bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SRD5A2 in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia mechanism and immune infiltration analysis
Authors: Zhu Xiaoyan , Xu Qiming , Gong Rui , Fang Yuhao , Liu Zongshun , Hu Libing
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to elucidate the pathological mechanism of Steroid 5 Alpha-Reductase 2 (SRD5A2) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using various methods. BPH datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed, and correlations between SRD5A2 and other genes were calculated. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified potential functions of SRD5A2, and key pathways were determined by intersecting the enrichment results of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BPH and control samples with SRD5A2 enrichment. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified key pathways-related genes. Candidate genes were defined as overlapping genes among SRD5A2-related genes, key pathways-related genes, and DEGs. Functional similarity analysis identified genes significantly associated with SRD5A2. Support Vector Machine (SVM) analysis based on these genes revealed four key genes (SLIT3, TCF21, MATN2, and PSMG4) with good diagnostic efficacy. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed statistically significant differential expression of MATN2 and PSMG4. In conclusion, this study explored the potential biological functions of SRD5A2-related genes in BPH, providing insights into its treatment.
Analysis of Rare Events in Outcomes Research Using Department of Defense Data: Intravenous Immune Globulin Therapy for Bullous Pemphigoid
Authors: Baser Onur , Yuce Huseyin , Samayoa Gabriela
Published: February 2024

Introduction:
Rare events data have proven difficult to explain and predict. Standard statistical procedures can sharply underestimate the probability of rare events, such as intravenous immune globulin therapy (IVIg) for bullous pemphigoid.
Methods
This retrospective cross-sectional study used Department of Defense TRICARE data to determine factors associated with IVIg therapy among bullous pemphigoid patients. We used prior and weighted correction methods for logit regression to solve rare event bias.
Results
We identified 2,720 individuals diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid from 2019 to 2022, of which 14 were treated with IVIg. Patients who received IVIg therapy were younger (65.07 vs. 75.85, P = .0016) and more likely to be female (13 vs. 1, P = .0036). The underestimation with the standard regression model for event probabilities ranged from 11–102% using the prior correction method and from 15–107% using the weighted correction method.
Conclusion
Rare events are low-frequency, high-severity problems that can have significant consequences. Rare diseases and rare therapies are individually unique but collectively contribute to substantial health and social needs. Therefore, correct estimation of the events is the first step toward assessing the burden of rare diseases and the pricing of their therapies.
Loss of Dynein Axonemal Heavy Chain 5 Causes Cortical Development Disorders and CSF Flow Stagnation
Authors: Sakamoto Koichiro , Miyajima Masakazu , Nakajima Madoka , Ogino Ikuko , Horikoshi Kou , Miyahara Ryo , Kawamura Kaito , Karagiozov Kostadin , Kamohara Chihiro , Nakamura Eri , Tada Nobuhiro , Kondo Akihide
Published: February 2024

Background: Dynein axonemal heavy chain 5 (Dnah5) has been identified as a key gene associated with primary ciliary dyskinesia in humans. Studies have demonstrated that mice lacking Dnah5 (Dnah5-/-) develop acute hydrocephalus shortly after birth due to impaired ciliary motility, resulting in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) stagnation and ultimately death within approximately a month. Notably, such hydrocephalus has not been reported in humansharboring this mutation. We aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of hydrocephalus in Dnah5-deficient mice and by that improve our understanding of the role these pathogenetic mechanisms play in human hydrocephalus.
Methods: Using CRISPR/Cas9, we targeted exon 2 of the Dnah5 gene on chromosome 15, introducing a 4-base pair deletion to generate Dnah5-/- mice. We analyzed gene expression in the cerebral cortex using microarrays. Subsequently, we performed immunostaining of the cerebral cortex and ventricular wall using specific antibodies against dynein, n-cadherin, and nestin, and determined the gene expression levels and protein quantities through real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Western blot analysis.
Results: Hydrocephalus was observed in all Dnah5-/- mice. Electron microscopy images revealed an absence of the axonemal outer dynein arm of the peripheral doublet microtubules. Ventricular size of Dnah5-/- mice was enlarged immediately after birth and it progressed through life. The number of mature neurons in the cerebral motor cortex of Dnah5-/- mice was reduced by approximately 25% compared to wild-type mice. The level ofexpression of the Dynein Cytoplasmic 1 Heavy Chain 1 (Dync1h1) gene was decreased. Cytoplasmic dynein in the cerebral cortex of Dnah5-/- mice showed a 60% decrease compared to the wild-type mice. It was also observed a 32% reduction in nestin and 35% reduction in N-cadherin in the lateral ventricular wall of Dnah5-/- mice.
Conclusion: The reduction of cytoplasmic dynein resulted in the suppression of axonal growth and disrupted neurogenesis, and, consequently, a decrease in cell density in the ventricular wall layers. Hydrocephalus in the Dnah5-/- mouse model may arise from the stagnation of CSF due to impaired motile cilia function, and cortical malformations caused by cytoplasmic dynein deficiency.
Research of wet string grid dust removal vehicle and creation of dust control area on tunnel working face
Authors: Deng Huan , Chen Shiqiang , Huang Junxin , Wu Zhirong , Rao Ying , Qiu Xinyi , Cheng Jiujun
Published: February 2024

