bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Turkish adaptation of the fear of earthquake scale
Authors: USTA Galip , TORPUŞ Kemal , KANBAY Yalçın , Özbay Sevil Çınar
Published: June 2023

This study was conducted to adapt the Fear of Earthquake Scale (FES) to Turkish. The Turkish version of the Fear of Earthquake Scale has acceptable content and construct validity. The methodological study, in which individuals in the 15–65 age group were included in the study, was carried out between March-April 2023. The sample consisted of 1054 participants 15 to 65 years of age divided into two for explanatory factor analysis (n = 431) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 623). The original Fear of Earthquake Scale has a one, factor structure with 7 items. The explanatory factor analysis (EFA) sample had a mean age of 26.6 + 6.7 years. Over half of the EFA participants were women (65.1%) and single (69.8%). The Turkish version of the Fear of Earthquake Scale has acceptable content and construct validity. It consists of seven items without subscales. It accounts for 65.8% of the total variance, which is quite high for a single-factor scale. It has a Cronbach's alpha of .91, indicating high reliability. The original Fear of Earthquake Scale items are scored on a five-point Likert scale. No items are reverse-scored. The total score is the sum of the item scores. The total score ranges from 7 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater fear of earthquakes. The results indicate that the Turkish version of the Fear of Earthquake Scale is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to assess Turkish people's fear of earthquakes.
Development and validation of the systemic lupus erythematous scale amongst the system of quality of life instruments for chronic diseases QLICD-SLE (V2.0)
Authors: Liu Yuxi , jiaqi zhang , Xue Honghong , Chen Mingyang , Xie Tong , Wan Chonghua
Published: June 2023

Objective: The present study aims to develop a quality of life scale for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with Chinese cultural background. As such, its reliability, validity and responsiveness are evaluated.
Methods: The programmatic decision-making method of issue group and core group was adopted, and the preliminary selection, evaluation and modification of items were made through the combination of qualitative interview and quantitative investigation and analysis to form a preliminary scale. 428 patients with SLE participated in the measurement of this scale. Qualitative, item domain correlation, multidimensional scaling and factor analysis were used to measure the validity of the scale. Pearson’s correlation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were used to evaluate the reliability of the scale. The responsiveness evaluation method of the scale in the present study primarily used the paired T-test for the first and second measurements (before and after treatment) of all areas of the scale, aspects of specific modules and total scores of the scale in patients with SLE, and to calculate the standardised response mean (SRM).
Results: Correlation and factor analyses demonstrated good structural validity and reasonable reactivity. The correlation of each item with its domain is greater than that with other fields, and the correlation coefficient r value is more than 0.50. Using SF-36 as calibration, the correlation between QLICD-SLE and various fields of SF-36 was calculated, and the results were 0.55-0.70.The retest correlation coefficients were all greater than 0.71 and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of two measurements in each domain are greater than or equal to 0.75. T-test results showed that there were statistical differences in energy and discomfort, social function, interpersonal communication, skin and mucosal symptoms and respiratory/circulation symptoms (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The QLICD-SLE V2.0 appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to measure QOL in SLE patients.
Fabrication of 8-nitroquinoline coated pencil graphite electrode for rutin determination by differential pulse voltammetry in orange juice
Authors: En-Nakra Farah , Uzun Demet , Hasdemir Erdoğan
Published: June 2023

In this study, we developed a facile and low-cost method to prepare a modified electrode named 8-NQ/PGE by coating the pencil graphite electrode (PGE) surface with 8-nitroquinoline (8-NQ) molecule. The surface modification process was carried out by electrochemical reduction of 8-NQ on the PGE surface in ethanol solution. The characteristic of the prepared electrode was analyzed through cyclic voltammetry (CV) with redox probes, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The method was developed to determine rutin (Ru) with the modified electrode (8-NQ/PGE). The developed electrode showed excellent performance for Ru oxidation in a pH 3.0 Britton Robinson buffer (BR). In this media, linearly increasing anodic peak currents were observed with the concentration of Ru in two wide concentration ranges (i.e., 0.016–0.96 µM and 0.96‒19.73 µM), therein the sensor showed a low detection limit (i.e., 4.14 nM) (3s/m). It displayed good stability and selectivity. Also, it was used successfully for the determination of Ru in orange juice samples.
Predictive value for prognosis of sepsis based on the Light Gradient Boosting machine algorithm model
Authors: Chen Shengyue , Ke Changjie , Zhai Mingwei Zhai , Wang Maofeng , Sun Fangfang , Yang Yong , Chen Jianping
Published: June 2023

