bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Etiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients in a tertiary hospital of São Paulo City, Brazil
Authors: Joelsons Daniel , Alencar Cecília Salete , Pinho João Renato Rebello , Ho Yeh-Li
Published: April 2023

Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the primary cause of hospitalization in the United States and the third leading cause of death in Brazil. The gold standard for diagnosing the etiology of CAP includes blood culture, Gram-stained sputum, and sputum culture. However, these methods have low sensitivity. No studies investigating the etiology of CAP have been conducted in Brazil in the last 20 years, and the empirical choice of antimicrobials is mainly based on the IDSA guidelines.Methods The aim of this study is to identify the main microorganisms implicated in CAP by employing a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) at the foremost public hospital in Brazil. All patients who were admitted to the emergency department and diagnosed with severe CAP underwent an mPCR panel using nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, with the aim of detecting 13 bacterial and 21 viral pathogens.Results A total of 169 patients were enrolled in the study. The mPCR panel identified an etiological agent in 61.5% of patients, with viruses being the most common (42.01%), led by Rhinovirus, followed by Influenza and Coronavirus (non-SARS-CoV-2). Bacterial agents were identified in 34.91% of patients, with S. pneumoniae being the most common, followed by H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, and S. aureus. Additionally, we found that the prescription for 92.3% of patients could be modified, with most changes involving de-escalation of antibiotics and antiviral therapy.Conclusion Our study revealed different etiological causes of CAP than those suggested by the Brazilian guidelines. Using molecular diagnostic tests, we were able to optimize treatment by using fewer antibiotics.
Contribution of cardiopulmonary ultrasound in monitoring disease progression and curative effect in rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Zhong Yanfen , Liang Binbin , Zhang Xiaofeng , Li Jingtao , Huang Tongtong , Zeng Deicai , Wu Ji
Published: April 2023

Background: Right ventricle function and pulmonary edema were associated with readmission and mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We investigated the role of cardiopulmonary ultrasound (CPUS) in monitoring disease progression and curative effect in rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH.
Methods: Totally 64 SD rats were randomly divided to control group, MCT group and PDTC group (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate). MCT groups and PDTC groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of MCT to induced PAH while control group received same amount of saline. And PDTC groups injected PDTC daily for treatment after modeling. Each group were received CPUS examination and measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP).
Results: (1) As the PAP increased in the second week after MCT injection, rats had enlarged pulmonary artery(PA) and right atrium(RA), right ventricle(RV) function decreased, pulmonary acceleration time(PAAT) reduced with mid-systolic notching; pleural line and A-line blurred or disappeared, the number of B-line increased and pulmonary ultrasound score also increased ; in the third week, with the disease progressed, rats had enlarged RV, increased RV wall thickness and RV function decreased further; lung consolidation and air bronchogram could be found (both p＜0.05 vs control group). (2) In the second week after PDTC treatment, with the PAP decreased, rats had shrunk PA, RA and RV, RV wall thickness decreased PAAT extended and RV functions elevated; the number of B-line decreased, lung consolidation and pleural effusion were rare and the pulmonary ultrasound score decreased (both p＜0.05 vs MCT-4W group).
Conclusions: In the MCT-induced rat model of PAH, CPUS changes were observed as PAP changed. There was a good correlation between the manifestations of CPUS and the severity of disease. CPUS can play an important role in monitoring the progression and efficacy of PAH, provide more evidence for the management of PAH patients and a non-invasive method in monitoring the establishment of animal models for basic and clinical studies of PAH.
The Characteristics of Natural Killer Cells and Prediction of Prognosis in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Zeng Yankai , Song Shuaishuai , Zhang Zhiyong , Chen Yuedong
Published: April 2023

Background：Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is a malignant tumor occurring in the bladder and derived from urothelial cells. It is one of the ten most common cancers in the world. There has been no significant progress in the treatment of patients with recurrence of BLCA in the past decades. With the progress of systemic treatment, the overall survival period (OS) of patients has improved, but the prognosis is still poor, which needs improvement clinically. The development of immunotherapy has changed the status initially. Natural killer (NK) cells, as an important type of innate immunomodulatory cells, have proved their potential in the treatment of several malignant tumors, so which received widespread attention in recent years.
Objective: The clinical data in TCGA and GEO was used to provide ideas for the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of prognosis indicators of BLCA. And the relationship between BLCA and the expression of NRGs was investigated.
Methods: In this study, the normal and tumor samples of TCGA-BLCA and GSE3167 were analyzed to find out differential expression genes based on the "limma" R package. The genes and the natural killer cell-related genes (NRGs) were intersected to obtain NRGs with differential expression. We used univariate COX regression analysis, LASSO and multifactor COX analysis to obtain the risk score and build the prognosis gene model. GSE31684 queue has been verified externally. In order to further confirm the reliability of genes, we analyzed their mechanism of action, divided them into groups by the risk score, and performed immune analysis on subgroups to evaluate the immune treatment response.
Results: There are differences in the expression of LRP1 and INHBB, which are independent risk factors for the prognosis of BLCA. The nomogram was established based on the characteristics of 2-NRGs and clinicopathological characteristics. The low risk group has more abundant immune infiltration, suggesting a better immune response and better prognosis, which verifies the reliability of grouping. The sensitivity of the hig-risk and low-risk group to the two target sites, PDL1 and FGFR3, is significantly different. And the risk score is closely related to the relevant chemotherapy drugs. These suggested that the risk score can screen the patients well at the drug level, and also providing a meaningful reference for the patients in drug selection.
Conclusion: NK cell core genes, LRP1 and INHBB, may play a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of BLCA. We constructed nomogram according to the NK core genes and verified its feasibility, which can provide a reference for clinical prognosis.
Internet based rural economic entrepreneurship based on mobile edge computing and resource allocation
Authors: Wang Xiaolu , Ni Danyue
Published: April 2023

