bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties of UV-Curable Palm Oil-Based Polyurethane Reinforced with Fluoroacrylate Monomer
Authors: Isa Mohamad Ismail Bin Mohamad , Roslan Rasidi , Salim Nurjannah , Mustapha Rohani , Mustapha Siti Noor Hidayah
Published: March 2024

Functionalized monomer with specific chain length leads to different behaviors of UV-curable polymers. Due to the high demand for high-performance bio-based coating, this research was conducted to understand the effect of fluoroacrylate monomer (FAM) additions on physicochemical properties of palm oil-based polyurethane (POPU) coating. POPU oligomer was synthesized through a series of steps which was acrylation and isocyanation to form acrylated epoxidized palm oil (AEPO) and POPU oligomer, respectively. The POPU oligomer was further added with trimethylolpropane triacrylate and 1,6 hexamethyl diacrylate monomers at 60/30/10 wt% compositions respectively to form 100 wt% resin and followed by the addition of FAM at different concentrations (2–12 parts per hundred resin, phr). The sample was cast on a silicone mold at 1 mm thickness and cured under UV radiation for 60 seconds. The chemical structure elucidation was successfully done by NMR on AEPO and POPU. In 1H NMR analysis, C = C group was detected at 2.0–3.0 ppm and OH peak at 3.687 ppm. For POPU, peak at 3.0 ppm in 1H NMR analysis suggested that NH functional has formed. In 13C NMR, the existence of urethane linkage at 172 ppm further confirmed the reaction. The SEM and XRD results revealed that the addition of FAM induced separation between molecules, which lowered the crosslinking density of POPU coating. The thermal properties of POPU improved glass transition temperature (Tg) of the coating by 2.64% at the addition of 2 phr FAM. The physical properties of POPU was also improved as excellent adhesion properties of FPOPU was shown at 2–6 phr FAM additionsult for glass (4B), wood (3B), steel (5B to 4B). The hardness also improved across all substrates, such as glass (2H to 6H), wood (3H to 4H), and steel (7H to 8H). On the other hand, the addition of higher FAM concentrations (8–12 phr) showed a reduction in thermal properties as the Tg decreased by 7.54%. Moreover, physical properties of FPOPU also deteriorate as high concentration of FAM added. The hardness decreased for glass (6H to 3H) and steel (6H to 5H). Adhesion also decreased for all the substrates tested, including glass (3B to 2B), wood (3B to 2B), and steel (5B to 3B). The optimum fluoroacrylate addition contributing to high adhesion, hardness and thermal performance was observed at 4 phr, and the best surface application was steel surface.
Twelve-month analysis of real-world evidence from a commercial telehealth obesity treatment provider
Authors: Ard Jamy , Hong Young-Rock , Foster Gary , Medcalf Adam , Nadolsky Spencer , Cardel Michelle
Published: March 2024

Telehealth for obesity treatment has many advantages, particularly as new anti-obesity medications (AOM) increase treatment demand. However, there is scant research on the effectiveness of large-scale telehealth obesity treatment. This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from adults who initiated AOM treatment with the WeightWatchers (WW) Clinic telehealth program between January 2022 to July 2023. N=53,590 individuals initiated treatment, and 6,089 had 12-month follow-up data. Patients were predominantly female with a mean BMI of 36.9 kg/m2. Average weight loss was 8.9% at 3 months in the initiation cohort, and 19.4% at 12 months in the 12-month cohort. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) based treatments were predominant. Side effects were consistent with classes of medications used, and frequency declined over time. This real-world analysis of a telehealth-delivered obesity treatment program demonstrated outcomes consistent with recent phase 3 clinical trials of AOMs, suggesting generalizability beyond clinical trial and in-person settings.
Ad26.M.Env ZIKV vaccine protects pregnant rhesus macaques and fetuses against Zika virus infection
Authors: Martinot Amanda , Cox Freek , Abbink Peter , Hecht Jonathon , Bronson Roderick , Borducchi Erica , Rinaldi William , Ferguson Melissa , Barrera Rafael De La , Fits Leslie van der , Barouch Dan
Published: March 2024

At the start of the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in 2015, ZIKV spread across South and Central America, and reached parts of the southern United States placing pregnant women at risk for fetal microcephaly, fetal loss, and other adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with congenital ZIKA syndrome (CZS). For this reason, testing of a safe and efficacious ZIKV vaccine remains a global health priority. Here we report that a single immunization with Ad26.M.Env ZIKV vaccine, when administered prior to conception, fully protects pregnant rhesus macaques from ZIKV viremia in blood and tissues with no adverse effects in dams and fetuses. Furthermore, vaccination prevents ZIKV distribution in fetal tissues including brain. ZIKV associated neuropathology was absent in offspring of Ad26.M.Env vaccinated dams, although pathology was limited in sham vaccinated controls. Vaccine efficacy is associated with induction of ZIKV neutralizing antibodies in pregnant rhesus macaques. A Phase I trial showed that Ad26.M.Env (Ad26.ZIKV.001) was safe and immunogenic in people. These data suggest the feasibility of vaccine prevention of ZCS in humans.
Single-cell electro-mechanical cytometry
Authors: Morgan Hywel , Spencer Daniel , Chen Junyu
Published: March 2024