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in the critical care unit. The latest data that over 19 million patients every year in the world suffer from severe sepsis indicates it of great significance to evaluate the development tendency of sepsis and to investigate the prediction value of prognosis. Based on the Light Gradient Boosting (LGB) machine learning algorithm, we have now developed and tested an LGB prediction model by using the data source from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV database for the model construction and validation, thus to predict the prognosis of sepsis. Additionally, we established three more models including the Logistic regression, the Random Forest and the K-Nearest Neighbor based prediction model and made comprehensive comparison with the LGB prediction model in the indicators involving 8 aspects, obtaining an area under the curve (AUC) of LGB prediction model at 0.998, which demonstrates it of strong reliability to exhibit high accuracy for predicting the prognosis of sepsis patients. Our findings support the LGB prediction model as a preferred machine learning model for predicting the prognosis of patients with sepsis.
Application of a targeted amplicon sequencing panel to screen for insecticide resistance mutations in Anopheles darlingi populations from Brazil
Authors: Acford-Palmer Holly , Andrade Alice O. , Phelan Jody E. , Santana Rosa A. , Lopes Stefanie C.P. , Medeiros Jansen F. , Clark Taane G. , Araujo Maisa S. , Campino Susana
Published: June 2023

Large-scale surveillance and informed vector control approaches are urgently needed to ensure that national malaria programs remain effective in reducing transmission and, ultimately, achieving malaria elimination targets. In South and Central America, Anopheles darlingi is the primary malaria vector, responsible for the majority of Plasmodium species transmission. However, little is known about their molecular markers associated with insecticide resistance. Here we developed a low-cost, high throughput amplicon sequencing (“amp-seq”) panel, consisting of 11 amplicons that target genes linked to mosquito species (cox-1 and its2) and insecticide resistance (ace-1, GSTe2, vgsc and rdl). Used in tandem with dual index barcoding of amplicons, our approach permits high numbers of loci and samples to be sequenced in single runs, thereby decreasing costs and increasing efficiency. By screening 200 An. darlingi mosquitoes collected in Brazil, our amp-seq approach identified 10 point mutations leading to amino acid alterations in ace-1 (V243I, N194H, S673N, S674N/T) and GSTe2 genes (I114V, D128E, T166I, T179I, and T205A). Overall, our work has demonstrated the utility of amp-seq to provide insights into the genetic diversity of An. darlingi mosquitoes. The amp-seq approach can be applied as a wide-scale insecticide-resistance surveillance technique to better inform vector-control methods.
Development of a candidate TMV epitope display vaccine against SARS-CoV2.
Authors: Phiri Kelvin Bongani , Grill Larry
Published: June 2023

Essential in halting the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV2, it is crucial to have stable, effective, and easy-to-manufacture vaccines. We developed a potential vaccine using a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) epitope display model presenting peptides derived from the SARS-CoV2 spike protein. The TMV-epitope fusions in laboratory tests demonstrated binding to the SARS-CoV2 polyclonal antibodies. The fusion constructs maintained critical epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and two in particular spanned regions of the receptor binding domain that have mutated in the more recent SARS-CoV2 variants. This would allow for rapid modification of vaccines in response to changes in circulating variants. The TMV-peptide fusion constructs also remained stable for over 28 days when stored at temperatures between − 20 and 37°C, an ideal property when targeting developing countries. Immunogenicity studies conducted on BALB/c mice elicited robust antibody responses against SARS-CoV2. A strong IFNγ response was also observed in immunized mice. Three of the six TMV-peptide fusion constructs produced virus-neutralizing titers, as measured by a pseudovirus neutralization assay. These TMV-peptide fusion constructs can be combined to make a multivalent vaccine that could be adapted to meet changing virus variants. These findings demonstrate the development of a stable COVID-19 vaccine candidate by combining SARS-CoV2 spike protein-derived peptides presented on the surface of a TMV nanoparticle.
Metal ions coordination and therapeutic potential of peptides derived from milk fermented with kombucha cultures
Authors: Kamińska Justyna , Hecel Aleksandra , Słowik Joanna , Rombel-Bryzek Agnieszka , Rowinska-Zyrek Magdalena , Witkowska Danuta
Published: June 2023

Some Candida species can cause infections in humans, e.g. C. albicans or C. auris. Candida albicans is part of the natural microflora of humans, but can infect skin and mucous membranes. C. auris is an emerging, often multidrug-resistant Candida species, that is spreading in healthcare facilities and is considered a global public health threat from fungi. For this reason, the search for new compounds (such as antimicrobial peptides) with new mechanisms of action and new functions is required. Interesting candidates are peptides obtained from milk treated with kombucha culture. Four of them were selected, their interaction with zinc and copper ions was characterized by potentiometry, MS, ITC and spectroscopic methods and their cytostatic and antifungal potential was investigated.
Individuals’ Attitudes Toward Digital Mental Health Apps and Implications for Adoption in Portugal: Web-Based Survey
Authors: Nogueira-Leite Diogo , Marques-Cruz Manuel , Cruz-Correia Ricardo
Published: June 2023

