bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silica Gel Chromatographic Methods for Identification, Isolation and Purification of Gossypol Acetic Acids Prepared in Lab
Authors: Amara Amro Abd Al Fattah , Hesham El-Masry Mohamed , Salem Gamal Ali , Baghdadi Hoda Hassan
Published: May 2024

Quite a number of cottonseed varieties are existed. The seeds of each variety produce a different amount of gossypol as a natural toxic compound. The increased interest in this natural product and its toxic effects were enhanced the demand for establishing simple silica-gel-based methods for its isolation, purification, and characterization. Historically, silica gel plays a significant role in isolation and purification of many different natural products. Silica gel is variants and can intro-duce a lab, simple tool for tracking a compound in certain plants during its purification process. In this study, gossypol was isolated and purified in the form of yellow crystals as gossypol acetic ac-id. Several methods and tools were used for its characterization including TLC, preparative TLC, silica gel column, UV/IR spectrophotometer and HPLC (Robust spherical silica gel). A compara-tive study between its amounts in both Egyptian and Chinese varieties were performed. Under the experimental condition, the Egyptian cottonseeds contain 8.705 gm/kg, while the Chinese contains 5.395 gm/kg. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) had been flourished the science of the phytochemistry and still popular till nowadays and is recommended for fast, accurate, and inex-pensive evaluation and quantification of gossypol. It is recommended to isolate and purify gossy-pol as gossypol acetic acid using optimized combined methods used in this study. Using Silica gel different protocols will assist and facilitate the parallel comparison and save the compact column from any unexpected contaminants during the purification steps. During each step the silica gel itself could be simply removed by paper filtration.
Induction of Specific IgG antibodies and B-Cell Mediated Immunity by Glycoprotein 5 Peptides in Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus Infected Swine
Authors: Perez-Duran Francisco , Calderon-Rico Fernando , Franco-Correa Luis Enrique , Zamora-Aviles Alicia Gabriela , Ortega-Flores Roberto , Durand-Herrera Daniel , Bravo-Patiño Alejandro , Cortes-Vieyra Ricarda , Hernandez-Morales Ilane , Nuñez-Anita Rosa Elvira
Published: May 2024

We analyze the humoral and B-cell mediated immunogenic response induced by GP5 lineal epitopes from porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) to explore the role of this protein in the protective response. For inoculation, pigs aged twenty-one days were allocated into six groups (seven pigs per group): control (PBS), vehicle (carrier), vaccinated (Ingelvac-PRRSV, MLV®), non-vaccinated and naturally infected, GP5-B and GP5-B3. Subsequently blood samples were collected and analyzed. Cytokine were measured by ProcartaPlex kit. Peptide-specific IgGs and cross-reactivity against peptides were analyzed by ELISA and B-cell subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry. At 2 days post-immunization (dpi), the GP5-B3 peptide increased the serum concentrations of cytokines associated to activate adaptive cellular immunity (IL-1β and IL-12). The concentration of IgGs anti-GP5-B increased in both cases at 21 and 42 dpi, while IgGs anti-GP5-B3 increased at 21 dpi and remained at the same level until 42 dpi. Also, antibody-forming/Plasma B cells (CD2+/CD21-) and primed B cells (CD2-/CD21+) from immunized pigs showed an increase at 42 dpi. Conversely the naïve B cells from immunized pigs decreased compared with the controls. Importantly, Both GP5-B and GP5-B3 peptides exhibited immunoreactivity against serum antibodies from vaccinated group, as well as non-vaccinated and naturally infected group. In conclusion, GP5-B and GP5-B3 peptides elicited immunogenicity mediated by antigen specific IgG´s and B-cell activation.
Unravelling Abiotic Stress Physiology in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.): Biotechnological Interventions in Mitigating Abiotic Stress
Authors: Patil Akshay M. , Pawar Bhausaheb D. , Wagh Sopan Ganpatrao , Markad Nanasaheb R. , Bhute Nandu K. , Shinde Harshraj , Shelake Rahul Mahadev , Červený Jan , Wagh Rajendra. S.
Published: May 2024

Climate change has resulted in increased incidences of abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, salinity, and waterlogging. These stressors have a negative impact on the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop and cause significant yield losses. Each stressor induces specific physiological and metabolic alterations interconnected with the complex changes at molecular levels. Understanding the molecular pathways that govern the cotton plant's stress responses is crucial to develop stress-tolerant cotton cultivars that can withstand different stresses. Molecular investigations have mapped the changes in the expression of stress-responsive genes, encompassing heat shock proteins and ion transporters, which play a vital role in facilitating adaptive responses. These approaches have been shown to help identify dynamic gene expression patterns and elucidate intricate regulatory networks using advanced metagenomics and multi-omics techniques. By leveraging genetic diversity and utilizing advanced molecular methods, it would be possible to develop stress-resilient cotton varieties to ensure sustainable cotton production in the face of abiotic stresses. This review provides an overview of the effects of various abiotic stressors on cotton plants, including drought, salt, heat, and waterlogged soil. We also explore the extensive network of stress-responsive genes, proteins, and signaling pathways in cotton by summarizing the studies on gene expression regulation, proteins involved in stress response, and biochemical characteristics.
Latest Developments in the Julia-Kocienski Olefination Reaction: Mechanistic Considerations
Authors: Chrenko Daniel , Pospíšil Jiří
Published: May 2024

