bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geographic and Sociodemographic Variations in Prevalence of Mental Health Symptoms Among US Youths, 2022
Authors: Liu Junxiu , Zhou Zhiyang , Cheng Xi , Vangeepuram Nita
Published: September 2023

Objectives. To assess geographic and sociodemographic variations in prevalence of mental health symptoms among US youths.

Methods. We analyzed data from the Household Pulse Survey, phases 3.5 and 3.6, between June 1 and November 14, 2022. The sample included 103 296 households with an estimated 190 017 youths younger than 18 years. We defined mental health symptoms based on parental responses and estimated prevalence by state and subgroups, including race/ethnicity, parental education, household income, housing tenure, household food sufficiency, and health insurance coverage. All analyses incorporated sampling weight.

Results. An estimated 34.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 33.7%, 35.3%) of youths had parent-reported mental health symptoms. The prevalence of symptoms varied across states, ranging from 27.9% (95% CI = 23.8%, 32.0%) in Florida to 46.4% (95% CI = 41.9%, 50.9%) in New Hampshire. We observed variations by subgroup, with youths in households that did not pay rent reporting a prevalence of 43.8% (95% CI = 39.3%, 48.4%) and those experiencing food insufficiency reporting a prevalence of 56.0% (95% CI = 50.9%, 61.2%).

Conclusions. There is an urgent need for attention to mental health challenges among youths, taking into account geographic and sociodemographic variations. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(10):1116–1119. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307355 )
Co-occurrence of Carbapenemase Genes blaNDM, blaVIM, blaKPC and blaOXA-48 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates
Authors: Mohamed Salma , Ahmed Zainab , Mubarak Tajalseer , Mohamed Sara , Mohamed Rayan , Higazi Hassan , Ali Sara
Published: September 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacterium, is notorious for its innate resistance to many antibiotics. Carbapenems are broad-spectrum antibiotics often used to treat severe P. aeruginosa infections. However, the emergence and proliferation of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) strains have become a grave global health concern. This study examined the co-occurrence of four major carbapenemase genes, namely blaNDM, blaVIM, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48, in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Using standard microbiological methods,150 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates were collected and identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with gene-specific primers was used to detect the presence of carbapenemase genes. Among the 150 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates, 62(41.3%) were found to be carbapenem-resistant. The most detected carbapenemase genes were blaKPC (49%), blaNDM (31%), blaOXA-48 (22%), and blaVIM (9%). Notably 13(12.9%) isolates carried two carbapenemase genes. The combination of blaKPC and blaNDM genes was found in eight isolates, two isolates carried blaKPC and blaVIM, and three isolates carried blaOXA-48 and blaNDM. Four isolates (6.5%) harbored three carbapenemase genes. Co-occurrence of blaNDM, blaVIM, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48 was observed in four isolates (2.8%). Our findings highlight the alarming prevalence of carbapenemase genes, particularly blaNDM and blaKPC, in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. The co-occurrence of multiple carbapenemase genes in the same isolate raises concerns about the potential for horizontal gene transfer and dissemination of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains in clinical settings. Further research is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of carbapenemase genes and their impact on the clinical outcomes of P. aeruginosa infections. Urgent measures, such as enhanced surveillance, infection control protocols, and antibiotic stewardship programs, are imperative to combat the emergence and spread of CRPA strains.
Risk Factors for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease among Patients Referred to Radiological Departments at Hail Hospitals, KSA
Authors: Hassan Mahasin
Published: September 2023

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) incidence and prevalence have increased globally. The gravity of this chronic disease comes from its ability to progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are rising rapidly. Genetic, demographic, environmental, and clinical factors are significant in the occurrence of NAFL. This study aimed to assess risk factors that affect the occurrence of NAFLD. Methods and Results: This cross-sectional study was carried out at hospitals in the Hail Region, KSA. It included 160 patients: 76 were considered as control (normal liver), and 84 suffered from fatty liver (according to a US image). Sonography was carried out using a US scanner with curvilinear transducers having a frequency of 3.5MHz. The following data were obtained: age, BMI, clinical history, including long-term medication of more than 3 months (oral antidiabetic medications, hormone replacement therapy for hyperthyroidism, and antihypertensive drug), T2D, viral hepatitis, liver span, lipidemia, metabolic disorders, and weight loss. The prevalence of NAFLD increases significantly among patients taking medications for a long time and T2D patients (P<0.001). Hepatomegaly is one of the most common physical examination findings of NAFLD (P<0.001). Conclusion: A periodic US examination is helpful because it can reveal fatty infiltration of the liver in the early stages to avoid fatal complications, especially for patients with long-term medication or T2D. Other studies with larger sample sizes and different known risk factors are needed to discover all risk factors for the KSA population.
Evaluation of Polymers as a Strategy to Reduce Asphaltene Adsorption on Rock Surface
Authors: Mohammed Isah , Al-Shehri Dhafer , Mahmoud Mohamed , Sultan Abdullah S. , Kamal Muhammad Shahzad , Alade Olalekan , Elsayed Mahmoud , Adebayo Abdulrauf R. , Patil Shirish
Published: September 2023

One of the most extensively studied flow assurance issues in the petroleum industry is the precipitation and deposition of asphaltenes. This is in part because of the molecular structure’s intricacy and the interconnected factors that influence and regulate its activity. The injection of inhibitors and dispersants, which affects the economics of crude oil production, is now the most successful strategy for preventing asphaltene problems. Throughout the crude oil supply chain, from the reservoir through the tubing and refinery systems, asphaltene is a concern. However, the area closest to the wellbore, where the highest pressure drop is seen, is the most prone to asphaltene adsorption and deposition. Thus, the goal of this study is to investigate the use of sacrificial fluids to reduce asphaltene adsorption and deposition around the wellbore. To prevent asphaltene from interacting with the rock surface and shifting the asphaltene problem into tubing, where its impact on wettability is low, polymers with functional capabilities are investigated.

