bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Accuracy of Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA)-lactate for Mortality of Adult with Infection: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lie Khie Chen , Pasaribu Adeline , Shakinah Sharifah , Sinto Robert , Harimurti Kuntjoro , Nainggolan Leonard
Published: August 2023

The high burden of infection mortality worldwide calls for the need for prompt risk assessment of its outcome. This article studied for accuracy of quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) combined with lactate measurement in predicting the mortality of adult patients with infection. Literature searching was performed in PubMed/Medline®, CINAHL®, Embase®, CENTRAL®, Proquest®, Scopus®, and hand searching of journals. All studies in searching keywords “infection”, “quick sequential organ failure assessment”, “qsofa”, “lactate” with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms were included. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of qSOFA-lactate accuracy were analysed using the R program. Twenty-six studies comprised of 43,207 adult patients with infection were included in this review. Studies were performed in the emergency department, ward, and intensive care unit, with mortality rates ranging from 3.8% − 53.6%. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of 20 studies were 81.3% (95% CI 72.3%, 87.8%; I2 = 97%, p < 0.01) and 62.3% (95% CI 50.5%, 72.8%; I2 = 100%, p = 0). The AUC of qSOFA-lactate was 0.773 (95% CI 0.74, 0.80). There was no significant difference in accuracy results between septic and non-septic patients. The qSOFA-lactate measurement had good accuracy in predicting mortality in adult infectious patients.
Eversion of upper eyelid during dermolipoma excision: a useful maneuver to avoid postoperative blepharoptosis and dry eye
Authors: Awad Ahmad A. , Aly Momen A. M.
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To describe the benefit for upper eyelid eversion during surgical excision of dermolipoma to avoid postoperative ptosis and dry eye
Method: This retrospective non-comparative interventional clinical study included 32 dermolipoma cases presented to orbit clinic of Assiut university hospital who underwent surgical excision of the lesion. The surgery started with conjunctival incision at the junction between adherent and non-adherent parts followed by dissection between the lesion and tenon capsule. The lateral rectus was hooked and the lesion was separated from the muscle and its covering sheath. The upper lid was then everted using Desmarres retractor and the lesion was pulled downward allowing dissection between the lesion and upper bulbar conjunctiva sparing the fornical conjunctiva which harbor the lacrimal ductules orifices. Then, the deeper part of the lesion is dissected from the adjacent levator under vision. The deep part was dissected from normal orbital tissue using scissors. The bulbar conjunctiva is sutured to the lateral canthus.
Result: Thirty-two dermolipomas in 29 patients were excised. The surgery was successful in all patients without permanent complications. None of our patients suffered from post operative dry eye, blepharoptosis or permanent strabismus. Two patients had temporary limitation of adduction lasting for 1 months.
Conclusion: Everting the upper lid and dissecting the lesion from the underlying levator-muller complex sparing the fornix is an important modification during excision of dermolipoma to avoid postoperative dry eye and blepharoptosis. To the bast of the authors knowledge, this maneuver is first to be reported in the literature.
Vulgar Comments Classification: Comparison between CNN, XGBoost and SVM
Authors: Razzak Razia , Taki Sabiha Tul Omman , Mim Mahfuzur Rahman , Patwary Md Shawkat Hossain , Pavel Monirul Islam
Published: August 2023