The Julia-Kocienski olefination reaction has become over past 30 years since its discovery one of the key C-C connective methods that is used in the late-stage natural product synthesis. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions, with wide substrate scope and functional group tolerance, and with high (E) selectivity. In this review, we discuss the reaction from a mechanistic point of view and disclose key features that play an important role in reaction selectivity. Finally, the mechanistic aspects of the newly developed modification of the Julia-Kocienski reaction, which allows the formation of both (E) and (Z) olefins, from the same reaction partners, are discussed.
Formal Language for Objects’ Transactions (ObTFL)
Authors: Adda Mo
Published: May 2024

The disparity between software design and implementation, especially concerning IoT security and forensics, often lacks clarity and precision. Formal languages, rooted in mathematical rules, logic, and symbols, have proven priceless for expressing specifications and verifying system designs. Various semi-formal and formal languages, such as JSON, XML, predicate logic, and regular expressions, along with formal models like Turing machines, cater to specific domains. This paper introduces a novel formal language, named ObTFL (Object Transaction Formal Language), initially developed for IoT forensics and authentication purposes but later extended to encompass general distributed systems. The paper elucidates the syntax and semantics of ObTFL and presents several case studies showcasing its versatility and effectiveness.
Analysis of Metabolite Differences in Co-culture of Trichoderma atroviride and Metarhizium anisopliae Based on LC-MSnon-Targeted Metabolomics
Authors: Wang Yongkun , Liu Jingyi , Han Yi , Chen Lusheng , Lang Bo , Liu Hongyi , Li Yaqian , Chen Jie , Wang Xinhua
Published: May 2024

As critical biocontrol agents, Trichoderma and Metarhizium have demonstrated vast potential in disease prevention and pest control respectively. Current applications, however, are predominantly confined to singular use or simplistic combinations of the two fungi. This study innovatively utilizes Metarhizium and Trichoderma as experimental subjects, employing non-targeted metabolomics to compare the differences in metabolites between co-culture and separate fermentation. The metabolite distinctions in co-culture are meticulously analyzed using sample correlation, least squares discriminant analysis, cluster analysis, and KEGG enrichment analysis. Metabolome sequencing analysis is then applied to compare the co-culture fermentation filtrate with Trichoderma atroviride and Metarhizium anisopliae. Differential metabolite analysis found that co-culture had significantly up-regulated or down-regulated metabolites compared to singular cultures.However,significant metabolite discrepancies are discovered in singular cultures, notably the up-regulated metabolites such as osthole and spirocyclic amine, which have documented antibacterial functions that may prove effective against Fusarium graminearum. Ultimately, the findings from this research contribute to the exploration of synergistic applications of biocontrol fungi and serve as a valuable reference for future development of bio-pesticides for disease and pest control.
Fundamental Mechanisms Underlying the Effectiveness of Nanoparticle Additives to Lubricants: 25 Examples Linking Nano- to Macroscale Friction
Authors: Krim Jacqueline , Smirnov Alexej
Published: May 2024

Studies of the fundamental origins of friction have undergone a rapid acceleration in recent years by providing valuable information on the nanoscale mechanisms responsible for the friction at the macroscopic level. Significant efforts have been directed into developing composite nanofluids and nanoparticle additives to unlock new tribological properties unattainable by traditional lub-ricants. The studies are now further evolving by developing methods to achieve active control of the nano- and/or mesoscale friction by application of magnetic and electric fields external to the contact. These methods constitute an area of rapidly growing interest, and they also are illumi-nating how the performance of conventional lubricants could be enhanced through synergistic addition of nanoparticles (NPs). This mini-review highlights 25 publications that collectively re-veal significant progress, as well as important outstanding challenges, to a fundamental under-standing of how the addition of NPs impacts the lubricant performance. The first two sections focus on the use of Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM), a technique that spans atomic to mac-roscale length and time scales. Subsequent sections expand to complimentary methods comparing results at the macro and atomic scale for similar materials. These studies highlight the pivotal role of the nanoparticle charge and surface treatment, while also indicating that rolling of nano-particles is ineffective and/or detrimental.
Corallopyronin B Antibiotic Construct from Heterogeneous Soil Environments in Egypt
Authors: Kassab Mohammed MahmoudShawky
Published: May 2024

