bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of donor pool size on the variability of platelet lysate-derived extracellular vesicles for regenerative medicine
Authors: Amengual-Tugores Andreu Miquel , Ráez-Meseguer Carmen , Forteza-Genestra Maria Antònia , Calvo Javier , Gayà Antoni , Monjo Marta , Ramis Joana Maria
Published: May 2024

Aim: The objective of the present study was to determine the variability of platelet lysate-derived extracellular vesicles (pEV), in terms of characteristics and functionality through wound healing assays, when isolated either from platelet concentrates (PC, obtained from 5 donors) or from multiple PC (MPC, that is 50 donors).

Methods: pEV were isolated under GMP-like conditions in a clean room using Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). The differential characteristics between pEV obtained from PC (PC-EV) or MPC (MPC-EV) were evaluated by means of protein concentration, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and flow cytometry using the MACSPlex™ arrays for surface analysis profiling of EV. The functionality of the isolated pEV was determined in cell culture by metabolic activity and LDH activity determination and through a wound healing assay after 24 h treatment.

Results: No significant differences were observed in the pEV characteristics evaluated, whether isolated from PC or MPC. As regards functionality, a higher wound closure percentage was obtained in those pEV pools isolated from PC (5 donors). No differences in the coefficient of variation (CV) were found when comparing all the evaluated variables of pEV derived either from PC (5 donors) or from MPC (50 donors).

Conclusion: Our findings challenge the necessity of a larger donor pool for pEV isolation, revealing no significant variations in the analyzed variables of MPC-EV and PC-EV. Notably, our results suggest that, unlike platelet concentrates, a high number of donors is not required to reduce the variability of pEV, showing that the pool of only 5 donors can provide a consistent and reliable therapeutic product.
Finding All Efficient Solutions of an Interval Multiple Objective Linear Programming Problem
Authors: Van Tu Ta
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we propose a method to find all efficient solutions of an interval multiple objective linear programming (IMOLP) problem with interval coefficients in the objective functions, the constraint matrix and the right-hand side vector. The set of all efficient solutions of an IMOLP problem can completely supply information to the decision makers in finding their most preferred solutions but, up to now, not all efficient solutions of an IMOLP problem can be found by known methods. A numerical example is given to illustrate the working of the proposed method.
The Crucial Role of Hereditary Cancer Panel Testing in Unaffected Individuals with a Strong Family History of Cancer: A Retrospective Study of a Cohort of 103 Healthy Subjects
Authors: Pilenzi Lucrezia , Anaclerio Federico , Dell’Elice Anastasia , Minelli Maria , Giansante Roberta , Cicirelli Michela , Tinari Nicola , Grassadonia Antonino , Pantalone Andrea , Grossi Simona , Canale Nicole , Bruno Annalisa , Calabrese Giuseppe , Ballerini Patrizia , Stuppia Liborio , Antonucci Ivana
Published: May 2024

Hereditary cancer syndromes caused by germline mutations account for 5-10% of all cancers. The finding of a genetic mutation could have far-reaching consequences for pharmaceutical therapy, personalized prevention strategies, and cascade testing. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) and the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) guidelines, unaffected family members should be tested only if the affected one is unavailable. This article explores whether germline genetic testing may be offered to high-risk families for hereditary cancer even if a living affected relative is missing. A retrospective study was carried out on 103 healthy subjects tested from 2017 to 2023. We enrolled all subjects with at least two first or second-degree relatives affected by breast, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, prostate, or colorectal cancer. All subjects were tested by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) multi-gene panel of 27 cancer-associated genes. In the study population, 5 (about 5%) pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs/LPVs) were found while 40 (42%) had a Variant of Uncertain Significance (VUS). This study highlights the importance of genetic testing for individuals with a strong family history of hereditary malignancies. This approach would allow women who tested positive to receive tailored treatment and prevention strategies based on their personal mutation status.
Using Reinforcement Learning to Develop a Novel Gait for a Bio-robotic California Sea Lion
Authors: Drago Anthony , Kadapa Shraman , Marcouiller Nicholas , Kwatny Harry G , Tangorra James L.
Published: May 2024

While researchers have made notable progress in bio-inspired swimming robot development, a persistent challenge lies in creating propulsive gaits tailored to these robotic systems. The California sea lion achieves its robust swimming abilities through a careful coordination of foreflippers and body segments. In this paper, reinforcement learning (RL) was used to develop a novel sea lion foreflipper gait for a bio-robotic swimmer using a numerically modelled computational representation of the robot. This model integration enabled reinforcement learning to develop desired swimming gaits in the challenging underwater domain. The novel RL gait outperformed the characteristic sea lion foreflipper gait in the simulated underwater domain. When applied to the real-world robot, the RL constructed novel gait performed as well or better than the characteristic sea lion gait in many factors. This work shows the potential for using complimentary bio-robotic and numerical models with reinforcement learning to enable the development of effective gaits and maneuvers for underwater swimming vehicles.
Risk Factors for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers: Integrative Review
Authors: Lise Fernanda , Shattell Mona , Garcia Flávia Lise , Kincl Laurel
Published: May 2024

