bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detecting preeclampsia with a multiple protein serum test: Assay and algorithm development
Authors: Mazloom Amin R. , Abbasi Mohammad , Lockton Steven , Singh Sharat , Mastro Richard Del , Robinson Christopher , Paglia Michael J , Uren Philip , Hendershot Jenna , Oberoi Pankaj , Cooper Matthew
Published: January 2023

Background
Preeclampsia is a common cause of maternal and neonatal mortality, and to date there is no definitive, diagnostic test available. We aimed to develop a test to detect preeclampsia using biomarkers representing different pathogenic pathways of disease.
Methods
A multi-stage development process was used to identify, prioritize, and assess performance of the biomarkers. Samples from symptomatic, asymptomatic, and subjects diagnosed with preeclampsia were screened to produce an algorithm with eight proteins and one clinical biomarker in order to report a binary output of “positive” or “negative”. Test performance was reported on a development cohort, and analytical validation was completed for the underlying protein assays.
Results
The algorithm resulted sensitivity of 90.6% (CI: 83.1%-95.0%), specificity of 78.4% (CI: 73.9%-82.4%), negative predictive value (NPV) of 96.9% (CI: 94.3%-98.4%), and positive predictive value (PPV) of 52.7% (CI: 45.1%-60.2%) for classification of presence or absence of preeclampsia.
Conclusion
A panel of biomarkers representing different physiological pathways in preeclampsia measured in serum of symptomatic women provides a sensitive binary classification of presence or absence of disease.
Effects of substrate improvement on winter nitrogen removal in riparian reed (Phragmites australis) wetlands: Rhizospheric crosstalk between plants and microbes
Authors: Wang Junli , Fu Zishi , Liu Fuxing , Qiao Hongxia , Bi Yucui
Published: January 2023

With continued anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N) into the environment, non-point source N pollutants produced in winter cannot be ignored. This study explores the effects of substrate improvement on N removal in winter and rhizospheric crosstalk between reed (Phragmites australis) and microbes in subtropical riparian reed wetlands. The rates of wetland N removal in winter, root metabolite profiles and rhizosphere soil microbial community compositions were determined following addition of different substrates (gravel, gravel + biochar, ceramsite + biochar and modified ceramsite + biochar) to natural riparian soil. The results showed that the addition of different substrate to initial soil enhanced N removal from the microcosms in winter. The root metabolite characteristics and microbial community compositions showed some variations under different substrate addition compared to the initial soil. The three treatments involving biochar addition decreased lipid metabolites and enhanced the contents and variety of carbon sources in rhizosphere soil, while modified ceramsite + biochar addition treatment had a greater impact on the microbial community structure. There was evidence for a complex crosstalk between plants and microbes in the rhizosphere, and some rhizosphere metabolites were seen to be significantly correlated with the bacterial composition of the rhizospheric microbial community. These results highlighted the importance of rhizospheric crosstalk in regulating winter N removal in riparian reed wetland, provided a scientific reference for the protection and restoration of riparian reed areas and the prevention and control of non-point source pollution.
Type Synthesis of Reconfigurable Composite Joints Based on Motion Decomposition and Reconstruction
Authors: Lin Rongfu , Guo Weizhong , Sun Qi , Angeles Jorge
Published: January 2023

Reconfigurable composite joints (RCJs) are essential elements in the design of reconfigurable mechanisms. One significant trend is to synthesize RCJs with pre-specified motion properties. This paper focuses on the general synthesis method for the design of RCJs based on motion decomposition and reconstruction (MDR). The overall concept of MDR targeting the design of RCJs is first introduced. Then, the concept and its application are described, including six steps: (i) determination of the main chain (MC); (ii) motion modeling of the MC; (iii) analysis and decomposition of the total motion of the MC; (iv) reconstruction of the chains with different submotions by means of auxiliary chains (ACs); (v) determination of the pertinent adjustable chain, and assembly of the MC, ACs, and the adjustable chain; and (vi) layout of the actuation scheme. Subsequently, three kinds of RCJs with different main chains are generated systematically by means of the concepts proposed herein. Finally, one reconfigurable parallel-kinematics machine (PKM) with one proposed RCJ in a limb is used as an example, which offers applications in the design of reconfigurable mechanisms. The proposed concept, MDR, is not only suitable for type synthesis of simple kinematic chains, but also potentially applicable to reconfigurable kinematic chains.
Instant Tough Adhesion of Polymer Networks
Authors: Freedman Benjamin , Cruz Juan Cintron , Lee Matthew , Kent Daniel , Wu Kyle , Weaver James , Mooney David
Published: January 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
RNA alternative splicing impacts the risk for alcohol use disorder
Authors: Liu Yunlong , Li Rudong , Reiter Jill , Chen Andy , Chen Steven , Foroud Tatiana , Edenberg Howard , Lai Dongbing
Published: January 2023