In recent years, there has been significant growth in information technology and a disruptive transformation of social media. Popular websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have allowed users to express themselves through text, photos, and videos. However, these platforms have unfortunately also become breeding grounds for hate speech, abusive behavior, cyberbullying, and anonymous threats. While there have been numerous papers published in this field, they have not fully achieved satisfactory levels of accuracy. This paper aims to address this issue by utilizing natural language processing (NLP) techniques, including convolutional neural networks (CNN), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and support vector machines (SVM), to first segment vulgar comments and then classify them into six different types. The analysis revealed that these algorithms performed closely, but the CNN model demonstrated superior performance with an impressive F1 score of 96.5%, precision score of 98%, and recall value of 95.1%.
Evaluation of Heavy Metal Levels in Chicken Using Indeterministic Analysis: A Study Conducted in Localities of Lahore, Pakistan
Authors: Ahmad Naveed , Afzal Usama , Zafar Ramna , Arslan Muhammad , Riaz Saira , Naseem Shahzad , Naeem Muhammad , Fatima Adeena , Aslam Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The poultry industry is a significant source of animal protein, vitamins, and minerals, particularly through the consumption of chicken meat. A study conducted in Lahore collected 100 samples each of chicken liver, chicken feed and water to investigate the presence of Arsenic and selected heavy metals. The analysis revealed contamination above safe limits, with Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), and Cadmium (Cd) being the most prominent metals detected. Neutrosophic statistics proved to be a more informative approach for data analysis. These findings emphasize the importance of monitoring and mitigating heavy metal contamination in the poultry industry to ensure the safety and quality of poultry products.
Doing research in non-specialist mental health services for children and young people: Lessons learnt from a process evaluation of the ICALM (Interpersonal Counselling for Adolescent Low Mood) feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Katangwe-Chigamba Thando , Murdoch Jamie , Wilkinson Paul , Cestaro Viktoria , Seeley Carys , Charami-Roupa Eirini , Clarke Tim , Dunne Aoife , Gee Brioney , Jarrett Sharon , Laphan Andrew , McIvor Susie , Meiser-Stedman Richard , Rhodes Thomas , Shepstone Lee , Turner David , Wilson Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Background
The rising prevalence of adolescent mild depression in the UK and the paucity of evidence-based interventions in non-specialist sectors where most cases present, creates an urgent need for suitable early psychological interventions. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard method for obtaining unbiased estimates of interventions effectiveness. However, the complexity of mental health settings poses great challenges for evaluating interventions using RCTs. Here we report learnings from an embedded process evaluation of the ICALM (Interpersonal Counselling for Adolescent Low Mood) study which sought to feasibility test the delivery of an RCT of Interpersonal Counselling for Adolescents (IPC-A) in non-specialist sectors.
Methods
A mixed methods process evaluation using ethnographic methodology which provides an organising structure for investigating context, structured across macro (e.g., wider policy discourse), meso (e.g., service characteristics) and micro (e.g., on-site trial processes) contextual levels. Methods included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observations, and documentary analysis. Analysis focused on how mapped contextual features shaped trial implementation.
Results
At a macro-level, delivery of the ICALM study was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, structural challenges at referral points and policy implementation challenges. An interaction between enormous demand, a lack of capacity, unclear service specifications and a lack of service coordination at a meso-service level led to low research prioritisation at a micro level thus severely limiting the feasibility of implementing the IPC-A intervention.
Conclusions
Effective implementation of evaluations in non-specialist sectors must consider the integral role of context. Recommendations for researchers include early stakeholder involvement in considerations of appropriate trial designs, effective recruitment strategies and site engagement. The development of a framework for identifying and delivering evidence-based interventions in this setting may facilitate the building of such a research culture and increase success of recruitment to and implementation of RCTs in this setting.
Trial registration
ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN82180413, Registered 31 December 2019
Detection of the antibiotic resistance gene content of normal microbiota Bacteroides, Parabacteroides and Phocaeicola isolates from European countries
Authors: Soki Jozsef , Wybo Ingrid , Baaity Zain , Stefán Gloria , Jeverica Samo , Ulger Nurver , Stingu Catalina-Suzana , Mahmood Bakhtiyar , Burián Katalin , Nagy Elisabeth
Published: August 2023

Background
The Bacteroides fragilis group (BFG) species are the most significant anaerobic pathogens and they are also the most antibiotic resistant anaerobic species. Therefore, surveying their antimicrobial resistance levels and investigating their antibiotic resistance mechanisms is recommended. Since their infections are endogenous and they are important constituents of the intestinal microbiota, the properties of the intestinal strains are also important to follow. The aim of this study was to investigate the main antibiotic gene content of normal microbiota isolates and compare them with the gene carriage of strains isolated from infections.
Results
We detected 14 antibiotic resistance determinants of 184 intestinal BFG strains that were isolated in 5 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and Turkey) and compared these with values obtained earlier for European clinical strains. Differences were found for antibiotic resistance genes that are considered to be mobile, with higher degrees for cfxA, erm(F) and tet(Q) and with lower degrees for msrSA, erm(B) and erm(G). In addition, a different gene prevalence was found depending on the taxonomical groups, e.g. B. fragilis and NBFB. Some strains with both the cepA and cfiA β-lactamase genes were also detected which is thought to be exceptional since up till now, the B. fragilis genetic divisions were defined by the mutual exclusion of these two genes.
Conclusions
In our study we found that the prevalence of some antibiotic resistance genes detected in the clinical and intestinal BFG strains differ, which we accounted for the differential composition of the Bacteroides microbiota and/or the MGE mobilities at the luminal vs. mucosal sites of the intestine.
Binaural Hearing in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users: Electrophysiological and Clinical Correlation
Authors: Takeuti Alice Andrade , Andrade Joanlise Marco de Leon , de Carvalho Hugo Amilton Santos , Elias Thaís Gomes Abrahão , Takeuti Letícia Akemi Taniguchi , Caldas Fernanda Ferreira , Bahmad Fayez
Published: August 2023

Background
The main indication for bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) is the range of binaurality, a skill that allows sound localization and better auditory perception and discrimination in noisy environments. The presence of binaural hearing can be demonstrated electrophysiologically by the binaural interaction component (BIC) and clinically by the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT).
Objective
To analyze the correlation between latencies and amplitudes of the BIC of the cortical auditory evoked potential (BIC-CAEP) and HINT performance in bilateral CI users.
Methods
Pilot study consisted of 27 individuals with bilateral Cis in cochlear implant group (CIG), and the control group (CG) consisted of 22 volunteers with normal hearing. The latencies and amplitudes of the P1 and N1 components of the BIC-CAEP, auditory effort by a visual analog scale (VAS) and performance in the fixed and adaptive HINT were investigated. The results were compared between groups.
Results
There was a statistically significant difference between the CIG and CG in terms of VAS score of fixed HINT, performance in adaptive HINT, N1 and P1 amplitude of the BIC-CAEP. There was a significant correlation between the fixed HINT performance and the P1 amplitude of the BIC-CAEP.
Conclusion
Results of the present study demonstrated that lower P1 amplitude of the BIC-CAEP was correlated with best clinical performance in the fixed HINT.
A novel urease gene structure of Sporosarcina pasteurii with double operons
Authors: Pei Di , Liu Zhiming , Hu Biru
Published: August 2023

