bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alteration of gut microbiota in post-stroke depression patients with Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Cheng Hong , Dong Siyu , Chen Han , Sun Mei , Zhang Guoxin , Zhou Xiaoying
Published: April 2023

Several studies have identified an association between the gut microbiome and post-stroke depression (PSD). As a common gastric infection bacteria, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection cause significant alterations in the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiome, but relationship between H. pylori infection and PSD is still limited. Here, we conducted a retrospective study to assess risk factors associated with PSD. A total of 183 patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled and their depression scores, imaging features and clinical data were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that deep white matter lesions (DWMLs) and H. pylori infection were the independent risk factors for PSD. Further analysis indicated that patients with H. pylori-positive infection [H. pylori (+)] had more severe depressive symptoms than those with negative infection [H. pylori (-)]. Fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed statistically differences in intestinal flora between H. pylori (+) patients and H. pylori (-) patients. The DESeq2 analysis indicated that Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides dorei, and Fusobacterium ulcerans levels were significantly decreased, while Megamonas funiformis and Bifidobacterium adolescentis were more abundant in the H. pylori (+) group. GC-MS revealed that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations were significantly different between the two groups, and fecal SCFAs concentrations reduced in the H. pylori (+) group. In conclusion, DWMLs and H. pylori infection may play important roles in the development of PSD. H. pylori infection is likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of PSD by altering the intestinal flora.
LC-MS/MS-based Quantification of Tryptophan, Kynurenine, and Kynurenic Acid in Human Placental, Fetal Membranes, and Umbilical Cord Samples
Authors: Pedraz-Petrozzi Bruno , Marszalek-Grabska Marta , Kozub Anna , Szalaj Klaudia , Trzpil Alicja , Stachniuk Anna , Lamadé Eva Kathrin , Gilles Maria , Deuschle Michael , Turski Waldemar A. , Fornal Emilia
Published: April 2023

Tryptophan breakdown metabolites formed along kynurenine pathway play a significant role in pregnancy and fetal development. To understand the involvement of tryptophan (TRP), kynurenine (KYN), and kynurenic acid (KYNA) in these phenomena, it is essential to quantify their levels in relevant biological samples, such as the placenta, fetal membranes, and umbilical cord. In this study, the level of TRP, KYN, and KYNA was determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The LC-MS/MS method was optimized for high sensitivity and specificity; it showed good reproducibility with a precision of <10% CV and an accuracy of 85-115%. The lower limit of quantification was 0.5 µg/ml for both TRP and KYN and 0.5 ng/mL for KYNA. The method was linear over the examined range of concentrations in homogenate: 0.5 to 30 µg/ml for both TRP and KYN and 0.5 to 25 ng/ml for KYNA. Maternal placenta samples exhibited lower KYNA concentrations but higher KYN concentrations and significantly increased KYN/TRP ratio. However, the umbilical cord had a significantly higher KYNA/KYN ratio than the other two analyzed tissues. No differences were observed in the KYNA/TRP ratio. Collectively, this finding may facilitate further research and provide inside into the involvement of kynurenine pathway of TRP metabolism in fetal development.
Hydrosalpinx: interstitial pregnancy following ipsilateral salpingectomy risk factor? a case-control study with propensity score matching.
Authors: Wu Wei-Fang , Yi Jing-Song , Xie Xi , Liu Chao-Bin
Published: April 2023

To identify risk factors associated with interstitial pregnancy following ipsilateral salpingectomy and discuss possible prevention.A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a single, large, university-affiliated hospital. Data of 29 patients diagnosed with interstitial pregnancy following ipsilateral salpingectomy from January 2011 to November 2020 were assigned into the case group (IP group), whereas 87 patients derived from 6151 patients with intrauterine pregnancy following unilateral salpingectomy were served as the controls using propensity score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 1:3. After PSM, there was no statistically significant difference in patient demographic details between the two groups . The multipara was greater and the intrauterine operation was more frequent in the IP group compared with the control group (P＜0.05). There was only one patient undergoing IVF-ET in the IP group as compared with 29 cases in the control group (3.4% vs. 33.3%, P＜0.05). Salpingectomy was performed on 5 patients in the IP group and 4 patients in the control group due to hydrosalpinx (P＜0.05). Logistic regression indicated that hydrosalpinx was the high risk factor of interstitial pregnancy following ipsilateral salpingectomy (OR=8.175).Our PSM analysis suggests that hydrosalpinx has significantassociation with risk of interstitial pregnancy following ipsilateral salpingectomy in subsequent pregnancy.
Gastrointestinal parasites of exotic avian fauna living in captivity in the state of Bagmati, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Authors: chokhal keshab , Bohora Ashok , Gupta Ranjana
Published: April 2023

