bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the interaction of plant communities with microplastics found in water and soil sediments of Lake Victoria
Authors: Onyango Janet , Huang Jiacheng , Babu Kelvin , Njuguna Samuel , Wanzala Wycliffe , Yan Xue
Published: June 2024

Microplastics continue to affect aquatic plant populations, altering ecosystem function. Particle size, polymer type, aquatic microplastic concentration, exposure length, and plant species affect the interaction. Microplastic contamination of freshwater systems and its effects on aquatic plant communities are important global ecological issues that have received little attention in the African scientific press. On this basis, we conducted a survey to assess Lake Victoria plant community interactions with microplastics. This survey picked 11 and 6 water and soil sampling points distributed in 4 counties on which Lake Victoria lies. Field observation and photos of plant communities at the sampling points were also taken and later identified. The ATR-FTIR spectroscopy detection technology analysis was used to analyze microplastics in both the soil and water while the software Origin Pro 2023b Learning edition and RStudio were used for further analysis and graphical data presentation. The results showed considerable concentration of microplastics in over 80% of the sampled areas with the highest abundance being 30000MPs m-3 and 3 of the 17 samples recording 0 MPs. A relative statistical significance in species richness and microplastic abundance where P – 0.059 and R2 – 0.34 was also denoted in the water samples. In both the water and sediment samples, fibers were the dominant MPs shapes retrieved at 85% and 55.2% respectively while transparent was the dominant colour at 32.5% in water and 29.3% in sediment. At each sampling point, photos of the plant communities were taken and later positively identified. We contend that the plant communities around the lake play a significant role in reducing the concentration of this distinct particle component which is an ecologically significant parameter of inland waterbodies because of its ubiquity, environmental persistence, and interactions with key ecological processes. This research exemplifies how small-scale investigations can be useful to provide indications of the role of plant communities around the lake in curbing emerging microplastic pollution menace, a focus on estuarine microplastics research.
Tuberculosis among people with HIV by antiretroviral therapy status in an urban area in Central Ethiopia 2015-2022
Authors: Bristedt P , Fentie M , Björkman P , Reepalu A
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) leads to reduced tuberculosis (TB) incidence in people with HIV (PWH), ART recipients remain at higher risk of TB compared to HIV-seronegative people. With accelerated ART rollout in sub-Saharan Africa, increasing proportions of TB cases among PWH might occur in people receiving long-term ART. We determined TB notification rates among PWH by ART status in an urban area in Central Ethiopia 2015–2022. Methods: PWH were identified at health facilities providing ART 2015–2022. TB notification rates were compared by calendar year. PWH with TB were categorized by ART status at the time of TB diagnosis (pre-ART TB: TB diagnosed before or ≤ 6 months after starting ART; ART-associated TB: TB diagnosed > 6 months after starting ART). Results: Among 8,926 PWH, 993 had been diagnosed with TB (11.1%); 53.5% men, mean age 40.0 years [SD 11.8]). The number of PWH with TB remained relatively constant over time (annual mean 131 TB cases). Overall, 617/993 (62.1%) cases were pre-ART TB. The proportion of pre-ART TB remained relatively constant over time. Conclusion: TB notification rates among PWH did not decrease 2015–2022, with cases of pre-ART TB constituting a majority throughout the study period, implying persistently high TB incidence among PWH.
Development and Validation of a Prediction Model for People with Mild Chronic Kidney Disease in Japanese individuals
Authors: Miki Takahiro , Sakoda Toshiya , Yamamoto Kojiro , Takeyama Kento , Hagiwara Yuta , Imaizumi Takahiro
Published: June 2024

Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses significant health risks due to its asymptomatic nature in early stages and its association with increased cardiovascular and kidney events. Early detection and management are critical for improving outcomes.
Objective
This study aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse kidney events (MAKE) in Japanese individuals with mild CKD using readily available health check and prescription data.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 850,000 individuals in the PREVENT Inc. database, collected between April 2013 and April 2023. Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to derive and validate risk scores for MACE and MAKE, incorporating traditional risk factors and CKD-specific variables. Model performance was assessed using the concordance index (c-index) and 5-fold cross-validation.
Results
A total of 40,351 individuals were included. Key predictors included age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, and lipid levels for MACE and MAKE. Age significantly increased the risk score for both MACE and MAKE. The baseline 5-year survival rates are 0.99 for MACE and MAKE. The developed risk models demonstrated predictive ability, with mean c-indexes of 0.75 for MACE and 0.69 for MAKE.
Conclusions
This prediction model offers a practical tool for early identification of Japanese individuals with mild CKD at risk for MACE and MAKE, facilitating timely interventions to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The models stratified patients into risk categories, enabling identification of those at higher risk for adverse outcomes. Further clinical validation is required.
Indoor Airborne Bacteria and Lung Health: Sex-Specific Associations
Authors: Amin Hesham , Cramer Christine , Drengenes Christine , Finster Kai , Real Francisco Gomez , Gislason Thorarinn , Holm Mathias , Janson Christer , Jögi Nils Oskar , Jogi Rain , Malinovschi Andrei , Modig Lars , Norbäck Dan , Shigdel Rajesh , Sigsgaard Torben , Svanes Cecilie , Thorarinsdottir Hulda , M.Wouters Inge , Šantl-Temkiv Tina , Schlünssen Vivi , J.Bertelsen Randi
Published: June 2024

