bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultra-flat optical frequency comb generation based on electro-optic intensity modulator with digital driving signal
Authors: Liu Yu , Wu Shibao , Shen Xianmin
Published: May 2022

We propose a new scheme to generate flat optical frequency combs (OFCs) by the electro-optic modulation method. A digital signal is used instead of the usual RF signal to drive an electro-optic intensity modulator (IM), a band-stop filter is employed to flatten the comb lines. When suitable filter bandwidth is found, the ultra-flat optical frequency comb will be generated. The scheme can generate a large number of comb lines, the number of lines is selective, and the flatness of the comb lines is less than 0.4 dB. The comb spacing of OFCs can be adjusted by controlling the bit rate of the digital signal which is simple and easy to operate. The theoretical model of the scheme is established. Two kinds of band-stop filters (Butterworth and Gaussian) are used for comparison.
A tumoral and peritumoral CT-based Radiomics and Machine learning approach to predict the microsatellite instability of rectal carcinoma
Authors: Peng Yu , Xu Xiren , Tu Shiliang , Wei Yuguo , Ma Yanqing , Yuan Hang
Published: May 2022

Purpose To predict the status of microsatellite instability (MSI) of rectal carcinoma (RC) using different machine learning algorithms based on tumoral and peritumoral radiomics combined with clinicopathological characteristics. Methods There were 487 RC patients enrolled in this retrospective study. The tumoral and peritumoral CT-based radiomic features were calculated after tumor segmentation. The radiomic features from two radiologists were compared by the method of inter-observer correlation coefficient (ICC). After methods of variance, correlation, and dimension reduction, six machine learning algorithms of logistic regression (LR), Bayes, support vector machine, random forest, k-nearest neighbor, and decision tree were conducted to develop models in predicting MSI status of RC. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was quantified. The radiomics and significant clinicopathological variables were integrated the radiomics-clinicopathological nomogram. The receiver operator curve (ROC) was made by Delong test and the area under curve (AUC) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated to evaluate the performance of the model. Results The venous phase of CT examination was selected for further analysis because of the proportion of radiomic features with ICC greater than 0.75 was higher. The tumoral and peritumoral model by LR algorithm (M-LR) with minimal RSD showed good performance in predicting MSI status of RC with the AUCs of 0.817 and 0.726 in the training and validation set. The radiomic-clinicopathological nomogram conducted better in both the training and validation set with the AUCs of 0.843 and 0.737. Conclusion The radiomics-clinicopathological nomogram demonstrated the better predictive performance in evaluating the MSI status of RC.
Prehospital diagnostic algorithm for acute coronary syndrome using machine learning: a prospective observational study
Authors: Takeda Masahiko , Oami Takehiko , Hayashi Yosuke , Shimada Tadanaga , Hattori Noriyuki , Tateishi Kazuya , Miura Rie E. , Yamao Yasuo , Abe Ryuzo , Kobayashi Yoshio , Nakada Taka-aki
Published: May 2022

Rapid and precise prehospital recognition of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is key to improving clinical outcomes. We tested the hypothesis that the machine learning-based prehospital algorithm shows a high predictive power for predicting ACS. We conducted a multicenter observational prospective study that included 10 participating facilities in an urban area of Japan. The data from consecutive adult patients, identified by emergency medical service personnel with suspected ACS, were analyzed. The primary outcomes were binary classification models for ACS prediction based on eXtreme Gradient Boosting. Of the 555 enrolled patients, 388 (70%) were randomly assigned to a training cohort, and 167 (30%) were placed in a test cohort. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting model for ACS using 43 features performed well (area under the receiver operating curve 0.879 [95% CI 0.815–0.935]) in the test cohort. We repeated the analysis with a limited number of selected features, and the performance of the eXtreme Gradient Boosting model using 17 features remained high (area under the receiver operating curve 0.883 [95% CI 0.820–0.939]) in the test cohort. We found that the machine learning-based prehospital algorithms showed a high predictive power for predicting ACS.
A Green approach to the removal of Malachite Green dye from aqueous medium using chitosan/cellulose blend.
Authors: Shetty Bhavyashri , R Yashodha S , Johns Jobish
Published: May 2022

The usage of a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of dye from an aqueous solution is presented in this paper. This work focuses on the prospective use of chitosan/cellulose blend to remove the Malachite green (MG) from an aqueous medium. Optimization of experimental conditions to find the maximum dye adsorption is studied in detail. Results revealed that the maximum adsorption of dye occurs within 30 minutes of the experiment. The SEM images exhibited a change in their surface morphology upon the adsorption of dye. The adsorption isotherm of MG fits the Langmuir and Freundlich equations and follows the pseudo-second-order rate equation. Freundlich isotherm exhibited the maximum adsorption capacity of 115.1 mg/g when compared to Langmuir isotherm. 98.65% of dye degradation is observed at room temperature for an adsorbent dosage of 0.2g per 30 ml initial dye concentration. Current analysis and its comparison studies with other reports on adsorbents conclude that the chitosan/cellulose blend can be considered a cost-effective choice for the removal of MG.
The diabetes mellitus multimorbidity network in people over 50 years: An analysis of Chinese data
Authors: Chen Chao , Liang Minyi , Li Yilin , Chen Shimin , Lian Tingyu , Pan Xueyan , Zhang Lei , Liu Huansheng , Ni Jindong
Published: May 2022

