bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A proteomic analysis of human follicular fluid: proteomic profile associated with embryo quality
Authors: Ji Jingjuan , Zhu Xinyi , Zhang Yan , Shui Lijun , Bai Shun , Huang Lingli , Wang Haoyu , Luo Lihua , Xu Bo
Published: April 2023

Embryo selection is a key point of in vitro fertilization (IVF). The most commonly used method for embryo selection is morphological assessment. However, it is sometimes inaccurate. Follicular fluid (FF) contains a complex mixture of proteins that are essential for follicle development and oocyte maturation. Analyzing human FF proteomic profiles and identifying predictive biomarkers might be helpful for evaluating embryo quality. A total of 22 human FF samples were collected from 19 infertile women who underwent IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment between October 2021 and November 2021. FFs were grouped into two categories on the basis of the day 3 embryo quality, grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ in the hqFF group and grade Ⅲ in the nhqFF group. FF was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The key differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were validated by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). Differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed using DAVID software. A total of 558 proteins were identified, of which 50 proteins were differentially expressed inthe hqFF vs. nhqFF group, including 32 upregulated proteins (>1.20-fold, P<0.05) and 18 downregulated proteins (<0.67-fold, P<0.05). Bioinformatics analyses showed that the upregulated DEPs were enriched in components of the coagulation and complement systems and negative regulation of peptidase activity, while the downregulated DEPs were enriched in molecular function of extracellular matrix structural and constituent collagen binding. Our results suggested that a number of protein biomarkers in FF were associated with embryo quality. It may help develop an effective and noninvasive method for embryo selection.
Incidence of lymph node metastasis from submucosa gastric cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study in two centers
Authors: Yu Suyue , Mei Yu , Huang Jingyi , Gao Jianpeng , Feng Tienan , Yan Min , Zhu Zhenggang , Lu Aiguo , Zhu Zhenglun
Published: April 2023

Background. This paper investigates whether or not there are some preoperative predictors identifying lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with T1b gastric cancer and discusses the possibility of replacement by segmental gastrectomy (SG) or local gastrectomy (LG).
Methods. This study included patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy between January 2012 and December 2018, as well as those diagnosed with pT1b. Independent risk factors of lymph node metastasis were determined using univariate and multivariable logistics regression among clinicopathological characteristics. ROC curve was established to predict lymph node metastasis based on external data for validation.
Results. Among the 636 patients with pT1b gastric cancer as the internal training set, 168 (26.4%) had no lymph node metastasis. In addition, 3 cm or less in size (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, P<0.05), middle or upper portion (OR 0.64, P<0.05), differentiation (OR 0.40, P<0.001), without lymphatic-vascular invasion (LVI) (OR 0.39, P<0.001), and the negative status of HER2 (OR 0.46, P<0.005), were protective factors of LNM. A score was generated consisting of a middle portion and four other variables. ROC curve analysis on the external validation set revealed excellent discrimination as the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.815. The frequency of lymph node metastasis was 0% with all five protective factors.
Conclusions. Based on this retrospective study, T1b gastric cancer of the middle part of the stomach which is 3 cm or less in size, differentiated-type, negative HER2 status, and without lymphatic-vascular invasion might indicate pylorus-preserving gastrectomy due to lack of lymph node involvement.
Trial registration. The study is retrospectively registered.
AI-Based Betting Anomaly Detection System to Ensure Fairness in Sports and Prevent Illegal Gambling
Authors: Kim Changgyun , Park Jae-Hyeon , Lee Ji-Yong
Published: April 2023

This study develops a solution to sports match-fixing using various machine-learning models to detect match-fixing anomalies based on dividend yields. We use five models to distinguish between normal and abnormal matches: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classification, and the ensemble model, an optimized model of the previous four. The models classify normal and abnormal matches by learning their pattern with sports dividend yield data. The database was built on the world football league match betting data of 12 betting companies, with a vast collection of data on players, teams, game schedules, and league rankings for football matches. We develop an abnormal match detection model based on the data analysis results of each model, using the match result dividend data. Then, we use data from real-time matches and apply the five models to construct a system capable of detecting match-fixing in real-time. The RF, KNN, and ensemble models recorded a high accuracy of over 92%, whereas the LR and SVM models were approximately 80% accurate. By comparison, previous studies have used a single model to examine suspected matches using football match dividend yield data, with an accuracy of 70–80%.
Research on Flexible Workshop Scheduling Algorithm Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Feng Chao , Peng Xiaolin , Qin Hengfeng
Published: April 2023

