bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical Evaluation of Nitroxide-Functionalised Ciprofloxacin as a Novel Antibiofilm Drug Hybrid for Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Hawas Sophia , Qin Jilong , Wiedbrauk Sandra , Fairfull-Smith Kathryn , Totsika Makrina
Published: August 2023

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common bacterial infection with high recurrence rates. A major causative agent of UTIs is uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which can form persistent biofilms on urothelial surfaces and/or urinary catheters. Biofilms are inherently tolerant to antimicrobials, making them difficult to eradicate. Ciprofloxacin hybrids functionalised with nitroxides have previously shown enhanced biofilm eradication activity in vitro. Here, we evaluate a ciprofloxacin di-nitroxide hybrid (CDN11), previously reported to have antibiofilm activity against UPEC, as a potential UTI therapeutic in various infection models. We report potent CDN11 activity against mature biofilms formed by cystitis strain UTI89 inside polyethylene catheters. In infected human bladder cell monolayers, CDN11 afforded a 3-log reduction in UPEC colony forming units (CFU) compared to controls, including intracellular bacteria. Infected mouse bladders carrying biofilm-like intracellular UPEC reservoirs had reduced bacterial burdens following treatment with CDN11 ex vivo. Activity trends for CDN11 were comparable throughout all models, indicating that our testing pipeline was robust. New antimicrobial development is arduous and requires large investments of time and money. The pipeline described here could be readily used in testing new compounds, fast tracking the development of novel UTI therapeutics.
Comparing System of Rice Intensification Methods With Alternatives, considering Labor-Saving, Water-Saving, Economic, Energy, Soil Biology, and Climate Effects in India
Authors: Rapolu Mahender Kumar , Chintalapati Padmavathi , Rathod Santhosha , Tapeshwar Vidhan Singh , Kuchi Surekha , MBB Prasad Babu , PC Latha , Nethi Somasekhar , B Nirmala , M Srinivas Prasad , V.N.S Jasti Prasad , S Vijay Kumar , D Srinivas , B Sreedevi , Tuti Mangaldeep , MN Arun , B Sailaja , RM Sundaram
Published: August 2023

Initial evaluations of the System of Rice Intensification in India and elsewhere have mainly fo-cused on its impact on yield and income and have usually covered just one or two seasons. Re-searchers at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research conducted a more comprehensive evalua-tion of SRI methods over six years (six wet and six dry seasons), comparing these methods with three other rice crop management systems: modified, partially mechanized SRI (MSRI); direct-seeded rice (DSR); and normal transplanting with inundated fields (NTP). SRI grain yield was found to be about 50% higher than with NTP (6.35 t ha-1 vs 4.27 t ha-1), while the MSRI yield was essentially the same (6.34 t ha-1) and 16% higher than with DSR (5.45 t ha-1). Compared to NTP, SRI methods significantly enhanced soil microbial populations over time, bacteria by 12%, fungi by 8%, and actinomycetes by 20%. Indicators of biological activity in the rhizosphere were also higher, dehydrogenase by 8.5% and FDA enzymes by 16%. Glucosidase activity, an indicator of soil organic matter, was 78% higher. Relative to normal transplanting methods, SRI reduced GHG emissions by 21%, while DSR reduced them by 23% and MSRI by 13%, which indicated pos-itive effects of the alternate and improved methods over normal transplanting. Economic analy-sis showed that both gross and net economic returns to be higher with SRI than with MSRI and the other management systems evaluated. While the six-year study documented many ad-vantages of SRI crop management, the MSRI version evaluated is a promising adaptation that provide similar benefits but with lower labor requirements.
Obtaining Shingle-Type Bricks through Geopolymerization Processes and Their Application in Building Envelopes for Residential Constructions
Authors: Correa-Jaramillo Ramiro , Hernández-Olivares Francisco , Briceño-Tacuri Israel
Published: August 2023

Brick is widely used in construction, but it often becomes debris due to its use and lack of quality. In Ecuador, brick production is not completely industrialized, resulting in deficient properties for construction. In the city of Loja, most bricks come from artisanal factories . This research proposes the use of geopolymerization and waste bricks to create a sustainable material in construction. Geopolymerization processes were employed with sodium hydroxide as the alkaline activator. The resulting products underwent various tests to obtain the optimal formula in terms of material behavior and strength. Physical and mechanical property tests were conducted, and their application in building envelopes for low-income housing was analyzed. The results showed that the new material, when used as cladding on facades, can reduce heating and cooling demand. In a case study in Loja, a significant decrease in heating and cooling degree days was observed. This research opens new possibilities in the utilization of recycled materials in construction and can contribute to knowledge in this field.
Power Flow in Coupled Three-Row Series-Parallel Planetary Gear System. Part I: Without Power Losses
Authors: Drewniak Józef , Kądziołka Tomasz , Rysiński Jacek , Stańco Konrad
Published: August 2023