Objective: To characterize the patients in the diabetes mellitus (DM) multimorbidity network in people over 50 years and explore the association between DM and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the variations in age and sex subgroups.Methods: Data on 75 NCDs were extracted from electronic medical record of 309,843 hospitalized patients older than 50-years-old who had at least one NCD. The association rules analysis was used as a novel cluster method. Result: The four NCDs that co-occurred with DM at the highest prevalence were hypertension (Hyp) (14.19%), dyslipidemia (Dys) (7.27%), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (7.00%) and chronic liver disease (CLD) (6.15%). The most common triads were (Hyp, CVD, DM) (5.55%); (Hyp, Dys, DM) (4.80%); and (Hyp, coronary heart disease (CHD), DM) (4.44%). A total of 12 NCDs were closely related to DM ( >1.1) with (cholelithiasis (Cho), DM) as an unexpected combination. Coexistence of (Dys, DM) and (gout, DM) had the largest in male and female groups. The negative related cluster contained seven NCDs ( <0.9). There were nine NCDs included in the strong association rules. In males, the strongest rule was (peripheral vascular disease (PVD), Dys, DM), while (Hyp, Dys, CLD, DM) was the strongest in females. Most combinations were different by age and sex. In patients younger than 70 years, Hyp, CLD, and Dys were the most dominant NCDs in the DM multimorbidity network. In patients 70 years or older, chronic kidney disease (CKD), CVD, CHD, and heart disease (HD) frequently co-occurred with DM. Gout was more common in females. There were differences in the findings for Dys in male and female groups. Conclusion: Future primary healthcare policies for DM should be formulated based on age and sex. In patients younger than 70 years, more attention for hypertension, CLD, and Dyslipidemia is needed, while attention for CKD, CVD, CHD and HD is needed in patients older than 70 years. More attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of the concurrence of gout and DM in females. Furthermore, there should be different recommendations in the guidelines for treatment of dyslipidemia in DM patients by sex.
A ferroptosis-related signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in cervical squamous carcinoma
Authors: Yang Yuling , Fu Xing , Yang Yiping
Published: May 2022

Background: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death that plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and progression. However, the prognostic value of ferroptosis related genes (FRGs) in cervical squamous carcinoma (CSC) remains unknown. Method: Differentially expressed FRGs (DE-FRGs) were identified via the GEO2R online tool. Univariate and LASSO cox regression analyses were used to develop a ferroptosis-related signature. Kaplan-Meier curves, receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and Cox regression analyses were applied to explore the prognostic performance of signature. GSEA analysis was used to identify tumor hallmarks. The immune inflation and Immunophenoscore (IPS) analysis were used to predict immune response. Result: A total of 22 differentially expressed FRGs were screened between CSC and normal tissue. Based on the DE-FRGs, CSC patients were classified into three subtypes, with significant immune status and survival differences. The ferroptosis-related signature was developed based on 5-FRGs by LASSO cox regression analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 0.755, 0.701, and 0.697 in the TCGA, and 0.790, 0.756, and 0.701 in the GSE52903, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves indicate a poor prognosis for the high risk group. The riskscore was an independent prognostic factor. The term of hypoxia, epithelial mesenchymal transition，mtorc1signal，myc-targets were enriched in high risk group. The infiltration of T-cell CD8+, Myeloid dendritic cell resting，and Mast cell resting was higher in the low-risk group. IPS analysis suggests that patients with low risk score may be suitable for immunotherapy. We found a lower risk score correlated with the immunotherapy response (PR/CR) group than in the non-response (PD/SD) group by datasets of GSE78220 and IMvigor210. Surprisingly, the AUCs for predicting immune response were 0.728 and 0.628, respectively, which were better than PD-1 and PDL-1.We constructed a ferroptosis-related signature that can accurately predict prognosis and correlates with immune infiltration and immunotherapy.
Hypoxic microenvironment as a crucial factor triggering events leading to rupture of intracranial aneurysm
Authors: Ono Isao , Kayahara Tomomichi , Kawashima Akitsugu , Okada Akihiro , Miyamoto Susumu , Kataoka Hiroharu , Kurita Hiroki , Ishii Akira , Aoki Tomohiro
Published: May 2022

Subarachnoid hemorrhage being the rupture of intracranial aneurysm (IA) as a major cause has a high mortality rate. It is thus mandatory for social health to clarify mechanisms regulating rupture of IAs and to develop a novel therapeutic strategy. Recently, the formation of vasa vasorum in lesions presumably for inflammatory cells to infiltrate in lesions has been clarified as a potential histopathological alternation leading to rupture. We clarified the origin of this structure as arteries on brain surface and the presence of hypoxic microenvironment mainly at the adventitia of intracranial arteries where IA is induced. The production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) not only from cultured macrophages in such a hypoxic condition but also at rupture-prone IA lesions induced in a rat model was clarified. We further found the accumulation of VEGF in human unruptured IA lesions, supporting the production of VEGF in situ. Finally, we confirmed the VEGF-dependent migration of neovessels into subarachnoid space from arteries on brain surface. Because of the lack of vasa vasorum and being surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid space, the formation of hypoxic microenvironment becomes a character of intracranial arteries and inflammatory responses could further facilitate such a condition. Additionally, the attachment of IA to brain surface might be an important factor for the migration of vasa vasorum from arteries on brain surface. The findings have revealed the potential role of hypoxic microenvironment as a potential machinery triggering rupture of IAs via providing root for inflammatory cells to infiltrate into lesions and exacerbate inflammation.
Emicizumab in children: bleeding episodes and outcome before and after transition to Emicizumab
Authors: Glonnegger Hannah , Andresen Felicia , Kapp Friedrich , Malvestiti Stefano , Büchsel Martin , Zieger Barbara
Published: May 2022