The research investigated the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites by analyzing the fecal samples of 100 captive-breed exotic birds from 16 species in the Kathmandu Valley. A total of five different parasite types were found in the study, with a 54% prevalence rate. Helminths were less frequent (33%) than protozoan pathogens (37%) in the samples. Five parasitic genera were found during the examination of the feces, including one protozoa (Eimeria species) and four helminths (Ascaridia species, Trichostrongylus species, Strongyloides species, and Codiostomum species), with Ascaridiaspecies showing the highest prevalence rate (23%) of the helminthes parasites. The bulk of infections were single infections, with mixed infections accounting for the minority. To control parasitic infections, effective hygiene and de-worming initiatives were put in place. A re-infection is still a chance, though; because of things like stress and being near other foraging birds that might be carrying parasites.
Benchmarking Compound Activity Prediction for Real-World Drug Discovery Applications
Authors: Zeng Jianyang , Tian Tingzhong , Li Shuya , Zhang Ziting , Chen Lin , Zou Ziheng , Zhao Dan
Published: April 2023

Identifying active compounds for target proteins is one of the most fundamental objectives in early drug discovery. Recently, a growing number of computational methods, especially data-driven methods, have demonstrated promising potential in predicting compound activities. However, there lacks a well-designed benchmark to objectively evaluate these methods from the aspects of practical applications, which can consider the biased distribution of current real-world compound activity data and adopt appropriate evaluation metrics to avoid overestimation of model performances. In this paper, we propose a novel benchmark, named CARA, to systematically evaluate the performances of compound activity prediction models from a practical perspective. To eliminate the biases in current compound activity data, two types of assays, i.e., virtual screening (VS) and lead optimization (LO), were distinguished according to their drug discovery stages. New train-test splitting schemes and evaluation metrics including the assay-based evaluation and success rates were adopted to comprehensively measure the performances of different methods. Evaluation of several state-of-the-art models on our CARA benchmark demonstrated a more accurate, informative, and direct understanding of model performances than the commonly-used bulk evaluation. In addition, another popular application scenario, in which there were a few already measured task-related samples, was also considered by CARA. Evaluation of a number of few-shot training strategies demonstrated their different preferences for VS and LO tasks, further suggesting the necessity of distinguishing the two task types. A useful indicator was also discovered to estimate the confidence of model predictions on the experimentally unmeasured data. Overall, our CARA benchmark can provide a high-quality dataset for developing and evaluating compound activity prediction models, and the analysis results and new findings in this work can also act as useful guidance for drug discovery applications. New challenges and opportunities were also revealed and discussed for improving current data-driven methods.
Australian brown seaweeds as a source of essential dietary minerals
Authors: Skrzypczyk Vanessa M , Callahan Damien L , Francis David S , Bellgrove Alecia
Published: April 2023

Interest in the potential to both farm and wild-harvest seaweeds in Australia is rapidly increasing. Seaweeds are rich sources of dietary trace minerals and essential elements that are often not found in terrestrial edible plant foods. Due to the high affinity for mineral and contaminant accumulation by seaweeds, it is important to conduct in depth studies on seaweeds that have edible potential and are being considered for sustainable aquaculture or wild harvest. This study screened six Australian fucoid and laminarian brown seaweeds for their dietary mineral composition. Spatial replicate samples of each species were collected from three ‘clean’ Victorian sites (classified based on their proximity to urbanisation and potential pollution sources) and processed with methods consistent for human consumption. Dried and ground samples were analysed by ICP-MS and concentrations of 12 key dietary minerals were compared amongst species. The overall dietary mineral composition differed significantly amongst all species, except between two species in the Sargassaceae; but concentrations of individual dietary minerals varied amongst species in complex ways. Results are discussed in the context of the potential health benefits from consuming the species studied in realistic quantities (e.g. 10 g·d-1 dried seaweed) as part of balanced omnivorous and plant-based diets. This study demonstrated high levels of dietary minerals essential for optimal human health in the Australian brown seaweeds investigated, but further investigation into ways to reduce iodine content in some species may be required to maximise health benefits from regular consumption.
Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) enabled anomaly detection and fault classification of an industrial asset
Authors: Sharma Jeetesh , Mittal Murari Lal , Soni Gunjan
Published: April 2023

Predictive maintenance helps organizations to reduce equipment downtime, optimize maintenance schedules, and enhance operational efficiency. By leveraging machine learning algorithms to predict when equipment failure will likely occur, maintenance teams can proactively schedule maintenance activities and prevent unexpected breakdowns. Anomaly detection and fault classification are essential components of predictive maintenance. Anomaly detection involves analyzing sensor data collected from equipment to identify deviations from normal behavior. Fault classification, on the other hand, involves identifying the root cause of a fault or failure. A dataset of an industrial asset is used to evaluate the proposed study. Four distinct data-driven anomaly detection methodologies were employed after the pre-processing of the data, with the deep learning-based autoencoder producing the best results of all the techniques. Implementing machine learning-based fault categorization approaches revealed that Random Forest had the best results. Bayesian optimization and sequential model-based hyperparameter optimization technique is used for greater accuracy and optimized hyperparameters. Significant progress has been made in anomaly detection and fault classification using machine learning, but the degree of their explainability is significantly limited by the ``black-box" character of some machine learning techniques. Less emphasis has been placed on explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) approaches in the domain of maintenance. Therefore, the XAI tools have been used to acknowledge the extent of the variables to analyze the influence of respective features. A stability metric has been included to improve the explanation's overall quality. The findings of this article suggest that the utilization of eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) can offer significant contributions in terms of insights and solutions for addressing critical maintenance issues. As a result, decision-making processes can become more informed and effective.
The Application of Artificial Intelligence in Health Policy: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ramezani Maryam , Takian Amirhossein , Bakhtiari Ahad , Rabiee Hamid R. , Ghazanfari Sadegh , Mostafavi Hakimeh
Published: April 2023

