bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Clinical Features and Treatment Strategies in Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients With Acquired ALK Fusion After Resistance of EGFR-TKIs
Authors: Yang Yuan , Lu Baohua , Shi Liang , Zhang Nana , Chen Zhaoxin , Yu Jing , Liu Zhe
Published: May 2024

Background
The mechanism of secondary drug resistance in advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer(NSCLC) patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene sensitive mutation after EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) is complex. Acquired Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) fusion mutation is a rare type, and there are few reports on the clinical characteristics and treatment options for this group of patients.
Methods
Cases of 820 locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-sensitive mutations NSCLC patients whose gene status were detected by Next Generation Sequencing(NGS)after EGFR-TKIs resistance were retrospectively collected. Acquired ALK fusion gene mutation occurred in 4 of them. The clinical information, pathological types, gene mutation status, treatment plans, efficacies and prognoses of these 4 cases were analyzed.
Results
All 4 patients had lung adenocarcinoma. Three had EML4-ALK fusion and 1 had STRN-ALK fusion. EGFR gene mutation was detected negative in 2 cases after drug resistance, and the abundance of EGFR gene mutation decreased in 2 cases. The Progression Free Survival (PFS) of EGFR-TKIs ranged from 6 to 21 months, and after acquired ALK mutation objective response was all achieved using ALK-TKIs alone or the combination of ALK-TKIs and EGFR-TKIs, with PFS all exceeding 6 months. One patient developed small cell lung cancer transformation after ALK-TKIs resistance.
Conclusion
Acquired ALK fusion as a resistant mechanism of EGFR-TKIs is present and rare. EGFR is undetectable or abundance decreased when ALK fusion emerges. ALK-TKIs alone and ALK-TKIs combined with EGFR-TKIs are alternative treatment choices.
T-cell immunity induced by a nonadjuvanted HLA-restricted peptide COVID-19 vaccine
Authors: Lee Yi-Ru , Liou Chiung-Wen , Liu I-Hua , Chang Jia-Ming
Published: May 2024

During COVID-19 pandemic, cases of postvaccination infections and restored SARS-CoV-2 virus have increased after full vaccination, which might be contributed to by immune surveillance escape or virus rebound. Here, artificial linear 9-mer human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted UC peptides were designed based on the well-conserved S2 region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein regardless of rapid mutation and glycosylation hindrance. Through HLA molecule presentation, UC peptides can activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which elicit cytotoxic activity by recognizing SARS-CoV-2 spike-bearing cells and preferably secreting Th1 cytokines. The UC peptides showed immunogenicity and generated a specific antibody in mice by both intramuscular injection and oral delivery without adjuvant formulation. In conclusion, a T-cell vaccine could provide long-lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 either during reinfection or during SARS-CoV-2 rebound. Due to its ability to eradicate SARS-CoV-2 virus-infected cells, a COVID-19 T-cell vaccine might provide a solution to lower COVID-19 severity and long COVID-19.
Factors Influencing Foraminiferal Assemblages in Coastal Sediments of the Cross River Estuary, Southeast Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea
Authors: EMEKA VICTORIA INYANG , EMEKA CHIMEZIE NDUNAGUM , ITAM ASUKWO ESSIEN , NYONG EYO ETIM
Published: May 2024

The Cross River estuary in Nigeria, a tropical meso-tidal estuary, empties into the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Guinea. With a major navigation channel for maritime transportation, the estuary also provides commercial fishing, sand mining, and seafood trading. Sediment samples were collected at water depths of 1–12 m. From 55 samples collected, benthic foraminiferal specimens were found in only 12, representing three agglutinated species (Arenoparrella mexicana, Miliammina fusca, and Arenoparrella sp.) and one calcareous hyaline species (Ammonia sp.). Cluster analyses revealed two distinct sample clusters, one with two subgroups. Group 1a, four samples from < 10.4 m depth, were fine-grained sands containing Arenoparrella mexicana and Ammonia sp. Bottom waters were brackish, with low pH and high concentrations of dissolved oxygen (< 11 mg/l). Group 1b (4 samples), from muddy to very fine-grained sediments from shallow (< 2 m), brackish water with low pH and low dissolved oxygen, included all four species. The Group 2 assemblage, dominated by Arenoparrella mexicana, was also found in muddy to very fine-grained sediment at ≤ 5.5 m, in brackish waters with variable pH and low dissolved oxygen (< 2.5 mg/l). Arenoparrella mexicana was the most widely distributed species, while M. fusca was limited to organic-rich muddy sediments. Foraminiferal distributions correlated with environmental parameters including salinity, pH, and heavy metal concentrations. The study underscores the impact of anthropogenic activities on estuarine ecosystems, resulting in low foraminiferal density and diversity. These findings contribute valuable insights for monitoring environmental changes in the Cross River Estuary.
Reduced Sialylation of Airway Mucin Impairs Mucus Transport by Altering the Biophysical Properties of Mucin
Authors: Harris Elex S. , McIntire Hannah J. , Mazur Marina , Schulz-Hildebrandt Hinnerk , Leung Hui Min , Tearney Guillermo J , Krick Stefanie , Rowe Steven M. , Barnes Jarrod W.
Published: May 2024

