bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical impact of the cadmium forms on element content in cocoa bean in Colombia
Authors: Albarracín Heidy Soledad Rodríguez , Darghan Aquiles Enrique , Moreno Carlos Armando Rivera
Published: June 2023

Cocoa is a staple crop for small farmers, has been promoted as an alternative crop toErythroxylum coca. Some soils in the Colombian cocoa zone seem to accumulate high levels of Cd in the beans. To comprehend the relationship between different Cd forms and their phytoavailability in the beans, cocoa-producing farms were sampled located in Yacopi municipality using sequential extraction methods to estimate the forms of Cd present in the soil, its phytoavailability and leaching potential. The exchangeable fractions, carbonate, manganese oxide, organic matter, amorphous iron oxide, crystalline iron oxide and residual fraction were determined. It was observed that the highest Cd concentrations were found in the organic matter, carbonate, Mn oxides and amorphous Fe phases, and the lowest in the exchangeable, crystalline Fe oxide and residual fractions. It was obtained through spatial regression that the Cd fractions that explain the Cd contents in beans correspond to the exchangeable ones, associated with manganese oxides, organic matter, crystalline iron oxides and residual fraction, which were fitted to a spatial error model. Modeling indicated that direct and positive impacts of the Cd content in the bean with the exchangeable and residual fractions, and negative impacts with the organic matter and manganese oxides fractions, which shows that these forms are retained in the colloidal phase and are not translocated to the bean, so that variations in the content of these fractions could contribute to a reduction in the Cd content in the bean.
Dynamics of microbial community composition on grass surfaces in response to glucose and sucrose spraying for enhanced silage quality
Authors: Chen Xinzhu , Zhang Yao , Zhang Jianguo , Huang Xiusheng , Huang Qinlou , Liu Jing , Yue Wen
Published: June 2023

This study was to investigate the effects of glucose and sucrose spraying on the microbial community on the surface of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa)，and thereby provide a theoretical foundation for the preparation of high-quality silage. To assess the changes in microbial profile, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technology was employed. Results showed that a total of eighty-oneoperational taxonomic units (OTUs), encompassing four phyla, eight classes, fifteen orders, twenty-one families, and thirty-one genera, colonized the surface of Italian ryegrass and alfalfa. At the phylum level, both plant materials were abundant in Proteobacteria(Italian ryegrass 87.73% and alfalfa 95.28%) and Bacteroidetes (Itlian ryegrass 10.22% and alfalfa 2.23%). At the genus level, Italian ryegrass was enriched with Methylobacterium (22.83%), Pseudomonas (16.32%), Rhizobium (13.12%), and Sphingomonas (12.63%), whereas alfalfa mainly included Pseudomonas (23.14%), Brucella (17.24%), and Methylobacterium (15.10%). Sucrose spraying enriched Sphingomonas and Xanthomonas in Italian ryegrass, while glucose spraying increased the abundance of Rhizobium and Pedobacterin Italian ryegrass. In alfalfa, Duganella and Erwinia were enriched by sucrose spraying. Overall, glucose and sucrose spraying led to change microorganism alpha diversity and a significant LefSe difference. Furthermore, statistical variations in microorganisms were observed within seven days after spraying sucrose and glucose, and the changes varied across the grasses.
Significance and Impact of Study: Microorganisms are very important for silage fermentation. This study reported the effects of spraying different sugars on the quantity and distribution of microorganisms on grass surface.
The News Delivery Channel Recommendation Based on Granular Neural Network
Authors: Wu Lin , Li Rui , Liu Jiaxuan
Published: June 2023

With the continuous maturation and expansion of neural network technology, deep neural networks have been widely utilized as the fundamental building blocks of deep learning in a variety of applications, including speech recognition, machine translation, image processing, and the creation of recommendation systems. Therefore, many re-al-world complex problems can be solved by the deep learning techniques. As is known, traditional news recommendation systems mostly employ techniques based on collaborative filtering and deep learning, but the performance of these algorithms is constrained by the sparsity of the data and the scalability of the approaches. In this paper, we propose a recommendation model using granular neural network model to recommend news to appropriate channels by analyzing the properties of news. Specifically, a specified neural network serves as the foundation for the granular neural network that the model is considered to be build. Different information granularities are attributed to various types of news material, and different information granularities are released between networks in various ways. When processing data, granular output is created, which is compared to the interval values pre-set on various plat-forms and used to quantify the analysis's effectiveness. The analysis results could help the media to match the proper news in depth, maximize the public attention of the news and the utilization of media resources.
NamiRNA-mediated high expression of KNSTRN correlates with poor prognosis and tumor immune infiltration of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jin Liang , Zhang Xiaojing , Fan Ming , Li Weimin , Lai Quanyou , Peng Wei , Zhang Xuan
Published: June 2023