Background
Sex is a significant epidemiological factor in the incidence of respiratory disease. However, the role of sex in indoor bacterial exposure remains largely unexplored.
Objective
Our objective was to investigate the association between indoor bacterial exposure and lung function and airway inflammation, focusing on sex-specific differences.
Methods
Airborne dust samples from the bedrooms of 463 men and 575 women in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) III from five Nordic cities were subjected to 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial communities. Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay and qPCR were used to measure endotoxin and bacterial load, respectively. Sex stratified adjusted linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between bacterial profile and lung function and FeNO measurements.
Results
Higher indoor bacterial diversity were significantly associated with higher lung function (FVC and FEV1 Z-scores) in men only, and with higher FeNO levels in women only. Indoor endotoxin levels were significantly associated with higher FeNO levels in women only. No clear associations were found between endotoxin levels and lung function. Most bacterial genera associated with higher lung function were affiliated with the Actinobacteriota phylum. Higher relative abundance of Bacteroidia, and Patescibacteria were associated with lower lung function, and the same was seen for several bacterial genera considered to be part of the core oral microbiome, including Streptococcus and Veillonella. More bacterial genera were associated with high FeNO levels in women than in men, among them Campylobacter, Fusebactrium, and several Bacteroidia genera.
Conclusions
The results of our study indicate that there might be distinct sex-specific differences in how individuals respond to indoor bacterial community exposure and its impact on lung health. This underlines the importance of talking sex into consideration in future evaluations of health implications associated with various indoor microbial communities.
Circulating levels of interleukins and lung cancer and its subtypes: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhai Li , Wei Ying , Chen Meng , Zhang Aili , Luo Jianbo , Zheng Yating , Gao Lili , Wang Liangxiao , Zhang Xi
Published: June 2024

Background
Interleukins (ILs) are closely linked to the pathogenesis of lung cancer (LC). However, the precise causal relationship between them remains somewhat ambiguous. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal relationships between these ILs and LC based on the two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) research framework.
Methods
We conducted TSMR analyses using summary dataset from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Our primary method is random effects inverse variance weighted (RE-IVW) analysis, which was subsequently adjusted using the Bonferroni correction method. We established that results with p values less than 0.0022 (0.05/23) indicate a significant causal relationship, whereas results with p values between 0.0022 and 0.05 indicate a suggestive causal relationship. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the robustness of the findings.
Results
Analysis revealed that IL-18 had a significantly protective effect on LC and shows a suggestive negative correlation with LUAD and LUSC. IL-20 and IL-8 were suggestive positive correlation with both LC and LUAD. Additionally, IL-24 showed had a significantly protective effect on LUSC, while IL-17A and IL-8 were suggestive positive correlation with LUSC.
Conclusions and Relevance:
Our study support IL-18 had protective effect on LC, and IL-24 showed had protective effect on LUSC, suggesting that these cytokines play a crucial role in disease pathogenesis. This finding underscores the need for further research into these associations to better understand their implications for LC development.
Multi-camera detection framework for lifelong broiler flock monitoring
Authors: Cardoen Thorsten , Leroux Sam , Simoens Pieter
Published: June 2024

In recent times, there has been an increased emphasis on chicken welfare within the poultry industry, leading to the adoption of camera-based solutions for continuous monitoring of broilers' activity and health parameters. Accurate detection and localization of broilers within the pen are crucial input for various welfare monitoring applications. However, current research has predominantly concentrated on single-camera setups, which are prone to occlusions caused by feeder or lighting equipment and struggle with scalability in larger pen sizes. To overcome these challenges, we propose a multi-camera setup that allows precise detection and localization of each broiler in a top-down view of the pen. Our approach ensures detection accuracy throughout the entire six-week lifespan of broilers, providing robust and consistent results despite the significant changes in the animals' visual appearance over time. We obtain a MODA score of 83.8% on real-world data and demonstrate its superior effectiveness compared to single-camera setups.
The nature of aerodynamic sound of turbulent temporal shear layers
Authors: Khujadze George , Gogichaishvili David , Chagelishvili George , Foyisi Holger , Tevzadze Alexander
Published: June 2024

