bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spinal Epidural Electrical Stimulation for recovery of motor function in lower limbs after Spinal Cord Injury: A Phase I/II clinical trial
Authors: Chhabra Harvinder , Varma Kalidindi Kalyan Kumar , Garg Nikhil , Sharma Ankit , Chibber Bhumika , Kumar Hitesh , Vishwakarma Gayatri , Sharma Navita , Sharma Ridhi , Gupta Mayank , Bhat Mohd Rafiq
Published: February 2023

Study design:
Single-arm prospective phase I/II clinical trial
Objective:
Standing and walking are highly desirable goals forpersons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Spinal epidural electrical stimulation (sEES) has been utilized to produce rhythmic activity in animals and more recently, in a few human case reports. Our objective was to assess the safety and efficacy of sEES in the recovery of motor function after severe SCI.
Setting:
Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi
Methods:
Fiveparticipantssatisfying the eligibility criteria includingsevere and chronic SCIand an absence of useful power in the lower limbswere included in the study. The Institute Ethics Committee and the Research Review Committee approved the study and it was registered with Clinical Trials Registry of India.
Results:
No intraoperative or early postoperative complications were noted in any of the participants. Two participants had wound complicationsat 1 and 3 months respectively and were managed successfully.Improvement in the voluntary power of lower limbs, motor abilities, and functional recoverywas noted in the majority of the participants when the sEESwas turned on. Even with sEES turned off; there was improvement in motor abilities of a participant though there was no demonstrable neurological recovery.
Conclusions:
sEES is a safe intervention and improves the motor and functional abilities of persons with severe and chronic SCI. Neurological recovery could not be demonstrated. However, a larger,prospective,matched controlledstudy with more participants needs to be done to draw a definite conclusion.
Rational design of novel compounds to serve as potential NDM-1 inhibitors using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and physicochemical studies
Authors: Salih Twana , Ali Pshtiwan G.
Published: February 2023

New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase enzyme (NDM-1) is an enzyme that hydrolyzes a wide range of β-lactam antibiotics, including most carbapenems, leading to antimicrobial resistance. The development of a novel NDM-1 inhibitor for use in combination with carbapenems may help to combat drug-resistant pathogens. Twenty compounds derived from naphthalene, thiazole, and sulfone derivatives were designed to inhibit bacterial NDM-1 and protect β-lactam antibiotics from enzyme attack. Two- and three-dimensional structures of the designed molecules were sketched using MarvinSketch, and a molecular docking protocol was used to identify potential inhibitor(s) of the NDM-1 target protein using AMDock v 1.5.2. The binding free energy of each compound against NDM-1 was determined and the drug-likeness properties of the designed molecules were assessed using SwissADME. Two compounds with the highest ΔGbinding results, T008 and T016, were selected for further investigation using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations with the GROMACS simulation package (GROMACS 2020.4). The duration of each MD simulation was 100 ns. Both compounds had a significantly higher binding free energy than the positive control and other designed molecules, their MD simulations remained stable, they passed Lipinski’s rule of five, and were shown to have favorable physicochemical properties. The study outcomes can be used to inform synthesis and in vitro testing of the selected molecules.
Incidence of Appendiceal Neoplasms in Appendectomy Patients
Authors: Girón Felipe , Núñez-Rocha Ricardo E. , Rodríguez Lina , Camargo-Gómez Daniela , Restrepo-Bonilla Carolina , López Rocío , Cadena Manuel , Nassar Ricardo , Herrera-Almario Gabriel E. , Hernández-Restrepo Juan David
Published: February 2023

BACKGROUND:
Non-operative management has been suggested as a therapy for uncomplicated appendicitis. Notwithstanding, the risk of missing an appendiceal tumor must be considered, being the surgical piece crucial to rule out neoplasms. Therefore, we aim to determine the incidence of appendiceal neoplasms in patients with acute appendicitis, tumor types and the importance of the anatomopathological study of the surgical piece.
STUDY DESIGN:
Retrospective study with a prospective database in which we described patients who underwent emergent appendectomy with histopathological findings of appendiceal neoplasms from January 2012 to September 2018. Descriptive analysis included demographic variables, diagnostic methods, and surgical techniques.
RESULTS:
2993 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis who underwent an emergency appendectomy. 64 neoplasms of the appendix were found with an incidence of 2,14%. 67.2% were women, the mean age was 46,4 years (±19.5). The most frequent appendiceal neoplasms were neuroendocrine tumors (42,2%), followed by appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (35,9%), sessile serrated adenomas (18,8%), and adenocarcinomas (3,1%). In 89,1% of the cases, acute appendicitis was determined by imaging, and 14 % of cases were suspected intraoperatively. Appendectomy was performed in 78,1% without additional procedures.
CONCLUSIONS:
Appendiceal tumors are rare and must be ruled out in patients with suspected acute appendicitis. The incidence of incidental neoplasms is higher in this study than in the previously reported series. This information must be included in decision-making when considering treatment options for acute appendicitis.
Scientific Interest in Lymphedema Rehabilitation; A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Koca Tuba Tülay
Published: February 2023

