bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of MATLAB bvp4c solver scheme in Walter fluid flow and its Error Analysis
Authors: Dey Debasish , Das Rajesh
Published: January 2024

In this research paper, a numerical investigation of effects of Reynolds
number and Elastic number, using MATLAB built in bvp4c solver technique
has been done on Walter B fluid flow past a vertical channel. The
suitable similarity transformation has been adopted to convert the
boundary layer governing equations (Partial Differential Equations) into
its corresponding solvable ordinary differential equations and these
equations are solved using MATLAB bvp4c scheme. The normal and
tangential velocity profiles are drawn for various values of parameter
such as Reynolds number (Re) and Elastic number (S) and results are
analysed graphically. It is perceived that with enhance of Reynolds
number as well as Elastic number the normal velocity profile enhances.
Further an error analysis has been done by comparing the work with the
results obtained from Homotopy Perturbation Method and the comparison is
found to be in very good agreement.
Tetrandrine modulates Rheb-mTOR signaling-mediated selective autophagy and protects pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Zhong Wenshan , Zhang Jinming , Chen Weimou , Lu Ye , Qiao Yujie , Zeng Zhaojin , Huang Haohua , Zou Fei , Meng Xiaojing , cai shaoxi , Dong Hangming
Published: January 2024

Background and Purpose Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive
fatal disease characterized by interstitial remodeling, with high
lethality and a lack of effective medical therapies. Tetrandrine has
been proposed to present anti-fibrotic effects, but the efficacy and
mechanisms of tetrandrine against lung fibrosis has not been
systematically evaluated. We sought to study the potential therapeutic
effects and mechanisms of tetrandrine in lung fibrosis. Experimental
Approach The anti-fibrotic effects of tetrandrine were evaluated in
bleomycin-induced mouse models and TGF-β1-stimulated murine lung
fibroblasts. We performed Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP),
Immunoprecipitation (IP) and mRFP-GFP-MAP1LC3B adenovirus construct to
investigate the novel mechanisms of tetrandrine-induced autophagy. Key
Results Tetrandrine decreased TGF-β1-induced expression of α-smooth
muscle actin, fibronectin, vimentin and type 1 collagen and
proliferation in fibroblasts. Tetrandrine restored TGF-β1-induced
impaired autophagy, accompanied by the up-regulation and enhanced
interaction of SQSTM1 and MAP1LC3-Ⅱ. ChIP studies revealed that NRF2
bound to SQSTM1 promoter in tetrandrine-induced autophagy. Furthermore,
TGF-β1-induced phosphorylated mTOR was inhibited by tetrandrine, with
reduced activation levels of Rheb. In vivo tetrandrine suppressed the
bleomycin-induced expression of fibrotic markers and improved pulmonary
function. Conclusion and Implications Our data suggest that tetrandrine
might be recognized as a novel autophagy inducer, thus attenuating lung
fibrosis. Tetrandrine should be investigated as a novel therapeutic
strategy for IPF.
The long-lasting istaroxime metabolite PST3093 stimulates SERCA2a and reverses disease-induced changes in cardiac function
Authors: Arici Martina , Ferrandi Mara , Hsu Shih-Che , Torre Eleonora , Barassi Paolo , Luraghi Andrea , Ronchi Carlotta , Chang Gwo-Jyh , Peri Franchesco , Ferrari Patrizia , Bianchi Giuseppe , Rocchetti Marcella , Zaza Antonio
Published: January 2024

Background and Purpose. Heart failure (HF) therapeutic toolkit would
strongly benefit from the availability of ino-lusitropic agents with a
favorable pharmacodynamics and safety profile. Istaroxime is an agent,
combining Na+/K+ pump inhibition and SERCA2a stimulation, shown by phase
2 trials to be promising in the acute setting. As PST3093 is an
istaroxime metabolite reaching plasma concentration and duration greater
than those of istaroxime, its evaluation is indispensable to establish
its contribution to the istaroxime clinical efficacy. Experimental
Approach. We studied PST3093 for its effects on SERCA2a and Na+/K+
ATPase activities, Ca2+ dynamics in intact myocytes and hemodynamic
effects in an in-vivo rat model of diabetic (streptozotocin
(STZ)-induced) cardiomyopathy. Key Results. The results converge to
identify PST3093 as a “selective” (i.e. devoid of Na+/K+ pump
inhibition) SERCA2a activator, thus differentiating it from its parent
compound istaroxime. In in-vivo echocardiographic assessment, PST3093
improved overall cardiac performance (stroke volume and cardiac output)
without decreasing heart rate, thus reversing many of STZ-induced
abnormalities. Modulation of both systolic and diastolic indexes
contributed to the improvement. For i.v. administration, PST3093
toxicity was considerably lower than that of istaroxime and its
evaluation against a panel of 50 targets commonly involved in cardiac
and extracardiac side-effects, failed to reveal significant
interactions. Conclusion and Implication. PST3093 is a “selective”
SERCA2a activator, the prototype of a novel pharmacodynamic category
with a potential in the ino-lusitropic approach to HF therapy that may
contribute to the clinical efficacy of istaroxime infusion.
Teleregulation in Neurology: A decision-making process for neurology evaluation in a large Brazilian city
Authors: Scavasine Valéria , Ribas Michelle , Augustin Gabriella , Zetola Viviane , Ducci Renata , Lange Marcos
Published: January 2024