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by problems arising from excessive alcohol consumption. Identifying functional genetic variations that contribute to risk for AUD is a major goal. Alternative splicing of RNA mediates the flow of genetic information from DNA to gene expression and expands proteome diversity. We asked whether alternative splicing could be a risk factor for AUD. Herein, we used a Mendelian randomization (MR)-based approach to identify skipped exons (the dominant splicing event in brain) that contribute to AUD risk. Genotypes and RNA-seq data from the CommonMind Consortium were used as the training dataset to develop predictive models linking individual genotypes to exon skipping in the prefrontal cortex. We applied these models to data from the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism to examine the association between the imputedcis-regulated splicing outcome and the AUD-related traits. We identified 27 exon skipping events that were predicted to affect AUD risk; six of these were replicated in the Australian Twin-family Study of Alcohol Use Disorder. Their host genes areDRC1,ELOVL7,LINC00665,NSUN4,SRRM2andTBC1D5. The genes downstream of these splicing events are enriched in neuroimmune pathways. The MR-inferred impacts of theELOVL7skipped exon on AUD risk was further supported in four additional large-scale genome-wide association studies. Additionally, this exon contributed to changes of grey matter volumes in multiple brain regions, including the visual cortex known to be involved in AUD. In conclusion, this study provides strong evidence that RNA alternative splicing impacts the susceptibility to AUD and adds new information on AUD-relevant genes and pathways. Our framework is also applicable to other types of splicing events and to other complex genetic disorders.
Daily aspirin reduced the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and overall mortality in patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Lee Chern-Horng , Hsu Chiu-Yi , Yen Tzung-Hai , Wu Tsung-Han , Yu Ming-Chin , Hsieh Sen-Yung
Published: January 2023

Background/purpose
Cirrhosis is the primary risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GI). We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of daily aspirin on HCC occurrence, overall survival, and GI bleeding in cirrhotic patients.
Methods
35898 eligible cases were enrolled for analyses from an initial 40603 cirrhotic patients without tumor history. Patients continuously treated with aspirin for at least 84 days were in the therapy group, whereas those without treatment were controls. A 1:2 propensity score matching by age, sex, comorbidities, drugs, and significant clinical laboratory tests with covariate assessment was used.
Results
Multivariate regression analyses revealed that daily aspirin use was independently associated with a reduced risk of HCC (three-year HR 0.567; 95% CI 0.371–0.869; P = 0.0091; five-year HR 0.629, 95% CI 0.449–0.882; P = 0.0072) inversely correlated with the treatment duration [3–12 months: HR 0·88 (95% CI 0.576–1.344); 12–36 months: HR 0.56 (0.311–0.996); and ≥ 36 months: HR 0.37 (0.178–0.764)]. Overall mortality rates were significantly lower among aspirin users compared with untreated controls [three-year HR 0.43 (0.33–0.57); five-year HR 0.51 (0.42–0.63)]. The risk for gastrointestinal bleeding was not increased among aspirin users whether with [three-year HR 0.507 (0.360–0.712); five-year HR 0.511 (0.362–0.720)] or without previous gastrointestinal bleeding [three-year HR .664 (0.489–0.902); five-year HR 0.656 (0.500–0.860)]. Consistent results were obtained when the laboratory data were included in the propensity score for matching.
Conclusion
Long-term aspirin use significantly reduced the incidence of HCC and overall mortality without increasing gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.
Perception of social inclusion/exclusion and response inhibition in adolescents with past suicide attempt: a multimodal task-based fMRI study
Authors: Jollant Fabrice , Gifuni Anthony , Pereira Fabricio , Chakravarty Mallar , Lepage Martin , Chase Henry , Geoffroy Marie-Claude , Lacourse Eric , Phillips Mary , Turecki Gustavo , Renaud Johanne
Published: January 2023

The occurrence of suicidal behaviors increases during adolescence. Hypersensitivity to negative social signals and deficits in cognitive control are putative mechanisms of suicidal behaviors, which necessitate confirmation in youths. Multidomain functional neuroimaging could enhance the identification of patients at suicidal risk beyond standard clinical measures. Three groups of adolescents (N = 96; 78% females, age = 11.6–18.1) were included: patients with depressive disorders and previous suicide attempts (SA, n = 29); patient controls with depressive disorders but without suicide attempt (PC, n = 35); and healthy controls (HC, n = 32). We scanned participants with 3T-MRI during social inclusion/exclusion (Cyberball Game) and response inhibition (Go-NoGo) tasks. Neural activation was indexed by the blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) of the hemodynamic response during three conditions in the Cyberball Game (“Control condition”, “Social Inclusion”, and “Social Exclusion”), and two conditions in Go-NoGo task (“Go” and “NoGo” blocks). ANCOVA-style analysis identified group effects across three whole-brain contrasts: 1) NoGo vs. Go, 2) Social inclusion vs. control condition, 3) Social inclusion vs. control condition). Normalized contrasts in significant clusters were used to train a support vector machine-based classifier with a stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and diagnostic performance was assessed. In line with previous adult studies, we found that SA had lower activation in the left insula during social inclusion vs. control condition compared to PC and HC. We also found that SA compared to PC had higher activity in the right middle prefrontal gyrus during social exclusion vs. control condition, and in bilateral precentral gyri during NoGo vs. Go conditions. Task-related measures (Self-reported emotional reactivity in the Cyberball Game, response times and number of errors in the Go-NoGo Task) did not discriminate between groups. Moreover, while clinical data (Self-reported depression and impulsivity scores) yielded moderate accuracy (Accuracy: 70%/ Area Under Curve: 0.81), activity during Go-NoGo (81%/0.90), Cyberball Game (89%/0.90), or a combination (88%/0.95) significantly enhanced identification of past suicidal behaviors. In conclusion, adolescent suicidal behaviors are likely associated with neural alterations across multiple domains. Alterations in the processing of social perception and response inhibition may underlie the development of suicidal crises, from onset with social triggers to susceptibility to act out. Neuroimaging should be further tested as a tool to predict suicidal behavior.
Worst case climate simulations show that heatwaves could cause major disruptions in the Paris 2024 Olympics
Authors: Yiou Pascal , Cadiou Camille , Faranda Davide , Jézéquel Aglaé , Malhomme Nemo , Milishevich George , Noyelle Robin , Pons Flavio , Robin Yoann , Vrac Mathieu
Published: January 2023

