bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections impacts the gut antimicrobial resistome
Authors: Langelier Charles , Chu Victoria , Glascock Abigail , Donnell Deborah , Grabow Cole , Brown Clare , Ward Ryan , Love Christina , Kalantar Katrina , Cohen Stephanie , Cannon Chase , Woodworth Michael , Kelley Colleen , Celum Connie , Luetkemeyer Anne
Published: April 2024

Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) reduces bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men and transgender women. While poised for widespread clinical implementation, the impact of doxy-PEP on antimicrobial resistance remains a primary concern as its effects on the gut microbiome and resistome, or the antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) present in the gut microbiome, are unknown. To investigate these effects, we studied participants from a randomized clinical trial who either received doxy-PEP as a one-time doxycycline 200 mg taken after condomless sex (DP arm, n = 100) or standard of care treatment (SOC arm, n = 50). From self-collected rectal swabs at enrollment (day-0) and after 6 months (month-6), we performed metagenomic DNA sequencing (DNA-seq) or metatranscriptomic RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). DNA-seq data was analyzable from 127 samples derived from 89 participants, and RNA-seq data from 86 samples derived from 70 participants. We compared the bacterial microbiome and resistome between the two study arms and over time. Tetracycline ARGs were detected in all day-0 DNA-seq samples and 85% of day-0 RNA-seq samples. The proportional mass of tetracycline ARGs in the resistome increased between day-0 and month-6 in DP participants from 46–51% in the metagenome (p = 0.02) and 4–15% in the metatranscriptome (p < 0.01), but no changes in other ARG classes were observed. Exposure to a higher number of doxycycline doses correlated with proportional enrichment of tetracycline ARGs in the metagenome (Spearman’s ρ = 0.23, p < 0.01) and metatranscriptome (Spearman’s ρ = 0.55, p < 0.01). Bacterial microbiome alpha diversity, beta diversity, and total bacterial mass did not differ between day-0 and month-6 samples from DP participants when assessed by either DNA-seq or RNA-seq. In an abundance-based correlation analysis, we observed an increase over time in the strength of the correlation between tetracycline ARGs and specific bacterial taxa, including some common human pathogens. In sum, doxy-PEP use over a 6-month period was associated with an increase in the proportion of tetracycline ARGs comprising the gut resistome, and an increase in the expression of tetracycline ARGs. Notably, doxy-PEP did not significantly alter alpha diversity or taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome, and did not demonstrate significant increases in non-tetracycline ARG classes. Further studies and population level surveillance are needed to understand the implications of these findings as doxy-PEP is implemented as a public health strategy.
Exploring Sources of Inaccuracy and Irreproducibility in the CDC Bottle Bioassay Through Direct Insecticide Quantification
Authors: Peard Evah , Luu Calvin , Hageman Kimberly , Sepesy Rose , Bernhardt Scott
Published: April 2024

Background The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bottle bioassay is a commonly used susceptibility test for measuring insect response to insecticide exposure. However, inconsistencies and high variability in insect response when conducting CDC bottle bioassays has been reported in previous publications. We hypothesized that the CDC bottle bioassay results may be compromised when expected and actual insecticide concentrations in the bottles are not equivalent, and that inadequate bottle cleaning and/or loss during insecticide introduction and bottle storage steps could be responsible. We explored this hypothesis by quantifying insecticides using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) in bottles that had been cleaned, prepared, and stored according to the CDC guidelines.Methods We investigated the bottle cleaning, preparation, and storage methods outlined in the CDC bottle bioassay procedure to identify sources of irreproducibility. We also investigated the cleaning effectiveness of autoclaving bottles because this method is commonly used in insecticide assessment labs. The two insecticides used in this study were chlorpyrifos and lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-cyhalothrin). Insecticide was removed from glass bioassay bottles by rinsing with ethyl-acetate and n-hexane and quantified using GC-MS/MS.Results The CDC bottle bioassay cleaning methods did not sufficiently remove insecticide from the glass bottles. The cleaning methods removed chlorpyrifos, which has higher water solubility, more effectively than λ-cyhalothrin, which is less water soluble. Chlorpyrifos experienced significant loss during the bottle coating process whereas λ-cyhalothrin did not. As for bottle storage, no significant decreases in insecticide concentrations were observed during six hours following the initial drying period for either insecticide.Conclusions The CDC bottle bioassay protocol is susceptible to producing inaccurate results since its recommended bottle cleaning method is not sufficient and semi-volatile insecticides can volatilize from glass during the bottle coating process. This can lead to the CDC bottle bioassay producing erroneous LC50 values. High levels of random variation were also observed in our experiments, as others have previously reported. We have outlined several steps that CDC bottle bioassay users could consider that would lead to improved accuracy and reproducibility when acquiring toxicity data.
Patient Mistreatment, Work-family Conflict and Emotional Exhaustion among Nurses: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Sharing and Perceived Organizational Support
Authors: Yan Wei , Cheng Zeqing , Xiao Di , Wang Huan , Du Xin , Li Li , Song Caiping
Published: April 2024

