bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amplifying the HIV Risks - Patterns of alcohol and drugs among female sex workers and men who as sex with men in Mozambique
Authors: Baltazar Cynthia Semá , Muleia Rachid , Banze Auria , Boothe Makini
Published: October 2023

Background: Abusive alcohol and drug consumption can increase the risk of acquiring HIV due to compromised decision-making linked to risky sexual behaviors. In this study, we explore the patterns of hazardous alcohol and drug use and correlates among female sex workers (FSW) and men who as sex with men (MSM) in Mozambique.
Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of a bio-behavioral survey (BBS) using a respondent-driven sampling method, which was conducted in five main urban areas of Mozambique from 2019-21. Selection criteria for the MSM were being a biological male with at least 18 years of age and reported oral or anal intercourse with a man in the previous 12 months; FSWs criteria was being a biological female with at least 15 years of age and reported exchanging sex for money, services or goods in the previous 6 months.
Results: The prevalence of hazardous alcohol drinking was 47.1% for FSW and 48.9% for MSM. Current drug use was reported in 13.3% of FSW. FSW with hazardous alcohol drinking were 47.1%. They reported higher number of sexual partners in the last month (55.3% vs 47,1%, p<0.001), STI in the last year (62,5% vs 48,2%, p<001), physical (53.5% vs 46.7%, p<0.0001) and sexual violence (54.7% vs 44.2%, p< 0.001), and HIV prevalence (55.2% vs 44.2 p<0.001). MSM with hazardous alcohol drinking was 48.9%. They reported higher STI (52.8%vs 45.4%, p<001), sexual violence (18.0% vs 8.3%, p<0.001) and HIV prevalence (53.0% vs 46.3 p<0.001). In addition, FSW that used drugs had a high perception of HIV risk, (14.2% vs 9.7%, p=0.005), had their first sexual experience when younger than 15 years old (15.4% vs 5.3% p<0.001), self-reported an STI (17.9% vs 10.2%, p< 0.001) in the last year, experienced physical violence (17.4% vs 7.0% p<0.001) and sexual violence (18.6% vs 8.9%, p<0.001).
Conclusion: There is an immediate need for the introduction and integration of site-specific substance use harm mitigation and mental health interventions into HIV prevention programs, particularly those targeting key populations in Mozambique.
Changes in responses of the amygdala and hippocampus during fear conditioning are associated with persecutory beliefs
Authors: Deng Wisteria , Holt Daphne , Tuominen Lauri , Sussman Rachel , Leathem Logan , Vinke Louis
Published: October 2023

The persecutory delusion represents the most common symptom of psychosis, yet its underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Prior studies have suggested that abnormalities in medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning may contribute to this symptom, leading to diminished “safety signaling.” In the current study, this hypothesis was tested in a non-clinical sample of young adults without histories of psychiatric treatment (n = 64), who participated in a classical Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm while fMRI data were collected. During the fear conditioning procedure, participants viewed face stimuli which were paired (the CS+) or not paired (the CS-) with an aversive stimulus (a mild electrical shock). Fear conditioning-related neural responses were measured in two medial temporal lobe regions, the amygdala and hippocampus, and in other closely connected brain regions of the salience and default networks. The participants without persecutory beliefs (n = 43) showed greater responses to the CS- compared to the CS+ in the right amygdala and hippocampus (a “safety signal”), while the participants with persecutory beliefs (n = 21) failed to exhibit this response (ps > .05). These between-group differences were not accounted for by symptoms of depression, anxiety or the psychosis prodrome. However, the severity of subclinical psychotic symptoms overall was correlated with the level of this aberrant response in the amygdala (p = .013) and hippocampus (p = .033). Thus, these findings provide evidence for a disruption of medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning in subclinical psychotic symptoms, specifically persecutory thinking.
Domestic Pigs are Susceptible to Experimental Infection with Non-Human Primate-Derived Reston Virus Without the Need for Adaptation
Authors: Lewis Charles E. , Pinette Mathieu M. , Lakin Steven M. , Smith Greg , Fisher Mathew , Moffat Estella , Embury-Hyatt Carissa , Pickering Brad S.
Published: October 2023

Domestic pigs are a critical component of the food supply and one of the most commonly raised production animals. Pork consumption has driven the intensification of pig production expanding into environments conducive to increased emergence and spread of infectious diseases, including the spillover of pathogens into human populations. One of these emerging viruses, Reston virus (RESTV), is an enigma among the Ebolavirus genus in that its lack of human pathogenicity is in stark contrast to the high virulence associated with most other ebolaviruses. RESTV is, however, associated with outbreaks of highly lethal hemorrhagic disease in non-human primates (NHP), as well as poorly understood clinical manifestations of mixed virulence and lethality in naturally and experimentally infected domestic pigs. Our results show it is possible for RESTV derived from an NHP to infect domestic pigs resulting in a spectrum of disease, from asymptomatic to severe respiratory distress. Further, we report on the first experimental transmission of RESTV between infected pigs and a co-housed, naïve animal, as well as the first report of the successful use of group oral fluids for the detection of RESTV RNA and virus-specific IgA antibodies.
Phylogenetic analysis and morphological characterization of Phytophthora palmivora causing stem canker disease of durian in Malaysia
Authors: Danial Nor Dalila Nor , Asib Norhayu , Sadi Tosiah , Ismail Siti Izera
Published: October 2023

