bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The adjuvant effects of rapamycin, metformin and aspirin on the T-cell immunological memory induced by tuberculosis subunit vaccine
Authors: Zhang Ying , Zhu Bingdong , Niu Hongxia , Bai Chunxiang , Li Fei , Ma Lan , He Juanjuan , Han Xue , Shi Xintong
Published: May 2022

The formation of long-lived T-cell immunological memory is a critical goal of vaccines against intracellular pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). In this study, to verify the adjuvant effect of the metabolic regulator on T-cell memory induced by the tuberculosis subunit vaccine, we treated the mice with rapamycin, metformin and aspirin during the course of vaccination and then monitored the vaccine-specific long-term memory T cell responses and protective ability against mycobacterial organism. Compared with the mice that received the vaccine alone, rapamycin and metformin treatments enhanced the vaccine-specific long-term T-cell memory responses, and the potentiating effect of rapamycin is better than metformin. In particular, we found that a long duration of low-dose rapamycin treatment promoted the development of more TCM like cells and enhanced the vaccine’s long-term protective efficacy, which resulted in a better decline of 0.89-log10 CFU of mycobacterial organisms in lungs. These findings might have important implications for developing new vaccination strategies for the TB subunit vaccine.
The spanning method and the Lehmer totient problem
Authors: Agama Theophilus
Published: May 2022

See manuscript PDF for complete AbstractIn this paper we introduce and develop the notion of spanning of integers along functions f : N → R. We apply this method to a class of problems requiring to determine if the equations of the form tf(n) = n-k has a solution n ∈ N for a fixed k ∈ N and some t ∈ N. In particular, we show thatwhere φ is the euler totient function.
Foods Glycemic Index (GI) Affects the Important Inflammatory Biomarkers with Considerations: A Systematic Review
Authors: Moghadam Mohammad Reza Shadmand Foumani , Vaezi Amirmohammad , Zarei-Shargh Parisa , Jandari Sajedeh , Keify Fatemeh , Rashidipour Mina , Rezvani Reza
Published: May 2022

Introduction: The glycemic index (GI) and inflammations both were introduced as essential factors affecting the diseases, but the relation between GI and inflammation is still unclear. In this systematic review, the authors hypothesized GI has effects on inflammatory biomarkers but can be highly disturbed by statical unrecognized confounders. Method: A comprehensive search was made in Science Direct, PubMed, Cochrane, UpToDate, and Google Scholar from 2010 to March 2021 using MESH and un-MESH keywords. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) was used for the review of articles.Result: From seven hundred and ninety-one articles, a total of 13 studies including one master thesis enrolled in this review, six studies were conducted on people with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Six studies were on healthy or obese people without any illnesses and one study was on pregnant women. IL-6 was in 8 studies, TNF-a was in 5 studies, TNF was in 2 studies, CRP was in 6 studies, and hs-CRP was in 2 studies. Seven studies including all well-designed studies confirmed GI can affect inflammation while 5 rejected the association. Several unconsidered confounders and limitations had been found in previous studies. Conclusion: There is some strong evidence that supports a slight effect of GI on inflammatory biomarkers. However, bias risk in different studies according to diet patterns and the impact of various food components on GI remains. In this review, the authors provide some essential considerations for further studies.
An insect-inspired, spike-based, in-sensor, and night-time collision detector based on atomically thin and light-sensitive memtransistors
Authors: Jayachandran Darsith , Pannone Andrew , Das Mayukh , Sen Dipanjan , Schranghamer Thomas , Das Saptarshi
Published: May 2022

Collision detection under poor illumination and nightly conditions pose significant challenge for manned and unmanned vehicles, flying drones, and robots navigating complex terrestrial and extraterrestrial geographies. Existing night vision cameras offer solution based on sophisticated enhancement algorithms or additional thermal sensors necessitating extensive and expensive hardware, which make them power-hungry and untenable for deployment in remote and resource constrained locations. In contrast, nocturnal flying insects can avoid collision using very limited neural resources. Insect-inspired collision detectors based on silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology and field programmable gate arrays also exist, however, the physical separation between sensing and compute and absence of spike-based information processing capability increases their area and energy overhead. Here, we introduce an insect-inspired, spike-based, and in-sensor collision detector using a reconfigurable optoelectronic integrated circuit constructed based on atomically-thin and light-sensitive memtransistors. We imitate the escape response of lobula giant movement detector (LGMD) neuron found in many insect species and demonstrate timely collision detection for various real-life scenarios at night involving cars on collision course. Our collision detector has a small effective footprint of 40 µm2 and consumes miniscule energy of few hundreds pico-Joules.
HIV testing among incarcerated people with a history of HIV-related high-risk behaviours in Iran: Findings from three consecutive national bio-behavioural surveys
Authors: Tavakoli Fatemeh , Parhizgari Najmeh , Shokoohi Mostafa , Khezri Mehrdad , Haghdoost Ali Akbar , Ghasemzadeh Iman , Bozicevic Ivana , Shahesmaeili Armita , Nasiri Naser , Danesh Ahmad , Karamouzian Mohammad , Sharifi Hamid
Published: May 2022

