bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CDKL1 potentiates the antitumor efficacy of radioimmunotherapy by binding to transcription factor YBX1 and blocking PD-L1 expression in lung cancer
Authors: Li Zixuan , Xue Huichan , Li Jinsong , Zheng Zhikun , Liu Zhiwei , Dong Xiaorong , Wang Hongbo , Chen Jing , Xu Shuangbing
Published: March 2024

Background

The evasion of the immune response by tumor cells through programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been identified as a factor contributing to resistance to radioimmunotherapy in lung cancer patients. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of PD-L1 remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of cyclin-dependent kinase-like 1 (CDKL1) in the modulation of PD-L1 expression and the response to radioimmunotherapy in lung cancer.

Methods

The tumorigenic roles of CDKL1 were assessed via cell growth, colony formation, and EdU assays and an in vivo nude mouse xenograft model. The in vitro radiosensitization effect of CDKL1 was evaluated using a neutral comet assay, γH2AX foci formation analysis, and a clonogenic cell survival assay. The protein‒protein interactions were confirmed via coimmunoprecipitation and GST pulldown assays. The regulation of PD-L1 by CDKL1 was evaluated via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), real-time quantitative PCR, and flow cytometry analysis. An in vitro conditioned culture model and an in vivo C57BL/6J mouse xenograft model were developed to detect the activation markers of CD8+ T cells and evaluate the efficacy of CDKL1 overexpression combined with radiotherapy (RT) and an anti-PD-L1 antibody in treating lung cancer.

Results

CDKL1 was downregulated and suppressed the growth and proliferation of lung cancer cells and increased radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CDKL1 interacted with the transcription factor YBX1 and decreased the binding affinity of YBX1 for the PD-L1 gene promoter, which consequently inhibits the expression of PD-L1, ultimately leading to the activation of CD8+ T cells and the inhibition of immune evasion in lung cancer. Moreover, the combination of CDKL1 overexpression, RT, and anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy exhibited the most potent antitumor efficacy against lung cancer.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that CDKL1 plays a crucial role in regulating PD-L1 expression, thereby enhancing the antitumor effects of radioimmunotherapy. These results suggest that CDKL1 may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of lung cancer.
Preferences in adolescents and young people’s sexual and reproductive health services in Nigeria: a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Arije Olujide , Madan Jason , Hlungwani Tintswalo
Published: March 2024

Background

Barriers to utilization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services by adolescents and young people (AYP) have persisted despite evidence that youth-friendly services have a positive effect on contraceptive use, and patient knowledge and satisfaction.

Objective

The objective of this study was to elicit, and derive relative valuations for, attributes of SRH services that adolescents and young people value, and their willingness to pay for these services, in public health facilities.

Methods

A discrete-choice-experiment (DCE) that was developed using a mixed methods approach was administered to AYP from Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria. The DCE attributes were: the type of staff; physical environment; health worker attitude; cost; waiting time; contraceptive availability; and opening hours. The choice tasks had two unlabeled alternatives and an opt-out option. Panel mixed logit choice model was used to fit the choice data, along with estimation of willingness to pay (WTP). Also, a latent class logit model was used to detect underlying preference heterogeneity among the respondents. Finally, the uptake of the services in health facilities was investigated by estimating the probabilities for selecting hypothetical health facilities under different scenarios.

Results

A total of 859 AYP participated resulting in 6872 choice observations. The physical environment attribute had the highest utility rating relative to the other attributes, followed by preference for a doctor and for a service provider who was open and friendly. The cost and time coefficients were negative, revealing preference for lower cost and shorter waiting time. The latent class model had three classes that varied by their background characteristics. Probability of choosing any of the facility alternatives increased with introduction of more favorable facility characteristics.

Conclusion

The pattern of preferences identified are potential targets for service design and delivery optimization that may result in improvements in service acceptability and utilization. These results strengthen the call for involving AYP in decision-making in health interventions for them and developing context-specific SRH programs for AYP in public health facilities.
Edge intelligence empowered delivery route planning for handling changes in uncertain supply chain environment
Authors: Peng Gaoxian , Wen Yiping , Dou Wanchun , Li Tiancai , Xu Xiaolong , Ye Qing
Published: March 2024

Traditional delivery route planning faces challenges in reducing logistics costs and improving customer satisfaction with growing customer demand and complex road traffic, especially in uncertain supply chain environment. To address these challenges, we introduce an innovative two-phase delivery route planning method integrating edge intelligence technology. The novelty of our approach lies in utilizing edge computing devices to monitor real-time changes in road conditions and dynamically adjust delivery routes, thereby providing an effective solution for efficient and flexible logistics. Initially, we construct a mixed-integer programming model that minimizes the total cost under constraints such as customer destinations and time windows. Subsequently, in the cloud-edge collaborative mode, edge computing devices are utilized to collect real-time road conditions and transmit it to the cloud server. The cloud server comprehensively considers customer demand and road condition changes and employs adaptive genetic algorithms and A-star algorithms to adjust the delivery routes dynamically. Finally, comprehensive experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of our method. The results demonstrate that our approach can promptly respond to changes in customer demands and road conditions and flexibly plan the optimal delivery routes, thereby significantly reducing overall costs and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Short-term forecasting of surface solar incident radiation on edge intelligence based on AttUNet
Authors: Cui Mengmeng , Zhao Shizhong , Yao Jinfeng
Published: March 2024

