bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical correlation with metabolic changes post cholecystectomy
Authors: FARRUGIA ALEXIA , Williams Nigel , Khan Saboor , Arasaradnam Ramesh P
Published: March 2023

Introduction
Bile acid diarrhoea (BAD) can occur due to disruption to the enterohepatic circulation such as following cholecystectomy. However, the mechanism behind this is as yet unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of post-cholecystectomy diarrhoea and to assess whether FGF19 within the gallbladder was associated with the development of BAD.
Methods
This was a prospective case-control study in which patients were assessed pre- and post- cholecystectomy (study group) and compared with patients also having laparoscopic surgery but not cholecystectomy (control group). Their bowel habits and a GIQLI questionnaire was performed to compare the pre- and post-operative condition of the two groups. Gallbladder tissue sample was tested for FGF19 and PPARα in the study group patients. A subset had serum lipid levels, FGF19 and C4 measurements.
Results
Gallbladder PPAR α was found to have a significant correlation with stool consistency, with the lower the PPARα concentration the higher the Bristol stool chart number (i.e. looser stool). There were no significant correlation when assessing the effect of gallbladder FGF19 concentration on bowel habit, stool consistency, lipid levels, BMI or smoking.
The study group showed a significant increase in triglycerides post-operatively, however there were no changes in cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels. Correlation of the increased triglyceride levels with GIQLI, stool consistency and frequency showed no significant results.
Discussion and conclusion
While there is a general improvement in post operative quality of life, we did not find any direct evidence that FGF19 levels within the gallbladder impact the development of post-cholecystectomy diarrhoea. There was however a significant increase in triglycerides postoperatively. There was also no correlation with PPARα suggesting the observed rise is independent of this pathway. Further work is required particularly relating to the gut microbiome to further investigate this condition.
Predictive value of PET metabolic parameters for occult lymph node metastases in PET/CT defined node-negative patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Xue Bing , Wang Xihai
Published: March 2023

Accurate lymph node metastasis (LNM) prediction is crucial for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) since it guides the decisions about lymphadenectomy. Many previous studies showed that occult lymph node metastasis was common in AEOC. The objective of our study is to quantitatively assess the probability of occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) defined by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in AEOC and explore relationship between ONNM and PET metabolic parameters. The patients with pathologically confirmed AEOC who underwent PET/CT for preoperative staging at our institute were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive value of PET/CT-related metabolic parameters for OLNM. The result of our study showed metastatic TLG index had a better diagnostic performance than other PET/CT-related metabolic parameters. Two variables were independently and significantly associated with OLNM in multivariate analysis: metastatic TLG index and primary tumor location. The logistic model combining metastatic TLG index and primary tumor location might be a promising tool to effectively predict the individualized possibility of OLNM for AEOC patients.
Urban-Rural Disparities in Mortality due to Respiratory Tuberculosis in China: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis from 1987 to 2021
Authors: su binbin , Ma Libing , Zhong Panliang , Chen Chen , zheng xiaoying
Published: March 2023

Background

China has a high disease burden of respiratory Tuberculosis (TB) and understanding the long-term trends in respiratory TB deaths and their epidemiological characteristics will assist China in achieving the WHO 2035 goal of ending the worldwide TB pandemic. To guide future respiratory TB preventive and intervention initiatives in China, this study thoroughly analyzed the secular trends of respiratory TB death statistics at a national level.

Methods

The annual estimate of respiratory TB mortality was derived from the National Health Commission (NHC). The trend pattern was detected using Joinpoint regression analysis, and the age-period-cohort model was used to estimate cohort and period effects.

Results

Between 1987 and 2021, China's respiratory TB mortality showed a consistent downward trend. respiratory TB mortality in urban areas decreased by 87% with an AAPC of -5.5% during the whole study period, while rural areas fell by 92% with an AAPC of -6.6%. There was a huge urban-rural disparity in respiratory TB mortality in China, with respiratory TB mortality in rural 2.05 times higher than that of the urban population in 1987, while by 2021 this figure had fallen to 1.32 times. respiratory TB mortality is higher in men than in women, and the relative risk gap has widened over time. Age effects in urban and rural areas presented inconsistent variation characteristics. The peak respiratory TB mortality rate occurs at 70–80 years of age in urban populations, whereas in rural with a peak occurs between 20 and 30 years. Overall, women had a higher mortality rate than men until the age of 25, but after 30 years, men's rates exceeded those of women. The period relative risk of respiratory TB mortality for urban and rural males and females showed a monotonic decreasing trend. And with the posterior shift of birth years, the cohort effect showed a decreasing trend.

Conclusion

There was a significant reduction in respiratory TB deaths between 1987–2021, particularly in rural areas. The risk of TB death is higher among men and rural populations. And the gap between urban and rural areas is widening, while the gender gap is closing. Certain groups such as children and older men need priority for prevention and control policies. The Chinese government should develop timely, effective, and targeted intervention strategies to further reduce respiratory TB mortality and help to achieve global respiratory TB control targets.