Currently, the rural economy is developing better and better with the advantages of equality and low cost of Internet platforms. However, inevitably, the rural Internet economy also faces some challenges in its actual development. Entrepreneurship is the main driving force for promoting the development of the national economy and the main method for improving people's living standards and quality. China highly recognizes the positive role of entrepreneurship in regional and even national economic development, and has introduced a number of policies and measures to provide practical support such as financial subsidies for entrepreneurial activities. Mobile edge computing technology not only provides a new economic environment for the information age, but also plays a key role in developing innovation and entrepreneurship and improving business efficiency due to its cross platform and multi-level characteristics. Mobile edge computing technology can process the data generated by resource allocation and provide technical support for resource allocation at the network edge. This paper studies the calculation of big data resource allocation in mobile edge computing systems. Through an analysis of the operation of rural economy based on the Internet, we will deeply explore the advantages that the Internet platform brings to the operation of rural economy. Based on local conditions, the use of Internet resources has strengthened the entrepreneurial capacity of the region, achieved rapid development of the rural economy, strengthened the construction of rural infrastructure, improved the construction of assistance systems, established a business service platform, and introduced relevant incentive mechanisms to ensure the implementation of rural entrepreneurship assistance policies.
Land Use/land cover Dynamics, its driving forces and impacts on ecosystem services in Jimma Rare District, North-Western Ethiopia
Authors: Wayesa Gamachu , Mammo Siraj , Kidane Moges , Tolessa Terefe
Published: April 2023

Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) change is one of the most important environmental challenges that have affected the earths’ systems and its ecosystem services. This study was conducted with the main objective of assessing LULC change, its drivers, and impacts on ecosystem services in the Jimma Rare district for the year 1974–2019. In order to understand the spatial and temporal changes of LULC and its drivers, a four time period of satellite images (1974, 1991, 2005 and 2019) were obtained. In addition respondent interviews, focus group discussions (FGD) and field observations were employed. Moreover, the ecosystem service value coefficients developed at a global level were used to assess the impacts of LULC on the ecosystem service provision of the study area. The results of the study showed that grassland and forest land decreased from 4518.87ha (13.09%) to 902.42ha (2.61%) and 3287.79ha (9.52%) to 2506.63ha (7.26%) from 1974–2019 respectively. Similarly, wetlands declined from 1182.08 ha (3.42%) to 562.37ha (1.63%) in the stated period. The greatest expansion of cultivated land and settlement area occurred during the year 1974–1991. Expansion of crop land, rural and urban settlement, deforestation, and overgrazing were among the major proximate causes. Likewise, the major underlying drivers of LULC dynamics include population increase, the presence of weak policy and institutions, poverty and lack of awareness were identified by respondents and focus group discussants. The total natural capital value reduced from 662.75 (million $/ha/yr) to 577.03 (million $/ha/yr) in the study period indicating the impacts of LULC and its drivers on ecosystem services values. From this study, it is possible to conclude that Jimma Rare District has experienced a significant change in LULC and ecosystem service values over the past 45 years. Hence, appropriate policy packages for land use are required to curb the negative impacts of such changes so that the provision of the required services can be sustained for development endeavors.
Klotho increases antioxidant defenses in astrocytes and ubiquitin-proteasome activity in neurons
Authors: Mazucanti Caio Henrique , Orellana Ana Maria , Anjos Leticia Pavan , Lima Larissa Sá , Kawamoto Elisa Mitiko , Scavone Cristoforo
Published: April 2023

Aging is a physiological process that occurs in all living organisms; however, cognitive decline and physical frailty during aging can be linked to high-calorie diets, chronic illnesses, and a sedentary lifestyle. The Klotho protein is inherently linked to the aging process, while also serving a role in various other physiological processes. Klotho has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in various neurodegenerative diseases, potentially through its ability to modulate antioxidant defenses and energy metabolism. Our previous data showed that pharmacological inhibition of FGFR1, ERK phosphorylation, and monocarboxylic acid transporters prevents Klotho-induced lactate release from astrocytes. In addition, Klotho treatment has anti-inflammatory properties, as shown by its ability to inhibit NF-κB activation in astrocytes after an inflammatory stimulus. Here we demonstrate that AKT inhibition by Klotho treatment induces transcriptional activity of FOXO transcription factors and promotes antioxidant defense in astrocytes by inducing catalase expression. In addition, Klotho treatment induced PFKFB3 ubiquitination and proteasome activity in neurons. Taken together these data suggest that Klotho is an important player in the adaptive defense response in astrocytes and it increases proteasomal activity in neurons, which are both protective actions involving coupling between neurons and astrocytes against neurodegenerative processes.
Statistical post-processing method for evaluating bioaccumulation in fish due to dietary exposure in Japan
Authors: Inoue Yoshiyuki , Koga Yuka , Takeshige Ryoko , Murakami Hidekazu , Takamura Takumi
Published: April 2023

