bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Rifampicin Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis among Human Immune Virus Sero-Positive Patients in South Western Uganda
Authors: Nakigozi Harriet , Mukama Paul , Tumwine Gabriel , Nanteza Ann , Kato Drago , Owinyi David Okello , Othieno Emmanuel , Nabadda Susan , Ssengooba Willy
Published: November 2023

Background
Tuberculosis is treated using rifampicin and isoniazid as the first line drugs, with rifampicin playing a pivotal role in the effective treatment of tuberculosis. However, resistance to rifampicin is common and used as a valuable surrogate marker for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Furthermore, HIV co-infection complicates the management of PTB.
Methods
Across sectional study was conducted in South Western Uganda between December 2014 and May 2015. A total of 859 smear positive and smear negative HIV-positive individuals who were presumptive for TB, newly diagnosed and previously treated TB patients, aged ≥ 18years were enrolled. A standardized questionnaire was administered to patients who consented to collect their socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for TB. Sputum samples were obtained from the participants and GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay performed. Data was analyzed for proportions and factors associated with rifampicin resistant TB (RR-TB) in a multivariate analysis.
Results
A total of 510 (59.4%) were male, 238 (27.8%) were new cases and 159 (18.5%) were M. tuberculosis positive. The prevalence of RR-TB was 09 (5.7%). Male HIV-positive individuals had a higher risk of contracting TB than females (P = 0.001). Rifampicin resistant M. tuberculosis was 06 (1.2%) among male and03 (0.9%) among female TB patients. Having rifampicin resistant M. tuberculosis was significantly associated, OR (95%CI: P value) with TB history 4.99 (95% CI; P = 0.001) and smoking tobacco 2.05 (95% CI: P = 0.001).
Conclusion
There is a considerable high prevalence of PTB in South western Uganda despite the low magnitude of RR-TB among HIV positive individuals. Risk factors such as history of TB, and smoking should be included in the preventive measures for better outcomes. Continuous screening of HIV-positive individuals for TB and RR-TB is highly recommended.
The Influence of Group Psychology on Network Cluster Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Jianjun Ni , Zhangbo Xiong
Published: November 2023

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 2137 college students from more than 10 colleges and universities in Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province. The data were analyzed by correlation analysis and moderated mediation model test. The results showed that group psychology such as emotional infection, depersonalization, silent spiral, relative deprivation, group polarization and action mobilization can positively predict network cluster behavior; The action mobilization of opinion leaders plays a mediating effect between emotional infection and network cluster behavior; Group polarization plays a mediating effect between the silent spiral and network cluster behavior; Group efficacy plays a regulatory role in the latter half of the intermediary process of group polarization affecting network cluster behavior.
Association of body-mass index with physiological brain pulsations across adulthood– a fast fMRI study
Authors: Raitamaa Lauri , Kautto Joona , Tuunanen Johanna , Helakari Heta , Huotari Niko , Järvelä Matti , Korhonen Vesa , Kiviniemi Vesa
Published: November 2023

Background/Objective: Obesity is a risk factor for several brain-related health issues, and high body-mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk for several neurological conditions, including cognitive decline and dementia. Cardiovascular, respiratory, and vasomotor brain pulsations have each been shown to drive intracranial cerebrovascular fluid (CSF) flow, which is linked to the brain metabolite efflux that sustains homeostasis. While these three physiological pulsations are demonstrably altered in numerous brain diseases, there is no previous investigation of the association between physiological brain pulsations and BMI.Subjects/Methods: We measured the amplitudes of the physiological brain pulsations using amplitude of low frequency fluctation (ALFF) based method with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging via high temporal resolution whole-brain magnetic resonance encephalography (MREG) in 115 healthy subjects. We next undertook multiple linear regression to model the BMI effect voxel-wise whole-brain on very low frequency (VLF), respiration, cardiovascular, and respiratory induced modulation of cardiovascular pulsation amplitudes with age, pulse pressure, and gender as nuisance variables.Results In our study population, BMI was positively associated with the amplitudes of vasomotor, respiratory, and respiratory induced modulations of cardiovascular pulsations (p < 0.05), while negatively associated with the amplitudes of cardiovascular pulsations (p < 0.05).Conclusions The findings suggest that BMI is a significant factor in alterations of cardiovascular pulsation of neurofluids. As physiological pulsations are the drivers of CSF flow and subsequent metabolite clearance, these results emphasize the need for further research into the mechanisms through which obesity affects brain clearance.
Attribution of Subseasonal Temperature Modes as the Drivers of Dry and Moist Heat Discomfort for the Heat Hazard monitoring over the Indian region
Authors: Lekshmi S , Chattopadhyay Rajib , Pai D. S.
Published: November 2023

