bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
"Influence of lymph node degeneration on metastases in prostate cancer - or why we must look for a needle in a haystack"
Authors: Gödde Daniel , Degener Stephan , Walles Christine , Keller Rosalie , Dreger Nici-Markus , Graf Katharina , Rundstedt Friedrich Carl , Kvasnicka Hans-Michael , Krege Susanne , Störkel Stephan
Published: August 2022

BackgroundTo evaluate the incidence of lymph node degeneration and its association with nodal metastatic pattern in prostate cancer. MethodsA retrospective analysis of the submitted lymph node specimen of 390 prostatectomies in 2011 was performed. All lymph nodes were histologically re-evaluated and the degree of lymph node degeneration e.g. lipomatous atrophy, capsular and framework fibrosis, and calcifications as well as the lymph node size were recorded. Lymph node degeneration was compared in the anatomic regions of the pelvis as well as in lymph nodes with and without metastases of prostatic cancer.Results81 of 6026 lymph nodes demonstrated metastases and a complete histological examination of 5173 lymph nodes was feasible. The incidence of lymph node degeneration was different across the various landing sites. Lymph node metastases were primarily detected in less degenerative and therefore more functional lymph nodes. In metastatic vs. non-metastatic lymph nodes low lipomatous atrophy was reported in 84,0% vs. 66,7% (p=0,004), capsular fibrosis in 14,8% vs. 35,4% (p < 0.001), calcifications in 35,8% vs.46,1% (p=0,072) and framework fibrosis in 69,8% vs. 75,3% (p=0,53). Metastases were also identified more frequently in larger than in smaller lymph nodes (63,0% vs. 47,5%; p=0,007).ConclusionsDegenerative changes in pelvic lymph nodes are commonly detectable but occur with variable frequency in the various nodal landing sites in the pelvis. The degree of lymph node degeneration of single lymph nodes has a significant influence on whether a lymph node is infiltrated by tumor cells and may harbour metastases.
Bifidobacteria Define Gut Microbiome Profiles of Golden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) and Marmoset (Callithrix sp.) Metagenomic Shotgun Pools
Authors: Malukiewicz Joanna , D'arc Mirela , Dias Ceclia A. , Cartwright Reed A. , Grativol Adriana D. , Moreira Silvia Bahadian , Souza Antonizete R , Tavares Maria Clotilde Henriques , Pissinatti Alcides , Ruiz-Miranda Carlos R. , Santos André F. A.
Published: August 2022

Gut microbiome disruptions may lead to adverse effects on wildlife fitness and viability, thus maintaining host microbiota biodiversity needs to become an integral part of wildlife conservation. The highly-endangered callitrichid golden lion tamarin (GLT-Leontopithecus rosalia) is a rare conservation success, but allochthonous callitrichid marmosets (Callithrix) serve as principle ecological GLT threats. However, incorporation of microbiome approaches to GLT conservation is impeded by limited gut microbiome studies of Brazilian primates. Here, we carried out analysis of metagenomic pools from a total of 80 individuals of wild and captive GLTs and marmosets. More specifically, we analyzed the bacterial component of ultra-filtered samples originally collected as part of a virome profiling study. The major findings of this study are consistent with previous studies in showing that Bifidobacterium, a bacterial species important to the metabolism of tree gums consumed by callitrichids, is an important component of the callitrichid gut microbiome - although GTLs and marmosets were enriched for different species of Bifidobacterium. Additionally, the composition of GLT and marmoset gut microbiota is sensitive to host environmental factors. Overall, our data expands baseline gut microbiome data for callitrichids to allow for the development of new tools to improve their management and conservation.
An effective threshold based technique for retinal image blood vessel segmentation using average & Gaussian filters
Authors: Ray Rahul , Jena Sudarson , Parida Priyadarsan
Published: August 2022

The fundamental components of automated retinal blood vessel segmentation for eye disease screening systems are segmentation algorithms, retinal blood vessel datasets, classification algorithms, performance measure parameters and noise removing filters etc. This paper is presenting retinal blood vessel segmentation techniques on 2D retinal images captured by fundus camera and examining the performance of different algorithms for a better and accurate result. The goal of this study is to comprehensively investigate and assess retinal blood vessel extraction algorithms using publicly accessible HRF-DR and INSPIRE-AVR datasets, with a focus on important performance measurements and characteristics. The effectiveness of our methodology is measured using the performance metrics like Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy with 94.27%, 87.86% and 95.61% for HRF-DR dataset and 91.10%, 86.97% and 95.16% for INSPIRE AVR dataset respectively.
Nonlinear vibration analysis of fractional viscoelastic nanobeam
Authors: Qiu Meifeng , Lei Dongxia , Ou Zhiying
Published: August 2022

