bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal variability of extreme precipitation in East of northwest China and associated large-scale circulation factors
Authors: Guo Yuhong , Yan Xiaodong , Gao Zhibo , Song Shuaifeng
Published: May 2023

Spatial and temporal distributions and influencing factors of extreme precipitation are important bases for coping with future climate change. The spatiotemporal variability and affecting factors of extreme precipitation indices (EPIs) in East of northwest China (ENW) during 1961–2015 were investigated using a series of approaches such as modified Mann-Kendall trend test, Hurst exponent, Ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), and geodetector model. The results showed that CDD and CWD decreased significantly (P < 0.01), with rates of 1.4 days/decade and 0.07 days/decade, respectively. EPIs in ENW exhibited an obvious heterogeneity. CDD gradually increased from the southeast to the northwest. The remaining EPIs generally showed the opposite trend. Some stations in ENW may experience more extreme precipitation events in the future. Geodetector results demonstrated that large-scale circulation factors had a significant impact on EPIs in ENW. The influence of large-scale climate factors on EPIs was concentrated in nonlinear enhancement, and Nino3.4 and SO were the dominant driving factors that played a major role in the variability of EPIs. The results of this study provided a reference for ENW and other arid and semi-arid regions to cope with extreme climates and develop corresponding strategies.
A strain reconstruction method for uncertain boundary conditions
Authors: Huo junzhou , Ge Lihan , Zhang zhange , Wang zejiang , Zhao Xin
Published: May 2023

Affected by complex boundary conditions and redundant structural assembly, it is difficult to collect stress and strain information on key structures of complex mechanical equipment, resulting in difficult life monitoring and large calculation errors. The purpose of this study is to provide reliable strain data for accurate life prediction and solve the problem of obtaining critical structural strain under uncertain loads and other complex boundary conditions. In this paper, a neural network training dataset is established based on finite element analysis data and experimental data, and the neural network architecture and parameter optimization are carried out for each data set. Finally, the strain reconstruction model based on a neural network is established, which solves the two problems of accurate equivalence from structure to strain and equivalence from strain to load. Feature experimental samples were designed to verify the universality of the research method. The model is experimentally verified with an average error of less than 5%. It realizes the global strain reconstruction from the local measurement point to the overall structure, which can be used for real-time and full-cycle life monitoring of the structure;
SHP099 Combination Inhibits the Malignant Biological Behavior of L-OHP/5-fu Resistant Colorectal Cancer Cells by Regulating Energy Metabolism Reprogramming
Authors: Wang Meilian , Yu Kun , Fu Wen , Yang Lihong
Published: May 2023

Methods
HT29 and SW480 cell lines were fostered in media containing L-OHP or 5-Fu to establish drug-resistant strains. Injected subcutaneously HT29 and SW480 drug-resistant cells into the ventral of nude mice at a dose of 5 × 106 to establish CRC drug-resistant animal models. CCK-8, Western blot, flow cytometry, Transwell and kit detection were used to detect the regulation mechanism of energy metabolism reprogramming in drug-resistant CRC cells. Results: Compared with non-resistant strains, L-OHP/5-fu resistant strains had stronger ability of metabolic reprogramming. Functionally, SHP099 can restrain the metabolic reprogramming of L-OHP/5-fu resistant strains, and then restrain the cell proliferation, cloning, migration and tumor spheroid formation of L-OHP/5-fu resistant strains. Downstream mechanism studies have shown that SHP099 interferes with the metabolic reprogramming of L-OHP/5-fu drug-resistant strains by suppressing PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby restraining the malignant biological behavior of L-OHP/5-fu drug-resistant strains and alleviating CRC. Conclusion: The combination of SHP099 can restrain the malignant biological behavior of L-OHP/5-fu resistant CRC cells and alleviate the progression of CRC by interfering with the reprogramming of energy metabolism.
Efficacy of RESOLVE DWI in the staging of Graves ’ophthalmopathy compared with conventional MRI
Authors: Yang Libin , Yu Shun , Chen Meihui , Qiu Huiling
Published: May 2023

Purpose. To determine the efficacy of RESOLVE DWI in the staging of GO compared with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods. A total of 58 consecutive GO patients were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the patients’ clinical activity score (CAS). Signal intensity ratio (SIR) of extraocular muscle (EOM) on coronal T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) with fat suppression and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of EOM for ADC map was measured and analyzed.
Results. Both SIR and ADC values in the active GO were significantly higher than those of inactive GO(P＜0.001). SIR and ADC values were positively correlated with CAS (r＝ 0.58, 0.55; P<0.001).When SIR of 2.2 and ADC value of 1467.64 × 10－6 mm2/s of the EOM were used as threshold values for staging GO, respectively, the best results were obtained with a sensitivity of 64%,59%, and specificity of 88%,86%. There was no significant difference in area under the curve between SIR and ADC.
Conclusion. RESOLVE DWI has the potential to be a valuable MRI tool in the staging of GO in addition to conventional MRI.
Evaluation of an adapted semi-automated DNA extraction for human salivary shotgun metagenomics
Authors: Almeida Mathieu , Meslier Victoria , Menozzi Elisa , David Aymeric , Morabito Christian , Pozo Sara Lucas Del , Famechon Alexandre , North Janet , Quinquis Benoit , Koletsi Sofia , Macnaughtan Jane , Mezabrovschi Roxana , Ehrlich S. Dusko , Schapira Anthony HV.
Published: May 2023