Background:
The literature is consensual regarding the academic community exhibiting higher levels of mental disorder prevalence than the general population. The potential of digital mental health apps for improving access to resources to cope with these issues is ample. However, studies have yet to be performed in Portugal on individuals' attitudes and perceptions toward digital mental health applications or their preferences and decision drivers on obtaining mental health care, self-assessment, or treatment.
Objective:
This study aims to understand the determinants of digital mental health applications use in the Portuguese academic community of Porto, along with potential adoption barriers and enablers.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, web-based survey was delivered via dynamic email to the University of Porto’s academic community. Data collection occurred between September 20 and October 20, 2022. We used structural equation modeling to build three models, replicating a peer-reviewed and published study and producing a newly full mediation model shaped by the collected data. We tested the relationships between use of digital mental health apps and perceived stress, perceived need to seek help for mental health, perceived stigma, past use of mental health services, privacy concerns, and social influence.
Results:
Of the 539 participants, 169 (31.4%) reported having used digital mental health apps. Perceived stress and a latent variable, comprising perceptions of mental health problems and coping strategies, were positively associated with mental health app use, while privacy concerns regarding one’s information being accessible to others were negatively associated. Perceived stigma, need to seek help, and close relationships did not have a statistically significant direct effect.
Conclusions:
These findings can inform product and policy development of new, better-targeted digital mental health app interventions, with implications for researchers and academia, industry, and policymakers. Our study concludes that, to maximize adherence to these apps, they should have low to no financial charges, demonstrate evidence of their helpfulness and focus on the timely delivery of care. We also conclude that to foster digital mental health app use, there is a need to improve mental health literacy, namely regarding self-awareness of one’s conditions, acceptable stress levels, and overall behavior towards mental health.
Trial Registration:
RR2-10.2196/41040
Transduodenal ampullectomy is an effective surgical exploration procedure in unexplained dilation of cholangiopancreatic duct
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Jie , Yu Xinzhe , Yang Chuanxin , Wang Xiangjun , Zhang Shilei , Wang Jian
Published: June 2023

Background The dilation of cholangiopancreatic duct with ambiguous ampullary diseases, named unexplained dilation of cholangiopancreatic duct (UDCD), is a common difficulty in clinical diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of transduodenal ampullectomy (TDA) in the diagnosis and treatment of UDCD. Methods We first proposed the surgical exploration procedure based on TDA and applied it in a representative UDCD patient. Then we retrospectively analyzed the pathological diagnosis and prognosis of 14 patients at our hospital and 181 patients reported by existing studies, who were treated with TDA between January 2010 and December 2022. Results TDA could radically explore the ampullary region and harvest adequate pathological tissue, which was helpful for discovering the cause of UDCD. The diagnostic rate of intraoperative frozen pathology was higher than that of preoperative endoscopic biopsy (78.65% vs 66.42%,P = 0.047). The postoperative complication rate was 31.45%, with mortality 0%. The 5-year survival rate was 72.5% in patients with adenocarcinoma, 91.9% in adenoma with HGD/pTis, and 100% in benign lesions, which have statistically significant difference (P = 0.012). Conclusions TDA-based surgical exploration can be used as a safe and effective transitional procedure in the treatment of UDCD.
Biting into the Truth: Connecting oral pathology and stable isotopes through the paradigmatic example of a hyper-specialized marine diet in Medieval Pontevedra (NW Iberia)
Authors: Veiga-Rilo Clara , López-Costas Olalla
Published: June 2023

Human feeding patterns have been reconstructed in Archaeology by analysing either oral pathology or stable isotope ratios in human skeletal remains. However, no clear agreement has been developed between these two methodologies. The main objective of this study is to determine if we can establish a link between them when analysing a population with a hyper-specialized diet, in this case marine resources. To reach this goal we developed a conjoined multi-isotope analysis in collagen and bioapatite (δ13Ccol, δ15Ncol, δ13Ccar and δ18Ocar) and a detailed study of oral health (caries, antemortem loss, periapical lesions, periodontal disease, calculus, and wear). All available skeletons with at least one preserved tooth from two cemeteries of the medieval town of Pontevedra (n = 34) were researched. The buried individuals belonged to the guild of fishers and artisans, professions which were dominant among the families of medieval Pontevedra. The evidence of δ18Ocar indicates that most people seem to have local origins. The diet was based on marine fish protein with contributions of millets (e.g. δ13Ccar -11.87 ± 1.79‰) that seems to be slightly higher in individuals linked to artisanal guilds. Oral pathology study shows severe dental wear from an early age, including hypercementosis due to compensatory eruption, as well as moderate-high presence of caries and dental calculus. Both the oral pathology and the isotopic signal differ from that observed in other areas of the Iberian Peninsula. This study points to the existence of connections between findings of the two methodologies, and specifically an association between intense dental wear and high consumption of marine resources. At the same time, this analysis implies the necessity of caution in estimation of age by dental wear in populations linked to the sea.
Effects of Different Irrigation Levels and Nitrogen Fertilization on Some Physiological Characteristics of Potato
Authors: AKKAMIŞ Mustafa , CALISKAN Sevgi
Published: June 2023