The spread of blast dust throughout the tunnel becomes a common problem in drill and blast tunneling,the key to breaking through the problem is the creation of a dust control area on the working face.In view of this key problem, a wet string grid dust removal crawler vehicle was developed, the power of the vehicle came from the diesel generator, and further, the air cooler of the diesel generator was used to generate air, and the suction process formed by the on-board axial flow fan was coupled to create a dust control area of the working face after blasting.The results show that when the frequency of the axial flow fan is adjusted to 30 Hz, the wind speed of the wet chord grid section reaches 3.34 m/s, and the dust removal efficiency is the highest, with a value of 94.3%.Compared with the non-use of the dust removal vehicle, when the air outlet of the air cooler is front, horizontal front, horizontal rear, the dust concentration is reduced by 74.37%, 92.39% and 50.53%.Finally, the optimized wet grid dust removal crawler was installed in the Dading tunnel, and the actual dust reduction efficiency was about 78.49%. The results obtained provide an important technical way to improve the working environment of the drilling and blasting construction tunnel.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of acute liver failure in neonates: a retrospective cohort in China
Authors: Xu Suhua , Zhang Peng , Ge Mengmeng , Shan Yuanyuan , Cheng Guoqiang
Published: February 2024

Currently, no literature is available regarding neonatal acute liver failure (NALF), as a rare disease with high mortality, in China. We attempted to analyze a NALF cohort to improve the prognosis of this disease. We included all patients diagnosed with NALF at our institution between 2016 and 2021 and retrospectively reviewed their electronic records. NALF was defined as an INR ≥ 2.0 due to liver disease 28 days after birth. Comparisons were made according to etiology and outcome. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival. Fifty-eight patients were included in this study. Etiologies included hypoxic/ischemic injury (29.3%), infection (27.6%), gestational alloimmune liver disease with neonatal hemochromatosis (GALD-NH) (10.3%), inherited metabolic diseases (5.2%), hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (1.7%), other etiologies (12.1%), and unidentified causes (13.8%). Enteroviruses constituted 87.5% of the viral infections, whereas herpes simplex virus accounted for no infections. The median INR was significantly lower in the infection group than in the GALD-NH group (P < 0.05 for multiple comparisons). At the last follow-up, none of the patients had undergone liver transplantation, and the overall mortality rate was 50%. Liver function completely recovered in 31% of the patients, all of whom survived. The overall median survival time was 48 days; 26 days for hypoxic/ischemic injury and 43 days for GALD-NH. The incidence of cholestasis was significantly greater among surviving patients (P = 0.018).
Conclusions: Hypoxic/ischemic injury and infection are the predominant etiologies of NALF in China. The overall prognosis of NALF is poor, but its short-term prognosis is determined by the etiology.
Clinical features and effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in children with omicron infection in a tertiary hospital during the Omicron wave in China, December 2022–January 2023
Authors: Zheng Sujie , Guo Hao , Liu Ning , Jiang Tao , Guo Zhen , He Fang
Published: February 2024

There are limited data about Omicron infection in children in China. Here, we evaluated the infection fatality rates, clinical features and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in children with Omicron infection in a tertiary hospital during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 caused by Omicron in China, December 2022-January 2023.We used the week as a statistical unit, and the positive rate of NAT was 0.03% from December 1 to December 7, the week before the Zero-COVID strategy was relaxed. Following the repeal of the Zero-COVID policy, the positive rate of NAT rose to 8.3% in the first week, peaked at 85.2% in the third week, and then steadily fell.The NAT positive rate in children peaked (90.4%) in the third week following the termination of the Zero-COVID policy.43.6% (232/532) of the 532 pediatric patients received vaccinations, with the majority (95.3%, 221/232) receiving two doses and the remainder receiving one.532 of the 641 pediatric patients who tested positive for NAT were seen in the pediatric outpatient clinic. Eventually, 51 pediatric patients were admitted to hospitals. Overall, the symptoms of infection were mild, and the rate of severe disease was low, whereas vaccination had a favorable effect on lowering the risk of severe illness in children.
Adoptive transfer of T lymphocytes retrovirally transduced to express personalized neoantigen reactive T cell receptors can mediate tumor regression in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Parkhurst Maria , Goff Stephanie , Lowery Frank , Beyer Rachel , Halas Hyunmi , Robbins Paul , Gartner Jared , Sindiri Sivasish , Krishna Sri , Zacharakis Nikolaos , Ngo Lien , Ray Satyajit , Bera Alakesh , Shepherd Ryan , Levin Noam , Kim Sanghyun , Copeland Amy , Nah Shirley , Levi Shoshana , Parikh Neilesh , Kwong Mei Li , Klemen Nicholas , Yang James , Rosenberg Steven
Published: February 2024