In 2018, the dietary exposure bioaccumulation fish test of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Test Guideline No. 305 was introduced into Japan’s Chemical Substances Control Law. The Japanese government has adopted a single definitive testing criterion for the absence of bioaccumulation: the growth-corrected kinetic dietary magnification factor (BMFkg) must be less than 0.007. We used statistical post-processing to assess the possibility of expanding the criteria for not being highly bioaccumulative. Based on our results, we proposed the criterion that the test substance should be considered not highly bioaccumulative if the following two conditions are met: (1) The ratio of the maximum to the minimum measured 5% lipid-normalized biomagnification factor (BMFL, n = 5) for the test substance and reference substance should be less than 3.0; (2) For the measured BMFL of the test substance (n = 5), the probability that the next (the sixth) BMFL is below 0.0334 should exceed 95% based on statistical post-processing. Application of our suggested criteria to Japan’s Chemical Substances Control Law implies that the BMFL for chemicals that are not highly bioaccumulative in the dietary exposure bioaccumulation fish test would be increased from 0.007 to 0.0149.
The Explanatory Models for Anxiety among Pregnant Women Infected with COVID-19 in China: A Thematic Analysis of 336 Postings from Infected Individuals
Authors: Zhang Wen , Xu Shang , Cheng YingQi , Wang Si
Published: April 2023

Background: Infection with COVID-19 aggravates the anxiety of pregnant women. Our study aimed to establish explanatory models to investigate the causes of anxiety in pregnant women infected with COVID-19.
Methods: To achieve this, we captured 336 postings of infected pregnant women on Sina Weibo from 7 November 17, 2022, to January 16, 2023, during which the number of infected people continued to rise after China lifted control of the epidemic. We used Python to filter the postings and NVivo12 for thematic analysis.
Results: Our analysis revealed four central themes and thirteen sub-themes: Theme 1: Neglecting Maternity Care, including Discomfort Without Special Treatment, Special Care Absence, and Exploitation of Healthcare Resources; Theme 2: High-risk Pregnancy Process, including Collapse of Safe Space, Risk of Mother-to-Child Transmission, Unknown Drug Risk Impact, and Emergence of Childbirth Risk; Theme 3: The Pressure of Motherhood Expectations, including Motherhood Negligence and Lost Opportunities to Become Mothers; Theme 4: Insufficient Social Support, including Delayed Policy Support, Lack of Instrumental Support, Negative Informational Support, and Weak Inter-individual Support.
Conclusions: For pregnant women with COVID-19, it is crucial to have mental health interventions, eHealth programs, social media content moderation, and flexible hospital policies.
Analysis of Physio-biochemical responses and expressional profiling of DREB transcription factors for drought stress tolerance in Aegilops tauschii Coss
Authors: Abbas Adeel , Hameed Rashida , Shahani Aitezaz , Ali Wajid , Huang Ping , Du Yizhou , Du Daolin
Published: April 2023

Aegilops tauschii Coss. (2n = 2x = 14, DD) is a weed of wheat, competes for resources, performs better against different abiotic stresses, and is a rich genetic material source for wheat crop improvement programs. The effects of different drought stress levels on physiological and biochemical parameters and the expression profile of the drought resistance gene DRB were examined through greenhouse experiments. The physiological parameters (plant height, dry weight biomass, plant height, and leaf area-related parameters) fluctuated under different drought stress levels. Photosynthetic parameters (maximum (Fo’) and minimum (F’m) fluorescence, photochemical ((ΦPSII)), and non-photochemical quenching (qN)) were also affected by different drought stress levels, and their efficiency fluctuated with water availability. In the biochemical analysis, shallow significant changes occurred in peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and proline content, while malondialdehyde (MDA) showed variation under different drought stress conditions. In the DREB gene expression analysis, eight populations showed high expression profiles compared to the control conditions in Ae. tauschii. The expression profiles in Ae. tauschii showed a high fold increase compared to the control condition, and DREB gene expression correlated with the changes in physiological and biochemical parameters.
A highly efficient class of optimal
fourth-order methods for solving nonlinear systems
Authors: Cordero Alicia , Rojas-Hiciano Renso V. , Torregrosa Juan R. , Vassileva Maria P
Published: April 2023