The complex structural and molecular features of a cell lead to a set of specific dielectric and mechanical properties which can serve as intrinsic phenotypic markers that enable different cell populations to be characterised and distinguished. We have developed a novel microfluidic technique that simultaneously measures both the electrical and mechanical properties of single cells at high speed. Cells flow along a microchannel and are deformed (elongated) to different degrees by the shear force created by a viscoelastic fluid and channel wall. The electrical impedance of each cell is measured along orthogonal axes to determine the shape change and thus the electrical deformability, along with cell dielectric properties. The system performance was evaluated by measuring the electro-mechanical properties of cells treated in different ways, including osmotic shock, glutaraldehyde cross-linking and cytoskeletal disruption with cytochalasin D and latrunculin B. This novel cytometer has a throughput of ~ 100 cells s− 1 is simple, and does not require sheath flow or rely on high speed optical imaging
Public and Local Policymaker Preferences for Large-Scale Energy Project Characteristics
Authors: Caggiano Holly , Constantino Sara , Greig Chris , Weber Elke
Published: March 2024

Rapidly building utility-scale energy infrastructure requires not only public support, but also political will across levels of government. This research explores determinants of opposition and support for large-scale energy projects among residents and local elected officials in Pennsylvania—a key transition state due its high solar potential, and where siting authority rests at the local level. This work extends prior research by using a conjoint to compare many project characteristics simultaneously, expanding the set of characteristics typically considered, sampling both the public and elected officials in a key transition state, and assessing the accuracy of public officials’ perceptions of their constituents. Using a conjoint experiment, we assess support for different characteristics of energy projects among a demographically representative sample of residents (n = 894) and a sample of local elected officials (n = 206). Key findings include that creation of permanent, union-wage jobs and cooperative community ownership increases support for energy projects and that solar projects are preferred over wind, nuclear, and natural gas power plants with carbon capture and storage. Support among both the public and local elected officials is lower when projects are owned by foreign companies. Strikingly, we find limited partisan differences in preferences for large scale renewable energy project characteristics, suggesting a promising path towards building bipartisan support for such projects. We also find, however, that local elected officials misperceive the preferences of their constituents, underestimating support for renewable energy and the importance of job creation. Given the role of local elected officials as key decision-makers regarding energy infrastructure development, their preferences and how they perceive their constituents’ preferences may dictate what types of energy projects are approved and what benefits they deliver to local communities.
Shared genetic architecture and causal relationship between the age at first sex and COVID-19: A large-scale cross-trait analysis
Authors: Ruan Zhe , Fan Zhihua , Liu Zhi , Huang Zebing , Hu Xingwang , Zhou Pengcheng , Fan Xuegong , Chen Lizhang , Zhao Shushan
Published: March 2024

COVID-19 is genetically associated with numerous immune disorders, and young age at first intercourse (AFS) may lead to early activation of innate immunity. However, the genetic overlap between COVID-19 and AFS remains undetermined. Here we perform a large-scale cross-trait analysis to investigate their shared genetic etiology and causal relationship. An overall negative genetic correlation between the AFS and three COVID-19 traits was observed. We further identified 186, 221, and 213 shared genetic loci for AFS-COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and severity, respectively. Among these shared loci, those closest to the genes CADM2, and ARPC1B showed the strongest signals. Our post-GWAS functional analysis revealed that the shared mapped genes were mainly involved in neural genesis and development within several brain structures. Finally, bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) results showed that earlier sexual debut may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization, and severity.
Target detection of diamond nanostructures based on improved YOLOv8 modeling
Authors: Guo Fengxiang , Guo Xinyun , Guo Lei , Wang Qinhang , Liu Shousheng , Zhang Mei , Liu Yan , Gai Zhigang
Published: March 2024

Boron-doped diamond thin films exhibit extensive applications in chemical sensing, in which functionalized nanostructures on the surfaces enhances further the performance of these films. However, targets detecting within such nanostructures faces great challenges such as noise, unclear object boundaries, and mutual occlusion, leading to inaccuracies in existing detection models. To tackle these challenges, we optimized the YOLOv8 model and introduced DWS-YOLOv8 for target detection of diamond nanostructures. The integration of the Deformable Convolutional C2f (DCN_C2f) module into the backbone network allowed adaptive adjustment of the network's receptive field. Moreover, incorporating the Shuffle Attention (SA) mechanism effectively addressed detail loss during convolutional iterations and reduced noise's impact on prediction results. Finally, leveraging Wise-IoU (WIoU) v3 as the bounding box regression loss enhanced the model's focus on diamond nanostructure samples, thereby improving localization capability. Experimental results showcase that compared to YOLOv8, our model achieves a 9.4% higher detection accuracy with reduced computational complexity. Furthermore, the recall rate (R) saw an increase of 0.6%, mAP@0.5 improved by 2.6%, and mAP@0.5:0.95 increased by 0.6%. Additionally, DWS-YOLOv8 demonstrated enhancements in precision (P), recall (R), mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95, validating the effectiveness of our approach in enhancing target detection performance.
WITHDRAWN: Understanding the Influence of Cultural Factors on Entrepreneurial Behavior
Authors: DeScioli Peter
Published: March 2024