Background: To conduct bibliometric analysis to explore scientific interest in lymphedema rehabilitation.
Method: The data for this study was obtained from Scopus, a multidisciplinary database, for the period of fifty-four years (1969-2023) using keywords ‘lymphedema’ and ‘rehabilitation’.
Results: When the term 'Lymphedema' is scanned, 22.080 articles found; In addition, when we added the term 'rehabilitation', 747 articles were found. 271 of the articles were open Access. When we look at the year distribution, the highest number of articles was in 2022 year (N=88). There were 3 articles in 2023 year, 70 in 2021 year, 58 in 2020 year, and 54 year in 2019. USA (184), Italy (51), German (50), Spain (42), Poland (38), Turkey (36), Canada (35), Australia (33), South Korea (33), the United Kingdom (33), produced the most lymphedema rehabilitation research.
The distributions of documents types were; article (528), review (151), conference paper (17), editorial (15), book chapter (14) and short survey (9). English was the most common Language with 609 paper. The names of the top 10 authors were as listed; Schmitz KH (13), Armer, JM (12), Invernizzi M (9), Grushina TI (8), Staut NL (8), Stubblefield MD (7), Crevenna R (6), De Urieze T (6), Fusco N (6) and Jean JYO (6). The total number of citations was 1764, the maximum citation was in 2022. H index of the citations was 57.
Conclusion: We see the multidisciplinary interest in lymphedema rehabilitation, rising over the years. As a result of early diagnosis of cancer and increased awareness of survival, lymphedema rehabilitation will become among the trend topics of research area.
SRPK1 promotes metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by phosphorylation of Gli3S664
Authors: Zhao Jimin , Ding Yongwei , Qin Jiace , Wu Huiting , Liu Chang , Guo Yaping , Wu Wenjie , Jiang Yanan , Ma Yanying , Chen Xinhuan , Lu Jing , Liu Kangdong , Dong Ziming , Qiao Yan
Published: February 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Paeoniflorin alleviates depression by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome via promoting mitochondrial autophagy
Authors: Su Lili , Guo Pengli , He Zhongmei , Zhao Yan , Zong Ying , Li Jianming , Chen Weijia , Du Rui
Published: February 2023

Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders. The antidepressant mechanism of paeoniflorin (PF) is related to mitochondrial autophagy and inflammation has been little reported. This study aimed to investigate the anti-depressive mechanism of PF by promoting autophagy and inhibit NLRP3 activation in chronic unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS) -induced C57BL/6 mice models in vivo and CORT-induced HT22 cell models in vitro. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation was quantified by DCFH-DA probe and detection of mitochondrial membrane potential with JC-1. Autophagy was evaluated in the hippocampus by investigating autophagosomes under transmission electron microscope (TEM) and detecting Beclin1, Parkin, P62 and LC3II/I through western blotting and immunofluorescence. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was evaluated by the expression of IL-1β, NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1. Finally, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to elucidate the role of autophagy in the antidepressant mechanism of PF. The results showed that PF could promote autophagic activation and cell viability of HT22 cells induced by CORT, and weaken the accumulation of ROS. Additionally, PF could alleviate CUMS induced depressive behavior and improve hippocampus damage. Moreover, it also increases the expression of autophagy related proteins in hippocampus and promote the elimination of damaged mitochondria and the generation of autophagosome. In addition, PF inhibit the expression of NLRP3 and the synthesis of NLRP3 inflammasome. The efficacy of PF was weakened by 3-MA treatment. In conclusion, PF improves CUMS-induced depressive behavior in mice and inhibits NLRP3 inflammatory mediated inflammation in vivo and in vitro, these effects may be mediated by PF induced autophagy.
Second haploidentical stem cell transplantation (HAPLO-SCT2) after relapse from a first HAPLO-SCT in acute leukemia - a study on behalf of the Acute Leukaemia Working Party (ALWP) of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).
Authors: Schmid Christoph , Velázquez Giuliano Filippini , Labopin Myriam , Tischer Johanna , Raiola Anna Maria , Angelucci Emanuele , Kulagin Alexander , GALIENI PIERO , Bermudez Arancha , BULABOIS Claude-Eric , Kroeger Nicolaus , Díez-Martín Jose Luis , Kwon Mi , Nagler Arnon , Ciceri Fabio , Mohty Mohamad
Published: February 2023