Background: Nursing literature suggested that patient mistreatment has significant effects on nurses’ personal emotions and job burnout. Yet, further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations and the spillover effects on nurses' families. This study combined the cognitive appraisal of stress and goal progress theory to explore the association between patient mistreatment, work-family conflict, and emotional exhaustion in nurses, as well as the mediating role of social sharing and the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS).
Methods: From October 9 to November 1, 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 1627 nurses from the Hematology Specialist Alliance of Chongqing during the COVID-19. Questionnaires were administered to collect demographic data, patient mistreatment, perceived organizational support, social sharing of negative work events, work-family conflict, and emotional exhaustion. Hierarchical linear regression and conditional processes were used to analyze the data.
Results: Patient mistreatment was positively associated with work-family conflict (β=.314, p<.001) and emotional exhaustion (β=.354, p<.001). Social sharing of negative work events played a partial mediating role in the relationship between patient mistreatment, work-family conflict (effect=.077, SE=.014) and emotional exhaustion (effect=.067, SE=.013). Moderated mediation analysis found that the mediation effect was stronger when the perceived organizational support was high.
Conclusion: Our findings reveal the amplifying effect of social sharing of negative events on nurses' work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Perceived organizational support strengthens the positive effects of patient mistreatment on the social sharing of negative work events, thus resulting in increased work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. We also discuss practical implications, limitations, and directions for future research.
Electroneurography and peripheral neuropathy in diabetic subjects in Lubumbashi
Authors: Mande Jean-Paul Ngoy , Mbuyamba Eunice Bilonda , Obadia Paul Musa , Nkulu Dophra Ngoy , Lubaba Célestin Banza , Mukalay Abdon Mukalay wa , Lelubre Christophe , ris Laurence , E-Andjafono Daniel Okitundu Luwa
Published: April 2024

INTRODUCTION
: The practice of electroneurography is not common in Congolese environment, which makes early diagnosis of peripheral neuropathies such as those due to diabetes difficult.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the electroneurography parameters of diabetic subjects in relation to neuropathic pain in comparison with non-diabetic subjects, in the city of Lubumbashi.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 51 subjects, 25 of whom were diabetic and 26 non-diabetic. Symptoms of neuropathic pain were assessed using the diabetic neuropathy scale and electroneurography tracings were recorded with the Neuro-MEP Micro version 3 device.
RESULTS
Neuropathic pain was significantly more frequent in diabetic subjects compared to non-diabetic subjects. Electroneurography parameters (amplitude, distal latency and nerve conduction) were significantly altered in diabetics compared to non-diabetics, exhibiting patterns of demyelinating axonal sensory and motor polyneuropathy in the lower limbs as well as focal and multifocal neuropathies. Electroneurography abnormalities not associated with clinical neuropathic pain suggested the possible existence of subclinical forms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in diabetic subjects while those noted in non-diabetic subjects suggested neuropathic pain of other origins.
CONCLUSION
Electroneurography combined with the diabetic neuropathy scale can be used to classify diabetic peripheral neuropathy and detect subclinical neuropathic pain; its implementation is required in the Congolese environment. Further studies are needed to determine local references for electroneurography and electroneurography profiles in situations of multiple neuropathic exposures such as in the city of Lubumbashi.
Developing a Feline Infectious Disease Triage Model: Insights from Logistic Regression Models in Data from a Veterinary Isolation Unit
Authors: Maximino Miguel M , Machado Inês C , Nunes Telmo P , Tavares Luís M , Almeida Virgílio S , Sepúlveda Nuno , Gil Solange A
Published: April 2024

Background: The Biological Isolation and Containment Unit (BICU) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, is dedicated to treating animals with suspected or confirmed infectious diseases. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) are two of the most common infections reported in this unit. This study explored the use of logistic regression to predict FIV and FeLV infections in the triage stage.
Results: Of 1211 cats treated at the BICU since its opening, 134 cats were FIV-positive and 126 FeLV-positive. Significant triage-related factors for FIV-related hospitalization included being an adult or senior cat, intact males, having access to the outdoors, and presenting concomitant disorders. In contrast, mixed-breed cats with concomitant disorders and a low hematocrit count were significant risk factors for FeLV-related hospitalization. The estimated logistic regression models without cross-validation showed areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.71 for FIV and 0.67 for FeLV, with 95% CI of [0.66-0.76] and [0.62-0.73], respectively. Cross-validation highlighted high sensitivity but low specificity for both infections, indicating a higher propensity for false positives. When cross-validation was performed for FIV infections, the resulting AUC was 0.66, and the specificity was 0.33 using 10- and 5-fold cross validations. The models for FeLV exhibited similar predictive performance with an AUC of 0.63 and specificity of 0.29, which decreased further with 10- and 5-fold cross validation.
Conclusions: This study highlights significant triage-related factors for FIV and FeLV infections, in agreement with existing literature. These findings indicate a need for better clinical vigilance and owner education, mainly on neutering and the risk of outdoor access. Future research should expand to other predictive models and include other variables important to predict FIV and FeLV at the triage stage.
Suppression of androgen receptor and activation of apoptotic signaling pathway in the prostate cancer LNCaP cells: The synergistic effect of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and conditioned medium derived from WJ-MSCs
Authors: Mohammadi Reihane , Fazeli Zahra , Daraei Azam , Asgari Katayoon
Published: April 2024