5 March, 2024. Research Square has withdrawn this preprint as it was submitted by someone using the name Peter DeScioli without the knowledge or consent of the real Peter DeScioli.
Causal Effect of Omega-3 on male infertility and female infertility: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Wang Yan , Chen Jiamin , Xie Zuogang , Bo Yali , wan Lingyi , Chen Wangqiang
Published: March 2024

The association between Omega-3 and human reproduction is uncertain. This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aims to examine the causal relationship between Omega-3 intake and male and female reproduction. We utilized summary statistics data from 120,550 male participants and 120,706 female participants in the FinnGen consortium. Summary statistics for Omega-3 were extracted from a genome-wide association study involving up to 445,562 participants predominantly of European ancestry. MR analysis employed established methods, including Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW), Weighted Median (WM), and MR-Egger. Genetic determination of male infertility [IVW odds ratio (OR) = 2.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.13, 42.03, P = 0.57] and female infertility [IVW odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.63, 3.54, P = 0.37] was not associated with Omega-3 intake. The result of MR study does not provide support for a causal impact of Omega-3 intake on male and female reproduction.
The PGPR Revolution: Empowering Porang Plant Growth with Cellulolytic-Hydrolizing, Nitrogen-Fixing, and Phosphate-Solubilizing Prodigies
Authors: Masniawati A , Johannes Eva , Yusran Yusran , Zainal Zainal , Mustopa Apon Zaenal , Manguntungi Baso , Muis Nurmuliayanti , Nurdin Muhammad Rizaldi Trias Jaya Putra , Sari Arlinda Puspita , Ariandi Ariandi , Arifin Asia , Sari Dwi Ratna , Makerra Andi Dewi Rizka Ainulia , Ikram Fadhil Zil , Ilham Muhammad , Anggara Mietra , Anwar Muh. Chaerul , Syahrir Nur Hilal A , Irlan Irlan , Ridwan Riana Anggraeny , Mutiara Ilma , Akmaliyah Rizna
Published: March 2024

Porang rhizosphere harbors a diverse range of bacteria, which play pivotal roles in driving essential soil processes that, in turn, regulate the overall functionality of terrestrial ecosystems. This study primarily focuses on the PGPR (Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) properties of these strains, which possess cellulolytic, nitrogen-fixing, and phosphate-solubilizing abilities. The research was carried out by isolating bacteria from the porang rhizosphere. The isolated bacteria were then tested for their ability to hydrolyze cellulose, fix nitrogen and dissolve phosphate. Apart from that, a capability test was also carried out in producing IAA. Isolate UPc22 consistently exhibited higher cellulolytic activity, as evidenced by both cellulose hydrolyzing efficiency cellulase activity and IAA production. UPn24 demonstrated the most active nitrogen-fixing activity, with consistently higher mean values for both activity efficiency and nitrogenase activity quantification. UPp36 displayed notably high phosphate-solubilization efficiency values in plate assays. In enzymatic assays, isolate UPp36 exhibited the highest activity. Based on that assays, 15 potential isolates were selected for each group. For cellulolytic bacteria, the selected isolates were similar with Rhizobium cellulosilyticum Strain H349, Paenibacillus pinihumi Strain CM6, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Strain JCM 1988, Paenibacillus cellulositrophicus Strain P-21, and Bacillus thuringiensis Strain RG17-11. For nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the chosen isolates comprise Azotobacter vinelandii Strain PWB, Delftia lacustris Strain R-54356, Bacillus subtilis Strain A14d3B, Pseudomonas stutzeri Strain DSM 5190T, and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae Strain KqPF26. For phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, the selected isolates was similar with Pseudomonas putida Strain GPo1, Bacillus magterium Strain WF6, Bacillus licheniformis Strain 51.5, Klebsiella singaporensis Strain 01A065, and Burkholderia cepacia Strain PRS.
Claudin-1 enhances chemoresistance of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells mediated by forming an amino acid barrier
Authors: Kimura Riho , Ito Ayaka , Hashimoto Shotaro , Eguchi Hiroaki , Nasako Haruka , Takashina Yui , Morikawa Yoshifumi , Suenami Koichi , Yoshino Yuta , Endo Satoshi , Matsunaga Toshiyuki , Ikari Akira
Published: March 2024

Claudin-1 (CLDN1) is highly expressed in human lung adenocarcinoma-derived A549 cells and is involved in the augmentation of chemoresistance. However, the mechanism of chemoresistance is not fully understood. In the tumor microenvironment, cancer cells are exposed to stress conditions such as hypoxia and malnutrition. Here, we investigated the effect of CLDN1 expression on amino acid (AA) flux and chemoresistance using A549 cells. L-type AA transporters, LAT1 and LAT3, were highly expressed in three-dimensional spheroid cells compared with in two-dimensional (2D) cultured cells. The expression of these transporters was increased by AA deprivation in 2D cultured cells. The paracellular AA flux except for Ser, Thr, and Tyr was enhanced by CLDN1 silencing. The expression of AA transporters and AA contents in spheroids were decreased by CLDN1 silencing. These results suggest that CLDN1 forms a paracellular AA barrier, leading to a compensatory increase in LAT1/3 expression in spheroids. The production of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria and cytosol was decreased by CLDN1 silencing in spheroids, resulting in downregulation of the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its target antioxidant genes. CLDN1 silencing enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin, an anthracycline antitumor agent, which was blocked by sulforaphane, an Nrf2 activator. In 2D cultured cells, the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin was attenuated by a reduction in extracellular AA concentration or treatment with sulforaphane. We suggest that CLDN1 forms an AA barrier in spheroids, leading to the augmentation of Nrf2-dependent chemoresistance in A549 cells.
Enhanced Space Debris detection and monitoring using a hybrid Bi-LSTM- CNN and Bayesian Optimization
Authors: Priyadarshini Ishaani
Published: March 2024