For patients with acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia (AML/ALL) lacking a matched sibling or unrelated donor, haploidentical stem cell transplantation (HAPLO-SCT) is increasingly used. However, available data on the treatment of relapse after HAPLO-SCT, including feasibility and efficacy of a second HAPLO-SCT (HAPLO-SCT2), is scarce. Hence, adults with AML/ALL, that had undergone HAPLO-SCT2 without ex-vivomanipulation after hematologic relapse from HAPLO-SCT1 were selected for a retrospective registry analysis.
Eighty-two patients (AML, n=63, ALL, n=19, median follow-up: 33 months) were identified. Engraftment rate was 87%. At day +180, cumulative incidences of acute GvHD II-IV°/chronic GvHD were 23.9%/22.6%, respectively. Two-year overall survival/leukemia-free survival (OS/LFS) were 34.3%/25.4%; 2-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) and relapse incidence (RI) were 17.6% and 57%. Leukemia was the most frequent cause of death. Separated by disease, 2-year OS/LFS/NRM/RI were 28.7%/22.3%/16.2%/61.6% in AML, and 55.3%/38.4%/23.5%/38.2% in ALL patients. In a risk-factor analysis among patients with AML, stage at HAPLO-SCT1 and HAPLO-SCT2, and interval from HAPLO-SCT1 to relapse significantly influenced outcome.
Our data demonstrate that HAPLO-SCT2 is a viable option in acute leukemia relapse after HAPLO-SCT1. Engraftment, toxicity, risk factors and long-term outcome are comparable to data reported after allo-SCT2 in a matched donor setting.
Is hypernatremia a risk factor to expansive hematomas among traumatic brain injured patients in a tertiary Sub-Saharan hospital?
Authors: Kamabu Larrey Kasereka , Bbosa Godfrey S. , Lekuya Hervé Monka , Vivalya Bives Mutume Nzanzu , Ssenyondwa John Baptist , Kataka Louange Maha , Najiingo Irene , Sekabunga Juliet Nalwanga , Obiga Doomwin Oscar Deogratius , Kiryabwire Joel , Galukande Moses
Published: February 2023

Background: Hypernatremia is a common electrolyte imbalance observed in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and it commonly leads to poor outcome. However, the consequence of hypernatremia on occurrence of expansive hematoma (EH) is not well established, though there is limited information on the burden of EH among TBI patients and associated risk factors. This study therefore assessed the proportion of hypernatremia and its correlation with EH among TBI patients at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH), Kampala, Uganda.
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among TBI patients with intracranial hematoma undergoing surgical evacuation during a period of 16th June 2021 to 17th June 2022. A total of 332 patients were prospectively recruited. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological data were captured using the Research Electronic Data Capture (Redcap) system. Patients were monitored for hematoma enlargement complications. The independent outcome was the sodium level (Na) > 145. The dependent outcomes were hematoma enlargement of over 33% evidence by two CT scans (baseline and follow up). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify variables associated with hematoma enlargement.
Results: 184 participants (55.4%) had expansive hematomas identified on CT scan resulting in a proportion of 0.55 95% CI (0.50 to 0.60). Hypernatremia was detected in 80 patients (25.2 %) within 24 hours of admission. At multivariate analyses, the results showed that only hypernatremia PR =1.56 (95% CI 1.17 to 2.10; P=0.003) was found to be a risk factor for expansive hematomas among patients with TBI.
Conclusion: Hypernatremia is common with a prevalence of 25.2.8% among TBI patients. Patients with hypernatremia have 1.56-times higher risk of developing a EH when compared to patients who had no hypernatremia. These findings imply routine plasma sodium levels monitoring and could form the basis for establishing a blood chemistry control protocol for such patients in remote settings.
Identification and localization of polar tube proteins in the extruded polar tube of the microsporidian Anncaliia algerae
Authors: Fayet Maurine , Prybylski Nastasia , Collin Marie-Laure , Peyretaillade Eric , Wawrzyniak Ivan , Belkorchia Abdel , Akossi Reginald Florian , Diogon Marie , Alaoui Hicham El , Polonais Valérie , Delbac Frédéric
Published: February 2023

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites able to infect a wide range of hosts from invertebrates to vertebrates. The success of their invasion process is based on an original organelle, the polar tube, that is suddenly extruded from the spore to inoculate the sporoplasm into the host cytoplasm. The polar tube is mainly composed of proteins named polar tube proteins (PTPs). A comparative analysis allowed us to identify genes coding for 5 PTPs (PTP1 to PTP5) in the genome of the microsporidian Anncaliia algerae. While PTP1 and PTP2 are found on the whole polar tube, PTP3 is present in a large part of the extruded polar tube except at its end-terminal part. On the contrary, PTP4 is specifically detected at the end-terminal part of the polar tube. To complete PTPs repertoire, sequential sporal protein extractions were done with high concentration of reducing agents. In addition, a method to purify polar tubes was developed. Mass spectrometry analysis conducted on both samples led to the identification of a PTP3-like protein (PTP3b), and a new PTP (PTP6) only found at the extremity of the polar tube. The specific localization of PTPs ask the question of their roles in cell invasion processes used by A. algerae.
Predicting depression using electronic health records data: A systematic review
Authors: Nickson David , Meyer Caroline , Walasek Lukasz , Toro Carla
Published: February 2023