Background:
Antibiotic resistance is an urgent issue everywhere in the globe. It is necessary to look into new sources of antibiotics to address this issue.
Aim of the study:
studying the purification of Corallopyronin B from various soil conditions in Egypt, as well as the antibacterial effectiveness of Corallopyronin B in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2.
Type of the study:
Screening experimental study.
Methodology:
Several soil conditions in Egypt were examined to create bacterial isolates that generated the antibiotic chemical Corallopyronin B. Using reversed-phase HPLC, Myxopyronin B was purified. The test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity were ascertained using the paper disc diffusion assay and the broth microdilution technique. Furthermore, in stages 1/2 of randomized clinical trials including human and animal models, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, and the in vivo antibacterial spectrum were discovered.
Results:
The soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259, grown on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate, produced Corallopyronin B from its culture supernatant. At MICs more than 100 mcg/ml, the test antibiotic inhibited the growth of many Gram -ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, while preventing the growth of numerous Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 1 to 10 mcg/ml. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, including those in humans and fungi, were unharmed. The test antibiotic was shown to have a bactericidal effect by inhibiting bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP).
In phases 1/2 of randomized human clinical trials, when 600 mg of the dose per 70 kg of body weight was administered SC, the Cmax was 8.6 mcg/ml at Tmax 1 hour; T1/2 reached 136 min following first-order kinetics of elimination. It stopped acting around 6-7 hours after SC was administered. In the preclinical and randomized human clinical trial phases 1/2, less than 6 percent of experimental candidates had uncommon toxicity, showing reduced bile flow. Protein binding with plasma albumin was detected which reached about 83%.
Conclusion:
The current work was noteworthy since it involved the production of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin B from Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259 which was isolated from several soil environments in Egypt.
Clinical Role of Adjuvant Chemotherapy after Sublobar Resection for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer ≤ 20 mm with Lymph Node Metastases: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of the National Cancer Database
Authors: Takamori Shinkichi , Zhu Junjia , Hashinokuchi Asato , Komiya Takefumi
Published: May 2024

Sublobar resection is a standard surgical procedure for small-sized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, clinical role of adjuvant chemotherapy for small-sized NSCLC with pathological lymph node (LN) metastasis after sublobar resection is unknown. National Cancer Database was queried for NSCLC patients between 2004 and 2018. Eligibility included sublobar resection with pathological LN metastasis, R0 resection, Charlson comorbidity score = 0, clinical stage T1a-b, and tumor size ≤ 20 mm. Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses were used for assessing survival. Samples were evaluated before and after propensity score matching (PSM) with respect to age, sex, histologic type, and pathological LN status. Of 810 patients who met the eligibility criteria, 567 (70.0%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. After PSM, patients with adjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly longer survival than those without (median survival: 64.3 vs. 34.0 months, hazard ratio for death: 0.61, p < 0.0001). Multivariate analyses after PSM showed that younger age (p = 0.0206), female (p = 0.0005), and adjuvant chemotherapy (p < 0.0001) were independent prognostic factors for longer survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy has a prognostic impact in patients with small-sized NSCLC and pathological lymph node metastasis who undergo sublobar resection.
Brand Trust in The Mongolian Cashmere Industry: Mixed Method Analysis
Authors: Batsukh Baigalzaya , Chen Fei
Published: May 2024

Brand trust holds significant importance in the Mongolian cashmere industry. This study examines the primary predictors of customer brand trust among Mongolian cashmere users. Our research includes a survey with 800 participants and 20 individual interviews conducted among both Mongolian cashmere users and non-users. We utilized an online platform to reach participants, employing convenience sampling. The study investigates the relationship between various factors and brand trust within the context of Mongolian cashmere brands. Through a combination of in-dividual interviews and statistical analysis, we test six hypotheses. The findings indicate that higher brand quality, a strong reputation, greater transparency, effective issue resolution, commitment to environmental and social responsibility, and pre-purchase research on such commitments positively impact brand trust. Key insights gleaned from the interviews emphasize the importance of quality, reputation, transparency, customer service, and environmental responsibility in shaping consumer trust. These results offer valuable implications for cashmere brands aiming to bolster consumer trust and foster loyalty.
The Recombination of Insertion Sequence Results in Deletion of the 3′ End of the cry1Ac Gene with Concomitant Enhancement of Its Insecticidal Activity
Authors: Huang Chunmeng , Zhang Yongjun , Yu Huilin , Hou Chenhui , Guan Haoyuan , Chen Xiuping , Xie Jiajian
Published: May 2024