Considering the size-dependent influence ignored by classical continuum mechanics, a new non-classical Euler-Bernoulli beam model is proposed in this paper. The new fractional viscoelastic nanobeam model is set up by using the fractional viscoelastic Kelvin-Voigt model and Hamilton's principle. And the new model studies the total effects of nonlocal elasticity, modified couple stress, and surface energy. The model represented the fractional integral-partial differential governing equation is solved by Galerkin's and predictor-corrector method. Firstly, the effects of nonlocal elasticity, modified couple stress, surface energy, and their coupling impact on the nonlinear time response of free vibration of fractional viscoelastic nanobeam are analyzed. Secondly, the nonlinear time response of free and forced vibration of fractional viscoelastic nanobeam are studied in the context of the nonlocal couple-stress elasticity and the surface energy theory. Finally, the effects of initial displacement, fractional order, viscoelasticity coefficient, damping coefficient, length-to-thickness ratio, force amplitude, and excitation frequency on the nonlinear vibration time response of the fractional viscoelastic nanobeam are analyzed.
Thrombus-targeted Nano-agents for NIR-II Diagnostic Fluorescence Imaging-guided Flap Thromboembolism Multi-model Therapy
Authors: cao Zichen , Han Wei , zhang xinyu , wei zheng , song chuanhui , zou huihui , ran jianchuan , zhang hongbo , xie diya , han shengwei , wang yufeng , cai yu
Published: August 2022

In oral and maxillofacial surgery, flap repair plays an essential role in the quality of postoperative life, but thrombosis is fatal for the survival of the patients. Besides, some postoperative thrombotic diseases, such as pulmonary embolism, also intimidate patients' life. The traditional diagnostic methods are still limited by a large amount of hardware and suffer from inconvenience, delay, and subjectivity. Moreover, the treatments mainly rely upon thrombolytics, such as urokinase (UK) plasminogen activator, which may cause bleeding risk, especially intracerebral hemorrhage. Herein, a kind of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) containing a first near-infrared window (NIR-I) phototheranostic agent Y8 and urokinase plasminogen activator (UK) as the core, and modified with the fibrin-targeting peptide GPRPP on the surface (GPRPP-Y8U@P) were developed for the flap and postoperative thromboembolism treatment. The conjugated molecule Y8 endows GPRPP-Y8U@P with the capacity of NIR-II imaging and excellent photothermal/photodynamic therapeutic effects. In vivo experiments demonstrated that GPRPP-Y8U@P could quickly locate thrombus by NIR-II fluorescence imaging, and semi-quantitative analysis of the embolized blood vessels' paraffin section verified its thrombolytic efficiency. Additionally, the urokinase trapped in the NPs would not result in nonspecific bleeding, tremendously improving physical security and curative effects with minimizing side effects. Overall, the advantages of GPRPP-Y8U@P, such as precise localization of the thrombus, thrombus ablation in the site, and mild side effects, demonstrate the attractiveness of this approach for effective clinical monitoring of thrombus therapy.
Performance Evaluation of IEEE 802.11p EDCA for Vehicular Safety Communication using Semi-Markov Process
Authors: HU LIN
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a new semi-Markov process (SMP) based model is devised to evaluate the IEEE 802.11p enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) broadcast performance for vehicular safety communication. Differing from the existing SMP analytical models, the proposed model takes the virtual collision among various prioritized access categories (ACs) inside each vehicle into consideration. Moreover, in contrast to the Markov chain-based models, our model is simpler but with approximate accuracy. Concretely, we first capture the behavior of each AC’s backoff entity using SMP. Then, the parameters of interest in the vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) such as packet transmission probability, conditional collision probability, and saturation throughput are derived. Finally, via MATLAB simulations, we demonstrate that the newly developed model achieves comparable accuracy in calculating these output parameters while its complexity and computation time is around onetenth of that with the Markov chain-based models. Therefore, the proposed model is more suitable for real-time performance analysis of IEEE 802.11p EDCA safety communication in a freeway scenario.
Comparison of physicochemical properties of sorghum extract by ethanol concentration and its anti-adipogenic effect in 3T3-L1
Authors: Jung Seyoung , Jeong Eun Woo , Baek Youjin , Go Gwang-woong , Lee Hyeon Gyu
Published: August 2022

Sorghum is an important cereal source of phenolic compounds, with potential health-promoting benefits. This study evaluated the phenolic content and antioxidant and anti-obesity effects of sorghum extract (SE) prepared using three solvent systems: 50% (SE50), 80% (SE80), and 100% (SE100) ethanol. The results showed that SE50 exhibited the highest total polyphenol, flavonoid, and tannin content. In addition, SE50 showed significantly higher antioxidant capacity than the other extracts, as determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays. Interestingly, the SE50 significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes; however, extracts using SE80 and SE100 had no such beneficial effects. Furthermore, SE50 significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of adipogenic genes (Cebpα, Pparγ, and Fabp4) and lipogenic genes (Srebp1c, Fas, and Scd1). These results suggest that the phenolic contents, antioxidant, and anti-obesity activities of 50% ethanol extract are superior to those of other extracts, and it could be used as a functional food ingredient for anti-obesity.
Advanced adjustable ionic conductivity of polybenzimidazole membranes with arrayed two-dimensional AlOOH nanosheets for water electrolysis
Authors: Qiu Zhi , Wang Lihua , He Min , Yun Yanbin
Published: August 2022

