bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of wound pH on the antibacterial properties of Medical Grade Honey when applied to bacteria present in foot and ankle post-surgical wounds
Authors: McArdle Carla D , Coyle Shirley , Santos Derek
Published: February 2023

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are amongst the most troublesome complications following foot and ankle surgery (FAS) and have significant psychosocial and financial burden for both patients and the healthcare system. FAS has been reported to have higher than average post-surgical infections when compared to other orthopaedic subspecialties. Evidence also indicates that patients with diabetes and other co morbidities undergoing FAS are at a much greater risk of developing SSIs. Patients with SSIs face additional exposure to bacteria circulating in hospitals, which are always charged with microbial pathogens. With the growing challenges of antibiotic resistance and the increasingly high numbers of resilient bacteria to said antibiotics, the need for alternative antimicrobial therapies has become critical.Aim:The aim of this study was to investigate the use of medical grade honey (MGH) when altered to environments typically present in wounds (pH6-8).Methods:MGH (Activon) was altered to pH 6, 7 and 8 and experimental inoculums ofPseudomonas aeruginosa(NCTC10782),Escherichia coli, (NCTC10418),Staphylococcus aureus(NCTC10655) andStaphylococcus epidermidis(NCTC 5955) were transferred into each pH adjusted MGH and TSB solution and the positive and negative controls.Results:MGH adjusted to various pH values had the ability to reduce bacteria cell survival in all pH variations for all bacteria tested, with the most bacterial reduction/elimination noted forStaphylococcus epidermidis. No correlations were noted among the pH environments investigated and the colony counts, for which there were small amounts of bacteria survived.Conclusion:Thisin vitroresearch would indicate that the antibacterial properties of honey remains the same regardless of the pH environment. MGH could therefore potentially be considered for use on non-infected post-surgical wounds to reduce the bacterial bioburden, the risk of SSIs and ultimately to improve healing outcomes.
Steady-state characteristics of DFIM : the potentialities ofintegration in electrical traction systems
Authors: Zerzeri Mouna , Khedher Adel , Jallali Faïçal
Published: February 2023

This article discusses doubly-fed induction machines integration possibilities in variable speed traction systems. The steady-state characteristics, performances and energy balance of a Doubly-Fed Induction Motor (DFIM) are studied and investigated. The novelty in our design lies in investigating the mechanical characteristics and the electrical performance of the DFIM based on the d - q model as a function of the magnitude, the phase angle and the slip related to the rotor voltage frequency. From this point of view, the main contributions of this study are: (i) a wide operating speed range, covering sub-synchronous and super-synchronous, (ii) a low ratio of rotor and stator voltage magnitudes and (iii) maximum torque and high-efficiency corresponding to the vehicle mechanical request. The paper presents detailed analysis and simulation results of some DFIM performances as a function of the voltage applied in its rotor windings. To show and approve the effectiveness and merits of the proposed DFIM in VSTS, a comparative study with induction motor is discussed, and experimental tests are provided through a DSP.
Node Position Estimation based on Optimal Clustering and Detection of Coverage Hole in Wireless Sensor Network using Hybrid Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Chowdhuri Rajib , Barma Mrinal Kanti Deb
Published: February 2023

Sensor nodes, generally small and low- power gadgets, are the main units of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Each node detects the changes that occur in its surroundings and sends all detected events to the sink node for analysis. However, there may be areas that aren't within the sensing range of any node since the nodes are deployed randomly. Random deployment of these sensor nodes and sometimes node failure results in coverage holes in WSNs. Time complexity increases with the size of coverage hole. Still the computational complexity is very high with various distributed methods proposed in recent times for solving coverage hole detection problem. In this paper, optimal cluster-based node position estimation and coverage hole detection in WSN using hybrid deep learning approach is proposed. First, a modified Lyapunov optimization (MLO) algorithm is used to compute the position of sensor node and it ensures edge nodes in the network. Next, we design optimal clustering using Improved Sand Cat Swarm optimization (ISCSO) algorithm to formulate effective balanced clusters which calculates coverage hole area in the network. Lastly, we developed a hybrid deep reinforcement learning (Hyb- DRL) for detecting hole shape and to estimate the hole size within clusters, among clusters and along edges. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated using NS2 simulation tool, in which node density, node mobility, and sensing range of node are simulated.
Comparison of the tidal volume of the recruitment maneuver followed by PEEP for mechanically ventilated children
Authors: Goto Maho , Tsukamoto Masanori , Hitosugi Takashi , Matsuo Kazuya , Yokoyama Takeshi , Eto Michi
Published: February 2023