Purpose
Real-world data and study data regarding therapy with Emicizumab in pediatric cohorts with haemophilia A is scarce. Especially, data on previously untreated pediatric patients (PUPs) and minimally treated patients (MTPs) are missing.
Methods
14 pediatric patients with haemophilia A and treatment with Emicizumab were retrospectively evaluated for Annual Bleeding Rates (ABR) pre-and post-Emicizumab treatment. Safety data and data on management of minor surgery as well as laboratory results were collected. Additionally, we describe the clinical features of two PUPs and one MTP that are included in our cohort.
Results
Median age at initiation of Emicizumab was 5.9 (0.26–21.34) years, three patients were younger than one year at initiation of treatment with Emicizumab. Median follow-up time on Emicizumab was 24 (0.7–40) months. Total ABR (p = 0.006) as well as spontaneous (p = 0.018), traumatic (p = 0.012), and joint (p = 0.018) ABR reduced significantly post-Emicizumab transition. Safety profile was favourable as only one local site reaction occurred; no cessation of treatment was necessary. Surgery was successfully performed in three patients receiving rFVlla pre- and post-surgery. Emicizumab trough levels showed a median of 43.4 µg/ml (23.9–72.1) after three doses of 3 mg/kg and 53.9 µg/ml (30.4–75) at first follow-up with 1.5 mg/kg.
Conclusion
Emicizumab is safe and efficient in pediatric patients with and without inhibitors. More data on larger multicenter cohorts and especially on PUPs/MTPs are still needed.
A Method for Correcting TRMM Satellite Temperature Network in Mazandaran Province
Authors: Nadi Mehdi , Kebriya Alireza Yousefi
Published: May 2022

The accurate spatial estimation of temperature is crucial in climate research. This study investigated the efficiency of temperature products of the TRMM satellite in estimating temperature in Mazandaran Province, and its accuracy were compared with inverse distance weighting and Co-Kriging interpolation methods. Finally, a new method was proposed to improve the accuracy of temperature estimation by combining the TRMM temperature products and terrains. Data recorded at 25 meteorological stations and 26 monthly and annual TRMM satellite images in 2012 and 2013 were used. The results showed a significant correlation between temperature data and satellite products, latitude, and altitude in significance level of 95%. Analyzing error indices showed that TRMM products have underestimation error that this bias error contributed to about 60% of error in these satellite images. Despite the larger error of TRMM products than interpolation methods, the regression analysis results demonstrated the superiority of satellite temperature products over interpolation methods. Furthermore, higher correlation of observed and estimated data showing that satellite products give a better understanding of cold and hot points of the study area despite its underestimation error. Combining satellite temperature products with influential covariates of altitude and latitude in the regression equation reduced the temperature estimation error of the TRMM products by 80%. The estimation precision increased over 70% compared to other temperature interpolation methods. Analyzing isotherm maps indicate the higher temperature of eastern coasts than western coasts. Moreover, evaluating different temperature estimation methods showed the higher precision of the methods that involved covariates than other methods.
Investiation on the pollution release characteristics of subgrade base materials prepared by thermal desorption residues of oil-based cuttings
Authors: Li Xingchun , Zhou Ying , Li Hui , Zhan Feng , Liu Yucheng , Wang Ziming , Tu Wenwen
Published: May 2022

The thermal desorption residues of oil-based drilling cuttings’ final destination managements are still strict because of the unclear pollution characteristics of its resource products. The thermal desorption residues were prepared into subgrade base materials, and the semi-dynamic leaching tests were used to simulate the leaching characteristics of pollutants under extremely acidic conditions. In the semi-dynamic test, the concentrations of pollutants such as naphthalene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, Cd, and Zn meet the Class III water quality requirements of “Standard for groundwater quality”(GB/T 14848-2017). According to Fick’s second law, the release of naphthalene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and Cd of leaching is dominated by diffusion; the release of benzo(a)pyrene and Zn of leaching is mainly dissolution. The release law and characteristics of pollutants were explored when thermal desorption residues were applied as subgrade base materials, which provided an important reference basis for the resource and utilization of thermal desorption residues.
Effects of temperature, humidity, and air saturation state on the transmission risk prediction of COVID-19 in typical scenarios
Authors: Mao Ning , Zhang Dingkun , Li Yupei , Li Ying , Li Jin , Zhao Li , Wang Qingqin , Cheng Zhu , Zhang Yin , Long Enshen
Published: May 2022