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane is promising but limited by its lower ion conductivity when used in the energy field. Two-dimension (2D) layered hydroxides with abundant hydroxyl groups could accelerate ion transport. However, the ionic conductivity cannot be adjusted when the 2D nanosheet is introduced by blending or spraying methods. Here, a series of novel arrayed 2D AlOOH-PBI composite membranes with adjustable ionic conductivity were prepared via the in-situ growing-etching method through the control of the thickness of nanosheets. The hydroxide ion conductivity of the proposed membrane was about 5.5-fold higher than that of pristine PBI membrane. The proton conductivity also showed about 1.5-fold enhancement. Meanwhile, the membrane electrode assembly with novel membranes showed superior voltage performance of 2.07 V at a current density of 1 A cm− 2, and the long-term stability was confirmed for over 200 h at a current density of 500 mA•cm− 2 in water electrolysis. These results look prospective for the preparation of new membranes for energy applications.
Investigating self-reported efficacy of lifestyle medicine approaches to tackle erectile dysfunction: a cross-sectional eSurvey based study
Authors: El-Osta Austen , Kerr Gabriele , Alaa Aos , Asmar Marie Line El , Karki Manisha , Webber Iman , Sasco Eva Riboli , Blume Giordano , Beecken Wolf-D , Mummery David
Published: August 2022

BackgroundErectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual dysfunction in men. Some types of ED are amenable to treatment using lifestyle medicine approaches with or without pharmacotherapy.AimInvestigate self-reported efficacy of lifestyle medicine approaches to tackle EDMethodsA cross-sectional online survey of 1177 community dwelling adults explored the prevalence and methods used to tackle ED in the community setting. We examined differences between participants with and without ED. Variables associated with ED in univariable analyses were included in a multivariable logistic regression to identify variables independently associated with the condition.OutcomesSelf-reported measure: perceived effectiveness of lifestyle medicine interventions to tackle EDResultsMost respondents (76.5%) had experienced ED, and this was associated with having a long-term condition, taking anti‑hypertensive medication, hypercholesterolaemia and obesity. Medication was the most common management strategy overall (65.9%), followed by stress management (43.5%) and weight loss (40.4%). Over half (53.9%) did not use any lifestyle modification strategies to tackle ED. Only 7.0% of ED sufferers received a mental health assessment and 29.2% received other tests (e.g., blood test, medical imaging) by GPs. Cardiovascular training was identified as the best rated strategy by its users (37.8%). Supplements (35.1%) and weight training/physical activity (32.6%) were also positively rated.Clinical implicationsStructured education to general practitioners and community dwelling adults about the impact of lifestyle behaviour modification and how this could influence the appearance or trajectory of ED could help improve personal choice when tackling ED.Strengths and LimitationsTo our knowledge, this is the first study to collect eSurvey responses from community dwelling adults to gauge their reliance and perceived effectiveness of lifestyle medicine approaches to tackle ED. The principal limitation was the lack of follow-up, and not recording other information including lifestyle factors such as nutrition, smoking, and the use of alcohol and recreational drugs, which may have enabled a fuller exploration of the factors that could influence the primary outcome measures examined.ConclusionDespite the high prevalence of ED, there is not enough awareness in the community setting about effective and low-cost lifestyle medicine strategies, including cardiovascular training and the use of supplements and weight training, to help tackle this common condition
High-order and V_0-stable methods for solving the Volterra integral equations of the second kind
Authors: Amiri Sadegh , Hajipour Mojtaba
Published: August 2022

The aim of this paper is to investigate some second- and third-order numerical methods for solving the Volterra integral equations (VIEs) of the second kind. The proposed numerical methods preserve the V_0-stability property for both single and system of the VIEs. Numerical simulations show that these methods are successful for various types of the VIEs and their computational cost are less than the other methods in literature.
A comparative Study for determination of 10-HDA in various Indian Royal Jelly samples using HPLC, HPTLC, and LC-MS/MS Techniques
Authors: Dubey Rahul N. , Sathiyanarayanan L , Rao Laxmi , Mohite Suhas
Published: August 2022

Bees, Apis mellifera, are precious natural resources that produce a variety of health-promoting bioactive compounds. Since it is a bee-derived product, the composition and contents of Royal Jelly (RJ) vary. The discrepancies found are most likely attributable to the variable number of samples collected from various locations and at different stages of the manufacturing process, therefore it becomes a possible source of adulteration. To ensure the quality of the product it is necessary to define and set quality control levels before its commercialization. 10-Hydroxy Decenoic acid (10-HDA) is a unique component specifically found in RJ and it is a major constituent that assures the quality of a product. Although the uniqueness of this compound is well known no attempt has been made to estimate its content in Indian Royal Jelly. The present study aimed to the development of a rapid, precise, stable, and robust method for 10-HDA determination, using High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), High-performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy/ Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS), and to compare the performance of each with others. The applicability of these methods was tested on Indian Royal Jelly (IRJ) samples procured from three different regions of India to determine the quality of the product and it was found that IRJ-II showed highest 10-HDA content.
“I’m not from a country, I’m from Australia.” Costumes, scarves, and fruit on their heads: The urgent need for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy when sharing diverse books with children.
Authors: Adam Helen , Byrne Matthew
Published: August 2022

Principles of diversity lie at the heart of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and are reflected in education policies worldwide. However, the translation of these principles into culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) is problematic. This paper reports on a study conducted in kindergarten rooms of four long day care centres in Australia investigating educator practice when sharing culturally diverse children’s literature. Twenty-four educators and 110 children participated. Data was collected through field notes, semi-structured interviews, and video recordings. Findings show in the majority of book sharing in these centres the cultures, backgrounds, life experiences and funds of knowledge of children from underrepresented backgrounds were invisible. Further, educators’ practices were bereft of CRP and likely to demean and confuse those from underrepresented backgrounds and increase all children’s misconceptions of those different to themselves.
Skeletal muscle atrophy and short-term mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: An observational cohort study
Authors: Ito Yu , Anan Keisuke , Awano Nobuyasu , Kataoka Yuki , Johkoh Takeshi , Fujimoto Kiminori , Ichikado Kazuya , Tobino Kazunori , Tachikawa Ryo , Ito Hiroyuki , Nakamura Takahito , Kishaba Tomoo , Yamamoto Yosuke , Inomata Minoru , Izumo Takehiro
Published: August 2022

Skeletal muscle atrophy often complicates idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). IPF patients frequently experience acute exacerbation (AE), but the association between skeletal muscle atrophy and mortality remains unknown in AE-IPF patients. Herein, cross-sectional areas of the erector spinae muscle (ESMCSA) and the pectoralis muscle (PMCSA) of AE-IPF patients were analysed via computed tomography. Primary outcome was 90-day mortality. Survival probability was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the log-rank test was used between the low and high groups of ESMCSA and PMCSA. We used multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models to evaluate the association between ESMCSA and PMCSA and prognosis. Among the 212 patients, 94 (44%) died during the observation period. The low ESMCSA group (< 25.6 cm2) had a significantly worse prognosis than the high group (≥ 25.6 cm2) (hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.52 [1.00–2.33], p = 0.049). Multivariable analyses showed that all-cause mortality was associated with low ESMCSA (model 1, adjusted HR [95% CI]: 1.59 [0.98–2.60]; model 2, 1.55 [0.95–2.56] and model 3, 1.67 [1.00–2.78]). A similar trend was observed between low PMCSA and poor prognosis (HR [95% CI]: 1.39 [0.88–2.20]). In conclusion, low ESMCSA is associated with high 90-day mortality in AE-IPF patients.
Disinfectant Stress Enhances Prokaryotic Symbiosis with Lysogenic Phages and Defense Systems Against Detrimental Phage Infection
Authors: Huang Dan , Chen Juhong , Shi Zhou Jason , Liu Jingqing , Alvarez Pedro J.J. , Yu Pingfeng
Published: August 2022

Background
Mutualistic symbiosis is critical for microbial adaptation to stress and microbiome functions. Recent progress in metagenomics has advanced understanding of prokaryote-phage symbiosis and the ecological and evolutionary significance of viromes. However, it remains elusive how prokaryotic antiviral systems respond to symbiosis with lysogenic phages and its implications to microbial ecosystem services. Microbiomes in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) under disinfectant stress are an important platform to study the ecological drivers and effects of prokaryote-phage symbiosis.
Results
Enhanced prokaryote-phage mutualism was observed in the microbiome of 7 DWDS under disinfectant stress relative to 5 control DWDS without disinfection. The relative abundance of lysogenic phages increased in microbiomes in DWDS with residual chlorine. Prokaryote-phage linkage analysis revealed that residual chlorine enriched phages that reproduced in disinfectant-tolerant prokaryotes, and selected for broad-host-range phages that could propagate using multiple hosts. Moreover, the virome under disinfectant stress harbored high levels of auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) encoding reductase, which could alleviate oxidative stress. Various prokaryotic antiviral systems were elevated under disinfectant stress, particularly the Restriction-Modification (RM) and CRISPR-Cas systems. Some enriched RM and CRISPR-Cas systems were linked to lysogenic phages and prophages, inferring that these antiviral systems are compatible with phage infections with mutualistic potential. In addition, RM systems harbored in lysogenic phages and prophages were enriched in the disinfected DWDS virome. This apparently benefited lysogenic phages to evade prokaryotic antiviral systems through RM-mediated methylation of phage DNA. Transduction of antiviral genes would also empower the hosts with additional capability to defend against secondary infections by lytic phages.
Conclusion
This metagenomic study infers that sublethal residual disinfectants can enhance prokaryote-phage mutualism, and enrich some prokaryotic antiviral systems to defend against detrimental (lytic) phage infection. Our study advances understanding of the development, maintenance and overlooked implications of prokaryote-phage mutualism, which offers new perspectives for microbiome adaptation under environmental stress.
Heavy Metals Accumulation in Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) and Their Microhabitats in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Khurshaid , Shams Nida , Rahman Gauhar , Shah Safeer Ullah , Ullah Mujeeb , Jamal Muhsin , Badshah Noor , Zia Syed Ahmad
Published: August 2022

Dragonflies (Odonata: Insecta) are bio-physical environmental indicators and limited information of this important insect group are reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan. Therefore, the present study was attempted to find out the bionomics of dragonflies and heavy metals concentration in their habitats in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. During the present study total of 1400 adult dragonflies’ specimens were collected from May to October, 2018 in three tehsils of District Mardan. Orthetrum anceps (N = 209, 14.93%) was the most abundant species followed by O. pruinusum neglectum (N = 177, 12.64%) and Trithemis festiva (N = 141, 10.07%). Diversity was highest for Katlang as compared to other tehsils. Dragonflies’ peak aggregation was observed in July and August. O. pruinusum neglectum positively correlated (p < 0.05) with monthly total rainfall. Dragonfly species were sampled in abundance from all surveyed elevation (< 361 to 953m), on agriculture land and q of lithological unit. Significant difference in heavy metals (Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr and Pb) accumulation in water bodies and sediments was observed among studied tehsils. Metals accumulation significantly varied among body parts of different species of dragonflies. One of the first studies to report species composition, spatial distribution and effects of heavy metals contamination on dragonflies in district Mardan.
Anisotropic Wood-Water Interactions Determined by Gravimetric Vapor Sorption Experiments
Authors: Sánchez-Ferrer Antoni Antoni , Engelhardt Max , Richter Klaus
Published: August 2022

Gravimetric vapor sorption experiments were performed on beech wood samples to determine the directional permeability, diffusion and sorption coefficients in the three orthotropic wood directions. Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) experiments allowed for the direct evaluation of the diffusion coefficient from the analysis of the kinetic sorption profile using a double stretched exponential model with values ranging from 0.10ꞏ10− 10 to 1.52ꞏ10− 10 m2/s and depending on the wood direction of the sample and the RH-values. Moisture sorption isotherms (MSIs) were constructed and fitted to a modified Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer model, which allowed for the calculation of the sorption coefficient which was found to be between 2.4 and 3.0 mol/(m3ꞏPa). Dynamic Vapor Transport (DVT) experiments were performed to calculate the permeability coefficient from the vapor flow rate and it ranges between 0.56ꞏ10− 10 and 4.38ꞏ10− 10 mol/(mꞏsꞏPa) as a function of the flow direction and RH conditions. These results indicate that such an experimental approach is suitable for determining wood-moisture interactions.
The influence of sex and sexual orientation disparities on eating disorder behaviours and suicidality in a large Chinese adolescent’s sample
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Ma Zhihao , Lu Su , Duan Zhizhou , Wilson Amanda , Jia Yinwei , Yang Yong , Chen Runsen
Published: August 2022

Background and aims: Disordered eating leads to impaired well-being including physical health, psychosocial functions, and medical complications. There are insufficient studies have focused on the influence of sex and sexual orientation disparities on disordered eating. This study aimed to investigate disordered eating among male and female adolescents with different sexual orientations in a school sample.Method: Data was analyzed from 11,440 Chinese school adolescents with a mean age of 14.74 years (SD = 1.46). Self-reported data was gathered on sociodemographic information including sexual orientation, eating disorder (ED) behaviours, health factors (Self-rated health, cognitive function), mental health factors (depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour), and social functioning (school bully victimization, and school bully perpetration). Logistic regression models were used to estimate risk factors associated with disordered eating.Results: Overall, the prevalence of dietary restriction presented sex disparities—a total of 2,610 female adolescents (49.41%) reported having dietary restriction, while 2,064 male adolescents (33.69%) reported having dietary restriction. In the unidentified sexuality group adolescents tended to be less likely to engage in disordered eating. Using heterosexual orientation as reference group, being unidentified sexuality individuals was associated with lower risk in dietary restriction and purging in both male and female adolescents. Using heterosexual orientation as reference group, female sexual minority groups were at high risk of disordered eating, with bisexual orientation and homosexual orientation had a higher likelihood of objective binge eating. Conclusions: The results revealed significant sex and sexual orientation differences across the prevalence of ED behaviours. The study indicated that the sexual awareness period could be critical for understanding adolescents’ eating behaviours. It is important to guide adolescents to healthy eating during the process of sexual awareness. Considerations should be implemented by clinicians when creating interventions for disordered eating behaviours among different sex and sexual orientation groups.
Crystal structure and anticancer screening of 2-(4-acetylphenylcarbamoyl)phenyl acetate
Authors: Mohamed-Ezzat Reham A. , Kariuki Benson M. , S Aladdin M.
Published: August 2022

Aspirin-based 2-(4-acetylphenylcarbamoyl)phenyl acetate (3) has been synthesized through the reaction of 2-(chlorocarbonyl)phenyl acetate and 1-(4-aminophenyl)ethanone in the presence of triethyl amine. Assessment of anti-proliferative properties of the compound on NCI 60-cell line panel revealed remarkable to moderate anti-cancer activity. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques were used to validate the chemical structure of the compound.
Phylogenetic analysis of Bamboo species using Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence
Authors: Khanday Ashiq Hussain , Gawande Prashant A. , Badroo Irfan Ashraf , Wagay Nasir Aziz , Abdi Gholamreza , Tarighat Maryam Abbasi
Published: August 2022

Need for the use of molecular technique in Bamboo is very useful for better resolution of phylogenetic studies. In this study the present investigator has used (ITS1, 5.8S rRNA and ITS2) region of Bamboo species to construct the phylogenetic tree of 18 tropical bamboo species. Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences are commonly used for phylogenetic reconstruction because they are highly reiterated as components of rDNA repeats, and hence are often subject to rapid homogenization through concerted evolution. All Bamboo species studied were collected from different regions of India and were further subjected for the process of DNA sequencing. A phylogenetic analysis of the 18 Bamboo species under six different genera were performed using neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood methods. These findings are further correlated with the morphological character based dendrogram of these species. The implications of the findings are discussed. Present study has shown a close relation between the two genera Dendrocalamus and Bambusa. However, dendrogram based on the morphological characters showed the intergenic and interspecific clustering of Bamboo species. Keeping in view all the possible outcomes the current research has focused to produce some useful conclusion of the two data sets. Molecular data was used to give the resolution for anomalies encountered which prompted the refinement of morphological character analysis. Although the molecular data helped to resolve the phylogenetic issues in Bamboos still the dependability of combined data sets (molecular and morphological) would be of very importance. This work has focused to reveal the phylogenetic relation among Bamboo species.
Dancing with sterols: can antibiotic-sterol interactions explain the selectivity of aromatic analogues of amphotericin B?
Authors: Borzyszkowska-Bukowska Julia , Czub Jacek , Szczeblewski Paweł , Laskowski Tomasz
Published: August 2022

Aromatic heptaene macrolides (AHMs) belong to the group of polyene macrolide antifungal antibiotics. Members of this group were the first to be used in the treatment of systemic fungal infections. Amphotericin B (AmB), a non-aromatic representative of heptaene macrolides, is of significant clinical importance in the treatment of internal mycoses. It includes the all-trans heptaene chromophore, whereas the native AHMs contain two cis-type (Z) double bonds within the chromophore system. Lately we have proven that it is possible to obtain AHMs’ stable derivatives in the form of all-trans (AmB-type) isomers by photochemical isomerization. Our further studies have shown that such alteration leads to the improvement of their selective toxicity in vitro. Computational experiments carried out so far were only an initial contribution in the investigation of the molecular basis of the mechanism of action of AHMs and did not provide explanation to observed differences in biological activity between the native (cis-trans) and isomeric (all-trans) AHMs. Herein, we presented the results of two-dimensional metadynamics studies upon aromatic AmB analogues regarding preferable binary antibiotic/sterol complexes orientation, as well as more detailed research on the behavior of their alkyl-aromatic side chain in cholesterol- or ergosterol-enriched lipid bilayers.
Degradation of lignin in different lignocellulosic biomass by steam explosion combined with microbial consortium treatment
Authors: Zhang Wen , Diao Chenyang , Wang Lei
Published: August 2022

The difficulty of degrading lignin is the main factor limiting the high-value conversion process of lignocellulosic biomass. Biodegradation of lignin has attracted much attention because of its strong environmental friendliness, but it still faces some dilemmas such as slow degradation speed and poor adaptability. The microbial consortia with high lignin degradation efficiency and strong environmental adaptability were obtained in our previous research. In order to further increase the lignin degradation efficiency, this paper proposes a composite treatment technology of steam explosion combined with microbial consortium degradation to treat three kinds of biomass. We measured the lignin degradation efficiency, selectivity value (SV) and enzymatic saccharification efficiency. The structural changes of the biomass materials and microbial consortium structure were also investigated. The experimental results showed that after 1.6 MPa steam explosion treatment, the lignin degradation efficiency of the eucalyptus root reached 35.35% on the 7th d by microbial consortium. At the same time, the lignin degradation efficiency of the bagasse and corn straw treated by steam explosion followed by microbial biotreatment was 37.61% and 44.24%, respectively, after only 7 days biotreatment. The microbial consortium also showed strong selectivity degradation to lignin. The composite treatment technology can significantly improve the enzymatic saccharification efficiency. Saccharomycetales, Ralstonia and Pseudomonadaceae were the dominant microorganisms in the biomass degradation systems. It was proved that the combined treatment technology of steam explosion and microbial consortium degradation could overcome the drawbacks of traditional microbial pretreatment technology, and can facilitate the subsequent high-value conversion of lignocellulose.
Antioxidative stress protein SRXN1 can be used as a radiotherapy prognostic marker in prostate cancer patients
Authors: Wang Xing , Yu Jiandi , Wen Huali , Yan Junfeng , Peng Kun , Zhou Haiyong
Published: August 2022

Purpose
To explore the mechanisms that affect the radiosensitivity of prostate cancer and to search for radiotherapy outcome-related prognostic markers in prostate cancer patients through bioinformatics analysis.
Methods
The cancer cell data set GSE192817 and TCGA PRAD data set were downloaded from GEO database and UCSC Xena database for differential analysis, and biological function analysis of differential genes was performed (p < 0.05). Five gene sets were obtained from the MsigDB database, and ssGSEA and GSVA algorithms were used to quantitatively score cell line samples and patients. According to the expression of differential genes, the radiotherapy patients were divided into high and low expression groups for survival analysis, and the correlation between the expression of the prognostic gene SRXN1 and the GSVA score of oxidative stress response was analyzed. The differences between patients with high and low expression of SRXN1 were compared, and the patients were divided into two groups with high and low GSVA scores in response to oxidative stress and survival analysis was performed using the survival package.
Results
A total of six cancer cell lines after different radiotherapy treatment times were detected from GSE192817, and 114 differentially expressed genes were obtained, which were mainly related to nuclear membrane reassembly (p = 0.038) and cell adhesion (p = 0.042). Comparison of DNA damage-stimulated ssGSEA in different cell lines showed that, with the exception of the FaDu cell line, all cell lines treated with proton radiotherapy had higher response scores than those treated with X-ray radiotherapy. Comparing the three DNA damage-related functional GSVA results in TCGA PRAD patients showed that X-ray therapy had higher scores than patients without radiotherapy. Wilcoxon test screened 8 differential genes common to PC3 and DU145 cell lines. Survival analysis found that the high expression of TOR1B and SRXN1 was not conducive to the radiotherapy outcome of patients. Correlation analysis showed that SRXN1 gene expression was significantly negatively correlated with oxidative stress response GSVA score (PCC=-0.1536, p = 0.0003), and the oxidative stress response GSVA score was significantly higher in patients with low SRXN1 expression (p = 0.0072) ), high oxidative stress response scores in patients were beneficial to radiotherapy outcomes.
Conclusions
The prognostic marker SRXN1 of prostate cancer screened by bioinformatics plays an antioxidant stress role in prostate cancer cell lines after radiotherapy, which is associated with poor prognosis of radiotherapy outcomes in prostate cancer patients.
Assessing the Relationship Between Zero-Dose Communities and Access to Selected Primary Healthcare Services for Children and Pregnant Women in Emergency Settings
Authors: Suprenant Mark Paladin , Nyankesha Elevanie , Moreno-Garcia Ralfh , Buj Valentina , Yakubu Ahmadu , Shafique Fouzia , Zaman Muhammad Hamid
Published: August 2022

In this study the authors examine the relationship between “zero-dose” communities and access to other healthcare services. This was done by first ensuring the first dose of the Diphtheria Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine was a better measure of zero-dose communities than the measles-containing vaccine. Once the best variable was selected, it was used to examine the association with access to primary healthcare services for children and pregnant women residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, each of which are currently experiencing emergencies of various contexts and degrees. These services were divided into: a) unscheduled healthcare services such as birth assistance as well as seeking care and treatment for diarrheal diseases and cough/fever episodes and b) other scheduled health services such as antenatal care visits and vitamin A supplementation. Using the most recent Demographic Health Survey data from each country (2014: Democratic Republic of Congo, 2015: Afghanistan, 2018: Bangladesh), data was analyzed via Chi Squared analysis or Fischer’s Exact Test. If results were significant, a univariate linear regression analysis was performed to examine if the noted association was linear. While the linear relationship observed between children who had received the first dose of the Diphtheria Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine (the reverse to zero-dose communities) and coverage of other vaccines was expected, the results of the regression analysis depicted an unexpected split in behavior between scheduled (and birth assistance) and unscheduled illness treatment services. For scheduled and birth assistance health services, a linear relationship was generally observed. Meanwhile, for unscheduled services associated with infectious disease treatments, a linear relationship was generally not observed. While in our study it does not appear that first dose of the Diphtheria Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine, the best proxy of zero-dose communities, can be used to predict (at least in a direct linear manner) access to some primary (particularly infectious treatments) healthcare services in emergency/ humanitarian settings, it can serve as an indirect measure of health services not associated with the treatment of childhood infections such as antenatal care, skilled birth assistance, and to a lesser degree even vitamin A supplementation.
Coating formulation change leads to inferior bioefficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Bubun Nakei , Anetul Evodia , Koinari Melanie , Freeman Tim , Karl Stephan
Published: August 2022

Introduction:
Long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) play a key role in reducing malaria transmission in endemic countries. Previously, we demonstrated a substantial decrease in the bioefficacy of LLINs for malaria prevention delivered to Papua New Guinea (PNG) between 2013 and 2019. This coincided with a rise in malaria cases in the country. The present study was aimed at determining the underlying cause of the observed reduced bioefficacy of these LLINs. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that a change in the coating formulation of the respective LLIN product was the cause for the observed reduction in bioefficacy, and had led to completely altered product properties and performance.
Methods
A set of PermaNet® 2.0 LLIN samples (n = 12) manufactured between 2007 and 2019 was subjected to combustion ion chromatography in order to understand the chemistry of the LLIN polymer coating formulation. In addition, World Health Organization (WHO) LLIN wash tests and cone bioassays were conducted to further characterize the change in product performance that occurred between 2012 and 2013.
Results
High polymer fluorine content (3 to 4 g/kg) was measured in PermaNet® 2.0 manufactured up to 2012, whereas nets which were manufactured after 2012 did not contain polymer fluorine indicating a coating formulation change from polyfluorocarbon (PFC) to a non-PFC formulation. The coating formulation change as part of the manufacturing process thus directly resulted in the observed reduction in bioefficacy. In addition, the manufacturing change impacted wash resistance leading to a faster reduction in 24h mosquito mortality in the non-PFC coated product.
Conclusion
A change in coating formulation of PermaNet® 2.0 resulted in reduced product performance in PNG. Post-2012 PermaNet® 2.0 LLINs should not be considered to be the same product as PermaNet® 2.0 LLINs produced prior to and in 2012. Coating formulation changes should be validated not to impact LLIN product performance.
Rare Collision Tumour of Papillary and Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Mothayapan Prasad , Ong Diana BL , Ng Khoon Leong
Published: August 2022