With the proposal of "Made in China 2025", the manufacturing industry is rapidly integrating with information technology, accelerating the pace of construction of smart factories, and reducing labor costs by establishing factories with few people and no one.Scheduling algorithm of flexible shop is the key technology to realize automatic processing of production line. The limited resources of shop can be allocated rationally through scheduling algorithm to complete automatic production.According to the requirements of automatic production line, this chapter realizes the assignment of processing task and handling task in turn.The classical genetic algorithm is easy to fall into local optimization and slow convergence.An improved genetic algorithm is adopted to introduce dynamic crossover and mutation probability. In addition, when the algorithm performs crossover operation, the individuals are first sorted according to their fitness values, and then cross operation is carried out successively.Through the simulation experiment, it is found that the task completion time obtained by the improved algorithm is 146 units of time, compared with the 198 units of time obtained before the improvement, the task completion time is reduced by 26%, and the improved algorithm has better convergence speed, so the improved algorithm has better optimization performance.
Comprehensive analysis of the prognostic value of PEBP4 in pan-cancers
Authors: Wang Sidan , Luo Zhijun
Published: April 2023

Background PEBP4, a member of the protein family containing a binding motif for phosphatidylethanolamine, is involved in the development, progression, metastasis, and invasion of many cancers. However, a complete analysis of the predictive value of PEBP4 in diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy has not been conducted. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PEBP4 expression and pan-cancer prognosis, progression of multiple cancers, and immune cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment.Methods In this study, transcriptomic data on PEBP4 expression in tumor tissues and normal or paraneoplastic tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. Based on various analysis tools such as " Gene set variation analysis (GSVA)" and "CIBERSORT," we comprehensively analyzed PEBP4 expression differences, clinical features, survival prognosis, immune-related characteristics, and potential interaction targets in various tumors.Results The analysis of the expression of PEBP4 in 33 human cancers showed that PEBP4 expression was downregulated in most cancers and correlated with the pathological stage, grade, and prognosis of multiple cancers, suggesting that PEBP4 may play a role in regulating tumorigenesis and progression in multiple cancers. In addition, PEBP4 gene expression is associated with the infiltration of several immune cells and immune-related genes, and is related to Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB)/ Microsatellite Instability (MSI) in various cancers. These results indicated that PEBP4 is involved in the immune response of tumor cells to immunotherapy and could be a potential target for immunotherapy in various cancers.Conclusion This study identified PEBP4 as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple cancers. It is closely associated with the regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment, which lays the groundwork for further functional and mechanistic experiments.
Computer vision techniques for anatomically inspired classification of the endangered rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis)
Authors: Bhuiyan Tanvir , Carney Ryan , Chellappan Sriram
Published: April 2023

Bombus affinis, commonly known as the rusty-patched bumble bee, is a critically endangered species endemic to North America. Accurate identification of this bee is crucial for monitoring its presence and abundance, and in turn conservation efforts. Here, we design computer vision techniques to identify the rusty-patched bumble bee from images uploaded by citizen scientists on the iNaturalist platform. Our original dataset consists of 200 images of the rusty-patched bumble bee, and 200 images of other bees across six genera. After image augmentation (mirror, rotate) to yield a final dataset of 3, 200 images, we fine-tuned an EfficientNetV2B0 AI model to classify the rusty-patched bumble bee, and were able to achieve accuracies of 90% and 92% for color and grayscale images. However, motivated by a unique V-shaped black band that is present on the thorax of the rusty-patched bumble bee, we implemented an anatomically inspired learning framework wherein we automatically extract and classify only the thorax pixels from an image. Our resulting thorax-only model yielded classification accuracies of 94−95% and sensitivity (recall) values of 95−99%, across color and grayscale versions of manually and AI-cropped thorax images (the improved results presumably coming from removing other sources of noise). Deployment of these techniques could be useful in the automatic and real-time identification of rusty-patched bumble bees, hence aiding their identification and conservation. Our models can be easily extended to other insects, and to more anatomically inspired learning methods for classifying insects in nature.
Comparison between Ligation and Cauterization of Hemorrhoidal Pedicle with Milligan-Morgan Hemorrhoidectomy
Authors: Shareef Seerwan Hama , Ameen Shorsh Hama Hussein , Ismaeel Diyaree Nihad , Ezzaddin Shaho Abdulrehman , Ameen Hoshang Azad
Published: April 2023