Sporosarcina pasteurii(S. pasteurii) is a soil-derived Gram-positive bacterium that has been used to develop a variety of application scenarios using its efficient urease activity to induce calcium carbonate production. However, the problems of uncontrollable and unstable mineralization reactions still existed in the current mineralization application studies of S. pasteurii, which were limited by the lack of basic theoretical studies, especially lacking the research on the structure and expression regulation mechanism of urease genes which play a central role in mineralization. The further discovery of the urease gene information of S. pasteurii urease will not only help to analyze the regulation mechanism of urease expression, but also promote the application of S. pasteurii mineralization materials. Based on the above situation, this research first compared the growth and urease gene expression of S. pasteurii under three different culture conditions by transcriptome sequencing, and then predicted the urease gene structure of S. pasteurii by bioinformatics method, and then verified the prediction results by molecular biology method. Finally, it was found that the urease gene of S. pasteurii is a double operons structure. This paper reveals for the first time the double operons structure of S. pasteurii urease, which greatly advances the mechanistic study of S. pasteurii-induced mineralization and is a crucial step forward in the regulation of urease expression. The discovery of the double operons structure is also of great significance for genetic engineering studies of urease.
Improving the Quality properties of soybean oil by using rice bran oil
Authors: mohamed Ahmed Sabry , Hashem Hanafy Abdel aziz , Abdel-Maksoud Badr Saed
Published: August 2023

This study aims to study effect of replacing soybean oil (SO) by rice bran oil (RBO) at levels (25,50 and75%) on physical, chemical properties, fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of SO and study the effect of storage at ambient temperature for 12 month on Free fatty acids content (% FFA), Peroxide value (PV) and Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) of SO, RBO and their blends oils. The RBO was of a good quality, as evidenced by its low initial values at % FFA, PV and TBA and has been recognized as an excellent source of γ oryzanol, it had the γ oryzanol meanwhile the other oils don’t contain γ oryzanol, Thus, the SO containing a higher amount of RBO leads to the least degradation, while pure SO has the highest, also had more inhibitory effect against oxidation due to a prolongation of the storage period without use of industrial antioxidants. FFA% and PV of all tested blends oils samples during the whole storage periods were found within the limits recommended for human consumption. TBA went in a parallel trend with those of PV. On the other hand, a gradual rise in TBA values was observed with extending the storage period of oils. In SO, the TBA increased from 0.533 mg malonaldehyde /kg oil at zero time to 1.446 mg alonaldehyde kg− 1 after 12th month of storage. While it increased from 0.336 mg malonaldehyde kg− 1 oil at zero time to 0.882 mg malonaldehyde kg− 1 oil after 12th month of storage in RBO.
Identification of metabolites reproducibly associated with Parkinson’s Disease via meta-analysis and computational modelling
Authors: Fleming Ronan , Luo Xi , Liu Yanjun , Balck Alexander , Klein Christine
Published: August 2023

Many studies have reported metabolomic analysis of different bio-specimens from Parkinson’s disease patients. However, inconsistencies in reported metabolite concentration changes make it difficult to draw conclusions as to the role of metabolism in the occurrence or development of Parkinson’s disease. We reviewed the literature on metabolomic analysis of Parkinson’s disease patients. From 74 studies that passed quality control metrics, perturbations to 928 metabolites were reported to be associated with PD diagnosis, but only 190 were replicated with the same changing trends in more than one study. Of these metabolites, 60 exclusively increased, such as 3-methoxytyrosine and glycine, 54 exclusively decreased, such as pantothenic acid and caffeine, and 76 inconsistently changed in concentration in PD versus control subjects, such as ornithine and tyrosine. A novel genome-scale metabolic model of PD and corresponding metabolic map linking most of the replicated metabolites enabled a better understanding of the dysfunctional pathways of PD and prediction of additional potential metabolic markers from pathways with consistent metabolite changes to target in future studies.
Analyzing the Structural Behaviour of Conducting Polymer Actuators and its Interdependence with the Electrochemical Phenomenon
Authors: Kumar Sukesh , Yu Aimin , Khandelwal Mudrika
Published: August 2023