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) using neoantigen reactive T lymphocytes can mediate cancer regression. Here, we developed methods to isolate unique, personalized, neoantigen reactive T cell receptors (TCRs) from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from patients with metastatic gastrointestinal cancers and incorporate the TCR α and β chains into gamma retroviral vectors. We transduced autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) using γ-retroviruses and adoptively transferred those cells into patients after lymphodepleting chemotherapy. We treated 7 patients with metastatic, mismatch-repair proficient colorectal cancers who had progressive disease following multiple prior therapies, and three patients had objective clinical responses by RECIST criteria including regressions of metastases to the liver, lung, and lymph nodes. All patients received T cell populations containing ≥50% TCR transduced cells, and all T cell populations were polyfunctional in that they secreted IFNα, GM-CSF, IL-2, and Granzyme B specifically in response to mutant peptides compared to wild type counterparts. TCR transduced cells were detected in the peripheral blood of 5 patients, including the three responders, at levels ≥10% of CD3+ cells approximately one month post-ACT. In one patient with a partial response to therapy, ~20% of CD3+ PBL expressed transduced TCRs more than two years after treatment. These studies demonstrate that ACT with T cells genetically modified to express personalized neoantigen reactive TCRs is safe and can mediate tumor regression in patients with metastatic solid epithelial cancers.
Estimating attrition of Sprague Dawley rats for the establishment of an oxygen-glucose deprivation model
Authors: Gittens Rolando , Denis Bernardino , De Jesus Rosa
Published: February 2024

The use of laboratory animals for biomedical research is strictly regulated to prevent their suffering and inadequate use. The 3 R’s principle, established the framework on the use of animals for scientific research, following the concepts of replacement, reduction, and refinement. While experimentation is in process, attrition usually can increase the number of animals needed to achieve the proposed objectives. Unfortunately, attrition or incidents concerning the final sample size are seldom explicitly shared in the literature. In the present study, we designed experiments to develop a protocol for primary cortical cell culture and to establish the first in vitro brain ischemia model in Panama. Here we report the effects of attrition in the final number of animals used for experimentation. Primary cortical cell cultures were produced from 17-day Sprague-Dawley rat embryos. Vaginal cytology was used to evaluate oestrus cycle and to identify copulation signs. Pregnant rats had routine evaluation plus clinical/weight follow up every week before euthanasia, at day 17. Sample size calculations estimated 26 rats for the study using a theoretical attrition rate of 25%. The final number of animals used empirically was 26; however, the measured attrition was 50% (13). The incidents related to attrition were categorized in mating problems, pregnancy complications, reduced number of embryos produced and in vitro experimentation failures. These results highlight the importance of calculating attrition for studies requiring laboratory animals, taking in consideration the context and available data from local institutions to allow for the most efficient use of laboratory animals, especially for newly established laboratories in developing countries.
Association of cholecystectomy with the risk of oesophageal cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases: a Mendelian randomised study
Authors: Du Chang-Qi , Wang Lin-Lin , Li Peng-Fei , yang yong-ze , Li Hong-Ling
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND: Cholecystectomy is the standard procedure for patients with gallbladder disease, but the causal effect of cholecystectomy on gastrointestinal disease remains unclear.
METHODS: We obtained genome-wide significant levels (p-value < 5 × 10 -8) of genetic variation associated with cholecystectomy as an instrumental variable (IV) and performed Mendelian randomisation (MR) to identify causality on gastrointestinal diseases after cholecystectomy. Dual-sample MR was used to study the causal effect of cholecystectomy on oesophagitis, gastritis, oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. All data were obtained from public shared databases. The causal effect of cholecystectomy on oesophagitis, gastritis, oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatitis, and colorectal cancer was assessed using traditional methods such as simple weighted models, inverse variance weighting, weighted median, and Mendelian randomisation (MR-Egger) regression. We used the multiple residuals and outliers (MR-PRESSO) method and the MR-Egger method to investigate sensitivity. The leave-one-out test was used to determine the effect of outliers. Heterogeneity was calculated by using the Cochran Q statistic and MR-Egger regression in the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method p< 0.05 indicates large heterogeneity.
RESULTS: Based on the IVW results of our MR analysis, we found that cholecystectomy increased the risk of oesophagitis ( odds ratio [OR] =1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.11 P=0.015) the risk of tract cancer ( [OR] =499.06, 95% [CI]: 1.15 -217412.20 P=0.045); risk of gastritis ( [OR] =1.06, 95% [CI]: 1.02-1.11 P=0.003); risk of gastric Helicobacter pylori infection ( [OR] =1.06, 95% [CI]: 1.00 -1.11 P=0.045); and risk of chronic pancreatitis ([OR] =588.92, 95% [CI]: 2.92- 118646.23 P=0.018). In addition, it did not increase the risk of gastric cancer ([OR] =0.6, 95% [CI]: 0.001-49.88 P=0.018), pancreatic cancer ([OR] =0.08, 95% [CI]: 0000.2- 26.53 P=0.40), and colorectal cancer ([OR] =13.70, 95% [CI]: 0.74 -252.22 P=0.08) risk of disease. In addition there was no horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity in the exposure and individual outcome analyses.
CONCLUSION: The study suggests that cholecystectomy may increase the risk of oesophagitis, oesophageal cancer, gastritis, and pancreatitis, which should be a clinical concern. In addition, cholecystectomy may not increase the risk of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, but this conclusion needs further evidence of clinical equivalence.
Thrombotic microangiopathy with kidney involvement in a patient with coronavirus disease 2019: A case report and literature review
Authors: Feng Dingrui , Nie Xue , Tan Li , Chen Xionghui , Chen Wenfang , Chen Wei , Wen Qiong
Published: February 2024