In this manuscript, we present a new class of highly efficient two-parameter optimal iterative methods for solving nonlinear systems that generalizes Ostrowski's method, King's Family, Chun's method and KLAM Family in multidimensional context. This class is an extension to systems of the Ermakov's Hyperfamily. The fourth order of convergence of the members of the class is demonstrated, thus obtaining optimal schemes for solving nonlinear systems. The high efficiency of the elements of the class is studied, compared with other known methods of the same order or even higher and some numerical proofs are presented and we analyze it robustness.
Deep Eutectic Solvents as pretreatment for viscose production
Authors: Arce Carlos , Llano Tamara , Mowinckel Álvaro , Coz Alberto
Published: April 2023

Viscose from dissolving pulp is one of the most used fabrics in the world. However, its production involves a very hazardous compound: CS2. Therefore, reducing its consumption is of utmost importance. In this sense, dissolving pulp can be pretreated, increasing the reactivity of the cellulose and reducing the CS2. Deep eutectic solvents have been used in biomass pretreatment as delignifying agents since their selectivity towards lignin is high. The ones used with lignocellulosic biomass usually comprise a quaternary ammonium and an organic acid. In previous studies, the formed by choline chloride and lactic acid has excellent results among different DES. However, the optimal conditions of the treatment have not been found, which is the aim of this study. This study showed that no harsh conditions are needed to increase reactivity since temperatures below 100 ºC and time below 120 min could be used. Additionally, the study of the influence of the operating conditions led to the mathematical model of reactivity to find the optimal conditions. At the best conditions, reactivity increased to 97.97%, with a CS2 consumption reduction of more than 16%.
The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline alters learning from aversive reinforcements in patients with depression: evidence from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Malamud Jolanda , Lewis Gemma , Moutoussis Michael , Duffy Larisa , Bone Jessica ,   Ramya Srinivasan3, Lewis Glyn , Huys Quentin
Published: April 2023

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line pharmacological treatments for de- pression and anxiety. However, little is known about how pharmacological action is related to cognitive and affective processes. Here, we examine whether reinforcement learning processes mediate the treatment effects of SSRIs. Reinforcement learning provides a promising framework as both serotonin and depression have been linked to specific reinforcement learning processes such as automatic Pavlovian inhibition. The PANDA trial was a multicentre, double-blind, randomized clinical trial in UK primary care comparing the SSRI sertraline with placebo for depression and anxiety. Participants (N=655) performed an affective Go/NoGo reinforcement-learning task three times during the trial and computational models were used to infer reinforcement learning processes. There was poor task performance: only 54% of the task runs were informative, with more informative task runs in the placebo than the active group. There was no evidence for the preregistered hypothesis that Pavlovian inhibition was affected by sertraline. Exploratory analyses revealed that sertraline increased how fast participants learned from losses and faster learning from losses was associated with more severe generalised anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, in the sertraline group, early increases in Pavlovian inhibition were associated with improvements in depression after 12 weeks. In conclusion, sertraline was effective in treating anxiety, yet it increased learning from losses, and the rate of learning from losses was positively related to anxiety. Poor task performance limits the interpretability and likely generalizability of the findings, and highlights the critical importance of developing acceptable and reliable tasks for use in clinical studies.
Trial registration: ISRCTN registry ISRCTN84544741 and EudraCT number 2013-003440-22 Funding: NIHR RP-PG-0610-10048
Clinical usefulness of transient visual evoked potentials (TVEPs) and steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) results in blind dogs
Authors: Lee Teck-Geun , Kim Joon-Young
Published: April 2023

Background Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are used to assess the function of the visual pathway from the retina to the visual cortex. According to the stimulation frequency, VEPs are classified into transient VEPs (TVEPs) and steady-state VEPs (SSVEPs). This study aimed to assess TVEPs and SSVEPs of blind dogs (n = 26) and compared them with those of healthy dogs (control group, n = 13). According to the location of the lesion that caused blindness, the dogs were classified into pre-retinal, retinal, and post-retinal groups. TVEPs and SSVEPs were assessed without anesthesia or sedation. The P2 latency and Negative 1-Positive 2 (N1-P2) amplitude were evaluated in TVEPs, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and response amplitude (RA) were evaluated in SSVEPs.Results The N1-P2 amplitude (p < 0.001), SNR (p = 0.039), and RA (p < 0.001) were significantly decreased in the post-retinal group compared with those in the control group. The SNR (p < 0.001) and RA (p < 0.001) in the retinal group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The TVEPs and SSVEPs values did not differ significantly between the pre-retinal and control groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the area under the curve value of the RA of SSVEPs (0.928) was higher than that of the N1-P2 amplitude of TVEPs (0.873) in dogs with post-retinal lesions.Conclusions SSVEP parameters can be used to diagnose the cause of blindness and are more suitable for use in veterinary clinical practice than TVEP parameters.
The association between mitochondrial metabolite methylmalonic acid and long-term mortality risk in patients with coronary heart disease: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Guo JunChen , Zeng Wang , Yan Miao , Wang Ye , Lu Rongzhe , Liu Yige , Zhang Yiying , Fang Shaohong , Wang Shanjie , Yu Bo
Published: April 2023