Mucus stasis is a pathologic hallmark of muco-obstructive diseases, including cystic fibrosis (CF). Mucins, the principal component of mucus, are extensively modified with hydroxyl (O)-linked glycans, which are largely terminated by sialic acid. Sialic acid is a negatively charged monosaccharide and contributes to the biochemical/biophysical properties of mucins. Reports suggest that mucin sialylation may be altered in CF; however, the consequences of reduced sialylation on mucus clearance have not been fully determined. Here, we investigated the consequences of reduced sialylation on the charge state and conformation of the most prominent airway mucin, MUC5B, and defined the functional consequences of reduced sialylation on mucociliary transport (MCT). Reduced sialylation contributed to a lower charged MUC5B form and decreased polymer expansion. The inhibition of total mucin sialylation de novo impaired MCT in primary human bronchial epithelial cells and rat airways, and specific α-2,3 sialylation blockade was sufficient to recapitulate these findings. Finally, we show that ST3 beta-galactoside alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3Gal1) expression is downregulated in CF and partially restored by correcting CFTR via Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor treatment. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of mucin sialylation in mucus clearance and identifies decreased sialylation by ST3Gal1 as a possible therapeutic target in CF and potentially other muco-obstructive diseases.
NTS-YOLO：a nocturnal traffic sign detection method based on improved YOLOv5
Authors: Zhang Yongchuan , Guo Mengqi , He Yong , Xia Jun , Geng Xuelai , Zou Tao , Ding Rui
Published: May 2024

Accurate traffic sign recognition is one of the core technologies of intelligent driving systems, which face multiple challenges such as insufficient light and shadow interference at night. In this paper, we improve the YOLOv5 model for small, fuzzy, and partially occluded traffic sign targets at night and propose a high-precision nighttime traffic sign recognition method, "NTS-YOLO". The method firstly preprocesses the traffic sign dataset by adopting an unsupervised nighttime image enhancement method to improve the image quality under low-light conditions; secondly, it introduces the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) attentional mechanism, which focuses on the shape of the traffic sign by weighting the channel and spatial features inside the model and color to improve the perception under complex background and uneven illumination conditions; finally, the Optimal Transport Assignment (OTA) loss function is adopted to optimize the accuracy of predicting the bounding box and thus improve the performance of the model by comparing the difference between two probability distributions, i.e., minimizing the difference. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the method, 154 samples of typical traffic signs containing small targets and fuzzy and partially occluded traffic signs with different lighting conditions in nighttime conditions were collected, and the data samples were subjected to CBMA, OTA, and a combination of the two methods, respectively, and comparative experiments were conducted with the traditional YOLOv5 algorithm. The experimental results show that "NTS-YOLO" achieves significant performance improvement in nighttime traffic sign recognition, with a mean average accuracy improvement of 0.95% for target detection of traffic signs and 0.17% for instance segmentation.
GenAI based Digital Twins aided Data Augmentation Increases Accuracy in Real-Time Cokurtosis based Anomaly Detection of Wearable Data
Authors: Kamruzzaman Methun , Salinas Jorge , Kolla Hemanth , Sale Kenneth , Balakrishnan Uma , Poorey Kunal
Published: May 2024

In an age where pandemics are getting more frequent, early detection of outbreaks is crucial for effective intervention. In this study, we introduce advanced anomaly detection methods tailored for health datasets collected from wearables, offering insights at both individual and population levels. Leveraging real-world physiological data from wearables, including heart rate and activity, we develop a framework for early infection detection in individuals like COVID-19. Despite the availability of data from recent pandemics, substantial gaps remain, hindering method development. To bridge this gap, we utilize Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Networks (WGANs) to generate realistic wearable data, augmenting our dataset for training. Subsequently, we use these real and synthetic datasets to implement a cokurtosis-based technique for anomaly detection in multivariate time-series data. Our approach includes a comprehensive assessment of uncertainties in synthetic data compared to real-world counterparts, as well as the uncertainty associated with fine-tuning anomaly detection thresholds in physiological measurements. Through our work, we present an enhanced method for early anomaly detection in multivariate datasets, with promising applications in healthcare and beyond. This framework could revolutionize early detection strategies and significantly impact public health response efforts in future pandemics.
The role relationship played by immune cells and circulating inflammatory proteins in NAFLD
Authors: Chi Zhenfei , Zhang Yanyun , Bai Xuesong , Zhao Baoying , Zhang Zhe
Published: May 2024