Solar energy has emerged as a key industry in the field of renewable energy due to its universality, harmlessness, and sustainability. Accurate prediction of solar radiation is crucial for optimizing the economic benefits of photovoltaic power plants. In this paper, we propose a novel spatiotemporal attention mechanism model based on an encoder-translator-decoder architecture. Our model is built upon a temporal AttUNet network and incorporates an auxiliary attention branch to enhance the extraction of spatiotemporal correlation information from input images. And utilize the powerful ability of edge intelligence to process meteorological data and solar radiation parameters in real-time, adjust the prediction model in real-time, thereby improving the real-time performance of prediction. The dataset utilized in this study is sourced from the total surface solar incident radiation (SSI) product provided by the geostationary meteorological satellite FY4A. After experiments, the SSIM has been improved to 0.86. Compared with other existing models, our model has obvious advantages and has great prospects for short-term prediction of surface solar incident radiation.
Security issues of news data dissemination in internet environment
Authors: Song Kang , Shang Wenqian , Zhang Yong , Yi Tong , Wang Xuan
Published: March 2024

With the rise of artificial intelligence and the development of social media, people's communication is more convenient and convenient. However, in the Internet environment, the untrue dissemination of news data leads to a large number of problems. Efficient and automatic detection of rumors in social platforms hence has become an important research direction in recent years. This paper leverages deep learning methods to mine the changing trend of user features related to rumor events, and designs a rumor detection model called Time Based User Feature Capture Model(TBUFCM). To obtain a new feature vector representing the user's comprehensive features under the current event, the proposed model first recomputes the user feature vector by using feature enhancement function. Then it utilizes GRU(Gate Recurrent Unit, GRU) and CNN(Convolutional Neural Networks, CNN) models to learn the global and local changes of user features, respectively. Finally, the hidden rumor features in the process of rumor propagation can be discovered by user and time information. The experimental results show that TBUFCM outperforms the baseline model, and when there are only 20 forwarded posts, it can also reach an accuracy of 92%. The proposed method can effectively solve the security problem of news data dissemination in the Internet environment.
Assessing the potential for improved predictive capacity of antimicrobial resistance in outpatient Staphylococcus aureus isolates using seasonal and spatial antibiograms
Authors: Carrel Margaret , Shi Qianyi , Clore Gosia S. , Hasegawa Shinya , Smith Matthew , Perencevich Eli N. , Goto Michihiko
Published: March 2024

Background

While the use of cumulative susceptibility reports, antibiograms, is recommended for improved empiric therapy and antibiotic stewardship, the predictive ability of antibiograms has not been well-studied. While enhanced antibiograms have been shown to better capture variation in susceptibility profiles by characteristics such as infection site or patient age, the potential for seasonal or spatial variation in susceptibility has not been assessed as important in predicting likelihood of susceptibility.

Methods

UtilizingStaphylococcus aureusisolates obtained in outpatient settings from a nationwide provider of care, the Veterans Health Administration, and a local provider of care, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, standard, seasonal and spatial antibiograms were created for five commonly used antibiotic classes: cephalosporins, clindamycin, macrolides, tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Results

A total of 338,681S. aureusisolates obtained in VHA outpatient settings from 2010 to 2019 and 6,817 isolates obtained in UIHC outpatient settings from 2014 to 2019 were used to generate and test antibiograms. Logistic regression modeling determined the capacity of these antibiograms to predict isolate resistance to each antibiotic class. All models had low predictive capacity, with areas under the curve of < 0.7.

Conclusions

Standard antibiograms are poor in predictingS. aureussusceptibility to antibiotics often chosen by clinicians, and seasonal and spatial antibiograms do not provide an improved tool in anticipating non-susceptibility. These findings suggest that further refinements to antibiograms may be necessary to improve their utility in informing choice of effective antibiotic therapy.
Characterization of lamina propria remodeling in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis using second harmonic generation microscopy
Authors: Haugen Ezekiel J. , Locke Andrea K. , Correa Hernán , Baba Justin S. , Mahadevan-Jansen Anita , Hiremath Girish
Published: March 2024