Stem canker, caused by Phytophthora palmivora, poses a significant challenge for durian farmers in Malaysia. However, limited research has explored the genetic diversity of this pathogen using multiple genes. In this study, we aimed to characterize Phytophthora isolates associated with symptomatic durian tissues from four Malaysian states (Selangor, Perak, Pahang, and Melaka). We employed both morphological and molecular methods, including sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and the cytochrome oxidase c (COX) multi-locus combination of subunit I and subunit II gene regions. A total of 21 Phytophthora palmivora isolates were obtained from diseased durian stem tissues and identified based on phylogeny and morphological characteristics. Molecular identification using BLASTn analysis of the ITS and COX sequences confirmed their identity as P. palmivora showing sequence similarity ranging from 99 to 100% with the ex-type culture of P. palmivora (GenBank accession no. ON834450 for the ITS region and JF771543 for the COX region). Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS rDNA and COX further confirmed that all Phytophthora isolates belonged to P. palmivora, forming a distinct clade with reference P. palmivora isolates, with strong bootstrap values for the ITS (99%) and COX (76%) regions. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that all isolates were pathogenic to durian leaves, with PMM02 displaying significantly lower virulence compared to other tested isolates. Detached leaf assays conducted with durian leaves from D10, D24 and Mousang King varieties revealed significance differences among durian varieties, with D10 exhibiting higher susceptibility to P. palmivora.
Machine Learning-Assisted High-Content Imaging Analysis of 3D MCF7 Microtissues for Estrogenic Effect Prediction
Authors: Li Hui , Seada Haitham , Madnick Samantha , Zhao He , Chen Zhaozeng , Li Fengcheng , Zhu Feng , Hall Susan , Boekelheide Kim
Published: October 2023

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) pose a significant threat to human well-being and the ecosystem. However, in managing the many thousands of uncharacterized chemical entities, the high-throughput screening of EDCs using relevant biological endpoints remains challenging. Three-dimensional (3D) culture technology enables the development of more physiologically relevant systems in more realistic biochemical microenvironments. The high-content and quantitative imaging techniques enable quantifying endpoints associated with cell morphology, cell-cell interaction, and microtissue organization. In the present study, 3D microtissues formed by MCF-7 breast cancer cells were exposed to the model EDCs estradiol (E2) and propyl pyrazole triol (PPT). A 3D imaging and image analysis pipeline was established to extract quantitative image features from estrogen-exposed microtissues. Moreover, a machine-learning classification model was built using estrogenic-associated differential imaging features. Based on 140 common differential image features found between the E2 and PPT group, the classification model predicted E2 and PPT exposure with AUC-ROC at 0.9528 and 0.9513, respectively. Deep learning-assisted analysis software was developed to characterize microtissue gland lumen formation. The fully automated tool can accurately characterize the number of identified lumens and the total luminal volume of each microtissue. Overall, the current study established an integrated approach by combining non-supervised image feature profiling and supervised luminal volume characterization, which reflected the complexity of functional ER signaling and highlighted a promising conceptual framework for estrogenic EDC risk assessment.
Patients suffering traumatic brain injury: characteristics, primary referral and mortality – A population-based follow-up study
Authors: Seidenfaden Sophie-Charlott , Pedersen Claus Kjær , Juul Niels , Kirkegaard Hans , Bøtker Morten Thingemann
Published: October 2023

Background
Traumatic brain injury is a potential high-risk condition. Appropriate care pathways, including prehospital triage and primary referral to a specialized neurosurgical center, improves neurological outcome and survival. The aim of this study was to examine TBI patient and injury characteristics, the way of entering into the health care system, place of primary referral and the associated 30-day and 1-year mortality rates in TBI patients with confirmed intracranial lesions.
Methods
This was a retrospective observational population-based follow-up study conducted in Central Denmark Region from 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2019. We included all hospital contacts of patients ascribed a predefined TBI ICD-10 diagnosis code in the Danish National Patient Register. The obtained TBI cohort was merged with prehospital data from the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Central Denmark Region, and vital status from the Danish Civil Registration System. Binary logistic regression analysis of mortality was applied.
Results
A total of 5,257 first TBI hospital contacts were included in the cohort. Of these, 1,430 (27.2%) entered the health care system by 112-call. TBI patients triaged by 112-call were more likely to receive the highest level of emergency response, second-tier resources and were more frequently referred directly to a specialized center than patients entering through general practioner or other health care personnel. In the subgroup of 1188/5257 (22.4%) patients with confirmed intracranial lesions, we found no difference in risk ratio of 30-day (RR 1.04 (95%CI 0.65 − 1.63)) or 1-year (RR 0.96 (95%CI 0.72–1.25)) all-cause mortality between patients primarily referred to a regional hospital or specialized center when adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, antiplatelet/-coagulant treatment and type of intracranial lesions.
Conclusion
TBI patients mainly enter the health system by contact to general practitioner or other health care professionals, but patients entering through 112-call are more frequently triaged directly to specialized center. We were unable to demonstrate any significant difference in adjusted 30-day and 1-year mortality according to primary referral to a specialized center or not.
DNA polymerase beta connects tumorigenicity with the circadian clock in liver cancer through the epigenetic demethylation of Per1
Authors: Liu Chang , Chen Siyu , Zhang Wenxiang , Li Xiao
Published: October 2023