Background
Methylmalonic acid (MMA) has been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, independent of cobalamin deficiency. However, whether MMA predicts mortality risk in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) was unknown. This study aims to investigate the relationship between baseline MMA levels and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk in adults diagnosed with CHD.
Methods
Overall, 1775 individuals with CHD and MMA measurement were included from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and followed up until 31 December 2019. Weighted Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI for the association of MMA with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
Results
During a mean follow-up of 9.64 years, 980 patients died. Serum MMA had a dose-responsed association with increased mortality risk according to spline curve fitting. Compared to the participants in the bottom tertile of MMA, those in the top quartile had a HR (95%CI) of 1.70 (1.31–2.20) for all-cause mortality, and 2.00 (1.39–2.89) for cardiovascular mortality (both p trend < 0.001) after full adjustment for demographics, lifestyle, clinical and laboratorial variables, and cardiovascular medications. The associations were particularly stronger among participants with diabetes or normal cobalamin (both p for interaction ≤ 0.019). MMA also had a better performance in predicting long-term mortality than traditional cardiovascular biomarkers.
Conclusion
MMA accumulation was associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients diagnosed with CHD. Lowering MMA maybe a promising target in the prevention of premature death due to CHD.
Transversus Abdominis ultrasound thickness during common Pilates exercises in young and middle-aged trained women
Authors: Tsartsapakis Ioannis , Gerou Maria , Zafeiroudi Aglaia , kellis Eleftherios
Published: April 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Safety of one 8.5-Fr pigtail catheter for postoperative continuous open gravity drainage after uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery pneumonectomy
Authors: Kong Xiang-Long , Zhang Yue , Jia Yu , Ni Bo-Xiong , -Wang Mingyu , Jin Xiang-Yuan , Xu Hai , Xu Shi-Dong
Published: April 2023

OBJECTIVES
Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery pneumonectomy (U-VATS-P) is feasible and safe from a perioperative standpoint in clinical practice. How to choose proper chest tube and drainage method is an important step in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols. In this study, we aimed to assess the safety of one 8.5-Fr (1Fr = 0.333mm) pigtail catheter for postoperative continuous open gravity drainage after U-VATS-P.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed a single surgeon’s experience of U-VATS-P for lung cancer from May 2016 to September 2022. Patients were managed with one 8.5-Fr pigtail catheter for postoperative continuous open gravity drainage after U-VATS-P. The clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes of the patients were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS
In total, 77 patients underwent the placement of one 8.5-Fr pigtail catheter for postoperative continuous open gravity drainage after U-VATS-P for lung cancer. The mean age was 60.9\(\pm\)7.39 (40–76) years old; the median operative time was 191.38\(\pm\)59.32min; the mean operative hemorrhage was 109.46\(\pm\)96.56ml; the mean duration of postoperative chest tube drainage was 6.80\(\pm\)2.33 days; the mean drainage volume in the first three days after operation was 186.31\(\pm\)50.97, 321.97\(\pm\)52.03, 216.44\(\pm\)35.67ml respectively; the mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.90\(\pm\)2.58 days. No patient experienced complications resulting from chest tube malfunction. Ten patients experienced minor complications. One patient with non-life-threatening empyema and bronchopleural fistula required short rehospitalization for anti-inflammatory therapy and re-intubation. Three patients with chylothorax were treated with intravenous nutrition. Four patients had atrial fibrillation that were controlled by antiarrhythmic therapy. Two patients had more thoracic hemorrhagic exudation after operation that could be found in time and were cured effectively and discharged from the hospital uneventfully after early hemostatic therapy and nutritional support.
CONCLUSIONS
Insertion of one 8.5-Fr pigtail catheter for postoperative continuous open gravity drainage after U-VATS-P is a safe and effective procedure in the treatment of lung cancer without a major increase in morbidity or mortality and should be popularized.
Modification and Immune Function of Porcine PD-1 and PD-L1 Interaction Epitope Peptides
Authors: Yue Feng , Shi Yeping , Zhou Juanjuan , Zhu Yanping , Guo Dongguang , Xia Liming , Yang Xueying , Wang Xuannian
Published: April 2023