Background Policymakers require precise, in-time information to make informed decisions in complex environments such as health systems. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a novel approach that makes collecting and analyzing data in complex systems more accessible. This study highlights recent research on AI's application and capabilities in health policymaking.
Method PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science databases were investigated to find relevant studies from 2000 to 2023 using the keywords of "artificial intelligence" and "policymaking." Walt and Gilson's policy triangle framework was used for charting the data.
Results The results revealed that using AI in health policy paved the way for novel analyses and innovative solutions for intelligent decision-making and data collection, potentially enhancing policymaking capacities, particularly in the evaluation phase. Moreover, it can be used to develop creative agendas with fewer political limitations and higher rationality, leading to better policies. Furthermore, AI provides the opportunity to make evidence-informed decisions by developing new platforms and toolkits. Most of the suggested AI solutions for health policy are not meant to replace experts but to make decision-making smarter.
Conclusion Numerous approaches exist for AI to influence the health policymaking process. Leading health systems can benefit from AI's potential to expand the use of evidence-based policymaking in health systems.
Characteristics of inhibitory active substances produced by Pseudoalteromonas. SW-1
Authors: Sun Xing , Xu Xin , Wang Xuhui , Tang Tongtong , Zhang Weiwei , Ma Yuhua
Published: April 2023

To confirm the antagonistic activity characterization of the strain Pseudoalteromonas SW-1 (P. SW-1), its cell-free supernatant (CFS) was studied against a clam pathogenic strain of Vibrio.Alginolyticu. MP-1 (V.MP-1). The CFS of P. SW-1 exhibited evident antagonistic activities against the pathogens, and the absorbance value (600 nm) of V. MP-1 remained at a lower level at 24 h when compared with the control. The results showed that the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS showed differences after treatment with heat, acid and alkali, and proteinase K. The CFS of P. SW-1 inhibitory activities were decreased after treatment with heat, but the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS were still effective after treatment with proteinase Kfor 24 h. The acid and alkali treatments could increase the inhibitory activities of strain P. SW-1 CFS. Therefore, the ammonium sulfate precipitation test also indicated that P. SW-1 could produce some active protein compounds to antagonize pathogenic V. MP-1.
Prevalence of and risk factors for obstructive pulmonary dysfunction caused by coal dust exposure: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Tang Meian , Xiao Xiongbin , Li Qi , Cui Chenyang , Chen Rou , Liu Lang , Li Xin , Huang Lei
Published: April 2023

Background: Although previous studies have shown that coal dust exposure can lead to decreased lung function, little is known regarding the prevalence of and risk factors for obstructive pulmonary dysfunction (OPD) in Chinese coal workers. The present study investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for OPD in Chinese coal workers.
Methods: Health monitoring data were collected from 3534 workers in 8 different state-owned coal mines from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022. Ultimately, data from 3450 workers were eligible for analysis. OPD was defined as FEV1/FVC less than 70%. FVC dicline was defined as FVC/Pre less than 80%. High-intensity exposure refers to underground workers who basically work underground all day; correspondingly, low-intensity exposure refers to workers who only work underground for part of the day. Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the relationships between clinical variables and OPD. The attributable risk percentage for each risk factor was calculated as follows: (（OR-1）/OR)x100%.
Results: The overall prevalence of OPD was 2.6%, and the prevalence of FVC decline (FVC/Pre<80%) was 21.8%. The prevalence of OPD was higher in the high-intensity exposure group than in the low-intensity exposure group , higher in the smoking group than in the no smoking group, and higher among workers aged 50 years or older than among those under the age of 50. Risk factors for OPD included age greater than 50 years old, high-intensity exposure, duration of exposure more than 20 years, smoking, and dust concentration exceeding 2 mg/m3. High-intensity exposures were considered to contribute approximately equally to the prevalence of OPD as smoking.
Conclusion: Coal dust exposure can lead to OPD. High-intensity exposure, a duration of exposure of more than 20 years, smoking, and dust concentrations exceeding 2 mg/m3 are major risk factors for OPD. Cigarette smoking and coal dust exposure are major preventable risk factors for the disease. Enhancing occupational protection, strengthening smoking control in underground workplaces and regular monitoring of lung function for early detection of abnormal lung function are important for protecting workers' health.
Bioinformatic screening of genes associated with giant cell arteritis and therapeutic agents
Authors: Su Zhaohui , Yao Menghui , Zhang Chunyi , Gao Congcong , Dai Mengmeng , Yue Runzhi , Li Chaoying , Zheng Zhaohui
Published: April 2023