The Summer Olympic Games in 2024 will take place during the apex
of the temperature seasonal cycle in the Paris Area. The midlatitudes of the Northern hemisphere have witnessed a few intense heatwaves since the 2003 event [1]. Those heatwaves have had environmental and health impacts, which often came as surprises [2]. In this paper, we search for the most extreme heatwaves in Ile-de-France that are physically plausible, under climate change scenarios, for the decades around 2024. We circumvent the sampling limitation by applying a rare event algorithm [3] on CMIP6 data [4] to evaluate the range of
such extremes. We find that the 2003 record can be exceeded by more than 4◦C in Ile-de-France before 2050, with a combination of prevailing anticyclonic conditions and cut-off lows. This study intends to build awareness on those unprecedented events, against which our societies are ill-prepared. Those results could be extended to other areas of the world.
Improved Inference for Interactive Fixed Effects Model under Cross-Sectional Dependence
Authors: Gong Zhenhao , Kim Min Seong
Published: January 2023

This paper proposes an inference procedure for the interactive fixed effects model that is valid in the presence of cross-sectional dependence. When the error terms are cross-sectionally dependent, the Least Square (LS) estimator of this model is asymptotically biased and therefore the associated confidence interval tends to have a large coverage error. To address this, we propose a bias correction of the LS estimator and a cross-sectional dependence robust variance estimator to construct associated test statistics. The paper also discusses practical issues in implementing the proposed method, including the construction of distance that reflects the decaying pattern of cross-sectional dependence and the selection of the bandwidth parameters. Monte Carlo simulations show our procedure works well in finite samples. As empirical illustrations, we apply our procedure to study the effect of divorce law reforms on divorce rates and the impact of clean water and sewerage interventions on child mortality.
JEL Classification: C12 , C13 , C15 , C31 , C33 , J12 , I18
Enzalutamide and EPI-001 in T47D: Blocking Androgen receptor/Androgen receptor variant7 modulates NF-ĸB/c-Myc axis, cyclins A, E, & C, epithelial to mesenchymal transition markers, angiogenesis, and metastasis
Authors: Ali Belal M , Abhar Hanan El , Mohamed Ghada , Sharaky Marwa , Shouman Samia A. , Kamel Marwa
Published: January 2023

Androgen receptor (AR) and its splicing variant 7 (ARv7) play vital roles in the pathobiology of breast cancer (BC) but their role in the estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) type is controversial, hence, we studied the influence of the blockers of AR (Enzalutamide) and ARv7 (EPI-001) on tumorigenesis processes using T47D, an ER+ BC cell line. We showed that although both inhibitors failed to reduce cell growth and affect AR content, only Enzalutamide reduced the ARv7. Mechanistically, the drugs successfully arrested the cell cycle at S-phase and downregulated the protein expression of cyclins A, E, & C. Additionally, they inhibited the cell proliferation stimulator nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ĸB), whereas only EPI-001 reduced the cell regulatory marker c-Myc. They also opposed the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, by boosting the epithelial marker E-cadherin and reducing the protein expression of the mesenchymal marker fibronectin. Their anti-metastatic potential was evidenced by the hindrance of cell migration using the wound healing assay and further confirmed by the downregulation of metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 protein expression, and protein content of Rho kinase (ROCK)1 and 2. Besides, by downregulating the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) the drugs point to their anti-angiogenic aptitude. In conclusion, this in-vitro study is the first to prove the importance of blocking AR/ARv7 using Enzalutamide and EPI-001 in decreasing cancer cell survival, EMT, and metastasis in ER+ BC cells, findings that still need further studies to unveil the role of these inhibitors in BC.
Enhancing waste activated sludge dewaterability by strongly oxidant, KMnO4, under different pH conditions
Authors: Pan Weiliang , Li Jiaoni , Zhang Xun , Liang Shan , Kang Yinghao , Deng Rui , Gu Li , He Qiang
Published: January 2023