Heatwaves are often driven by subtropical persistent highs and quasi-stationary Rossby waves, along with regional factors such as soil moisture. Both temperature and humidity variability play an important role in the regional heatwave patterns. Studies have differentiated the dry and moist heatwave-related extremes both in terms of their driving mechanism and in their impact on human health. With the increase in the intensity, frequency and duration of heatwaves in recent decades, the impact-based forecasting and monitoring (IBF) of heatwaves has assumed significance. Current operational IBF indices, especially over the Indian region, are empirical and do not necessarily consider the modal dynamics or their role in the impact of dry and moist heat-related discomfort.
In this study, based on two large-scale intraseasonal modes of summer temperature variability, the driving mechanisms of dry and moist heat extremes over the Indian region are identified. The regional scale impact, identified based on the Heat Index, is driven by these two large-scale modes. The first mode provides conditions conducive for the formation of the dry heat extremes. The second mode drives the regional circulation, supporting the moisture inflow towards the coastal states. This inflow, along with the modal temperature pattern, drives the moist heat extremes over India. Based on the location of the principal components of these modes in the phase space, the heat-related health risk associated with the dominant modes is assessed. Warnings for different phases of dry and moist heat extremes occurring over the Indian region are also proposed for operational use.
Dapagliflozin added to metformin reduces perirenal fat layer in type 2 diabetic patients with Obesity
Authors: Cuatrecasas Guillem , De Cabo Francisco , Coves Mº José , Patrascioiu Ioana , Aguilar Gerardo , Cuatrecasas Gabriel , March Sonia , Calbo Marta , Rossell Olga , Balfego Mariona , Benito Camila , Gregorio Silvana Di , Garcia-Lorda Pilar , Munoz-Marron Elena
Published: November 2023

Sodium-glucose co-transporters type 2 inhibitors (SLGT2i) are highly effective in controlling type 2 diabetes, mainly by inducing net glucose output at the proximal renal tubule, but reported beneficial cardiovascular effects suggest broader actions on insulin resistance. Weight loss may be initially explained by glycosuria net caloric output and secondary volumetric excretion, but its maintenance is mainly due to loss of visceral fat mass. Structured ultrasound (US) imaging of abdominal adipose tissue (“eco-obesity”) is a recently described, noninvasive, easily reproducible methodology used to measure 5 consecutive layers of abdominal fat (superficial subcutaneous (SS), deep subcutaneous (DS), preperitoneal (PP), omental (Om) and right perirenal (RK), not assessable by DEXA or CT scan. PP, Om and RK are predictors of metabolic syndrome (MS) with defined cut-off points. To assess the effect of SLGT2i effect on every fat depot we enrolled 29 patients with type 2 Diabetes (HbA1c 6,5–9%) and Obesity (IMC > 30 Kg/m2) in an open-label, randomized, single-center, phase IV trial (EudraCT: 2019-000979-16): the Omendapa trial. Diabetes was diagnosed < 12 months before randomization and all patients were treatment naïve. 14 patients were treated with metformin alone (cohort A) and 15 were treated with metformin + dapaglifozin (cohort B). Anthropometric measures and laboratory tests for glucose, lipid profile, insulin, HOMA, leptin, ultrasensitive-CRP and microalbuminuria (MAL) were done at baseline, 3rd and 6th months. At 6th month, weight loss was − 5.5 ± 5.2 Kg (5.7% from initial weight) in cohort A and − 8.4 ± 4.4 Kg (8.6%) in cohort B. Waist circumference showed a -2.7 ± 3.1cm and − 5.4 ± 2.5cm reduction, respectively (p = 0.011). Both Metformin (-19.4 ± 20.1mm; -21.7%) alone or combined with Dapaglifozin (-20.5 ± 19.4mm; -21.8%) induced significant Om fat reduction. 13.3% of cohort A patients and 21.4% of cohort’s B reached Om thickness below the cut-off for MS criteria. DS, PP, Om and RK fat thickness showed significant reduction within the Met + Dapa group, whereas only DS and RK fat reduced with metformin alone. RK fat relative change was significantly higher in cohort B group compared to cohort A at both kidneys. Om fat loss correlated with leptin, CRP and MAL and RK fat loss correlated with HOMA-IR, only in the Met + Dapa group. US is a useful clinical tool to assess pharmacological efficacy to reduce ectopic fat depots. Both Metformin and Dapaglifozin induce fat loss in layers involved with MS (Om) but combined treatment is particularly effective in RK fat layer reduction and correlates with cardiovascular risk markers. Perirenal fat should be considered as a potential target for cardiovascular dapaglifozin beneficial effects.
Does decreased fetal growth estimation, in the appropriate for gestational age range affect delivery outcomes?
Authors: Ovadia Michal , Gluska Hadar , Cohen Gal , Schreiber Hanoch , Biron-Shental Tal , Kovo Michal , Maor Gil Shechter
Published: November 2023

Purpose
To study the effect of decreased estimated fetal weight (EFW) percentiles in appropriate for gestational age fetuses.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study included women who had second and third trimester ultrasound examinations. Delivery and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies with decreased EFW of ≥ 30 percentiles and those without were compared. Deliveries with EFW or birthweight ≤ 10th percentile were excluded.
Results
Among 1610 deliveries, 57 were in the decreased growth group and 1553 in the control group. Maternal characteristics did not differ between the groups except for higher rate of nulliparity in the decreased growth group. We found similar rates of Category 2 monitoring, cesarean deliveries due to non-reassuring fetal heart rate and adverse neonatal outcomes. Neonatal birthweight was lower in the decreased growth group as compared to controls.
Conclusion
Appropriate for gestational age fetuses with decreased growth are not at increased risk for adverse outcomes.
Preparation, Characterization, and Application of Electrospun BAG/CMC/β-CD Nanofibers for Flutamide Drug Delivery
Authors: Seyed-Sadjadi Mirabdullah , Tajik Masoumeh , Zare Karim , Farhadyar Nazanin
Published: November 2023