This paper aims to establish the pivotal role of the linear non-modal dynamics of perturbations in the aerodynamic sound emission of turbulent temporal shear/mixing layers at the self-similar stage of evolution. This is achieved by comparing the results of direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the mixing layer to the linear non-modal analysis of the flow central/body part model – 3D homentropic, unbounded flow, U0(Ay, 0, 0), with shear rate, A. The non-modal analysis captures the only linear mechanism of acoustic wave generation – the linear vortex-wave mode coupling induced by the non-modal dynamics of perturbations in shear flows. The efficiency of this linear generation is uniquely determined by the mode-dependent Mach number,M= Aλx/cs, related to the convective Mach number viaM= Mcλx/πΔy. Here, λx, cs and Δy denote the streamwise wavelength, speed of sound and shear-layer width, respectively. DNS of compressible turbulent temporal mixing layers were performed for different convective Mach numbers (Mc = 0.3, 0.7, 1.4) and simulation boxes (Lx, Ly, Lz) for reliably identifying the essence of the origin of sound in the turbulent layer. The simulations clearly show the decisive role of the linear non-modal mechanism of sound generation in the flow. This novelty highlights the significance of M in the sound generation, thus ensuring maximum efficiency for harmonics with largest streamwise wavelength, λx = Lx. Accordingly, the aerodynamic sound efficiency is determined by McLx rather than Mc. Overall, our analysis points to the inadequacy of employing the modal approach to describe compressible dynamic processes in the turbulent flow.
Diaporthe atlantica improves tomato resistance against the vascular pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici
Authors: Pereira Eric C. , de Aldana Beatriz R. Vázquez , Arellano Juan B. , Fernández Iván , Zabalgogeazcoa Iñigo
Published: June 2024

Background
Fungal pathogen attacks are a major threat to crop growth and productivity, with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici being particularly menacing to tomato plants by causing vascular wilt disease. Diaporthe atlantica is a main component of the root microbiome of Festuca rubra subsp. pruinosa, a grass that inhabits sea cliffs. This fungus can confer drought and salinity tolerance to some agricultural plant species. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of Diaporthe atlantica in conferring resistance against Fusarium in tomato plants in a greenhouse experiment.
Results
A significant reduction in Fusarium wilt symptoms was observed in plants inoculated with Diaporthe atlantica. Furthermore, Diaporthe suppressed Fusarium colonisation, thereby mitigating vascular browning and improving plant growth, chlorophyll content and nutrient acquisition. In addition, the effect of Diaporthe atlantica on plant defence against Fusarium seems to not directly involve classical induced systemic resistance or systemic acquired resistance mechanisms.
Conclusion
These findings underscore the potential of Diaporthe as a biocontrol agent to enhance plant resistance against Fusarium wilt.
Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Breast Cancer through Multi-Chip Integration Analysis in GEO Database
Authors: Li Jia-Yi , Gao YaLi , Liu YaoBang , Bai ZhengYang , LI Ting , Ma Shuang , Zhang YangYang , Li JinPing
Published: June 2024

Background
Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. In China, the incidence and mortality of breast cancer are both on the rise, and the prevention and treatment of breast cancer has become one of the most important cancer research hot-spots. Although great progress has been made in breast cancer research in recent years, there is still a lack of reliable and effective methods for early diagnosis. In this study, bioinformatics technology and multi-chip joint analysis methods are used to screen new biomarkers that can be adopted in the early diagnosis of breast cancer, aiming to improve the early diagnosis rate of breast cancer and reduce the rate of mortality.
Methods
the bioinformatics analysis of the chip data downloaded by GEO was carried out by R software to screen the differentially-expressed genes in breast cancer, and analyzing the data by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis after a multi-chip joint, constructing the interaction network of differentially-expressed gene protein and screen HUB gene through string website and cytoscape software, downloading the expression of TCGA breast cancer samples and clinical data, analyzing the survival and prognosis of the selected HUB genes, identifying the differential expressions of HUB genes of breast cancer with GEPIA database and verifying the differential expressions of mRNA and protein levels of breast cancer tissue samples and breast cancer cells by RT-qPCR and western-blot methods.
Results
A total of 9 HUB genes were screened by multi-chip combined bioinformatics analysis, which were EZH2, CD36, LPL, ADIPOQ, LIPE, PLIN1, CAV1, LEP and PPARG respectively. Combined with clinical prognostic data, 6 breast cancer HUB genes were selected again, which were EZH2, CD36, ADIPOQ, LIPE, LEP and PPARG; Both the clinical samples and cell experiments confirmed the high expression of EZH2 in breast cancer and the low expression of CD36, ADIPOQ, LIPE, LEP and PPARG in breast cancer.
Conclusion
the differentially-expressed genes EZH2, CD36, ADIPOQ, LIPE, LEP and PPARG obtained by breast cancer GEO microarray analysis may be molecular markers for early diagnosis of breast cancer.
Resting state EEG in young children with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
Authors: Clements Caitlin C , Engelstad Anne-Michelle , Wilkinson Carol L. , Hyde Carly , Hartney Megan , Simmons Alexandra , Tager-Flusberg Helen , Jeste Shafali , Nelson Charles A
Published: June 2024