Background: Currently, several therapies are used for symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease with various degrees of accepted treatment modality, but information on long-term outcomes is limited.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare ligation and cauterization of hemorrhoidal pedicles with Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy.
Patients and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 200 patients with symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease in Sulaimani Surgical Teaching Hospital from January 2014 to January 2021. Patients were divided into 2 groups of 100 patients each. Group A underwent ligation and cauterization, while group B underwent Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy. Then, postoperative pain, urinary retention, and bleeding were collected. Patients were followed up for one year and data were collected regarding incontinence, anal stenosis and recurrence.
Results: The mean age of patients was 37.19±9.7 years, and most were females. The most common symptom was mucosal prolapse, followed by bleeding per rectum, then discharge, pruritis, and perianal pain/discomfort. Patients in group A experienced less pain than those in group B. Regarding the postoperative complications, surgical site infection was the most common one in both groups (34%), followed by bleeding per rectum (26%), then urinary retention (20%), incontinence (15%), and recurrence (11%). In comparison, anal stenosis was only found in 3% of group B patients.
Conclusions: The ligation and cauterization technique was safer, less costly, less painful, and had lower postoperative complication rates compared to the Milligan-Morgan procedure for the treatment of hemorrhoids.
Fuzzy Logic-Based AVC Relay with Jaya Algorithm for Voltage Control of Distribution Network
Authors: abdelfatah Ahmed , Sarimuthu Charles
Published: April 2023

One of the important requirements in the electrical power system is to control the voltage levels at both the distribution and transmission levels to avoid overvoltage or undervoltage conditions. Transformers with mechanical on-load tap changer (OLTC) and switches have been considered the conventional voltage-control method in electrical power systems for decades. Due to the mechanical design of the OLTC, it has several disadvantages, such as poor response time, high loss rates, high maintenance cost, and the demand for frequent repair of mechanical parts. Controlling the voltage with frequent changes in tap position causes wear and tear in the transformer over time. Old systems use fuzzy logic to control the OLTC tap position without finding the optimal tap or minimizing the number of tap changes. This paper attempts to develop automatic voltage control (AVC) Relay based on Fuzzy Logic and Jaya Algorithm to minimize the number of tap change operations. The design structure of the system is presented, and the results that show its performance with and without the Jaya algorithm are also presented and discussed.
Diurnal convection resonating with gravity waves in a model ITCZ
Authors: Haerter Jan O , Fiévet Romain
Published: April 2023

Tropical convective rainfall is known to vary with the diurnal cycle, yet it is also influenced by large scale convergence. In a suite of idealized cloud-resolving numerical experiments, we mimic Earth's Hadley cell to probe the interactions between oscillations in rainfall inherent to the large-scale circulation and the rainfall oscillation caused by the convective diurnal cycle. The model tropics are thereby caricatured by a rectangular domain that is periodic in both the meridional and zonal dimensions. Surface temperature TS is spatially constant in the "zonal" direction and decreases when moving "meridionally" away from the model equator. We contrast temporally constant TS with a TS that varies harmonically in time. By design, a large scale circulation develops with an intrinsic mode of oscillation of period ω0~Ly, i.e., proportional to the meridional domain size Ly --- thus generally differing from the diurnal period of one day. Interestingly, the diurnal forcing by no means shapes the precipitation power spectrum. Rather, the intrinsic circulation period dominates the precipitation power spectrum for large and small domains. At intermediate 𝐿𝑦 ≈ 2, 000 km, where intrinsic frequencies approximately match the diurnal one, the diurnal period prevails, the intrinsic frequency is suppressed, and the precipitation amplitude is amplified. We explain the complex dynamics as a type of resonance using a highly simplified forced and kicked harmonic oscillator.
Evaluation of Microplastics and Microcystin-LR effect for Asian clams (Corbicula flumine) by a metabolomics approach
Authors: Zhang Jiahua , Wang Jie , Wang Xiaodong , Liu Shikun , Zhou Liang , Liu Xingguo
Published: April 2023