Objective
The mechanisms by which immune cells and inflammatory factors influence Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) remain unclear. This study employs Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the relationship between immune cells, inflammatory factors, and NAFLD, as well as the proportion of their mutual mediation effects on NAFLD.
Methods
This study utilizes MR analysis, examining the causal relationship between 731 immune cell phenotypes, 91 circulating inflammatory proteins, and NAFLD. The data are sourced from publicly available data in the GWAS Catalog. The research process consists of two steps, analyzing them through the assessment of their mediating effects. To obtain reliable results, MR analysis necessitates the fulfillment of three fundamental assumptions. In the selection of instrumental variables, SNPs are screened, requiring significant associations with the exposure factors and no association with the outcomes. Statistical analyses employ methods such as IVW, WM, and MR-Egger to evaluate the causal relationship between exposure and outcomes. Sensitivity analyses are conducted, examining heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.
Results
Ultimately, among the 731 immune cell phenotypes, 21 phenotypes are found to have a causal relationship with NAFLD, with 6 circulating inflammatory protein phenotypes playing intermediary roles. Among the 91 circulating inflammatory protein phenotypes, 7 inflammatory factor phenotypes are found to have a causal relationship with NAFLD, with 5 immune cell phenotypes playing intermediary roles.
Conclusion
Immune cells and circulating inflammatory proteins play a crucial role in NAFLD, and our study may provide new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of NAFLD in the future.
A microbiological analysis of Bacterial Adherence around Different suture Material at impacted 3rd molar site- a Cross sectional Study
Authors: Lenka S. P , Sahoo Swagata , Nayak Susmita , Bej Ananya
Published: May 2024

Introduction:
Suture materials are medical devices that holds the open wound margins together, it transfers the mechanical stress to deeper structures, helps in wound margination and wound healing, prevents infection. They are classified as synthetic/natural, absorbable/non-absorbable, monofilament/braided, etc., but suture materials can also be the source of infection if proper precautions are not taken.
Material and methods
We present 60 cases of impacted third molar treated with transalveolar extraction. Four types of sutures, Vicryl, silk, prolene, and Ethilon, were selected and suturing done by the same operator. Patients were instructed not to use mouthwash or toothpaste for 1 week. After one week suture materials are collected and cultured in blood agar medium. They were graded on the basis of colony-forming units.
Results
The results show both gram positive and negative bacteria & aerobic and anaerobic bacteria growth around every suture. It was maximum in case of Vicryl sutures and minimum for nylon sutures.
Conclusion
All suture materials can be responsible for infection at surgical site as they have the capacity to havour bacteria. Braided sutures have more tendency for the same.
Reversal in China’s Air Quality Gains
Authors: Silver Ben , Reddington Carly , Chen Yue , Arnold Stephen
Published: May 2024

China’s air quality has improved rapidly since the early 2010s, when the government launched an action plan focussed on reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution, the pollutant species associated with the largest negative health impact. Measurements from China’s monitoring network, now consisting of >2000 surface stations, have shown a rapid fall in PM2.5 concentrations consistently over the period 2014–2019, while sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations have also significantly decreased. Concurrently there has been a rapid increase in ozone concentrations, which has been partly attributed to falling particulate matter concentrations. However, air quality data from China remains difficult to access, and recent changes in China’s economic outlook mean that the future trajectory of China’s air quality continues to be highly uncertain. Here we analyse 10 years of air quality monitoring data from May 2014 to April 2024 to assess whether China’s air quality has continued to improve in recent years, in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns and other economic challenges. After using an improved data cleaning algorithm to remove outliers from the dataset, we use a non-linear trend fitting technique to extract underlying trends and their uncertainties. We find that the steep negative trend in PM2.5 that was observed during 2014–2019 has now reversed, and since June 2022 there has been a significant (>95% confident) positive trend at over half of China’s air quality monitoring stations. This is mirrored by the average trend of ozone, which was positive during 2014–2019, but since December 2022 there has been a significant negative trend at almost half of monitoring stations. The increase in PM2.5 exposure has the potential to worsen air quality health impacts in China, particularly given its ageing population.
The Som Kamla Amba Catchment Sub-watershed’s Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Modelling
Authors: Ande Ravi
Published: May 2024

The hydraulic structures, soil conservation structures, water harvesting structures, and flood mitigation studies, and other related projects, rainfall-runoff modelling for unregulated river basins or catchments is useful. The Som Kamla Amba catchment area, which is located in the Rajasthani districts of Dungarpur and Udaipur, is the subject of the current study. Standard statistical indices like r, R2, RMSE, MAE, IA, VE, and NSE were used to evaluate the performance of monthly stream flow and rainfall forecasts created with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). For the Som Kamla Amba watershed, 27 years (1995–2021) of input data, including daily rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity, sun radiation, and wind speed, and stream flow, were gathered. The Som Kamla Ambamba catchment's sub watersheds (W1 to W9) had their morphometric parameters examined using ASTER Dem at a spatial resolution of 30 m × 30 m in ArcGIS 10.4.1 software. It was discovered that the ANN model was more accurate and realistic at predicting rainfall. The SWAT model was then discovered to be accurate in forecasting stream flow. Hence, for catchments, basins, or watersheds with comparable hydrological characteristics, ANN and SWAT can be used for rainfall forecasting and stream modelling.
Optimizing Random Forest for Debris Flow Susceptibility Assessment: A Comparative Study of Advanced Algorithms
Authors: Chen Zhengsheng , Zhu Mulei , Zhang Qinghua , Rong Fengjuan
Published: May 2024

