bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical characteristics and management of Gonadotrophin Independent Precocious puberty (GIPP) in McCune Albright Syndrome (MAS) in children- Mini review from a tertiary care Centre- Sri Lanka
Authors: Siriwardhane Dinendra , Naotunna Chamidri , Hoole T J , Atapattu Navoda
Published: June 2023

Background McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) with a prevalence between 1 in 100,000 to 1in 1,000,000 has a clinical spectrum characterized by the triad of monostotic/polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (FD), café au lait spots, and precocious puberty (1–5). Gonadotrophin Independent Precocious Puberty (GIPP) is a prominent hyperfunctioning endocrinopathy and is frequently the presenting feature (10). Here we report four cases of MAS who are actively being followed up in a leading Children’s Hospital in Sri Lanka.Case presentation In our cohort of 4 patients, 2 patients are boys, patient 1 and 2respectively. Patient 1 initially presented with features of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and found to have GIPP at the age of 7 years and started on Spironolactone. He also has hyperprolactinemia, growth hormone excess and hypophosphatemic rickets. Patient 2 presented with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia but developed GIPP two years after diagnosis and started on Letrozole. Additionally, he has hypophosphatemic rickets and hyperprolactinemia. Patient 3 presented with thyrotoxicosis and developed GIPP nine months later for which she was started on Letrozole. She also has hypophosphatemic rickets. Patient 4 recently presented with GIPP for which she Letrozole was started.Conclusion Management options for GIPP are varied with aromatase inhibitors showing promising results in various studies (2, 3, 11, 13–17). However long-term studies are needed to comment on final heights of these cohort of patients with MAS as they have concurrent endocrinopathies and bony deformities (18, 21). It’s also important to follow them up regularly for the development of other hyper functioning endocrinopathies and other clinical manifestations.
Methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in medicine and health science fields in Ethiopia: Leveraging quantity to improve quality
Authors: Habtewold Tesfa Dejenie , Sharew Nigussie Tadesse , Endalamaw Aklilu , Mulugeta Henok , Dessie Getenet , Kassa Getachew Mullu , Bayih Wubet Alebachew , Birhanu Mulugeta Molla , Teferra Andreas A. , Tegegne Balewgize Sileshi , Asefa Nigus G. , Tura Abera Kenay , Alemu Sisay Mulugeta
Published: June 2023

Background
Despite the rise in the number of systematic reviews (SR) and meta-analyses (MA) in medicine and health science fields in Ethiopia, there is limited up-to-date evidence on their methodological and reporting quality for using them in decision-making. The aim of this study was to characterize epidemiological trends and evaluate the methodological and reporting quality of SR and MA in Ethiopia.
Methods
A retrospective observational overview study was conducted on SR and MA in medicine and health science fields in Ethiopia that were accessed through PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL databases and additional manual searching. Title/abstract and full-text screening were conducted in duplicate using EndNote and Covidence semi-automated reference management tools. Data extraction tool was developed in consultation with standard guidelines. We summarized the data using frequencies and median. Two-tailed Chi-Square and Fisher’s Exact tests for categorical variables, while Kruskal-Wallis test for quantitative variables, were used at alpha level 0.05 to compare the differences in the background characteristics of SR and MA as well as across the publication years. All analyses were done using R version 4.0.2 for macOS.
Results
Of the total 3,125 records initially identified, 349 articles were included in our analyses. Of these, 48 (13.75%) were SR and 301 (86.25%) were MA. The publication rate was dramatically increased with nearly three-quarters (73.9%) of SR and MA published after 2018. Most of the SR and MA included observational studies (92.8%), and infectious disease was the most researched (20.9%) subject area. Number of authors, number of affiliations, publication year, protocol registration, number of primary studies, number of references, citation counts and journal quality were significantly different between SR and MA (p < 0.05). Both SR and MA had a low methodological and reporting quality even though there were improvements in registering protocols, searching databases, and transparently reporting search strategy.
Conclusions
The production of SR and MA in Ethiopia has been increased over time, especially during the last three years. There is a promising trend of improvement in methodological and reporting quality even though there is much more to do. Authors should equally prioritize quality in addition to the fast-track publication.
Metal-organic frameworks meet Uni-MOF: a transformer-based gas adsorption detector
Authors: Wang Jingqi , Liu Jiapeng , Wang Hongshuai , Ke Guolin , Zhang Linfeng , Wu Jianzhong , Gao Zhifeng , Lu Diannan
Published: June 2023

Gas separation is crucial for industrial production and environmental protection, with metal-organic frameworks(MOFs) offering a promising solution due to their tunable structural properties and chemical compositions. Traditional simulation approaches, such as molecular dynamics, are complex and computationally demanding. Although feature engineering-based machine learning methods perform better, they are susceptible to overfitting because of limited labeled data. Furthermore, these methods are typically designed for single tasks, such as predicting gas adsorption capacity under specific conditions, which restricts the utilization of comprehensive datasets including all adsorption capacities. To address these challenges, we propose Uni-MOF, an innovative framework for large-scale, three-dimensional MOF representation learning, designed for universal multi-gas prediction. Specifically, Uni-MOF serves as a versatile "gas adsorption detector" for MOF materials, employing pure three-dimensional representations learned from over 631,000 collected MOF and COF structures. Our experimental results show that Uni-MOF can automatically extract structural representations and predict adsorption capacities under various operating conditions using a single model. For simulated data, Uni-MOF exhibits remarkably high predictive accuracy across all datasets. Impressively, the values predicted by Uni-MOF correspond with the outcomes of adsorption experiments. Furthermore, Uni-MOF demonstrates considerable potential for broad applicability in predicting a wide array of other properties.
Effect of CeO2 Nanostructures Morphology on Facet(s) Reactivity for Direct Oxidation of Kenaf Stalks to Vanillin
Authors: Ramli Anita , Anuar Nur Akila Syakida Idayu Khairul , Bakhtiar Nur Aielia Amira , Yunus Normawati Mohamad , Mohamed Alina Rahayu
Published: June 2023