A diverse range of therapeutic agents, such as antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, and wound healing materials, have been physically or chemically formulated on the surface of electrospun nanofibers for achieving controlled topical release within a specific time. In this work, a nanofiber network of a bioactive glass/carboxymethyl cellulose/β-cyclodextrin (BAG/CMC/β-CD) was fabricated through electrospinning. Various analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the synthesized samples. The BAG/CMC/β-CD nanofibers with a diameter of 10 nm were intended to be used for flutamide drug delivery in a simulated intestinal environment. The loading and release effects of flutamide at different times under in vitro conditions were investigated by UV-Vis Spectroscopy. The findings suggested that BAG/CMC/β-CD NF had a high drug loading efficiency of 99.65% and a sustained drug release capacity without an initial burst release, making them a promising candidate for flutamide drug delivery.
Influential Social Determinants of Adherence to Preventive and Health Promotion Activities During Pregnancy and the First Year of Life: Systematic review
Authors: Romero-Barranca Julia , Garcia-Cabrera Emilio , Román Encarnación , Pharm Fátima Morales , Vilches-Arenas Ángel
Published: November 2023

Background Effective monitoring throughout pregnancy and the first year of life is a crucial factor in achieving lower rates of maternal and infant mortality. Currently, there is a limited body of research that addresses socioeconomic factors that contribute to the non-adherence to preventive and control measures during pregnancy and the first year of life. The objective of this review is to examine the available evidence on social determinants that influence participation in health promotion and preventive activities throughout the pregnancy journey and in infants during their first year of life. Methods We performed a systematic review of the literature searching in the major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, WOS, and Cochrane Library) for articles from February 2017 to May 2023 containing information on health inequities that impact participation in health promotion and preventive measures from pregnancy through the first year of an infant's life. Results A total of 12 studies were selected. Of them, three were performed in North America (US and Canda); Three in the middle east and Asia (Pakistan, China, and Malasia); two in Africa (Nigeria and Ethiopia), two in Europe (UK and Denmark) and two in Australia. The selected studies cover preventive measures during maternal care, vaccination, and immunisation during pregnancy and the first year of life and newborn screening and follow-up of the first 12 months of life. These social factors associated with a low adherence to health promotion activities during pregnancy and the first year of life include education, income, ethnicity, place of residence, and family characteristics. Conclusions Despite the diverse geographical distribution, it is observed that there are common social factors linked to a decrease in the adherence to preventive measures during pregnancy and in the early years of life.
Perceived Knowledge of University Females Community about Osteoporosis
Authors: Mohamed Asmaa Ghareeb , Amri Majed Suliman Al , Harbi Jalal Al
Published: November 2023

Osteoporosis is a progressive decline in the bone mass, which occurs with no alterations to the bone’s composition. It is associated with increased bone fragility that may eventually lead to fractures. This aimed to assess the university females' level of knowledge about osteoporosis and to investigate the relationship between females' demographic characteristics and level of knowledge. Descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was adopted for this study which includes 382 participants. A self-reported web-based questionnaire was used to recruit study participants. The results shows that two thirds of them 67.5% were in the age group 20–30 year and single. 67.3% get their knowledge from mass media and more than half of the respondents demonstrated had poor level of knowledge toward osteoporosis. Therefore, an educational based studies and programs should be targeted and directed to improve the awareness of the public toward osteoporosis.
Sequential Operation of Kasai Portoenterostomy and Liver Transplantation is Recommended in Biliary Atresia Children for Better Outcomes: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Chen Chen , Zhou Tao , Xi Zhifeng , Lu Yefeng , Zhang Jianjun , Gu Guangxiang , Xia Qiang
Published: November 2023

Background
Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) is widely accepted for biliary atresia (BA) when diagnosed timely. However, the outcomes for many patients were not satisfactory and required liver transplantation (LT) subsequently. The aim of our study was to determine whether KPE could improve the post-transplant outcomes of BA children.
Methods
In this retrospective cohort study from 2006 to 2019, 1647 BA children were included and divided into two cohorts: those who underwent primary liver transplantation (pLT) (n = 599) and those who received KPE followed by LT (n = 1048). Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted in a 1:1 ratio to balance basic characteristics and minimize the selection bias.
Results
Of 954 recipients after PSM, pLT group (n = 477) showed poor survival rate than KPE + LT group (n = 477) (p < 0.001), with 1-year survival rate of 87.2% and 94.7%, 5-year survival rate of 82.4% and 91.9% respectively. 59.2% of deaths happened within post-operative day 90, especially the first month (41.7%) after LT. pLT group had a significant higher mortality rate than KPE + LT group (15.5% vs 6.1%, p < 0.001). Pulmonary infection and post-LT liver failure were leading causes of death in pLT group compared with KPE + LT group.
Conclusions
KPE could improve the post-transplant survival for BA children. If diagnosed within 3 months, it is advisable to try KPE before considering LT for BA children.
Oxytocin attenuates sympathetic innervation with inhibition of cardiac mast cell degranulation in rats post myocardial infarction
Authors: Hu Hesheng , Yin Jie , Ge Weili , Yu Qingxia , Jing Yanyan , Yan Wenju , Liu Qian , Gong Liping , Yan Suhua , Wang Shuanglian , Li Xiaolu , Li Yan , Wang Jun
Published: November 2023