Background: Incarcerated people are at a disproportionate risk of contracting HIV. We estimated the prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among incarcerated people with a history of HIV-related high-risk behaviours in Iran. Methods: Data for this analysis were obtained from three consecutive nationwide bio-behavioural surveillance surveys of a random sample of incarcerated people in 2009 (n = 5,953), 2013 (n = 5,490) and 2017 (n = 5,785). History of testing for HIV in the previous 12 months was the primary outcome variable and was examined among those with a history of HIV-related high-risk behaviours (i.e., having multiple sex partnership, injection drug use practices, or history of having a tattoo). The outcome variable was divided into three categories: Never tested for HIV, ever tested for HIV inside the prison, and ever tested for HIV outside the prison. We used multivariable multinomial logistic regression models to examine factors associated with HIV testing. Results: Overall, 8,553 participants with a history of HIV-related high-risk behaviors with valid responses to the HIV testing question, were included in the analysis. Although HIV testing inside prison has increased (23% [2009], 21.5% [2013], and 50.3% [2017]: P-value <0.001), the prevalence of HIV testing outside prison has decreased (7.7% [2009], 7.5% [2013], 4.1% [2017]: P-value <0.001) over time. Our multivariable multinomial regression model showed older age (Relative-risk ratio [RRR]: 1.24, 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]: 1.05, 1.47), history of previous incarceration (RRR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.71), currently receiving methadone maintenance therapy inside prison (RRR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.81, 2.43), having access to condoms inside prison (RRR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.68) and sufficient HIV knowledge (RRR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.47, 2.05) were significantly associated with an increased probability of having an HIV test in the last 12 months inside prison. Conclusions: HIV testing among Iranian high-risk prisoners has increased from 2009 to 2017. However, HIV testing remains considerably low, and half of incarcerated people with a history of HIV-related high-risk behaviours had never tested for HIV inside prison. Evidence-based programs efforts are needed to optimize HIV testing both inside and outside prisons and identify those at greater risk of HIV.
Implementation of the “No ICU – Unless” approach in postoperative neurosurgical management in times of Covid-19
Authors: Qasem Lina-Elisabeth , Al-Hilou Ali , Zacharowski Kai , Funke Moritz , Strouhal Ulrich , Reitz Sarah C. , Jussen Daniel , Forster Marie Thérèse , Konczalla Juergen , Prinz Vincent Matthias , Lucia Kristin , Czabanka Marcus
Published: May 2022

OBJECTIVE
Following elective craniotomy patients routinely receive 24-hour monitoring in an intensive care unit. However, the benefit of intensive care monitoring and treatment in these patients is discussed controversially. This study aimed to evaluate the complication profile of a “No ICU – unless” strategy and to compare this strategy with the standardized management of post-craniotomy patients in the ICU.
METHODS
Two postoperative management strategies were compared in a matched-pair analysis: The first cohort included patients who were managed on the normal ward postoperatively (“No ICU – unless” group). The second cohort contained patients routinely admitted to the ICU (control group). Outcome parameters contained detailed complication profile, length of hospital and ICU stay, duration to first postoperative mobilization, number of unplanned CTs/MRIs before planned postoperative imaging, number and type of intensive care interventions as well as pre- and postoperative modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Patient characteristics and clinical course were analyzed using electronic medical records.
RESULTS
The NIU group consisted of 96 patients and the control group consisted of 75 patients. Complication rates were comparable in both cohorts (16% in the NIU group vs. 17% in the control group; p = 0.123). Groups did not differ significantly in any of the outcome parameters examined. The length of hospital stay was shorter in the NIU group but did not reach statistical significance (average 5.8 vs. 6.8 days; p = 0.481). There was no significant change in the distribution of preoperative (p = 0.960) and postoperative (p = 0.425) mRS scores in the NIU and control group.
CONCLUSION
Routine postoperative ICU management does not reduce postoperative complications and does not affect the surgical outcome of patients after elective craniotomies. Most postoperative complications are detected after a 24-hour observation period. This approach may represent a potential strategy to prevent overutilization of ICU capacities while maintaining sufficient postoperative care for neurosurgical patients.
TGF-β Signaling: a Potential Therapeutic Target of Single Herbs and Extracts for Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Huang Gengzhen , Liang Hanxi , Ma Yuerong , Zhang Yaodan
Published: May 2022

Chronic kidney disease has emerged as a global public health problem in recent years. Chronic kidney disease progression, characterized by the development of renal fibrosis, leads to end-stage kidney disease. Transforming growth factor β has been shown to play a key role in the mechanism of renal fibrosis. Several studies have shown that individual Chinese herbal extracts can inhibit transforming growth factor β activation and reduce extracellular matrix formation, thereby imparting an anti-renal fibrosis effect through multiple pathways and multiple targets. In the present manuscript, the research trends of single traditional Chinese medicines and extracts in preventing and treating renal fibrosis are summarized, which may be insightful for generating new ideas for preventing and delaying renal fibrosis.
Has the Restructuring of Rural Credit Cooperatives into Rural Commercial Banks Reduced Their Efficiency in Serving Agriculture and Famers? - Evidence from Sichuan Province
Authors: Shishun Xiao , Yuansheng Jiang , Xiaoxiao Yang , Feng Du
Published: May 2022