Background and aim: Millions of people worldwide have suffered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 can lead to coagulopathy and thrombosis, presenting as pulmonary artery thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), the latter being a rare finding in affected patients’ kidneys. Prior reports have rarely addressed the pathophysiology, clinical presentations, and therapeutic options in patients with COVID-19-associated TMA.
Case presentation: We herein described a case of renal biopsy-proven TMA after COVID-19 in a 36-year-old woman. Initial examination revealed inflammation, acute kidney injury (AKI), anemia, and thrombocytopenia. She was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, pulmonary infection, and COVID-19. After treatment, her condition stabilized but remained hemodialysis-dependent after discharge. One week later, she was re-hospitalized, and physical examination showed anemia and bilateral lower extremity edema. Abdominal ultrasound showed increased bilateral kidney echogenicity. Whole-exome sequencing detected an unknown variant of the C3 gene associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome susceptibility type 5/complement C3 deficiency. Kidney biopsy showed renal artery lesions, including small arteriole endothelial swelling, intimal thickening, mucinous degeneration, luminal occlusion, and small arterial wall necrosis. She received plasma exchange and steroids with significant renal function recovery.
Conclusion: TMA likely contributed to AKI after COVID-19,thus supporting the notion that TMA plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19-related kidney injury. When diagnosing and treating COVID-19 patients with abnormal renal function, clinicians should incorporate kidney biopsy and genetic testing for the complement system, identify renal-limited and systemic TMA, and treat accordingly, which can improve patient outcomes.
Lifestyle intervention using mobile technology in patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver (Based on the health belief model)
Authors: Tamadonpoor Nafiseh , Siavash Mansour , Shekarchizadeh Parivash , Pirzadeh Asiyeh
Published: February 2024

Background
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, which is intertwined with various metabolic disorders. Lifestyle modification covers the primary treatment for NAFLD and emphasizes the importance of education to enhance lifestyle. This study seeks to investigate the effect of using the health belief model with electronic training on physical activity and dietary intake of NAFLD patients.
Methods
The present study constitutes a clinical trial conducted at the Isfahan endocrine and metabolism research center encompassing 80 patients grappling with NAFLD. Random allocation bifurcated these patients into two groups, namely the intervention and control groups The intervention group received eight weeks of e-learning focusing on nutrition and physical activity, all of which were based on the principles of the health belief model. Data were collected through pre- and post-study assessments, encompassing demographic questionnaires, the health belief model structural questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and a three-day dietary record. Subsequent data analysis was done using SPSS software.
Results
After an eight-week educational intervention, the constructs of the health belief model, including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and self-efficacy showed a significant increase in the intervention group (p < 0.05). In addition, the intervention group showed a significant decrease in mean carbohydrate intake and liver enzyme levels.
Conclusions
The findings of this study confirm the effectiveness of e-learning based on the health belief model in making significant improvements in NAFLD patients. This comprehensive approach led to a decrease in liver enzyme levels and carbohydrate consumption, and simultaneously increased patients' perceived Susceptibility, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy.
Trial registration
IRCT registration number: IRCT20210612051546N1
Catalytically Active Inclusion Bodies of Recombinant LipAMS8 lipase from Antarctic Pseudomonas sp
Authors: Bello Muhammad Nura , Sabri Suriana , Yahaya Normi mohd , Sharif Fairolniza Mohd , Ali Mohd Shukuri Mohamad
Published: February 2024