Monitoring space debris is vital for ensuring the safety of space missions and satellite operations amid the increasing number of satellites and spacecraft in orbit. The study addresses this challenge by proposing a novel approach based on a hybrid Bi-LSTM-CNN architecture optimized using Bayesian Optimization. Through extensive analysis utilizing machine learning and deep learning techniques, the study develops a robust space debris detection system capable of classifying both the object type and Radar Cross Section (RCS) size. The proposed method outperforms existing approaches by demonstrating superior performance across multiple evaluation metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Moreover, the study considers the practical aspect of training time, ensuring efficiency in real-time applications. Empirical validation on real-world datasets confirms the effectiveness and efficiency of the hybrid model in accurately detecting and predicting space debris types. Overall, this research significantly advances space debris monitoring capabilities, mitigating risks associated with space exploration and satellite operations, and offers comprehensive insights into potential hazards and optimizing mitigation strategies.
Scalp cooling therapy for chemotherapy-induced hair loss in Asian patients with breast or gynecological cancers – a tertiary institution experience
Authors: Lee Victor , Loh Jerold , Hui Fu , Sundar Raghav , Tan Belinda , Chong Lee Moy , Lin Hui Ying , Ong Lay Ching , Visvanadan Nisha , Ow Samuel , Wong Andrea , Chan Gloria , Lim Siew Eng , Lim Yi Wan , Tan David , Ang Yvonne , Choo Joan , Lee Matilda , Ngoi Natalie , Lee Soo Chin , Paxman Richard , Parker Anna , Lee Yee Mei , Lim Joline
Published: March 2024

Purpose
Scalp cooling therapy (SCT) improves chemotherapy induced alopecia (CIA), but there are few published data about its efficacy in an Asian-predominant population. We report our tertiary institution experience of SCT in patients with breast or gynaecological cancers undergoing chemotherapy.
Methods
The Paxman scalp cooling system was employed for eligible women with breast or gynaecological cancers receiving anthracycline or taxane based chemotherapy. Only patients with Grade (G) 0–1 alopecia by common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) version 4.0 were eligible initially, but patients with G2 alopecia were later included in the study. SCT was performed at each chemotherapy cycle, commencing 30 minutes prior to and continuing up to 90 minutes after completion of the drug infusion. Patients were assessed at the start and end of each session for hair preservation (defined as G0–2 alopecia) and comfort level of SCT (rated on a 5-point visual scale). The primary end point was success of hair preservation or hair regrowth after completion of all cycles of chemotherapy.
Results
83 participants were enrolled over a period of 18 months from December 2017 to October 2019, with a total of 510 scalp cooling cycles performed. 94.0% (n = 78) of patients reported a comfort score of 3 (indicating that procedure was comfortable) and above upon a 5-point visual scale. Patients receiving weekly paclitaxel had highest success in hair preservation at 76.7% (23/30 patients), with a lower rate of hair preservation observed for the 3-weekly paclitaxel regimen (50%, 2/4 patients). In contrast, only 1 patient (5.3%, 1/19 patients) who underwent chemotherapy with anthracycline and cyclophosphamide achieved hair preservation.
Conclusion
SCT is well tolerated in an Asian predominant population. Among women with breast or gynaecological cancers in Singapore receiving taxane and/or anthracycline based chemotherapy, those who underwent SCT were about 50% more likely to achieve hair preservation or hair regrowth, as compared to historical controls.
Working with a Robot in Hospital and Long-Term Care Homes : Staff experience
Authors: Ren Lily Ren Haopu , Wong Karen Lok Yi , Wong Joey , Kleiss Sarah , Berndt Annette , Mann Jim , Hussein Ali , Hu Grace , Wong Lily , Khong Ruth , Fu Jason , Ahmed Nazia , Nolte Julia , Hung Lillian
Published: March 2024

Although there is a growing literature on the use of telepresence robots in institutional dementia care settings, limited research focused on the perspectives of frontline staff members who deliver dementia care. Our objective was to understand staff perspectives on using telepresence robots to support residents with dementia and their families. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we conducted four focus groups and 11 semi-structured interviews across four long-term care (LTC) homes and one hospital in Canada. We included 21 interdisciplinary staff members (e.g., registered nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, recreational therapists) to understand their experiences with telepresence robots. Thematic analysis identified three key themes: 1) Staff Training and Support; 2) Robot Features; 3) Environmental dynamics for Implementation. Our results underscore the imperative of structural support at micro-, meso- and macro-levels for staff in dementia care settings to effectively implement technology. This study contributes to future research and practice by elucidating factors facilitating staff involvement in technology research, integrating staff voices into technology implementation planning, and devising strategies to provide structural support to staff, care teams, and care homes.
Outcome and treatment of caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy under ultrasound-guided vacuum aspiration preceded by local methotrexate sac injection
Authors: Abdullah Naz Azad
Published: March 2024

