bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alien flora of Nigeria: taxonomy, biogeography, habitats, and ecological impacts
Authors: Borokini Israel , Kortz Alessandra , Anibaba Quadri , Witt Arne , Aigbokhan Emmanuel , Hejda Martin , Pyšek Petr
Published: June 2023

Biological invasions remain one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and livelihoods, and this is predicted to increase due to climate change and globalization. In this study, we produced a comprehensive checklist of alien plants in Nigeria from online flora databases, herbarium records, published field surveys, and questionnaires administered to botanical gardens. The resulting alien flora was classified into naturalized, invasive, and cultivated plants. We then fitted a random forest model to identify the attributes which facilitate the naturalization of alien plants in Nigeria. We also used separate chi-squared tests to investigate if the frequency of these attributes is statistically significant between the naturalized and invasive plants. The results include 1,381 alien plant taxa, comprising 238 naturalized, 190 invasive, and 953 cultivated species. The naturalized and invasive plants (428 species) spread across 91 families, with Fabaceae and Poaceae having the highest representations. The random forest model showed that life forms and local economic uses were the most important drivers of alien plant naturalization in Nigeria. Chi-squared tests revealed a non-random distribution of life forms (P < 0.001), higher frequencies of naturalized plants from the Indomalaya (P = 0.006) and the Neotropics (P = 0.04), greater introductions during the British colonial rule, and are used mostly for medicinal, ornamental, food, and fodder. Naturalized and invasive plants were recorded in all regions of Nigeria and are mostly found in urban ruderal and agricultural landscapes. This baseline information can support further ecological studies and conservation actions in Nigeria.
Simulation of urban flood process based on a hybrid LSTM-SWMM model
Authors: zhao chenchen , Liu chengshuai , Li wenzhong , Tang yehai , Yang fan , Xu yingying , Quan liyu , Hu caihong
Published: June 2023

This study proposes a novel hybrid LSTM-SWMM model that integrates the advantages of SWMM model and the LSTM neural network for the first time to predict runoff in urban areas. The aim is to build an efficient and rapid model that takes into account the physical mechanism, so as to better respond to and simulate urban flood. The results show that, in the training period and testing period, the simulated discharge process of LSTM-SWMM model and the observed discharge process are in good agreement, which can reflect the actual rainfall runoff process. The R² of LSTM-SWMM model is 0.969, and the R² of LSTM model is 0.954. Also, when the forecasting period is 1, the NSE value of LSTM-SWMM is 0.967, which is the best forecasting accuracy; when the forecasting period is 6, the NSE value of LSTM-SWMM is 0.939, which is the worst. With the increase of the forecasting period, the NSE values show a downward trend, and the accuracy gradually decreases.
Shuangshen Ningxin Capsule alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in miniature pigs by modulating mitophagy:network pharmacology and experiments in vivo
Authors: Jia Feifan , Chen Yuanyuan , Xin Gaojie , Li Lingmei , Liu Zixin , Xu Sujuan , Gao Jiaming , Meng Hongxu , Shi Yue , Ma Yanlei , Li Lei , Fu Jianhua
Published: June 2023

Background:Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is a common pathological basis for several cardiovascular diseases, for which no effective treatment exists. Shuangshen Ningxin (SSNX) capsule which is developed by Xiyuan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine has been demonstrated to alleviate MI/RI, but its mechanism remains to be further elucidated.
Methods: The MI/RI miniature pigs model was constructed to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of SSNX by blocking the proximal blood flow of the left anterior descending branch of the cardiac coronary artery through an interventional balloon. The major chemical compounds and potential targets of SSNX were screened by HPLC-MS and SwissTargetPrediction. The targets of MI/RI were identified based on Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM) and GeneCards. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was applied to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed using metascape. To further validate the mechanism of SSNX, Molecular docking, Transmission electron microscopy, and Western blot analysis were used to test the effectiveness of targets in related pathways.
Results:The result of experiment in vivo confirmed that SSNX significantly improved cardiac function, attenuated myocardial I/R injury. Through network analysis, a total of 15 active components and 201 targets were obtained from SSNX, 75 of which are potential targets for the treatment of MI/RI. KEGG and MCODE analysis showed that SSNX is involved in the mitophagy signaling pathway, and ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rb2 are key components associated with the mitophagy. Further experimental results proved that SSNX protected mitochondrial structure and function, and significantly reduced the expression of mitophagy-related proteins PINK1, Parkin, FUNDC1 and BNIP3 in MI/RI miniature pigs.
Conclusion:In this study, the integration of network pharmacology and experiments in vivo demonstrated that SSNX interfered with MI/RI by inhibiting mitophagy.
Use of the Perceived Stress Scale in Russian Adolescents: Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties
Authors: Marakshina Julia , Adamovich Timofey , Vasin Georgy , Ismatullina Victoria , Lobaskova Marina , Malykh Artem , Kolyasnikov Pavel , Tabueva Anna , Zakharov Ilia , Malykh Sergey
Published: June 2023

