bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of retinal pigment epithelium tears after intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab for the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Pradhan Eli , Subedi Kumudini , Prasai Gunjan , Khatri Anadi , Poudel Manish , Sharma Sanjita , Duwal Sushma , Bajimaya Sanyam , Thapa Raba , Paudyal Govinda
Published: October 2023

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of central loss of vision in the aging population. Intravitreal injection of anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) agents is considered one of the most effective modalities of treatment for the wet variantof AMD. With its widespread use, there is a growing concern of its association with retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) tears.
Methods: Sixty-one eyes of 51 patients diagnosed with wet AMD with signs of active Choroidal Neovascular Membrane (CNVM) were treated with intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab (Avastin [Roche]) in a response-dependent basis and were followed up for one year. Demographics, presenting best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of injections, presence or absence of pigment epithelial detachments (PED), occurrence of RPE tears determined by clinical examination, fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and final visual acuity were recorded.
Results: Thirty-four (66.7%) males and 17 (33.3%) females were included. 38(74.5%) participants had unilateral wet AMD and 13(25.5%) had bilateral disease. The average BCVA at presentation was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.9 to 1.2) LogMAR. There was presence of sub macular hemorrhage in 51 (83.6%) eyes and retinal thickening with clinical sign of active CNVM in 50 (82%) eyes. Fifty-three eyes had active CNVM based on FFA findings. CNVM was of occult type in 43 (81.1%) and classic type in 10 eyes (18.9%). Seven eyes (12.7%, 95% CI: 5.5 to 21.8) of the 55 eyes of this cohort developed RPE tear.
Conclusion: RPE tears with bevacizumab occurred in Nepalese population at a rate of 12.7% (95% CI: 5.5 to 21.8) which was similar compared to worldwide statistics. However, all patients undergoing intravitreal injection must be made aware of this possible and visually devastating complication.
Colchicine ameliorates myocardial injury induced by coronary microembolization through suppressing pyroptosis via the AMPK/SIRT1/NLRP3 signaling pathway
Authors: Li Hongqing , Yang Huafeng , Qin Zhenbai , Wang Qiang , Li Lang
Published: October 2023

Background
Coronary microembolization(CME)is a common complication in acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary intervention, which is closely related to poor prognosis. Studies have shown that colchicine༈COL༉is beneficial in the treatment of coronary artery disease. In addition, pyroptosis was found to be involved in myocardial injury caused by CME. However, the effect of colchicine on myocardial injury caused by CME is unclear. This study was carried out to explore the effects and mechanisms of colchicine on myocardial pyroptosis induced by CME.
Methods
The CME animal model was constructed with Sprague-Dawley rats, and colchicine pretreatment or compound C(CC)co-treatment was given before modeling. The study was divided into 4 groups: Sham group, CME group, CME + COL group, and CME + COL + CC group (10 rats for each group). Cardiac function, serum myocardial injury markers, myocardial histopathology, and pyroptosis-related indicators were used to evaluate the effects of colchicine.
Results
Colchicine pretreatment improved cardiac dysfunction and reduced myocardial injury induced by CME. The main manifestations were the improvement of left ventricular systolic function, the decrease of microinfarction area, and the decrease of mRNA and protein indexes related to pyroptosis. Mechanistically, colchicine increased the phosphorylation level of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), promoted the expression of silent information regulation T1 (SIRT1), and inhibited the expression of NOD-like receptor pyrin containing 3 (NLRP3) to reduce myocardial pyroptosis. However, after CC co-treatment, the effect of colchicine was partially reversed.
Conclusion
Colchicine improves CME-induced cardiac dysfunction and myocardial injury by inhibiting cardiomyocyte pyroptosis through the AMPK/SIRT1/NLRP3 signaling pathway.
RMSxAI: Arginine methylation sites prediction from protein sequencesusing Machine Learning algorithms and explainable ArtificialIntelligence
Authors: Dwivedi Gaurav , Khandelwal Monika , Rout Ranjeet , Umer Saiyed , Mallik Saurav , Qin Hong
Published: October 2023

Protein methylation is a vital regulator of many biological processes at the post-translational level,and accurate prediction of protein methylation sites is essential for research and drug discovery.In this paper, we present a new method, namely RMSxAI, to predict the arginine methylationsites from primary sequences using machine learning algorithms and describe the predictions usingexplainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques. Leveraging experimentally validated methylatedand unmethylated protein sequences from diverse organisms, we deduced several sequence features,encompassing physicochemical properties, amino acid composition, and evolutionary insights. Ourresults show that the proposed RMSxAI can predict protein methylation sites with high accuracy,bringing the F1 score up to 0.88 and overall accuracy up to 88.4%. We use various XAI methods toexplain the forecast. These include key features, partial occupancy maps, and local variation modelsthat provide insight into key features and interactions that lead to forecasts. Overall, our approach isrelevant to research and drug discovery, and our results demonstrate the potential of machine learningalgorithms and XAI methods to provide accurate and meaningful prediction of arginine methylationsites.
Physiological responses reveal the adaptability of different body colors in tuss ah (Antheraea pernyi ) under extreme heat stress
Authors: Li Hongda , Chen Miaomiao , Jiang Xiaoxu , Jiao Yang , Xu Liang , Li Xisheng , Zhong Liang
Published: October 2023