Background: Telemedicine uses technology to deliver medical care to
patients at different locations. Teleregulation (TR), a type of
telemedicine, occurs when a specialist evaluates data from a general
medical doctor. The aim of the current study is to analyze the use of
asynchronous TR for patient referral, from primary care to a neurology
specialist, in the city of Curitiba in Southern Brazil. Method: A
retrospective analysis of all patients referred from primary care to
neurology between September 2019 and February 2020. After a request is
made by a general medical doctor for a specialist’s opinion, five
neurologists with complete access to patients’ records are tasked with
the decision-making. The main variables analyzed were: clinical reasons
for enrollment to the TR, the TR decision, final diagnosis, indication
for diagnostic procedures, and subsequent follow-up. Results: Between
September 2019 and February 2020, 1035 TR sessions were performed.
Headache (30.43%), epilepsy (19.03%), and dementia (15.85%) accounted
for almost two-thirds of the primary care requests. One-third of the
cases (33.62%) required a complementary diagnostic procedure. More than
70% of the cases did not require face-to-face assessment by a
neurologist. Discussion and conclusion: Neurology is a specialty in high
demand and some pathology tests require rapid decision-making. In this
study, asynchronous teleneurology successfully reduced the need for
in-visit consultation in 70% of cases. Further studies should identify
the best opportunities for teleneurology in the city of Curitiba to
facilitate better integrated care between primary care providers and
neurologists.
Prohys - A Novel Hysteric-Proteretic Switch
Authors: Syed Azeemuddin
Published: January 2024

Hysteresis is a widely known and applied phenomenon whereas proteresis,
it’s complimentary effect, has yet to be explored. A proteretic device
is a bistable switch whose states depend on system’s future unlike
hysteresis where the states depend on history. As a result, realization
of this switch would be of great interest and may find vast
applications. Therefore, the first contribution of this work is to model
the proteretic phenomenon and implement in circuit theory. This model
has been achieved by providing a constraint feedforward path to a
hysteric feedback system and the circuit implementation was done using
op-amps. As mentioned, the hysteresis and proteresis are two
complementary phenomenon, hence, the second contribution of this work is
to introduce “Prohys” a switch, the two corresponding states of which
are hysteresis and proteresis. The switching between hysteresis and
proteresis was achieved by varying the constraint feedforward path in
proteretic device. It can also be achieved by adding a variable memory
feedback system to the aforementioned device. We present the theoretical
model, design, simulation and circuit implementation of the proposed
switch using op-amps. The experimental results obtained from the circuit
design match well with the theoretical models proposed.
Increase of Low-Frequency Modes of User Dynamics in Online Social Networks During Overheating of Discussions
Authors: Aida Masaki , Nagatani Kouichi , Takano Chisa
Published: January 2024

User dynamics in online social networks have a significant impact on not
only the online community but also real-world activities. As examples,
we can mention explosive user dynamics triggered by social polarization,
echo chamber phenomena, fake news, etc. Explosive user dynamics are
frequently called online flaming. The wave equation-based model for
online social networks (called the oscillation model) is a theoretical
model proposed to describe user dynamics in online social networks. This
model can be used to understand the relationship between explosive user
dynamics and the structure of social networks. However, since the
oscillation model was introduced as a purely theoretical model of social
networks, it is necessary to confirm whether the model describes real
phenomena correctly or not. In this paper, we first show a prediction
from the oscillation model; the low-frequency oscillation mode of user
dynamics will be dominant when the structure of online social networks
changes so that user activity is activated. To verify the predictions
with actual data, we show spectral analyses of both the log data of
posts on an electronic bulletin board site and the frequency data of
word search from Google Trends. The results support the predictions from
the theoretical model.
An update of COVID-19 pandemic in India
Authors: B Kumudhaveni , Margesan Thirumal , R Radha
Published: January 2024

China declared officially outbreak as an epidemic on January 20 after
findings of human-to-human transmission. On March 11, 2020, World Health
Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global Pandemic after the spread
and severity of the outbreak. The virus is transmitted from the infected
person through respiratory droplets and by touching the surfaces,
contaminated with viruses. At present, India is in the middle of the
second wave due to a variant virus. Covid-19 cases have risen faster in
the second wave than the first wave in India. Union Health Ministry of
India issued the latest guidelines for the treatment of Covid-19 depends
upon the severity of the disease i.e. mild, moderate and severe.
Ministry of Ayush, Government of India has given guidelines for the
treatment of Covid-19. Vaccines are a critical tool in the battle
against the COVID-19 war. Covishield and Covaxin vaccines are being
administered in India. Even if we are vaccinated, we have to take
certain preventive measures until the COVID-19 cases dropdown.
Is there any association between direction of nasal deviation and hand dominance in male adolescents?
Authors: Özkan Melekber Çavuş , Tezel Erdem
Published: January 2024

