bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying and Dealing with Interdependencies and Conflicts of Goals in Manufacturing Companies’ Sustainability Measures
Authors: Koch David , Sauer Alexander
Published: April 2024

Companies are increasingly focusing on sustainable business practices. Internal and external stakeholders’ expectations manifest in legal requirements, national and international standards, and market and customer expectations, among other things, must be considered. In addition to profit maximization as the usual target for corporate management, management must consider environmental sustainability aspects such as resource efficiency, greenhouse gas intensity, and a company's emissions behavior. In addition, social aspects relating to the company's employees, the immediate urban environment, the situation in the supply chain, and effects on the market environment must increasingly be considered. Specifically, companies are faced with the chal-lenge of dealing with conflicting objectives regarding the various aspects of sustainability and, if necessary, weighing them up against each other. These trade-offs must be made against the company's socio-economic and ecological environment, corporate strategy, and sustainability goals. This paper provides an overview of current approaches and research gaps on this topic through a literature review. It shows a lack of methods and frameworks to specifically deal with trade-offs and conflicts of goals.
Research of methods for solving mixed integer linear programming problems
Authors: Sivakova Tatiana Vladimirovna , Sudakov Vladimir Anatolievich , Shimko Vasiliy Sergeyevich
Published: April 2024

The paper discusses mathematical methods and software designed to solve optimization problems with linear objective functions and constraints, subject to additional restrictions on the integrality of variables. The main algorithms for combinatorial optimization are outlined and a comparative analysis of current packages and solvers for solving mixed integer linear programming problems in Python is carried out.
Portrait of regional health authority manager – 2023.
Authors:   Russian Research Institute of Health, Khodakova O. V. , Kungurtsev O. V. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Pavlenko O. B. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Starodubov V. I. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Kobyakova O. S. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Tyufilin D. S. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Deev I. A. ,   The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
Published: April 2024

The heads of regional executive authorities in the sphere of health protection are key figures in the implementation of the health care development strategy of the Russian Federation. The effective management of the healthcare system, as well as the achievement of national goals and target indicators of federal projects, requires highly qualified managerial staff. The annual study of the level of knowledge, skills, work experience and professional skills of regional ministers makes it possible to update information on the human resource potential of the top managers of regional health care systems, assess the changes and timely develop measures aimed at its improvement. The aim of the study was to assess the changes in human resource potential of the heads of regional executive authorities in the sphere of health protection of the Russian Federation in 2021–2023. Materials and methods. A single-stage, continuous sociological study was planned and conducted using a questionnaire developed by the experts of the Institute, which allows to assess changes in such characteristics as: age and gender composition of respondents, the level of higher and additional education, the professional competencies, and length of service in managerial positions. Results. We achieved a response from 86 respondents. It was found that during the last three years, there has been a significant decrease in the rate of rotation of the heads of regional health protection systems with a simultaneous increase in the level of their professional qualifications. The revealed trends are reflected in the growth of the average length of service as a regional minister (2021–2.1+1.9 years, 2022–2.3+2.5 years, 2023–2.9+2.2 years), 3,5 reduction in the number of respondents in the group with a length of service as a regional minister up to one year, an increase in the proportion of managers with professional qualification «Health Care Organization and Public Health». Conclusions. The study allowed to identify the key trends and changes that have occurred over the past three years in terms of the qualitative characteristics of the managerial human resource potential of regional health care systems in the Russian Federation. The heads of regional executive authorities in the sphere of health protection represent the most important resource of the field. Consistent and reliable decrease in the rotation of regional health care system managers is reflected in the growth of their professional skills, knowledge and experience, which allows to achieve the national goals in healthcare set by the President and the Government of the Russian Federation.
Barriers to and Facilitators of Pediatric Vaccination Reporting in Four US States, 2023
Authors: Israelsen-Hartley Sara , Boucher Nathan A.
Published: April 2024

In a 2023 sequential explanatory mixed-methods study in four US states, we identified barriers and facilitators experienced by Vaccines for Children (VFC) program providers in reporting vaccination data to state immunization information systems (IISs). We found the following: VFC providers value accurate, robust, and widely used IISs. IIS reporting is easier with but does not require an electronic health record. Negative interactions with IISs and VFC officials and limited practice capacity are barriers to reporting. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a nationwide vaccination database. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):569–574. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307638 )
Optimization Method for Fracture-Network Design under Transient and Pseudosteady Conditions Using Unified-Fracture-Design and Deep-Learning Approaches
Authors: Wang Junlei , Wei Yunsheng , Pan Yuewei , Yu Wei
Published: April 2024