This study involved a psychometric analysis of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). To investigate the Russian version of the PSS-10 for adolescents, 3530 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years were recruited. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the data corresponded to the expected two-factor configuration. Psychometric properties and factor structure were evaluated. As expected, the PSS-10 included two factors: perceived helplessness and perceived self-efficacy. Internal consistency demonstrated acceptable values (Cronbach’s alpha was 0.82 for perceived distress, 0.77 for perceived self-efficacy, and 0.80 for the overall PSS score). Measurement invariance across sexes was assessed, and configural and metric invariance were confirmed. The developed diagnostic tool can be used both in the school system to alleviate the negative consequences of academic stress in adolescents and, in the future, in other areas, particularly in clinical practice.
Non-Invasive Microwave Sensor Design for Real-Time Continuous Dehydration Monitoring
Authors: Baghelani Masoud , Abbasi Zahra , Daneshmand Mojgan , Light Peter E.
Published: June 2023

The accurate assessment of dehydration is crucial in many diverse clinical applications. Currently used methods for assessing dehydration rely on either skin pinch tests or analysis of urine. Therefore, therefore is a need for wearable non-invasive devices for continuous dehydration monitoring. This paper presents a novel sensor design for the monitoring of dehydration levels by the use of chipless microwave resonators. The sensor design incorporates a metallic layer beyond the tag sensor itself, resulting in an isolation of the dehydration sensing system from conflicting ambient signals that provides a targeted sensing system to the tissue itself with reduced interference. The sensitivity of the sensor is high, with a ~100 KHz shift for a 1% change in dehydration).
De novo biosynthesis of 2-hydroxyterephthalic acid, the monomer for high-performance hydroxyl modified PBO fiber, by enzymatic Kolbe- Schmitt reaction with CO2 fixation
Authors: Zhou Yali , Zhang Shiding , Huang Shiming , Fan Xuanhe , Su Haijia , Tan Tianwei
Published: June 2023

Background
High-performance poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber, with excellent mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, and toughness), high thermal stability combined and light weight, are widely employed in automotive and aerospace composites, body armor and sports goods. Hydroxyl modified PBO (HPBO) fiber shows better photostability and interfacial shear strength. 2-Hydroxyterephthalic acid (2-HTA), the monomer for the HPBO fiber, is usually synthesized by chemical method, which has poor space selectivity and high energy consumption. The enzymatic Kolbe-Schmitt reaction, which carboxylates phenolic substrates to generate hydroxybenzoic acids with bicarbonate/CO2, was applied in de novo biosynthesis of 2-HTA with CO2 fixation.
Results
The biosynthesis of 2-HTA was achieved by the innovative application of hydroxybenzoic acid (de)carboxylases to carboxylation of 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-HBA) at the para-position of the benzene carboxyl group, known as enzymatic Kolbe-Schmitt reaction. Three hydroxybenzoic acid (de)carboxylases from diverse microorganisms were expressed in recombinant E. coli. 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid decarboxylase from Aspergillus oryzae (2,3-DHBD_Ao) showed highest activity. In addition, two amino acid substitutions, F27G and T62A, proved to be of great help in improving 2,3-DHBD activity. The double site mutation F27G/T62A increased the production of 2-HTA by 28-fold up to 5.87 ± 0.06 mg/L in vitro. Moreover, de novo biosynthetic pathway of 2-HTA was constructed by co-expression of 2,3-DHBD_Ao and 3-hydroxybenzoate synthase Hyg5 in S. cerevisiae S288C with Ura3, Aro7 and Trp3 knockout. The engineered strain synthesized 45.4 ± 0.2 µg/L 2-HTA at 36 h in the CO2 environment.
Conclusion
De novo synthesis of 2-HTA has been achieved, which uses glucose as a raw material to generate shikimic acid, chorismic acid, and 3-HBA, and finally obtains 2-HTA. We demonstrate the strong potential of hydroxybenzoate (de)carboxylase to produce terephthalic acid and its derivatives with CO2 fixation.
Novel frameshift Variant c.3056delA of the DHX38 Gene in a Chinese Family With Retinitis Pigmentosa
Authors: Zhang Sinan , Xu Yulei , Zhu Haonan , Liu Xuling , Hong Xutao , Qi Ming , Jin Xin , Liang Jie
Published: June 2023

Background Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common inherited retinal degeneration. Our purpose was to describe disease-causing variants in a Chinese patient with RP. We described the clinical features and identify a novel (p.Lys1019fs) variant in DHX38.Case presentation A 47-year-old Chinese man complained of persistent visual impairment. To clarify the diagnosis, the clinical symptoms were observed and analysed in combination with comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations and genetic analysis. Abnormal fundus manifestations were found, including thinning of retinal arteriovenous vessels, obscure reflection in macular fovea, and scattered osteocyte-like pigment in the retina. We identified two mutations of USH2A gene (c.2802T > G and c.8559-2A > G ) and one novel mutation of DHX38 gene (c.3056delA) in the proband. The parents with visual loss were heterozygous carriers. The compound heterozygous mutations in USH2A are the underlying cause of this case. And the novel variant results in the mutation of amino acid 1019 from lysine to arginine and bring a new reading frame, the 37th codon followed by the mutation site turn to be a stop codon, resulting in a premature protein truncation.Conclusions The study identified two compound heterozygous USH2A variants (c.2802T > G and c.8559-2A > G) and one novel DHX38 variants (c.3056delA) in an RP patient. It is conducive to a clearer understanding of genotype-phenotype correlation in the non-syndromic RP patients. Our study expands the spectrum of DHX38 variants in RP as well.
Resilience, Sense of Danger and Reporting for Work in Wartime in Healthcare Personnel in a General Hospital
Authors: Cohen Sarah Sberro , Amit Inbal , Barenboim Erez , Roitman Alona
Published: June 2023

