bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical effect of modified anterolateral acromioarthroplasty during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
Authors: Zhou Yongwei , He Shan , Kang Jiayu , Yang Qining
Published: August 2023

Background: To compare the clinical effect of modified anterolateral acromioplasty and traditional acromioplasty in arthroscopicrotator cuff repair.
Methods: The clinical data of 92 patients with total rotator cuff tears admitted to the Department of Joint Surgery of Jinhua Central Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them,42 patients underwent traditional acromioplasty during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and 50 patients underwent modified anterolateral acromioplasty. Patients were evaluated for preoperative and postoperative shoulder function, pain and critical shoulder angle, and incidence of rotator cuff retear at 12 months postoperatively.
Results: There was no statistical difference between the preoperative general data of the patients in the traditional acromioplasty and modified anterolateral acromioplasty groups (P>0.05), and they were comparable. The UCLA score, ASES score and Constant score of the shoulder joint in both groups were significantly improved and the VAS score was significantly decreased compared with those before surgery at 12 months after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (P≤0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in shoulder function and pain scores between the two groups at 12 months postoperatively (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in CSA between the preoperative and postoperative 12 months in the traditional acromioplasty group (P>0.05), and the postoperative 12 months CSA in the modified anterolateral acromioplasty group was significantly smaller than the preoperative CSA, with a statistically significant difference (P≤0.05). At 12 months postoperatively, the rates of rotator cuff retears were 16.67% (7/42) and 4% (2/50) in the two groups, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P≤0.05).
Conclusions: Both traditional acromioplasty and modified anterolateral acromioplasty performed during the treatment of total rotator cuff tears using arthroscopic rotator cuff repair significantly improved the function of the shoulder joint in patients, but modified anterolateral acromioplasty significantly reduced the CSA value and decreased the incidence of rotator cuff retears.
Low physical activity and depression are the prominent predictive factors for falling in older adults: the Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS)
Authors: Mortazavi Sara , Delbari* Ahmad , Vahedi Mohsen , Fadayevatan Reza , Moodi Mitra , Fakhrzadeh Hossein , Khorashadizadeh Masoumeh , Sobhani Ameneh , Payab Moloud , Ebrahimpur Mahbube , Ejtahed Hanieh-Sadat , Sharifi Farshad*
Published: August 2023

Background
Falling in the elderly has many irreparable consequences, including hospitalization to long-term care centers and loss of independence, depression and social isolation, financial burden, and death. The present study was conducted to estimate the incidence of falls and their associated factors among community-dwelling older adults.
Methods
This program is a population-based prospective cohort study (≥ 60 years) in Birjand City from 2019–2020. A total of 1418 participants were included in the study, and 1344 participants were analyzed according to the inclusion criteria. Thirty-nine risk factors were evaluated. Basic information included demographic information, lifestyle factors, general health and medical history, and mental and functional health.
Result
The incidence of falls among community-dwelling older adults in the previous approximately 24 months in the present study was 9.26% in women and 2.65% in men. In the multiple Cox proportional regression model based on fall risk factors, there was a strong significant relationship between male sex (HR = 0.37, CI = 0.21 to 0.64), being physically active (HR = 0.59, CI = 0.36 to 0.96), moderate-to-severe depression (HR = 2.97, CI = 1.47 to 6.01), severe depression (HR = 3.26, CI = 1.24 to 8.54), and high risk of falls according to the TUG test (HR = 1.73, CI = 1.10 to 2.72).
Conclusions
Inactivity and depression were recognized as important factors in falls in elderly individuals. It is recommended for elderly individuals to have an active lifestyle to prevent falls and to prioritize the diagnosis and treatment of depression in elderly individuals. Women as a group at higher risk should be considered in prevention programs. In addition, the use of the TUG test to identify high-risk elderly individuals should be considered.
WITHDRAWN: Melatonin ameliorates RF-EMR-induced oxidative damage in mouse testis by inhibiting ferroptosis through Nrf2 pathway activation
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Dong Jie , Xu Qian , Su Danjie , Yan Song , Lei Hui , Yu Haikun , Ma Xuhui , Li Zhen , Wang Xiaohong
Published: August 2023

Background
In recent years, there has been increased examination of the harmful impacts of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on male reproductive ability, making it critical to explore effective protective measures. Melatonin has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects, and there is growing evidence that melatonin is beneficial to the reproductive process. The understanding of melatonin's biochemical mechanisms in safeguarding against testicular damage from RF-EMR exposure is limited.
Results
During the present investigation, it was observed that prolonged (8 weeks) exposure to RF-EMR [2.0 GHz; power density, 2.5 W/m2; systemic specific absorption rate (SAR), 0.125-0.5 W/kg] may lead to decreased testosterone and melatonin concentrations in the serum, reduced sperm quality, increased apoptosis levels, and elevated oxidative stress in male mice. Notably, the administration of melatonin (at a dosage of 10 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection) mitigated the oxidative harm to the testicles and ferroptosis caused by RF-EMR in mice. Mechanistically, melatonin may inhibit ROS production and ferroptosis by stimulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway through its receptors (MT1/MT2).
Conclusion
Taken together, these results indicate that melatonin could potentially improve oxidative harm caused by RF-EMR in the testes of mice by blocking ferroptosis through the activation of the Nrf2 pathway via MT1/MT2 receptors.
Estimation of the transpulmonary pressure from the central venous pressure in mechanically ventilated patients
Authors: Franchi Federico , Detti Emanuele , Fogagnolo Alberto , Spadaro Savino , Cevenini Gabriele , Cataldo Gennaro , Addabbo Tommaso , Biuzzi Cesare , Marianello Daniele , Volta Carlo Alberto , Taccone Fabio Silvio , Scolletta Sabino
Published: August 2023