Background: Scar ectopic pregnancy (SEP) is the rarest form of ectopic pregnancy and has been increasingly diagnosed all over the world. This is a life-threatening form of abnormal implantation of an embryo within the myometrium and fibrous tissues in a previous scar on the uterus, especially following caesarean section (C/S).
Objective: To present cases of endogenic cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP) that were successfully treated with suction curettage under ultrasound (U/S) guide with local methotrexate (MTX) injection for viable pregnancy and its outcome.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective case series study was done in a Sulaimani Maternity Teaching Hospital as a single-centre study on 17 hemodynamically stable patients in their first trimester diagnosed with endogenic CSP through transvaginal and abdominal U/S from May 2022 to April 2023. Among patients, 4 had viable fetuses with gestational sacs injected locally with MTX under the U/S guide, followed by vacuum aspiration under the U/S guide. At the same time, five patients need intracervical balloon insertion to stop bleeding without further treatment.
Results:Most patients were aged 35 – 43 years old (52.9%) with a gestational age of 8 – 10 weeks (35.3%), resided in an urban area (58.8%), with three parities (47.1%), three previous C/S (41.2%), without last miscarriage (70.6%), missed period (58.8%), and dead fetus (76.5%). Patients with positive fetal heart (n=4) received local intrinsic MTX injection under the U/S guide, then suction curettage under the U/S guide. At the same time, those with negative fetal hearts (n=17) underwent only suction curettage under the U/S guide. Among treated women, 5 cases had an intrauterine balloon, following suction curettage to stop bleeding and only 3 instances needed blood transfusion due to the severe bleeding.
Conclusions: SEP is a dangerous and complex disorder with increasing occurrence in recent years. Accurate early diagnosis and effective management are essential to reduce maternal mortality and mortality.
A novel histone acetylation-associated gene signature with prognostic value in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Wu Anshun , Liu Fayin , Zhou Lei , Jiang Runyi , Yu Shangjiang , Zhou Zihuan , Zhang Qi , Zhang Qian , Jiang Dongjie , He Shaohui , Wei Haifeng
Published: March 2024

Histone acetylation is an important epigenic modification, modulating the development of many tumors. However, the functions of most Histone acetylation-related genes (HARGs) and their prognostic values in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) remain unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the prognostic values and potential functions of HARGs in EWS. After collecting EWS patients with mRNA sequencing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and a list of HARGs from previous studies, Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression were performed to construct a prognostic gene signature based on HARGs. Then, four HARGs (TAF4, ATF2, HDAC2 and OGA) composed a formula to calculate risk score for each patient in the training cohort. Based on median risk score, all patients were classified into low- and high-risk group, and patients with high-risk score had a poor survival outcome (P<0.001). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year AUC (0.853, 0.886 and 0.909, respectively) showed the good ability of this signature to predict the prognoses of EWS patients. In addition, distinct functional enrichment and immune-related pathways were also observed in two risk groups. All results were validated in an external cohort from two dataset in GEO database. Moreover, it was found that silencing HDAC2 expression in EWS cells significantly suppressed the cell viability and migration capability. In conclusion, this is the first study to detect the prognostic values of HARGs in EWS patients, further developing a good prognostic signature based on HARGs, and HDAC2 might be an oncogene in the development of EWS.
Biophysical and structural studies of fibulin-2
Authors: Sohail Anil A. , Koski M. Kristian , Ruddock Lloyd W.
Published: March 2024

Fibulin-2 is a multidomain, disulfide-rich, homodimeric protein which belongs to a broader extracellular matrix family. It plays an important role in the development of elastic fiber structures. Malfunction of fibulin due to mutation or poor expression can result in a variety of diseases including synpolydactyly, limb abnormalities, eye disorders leading to blindness, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Traditionally, fibulins have either been produced in mammalian cell systems or were isolated from the extracellular matrix, a procedure that results in poor availability for structural and functional studies. Here, we produced seven fibulin-2 constructs covering 62% of the mature protein using a prokaryotic expression system. Biophysical studies confirm that the purified constructs are folded and that the presence of disulfide bonds within the constructs makes them extremely thermostable. In addition, we solved the first crystal structure for any fibulin isoform, a structure corresponding to the previously suggested three motifs related to anaphylatoxin. The structure reveals that the three anaphylatoxins moieties form a single-domain structure.
The impact of antigenic distance on Orthopoxvirus Vaccination and Mpox Infection for cross-protective immunity
Authors: Lucas Carolina , Crandell Jameson , Monteiro Valter , Pischel Lauren , Fang Zhenhao , Zhong Yi , Lawres Lauren , Conde Luciana , Maciel-Silva Gabriela , Meira-Assis Gustavo , Zaleski Agnieszka , Lira Guilherme , Higa Luiza , Breban Mallery , Vogels Chantal , Grubaugh Nathan , Aoun-Barakat Lydia , Grifoni Alba , Sette Alessandro , Castiñeiras Terezinha Marta , Chen Sidi , Yildirim Inci , Vale André , Omer Saad
Published: March 2024