Objective
To analyze the high-throughput sequencing data of giant cell arteritis by bioinformatics technology, to initially identify the core genes associated with giant cell arteritis and to explore potential therapeutic agents.
Methods
Gene expression profile (GSE174694) was obtained from the Gene Expression Database (GEO), and the differential genes were calculated, the differentially expressed genes were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), and the protein interaction network was constructed to obtain the core genes. Finally, drug correlation analysis (connectivity map, CMap) was used to identify small molecule drugs with potential therapeutic effects on giant cell arteritis.
Results
A total of 771 differentially expressed genes were screened, including 481 up-regulated and 290 down-regulated. The GO analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in cell surface receptor signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, cell adhesion and intrinsic immune response, and the KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in chemokine signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differential genes were mainly involved in chemokine signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation. The protein interaction network was constructed to screen five core genes, PTPRC, FCGR2B, ITGAM, SPI1 and ITGB2, which were mainly involved in promoting T cell value-added and differentiation, inhibiting apoptosis, increasing cell adhesion and promoting inflammatory response. CMap analysis suggested that small molecules such as warfarin A and anisomycin have potential therapeutic effects on giant cell arteritis. The CMap analysis suggested the potential therapeutic effects of small molecules such as warfarin A and anisomycin on giant cell arteritis.
Conclusion
This study provides a holistic view of the gene transcriptome in giant cell arteritis, and the core genes and small molecule drugs screened may provide new ideas for the pathogenesis of giant cells and drug development.
Biochemical and Microbiological Interactions of Molecularly Detected Blastocystis hominis: a cross-sectional study.
Authors: Saftawy Enas A. El , Ghallab Marwa M. I. , Haydara Tamer , Ibrahim Asmaa , Atta Shimaa Attia , Allah Reham Abdelmonem Mohamed Gad , Kamel Marwa N. , Morsy Salwa M
Published: April 2023

Background: Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is a cosmopolitan intestinal protozoan that has been related to several gastrointestinal disturbances simulating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the underlying pathogenicity of blastocystosis in human studies remains indistinct.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 167 stool samples from patients attending internal medicine department, Kafrelsheik university hospital were examined. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -based identification using known sequenced-tagged site (STS) primers allowed the isolation of the positive samples and genotyping of the parasite. Reducing sugar and pH were investigated in patients’ stool samples.
Results: Patients who participated in the study were from both sexes where blastocystosis infection was most prevalent in the age group 20 – 29. Of 167 cases, twenty-seven (16.1%) were molecularly confirmed blastocystosis infections. Genotype 3 was solely detected. Of these, 26 (19%) cases presented with diarrhea, and 27 (17.1%) cases suffered abdominal pain. Additionally, 20 (16.8%) cases had increased flatulence, and only two patients manifested vomiting. The seasonal cycle of the parasite was explored being higher in summer and spring. Our results highlight the consistent chemical association of carbohydrate intolerance and acidic fecal pH with genotype-3 of B. hominis that seemed to augment the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) -like manifestations of the parasitic infection. Specimens positive for B. hominis showed dominant growth of E. coli. Co-culture of B. hominis with E. coli and Candidashowed their eminent growth whereas the parasite was suppressed. B. hominiswith Giardia species co-infections showed a significant rise in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme in fecal samples compared with B. hominissolely.
Conclusion: there is an association between Blastocystis hominis infections and carbohydrate intolerance and fecal acidity. B. hominis was observed to be closely related to IBS-like manifestations with the dominatingly isolated genotype-3. Also, B. hominis appeared to have an enhancing effect on the growth of E. coli and C. non-albicans. Blastocystosis seemed to heve damaging effects on the cells of the intestinal brush border especially when co-existing with Giardia sp. thus increasing levels of LDH.
Influence of surface pre-treatments on porosity and microstructure of laser welding in AlSi10Mg alloys sheets fabricated by selective laser melting
Authors: Wang Can , He Dingyong , Cui Li , Guo Xingye , Tan Zhen , Wu Xu
Published: April 2023

The surface pre-treatment is of great significance for improving the welding quality of metal materials, especially aluminum alloys. At present, the welding process is introduced to achieve the joining of the selective laser melting (SLM) AlSi10Mg alloys or their repair during manufacturing or service. However, the high susceptibility of hydrogen pores is one of the most important problems encountered in the fusion welding process of SLM AlSi10Mg alloys. To clarify the influence of the surface state of the base metal on the hydrogen pore characteristics, the SLM AlSi10Mg alloys sheets were pretreated by chemical cleaning treatment (CCT), mechanical polishing treatment (MPT) and chemical cleaning after mechanical polishing (MPT-CCT) before autogenous laser welding. Subsequently, the hydrogen pore characteristics, microstructure and micro-hardness of the weld joints were investigated. The experimental results show that the autogenous laser welding with MPT-CCT pre-treatment conspicuously reduces the porosity and pore diameter. In addition, TEM results show that MPT-CCT pre-treatment can eliminate most of the broken and discontinuous surface oxide film and Mg enrichment. In summary, the necessity of MPT-CCT surface pre-treatment for SLM aluminum alloy parts is analyzed systematically, which is of great significance to improve the welding quality.
The soybean CEP6 signaling peptides positively regulates nodulation
Authors: Wang Xiaoli , Qin Jie , Tian Wenqing , miao Bai , Wang Min , Du Weijun , Wang Lixiang
Published: April 2023