Background Kinetochore localized astrin/SPAG5 binding protein (KNSTRN) plays an important molecular in cell division. Mutations of KNSTRN can interfere with chromatid cohesion, increase aneuploidy in tumors, enhancing tumorigenesis. Additionally, the concept of nuclear activating miRNA (NamiRNA) has been proposed with encouraging results. However, the role of KNSTRN in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains not fully determined, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of this differential regulation of KNSTRN by a NamiRNA are also unclear in HCC. Methods Based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, we first investigated the potential oncogenic functions of KNSTRN and a potential NamiRNA Using R and various computational tools in HCC. Results Detailed results revealed that elevated expression of KNSTRN was considerably associated with bad overall survival (HR = 1.48, 95%CI 1.05–2.09, P = 0.027) and progress free interval (HR = 1.41, 95%CI 1.05–1.89, P = 0.021) in HCC. GO/KEGG functional enrichment analysis showed that KNSTRN is closely related to organelle fission, chromosomal region, tubulin binding, and cell cycle signaling pathway. TIMER databases analysis showed the correlations between KNSTRN expression and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, biomarkers of immune cells and immune checkpoint expression. Moreover, KNSTRN level was significantly positively associated with immunosuppressive cell in tumor microenvironment (TME), including regulatory T cells (Tregs), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and cancer-associated fibrocytes (CAFs). Further, hsa-miR-107 is determined as a potential Nuclear activating miRNA (NamiRNA) by correlation analysis. High expression of hsa-miR-107 is negatively correlated with disease specific survival (HR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.4–0.98, P = 0.04) in patients with HCC by targeting the oncogene, KNSTRN. Finally, a possible NamiRNA-enhancer network of hsa-miR-107 activates the KNSTRN expression in LIHC were constructed. Conclusion The hsa-miR-107-mediated upregulation of KNSTRN correlated with poor prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in HCC.
Relationship Between Fear of Falling and Quality of Life in Nursing Home Residents: The Role of Activity Restriction
Authors: Xu Dongjuan , Wang Yaqi , Zhu Shanshan , Zhao Meng , Wang Kefang
Published: June 2023

(1) Background: Fear of falling is the most common psychological consequence related to falls and is very prevalent among older adults. This study investigates the mediating role of activity restriction in the relationship between the fear of falling and health outcomes;
(2) Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2018. Generalized structural equation modeling was conducted to test the mediating role of activity restriction;
(3) Results: Residents with fear of falling were more likely to restrict their activities and residents who often or always restricted activities reported lower levels of quality of life and higher levels of depression. Severe activity restriction accounted for 75% of the total effect of fear of falling on quality of life and 69% of the total effect of fear of falling on depression, respectively;
(4) Conclusions: Fall prevention efforts in nursing homes should focus on strategies or interventions to reduce residents’ excessive fear of falling and promote activity engagement. Physical and social activities will not only prevent future falls but also improve residents' quality of life and mental health.
Prevalence of adolescent-reported food insecurity and the determinants including coping strategies living in urban slum communities of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yasmin SM Taniya , Yasmin SM Taslima , Sultan Sarah , Hong Seo Ah
Published: June 2023

Background This study aimed to identify the prevalence of adolescent-reported food insecurity and its association with individual and socio-environmental factors as well as coping strategies from low to middle income countries like Bangladesh. Methods A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted amongst 326 adolescents (12–18 years) living in the urban slums of Narayanganj, Dhaka from April to May, 2022. Adolescent-reported food insecurity was assessed using a structured questionnaire adopted from Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests and ordinal logistic regression were used to draw inference. Results Prevalence of adolescent-reported food insecurity was high (46.6% moderate and 29.8% severe). Individual factors such as younger age (12–14 years) (Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) = 1.658), lower education (AOR = 1.525), unemployment (AOR = 5.365) and socio-environmental factors such as five or more family members (AOR = 1.734), female household head (AOR = 4.728) and low education of household head (AOR = 4.232), only one earning family member (AOR = 2.693), unemployed father (AOR = 2.988), neither self-owned nor rented household (AOR = 4.973), no household asset owned (AOR = 39.653), food aid received by the family during pandemic (AOR = 2.561) and Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) infection in family (AOR = 4.697) and coping strategy factors such as higher number of food seeking strategies (AOR = 3.353) and substances used (AOR = 6.186) and stopping school (AOR = 3.300) were strongly associated with food insecurity. Stratified by drop-out of school status, an association between food seeking strategies and food insecurity remained significant among those school-going, while there was no association among those dropping out of school. Conclusion This study showed that adolescents from underprivileged communities are at very high risk of food insecurity and resort to harmful coping strategies, which raises concern about their physical and mental health in the long run. Therefore, our findings support the recommendation that it is crucial to understand adolescent reported food insecurity and coping strategies to assess adolescent wellbeing in low to middle income countries (LMICs).
A cross-cohort computational framework to trace tumor tissue-of-origin based on RNA sequencing
Authors: He Binsheng , Sun Hongmei , Bao Meihua , Li Haigang , He Jianjun , Tian Geng , Wang Bo
Published: June 2023

Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is a type of metastatic cancer with tissue-of-origin (TOO) unidentifiable by traditional methods. CUP patients typically have poor prognosis but therapy targeting the original cancer tissue can significantly improve patients’ prognosis. Thus, it’s critical to develop accurate computational methods to infer cancer TOO. While qPCR or microarray-based methods are effective in inferring TOO for most cancer types, the overall prediction accuracy is yet to be improved. In this study, we propose a cross-cohort computational framework to trace TOO of 32 cancer types based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Specifically, we employed logistic regression models to select 80 genes for each cancer type to create a combined 1356-gene set, based on transcriptomic data from 9911 tissue samples covering the 32 cancer types with known TOO from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The selected genes are enriched in both tissue-specific and tissue-general functions. The cross-validation accuracy of our framework reaches 97.50% across all cancer types. Furthermore, we tested the performance of our model on the TCGA metastatic dataset and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset, achieving an accuracy of 91.09% and 82.67%, respectively, despite the differences in experiment procedures and pipelines. In conclusion, we developed an accurate yet robust computational framework for identifying TOO, which holds promise for clinical applications.
Adaptive traits of cysts of the snow alga Sanguina nivaloides unveiled by 3D subcellular imaging
Authors: Marechal Eric , Ezzedine Jade , Uwizeye Clarisse , Larbi Gregory Si , Villain Gaelle , Louwagie Mathilde , Schilling Marion , Hagenmuller Pascal , Gallet Benoit , Stewart Adeline , Petroutsos Dimitris , Devime Fabienne , Salze Pascal , Liger Lucie , Jouhet Juliette , Dumont Marie , Ravanel Stéphane , Amato Alberto , Valay Jean-Gabriel , Jouneau Pierre-Henri , Falconet Denis
Published: June 2023

Sanguina nivaloides is the main alga forming red snowfields in high mountains and Polar Regions. It is non-cultivable. Analysis of environmental samples by X-ray tomography, focused-ion-beam scanning-electron-microscopy, physicochemical and physiological characterization reveal adaptive traits accounting for algal capacity to reside in snow. Cysts populate liquid water at the periphery of ice, are photosynthetically active, can survive for months, and are sensitive to freezing. They harbour a wrinkled plasma membrane expanding the interface with environment. Ionomic analysis supports a cell efflux of K+, and assimilation of phosphorus. Glycerolipidomic analysis confirms a phosphate limitation. The chloroplast contains thylakoids oriented in all directions, fixes carbon in a central pyrenoid and produces starch in peripheral protuberances. Analysis of cells stored in the dark show that starch is a short-term carbon storage. The biogenesis of cytosolic droplets shows that they are loaded with triacylglycerol and carotenoids for long-term carbon storage and protection against oxidative stress.
Chromosomal Aberration Analysis: Novel Noninvasive Techniques for Early Stage Cancer Screening A hypothesis for cancer screening
Authors: Liu Gang
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Chromosome breakage is a catastrophic event that leads to the progressive development and progression of cancer. To analyze the changes of the peripheral blood microenvironment of tumor patients and explore the indicators of non-specific non-invasive tumor early screening and proposed a new idea to explore whether the gene sequence near the break point of DNA damage is the gene sequence that controls the unrestricted growth of normal cells.
Methods:
The chromosomal aberrations of peripheral blood lymphocytes were analyzed in 60 normal subjects and 49 patients with tumor before radiotherapy.
Results:
The detection rate of chromosome aberration was high in tumor patients, and "Dicentric + Translocations” of Chromosomes were detected in 36 patients (73.47%). Chi-square test showed statistically significant differences (P <0.01), and chromosome adhesion and dissolution were observed.
Conclusions:
"Dicentric + Translocation” of chromosome can be used as non-specific early screening indicator for cancer. It is worthy of further study.
A new idea to a new concept that FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) technique was applied to explore whether the gene sequence near the breakpoint of dicentric chromosome is the gene sequence that controls the unrestricted growth of normal cells, whether this gene controls the unrestricted growth of normal cells to form tumors, using this index to determine the genetic basis of various cancers, at the gene level to modify the base sequence, prevent the occurrence of cancer. It is worthy of further study, and it can provides a new way for gene therapy of tumor.
Image Denoising of Low Dose PET Mouse Scans with Deep Learning: Validation Study for Cross-Tracer Preclinical Imaging Applicability
Authors: Muller Florence Marie , Vervenne Boris , Maebe Jens , Blankemeyer Eric , Sellmyer Mark A. , Zhou Rong , Karp Joel S. , Vanhove Christian , Vandenberghe Stefaan
Published: June 2023