Background
Depression is one of the most significant health conditions in personal, social, and economic impact. The aim of this review is to summarize existing literature in which machine learning (ML) methods have been used in combination with Electronic Health Records (EHRs) for prediction of depression.
Methods
Systematic literature searches were conducted within arXiv, PubMed, PsycINFO, Science Direct, SCOPUS and Web of Science electronic databases. Searches were restricted to information published after 2010 (from 1st January 2011 onwards) and were updated prior to the final synthesis of data (27th January 2022).
Results
Following the PRISMA process, the initial 744 studies were reduced to 19 eligible for detailed evaluation. Data extraction identified machine learning methods used, types of predictors used, the definition of depression, classification performance achieved, sample size, and benchmarks used. Area Under the Curve (AUC) values more than 0.9 were claimed, though the average was around 0.8. Regression methods proved as effective as more developed machine learning techniques.
Limitations
The categorization, definition, and identification of the numbers of predictors used within models was sometimes difficult to establish, Studies were largely Western Educated Industrialised, Rich, Democratic (WEIRD) in demography.
Conclusion
This review supports the potential use of machine learning techniques with EHRs for the prediction of depression. All the selected studies used clinically based, though sometimes broad, definitions of depression as their classification criteria. The reported performance of the studies was comparable to or even better than that found in primary care. There are concerns over the generalizability and interpretability.
Etiology and Clinical Characteristics of a Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis Cohort in a Middle Eastern Population
Authors: Shafiq Irfan , Wahla Ali Saeed , Uzbeck Mateen Haider , Zoumot Zaid , Abuzakouk Mohamed , ElKhalifa Shuayb , Bodi Govinda , Almazrouei Khalaf Mohamed , Bodi Kashyap , Isse Said
Published: February 2023

Introduction:
Bronchiectasis is a common airway disease characterized by airway dilatation and recurrent infections, leading to respiratory failure in severe cases. It is well known that the etiology of bronchiectasis varies geographically. However, there are no published data looking at the etiology of bronchiectasis within the middle eastern population.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective analysis of our bronchiectasis patient registry, recording the clinical and demographic characteristics from their electronic medical records. Quantitative variables are expressed as the median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical variables are expressed as numbers and percentages. Statistical comparisons between continuous characteristics were carried out using the t-test, and a significant p-value was taken to be less than 0.05.
Results:
In total we analysed 260 records (63% female, 37% male), with median age of 58 years (interquartile range (IQR) 38–71), Body Mass Index (BMI) 25.8(IQR 22–30), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) %predicted 65 (IQR 43–79) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) 0.76 (0.67–0.86). Sixty-five cases (25%) were post-infectious in etiology (excluding post-TB – n:25 10.4%). Forty-eight (18.5%) patients were labelled idiopathic, while Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) accounted for 23 (8.8%) cases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common colonizing organism (32.7%), followed by Haemophilus influenzae (9.2%) and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus(6.9%). At the time of review, 11 patients had died (median age, FEV %predicted, and bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) 59 years, 38% and 15.5 respectively), all due to respiratory failure, and as expected, all were classed severe on BSI. The BSI score was available for 109 patients, of which 31(28%) were classed mild, 29(27%) were moderate, and 49 (45%) were classed severe. The median BSI score was 8 (IQR 4–11). On dividing the patients according to obstructive vs restrictive spirometry, we found that patients with FEV1/FVC < 0.70 had significantly higher BSI (10.1 vs 6.9, p-value < 0.001) and that 8 out of the 11 deceased patients had FEV1/FVC < 70%.
Conclusions:
In our cohort, post-infectious, idiopathic and the PCD were the most common aetiologies of bronchiectasis. Patients with obstructive spirometry seemed to have a worse prognosis than those with restriction.
Behavior dynamics at high temporal resolutions: the relevance of a right scale for sampling
Authors: Barberis Lucas , Simien Catalina , Marin Raul , Kembro Jackelyn
Published: February 2023

Many species used in behavioral studies are small vertebrates with high metabolic rates and potentially enhanced temporal resolution of perception. Nevertheless, the temporal organization of behaviors at fast time scales (≤ 1s) has received little attention. Herein, we studied the temporal organization of behaviors at short time scales to gain insight into behavioral dynamics and to rethink how behavioral events are defined. We statistically explored high-resolution quail (Coturnix japonica) datasets encompassing 17 coarse- and fine-grained defined behaviors. We show that for the majority of these behaviors, events last predominately < 300ms and can be shorter than 70ms. Insufficient sampling resolution, even in the order of 1s, of behaviors that involve spatial displacement (e.g. walking) yields distorted probability distributions of event durations and overestimation of event durations. Contrarily, behaviors without spatial displacement (e.g. vigilance) maintain non-Gaussian, power-law-type distributions indicative of long-term memory, independently of the sampling resolution evaluated. Since data probability distributions reflect underlying biological processes, our results highlight the importance of quantification of behavioral dynamics based on the temporal scale pertinent to the species, and data distribution. We propose a hierarchical model that links diverse types of behavioral definitions and distributions, and paves the way towards a statistical framework for defining behaviors.
Efficacy of Internet-Delivered Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy on Emotion Regulation, Repetitive Negative Thought and Social Adjustment in Adolescents with Sub- clinical Diagnosis of Emotional Disorders
Authors: Javadi Vahideh , Ahmadi Farzaneh , Ebrahimi Leila Salek , Dadashi Mohsen , Mousavi Seyedeh Elnaz
Published: February 2023