Random forest (RF) method is widely used in debris flow susceptibility research. The algorithm's performance can be enhanced through the careful selection of influencing factors and the optimization of RF hyperparameters. The selected study area is Xiaojin County in Sichuan Province, recognized for its frequent occurrence of debris flows, serving as a critical area for analyzing debris flow susceptibility. 12 key influencing factors of debris flows have been identified and their correlation has been analyzed. Sparrow search algorithm (SSA), genetic algorithm (GA), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), and grey wolf optimizer (GWO) are employed for the optimization of the hyperparameters of RF, respectively. The model's performance was assessed using 5 metrics: ROC curve, confusion matrix, 10-fold cross-validation, iteration time, and convergence count. Based on the results, SSA-RF model demonstrates the highest accuracy (ACC) and area under the curve (AUC) values, with respective scores of 0.9629 and 0.98. It performs RF model by 0.06 and 0.1296, respectively. Furthermore, SSA-RF model demonstrates exceptional performance with regard to other assessment parameters. This observation suggests that RF model's performance experiences a significant enhancement following parameter optimization, thereby providing additional confirmation of the efficacy of optimization algorithms in improving RF model performance. In particular, the performance of SSA is noteworthy in this respect. The study results offer a robust scientific basis for the relevant departments in Xiaojin County and other high-risk debris flow locations to develop catastrophe mitigation and prevention strategies.
Novel genetic insights into the roles of amino acids in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
Authors: Liu Jun , Chen Yuxuan , Qian Jin , Cui Ri , Demirkan Ayse , Zheng Yihu
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
The liver metabolizes amino acids, but previous studies show that amino acids have significant effects also on cardiometabolic diseases like Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). Our study investigates the genetic aspects of amino acids in MASLD, explores their causal links, accounting for obesity's influence, and investigates their potential in predicting MASLD complications

Methods
Using UK Biobank, we examined the observational associations of ten amino acids with MASLD in a cohort of 72,626 cases and 128,102 controls. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the relationships between amino acids and MASLD, considering the impact of obesity. Survival analysis assessed the link between baseline amino acid levels and the incidence of major outcomes in 15 year follow-up.

Results
Nine amino acids showed significant association with MASLD. We observed that higher levels of genetically predicted leucine and valine were associated with an increased risk of MASLD. Among them, valine appeared to independently mediate the link between obesity and MASLD, suggesting a unique role in MASLD beyond its association with obesity. Moreover, an increased risk of genetically predicted MASLD was associated with higher phenylalanine levels. Elevated phenylalanine levels in MASLD patients were linked to increased risks of future metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis, heart failure, stroke, and mortality.

Conclusion
Our results suggest that valine and leucine may cause incident MASLD, presenting as potential therapeutic targets for MASLD. Alterations in phenylalanine could serve as a novel biomarker for MASLD progression and predicting major outcomes in MASLD patients.
Backstepping Adaptive Control of Water-Based Position Servo System for High-Speed On/off Valve Based on Extended Sliding Mode Observer
Authors: Ma Aixiang , Yan Xihao , Jin Zihan , Zhou Yunlin , Wei Yaqiang , Zhao Sihai
Published: May 2024

Most mining hydraulic systems use water-based emulsions as the transmission medium. However, the low viscosity of water-based fluids causes leakage, making proportional flow control in water hydraulic systems challenging and preventing precise positioning of hydraulic cylinders. To achieve continuous flow control in water-based fluids, this research proposes a novel backstepping adaptive controller integrated with an extended sliding mode observer (ESMO). By using additional pressure sensors, continuous proportional control of the output flow of a two-stage high-speed on/off valve (TSHSV) can be realized. The ESMO estimates the valve spool position and unmodeled disturbances based on the current in the coil winding, and system output flow is derived from the spool position. An adaptive controller adjusts the spool position to control the entire system’s flow output, achieving proportional flow control. Simulation and experimental results validate the control accuracy of the system. The results show that the system’s performance surpasses that of proportional valves in many respects.
Exploring the Causal Link Between Immune Cell Phenotypes and Asthma Through Two-Sample and Bayesian Weighted Mendelian Randomization
Authors: Kaihao Du , Lizhao Hou , Mu Qiao , Xiaoge Dong , Zhanjin Wang , Lanminghui Luo , Wei Jiang , Zhan Wang
Published: May 2024