In unconventional shale and tight reservoirs, the concept of stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) is used to correlate the volume of total injected proppant with well performance. The SRV configuration consists of primary fractures connected to the wellbore and secondary fractures intersecting primary fractures. SRV productivity is determined by fracture conductivity, fracture dimensions, and network complexity, which also vary with time. This work presents an extension of the unified-fracture-design (UFD) approach to account for not only the pseudosteady state (PSS) but also transient flow regimes and ultimately optimize SRV for maximizing well performance. A generalized productivity index (PI) for both the transient and PSS regimes is presented to improve well performance by searching for the maximum PI over time. In addition, a surrogate model is developed to accelerate the optimization. This study demonstrates that the UFD enables the determination of the optimal fracture network conductivity and complexity that contribute to the maximum PI with a given proppant volume. The optimal SRV design is time-dependent until the PSS is reached. The surrogate model not only improves the computational efficiency but also delivers high precision, which means far less computational burden than the traditional parametric-sensitivity analysis.
A Preliminary Study on the Standardization of the Adaptive Behavior Scale for the K-Bayley-4
Authors:   The Society for Cognitive Enhancement and Intervention, Shim Hyejun , Lee KyungOk
Published: April 2024

Objective: This study aimed to develop a K-Bayley-4 adaptive behavior scale suitable for application to Korean infant development and culture via the standardization of K-Bayley-4 through a preliminary study. Methods: The adaptive behavior scale of the Bayley-4 was translated, and the questions were revised to suit the measurement of the adaptive behavior of Korean infants through an expert content validity review and preliminary survey (n = 68), and the adaptive behavior scale of the K-Bayley-4 was then developed for preliminary research. Data were collected from 257 infants aged between 16-42 months nationwide (Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang), and a preliminary study of the adaptive behavior measures was conducted to determine the reliability, difficulty, and validity of questions.
Results: Preliminary studies showed that the split-half reliability ranged from .80 to .87, and Cronbach’s α was between .956 to .981. As a result of the item analysis, some items of the K-Bayley-4 adaptive behavior scale were omitted, modified, or added, resulting in 26 receptive, 33 expression, 33 personal, 21 interpersonal relationships, and 21 play and leisure, totaling 134 questions. No differences were observed based on gender, academic background, or region. Correlation analysis of the K-Bayley-4 subtest showed convergence and discrimination validity.
Conclusions: It can be seen that the adaptive behavior scale of K-Bayley-4 can appropriately evaluate the adaptive behavior of Korean infants and toddlers.
Difference in Children’s Content Comprehension and Incidental Word learning During Video Watching According to the Utterance Level of an Adult
Authors:   The Society for Cognitive Enhancement and Intervention, Park Sanga , Choi Naya
Published: April 2024

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether there was a difference in comprehension of the content and acquisition of incidental word learning while watching a video according to different adult’s utterance levels.
Methods: A total of 100 participants of 4-year-old were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the high-involvement utterance group, low-involvement utterance group, and no utterance group. The experimenter provided the children pre-scripted utterances in each group. After watching each video, tasks were provided to measure extent of the children’s comprehension of video content and the number of novel words that appeared in the video.
Results: There was a significant difference in comprehension of video content and the average number of incidental word learning in each group depending on the adult speech. Specifically, between the high involvement utterance group and the low involvement utterance group, the high involvement utterance group and no utterance group. In other words, high utterance group statistically showed better performance in the tasks compared to other two groups.
Conclusions: Adults’ conscious utterances plays a positive role in supporting children’s language and cognitive development by offering clues to enhance their comprehension and directing their attention to novel vocabulary.
WITHDRAWN: Optimization of Accounting Information System in Public sector for Sustainable Risk Management under Big Data Analytics Capabilities. Does Forensic Accountants’ Skill generate differences?
Authors: Pham Quang Huy , Vu Kien Phuc
Published: April 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors while they make corrections to the work. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Human settlement pressure drives slow-moving landslide exposure
Authors: Ferrer Joaquin V. , Mohor Guilherme Samprogna , Dewitte Olivier , Pánek Tomáš , Reyes-Carmona Cristina , Handwerger Alexander L. , Hürlimann Marcel , Köhler Lisa , Teshebaeva Kanayim , Thieken Annegret H. , Tsou Ching-Ying , Vinueza Alexandra Urgilez , Demurtas Valentino , Zhang Yi , Zhao Chaoying , Marwan Norbert , Kurths Jürgen , Korup Oliver
Published: April 2024