Although there were several approaches to treat Prostate cancer (PCa), the cost and side effects of some of them have encountered the patients with challenges. Therefore, the design of new therapy methods could be useful in the management of this disease. For this purpose, the synergic effect of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and conditioned medium derived from Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) were studied on prostate cancer LNCaP cells. In this study, LNCaP cells were treated with different concentrations of EGCG and conditioned medium derived from WJ-MSCs (WJCM). The viability of treated cells was determined by using MTT assay. Then, the expression of androgen receptor (AR and PSA) and apoptotic (BAX, CASP3 and CASP7) pathway genes were defined by Real time PCR. The analysis of the data indicated that the treatment with 400µM EGCG in combination with 50% WJCM (0% FBS) for 72 hours decreased expression of AR and PSA genes as well as the enhanced expression of BAX, CASP3 and CASP7 genes in the LNCaP cells (p < 0.05). The obtained results suggested that the combination therapy of EGCG and WJCM had an anticancer effect on LNCaP cells through activation of apoptotic pathway and suppression of androgen receptor pathway.
Generating Solutions Method for Pontryagin-based Optimization Coplanar Transfers in a Central Gravitational Field
Authors: Zaborsky Sergey , Ivanov Georgiy
Published: April 2024

The feasibility of utilizing the results of optimizing coplanar impulse transfers as generating solutions for Pontryagin-based optimization is demonstrated. The method of Poincaré continuation along a parameter is employed to determine the initial integration conditions. The thrust level of the engine serves as the parameter. Thus, the difficult search for initial approximations for the function of conjugate variables in solving optimization problems is eliminated. The application of the method makes it possible to obtain new solutions even for obvious coplanar maneuvers. Numerical examples and graphs illustrate the results obtained, which are difficult to predict.
Timely Initiation of Breastfeeding of Newborns and Associated Factors Among Mothers Delivered by Cesarean Section in Public Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020. Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: DEJEN MULUYE , MURUGAN RAJALAKSHMI , MULUGETA TEFERA , GODIE YOHANNES , GUADIE YITAYAL , MIHRETU ESMELEALEM , ENDALEW BEKALU
Published: April 2024

Background
The timely initiation of breastfeeding is defined as putting the newborn to the breast within one hour of birth and skin-to-skin contact along with suckling at the breast stimulates the mother’s production of breast milk. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the timely initiation of neonatal breastfeeding and related factors among mothers who delivered by caesarean section at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020.
Subject and Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 413 postnatal mothers delivered by cesarean section from March 25th to May 30th, 2020 at four randomly selected hospitals in Addis Ababa. Proportional allocation was done in each selected hospitals, and consecutive sampling technique was carried out to select study participants. The dependent variable was timely initiation of breast feeding. The independent variables are maternal socio demographic characteristics, obstetric and health services related, new born related and family & socio cultural related factors. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify associated variables and potential confounders. Multivariate logistic regression was then used to control for potential confounding factors, and P < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Overall, 48.2% had good practice of timely initiation of breast feeding among postnatal mothers. Educational status of the mother (AOR = 4.74, 95% CI: 1.73 to 12.96; p = 0.002), ante natal care follow up (AOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.25 to 3.72, p = 0.006), delivery time (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.77, p = 0.003), prelacteal feeding (AOR = 4.18, 95% CI: 2.45 to 7.12, p = 000) and maternal breast problem (AOR = 8.78, 95% CI: 1.84 to 42.00, p = 000) were significantly associated with timely initiation of breast feeding.
Conclusion
Health care providers, especially those working in labour and delivery wards must give high attention to mothers’ delivered by caesarean section to initiate breast feeding timely.
Structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of Terbium substituted nanosized Nickel-Ferrites from a New Perspective
Authors: Saha Sunirmal , Routray Krutika L.
Published: April 2024

The current research focuses on the synthesis of nickel spinel ferrite nanoparticles doped with rare earth elements via green synthesis-assisted sol-gel auto combustion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectra were carried to examine the development of phase, morphology, and crystal structure. Structural parameters, cation distribution, and lattice strain were determined through Rietveld analysis and Williamson-Hall (W-H) plots. Using the G-Fourier technique, the electron density mapping of Nickel nano-ferrites replaced with rare earth (Tb) elements was computed. Nickel-ferrites' room-temperature hysteresis curve was measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The insignificant hysteresis curve with small coercivity value and retentivity seen demonstrates the soft behavior. A thorough discussion was held regarding the impact of substituting non-magnetic ions on the coercivity, permeability, magnetic interaction constant, and Curie temperature of the synthesized ferrite. When terbium is added, the samples' saturation magnetization lowers because of spin canting phenomena and a decrease in particle size, which results in a decreased surface-to-volume ratio. Nanocrystalline ferrites replaced with rare earth elements have numerous advanced technical applications, including high-frequency devices and switching devices.
A Two-stage Shadow Removal Algorithm Based on Recurrent Attention Network
Authors: Zhang Jing , Kong Weiwei
Published: April 2024