Nodulation is the most efficient nitrate assimilation system in the ecosystem while excessive fertilization increased nitrate inhibition effect, deciphering the nitrate signal transduction mechanism in the process is of the utmost importance. In this study, genome-wide analysis of the GmCEP genes were applied to identify nodulation related CEPgenes, 22 GmCEP family members were identified while GmCEP6 mainly expressed in nodule and significantly responded to nitrate treatment and rhizobium infection, especially in later stages. Overexpression and CRISPR-Cas9 were used to validate its role in nodulation. We found GmCEP6overexpression significantly increased the nodule number while GmCEP6knock out significantly decreased nodule number suggests GmCEP6 function as a positive regulator in soybean nodulation. qRT-PCR shown that alterations in the expression of GmCEP6 affected the expression of marker genes in the Nod factor signaling pathway. Lastly the function of GmCEP6 in nitrate inhibition of nodulation was analyzed, nodule number in the GmCEP6 overexpressed roots significantly increased under nitrogen treatments suggests GmCEP6 functions in resistance to nitrate inhibition. The study will help us understand that GmCEP6 promotes nodulation and participates in the regulation of nitrate inhibition of nodulation, which is of great significance for high efficiency utilization of nitrogen in soybean.
Pattern dynamics of a predator-prey system with Ivlev-type functional response
Authors: Liu Yang , Shen Zuolin , Wei Junjie
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we study the dynamics and pattern formation of a reaction-diffusion system with Ivlev-type functional response and homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. We first consider the global existence and boundedness of nonnegative solutions and then discuss the global stability of nonnegative steady states. By using the energy estimates and Leray-Schauder degree theory, we prove the nonexistence and existence of nonconstant positive steady states. We show some interesting spatiotemporal dynamical behaviors in numerical simulations. Our results suggest that the predator-prey system with Ivlev-type functional response enriches spatiotemporal dynamical behaviors.
Health care Providersàttitude and associated factors to safe abortion in Ethiopia, 2023: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bante Simachew Animen , Balcha Wondu Feyisa , Chekole Fentahun Alemnew , Kassahun Eden Asmare , Getu Alemwork Abie , Awoke Amlaku Mulat , Tariku Mengistie Kassahun
Published: April 2023

BackgroundMaternal deaths due to unsafe abortion have increased steadily in sub- Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, 25% of the pregnancy is unintended pregnancy. This contributes from 6–9% maternal deaths from unsafe abortion .Previously, many fragmented cross-sectional studies were conducted but there is no cumulative evidence on health care providers’ attitude and associated factors to safe abortion in Ethiopia. This study aimed to measure pooled health care Providers’ attitude and determinants of safe abortion in EthiopiaMethodsIn this review the databases used were Google Scholar, Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, HINARI and African Journals Online. The quality of articles that met the inclusion criteria was assessed. The studies were critically appraised by using the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal tools and the preferred reporting item for systematic review was used for quality assessment. Data were extracted in an excel spreadsheet and imported to STATA version 17 software for meta-analysis. The random- effect model was used to pooled the health care Providers’ attitude to safe abortion. The I2statistics were used to test heterogeneity and Egger’s tests were used to assess publication bias. Forest plot were used to present the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsA total of eight studies with a total sample size of 2,826 were included for this review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled health care providers’ favorable attitude towards safe abortion in Ethiopia was 65.49% (95%CI; 49.64, 81.34; I2 = 99.20%, P = 0.000). Familiarize with abortion law, OR = 2.25 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.43), being male provider, OR = 1.89 (95% CI: 1.23, 2.54), taking training on abortion, OR = 2.91 (95% CI: 1.17, 4.65), being midwives profession, OR = 3.029 (95% CI: 1.605, 4.453) and practicing abortion procedure, OR = 2.55 (95% CI: 1.32, 3.78) were positively associated with providers’ favorable attitude to safe abortion.ConclusionHealth care provider who trained on abortion service and who were familiarized with abortion law were more likely to have favorable attitude to safe abortion services in Ethiopia. Therefore, all health institutions and other stakeholders should facilitate training on safe abortion services and enable providers familiarize with abortion law in Ethiopia.
Cohort profile: Chinese moyamoya disease cohort study
Authors: Hao Fangbin , Han Cong , Gao Gan , Liu Simeng , Wang MinJie , Yang Rimiao , Zou Zhengxing , Yu Dan , Sun Caihong , Zhang Qian , Zhang Houdi , Guo Qing-Bao , Wang Xiaopeng , Shen XuXuan , Fu Heguan , Li JingJie , Zhang Zhengshan , Bao Xiangyang , Feng Jie , Li Bin , Ren Bin , Wang Hui , Wang Qiannan , Pei Songtao , Zhao Bo , Zou Zhenglong , Han Yiqin , Tong Huaiyu , Sun Zhenghui , Liu Miao , Duan Lian
Published: April 2023