Comparisons of power flows and efficiencies in two structurally quite similar cylindrical series-parallel planetary gear systems (PGSs) were performed in three separate parts of this paper. Each of these single degree of freedom (DoF) systems consists of three different 2KH subsystems connected in series-parallel. The main goal was to prove that apart from complex, structurally and dynamically coupled PGSs, there are also complex and only structurally coupled PGSs, in which the phenomenon of power flow circulation inside closed loops does not occur. Such a half-coupled type of PGS is herein called pseudo-coupled. Therefore, Part I discusses in detail the geometry, kinematics and statics of coupled PGSs in order to determine power flow paths. A comparison of the directions of power flow in both types of PGSs can be made in Part II after determining the power flow paths in the second planetary gear in a similar way. The directions of power flow in both types of PGSs were determined in a relatively simple way, thanks to the distinction between active and passive torques and thus active and passive shafts of individual subsystems. The efficiency comparison made in Part III will show whether power circulation has an influence on the efficiency value, at least in these two types of PGSs.
1-Piperidine Propionic Acid as an Allosteric Inhibitor of Protease Activated Receptor-2
Authors: Chinellato Monica , Gasparotto Matteo , Quarta Santina , Ruvoletto Mariagrazia , Biasiolo Alessandra , Filippini Francesco , Spiezia Luca , Cendron Laura , Pontisso Patrizia
Published: August 2023

In the last decades, studies on the inflammatory signaling pathways in multiple pathological contexts revealed new targets for novel therapies. Among the family of G-protein-coupled Proteases Activated Receptors, PAR2 was identified as a driver of the inflammatory cascade in many pathologies, ranging from autoimmune disease to cancer metastasis. For this reason, many efforts have been focused on the development of potential antagonists of PAR2 activity. This work focuses on a small molecule, 1-Piperidine Propionic Acid (1-PPA), previously described to be active against inflammatory processes, but whose target is still unknown. Stabilization effects observed by cellular thermal shift assay coupled to in-silico investigations, including molecular docking and Molecular Dynamics simulations, suggested that 1-PPA binds PAR2 in an allosteric pocket of the receptor inactive conformation. In addition, this compound was found able to inhibit platelet aggregation, a process mediated by PAR family members, including PAR2. Since the allosteric pocket binding 1-PPA is highly conserved in all the members of the PAR family, the evidence reported here suggests that 1-PPA could represent a promising new small molecule targeting PARs with antagonistic activity.
Vibrio splendidus AJ01 Promotes Pathogenicity by L-Glutamic Acid
Authors: Li Ya , Shi Weibo , Zhang Weiwei
Published: August 2023

Vibrio splendidus is the main pathogen infect a wide range of hosts, especially sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Our previous studies had shown that the level of L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) was significantly increased under heat stress and it was one of the best carbon sources that could be used by V. splendidus AJ01. In this study, the effects of exogenous L-Glu on the coelomocyte viability, tissue status and individual mortality of sea cucumbers were analyzed. The results showed that 10 mM L-Glu decreased coelomocyte viability and increased mortality, with tissue rupture and pyknosis, while 0.1 mM L-Glu slightly affected the survival of sea cucumbers without obvious damages at both cellular and tissue levels. Transcriptomic analysis showed that there were 343 upregulated and 206 downregulated genes regulated by exogenous L-Glu. GO analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in signaling and membrane formation, while KEGG analysis showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in the upregulated endocytosis and downregulated lysosomal pathways. The coelomocyte viability further decreased 20% in the simultaneous presence of exogenous L-Glu and V. splendidus AJ01, compared to that of V. splendidus AJ01 infection alone. Consequently, a higher mortality of sea cucumber was also observed in the presence of exogenous L-Glu challenged by V. splendidus AJ01. Real time reverse transcriptase PCR showed that L-Glu specifically upregulated the expression of the fliC gene, conding the subunit protein of flagellar filament, with promoted swimming motility activity of V. splendidus. Our result indicated that L-Glu should be kept in a state of equilibrium, and the excess L-Glu in the host-pathogen interface would prompt the virulence of V. splendidus via increasing bacterial motility.
Machine Learning to Predict Apical Lesions: A Cross-Sectional and Model Development Study
Authors: Herbst Sascha Rudolf , Pitchika Vinay , Krasowski Aleksander , Krois Joachim , Schwendicke Falk
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: We aimed to identify factors associated with the presence of apical lesions (AL) on panoramic radiographs and to evaluate the predictive value of the identified factors.
(2) Methodology: Panoramic radiographs from 1071 patients (age: 11-93 a, mean: 50.6 a ± 19.7 a) with 27532 teeth were included. Each radiograph was independently assessed by five experienced dentists for AL. A range of shallow machine learning algorithms (logistic regression, k-nearest neighbor, decision tree, random forest, support vector machine, adaptive and gradient boosting) were employed to identify factors on patient and tooth level associated with AL and to predict AL.
(3) Results: AL were detected in 522 patients (48.7%) and 1133 teeth (4.1%), whereas males showed a significantly higher prevalence than females (52.5%/44.8%; p<0.05). Logistic regression found that an existing root canal treatment was the most important risk factor (adjusted Odds Ratio 16.89; 95% CI: 13.98-20.41), followed by the tooth type ‘molar’ (2.54; 2.1-3.08) and the restoration with a crown (2.1; 1.67-2.63). Associations between factors and AL were stronger and accuracy higher when using less complex models like decision tree (F1 score: 0.9 (0.89-0.9)).
(4) Conclusions: The presence of AL was higher in root-canal treated teeth, those with crowns and molars. More complex machine learning models did not outperform less complex ones.
Green Pavement: Enhancing Hot Asphalt Mixtures with Polyethylene Terephthalate
Authors: Shbeeb Lina , Amaireh Ahmad , Al Attar Rakan , Salama Omar , Haimur Sahel
Published: August 2023