Background The tussah (Antheraea pernyi ) is an important silk-producing economic insect that needs to be reared in the wild. High temperature is a severe environmental factor affecting growth and reducing yield. Differentbody color species of A. pernyi present latitudinal distribution, and the reasons are still poorly understood. Therefore, this study was undertaken on the adaptability of different body colors of A. pernyi in response to extreme thermal temperatures, by detecting the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and level of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and (Catalase) CAT enzyme activities could display differences in different body color species.
Results This study revealed that 1. The highest SOD enzyme activity was observed in green-yellow species(Liao Can 527), and the enzyme activity was relatively lowest in yellow species (Fang shan huang). The SOD enzyme activities of the three species revealed remarkable differences after 1 h of heat shock(p<0.05). 2. The highest CAT enzyme activity was observed in green species(Ji qing), three species exhibited significant differences in CAT enzyme activity at 3 h(p<0.05), but the CAT enzyme activity was relatively low in the hemolymph. 3. The mRNA expression levels of HSP70 in the three species elevated to a maximum after 1 h of treatment and then gradually down-regulated. The HSP70 expression of green species was lowest and yellow species was highest in response to exposure to the thermal environment. The expression levels of HSP70 were significantly different among the three species at 2 h after treatment. The findings trending towards that SOD and CAT enzyme activities both showed an increasing trend followed by a decrease were subjected to acute thermal challenge and levels of HSP70 expression presented a decreasing pattern. Correlation analysis revealed that SOD activity was negatively correlated with time, and HSP70 expression presented species dependence.
Conclusion These achievements provide evidence that differences in heat resistance of different body colors A. pernyi. Yellow body color is more heat resistant and conforms to low-latitude adaptability, other body colors are relatively weak. In addition, the SOD enzyme activity and HSP70 gene expression of A. pernyiare advantageous in assessing the resistance of species.
Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy in glial tumors – a histomorphological analysis
Authors: Radtke Karen , Schulz-Schaeffer Walter , Oertel Joachim Manfred Karl
Published: October 2023

Objective:
Extent of resection and neurological outcome are important prognostic markers for overall survival. Confocal laser endomicroscopy is a tool to examine tissue without the need for fixation or staining. This study aims to analyze gliomas in confocal laser endomicroscopy identify reliable diagnostic criteria for glial matter and glial tumors.
Material and methods:
One-hundred-and-five glioma specimens were analyzed using a 670nm confocal laser endomicroscope, then processed to hematoxylin-eosin-stained frozen sections. All confocal images and frozen sections were evaluated for the following criteria: presence of tumor; cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, changes of the extracellular glial matrix, microvascular proliferation, necrosis and mitotic activity. Recurring characteristics were identified. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were assessed for each feature.
Results:
All 125 specimens could be processed and successfully analyzed via confocal laser endomicroscopy. We found diagnostic criteria to identify white and grey matter and analyze cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, changes of the glial matrix, vascularization and necrosis in glial tumors. An accuracy of > 90.0% was reached for grey matter, cellularity and necrosis, > 80.0% for white matter and nuclear pleomorphism and > 70.0% for microsvascular proliferation and changes of the glial matrix. Mitotic activity could not be identified.
Conclusion:
Autofluorescence-based confocal laser endomicroscopy provides reliable information on tissue microstructure in glial tissue without further processing. The use of those diagnostic criteria to differentiate between glial tumor tissue and surrounding brain tissue as well as high grade versus low grade and astroglial versus oligodendroglial tumors was assessed in a follow-up study.
Trend analysis and prediction of the incidence and mortality of CKD in China and the US
Authors: Zhu Wenpeng , Han Mengqi , Wang Yuxin , Wang Guoping
Published: October 2023

Purpose
Currently, limited research is available on the comparative analysis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence and mortality rates between China and the United States. This study aimed to explore the trends in CKD incidence and mortality rates in both countries, as well as make some future predictions.
Methods
A Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze temporal trends in CKD incidence and mortality. An age-period-cohort model was used to assess the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on CKD risk and forecast the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of CKD in China and the US over the next 15 years.
Results
CKD incidence in China and the US showed an upward trend. Its mortality rate showed a downward trend in China but an upward one in the US. The relative risk (RR) of CKD incidence and mortality increased with age, although individuals aged 0–5 years had a higher RR of CKD incidence. Over time, the RR of CKD incidence has gradually increased in China and the US. Individuals born in later birth cohorts had a lower RR of CKD incidence and mortality. The ASIR of CKD may increase in both China and the US, whereas its ASMR may decline over the next 15 years.
Conclusion
Screening measures should be strengthened among populations at high risk of CKD; prenatal examinations of pregnant women should be emphasized to reduce CKD incidence in newborns. It is imperative to increase health education and encourage individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Decision-making regarding dental treatments – What factors matter from patients’ perspective and does Covid-19 influence patients’ behavior? A systematic review
Authors: Felgner Susanne , Handrock Johannes-Felix , Schroll Carmen Cecilia , Schütte Fabian , Henschke Cornelia
Published: October 2023