Purpose: Transpulmonary pressure (PL) calculation requires esophageal pressure (PES) as a surrogate of pleural pressure (Ppl), but its calibration is a cumbersome technique. Central venous pressure (CVP) swings may reflect tidal variations in Ppl and could be used instead of PES, but the interpretation of CVP waveforms could be difficult due to superposition of heartbeat-induced pressure changes. Thus, we developed a digital filter able to remove the cardiac noise to obtain a filtered CVP (f-CVP).
The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of CVP and filtered CVP swings (ΔCVP and Δf-CVP, respectively) in estimating esophageal respiratory swings (ΔPES) and compare PL calculated with CVP, f-CVP and PES; then we tested the diagnostic accuracy of the f-CVP method to identify unsafe high PL levels.
Methods: Twenty patients with acute respiratory failure (defined as PO2/FiO2 ratio below 200 mmHg) treated with invasive mechanical ventilation and monitored with esophageal balloon and central venous catheter were enrolled prospectively. For each patient a recording session at baseline was performed, repeated if a modification in ventilatory settings occurred. PES, CVP and airway pressure during an end-inspiratory and -expiratory pause were simultaneously recorded; CVP, f-CVP and PES waveforms were analyzed off-line and used to calculate transpulmonary pressure (PLCVP, PLf-CVP, PLPES, respectively).
Results: Δf-CVP correlated better than ΔCVP with ΔPES (r=0.8, p=0.001 vs r=0.08, p=0.73), with a lower bias in Bland Altman analysis (mean bias -0.16, LoA -1.31, 0.98 cmH2O vs mean bias -0.79, LoA -3.14, 1.55 cmH2O). Both PLf-CVP and PLCVP correlated well with PLPES (r=0.98, p<0.001 vs r=0.94, p<0.001), again with a lower bias in Bland Altman analysis (0.15, LoA – 0.95, 1.26 cmH2O vs 0.80, LoA – 1.51, 3.12, cmH2O). PLf-CVP discriminated high PL value with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.99 (standard deviation, SD, 0.02) (AUC difference= 0.01 [-0.024; 0.05], p= 0.48).
Conclusions: In mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure, Δf-CVP estimated ΔPES and PL obtained from digital filtered CVP represented a reliable value of standard PL measured with the esophageal method and could identify patients with non-protective ventilation settings.
Analysis of transient and intermittent flows using a multidimensional empirical mode decomposition
Authors: Souza Lucas F. , Miotto Renato F. , Wolf William
Published: August 2023

Modal decomposition techniques are important tools for the analysis of unsteady flows and, in order to provide meaningful insights with respect to coherent structures and their characteristic frequencies, the modes must possess a robust spatial support. In this context, although widely used, methods based on singular value decomposition (SVD) may produce modes that are difficult to interpret when applied to problems dominated by intermittent and transient events. Fortunately, specific modal decomposition techniques have been recently developed to analyze such problems. However, a proper comparison between existing methods is still lacking from the literature. Therefore, this work compares two recent methods: the fast adaptive multivariate empirical mode decomposition (FA-MVEMD) and the multi-resolution dynamic mode decomposition (mrDMD). These techniques are employed here for the study of flow databases involving transient and intermittent dynamics. Specifically, the investigated problems include an SD7003 airfoil subjected to deep dynamic stall conditions, and a steady NACA0012 air-foil operating at a transitional Reynolds number. In the former case, the methods are employed to investigate the onset and evolution of the dynamic stall vortex (DSV), while in the latter case, intermittent vortex pairing is analyzed. We show that the combination of a multidimensional EMD with the Hilbert transform provides modes with superior spatial support when compared to the mrDMD, also allowing the characterization of instantaneous frequencies of coherent structures. Moreover, the EMD also condenses a larger amount of information within a single intrinsic mode function (IMF).
Elephant on the Dance Floor: Revealing the Significance of Dancers’ Sex in Coalition Quality Assessments
Authors: Metin Ceren , Tekozel Mert
Published: August 2023