The presence of shadows in an image obscures some information, hindering the subsequent image-processing task. So correct identification of shadow regions will greatly upgrade the performance of shadow removal. Obviously, the more accurate the identification of shadow regions, the better the shadow removal performance will be. Based on this, this paper designs a two-stage shadow removal algorithm (TS-RAN) based on the recurrent attention network, including the shadow detection stage and shadow removal stage. Firstly, a single shadow image is fed into the shadow detection stage, which generates a rough attention map under the joint action of the recurrent attention network and luminance prediction module. Secondly, the results generated in the previous stage are transferred to the shadow removal stage and the luminance estimation module for fine shadow removal. In addition, we designed a residual estimation module to remove possible artifacts caused by shadow residuals. Experiments show that our method achieves significant performance on the LRSS, ISTD, and WSRD datasets.
The causality between plasma lipid types and osteoporosis: a bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: ZHOU Wei Jin , Ma Wei Kang , Ma Jun , Zhang Jian-Nan , Sun Chong-Yi
Published: April 2024

Background
Previous research has shown an association between lipid metabolism and skeletal health; however, the causal direction between specific plasma lipid types and osteoporosis remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the causal relationship between 179 plasma lipid types and osteoporosis-related phenotypes, including quantitative heel ultrasounds (eBMD) and fractures, through bi-directional Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods
Genetic instruments from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were used to conduct a two-sample MR analysis to determine causality. A total of 179 plasma lipid data from a comprehensive GWAS dataset and osteoporosis-related phenotypic data (including eBMD and fractures) from the GEFOS consortium were included in the analysis. Bi-directional MR analysis was employed to test the direction of causality.
Results
Several significant causality between lipid species and osteoporosis-related phenotypes were identified. Specifically, certain phosphatidylcholines and sterol esters were significantly associated with increased fracture risk. In this study, sterol ester (27:1/20:4) levels (OR [95% CI] = 1.038 [1.019, 1.057], P = 8.95E-05), phosphatidylcholine (20:4_0:0) levels (OR [95% CI] = 1.051 [1.027, 1.076], P = 3.58E-05), and phosphatidylcholine (17:0_20:4) levels (OR [95% CI] = 1.049 [1.025, 1.073], P = 5.73E-05) resulted as risk factors for osteoporotic fractures, highlighting the complex role of lipid metabolism in skeletal health. Conversely, the protective effect of sterol ester (27:1/20:3) levels on eBMD (OR [95% CI] = 0.966 [0.952, 0.980], P = 3.30E-06) suggested potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis management.
Conclusion
Our MR analysis revealed causal relationships between specific plasma lipid species and osteoporosis-related phenotypes. These findings provide new insights into the causal pathways between plasma lipids and osteoporosis, highlighting the therapeutic potential of lipid modulation, furthering the understanding of osteoporosis pathophysiology, and laying the foundation for targeted interventions.
Adaptive Low Light Image Enhancement Based on Retinex Theory
Authors: Guo Miaomiao , Li Jiamin , Hu Hongping , Wang Peng
Published: April 2024

Aiming at the color distortion and low visibility in the images with low light conditions, we proposed a low light image enhancement algorithm based on Retinex theory.Firstly, the light component is obtained by multi-scale Gaussian fusion and then are refined. Then, two input images are obtained by the brightness enhancement function and contrast enhancement function, respectively, and the white shark optimization algorithm is applied to perform updating the weights of the Gaussian-Laplace pyramids. Again, the two input images derived from the brightness function and contrast enhancement function are fused by Gaussian-Laplace pyramids. Finally, the final enhanced image are obtained from the multiplication between the adjusted lighting component and the reflection component based on Retinex theory.The experimental results show that the proposed method in this paper has better enhancement effects on images captured under uneven lighting and low lighting conditions.
Unlocking the Potential of Extensin Signal Peptide and Elastin-like polypeptide Tag fused to Shigella dysenteriae’s IpaDSTxB to Improve Protein Expression and Purification in Nicotiana tabacum and Medicago sativa
Authors: Soleimani AmirMohammad , Alizadeh Houshang
Published: April 2024