Background
Achieving dental health for the population should be a concern of a public health care system, as it may affect its expenditures in the long term. Patients often face individual challenges in dental health care. Why patients decide for or against dental treatments can be determined by many factors, e.g., own financial resources, preferences, and external circumstances. The study’s aim is to identify these factors with an international perspective.
Methods
We systematically searched for literature in three biomedical databases. Factors of choice were extracted from relevant publications. We used a qualitative approach for analysis, and the MMAT (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool) for quality assessment.
Results
After multistage screening of n = 4,226 publications by two reviewers, n = 233 relevant articles of different study types [qualitative (n = 42), quantitative (n = 177), and mixed methods (n = 14)] were included in the analysis. Data collection was realized across different settings [e.g., practice (n = 18)] and approaches (e.g., interviews) in n = 49 countries. Included articles focused on specific treatments (e.g., caries treatment) or treatments in general (e.g., dental tourism). Across countries, various factors of choice (n = 101) were identified, divided into three categories: (I) "dentist & dental institution" (e.g., communication), (II) "patient" (e.g., dental fear), and (III) "treatment" (e.g., durability). The factors out-of-pocket payment and dental fear were mentioned most frequently (n = 148, n = 73). In countries with most articles [UK (n = 28), Saudi Arabia (n = 23), USA (n = 22), India (n = 19), and Brazil (n = 14)], out-of-pocket payment was identified most often [e.g., India: in 68%, and the UK: in 56% of articles]. Frequency of the factor dental fear varied by country. One publication addressed the Covid-19 pandemic reporting that treatment appointments were cancelled by patients due to their fear of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Study quality is highly variable.
Conclusions
A variety of factors influence patients' choice regarding dental treatments. There is little research on impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Knowing patients’ reasons for seeking dental care can help to inform decisions about interventions to improve dental health. Regulatory measures and information efforts should be adapted to reduce patients’ access barriers to dental care, and to reduce expenditures of health care systems in the long term.
ACE2 expression in PBMC and plasma markers of vasculopathy and fibrosis during early COVID – implications for post-COVID conditions
Authors: Ahmed Gulrayz , Abdelgadir Yasir , Abdelghani Amro , Simpson Pippa , Barbeau Jody , Basel Donald , Barrios Christy S. , Smith Brandon A , Schilter Kala F , Udani Rupa , Reddi Honey , Willoughby Rodney
Published: October 2023

Background: Severe COVID is uncommon, restricted to 19% of the population. In response to the first virus wave (alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2), we investigated whether variable expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in blood might identify this difference in risk.
Methods: The study was IRB-approved, comparing patients hospitalized with severe COVID to healthy controls. A single blood sample was obtained within a day of admission. ACE2 RNA expression in blood cells was measured by RT-PCR assay. Plasma ACE1 and ACE2 enzyme activities were quantified by fluorescent peptides. Plasma TIMP-1, PIIINP and MMP-2 antigens were quantified by ELISA. Data were entered into REDCap and analyzed using STATA v 14 and GraphPad Prism v 10.
Results: 48 subjects and 72 controls were recruited. ACE2 RNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was rarely detected acutely during severe COVID but common in healthy controls (OR for undetected ACE2: 12.4 [95% CI: 2.62-76.1]). ACE2 RNA expression in PBMC did not determine plasma ACE1 and ACE2 activity, suggesting alternative cell-signaling pathways. Markers of fibrosis (TIMP-1 and PIIINP) and vasculitis (MMP-9) were also elevated. ACE2 RNA expression during severe COVID often responded within hours to convalescent plasma. By analogy to oncogenesis, we speculate that potent, persistent, cryptic processes following COVID (the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), inflammation, fibrosis and vasculopathy) initiate or promote post-COVID conditions (PCC) in susceptible individuals. These may respond to convalescent plasma or its derivatives, fresh-frozen plasma or IVIG.
Conclusions: This work is hypothesis-generating, elucidating biological and temporal plausibility for ACE2, TIMP1, PIIINP and MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of PCC. Intersection of these independent systems is uncommon and may in part explain the rarity of PCC.
Cellular dynamics in the maize leaf growth zone during recovery from chilling depends on the leaf developmental stage
Authors: Laine Cindy , Elgawad Hamada Abd , Beemster Gerrit
Published: October 2023

• Zea mays, a major crop, is highly sensitive to chilling which frequently occurs during its seedling stage and negatively affects yields. Although the direct effect of chilling is well-studied, the mechanisms determining the subsequent recovery are still unknown. Our goal is to determine the cellular basis of the leaf growth response to chilling and during recovery of leaves exposed before or after their emergence. • We first studied the effect of a 3-day cold spell on leaf growth at the plant level. Then, we performed a kinematic analysis to analyse the dynamics of cell division and elongation during recovery of the 4th leaf after exposure to cold before or after emergence. • Our results demonstrated cold more strongly reduced the final length of non-emerged than emerged leaves (-13 vs -18%). This was not related to growth differences during cold, but a faster and more complete recovery of the growth of emerged leaves. This difference was due to a higher cell division rate on the 1st and a higher cell elongation rate on the 2nd -day of recovery, respectively. • The dynamics of cell division and expansion during recovery determine developmental stage-specific differences in cold tolerance of maize leaves.
Gankyrin inhibits ferroptosis through the P53/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis in Triple-negative breast cancer cells
Authors: Lei Ming , Zhang Yun-long , Huang Feng-Ying , Chen Hengyu , Chen Ming-Hui , Wu Ri-Hong , Dai Shu-Zhen , He Gui-Sheng , Tan Guang-Hong , Zheng Wu-Ping
Published: October 2023