Collective dances are considered to serve as a strategic tool to convey information about the internal stability and collective action capabilities of performing coalitions. This communicative function not only aids in ally recruitment but also facilitates decision-making to manage conflicts within coalitions. While previous empirical studies mainly focused on mechanical aspects like dance simultaneity, the influential role of dancers' sex, a crucial coalitional component, is often overlooked. Considering that sex is detected very quickly and automatically by others, ignoring dancers’ sex may make the ecological validity of previous findings questionable. Moreover, no research currently examines how dancers’ sex influences the coalition quality assessments made by passive observers. To address this gap, the present study investigates potential differences in coalition quality ratings between dances performed solely by males and females. Drawing from the evolutionary perspective on male participation in coalitional dynamics, particularly the outgroup male target hypothesis, we propose that male dancers would be perceived as having higher coalition quality than female dancers, and dancers’ sex effect would exceed the effect of movement simultaneity type. The results confirm our hypothesis, highlighting that it is dancers' sex, rather than movement simultaneity type, that plays a primary role in coalition evaluations. Implications are discussed through the lens of error management theory, the outgroup male target hypothesis, and the recognition of sex as a dominant social cue.
Ureteral stricture formation after endoscopic removal of obstructing stones: Could it be predicted with well assessed radiological parameters?
Authors: Sahin Cahit , Sobay Resul , Arikan Ozgur , Uslu Mehmet , Bicaklioglu Fatih , Karaca Yavuz , Sahinler Emre Burak , Sarica Kemal
Published: August 2023

The possible role of well-assessed radiological parameters in the prediction of ureteral stricture formation in cases with impacted obstructive ureteral calculi has been evaluated 46 adult patients with or without ureteral stricture formation after ureteroscopic stone management were included. In addition to stone size and some certain radiological parameters including ureteral wall thickness (UWT ) of the involved ureter at the impacted stone site was also measured and noted on computed tomography (CT) images. Parameters were evaluated in two subgroups of cases namely: Group 1: patients in whom a ureteral stricture formed after endoscopic stone removal and Group 2: patients normal ureteral anatomy without any stricture formation. The possible relationship between the UWT values and degree of hydronephrosis (HN) with subsequent stricture formation was comparatively evaluated. All of the stones were proximal ureteral calculi in both groups. Both the degree of HN and proximal ureteral diameter (PUD) parench was higher in cases with stricture formation. Additionally, mean parenchymal thickness was lower and mean values of UWT measurements at the stone site were 3.70 ± 0.97mm and 2.17 ± 0.26 mm in Group 1 and 2 respectively. A cut off value 2.49 mm for UWT was found to be highly predictive for stricture formation. UWT value calculated at the obstructing stone site was found to be predictive enough for the likelihood of ureteral stricture formation with high sensitivity and specifcity. This evaluation along with some other radiological parameters may enable the urologists to follow such cases on this aspect with necessary mesaures taken.
Statins Effect on Oncologic Outcome in Larynx Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Commentary on Our Clinical Experience
Authors: Zoccali Federica , Vincentiis Marco , Colizza Andrea , Cicala Stefano Domenico , Greco Antonio , Zaccarelli Fabiana , Niccolini Giovanni Francesco , Filaferro Luca , Fusconi Massimo
Published: August 2023

Background Some studies have suggested a protective role of statins in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) even though the real contribution of statins to morbidity and survival remains unclear.Porpose The aim of this study is to correlate the statin intake with the incidence and the prognosis of larynx cancer.Study Design Observational retrospective case-control with a consecutive enrollment.Methods The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the oncological protection and the outcome of the statin intake in a population of patients affected by larynx squamous cell carcinoma that underwent total or partial laryngectomy. We enrolled and analyzed statin intake among 157 patients. Overall survival (OS) was compared between patients underwent total or partial laryngectomy assuming statin or not. We analyzed if statin intake could be statistically significant in increasing the overall survival. We also evaluated whether a less advanced stage of the tumor could be related to statin intake.Results The Kaplan-Meier survival curves for oncologic population assuming statins was 96.8% while it was 92.4% for patients that were not assuming statins. The Cox multivariate regression analysis didn’t identify a statistically significant OS benefit with statin intake.Conclusions Statin intake at the time of diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx has shown an improved OS even though statin consumption didn’t appear as a statistically significant variable probably due to the small number of patients analyzed.
Blockchain-based verifiable multi-keyword searchable encryption scheme with de-duplication support
Authors: Feng Tao , Qiu Zhen , Fang Junli , Wu Yi , Ma Rong
Published: August 2023

Searchable encryption technologies aim to retrieve data stored in ciphertext on cloud servers. However, the imperceptible flaws of cloud servers, such as data corruption and data duplication, are prone to trigger concerns of data owners about economic damage and privacy disclosure in the era of the digital economy. Moreover, single-keyword searchable encryption fails to cater to the fine-grained and diversified search demand in practical settings. Additionally, the revolutionary blockchain technology is propelling the evolution of trade fairness. Hence, we proposed a fine-grained multi-keyword searchable encryption scheme based on blockchain under the Modify Decisional Diffie-Hellman (MDDH) assumption. Specifically, ameliorated ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption is employed to realize fine-grained access and attribute revocation, and data label technology is adopted to achieve de-duplication. Finally, the security analysis and experimental results show that our scheme achieves desired practical security and performance goals.
Psychomotor development, emotional regulation, and executive functions in 2-years-old children after a threatened preterm labour: a prospective study
Authors: Campos-Berga Laura , Moreno-Giménez Alba , Almansa Belén , Ghosn Farah , Buesa Julia , Lizarán Marta , Diago Vicente , Vento Máximo , García-Blanco Ana
Published: August 2023