Long-haul truck drivers are responsible for transporting goods valued at millions of dollars of the world economy and may have their health affected by living and working conditions. This study analyzed and synthesized the scientific findings about risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in long-haul truck drivers. An integrative literature review was conducted. We identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the health of 7,363 drivers. The biological risks identified were age, gender, race/ethnicity, genetics, comorbidities, and were considered non-modifiable for chronic diseases. The behavioral risks, considered modifiable, were sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, diet, stress, anxiety, unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. Environmental risks involved working conditions such as the number of working hours per day, week and month; time away from home, risk of musculoskeletal injury, and opportunities for rest, hours of sleep and access to health services. The results were presented in two categories: 1) biological, behavioral and environmental risks, and 2) general recommendations to promote physical, cognitive and emotional health. Macro-structural changes are needed to reorganize work and rest, improve access to health services to control risk factors, and to support behavioral and environmental changes to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and deaths.
The Relationship between Exchange Rate, Interest Rate, and Tehran Stock Exchange Dividend and Price Index (TEDPIX)
Authors: Azizi Jafar
Published: May 2024

One of the factors in the mobility of a nation's economy is the stock exchange which plays a decisive role in sustainable economic development. Accordingly, and for the special place of the stock exchange in the economy, we decided to investigate the relationship between the interest and exchange rates and the Tehran stock exchange dividend and price index (TEDPIX). Using the autoregressive distributed lag method, the present study is conducted utilizing the annual data over the period of 1991 to 2020. The results indicate that the exchange rate has a positive long-run relationship with the TEDPIX, but no statistically significant relationship was found between the TEDPIX and the interest rate. Furthermore, the results of the estimation of the error correction model show that 30.786% of the disequilibrium in each period is adjusted to the long-run equilibrium.
Metabolic and Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Flavonoid Involvement in the Drought Stress Response of Mulberry Leaves
Authors: Chen Guo , Li Dong , Yao Pei , Chen Fengyao , Yuan Jianglian , Ma Bi , Yang Zhen , Ding Biyue , He Ningjia
Published: May 2024

Abiotic stress, especially drought stress poses a significant threat to the terrestrial plant growth, development, and productivity. Although mulberry have great genetic diversity and extensive stress tolerant traits in agroforestry systems, only a few reports offer preliminary insight into biochemical responses of mulberry leaves under drought conditions. In this study, we performed a comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis on the “drooping mulberry” (Morus alba var. Pendula Dippel) under PEG-6000-simulated drought stress. Our research revealed that drought stress significantly enhanced flavonoid accumulation and up-regulated the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were elevated. In vitro enzyme assays and fermentation tests indicated the involvement of flavonol synthase/flavanone 3-hydroxylase (XM_010098126.2) and anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase 5 (XM_010101521.2) in the biosynthesis of flavonol aglycones and glycosides, respectively. The recombinant MaF3GT5 protein was found to recognize kaempferol, quercetin, and UDP-glucose as substrates, but not 3-/7-O-glucosylated flavonols and UDP-rhamnose. MaF3GT5 is capable of forming 3-O- and 7-O-monoglucoside, but not di-O-glucosides, form kaempferol. This implies its role as a flavonol 3, 7-O-glucosyltransferase. The findings from this study provided insights into the biosynthesis of flavonoids and could have substantial implications for the future diversified utilization of mulberry.
Parental Mental Health, Gender, and Lifestyle Effects on Post-Pandemic Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Problems: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Northern Italy
Authors: Barbieri Verena , Piccoliori Giuliano , Engl Adolf , Wiedermann Christian Josef
Published: May 2024

Background: The exacerbation of psychosocial problems among children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitates an assessment of the long-term mental health impact of pandemic interventions. Focusing on both pandemic-related factors and demographic variables, such as gender and daily habits, an analysis was conducted to under-stand how these elements continue to affect young populations in the post-pandemic era. Methods: In April 2023, a comprehensive online survey was administered to families in South Tyrol, Italy, with children aged 7–19 years, to ensure age and gender representation. The survey included par-ent ratings and adolescent (11–19 years) self-reports using standardized instruments to measure the symptoms of mental health problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ), anxiety (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, SCARED), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and unadjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results: Of the 4,525 valid responses, 1,831 were self-reported by adolescents. Notable gender differences in mental health outcomes were identified, along with significant demographic predictors, such as age, single parenthood, parental mental health problems, and immigrant background. Negative effects were associated with reduced family climate and increased screen time, whereas physical activity showed beneficial effects. Proxy reports overestimated adolescents' mental health problems, whereas self-report tended to underestimate them. Conclusions: Persistent mental health problems and gender disparities high-light the need for a public health approach. This should include accessible support services, resili-ence building, targeted support for vulnerable families and gender-specific interventions.
Spatio‐Temporal Analysis of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in Water Bodies and Mapping Mining Areas in Suriname and French Guiana
Authors: Pereira Breno Mello , Lobo Felipe de Lucia
Published: May 2024

Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) has caused several environmental impacts, resulting in significant siltation of water bodies due to the deposition of sediments on river banks. Based on this perspective, this study aims to investigate the water bodies and regions most impacted by mining activities, especially in relation to the increase in the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) caused by ASGM, focusing on the territories of Suriname and French Guiana, over the period from 2017 to 2023, through the creation of an algorithm in Google Earth Engine. The research also aims to map and describe active mining in this region using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) method, which achieved an overall accuracy of 82% and a kappa index of 0.77. The results reveal that from 2017 to 2024 there was an increase of 148.09 km² of mining, with an average increase in TSS of up to 167 mg/l in water bodies most affected by mining activities. Finally, the continued importance of using remote sensing technologies, such as GEE, together with innovative methodological approaches, to monitor and manage natural resources in a sustainable manner is highlighted.
Profound Properties of Protein Rich Platelet Concentrate Matrices as Novel Multi-Purpose Biological Platforms in Tissue Repair, Regeneration, and Wound Healing
Authors: Everts Peter A. , Lana José Fábio , Alexander Robert W. , Dallo Ignacio , Kon Elizaveta , Ambach Mary A. , van Zundert Andre , Podesta Luga
Published: May 2024

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are prepared at point of care. Centrifugation cellular density separation sequesters a fresh unit of blood into three main fractions: a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) fraction, a stratum rich in platelets (platelet concentrate) and, bioformulation dependent, also leukocyte and erythrocyte fractions. The employment of autologous platelet concentrates facilitates the biological potential to accelerate and support in numerous cellular activities that can lead to tissue repair, tissue regeneration, wound healing, and ultimately functional structural repair. Normally, after PRP preparation the PPP fraction is discarded. One of the less well known, but equally important features of PPP is that particular growth factors (GFs) are not abundantly present in PRP, as they reside outside the platelet alpha granules. Precisely, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are mainly present in the PPP fraction. In addition to their roles as angiogenesis activators, these plasma-based GFs are also known to inhibit inflammation, fibrosis, and they promote keratinocyte migration and support in tissue repair and wound healing. Additionally, PPP is known for the presence of exosomes and other macrovesicles, exerting cell-cell communication and cell signaling. Newly developed ultrafiltration technologies incorporate PPP processing methods by eliminating in a fast and efficient manner plasma water, cytokines, molecules, and plasma proteins with a molecular mass (weight) less than the pore size of the fibers. Consequently, a viable and viscous protein concentrate of functional, total proteins, like fibrinogen, albumin, and alpha-2-macroglobulin is created. Consolidating a small volume of high platelet concentrate with a small volume of highly concentrated protein-rich PPP creates a protein rich platelet concentrate (PRPC) biological preparation. After the activation of proteins, mainly fibrinogen, the PRPC matrix retains and facilitates interactions between invading resident cells, like macrophages, fibroblast, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and the embedded concentrated PRP cells and molecules. The administered PRPC biologic will ultimately undergo fibrinolysis, leading to a sustained release of concentrated cells and molecules that have been retained in the PRPC matrix until the matrix is dissolved. We will discuss the unique biological and tissue reparative and regenerative properties of PRPC matrix.
Differential Signal Amplitude Modulated Multi-beam Remote Optical Touch Based on Grating Antenna
Authors: Huang Yanwen , Lin Weiqiang , Wu Peijin , Wang Yongxin , Guo Ziyuan , Huang Pengcheng , Ye Zhicheng
Published: May 2024

As screen sizes are becoming larger and larger, which are beyond human’s physical limitation for direct touching interaction, remote controls are inevitable. However, as techniques applied so far, inertial gyroscopes are susceptible to position inaccuracies, and gesture recognition is limited by cameras’ focus depth and viewing angle. Grating antenna light trapping technology will be an ideal candidate providing the ghost point problem for multipoint inputs can be solved. Therefore, we propose a differential amplitude modulation scheme for grating antenna based multi beam optical touch, which can recognize different incidence points. Where, the amplitude of the incident beams was coded with different pulse width at first. Then, after been trapped by the grating antenna and been transferred into currents by the lined detector arrays, the incident points of the individual beams were recognized and differentiated. The scheme was successfully verified on an 18-inch screen, where two-point optical touch with position accuracy error under 3mm and response time less than 7ms under modulation frequency of 10kHz on both incident beams are obtained. This work paves a practical way for remote multi-point touch, which can make digital mouse in consistent to the users pointing direction obeying natural three-point one ling aiming rule instantaneously.
Race and Gender Disparity of Dietary Lycopene Intake and Periodontitis Severity in Older Adults
Authors: Kwong Katherine , Lu You , Li ZhuoHuan , Luo Ting , Huang Zhaoyu , Zhao Na , Tseng Tung-Sung
Published: May 2024