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by an intense infiltration of eosinophils into the esophageal epithelium. When not adequately controlled, eosinophilic inflammation can lead to changes in components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the lamina propria. Particularly, alterations to the collagen fiber matrix can lead to lamina propria fibrosis (LPF), which plays an important role in the fibrostenotic complications of EoE. Current approaches to assess LPF in EoE are prone to inter-observer inconsistencies and provide limited insight into the structural remodeling of the ECM. An objective approach to quantify LPF can eliminate inter-observer inconsistencies and provide novel insights into the fibrotic transformation of the lamina propria in EoE. Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a powerful modality for objectively quantifying disease associated alterations in ECM collagen structure that is finding increasing use for clinical research. We used SHG with morphometric analysis (SHG-MA) to characterize lamina propria collagen fibers and ECM porosity in esophageal biopsies collected from children with active EoE (n = 11), inactive EoE (n = 11), and non-EoE (n = 11). The collagen fiber width quantified by SHG-MA correlated positively with peak eosinophil count (r = 0.65, p < 0.005) and histopathologist scoring of LPF (r = 0.52, p < 0.005) in the esophageal biopsies. Patients with active EoE had a significant enlargement of ECM pores compared to inactive EoE and non-EoE (p < 0.005), with the mean pore area correlating positively with EoE activity (r = 0.76, p < 0.005) and LPF severity (r = 0.65, p < 0.005). These results indicate that SHG-MA can be utilized to objectively characterize and provide novel insights into lamina propria ECM structural remodeling in children with EoE, which could aid in monitoring disease progression.
Pulmonary CT perfusion robustly measures cardiac output in the context of multilevel pulmonary occlusion: a porcine study
Authors: Silva Diogo , Muders Thomas , Wodack Karin , Putensen Christian , Leonhardt Steffen , Siepmann Robert , Hentze Benjamin , Reinartz Sebastian
Published: March 2024

Background

To validate pulmonary computed tomography (CT) perfusion in a porcine model by invasive monitoring of cardiac output (CO) using thermodilution method.

Methods

Animals were studied at a single center, using a Swan-Ganz catheter for invasive CO monitoring as a reference. Fifteen pigs were included. Contrast-enhanced CT perfusion of the descending aorta and right and left pulmonary artery was performed. For variation purposes, a balloon catheter was inserted to block the contralateral pulmonary vascular bed; additionally, two increased CO settings were created by intravenous administration of catecholamines. Finally, stepwise capillary occlusion was performed by intrapulmonary arterial injection of 75-μm microspheres in four stages. A semiautomatic selection of AFs and a recirculation-aware tracer-kinetics model to extract the first-pass of AFs, estimating blood flow with the Stewart-Hamilton method, was implemented. Linear mixed models (LMM) were developed to calibrate blood flow calculations accounting with individual- and cohort-level effects.

Results

Nine of 15 pigs had complete datasets. Strong correlations were observed between calibrated pulmonary (0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6–0.82) and aortic blood flow measurements (0.82, 95% CI, 0.73–0.88) and the reference as well as agreements (± 2.24 L/min and ± 1.86 L/min, respectively) comparable to the state of the art, on a relatively wide range of right ventricle-CO measurements.

Conclusions

CT perfusion validly measures CO using LMMs at both individual and cohort levels, as demonstrated by referencing the invasive CO.

Relevance statement

Possible clinical applications of CT perfusion for measuring CO could be in acute pulmonary thromboembolism or to assess right ventricular function to show impairment or mismatch to the left ventricle.

Key points

• CT perfusion measures flow in vessels.

• CT perfusion measures cumulative cardiac output in the aorta and pulmonary vessels.

• CT perfusion validly measures CO using LMMs at both individual and cohort levels, as demonstrated by using the invasive CO as a reference standard.

Graphical Abstract
Predictors of mortality among children at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania: a cohort study
Authors: Damian Diana K. , Furia Francis F. , Leyna Germana
Published: March 2024

Background

Tanzania is among the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest under-five mortality rate. The leading causes of mortality among these children include vaccine-preventable infections. Strategies for reducing under-five mortality in hospital settings require a good knowledge of driving factors, which are largely unknown in Tanzania. This study was conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital to determine mortality and its predictors among under-five admitted in the general paediatric wards.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study among children aged between 1 and 59 months admitted in the paediatric wards at Muhimbili National Hospital from 2nd October 2017 to 13th April 2018. We recruited eligible children consecutively and followed them up until discharge or death. We calculated the mortality rate as the incidence density rate and determined the causes and predictors of mortality. We analyzed data to identify and quantify predictors of deaths and used Kaplan-Meir and Cox regression analyses to determine predictors of survival. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

We recruited 925 children aged 1–59 months with a median age of 13 and (IQR) of (20) months, females constituted 40.8%. The overall mortality rate was 12.2% (95% CI: 10.2%-14.5%). We found septicaemia (27%), malnutrition (12%), congenital heart disease (12%), pneumonia (11%), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection (9%) to be leading causes of mortality. More deaths were observed at night, during the first 24 h of admission, and on weekends. Independent factors for mortality were found to be low wealth quintiles (lowest quintile (AOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.19–13.51), second quintile (AOR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.65–16.69) and middle quintile (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.14–11.33), unconsciousness on admission (AOR = 18; 95% CI: 6.70–56.82), inability to feed (AOR = 5.7; 95% CI: 1.97–16.51), lethargy (AOR = 4.9; 95% CI: 2.32–10.40), severe wasting (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 2.49–8.10), and respiratory distress (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.40–4.97).