This work reports the deformation behaviour of a conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/bacterial cellulose (BC) bi-layered actuator. It was found that the type and magnitude of the movement of actuator was strongly influenced by its width and length. Increasing the actuator’s cross-sectional area (width) would result in an increase in torsional deformation. Further, the maximum tip displacement trivially increased with length, but the degree of bending (curvature) decreased. Because the dimensions of actuator affect its deformation in a non-trivial manner, this can be advantageous from the design perspective in realizing different types of motions without incorporating additional materials.
Structural theory and electrochemical impedance Spectroscopy were further used to understand the mechanism of deformations depended on the dimension of a conducting polymer actuator. From the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results it was understood that the higher bending in actuators of smaller lengths is likely caused by the higher extent of ion penetration within the PEDOT:PSS layer. The electric circuit modeling of the electrochemical impedance data revels the interdependence of the structural behaviour and the electrochemical phenomenon in a conducting polymer actuator.
Research on Cutting Tool Edge Geometry Design based on SVR-PSO
Authors: Jiang Yimin , Huang Wei , Tian Yu , Yang Mingyang , Xu Wenwu , An Yanjie , Li Jing , Li Junqi , Zhou Ming
Published: August 2023

In order to optimize the design of tool edge, an intelligent method was used for modeling and optimization. The tool edge design method based on Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was proposed. By combining tool edge parameters and processing condition parameters, and learning from empirical data, a functional model was established between tool life, edge parameters, and processing condition parameters. Taking the tool life as the objective function, the optimal edge profile design parameters were solved under different processing condition parameters. The T-shape tool validates was taken as a case for verification. The SVR-PSO function model was established and solved based on the processing condition parameters, and the optimized edge design parameters and predicted tool life were obtained. The results showed that the deviation between the calculated and actual tool life was less than 6.4%. This method was feasible and practical, and has been applied in the design department of tool manufacturing companies.
The Safety and Efficacy of Sotn ureteroscopy for Renal and Upper Ureteral Calculi: A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Guo Zhenlang , Wang Zhichao , Weng Xiangtao , Tang Yanquan , Wu Deneng , Cheng Fan , Chen Bin , Tang Huilong , Cui Jinsheng , Gu Chiming , Zou Qianming , Li Yuan , Gan Shu , Xiang Songtao , Wang Shusheng
Published: August 2023

Purpose
Sotn ureteroscopy is a new lithotripsy procedure developed on the basis of ureteroscopy and includes a rigid ureteral access sheath, standard mirror, lithotripsy mirror, and Sotn perfusion aspirator. Thus, we performed a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing the safety and efficacy of Sotn ureteroscopy in the treatment of renal and upper ureteral calculi.
Materials and Methods
224 patients with renal and upper ureteral calculi were randomly divided equally into study and control groups from March 2018 to March 2022. All of the patients were approved by the hospital ethics committee (proof number: ZF-2018-164-01 and ZF-2018-165-01) of the Second Affiliate Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in China. The primary outcome was stone-free rate (SFR) assessed by computed tomography on the 1st day and month after treatment and operation duration. The secondary outcome was postoperative complication rate.
Results
In total, for upper ureteral calculi, the SFR of 1 day after operation of the Sotn ureteroscopy group was significantly higher than the rigid ureteroscopy group (83.6% vs. 60%, P = 0.006). Moreover, operative time (33.7 ± 1.80 vs. 52.9 ± 2.73 min, P < 0.005) of the Sotn ureteroscopy group was significantly lower than the rigid ureteroscopy group. Additionally, the SFR of 1 day after operation and operative time for the study group (Sotn ureteroscopy combined with flexible ureteroscopy) and the control group (flexible ureteroscopy alone) were 63.2% and 36.8% (P = 0.005), 65.6 ± 4.06 and 80.3 ± 4.91 (P = 0.023), respectively. However, there were no significant differences in the SFR of 1 month after operation, success rate of ureteral access sheath placement, and postoperative complications between the two groups (P > 0.05). In subgroups with stone diameters ≥ 1.5 cm and stone CT values ≥ 1,000 Hounsfield units, Sotn ureteroscopy showed more advantages in terms of the SFR of 1 day after operation. Importantly, complications such as ureteral injury, sepsis, fever and severe haematuria were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions
For renal and upper ureteral calculi, Sotn ureteroscopy has the advantage of a higher SFR of 1 day after the operation, a shorter operative time and low complication rates, suggesting that the Sotn ureteroscopy may have further potential applications in clinics.
Coaxial electrospinning of Au@silicate/poly(vinyl alcohol) core/shell composite nanofibers with noncovalently immobilized gold nanoparticles to prepare flexible, freestanding, and highly sensitive SERS substrates amenable to large-scale fabrication
Authors: Chen Yan-Feng , Lee Yen-Chen , Lee Jimmy Chi-Min , Chiu Chih-Wei
Published: August 2023