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to explore the association between insufficient lycopene intake and risk of periodontitis among older adults. Methods: Data analysis was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2009-2014. Overall, 1227 adults aged 65- to 79-years-old were investigated. Results: Overall, 48.7% of older adults in this study were classified with different levels of periodontitis and 49.1% of individuals with a form of periodontitis had insufficient dietary lycopene intake. Sufficient lycopene intake was found to be associated with a lower likelihood of severe periodontitis (OR: .33; 95% CI: 0.17-.65; p=0.002). Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) older adults were more likely to develop severe forms of periodontal disease in comparison to Non-Hispanic White (NHW) older adults (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.46-5.45, p=0.003). Gender was also found to play a role in periodontitis status, with women being less likely to have severe periodontitis status, compared to men (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.14-0.55; p=0.0007,). However, only NHW females were less likely to have severe periodontitis compared to NHW males (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12-0.56; p= 0.001). Conclusion: Dietary intake of lycopene associated with periodontitis disease for individuals over the age of 65; those who consume a sufficient amount of lycopene are less likely to develop severe periodontitis. In general, more men suffered from periodontitis in comparison to women. Such association also has been found between NHB with severe periodontitis. In addition, reduced risk of moderate periodontitis is associated with sufficient lycopene intake is explored in NHW, future targeted interventions using lycopene in dietary intake as a preventative measure to delay or prevent the onset of periodontal disease needs to be race and gender specific.
Effects of LP on Immune Function and Intestinal Flora in Immunosuppressive Mice
Authors: Hou Jiaqi , Hao Jiamei , Zhong Min , Ren Jianwu , Xu Wentao , He Xiaoyun
Published: May 2024

To explore the effect of lily polysaccharide (LP) on immune function and intestinal flora in immunosuppressive mice.The immunosuppressive model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX) in mice, and the immunological indexes were measured. The cecal contents of mice were taken, and the DNA of intestinal flora was extracted for 16S DNA sequence analysis.Compared with CTX group, the body weight and thymus index of mice in each treatment group increased significantly, the liver index decreased significantly,the hepatocyte morphology, liver plate and hepatic sinus arrangement of mice in high and low concentration LP groups were relieved in varying degrees, and the contents of IgA and IgG in serum of mice in low concentration LP group and positive control group increased significantly; The contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in colon decreased, while the contents of IL-10 increased significantly. The contents of AST, ALT and MDA in liver decreased significantly, while the content of SOD increased significantly. Compared with the blank group, LP can improve the intestinal flora of immunosuppressive mice , mainly by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as s24-7, Bacteroides and butyrimionas and reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Prevotella, dorea and adlercreutzia.
DEDNet: Dual-Encoder DeeplabV3+ Network for Rock Glacier Recognition Based on Multispectral Remote Sensing Image
Authors: Lin Lujun , Liu Lei , Liu Ming , Zhang Qunjia , Feng Min , Khalil Yasir Shaheen , Yin Fang
Published: May 2024

Understanding the distribution of rock glaciers provides key information for investigating and recognizing the status and changes of the periglacial environment. Deep learning algorithms and red-green-blue (RGB) bands from high-resolution satellite images have been extensively employed to map rock glaciers. However, the near-infrared (NIR) band offers rich spectral information and sharp edge features that could significantly contribute to semantic segmentation tasks, but it is rarely utilized in constructing rock glacier identification models due to the limitation of three input bands for classical semantic segmentation networks, like DeeplabV3+. In this study, a dual-encoder DeeplabV3+ network (DEDNet) was designed to overcome the flaws of classical DeeplabV3+ network (CDNet) when identifying rock glaciers using multispectral remote sensing images by extracting spatial and spectral features from RGB and NIR bands, respectively. This network, trained with manually labeled rock glacier samples from QiLian Mountains, established a model with accuracy, precision, recall, specificity, and mIoU (Mean Intersection over Union) of 0.9131, 0.9130, 0.9270, 0.9195, and 0.8601, respectively. The well-trained model was applied to identify new rock glaciers in a test region, achieving a producer's accuracy of 93.68% and a user's accuracy of 94.18%. Furthermore, the model was employed to two study areas in northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan) and Daxue Shan (Hengduan Shan, China) with high accuracy, which proved that the DEDNet offers an innovative solution to more accurately map rock glaciers on a larger scale due to its robustness across diverse geographic regions.
Genetic and Clinical Analyses of the KIZ-c.226C>T Variant Resulting in a Dual Mutational Mechanism
Authors: Sundaresan Yogapriya , Rivera Antonio , Obolensky Alexey , Gopalakrishnan Prakadeeswari , Hadad Hanit Ohayon , Shemesh Aya , Khateb Samer , Ross Maya , Ofri Ron , Durst Sharon , Newman Hadas , Leibu Rina , Soudry Shiri , Zur Dinah , Yosef Tamar Ben , Banin Eyal , Sharon Dror
Published: May 2024