Background & Aims: During wartime, front line hospitals must not only continue to maintain their range of services and high standards of care, including during missile attacks, but also ensure that their healthcare personnel (HCP) maintain their attendance.
This study was designed to identify the factors affecting the percentage of HCPs reporting for work during periods of security escalations and wartime. Specifically, it explored the relationships between resilience, sense of danger and HCP absenteeism. The results can contribute to designing an intervention to decrease HCP absenteeism during security escalations, wartime and emergencies.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022. An online questionnaire was sent to the HCP of a southern Israeli general hospital located on the front lines of a longstanding conflict. Resilience was measured on the Conor-Davidson scale (CD-RISC). Sense of danger was evaluated on the Solomon & Prager inventory.
Results: In total, 390 employees completed the survey. Of this sample, 77.4% reported fully to work during the last security escalations in May 2021. Most of the sample (84.1%) felt insecure on the way to work. The HCP who reported fully to work had a higher level of resilience than employees who reported partially or did not come to work at all (p = 0.03). A higher sense of danger in the workplace correlated with a 73% increase in absenteeism (p < 0.01). Absenteeism (partial or full) was higher among HCP with children who require supervision (p < 0.01). Hospital preparedness for emergencies increased HCP attendance at work (p = 0.03).
Conclusions: Hospital management should design programs to strengthen the level of resilience and the sense of security of hospital personnel to encourage greater attendance at work in wartime, crises, or emergencies.
Dapagliflozin promotes white adipose tissue browning though regulating angiogenesis in high fat induced obese mice
Authors: Xiang Lin , Liu Min , Xiang Guangda , Yue Ling , Zhang Junxia , Xu Xiaoli , Dong Jing
Published: June 2023

Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is become an appealing target for therapeutics in the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases. Dapagliflozin is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and it is also found that the drug exhibits regulate systemic metabolism such as obesity, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. However, the precise role of dapagliflozin on WAT remodeling remains to be elucidated. The current study aimed to explore the role of dapagliflozin on WAT browning in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse. C57BL/6J male mice were used to establish obesity model by following feeding with HFD. The mice were randomly treated with or without dapagliflozin for the experimental observation. The volume and fat fraction of WAT were quantified, H&E staining and immunohistochemistry were conducted to investigate the white-to-brown fat conversion and adipose tissue angiogenesis in WAT respectively. qPCR was employed to explore the mRNA expression levels of genes involved in fat browning and angiogenesis in WAT. Subsequently, 3T3-L1 cells were used to explore the effect of dapagliflozin on preadipocytes differentiation in vitro. Our results demonstrated that dapagliflozin could reduce body weight gain and improve the metabolic phenotypes in HFD mice via regulating lipogenesis and angiogenesis of WAT. Furthermore, dapagliflozin reduce cells differentiation, up-regulate expression of WAT browning and angiogenesis genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro. In conclusion, dapagliflozin promotes white adipose tissue browning in HFD induced obese mice via improving lipogenesis and angiogenesis in adipose tissue.
In vitro parasiticidal effects of PIK-75 inhibition of Nrf2 against Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces
Authors: Tang Guangyao , Liu Ziyu , Wang Longjun , Liu Sheng , Yang Bin , Lv Hailong
Published: June 2023

Introduction The aims of this study were to investigate the role of the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway in Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces, and to examine the effects of PIK-75 inhibition on Nrf2 activity.
Methods Nrf2 protein expression and localization in protoscoleces were examined via confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Reactive oxygen species (ROS detection kit) was used to detect ROS level in protoscoleces. The effects of PIK-75 on activity of heme oxygenase1(HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx) were characterized using ELISA. Evidence of parasite damage and death was observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Western bolting was used to detect the expression level of Nrf2 protein. In addition, caspase-3 activity was detected using an assay kit.
Results The study found that Nrf2 is primarily localized in the protoscoleces cytoplasm, and PIK-75 treatment could increased ROS level(P<0.05) in the early time, and reduced NQO-1, HO-1, GSH-Px and TPx (P<0.05) activity in protoscoleces. SEM showed that PIK-75-treated protoscoleces presented damage in the protoscoleces region. Western-blot showed that the Nrf2 protein expression had decreased significantly. Caspase-3 activity clearly increased in protoscoleces treated for 24 and 48 h with PIK-75 compared with that in controls (P<0.05).
Conclusion The present investigation demonstrated that PIK-75 had an inhibitory effect on the Nrf2 signaling pathway. We also provide evidence that PIK-75 may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of protoscoleces. The use of PIK-75 as a treatment for protoscoleces, however, requires further research.
Anesthetic key points in a patient with a terminal ileum neuroendocrine tumor and a rare carcinoid left heart disease presented for non-cardiac surgery. Case Report
Authors: Ussel Kevin Van , Leonard Daniel , Watremez Christine , Robu Cristina Bianca
Published: June 2023

