bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends and Spatial Heterogeneity of Climate Extremes in the Southwestern Region of Bangladesh
Authors: SHIRIN Tasnima , SAHA Tithi , RAHAMAN Md. Hasibur , CHOWDHURY Md. Arif , BARI Ehsanul , DAS Tusar Kumar , RAHMAN Mohammad Mahfuzur
Published: February 2023

This study attempts to investigate the climatic variability in the southwestern area of Bangladesh focusing on temperature and precipitation extremes. Long-term daily records of temperature and precipitation from six weather stations spread over the study area were analyzed. A total of 20 yearly indices were calculated and testified for the trends with the Mann–Kendal test and Sen’s estimator of slope at a 95% confidence interval. Moreover, one-way ANOVA and Tukey–Kramer post-hoc tests were applied to verify the spatial heterogeneity of the climatic indices among the meteorological stations. Findings revealed that Khulna is the worst affected area with significant changes in 12 climatic indices. Jessore and Faridpur followed Khulna with significant changes in 10 and 9 indices, respectively. Among the indices, significant changes in TN10p (frequencies of daily minimum temperature event that falls below the 10th percentile value), TX10p (frequencies of daily maximum temperature event that falls beyond the 10th percentile value), CSDI (cold spell duration indicator), and CDD (consecutive dry day) are the most common phenomenon in the studied region. Five out of six stations have been experiencing significant increasing trends for TN10p. That indicates an overall increase of extreme cold day frequencies in the area. Khulna station showed shreds of evidence of extreme cold temperature instances with a statistically significant fall in the minimum value of the yearly minimum temperatures (TNn). Besides, Khulna also experienced a statistically significant fall in the minimum value of the yearly maximum temperatures. Consistently, the area showed a significant trend of wider cold spells. Similarly, the extremely warm day frequencies have also been increasing significantly for the Khulna, Jessore, and Faridpur areas. Therefore, it is evident that the studied area has been experiencing temperature extremes. On the other hand, precipitation extremes are apparent for only Khulna and Jessore. Both these stations showed increasing trends in heavy precipitation events and wet spells (consecutive precipitation days). ANOVA outcome suggests that the study area has significant spatial heterogeneity in climatic indices. Precipitation indices show high spatial heterogeneity than those of temperature. Among the meteorological stations, Mongla and Ishwardi show the maximum departure than those of others. This study may help policy-makers, researchers, and academicians to take proper initiatives to reduce the impacts of changing climatic parameters in the coastal areas of Bangladesh.
The Fun in Fuzzing
Authors: Nagy Stefan
Published: February 2023

Stefan Nagy, an assistant professor in the Kahlert School of Computing at the University of Utah, takes us on a tour of recent research in software fuzzing, or the systematic testing of programs via the generation of novel or unexpected inputs. The first paper he discusses extends the state of the art in coverage-guided fuzzing with the semantic notion of "likely invariants," inferred via techniques from property-based testing. The second explores encoding domain-specific knowledge about certain bug classes into test-case generation. His last selection takes us through the looking glass, randomly generating entire C programs and using differential analysis to compare traces of optimized and unoptimized executions, in order to find bugs in the compilers themselves.
Reliability–Security Tradeoff Analysis in mmWave Ad Hoc–based CPS
Authors: Ju Ying , Yang Mingjie , Chakraborty Chinmay , Liu Lei , Pei Qingqi , Xiao Ming , Yu Keping
Published: February 2023

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) offer integrated resolutions for various applications by combining computer and physical components and enabling individual machines to work together for much more excellent benefits. The
ad hoc
–based CPS provides a promising architecture due to its decentralized nature and destructive-resistance. A growing number of information leakage events in CPSs and the following serious consequences have aroused ubiquitous concern about information security. In this article, we combine physical layer security solutions and millimeter-wave (mmWave) techniques to safeguard the
ad hoc
network and investigate the reliability-security tradeoff by taking user demands for the network into account, where eavesdroppers attempt to intercept messages. For the secrecy enhancements, we adopt an artificial noise (AN) assisted transmission scheme, in which AN is employed to create non-cancellable interference to eavesdroppers. The reliability and security are correspondingly characterized by the connection outage probability and secrecy outage probability, and their analytical expressions of them are attained through theoretical analysis for the purpose of the tradeoff issue discussion. Our results reveal that secrecy performance in mmWave
ad hoc
networks gains significant improvement through the use of AN. It also shows that given total transmit power, there exists a tradeoff between reliability and security to achieve optimal outage performance.
Energy-efficiency computing of up and down transitions in a neural network
Authors: Liu Xiaoqian , Lu Lulu , Zhu Yuan , Yi Ming
Published: February 2023

We use a more biological neural network to explore energy consumption and energy efficiency of up and down transitions. Specifically, we find that average energy consumption is more than that caused by action potentials, which proves that metabolic consumption is acquired substantially in the resting state as well. We also find that energy efficiency is influenced by the proportion of duration of the up state in the cycle. These findings may further improve the economy of the nervous system.
Epstein Barr Virus Reactivation during COVID-19 Hospitalization Significantly Increased Mortality/Death in SARS-CoV-2(+)/EBV(+) than SARS-CoV-2(+)/EBV(−) Patients: A Comparative Meta-Analysis
Authors: Manoharan Sivananthan , Ying Lee Ying
Published: February 2023