Heterologous expression of some recombinant protein in E. coli. triggered the formation of inclusion bodies. Recent studies revealed that the aggregated proteins formed are folded correctly and retain their native-like structure, hence possessing catalytic activity. LipAMS8 lipase originally isolated from Antarctic Pseudomonas was overexpressed in E. coli. BL21(De3)/pET32b and resulted in the formation of inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were isolated using mild solubilising agents, 50 mM Tris-HCl, 50 mM NaCl, and 1% Triton-X 100 (pH 8.0). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis depicted the particles as rod-like structures ranging from 1 µm to 100 nm. Biochemical characterisation of the inclusion bodies showcased their catalytic activity, optimum temperature, pH stability, metal ion interaction, and high tolerance to organic solvents. Retaining significant residual activity up to 50% over a range of pH and temperature. Storage stability of LipAMS8 CatIBs at 40C and 250C revealed that it could retain more than 50% of its activity for up to thirteen and eight weeks respectively. This indicated the novelty of the inclusion bodies of LipAMS8 lipase, which is expressed naturally and displays outstanding properties of high activity, pH stability, and extreme tolerance to organic solvents. LipAMS8 lipase CatIBs are catalytically active inclusion bodies that occur naturally as the recombinant enzyme in heterologous expression and can influence the production of cold-active lipase which is highly demanded in various industries for their production processes.
Characterization of the GGPgene family inpotato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) and its expression analysis under hormonal and abiotic stresses
Authors: Ding Zhiqi , Yao Kangding , Yao Yandong , Pan Xuejuan , Luo Lizheng , Li Long , Wang Chunlei , Liao Weibiao
Published: February 2024

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) are members of the Solanaceae family, and they are widely grown and used worldwide. However, there are significant differences between these two crops in terms of morphology, growing conditions and resistance to stress. But they share some similarities at a genetic level. GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) is a key rate-limiting enzyme in plant ascorbic acid synthesis, which plays an important role in plant growth and development as well as stress response. However, the presence of GGP and its function in potato and capsicum are not known. In this study, we first identified two GGP genes in the potato genome using a genome-wide search approach. Similarly, two GGP genes were identified in the capsicum genome. We then analyzed their physicochemical properties, conserved domains, protein structures and phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that members of the potato and capsicum GGP gene families are related to cabbage(Brassica campestris), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.), apple (Malus domestica cv. Gala) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), with tomato being the most closely related. The promoter sequences mainly contain homeopathic elements such as light-responsive, hormone-responsive and stress-responsive, with light-responsive elements being the most abundant. By analyzing the structure of the genes, it was found that there is no transmembrane structure or signal peptide in the GGP gene family of potatoes and capsicums, and that all of its members are hydrophilic proteins. The expression profiles of the different tissues showed that the potato GGPwas more highly expressed in the leaves and the capsicum GGP was more highly expressed in the fruits. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the GGPgene was responsive to both ABA and MeJA in both the potato and the capsicum. In addition, the GGP genes in both the potato and the capsicum showed different responses to darkness stress, cold stress, salt stress and drought stress. Based on our experimental findings, it is evident that StGGPsprimarily respond to dark stress, while CaGGPs primarily respond to NaCl stress. This study provides a basis for a better understanding of the role of GGP-homologous genes from potato and capsicum in the response of plants to abiotic stress, and lays the foundation for further research into the role of GGPs in plants.
Magnetic Integrated Double-Trap Filter Utilizing the Mutual Inductance for Reducing Current Harmonics in High-Speed Railway Traction Inverters
Authors: Al-Barashi Maged , Wang Yongjun , Lan Bin , Bhutta Muhammed Shoaib
Published: February 2024

Current harmonics are generated at the switching frequency and its multiples when the traction converters are modulated. The multi-trap filters can eliminate the harmonic at these frequencies. Therefore, total inductance and filter size can be reduced. Comparatively to traditional inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) filters, more magnetic cores are needed for trap inductors. Furthermore, the traction systems have not been examined in conjunction with multi-trap filters. To reduce the filter size and investigate its application in traction converters, this paper presents an integrated double-trap LCL (DTLCL) filter. A tiny capacitor is connected in parallel with the grid-side inductor to form one LC-trap. In addition, another LC-trap is formed by connecting the equivalent trap inductor, introduced through the magnetic coupling between inverter-side and grid-side inductors, in series with the filter capacitor. The presented filters' features are thoroughly analyzed, and the design method has been developed. Finally, the simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiment results validate the proposed method's viability and efficacy. Compared to the discrete windings, the integrated ones enable a size decrease of 35.4%. Furthermore, the proposed filters can meet IEEE criteria with 0.3% for all the harmonics and total harmonic distortion (THD) of 2.36% of the grid-side current.
Dynamic analysis of an exponentially graded viscoelastic coated half plane pressed by a rigid flat punch
Authors: Çömez İsa
Published: February 2024

This study analytically considers the dynamic contact problem between a rigid flat punch and an exponentially graded (FG) viscoelastic coated homogeneous half-plane. The punch transmits a harmonic vertical force to the FG coating. The general stress and displacement expressions for the FG viscoelastic coating and half plane are derived using Helmholtz functions and the Fourier integral transform technique. Thanks to the boundary conditions, the contact problem is transformed into the singular integral equation of the first kind, and it is solved numerically by implementing the Gauss-Chebyshev integration formulas. The effect of the parameters such as external excitation frequency, loss factor ratio, Young’s modulus ratio, density ratio, Poisson’s ratio, indentation load, and punch length on the dynamic contact stress and dynamic in-plane stress are discussed in detail.
Study on the Friction Behavior and Abnormal Conditions of Non-Contact Mechanical Seal based on Acoustic Emission
Authors: Chen Jinxin , Lu Junjie , Hou Yaochun , Ding Xuexing , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2024