Gankyrin is found in high levels in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and has been established to form a complex with the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 and p53, resulting in the degradation of p53 in hepatocarcinoma cells. Therefore, this study sought to determine whether gankyrin could inhibit ferroptosis through this mechanism in TNBC cells. The expression of gankyrin was investigated in relation to the prognosis of TNBC using bioinformatics. Co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays were then conducted to determine the presence of a gankyrin and MDM2 complex. RT-qPCR and immunoblotting were used to examine molecules related to ferroptosis, such as gankyrin, p53, MDM2, SLC7A11, and GPX4. Additionally, cell death was evaluated using flow cytometry detection of 7-AAD and a lactate dehydrogenase release assay, as well as lipid peroxide C11-BODIPY. Results showed that the expression of gankyrin is significantly higher in TNBC tissues and cell lines,and is associated with a poor prognosis for patients. Subsequent studies revealed that inhibiting gankyrin activity triggered ferroptosis in TNBC cells. Additionally, silencing gankyrin caused an increase in the expression of the p53 protein, without altering its mRNA expression. Co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down experiments indicated that gankyrin and MDM2 form a complex. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking both MDM2 and p53, this gankyrin/MDM2 complex was observed to ubiquitinate p53, thus raising the expression of molecules inhibited by ferroptosis, such as SLC7A11 and GPX4. Furthermore, silencing gankyrin in TNBC cells disrupted the formation of the gankyrin/MDM2 complex, hindered the degradation of p53, increased SLC7A11 expression, impeded cysteine uptake, and decreased GPX4 production. Our findings suggest that TNBC cells are able to prevent cell ferroptosis through the gankyrin/p53/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway, indicating that gankyrin may be a useful biomarker for predicting TNBC prognosis or a potential therapeutic target.
Investigation of the Influence of Solid-Liquid Interface Shape Based on the Jordan Model on Cz-Silicon Dislocation Defects
Authors: Li Tai , Zhao Liang , Huang Zhenling , Zhao Liang , Shi Yindong , Li Shaoyun , Ren Yongsheng , Lv Guoqiang , Ma Wenhui
Published: October 2023

During the growth of Czochralski single crystal silicon, the change of solid-liquid interface shape leads to uneven distribution of thermal stress, and the concentration of thermal stress leads to crystal defects in the process of single crystal formation, which reduces the efficiency of solar cells. In order to avoid a large number of crystal defects caused by the concentration of thermal stress near the solid-liquid interface, the effect of the solid-liquid interface shape on thermal stresses is investigated in this study using numerical calculations to determine the most favourable solid-liquid interface shape for single crystal silicon growth. The results show that the von Mises stress on the m-shaped solid-liquid interface is smaller ; von Mises stress distribution on the solid-liquid interface of a shape is more uniform ; the von Mises stress on the solid-liquid interface of the n-shaped solid-liquid interface is large, and the von Mises stress can be released by controlling the solid-liquid flipping through a small range of pulling speed fluctuations, thereby reducing defects in single-crystal silicon.
Analysis of the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and driving forces of the NDVI in the Chengdu-Chongqing region from 2001 to 2020
Authors: Zhang Luoqi , Zhang Yan , Wang Junyi , Liang Xinyu , Wei Yali
Published: October 2023

The research on the spatiotemporal changes and driving factors of ecosystems in rapidly urbanizing regions has always been a topic of widespread concern. As the fourth pole of China's economic development, the research on the Chengdu-Chongqing region has reference significance for the urbanization process of developing countries such as India, Brazil, and South Africa.The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has been widely applied in studies of plant and ecosystem changes. Based on MODIS NDVI data from 2001 to 2020 and meteorological data of the same period, this study reveal the evolution of NDVI in the Chengdu-Chongqing region from three aspects: the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of NDVI, the prediction of future trends in vegetation coverage, and the response of vegetation to climate change and human activities. During the period of plant growth, the mean NDVI achieved a value of 0.78, and the vegetation coverage rate is increasing year by year. According to the Hurst index, the future NDVI in Chengdu-Chongqing region will tend to decrease, and its trend is opposite to that of the past period of time. The Chengdu-Chongqing region vegetation positively affected by human activities are greater than those negatively affected, and in terms of vegetation degradation, the impact of human activities is greater than climate change.
Effective cooperation leading to support of reforestation via a ‘climate public goods game’ in the Chinese collectivistic society
Authors: Pansini Riccardo , Kesberg Rebekka , Shi Lei
Published: October 2023