The performance test (adsorption inhibition capacity), binding energy analysis, adsorption experiments (adsorption affinity, configuration, and mechanism), and fluid characterization (salinity tolerance, surface energy, and interfacial tension) of the selected novel fluids for asphaltene adsorption mitigation are presented. The investigation of ion-specific rock-fluid interactions offers great potential in the search for an effective answer to the asphaltene problem, according to the results. This was proved by the fluid levels of binding energy to carbonate rock samples and their capacity to prevent interactions between asphaltene molecules and the rock surface. These findings provide a fresh perspective on the creation of an economic strategy to deal with asphaltene issues and their effects. This study is the first to investigate a long-term fix for wettability changes caused by asphaltene adsorption on rock minerals. The findings revealed that an optimal concentration exists for the polymers under study, at which the asphaltene interaction is mitigated. More so, surface energy evaluation is observed to be a critical tool that can help to screen polymers for this application. Furthermore, the method of implementation, which could be either squeeze operation or continuous injection, is critical to the success of the remediation.
A Hybrid Analytical and Data-Driven Approach for Improved Prediction of Recovery Performance in Tight Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Moussa Tamer , Dehghanpour Hassan
Published: September 2023

The heterogeneity of tight reservoirs, along with their complex geologic characteristics and the diverse completion practices used, presents challenges in developing accurate models to forecast the productivity for multifractured horizontal wells (MFHWs) completed in these reservoirs. This paper introduces a new early-time diagnostic tool that leverages early-time two-phase flowback data to forecast long-term productivity and evaluate completion efficiency. To achieve this, two novel models were developed. The first model, the water/oil-ratio model (WORM), uses a hybrid analytical and data-driven approach to describe the observed log-linear relationship between water/oil ratio (WOR) and load recovery (amount of fracturing water produced back after hydraulic fracturing operations) as an analogy to the log-linear relationship between the water/oil relative permeability ratio and water saturation. Next, a neural network is used to couple WORM parameters with key petrophysical properties to analyze the impact of fracture and formation properties on WOR performance, predict WOR as a function of load recovery, forecast ultimate load recovery, and estimate effective fracture volume and initial water saturation in fracture. The second model, the cumulative oil production model (COPM), is a data-driven model that predicts oil production as a function of load recovery during the matrix-dominated flow regime.

The application of WORM and COPM on Niobrara and Codell formation wells showed that Codell wells generally exhibit better load recovery and larger effective fracture volume compared with Niobrara wells, but both formations exhibit similar oil recovery performance, indicating independent flow regimes within the effective fractures. The effective fracture volume estimated by WORM was validated against the estimated volume from recorded microseismic events. The results also showed that using the same completion practice to achieve a similar effective fracture volume in child wells does not necessarily lead to similar oil productivity. This paper introduces a holistic workflow that links early two-phase flowback data with well productivity and completion efficiency and is anticipated to aid petroleum engineers in optimizing hydraulic fracturing operations.
Pore-Scale Investigation of Decomposition-Methods-Dependent Fluid Flow Properties in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments
Authors: Bian Hang , Qin Xuwen , Wang Zhiyuan , Luo Wanjing , Lu Cheng , Zhou Yingfang
Published: September 2023

Depressurization (PD) and thermal stimulation (TS) are the primary methods for producing gas from natural gas hydrate (NGH) sediments. Fluid flow properties of the hydrate sediment, such as permeability, are fundamental parameters for simulating both processes. Most of the existing formulated permeability models are based on the numerical or experimental investigation of hydrate morphology evolution without considering the decomposition methods. In this study, we investigate the hydrate-decomposition-methods (PD and TS processes)-dependent fluid flow properties of hydrate sediments, which is achieved by microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) scanning of hydrate morphology evolution during PD- and TS-induced decomposition, as well as pore-scale modeling of fluid flow in the extracted 3D fluid-rock-hydrate images.