Conclusion

A high mortality rate was noted in this study and low wealth quantile, low parental education, and lack of health insurance were associated with high mortality. Patients had the highest risk of mortality within 24 h of admission, therefore it is important to raise awareness among clinicians regarding the need for improvement in the monitoring of patients, especially within 24 h of admission.
Adaptive merging migration
Authors: Liu Lu , Salim Hussain , Chen Ke , Zhao Yang
Published: March 2024

Velocity errors and data noise are inevitable for seismic imaging of field data sets in current production; therefore, it is desirable to improve the seismic images as part of the migration process to mitigate the influence of such errors and noise. To address this, we develop a new method of adaptive merging migration (AMM). Our method can produce migrated sections of equal quality to conventional migration methods given a correct velocity model and noise-free data. In addition, it can ameliorate the seismic image quality when applied with erroneous migration velocity models or noisy seismic data. AMM uses an efficient recursive Radon transform to generate multiple p-component images, representing migrated sections associated with different local plane slopes. It then adaptively merges the subsections from those p-component images that are less distorted by velocity errors or noise into the whole image. Such merging is implemented by computing adaptive weights followed by a selective stacking. We use three synthetic velocity models and one field data set to evaluate the AMM performance on isolated Gaussian velocity errors, inaccurate smoothed velocities, velocity errors around high-contrast and short-wavelength interfaces, and noisy seismic data. Numerical tests conducted on synthetic and field data sets validate that AMM can effectively improve the seismic image quality in the presence of different types of velocity errors and data noise.
Abnormal theta and alpha oscillations in children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis and clinical high-risk psychosis
Authors: Zhang Yaru , Yang Tingyu , He Yuqiong , Meng Fanchao , Zhang Kun , Jin Xingyue , Cui Xilong , Luo Xuerong
Published: March 2024

Background

Cognitive control deficits are one of the main symptoms of psychosis. The basic neural oscillation patterns associated with cognitive control are already present in early adolescence. However, as previous studies have focused on adults with psychosis, it is unclear whether neurobiological impairments in cognitive control are present in children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis (FEP) or clinical high-risk (CHR) state for psychosis.

Aims

To explore the deficits of electroencephalogram related to cognitive control tasks in children and adolescents with FEP and CHR.

Method

Electroencephalogram was recorded in untreated 48 patients with FEP, 24 patients with CHR and 42 healthy controls aged 10–17 years, while performing the visual oddball task. The N2 amplitude, theta and alpha oscillations were then analysed and compared between groups.

Results

There was no significant group difference in N2 amplitude (P = 0.099). All groups showed increased theta and alpha oscillations relative to baseline before the stimulus in the frontal, central, left fronto-central and right fronto-central areas. These changes differed significantly between groups, with the FEP group showing significantly smaller theta (P < 0.001) and alpha (P < 0.01) oscillation than healthy controls. Theta and alpha oscillations in the CHR group did not differ significantly from the FEP group and healthy controls.

Conclusions

These results suggest that neural damage has already occurred in the early stage of psychosis, and that abnormal rhythmic activity of neurons may constitute the pathophysiological mechanism of cognitive dysfunction related to early-onset psychosis.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis With the Use of Alpelisib in a Patient With Metastatic Breast Cancer Without Diabetes
Authors: Polisetty Lakshmi , Teresa Selvin Sneha , Tan Jia Wei
Published: March 2024

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening medical condition. Alpelisib, a new drug used to treat phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha mutated breast cancer, is reported to cause DKA as a rare adverse effect. We present a case of alpelisib-induced DKA in a patient with metastatic breast cancer without diabetes. An 81-year-old female with a history of hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer presented to the emergency room with clinical features and blood work consistent with DKA. She was started on alpelisib 6 weeks before her presentation to the hospital. She did not have a documented history of diabetes. Upon admission, alpelisib was held, and her blood glucose returned to baseline with intravenous insulin and hydration. Post-discharge, she was managed with sitagliptin. Subsequent attempts to reintroduce alpelisib were associated with hyperglycemia, which led to the permanent discontinuation of alpelisib and the transition to alternative treatment options. Alpelisib causes hyperglycemia by inhibiting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/activated protein kinase-B pathway, which regulates blood glucose levels. This case report illustrates DKA as a presenting symptom and provides potential management options for alpelisib-induced DKA. Hyperglycemia is a frequent adverse effect of alpelisib in patients with diabetes. This case report is unique as our patient developed uncontrolled diabetes within a few weeks after initiation of alpelisib.
Care of the Pediatric Patient for Ambulatory Tonsillectomy With or Without Adenoidectomy: The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia Position Statement
Authors: Brennan Marjorie P. , Webber Audra M. , Patel Chhaya V. , Chin Wanda A. , Butz Steven F. , Rajan Niraja
Published: March 2024