The main cause of failure in sealing friction pairs, friction wear, has presented analytical challenges due to rapidly changing and complex friction frequency characteristics. This has led to a focus on surface morphology treatment rather than direct measurement techniques in research. In this context, the present study adopted Acoustic Emission (AE) technology for direct monitoring of friction pairs, aiming to identify friction response signals during their transient contact and abrasion stages. Employing time-frequency analysis, the research delineated the state evolution of AE characteristics during the entire operational cycle of the friction pair, from start to stop. It has established the time-frequency information of AE signals in relation to the surface state of the sealing friction pair and deciphered the correlation between the friction AE signals and the surface state alterations of the friction pair. The study showed that the frequency of friction-induced signals in seals is 270 ± 40 kHz. The transition speeds for the friction pair's state, moving from boundary lubrication to mixed lubrication and then to fluid dynamic lubrication, were identified as 200rpm and 1000rpm, respectively. Additionally, an escalation in signal activity was observed in dry friction scenarios and when surface defects were present in the friction pair, markedly exceeding the activity in conditions of no wear. This relationship between the friction signals and the operational state of the seal facilitates precise assessments of wear and operational integrity, underpinning the theoretical aspects of periodic wear in seal tribology.
The Impact of Serum Potassium Ion Variability on 28-Day Mortality in ICU Patients
Authors: Zhang YuChou , Liang ShengDe , Wen HanChun
Published: February 2024

This study sought to elucidate the relationship between the variability of serum potassium ion levels and the 28-day mortality rate in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Incorporating a cohort of 237 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (October 2022 to October 2023), the investigation utilized the coefficient of variation to assess serum potassium ion variability. Employing binary logistic regression analysis and adjusting for potential confounding factors, the study unveiled a significant positive correlation between the variability in potassium ion levels and the 28-day mortality rate. Notably, the deceased patients demonstrated a mean increase of approximately 0.13 mmol/L in potassium levels every 12 hours, a contrast to the trends observed in survivors. This positive correlation persisted even after excluding patients who experienced hypokalemia or hyperkalemia during their hospitalization. The study thus underscores the significance of potassium ion variability as a prognostic indicator of 28-day mortality, irrespective of the patients maintaining normal potassium ion concentrations.
Neurotoxicological effects of agrochemicals and their probable degradation by-products in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Ramalho Douglas Lisboa , Silva Jadyellen Rondon , Santos Maria Eduarda Monteiro Martins dos , Soares Maria Eduarda Silva , Jesus Andrielle Adelina Teodoro , Alves Thiago Henrique Oliveira , Brugnera Michelle Fernanda , Moura Sidnei , Souza Anderson Oliveira
Published: February 2024

Photodegradation is a promising technique for remediating contaminated environmental matrices, demonstrating significant yield of transforming organic contaminants into carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic anions through degradation reactions that involve transient oxidizing species, mainly hydroxyl radicals generated by UV irradiation. In this study, we investigated whether the photodegradation of PQ with UV irradiation reduced its toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. However, dietary ingestion of degradation products PQ for larvae resulted in a low axial ratio (pupal volume). In the adults, products of photodegradation of PQ exposure markedly diminished climbing ability in a time-dependent manner after 10 days of feeding. In addition, exposure of D. melanogaster to photodegradation of PQ reduced acetylcholinesterase and citrate synthase activities but improved oxidative stress, as evidenced by protein carbonyl, and lactate production. These results suggest that the photodegradation of PQ with UV irradiation produced PQ fragments with higher toxicity than PQ, while the precise mechanism of its action needs further investigation.
Identifying potential ferroptosis-related biomarkers and therapeutic targets for Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension in the context of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine by integrative bioinformatics approaches
Authors: Tan Mingliang , Qian Tao , Jiang Wei , Yuan Haoyong , Lu Ting , Yin Ni , Wu Zhongshi , Huang Can
Published: February 2024