Aims: Sympathetic nerve hyperinnervation is the primary cause of fatal ventricular arrhythmia (VAs) following myocardial infarction (MI). Cardiac mast cells cause arrhythmias directly via degranulation. However, the role and mechanism of mast cell degranulation in sympathetic remodeling remain unknown. We investigated the role and mechanism of oxytocin (OT) in stabilizing cardiac mast cells and ameliorating sympathetic innervation.
Methods and Results:
MI was induced by coronary artery ligation. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and toluidine staining of mast cells were performed to detect target protein expression levels and locations. Mast cells accumulated significantly in peri-infarcted tissues and were presentin a degranulated state. Mast cells expressed OTR, and OT infusion reduced the number of degranulated cardiac mast cellspost-MI. Eventually, sympathetic hyperinnervation was blunted as assessed by immunofluorescence for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Seven days post MI, the arrhythmia score of programmed electric stimulation in vehicle-treated rats with MI was higher than that in rats treated with OT. An in vitro study showed that OT stabilized mast cells via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Further in vivo studies on OT deficiency mice showed worsening mast cell degranulation and sympathetic innervation on the opposite side.
Conclusions: OT pretreatment inhibited the degranulation of cardiac mast cells post MI and prevented sympathetic hyperinnervation by stabilizing mast cells via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Morphological, Phytochemical, Biochemical, and Enzymatic Evaluation of Pepper Species (Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum chinense Jacq.) at Developmental Stages Under Drought Stress
Authors: Erol Ümit Haydar
Published: November 2023

Drought is an important abiotic stress factor that severely affects plant growth, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The effect of limited irrigation on plant growth and its response depending on growth stages is critical for agriculture in these regions. This study was conducted to understand how different pepper species (C. annuum L. and C. chinense Jacq.) respond to drought conditions. Plants were subjected to four different irrigation regimes (100% field capacity (FC), 75% FC, 50% FC, and 25% FC) and three developmental stages (S1: 20 days after flowering, S2: 40 days after flowering, and S3: 60 days after flowering). The effects of drought on plant morphological growth, photosynthetic pigment content in leaves, phytochemical components [total phenolics (TPh), total flavonoids (TFv), and total antioxidant activity (TAa)], proline (PRL), protein (PRO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of major antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD)] were investigated. According to the results, drought had a negative effect on plant morphology and physiology of both species, and these effects differed between plant species. The amounts of phytochemicals, MDA, PRO, PRL, and antioxidant enzymes increased in higher percentages with increasing drought severity (especially at S2 and S3 growth stages) in C. annuum. Moreover, antioxidative enzyme activities were significantly higher in C. annuum with increasing stress severity, helping the species to overcome oxidative stress under drought conditions. In conclusion, the findings showed that C. annuum is a drought-tolerant species with much more stable morphological, physiological, and biochemical performances compared to C. chinense.
Hyper-physiologic mechanical cues, as an osteoarthritis disease relevant environmental perturbation, cause a critical shift in set-points of methylation at transcriptionally active CpG sites in neo-cartilage organoids
Authors: Bloks Niek GC , Dicks Amanda , Harissa Zainab , Nelissen Rob GHH , Hajmousa Ghazaleh , Ramos Yolande FM , Almeida Rodrigo Coutinho , Guilak Farshid , Meulenbelt Ingrid
Published: November 2023

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex, age-related multifactorial degenerative disease of diarthrodial joints marked by impaired mobility, joint stiffness, pain, and a significant decrease in quality of life. Among other risk factors, such as genetics and age, hyper-physiological mechanical cues are known to play a critical role in the onset and progression of the disease (1). It has been shown that post-mitotic cells, such as articular chondrocytes, heavily rely on methylation at CpG sites to adapt to environmental cues and maintain phenotypic plasticity. However, these long-lasting adaptations may eventually have a negative impact on cellular performance. We hypothesize that hyper-physiologic mechanical loading leads to the accumulation of altered epigenetic markers in articular chondrocytes, resulting in a loss of the tightly regulated balance of gene expression that leads to a dysregulated state characteristic of the OA disease state.
Results: We showed that hyper-physiological loading evokes consistent changes in ML-tCpGs associated with expression changes in ITGA5, CAV1, and CD44, among other genes, which together act in pathways such as anatomical structure morphogenesis (GO:0009653) and response to wound healing (GO:0042060). Moreover, by comparing the ML-tCpGs and their associated pathways to tCpGs in OA pathophysiology, we observed a modest but particular interconnected overlap with notable genes such as CD44 and ITGA5. These genes could indeed represent lasting detrimental changes to the phenotypic state of chondrocytes due to mechanical perturbations that occurred earlier in life. The latter is further suggested by the association between methylation levels of ML-tCpGs mapped to CD44 and OA severity.
Conclusion: Our findings confirm that hyper-physiological mechanical cues evoke changes to the methylome-wide landscape of chondrocytes, concomitant with detrimental changes in positional gene expression levels (ML-tCpGs). Since CAV1, ITGA5, and CD44 are subject to such changes and are central and overlapping with OA-tCPGs of primary chondrocytes, we propose that accumulation of hyper-physiological mechanical cues can evoke long-lasting, detrimental changes in set points of gene expression that influence the phenotypic healthy state of chondrocytes. Future studies are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
Effects of freeze-thaw on bank soil mechanical properties and bank stability
Authors: Yang Zhen , Mou Xian You , Ji Hong Lan , Liang Zhi Hao , Zhang Jianghao
Published: November 2023