Objective: Using two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) and Bayesian Weighted Mendelian Randomization (BWMR), this study explores the causal links between 731 immune cell phenotypes and asthma, providing useful biomarkers for potential therapeutic targets for asthma.
Methods: The study employed two-sample MR and BWMR to evaluate the causal relationships between 731 immune cell phenotypes and asthma, using large-scale Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) datasets to exclude confounding factors and conduct various sensitivity analyses.
Results: The study conducted an in-depth analysis of the causal relationship between 731 immune cell phenotypes and asthma across three databases (ebi, finn, and ukb). Integrating the results from IVW and BWMR across these databases, we identified CD16+ monocyte %monocyte as a protective factor against asthma, whereas CD62L- myeloid Dendritic Cell Absolute Count, CD62L- myeloid Dendritic Cell %Dendritic Cell, CD62L- CD86+ myeloid Dendritic Cell Absolute Count, and CD62L- CD86+ myeloid Dendritic Cell %Dendritic Cell were identified as risk factors.
Conclusion: Our research confirms that CD16+ monocyte %monocyte serves as a protective factor against asthma, while CD62L- myeloid Dendritic Cell Absolute Count, CD62L- myeloid Dendritic Cell %Dendritic Cell, CD62L- CD86+ myeloid Dendritic Cell Absolute Count, and CD62L- CD86+ myeloid Dendritic Cell %Dendritic Cell pose risks for asthma.
Sinoatrial Node Cells Implementation by Low Cost Digital Hardware
Authors: Naderi Ali , Ghanbarpour Gilda , Ghanbarpour Milad , Haghiri Saeed , Ahmadi Arash
Published: May 2024

In mammalian hearts, the Sinoatrial (SA) node cells act as the fundamental pacemaker location. The intricate patterns of SA node activity can be elucidated by a series of differential equations featuring non-linear functions. This study presents a novel approach to improve the digital representation of the SA node cell model. The results consist of reduced hardware requirements, enhanced speed and accuracy, and lowered implementation costs. The proposed method involves converting the non-linear functions found in the original model into exponential functions represented as $2^x$. This conversion gives rise to a set of mathematical equations that eliminate the need for multipliers. These equations are subsequently refined by minimizing the number of $2^x$ terms, leading to a more effective emulation of the SA model's biological characteristics. To validate the concept, the suggested model is successfully synthesized and implemented on an FPGA. The implementation outcomes demonstrate a substantial enhancement in operating frequency, showing a 3.4-fold increase compared to the original model. Moreover, there is a noticeable 47\% reduction in power consumption. The reduced hardware requirements also enable running a significantly larger number of neurons, precisely 12 times more, on a single FPGA board compared to the original model.
The synergistic effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and Cytarabine on mitochondria of Stem-like cells derived from KG1-a
Authors: Rezaei Sona , Amirshahrokhi Keyvan , Mohammadzadeh-Vardin Mohammad , Amani Mojtaba
Published: May 2024

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has a high probability of recurrence 5 years after treatment with traditional chemotherapy. One of the factors that play a role in AML relapses is the presence of leukemia stem cells (LSCs). Many vital roles of mitochondria such as energy production, oxidation-reduction status, Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, control of cytosolic calcium levels, and initiation of apoptosis, these organelles carry out an important role in developing LSCs. Metabolic flexibility and mitochondrial dependence are two important requirements of LSCs resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, it would be reasonable to target mitochondria in cancer treatment.
Method and result: In this study, an acute myeloid leukemia-derived cell line i.e., KG1-a was treated with different concentrations of Cytarabine (Ara-c), 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG), and their combination. The effects of different treatments were assessed by MTT assay and calculated synergistic index. Then, The Magnetic Antibody Cell Sorting (MACS) was used to isolate cancer CD34+ and CD34- cells as representatives of leukemia stem-like cells and other leukemia cells, respectively. Flow cytometric dyes DCFH-da and Rhodamine 123 were used to evaluate the production of ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in the cells, respectively.
Conclusion: We found that 2-DG and Ara-c have synergistic effects on KG1-a, as well as their combination increases ROS production and reduces MMP, significantly. It seems that combination treatment is the best choice to target more resistant stem-like cells.
Location matters: variations in gut microbiota composition of spatially separated freshwater turtles
Authors: Scheelings T. Franciscus , Van Thi Thu Hao , Moore Robert J. , Skerratt Lee F.
Published: May 2024

Background
The gut microbiota of vertebrates is malleable and may be shaped by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Here, the effect that geography has on the gut microbiota of two species of Australian freshwater chelonians, eastern longneck turtle (Chelodina longicollis) and Macquarie River turtle (Emydura macquarii), captured from waterbodies with different levels of anthropogenic pressure was investigated. We analysed the microbiota composition, structure and diversity through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. It was hypothesized that animals from less disturbed environments would harbour a more diverse gut microbial population.
Results
The gut microbiotas from 93 turtles (C. longicollis n = 78; E. macquarii n = 15), from five locations, were analysed. For both species the most predominant phylum was Proteobacteria. Gut microbiota alpha diversity varied significantly between the C. longicollis from all locations, but no differences were found for E. macquarii. In C. longicollis, turtles from wetlands within the centre of Melbourne had the lowest alpha diversity metrics, while the highest alpha diversity values were seen in turtles captured from an undisturbed rural waterbody. Beta diversity, obtained by weighted UniFrac distance, showed significant differences between location of capture for both species of turtles in this investigation. For C. longicollis, 91 biomarkers were identified responsible for explaining differences between locations, and in E. macquarii 40 biomarkers were found. Core community analysis revealed 49 and 36 ASVs shared between populations of C. longicollis and E. macquarii respectively.
Conclusions
The study showed that gut microbiota composition of freshwater turtles was significantly influenced by locality and that the disrupted environments may reduce microbial diversity in C. longicollis. The results highlight the need to interpret chelonian microbiota data in the context of geography and human disturbance of the environment.
Binary Bat Algorithm Based Clustering Approach for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: CAO YUXIAO , XU JINBAO , WU XIAOBIN
Published: May 2024