We find that the decomposition behavior during TS is much more complicated than that during PD. The retardation zone in the PD sample increases the heterogeneity of the pore structure, while the secondary hydrates generated during TS cause even more heterogeneity in the pore space. The better facilitation of the TS method on hydrate split is favorable for the continuity of the gas phase. The pore-scale fluid flow simulation shows that the modified Kozeny-Carman (K-C) model is the best to describe the evolution of the normalized permeability with hydrate saturation during PD. However, a single model is not sufficient to describe the normalized permeability during TS decomposition due to the stronger heterogeneous porous structure reformed by the local accumulation of secondary hydrates. The two-phase flow capability is best at the initial stage of PD decomposition, while the two-phase flow region becomes wider as TS decomposition progresses. These results provide significant references for the simulation of the natural hydrate extraction process using different decomposition methods.
Mechanisms of mRNA processing defects in inherited THOC6 intellectual disability syndrome
Authors: Werren Elizabeth , LaForce Geneva , Srivast Anshika , Perillo Delia , Johnson Katherine , Berger Brandon , Regan Samantha , Pfennig Christian , Baris Safa , de Munnik Sonja , Pfundt Rolph , Hebbar Malavika , Heredia Raul Jimenez , Karakoc-Aydiner Elif , Ozen Ahmet , Dmytrus Jasmin , Krolo Ana , Corning Ken , Prijoles Eloise , Louie Raymond , Lebel Robert , Le Thuy-Linh , Amiel Jeanne , Gordon Christopher , Boztug Kaan , Girisha Katta , Shukla Anju , Bielas Stephanie , Schaffer Ashleigh
Published: September 2023

THOC6 is the genetic basis of autosomal recessive THOC6 Intellectual Disability Syndrome (TIDS). THOC6 facilitates the formation of the Transcription Export complex (TREX) tetramer, composed of four THO monomers. The TREX tetramer supports mammalian mRNA processing that is distinct from yeast TREX dimer functions. Human and mouse TIDS model systems allow novel THOC6-dependent TREX tetramer functions to be investigated. Biallelic loss-of-functon(LOF) THOC6 variants do not influence the expression and localization of TREX members in human cells, but our data suggests reduced binding affinity of ALYREF. Impairment of TREX nuclear export functions were not detected in cells with biallelic THOC6 LOF. Instead, mRNA mis-splicing was observed in human and mouse neural tissue, revealing novel insights into THOC6-mediated TREX coordination of mRNA processing. We demonstrate that THOC6 is required for regulation of key signaling pathways in human corticogenesis that dictate the transition from proliferative to neurogenic divisions that may inform TIDS neuropathology.
The Gradual Impact of Sanctioning Cartels on Market Competition: Evidence from the Colombian Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Pelaez Sergio , Gutiérrez Juan David
Published: September 2023

This paper investigates how fines on hard-core cartels affect market competition in Colombia. We use data from the national department of statistics and the competition agency, which covers 10,316 firms in the manufacturing sector from 2012 to 2020 and a panel of 67,671 observations. We measure market competition by the complement of the Lerner index and an indicator variable to account for the variation in the timing and sectors of the fines. We apply a difference-in-differences (DID) approach with multiple periods based on Callaway and Sant’Anna (2021) and perform robustness tests with Gardner (2021) and by incorporating anticipation effects. Our results show that the fines had a positive and gradual impact on market competition, implying that they deterred cartel behavior but also that some tacit collusion and price inertia persisted over time.
JEL codes: K21 - Antitrust Law, L41 - Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices, L60 - Industry Studies: Manufacturing, C23 - Panel Data Models; Spatio-temporal Models, D22 - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
DEAr – Differential Expression Analyzer
Authors: Karpenko Dmitriy
Published: September 2023

Genes expressions are key features of cells and tissues studied in laboratories and clinics. Before analyzing expression data, normalization must be performed. Normalization methods can be generalized to the idea of forming a baseline from a subset of stable genes and then representing gene expressions as differences from this baseline. There are solutions available to help verify that the genes provided are stable enough to be used as a reference. Such a strategy works for high-throughput sequencing, but in cases of real-time PCR we have to work with a limited number of genes and especially when we compare with data from previous experiments. In such cases, we may struggle to find genes that are stable for the required cells and conditions. Here I present a program that simultaneously checks expressions of all genes in the data set and selects the most stable as a baseline for the less stable. The Differential Expression Analyzer (DEAr) assigns weights to all values depending on accuracy of direct measurements and reproducibility of differential expressions in the dataset, at the same time the program utilizes external knowledge about stability or instability of genes in considered materials and contributes it to weights as well. The important improvement is that the original algorithm allows individual weight to be assigned to each gene expression value for each sample to perform normalization. It allows DEAr to work without input for possible missing values. The algorithm is based on recursive computations that are described in detail in the article. DEAr is packaged in an executable file for the OS Windows. DEAr accepts and returns data in Excel format, so no programming skills are required for fast, automated analysis of differential expression.
YOLOv7-GX-based defect detection for PV panels
Authors: WANG Yin , ZHAO Jingyong , Yihua YAN , Zhicheng ZHAO , Xiao HU
Published: September 2023

In the operation and maintenance of solar photovoltaic panels, maintenance issues are one of the important factors that limit their performance and lifetime. In this paper, an optimization algorithm based on YOLOv7-GX for PV panel defect detection is proposed for the problem of multi-fault identification of PV panel images. First, a detection layer dedicated to detecting tiny targets is designed, and a prior frame suitable for the dataset of this paper is generated using k-means and genetic algorithms to improve the detection performance of very small targets and reduce the false detection rate. Second, a custom 1x1 convolutional block with GAM(Global Attention Mechanism) attention mechanism is proposed to enhance the perceptual and expressive capabilities of the model while avoiding increasing the complexity of the network structure. Then, the XIOU loss function is adopted to replace the original
CIOU(Complete-IOU) loss function to enhance the robustness and convergence speed of the model. Finally, during the training process, different weights are assigned to different images and categories to solve the problem of unbalanced sample distribution, so as to achieve balanced training. Experiments show that the highest mAP of the improved method reaches 93.4% better than other existing models.
New record of mayflies (Ephemeroptera, Insecta) from Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil.
Authors: Mugnai Riccardo , Silva Lucas Aragão da , Salles Frederico Falcão
Published: September 2023