Trial registration

Not applicable.
Spatial differentiation of soil nutrients and their ecological chemometrics based on geographic detector in National Agricultural Park of Tangchang, Southwest China
Authors: Liu Jiufen , Gong Cang , Wang Shunxiang , Wang Liang , Tan Changhai , Wen Lang , Lu Haichuan
Published: March 2023

In order to analyze the spatial variability of soil nutrients and their ecological chemometrics in Tangchang Town, National Agricultural Park, 20 influencing factors were selected: soil pH, Cd, Hg, As, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Se, elevation, slope, aspect, land use type, distance from industrial land, distance from commercial land, distance from railway, distance from residential area, distance from highway and distance from river. The effects of various influencing factors on the spatial variability of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), total potassium (K) and ecological stoichiometry were analyzed by means of geographic detector. The results showed that there were significant differences in the spatial distribution of soil nutrients and their eco-stoichiometry in the study area, and TOC, N, P, K, C/N, C/P, C/K, N/P, N/K and P /K has a significant correlation with each other, and a significant correlation with soil properties. Factor detection showed that soil properties, distance from railway and distance from residential area had the most significant explanatory power to the spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients and eco-stoichiometry. Interaction detection showed that the interaction between soil properties with other factors was the most important factor affecting the spatial differentiation of soil nutrients and their ecological chemometrics, and elevation, distance from railway and distance from residential area were also important factors. Risk detection showed that the differences of soil nutrients and their ecological stoichiometry were most significant in the subregions of soil properties (pH, Cd, Hg, As, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni and Se).
Neuropilin-2 acts a critical determinant for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition progression and aggressive behaviors of human head and neck cancervia the RSK1/Sox2/Zeb1 signaling pathway
Authors: Ahn Min-Hye , Kim Ji-Hoon , Choi Su-Jung , Kim Hyun-Ji , Park Dong-Guk , Oh Kyu-Young , Yoon Hye-Jung , Hong Seong-Doo , Lee Jae-Il , Shin Ji-Ae , Cho Sung-Dae
Published: March 2023

Background
Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) is a multifunctional single-pass transmembrane receptor that binds to two disparate ligands, namely, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and semaphorins (SEMAs). It is reportedly involved in neuronal and vascular development. In this study, we uncovered the exact functional role of NRP2 and its molecular mechanism during aggressive behaviors and lymph node (LN) metastasis in human head and neck cancer (HNC) and identified algal methanol extract as a potential novel NRP2 inhibitor.
Methods In silico
analyses and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the relationship between NRP2 expression and the prognosis of HNC patients. The functional role of NRP2 on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties of HNC cells was examined by MTS, soft agar, clonogenic, transwell migration and invasion assays, and sphere formation assays. Signaling explorer antibody array, western blot, and qPCR were performed toward the investigation of a molecular mechanism that is related to NRP2.
Results
NRP2 was highly expressed in HNC and positively correlated with LN metastasis and advanced tumor stage and size in patients. Using loss- or gain-of-function approaches, we found that NRP2 promoted the proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities of human HNC cells. Furthermore, NRP2 regulated Sox2 expression to exhibit aggressiveness and CSC properties of human HNC cells. We demonstrated that p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) elevates the aggressiveness and CSC properties of human HNC cells, possibly by mediating NRP2 and Sox2. Zeb1 was necessary for executing the NRP2/RSK1/Sox2 signaling pathway during the induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aggressive behaviors of human HNC cells. Moreover, the methanol extract of Codium fragile (MECF) repressed NRP2 expression, inhibiting the RSK1/Sox2/Zeb1 axis, which contributed to the reduction of aggressive behaviors of human HNC cells.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that NRP2 is a critical determinant in provoking EMT and aggressive behaviors in human HNC through the RSK1/Sox2/Zeb1 axis, and MECF may have the potential to be a novel NRP2 inhibitor for treating metastasis in HNC patients.
Incidence and predictors of mortality among neonates admitted with perinatal asphyxia at west Oromia region referral hospitals, Ethiopia, 2022
Authors: Tesfaye Dawit , Adugna Chalachew , Getaneh Tewodros , Terefe Bewuketu
Published: March 2023

Background Perinatal asphyxia is one of the preventable and treatable causes of neonatal mortality. However it is the fifth largest cause of under-five mortality. There are both long-term and short-term neurodevelopmental consequences of perinatal asphyxia, which can result in disability or even death. Even though management advancements, it remains one of the key public health issues in underdeveloped countries, including Ethiopia. Comorbidities are also understated therefore adequate information regarding the incidence of death and its predictors is required. Methods A four-year retrospective follow-up study was conducted from October 03 to November 02, 2022. From a total sample size, 616 data were collected by nurses reviewing charts using Kobo Toolbox software. Data was exported to STATA Version 14 for analysis. Cox proportional hazard assumption was checked and the model for the data was selected by Akaike Information Criteria. Finally, an adjusted hazard ratio with 95% CI was computed, and variables with a P-value < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were taken as significant predictors of death. Result The overall incidence of mortality was 38.86/1000 days (95%CI: 33.85–44.60). The median time of follow-up was 15 days (95% CI: 14–20). The proportion of deaths was 202 (32.79%, 95% CI: 29.18–36.61) among neonates with perinatal asphyxia. While distance from health facility > 10 KM is (AHR: 2.25; 95%CI: 1.60–3.17), direct oxygen (AHR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.35–2.48), APGAR score < 3 at fifth minute (AHR = 2.63; 95% CI: 1.03–6.73), prolonged ROM (AHR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.02–1.94), and stage III HIE (AHR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.18–3.47) were a predictors of mortality, among neonates with perinatal asphyxia. Conclusion The study found that, neonatal mortality among perinatal asphyxia remains high. Therefore, in order to reduce neonatal mortality among asphyxiated neonates, reducing prolonged ROM, APGAR score < 3 at fifth minute, using direct oxygen, stage III HIE, and a place of residences more than 10KM away from health facility.
Ab initio calculation for electronic structure and optical property of tungsten carbide in a TiCN-based cermet for solar thermal applications
Authors: Hayakawa Shota , Chono Toshiharu , Watanabe Kosuke , Kawano Shoya , Nakamura Kazuma , Miyazaki Koji
Published: March 2023

