bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of African swine fever virus in archived Formalin fixed Paraffin embedded swine tissue sections in Uganda using Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Authors: Afayoa Mathias , Ojok Lonzy , Okuni Julius Boniface
Published: May 2023

Background
African swine fever (ASF), a devastating viral disease of pigs, is one of the main hindrance to pig farming in sub-Saharan African. Sporadic outbreaks of the disease occur annually in various regions of Uganda most of which remain undocumented. This study employed histopathology, immunohistochemistry and conventional PCR comparatively on 290 formalin fixed paraffin embedded swine tissues in diagnosis of ASF. ASF was confirmed by conventional PCR using diagnostic primers recommended by World Organization for Animal Health, (forward primer, 5’- TGGATACCGAGGGAATAGC- 3’) and (reverse primer, 5’-CTTACCGATGAAATGATAC- 3’).
Results
It was found out that, more than a third of the archived pig lymphoid tissues, (lymph nodes 33.3%, 95/285 and spleen; 42.8%, 120/280) had lesions suggestive of ASF. In average, 17% and 15% of the archived samples had ASF viral DNA and antigen respectively. The positivity rate for ASF in the tested tissue samples was higher in spleen (PCR, 17.5% and IHC, 16.1%) than in other tissues. More than half (51.1%, 48/94) of the lymph nodes and 41.9% ( 49/117) of spleen tissues that had lesions suggestive of ASF tested positive for ASF using conventional PCR.
Conclusion
ASF is still wide spread in Uganda and is one of the major threats to pig production in the country. Immunohistochemistry other than PCR, is an effective and reliable technique for diagnosing ASF in tissues even after a long period of archiving.
Fatal Iatrogenic Cerebral Amyloid-Related Encephalitis in a patient treated with lecanemab for Alzheimer’s disease: neuroimaging and neuropathology.
Authors: Schrag Matthew , Solopova Elena , Romero-Fernandez Wilber , Harmsen Hannah , Antunes Lissa Ventura , Wang Emmeline , Maldonado Jose , Shostak Alena , Donahue Manus , Schultz Daniel , Coyne Thomas , Charidimou Andreas
Published: May 2023

We report the case of a 79-year-old woman in good general health aside from early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who was enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of the novel therapeutic monoclonal antibody lecanemab where she was treated with the placebo, and subsequently in the open label extension study where she received lecanemab infusions every two weeks. After the third infusion, she suffered a seizure followed by aphasia and progressively worsening encephalopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multifocal cerebral edema and an increased burden of cerebral microhemorrhages compared to pre-trial imaging, consistent with Amyloid Related Imaging Abnormality (ARIA). She was treated with an antiepileptic regimen and high-dose intravenous corticosteroids but continued to worsen and expired after five days in the hospital. The family requested an autopsy and consented to evaluation of her brain for research. Post-mortem MRI confirmed extensive microhemorrhagic changes in the temporal, parietal and occipital lobes, some of which were visible on gross inspection of the brain. Autopsy confirmed APOE genotype of E4/E4 and the presence of typical neuropathological features of Alzheimer’s disease along with severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy with inflammatory features, including perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates, reactive macrophages and fibrinoid degeneration of vessel walls. There were deposits of β-amyloid in meningeal vessels and penetrating arterioles with numerous microaneurysms. Cerebral microhemorrhages were associated with arterioles harboring β-amyloid deposits and having degenerative morphologies. We conclude from these results that the patient likely died as a result of severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy with marked microvascular degeneration and meningoencephalitis. Further study of the mechanism of ARIA and the neuropathological changes associated with plaque clearance are needed.
Metallurgical pathways of lead leaching from brass
Authors: Ngan Alfonso , Zhu Te , Li Wei , Kwok Johnathan , Siu Kai Wing , Yin Lu
Published: May 2023

Leaded (Pb) brass components are widely used in water pipeworks for their good machinability and low costs. However, even the so-called “lead-free”, potable-water grade of brass is known to cause excessive Pb leaching into water after common soldering and brazing during pipe installation works. Despite the serious public concerns on drinking-water safety worldwide, the metallurgical pathways of lead leaching from such brass have remained unknown. In this work, synchrotron radiation X-ray imaging shows that in the initial state of potable-water grade brass samples, Pb exists mainly in the form of isolated or linked together particles (some at triple points of brass grain boundaries), with sizes ranging from sub-micron to several microns. Then, on heating to ~ 200°C to simulate soldering, surfacing of Pb contents happens rapidly in minutes, with diffusion pathways including a novel interpenetrating Pb-brass structure with orientation relationship (11\(\stackrel{-}{1}\))α−brass//(220)Pb; [011]α−brass//[\(\stackrel{-}{1}\)13]Pb, and voids left behind in the brass matrix after Pb surfacing. On heating to 700°C to simulate brazing, the original isolated or connected Pb particles melt and expand in volume, with the Pb content forced into the brass lattice preferentially along {101}α−brass planes, forming Pb phase of low sphericity or even large sheets. Finally, on immersion in water to simulate leaching, the surfaced Pb particles are oxidized to form PbO needles along the normal direction of {\(\stackrel{\text{-}}{\text{2}}\stackrel{\text{-}}{\text{2}}\text{2}\)}PbO planes, which are then easily washed away to increase the Pb content in the water. Some of these experimental findings are rationalized by molecular dynamics using a Cu-Pb potential system. The results here unveil, for the first time, how Pb leaches into water from the so-called “lead-free” grade brass.
Evaluating propensity score weighting methods in heterogeneous population: a comparative study
Authors: Hu Yu , Huang Chen , Wang Ce , Liu Yahang , Yu Yongfu , Qin Guoyou
Published: May 2023