Background Atelectasis occurs in most children during the induction of general anesthesia. In clinical practice, the recruitment maneuver (RM) followed by positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to prevent atelectasis have beneficial effects. It has been shown to improve oxygenation and restore lung volume and may reduce the heterogeneity of the distribution of tidal volume (VT). However, the change in VT due to RM followed by PEEP in pediatric patients during the induction of general anesthesia is unknown. Therefore, we assessed the effects of RM followed by PEEP on VT, respiratory function, and hemodynamics in pediatric patients. Methods Pediatric patients (ASA-PS: 1-2; aged 3 months to 10 years) who underwent general anesthesia for elective dental or oral surgery were divided into three groups: infants (<1 year), preschool children (1-6 years), and school children (6 > years). Following tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation of the lungs was initiated with controlled ventilation of 15 cmH2O and a PEEP of 4 cmH2O. The RM followed by PEEP was increased progressively in steps of 5 cmH2O every three breaths up to the target level of 35 cmH2O. VT, heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and SpO2were monitored before and after RM followed by PEEP. The differences in these parameters were analyzed statistically using a paired t-test. Results Sixty patients were included (20 in each group). VTbefore vs. after RM followed by PEEP were 61.8 ± 9.7 vs 80.1 ± 13.9 mL (p < 0.05) in the infant group, 135.8 ± 28.5 vs 164.0 ± 36.9 mL (p < 0.05) in the preschool children group, 217.7 ± 49.7 vs 246.9 ± 50.1 mL (p < 0.05) in the school children group, respectively. HR and BP before and after RM followed by PEEP increased by 2-3% and decreased by 4-7% in all groups. None of the patients had clinically respiratory (desaturation, barotrauma) or hemodynamic (hypotension) complications. Conclusion RM combined with 4 cmH2O of PEEP resulted in a significant increase in VT(12-18%; 19-29 mL) without respiratory or hemodynamic complications. Therefore, this RM method might improve the lung function in pediatric patients. Trial registration This prospective observational study was conducted after receiving approval from the Ethics Review Board of Kyushu University Hospital (Approval No.30-446).
A Study on Network Structure and Influence Characteristics of the Landscape Elements of Tang Poetr
Authors: Huang Zongsheng , Yao Nan
Published: February 2023

To further figure out the overall characteristics of gardens in Tang poetry, taking Tang poetry as the research object, the network construction and influence of Tang poetry landscape elements were studied by using the network text analysis method. As a result, the landscape elements in Tang poetry are rich and diverse, and there is a strong network structure relationship between the landscape elements, which is characterized by strong stability, balance, and weak vulnerability; there is a strong correlation between landscape elements, among which landscape elements such as mountains, roads, and water have a strong centrality; the agglomeration subgroup of landscape elements indicates that there is a potential correlation between landscape elements, which is embodied in the description of a certain type of landscape. Based on that, the organic connection of various landscape elements cannot be ignored in landscape construction; the characteristics of gardens in the Tang Dynasty and the results obtained from the research of network texts are smiliar, which are embodied in the K-kernel analysis results of landscape elements of various garden types; the analysis of network texts is also used to study classical garden landscapes, and domestic and foreign literary works can be used as research objects. Meanwhile, the results of this research have important theoretical and practical significance for the systematic protection and creative transformation and utilization of literati garden theoretical heritage, and the construction of modern landscapes.
Satisfaction with urban trees associates with tree canopy cover and tree visibility around the home
Authors: Barona Camilo Ordóñez , Labib S.M. , Chung Lincoln , Conway Tenley
Published: February 2023

Many world cities want to expand the number of urban trees. How this expansion occurs should consider what people expect from trees based on how they experience and perceive these trees. Therefore, we need a better understanding of how people’s perceptions of urban trees may relate to the abundance of urban trees. This research examined whether people’s satisfaction with urban trees and satisfaction with the management of those trees were related to objective measures of greenery such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), percent tree canopy cover, and the Viewshed Greenness Visibility Index (VGVI) for trees. We used a demographic and geographically representative survey of 223 residents in Toronto, Canada, and calculated NDVI, canopy cover, and VGVI at three neighborhood sizes. We analyzed the data using generalized linear regression. We found that canopy cover and VGVI had a strong positive association with satisfaction with urban trees. The associations were stronger at larger neighborhood scales. There were no statistically significant associations with NDVI or satisfaction with the management of urban trees.
Analysis of the predictive value of Caprini score after colorectal cancer surgery and development of a new risk assessment model: A single-centre prospective cohort study in China
Authors: Wei Qi , Meng Cong , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Haoyu , Liu Yishan , Wei Pengyu , Sun Liting , Yao Hongwei , Zhang Zhongtao , Wu Guocong
Published: February 2023

Background: This study aimed to assess the Caprini score in predicting venous thromboembolism (VTE) events and develop a risk assessment model to predict the occurrence of short-term VTE after colorectal cancer surgery. Methods: The study included 181 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at Beijing Friendship Hospital, from October 2020 to May 2022. The results of the Caprini score 24 h after surgery were recorded to evaluate its predictive value. Multifactorial staging was used to determine independent risk factors for VTE, and nomogram models were constructed based on these factors. Sixty-one patients at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were used for external validation. Results: The incidence of VTE after colorectal cancer was 17.6% in 32 patients. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.106, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.049–1.167, P < 0.001), sex (female) (OR 2.981, 95% CI 1.176–7.557, P = 0.021), and cardiovascular disease [CVD] (OR 5.611, 95% CI 2.043–15.413, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for postoperative VTE. The nomogram model showed good predictive performance (area under the curve [AUC], 0.837 [95% CI, 0.762–0.917]; Nagelkerke R2, 0.347; Brier score, 0.106) compared with the Caprini score (AUC, 0.760 [95% CI, 0.674–0.847]; Nagelkerke R2, 0.104; Brier score, 0.131). The decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram model had a better net clinical benefit. Conclusions: The Caprini score is moderately efficient in predicting the occurrence of VTE after colorectal cancer surgery, and the 3-item nomogram model can be used as a predictive tool in VTE prevention decisions after colorectal cancer surgery.
The effect of simulation education based on flipped learning on academic engagement, motivation, and performance of first-year nursing students
Authors: Beiranvand Shourangiz , Foladvandi Masoumeh , Mokhayeri Yaser , Khodaei Safoura , Hasanvand Shirin , Hoseinabadi Reza
Published: February 2023