The circadian-controlled DNA repair exhibits a strong diurnal rhythm. Disruption in circadian clock and DNA repair is closely linked with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, but the mechanism remains unknown. Here, we show that polymerase beta (Polb), a critical enzyme in the DNA base excision repair pathway, is rhythmically expressed at the translational level in mouse livers. Hepatic Polb dysfunction dampens clock homeostasis, whereas retards HCC progression, through methylation of the 4th CpG island on the 5'UTR of clock gene Per1. Clinically, POLB is overexpressed in human PolbHCC samples and positively associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, the hepatic rhythmicity of Polb protein expression is orchestrated by Calreticulin (Calr). Our findings provide important insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the synergy between clock and food signals on the Polb-driven BER system and reveal new clock-dependent carcinogenetic effects of Polb. Therefore, chronobiological modulation of Polb may help to promote precise interventions for HCC.
Gravitational form factors of the proton from near-threshold vector meson photoproduction
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yun
Published: October 2023

We embark on a systematical analysis of the quark and gluon gravitational form factors (GFFs) of the proton, by connecting energy-momentum tensor and the near-threshold vector meson photoproduction (NTVMP). Concretely, the quark contributions of GFFs are determined unprecedentedly by global fitting the cross section of the lightest vector meson ρ0 photoproduction. Combined with the gluon GFFs achieved from heavy quarkonium J/ψ photoproduction data, the complete GFFs are obtained and compared with the deeply virtual Compton scattering experimental results and LQCD determinations. The profound implications of this finding cannot be overstated, as it opens new avenues for obtaining comprehensive information on GFFs. Naturally, this work is not only an important basis for delving the proton enigmatic properties, but also have significance theoretical guiding for future JLab and EICs experimental measurements.
DAIR in treating late-phase infection after total knee arthroplasty using continuous local antibiotic perfusion therapy: A case series study
Authors: Zenke Yukichi , Ando Kohei , Motojima Yasushi , Kosugi Kenji , Hamada Daishi , Okada Yasuaki , Sato Naohito , Shinohara Daichi , Suzuki Hitoshi , Kawasaki Makoto , Sakai Akinori
Published: October 2023

Background: Antimicrobial agents are administered via intramedullary antibiotic perfusion (iMAP)/intrasoft tissue antibiotic perfusion (iSAP) to infected lesions to control osteoarticular and soft tissue infections. Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) has been reported to be useful. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of DAIR combined with CLAP for delayed infection after total knee arthroplasty performed at our hospital.
Subjects and methods: Six patients (male; one case, female; five cases, mean age 79.5 years (70-94)) underwent CLAP for delayed infection after TKA at our hospital between July 2020 and June 2022. They were followable for at least one year after surgery. Seven months (17-219), with a mean follow-up of 24.3 months (12-36). In addition to direct debridement and insert exchange, systemic antimicrobial treatment and CLAP with gentamicin were performed. We investigated the organisms causing the inflammation, the duration of iMAP/iSAP implantation, the maximum daily dose of GM, the maximum GM blood concentration, and the presence or absence of GM-induced adverse events.
Result: Two of six patients had a recurrence of infection at five weeks and five months after initial CLAP and required repeat CLAP treatment, but all patients were able to preserve their components. The organisms responsible for the flare-ups were MSSA in three cases; ESBL-producing E. coli, mixed MSSA and streptococcal infection, and Klebsiella pneumonia in one case each; and unknown pathogens in one case. CLAP therapy for all patients was administered eight times in 6 cases: iMAP, mean: 10.0 days (5-16); iSAP, mean: 19.3 days (15-28); GM dose, mean: 162.5 mg/day (80-240); and GM blood concentration, mean: 1.4 µg/mL (0.2-5.0). Adverse events included one case of reversible acute kidney injury during CLAP in a patient with recurrent infection.
Summary: DAIR with CLAP for delayed post-TKA infection can be a useful treatment option to preserve components and allow the infection to subside, provided the implant is not markedly loosened.
Comparative physiological and transcriptome analysis revealed the role of cerium in alleviating copper stress in Dendrobium nobile Lindl.
Authors: Li Xuebing , Ma Jie , Fan Yijun , Xu Erya , Xu Linlong , Liu Yuanyuan , Wu Junlan , Liu Haolin , Wang Hui , Li Ting , He Siyu , Luo Ao
Published: October 2023