The structure and expression of exogenous genes in transgenic crops are critical for the target traits. R7569 was a mutant event identified in this study with deletion at the 3' end of cry1Ac gene compared to the transgenic insect-resistant cotton MON531 event with commercial application. R7569 has the same exogenous insertion structure as MON531, but with a deletion in the 3' end of the cry1Ac gene and the terminator region. R7569 has a truncated cry1Ac gene with the length of 2,554 bp, encoding 881 amino acids. The transcription termination site was mainly concentrated downstream of the truncated position and extended 160-270 bp from the truncated position using rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The transcript levels of cry1Ac genes of R7569 and MON531 decreased gradually at seedling, bud and bell stages, and the transcript levels of cry1Ac genes of R7569 were significantly higher than those of MON531 in seedling and bud stages, but there was no significant difference in the boll stage. The content of Cry1Ac protein in R7569 gradually decreased with the seedling, bud and boll stage, and the content of Cry1Ac protein in all three periods was higher than that of MON531. The insect resistance assay showed that the resistance levels of R7569 and MON531 were both at the high level, and the corrected mortality rate against bollworms was 99.5% and 95.2%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between them. The LC50 value of R7569 was 0.732ng/g dw, with a slope of 1.654 indicating a high level of resistance to bollworm. In this study, for the first time, we found a partial deletion of the target gene in commercially applied transgenic crops, and the partial deletion of the 3' end of the cry1Ac gene retained a better transcription, expression level and insecticidal activity, which can provide a specific case for the safety evaluation of transgenic crops.
Physicochemical and Rheological Characteristics of Fermented Sour Cream (“Suero Costeño”) Produced in Colombia
Authors: Ruiz-Petro María , Torres-Ruiz María , Simanca-Sotelo Monica , Álvarez-Badel Beatriz , Durango-Villadiego Alba , Arteaga-Márquez Margarita , Paula Claudia De , Pastrana-Puche Yenis , Gutiérrez-Castañeda Clara , Burbano-Caicedo Ilba , Muñoz-Acevedo Amner , Godoy-Gutiérrez Ruben , Andrade-Pizarro and Ricardo
Published: May 2024

"Suero costeño" a type of sour cream, is a traditional dairy product made mainly in the Colombian Caribbean region and has a variety of uses. The objective was to characterize the physicochemical and rheological properties of “suero costeño” produced in department of Córdoba-Colombia. Samples of " suero costeño " were obtained from local producers, characterized physicochemically (protein, fat, crude fiber, moisture, ash, carbohydrates, chlorides, pH and acidity), and rheologically (stationary tests), adjusting their behavior to the power-law model. The results show great variability in the physicochemical characteristics of the “suero costeño” made by the different artisanal producers, classifying it as a full-fat sour cream or light sour cream, and values of protein, pH and acidity similar to similar traditional dairy products from other countries, such as Reindeer sour cream and Curd or cottage cheese. “Suero costeño” can be classified as a pseudoplastic fluid and depending on the raw materials used and the production process, some present thixotropy, which may be the product of interactions between proteins and fats, which cause changes in the internal structure. Due to this great variability in its physicochemical and rheological characteristics, it is necessary to standardize the process of producing to improve the marketing of this Colombian culinary product.
Single-Facility Analysis of COVID-19 Status of Healthcare Employee During the Eighth and Ninth Pandemic Waves in Japan After Introducing Regular Rapid Antigen Testing
Authors: Nagasawa Masayuki , Kato Tomoyuki , Sakaguchi Hayato , Tanaka Ippei , Watanabe Asami , Hiroshima Yoko , Sakurai Mie
Published: May 2024

Background
Community infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have increased rapidly since the emergence of the Omicron strain. During the eighth and ninth pandemic waves—when movement restrictions in the community were eased—the all-case registration system was changed, and the actual status of infection became uncertain.
Methods
We conducted regular rapid antigen tests (R-RAT) once or twice a week to examine the actual state of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnosis among healthcare employees.
Results
Overall, 320 (1.42/day) and 299 (1.76/day) employees were infected in the eighth and ninth pandemic waves. During both periods, 59/263 doctors (22.4%), 335/806 nurses (41.6%), 92/194 administrative employees (47.4%), and 129/218 clinical laboratory technicians (59.2%) were infected. In the eighth wave, 56 of 195 employees were infected through close contact; in the ninth wave, 26 of 62 employees were infected. No significant difference was observed in the number of vaccinations between infected and non-infected employees. The positivity rate of R-RAT was 0.41% and 0.45% in the eighth and ninth waves. R-RAT detected infection in 212 and 229 employees during the eighth and ninth waves, respectively; the ratio of R-RAT-detected positive employees to those who reported infection was significantly higher during the ninth wave (odds ratio: 1.67, 95% confidence interval: 1.17–2.37, p
Polarization-dependent Plasmon Coupling in Gold Nanoparticles and Gold thin Film Systems
Authors: Shan Feng , Zhu Yanyan , Huang Jingyi
Published: May 2024

The characteristics of gap plasmon formed by nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPOM) structure composed of metal nanoparticles (MNP) and metal thin films have aroused the interest of various optoelectronic devices. The resonant spectrum obtained by the internal coupling effect of gap can be flexibly controlled by the polarization of incident light and the thickness of the dielectric layer between MNP and metal thin films. We have theoretically studied the resonance spectra of polarization-dependent gold ellipsoidal nanoparticles (GENP) and gold thin films in the gap region of NPOM structures. GENP and gold thin films are separated by a dielectric layer with a refractive index of 1.36. We observe that the intensity of the local electric field resonance peak in the gap region is inversely proportional to the polarization angle. Similarly, the intensity of the local electric field resonance peak in the gap region is inversely proportional to the thickness of the dielectric layer. We have obtained more than 2200 V/m local electric field intensity (dielectric layer thickness 0.3nm). Finally, the resonant peak wavelength of the electric field in the gap region of the NPOM structure is also controlled by the polarization angle of the incident light and the thickness of the dielectric layer.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Low Impact Development Strategies: A Hydrologic-Economic Model to Mitigate Urban Flood Risk
Authors: Goli Hosseinabad Mohammad Reza , Javidi Sabbaghian Reza , Fereshtehpour Mohammad
Published: May 2024