Ceria’s exceptional reversible redox properties between Ce4+ and Ce3+ contributes to its high oxygen storage capacity and release capacity has received attention as an oxidation catalyst for a variety of process. However, ceria’s ability in catalytic performance can differ, corresponding to the selective exposition of different Ce facets in different nanostructures by controlling the shape of ceria crystal. The different CeO2 structures with the reactive Ce(100), Ce(110) and Ce(111) facets were synthesized using hydrothermal method and were characterized using XRD, BET, RAMAN, TPR, TPO and XPS. All synthesized CeO2 nanostructure shows diffraction peaks corresponding to the formation of cubic fluorite. N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms showed that all catalysts possess Type IV isotherm, indicating a mesoporous structure. The Raman spectra indicate a peak that dominated the characteristic of the F2g mode of cubic fluorite structure. The TPR and TPO analysis display formation peak corresponding to the surface-to-bulk ratio of reducibility and oxidized oxygen, which is responsible for the redox properties of ceria nanostructures. The XPS analysis of CeO2 nanoparticles proved that Ce exists in Ce3+ and Ce4+ oxidation states. All catalysts were tested for direct oxidation of kenaf stalks under 300 W of microwave irradiation using H2O2 as the oxidizing agent at pH 11.5 and temperatures of 170 °C for 20 min with 15% catalyst loading. The highest vanillin yield obtained by CeO2-Nps-400 heterogeneous catalyst was 3.93%, whereas 4.82% vanillin was produced using 2N NaOH as a homogeneous catalyst. The results clearly revealed the crucial role of catalyst morphology on the physicochemical properties and the catalytic behavior of the CeO2 nanostructures, with the particle-shaped catalyst exhibiting the highest catalytic performance.
Blunt traumatic injury in a pediatric patient treated with simultaneous damage control laparotomy, thoracotomy and transcatheter arterial embolization
Authors: Tomonaga Ayumi , Nagao Tsuyoshi , Kono Kaori , Kanda Tomoki , Ito Kaori
Published: June 2023

Background: The hybrid emergency room system (HERS) is a single trauma resuscitation room with computed tomography (CT) scanner, fluoroscopy, operating room, and angiography suite allowing surgeons and interventional radiologists (IRs) to obtain imaging studies and perform simultaneous major surgery and endovascular procedures in one room. We report a pediatric patient who suffered severe blunt trauma who underwent simultaneous damage control laparotomy with thoracotomy and endovascular treatment in the HERS.
Case presentation: An 8-year-old male was struck and run over (chest and abdomen) by a vehicle. The patient was admitted to the HERS from the ambulance in hemodynamic shock. Focused Assessment of Sonography for Trauma revealed intraabdominal free fluid. Blood gas analysis showed lactic acidosis. The patient was intubated. The massive blood transfusion protocol was activated. Fluoroscopy confirmed no major injuries in the chest and pelvis and exploratory laparotomy was performed which revealed a liver injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] 5) and splenic injury (AIS 2) with 1,000 ml of free intraabdominal blood. Perihepatic packing was performed. Simultaneously, IRs performed transcatheter arterial embolization of small branches of the right hepatic and subdiaphragmatic arteries. Subsequently, whole-body CT scan with intravenous contrast was performed which revealed a massive right hemopneumothorax with the extravasation of contrast medium from a right inferior pulmonary artery branch. Right anterolateral thoracotomy was immediately performed. A large laceration of the right lung S6 (AIS 4) was sutured (Injury Severity Score 42, Revised Trauma Score 1.9, TRISS Probability of survival 0.08). The chest and abdomen were temporarily closed, and the patient transferred to the ICU from the HERS. The right chest was closed on hospital day (HD) 2 and the abdomen closed on HD 3. The patient was extubated on HD 6. The postoperative course was complicated by. refractory right atelectasis. High-flow oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy were continued. The patient was discharged home on HD26.
Conclusions: The HERS may be useful not only for adult trauma patients but also for severely injured pediatric trauma patients. Protocolized trauma care in the HERS to facilitate collaboration among multiple disciplines and specialties is essential.
Estrogen regulates Scribble localization in endometrial epithelial cells through acyl protein thioesterase (APT)-mediated S-palmitoylation in adenomyosis
Authors: jin zhixing , Wang Juan , Chen Youguo
Published: June 2023