In this study, coaxial electrospinning was used to prepare novel core/shell composite nanofiber films for use as substrates in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The shell layer was composed of Au@silicate nanohybrids, i.e., Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) immobilized in silicate nanosheets via electrostatic attraction. The core layer consisted of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which functioned as the mechanical support of the composite nanofibers. By using coaxial electrospinning to form the Au@silicate/PVA core/shell composite nanofibers, the Au@silicate nanohybrids were uniformly dispersed on the PVA nanofibers. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the AuNPs immobilized on the silicate nanosheets had particle sizes of 25–30 nm and uniform spherical shapes. Furthermore, the core/shell composite nanofiber film had a three-dimensional network structure owing to its formation via random deposition. Compared with the uniaxially electrospun nanofibers, the core/shell composite nanofibers required a significantly lower AuNP content to achieve the same SERS sensitivity. Furthermore, the Au@silicate nanohybrid shell layer increased the ultimate tensile strength by a factor of almost 1.5. In SERS experiments, the uniaxially electrospun nanofiber had an enhancement factor (EF) of 4.1 × 104, whereas the coaxially electrospun nanofiber had an EF of 1.7 × 105. It was demonstrated that our nanofiber can be used for environmental, food safety, and biomedical applications, as it has a detection limit of 10-7 M and EF of 2.5 × 105 for Direct Blue 200 (an industrial dye) and detection limits lower than 10-6 M for paraquat (a pesticide) and adenine (a biomolecule). Therefore, Au@silicate/PVA core/shell composite nanofibers can be used to prepare portable, flexible, freestanding, and stable SERS substrates that are amenable to large-scale fabrication. Furthermore, films prepared using Au@silicate/PVA core/shell composite nanofibers are less susceptible to the “coffee ring” effect observed in conventional droplet coatings, which improves the reproducibility and uniformity of SERS analysis. The developed SERS substrate has a wide range of applications, and the findings of this study are expected to improve sensor technologies for environmental, food safety, and biomedical applications.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Catechol Oxidase Activity of a Di- nuclear Paddle-Wheel Cu (II) Carboxylate Complex
Authors: Chakraborty Priyanka , Chatterjee Abhishikta , Kumar Bidyapati , Mondal Sourav , Dey Subrata
Published: August 2023

A dinuclear copper (II) complex, Cu2 (RCOO)4(L)2 (1) while [RCOO = benzoate, L = 2-amino-3-chloro-5-trifluoro methyl pyridine], with square pyramidal geometry with four carboxylate bridged groups has been reported. This dinuclear copper (II) unit (with the most robust, frequently occurring paddle wheel structure) was characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, UV, CV, TGA and EPR studies. It exhibits catechol oxidase activity in methanol medium and the catecholase activity was monitored by the UV–Vis spectroscopy. The kinetic parameters have been determined by using Michaelis–Menten equation which shows that the complex is an efficient catalyst with very high turnover number. Mechanistic investigation of the catalytic behavior was established with the help of ESI-MS spectra.
Estimating Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) Using Machine Learning and Soil Micro-Porosity Analysis
Authors: Bakhshi Aida , Alamdari Parisa , Heidari Ahmad , Mohammadi Mohmmad Hossein
Published: August 2023

The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) reveals soil porosity and soil-water interactions at different matric suctions. Numerous methods, such as laboratory determination, CT-scan, image analysis, and predictive models, have been employed to investigate soil porosity system and their correlation with the SWCC. Image analysis techniques offer valuable insight into soil pore system, providing data that cannot be obtained by other methods. This study aims to compare the role of image analysis technique in reconstructing the SWCC with the laboratory measurement method. Eight machine learning models and algorithms, including Gradient Boosting (GB), Ada Boost (AB), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighborhood (KNN), and Linear Regression (LR), were utilized for the reconstruction of the SWCC using the Orange-3 data mining software. The predicted SWCCs by models were compared with the measured SWCC. The models used to reconstruction of SWCC were categorized as capable and incapable to SWCC prediction. Four statistical parameters, namely RMSE, MAE, Willmott’s index of agreement (d1), and R2, were utilized to assess the performance of the models using all input data. The GB, AB, DT were the top best models in correct prediction of SWCC. Among them the GB model achieved near-perfect predictions, with RMSE, MAE, d1, and R2 values of 0.016, 0.011, 0.94, and 0.982, respectively. However, when the matric suction was used as only input data, the performance of all the models declined. This study demonstrates that Orange-3 is user friendly software to predict SWCC, without labor preprocessing activities.
Characterization of Salmonella spp. in a tertiary hospital during 2019-2021 in Nanjing, China: Focusing on the clonal dissemination of Salmonella Enteritidis ST11
Authors: Hua Miao-Miao , Li Jia , Zheng Jie , Wang Jing-Jing , Zhang Yan , Zhang Zhi-Feng , Cao Xiao-Li , Shen Han
Published: August 2023