Riverbank instability in the seasonally frozen zone is primarily caused by freeze-thaw erosion. Using the triaxial freeze-thaw test on the bank of Shisifenzi Bend in the Yellow River section of Inner Mongolia, we investigated the changes in the mechanical properties of the soil at different freezing temperatures and freeze-thaw times, and analyzed the bank’s stability before and after freezing based on the finite element strength reduction method. The results showed that the elastic modulus, cohesion, internal friction angle and shear strength of the soil tended to decrease with the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles and the decrease in freezing temperature. After 10 freezing cycles at -5℃, -10℃, -15℃ and − 20℃, the modulus of elasticity of soil decreased by 40.84% ~ 68.70%, the cohesion decreased by 41.96% ~ 56.66%, the shear strength decreased by 41.92% ~ 57.32%, respectively. Moreover, the stability safety coefficient of bank slope decreased by 18.58% after freeze-thaw, indicating that the freeze-thaw effect will significantly reduce the stability of bank slope, and the bank slope is more likely to be destabilized and damaged after freeze-thaw.
Secure and Flexible Authorized Data Sharing for Smart Grid
Authors: Feng Yawen , Zeng Shengke
Published: November 2023

Data in smart grid requires security and privacy. Fine-grained access control provides possibility for various electricity companies and organizations to access owner data securely and flexibly for transdiscipline billing. Moreover, revocation should also be considered for key leakage. This work presents a secure authorized data sharing for smart grid scenario. The data access for electricity companies in this scheme is fine-grained and revocation against server-user collusion is achieved. The security analysis and experiment results show that our solution is privacy-aware and practical for smart grid.
Placental Pathology and Fetal Growth Outcomes in Pregnancies Complicated by Maternal Obesity
Authors: Jacobs Marni , Hietalati Samantha , Pham Donna , Arora Harneet , Mochizuki Marina , Santiago Gisselle , Vaught Jordan , Lin Erika , Mestan Karen , Parast Mana
Published: November 2023

Background:
The rising prevalence of maternal obesity presents a significant health concern because of the possible implications for obstetric complications and neonatal outcomes. Understanding the impact of obesity on placental structure and function as well as fetal growth and infant outcomes is important to improve the care of these potentially high-risk pregnancies. This study aimed to determine the effect of elevated maternal BMI on histopathologic patterns of placental injury and its consequences on fetal growth.
Methods:
Data were collected from an ongoing cohort of maternal-infant dyads in the UCSD Obstetric Registry spanning 2011–2020. Maternal characteristics, including BMI, hypertensive disease and diabetes, placental gross and histopathology, and infant characteristics, including sex and birthweight, were recorded and analyzed. ANOVA, chi-square tests, and log-binomial and linear regression models adjusted for relevant confounders were employed to determine associations between maternal BMI, specific patterns of placental injury, and infant birthweight percentiles.
Results:
Among 1366 maternal-infant dyads, placentas from overweight and obese mothers were heavier and demonstrated higher adjusted relative risks of chronic villitis (CV), decidual vasculopathy, intervillous thrombosis, and normoblastemia. Placental efficiency, determined by fetal-placental weight ratio, was decreased with increasing BMI. Maternal obesity was associated with higher rates of preterm birth and higher birthweight percentiles. Multiple placental lesions, including maternal (MVM) and fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM), exhibited significant effects on birthweight percentiles; however, only MVM showed a differential effect based on maternal obesity.
Conclusions:
Maternal obesity is associated with increased rates of placental patterns of injury, decreased placental efficiency, and increased birthweight percentiles. While placental lesions, such as CV, have the potential to negatively impact fetal growth, the resulting birthweight percentiles demonstrate a more complex relationship between maternal obesity and fetal growth, that likely involves placental and fetal adaptation to the altered in utero environment.
Credit Evaluation Model and Its Application in Healthcare Insurance Fraud Detection
Authors: Zhao Xiaomin , Ding Zeyu , Huan Ruohong
Published: November 2023

