bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Application Value of CT Perfusion Imaging Combined with suPAR and Mac-2BP in the Prognosis Evaluation of Branch Atherosclerotic Disease: a prospective study
Authors: Hu Shengjie , Shengqi Fu , Li Haoran , Zhu Lili , Qin Haiqiang
Published: November 2024

Background and objective Branch atheromatous disease (BAD) is highly susceptible to early neurological deterioration (END), resulting in a poor prognosis for patients. However, there is no reliable serum biomarker for BAD. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between CT perfusion imaging combined with serum soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and Mac-2 binding protein (Mac-2BP) with END and poor prognosis in patients with BAD. Methods Between June 2019 and March 2024, We prospectively recruited eligible BAD patients admitted to the neurology department. END is defined as an increase of ≥ 2 points in the total score of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) or an increase of ≥ 1 point in the exercise score within 72 hours after admission; Using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients at 90 days, poor outcomes were defined as mRS scores ≥ 3 points at 90 days after onset; Define cerebral perfusion damage based on CTP imaging parameters. Compare suPAR and Mac-2BP levels between END and non END patients, as well as patients with different clinical outcomes. Use multivariate logistic regression to analyze independent influencing factors of END in patients with BAD, and use receiver operation characteristic curve (ROC) to analyze the accuracy of serum suPAR and Mac-2BP in predicting END and poor outcomes. Results A total of 176 patients with BAD were included, of which 90 had significant cerebral perfusion damage, 42 developed END, and 47 had poor outcomes at 90 days of onset. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that suPAR (OR 0.706, 95% CI 0.573 ~ 0.868)、Mac-2BP (OR 0.674,95% CI 0.486 ~ 0.935),、Cerebral perfusion impairment (OR 6.083, 95% CI 1.318 ~ 28.080)、deep WMHs (OR 1.967, 95% CI 0.884 ~ 2.751) and deep CMBs (OR 2.249, 95% CI 1.113 ~ 3.126) are independent risk factors for END in patients with BAD; suPAR(OR 6.702,95% CI 2.776 ~ 16.182)、Mac-2BP (OR 1.707, 95% CI 1.132 ~ 2.576)、NIHSS score at END (OR 0.529, 95% CI 0.339 ~ 0.824)、END (OR 1.286, 95% CI 1.016 ~ 1.628)、Cerebral perfusion impairment (OR 12.873, 95% CI 2.744 ~ 60.385) and basal ganglia EPVS (OR 1.509, 95% CI 1.019 ~ 2.233) are independent risk factors for poor outcomes. The ROC curve shows that the AUC of suPAR and Mac-2BP combined for detecting END is 0.8844 (95% CI: 0.822–0.947), with sensitivity and specificity of 76.2% and 85.1%, respectively; The AUC of the combined detection of two indicators for poor outcomes was 0.8742 (95% CI: 0.810 ~ 0.938), with a sensitivity and specificity of 74.5% and 83.9%, respectively. Conclusions Among BAD patients, Cerebral perfusion impairment, suPAR, and Mac-2BP are independent risk factors for poor outcome at END and 90 days. Combined detection can help evaluate the patient's condition and predict prognosis.
Statistical representation of wave in free-surface elevation time series
Authors: Mankle Hannah , DuPont Bryony , Robertson Bryson
Published: November 2024

Designing wave energy converters (WECs) rely on numerical simulations extensively in the early design phase due to the expenses associated with physical testing and prototyping. However, model assumptions and simplifications are often made to decrease computational expenses with numerical models which can decrease the realistic representation and accuracy of the simulation and increase overall uncertainty of WEC performance. As wave energy technology advances towards commercialization, realistic representation of wave resources and WEC performance will be essential for at-sea testing and applications such as grid integration. Misrepresenting projected power variability could lead to system failures. The conventional time series generation method used in WEC modeling, the random-phase method, doesn’t capture the true variability of real waves and under-represents extreme waves. Performance outputs obtained from simulations featuring more realistic, statistically accurate wave scenarios will yield a more comprehensive analysis of WECs, enabling more informed design decisions for physical prototyping and testing. Prior work using the random-amplitude method has demonstrated improved representation of realistic waves and shown the impact this representation has on increasing the power variability of WECs. In our study, a statistical analysis is conducted to determine the number of time series required to represent key wave height percentiles from artificial time series. Here, we focus on larger wave percentiles to better understand WEC performance in extreme wave conditions, key to the survival and operation of WECs. Additionally, we investigate whether the time series duration impacts the overall time required to represent desired wave percentiles most effectively.
C-PsyD: A Chinese text classification model for detecting psychological problems
Authors: Zhang Chaoqun , Yi Yunheng
Published: November 2024