Objective
A threatened preterm labour (TPL) represents an adverse prenatal event with potential long-term consequences on offspring’ neurodevelopment, regardless of prematurity condition. The aim of this study was to assess TPL impact on children’s psychomotor and socioemotional development at 2 years of age.
Methods
A cohort of mother-infants was recruited at the time of TPL diagnoses and followed up until 30 months of children’s corrected age. Participants were classified in three groups regarding gestational age at delivery: Full-term TPL (n = 35), Late Preterm TPL (n = 67), Very Preterm TPL (n = 41). A Control group (n = 62) of mothers without TPL and their infants born at term completed the sample. Children’s assessment was performed using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires for psychomotor development, the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form for temperament, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version for executive functions. Then, MANCOVA were conducted to detect differences between groups.
Results
TPL children, regardless of delivery time, showed worse emotional regulation (ps < .03) and more inhibition problems (ps < .02) than control ones. In addition, Very preterm TPL children exhibited lower psychomotor development (ps ≤ .040), more difficulties in working memory (ps ≤ .002) and planification/organization (ps ≤ .003) domains.
Conclusion
TPL per se may represent a risk factor for children’s neurodevelopmental disturbances, specifically in emotional and regulation competences, even in the absence of prematurity.
“PBT-SCREEN”, a high-throughput screening platform to identify new therapeutic agents for Medulloblastoma Group 3
Authors: Fallon Ines , Hernando Henar , Almacellas Olga , Marti-Fuster Berta , Spadoni Cesare , Méndez Eva , Bigner Darrell D
Published: August 2023

Background
Pediatric brain tumors (PBTs) represent about 25% of all pediatric cancers and are the most common solid tumors in children and adolescents. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most frequently occurring malignant PBT, accounting for almost 10% of all pediatric cancer deaths. MB Group 3 (MB G3) accounts for 25–30% of all MB cases and has the worst outcome, particularly when associated with MYC amplification. However, no targeted treatments for this group have been developed so far. PBTs differ significantly from their adult counterparts in terms of driver genetic mutations, origin, and tumor microenvironment. As a result, drugs approved for adults often fail to be effective or lead to undesirable toxicity in children.
Methods
We have used a broad panel of pediatric MB G3 and healthy human cell lines to develop in vitro efficacy and toxicity assays, both in 2D and 3D and in high-throughput screening (HTS) format. A pilot HTS campaign with 1.280 lead-like compounds was performed to validate the screening platform.
Results
We have set up, optimized, and validated 2D and 3D efficacy and toxicity models ensuring that they correctly identify positive and negative compounds, and a high reproducibility, so they could be used in our screening platform. PBT-SCREEN was further validated by conducting a pilot HTS campaign, detecting 8 active compounds against MB cell lines. All detected hits were acting via caspase activation. Compounds targeted 6 MB-related cancer targets, some of them currently approved or in clinical trials in pediatric patients with PBTs, including MB. Hits were then combined, identifying 3 synergistic combinations, one currently being studied in the clinics for recurrent MB and other PBTs.
Conclusion
We have set up and validated PBT-SCREEN, an HTS pediatric platform specifically designed to identify new therapies for MB G3 patients. PBT-SCREEN accounts for tumor heterogenicity, limited efficacy, and unacceptable toxicity from the very early stage of drug development, which makes it an ideal in vitro tool to develop new drugs that are not only effective but safer for children with medulloblastoma. Its versatility extends to various PBTs, therefore providing targeted therapies to pediatric brain tumors that are crucial.
The Challenges of Ensuring Quality Education at Tertiary Level: An Assessment of Comilla University
Authors: Al-Amin Mohammad , Al-Amin Mohammad
Published: August 2023

The essence of quality education at the tertiary level is inevitable and part of the parcel of nation-building in the technological era because of the foundation of a country. The prime purpose of the state has to assure standard education at all levels to improve social, economic, political, and cultural advancement. It is found that some vital elements such as infrastructural settings, institutional and financial supports, research atmosphere, standard curriculum, teachers’ skills and recruitment, library and lab facilities, and other environmental factors influence the quality of higher education. However, still, now Bangladesh fighting with several major drawbacks for ensuring the quality of higher education. The objective of the present study is to investigate the challenges in terms of academic issues and environmental drawbacks at Comilla University. The study was conducted based on a mixed method using primary and secondary data where primary data was collected by using a survey questionnaire and Key Informative Interviews (KIIs). It is revealed that unplanned infrastructure, poor institutional supports, insufficient residential settings, lack of library facilities, research environment, absence of ingredients and cooperation, accountability, security and hygiene, political stability, poor curriculum and training, and misuse of resources hinder the quality education of Comilla University. The potential recommendations are provided to take immediate steps by UGC, the government, and University’s internal authority to improve the present circumstances.
Culture and relationship marketing in neighborhood stores: Analysis of a peripheral region in Colombia
Authors: Manuel Andrade Navia Juan , Páramo Morales Dagoberto , Ramírez Plazas Elías
Published: August 2023