The landscape of ambulatory surgery is changing, and tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy is one of the most common pediatric surgical procedures performed nationally. The number of children undergoing tonsillectomy on an ambulatory basis continues to increase. The 2 most common indications for tonsillectomy are recurrent throat infections and obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. The most frequent early complications after tonsillectomy are hemorrhage and ventilatory compromise. In areas lacking a dedicated children’s hospital, these cases are managed by a nonpediatric specialized anesthesiologist and general otolaryngology surgeon. In response to requests from our members without pediatric fellowship training and/or who care for pediatric patients infrequently, the Pediatric Committee of the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) developed a position statement with recommendations for the safe perioperative care of pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy with and without adenoidectomy in freestanding ambulatory surgical facilities. This statement identifies children that are more likely to experience complications and to require additional dedicated provider time that is not conducive to the rapid pace and staffing ratios of many freestanding ambulatory centers with mixed adult and pediatric practices. The aim is to provide health care professionals with practical criteria and suggestions based on the best available evidence. When high-quality evidence is unavailable, we relied on group consensus from pediatric ambulatory specialists in the SAMBA Pediatric Committee. Consensus recommendations were presented to the Pediatric Committee of SAMBA.
Geologic Life
Authors: Yusoff Kathryn
Published: March 2024

In Geologic Life, Kathryn Yusoff theorizes the processes by which race and racialization emerged geologically. Examining both the history of geology as a discipline and ongoing mineral and resource extraction, Yusoff locates forms of imperial geology embedded in Western and Enlightenment thought and highlights how it creates anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, and anti-Brown environmental and racial injustices. Throughout, she outlines how the disciplines of geology and geography---and their conventions: surveying, identifying, classifying, valuing, and extracting—established and perpetuated colonial practices that ordered the world and people along a racial axis. Examining the conceptualization of the inhuman as political, geophysical, and paleontological, Yusoff unearths an apartheid of materiality as distinct geospatial forms. This colonial practice of geology organized and underpinned racialized accounts of space and time in ways that materially made Anthropocene Earth. At the same time, Yusoff turns to Caribbean, Indigenous, and Black thought to chart a parallel geologic epistemology of the "earth-bound" that challenges what and who the humanities have chosen to overlook in its stories of the earth. By reconsidering the material epistemologies of the earth as an on-going geotrauma in colonial afterlives, Yusoff demonstrates that race is as much a geological formation as a biological one.
Effects of different concentrations of reversine to enhance conversion of dedifferentiated fat cells into mature cardiomyocytes
Authors: Dharmadjati Budi Baktijasa , Sargowo Djanggan , . Aulanni’am , Pikir Budi Susetyo , Oktaviono Yudi Her , Sativa Oryza , Arjani Kandita , Nugraha Ricardo Adrian
Published: March 2024

Background There is an essential need for cardiomyocyte regeneration among patients with heart failure. Transplantation of dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells may lead to an improvement of cardiomyocyte regeneration among heart failure patients. We believe that DFAT cells are promising candidate cell sources for cardiac regeneration. However, the pathway underlying how DFAT cells of the adipose lineage differentiate into mature cardiomyocytes isn’t fully understood. Methods We conducted an experimental laboratory study on isolated DFAT cells from adipose tissue of healthy adults. Then, we treated cells with different concentrations of reversine (10, 20 and 40 nM), and performed RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. Next, we used a ceiling culture method based on the buoyancy properties of mature lipid-filled adipocytes. Stemness expression (Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 [Oct4], brachyury, Fetal liver kinase 1 [Flk-1]) was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR, while cardiomyocyte expression (Transcription factor GATA-4 [GATA4] and cardiac troponin T [cTnT]) was quantified by immunocytochemistry. Results ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc found that 10 nM reversine increased greater Flk-1 expression compared to the control group (MD: 5.037 + 0.998; p < 0.001), but there were no significant changes among Oct4 (MD: 0.013 + 1.244; p = 0.99) and brachyury expression (MD: 0.157 + 0.084; p = 0.252). Kruskal-Wallis revealed that the expression of GATA4 (1.65 [0.41-1.98] to 0.015 [0.007-0.034]; p =0.017) reduced significantly from day 7 until day 21 and cTnT (5.07 [6.62-8.91] to 8.22 [6.81-9.40]; p= 0.001) increased significantly from day 7 until day 21. Conclusions Reversine could increase the expression of Flk-1, but it was unable to stimulate the expression of Oct4 and brachyury related to stem cell-ness. An optimal concentration of 10 nM reversine may have the greatest effect on enhancing the differentiation of DFAT cells into mature cardiomyocytes, as indicated by higher cTnT expression between cells.
Creating cloud platforms for supporting FAIR data management in biomedical research projects.
Authors: Jentsch Marcel , Schneider-Lunitz Valentin , Taron Ulrike , Braun Martin , Ishaque Naveed , Wagener Harald , Conrad Christian , Twardziok Sven
Published: March 2024