Theories on evolution of cooperation assume that interacting individuals can change their strategies under different expected payoffs and cultural contexts. The willingness to invest resources into partners and to cooperate may therefore vary in collectivistic Eastern Asia as opposed to more individualistic Western countries partly because of cultural differences. An experiment was implemented examining the willingness of young Chinese subjects to mitigate the consequences of climate change in a country severely affected by air pollution. Following a design already implemented in Germany (Jacquet et al. 2013 Nat Clim Change), we set up a public goods game in which groups of six students had to reach a minimum investment threshold to be able to save funds for a reforestation project to curb climate change. Differently from the German model in which none of the groups managed to reach the threshold, five out of eight Chinese groups cooperate successfully to reach the reforestation goal. We attribute to cultural differences of individualism and collectivism the main explanation for these different results. In China, in fact, collectivistic values allow for the emergence of this environmentally driven cooperation.
Finite element analysis of three internal fixations for the posteromedial split fracture fragment in tibial plateau fractures
Authors: Zhang Wupeng , Xu Cheng , Jia Zhengfeng , Li Hua , Wang Daofeng , Gao Weilu , Tang Peifu , Li Jiantao , Zhang Licheng
Published: October 2023

Purpose
To compare and explain the biomechanical advantages and disadvantages of different internal fixation methods for the treatment of the posteromedial split fracture fragment in tibial plateau fractures.
Methods
Finite element models of the tibial plateau fracture were constructed. And 3 different internal fixations were developed to treat the posteromedial split fracture fragment in tibial plateau fractures finite element models: a: the novel anatomic locking plate fixation model, b: the common anatomic locking plate fixation model, c: the reconstruction plate fixation model. We applied the same loading conditions to each model: 320 N axial compression. Under the same condition, the von Mises stress (VMS) and displacement distribution of the 3 internal fixations and tibia plateau were studied.
Results
The stress values of the novel anatomic locking plate were lower than the common anatomic locking plate and the reconstruction plate. And the novel anatomic locking plate fixation system also has smaller maximum displacement. The peak stress value on the maximal stress point in the fracture fragment, tibia, plate and screws with model a, b, and c were 1.327 MPa vs. 1.164 MPa vs. 0.835 MPa, 27.64 MPa vs. 24.985 MPa vs. 23.437 MPa, 108.648 MPa vs. 123.298 MPa vs. 163.541 MPa, and 69.234 MPa vs. 86.547 MPa vs. 99.214 MPa, respectively. The maximum displacement of the tibia, plate and screws with model a, b, and c were 0.693 mm vs. 0.758 mm vs. 0.832 mm, 0.665 mm vs. 0.727 mm vs. 0.795 mm, and 0.615 mm vs. 0.732 mm vs. 0.751 mm, respectively.
Conclusions
In conclusion, our study indicated that the novel anatomic locking plate resulted in a lower stress distribution in the plate and screws, and better stability than the common anatomic locking plate and the reconstruction plate for the posteromedial split fracture fragment in tibial plateau fractures fixation under the same loading conditions. Thus, for the posteromedial split fracture fragment in tibial plateau fractures, the use of the novel anatomic locking plate internal fixation is recommended.
Longitudinal analysis on inflammatory markers and frailty progression: based on the English longitudinal study of aging
Authors: He Lingxiao , Yang Jinzhu , Fang Ya
Published: October 2023

Background: Frailty is a common health state that is closely linked to adverse health outcomes in aging society. Although many inflammatory biomarkers have been cross-sectionally associated with frailty, knowledge on the longitudinal association is still limited.
Aims: To investigate the associations of three common inflammatory markers (hypersensitive C-reactive protein [hsCRP], white blood cell [WBC] and fibrinogen) with the progression of frailty. Methods: Data of 2316 participants (age 67.9 ± 6.1 years) were obtained from the English longitudinal study of aging (wave 4, 6 and 8) over an 8-year follow-up. The frailty index (FI) was calculated from 52 items. Mixed-effects models and Cox proportional hazards (Cox-PH) models were used to analyze the associations of hsCRP, WBC and fibrinogen with frailty progression. Values of inflammatory biomarkers were log-transformed. Age, sex and annual income were controlled.
Results: Mixed-effects models showed that at a cross-sectional level, higher levels of hsCRP (β: 0.007, 95%CI: 0.004~0.010), WBC (β: 0.021, 95%CI: 0.010~0.032) and fibrinogen (β: 0.022, 95%CI: 0.005~0.038) were associated with greater FI values while no significant time interaction was found. Cox-PH models showed that higher baseline levels of hsCRP (HR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.03~1.17) and WBC (HR: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.10~1.37) were linked to greater risk of developing frailty within 8 years.
Conclusions: We concluded that hsCRP, WBC and fibrinogen can reflect frailty status at a cross-sectional level while only hsCRP and WBC are associated with frailty progression over an 8-year period.
Precise colocalization of sorghum's major chilling tolerance locus with Tannin1 is due to tight linkage drag not antagonistic pleiotropy
Authors: Schuh Anthony , Felderhoff Terry J , Marla Sandeep , Morris Geoffrey P
Published: October 2023