In recent years, the rapid expansion of urban areas has led to changes in land use, a reduction in pervious surfaces, and a disturbance in the balance between surface waters and groundwater. These urban changes, combined with inadequate drainage systems and misdirection of runoff, have resulted in severe urban floods, causing numerous fatalities and damage to urban areas. As a result, investigating the effects of flood occurrences and determining proper mitigation measures to reduce flood damage is essential. This paper aims to establish a novel economic-hydrologic model to evaluate the efficacy of Low-impact Development (LID) measures in urban Bronx River catchment, NYC. The model examines reduced peak discharge of flood and imposed damage. Initially, the EPA’s SWMM is used to simulate urban flooding based on recent extreme events. LID scenarios are then implemented, including individual and combined scenarios, to mitigate the adverse impacts of flood occurrences of high to low frequency. By means of the HEC-GeoRAS tool, highly detailed flood inundation maps are generated and seamlessly incorporated into the flood damage estimation model, namely HAZUS, to obtain estimates of the potential damage caused by floods. Using the reduced monetary damages and the implementation cost of LID measures, the benefit-to-cost (BC) ratio is then calculated. Findings indicated that the combined LID scenario is the most effective approach in peak flow reduction. Moreover, Permeable pavement outperforms infiltration trench, bio retention cell, and rain barrel in terms of benefit-to-cost ratio, with rain barrel showing the lowest ratio. The proposed evaluation system for LID measures, with a focus on flood damage reduction as a key benefit, provides valuable insights for identifying optimal scenarios and facilitating informed decision-making.
Towards Safer Roads: Predicting the Severity of Traffic Accident in Montreal using Machine Learning
Authors: Muktar Bappa , Fono Vincent
Published: May 2024

Traffic accidents are among the most common causes of death worldwide. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), 50 million people are involved in traffic accidents every year. Canada, particularly Montreal, is not immune to this problem. Data from the Société de l’Assurance Automobile du Québec (SAAQ) shows that there were 392 deaths on Québec roads in 2022, 38 of them related to the city of Montreal. This value represents an increase of 29.3% for the city of Montreal compared to the average for the years 2017 to 2021. In this context, it is important to take concrete measures to improve traffic safety in the city of Montreal. In this article, we present a web-based solution based on machine learning that predicts the severity of traffic accidents in the city of Montreal. This solution uses dataset of traffic accidents that occurred in Montreal between 2012 and 2021. Classification algorithms such as eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Categorical Boosting (CatBoost), Random Forest (RF) and Gradient Boosting (GB) were used to develop the prediction model. When evaluating the prediction model, performance metrics such as precision, recall, F1 score, and accuracy are taken into account. The performance analysis shows an excellent accuracy of 96% for the prediction model based on the XGBoost classifier. The other models (CatBoost, RF, GB) achieved 95%, 93% and 89% accuracy, respectively. The prediction model based on the XGBoost classifier was deployed using a client-server web application managed by Swagger-UI and the Flask Python framework.
Survival Related Genes on Chromosomes 6 and 17 in Medulloblastoma
Authors: Vriend Jerry , Liu Xiaoqing
Published: May 2024

Survival of Medulloblastoma (MB) depends on various factors, including the gene expression profiles of MB tumor tissues. In this study, we identified 967 MB survival related genes (SRBs) using the gene expression dataset of Cavalli et al. (2017) and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Notably, the SRGs were over-represented on chromosomes 6 and 17, known for the abnormalities monosomy 6 and isochromosome 17 in MB. The most significant SRG was HMGA1 (high mobility group AT-hook 1), which is a known oncogene and a histone H1 competitor. High expression of HMGA1 was associated with worse survival, primarily in the Group 3γ subtype. The high expression of HMGA1 was unrelated to any known somatic copy number alteration. Most SRGs on chromosome 17p were associated with low expression in Group 4β, the MB subtype with 93% deletion of 17p and 98% copy gain of 17q. Pathway analysis showed that both chromosomes 6 and 17 included SRGs related to telomere maintenance and provide a rationale for testing telomerase inhibitors in Group 3 MBs. We conclude that HMGA1, along with other SRGs on chromosome 6 and 17 warrant further investigation as potential therapeutic targets in selected subgroups or subtypes of MB.
Molecular Basis of Plant-Pathogen Interaction in the Agriculture Context
Authors: Ijaz Usman , Zhao Chenchen , Shahbala Sergey , Zhou Meixue
Published: May 2024