Objective: The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents with emotional disorders. The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of Internet-based UP-A in reducing repetitive negative thoughts, improving emotion regulation and social adjustment of adolescents with subclinical features of emotional disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This is a longitudinal randomized clinical trial conducted on 40 adolescents aged 12-17 years with subclinical features of emotional disorder. They were randomly divided into two groups of intervention (n=20) and control (n=20). They first completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale- 21 item (DASS-21) and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-2) online. Then, the intervention group received twelve 45-minute sessions of UP-A through video calls on WhatsApp two days a week. The control group received no treatment. Immediately and 3 months after the intervention, the questionnaires were completed again. The collected data were analyzed using longitudinal marginal modeling.
Results: The results of the data analysis indicated that Unified Transdiagnostic Therapy was effective in reducing the sub-clinical symptoms of emotional disorders, repetitive negative thoughts, increasing the use of adaptive strategies and reducing the use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Regarding the social adaptation variable, there was not any effectiveness in the evaluation after the intervention and three months after the intervention.
Conclusion: The results of the research represent that the adolescent version of the Unified Transdiagnostic Protocol can be effective in preventing emotional disorders in adolescents.
Nobiletin attenuates Nrf2-Gpx4-regulated ferroptosis in septic liver injury by modulating the gut microbiota
Authors: Huang Wei , Chen Hui , He Qi , Xie Weidang , peng Zanlin , Ma Qiang , Huang Qiaobing , Chen Zhongqing , Liu Yanan
Published: February 2023

Background Nobiletin (NOB), a plant-based polymethoxyflavone, has been shown to be a promising protective agent against sepsis; yet the mechanisms were not fully elucidated. The gut microbiota is found to be strongly associated with sepsis-associated acute liver injury (SALI). Here, our study aimed to determine whether these protective effects of NOB against SALI were related to modulations in the gut microbiota. Methods Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to induce SALI in mice. NOB therapy by gavage (50 mg/kg/day) was administrated for 7 days before CLP treatment. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) were performed to explore the function of gut microbiota in SALI mice. Markers of ferroptosis, inflammation, gut microbiota composition, and liver injury were determined. Results NOB administration significantly alleviated hepatic ferroptosis and inflammation in septic mice. Meanwhile, NOB upregulated nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream proteins heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression levels in the liver. Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 significantly eradicated NOB administration decreased hepatic ferroptosis in SALI mice. Additionally, increased abundances ofLigilactobacillus,Akkermansia, andLactobacillus, and decreased abundances ofDubosiellaandBacteroidesin the gut were observed under NOB treatment, suggesting that NOB ameliorated SALI-induced microbial dysbiosis. Furthermore, gut microbiota ablation by antibiotic treatment partly eradicated NOB administration decreased hepatic ferroptosis and activated Nrf2 signaling in SALI mice, suggesting NOB inhibited ferroptosis and activated Nrf2 signaling in SALI mice by modulating gut microbiota. Moreover, transplantation of the NOB-microbiota to microbiota-depleted mice was sufficient to decreased hepatic ferroptosis, inflammation, and activated Nrf2 signaling in the liver. Conclusions We have shown that NOB attenuates Nrf2-Gpx4-regulated ferroptosis in septic liver injury by modulating the gut microbiota. Of note, NOB might be employed as a potential therapeutic agent for sepsis treatment. Our findings also provide novel insights into microbiome-based therapeutic approaches for sepsis.
Incidence and risk factors of postoperative sleep disorders in patients with malignancy after radical surgery
Authors: Wang Zihan , Zhang Yu , Xu Kaiwei , Fu Haifeng , Yan Yixiu , Du Wenwen
Published: February 2023

Purpose
This prospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the incidence of and identify the risk factors associated with sleep disorders in patients with cancer following radical surgery.
Methods
In total, 297 patients with cancer underwent elective radical surgery in the Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, between October 2020 and December 2021. Patients were divided into two groups according to a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score ≥ 8: a sleep-disorder group and no-sleep-disorder group. Data pertaining to preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the risk factors associated with sleep disorders in this patient population.
Results
The prevalence of postoperative sleep disorders in patients with cancer after radical surgery was 63.64%. The preoperative PSQI score, postoperative sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) score, tumour type, moderate and severe postoperative pain, remaining in confined spaces, and education level were significantly associated with postoperative sleep disorders. The area under the curve was 0.87.
Conclusions
We should pay attention to patients with cancer who have undergone radical surgery and have higher preoperative PSQI scores, postoperative SAS scores, moderate and severe postoperative pain, higher education level, and remain in confined spaces. A multimodal approach including preoperative education, postoperative multimodal analgesia, improvement of the environment, and use of some medication types could improve transient sleep disturbances in patients with cancer after radical surgery.
"Management of neonatal pulmonary hypertension – a survey of neonatal intensive care units in India”
Authors: Singh Pari , Deshpande Sujata , Nagpal Rema , Garegrat Reema , Gupta Samir , Suryawanshi Pradeep
Published: February 2023