Plants are often seen as a potent tool in the recombinant protein production industry. However, unlike bacterial expression, it is not a popular method due to the low yield and difficulty of protein extraction and purification. Therefore, developing a new high efficient and easy to purify platform is crucial. One of the best approaches to make extraction easier is to utilize the Extensin Signal peptide (EXT) to translocate the recombinant protein to the outside of the cell, along with incorporating an Elastin-like polypeptide tag (ELP) to enhance purification and accumulation rates. In this research, we transiently expressed Shigella dysenteriae’s IpaDSTxB fused to both NtEXT and ELP in both Nicotiana tabacum and Medicago sativa. Our results demonstrated that N.tabacum, with an average yield of 6.39 ng/µg TSP, outperforms M.sativa, which had an average yield of 3.58 ng/µg TSP. On the other hand, analyzing NtEXT signal peptide indicated that merging EXT to the constructs facilitates translocation of IpaDSTxB to the apoplast by 78.4% and 65.9% in N.tabacum and M.sativa, respectively. Conversely, the mean level for constructs without EXT was below 25% for both plants. Furthermore, our investigation into the orientation of ELP showed that merging it to the C-terminal of IpaDSTxB leads to a higher accumulation rate in both N.tabacum and M.sativa by 1.39 and 1.28 times, respectively. It also facilitates purification rate by over 70% in comparison to 20% of the 6His tag. The results of this research show a highly efficient and easy to purify platform for the expression of heterologous proteins in plant.
DCANet: Dual-contrast adaptive network for real-time inference video super-resolution
Authors: Lin Leping , Su Zhi , Ouyang Ning
Published: April 2024

Deep learning-based methods have made significant breakthroughs in real-time inference video super-resolution in recent years. However, these methods are prone to blurring, unnatural textures, and other distortion problems in super-resolution reconstructed video when dealing with complex environments and large-motion video scenes, which greatly affects the efficiency of video super-resolution reconstruction. Moreover, the real-time inference video super-resolution network training based on generative adversarial relies only on the simple modeling of features, which can obtain excellent subjective perceptual quality, but the objective index is lower has artifacts. To this end, in real-time inference video super-resolution, a dual-contrast adaptive network called DCANet is proposed to fully capture the motion offsets of neighboring frames through an adaptive optical flow network, which helps in accurate alignment. Real-time inference video super-resolution training based on generative adversarial networks relies only on simple modeling of features with poor objective metrics and artifacts. A dual-channel feature extraction module is proposed to acquire neighboring frame context features to achieve deep feature modeling. To further enhance the reconstruction quality, contrast learning is combined with the adversarial mechanism in the training strategy and a dual-contrast loss function is proposed to guide the network training. Extensive experiments on multiple benchmark testing sets of complex video scenes show that our method achieves an inference latency of 14.91ms while generating high fidelity and perceptual quality reconstructed videos, which is suitable for real-time inference in practical deployments. The code is available at https://github.com/Swaggyp1sz/DCANet.
An Experimental study on stabilization of cohesionless soil for deep foundation using natural biopolymers
Authors: Ahmed Syed Majid , C AKIN , Manguri Shwana Braim Hassan
Published: April 2024

Before beginning to build on soft soil, improving the soil's engineering qualities is a necessary step. Environmental hazards arise when chemical stabilizing agents, like cement, are used to increase soil firmness. Sustainable solutions are therefore highly sought after. Using biopolymers is one of the possible possibilities. This study examined three different forms of biopolymers: chitosan, guar gum, and xanthan gum. They were tested experimentally for their impact on the increase in soil strength using an unconfined compression test. Various bio-polymer concentrations and cure times were used in each test. Additionally, specimens treated with biopolymer and those in plain soil were exposed to actual atmospheric conditions to get insight into their vulnerability to natural elements. The purpose of this work is to discuss the environmental evaluation of applying biopolymers as binders for soil improvement, the properties of soil treated with biopolymers, and the key variables influencing the behaviour of the treated soil. More specifically, the advantages for the environment and issues with using biopolymers to improve soil as well as the interaction between biopolymers and soil are covered. The unconfined compressive strength and shear strength of soil treated with biopolymers are among the many geotechnical attributes that are assessed and contrasted. There is also a discussion of the important variables, soil properties, and environmental factors that affect the different geotechnical properties of soils treated with biopolymers. Guar gum performed 70% better when compared to Xanthan gum and chitosan powder hence it is the best biopolymer to use for stabilizing cohesionless soil.
Prevalence of Anemia Among COVID-19 Patients in Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Melkamu Abateneh
Published: April 2024

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 virus. Impacting various many systems in the human body including the hematological system. Consequently, anemia has become a significant public health concern in developing countries, such as Ethiopia.Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the overall prevalence of anemia among COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia.Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, HINARI, and the Ethiopian Journal of Health Development for articles published before 2024, Manual searches were also performed to identify relevant studies. Authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. The I2test statistics was used to assess heterogeneity among studies and overall prevalence was calculated using the random-effects restrict maximum likelihood model.Results: Out of 590 obtained studies, 8 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anemia among COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia was 26.09% (95% CI 16-36%). The prevalence of anemia in Addis Ababa and Amhara was 27.13% (95%CI: 14.59%-39.66%) and 23.41% (95%CI: 3.46%-43.36%) respectively.Conclusions: This study indicates that anemia is a moderate public health issue among COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia. Therefore, preventive measures and control strategies for of anemia among COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia are crucial.
Improving feeding of Tigriopus japonicus under various stocking densities on Tetraselmis suecica as a potential live feed for fish larvae
Authors: Chong Brian Wei Khong , Takayama Yoshiki , Shimode Shinji , Toda Tatsuki
Published: April 2024