This research studies whether Rural Credit Cooperatives (RCCs), the mainstay of agricultural financial service providers in Sichuan Province, a typical agricultural province in China, have improved their efficiency in supporting agriculture due to their restructuring into Rural Commercial Banks (RCBs). The research select 12 RCBs restructured in Sichuan province before 2017 as samples and 10 RCCs as the control group. Based on data from institutional surveys and their annual public report, the research uses the DEA's BCC model and the Malmquist-DEA index to analyse the static and dynamic efficiency of the sample RCBs and RCCs. The research aims to identify the banks' proportion of farm-related loans to total loans, the average loan amount for farm households and the average amount of loans to agriculture-related enterprises and organisations as agricultural commercial bank's outputs indicators to measure their efficiency in supporting the agribusiness and the farmer. The result shows that the static and dynamic agricultural support efficiency of most RCBs is generally higher than RCCs, and the fluctuation of the static agricultural support efficiency of county-level RCBs is smaller than that of city-level RCBs. Restructuring RCCs into RCBs improved the efficiency of agricultural support of the primary agricultural financial service providers in Sichuan province. The research does not find the mission drift of both RCCs and RCB in this typical agricultural province.
miR21 deletion in osteocytes has direct and indirect effects on skeletal muscle in a sex-dimorphic manner in mice
Authors: Essex Alyson , Deosthale Padmini , Huot Joshua , Davis Hannah M , Momeni Nicholas , Bonetto Andrea , Plotkin Lilian
Published: May 2022

Background: Osteocytic microRNA21 (miR21) removal alters cytokine production and bone mass by modulating osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation and activity. Removing osteocytic miR21 alters bone in a sex-dependent manner in mice but produces sex-independent increases in mechanical bone strength. Because changes in bone remodeling and strength affect skeletal muscle through bone-muscle crosstalk, we investigated whether osteocytic miR21 deletion influences skeletal muscle.Methods: miR21fl/fl mice and 8kbDMP1-Cre mice were mated to obtain mice miR21-deficient mice primarily in the osteocyte (OtmiR21Δ) and littermate controls (miR21fl/fl). Four-month-old male and female mice were analyzed. Body composition was examined by DXA/Piximus and gene expression by qPCR. 2-tailed Student’s t-tests were performed to determine significant differences between groups within each sex.Results: Lean body mass was increased only in female OtmiR21Δ mice, although miR21 levels in soleus muscle were similar in miR21fl/fl (0.05±0.02) and OtmiR21Δ (0.09±0.04) mice. Female, but not male, OtmiR21Δ mice exhibited increased soleus (42%) and gastrocnemius (21%) muscle weight compared to miR21fl/fl littermates. However, muscle strength and gastrocnemius muscle fiber cross-sectional area were unaltered for either sex. C2C12 myotubes treated after 5 day-differentiation with conditioned media from 48h-cultured marrow-flushed bones of female OtmiR21Δ mice exhibit 12% higher average diameter compared to cells exposed to miR21fl/fl bone conditioned media. Yet, conditioned media from male bones had no effect on myotube size. Kinase activation in soleus muscle, measured by phospho-/total protein ratio using Multiplex analyses was also selectively changed depending on the mouse sex. Thus, female OtmiR21Δ mice have increased ERK1/2 but decreased Akt activation than miR21fl/fl controls, while male OtmiR21Δ mice had increased Akt activation, suggesting sex-dimorphic shifts in anabolic vs. catabolic signaling. Levels of FOXO3 and MuRF-1, known to be regulated by Akt, were only increased in male OtmiR21Δ mice. MUSA and Atrogin-1 mRNA levels were upregulated in female OtmiR21Δ mice, suggesting a potential shift in protein regulation. Conclusions: We present a novel aspect of bone-muscle crosstalk in which osteocyte-derived miR21 influences skeletal muscle size, but not strength, in female but not male mice, whereas intracellular signaling alterations resulting from loss of miR21 seem to alter protein dynamics in a sex-dimorphic fashion.
Clinical case of Factitious Hypoglycemia Due to Deliberate Insulin Analog Administration and Spontaneous Hyperglycemia in a Patient with Hypothyroidism.
Authors: Yukina Marina , Katsobashvili Ilana , Platonova Nadezhda , Troshina Ekaterina , Mel'nichenko Galina
Published: May 2022