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous inherited retinal disorder. Mutations in KIZ cause autosomal recessive (AR) RP. We aimed to characterize the genotype, expression pattern, and phenotype in a large cohort of KIZ cases. Sanger and whole exome sequencing were used to identify KIZ variants. Medical records were reviewed and analyzed. Thirty one patients with biallelic KIZ mutations were identified: 28 homozygous for c.226C>T (p.R76*), 2 compound heterozygous for p.R76* and c.3G>A (p.M1?), and one homozygous for c.247C>T (p.R83*). c.226C>T is a founder mutation among patients of Jewish descent. Clinical parameters were less severe in KIZ compared to DHDDS and FAM161A cases. RT-PCR analysis in fibroblast cells revealed the presence of four different transcripts in both WT and mutant samples with a lower percentage of the WT transcript in patients. Sequence analysis identified an exonic sequence enhancer (ESE) that includes the c.226 position which is affected by the mutation. KIZ mutations are an uncommon cause of IRD worldwide, but are not rare among Ashkenazi Jews. Our data indicate that p.R76* affect an ESE which in turn results in pronounced skipping of exon 3. Therefore, RNA-based therapies might show low efficacy since the mutant transcripts is spliced.
Cyclotron Resonance in YFe5O12 Single Crystals
Authors: Golovenchits E.I. , Sanina V.A. , Khannanov B.Kh. , Scheglov M.P.
Published: May 2024

Cyclotron resonance is found in nanosized local regions single crystal samples of yttrium-iron garnet. This resonance was observed in 8 mm microwave range at room temperature. This resonance manifests itself as in the form of free- electrons subsystem excitations, or in the form of mixed spin-electron modes. The existence of cyclotron resonance convincingly indicates the presence phenomenon of Phase Separation in yttrium-iron garnet single crystals.
The Effect of Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticles (ITO NPs) Incorporated with ZnO NPs based on Structural, Optical and Flexible Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (FDSSCs) Application
Authors: Etefa Habtamu Fekadu , Dejene Francis Birahanu
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to investigate the impact of incorporating indium tin oxide (ITO) nan particles (NPs) with zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs into flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs). ZnO and ITO NPs were separately prepared using the sol-gel method, followed by hybridization of ZnO NP/ITO NP and characterization using techniques such as TEM, SEM, XRD, UV-Vis spectros-copy, PL spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). TEM analysis showed hexagonal struc-tures and small sphere-like nanoparticles with mean diameters of 15.22 ± 11 nm for ZnO NPs and 14.54 ± 16 nm for ZnO NPs/ITO NPs. SEM images revealed uniform dispersion and smooth surface morphology, while XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of both ZnO and hybrid NPs, indicating specific crystallographic planes with consistent sizes. UV-Vis spectroscopy demonstrated a redshift in wavelength upon adding ITO NPs, suggesting an impact on the bandgap of ZnO NPs. PL spectra exhibited a broad visible emission peak at 535 nm. These findings enhance our understanding of the optical behavior and interaction between ITO and ZnO NPs in hybrid nanostructures. The study concluded that the ITO NPs improve FDSSC performance by enhancing charge separation and transport, leading to increased photocurrent production, with the characterization techniques providing valuable insights for future research and applications.
Effect of Papaya Seeds (Carica papaya) and Gandarusa Leaves (Justicia gendarussa) on the Spermatozoa Quality of Male Mice
Authors: Jangga Jangga , Suleman Abdul Wahid , Latu Saparuddin , Rini Sri Wulan
Published: May 2024

Papaya seeds (Carica papaya L.) and gandarusa leaves (Justicia gendarussa Burm.f.) are considered medicinal plants that can be used as natural male contraceptives. Papaya seeds contain alkaloids, triterpenoids, saponins, and papain. Meanwhile, the gandarusa leaves contain flavonoids. These compounds have the function of antifertility for men. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of papaya seeds (Carica papaya L.) ethanol extracts, gandarusa leaves (Justicia gendarussa Burm.f.), and its combination on motility, viability, and morphology of male mice spermatozoa (Mus musculus) most effective decrease concentration on motility, viability, and morphology of male mice spermatozoa (Mus musculus). This research was an experimental study. The samples of this study were 18 male mice with a body weight of 20-30 grams, aged 3-5 months, and were divided into six groups. The treatments given were control, papaya seed ethanol extract, gandarusa leaves ethanol extract, and its combinations to concentrations of P1 Na CMC1%, P2 (papaya seed 100mg/kgW), P3 (gandarusa leaf 50mg/kgW), P4 (papaya seed : gandarusa leaf 50:50 mg/kgW), P5 (papaya seed : gandarusa leaf  50:100 mg/ kgW), P6 (papaya seed : gandarusa leaf 100:50 mg/kgW). The extract was given for 35 days. On the 36th day, the mice were dissected to take their epididymis to observe the spermatozoa's quality (motility, viability, morphology). Those observations used a light microscope. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests. This study resulted differences in P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6 towards motility, viability, and morphology of spermatozoa (p< 0.05). The conclusion of this study showed that both single and combination ethanol extracts of papaya seeds and gandarusa leaves could reduce the motility, viability, and morphology of spermatozoa of male mice, and the effective dosage in reducing motility, viability, and morphology of spermatozoa is P3 gandarusa leaves 50mg/kgW.
Comparison Study of Prime Services at Public Service Mall West Tanjung Jabung Regency and Jambi City
Authors: Fadillah Nisaul , Elianda Yunita , Hartono Sigit
Published: May 2024