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), a rare and devastating pulmonary vascular disorder, is characterized by cellular proliferation and vascular remodeling. Although previous studies have underscored that ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death process, plays an important regulatory role in pulmonary artery hypertension, its role remains understudied. Therefore, the identification of novel and dependable biomarkers will play a pivotal role in enhancing the effective management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension in the context of Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Medicine (PPPM)
Methods: Gene expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using R software and intersected with a ferroptosis database (FerrDb V1) to identify ferroptosis-related DEGs. GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore biological functions and potential pathways. LASSO and SVM‐RFE algorithms were used to identify optimal gene biomarkers for IPAH. GSVA and GSEA were conducted to explore biological functions and potential pathways associated with these biomarkers. The CIBESORT software was employed to predict immune genes and functions.
Results: Of 237 ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs), 27 differentially expressed FRGs (DE-FRGs) showed significant differences between IPAH and normal samples in GSE48149, with 15 downregulated and 12 upregulated genes. Six DE‐FRGs, including KEAP1, TNFAIP3, MEG3, NFS1, PRDX1, and BEX1, were identified as predictive diagnostic genes for IPAH. Among these DE-FRGs, PRDX1 and TNFAIP3 were the most promising diagnostic genes for IPAH and may play a corresponding role in IPAH by participating in the cell cycle, lysosomes, immune response, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and various diseases. CIBERSORT analysis revealed a positive correlation between neutrophils and TNFAIP3, whereas macrophages M0 exhibited a negative correlation with PRDX1.
Conclusions:
Our analysis revealed six key genes in IPAH: KEAP1, TNFAIP3, MEG3, NFS1, PRDX1, and BEX1. PRDX1 and TNFAIP3, showing consistent expression across datasets, emerge as potential biomarkers and targets for IPAH. These findings propose PRDX1 and TNFAIP3 for future use in predictive diagnostics, prevention, patient stratification, and personalized medicine for IPAH.
“God is going to help me get through this”: spirituality perspectives from Hispanic adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.
Authors: Bennett C. Robert , Doyon Katherine , Barnard Juliana , Tofthagen Cindy , Galchutt Paul , Coats Heather , Hendricks-Ferguson Verna
Published: February 2024

Purpose: Describe spirituality’s role in a sample of Hispanic adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.
Methods: This convergent parallel mixed-methods study aimed to explore participants’ lived experiences with hope during cancer treatments and cancer survivorship. A purposive sample of Hispanic AYAs aged 18-39 years who completed cancer treatments 2-5 years ago were virtually recruited for participation. First, participants completed surveys about hope, demoralization, depression and anxiety, and health related quality of life. Second, participants completed virtual semi-structured interviews about their experiences with hope during cancer treatments and cancer survivorship and prepared narratives about their experiences. Thematic analyses were iteratively performed across the data set to identify final themes.
Results: Ten Hispanic AYA cancer survivors aged 22-36 years old participated in this pilot study. Seven participants (70%) were female, and three participants (30%) were male. Six participants (60%) experienced non-hematologic malignancies, and four participants (40%) experienced hematologic malignancies. Eight participants (80%) preferred to participate using Spanish, while two (20%) preferred to participate using English. The theme Spirituality, and subthemes Living by Faith, God as a Resource, and Spiritual Gratitude were identified as concepts participants linked to their conceptualization of hope during cancer treatment and survivorship.
Conclusions: Hope and spirituality may be conceptually linked to coping behaviors among Hispanic AYA cancer survivors. Hope through faith may be a learned spiritual value in Hispanic AYAs and might play a role in their spiritual and cognitive development. Further research is needed to explore the potentially protective value of hope and spirituality for the Hispanic AYA population.
Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in cardiovascular patients: a case-control study
Authors: Janjani Parisa , Motevaseli Sayeh , Ziapour Arash , Karami Sahar , Rouzbahani Mohammad , Jalili Zahra Zhra
Published: February 2024

Background
Among the important issues that cardiovascular patients face are their psychological problems, which should be known and their consequences reduced. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among cardiac patients, as well as among healthy individuals.
Methods
This is a hospital-based case-control study conducted in Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. The clinical population comprised cardiac patients and the research sample included 826 individual and the DASS-21 standard questionnaire was used to evaluate levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. According to the variable scale, the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, independent T test were used. Using logistic regression, the relationship between depression, anxiety and stress level with heart disease was investigated. A significance level of 5% was considered and STATA software version 14.2 was used for all analyzes.
Results
The average depression, anxiety, and stress levels were higher in patients (16.05 ± 3.38, 16.07 ± 3.31, 16.63 ± 3.20) than in the control groups (13.65 ± 3.97, 13.64 ± 3.60, 14.03 ± 3.56) respectively. These differences were statistically significant. The results of all three univariate analyses showed that for each unit increase in depression level, the risk of heart disease increased by 1.19 times. Similarly, for each unit increase in anxiety and stress levels, the risk of heart disease increased by 1.22 and 1.25 times, respectively.
Conclusion
The need to adopt policies and strategies focused on reducing and controlling risk factors can reduce the health and economic burden of these disorders in society in the long term.
Oncology patients’ willingness to report their medication safety concerns from home: A qualitative study
Authors: Bunni Deema , Walters Grace , Hwang Misun , Gahn Katie , Mason Heidi , Manojlovich Milisa , Gong Yang , Jiang Yun
Published: February 2024

Purpose: Oncology patients often struggle in managing their oral anticancer agents and related adverse events during transitions of care. They are expected to take an active role in self-monitoring and timely reporting of their medication safety events or concerns to clinicians. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing oncology patients' willingness to report these adverse events after their transitions back home.Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted with adult patients with breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer who experienced care transitions within the previous year. A semi-structured interview guide was developed to understand patients’ perceptions of reporting mediation-related safety events or concerns from home. All interviews were conducted via phone calls, recorded, and transcribed for thematic data analysis.Results: A total of 41 individuals participated in the interviews. Three main themes and six subthemes emerged, including patients’ perceived relationship with clinicians (the quality of communication and trust in clinicians), perceived severity of adverse medication events (perceived severe vs. non-severe events), and patient activation in self-management (self-efficacy in self-management and engagement in monitoring health outcomes).Conclusion: The patient-clinician relationship significantly influenced patients' reporting behaviors, which can potentially interact with other factors, including the severity of adverse events. It is important to engage oncology patients in medication safety reporting from home by enhancing health communication, understanding patients’ perceptions of severe events, and promoting patient activation. By addressing these efforts, healthcare providers should adopt a more patient-centered approach to enhance the overall quality and safety of oncological care.
Comparative Study of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for PTSD Patients
Authors: Akhtar Shammem
Published: February 2024