Background
Hypoglycemic syndrome is a life-threatening condition that can lead to disruption of the brain and internal organs, and in severe stages to irreparable consequences or death due to hypoglycemic coma. Factitious hypoglycemia (FH) is the deliberate use of insulin preparations or oral hypoglycemic drugs to reduce blood glucose level. In addition to the fact of deliberate administration of insulin analogs is difficult to prove: immunoassays targeting different epitopes and thus demonstrating high cross-reactivity are necessary (Abbott ARCHITECT).
Case presentation:
Patient S., 34 years old, was admitted to the Endocrinology Research Centre in September 2021 with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and DM. On admission she complained of impaired swallowing, sore throat, "twitching" pain in the neck, hoarseness of voice, episodic headaches, periorbital swelling mainly in the morning, high glycemia indexes up to a maximum of 34 mmol/l, numbness and swelling of lower extremities. Only under strict medical supervision was normalization of the free T4 level achieved. Installation of a continuous interstitial glycemic monitoring system made it possible to determine the discrepancy between the blood glucose reading from the finger (up to 18 mmol/L), which may have been intentionally contaminated with a sweet solution, and the system recorded in the interstitium (normoglycemia). An important feature of the case, are the borderline ambiguous results of hormonal parameters against the background of hypoglycemia: there was no suppression C-peptide (more than 0.6 ng/mL), and insulin levels were either greater than 3 µU/mL or less, but both hormones were at borderline levels.
Conclusions
This clinical example illustrates the need for vigilance regarding the intentional taking of medications or, conversely, non-compliance with prescriptions in each patient. Only under strict medical supervision was normalization of free T4 levels achieved. Installation of a continuous interstitial glycemic monitoring system made it possible to determine the discrepancy between the blood glucose reading from the finger (up to 18 mmol/L), which may have been intentionally contaminated with a sweet solution, and the system recorded in the interstitium (normoglycemia).
Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) Machine Learning Algorithm for Assessing Environmental and Socio-economic Vulnerability to Drought: A Study in Godavari Middle Sub-Basin, India
Authors: Masroor Md , Termeh Seyed Vahid Razavi- , Rahaman Md Hibjur , Choudhari Pandurang , Kulimushi Luc Cimusa , Sajjad Haroon
Published: May 2022

Climate change has increased the frequency of drought occurrence in various parts of the world. Drought as a complex phenomenon causes severe impacts on ecological and socio-economic status. Short-term and long-term occurrences of drought have made many regions vulnerable globally. This paper makes an attempt to assess drought vulnerability in Godavari Middle Sub-basin of India. Twenty-four site specific socio-economic and environmental factors were identified based on the extensive literature review. Drought frequency was assessed using standardized precipitation index (SPI). These datasets were divided into training (70 %) and testing (30 %) data. Frequency ratio (FR) model was utilized to establish relationship among drought conditioning factors and drought frequency. Weights obtained from the FR model were used as input to the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) model. Drought vulnerability results were validated using the testing data and receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The accuracy of ANFIS models for one-month (0.957), three-months (0.882), six-months (0.964) and twelve-months (0.938) reflected high suitability of ANFIS model for the assessment of drought vulnerability. The findings revealed that very low normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and increasing trend of highest maximum and mean maximum temperature were major environmental factors influencing high drought vulnerability in the sub-basin. High proportion of area under fallow land, high infant mortality rate (IMR) and moderate literacy rate were identified major socio-economic factors making watersheds vulnerable during short and long-term droughts. Largest area of the sub-basin was found under high vulnerability during three-months, six-months and twelve-months droughts. Thus, the study calls for policy intervention towards lessening the impact of drought in highly vulnerable watersheds.
Antileishmania and immunomodulatory potential of cashew nut shell liquid and cardanol
Authors: Ribeiro Iuliana Marjory Martins , de Sousa Valéria Carlos , de Carvalho Rita de Cássia Viana , Santos Maisa de Sousa dos , Neto José Arimatéia de Oliveira Nery , de Melo Danielly Silva , Teixeira Letícia Soares de Araújo , Citó Maria das Graças Lopes , Moura Arkellau Kenned Silva , Carvalho Fernando Aécio de Amorim , Alves Michel Muálem Moraes , de Mendonça Ivete Lopes
Published: May 2022

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, endemic in 98 countries, constituting a major public health problem. Conventional treatments cause serious adverse effects, poor tolerance, development of resistant strains, and are costly. Natural products have been investigated in the search for therapeutic alternatives. The cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is a natural source of phenolic compounds, showing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobials, antitumors, larvicides and insecticides, with cardanol (CN) being considered one of the most important and promising technical components. This study aimed to evaluate antileishmania, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activities of CNSL and CN. The substances showed antileishmania potential, with values of mean inhibitory concentration (IC50) of CNSL and CN against Leishmania infantum: 148.12 and 56.74 µg/mL; against Leishmania braziliensis: 85.71 and 64.28 µg/ml; against Leishmania major: 153.56 and 122.31 µg/mL, respectively. The mean cytotoxic concentrations (CC50) of CNSL and CN were 37.51 and 31.44 µg/mL, respectively. CNSL and CN significantly reduced the percentage of infected macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) > 20 for CN. CNSL and cardanol caused an increase in phagocytic capacity and lysosomal volume, however, they did not exhibit significant induction of nitric oxide synthesis. Survival rates of Zophobas morio larvae at doses of 3; 30 and 300 mg/Kg were: 85%, 75% and 60% in contact with CNSL and 85%, 60% and 40% in contact with CN, respectively. There was a significant difference between the survival curves of larvae when treated with CN, demonstrating a significant acute toxicity for this substance. Additional investigations are needed to evaluate these substances in the in vivo experimental infection model.
Microwave absorption behavior of low loading ratio of Ni3+0.25Ni2+0.375Zn2+0.25Fe2O4 nanoparticles coated with polyaniline within paraffin wax matrix
Authors: houbi anas , Aldashevich Zharmenov , Saule MIRZALIEVA , Telmanovna Bagasharova
Published: May 2022