Healthcare insurance fraud has become a major problem worldwide in recent decades, resulting in significant financial losses for every affected country. However, traditional fraud detection methods tend to focus on analyzing data from the current period and overlook historical information. In this study, we propose a novel approach inspired by the financial concept of ‘credit’ to detect fraudulent activities in various domains, such as healthcare insurance, credit card, and online retail transactions.Our approach aims to build a credit evaluation model that can differentiate between fraudulent and normal activities based on their historical records. We acknowledge that many fraud detection methods have been proposed, but they often struggle to detect edge cases, which limits their practical applicability. To overcome this challenge, we propose the Credit Evaluation Model (CEM), which uses a Time Interval-Aware Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) algorithm to assist fraud detection. Moreover, we propose a new approach that transforms traditional binary classification into a multi-classification problem, which improves the model's ability to handle diverse fraudulent activities.We conducted experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed approach and model, comparing them against baseline algorithms and recently proposed methods. The results show that our approach outperforms the others, demonstrating its potential for practical use in detecting fraudulent activities in various domains.
Floral pigments and their perception by avian pollinators in three Chilean Puya species
Authors: Mizuno Takayuki , Mori Shinnosuke , Sugahara Koutarou , Yukawa Tomohisa , Koi Satoshi , Iwashina Tsukasa
Published: November 2023

The Chilean Puya species, Puya coerulea var. violacea and P. chiliensis bear blue and pale-yellow flowers, respectively, while P. alpestris considered to be their hybrid-derived species has unique turquoise flowers. In this study, the chemical basis underlying the different coloration of the three Puya species was explored. We first isolated and identified three anthocyanins: delphinidin 3,3′,5′-tri-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3,3′-di-O-glucoside and delphinidin 3-O-glucoside; seven flavonols: quercetin 3-O-rutinoside 3′-O-glucoside, quercetin 3,3′-di-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, myricetin 3,3′,5′-tri-O-glucoside, myricetin 3,3′-di-O-glucoside and laricitrin 3,5′-di-O-glucoside; and six flavones: luteolin 4′-O-glucoside, apigenin 4′-O-glucoside, tricetin 4′-O-glucoside, tricetin 3′,5′-di-O-glucoside, tricetin 3′-O-glucoside and selagin 5′-O-glucoside from their petals. We also compared compositions of floral flavonoid and their aglycone among these species, which suggested that the turquoise species P. alpestris has an essentially intermediate composition between the blue and pale-yellow species. The vacuolar pH was relatively higher in the turquoise (pH 6.2) and pale-yellow (pH 6.2) flower species, while that of blue flower species was usual (pH 5.2). The flower color was reconstructed in vitro using isolated anthocyanin, flavonol and flavone at neutral and acidic pH, and its color was analyzed by reflectance spectra and the visual modeling of their avian pollinators. The modeling demonstrated that the higher pH of the turquoise and pale-yellow species enhances the chromatic contrast and spectral purity. The precise regulation of flower color by flavonoid composition and vacuolar pH may be adapted to the visual perception of their avian pollinator vision.
Deregulation of MicroRNA-146a and 155 Expression Levels might underlie complicated pregnancy in Toxoplasma gondii seronegative women.
Authors: Naguib Marwa M. , zaher Youssef Abdel , Ali Hemat Salah M. , Elnoury Hamasat Abdelhafiz , Mohammed Lina Abdelhady , Habashy Omnia Youssef , Mohammed Dina Abdelhady
Published: November 2023

Background
To evaluate the ability of the estimated plasma expression levels of genes of microRNA (MiR-) 146a and 155 to differentiate between samples of pregnant women suspected to be infected by T. gondii. 50 newly pregnant women who had at least one of the criteria of high risk for toxoplasma infection and 50 newly primigravida women free of these criteria gave blood samples for qualitative determination of serum toxoplasma antibodies and estimation of plasma expression levels of MiR-146a and 155 using the qRT-PCR. During the pregnancy course, the incidence of pregnancy complications was recorded
Results
Twenty-six women were IgM−/IgG−, 17 women were IgM+/IgG− and 7 women were IgM+/IgG+. Thirty-two women had pregnancy complications with significantly lower incidence in IgM−/IgG− women. Plasma expression levels of MiR-146a and 155 were significantly higher in total patients compared to control levels and were significantly higher in samples of IgM+/IgG+ patients than in other samples. Statistical analyses defined a high plasma level of MiR-155 as the highly significant predictor for oncoming pregnancy complications and high levels of both microRNAs as predictors for the presence of toxoplasmosis despite seronegativity. Kaplan-Meier regression analysis defined increasing cumulative risk of having toxoplasmosis despite seronegativity with plasma levels of MiR-146a and MiR-155 of 1.2 and 3, respectively.
Conclusion
The incidence of pregnancy complications is high, irrespective of the seronegativity of women at high risk of toxoplasmosis. Estimated plasma levels of MiR-155 might identify women liable to develop complications and differentiate seronegative women vulnerable to having T. gondii infection.
Trial registration:
The study protocol was approved preliminarily by the Local Ethical Committee at Benha Faculty of Medicine. Before enrollment, the study protocol was discussed in detail with the study participants, and those accepted to participate in the study signed written fully informed consents. The final approval of the study protocol was obtained after the end of case collection and registered by RC: 5-11-2022.
Analysis of the OutagePerformance of Energy-Harvesting Cooperative-NOMA System with Relay Selection Methods
Authors: Zhou Yulin , Zhang Yang , Hui Xiaonan , Wang Zhao , Khuwaja Aziz Altaf
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we propose a cooperative Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) transmission scheme with energy-harvesting, employing channel estimation to obtain accurate Channel State Information (CSI) through the Least Squares (LS) channel estimation procedure. The objective is to establish an optimal communication path between the source and the destination. To achieve this, we compare the performance of two relay selection methods: Optimal Relay Selection (ORS) and Max-Min Relay Selection (MMRS). We analyze the impact of the number of relays and the power allocation factor on the system's performance, specifically focusing on the outage probability expressions. Furthermore, we compare cooperative-NOMA with cooperative relaying without NOMA. Numerical and simulation results confirm that the cooperative-NOMA system outperforms the traditional relaying system without NOMA. Additionally, ORS demonstrates superiority over MMRS in terms of the outage performance.
COVID-19 Risk Perception and Vaccine Uptake among Pregnant Women in Ghana
Authors: Partey Frederica Dedo , Mensah Benedicta Ayiedu , Pobee Abigail Naa Adjorkor , Effah-Baafi Yaw , Obiri Dorotheah , Bonney Evelyn Yayra
Published: November 2023