Chilling tolerance in crops can increase resilience through longer growing seasons, drought escape, and nitrogen use efficiency. In sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench), breeding for chilling tolerance has been stymied by coinheritance of the largest-effect chilling tolerance locus, qSbCT04.62, with the major gene underlying undesirable grain proanthocyanidins, WD40 transcriptional regulator Tannin1. To test whether this coinheritance is due to antagonistic pleiotropy of Tannin1, we developed and studied near-isogenic lines (NILs) carrying chilling tolerant haplotypes at qCT04.62. Whole-genome sequencing of the NILs revealed introgressions spanning part of the qCT04.62 confidence interval, including the Tannin1 gene and an ortholog of Arabidopsis cold regulator CBF/DREB1G. Segregation pattern of grain tannin in NILs confirmed the presence of wildtype Tannin1 and the reconstitution of a functional MYB-bHLH-WD40 regulatory complex. Low-temperature germination did not differ between NILs, suggesting that Tannin1 does not modulate this component of chilling tolerance. Similarly, NILs did not differ in seedling growth rate under either of two contrasting controlled environment chilling scenarios. Finally, while the chilling tolerant parent line had notably different photosynthetic response from the susceptible parent line – including greater non-photochemical quenching before, during, and after chilling – the NIL responses match the susceptible parent. Thus, it is likely that tight linkage drag, not pleiotropy, underlies the precise colocalization of Tan1 with qCT04.62 and the qCT04.62 quantitative trait nucleotide lies outside the NIL introgressions. Our findings suggest breaking linkage at this locus would advance chilling tolerance breeding in sorghum and the identification of a novel chilling tolerance regulator.
Assessment of the incidence of lateral incisive canals in a Japanese population using dental cone-beam computed tomography
Authors: Ogawa Atsushi , Ikeda Yunosuke , Kawai Tadashi , Izumisawa Mitsuru , Fujimura Akira , Yamada Hiroyuki
Published: October 2023

Purpose
This observational study employed dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to evaluate the incidence and anatomical features of neurovascular structures within the lateral incisive canal (LIC).
Methods
CBCT images obtained from 221 patients were evaluated to determine the presence, diameter, and length of the LIC.
Results
In this study, LICs were identified in 24.4% of the included CBCT images (bilaterally in 61.1% and unilaterally in 38.9%). One LIC was observed in 57.4% of cases, while two and three LICs were observed in 16.7% and 14.8% of cases, respectively, with only a minority of cases displaying four to six LICs. The mean diameters of the LIC and foramen were 0.7 ± 0.3 mm (0.3 − 1.8) and 0.8 ± 0.4 mm (0.3–2.3), respectively. Moreover, the mean length of the LIC was 8.9 ± 4.1 mm (2.1–32.3). The incidence of LICs (24.4%) in our study was lower than that reported in previous CBCT studies on Asian populations. However, it is important to note that there may be regional differences in the incidence of anatomical structures, even among individuals of the same race.
Conclusion
Identification of the LIC through CBCT can provide valuable information for surgical procedures involving the anterior maxilla.
Population structure and pest dynamics of invasive whiteflies, Rugose spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus) and Bondar nesting whitefly (Paraleyrodes bondari) on Oil Palm
Authors: Subbanna A. R.N.S. , S. Sai Tejasri , Shil Sandip , CH. Chinnabbai , N. Emmanuel
Published: October 2023

Globalization of trade occasionally resulted in unwanted biological invasions incurring huge monetary losses. The recent alien whitefly complex on palms in India viz., rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin and bondar nesting whitefly (BNW), Paraleyrodes bondari Peracchi are well dispersed and established. Although both are coexisting on oil palm, the distribution patterns and population dynamics are studied using population counts of four fronds at four directions and at three locations per frond (base middle and tip) taken over four months (February, March, April and May, 2022) on 36 palms of a garden. The results revealed that both species preferred tip leaflets of frond with no significant difference between middle and tip leaflets in case of RSW and with a clear significant preference of tip leaflets in case of BNW. Specific preference of palms, population variation over time and locations are revealed. The reduction in population over time was prevalent in RSW. These results help in understanding the population dynamics and designing effective management tools against both the pests as unified program.
Effects of the grass in different phenological periods on rumen fermentation and gastrointestinal tract bacteria community in grazing yak on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Guo Tongqing , Wang Xungang , Zhang Qian , Wang Yalin , Wei Lin , Li Na , Xu Xianli , Liu Hongjin , Hu Linyong , Zhao Na , Xu Shixiao
Published: October 2023