Low concentrations of rare earth elements can be used as mitigants to alleviate metal toxicity in plants. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the mechanism of cerium (Ce) mitigation of copper (Cu) stress in Dendrobium nobile Lindl. It was found that Cu treatment caused significant stress, while Ce spray significantly improved the growth under Cu stress and reduced the Cu content in the plant by 9.48%. Ce promoted photosynthesis of D. nobile and enhanced the ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Ce combines with heavy metal ions to form chelates and transports Cu into the vesicles, thus reducing the toxicity of metals to plants. Transcriptome analysis revealed 959 differential genes in the Cu + Ce group compared to the Cu group (511up, 458down). Analysis of differential genes related to metabolic pathways for detoxification revealed that Ce can enhance tolerance of D. nobile under Cu stress through various pathways such as regulated metabolic pathways Isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, MAPK signaling pathway, Phenylpropanoid Bioynthesis, Plant hormone signal transduction, Pyruvate metabolism pathway and ABC transporter to regulate GSH, amino acids, metallothionein, thus affecting antioxidant enzyme activity, synergistic ion transport and metal chelate synthesis. GST, AOC3, cat, PP2C, OMT, GCSH, N4OMT, ACS, MKK9, CML may be the key genes in D. nobile to resist Cu stress. This study initially reveals the mechanism of Ce alleviation of Cu stress and lays a theoretical foundation for further research on the molecular regulatory mechanism of D. nobile in adversity.
Periostin+ macrophages improved long bone regeneration in a mechanosensitive manner
Authors: Liu Chao , Wang Ziyan , Lin Minmin , Pan Yonghao , Liu Yang , Yang Chengyu , Wu Jianqun , Wang Yan , Yan Bingtong , Zhou Jingjing
Published: October 2023

Macrophages are pivotal in the inflammatory and remodeling phases of fracture repair. Here, we investigate the effect of periostin expressed by macrophages on bone regeneration in a monocortical tibial defect (MTD) model. In this study, we show that periostin is expressed by periosteal macrophages, primarily the M2 subtype during bone regeneration. The deletion of periostin in macrophages reduces cortical bone thickness, disrupts trabecular bone connectivity, exacerbates repair impairment, and hinders M2 macrophage polarization. Mechanical stimulation has been shown to be as a regulator of periostin in macrophages. By activating transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and phosphorylating Smad2/3, it increases periostin expression in macrophages and induces M2 polarization. This mechanosensitive effect also reverses the delayed bone repair induced by periostin deficiency in macrophages by strengthening the angiogenesis-osteogenesis coupling. In addition, transplantation of mechanically-conditioned macrophages into the periosteum over a bone defect results in substantially enhanced repair, confirming the critical role of macrophage-secreted periostin in bone repair. In summary, our results suggest one mechanism of mechanically stimulated bone formation is the regulation of periostin expression and M2 subtype polarization in macrophages via the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway, and demonstrates mechanically-conditioned macrophages as a promising therapeutic strategy for enhancing bone repair.
Sex dimorphism in behavioral, seizure, and pain threshold in allergic rhinitis model; the role of DNMT1 in neuroinflammation
Authors: Elahi Mohammad , Soltani Zahra Ebrahim , Afrooghe Arya , Ahmadi Elham , Dehpour Ahmad Reza
Published: October 2023

Our previous research demonstrated that allergic rhinitis could impact behavior and seizure threshold in male mice. However, due to the complex hormonal cycles and hormonal influences on behavior in female mice, male mice are more commonly used for behavioral tests. In this study, we aimed to determine whether these findings were replicable in female mice and to explore the potential involvement of sexual hormones in regulating neuroinflammation in an allergic model.
Our results indicate that pain threshold was decreased in female mice with allergic rhinitis and the levels of IL-23/IL-17A/IL-17R were increased in their Dorsal root ganglia. However, unlike males, female mice with AR did not display neuropsychological symptoms such as learning and memory deficits, depression, and anxiety-like behavior. This was along with decreased levels of DNA methyl transferase 1 (DNMT1) and inflammatory cytokines in their hippocampus. Ovariectomized mice were used to mitigate hormonal effects, and the results showed that they had behavioral changes and neuroinflammation in their hippocampus similar to male mice, as well as increased levels of DNMT1.
These findings demonstrate sex differences in how allergic rhinitis affects behavior, pain sensitivity, and seizure thresholds. Furthermore, our data suggest that DNMT1 may be influenced by sexual hormones, which could play a role in modulating inflammation in allergic conditions.
Impact of intrapartum oxytocin administration on neonatal sucking behavior and breastfeeding
Authors: Omaru Machiko , Kajiwara Setsu , Wakamatsu Eri , Kuroishi Sumiko , Ochiai Yukifumi , Oniki Kentaro , Morokuma Seiichi
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to examine the effect of intrapartum oxytocin administration on neonatal sucking behavior and breastfeeding. A total of 64 pairs (29 in the group treated with intrapartum oxytocin and 35 in the control group) of normal infants within 24–48 h of birth and their mothers were recruited. Sucking ability was evaluated by measuring Non-Nutritive Sucking (NNS) for 5 min. Data on the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum were collected. In the adjusted multiple regression models, intrapartum oxytocin exposure was significantly associated with fewer total NNS bursts (95% confidence interval (CI), -6.811 to -0.311), longer pause times (95% CI, 0.320 to 9.223), and greater pause-time variability (95% CI, 4.453 to 62.738). Effects estimated using structural equation modeling revealed that intrapartum oxytocin exposure had a significant negative and direct effect on the practice of exclusive breastfeeding 1 month postpartum (β=-.238, p = 0.047). However, no NNS-mediated indirect effects were observed. This report demonstrates that infants born to mothers who receive intrapartum oxytocin may have impaired sucking ability for at least the first 48 h after birth, and breastfeeding support should be provided.
A Comparison of Embedding Aggregation Strategies in Drug-Target Interaction Prediction
Authors: Iliadis Dimitrios , De Baets Bernard , Pahikkala Tapio , Waegeman Willem
Published: October 2023