Objectives: This study aims to investigate incidence of nostril
asymmetry and deviation of nasal bony pyramid and caudal septum and to
examine their association with dominant hand in male adolescents.
Methods: Totally 546 male healthy adolescents aged 15 to 17 years were
included. Each participant was examined for presence or absence of nasal
bone pyramidal deviation, caudal septal deviation, side of deviation,
and nostril asymmetry. The dominant hand was recorded. Results: Of
participants, 85 were aged 15 years, 291 were aged 16 years, and 168
were aged 17 years. Mean age was 16.148±0.667 years. Of all
participants, 91% (n=497) were right-handed and 9% (n=49) were
left-handed. Distribution of the dominant hand across age groups was
comparable (p=0.921). In case of deviation to the right, 61.2% (n=74)
were right-hand dominant, while 58.3% (n=7) of those with deviation to
the left were left-hand dominant. According to hand dominance and size
of nostrils, 92.1% (n=105) of those with a larger left nostril were
right-handed and 7.9% (n=9) were left-handed. Conclusions: Male
adolescents had a significant deviation of caudal septum to the right
side with smaller right nostrils. However, hand dominance and side of
deviation were not significantly associated with nasal bony pyramid and
caudal septum.
Electro-osmotic Flow through Nanochannel with Different Surface Charge Configurations: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Gogoi Abhijit , Reddy Katha , Mondal Pranab
Published: January 2024

In the present study it is observed that alternate patterning of charged
and neutral stripes on the surface of the graphene nanochannel lowers
the water permeance and electro-osmotic flow velocity. However, for any
charge configurations water permeance and electro-osmotic velocity
through the nanochannel increase as surface charge density (σ) increases
from 0.005 Cm^−2 to 0.025 Cm^−2 . With the further increase in σ,
water permeance and electro-osmotic velocity through the nanochannel
gradually decrease. Here factors like number of counter ions near the
surface of the nanochannel, specific interactions between the wall and
the water molecule/ion species play significant role in determining the
flow behavior. These factors also influence the slip velocity of water
molecules near the surface.
Quantitative Systems Pharmacology approaches for Development of Host-Directed Therapies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections
Authors: Mehta Krina , Spaink Herman , Ottenhoff Tom , Graaf Piet van der , Hasselt Johan G. C. van
Published: January 2024

Host-directed therapies (HDT) that modulate host-pathogen interaction
offer an innovative strategy to combat Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)
infections. When combined with conventional anti-tuberculosis regimens,
HDT strategies could contribute to improving treatment outcomes,
reducing treatment duration, and preventing resistance development. It
is however challenging to evaluate the interplay of host-pathogen
interaction events in response to HDT strategies, and to translate
experimental findings towards patients. Quantitative understanding of
the multi-faceted nature of the host-pathogen interactions is vital to
rationally design HDT strategies. Here, we (1) provide an overview of
key host-pathogen interactions as basis for HDT strategies, (2) discuss
experimental models to characterize host-pathogen interactions relevant
for HDTs, and (3) discuss the utility and approaches of quantitative
systems pharmacology (QSP) models to inform design of HDT strategies
against Mtb infections. QSP models can be used to identify and optimize
treatment targets, to facilitate preclinical to humans translation, and
to design combination treatment strategies.
Prevalence of Obstructive sleep apnea in a sample of Egyptian railway drivers
Authors: Dayem Aya M. Abdel , Madkour Ashraf , Abdel-Fattah Eman B. , Abdelazeem Mai
Published: January 2024

Background: There are scanty international and even no Egyptian studies
addressing the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in
railway drivers with expected high risk for accidents. Thus, it is worth
studying and assessing the prevalence and predictors of OSAS among
Egyptian railway drivers. Patients and methods: This prospective
cross-sectional screening study was conducted on 160 Egyptian railway
drivers. They were subjected to medical history taking and examination,
anthropometric measurements, oxygen saturation (SPO2) by oximetry,
arterial blood gases, Friedman obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome
(OSAHS) score measurement and Arabic version of both Berlin and STOP
BANG questionnaires. Then, limited night polysomnography (PSG) was done
in high-risk patient. Finally, full channels PSG was done for positive
limited night PSG. Results: The prevalence of sleep apnea among the
studied cases was 4.22%. There was high statistically significant
difference between non-OSAS group and OSAS group regarding age ≤ 49ys
(OR =11.364), witnessed apneas during sleep (OR=175), weight in kg
> 95(OR=13.00), PaO2 ≤ 88 (OR=31.0), PaCo2 >
39 (OR=31.0) and average SPO2≤88(OR =34.0). Regarding parameters of
limited night PSG, AHI cut off point was ≥ 5 and area under curve (AUC)
of 100.0%, O2 desaturation index cut off point was > 17.2
and AUC of 100% , lastly, the average SPO2 cut off point was ≤ 88% and
AUC of 76.4%. Conclusion: This study highlights for first time the
prevalence of OSAS was 4.2% in a sample studied of Egyptian railway
drivers. Our results further point that weight, neck circumference,
systolic blood Pressure, PaO2, and Paco2 are the most useful predictors
of suspecting OSAS. Also, parameters of limited PSG are considered the
useful tool in confirming the suspected patients with OSAS.
Hemoadsorption (CytoSorb®) in management of Cytokine Storm - Implication in COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors: Maheshwarappa Harish Mallapura , Joshi Shreedhar , Premkumar Robert , Mishra Shivangi , Prasad Shiva , Kanchi Muralidhar
Published: January 2024