Purpose:
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image quality can be improved by higher injected activity and/or longer acquisition time, but both may often not be practical in preclinical imaging. Common preclinical radioactive doses (10 MBq) have been shown to cause deterministic changes in biological pathways. Reducing the injected tracer activity and/or shortening the scan time inevitably results in low-count acquisitions which poses a challenge because of the inherent noise introduction. We present an image-based deep learning (DL) framework for denoising lower count micro-PET images.
Procedures:
For 36 mice, a 15-min 18F-FDG (8.15 ± 1.34 MBq) PET scan was acquired at 40 min post-injection on the Molecubes b-CUBE (in list mode). The 15-min acquisition (high-count) was parsed into smaller time fractions of 7.50, 3.75, 1.50 and 0.75 mins to emulate images reconstructed at 50, 25, 10 and 5% of the full counts, respectively. A 2D U-Net was trained with mean-squared-error loss on 28 high-low count image pairs.
Results:
The DL algorithms were visually and quantitatively compared to spatial and edge-preserving denoising filters; the DL-based methods effectively removed image noise and recovered image details much better while keeping quantitative (SUV) accuracy. The largest improvement in image quality was seen in the images reconstructed with 10 and 5% of the counts (equivalent to sub-1-MBq or sub-1-min mouse imaging). The DL-based denoising framework was also successfully applied on the NEMA-NU4 phantom and different tracer studies (18F-PSMA, 18F-FAPI and 68Ga-FAPI).
Conclusion:
Visual and quantitative results support the superior performance and robustness in image denoising of the implemented DL models for low statistics micro-PET. This offers tremendous flexibility in optimizing scan protocols with reduced tracer doses or shorter durations.
From Nature to Networks: Harnessing Funnel Dynamics for Effective Intrusion Detection in IoT Environments
Authors: KUMAR NEERAJ , Sharma Sanjeev
Published: June 2023

The rapid evolution of technology and the proliferation of interconnected systems have given rise to an alarming increase in cyber threats. In this context, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) have emerged as crucial tools for detecting and mitigating unauthorized access and malicious activities within computer networks. This paper introduces a novel deep learning architecture inspired by the working principle of a funnel for detecting intrusions in IoT networks. The proposed architecture incorporates a feature selection model that leverages the hunting behavior of the yellow saddle goatfish and the swarm behavior of birds. This nature-inspired optimization algorithm enhances the deep learning model's ability to learn high-quality features, thereby improving the intrusion detection rate. Additionally, the proposed approach addresses the challenge of working with diverse environmental datasets by analyzing the identification capabilities for modern attacks separately. The simulation of the proposed framework is conducted using MATLAB software, and performance evaluation is carried out using various performance metrics. The proposed architecture demonstrates improvements of 1.51% for the KDD-CUP99 dataset, 2.87% for the NSL-KDD dataset, and 22.29% for the UNSW-NB15 dataset. These enhancements highlight the efficacy of the proposed architecture in advancing intrusion detection capabilities in IoT networks. The promising results obtained from this study open up several exciting avenues for future research.
Soluble CD14 produced by bovine mammary epithelial cells modulates their response to full length LPS
Authors: Védrine Mégane , Gilbert Florence B. , Maman Sarah , Klopp Christophe , Gitton Christophe , Rainard Pascal , Germon Pierre
Published: June 2023

Bovine mastitis remains a major disease in cattle world-wide. In the mammary gland, epithelial cells are sentinels equipped with receptors allowing them to detect and respond to the invasion by bacterial pathogens, in particular Escherichia coli. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the major E. coli motif recognized by MEC through its interaction with the TLR4 receptor and the CD14 co-receptor. Previous studies have highlighted the role of soluble CD14 in the efficient recognition of LPS molecules possessing a full-length O-antigen (LPSS). We demonstrate here that MEC are able to secrete CD14 and are likely to contribute to the presence of soluble CD14 in milk. We then investigated how CD14 modulates and is required for the response of MEC to LPSS. This study highlights the key role of soluble CD14 for the full activation of the Myd88-independent pathway by LPSS. We also identified several long non-coding RNA that are activated in MEC in response to LPS, including one lncRNA showing homologies with the mir-99a-let-7c gene (MIR99AHG). Altogether, our results provide detailed information on how milk soluble CD14 can contribute to an efficient recognition of LPS from coliform pathogens.
Rehospitalisation rates after long-term follow-up of patients with severe mental illness admitted for more than one year: A systematic review
Authors: Sato Sayaka , Nakanishi Miharu , Ogawa Makoto , Abe Makiko , Yasuma Naonori , Kono Toshiaki , Igarashi Momoka , Iwanaga Mai , Kawaguchi Takayuki , Yamaguchi Sosei
Published: June 2023