Background: In this study, we investigated the effects of grass in different phenological periods on ruminal fermentation, serum biochemical indices, and gastrointestinal tract microbes in grazing yak on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A total of eighteen female freely grazing yaks with an average age of 3 years old and a body weight of 130 ± 19 kg were selected. According to the plant phenology periods, yaks were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: (1) regreen periods group (RP, n = 6); (2) grassy periods group (GP, n = 6); (3) hay periods group (HP, n = 6). At the end of the experiment, the blood, rumen fluids, and rectal contents were collected to perform further analysis.
Results: Yak in the GP group increased the concentration of total volatile fatty acid (TVFA), acetate, urea acid (UA), glucose (GLU), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHO), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), the abundance of Prevotella in the rumen, and the abundances of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-004 in the gut (P < 0.05). However, yak in the HP group increased the concentrations of isobutyrate, isovalerate, valerate, creatinine (CREA), the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group in the rumen, and the abundances of Romboutsia and Arthrobacterin the gut (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Based on the results of rumen fermentation, serum biochemical, differential biomarkers, and function prediction, yak increased the digestion of carbohydrates via gastrointestinal tract microbes with the grass regreen and grassy. However, the gastrointestinal tract of yaks increased the risk of microbe disorders and host inflammation with the grass wither.
Indocyanine green endoscopic evaluation of pituitary stalk and gland blood flow in craniopharyngiomas
Authors: Makino Ryutaro , Fujio Shingo , Sugata Jun , Yonenaga Masanori , Hanada Tomoko , Higa Nayuta , Yamahata Hitoshi , Hanaya Ryosuke
Published: October 2023

Objective: We aimed to assess the use of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence endoscopy to evaluate pituitary blood flow in craniopharyngioma resection and its possible impact on intraoperative decisions regarding pituitary stalk processing.
Methods: Patients with craniopharyngiomas who had undergone transsphenoidal surgery since March 2021, when an ICG endoscope was introduced at Kagoshima University Hospital, were included in the study. When targeted tumor removal was approaching completion, 10 mg of ICG was administered intravenously, and blood flow in the pituitary stalk and gland was evaluated. Subsequently, ICG signals and endocrinological status before and after surgery were evaluated retrospectively. Pituitary stalk and gland blood flow was evaluated as sufficient (++), weakly positive (+), and no signal (-).
Results: Ten patients with craniopharyngiomas underwent transsphenoidal surgery using an ICG endoscope (mean age 56.6 ± 14.2 years; 40% male). Among the eight patients in whom the pituitary stalk was preserved, pituitary function with sufficient signal on the stalk was intact in two. Two other patients with weakly positive stalk and sufficient pituitary gland signals showed intact function or minimal pituitary dysfunction. Four patients had impairments in more than three axes with poor ICG signals in the stalk or pituitary gland. Two patients underwent pituitary amputation because of high tumor invasion and lack of ICG signal in the stalk after tumor removal, resulting in panhypopituitarism.
Conclusion: A negative ICG signal is likely to indicate postoperative loss of pituitary function. Craniopharyngioma surgery using ICG endoscopy may be useful for predicting endocrine prognosis and improving tumor outcomes.
High-precision matching algorithm for multi-image segmentation of micro animation videos in mobile network environment
Authors: Su Yehui , Djenouri Youcef
Published: October 2023

In the mobile network environment, the accuracy of related image matching algorithms is affected by factors such as bandwidth uncertainty and channel interference, resulting in significant limitations in image feature matching. This article designs a high-precision matching algorithm for multi-image segmentation of micro animation videos in mobile network environments. Fully denoise micro animation video images using 2D High Density Discrete Wavelet Transform (HD-DWT), and apply fixed block count segmentation to process micro animation video images; Using Harris algorithm to complete image corner detection and obtain corner features of sub images; In the K-means clustering algorithm, SIFT feature vectors are divided into clusters and paired with the nearest neighbor cluster in another sub image to form a sub image matching pair, completing block based sub image matching; Combine all sub image matching results to obtain video image matching results, and use the Improved Random Sampling Consistency (RANCAS) algorithm to remove incorrect matching during the matching process, improving matching accuracy. The experimental results show that the designed algorithm can effectively reduce image noise, improve image quality, and generate a large number of matching pairs in mobile network environments. After the application of the designed algorithm, the production effect of micro animated videos in mobile networks can be significantly improved.
Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis of Hub Genes in Ischemic Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Zhou Meimei , Xu Youkang , Zhang Lili , Yang Yushan , Zheng Jiejiao
Published: October 2023

Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) frequently coexist and mutually influence each other. The association between AF and the subtype of HF, Ischaemic heart failure (IHF), remains insufficiently described, despite their high prevalence. Hence, comprehending their underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic targets are urgently needed.
Methods
Datasets for HF (GSE57338) and AF (GSE128188) were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Intersecting these sets generated common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for further analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and hub gene identification. Subsequently, the HF dataset (GSE116250) and AF dataset (GSE2240) were utilized to confirm the expression of the hub genes.
Results
The study identified 20 common DEGs. Among them, 10 hub genes (SFRP4, FMOD, HAPLN1, LTBP2, SVEP1, BCL6, ANPEP, CD38, ATRNL1, and BEX1) were found to be associated with the co-occurrence of HF and AF.
Conclusion
The identified 10 hub genes can serve as potentially valuable biomarkers for IHF and AF. Enrichment analysis reveals that these potential biomarkers are significantly associated with extracellular matrix, nicotinate, and nicotinamide metabolism, providing a foundational target for the joint diagnosis and treatment of the two diseases.
A nomogram to predict survival in patients older than 65 years with rectal cancer: A SEER-based population study
Authors: Nong Sikai , Huang Huan , Mo Qiyan , Zhang Weiming
Published: October 2023