This article discusses the comparison of the implementation of Excellent Service through Public Service Malls which are implemented at the West Tanjung Jabung Public Service Mall and the Jambi City Public Service Mall. The purpose of this research is to see the readiness of the government of West Tanjung Jabung and Jambi City in providing services to the community and to find out the perceptions of users of the Public Service Mall of West Tanjung Jabung Regency and Jambi City regarding the quality of public service Mall services. The theory used in this research is Excellent Service and Public Service. The research method used was using the Mix Method. The results of the analysis carried out are that the Jambi City Public Service Mall and West Tanjung Jabung Public Service Mall have been implemented well, but there are several obstacles such as the Jambi City Public Service Mall still does not have an elevator so it is still not adequate and disability friendly. Meanwhile, the West Tanjung Jabung Public Service Mall still lacks space, but the government will rebuild the building to meet service needs
Enhancing Safety and Workover Efficiency Through Real-Time Scale-Adaptive Video Detection of Critical Objects at the Wellsite
Authors: Zhang Kai , Song Zewen , Xia Xiaolong , Zhang Liming , Yang Yongfei , Sun Hai , Yao Jun , Zhang Huaqing , Zhang Yue , Feng Gaocheng , Liu Chen
Published: May 2024

The wellsite serves as the fundamental unit in the development of oil and gas fields, functioning as a hub for the production activities, with workover operations being a critical means to ensure production continuity. In addition, it plays a crucial role in environmental protection, preventing oil and gas leakage and pollution. Various pieces of mechanical equipment deployed at the wellsite are essential for tasks such as oil and gas extraction and well repair operations, holding a pivotal position in oil- and gasfield development. Consequently, intelligent wellsite implementation necessitates a primary focus on monitoring mechanical equipment, with video emerging as a vital form of multisource information at the wellsite. While existing research on wellsite video monitoring predominantly addresses system and data transmission issues, it falls short in addressing the challenges of real-time assessment and early warning in intelligent wellsite operations. This study introduces a method for identifying critical targets at the wellsite based on a scale-adaptive network. The model employs a multiscale fusion network to extract different image features and semantic features at various scales, facilitating their fusion. The processing of wellsite video images occurs in multiple stages, outputting predicted box locations and category information, enabling the localization and recognition of critical objects at the wellsite. Unlike traditional deep convolutional object detection methods, this model incorporates a parameter-free attention mechanism, enhancing the accurate feature learning of small targets during the extraction process and addressing the issue of multiscale imbalance. The experimental results validate the robust performance of the method, surpassing the latest one-stage object detection models and mainstream loss function methods. Comparative experiments demonstrate a 9.22% improvement in mean average precision (mAP) compared with YOLOv8, establishing the proposed model as a top performer in loss function optimization experiments. Furthermore, we propose a video security detection model whose results, combined with the recognition model, are applicable for video detection in wellsite scenarios. The model exhibits strong integration capabilities for scene area division and behavior regulation monitoring. In addition, the model provides valuable insights for analyzing equipment operating status, aligning with the practical needs of oil fields.
Assessing the impact of biological invasion on fish community structures in Japanese lakes: A macroecological approach using environmental DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Oba Yurika , Doi Hideyuki
Published: May 2024

The biological invasion of aquatic ecosystems has negative effects on competition and predation. These ecological impacts on native communities may also affect two processes that are important in determining community structures, namely, the environmental and spatial processes. Here, we using lake fish community composition estimated through environmental DNA metabarcoding, we examined the effects of invasive species on the community structure determination processes in lakes. The objective was to describe the relationship between fish diversity and invasive species in lakes and to estimate the explanatory power of environmental factors with regard to variation in community composition among lakes using direct gradient analysis, i.e., distance-based redundancy analysis. Further, we employed variation partitioning to examine how the explanatory power of environmental factors and spatial structures for variation in community composition varied with the presence of invasive species. The environmental slope analysis showed that the explanatory power of environmental factors for variation in community composition among lakes was higher in communities without invasive species. A comparison of the relative importance of environmental factors and spatial structure in determining community composition between communities, excluding invasive species, and communities with invasive species showed that the relative importance of environmental factors was higher in communities without invasive species, highlighting the possibility of differences in dispersal abilities between native and invasive species.
Optic disc parameters and associations with early life exposures in over 3 000 12-year-old children: findings from the ALSPAC cohort
Authors: Creavin Alexandra , Tilling Kate , Timpson Nic , Williams Cathy
Published: May 2024