Aims
This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of studies on the outcomes of long-term hospitalisation of people with severe mental illness, considering readmission rates as the primary outcome.
Methods
Studies considered were those in which participants were aged between 18 and 64 with severe mental illness; exposure to psychiatric hospitals/wards was long term (more than one year); primary outcomes were readmission rates; secondary outcomes were duration of readmission, employment, schooling, and social participation; and the study design was either observational or interventional with randomised controlled trial (RCT) designs. Searches were conducted using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and the Japan Medical Abstract Societyfor obtaining the relevant studies. The final search was conducted on 1 February 2022. The risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions was used to assess the methodological quality. A descriptive literature review was then conducted.
Results
Of the 11,999 studies initially searched, three cohort studies (2,293 participants) met the eligibility criteria. The risk of bias in these studies was rated as critical or serious. The 1-10 years readmission rate for patients with schizophrenia who had been hospitalised for more than one year ranged from 33% to 55%. Average of readmission durations described in two studies was 70.5 ± 95.6 days per year (in the case of 7.5-year follow-up) and 306 ± 399 days (in the case of a 3–8-year follow-up). None of the studies reported other outcomes defined in this study.
Conclusions
The readmission rates in the included studies varied. Differences in the follow-up period or the intensity of community services might have contributed to this variability. In countries preparing to implement deinstitutionalisation, highly individualised community support should be designed to avoid relocation to residential services under supervision. The length of stay for readmissions was shorter than that for index admissions. The results also imply that discharge to the community contributes to improved clinical outcomes, such as improved social functioning. The validity of retaining patients admitted because of the risk of rehospitalisation was considered low. Future research directions are also discussed.
Proteomic analysis reveals similarity of expression profile in aggregated lymphoid nodules in the abomasum with Peyer’s patches of Bactrian camel
Authors: Cheng Yujiao , Ren Yan , Wang Wenhui , Zhang Wangdong
Published: June 2023

Background
Aggregated lymphoid nodules area (ALNA) is a distinctive anatomical feature of the abomasum in Bactrian camels, consisting of the reticular mucosal folds region (RMFR) and the longitudinal mucosal folds region (LMFR). ALNA exhibits many of the same characteristics histologically as Peyer's patches (PPs) in the intestinal tract. We analyzed the functional characteristics of ALNA in gastrointestinal mucosal immunity.
Results
We quantified the expressed proteins in ALNA using iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis in six Bactrian camels. In the experiment, we sampled the RMFR and LMFR separately from the ALNA and compared their proteomic quantification results with samples from the PPs. A total of 1790 proteins were identified, among which only 22 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were found between RMFR and PPs, 35 DEPs were found between LMFR and PPs, and 19 DEPs were found between LMFR and RMFR. There was no direct correlation between DEPs and immune-related functions. Subsequently, the abundance changes of 10 DEPs were verified at the transcriptional level by qPCR. Such as TPM1, MYH11 and HSPB1 were significantly up-regulated in LMFR vs PPs, but down-regulated in RMFR vs PPs. The expression levels of CR2 and GALS2 were found to be significantly increased in RMFR vs PPs, respectively, while decreased in LMFR. The expression of 10 genes was largely consistent with the corresponding protein expression. Besides, InnateDB was used to identify information on immune-associated proteins in ALNA, over 87.7% of proteins have been recognized in the same orthogroups of a human immune-related gene. Those proteins are recognized as involving a variety of functions, including the treatment and presentation of antigens, the intracellular activation of T-cells, the T-cell and B-cell receptor pathways, and the regulation of actin polycondensation.
Conclusions
The experimental findings indicate that the immune-related proteins present in ALNA and PPs exhibit similarities. Despite differences in structural phenotypes between LMFR and RMFR, proteins expressed in the two structures are highly similar and play similar roles in mucosal immune responses.
Predicting the risk of early rebleeding following endoscopic variceal ligation in cirrhotic patients with computed tomography
Authors: Ryu Hwaseong , Kim Tae Un , Yoon KT , Hong Young Mi
Published: June 2023

Background: Life-threatening rebleeding following endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with cirrhosis rarely can occur. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of computed tomography (CT) in predicting the risk of early rebleeding following EVL in cirrhotic patients.
Methods: We retrospectively investigated 285 cirrhotic patients who had undergone EVL. EVL was performed for prophylaxis or acute variceal bleeding. The patients were classified into 2 groups: early rebleeding (< 14days after EVL) and non-early rebleeding. We compared baseline characteristics including CT findings between the patient groups.
Results: Among the 285 patients who underwent EVL treatment, 19 patients (6.7%) experienced early rebleeding. On average, these rebleeding oc­curred 9.3 ± 3.5 days after the EVL, with a range of 3 to 13 days. Patients who experience early rebleeding had a higher six-week bleeding-related mortality rate compared to those in the non-early rebleeding group (31.6% vs. 10.2%; p = 0.014). There was a correlation between the grade of esophageal varix observed during endoscopy and the diameter of esophageal varix observed on CT (p < 0.001). The diameter of esophageal varix on CT was identified as the only significant predictive factor for early rebleeding (p = 0.005).
Conclusion: A larger esophageal varix diameter observed on CT is associated with an increased risk of early rebleeding after EVL treatment. Early identification of this high-risk group can provide a change of treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes.
Obstetric violence and its associated factors among HIV positive women receiving birth care at Public Health Facilities, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Assefa Anteneh Wondimagegn , Ayele Basha , Masersha Seteamlak Adane
Published: June 2023