Neighborhood stores are a business that is rooted in the social and economic structure of societies in developing countries, so their importance in these areas is attractive to analyze from an academic and research perspective. This study evaluated the influence of culture on relationship marketing between neighborhood merchants and their consumers from an alternative perspective to traditional approaches. Thus, a consumer is presented as a human being inserted in a social reality and not as a matter of simple exchange. The study was quantitative in nature, approached from the deductive and correlational method, for which a survey-type measurement instrument with a Likert scale was generated and validated that evaluated the relationship between variables. The reliability of the scale was measured using Cronbach’s Alpha, obtaining acceptable results for culture (a: 0.85) and relationship marketing (a: 0.93). The results indicate a positive relationship between culture and relationship marketing: trust (0.789; p < 0.00), commitment (0.658; p < 0.00), satisfaction (0.853; p < 0.00), and loyalty (0.753; p < 0.00), so that business relationships in a neighborhood store are based on cultural considerations established and maintained in constant interaction between participating members: shopkeepers, consumers, friends and relatives who attend it with some frequency, have these ties deep, since they have been appropriated through the performance of ceremonies and rites in which values, beliefs, mental representations, trust, commitment, satisfaction, and loyalty of the actors involved are implicit, giving vitality to the relationship between buyers and sellers, which they themselves call “socializing links”.
AcknowledgmentThe authors thank the Universidad Surcolombiana and the Universidad del Norte for their support in the development of the research.
Experimental evaluation on the effect of biochar addition with anaerobic digestion of the tannery wastewater to improve biogas production
Authors: Asefa Solomon Kebede , Ancha Venkata Ramayya , Habtu Nigus Gabbiye , Sundar Lingala Syam
Published: August 2023

The use of biochar as an additive material in various compositions to the anaerobic digestion of the tannery wastewater was investigated. Pyrolytic biochar made from Khat waste with different compositions was added to anaerobic batch digesters in laboratory-scale experiments. Biogas digesters of 500 ml volume were used to explore the effects of biochar on anaerobic digestion in the ratios of 5, 10, 15, and 20% (w/w) at constant mesophilic temperature (38 °C). The results show that for five experimental tests in digesters (D0, D1, D2, D3, and D4), which contains 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% of biochar, the cumulative methane and biogas yields were, respectively, 17.04, 41.2, 43.8, 51.6, 48.6% and 150, 520, 680, 760, 690ml. Compared to the cumulative methane production efficiency of the digester without biochar (D0), the addition of 5, 10, 15, and 20% biochar had more favorable effects and increased the efficiency by 58.6, 61.1, 66.98, and 64.94%, respectively. From these results, adding 15% of biochar to anaerobic digestion causes a three-fold increase in methane compared to the control and more positive effects than all other biochar compositions. According to this result, the right dose of biochar must be added to maximize biogas production.
Biochemical Aspects of the Spiral Grain Formation in Scots Pine (Pinus
Sylvestris L.) Wood. Some Differences and Similarities with Biochemical
Indicators of Abnormal Xylogenesis in Karelian Birch (Betula Pendula
Roth Var. Carelica (Mercl.) Hämet-Ahti)
Authors: Nikerova Kseniya Mihajlovna , Galibina Natalia Alekseevna , Sinkevich Sergey Mihajlovich , Sofronova Irina Nikolaevna , Borodina Marina Nikolaevna , Moshchenskaya Yuliya Leonidovna , Tarelkina Tatiana Vladimirovna , Klimova Anna Vladimirovna
Published: August 2023

Background:

AOS enzymes can be biochemical indicators of abnormal xylogenesis in
Scots pine, and this mechanism has similar features with the metabolic base of abnormal xylogenesis
in Karelian birch.

Objective:

AOS enzymes’ activity in 150-300-year-old Pinus sylvestris L. wood with straight--
grained wood and right-twisted spiral-grained wood, expressed in varying degrees (5-20 angle),
grew in three sample plots in lingonberry and blueberry pine forest stands of different ages
(100-300 years) in the middle taiga subzone in the Republic of Karelia.

Methods:

Plant tissues were ground in liquid nitrogen in a uniform mass and homogenized at 4°C in
the buffer containing 50 mM HEPES (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 3 mM DTT, 5 mM
MgCl2 and 0.5 mM PMSF. After 20 min extraction, the homogenate was centrifuged at 10000 g for
20 min (MPW-351R, Poland). The sediment was washed in the buffer thrice. The pooled supernatant
and sediment were dialyzed at 4°C for 18-20 h against a tenfold diluted homogenization buffer.
The enzymes' activity was determined spectrophotometrically (Spectrophotometer SF-2000,
OKB Spectr, Russia). Proteins in the extracts were quantified by the method of Bradford.

Results:

The study showed that the activity of SS, ApInv, CAT, POD and PPO in xylem and PPO
in phloem were biochemical indicators for abnormal wood of P. sylvestris. We noticed an increase
in sucrose metabolism in the apoplast and the activity of POD and PPO under spiral-grain wood
formation like under figured wood formation earlier. We assume that the alternative pathway of sucrose
metabolism (an indicator of abnormal xylogenesis in B. pendula var. carelica plants) that
lead to restructuring of AOS enzymes have the same biochemical regularities in the spiral-grain
wood formation in P. sylvestris.