We present an ab initio calculation to understand electronic structures and optical properties of a tungsten carbide WC being a major component of a TiCN-based cermet. We found that the WC has a fairly low-energy plasma excitation ~0.6 eV (2 µm) and therefore can be a good constituent of a solar selective absorber. The evaluated figure of merit for photothermal conversion is prominently high compared to those of the other materials included in the TiCN-based cermet. The imaginary part of the dielectric function is considerably small around the zero point of the real part of the dielectric function, corresponding to the plasma excitation energy. Therefore, a clear plasma edge appeared, ensuring the high performance of the WC as the solar absorber.
Age, chronic lung disease, and IgA levels influence the perturbation of respiratory microbial ecosystems in Common Variable Immunodeficiency
Authors: Pulvirenti Federica , Giuffrè Maria , Pentimalli Tancredi M. , Camilli Romina , Milito Cinzia , Villa Annalisa , Cerquetti Marina , Pantosti Annalisa , Quinti Isabella
Published: March 2023

Background
The respiratory tract microbiome is essential for human health and well-being and is determined by genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) suffer from respiratory and intestinal tract infections, leading to chronic diseases and increasing mortality. Alterations in CVID gut microbiota have been extensively analysed, while data on the respiratory microbiome ecosystem are limited.
Methods
The microbiome of oropharyngeal samples from 72 CVID adult patients and 26 age-matched controls were collected in a 12-month prospective study. Samples were analysed by metagenomic bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and processed using the Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology pipeline. Differentially abundant species have been identified and used to build a dysbiosis index. Microbiome alterations allowed the distinction between CVID and healthy status using a machine learning model trained on microbial abundance data.
Results
The oropharyngeal microbiome of CVID patients showed lower alpha- and beta-diversity, with a relatively increased abundance of the order Lactobacillales including the family Streptococcaceae. Undetectable serum IgA and COPD were associated with the higher abundance of the genera Haemophilus and Streptococcus, independently from recent antibiotic use. Patients with COPD featured a higher dysbiosis score.
Conclusions
Adult CVID patients showed an altered respiratory microbial ecosystem with enrichment with potentially pathogenic bacteria and decreased potentially protective species. Treatment aimed to replace mucosal IgA and possibly reduce upper respiratory infections by immunobiotics should gain attention.
A Constrained Filter for Indoor Localization Based on Multi-filter Fusion and NLOS Identification
Authors: Wang Yan , Chen Yun
Published: March 2023

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are increasingly important in various fields. One of the main technologies of WSN is mobile node localization. And how to achieve precise node positioning in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments is a main challenge. In this paper, we propose a constrained filter NI-HCF based on NLOS identification and multi-filter fusion. We first process the measurements using Extended H-infinity filter (EHF) to obtain the predicted state vector. Subsequently, NLOS identification is conducted on measurements via residual analysis between predicted state vectors and measurements, categorizing them into LOS and NLOS groups. We send the classified measured values into Constrained Square-Root Unscented Kalman Filter (CSRUKF). This means that the measured value of LOS is processed with Square Root Unscented Kalman Filter (SRUKF). And NLOS measurements are utilized to determine a feasible domain. The sigma points outside the feasible domain can be projected into the feasible domain by solving the Semi-Definite Programming (SDP) problem. The final position estimate is obtained by the projected sigma points. Simulations and experimental tests indicate that the proposed algorithm achieves improved positioning precision in NLOS conditions and has better results compared with MPDA, IMM-EKF, RIMM, EKF and REKF.
A model experiment on discoloration and recovery of Pyropia suborbiculata
Authors: Hwang Eun Kyoung , Park Chan Sun
Published: March 2023