The COVID-19 epidemic has had significant direct and psychological impacts. This study introduces a Chinese text classification model, C-PsyD, which combines BiGRU, Attention, Self-Attention, and convolutional neural network (CNN) techniques. The model utilizes TextCNN and BiGRU outputs in the Attention module, generating result A. Furthermore, the outputs of Self-Attention and BiGRU are used in the Attention mechanism, producing result B. By averaging the results of A and B, a final text feature vector is obtained and passed through a dropout layer. A fully connected neural network layer processes the text feature vector to obtain the classification result. Experimental evaluations were conducted using a Chinese psychological text dataset from GitHub. The results, including loss function value, classification accuracy, recall result, false positive rate, and confusion matrix, indicate that C-PsyD outperforms six competing models. Notably, C-PsyD achieves a classification accuracy of 79.5%, surpassing TextCNN (78.2%), BiLSTM (76.4%), LSTM (74.9%), Simple-RNN (55.7%), FastText (50.1%), and ST_MFLC (44.8%), as well as FastText (50%). These findings confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed psychological text classification model. Its implementation can enhance doctors' ability to classify patients, promptly detect psychological problems, and facilitate effective treatment, thus optimizing the utilization of medical resources.
Robot-assisted axillary lymph node dissection in patients with node-positive breast cancer: Techniques, learning curve, and preliminary results
Authors: Wu Zhijie , Chen Zuxiao , Li Zongyan , Fu Xiaoyan , Liu Qiwen , Wei Lina , Luo Yunxiang , Huang Ze , Hu Qiongyu , Li Haiyan
Published: November 2024

Background
Robot-assisted axillary lymph node dissection (RALND) has little application experience. In patients with breast cancer that has positive lymph nodes, we present the initial outcomes of RALND.
Methods.
We examined the medical records of individuals with breast cancer from a single institution that underwent RALND treatment between March 2024 and August 2024. The clinicopathological characteristics, learning curve, and consequences of RALND were investigated to determine the efficacy and safety of RALND.
Result
A total of 21 patients with RALND were included in the analysis. we reported that the Docking time took 8–10 minutes, and the average operation duration was 56.1 ± 14.6 min. After the accumulation of experience in 6 patients, the time required to complete RALND stabilized at about 60 minutes. The mean blood loss was 4.1 ± 2.1mL, and the number of lymph nodes was 17.1 ± 5.6, of which 2.2 ± 3.5 were positive. All 21 patients had good shoulder joint movement (DASH score 10.82 ± 2.46), and no wound infection and lymphatic leakage were observed.
Conclusion
According to our initial experience, RALND is a safe surgical procedure that can decrease intraoperative bleeding and the effect on upper limb function, lower the incidence of complications, and potentially be an alternative technique for treating patients with positive axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer.
Distribution and clinicopathological characteristics of G-CSF expression in tumor cells and stromal cells in upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Kobayashi Go , Sekino Yohei , Nakahara Hikaru , Kobatake Kohei , Goto Keisuke , Hayashi Tetsutaro , Sentani Kazuhiro , Hinata Nobuyuki
Published: November 2024

Background
Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common type of malignant disease, but little is known about the diagnostic and prognostic markers of upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) because of its rarity.
Methods
To clarify the clinicopathological significance of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in UTUC, we analyzed the expression and distribution of G-CSF in 112 upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) samples with immunohistochemistry.
Results
In normal urothelium, G-CSF expression was weak or absent, whereas high expression of G-CSF was observed in UTUC tissues, both in tumor cells (TCs) and stromal cells (SCs). G-CSF expression in the TCs and SCs was associated with nodular/flat morphology, high grade, advanced T stage, and lymphovascular invasion in UTUC. G-CSF expression in SCs was associated with poor prognosis and was an independent prognostic factor. Public data showed that G-CSF expression was also associated with decreased progression-free survival and disease-specific survival. A prognostic model was constructed by incorporating the presence or absence of G-CSF expression along with clinicopathologic factors, which allowed for a more accurate prediction of poor prognosis. We further showed that G-CSF expression was associated with a high Ki-67 labeling index and with PD-L1, HER2, and p53 expression in UTUC.
Conclusion
G-CSF expression in TCs and SCs may play a crucial role in UTUC tumor progression. Notably, stromal G-CSF expression showed significant prognostic value, even when compared to major clinicopathological factors, suggesting that the evaluation of G-CSF expression could be helpful for clinical decision-making in patients with UTUC.
Estimation of Unsaturated Soil Characteristics And Shear Strength of the Compacted Clay Soil of the Maga Earthfill Dam Using Physical Properties
Authors: WOUNABAISA Olivier , Mahamat Harouna , Hamidou Franck , Adamou Paul , Setchokbé Venceslas , MEYING Arsène , Leroy Mambou Ngueyep Luc
Published: November 2024