Reducing the energy consumption of nodes and prolonging network lifetime is a key issue in wireless sensor networks (WSN) research field. Clustering is an effective method to solve this problem. However, the effectiveness of existing clustering algorithms is not satisfactory. Therefore, we propose a binary bat algorithm based clustering approach (BBACA) in this paper. Firstly, the clustering of WSN is abstracted into a combinatorial optimization problem which is solved by using binary bat algorithm (BBA) with excellent performance. Secondly, a novel binary artificial bat encoding scheme and a fitness function using multiple parameters are designed elaborately. Finally, the final clustering scheme of WSN is obtained through multiple iterations of BBA. Simulation results show that BBACA can significantly reduce the energy consumption of nodes, extend the lifetime of the network, and achieve an outstanding clustering effect compared with other clustering algorithms.
­­­Divergent Neurodegenerative Patterns: Comparison of FDG-PET- and MRI-based Alzheimer’s Disease Subtypes
Authors: Wheatley Sophia H. , Mohanty Rosaleena , Poulakis Konstantinos , Levin Fedor , Muehlboeck J-Sebastian , Nordberg Agneta , Grothe Michel J. , Ferreira Daniel , Westman Eric
Published: May 2024

[18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET and MRI are key imaging markers for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. It is well-established that parieto-temporal hypometabolism on FDG-PET is closely associated with medial temporal atrophy on MRI in Alzheimer's disease. Substantial biological heterogeneity, expressed as distinct subtypes of hypometabolism or atrophy patterns, has been previously described in Alzheimer's disease using data-driven and hypothesis-driven methods. However, the link between these two imaging modalities has not yet been explored in the context of Alzheimer's disease subtypes. To investigate this link, the current study utilised FDG-PET and MRI scans from 180 amyloid-beta positive Alzheimer's disease dementia patients and 176 amyloid-beta negative cognitively normal controls from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Random forest hierarchical clustering, a data-driven model for identifying subtypes, was implemented in the two modalities: one with standard uptake value ratios and the other with grey matter volumes. Five subtypes hypometabolism- and atrophy-based subtypes were identified, exhibiting both cortical-predominant and limbic-predominant patterns although with differing percentages and clinical presentations. Three cortical-predominant hypometabolism subtypes found were: Cortical Predominant (32%), Cortical Predominant+ (11%), Cortical Predominant posterior (9%); and two limbic-predominant hypometabolism subtypes: Limbic Predominant (36%) and Limbic Predominant (13%). In addition, minimal and diffuse neurodegeneration subtypes were observed from the MRI data. The five atrophy subtypes were found: Cortical Predominant (19%), Limbic Predominant (27%), Diffuse (28%), Diffuse+ (6%) and Minimal (19%). Inter-modality comparisons showed that all FDG-PET subtypes displayed medial temporal atrophy, whereas the distinct MRI subtypes showed topographically similar hypometabolism. Further, allocations of FDG-PET and MRI subtypes were not consistent when compared at an individual-level. Additional analysis comparing the data-driven clustering model with prior hypothesis-driven methods showed only partial agreement between these subtyping methods. FDG-PET subtypes had greater differences between limbic-predominant and cortical-predominant patterns and MRI subtypes had greater differences in severity of atrophy. In conclusion, this study highlighted that Alzheimer's disease subtypes identified using both FDG-PET and MRI capture distinct pathways showing cortical versus limbic predominance of neurodegeneration. However, the subtypes do not share a bidirectional relationship between modalities and are thus not interchangeable.
Topological Weyl Altermagnetism in CrSb
Authors: Brink Jeroen van den , Li Cong , Hu Mengli , Li Zhilin , Wang Yang , Chen Wanyu , Balasubramanian Thiagarajan , Leandersson Mats , Polley Craig , Kim Timur , Liu Hui , Fulga Cosma , Vergnior Maia , Janson Oleg , Tjernberg Oscar
Published: May 2024