Environmental parameters have a significant impact on the spread of respiratory viral diseases. Temperature and relative humidity are correlated with viral inactivation in the air, whereas supersaturated air can promote viral deposition in the respiratory tract. This study introduces a new concept, the dynamic virus deposition ratio (α), that reflects the dynamic changes in particle size and viral deposition under varying ambient environments. Moreover, a non-steady-state modified Wells-Riley model is established to predict the infection risk of shared air space under varying environmental parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and air saturation state. The quanta emission rate of an asymptomatic infector during different respiratory activities (breath, voice, and cough) are explored, and the differences in the infection risk under saturated and unsaturated air conditions are also compared. Finally, six typical exposure scenarios from daily life are also explored, highlighting scenarios of higher risk. The results show that the highest infection risk (Rmax=5.2%) and the longest risk duration (Tterminal=6.8h) are both reached in cold and damp conditions. This study quantitatively reflects how environmental parameters are linked to viral inactivation and particle deposition, affecting transmission risk.
Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc oxide Nanoparticles for Antifungal And Antibacterial Activity.
Authors: Yadav Sumit , Sisodia Veenu
Published: May 2022

Zinc Oxide Nano particles promise an important role in various industries like pharma, fertilizer, textiles and garments due to their specific properties such as anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-rust. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared by eco-friendly wet chemical method. Formation of ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed by using spectroscopic and microscopic investigations. Samples were characterized using Ultra-Violet Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron microscope, X-ray Diffraction, four probe Voltage-Current characterizations and Antifungal and antimicrobial activity
Identification of key genes and long non-coding RNA expression profiles in osteoporosis with rheumatoid arthritis based on bioinformatics analysis
Authors: An Jinyu , Wen Huilong , Hu Huidong , Wu Yixiong , Ma Xingna
Published: May 2022

Background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic tissue disease characterized by osteoporosis and fragility fractures. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes, associated biological processes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) between osteoporosis and RA using a bioinformatics approach to elucidate the pathogenesis.
Results
A total of 28 mRNAs and 2 lncRNAs were differentially expressed both in RA and osteoporosis. Chromosome mapping of consensus DEmRNAs revealed that chromosome 1 contained the greatest number. GO and KEGG results suggested that the DEmRNAs in RA and osteoporosis were commonly involved in “platelet degranulation”,“platelet alpha granule”, “platelet activation”, “tight junction” and “leukocyte transendothelial migration”. Most of them were related to PLTs. In the PPI network, MT-ATP6 and PTGS1 might be the hub genes. Interestingly, MT-ATP6 derived from mitochondrial DNA. Through co-expression analysis, we identify two potential key pairs of lncRNAs and target mRNAs, including RP11 − 815J21.2 - MT − ATP6 and RP11 − 815J21.2- PTGS1. It indicated that lncRNA RP11 − 815J21.2 could be a potential candidate as biomarker.
Conclusions
Analysis of this study revealed that dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs in RA and osteoporosis might affect the platelet activation and some associated pathways. MT-ATP6 and PTGS1 might be a novel target. The biological function of lncRNA RP11 − 815J21.2 need to be further validated.
Effect of peripheral laser photocoagulation retinopexy on macular morphology and optic nerve fiber layer thickness; A prospective case series
Authors: Johari Mohammadkarim , Khani Salman , Amini Abdulrahim , Bolkheir Alireza
Published: May 2022

Purpose
The goal of the research was to determine the incidence of microstructural alterations in the macula and optic nerve head (ONH) occurred in eyes treated with peripheral laser photocoagulation retinopexy.
Methods
Patients with retinal breaks, retinal holes, retinal dialysis, and lattice degenerations who required peripheral laser photocoagulation retinopexy were recruited in this prospective case series investigation. We performed preoperative and postoperative evaluations, including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp examination, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, funduscopic examination, and macular and ONH optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Results
33 eyes of the 23 patients enrolled in this study, 14 of which were female. The mean age of the sample was 45.12 ± 9.12 years. The mean refractive error was − 2.45 ± 1.12 Diopters (D). The most prevalent reason for peripheral laser photocoagulation retinopexy was retinal thinning with symptomatic lattice degeneration (90%), followed by retinal hole and break (7%) and retinal dialysis (3%). Between preoperative and postoperative (6-month) evaluation, there was no statistically significant difference in BCVA (P = 0.82), IOP (P = 0.54), central foveal thickness in macular OCT (P = 0.39), or global retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (P = 0.51). There was no association between changes in central foveal and global RNFL thickness and total laser spot numbers (r = -0.17 P = 0.21, r = 0.06 P = 0.60, respectively). Our patients did not develop cystoid macular edema or epiretinal membrane.
Conclusion
Peripheral laser photocoagualation retinopexy is a safe procedure for treatment of retinal breaks that significantly minimizes the likelihood of development to retinal detachment.
Molecular and Morphological Identification of Fish gut Micro biota at different growth stages of Labeo rohita
Authors: mazhar muhammad waqar
Published: May 2022