The global environmental impact of plastic waste is significant, with only 9% being recycled, causing pollution and harming the environment and humans. Due to increased traffic, limited funding, and dwindling natural resources, Jordan's road network is deteriorating rapidly. Pavement performance can be improved through high-quality materials and sustainable construction practices. The research investigates using Polyethylene Terephthalate as a polymer additive in asphalt mixtures to enhance their properties. Basalt and limestone mixtures were applied to asphalt mixtures. The optimal binder content for the control mixture was 4.8% for basalt and 4.93% for limestone. When modified with 10% PET, the basalt mixture showed slightly better stability than the control mix, while higher PET proportions led to reduced strength. PET-modified mixtures consistently displayed higher flows and bulk densities, with a more pronounced impact on the basalt mixture. PET increased the air-void ratio in basalt but had minimal effect on VMA. PET offers economic and environmental advantages, saving 8.4% of the original bitumen cost. As a result, limestone mixture properties, which are inferior to basalt mixture properties, improved significantly compared to basalt mixture properties. PET has the potential to create sustainable and high-performing asphalt mixtures, providing valuable insights for road construction and environmental management.
Effect of Acetylsalicylic Acid and Sildenafil on the Longevity of Spruce Branches: A Triple-Blinded Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Ruge Morten , Mørch Therese , Pais Sara , Schack Anders
Published: August 2023

Christmas trees are engaged in a race against time, from being cut down to Christmas Eve, where their beauty must be maximized. An old housewife's remedy recommends adding an aspirin tablet to the water for the Christmas tree to extend its period of looking beautiful (Aesthetic Lifespan: AL). However, there is no evidence supporting this advice, so we pose the question: Can acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) prolong the lifespan of Norway spruces in terms of AL? We will include 60 spruce branches divided into three groups of 20 and examine the effects of ASA compared to a placebo group, as well as a group where we intervene with Sildenafil.

Our hypothesis is that the antipyretic effect of aspirin will lower the internal temperature of the spruce branches, bringing them closer to the conditions in which the tree was cut down - the cold December weather.
Intelligent water quality and level detection system using hybrid classifier
Authors: V Sathananthavathi , Shiva A. , Sivasubash S.S.
Published: August 2023

The use of a water storage system to store and distribute water is a widely adopted approach in numerous households. The issue of assessing the quality of water in the overhead tank prior to its distribution to households remains unresolved. The advanced method of monitoring and managing water resources is through the implementation of the intelligent system for detecting water quality and level. In this work, the system employs hybrid classifiers with a combination of three machine learning algorithms, to detect water quality parameters such as pH level, turbidity, total dissolved solids, as well as water level in real-time. The system provides accurate and reliable information to water treatment facilities and environmental agencies for effective decision making, ensuring the availability of safe and clean water for the community. The system has a feature of real time monitoring of water quality and level through Internet of Things.
Constellation Partitioning-Based Scma Codebook Design
Authors: Press Randal , Babalola Oluwaseyi P , balyan vipin
Published: August 2023

A new codebook design is proposed for sparse code multiple access (SCMA) uplink transmissions using constellation partitioning to increase the minimum Euclidean distance. The simulation results show that the proposed codebook design outperforms existing SCMA Codebook in terms of error rate performance. More so, the codebook is suitable for 5G wireless networks with massive connectivity requirements such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and massive machine type communication (mMTC). The proposed codebook design uses a sum-product algorithm (SPA) decoder, which improves the bit error rate (BER) performance. Thus, making the method of design a promising candidate for future wireless communication systems.
Resource Allocation and Pairing Algorithm in Power Domain NOMA
Authors: trapasiya Samir Dhirajlal , Soni Himanshu Bipinbhai
Published: August 2023

In Non-Orthogonal Multiple Acess (NOMA), power allocation and user pairing is the major challenge. We have addressed this issue in the proposed work. We have formulated a power optimization problem for the sum-rate maximization with power and minimum rate constraints and solved it using a Genetic Algorithm (GA). The results of the proposed work indicate that a better fairness index can be achieved in the investigated work compared to existing solutions. Along with this, we have developed an algorithm for user pairing based on the Hungarian work assignment problem. It is emphasized that better pairing in the NOMA scheme achieve a higher sum rate. In the underlined work we have extended the Hungarian work assignment problem for 3 user clustering cases. It is observed that obtained results of the proposed work in terms of total sum rate outperform the Near- Far (NF) and Near-Near (NN) user case for various channel conditions and the number of users. A proposed Optimum Pairing Scheme (OPS), performs well for 2 user pairing as well as 3 users clustering to achieve better capacity along with a good fairness index
ML based IoT Framework for Diabetes Detection
Authors: Kumar Upendra , Kumar Tanay , Gautam Shreya , Pandey Subhash Chandra
Published: August 2023