The State of Maranhão, located in northeastern Brazil, has a great biodiversity due to the complex of biomes that constitutes its territory. Due to the paucity of research in the area, there are gaps in knowledge of the local fauna. This work aims to contribute to the knowledge of the order Ephemeroptera. Two species of Baetidae, Callibaetis nigracyclus Cruz, Salles & Hamada, 2014 and Cloeodes auwe Salles et al., 2004, and one species of Leptophlebiidae, Hermanella mazama (Nascimento, Mariano and Salles, 2012) are here registered from the State. It is noteworthy that the genus Cloeodes Traver 1938 and Hermanella Needham & Murphy, 1924, still do not have records from the State and it is also worth mentioning that all new records represent an important geographic extension.
Meta-Phill: feasibility of a new metadata repository for Evidence-based practice in literature review
Authors: Hatami Naser , Zarenezhad Mohammad , Javdani Farshid , Keshavarz Pouyan , Kalani Navid , Sadeghinikoo Alireza , Ghaedi Mojtaba , Nobari Minou Najar , Feily Amir , Hashemi Seyed Abbas , Babou Ali , Hafezi Vida , Shafiei Amin , Bagheri Fateme , Safarabadi Sara
Published: September 2023

Meta-Phill is a systematic review and meta-analysis-friendly search engine for peer-reviewed articles. The metadata is based on the PICO (Population/problem, Intervention/exposure, Comparison, and Outcome) components that are crucial for the evidence-based literature review. As the preexisting literature is so large, we utilized a tuned Python engine with natural language processing methods of OpenAI API interference with human supervision to record the metadata of those articles. Results are getting saved to a repository every day with a current speed of an average of 1.43 seconds and 0.0045$ per automated entry. The provided dataset could be supplemented to the search strategy of researchers for filtering studies and finding those with similar PICO characteristics that are most suitable for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We used R-based analytics of text to process and analyze the dataset for hierarchical clustering studies. Preexisting literature is being recorded by AI; while future research would be submitted by humans for journals included in Meta-Phill.
A novel variant of KCNQ1 gene and pathogenicity prediction in a family with long QT syndrome type 1
Authors: Song Jian , Zheng Gaoyan , Chu Guoming
Published: September 2023

A novel heterozygous missense variant of KCNQ1 was identified in a family exhibiting LQTS with complete penetrance and its pathogenicity was predicted through multiple prediction software programs and 3D model analysis. The pathogenicity of the variant was predicted for its effect on a 3D model of KCNQ1, and in-depth functional analysis was performed for mechanistic speculation. We demonstrated that this variant, which is located in the conserved hot spot domain, was evaluated as likely pathogenic. In silico prediction indicated that the variation was involved in the process of channel closing/opening. This study reports a novel variation in KCNQ1, provides supportive evidence for pathogenicity prediction and enhances variant interpretation for patients with LQTS.
The TP53-activated E3 ligase RNF144B is a tumour suppressor that prevents genomic instability
Authors: Abad Etna , Sandoz Jeremy , Romero Gerard , Urgel-Solas Julia , Borredat Pablo , Kourtis Savvas , Ortet Laura , Martínez Carlos , Weghorn Donate , Sdelci Sara , Janic Ana
Published: September 2023

The tumor suppressor protein TP53 regulates a vast transcriptional program that serves protective mechanisms against cancer development. However, the complexity of this program makes it difficult to unravel the role of each of its targets in TP53-mediated tumour suppression. ​​Knockdown of RNF144B, a E3-ubiquitin ligase transcriptionally regulated by TP53, enhanced the rate of tumour development and severity of malignant disease in the context of murine c-MYC-driven lymphomagenesis. Here we asked whether RNF144B has an impact on tumor suppression beyond the hematopoietic compartment. Integrative transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics and functional analysis of human and mouse oncogene-expressing cells with TP53 wild-type revealed a role for RNF144B in coordinating cellular proliferation and transformation, DNA repair and genome stability. Moreover, we show that in the context of lung adenocarcinomas, RNF144B deficiency leads to resistance to cytotoxic drugs that induce DNA damage and chromosomal instability, and that patients have a worse disease-survival overall. Supported by clinical data, our study suggests that RNF144B governs genomic stability during transformation suppression, which could explain its inactivation in human cancers.
Assessing Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Traditional Medicine Utilization Among Pregnant Women in Namwendwa Health Center IV, Kamuli District
Authors: Khaitsa Susan , Drazidio Judith , Agnes Agwang
Published: September 2023