Background
Carcinoid tumors are rare neuroendocrine malignancies presenting in an increasing number in our center. The incidence of carcinoid tumors is approximatively 1 in 75000 of the population of whom about 50% develop carcinoid syndrome. Once the carcinoid syndrome has developed, a carcinoid cardiomyopathy can occur. Carcinoid heart disease (CaHD) remains a serious and rare complication associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Although carcinoid tumors have been known and studied for several years, there are still scarce data on the anesthetic management and the per operative period.
Case presentation:
We describe a case of a Caucasian 44-year-old woman with an unusual presentation of left CaHD with an ileal neuroendocrine tumor and liver metastases. Our preoperative somatostatin administration protocol, limit the cardiac damage. The maintenance of stable hemodynamics, the use of balanced anesthetic technic, all along with a good understanding of the pathology, played a major role in the successful management of anesthesia. This case report allows us to introduce our decision algorithm for the management of this type of pathology in our tertiary hospital, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc.
Conclusion
Despite the paucity of data, anesthetic management of patients with carcinoid tumor can be safely performed with effective hemodynamic monitoring and a good understanding of the pathophysiology. Knowledge and application of a clear institutional algorithm for octreotide administration and multidisciplinary consultation at a referral center are essential for the management of these patients.
Fifty years of hemodialysis in Ghana - current status, utilization and cost of dialysis services
Authors: Tannor Elliot Koranteng , Hutton-Mensah Kojo , Opare-Addo Priscilla , Agyei Martin Kofi , Gyan Kwadwo Faka , Inusah Abdul-Jalil , Nyann Beatrice Irene , Amo-Antwi Kwabena , Luyckx Valerie , Okpechi Ikechi
Published: June 2023

Background
Kidney failure is common in Ghana. Haemodialysis(HD) is the most common treatment modality for survival. Although, HD has been available in Ghana for 50 years, the majority of patients who develop kidney failure cannot access it. We describe the state of HD, dialysis prevalence, its utilization and cost of HD after fifty years of dialysis initiation in Ghana.
Methods
A situational assessment of HDs centres in Ghana was conducted by surveying nephrologists, doctors, nurses and other health care professionals in HD centres from August to October 2022. We assessed the density of HD centres, number of HD machines, prevalence of nephrologists, number of patients receiving HD treatment and the cost of dialysis in private and government facilities in Ghana.
Results
There are 51 HD centres located in 9 of the 16 regions of Ghana. Of these, only 40 centres are functioning, as 11 had shut down or are yet to operate. Of the functioning centres most (n = 26, 65%) are in the Greater Accra region serving 17.7% of the population and 7(17.5%) in the Ashanti region serving 17.5% of the population in Ghana. The rest of the seven regions have one centre each. The private sector has twice as many HD centers (n = 27, 67.5%) as the public sector (n = 13,32.5%). There are 299 HD machines yielding 9.7 HD machines per million population (pmp) with a median of 6 (IQR 4–10) machines per centre. Ghana has 0.44 nephrologists pmp. Currently, 1195 patients receive HD, giving a prevalence of 38.8 patients pmp with 609(50.9%) in the private sector. The mean cost of HD session is US $53.9 ± 8.8 in Ghana.
Conclusion
There are gross inequities in the regional distribution of HD centres in Ghana, with a low HD prevalence and nephrology workforce despite a high burden of CKD. The cost of haemodialysis remains prohibitive and mainly paid out-of-pocket limiting its utilization.
Joint DNN partitioning and Resource Allocation for Completion Rate Maximization of Delay-Aware DNN inference Tasks in Wireless Powered Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Tian Xianzhong , Xu Pengcheng , Shen Yifan , Shao Yuheng
Published: June 2023

With the development of smart Internet of Things (IoT), it has seen a surge in wireless devices deploying Deep Neural Network (DNN) models for real-time computing tasks. However, the inherent resource and energy constraints of wireless devices make local completion of real-time inference tasks impractical. DNN model partitioning can partition the DNN model and use edge servers to assist in completing DNN model inference tasks, but offloading also requires a lot of transmission energy consumption. Additionally, the complex structure of DNN models means partitioning and offloading across different network layers impacts overall energy consumption significantly, complicating the development of an optimal partitioning strategy. Furthermore, in certain application contexts, regular battery charging or replacement for smart IoT devices is impractical and environmentally harmful. The development of wireless energy transfer technology enables devices to obtain RF energy through wireless transmission to achieve sustainable power supply. Motivated by this, We propose a problem of joint DNN model partition and resource allocation in Wireless Powered Edge Computing (WPMEC). However, time-varying channel state in the WPMEC have a significant impact on resource allocation decisions. How to jointly optimize DNN model partition and resource allocation decisions is also a significant challenge. We propose an online algorithm based on Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to solve the time allocation decision, simplifying a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Problem (MINLP) into a convex optimization problem. Our approach seeks to maximize the completion rate of DNN inference tasks within the constraints of time-varying wireless channel states and delay constraints. Simulation results show the exceptional performance of this algorithm in enhancing task completion rates.
Numerical simulation study of ultraviolet nanosecond laser ablation of Cu-Al2O3 dispersion strengthened alloys
Authors: Wang Yu , Wu Chunya , Ma Zhiyuan , Li Hui , Wu Xueqiang , Liu Chang , Li Xiguang , Chen Mingjun
Published: June 2023