There has been a discernible increase in the prevalence of diabetes in recent years, highlighting the significance of early detection in successfully managing the condition and avoiding complications. A chronic disease called diabetes is characterized by persistently elevated blood sugar levels. This requires consistent monitoring, medication, lifestyle modifications, and adherence to a healthy diet. The system's ability to detect diseases early can help with quick treatment and illness management. The platform makes use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to provide a simple and quick way to monitor patients' health while reducing difficulties caused by diabetes. Several machine learning algorithms have been used to differentiate between diabetes and non-diabetic patients, including Adaboost, Gridsearch, Evalml, AutoML, and Artificial Neural Network. This research introduces a machine learning model-based IoT system for diabetes detection. The suggested system combines Internet of Things (IoT) devices for gathering physiological data with a cloud-based platform for processing and analyzing the data. It was determined through meticulous investigation that hyperparameter modification greatly improved the performance of the aforementioned algorithms, with the Random Forest algorithm showing the highest accuracy. The IoT-enabled technology offers a trustworthy and affordable option for keeping track of diabetic patients' health, enabling early diagnosis and effective treatment of the condition. Overall, the research's findings highlight the potential for machine learning to improve healthcare outcomes for people with diabetes by shedding light on the role it plays in the detection and management of the disease.
Spatial trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services in Guangdong Province, China
Authors: Xu Qian , Yang Ying , Yang Ren , Zha Lisi
Published: August 2023

The trade-offs between ecosystem services directly affect the quality of the ecological environment and the survival and development of human society, which is of great concern to academia, governments, and non-governmental organizations. Based on ecosystem service data from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the trade-offs and synergies among different ecosystem services in Guangdong Province in China were analyzed. Moreover, the differences in their impact and impact mechanisms were investigated. Our results showed three main points: (1) The ecosystem services in Guangdong Province showed clear spatial heterogeneity. Also, Northern Guangdong has high water retention, with a value of 5,804.73×104 m3/km2 and high values for carbon sequestration and soil retention. Western Guangdong is a functional area for food production, and the Pearl River Delta is an economically developed region. (2) In the overall Guangdong Province, three pairs of ecosystem services, namely water retention–soil, carbon sequestration–water, and carbon sequestration–soil retention, showed a strong positive correlation and a good synergistic relationship. The other three pairs of relationships show strong trade-off effects. (3) The trade-offs and synergies between pairs of ecosystem services are clearly different in space, and the relationships between the same ecosystem services show completely different characteristics in different regions, resulting from the complex influence of different natural local conditions and human activities.
Hedgehog target genes regulate lipid metabolism to drive basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma
Authors: Daggubati Vikas , Vykunta Akshara , Choudhury Abrar , Qadeer Zulekha , Mirchia Kanish , Saulnier Olivier , Zakimi Naomi , Hines Kelly , Paul Michael , Wang Linyu , Jura Natalia , Xu Libin , Reiter Jeremy , Taylor Michael , Weiss William , Raleigh David
Published: August 2023

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is essential for development, homeostasis, and regeneration1. Misactivation of the Hh pathway underlies medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common cancer in the United States2. Primary cilia regulate Hh signal transduction3, but target genes that drive cell fate decisions in response to ciliary ligands or oncogenic Hh signaling are incompletely understood. Here we define the Hh gene expression program using RNA sequencing of cultured cells treated with ciliary ligands, BCCs from humans, and Hh-associated medulloblastomas from humans and mice (Fig. 1a). To validate our results, we integrate lipidomic mass spectrometry and bacterial metabolite labeling of free sterols with genetic and pharmacologic approaches in cells and mice. Our results reveal novel Hh target genes such as the oxysterol synthase Hsd11β1 and the adipokine Retnla that regulate lipid metabolism to drive cell fate decisions in response to Hh pathway activation. These data provide insights into cellular mechanisms underlying ciliary and oncogenic Hh signaling and elucidate targets to treat Hh-associated cancers.
Effects of the duration of estrogen therapy on live birth rate in HRT cycles: protocol for a randomized, controlled, non-inferiority study
Authors: Zeng Jie , Wu Yixuan , Cao Mingzhu , Liu Jianqiao , Liu Haiying
Published: August 2023