Low nutrient levels have been shown to cause deterioration in the quality of Pyropia, resulting in discoloration and detachment of the frond. In this study, we investigated the critical concentration of nitrogen that causes discoloration of P. suborbiculata, the effective period, and the appropriate nutrient concentration for the recovery of the discolored thalli. To calculate the critical nutrient concentration that causes the discoloration of the thalli, a culture experiment was conducted at 5 DIN concentrations (30, 50, 70, 90, 110 µg L− 1) for 14 days. To test recovery of discolored thalli, a culture experiment was conducted at 4 NH4-N concentrations (10, 20, 40, 60 mg L− 1) for 96 hours. After 8 days culture, discoloration of thalli occured at nutrient concentrations between 70 and 90 µg L− 1 of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. When exposure to low nutrient levels lasted for less than 10 days, discoloured thalli recovered their colour within 72 hours when supplied with NH4-N at 20 ~ 40 mg L− 1. In this study, we revealed that the discoloration of Pyropia caused by low nitrogen concentrations on seaweed farms can be restored by supplying nitrogen at an appropriate concentration.
The effect of prenatally diagnosed double outlet right ventricle (DORV) subtypes on prognosis
Authors: Öcal Aydın , Demirci Oya , Kahramanoğlu Özge , Erol Nurdan , Yücel İlker Kemal
Published: March 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Material identification method for helical milling of CFRP/Ti stacks based on torque−speed model
Authors: Yan Chao , Kang Renke , Meng Fantong , Dong Zhigang , Bao Yan , Yang Guolin
Published: March 2023

Because of the excellent material properties of carbon fiber reinforced plastic composites (CFRP) and titanium alloy (Ti), CFRP/Ti stacks are widely used in the aerospace industry. As the foundation for connecting the above two materials, the integrated hole making process of CFRP/Ti stacks has become an important work in aerospace assembly. Due to the limitations of the huge difference in machining performance between the two materials, the applicable processing parameters of each layer material are different. In addition, the stacking order and thickness may be inconsistent at different locations, which makes it difficult to identify the material and set the corresponding processing parameters. In this paper, a material identification method for helical milling of CFRP/Ti stacks based on the torque-speed model is presented to solve these problems. Torque prediction model is established for helical milling of CFRP and Ti, then the function of torque with respect to spindle speed is resolved. Meanwhile, the torque-speed model of pneumatic spindle is proposed based on the self-developed portable helical milling equipment. The predicted speed of equipment when processing different materials is solved by associating the above models, thus establishing the corresponding relationship between the spindle speed and material for material identification. Validation experiments were carried out and the results substantiate that the torque prediction model has good accuracy. Furthermore, the measured speed of two materials are highly consistent with their respective predicted values, which indicated that the proposed method can effectively identify the material types and provide a theoretical basis for subsequent processing.
Nanostructured Ce/CeO2-rGO: Highly Sensitive and Selective Electrochemical Hydrogen Sulphide Sensor
Authors: Mali Shivsharan M. , Narwade Shankar S. , Mulik Balaji B. , Sapner Vijay S. , Annadate Shubham J. , Sathe Bhaskar R.
Published: March 2023

Herein, cerium/ceriumoxide nanoparticles have been decorated on reduced graphene oxide (Ce/CeO2-rGO) for room temperature electrochemical determination of H2S in 0.5 M KOH electrolyte. There is a superior linear correlation between the peak current density and H2S content in the tested range of 1–5 ppm. Moreover, compare to other abundant gases shows no response such as CO2at the potentials of H2S sensing, confirms no interfere with H2S detection. And it reveals that the Ce/CeO2-rGO nanocomposites is highly selective and sensitive system for the detection of H2S gas sensing. Ce/CeO2-rGO synthesized by simple chemical approach and further characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Furrier transform infra-red (FTIR), Field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) coupled energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) and BET-surface area measurements confirms the porosity of synthesized nanomaterial and homogeneous decoration of Ce/CeO2nanoparticles on rGO sheets. The electrochemical studies i.e. linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) of Ce/CeO2-rGO demonstrates the electrochemical H2S gas sensing at room temperature with lower gas concentration i.e 1 ppm detection at low concentration. Furthermore, the applcablity of sensor the analytical parametrtrs like LOD and LOQ has been calculated and were found to be 0.92 and 9.22 µM respectively. The sensing mechanism is believed tobe based on the modulation of the current and applied potential path across the electron exchange between the cerium oxide and rGO sites when exposed to H2S.
CSRR Loaded Graphene Inspired EBG Based High Isolation Miniaturized Wideband THz Dielectric Resonator MIMO Antenna for Nano Communication in 6G-IoT and Bio-Medical (Hemoglobin and Urine) Sensing Application
Authors: Saxena Gaurav , Chintakindi Sanjay , Al-Tamim Abdulsalam , Abidi Mustufa Haider , Saif Wigdan Aref Mohammed , Maduri Praveen Kumar , Patil Shilpee , Singh Himanshu , Awasthi Y K
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a rectangular-shaped wideband dielectric resonator Graphene inspired electronic band gap (EBG) based complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) loaded miniaturized THz MIMO antenna is designed having a dimension of 56×56×3.6μm 3 is designed on a Roggers RO3035 substrate with a relative permittivity of 3.6 and loss tangent 0.0015. This antenna works in the range of 6.0THz-12.5THz (70.76%) with a peak gain of 7.68 dBi for used in medical imaging and THz wireless near field applications. This composite DRA materials having Silicon (εr = 11.1) based cylindrical dielectric and cylindrical Graphene disk to be stacked on rectangular radiated antenna having height of 13.5µm and 0.2µm to improve the impedance bandwidth as well as gain of the antenna from 5.24dBi to 7.68dBi. Firstly single-element gold plated rectangular shaped antenna is transformed into a two-element MIMO antenna with mushroom-shaped EBG structure is deployed for improving the isolation between two antenna elements as well as to improve the maximum front-to-back ratio (FBR) 35.2 at 8.52THz which enhance the gain/directivity of the antenna. CSRR is loaded to obtained band notch characteristics for avoiding the interference between near wireless devices in the span of 10.6-10.8THz. Graphene disk having 3µm height put on Silicon (εr = 11.1) based cylindrical DRA provides high gain and improved the impedance bandwidth for achieving wide bandwidth from 6.0THz-12.5THz. The proposed MIMO Antenna performance has been judged by antenna parameters like gain, return loss, isolation between two antenna elements, diversity parameters like ECC, DG, TARC, Mean Effective Gain (MEG), Channel Capacity Loss (CCL) and found proposed DRA-MIMO antenna suitable for wide band nano/optical communication in 6G for IoT and bio-medical sensing application with avg. sensitivity 805.33GHz/RIU and Figure of Merit(FOM)-3.37 for hemoglobin and 805.55GHz/RIU and Figure of Merit(FOM) 10.55 for urine sensing applications .
Ecotoxicological status and health risks implication of heavy metals in urban soils of the A’koon and Brahabobom communities, Tarkwa – Ghana
Authors: Fosu Shadrack , Gyimah Eric , Boakgye Felix Agyei , Stemn Eric
Published: March 2023