Background: The etiology and natural course of moyamoya disease (MMD) remain unknown. This study evaluated the natural course and etiology of MMD using data from the Chinese MMD (C-MMD) cohort study.
Methods: The C-MMD cohort consisted of 6,167 patients with MMD treated at our center over the past 20 years. We analyzed the medical history and laboratory and imaging examination results of the patients at different stages of the disease to identify common features of MMD.
Results: The median age for symptom onset was 32 years. The age distribution was bimodal; the highest peak was between ages 35 and 45 years, with a smaller peak between ages 3 and 9 years. The female-to-male ratio was 1:1. The disease occurred mainly in the Han people and was rarely observed in minority nationalities. In our cohort, a transient ischemic attack was the most common initial clinical manifestation (46.3%); others included infarction (25.0%), hemorrhage (15.1%), and headache (7.9%).
Conclusions: The C-MMD cohort is currently one of the largest single-center MMD cohorts in the world. This study provides baseline data for future research on the etiology and natural course of MMD.
Clinical Trial Registration: This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical trial registry (registration number: ChiCTR2200064160) on September 28, 2022.
Comparison and Statistical analysis of various machine learning techniques for daily prediction of solar GHI representing India’s overall solar radiation
Authors: Girdhani Bharat , Agrawal Meena
Published: April 2023

Solar energy integration into the grid is a significant challenge because of its varying and unpredictable nature. Therefore, accurate solar energy prediction is vital in ensuring grid stability. To achieve this, the present study uses machine and deep learning methods to estimate the solar global horizontal irradiance. This study aims to predict daily solar GHI for four Indian states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya) with different solar radiation distributions ranging from very high to very low. Four machine-learning techniques (linear regression, support vector machine, ANN and random forest) are used in the present study. Specific sites (Bhadla - Rajasthan, Rewa - Madhya Pradesh, Amguri-Assam, and Shillong-Meghalaya) were chosen in the respective states. The results of the sites represent the overall results for the entire state in this study. The dataset utilized for the study pertains to the selected sites and encompasses the period from January 2019 to November 2022. The study has focused on evaluating the success of machine learning techniques based on seven statistical metrics, including MBE, MAE, MSE, RMSE, Max. Error, R2, and MAPE. The result analysis indicates that all ML techniques' R2, MAPE, and MBE values lie between 0.6108 to 0.9152, 0.0432 to 0.2248, and − 0.2271 to 0.63704 MJ/m2, respectively. The study concludes that all of the machine learning techniques can accurately predict daily solar GHI, with ANN being the best-performing model.
Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the perceived social support scale for older adults
Authors: Kong Linghui , Zhang Huijun
Published: April 2023

BackgroundWith the deepening of the global aging process, more and more scholars have begun to attach importance to the research on the perceived social support among the elderly. The intention of this study was to introduce and verify the applicability of tools to measure the perceptive social support level of older adults.MethodsAfter acquiring authorization from the authors of the original scale, the perceived social support (PSS) scale for the elderly was adjusted and revised through expert consultation and pre-survey based on the Brislin translation model (translation and back-translation). A total of 627 elderly people from multiple communities in two provinces of China from October 2022 to February 2023 were chose as research targets by convenience sampling method. The translated scale was tested employing item analysis, content validity, structural validity, internal consistency reliability, and retest reliability.ResultsThe final Chinese version scale contained 32 items. The content validity index (I-CVI) at the item level of PSS scale was 0.857ཞ1.000, and the content validity index (S-CVI) at the scale level was 0.964. A total of 5 common factors were extracted from exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 55.558%. As a result of the CFA, χ2/df of the modified model was 1.241, NFI = 0.903, GFI = 0.903, IFI = 0.980, TLI = 0.977, CFI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.027 and SRMR = 0.037. The Cronbach’s α coefficient, split-half reliability and test-retest reliability of the PSS scale were 0.934, 0.715, and 0.887, respectively.ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the PSS scale for the elderly had good reliability and validity, and was suitable for measuring the level of perceived social support for the elderly in China. Based on the measurement outcomes of the scale, medical staff can raise the level of social support of the elderly and further improve their life satisfaction.
External cycling of NOx promotes the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere
Authors: Ye Chunxiang , Zhou Xianliang , Zhang Yingjie , Wang Youfeng , Wang Jianshu , Zhang Chong , Woodward-Massey Robert , Canterll Christopher , Mauldin Roy , Campos Teresa , Hornbrook Rebecca , Ortega John , Apel Eric , Haggerty Julie , Hall Samuel , Ullmann Kirk , Weinheimer Andrew , Stutz Jochen , Karl Thomas , Smith James , Guenther Alex , Song Shaojie
Published: April 2023