Background: Sepsis-related deaths contribute up to 20% of all global
deaths, with the highest-burden from sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast
Asia. Cytokines are the mediators of organ dysfunction in systemic
inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) across varied aetiologies,
including sepsis. The imbalance of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines
continues to be the crux of the pathophysiology of organ dysfunction in
septic shock. Therapies to treat cytokines either by antagonizing them
or filtering them out of the body are evolving. Hemoadsorption is a
process of filtering out cytokines and other metabolites involved in
SIRS by surface adsorption.  Methods: We searched for terms –
Hemoadsorption; CytoSorb; in PubMed. We enrolled manuscripts with
patients at Indian Centres for review. We extend our review of cytokine
storm in COVID-19 and the utility of CytoSorb as an adjuvant in the
management of septic shock in COVID-19. Results: Severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus -2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causing
COVID-19 (Corona Virus disease - 2019) pandemic has affirmed cytokine
storm as the principle pathology causing morbidity and mortality.
Management strategies are mostly supportive since specific anti-viral
therapy is still in the incipient stage. Cytokine adsorption is being
used across most western countries in COVID-19 septic shock. 
Conclusion: COVID-19 with cytokine storm as its main pathology is a
suitable substrate for the use of CytoSorb. COVID-19 patients with
elevated cytokine levels can be offered CytoSorb® hemoadsorption along
with other supportive therapies.
EVALUATION OF AN ATTACHMENT-BASED GROUP INTERVENTION FOR FOSTER CARERS IN THE LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN'S SERVICE
Authors: David Ranjitha , Majumder Pallab , Sales Christian
Published: January 2024

AIM: This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Fostering and
Attachment Group in improving foster carers’ understanding of
difficulties experienced by young people in their care. It also aims to
assess the changes in the perception of challenges faced by carers and
any improvements in communication, between carers and young people
following the group intervention. METHOD: A structured tool called Carer
Questionnaire was used before and after the group intervention in order
to evaluate its efficacy. RESULTS: Pre and post group evaluations showed
statistically significant improvements in the domains of carers’
understanding of children’s difficulties and improvements in connection
between carers and young people. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results are
in keeping with the existing literature that have researched the
benefits of attachment focused group intervention in foster carers.
Future research could focus on effects of attachment-based group
interventions on children and young people who are being fostered.
Stochastic GE-evolution operator method for controllability of time varying stochastic implicit systems in Banach spaces
Authors: Ge Zhaoqiang
Published: January 2024

This paper discusses exact and approximate controllability and exact and
approximate observability of time varying stochastic implicit systems by
GE-evolution operator method in Banach spaces. Firstly, we discuss
existence and uniqueness of the mild solution to time varying stochastic
implicit systems by stochastic GE-evolution operator in Banach space.
Secondly, we discuss conditions for exact and approximate
controllability and exact and approximate observability of the systems
considered in terms of stochastic GE-evolution operator and the dual
principle. Finally, an illustrative example is given.
Quantum Tsallis-Jensen-Shannon divergence and its bounds
Authors: Hassanzad Fatemeh , Mehri-Dehnavi Hossien , Agahi Hamzeh
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we first introduce some properties of quantum
Tsallis-Jensen-Shannon divergence for two density matrices. Then one of
the beautiful and very simple applications of Hermit-Hadamard’s
inequality [S. Dragomir, et. al. Math. Methods Appl. Sci., 1–15
(2020)] for log-convexity in the concepts of quantum entropies and
quantum Tsallis-Jensen-Shannon is given.
A vertebrate-specific qPCR assay as an endogenous internal control for robust species identification
Authors: Taniguchi Kei , Akutsu Tomoko , Watanabe Ken , Ogawa Yoshinori , Imaizumi Kazuhiko
Published: January 2024

The identification of vertebrate species is important in numerous fields
such as ecology, archaeology, and food and forensic sciences. Real-time
quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays specific for one vertebrate species are
promising approaches for species identification, although there are
several drawbacks such as difficulty determining whether the detected
DNA is authentic or a contaminant. Here, we describe a qPCR assay
specific for vertebrate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which can overcome
these drawbacks. Since we found that mitochondrial 16S rRNA contains
regions that are perfectly (not highly) conserved across virtually all
vertebrates, but are variable in invertebrates, we were able to design a
vertebrate-specific qPCR assay by placing primers/probe within these
regions. The specificity and accuracy of this assay were validated with
representative vertebrate and invertebrate samples. This assay detected
DNA from all vertebrate samples, but not from any invertebrate samples.
In addition, this assay was able to quantify vertebrate mtDNAs as
accurately as previously reported species-specific qPCR assays. The
results demonstrated it is feasible to quantify vertebrate mtDNA
specifically and accurately in a sample. This means that it is possible
to determine the ratio of specific vertebrate species mtDNA to total
vertebrate mtDNA in a sample. In conjunction with this assay as an
endogenous internal control, species-specific qPCR assays will allow for
the robust identification of vertebrate species.
Early warning Evaluation of Tuberculosis and Meteorological factors in Shanxi Province based on Dynamic Bayesian Network
Authors: Li Meichen , Zhang Zhuang , Ren Hao , Fan Yueling , Song Weimei , Fan Liyu , Quan Dichen , Gao Jianwei , Chen Limin , Qiu Lixia
Published: January 2024