Background The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected global health systems and the world economy. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at an increased risk of developing severe disease. COVID-19 vaccines are highly recommended for pregnant women due to the vulnerability of the pregnant population. Vaccine hesitancy in LMIC’s remains a global health threat. Few studies have examined the risk perceptions of pregnant women living in sub-Saharan Africa and their influence on COVID-19 vaccine uptake within this population. To examine the relationship between knowledge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), infection risk perception, and vaccine uptake among pregnant women living in urban Ghana. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2022 at a general hospital in Accra, Ghana. We enrolled 400 antenatal pregnant women and 200 parturient women on admission. A structured questionnaire was administered to capture socio-demographic characteristics, examine their knowledge of COVID-19, their perception of infection risk to themselves and their unborn babies, and vaccine uptake. Results A high proportion perceived COVID-19 as a serious (25–45%) or very serious (45–60%) viral infection during pregnancy, which could have adverse effects on their unborn babies. A proportion of them (54.5%) believed that the virus could be transmitted from mother to the unborn babies in utero or during delivery, respectively. Although the women expressed fear of contracting the virus during pregnancy, they were not hesitant to visit healthcare facilities for antenatal care or delivery. We found that only 11.5% and 4.5% of our study participants in the antenatal clinic and delivery ward, respectively, received at least one dose of available COVID-19 vaccines. Despite the low vaccine uptake, most participants indicated that vaccination reduced the risk of contracting SARS-COV-2. Conclusions Our study found that pregnant women living in Accra were knowledgeable about COVID-19 and its negative effects on their unborn babies. Fear of contracting the virus did not deter them from accessing care at hospitals. Our participants perceived COVID-19 as serious viral infection during pregnancy and indicated that vaccination could reduce their chance of contracting the virus. However, many of them were not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Surgery first orthognathic correction of dentofacial deformity secondary to condylar hyperplasia with a hybrid 3D approach for planning and printing of patient-specific implants: A case report
Authors: Jaramillo María Clara , Zapata Camilo , Chacón Kelly , Guevara Claudia , Low Eduardo , Yomayusa Nancy
Published: November 2023

Background: Orthognathic surgery (OS) is used to correct facial asymmetry, dentofacial deformity, skeletal malocclusion, and in complementary procedures to improve mastication and aesthetics. Herewith we report the case of a patient with progressive facial asymmetry who underwent OS with virtual surgical planning, patient-specific guides and custom implants at the Colsanitas Clinic, Bogota, Colombia.
Case presentation: Twenty-four-year-old female with a dentofacial deformity secondary to condylar hyperplasia of 9 years evolution. A hybrid technique combined surgical planning and 3D printing of the customized guides and miniplates following a “surgery first” approach.
Conclusion:
Orthognathic surgery with a hybrid technique resulted in a precise translation of the treatment plan with optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Ownership Structure and Manufacturing Productivity in a Transition Economy: Analytical Issues and Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Athukorala Chandra , Nguyen Hai Thanh
Published: November 2023

This paper examines firm ownership and manufacturing productivity in transition economies by drawing on the experience of Vietnam. The empirical analysis uses a new a new establishment-level panel dataset over the period 2006–2017. The findings indicate that the transformation of the ownership structure under trade and investment policy reforms has contributed significantly to improving the productivity of the manufacturing sector, with both fully owned subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and MNE joint ventures with domestic private sector firms playing a pivotal role. Productivity of fully owned MNE subsidiaries is significantly higher than that of MNE joint ventures, supporting the view that relaxing ownership restrictions on foreign direct investment have been instrumental in improving manufacturing productivity. Both state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and MNE-SOE joint ventures are at the bottom of the productivity ranking, suggesting that the MNE-SOE joint ventures are not immune to productivity-retarding factors affecting SOEs.
JEL Codes: F23, O14, P24, P23
Development of Secondary SSSLs and Analysis of QTL for Grain Size as well as Fine-mapping of qGL3.4 Based on a Rice CSSL-Z668
Authors: Xiang Siqian , Yu Zhaopeng , Zhang Han , Wu Jiayi , Zhao Zhuowen , Li Qiaolong , Li Lu , Xiang AoNi , Xu Jinghong , Zhang Fan , Yan Xu , Yang Zhenglin , Ling Yinghua , Zhang Changwei , He Guanghua , Zhao Fangming
Published: November 2023