Conclusion:

The study showed that the differences in the AOS enzyme's activity in P. sylvestris
during the formation of straight-grained and spiral-grained wood were revealed for the first time.
The increased CAT, POD and PPO activities in xylem with a decrease in SS and an increase in Ap-
Inv during spiral-grained wood formation can be biochemical markers of these structural anomalies.
Metabolic regularities found in the AOS enzyme complex during spiral-grained wood formation
do not contradict those found earlier during figured wood formation in B. pendula var. carelica.
The identified patterns can form the base for diagnostics of P. sylvestris wood quality in forest
seed plantations and in their natural growth, which is necessary both for fundamental science and
in various industry areas while high-quality material harvesting.
Development and Validation of a Risk Prediction Algorithm for
Evaluating the Efficacy of Postoperative Adjuvant TACE Therapy for
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tao Jie , Shi Xiaoli , Feng Xu , Wu Xinhua , Qi Shiguai , Feng Guoying , Yang Xu , Zhao Yufei , Zuo Hangjia , Shi Zhengrong
Published: August 2023

Background and Purpose:

There is a lack of a reliable outcome prediction model for
patients evaluating the feasibility of postoperative adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (PATACE)
therapy. Our goal was to develop an easy-to-use tool specifically for these patients

Methods:

From January 2013 to June 2017, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from the Liver
Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University received postoperative adjuvant
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy after liver cancer resection. A Cox proportional
hazards model was established for these patients, followed by internal validation (enhanced
bootstrap resampling technique) to further evaluate the predictive performance and discriminanceevaluate
the predictive performance and discriminance, and compare it with other predictive
models. The prognostic factors considered included tumour number, maximum tumor diameter,
Edmondson-Steiner (ES) grade, Microvascular invasion (MVI) grade, Ki67, age, sex, hepatitis
B surface antigen, cirrhosis, Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, Childpugh
grade, body mass index (BMI), Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-lymphocyte
ratio (PLR).

Results:

The endpoint of the study was overall survival. The median overall survival was 36
(95%CI: 34.0-38.0) months, with 1-year, 2-year and 3-year survival rates being 96.3%, 84.0% and
75.3%, respectively. Tumour number, MVI grade, and BMI was incorporated into the model,
which had good differentiation and accuracy. Internal validation (enhanced bootstrap) suggested
that Harrell’s C statistic is 0.72. The model consistently outperforms other currently available
models.

Conclusion:

This model may be an easy-to-use tool for screening patients suitable for PA-TACE
treatment and guiding the selection of clinical protocols. But further research and external validation
are required.
Neuroendocrinological and Clinical Aspects of Leptin
Authors: Yanik Tulin , Durhan Seyda Tugce
Published: August 2023

Obesity is characterized by an abnormal increase in adipose tissue mass and is regarded as
a neurobehavioral as well as a metabolic disorder. Increases in body fat are caused by even slight,
long-term discrepancies between energy intake and energy expenditure. It is a chronic condition
linked to the metabolic syndrome, a spectrum of risky conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
and heart disease. With a swiftly rising prevalence, obesity has emerged as a significant global
health concern. Leptin influences the brain’s neuroendocrine and metabolic processes, which is important
for maintaining energy homeostasis. White adipose tissue secretes the majority of leptin, and
there is a positive correlation between leptin levels in the blood and body fat percentages. The central
nervous system is also modulated by leptin levels to modify energy intake and usage. The idea of an
obesity cure sparked excitement after it was discovered more than 25 years ago. However, the leptin
medication only effectively reduces weight in patients with congenital leptin insufficiency and not in
patients with typical obesity who may also have leptin resistance. Recent research has focused on the
role of leptin in managing weight reduction and preventing “yo-yo dieting”. This review concentrates
on the neurological effects of leptin with a focus on therapeutic and diagnostic applications, particularly
for childhood obesity.
Alterations in Peripheral Metabolites as Key Actors in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sheng Can , Chu Xu , He Yan , Ding Qingqing , Jia Shulei , Shi Qiguang , Sun Ran , Song Li , Du Wenying , Liang Yuan , Chen Nian , Yang Yan , Wang Xiaoni
Published: August 2023

Growing evidence supports that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be regarded as a metabolic disease, accompanying central and peripheral metabolic disturbance. Nowadays, exploring novel and potentially alternative hallmarks for AD is needed. Peripheral metabolites based on blood and gut may provide new biochemical insights about disease mechanisms. These metabolites can influence brain energy homeostasis, maintain gut mucosal integrity, and regulate the host immune system, which may further play a key role in modulating the cognitive function and behavior of AD. Recently, metabolomics has been used to identify key AD-related metabolic changes and define metabolic changes during AD disease trajectory. This review aims to summarize the key blood- and microbial-derived metabolites that are altered in AD and identify the potential metabolic biomarkers of AD, which will provide future targets for precision therapeutic modulation.
A Critical Assessment of COVID-19 Genomic Vaccines
Authors: Sabbah Dima A. , Hajjo Rima , Sunoqrot Suhair
Published: August 2023