In this study, we attempted to examine the dewaterability performances of sludge after pH/KMnO4 treatment, with the goal of understanding the dewaterability of strong oxidizers to waste activated sludge.With adjustment of pH, the impacts of different KMnO4 dosing on sludge dewatering are investigated.It plays good dewatering performance after treated by pH/KMnO4,which showed by capillary suction ti-mes (CST) decreased from 263.4s to 30.1s,and SRF fell by about 19.6%.The result perfomanced that the proteins and polysaccharides were significant decreased in tightly-bound EPS.Meanwhile,it was got that higher zeta potentials, and more obvious T2 after treatment.According to the changes of sludge’s physicochemical properties,and the variety of EPS,explained the mechanisms of improv-ed sludge dewatering under pH/KMnO4 conditions. Under the strong oxidation, the structure surrounding the bound water is oxidized and the bound water is released, so the dewaterability of the sludge is improved.
Factors influencing utilization of universal Gestational Diabetes Mellitus screening services among mothers in Sri Lanka: A cross sectional study
Authors: Chandana Godevithanage Janaka , Wijesinghe Champa Jayalakshmie
Published: January 2023

Background: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes and increased risk of developing diabetes in later life for both child and mother. Early detection of mothers with risk of GDM is pivotal in preventing such adverse outcomes. Sri Lanka adopted universal GDM screening at two time points in pregnancy (before 12 weeks and between 24 to 28 weeks) since 2014 and its utilization has not been assessed. This study aimed to assess utilization of GDM screening services and associated factors among antenatal mothers in Southern Sri Lanka.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a convenient sample of 420 postpartum mothers delivered at three hospitals in Matara district, Sri Lanka. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A data record sheet was used to collect information on availability of screening services and the logistics to provide services. Data were analysed using SPSS software and Chi square test was used to assess the association between variables.
Results: Mean age (SD) of the mothers in the sample was 29 (5.2) and the majority were in their first or second pregnancy. The coverage of first and second screening tests were 91.4% and 94.5% and timeliness were 72.4% and 59.5%, respectively. Median period of amenorrhoea at first and second screening were 10.0 (inter-quartile range: 7.5-12.5) weeks and 28.0 (inter-quartile range: 26.5-29.5) weeks.
A higher utilization was associated with higher maternal education for both screening tests (p=0.021 and p=0.025). Primiparity (p=0.033), nulliparity (p=0.03), planned pregnancy (p=0.00), proximity of nearest laboratory (p=0.02) and having family support (p=0.025) were positively associated with having at least one screening test. Timeliness of screening was associated with performing the test at field clinics for both screening tests (p<0.001 and p=0.007). Being unemployed (p=0.005), planned pregnancy (p=0.023) and availability of logistics at field clinics (p=0.007) were associated with timely performance of at least one screening test.
Conclusions: Though a high utilization of GDM screening was observed among antenatal mothers, measures should be taken to ensure timeliness of screening through improved availability and accessibility of screening facilities. Further studies are recommended to assess service provider’s perspective.
An Acceleration-based Prediction Strategy for Dynamic Multi-objective Optimization
Authors: Zhang Junxi , Qu Shiru , Zhang Zhiteng , Cheng Shaokang , Li Mingxing , Bi Yang
Published: January 2023

This paper addresses the problem of dynamic multiobjective optimization problems (DMOPs), by demonstrating new approaches to change detection and change prediction in an evolutionary algorithm framework. Because the objectives of such problems change over time, the Pareto optimal set (PS) and Pareto optimal front (PF) are also dynamic. First, we propose a new change detection method which achieves greater sensitivity by considering changes in both the PS and the PF, unlike most previous approaches. Second, when changes occur, a secondorder (acceleration-based) prediction strategy is proposed to predictively re-initialize the population close to the new set of optima. We compare the performance of the proposed algorithm against two other state-of-the-art algorithms from the literature, using ten different benchmark dynamic instance test problems. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the other algorithms on most of the test problems.
An Image Based 3D Modelling Framework for Li-S Batteries
Authors: Dai Xiaoyu , Kulkarni Nivedita , Robinson James , Brett Dan , Shearing Paul , Jervis Rhodri
Published: January 2023

Lithium Sulfur batteries the represent the next generation battery chemistry that is closest to commercialisation. Having particular advantages in gravimetric energy density, they still suffer from low-rate performance and capacity fade, linked to the complex multi-step electrochemistry and heterogenous electrode structures. Physics-based models of batteries have long been used to understand and predict their behaviour; traditionally, 1D volume-averaged continuum approaches are used, not accounting for the heterogenous structure of the electrode. For the first time, we present a three-dimensional electrochemical model of a Li-S battery based on real electrode microstructure. The extent of heterogeneities present in the electrode architecture and the adequacy of using the representative elementary volume to capture the effect of complex electrode microstructure on the cell performance were analysed and compared with the 1D model. Finally, the future modelling framework that would aid in optimising the S/C structure for improved and uniform cell performance is discussed.
Global warming from refrigerant HFCs is underestimated by their CO2 equivalent emissions within the century
Authors: Miranda Nicole , Khosla Radhika , Lynch John , Allen Myles , McCulloch Malcolm
Published: January 2023

