bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prehospital COVID-19 Patients Discharged at the Scene – An Observational Study
Authors: Heinonen Kari , Kuisma Markku , Salmi Heli , Puolakka Tuukka
Published: October 2023

Background
Emergency medical services (EMS) were the first point of contact for many COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the non-conveyance decision of a COVID-19 patient was more frequently associated with a new EMS call than direct ambulance transport to the hospital.
Methods
All confirmed COVID-19 patients with an EMS call within 14 days of symptom onset were included in the study. Patients were compared based on their prehospital transport decision (transport vs. non-conveyance). The primary endpoint was a new EMS call within 10 days leading to ambulance transport.
Results
A total of 1 286 patients met the study criteria; of these, 605 (47.0%) were male with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 50.5 (SD 19.3) years. The most common dispatch codes were dyspnea in 656 (51.0%) and malaise in 364 (28.3%) calls. High-priority dispatch was used in 220 (17.1%) cases. After prehospital evaluation, 586 (45.6%) patients were discharged at the scene. Oxygen was given to 159 (12.4%) patients, of whom all but one were transported.
A new EMS call leading to ambulance transport was observed in 133 (10.3%) cases; of these, 40 (30.1%) were in the group primarily transported and 93 (69.9%) were among the patients who were primarily discharged at the scene (p<.001). There were no significant differences in past medical history, presence of abnormal vital signs, or total NEWS score. Supplemental oxygen was given to 33 (24.8%) patients; 3 (2.3%) patients received other medications.
Conclusion
Nearly half of all prehospital COVID-19 patients could be discharged at the scene. Approximately every sixth of these had a new EMS call and ambulance transport within the following 10 days. No significant deterioration was seen among patients primarily discharged at the scene.
M1 Cholinergic Signaling Modulates Cytokine Levels and Splenocyte Sub-Phenotypes Following Cecal Ligation and Puncture
Authors: Abraham Mabel N , Nedeljkovic-Kurepa Ana , Fernandes Tiago , Yaipen Omar , Brewer Mariana R , Taylor Matthew D , Deutschman Clifford
Published: October 2023

Background: The contribution of the central nervous system to sepsis pathobiology is incompletely understood. In previous studies, administration of endotoxin to mice decreased activity of the vagus anti-inflammatory reflex. Treatment with the centrally-acting M1/M4 muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (M1/M4AChR) attenuated this endotoxin-mediated change. We hypothesize that decreased M1/M4AChR-mediated activity contributes to inflammation following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a mouse model of sepsis.
Methods: Basal forebrain cholinergic activity (immunostaining), serum cytokine/chemokine levels (ELISA) and splenocyte subtypes (flow cytometry) were examined at baseline and following CLP in male C57BL/6 male mice.
Rersults: At 48hrs. post-CLP, activity in basal forebrain cells expressing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was half of that observed at baseline. Lower activity was also noted in the hippocampus, which contains projections from ChAT-expressing basal forebrain neurons. Serum levels of TNFα, IL-1β, MIP-1α, IL-6, KC and G-CSF were higher post-CLP than at baseline. Post-CLP numbers of splenic macrophages and inflammatory monocytes, TNFa+ and ILb+ neutrophils and ILb+ monocytes were higher than baseline while numbers of central Dendritic Cells (cDCs), CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were lower. When, following CLP, mice were treated with xanomeline, a central-acting M1AChR agonist, activity in basal forebrain ChAT-expressing neurons and in the hippocampus was significantly higher than in untreated animals. Post-CLP serum concentrations of TNFα, IL-1β, and MIP-1α, but not of IL-6, KC and G-CSF, were significantly lower in xanomline-treated mice than in untreated mice. Post-CLP numbers of splenic neutrophils, macrophages, inflammatory monocytes and TNFα+ neutrophils also were lower in xanomeline-treated mice than in untreated animals. The effects of CLP on percentages of IL-1β+ neutrophils, IL-1β+ monocytes, cDCs, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were similar in xanomeline - treated and untreated post-CLP mice.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that M1/M4AChR-mediated responses modulate CLP-induced alterations in the distribution of some, but not all, leukocyte phenotypes and certain cytokines and chemokines.
Correlation of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1RA) gene polymorphisms in various cancers
Authors: Muthaiah Duraipandian , G Neethirajan , S Karuthapandian , G Shiyamala , M Abdul kapur , M Yuvarani , V Rama , K Kavitha
Published: October 2023