Vaccines are instrumental tools to fight against novel and re-emerging pathogens and
curb pandemics. Vaccination has been an integral part of the multifaceted public health response to
the COVID-19 pandemic. Diverse vaccine platforms have been designed and are currently at different stages of development. Some vaccines are still in early biological testing, while others have
been launched after being approved by regulatory agencies worldwide. Genomic vaccines that deliver parts of the viral DNA or RNA to host cells have gained popularity recently due to their high
efficiency and fast manufacture. Furthermore, recent clinical studies encouraged the use of different vaccine platforms within the primary vaccination course to enhance the efficacy of vaccination.
Herein, we discuss COVID-19 genomic vaccines, which deliver viral genetic material to host cells
through diverse biotechnology platforms, including viral vector vaccines, messenger RNA nucleic
acid vaccines, and DNA nucleic acid vaccines. We compare and contrast vaccine characteristics,
composition, and pros and cons among different genomic vaccine platforms as well as non-genomic vaccines. This review summarizes all current knowledge about COVID-19 genomic vaccines,
which could be highly valuable to researchers interested in public health and vaccine development.
The Efficiency of the CT Radiomics Model in Assessing the Microsatellite
Instability of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis
Authors: Wang Yun , Ma Luyao , Guo Haifeng , Wang Xuehua , Ye Zhaoxiang , Fan Shuxuan , Gao Bulang , Yin Xiao-Ping
Published: August 2023

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the efficiency of a radiomics model in identifying high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and microsatellite stability (MSS) of colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) according to machine learning radiomics features of enhanced CT liver images.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 12 patients with MSI-H CRLM and 96 patients with MSS CRLM were randomly divided into the training group and internal validation group according to the ratio of 7: 3 (training: 75 cases, validation: 33 cases). From the enhanced CT (portal phase) image data of patients, 788 radiomics features were extracted, and a random forest model was established with the optimal features selected. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the model’s diagnostic efficacy.

Results:

The training group comprised 8 patients with MSI-H CRLM and 67 patients with MSS CRLM, and the internal validation group included 4 patients with MSI-H CRLM and 29 patients with MSS CRLM. After feature selection, 7 radiomics features good for distinguishing MSI-H CRLM and MSS CRLM were screened out. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the random forest model had the AUC (area under the ROC curve) value 0.88, accuracy 0.85, sensitivity 0.85, specificity 0.92, and F1 score 0.88 in the training group. The model had an AUC value of 0.75, accuracy of 0.74, sensitivity of 0.81, specificity of 0.85, and F1_score of 0.78 in the internal validation group in identifying the MSI-H from the MSS CRLM. In order to evaluate the robustness of the overall model, the 788 features obtained were all applied to the 5-fold cross-validation, with the model being built on the random forest and analyzed with the ROC curve analysis. The AUC value of the model was 0.86 (P＜0.05), accuracy value 0.91, sensitivity 0.60, and specificity 0.95.

Conclusion:

The random forest prediction model built on the radiometric features extracted from enhanced CT images can be used to identify the MSI-H from the MSS CRLM and may provide effective guidance for clinical immunotherapy of CRLM patients with unknown MSI status.
Transformer and Graph Transformer-Based Prediction of Drug-Target
Interactions
Authors: Qian Meiling , Lu Weizhong , Zhang Yu , Liu Junkai , Wu Hongjie , Lu Yaoyao , Li Haiou , Fu Qiming , Shen Jiyun , Xiao Yongbiao
Published: August 2023

Background:

As we all know, finding new pharmaceuticals requires a lot of time and money,
which has compelled people to think about adopting more effective approaches to locate drugs. Researchers have made significant progress recently when it comes to using Deep Learning (DL) to create DTI

Methods:

Therefore, we propose a deep learning model that applies Transformer to DTI prediction. The
model uses a Transformer and Graph Transformer to extract the feature information of protein and compound molecules, respectively, and combines their respective representations to predict interactions.

Results:

We used Human and C.elegans, the two benchmark datasets, evaluated the proposed method in
different experimental settings and compared it with the latest DL model.

Conclusion:

The results show that the proposed model based on DL is an effective method for the classification and recognition of DTI prediction, and its performance on the two data sets is significantly better
than other DL based methods.
An Update on Potential Antidepressants Derived from Marine Natural
Products
Authors: Shejul Priya P. , Raheja Radhika K. , Doshi Gaurav M.
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Depression is one of the most frequently occurring psychiatric disorders
worldwide, affecting 121 million worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that it
is the leading cause of disability and the fourth leading contributor to the "global burden of diseases".

Objective:

Investigating and developing a drug with a novel benefit-risk profile is critical. Marine
sources have been explored for their benefits as an alternative therapy for depression treatment.
Numerous studies have shown that natural compounds containing peptides, alkaloids, polyphenols,
diterpenes, glycosides, vitamins, and minerals from marine sources can potentially treat a
wide range of disorders, including depression. Such phytoconstituents are known to reduce oxidative
stress and neuroinflammation, regulate the synthesis or function of neurotransmitters such as
glutamate and acetylcholinesterase, and aid in enhancing serotonin levels and nerve development.