The prediction of interactions between novel drugs and biological targets is a vital step in the early stage of the drug discovery pipeline. Many deep learning approaches have been proposed over the last decade, with a substantial fraction of them sharing the same underlying two-branch architecture. Their distinction is limited to the use of different types of feature representations and branches (multi-layer perceptrons, convolutional neural networks, graph neural networks and transformers). In contrast, the strategy used to combine the outputs (embeddings) of the branches has remained mostly the same. The same general architecture has also been used extensively in the area of recommender systems, where the choice of an aggregation strategy is still an open question. In this work, we investigate the effectiveness of three different embedding aggregation strategies in the area of drug-target interaction (DTI) prediction. We formally define these strategies and prove their universal approximator capabilities. We then present experiments that compare the different strategies on benchmark datasets from the area of DTI prediction, showcasing conditions under which specific strategies could be the obvious choice.
Comparison between microphone and accelerometer signals for chatter identification in milling processes
Authors: Couto Alison de Andrade , Almeida Ubiratã , Pereira Igor , Guimarães Gustavo
Published: October 2023

Machining operations may lead to chatter, a harmful phenomenon to the process that has to be avoided. The chatter identification is an important method to understand the machining process through the vibrations signals and avoid the conditions where chatter is more likely to be present. In this work, two approaches for milling chatter identification were studied, the first one using the signal by a microphone sensor and the second one using accelerometers in two different points, with the objective of making a comparison of which is the most suitable for a case with a long tool and low axial depth of cut. Frequency and time domain analyzes were performed, the results for both cases show the chatter in a specific cutting condition, however, the regenerative phenomenon was more evidently identified through the microphone. The obtained results will also be used in a practical context for the validation of a Stability Lobe Diagrams under development.
Hydrogen production with reduced energy consumption for use in fuel cells and energy sector
Authors: Nefedov Volodymyr , Polishchuk Yuliya , Matveev Vadim , Sukhyi Mykhailo
Published: October 2023

The possibility of increasing the hydrogen release rate and reducing energy consumption was analyzed using a system in which the anodic process of metal (aluminum) dissolution occurred on one electrode and the process of H2 release - on the other (nickel) electrode. The possibility of generating hydrogen with a current density of ~ 400 mA cm–2 in NaOH solutions with a concentration of 6 ÷ 8 mol L–1 at a cell voltage of ~ 0.5 V was confirmed. When the electrodes were short-circuited, hydrogen was generated on nickel when aluminum was dissolved at a rate corresponding to current density ~ 100 mA cm–2. The possibility of simultaneous hydrogen production and electricity generation in the system under consideration was shown. It was found that the maximum net power was generated in 6 M NaOH. The specific power in such a solution can reach a value of 8 W cm–2 at a cell voltage of about 0.15 V. In this case, the hydrogen release rate corresponded to a current density of 60 mA cm–2.
Methacrylated poly(glycerol sebacate) as a photocurable, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymer with tunable degradation and drug release kinetics
Authors: Bice Mei-Li L. , Ortega Valentina L. , Yu Marina H. , McHugh Kevin J.
Published: October 2023

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a biodegradable, elastomeric polymer that has been explored for applications ranging from tissue engineering to drug delivery and wound repair. Despite its promise, its biomedical utility is limited by its rapid, and largely fixed, degradation rate. Additionally, its preparation requires high temperatures for long periods of time, rendering it incompatible with heat-sensitive molecules, complex device geometries, and high-throughput production. In this study, we synthesized methacrylated PGS (PGS-M), imparting the ability to rapidly photocross-link the polymer. Increasing the degree of methacrylation was found to slow PGS-M degradation; PGS-M (5.5 kDa) disks with 21% methacrylation lost 43% of their mass over 11 weeks in vivo whereas 47% methacrylated disks lost just 14% of their mass over the same period. Increasing the methacrylation also extended the release of encapsulated daunorubicin by up to two orders of magnitude in vitro, releasing drug over months instead of one week. Like PGS, PGS-M exhibited good biocompatibility, eliciting limited inflammation and fibrous encapsulation when implanted subcutaneously. These studies are the first to perform long-term studies demonstrating the ability to tune PGS-M degradation rate, use PGS-M to release drug, demonstrate sustained release of drug from PGS-M, and evaluate PGS-M behavior in vivo. Taken together, these studies show that PGS-M offers several key advantages over PGS for drug delivery and tissue engineering, including rapid curing, facile loading of drugs without exposure to heat, tunable degradation rates, and tunable release kinetics, all while retaining the favorable biocompatibility of PGS.
Development and internal validation of a nomogram for sleep quality among Chinese medical student
Authors: Lv Zhen , Jun Chen , Yang Handong , Chen Jishun , Li Dongfeng , Xu Hao , Wang Ying , Guo Huailan , Zhang Ningrui , Liu Zhixin , Min Xinwen , Wu Wenwen
Published: October 2023