Altermagnets constitute a novel, third fundamental class of collinear magnetic ordered materials, alongside with ferro- and antiferromagnets. They share with conventional antiferromagnets the feature of a vanishing net magnetization. At the same time they show a spin-splitting of electronic bands, just as in ferromagnets, caused by the atomic exchange interaction. On the other hand, topology has recently revolutionized our understanding of condensed matter physics, introducing new phases of matter classified by intrinsic topological order. Here we connect the worlds of altermagnetism and topology, showing that the electronic structure of the altermagnet CrSb is topological and hosts a novel Weyl semimetallic state. Using high-resolution and spin angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we observe a large momentum-dependent spin-splitting in CrSb, reaching up to 1 eV, that induces altermagnetic Weyl nodes with an associated magnetic quantum number. At the surface we observe their spin-polarized topological Fermi-arcs. This establishes that in altermagnets the large energy scale intrinsic to the spin-splitting -orders of magnitude larger than the relativistic spin-orbit coupling- creates its own realm of robust electronic topology.
Differentiating Between Malaria and Dengue Fever Using Hematological Parameters in an Endemic Area
Authors: Pushpam J Stephanie Lilia , Rai Preethi , T Umashankar , Noronha Dotton Denis
Published: May 2024

Background
Malaria and Dengue fever are the two most common arthropod-borne diseases in tropical countries like India, and endemic areas like Mangalore. Since they share a similar clinical presentation, identifying the hematological parameters, can help differentiate between patients of malaria and dengue fever and can help with its prognosis and early treatment. This study aims to find a link between diagnostic markers that are used to discriminate between the infections, occuring in malaria-endemic areas, such as Mangalore, Karnataka.
Methods
Retrospective study was carried out at department of Pathology, Father muller medical college, Mangalore for the duration of 2 years, January 2019 to January 2021. The hematological parameters for the diagnosed cases were collected from hospital database, were analyzed and evaluated.
Results
White blood cells, neutrophils, monocytes were significantly lower in patients with DF compared to patients with malaria (P < 0.005). In contrast, lymphocytes, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were significantly higher in patients with DF as compared to patients with malaria (P < 0.005).
Conclusion
This study concludes that hematological parameters differ  in Dengue Fever and Malaria,and using these parameters- haemoglobin, PCV, RBC, total count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, platelets, MCV, MCH, MCHC, age and gender, we can discriminate patients with dengue and malaria infection. In addition, using these parameters, will lead to early detection, diagnosis, and managementt of these tropical diseases.
Pediatric Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Verma Renuka , Rawat Aakanksha , Kalra Rajnish , Gupta Monika , Ahlawat Anjali , Rathee Pooja
Published: May 2024

Acute Promyelocytic leukemia (APML) belongs to French American British (FAB) classification M3 subtype of acute myeloid leukemia & is characterized by t(15;17) and resultant PML-RARA fusion gene. APML accounts for 5-10 % in pediatric age group. Patients usually present with bleeding manifestations, weakness and increased propensity for disseminated intravascular coagulation. Extramedullary involvement is rare. It is a hematologic disease presenting as medical emergency and can be diagnosed with certainty by morphological examination of peripheral blood film & bone marrow aspirate to allow initiation of targeted therapy in order to reduce mortality. Patients with APML receive combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) & arsenic trioxide to induce terminal differentiation of blasts. We present a case of APML in a four years old child presented in the department of clinical hematology with pallor, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly.
A Systemic Review of T Regulatory Cells and Their Role In Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Taur Nishant , Kushwah Rashmi , Jain Mili , Singh Akansha , Mittal Rahul
Published: May 2024

Regulatory T cells (Tregs)  know for monitoring and regulating the immune response in healthy individuals. In hematological malignancies, Tregs cells exert an immunosuppressive effect thus playing an important role in tumor progression and spread. It is a systemic review focusing on  evolution and prognostic role of Tregs in hematological malignancies and the results are very  conflicting. Different tissues (peripheral blood, Lymphnode tissue and bone marrow) were used for studies with applications of different methods like Flow cytometry on whole blood / isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells with different gating techniques, Immunohistochemistry using different panel of monoclonal antibodies, which partially explained the confrontation of results. It is of particular importance to mention above finding to solidify the requirement of use of standardized approaches in study of Tregs in hematological malignancies and in cancer.
The Balancing Universe: The Story of Human Invasion and The Primitive yet Evolutionary Prototheca
Authors: Sardana Raman , Butta Hena , Mendiratta Leena , Jasuja Sanjiv , Xess Immaculata , Singh Gagandeep , Sobti Parul
Published: May 2024

Prototheca is an achlorophyllic environmental algae and is an underrecognized pathogen. It may cause infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients but usually misidentified as yeast. The identification of this microorganism requires advanced methods like MALDITOF MS (Matrix assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight) and Molecular techniques. Hereby, we report a case of Cutaneous infection by Prototheca wickerhamii in a 49 years old post kidney transplant patient which resembled morphologically as Cryptococcus on histopathological examination but turned out to be Prototheca wickerhamii on fungal culture using MALDITOF MS method for identification. Patient responded to treatment with Amphotericin B.
Steroid Cell Tumor NOS and Xanthogranulomatous Oophoritis: A Rare Association Mimicking Ovarian Malignancy
Authors: Saxena Rushali , Singh Smita , Agarwal Kiran
Published: May 2024