Background: Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a common neonatal condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. First-line diagnostic and treatment options such as echocardiography and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) are not routinely available in resource limited settings and alternative treatment modalities need to be utilized. This study was conducted to assess current diagnostic and management strategies used for PPHN in Indian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Methods: A questionnaire in multiple choice question format was sent to practising neonatologists in India via an online survey tool between July to August 2021. Information pertaining to demographic data, diagnostic criteria and management strategies of PPHN was requested. The responses were collated and information processed.
Results: There were 118 respondent NICUs (response rate 74%). The majority of neonatal units (65%) admitted an average of 1-3 patients of PPHN per month. Targeted neonatal echocardiography (TnECHO) was practised in 80% of the units. Most common management strategies being followed were pulmonary vasodilators (88.1%), inotropes (85.6%), conventional ventilation (68.6%) and high frequency ventilation (59.3%). The most preferred pulmonary vasodilator was sildenafil (79%) and inotropic agent was milrinone (32%). Only 25% of respondents reported use of iNO. None of the participating units used extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Conclusion: We found wide variability in management practices of PPHN across Indian NICUs. Non-selective pulmonary vasodilators are more widely used than iNO. There is an urgent need for structured TnECHO training programs and evidence based national guidelines for standardized management of PPHN as per availability of resources in India. Additional research on low cost alternative therapies to iNO in Indian settings might be helpful.
Real-time UAV (Unmanned vehicle) Tracking with Autonomous Drone in Flight
Authors: KAMANLI Ali Furkan
Published: February 2023

In recent years, the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms in civil and military fields has significantly increased and become a critical technology. The artificial intelligence (AI) embedded UAV system has great importance and potential in the future. Research and development, search and rescue operations, aerial photography, videography, border security, traffic control, forest fire prevention, working in toxic chemical gas environments, preventing poaching, natural resource exploration, agriculture, extraction, and UAV detection while in the air are all applications for AI embedded UAVs.
In this project, Autonomous Drone (Vechür-SIHA) was developed for detecting and tracking other UAVs while in flight sequence. The system was simulated in Robot Operating System (ROS). Inside the simulated environment drone model was used for tracking UAV. After simulations and calculations, the Fighter drone was designed and developed. The real-time UAV detection was made with object detection algorithms inside the simulation and in real-time. The system was embedded with a tracking algorithm based on LSTM (Long-short term memory). The system achieves high-accuracy drone detection in changing backgrounds and weather conditions (%80 accuracy), LSTM drone tracking can be accomplished even with multiple drones inside the field of view, and the system can fly for 35 minutes (Take off and landing included). The system also can be locked other UAVs and track them while in the air. The system can detect and track other UAV's 4-10 seconds without losing contact.
Publication rate of abstracts presented in ConsEuro meetings held between 2003 and 2017: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Cengiz-Yanardag Esra , Erturk-Avunduk Ayse Tugba , Karakaya Izgen
Published: February 2023

Objectives
This bibliometric study aims to evaluate the publication rates of the abstracts presented at ConsEuro congress between 2003–2017 as well as to determine the factors associated with publication rates.
Materials and Methods
The abstracts presented at 7 ConsEuro meetings held between 2003–2017 were evaluated for subspecialty, study design, number of authors, and the country of the principal investigator’s institution. When the abstract was confirmed as subsequently published, time to publication, the journal in which the abstract was published, impact factor, quartile, 5-year impact factor, index status, SJR of the journal at the publication year and changes in number of authors after publication were determined. Data were statistically analyzed.
Results
Out of 1250 abstracts presented, 445 were published in peer-reviewed journals with a publication rate of 35.6%. The mean duration of time to publication was 26.2 months. The leading journal in terms publication rate was Clinical Oral Investigation. There was no statistically significant difference between the distribution of publication rates by years (p = 0.083). Publication rates of abstracts related to laser therapy, caries and dental materials were statistically higher (p < 0.001) than other subspecialities. Animal, basic and clinical researches were more likely published (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Less than half of the abstracts in ConsEuro meetings reached full publication. The study design and subspeciality of the researches have an effect on the publication rates which decreases over years.
Clinical Relevance
A considerable amount of scientific data and preliminary results presented in congresses which may contribute to science has been overlooked due to low publication rates.
Normalization of hepatic ChREBP activity does not protect against liver disease progression in a mouse model for Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia
Authors: Rutten Martijn G.S. , Lei Yu , Hoogerland Joanne H. , Bloks Vincent W. , Yang Hong , Bos Trijnie , Krishnamurthy Kishore A. , Bleeker Aycha , Koster Mirjam H. , Thomas Rachel E. , Wolters Justina C. , Bos Hilda van den , Mithieux Gilles , Rajas Fabienne , Mardinoglu Adil , Spierings Diana C.J. , de Bruin Alain , de Sluis Bart van , Oosterveer Maaike H.
Published: February 2023