Background
Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) is usually used before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in women undergoing assisted reproduction. Estrogen is used first in the HRT cycle to stimulate endometrial proliferation, followed by combined estrogen and progesterone therapy to imitate the secretory phase of the endometrium. The progesterone is continued until 8–10 weeks of gestation when the placenta begins the function of luteal support. However, to date, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the recommended duration of estrogen treatment in the HRT cycle. Prolonged estrogen use can contribute to increased risk of metabolic, coagulation, and neurological outcomes as well as mammary gland diseases.
Methods
The present protocol outlines a proposed single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial. The trial will include clinically pregnant women between 20 and 40 years of age with singleton pregnancies resulting from FET during a hormone replacement cycle. The goal of the trial is to determine whether the live birth rates are impacted by the duration of oral estradiol valerate supplementation (6 vs 10 weeks). The live birth rate will be the primary study outcome, while secondary outcomes include maternal morbidity and neonatal outcomes at birth. Adverse events will be monitored and recorded during the trial.
Discussion
We do not expect to observe any differences in live birth rates, obstetric, or pediatric outcomes when oral estrogen supplementation is discontinued at 6 versus 10 weeks of pregnancy. The clinical data obtained from this trial may provide evidence for improving luteal support guidelines for women undergoing HRT cycles.
Trial registration
The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and will be performed according to the Good Clinical Practices guidelines. The protocol has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (No: ChiCTR2100041917).
Enhanced multimodal medical image fusion based on Pythagorean fuzzy set- An innovative approach
Authors: Haribabu Maruturi , Guruviah Velmathi
Published: August 2023

The primary goal of this article is to combine multi-modality medical images into a single output image in order to obtain superior information and better visual appearance without any vagueness and uncertainties, which is suitable for better diagnosis. The complexity of medical images is higher, and many researchers applied various soft computing methods to process them. Pythagorean fuzzy set (PFS) is more suitable for medical images because it considers more uncertainties. In this article, a new method, Pythagorean fuzzy set-based medical image fusion is proposed. Initially, the source images are decomposed into base and detail layers using the two-layer decomposition method, and these layers contain structural and edge details of the source images. To preserve more edge details and clarity, a spatial frequency based fusion rule is employed for detail layers. The base layer images have low contrast, to enhance this; it is converted into Pythagorean fuzzy images (PFIs) with the help of optimum value, which can be generated by Pythagorean fuzzy entropy (PFE). Then, the two pythagorean fuzzy images are decomposed into image blocks, and then perform blackness and whiteness count fusion rule. Finally, the enhanced fused image is obtained by reconstructions of PFI blocks and performs the defuzzification process. The efficiency of the proposed fusion method proves that in terms of both visually and quantitatively compared to other existing fusion methods. The proposed method is tested on different datasets with various quality metrics, which produces an enhanced fused image without artifacts and uncertainties
Evaluation of the Antibacterial, Antileishmanial, and Cytotoxic Potential of Secondary Metabolites of Streptomyces Kronopolitis
Authors: Rosa Fernanda Costa , Azevedo Virlanna Larissa Santos , Dias Léo Ruben Lopes , Batista Lucas Abrantes , Melo Mariana Costa , Silva Bruno Reges , Sales Luís Alfredo Torres , Aliança Amanda Silva dos Santos , Miranda Rita de Cássia Mendonça
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, leishmanicidal, and cytotoxic potential of metabolites produced by bacteria isolated from rhizosphere soil samples. The bacterium was identified by molecular techniques as Streptomyces kronopolitis. A preliminary screening was carried for the antimicrobial activity of S. kronopolitis, demonstrating activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Corynebacterium diphtheriae ATCC 27010, C. diphtheriae ATCC 27012, and Mycobacterium abscessus, with inhibition halos of sizes 25, 36, 29, and 33 mm, respectively. To obtain secondary metabolites, the bacteria was subjected to submerged fermentation, and the metabolites were extracted using the liquid-liquid method with ethyl acetate. There was a similar MIC for M. abscessus and the two strains of C. diphtherium, reaching a concentration of 0.125 mg/mL, while that of S. aureus was 0.048 mg/mL. Assays for leishmanicidal activity and cytotoxicity against HEp-2 cells and red blood cells were performed. The metabolite showed IC50 of 9.0 ± 0.9 µg/mL and CC50 of 226.2 µg/ ml. This metabolite does not have hemolytic activity and is more selective for parasites than for mammalian cells, with a selectivity index of 24.85. Thus, the studied metabolite may be a strong candidate for the development of less-toxic drugs to treat diseases caused by pathogens.
Ataxia-telangiectasia: case series review from Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Santo António
Authors: de Almeida Carlota Gomes , Marques Laura Elvira Gonçalves Novo da Hora
Published: August 2023