Water and nitrogen are agricultural inputs that are widely used in potato production areas. Excessive and inappropriate use of these two important inputs causes rapid consumption of water resources and results in inappropriate nitrogen leakage. In potato production, understanding the effects of water and nitrogen on the physiological properties will help to overcome these difficulties. This study was therefore conducted to determine the effects of different nitrogen and irrigation levels on the physiological (photosynthesis rate, leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf temperature) characteristic of potato. Field experiments were conducted during the 2021 and 2022 main potato cropping seasons to select the suitable combination of irrigation and fertilization levels for potato production in the Nigde Province of the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The study conducted in a factorial design with six nitrogen fertilization rates and three irrigation levels. The experiment included no nitrogen (control, N0), 100 kg N ha − 1 (N1), 200 kg N ha − 1 (N2), 300 kg N ha − 1 (N3), 400 kg N ha − 1 (N4) and 500 kg N ha − 1 (N5) and I1 = 100%, I2 = 66%, I3 = 33% of Field Capacity (FC). All the measurements were taken at five different times (40, 50, 60, 70, 80 days) after emergence. The results revealed that nitrogen treatments improve the crop physiology traits by increasing the photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content and leaf area index, except the leaf temperature, compared with the control (no-nitrogen treatments) while the full irrigation (I1) treatment recorded the highest photosynthesis and leaf area index values. I1N3 was the most efficient treatment for both photosynthesis and leaf area index. The increase in irrigation treatments resulted in a decrease in leaf chlorophyll and leaf temperature (Pt). Leaf chlorophyll content tended to increase with increasing nitrogen, but leaf temperature did not show a regular increase or decrease. The highest N and I interaction for leaf chlorophyll content and leaf temperature were obtained from I3N0 treatment. This study identifies the most appropriate nitrogen and irrigation application for optimum physiological yield of the potato for crop producers. The study used only one commercial potato cultivar (agria), so more research should be carried out on several cultivars in order to arrive at a more conclusive conclusion, since it may be that this result is unique to agria potato cultivars only. In addition, both biochemical and physiological assessments in comparison with tuber yield should be conducted using different nitrogen and irrigation levels to assess their correlations.
Attrition one year after starting antiretroviral therapy before and after the programmatic implementation of HIV “Treat All” in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta- analysis
Authors: Makurumidze Richard , Decroo Tom , Jacobs Bart K. M. , Rusakaniko Simbarashe , Damme Wim Van , Lynen Lutgarde , Gils Tinne
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Evidence on the real-world effects of “Treat All” on attrition has not been summarised. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare attrition 12 months after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, before and after “Treat All” was implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa. We also describe predictors of attrition.
Methods: We searched Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science in July 2020 and created alerts up to the end of March 2022. We also searched for preprints and conference abstracts. Two co-authors screened and selected the articles. Risk of bias was assessed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We extracted and tabulated data on study characteristics, attrition 12 months after ART initiation, and predictors of attrition. We estimated a pooled estimate for attrition using random-effects meta-analysis.
Results : Seven articles and one conference abstract (eight studies) out of 5782 screened records were included in the meta-analysis. The random-effects adjusted pooled risk ratio (RR) comparing attrition before and after “Treat All” 12 months after ART initiation was not significant [RR = 1.08 (95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.97–1.21)] with 82% heterogeneity (I2). Being a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, starting ART with advanced HIV and within the same week were reported as risk factors for attrition both before and after “Treat All”.
Conclusions: We found no significant difference in attrition before and after “Treat All” one year after ART initiation. While “Treat All” is being widely implemented, differentiated approaches to enhance retention should be prioritised for those subgroups at risk of attrition.
PROSPERO Number: CRD42020191582
Estuarine Front Dynamics: A Key Driver of Fish Larvae Dispersion in a Large Subtropical Estuary
Authors: Muñoz Nathalie Stefanie , Bonilla Sylvia , Arocena Rafael , Maciel Fernanda , Haakonsson Signe , Pedocchi Francisco , Machado Irene
Published: June 2023

Estuarine fronts are critical in the retention and dispersion of ichthyoplankton. This study evaluates the response of ichthyoplankton assemblage to front dynamics in one of the world's largest estuaries, the Río de la Plata. Surveys were conducted between October 2014 and December 2017, using the turbidity front (TF) location determined by satellite imagery as a proxy for the estuarine front. Although most larval taxa belonged to the freshwater category, the highest abundances were found in the estuarine category. Contrary to most estuaries, the incidence of pelagic egg spawners was high in the studied estuary. The highest species richness and abundance occurred during spring and summer, linked to the spawning seasons and locations. TF dynamics was the primary driver of interannual variability in ichthyoplankton assemblages, revealing opposite trends with ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) events. A strong El Niño event (2015–2016) led to decreased total abundance and dominance of freshwater larvae with a seaward shift of the TF, while a weak La Niña event (2016–2017) resulted in increased abundance of marine larvae with the retraction of the TF. Based on current climatic predictions, it is likely that the estuarine frontal zones will be affected in the future, which could have a significant impact on ichthyoplankton assemblage. Therefore, coastal conservation is critical and should be integrated into management plans to preserve ichthyoplankton dynamics and fish populations.
Building an Earth's crust movement model in the ITRF2020 coordinate system by the Collocation method. A case study in North area, Vietnam
Authors: Bui Tham Thi Hong , Truong Thanh Phi
Published: June 2023

This paper presents the results of building the movement model of the Earth’s crust in the North area of Vietnam by the Collocation method of the movement velocity data from 40 GNSS stations in different dynamic coordinate systems ITRF2000, ITRF2005, ITRF2008 into one unified coordinate system ITRF2020 - the latest version of ITRF. The calculated results have determined the movement speed of the Earth's crust at 34 sites to be about 35 mm/yr in the direction from Northwest to Southeast. The accuracy of the movement velocity model in the North area of Vietnam is about 2 mm/yr. These results are consistent with previous studies in this area.
Suberosin alleviates thiazolidinedione-induced cardiomyopathy in diabetic rats by inhibiting ferroptosis via modulation of ACSL4-LPCAT3 and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways
Authors: Iqbal Shabnoor , Jabeen FARHAT , Kahwa Ivan , Omara Timothy
Published: June 2023