Heavy metal contamination of urban soils and it possible detrimental effects to both environmental quality and humans have gained significant attention for decades. However, data on the ecotoxicological status and health implication of heavy metal pollution of soils in Tarkwa remains vague. Herein, nine heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni, and Zn) were analyzed in 20 urban soils, of typical artisanal mining communities in Tarkwa, using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS VARIAN AA240FS). Multivariate statistical analysis as well as ecotoxicological indexes were employed to identify pollution sources of metals and possible ecotoxicological effects, respectively. In addition, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for residents’ exposure through oral, dermal, and inhalation were estimated. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of the nine metals followed a decreasing order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Co > Ni > Cd. Results on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were in concomitant revealing that Pb and Cd inputs may be due to anthropogenic influenced whiles the occurrences of Cr, Fe, Co in the soil could be attributed to similar geochemical processes. Noteworthily, 45% of soils samples from the study sites had the total toxic unit (TTU) greater than 4, an indication that the heavy metals may pose deleterious effects on soil-dwelling organisms. For all the exposure routes, the estimated hazard quotients (HQs) for the children, youth, and adult populations were < 1, for all metals. However, hazard index (HI) estimations showed a considerable non-cancer risk to children residents of the A’Koon community via dermal exposure (HI = 1.5). The potential cancer risks associated with daily exposures revealed that children resident of the two communities may be susceptible to Cr via inhalation (> 1 × 10− 4), at a cancer risks of 5.7 × 10− 4 and 4.13 × 10− 4 for the Brahabobom and A’koon communities, respectively.
EpiCluster: end-to-end deep learning model for B cell epitope prediction designed to capture epitope clustering property
Authors: Choi Sungjin , Kim Dongsup
Published: March 2023

Knowledge of B cell epitopes is crucial for vaccine design, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Many in silico tools have been developed to computationally predict the B cell epitope. However, most methods have shown inconsistent performance, thereby degrading the reliability of the predictions. To address this challenge, we developed EpiCluster, an end-to-end deep learning model that significantly outperforms existing methods by a large margin. Our model’s performance is consistent with several benchmark datasets, including the most recent one on which all existing methods performed very poorly. EpiCluster achieves this mainly through two ways. First, it effectively combines the structural and evolutionary features of epitopes. Second, it has the model architecture that exploits the clustering property of epitopes. More importantly, we have demonstrated that an end-to-end learning model architecture enforcing the clustering property of epitopes was critically important for building an accurate epitope prediction model. The source code and implementation are available at https://github.com/sj584/EpiCluster.
The protective effect of exogen melatonin upon fetal hippocampus damage caused by high-dose caffeine administration in pregnant rats
Authors: Köse Yağmur , Şirin Cansın , Turgut Ali Çağlar , Tomruk Canberk , Uyanıkgil Yiğit , Turgut Mehmet
Published: March 2023