Background:In Uganda, there is a great tendency for majority of women to utilize traditional therapies at each stage of pregnancy and only resort to the health services if absolutely required. This study Assessed the Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Traditional Medicine Utilization among Pregnant Women in Namwendwa, Health Center IV, Kamuli District.Methods:health facility based cross sectional study design was employed. Only quantitative data collection approach was used. Frequency distribution was used to describe the characteristics of the respondents with variables studied. Chi-square test was used to asses level of association between utilization of traditional medicine and independent variable while binary logistics regression model was fitted to determine influence of categorical predictor variables on utilization of maternal health services and the results were reported using odds ratio at 95% level of confidence.Results:419 respondents participated in the study,69.21% had utilized traditional medicine during pregnancy. The factors found associated with utilization of maternal services included; monthly earnings less than 100,000 shillings and those 100,000 shillings (OR=2.379;95%CI:1.065 to 5.314; p=0.034) and (OR=2.614;95%CI:1.102 to 6.199; p=0.029). Initiation of traditional medicine at five to eight months (OR=2.298;95%CI:1.273 to 4.151; p=0.006). Awareness of any medicine taken during pregnancy (OR=1.847;95%CI:1.097 to 3.112; p=0.021). gestational age of initiating utilization of traditional medicine (0.05), duration of use of local herbs (p=0.004). cultural acceptance of use of traditional medicine, history of sickness during pregnancy, and knowledge about of dangers of using traditional medicine.Conclusion:the utilization of traditional medicine among pregnant women in this study was (69.21%). Cultural beliefs, low monthly income, history of sickness during pregnancy were the factors that influenced uptake of traditional medicine among pregnant women.Recommendation:The health care workers need stakeholder engagement such as religious and cultural leaders to emphasis on the importance of taking modern medicine during pregnancy to the community. The pregnant mothers need to initiate antenatal care attendance within first trimester so that they can be informed about medicines to be taken in pregnancy.
Efficacy of photodynamic therapy on candida colonization and clinical symptoms in denture stomatitis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Al-Maweri Sadeq A. , Alhajj Mohammed Nasser , Anweigi Lamyia , Ashraf Sajna , Halboub Esam , Salleh Nosizana Mohd , Alanazi Rawan H. , Nassani Mohammad Zakaria , Noushad Mohammed , Al-Khabuli Jumma O. , Shamala Anas
Published: September 2023

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently been proposed as a promising therapeutic option for Denture Stomatitis (DS). This updated systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the current evidence regarding the efficacy of PDT for DS.
Materials and methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest were searched up to June 7, 2023. All relevant clinical trials were included. RevMan software was used for meta-analysis.
Results: Elven randomized clinical trials (460 DS patients) were included. Eight studies assessed the efficacy of PDT vs. topical antifungal, while three studies assessed the adjunctive use of PDT (PDT+antifungal therapy) vs. topical antifungal therapy alone. The results revealed insignificant less efficacy of PDT in comparison to topical antifungal therapy on candida colonization at 15 days (MD: 0.95, 95% CI: -0.28, 2.19, p = 0.13), but comparable results at the end of follow-up (MD: -0.17, 95% CI: -1.33, 0.98, p = 0.77). The pooled two studies revealed relative better efficacy of adjunctive use of PDT with antifungal therapy on candida colonization compared to antifungal therapy alone at 15 days (MD: -6.67, 95% CI: -15.15, 1.82, p = 0.12), and at the end of follow-up (MD: -7.14, 95% CI: -19.78, 5.50, p = 0.27). Additionally, the results revealed comparable efficacy of PDT and topical antifungal therapy in improvement of the clinical signs.
Conclusions: PDT might be a viable option for DS as an adjunct or an alternative to the topical antifungal medications. Further studies with large sample sizes and standardized PDT parameters are warranted.
DNA damage repair factor TOP1 induces tumor-promoting inflammation and PD-L1 production via a cGAS-dependent manner during cervical cancer development
Authors: Hong Shiyuan , Luo Ying , Niu Mengda , Liu Yanfei , Zhang Miaochang , Deng Yuanyuan , Mu Dan , Xu Junfen
Published: September 2023

Cervical carcinogenesis is regulated by DNA damage repair (DDR) and inflammation. The DDR protein topoisomerase I (TOP1) has been implicated in various cancers due to its role in regulating genome stability. Recent studies have revealed that TOP1 regulates the anti-inflammatory response and TOP1 inhibition protects cells from COVID-19-induced death. However, the specific functions and mechanisms of TOP1 in cervical cancer (CC) remain unclear. Here, our research highlights the crucial role of TOP1 in the regulation of cervical tumorigenesis. TOP1 is highly expressed in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and CC tissues, which is negatively correlated with the prognosis of CC patients. Inhibiting TOP1 suppresses CC cell growth and impairs DNA repair both in vitro and in vivo. To trigger CC development, TOP1 promotes tumor-promoting inflammation and increases production of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-dependent manner. Human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoproteins E6 and E7 significantly upregulate TOP1 and facilitate activation of the cGAS-PD-L1 pathway. Our research demonstrates that TOP1 serves as a DNA repair factor, induces expression of tumor-promoting inflammatory genes and activates the non-canonical cGAS-PD-L1 pathway to promote CC development. Therefore, targeting TOP1-mediated cGAS-PD-L1 pathway could be a promising therapeutic strategy for CC.
Effects of FTY720 activation of PI3K signaling pathway to induce autophagy on proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells
Authors: Ling Qianlong , Zhu Bing , Guan Jiajia , Ji Kai , Zhao Xiangyang
Published: September 2023