Steroid cell tumor, NOS is an infrequently reported ovarian tumor, rarely presenting without endocrine symptoms. Xanthogranulomatous inflammation of ovaries is an extremely rare finding which often mimics malignancy on imaging. This case report presents a unique co-incidental finding of these two rare entities as incidental findings.
A 44 year old female with previous history of total abdominal hysterectomy for leiomyoma presented with abdominal discomfort. Clinical examination revealed bilateral adnexal mass. Imaging suggested a possibility of bilateral ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. CEA, CA19-9 and CA125 were within normal limit. No signs and symptoms of endocrine manifestation were seen. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy specimen was sent for histopathological examination. Grossly, Left ovary showed a single yellow nodule measuring 1cm in diameter. Right ovary showed a gray tan cut surface.
Microscopic examination revealed a left ovarian nodule composed of diffuse sheet of large tumor cell with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, round nucleus with a prominent nucleolus in a background of extensive vascular congestion. No reinke crystals, mitosis, necrosis, hemorrhage or nuclear atypia was seen. The tumor cells were immunopositive for Vimentin, Pan CK and Inhibin. Adjacent left ovarian stroma and right ovary showed features suggestive of XI. A diagnosis of Steroid cell tumor, NOS with xanthogranulomatous oophoritis was offered.
Steroid cell tumor and xanthogranulomatous oophoritis, both are rare entities which may mimic malignancy. Awareness of these entities alone or in combination allows a clinician to avoid radical surgeries in such cases.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of Breast: A Common Tumour at An Uncommon Site - A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Walia Gurpreet Kaur , Yadav Poonam , Dogra Natasha , Dwivedi Surjeet , Akal Ramanjit Singh
Published: May 2024

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy of breast with favourable prognosis and distinct histomorphology. We present a case of 47 year old female with palpable lump in right breast. Mammogram revealed an irregular hypoechoic solid mass at 10 ‘O clock position with indistinct margins. Trucut biopsy sections revealed a tumour showing pseudoglandular and true gland-like spaces lined by epithelial and myoepithelial cells and filled with abundant homogenous eosinophilic material. Immunohistochemistry revealed triple negative tumour cells, low Ki 67 (1-2 %) with p63 positive in myoepithelial cells and CD117 positive in epithelial cells. With these findings, it was opined as Adenoid cystic carcinoma right breast and the patient underwent wide local excision which we received for histopathological examination. On serial slicing, a solid circumscribed tumour measuring 1x1x2 cm was seen. Sections revealed concurrent morphological and IHC findings as seen on trucut biopsy. Patient responded well to surgery followed by radiotherapy.
Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis: An Uncommon Case Report Mimicking Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Agrawal Ruchi , Singh Kulwant , . Parul , Hooda Sunaina , Rana Parveen , Saluja Swaran Kaur
Published: May 2024

Introduction:
Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is an atypical form of chronic pyelonephritis characterized by the destruction of renal parenchyma and its replacement with a chronic inflammatory infiltrate of xanthoma cells.
Case Report:
A 46-year-old male presented in the surgery outpatient department with abdominal pain and recurrent fever. Contrast-enhancing computed tomography (CECT) revealed a lobulated, irregularly shaped, heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the left kidney arising from the upper pole with mitotic activity. Left total nephrectomy was performed, and the specimen was sent for histopathology. The specimen measured 12x8.5x5.3cm. Grossly, a globular mass lesion measuring 9x7x2.4 cm was observed at the upper pole of the kidney. On cutting, an unencapsulated grey-white solid mass with ill-defined margins was identified in the upper pole of the kidney. Microscopically, sheets and bundles of oval to spindle-shaped cells amidst chronic inflammatory infiltrate and giant cells were seen. These cells exhibited moderate pleomorphism with large vesicular nuclei, irregular nuclear margins, clumped chromatin, and pale to eosinophilic ample cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed strong positivity for both vimentin and CD68 and negativity for cytokeratin, CD10, and desmin. The final diagnosis of XGP was made.
Conclusion:
XGP has earned the title of the "great imitator" due to its overlapping gross and microscopic features with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This overlap often leads to a delay in reaching a specific diagnosis. However, immunohistochemistry (IHC) helps to avoid such misdiagnoses in the majority of cases.
CONTRIBUTION OF UNANI MEDICINE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: A REVIEW
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Kulliyat, Government Tibbi College Patna, Bihar India., Tanwir Alam Md
Published: May 2024

Unani Medicine has done the great job for Health and disease. Although its contribution had started from 3000 BC but its scientific shape was given by Hippocrate. Herophilus, Erasistratus, Aristotle and many other Unani Atibba play very important role in the development of Unani Medicine. The world first institute of Unani Medicine was school of Alexanderia which has also done a great job. In Rome this medicine started a military medicine first time in the world and also contribute in single drugs. But its golden era was in Arab world and Undulus from 700 AD to 1500 AD. Maximum research and development were happened in these periods. Many Atibba like Razi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Hitam, Isa Kahal, Abul Qasim Zahrawi and Ibn Nafie etc has done a great job. In India Unani Medicine is contributing from 12thcentuary to till date continuously.