Objective
Poor sleep quality is common among Chinese medical students. Therefore, identifying predictors is necessary to implement individualized interventions. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict poor sleep quality among Chinese medical students.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was used to collect data among Chinese medical students at the Hubei University of Medicine. A total of 2038 medical students were randomly divided into training (70%) and validation (30%) groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine factors associated with sleep quality. Thereafter, these factors were used to develop a nomogram for predicting sleep quality. The predictive performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA).
Results
A total of 70.4% of medical students in the study reported poor sleep quality. The predictors of sleep quality included grade, gender, self-assessment of interpersonal relationships, and self-assessment of health status. The scores of the nomogram ranged from 28 to 176, and the corresponding risk ranged from 0.50 to 0.95. The calibration curve showed that the nomogram had good classification performance. The area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC for the training group is 0.676, and that for the validation group is 0.702. The DCA demonstrated that the model also had good net benefits.
Conclusions
The nomogram prediction model has sufficient accuracies, good predictive capabilities, and good net benefits. The model can also provide a reference for predicting the sleep quality of medical students.
Banked term umbilical cord blood to meet the packed red blood cell transfusion needs of extremely-low-gestational-age neonates: A feasibility analysis
Authors: Christensen Robert , Bahr Timothy , Christensen Thomas , Ohls Robin , Krong Jake , Carlton Lindsey , Henry Erick , Sheffield Mark , Gerday Erick , Ilstrup Sarah , Kelley Walter
Published: October 2023

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of drawing, processing, safety-testing, and banking term umbilical cord blood to meet the packed red blood cell transfusion (RBC Tx) needs of extremely-low-gestational-age neonates (ELGANs).
DESIGN: 1) Retrospectively analyze all ELGANs RBC Tx over the past three years, 2) Estimate local cord blood availability, 3) Assess interest in this project, and implementation barriers, through stakeholder surveys.
RESULTS: In three years we cared for 266 ELGANs; 165 (62%) received ≥1 RBC Tx. Annual RBC Tx averaged 197 (95% CI, 152 - 243). If 10% of our 10,353 annual term births had cord blood drawn and processed, and half of those tested were acceptable for Tx, collections would exceed the 95th % upper estimate for need by >four-fold. Interest exceeded 97%. Identified barriers included FDA approval, training to collect cord blood, and cost.
CONCLUSION: RBC Tx needs of ELGANS could be met by local cord blood collection.
Athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction display substantial impairments in knee biomechanics during neurocognitively challenged drop landings
Authors: aghdam Ghazal Mohammad gholipour , Medicine Faculty o Alizadeh Mohammad Hossein Department of Health and , Minoonejad Hooman , Shirzad Elham , Wilke Jan
Published: October 2023

Background
Reactive decision-making during athletic movement has been demonstrated to evoke unfavorable biomechanics associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. However, the current evidence is based on assessments of healthy individuals. We aimed to investigate unplanned jump landing kinetics and kinematics in both ACL-reconstructed and non-injured athletes.
Results
The ACLR group produced lower knee flexion angles (-10%) during landing (p < .05). In addition, COP path lengths (+ 10%) and GRF (+ 21%) were higher for participants with a history of injury (p < .05). ACLR participants also scored lower for reaction time (p = .02) and processing speed (p = .01). Strong correlations (rho > .7) were found between aberrant lower limb biomechanics and deficits in cognitive function (p < .05).
Conclusions
Impaired reactive decision-making during athletic movement may contribute to the high re-injury risk in in individuals with ACLR. Prospective studies confirming potential cause-effect relationships are warranted.
Incremental Learning of LSTM-AutoEncoder Anomaly Detection in Three-Axis CNC Machines
Authors: Li Eugene , Li Yang , Bedi Sanjeev , Melek William , Gray Paul
Published: October 2023

There has been a continual effort to develop smarter, more effective CNC machines, capable of fully autonomous operation. To achieve this goal, the machines must be able to automatically detect operational and process anomalies before they cause serious damage. It has been shown that using Artificial Intelligence techniques, such as LSTM-AutoEncoders is an effective method for anomaly detection of issues such as machine chatter. Transfer learning is a valuable tool to decrease the amount of data required to implement this approach, but has lower accuracy than directly training a network on a large dataset. By implementing an incremental-ensemble of weak learners, we have been able to, not only capture changes in system dynamics over time, but incrementally improve the accuracy of a network trained through transfer learning to be comparable to a network directly trained on a large dataset. This allows us to quickly deploy networks on new systems, and obtain highly accurate anomaly estimates
Improving snow warning criteria in Portugal with Estrela mountain snow data
Authors: Moreira Nuno , Lopes Manuel João , Rio João , Neto Jorge , Narciso Paulo , Costa Elsa , Sacadura Paulo , Mendes Carlos , Nunes Pedro , Caldeira Pedro , Soares Paulo , Branco Samuel , Roque Elísio , António Pedro , Silva Rui , Tavares Manuel , Jorge Catarina
Published: October 2023