HFC refrigerant gases are the fastest growing atmospheric GHGs and amongst the most potent. Yet, unlike methane (a short-lived GHG akin to most refrigerants but with significantly lower GWPs), the errors in estimating refrigerant warming based on CO2-equivalent metrics are unknown. We model scenarios to show how the atmospheric responses (i.e., concentrations, forcing and warming) of HFC emissions compare to their CO2-equivalents. Analyzing the remaining warming from HFC emissions if the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is achieved, we report that CO2-equivalents omit a warming peak in 2046. A standardized emission step-change shows that calculating warming from CO2-equivalents underestimates the benefits of reducing short-lived HFC emissions by a factor of 4-17 in 2030 (and by 3-5 in 2050). We also demonstrate how natural removals of individual short-lived HFCs are unaccounted when estimating warming from CO2-equivalents. To avoid misrepresentation of global warming from refrigerants, careful consideration of metrics is needed.
Compound heatwave and drought hotspots and their trends in Southeast Australia
Authors: Laz Orpita U , Rahman Ataur , Ouarda Taha B M J
Published: January 2023

Compound extreme natural events cause a significantly larger impact than individual extreme events. Therefore, the urgency of exploring the climatology of compound events is growing. This paper is aimed to identify the current hotspots of compound heatwaves and droughts (CHD) and trends in their occurrence in Southeast Australia. In this context, 61 stations were selected from the study area, and analyses were carried out over the extended summer season of the time period 1971–2021. The hotspots of CHDs in southeast Australia were identified considering both the total count of CHD days and 90th percentile of CHDs during the study period. The study period was divided into two periods 1971–2000 and 2001–2021, to assess the change in hotspots spatially and temporally. Four different attributes of CHDs based on the number, duration, severity and amplitude of CHDs were also calculated, and MK test followed by Sen's slope was adopted to detect the trends in all these four attributes of CHDs. Trends in CHD indices were also calculated for the two periods of 1971–2000 and 2001–2021. For calculating the CHD, EHF was used to identify the heatwaves. In the case of drought identification, SPEI and SPI drought indices were adopted with aggregation of 3 and 6 antecedent months, and three different threshold values were selected to consider three levels of dry conditions, e.g., 0, -0.5 and − 1.0. It has been found that more CHDs occurred on the eastern side of the NSW and Queensland states. Furthermore, the total count of CHD days increased notably during the last two decades. The trends in CHD indices were found to be significant in the recent period (2001–2021), and there was no trend in old period (1971–2000). The findings of this study will help to plan heat and drought related emergency management in the study area.
Characterizing the Recto-Anal Inhibitory Reflex Parameters in Spinal Cord Injured Subjects Compared to Published Healthy Control Values
Authors: Rodriguez Gianna , Armstrong Moira , Baker Jason , Chey William , Saad Richard , Wolgat Ellen , Menees Stacy , Watts Lydia , Ezell Gabrielle
Published: January 2023

Study Design: Cohort study design Objectives: (i) Compare Rectoanal Inhibitory Reflex (RAIR) parameters in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients vs. published healthy control (HC) values (ii) Explore correlations and associations between RAIR parameters and SCI duration, location, and AIS levels. Setting: University of Michigan Methods: Prospective analysis of SCI participants who underwent High Resolution-Anorectal Manometry (HR-ARM). RAIR was tested by inflating 50 ml into the rectal balloon and immediately deflating. RAIR presence = ≥25% of internal anal sphincter pressure [IAS] (mmHg) amplitude reduction. RAIR parameters included: IAS (mmHg), reflex duration [RD] (seconds), and amplitude reduction [AR] (%). Subjects were categorized by AIS level and completeness of injury. Results: 30 SCI (cervical= 20; thoracic= 10) subjects underwent HR-ARM. Demographics included: 80.0% male, 90.0% Caucasian, mean age of 48.3 (14.2) (Range:24-75), and mean BMI of 26.6 (7.0) (Range:16.9–41.2). SCI subjects have significant mean differences, RD (p=<0.001), and AR (p=<0.001), compared to HC (N = 21), but no significant mean differences in IAS pressure. There were no significant correlations between SCI injury duration and IAS (r=-.17;p=NS), RD (r=0.31;p=NS) and AR (r=-0.09;p=NS). No significant mean differences between SCI level and the AIS completeness within RAIR parameters. Conclusion: Cervical and Thoracic SCI subjects have abnormal RAIR parameters compared to healthy controls. As there is minimal scientific evidence demonstrating digital rectal stimulation [DRS] as an effective method of promoting IAS relaxation for stool evacuation, an altered RAIR response on HR-ARM for SCI subjects provides a scientific basis to determine the use of DRS for bowel evacuation.
the Impact of vertical fiscal asymmetry on carbon emissions in China
Authors: Zhao Heng , Liu Jianmin , Wu Jinguang
Published: January 2023

Facing the double pressure of promoting economic growth and achieving the goal of "emission peak" by 2030, China must cut down the carbon emission intensity. Focusing on the typical characteristics of China's financial system arrangement, we theoretically analyze the mechanism of vertical fiscal asymmetry affecting carbon emission intensity through environmental regulation, land finance and local government competition, and use a panel data from 30 Chinese provinces to conduct an empirical examination. The results show: (1) Vertical fiscal asymmetry significantly increases the local carbon emission intensity. After a series of robust tests, such as replacement variables and sample data, the conclusion is still valid. (2) The analysis of regional heterogeneity shows that the influence of vertical fiscal asymmetry in carbon emission intensity is the largest in the central area of China, followed by the eastern provinces, and not evident in the western area. The rise in carbon emission intensity brought on by vertical fiscal asymmetry can be successfully reduced by the central transfer payment. The impact of vertical fiscal asymmetry on carbon emission intensity will be greatly lessened when the central transfer payment surpasses the threshold. (3) The mechanism test shows that vertical fiscal asymmetry increases the carbon emissions intensity by three paths: reducing the intensity of environmental regulation, strengthening local governments' dependence on land finance and local government competition.
Cost of image-guided percutaneous nephrostomy among cervical cancer patients at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania
Authors: Nyabakari Cecilia J , Mori Amani Thomas
Published: January 2023