Tropical soils of the Sub-Saharan area mainly include expansive clay soils and are widely used as compacted materials in geotechnical applications such as earthfill dam construction in the Far North of Cameroon. Since the unsaturated properties of expansive soils are highly related to their physical properties, the present study investigated unsaturated soil property estimation based on their physical features through the existing estimation model equations. Data from twelve (12) compacted soil specimens were obtained and used to carry out predictions of unsaturated soil variations along with the entire suction range (0 kPa–106 kPa), for the main drying process. The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC), shrinkage curve, permeability and diffusivity coefficient functions, water storage capacity, void ratio and incremental and total strain variations were estimated over the entire suction range and water content variations. The model equations by Fredlund and Xing, Brooks and Corey, Gardner and Fick’s law were used for SWCC and volume–mass unsaturated property estimation. Two (2) samples with different fine content, i.e., different plasticity, were particularly considered for a drying path simulation. It was found that predicted incremental and total volumetric deformations increase with a decrease in the degree of saturation. According to simulation results, air-entry occurrence and a net stress increase in compacted specimens under unsaturated conditions appear to contribute to their shear strength value. Estimation results from most of the estimation models used generally show an increase in shear strength for low (wet state) to medium suctions and a decrease for higher suctions (dry state). Physicals properties-based correlations models, for estimation of SWCC parameters have been then proposed. Predictions obtained from the models used were compared with experimental data and the test results of the literature. There was a good agreement. The results obtained in this paper provide another way of understanding the physical and mechanical behavior of the expansive clay soils of the Sub-Saharan area and constitute a simple and powerful tool for geotechnical engineers in the soil behavior of geotechnical man-made structures in unsaturated conditions, at initial phases or along an entire engineering project.
Cigarettes Contain Arsenic: A Study of Arsenic in Tobacco in New Delhi Region Using AAS-VGA
Authors: Kanojia Rohit , Khurana Niyati , Jaiswal AK , Bhagat Sunita
Published: November 2024

Background: Arsenic (As), a very toxic metalloid, presents significant health hazards from multiple environmental exposures, including the inhalation of arsenic-laden tobacco smoke. This pertains to the accumulation of arsenic in combustible tobacco and the related health hazards for smokers and anyone exposed to second hand smoke. Inorganic arsenic, the predominant substance in tobacco, is converted into less harmful metabolites. Nonetheless, the methylation process in smokers is suboptimal, resulting in increased concentrations of harmful arsenic compounds.
Methodology: Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a Vapor Generator Assembly (AAS-VGA) was utilized to assess arsenic level in tobacco, owing to its superior sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. The process entailed closed vessel digestion of tobacco samples using Microwave Digestion System (MDS-10) and after that the concentration of As was analyzed.
Result: The findings revealed elevated arsenic concentrations in ppm, yet no threshold for tobacco as such by WHO or any organization. This elevates the danger of developing arsenic-related health issues, such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments, to not only to active smokers but also to passive smokers. It is a potential cause of indoor pollution as well.
Conclusion: It underscores the need for more stringent public health measures to diminish arsenic exposure from smokable tobacco, while promoting the implementation of advanced detection techniques such as AAS-VGA for efficient monitoring and reduction of contamination.
Modified Synthesis, Characterization and Serum Assessments of Oral Doses of Calcium Carbonate Aragonite Nanoparticles
Authors: Suleiman Kolawole Yusuf , Okediran Babatunde Samuel , Danmaigoro Abubakar , Ahmed Hamidu , Onwuama Kenechukwu Tobechukwu , Solomon Kigir Esther , Ibraheem Gbadebo Hakeem , Amid Sadudeen Adetayo , Isiaku Abdulmajeed , Nwachukwu Raymond Chinedu , Matymza Ntombozuko C. , Beukes Lorika S. , Abubakar Adamu Abdul , Bakar Md Zuki Abu , Jaji Alhaji Zubair
Published: November 2024

This investigation centers on the refined synthesis, characterization, and serum evaluations of orally administered calcium carbonate aragonite nanoparticles (CAN) derived from the shells of the cockle (Anadara granosa). Cockle shells constitute a plentiful and cost-effective source of calcium carbonate, thereby positioning them as a promising candidate for biomaterials in orthopedic and biomedical applications. The synthesis of CAN was accomplished through an optimized protocol including mechanical grinding, purification with lime juice, and regulated precipitation, culminating to the production of highly uniform spherical nanoparticles with dimensions below 50 nm, as corroborated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. The stability and purity of the synthesized nanoparticles were additionally substantiated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which indicated their thermal endurance up to 295°C. In vivo toxicity assessments were performed adhering to OECD protocols (425 and 407 guidelines) utilizing Wistar rats to investigate both acute and sub-chronic toxicological implications across various dosage levels (300, 2000, and 5000 mg/kg for acute studies and 10, 100, and 1000 mg/kg for sub-chronic evaluations). Serum biochemical assays were employed to evaluate hepatic and renal functionalities, oxidative stress indicators, glucose metabolism, and lipid profiles. Findings indicated that while lower concentrations of CAN displayed negligible toxic effects, elevated doses precipitated significant oxidative stress, impairment of liver and kidney functions, as well as modifications in lipid and glucose metabolism, thus suggesting potential nephrotoxicity, hepatocellular injury, and cardiovascular hazards. In conclusion, despite the promising biomedical characteristics of CAN for applications in drug delivery and bone repair, it is imperative that dosage is meticulously regulated to alleviate potential cytotoxic consequences, oxidative stress, and disturbances in metabolic pathways.
Shape-based Methods in Mobility Data Analysis: Effectiveness and Limitations
Authors: Landi Cristiano , Guidotti Riccardo
Published: November 2024