Background: Propensity score weighting methods are frequently used in observational studies to estimate causal effects. However, researchers usually evaluate their performance only in homogeneous populations. When treatment effects are heterogeneous, it is unclear about the ability of commonly used weighting methods in estimating the average treatment effect (ATE) for the whole population.
Methods: Two categories of propensity score weighting approaches are discussed to estimate the ATE for the whole population with heterogeneity: one in which the target of inference is the whole population, including Stabilized inverse probability weighting (SIPW), Empirical likelihood weighting (ELW), Covariate balancing propensity score weighting (CBPS); and the other whose target of inference is the specific population, including Inverse probability weighting with trimming (IPWT), Overlap weighting (OW). To assess the performance of these methods, a simulation study was conducted in terms of bias and root mean square error (RMSE), under six heterogeneity scenarios and three degrees of overlap in the propensity score distributions.
Results: According to simulation results, approaches that target the specific population have a substantial bias that rises quickly with increasing heterogeneity. In contrast, approaches for the whole population perform well with relatively smaller bias and RMSE, where CBPS outperforms the others in all heterogeneity scenarios and overlap degrees. When methods are applied to Lindner data with heterogeneity, the results of approaches for the whole population are quite different from approaches for the specific population.
Conclusions: When the estimand is the ATE for the whole populations with heterogeneity, applying weighting methods that target specific populations (e.g. IPWT, OW) to estimate it would lead to substantial bias. It is recommended to use methods targeting the whole population (e.g. CBPS, ELW) to achieve this goal.
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is essential for colonization and expansion of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) spermatogonia stem cells in recipient and in vitro culture
Authors: Duan Lei , Du Shuran , Wang Xueying , Zhou Li , Liu Qinghua , Li Jun
Published: May 2023

Germ cell transplantation (GCT) is a promising biotechnology producing donor-derived gametes in surrogate recipients. It plays a critical role of protecting endangered species, propagation of elite species with desired traits as well as long-term preservation of genetic resources in combination with cryopreservation. However, GCT often fails because of the low colonization rate even complete loss of donor cells in recipients. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is necessary for self-renew of mammals spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs), and it also contributes to the proliferation of SSCs in vitro culture in some animals. In turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), we found that the expressions of gdnf and gfrα1a were predominantly observed in spermatogonia rather than somatic cells, which differed from their expression patterns in mammals. The efficiency of exogenous spermatogonia transplantation in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) larvae could be substantially enhanced by incubating donor cells from turbot with 100ng/ml GDNF prior to transplantation, resulting in a notable rise in colonization rate from 33%-50% to 61.5%. Besides, the addition of 20ng/ml GDNF in cell medium could also promote the proliferation of turbot SSCs in vitro. These results demonstrated the gdnf in turbot testis expression characteristics and suggested that addition of GNDF might be an effective way to improve the GCT efficiency and promote the SSCs expansion in vitro culture.
A validated RP- HPLC technique was utilized to evaluate the quantifiability of methylprednisolone and its derivatives and to assess its in-use stability activities
Authors: Al-Hakkani Mostafa F.
Published: May 2023

Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) is a parenteral water-soluble corticosteroid ester. It gives three peaks methylprednisolone (MP), 17-methylprednisolone hemisuccinate (17-MPHS), and methylprednisolone hemisuccinate (MPHS) that share in the assay determination as total MP. It is used on a wide scale in prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs as a common use. The current study aimed to find a rapid RP-HPLC method of MP analysis with high linearity, repeatability, sensitivity, selectivity, and inexpensive to use without the need for any special chemical reagents. The chromatographic system consists of RP-HPLC using the BDS column (250 mm x 4.6 mm x 5 µm). The mobile phase was prepared by mixing the WFI: glacial acetic acid: acetonitrile in a volume ratio (63:2:35) at a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min with detection wavelength at 254 nm at room temperature and injection volume 20 µL. The method manifested a satisfied linearity regression R2 (0.9998–0.99999) with LOD 143.97 ng/mL and 4.49 µg/mL; and LOQ 436.27 ng/mL and 13.61 µg/mL for MP and MPHS respectively. The method proved its efficiency via system suitability achievement in the robustness and ruggedness conduction according to the validation guidelines. High sensitivity according to its LOD and LOQ. So, the current method could be considered in the pharmaceutical industry.
Dynamic Response of Dilute to Viscous Channelized Debris Flow on Pipeline Crossing
Authors: Khan Mudassir Ali , Mustaffa Zahiraniza , Harahap indrasati Hamonanagan
Published: May 2023