The importance of oral microbiota has been recently highlighted in human health, such as in Parkinson disease, notably using shotgun metagenomics. One key aspect for efficient shotgun metagenomic analysis relies on optimal microbial sampling and DNA extraction, generally implementing commercial solutions developed to improve sample collection and preservation and provide high DNA quality and quantity for downstream analysis. Because metagenomic studies are today performed on a large number of samples, the next evolution to increase study throughput is with DNA extraction automation. In this study, we proposed a semi-automated DNA extraction protocol for human salivary samples collected with a commercial kit, and compared the outcomes with the DNA extraction recommended by the manufacturer. While similar DNA yields were observed between the protocols, our semi-automated DNA protocol significantly generated higher DNA fragment sizes. Moreover, we showed that the oral microbiome composition was equivalent between DNA extraction methods, even at the species level. This study demonstrates that our semi-automated protocol is suitable for shotgun metagenomic analysis, while allowing for a better sample treatment logistic with reduced technical variability and without compromising the structure of the oral microbiome.
Concordance between Immunohistochemistry and MSI analysis for detection of MMR/MSI status in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Faizee Muhammad Ishaque , Talib Norlelawati A. , Hamdan Asmah Hanim Bt. , Abdullah Nor zamzila Bt. , Rahimi Bilah Ahmad , Haidary Ahmed Maseh , Hanifi Ahmed Nasir
Published: May 2023

Background
Recently, screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients for mismatch repair/microsatellite instability (MMR/MSI) status is widely practiced due to its potential predictive and prognostic roles and a screening tool to reveal Lynch Syndrome (LS). The purpose of the study was to evaluate concordance between immunohistochemistry (IHC) and MSI analysis methods for detection of MMR/MSI status in colorectal cancer patients in Kuantan, Pahang.
Methods
Fifty selected CRC cases of deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) which were identified immunohistochemically in the previous study were subjected to MSI analysis. MSI Analysis System 1.2 (Promega) was utilized.
Results
The results of MSI analysis method showed MSI-High: 26% (13/50), MSI-Low: 6% (3/50), and Microsatellite Stable: 68% (34/50). The concordance was perfect (0.896, Kappa value) between MSI analysis and IHC methods for the assessment of MMR/MSI status in CRC patients. The discordance was only 4% (2/50). MSI analysis identified all dMMR cases determined by IHC except one case. The obtained frequency of dMMR and pMMR patients was 11.4% (14/123) and 88.6% (109/123) by IHC method, respectively.
Conclusion
Our findings support the universal practice of evaluating the MMR/MSI status in all newly diagnosed CRC patients. Based on the perfect concordance of two methods, the method of choice is based on the availability of expertise and equipments. IHC is highly appreciable method due to its feasibility and reproducibility.
MWCNTs Dispersion adopting GA and Its Application towards Copper Tailings-Based Cementitious Materials
Authors: Xiang Bingzhi , Cheng Ruifeng , Zhu Jielu , Zhou Yong , Peng Xiaoying , Song Junwei , Wu Junhong
Published: May 2023

Hydrophobic carbon nanotubes are hardly to disperse in water and prone to agglomerate when poured with Copper Tailing-Based Cementitious Material (CTCM). Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) + Arabic Gum (GA) dispersions were prepared by a novel method of synergistic optimization of concentration, controlling low-frequency ultrasonic time and setting the ambient temperature with non-toxic anionic surfactant GA as surfactant. The results of UV-Vis spectroscopy showed that the high stability MWCNTs + GA dispersion with low aggregation area (<1.2%) and low aggregation beam size (<219 nm) have been prepared by using 1.7mmol / l GA. The effects of highly stable MWCNTs dispersion on the mechanical properties, microstructure and durability of CTCM were studied. The results of SEM, XRD and EDX showed that GA significantly enhanced the dispersion of MWCNT in aqueous solution at a suitable concentration (mass ratio of GA:CNTs =1:1). The microstructure of the prepared CTCM by high stability MWCNTs dispersion was optimized obviously, and the mechanical properties and durability were improved significantly. This method solves the dual problem of MWCNTs not being fully dispersed in aqueous solution and being easily re-agglomerated in cementitious materials, as well as finding a breakthrough for the low cost and industrialization of tailings cement-based composite cementitious materials.
Phylogenetic and morphological evidence reveals six new species of boletus from southern China
Authors: Zhou Fan , Gao Yang , Song Hai-Yan , Hu Hai-Jing , Yang Wen-Juan , Zhang Wei , Liao Li-Yu , Fang Yi , Cheng Lin , Hu Dian-Ming
Published: May 2023