The rapidly growing population in many mountain regions is pressuring expansion onto steeper slopes, increasingly exposing people and their assets to slow-moving landslides [1, 2, 3, 4]. These moving hillslopes can inflict damage to buildings and infrastructure [5, 6], accelerate with urban alterations [7, 8], and catastrophically fail with climatic and weather extremes [9,10,11]. Cities in mountains especially face growing pressure from rising and migrating populations [12] seeking out economic opportunity [13,14]. Yet, systematic estimates of this exposure have been elusive [15,16]. Here, we identify from a new global database of 7,764 slow-moving landslides those that sustain human settlements to estimate their exposure across nine different IPCC mountain-risk regions [1]. Across most of these regions, we find that exposure to slow-moving landslides increases with sprawling urbanized areas, though clearly not with steeper terrain. We show regional contrasts in how exposure to floods may drive people to settle on moving hillslopes. East Asia stands out in how slowmoving landslide exposure increases in more urbanized basins with gentler slopes and less flood exposure. Our findings reveal how disparate knowledge creates uncertainty that undermines an assessment of the drivers of landslide exposure in regions facing increasing mountain risks, such as Central Asia, Northeast Africa, and the Tibetan Plateau.
Does Insulin Resistance and Metformin have a role in Unexplained Recurrent Implantation Failure?
Authors: Mo Dan , Zeng Zhonghong , Li Jingjing , Huang Hanji , Luo Yuxing , Liu Xin , Zhao Hong , Chen Jing , Li Rong , Ma Wenhong , Yang Yihua
Published: April 2024

Purpose
To investigate the association between IR and pregnancy outcomes in URIF patients, as well as to evaluate the potential benefits of metformin in improving pregnancy outcomes in this population.
Methods
A total of 250 women diagnosed with URIF, undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) from January 2019 to February 2022, were recruited in this study. The patients were divided into IR group and non-IR group according the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index. IR patients were further classified based on whether they received metformin therapy. Primary outcomes were the clinical pregnancy rate, early pregnancy loss rate, and live birth rate.
Results
The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates did not differ significantly between IR and non-IR groups. However, the non-IR group displayed a lower incidence of early pregnancy loss compared to the IR group (13.77% vs. 24.11%, p < 0.05). Following adjustment for confounding factors, IR was still an independent risk factor for early pregnancy loss (OR = 1.385, 95% CI: 1.035 ~ 2.508, p < 0.05). Intriguingly, administration of metformin resulted in a notable decrease in early pregnancy loss rates within the IR group (17.19% vs. 33.33%, p < 0.05).
Conclusions
IR seems to pose little effect on the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in women with URIF. However, IR might be associated with an increased risk of early pregnancy loss, and taking metformin in IR individuals could have potential benefits. These findings impart valuable insights into the management of URIF with IR.
Trial registration
Chinese Clinical Trials Register (ChiCTR2300077976), retrospectively registrated.
Connection between the Gut Microbiota of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) and Microbiota of the aquaponics system Environment
Authors: Yang Guiqiang , Li Wentong , Ma Junfeng , Wang Zhanquan , He Jie
Published: April 2024

The significant role played by the gut microbiota in the fish growth, development, immunity, and overall health has been widely established. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the interaction and origin between the environmental microbiota and the gut microbiota of aquaculture species within the aquaponics coupling system. Thus, we conducted an analysis of the gut microbiota of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) obtained from an indoor enclosed circulating water aquaponics coupling system located in greenhouses in northern China. Additionally, we examined the microbiota of the fish pond water and tomato rhizosphere soil using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results demonstrated significant differences in the compositions of fish pond water, rhizosphere soil, and the gut microbiota of largemouth bass. Moreover, these compositions changed throughout the culture period. Approximately 11.99% of the bacterial composition in the gut microbiota of largemouth bass could be attributable to the rhizosphere soil microbiota, while 62.01% of the bacterial composition could be attributable to the fish pond water microbiota. However, the proportion of bacteria in the gut microbiota from the fish pond water microbiota remained respectively 40.90% and 56.15% in May and September, which increased markedly to 88.97% in July. Similarly, the proportion of bacteria in the pond water microbiota from the tomato rhizosphere soil microbiota were respectively 0% and 8.95% in samples collected in May and September, which increased markedly to 69.26% in July, and the proportion of bacteria in the gut microbiota from the tomato rhizosphere soil microbiota were respectively 0.07% and 0% in samples collected in May and September, which increased to 0.45% in July. The research results offer essential insights into the interactions and origins of environmental microbiota and gut microbiota in the aquaponics system of cultured fish. This knowledge could enhance green aquaponics practices for largemouth bass.
Regulatory impact of activating and inactivating histone modifications for epigenetic control of Tet expression during murine brain development and aging
Authors: Kilinc Selma , Kraus Theo F. J. , Kretzschmar Hans A.
Published: April 2024

Background: Recent studies demonstrated that 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is particularly enriched in the brain. It is the oxidative product of 5-methylcyotsine (5mC), mediated by the ten-eleven translocation (Tet) genes. Being the intermediate in DNA demethylation, 5hmC itself may also be regulated by certain chromatin structures. As there is an unknown biological mechanism in murine brain and other tissues, there is a need to investigate the biological mechanisms linking 5hmC formation and histone modifications. The aim of this study was to check up the regulation levels of quantified expression levels of genes that are associated with DNA demethylation in murine brain during aging at regions with the histone modifications H3K4me3 (a euchromatin mark) and H3K27me3 (a transcription repressive mark).
Results: We show significant reduction of expression levels of the Tet genes compatible for regulation levels at H3K27me3. H3K4me3 displays relatively strong correlations with still known quantified 5hmC amounts in cortex and in cerebellum.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a new insight into 5hmC availability depending on transcriptional activity and into Tet gene expressions depending on transcriptional repression.
Factors influencing the flexible flatfoot in preschool children and analysis of the effects of orthopedic insoles
Authors: Bian Ruihao , Jia Guoqing , Zhu Liutao , Ainiwa Aikebaier , Dong Xueru , Wang Haoxiang
Published: April 2024