Objective: Tuberculosis is a major global public health problem.
However, it is still in the exploratory stage that the study of the
meteorological factors related to the incidence of tuberculosis in
Shanxi Province. Therefore, it is very urgent to establish an early
warning system that easily operate of tuberculosis. Method: The
epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis in Shanxi Province were
described, and the Dynamic Bayesian Network early warning model was
established by time series cross-correlation analysis and Bayesian
Network. Results: 1. The incidence of tuberculosis showed an overall
downward trend from 2008 to 2017 with certain seasonal characteristics.
2. Based on the results of cross-correlation analysis, it is reasonable
to use dynamic Bayesian model fitting with meteorological factors
lagging for 2 months. 3. Comparison of classification and recognition
performance of the Dynamic Bayesian Network, Bayesian Network and
Support Vector Machine model shows that Dynamic Bayesian Network has the
highest classification accuracy in the two regions. Conclusion: 1. In
Shanxi Province, tuberculosis cluster in time, space and time and space,
and incidence peak is in spring and early summer, seven meteorological
factors are the main factors affecting the incidence of tuberculosis. 2.
The classification and recognition performance of the Dynamic Bayesian
Network early warning model of tuberculosis-meteorological factors is
significantly better than the others, and can better predict the future.
Existence of a global attractor governed by differential hemivariational inequalities with parabolic type and its applications
Authors: li xiuwen , Liu Zhenhai , Papageorgiou Nikolaos
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we consider an abstract system which consists of a
hemivariational inequality of parabolic type combined with a nonlinear
differential inclusion (DPHVI, for short) in the framework of Banach
spaces. The objective of this paper is fourfold. The first one is to
deal with the existence of solutions and the properties of the solution
set for parabolic hemivariational inequalities (PHVIs, for short). The
second aim is to investigate the existence of mild solutions for DPHVI
by means of a fixed point technique. The third target is to study the
existence of a global attractor for the $m$-semiflow governed by
DPHVI. Finally, the fourth goal is to illustrate an application of our
abstract results.
Is Propofol a safe agent for External Cephalic Version?
Authors: Romero Javier Sánchez , López-Pérez Jesús , Flores-Muñoz Ana , Méndez-Martínez María , Blanco-Carnero José , Araico-Rodríguez Fernando , Fuentes-García Diego , Falcón-Araña Luis , Nieto-Díaz Anibal , Sanchez-Ferrer Maria lUISA
Published: January 2024

Objective: Analyze ECV results when propofol is used for sedation.
Design: Longitudinal prospective analysis Setting: 1st of January of
2018 and 31st of December of 2020. Population: Pregnant women with
non-cephalic presentation and no contraindication for vaginal delivery.
Methods: Longitudinal prospective analysis of ECV performed in a
tertiary hospital between the Just before the procedure, 0.2 mg/min of
ritodrine was intravenously administered for 30 minutes. Sedation or
neuraxial anesthesia was performed before the ECV. Main Outcome
Measures: ECV success rate, Hypotension during procedure, ECV
complication rate, cesarean section 24 h after ECV. Results: 242
pregnant women underwent ECV. All data were available for analysis just
in 153 cases. ECV success rate was 66.9%. Sedation was performed in
88.8% and neuraxial anesthesia was carried out in 11.2%. For the
sedation group, propofol was used in 96.3%. Emergency cesarean section
rate during the following 24 hours of ECV was 6.7%. No difference in
the emergent cesarean section during the 24 hours following the ECV rate
when sedation or neuraxial anesthesia were performed (p=0.53).
Conclusions: ECV is a safe and effective procedure. Sedation with
propofol is useful for analgesia in ECV. Funding: The authors received
no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of
this article.
Impact of regional heterogeneity on the severity of COVID-19
Authors: Tsuzuki Shinya , Asai Yusuke , Matsunaga Nobuaki , Ishioka Haruhiko , Akiyama Takayuki , Ohmagari Norio
Published: January 2024

Background: We aimed to assess the impact of regional heterogeneity on
the severity of COVID-19 in Japan. Methods: We included 27,865 cases
registered between January 2020 and February 2021 in the COVID-19
Registry of Japan to examine the relationship between the National Early
Warning Score (NEWS) of COVID-19 patients on the day of admission and
the prefecture where the patients live. A hierarchical Bayesian model
was used to examine the random effect of each prefecture in addition to
the patients’ backgrounds. In addition, we compared the results of two
models; one model included the number of beds secured for COVID-19
patients in each prefecture as one of the fixed effects, and the other
model did not. Results: The results indicated that the prefecture had a
substantial impact on the severity of COVID-19 on admission. Even when
considering the effect of the number of beds separately, the
heterogeneity caused by the random effect of each prefecture affected
the severity of the case on admission. Conclusions: Our analysis
revealed a possible association between regional heterogeneity and
increased/decreased risk of severe COVID-19 infection on admission. This
heterogeneity was derived not only from the number of beds secured in
each prefecture but also from other factors.
A Review of Nature Inspired Algorithms and Its Applications
Authors: K Keshav Kumar , Narasimham NVSL , Balamuralitharan S
Published: January 2024

If we look closely at nature, we can see that, although it appears to be
very plain and systematic on the surface, it conceals many complexities
underneath it. Since technology follows the same ‘simple-yet-complex’
theory as nature, researchers have often attempted to apply what they
have learned from nature to complex technological Algorithms that are
used to solve a few real-world human problems. There has been a rapid
rise in research in this area over the last decade. Nature-inspired
algorithms are now used in almost every field of science. While it has
been extended to a variety of fields, the scope of this paper is limited
to its use in the optimization and computer Intelligence. The main goal
of optimization and Computer intelligence applications is to obtain,
handle, and use the massive amount of data stored in distributed
databases, which can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured.
This is a developing field that is moving toward more intelligent and
human-centric applications. This paper provides an overview of important
nature-inspired techniques for optimising various aspects of Semantic
Web applications, including knowledge bases, content filtering,
information retrieval, and inference mechanisms.
Optical properties of biochemical compositions of microalgae within spectral range from 300 to 1700 nm
Authors: Li Xingcan , Lin Li , Wu Minghui , Xie Bowei , Yang Jia-Yue , Zhao Junming
Published: January 2024