Purpose: Characterize epidemiologically and clinically the individuals diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), know the therapies performed and evaluate factors of worse prognosis.
Methods: Retrospective study, from clinical records of patients diagnosed with A-T in CHUdSA from 1992 to 2022, inclusive.
Results: The sample consists of 7 patients, 85.7% male. The mean age at diagnosis was 4.01 ± 1.76 years. The consanguinity rate was 42.9% and the mean BMI at diagnosis was 15.74kg/m2. At diagnosis, cerebellar ataxia was present in 100% of patients, dysarthria in 57.1%, oculomotor apraxia in 42.9%, dystonia in 28.6%, and dysphagia in 14.3%. Telangiectasias were seen in 57.1% of cases and skin changes in 28.6%. Recurrent respiratory infections covered 57.1% of patients. The mean AFP at diagnosis was 95.28 ± 23.48 ng/ml, lymphopenia was observed in 57.1%, IgA absence in 100%, IgG deficit in 42.9%, and CD4+ T lymphocyte deficit in 100% of patients. At the time of the last evaluation, 100% had dysarthria, 85.7% had oculomotor apraxia and/or dysphagia, and 57.1% had dystonia. Also, 85.7% had telangiectasias and 71.4% had skin changes. Diabetes mellitus developed in 14.2% of patients. The mean age of gait loss was 15.75 ± 3.30 years and 57.1% of the cases were wheelchair dependent at the time of the last evaluation.
Conclusions: The results observed are mostly according to those described in the literature. In A-T, the prognosis varies according to the severity and presence of secondary complications, and it is crucial to act early to prevent them.
Low-cycle fatigue of fiber-reinforced concrete under high strains
Authors: Massone Leonardo , Cortés Jonathan
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the experimental response of cylindrical specimens made of plain concrete and concrete reinforced with PVA fibers that were subjected to low-cycle fatigue tests under compression. Two types of PVA fiber were used in the experiments, with lengths of 12 and 15mm, and three volume levels were considered: 0%, 1%, and 2%. The experimental program included tests where the fatigue load was applied during the pre-crushing stage of the sample (pre-peak), as well as after the onset of strength degradation (post-peak). In the pre-peak compression fatigue tests, which are more common in the literature, a maximum stress level of 95% of the specimen strength was applied. The post-peak compression fatigue tests, which are not available in the literature and could help understand the durability of concrete with fibers under cyclic response, were conducted at two levels of strength degradation, measured with respect to the monotonic compressive strength: 2% and 10%. In addition, three levels of maximum compressive stress for the cycles were used: 85%, 90%, and 95%. Based on the results obtained, fatigue models (Wöhler) and models of secondary strain rate versus fatigue life were developed. Furthermore, the envelope of maximum strains at low cycle fatigue failure was analyzed for both pre-peak and post-peak tests.
Age-Related Impairment of Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses Exacerbate Respiratory Viral Infection in Older Mice
Authors: Srivast Ruchi , Agrawal Anshu , Vahed Hawa , BenMohamed Lbachir
Published: August 2023

Immune function declines with age, leading to an increased vulnerability of the elderly to respiratory viral infections. The mechanisms by which aging negatively impacts the immune system leading to enhanced susceptibility to respiratory pathogens remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we used a mouse model of infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a virus that can enter the lungs causing pneumonia, a rare but serious health concern in the elderly. Following intranasal inoculation of young (6 weeks), adult (36 weeks), and aged mice (68 weeks) with HSV-1 (KOS strain) we: (i) compared the local and systemic immune responses to infection in young, adult, and aged mice, and (ii) correlated the level and type of immune responses to protection against HSV-1 infection and disease. Compared to young and adult mice, the aged mice displayed: (i) increased activation of epithelial cells with a decreased expression of TLR3; (ii) increased activation of dendritic cells with increased expression of MHC-I, MHC-II, and CD80/86; and (iii) decreased production of type-I interferons; (iv) a delay in the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the lungs; and (v) impairment in the frequencies of functional HSV-specific CD107+IFN-g+CD8+ T cells associated with the increased incidence of viral infection and disease. The results suggest an age-related impairment of both innate and adaptive immune responses may exacerbate respiratory viral infection and disease in the elderly.
A Case Study on New High-strength Temporary support technology of extremely soft coal seam roadway
Authors: Xu Zhijun , Li Chong , Cao Yue , Tai Lianhai , Han Jun
Published: August 2023

One of the major technological challenges in roadway excavation is the implementation of hydraulically powered, high-strength temporary supports, the current temporary support system cannot provide active support, and it is easy to separate the top plate of the roadway from the layer at the start, controlling the first departure of the roadway roof is critical for the stability of the roadway's surrounding rock, especially on particularly loose and soft rock roadways. The engineering backdrop for this research is the Sail Six Mine's A4027 return airway, identify the issues with the A4027 return airway's temporary support, the concept and principle of hydraulically driven high-strength temporary support technology are proposed, the mechanical analysis model of the stacked roof in the temporary support region is constructed, and the critical circumstances of the top plate delamination are determined, quantified the link between the delamination difficulty parameter Q, the temporary support distance L, and the temporary support strength q; Flac3d's numerical simulation was used to model the relationship between the temporary support's strength and the deformation and stress of the rock on the roof, the overall temporary support strength q for the A4027 return airway has been determined to be 10 kN/m2, and the temporary support distance L is 2 m; Developed hydraulically driven high-strength temporary support devices and conducted strength test tests and field trials, The test results showed: the top board's initial off-layer control is better, and the temporary support region support effect is noticeable, the maximum value of the top plate off the seam during excavation is only 34mm, and the sinking amount of the top plate does not exceed 68mm, which effectively limits the deformation of the surrounding rocks of the very soft coal seam, providing lessons for other roadways with similar conditions.
Predictive Diagnosis of Malignant Pulmonary Nodules Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Yue ZhenHua , Song Wenzhu , Song Yingda , Liang Zuo , Zhang Zailei , Liu Dabei , Feng Weirong , Ma Jun , Bai Xiaoming
Published: August 2023