Purpose: To explore the influencing factors of flexible flatfoot in preschool children and effects of orthopedic insoles.
Methods: 171 preschool children fitted with orthopedic insoles and revisited after 1 year, were selected as the experimental group, while 805 children matched as the control group. All included children were assessed for biomechanical parameters.
Results: At follow-up, degree of flatfoot, calcaneal valgus angle, knee valgus angle, foot posture index, and joint flexibility were lower than at the initial visit in the experimental group (p<0.05). Calcaneal valgus angle, knee valgus angle, and foot posture index were lower than the control group(p<0.05). Age, and tibial torsion angle were negatively correlated (r=-0.19, -0.07, p<0.001) with degree of flatfoot, while hallux valgus angle, calcaneal valgus angle, knee valgus angle, navicular drop height, foot posture index, and body mass index were positively correlated (r=0.06, 0.39, 0.05, 0.38, 0.51, 0.16, p<0.05). Significant difference was found in degree of flatfoot between genders (χ2=99.76, p<0.001).Navicular drop height [OR:3.29 (95% CI: 2.55-4.23)], male gender [OR:1.77 (95% CI: 1.48-2.13)], foot posture index [OR:1.42 (95% CI: 1.33-1.48)], body mass index [OR:1.09 (95% CI: 1.06-1.12)], heel valgus angle [OR:1.10 (95% CI: 1.06-1.15)], and age [OR:0.78(95% CI: 0.73-0.83)] were factors influencing degree of flatfoot (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Degree of flatfoot in preschool children is influenced by navicular drop height, gender, foot posture index, body mass index, heel valgus angle, and age. With growth, there may be some relief. Orthopedic insoles can to some extent correct heel and knee valgus, but it cannot reduce degree of flatfoot.
Outcomes of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome in Patients with Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in China: A Single Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Guo Hebing , Yin Ningning , Tan Jianbo , Pu Lin , Hao Jingjing , Liu Jingyuan , Li Ang
Published: April 2024

Acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) pose significant threats to patient prognosis, often leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), which is characterized by simultaneous dysfunction of two or more organ systems and significantly heightens the risk of mortality. Standard strategies for managing organ complications in critical illness may not always be suitable for patients with liver failure (LF).This study aims to investigate the outcomes of MODS in patients with ALF and ACLF in China, while also identifying factors influencing mortality and prognosis. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a specialized tertiary hospital for liver diseases in Beijing, China, spanning from June 1, 2009, to May 31, 2022.Risk factors were assessed through univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression. Cumulative 90-day mortality rates between the ACLF and ALF groups were compared using Cox Analysis. 195 patients with ALF and 318 patients with ACLF were included in this study. The primary outcome of interest was 90-day mortality. This study enrolled a total of 513 patients. Of these, 119 patients (61%) with ALF and 140 patients (44%) with ACLF experienced MODS. Patients with ALF exhibited a higher number of organ failures compared to those with ACLF (2 vs. 1, P = 0.006). Additionally, patients with ALF demonstrated higher median admission critical illness scores.Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that GIB (OR = 3.112, 95% CI 1.4–6.916, P = 0.005), MELD-Na scores (OR = 1.079, 95% CI 1.033–1.127, P = 0.001), Age (OR = 1.056, 95% CI 1.025–1.088, P < 0.001), NLR (OR = 1.073, 95% CI 1.014–1.132, P = 0.014), ICU admission (OR = 4.319, 95% CI 1.347–13.851, P = 0.014), and Clif-SOFA (OR = 1.147, 95% CI 1.022–1.287, P = 0.02) were independent influential factors in predicting 90-day mortality, with an AUCROC of 0.881. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that SOFA score (OR = 1.255, 95% CI 1.166–1.351, P = 0.001), GCS scores (OR = 0.674, 95% CI 0.606–0.881, P = 0.001), Age (OR = 1.048, 95% CI 1.022–1.076, P < 0.001), and ICU admission (OR = 0.258, 95% CI 0.075–0.885, P = 0.031) were independent influential factors in predicting 90-day mortality, with an AUCROC of 0.872.Cox analysis for cumulative 90-day mortality indicated that patients with ALF had higher mortality rates compared to those with ACLF (33.8% vs. 27%, P = 0.026) and compared to patients with cirrhosis ACLF and non-cirrhosis ACLF (33.8% vs. 31% vs. 25.9%, P = 0.018).Patients with ALF exhibited a higher incidence of MODS and consequently had a poorer 90-day prognosis.
Photon frequency ν as the center one of a wave train spectrum
Authors: Zhang Xingchu , She Weilong
Published: April 2024