Background
Most cervical cancer patients in developing countries present in health facilities with an advanced disease, characterized by obstructive uropathy. This study aims to estimate the cost of an image-guided percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN), which was recently introduced at Muhimbili National Hospital to manage obstructive uropathy.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted between February and June 2021, from the provider's perspective. The study used a micro-costing approach to identify, quantify and value both capital and recurrent items consumed in the provision of services. Cost data were collected in Tanzanian shillings and converted to USD. Analysis was performed in an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel®, Microsoft Corporation).
Results
The estimated cost of image-guided PCN at Muhimbili National Hospital was 358.6 USD per patient. The main cost drivers were the cost of materials and supplies particularly the single-use Nephrostomy catheters, Amplatz guide wire, and Micro-puncture set. The estimated unit cost from this study is higher than the reimbursement price of 237.4 USD charged by the National Health Insurance Fund, and the 259.40 USD and 172.9 USD charged by the hospital for private and public patients, respectively.
Conclusion
Image-guided PCN for cervical patients is a relatively expensive procedure for a typical patient without health insurance. The study further underscores the importance of conducting costing studies to inform pricing and reimbursement decisions.
Bioinformatic role of MIR-101 on PTEN and Mcl1 target genes in liver cancer patients
Authors: Rahimi-Farsi Nasim , Shahbazi Taha
Published: January 2023

One of the three causes of death in the world is liver cancer, which is common in today's society. One of the new methods in the treatment of liver cancer is the identification of new and less invasive biomarkers, among which microRNA can be mentioned. Therefore, in this study, the bioinformatic role of mir-101 on the target genes PTEN and Mcl1 in liver cancer was evaluated. Materials and methods: In this theoretical study, Target Scan, miR Base, DIANA Tool, miRanda, miRTarBase, miR Walk, miR path target genes and signaling pathway of miR-101 were investigated using bioinformatics databases. Then, GEO data was analyzed with R software to analyze miR-101. Finally, the biomarker role of miR-101 was analyzed with ROC diagram. Results: Investigations conducted using different databases as well as statistical methods using R software and graph prism provided a comprehensive analysis of miR-101-3p/5p and based on the analysis of the ROC diagram, the specificity of miR-101 was reported to be higher than 0.5. Also, investigations and target gene selection from different bioinformatics databases showed that PTEN genes with their tumor suppressive role and Mcl1 with their anti-apoptotic role in the TGF- β signaling pathway had dual behavior against each of the studied target genes. Finally, it inhibited metastasis in the signaling pathway of liver cancer, thus reducing the expression of microRNA in patients with liver cancer. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, miR-101 is a targeted therapy for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of HCC.
Developing a digital informed consent app: opportunities and challenges of a new format to inform and obtain consent in public health research
Authors: Haring Luuk V. , Hall Joy T. , Janssen Anton , Johannes J. Marleen , Verhoeff Arnoud P. , Ujcic-Voortman Joanne K.
Published: January 2023

Background: Informed consent procedures for large population-based cohort studies should be comprehensive and easy-to-use. This is particularly challenging when participants from different socio-economic groups and multicultural ethnic backgrounds are involved. Recently, more and more studies have tried to use multimedia in informed consent procedures. We describe the development and testing of a digital informed consent app and elaborate on whether this may contribute to a comprehensive and practical procedure to obtain informed consent for public health research.
Methods: In a sample of parents with young children, we used a mixed method approach to study the user experience of an informed consent app and evaluate whether it can be used to adequately inform people and register their consent. Through semi-structured interviews we investigated participants’ experiences with and opinions about the app, with a special focus on comprehensibility of the content and the usability of the app. Information retention questions were asked to evaluate to what extent participants could recall key aspects of the provided study information.
Results: The 30 participants in this study used the app between 4 to 15 minutes to give their consent. Overall, they found the app well-designed, informative and easy to use. To learn more about the study for which informed consent is asked, most of the participants chose to watch the animated film, which was generally found to convey information in a clear manner. The identification process was met with mixed reactions, with some feeling it as a secure way to give consent, while for others it contradicted their view of using data anonymously. Information retention questions showed that while all participants remembered various aspects of the study, fewer than half answered all four questions satisfactorily.
Conclusion: Our study shows that a well-designed informed consent app can be an effective tool to inform eligible participants and to record consents. Still, some issues remain, including trust barriers towards the identification procedure and lack of information retention in some participants. When implementing consent procedures that incorporate digital formats, it may be beneficial to also invest in a complementary face-to-face recruitment approach.
The Independent Contribution of Estimated Dead Space Fraction to Other Common Variables for Survival Analysis in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Chuang Ming-Lung , Wang Yu-Hsun , Lin I-Feng
Published: January 2023