Thiazolidinediones are antidiabetic medications that are useful for managing diabetes. However, their use is associated with adverse side effects like edema, heart failure, and bone fractures. In this study, we investigated the anti-ferroptosis effects of suberosin (SBR; a prenylated coumarin) in diabetic Sprague Dawley rats. Further, we assessed the effects of co-administration of SBR (30 and 90 mg/kg/day) with thiazolidinedione TZ (15 mg/kg) to mitigate TZ-induced cardiomyopathy in diabetic rats. Our results showed that cardiac output, stroke volume, left ventricle systolic, and diastolic pressure were aggravated in diabetic rats only treated with TZ after 4 weeks. TZ treatments were induced ferroptosis as well as marked histoarchitecture disarrangements in rat cardiomyocytes. The study was found that optimizing volume overload alleviated cardiac hypertrophy and mitigated left ventricular dysfunction in diabetic rats co-treated with SBR. SBR co-administration with TZ reduced MDA levels in heart tissue and serum iron concentration (biomarkers of ferroptosis) as well as downregulated mRNA expressions of LOX, ACSL4, LPCAT3, and promoted GPX4 activity as well as upregulated mRNA levels of AKT/PI3K/GSK3β in a dose-dependent manner as compared to the group administered with TZ at 15 mg/kg. SBR co-administration was also helped to retain the normal histoarchitecture of cardiomyocytes in diabetic rats. Hence, our results suggested that SBR is an effective supplement and could be prescribed to diabetic patients along with TZ but this will require further clinical trials.
Evolutionary history of the DNA repair protein, Ku, in eukaryotes and prokaryotes
Authors: Rijal Sadikshya , Mainali Ashmita , Acharya Sandesh , Bhattarai Hitesh Kumar
Published: June 2023

Background
The DNA end-joining protein, Ku, is essential in non-homologous end joining in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. It was first discovered in eukaryotes and later by PSI blast, in prokaryotes. While Ku in eukaryotes is often a multi-domain protein functioning in DNA repair of physiological and pathological DNA double-stranded breaks, Ku in prokaryotes is a single-domain protein functioning in pathological DNA repair in spores or late stationary phase. In this paper, we have attempted to systematically search for Ku protein in different phyla of bacteria and archaea as well as in different groups of eukarya.
Result
From our search of 122 sequenced bacterial genomes using NCBI BLASTP, only 31 genomes yielded at least one Ku sequence. In eukarya, we found Ku protein in 27 out of 59 species using BLASTP in NCBI. Since the entire genome of all eukaryotic species is not fully sequenced this number could go up. From a comprehensive search of all OrthoDB archaeal genomes, we received a positive hit in 19 specific archaeal species that possessed Ku70/80 beta-barrel domain. Likewise, we retrieved 11 viral sequences consisting of the Ku70/80 beta-barrel domain using a comprehensive search against virus genomes in OrthoDB. We then drew a phylogenetic maximum likelihood tree to determine the ancestral relationship between Ku70 and Ku80 in eukaryotes and Ku in bacteria, archaea, and viruses. Our tree revealed a common node for some Ku, Ku70, and Ku80. Among the three forms of Ku, Ku70 showed the highest sequence divergence.
Conclusion
One model proposed for Ku evolution hypothesizes that Ku70 arose first and duplicated to form Ku80. Ku70 or Ku80 horizontally transferred onto archaea and then onto bacteria to give the present forms of Ku in three domains of life. Additionally, we analyzed the domains of the different eukaryotic species to demonstrate that fusion, terminal addition, terminal deletion, single domain loss, and single domain emergence events during evolution.
Calculation of the total corneal astigmatism using the virtual cross cylinder method on the secondary principal plane of the cornea
Authors: DANJO YUKITAKA
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to establish a virtual cross cylinder method to calculate total corneal astigmatism by combining anterior corneal astigmatism and posterior corneal astigmatism. The virtual cross cylinder method combines anterior and posterior corneal astigmatism on the secondary principal plane of the cornea based on Gaussian optics. The meridian with the least refractive power, namely, the flattest meridian of the virtual cross cylinder of a ± 0.5×C diopter, is set as the reference meridian, and the power (F) at an angle of φ between an arbitrary meridian and the reference meridian is defined as F(φ) = − 0.5×C×cos2φ. The magnitude and axis of the total corneal astigmatism were calculated by applying trigonometric functions and the atan2 function based on the combination of the virtual cross cylinders of the anterior corneal astigmatism and the posterior corneal astigmatism. To verify the performance of the virtual cross cylinder method, a verification experiment with two Jackson cross cylinders and a lensmeter was performed, and the measured and calculated values were compared. The verification experiment results showed good agreement between the measured and calculated values. A novel technique for calculating total corneal astigmatism, the virtual cross cylinder method, was developed and verified.
Deep learning and clustering approaches for dental implant size classification based of periapical radiographs
Authors: Park Ji-Hyun , Moon Hong-Seok , Jung Hoi-In , Hwang JaeJoon , Choi Yoon-Ho , Kim Jong-Eun
Published: June 2023