It is well known that, for an incident light of not so high intensity and in a certain range of frequency, the stopping voltage of photoelectric effect is independent of the intensity but dependent on the frequency of the light, which is described by the equation V = hν/e−W0/e, where V is the stopping voltage, h is the Planck constant, ν is the frequency of incident light, e is the electron charge, and W0 is the work function. It means that the larger the frequency of incident light, the higher the stopping voltage is. However, the present experiment finds that for a non-monochromatic incident light, the stopping voltage is not determined by the maximum frequency component of the incident light, but by the maximum center frequency of all the wave train components (with different center frequencies) involved in the incident light, that is to say, in the photon energy expression hν, physical quantity ν does not refer to the frequency of a monochromatic light, but represents the center frequency of a wave train spectrum. The spectral bandwidth of a wave train component can be as large as 122 nm in visible and near-infrared region. This should arouse more attention in the study of energy exchange between light and matter.
HeartBERT : A language model pre-trained on anopen source dataset for cardiac text mining
Authors: Gwon Hansle , Seo Hyeram , Park Seohyun , Kim Young-Hak , Jun Tae Joon
Published: April 2024

The advent of the Transformer has significantly altered the course of research in Natural Language Processing (NLP) within thedomain of deep learning, making Transformer-based studies the mainstream in subsequent NLP research. There has alsobeen considerable advancement in domain-specific NLP research, including the development of specialized language modelsfor medical. These medical-specific language models were trained on medical data and demonstrated high performance. Whilethese studies have treated the medical field as a single domain, in reality, medical is divided into multiple departments, eachrequiring a high level of expertise and treated as a unique domain. Recognizing this, our research focuses on constructinga model specialized for cardiology within the medical sector. Our study encompasses the creation of open-source datasets,training, and model evaluation in this nuanced domain.
Whole-genome demography of COVID-19 virus during its pandemic period and on “panvalent” vaccine design
Authors: Kim Byung-Ju , Choi JaeJin , Kim Sung-Hou
Published: April 2024

With over 16 million submitted genomic sequences, the SARS-CoV-2 (SC2) virus, the cause of the most recent worldwide pandemic COVID-19 pandemic, has become the most sequenced genome of all known viruses (1), revealing, for example, a vast number of expanding viral lineages. Since the pandemic phase appears to be over, we performed a retrospective re-examination of the demographic grouping pattern and their genomic characteristics during the entire pandemic period up to the peak of the last pandemic wave.
For our study, we extracted from the NCBI (2) only unique viral sequences and converted each sequence data to a relationalvector, indicating the presence/absence of each variational event compared to a “reference” sequence. Our study revealed several genomic features that are unexpected or different from those of previous studies (3 – 9). For example, approximately 44,000 variants with unique sequences emerged during the pandemic period; they group into only four major demographic groups and each has a set of mostly unique highly-conserved variant-genotypes (HCVGs); and the set from the first group was passed down to the remaining three groups, suggesting that HCVGs in the next group may be predictable from the HCVGs of the current group(s). Such a concept may be potentially important in designing “panvalent” vaccines against the current and future waves of viral infections.
Systematic literature review of the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of peritoneal dialysis-related infection caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria
Authors: Kadota Nozomi , Ishikawa Kazuhiro , Kubono Yuta , Konishi Kasumi , Fujimaru Takuya , Ito Yugo , Nagahama Masahiko , Taki Fumika , Kawai Fujimi , Mori Nobuyoshi , Nakayama Masaaki
Published: April 2024

The number of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter-related infections and peritonitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing. Nonetheless, the optimal timing for the relocation of the exit site, removal and reinsertion of the PD catheter, prognosis, and duration of antibiotic treatment remain unclear. This literature review aimed to investigate the epidemiology of patient characteristics and evaluate the most effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for PD catheter-related infections and peritonitis caused by NTM. The systematic literature review was conducted on published cases of PD catheter-related infection and peritonitis caused by NTM in PubMed, Embase, and Ichushi databases up to August 2022. A total of 335 cases (64.1%, male; mean age, 53.4 years; mean dialysis duration, 25.4 months) were analyzed. The most common causative agent of infection was Mycobacterium abscessus (40.1%), followed by Mycobacterium fortuitum (24.8%) and Mycobacterium chelonae (16.6%). With respect to diagnosis, 42.9%, 28.1%, and 29.0% of cases were diagnosed as PD catheter-related infection only, peritonitis only, and both, respectively. The initial cultures were positive for NTM only, positive for any other bacteria, and negative for NTM only in 56.5%, 19.8%, and 23.7% of cases, respectively. Ultimately, PD catheter removal was performed in 55.4% and 85.5% of patients with PD catheter-related infections only and peritonitis, respectively. PD continuation or resumption was possible in 62.2% and 16.0% of patients, respectively. In conclusion, our findings indicate that it is advisable to perform acid-fast bacilli stain and culture in order to promptly identify NTM. PD catheter removal may be an essential management strategy during the early stages of NTM infection.
Magnetic resonance radiomics differentiates gliosarcoma from glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Long Qianyan , Zhang Jinwei , Fu Yan , Yi Xiaoping , Jin Taihao , Tran Megan M , Tang Haiyun , Chen Chen , Gong Guanghui , Hu Zhongliang , Han Zaide , Chen Changyong , Lin Huashan , Tan Zeming , Chen Bihong T
Published: April 2024