Background
Fingolimod (FTY720), a synthetic analogue of myriocon, has been the subject of numerous studies investigating its antitumor activity. Autophagy, a distinctive cellular process in eukaryotic cells, has been extensively explored in cancer metastasis research.The mechanisms by which FTY720 regulates autophagy in gastric cancer are still not clear.Therefore, exploring the relationship between FTY720 and autophagy regulation will help provide a new perspective for GC treatment.
Methods
We are using gene database analysis to investigate the impact of FTY720 on tumor progression. We aim to elucidate the effects of FTY720 on the biological behavior of gastric cancer cells SGC-7901 and HGC-27 in vitro, particularly focusing on the regulation of autophagy, as well as its influence on tumor growth in vivo. We will integrate histological and molecular methods to assess the biological behavior and explore the molecular mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo.
Results
Based on the database used in this investigation, it was discovered that FTY720 might inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells via inducing autophagy.FTY720 functions as a regulatory factor to promote autophagy expression, prevent GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in culture, and slow the formation of tumors in vivo.Experiments using the autophagy inhibitor (HCQ) revealed that FTY720's regulatory inhibition was dramatically reduced.Additionally, we showed that FTY720 significantly boosted PI3K phosphorylation levels although its total protein levels in GC cell lines did not alter appreciably.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our study demonstrated that FTY720 activates the PI3K pathway to cause autophagy, limit GC cell migration and invasion, and induce autophagy. It also suggested that FTY720 signaling molecules may be used as prospective GC therapeutic targets.
Predictive Value of Haemoglobin to Creatinine Ratio for Contrast Induced Nephropathy
Authors: Bhavsar Nimai , Panot Jayesh , Jain Vatsal , Ghanghurde Swati , Phad Mahesh , Rojekar Mohit
Published: September 2023

Background
Hemoglobin and creatinine levels are important factors for contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) development. Our aim in this study is to investigate the predictive value of Hemoglobin to Creatinine ratio (HCR) for CIN development in patients undergoing investigations using contrast media.
Methods
A total of 97 patients who underwent contrast requiring radiological investigations were evaluated prospectively in terms of CIN. HCR was calculated as baseline Hemoglobin/baseline serum creatinine value. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated with the Cockcroft-Gault formula. All the measured parameters were compared and analysed to calculate the HCR.
Results
CIN was detected in 6.19% (6 out of 97) patients. In receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis; AUC = 0.96 for Hemoglobin to creatinine ratio, p < 0.001, AUC for HB1 = 0.982 p < 0.001. The cutoff value of HCR was ≤ 7.91 and the cutoff value of HB1 was ≤ 8.8 g/dL for the development of CIN.
Conclusions
Hemoglobin to creatinine (HCR) ratio, HB1 and contrast amount used are significant predictors for CIN development in patients.
Elevated serum B-cell activator factor levels predict rapid progressive interstitial lung disease in anti-melanoma differentiation associated protein 5 antibody positive dermatomyositis
Authors: Shi Yumeng , You Hanxiao , Liu Chang , Qiu Yulu , Lv Chengyin , Zhu Yujing , Xu Lingxiao , Wang Fang , Zhang Miaojia , Tan Wenfeng
Published: September 2023

Background
Rapid progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) is the leading cause of anti-melanoma differentiation associated protein 5 antibody positive dermatomyositis (anti-MDA5+DM) related death. Elevated serum B-cell activating factor (BAFF) levels have been implicated in connective tissue diseases associated ILD. Here, we evaluate whether BAFF could be a prognostic biomarker for predicting RP-ILD in anti-MDA5+DM patients.
Methods
Serums were collected from 39 patients with anti-MDA5+DM (20 with RP-ILD and 19 with non-RP-ILD), 20 antisynthase syndrome (ASS) patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). BAFF concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
Serum BAFF level was higher in anti-MDA5+DM patients than those in ASS patients and HC (3882.32 ± 1880.09 vs. 2540.89 ± 1403.04 and 2486.28 ± 767.97 pg/mL, p = 0.0056 and 0.0038, respectively). Within anti-MDA5+DM groups, RP-ILD patients exhibited higher BAFF concentration than non-RP-ILD group (4549.78 ± 1839.97 vs. 3297.28 ± 1794.69 pg/mL, p = 0.04). The BAFF concentration was positively correlated with levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), dehydrogenase (LDH) and cytokeratin (CK) in anti-MDA5+DM patients (r = 0.350, p = 0.035; r = 0.393, p = 0.016; r = 0.518, p = 0.001; respectively). The best cut-off value of BAFF concentration was 2971.5 pg/mL by ROC curve (AUC area = 0.690, p = 0.045) and BAFF > 2971.5 pg/mL was an independent risk factor for RP-ILD using multivariate analysis (OR = 9.389, 95% CI = 1.609 - 54.769; p = 0.013).
Conclusions
Serum BAFF could be a useful prognostic biomarker for early detecting RP-ILD risk in anti-MDA5+DM patients.
Classification of Bruxism Based on Time- frequency and Nonlinear Features of single channel EEG
Authors: wang chunwu , Verma Ajay K. , Guragain Bijay , Xiong Xin , Liu Chunling
Published: September 2023