Background The programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway transmits the negative immunoregulatory signals, leading to immunosuppression. Blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway with peptides or antibodies can reverse the function of exhausted T cells, which can be a reference for developing studies on treating viral immunosuppressive diseases. Therefore, this work was developed to analyze the immune function of epitope peptides interacting with porcine PD-1 and PD-L1.Results After optimization, the proliferation percentages of PD-L14QN-GF and PD-L14QN-AF on PBMCS were 45.33%±6.16% and 56.20%±4.94%, respectively, which were increased by 14.7% and 25.8%. The inhibition rates of PD-L14QN-AF on PRRSV and PD-1 were 56.1.8% and 74.8%, which were increased by 35.0% and 29.4% compared with PD-L14, respectively. The inhibition rates of PD-L14QN-GF on PRRSV and PD-1 were 43.8% and 65.3%, which were 22.7% and 20.4% higher than those of PD-L14, respectively. The expression levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the PD-L14QN-GF group were 2.1 times and 2.8 times higher than those in the PD-L14 group and 1.2 times and 1.5 times higher than those in the PD-L14QN-AF group, respectively. The protein secretion levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the PD-L14QN-GF group were 2.5 times and 1.7 times higher than those in the PD-L14 group and 1.5 times and 1.2 times higher than those in the PD-L14QN-AF group, respectively. Furthermore, the PD-L14QN-GF and PD-L14QN-AF exhibited better immune effects than PD-L14. At 14 days after immunization, the antibody-positive rate in the PD-L14QN-GF group reached 80%, which was 30% and 50% higher than that in the PD-L14 group and normal group, respectively. The antibody titer in the PD-L14QN-GF group was 1.5 and 2 times higher than that in the PD-L14 and the normal groups, respectively.Conclusion PD-L14QN-GF was proved to be of high potential to develop immune-enhancing adjuvant.
Wavelength complement coding based a smooth hybrid MDM/C-NGPON evolution employing PS-512QAM modulation
Authors: Kumari Meet , Hayal Mohammed R. , Elsayed Ebrahim E. , Nurhidayat Irfan , Shah Mohd Asif
Published: April 2023

A smooth evolution of 16×100Gbps hybrid mode division multiplexing (MDM)/coherent-next generation passive optical network (C-NGPON) system based on wavelength complement coding is proposed. Probabilistically shaped quadrature amplitude modulation (PS-QAM) modulation established alone as the key solution to embrace advanced coherent transponders. The simulation results show that the proposed hybrid MDM/C-NGPON system can offers a high split ratio of 512 in uplink and 256 in downlink as compared to conventional passive optical networks (PONs). For legacy PON signal coexistence with PON signals as well as complement signal the minimum received power of -19dBm for uplink and − 9dBm for downlink can be obtained effectively. Also, optical to signal noise ratio (OSNR) of 20dB can be achieved forPS-512QAM as compared to uniform-shaped 128QAM at 10KHz laser linewidth and it also offers power penalty of 0.5dBunder normalized generalized mutual information (NGMI) limit of 0.857. In addition, the system offers a long-haul transmission distance of 250km considering a shaping factor of 4.7 in uplink and 4.8 in downlink, at NGMI limit. Besides this, the system throughput upto 800Gbps for uplink and 700Gbps for downlink can also be obtained successfully. Finally, it is shown that proposed work shows superiority over other existing systems.
Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work. A cross-sectional study in university staff
Authors: Kiss Philippe , Meester Marc , Vingerhoets Ilse , Garmyn Bart , Raemdonck Annemie
Published: April 2023

Background
During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a total lockdown of universities was implemented by the government in Belgium. University staff was required to work at home. The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with a high need for recovery and burnout symptoms in university staff during mandatory home work.
Methods
Mental well-being of 702 university employees was assessed by need for recovery and presence of burnout symptoms. Following factors were considered: personal factors (gender, age), specific home work environment factors (quiet place to work, taking care of ill or old people, number of children <12yrs. at home, family member at risk for Covid-19), work-private life balance and worries about long- and short-term work situation. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds ratios for the presence a high need for recovery and burnout symptoms.
Results
The presence of a high need for recovery and the presence of burnout symptoms were significantly associated with poor work-private life balance (OR 5.14 and 2.80, respectively), no quiet place to work (OR 3.23 and 2.00, respectively) and being worried about long-term work situation (OR’s increasing with increasing degree of worries). Being able to discuss the worries with the supervisor was only significant with a decreased risk of burnout symptoms for the lowest level of discussability with the supervisor. Following factors were not associated with both mental health outcomes: being worried about short-term work situation, taking care of ill or old people, number of children <12yrs. at home and having a family member at risk for Covid-19.
Conclusions
When working at home special attention should be paid to work-private life balance and the presence of a quiet place to work. Additionally, in the case of mandatory home work in university personnel, specific worries about long-term work situation should be tackled. Universities and/or governments should provide measures to ensure an extension of research deadlines and, if applicable, job security.
Immunomodulatory effects of gestational age on blood cortisol and prolactin levels during pregnancy in malaria endemic area
Authors: Kiemde Francois , Sorgho Hermann , Zango Serge Henri , Some Gnohion Fabrice , Rouamba Toussaint , Traore Ousmane , Kabore Berenger , Natama H. Magloire , Hien Yeri Esther , Valea Innocent , Schallig Henk , Tinto Halidou
Published: April 2023