Introduction
Pulmonary nodules (PN) are a common finding in computed tomography (CT) images of the chest, and are identified in millions of patients each year in the United States. Accurate diagnosis of PN is crucial for early detection of cancer and proper treatment. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of machine learning (ML) algorithms in predicting malignant PN.
Methods
A total of 130 patients who underwent tumor resection and were pathologically diagnosed with PN were included in this study. Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Classification and Regression Tree (CART), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithms were employed to predict malignant PN outcomes. The most important features for malignant PN were identified using the RF, CART, and XGBoost algorithms.
Results
80 patients were included in the final analysis, with 62.5% of nodules being malignant and 37.5% being benign. The four algorithms RF, SVM, CART and XGBoost all show great performance, with the AUC reaching 0.97, 0.92, 0.91, and 0.98, respectively. Additionally, the RF algorithm performed the best, with an accuracy of 0.9583, specificity of 0.8889, sensitivity of 1.0000, Kappa of 0.9091, positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.9375, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 1.0000. Besides, age, size, and density were identified as the most important features for predicting malignant PN.
Conclusion
ML algorithms can provide accurate prediction of malignant PN, which could help establish an early auxiliary diagnosis model. This model could facilitate early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of PN, potentially improving the quality of life and reducing mortality rates. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the findings of this study.
Clients’ expectations and experiences with providers of menstrual regulation: A qualitative study in Bangladesh
Authors: Ramirez Ana Maria , Tabassum Tanzila , Katz Anna J , Chowdhury Rezwana , Bercu Chiara , Filippa Sofia , Baum Sarah E.
Published: August 2023

Background
Menstrual Regulation (MR) has been legal in Bangladesh since 1979 in an effort to reduce maternal mortality from unsafe abortion care. However, access to high-quality and patient-centered MR care remains a challenge. This analysis aimed to explore what clients know before going into care and the experience itself across a variety of models where MR care is available.
Methods
We conducted 26 qualitative semi-structured interviews with MR clients who were recruited from three different models of care delivery in Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to March 2019. Interviews explored client expectations and beliefs about MR care, the experience of the care they received, and their perception of the quality of that care. We conducted a thematic content analysis using a priori and emergent codes.
Results
Clients overall lacked knowledge about MR care and held fears about the damage to their bodies after receiving care. Despite their fears, roughly half the clients held positive expectations about the care they would receive. Call center clients felt the most prepared by their provider about what to expect during their MR care. During counseling sessions, providers at in-facility locations reinforced the perception of risk of future fertility as a result of MR and commonly questioned clients on their need for MR services. Some even attempted to dissuade nulliparous women from getting the care. Clients received this type of questioning throughout their time at the facilities, not just from their medical providers. The majority of clients perceived their care as good and rationalized these comments from their providers as coming from a caring place. However, a handful of clients did report bad care and negative feelings about their interactions with providers and other clinical staff.
Conclusion
Providers and clinical staff can play a key role in shaping the experience of clients accessing MR care. Training on accurate knowledge about the safety and effectiveness of MR, and the importance of client communication could help improve client knowledge and person-centered quality of MR care.
Prognostic factors and overall survival of breast cancer in Benin: a hospital-based study
Authors: GNANGNON Freddy Houéhanou Rodrigue , PARENTE Alexis , ABOUBAKAR Moufalilou , KIKI-MIGAN Yannick , TOTAH Terence , GBESSI Dansou Gaspard , BAGNAN Josiane Angéline TONATO , LALEYE Anatole Adébowalé , PREUX Pierre-Marie , DENAKPO Justin Lewis , BLANQUET Véronique , HOUINATO Dismand Stephan
Published: August 2023

Background
In Benin, a country in West Africa, breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, both in terms of incidence and mortality. However, evidence on the mortality of breast cancer and its associated factors is lacking in this country. Our aim was to describe and analyze the clinical, histopathological, and prognostic aspects of breast cancer in Benin.
Methods
A descriptive and analytical study was carried out at the CNHU-HKM and the CHU-MEL, two major referral hospitals for breast cancer management located in Cotonou, the capital city of Benin. All breast cancer medical records with histological evidence and immunohistochemistry studies were retrospectively collected between January 1, 2014, and September 30, 2020, in these two referral hospitals and analyzed in this study.
Results
We included 319 medical records. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.74 years. The tumors were most frequently classified as T4 (47.6%) with lymph node involvement N2 (34.5%), and metastases were clinically noted in 21.6% of cases. Tumors were diagnosed at very late AJCC stages: stage 3 (42.3%) and stage 4 (21.9%). Grades SBR 2 (49.2%) and SBR 3 (32.6%) were the most frequent grades. Triple-negative breast cancer (31.3%) was the most common molecular type. The overall 5-year survival was 48.49%. In multivariable analysis, the poor prognostic factors were lymph node invasion (HR = 2.63; p = 0.026; CI: [1.12, 6.17]), the presence of metastasis (HR = 3.64; p < 0,001); CI: [2.36, 5.62] and the immunohistochemical profile (HR = 1.29; p < 0,001; CI: [1.13, 1.48]).
Conclusions
Breast cancer in Beninese is predominant in young adults and is often diagnosed at a late stage. The survival of breast cancer patients in Benin can be improved by enhancing early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management.
Evaluation of Sex Hormones Serum Profile in Male Patients with Behcet’s Disease
Authors: Lavaee Fatemeh , Balaghi Fatemeh , Aflaki Elham , Baghaei Saman
Published: August 2023