Background
Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD Ia) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by a defect in glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC1) activity, which induces severe hepatomegaly and increases the risk for liver cancer. Hepatic GSD Ia is characterized by constitutive activation of Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein (ChREBP), a glucose-sensitive transcription factor. Previously, we showed that ChREBP activation limits non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in hepatic GSD Ia. As ChREBP has been proposed as a pro-oncogenic molecular switch that supports tumour progression, we hypothesized that ChREBP normalization protects against liver disease progression in hepatic GSD Ia.
Methods
Hepatocyte-specific G6pc knockout (L-G6pc-/-) mice were treated with AAV-shChREBP to normalize hepatic ChREBP activity.
Results
Hepatic ChREBP normalization in GSD Ia mice induced dysplastic liver growth, massively increased hepatocyte size, and was associated with increased hepatic inflammation. Furthermore, nuclear levels of the oncoprotein Yes Associated Protein (YAP) were increased and its transcriptional targets were induced in ChREBP-normalized GSD Ia mice. Hepatic ChREBP normalization furthermore induced DNA damage and mitotic activity in GSD Ia mice, while gene signatures of chromosomal instability, the cytosolic DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway, senescence, and hepatocyte dedifferentiation emerged.
Conclusions
In conclusion, our findings indicate that ChREBP activity limits hepatomegaly while decelerating liver disease progression and protecting against chromosomal instability in hepatic GSD Ia. These results disqualify ChREBP as a therapeutic target for treatment of liver disease in GSD Ia. In addition, they underline the importance of establishing the context-specific roles of hepatic ChREBP to define its therapeutic potential to prevent or treat advanced liver disease.
Evaluation of the danger of a tailings pile belonging to an active mine through its characterization and a dispersion model
Authors: González-Sánchez Jesús Fidel , Mendoza-Lara Osiel Osvaldo , Romero-Hernández Jorge Luis , Fernandez-Villagómez Georgina
Published: February 2023

Mining is one of the principal economic activities in Mexico, which in addition to bringing benefits to the population, causes health and environmental problems. This activity produces many wastes, but the main is tailings. In Mexico, these wastes are disposed of in the open air, and there is no control over them, so the particles of these wastes are dispersed by wind currents to the surrounding population. In this research, tailings were characterized, being these particles smaller than 100 microns; in this way, tailings can enter the respiratory system and thence can cause diseases. Therefore, it is important to characterize these particles and identify the toxic components. The present work shows a qualitative characterization of the tailings from an active mine in Mexico using different analytical techniques. In addition, with the data obtained from the characterization of the tailings, as well as the concentration of the toxic elements found, which were Pb and As, a dispersal model was generated that was used to estimate the concentration of particles in the wind generated by the area study. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission factors were used in the model. The air quality model used in this research is AERMOD, where available databases were used; in addition, the model was coupled with meteorological information from the latest generation WRF model. The modeling results estimated that the dispersion of particles from the tailings dam can contribute up to 10.15 µg/m3 of PM10 to the air quality of the site, which, according to the characterization of the samples obtained, could be dangerous for human health and can be estimated up to a concentration of 0.04 µg/m3 of Pb and 10.90 ng/m3 of As.
Message Transfer with Cosmic Muons
Authors: Tanaka Hiroyuki K.M.
Published: February 2023

Underground and underwater are challenging environments for communication where electromagnetic (EM) waves are strongly attenuated and do not penetrate easily. Very low frequency band signals have long EM wavelengths that can penetrate dense media. However, the base station transmitter for artificially generating long EM wavelengths requires high power consumption for operation; moreover, there are limitations on the types of matter it may pass through. For instance, and the signal cannot penetrate highly conductive materials. In this work, Message transfer to Underground/undersea with COsmic Muons (MUCOM), a slow but robust message transfer method that sends messages from the surface to shallow underground environments regardless of the material type located between the sender and the receiver, are proposed. This communication method is especially suitable under emergency circumstances, for example, it can be used for direct point-to-point message transfer to trapped people or to turn on automated emergency service equipment inside a collapsed subway tunnel. Based on the experimental and numerical analysis, it was found that a detector size of > 1.1–4.5 m2 would be required to attain a data rate higher than 0.01 bps when sending a message from the surface into a typical subway tunnel (at depths of 5–20 m). It is anticipated that MUCOM would be well suited for specific applications such as for sending brief communications to underground locations during accidents or other emergencies.
Incidence and significance of Donor-Specific Antibodies in Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation: Single Centre Experience
Authors: Fakih Riad El , Altareb Majed , Al-Awwami Moheeb , Alfraih Feras , Alhayli Saud , Syed Ahmed , Shaheen Marwan , Chaudhri Naeem , Sharif F Al , Alkhabbaz Hana , Albabtain Abdulwahab , Alfayez Mansour , Hanbali Amr , Alshaibani Alfadel , Alotaibi Ahmad , Rasheed Walid , Algharably Amal , Almohareb Fahad , Alahmari Ali , Alzahrani Hazzaa , Aljurf Mahmoud D
Published: February 2023

Background: primary graft failure is a devastating complication after allogeneic transplant. Donor specific antibodies has been reported as a major risk factor contributing to graft failure. We retrospectively analyzed our haploidentical transplant registry to report the incidence and impact of DSA and anti-HLA on engraftment in a cohort of malignant hematologic disease conditioned with myeloablative regimens.
Methods: retrospective analysis of consecutive cases with malignant hematologic disorders who received a myeloablative haplo-HSCT at a single center.
Results: 107 patients were identified with a median recipient age of 22 and a median donor age of 31. Sixty-two patients had AML (58%), 29 had ALL (27%), and 16 (15%) had other malignancies. Sixty-one recipients (57%) had positive anti-HLA, 56 of them had the DSA results available, of these 17 patients had DSAs (15% of the total number of patients, or 28% of patients who have anti-HLA antibodies). The median cumulative MFI was 2062 (IQR: 1038 - 6500). Sixty three percent of the DSA were against class II HLA antigens, while 37% were against class I HLA antigens. The OS, CIR, aGvHD, and cGvHD did not differ between patients with and without anti-HLA antibodies, nor between patients with and without DSA. The gender of the recipient and donor, as well as the gender mismatch between recipient and donor, were statistically associated with the incidence of anti-HLA antibodies, but not with DSA. Three patients only developed GF (2.8%), one was primary (0.9%) and the other two had secondary GF (1.9%). None of the GF cases was in patients with anti-HLA antibodies or DSA.
Conclusion: In our cohort, the presence of anti-HLA or DSAs did not affect the outcomes including the incidence of PGF following myeloablative haplo-HSCT for malignant hematologic disorders.
Tribomechanical Analysis and Machining development for TiSiCN Material Deposited on Industrial Steel
Authors: Caicedo Julio Cesar , Hernandez-Rengifo Erick , Ortíz Christian , Rodríguez Luis Alfredo , Magén Carlos
Published: February 2023