Methods:

In this review study, a literature search was conducted using terms often used, including
animal models of depression and their precise phases, marine sources, algae, sponges, and indole
alkaloids. Additionally, databases were examined, including Scopus, Wiley, Elsevier, Google
Scholar, and Web of Science. The Snowball technique was used to identify several articles about
depression but correlated to marine sources in addition to database searches.

Results:

Current antidepressant medications have several negative side effects on the human
body, including dry mouth, cardiovascular interference, gastrointestinal symptoms, genitourinary
symptoms, hepatotoxicity, convulsions, and obesity. As a result, researchers can identify a wide
range of potential targets for medications derived from marine sources. A combination of marinederived
drugs and available treatments can be estimated to minimize the negative effects. So that
these resources can be used as efficiently as possible, and various marine-derived substances can
be studied for therapeutic efficacy.

Conclusion:

This review focuses on the preclinical and clinical findings of marine-derived compounds
with antidepressant properties that alter behavioural parameters and biochemical abnormalities,
as well as their mechanism of action and in-vivo potential.
In silico Study of Alkaloid Compounds with Computational Approach for
Selection of Drug Leads for COVID-19
Authors: Victoria Stephanie Audrey , Pramanda Ihsan Tria , Parikesit Arli Aditya
Published: August 2023

Background:

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virulent source of COVID-19 disease. As a result of the rapid transmission of the viral agent and deficiency of specific drugs against the virus, a worldwide pandemic ensued with a terrifying death toll. Thus there is tremendous urgency to discover substances for the development of specific COVID-19 drugs. With increasing public interest in natural products, this study aims to discover alkaloid compounds capable of inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 with the assistance of bioinformatics.

Methods:

In this work, 298 alkaloids with reported antiviral properties were identified, and their biological activities were validated with QSAR analysis using the Pass Online server until only 7 alkaloids remained. Molecular docking studies for these 7 alkaloids onto SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, a protein involved in viral replication, were carried out with AutoDock Vina, followed by in silico visualization of the protein-alkaloid interaction with Ligplot+ program and prediction of ADME-Tox properties of the alkaloids using Toxtree program and SwissADME online server.

Results:

Fangchinoline, phenanthroindolizidine, and polyalthenol are predicted to have strong binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Visualization of the molecular interactions between the ligand and protein target, however, showed that homonojirimycin formed the most hydrogen bonds with the protein binding site. Most of the alkaloids have little to no violation of Lipinski’s Rule of 5, easy to moderate synthetic accessibility, and good pharmacokinetic properties.

Conclusion:

Fangchinoline, phenanthroindolizidine, and polyalthenol exhibited high binding affinity values to SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with polyalthenol predicted to possess the strongest binding interactions to the active site of the protein. Polyalthenol and phenanthroindolizidine confer the most versatility in terms of bioavailability, however, supplementary observation of phenanthroindolizidine for the prospect of mutagenicity is required before it can be recommended for further drug development
Analisis Tingkat Bahaya Erosi Pada Lahan Pertanian di Desa Ranu Pani Taman Nasional Bromo Tengger Semeru
Authors:   Universitas Brawijaya, Suharto Bambang , Anugroho Fajri ,   Universitas Brawijaya, Arifin Bachtiar ,   Universitas Brawijaya
Published: August 2023

Ranu Pani merupakan objek wisata berupa danau di desa Ranu Pani di kecamatan Senduro, Kabupaten Lumajang, Jawa Timur yang merupakan bagian dari Taman Nasional Bromo Tengger Semeru (TNBTS). Kegiatan warga di bidang pertanian merupakan salah satu faktor terjadinya penyempitan di Danau Ranu Pani. Perubahan karakteristik lahan dan intensitas curah hujan yang cukup tinggi serta perubahan penggunaan lahan juga merupakan faktor yang ikut berperan dalam munculnya erosi. Mengetahui besarnya erosi yang terjadi di suatu wilayah merupakan hal yang penting, karena selain dapat mengetahui banyaknya tanah yang tererosi juga dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu jalan untuk mencari sebuah solusi dari permasalahan tersebut. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode USLE dan metode petak kecil untuk menghitung erosi yang terjadi pada lahan pertanian kubis dan kentang yang berukuran ¼ hektar. Petak kecil yang digunakan berukuran 4x2 meter yang berada pada topografi curam (25-40%). Metode ini digunakan untuk validasi terhadap perhitungan USLE dengan catatan jenis tanah dan kemiringan tanahnya sama. Pengukuran menggunakan petak kecil dilakukan selama 1 bulan setiap kejadian hujan. Pada metode petak kecil di lahan campuran kubis dan kentang diperoleh nilai erosi sebesar 21.27 ton.ha-1.tahun-1, sedangkan metode USLE sebesar 74.23 ton.ha-1.tahun-1. Berdasarkan hasil dari pehitungan tersebut, lahan pertanian ini memiliki klasifikasi berat pada metode USLE dan sedang pada metode petak kecil.