NiZn ferrite (Ni3 + 0.25Ni2+0.375Zn2+0.25Fe2O4) is coated with polyaniline (PANI) using an in-situ polymerization technique. Three various weight ratios of PANI/Ni3 + 0.25Ni2+0.375Zn2+0.25Fe2O4 (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) are synthesized. The absorbers are synthesized by introducing PANI/F nanocomposites within a paraffin wax of 25% w/w. X-ray diffractometry, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, TGA analysis and SEM analysis are utilized in order to characterize the samples. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and microwave absorption (MA) properties are measured in the frequency band of 8.8–12 GHz to investigate the microwave characterization. Minimal reflection loss of -19.8 dB at the matching frequency of 10.8 GHz and the absorption bandwidth under − 10 dB of 2.2 GHz for 3.12 mm thickness with a surface density of 3.07 kg/m2 are noticed for the PANI/F.2 nanocomposite sample. The maximum shielding efficiency of 23.18 dB at 11.1 GHz for 2.90 mm thickness is observed for the PANI/F.2 nanocomposite.
Development and validation of a nomogram to assess postoperative venous thromboembolism risk in patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Cai Yongsheng , Dong Honghong , Li Xinyang , Liu Yi , Hu Bin , Li Hui , Miao Jinbai , Chen Qirui
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common postoperative complication in patients with lung cancer that seriously affects prognosis and quality of life. This study aimed to establish a nomogram for predicting the probability of postoperative VTE risk in patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: 452 patients with stage IA NSCLC from January 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed and randomly divided into a training set and a validation set at a ratio of 7:3.Independent risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, and a nomogram was established based on the results and internally validated. The predictive power of the nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Results: The nomogram included three risk factors: age, preoperative D-dimer, and intermuscular vein dilatation. The areas under the ROC curve of this model were 0.832 (95% CI: 0.732-0.924) and 0.791 (95% CI: 0.668-0.930) in the training and validation sets, respectively, showing good discriminative power. In addition, the probability of postoperative VTE occurrence predicted by the nomogram was consistent with the actual occurrence probability. In the decision curve, the nomogram had a better net clinical benefit at a threshold probability of 5%-90%.Conclusion: This study is the first to develop a nomogram for predicting the risk of postoperative VTE in patients with stage IA NSCLC; this nomogram can accurately and intuitively evaluate the probability of VTE in these patients and help clinicians make decisions on prevention and treatment.
Phylogenetic Constraint Test in Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Neotropical Swarm-founding Social Wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini)
Authors: Cunha Dayana Alves da Silva , de Menezes Rodolpho Santos Telles , Cardoso Claudia Andrea Lima , Junior William Fernando Antonialli
Published: May 2022

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are present in several insects. One of the most important functions of these compounds in social insects is the exchange of signals during interactions between nestmates. Although we know about the functions performed by CHCs, we still have little information about how these compounds evolved within different groups of insects, especially among wasps. In this study, we examine the diversity and abundance of the cuticular hydrocarbon profile of 17 species of Epiponini wasps using a phylogenetic approach. We investigated phylogenetic constraints on the evolution of CHCs in Epiponini. We then calculated the phylogenetic signal for all compounds present in the studied species. For several CHC traits, the phylogenetic signal was low, indicating a random expectation. Moreover, within a phylogenetic context, we did not find a pattern of increasing or decreasing number of compounds or structural groups. However, we verified that Epiponini wasps, a tribe that shows colony foundation by swarming, exhibit a smaller number of CHC compounds than the tribes (Mischocyttarini and Polistini) that show an independent foundation. Probably this difference is related to their type of nest and nesting behavior.
Nonlinear autocorrelation function of functional time series
Authors: Huang Xin , Shang Han Lin
Published: May 2022