This study investigated two artificial intelligence methods for automatically classifying dental implant size based on periapical radiographs. The first method, deep learning (DL), involved utilizing the pretrained VGG16 model and adjusting the fine-tuning degree to analyze image data obtained from periapical radiographs. The second method, cluster analysis, was accomplished by analyzing the implant-specific feature vector derived from three key-point coordinates of the dental implant using the k-means + + algorithm and adjusting the weight of the feature vector. DL and clustering model classified dental implant size into nine groups. The performance metrics of AI models were accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The final DL model yielded performances above 0.994, 0.950, 0.994, 0.974, 0.952, 0.994, and 0.975, respectively, and the final clustering model yielded performances above 0.983, 0.900, 0.988, 0.923, 0.909, 0.988, and 0.947, respectively. When comparing the AI model before tuning and the final AI model, statistically significant performance improvements were observed in six out of nine groups for DL models and four out of nine groups for clustering models based on AUC. For clinical applications, AI models require validation on various multicenter data.
Effect of fertigation using capillary wick irrigation and trickle irrigation in different soil textures on vegetative, reproductive and root growth traits of greenhouse cucumber plant
Authors: Jalili Jalal , Zareabyaneh Hamid
Published: June 2023

This study was conducted to evaluate capillary wick irrigation(CWI) and its effect on the growth traits of the Nagene variety greenhouse cucumber plant compared to trickle irrigation(TI) as a factorial experiment during two growing seasons based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three textures of clay loam (CL) (S1), sand clay loam (SCL) (S2) and sandy loam (SL) (S3) at four levels of fertilizer (0.7 (F1), 0.85 (F2), 1.0 (F3) and 1.15 (F4) times the plant's nutrient requirement with three replications. According to the study results, the interaction effects of irrigation methods at different levels of fertilizer showed that in TI and CWI, for reproductive traits (the number of fruits and total fruit weight) during the average of the two growing seasons (18.66 fruits and 1229.5 g) by TI, F4 was more suitable. But by CWI, traits of the number and weight of the total fruits at F3 (13.42 fruits and 846.3 g) showed a more suitable yield compared to other fertilizer levels of the system. The study results of irrigation method×soil texture interaction showed that by TI, the highest average yield during two seasons in the vegetative and reproductive growth traits and root organs was obtained from S1. In CWI, the study results indicated the superiority of S3 in vegetative and reproductive traits. The study results of fertilizer×Soil×irrigation interaction showed that the maximum fruit weight was 1460.26 g obtained from TI and TS1F4. In WI, the maximum value of this parameter (995.57 g) was obtained from WS3F3.
Targeting Breast Cancer with N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine: Integrating Machine Learning and Cellular Assays for Promising Results
Authors: Baysal Ömür , Genç Deniz , Silme Ragıp SOner , Kırboğa Kevser Kübra , Çoban Dilek , Ghafoor Naeem Abdul , Tekin Leyla , Bulut Osman
Published: June 2023

Early diagnosis of breast cancer can reduce prognosis and mortality rates, but alternative treatments are needed. We studied the effect of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (D-GlcNAc) on breast cancer using machine learning and cell assays. MCF-7 and 4T1 cell lines (ATCC) were cultured in the presence and absence of varying concentrations of D-GlcNAc (0.5 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM, and 4 mM) for 72 hours. A xenograft mouse model for breast cancer was established by injecting 4T1 cells into mammary glands. D-GlcNAc (2 mM) was administered intraperitoneally to mice daily for 28 days, and histopathological effects were evaluated at pre-tumoral and post-tumoral stages. Treatment with 2 mM and 4 mM D-GlcNAc significantly decreased cell proliferation rates in MCF-7 and 4T1 cell lines and increased Fas expression. The number of apoptotic cells was significantly higher than in untreated cell cultures (P < 0.01 - P < 0.0001). D-GlcNAc administration also considerably reduced tumour size, mitosis, and angiogenesis in the post-treatment group compared to the control breast cancer group (P < 0.01 - P < 0.0001). Molecular docking/dynamic analysis revealed a high binding affinity of D-GlcNAc to the marker protein HER2, which is involved in tumor progression and cell signalling. Our study demonstrates the positive effect of D-GlcNAc administration on breast cancer cells, leading to increased apoptosis and Fas expression in the malignant phenotype. The binding affinity of D-GlcNAc to HER2 suggests a potential mechanism of action. These findings contribute to understanding D-GlcNAc as a potential anti-tumor agent for breast cancer treatment.
Letter identification and spatial localization during visual working memory are enabled by unique sequences of stimulus-dependent neural operations
Authors: Haller Mckenzie , Nyarady Hope , Covey Thomas J.
Published: June 2023