Microplastics (MP) and Microcystins (MCs) are two co-occurring pollutants in freshwater ecosystems that pose significant risks to aquatic organisms and human health. This study investigates the interactions between MP and MCs and their effects on the metabolic responses of freshwater aquaculture. Asian clams have been used as an indicator of Microplastics pollution in freshwater ecosystems. The present study investigates metabolic responses of Asian clams during Microplastics and Microcystin-LR stress to identify health impacts and elucidate mechanistic effects of external stressors on Asian clams. A liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry (LC–MS)-based metabolomics approach was used to identify metabolic perturbations and histological section technique were used to assess changes of tissues from different Asian clam treat groups. The results showed significantly pathological changes in the gills and hepatopancreas in experimental clam compared to control (healthy) clam. Metabolomics revealed alterations of many metabolites in hepatopancreas of six Asian clam compare groups, reflecting perturbations in several molecular pathways, including energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, protein degradation/tissue damage and oxidative stress. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of understanding the interactions between MP and MCs and the need for proactive measures to safeguard freshwater ecosystems and human health.
Compression therapy using surgical gloves was ineffective for the prevention of vincristine-induced neuropathy in patients with malignant lymphoma
Authors: Suyama Takuya , Tsuboi Yuri , Shimizu Misayo , Kuroda Akihiro , Seki Masanori , Shinagawa Atsushi
Published: April 2023

Purpose Vincristine (VCR) often induces peripheral neuropathy (PN) as an adverse event. Currently, there is no consensus about prevention of vincristine-induced PN (VIPN). In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of compression therapy using surgical gloves for preventing VIPN.Methods Patients with malignant lymphoma (vincristine-naïve) who were receiving chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, VCR, and prednisolone, with or without rituximab, every 3 weeks for six cycles were eligible. For every VCR infusion, each patient wore two one-size smaller gloves on one hand (study hand) for 90 min. The other hand was bare (control hand). PN was assessed at each treatment using common terminology criteria for adverse events ver. 4.0.Results Fifty-one patients with malignant lymphoma were enrolled and 44 were evaluated. The occurrence rates of grade ≥ 2 sensory PN were 13.6 and 13.6% in the study and control hands, respectively (p = 1.0) at 1 month after treatment. The occurrence rates of grade ≥ 2 motor PN were 15.9 and 15.9% in the study and control hands, respectively (p = 1.0).Conclusion Compression therapy using surgical gloves showed no significant effect for the prevention of VIPN.Trial registration First November 2018 National University Hospital Council of Japan (UMIN 000034145).
Decreased Western Tibet Snow Cover Amplifies the Increase in Summer Concurrent Compound Heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Jia Xiaojing , Dong Wei
Published: April 2023

The occurrence of summer concurrent compound heatwaves (CCHWs) across multiple regions in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) has substantially increased in recent decades, though the contributions made by external forcings remain uncertain. This work has revealed that decreased summer snow cover over the western Tibetan Plateau (SC_WTP) could have significantly amplified the increase in summer CCHWs in the NH during 1979–2021. These findings are supported by both observational data and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 model simulations. The decreased SC_WTP causes diabatic warming by modulating the surface energy budget and stimulates a tripolar Rossby wave source over the TP. The atmospheric response to the SC_WTP forcing-related disturbance generates a circumglobal circulation pattern, which is accompanied by a weakening of the meridional temperature and a “double jet stream” in the NH. These changes modulate the phase, amplitude, and proportion of quasis-tationary waves 6–8, which results in an increase in CCHWs in the NH.
Association of Communication Competence and Nursing Professionalism with Burnout Among Nurses Working at Coronavirus Residential Treatment Centers
Authors: MOON Hyunjung , LEE Ogcheol , Kim Sunghee
Published: April 2023

Background: Owing to the increasing number of cases of the coronavirus disease, treatment facilities and nursing services were diversifying, necessitating appropriate hiring and operating guidelines. The purpose of this study was to identify the association of communication skills and nursing professionalism with burnout among nurses who have worked at coronavirus residential treatment centers since March 2020.
Methods: This study followed a cross-sectional design. An online survey was conducted in November 2021 using a self-report questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, communication competence, nursing professionalism, and burnout.
Results: The data of 145 nurses were analyzed. The average scores for communication competence, nursing professionalism, and burnout were 3.70, 3.25, and 2.98, respectively. Nursing professionalism was positively correlated with communication competence and negatively correlated with burnout. Factors associated with burnout were the length of residential treatment center service, prior experience in responding to infectious diseases, and nursing professionalism, with an explanatory power of 24.0%.
Conclusions: Higher nursing professionalism, greater experience in responding to infectious diseases, and longer residential treatment center service period were associated with lower burnout. This study provides evidence to frame guidelines for hiring priorities and working conditions in an unfamiliar clinical nursing setting in the context of future infectious disease outbreaks to reduce nurses’ burnout.
Effects of Nickel layer on interfacial micro-structure distribution and macro-mechanical properties for vacuum brazed dissimilar steel joints
Authors: Wang Leilei , Li Nian , Wei Xinlong , Ling Xiang , Li Qingsheng
Published: April 2023