In functional time series analysis, the functional autocorrelation function (fACF) plays an important role in revealing the temporal dependence structures underlying the dynamics and identifying the lags at which substantial correlation exists. However, akin to its counterpart in the univariate case, the fACF is restricted by linear structure and can be misleading in reflecting nonlinear temporal dependence. This paper proposes a nonlinear alternative to the fACF for analyzing the temporal dependence in functional time series. We consider linear and nonlinear data generating processes, namely a functional autoregressive process and a functional generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity process. We demonstrate that, when the process exhibits linear temporal structures, the inference obtained from our proposed nonlinear fACF is consistent with that from the fACF. When the underlying process exhibits nonlinear temporal dependence, our nonlinear fACF has a superior capability in uncovering the nonlinear structure that the fACF misleads. An empirical data analysis highlights its applications in unveiling nonlinear temporal structures in the daily curves of the intraday volatility dynamics of the foreign exchange rate.
Gene mining of immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xu Zhi-Wei
Published: May 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that the occurrence, development and prognosis of liver cancer are closely related to tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor immune infiltration. Therefore, important information on various diseases can be obtained from public databases such as The Cancer Gene Atlas (TCGA), and ideas or schemes that may be effective for the treatment of various diseases can be screened and analyzed by screening various conditions. In this study, 424 cases of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) in the TCGA database and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to calculate the proportion of tumor-invasive immune cells. Combined with the clinical data from TCGA database, it was concluded that Tregs were correlated with the development and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cox regression analysis was used to screen differentially expressed genes, and survival analysis was performed according to the screened differentially expressed genes to see whether there was a significant association with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Then GO and KEGG analysis of differentially expressed genes were carried out to explore the possibility of differentially expressed genes becoming potential therapeutic targets of hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, I identified the gene CENPO, which is associated with immune cells and improve the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. CENPO may be a potential biological therapeutic target for hepatocellular treatment.
Zoonotic Diseases Risk Perception and Infection Prevention and Control Practices Among Poultry Farmers in the Buea Health District: a One Health Perspective
Authors: Bissong Marie Ebob Agbortabot , Lyombe Johnny Castro Nganjo , Asongalem Emmanuel Acha , Ngamshi Robert Bongji , Tendongfor Nicholas
Published: May 2022

Background
Livestock are associated with pathogenic microbes and farm workers play a significant role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases (ZDs). Lack of awareness of exposure risk among farmers may influence their farm practices thereby enhancing the spread of diseases in farms and to the community. This study aimed at evaluating the knowledge, risk perception and prevention and control practices of ZDs among poultry farmers in order to baseline data for establishing a one health practical approach to reducing zoonotic disease transmission in poultry farms.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study involving poultry farmers was carried out in the Buea Health District from April to July 2021, using a multi- stage sampling technique. Six feed-producing mills were used as focal points to meet farmers and the snowball technique was used to trace the farms. Questionnaires were used to collect data related to participants’ knowledge, risk perception and preventive and control practices of ZDs. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25.
Results
In all, 183 poultry farms and 207 workers were enrolled in the study. Despite being aware that animal diseases can be transmitted to humans, most participants showed poor knowledge, poor risk perception and poor prevention/control practices on ZDs. Majority did not consider coming in contact with bird’s blood/body fluid or apparently healthy birds to be a risk of infection. More participants with small farm size (< 500 birds) had low risk perception to ZDs than those with larger farms (> 1000 birds) (P = 0.03). Furthermore, most participants reported practicing hand washing but they neither used protective devices such as gloves and face mask and > 50% would not invite veterinary professionals to their farms. There was significant association between risk perception and knowledge (P = 0.007; CI = 1.257–4.200) as well as between risk perception and prevention/control practice (P = 0.002; CI = 1.451–4.867).
Conclusion
Poultry farm workers in Buea have poor knowledge and perception on zoonotic disease risk and this has contributed to their poor prevention/control practices in the farms. Enhanced informal education of farm owners and workers through training workshops and seminars will improve on their knowledge and skills on zoonotic disease transmission risk and prevention.
Leaf phenotype response to different intensities monochromatic blue and red light affects stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity
Authors: Chen Jiyu , Gao Jing , Li Shenglan , Fan Yuanfang , Chen Ping , Wang Qi , Tan Tingting , Yang Wenyu , Yang Feng
Published: May 2022

Background
Stomatal conductance is a limiting factor of plant photosynthesis. Studies on the influencing factors of stomatal conductance amongst different species are abundant, but the effect of leaf phenotype on stomatal conductance is usually ignored in study. Here, the experiment set different intensities monochromatic blue and red light. We investigated the upper and lower epidermis stomatal traits, leaf structure, the maximum operational stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate of soybean leaves. In addition, the contribution of leaf structure and stomatal characteristics to stomatal conductance was quantified by a new software package.
Results
In this study, net photosynthetic rate was tightly coupled with operational stomatal conductance, inhibited by red light and enhanced by blue light. Regardless of light environment, the maximum operational stomatal conductance was mainly affected by leaf thickness according to the analysis of contribution rate, rather than stomatal density of upper and lower epidermis. A significant positive correlation was found between leaf structure and stomatal density, but the correlation between stomatal density and stomatal size was not found. Regardless of the amounts of light intensities, stomatal density (SD), palisade tissue and specific leaf weight (SLW) were mainly regulated by blue light, whereas red light was more important to stomatal size and spongy tissue.
Conclusions
Although leaf thickness is more critical in affecting stomatal conductance than stomatal density, blue light mainly promotes leaf thickness and stomatal density, which coordinated each other to facilitate stomatal conductance, thereby positively regulating photosynthetic capacity.
Assessing the efficacy of multifunctional and ACC- deaminase producing Trichoderma harzianum and plant growth-promoting bacteria in the alleviation of salt-stress in Ocimum sanctum
Authors: SINGH SUMAN , Singh Akanksha , Chanotiya Chandan Singh , Vajpayee Poornima , Kalra Alok
Published: May 2022