INTRODUCTION: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and multifarious anxiety disorder precipitated by exposure to psychotically stressful events that affects 5 to 10% of the population (Yehuda et al., 2015). It is characterized by constant disturbing memories about the traumatic event, consisting of escaping stimuli associated with the disturbance and persistent symptoms of increased stimulation. PTSD can be triggered by either bodily trauma or psychological trauma (APA, 2013). Among the most common traumatic I-e traffic accidents, earth quakes, floods, rape, and all other psychological problems, PTSD is most common (Huang, et al., 2010).
OBJECTIVEV: The objective of the present study was to analyse the effectiveness of cognitive therapy and EMDR therapy for PTSD patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A purposive sampling method was used. Samples consisted of thirty known posttraumatic stress disordersamples taken from Nishtar Hospital Multan. TheMississippi Scale for Combat Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (Keane et al., 1988) was used to measure the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder. Three groups were established as group one (A), in which ten patients were provided cognitive therapy. The second ten groups (B) were subjected to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The third group was used as a control.
RESULTS: SPSS version 26 and an independent t test were used to determine the significance of the therapeutic efficacy. The results revealed a significant difference in the number of patients in the experimental group who received cognitive behaviour therapy (t=-3.588, df=18, p>0.05). Systematic desensitization for posttraumatic stress disorder (t=--2.527, df=18, p=0.05) was concluded.
Conclusions: Cognitive behaviour therapy is more effective for the rapid and better management of PTSD.
On the soliton solutions to some system of complex coupled nonlinear models and the effect of the coupling coefficients
Authors: Ozisik Muslum , Esen Handenur , Secer Aydin , Bayram Mustafa
Published: February 2024

In this work, we take into account the (2 + 1)-Davey Stewartson equation (DSE) and (2 + 1)-Complex Coupled Maccari System (CCMS) and their analytical solutions. Besides, we tackle with the role of the problem parameters on the soliton behavior which the investigated DSE produces. Exact traveling wave solutions are highly useful in numerical and analytical theories in such equations. We use an efficient analytical approach to calculate the soliton solutions of these models. We have shown that soliton solutions’ features can represent the spread of propagation on the wave fronts and show a reasonable dependency on parameter values. Some of the solutions discovered in three and two-dimensional arrangements can also be described in graphic representations for their behavior. The results show that the technique is easy applicable, efficient, reliable, robust and categorical when it comes to find exact solutions for different nonlinear models. Moreover, the problem parameters and the coupling coefficients have significant effects on the behavior of the solitons of the DSE and this examination is studied for the first time in this article.
Regional Healthcare Risk Analysis and Assessment Method
Authors: Li Tiebing , Xu Peng , Gao Tilei
Published: February 2024

One of the main methods for conducting regional healthcare risk analysis and decision-making is to determine healthcare risks through the analysis of environmental, social, and other data. The existing research mainly focuses on the control and management of epidemics and disasters. Compared to post-outbreak control, research on the assessment and prediction of infectious disease risks is equally important for epidemic prevention and control. This article proposed a risk analysis and assessment method based on entropy and risk weight number. Firstly, the probability and content of regional healthcare risks based on the classical risk probability is proposed. Then, starting from the influencing factors of healthcare risks, analyze the correlation between various regional factors and the risk of malignant infectious diseases, and construct a risk assessment model and method based on information entropy theory and risk weights to achieve the assessment and prediction of regional infectious disease risks. This study is an extension of the technology of intelligent data analysis in the field of healthcare and has positive significance for the research and application of intelligent technology and theory.
The use of restarted Krylov methods for large sparse least squares problems
Authors: Dax Achiya
Published: February 2024

The use of restarted Krylov methods for solving large sparse linear least squares problems suffers from certain inherited difficulties. One of them arises in ill-conditioned problems, when part of the residual vector is spanned by singular vectors that correspond to small singular values. The modification proposed in this paper enables the Krylov subspaces to collect information on these vectors. This is achieved by combining the restarted Krylov process with the Heart iteration for computing small singular values. Numerical experiments illustrate the usefulness of the proposed approach.
AMS Subject Classification: 65F15, 65F25, 65F50
The Mukai conjecture for Fano quiver moduli
Authors: Reineke Markus
Published: February 2024

We verify the Mukai conjecture for Fano quiver moduli spaces associated to dimension vectors in the interior of the fundamental domain.