Background In the classification of Bruxism patients based on electroencephalogram (EEG), feature extraction is essential. The method of using multi-channel EEG and fusing electrocardiogram (ECG) and Electromyography (EMG) signal features has been proved to have good performance in Bruxism classification, but the classification performance based on single channel EEG signal is still unsatisfactory.
Methods Extract time-domain, frequency-domain and nonlinear features based on single channel EEG signal to improve the classification performance of Bruxism. Five common bipolar EEG recordings from 2 bruxism patients and 4 healthy controls during REM sleep were analyzed. The time domain (mean, standard deviation, root mean squared value), frequency domain (absolute, relative and ratios power spectral density (PSD)), and non-linear features include (sample entropy) of different EEG frequency bands were extracted from five channels of participant. Fine tree algorithm was trained and tested for classifying sleep bruxism and healthy controls using five-fold cross-validation.
Results Our results suggest that the C4P4 EEG channel was found to be most useful for classification of sleep bruxism and yielded 95.59% sensitivity, 98.44% specificity, 97.84% accuracy, and 94.20% positive predictive value (PPV).
Conclusions Our research has proved that the proposed features are effective, further demonstrating the feasibility of using only one EEG channel to classify sleep Bruxism, and providing experimental basis for developing a portable automatic sleep Bruxism detection system.
Decoding Complex Inherited Phenotypes in Rare Disorders: The DECIPHERD initiative for rare undiagnosed diseases in Chile.
Authors: Repetto Gabriela , Poli Cecilia , Rebolledo-Jaramillo Boris , Lagos Catalina , Orellana Joan , Moreno Gabriela , Martin Luz M , Encina Gonzalo , Böhme Daniela , Faundes Victor , Zavala M Jesús , Hasbún Trinidad , Fischer Sara , Brito Florencia , Araya Diego , Lira Manuel , Cruz Javiera de la , Astudillo Camila , Lay-Son Guillermo , Cares Carolina , Aracena Mariana , Martin Esteban San , Coban-Akdemir Zeynep , Posey Jennifer , Lupski James
Published: September 2023

Rare diseases affect millions of people worldwide, and most have a genetic etiology. The incorporation of next-generation sequencing into clinical settings, particularly exome and genome sequencing, has resulted in an unprecedented improvement in diagnosis and discovery in the past decade. Nevertheless, these tools are unavailable in many countries, increasing health care gaps between high- and low-and-middle-income countries and prolonging the “diagnostic odyssey” for patients. To advance genomic diagnoses in a setting of limited genomic resources, we developed DECIPHERD, an undiagnosed diseases program in Chile. DECIPHERD was implemented in two phases: training and local development. The training phase relied on international collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, and the local development was structured as a hybrid model, where clinical and bioinformatics analysis were performed in-house and sequencing outsourced abroad, due to lack of high-throughput equipment in Chile. We describe the implementation process and findings of the first 103 patients. They had heterogeneous phenotypes, including congenital anomalies, intellectual disabilities and/or immune system dysfunction. Patients underwent clinical exome or research exome sequencing, as solo cases or with parents using a trio design. We identified pathogenic, likely pathogenic or variants of unknown significance in genes related to the patients´ phenotypes in 48 (46.6%) of them. Half were de novo informative variants, and half of the identified variants have not been previously reported in public databases. DECIPHERD ended the diagnostic odyssey for many participants. This hybrid strategy may be useful for settings of similarly limited genomic resources and lead to discoveries in understudied populations.
Landslide susceptibility mapping based on the deformation intensity
Authors: Jin Bijing , Zeng Taorui , Yin Kunlong , Gui Lei , Guo Zizheng , Wang Tengfei
Published: September 2023

Affected by the human engineering activities and extreme climate change, landslide disasters develop frequently in the channel of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. The framework related to the extension of dynamic susceptibility modeling has largely not been explored. This work considered the Wanzhou channel of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area as the experimental site, which a transportation channel with significant economic value to carry out innovative research in two stages: (i) five machine learning models logistic regression (LR), multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and decision tree (DT) were used to explore landslide susceptibility distribution based on detailed landslide boundaries; (ii) The PS-InSAR-based intensify factor was generated by the Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) technology. Then the intensify factor was combined with the proposed static factors and machine learning models to generate enhanced landslide susceptibility mapping (ELSM). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was proposed as the evaluation indicator. Dynamic landslide susceptibility mapping has improved model accuracy, especially with DT models achieving 2% enhancement and the highest AUC value of 93.1%. The susceptibility results of introducing intensify factor are more in line with the spatial distribution of actual landslides. The research framework proposed in this study has important reference significance for the dynamic management and prevention of landslide disasters in the study area.
Study on Carbon Emission Reduction Countermeasures Based on Carbon Emission Influencing Factors and Trends
Authors: Xinfa Tang , Shuai Liu , Yonghua Wang , Youwei Wan
Published: September 2023