Introduction:The gut microbiota plays a significant role in fish health and pathogenicity. L.rohita is well known farmed fish it is also a culture with other major carps.Methodology:The present study was conducted to determine the molecular and morphological identification of gut microbiota of L.rohita collected from the fish hatchery in Faisalabad. Isolation of bacteria was carried out through the culture techniques. The morphological identification of bacterial isolates was determined by the gram staining, biochemical tests TSI, and MR-VP test. The molecular identification was done by 16S rRNA techniques.Results:The results of the present research work showed that the 20 strains of bacteria were isolated from the gut of L.rohita and all these isolates were gram-negative and morphological identify based on biochemical tests i-e TSI and MR-VP test. Biofilm results indicated that six, eight, and six isolates showed weak, moderate, and strong biofilm.Conclusion:The highest and lowest resistance showed against cefadroxil and Levofloxin respectively. The lowest intermediate isolates were found against cefadroxil, polymyxin B, and colistin, and the highest intermediate was found against ceftriaxone. The highest sensitive isolates were found against Levofloxin and the lowest sensitive isolate was found in cefadroxil, nitrofurantoin, and cefoxitin. Based on 16Sr RNA sequencing and phylogenetic relationship among isolates 17 isolates were determined in the present study. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas oleovorans, Morganella morganii, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter braakii, Enterobacter hormaechei, Psychrobacter sanguinis, Shigella dysenteriae, Citrobacter cronae, Shigella sonnei, Pseudomonas sihuiensis, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter hormaechei were found in the intestine of L.rohita
Using Tensor Contractions to Derive the Structure of Slice-Wise Multiplications of Tensors with Applications to Space-Time Khatri-Rao coding for MIMO-OFDM Systems
Authors: Sokal Bruno , Naskovska Kristina , de Almeida André Lima Férrer , Haardt Martin
Published: May 2022

The slice-wise multiplication of two tensors is required in a variety of tensor decompositions (including PARAFAC2 and PARATUCK2 ) and is encountered in many applications, including the analysis of multidimensional biomedical data (EEG, MEG, etc. ) or multi-carrier MIMO systems. In this paper, we propose a new tensor representation that is not based on a slice-wise (matrix) description, but can be represented by a double contraction of two tensors. Such a double contraction of two tensors can be efficiently calculated via generalized unfoldings. It leads to new tensor models of the investigated system that do not depend on the chosen unfolding (in contrast to matrix models) and reveal the tensor structure of the data model, such that all possible unfoldings can be seen at the same time. As an example, we apply this new concept to the design of new receivers for multi-carrier MIMO systems in wireless communications. In particular, we consider MIMO-OFDM systems with and without Khatri-Rao coding. The proposed receivers exploit the channel correlation between adjacent subcarriers , require the same amount of training symbols as traditional OFDM techniques, but have an improved performance in terms of the symbol error rate. Furthermore, we show that the spectral efficiency of the Khatri-Rao coded MIMO-OFDM can be increased by introducing cross- coding such that the ''coding matrix" also contains useful information symbols. Considering this transmission technique, we derive a tensor model and two types of receivers for cross- coded MIMO-OFDM systems using the double contraction of two tensors.
Local Excision versus Total Mesorectal Excision after favourable response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer: a multi-centre experience
Authors: Fareed Ahmed M , Shahatto Fayz , Khater Ashraf , Kotb Sherif Z. , Elzahaby Islam A , Eldamshety Osama , Khan Jim S.
Published: May 2022

Introduction
The gold standard surgical management of curable rectal cancer is proctectomy with total mesorectal excision. Adding preoperative radiotherapy improved local control. The promising results of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy raised the hopes for conservative, yet oncologically safe management, probably using local excision technique.
Patients and Methods
This study is a prospective comparative phase III study, where 46 rectal cancer patients were recruited from patients attending Oncology Centre of Mansoura University and Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth University Hospital NHS with a median follow-up 36 months. The two recruited groups were as follows: Group (A): 18 patients who underwent conventional Radical Surgery by TME. Group (B): 28 patients who underwent Trans-anal Endoscopic Local Excision. Patients of resectable low rectal cancer (below 10 cms from anal verge) with sphincter saving procedures were included: cT1-T3N0.
Results
The median operative time for LE was 120 minutes versus 300 in TME (p < 0.001), median blood loss was 20 ml versus 100 ml in LE and TME respectively (p < 0.001). Median hospital stay was 3.5 days versus 6.5 days (p = 0.009). No statistically significant difference in median DFS (64.2 months for LE versus 63.2 months for TME, p = 0.85) and median OS (72.9 months for LE versus 76.3 months for TME, p = 0.43). No statistically significant difference in LARS scores and QoL was observed between LE and TME (p = 0.798, p = 0.799).
Conclusion
LE seems a good alternative to radical rectal resection in carefully selected responders to neoadjuvant therapy after thorough pre-operative evaluation, planning and patient counselling.
Topological Interface-state Lasing in a Polymer-Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Superlattice
Authors: Zhang Xinzheng , Wang Yu , Yang Donghao , Gao Shaohua , Drevensek-Olenik Irena , Wu Qiang , Chemingui Marouen , Chen Zhigang , Xu Jingjun
Published: May 2022

The advance of topological photonics has heralded a revolution for manipulating light as well as for the development of novel photonic devices such as topological insulator lasers. Here, we demonstrate topological lasing of circular polarization in a polymer-cholesteric liquid crystal (P-CLC) superlattice, tunable in the visible wavelength regime. By use of the femtosecond-laser direct-writing and self-assembling techniques, we establish the P-CLC superlattice with a controlled mini-band structure and a topological interface defect, thereby achieving a low threshold for robust topological lasing at about 0.4 μJ. Thanks to the chiral liquid crystal, not only the emission wavelength is thermally tuned, but the circularly polarized lasing is readily achieved. Our results bring about the possibility to realize compact and integrated topological photonic devices at low cost, as well as to engineer an ideal platform for exploring topological physics that involves light-matter interaction in soft-matter environments.
Associations of intracranial atherosclerotic burden and imaging-based lesion category with ischemic stroke
Authors: Hu Lele , Peng Zhongyong , Pan Yuesong , Gong Ling , Liu Yuanliang , Mi Donghua , Sun Ping
Published: May 2022