Background
Cancer is the widely distributed deadly disease to plants and animals including humans. There are many genes or proteins involved cancer development specifically the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes or mutant proteins. The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist cytokine genes are to modulate the interleukin-1 genes immune and inflammatory responses. The interleukin gene families also involved in the progression of tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of certain cancers development.
Methods
In this study, there are three kinds of cancers such as breast cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancers blood DNA isolated by salting out method and molecular identification of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphisms by using polymerase chain reaction and analysis in the agarose gel electrophoresis and finally the statistical analysis also performed to find the significance.
Results
The blood was collected from different cancer patients and done the DNA quantification and get the different sizes of DNA bands in 2% agarose gel. Further done the polymerase chain reaction method with of Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) of IL-1RA gene, from the result different sizes of DNA bands identified for confirmation of the IL-1RA genes responsible for against the cancer will increased significantly due to decrease in among all cancer types. The p-values of breast cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer were p = 0.329, 0.190 and 0.346 respectively. The statistical analysis of genotype frequency of cervical cancer showed the greater significance.
Conclusions
In conclusion this is the novel and first report on IL-1RA in various cancers among south india. IL-1RA variable tandem repeat polymorphic profile might have served as the biomarker for the diagnosis purpose of the breast cancer and lung and may have the function in the host immune responses in the local and general environments of gynaecological cancers. IL-1RA decreases tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis.
Altered Gut Microbiota as a Potential Risk Factor for Coronary Artery Disease in Diabetes: A Two-Sample Bi-Directional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Zeng Zhaopei , Liang Diefei , Chen Yu , Wei Feng , Fu Yuan , Zhang Jiarui , Zhang Xinyi , Qiu Junxiong , Lin Liling , Zheng Junmeng
Published: October 2023

Background
Alterations in the gut microbiota are closely associated with type 2 diabetes(T2D) and its complications, specifically coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the causal relationship between gut microbiota and diabetic coronary artery disease (DCAD) remains unknown.
Methods
We conducted two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) causality analyses using data from the DIAGRAM, GERA, UKB, FHS, and mibioGen cohorts. By filtering the genome-wide association study (GWAS) databases for type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, gut microbiota, and metabolites, we explored potential connections between the gut microbiota and DCAD.
Results
Oxalobacter formigenes was found to be causally correlated with both T2D and CAD. Every 10-unit increase in host genetic-dependent T2D risk increases the risk of increased family Oxalobacteraceae (Beta = 0.061, 95% CI = 0.002, 0.119) abundance by 6.1%. Each 10-unit increase in the abundance of genus Oxalobacter (Beta = 0.082, 95% CI = 0.026, 0.137) increased the risk of host genetic CAD in the host by 8.2%. This is potentially an important pathway by which T2D increases the risk of CAD by influencing the gut microbiota. The risk of CAD associated with Methanobacteria, providing direction for research on mechanisms underlying trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and the causal role of carnitine in preventing the development of CAD. In addition, provided evidence for a causal relationship between elevated proline, lysophosphatidylcholine, asparagine and salicylurate and T2D as well as CAD.
Conclusions
The sensitivity analysis of study offers compelling evidence that alterations in the Oxalobacter formigenes are probably a risk for DCAD, and that DCAD also affects the abundance of parts of the gut microbiota. Increased blood TMAO concentrations in patients with CAD are potentially associated decreased abundance of methanogens.
Understanding energy limiting behavior in different climate zones: case studies of three utility service regions
Authors: Cong Shuchen , Nock Destenie , Laasme Häly , Qiu Yueming (Lucy) , Xing Bo
Published: October 2023

Energy limiting behavior varies based on regional temperature, leading to different types and levels of energy poverty. We investigate annual household-level electricity consumption patterns of utility customers in three utility regions, one in each a cold, moderate, and hot climate zone, and quantify the proportion of each sample population that would fall into the different categories of energy poverty and insecurity, including those waiting till it's too hot into the summer to turn on their cooling systems, those with higher energy burden, and those likely lacking a working air conditioner or barely using their air conditioner during the cooling season. The ComEd utility region in northern Illinois had roughly equal populations that fall into each category, whereas, in the Utility X region in the Mid-Atlantic, we observe more households turning on their cooling systems when it’s past 78°F than those who do not have an AC or those with energy burden above 6%. In the SRP region in central Arizona, high energy burden and high cooling turn-on points dominate, while very few households have no working AC. Despite the small number of homes without a working AC, this finding is significant as we commonly assume all households in hot climates have ACs. Policy implications of these findings point to a need to establish localized strategies to mitigate different forms of energy poverty and the potential scope impact of these strategies.
Social accountability of medical school, is it sufficient? A regional medical school curriculum and approaches to equip graduates for rural and remote medical services
Authors: Noya Farah , Carr Sandra , Thompson Sandra
Published: October 2023

Background Faculty of Medicine Universitas Pattimura (FMUP) aims to provide skills and preparedness for rural and remote (RR) medical workforce beyond the national curriculum. However, how the curriculum has influenced graduates’ preparedness has yet to be evaluated in a real work setting. This study aimed to capture the perspective of medical graduates of FMUP regarding the rural focus of the curriculum based on the teaching and learning opportunities provided for them during medical school. The findings will be important for assessing regional medical schools’ accountability in providing quality service, especially in underserved areas.Methods Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with nine FMUP graduates working in the RR areas of Maluku Province. A phenomenological qualitative analysis was utilised to explore their perspective of graduates.Results The FMUP curriculum, based on its social accountability, has prepared graduates to some extent for work in Maluku RR conditions. However, the participants felt that their skills and preparedness are often inadequate for the substandard working environments they encounter.Conclusions With its social responsibility, the regional medical school has assisted the government in preparing medical workforce to work in the RR areas. However, the social accountability demonstrated and the benefit of the rural-focused curriculum for medical graduates RR preparedness cannot sufficiently address community health needs when low standard conditions for practise overshadows their efforts. Addressing the RR working situations requires political action to invest in standard medical/healthcare facilities and equipment. In doing so, medical graduates could work more effectively and better serve their RR communities to improve their health status.
Soil water repellency in the Brazilian neotropical savanna: first detection, seasonal effect, and influence on infiltrability
Authors: Oliveira Juliana Farias de Lima , Filho Sérgio Fernandes Mendonça , Salemi Luiz Felippe
Published: October 2023