Despite its prevalence and the severity of symptoms, little is known about the pathogenesis and etiology of adenomyosis. In our previous study, Scribble localization has been found to be partially translocated to cytoplasm, however, its regulatory mechanism is known. In consideration of the important role of supraphysiologic estrogen production in the endometrium in the development of adenomyosis, we analyzed the effect and mechanism of estrogen on Scribble localization in vivo and in vitro. Firstly, we found Scribble translocation from the basolateral membrane to the cytoplasm was easily to be seen in women and mice with adenomyosis (68% vs 27%, 60% vs 10% separately). After treatment with the S-palmitoylation inhibitor 2-Bromopalmitate for 48H, cytoplasmic enrichment of Scribble and the reduced level of palm-Scribble was observed by immunofluorescence, Western blot and acyl-biotin exchange palmitoylation assay. High estrogen exposure could not only induce partially cytoplasmic translocation of Scribble but also decrease the expression level of palm-Scribble, which can be recovered by estrogen receptor inhibitor ICI182,780. Based on following experiments, we found that estrogen regulated Scribble localization by APT through S-palmitoylation of Scribble protein. At last, IHC was performed to verify the expression of APT1 and APT2 in human clinical tissue specimens and found that they were all increased dramatically. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between APT1 or APT2 and aromatase P450. Therefore, our research may provide a new understanding of the pathogenesis of adenomyosis.
Synthesis of zeolites using aluminosilicate residues from the lithium extraction
Authors: Ibsaine Fatima , Azizi Dariush , Dionne Justine , Tran Lan Huong , Coudert Lucie , Pasquier Louis-César , Blais Jean-Francois
Published: June 2023

The production of lithium from spodumene ores generates huge amounts of residue mainly composed of aluminosilicate. The main objective of this study was to compare the performances of three different processes to produce zeolites from aluminosilicates residues originating from lithium extraction. Zeolites were synthesized using: i) a conventional hydrothermal process (Process_1), ii) a conventional hydrothermal process assisted by calcination (Process_2), and iii) a conventional hydrothermal process assisted by alkaline fusion (Process_3). A physico-chemical (e.g., chemical composition, sorption capacity) and mineralogical (e.g., XRD, SEM) characterization of synthesized and commercial zeolite was done to identify the most performing synthesis route. Then, the effect of operating parameters (i.e., aging time and temperature, crystallization time, solid/liquid ratio) on the physico-chemical properties of the zeolite synthesized using the most performant process route was assessed. Initial aluminosilicate residues were mainly composed of Al2O3 (24.6%) and SiO2 (74.0%), while containing low amounts of potential contaminants (< 1.6%). Based on its chemical composition, the fine fraction (< 53 µm) was identified as the most suitable fraction to produce zeolite. Physico-chemical and mineralogical characterization of produced zeolite showed that conventional hydrothermal process was the most performant route to synthesize zeolite with properties like commercial zeolite 13X. Crystallization time (from 8 to 24 h), aging temperature (from 25 to 75°C) and S/L ratio (from 10 to 30% - w/v) are the main parameters affecting the properties of synthesized zeolite (i.e., ion-exchange capacity). Finally, a zeolite type X with an ion-exchange capacity of 58 mg/g, which is close to commercial zeolites (76–77 mg/g), was synthesized from the fine fraction of aluminosilicate residue using the conventional hydrothermal process after 8 h of aging at 75°C and 16 h of crystallization at 100°C, with a solid/liquid ratio of 10% (w/v).
Spatial Distribution of Wildfire Threat in the Far North: Exposure Assessment in Boreal Communities
Authors: Schmidt Jennifer , Ziel Robert , Calef Monika , Varvak Anna
Published: June 2023

Increased wildfire activity has raised concerns among communities about how to assess and prepare for this threat. We modified an existing approach to assess decadal wildfire hazards based primarily on ember dispersal and wildfire proximity, referencing landscape changes from 1984 through 2014. The original method created multiple maps to capture ember dispersal and spread at different scales. Instead, we integrated this multi-scale information into a single exposure layer and utilized a straightforward flammability hazard classification scheme. Binomial exact and Kruskal–Wallis tested the relationship between exposure values, underlying flammability hazard classes, and wildfire scars, respectively, in three arctic communities (Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon) with a range of wildfire histories and amounts of urbanization. There was a significant difference in exposure values among burned and unburned locations (p < 0.001) and flammability hazard classes (p < 0.001). Areas with high exposure values are more prone to burn and thus desirable for mitigation actions. Wildfire fire hazards are extremely high within Whitehorse and Fairbanks, and lower in Anchorage. By working with wildfire practitioners, communities, and residents, we have created a tool that can rapidly assess wildfire hazards and be easily modified to help identify and prioritize areas for mitigation activities.
Valorization of noni (Morinda citrifolia) seeds as source of a protein concentrate and its physicochemical, funcional and structural characterization
Authors: Ramírez Jorge Adrían Hernández , Ulloa José Armando , Rangel Blanca Estela Ulloa , Ulloa Petra Rosas
Published: June 2023