Although Mobility Data Analysis (MDA) has been explored for a long time, it still lags behind advancements in other fields.A common issue in MDA is the lack of methods' standardization and reusability. On the other hand, for instance, in time series analysis, the existing methods are typically general-purpose, and it is possible to apply them across diverse datasets and applications without extensive customization. Still, in MDA, most contributions are ad-hoc and designed to address specific research questions, which limits their generalizability and reusability.
Recently, some researchers explored the application of shapelet transform to trajectory data, i.e., extracting discriminatory sub-trajectories from training data to be used as classification features. Unlike current MDA methods, this line of research eliminates the need for feature engineering, greatly improving its ability to generalize. While shapelets on mobility data have shown state-of-the-art performance on public classification datasets, it is still not clear why they work. Are these subtrajectories merely proxies for geographic location, or do they also capture motion dynamics? We empirically show that shapelet-based approaches are a viable alternative to classical methods and flexible enough to solve MDA tasks related solely to trajectory shape, solely to movement dynamics, and those related to both. Additionally, we investigate the problem of Geographic Transferability, showing that such approaches offer a promising starting point for tackling this challenge.
Different Varieties of Rice (Oryza sativa) Affect Cadmium Accumulation by Reshaping Rhizosphere Bacterial Community
Authors: Zhang Shangdu , Luo Zhengliang , Peng Ju , Wu Xiang , Shi Bangzhi , Meng Xiufei , Qin Yuanyi , Zhou Leliang , Zhu Feiying , Bai Liangyang
Published: November 2024

Cadmium rice is a serious danger to human health due to its ability to enrich cadmium from soil to rice plants. Previously, we have identified two self-bred late-season high quality rice varieties, which are "Yuzhenxiang" and "Xiangwanxian 12". However, the mechanism on the distribution and tolerance of their significant differences in cadmium accumulation have barely been studied so far. Therefore, in this study, we comparatively analyze the relationships between the rhizosphere bacterial community and Cd accumulation in these two rice varieties under three different Cd stress conditions during the maturity period. Our results firstly showed that significant differences in physicochemical properties affect the Cd content in rice roots, which increased with increasing Cd content in the soil. Notably, the spearman correlation analysis suggested that the differed enrichment of Variibacter, Nitrospira, Galella, Mycobacterium, and Desulfobacca affected by rice variety, which play key roles in root Cd accumulation. In general, our research indicate that the different rice varieties can altered the structure soil bacterial communities to affect Cd concentration in rice. This provides theoretical support to better control the Cd pollution problem through agricultural ecology protection.
Salinity-driven transmembrane transport of free nitrous acid to enhance inhibition on nitrite-oxidizing bacteria for robust nitritation
Authors: Lv Xue-Er , Tang Rui , Ma Zi-Hang , Chen Rui-Xue , Wang Yu , An Ying , Jiang Lu-Man , Zhou Zhen
Published: November 2024

Stable and selective suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) remains a bottleneck for nitritation. Here, we present an efficient NOB suppression strategy relying on synergistic effects of free nitrous acid (FNA) and salinity, i.e., the intrinsic substances during wastewater treatment. The co-presence of over 0.06 mg N/L FNA and 3.3 g Na+/L salinity achieved stable NOB inhibition, maintaining a nitrite accumulation ratio over 90% with negligible nitrite oxidation rate and NOB abundance. This strategy overcame the adaptation of NOB to FNA or salinity alone. Due to the synergistic effect, the permeability of cell membrane increased obviously. Driven by salinity, especially at 3.3 g Na+/L, the inward transport of both FNA and protons was accelerated, thereby raising intracellular FNA concentration and enhancing its lysis to reactive antibacterial species. In response to this synergistic inhibition, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) activity increased progressively with Nitrosomonas as the dominating genus. The persistence of Nitrosomonas was mainly ascribed to denitrification by itself. This differential evolution of AOB and NOB caused by FNA and salinity provides a valuable reference for promoting the application of nitritation-based wastewater treatment processes.
Harnessing Pre-trained Models for Accurate Prediction of Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity
Authors: Li Jiashan , Gong Xinqi
Published: November 2024

Background: The binding between proteins and ligands plays a crucial role in the field of drug discovery. However, this area currently faces numerous challenges. On one hand, existing methods are constrained by the limited availability of labeled data, often performing inadequately when addressing complex protein-ligand interactions. On the other hand, many models struggle to effectively capture the flexible variations and relative spatial relationships between proteins and ligands. These issues not only significantly hinder the advancement of protein-ligand binding research but also adversely affect the accuracy and efficiency of drug discovery. Therefore, in response to these challenges, our study aims to enhance predictive capabilities through innovative approaches, providing more reliable support for drug discovery efforts.
Methods: This study leverages a pre-trained model with spatial awareness to enhance the prediction of protein-ligand binding affinity. By perturbing protein structures in a manner consistent with physical constraints and employing self-supervised tasks, we improve the representation of small molecule structures, allowing for better adaptation to affinity predictions. Meanwhile, our approach enables the identification of potential binding sites on proteins.
Results: Our model achieves a significantly higher correlation coefficient in binding affinity predictions, with a classification ROC exceeding 95% for binding site identification.
Conclusion: This research presents a novel approach that not only enhances the accuracy of binding affinity predictions but also facilitates the identification of binding sites, showcasing the potential of pre-trained models in computational 1 drug design. Data and code are available at https://anonymous.4open.science/r/ SableBind-1B53.
Balanced Group Convolution: An Improved Group Convolution Based on Approximability Estimates
Authors: Lee Youngkyu , Park Jongho , Lee Chang-Ock
Published: November 2024