Background: Traditional radiological imaging has a limited ability to differentiate gliosarcoma (GS) from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The aim of this study was to develop a magnetic resonance (MR) radiomic method to preoperatively differentiate GS from GBM and predict the survival of patients with GS.
Methods: A single-center retrospective review was conducted on 39 patients with GS and 316 patients with GBM. MR radiomic models for differentiating GS from GBM were built with machine learning methods. Model performance was evaluated with discrimination, calibration, and decision curve analysis. Multivariate Cox regression was used to calculate risk scores from MR radiomics and clinical features and to predict survival for patients with GS.
Results: The final MR radiomic model provided an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9420 (95% CI: 0.8922–0.9918) with an accuracy of 0.9280 (95% CI: 0.8119-0.9760) in the training cohort, and an AUC of 0.9447 (95% CI: 0.9025–0.9870) with an accuracy of 0.8972 (95% CI: 0.8318-0.9533) in the validation cohort, for differentiating GS from GBM. The AUC for predicting one-year survival of GS patients using our radiomic method was 0.882. GS patients with lower risk scores had significantly longer survival than those with higher risk scores (p=0.0007, log-rank test).
Conclusions: This study showed promising results for differentiating GS from GSM using an MR-based machine learning radiomic method. In addition, combining the MR radiomic features and clinical data into a risk score demonstrated the potential for this approach to predict prognosis for GS patients.
IGHA1 and IGHG1 expression panel predicts anti-PD-L1 response in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Zhou Lin , Yu Guopeng , Zhu Jinchao , Li Minglun , Xu Bin
Published: April 2024

Purpose
B cells located in tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) may undergo clonal expansion, somatic hypermutation, isotype switching, and tumor-specific antibody production, suggesting that antibody-producing plasma cells may be involved in antitumor immunity.
Methods
This study used a combination of single-cell sequencing (5 samples from our center, and 4 samples from PRJNA662018) and spatial transcriptome (1 sample from our center, and 4 samples from GSE169379) research methods to investigate the relationship between TLSs and the immunoglobulin repertoire in muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). 405 patients with MIBC from TCGA and 348 patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma on PD-L1 inhibitor treatment from the IMvigor210 trial were included in this study.
Results
We identified IGHA1low IGHG1high patients could benefit more from cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy and PD-L1 inhibitor. Further analyses revealed IGHA1low IGHG1high subgroup was linked to an antitumor immune microenvironment with highly immune effector cells. Spatial architecture unveils areas of B cell rich hot spots in TLS + tumors. We found that some IGHG1 clonotypes appeared inside the TLS, and most IGHG1 clonotypes were distributed in the tumor bed after treatment. The diversity of the immunoglobulin repertoire, especially IGHG1 clonotype, was higher after treatment. IGHA1low IGHG1high patients was associated with antitumor immune microenvironment and the therapeutic response to adjuvant chemotherapy and PD-L1 inhibitor in MIBC.
Conclusion
This study presents a spatial map of TLSs, where plasma cells of IGHG1 clonotypes mature within and disseminate around tumors. Plasma cells of IGHG1 clonotypes may cooperate with iCAF, macrophages and NK cells to kill tumor cells and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.
In-depth Proteomic Analysis of Alfalfa Silage Inoculated with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Reveals Protein Transformation Mechanisms and Optimizes Dietary N Utilization
Authors: Xia Tianqi , Wang Tianwei , Zhang Jiaqi , Li Huangkeyi , Sun Jiahao , Liu Shanji , Yun Fangfei , Teng Kunling , Jin Sijie , Wang Siyue , Fu Zhihui , Zhong Jin
Published: April 2024