Feeding rates of adult copepods is an important parameter that determines their productivity and population growth. Feeding is influenced by several factors including food quantity and copepod density. The marine harpacticoid copepod, Tigriopus japonicus, is used in the testing of contaminants in marine ecosystems and is also a promising candidate for mass cultivation. However, information on its feeding responses under different stocking densities and feed supplies are lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of copepod densities and microalgal feed concentrations on the ingestion and clearance rates of Tigriopus japonicus on the marine chlorophyte Tetraselmis suecica. The saturation point of feeding for T. japonicus was 486.48 µg C L− 1 and the maximum ingestion rate was 3.84 µg C ind− 1 d− 1 at 40 ind. L− 1. At the same microalgal feed concentration, ingestion rates decreased at copepod densities > 800 ind. L− 1. The ingestion rates significantly increased when microalgal feed concentration was increased up to 15,000 µg C L− 1 at copepod densities > 800 ind. L− 1 despite no changes in the clearance rates. Increasing feed allocation increased the ingestion rates with similar levels reached for 40 ind. L− 1 and 200 ind. L− 1. The findings of the study indicate that decreased feeding in high density conditions may be overcome by providing more food to T. japonicus.
DHCR7 is a potential pan cancer biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy
Authors: Wu Xianghua , Gong Qinyuan , Xu Xiaoliang , Wang Li , Zhang Xuzhao , Yu Teng , Zhu Gesheng , Zheng Weiwei , Lin Dan , Wu Zhaoxing
Published: April 2024

Background
7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is a key enzyme involving the final step of cholesterol synthesis pathway. Abnormalities in the DHCR7 gene can lead to a variety of diseases, such as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. However, the relationship between DHCR7 and oncogenesis remain unclear.
Methods
We used several bioinformatic databases which the original data from the TCGA and GEO database. Briefly, the gene of DHCR7 expression were explored by the Oncomine, TIMER and GEPIA databases. The effect of DHCR7 on prognosis was analyzed via Kaplan-Meier plotter and GEPIA database. The TISIDB database was used to determine the relationship between DHCR7 expression and pan-cancer stages and the DHCR7 expression in different immune and molecular subtypes of human cancers. The correlations between DHCR7 expression and immune checkpoints (ICP), tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), mutant-allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH), neoantigens and infiltrating immune cells of human cancers and urogenital cancers were analyzed through the SangerBox database (http://vip.sangerbox.com/login.html). The genomic alterations of DHCR7 were analyzed by the c-BioPortal database. The differential expression of DHCR7 in urogenital cancers with different clinical characteristics was analyzed with the UALCAN database. The DHCR7 co-expression genes in BLCA was analyzed through the Linked Omics database. And the association between DHCR7 and related genes and markers of immune cells were analyzed by TIMER database.
Results
The results indicated that DHCR7 was highly expressed in most cancers, except in Cholangio carcinoma, Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma. Aberrantly expressed DHCR7 was associated with the poor prognosis, advanced tumor stage and metastasis in most tumor types. Additionally, significant strong correlations between DHCR7 expression and tumor immune-infiltrated cells (TILs), ICP, TMB, MSI, MATH and neoantigens showed in most human cancers, and marker genes of TILs were significantly related to DHCR7 expression in BLCA, KIRC and PRAD. DHCR7 co-expression networks mostly participated in the regulation of immune response regulating signaling pathway, leukocyte differentiation and angiogenesis.
Conclusion
Through pan-cancer analysis, DHCR7 may serve as a potential prognostic and immunological pan-cancer biomarker, especially in urological tumors.
M1 and M2 macrophages markers are alternately expressed during periapical lesion development
Authors: Pucinelli Carolina Maschietto , Filho Paulo Nelson , Lucisano Marília Pacífico , Esquiche Jorge , Faccioli Lúcia Helena , Sorgi Carlos Arterio , Silva Clara Marina Pereira Cavalcanti , Silva Lea Assed Bezerra , Silva Raquel Assed Bezerra
Published: April 2024

Objectives
The present study evaluated the phenotypic characterization of M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes during the development of periapical lesion (PL).
Materials and Methods
PL was induced in the lower first molars of 96 mice. After the experimental periods of 2, 7, 14, 21, and 42 days, the animals were euthanized and the jaws were dissected and submitted to the following analyzes: microscopic descriptive analysis and fluorescence microscopy morphometry of PL size (mm2); quantitative gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR for M1 (Cxcl10, CxCL9, and Nos2) and M2 phenotypes ((Arg1, Fizz1, Ym1, and Mrc1); and M1- (GM-CSF, IFN-g, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) and M2- ((IL-4, IL-13, and IL- 10) related cytokines quantification by Luminex. Data were statistically compared by ANOVA, Tukey post-test, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn post-test (α = 5%).
Results
PL area and inflammatory infiltrate increased over experimental periods. By a contextual view, it could be observed a pro-inflammatory profile and a higher activation of M1 phenotype markers in the initial periods of 2 and 7 days. At 21 day time point, microscopic features and M2 subtype predominance indicated a repair attempt. However, at 42 days, an exacerbation of immunoinflammatory process and return to the M1 macrophage profile were evidenced.
Conclusion
M1 and M2 macrophage polarization related markers were expressed alternately during the dynamic progression of the PL.
Clinical Relevance:
This study provides a deeper understanding about M1 and M2 macrophages participation on development, progression, and outcome of PL, as well as guides possible therapeutic targets.
A novel pyroptosis-related gene signature correlated to C6orf99 for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer
Authors: Gao Hong , Gui ZhaoHua , Hong ShiKai , Zhu ZhengZhi , Huang DaKe , Lei JiaLi , Wang ShengYing
Published: April 2024

The relationship between the pyroptosis-related long non-coding RNA (PRlncRNA) and the prognosis of breast cancer has not been clearly studied. According to relevant studies, the expression of the lncRNA C6orf99 is associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. In our study, we demonstrated that high expression of C6orf99 is adverse for the prognosis of breast cancer using the TCGA dataset. In addition, there were five pyroptosis related genes (PRGs) (PJVK, CASP4, IL18, ELANE and TIRAP) associated with the expression of C6orf99 and survival outcomes of breast cancer. According to the expression of PJVK, CASP4, IL18, and ELANE, breast cancer samples were divided into two different subclusters (C1 and C2) using clustering analysis. Furthermore, a new C6orf99-related PRGs risk model was constructed to predict the prognosis of breast cancer. The high-risk group had worse survival outcomes and lower immune infiltration level, whereas the low-risk group had better survival outcomes and higher immune infiltration level. We further found that the higher the expression intensity of CASP4 and IL18 in 66 breast tumor tissues by immunohistochemical staining, the earlier the clinical stage, the smaller the tumor, the better the survival outcome. Our finding of C6orf99-related PRGs suggest a new idea for the treatment of breast cancer cases, and may become a new molecular target for targeted therapy.
The Effects of Disturbance on Woody Species Composition, Structure and Regeneration Status In Ura Natural Forest, Guangua district, Awi Zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Kassahun Achamyeleh Anteneh , Abate Dagim Fikir , Belete Dessie Assefa
Published: April 2024

Ethiopia had diverse forest resources. However, it become decreasing and decreasing over time and leaving the country’s forest with only remnant patches. So, the current study was conducted to examine the species composition, structure and regeneration status of woody plant species along the disturbance gradients. In order to collect data, the forest was first stratified into Low Disturbed (LD), Moderately Disturbed (MD) and Heavily Disturbed (HD) based on information from reconnaissance site visit and consultation with key informants. The three transect lines were laid systematically with 200 m distance apart, and rectangular plots of 10 m*20 m (200 m2) size were laid at 50 m distance interval along each transect, making up a total of 27 plots. DBH and height of all woody individuals with ≥ 5 cm and ≥ 2 m were measured respectively. Seedling and sapling data were recorded in four subplots of 2 m*5 m (10 m2) in the opposite corner of the main plot. Woody species density, richness, evenness, diversity, frequency and IVI were determined for each disturbance classes, and one-way ANOVA and mean comparison tests were used to examine significant differences among disturbance classes. The total of 37 woody species and 27 families were recorded. Based structural analysis only Croton macrostachyus, with an inverted-J shape. It is conclude that woody species composition was affected by human disturbance. So that a concentrated form of forest conservation should be given to protect from excessive human disturbance.
Experimental investigation of Mechanical Properties of Al7075 reinforced with SiC and Al 2 O 3
Authors: Mukunda Sriram , Kapilan N
Published: April 2024

In this investigation, an effort has been made to analyze the fatigue life of Al7075 alloy matrix reinforced with powder of silicon carbide (2.5 wt.% of SiC) and Al2O3 (2 and 3 wt.%) is fabricated by using stir casting technique. The process parameter such as silicon carbide and Al2O3with 4 levels are the major factors in knowing the strength of the hybrid composites. Fatigue test on a set of samples for both the compositions was carried out to ascertain the fatigue life of the Al7075 alloy reinforced with SiC and Al2O3 powders. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out to study the structure of the fractured surface of the compositions.
The overexpression of EPS8L1 upregulates TIAM2 to promote cytoskeleton remodeling by activating the Rac1/MAPK signaling pathway in the migration of ovarian cancer
Authors: Wang Yuting , Zhang Lei , Luo Xianqiang , Zhu Hongmei , Wang Meichen , Luo Min , Zhou Hongyu , Zhang Limei , Song Yan , Zhang Junfei , Jia Yinnong , Qing Chen
Published: April 2024

Background: EPS8L1, an analog of epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (Eps8), was screened out in our previous work from clinical samples of patients with ovarian cancer. We also found that EPS8L1 was involved in various biological activities. In this study, the participation and mechanisms of EPS8L1 ion the migration and metastasis of ovarian cancer were investigated.
Methods: In vitro scratch-healing, transwell assay, and actin-staining studies were performed in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells with EPS8L1 overexpression or knockdown. An ovarian cancer mouse model with lung colonization was established to evaluate the in vivo colonization and migration. To identify correlated proteins, a bioinformatics assay was conducted and verified via qRT-PCR and Western blot.
Results: EPS8L1 knockdown inhibited cellular migration in vitro and reduced tumor colonization in vivo. The actin-staining and ELISA experiments suggested that EPS8L1 regulated actin formation as well as cytoskeleton remodeling. Furthermore, mRNA and protein expression confirmed that EPS8L1 regulated the downstream T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 2 (TIAM2) molecule and stimulated the activation of Rac1. Additionally, the phosphorylation levels of P38, Erk, and Jnk in the MAPK pathway decreased after EPS8L1 knockdown.
Conclusions: The upregulation of EPS8L1 could promote the migration and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells by regulating cytoskeleton remodeling. The mechanism underlying this might be that EPS8L1 regulates TIAM2 to induce the transformation of Rac-GDP into Rac-GTP and then activates the downstream MAPK pathway. As a regulatory factor in cell migration and metastasis, EPS8L1 could be a new prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for ovarian cancer patients.
Bilayer cellulose-coated hyaluronic acid-based scaffold for accelerating oral wound healing
Authors: Jung Yun Sun , Ye Ju Ri , Lee Myoung-Han , Kweon Dong-Keun , Chae Yong Kwon , Lee Hyo-Seol , Choi Sung Chul , Nam Ok Hyung
Published: April 2024

Objectives
To assess the effects of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based scaffolds on oral wound healing.
Materials and Methods
A film-type 3% HA scaffold with bilayer cellulose coating was prepared and compared with one without coating. For cytocompatibility, human gingival fibroblasts were exposed to both scaffolds. Cell viability, flow cytometry, and scratch wound assays were performed. Additionally, in vivo and` ex vivo wound-healing assays were also conducted.
Results
Cytocompatibility tests showed no cytotoxicity for either HA scaffold. The scratch wound assay revealed a significant reduction in the open wound area in both HA scaffolds compared with the control (p < 0.05). However, no differences were observed in the open wound areas between the scaffolds with and without cellulose coating. Regarding in vivo wound healing analysis, the healing rates on day 3 were significantly higher in the HA scaffolds than in the control (p < 0.05), and there were no differences between the scaffolds. The HA scaffolds with the coating showed lower CD68 and higher vimentin expression than the control (p < 0.05). In contrast, the HA scaffolds without the coating did not. The ex vivo wound healing analysis showed significantly higher re-epithelialization rates in both scaffolds compared to the control (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
Within the limits of this study, the HA scaffold with coating showed enhanced wound-healing efficacy, indicating its potential for oral wound-healing applications.
At-any-Point-in-Time, Individual’s Psychological Well-Being Matters: Meta-analysis of Reliability Generalisation of (Ryff's SPWB) as the measure
Authors: Wojujutar Ajele Kenni , Idemudia Erhabor Sunday
Published: April 2024

Background: Psychological well-being is not just a static trait but a dynamic construct that can change over time. Given the dynamic nature of psychological well-being, which can fluctuate in response to life events, stressors, and developmental changes, the need for reliable and sensitive measurement tools is paramount.
Objective: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the reliability generalization of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) as a suitable tool for assessing individual psychological well-being at any point in time.
Method: This meta-analysis uses a systematic search method and stringent inclusion criteria to assess the reliability of the Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) in a variety of demographic contexts. To ensure objectivity, this meta-analysis assesses the SPWB utilizing a pre-registered procedure (CRD42024508542). With QUADAS-2 and COSMIN Risk of Bias serving as guiding principles for quality assessment, data from ten research published between 2015 and 2023 were analysed using a common and random-effects model. Knowledge of the psychometric qualities of SPWB is improved by this work.
Results: The meta-analysis confirmed the SPWB's high reliability, with both models showing a 0.92 reliability coefficient (95% CI [0.88; 0.95]) and significant statistical support (z = 48.69 and 45.93, p < .05). Minimal study variability (τ²= 0.0002, I² = 0.0%) and a non-significant heterogeneity test (Q = 7.58, df = 9, p = .57). The meta-analysis on SPWB versions SPWB-6 to SPWB-40 showed high reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha from 0.70 to 0.96. Common and random effects models indicated alphas of 0.92 and 0.89, respectively, and low to moderate heterogeneity (I² = 26.7%). The meta-analysis on psychological well-being dimensions showed high consistency, with Cronbach's alphas from 0.68 to 0.70. Overall reliability was strong (z-value 6.04, p < .05), with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%, Q = 0.00, p = 1.00), indicating consistent reliability across dimensions.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis reinforces the significance of Ryff's SPWB as a reliable and versatile tool for assessing individual psychological well-being at any point, highlighting its implications for both practice and research.