Background
Obstetric violence is an emerging health problem in maternal health services utilization. In the study context, there was limited evidence on obstetrics violence. Hence, the aim of this study to assess obstetric violence and its associated factors among HIV-positive women received birth care at public health facilities, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Result
A total of 318 HIV-positive women had been participated in this study yielding 100% response rate. In this study 79% of HIV-positive women reported they had been subjected to at least one form of obstetric violence during birth care. The top three reported forms of obstetric violence: 249 (78.3%) failure to get informed consent, 227 (71.4%) unconsented medical procedure, 140 (44%) neglecting to suffer life-threatening complication. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis were identified that Female birth attendants (AOR = 2.848; 95% CI 1.574, 5.153), three times ANC-visitors (AOR = 2.994; 95% CI 1.390, 6.449), age ≥ 35 years old (AOR = 2.471; 95% CI 1.245, 4.904) and primary school attendants (AOR = 2.126; 95% CI 1.084, 4.170) were significantly associated with obstetrics violence. This study identified that high prevalence of obstetric violence among HIV positive women. Hence, mitigation is needed to be undertaken by taking the reported forms of obstetrics violence, socio-demographic and obstetrics variables by ensuring a systematic and strategic intervention for quality birth care utilization through an inclusive involvement of all stakeholders.
Transfer of cGAMP From Neuron To Microglia Activates Microglial Type I Interferon Responses After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: chang hanxiao , li zheng , zhang weiwei , lin chao , shen yuqi , Zhang Guangjian , mao lei , ma chencheng , Liu Ning , Lu Hua
Published: June 2023

Primary subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a type of acute stroke, accounting for approximately 10% of cases, with high disability and mortality rate. Early brain injury (EBI) is a critical factor in determining SAH mortality; however, there are no effective treatment interventions for EBI. Based on our results, the transmission of cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) from neurons to microglia is a key molecular event that triggers type I interferon response, amplifies neuroinflammation, and leads to neuronal apoptosis. Abnormal intracytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the initiating factor of the cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling axis. Overall, the cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling axis is closely associated with neuroinflammation after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Targeting cGAS triggered by cytoplasmic mtDNA may be useful for comprehensive clinical treatment of patients after SAH. Further studies targeting cGAS-specific antagonists for treating SAH are warranted.
An examination of the relationship between risk perceptions, cultural-religious beliefs and coping during COVID-19 Pandemic control in South Asian Countries: A systematic review
Authors: Memon Rakhshi , Khaliq Ayesha , Ranieri Veronica , Asif Muqaddas , Bhatti Mujeeb Masood , Chaudhry Nasim , Chauhdry Imran B. , Husain Nusrat , Edwards Sarah JL
Published: June 2023

Background: Covid 19 was declared as a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its rapid spread and catastrophic effects on health. It affected around 119M people with mortality rate of 0.27% worldwide, including South-Asians. This review aims to understand the risk perceptions, cultural religious beliefs and the coping mechanisms of South Asians during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following search engines were used: Medline, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science.
Results: The database search produced 35 articles to screen. The final narrative synthesis included 11 studies comprising of 19,054 participants from Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Six studies, comprising 5562 participants, were eligible and included for meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence with maximum heterogeneity for correct knowledge of symptoms, hand washing or use of sanitizers, face masking use of herbal or traditional remedies and physical distancing or avoidance of contact was reported through meta-analysis.
Conclusion: The review brings forth a useful comparison of individual and cultural differences in KAP, risk perceptions and coping strategies. This review highlights the need for and importance of tailored information dissemination, culturally sensitive risk communication, targeted educational interventions, community engagement and empowerment, policy, and infrastructure improvements, as well as continued research and data collection. By addressing these implications, efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 can be more effective and equitable across diverse populations.
Prospero Registration: CRD42021246475
Flood susceptibility assessment on the proposed high-speed train track Qena-Hurghada-Safaga (QHS), Egypt
Authors: Ali Mohamed Saad , Abdelghany Mostafa Kamel , Moftah Hussein Mostafa
Published: June 2023