Background
Intracranial atherosclerotic stroke (ICAS) is strongly associated with single and multiple infarctions. The present study aimed to assess the associations of imaging-based lesion category and intracranial atherosclerosis burden (ICASB) with ischemic stroke (IS), and to determine whether multiple infarctions may be related to increased prevalence of ICASB.
Methods
In this study, 2864 consecutive cases from 22 Chinese hospitals who had acute cerebral ischemia < 7 days after symptom onset were included. After magnetic resonance angiography, the patients were categorized into three groups, with scores of < 4, 4–7 and > 7, respectively, according to the degree of IS reflected by ICASB, and also divided into single and multiple infarction groups taking into consideration the number of acute infarction-related lesions.
Results
Reduced NIHSS score at patient admission and complete circle of Willis were closely associated with single infarction. However, patients with multiple infarctions had higher ICASB compared with the single infarction group, particularly in the ICASB4-7 and > 7 subgroups (P < 0.0002). Patients with multiple infarctions showed prolonged hospital stay (p < 0.0033) and increased brain damage or ischemic stroke (IS) recurrence within 1 year (p < 0.0008). In multivariate analysis, complete circle of Willis (HR = 2.56, 95%CI 1.16–5.66; P = 0.0199) and family history of stroke (HR = 2.07, 95%CI 1.054–4.071; P = 0.034) were independent predictors of multiple infarctions, unlike elevated ICASB (ICASB4-7 group, p = 0.23; ICASB > 7group, p = 0.24)
Conclusions
Patients with multiple infarctions have significantly elevated ICASB, and show increase brain damage or IS recurrence within 1 year. High ICASB is not an independent predictor of multiple infarctions.
Early differentiation of neurodegenerative diseases using the novel QSM technique: What is the biomarker of each disorder?
Authors: Nikparast Farzaneh , Ganji Zohreh , Zare Hoda
Published: May 2022

During neurodegenerative diseases, the brain undergoes morphological and pathological changes; Iron deposits are one of the causes of pathological changes in the brain.The Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) technique, a type of magnetic resonance (MR) image reconstruction, is one of the newest diagnostic methods for iron deposits to detect changes in magnetic susceptibility. Numerous research projects have been conducted in this field. The purpose of writing this review article is to identify the first deep brain nuclei that undergo magnetic susceptibility changes during neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. The purpose of this article is to identify the brain nuclei that are prone to iron deposition in any specific disorder.In addition to the mentioned purpose, this paper proposes the optimal scan parameters and appropriate algorithms of each QSM reconstruction step by reviewing the results of different articles. As a result, The QSM technique can identify nuclei exposed to iron deposition in various neurodegenerative diseases. Also, the selection of scan parameters is different based on the sequence and purpose; an example of the parameters is placed in the tables. The BET toolbox in FSL, Laplacian-based phase-unwrapping process, the V_SHARP algorithm, and morphology-enabled dipole inversion (MEDI) method are the most widely used algorithms in various stages of QSM reconstruction.
Long-term upper-extremity prosthetic control using Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces
Authors: Vu Philip , Vaskov Alex , Lee Christina , Jillala Ritvik , Davis Alicia , Kung Theodore , Kemp Stephen , Gates Deanna , Chestek Cynthia , Cederna Paul
Published: May 2022

Extracting motor signals directly from the peripheral nervous system poses challenges in obtaining both high amplitude and sustainable signals for upper-limb neuroprosthetic control. To translate peripheral nerve interfaces into the clinical space, these interfaces must provide consistent signals and prosthetic performance. Previously, we have demonstrated that the Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI) is a biologically stable, bioamplifier of efferent motor action potentials. Here, we assessed the reliability of the RPNI signals in humans for long-term prosthetic control. RPNI signal quality, measured as signal-to-noise ratio, remained greater than 15 for up to 276 and 1054 days in participant 1 (P1), and participant 2 (P2), respectively. Though signal amplitude varied between sessions, P2 maintained prosthetic performance above 94% accuracy for 604 days without recalibration. Additionally, P2 completed a real-world multi-sequence coffee task with 99% accuracy 611 days without recalibration, demonstrating the potential of RPNIs as a long-term interface for enhanced prosthetic control.
Association between Genetic Risk Score and Tri-ponderal Mass Index Growth Trajectories among Different Dietary Consumption Adolescents in a Prospective Taiwanese Cohort
Authors: Wu Yi-Fan , Chien Kuo-Liong , Chen Yang-Ching
Published: May 2022

Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various genetic loci are associated with childhood obesity; however, their influence on adolescent growth patterns has rarely been explored. This study investigated whether genetic variants could predict tri-ponderal mass index (TMI)-derived growth trajectories and the interaction between genetic and dietary factors.Methods: We conducted Taiwan Puberty Longitudinal Study, a prospective cohort that recruited 1,135 children since 2018. Anthropometric measurements were recorded every three months, while dietary nutrition assessment and biological sampling for genotyping were collected during the first visit. TMI growth trajectory groups were identified using growth mixture modeling. A multinomial logistic regression model for different growth trajectories was used to examine the effect of candidate SNPs, and the most related SNPs were used to establish the genetic risk score. We then explored the effect of the genetic risk score in subgroup analysis according to dietary calories and different dietary consumption patterns.Results: Three TMI-based growth trajectory groups were identified among adolescents. The “increased weight” trajectory group accounted for approximately 9.7% of the participants. FTO/rs7206790 was associated with the increased weight growth trajectory after adjusting for the baseline TMI and other correlated covariates (odds ratio: 2.13, 95% confidence interval: 1.08–4.21). We generated the genetic risk score by using 4 SNPs (FTO/rs7206790, ADCY9/rs2531995, TFAP2B/rs4715210, and TMEM18/rs6548238) and selected the threshold of 10 points to define risk categories. There were 11.66% and 3.24% of participants belonged to the increased weight trajectory in high- and low-risk groups, respectively; and the predictive ability of the genetic risk score was notable among low calories intake participants (odds ratio: 1.90, 95% confidence interval: 1.18-3.05 vs. odds ratio: 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 0.78-1.75 in high calories intake group).Conclusion: Our results offer a new perspective on the genetic and dietary basis of changes in adolescent obesity status. Individualized interventions for obesity prevention may be considered among high-risk children.
Warming up for a better fever: a feasibility study in pediatric oncology
Authors: Krafft Hanno S , Raak Christa , Jenetzky Ekkehart , Zuzak Tycho J , Längler Alfred , Martin David D
Published: May 2022

Background
Fever in children is a major problem in pediatric oncology. Usual management leads to immediate antibiotic and antipyretic therapy, although there is consensus that antipyretic therapy should not be utilized to reduce body temperature. Increased body temperature during fever appears to be an effective modifier in terms of viral replication and enhanced host defense mechanisms against pathogens. Therefore, it might be beneficial to support febrile patients by applying gentle heat during the onset of fever to help the body to reach its new thermoregulatory set point.
Methods
A randomized, controlled, feasibility study over six months will be conducted in a pediatric oncology department in an academic hospital in Germany, in preparation for a multicenter clinical trial with two parallel groups concerning the efficacy of heat application vs. treatment as usual. Inclusion criteria are body temperatures ≥ 38.5°C in n = 24 cases of patients receiving chemotherapy aged 3 to 17 years. The first intervention consists of gentle heat application with electric blankets, hot water bottles or microwave heating pads at any sign of illness and onset of fever, with the aim of achieving a warm periphery equilibrated to trunk temperature of less than 0.5°C. The second intervention is the avoidance of antipyretics. The control group receives the standard antipyretic treatment of the participating hospital. Purpose of this feasibility study is proof of principle of intervention, evaluation of safety, feasibility, definition of endpoints and to receive basic data for sample size calculation and needed resources.
Discussion
Main goal is to improve the care of children with cancer by providing the best possible support for febrile episodes. If fever support by heat reduces discomfort, administration of antipyretics and maybe even antibiotics, this would be an advancement in oncological fever management. This feasibility study is intended to provide a basis for a main, multicenter, randomized trial, and demonstrate practicability of heat application in febrile patients in pediatric oncology.
Registration:
German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), ID: DRKS00028273. Registered 14 April 2022. https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00028273Keywords: fever, heat application, antipyretics, pediatric oncology, feasibility study, study protocol
Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of the chloroplast genomes in three medicinal Salvia species for bioexploration
Authors: Du Qing , ZENG Jing , Wang Liqiang , Chen Zhuoer , Zhou Junchen , Sun SIHUI , WANG BIN , LIU CHANG
Published: May 2022

Background: Salvia bowleyana, S. splendens, and S. officinalis are globally distributed and have been widely used to treat coronary heart disease, liver tumors, and viral diseases. To systematically determine their phylogenetic relationship and develop molecular markers for species determination, we sequenced and assembled their chloroplast genomes, and analyzed the genome characteristics. Moreover, we compared the phylogenetic specification and divergence genes fragments of chloroplast genomes from the three Salvia species. Results: The length of S. bowleyana, S. splendens, and S. officinalis chloroplast genomes were 151387 bp, 150604 bp, and 151163 bp, respectively. The sizes of the large-single copy, small-single copy, and inverted repeat regions were 82772 bp, 17573 bp, and 51042 bp for S. bowleyana; 82181 bp, 17857 bp, and 50566 bp for S. splendens; 82429 bp, 17510 bp, and 51224 bp for S. officinalis, respectively. The GC contents of the three chloroplast genomes were 38.01%, 38.04%, 38.04%, partly. In the comparison of chloroplast genomes from Lamiaceae family, the six genes ndhB, rpl2, rpl23, rps7, rps12, and ycf2 were present in the IRs regions of all 41 chloroplast genomes in the Lamiaceae family. We found that one of the gene rpl20 was intact and stably occurred in all 41 species chloroplast genomes, however, another pseudogene one was lost in that of 40 species except the Dracocephalum heterophyllum. For the repeat analysis, 29 tandem repeats, 35, 29, 24 simple-sequence repeats(SSRs), and 47, 49, 40 interspersed repeats were identified in the three Salvia species chloroplast genomes based on the diverse requirements. The three specific intergenic sequences(IGS) of rps16-trnQ-UUG, trnL-UAA-trnF-GAA, and trnM-CAU-atpE were found to discriminate the certain species by comparing 23 Salvia chloroplast genomes. Six genes including rpl22, rps19, rpl2, ycf1, ndhF, and psbA were found in the highly diverse IR boundary regions. The genetic distance analysis of IGS showed the trnL-UAG-ccsA, rps16-trnQ-UUG, ccsA-ndhD, rps15-ycf1, and ndhE-ndhG regions had the higher variability. Furthermore, the phylogenetic tree inferred that the 23 Salvia species formed a monophyletic group. Lastly, two pairs of Genus-specific DNA barcode primers were identified, which can be used to amplify the part sequence of trnM-CAU-atpE and ccsA-ndhD region. Conclusions: We acquired the complete chloroplast genome of the three Salvia species, which will provide a solid foundation to understand their phylogenetic status in Salvia genus. Moreover, the research can provide the probability to discriminate the Salvia species compared with the genomics between the phenotype and the distinction of gene fragments .
Meta-analysis of the effect of irbesartan combined with different drugs on the efficacy and function of male patients with hypertension
Authors: Geng ZhiXin , Miao Feng , Gou Licheng , Gao Feng , Dong Taiwei , Li Min , Bai Yang , Xi miaomiao , Wei peifeng
Published: May 2022