Biotic stressors pose serious threats to crop yield, jeopardizing food security and resulting in over US$220 billion per year losses to the agriculture industry. Plants activate innate defense mechanisms upon pathogen perception and invasion. The plant immune response comprises numerous concerted steps, including the recognition of invading pathogens, signal transduction, and activation of defensive pathways. However, pathogens have evolved various structures to evade plant immunity. Given these facts, genetic improvements of plants are required for sustainable disease management to ensure global food security. Advanced genetic technologies have provided new opportunities to revolutionize and boost plant disease resistance against devastating pathogens. Furthermore, targeting susceptibility (S) genes, such as OsERF922 and BnWRKY70, through CRISPR methodologies offers novel frontiers to disrupt the molecular compatibility of pathogens and introduce durable resistance against them in plants. Here, we provide a critical overview of advances in understanding disease resistance mechanisms. The review also critically examines management strategies under challenging environmental conditions and R gene-based plant genome engineering systems intending to enhance plant responses against emerging pathogens. This work underscores the transformative potential of modern genetic engineering practices in revolutionizing plant health and crop disease management while emphasizing the importance of responsible application to ensure sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.
Dosing Cefazolin for Surgical Site Infection Prophylaxis in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgery: Intermittent Bolus or Continuous Infusion?
Authors: Yu Yichao , Dooley F. Cole , Woods Anna , Gunnett Amy , Garvan Cynthia , Ihnow Stephanie , Blakemore Laurel C. , Sangari Taran , Seubert Christoph N.
Published: May 2024

Background: Cefazolin is typically used to minimize the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) following posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Cefazolin dosing recommendations vary and there is limited evidence of the tissue concentrations achieved throughout surgery.

Methods: We performed a randomized, controlled, prospective pharmacokinetic pilot study of 12 patients given cefazolin by either intermittent bolus (30mg/kg every 3 hours) or continuous infusion (30 mg/kg bolus followed by 10/mg/kg per hour throughout the surgery) during PSF for AIS. We measured plasma cefazolin concentrations and used a clinical microdialysis technique to measure skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue concentrations.

Results: Patients were well matched for demographic and perioperative variables. As expected, patients in the infusion group received more cefazolin. While global drug exposure measured as area under the curve was similar in plasma for bolus and infusion dosing, infusion dosing achieved greater cefazolin exposure in subcutaneous and muscle tissue. Using the pharmacodynamic metric of time spent below minimal inhibitory concentration both bolus and infusion dosing performed well. However, when targeting a bactericidal concentration of 32 µg/mL for the typical 6 hour operative time, patients in the bolus group spent a median of 1/5 and 1/3 of below that target in subcutaneous and muscle tissue, respectively.

Conclusions: Intraoperative determination of cefazolin tissue concentrations is feasible in PSF for AIS. Both, bolus and infusion dosing of cefazolin achieve concentrations in excess of typical minimal inhibitory concentrations. Infusion dosing appears to more consistently achieve bactericidal concentrations in subcutaneous and muscle tissues.
Benchmarking Time-Frequency Representations of PCG Signals for Classification Valvular Heart Diseases Using Deep Features and Machine Learning
Authors: Chambi Edwin M. , Cuela Jefry , Zegarra Milagros , Sulla Erasmo , Rendulich Jorge
Published: May 2024

Heart sounds and murmurprovidecrucial diagnosis information for valvular heart diseases (VHD). Phonocardiogram (PCG) combined with modern digital processing techniques, provides a complementary tool for clinicians. This article proposes a benchmark different time-frequency representations, which are spectogram, mel-spectogram and cochleagram for obtaining images, in addition to the use of two interpolation techniques to improve the quality of the images, which are Bicubic and Lanczos. Deep features are extracted from a pre-trained model called VGG16 and for feature reduction the Boruta algorithm is applied. To evaluate the models and obtain more precise results, nested cross-validation is used. The best results achieved in this study were for coclegram with 99.2% accuracy and mel-spectogram representation with the bicubic interpolation technique which reached 99.4% accuracy, both having support vector machine (SVM) as classifier 10 algorithm. Overall, this study highlights the potential of time-frequency representations of PCG 11 signals combined with modern digital processing techniques and machine learning algorithms for 12 accurate diagnosis of VHD.
Osteopontin, a Key Multifaceted Regulator in Tumor Progression and Immunomodulation
Authors: Panda Venketesh K. , Mishra Barnalee , Nath Angitha N , Butti Ramesh , Yadav Amit Singh , Malhotra Diksha , Khanra Sinjan , Mahapatra Samikshya , Mishra Priyanka , Swain Biswajit , Majhi Sambhunath , Kumari Kavita , Radharani NNV , Kundu Gopal C.
Published: May 2024