Salinity is a significant concern in crop production, causing severe losses in agricultural yields. Ocimum sanctum, also known as Holy Basil, is an important ancient medicinal plant used in the Indian traditional system of medicine. The present study explores the use of ACC deaminase-producing strains of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) namely Str-8 (Halomonas desiderata), Fd-2 (Achromobacter xylosoxidans), Sd-6 (Brevibacterium halotolerans), Art-7 (Burkholderia cepacia), and Ldr-2 (Bacillus subtilis), and T. harzianum (Th), possessing multi-functional properties like growth promotion, stress alleviation, and root-inducing properties, for using them as bioinoculants for enhancing O. sanctum yield and tolerance to salt stress. The results showed that co-inoculation of Th and PGPBs enhanced plant height and fresh herb weight by 3.78–17.65% and 7.86–58.76% respectively; maximum being in Th + Fd-2 and Th + Art-7 compared to untreated salinized plants. Doubly inoculated plants increased pigments, phenol, flavonoids, protein, sugar, relative water content, and nutrient uptake (Nitrogen and Phosphorous) as compared to monocultures and untreated salinized plants. In addition, combined inoculations in plants resulted in lower Na+, MDA, H2O2, CAT, APX activities, and also lower ACC accumulation (49.75 to 72.38% over non-treated salinized plant) in O. sanctum, which probably played a significant role in minimizing the deleterious effects of salinity. Overall multifactorial analysis showed that co-inoculation of Th and PGPBs improved O. sanctum growth, its physiological activities, and alleviated salt stress compared to single inoculated and untreated salinized plants.
Sonazoid-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography in patients with biliopancreatic diseases: A preliminary study
Authors: Nanashima Atsushi , Tanoue Yukinori , Hamada Takeomi , Hiyoshi Masahide , Imamura Naoya , Ishii Mitsutoshi , Yano Koichi , Kai Kengo , Sakakibara Yuka , Nishimuta Masato , Nagayasu Takeshi
Published: May 2022

Background
Ultrasonography using Sonazoid, a novel contrast agent containing microbubbles is a useful diagnostic modality for intrahepatic mass lesions by specific characteristics in two phases of contrast enhancement of early vascular perfusion and perfusion defect of the lesion in the late phase. To improve diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) in biliopancreatic neoplasms, we investigated the usefulness of Sonazoid contrast agent as a preliminary study.
Methods
We examined IOUS images in 24 patients with the biliopancreatic diseases. Sonazoid was administered intravenously, and the early arterial- and nenous-phase images of tumor were observed during laparotomy.
Results
Tumors included the localized type of adenomyomatosis in the fundus of gallbladder (GAM) in seven patients as a benign control, adenomatous diseases of biliopancreatic lesions in four, gallbladder carcinoma (GC) in 12, and papilla adenocarcinoma in one. Scanning by Sonazoid IOUS was accomplished in all patients with no adverse effects. Although GC showed high enhancement in 83% of the tumors, GAM and adenoma also showed enhancement in more than half of them, whereas the VA and an intrahepatic duct adenoma were not enhanced. Pseudo-positivity was observed in one case of hyperplastic polyp, and pseudo-negativity was observed in two patients. Cholesterol polyps and liver metastases were not enhanced by Sonazoid.
Conclusion
Sonazoid IOUS is an alternative useful diagnostic tool to detect vascularity indicating malignancy or tumor extent that allows adequate surgical resection to be performed.
Thirteen tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily gene expression in malignancies and their clinical relevance to immunotherapy: a pan-cancer analysis
Authors: Dong Zheng , Zhou Hongyu
Published: May 2022

Background: Although the expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) genes and their anticancer functions in immune cells have been well described, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms and the clinical relevance of TNFRSF family gene expression in cancer cells. Recent studies indicate that the expression of CD40 (also known as TNFRSF5) is upregulated by RAS/RAF/PI3K pathway inhibition in melanoma cells, and it has the potential to be a predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy responses in multiple cancer types. Therefore, we hypothesized that 13 TNFRSF genes with structural similarities to CD40 would be associated with the RAS-mediated oncogenic signaling pathways in melanoma cells and could benefit the prediction of immunotherapy responses in a range of cancers. Furthermore, there is a paucity of comparative gene expression analyses across cancer types (pan-cancer analysis) to reveal different types of cancer that share similar and distinct expression patterns of these TNFRSF genes. Methods: We performed a pan-cancer analysis of the 13 TNFRSF genes in 18,299 samples from 23 cancer types to elucidate their expression alterations in tumorigenesis and their associations with signatures of immune cell infiltration and type I anti-tumor response, as well as the expression of oncogenes and ICB-related genes. In addition, single-cell (n = 169) and bulk (n = 37) RNA-seq data in melanoma samples with different NRAS (neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog) mutational statuses were used separately to examine the regulation of these TNFRSF genes by NRAS. Ultimately, the evaluation of these TNFRSF genes as biomarkers of immunotherapy responses in seven cancer types (n = 1,257) was performed using the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion web platform. Results and conclusions: Our findings demonstrate a comprehensive landscape of expression alterations in the 13 TNFRSF genes across a wide range of malignancies, with an emphasis on the association of these genes with type I anti-tumor T-cell responses and oncogene expression. In melanoma, oncogenic NRAS mutations downregulate the expression of multiple TNFRSF genes at bulk and single-cell levels. Moreover, our study suggests that the expression of the 13 TNFRSF genes could be used as potential biomarkers for predicting response to ICB therapy in certain cancer types with a partially complementary role. These findings will help us better understand the role of these TNFRSF genes in cancer development and treatment, and they may lead to the identification of candidate biomarkers for future clinical research and implications.
Clinical and non-clinical exploration of Thinqure20 (a herbal composition) in treatment and prophylaxis of novel coronavirus and in other pathogens.
Authors: Gharpure Milind , ranganekar Hrishikesh , Dhawal Pranjali , Mote Ravindra , Gulgule Ravindra , Nikhil  , vekariya Sanjay
Published: May 2022