The performance of neural networks has been significantly improved by increasing the number of channels in convolutional layers.
However, this increase in performance comes with a higher computational cost, resulting in numerous studies focused on reducing it.
One promising approach to address this issue is group convolution, which effectively reduces the computational cost by grouping channels.
However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no theoretical analysis on how well the group convolution approximates the standard convolution.
In this paper, we mathematically analyze the approximation of the group convolution to the standard convolution with respect to the number of groups.
Furthermore, we propose a novel variant of the group convolution called \textit{balanced group convolution}, which shows a higher approximation with a small additional computational cost.
We provide experimental results that validate our theoretical findings and demonstrate the superior performance of the balanced group convolution over other variants of group convolution.
SINE Retrotransposons Import Polyadenylation Signals to 3’UTRs in Dog (Canis familiaris)
Authors: Choi Jessica , Pinto Lelani Del , Sutter Nathan
Published: November 2024

Background
Messenger RNA 3’ untranslated regions (3’UTRs) control many aspects of gene expression and determine where the transcript will terminate. The polyadenylation signal (PAS) AAUAAA (AATAAA in DNA) is a key regulator of transcript termination and this hexamer, or a similar sequence, is very frequently found within 30 bp of 3’UTR ends. Short interspersed element (SINE) retrotransposons are found throughout genomes in high copy numbers. When inserted into genes they can disrupt expression, alter splicing, or cause nuclear retention of mRNAs. The genomes of the domestic dog and other carnivores carry hundreds of thousands of Can-SINEs, a tRNA-related SINE with transcription termination potential. Because of this we asked whether Can-SINEs may terminate transcript in some dog genes.
Results
The dog’s nine Can-SINE consensus sequences carry an average of three AATAAA PASs on their sense strands but zero on their antisense strands. Consistent with the idea that Can-SINEs can terminate transcripts, we find that sense-oriented Can-SINEs are approximately ten times more frequent at 3’ ends of 3’UTRs compared to further upstream within 3’UTRs. Furthermore, the count of AATAAA PASs on head-to-tail SINE sequence differs significantly between sense and antisense-oriented retrotransposons in transcripts. Can-SINEs near 3’UTR ends are likely to carry AATAAA on the mRNA sense strand while those further upstream are not. We identified loci where Can-SINE insertion has truncated or altered a dog 3’UTR compared to the human ortholog. Dog 3’UTRs have peaks of AATAAA PAS frequency at 28, 32, and 36 bp from the end. The periodicity is partly explained by TAAA(n) repeats within Can-SINE AT-rich tails. We annotated all repeat-masked Can-SINE copies in the Boxer reference genome and found that the young SINEC_Cf type has a mode of 15 bp length for target site duplications (TSDs). All dog Can-SINE types favor integration at TSDs beginning with A(4).
Conclusion
Dog Can-SINE activity has imported AATAAA PASs into gene transcripts and led to alteration of 3’UTRs. AATAAA sequences are selectively removed from Can-SINEs in introns and upstream 3’UTR regions but are retained at the far downstream end of 3’UTRs, which we infer reflects their role as termination sequences for these transcripts.
IGFBP1 facilitates tumor proliferation, invasion and migration by modulating the MAPK- ERK signaling pathway in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Xiao Zengtuan , Zhang Mengzhe , Di Yiying , Liu Zuo , Zhang Zhenfa
Published: November 2024

Objective
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent histological subtype of lung cancer, and lymph node metastasis serves as a significant prognostic risk factor. The identification of molecular biomarkers associated with lymph node metastasis holds paramount importance in the prevention and treatment strategies for this condition.
Methods
We identified the GFBP1 as the biomarker with the highest risk for lymph node metastasis by bioinformatical analysis. And we conducted the cell proliferation, invasion, and migration assays in H1975 and H1299 cells by overexpressing IGFBP1. The single-cell-RNA-sequence data indicated that IGFBP1 facilitates the progression of LUAD cells through the MAPK signaling pathway. Subsequently, western blot analysis was performed to validate these findings, while the ERK inhibitor U0126 was employed for cellular experiments and in vivo verification to elucidate the precise biological function of IGFBP1.
Results
IGFBP1 emerged as the most prominent biomarker for lymph node metastasis risk. Difference was shown in immunohistochemistry, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The vitro experiments confirmed that the overexpression of IGFBP1 in H1299 and H1975 cells can significantly promote proliferation, migration and invasion capacities. Western blot analysis validated that IGFBP1 overexpression substantially increased p-ERK expression levels. The use of the ERK inhibitor U0126 in subcutaneous tumor formation demonstrated that U0126 effectively suppressed both proliferation and invasion in animal model.
Conclusions
IGFBP1 indicates the promotion of lymph node metastasis in LUAD by facilitating tumor proliferation, invasion, and migration through modulation of the MAPK-ERK signaling pathway. Targeting this pathway exhibits significant potential for inhibiting tumor progression.
Leveraging lactate transporters for superior 3-hydroxypropionic (3-HP) acid production from methanol in Komagataella phaffii
Authors: Àvila-Cabré Sílvia , Albiol Joan , Ferrer Pau
Published: November 2024