Soil water repellency (SWR) has been detected worldwide in various biomes and climates. However, this phenomenon has not been shown yet in the Brazilian neotropical savanna. The present study addresses the following questions: a) Does SWR occur in the Brazilian neotropical savanna? If so, b) does it exhibit seasonality? c) Does it influence infiltration? To do that, we selected two similar study areas covered by the same soil and vegetation types. We performed water repellency and infiltration tests in both areas during the transition from dry to wet season. Our results indicate that SWR occurs in soils of the Brazilian neotropical savanna only during the dry season and does not influence soil water infiltration. The likely cause of SWR might be related to the chemical composition of soil organic matter since neotropical savanna plants produce hydrophobic substances as a survival strategy, especially during the dry season.
The efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitor combined with TACE in the first-line treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liu Qing-Qing , Wang Xiang-Xu , Ji Hong-Chen , Dou Qiong-Yi , Zhang Hong-Mei
Published: October 2023

Background:The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has changed the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a first-line treatment for intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma. serving as a local inducer of immunogenic cell death, the efficacy and safety of combined use with ICI have not been evaluated. Although there have been prospective studies aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of ICI combined with TACE in BCLC stage B HCC patients, there are few reports on the evaluation of BCLC stage C patients with distant metastasis or portal vein cancer thrombus.
Method: Data of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients received PD-1 inhibitor and TACE were collected in Xijing Hospital from June 2019 to December 2022. The tumor response was evaluated according to the Solid Tumor Modified Response Evaluation Standard (mRECIST), including complete response (CR), partial response (PR), disease stability (SD), disease progression (PD)，objective response rate (ORR) ,and disease control rate (DCR).The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were used to estimate therapy efficacy. The treatment-related adverse events were evaluated based on National Cancer Institute Common Adverse Event Evaluation Criteria (CTCAE) version 5.0.
Result:A total of 42 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma were included in this study, including 34 males (80.5%) and 8 females (19.5%); The average age is 55 years, ranging from (34 - 72); The median follow-up time was 12.3 months, with an ORR of 42.9% and a DCR of 90.5% as of the follow-up time; The median PFS is 7.5 months (95% CI: 5.76-9.23), and the median OS has not yet been reached; 6-months PFS was 62.2%. Safety analysis showed that 41 (97.6%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse reactions, mainly including elevated AST and ALT, fever, elevated bilirubin, hypothyroidism, nausea, abdominal pain, and rash. 40 patients had grade 1/2 adverse reactions, and only 1 patient had grade 3 adverse reactions, manifested as intolerable rash, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment was terminated due to symptomatic treatment and discontinuation of medication. In this study, 3patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with PD-1 inhibitor combined with TACE to achieve good tumor reduction effect, and underwent liver cancer resection surgery.
Conclusion: For patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, whether in BCLC stage B or stage C, effective systemic therapy (PD-1 inhibitor) combined with local therapy (TACE) can achieve a high rate of tumor regression and objective response. Some patients may even pursue surgical treatment opportunities, and the treatment related adverse reactions are controllable, which is expected to provide new options for extending survival of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Impact of User’s Background Knowledge and Characteristics of Colonic Polyps on Lesion Recognition during Colonoscopy with Computer-aided Detection
Authors: Lee Jooyoung , Cho Woo Sang , Kim Byeong Soo , Yoon Dan , Kim Jeong , Song Ji Hyun , Yang Sun Young , Lim Seon Hee , Chung Goh Eun , Choi Ji Min , Han Yoo Min , Kong Hyoun-Joong , Lee Jung Chan , Kim Sungwan , Bae Jung Ho
Published: October 2023