Objective: Mortality due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing. However, dead space fractions at rest (VD/VTrest) and peak exercise (VD/VTpeak) and variables affecting health-related quality of life and survival have not been evaluated. This study aimed to investigate these issues.
Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study was conducted from 2010-2020. Patients with COPD who smoked, met the GOLD criteria, had available demographic, complete lung function test (CLFT), medication, acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), Charlson Comorbidity Index, and survival data were enrolled. VD/VTrest and VD/VTpeak were estimated (estVD/VTrest and estVD/VTpeak). Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses with stepwise variable selection were performed to estimate hazard ratios of all-cause mortality.
Results: Overall, 14,910 patients with COPD were obtained from the hospital database, and 456 were analyzed after excluding those without CLFT or meeting the lung function criteria. Of the 456 subjects, 81% had GOLD stages 2 and 3, highly elevated dead space fractions, mild air-trapping and diffusion impairment. The hospitalized AECOPD rate was 0.60±2.84/person/year. Forty-eight subjects (10.5%) died, including 30 with advanced cancer. The incidence density of death was 6.03 per 100 person-years. The crude risk factors for mortality were elevated estVD/VTrest, estVD/VTpeak, ³2 hospitalizations for AECOPD, advanced age, body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2, and cancer. The protective factors were high peak expiratory flow%, adjusted diffusing capacity%, alveolar volume%, and BMI 24-26.9 kg/m2. In stepwise Cox regression analysis after excluding cancer, estVD/VTrest and BMI <18.5 kg/m2 were risk factors, whereas BMI 24-26.9 kg/m2 was protective.
Conclusion: Cancer was the main cause of all-cause mortality in this study; however, estVD/VTrest and BMI were independent prognostic factors for COPD after excluding cancer. VD/VTrest can be estimated with the predictive formula; however, its clinical implications for survival prediction should be interpreted with caution until the formula has been validated.
Charpy Absorbed Energy in Simulated Heat-affected Zone of Laser-arc Hybrid Welded Joints by High Strength Steel for Bridge Structures
Authors: CHEN Gang , HIROHATA Mikihito , SAKAI Natsumi , HYOMA Kengo , MATSUMOTO Naoyuki , INOSE Koutarou
Published: January 2023

The application of laser-arc hybrid welding (so called, hybrid welding) to the fabrication of steel bridge members has recently been investigated. One-pass full-penetration butt joints of Steels for Bridge High performance Structure (SBHS400 and SBHS500) with a thickness of 15 mm were performed by hybrid welding. The sound butt joints by hybrid welding were confirmed by a series of tests. The Charpy impact test was performed on the test pieces extracted from the hybrid welded butt joints with specified test temperatures. A phenomenon known as Fracture Path Deviation (FPD) occurred in most test pieces, due to a large variation in material properties of the heat-affected zone (HAZ), resulting in the difficulty of estimating the toughness of HAZ in hybrid welded joints. Therefore, the Charpy impact test was conducted on the test pieces subjected to the welding thermal cycle tests of hybrid welding, which can exclude the heterogeneity of material properties and obtain the Charpy absorbed energy of the HAZ with high accuracy. The test results indicated that FPD was not observed in all thermal cycle simulated test pieces because the uniform metallographic structures in the vicinity of the notch were formed by the simulated thermal cycle tests, and all thermal cycle simulated test pieces satisfied 47 J at the specified test temperatures, a value that prevents brittle fracture for SBHS. Besides, for investigating the effect of the high Charpy absorbed energy guaranteed by SBHS on the toughness of hybrid welded joints, the Charpy absorbed energy of the thermal cycle simulated test pieces of SBHS and those of conventional steel (SM400B) were compared. The results showed that some of the thermal cycle simulated test pieces of SM400B failed to satisfy 27 J, suggesting that SBHS may ensure a Charpy absorbed energy of 47 J or more in the HAZ of hybrid welded joints.
Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inhibits the development of triple negative breast cancer by enhancing antitumor immunity
Authors: Chen Yuanli , Zhu Mengmeng , Zhao Qian , Zhang Wenwen , Zhang Shuang , Xu Hongmei , Zhang Baotong , Duan Yajun , Han Jihong , Yang Xiaoxiao
Published: January 2023

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a most aggressive type of breast cancer without effective therapies. Cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligosaccharide is used as drug delivery carrier with cholesterol lowering property. However, whether cyclodextrin can inhibit the proliferation and migration of TNBC as well as the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) inhibited the growth and metastasis of TNBC both in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, the antitumor effects of HP-β-CD were also observed in a mouse melanoma model. Mechanistically, we initially determined that cholesterol supplementation can attenuate HP-b-CD-inhibited TNBC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, HP-β-CD promoted the infiltration of T cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME) and improved exhaustion of CD8+ T cells via reducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and immune checkpoint molecules. Additionally, HP-β-CD inhibited the recruitment of tumor associated macrophages to the TME via reducing CCL2-p38MAPK-NF-kB axis. HP-β-CD also inhibited the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of TNBC cells mediated by transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) signaling pathway. In summary, the data in the current study suggest that HP-β-CD effectively inhibited proliferation and metastasis of TNBC and melanoma, highlighting HP-β-CD may be a potential general antitumor clinical drug.
An Efficient DDoS Attack Detection Mechanism in SDN Environment
Authors: Hnamte Vanlalruata , Hussain Jamal
Published: January 2023