Background
An increasing prevalence of Salmonella spp. involving various infections in our hospital has been recently found and the characterization of these strains remained unknown.
Methods
A total of 38 clinical Salmonella enterica isolates were implemented for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, slide agglutination tests, and multi-locus sequence typing. WGS was performed to analyze the serovars, antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factors (VFs), sequence types (STs) and plasmid replicons. Phylogenetic tree was constructed to investigate the genetic relationship.
Results
Thirteen serovars were identified with Enteritidis (n = 19, 50.0%) being the most common, followed by Typhimurium (n = 4, 10.5%). High resistances against ampicillin (n = 27, 71.1%) and ampicillin/sulbactam (n = 24, 63.2%) were observed and 7 (18.4%) isolates were found to be multidrug resistant (MDR). Totally, 36 types of ARGs were detected with blaTEM-1B (n = 25, 65.8%) being the most frequent, and mutations in gyrA and/or parC were identified in 34 (89.5%) strains. Notably, 333 different VFs were detected, amongst them, 177 ones were shared by all isolated Salmonella strains. ST analysis identified 15 distinct STs with ST11 being the most predominant one, where a close genetic relationship between them was shown by the phylogenetic tree. Ten different plasmid replicons were found, with a dominance of IncFIB(S), IncFII(S), and IncX1 within S. Enteritidis (94.7%).
Conclusions
More Salmonella serovars have been identified with new molecular detection technique being developed. In addition to the high resistance and potential pathogenicity displayed by the Salmonella spp., the clonal dissemination of S. Enteritidis ST11 alerts us the necessity and urgency to implement infection and control measures.
Miniaturized Longitudinal Substrate Integrated Waveguide Slot Array Antenna for Triband 5G- millimeter-wave -wave Applications
Authors: M Benisha , V Thulasi Bai
Published: August 2023

A miniaturized triband longitudinal Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) slot array antenna for the millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communication - Fifth Generation (5G) application was suggested in this contribution. The antenna is developed with 4 slots over a Rogger 5880 dielectric material with 2.2 dielectric constant, 1.6mm thickness, and with 52 series metallic via's to operate in multiple bands covering mm-wave range. A SIW antenna fed with microstrip and in turn to SIW transition is involved in the design. Proposed SIW array slot antenna simulation has been carried out using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) EM simulator and fabricated. The results obtained indicate, 3 different resonant frequency bands such as 21GHz, 28 GHz, and 32 GHz & providing a fine antenna gain as 6.56, 6.55, and 8.6 dBi respectively obtained from the designed antenna. The proposed SIW structure was also seen offering an improved return loss of below 30 dB and Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) value below 2, which is the highly anticipated one for a good antenna. The proposed antenna size is very less when compared with the other antennas which is also an important consideration for future wireless applications. An analysis has been made between simulated and measured parametric values, from that it can be found as a good candidate for improving global bandwidth limitations and apposite for triple-band 5G wireless applications.
Unraveling the Complexity: Expression Patterns and Prognostic Value of Cell Adhesion Junction Regulatory Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Jin Yuanyang , Zhang Yajuan , Xie Guanghao , Suo Zhimin
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the impact of cell adhesion junction-related genes on the prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while exploring potential correlations between adhesion junction mechanisms and the tumor immune microenvironment. A total of 60 cell adhesion junction-related genes were carefully analyzed to construct a risk signature. Through differential expression, univariate Cox, and LASSO analyses, combined with patient data from the TCGA database, the risk signature's validity was rigorously confirmed using survival analysis and independence testing. Further exploration involved analyzing the model's correlation with the tumor immune microenvironment and its responsiveness to common therapeutic drugs. The study identified ten adherens junction-related genes integral to the risk signature, with FYN and PTPRB acting as protective effectors of HR < l, and PARD3, SSX2IP, RAC3, CDC42, NECTIN1, WASF1, RAC1, and SMAD2 serving as risk effectors of HR > l. Notably, the low-risk group exhibited significantly improved prognosis (p < 0.0001), with respective area under the curve (AUC) values at 1, 3, and 5 years of 0.799, 0.708, and 0.645. Furthermore, the low-risk subgroup displayed heightened immune cell activity, whereas the high-risk group demonstrated elevated expression of specific immune checkpoints, indicating a potential benefit from immunotherapy. The G2M checkpoint, PI3k-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, DNA damage repair, and MTORC1 signaling pathway were positively associated with the risk score, offering crucial insights into the underlying mechanisms at play.
The causal relationship of gut microbiota in progression of seven common hematological malignancies
Authors: he xiaoyu , Nie Duorui , Yang Kaiqian , Wang Xiaofang , Jiang songfu
Published: August 2023

Purpose: Evidence from observational researches and clinical trials showed the relationship between gut microbiomes (GMs) and hematological malignancies. Nevertheless, the causal role of GM taxa in development of hematological malignancies remains to be explored. Therefore, we aim to assess the causal links between 196 GM taxa and seven common hematological malignancies using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.
Methods: All datasets were derived from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) statistics. The primary analysis was performed using random effects inverse variance weighted (IVW). To verify the robustness of the MR results, we performed several sensitivity analyses such as Egger intercept test, the Cochran Q test, MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO), and leave-one-out analysis.
Results: We revealed the family Oxalobacteraceae would increase the risk of myeloid leukemia by the Bonferroni correction [odds ratio (OR): 2.08, 95% CI: 1.49, 2.90, p = 1.68E-05]. In addition, 22 nominally significant associations between genetic liability in GMs and hematological malignancies were also found (P < 0.05). Sensitivity analysis verified the robustness of the above causal relationships.
Conclusion: This study confirms the causal relationship between GMs and hematological malignancies and may provide new insights to the mechanistic and clinical researches of GM-mediated hematological malignancies.
Bimodal disruption of the crosstalk between cancer cells and fibroblasts using nanomedicine augments cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Elzoghby Ahmed , Freag May , Mohammed Mostafa , Kulkarni Arpita , Emam Hagar , Maremanda Krishna
Published: August 2023