Background
Grain size is an important factor affecting yield, appearance and processing quality of rice. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore genes controlling grain size in rice. However, its genetic mechanisms are complex and belong to quantitative inheritance controlled by polygenes with minor effects. Chromosome segment substitution lines are ideal materials for natural variation creation, QTL dissection, functional analysis and pyramid breeding of favorable alleles.
Results
Z668 was identified containing 8 substitution segments from indica restorer line R225 in the genetic background of Nipponbare. Its average substitution length was 3.63 Mb. Compared with Nipponbare, Z668 plants exhibited significant dwarf, and the grain length, ratio of length to width and 1000-grain weight of Z668 was increased by 39.9%, 31% and 25.9%, respectively, and grain width of Z668 was decreased by 3.3%. Then, a total of 7 QTLs for grain size were identified from F2 populations derived from Nipponbare/Z668, including 3 for grain length (qGL3.4, qGL12-1, qGL12-2), 3 for ratio of length to width (qRLW3.4, qRLW12-1, qRLW12-2), and 1 for 1000-grain weight (qGWT7), which were found distributing on chromosomes 3, 7 and 12. Finally, 5 single segment substitution lines were developed and 13 QTLs (qGL1, qGL6, qGL7, qGL12-2, qGW7-1, qGW7-2, qRLW1, qRLW6, qRLW7-1, qRLW7-2, qRLW12-2, qGWT6 and qGWT7) were detected by them. Among them qGL1, qGL3.4, qGL12-1 and qGL12-2 might be new QTLs identified in the study, In addition, qGL3.4 controlling long grain displayed dominant inheritance by analysis of frequency distribution in F3 population developed by recombinant plants of single qGL3.4 locus and Chi-square test. And qGL3.4 was then fine mapped into the 300 kb region between SSR3 and SSR4 on chromosome 3 by 142 recessive plants with short-grains and 5 polymorphic SSR markers designed in the substitution interval RM5864 and RM5626 where qGL3.4 was located. By gene prediction, 7 genes were found to be associated with grain size. And through DNA amplification and sequencing as well as qRT-PCR analysis, the candidate1 and 3 were considered as preferred candidate genes for qGL3.4.
Overexpression of PFKP in liver hepatocellular carcinoma: study of prognostic effects and discovery of potential drug sensitivity
Authors: Cen Lilan , Hua Haoming , Qin Ling , Li Shengyi , Chen Wangling , Tian Zhe
Published: November 2023

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors. This study investigated the pivotal role of platelet-type phosphofructokinase (PFKP) in LIHC. PFKP expression in LIHC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was assessed utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, immunohistochemistry was conducted on clinical samples of LIHC tissues and adjacent normal tissues to evaluate PFKP expression. The TCGA database was further exploited to investigate PFKP expression and its correlation with LIHC prognosis and immune infiltration. Our findings unveiled upregulated PFKP expression in LIHC tissues, establishing an association with clinical pathological features (AJCC stage and T stage) and poor prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and ROC curve analysis substantiated these observations by demonstrating that patients with high PFKP expression exhibited shorter median overall survival than those with low expression. Notably, PFKP expression displayed heightened predictive value for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival predictions. Enrichment analysis disclosed the involvement of PFKP's biological functions in anti-tumor drug metabolism processes. Moreover, PFKP exhibited close associations with the tumor microenvironment and immune therapy. Consequently, our study identified several clinical drugs and inhibitors that exhibited increased sensitivity in LIHC patients with high PFKP expression. To conclude, PFKP assumes a critical role in the onset and progression of LIHC, thereby underscoring its significance in both research and treatment.
Improved Decision Support System for Personal Loan Eligibility Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Alfawaz Bashayer
Published: November 2023

Making a loan decision is a task that entails a certain level of risk. When an individual who wants to get credit, such as a loan, credit card, or mortgage, decides to apply, the creditor conducts a comprehensive evaluation to assess the borrower's creditworthiness. This study aims to create a system that can assist financial institutions in the loan approval process to reduce the frequency of non-performing loans (NPLs), which can result in financial losses. In addition, the approach facilitates borrowers' understanding of the potential risks associated with loan acquisition. A classification model was built using a neural network to classify borrowers' eligibility based on features that substantially impact a loan decision. An interpretation model was also built to explain the reason behind the outputs using the local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) method. The classification model achieved an accuracy of roughly 65%, accompanied by a precision of around 0.65, a recall of 0.62, and an F1-score of 0.61. Ultimately, a user interface with interactive features was developed to effectively display the findings of the model.