Objective A systematic review of the clinical efficacy of irbesartan combined therapy in the treatment of hypertension and erectile function in men. Methods Use computer to search databases such as CNKI, CBM, Weipu, Wanfang, Embase, PubMed and Cochrane, and find all the randomized controlled trials (RCT) about the effect of irbesartan combination on the sexual function of male hypertensive patients. After screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies,and use Review Manager 5.2 software for system evaluation. Results Finally, 11 eligible RCTs with a total of 1350 participants were screened, and a meta-analysis was completed based on these RCTs. The results of Meta analysis showed that compared with other combination medication groups,Irbesartan combination group was better than other medication groups in the incidence of ED (OR = 0.57, 95％CI=(0.37,0.86), P=0.008), serum T (MD = 1.27, 95％CI=(0.69,1.84), P<0.0001), and SHBG (MD = -0.10, 95％CI=(-0.16,-0.04), P=0.002). There was no statistical difference in the total effective rate of lowering blood pressure, the rate of lowering blood pressure, and erectile function. None of the included RCTs mentioned serious adverse events. Conclusions The combination of irbesartan in the treatment of male hypertensive patients with sexual dysfunction was better than other combination groups, and there were no serious adverse reactions during the treatment. However, due to the generally low quality of the included studies, so a larger sample, multi-center, high-quality clinical trial was needed to prove it.
Synthesis and Comparative Evaluation of 177 Lu-labeled PEG and non-PEG variant peptides as HER2-targeting probes
Authors: Sharma Amit Kumar , Sharma Rohit , Vats Kusum , Sarma Haladhar Dev , Mukherjee Archana , Das Tapas , Satpati Drishty
Published: May 2022

Highest global cancer incidence of female breast cancer is a matter of great concern. HER2-positive breast cancers have high mortality rate hence detection at an early stage is vital for successful treatment, improved cancer care and survival rate. Radiolabeled peptides have emerged as new alternatives to radiolabeled antibodies to overcome the limitations of slow clearance and uptake in non-target tissues. Herein, DOTA-A9 peptide and its pegylated variant were constructed on solid phase and radiolabeled with 177LuCl3. 177Lu-DOTA-A9 and 177Lu-DOTA-PEG4-A9 displayed high binding affinity (Kd = 48.4 ± 1.4 and 55.7 ± 12.3 nM respectively) in human breast carcinoma SKBR3 cells. Two radiopeptides exhibited renal excretion and rapid clearance from normal organs. Uptake in SKBR3 tumor and tumor-to-background ratios were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for 177Lu-DOTA-PEG4-A9 at the three time points investigated. Two radiopeptides could clearly visualize xenografts in SPECT images at 3, 24 and 48 h p.i. indicating their potential for further exploration as HER2-targeting probes. The encouraging in vivo profile of PEG construct, 177Lu-DOTA-PEG4-A9 incentivizes future studies for clinical applications.
Numerical simulation of DC casting of large-size rare earth magnesium alloy ingot under low-frequency electromagnetic field
Authors: Zhou Zhongliang , Yang Yiqiang , Duan Wenchao , Zhang Zhiqiang , Cui Jianzhong
Published: May 2022

For studying the changes of macro-physical field in the casting process of large-scale rare earth magnesium alloy, through the numerical simulation method, a two-dimensional axisymmetric multi-physical field coupling model was established by using the multi-physical simulation software COMSOL Multiphysics. The changes of temperature field, flow field, Lorentz force, and solidification characteristics of large-size rare earth magnesium alloy with diameter of 750 mm under different electromagnetic parameters (magnetic field frequency and current intensity) in steady-state of direct-chill (DC) casting were studied. The results reveal that using a magnetic field can reduce the temperature gradient and greatly accelerate the melt flow, the depth of the sump is reduced by about 50 mm. The magnetic field intensity rises as the magnetic field frequency increases, but the skin depth of the magnetic field decreases from 64.9 mm to 36.4 mm. With the growth of current, the skin depth of the magnetic field remains unchanged, the sump increases, and the magnetic field intensity increases.