Background
Bioconversion of methanol derived from CO2 reduction into value-added chemicals is crucial for mitigating global warming and reducing fossil fuels dependence within a circular economy. Production of 3-hydroxypropionic (3-HP) acid, a key building block for the development of biobased products such as acrylates and 1,3-propanediol, has been successfully achieved using methanol as the sole carbon and energy source in the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (syn. Pichia pastoris). However, challenges remain in meeting commercially relevant concentrations, yields and productivities of 3-HP, prompting further strain optimization. In the present study, we have combined metabolic engineering strategies aiming at increasing metabolic precursors supply and redirecting carbon flux towards 3-HP production.
Results
A combinatorial metabolic engineering strategy targeted to increase precursor supply and 3-HP export was applied to the original 3-HP producing K. phaffii strain harboring the synthetic b-alanine pathway and a heterologous NADP-dependent formate dehydrogenase. To do so, several genes encoding for enzymes catalyzing reactions immediately upstream of the β-alanine pathway were overexpressed to enhance the pathway’s precursors supply. However, only the overexpression of the pyruvate carboxylase PYC2 gene significantly increased the 3-HP yield on biomass (YP/X) in small-scale cultivations. Co-overexpression of PYC2 and the lactate permeases ESBP6 and JEN1 genes led to a 55% improvement in titer (1.5 g l− 1) and product yield (0.13 g g− 1) compared to the reference strain, mostly due to Esbp6 activity, proving its effectiveness as a 3-HP transporter. Deletion of the native formate dehydrogenase gene FDH1 did not increase methanol flux entering the assimilatory pathway. Instead, knockout strains showed severe growth defects due to toxic intermediates accumulation. Co-expression of a gene encoding for a mutated NADP-dependent formate dehydrogenase in these strains failed to compensate for the loss of native FDH. The strain combining PYC2, ESBP6 and JEN1 overexpression was further tested in fed-batch cultures at pH 5, achieving a final 3-HP concentration of 27.0 g l− 1 in 39.3 h, with a product yield of 0.19 g g− 1 and a volumetric productivity of 0.56 g l− 1 h− 1. These results represent a 42% increase in final concentration and over 20% improvement in volumetric productivity compared to the original 3-HP producing strain. Furthermore, bioreactor-scale cultivations at pH 3.5 revealed increased robustness of the strains overproducing monocarboxylate transporters.
Conclusions
Our results point out the potential of lactate transporters to efficiently drive 3-HP export in K. phaffii, leading to higher titers, yields, and productivities, even at lower pH conditions.
CFD study and Experimental Verification of droplet formation characteristics in a flow-focusing microfluidic device
Authors: Sani Hajar Mohamadzade , Hosseinalipour Seyed Mostafa
Published: November 2024

Droplet-based microfluidics has received much attention today due to the precise control of droplet size and the uniform and integrated droplet production. In this paper, the droplet formation process in a three-dimensional geometry of a flow-focusing microfluidic device has been simulated by developing a code with the finite element method (FEM) and the two-phase level set method (LSM). Effective physical factors, including the continuous phase viscosity, two-phase flow velocities, interfacial tension and injection angle have been investigated on different parameters including the droplet generation mechanism, two-phase flow regimes, droplet size, droplet formation frequency and droplet breakup time to clarify the best conditions for the droplet formation with the desired shape and size. Based on the numerical model results, a flow-focusing microfluidic device has been fabricated with the same simulation dimensions under injection angle of \(\:\theta\:={90}^{^\circ\:}\) connection and evaluated using the lithography process. The simulation results accuracy has been validated by comparing with the experimental results. The relative error was less than \(\:4\%\) which shows that the experimental results and numerical model are in good agreement. Repeatability tests have been conducted as well and the standard deviation value and the coefficient of variation showed good repeatability and homogeneity in the produced droplets.
Diagnosis of Current Transformers Based on Symmetrized Dot Pattern and Horizontal Enhanced Convolution
Authors: Zhao Pinzhang , Zhang Zhongyu , Wei Jian , Wang Lihui
Published: November 2024

The stability of fibre optic current transformers (FOCTs), crucial for power metering systems, is paramount. This paper introduces an innovative fault diagnosis method to enhance FOCT diagnostic capabilities. Firstly, utilizing advanced AI and neural networks, the method employs Symmetric Point Pattern (SDP) for complex data fusion, alongside Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for feature reduction. Secondly, Horizontal Enhanced Convolution (HEC) identifies key characteristics, while residual architecture tackles gradient descent issues in traditional CNNs. Then, inspired by Feature Pyramid Networks (FPNs), a new architecture efficiently extracts multiscale features, preventing overfitting with Selective Pooling Prevention Filtering (SPPF). The developed SDP-MSFCNN model achieved a high diagnostic accuracy of 98.82%, surpassing the 90.72% of conventional SDP-CNN and the 96.61% of MA1-DCNN. This approach significantly enhances power system reliability and efficiency, and is ready for integration into high-voltage network fault diagnosis systems, improving the intelligence and safety of 110kV to 1000kV AC/DC transformers.
An Exploration of the Application of Item Response Theory to the Measurement of Child Abuse in Canada
Authors: Goodwin Shane W. , Bader Danielle , Arim Rubab , Frank Kristyn , Shields Margot , Tanaka Masako , Gonzalez Andrea , Campeau Aimée , McKinnon Britt , Afifi Tracie O. , MacMillan Harriet L. , Tonmyr Lil
Published: November 2024

PURPOSE
There is a longstanding need for a consistent approach to estimate the prevalence of child abuse to inform programs, policies, and research. A key step in achieving a consistent approach is to examine current differences in the application of cut-offs in the public health reporting of child abuse.
METHODS
To address this issue, this exploratory study applied item response theory (IRT) to determine standard cut-points for two types of child abuse, namely physical and sexual abuse, using nationally representative data from the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces. Two different cut-offs from the literature were considered in the IRT models. The first cut-off (i.e., cut-off 1) estimated the proportion of individuals who experienced abuse in childhood (before age 15 years) using a frequency of one or more times. In contrast, a second cut-off (i.e., cut-off 2) was more conservative, requiring experiencing a higher frequency of abuse across all items.
RESULTS
Model fit statistics and option characteristic curves suggested a good fit for physical abuse using cut-off 2. In contrast, a good fit was obtained for sexual abuse using cut-off 1.
CONCLUSION
This study provides support towards using cut-off 2 for physical abuse and cut-off 1 for sexual abuse. Consistent approaches to measuring child abuse is important to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of child abuse, as well as approaches to its assessment, treatment, and prevention. Future research should explore the feasibility of using IRT methods to establish cut-offs for other types of maltreatment.
Enhancing ward rounds for older patients with frailty: A modified Delphi process
Authors: Andersen Lene Holst , Løfgren Bo , Skipper Mads , Krogh Kristian , Jensen Rune Dall
Published: November 2024

Background
Despite their prevalence, ward round practices are not well described, particularly within the CanMEDS competency framework, leading to challenges in achieving proficiency. We aimed to identify consensus-based content items for conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty to provide clearer guidelines and enhanced understanding of best practices for medical professionals.
Methods
A nationwide Danish five-round Delphi study conducted during 2023. Geriatric medicine (30) and medical communication (5) experts were invited to participate. The participants’ comments and an iterative thematic approach were used to identify and refine content items and themes, after which participants assessed items for consensus. Consensus was defined as 75% of participants voting 7-9 on a 1-9 Likert scale. Items without consensus returned to the next Delphi round with elimination if no consensus was reached after the second assessment.
Results
Delphi study response rates were 26(74%), 21(81%), 18(86%), 13(72%), and 11(85%) in Delphi rounds 1-5, respectively. Experts reached consensus on 108 content items on conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty. Items were organized into four themes: 1) preparing ward rounds, 2) conducting ward rounds, 3) competencies, 4) circumstances related to the patient group. Ward round preparation and the conduction of ward round detailed the process of managing older inpatients living with frailty, including conducting a holistic review of patient history and functional status, as well as improving the environment, such as by reducing noise. Competencies and patient circumstances related to the patient group included knowledge, skills, and attitudes to improve ward round quality, including flexibility in terms of reading patient cues and adjusting content to changes in cognition and alertness and knowledge on how to communicate with patients living with cognitive impairment.
Conclusions
Geriatric medicine and medical communication experts reached consensus on 108 content items for conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty. The items were grouped into four themes: preparing for ward rounds, conducting ward rounds, required competencies, and patient-related circumstances. The authors believe that this study serves as a valuable resource for medical training and future research.
gdGSE: a novel pathway enrichment evaluation algorithm based on discretization of gene expression values
Authors: luo jiangti , Lu Qiqi , Wang Xiaosheng
Published: November 2024

We proposed gdGSE, a novel gene set enrichment scoring method. Unlike the established methods, gdGSE evaluates gene set enrichment levels based on discretized gene expression values whereby to overcome the discrepancy of data distribution. This algorithm consists of two steps: the first step is to binarize gene expression matrix, and the second step is to convert the binarized gene expression matrix into gene set enrichment matrix. We tested gdGSE in both bulk and single-cell datasets through gene set enrichment evaluation and subsequent downstream analysis, such as disease subtyping and cell type identification. Benchmark experiments demonstrate that gdGSE has more excellent performance than most other algorithms in gene set enrichment evaluation. First, the pathway enrichment scores by gdGSE can generate higher clustering quality, as evidenced by better separating tumor patients with significant prognostic differences and more accurately identifying cell types. Second, gdGSE shows stronger noise immunity in both bulk and single-cell data. Lastly, gdGSE is more efficient in gene set enrichment evaluation as it requires much less running time and lower memory usage. Thus, gdGSE is useful tool for gene set enrichment analysis to facilitate an amount of downstream analyses.
Popular knowledge as a factor of female empowerment in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Batista Waldileia Ferreira de Melo , Lucena Reinaldo Farias Paiva de , Barros Roseli Farias Melo de
Published: November 2024

Women all over the World are the main victims of bad social and environmental conditions. Registering these conditions along with their knowledge before such conditions can be a way to acknowledge women in rural areas. In this context, the objective of this study was to portray the socioeconomic, environmental, cultural, and religious characteristics of the context in which women are inserted and register their popular knowledge about wild plants, analyzing how these characteristics and knowledge are related to the process of female empowerment. Forty interviews were carried out with residents of three communities around the Sete Cidades National Park using semi-structured forms covering socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and ethnobiological information. The Free List method was used for the survey of species, with record of 70 species belonging to 24 families. Knowledge was analyzed according to schooling, length of residence in the communities, and age group, and the similarity between these criteria and knowledge about wild plants was analyzed using the Single clustering method and the Dice-Sorensen coefficient. The analysis was performed using the NTSYSpc v.2.10t software for comparison, using cluster analysis. Data referring to cultural practices were cataloged through observation, notes, and a photographic record. The knowledge was centered on women who lived for longer time in the communities and on older women, confirmed by their distance in the similarity analysis. The practices and strategies that women developed point to a solidary and collective empowerment, albeit unconscious.
Composição microbiológica e indicadores físicos e químicos de biofertilizantes líquidos
Authors: Jesus Joelma Farias Vieira de , Menezes Marcos Paulo Carrera de , Medeiros Marcos Barros , Araújo Luís Felipe de , Jesus Jômane Costa de , Oliveira Pedro Thiago Barbosa de
Published: November 2024

A agricultura sustent�vel prioriza pr�ticas agr�colas que proporcionem menor degrada��o ao solo e maior sustentabilidade, que valorizem fontes org�nicas de nutrientes e a n�o utiliza��o de fertilizantes qu�micos. Uma das alternativas � o uso de biofertilizantes l�quidos que incorporam ao solo mat�ria org�nica e nutrientes para o desenvolvimento das plantas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a composi��o microbiol�gica e indicadores f�sicos e qu�micos de biofertilizantes bovino e caprino em diferentes tempos de decomposi��o. O experimento foi conduzido no Laborat�rio de Bovinocultura da Universidade Federal da Para�ba, Campus III, Bananeiras-PB. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 2 x 5, de duas fontes de esterco (bovino e caprino) e de cinco tempos de decomposi��o (7, 14, 21, 28 e 35 dias). Ap�s cada per�odo de decomposi��o dos biofertilizantes foi determinado o pH, a condutividade el�trica, a massa seca e realizadas an�lises microbiol�gicas de bact�rias e fungos. Os tempos de decomposi��o dos biofertilizantes influenciam no pH, condutividade el�trica, massa seca e na composi��o microbiol�gica. O tratamento com esterco caprino obteve maiores valores m�dios de bact�rias entre os per�odos de avalia��o 21 e 35 dias, o tratamento com esterco bovino apresentou maior quantidade de bact�rias aos 35 dias. A maior densidade de fungos do biofertilizante com esterco bovino foi entre e 28 e 35 dias, constatando que o processo de matura��o deste composto precisou de maior tempo quando comparado ao biofertilizante com esterco caprino que obteve maior densidade de fungos aos 14 dias. Portanto os agricultores podem utilizar o biofertilizante com esterco caprino em menor tempo de decomposi��o (21 dias) comparado ao biofertilizante com esterco bovino que apresentou maior quantidade de bact�rias e fungos aos 28 e 35 dias.
A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW-: TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECT OF COMMON DRUG AND POISON ON HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ANALYTICAL DETECTION TECHNIQUES TO DETECT IN BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES- USING INSTRUMENTATION CHROMATOGRAPHY, BIOSENSORS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
Authors:   Department of Forensic Science, Parul University, Vadodara Gujarat., Patel Deep
Published: November 2024

The study of drugs and Poisons on human physiology is crucial for Understanding their cause and impact on health and developing effective techniques for detection methods. This Research aims to explore the mechanism by which various substances from prescription medication to environmental toxins interact with biological samples or materials. The investigation focuses on the pathophysiology change induced by these agents including alteration in cellular function, disturbance in metabolic pathways and organ specific damage. This studies also focused on the analytical techniques used for detection these substance in biological sample, Instruments used for this such as, GCMS [ Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy ], LCMS [ liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy ] UV, FTIR, HPTLC can be used. Immunoassays are examined for their effectiveness in identifying and quantifying toxic compounds.