This study aims to experimentally investigate the dynamic response of dilute to viscous debris flows on pipeline crossing. The debris flow impact mechanism, front flow depths, and front velocities were measured and analyzed using pressure transducers, ultrasonic sensor, and high-speed cameras in a 9-degree inclined flume. The experimental findings revealed that dilute debris flows were characterized by turbulent and rapid flow regimes that produced splashing phenomena. In contrast, viscous debris flows exhibited relatively slow flow velocities, leading to the impact of the pipe via run-up or layered phenomena. Significant variations in flow depths, frontal velocity, and impact pressures were observed due to wavelike and layered phenomena from dilute to viscous debris flows. Front flow depths were substantially increased while front velocities and impact pressures were decreased with an increment of solid volume fraction (αs). The calculated dimensionless number confirmed the similarity of experimental results with those observed in natural phenomena and other experimental studies. Further, for dilute debris flows, dimensionless impact pressure was a power function of Froude number (Fr), while for viscous debris flows, it was a power function of both Froude (Fr) and Reynold number (Re).
Complexity measures for EEG microstate sequences - concepts and algorithms
Authors: von Wegner Frederic , Wiemers Milena , Hermann Gesine , Tödt Inken , Tagliazucchi Enzo , Laufs Helmut
Published: May 2023

EEG microstate sequence analysis quantifies properties of ongoing brain electrical activity which is known to exhibit complex dynamics across many time scales. In this report we review recent developments in quantifying microstate sequence complexity, we classify these approaches with regard to different complexity concepts, and we evaluate excess entropy as a yet unexplored quantity in microstate research. We determined the quantities entropy rate, excess entropy, Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC), and Hurst exponents on Potts model data, a discrete statistical mechanics model with a temperature-controlled phase transition. We then applied the same techniques to EEG microstate sequences from wakefulness and non-REM sleep stages and used first-order Markov surrogate data to determine which time scales contributed to the different complexity measures. We demonstrate that entropy rate and LZC measure the Kolmogorov complexity (randomness) of microstate sequences, whereas excess entropy and Hurst exponents describe statistical complexity which attains its maximum at intermediate levels of randomness. We confirmed the equivalence of entropy rate and LZC when the LZ-76 algorithm is used, a result previously reported for neural spike train analysis (Amigó et al. 2004). Surrogate data analyses prove that entropy-based quantities and LZC focus on short-range temporal correlations, whereas Hurst exponents include short and long time scales. Sleep data analysis reveals that deeper sleep stages are accompanied by a decrease in Kolmogorov complexity and an increase in statistical complexity. Regarding the practical use of these methods, we suggest that LZC can be used as an efficient entropy rate estimator that avoids the estimation of joint entropies, whereas entropy rate estimation via joint entropies has the advantage of providing excess entropy as the second parameter of the same linear fit. We conclude that metrics of statistical complexity are a useful addition to microstate analysis and address a complexity concept that is not yet covered by existing microstate algorithms while being actively explored in other areas of brain research.
Modified Niche Modelling for Niche Specific Conservation and Ecorestoration Planning of Threatened Tree Species: A Case Study on Four Goniothalamus Species in the Western Ghats
Authors: K.H. Amitha Bachan , A. Devika M.
Published: May 2023

The species distribution based on Maximum Entropy using 19 bioclimatic variables has been considered better for prediction of potential habitat of species. Critiques suggested incorporation of more parameters especially of the vegetation and terrain, as hierarchical SDM for more precise predication. A modified niche model incorporating WorldClim bioclimatic spatial data and more factors of terrain, landuse, vegetation, and geographical zonation standardised for the Western Ghats mountain part of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot was experimented here with four threatened and endemic trees of the genus Goniothalamus (Annonaceae). This brought more precise predictions, with an average predicted potential area of 2.25 km2, compared to 16.5 km2 in normal niche modelling. The differential prediction pattern obtained here for congeneric taxa that share similar vegetation and habits endemic to this tropical monsoonal mountain suggests niche modelling as the most simple and niche-specific method to predict potential areas of tree species, where the inclusion of more special parameters as a modified niche model gives more precision considering both the Grinnellian and Eltonian niche factors. This could be useful in site-specific conservation and ecorestoration planning for threatened trees.
Should rectal cancer be regarded as a different tumor entity from left-sided colon cancer? A clinical and molecular NGS-based study of 552 cases
Authors: Ciepiela Izabela , Szczepaniak Magdalena , Ciepiela Przemysław , Hińcza-Nowak Kinga , Kopczyński Janusz , Macek Paweł , Kubicka Kamila , Chrapek Magdalena , Tyka Magdalena , Góźdź Stanisław , Kowalik Artur
Published: May 2023

Despite the introduction of new molecular classifications, advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is treated with chemotherapy supplemented with anti-EGFR and anti-VEGF targeted therapy. In this study, 552 CRC cases with different primary tumor locations (250 left side, 190 rectum, and 112 right side) were retrospectively analyzed by next generation sequencing for mutations in 50 genes. The most frequently mutated genes were TP53 in left-sided tumors and BRAF in right-sided tumors. Mutations in KRAS,NRAS, and BRAF were not detected in 28.6% of patients with right-sided tumors and in 45% of patients with left-sided tumors. Liver metastases were more common in patients with left-sided tumors. Tumors on the right side were larger at diagnosis and had a higher grade (G3) than tumors on the left. Tumors located in the rectum differed from those in other locations in biology, site of metastasis (lung), and mutation rates (e.g., BRAF, FBXW7, and TP53). KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF gene mutations were not detected in >47% of rectal tumors compared with 42.8% of left-sided and 28.6% of right-sided tumors. Primary tumor location has implications for the potential treatment of CRC with anti-EGFR therapy.
Possible mechanism of action potential propagation mediated by electric field: A novel assumption of understanding nerve interaction and ephaptic coupling
Authors: Guo Yi Ming , Ong Chong Kim
Published: May 2023

The generation and propagation of physical signals in living biosystems are continuous issues. Traditional Hodgkin-Huxley model based on ionic current conduction could not explain the fast transmission of action potential in myelinated axons and factors influencing AP velocity. We propose that the ion distribution variation induced by sodium channel generates near field quasi-static electric field at extracellular space, termed as an ephaptic field which is able to excite nearby passive axons. Our simulation reveals the static electric field generated by sodium ion channels in one node of Ranvier is unlikely to activate the ion channels at nearest neighbor node. However, the ion channels ring on a node could induce 0.01 mV membrane potential difference on the node at nearby axon located at the middle of the two nodes, assuming the internode distance is 100 μm. Together with the superposition of ephaptic feedback field by the collective motion of many neighbor parallel axons, which could activate the next node of the original axon, the action potential could propagate in a zigzag path. Our simulation result also explain the fast speed of action potential propagation observed in experiments.
Theoretical Prediction of the Adiabatic Electron Affinity of Hydantoin based drugs and their derivatives
Authors: Wazzan Nuha , Safi Zaki
Published: May 2023

The addition of electron to a neutral system can either release or consume energy, which is known as the electron affinity (EA) of the system. EA quantifies the attractive forces between the incoming electron and the nucleus, with greater attraction leading to higher energy release. In this research, the adiabatic electron affinity (AEA) of some hydantoin derivatives, including some important drugs such as phenytoin, allantoin, iprodine, ethotoin and mephenytoin were theoretically predicted by using the B3PW91 method with 6-311 + G(2df,2p) basis set at the B3LYP/6–31 + G(d,p) geometries. The accuracy of the different DFT methods was statistically proven based on the standard AEAs, as determined by the average AEA of the three composite high-level ab-initio methods (G4, G3B3 and CBS-QB3). The results reveal that both the AEA of hydantoin derivatives are predicted to increase or decrease based on the nature of the substituted groups and its position at the hydantoin ring. The natural spin density and the natural atomic charges of the neutral and anionic radicals were computed by using the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis at the B3LYP/6–31 + G(d,p) level of theory. For the majority of the investigated hydantoins, the NBO shows that the maximum spin density is mainly located on the carbonyl carbon atom (C4). The geometries of the formed anions are distorted compared to their neutral molecules. Adequate linear relationships between the predicted AEA and the energy gaps of the neutral molecules with the correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9781.
Prognostic value and immunological role of NDRG1 gene in pan-cancer
Authors: Wang Xin Xin , Wang Yong Feng , Dong Bao Long , Hou Ya Bo , Li Yuan , Cai Hui , Yang Xiao Jun
Published: May 2023

Purpose To investigate the prognostic value of NDRG1 and the relationship between NDRG1 and immunoinfiltration. Meanwhile, the expression of NDRG1 in gastric cancer was investigated.Methods A comprehensive analysis of the relationship between NDRG1 gene and prognosis of various cancers, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune cell infiltration was conducted by using a range of bioinformatics methods on the basis of existing public databases as a mean to investigate the potential prognostic value of NDRG1 in pan-carcinoma. At the same time, 40 gastric cancer tissues and paracancer tissue specimens were collected. The expression of NDRG1 in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were verified by experiments. R software and GraphPad Prism 8 software were used for statistical analysis and mapping.Results NGRG1 was shown to be weakly expressed in BRCA, STAD, THCA, while it was shown to be highly expressed in CHOL, HNSC, KIRC, LIHC and LUSC. The survival rate of patients with high expression of NDRG1 in BRCA, LIHC and LUAD was lower than that of patients with low expression of NDRG1. However, patients with high expression of NDRG1 in KIRC had better survival than those with low expression of NDRG1. The expression of NDPG1 was positively correlated with TMB in CESC, BRCA, ACC, UCEC, SARC, PAAD and KIRC, but negatively correlated with TMB in THCA, SKCM, PRAD, PCPG and LGG. The expression of NDRG1 was positively correlated with MSI in COAD, BRCA, UCEC, SARC, PAAD and LUSC, and negatively correlated with MSI in PRAD. In addition, the results of the study indicated that NDRG1 was low expressed in gastric cancer tissues, high expressed in paracancer tissues and mainly distributed in cytoplasm (P = 0.0002). In terms of the degree of differentiation, the expression level of NDRG1 protein in moderately differentiated and highly differentiated gastric cancer tissues was higher than that in undifferentiated and poorly differentiated groups (P = 0.038). In terms of tumor invasion, NDRG1 expression in T1-T2 group was significantly higher than that in T3-T4 group (P = 0.025). In clinicopathologic stage, the expression of NDRG1 in stage I-II was significantly higher than that in stage III-IV (P = 0.024).Conclusion NDRG1 can be used as a prognostic marker in multiple cancers. NDRG1 was low expressed in gastric cancer tissues and high expressed in paracancer tissues. High expression of NDRG1 was associated with favorable pathological features of gastric cancer, which may be involved in inhibiting the occurrence and development of gastric cancer.
Glucose-sensitive insulin with attenuation of hypoglycaemia
Authors: Hoeg-Jensen Thomas , Slaaby Rita , Kruse Thomas , Brand Christian Lehn , Sturis Jeppe , Fledelius Christian , Nielsen Peter , Nishimura Erica , Madsen Alice , Lykke Lennart , Halskov Kim , Koscova Simona , Kotek Vladaslav , Davis Anthony , Tromans Robert , Tomsett Michael , Penuelas-Haro Guillem , Leonard Daniel J. , Orchard Michael , Chapman Andy , Invernizzi Gaetano , Johansson Eva , Granata Daniele , Hansen Bo , Pedersen Thomas , Kildegaard Jonas , Pedersen Karen , Refsgaard Hanne , Alirangis Lene , Fels Johannes , Neutzsky-Wulff Anita , Sauerberg Per
Published: May 2023

The risk of inducing hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) constitutes the main challenge associated with insulin therapy for diabetes. Insulin doses must be adjusted to ensure blood glucose values within normal range, but matching insulin doses to fluctuating glucose levels is difficult since even a slightly higher insulin dose than needed can lead to a hypoglycaemic incidence which can be anything from uncomfortable to life-threatening. It has thus been a long-standing goal to engineer a glucose-sensitive insulin that can auto-adjust its bioactivity in a reversible manner according to ambient glucose levels to ultimately achieve better glycaemic control while lowering the risk of hypoglycaemia. Here we report the design and properties of NNC2215, an insulin conjugate with bioactivity that is reversibly responsive to glucose over the physiological range as demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. NNC2215 was engineered by conjugating a glucose-binding macrocycle and a glucoside to insulin, thereby introducing a “switch” that can open and close in response to glucose and thereby equilibrate insulin between active and less active conformations. The insulin receptor affinity of NNC2215 increased 12-fold when glucose concentration was increased from 0 to 20 mM. In animal studies, the glucose-sensitive bioactivity of NNC2215 was demonstrated to lead to protection against hypoglycaemia while partially covering glucose excursions.
Realization of Practical Eightfold Fermions and Fourfold van Hove Singularity in TaCo2Te2
Authors: Chen Chaoyu , Rong Hongtao , Huang Zhenqiao , Zhang Xin , Kumar Shiv , Zhang Fayuan , Zhang Chengcheng , Wang Yuan , Hao Zhanyang , Cai Yongqing , Wang Le , Liu Cai , Ma Xiaoming , Guo Shu , Shen Bing , Liu Yi , Cui Shengtao , Shimada Kenya , Wu Quansheng , Lin Junhao , Yao Yugui , Wang Zhiwei , Xu Hu
Published: May 2023

Space groups describing the symmetry of lattice structure allow the emergence of fermionic quasiparticles with various degeneracy in the band structure. Theoretical efforts have predicted many materials hosting fermions with the highest degeneracy, i.e., eightfold fermions, yet lacking experimental realization. Here, we explore the band degeneracies in TaCo2Te2 crystals. Through systematic experimental and theoretical analyses, we establish TaCo2Te2 as a nonsymmorphic crystal with negligible spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and long-range magnetic order. These critical properties guarantee the first realization of practical eightfold fermions and fourfold van Hove singularity, as directly observed by photoemission spectroscopy. TaCo2Te2 serves as a topological quantum critical platform, which can be tuned into various magnetic, topologically trivial, and nontrivial phases by adding strain, magnetic field, or SOC. The latter is demonstrated by our first-principles calculations, which show that enhancing SOC in TaCo2Te2 will promote the experimental observation of bulk hourglass fermions. Our results establish TaCo2Te2 as a unique platform to explore the interplay between symmetry and band topology.
Safety and Efficacy of Ketamine Without Intubation in the Management of Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Case Series
Authors: Kimmons Lauren , Alzayadneh Mohammad , Metter Jeffrey , Alsherbini Khalid
Published: May 2023

Purpose: Continuous infusion ketamine has demonstrated efficacy in the management of refractory status epilepticus (RSE) yet does not suppress respiratory drive like other continuous infusion anesthetics used for this indication. Utilizing ketamine early in the management of RSE represents a treatment option with potential to reduce morbidity. The aim of this study is to describe the safety and efficacy of ketamine infusions in RSE patients without intubation.
Materials and Methods: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of adult patients who were not intubated at the time of initiation of a ketamine infusion for RSE. Seizure onset was determined to be the first clinical seizure or non-convulsive seizure reported on electroencephalogram (EEG) or the start time of EEG for patients in RSE at EEG initiation. Responders were defined as patients with documentation of resolution of seizures within 24 hours of initiation without the need for intubation or additional continuous infusion anesthetics.
Results: A total of 28 patients were analyzed of a median age 62 years, 64.3% female, 82.1% African American, and 82.1% with structural seizure etiology. 78.5% of patients received an initial bolus averaging 0.9 mg/kg and the majority (89.3%) were initiated on an infusion at 10 mcg/kg/min; median duration of infusion was 39.8 hours. 71.4% of patients were assessed to be ketamine responders; six of the eight non-responders required intubation and an additional continuous infusion anesthetic. Responders were 80% more likely to have received ketamine five or more hours earlier than non-responders. Hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg) occurred in 31.8% of patients receiving only ketamine, which did not correlate with duration or maximum dose of ketamine.
Conclusion: Ketamine represents a safe and effective treatment option for RSE with potential to reduce morbidity associated with intubation. Early initiation may increase likelihood of success.
Estimation of Three-Phase Induction Motor Efficiency at Different Loads
Authors: Ileri Kadir , Dalcali Adem , Durgut Rafet
Published: May 2023

Asynchronous machines are widely used in many industrial applications due to their high reliability and low cost. One of the important parameters determining motor performance is efficiency which varies under different load conditions. Many different methods can obtain the efficiency of the motor. While most of these methods require direct intervention on the motor, high-accuracy efficiency prediction can be achieved using machine learning methods that do not require intervention. In this study, efficiency prediction was made using the manufacturer data of 470 different motors under three different load conditions such as full load, half load, and 75% load. Four different machine learning methods were applied with different configurations to predict efficiency values with high accuracy. These methods include MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB). The highest accuracy was achieved with RF at half load, XGB at full load, and 75% load. In addition, it was determined that IST/IFL and P(kW) were the most influential factors for efficiency at all loads.
PACS: 0000, 1111
2000 MSC: 0000, 1111
Root Predominant Overexpression of iaaM and CKX Genes Promotes Root Initiation and Biomass Production and Initiation in Citrus
Authors: Tang Dan , Li Yanjun , Zhai Longmei , Li Wei , Kumar Rahul , Yer Huseyin , Duan Hui , Cheng Baoping , Deng Ziniu , Li Yi
Published: May 2023

Promoting initiation and biomass production of roots is significant for plant-based industries including using roots as bioreactors. We used two citrus genotypes, Carrizo and US-897, as model plants to test the effects of root-predominantly overexpressed the iaaM (indoleacetic acid-tryptophan monooxygenase) gene and a CKX (a cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase) gene. The iaaM transgenic lines exhibited markedly faster root initiation, more root numbers, and higher root biomass compared to their wild-type counterparts. The transgenic iaaM + CKXplants also exhibited similar phenotypes, albeit to a lesser extent than the iaaMplants. Molecular analysis revealed an auxin-responsive CsGH3.1 gene was up-regulated in the iaaM roots and iaaM + CKX roots, and a cytokinin-responsive gene CsARR5 gene was down-regulated in the iaaM + CKX roots. Our results demonstrate that root predominant overexpression of the iaaM or both the iaaM and CKX genes drastically enhances the initiation, growth and biomass production of roots. These results provide additional support that manipulation of auxin and cytokinin levels in roots via transgenic or gene-editing technologies may benefit production of high-value secondary metabolites using roots as bioreactors and also improve rooting of recalcitrant plant species.
Testing effectiveness in nature reserve management using GIS-based tools: a 25-years monitoring of land use change in a Mediterranean coastal wetland
Authors: Marzialetti Flavio , Cesarini Giulia , Acosta Alicia Teresa Rosario , Battisti Corrado
Published: May 2023

Land-cover change dynamics were investigated in a Mediterranean coastal wetland to evaluate long-term effectiveness in nature reserve management. A multitemporal analysis of land cover maps was derived from visual interpretation of aerial orthophotos in the 1996, 2008, 2015 and 2021 summer seasons. Landscape changes were evaluated by transition matrices and chord diagrams. Maps were classified in accordance with CORINE land cover types at a fourth level of detail. Multitemporal analyses provided a description of the reserve landscape changes occurred in the last 25 years. The most notable changes are the increase of wetland areas and the reduction of agricultural and artificial areas. Moreover, the extension of seminatural vegetation constantly increased over time. The landscape change was the result of a constant management activity of the nature reserve such as agreement for water supply, restoration projects and actions to combat illegality. These operational actions induced fine-grained ecological changes (outcomes at ecosystem level). This study highlighted the importance of remote sensing and landscape analysis matched with fine-grained management data as tool for long-term monitoring as a support to evaluate effectiveness of strategies promoted in nature reserves hosting wet coastal ecosystems of high conservation concern.
A case control study examining the population of epidermal and dermal pathology, inflammatory infiltrate and neural milieu of primary prurigo nodularis using S-100 and Toluidine blue stain and its therapeutic implications
Authors: Agrawal Diksha , Sardana Kabir , Mathachan Sinu , Bhardwaj Minakshi , Ahuja Arvind , Jain Swasti , Panesar Sanjeet
Published: May 2023

A cross-sectional observational study was in cases of untreated primary prurigo nodularis cases with histopathological assessment in 49 cases of prurigo from lesional and non lesional uninvolved skin with assessment of epidermal and dermal changes, composition of dermal infiltrate and S-100 & toluidine blue staining to assess the role of nerve and mast cells. The most common histological changes seen in lesional skin were hyperkeratosis( 98%), irregular hyperplasis (69.4%) hypergranulosis (69.4%), sub epidermal clefting( 6%), vertical collagen bundles (51.0%) & dermal fibrosis (48.9%). Chronic inflammatory infiltrate was seen in all cases (100%) and the most common inflammatory cells seen being found were lymphocytes (100%) followed by, eosinophils (18.4%), plasma cells (8.2%) patients neutrophils. (2.0%). There was a marked increase in the expression of S-100 (6.92 ± 3.40 Vs 3.94 ± 2.15, p < 0.001) and toludidine blue (4.99 ± 4.47 Vs 1.22 ± 1.28, p < 0.001) in the lesional skin as compared to the non lesional skin. Thus we can infer that the epidermal and dermal pathology is dependent on lymphocytes, mast cells and neural hyperplasia which perpetuate the pathology of PN by triggering the itch-inflammation cycle. Thus apart from immunosuppressive agents that target lymphocytes and their cytokines therapy targeted at mast cells and neural proliferation may be needed to treat prurigo nodularis.
Water productivity of mulched and drip irrigated watermelon in Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Hama-Aziz Zanist Q. , Mustafa Rebwar A. , Neima Hemin A.
Published: May 2023

Water productivity is the amount of yield produced for a specific crop per cubic meter of fresh water. It is not determined for majority of crops in Iraq and Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI) where water shortage compelled farmers to practice modern techniques like drip irrigation and plastic mulch. This study aims to calculate and report the water productivity of watermelon produced using drip irrigation and plastic mulch at a farm scale. Data on the yield, the number of irrigations, the length of each irrigation, as well as the cost and benefit of production were gathered in 2019 from 32 farmers who produced watermelons in a 119 ha area. The mean value was 62 ton ha− 1 for yield, 4,675 m3 ha− 1 for water applied, and 15 kg m− 3 for water productivity. Approximately, 66 liter of water was applied to produce one kilogram of watermelon. A cost-benefit analysis showed that water applied accounted for 11% of the overall production benefits, production expenses for 31%, and net benefits for 58%. It is concluded that the later move from surface irrigation on uncovered soil to drip irrigation and mulching is an important adaptation strategy given the current water shortage in the area.
The Promoting Effect and Mechanism of Nrf2 on Cell Metastasis in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Zhang Mengwe , Hong Xiaoling , Ma Ning , Wei Zhentong , Ci Xinxin , Zhang Songling
Published: May 2023

Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and anoikis are initial and pivotal steps during the metastatic process. Although higher levels of Nrf2 are associated with aggressive tumor behaviors such as proliferation, invasion and migration in cervical cancer, the detailed mechanism of Nrf2 in cervical cancer metastasis, especially EMT and anoikis, remains unclear.Methods We investigated the expression of Nrf2 in patients with or without cervical cancer lymph node metastasis through immunohistochemistry (IHC). Wound healing assay and transwell analysis were used to evaluate the migration ability of different cervical cancer cells including Nrf2 knockout and Nrf2 overexpression cells. Western blot was used to verify the expression level of Nrf2, the EMT associated markers and anoikis associated proteins in different situations. Flow cytometry assays were used to detect the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. A xenograft assay was used to verify the metastatic function of Nrf2 in vivo.Results Nrf2 was highly expressed in patients with cervical cancer lymph node metastasis. And Nrf2 was proved to enhance the migration ability of HeLa and SiHa cells. In addition, Nrf2 was positively correlated with EMT processes and negatively associated with anoikis in cervical cancer through Snail1-dependent pathway. In vivo, a xenograft assay also showed that Nrf2 facilitated both pulmonary and lymphatic distant metastasis of cervical cancer.Conclusion Nrf2 could play a crucial role in the metastasis of cervical cancer by enhancing EMT and resistance to anoikis by promoting the expression of Snail1.
Design and Analysis of Aluminium 6061 Elbow Pipe in Industrial Sector
Authors: Rangnekar Safwan , Narwade Gautam
Published: May 2023

Lately a rapid fire smash passed in exploration and advancements in the aluminium essence matrix resin mixes (AMMCS) The attention is needed to gain of good mechanical parcels and helps their eventuality across an expansive range and high end operations The review is to give an figure of the causes that affect mechanical properties of compound material aluminium 6061 The selection of underpinning material and different parameters are the challenges faced during the design of accoutrements without compromising in mechanical parcels. The aluminium amalgamation 6061 grounded. Compound material attain different parcels with different type on underpinning. These compound material have high strength and stiffness to weight rate. Aluminium 6061 pipe is used in chemical industry and nuclear power factory.
Machine Learning Model to Detect Seizures Using EEG Signals
Authors: Chandel Garima , Kaur Amanpreet , Grover Sneha , Saini Sandeep Kumar
Published: May 2023

Epilepsy is a disease of grave concern these days due to the negligence in its treatment in many parts of the world. Its detection and diagnose requires high skill, large amount of time and money. Thus, due to lack of treatment, epilepsy which can be diagnosed with simple epileptic drugs turn refractory. This can be avoided if it is detected at an early stage. Also, the data received after a patient undergo EEG is quite complex. Visualizing that data in an effective way and knowing important timestamps in a recorded EEG signal can help one save time and increase accuracy of detection. An automated system utilizing conventional machine learning is thus proposed in this study that uses features extracted from EEG signals. We have used a seizure detection model and visualized data and the result using various python libraries. Seizure detection is a model which is able to identify the presence of abnormal activities in the brain. Seizure prediction is a model which is able to predict in advance if he/she is going to face seizures in coming time by just studying the EEG signals of present state of that patient. Supervised Machine learning (random forest classifier) was employed to analyze recorded EEG signals for epilepsy detection. Data in the datasets was visualized using matplotlib. Classifier was visualized using Graphviz and pydot. Random forest model predicted epilepsy with a good accuracy of 96.87%, Sensitivity came out to be 98.4% and Specificity was 90.7%.
NADPH-oxidase 4 promotes autophagy in spinal neurons through activating ER stress during the development of morphine tolerance
Authors: Xiao Xuyang , Yang Jingjie , Bai Qian , Wang Zhitao , Chen Yan , Si Yue , Xu Yaowei , Li Zhisong , Bu Huilian
Published: May 2023

Morphine tolerance is one of the current challenging issues in the treatment of chronic pain. Recent studies have shown that ROS derived by NADPH oxidase (NOX) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is participated in the development of morphine tolerance. However, which NOX subtype initiates the ER stress during the development of morphine tolerance is not fully clear. NOX4 mainly expressed at intracellular membranes, such as ER and mitochondria, which sole function is to produce ROS as the major product. At present, whether NOX4 is activated and the mechanisms between NOX4 and ER stress during the development of morphine tolerance still need to be confirmed. Here, our research, for the first time, demonstrated that chronic administration of morphine up-regulated the expression of NOX4 at spinal cord through activating the three ER stress sensors (PERK, IRE1, ATF6), and subsequently leading to the activation of LC3B and P62 (a well-known autophagy marker) in GABAergic neurons. Therefore, our results may suggest that regulating NOX4 and the key factor of ER stress or autophagy may be a promising strategy to treat and prevent the development of morphine tolerance.
An analysis of physiological signals as a measure of engagement in rehabilitation using machine learning algorithms
Authors: Kim Jung-Yeon , Lee Seong-A , Jung Bong-Keun
Published: May 2023

Background: Active participation of clients in rehabilitation is a crucial factor for improved outcomes. A few studies have investigated how to measure patient engagement to given rehabilitation therapies compared to intervention developments. In this study, we aimed to examine the possibility of assessing patient engagement by analyzing features computed from autonomic nervous responses with machine learning algorithms, such as naïve bayes classifier (NB), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and neural network (NN).
Methods: Autonomic nervous responses were collected from 56 older adults with moderate to mild cognitive impairment using a wearable device during rehabilitation therapy sessions under two different conditions designed to induce different levels of engagement. 32 features were obtained from the autonomic nervous system responses and used to determine the client engagement levels. In addition, feature selection methods were applied to reduce redundant information. Client engagement during rehabilitation therapy sessions was rated by therapists using Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS). In addition, subjective feelings were quantified by participants using Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM). The data collected under the different conditions were labelled as having a higher or lower degree of engagement, and classification performance was tested with the algorithms.
Results: It was found that the mean scores of PRPS and the valence dimension of the participants were significantly different between the conditions confirming the successful induction of varying levels of engagement from the participants. The worst performance was observed when the classifiers were trained with all features (mean classification accuracy: 81.6%) whereas the highest mean accuracy was observed when classifiers were trained with the top 5 features (85.6%) selected by minimum-Redundancy-Maximum-Relevance (mRMR) than other combinations of feature sets. The best classification accuracy of different degrees of rehabilitation participation was achieved with SVM (87.7%) in combination with the top 5 ranked features, which indicates that the feature selection methods employed in this study did not only lead to a reduction in the number of features, but also a slight improvement in the classification performance. On the other hand, RF consistently performed better than NB and NN when combined with the mRMR feature selection method, suggesting RF is the most robust classifier among the tested classifiers for determining the degree of client engagement in rehabilitation.
Conclusions: Engagement in rehabilitation can be realized by utilizing autonomic nervous responses and machine learning algorithms as a way of involving clients in the process of engagement assessment while requiring their minimal cognitive efforts.
A novel evolutionary algorithm named oppositional based chaotic tree seed algorithm (OCTSA) applied for energy cost minimization in hybrid microgrid system for different locations in India
Authors: MANDAL BARUN , Chatterjee Satabdi , Roy Provas , Mukherjee Indranil
Published: May 2023

The exploration work performed in this paper launches a relatively modern method named oppositional based chaotic tree seed algorithm (OCTSA) for explaining the utilization of the hybrid micro-grid system (HMGS), that includes renewable sources with diesel generator applied for three dissimilar zones of India. Existing algorithms are failed to handle complicated issues competently and moreover, objective function is struck to local optimal solution. In this paper, not only chaotic but also oppositional-based learning (OBL) is incorporated to enhance convergence speed with the validity of a basic tree seed algorithm. For finding better solutions, OCTSA is applied to optimally supervise the operation of the small micro-grid with installed renewable energy sources and results are compared with optimization techniques like particle swamp optimization and bio geography-based optimization. This paper focuses on two key factors, namely the cost efficiency of the system and the reliability of service like bare minimum values for loss of power supply probability (LPSP), a no of autonomy days (AD), and a renewable fraction (RF). Results too contain optimum photo voltaic power, no of wind turbine, diesel generator. Analysis of simulation results concludes that the proposed OCTSA approaches upto (15-19)% reduction in electricity price which enhances reliability and financial feasibility of hybrid system under various environmental uncertainties.