Cancer cells program fibroblasts into a pro-tumorigenic and immunosuppressive cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in a two-step manner. First, cancer cells secrete exosomes to reprogram quiescent fibroblasts into the activated CAF phenotype. Second, cancer cells maintain the CAF phenotype via activation of signal transduction pathways in the fibroblasts. We rationalized that inhibiting this two-step process can normalize the CAFs into quiescent fibroblasts and augment the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. We show that a cancer cell-targeted dual-drug combination nanomedicine that inhibits the sequential steps of exosome biogenesis and release from lung cancer cells can block the differentiation of lung fibroblasts into CAFs. In parallel, we demonstrate that a CAF-targeted dual-drug nanomedicine that blocks two distinct nodes in the FGFR-Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway can reverse activated CAFs to a quiescent fibroblast state. Co-administration of both nanomedicines significantly improves the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and enhances the antitumor efficacy of αPD-L1 antibody in an immunocompetent mice model of lung cancer. Simultaneously blocking the tumoral exosome-mediated activation of fibroblasts and FGFR-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axes may constitute a promising approach to augment immunotherapy.
Investigation of the Binary Cation Effect and the Irradiance Level Dependence on the Efficiency of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Wickramasinghe H. M. N. , Karunathilaka N. G. A , Gnanarathne D. M. T. , DeSilva L. Ajith. , Bandara Thennakoon
Published: August 2023

The development of photoelectrochemical energy conversion devices holds immense significance in addressing the escalating demand for energy and the depleting supply of nonrenewable energy sources. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) need improvements to make them a competitive contender for 1st and 2nd generation solar cells. The development of suitable electrolytes for highly performing DSSCs is critical for that purpose. By harnessing the synergistic effects of salt mixtures that encompass both large and small counter ions, notable advancements in DSSC performance have been realized. The investigated DSSCs with a novel organic electrolyte complex that contains LiI and (tetrahexylammonium) Hex4NI exhibited significant efficiency enhancement compared to that of their individual salt end components. The ionic conductivity variations and frequency-dependent AC conductivity in the electrolyte, and dielectric properties were analyzed using complex impedance data. The conductivity in the electrolyte at room temperature is 11.44 mS cm− 1. The investigated DSSCs are comprised of improved TiO2 multi-layer photoelectrodes and Pt counter electrodes. Under an irradiance of 1000 W m− 2, the energy conversion efficiency of the binary salt system reached 8.37%, marking an impressive enhancement of 86.83% and 76.21% compared to the Hex4NI and LiI-based single salt counterparts, respectively. The associated open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and short-circuit current density values are 710 mV, 0.69, and 16.33 mA cm− 2. Additionally, an impressive efficiency of 10.57% is shown when the light intensity drops to 400 W m− 2. Furthermore, the cells exhibited commendable short-term stability, likely attributed to the elimination of volatile solvents in the electrolyte. This study underscores the pivotal role played by binary counter ions in the electrolyte, as they elicit synergistic effects that amplify DSSC performance enhancements, effectively overshadowing the effects imposed by conductivity variation.
Anterior chamber and angle characteristics in Chinese children (6-11 years old) with different refractive status using swept-source optical coherence tomography
Authors: Zhao Li Li , Lu Xiu Zhen , Tang Guo Dong , Zhang Xiu Yan , Li Run Kuan , Xu Jing , Feng Jiao Jiao , Xu Zhe , Song Ji Ke , Bi Hong Sheng
Published: August 2023

Purpose
To quantify and analyze the anterior chamber (AC) and angle (ACA) characteristics in Chinese children with different refractive status by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).
Methods
In a cross-sectional observational study, 383 children from two primary schools in Shandong Province, China, underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. First, the anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber width (ACW), angle-opening distance (AOD), and trabecular-iris space area (TISA) were evaluated automatically using a CASIA2 imaging device. AOD and TISA were measured at 500, 750µm nasal (N1 and N2, respectively), and temporal (T1 and T2, respectively) to the scleral spur (SS). Cycloplegic refraction and axial length (AL) were then measured. According to spherical equivalent refraction (SER), the children were assigned to hyperopic (SER > 0.50D), emmetropic (-0.50D < SER ≤ 0.50D), and myopic groups (SER ≤ -0.50D).
Results
Out of the 383 children, 349 healthy children (160 girls) with a mean age of 8.23 ± 1.06 years (range: 6–11 years) were included. The mean SER and AL were − 0.10 ± 1.57D and 23.44 ± 0.95mm, respectively. The mean ACD and ACW were 3.17 ± 0.24mm and 11.69 ± 0.43mm. The mean AOD were 0.72 ± 0.25, 0.63 ± 0.22mm at N1, T1, and 0.98 ± 0.30, 0.84 ± 0.27mm at N2, T2. The mean TISA were 0.24 ± 0.09, 0.22 ± 0.09mm2 at N1, T1, and 0.46 ± 0.16, 0.40 ± 0.14mm2 at N2, T2. The myopic group had the deepest AC and the widest angle. Compared with boys, girls had shorter AL, shallower ACD, narrower ACW, and ACA (all p < 0.05). By Pearson’s correlation analysis, SER was negatively associated with ACD, AOD, and TISA. AL was positively associated with ACD, ACW, AOD, and TISA. In the multiple regression analysis, AOD and TISA were associated with deeper ACD, narrower ACW, and longer AL.
Conclusion
In primary school students, the myopic eyes have deeper AC and wider angle. ACD, ACW, AOD, and TISA all increase with axial elongation. ACA is highly correlated with deeper ACD.
Enhancing Conversational Interaction in English Between Teachers And Students at High Schools in Dong Nai
Authors: Toan Ly Ngoc
Published: August 2023

