Through the use of Kaplan-Meier curve, restricted cubic spline and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, the relationship between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and T2DM risk was examined. The area under the curve method was used to assess the differences between these markers of obesity.

Results

A total of 373 cases of T2DM occurred over a median time of 5.4 years. In the male group, we found a U-shaped connection between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, and T2DM onset (p value, non-linearity < 0.05). A linear relationship was found between predicted percent fat and T2DM onset. The linear relationship was also found in the female group for predicted fat mass, and predicted percent fat. And for women, predicted lean mass was not an independent predictor. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat in men was 0.673 (95%CI: 0.639 ~ 0.707), 0.598 (95%CI: 0.561 ~ 0.635), 0.715 (95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.745), respectively. In males, WHtR was the strongest predictor (AUC 0.7151, 95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.746), followed by predicted percent fat (AUC 0.7150, 95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.745). In the females, WHtR was also the strongest predictor (AUC 0.758, 95%CI: 0.703 ~ 0.813), followed by body mass index (AUC 0.757, 95%CI: 0.704 ~ 0.811) and predicted percent fat (AUC 0.742, 95%CI: 0.687 ~ 0.798).

Conclusion

Predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat were strongly connected with an increased risk for developing T2DM in Japanese, particularly in males. WHtR and predicted percent fat had a slightly better discrimination than other common obesity indicators in males. In the females, predicted fat mass and predicted percent fat were associated with T2DM risk, WHtR and body mass index had the slightly higher predictive power.
NHANES-based analysis of the correlation between leisure-time physical activity, serum cotinine levels and periodontitis risk
Authors: Fu Hua , Zhang Diya , Li Yining
Published: April 2024

Objective

To investigate the association of leisure-time physical activity and serum cotinine levels with the risk of periodontitis in the general population and to further analyze the interaction between leisure-time physical activity and serum cotinine levels on the risk of periodontitis.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study, extracting data from 9605 (56.19%) participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2009 to 2014, and analyzing the relationship and interaction effects of serum cotinine level, leisure time physical activity, and risk of periodontitis by weighted univariate logistic modeling; Effect sizes were determined using ratio of ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

5,397 (56.19%) of 9,605 participants had periodontitis; an increased risk of periodontitis was found in those in the leisure time physical activity intensity < 750 MET × min/week group (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.17–1.78). Serum cotinine levels ≥ 0.05 ng/ml were associated with an increased risk of periodontitis (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.69–2.33). The group with low leisure physical activity and serum cotinine levels ≥ 0.05 ng/ml had an increased risk of periodontitis compared to the group with high leisure physical activity and serum cotinine levels < 0.05 ng/ml (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.88–3.27). Interaction metrics RERI = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.44–1.36) and API = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.18–0.55); CI for SI = 2.55 (95% CI: 1.03–6.28). for API 0.36.

Conclusion

Leisure time physical activity intensity interacted with smoking exposure on periodontitis risk and may provide the general population with the opportunity to Increasing leisure-time physical activity and smoking cessation may provide recommendations for the general population.