In order to promote the achievement of the dual-carbon goal, this paper proposes an extended STIRPAT model and a PSO-BP neural network prediction model to analyze and predict the factors influencing carbon emissions and future carbon emissions. To address the multicollinearity problem, the STIRPAT model was validated using ridge regression, and the BP neural network was optimized using the particle swarm algorithm (PSO) to improve the prediction accuracy of the model. Taking the metal smelting industry in China as the research object, the results show that the influencing factors of carbon emission in the metal smelting industry are, in descending order, population size, energy structure, urbanization rate, intensity of energy consumption, added value of the secondary industry, and per capita GDP. In the future, the carbon emission of the metal smelting industry in China will keep the downward trend of the industry year by year, and the adjustment of the energy structure is the key to the achievement of carbon emission reduction in this industry. Finally, a series of countermeasures are proposed to reduce carbon emissions in the metal smelting industry with regard to the influencing factors and trends of carbon emissions.
Inter-linkages between in-stream plant diversity and macroinvertebrate communities
Authors: Baattrup-Pedersen Annette , Friis Klaus Bertram , Larsen Søren , Friberg Nikolai , Riis Tenna
Published: September 2023

Evidence of freshwater biodiversity decline, species extinction and severe alterations in the biological structure and function of freshwater ecosystems is accumulating. Here we explore the role of macrophyte diversity in lowland streams for the abundance, taxon richness and composition of macroinvertebrate communities including also the abundance of different functional feeding groups. We applied a controlled in situ experiment in four small lowland stream reaches situated in rural landscapes in Denmark. We were able to explain a major fraction of variability in the macroinvertebrate communities by differences in total macrophyte surface areas among treatments, but the number of macrophyte species in the experimental treatment also played a highly significant role (i.e. one, two or three plant species) for both the abundance, richness and composition of the macroinvertebrate community. We strongly encourage managers to protect plant diversity in streams, not only because the plants in themselves constitute an important part of the biodiversity, but also because they positively affect the macroinvertebrate community. Moreover, macrophyte-friendly management can be seen as a nature-based solution to mitigate the degraded physical conditions characterising many streams in agricultural catchments.
The impact of non-urgent visits on Emergency Department’s waiting time in Saudi Arabia general hospitals’ main regions: an observation study
Authors: Althumairi Arwa , AlYousif Zainab Adnan , Alumran Arwa
Published: September 2023

Background:
Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a serious issue worldwide. It is associated with longer waiting times for patients, which can have negative consequences for patient care. Non-urgent cases that are seen in the ED can often be treated in alternative primary health settings. This study aimed to assess the relationship between non-urgent patients' Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) scores and waiting times for urgent patients.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional, retrospective observational study using secondary data. Data were presented as frequencies and means. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to assess the relationship between waiting times and level of cases' urgency.
Results:
A total of 136,668 ED visits were included in the study from three regions. The percentage of non-urgent cases ranged from 40% to 51%, which exceeded national and international acceptable levels. There was a significant difference between mean waiting times for urgent cases and non-urgent cases for the four key performance indicators (KPIs): door-to-doctor, doctor-to-decision, decision-to-disposition, and door-to-disposition (percentage of patients seen within 4 hours).
Conclusion:
The availability of non-urgent cases prolonged waiting times for urgent cases. Further measures need to be adopted to reduce waiting times and assess patient and visit characteristics for non-urgent cases.
Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activities for hemophilia A patients during low-dose pharmacokinetic-guided extended half-life factor VIII prophylaxis
Authors: Srichumpu Chonlatis , Rakmanotham Arunothai , Moonla Chatphatai , Sosothikul Darintr
Published: September 2023

Background
Low-dose pharmacokinetic (PK)-guided extended half-life (EHL) factor VIII (FVIII) prophylaxis can reduce the bleeding risk in hemophilia A (HA) patients. An increase in physical activities for promoting musculoskeletal health may enhance the benefits of prophylactic therapy.
Objectives
To determine the clinical impact of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activities in HA patients during low-dose PK-guided EHL FVIII prophylaxis.
Patients/Methods:
This prospective study enrolled patients with moderate/severe HA (a baseline FVIII level ≤ 5 IU/dL) who received low-dose PK-guided EHL FVIII prophylaxis for ≥ 6 months. An individualized exercise protocol was introduced to each participant, targeting a 65% increase in the maximum predicted heart rate for ≥ 150 minutes/week, while continuing EHL FVIII prophylaxis for 6 months. Before and after implementing the intervention, annualized bleeding rates (ABR), annualized joint bleeding rates (AJBR), Hemophilia Joint Health Scores (HJHS), skeletal muscle mass, hemophilia-specific quality-of-life (QoL) scores and annualized FVIII consumption were compared.
Results
Of 13 participants (mean age ± standard deviation [SD]: 20.1 ± 6.8 years), ABR, AJBR, and HJHS were significantly reduced (mean differences [MD] ± SD: -5.7 ± 2.6 bleeds/year, -4.2 ± 2.6 joint bleeds/year, and − 4.3 ± 9.7 marks, respectively; P < 0.05) after applying the 6-month exercise protocol. Skeletal muscle mass (P < 0.05) and QoL (P < 0.001) had also improved, while FVIII usage had decreased (MD ± SD: -129.1 ± 419.2 IU/kg/year; P < 0.05).
Conclusions
The combination of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activities with low-dose PK-guided EHL FVIII prophylaxis improves bleeding prevention, musculoskeletal status and QoL in patients with moderate/severe HA. By minimizing FVIII consumption, this strategy helps optimize hemophilia care in countries with budget constraints. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05728528.