Background:
The immunological shift occurring in pregnant women is crucial for the outcome of pregnancy. We conducted a study in pregnant women living in a malaria endemic area to determine the potential effect of gestational age on modulating the immune system by cortisol and prolactin production.
Methods:
Primigravidae and multigravidae with a gestational age between 16-20 weeks were included in the study and followed up to delivery and 6-7 weeks thereafter. Venous blood was collected at scheduled visit: Visit1 (V1; 16-20 weeks of amenorrhea), Visit2 (V2; 28 ±1 weeks of pregnancy), Visit3 (V3; 32 ±1 weeks of pregnancy), Visit4 (V4; delivery) and Visit5 (V5; 6-7 weeks after delivery). In addition, a cord blood sample was also collected at delivery. Nulliparous and primiparous/multiparous non-pregnant women were enrolled in the control group. Cortisol and prolactin plasma concentrations were measured using ichroma II and i-chamber apparatus. Light microscopy was used to detect Plasmodium falciparum infections. A linear mixed-effects regression (LMER) model was used to assess the association between the variation of cortisol titters and prolactin levels during the pregnancy and the post-partum.
Results:
Results showed that cortisol and prolactin levels in the peripheral blood were up-regulated during pregnancy. Concentrations of cortisol during follow-up was significantly higher in primigravidae than in multigravidae during the whole pregnancy (p<0.024). Moreover, the level of prolactin which was higher before delivery in primigravidae reversed at delivery and postpartum visit, but the difference was not statistically significant during the follow-up (V1 to V5) (p=0.60). The cortisol level in peripheral blood at delivery was higher than that of the cord blood, and conversely for prolactin. Cortisol and prolactin levels decreased after delivery, thought the level of prolactin was still higher than that at enrolment. An increase of one unit of prolactin was associated with the decrease of the average concentration of cortisol by 0.04 ng/ml (p=0.009). However, when cortisol increases with one unit, the average concentration of prolactin decreases by 1.16 ng/ml (p=0.013). Asymptomatic malaria infection in general leads to a non-statistically significant increase or decrease of the average concentration of prolactin (32.39 ng/ml; 95% CI: -45.82 to 110.59; p=0.414) and cortisol (-3.15 ng/ml; 95% CI: -17 .94 to 11.65; p=0.675), respectively.
Conclusion:
These results showed that the potential effects of cortisol and prolactin are related to gestational age. This could affect the susceptibility of pregnant women to infectious diseases such as malaria in endemic areas.
Identifying cognitive challenges for safe ship overtaking in restricted waterways
Authors: Parisi Stella , Nathanael Dimitris
Published: April 2023

Navigation in constrained waters is a cognitively challenging task for seafarers requiring the combined assessment of various elements to perform it with safety. This paper presents our approach to make sense of the dynamic, uncertain, and complex work domain of sea pilotage. We aimed to obtain a detailed description of the overtaking manoeuvre and to understand the cognitive processes of mariners when they perform this task in confined waters. To achieve this, we performed a qualitative study using an adaptation of Applied Cognitive Task Analysis with five highly experienced sea pilots in northern Germany. Based on the content analysis of the interviews and the other data collection activities, we have identified six phases of the overtaking task and twelve high level cognitive challenges that significantly affect pilots’ decision making and situation awareness during overtaking. The main output is a Cognitive Demands Table where the findings on the cognitive challenges, common errors, strategies, and cues are organized. The analysis of our results captured pilots’ insights on decision-making and expertise, the role of communication, planning and foresight and how the cognitive challenges correspond to situation awareness. Finally, practical implications for the design of the workplace and operating procedures, the training of pilots and the limitations of the study are discussed.
Impact of Simulated Acid Rain on Seed Germination: A Predictive Study of Solanum melongena Linn and Vigna unguiculata ssp cylendrica (L.) Walpers by using ML-based CART Algorithm
Authors: Arora Vasundhara , Singh Bikram Jit , Bithel Navneet , Mukherjee Tapan Kumar , Singh Raj , Upadhyay Sushil , Rippin *
Published: April 2023

The present study was design to assess the effect of simulated acid rain (SAR) on seed germination of crop plants Brinjal (Solanum melongena Linn.) and Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ssp. cylindrica (L.) Walpers. The experiments were conducted using 8 plastic trays of approximately 25 cm. x 30 cm, dimensions. Four trays were used for experiments with Brinjal seeds (Set I) while the other four were used for Cowpea seeds (Set II). One tray of each set used as control and treated with distilled water while the rest four trays of each set were provided treatments as: one each for pH 5.6, 4.5, 3.5 and 2.5 SAR solutions. The germination percentage and seed vigour of Brinjal seeds were quite poorer as compared to Cowpea seeds. The treatment of seeds treated with SAR (pH 4.5, 3.5 and 2.5) inhibited seed germination; the inhibitory effect increased with decrease in pH. Mean germination percentage of seeds was highest in normal SAR (pH 5.6) in case of Brinjal seeds but was lowest in the case of Cowpea seeds. It can be concluded that all the plants do not respond to SAR uniformly. This study strategically regressed the simulated acid rain data for necessary behavioral investigation and utilized corresponding Machine Learning based Decision Tree Algorithm to identify and optimize the conditions for the proper germination of these plants. Findings can further help in developing predictive models to predict germination under different environmental conditions to improving crop yield and productivity.
A Method to Control the Instabilities of the Mixed-Mode Bending Test of Wood
Authors: Perez Cédric , Morel Stéphane , Chaplain Myriam , Coureau Jean-Luc , Sorin Edouard
Published: April 2023