A combination method (DOPTM-EM) using both DOPTM (double optical
pathlength transmission method) and EM (ellipsometry method) is used to
acquire the optical constants of protein, lipid and carbohydrate of
Haematococcus pluvialis, Nannochloropsis sp. and Spirulina in both solid
and solution state within the visible and near-infrared spectral range.
For different types of microalgae, the refractive index of protein and
carbohydrate in solid state are similar to each other, but show an
observed difference from lipid in solid state. The refractive index of
protein and carbohydrate in solution state presents a visible
distinction in the researched spectral range. The absorption index of
protein, lipid and carbohydrate in solid state for these three types of
microalgae are close to each other in the spectral range 300-500 nm.
However, an observed difference is shown in the spectral range 500-1700
nm. For ease of application, the refractive index of biochemical
composition of microalgae was fitted based on the Sellmeier equation.
Genome-wide association study identifies variants of GhSAD1 conferring cold tolerance in cotton
Authors: Ge Chang , Wang Li , Yang Yong , Liu Rui , Li Shi , Liu Shao , Chen Jing , Shen Qian , Ma Hui , Li Yang , Zhang Si , Pang Chao
Published: January 2024

Cold stress is a major environmental factor affecting plant growth and
development. Although some plants have developed resistance to cold
stress, the molecular mechanism underlying it is poorly understood.
Here, we identified cold tolerance gene in cotton (Gossypium
hirsutum L.) using genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 200 cotton
accessions collected from different regions, and identified variations
of a short chain alcohol dehydrogenase gene GhSAD1 that response
to cold stress. The virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) and Arabidopsis
overexpression experiments showed that GhSAD1 roles in
cold-stress response.GhSAD1 introduction
considerably increased cold tolerance in Arabidopsis transgenic plants,
whereas GhSAD1 plants exhibited
cold-sensitive phenotype. GhSAD1 silencing
plants exhibited a decrease of abscisic acid (ABA) content and
overexpression GhSAD1 in Arabidopsis
increased ABA content. Additionally, we found that
GhSAD1 regulated cold stress responses
through the activity of c-repeat binding factor, which binds to the
promoter region of the gene and regulates ABA signalling pathway under
cold conditions. Overexpression of GhSAD1
induced cold-regulated (COR) genes expression and improved
anti-cold metabolites under cold stress. Collectively, the findings of
the study contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanism of
GhSAD1 in cold-stress response in cotton. Moreover, GhSAD1
could serve as candidate gene in improving crop stress
The negative and positive impacts of Prosopis juliflora on the Kenyan and Ethiopian Ecosystems: a review
Authors: Tumwesigye Wycliffe , Violah Kishoin
Published: January 2024

Aim: Invasive alien species present a serious threat to the world’s
ecosystems and livelihoods. The aim of this paper was to review the
negative and positive impacts of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC on the
Kenyan and Ethiopian Ecosystems. Location: Kenya and Ethiopia Methods:
Thirty-one publications were used to write this paper. The articles were
identified through keyword searches such as Prosopis juliflora, invasive
species, impacts, livelihoods, and ecosystems using google scholar
guided by the above-mentioned categories and forward searches of
publications that cited relevant articles helped in gathering
publications. Results: We found out that Prosopis juliflora was
introduced to Kenya and Ethiopia to tackle desertification, to ensure
the self-sufficiency of wood products and to conserve water and soil in
the semi-arid areas. Years later, this species has turned invasive;
although the communities in infested areas have realized some benefits
from this tree such as obtaining timber, charcoal, firewood, shelter,
livestock feed from its pods; the negative impacts of this tree have far
outweighed the positives. Notably, this invasive plant has significantly
impacted agricultural and livestock productivity because it invaded the
pasturelands and farmlands. For instance, the negative health
implications for livestock significantly reduce their productivity.
Similarly, this plant has reduced the diversity of the native trees,
herbaceous, and grasses because of its ability to outcompete them.
Control methods such as biological, mechanical, chemical, and control by
utilization have been tried but none have so far been effective in
controlling this invasive plant. Main Conclusions: Our results showed
that Prosopis juliflora is a serious invader that has a huge potential
of invading the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya and Ethiopia.
Therefore, stakeholders at all levels need to put in place integrated
management strategies to reduce the spread and the negative impacts of
this species.
Clinical and Immunological Characteristics in COVID-19 Convalescent Patients
Authors: Su Zhiying , Hu Wenjia , Liu Qianyun , Zhang Yongxi , Chen Tielong , Zhou Yingying , Zhang Zhen , Chen Yu , Yang Rongrong , Xiong Yong , Wang Xinghuan
Published: January 2024

Objective The immune responses of COVID-19 convalescent patients have
not been well described. Methods Blood from thirty COVID-19 convalescent
patients who were virus-free were collected. Their clinical laboratory
findings and SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular immunity were
detected. Results At 283 days after diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection,
the levels of clinical laboratory indicators and lymphocyte subtypes
returned to normal levels. However, the ratio of memory/naive CD4+ T
lymphocytes cells was greater in COVID-19 convalescent patients and
severe COVID-19 convalescent patients, when compared with that in
healthy blood donors (P=0.0135) and non-severe patients (P=0.0431),
respectively. The levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgM (P=0.014), S1-IgM
(P=0.0004) and RBD-IgM (P=0.0002) in severe COVID-19 patients were all
significantly greater than those in non-severe COVID-19 patients. When
the serums of COVID-19 convalescent patients were diluted as 1:125, the
predictive of serum neutralization capabilities were persistent in all
patients. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were generated and maintained in
majority of tested convalescent COVID-19 patients, regardless of the
severity of disease in acute phase. Conclusion At 283 days after
diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, specific cellular and humoral
immunity against SARS-CoV-2 could be detectable. The severity of disease
in acute phase cannot affect the strength of cellular and humoral
immunity in convalescent phase.
Disturbance-mediated invasions are dependent on community resource abundance
Authors: Lear Luke , Padfield Daniel , Inamine Hidetoshi , Shea Katriona , Buckling Angus
Published: January 2024

Disturbances can facilitate biological invasions, with the associated
increase in resource availability being a proposed cause. Here, we
experimentally test the effects of disturbance regime and resource
abundance on invasion success. We invaded populations of the bacterium
Pseudomonas fluorescens with two invader morphotypes in a factorial
design containing five disturbance frequencies and three resource
levels. As resident populations were altered by the treatments, we
additionally tested their effect on invader success. Disturbance
frequency and resource abundance interacted to affect the success of
both invaders. For one, success was positively affected by disturbance
under high resources but negatively under low. For the other,
disturbance negatively affected success under high resource abundance
but not under low or medium. Resident population changes did not alter
invader success beyond direct treatment effects. Overall, how
disturbance affects invasion success is dependent on community resource
abundance, and this interaction acts differently on invaders with
different life-histories.
Continuing Professional Development of Jordanian Physiotherapists: Activities, Facilitators and Barriers
Authors: Madi Mohammad , Hamzeh Hayat
Published: January 2024

Rationale, aims and objectives: As part of Jordanian government’s
healthcare strategy, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has
recently become mandatory as of 2018. The study aimed to draw the
landscape of CPD for Jordanian Physiotherapist. The activities,
attitudes, and workplace environment related to CPD were explored.
Method: A quantitative web-based survey was used to collect data. The
survey was open for potential participants for three months from
29/01/2020. Only physiotherapists practicing in Jordan; and involved in
direct patient care were invited to take part. Results: Eighty-six
Physiotherapists representing multiple cities in Jordan completed the
survey. Around 13% held a post graduate qualification. The main
activity in which participants engaged with was local workshops. Their
main driver was to improve patients care. High financial burden and
inability to travel were the main barriers. Conclusion(s): For the first
time, the study provided evidence of the activities, motivators, and
barriers to CPD in a sample of Jordanian physiotherapists. Findings are
important in informing healthcare policy-making. In particular, it
offers directions to maximise the impact of CPD.
How Fern and Fern Allies Respond to Heterogeneous Habitat--- A Case in Yuanjiang Dry-Hot Valley
Authors: Yang Feng-Chun , Sarathchandra Chaya , Liu Jing-Xin , Huang Hua-Ping , Gou Jian-Yong , Homya Suthathong , Prueksakorn Kritana , Zhao Jun , Yang Ming-Fu
Published: January 2024

The Yuanjiang dry-hot valley features hot and dry climate, low
vegetation and soil degradation. It had lush vegetation in the past, but
has become degraded in recent decades. Understanding the
interrelationship between species and the habitat is necessary to
explain this change. In this study, a link between fern and fern allies
- a group that is hypersensitive to environmental factors and their
circumstances is constructed. Intensive transects and plots were
designed to be proxies for extant fern and fern allies, and their
habitats. Fifty years of meteorological records of precipitation and
temperature along altitude and river running direction (latitudinal)
were employed. Alpha and beta diversity are used to access diversity.
Species_estimated, Singletons, Uniques, ACE, ICE, and Chao2, which
associate to abundance and rarity, are subscribed to the correlation
between fern and fern allies, and their ecosystem. Eight species,
Selaginella pseudopaleifera, Aleuritopteris squamosa, Adiantum
malesianum, Pteris vittata, Davallia trichomanoides, Sinephropteris
delavayi, Selaginella jugorum, and Lygodium japonicum are used as
indicators of a typical xeric and sun-drying habitat. The results
indicate (1) accompanied by dramatically shrinking habitats, fern and
fern allies are in very low diversity and abundance, whereas the rarity
is relatively high; (2) for fern and fern allies, environmental factors
are positive when altitude goes up; and (3) eight indicator species are
latitudinally correlated with fern and fern allies along the river
running direction.
Phytotoxic effect on chloroplast and UHPLC-HRMS based untargeted metabolomic responses in Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel exposed to antibiotics
Authors: khan kiran , Ali Barkat , Zhang Shuang , Stoffella Peter , Shi Yushi , Qian Xia , Cui Xiaoqain , Ali Zeeshan , Guo Ya
Published: January 2024

Introduction of antibiotics into agricultural fields via using reclaimed
waste water or manure application causes toxic effects on environment
and pose serious health risks to humans. This study investigated the
uptake of antibiotics, their effect on metabolic pathways, and
chloroplast structure of Allium tuberosum exposed to different
antibiotics stresses. Disturbances in chloroplast structure and increase
in number of mitochondria and plastoglobulli have been suggested
defensive mechanism against antibiotic stress by extending variations in
chlorophyll fluorescence variables resulted in alterations to metabolic
activities. An untargeted metabolomic analysis was conducted to explore
the comprehensive profiling of metabolites in response to the applied
antibiotic stresses because metabolomic approach directly assesses the
physiological status of plant. Simultaneously, metabolomic profiling
demonstrated that NFL stress regulated more of its metabolic pathways
than OTC and TC. Some of the metabolic pathways varied among the
antibiotic treatments. Metabolic variations as a result of antibiotics
stress highlighted pools of metabolites that affect the metabolic
activities, chlorophyll fluorescence, and ultrastructural adjustments
that stimulate defensive impact in A .tubersoum. These novel findings
are useful in providing an insight of metabolic destabilization as well
as metabolic changes in defensive mechanism and better understanding of
stress response of A. tuberosum to different antibiotics.
Influence of Therapeutic Cancer Radiation on the Push out Bond Strength of Three Root Canal Sealers
Authors: Kunaparaju Keerthana , Shetty Karthik , Saxena PU Prakash , Lobo Dilson , Natarajan Srikant
Published: January 2024

Objectives: The current in-vitro study evaluated the push out bond
strength of three root canal sealers and the sealer/dentine interface
under SEM in teeth subjected to radiation. Methods: Eight mandibular
single rooted premolars were selected and divided into irradiated and
non-irradiated groups. Three middle third root sections from each tooth
were obtained and three canal like holes were drilled followed by
immersion in 2.5% NaOCl for 15 minutes and distilled water. Each hole
in the sample was filled with a different sealer and incubated at 37°C
for 7 days. After setting, push out bond strength test was performed
using universal testing machine followed by failure mode analysis under
compound microscope and SEM. The results were subjected to the normality
tests (Shapiro–Wilk). The bond strength values were evaluated by two
way ANOVA with a split-plot design and Post hoc Tukey’s test (a = 0.05)
using the SPSS 20 software (SAS, Cary, NC, USA). Results: The bond
strength test revealed a higher bond strength value for the non –
irradiated group compared to the irradiated group. Among the three
sealers tested, BioRoot RCS showed the highest bond strength value
followed by AH Plus and least by MTA Fillapex. BioRoot RCS showed least
number of failures among the sealers tested. Conclusion: Bio Root RCS
showed the maximum bond strength values with least failures irrespective
of radiation, thus it can be considered the choice of sealer in patients
undergoing radiotherapy. Clinical implications: It was known that
therapeutic radiation affected the dentin ultrastructure and the bonding
ability of sealer. In this study, BioRoot RCS showed better bond
strength than AH Plus and MTA Fillapex which could be due to the type of
bonding as well the elimination of EDTA from the irrigation protocol.
A New Graduate Nurses Career Planning and Implementation Manual
Authors: wu xiaoying , ying wenjuan , zhou yuhua
Published: January 2024

Objective: To design a career manual for new graduate nurses and verify
the use of it. Method: Design a new graduate nurse’s career manual and
applying it to clinical new graduate nurses, Nominal Group Technology
were adopted to evaluate the contents of the manuals. Participants in
the consensus meeting from new graduate nurses (n = 60，N=488)
participated in the evaluation of the study manual. Results: Firstly,
there are 9 important advantages,4 important disadvantages and 2
improvement area in Manual. Secondly, the turnover rate of hospital
nurses using the manual has fallen. Conclusion: This manual is suitable
for new graduate nurses.
VENTRICULAR SEPTAL RUPTURE AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19
Authors: Vazquez Daniel Parra , Salas Jose
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the hospitalizations rate for acute
coronary syndromes. The origin was multifactorial. In parallel, the
incidence of mechanical complications after acute myocardial infarction
increased. Is presented the case of a 54-years-olds female with COVID-19
and acute anterior myocardial infarction, apical aneurysm, and
interventricular septal rupture. The surgical repair consisted of
ventriculoplasty, septal rupture closure with a pericardial patch, and
it was impossible to perform coronary revascularization.
The synergism of manganese peroxidase and laccase from Cerrena unicolor BBP6 in denim dye decolorization and the construction of gene co-expression system in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Zhang Hao , Sun Fengjie , Meng Chunxiao , Geng Anli , Gao Zhengquan
Published: January 2024

Two types of extracellular ligninolytic enzymes of white-rot fungi,
i.e., laccase and manganese peroxidase (MnP), are commonly in denim
bleaching process due to their superior degradation capability of
synthetic dyes. In the process of bleaching by extracellular broth of
Cerrena unicolor BBP6, MnP was primarily responsible for the
decolorization of denims, while laccase played an assisting role in the
decolorizing reaction by participating in the production of
HO to initiate the catalytic reaction
of MnP. A gene co-expression system in Pichia pastoris was
constructed based on the synergism of both MnP and laccase, showing a
significantly enhanced decolorization effect on denims. Our results
demonstrated that the recombinant enzyme complex (rMnP3-BBP6 and
rLacA-189) has shown promising application potential in textile
industries, especially in denim bleaching process.