External cycling routes regenerating NOx from its oxidative reservoir, NOz, might reshape the temporal–spatial distribution of NOx and consequently OH, the most important atmospheric oxidant. However, the kinetics and mechanisms of the external cycling are still in dispute. Here, we present two critical pieces of evidence from aircraft observations in various atmospheric chemical regimes to verify the external cycling, i.e., unexpectedly high HONO/NO2 and NO2/NOy (≡ NOx + NOz) ratios and atypical HONO and NO2 diurnal profiles, both of which cannot be captured by GEOS-Chem modeling. Additionally, two features of the external cycling were portrayed, i.e., HONO as an intermediate for NOx production in the external cycling and promotion of the atmospheric photochemistry by external cycling in the low-NOx troposphere. Chemical model omitting the external cycling yields OH underestimation by 41% in low-NOx atmospheres. Our data provide a global view of the external cycling and its perturbations on the atmospheric oxidative capacity, which challenges the traditional view involving the continuous oxidative decay of NOx that leads to an extremely low abundance of NOx and thus suppressed OH in the troposphere.
A novel near-infrared fluorescence probe THK-565 enables in vivo detection of amyloid and tau deposits in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models
Authors: Naganuma Fumito , Murata Daiki , Inoue Marie , Maehori Yuri , Harada Ryuichi , Furumoto Shozo , Kudo Yukitsuka , Nakamura Tadaho , Okamura Nobuyuki
Published: April 2023

Purpose Non-invasive imaging of amyloid and tau aggregates in the brain is critical for the early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and evaluation of the effectiveness of novel therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with specific probes is a promising technique for in vivo detection of these protein deposits without radiation exposure. Comprehensive screening of fluorescent compounds identified a novel compound THK-565 for in vivo imaging of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau deposits in the mouse brain. This study assessed whether THK-565 can detect amyloid-β and tau deposits in vivo in AD mouse models.Procedures: The fluorescent properties of THK-565 were evaluated in the presence and absence of Aβ fibrils. APP knock-in (APP-KI) and rTg4510 mice were used as animal models of AD. In vivo NIRF images were acquired after intravenous administration of THK-565 in mice. The binding selectivity of THK-565 to amyloid and tau was evaluated using brain slices from these mouse models.Results The fluorescence intensity of the THK-565 solution was substantially increased by mixing with Aβ fibrils. The maximum emission wavelength of the complex of THK-565 and Aβ fibrils was 704 nm, which was within the range of optical window. In the brain sections from APP-KI and rTg4510 mice, THK-565 selectively bound to amyloid and tau deposits. After intravenous administration of THK-565, the fluorescence signal in the head was significantly higher in APP-KI and rTg4510 mice than in wild-type mice. Ex vivo analysis confirmed that the THK-565 signal corresponded to Aβ and tau immunostaining in the brain sections from these mice.Conclusions A novel NIRF probe, THK-565, enabled in vivo detection of Aβ and tau deposits in the brains of AD mouse models, suggesting that NIRF imaging with THK-565 could non-invasively assess disease-specific pathology in AD.
A Novel technique for designing and optimizing gaps between graphene nanoribbons in GNRFETS using Extended Huckel Theory
Authors: Ghadiyani Amir , Alidash Hossein Karimiyan
Published: April 2023

By transitioning from the silicon era to emerging graphene devices, it is evident that digital electronics will need Graphene Nanoribbon Field Effect Transistors (GNRFETs) with more than one ribbon. Tuning the gap between the graphene nanoribbons in these transistors is crucial for achieving optimum and accurate structural features. This paper investigates the effect of optimizing the gap between the graphene ribbons (𝑊𝑠𝑝) of a GNRFET on the device's performance. The non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) technique is employed to simulate quantum transport, whereas the Extended Huckel Theory (EHT) is used for computing. Two transistors are analyzed, each comprising two identical graphene ribbons with chirality (6,0) and (7,0). Additionally investigated is the impact of varying the 𝑊𝑠𝑝 parameter on the characteristic curve, Ion/Ioff ratio and subthreshold slope, density of states, transmission spectrum, Fermi levels, and Hartree potential. Using two graphene ribbons doubles the probability of electron transition compared to a single ribbon device, according to the results. Increasing 𝑊𝑠𝑝 increases the device's on-current while decreasing its off-current. Increasing the value of 𝑊𝑠𝑝 by 1nm results in a 300% improvement in the Ion/Ioff ratio; hence, choosing values larger than 1.5 nm for 𝑊𝑠𝑝 will significantly improve the Ion/Ioff ratio. In addition, the subthreshold slope for 𝑊𝑠𝑝 values higher than 1.5 nm are quite close to the fundamental limit of 60𝑚𝑣/𝑑𝑒𝑐.
miR-383-5p Regulates Rabbit Preadipocyte Proliferation and Differentiation
Authors: Wang Meigui , Shao Jiahao , Liu Zheliang , Tang Tao , Chen Guanhe , Xia Siqi , Zhao Kaisen , Kang Zhe , Sun Wenqiang , Jia Xianbo , Wang Jie , Lai Songjia
Published: April 2023

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs with the capability of modulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level either by inhibiting messenger RNA (mRNA) translation or by promoting mRNA degradation. A large number of studies have shown that miR-383-5p plays a key role in the development of cancer cells, but the mechanism of miR-383-5p regulating adipogenesis is still poorly understood. In our study, we found that the expression of miR-383-5p in perirenal adipose tissue of rabbits aged 35 and 70 days was higher, which was significantly different from other tissues (p < 0.05). In addition, cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EDU) experiments were used to identify the effect of miR-383-5p on the proliferation of rabbit preadipocytes. The results showed that miR-383-5p promoted the proliferation of rabbit preadipocytes. Western Blotting (WB), qRT-PCR and Oil Red O staining experiments were used to identify the effect of miR-383-5p on the differentiation of rabbit preadipocytes. After overexpression of miR-383-5p, the expression of fat differentiation markers PPARγ, FABP4, and CEBP/α were significantly higher than that of the control group, while the inhibitory group showed the opposite trend. The results of oil red o staining showed that the number of lipid droplets in the overexpression group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while the number of lipid droplets in the inhibition group was opposite. WB experiment also showed the same trend. These results showed that miR-383-5p promoted the differentiation of rabbit preadipocytes. Moreover, 1642 (721 up-regulated and 921 down-regulated) known differentially expressed (DE) genes were screened from miR-383-5p mimic groups and miR-383-5p negative control (NC) groups by transcriptome sequencing technology. Gene Ontology Resource (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enriched the pathways related to lipid metabolism. Protein catabolism, organic nitrogen compound biosynthesis, and lipid biosynthesis were significantly enriched. Finally, using bioinformatics websites to predict the discovery of RAD51AP1 as a potential target for miR-383-5p, their target relationship was demonstrated after its dual luciferase reporting experiment. Overall, our data indicate that miR-383-5p plays a positive regulatory effect on the proliferation and differentiation of rabbit preadipocytes.
Novel 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulfaguanidine derivatives as selective carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Synthesis, characterization, inhibition effects, and molecular docking studies
Authors: Akocak Suleyman , Lolak Nebih , Duran Hatice Esra , Işık Mesut , Türkeş Cüneyt , Durgun Mustafa , Beydemir Şükrü
Published: April 2023

Sulfonamide compounds known as human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) inhibitors are used in the treatment of many diseases such as epilepsy, antibacterial glaucoma, various diseases. 1,3-diaryl-substituted triazenes and sulfaguanidine are used for therapeutic purposes in many drug structures. Based on these two groups, the synthesis of new compounds is important. In the present study, the novel 1,3-diaryltriazene-substituted sulfaguanidine derivatives (SG1-13) were synthesized and fully characterized by spectroscopic and analytic methods. Inhibitory effect of the these compounds on the hCA I and hCA II was screened as in vitro. All the series of synthesized compounds have been identified as potential hCA isoenzymes inhibitory with KI values in the range of 6.44 ± 0.74–86.85 ± 7.01 nM for hCA I and with KI values in the range of 8.16 ± 0.40-77.29 ± 9.56 nM for hCA II. Moreover, the new series of compounds showed a more effective inhibition effect than the acetazolamide used as a reference. The possible binding positions of the compounds with a binding affinity to the hCA I and hCA II was demonstrated by in silico studies. In conclusion, compounds with varying degrees of affinity for hCA isoenzymes have been designed and as selective hCA inhibitors, the compounds may be potential alternative agents that can be used to treat or prevent diseases associated with glaucoma and hCA inhibition.
Defining the soft-docking of Avalonia and Baltica and the Caledonian Orogeny in the İstanbul-Zonguldak Tectonic Unit (NW Turkey): Geochronological and geochemically data from the Silurian gabbro apophyses and dykes in the İstanbul Terrane
Authors: Şen Fatih
Published: April 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Monitoring of Nematofauna and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Caatinga Area and in the Adjacent Culture
Authors: Lima Cleilton Santos , Campos Maryluce Albuquerque Silva
Published: April 2023

The caatinga biome has high biodiversity. Anthropogenic actions have generated degradation, and evaluations that can prove this situation are important to preservation and sustainable use. Soil quality can be assessed by the activity or diversity of organisms. Among the organisms that can be evaluated are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), important for the maintenance of the ecosystem, and soil nematodes, which participate in the food web. In this way, the evaluation of these organisms in the soil can present an overview of the conditions of this environment. Thus, this work aims to evaluate AMF activity (mycorrhizal colonization and spore density) and AMF diversity and trophic groups of nematodes in the Caatinga area (interior and edge) and adjacent cultivation area. For this, 10 samples of soil and roots were collected in each area (interior Caatinga, edge Caatinga, cultivation). The spore density, percentage of mycorrhizal colonization, abundance of omnivores, carnivores and phytonematodes stood out in the first dry period of collection. The abundance of bacteriovores stood out in the two dry periods. Regarding the areas, the cultivation showed a higher amount of phytonematodes, as well as AMF spores and mycorrhizal colonization, the latter being in the last three collections. The abundance of fungivores also stood out in the cultivation area, in the first two collection periods. It is concluded that the studied Caatinga presents regular edaphic conditions. In addition, it was observed that there was no highlighted edge effect, with many of the parameters of the edge Caatinga similar to the interior Caatinga.