A major change on the snow warning in Portugal has been implemented in 2019 by the Portuguese meteorological service, resulting from a multidisciplinary approach using data and experience in Estrela mountain, in the centre of the country. Since then minor adjustments have been set and snow depth manual measurements have been gathered in five sites in Estrela mountain, at altitudes between 911 and 1993 m during four winter seasons, providing a better insight on the reality of snowfall and snow depth in the area. Additionally, since the end of 2020, a daily weather bulletin has been prepared and improved, and ultimately issued regularly, including tailored mountain point forecasts, such as hourly snowfall amounts, icy road conditions and snow storm conditions. This approach will be explained in detail, showing breakthroughs, such as a better understanding on the distribution, frequency and intensity of snow events. Finally, to further improve the knowledge of snowfall in Estrela mountain, possible activities are briefly explored and proposed, as enhancing instrumental monitoring, using less conventional data as webcams, crowdsource information and road salt, and exploring the relation of weather patterns with the vertical and horizontal distribution of snowfall.
A new semi empirical model for correlation of solubility of ligands in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Subashree K , Krishna R Shruti , K Chinaraga Pitchaiah , Kumar Rahul , G Chandrasekhar , A Suresh , Sivaraman N.
Published: October 2023

The solubility data of task specific ligands in supercritical carbon dioxide medium (scCO2) plays an important role in development of green separation methods for recovery of metal ions. However, experimental determination of solubility of these ligands at different process conditions is difficult, time-intensive and necessitating suitable model predictions. Many models are developed in the literature for the correlation of solubility of liquid and solid solutes in scCO2 medium. However, specific models for solubility correlation of ligands in scCO2 medium are not reported. Hence, in the present study, a new semi-empirical model was proposed to predict the solubility of ligands in scCO2 medium and is a modified version of existing Chrastil model. The correlation ability of new model was compared with existing density based models (Chrastil, Adachi-Lu, del Valle-Aguilera, Sparks, Sung Shim, Mendez Santiago-Teja and Bartle). New model evaluation studies were carried out using reported solubility data of 31 metal ion specific ligands. The prediction ability of new model was compared using different objective functions, coefficient of determination (R2), absolute average relative deviation (AARD) and Akaike information criteria. The proposed model is accurate for correlating the solubility of ligands with a global AARD of 6.6%. The model was found to be most suitable for predicting the solubility of organophosphorus ligands with a mean AARD of 3.4%. Therefore, the proposed model can be employed for successful prediction of solubility of ligands in scCO2 medium.
Rising geopotential height under global warming
Authors: He Chao , Chen Xiaolong , Collins Matthew , Song Fengfei , Hu Yamin , Jiang Xingwen , Liu Yanju , Ding Yihui , Zhou Wen
Published: October 2023

Geopotential height (H) is a widely used metric for atmospheric circulation. H has been reported to be rising under global warming, but the amplitude and mechanism of this rise are not clear. Based on reanalysis datasets and climate models participating in CMIP6, this study quantitatively evaluates the sensitivity of H to global mean surface air temperature (Ts), i.e., dH/dTs. Reanalysis datasets and model simulations consistently show that dH/dTs increases monotonically with altitude in the troposphere, with a global averaged value of about 24.5 gpm/K at 500 hPa, which overwhelms the interannual H variability. Diagnosis based on the hypsometric equation shows that the rise in H is dominated by temperature-driven expansion, i.e., expansion of the air column due to warming-induced reduction of air density, while moisture-driven expansion and the surface pressure effect play only minor roles. Therefore, the magnitude of dH/dTs is determined largely by a vertical integration of the warming profile below the pressure level. Since the anthropogenic forced rise in H is rather horizontally uniform and proportional to Ts change, past and projected future changes in the global H field at each pressure level can be reproduced by change in Ts multiplied by a constant historical dH/dTs value. The spatially uniform rise in H reproduces the past and projected future expansion of the widely used H=5880 gpm contour at 500 hPa, suggesting that it does not indicate enhancement of the subtropical high but is simply caused by thermal expansion of the atmosphere.
The clinical profile, genetic basis and survival of childhood cardiomyopathy: a single- center retrospective study
Authors: Yuan Wenjing , Jia Zhongli , Li Jiajin , Liu Lingjuan , Tian Jie , Huang Xupei , Quan Junjun
Published: October 2023

Background: Cardiomyopathy (CM) is a heterogeneous group of myocardial diseases in children. This study aimed to identify demographic features, clinical presentation and prognosis of children with CM.
Methods: Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors associated with mortality were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Genetic testing was also conducted on a portion of patients.
Results: Among the 317 patients, 40.1%, 25.2%, 24.6%, and 10.1% were diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), respectively. The most common symptom observed was dyspnea (84.2%). Except for HCM, the majority of patients were classified as NYHA/Ross class III or IV. The five- and ten- year survival rates were 75.5% and 60.1%, 67.3% and 56.1%, 74.1% and 57.2%, and 51.1% and 41.3% in DCM, HCM, LVNC, and RCM, respectively. Survival was inversely related to NYHA/Ross class III or IV in patients with DCM, HCM and RCM. Out of 42 patients, 32 were reported to carry gene mutations.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that CM, especially RCM, is related to a high incidence of death. NYHA/Ross class III or IV is a predictor of mortality in the patients and gene mutations may be a common cause.
On translation surfaces of framed curves
Authors: Önder Mehmet
Published: October 2023