Objective: Caffeine (CAF), which is in the methylxanthines group (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), is a neurologically active food component that is widely consumed and has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. CAF taken in high doses during pregnancy rapidly crosses the placenta and causes many negative conditions such as low birth weight infants, premature births, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and principally fetal growth retardation. On the other hand, melatonin (MEL) is an endogenous hormone secreted from the pineal gland that plays a role in the regulation of many biological functions such as sleep, biological rhythm, reproduction, immunity and has neuroprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible effects of exogenous MEL on the fetal hippocampus damage caused by high-dose CAF administration in pregnant rats.
Methods: In the study, 32 adult Wistar albino female rats were divided into four experimental groups after conception (n=8). No compound was administered to the control group. In the MEL group, intraperitoneal (i.p.) MEL was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day at 9-20 days of pregnancy. In the CAF group, i.p. CAF was administered at a dose of 60 mg/kg/day at 9-20 days of pregnancy. In the CAF plus MEL group, i.p. CAF and MEL were administered at a dose of 60 mg/kg/day and 10 mg/kg/day, respectively at 9-20 days of pregnancy. Histological tissue processing procedures were performed after the extraction of the brains of the fetuses sacrificed on the 21st day of pregnancy. Hippocampal regions of fetal brains were analyzed by Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Cresyl Echt Violet (CEV) histochemical staining, anti-GFAP and anti-synaptophysin immunohistochemical staining methods.
Results: While there was a decrease in fetal and brain weights in the CAF group, it was found that the CAF plus MEL group had a closer weight average to that of the control group. In histological examinations, while the MEL group showed similar characteristics with the control group, it was observed that the pyramidal cell layer consisted of 8-10 layers of cells due to the delay in migration in hippocampal neurons in the CAF group. It was found that these findings decreased in the CAF plus MEL group.
Conclusion: Ultimately, it was determined that high-dose CAF administration caused delays and deterioration in neurogenesis in the fetal hippocampus region, and it was also shown that MEL administration was effective in reducing these findings.
A risk model for predicting progression of pituitary tumors by blood and clinical factors
Authors: Mao Wenbin , Zhai Yixuan , Zhang Xuezhi , Wang Xinzhuang , Wei Xinting
Published: March 2023

Purpose To build a model that utilizes clinical and blood parameters to predict the recurrence or progression of pituitary tumors after surgery.
Methods A training group (67,70%) and a validation group (29,30%) were formed from 96 individuals with recurrent pituitary tumors. The training group was screened for blood parameters and a blood-related risk score (BRS) was established. Clinical-related prognostic factors were also assessed through Cox regression analysis, which was used alongside the BRS to construct a clinical prognostic model. In the validation group to assess the stability and accuracy of the BRS and the clinical prognostic model. Additionally, a clinical and blood-based nomogram was developed.
Result The preoperative blood parameters K+, cholinesterase (CHE), and 5-nucleotidase (NT5E) were found to be correlated with progression-free survival (PFS). The area under the curve (AUC) for the BRS was 0.788 (95% CI: 0.657-0.919) in the training group and 0.852 (95% CI: 0.706-0.997) in the validation group. For 1-, 3-, and 5-year intervals in the validation set, the clinical model's AUC was 0.718, 0.852, and 0.864, respectively. While in the test group, the AUCs were 0.600, 0.889, and 0.660. The nomogram had C indices of 0.732 and 0.704 in the training and validation groups, respectively, and its calibration curves and clinical decision curves (DCA) indicated good calibrations and clinical utility.
ConclusionThis is a new non-invasive tool that provides a tool for predicting prognosis and risk stratification.
Pediatric feeding disorders among children with parental history of feeding disorders: a distinct group of patients with unique characteristics
Authors: Galai Tut , Friedman Gal , MA Nataly Kalmintzky , Shemer Kim , Gal Dana L , Yerushalmy-Feler Anat , Lubetzky Ronit , Cohen Shlomi , Moran-Lev Hadar
Published: March 2023

Purpose To investigate factors associated with pediatric feeding disorders (PFD) among children of parents that reported to have had feeding disorders during their own childhood compared to children with PFD with no history of parental PFD. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children diagnosed with PFD according to the recent WHO-based definition. Demographic and clinical characteristics of children with PFD with a parental history of PFD were compared to those of children with a PFD with no history of parental PFD. Results Included were 231 children with PFD (median [interquartile range] age 10 (5.5–29) months at diagnosis, 58% boys) of whom 133 children had parents without PFD and 98 children had parents with PFD. Unexpectedly, children of parents without PFD had a higher rate of low birth weight (28% vs. 19%, respectively,p = 0.007), more delivery complications (10% vs. 2%,p = 0.006), more hospitalizations (33% vs. 17%,p = 0.004), more prescription medications (27% vs. 18%,p = 0.05), and a higher percent of gastrostomy tube use (6% vs. 0,p = 0.02). Moreover, more parents with PFD had an academic background compared with parents without PFD (72% vs. 59%,p = 0.05). There were no significant group differences in sex, history of breastfeeding, parental marital status, or type of the child's feeding disorder. Conclusions PFD among children with a parental history of PFD comprise a distinct group of patients with unique characteristics and outcomes. Since parental feeding history may explain their child's PFD in highly differing ways, treatment should be family-based and multidisciplinary.
Paediatric Patients Dose Optimisation and Risk Assessment in Computed Tomography Examination
Authors: Shirazu Issahaku , Sackey Theophilus A. , Edziah Raymond , Mensah Y. B , Tiburu Elvis K. , Schandorf C.
Published: March 2023