Immunological memory mediates rapid protection following infection or vaccination including heterologous exposure. However, cross-reactive memory responses in humans remain poorly characterized. We explored the longevity and specificity of cross-protective responses to orthopoxviruses through smallpox vaccination and Mpox virus (MPXV) infection. Smallpox vaccination using Vaccinia virus (VACV)-based vaccines provides a unique opportunity to study long-term cross-protective immunity without antigen re-exposure. We assessed systemic and mucosal responses in four human cohorts, including first-(Dryvax) and/or third-generation (JYNNEOS) smallpox vaccine recipients (vaccinated 1 week-80 years ago), along with Mpox-infected individuals. First-and third-generation smallpox vaccines elicited strong VACV- and MPXV-specific antibodies. VACV-neutralizing antibodies persisted for decades in first-generation vaccine recipients and were further enhanced after JYNNEOS vaccination. However, despite the high levels of anti-MPXV-specific antibodies in the plasma, cross-neutralization activity was directly correlated with the antigenic distance. Higher neutralization was observed for the cowpox virus (CWPXV) than for MPXV, which showed lower antigenic conservation with VACV. Similarly, Mpox-infected patients had lower neutralization titers for VACV than for CWPXV. Individuals who received vaccination boosters showed more robust, diverse, and prolonged cross-neutralizing responses. Long-term memory analysis revealed an increase in neutralization capacity for VACV over decades, with 80-years-old displaying the most robust humoral response, although this trend was not observed for cross-reactive antigens. Finally, T-cell reactivity to VACV and MPXV epitopes was detected decades post-vaccination, suggesting a role of long-lasting cross-reactive T-cell memory responses in vaccine efficacy. Our findings underscore the pivotal influence of antigenic distance on vaccine effectiveness with implications for cross-protective vaccine design.
A case study of acute invasive fungal sinusitis complicating central retinal artery occlusion
Authors: Xiaodong Li , Mei Chen , Kaijin Zheng , Li Zhen , Dandan Wu , Yi Yang , Zhilin Li , Xuewei Qin
Published: March 2024

Acute invasive fungal sinusitis is a fungal infectious disease in which fungal hyphae invade the nasal mucosa, blood vessels and nerves, causing tissue necrosis. Acute invasive fungal sinusitis is often complicated by intracranial infection, which is a critical disease with a high mortality rate. Meanwhile, ocular manifestations such as orbital cusp syndrome, cavernous sinus syndrome, and a sudden drop in visual acuity may suggest that the disease has been complicated by intracranial or intraorbital infection. Therefore, early diagnosis and early antifungal and anti-infectious treatment are essential to improve patient survival, and recognition of specific ocular signs is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment of acute invasive fungal sinusitis. In this article, we report a typical and rare case of acute invasive fungal sinusitis complicated by central retinal artery occlusion caused by Trichoderma infection. Central retinal artery occlusion is a kind of emergency and serious disease in ophthalmology, which has a rapid onset and rapid development. Failure to relieve the occlusion in time will result in permanent blindness of the patient, which will seriously affect the quality of life of the patient.Retinal artery obstruction relies heavily on imaging:Fundus Fluorescein Angiography: Demonstrates arterial and choroidal blood flow patterns to assess retinal blood flow and vascular obstruction. Patients present with very sluggish retinal arterial filling, and large areas of no perfusion;Optical Coherence Tomography : provides high-resolution images of retinal anatomy, thickness, and vitreoretinal interface in patients presenting with thickening of the inner retinal layer with edema and a highly reflective signal. Although the patient was treated by multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment and transferred to the intensive care unit in a timely manner, he eventually died of systemic multi-organ failure due to complicated intracranial infection and sepsis. This case was discussed and analyzed from the ophthalmology point of view, and the relevant literature was reviewed in order to provide a reference for clinicians to recognize the initial symptoms of acute invasive fungal sinusitis, to provide timely antifungal and anti-infective treatment, to reduce missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, and to avoid further deterioration of the patient's condition and death.In particular, we ophthalmologists are cautioned that retinal artery occlusion is not a purely ophthalmic disease, but is closely related to systemic diseases.
The venous return system in patients with constrictive pericarditis after pericardial stripping were associated with 28-day mortality: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chen Rongping , DU Wei , Liu Dawei
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to explore changes in the venous return system in patients with Constrictive pericarditis (CP) after pericardial stripping and examine their value in predicting mortality. An 8-year single-center retrospective cohort study including patients with CP after pericardial stripping surgery. Hemodynamic parameters were analyzed in 90 patients at 11 time points including before and after surgery and every 4 to 9 hours in the first 48 hours in the ICU (0h, t1-t3, 24h, t4-t6, 48h). Mean systemic filling pressure (Pmsf) and resistance to venous return (RVr) were significantly higher in patients who died (non-survival group) than survivors (P = 0.016 and 0.022, respectively). Pmsf at 0h, Pmsf at 24h, Pmsf − CVP at 0h, RVr before surgery, RVr at 24h, APACHE II score, and SOFA score were evaluated as predictors of 28-day mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was largest for RVr before surgery (0.771; 95% confidence interval, 0.583–0.958; P = 0.034). SOFA combined with RVr before surgery had the best performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.883; 95% confidence interval, 0.758–1.000; P = 0.003). Pmsf, Pmsf − CVP, and RVr can be used as valid indicators for prognostic assessment in patients with constrictive pericarditis after pericardial stripping.
Pre-emptive Detection and Evolution of Relapse in Acute Myeloid Leukemia by Flow Cytometric Measurable Residual Disease Surveillance
Authors: Freeman Sylvie , McCarthy Nicholas , Gui Gege , Dumezy Florent , Roumier Christophe , Andrew Georgia , Green Sarah , Jenkins Madeleine , Adams Alexandra , Khan Naeem , Craddock Charles , Hourigan Christopher , Plesa Adriana
Published: March 2024