A finite element model of nanosecond laser interaction with the Cu-Al2O3 dispersion strengthened alloys has been established according to the underlying mechanism of melting flow, phase transition and evaporation removal of material. Attempting to replicate the multi-field coupling effects in laser ablation process, this model takes both the thermophysical properties of materials varied with the temperature, and the evolution of erosion morphology under the instantaneous high-temperature action of pulsed laser into consideration. Moreover, the influence of coaction of diverse forces (including recoil pressure, surface tension, Marangoni force), the phase transformation and melting flow of material on the laser processing were also integrated into the model. On the basis of the proposed model, a FEM simulation study on the distribution of temperature field, formation process of erosion morphology, and numerical prediction of ablation depth in laser processing was performed. The deviation of the predicted values of ablation depth from the experimental results under the same power condition as the simulations can be controlled within 13%, indicating that the proposed simulation model can be adopted to effectively predict the width of heat affected zone and the width of recast layer under specific processing parameters.
Community green space moderates the relationship between family support and depression among older adults in urban China
Authors: Sun Qian , Guo Yingqi , Wang Youwei , Lu Nan
Published: June 2023

Background:This study examined the moderating effects of built environment attributes on the relationship between family social support and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in urban China.Methods:Quota sampling was used to recruit participants from Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 799 respondents aged 60 years and older, in either their homes or local community centers. Hierarchical multiple regression models were used to test the proposed model.Results:This study found that family social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Green spaces were negatively associated with depressive symptoms among older participants, although most indicators of the objective built environment attributes were not. The moderation analysis revealed a significant interaction effect between family social capital and green spaces on depressive symptoms. Specifically, living in areas with a higher percentage of green spaces may mitigate the negative effects of lower levels of family social support on depression.Conclusions:This study contributes a new direction for investigating the relationship between family social support and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in China by considering the moderating effect of objective built environment attributes. The findings may guide practices and urban design in mental health promotion for older adults. Specifically, this study provides evidence useful for both policy designers and urban planners by highlighting modifiable environmental and objective factors that can promote community mental health for older adults who find it difficult to obtain family support in modern society.
Construction of a diagnostic nomogram model for predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis in colon cancer: a retrospective study based on the SEER database
Authors: ZENG Weichao , SUN Yafeng , LIAO Zhengrong , XU Jianhua
Published: June 2023

Background.
Poor prognosis and frequent recurrence of colon cancer may be associated with lymph node metastasis. Early identification or prediction of lymphatic metastasis in colon cancer is important for improving treatment strategies and patient prognosis. In this study, we aimed to assess the rate of lymph node metastasis in patients with stage pT1 or pT2 colon cancer and screen for independent risk factors to develop a prediction model for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis.
Methods.
According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 32,803 patients with stage pT1 or pT2 colon cancer who had undergone surgery were selected from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. The predictive nomogram was internally validated using the validation set. Independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The discriminatory power, accuracy, and clinical utility of the model were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis, respectively.
Results.
A nomogram for predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis was developed using six independent risk factors identified through univariate and multivariate analyses. Calibration curve analysis demonstrated good agreement between the nomogram prediction and actual observation. Decision curve analysis showed excellent clinical utility of the prediction model. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC of the predictive nomogram for lymph node metastasis risk was 0.6714 (95% CI: 0.6621–0.6806) in the training set and 0.6567 (95% CI: 0.6422–0.6712) in the validation set, indicative of good discriminatory power of the model.
Conclusion.
The novel nomogram established in this study can effectively predict the risk of lymph node metastasis in individual patients with stage pT1 or pT2 colon cancer, which allows clinicians to develop optimal treatment plans.
Ferroptosis related genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: screening for potential pharmacological targets
Authors: Li Mingjuan , Li Xiaoyuan , Chi Xiaosa , Nie Maomao , Xie Anmu
Published: June 2023

As a new form of cell death, ferroptosis has been found to play an important role in motor neuron injury or death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aims to explore a new direction for ALS treatment by screening potential drug targets related to ferroptosis. The ALS dataset GSE112676 was analyzed. Venn diagram was drawn to screen differential expression genes (DEGs) specifically related to ferroptosis. We annotated these DEGs functionally. The protein - protein interaction network was constructed by STRING and the hub genes was screened by Cytoscape. Candidate pharmacological compounds were screened by Connectivity Map. We found 20 DEGs related to ferroptosis in ALS. The biological processes involved in these genes mainly include temperature homeostasis, long-chain fatty-acyl-CoA metabolic process, fatty-acyl-CoA metabolic process, cellular response to external stimulus and regulation of peptidyl-serine phosphorylation. KEGG results showed that these genes were mainly involved in the ferroptosis signaling pathway. We constructed protein-protein interaction networks of DEGs and obtained the top 10 drugs recommended for ALS. This study revealed the potential role of genes related to ferroptosis in ALS by bioinformatics methods. Hub genes and potential drugs may become novel biomarkers for ALS treatment in the future.
The effects of the geometry parameters and oxidation on the localized surface plasmon resonance properties of copper nanoparticle thin film via calculation
Authors: Liu Zhonghua , Xu Bing , Chen Yuqing , Si Mengting , Chu Xiangqian , Fang Yingcui , Sun Mengtao T.
Published: June 2023

