bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toxinome—the bacterial protein toxin database
Authors: Danov Aleks , Segev Ofir , Bograd Avi , Ben Eliyahu Yedidya , Dotan Noam , Kaplan Tommy , Levy Asaf
Published: December 2023

Protein toxins are key molecular weapons in biology that are used to attack neighboring cells. Bacteria use protein toxins to kill or inhibit the growth of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using various modes of action that target essential cellular components. The toxins are responsible for shaping microbiomes in different habitats, for abortive phage infection, and for severe infectious diseases in animals and plants. Although several toxin databases have been developed, each one is devoted to a specific toxin family, and they encompass a relatively small number of toxins. Antimicrobial toxins are often accompanied by antitoxins (or immunity proteins) that neutralize the cognate toxins. Here, we combined toxins and antitoxins from many resources and created Toxinome, a comprehensive and updated bacterial protein toxin database. The Toxinome includes a total of 1,483,028 toxins and 491,345 antitoxins encoded in 59,475 bacterial genomes across the tree of life. We identified a depletion of toxin and antitoxin genes in bacteria that dwell in extreme temperatures. We defined 5,161 unique Toxin Islands within phylogenetically diverse bacterial genomes, which are loci dense in toxin and antitoxin genes. By focusing on the unannotated genes within these islands, we characterized a number of these genes as toxins or antitoxins. Finally, we developed an interactive Toxinome website (
http://toxinome.pythonanywhere.com
) that allows searching and downloading of our database. The Toxinome resource will be useful to the large research community interested in bacterial toxins and can guide toxin discovery and function elucidation, and infectious disease diagnosis and treatment.

IMPORTANCE

Microbes use protein toxins as important tools to attack neighboring cells, microbial or eukaryotic, and for self-killing when attacked by viruses. These toxins work through different mechanisms to inhibit cell growth or kill cells. Microbes also use antitoxin proteins to neutralize the toxin activities. Here, we developed a comprehensive database called Toxinome of nearly two million toxins and antitoxins that are encoded in 59,475 bacterial genomes. We described the distribution of bacterial toxins and identified that they are depleted by bacteria that live in hot and cold temperatures. We found 5,161 cases in which toxins and antitoxins are densely clustered in bacterial genomes and termed these areas “Toxin Islands.” The Toxinome database is a useful resource for anyone interested in toxin biology and evolution, and it can guide the discovery of new toxins.
Better off breathing: an explanation for the seemingly detrimental impact of aerobic respiration on
Zymomonas mobilis
Authors: McKinlay James B.
Published: December 2023

The bacterium
Zymomonas mobilis
is best known for fermentatively producing more ethanol than yeast. However,
Z. mobilis
has also puzzled researchers for decades with the counterintuitive observation that disrupting aerobic respiration benefits aerobic growth, implying that fermentation remains favorable. Retention of detrimental respiration genes seemed to defy natural selection. New findings by Felczak et al. help clarify the importance of respiration for
Z. mobilis
and the factors that led to the confusing prior results (M. M. Felczak, M. P. Bernard, and M. A. TerAvest, 2023, mBio 14:e02043-23,
https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02043-23
). The team overcame redundancy from multiple genome copies to delete what turned out to be a key terminal oxidase. Unlike previous studies, wherein mutants exhibited low respiration rates and had improved aerobic growth, this mutant was incapable of respiration and had poor aerobic growth. Thus, respiration is important but surprisingly exceeds what is optimal under lab conditions. Respiration likely protects against toxic effects of oxygen, ensuring retention of respiration genes in the
Z. mobilis
genome.
Complete genome sequence of tulip virus X, a Korean isolate from
Tulipa gesneriana
Authors: Bak Sangmin , Jeong Hyowon , Son Su-Jin , Kim Minseok , Lim Taegun , Lee Su-Heon
Published: December 2023

In this study, the presence of tulip virus X (TVX) in Korean tulips was confirmed through high-throughput RNA sequencing. Its complete genome sequence of 6,056 nucleotides was determined via Sanger sequencing, exhibiting a 99.24% nucleotide identity with TVX-J isolate. This signifies a previously unreported presence of TVX outside Japan.
PD-L1 inhibitor plus gemcitabine and cisplatin therapy followed by conversion surgery for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer
Authors: Zhang Shuyuan , Nie Jianhua , Tai Sheng , Zheng Tongsen
Published: December 2023

Advanced gallbladder cancer (GBC) is not amenable to surgical resection. There are limited treatment options and the prognosis is dismal. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in conversion therapy remains unclear for initially unresectable advanced GBC. We present a case of a woman in her late 60s diagnosed with stage IV GBC with liver and para-aortic and retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, who achieved a pathological complete response after three cycles of programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibitor durvalumab combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen and underwent conversion surgery without complication. The patient went on to develop disease progression without adjuvant therapy 6 months after surgery.
Incidental intra-abdominal synovial sarcoma
Authors: Mistarihi Dina , Obaideen Anas , Mukherji Deborah , Faraj Walid
Published: December 2023

Intra-abdominal synovial sarcomas are a rare type of soft tissue sarcomas that arise in the soft tissues of the abdominal cavity. They account for less than 1% of all primary synovial sarcoma cases. We report a case of a male patient in his early 30s who presented to the hospital with abdominal pain of 2 weeks duration. On examination, a mass was felt in the left mid-abdomen. MRI revealed a 12.7 cm×8.2 cm×8.6 cm soft tissue mass on the mesentery of the jejunum. The patient underwent surgical resection of the tumour, and the final pathology was synovial sarcoma, pT2b, grade 3.
Safety and efficacy of primaquine in patients withPlasmodium vivaxmalaria from South Asia: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis
Authors: Verma Reena , Commons Robert J , Gupta Apoorv , Rahi Manju , Nitika  , Bharti Praveen K , Thriemer Kamala , Rajasekhar Megha , Singh-Phulgenda Sauman , Adhikari Bipin , Alam Mohammad Shafiul , Ghimire Prakash , Khan Wasif A , Kumar Rishikesh , Leslie Toby , Ley Benedikt , Llanos-Cuentas Alejandro , Pukrittayakamee Sasithon , Rijal Komal Raj , Rowland Mark , Saravu Kavitha , Simpson Julie A , Guerin Philippe J , Price Ric N , Sharma Amit
Published: December 2023

Background

The optimal dosing of primaquine to prevent relapsingPlasmodium vivaxmalaria in South Asia remains unclear. We investigated the efficacy and safety of different primaquine regimens to preventP. vivaxrelapse.

Methods

A systematic review identifiedP. vivaxefficacy studies from South Asia published between 1 January 2000 and 23 August 2021. In a one-stage meta-analysis of available individual patient data, the cumulative risks ofP. vivaxrecurrence at day 42 and 180 were assessed by primaquine total mg/kg dose and duration. The risk of recurrence by day 180 was also determined in a two-stage meta-analysis. Patients with a >25% drop in haemoglobin to <70 g/L, or an absolute drop of >50 g/L between days 1 and 14 were categorised by daily mg/kg primaquine dose.

Results

In 791 patients from 7 studies in the one-stage meta-analysis, the day 180 cumulative risk of recurrence was 61.1% (95% CI 42.2% to 80.4%; 201 patients; 25 recurrences) after treatment without primaquine, 28.8% (95% CI 8.2% to 74.1%; 398 patients; 4 recurrences) following low total (2 to <5 mg/kg) and 0% (96 patients; 0 recurrences) following high total dose primaquine (≥5 mg/kg). In the subsequent two-stage meta-analysis of nine studies (3529 patients), the pooled proportions ofP. vivaxrecurrences by day 180 were 12.1% (95% CI 7.7% to 17.2%), 2.3% (95% CI 0.3% to 5.4%) and 0.7% (95% CI 0% to 6.1%), respectively. No patients had a >25% drop in haemoglobin to <70 g/L.

Conclusions

Primaquine treatment led to a marked decrease inP. vivaxrecurrences following low (~3.5 mg/kg) and high (~7 mg/kg) total doses, with no reported severe haemolytic events.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022313730.
Do treats facilitate the interpretation of findings on caloric restriction?
Authors: Oudmaijer Christiaan Albert Johan , Pol Robert A , Minnee Robert C , Vermeij Wilbert , Ijzermans Jan N M
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Food can build social bonds and enhance interpersonal relationships. An area of research perhaps at odds with food abundance, is caloric restriction (CR), intermittent fasting (IF) or short-term fasting (STF). We aimed to study the impact of offering treats on the audience during presentations on IF and STF and whether this impacted the audience’s reception of the subject. The contradiction of the tempting nature of sharing brownies juxtaposed with the potential health benefits presented is a light-hearted subject in a world where nutritional intake and health outcomes are the object of intense academic discussion.

Objective

Investigate how treats influence hospital personnel interpretation of information presented on the potential benefits of CR, IF and STF.

Methods

This trial consists of a cross-sectional study (CSS) and a randomised controlled trial (RCT) conducted at three study centres. The CSS involved a survey administered to healthcare professionals to assess their knowledge, experience and willingness regarding IF and/or STF. In the RCT, brownies were randomly provided to healthcare staff attending a scientific meeting on restricting calories.

Results

135 participants were included in the CSS and 64 participants joined the randomised experiment. We found that the randomisation had no statistically significant effect. Only 2 out of 64 were aware of the irony of the provided treatment. In the CSS, participants most often cited the expected beneficial effects on their short-term and long-term health as important reasons for adhering to IF and/or STF. Perceiving fasting as beneficial was mostly influenced by knowledge on the topic and previously adhering to a fasting diet.

Discussion

In this light-hearted, holiday-inspired exploratory study, we found that providing your audience with treats does not influence participants’ opinion of you or your research, even when it focuses on the benefits of reducing calorie intake. The recipients of the treat will remain critical of presented findings, and due to prior experiences will be receptive to the counterintuitive topic of fasting.
Lived experience of recurrent miscarriage: women and their partners’ experience of subsequent pregnancy and support within an NHS specialist clinic – a qualitative study
Authors: Hawkes Amelia , Shields Rebecca Claire , Quenby Siobhan , Bick Debra , Parsons Jo , Harris Bronwyn
Published: December 2023

Objective

This study aims to describe the lived experiences of couples with a history of recurrent miscarriage in subsequent pregnancies and their perception of clinic support and cytogenetic investigations.

Design

A qualitative interview study with a phenomenological approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted using video conferencing software. Two researchers coded the transcripts and developed themes.

Setting

A National Health Service (NHS) hospital in central England between May 2021 and July 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

Patients attending a specialist recurrent miscarriage clinic and their partners. This clinic accepts referrals from all over the UK for couples who have suffered two or more miscarriages.

Results

Seventeen participants were interviewed: 14 women and 3 male partners. Six main themes were identified from the data. Three related to the women’s lived experience of recurrent miscarriage (emotions in pregnancy, confidence in their bodies, expectations and coping strategies) and three related to the clinical support offered by the NHS service (impact of early pregnancy scanning, effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and cytogenetic investigations).

Conclusions

Pregnancy following recurrent miscarriage is extremely difficult. Recurrent miscarriage specialist services can provide couples with support and access to early pregnancy scanning, which can make the first trimester of pregnancy manageable. Partners should not be excluded from the clinic as it can result in a feeling of disconnect. Cytogenetic testing of pregnancy tissue can offer couples with recurrent miscarriage closure after pregnancy loss and is a desired investigation.
Biosimilar SB15 versus reference aflibercept in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 1-year and switching results of a phase 3 clinical trial
Authors: Sadda SriniVas R , Bradvica Mario , Vajas Attila , Sagong Min , Ernest Jan , Studnička Jan , Veith Miroslav , Wylegala Edward , Patel Sunil , Yun Cheolmin , Orski Michal , Astakhov Sergei , Tóth-Molnár Edit , Csutak Adrienne , Enyedi Lajos , Choi Wooree , Oh Inkyung , Jang Hyerin , Woo Se Joon
Published: December 2023

Background/aims

To evaluate efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and immunogenicity of SB15 versus reference aflibercept (AFL), and switching from AFL to SB15 in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Design

Prospective, double-masked, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Methods

Participants with nAMD were randomised 1:1 to receive SB15 (N=224 participants) or AFL (N=225). At week 32, participants either continued on SB15 (SB15/SB15, N=219) or AFL (AFL/AFL, N=108), or switched from AFL to SB15 (AFL/SB15, N=111). This manuscript reports 1-year and switching results of secondary efficacy endpoints such as changes from baseline to week 56 in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central subfield thickness (CST, from internal limiting membrane (ILM) to retinal pigment epithelium), and total retinal thickness (TRT, from ILM to Bruch’s membrane). Additional endpoints included safety, PK and immunogenicity.

Results

Efficacy results were comparable between groups. The least squares mean (LSmean) change in BCVA from baseline to week 56 was 7.4 letters for SB15/SB15 and 7.0 letters for AFL/AFL (difference (95% CI)=0.4 (−2.5 to 3.2)). The LSmean changes from baseline to week 56 in CST and TRT were −119.2 µm and −132.4 µm for SB15/SB15 and −126.6 µm and −136.3 µm for AFL/AFL, respectively (CST: difference (95% CI)=7.4 µm (−6.11 to 20.96); TRT: difference (95% CI)=3.9 µm (−18.35 to 26.10)). Switched and non-switched participants showed similar LSmean changes in BCVA from baseline to week 56 (AFL/SB15, 7.9 letters vs AFL/AFL, 7.8 letters; difference (95% CI)=0.0 (−2.8 to 2.8)). Safety, PK and immunogenicity were comparable between groups.

Conclusions

Efficacy, safety, PK and immunogenicity were comparable between SB15 and AFL and between switched and non-switched participants.
Uncovering potential distinctive acoustic features of healing music
Authors: Ding Yue , Jing Jiaqi , Guo Qihui , Zhou Jiajia , Cheng Xinyao , Chen Xiaoya , Wang Lihui , Tang Yingying , Fan Qing
Published: December 2023

Background

Music therapy is a promising complementary intervention for addressing various mental health conditions. Despite evidence of the beneficial effects of music, the acoustic features that make music effective in therapeutic contexts remain elusive.

Aims

This study aimed to identify and validate distinctive acoustic features of healing music.

Methods

We constructed a healing music dataset (HMD) based on nominations from related professionals and extracted 370 acoustic features. Healing-distinctive acoustic features were identified as those that were (1) independent from genre within the HMD, (2) significantly different from music pieces in a classical music dataset (CMD) and (3) similar to pieces in a five-element music dataset (FEMD). We validated the identified features by comparing jazz pieces in the HMD with a jazz music dataset (JMD). We also examined the emotional properties of the features in a Chinese affective music system (CAMS).

Results

The HMD comprised 165 pieces. Among all the acoustic features, 74.59% shared commonalities across genres, and 26.22% significantly differed between the HMD classical pieces and the CMD. The equivalence test showed that the HMD and FEMD did not differ significantly in 9.46% of the features. The potential healing-distinctive acoustic features were identified as the standard deviation of the roughness, mean and period entropy of the third coefficient of the mel-frequency cepstral coefficients. In a three-dimensional space defined by these features, HMD’s jazz pieces could be distinguished from those of the JMD. These three features could significantly predict both subjective valence and arousal ratings in the CAMS.

Conclusions

The distinctive acoustic features of healing music that have been identified and validated in this study have implications for the development of artificial intelligence models for identifying therapeutic music, particularly in contexts where access to professional expertise may be limited. This study contributes to the growing body of research exploring the potential of digital technologies for healthcare interventions.
Neuropalliative care in a tertiary-level hospital
Authors: Swerts Diego , Araújo Ana , Vulcano Polyana , Prado Bernard , Miyake Caroline , Docema Rafael , Hwang Hye , Peres Mario
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Palliative care in neurology is a recent specialty to improve the quality of life of patients with severe neurological diseases. This study aims to determine the frequency of neurological inpatients who had indication of palliative care, and evaluate the symptomatology, demographic profile, the need for supportive measures, advance directives for life and medical history of patients in a tertiary hospital in Brazil.

Methods

This cross-sectional analytical study evaluated all patients admitted to the neurological semi-intensive care unit (ICU) at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein with neurological conditions from February through August 2022. The Palliative Performance Scale (weight loss greater than 5% associated with body changes and a negative response to the question: ‘Would you be surprised if the patient died within 1 year?’) was used to indicate palliative care. Patients were divided into three groups: patients with palliative care needs (groupindication), patients without palliative care needs (groupwithout indication) and patients who received at least one assessment of a palliative care team (grouppalliative). Demographic data were analysed using the Χ2test for qualitative and Kruskal-Wallis test for quantitative variables.

Results

Of the 198 patients included in the study, 115 (58%) had palliative care needs. Only 6.9% received assessment by the palliative care team, and 9.56% had advance directives in their medical records. Patients in groupindicationhad a higher prevalence of symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, shortness of breath and lack of appetite, and required more supportive measures, such as oxygen therapy, enteral/parenteral nutrition, admissions at ICU and days in hospital.

Conclusion

Despite the high demand for palliative care in neurology, few patients receive this treatment, resulting in decreased quality of care. Therefore, greater integration and discussion of palliative care in neurology are needed.
Analyzing quantum gravity spillover in the semiclassical regime
Authors: Sahota Harkirat Singh , Lochan Kinjalk
Published: December 2023

One of the standard approaches of incorporating the quantum gravity (QG) effects into the semiclassical analysis is to adopt the notion of a quantum-corrected spacetime arising from the QG model. This procedure assumes that the expectation value of the metric variable effectively captures the relevant QG subtleties in the semiclassical regime. We investigate the viability of this effective geometry approach for the case of dust dominated and a dark energy dominated universe. We write the phase space expressions for the geometric observables and construct corresponding Hermitian operators. A general class of operator ordering of these observables is considered, and their expectation values are calculated for a unitarily evolving wave packet. In the case of dust dominated universe, the expectation value of the Hubble parameter matches the “semiclassical” expression, the expression computed from the scale factor expectation value. In the case of the Ricci scalar, the relative difference between the semiclassical expression and quantum expectation is maximum at singularity and decays for late time. For a cosmological constant driven universe, the difference between the semiclassical expressions and the expectation value is most pronounced far away from the bounce point, hinting at the persistent quantum effect at the late time. The parameter related to the shape of the distribution appears as a control parameter in these models. In the limit of a sharply peaked distribution, the expectation value of the observables matches with their semiclassical counterpart, and the usage of effective geometry approach is justified.
Observational signatures of a static f(R) black hole with thin accretion disk
Authors: Fathi Mohsen , Cruz Norman
Published: December 2023

In this study, we focus on a static spherically symmetric f(R) black hole spacetime characterized by a linear dark matter-related parameter. Our investigation delves into understanding the influence of different assumed values of this parameter on the observable characteristics of the black hole. To fulfill this task, we investigate the light deflection angles, which are inferred from direct analytical calculations of null geodesics. To examine the black hole’s properties further, we assume an optically thin accretion disk and explore various emission profiles. Additionally, we investigate the shadow cast by the illuminated black hole when affected by the disk. Furthermore, we simulate the brightness of an infalling spherical accretion in the context of silhouette imaging for the black hole. Our findings indicate that, except for some specific cases, the observed brightness of the accretion disk predominantly arises from direct emission, rather than lensing and photon rings. Moreover, we reveal that the linear dark parameter of the black hole significantly influences the shadow size and brightness. Our discussion covers both analytical and numerical approaches, and we utilize ray-tracing methods to produce accurate visualizations.
KEY COMPETENCES FOR DIGITAL BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION OF INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES
Authors: KINKEL STEFFEN , BEINER SEBASTIAN , FARA DOMINIQUE RENÉ
Published: December 2023

Digital transformation is confronting traditional industrial companies with the challenge of not only optimising their internal processes, but also establishing entirely new, digital business models (DBM). In some cases, this requires different competences than in traditional business. In the AgilHybrid research project, a model of 20 key competences that are critical to the success of DBM development was developed. These competences can be bundled into the five areas of entrepreneurial capabilities, adaptability, agile capabilities, collaborative capabilities and digital capabilities. In a CATI survey of 200 German industrial companies, the relevance of the selected competences for DBM development was validated. A multivariate regression model reveals that in particular the equipment of the companies with digital competences as well as the use of agile development methods influence the probability that a company offers digital business models successfully on the market. These competences seem to contribute as important enablers to the dynamic capabilities of seizing and transforming in the context of developing new DBM.
Investigation of Visual Language Landscape of Tourist Attractions from Multimodal Perspective
Authors: Fu Liwei , Li Qiang
Published: December 2023

With the development of economic globalization, the tourism industry has been welcomed by the public. The visual language landscape of tourist attractions can not only assist tourists to play and watch the project, but if it is properly planned, the language landscape can also become a major feature and highlight of the scenic spot. Therefore, how to set up and construct the visual language landscape of tourist attractions is a problem that needs to be considered in each region. In response to the above problems, on the basis of understanding the concept types of the visual language landscape of tourist attractions, this article conducts in-depth research and investigation on the visual language landscape of tourist attractions, combining the evaluation dataset in the multimodal perspective and the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) –Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model based on semantic regularization. This article conducted a comparative experiment on each model on the NUS-WIDE dataset and the MS-COCO dataset. The experimental results showed that it was crucial to give full play to the expressive power of the CNN. Compared to the NUS-WIDE dataset, the MS-COCO dataset brought less additional boost by leveraging social media tags. The CIDEr score of the CNN-RNN model based on semantic regularization was improved by 11.4%, which placed the foundation for the investigation and analysis of the linguistic landscape of tourist attractions.
AlGaN based high electron mobility transistors
Authors: Wu Jin
Published: December 2023

High electron mobility AlGaN/GaN have been successfully grown on low cost and high challenges AlN/Si substrates. By inserting a thin SiN layer between GaN and AlN to improve the quality of GaN, the result showed that the thin SiN layer could greatly increase the mobility of the two- dimensional electron gas formed at the interface of AlGaN and GaN layers. This suggests that it is possible to grow high-quality GaN on silicon as well as on sapphire for many applications
A neural circuit for vocal production responds to viscerosensory input in the songbird
Authors: Burke Jessica E. , Perkes Ammon D. , Perlegos Alexandra E. , Schmidt Marc F.
Published: December 2023

This study presents the first evidence of sensory input from the vocal-respiratory periphery directly activating neurons in a motor circuit for vocal production in songbirds. It was previously thought that this circuit relies exclusively on sensory input from the auditory system, but we provide groundbreaking evidence for nonauditory sensory input reaching the higher-order premotor nucleus HVC, expanding our understanding of what sensory feedback may be available for vocal control.
Ecofriendly Biochar as a Low-Cost Solid Lubricating Filler for LDPE Sustainable Biocomposites: Thermal, Mechanical, and Tribological Characterization
Authors: Abdo Hany S. , Alnaser Ibrahim A. , Seikh Asiful H. , Mohammed Jabair A. , Ragab Sameh A. , Fouly Ahmed
Published: December 2023

The potential of ecofriendly biochar, a carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, as a low-cost solid lubricating filler for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sustainable biocomposites is investigated in this work. Tensile strength, hardness, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), melting flow index (MFI), tensile test, flexural test, and frictional tests were used to characterize the biocomposites’ mechanical, thermal, and tribological properties. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to assess the chemical composition of the biochar, while field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to capture the biochar morphology. The results showed that the incorporation of biochar in LDPE matrix increased the mechanical characteristics of the biocomposites and resulted in a significant increase in tensile strength, flexural strength, and hardness. More specifically, the LDPE+10 wt% composite outperformed the pure LDPE matrix by 1.9% in tensile strength and 47% in flexural strength. Furthermore, integrating biochar into LDPE composites enhances thermal stability, lowers the melt flow index (MFI), and boosts the hardness by 24.3% for the composite with 10% biochar content. Furthermore, biochar improves wear resistance and durability, with the LDPE10 composite exhibiting a friction coefficient that is 56.3% lower than pure LDPE. These findings indicate that biochar is a viable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly filler for improving the performance of LDPE-based biocomposites for many varieties of applications.
Design and Characterization of PV Minigrid Plants for Modern Farming and Rural Electrification in Rwanda
Authors: Morris Kayitare , Dalson Gace A. , Al-Mas Sendegeya
Published: December 2023

Solar energy is among the clean, ecofriendly, and reliable energies. Standalone PV plants have great potential to fulfill specific load demands in remote villages in Rwanda. However, owing to the scarcity of information on solar energy potentials in some areas, lack of accurate load demands, and overlooking energy consumption by farming activities, PV plants can be hardly optimally sized, developed, or utilized. This study proposes and characterizes the PV plant model based on precisely quantified load demands including the energy needed for e-farming. The technoeconomic performance of these PV plants was analyzed using PVSyst software. The results confirm availability of solar resources enough to steadily satisfy the loads in the communities. Nevertheless, several factors were seen to induce energy losses for the developed PV systems, among which the heating owing to the rise of temperature being the major factor of energy loss. In fact, the solar radiation intensity exceeds 1800 kW/m2/year, and the heating occurring at the surface of the panels causes energy losses of up to 9.46%. Also, the findings suggested that the investors will gain the financial benefits for 10 out of 25 years while the energy’s price would drop from 0.252 EUR/kWh to 0.180 EUR/kWh. These findings are significant as they provide information that planners and investors could use to make informed decisions. Future studies may need to use such results to quantify the contribution of available subsidies and incentive reduction on cost of solar energy and adoption of PV plants.
Use of Machine Learning Models for Prediction of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Soil from Hyperspectral Imagery in Laboratory
Authors: Monsalve Manuela Ortega , Cerón-Muñoz Mario , Galeano-Vasco Luis , Medina-Sierra Marisol
Published: December 2023

Organic carbon and total nitrogen are essential nutrients for plant growth. The presence of these nutrients at acceptable levels can create an optimal environment for the development of crops of interest. The application of spectroscopic techniques and the use of machine learning algorithms have made it possible to calibrate models capable of predicting the number of elements present in the soil. One of these techniques is hyperspectral imaging, which captures portions of the electromagnetic spectrum where the materials present in the soil can be differentiated due to the vibrations of chemical bonds. The objective of this research is to use statistical models to predict OC and N in soils from hyperspectral images. Transformations were applied to spectral and chemical data and the models used were Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To select the best model, the values of the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) were considered. For OC, the values found for the RF model were an R2 of 0.87, an RMSEP of 0.10, and an RPD of 6.74; the SVM model presented an R2 of 0.92, an RMSEP of 0.20, and an RPD of 3.56. For the variable N, the values found for the RF model were an R2 of 0.79, an RMSEP of 0.03, and an RPD of 5.44; for the SVM model, they were an R2 of 0.87, an RMSEP of 0.08, and an RPD of 2.76. The RF model showed a better fit for both variables. The SVM model also produced acceptable results. The results show that machine learning models are a good alternative for analysing soil-related variables.
Table S2 from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

Toxicities Grade 2 or Higher Grade
Table S1 from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

Representativeness of Study Participants
TABLE 2 from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

Patient treatment, immune response, disease status, PFS, and OS (ordered by clinical response/PFS)
TABLE 1 from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

Patient characteristics
FIGURE 3 from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

Immune function pathway scores in 2 R (A and B) and 2 NR (C and D) patients are plotted to show how they vary across time during p53MVA/pembolizumab treatment. Lines show each pathway's score of its weighted mRNA expression levels data derived from the NanoString nCounter PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel analysis. Fluctuating changes in T cell and associated immune function categories are observed in 2 R but not in 2 NR patients.
Data from Immunologic Signatures of Peripheral Blood T Cells Reveal the Outcome of p53MVA Vaccine and Pembrolizumab Treatment in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kos Ferdynand J. , Frankel Paul , Cristea Mihaela , Eng Melissa , Tinsley Raechelle , Dempsey Shannon , Ruel Nora , Stewart Daphne , Dellinger Thanh H. , Diamond Don J.
Published: December 2023

AbstractPurpose:
Our previous studies indicated that p53-reactive T cells were associated with clinical benefit in patients with advanced ovarian cancer who were treated with p53-expressing modified vaccinia Ankara (p53MVA) vaccine and gemcitabine chemotherapy. To replace chemotherapy with an approach that will enhance vaccine efficacy and antitumor immunity, we treated patients with p53MVA in combination with PD-1 checkpoint blocker, pembrolizumab. We also attempted to further characterize the activation status of T cells prior to vaccination and during treatment.
Experimental Design:
Patients received up to three triweekly vaccinations concurrent with pembrolizumab, followed by pembrolizumab monotherapy at 3-week intervals. Correlative studies analyzed peripheral blood T-cell phenotypes and profiles of immune function gene expression.
Results:
We observed 6/28 (21%) patients with a clinical benefit to therapy, including 3 partial responses (PR) and 3 patients with stable disease (SD) for 6+ months. The median progression-free survival was 1.8 months (95% confidence interval: 1.7–3.8) and median overall survival was 15.1 months (9.4–30.4). Two patients remain progression-free at 28 and 33 months. Of the 18 patients evaluable in correlative studies, 6 were immunologic responders of whom 5 had clinical benefit (3 PR, 2 SD). Immunologic non-responders expressed in pretreatment peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples high levels of mRNA for multiple molecules associated with terminally differentiated T cells.
Conclusions:
p53MVA/pembrolizumab immunotherapy showed promising antitumor activity in patients who demonstrated functionally competent peripheral blood T cells. Detection of markers of terminally differentiated T cells before treatment may identify patients unlikely to respond to p53MVA/pembrolizumab.
Significance:
The activity of a combination immunotherapy of p53 vaccine and PD-1 checkpoint blockade in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer was evaluated in a phase II trial. Clinical benefit was correlated with the responsive immune status of patients before and during the treatment, defining potential predictive markers for immune therapy.
Evaluation of Auditory Temporal Discrimination Thresholds in Migraine Patients
Authors: Gokdogan Ozan , Gokdogan Cagil , Yalcinkaya Fulya , Cengiz Bulent , Bolay Hayrunnisa
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Although vestibular migraine is well defined, the effects of migraine on the auditory system have not been clearly identified yet. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of migraine on the auditory system. Methods: Migraine patients without hearing loss were included in the study. Group 1 consisted of patients with migraine pain, group 2 consisted of patients with migraine in the interictal period, and group 3 consisted of healthy volunteers with similar demographic characteristics to groups 1 and 2. Random gap detection test was applied to all 3 groups. Additionally, group 2 and group 3 patients were evaluated with the auditory cortical potentials and the mismatch negativity test. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the 3 groups in the random gap detection test. There was no statistically significant difference in auditory cortical potentials between group 2 and group 3; however, a statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of mismatch negativity test latency. Conclusion: An auditory pathway may be affected in migraine patients, although hearing tests are normal. This interaction continues between attacks, being more evident during the pain period. Therefore, disorders of hearing or speech perception in migraine patients should be evaluated by further audiological tests.
Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Gait in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using Foot-Worn Inertial Sensors: An Observational Study
Authors: Lukac Meghan , Luben Hannah , Martin Anne E , Simmons Zachary , Geronimo Andrew
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that alters gait and increases the risk of falls. The current model of care involves in-person multidisciplinary clinic visits to, in part, assess alterations in gait, evaluate safety, and make recommendations for management. Clinic visits, however, are relatively infrequent, and multidisciplinary evaluations can be physically demanding for patients. To better understand how gait changes over time in those with ALS and enable healthcare providers to properly respond to these changes, remote monitoring of functional mobility would be advantageous. Methods: The objective of this study was to remotely track long-term changes in walking speed using wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs). Nine ALS patients and 6 healthy controls submitted twice-weekly home walking recordings for 24 and 4 weeks, respectively. An IMU data processing method was developed and validated against laboratory-measured walking speed. Results: For both ALS patients and healthy controls, home walking speed was less than clinic walking speed by an average of 0.19 m/s (p = 0.0024). Over 24 weeks, home walking speed significantly decreased for 5 of 9 ALS patients at an average of −0.021 m/s/months (p = 0.005). Those who eventually transitioned to using assistive device (AD) while on the study demonstrated a greater decrease in walking speed than those who did not. Conclusions: Remote longitudinal gait monitoring of ALS patients is feasible with the use of an IMU. Decreases in walking speed were detected in the majority of patients, most strongly in those who eventually transitioned to an AD. Home walking speed may more accurately represent the walking abilities of ALS patients in their real-life environments, a finding which further supports the case for remote monitoring in ALS.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 MicroRNAs: An Update
Authors: Duan Yongzhong , Sun Le , Li Qihan
Published: December 2023

Background: Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), an important human pathogen, is capable of latent infection in neurons and productive (lytic) infection in other tissue cells. Once infected with HSV-1, the immune system of the organism cannot eliminate the virus and carries it lifelong. HSV-1 possesses approximately 150 kb of double-stranded linear genomic DNA and can encode at least 70 proteins and 37 mature microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from 18 precursor miRNAs (pre-miRNAs). Summary: These HSV-1-encoded miRNAs are widely involved in multiple processes in the life cycle of the virus and the host cell, including viral latent and lytic infection, as well as host cell immune signaling, proliferation, and apoptosis. Key Message: In this review, we focused primarily on recent advances in HSV-1-encoded miRNA expression, function, and mechanism, which may provide new research ideas and feasible research methods systemically and comprehensively.
Prognostic Significance of Intratumoral and Peritumoral Budding in Distal Extrahepatic Bile Duct Carcinoma
Authors: Jun Sun-Young , Hong Seung-Mo , An Soyeon
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Although tumor budding (TB) has been recognized as a representative adverse prognosticator in gastrointestinal malignancies, it is not well elucidated in distal extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (DBDC). Herein, we investigated the prognostic significance of peritumoral (PTB) and intratumoral (ITB) budding according to the modified DBDC staging of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer. Methods: PTB and ITB were independently evaluated in a cohort of DBDC patients (n = 410) based on the 2016 International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference. Results: High levels of PTB (PTBHigh, ≥ grade-2) and ITB (ITBHigh, ≥ grade-3) were identified in 316 (77%) and 238 (58%) cases, respectively. In univariate analysis, PTBHigh and ITBHigh, larger size and sclerosing tumor growth pattern, higher histologic grade, extrapancreatic location, adenocarcinomas unrelated to intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct, pancreatic, duodenal, and lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, cancer involvement of the bile duct resection margin, nodal metastasis, and higher T and N categories and disease stages were associated with shorter patient overall survival (OS) times. In multivariate analysis, PTBHigh and ITBHigh remained poor independent prognostic indicators of OS in DBDC patients. Specifically, ITBHigh could predict poor prognosis in patients with stage I (T1N0) DBDC. Conclusions: Both PTBHigh and ITBHigh were strong prognostic indicators in patients with DBDC. Thus, ITB could be used to predict worse prognoses in patients with DBDC, in which PTB is difficult to assess, especially for patients with stage I (T1N0) DBDC.
Instruments for anxiety analysis and the utility of its assessment in oral surgical interventions under local anesthesia in patients undergoing four operative procedures
Authors: Selimović Edin , Bečulić Hakija , Begagić Emir , Galić Ivan
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Fear of intervention in the oral cavity is declared as dental fear and is defined as a specific form of anxiety. The reaction to oral-surgical intervention will also depend on the feeling the patient acquires about the operator, but the positive experience also plays an important role.Aim: The aim is to evaluate differences between the sexes and the influence of experience from a previous oral surgical intervention on a similar subsequent intervention.Material and methods: In the research, anxiety was assessed using Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (DASR) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (X1 and X2). The study included adult patients of both sexes with an indication for surgical extraction of impacted third permanent molars. Preoperative and postoperative anxiety was assessed: 1st measurement (day of examination) - DASR, and STAI (X1 and X2); 2nd measurement (immediately before the intervention) – STAI (X1 and X2); 3rd measurement (day after the intervention) – STAI (X1 and X2).Results: Preoperatively determined high levels of general, immediate, and dental anxiety decreased before the surgical procedure itself and were significantly reduced in the postoperative period. The downward trend continued in line with the positive experience. Women had higher anxiety scores than men for all monitored parameters. The use of the STAI scales to assess anxiety by dental practitioners is on par with other well-known anxiety assessment instruments, such as the DASR. Conclusion: In order to increase patient satisfaction and to prevent possible complications in such oral-surgical procedures, it would be useful to consider adequate therapy for high anxiety.
The neural networks of touch observation
Authors: Schaefer Michael , Kuehn Esther , Schweitzer Felix , Muehlhan Markus
Published: December 2023

Studies have consistently demonstrated that the mere observation of touch engages our own somatosensory cortices. However, a systematic evaluation of the involved networks is missing. Here, we present results of a meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) approach based on clusters revealed by activation likelihood estimation (ALE) combined with resting-state analysis to detect networks subserving our ability to empathize with tactile experiences of other people. ALE analysis revealed 8 clusters in frontal, temporal, and parietal brain areas, which behavioral domain profiles predominantly refer to cognition and perception. The MACM analysis further identified distinct networks that are subserved by subcortical structures, revealed that all clusters involved in touch observation are connected to dorso-medial frontal and anterior cingulate cortex control regions, and showed that medial temporal lobe memory structures do not inform network activation during touch observation (confirmed by post hoc resting-state connectivity analyses). Our data highlight the importance of higher-level control areas and suggest only a minor role for past bodily experiences in the ad hoc perception of other people’s experiences.