Objectives
We aimed to investigate the distribution of cupped and small optic discs in children and to examine associations with maternal and environmental factors.
Methods
Retinal photographs were graded from over 3000 12-year-olds in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Regression models examined associations between disc parameters and maternal and early-life exposures.
Results
Mean cup-to-disc area ratio (CDAR) for 3288 children was 0.21 (95%CI 0.20,0.21). Cupped discs (CDAR >0.3) were present in 11%. The odds of disc cupping were increased nearly three-fold in underweight children (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.9 (1.1, 7.3) p=0.03) and 28-fold in severely premature (<28 weeks) children (paOR 28 95%CI 4.6,172, p<0.001) with nearly one in four children affected.
Mean cup-to-fovea/disc diameter (CF/DD) for 3327 children was 2.48 (95%CI 2.47,2.50). Small discs (CF/DD >3) were present in 6% of which a third were bilateral. The odds of a small disc were increased in the offspring of mothers who smoked in pregnancy (aOR 1.7 (1.0,2.8) p=0.04) and more than doubled in children born with a small head circumference (aOR 2.5 (1.4,4.5) p<0.001).
Conclusions
Cupped and small optic discs are more frequent than usually supposed at age 12. The odds of disc cupping are increased by severe prematurity and pathologically low BMI. The odds of a small disc are increased by maternal smoking and small head circumference. Optimisation of risk factors in pregnancy and delivery and early childhood nutrition may play an important role in ophthalmic neurodevelopment and thus have a lifelong impact on ocular health.
Unrecognised actionability for breast cancer risk variants identified in a national-level review of Australian familial cancer centres
Authors: Spurdle Amanda , Fortuno Cristina , Cops Elisa , Davidson Aimee , Hadler Johanna , Innella Giovanni , McKenzie Maddison , Parsons Michael , Campbell Ainsley , Dubowsky Andrew , Fargas Verna , Field Michael , Fan Helen Mar , Dowson Cassandra , Poplawski Nicola , Warwick Linda , Williams Rachel , Beshay Victoria , Edwards Caitlin , Johns Andrea , McPhillips Mary , Kumar Vanessa , Scott Rodney , Williams Mark , SCOTT Hamish , James Paul , Spurdle Amanda
Published: May 2024

Breast cancer remains a significant global health challenge. In Australia, the adoption of publicly-funded multigene panel testing for eligible cancer patients has increased accessibility to personalised care, yet has also highlighted the increasing prevalence of variants of uncertain significance (VUS), complicating clinical decision-making. This project aimed to explore the spectrum and actionability of breast cancer VUS in Australian familial cancer centers (FCCs). Leveraging data from 11 FCCs participating in the Inherited Cancer Connect database, we retrieved VUS results from 1472 patients. Through ClinVar crosschecks and application of gene-specific ACMG/AMP guidelines, we showed the potential for reclassification of 4% of unique VUS as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, and 79% as benign or likely benign. Surveys conducted with FCCs and diagnostic laboratories described current practices and challenges in variant reclassifications, highlighting resource constraints preventing periodic VUS review and notifications from the laboratories to the FCCs. Our study suggests there are benefits to routine VUS review and reclassification, particularly in publicly-funded healthcare systems. Future research should focus on assessing the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of implementing routine variant review practices, alongside efforts to enhance communication between FCCs and laboratories.
Developing and Evaluating a Mobile-based Teledermatology System for Skin Lesion Diagnosis in Iran
Authors: Shajirat Zeinab , Parandeh Ronak , Pazyar Nader , Azizi Amirabbas
Published: May 2024

Asynchronous teledermatology (TD) has shown promise in improving access to dermatological care, yet studies reveal varied methodologies and results. This study aimed to design a mobile app using the store-and-forward model, marking a pioneering effort in Iran to facilitate written documentation of patient history and skin lesion imagery for accurate diagnosis. Conducted from July 2022 to July 2023, this study involved the development and implementation of a smartphone app to collect clinical data and photographs from 89 patients at a dermatology clinic. Diagnoses made at the clinic served as the gold standard. Three dermatologists independently reviewed the app-recorded data, providing diagnoses that were compared to in-person assessments using the Kappa coefficient and agreement percentage. Lesions were predominantly located on the whole body (47%), with psoriasis (19.1%), acne vulgaris (11.2%), and eczema (10%) being the most common. The overall inter-observer Kappa value demonstrated excellent agreement at 0.856. The study's findings endorse the use of a mobile app for TD as an effective adjunct in regions with scarce dermatological services, such as Iran. To promote the broader application of TD, ongoing research is essential to further establish its reliability and practicality.
Vaginal microbiota transplantation alleviates vaginal atrophy in ovariectomized mice
Authors: Xu Zhonglei , Zhu Qiyin , Zou Junchi , Lu Yun , Wang Liming , Zou Qianli , Wang Wenyan
Published: May 2024