Climate change is a major global issue, with sea level rise, hurricanes, flash floods, and heat and cold waves all being major threats that have led to significant human and economic losses. Egypt's high-speed electric train project is aiming to reduce climate change and improve public health by providing a greener mode of travel. Flooding is a global threat, particularly in arid regions where it is more severe due to climate change and rapid development. The investigation aims to identify flood-prone zones in the study area, including the proposed third track of the high-speed train Qena-Hurghada-Safaga (QHS), using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to identify seven potential factors for flash floods. AHP was used to assess the significance of each factor in the flood susceptibility map by assigning weights. The most crucial criteria to determine flood-prone locations were surface runoff characteristics (30%), watershed morphometric parameters (22%), and average rainfall distribution (16%). A flood susceptibility map was created by overlaying thematic layers and categorizing them into five categories based on the level of flood intensity in the area. According to the prepared map, the research regions were, in order, very low, low, moderate, high , and very high-prone flood zones (6.04%), (36.02%), (14.63%), (33.30%), and (10.01%), respectively. Finally, the runoff curve number (CN), which regulates the key factor in the flood susceptibility map, was validated using a total of 24 soil samples that were collected along the proposed track between the Red Sea Mountain valleys from Qena to Hurghada. In addition, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) analyses, the mapping of flash flood susceptibility was verified. The validation findings revealed an AUC value of 0.81, demonstrating the dependability of the AHP approach. Moreover, some of the recommended technical solutions have been documented to enhance security against such frequent events in particular areas susceptible to flooding and storms.
An Analysis on History of Childhood Adversity, Anxiety, and Chronic Pain in Adulthood, and the Influence of Inflammatory Biomarker C-Reactive Protein
Authors: Dalechek Danielle E. , Caes Line , McIntosh Gwenne , Whittaker Anna C.
Published: June 2023

Background: Despite a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and anxiety, the role of anxiety in the pathway to chronic pain is not well understood. Potentially, inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) are involved.
Objective: 1) Examine relationships between reported ACEs, anxiety, and chronic pain. 2) Assess associations between ACEs, anxiety, and CRP levels and between CRP and chronic pain.
Methods: Data from 24,172 adults who participated in the UK Biobank were used to conduct Poisson regressions to assess relationships between ACEs, anxiety, and chronic pain. For participants with CRP data who met the inclusion criteria (n=2007), similar models were run between ACEs, anxiety, and CRP and CRP and chronic pain.
Results: For objective 1, three statistically significant interactions were found to predict pain: frequency of physical abuse x reported muscular symptoms during anxiety (p=0.01); frequency in which they felt hated x having discussed anxiety with a professional (p=0.03) and reported frequency of sexual abuse x difficulties relaxing during anxiety attacks (p=0.03). For objective 2, frequency of sexual abuse and informing a professional about anxiety significantly interacted to predict elevated CRP. For correlations, the largest was between CRP and the number of times pain was reported over the years (p=0.01). Finally, ACEs (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and whether taken to a doctor) significantly interacted with CRP to predict pain.
Conclusion: Certain ACEs significantly interacted with anxiety and CRP to predict the occurrence of chronic pain in adults.
Research on the damage characteristics of rock masses based on double guide-hole blasting under high In-situ stress
Authors: Xu Ruizong , Xie Liangfu , Ma Long , Wang Benfeng
Published: June 2023

In complex high In-situ stress conditions, how to achieve ideal rock blasting effect by effective methods is often a difficult point in blasting operations. In this paper, we analyze the effect of guide holes on blasting effect by adding guide holes to the rock pre-treatment method, and carry out double-hole blasting experiments based on the blast point particle expansion method. The effect of blasthole spacing and ground stress on blasting effect is investigated at macroscopic crack effect, microscopic particle contact and stress response level. The study shows that: (i) The crack penetration effect can be enhanced by setting guide holes between blastholes, and the penetration effect is more obvious when the distance between blasthole and guide holes is less than 2.5 times the radius of the crushing zone. (ii) At the contact force chain level, when the distance between blasthole and guide hole is less than 2.0 times the radius of crushing zone, the pressure stress perpendicular to the direction of blasthole linkage inhibits the development of crack, and the pull stress parallel to the direction of blasthole linkage promotes the development of crack; at the contact number level, the distance between blasthole and guide hole The main force direction is perpendicular to the blasthole line direction when the contact number level is less than 2.0 times the radius of the crushing zone. (iii) With the increase of distance between blasthole and guide hole, the inhibition of crack by stress in the vertical direction is weakened, and the main force direction is parallel to the blasthole line direction.
Is gestational weight gain in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus related to diabetes characteristics?
Authors: Xie Xinglei , Liu Jiaming , García-Patterson Apolonia , Chico Ana , Mateu-Salat Manel , Amigó Judit , Adelantado Juan María , Corcoy Rosa
Published: June 2023