Fungi of the order Boletales are extremely important in both ecology and economy, since most of them are ectomycorrhizal fungi, which play vital roles in maintaining forest ecosystems, water and soil protection, vegetation restoration and so on. Although previous studies have shown that this order has a very high species diversity in China, there are few reports on the species diversity of boletus in Jiangxi Province, China. We have systematically investigated the macrofungi diversity of Jiangxi Wuyishan National Nature Reserve for five years, where the natural conditions is excellent, the ecological environment is well protected and the diversity of macrofungi is abundant. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, we described 6 new boletus species, i.e. Austroboletus albus, Tapinella qixianensis, Xanthoconium violaceipes, Xanthoconium violaceofuscum, Xerocomus rutilans and Xerocomus subsplendidus. All the new species were described and illustrated in detail.
Brief Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Stigmatization, Depression, Quality of life, social support and Adherence to Treatment among Patients with HIV/AIDS: A Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Abbas Qasir , Nisa Mehru , Khan Muhammad Umar , Anwar Nida , Aljhani Sumayah , Ramzan Zoobia , Shahzadi Mafia
Published: May 2023

Objective: Individuals living with HIV/AIDs are at high risk of mental health problems, particularly depression, stigma, quality of life, adherence to treatment, and lack of social support. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of brief-cognitive behavior therapy (B-CBT) on reducing depression and stigma and improving treatment adherence, quality of life, and social support among patients with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at ART Clinic in the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Shahkot Nankana Sahib from July 2021 to October 2021. After baseline screening, 126 patients met the eligibility criteria and were allocated to the experimental group (EXPg=63) and waitlist-control group (WLCg=63). Participants’ age range was 20 to 55 years. Participants attending ART treatment were enrolled for the CBT treatment. Before this, all the participants completed a baseline assessment to ensure a level of severity and diagnosis. A total of eight therapeutic sessions based on CBT were conducted individually with EXPg. To assess the outcomes among patients receiving ART, we used the i.e., Demographic form, Patient health questionnaire, HIV stigma scale, General medication adherence scale, Multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and WHOQOL BREF scale.
Results: Findings reported B-CBT significantly reduced the level of depression (i.e. F (1, 78) = 101.38, p<.000, η2= .599), and social stigma (i.e. F (1, 78) = 208.47, p<.000, η2= .787) among patients with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, CBT substantially improved the level of adherence to treatment (i.e. F(1,78)= 24.75, p<.000, η2= .503), social support (i.e. F (1, 78) = 128.33, p<.000, η2= .606), and quality of life (i.e. F (1, 78) = 373.39, p<.000, η2= .837) among patients with HIV/AIDS. Significant mean difference M(SD) on PHQ at post-analysis in the EXPg vs. WLC was seen 1.22(0.47) vs. 2.30(0.68) and similarly, on MPSS at a post-analysis in the EXPg vs. WLC 2.85(0.36) vs. 1.70(0.51) which indicates sound therapeutic outcomes.
Conclusions: Cognitive behavioral therapy effectively decreases the level of depression and stigma and enhances the level of social support, quality of life, and adherence to treatment among HIV/AIDS patients. It is concluded that cognitive behavior therapy is an effective treatment approach for patients with HIV/AIDS.
Trial Registration: Thai clinical trial registry (i.e. TCTR= TCTR20210702002, with URL: https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20210702002).
The critical role of MnCeOx molecular dispersion in harsh reaction conditions for VOC treatment
Authors: Sim Ley Boon , Wu Zibao , Zhang Chi , Liu Xianghua , Fu Jile , Zhang Nuowei , Wang Jiexiang , Ye Songshou , Zheng Jinbao , Chen Binghui
Published: May 2023

The stability of catalysts perhaps is the most important issue for catalysis whatever fundamental or application. This study evaluates the stability of MnOx-CeO2 catalysts in the oxidation of ethyl acetate by comparing the performance of fresh catalysts with those treated under high-temperature hydrothermal conditions (750 ℃ and 5% steam for 12 h). Three different methods, namely redox-precipitation (RH), co-precipitation (CP), and impregnation (IP), were used to synthesize the catalysts and adjust the Mn-Ce dispersion. The activity difference between the fresh and treated catalysts decreased in the following order: RH-MnCe > CP-MnCe > IP-MnCe. Based on detailed characterizations and density functional theory calculations, the molecular dispersion of MnCeOx in RH-MnCe is key to ensuring the collapse resistance of Ce-doped Mn3O4, which yields the highest activity during ethyl acetate oxidation. This finding is supported by experiments conducted on RH-MnCe with different Mn/Ce ratios. Although the introduction of Ce can enhance the stability of Mn3O4, it must be carefully controlled at a moderate level to enable recycling between MnO2/Mn3O4.
Reluctance and loss of progeny fitness when relatives mated: A case study in a predatory ladybird, Propylea dissecta
Authors: Pervez Ahmad , Khan Moina
Published: May 2023

We investigated mating reluctance with relatives and its influence on the quantitative progeny and its fitness using a predatory ladybird, Propylea dissecta. For this purpose, we compared mating behaviour, mating duration and post-mating response in the form of fecundity, egg-viability, progeny-development, weight and fitness when mating occurred between relatives (father-daughter, mother-son, and siblings) with unrelated ladybird couples. Females of P. dissecta, particularly those belonging to earlier (mother) or later generation (daughter) exhibited strong mating reluctance than those of same generation (sibling) relatives. This reluctance was lacking in unrelated female ladybirds. A similar pattern was reflected in the mating duration and post-mating responses, as unrelated females mated for the longest duration with high fecundity, oviposition period and percentage of egg viability. Furthermore, the first progeny suffered the implication of mating with relatives in the form of delayed development, lighter developmental stages and reduced fitness with those experiencing maximum whose parents were not of the same generation. These parameters were optimal in the progeny of unrelated parents. These results alarm the process of mass-rearing, where the ladybirds are augmented giving no consideration to the parental line and allowing mating between relatives, which may result in inbreeding depression, thereby deteriorating the quality of progeny and impeding the biocontrol programmes.
MicroRNA-595: A novel circulating biomarker for prediction the status of cerebral collateral circulation in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Wu Danhong , Wen Zhuoyu , Shao Rongrong , Cheng Kaili , Shen Liwei , Liu Wenpeng
Published: May 2023

Objective
This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the circulating miR-595 level and the status of cerebral collateral circulation (CCC), and to investigate whether miR-595 could serve as a potential biomarker for the status of CCC in acute ischemic stroke patients.
Material and methods
This prospective study consecutively enrolled acute ischemic stroke patients and the grouping was as followed according to ASPECTS system: patients with grades > 8 (benign CCC group) and patients with grades ≤ 8 (poor CCC group). Plasma miR-595 was measured by RT-PCR. Spearman rank correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to examine associations between circulating miR-595 level and CCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to determine circulating miR-595 cutoff level scores.
Results
106 patients were enrolled (51 with benign CCC and 55 with poor CCC). Plasma miR-595 was significantly higher in the benign CCC group compared with poor CCC group (P < 0.05). miR-595 was positively correlated with ASPECTS system (r = 0.567, P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with NIHSS on admission (r =-0.301, P = 0.002). Patients with higher circulating miR-595 level had a higher risk of benign CCC (OR = 1.122, 95% CI, 1.034,1.218) after adjusting traditional risk factors. ROC curves revealed the areas under the curve for circulating miR-595 were 0.8431 (95% CI 0.533–0.793).
Conclusions
This study indicated that plasma miR-595 level might be a novel potential prognostic biomarker for benign CCC after acute ischemic stroke onset, which might assist in the administration of thrombolysis and accurately preclinical assessment.
Effect of allelic combinations of grain-size regulating genes and rice grain size predicting
Authors: Zhang Siqi , Zhang Jian , Luo Hanyang , Ling Ying , Zhang Yuming , Liu Hong , Yang Guili
Published: May 2023

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world. Increasing rice yield can help alleviate the current global food shortage. Rice grain size directly affects rice grain yield and is an important target quantitative trait. Many genes regulating grain size have been mapped and cloned in recent years. However, there are few studies on the effect of different allele combinations of grain-size regulating genes. Here we studied the effect of different allele combinations of seven major grain size-regulating genes (GS3, GS5, GW8/OsSPL16, BG2, GS6, GS2 and TGW3) on grain size-related traits (grain length, grain width, grain length width ratio, thousand grain weight). We found that different allele combinations displayed significant variation in effect on rice grain size, and specific allele combinations such as GS3-A, GS6-Ⅰ, BG2-Nipponbare and TGW3-CW23 can improve grain weight. In addition, among seven genes, GS3 gene played the most important effect in regulating grain size, pyramiding GS3 alleles with other genes which have insignificant effect on grain size could significantly enhance grain size and weight. We also established multiple regression equations to predict rice grain size, which contributed to developing rice varieties with ideal traits and high yield.
GLDC promotes colorectal cancer metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition mediated by Hippo signaling pathway
Authors: Yu Hao , Hu Xueqing , Zhang Yingru , Wang Jiajia , Ni Zhongya , Wang Yan , Zhu Huirong
Published: May 2023

Metastasis remains the leading cause of death in cancer patients, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) plays a decisive role in cancer metastasis. Recently, abnormal expression of Glycine Decarboxylase (GLDC) has been shown in the development of tumors, and GLDC is up-regulated in cancers such as lung cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and cervical cancer. However, the exact role of GLDC in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remains to be elucidated. The aim of our study was to explore the action of GLDC in CRC metastasis. The GSE75117 database was used to investigate GLDC expression in tumor center and invasive front tissues and found that GLDC expression level was higher in invasive front tissue. GLDC expression level was negatively correlated with CRC patient prognosis. In vitro studies showed that GLDC could promote invasion and migration of CRC cells by inhibiting the Hippo signaling pathway and modulating the EMT process. Blocking the Hippo signaling pathway with Verteporfin reduced the effect of GLDC on CRC metastasis. In vivo metastasis experiments further confirmed that tail vein injection of GLDC+/+ cells promoted lung metastasis, compared with normal CRC cells. The results of this study suggested that GLDC promotes EMT through Hippo signaling pathway in CRC metastasis, providing a new therapeutic target for CRC metastasis.
Explainable machine-learning model for Real-Time Prediction of Intradialytic Hypotension (IDH)
Authors: tan ling , Kuang zemin , E haihong , Song meina , Zhou gengxian , Luo haoran , Zhang ruizhi , Tang zichen
Published: May 2023

Background: IDH is a common and serious complication of chronic hemodialysis that can lead to adverse long-term outcomes, including increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Predicting IDH in advance may aid in establishing an intervention plan.
Method: This study used 1173783 hemodialysis sessions from 837 patients and 211 features (including time-span varying and basic information features) as datasets. We constructed 21 features (including ion changes before and after dialysis) by clinical physicians from the raw datasets. We selected 89 features by grid search recursive feature elimination (RFE) based on extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) (Gs-RFE-XGBoost) and XGBoost model to predict IDH. We used the Shapley value to achieve an explainable result for the 20 features. Besides, we used the quartile 2.5 to quartile 97.5 to get the reference range of the important continuous features.
Result: We found the most important 20 features that are blood pressure related (including the datasets of 4 features and 4 construct features), platelet count, pathway type, pre-dialysis dry weight, dialyzer type, hematocrit, basophils, platelet distribution width, pre-dialysis uric acid, KT/V, parathyroid hormone (PTH), changes in calcium before and after dialysis, dialysis age. We get 0.8446 of avg recall, 0.9149 of avg F1, 0.9410 of avg PRAUC, 0.8823 of avg precision, and 0.8944 of avg MCC to predict the IDH in real-time.
Conclusion: The Gs-RFE-XGBoost-Shapley methods can be applied as a practical, explained, and accurate method to predict IDH. The feature’s reference range can provide hints for the clinical physician to prevent the IDH of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).
Cognitive impairment in children with 5q-associated spinal muscular atrophy type 1: two case reports and the review of the literature
Authors: Yang Hua , Yang Jie , Xue Yawen , Liao Lihui , Cai Qianyun , Luo Rong
Published: May 2023

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive inherited disease. It is caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron1 (SMN1) gene on chromosome 5. The degeneration of lower motor neurons is the main feature. Current research focuses on the motor, respiratory, and swallowing systems of SMA children, and there are few studies on cognitive impairment. These studies evaluate the cognitive function of all diagnosed 5q- SMA patients, but have not reported and studied 5q- SMA patients who have already developed cognitive impairment. This is the first report of cognitive impairment in 5q-SMA patients.
Cases presentation: The two cases of SMA type 1 reported by us are homozygous mutations in exons 7 and 8 of 5q13 SMN1 gene. Cognitive impairment occurs in infancy. Two patients had severe motor dysfunction and speech impairment, and their communication was characterized by eye and head movements with scoliosis and joint contracture.
Conclusions: Cognitive dysfunction in SMA patients may be related to dyskinesia, onset age, education level, and the pathogenesis may be related to brain developmental disorders and SMN protein deficiency. Severe cognitive dysfunction may be a co-morbidity of SMA. Cognitive dysfunction in patients with muscle weakness and atrophy suggests that clinicians should not miss and misdiagnose SMA.
Effect of Age on the Structural Strength of Timbers Commonly Used in Nigeria
Authors: Ojo Olaniyi Segun , Olaiya Bamidele Charles
Published: May 2023

Timber is a material used for structural purposes in construction. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the characteristics of timber, particularly its strength and the factors that influence it. In this study, timbers studied were Brachystegia eurycoma (Eku), Entandrophragma cylindricum (Sapele) and Gmelina Arborea (Melina). A personal visit to the forest where they were freshly retrieved allowed for the collection of samples of timber from varied ages. By counting the number of annual growth rings, which are a combination of early wood and late wood, it was possible to establish the age of the wood. The acquired samples were cut to standard sizes in accordance with BS 373 1957 (Imprint 1999), 20mm X 20mm X 60mm for determining the maximum compressive strength parallel to grain, 20mm X 20mm X 300mm for determining the bending strength, and 20mm X 20mm X 20mm for static stress strength. Results obtained showed that Eku is better in compressive strength and Sapele is worthier in bending strength. The maximum compressive strength value was 49.31kN/m2 (at 45years), 45.89kN/m2 (at 60years) and 11.30kN/m2 (at 25years), maximum bending strength were 187.55kN/m2 (at 35years), 278.79kN/m2 (at 70years) and 176.36kN/m2 (at 20years) and shear strength were 10.05kN/m2 (at 50years), 9.22kN/m2 (at 70years) and 10.91kN/m2 (at 25years) for Eku, Sapele and Melina timbers respectively. In conclusion, it was determined that the strength of wood is influenced by the age of the wood.
Mutagenicity Induced by Coal, Fly and Bottom Ash Using Allium Cepa and Salmonella/microsome Tests
Authors: Leote Grasiela , Garcia Ana L. H. , Matzenbacher Cristina A. , Picada Jaqueline N. , Boaretto Fernanda Brião Menezes , Corrêa Dione Silva , Premoli Suziane M. , Niekraszewicz Liana , Dias Johnny F. , Rohr Paula , Silva Juliana da
Published: May 2023

Coal and its by-products are complex mixtures which can have an impact on the environment and human health. Complex mixtures of coal and its by-products have an impact on the environment and human health. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the mutagenic effect of coal, fly ash and bottom ash using the Allium cepaand Salmonella/microsome test, and to correlate the results with the organic and inorganic components detected in the samples. This study aimed to evaluate the mutagenic effect of coal, fly ash and bottom ash using Allium cepa and the Salmonella/microsome test, and to correlate the results with organic and inorganic components detected in the samples. The samples were obtained in the Presidente Medici power plant at Candiota (Brazil). The samples did not show cytotoxicity in the A. cepatest or a mutagenic effect in the Salmonella/microsome test. Nevertheless, we observed an increase in micronucleus frequency for coal and bottom ash exposure. Different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and inorganic elements were detected and related to the mutagenicity results. The study demonstrates the need for preventive measures to protect coal and ash handling to avoid possible damage to health.
Insights into cellular behavior and micromolecular communications in urothelial micrografts
Authors: Juul Nikolai , Willacy Oliver , Mamand Doste R. , Andaloussi Samir El , Eisfeldt Jesper , Chamorro Clara Ibel , Fossum Magdalena
Published: May 2023

Autologous micrografting is a technique currently applied within skin wound healing, however, the potential use for surgical correction of other organs with epithelial lining, including the urinary bladder, remains largely unexplored. Currently, little is known about the micrograft expansion potential and the micromolecular events that occur in micrografted urothelial cells. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the regenerative potential of different porcine urothelial micrograft sizes in vitro, and, furthermore, to explore how urothelial micrografts communicate and which microcellular events are triggered. We demonstrated that increased tissue fragmentation subsequently potentiated the yield of proliferative cells and the cellular expansion potential, which confirms, that the micrografting principles of skin epithelium also apply to uroepithelium. Furthermore, we targeted the expression of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and demonstrated that ERK activation occurred predominately at the micrograft borders and that ERK inhibition led to decreased urothelial migration and proliferation. Finally, we successfully isolated extracellular vesicles from the micrograft culture medium and evaluated their contents and relevance within various enriched biological processes. Our findings substantiate the potential of applying urothelial micrografting in future tissue-engineering models for reconstructive urological surgery, and, furthermore, highlights certain mechanisms as potential targets for future wound healing treatments.
A Novel Viral Assembly Inhibitor Blocks SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Du Li , Deiter Fred , Bouzidi Mohamed , Billaud Jean-Noel , Graham Simmons , Prerna Dabral , Selvarajah Suganya , Lingappa Anuradha , Michon Maya , Yu Shao , Paulvannan Kumar , Lingappa Vishwanath , Boushey Homer , Greenland John , Pillai Satish
Published: May 2023

The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to evade vaccines and therapeutics underlines the need for novel therapies with high genetic barriers to resistance. The small molecule PAV-104, identified through a cell-free protein synthesis and assembly screen, was recently shown to target host protein assembly machinery in a manner specific to viral assembly. Here, we investigated the capacity of PAV-104 to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in human airway epithelial cells (AECs). Our data demonstrate that PAV-104 inhibited > 99% of infection with diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants in primary and immortalized human AECs. PAV-104 suppressed SARS-CoV-2 production without affecting viral entry or protein synthesis. PAV-104 interacted with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) and interfered with its oligomerization, blocking particle assembly. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PAV-104 reversed SARS-CoV-2 induction of the Type-I interferon response and the ‘maturation of nucleoprotein’ signaling pathway known to support coronavirus replication. Our findings suggest that PAV-104 is a promising therapeutic candidate for COVID-19.
Thymoma in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1: a case report and systematic review
Authors: gao yuting , Li Ran , Wu Lingge , Yang Hongbo , Mao Jiangfeng , Zhao Wei-Gang
Published: May 2023

Background:Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare syndrome that combines endocrine and non-endocrine tumors. Thymic neuroendocrine tumors are uncommon components that predict poor prognosis in patients with MEN1. We aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics of thymoma in MEN1 by reviewing the current reports from the literature.
Methods: A patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (parathyroid hyperplasia, pituitary adenoma, and insulinoma) was found to have a 2×1.5cm thymic mass during long-term follow-up. Thoracoscope surgery was performed, and a histopathology examination revealed WHO Type B3 thymoma. A pathogenic mutation of c.783+1G>A in the MEN1 gene was identified. We further searched PubMed and EMBASE for thymoma in association with MEN1.
Results: A comprehensive overview of the literature concerning characteristics of MEN1-related thymoma was summarized. Clinical characteristics and differences between thymoma and thymic carcinoid are highlighted.
Conclusions: Besides carcinoid, other tumors, including thymoma, need to be identified for thymic space-occupying lesions in MEN1 patients. The impact of thymoma on the long-term prognosis of MEN1 patients needs further investigation.
Construction of healthy liver of largemouth bass in short-term by steroidal saponins before heat season coming
Authors: Cheng Tao , Chen Jiandong , Shen Xiangdong , Chen Guiqiong , Tan Beiping , Chi Shuyan
Published: May 2023

Saponins has been confirmed to alleviate tissues damage in mice exposed to high temperatures. Focusing on the industrial development of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), this study exihbited the effects of steroidal saponins (SS) on the growth performance and the liver health of largemouth bass under the high-temperature stress. Two experiments were carried out, the first trial was designed to evaluate the growth performance of fish fed the experimental diets containing SS 0 and 0.1% (SS0 and SS0.1) for one month. And then the second trial was put into effect to evaluate these fish under the high-temperature stress for one week, and the groups were name as SS0, HSS0, SS0.1 and HSS0.1, respectively. In the first feeding trial, the higher feeding rate was found in SS0.1 group (P < 0.05), no significant difference was observed between the groups SS0 and SS0.1 in survival rate, weight gain rate, special growth rate and feed coefficient rate, respectively. After one week of high-temperature stress, specific growth rate, weight gain rate of fish were higher in the SS0 and SS0.1 groups than in the HSS0 and HSS0.1 groups (P < 0.05). In terms of feeding rate, the SS0.1 and HSS0.1 groups were significantly higher than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Hepatic il-8 gene expression was down-regulated in largemouth bass fed with 0.1% SS regardless of temperature. Under high temperature stress, genes expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, tnf-α, il-8 and hsp70 were significantly down-regulated in the liver of largemouth bass reard in HSS0.1 group. The activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver were significantly increased and serum enzyme activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were significantly decreased in HSS0.1 group (P < 0.05). Compare to HSS0 group, hepatic vacuolization areas of fish in HSS0.1 group were improved (P < 0.05). Therefore, the results of the study supported that the 0.1% SS used in the diet feeding largemouth bass for one month could strengthen the body health, and the liver showed the more healthy when the fish sufferred the high-temperture stress compare to the fish fed diet free SS.
Spatial distribution and sequential sampling protocol for Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on commercial maize fields in Sinaloa, Mexico
Authors: López-Urquídez Guadalupe A. , Serrano Miguel , Clark Thomas , Armenta-Chavez Rogelio , Tirado-Ramírez Martín A. , Vega-Gutiérrez Tomás A. , Orona Carlos Alfonso López
Published: May 2023

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is the most important pest on maize (Zea mays L.) crops in Mexico and can cause substantial economic losses if left unmanaged. Commonly, growers carry out some control strategies when observe damage caused by S. frugiperda in their crops without considering whether the level of damage is sufficient to warrant any action. Some authors suggest considering as reference a level damage of 20% or more. Nevertheless, the Sinaloa growers lack of a practical method to estimate such damage. Therefore, the objective of this research was to develop a sequential sampling method that can determine the most appropriate time to initiate a control strategy and that can be applied by the producers of Sinaloa, Mexico. Three trials were established to evaluate six different sequential sampling methods, using a probabilistic test based on the presence and absence of damaged plants and an action threshold of 15 %. The results indicate the best option was a sequential sampling plan based on the Taylor method, performing the regression analysis with Log10, with a maximum of 50 sampling units per plot.
Low birth weight and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women in Lomé (Togo) in 2021: a cross-sectional study
Authors: TOGAN Roméo Mèdéssè , TAKASSI Ounoo Elom , GBEASOR-KOMLANVI Fifonsi , SADIO Arnold Junior , KONU Rodion Yao , TCHANKONI Martin Kouame , Akiti Gloria , ADOLI Latame Komla , EKOUEVI Didier Koumavi , ATAKOUMA Dzayissé Yawo
Published: May 2023

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest burden of malariain the world. Pregnant women and children aged 0–5 years are the most affected. Malaria can cause foetal complications such as intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight (LBW). Since 2012, WHO has recommended intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPT-SP) to prevent malaria-related complications in pregnant women.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of LBW and its associated factors in Lomé (Togo) in 2021.
Methods:
A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2021. An exhaustive recruitment of women and their newborns was carried out in the gynaecology and obstetrics department of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center. Data from prenatal consultations of the mothers and clinical information of the newborns were collected. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with LBW. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
A total of 252 mother-child pairswere included in this study. The proportion of women who received at least three doses of IPT-SP was 66.7% and 37/252 newborns (14.7%) had LBW. Newborns of mothers who received less than three doses of IPT-SP had a higher risk of LBW (aOR = 9.3; 95%CI [4.2–22.3]).
Conclusion:
Ten years after WHO recommendations on IPT-Sp, Malaria prevention with IPT-SP is not optimal among pregnant women in Lomé. Interventions to strengthen the three-dose IPT policy are needed for the prevention of malaria and its consequences on the foetus in Lomé, Togo.
Integrated DNA methylation analysis reveals a potential role for PTPRN2 in Marfan syndrome scoliosis
Authors: Zheng Zhen-zhong , Xu Jing-hong , Chen Jia-lin , Jiang Bin , Ma Hong , Li Lei , Li Ya-wei , Dai Yu-liang , Wang Bing
Published: May 2023

Background
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the Fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1) with significant clinical features in the skeletal, cardiopulmonary, and ocular systems. To gain deeper insights into the contribution of epigenetics in the variability of phenotypes observed in MFS, we undertook the first analysis of integrating DNA methylation and gene expression profiles in whole blood from MFS and healthy controls (HCs).
Methods
The Illumina 850K (EPIC) DNA methylation array was used to detect DNA methylation changes on peripheral blood samples of seven patients with MFS and five HCs. Associations between methylation levels and clinical features of MFS were analyzed. Subsequently, we conducted an integrated analysis of the outcomes of the transcriptome data to analyze the correlation between differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and explore the potential role of methylation regulated DEGs (MeDEGs) in MFS scoliosis. The weighted gene co‑expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to find gene modules with the highest correlation coefficient with target MeDEGs to annotate their functions in MFS.
Results
Our study identified 1253 DMPs annotated to 236 genes that were primarily associated with scoliosis, cardiomyopathy, and vital capacity. These conditions are typically associated with reduced lifespan in untreated MFS. We calculated correlations between DMPs and clinical features, such as cobb angle to evaluate scoliosis and FEV1% to assess pulmonary function. Notably, cg20223687 (PTPRN2) and cg00259849 (CSMD1) exhibited an inverse correlation with cobb angle of scoliosis, potentially playing a role in ERKs inactivation and chondrocyte proliferation, respectively.
Conclusions
Taken together, our systems-level approach sheds light on the contribution of epigenetics to MFS and offers a plausible explanation for the complex phenotypes that are linked to reduced lifespan in untreated MFS patients.
Femoral neck fracture after femoral head necrosis: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Xia Weijie , Zhang Aiqi , Qiu Binsong , Chen Yuan , Kong Mingxiang
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Pathological fractures of the femoral neck caused by necrosis of the femoral head are extremely rare. Here, we report a rare case of bilateral femoral head osteonecrosis extending to the femoral neck, with bilateral pathological fractures of the femoral neck occurring within a short period of time.
Case report: A 65-year-old male with a 25-year history of daily consumption of 750 ml of liquor, presented with right hip pain after labor for 1 month. He subsequently sustained a right femoral neck fracture without trauma and underwent a right total hip arthroplasty. Two months later, he suffered a non-traumatic left femoral neck fracture and underwent a left total hip arthroplasty. Histopathological examination revealed osteonecrosis of the femoral head and neck, along with the presence of osteoclasts and granulomatous inflammation. Bone mineral density testing also showed osteoporosis. The bilateral femoral neck fractures were ruled out to be caused by any other pathological factors.
Discussion: This is the first report of pathological fractures of the bilateral femoral neck caused by femoral head necrosis. During the literature review process, we found that this case conforms to the histological characteristics of rapidly destructive hip disease and analyzed the etiology of femoral head necrosis and the pathogenesis of femoral neck fractures.
Explainable Convolutional Autoencoders for Enhanced Representation learning in hyper spectral images
Authors: Sharma Palak , Udendharan R , Roy Galaxy
Published: May 2023

The categorization of pixels in hyperspectral pictures into distinct classifications, such as kinds of land cover, satellite, crops, and urban areas, is a crucial task in remote sensing and image analysis. Due to its capacity to extract spatial and spectral information from hyperspectral data, convolutional autoencoders (CAEs) are a class of neural network design that may be used for this job. In this abstract a technique for hyperspectral image categorization using CAEs is discussed. A CAE is trained as an unsupervised feature extractor, where the encoder learns to extract useful spectral and spatial features from the hyperspectral data and the decoder learns to reconstruct the original data from the lower-dimensional latent representation. When the CAE has been trained, features from the hyperspectral pictures are extracted using the encoder, and a classifier is trained on top of these features for supervised classification.
Research on surface integrity of TC4 titanium alloy by ultrasonic surface rolling peening
Authors: Wang Yi , Liu Yanhou , Wang Dehui , Ma Juan , Han Jinguo
Published: May 2023

In order to investigate the effects of different process parameters on the surface integrity of TC4 specimens and the effect of ultrasonic-assisted rolling strengthening on the enhancement of microstructure and mechanical properties of TC4 specimens, this paper uses TC4 titanium alloy specimens as the test object for ultrasonic-assisted rolling strengthening test. The results show that increasing the spindle speed within a certain range can improve the surface morphology of the specimen, reduce the surface roughness and average profile height, and improve the surface hardness and residual stress. The reach also finds that USRP can refine the surface grain of TC4 and introduce the grain refinement layer and work hardening layer with the same thickness on the surface of the specimen, and the hardness decreases gradually with the increase of depth. After USRP, the surface elastic modulus of the specimen is increased from 96.98 GPa to 112.96 GPa, and the corrosion resistance has also been greatly improved, with corrosion rate reduced by about 95%.
Estimating Health Burden and potential benefits of mitigating particulate matter pollution in Pakistan
Authors: Muddassir Ayesha , Malik Suhaib , Khokhar Muhammad Fahim
Published: May 2023

An increasing trend in PM2.5 concentrations is observed in different provinces of Pakistan. This research was designed to analyze the impact of PM2.5 pollutions on various health endpoints such as ALRI, COPD, IHD and Stroke. An AirQ+ analysis was generated for the year 2019 to understand the long term health burden attributed to the PM2.5 in Pakistan. The annual PM2.5 concentrations over various regions were obtained from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service database. Furthermore, an impact evaluation on disease morbidity was also generated using counter-factual equations to highlight the importance of reducing PM2.5 concentrations to WHO Air quality guideline and Pak NEQS. Results indicated that Punjab had the highest health burden due to being densely populated also it had the highest PM2.5 concentration of 77.3 µg/m³ and GB being the least populated region had the least health burden attributed to PM2.5 as it has the concentration of 13.89 µg/m³. Overall for 2019 Pakistan’s annual PM2.5 concentration reported was 45.66 µg/m³ and based on this ALRI has the highest estimated attributable proportion percentage of 23.40% followed by COPD (19.40%), IHD (11.88%) and Stroke (10.80%). A slight effort to control the PM2.5 concentrations to permissible limits can significantly help in reducing the health burden and retaining the associated economic cost.