Background
Alfalfa is a crucial feed source for ruminants, especially dairy cows, and is rich in protein (16-24% dry matter). Concerns regarding alfalfa silage nitrogen (N) loss have emerged from protein transformation, but the molecular mechanism underlying this transformation remains poorly understood. Hence, there is an urgent need to elucidate the protein transformation mechanism and optimize dietary N utilization to enhance ruminant protein nutrition.
Results
We established a comprehensive pipeline including protein components, peptides and amino acids (AAs) to characterize the protein transformation process and available N preservation. We found that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum treatment preserved more of the true protein fraction PB1 and peptide-N and prevented further degradation, as reflected by decreased NH3-N contents. Proteomic profiling revealed that protein alteration is driven by the interplay of the ensiling process and L. plantarum treatment. Tripeptidyl-peptidase, carboxypeptidase and serine protease are major plant endogenous proteases that exhibit optimal activity for protein transformation during ensiling. The transformation degree was influenced by subcellular localization and functional properties. Proteins residing in the membrane and ribosomal structures and participating in cellular processes, catalytic activities, and metabolic processes display heightened sensitivity to transformation. During ensiling process, L. plantarum treatment further downregulated proteins located in the membrane and cytoplasm. The protein transformation degree was also reflected in the intermediates of the transformation. Thus, we investigated the peptide composition of alfalfa silages by determining their amino acid sequences. Among these, Ile-Pro and Pro-Val emerged as the predominant constituents. Additionally, L. plantarum treatment increased the bioactive peptide level via dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, and antioxidative activity. Next, we provided a complete AA profile, highlighting the dominance of the flavorful L-Glu and the proteogenic Arg in the silages treated with L. plantarum.
Conclusions
We present pioneering data to comprehensively unravel the mechanism of protein transformation, providing valuable resources by revealing the true protein composition serving as an alfalfa silage protein library and emphasizing the functional aspects of the proteins within it. Our findings shed light on how the utilization of rumen-available N in alfalfa silage contributes to environmental sustainability and reduces feeding costs by decreasing N excretion.
Developing and Testing a Cooling System for CMOS in DSLR to Minimize Noise in Astronomical Image and Incorporating a Sky Quality Meter
Authors: Syahputra Hanif Nanda , Nuryanto Fadhil Muhammad , Iskak Farid Abyan Maulana
Published: April 2024

To capture faint astronomical images effectively, commercial camera like Digital Single-lens reflects (DSLR) require operation at low temperatures to minimize dark current noise. To achieve this, a cooling system utilizing Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) technology is devised. This cooling apparatus is regulated by a microcontroller employing digital PID control. The design process for the cooler and its fan is conducted via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Real-time temperature data is acquired using a temperature sensor affixed to the rear of the camera sensor. This data serves as input for the digital PID control algorithm, with the calculated PID results then applied to the PWM controller linked to the TEC. Consequently, the camera sensor temperature is effectively lowered in accordance with the specified target temperature. Apart from that, a sky quality meter is also installed on the device to measure the brightness of the night sky. By integrating the sky quality meter with the DSLR, researchers can obtain additional data in the form of sky brightness, which will be very useful in analyzing and interpreting astronomical images. In this paper, a DSLR camera cooling system integrated with a sky quality meter will be designed, tested and discussed in detail.
Evaluation of four growth mediums effect on potato (Solanum tubérosum L.) plantlet production in Burkina Faso
Authors: ZERBO Afoussatou , SOME Koussao , TIAMA Djakaridja , SORO Monique , OUEDRAOGO Wendpang-yidé Idrissa Caleb , TRAORE Renan Ernest
Published: April 2024

In Burkina Faso, potato growers are faced with difficulties in obtaining seed. These seeds, mostly imported partially meet the quality requirement in potato production. Furthermore, these seeds are not accessible in term of cost and also not available in time. Local seed production is therefore necessary. In vitro culture can remedy this problem by providing quality seeds. Thus, the goal of our study was to set up an in vitro culture protocol for the production of plantlets with optimal vegetative growth. This study was realised in the in vitro culture laboratory at INERA Kamboinsé. Explants from in vitro plantlets (1 cm) of the same generation were used as plant material and transplanted onto four different mediums. The mediums used were: M0= 4,4g/l MS medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962) + 7g/l agar; M1= M0 + 30g/l table sugar; M2= M0 + 0,5mg/l AIB and M3= M0+30g/l sugar + 0,5mg/l AIB. These mediums were prepared with a pH=5,7±0.1, then divided into jars and autoclaved for 20 minutes at a pressure of 120 bars. Subculture in the jars was realised out in a laminar flow hood. The covered jars were transferred to a growth room for 30 days. The results of this study indicated that M1 and M3 showed good regeneration of the in vitro plantlets compared to M0 and M2. Sugar probably had a positive effect on root length, stem diameter, number of nodes and number of leaves open. These parameters strongly differentiated M1 from the other mediums. AIB had a positive effect on the root proliferation of in vitro plantlets in the M2 medium. The combined effect of sugar and AIB was even more positive on stem height, number of roots, number of leaves open and weight of in vitro plantlets, which strongly differentiated medium M3 from the other mediums. In conclusion, M3 proved to be the best medium for producing in vitro plantlets with good vegetative growth for seed production.
An investigation of perinatal mental health needs: A qualitative content analysis
Authors: Dehghan Fateme , Kolivand Mitra , Sadeghi Mohammad , Sooki Zahra
Published: April 2024