Biomedical research projects are becoming increasingly complex and require technological solutions that support all phases of the data lifecycle and application of the FAIR principles. At the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), we have developed and established a flexible and cost-effective approach to building customized cloud platforms for supporting research projects. The approach is based on a microservice architecture and on the management of a portfolio of supported services. On this basis, we created and maintained cloud platforms for several international research projects. In this article, we present our approach and argue that building customized cloud platforms can offer multiple advantages over using multi-project platforms. Our approach is transferable to other research environments and can be easily adapted by other projects and other service providers.
Safety of remimazolam in comparison with midazolam for colonoscopy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hasnain Nimra , Khalid Muhammad Abdullah , Sadiq Mahnoor , Jawaid Siddiqui Malaika , Anjum Aiman , Munaf Uzair , A.Budhwani Laila , Haque Ibtehaj Ul , Afshan Gauhar
Published: March 2024

Background Remimazolam is an ester-based ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine that efficiently achieves sedation within a short period and is now being assessed as a suitable alternative to midazolam. This meta-analysis aims to pool the available data assessing and focusing on the safety aspect of remimazolam compared with midazolam. Methods A multi-center randomized control trial for patients undergoing endoscopic procedures like colonoscopy was conducted, comparing remimazolam to placebo for the midazolam group as the intervention group. The safety of remimazolam was the primary endpoint of this meta-analysis. Results A total of 3 studies were included. The total study population was 697, including the placebo, remimazolam, and midazolam groups. The types of studies included are i. randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, active-controlled clinical trial ii. prospective, randomized, parallel-group study comparing remimazolam to placebo (blindly), RCT, and iii. prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study RCT.; Treatment-emergent adverse effects included vascular disorders (P=0.42), cardiac disorders (p=0.06), respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders (p=0.26), infections and infestations (0.88), hematologic abnormalities such as anemia (p=0.63), and derangements in Blood pressure (systolic p=0.47 and diastolic p=0.68 and respiratory parameters (p=0.34). Analysis of the reported data suggests that the remimazolam group had a significantly higher incidence of treatment-emergent adverse effects compared to the midazolam group (RR: 0.84; 95% CI [0.78, 0.91]; P <0.00001; I2 = 5%). Conclusions In conclusion, this meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials showed outcomes favoring both remimazolam and midazolam as successful sedatives, yet the higher requirement of top-up dosage and rescue sedatives in the midazolam group indicates that remimazolam can be used as its replacement, especially in colonoscopy procedures.
Comparative study of arterial doppler with digital subtraction angiography in lower limb peripheral arterial disease: a protocol
Authors: Shrivastava Priyal , Kashikar Shivali
Published: March 2024

Background One of the serious cardiovascular conditions is peripheral arterial disease; in which distinctive feature is diminished blood supply towards the lower extremities, frequently because of atherosclerotic occlusive disease. Methods We will compare arterial Doppler with digital subtraction angiography in peripheral lower limb occlusive arterial sickness; to determine Peripheral Arterial Disease along with its location and stenosis severity on Duplex Ultra-Sonography and Digital Subtraction Angiography; and to determine the segment-to-segment agreement of the arterial tree within Duplex Ultra-Sonography and Digital Subtraction Angiography. Implications This will encourage the participants for periodic investigation and proper use of medications which will improve hospital/facility outcome. It will be helpful for older individuals how are more susceptible to peripheral artery disease. A fair accurate treatment options will be given to patients. Limitations Findings will only be applicable to our organization because the study will be done at one tertiary care hospital, limiting their external validity and generalizability.
Network pharmacology and in silico approaches to uncover multitargeted mechanism of action of Zingiber zerumbet rhizomes for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Byregowda Bharath Harohalli , Baby Krishnaprasad , Maity Swastika , Nayak Usha Yogendra , S Gayathri , Fayaz Shaik Mohammad , Nayak Yogendra
Published: March 2024

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease with high mortality, and there are only two specific drugs available for therapeutic management with limitations. The study aims to identify comprehensive therapeutic mechanisms of Zingiber zerumbet rhizomes (ZZR) to treat IPF by using network pharmacology followed battery of in silico studies. Methods The protein-protein interaction network was developed using Cytoscape to obtain core disease targets involved in IPF and their interactive molecules of ZZR. Based on the pharmacophore properties of phytomolecules from ZZR, the drug targets in IPF were explored. Protein-protein interaction network was built in Cytoscape to screen potential targets and components of ZZR. Molecular docking and dynamics were conducted as an empirical study to investigate the mechanism explored through network pharmacology in relation to the hub targets. Results The network analysis conferred kaempferol derivatives that had demonstrated a promising therapeutic effect on the perturbed, robust network hubs of TGF-β1, EGFR, TNF-α, MMP2 & MMP9 reported to alter the biological process of mesenchymal transition, myofibroblast proliferation, and cellular matrix deposition in pulmonary fibrosis. The phytomolecules of ZZR act on two major significant pathways, namely the TGF-β-signaling pathway and the FOXO-signaling pathway, to inhibit IPF. Confirmational molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies possessed good stability and interactions of the protein-ligand complexes by RMSD, RMSF, rGyr, SASA, and principal component analysis (PCA). Validated molecular docking and dynamics simulations provided new insight into exploring the mechanism and multi-target effect of ZZR to treat pulmonary fibrosis by restoring the alveolar phenotype through cellular networking. Conclusions Network pharmacology and in silico studies confirm the multitargeted activity of ZZR in the treatment of IPF. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are to be conducted to validate these findings.
Digital transformation in public health: a software tool for efficient health record management and improved healthcare delivery
Authors: Barturen-Diaz Yuceli , Olivera-Burga Dilmer , Pacheco Alex
Published: March 2024