The main objective of this study is to enhance the proficiency of conversational interaction in English between teachers and students at high schools situated in the Dong Nai province. The research framework is grounded on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, supplemented by Long's theory of interaction, and Brown's approach to teaching communicative English. Through a survey of 148 English teachers in Dong Nai high schools and subsequent data analysis employing SPSS 20 software, the research findings indicate that all four factors, namely belonging, expectation, relationship, and motivation, exert a positive and statistically significant influence on conversational interaction in English between teachers and students in this educational context. Based on the study's outcomes, the author proposes several viable strategies to enhance teachers' capacity for conversational interaction in English with their students. Such interventions are envisioned to be instrumental in elevating the overall educational quality, aligning it with international standards, and fostering heightened competitiveness with developed nations within the region. This endeavor represents a concerted effort to contribute to the ongoing advancement of language education in Vietnam.
Assessing Resolvability, Parsability, and Consistency of RDF Resources: A Use Case in Rare Diseases
Authors: Zhang Shuxin , Benis Nirupama , Cornet Ronald
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Healthcare data and the knowledge gleaned from it play a key role in improving the health of current and future patients. These knowledge sources are regularly represented as ‘linked’ resources based on the Resource Description Framework (RDF). Making resources ‘linkable' to facilitate their interoperability is especially important in the rare-disease domain, where health resources are scattered and scarce. However, to benefit from using RDF, resources need to be of good quality. Based on existing metrics, we aim to assess the quality of RDF resources related to rare diseases and provide recommendations for their improvement.
Methods: Sixteen resources of relevance for the rare-disease domain were selected: two schemas, three metadatasets, and eleven ontologies. These resources were tested on six objective metrics regarding resolvability, parsability, and consistency. Any URI that failed the test based on any of the six metrics was recorded as an error. The error count and percentage of each tested resource were recorded. The assessment results were represented in RDF, using the Data Quality Vocabulary schema.
Results: For three out of the six metrics, the assessment revealed quality issues. Eleven resources have non-resolvable URIs with proportion to all URIs ranging from 0.1% (6/6,712) in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification to 13.7% (17/124) in the WikiPathways Ontology; seven resources have undefined URIs; and two resources have incorrectly used properties of the ‘owl:ObjectProperty’ type. Individual errors were examined to generate suggestions for the development of high-quality RDF resources, including the tested resources.
Conclusion: We assessed the resolvability, parsability, and consistency of RDF resources in the rare-disease domain, and determined the extent of these types of errors that potentially affect interoperability. The qualitative investigation on these errors reveals how they can be avoided. All findings serve as valuable input for the development of a guideline for creating high-quality RDF resources, thereby enhancing the interoperability of biomedical resources.
Optimization of Heating Temperature on the Growth of Manganese Sulfide Nanosheets Binder-free Electrode for Supercapattery
Authors: Rosli M. I. , Omar F. S. , Awang R. , Saidi Norshahirah M.
Published: August 2023

Supercapattery has emerged as one of the possibilities in the electrochemical energy storage system as a consequence of the expansion of technological advancement and the electrical vehicle sector. Manganese sulphide (MnS) nanoflakes were produced by hydrothermal technique at various heating temperatures (100,110,120, and 130 oC). The existence of MnS is revealed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) diffractogram, and α- and γ-MnS crystals were effectively grown on a nickel (Ni) foam. MnS nanoflakes were seen under field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The crystalline structure of MnS nanoflakes is susceptible to the variation depending on the heating temperature, and at 120 oC MnS produced nanoflake with additional wrinkles. Through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller(BET) analysis, the thermal and physical adsorption investigations demonstrated the high total surface area and thermal stability of MnS electrodes. The findings of BET studies demonstrate that MnS-120 has the highest surface BET (SBET) and the smallest pore size distribution (PSD),which later increases the total surface area of MnS nanoflakes for an effective energy storage mechanism. MnS is structurally stable below 200 oC, according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). MnS-120 electrode has a maximum specific capacity of 1003.5 C/g at 5 A/g and a 49% rate capability. Supercapattery devices were created in a MnS-120//activated carbon (AC) configuration to assess the real-time performance of the material. The MnS-120//AC demonstrated better efficiency by offering specific energy of 69.24 Wh/kg at 2953 W/kg. The life cycle test confirmed that MnS-120//AC is stable with a capacity retention of value of 96% after 4000 cycles.