Objectives: This cross-sectional study has been done on people with Behcet`s disease referred to Shahid Motahri Clinic and Shiraz Dental Faculty during 2020.
Materials and Method: Twenty five men with new confirmed Behcet's disease and twenty healthy men were enrolled in the study. The serum level of LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, Prolactin, DHEA were evaluated in the Motahari laboratory.
Data were analyzed by SPSS version 18. Kolmogrov Smirnov, student T-test, Kruskal Wallis, Chi-square, and one-way ANOVA were used for analysing this study.
Results: The mean age of patients in group of patients with Behcet’s disease and healthy controls were 38.55 ± 7.59 and 39.68 ± 9.78 years old respectively.
The mean serum level of FSH, LH, and prolactin was significantly higher in Behcet’s patients, while the DHEA mean serum level was higher in healthy controls (p.value < 0.05).
The mean value of sex hormones serum level in each group of patients with Behcet’s disease and healthy controls were not different between different age ranges of participants (p.value > 0.05).
In Behcet patients, the FSH mean value had a more significant abnormal range, while DHEA mean value had a more significant abnormal range in healthy controls.
Conclusion: There is some significant sexual hormonal imbalance in Behcet patients. DHEA deficiency and prolactin increment were reported noticeable for Behcet disease patients.
Clinical relevance: Results of this study indicate sexual hormonal imbalance as a predisposing factor and also daigostic factor of behcet disease.
Safety of pure implantable collamer lens implantation without viscoelastic agent in the early period after surgery
Authors: Li Yu , Zhang Fengju , Ying Xiong
Published: August 2023

Backgroud: To investigate the safety of pure implantable collamer lens implantation without an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD).
Methods: A total of 181 eyes that underwent nontoric ICL were enrolled. Preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements were collected and analyzed at 2 h and 24 h. Visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and anteriorchamber parameters were evaluated at 24 h postoperatively. Vault was evaluated at 24 h and 7 days. The number of haptics implanted into the posterior chamber was analyzed.
Results: The efficacy and safety indices were 1.30 ± 0.32 and 1.31 ± 0.32, respectively. Of 181 eyes, 99 eyes received 4 haptics on the first attempt without any adjustment, and 72 eyes received an adjusted lens without an OVD. The success rate of the OVD-free procedure was 94.5%.Two hours postoperatively, IOP was 17.41±3.77 mmHg, which was significantly higher than the preoperative value (t=8.930, P < 0.000), however there was no significant difference between preoperative IOP and IOP at 1 day and 1 week postoperatively. The ECD changed from 2895.52±253.73 cells/mm2 preoperatively to 2873.66±244.17 cells/mm2 at 1 day postoperatively), and the difference was not statistically significant (t=1.811, P=0.072). The ACA was narrowed by 42% on the first day.
Conclusion: The pure OVD-free technique is safe and efficient for ICL implantation. It can be a safer method of ICL implantation because of it reduces the risk of complications associated with ocular hypertension in the short term.
Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000036335) at August 20, 2020.
Occupational Therapy treatment for the management of fatigue in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis: Outcome Research
Authors: Simeon Rachele , Galeoto Giovanni , Valente Donatella , Conte Antonella , Ferrazzano Gina , Leodori Giorgio , Berardi Anna
Published: August 2023

Background. 80% of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) describe fatigue as the most disabling symptom. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of fatigue management programs in reducing the impact of fatigue and improving the Quality of Life (QoL). None of these were based on the benefit that this intervention has on social participation and environment management. This study aims to evaluate the management of environment and social participation following an Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention based on the teaching of energy conservation strategies in people with MS; the secondary endpoint is to evaluate the impact of fatigue, QoL and sleep quality. Methods. The intervention was administered as an outpatient program to adults with a confirmed diagnosis of MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale < 5,5, Fatigue Severity Scale ≥ 4. The intervention was based on a five-week program, and follow-up was performed 3 months after the end of the administration. The environmental impact was measured using the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors scale, the level of social integration was assessed through the Community Integration Questionnaire and the Impact on Participation and Autonomy. Results. 19 people were recruited, pre- and post-treatment, and after 3 months evaluations showed statistically significant data for all outcomes with a p < 0.05. Conclusion. Intervention based on fatigue management in people with MS improves the management of environment and social integration; it shows an improvement of the perception of fatigue, QoL and sleep quality. It confirms the importance of implementing groups for the management of fatigue also in Italy.