In recent years, nanocomposite coatings have become relevant in different metal-mechanical processes related to the increase of the tribo-mechanical properties. Therefore, this research is focused on improving mechanical behavior and wear resistance of TiSiCN nanocomposite coating with different power applied on the silicon nitride (Si3N4) target by means of Magnetron Sputtering r.f. technique and synthesized on HSS (High-speed-steel) and oriented silicon (100) substrates. The response of the nanocomposite coatings to power variation were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and instrumented nanoindentation. Ball-On-Disk and Scratch tests were used for tribological characterization. The XRD study determined an FCC structure with a peak of maximum intensity in the plane (200). XPS analysis showed chemical energies in the bonds and stoichiometry. By means of the AFM technique, the tendency to decrease the roughness and grain size were detected, with the increase of the power for the coatings obtained at 500W. From the nanoindentation test, it was possible to stablish increases in mechanical properties as the applied power increases; the best performance was obtained for coating with a 500 W power, where the hardness and elastic modulus were 32 GPa and 301 GPa respectively. The friction coefficient in dry environment decreased with increasing applied power (500 W, 0.31), the critical load produced by adhesive wear was determined for the TiSiCN nanocomposite coatings for the different applied powers, showing the highest critical load in the coating with 500W (62.42 N). Finally, the cutting tests with AISI 1020 steel (workpiece) to assess wear as a function of the applied power. A comparison of the tribological properties revealed a decrease of flank wear (approximately 37%) for ASSAB 17 steel burins coated with TiSiCN nanocomposite coatings with 550 W, when compared to uncoated ASSAB 17 steel burins. These results open a great industrial potential in anti-wear applications.
Prevalence and factors predicting for abnormal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring in infants with comorbidities
Authors: Chen Mi-Chi , Yeh Pai-Jui , Lai Ming-Wei , Chen Chien-Chang , Chiu Chih-Yung , Chao Hsun-Chin
Published: February 2023

Infants with history of prematurity, neurological impairment and under critically illness have higher risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and often presented with extraesophageal manifestations. This retrospective study enrolled 79 infants less than 1 year of age (corrected age for prematurity) referred for 24-hour MII-pH monitoring. Prematurity (65.8%), laryngomalacia (46.5%), and neurological impairment (40.5%) were the most common three comorbidities. Abnormal MII-pH monitoring was detected in 39.2% of study subjects, significantly higher in those presenting with esophageal symptom presentation (P = 0.038). Positive pressure ventilation and feeding tube support were significantly associated with less acidic and weakly acidic reflux episodes. Underweight and neurological impairment were identified to be the most important factors for predicting abnormal MII-pH monitoring in overall and extra-esophageal symptom presented infants, respectively. In conclusion, infants presenting with esophageal symptoms or underweight have higher risk of abnormal MII-pH study, whereas extra-esophageal symptoms presented infants comorbid with neurological impairment appear to have normal results. A 24-hour MII-pH study provides a comprehensive evaluation of reflux in the esophagus, determining subsequent anti-reflux therapy or other management strategies for those GER-like symptoms.
Improving the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance of CuO photocathodes using a protective CuBi2O4 layer
Authors: Lam Nguyen Hoang , Truong Nguyen Tam Nguyen , Le Nam , Ahn Kwang-Soon , Jo Younjung , Kim Chan Duk , Jung Jae Hak
Published: February 2023

A heterojunction photocathode of CuO and CuBi2O4 grown on an FTO substrate (FTO/CuO/CuBi2O4) was synthesized using hydrothermal method followed by spin coating and annealing to overcome the bottlenecks encountered by CuO in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting application. The synthesis methods, morphological, structural properties, and composition of each sample under each synthesis condition are discussed in detail. The photocathode with 15 coating layers annealed at 450 °C exhibited the best PEC performance. Moreover, its current density reached 1.23 mA/cm2 under an applied voltage of -0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl in a neutral electrolyte. Additionally, it exhibited higher stability than the bare CuO thin film. The bonding of CuBi2O4 on CuO resulted in close contact between the two semiconductors, helping the semiconductors support each other to increase the PEC efficiency of the photocathode. CuO acted as the electron-generating layer, and the CuBi2O4 layer helped minimize photocorrosion as well as transport the carriers to the electrode/electrolyte interface to accomplish the hydrogen evolution reaction.