As cyberattacks get more sophisticated, it becomes more difficult to identify advanced attacks in a wide variety of industries, including business, national defense, and healthcare. Traditional intrusion detection systems are insufficient to identify these sophisticated attempts with unpredictable patterns. Attackers evade recognized signatures and spoof legitimate users. While Software-Defined Network (SDN) provides greater innovation to the design of future networks, it is also more susceptible to network attacks. We present a system for the detection and protection of network attacks in the SDN environment using Deep Learning (DL) for addressing challenges. We use InSDN, the most recent IDS dataset specially developed for the SDN environment. InSDN includes sophisticated DoS and network attacks and, it is a publicly accessible dataset. Additionally, we compare the model performance trained using CIC-IDS2017 and CIC-DDoS2019 datasets respectively. We focus on the DDoS attack category in this study and create an intrusion detection DL model for SDN. We construct our model using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and assess its performance. Additionally, we propose the optimized CNN design for improved performance based on various evaluations.
Hydatid Disease Involving The Entire Femur Treated With Wide Resection And Reconstruction With Total Femur Replacement – A Case Report
Authors: Cabrolier Jorge , Ceballos Oscar , Segovia Mauricio , Tolosa Ricardo , Wevar Orlando
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Hydatid disease is a rare condition produced most commonly by the infection of Echinococcus granulosus. The disease typically affects the liver and lungs; osseous echinococcosis accounts only for a small portion of the cases. When bone is compromised, treatment can be challenging, and wide resection of infected bone might be needed to avoid recurrence.
Case presentation: A twenty-six-year-old man presented with a pathological fracture of his left femur. Imaging and histology studies were consistent with hydatid disease. Due to the extent of the lesion and high risk for recurrence, the treatment consisted of wide surgical excision and total femur replacement prosthesis associated with antihelmintic therapy. The patient completed two years of follow-up with no signs of local recurrence.
Conclusion: In cases of hydatid disease with extensive involvement of the femur, wide resection and reconstruction with a total femur prosthesis is a viable option that could lead to adequate functional results with no recurrence.
Persistent Intraoperative Hypoxemia in the right lateral decubitus position: a case report.
Authors: Wu Guowei , Song Haibo , Xu Hongwei
Published: January 2023

Background
Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is an extremely rare syndrome. Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a group of diseases characterized by hypoxemia and dyspnea in the upright position and improvement in the supine position. In this case, severe hypoxemia occurred in the intraoperative right lateral decubitus position and was suspected to be associated with Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome.
Case Presentation
An 85-year-old woman underwent surgery for a fracture of the left femoral neck. After the right lateral decubitus position, the patient presented with sustained low oxygen saturation and normal blood pressure which was maintained at the range of 180mmhg- 150mmhg/90-52mmhg lasting 45 minutes. Subsequently, arterial blood pressure and heart rate decreased. The patient was immediately placed in a supine position. In the supine position, all vital signs were back to normal.
Conclusion
This case may be a clinical manifestation of a specific POS syndrome, which provides a new differential diagnosis for intraoperative posture-related hypoxemia. Severe hypoxemia due to intraoperative position changes can be highly suspected as POS.
iTRAQ-based comparative proteomics reveal an enhancing role of PRDX6 in the freezability of Mediterranean buffalo sperm
Authors: Luo Xi , Liang Mingming , Huang Shihai , Xue Qingsong , Ren Xuan , Li Yanfang , Wang Jinli , Shi Deshun , Li Xiangping
Published: January 2023

Background
Semen cryopreservation is a critical tool for breed improvement and preservation of biodiversity. However, instability of sperm freezability affects its application. The Mediterranean buffalo is one of the river-type buffaloes with the capacity for high milk production. Until now, there is no specific cryopreservation system for Mediterranean buffalo, which influences the promotion of excellent cultivars. To improve the semen freezing extender used in cryopreservation of Mediterranean buffalo, different protein datasets relating to freezability sperm were analyzed by iTRAQ-based proteomics. This study will be beneficial for further understanding the sperm freezability mechanism and developing new cryopreservation strategy for buffalo semen.
Results
2652 quantified proteins were identified, including 248 significantly differentially expressed proteins (DEP). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that many these were mitochondrial proteins, enriched in the molecular function of phospholipase A2 activity and enzyme binding, and biological processes of regulation of protein kinase A signaling and motile cilium assembly. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis identified 17 significant pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Furthermore, 7 DEPs were verified using parallel reaction monitoring or western blot, which confirmed the accuracy of the iTRAQ data. Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), which was expressed 1.72-fold higher in GFE compared to PFE sperm, was selected to explore the function in sperm freezability by adding recombinant PRDX6 protein into the semen freezing extender. The results showed that the motility, mitochondrial function and in vitro fertilization capacity of frozen-thawed sperm were significantly increased, while the oxidation level was significantly decreased when 0.1mg/L PRDX6 was added compared with blank control.
Conclusions
Above results revealed the metabolic pattern of freezability of Mediterranean buffalo sperms was negatively associated with OXPHOS, and PRDX6 had protective effect on cryo-damage of frozen-thawed sperms.