The noni juice industry produces a large volume of seeds as by-products, which contain proteins that can be recovered to be used as food ingredients. The aims of this study were the valorization of noni seeds as source of a protein concentrate (NSPC) and their physicochemical, functional, and structural characterization. NSPC was produced by alkaline extraction and isoelectric precipitation, obtaining a powder with a protein content of 76.59%, whose values of the color parameters were L* = 55. 32%, a* = 4.60%, and b* = 19.09. Water (WHCa) and oil (OHCa) holding capacities of the NSPC were 4.36 g H2O/g protein and 11.69 g oil/g protein, respectively, while the emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, foaming capacity, foaming stability, least gelling concentration, and in vitro digestibility were, 29.20%, 50.00%, 180.33%, 94.60%, 4.00%, and 78.51%. Glutelins (64.62%) were the main protein fraction of the NSPC. Hence, NSPC could be used as ingredient for human food products as bread, soups, salad dressings, mayonnaise, and processed meat products.
CAR T-cell design dependent remodeling of the brain tumor immune microenvironment identify macrophages as key players that inhibit or promote anti-tumor activity
Authors: Haydar Dalia , Ibañez-Vega Jorge , Crawford Jeremy , Chou Ching-Heng , Guy Cliff , Meehl Michaela , Yi Zhongzhen , Langfitt Deanna , Vogel Peter , DeRenzo Christopher , Gottschalk Stephen , Roussel Martine , Thomas Paul , Krenciute Giedre
Published: June 2023

Understanding interactions between adoptively transferred immune cells and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is critical for developing successful T-cell based immunotherapies. Here we investigated the impact of the TIME and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) design on anti-glioma activity of B7-H3-specific CAR T-cells. We show that five out of six B7-H3 CARs with varying transmembrane, co-stimulatory, and activation domains, exhibit robust functionality in vitro. However, in an immunocompetent glioma model, these CAR T-cells demonstrated significantly varied levels of anti-tumor activity. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to examine the brain TIME after CAR T-cell therapy. We show that the TIME composition was influenced by CAR T-cell treatment. We also found that successful anti-tumor responses were supported by the presence and activity of macrophages and endogenous T-cells. Together, our study demonstrates that efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy in high-grade glioma is dependent on CAR structural design and its capacity to modulate the TIME.
Fostering rice intensification to reduce imports and land conversion in Africa
Authors: Saito Kazuki , Oort Pepijn van , Ittersum Martin van , Peng Shaobing , Yuan Shen , Grassini Patricio
Published: June 2023

Africa produces 40% of its rice consumption, relying heavily on rice imports to fulfill the rest of the domestic demand. Over the past 10 years, rice area increased nearly 40%, while average yield remained stagnant. Here we evaluate the room that exists to increase rice production on existing cropland area in Africa and assess cropland expansion and rice imports by year 2050 for different scenarios of yield intensification. We find that Africa can avoid further increases in rice imports, and even reduce them, through a combination of cropland expansion following the historical trend together with closure of the current exploitable yield gap by half or more. Without substantial increase in rice yields, meeting future rice demand will require larger rice imports and/or land conversion than now.
Analysis of Flow Field Characteristics of Sand Removal Hydroyclone Applicable to Solid Fluidization Exploitation of Natural Gas Hydrate
Authors: Wei Na , Qiao Yi , Fan Shuanshi , Cai Meng , Li Haitao , Zhou Shouwei , Zhao Jinzhou , Zhang Liehui , Coffin Richard
Published: June 2023

With the development of economy and society, the consumption of fossil energy is gradually increasing. In order to solve the current energy dilemma, NGH is considered as an ideal alternative energy. At the same time, the solid fluidization exploitation is an ideal exploit method for NGH at present. However, in the process of solid fluidization exploitation, sand and hydrate ore bodies enter the closed pipeline together, which will block the pipeline and increase the difficulty of exploitation. Therefore, the pre-separation of sand by hydrocyclone plays an important role in solid fluidization exploitation. In this study, the numerical simulation method was used to study the internal flow field characteristics of the hydrocyclone under different conditions, and the effects of different flow rate, different flow ratio, different sand content and different particle diameter on the phase distribution are investigated. The results show that: at the same axial position, the increase of flow rate and sand content makes the sand phase more distributed at the edge of the flow field, while the change of flow ratio has no significant effect on the distribution of sand phase. Under the same working conditions, the sand gradually migrates to the center of the flow field with the increase of the axial distance, while the particle diameter change has no significant effect on the sand distribution. By calculation, it is obtained that under the optimum working condition of the flow rate is 4.83m3/h, the flow ratio is 20%, the sand content is 20%, and sand particle diameter is 80µm, the maximum Es is 22.1% and the minimum is 86.1%. Finally, a comprehensive analysis of the hydrocyclone in this study shows that this type of hydrocyclone is applicable to rough pre-separation of sand in the process of solid fluidization exploitation of NGH, and can not fine separate complex mixture. Through the study of the internal flow field characteristics and phase distribution law of the hydrocyclone, this study provides a reference for the practical engineering application of sand phase pre-separation in the solid fluidization exploitation of NGH.
First-order control of basaltic sources on the diversity of Archean TTG magmatism
Authors: Lu Denggang , Liu Shuwen , Cawood Peter , Gao Lei , Sun Guozheng , Yao Jiachen , He Xin , Wang Wei
Published: June 2023

Tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) gneisses, the major components of Archean continental crust, show a broad compositional range. Most were viewed as crust-derived, and the inferred melting P-T conditions shaped our knowledge about the origin of early continental crust. While one single basaltic source (e.g., median of Archean tholeiites) was commonly invoked for different TTG gneisses, the potential influences of wide-ranging basaltic sources remain not well constrained. Late Neoarchean tonalitic to trondhjemitic gneisses, covering the compositional spectrum of global database, were identified from the Jiaobei terrane, North China Craton. Thermodynamic and trace element modeling demonstrates that (1) their chemical diversity is primarily determined by different basaltic sources with variable TiO2 and heavy rare earth element (HREE) contents; and (2) the inferred melting pressures of most tonalitic to trondhjemitic gneisses would reduce dramatically if a different basaltic source with slightly lower TiO2 and HREE contents was assumed. Integrated with synchronous chemical changes of global Archean TTG and basaltic rocks, a source-based twofold classification of TTG gneisses (i.e., low- and high-Ti-HREE types) is put forward. The low-Ti-HREE TTG gneisses necessitate both low-Ti-HREE basaltic sources and high melting pressures (~1.8 GPa), and their outburst after ~3.2 Ga may mark the development of thickened continental crust globally.
Construction of CD8+ T cell-associated risk signature in hepatocellular carcinoma based on single-cell RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq data
Authors: Zhang Xintong , Zhu Jianjun , Wu Jin , Wu Hao , Lu Fan , Zhang Wentao , Chang Jingjia , Tang Ting , Ou Zhigao , Jia Fengfeng , Li Li , Yu Pengfei , Liu Ming
Published: June 2023

Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer, characterized by high recurrence and mortality rates. Specific CD8+ T cells have a central role in pathogenesis of HCC by recognizing and destroying tumor cells.
Method
Common CD8 + T cell signatures were obtained from bulk RNA-seq and scRNA-seq analysis. Univariate Cox regression, LASSO regression, and Multivariate Cox regression was sequentially utilized on the CD8 + T cell signatures to establish a risk scoring model. Prognostic value of the model was verified in the external datasets GSE14520. Immune analysis and Drug Sensitivity analysis was performed in high risk and low risk group. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to ascertain the expression of model genes in 10 HCC samples and corresponding adjacent tissues.
Result
A three-gene risk scoring model (KLRB1, RGS2 and TNFRSF1B) was constructed from CD8+ T cell common signatures. In terms of immune cell infiltration, low-risk group demonstrated higher abundance of CD8+ T cells, and M1 Macrophages., whereas high-risk group demonstrated higher abundance of M2 Macrophages and resting mast cells. As for immunotherapy, patients in high-risk group may not respond well. BMS-754807, Gemcitabine, et al exhibited sensitive to patients in low-risk group, AZD6482 and SB505124 may serve as novel potential targeted drugs for patients in high-risk group. In comparison to normal tissues, KLRB1, RGS2, and TNFRSF1B exhibited a reduced expression level, confirming our findings in publicly available databases.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we constructed a CD8+ T cell-associated risk scoring model consisting of KLRB1, RGS2 and TNFRSF1B to predict prognosis and provide potential drugs for HCC treatment.
Protective effect of gomisin N on BBP-induced dysfunction of testosterone production in TM3 Leydig cells
Authors: Lee Seung Ju , Park Min Ju , Jeong Dong Hyeok , Arunachalam Rohith , Yoo Eunsoo , Kim Hye Kyung , Park Min Hi
Published: June 2023

Background
Exposure to benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) may induce disorders in the male reproductive system. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here we investigated the effect of BBP on testosterone production and its molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we also investigated the role of gomisin N (GN) from Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) in testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells.
Method and results
First, we examined the effects of BBP on expression levels of testosterone biosynthesis-related genes (StAR, CYP11α1, CYP17α1, 3βHSD, and 17βHSD) and attenuation-related genes (CYP1β1, CYP19α1, and Srd5α1-3). Although testosterone biosynthesis-related genes did not change, attenuation-related genes such as CYP1β1 and CYP19α1 were upregulated with ROS generation and testosterone level attenuation in the presence of 50 μM of BBP. However, the compound with the highest ROS and ONOO- scavenging activity from S. chinensis, GN, significantly reversed the expression of BBP-induced testosterone attenuation-related gene to normal levels. Subsequently, GN improved the testosterone production levels in TM3 Leydig cells. These events may be regulated by the antioxidant effect of GN.
Conclusions
In conclusion, our study suggests, for the first time, that BBP impairs testosterone synthesis by the modulation of CYP1β1 and CYP19α1 expression in TM3 cells; GN could potentially minimize the BBP-induced dysfunction of TM3 cells to produce testosterone by suppressing CYP19α1 expression.
PRFect: A tool to predict programmed ribosomal frameshifts in prokaryotic and viral genomes
Authors: McNair Katelyn , Salamon Peter , Edwards Robert A. , Segall Anca M.
Published: June 2023

Background
One of the stranger phenomena that can occur during gene translation is where, as a ribosome reads along the mRNA, various cellular and molecular properties contribute to stalling the ribosome on a slippery sequence, shifting the ribosome into one of the other two alternate reading frames. The alternate frame has different codons, so different amino acids are added to the peptide chain, but more importantly, the original stop codon is no longer in-frame, so the ribosome can bypass the stop codon and continue to translate the codons past it. This produces a longer version of the protein, a fusion of the original in-frame amino acids, followed by all the alternate frame amino acids. There is currently no automated software to predict the occurrence of these programmed ribosomal frameshifts (PRF), and they are currently only identified by manual curation.
Results
Here we present PRFect, an innovative machine-learning method for the detection and prediction of PRFs in coding genes of various types. PRFect combines advanced machine learning techniques with the integration of multiple complex cellular properties, such as secondary structure, codon usage, ribosomal binding site interference, direction, and slippery site motif. Calculating and incorporating these diverse properties posed significant challenges, but through extensive research and development, we have achieved a user-friendly approach. The code for PRFect is freely available, open-source, and can be easily installed via a single command in the terminal. Our comprehensive evaluations on diverse organisms, including bacteria, archaea, and phages, demonstrate PRFect's strong performance, achieving high sensitivity, specificity, and an accuracy exceeding 90%.
Conclusion
PRFect represents a significant advancement in the field of PRF detection and prediction, offering a powerful tool for researchers and scientists to unravel the intricacies of programmed ribosomal frameshifting in coding genes.
Diverse Type I and Type II methanotrophs cultivated from an Indian freshwater wetland habitat
Authors: Mohite Jyoti A. , Manvi Shubha S. , Pardhi Kajal , Bahulikar Rahul A. , Deshpande Shrinidhi , Patange Sanjana , Joshi Mansi , Kulkarni Sharvari , Rahalkar Monali C.
Published: June 2023