Background and aims: Perinatal psychological problems significantly affect the health of mothers and infants. Assessment of mental health needs during pregnancy can help improve strategies and planning for mothers' mental health. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore perinatal mental health needs.
Methods: The present qualitative research was conducted in Kermanshah city in 2022. The participants were 11 pregnant women selected purposively with maximum variety, and took part in semi-structured interviews. The data collection continued until data saturation. The data were analyzed through a conventional content analysis, simultaneously with the sampling and data collection. Data management was performed in MAXQDA.
Results: The data analysis led to the extraction of five themes: Mental health care (6 categories), Supportive communications (7 categories), Knowledge and skill (3 categories), socioeconomic welfare (5 categories) and professional services (6 categories).
Conclusion: The present study found five aspects of needs concerning pregnant mothers’ mental health. The husband, family, society, specialist doctor and midwives can play important roles in satisfying these needs.
Evaluation and limitations of the novel chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay technique for measuring total tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with human prion disease: a 10-year prospective study (2011–2020)
Authors: Weijie Kong , Nonaka Toshiaki , Satoh Katsuya
Published: April 2024

Background: Recently, the investigation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for diagnosing human prion diseases (HPD) has garnered significant attention. Reproducibility and accuracy are paramount in biomarker research, particularly in the measurement of total tau (t-tau) protein, which is a crucial diagnostic marker. Given the global impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic, the frequency of measuring this protein using one of the world's fully automated assays, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEA), has increased. At present, the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases mainly rely on traditional methods, but their accuracy and responsiveness are limited.there is a limited knowledge on the accuracy of CLEA in Tau measurements. We aimed to measure t-tau protein using CLEA and to elucidate its merits and limitations.
Methods: We analysed CSF samples obtained from 91 patients with rapidly progressive dementia using ELISA and CLEA. Additionally, we used western blotting to detect the presence of 14-3-3 protein and employed real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays to analyse the same set of samples. Furthermore, we examined the correlation coefficient between ELISA and CLEA results in a subset of 30 samples. Moreover, using CLEA, we evaluated the diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, dilutability, and freeze-thaw effects in three selected samples.
Results:Among the 91 patients, a total of 45 (22 men and 23 women) tested positive for HPD in the RT-QuIC assay. In contrast, all CSF samples from the remaining 46 patients without HPD (23 men and 23 women) tested negative in the RT-QuIC assay. Both ELISA and CLEA showed perfect sensitivity and specificity (100%) in measuring t-tau protein levels. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation coefficient (R² = 0.9363) between ELISA and CLEA results. However, despite its advantages, CLEA analysis exhibited instability for certain samples with t-tau protein levels exceeding 2,000 pg/mL, leading to low reproducibility during dilution analysis.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that CLEA outperforms ELISA in terms of diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, and freeze-thaw effects. However, ELISA demonstrated superior performance in the dilution assay. Therefore, it is imperative to develop innovative approaches for the dilution of biomarker samples for CLEA measurements during clinical trials.
Investigation of potential detrimental effects of nano- and microplastics in human endometrial stromal cells
Authors: Kim Nara , Park Joo Hyun , Jung Gee Soo , Lee Inha , Lee Jae Hoon , Lee Min Jung , Im Wooseok , Cho SiHyun , Choi Young Sik
Published: April 2024

Nanoplastics (NPs) and Microplastics (MPs) have become a global concern in recent years. However, the effects of NPs and MPs on the female reproductive system have not been elucidated, yet. In this study, we aimed to establish proper in vitro NPs and MPs exposure protocol and to investigate possible cytotoxic effects of NPs and MPs on human endometrial cells, using different plastic size and concentrations. It was noted that smaller plastics, specifically 100 nm NPs and 1 µm MPs, exhibited a higher propensity for cellular uptake compared to larger counterparts such as 5 µm MPs. These smaller plastic particles demonstrated the ability to induce notable morphological changes and provoke cell death at concentrations exceeding 100 µg/mL over a 24-hour period. Furthermore, we confirmed the accumulations of these particles in the nucleus and cytoplasm of endometrial cells using confocal microscopy and a real-time imaging device. A significantly higher rate of internalization was observed, manifesting a discernible correlation between the size of the plastics and the degree of penetration into both the nucleus and cytoplasm. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate that exposures of 100 nm NPs and 1 µm MPs results to dynamic accumulations of these particles within endometrial stromal cells, leading to cell death at specific concentrations. Our findings imply potential adverse impacts of these particles on fertility and reproductive health, underscoring the need for further research to elucidate the exact underlying molecular mechanisms.