Interaction between endoscopists and computer-aided detection (CADe) could be crucial in determining the effectiveness of CADe-assisted colonoscopy. This study investigated the effects of CADe on the recognition of diverse colorectal polyps by the endoscopy department staffs with varying experience levels. A computerized test module with 300 colonoscopy images was developed to measure changes in the polyp recognition performance with or without CADe assistance. The effect sizes of CADe for the nurse, fellow, and expert groups were evaluated based on polyp features including histopathology and detection difficulty. The CADe system demonstrated the following standalone performance rates during polyp detection: 79.0% accuracy, 78.5% sensitivity, and 80.3% specificity. Detection accuracy among participants was significantly improved with CADe assistance (odd ratio, 1.88; p < 0.001). Furthermore, it was observed that when the CADe system was precise, the likelihood of participants accurately identifying lesions increased by an average of 2.87fold (odd ratio, nurse group: 6.78; fellow group: 2.15; expert group: 2.18). However, synergistic effect that exceeded the standalone performance of CADe was only observed for the detection of adenomas and easily detectable lesions. The effect size and synergism of CADe and humans for polyp recognition could vary based on the user’s experience level and polyp characteristics.
Ultrabroadband Visible to Mid-wave Infrared PbS/HgTe Colloidal Quantum Dot Imagers
Authors: Tang Xin , Tan Yimei , Bi Cheng , Mu Ge , Zhao Pengfei , Chen Menglu , Liu Yanfei , Hao Qun
Published: October 2023

Photodetection over a broad spectral range is invaluable for multispectral sensing and imaging. Despite that single-element detectors with high performance and wide spectral detection ranges have been achieved with various low-dimension materials, broadband focal plane array imagers have been rarely reported. Here, we propose a stacked PbS/HgTe colloidal quantum dot photodetector configuration with graded energy gaps, which leads to an ultrabroadband spectral response from visible to mid-wave infrared (MWIR) with excellent sensitivity and detection performance. More importantly, an ultrabroadband focal plane array imager with a resolution of 640 × 512 has been fabricated and the results show low photoresponse non-uniformity (PRNU) down to 6%. The noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of the broadband imager is as low as 34 mK, and high-resolution thermal images have been demonstrated. With a set of optical filters, red, green, blue, short-wave infrared, MWIR, and multispectral merged images have been captured.
Quantitative analysis of myocardial blood flow in surgically revascularized and not revascularized myocardial segments. A pilot PET study
Authors: Grandinetti Maria , Locorotondo Gabriella , Leccisotti Lucia , Guarneri Andrea , Bruno Piergiorgio , Marcolini Alberta , Farina Piero , Gaudino Mario F. , Lanza Gaetano A. , Crea Filippo , Giordano Alessandro , Massetti Massimo
Published: October 2023

Purpose
to prospectively compare changes in myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) in multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD) patients undergoing incomplete revascularization (IR) versus complete revascularization (CR) by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Methods
Seven male patients (age 68 ± 9 years) with MVCAD, underwent myocardial perfusion PET/CT with [13N]ammonia before and at least 4 months after CABG. Segmental resting and stress MBF as well as MFR were measured. Resting and during stress left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) were also calculated.
Results
Three patients (43%) underwent CR and 4 (57%) IR. Among 119 myocardial segments, 101 (85%) were revascularized, and 18 (15%) were not. After CABG, stress MBF (mL/min/gr) and MFR significantly increased in all myocardial segments, with a greater increase in the revascularized segments (p = 0.013). In both groups, LVEF significantly decreased during stress at baseline PET (p = 0.04), but not after CABG.
Conclusion
Stress MBF and MFR significantly improve after CABG in both revascularized and not directly revascularized myocardial segments. IR strategy may be considered in patients with high surgical risk for CR.
Common Data Element for Disorders of Consciousness: Recommendations from the Working Group on Therapeutic Interventions
Authors: Monti Martin M , Beekman Rachel , Spivak Norman M , Thibaut Aurore , Schnakers Caroline , Whyte John , Molteni Erika
Published: October 2023

Background. Over the past thirty years, there have been significant advances in the understanding of the mechanisms associated with loss and recovery of consciousness following severe brain injury. This work has provided a strong grounding for the development of novel restorative therapeutic interventions. While all interventions are aimed at modulating, and thereby restoring, brain function, the landscape of existing interventions encompasses a very wide scope of techniques and protocols. Despite vigorous research efforts, few approaches have been assessed with rigorous, high-quality, randomized controlled trials. As a growing number of exploratory interventions emerge, it is paramount to develop standardized approaches to reporting results. The successful evaluation of novel interventions depends on implementation of shared nomenclature and infrastructure. To address this gap, the Neurocritical Care Society’s Curing Coma Campaign convened nine working groups and charged them with developing Common Data Elements (CDEs). Here, we report the work of the Therapeutic Interventions Working Group.
Methods. The Working Group reviewed existing CDEs relevant to therapeutic interventions within the NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) database and reviewed the literature for assessing key areas of research in the intervention space. CDEs were then proposed, iteratively discussed and reviewed, classified, and organized in a Case Report Form.
Results. We developed a unified CRF, including CDEs and key design elements (KDE; i.e., methodological or protocol parameters), divided into five sections: (i) patient information; (ii) general study information; (iii) behavioral interventions; (iv) pharmacological interventions; and (v) device interventions.
Conclusion. The newly created CRF enhances systematization of future work by proposing a portfolio of measures that should be collected in the development and implementation of studies assessing novel interventions intended to increase the level of consciousness or rate of recovery of consciousness in patients with DoC
Cyclosporine successful treated Steroid-resistant checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis: A case report
Authors: Deng Jiaxi , Guan Wenhui , Hu Minjuan , Deng Haiyi , Mo Wenwei , Li Ru , Sun Ni , Zhou Chengzhi , Lin Xinqing
Published: October 2023