Children are a distinct group of patients and should not be consider as small adults in terms of medical imaging procedures. Their size, physiology and the location of their organs change as they grow. Additionally, children have a longer life expectancy than adults hence consideration must be taken into account when the appropriate radiation dose is delivered. Therefore, the study was to estimate paediatric patients’ lifetime attributable radiation risk and dose optimisation during computed tomography examination. The materials used include five different multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) Machines, Head and Body phantom and MeVisLab (MVL) workstation. The methodology involved using weighted CTDI (CTDIW) and DLP values to estimate effective and organ dose in relation to image quality in term of SNR. In addition to the use of the estimated dose values to estimate paediatric patients’ lifetime attributable radiation risk during CT examination. In all 300 dose reports with their corresponding images of randomly selected paediatric patients undergoing CT scans of head, chest, and abdomen-Pelvis from the CT centres were collected from various CT facilities across the country. 200 of these met the selection criterion and has been analysed. The average values for organ dose and effective dose for Brain CT exam for age 0–5, 6–10 and 11–16 years were10.3mGy, 1.3965mSv; 11.18mGy, 2.2785mSv; and 19.82mGy, 4.5102mSv respectively for male patients. While the corresponding image quality for age 0–5, 6–10 and 11–16 years were 8.19; 12.08; and 17.42 respectively. These increasing trends were observed in the Chest and abdominal pelvis examinations, with the dose increasing with an increasing age based on the paediatric age and protocol that were used. the study also established a minimum SNR value of 5.1 with a corresponding minimum effective dose values of 5.8 for a balance between the minimum image quality to the minimum dose to the paediatric patient. The average cancer risk for incidence and mortality for head, chest and abdomen-pelvis examinations were in the range 1 in 10,000 to in 1,000 of the study population.
Rectus abdominis muscle contraction has no significant role in stoma outlet obstruction development
Authors: Wang Xiaowei , Gu Jin , Liu Yue , Lin Beibei , Wang Yizhi , Xu Dong , Ding Kefeng
Published: March 2023

Purpose
Stoma outlet obstruction (SOO) is a common complication in patients who receive diverting ileostomy. A postoperatively thicker rectus abdominis muscle is an independent risk factor for outlet obstruction through strong contractions. The objective of this study is to identify the relationship between rectus abdominis and SOO.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was performed for patients who underwent laparoscopic anterior rectal resection and diverting ileostomy from August 2019 to August 2022. The ileostomy site was in the lower-right abdominal through the rectus abdominis muscle or in the lower-middle abdominal via the specimen extraction site between the rectus abdominis muscles.
Results
Among the 306 patients that had been subjected to laparoscopic anterior rectal resection and diverting ileostomy, 28 (9.15%) developed SOO. In the lower-right group, SOO accounted for 18 (8.45%) of the 213 patients, while in the lower-middle group, SOO accounted for 10 (10.75%) of the 93 patients (p = 0.521). Differences in abdominal wall thickness (21.03 vs. 24.389 mm, p = 0.382), width of abdominal wall defects (21.1 vs. 22.483 mm, p = 0.906), time of fart (1.5 vs. 1.33 days, p = 0.408), obstruction time after operation (5.28 vs. 10 days, p = 0.175), proportion of albumin reduction (20.66 vs. 19.48%, p = 0.621), and highest postoperative leukocyte levels (9.3 vs. 9.611 10E9/L, p = 0.906) between the groups were insignificant. However, differences in mealtime between the groups were significant (2.2 vs. 4.11 p = 0.021).
Conclusion
In rectal cancer patients subjected to laparoscopic anterior rectal resection and diverting ileostomy, rectus abdominis muscle-related factors were not associated with the development of stoma outlet obstruction.
Scutellarin Protects against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Enhancing Aerobic Glycolysis via miR-34c-5p/ALDOA axis
Authors: Xiang Yijia , Xu Zhongjiao , Qian Renyi , Wu Daying , Lin Li , Shen Jiayi , Zhu Pengchong , Chen Fenghui , Liu Chong
Published: March 2023

Ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is a serious concern in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Recently, aerobic glycolysis has shown potential benefits against IR injury. Scutellarin (Scu), a flavonoid found in Erigeron breviscapus has multiple potentially cardio-protective properties. In this study, we used hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury to mimic IR injury in vitro. First, we evaluated the protective effects of Scu against HR in H9c2 cells, which included inflammation damage, apoptosis injury and oxidative stress. Then, we verified the effects of Scu on Warburg effect in H9c2 cells under HR injury. The results indicated that Scu increased aerobic glycolysis by reducing pH, increasing lac, enhancing phosphofructokinase (PFK) activity, and elevating p-PKM2/PKM2 levels. Next, we built a panel of six lncRNAs and seventeen miRNAs that were reported to mediate the Warburg effect. Based on the results, miR-34c-5p was selected as the entry point for further experiments. Then, we found Scu could alleviate HR-induced elevation of miR-34c-5p. Up-regulation of miR-34c-5p could weaken the protective effects of Scu in cell viability, inflammatory damage and oxidative stress. The facilitation of Warburg effect by Scu was also reversed by miR-34c-5p mimic in H9c2 cells. Next, we found the mRNA and protein of ALDOA were reduced after HR injury, and these could be reversed by Scu. Downregulation of ALDOA or Mimic of miR-34c-5p could reduce the effects of Scu that maintained mRNA and protein levels of ALDOA. SiRNA of ALDOA could decrease anti-HR effects of Scu in H9c2 cell. Summarily, our study demonstrated that Scu provides cardio-protective effects against IR-induced myocardial cell injury by upregulating Warburg effect via miR-34c-5p/ALDOA pathway in H9c2 cell model.
Zooarchaeology of the Iron Age–Urartu Ayanis citadel, Eastern Turkiye
Authors: Siddiq Abu B. , Işıklı Mehmet
Published: March 2023