Working memory (WM) is often conceptualized as a multicomponent system consisting of a supervisory central executive component, as well as separable short-term storage components associated with the processing of verbal and spatial information. In the present study, we examined the sequence of neural operations that are engaged for visual-verbal and visual-spatial information during demanding WM performance using an event-related potential (ERP) approach. Participants completed both a verbal and spatial 3-back task with visually presented stimuli, and ERPs were obtained for task performance. ERP analyses indicated that there was an enhancement of anterior N1, P2, P3, and late negative (approximately 400 + msec post-stimulus) component amplitude for the spatial 3-back in comparison to the verbal 3-back task. We interpret these effects as reflecting increased recruitment of neural resources related to the orienting of spatial attention (N1, P2 effects) and comparison and updating of stimulus location during WM (anterior P3, late negativity effects). In contrast, in comparison to the spatial 3-back task, the verbal 3-back task exhibited an enhancement of frontal N2 amplitude, as well as a broader P3 component morphology with a posterior scalp localization. We interpret these effects as reflecting increased recruitment of neural resources associated with stimulus conflict monitoring (N2 effect) and stimulus identification and categorization (posterior P3 effect). These findings suggest that the time-course of neural operations during demanding WM updating is dependent upon the domain of the stimulus information. These ERP effects likely reflect the distinct ventral and dorsal visual processing streams associated with verbal/object and spatial information.
Trophic dynamics of two omnivorous shrimps in the middle Paraná River
Authors: Viozzi M. Florencia , Saigo Miguel , Williner Verónica
Published: June 2023

The study of the relative importance of different sources of resources in freshwater food webs is key to understanding ecosystem functioning. The shrimps Macrobrachium borellii and Palaemon argentinus are sympatric species that, given their abundance, are important components in the trophic webs of the Paraná River. This river presents a vast floodplain dominated by C3 plants, which in periods of high water (HW), is available as a trophic resource for aquatic organisms. Both M. borellii and P. argentinus are omnivorous consumers and mobile swimmers, so they may play an important role in the incorporation of these terrestrial resources into the aquatic trophic webs during HW. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the relative contribution of trophic web sources using stable isotope analysis (SIA) of muscle and hepatopancreas and stomach content analysis (SCA). The trophic strategy, niche breadth and niche overlap of both shrimp species throughout the hydrosedimentological cycle were also analyzed. The results indicate that both species can consume C3 plants and that, unlike P. argentinus, M. borellii rapidly exploits the available C3 plants during HW. On the other hand, the niche breadth of M. borellii is generally larger than that of P. argentinus, while the niche overlap between both species is smaller during LW. The results obtained highlight the role of shrimp in aquatic food webs, as they can exploit C3 carbon sources during HW and make it available to other aquatic consumers, thus playing a key role in connecting floodplain primary production and water bodies.
Cross-breed Neonatal Calf Mortality and Health Problems in Small Scale Dairy Production in and Around Bishoftu Town, Oromia
Authors: Goshu Gedion , Abebe Bikila , Dinka Firomsa
Published: June 2023

Calf mortality is perennial problems for dairy producers worldwide which impair appropriate heifer replacement. However, limited study has been reported on the calf mortality in the study area. Hence, a Longitudinal prospective observational study was conducted between November 2016 to April 2017 in urban and peri-urban small holder dairy farms of Bishoftu town on 158 live born calves selected from 60 dairy farms to identify the risk factors associated with calf mortality. Questionnaire tool was used to collect information on the risk factors of calf mortality. Calf diarrhea was the leading cause of calf mortality with case-specific mortality of 3.1% among the causes of death recorded. The total cumulative incidence of mortality found in this study was 8.2 %. The association of 8 potential risk factors with dairy calf mortality was investigated. Of these factors, among others, delivery condition (OR=5.9, P=0.018), amount of colostrum (2L) (OR =0.17, P = 0.039), Age of calf (OR=6.5, P=0.046), and farm size≥8 (OR = 12.9, P = 0.007), were the risk factors found to be significantly associated with the death of calves. The present study suggested that the existence of high mortality in small dairy farms might be due to poor farm and calf management. Hence, special emphasis should be given to the amount of colostrum feeding; proper management as the farm size increases and especial care management of the first week age of calves were found important. Moreover, further investigation is suggested to identify the specific causative agents incriminating for calf mortality in dairy farms of the study area.
A 2D/2D BiPO4/g-C3N4-B Z-type heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of dye pollutants
Authors: Zhao Hong-jian , Zhou Yan , Wu Ren-Jang , Han Zheng-bing , Li Xu , Yu Zhe
Published: June 2023

A 2D/2D BiPO4/g-C3N4-B nano-sheet heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized via a simple coprecipitation method at room temperature using glacial acetic acid as solvent, which showed excellent activity toward the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The heterojunction showed much higher efficiency of separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers compared to that of its constituents. Moreover, the spectral response range of BiPO4was effectively broadened after the combination of g-C3N4-B and BiPO4. Consequently, a 97.3% degradation of RhB within 25 min by BiPO4/g-C3N4-B heterojunction photocatalyst under visible light irradiation was observed. The difference in work functions of BiPO4and g-C3N4-B was evident from UPS characterization, which led to the bending of the energy band and the establishment of an internal electric field at the interface of the heterojunction. Therefore, the synthesized direct Z-type BiPO4/g-C3N4-B heterojunction enhanced the oxidation-reduction ability by promoting the effective separation of photogenerated carriers.
Morphological evaluation for a narrowest section of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus in infants by Computed tomography: A crucial point for device closure
Authors: Fukushima Yosuke , Nakagawa Naomi , Kamada Masahiro , Okamoto Kengo , Uemasu Hitoshi , Kataoka Koichi
Published: June 2023

Objectives
We examined the diameter of cross section of the PDA minimum portion using contrast-enhanced CT findings to know the accurate morphology and size of them.
Background
Ordinarily, the device size is determined based on the minimal diameter of the PDA measured in the lateral view of angiography. Occasionally, the device may come out from the PDA easily even if the device size seems optimal.
Methods
From 2016 to 2021, 29 patients who underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) prior to PDA closure included. Morphological evaluation of the narrowest part of the PDA was performed on contrast-enhanced CT. We also examined whether there were differences in morphology depended on Krichenko classification, age, and the diameter of the narrowest portion of the PDA.
Results
At the time of treatment, the median age was 4.8 (range, 1–52) months, the median weight was 5.0 (2.5–12.7) kg. The median minimum vertical diameter of PDA was 2.9 (1.6–6.6) mm. The narrowest PDA part in the contrast CT imaging showed horizontal-to-vertical diameter ratios in the range of 1.0–1.7, with no case where the vertical diameter was larger than the horizontal diameter. The median horizontal-to-vertical diameter ratio by Krichenko type was: type A, 1.22; type C, 1.29; type E, 1.62(p = 0.017). When classifying the patients into a group aged under six months (n = 21) and a group aged six months or older (n = 8), the respective median horizontal-to-vertical diameter ratio was 1.34 and 1.15 (p = 0.027). The vertical PDA diameter was not correlated with the elliptical shape.
Conclusions
Most PDA cases have a horizontally-oriented elliptical shape. This characteristic showed high reproducibility and is important information that angiography cannot evaluate.
A multicenter survey on the perception of palliative care among the health professionals working in hematology
Authors: Lorenzo Sara Di , Mozzi Lisa , Salmaso Flavia , Silvagni Claudia , Soffientini Silvia , Valenti Vanessa , Zagonel Vittorina
Published: June 2023

Introduction
Patients with hematological malignancies have less access to Palliative Care and have more delayed referrals than patients with solid tumors. Why does this occur? This survey aims to analyze the perceptions of Palliative Care of health professionals who treat hematological patients and to identify the barriers and facilitators when patients are referred to Palliative Care services.
Method
This is a multicenter, exploratory, descriptive web-based survey. A questionnaire was submitted to the medical and nursing staff at five Italian Hematological units and San Marino’s hospital. The survey covered accessibility, knowledge, education, perceived barriers and facilitators, and personal experiences concerning Palliative Care. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed.
Results
The number of completed questionnaires was 142/320: 96 by nurses and 46 by physicians. It emerged that 96.5% of participants supported integration of hematology and Palliative Care. It was found that 50.7% of participants had a Palliative Care team at their hospital, though only 16.2% had attended a specific course within their hospital, and 70.4% of them were familiar with the role of a palliativist. Nearly half of professionals (49.2%) agreed to refer patients to Palliative Care at the beginning of the care pathway, 52.8% when the prognosis is less than three months or with incoercible symptoms. The percentages of physicians and nurses agreeing to transfusions even in the final stages of the disease were 60.9% and 55.3%, respectively. Concerning facilitators, 65.5% of physicians and 47.2% of nurses considered an in-hospital Palliative Care team and a case manager to be fundamental; 82.4% of participants highlighted the importance of Palliative Care training.
Conclusion
The results show that professionals have a positive attitude towards achieving multidisciplinary integration. The small number of referrals may be due to clinical, cultural, educational, organizational, and resource issues.
Spike propagation by synchronisation and vibrational resonance in a feedforwards Izhikevich neural network
Authors: Ge Mengyan , Wang Haohao , Chen Yao , Liu Ying
Published: June 2023

Multilayer feed forward neuron networks (FFNs) are the basis of various machine learning approaches, in which the propagation of neural firing rates with respect to synchronisation and vibrational resonance (VR) under white Gaussian noise and high-frequency stimulation (HFS) is important. In this study, the influences of HFS and noise on the propagation of the synchronous firing rate and VR are investigated in different kinds of Izhikevich FFNs. For the ten-layer excitatory Izhikevich neuron network, it is shown that synchronous firing rates appear gradually, and diverse noise intensities, synaptic weights and time constants affect the propagation of synchronous discharge rates. For a four-layer excitatory FFN, it is observed that the systemic output rates remain smaller than zero and carry no information on the weak signal when HFS is small. The VR phenomenon occurs when the input of the weak low frequency signal (LFS) and signal output maintain good phase synchronisation, and the LFS is amplified by increasing the amplitude of HFS. In the excitatory-inhibition multilayer FFN, propagation by synchronous firing rates is not good, and few inhibitory neurons remain excited. In the systemic output, the synchronisation phenomenon can be observed but is not as good as that in the excitatory FFN.