Background
Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP) stands out as a particularly severe adverse event caused by cancer immunotherapy, with a substantial real-world incidence ranging from 13–19%. While systemic corticosteroids represent the standard treatment for CIP, therapeutic options become limited in cases where patients do not respond to steroid therapy. Such patients are classified as having steroid-resistant CIP, often associated with a poor prognosis. This case study provides insight into the symptoms, diagnostic process, and treatment approach for steroid-resistant CIP. Notably, successful management is demonstrated through the utilization of cyclosporine, highlighting its potential mechanisms of action in effectively treating steroid-resistant CIP.
Case description:
Here, we present the case of a 53-year-old male patient diagnosed with stage IVA non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), who experienced elevated fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing subsequent to immunotherapy treatment. Based on his medical history, clinical presentation, and imaging results, the patient was confirmed to have CIP. The patient's condition demonstrated improvement upon administration of corticosteroids; however, during the subsequent tapering of corticosteroid treatment, a resurgence of CIP occurred, eventually leading to a state of respiratory failure. Consequently, we arrived at the diagnosis of steroid-resistant CIP, prompting the implementation of a combination therapy involving cyclosporine in conjunction with corticosteroids to establish stable disease control. As the corticosteroid dosage was systematically reduced, the patient continued to exhibit a favorable response with no observable recurrence.
Conclusions
This marks the inaugural instance of effectively managing steroid-resistant CIP through the synergistic employment of cyclosporine and corticosteroids. Presently, cases of steroid-resistant CIP remain infrequent, necessitating vigilant and meticulous monitoring within clinical settings. Notably, there exists no distinct guideline specifying a singular agent for rescuing patients insensitive to corticosteroid therapy. Thus, cyclosporine emerges as a promising and efficacious treatment alternative for individuals unresponsive to corticosteroid intervention in the context of CIP.
Silicon Applications on Yield Attributes of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Biology of Wheat-Aphid (Schizaphis graminum)
Authors: Rahman Abdur , Hussain Fida , Majeed Shahid , Nazeer Muhammad Usama , Sharif Rao , Asif Muhammad , Sattar Waqar
Published: October 2023

Schizaphis graminum is considered an economically important sucking insect pest of wheat. It causes direct losses to leave at the vegetative stage and indirect losses by acting as a carrier of viruses and fungi. The current study was designed to determine the yield attributes of wheat and the biology of wheat-aphid induced by silicon in the field area of the Department of Entomology, Bahauddin Zakaria University Sub Campus Layyah during the 2020–2021 cropping seasons. The Randomize Complete Block Design was adopted with six treatments (0 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 70 ml, 80 ml, and 100 ml) with three replications. The high plant height (80.76 cm) and spike length (16.5 cm) were recorded on the application of 100ml silicon. The maximum spike weight (0.87g) was measured on the application of 100ml Si as compared to the control treatment. The results showed that 100ml silicon application significantly affects the mortality rate of first nymphal stage of aphids. At 3rd nymphal stage, the maximum mortality rate (80%) was observed as compared to control treatment (0%). The high concentration of silicon (100 ml) application had a good impact on adult longevity period and reduced it up to (21%) as compared to the control (27%). Silicon application with 100 ml concentration on wheat plants significantly reduced nymph survival (65%) and reproductive period (17 days). It concluded that 100 ml foliar application of silicon significantly impacted wheat yield attributes and the biology of wheat-aphid (S. graminum).
Effect of play on children’s mental status and relationship with caregivers during hospitalization: findings from Pakistan
Authors: Bharuchi Vardah Noor Ahmed , Rasheed Muneera Abdul
Published: October 2023

Background: The nurturing care framework (NCF)encompasses responsive caregiving, health, nutrition, safety and security by parents and other caregivers. It improves health, development and wellbeing of children. A hospital environment can be detrimental to the developmental and emotional needs of children hence NCF can be applied to hospitalized children.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine if (i) play stimulation intervention mediated by non-specialist providers (caregivers) improves the mental status of children who are hospitalized and (ii) to examine if there is a difference between parent-mediated and therapist-mediated sessions on the child’s mental status pre and post intervention.
Method: A one-group pretest-posttest research was carried out using purposive sampling in a Children’s Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from November 2017 to December 2019. In all 351 children aged 3 months to 6 years were offered play stimulation and were observed using the Mental Status Examination Scale. Descriptive analysis and paired samples T test were used.
Results: Significant difference was observed when non-specialist providers (caregivers) provided intervention (t (44)=7.30, p=0.000). Significant difference was observed when intervention was offered by father on MSE before and after the intervention (t(77)=8.54, p=0.000) and when intervention was given by mother (t(360)=20.57, p=0.000). Difference in acute care was also observed when intervention was given by trainee therapists (t(28)=8.74, p=0.000).
Conclusion: It was concluded that play stimulation not only affects the behaviour of children but also varies when delivered by caregivers and trainees. Hence, interventions that involve parents can be helpful.
Jointly local statistics and topological proximity consideration in spectral clustering
Authors: Jamshidi Mina
Published: October 2023