Background: Nursing educators need to be prepared to adopt innovative, evidence-based approaches to education to improve student learning outcomes and prepare the workforce- to better practice within complex health care systems. The present study aimed to determine the effect of simulation education based on flipped learning on performance, motivation in learning, and academic engagement of first-year undergraduate nursing students.
Methods: This study was conducted with a quasi-experimental design. Forty first-year undergraduate nursing students registered for the spring semester were selected by whole enumeration sampling. For the intervention group (n=22), the fundamental nursing skills course was taught to them using simulation education based on flipped learning. The control group (n=18) was taught in the same class using simulation-based education. Outcomes, including performance, learning motivation, and academic engagement, were measured using the nursing skills observation checklists, the Instructional Materials Motivation Scale, and the academic engagement questionnaire at the middle and end of the semester. Data were analyzed using mean, paired t-test, and ANCOVA analysis with Stata-17 software.
Result: There was no significant difference between the mean score performance and the total mean score of subscales of learning motivation and academic engagement in the middle and end of the semester in the two groups. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed no significant difference between the two groups in performance (P>0.05), learning motivation (P>0.05), and academic involvement (P>0.05).
Conclusion: It is recommended to use this method as well as traditional approaches, particularly to teach psychomotor skills to senior students who have higher self-regulation skills. There is still a need for further research using this approach to teach psychomotor skills, practical lessons and various outcomes.
Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULC) Dynamics for Sustainable Land Resources Development: A Geospatial Study of Raiganj Sub-Division, West Bengal (India)
Authors: SARKAR BAPI
Published: February 2023

Earth's natural resources are under constant pressure to keep up with demand from a growing population. A high food and energy production rate is needed to feed the growing population. Increased infrastructure development, more inhabited regions, and economic development are required to offer adequate civic facilities for a high quality of life. Using land resources effectively to meet the rising demand is necessary because they are limited. In order to understand the changing dynamics of land use/land cover (LU/LC), research and monitoring are needed. Geoinformation technologies such as remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are helpful. Using Landsat TM & OLI 30m resolution satellite imagery and image processing techniques were used to determine changes in land cover during the study period of 1991 and 2021. The changes were identified using QGIS 3.28, Arc GIS 10.8, and ERDAS IMAGINE 2014 software. In the classification, five land cover categories were used (agricultural, built-up area, waterbody, forest, and area not available for cultivation). The images classification, and the accuracy assessment were tested using the kappa coefficient. The results showed that overall accuracy in the Sub-Division was 87% and 89% and kappa coefficient of 0.83 and 0.86 for the years 1991 and 2021, respectively. Two satellite images were used to quantitatively analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use and land cover, classifying them using a supervised classification method and then using post-classification change detection. The positive change was shown in the agricultural area +22.92 and built-up area +3.5 from 1991 to 2021. On the other hand, negative change to fell waterbody-3.05%, forest-1.26%, and area not available for cultivation-22.12%. This information has been utilized to create a plan for the region's sustainable land resources development.
The combination of conventional EVD and Ommaya drainage for intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
Authors: Zhu Tongming , Fu Junyan , Zang Di , Wu Xuehai , Hu Jin , Zhang Jun , Ye Xiangru
Published: February 2023

Background: The effect of Ommaya reservoirs on the clinical outcomes of patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) remains unclear.
Objective: To determine the effect of combining the Ommaya reservoir and external ventricular drainage (EVD) therapy on IVH and to explore better clinical indicators for Ommaya implantation.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with IVH who received EVD-Ommaya drainage between January 2013 and March 2021. The patient population was divided into two groups: the Ommaya-used group, comprising of patients in whom the Ommaya drainage system was activated post-surgery, and the Ommaya-unused group, comprising of patients in whom the system was not activated. The study analyzed clinical, imaging, and outcome data of the patient population.
Results: A total of 123 patients with IVH were included: 75 patients in the Ommaya-used group and 48 patients in the Ommaya-unused group. The patients in the Ommaya-used group showed a lower 3-month GOS than those in the Ommaya-unused group (p<0.0001). The modified Graeb scale (mGS) in the Ommaya-unused group was significantly lower than that in the Ommaya-used group before the operation (p<0.01) but not after surgery (p>0.05). The GCS in the Ommaya-unused group was significantly lower than the other group, and there was a close correlation between the GCS and 3-month GOS (p<0.0001). The GCS score showed significance in predicting the use of Ommaya (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The study demonstrated that combining EVD and Ommaya drainage was an effective treatment for IVH. Additionally, preoperative GCS was found to predict the use of Ommaya drainage in subsequent treatment, providing valuable information for pre-surgery decision-making.
Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Aqueous Solution Using a New Biosorbent Derived from Enset (Ensete Ventricosum)
Authors: Gebeyehu Belete Tewabe , Tasew Temesgen Alehegne , Kabtamu Daniel Manaye
Published: February 2023

In this study, kocho powder, a possible low-cost biosorbent for the efficient removal of MB dye from wastewater is prepared from pseudostem and corm of Enset (Ensete ventricosum). Characteristics of kocho powder were examined by using SEM, TGA, XRD and FTIR to study the surface morphology, functional group and other physico-chemical properties of this newly developed biosorbent. Biosorption experiments were carried out in batch mode to investigate the effects of dosage (0.025–0.2g), pH (2–10), initial concentration of MB (10 to 100 mg/L) and contact time (10 to 120 min).The highest removal efficiency of methylene blue dye (94.2%) was recorded at optimum experimental conditions of biosorbent dosage 0.1g, MB concentration 50 mgL− 1, pH 8, contact time 50min and agitation rate of 200rpm at room. Following the removal study, it was determined that the pseudo-second order kinetics (R2 = 0.997) and Langmuir isothermal (R2 = 0.996) models may well describe the MB dye biosorption process. Furthermore, this newly developed biosorbent was fairly recyclable up to five cycles without significant loss of re-adsorption efficiency (around 9.6% loss) between 1st and 5th cycle. Thus, the findings of this study revealed that a new kocho biomass derived from Ensete Ventricosum can be used as a promising low-cost, environmentally friendly, and efficient biosorbent for the rapid removal of MB from aqueous solutions.
Case Study: The Application of metagenomics as a diagnostic tool for microbiologically influenced corrosion in an Egyptian oilfield
Authors: Kobisy Atef S. , Nassar Hussein N. , Tawfik Salah M. , Elshatoury Einas H.
Published: February 2023

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a major problem in the petroleum industry. Culture-based techniques such as most probable number (MPN) and isolation only reveal a very small data of the microorganisms present. By application of metagenomic analysis, the microbial community present in the sample has been identified, which helps in understanding what microorganisms are doing and even what they are capable of doing, by identifying their genomic and thus metabolic potential. For this reason, formation water samples were collected from an oil field production tank located in the North Bahrya Petroleum Company (NORPETCO) Egypt. The results revealed that the formation water sample has a high degree of microbial variation, where the phylum Proteobacteria was most dominant with 60% of total reads in the phylum level, and it was also overwhelmingly dominated by the family Desulfovibrionaceae and it was found to be about (53%) of total reads.
Childhood asthma, fur allergy, and consumption of antibiotics in adolescence
Authors: Gjessing Kristian , Ludvigsson Johnny , Faresjö Tomas
Published: February 2023

Background: Antibiotics are supposed to be used against infections, not otherwise. Asthma or allergy symptoms may be confused with infections, and treated as such. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be used only when necessary according to relevant guidelines.
Purpose: To analyse if children with asthma or allergies received more antibiotic prescriptions than other children, and suggest mechanisms why.
Methods: Population-based study from Sweden on children 5-14 years old based on questionnaires, medical records and merged pharmaceutical data from National registries, compared to national guidelines.
Results:Parent-reported infections and fur allergy at age 5 was associated with more antibiotic prescriptions in later childhood. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were rarely used.
Study on surface Morphology of 7075 aluminum alloy deep hole by two-dimensional ultrasonic elliptical vibration turning
Authors: Ye Yanqiu , Tong Jinglin , Hu Guiling , Yang Shuaikun , Zhang Zhipeng
Published: February 2023

In order to obtain 7075 aluminum alloy deep hole tube parts with better surface quality, the two-dimensional ultrasonic elliptical vibration turning (2D-UEVT) was studied. The tool tip trajectory model and the surface roughness model of 2D-UEVT deep hole were established. It was found that 2D-UEVT could obtain lower surface roughness than common turning (CT) through analyzing the theoretical model. Finally, the effects of turning parameters and acoustic parameters on surface morphology were studied by four-factor four-level orthogonal test. The experimental results indicated that the surface roughness Ra value decreased in different degrees after the 2D-UEVT. However, various turning parameters and acoustic parameters had different effects on the reduction of Ra. With the increase of the feed rate and spindle speed, the surface roughness Ra shows a trend of decreasing first and then increasing. With the increase of ultrasonic amplitude, the Ra displayed increasing first and then decreasing. The influence of cutting depth on the roughness is not significant. The results demonstrated that better surface texture and surface quality can be obtained with lower feed rate, medium ultrasonic amplitude and spindle speed.
Effect of Male Rabbit Urine on Aggressiveness and Affiliative Interactions in Group-Housing of Unfamiliar Mature Females
Authors: Cepeda Eva
Published: February 2023

Rabbits are one of the most commonly used animals in biomedical research. Despite being social animals they are usually kept individually in cages in the research facilities. One limitation to the group-housing is aggression when mixing strange adult animals. Some studies have shown that male urine is effective in decrease the aggressiveness between female animals. We evaluated the behaviour of two groups of 4 unfamiliar adult female New Zealand White rabbits during 4 days. One group of animals was sprayed with buck urine prior to the formation of the group, the other group serves as control. The animals were tested in a large pen with an enriched environment in order to facilitate social housing. There were no main effects of treatment on the studied behaviours (aggression, social and agonistic behaviour, allogrooming and mounting). In both groups, the frequency of attacks was highest the first day and thereafter decrease considerably by day 4. Regarding social and agonistic behaviours, both increased progressively from day 1 to day 3, and decreased from day 3 to day 4. The food intake and body weight during the study was similar between control and treatment groups. No remarkable lesions were found. The findings indicate that urine had little or no effect at reducing aggression between the animals. Nevertheless, the adaptation of the animals to the groups was easily achieved within a few days. We propose that providing a large space and enriched environment will facilitate the socialization of unknown female adult rabbits.
The First Chinese with Hb Chile Leading to chronic Anemia and methemoglobinemia: A Case Report
Authors: Gong Yao , Zheng Qinxin , Long Sili , Chen Hongying , Liu Wenjun , Li Cheng
Published: February 2023

Background
Hemoglobin (Hb) Chile [β28(B10) Leu > Met; HBB: c.85C > A] is a rare hemoglobin variant caused by a missense mutation in the HBB gene. Only one case of Hb Chile has been reported worldwide so far. It is an unstable hemoglobin, characterized by cyanosis associated with chronic methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia induced by sulfonamides or methylene blue.
Case presentation:
A 9-year-3-month-old girl had mild anemia of unknown etiology for more than 6 years. She had a slight pallor without other symptoms or signs. The complete blood count revealed normocytic normochromic anemia with a sometimes-elevated reticulocyte count, and the bone marrow cytology showed marked erythroid hyperplasia, but the tests related to hemolysis were normal. Therefore, the whole exome sequencing was performed and showed a heterozygous mutation for HBB: c.85C > A. With asymptomatic methemoglobinemia confirmed later, she was eventually diagnosed with Hb Chile.
Conclusions
This is the first report of Hb Chile in China and the second worldwide. This case shows that Hb Chile is clinically heterogeneous and difficult to diagnose and expands our understanding on the clinical and hematological traits of the disease.
Causal analysis of the association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Chen Gui , Gong Xin , Liu Shenrong , Xie Junyang , Wang Yingqi , Guo Wucheng , Liao Wenjing , Song Lijuan , Zhang Xiaowen
Published: February 2023

Background:Recent observational studies have provided evidence of a close association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, determining the causal relationship between these two conditions remains a challenge. In this study, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR), a genetic method using genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to investigate the causal relationship between GERD and IPF.Methods:In order to evaluate the causality of GERD in IPF, multiple MR methods were employed utilizing the GWAS databases of GERD from 473,524 individuals and of IPF from 451,025. Sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of MR results. Additionally, multi-variant Mendelian randomization (MVMR) was utilized to evaluate potential confounding factors.Results:We found a significant causal relationship between GERD and IPF (odds ratio [OR]: 1.002, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.001–1.003,P<0.001). This finding was also supported by the Weighted median analysis (OR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.002–1.003,P=0.021). The sensitivity analysis did not reveal any significant deviation from the main results. Furthermore, MVMR analysis demonstrated that GERD significantly increased the risk of IPF, even after controlling for possible confounding factors (OR: 1.001, 95% CI: 1.001–1.003,P=0.04).Conclusions:The results of our study provide strong evidence of a causal relationship between GERD and IPF. Based on these findings, it is recommended that interventions be implemented for individuals with GERD to prevent the development of IPF.
Serological, molecular characteristics and cytokines profile of HBsAg negative/HBV DNA positive patients in clinic
Authors: Chen Shu-xiang , Liu Xin , Liu Hui , Lou Jin-li
Published: February 2023

Background In this study, the serological characteristics, sequencing analysis and cytokine levels of HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients were analyzed to preliminarily determine whether being HBsAg clearance was related to immune function.
Methods Evaluate the basic medical records and laboratory data of 279 HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients. Serum samples from 30 HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients, 20 matched HBsAg persistently positive patients and 16 healthy people were tested for 48 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Sanger sequencing was used to analyze the HBV S region sequences of HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients samples.
Results Of the 76428 HBV-infected patients enrolled, 358 (0.47%) were defined as HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients. The main serological patterns of HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients were anti-HBe and anti-HBc positive, accounting for 47.67%. HBV DNA load<200IU/ml was found in 94.98%. Serum sCD40L, G-CSF, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, RANTES and Eotaxin levels were significantly higher in the HBsAg negative group than in the HBsAg positive group(P＜0.05), but IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, IL-17A, PDGF-AA, TGF-α and TNF-β levels were lower in the HBsAg negative group(P<0.05). Between the HBsAg negative group and the healthy control group, there were also differences in the levels of several serum cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. The levels of AST/ALT were positively correlated with IL-15(P=0.040/0.009) and IL-18(P=0.031/P=0.003). Nine HBsAg negative samples were sequenced, revealing amino acid substitutions in the HBV S protein, including immune escape mutations(Y100C, S114T, C124Y, P127L, G130R, T131N, M133T) and affecting HBsAg secretion mutations(E2R/K/D).
Conclusions The levels of HBV DNA replication and transcription are low in most HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients. Since there were fewer HBsAg negative and HBV DNA positive patients in this study with significant and meaningful HBV mutations, viral factors might not be the primary causes. Therefore, it is more valuable to proceed from the host factor. By inducing a slightly stronger host immune response and controlling liver inflammation, several cytokines and chemokines, including G-CSF, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, RANTES and Eotaxin, may promote in the clearance of HBsAg.
Microplastic ingestion perturbs the microbiome of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti
Authors: Edwards Carla-Cristina , McConnel Gabriella , Ramos Daniela , Gurrola-Mares Yaizeth , Arole Kailash Dhondiram , Green Micah J. , Cañas-Carrell Jaclyn E. , Brelsfoard Corey L.
Published: February 2023

Microplastics (MPs) are common environmental pollutants; however, little is known about their effects after ingestion by insects. Here we exposed Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito larvae to 1 µm polystyrene MPs and examined the impacts MP ingestion on adult emergence rates, gut damage, and fungal and bacterial microbiota. Results show that ingested MPs accumulate in the larval guts, resulting in gut damage. However, little impact on adult emergence rates was observed. MPs are also found in adult guts post-emergence from the pupal stage, and adults expel MPs in their frass after obtaining sugar meals. Moreover, MPs effects on insect microbiomes need to be better defined. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the relationship between MP ingestion and the gut microbial communities in Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti. Notably, the microbiota composition was altered by the ingestion of increasing concentrations of MPs. Amplicon sequence variants (ASV) that contributed to differences in the bacterial and fungal microbiota composition between MP treatments were from the genera Elizabethkingia and Aspergillus, respectively. Furthermore, a decrease in the alpha diversity of the fungal and bacterial microbiota was observed in treatments where larvae ingested MPs. These results highlight the potential for the bacterial and fungal constituents in the mosquito microbiome to respond differently to the ingestion of MPs as larvae. Based on our findings and the effects of MP ingestion on the mosquito host micro- and mycobiome, MP pollution could impact the vector competence of important mosquito-transmitted viruses and parasites that cause human and animal diseases.
Investigation of factors influencing low physical activity levels in community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hida Mitsumasa , Imai Ryota , Nakamura Misa , Nakao Hidetoshi , Kitagawa Kodai , Wada Chikamune , Eto Shinji , Takeda Masatoshi , Imaoka Masakazu
Published: February 2023

Low levels of physical activity in individuals with chronic pain can lead to additional functional impairment and disability. This study aims to investigate the predictors of low physical activity levels in individuals with chronic pain with and to determine the accuracy of the artificial neural network used to analyze these predictors. Community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain (n = 103) were surveyed for their physical activity level and classified into low, moderate, or high physical activity level groups. Other measures that influence physical activity were also taken at the same time. Logistic regression analysis and multilayer perceptron analysis, an artificial neural network, were used for the analysis. Both analyses revealed that history of falls was a predictor of low levels of physical activity in community-dwelling older adults. Multilayer perceptron analysis showed excellent accuracy. Our data emphasize the importance of fall prevention in improving the physical activity level of community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain. We suggest that future cross-sectional studies should compare multiple analysis methods to show results with improved accuracy.
Insights into interactions of N-ethylpentylone drug with water and biomacromolecules
Authors: Belić Sanja , Miličević Marija Petrin , Vraneš Milan , Tot Aleksandar , Janković Nenad , Stevanović Nataša Radosavljević , Nikolov Jovana , Bagány Nikolett Cakó , Gadžurić Slobodan
Published: February 2023

One of the new synthetic cathinones that has a high tendency to replace ecstasy and other established synthetic drugs is N-ethylpentylone, (NEP), due to its high potency, stimulative, hedonic and hallucinatory effects. In order to examine the interactions of NEP, the apparent molar quantities, thermal expansion coefficient, the apparent molar volume at infinite dilution and the limiting apparent molar expansibility were calculated from the experimental measurements of the density of NEP aqueous solutions in different temperature and molality ranges, from T = (293.15 to 313.15) K and from m = (0.05898 to 0.0977) mol·kg–1, respectively. The taste of NEP was estimated by calculated values of apparent specific molar volume at infinite dilution and it was concluded that its taste in aqueous solutions is bitter. Also, using the spectrofluorimetric technique, an intermolecular deactivation of in situ formed ethidium bromide (EB) complex with DNA (EB-DNA) was investigated in the presence of NEP. Obtained results indicated good affinity and efficiency of NEP to substitute EB from the EB-DNA complex via intercalation mode. Using molecular docking, it was concluded that the binding energy obtained for NEP indicates its higher affinity to interact with DNA, compared to methamphetamine and amphetamine, but lower compared to ecstasy. The affinity of NEP to bind to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was also investigated and discussed. It is shown that NEP could be efficiently transported and distributed through the blood and cells.
Cost of Concurrency in Hybrid Transactional Memory
Authors: Brown Trevor , ravi srivatsan
Published: February 2023

State-of-the-art software transactional memory (STM) implementations achieve good performance by carefully avoiding the overhead of incremental validation (i.e., re-reading previously read data items to avoid inconsistency) while still providing progressiveness (allowing transactional aborts only due to data conflicts). Hardware transactional memory (HTM) implementations promise even better performance, but offer no progress guarantees. Thus, they must be combined with STMs, leading to hybrid TMs (HyTMs) in which hardware transactions must be instrumented (i.e., access metadata) to detect contention with software transactions. We show that, unlike in progressive STMs, software transactions in progressive HyTMs cannot avoid incremental validation. In fact, this result holds even if hardware transactions can read metadata non-speculatively. We then present opaque HyTM algorithms providing progressiveness for a subset of transactions that are optimal in terms of hardware instrumentation. We explore the concurrency vs. hardware instrumentation vs. software validation trade-offs for these algorithms. Our experiments with Intel and IBM POWER8 HTMs seem to suggest that (i) the cost of concurrency also exists in practice, (ii) it is important to implement HyTMs that provide progressiveness for a maximal set of transactions without incurring high hardware instrumentation overhead or using global contending bottlenecks and (iii) there is no easy way to derive more efficient HyTMs by taking advantage of non-speculative accesses within hardware.
Melatonin ameliorates acute lung injury caused by paraquat poisoning by promoting PINK1 and BNIP3 expression
Authors: Yin Yiyuan , Shen Haitao
Published: February 2023

Paraquat (PQ) poisoning can result in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, mainly manifesting as acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. No specific cure exists for PQ poisoning. However, by scavenging mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the damage-associated molecular pattern during PQ poisoning, mitophagy can ameliorate the downstream inflammatory pathways activated by mtDNA. Melatonin (MT), however, can promote the expression of PINK1 and BNIP3, which are key proteins involved in mitophagy. In this study, we first explored whether MT could reduce PQ-induced acute lung injury by affecting mitophagy in animal models, and then, we studied the specific mechanism associated with this process through in vitro experiments. We also evaluated MT intervention in the PQ group, while inhibiting the expression of PINK1 and BNIP3, to further determine whether the protective effects of MT are associated with its effect on mitophagy. We found that when the expression of PINK1 and BNIP3 was inhibited, MT intervention could not reduce mtDNA leakage and the release of inflammatory factors caused by PQ exposure, suggesting that the protective effect of MT was mitigated. These results suggest that by promoting the expression of PINK1 and BNIP3 and activating mitophagy, MT can reduce mtDNA/TLR9-mediated acute lung injury during PQ poisoning. The results of this study could provide guidance for the clinical treatment of PQ poisoning to reduce associated mortality.
Drag Reducing Polymers in Multi-phase Flow Pipelines: Energy-Saving and Future Directives
Authors: Alsurakji Ihab H. , Al-Sarkhi A. , El-Qanni Amjad , Mukhaimar Ayman
Published: February 2023

Frictional pressure drop has been grasping the attention of many industrial applications associated with multi-phase and academia. Alongside the United Nations, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for the exigency of giving attention to economic growth, a considerable reduction in power consumption is necessary to co-up with this vision and to adhere to energy-efficient practices. Thereinto, drag-reducing polymers (DRPs), which do not require additional infrastructure, are a much better option for increasing energy efficiency in a series of critical industrial applications. Therefore, this study evaluates the effects of two DRPs―polar water-soluble polyacrylamide (DRP-WS) and nonpolar oil-soluble polyisobutylene (DRP-OS)―on energy efficiency for single-phase water and oil flows, two-phase air-water and air-oil flows, and three-phase air-oil-water flow. The experiments were conducted using two different pipelines; horizontal polyvinyl chloride with an inner diameter of 22.5 mm and horizontal stainless steel with a 10.16 mm internal diameter. The energy-efficiency metrics are performed by investigating the head loss, percentage saving in energy consumption (both per unit pipe length), and throughput improvement percentage (%TI). Irrespective of flow types and variation in liquid and air flow rates, experiments conducted for both DRPs in larger pipe diameter were found to reduce head loss and increase saving in energy consumption and throughput improvement percentage. In particular, DRP-WS is found to be more promising as an energy saver and the consequent savings in the infrastructure cost. Hence, equivalent experiments of DRP-WS in two-phase air-water flow using a smaller pipe diameter show that the head loss drastically increases. However, the percentage saving in power consumption and throughput improvement percentage is significantly compared with that found in the larger pipe. Thus, this study found that DRPs can improve energy efficiency in various industrial applications, with polar water-soluble polyacrylamide being particularly promising as an energy saver. However, the effectiveness of these polymers may vary depending on the flow type and pipe diameter.
Performance analyzes of thermodynamic indices and atmospheric parameters in thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm days in Istanbul, Turkey
Authors: Yavuz Veli
Published: February 2023

This study aims to analyze the thunderstorm (TS) events in the megacity Istanbul by using thermodynamic indices and atmospheric stability parameters for the period of 2001-2022. It was determined that TS events did not show any trend on an annual basis, mostly occurred in the warm season (May to September), and mostly lasted for a few hours. The thermodynamic indices and atmospheric stability parameters used in the study are Showalter Index (SI), Lifted Index (LI), Severe Weather Threat Index (SWEAT), K-Index (KI), Totals Totals Index (TTI), Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), Convective Inhibition (CIN), and Bulk Richardson Number (BRN). Annual and seasonal analyzes of all indices and parameters were performed for TS and non-TS events. Significant differences were found in both average, maximum, and minimum values. The Probability of Detection (POD), False Alarm Ratio (FAR), Miss Rate (MR), Critical Success Index (CIS), Hiedke Skill Score (HSS), and True Skill Score (TSS) were used to analyze the success of the threshold values presented in the literature in detecting TS events. Then, the seasonal successes of these threshold values were tested. It was found that the best predictions were mostly in the summer season and the worst predictions in the winter season. The ideal threshold values were determined for indices and parameters by increasing or decreasing the existing threshold values at certain rates. Success increases of up to 15% in skill scores for the proposed threshold values.
Consultation with a neurosurgeon upon initial medical assessment is associated with improved prognosis of glioblastoma patients
Authors: Kawauchi Daisuke , Ohno Makoto , Miyakita Yasuji , Takahashi Masamichi , Yanagisawa Shunsuke , Omura Takaki , Yoshida Akihiko , Kubo Yuko , Igaki Hiroshi , Ichimura Koichi , Narita Yoshitaka
Published: February 2023

Purpose: The neurological status of glioblastoma (GBM) patients rapidly deteriorates. We recently demonstrated that early diagnosis and surgery within three weeks from the initial symptoms are associated with improved survival. While GBM is a semi-urgent disease, the prehospital behaviors and clinical outcomes of GBM patients are poorly understood. We aimed to disclose how prehospital patient behavior influences the clinical outcomes of GBM patients.
Methods: IDH-wildtype GBM patients treated at our institution between January 2010 and December 2019 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: neurosurgeon and non-neurosurgeon groups, based on the primary doctor whom patients sought for an initial evaluation. Patient demographics and prognoses were examined.
Results: Of 170 patients, 109 and 61 were classified into the neurosurgeon and non-neurosurgeon groups, respectively. The median age of neurosurgeon group was significantly younger than the non-neurosurgeon group (61 vs. 69 years old, P = 0.019) and in better performance status (preoperative KPS scores ≥ 80: 72.5% vs. 55.7%, P = 0.027). The neurosurgeon group exhibited a significantly shorter duration from the first hospital visit to the first surgery than the non-neurosurgeon group (18 vs. 29 days, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the overall survival of the neurosurgeon group was significantly more prolonged than that of the non-neurosurgeon group (22.9 vs. 14.0 months, P = 0.038).
Conclusion: Seeking an initial evaluation by a neurosurgeon was associated with prolonged survival in GBM patients. A short duration from the first hospital visit to the first surgery is essential in enhancing GBM patient prognosis.
ALOX5AP is a new prognostic indicator in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Chen Xin-Yi , Wen Xiang-Mei , Zhao Wei , Chu Min-Qiang , Gu Yu , Huang Hai-Hui , Yuan Qian , Xu Zi-Jun , Qian Jun , Lin Jiang
Published: February 2023

Background
To identify the expression and methylation patterns of ALOX5AP in bone marrow (BM) samples of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, and further explore its clinical significance.
Methods
Eighty-two de novo AML patients and 20 healthy donors were included in the study. Meanwhile, seven public datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were included to confirm the alteration of ALOX5AP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to determine the discriminative capacity of ALOX5AP expression to discriminate AML. The prognostic value of ALOX5AP was identified by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. It was further validated in four independent cohorts (n = 1186). Significantly different genes associated with ALOX5AP expression were subsequently compared by LinkedOmics, and Metascape database.
Results
The level of ALOX5AP expression was significantly increased in bone marrow cells of AML patients compared with healthy donors (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis suggested that ALOX5AP expression might be a potential biomarker to discriminate AML from controls. ALOX5AP overexpression was associated with decreased overall survival (OS) in AML according to the TCGA data (P = 0.006), which was validated by other four independent cohorts. DNA methylation levels of ALOX5AP were significantly lower in AML patients compared to normal samples (P < 0.05), as confirmed in the Diseasemeth database and the independent cohort GSE63409. ALOX5AP level was positively associated with genes with proleukemic effects such as PAX2, HOX family, SOX11, H19, and microRNAs that act as oncogenes in leukemia, such as miR125b, miR-93, miR-494, miR-193b, while anti-leukemia-related genes and tumor suppressor microRNAs such as miR-582, miR-9 family and miR-205 were negatively correlated.
Conclusion
ALOX5AP overexpression, associated with its hypomethylation, predicts poorer prognosis in AML.