Purpose
To assess gestational weight gain (GWG) according to Institute of Medicine (IOM) and its clinical predictors in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study at a tertiary medical center. GWG after IOM, was assessed both uncorrected and corrected for gestational age. General and diabetes-related characteristics were analyzed as GWG predictors.
Results
We evaluated 633 pregnant women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. GWG uncorrected for gestational age was insufficient (iGWG) in 20.4%, adequate in 37.1% and excessive (eGWG) in 42.5%. GWG predictors included general (height, prepregnancy body mass index category, multiple pregnancy) and diabetes-related characteristics. Neuropathy and follow-up length were associated with iGWG (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.22–7.37; OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.97 respectively) while pump use and third trimester insulin dose were associated with eGWG (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.07–2.66; OR 3.64, 95% CI 1.88–7.06 respectively). Independent predictors for corrected GWG also included general and diabetes-related characteristics.
Conclusion
In this cohort of women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, inadequate GWG was common at the expense of eGWG and associated clinical characteristics were both general and diabetes-related. Clinical care during pregnancy for these women may favor weight gain.
Translation and cultural adaptation of the Greek Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS): Challenges in a six-phase process
Authors: Anagnostou Despina , Katsaragakis Stylianos , Patiraki Elsa , Panagiotou Irene , Tserkezoglou Aliki
Published: June 2023

Aim: To translate and culturally adapt IPOS to the Greek population.
Methods: A four phases- sequential study, which included verification of conceptual equivalence, double forward- backward translations and conceptual cognitive debriefing. Focus group interviews used ‘think aloud’ and ‘verbal probing’ techniques. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using predefined categories. Purposely sampled from twoncology and palliative care units in Athens.
Results: The Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale was well accepted by both patients and health professionals. Overall comprehension and acceptability of the scale were good. The comprehension and judgement challenges identified in the pre-final version were successfully resolved in the cognitive interviewing phase. Five out of the seventeen translated items of the scale were modified after cognitive debriefing. Comprehension difficulties were identified with specific terms (e.g., energy/feeling depressed) and with some answer options. Severity of symptoms and not their impact was a common difficulty. A judgement challenge was reported in relation to 7-days recall and fluctuation of symptoms. Layout concerns in relation to length of questions were also stated. All questions were considered important and none as inappropriate.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated face and content validity and acceptability of the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale in the Greek context. Cognitive Interviewing proved valuable in refining concepts within the specific cultural context.
Clinical implications: The IPOS outcome measure tool is now being used routinely in a palliative care service in Athens and is currently used to evaluate service outcomes.
N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is associated with immune microenvironments in acute intracerebral haemorrhage(ICH)
Authors: Yang Hong , Xie Chong , Wu Yi-Fan , Cheng Yuan , Zhu De-Sheng , Guan Yangtai
Published: June 2023

Recently, researchers have found that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a kind of internal posttranscriptional modification that is very pivotal in mammalian mRNA. However, the features of m6A RNA methylation in acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) are still not known. To explore differential methylation modifications and to discover their functions in acute ICH patients. We recruited three acute ICH patients, three healthy controls and an additional three patients and healthy controls for validation. m6A methylation levels were determined by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometry (UPLC-QQQ-MS) in blood samples from the two groups. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) was employed to identify differences in m6A modification. Differentially expressed m6A-modified genes were confirmed by MeRIP-qPCR. We found that there were no significant differences in total m6A levels between the two groups. However, we observed differential methylation peaks. Compared with the control group, the coding genes showing increased methylation following acute ICH were mostly harboured in processes connected with osteoclast differentiation, the neurotrophin signalling pathway and the spliceosome, while genes with reduced m6A modification were harboured in the B-cell receptor signalling pathway and the T-cell receptor signalling pathway. These results reveal that differentially m6A-modified genes may influence immune microenvironments in acute ICH.
Cognition-enhancement effect of median nerve electrical stimulation in patients with cognitive impairment: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhou Yifan , Yang Haihua , You Mengyu , Feng Zhen , Dong Xiaoyang
Published: June 2023

Background
People with cognitive impairment often face quality of life problems and require ongoing support, which has profound consequences for caregivers and society. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as median nerve electrical stimulation (MNS), have shown promising potentials in improving cognitive ability in patients with cognitive impairment. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of MNS in cognitive impairment.
Methods
Patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment from the hospital record management system of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022 were enrolled. Data on patients’ basic characteristics, treatment records, and examination results such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), activities of daily living (ADL), and P300 event-related potential before and after treatment were collected.
Results
Overall, 146 patients with cognitive impairment were enrolled, including 71 patients who underwent conventional therapy (standard treatment group) and 75 patients who underwent conventional therapy and MNS preformation (active MNS group). Before treatment, there were no differences between the standard treatment and active MNS groups in terms of age, sex, etiology, duration of symptoms before therapy, hospital stay, whether they had undergone surgery, MMSE score, ADL score, and amplitude and latency of the P300 event-related potential (P > 0.05). After treatment, we observed significant improvements in the MMSE score, ADL score, amplitude of P300, and decreased latency of P300 event-related potentials in both groups compared with before treatment (P < 0.05). In addition, we observed that the active MNS group showed higher MMSE and ADL scores, higher amplitude of P300 event-related potential, and lower latency of P300 event-related potential than the standard treatment group after treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, no side effects were associated with MNS preformation.
Conclusion
These preliminary data provide early evidence that MNS may be an effective and safe method for promoting the recovery of cognitive ability in patients with cognitive impairment.