Efficient deals of mathematical techniques have been devoted to cluster data with complicated manifold structures. Although local geometrical properties of data are considered in these techniques, some essential local statistics behaviours are ignored. In this paper, a method is proposed in which local topological and local statistics structures are jointly considered. More precisely, local correlations, local distributions and high-order proximity of data points are simultaneously considered to construct more efficient affinity matrix. Local correlations and high-order proximity are considered to modify the connectivity of the graph representation of data, and local distributions are utilized to obtain a free parameter similarity function between data points. After obtaining the new similarity matrix, spectral clustering is employed to evaluate the efficiency of it. The experimental results on various benchmark data sets demonstrate that the new method can significantly improve the clustering performance compared with state-of-the-art techniques.
Dynamic Visual SLAM Algorithm based on Lightweight YOLOv5s
Authors: Gong Xieping , Yin Yang , Wang Zheng , Li Houpu
Published: October 2023

Mobile robots localize themselves in unknown environments through simultaneous localization and mapping. However, most visual SLAM systems are built under the assumption that the real-world scenes are static, which limits their robustness and camera localization accuracy due to the presence of dynamic objects. To address this issue, we proposes a novel visual SLAM system that adopts the lightweight MobileNetV3 network as the backbone of the YOLOv5s object detection algorithm. Model pruning and knowledge distillation techniques are employed to reduce the model parameters by 59.01% while maintaining a minimal decrease of only 2.4% in algorithm accuracy.By integrating the improved object detection network, the LK optical flow method, and the ORB-SLAM3 system, our SLAM system effectively filters out dynamic feature points while extracting ORB feature points. Experimental evaluations on the TUM dataset reveal that proposed algorithm outperforms the ORB-SLAM3 system, achieving a 57.81% improvement in pose estimation accuracy in dynamic environments. This demonstrates enhanced precision and robustness of our algorithm in dynamic scenarios.
Semi-empirical parameterization of HI/p L-shell X-ray production cross section ratios in Bi for Heavy Ion PIXE
Authors: Masekane Masedi Carington , Msimanga Mandla , Radović Ivančica Bogdanović , Madhuku Morgan , Moloi Sabata Jonas
Published: October 2023

Quantitative analysis of materials from Heavy Ion PIXE spectra remains impeded by the lack of reliable X-ray production cross section (XPCS) data. Although efforts at experimental Heavy Ion induced XPCS measurements still continue, Multiple Ionisation (MI) effects, which are not fully described by theory, render simulations of Heavy Ion PIXE data unreliable for large Z 1 /Z 2 collisions, especially at low energies. This is also exacerbated by the random selection of projectile-target combinations for measured and reported experimental data available to validate theory. This study explored heavy ion induced X-ray production cross section deviations from those induced by protons at the same ion velocity. This enabled evaluations of the degree to which cross sections are enhanced through MI effects, with the aim of predicting XPCS due to heavy ion impact. The evaluation was carried out through the scaling of experimental heavy ion to theoretical proton cross section ratios (R), which were then used for the interpolation of XPCS in´missing´in´missing´ regions. Here we present measurements of heavy ion induced total L-shell XPCS in Bi, carried out to determine HI/p MI induced deviations due to C, F, Cl and Ti projectiles at an ion velocity range of 0.2-1.0 (MeV/nucleon).
Risk Assessment Protocol for Existing Bridge Infrastructure Considering Climate Change
Authors: Altamimi Shereen , Amleh Lamya , Fang Liping
Published: October 2023

The escalating impact of climate change on global weather patterns threatens the functionality and resilience of infrastructure systems. This paper presents a rigorous risk assessment protocol tailored to existing bridge infrastructure, integrating climate change projections, structural integrity, and socio-economic factors. The protocol's application involves five sequential steps: selecting a bridge, disassembling the structure into components, calculating utilization factors for design and projected temperatures, evaluating severity factors encompassing structural and socio-economic aspects, and ultimately determining an overall risk rating. To demonstrate the protocol's effectiveness, a case study is conducted on the Westminster Drive Underpass in London, Ontario. This study displays how the protocol systematically evaluates the vulnerability of each bridge component to projected temperatures under the Representative Concentration Pathway 6.0 model. The protocol provides a holistic risk assessment by incorporating both the structural response and socio-economic implications of failure. The results rank the bridge's risk level and highlight the urgency of intervention. The protocol emerges as a robust tool for decision-makers, practitioners, and engineers, offering a comprehensive approach to strengthen bridge infrastructure against the challenges of climate change.
Computing Sickle Erythrocyte Health Index Based on Quantitative Phase Imaging and Machine Learning
Authors: Ansong-Ansongton Yaw , Adamson Timothy
Published: October 2023