In this paper, nickel-plated Q235 carbon steel and 304 stainless steel were vacuum brazed together using pure copper foil as the filler metal. The effects of nickel plating at the carbon steel surface on the shear strength of the brazed joints were investigated and verified by the finite element analysis method. The microstructure and shear strength of the brazed dissimilar steel joints were characterized by SEM and tensile experiments. The results found that the pure copper brazing material exhibited excellent wettability to the base metal. With the increase of heat treatment temperature and holding time, the plated Ni particles fuse with each other and the boundary of the Ni particles gradually disappears, which increases the diffusion distance of Fe, Ni, and P elements and the width of the interface transition zone. The maximum shear strength of the brazed dissimilar steel joint without the nickel layer is 265.9 MPa for the optimized brazing parameters with 0.06 mm thickness of pure copper foil. After nickel plating on the carbon steel surface with heat treatment of 500 ℃ for 1 h, the shear strength of the brazed dissimilar steel joint reduces to 213.4 MPa, which may be due to the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds by Ni and P elements on the surface of the layer at high temperatures.
A glycomic workflow for LC-MS/MS analysis of urine glycosaminoglycan biomarkers in mucopolysaccharidoses
Authors: Nilsson Jonas , Persson Andrea , Voronstov Egor , Nikpour Mahnaz , Noborn Fredrik , Larson Göran , Blomqvist Maria
Published: April 2023

In recent years, several rational designed therapies have been developed for treatment of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), a group of inherited metabolic disorders in which glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are accumulated in various tissues and organs. Thus, improved disease-specific biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring treatment efficacy are of paramount importance. Specific non-reducing end GAG structures (GAG-NREs) have become promising biomarkers for MPS, as the compositions of the GAG-NREs depend on the nature of the lysosomal enzyme deficiency, thereby creating a specific pattern for each subgroup. However, there is yet no straightforward clinical laboratory platform which can assay all MPS-related GAG-NREs in one single analysis. Here, we developed and applied a GAG domain mapping approach for analyses of urine samples of ten MPS patients with various MPS diagnoses and corresponding aged-matched controls. We describe a nano-LC-MS/MS method of GAG-NRE profiling, utilizing 2-aminobenzamide reductive amination labeling to improve the sensitivity and the chromatographic resolution. Diagnostic urinary GAG-NREs were identified for MPS types IH/IS, II, IIIc, IVa and VI, corroborating GAG-NRE as biomarkers for these known enzyme deficiencies. Furthermore, a significant reduction of diagnostic urinary GAG-NREs in MPS IH (n = 2) and MPS VI (n = 1) patients under treatment was demonstrated. We argue that this straightforward glycomic workflow, designed for the clinical analysis of MPS-related GAG-NREs in one single analysis, will be of value for expanding the use of GAG-NREs as biomarkers for MPS diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
Mixed medullary and follicular cell derived thyroid carcinoma-series of three cases
Authors: Fonseca Daphne , Arya Sahithi Shilpa , Bikkina Pratyusha , P Madhu Vijay , Kodandapani Suseela , Rao Chandrasekhar , A Zakir Ali
Published: April 2023

Papillary thyroid carcinoma and medullary thyroid carcinoma are two distinct types of thyroid carcinoma. Mixed thyroid carcinoma is a rare form of thyroid cancer accounting for less than 0.5% of thyroid malignancies. We present a series of mixed PTC and MTC with details of their clinic-radiological, pathological diagnosis and follow up.
Interplay between Zika virus-induced autophagy and neural stem cell fate determination
Authors: . Bindu , Pandey Hriday Shanker , Seth Pankaj
Published: April 2023