Wetlands are the largest natural sources of microbial methane and contribute to approximately 23% of the global methane. Such wetland patches serve as rich habitats for aerobic methanotrophs. Limited knowledge of methanotrophs from tropical wetlands widens the scope of study from these habitats. In the present study, a freshwater wetland from a tropical region in India was sampled serially diluted to obtain methanotrophs in culture. This was followed by isolation on agarose-containing plates, incubated under a methane: air atmosphere. Methanotrophs are difficult to cultivate, and a very few cultures of methanotrophs are available from tropical wetlands. In our present study, we could culture a diverse community of methanotrophs from six genera, namely, Methylomonas, Methylococcus, Methylomagnum, Methylocucumis (Type I methanotrophs), and Methylocystis, Methylosinus (Type II methanotrophs). A strain of the newly described methanotroph, Methylocucmis oryzae, for which only two strains have been documented worldwide, was also successfully cultured in the study. A high abundance of methanotrophs (106-1010 methanotrophs/g fresh weight) was observed in the samples. A Methylococcus strain representing a putative novel species was also isolated. A large number of Methylomonas strains were cultured, all related to Methylomonas koyamae. Our study is one of the first documentation of culturable methanotrophs from a tropical wetland and reports that such wetland patches may contain high counts and diversity of methanotrophs. The isolated methanotrophs can act as models for studying methanotroph-based methane mitigation from wetland habitats and can be used for various mitigation and valorization applications.
The effects of Kinesio taping on pain intensity and soft tissue mechanical properties in non- specific low back pain
Authors: Berger-Pasternak Bernadetta , Sipko Tomasz
Published: June 2023

Objective
To assess the effects of Kinesio Taping (KT), with or without tension, and post-isometric muscle relaxation (PIR) on pain intensity and the mechanical properties of myofascial tissues in chronic low back pain (LBP) patients.
Methods
Study participants (n = 64), aged 20 to 60, were randomly assigned to one of the three intervention groups. The numerical rating scale (NRS) assessed pain intensity at rest, and the MyotonPRO© measured tension, stiffness, and relaxation in the erector spinae on both sides of the lumbar spine. The examinations were undertaken before the intervention, post-interventions, and at a seven-day follow-up.
Results
Pain level was reduced for all groups (F (4, 116) = 39.2010, p < 0.01). In addition, post hoc analysis of the KT group showed significant increases in the tension and stiffness of the erector spinae and significantly decreased relaxation between the pre-intervention and follow-up measurements, but only on the non-dominant side (p < 0.01).
Conclusions
Assuming that the lack of asymmetry in muscle tension, stiffness, and relaxation is a normative value, it can be interpreted that the applied interventions were insufficient. As such, KT should be considered a complementary method of pain reduction in conjunction with conventional physiotherapy in LBP patients.
Study on the relationship of interface morphology and mechanical properties of explosive welded titanium/duplex stainless steel
Authors: Wang Minjing , Hu Jianian , Xie Quanming , Luo Ning , Li Xiaojie , Chen Xiang , Chen Zhen
Published: June 2023

This study investigated the interface morphology and mechanical properties of titanium (TP 270C)/duplex stainless steel (SUS 821L1) near the lower limit of the explosive welding window. Seven samples with different welding parameters near the lower limit of the welding window were evaluated; the interface morphology was analyzed by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), computed tomography (CT), and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation. The jet, interface shape, and temperature at the interface were obtained by simulation, demonstrating consistent interface shapes in the experimental results and simulation results. The energy produced at the interface was proportional to the element diffusion area. To assess the differences in mechanical properties between each sample, tensile shear tests and 90 bending tests were conducted.
Pioneering Discoveries in Wireless Power Generation across Wide Geographical Ranges Harnessing Medium-Wave Radio Broadcasting Infrastructure
Authors: Shoji Eiichi
Published: June 2023