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation in acute-phase of COVID-19 disease was recently discovered but it is not clear in terms of degree of mortality caused, and this was the aim of the current study. Six databases and three non‐databases were thoroughly searched, independently. The articles related to non‐human study (abstract, in vitro, in vivo, in silico, case study, poster, and review articles) were excluded for main analysis. Four articles related to mortality linked to EBV reactivation were systematically identified and included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. Based on proportional meta-analysis of 4 studies, 34.3% or 0.343 (95% CI: 0.189–0.516; I2 = 74.6) mortality related to EBV reactivation was identified. To address high heterogeneity, subgroup meta-analysis was carried out. Based on subgroup analysis, 26.6% or 0.266 (95% CI: 0.191–0.348; I2 = 0) with no heterogeneity was identified. Interestingly, in comparative meta-analysis, EBV(−)/SARS-CoV-2(+) patients had statistically lesser mortality (9.9%) than EBV(+)/SARS-CoV-2(+) patients (23.6%) where RR = 2.31 (95% CI: 1.34–3.99;

p
=
0.003

; I2 = 6%). This finding is equivalent to the absolute mortality effect of 130 more per 1000 COVID-19 patients (95% CI: 34–296). Furthermore, based on statistical analysis, D-dimer was not statistically significantly different (

p
>
0.05

) between the groups although studies have shown that D-dimer was statistically significantly different (

p
<
0.05

) between these groups. Based on the inclusion and analysis of low risk of bias and high quality of articles graded with Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS), when COVID-19 patients’ health state is gradually worsening, EBV reactivation needs to be suspected because EBV reactivation is a possible marker for COVID-19 disease severity.
Adverse Drug Reactions during COVID-19 Treatment: A Comprehensive Analysis Focused on Hospitalized Patients, with the Use of a Survey in Cuba in 2020
Authors: Gil-del-Valle Lizette , Gravier-Hernández Rosario , Baldoquin-Rodríguez Waldemar , Sierra-Vázquez Beatriz , Perez-Díaz Ana Beatriz , Sariol-Resik Pablo , Prieto-Dominguez Tatiana , Delgado-Guerra Mario Manuel , Sánchez- Márquez Joniel Arnoldo , López-Fernández Olga Elena , Fonseca-Betancourt Faustina , Valdés-Lanza Liana , Orraca-Castillo Odalys , Van Ostade Xaveer , Vanden Berghe Wim , Vanlerberghe Veerle , Guzmán-Tirado M. Guadalupe
Published: February 2023

Context. Off-label, compassionate use of potential drugs against SARS-CoV-2 acute infection could modify their safety profiles. Aims. To evaluate the prevalence and type of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), together with associated risk factors, among Cuban COVID-19 patients treated with chloroquine (CQ), lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), or interferon α2b (IFN α2b), according to the Cuban protocol. Materials and Methods. A prospective descriptive analysis of ADRs was performed on 200 COVID-19 patients who were admitted consecutively to three hospitals in Havana and Pinar del Río from April to July 2020. Information on demographics, ADRs, outcomes, behavioral, and health-related factors was collected using a validated questionnaire and clinical records. Each potential ADR case was assessed for causality based on the WHO-UMC algorithm, concomitant drug influences, and the presence of any drug-drug interactions (DDI). Results. The total frequency of ADRs was 55%, with predominantly gastrointestinal disorders and general symptoms (23% vs 20%). 95.1% of ADRs occurred within 10 days after treatment and 42 potential DDI in 55.5% of patients (61/110) were observed. The prevalence of ADRs was: 44%, 30.4%, and 26.4% for IFN α2b, LPV/r, and CQ, respectively. Sex (odds ratio (OR): 0.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.211–0.742), age (OR: 2.36 (95% CI: 1.02–5.44)), and underlying diseases (OR: 0.12 (95% CI: 0.06–0.23)) were independently associated factors for ADRs (P<0.05). Conclusions. The frequency of ADRs and potential DDI was high compared to their use during nonpandemic times (e.g., for malaria, HIV, or inflammatory diseases). The safety profile of these drugs when used for COVID-19 treatment showed similar characteristics. Comorbidities, age >37 years old, and female sex were associated with ADRs.
A Region-Based Statistical Shape Modeling on the First Trapezoid-Metacarpal
Authors: Fu Lin , Łukasz Kaczmarek , Jiang Ci , Gu Yaodong
Published: February 2023

A statistical shape model (SSM) based analysis was conducted in our study. We indicated the morphological differences of the first trapezoid-metacarpal (TMC) bone between the region-based statistical shape model (rSSM) and the nonregion-based statistical shape model (nrSSM). We aimed to characterize more specific and accurate variation results to detect and prevent osteoarthritis in an early way. CT image data of TMC from 31 healthy volunteers were simulated with 3D models. A training set of models was analyzed with principal component analysis, with both then- rSSM and rSSM. The region was identified automatically with Gaussian curvature analysis. We found four dominant shape variations from both nrSSM and rSSM. The rSSM showed more variations with fewer components compared with nrSSM. The first principal component revealed the size variation as the biggest component. A significant difference was presented in the second and the fourth principal component from rSSM, showing the torsion of the distal head of the first metacarpal which may increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
Emodin Regulates lncRNA XIST/miR-217 Axis to Protect Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Huang Shuai , Xue Lailiang , Mou Qiaona
Published: February 2023