Throughout over 30 years of expeditions at Ayanis citadel animal bones were of rare finds and mostly remained unreported. Here, this study presents the first zooarchaeological analyses of 10,553 animal bones and their fragments, predominantly unearthed from a royal midden of the citadel. The analyses were primarily based on the identification of species, age, sex, marks and modifications, and general pathological changes on mainly of 4,028 specimens observed with a diagnostic zone (DZ). Extensive measurements were taken to construct a reliable zooarchaeological dataset for the site and comparisons in future studies. Logarithmic Size Index (LSI) was calculated to understand the morphological status of Ayanis sheep, goats and cattle, as well as comparing with these domestic livestock in other Iron Ages sites. The results were further compared with faunal remains from contemporary Urartian sites including Bastam in northwestern Iran, and Karmir–Blur and Horom in western Armenia. Beyond epigraphic and textual sources, the study concludes with some direct archaeological evidence on both the roles of animals in food habit, rituals and animal (pig) taboo practiced by the Urartian elites at Ayanis citadel, as well as the bio-metric status of domestic livestock, and animal–human interactions within the broader socio-economic contexts of the Urartian world.
Retrospective study of an incisional hernia after laparoscopic colectomy
Authors: Kobayashi Toshinori , Miki Hisanori , Yamamoto Nobuyuki , Hori Soushi , Hatta Masahiko , Hashimoto Yuki , Mukaide Hiromi , Yamasaki Makoto , Inoue Kentaro , Sekimoto Mitsugu
Published: March 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) in elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LC) using regulated computed tomography (CT) images intervals every 6 months.
Methods: We retrospectively examined the diagnosis of IH in patients who underwent LC for colorectal cancer at Kansai Medical University Hospital from January 2014 to August 2018. The diagnosis of IH was defined as loss of continuity of the fascia in the axial CT images.
Results: 470 patients were included in the analysis. IH was diagnosed in 47 cases at 1 year after LC. The IH size was 7.8 cm2 [1.3–55.6] . In total, 38 patients with IH underwent CT examination 6 months after LC, and 37 were already diagnosed with IH. The IH size was 4.1 cm2 [0–58.9]. The IH size increased in 17 cases between 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, and in 1 case, a new IH occurred. 47%(18/38) of them continued to grow until 1 year after LC. A multivariate analysis was performed on the risk of IH occurrence. SSI was most significantly associated with IH occurrence (OR:5.28 [2.14–13.05], p=0.0003).
Conclusion: In previous reports, IH was evaluated mainly by clinical symptoms, but in this study, CT was used to investigate the occurrence of IH. Therefore, we clarified that we were able to find IH while it is still small by CT taken regularly.
Mathematical statistical structure for quantum systems: There is no measurement problem
Authors: Mostafa Mohamed
Published: March 2023

In this work, we prove that the behavior of quantum systems during various measurement processes is fully understood through the statistical structure in quantum mechanics represented by the uncertainty principle. We also prove that any measurement process is never different from any interaction between quantum particles, and this is evidenced only by the existence of a minimum uncertainty in position characteristic of each measurement system imposed by the statistical-mathematical structure of quantum mechanics.
Evaluation of academic self-efficiency, community feeling, and academic achievement of students in the process of the Covid-19 pandemic by data mining techniques
Authors: KARABATAK Songül , YILDIRIM Özal , KARABATAK Murat
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to perform a sample educational data mining (EDM) application to draw attention to its EDM predictive power. The data set consisted of the opinions collected from university students. These data set variables were formed by distance education students' academic self-efficacy, sense of community, academic achievement averages, and some demographic variables. The descriptive model revealed latent patterns between variables in the study, and a predictive model was used to estimate variables. For this, the association rule method and classification algorithm were also used. At the end of the study, it was concluded that EDM could effectively find relationships between variables and predict variables.
CSF3 contributes to the invasive and metastatic phenotypes and associates with poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer via NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Xu Junfeng , Xie Hui , Li Ruoran , Ma Xianzong , Du Shuwen , Zhang Heng , Duan Changwei , Sheng Jianqiu , Yang Lang , Jin Peng
Published: March 2023

Background
Colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) is a cytokine associated with inflammation, which mainly stimulates myeloid stem cell maturation, proliferation, and migration into circulation. However, the significance of CSF3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Here, we aimed to examine the expression and impacts of CSF3 in CRC.
Methods
CSF3 expression was examined in CRC tissues and cells by IHC staining and western blot. RNA interference was used to silence CSF3 in CRC cells. The effects of CSF3 on biological behaviors such as proliferation and migration of CRC cells were examined in vitro and in vivo.
Results
CSF3 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and cells. CSF3 high level was correlated to patients’ age, with a feature of a higher pathological stage, more distant lymphatic metastasis and more severe lymph node invasion. Knocking down CSF3 led to decreased proliferation and migration, increased apoptosis, arrested cell cycle in vitro as well as impaired tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, CSF3 regulates CRC cell proliferation and apoptosis dependent on enhances p65 phosphorylation to facilitate NF-κB-mediated transcriptional activity.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrated that CSF3 interacts with the NF-κB signaling pathway to promote the progression of CRC. CSF3 might be a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients.