bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new discovery of folic acid derivatives to improve the efficacy of PF regimen in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Huang Bingjiang , Mao Yinyan , Liang Jiaxin , Yao Jing , Li Xuemin , Fidelis Chibhabha , Liang Zibin
Published: April 2023

Objective
The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute toxicity, progression-free survival and overall survival in patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with or without calcium folinate.
Methods
1. Total of 422 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were recruited from July 1, 2002 to December 31, 2014, including chemotherapy regimen of PF and CPF regimen.
2. The imformation of acute toxicities, recurrence and metastasis, and survival time were collected.
3. Data processing and analysis by Graphpad prism 6 software.
Results
1. The overall survival of the Group CPF as compared to the Group PF at 3, 5,10 and 12 years were 97.42% vs. 91.24%，94.61% vs. 87.44%，88.74% vs. 81.98% and 88.74% vs. 78.57%, respectively. The OS of Group CPF got higher than that of Group PF (P=0.0269).
2. The overall survival rate of CPF group was significantly higher than that of group PF in clinical stage I-III, the overall survival was 90.83% vs. 82.12%，respectively（P=0.0348）.
3. The local control rate of the Group CPF as compared to the Group PF were 97.06% vs. 73.91% in stage T4 (P=0.0133).
4. No significant difference in other indicators between the two groups in hematological toxicity, except for Grade 3 neutropenia.
5. The incident of side effects of digestive system, such as nausea and vomiting, the Group CPF as compared to the Group PF were 45.06% vs. 67.31% and 33.95% vs. 46.15%，respectively（P=0.0000，P=0.0036）.
Conclusions
1. Calcium folinate can significantly prolong the overall survival rate of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, especially in Stage I-III（90.83%）.
2. Calcium folinate can significantly improve the local control rate in patients with T4（97.06%）.
3. It shows obvious protective effects on digestive system（33.95%）
A rare case of retroperitoneal teratoma with evidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case report
Authors: Poljo Adisa , Klasen Jennifer M. , von Strauss Marco , Posabella Alberto , Taha-Mehlitz Stephanie , Hummer Barbara , Kern Beatrice
Published: April 2023

Background
Teratomas are germ cell tumors composed of somatic tissues from up to three germ layers. Primary retroperitoneal teratomas usually develop during childhood and are uncommon in adults and in the retroperitoneal space. While there are only a few cases of retroperitoneal thyroid tissue, we report a unique case of a retroperitoneal papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Case presentation
A 41-year-old woman presented in our institution due to intermitted unspecific abdominal pain. Magnetic resonance imaging detected a multi-cystic solid retroperitoneal mass ventral to the psoas muscle and the left iliac artery. After surgical removal of the retroperitoneal mass, histology sections of the specimen indicated evidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma cells. A staging computed tomography scan of the body showed no further manifestations. To reduce the risk of recurrence, total thyroidectomy was performed followed by radioiodine therapy with lifelong hormone substitution.
Conclusions
Primary retroperitoneal teratoma with evidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma is rare condition. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult due to its non-specific clinical manifestation and lack of specific radiologic findings. Histopathology analysis is necessary for diagnosis. Although surgery is considered the first line treatment, there is still discussion about the extent of resection and the need for total thyroidectomy with adjuvant radioiodine therapy.
Length of hospital stay and its predictors among burn patients in a resource limited setting; a multicenter prospective cohort
Authors: Baraka Samuel Mandro , Kiswezi Ahmed , Edyedu Isaac , Molen Fabrice Selamo , Muhumuza Joshua , Kyomukama Lauben , Zawadi Gift Vulwaghe , Okedi Francis Xaviour
Published: April 2023

Introduction
Burn injury is a critical and under-recognized public health issue that affects people all over the world. Majority of the burns occur in low and middle income countries like Uganda. There is paucity of data relating to length of hospital stay among burn patients managed in hospitals with no burn units, yet this constitute a big percentage of hospitals in low income countries. This study was aimed at determining the predictors of length of stay at 3 hospitals in resource limited setting.
Methods
This was a prospective cohort multicentre study that enrolled 101 burns patients with moderate and severe burns admitted in 3 tertiary hospitals in western Uganda. Follow up was done till to discharge, length of hospital stay and its predictors determining using logistic regression in SPSS version 26.
Results
Of the 101 participants, the mean age was 21.3 (SD = 16.8) years. Majority were males (69.3%) from a rural setting (61.4%) and were accidentally burnt (95.0%) from home (75.2%). The mean length of hospital stay was 9 days with a standard deviation of 5.7. At multivariate level of analysis, the variables that independently predicted increased length of hospital stay were time to medical attention (AOR = 14.912, CI = 2.743–81.079, P = 0.002), burn severity (AOR = 6.173, CI = 1.392–27.371, P = 0.017) and type of procedure done (AOR = 0.047, CI = 0.009–0.245, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
This study revealed that the length of hospital stay was comparable to that seen in other studies. The factors independently associated with increased length of hospital stay were; time to medical attention, burn severity, and type of procedure done. Measures to ensure timely medical attention can reduce the length of stay among patients with burns even in the absence of a burn unit.
Clinical prognostic value of elevated CK-MB in severe multiple trauma patients with nonmyocardial contusion
Authors: Huang Dan , Qi Jing , Sun ChuanZheng , Lei JingChao , Chen Xi , Cui Qiong
Published: April 2023

Background: Unintentional injury was the leading cause of death and disability among individuals younger than 49 years globally in 2019. However, the association between serum CK-MB levels and clinical value in polytrauma patients with nonmyocardial contusion remains unclear.
Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective study. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the Hospital Information System (HIS) at the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. A total of 287 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into a normal group (CK-MB ≤25 U/L) and an abnormal group (CK-MB >25 U/L) based on a low CK-MB level. Further clinical and follow- up data were analyzed by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Finally, disease-free survival and overall survival were calculated by the Kaplan– Meier method.
Results: Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that CK-MB (OR: 1.023, 95% CI: 1.006-1.040) was an independent risk factor for predicting in-hospital mortality in polytrauma patients with nonmyocardial contusion. Compared with normal CK-MB levels, CK-MB elevation was associated with a longer length of ICU stay (7.38±13.13 vs. 3.16±5.86 days, P =0.004) and total length of hospital stay (24.73±23.04 vs.
18.29±14.63 days, P =0.015) and was more likely to result in arrhythmia during hospitalization (19.29% vs. 10%, P =0.048). Moreover, the follow-up data showed that patients with CK-MB elevation were more likely to have cardiopalmus after discharge (15.00% vs. 5.68%, P =0.027).
Conclusion: Our findings suggested that elevated CK-MB played an important role in the prognosis of polytrauma patients with nonmyocardial contusion, and a higher level of CK-MB indicated a poor prognosis.
Variability in mechanical properties of additively manufactured 17-4 PH stainless steel produced by multiple vendors: Insights for qualification
Authors: Yin Denise , Gienger Edwin B. , Croom Brendan P. , Reider Lucy A. , Trethewey Bruce R. , Lark Alex R. , Nimer Salahudin M. , Carter Ryan H. , Post Zach J. , Montalbano Timothy J. , Chung Christine , Rettaliata Justin , Presley Michael
Published: April 2023

In applications where a combination of good strength and corrosion resistance is required, 17 − 4 precipitation hardenable (PH) stainless steel is a common material choice. This alloy is traditionally processed through a combination of casting, rolling, and machining. A variety of heat treatments are used to anneal and harden the material via precipitation strengthening. While additive manufacturing (AM) removes many geometric design constraints from these traditional forming processes, until recently, structures fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) were porous and contained undesirable columnar grain structures that contributed to unpredictable and anisotropic mechanical properties. However, recent advances in L-PBF processing technology including improved gas flow, powder atomization, and print parameter optimization enable printing of high-quality AM 17 − 4 PH with properties that are comparable to traditionally processed material. With the ultimate goal of establishing mechanical property baselines involving numerous L-PBF processes, six vendors (including this work) fabricated tensile and fatigue samples of 17 − 4 using a variety of machines. Ultimately, after standard solution annealing and heat treating, the microstructure and mechanical properties across vendors converged with very few, easily explainable exceptions. In particular, powder atomized in nitrogen promoted formation of retained austenite that lead to a yield point phenomenon in as-built conditions and high surface roughness from as-built surfaces reduced the fatigue strength. However, with conventional post-processing heat treatments and surface polishing, AM 17 − 4 PH behaved comparably and consistently to conventionally processed material.
Machine learning and single cell RNA sequencing analysis identifies regeneration-related hepatocytes and highlights a Birc5-related model for identifying cell proliferative ability
Authors: Du Yuan , Jian Shuqin , Wang Xicheng , Shi Jun , li janfong
Published: April 2023

Background
Partial hepatectomy (PHx) has been shown to induce rapid regeneration of adult liver under emergency conditions. Therefore, an in-depth investigation of the underlying mechanisms that govern liver regeneration following PHx is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of this process.
Method
We analyzed scRNA-seq data from liver samples of normal and PHx-48-hour mice and identified a population of highly proliferative hepatocytes 48 hours after hepatectomy. Seven machine learning algorithms were utilized to screen and validate a gene signature that accurately identifies and predicts this population. We also used co-immunostaining of zonal markers with BIRC5 to investigate regional characteristics of hepatocytes post-PHx.
Results
Single cell sequencing results revealed a population of regeneration-related hepatocytes. Of note, transcription factor analysis emphasized the importance of Hmgb1 transcription factor in liver regeneration. HdWGCNA and machine learning algorithm screened and obtained the key signature characterizing this population, including a total of 17 genes, most of which have been confirmed to be related to liver regeneration, and the function enrichment analysis indicated their high correlation with cell cycle pathway. Furthermore, we found that the spatial characteristics of hepatocytes gradually weakened during regeneration and immunostaining further revealed that those hepatocytes with active proliferative ability primarily initiate in the midlobular zone and then repopulated peripheral region. It is note-worthy that we inferred that Hmgb1 might be vital in the regeneration-related hepatocytes of PHx_48h group. Parallelly, Birc5 might be closely related to the regulation of liver regeneration, and positively correlated with Hmgb1 while negatively correlated with portal vein and central vein characteristics.
Conclusions
Our study has identified a distinct population of hepatocytes that are closely associated with liver regeneration. Through machine learning algorithms, we have identified a set of 17 genes that are highly indicative of the regenerative capacity of hepatocytes. This gene signature has enabled us to assess the proliferation ability of in vitro cultured hepatocytes using sequencing data alone. Furthermore, our findings suggest that Birc5 may play a crucial role in regulating the proliferative potential of hepatocytes.
Systematic review of randomized clinical trials testing a pharmacological treatment in adults with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Miguel Alicia Pérez , Moreno Mª Luisa Sánchez de Ocaña , Peiró Ana María Peiró , Gisbert Laura , Lugo-Marín Jorge , Martínez-Cayuelas Elena , Ballester Pura
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 68 newborns. ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and presence of restricted and repetitive interests. Despite this high prevalence and burden, there is no approved treatment for ASD’ core symptoms. Objective: This systematic review, using a rigorous methodological design, attempts to collect all clinical trials in adults with ASD have been published.
Methods: To ensure the retrieval of a maximum of articles, the systematic review used the databases Medline and Scopus. Retrieved manuscripts were evaluated reading the title, keywords, and abstract. CONSORT guidelines were used to evaluate the quality of included manuscripts (0-100% scale).
Results: A total of 17/86 (20%) clinical trials were selected with an average score of 70% in CONSORT. In general, sample sizes were low, ranged from 30 (single-center studies) to 115 participants (multiple inclusion sites), and an average age of 27 years-old. Pharmacological treatments studied were for improving a) social interaction and attachment (propranolol, oxytocin); b) cognitive abilities (cannabidiol); c) behavior (naltrexone, vasopressin V1a antagonists, dextromethorphan, quinidine, agomelatine, and citalopram); d) facial expression and emotion recognition (citalopram oxytocin, and V1a receptor antagonist).
Conclusion: regardless the methodological quality, there are few studies in this field with a low number of participants. Furthermore, different designs and measures to assess efficacy are used, and that avoids comparisons between them. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness in this field, and increase the number of clinical trials in the future with long-term side-effect monitoring.
Image based prognosis in head and neck cancer using convolutional neural networks: a case study in reproducibility and optimization
Authors: Mateus Pedro , Volmer Leroy , Wee Leonard , Aerts Hugo J.W.L. , Hoebers Frank , Dekker Andre , Bermejo Inigo
Published: April 2023

In the past decade, there has been a sharp increase in publications describing applications of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in medical image analysis. However, recent reviews have warned of the lack of reproducibility of most such studies, which has impeded closer examination of the models and, in turn, their implementation in healthcare. On the other hand, the performance of these models is highly dependent on decisions on architecture and image pre-processing.
In this work, we assess the reproducibility of three studies that use CNNs for head and neck cancer (HNC) outcome prediction by attempting to reproduce the published results. In addition, we propose a new network structure and assess the impact of image pre-processing and model selection criteria on performance. We used two publicly available datasets: one with 298 patients for training and validation and another with 137 patients from a different institute for testing.
All three studies failed to report elements required to reproduce their results thoroughly, mainly the image pre-processing steps and the random seed. Our model either outperforms or achieves similar performance to the existing models with considerably fewer parameters. We also observed that the pre-processing efforts significantly impact the model's performance and that some model selection criteria may lead to suboptimal models. Although there have been improvements in the reproducibility of deep learning models, our work suggests that wider implementation of reporting standards is required to avoid a reproducibility crisis.
Sequential Antigen-loss and Branching Evolution in Lymphoma after Anti-CD19 and Anti-CD20 Targeted T Cell Redirecting Immunotherapy
Authors: Rasche Leo , Duell Johannes , Leipold Alexander , Appenzeller Silke , Fuhr Viktoria , Rauert-Wunderlich Hilka , Vià Matteo Claudio Da , Dietrich Oliver , Toussaint Christophe , Imdahl Fabian , Eisele Florian , Grundheber Lars , Einsele Hermann , Rosenwald Andreas , Topp Max S , Saliba Antoine-Emmanuel
Published: April 2023

CD19 CAR T cells and CD20 targeting T cell engaging bispecific antibodies have been approved in B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma lately, heralding a new clinical setting where patients are treated with both approaches, sequentially. The aim of our study was to investigate the selective pressure of CD19 and CD20 directed therapy on the clonal architecture in lymphoma. Using a broad analytical pipeline, we identified truncating mutations in the gene encoding CD20 conferring antigen loss in 80% of patients relapsing from CD20 bispecs. Pronounced T cell exhaustion was identified in cases with progressive disease and retained CD20 expression. We also confirmed CD19 loss after CAR T cell therapy and report the case of sequential CD19 and CD20 loss. We observed branching evolution with re-emergence of CD20-positive subclones at later time points and spatial heterogeneity for CD20 expression in response to targeted therapy. Our results highlight immunotherapy as an evolutionary bottleneck selecting for antigen-loss variants but also complex evolutionary pathways underlying disease progression from these novel therapies.
Ascending motion of bottom-blown bubbles in vertical channels
Authors: Bowen Li , Jinyi Zhao , Zhenrong Liu , Chengjun Gao , Yuwei Hu , Rong Chen
Published: April 2023

The gas-liquid two-phase flow is widely applied in engineering. Studying the bubble movement in the liquid phase is valuable for achieving efficient operation of relevant reactors. In this study, the ascending morphology of single-pore bubbles and double-pore bubbles in liquids was photographed by building a visualization experimental setup. Together with MATLAB, the effects of different variables on the ascending of bottom-blown bubbles were analyzed. Experimental results showed the bubble departure diameter was enlarged with the increase of pore inner diameter. At larger pore inner diameter, the bubble orbits were more disorderly, and the ultimate bubble velocity was smaller. At larger gas flow rate, the orbit of single bubbles was closer to a straight line, and the disturbance of double bubbles was intensified, leading to coalescence. The ultimate bubble velocity in water was accelerated with the increase of gas flow rate, and when the number of pores changed, the flow rate was more influential than the pore inner diameter on the ultimate bubble velocity. The centroid orbits of single bubbles were not significantly different between the two liquid-phase conditions, but the swinging amplitude of double bubbles in water was smaller than that in the 0.75% NaCl solution. The horizontal velocities were not significantly different, but the first velocity and ultimate velocity of bubbles at the vertical level in the 0.75% NaCl solution were both larger than those in water. These findings offer basic data for research on bubble strengthening and blending effects in vertical channels.
Correlation Between Renal Artery Doppler Indices and Renal Function Test in Young Adult Hypertension
Authors: Ali Marzoug Ahmed , Abdelrahim Ahmed , Hussein Abdulaziz
Published: April 2023

Background: Hypertension is a chronic elevation in blood pressure (BP) 140/90. It is subjected to various disorders which produce alteration in the morphology and function of kidneys with renal artery blood flow. Doppler ultrasound (US) of the renal artery is sensitive for evaluating the kidneys and provides the accurate diagnosis of early kidneys function, morphology, and blood flow effect. This study aimed to determine whether there was a correlation between renal artery Doppler indices and renal function tests in young adult hypertension.
Methods: A total of 100 patients with hypertension were examined using the Doppler ultrasonography for renal artery and renal function tests. Measurements of the renal artery Doppler indices and renal function tests were performed on adult hypertension patients.
Results: There was a significant negative correlation between end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in the right kidney with urea -.33, P-value= 0.001 and creatinine -.26, P-value=0.008 also a significant negative correlation between end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in the left kidney with urea -.49, P-value= 0.000 and creatinine -.43, P-value=0.000. Significant positive correlation between resistive index (RI) in right kidney with urea +.37, P-value=000, and creatinine=.38, P-value=000 also Significant positive correlations between pulsatile index (PI) in right kidney with urea +.32, P-value=000 and creatinine=.42, P-value=000. Significant positive correlation between resistive index (RI) in left kidney with urea +.64, P-value=00,0, and creatinine+.60, P-value=000 also Significant positive correlations between pulsatile index (PI) in left kidney with urea +.45, P-value=000 and creatinine+.57, P-value=000.
Conclusion: Individuals with hypertension have reduced blood flow at an end-diastolic velocity (EDV) correlated with increase urea and creatinine also increase blood flow resistance at resistive index (RI) and pulsatile index (PI) correlated with increase urea and creatinine.
Synthesis of Polyethylenes with In-Chain Isolated Carbonyls from CO2 and Ethylene
Authors: Zhou Fulin , Dai HaoJie , Tang Shan , Zhou Yongfeng
Published: April 2023

Aiming at accessing polyethylenes bearing in-chain degradable functionality, copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO2) with ethylene has long been recognized as a significant but highly challenging transformation. Nevertheless, most trials resulted in ethylene homopolymerization because of the endothermic property and high energy barriers of CO2 insertion during polymer chain propagation. Here we report an unprecedented protocol synthesis of polyethylenes with low content carbonyls from CO2 and ethylene by the combination of photocatalytic CO2 reduction and palladium catalyzed coordination/insertion polymerization. The introduction of photocatalytic systems provides an easy way to tune the carbonyl content and insertion selectivity of the polyethylene copolymers. Significantly, excellent selectivity (up to >99%) for incorporating isolated carbonyls in the main polymer chain has been achieved, which allows the copolymers to retain the properties of polyethylene but makes them photodegradable.
Detailed profiling with MaChIAto reveals various genomic and epigenomic features affecting the efficacy of knock-out, short homology-based knock-in and Prime Editing.
Authors: Nakamae Kazuki , Takenaga Mitsumasa , Nakade Shota , Awazu Akinori , Sakamoto Naoaki , Yamamoto Takashi , Sakuma Tetsushi
Published: April 2023

Highly efficient gene knock-out and knock-in have been achieved by harnessing CRISPR-Cas9 and its advanced technologies such asPrime Editor. In addition, various bioinformatics resources have become available to quantify and qualify the efficiency and accuracy of CRISPR edits, which significantly increased the user-friendliness of the general next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis in the context of genome editing. However, there is no specialized and integrated software for investigating the preference in the genomic context involved in the efficiency and accuracy of genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 and beyond. Here, we address this issue by establishing a novel analysis platform of NGS data for profiling the outcome of template-free knock-out and short homology-based editing, named MaChIAto (Microhomology-associated Chromosomal Integration/editing Analysis tools)
Identification and validation of a prognostic Risk-Scoring Model based on LATS2 expression in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Liu Bin , Zhang Jian , Wang Jing , Wang Qian , Liu Xiaoman , Sun Hui
Published: April 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid precursors with resultant peripheral blood cytopenias. We obtained gene expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of AML cases from the TCGA (TCGA-LAML), GEO (GSE108266), and GEO (GSE71014) databases. We analyzed the LATS2 expression using our collected 13 bone marrow specimens and a GEO cohort, confirmed the higher LATS2 expression. AML patients could be grouped into LATS2 high- and low-expression groups, and low-expression patients showed better survival than high-expression patients. Based on the LATS2 expression, a prognostic risk-scoring model containing seven signature genes, including POU3F1, RPGR, PTP4A3, SOCS1, FAM83G, GREB1 and COL2A1, were developed. According to the risk score, patients were divided into High- and Low-risk groups. In the training set, area under the curve values of 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.876, 0.877 and 0.937, respectively, which indicates a good predictive efficacy. In the test group, area under the curve values of 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.974, 0.878 and 0.976. In an external GEO (GSE71014) dataset, we validate that the low-risk group was also significantly better prognostic outcomes, area under the curve values of 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.847, 0.857 and 0.822 respectively.
Audience Perception and Cognition towards Moving Images: Review of Short Film Delirium
Authors: RV Shynu , R.D Sambath , Pandey Lalita
Published: April 2023

This short paper discusses the creator's video project Delirium recorded in India. The video aims to explore the viewer's perception and cognition towards this moving image. Also, the genre was designed in the realm of psychology to explore both complex parts of storytelling and viewers' point of narration. This short film examines the efficiency of storytelling to attain the audience's attention engagement level. The film experimented with questioning the law of physics related to time throughout the film. The film developed with several visual aspects and audios for the same. The results of the study show that the film concept was very effective in maintaining their curiosity. Viewer's perceptions and cognition are essential to explore and understand how moving images engage them as entertainment media. This study suggests the scope of extending the investigation towards the motion picture parameters such as visual and audio in a larger format. We identified that more than 48% of our participants attended physical objects screened in the movie while 28% of participants perceived and recalled more subjective quality of the film (the facial expression of the character, the rhythm of the scene, and syncing of music with visuals, connotative meaning of the plot including the lighting). We recommend further investigation in larger film format on perception and cognition for the research domain like age and gender categories. We anticipate that our research methodology would aid in understanding how cinema affects the viewer and in designing a film to have a more excellent visual experience.
Salt corrections for RNA secondary structures in the ViennaRNA package
Authors: Yao Hua-Ting , Lorenz Ronny , Hofacker Ivo L. , Stadler Peter F.
Published: April 2023

Background RNA features a highly negatively charged phosphate backbone that attracts a of cloud counter-ions that reduce the electrostatic repulsion in a concentration dependent manner. Ion concentrations thus have a large influence on folding and stability of RNA structures. Despite their well-documented effects, salt effects are not handled by currently available secondary stucture prediction algorithms. Combining Debye-Hückel potentials for line charges and Manning's counter-ion condensation theory, Einert et al. [Biophys. J. 100: 2745-2753 (2011)] modeled the energetic effects contributions monovalent cations on loops and helices.
Results The model of Einert et al. is adapted to match the structure of the dynamic programming recursion of RNA secondary structure prediction algorithms. An empirical term describing the dependence salt dependence of the duplex initiation energy is added to improve co-folding predictions for two or more RNA strands. The slightly modified model is implemented in the ViennaRNA package in such way that only the energy parameters but not the algorithmic structure is affected. A comparison with data from the literature show that predicted free energies and melting temperatures are in reasonable agreement with experiments.
Conclusion The new feature in the ViennaRNA package makes it possible to study effects of salt concentrations on RNA folding in a systematic manner. Strictly speaking, the model pertains only to mono-valent cations, and thus covers the most important parameter, i.e., the NaCl concentration. It remains a question for future research to what extent unspecific effects of bi- and tri-valent cations can be approximated in a similar manner.
Availability: Corrections for the concentration of monovalent cations are available in the ViennaRNA package starting from version 2.6.0.
The inhibition performance of a novel iron (III), copper (II), and nickel (II) complexes with Schiff base ligand derived from salicylaldehyde and p–phenylene diamine on Polyvinyl chloride photodegradation
Authors: Mohamed E. A. , Negm N. A. , Youssef A. O. , Sayed G. H.
Published: April 2023

The stabilization of polyvinyl chloride polymer has a great concern for researchers due to its high instability in the environmental conditions of heat and ultraviolet arrays. Herein, three metal complexes of Schiff base ligand were prepared and their chemical structures were confirmed using elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H-NMR, and UV/Vis spectra. The prepared metal complexes were incorporated in PVC as photo-stabilizers. Only 0.5% by weight of these prepared Schiff bases metal complexes was blended with the PVC polymer to form films with a width of (50 µm). The prepared samples were exposed to ultraviolet irradiation time was varied ranging from 0 to 300 h and the impact of irradiation scheduled upon the PVC stabilization was examined each 50 h. The degree of degradation of PVC in the presence and absence of the different stabilizers was determined using various techniques, including the degree of oxygenated compounds formed, degree of unsaturation, viscosity, and degree of deterioration. The results showed that in the native PVC, the degradation progressively increased over time at the conditions of the experiments. The addition of the stabilizers decreased the degradation considerably. The formation of carbonyl, hydroxyl, and unsaturated intermediates was decreased in the presence of Cu-L, and Ni-L. While Fe-L stabilizer showed weak efficiency. The reasons for the stabilization and the mechanism of the degradation/stabilization processes were discussed based on the electronegativity of the metal ions and the antioxidant activities of the different metal complexes.
Interstate Trade Exacerbates Agricultural Pollution in Food Bowls of India
Authors: Goyal Shekhar Sharan , Dave Raviraj , Kumar Rohini , Bhatia Udit
Published: April 2023

Maintaining food surplus for growing populace while reducing agriculture’s environmental impact poses significant challenge. Intensive agricultural practices fueled green revolutions in nations, which helped them achieve self-sufficiency. However, the fertilizer-intensive agricultural practices and exploitative trade systems eventually created a legacy of unsustainable agrarian systems. To understand the environmental consequences of the national cereal trade, we map Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium transferred through interstate wheat and rice trade in India over the decade. We quantify the fate of leftover nutrient surplus across the traded network. Nation’s food bowls, while contributing significantly towards national food demand, are becoming pollution-rich by sustaining 1.19 TgNyr-1, and 0.35 TgPyr-1 surplus that accounts for 61% of total surplus arising from trade transfer, indicating a growing disparity in agricultural nutrient budget. Given India’s role in global food security, identifying the nation’s environmental vulnerability can help to design appropriate policy interventions for sustainable development.
Variations in chemical composition, fatty acids, amino acids, oil quality and functional properties of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) as influenced by high and low dose gamma irradiation using cobalt-60 wet storage source
Authors: Oguntoyinbo Oladotun Olakanmi , Oyinloye Ajibola Mitchell , Adesina Oluwaseun Adekemi , Adekanmbi Funmilayo Seun , Enujiugha Victor Ndigwe
Published: April 2023

Groundnut samples were irradiated at 2.5 and 10 kGy, using cobalt-60 gamma source; the control sample was not irradiated. The parameters determined were the proximate chemical composition, mineral composition, anti-nutritional factors and functional properties, as well as amino-acid profiles, fatty acid profiles, and oil quality of the samples. The differences in the parameters among all the samples after gamma-irradiation were tested by analysis of variance at the 95% confidence level of significance (P ≤ 0.05). Irradiation did not have any significant effect on the proximate composition, except the fat content which was increased by irradiation (from 41.98 ± 0.03%dry wt. at 0 kGy to 42.06 ± 0.03% and 42.08 ± 0.05% at 2.5 and 10 kGy, respectively). The energy values of irradiated samples were 571.32 ± 0.50 and 571.76 ± 0.10 kCal at 2.5 and 10 kGy, respectively; compared with 569.32 ± 0.10 kcal at 0 kGy. The mean protein content of samples was 29.77%. Irradiation significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the mineral contents of groundnut. Potassium being the most abundant in groundnut (28.56 ± 0.03 mg/100g) at 0 kGy was increased to 37.56 ± 0.01 and 36.31 ± 0.01 mg/100g at 2.5 and 10 kGy respectively. Iron and sodium were low (2.05 ± 0.03 and 2.08 ± 0.03 mg/100g at 0 kGy, respectively; and 2.58 ± 0.02 and 2.82 ± 0.02 mg/100g, respectively). The oil absorption capacity for the groundnut flour samples was increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), with increased dose of irradiation (86 ± 0.58, 87 ± 0.58, and 94 ± 0.58%) at 0, 2.5 and 10 kGy, respectively; while the foaming and emulsion capacities were decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), by increased dose of irradiation. However, the water holding capacity of groundnut flour was not affected by irradiation. The least gelation concentration was increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), with increased dose of irradiation (50, 60, and 70% at 0, 2.5, and 10 kGy respectively). Peroxide and saponification values were not affected significantly at (P ≤ 0.05) by irradiation; while the iodine value was significantly reduced at (P ≤ 0.05) with increased irradiation dose; also, the acid value and free fatty acid content increased significantly. Sulphur and aromatic amino acids were reduced significantly at (P ≤ 0.05) with increased dose of irradiation. There was reduction or elimination of unsaturated fatty acids at 2.5 and 10 kGy doses, while the level of saturation was increased. Anti-nutritional factors were reduced with increased dose of irradiation. This study shows that irradiation is still suitable as a method of preservation for groundnut, although it showed reduced overall nutritional quality.
Use of microalga Asterarcys quadricellulare in common bean: a sustainable alternative to mitigate water stress
Authors: Marques Harielly Marianne Costa , Mógor Átila Francisco , Amatussi Juliana Oliveira , Lara Gabriel Bocchetti , Mógor Gilda , Sant’Anna-Santos Bruno Francisco
Published: April 2023

Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is considered one of the most affordable sources to tackle hunger in underdeveloped countries. However, its cultivation takes place in regions that suffer from water deficiency, which limits plant growth and crop yield. Therefore, it is necessary to seek sustainable alternatives that mitigate the deleterious effects of water shortage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for mitigating the effects of water deficit with the application of the microalgae Asterarcys quadricellulare (CCAP 294/1) in two bean cultivars (IAC 1850 and BRS ESTEIO). The plants were grown in pots, with foliar application of microalgae at stage of third fully expanded trefoil at concentrations of 0.5 mL L− 1 and 1.0 mL L− 1. The water deficit lasted for 7 days, and, after that, the rehydration of the plants was performed. Evaluations were carried out in three periods: i. on the third day after the start of water restriction, ii. one day after rehydration, iii. 10 days after rehydration. The levels of chlorophyll, sugars, protein and antioxidant enzymes were increased in plants treated with microalgae. At ten days after rehydration, there was an increase in leaf area, fresh mass, and leaf thickness in the treated plants. Our results demonstrate the effects of A. quadricellulare (CCAP 294/1) in mitigating the deleterious effects of water deficit, accelerating the recovery of the two common bean cultivars, which demonstrates its potential as a sustainable alternative to support food production under changing environment.
Vapor barrier membranes based on polylactic acid and cellulose microfibers for the building envelope application
Authors: Chomachayi Masoud Dadras , Blanchet Pierre , Hussain Atif , Pepin Simon
Published: April 2023

This study aims to develop a fully bio-based barrier membrane from polylactic acid (PLA) and cellulose microfibers (CMF) to control the transmission of water vapor through building envelopes that could otherwise lead to moisture accumulation and deterioration of building materials. To improve the dispersibility of CMF in the PLA matrix, the bio-filler was modified with lactic acid (LA) by a simple esterification reaction. The contact angle test results demonstrated that the hydrophilicity of CMF reduced after the modification. Based on the morphological analysis, the LA-modified CMF (CMF-LA) showed excellent dispersion in the PLA matrix due to the improved interfacial adhesion between modified fibers and PLA. The results of thermal analyses indicated that the glass transmission temperature and thermal decomposition temperatures of materials enhanced after the addition of bio-fillers. Moreover, PLA-based composites incorporated with CMF-LA displayed superior vapor barrier properties compared to PLA/untreated CMF composites. Additionally, the environmental impact of developed membranes was studied by the life cycle assessment tool and results indicated that the incorporation of bio-fillers to PLA reduced the global warming potential. The obtained results suggest that LA-modified CMF can proceed simple, cost-effective, and sustainable to fabricate a PLA-based membrane for the building envelope application.
A novel risk score for predicting prolonged length of stay following pediatric kidney transplant
Authors: DiLeo Michael , Miggins John J. , Brewer Eileen D. , Galván N. Thao N. , Rana Abbas
Published: April 2023

Background Kidney transplants (KT) are accepted as the kidney replacement therapy of choice for children with kidney failure. The surgery itself may be more difficult especially in small children, and often leads to significant hospital stays. There is little research for predicting prolonged length of stay (LOS) in children. We aim to examine the factors associated with prolonged LOS following pediatric KT to help clinicians make informed decisions, better counsel families, and potentially reduce preventable causes of prolonged stay. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing database for all KT recipients less than 18-years-old between January 2014 and July 2022 (n = 3,693). Donor and recipient factors were tested in univariate and multivariate logistic analysis using stepwise elimination of non-significant factors to create a final regression model predicting LOS longer than 14 days. Values were assigned to significant factors to create risk scores for each individual patient. Results In the final model, only primary diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, dialysis prior to KT, geographic region, and recipient weight prior to KT were significant predictors of LOS longer than 14 days. The C-statistic of the model is 0.7308. The C-statistic of the risk score is 0.7221. Conclusions Knowledge of the risk factors affecting prolonged LOS following pediatric KT can help identify patients at risk of increased resource use and potential hospital-acquired complications. Using our index, we identified some of these specific risk factors and created a risk score that can stratify pediatric recipients into low, medium, or high-risk groups.
Neglecting farmer cropping adaptation can overstate water shortages in large-scale hydrological modeling assessments.
Authors: Yoon Jim , Voisin Nathalie , Klassert Christian , Thurber Travis , Xu Wenwei
Published: April 2023

Threats to water security are a paramount global concern, largely driven by human pressures on scarce water resources. The irrigation of croplands, which accounts for the lion’s share of human water consumption, is critical in understanding water shortage trajectories. Despite irrigation’s defining role, large-scale hydrological modeling (LHM) frameworks typically impose trajectories of land use that underlie irrigation demand, neglecting dynamic feedbacks in the form of human instigation of and subsequent adaptation to water shortage via irrigated cropping changes. We extend an LHM with adaptive farmer agents, applying the model to the Continental United States to evaluate water shortage outcomes that emerge from the interplay between hydrologic-driven water availability, reservoir management, and farmer cropping adaptation. Hypothetical comparative simulations reveal that neglecting farmer cropping adaptation regularly leads to pronounced overestimation of water shortages, with adaptation reducing U.S.-wide annual water shortage by as much as 42 percent in an experiment that mimics U.S. hydrology from 1950–2009.
Gutta percha, natural rubber and balata - chemical characterization of polyisoprenes in the context of cultural heritage
Authors: Szczepanowska Hanna M , Akhmedov Novruz G.
Published: April 2023

Gutta percha, natural rubber, and balata are latexes produced by tropical trees that since the mid-19th century have been extensively used commercially and in the creation of artworks and daily use objects. All three latexes are stereoisomers of polyisoprene that differ in their molecular structure. In gutta percha and balata, the molecular functional group is in the trans- position; in natural rubber, it is in the cis- position. This difference in their molecular structure affects the physical properties of these materials and their aging, turning natural rubber tacky and gutta percha brittle. Commercially focused analysis of natural polyisoprenes has typically used chemically modified materials. The present study characterizes natural, chemically unadulterated latex harvested from trees, aiming to differentiate the cis- and trans-forms. The analysed materials comprised fresh latexes harvested in Malaysia and Indonesia, naturally aged botanical samples, some over 100 years old, and minimally processed 10-year-old commercial stock; a total of 50 samples were examined, out of which 23 are discussed in detail. The harvesting practices of latexes were recorded during fieldwork in Southeast Asia in 2015–2019, in Cipetir (Tjipetir), on Lingga Island in Indonesia, and in Malay rubber plantations. The harvesting methods are the first indicators as to the type of latex harvested based on the pattern of incisions and time of coagulation upon exposure to air. The interviews of tappers, especially of gutta percha and balata, serve as a record of a disappearing craft. Therefore, this fieldwork report contributing to a general knowledge of working methods with natural latexes is of particular value considering the scarcity of published records. The laboratory analytical study of trans- and cis- forms relied on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which is the most accurate method to unambiguously determine the stereo chemistry of each polyisoprene. The characteristic spectroscopic features of cis- and trans-positions were clearly shown in all samples, in fresh latex, in over 100-year-old material, and in early 20th century artifacts. This result indicated that the aging of the polyisoprenes does not prevent the identification of their stereochemistry. This analytical work is the first thorough examination of gutta percha, natural rubber and balata in the context of cultural heritage to guide preservation strategies for objects made of these materials.
Gut Microbiome Signature of Metabolically Healthy Obese Individuals According to Anthropometric, Metabolic and Inflammatory Parameters
Authors: Lee Ho-Kyoung , Kim Nam-Eun , Shin Cheol Min , Oh Tae Jung , Yoon Hyuk , Park Young Soo , Kim Nayoung , Won Sungho , Lee Dong Ho
Published: April 2023

Background:Recent studies have revealed that metabolically healthy obese (MHO) population have different clinical profiles and prognosis than metabolically unhealthy obese patients.’ This study aims to investigate the characteristics of gut microbiome in the MHO patients, and how they correlate with metabolic and inflammatory profiles.
Results: A total of 120 obese people without metabolic comorbidities were recruited, and their clinical phenotypes, metabolic and inflammatory parameters were analyzed. The fecal microbial markers originating from bacterial cell and extracellular vesicle (EV) were profiled using 16S rDNA sequencing.
The total study population could be classified into two distinct enterotypes (group I: Prevotellaceae-predominant, group II: Akkermansia/Bacteroides abundant), based on their stool EV-derived microbiome profile. When comparing the metabolic and inflammatory profiles, enterotype I correlated with higher levels of body mass index, total body fat mass, serum IL-1β, serum resistin than enterotype II (all p < 0.05). The microbial diversity in enterotype I were lower than those in enterotype II (p < 0.001), and the microbial composition, analyzed by unweighted unifrac distance, revealed distinct distribution between the two enterotypes (PERMANOVA p = 0.001). Enterotype I had relatively higher abundance of Bacteroidetes, Prevotellaceae and Prevotella-derived EVs, and lower abundance of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Akkermansia and Bacteroides-derived EVs.
Conclusion:HMO patients can be categorized into two distinct enterotypes by the faecal EV-derived microbiome profile. The enterotypes may be associated with different metabolic and inflammatory profiles. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the long-term prognostic impact of EV-derived microbiome in the obese population.