Objective
Ongoing pandemic is being tackled by many in many ways. Simple yet effective age-old formulations might hold a key in better management of the disease. Objective was to run a series of studies to make and explore one such formulation through reverse-pharmacology. Thinqure 20 is a polyherbal formulation that contains Piper longum, Piper nigrum, Zingiber officinale, and rock salt. Thinqure20 was designed to work as an antiviral drug, especially against SARS CoV-2 virus. Hence the present Clinical and subsequent non-clinical studies were carried-out to evaluate efficacy, safety and tolerability of Thinqure 20 in Covid-19 infection.
Methods
Clinical study was conducted to evaluate safety, efficacy and tolerability of Thinqure 20 in Covid-19 patients (CTRI/2021/03/032471). The treatment duration was 5 days. Patients were assessed for efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Thinqure20. Subsequently, non-clinical in-vitro cell line study, antiviral and antifungal, COVID SPIKE ACE2 inhibition studies were done on Thinqure20 extract. ASTM guidelines were followed for the same.
Results
The clinical study showed the mean percentage reduction in the viral load from baseline to end of the study visit of Thinqure 20 to be 75.4%, where the minimum reduction was 59.3%, while the maximum reduction in viral load was 100%. There were 04 clinical adverse events reported which were mild in nature. Viral load testing was done by Quantitative RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) RNA method from NABL accredited lab. A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. 29 patients completed the study. In the invitro study on cell-line, the extract showed potential antiviral activity against MS2 bacteriophage, a non-enveloped virus, influenza virus, and human coronavirus with IC90 value at > 10mg/ml. The sample also presented antifungal ability against Mucor racemosus with EC50 value at concentration 1mg/ml. Thinqure 20 was tested for its ACE2 receptor inhibitory activity. ). The kit-based SARS inhibitor showed 89.00% ACE 2 receptor inhibition when used as per KIT’s instructions.
Conclusion
The results showed that Thinqure 20 has potential against non-enveloped viruses and enveloped viruses including human coronavirus. It also showed antifungal activity against mucor strain. Evidences support that the use of Thinqure 20 has beneficial effects in the treatment of Covid19 which may be linked to a decrease in total viral load in patients. It provided better relief for the recovery of the COVID-19 disease.
Spatiotemporal cluster patterns of hand, foot, and mouth disease at the province level in mainland China, 2011-2018
Authors: Wu Yuanzhe , Wang Tingwei , Zhao Mingyi , Wang Shiwen , Shi Jingcheng
Published: May 2022

Although three monovalent EV-A71 vaccines have been launched in mainland China since 2016, hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) still causes a considerable disease burden in China. Vaccines’ use may change the epidemiological characters of HFMD. All HFMD cases’ data from January 2011 to December 2018 were obtained from the public health science data center given by the Chinese Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. Spatial autocorrelation analysis and space-time scan statistics analysis were used to explore the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of this disease at the provincial level in mainland China. Interrupted time series (ITS) was used to analyze the impact of the EV-A71 vaccine on the incidence of HFMD. This study found that the median annual incidence of HFMD was 153.78 per 100,000 (ranging from 120.79 to 205.06) in mainland China from 2011 to 2018. Two peaks of infections were observed per year. Children 5 years and under were the main morbid population. The global autocorrelation analysis showed that the spatial distribution of HFMD was presented a significant clustering pattern in each year (P < 0.001), and the local autocorrelation analysis indicated that the high incidence areas were clustered in the southern and southeastern coastal provinces. The distribution of HFMD cases was clustered in time and space. The range of cluster time was between April and October. The most likely cluster appeared in the southern coastal provinces (Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan) from 2011 to 2017 and in the southeastern coastal provinces (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang) in 2018. It is necessary to advance the EV-A71 vaccination plan, analyze the spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of different enterovirus pathogens of HFMD, and promote HFMD multivalent vaccines. The results can provide the basis for implementing effective disease prevention and control policies.