Background: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) manifests behaviorally with features of autism, epilepsy, and intellectual disability. Resting state electroencephalography (EEG) offers a window into neural oscillatory activity and may serve as an intermediate biomarker between gene expression and behavioral manifestations. Such a biomarker could be useful in clinical trials as an endpoint or predictor of treatment response. However, seizures and antiepileptic medications also affect resting neural oscillatory activity and could undermine the utility of resting state EEG features as biomarkers in neurodevelopmental disorders such as TSC.
Methods: This paper compares resting state EEG features in a cross-sectional cohort of young children with TSC (n=49, ages 12-37 months) to 49 age- and sex-matched typically developing controls. Within children with TSC, associations were examined between resting state EEG features, seizure severity composite score, and use of GABA agonists.
Results: Compared to matched typically developing controls, children with TSC showed significantly greater alpha and beta power in permutation cluster analyses iterated across a broad frequency range (2-50Hz). Children with TSC also showed significantly greater aperiodic offset after power spectra were parameterized using SpecParam into aperiodic and periodic components. Within children with TSC, greater seizure severity was significantly related to increased periodic peak beta power. Use of GABA agonists was also independently and significantly associated with increased periodic peak beta power; the interaction between seizure severity and GABA agonist use had no significant effect on peak beta power.
Conclusions: The elevated peak beta power observed in children with TSC compared to matched typically developing controls may be driven by both seizures and GABA agonist use. It is recommended to collect seizure and mediation data alongside EEG data for clinical trials. These results highlight the challenge of using resting state EEG features as biomarkers in trials with neurodevelopmental disabilities when epilepsy and anti-epileptic medication are common.
The neuroprotective effect of hUC-MSCs-derived secretome against alpha-synuclein aggregates on the blood-brain barrier
Authors: Marzookian Kimia , Aliakbari Farhang , Hourfar Hamdam , Sabouni Farzaneh , Otzen Daniel E. , Morshedi Dina
Published: June 2024

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a specialized network in the central nervous system that maintains CNS homeostasis. Disruption of the BBB can lead to nerve damage and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s (PD), characterized by alpha-synuclein (αSN) aggregation causing intracellular inclusions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promise in alleviating the severity of neurological diseases through their active secretions. However, the impact of MSCs secretome on the BBB remains largely unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) secretome on the BBB in the presence of toxic αSN-aggregates (αSN-AGs). Using in vitro BBB models established through mono- and co-culture systems of hCMEC/D3 cells, we assessed the influence of the secretome on the cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses induced by αSN-AGs. Our results demonstrate that the hUC-MSCs exerts protective effects by mitigating the toxic effects of αSN-AGs on the BBB. Particularly, this study showed a notable reduction in cytotoxicity and inflammation. Our findings highlight the potential of hUC-MSCs secretome as a promising candidate for innovative, cell-free therapies in PD treatment. Furthermore, we propose an optimized method for isolating MSCs from umbilical cord tissue, aimed to facilitating future research on the therapeutic applications of these cells.
Detecting Emotional Sentiments in Textual Data Using Various Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Sallam Amer A. , Saif Wedad Q. , Rassem Taha H. , Mohammed Badiea Abdulkarem
Published: June 2024

The digital age has led to a significant increase in text data, including social media updates, articles, and text messages. The ability to understand and extract emotions from this data is crucial in fields such as customer service analysis, psychological research, and social studies. It allows businesses and organizations to gain insight into customer opinions and emotions, leading to better decision-making and alignment with customer needs. However, accurately detecting emotions from text poses challenges due to linguistic structures, cultural nuances, and contextual differences. Although artificial intelligence and text analysis models have made progress in addressing these challenges, there is still a need for more sophisticated methodologies to understand textual content and explore emotions. This study aims to employ a range of machine learning and deep learning methods, including logistic regression, Extra tree classifier, voting classifier, SGD, linearSVC, BiLSTM, BERT, RoBERTa, and DistilBERT, to detect emotions in textual content. The objective is to analyze and compare the outcomes of these methods. This involves extracting features and semantic relationships using techniques such as Word2Vec and FastText, and integrating them with features derived from TF-IDF, Bag of Words (BoW), and N-grams. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of various models. Specifically, the SGD model utilizing N-grams and FastText achieved an accuracy of 88.42\% on the AIT-2018 dataset, while LinearSVC using N-grams and Word2Vec achieved an accuracy of 88.23\% on the ISEAR dataset. It is worth noting that the BERT transformer model outperformed others, achieving an accuracy of 93.67\% on the AIT-2018 dataset and 89.49\% on the ISEAR dataset. These results align with previous studies, further supporting their reliability and coherence.
KDM6A facilitates Xist upregulation at the onset of X inactivation
Authors: Lin Josephine , Zhang Jinli , Ma Li , Fang He , Ma Rui , Groneck Camille , Filippova Galina N. , Deng Xinxian , Ma Wenxiu , Disteche Christine M. , Berletch Joel B.
Published: June 2024