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) possess localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. Cu thin films composed of individual CuNPs present stronger LSPR effect than the individual CuNP due to the LSPR coupling among CuNPs. However, the LSPR of CuNPs in ambient conditions is rapidly damped due to oxidization. This has seriously hindered the applications based on the LSPR of CuNPs. Simulation of the variations of the coupled LSPR intensity and peak position of two adjacent CuNPs with the geometric parameters, ambient refractive index, and the thickness of oxide shell formed during oxidation is of great importance for understanding the mechanisms of the strong LSPR of CuNPs thin films and their rapid attenuation. In this paper, Discrete-dipole approximation method is used to simulate the extinction spectra of two adjacent spherical CuNPs as a function of ambient refractive index (n), the diameter (D) of the CuNPs, the inter-nanoparticle spacing (L) between two CuNPs, and the thickness (t) of the shell. The calculated results were compared with the experimental results. It is concluded that when the thickness of the oxide shell is small (t/R < 0.5), increasing of n and decreasing of L/D of two adjacent CuNPs have an obvious synergistic effect which brings in the LSPR intensity enhanced and the peak redshift. But when the oxide shell thickness is large (t/R > 0.5), the LSPR intensity is weakened and the peak shows blue shift. These results provide theoretical supports for rational selection and control of the parameters of CuNPs thin films and for various applications based on the LSPR of the CuNPs.
Clinical utility of inflammatory and nutritious index as therapeutic prediction of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in advanced NSCLC
Authors: Yamaguchi Ou , Kaira Kyoichi , Imai Hisao , Mouri Atsuto , Shiono Ayako , Miura Yu , Hashimoto Kosuke , Kobayashi Kunihiko , Kagamu Hiroshi
Published: June 2023

Background
Biomarkers for predicting the outcome of ipilimumab plus nivolumab (Nivo-Ipi) treatment in cancer patients have not been identified. Herein, we investigated the prognostic significance of inflammatory and nutritional markers in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving Nivo-Ipi.
Methods
Our study retrospectively analyzed 101 patients with advanced NSCLC who received Nivo-Ipi at a single institution. Inflammatory and nutritional indices were correlated with patient outcomes and included the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI), and Glasgow prognostic score (GPS).
Results
The NLR significantly correlated with the PLR, SII, PNI, ALI, and GPS. Regarding therapeutic efficacy, the NLR, SII, and PNI predicted a partial response, and all indices predicted progressive disease. In subgroup analyses, the SII, PNI, and ALI predicted the outcome of patients with adenocarcinoma, whereas only the PNI predicted the outcome of patients without adenocarcinoma. The PNI and SII were the most useful indices in patients with a programmed death ligand-1 expression level of < 1% and ≥ 1%, respectively.
Conclusion
The NLR, PLR, SII, PNI, ALI, and GPS were significantly associated with the outcome of Nivo-Ipi treatment in patients with NSCLC. The PNI was the most suitable marker regardless of histological type. The SII and PNI were the most promising markers for patients with and without PD-L1 expression, respectively.
Synthesis and characterization of a new oxovanadium Schiff base of salicylaldehyde-arginine- hydroxyquinoline: antibacterial and antifungal activities determination
Authors: Kohanfekr Tahmineh , Hakimi Mohammad , Hassani Hassan , Hosseini Hasanali
Published: June 2023

A new oxovanadium complex, [VO(Sal-Arg)(Hq)] (Sal = salicylaldehyde, Arg = L-arginine, and Hq = 8-hydroxyquinoline), was synthesized in methanol and characterized by 1HNMR, UV–Vis, and FTIR spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry and elemental analysis techniques. These results suggest an octahedral geometry, with a 1:1 molar ratio of tridentate Schiff base and bidentate quinoline ligands coordinated with vanadium (V) and formed a stable complex in the air.To investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the Schiff Base, the title complex was compared with complex [VO(C9H6NO)2(CH3O)] (as an oxovanadium complex coordinated with two chelating quinolin-8-olate ligands) against some gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis (Group D Streptococcus), Bacillus subtilis), gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), and fungal strains (Candida albicans, Aspergillus Niger). The Schiff base oxovanadium complex showed significant activity against most tested microorganisms, with varying degrees of inhibition zone diameters compared to the [VO(C9H6NO)2(CH3O)] complex. The presence of the azomethine group in the[VO(Sal-Arg)(Hq)] structure inhibits enzyme activity in the bacterial membrane.
Broad sialic acid usage amongst species D human adenovirus.
Authors: Parker Alan , Mundy Rosie , Baker Alexander , Bates Emily , Cunliffe Tabitha , Teijeira-Crespo Alicia , Moses Elise , Rizkallah Pierre
Published: June 2023