This study conducted field experiments using the radio-wave energy harvester of hoop-shaped radio (HOOPRA) to elucidate the relationship between the distance from the medium-wave (MW) radio broadcasting station and the resonance voltage as an index of harvested energy. Accordingly, we derived a numerical equation that described the relationship between the distance and voltage with a strong correlation coefficient of R2 > 0.996. HOOPRA can illuminate ultrabright white, green, and red LEDs within a 5 km radius of the public NHK JOFG (927 kHz, 5 kW) in Fukui, thereby serving as a valuable energy source for the 150,000 residents (60,000 households) in this region. The public JOAK (594 kHz, 300 kW) and JOAB (693 kHz, 500 kW) were examined for similar field experiments in the Kanto region. The results revealed that HOOPRA could illuminate ultrabright white, green, and red LEDs within a radius of 30 km and ultrabright red LEDs within a radius of 50 km from JOAB, which will benefit the 23 million residents (1.1 million households) in this region.
Antibacterial susceptibility patterns and factors associated with secondary peritonitis among patients with acute abdomen: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Godefroy Nyenke Bassara , Muhumuza Joshua , Molen Selamo Fabrice , Waziri Musa Abbas , Kagenderezo ByaMungu Pahari , Mauricio William , Wandabwa Joel , Francois Bisingurege Kagoro , Agwu Ezera , Okedi Xaviour Francis
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Secondary peritonitis is the second leading cause of sepsis worldwide. Drug-resistance to peritoneal cavity bacterial infection remains a public health threat especially in resource limited settings of Africa including Uganda. This study was aimed at determining the antibacterial susceptibility patterns and factors associated with secondary peritonitis among patients with acute abdomen who underwent surgery at a Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital (HRRH) that enrolled 126 patients with acute abdomen. After laparotomy, clinical samples were aseptically collected from patients with secondary peritonitis for culture and sensitivity using standard Microbiological methods. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with secondary peritonitis among patients with acute abdomen. Results: Majority of the patients were males (61.9%) with a mean age of 37.9(SD +/- 21.8). Secondary peritonitis was found in 57(45.2%) of the patients. Gram-negative bacteria were the most commonly isolated organisms with Escherichia coli (35.8%) and Klebsiella spp (17.0%) predominating. Imipenem 88.8%(8/9), Amikacin 88.8%(8/9), Ciprofloxacin 44.4%(4/9) and Gentamicin 44.4%(4/9) demonstrated sensitivity to the different isolated organism at varying degrees. Being a male (AOR = 3.658; 95% CI = 1.570–8.519, p = 0.003) and presenting 3 days after onset of symptoms (AOR = 2.957; 95%CI = 1.232–7.099, p = 0.015) were independently associated with secondary peritonitis. Conclusion Imipenem, Amikacin, Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin should be considered for empirical therapy in cases of secondary peritonitis. Patients, more especially males with abdominal pain should be encouraged to present early to the hospital in order to minimise progression to secondary peritonitis.
Antimicrobial and phytotoxic secondary metabolites produced by Xylaria necrophora, an emerging pathogen of soybean, play key roles in infection biology
Authors: Solórzano José E. , Ganiu Moshood O. , Donnarumma Fabrizio , Garcia-Aroca Teddy , Kartika Rendy , Richards Jonathan K. , Houten Joshua P. Van , Gremillion Michelle R. , Price Paul P. , Doyle Vinson
Published: June 2023

Xylaria species are recognized globally given their common occurrence as wood-degrading saprophytes in forest ecosystems. They are known for their ability to produce secondary metabolites with diverse bioactivity. A few are pathogens, but Xylaria necrophora is the only species known to be a pathogen of an annual crop, causing taproot decline (TRD) on soybean [Glycine max (L) Merr.]. Recent work determined that culture filtrates produced by X. necrophora are phytotoxic and likely responsible for the foliar symptoms of the disease. We demonstrate that the foliar symptoms may be the result of root inhibition as culture filtrates also stop root development. Xylaria necrophora also produces antimicrobial secondary metabolites (SMs) that likely mediate interactions with other soil microbes to set the stage for plant infection. Bioassay-guided fractionation and extracted fractions from cell-free culture filtrates (CFs) led to the identification of SMs using LC-MS and LC-MS/MS analyses: 1. 18-Deoxy-19,20-epoxycytochalasin Q, 2. 19,20-epoxycytochalasin Q, 3. 5-(1-Hydroxybutyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2H-pyran-2-one, 4. 6-[(1R)-1-Hydroxypentyl]-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-2-one, 5-6. Cytochalasin C and D, 7. Xylopimarane, 8. Hirsutatin A, 9. Xylaric acid C and 10. Zygosporin E. SMs 1-7 presented antimicrobial activity against fungi and 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 were phytotoxic to soybean. SMs 1, 2, 5, and 6, were both phytotoxic and antimicrobial. This is the first report identifying SMs produced by X. necrophora. SMs capable of both causing phytotoxicity and inhibiting a diversity of fungal pathogens suggests an important role for these SMs in the etiology of TRD.
Determination of Plant Regeneration Protocol of “Viking” Aronia Cultivar in the In Vitro Conditions
Authors: NAS ZEYNEP , EŞİTKEN Ahmet , PIRLAK Lütfi
Published: June 2023

In this study,in vitromicropropagation of 'Viking' aronia cultivar was investigated. For this purpose, different cytokinin and doses were tested in MS food medium for propagation medium. Except for cytokinins, low doses of IBA and GA were added and equal doses were used in all applications. For the rooting medium, different doses of IBA (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg l-1) and activated charcoal (0.5 and 1.0 g l-1)were tested in MS and ½MS mediums. A mixture of perlite and peat was preferred during acclimatization. No plant death was encountered in the study, and 100% viability was detected in all applications. The highest number of shoots was detected in media containing TDZ; however, most of the shoots that can be used as micro cuttings were obtained from media containing BA and mT. The highest number of shoots occurred at 1.0 mg l-1doses of media containing BA and mT, and 16.83 and 21.76 shoots/explants were obtained, respectively. 100% rooting was achieved in all applications, including the control. The highest root number was detected in ½MS medium (10.17 roots/explant) containing 1.0 mg l-1IBA. Higher root number was obtained in ½MS medium compared to MS medium; However, it was determined that the root length decreased with the increase in the number of roots. The acclimatization phase has resulted in high success, 98% of plants in ½MS medium and 92.4% of plants in MS medium survived.
Genomic expression of MSR1 in solid tumors associates with response to anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 therapies
Authors: Sanvicente Adrián , Díaz-Tejeiro Cristina , Nieto-Jiménez Cristina , Paniagua-Herranz Lucia , Cade Igor López , Balázs Győrffy , Moreno Victor , Pérez-Segura Pedro , Calvo Emiliano , Ocana Alberto
Published: June 2023

Immuno-oncology has gained momentum with the approval of antibodies that have demonstrated clinical activity in different indications. Unfortunately, for anti PD (L)1 agents in monotherapyonly half of the treated population will achieve a clinical response. For other agents like anti-CTLA4 antibodies, no biomarker exists, and tolerability can limit the administration of this compound. In this study, using publicly available genomic datasets, we evaluated the expression of the macrophage scavenger receptor-A (SR-A) (MSR1) and its association with response to check point inhibitors (CPI). MSR1 was mainly and differently expressed in GBM, PAAD, ESCA, STAD, SKCM, OV, KIRC, THYM, HNSC and BRCA, within the tumor microenvironment. MSR1 was associated with the presence of macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs) and neutrophils in most of the studied indications. The presence of MSR1 was associated with macrophages with a pro-tumoral or M2 phenotype and correlated with TIM3 expression. MSR1 predicted favorable overall survival in patients treated with anti-PD1 (HR: 0.56, FDR: 1%, p = 2.6e-05); anti PD-L1 (HR: 0.66, FDR:20%, p = 0.00098) and anti-CTLA4 (HR: 0.37, FDR:1%, p = 4.8e-05). When studying specifically skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM), we observed a similar effect: anti-PD1 (HR: 0.65, FDR: 50%, p = 0.0072); and anti-CTLA4 (HR: 0.35, FDR:1%, p = 4.1e-05). In a different dataset of SKCM patients, expression of MSR1 predicted clinical response to anti-CTLA4 (AUC: 0.61, p = 2.9e-02). In conclusion, we described the expression of MSR1 in some solid tumors and its association with innate cells and M2 phenotype macrophages. Of note, MSR1 presence predicted response to CPI particularly anti-CTLA4 therapies in different cohorts of patients. Future studies should prospectively explore the association of MSR1 expression and response to anti-CTLA4 strategies in solid tumors.
Epidemic propagation dynamics of an SIS model on networks with population mobility between regions
Authors: Zhang Hanqi , Sun Zhongkui , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: June 2023

The impact of population mobility is non-negligible on the spread of infectious diseases. In this study, we construct a network SIS model that accounts for the impact of population mobility between regions, using a nonlinear infection rate and dividing the infected into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. First, the study analyses the stability of equilibrium points by constructing the Lyapunov function and validating it using numerical experiments. Secondly, a special form of the basic regeneration number was attained using the next generation matrix method. This result inspires us to pay more attention to asymptomatic infections in the disease control process so that we can stabilize the population to a state where asymptomatic infections are extinct as quickly as possible and facilitate the subsequent epidemic control. Additionally, the results of numerical simulations further demonstrate that for people with different degrees, we can adopt corresponding ideas respectively to determine the optimal movement rate, which will avoid disease infection to a greater extent. Our study will serve as a guide for the development of infectious disease prevention and control policies.
An innovative model for predicting coronary heart disease using TyG-index: A machine learning-based cohort study
Authors: Mirjalili Seyed Reza , Soltani Sepideh , HeidaryMeibodi Zahra , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Kraemer Alexander , Sarebanhassanabadi Mohammadtaghi
Published: June 2023

Background Various coronary heart disease (CHD) predictive models have been developed for predicting CHD incidence, but none of them has optimal predictive value. Although these models consider diabetes as an important CHD risk factor, they did not consider insulin resistance or Triglyceride. Methods Two-thousand participants of a community-based Iranian population, aged 20–74 years, were investigated with a mean follow-up of 9.9 years (range: 7.6 to 12.2). The association between TyG-index (a logarithmised combination of fasting blood glucose and triglyceride that demonstrates insulin resistance) and CHD was investigated using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Diabetes was substituted for TyG-index in CHD prediction models developed using machine learning. CHD-predicting TyG-index cut-off points were calculated. Results The incidence of CHD was 14.5%.As compared to the lowest quartile of TyG-index, the fourth quartile had a fully adjusted hazard ratio of 2.32 (CI: 1.16–4.68, p-trend 0.04). In order to predict coronary heart disease, TyG-index > 8.42 had the highest negative predictive value. Machine learning models that predicted CHD based on TyG-index performed significantly better than those based on diabetes. TyG-index was not only more important than diabetes in prediction of CHD; it was the most important factor in machine learning models. Conclusion TyG-index can be used in clinical practice and predictive models as a highly valuable index for predicting and preventing CHD.