Background: X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a female-specific process in which one X chromosome is silenced to balance X-linked gene expression between the sexes. XCI is initiated in early development by upregulation of the lncRNA Xist on the future inactive X (Xi). A subset of X-linked genes escape silencing and thus have higher expression in females, suggesting female-specific functions. One of these genes is the highly conserved gene Kdm6a, which encodes a histone demethylase that removes methyl groups at H3K27 to facilitate gene expression. KDM6A mutations have been implicated in congenital disorders such as Kabuki Syndrome, as well as in sex differences in development and cancer.
Methods: Kdm6a was knocked out (KO) using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in hybrid female mouse embryonic stem cells derived from a 129 x Mus castaneus (cast) cross in which a transcriptional stop signal is inserted onto the 129 allele of Tsix, resulting in completely skewed silencing of the 129 X chromosome upon differentiation. Allelic RNA-seq was done to compare gene expression between wild-type and Kdm6aKO clones. The effects of Kdm6a KO on Xist expression during the onset of XCI and the resulting changes in XCI potency were investigated using allele-specific RNA-seq and RNA FISH. Changes in H3K27me3 enrichment on the Xi in KO cells were investigated by CUT&RUN followed by allelic analysis. KDM6A binding to the Xist gene during the onset of XCI in wild-type cells was characterized by CUT&RUN.
Results:We observed impaired upregulation of Xist during early stages of differentiation in hybrid mouse ES cells following CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of Kdm6a. This is associated with reduced Xist RNA coating of the Xi, suggesting diminished XCI potency. Indeed, Kdm6aknockout results in aberrant overexpression of genes from the Xi after differentiation. Consistent with a direct role in Xist regulation, KDM6A binds to the Xist promoter and knockout cells show an increase in H3K27me3 at Xist.
Conclusions:These results reveal a novel female-specific role for the X-linked histone demethylase, KDM6A in the initiation of XCI through histone demethylase-dependent activation of Xistduring early differentiation.
Large scale reorientation in cubic Rayleigh-Bénard convection using particle tracking velocimetry
Authors: Barta Robin , Wagner Claus
Published: June 2024

We measured the three-dimensional velocity field of a large-scale reorientation in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection with a high Rayleigh number Ra = $2.5\cdot 10^9$ by long-term particle tracking velocimetry measurements over 30 hours in a water-filled cubic cell with a side length of $L=300$ mm. Reorientations are characterized by the large-scale circulation in the flow changing its orientation from one cell diagonal to the other, and they are rare events; one can expect about one reorientation per day in our measurement. No other three-dimensional velocity field measurements of such events are known in the literature. Dominant flow structures during the reorientation are extracted from the measurement data using POD. The convergence of the POD is supported by applying the symmetries of the cubic RB cell to our data set to make it equiprobalbe so that it mimics a long time series of reorientation events. The decomposition reveals degenerate mode pairs, i.e. modes that have the same energy and describe the same state, which is consistent with reorientation results found in the literature for DNS of turbulent RBC in cubic cells. The first six modes of the decomposition account for about 70\% of the total energy and contain the most important coherent structures in the system. Modes 1-3 reflect the orientation and dynamics of the large-scale circulation, i.e., the primary flow structure, and modes 4-6 provide the orientation and dynamics of corner circulations, i.e., the secondary flow structures. A pure $Y$ roll structure is observed in the middle of the reorientation event.
Primary ciliary dyskinesia as a rare cause of male infertility – case report and literature overview
Authors: Novák Jan , Horáková Lenka , Puchmajerová Alena , Vik Viktor , Krátká Zuzana , Thon Vojtěch
Published: June 2024

Background: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a heterogenous disease caused by mutations of miscellaneous genes which physiologically play an important role in proper structure and/or function of various cellular cilia including sperm flagella. Besides male infertility, the typical phenotypes, based on decreased mucociliary clearance, are lifelong respiratory issues, i.e., chronic bronchitis leading to bronchiectasis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and chronic otitis media. Moreover, since motile cilia are important during embryological development in the sense of direction of gut rotation, 50% of affected individuals develop situs inversus – so-called Kartagener’s syndrome.
Case presentation: We present two cases of PCD as a rare cause of male infertility.
Conclusions: Primary ciliary dyskinesia should be suspected in infertile males having (sub)normal sperm concentration values with persistent zero motility together with patient’s and/or family history of respiratory symptoms like bronchiectasis, chronic cough, rhinitis, recurrent sinusitis, and otitis media. Due to more than 50 identified mutations until now, the causal mechanism of male infertility is miscellaneous and not in all cases known in detail. Besides impaired sperm motility, other mechanisms significantly decreasing efficacy of assisted reproduction techniques play a pivotal role. Thus, proper diagnostic work-up including among other sperm DNA fragmentation is mandatory to avoid ineffective treatment burden.
The COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity, and psychosocial well-being in young South Africans newly diagnosed with HIV: a mediation analysis
Authors: Bondarchuk Connor , Lemon Tiffany , Medina-Marino Andrew , Rousseau Elzette , Sindelo Siyaxolisa , Sibanda Nkosiypha , Butler Lisa , Bekker Linda-Gail , Earnshaw Valerie , Katz Ingrid
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND: Poor psychological well-being, including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, is both prevalent among young South Africans living with HIV and associated with poor HIV clinical outcomes. By impacting food insecurity and employment, the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced psychological well-being in this population. This analysis sought to examine whether food insecurity and unemployment mediated the relationship between study cohort (pre- versus during-pandemic) and psychological well-being in our sample of young South Africans living with HIV.
METHODS: This was a secondary analysis comparing baseline data from two cohorts of young South Africans ages 18-24 from the Cape Town and East London metro areas who tested positive for HIV at clinics (or mobile clinics) either before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline sociodemographic, economic, and psychological outcomes were analyzed through a series of bivariate logistic regression and mediation analyses. All data were analyzed in 2023 and 2024.
RESULTS: Reported food anxiety, insufficient food quality, and insufficient food quantity were lower in the cohort recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic than those recruited before the pandemic (p<0.001). Higher levels of food insecurity predicted higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and lower self-esteem. Food anxiety, insufficient food quality, and insufficient food quality, but not unemployment, mediated the relationship between study cohort and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and self-esteem.
CONCLUSION: Food insecurity may have decreased amongst our sample of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings build on our understanding of how the psychological well-being of young people living with HIV was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and may lend support to interventions targeting food insecurity to improve psychological well-being in this population.
Official Turnovers and Economic Growth: Evidence from China
Authors: Gu Jiafeng
Published: June 2024

The positive interaction between economic growth and official turnover can promote high-quality and stable economic development. Using data from 275 prefecture-level cities in China from 2016 to 2020, this study applies a spatial panel simultaneous equation model to investigate the relationship between economic growth and official turnover, and reveals a two-way relationship. A city's economic growth (official turnover) promotes the growth (official turnover) of other cities in the same province but inhibits their official turnover (economic growth). Heterogeneity analysis by region shows a significant spillover effect of official turnover in one city on economic growth and official turnover in other cities in the same province in the central-eastern region, but not in the western region.
JEL code: C33; P35;P11;O12
Exploring the Causal Effects of 731 Immune Cell Phenotypes on Asthma: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Shi Jian , Li Han
Published: June 2024

Background:Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition characterized by reversible airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and inflammation, influenced by genetic predispositions, environmental exposures, and immune responses. Current treatments focus primarily on symptom management, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of the disease mechanisms.
Methods: This study employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationships between 731 immune cell phenotypes and asthma susceptibility. Using genetic variants as instrumental variables, we aimed to address confounding and reverse causation biases typical of observational studies. Data were sourced from the FinnGen database's GWAS summary statistics and immune trait data from the GWAS catalog. Various MR methods, including MR Egger, Weighted Median, Inverse Variance Weighted, Simple Mode, and Weighted Mode, were utilized.
Results:
Our study has identified six immune cell phenotypes that exhibit potential causal relationships with asthma.After adjustments for a False Discovery Rate (FDR) less than 0.05, the expression of HLA-DR on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) was significantly associated with asthma, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.054 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 1.029 to 1.080 (P = 2.02E-05, PFDR = 0.015).The following immune phenotypes also demonstrated notable associations:CD62L− CD86+ myeloid DC percentage (p = 3.354E-04; PFDR = 0.078; 95% CI = 1.031 to 1.049),CD3 expression on CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) (p = 1.661E-04; PFDR = 0.061; 95% CI = 0.959 to 0.980),CD33 expression on dimly expressed CD33 HLA-DR+ CD11b− cells (p = 5.471E-04; PFDR = 0.078; 95% CI = 1.019 to 1.030),CD33 on monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (Mo MDSCs) (p = 6.0433E-04; PFDR = 0.078; 95% CI = 1.018 to 1.028),HLA-DR expression on CD33− HLA-DR+ cells (p = 4.472E-04; PFDR = 0.078; 95% CI = 1.064 to 1.102). Similarly, we conducted reverse MR analysis, which revealed no significant association between immune traits and asthma at a significance level of 0.05.
Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the significant role of specific immune cell phenotypes in asthma pathogenesis and suggest potential targets for precision medicine strategies.
Comparison of the Relationship Between Calf Circumference and Vitamin D with Orthostatic Intolerance and Vasovagal Syncope in Children
Authors: irdem Ahmet , Ergin Selma Oktay , Kaçar Alper , Yüksel Ayşen
Published: June 2024

Purpose
The aim of this study is to elucidate the relationship between calf circumference, calf circumference to leg length ratio, and vitamin D in patients presenting with orthostatic intolerance (OI) and vasovagal syncope (VVS)
Methods
This retrospective study included 313 pediatric patients, and 128 healthy pediatric individuals served as the control group. All anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height, body mass index, leg length, calf circumference, and calf circumference to leg length ratio, were performed by the same individual using standardized criteria to ensure reliability. Blood values, including vitamin D, electrocardiography, and echocardiography, were evaluated by the same physician
Results
There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the variables in terms of age, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, TSH, T4, B12 vitamin, and ferritin values. Additionally, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of LVIDd, LVIDs, IVSd, IVSs, LVPWd, LVPWs, and fractional shortening. However, serum vitamin D, calf circumference, calf circumference to leg length ratio, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure results were found to be 12.2 ± 4.4, 24.8 ± 7.9, 31.1 ± 3.7, 34.0 ± 3.7, 0.3 ± 0.4, 0.3 ± 0.4, 103.1 ± 10.2, 108.9 ± 10.9, 61.8 ± 8.7, and 68.9 ± 8.8 respectively in the patient and control groups. Serum vitamin D, calf circumference, calf circumference to leg length ratio, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure results were found to be significantly lower in the patient group (p < 0.005)
Conclusions
In this study, we found that calf circumference, calf circumference to leg length ratio, and vitamin D levels were lower in patients presenting with VVS and/or orthostatic intolerance (OI). We believe that measuring vitamin D levels and calf circumference may be considered as a tool for assessing muscle mass in patients with OI and VVS syncope.
DNA barcode developement based on chloroplast and ITS genes for species identification of endangered and threated species of
Authors: Fatima Tanzeem , MN Srividya , Singh Raj Kishore
Published: June 2024

Accurate identification is crucial for conserving species, especially in regions such as the Western Ghats, where trade poses a significant threat to endangered and threatened forest species. Traditional morphology-based identification can be challenging and time-consuming, leading to inaccuracies, especially with similar-looking species or dried specimens. Therefore, DNA barcoding offers a potent solution for precise species identification to address illicit trade and address impactful conservation measures. DNA barcoding is a taxonomic technique that uses standardized short DNA sequences to differentiate and classify species. This approach is especially valuable when morphological characteristics alone are insufficient for accurate species identification. In this study, we focused on the development of a DNA barcoding system for the efficient and accurate identification of threatened and endangered important forest species of Western Ghats Karnataka. To develop the DNA barcoding system, a multilocus approach utilizing sixteen standard DNA barcoding markers was used. A total of 47 threatened and endangered forest species from the Western Ghats were selected for this study. Using a larger number of markers to develop DNA barcodes led to the most precise species identification rates. Moreover, the wide availability of DNA barcode databases allows for quick and accurate species identification. In our study, we observed the highest amplification rates for rbcL1 (40 species), psbtrnH2 (36 species), and PsbA-trnH1 (33 species). DNA amplification varied from 11.76–94.11%. Notably, the highest DNA amplification rates were detected for A. wightii (94.11%) and A. hondala (92.34%), both of which belong to the Arecaceae and Passifloraceae families, respectively. Sequencing success rates ranged from 37.5–100%. This study will aid in the development of a database of available threatened forest species in western Ghats Karnataka and other regions.
Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence Analysis Revealed Double Matrilineal Components in Indian Ghungroo Pigs
Authors: Das Pranab Jyoti , Kumar Satish , Choudhury Manasee , Pegu Seema Rani , K Meera , Deb Rajib , Kumar Sunil , Banik Santanu , Gupta Vivek Kumar
Published: June 2024

This research aimed to characterize the mitochondrial genome of the Ghungroo (GH) pig, a notable breed in India, along with its crossbred varieties, to elucidate their matrilineal components, evolutionary history, and implications for conservation. Seven pigs (5 GH, 2 crossbred, namely Rani and Asha) were sequenced for complete mitochondrial genome, while 24 pigs (11 GH, 6 Rani, and 7 Asha) were sequenced for the complete D-loop of the mitochondrial genome. The genome size of these pigs was determined to be 16690 bp. Analysis of the mitochondrial sequences and phylogenetics uncovered two distinct matrilineal components within the GH population, a phenomenon also observed in its crossbred counterparts, Rani and Asha. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a clear clustering of GH sequences into two clades, indicating the presence of two independent maternal lineages. Haplotype analysis revealed 10 different haplotypes, with some sequences shared among GH, Rani, and Asha, while others differed due to varying matrilineal origins. Furthermore, examination of tRNA genes and nucleotide composition offered insights into genetic diversity within these pigs. The findings suggest that geographical isolation and historical events likely contributed to the emergence of distinct maternal lineages within the GH breed. This study underscores the significance of mitochondrial DNA analysis in uncovering hidden genetic diversity within seemingly uniform populations. The molecular insights gained into the genetic makeup of GH pigs could aid in designing effective breeding programs for conservation efforts and highlight its significance in understanding the broader context of pig domestication in India.
Enhanced uniformity of zirconia coating for high power lasers via solvent replacement and PEG-doping
Authors: Hu Wenjie , Zhang Ce , Li Nini , Wu Shengli , Xu Yao
Published: June 2024

Zirconia coating has a lot of promise when it comes to enhancing the optical performance and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the mirror in laser systems. In this work, a high LIDT ZrO2 coating was created using the sol-gel spin coating technique. The anhydrous ethanol solvent was substituted with alcohol ether solvent, and the spin coating technique was employed to achieve a macro homogeneous and flawless ZrO2 coating. Additionally, organic polymer polyethylene glycol (average Mn 200, PEG200) doping was used to achieve the uniform ZrO2 coating with LIDT. ZrO2-PEG composite coatings with consistent LIDT and exceptional optical properties were created. Alcohol ether solvents helped the sol produce a more homogeneous gel coating on the substrate, as demonstrated by the ZrO2 coating microscope pictures. The LIDT with a 0.5 wt.% PEG200 content was the most uniform. PEG200 organic molecules were able to alter the link state of the ZrO2 particles. The macroscopic mechanical characteristics of the coatings revealed that the hardness and elastic modulus of the ZrO2-PEG composite coating were mostly influenced by the PEG200 content. When the PEG200 content was 0.3 wt.%, the hardness and elastic modulus of the ZrO2-PEG composite coating were the lowest with the highest of the LIDT at 39.25±3.13 J/cm2 (@ 1064 nm, 11 ns, 1 mm2).
A Study on Cytokines In Severe and Non-severe Malaria in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Odisha.
Authors: Patnaik Madhusmita , Patnaik Gautam , Sarangi Ashok kumar , Nayak Alok Ranjan , Sarangi Anshuman
Published: June 2024

Background: Odisha state, one of the leading contributors to the malaria burden in India as it accounted for around 27% of India’s malaria cases having 17.6% of all reported deaths. It has been seen that the cytokines, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory can be taken as the markers for both complication or severity of Malaria. Hence our study is essentially meant to study cytokines in both vivax and falciparum of malaria in our area.
Methods: Haematological parameters like Haemoglobin, Platelet count and other hematocrit was accessed. From serum part biochemical tests like Liver function test, Blood sugar levels, Kidney function test and Glucose 6- Phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) was done. From the serum cytokines study particularly pro and anti-Inflammatory cytokines were done involved in Malaria.
Results: Out of 39 cases9 were severe and 30 nonsevere malaria.The mean age of cases in severe malaria was 42.72 ± 17.14 years and 36.17 ±14.07 years in nonsevere malaria.IL1b levels were higher in both vivax and falciparum malaria.IL-4 levels are lower in non-severe malaria compared to severe group.. IL-6, IL-7 levels in non-severe and severe groups, IL-8 levels were very high in falciparum and IL-9 levels were lower in malaria cases whereas IL-10 , TNF-alpha levels were higher.
Conclusion: IL-8 and IL-1b both can be taken as marker in severe malaria infection. As it is often difficult to assess the progression and severity of malaria in the early stages, these arrays of cytokines can be useful in diagnostic as well as prognostic purpose.
Sentiment Analysis with Graph Convolutional Networks using directed PMI
Authors: Ameripour Mina , Seydi Vahid
Published: June 2024

Sentiment analysis is a fast-growing area of research in natural language processing (NLP) and more specifically text classification which makes it possible to automatically detect the sentiment of data and is used in a wide range of applications. Many studies have applied deep learning techniques to text classification trying to mend the shortcomings of previous methods and improve their performance. In recent years several studies have applied the powerful graph convolutional networks (GCNs) to text classification problems, demonstrating promising results. However, most GCNs can’t directly work on directed graphs and make full use of the informative graph structure and these models’ capabilities. As order is extremely important in sentiment analysis tasks and most datasets in this field contain short texts, considering the order of words and creating a directed graph can add extra information to model and improve the training process. In this study we introduce DPMI (Directed PMI) as a measure to calculate word associations between word nodes considering the order of word occurrence and enhance one of the powerful existing GCN models named Text GCN, to accept directed graphs. The results show that adding order and using the proper aggregation function can improve the accuracy of predictions without adding complexity to the model.
3D WCSPH modelling of the 1963 Vajont landslide
Authors: Manenti Sauro , Salis Nicolò , Todeschini Sara
Published: June 2024

This study illustrates the full-scale 3D numerical simulation of the coupled water-landslide dynamics of the 1963 Vajont catastrophic event. The focus is given to the early phase of the event when about 270 million cubic meters of rock fell into the reservoir within an estimated runout time of about 25 seconds. A complex surge wave system developed throughout the basin in the first 40-55 seconds, producing maximum run-up of 270 m above the dam crowning. The mesh-free Lagrangian weakly compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH) method is adopted to discretize and solve the coupled system of governing equations for the landslide and water dynamics. The novelties regard the validation of a derived model and the influence of water saturated soil on prediction of surge wave run-up. The average values from technical literature are assigned to mechanical parameters without tuning or calibration. The maximum flooding on the opposite side of the valley and the peak flow rate of the discharge hydrograph through the dam section show good agreement with reference data and improvements with respect to published results. The validated derived model proves to be a promising engineering tool for quantifying the level of risk in analogous applications.