The present study focuses on the characterization of the quasi-brittle fracture properties of wood under mixed mode I+II. Mixed-Mode Bending(MMB) tests are carried out on Maritime pine for three mixed mode ratios and completed by pure Mode I and pure Mode II fracture tests. An External Displacement Control Technique (EDCT) is set up to obtain load-displacement curves without instabilities. The control of instabilities is essential to ensure a quasi-static failure leading to the proper development of the Fracture Process Zone (FPZ) and the self-similar propagation of the main crack with its FPZ. Three criteria are used to test the reliability of the EDCT and its capacity to increase the yield of valid tests. Loading -displacement responses are analysed within the framework of the equivalent Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (eq LEFM). The resistance curves (R-curves) are calculated and the fracture behaviour of wood is discussed according to the specimen geometries, the wood nature and the fracture modes.
LIGHT regulated gene expression in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts
Authors: Fukuda Koji , Miura Yasushi , Maeda Toshihisa , Hayashi Shinya , Kikuchi Kenichi , Takashima Yoshinori , Matsumoto Tomoyuki , Kuroda Ryosuke
Published: April 2023

Background: Synovial hyperplasia caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune inflammatory disease, leads to the destruction of the articular cartilage and bone. A member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, Lymphotoxin-related inducible ligand that competes for glycoprotein D binding to herpes virus entry mediator on T cells (LIGHT) has been shown to correlate with the pathogenesis of RA.
Methods: We used cDNA microarray analysis to compare the expression of genes in RA rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes with and without LIGHT stimulation.
Results: Significant changes in gene expression (P-values < 0.05 and fold change ≥ 2.0) were associated mainly with biological function categories of glycoprotein, glycosylation site as N-linked, plasma membrane part, integral to plasma membrane, intrinsic to plasma membrane, signal, plasma membrane, signal peptide, alternative splicing, and topological domain as extracellular.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that these gene expression in RA-FLS regulated by LIGHT may be important in the differentiation of several cell types and in cellular functions.
A Novel Converter using MPPT Algorithm and Acceleration Factor for Stand-alone PV System
Authors: Agrawal Shubham , Umanand Loganathan , B Subba Reddy
Published: April 2023

Solar power is an excellent alternative to existing power sources. A stand-alone PV system highlights the necessity of solar energy, where PV panels act as a source to the connected loads. The intermittent nature of solar insolation necessitates a storage system or a battery to store the energy. A DC-DC converter is required to operate the PV panel at MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking). The converter also maintains the DC link voltage, a common link between the PV panels, battery system, and the load. An additional bidirectional DC-DC converter is required to charge and discharge the battery at a constant current and voltage profile according to its changing profile. In the present investigation, a novel high-efficiency DC-DC converter is used to perform the MPPT. This converter enables the connection of solar panels in series or parallel because it can step up or step down the PV voltage according to the DC link voltage. Another bidirectional DC-DC converter is used at the load side to maintain DC link voltage and charge/discharge the batteries. Further, the second part of the paper discusses a novel MPPT algorithm, which is vital in tapping the maximum power from PV panels. A fast solar MPPT is desired to track the operating point, which can be served by adding an acceleration factor to the existing perturb and observe (hill climbing) solar MPPT algorithm. A detailed analysis with hardware results obtained for various conditions and acceleration factors is presented.
Deflated Domain Decomposition Method for Structural Problems
Authors: Akiba Hiroshi
Published: April 2023

A fast and stable solver algorithm for structural problems is presented. The distance between the eigenvector of the constrained stiffness matrix and the unconstrained matrix is discussed. The coarse motions are close to the kernel of the unconstrained matrix. This relates to using lower-frequency deformation modes to construct an iterative solver algorithm through domain decomposition expressing near-rigid-body motions, deflation algorithms, and two-level algorithms. We remove the coarse space from the solution space, and the iteration space is handed over to the fine space. Our solver is parallelized, and the solver thus has two sets of domain decomposition. One decomposition is for generating the coarse space, and the other is for parallelization. The basic framework of the solver is the parallel conjugate gradient (CG) method on the fine space. The CG method and the simplest domain decomposition method are compared to explain the adoption of the CG method as the basic framework. Benchmark tests are conducted using elastic static analysis for thin plate models. A comparison with the standard CG solver results shows the high-speed performance and remarkable stability of the new solver.
Fabrication and Evaluation of Carbopol Hydrogel, Okra Mucilage, and Gum Acacia hydrogel for delivery of herbal excipient in excision wound- In vitro and In vivo experiment
Authors: SAHA ISHITA , Das Dipak , Karmakar Parimal
Published: April 2023

The prevention of infection is the most important part of wound healing, in this article mentions the fabrication process of calendula extract encapsulated gum acacia hydrogel (GA@Cal) are more facile and cost-effective than okra mucilage and carbopol hydrogel wound dressing materials. We observed that gum acacia (GA) hydrogel is a porous structure so its water absorbance capacity is higher than other agents. In vitro study, we used MTT assay, Scratch assay and western blot analysis, the result suggested that, GA@Cal enhanced the cell proliferation, PI3K pathway. In an in-vivo study, GA@Cal showed excellent results compared to the untreated and GA groups.