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) are widespread pathogens causing usually mild infections. The Species D (HAdV-D) cause gastrointestinal tract infections and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). Despite being significant pathogens, knowledge around HAdV-D mechanism of cell infection is lacking. Sialic acid (SA) usage has been proposed as a cell infection mechanism for EKC causing HAdV-D. Here we highlight an important role for SA engagement by many HAdV-D. We provide apo state crystal structures of 7 previously undetermined HAdV-D fiber-knob proteins, and structures of HAdV-D25, D29, D30 and D53 fiber-knob proteins in complex with SA. Biologically, we demonstrate that removal of cell surface SA reduced infectivity of HAdV-C5 vectors pseudotyped with HAdV-D fiber-knob proteins, whilst engagement of the classical HAdV receptor CAR was variable. Our data indicates variable usage of SA and CAR across HAdV-D. Better defining these interactions will enable improved development of antivirals and engineering of the viruses into refined therapeutic vectors.
Transcriptomic Landscape Of Colorectal Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Has Similarity With Intestinal Goblet Cells Differentiation
Authors: Liu Jianbo , Qiu Siyuan , Fu Xiaorui , Zhou Bin , Zu Ruijuan , Lv Zhaoying , Li Yuan , Yang Lie , Zhou Zongguang
Published: June 2023

Background
Mucinous adenocarcinoma (MC) of colorectal cancer (CRC) differs from adenocarcinoma (AD) in clinical features and molecular characteristics. Current treatment of colorectal MC isn't precise enough and the molecular characteristics remain unclear.
Methods
We accessed the data of CRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, then we performed differential analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the differential hub RNAs between colorectal MC and AD. Functional enrichment analysis, RNAs co-expression networks, risk score based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model and validation in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, survival analysis were also performed. Finally, differential hub lncRNAs and hub RNA of significant module were validated by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) among different colon cancer cell lines.
Results
In total, we found 1680 differential expressed RNAs (DERs) and 4 significant modules (darkred, magenta, lightstellblue1, tan) comparing colorectal MC (52, 13.3%) with AD (340, 86.7%). From the functional enrichment analysis and RNAs co-expression networks, the darkred module was considered as a mucin-associated module, while others may be associated with other features of colorectal MC. Construction of logistic regression model and calculation of risk score based on differential hub RNAs in darkred module showed acceptable result in both TCGA and GEO data. Survival analysis suggested that many differential hub RNAs were positive and correlated with better survival. Finally, 8 differential hub RNAs in the darkred module (CTD-2547H18.1, CTD-2589M5.4, RP11-234B24.2, LA16c-321D4.2, LINC00261, RP11-25K19.1, COLCA1 and CAPN9) were validated by qRT-PCR. Except for LA16c-321D4.2 and COLCA1, all other RNAs showed higher expression levels in mucin-producing colorectal cell lines (Ls174T, HT-29 and T84).
Conclusion
The study strengthens the findings of distinct molecular features between MC and AD in CRC and identifies potential marker RNAs making colorectal MC unique from AD. The genesis of colorectal MC may be related to the differentiation fate of intestinal goblet cells.
Customized targeted massively parallel sequencing enables the identification of novel pathogenic variants in Tunisian patients with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy
Authors: said Mariem Ben , Jallouli Olfa , Aissa Abir Ben , souissi Amal , Kamoun Fatma , Fakhfakh Faiza , Masmoudi Saber , Ayed Ikhlas Ben , triki Chahnez Charfi
Published: June 2023

BackgroundDevelopmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies stand for a heterogenous group of epileptic syndromes, where the epileptic activity itself and/or the etiology contribute to cognitive and behavioral impairment. In recent decades, genetic etiology has increasingly been recognized as the cause of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies and numerous genes have been identified, thanks to advances in genetic technologies. These discoveries have enabled precision treatments for several syndromes. Therefore, the identification of the causal variant in a gene is an intrinsic starting point to specify a precision therapy for the patient and an adequate management.ResultsWe developed a custom panel for Next Generation Sequencing of the coding sequences of 116 genes in individuals with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy from the Tunisian population. Segregation analyses as well as in silico studies have been conducted to assess the identified variants’ pathogenicity. We report 12 pathogenic variants inSCN1A,CHD2,CDKL5,SZT2,KCNT1,GNAO1,PCDH19,MECP2,GRIN2A,andSYNGAP1in patients with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy. Five of these variants are novel: “c.149delA, p.(Asn50MetfsTer26)” inCDKL5; “c.3616C>T, p.(Arg1206Ter)” inSZT2; “c.111_113del, p.(Leu39del)” inGNAO1; “c.1435G>C , p.(Asp479His)” inPCDH19;as well as “c.2143delC, p. (Arg716GlyfsTer10)”inSYNGAP1. Additionally, for five of our patients, the genetic result facilitated the choice of the appropriate treatment.ConclusionThis is the first report of a custom gene panel to identify genetic variants implicated in Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy in the Tunisian population as well as the North African region (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco) with a diagnostic rate of 30%. This high-throughput sequencing panel has considerably improved the rate of positive diagnosis of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy in the Tunisian population, which was less than 15% using Sanger sequencing. The benefit of genetic testing in these patients was approved by both physicians and parents.
Characteristics of meiofaunal community in the subtidal zone near Hupo, anticipating ocean acidification in the East Sea of Korea
Authors: Oh Je Hyeok , Kang Teawook , Kim Dongsung , Shin Ayoung , Jung Min Gyu , Lee Wonchoel
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to investigate the meiofauna community characteristics in coastal waters highly affected by ocean acidification. Therefore, the meiofauna communities in the coastal waters of Hupo in Uljin-gun, a county bordering the East Sea of Korea, were monitored over five years. During the study period, the mean abundance of total meiofauna communities expressed in population density was 614.4 individuals (Inds.)/10 cm2, similar to the reported meiofauna abundance in the subtidal zone in the Yellow Sea of Korea, an area with sandy sedimentary facies. The most dominant taxa were nematodes (65–70%) and harpacticoids (7–20%); these two taxa accounted for approximately 80% of the total meiofauna abundance. Among the stations studied, station (St.) 10 showed the lowest seawater pH value, and in 2011, when the measured pH was the lowest at 7.82, St. 10 showed the lowest abundance values for total meiofauna and harpacticoids in the 5-year period. To examine the effect of ocean acidification on meiofauna communities at the species level, species of nematodes, the most dominant taxon, were analyzed. The results indicated that the number of nematode species at St. 10 in 2009, when the pH value was low, was 8, which was very low compared to that in the other years of the study period. According to the feeding type, epistrate feeders (2A) accounted for a remarkably high proportion at St. 10, which showed a low pH. This study provides various data on meiobenthic community characteristics to understand the effects of ocean acidification on coastal ecosystems.
Parenthood and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Chile
Authors: Heggeness Misty L. , León Ana Sofía
Published: June 2023

Throughout the pandemic Chile implemented a series of public health mandates restricting mobility and high social-contact activities with a goal of reducing disease spread. In this paper, we study the impact of one of these policies-central planner variation in school reopenings on labor market outcomes. We examine how access to supervised care for children in school affected mothers’ labor supply and show that mothers increased labor force participation anywhere from 2.6 to 21.0 percentage points (ppts) as schools reopened. As mothers came back to the labor force, however, unplanned disruptions decreased their ability to stay actively engaged in work and increased their take up of leave from work, an artifact of unanticipated sick children and quarantine policies that particularly affected mothers who were secondary earners in the household. Conditional on being in the labor force, having a teenager buffered both mothers and fathers from work disruptions; parents were more likely to be actively working and less likely to be on leave. Our findings support a theory that parental labor supply is sensitivity to disruptions in the care of children but also depends on household composition and each parent’s role beyond gender. Policies that encourage consistent formalized systems of care and learning for children will not only benefit children, but also a second-earner’s ability to re-enter the labor force and advance at work.
JEL: J13, J16, J22
Biochemical assessment of some Red Sea brown algae with potential of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents
Authors: Hawas Usama W. , Hussein Sarah , El-Kassem Lamia T. Abou , Taie Hanan A.A. , El-Sherbiny Mohsen M.
Published: June 2023

The nutritional compositions of fatty acids (FAs), amino acids (AAs), polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds from brown seaweeds Cystoseira trinodis, Dictyota cervicornis, Padina gymnospora and Turbinaria oranata were studied, and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. The lipophilic profile of D. cervicornis and T. oranata showed richness in saturated FAs (48.13 and 42.41%, respectively) mainly comprised of palmitic acid (16:0) with the proportions 38.4 and 33.79%, respectively. In contrast, C. trinodis and P. gymnospora revealed the highest amounts of unsaturated FAs (51.5 and 38.15%, respectively), constituted mainly of oleic acid (18:1, n9) with proportions 18.29 and 33.79%, respectively. Phytol, cholest-5-en-3-ol, β-stigmasterol and 9Z-octadecenamide were recorded as major unsaponifiable-lipid constituents. The major phenolic compounds were gallic acid in D. cervicornis, catechin in T. oranata and C. trinodis, and kaempferol in P. gymnospora with values of 227.54, 209.63, 167.18 and 85.82µg/g, respectively. The backbone of the polysaccharides in P. gymnospora was galactose (26.5%), ribose (38.9%) in C. trinode, mannose (49.7%) in D. cervicornis, and rhamnose (30.7%) in T. oranata. The major essential AAs were leucine and phenylalanine, while proline was the major non-essential AAs in all species. The MeOH extracts of T. oranata and C. trinodis displayed mild antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 26.1 and 30.5µg/ml. FAs contents of C. trinodis and D. cervicornis exhibited antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, while FAs contents of T. oranata and P. gymnospora exhibited potent antifungal activities against Penicillium expansum and Syncephalastrum racemosum with inhibition MIC value for both = 0.312mg/ml.