Measurable residual disease (MRD) surveillance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may identify patients destined for relapse and thus provide the option of pre-emptive therapy to improve their outcome. Whilst flow cytometric MRD (Flow-MRD) can be applied to high-risk AML/ myelodysplasia patients, its diagnostic performance for detecting impending relapse is unknown. We evaluated this in a cohort comprising 136 true positives (bone marrows preceding relapse by a median of 2.45 months) and 121 true negatives (bone marrows during sustained remission). At an optimal Flow-MRD threshold of 0.045%, clinical sensitivity and specificity for relapse was 73% and 89% respectively (51% and 98% for Flow-MRD ≥ 0.1%) by ‘different-from-normal’ analysis. Median relapse kinetics were 0.78 log10/month but significantly higher at 0.92 log10/month for FLT3-mutated AML. Computational (unsupervised) Flow-MRD (C-Flow-MRD) generated optimal MRD thresholds of 0.036% and 0.082% with equivalent clinical sensitivity to standard analysis. C-Flow-MRD-identified aberrancies in HLADRlow or CD34 + CD38low (LSC-type) subpopulations contributed the greatest clinical accuracy (54% sensitivity, 93% specificity) and notably, by longitudinal profiling expanded rapidly within blasts in > 40% of 86 paired MRD and relapse samples. In conclusion, flow MRD surveillance can detect MRD relapse in high risk AML and its evaluation may be enhanced by computational analysis.
Neural Networks or Linguistic Features? - Comparing Different Machine-Learning Approaches for Automated Assessment of Text Quality Traits Among L1- and L2-Learners’ Argumentative Essays
Authors: Lohmann Julian F. , Junge Fynn , Möller Jens , Fleckenstein Johanna , Trüb Ruth , Keller Stefan , Jansen Thorben , Horbach Andrea
Published: March 2024

Recent investigations in automated essay scoring research imply that hybrid models, which combine feature engineering and the powerful tools of deep neural networks (DNNs), reach state-of-the-art performance. However, most of these findings are from holistic scoring tasks. In the present study, we use a total of four prompts from two different corpora consisting of both L1 and L2 learner essays annotated with three trait scores (e.g., content, organization and language quality). In our main experiments, we compare three variants of trait-specific models using different inputs: (1) models based on 220 linguistic features, (2) models using essay-level contextual embeddings from the distilled version of the pre-trained transformer BERT (DistilBERT), and (3) a hybrid model using both types of features. Results imply that when trait-specific models are trained based on a single-resource, the feature-based models slightly outperform the embedding-based models. These differences are most prominent for the organization traits. The hybrid models outperform the single-resource models, indicating that linguistic features and embeddings indeed capture partially different aspects relevant for the assessment of essay traits. To gain more insights into the interplay between both feature types, we run ablation tests for single feature groups. Trait-specific ablation tests across prompts indicate that the embedding-based models can most consistently be enhanced in content assessment when combined with morphological complexity features. Most consistent performance gains in the organization traits are achieved when embeddings are combined with length features, and most consistent performance gains in the assessment of the language traits when combined with lexical complexity, error, and occurrence features. Cross-prompt scoring again reveals slight advantages for the feature-based models.
Heme oxygenase 1 aggravates neuronal ferroptosis in the early stage after intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Liu Qi , Han Ziyi , Li Tao , Meng Jincheng , Zhu Chenwei , Wang Junmin , Wang Jian , Zhang Zhen , Wu He
Published: March 2024

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is a key enzyme involved in heme catabolism. Previous research showed that HO-1 tends to exacerbate neurological damage in the early stage of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. Excessive iron accumulation, the primary product of HO-1 catabolism and heme metabolism, triggers neuronal ferroptosis, a key factor contributing to neurologic impairment following ICH. Our study aimed to examine the effects of HO-1 overexpression on neuronal ferroptosis in the early stages of ICH. Our findings demonstrated that HO-1 overexpression exacerbated the proinflammatory response of the microglia, which ultimately induced neuronal ferroptosis by promoting intracellular iron deposition. Furthermore, HO-1 overexpression disrupted the balance of iron metabolism in the microglia and promoted iron ion uptake in the neurons, leading to injury from lipid peroxidation and further contributing to neuronal ferroptosis. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) treatment significantly mitigated the damage caused by HO-1 overexpression and improved neurologic function. Our study provides insights into the potential of targeting HO-1 to treat ICH by shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the aggravation of neuronal ferroptosis due to HO-1 overexpression in the early stages of ICH.
Impact of virtual reality hypnosedation on perioperative pain and anxiety in port implantation under local anaesthesia: a randomized controlled pilot trial (VIP Trial)
Authors: Steinkraus Kira C. , Feldmann Hannah , Hunold Lisa S. , Graf Sandra , Dörr-Harim Colette , Nasir Nadir , Michalski Christoph W. , Hüttner Felix J.
Published: March 2024