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder characterized by abnormal hemoglobin and deformation of red blood cells (RBCs), leading to complications and reduced life expectancy. This study developed an in-vitro assessment, the Sickle Erythrocyte Health Index, using quantitative phase imaging (QPI) and machine learning to model the health of RBCs in people with SCD. The Health Index combines assessment of cell deformation, sickle-shaped classification, and membrane flexibility to evaluate erythrocyte health. Using QPI and image processing, the percentage of sickle-shaped cells and membrane flexibility were quantified. Statistically significant differences were observed between individuals with and without SCD, indicating the impact of underlying pathophysiology on erythrocyte health. Additionally, sodium metabisulfite led to an increase in sickle-shaped cells and a decrease in flexibility for the sickle cell blood samples. Based on these findings, two approaches were used to calculate the Index: one using hand-crafted features and one using learned features from deep learning models. Both indices showed significant differences between non-SCD and SCD groups and sensitivity to changes induced by sodium metabisulfite. The Sickle Erythrocyte Health Index has important clinical implications for SCD management and could be used by providers when making treatment decisions. Further research is warranted to evaluate the clinical utility and applicability of the Index in diverse patient populations.
De novo mutations in bipolar disorder implicate neurodevelopment, immunity, and synaptic signaling
Authors: Shimada Takafumi , Smith Rachel , Sung Heejong , Besancon Emily , Lopez Fabiana , Kassem Layla , Akula Nirmala , McMahon Francis
Published: October 2023

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating disorder affecting ~ 1% of the world’s population. Although many common and some rare alleles are associated with this complex disorder, little is known about the role of de novo variation. For the first time, this study investigates de novo mutations (DNMs) in families ascertained from genetically isolated populations. Exomes of approximately 1200 individuals consisting of 214 trios were quality controlled and analyzed using Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK). DNMs were called using HAIL, followed by stringent sample and variant filters. Genes carrying deleterious DNMs (dDNMs) in affected participants were annotated for biological functions and associated brain co-expression modules. A total of 42 loss of function or damaging missense DNMs in 42 genes, includingNRXN1,SHANK3, andSPECC1, were detected among individuals with BD and related disorders. Additionally, five genes,XKR6,MRC2,SUGP2,DICER1,PLECshowed recurrent dDNMs, of whichXKR6andMRC2were previously reported. These genes were significantly enriched for functions related to learning, post-synaptic organization, nervous system development, and calcium ion transport. These genes also significantly overlapped with brain co-expression modules associated with neurogenesis and immunity and significantly enriched in genes expressed in excitatory neurons, endothelial cells, and microglia. These findings support a role for DNM in BD and shed light on its neurobiology. If replicated, genes with significant burdens of DNMs are good candidates for functional genomic studies.
Mark4 ablation attenuates the pathological phenotype in tauopathy model mice
Authors: Sultanakhmetov Grigorii , Limlingan Sophia Jobien M. , Fukuchi Aoi , Tsuda Keisuke , Suzuki Hirokazu , Saito Taro , Weitemier Adam Z. , Ando Kanae
Published: October 2023

Background
Accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau proteins is linked to various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. However, what modifications of tau proteins cause disease phenotypes have not been fully understood. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) has been genetically and pathologically associated with Alzheimer’s disease and reported to enhance tau phosphorylation and toxicity in Drosophila and mouse traumatic brain-injury models but not in mammalian tauopathy models.
Methods
To investigate the role of MARK4 in tau-mediated neuropathology, we crossed P301S tauopathy model (PS19) and Mark4 knockout mice. Following standard behavior, biochemical, and histology analyses were performed to evaluate changes in PS19 pathological phenotype with and without Mark4.
Results
In this study, we demonstrated that Mark4 deletion ameliorated the tau pathology in a mouse model of tauopathy. In particular, we found that PS19 with Mark4 knockout showed reduced mortality and memory loss compared with those bearing an intact Mark4gene. These phenotypes were accompanied by reduced neurodegeneration and astrogliosis in response to the reduction of pathological forms of tau, such as those phosphorylated at Ser356, AT8-positive tau, and thioflavin S-positive tau.
Conclusion
Our data indicate that Mark4critically contributes to tau-mediated neuropathology, suggesting that MARK4 inhibition may serve as a therapeutic avenue for tauopathies.
Research on coal mine safety risk evolution and key hidden dangers under the perspective of complex network
Authors: Su Guorui , Jia Baoshan , Shen Zhuo , Wang Peng , Hu Eryi
Published: October 2023

In order to find out the main causes of coal mine safety accidents and improve the pertinence of coal mine safety risk management and control, the identification and analysis of coal mine safety risks and hidden dangers are carried out based on the analysis of coal mine accident reports. And combing the complex network theory A complex network model for the evolution of coal mine safety risks is constructed. The key elements that affect coal mine safety risk accidents are obtained through quantitative research on the characteristic indicators of the complex network model of coal mine safety risks. And the key nodes of coal mine safety risk spread network are obtained through network interference to the overall efficiency. The research results show that the complex network of coal mine safety risks illustrate the characteristics of a small-world network, and the spread of a certain risk is likely to cause coal mine safety accidents. Strengthening the risk management and control of hidden dangers with higher intermediate centrality can isolate the spread of coal mine safety risks and reduce the possibility of coal mine accidents.
Construction of recombinant LSDV fluorescent virus for high-throughput screening of antiviral drugs
Authors: Wang Jingyu , Ji Jinzhao , zhong yongcheng , meng wenxin , Wan shaobing , Ding Xiaoqing , chen zihan , wu weiyong , Jia Kun , Li Shoujun
Published: October 2023