The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks and its co-relation with microcephaly have become a global health concern. It is primarily transmitted by a mosquito, but can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her fetus causing impairment in brain development, leading to microcephaly. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of ZIKV-induced microcephaly is poorly understood. In this study, we explored the role of ZIKV non-structural protein NS4A and NS4B in ZIKV pathogenesis in a well-characterized primary culture of human fetal neural stem cells (fNSCs). We observed that the co-transfection of NS4A and NS4B altered the neural stem cell fate by arresting proliferation and inducing premature neurogenesis. NS4A-NS4B transfection in fNSCs increased autophagy and dysregulated notch signalling. Further, it also altered the regulation of downstream genes controlling cell proliferation. Additionally, we reported that 3 methyl-adenine (3MA), a potent autophagy inhibitor, attenuated the deleterious effects of NS4A and NS4B as evidenced by the rescue in Notch1 expression, enhanced proliferation, and reduced premature neurogenesis. Our attempts to understand the mechanism of autophagy induction indicate the involvement of mitochondrial fission and ROS. Collectively, our findings highlight the novel role of NS4A and NS4B in mediating NSC fate alteration through autophagy-mediated notch degradation. The study also helps to advance our understanding of ZIKV-induced neuropathogenesis and suggests autophagy as a potential target for anti-ZIKV therapeutic intervention.
Effectiveness of non-immersive virtual reality in the management of procedure-related pain in preschool children: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Camacho-Cruz Jhon , Palacios-Ariza María Alejandra , Orrego-Celestino Luisa , Valbuena-Velandia Natalia , Paez-Castellanos Laura , Bolaños Johanna M. , Pradilla Ivan
Published: April 2023

Objective
To assess the effectiveness of non-immersive virtual reality as a pain-distraction measure in children between the ages of 3–5 years undergoing painful injection procedures in an outpatient setting.
Design
We carried out a randomized, unmasked clinical trial in children undergoing venipuncture or intramuscular injection procedures. Patients were randomized to a distraction virtual reality video or standard care. After the procedure, three independent observers (parents, researchers, nursing staff) rated pain on the LLANTO pain scale.
Results
We recruited 122 subjects, half of which were randomized to virtual reality. The median age was of approximately 5 years and the sample was balanced with regards to sex. Agreement between raters was high for all three types of observers, with Cohen Kappas over 0.79 in all cases. Bivariate analysis showed reductions in the risk of obtaining higher scores in the LLANTO scale. Linear regression models showed a reduction of approximately 3 points in the scale, regardless of the type of observer. These models were adjusted for sex, age, kind of procedure, use of prior analgesia, and recruitment center.
Conclusions
Non-immersive virtual reality is an effective adjunctive therapy for the reduction of pain in children undergoing painful injection procedures in an outpatient setting. This strategy may be used to improve the quality of care in pediatric outpatient services.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03985930
Multiple bone metastases in advanced breast cancer: a gastrointestinal surgical emergency
Authors: Wang# Xixi , Lin Junyi , Li Zhi , Wang Minghua
Published: April 2023

Patient: Female, 33-year-old
Final Diagnosis: Advanced breast cancer with bone metastasis
Symptoms: Acute Abdominal pain
Clinical Procedure: —
Specialty: General Surgery • Oncology
Objective:
Unusual clinical course
Background:
Globally, acute abdominal pain is a common reason for admission to emergency departments. As with fever, it can be difficult to identify the cause. Metastatic breast cancer, which usually spreads to the lungs, brain, liver, and bones, is living longer among patients. Metastasis may present complications that were not previously seen due to improved survival rates. Patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer who experience sudden acute abdominal pain are at risk for this rare complication.
Case Report:
In an emergency department of gastrointestinal surgery, a 33-year-old female presented with sudden acute abdominal pain for no apparent reason. It was highly suspected that the patient had acute appendicitis based on his history and physical examination. CT scans of the chest and abdomen in the emergency department revealed bilateral breast cancer with multiple bone metastases (lumbar spine, iliac crest). Emergency abdominal exploration was performed after the patient's abdominal pain aggravated. In the patient's abdomen, extensive metastasis and cancerous adhesions were discovered, and the prognosis was extremely poor. It was not possible to explore the appendix and intestines further, so abdominal irrigation, abscess drainage, and abdomen closure were performed. Upon recovery from surgery, the patient was transferred to the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery for chemotherapy. A first course of doxorubicin liposome + cyclophosphamide chemotherapy was followed by a second course of albumin + paclitaxel chemotherapy. During the first course of treatment, a CT examination revealed new lumbar metastases and a reduction of the right breast mass. We are now in the process of further treatment and follow-up observation.
Conclusions:
A clinician should consider metastatic breast cancer pain when treating a female patient with acute abdominal pain. It is possible to die from acute abdominal pain, which has a wide range of causes. When breast cancer is not detected early, it can also occur repeatedly with various other clinical manifestations in the later stages.
The upregulation of peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ natural killer cells correlates with Th1/Th2 imbalance in asthma patients during acute upper respiratory viral infections
Authors: Liu Meixuan , Zhang Yunxuan , Hu Yunqian , Guo Zhongliang , Dong Lin
Published: April 2023