Background: There has been no construction of nomograms specifically geared towards pblueicting the prognosis of older patients with rectal cancer. Our objective was to create a nomogram that can accurately pblueict the chances of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) for older patients with rectal cancer,stratifying them into distinct risk groups.
Methods: Data of older than 65 years with rectal cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2020 were extracted.
Results: A total of 12,780 patients were collected in order to identify the independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) and construct nomograms. The factors included age, sex, race,year of diagnos, marital status, grade, tumor size, CEA, T classification, N classification, Months from diagnosis to treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. LASSO regression was used for this purpose. The results showed that grade, chemotherapy, and months from diagnosis to treatment were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS, while grade, chemotherapy, and tumor size were identified as independent prognostic factors for CSS. The concordance index of the CSS nomogram was 0.609 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.598-0.619) in the training cohort and 0.682 (95%CI, 0.665-0.698) in the validation cohort. The concordance index of the OS nomogram was 0.697 (95%CI, 0.686-0.708) in the training cohort and 0.605 (95%CI, 0.589-0.621) in the validation cohort.
Conclusion: Caution should be taken when administering adjuvant therapy after surgery in older patients with rectal cancer,as we have developed and validated a new pblueictive nomogram for CSS and OS.
Ophthamological Conditions Among Elderly Patients Attending a Private Eye Care Facility in Malawi.
Authors: Banda Owen , Ogbonna Grace , Mzumara Thokozani
Published: October 2023

Background: The elderly comprises the fastest-expanding age group globally, with the greatest increase occurring in developing countries. The elderly populace is prone to develop various ocular morbidities.
Purpose: To determine the distribution of ocular morbidities among the elderly population visiting a private eye care facility in Malawi.
Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at St John’s Hospital in Mzuzu, Malawi. We retrieved data from the hospital’s ophthalmic outpatient registry from January to December 2021. A non-probability census sampling technique was used to recruit 52 elderly patients. Data analysis were done employing SPSS (v.26)
Results: Less males 25 (48.1%) than females 27 (51.9%) had ocular morbidities. Refractive error 21 (40.4%) was the most prevalent ocular morbidity followed by cataract 13 (25.0%), pinguecula 6 (11.5%), and glaucoma 4 (7.7%). No sex and age association were found with any of the ocular morbidities (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The pattern of eye diseases is endemic to the country. More resources should be targeting main causes of preventable blindness including refractive error and cataracts.
Hygro-Photo-Thermoelastic Solid Cylinder under Moisture and Thermal Diffusivity with Two Temperatures
Authors: Singh Kulvinder , Kaur Iqbal , Craciun Eduard-Marius
Published: October 2023

A new model for the simulation of moisture and thermal diffusivity in a semiconducting solid cylinder according to the Moore-Gibson-Thompson-Photo-Thermal (MGTPT) equation with two-temperature (Conducive and Thermodynamic temperature) theory of thermoelasticity has recently been presented. The purpose of this study is to investigate the photo-thermoelasticity of an infinite semiconducting solid cylinder rotating with the boundary surface being subjected to a laser pulse with a variable heat flux. For this purpose, the mathematical model is solved by using the Laplace transform technique in the transformed domain. The numerical inversion of the mathematical model yields all the physical parameters in the physical domain, such as displacement components, conductive temperatures, thermal stresses, and carrier densities. In order to clearly illustrate the effects of reference moisture with two temperatures, a graphic representation of all these parameters is generated by using the MATLAB software. The results of this study will be useful in further enhancing the behavior of semiconductors under these dynamic loading conditions and in hence, improve their performance in various applications. Thus, the model provides an effective way to model the moisture and thermal diffusivities of the solid cylinder in order to better understand phenomena occurring in a broad range of semiconductor devices and more effectively design them.
Data-driven Bayesian inference for stochastic model identification of nonlinear aeroelastic systems
Authors: McGurk Michael , Lye Adolphus , Renson Ludovic , Yuan Jie
Published: October 2023

The objective of this work is to propose a data-driven Bayesian inference framework to efficiently identify parameters and select models of nonlinear aeroelastic systems. The framework consists of the use of Bayesian theory together with advanced Kriging surrogate models to effectively represent the limit cycle oscillation response of nonlinear aeroelastic systems. Three types of sampling methods, namely Markov Chain Monte-Carlo, Transitional Markov Chain Monte-Carlo, and the Sequential Monte-Carlo sampler, are implemented into Bayesian model updating. The framework has been demonstrated using a nonlinear wing flutter test rig. It is modelled by a two-degree-of-freedom aeroelastic system and solved by the harmonic balance methods. The experimental data of the flutter wing is obtained using control-based continuation techniques. The proposed methodology provided up to 20 % improvement in accuracy compared to conventional deterministic methods. Transitional Markov Chain Monte-Carlo was identified as the optimal choice of the sampling method for stochastic model identification. In selecting alternative nonlinear models, multi-modal solutions were identified that provided a closer representation of physical behaviour suggesting the mathematical model requires further modification.