Purpose. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of emodin on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and mechanism. Methods. Eighty healthy adult male SD rats (weighing 230-250 g) were utilized to establish I/R model, which were randomly divided into five groups (16 rats in each group): sham operation group, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury group (I/R group), emodin group, emodin +NC group, and emodin +XIST group. The contents of CK, CK-MB, LDH, and HBDH in serum were determined by ELISA kit. LDH was detected by ELISA assay, SOD was detected by the xanthine oxidase method, and MDA was detected by the thiobarbituric acid method. The relative expression of XIST and miR-217 was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression. Flow cytometry was applied to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Results. Myocardial infarction area was obviously increased in I/R model rats, while emodin decreased the myocardial infarction in I/R model rats. In addition, cardiac enzymes (CK, CK-MB, LDH, and HBDH) and apoptosis were obviously increased in MIRI model rats, while emodin obviously decreased cardiac enzymes and apoptosis. The ROS and MDA levels were raised while the activities of SOD were declined in the I/R model group. The ROS and MDA levels were decreased while the activities of SOD were raised in the emodin group. The XIST expression was markedly raised in the I/R model group while decreased in the emodin group, and the overexpression of XIST reversed the protective effect of emodin on myocardial infarction, oxidative stress, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In addition, XIST directly regulated the expression of miR-217, and si-XIST inhibited H/R-induced oxidative damage of cardiomyocytes via inhibiting miR-217. Conclusion. Emodin protected MIRI both in vitro and in vivo via inhibiting lncRNA XIST to upregulate miR-217.
Association of Lower Antispike Antibody Levels with Mortality in ICU Patients with COVID‐19 Disease
Authors: Yelle Sangeeta , Amte Rahul , Gella Vishwanath , Mitnala Sasikala , Gujjarlapudi Deepika , Ismail Mohammed , Thankachan Ledo , Adla Sandhyarani , Unnisa Fatima , Reddy Sivakumar , Reddy Duvvur Nageshwar
Published: February 2023

Background. Though vaccines have been reported as highly efficacious in preventing severe COVID‐19 disease, there is emerging data of severe infections, albeit a small number, in vaccinated individuals. We have conducted a retrospective observational study to assess the clinical characteristics, immunological response, and disease outcomes among the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients admitted to the ICU with severe COVID‐19 disease. Methods. Study Design and Participants. We conducted a retrospective observational study in COVID ICU of a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected from the month of 1 April 2021 to 31 November 2021. All adult patients admitted to the ICU having severe COVID‐19 disease were included in the study. Data were collected from the medical records database which included demographics, a clinical course in the ICU, laboratory and radiological parameters, and disease outcomes. In a subset of patients, cell‐mediated immunity and S1S2‐neutralising antibody assessment was done. Results. A total of 419 patients with severe COVID‐19 were included in the study. Of the 419 patients, 90 (21.5%) were vaccinated, and 329 (78.5%) were unvaccinated. There was a significantly higher mortality in unvaccinated severe COVID 19 patients as compared to vaccinated severe COVID patients (46.2% vs 34.4%; P < 0.0455). The neutralizing antibody titre was significantly higher in survivors as compared to nonsurvivors (2139.8, SE ± 713.3 vs 471, SE ± 154.4); P < 0.026. Conclusion. Our study suggests the association of lower neutralizing antibody levels with mortality in ICU patients admitted with COVID‐19 breakthrough infections.
Predictors of Smoking Preventive Behavior Based on Empowerment Components among Male Students of High Schools: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran
Authors: Didarloo Alireza , Sharafkhani Naser , Rezapour Baratali , Moghaddam-Tabrizi Fatemeh
Published: February 2023

Background. Smoking among adolescents and young adults is believed to be one of the most important preventable health problems. The etiology of smoking is one of the most pivotal activities in designing prevention programs. The aim of this study was to determine the correlates between components of empowerment in the context of smoking prevention in adolescents. Methods. This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 422 high school male students in spring 2020. The data collection tool of this study was a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire containing demographic characteristics, items related to various components of empowerment, and items related to the smoking preventive behavior (SPB). A linear regression model was used, where the “SPB” outcome variable assumed three possible values: sensation seeking, problem-solving skills, self-efficacy, self-esteem, dependence on group, and attitude towards smoking reported in the previous literature were taken as independent variables, and smoking preventive behavior was considered as a dependent variable. Results. The results revealed that 10.42% of the students were active smokers and 40.75% of them had the experience of smoking. The results also showed a positive and significant relationship between problem-solving skills (r = 0.394,

P
<
0.001

), self-efficacy (r = 0.340,

P
<
0.001

), self-esteem (r = 0.310,

P
<
0.001

), and attitude (r = 0.333,

P
<
0.001

) with the SPB. In addition, a negative and significant correlation was observed between group dependence (r = -0.313,

P
<
0.001

) and the SPB. Overall, the components of empowerment were able to explain 26.5% of the variance in the SPB. Among the components, problem-solving skills solely explained 15.5% of variance of the SPB. Conclusion. According to the results of this study, it can be said that most adolescents are at risk of smoking. Explanatory factors for adopting the SPB include improving problem-solving skills, creating a negative attitude towards smoking, increasing self-efficacy to prevent smoking, reducing group dependence, and increasing self-esteem in adolescents. Multilevel interventions and actions by policymakers, educators, and related organizations to prevent adolescent smoking and educate them about adolescent empowerment skills to prevent smoking should be considered.
Relationship between Potential Trace Elements Contamination in Sediment and Macrofauna in the Upper Gulf of Thailand
Authors: Kroeksakul Patarapong , Ngamniyom Arin , Silprasit Kun , Singhaboot Pakjirat
Published: February 2023

The relationship between heavy metal contamination in sediment and macrofauna in the upper Gulf of Thailand is presented as an indication of the environmental quality of coastal waters. This study aims to monitor five heavy metal elements (As, Cd, Mn, Ni, and Pb) between sediment and the sandworm (Perinereis quatrefagesi (P. quatrefagesi)). The geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), and contamination factor (CF), including the pollution load index (PLI), were used for statistical analyses by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and differences in the data were compared using the least significant difference (LSD) test. The sediment heavy metal concentrations were found to decrease (Al > Mn > Pb > Ni > Cd > As), and the quantity of heavy metal contamination in the sediment was not over the emergency point defined by the Pollution Control Department in Thailand. The Mn at the SH and SP points has Igeo > 0 but <1 and is considered not polluted to moderately polluted. The EF overall is <2 and is deficient in mineral enrichment. The CF of the Samut Sakhon (SH) and Samut Prakan (SP) sites had high Al and Mn values, indicating a low pollution level, but the PLI had an all-site average of 0.0215 ± 0.0252, which is <1. This indicates that the present areas are close to ideal and not polluted. To measure heavy metals in macrofauna, P. quatrefagesi was assessed, and concentrations were found to decrease (Mn > Ni > Cd > Pb > As). The Mn between sediment and the sandworm was directly correlated (r = 0.976;

p
<
0.01

). The sandworm performs as a bioindicator for the quality of coastal sediment, specifically with Mn; thus, the result present at a baseline level may grow in the future if there is no control measure for defensive measures.
Effect of Formaldehyde and Curcumin on Histomorphological Indices, Gene Expression Associated with Ovarian Follicular Development, and Total Antioxidant to Oxidant Levels in Wistar Rats
Authors: Farshad Zahra , Shahedi Abbas , Fesahat Farzaneh , Hassanpour Azam , Anvari Morteza
Published: February 2023

The present experimental study was undertaken to investigate the effect of formaldehyde (FA) and curcumin (CUR) on histomorphological features, antioxidant potential, and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of genes related to follicular development in FA-exposed rats. 24 Wistar female rats were divided into four study groups and given intraperitoneal injections of FA (10 mg/kg) (N = 6), FA (10 mg/kg) + CUR (100 mg/kg) (N = 6), sham (N = 6), and control (N = 6) for 14 days. Ovarian follicular histology, the related gene expression, blood factors, and anti/oxidation potentials were assessed using ovarian tissue and serum, respectively. The klotho was significantly overexpressed in the FA group compared with controls and shams. Contradictory, the factor in germ line alpha was significantly down-regulated in FA and FA + CUR groups compared to shams and controls. A significant decline was seen in the number of ovarian follicles in the FA group, independent of the developmental stage. Regarding the comparison of the FA + CUR group to other groups, a significant change was seen in the number of secondary, graafian, and atretic follicles. The FA group demonstrated significantly lower hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration than controls. The activity of glutathione peroxidase increased significantly in the FA group than in the controls. Despite the deleterious effects of FA on histological and molecular aspects of rat ovarian follicles, CUR does not appear to have a protective effect against the hazardous effects of this chemical. However, CUR in some cases has positive effects such as reducing follicular destruction and interstitial edema.
Neuroprotective Efficacy of Europinidin in Streptozotocin-Induced Memory Impairment by Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Mediators, and Cholinesterase Activity in Rats
Authors: Ahmad Aftab
Published: February 2023

Background and Objectives. Europinidin is a water-soluble plant dye, derived from delphinidin, which is a well-known anthocyanidin and has a broad range of physiological effects. The current study sought to assess the neuroprotective potential of europinidin against streptozotocin-induced memory deficits in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods. Oral acute toxicity studies were performed to evaluate the toxicological effects of europinidin in animals. In this study, four different animal groups (

n
=
6

) were used. Group I was the normal control, group II was the STZ-induced diabetes control, group III was STZ + europinidin-treated (10 mg/kg), and group IV was STZ + europinidin-treated (10 mg/kg). The efficacy of europinidin at a dose of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg was studied with single-dose administration of streptozotocin, which experimentally induced memory impairments in Wistar male rats for 38 days. The mean body weight and blood glucose levels were recorded at the initial and end of the study. The two behavioural paradigms (Y-maze and Morris water maze) were performed to evaluate spatial and working memory in rats. The biochemical parameters such as acetylcholinesterase, choline acetyltransferase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase, malonaldehyde, catalase, and nitric oxide level as hallmarks of oxidative stress were measured. Additionally, the proinflammatory parameters were also determined to evaluate the neuroinflammatory responses associated with streptozotocin such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin (IL-6), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-ƙB), interleukin (IL-10), and nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the perfused brain. Results. The rats in the europinidin-treated group exhibited a significant restoration of body weight and blood glucose level as compared with the streptozotocin control group. Furthermore, europinidin significantly modulated the spatial and working memory in rats, when assessed through behavioural paradigms. Streptozotocin caused a significant alteration in biochemical, neuronal enzymatic, and neuroinflammatory parameters, which were significantly restored to normal levels by europinidin. Conclusion. The present study attributed the neuroprotective efficacy of europinidin in experimental animal models by subsiding the several biomarkers of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal enzymatic activities.
Pakistan CO2 Emission Modelling and Forecasting: A Linear and Nonlinear Time Series Approach
Authors: Tawiah Kassim , Daniyal Muhammad , Qureshi Moiz
Published: February 2023

Pakistan is considered among the top five countries with the highest CO2 emissions globally. This calls for pragmatic policy implementation by all stakeholders to bring finality to this alarming situation since it contributes greatly to global warming, thereby leading to climate change. This study is an attempt to make a comparative analysis of the linear time series models with nonlinear time series models to study CO2 emission data in Pakistan. These linear and nonlinear time series models were used to model and forecast future values of CO2 emissions for a short period. To assess and select the best model among these linear and nonlinear time series models, we used the root mean square error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) as performance indicators. The outputs showed that the nonlinear machine learning models are the best among all other models, having the lowest RMSE and MAE values. Based on the forecasted value of the nonlinear machine learning neural network autoregressive model, Pakistan’s CO2 emissions will be 1.048 metric tons per capita by 2028. The increasing trend in emissions is a frightening and clear warning, suggesting that innovative policies must be initiated to reduce the trend. We encourage the Pakistan government to price CO2 emissions by companies and entities per ton, adapt electricity production from hydro, wind, and different sources with no emissions of CO2, initiate rigorous planting of more trees in the populated areas of Pakistan as forest covers, provide incentives to companies, organisations, institutions, and households to come out with clean technologies or use technologies with no CO2 emissions or those with lower ones, and fund more studies to develop clean and innovative technologies with less or no CO2 emissions.
Positive Association between Hemoglobin Concentration and Blood Pressure in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Rafsanjan Cohort Study
Authors: Bazmandegan Gholamreza , Abbasifard Mitra , Ostadebrahimi Hamid , Gholamrezapour Mohammadreza , Kamiab Zahra
Published: February 2023

Introduction. Identification of factors associated with blood pressure (BP), including hemoglobin, can be used in diagnosing, controlling, and predicting the prognosis of patients. This study aims to investigate the cross-sectional association between hemoglobin concentration and BP in people aged 35–70 years in a cohort study of Rafsanjan, Iran. Method. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 9398 urban and rural population of Rafsanjan adult cohort study as a part of the prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran (PERSIAN). Demographic information, medical history, history of smoking and alcohol intake, systolic and diastolic BP, and hemoglobin concentration were collected. A logistic regression test was performed to evaluate the relationship between hemoglobin concentration and BP in 4 unadjusted and adjusted models based on demographic indicators, clinical and laboratory findings using SPSS.24 software and SAS software version 9.2. Results. The mean age of the participants was 49.78 ± 9.53 years, and 53.2% (5002 people) were women. Adjusted models 3 and 4 showed a positive association between BP and hemoglobin. For each unit increase in hemoglobin, the odds ratio (OR) of BP in the adjusted model 3 was 1.062 (95% CI: 1.005–1.121), and in the adjusted model 4, it was 1.090 (95% CI: 1.031–1.153). Conclusion. Based on the results, the positive trend of BP and hemoglobin levels may indicate the need to pay more attention to these people as higher-risk groups for hypertension.
Safe Travel Practices and Awareness among Diabetic Patients
Authors: Younis Afnan S. , Abouammoh Noura A. , AlBreacan Layla M. , Aldigi Yara , Kadi Atikah , Almohideb Nora , AlAmari Nouf , Almigbal Turky H.
Published: February 2023

Objective. To measure the knowledge of Saudi patients with diabetes in coping with their condition and to assess their practice of disease control during travels. Study Design. Cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire. Method. This study was conducted between September 2018 and May 2019 at a University hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questions were adopted from guidelines and advices provided by the CDC, American Diabetic Association, and other references. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with diabetic control during travels. Results. From the included 242 patients, 33.6% showed the good practice of diabetic control during travels. 23.7% of patients were communicated by their doctors about the importance of consultations before traveling and 20.7% encountered complications during travels. Factors associated with doctors’ consultation before travel are patients’ concerns about travel duration and possible risks during trip. (OR = 2.588, 95% CI = 5.308–1.261), (OR = 3.525, 95% CI = 8.152–1.525); respectively. Conclusion. Patient awareness and education about the importance of proper diabetic self-monitoring and control during travels is crucial as the study showed suboptimal diabetes management practice. Practice Implications. Physicians should proactively educate patients about the importance of seeking advice before their travels.
Vitamin A: A Key Inhibitor of Adipocyte Differentiation
Authors: Malibary Manal A.
Published: February 2023

Inhibiting adipocyte differentiation, the conversion of preadipocytes to mature functional adipocytes, might represent a new approach to treating obesity and related metabolic disorders. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α are two master coregulators controlling adipogenesis both in culture and in vivo. Many recent studies have confirmed the relationship between retinoic acid (RA) and the conversion of embryonic stem cells into adipocytes; however, these studies have shown that RA potently blocks the differentiation of preadipocytes into mature adipocytes. Nevertheless, the functional role of RA in early tissue development and stem cell differentiation, including in adipose tissue, remains unclear. This study highlights transcription factors that block adipocyte differentiation and maintain preadipocyte status, focusing on those controlled by RA. However, some of these novel adipogenesis inhibitors have not been validated in vivo, and their mechanisms of action require further clarification.
Prediction of Traffic Accident Severity Based on Random Forest
Authors: Yang Jianjun , Han Siyuan , Chen Yimeng
Published: February 2023

This paper used the data of automobile traffic accidents from 2018 to 2020 in the Chinese National Automobile Accident In-Depth Investigation System. The prediction features of traffic accident severity are innovated. Four accident features that did not participate in the importance ranking were added: accident location, accident form, road information, and collision speed. Eight accident features (engine capacity, hour of day, age of vehicle, month of year, day of week, age band of drivers, vehicle maneuver, and speed limit) have been used in previous studies. Random forest was used to rank the importance of 12 accident features, and 7 important accident features were finally adopted. By comparing the algorithms and optimizing the results, the prediction model of traffic accident degree with higher accuracy is finally obtained.
The Influence of Vermicompost and Various Concentrations of Lead on the Enzymatic Activity of Sierozem Soils of Kazakhstan
Authors: Sainova G. A. , Kaliyeva N. A. , Yuldashbek D. Kh , Akbasova A. D.
Published: February 2023

The influence of vermicompost and various concentrations of lead on the activity of hydrolytic (urease and protease) and oxidative-reducing (catalase and dehydrogenase) enzymes in the sierozem soil of Southern Kazakhstan (Turkestan region) was studied. Background unpolluted soils served as a control. The work shows a change in the enzymatic potential when vermicompost (8 t/ha) and lead are introduced into the soil in the concentration range of 16 to 160 mg/kg Pb. As a result of experimental studies, a decrease in the activities of catalase, protease, and dehydrogenase and, conversely, an increase in the activity of urease with an increase in the lead content in the soil system were revealed. Introduction of vermicompost (vermicompost) into the soil caused an increase in the activity of all studied enzymes and a decrease in the translocation ability of Pb. Inhibition of the process of translocation of lead into plants by vermicompost creates conditions for obtaining environmentally friendly agricultural products.
Active RIS‐Assisted Transmission Design for Wireless Secrecy Network with Energy Harvesting
Authors: Li Ping , Bian Jinhong
Published: February 2023

We investigated the secrecy transmission design in a simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) system, where an active reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is utilized to enhance the secure information transmission as well as the wireless energy transmission. Specifically, we studied the fairness secrecy rate maximization by jointly optimizing the transmit beamformer and the reflecting coefficients, subject to the transmit power constraint and the nonlinear energy harvesting constraint. To solve the formulated nonconvex problem, we utilize the successive convex approximation to reformulate the problem and then propose an alternating optimization to address the approximated problem. The simulation result showed the performance of the proposed design as well as the superiority of active RIS when compared with other benchmarks.
Making Decisions about How to Solve Nonlinear Dynamical Systems of the Kannan Type in a New Complex Function Space of Formal Power Series
Authors: Alsolmi Meshayil M. , Mustafa Arafa O. , Mohammed Mustafa M. , Bakery Awad A.
Published: February 2023

The sufficient settings of the space generated by absolute type-weighted gamma matrices of rank

p

in the Nakano complex functions of the formal power series, as well as its associated prequasioperators’ ideal equipped with definite functions, are defined and explained in this paper. Assorted prequasinorms are shown to have the Fatou characteristic. Some of its geometric and topological features and the prequasioperators’ ideal that goes with it are talked about. These structures have a relationship with the fixed points of the Kannan contraction and nonexpansive mappings. By looking at real-world examples and how they are used, it is shown that there are solutions for nonlinear dynamical systems of the Kannan type.
Solid Waste Management Practices and Challenges in Rural and Urban Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region, Ghana
Authors: Boateng Simon , Boakye-Ansah Doris , Baah Akosua , Aboagye Bosco , Kyeremeh Prince Adu-Gyamfi
Published: February 2023

This study is aimed at comparatively analyzing solid waste management practices and challenges in urban and rural senior high schools in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Multiple sampling techniques (simple random, stratified sampling, convenience sampling, stratified proportionate sampling, etc.) were used to sort 370 samples. Independent Sample

t

-test was used to compare solid waste management practices in rural and urban senior high schools. Mean and standard deviation were further used to examine the challenges the schools faced in managing waste. The study found that both rural and urban senior high schools had waste management practice systems in place but they were dissimilar. However, in both urban and rural senior high schools, the issue of inadequate resources for effective waste management was ubiquitous challenge confronting both set of schools in managing waste. Further, while poor student attitude towards waste management was a major constraint for rural schools, the urban schools had a challenge in terms of poor waste collection routine. Formation of environmental education clubs by school authorities among student can be a sine qua non for effective waste management practices among students, particularly for the rural folks. Again, waste management policies by the District Assemblies should not be exclusive to only the communities, as senior high schools have been experiencing population explosion with the introduction of the free senior high school policy.
Area-level Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Cancer Survival in Metropolitan Detroit
Authors: Snider Natalie G. , Hastert Theresa A. , Nair Mrudula , KC Madhav , Ruterbusch Julie J. , Schwartz Ann G. , Peters Edward S. , Stoffel Elena M. , Rozek Laura S. , Purrington Kristen S.
Published: February 2023

Background:

Racial segregation is linked to poorer neighborhood quality and adverse health conditions among minorities, including worse cancer outcomes. We evaluated relationships between race, neighborhood social disadvantage, and cancer survival.

Methods:

We calculated overall and cancer-specific survival for 11,367 non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and 29,481 non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer using data from the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System. The area deprivation index (ADI) was used to measure social disadvantage at the census block group level, where higher ADI is associated with poorer neighborhood factors. Associations between ADI and survival were estimated using Cox proportional hazards mixed-effects models accounting for geographic grouping and adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

Results:

Increasing ADI quintile was associated with increased overall mortality for all four cancer sites in multivariable-adjusted models. Stratified by race, these associations remained among breast (NHW: HR = 1.16, P < 0.0001; NHB: HR = 1.20, P < 0.0001), colorectal (NHW: HR = 1.11, P < 0.0001; NHB: HR = 1.09, P = 0.00378), prostate (NHW: HR = 1.18, P < 0.0001; NHB: HR = 1.18, P < 0.0001), and lung cancers (NHW: HR = 1.06, P < 0.0001; NHB: HR = 1.07, P = 0.00177). Cancer-specific mortality estimates were similar to overall mortality. Adjustment for ADI substantially attenuated the effects of race on mortality for breast [overall proportion attenuated (OPA) = 47%, P < 0.0001; cancer-specific proportion attenuated (CSPA) = 37%, P < 0.0001] prostate cancer (OPA = 51%, P < 0.0001; CSPA = 56%, P < 0.0001), and colorectal cancer (OPA = 69%, P = 0.032; CSPA = 36%, P = 0.018).

Conclusions:

Area-level socioeconomic disadvantage is related to cancer mortality in a racially diverse population, impacting racial differences in cancer mortality.

Impact:

Understanding the role of neighborhood quality in cancer survivorship could improve community-based intervention practices.
Landscape of Genetic Alterations Underlying Hallmark Signature Changes in Cancer RevealsTP53Aneuploidy–driven Metabolic Reprogramming
Authors: McClure Marni B. , Kogure Yasunori , Ansari-Pour Naser , Saito Yuki , Chao Hann-Hsiang , Shepherd Jonathan , Tabata Mariko , Olopade Olufunmilayo I. , Wedge David C. , Hoadley Katherine A. , Perou Charles M. , Kataoka Keisuke
Published: February 2023

The hallmark signatures based on gene expression capture core cancer processes. Through a pan-cancer analysis, we describe the overview of hallmark signatures across tumor types/subtypes and reveal significant relationships between these signatures and genetic alterations. TP53 mutation exerts diverse changes, including increased proliferation and glycolysis, which are closely mimicked by widespread copy-number alterations. Hallmark signature and copy-number clustering identify a cluster of squamous tumors and basal-like breast and bladder cancers with elevated proliferation signatures, frequent TP53 mutation, and high aneuploidy. In these basal-like/squamous TP53-mutated tumors, a specific and consistent spectrum of copy-number alterations is preferentially selected prior to whole-genome duplication. Within Trp53-null breast cancer mouse models, these copy-number alterations spontaneously occur and recapitulate the hallmark signature changes observed in the human condition. Together, our analysis reveals intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity of the hallmark signatures, uncovering an oncogenic program induced by TP53 mutation and select aneuploidy events to drive a worsened prognosis.

Significance:

Our data demonstrate that TP53 mutation and a resultant selected pattern of aneuploidies cause an aggressive transcriptional program including upregulation of glycolysis signature with prognostic implications. Importantly, basal-like breast cancer demonstrates genetic and/or phenotypic changes closely related to squamous tumors including 5q deletion that reveal alterations that could offer therapeutic options across tumor types regardless of tissue of origin.
Dicentric Recombinant Chromosome 18 due to Maternal Paracentric Inversion Analyzed by Array CGH
Authors: Anlaş Özlem , Ölmez Akgün , Karaman Birsen , Düzcan Füsun , Yüksel Selçuk , Tümkaya Funda , Bağcı Gülseren , Semerci Gündüz Cavidan Nur
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Chromosomal abnormalities are mostly found in 0.5–0.8% of live-born infants with developmental and morphological defects. Paracentric inversions are structural intrachromosomal rearrangements resulting in a risk of chromosomally unbalanced gametes in carriers. Case Presentation: Herein, we report a patient with dicentric rearrangement of chromosome 18 due to maternal paracentric inversion of chromosome 18. The patient was a girl, aged 3 years and 11 months. She was referred due to multiple congenital abnormalities, severe intellectual disability, and motor retardation. She had microcephaly, prominent metopic suture, synophrys, epicanthic folds, telecanthus, wide-set alae nasi, wide columella, bilateral cleft lip and palate, pectus carinatum, umbilical hernia, pes planus, and anteriorly displaced anus. She had bilateral external auditory canal stenosis and mild right-sided and moderate left-sided sensorineural hearing loss. Echocardiography showed secundum-type atrial septal defect and mild tricuspid failure. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed only thinning of posterior areas of the corpus callosum. Chromosome analysis showed 46,XX,dic rec(18) by GTG and C banding. Dicentric chromosome was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Paternal karyotype was normal 46,XY but maternal chromosome analysis showed a paracentric inversion in chromosome 18 with 46,XX,inv(18)(q11.2?q21.3?) karyotype. Array CGH was performed on a peripheral blood sample from the patient and showed duplication at 18p11.32p11.21 and 18q11.1q11.2, and deletion at 18q21.33q23. The patient’s final karyotype is arr 18p11.32p11.21(64,847_15,102,598)×3,18q11.1q11.2(18,542,074_22,666,470)×3,18q21.33q23(59,784,364_78,010,032)×1. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with dicentric chromosome 18 due to a parental paracentric inversion of chromosome 18. We present the genotype-phenotype correlation with literature review.
Confirmation of Natural Hybridization between Kengyilia (StStYYPP) and Campeiostachys (StStYYHH) (Triticeae: Poaceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Cytogenetic Analyses
Authors: Luo Yue-Chuan , Chen Chen , Wu Dan-Dan , Lu Jia-Le , Sha Li-Na , Fan Xing , Cheng Yi-Ran , Kang Hou-Yang , Wang Yi , Zhou Yong-Hong , Zhang Chang-Bing , Zhang Hai-Qin
Published: February 2023

Natural hybridization has been frequently observed in Triticeae; however, few studies have investigated the origin of natural intergeneric Triticeae hybrids. In the present study, we discovered three putative hybrid Triticeae plants in the Western Sichuan Plateau of China. Morphologically, the putative hybrids were intermediate between Kengyilia melanthera (2n = 6x = 42; StStYYPP) and Campeiostachys dahurica var. tangutorum (2n = 6x = 42; StStYYHH) with greater plant height and tiller number. Cytological analyses demonstrated that the hybrids were hexaploid with 42 chromosomes (2n = 6x = 42). At metaphase I, 12.10–12.58 bivalents and 13.81–14.18 univalents per cell were observed in the hybrid plants. Genomic in situ hybridization demonstrated that the hybrids had StStYYHP genomes. Phylogenetic analysis of Acc1 sequences indicated that the hybrids were closely related to K. melanthera and C. dahurica var. tangutorum. Our morphological, cytological, and molecular analyses indicate that these hexaploid natural hybrid plants may be hybrids of K. melanthera and C. dahurica var. tangutorum.
Melatonin Supports the Survival of Cholinergic Neurons in Organotypic Brain Slices of the Basal Nucleus of Meynert
Authors: Caruso Grazia Ilaria , Korde Dhwani S. , Humpel Christian
Published: February 2023

The nucleus basalis of Meynert (nBM) is the major source of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain, which require nerve growth factor (NGF) for their survival. Melatonin, a pleiotropic hormone, has been shown to exert neuroprotection in several experimental models, but its effect on nBM neurons is not well known. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of melatonin in organotypic brain slices of the nBM. Organotypic nBM slices were incubated for 2 weeks without (control) or with 100 ng/mL NGF, 1 μM melatonin, or a combination of both. Cholinergic neurons were immunohistochemically stained for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and subjected to a co-localization study with silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and melatonin receptor 1A (MT1A), both potentially involved in melatonin neuroprotection. Counting of ChAT-positive neurons in nBM slices showed that melatonin and NGF significantly increased the number of ChAT-positive neurons compared to the control in a dose-dependent manner (1–10 μM). In co-treatment with NGF, melatonin did not potentiate the maximal NGF-mediated effect. Immunohistochemical analysis proved that cholinergic nBM neurons co-localized with SIRT1 and MT1A receptor. Our data show that melatonin improves the survival of cholinergic nBM neurons and confirm that they express SIRT1 and MT1A.