Background In today’s world, the abundance of data in many areas of society has increased the need to use efficient technological tools to analyse, accurately and clearly present information. The objective was to develop a virtual platform to increase efficiency in the control of medical records (MR) and reduce errors in the recording of clinical data. To improve the quality of medical care in public health centres. Method The research used a methodology that follows a four-stage process for the development of the medical records management software. It started with planning where the user stories and their priority were defined. In the design phase, the system architecture and code structure were developed. Subsequently, in the coding phase, pair programming with incremental implementation was emphasised. Finally, in the testing phase, automatic and manual integration tests were carried out, documented by means of acceptance tests to ensure the quality of the developed software. Results The web-based platform has led to a significant increase in the number of patients seen, resulting in significant improvements in resource management at the health centres. In addition, the reduction in the incidence of errors highlights the superior accuracy in recording and tracking medical information, promoting a safer and more efficient care environment for patients. Conclusions The main focus of this study is the management of medical records, with the aim of reducing the time spent on registration, ensuring secure access to information, reducing documentation errors and facilitating instant data retrieval through a web-based platform. The results show the effectiveness of this methodology and its positive impact on the management of medical records.
Genre analysis of introduction section in electrical engineering undergraduate laboratory reports
Authors: Veerappan Veeramuthu , Ahmad Mokhtarrudin , Balakrishnan Kavitha , Aris Mohd Afizal , Suan Wei Hui
Published: March 2024

Background This study examines the genre of Engineering Laboratory Reports (ELR) introduction section written by Electrical Engineering Undergraduates in a higher learning institution. The aims of this study are to identify the rhetorical moves and combinations of move patterns used by electrical engineering (EE) students to write introduction section. Method A genre analysis was conducted to identify writing patterns and convention practices of engineering undergraduate students thus a corpus of N = 35 was selected from electrical engineering students in their final year of study. This study adopted Genre Theory as its theoretical framework, Ngowu 1997 analytical framework and BCU approach for analysis procedure. A pilot test was conducted to determine the model that fits the best to describe moves and steps of ELR. Coding scheme was developed and intercoder reliability showed a significance of 0.91 The study benchmarks a move or step to be present in at least 60% of the reports. Results The finding shows the introduction consists of one main move which is providing background information of the experiment and followed by four subsequent steps which are reference to research purposes, reference to theoretical knowledge in the field, providing an overview of the study and identification of main research apparatus. The move 1 and all four steps identified above are viewed as obligatory, conventional and optional move and steps in introduction section among undergraduates in academic context. The exemplification of finding shows lack of compliance among undergraduates to produce EELR based on university
Rapid diagnostic testing for onchocerciasis in Maridi (South Sudan) before and after improving elimination strategies: a repeated cross-sectional survey
Authors: Hadermann Amber , Jada Stephen Raimon , Amaral Luís-Jorge , Colebunders Robert , Bol Yak Yak , Siewe Fodjo Joseph N
Published: March 2024

Background Maridi County is an onchocerciasis-endemic area in South Sudan. Annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTi) was instituted in Maridi since the early 2000s, but with low coverage. In 2021, the CDTi programme was strengthened to a six-monthly programme. Additionally, the community-based vector control strategy “Slash and Clear” has been implemented since 2019 at the Maridi Dam, the only blackfly breeding site in the area. This study assessed the effect of these reinforced onchocerciasis elimination interventions on the Onchocerca volvulus seroprevalence among young children, an indicator of ongoing transmission. Methods Baseline and follow-up serosurveys were conducted in Maridi in 2019 (prior to strengthening onchocerciasis elimination efforts) and 2023, respectively. During both surveys, children aged three to nine years were recruited from five study sites situated at different distances from the Maridi Dam. Ov16 antibodies were detected via rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) using whole blood obtained by finger-pricking the participants. Baseline and follow-up Ov16 prevalence rates were calculated and compared. Results In 2019, the Ov16 seroprevalence among children aged three to nine years was 24.5% compared to 30.6% in 2023 (p=0.22). Both surveys found a particularly high Ov16 seroprevalence in the study site closest to the Maridi Dam (35.0% in 2019 and 44.0% in 2023, p=0.52). The Ov16 seroprevalence had a non-significant decreasing trend in the three-year-old children, from 12.5% (3/24) in 2019 to 8.8% (3/34) in 2023 (p=0.65). Conclusion The persistent Ov16 RDT seropositivity among three-year-old children in 2023 indicates ongoing O. volvulus transmission. Therefore, further strengthening of the onchocerciasis elimination programme is required. The study highlights the utility of RDTs in monitoring onchocerciasis transmission in highly endemic settings.
Los perfilados estadísticos del desempleo en los servicios públicos de empleo. Un acercamiento a los casos de España y Andalucía.
Authors: Sánchez López Celia
Published: March 2024

Los perfilados estadísticos del desempleo se plantean como herramientas que permiten evaluar tanto el grado de empleabilidad como la detección de las barreras que impiden el acceso y mantenimiento del empleo de la población desempleada. Su uso está creciendo notablemente en el marco de los servicios públicos de empleo europeos. En este trabajo se analizan las experiencias de perfilados estadísticos del desempleo implantados en los servicios públicos de empleo de países europeos prestando especial atención al caso de España y Andalucía y poniendo la atención en los colectivos a los que se dirige
Análisis de la empleabilidad y la orientación laboral en el contexto de las políticas activas de empleo y su concreción actual en la Ley 3/2023 de 28 de febrero, de Empleo.
Authors: Climent Rodríguez José A.
Published: March 2024

: La relevancia actual de la orientación laboral en la definición de políticas de activación para el empleo la sitúa en una posición de ventaja, pero a la vez, significa una mayor responsabilidad en cuanto a la calidad de las acciones y servicios que permitan responder de manera adecuada a las expectativas creadas. En el ámbito normativo para el empleo de nuestro país, la relevancia actual de la orientación laboral es incuestionable, siendo uno de los ejes de las políticas de activación para el empleo. El nuevo marco normativo, a través de la Ley 3/2023 de 28 de febrero, de Empleo, aspira a universalizar la prestación de un servicio integral de orientación y acompañamiento continuado, comprendiendo las actuaciones de información, orientación profesional, motivación, asesoramiento, diagnóstico y determinación del perfil profesional y de competencias, diseño y gestión de la trayectoria individual de aprendizaje, técnicas de búsqueda de empleo, así como las acciones de apoyo a la inserción. Por otro lado, se garantiza un itinerario o plan personalizado adecuado al perfil de la persona usuaria, prestando especial atención a la eliminación de sesgos o estereotipos de cualquier índole. Por otro lado, la empleabilidad es tratada de manera istemática en la Ley 3/2023, de 28 de febrero, de Empleo, proponiendo una delimitación conceptual del término, así como medidas para el mantenimiento y mejora de la empleabilidad, así como la inclusión, de manera innovadora, de la medición de la mejora de la empleabilidad a partir de las denominadas tasas de empleabilidad, intermediación y cobertura, a partir de herramientas tecnológicas que permitirán identificar los patrones de atención que muestren evidencias estadísticas de su relación con la mejora de la empleabilidad del conjunto de las personas demandantes de empleo. El presente trabajo realiza un recorrido por la orientación laboral en el contexto de las políticas activas de empleo en nuestro país, y su relación con la conceptualización de empleabilidad, hasta llegar a la Ley 3/2023, de 28 de febrero, de Empleo
Okul Öncesi Dönemde Görsel Algı ve Yazı Farkındalığı Becerileri Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi
Authors: Temel Fulya , Efe Mehtap , Yıldız Altan Rukiyye
Published: March 2024

Bu çalışmanın amacı, okul öncesi dönemdeki çocukların görsel algı ve yazı farkındalığı becerileri arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Araştırma, 2022-2023 eğitim öğretim yılı güz döneminde Diyarbakır ilinde Millî Eğitim Bakanlığına bağlı okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarında okul öncesi eğitimine devam eden, toplam 132 tipik gelişim gösteren çocuk ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden korelasyonel desende tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmanın verileri “Motor Beceriden Bağımsız Görsel Algı Testi-3” ve “Erken Okuryazarlık Becerilerini Değerlendirme Aracı’nın Yazı Farkındalığı alt testi” aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları, görsel algı ile yazı farkındalığı becerileri arasında pozitif yönde ve orta düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte görsel algı ölçeği alt boyutlarının yazı farkındalığı genel puanlarına olan etkisine göre kurulan regresyon modeli istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuştur. Dolayısıyla çocukların görsel algı gelişimi ile yazı farkındalığı becerilerinin ilişkili olduğu ve birbirini yordadığı saptanmıştır. Bu araştırmanın sonuçlarından hareketle, yazı farkındalığı için çocukların görsel algı becerilerinin dikkate alınmasının ve desteklenmesinin önemli ve gerekli olduğu söylenebilir.