Background
This monocentric randomized controlled pilot trial investigates the impact of Virtual Reality (VR) hypnosedation on perioperative anxiety, pain, patient satisfaction, and medication usage during port implantation under local anesthesia.
Methods
A total of 120 patients undergoing elective port implantation between January 2022 and August 2023 were enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either a VR hypnosedation group or a control group. The VR group used a commercially available VR headset with the HypnoVR application, providing various environments, musical backgrounds, and a guiding voice, while the control group underwent the procedure without VR. Patients with ASA > 3, chronic pain, cognitive issues, and contraindications against VR use were excluded. The main outcomes measured were perioperative pain and anxiety scores, with secondary outcomes including perioperative medication usage. Due to the nature of the interventions, blinding of patients and physicians was not feasible. Statistical analysis was primarily descriptive and exploratory, focusing on estimating effect sizes for future trials.
Results
The study found no significant differences in perioperative pain or anxiety scores between the VR and no VR groups. Additionally, while there was an indication of lower usage of certain medications, particularly Remifentanyl and Novaminsulfon, in the VR group, though these differences were not statistically significant and therefore no definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding medication usage based on this data.
Conclusion
While VR hypnosedation did not significantly reduce perioperative pain or anxiety in this pilot trial, the observed trends in reduced medication usage suggest potential benefits. These findings warrant further investigation in larger, confirmatory trials to better understand the role of VR in enhancing patient comfort and potentially reducing reliance on pharmacological interventions during surgical procedures.
Trial Registration number:
German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00028508; registration date 15 March 2022; Universal Trial Number: U1111-1275-4995
Consistency of plain X-rays in ankle fractures with syndesmosis injury, a prospective cohort study
Authors: Abolenain Ahmed Salem , Abdelazeem Ahmed Hazem , Farag Amr Wael , Kassem Elsayed Mohamed
Published: March 2024

Purpose: This study aims at judging plain radiographs as an assessment tool for syndesmosis reduction in ankle fractures with syndesmosis affection.
Methods: Prospectively, 46 patients with ankle fracture associated with syndesmosis injury were operated upon from March 2021 to July 2021. Immediate post-operative CT images were compared to X-rays to classify patients according to reduction. Functional outcome using AOFAS score was compared between different groups.
Results: Out of 46 patients classified as class "A" or Acceptable reduction by X-rays, only 24 cases (52.3%) were classified as class "A" by CT studies with mean AOFAS (92), 16 cases (34.2%) were classified as class "B" with mean AOFAS (86) , and six cases (13.5%) were classified as class "C" with mean AOFAS (72), (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Plain X-rays are unreliable for assessing ankle fractures with a syndesmosis injury. It was evidenced by missed mal-rotations and tibio-fibular diastasis following reduction which reflected on the functional outcome of the patients. That is why CT studies are highly recommended in the early post-operative period (within one week).
Evaluation of the soft tissue facial profile in different skeletal malocclusions in relation to age
Authors: Kiełczykowski Michał , Perkowski Konrad , Kamiński Konrad , Zadurska Małgorzata , Czochrowska Ewa
Published: March 2024

Background
The aim of the study was to assess the thickness of the soft tissue facial profile (STFP) in relation to the skeletal malocclusion, age and gender.
Methods
All patients, aged 7–35 years, who were seeking orthodontic treatment at the Department of Orthodontics, Medical University of Warsaw between 2019-22 were included in the study. All patients had lateral head radiographs taken before the treatment. The cephalometric analysis was performed including the STFP analysis. The patients were allocated to one of six groups based on age and skeletal relations (ANB angle). The minimum number of patients in each group was 60 with equal gender distribution. The STFP analysis included ten linear measurements.
Results
A total of 300 patients were included in the study and allocated to five groups. Group 6 (growing patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion) was not included in the study as it failed to achieve the assumed group size. There were significant differences in the thickness of the STFP in relation to the skeletal malocclusions. Adults with skeletal Class III malocclusion had significantly thicker subnasal soft tissues compared to patients with skeletal Class I and Class II malocclusions. The thickness of the lower lip in patients with Class II skeletal malocclusion was significantly bigger compared to the other groups. Children and adolescents with Class II malocclusions had thicker lower lip in comparison to the group with Class I malocclusion. The majority of the STFP measurements were significantly smaller in children and adolescents compared to adults. The thickness of the STFP in males was significantly bigger in all age groups compared to females.
Conclusions
The thickness of facial soft tissues depends on the patient’s age and gender. The degree of compensation of the skeletal malocclusion in the STFP may be a decisive factor during orthodontic treatment planning regarding a surgical approach or a camouflage treatment of skeletal defects.