Purpose：The aim of this study is to clarify the changes of peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells and their correlation with Th1/Th2 immunity profiles in asthma during the phase of acute upper respiratory viral infections (AURVIs).
Methods: Peripheral venous blood and induced sputum samples were collected from 56 mild asthma patients, 49 asthma patients with AURVIs and 50 healthy subjects. Peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells were monitored by flow cytometry during the course of acute viral infections. Meanwhile, the induced sputum Th1 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5, and Th2 cytokine INF-γ were also detected by ELISA assay.
Results: The asthmatics had lower levels of peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells populations as well as higher induced sputum cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-γ) compared to healthy control at baseline. Upon upper respiratory viral infections, peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells numbers in asthma patients sharply elevated on day 3 and slowly decreased by day 14, in accordance with induced sputum INF-γ changes. IL-4 and IL-5 levels spiked much later (day 8) and lasted until day 14. Compared with asthma alone group, the IFN-γ/IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-5 ratios of the asthma patients with AURVIs on day 1 were higher and peaked on day 3. The changes of peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells proportions positively correlated with the IFN-γ/IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-5 ratios on day 1 to day 3 in asthma subsequent to upper respiratory viral infections.
Conclusions: Our findings showed an imbalanced Th1/Th2 immunity in airways of asthma with acute upper respiratory viral infections. Upregulated peripheral CD3-CD56+CD16+ NK cells play a crucial role in biased Th1 immunity of airways in asthma during the acute phase of viral infections. The anti-viral Th1 immunity by targeting NK cells may be a possible therapeutic option for virus-induced asthma exacerbation.
Phytochemical Constituents from the seeds of Capsella bursa-pastoris and their antioxidant activities
Authors: Zhou Ti-Qiang , Wei Zhen-Zhen , Zhang Jin-Rui , Dong Jia-Hui , Liu Chun-Ying , Jiang Cong-Zhi , Xia Zi-Ming , Liu Si-Fan , Li Min , Zhang Guang-jie , Chen Li , Tian Ying , Li Bin , Liu Shu-Chen
Published: April 2023

Phytochemical investigation of 70% EtOH extract of the seeds of Capsella bursa-pastoris led to the isolation of a new cyclobutane organic acid (1), and fourteen known compounds, including two organosulfur compounds (2, 3), two quinonoids (4, 5), five flavonoids (6-10), three steroidals (11-13) and two other types (14, 15). The structures of the compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses as well as comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. The antioxidant capacities of all the compounds and the extractive fractions were evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging test and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Then the antioxidative substances were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects against H2O2-induced HT22 cell injury. The results indicated the extractive fractions and the compounds 1-3, 8-10 and 13 had strong scavenging ability to free radical, and the reduction power of the extractive fractions and compounds 1-3, 8 and 10 were close to or higher than that of the positive control trolox. The EtOAc fraction, n-BuOH fraction, and compounds 1, 3 and 8 can protect HT-22 cells from oxidative damage.
Pharmacokinetics study of oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride compound suspension in sheep by LC-MS/MS
Authors: CHEN Lingling , ZHANG Donghui , GAO Xin’er , YAO Xueqiang , SHI Mengyan , ZHANG Xinxin , ZHOU Xuzheng , ZHANG Jiyu
Published: April 2023