In this study, we study translation surfaces of framed curves in the 3-dimensional Euclidean space E3. First, we compute some important equations and geometric invariants such as first and second fundamental forms, Gauss equations, Christoffel symbols, Mainardi-Codazzi equations and Egregium Theorema. Using these equations, we introduce some characterizations of translation surfaces of framed curves. Also, we study some special cases such as framed generating curves of the surface are framed Bertrand-partner curves or Mannheim-partner curves.
MSC: 53A04, 53A05, 53A55.
Centella asiatica promotes antioxidant gene expression and mitochondrial oxidative respiration in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Kundu Payel , Yasuhara Kanon , Brandes Mikah S , Zweig Jonathan A , Neff Cody J , Holden Sarah , Kessler Kat , Matsumoto Steven , Offner Halina , Waslo Carin Stewart , Vandenbark Arthur , Soumyanath Amala , Sherman Larry S , Raber Jacob , Gray Nora E , Spain Rebbeca Irene
Published: October 2023

Centella asiatica (Centella) is a traditional botanical medicine that shows promise in treating dementia based on behavioral alterations seen in animal models of aging and cognitive dysfunction. In order to determine if Centella could similarly improve cognitive function and reduce disease burden in multiple sclerosis (MS), we tested its effects in the neuroinflammatory experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS. In two independent experiments, C57BL/6J mice were treated following induction of EAE with either a standardized water extract of Centella (CAW) or placebo for 2 weeks. At the dosing schedule and concentrations tested, CAW did not improve behavioral performance, EAE motor disability, or degrees of demyelination. However, CAW-treated mice demonstrated increases in nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 and other antioxidant response element genes, and increases in mitochondrial respiratory activity. Caw also decreased spinal cord inflammation. Our findings indicate that CAW can increase antioxidant gene expression and mitochondrial respiratory activity in mice with EAE, supporting investigation of the clinical effects of CAW in people with MS.
Predicting Dental Caries Outcomes in Young Adults Using Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Ogwo Chukwuebuka , Grant Brown , Warren John , Caplan Daniel , Levy Steven
Published: October 2023

OBJECTIVES
To predict the dental caries outcomes in young adults from a set of longitudinally-obtained predictor variables and identify the most important predictors using machine learning techniques.
METHODS
This study was conducted using the Iowa Fluoride Study dataset. The predictor variables - sex, mother’s education, family income, composite socio-economic status (SES), caries experience at ages 9, 13, and 17, and the cumulative estimates of risk and protective factors, including fluoride, dietary, and behavioral variables from ages 5–9, 9–13, 13–17, and 17–23 were used to predict the age 23 D2+MFS count. The following machine learning models (LASSO regression, generalized boosting machines (GBM), negative binomial (NegGLM), and extreme gradient boosting models (XGBOOST)) were compared under 5-fold cross validation with nested resampling techniques.
RESULTS
The prevalence of cavitated level caries experience at age 23 (mean D2+MFS count) was 4.75. The predictive analysis found LASSO to be the best performing model (compared to GBM, NegGLM, and XGBOOST), with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.70, and coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.44. After dichotomization of the predicted and observed values of the LASSO regression, the classification results showed accuracy, precision, recall, and ROC AUC of 83.7%, 85.9%, 93.1%, 68.2%, respectively. Previous caries experience at age 13 and age 17 and sugar-sweetened beverages intakes at age 13 and age 17 were found to be the four most important predictors of cavitated caries count at age 23.
CONCLUSION
Our machine learning model showed high accuracy and precision in the prediction of caries in young adults from a longitudinally-obtained predictor variables. Our model could, in the future, after further development and validation with other diverse population data, be used by public health specialists and policy-makers as a screening tool to identify the risk of caries in young adults and apply more targeted interventions. However, data from a more diverse population are needed to improve the quality and generalizability of caries prediction.
New weighted norm inequalities and applications for multilinear Calderón-Zygmund operators with fractional kernels of Dini’s type and their commutators
Authors: Li Rui , Tao Shuangping
Published: October 2023

Let T be a multilinear Calderón-Zygmund operator with fractional kernel of Dini’s type. In this article, we introduce the multilinear fractional new maximal operator M ϕ,β to control the dyadic fractional sharp maximal functions of T and its com-mutators. Meanwhile, a new class of multiple weights A p,β (ϕ) is also introduced to characterize the boundedness of M ϕ,β. With the aid of the properties of M ϕ,β and A p,β (ϕ) condition, the strong and weak type multiple weighted estimates for T and its commutators with BMO ϕ,β functions are established. As applications, the weighted norm inequalities for the commutators of M ϕ,β will be obtained.
Mathematics Subject Classification 42B25 · 42B20 · 42B35 · 47B47