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) infection is a major socio-economic issue that can cause serious threat to the global cattle farming industry. Here, a recombinant virus LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP of expressing EGFP was constructed using a homologous recombination system and applied to high-throughput screening of antiviral drugs. LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP can replicate in various kidney cell lines to consistent with wild-type LSDV. At the same time, the cytopathic effects, virus particle morphology, and growth performance caused by LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP are consistent with those of wild LSDV. High-throughput screening found that emodin (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 10.86 µM), aloe emodin (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 10.13 µM), theaflavin (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 10.05 µM), 4-ethylphenol (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 32.17 µM), tulipalin (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 28.58 µM) and anemoside B4 (for LSDV-ΔTK/EGFP, IC50 = 845.65 µM) inhibited LSDV replication. Theaflavin strong inhibitory effect on LSDV was identified from 100 antiviral drugs in vitro. In addition, the addition time measurement shown that theaflavins play a role in the entry of LSDV into cells and subsequent viral replication stages. The development of this recombinant virus contributes to the development of LSDV antiviral drugs and the subsequent study of virus replication and mechanism of action.
Aging affects regrowth of stealth peritoneal dissemination of advanced ovarian cancer: A multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Fujimoto Hiroki , Yoshihara Masato , Ricciardelli Carmela , Tano Sho , Iyoshi Shohei , Miyamoto Emiri , Mogi Kazumasa , Hayashi Maia , Hayakawa Sae , Nomura Satoshi , Kitami Kazuhisa , Uno Kaname , Yoshikawa Nobuhisa , Emoto Ryo , Matsui Shigeyuki , Kajiyama Hiroaki
Published: October 2023

Aging contributes to a worse prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer patients with peritoneal dissemination that was completely resected in the debulking surgery.
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, and most patients are diagnosed at advanced stage with peritoneal dissemination. Although age at diagnosis is considered an independent prognostic factor, its impact on peritoneal recurrence after combined cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy is not clear. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of aging on peritoneal recurrence from stealth dissemination and gain insight of the pathophysiology of OvCa in elderly patients. A total of 243 patients with pT2b-pT3 epithelial ovarian who achieved complete surgery, no-residual tumor at first surgery, were selected to be analyzed the risk of peritoneal seeding and recurrence. We found that age over 65 years was independently associated with an increased risk of peritoneum-specific (PS) recurrence Furthermore, pT3 stages and positive ascites cytology also worsen the PS-recurrence-free survival. Collectively, our findings suggest that age, especially over 65 years, predicts reduced peritoneum-specific tumor recurrence in patients with advanced OvCa after complete cytoreduction surgery, particularly those with pT3 tumors and positive ascites cytology.
The Cost of Hereditary Pediatric Cataract's Clinical and Genetic Diagnosis With Whole Exome Sequencing From a Middle-income Country Perspective: Can We See Any Gains?
Authors: Neves Luiza M. , Pinto Márcia , Zin Olívia A. , Cunha Daniela P. , Agonigi Bruna N. S. , Motta Fabiana L. , Gomes Leonardo H. F. , Horovitz Dafne D. G. , Almeida Daltro C. , Malacarne Jocieli , Guida Leticia , Braga Andressa , Carvalho Adriana Bastos , Eduardo Pereira , Rodrigues Ana Paula S. , Sallum Juliana M. F. , Zin Andrea A. , Vasconcelos Zilton F. M.
Published: October 2023

Up to 25% of pediatric cataract cases are inherited. There is scarce information in the literature regarding the cost of whole exome sequencing (WES) for hereditary pediatric cataract. Molecular diagnosis of hereditary pediatric cataract is important for a comprehensive genetic counseling. We performed a partial economic evaluation using a microcosting approach with a bottom-up technique to estimate the cost of clinical and genetic diagnosis using WES for hereditary pediatric cataract under the Brazilian governmental healthcare system’s perspective. One hundred and ten participants from twenty-nine families from Rio de Janeiro city (RJ) were included. Direct costs of consumables, staff and equipment were used. Two scenarios were created: 1. Reference scenario included patients with hereditary pediatric cataract plus two family members in RJ. 2. Alternative scenario considered other genetic diseases resulting in 5,280 exams per month. Sensitivity analysis was performed. In the reference scenario the total cost per exam (clinical and genetic) was 609.51 United State Dollars (USD) and in the alternative scenario it was 541.20 USD. Considering only WES, its cost per exam was 455.29 USD in the reference and 386.98USD in the alternative scenarios. Sensitivity analysis showed that the most important costs were consumables in both scenarios. Economic evaluations can help inform policy decisions specially in middle-income countries such as Brazil.