BackgroundPapillary thyroid carcinomas and follicular thyroid carcinomas account for 90 - 95% of all thyroid cancers. Both have distinct features which are best evaluated histologically. The co-existence of these two cancers is extremely rare and have only been described in case reports. We report a rare case of a collision tumour of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas in the same anatomical thyroid gland. Case PresentationA 43-year-old woman was referred to the endocrine surgery clinic for an anterior neck mass found on routine check-up. A right thyroid nodule was clinically palpable. Thyroid function tests were normal. An ultrasound scan revealed bilateral thyroid nodules which warranted fine needle aspiration. Fine needle aspiration of the right nodule was consistent with cyst content, which was non-diagnostic while fine needle aspiration of the left nodule demonstrated atypia of undetermined significance. The patient was counselled for a left hemithyroidectomy but opted instead for removal of the enlarged right thyroid nodule. A right hemithyroidectomy was performed and histopathological examination revealed follicular carcinoma with capsular and vascular invasion as well as a nodule consisting of papillary carcinoma. These two malignant nodules were separated by a section of normal thyroid tissue hence this was termed as a “collision tumour”. A completion left hemithyroidectomy revealed papillary carcinoma in the left thyroid lobe. Post-surgery, the patient was treated with radioiodine (131I) and thyroxine suppression therapy. ConclusionCollision tumours have been described as two independent tumours with distinct morphology which occur concurrently at the same site but having a distinct border. They are extremely rare entities with only a handful of cases reported so far, thus posing a diagnostic challenge to the unwary clinician. The concept of triple assessment by clinical, radiological and cyto-histopathological correlation is fundamental in investigating thyroid nodules but may miss a collision tumour. A number of theories and genetic mutations have been implicated in this collision phenomenon, but none have been proven so far. Collision tumours are not fully understood and their unpredictable biological behaviour render management decisions on treatment difficult. An individualized patient-approach in a multidisciplinary setting should be adopted to improve patient outcomes.
LncRNA-MIR222HG is a novel regulator of macrophage polarization in allergic rhinitis that functions by targeting the miR146a-5p/TRAF6/NF-κΒ axis
Authors: Wen Silu , Li Fen , Tang Yulei , Dong Lin , He Yan , Deng Yuqin , Tao Zezhang
Published: August 2022

BackgroundAccumulating evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs) regulate macrophage polarization in allergic diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying ncRNAs-mediated macrophage polarization in allergic rhinitis(AR) have not been systematically understood. Here, we identified lncRNA-MIR222HG as a key regulator of macrophage polarization and revealed its role in AR.MethodsBioinformatic analyses were performed to identify the dysregulated RNAs related to AR and to subsequently construct a competitive endogenous RNA(ceRNA) network. We validated our bioinformatic analyses by performing qRT-PCR in our clinical samples (39 cases of AR and 40 controls) and animal models of AR (10 AR mice and 10 controls), respectively. Human lncRNA-MIR222HG and murine mir222hg were significantly downregulated in AR. Fluorescentin situhybridization (FISH) was used to evaluate subcellular localization of MIR222HG/mir222hg. The MIR222HG/miR146a-5p/TRAF6 ceRNA axis was found to regulate macrophage polarization and, consequently, the pathogenesis of AR, potentially. Targeted associations between mir222hg and miR146a-5p, as well as between miR146a-5p and Traf6, were validated using dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. IL-4/LPS/OVA-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were transfected to modulate mir222hg and miR146a-5p expression. Flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and immunoblotting were performed to detect the expression of downstream genes and macrophage polarization in transfected RAW264.7 cells.ResultsMIR222HG and murine mir222hg were significantly downregulated in AR. Subcellular localization revealed MIR222HG and mir222hg mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and could act as a ceRNA. a series of gain-of-function, loss-of-function and rescue experiments were conducted to verify the role of mir222hg as a ceRNA sponge-that adsorbed miR146a-5p, upregulated Traf6, and activated the IKK/IκB/P65 pathway, thus facilitating macrophage M1 polarization induced by LPS and attenuating IL-4/OVA-induced macrophage M2 polarization in RAW264.7 cells.ConclusionsOur study revealed that MIR222HG targets the miR146a-5p/TRAF6/NF-κΒ axis and modulates macrophage polarization in AR, suggesting that MIR222HG may be a novel biomarker or therapeutic target for AR.