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of various cellular components such as tumor cells, stromal cells including fibroblasts, adipocytes, mast cell, lymphatic vascular cells and infiltrating immune cells, macrophages, dendritic cells and lymphocytes. The intricate interplay between these cells influences tumor growth, metastasis and therapy failure. Significant advancements in breast cancer therapy have resulted in a substantial decrease in mortality. However, existing cancer treatments frequently result in toxicity and nonspecific side effects. Therefore, improving targeted drug delivery and increasing the efficacy of drugs are crucial for enhancing the treatment outcome and reducing the burden of toxicity. In this review, we provided an overview of how tumor and stroma-derived osteopontin (OPN) plays a key role in regulating the oncogenic potential of various cancers including breast. Next, we have dissected the signalling network by which OPN regulates tumor progression through interaction with selective integrins and CD44 receptors. This review addresses the latest advancement in role of various splice variants of OPN in cancer progression and OPN-mediated tumor-stromal interaction, EMT, CSCs enhancement, immunomodulation, metastasis, chemoresistance, metabolic reprogramming and further suggest that OPN might be a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for the evolving landscape of cancer management.
Vertical Transfer of Maternal Gut Microbes to Offspring of Western Diet-Fed Dams Drives Reduced Levels of Tryptophan Metabolites and Postnatal Innate Immune Response
Authors: Sugino Kameron Y , Janssen Rachel C , McMahan Rachel H , Zimmerman Chelsea , Friedman Jacob E , Jonscher Karen R
Published: May 2024

Maternal obesity and/or Western diet (WD) is associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in offspring, driven, in part, by dysregulation of the early life microbiome. Here, using a mouse model of WD-induced maternal obesity, we demonstrate that exposure to a disordered microbiome from WD-fed dams suppressed circulating levels of endogenous ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR; indole, indole-3-acetate) and TMAO (a product of AHR-mediated transcription), as well as hepatic expression of Il10 (an AHR target), in offspring at 3 weeks of age. This signature was recapitulated by fecal microbial transfer from WD-fed pregnant dams to chow-fed germ-free (GF) lactating dams following parturition, and was associated with reduced abundance of Lactobacillus in GF offspring. Further, expression of Il10 was downregulated in liver myeloid cells and in LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) in adult offspring, suggestive of a hypo-responsive, or tolerant, innate immune response. BMDMs from adult mice lacking AHR in macrophages exhibited a similar tolerogenic response, including diminished expression of Il10. Overall, our study shows that exposure to maternal WD alters microbial metabolites in the offspring that affect AHR signaling, potentially contributing to innate immune hypo-responsiveness and progression of MASLD, and highlights the impact of early life gut dysbiosis on offspring metabolism. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between maternal diet, gut microbial function, and development of neonatal innate immune tolerance and potential therapeutic interventions targeting these pathways.
Real-World Data on Neutralizing Antibody and Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine against SAR-CoV2 Wild Type and Omicron Variant in Solid Cancer Patients
Authors: Chewaskulyong Busayamas , Satjaritanun Pattarapong , Tantraworasin Apichat , Ketpueak Thanika , Suksombooncharoen Thatthan , Charoentum Chaiyut , Nuchpong Nuttaphoom
Published: May 2024

Cancer patients, susceptible to severe COVID-19 outcomes, exhibit varied vaccine responses, particularly those who are receiving chemotherapy. This prospective cohort study enrolled 115 cancer patients, and data from 91 patients who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines were analyzed. Blood was drawn at baseline, day 28, and 6 months post-second dose for neutralizing antibody analysis. The primary outcome was seroconversion rate against wild type and Omicron at day 28. Secondary outcomes included seroconversion at 6 months, factors associated with seroconversion, and safety. Of the 157 cancer patients screened, 91 were enrolled, with 45% receiving chemotherapy. Seroconversion rates at day 28 were 77% for the wild type and 62% for Omicron. Chemotherapy did not affect seroconversion (p=0.789 for wild type, p=0.597 for Omicron). Vaccine type positively correlated with seroconversion, with an adjusted ORR of 25.86 (p=0.029) for the wild type and 17.38 (p
Typhoid Fever, Malaria and their Co-infection: A Review
Authors: Ndezure Emmanuel , Gyasi Kweku , Ayaah Maame , Mintah Bernard , Ibrahim Iddrisu , Boampong Kwadwo , Ayariga Joseph
Published: May 2024

In tropical developing regions, typhoid fever and malaria often co-occur, posing serious health risks. The two illnesses have similar symptoms, which makes diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Through a thorough analysis of existing literature on typhoid fever, malaria, and co-infection, including research articles, case studies, and review papers, this review seeks to understand the dynamic interactions between typhoid fever and malaria co-infection. The review highlights important problems with co-infection between typhoid and malaria, such as higher morbidity and death, diagnostics-related challenges, and antibiotic resistance. Overlapping symptoms and limitations in current diagnostic tests impede accuracy. Treatment plans are made more difficult by the advent of typhoid strains that are resistant to drugs. The analysis concludes by highlighting the necessity of developing more sensitive and specific diagnostic methods in order to accurately diagnose co-infections. Going forward, the review emphasizes the need for more investigation into the immunological connections between malaria and typhoid illnesses. Essentially, this paper offers a thorough summary of the difficulties and possibilities related to co-infection between typhoid and malaria. It provides a framework for upcoming studies and initiatives that seek to improve public health and patient outcomes in the face of these intricately linked health problems.
Combined Experimental and Numerical Modelling of the Electrical Behaviour of Laser Soldered Steel Sheets
Authors: Körmöczi Andor , Horváth Gábor , Szörényi Tamás , Geretovszky Zsolt
Published: May 2024

The electric vehicle (EV) industry challenges battery joining technologies by requiring higher energy density both by mass and volume. Improving the energy density via new battery chemistry would be the holy grail but is seriously hindered and progresses slowly. In the meantime, alternative ways, such as implementing more efficient cell packaging by minimizing the electrical resistance of joints are of primary focus. In this paper we discuss the challenges associated with the electrical characterisation of laser soldered joints in general, and the minimization of their resistive losses, in particular. In order to assess the impact of the joint resistance on the overall resistance of the sample, the alteration in resistance was monitored as a function of voltage probe distance and modelled by finite element simulation. The experimental measurements showed two different regimes: one far from of the joint area and another in its vicinity and within the joints cross section. The presented results confirm the importance of the thickness of the filler material, the effective and the total soldered area, and the area and the position of the voids within the total soldered area in determining the electrical resistance of joints.
The Effects of Green HRM on Employee Health Orientation and the Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability: The Mediating Role of Environmental Performance
Authors: Nirmala Rajanala , Yahia Al Gharsi Abdullah
Published: May 2024

This study draws on both the theory of resource-based view and the theory of stakeholders to investigate the effects of Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM) practices on Sustainability and Employee Health Orientation (EHO) through the mediating effect of Environmental Performance (EP). Based on a cross-sectional survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 318 service and manufacturing firms across India. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to determine the link among constructs. The findings of the empirical evidence reveal that Green HRM practices have positive and significant effects on EP, Sustainability and EHO. Also, the findings demonstrate that EP partially mediates the link between Green HRM practices and Sustainability. Similarly, the findings establish that EP partially mediates the link between Green HRM practices and EHO. Finally, the potential implications of this research and future research for practitioners and scholars are addressed.
Respiratory Symptoms and Changes of Oxidative Stress Markers among Motorbike Drivers Chronically Exposed to Air Fine and Ultrafine Particle: The Case of Douala and Dschang, Cameroon
Authors: TIEKWE Joseph Eloge , Ongbayokolak Nadine , Dabou Solange , Kamhoua Cerge Natheu , Goka Marie Stéphanie , Biapa Nya Prosper Cabral , Annesi-Maesano Isabella , Telefo Phélix Bruno
Published: May 2024

Recent studies releaved that the high production of reactive oxidative species due to exposure of fine or ultrafine particles are implicated in many chronical respiratory disorders. However, the poor standard of clinical data in sub-Saharan countries makes very difficult the assessment of knowledge of air pollution health impact in urban cities. Objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate distribution of respiratory disorders associated to exposure of air fine and ultrafine particles through changes of some oxidative stress biomarkers among motorbike drivers from two cities of Cameroon Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a standardized questionnaire was conducted in 2019 on 191 motorcycle drivers (MD) working in Douala and Dschang. Then, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by colorimetric methods. The data of participants after clustered in Excel Microsoft were analysed and statistically compared using Spss 2.0 software. Results: The motorbike drivers recruited to both cities were aged from 21 to 40, with mean age of 29.93 (± 0.82). The distribution of respiratory disorders as running nose, cold, dry cough, chest discomfort, and breathlessness, was significantly increased among MD in Douala. According to results of biological assays, SOD and MDA, were significantly more increased among MD recruited in Douala, compared to those of Dschang. The change of these oxidative stress markers was significantly correlated with mobilization of neutrophils and Monocytes showing initiation and evolution of subjacent inflammatory reactions, and seemed to be significantly influenced by place of habitation of MD. Conclusion: Through this study it is confirmed the evidence of initiation and evolution of oxidative stress with long-term exposure to air fine or ultrafine particles among active people in Urban cities. Further studies should be conducted with more analysis to provide evidence cellular damage and dysfunction related to chronically exposure to fine air PM among active people in metropolitan of sub-Saharan Africa context.
Removal of Inorganic and Organic Pollutants from Liquid Phase by Membrane Based on Carbonaceous Materials
Authors: Przybyl Joanna , Bazan-Wozniak Aleksandra , Poznan Faustyna , Nosal-Wiercińska Agnieszka , Cielecka-Piontek Judyta , Pietrzak Robert
Published: May 2024

The present work reports the effective method for removal of inorganic and organic pollutants using membranes based on different carbonaceous materials. The membranes were prepared based on cellulose acetate (18 wt. %), polyvinylpyrrolidone as a pore generating agent (2 wt. %) and activated carbon (1 wt.%). Activated carbons were developed from residues after extraction of mushroom Inonotus obliguus using microwave radiation. It has been shown that addition of activated carbon the physical (porosity, equilibrium water content and permeability) and chemical (content of the surface oxygen group) properties of the membranes. The addition of carbon material has a positive effect on the removal of copper ions from their aqueous solutions by the cellulose-carbon composites obtained. Moreover, the membranes were proved to be more effective in removal of copper ions than iron ones and phenol. The membranes were found to show higher effectiveness in copper removal from a solution of the initial concentration 800 mg/L. The most efficient in copper ions removal was the membrane containing urea-enriched activated carbon.