Genitourinary menopausal syndrome (GSM) is a prevalent symptom in menopausal women, affecting over 50% of older women and patients with loss of ovarian function. The role of factors other than estrogen, such as the vaginal microbiota, in the development of GSM has not been fully explored. Therefore, we selected 8-week-old C57 mice with bilateral oophorectomy for experimentation. After four weeks of treatment, we observed that the vaginal epithelium of ovariectomized mice showed signs of atrophy, and the structure and metabolites of vaginal microbiota showed significant differences. Vaginal transplantation of microbiota from ovary-intact mice significantly ameliorated the vaginal atrophy of ovariectomized mice and altered the structure and metabolism of vaginal microbiota. These findings indicate that ovarian activity significantly affects the structure and metabolism of vaginal microbiota. The vaginal microbiota of ovary-intact mice may promote vaginal health by upregulating ER (estrogen receptor) in vaginal epithelial cells in ovariectomized mice, which in turn promotes cell proliferation. Further studies are needed to investigate the interactions between vaginal bacterial microbiota and vaginal health. This finding can help develop new therapeutic strategies and interventions for patients suffering from vaginal atrophy.
Long-term outcomes of patients with Parkinson’s disease 3.5 years post SARS-CoV-2 infection in an inner-city population in the Bronx
Authors: Hadidchi Roham , Al-Ani Yousef , Piskun Hannah , Pakan Rachel , Duong Katie , Jamil Hasan , Wang Stephen , Henry Sonya , Maurer Carine , Duong Tim
Published: May 2024

Objectives.
Although patients with pre-existing Parkinson’s disease (PD) are at a higher risk of severe acute COVID-19 outcomes compared to matched controls, the long-term outcomes of PD patients post SARS-CoV2 infection are largely unknown. This study investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with pre-existing PD up to 3.5 years post-infection in an inner-city population in the Bronx, New York.
Methods.
This retrospective study evaluated 3,512 patients with PD in the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx (January 2016 to July 2023), which serves a large Black and Hispanic population and was an epicenter of the early COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent surges of infections. COVID-19 status was defined by a positive polymerase-chain-reaction test. Comparisons were made with patients without a positive COVID-19 test. Outcomes were post-index date all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), altered mental status, fatigue, dyspnea, headache, psychosis, dementia, depression, anxiety, dysphagia, falls, and orthostatic hypotension. Changes in Levodopa, a PD medication, prescriptions were also tabulated. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were computed accounting for competing risks.
Results.
About 14% of PD patients had a positive COVID-19 test. PD patients with COVID-19 had similar demographics but a higher prevalence of pre-existing comorbidities and neurological disorders compared to PD patients without COVID-19. PD patients with COVID-19 had greater risk of mortality (aHR = 1.58 [95% CI:1.03,2.41] P = 0.03), MACE (HR = 1.57[95% CI:1.19,2.07], P < 0.005), dyspnea (aHR = 1.44 [1.11,1.87], P < 0.01), fatigue (aHR = 1.49 [1.12,1.97] P < 0.01), headache (HR = 1.35 [1.01,1.80] P = 0.04), and fall (aHR = 1.39 [1.01, 1.92] P = 0.04) compared to PD patients without COVID-19 up to 3.5 years post index-date. Levodopa equivalent dose adjustment was higher post-infection in the COVID-19 cohort compared to non-COVID-19 cohort (P < 0.04).
Conclusions.
PD patients with COVID-19 were at a higher risk of worse long-term outcomes compared to PD patients without COVID-19. Patients with PD who survive COVID-19 may benefit from heightened clinical awareness and close follow-up.
Safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation for cytotoxic chemotherapy– induced diarrhea management in patients with colorectal cancer: a single-arm clinical trial
Authors: Alnaggar Mohammed , Mahyoub Mueataz A. , Cheng Wen , Huang Weiwei , Xu Yalin , Wang Shengzhou , Alshorman Jamal , Chen Ting
Published: May 2024

Background
Diarrhea is a serious complication noted in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy, which impacts both their quality of life and treatment adherence. Here, we assessed the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID) management in patients with CRC.
Methods
This open-label, single-arm trial included 20 CRC patients experiencing grade 2 or 3 CID, in whom conventional standard antidiarrheal treatments had been ineffective. A single course of FMT was administered within a 2-week interval. Each course consisted of 90 capsules (totaling approximately 18 × 1011 CFU bacteria), administered orally three times a day on days 1, 2, and 3. The patients’ changes in diarrhea severity, microbiome composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing), and immune function (flow cytometry) were assessed before and after FMT (over 12 weeks).
Results
Diarrhea cessation was noted in 17 (85%) of all 20 patients after one or more FMT cycles over at least 12 weeks. FMT also led to significant improvements in gut microbiota diversity along with significant increases in B (CD19+) cells (p = 0.0001), cytotoxic T ( CD3+CD8+) cells (p = 0.0010), and natural killer cells (p = 0.0002). No major adverse events were noted.
Conclusions
Our preliminary evidence suggests that FMT is a safe, potentially effective approach for managing CID in patients with CRC.
Trial registration:
Chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100049431 (Date assigned: Agusta 8, 2021). https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=131083