Background: Oxyclozanide and Levamisole hydrochloride compounded suspensions is a kind of compound anthelmintics widely used in the treatment of Fasciola hepatica and nematodes in cattle and sheep. In order to compare the pharmacokinetic parameters between the self-develop drug and the reference listed drug in sheep of the oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride compound suspension, a rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS analytical method was established, mebendazole was used as the internal standard (IS) in positive ion mode and niclosamide was used as the internal standard (IS) in negative ion mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, selectivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, and matrix effect, and was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride compounded suspensions in healthy sheep.
·Results: A simple and rapid LC-MS/MS analytical method was established and validated to quantify oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride levels in sheep. The main pharmacokinetic parameters, that is, the maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax), the time to maximum concentration (Tmax), area under the time curve concentration (AUClast) and Terminal half-life (T1/2): the self-developed drug and the reference listed drug of oxyclozanide were 45.54±17.58 μg/mL, 22.5±2.07 h, 1845.43±851.92 h*μg/mL, 20.58±7.97 h; 34.60±5.65 μg/mL, 15.50±3.96 h, 1285.46±225.7 h*μg/mL, 23.12±5.04 h, respectively; The self-developed drug and the reference listed drug of Levamisole hydrochloride was : 2.25±0.90 μg/mL, 0.49±0.69 h, 9.51±2.20 h*μg/mL, 4.43±1.75 h; 2.41±1.11 μg/mL, 0.81±0.66 h, 9.09±2.12 h*μg/mL, 3.16±1.05 h. No significant differences were observed among the AUClast andT1/2 for Oxyclozanide self-developed drug compare with the reference listed drug, and there was a significant difference in Cmax and Tmax (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in Cmax, Tmax, AUClast and T1/2 between the self-developed drug of levamisole hydrochloride and the reference listed drug (P > 0.05). The relative bioavailability of oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride were 143.56% and 104.62%, respectively.
Conclusions: A reliable, accurate LC-MS/MS analytical method was established in our study and successful applied to study the pharmacokinetics of oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride compound suspension in sheep plasma. These results will be useful for further evaluations of the pharmacokinetic properties of oxyclozanide and levamisole hydrochloride.
A Serendipity Recommendation Method for Book Categories Using BERT
Authors: Kim Youngmo , Kim Seok-Yoon , Park Byeongchan
Published: April 2023

In the field of book search, research on a web service-based user customized book recommendation system is being conducted to respond to increasingly diversified user requirements. The collaborative filtering algorithm, which is mainly used for book recommendation, has a problem in that it is difficult to reflect the user's recent interest without considering the change in preference over time, and the user's satisfaction decreases because it repeatedly recommends only similar items. In this paper, we propose a book recommendation method using category similarity based on deep learning. The proposed method is to predict books to be used next time by inputting users' past and current book usage history through BERT, a natural language processing model, and to recommend popular books in other categories with high similarity to the predicted book category in the BERT model to reflect serendipity. This method reflects serendipity, which can lead to users' recent interests and practical preferences, so that recommendation accuracy and user satisfaction can be satisfied at the same time.
Clinical efficacy, safety, and subjective experience based on ePRO in HIV-infected individuals administered bicetivir, entatabine, and propofol tenofovir in southwest China
Authors: Kong Linghong , Xie Xiaoxin , Fu Yanhua , Gan Lin , Yang Xiaoyan , Ma Shujing , Long Hai
Published: April 2023

Background: Prospective studies examining long-term therapeutic outcomes of the BIC+FTC+TAF regimen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remain limited. This study assessed the actual efficacy and safety of BIC+FTC+TAF in HIV-infected individuals in southwest China.
Methods: This was a single-center, prospective study enrolling treatment-naïve (n=32) and treatment-experienced (n=177) HIV-infected patients administered BIC+FTC+TAF treatment between March 2022 and August 2022. The data were collected until February 28, 2023. Virological reactions and adverse events to the treatment were recorded, and patient subjective feelings in the form of ePRO were collected. The primary endpoint was the rate of patients with HIV viral load <50 copies/mL at week 24.
Results: At week 24, 87.5% and 95.5% of treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced HIV patients had a viral load <50 copies/mL, respectively. CD4 cell counts in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients increased significantly by 163.5 cells/μL (P=0.002) and 55.0 cells/μL (P=0.022), respectively. By week 24, no patients had discontinued the BIC+FTC+TAF treatment due to adverse events. Based on ePRO data, treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients at week 24 had stable disease symptom burden, quality of life, and depression level after treatment with BIC+FTC+TAF.
Conclusion: BIC+FTC+TAF reduces the viral load in treatment-naïve patients with high viral load as well as treatment-experienced patients with residual viremia. The patient's subjective experience was maintained stable after treatment with BIC+FTC+TAF. This study also revealed a very low incidence for BIC+FTC+TAF drug-related side effects.
Inhibition of cellular factor TM6SF2 suppresses secretion pathways of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Hepatitis D viruses
Authors: Tu Thomas , Ajoyan Harout , Umami Rifqiyah nur , Veeraraghavan Vaishnavi , Najim Mustafa Ahmed M , Khan Anis , Bayoumi Ali , Ho Vikki , Eslam Mohammed , Berg Thomas , Chan Henry L Y , George Jacob , Douglas Mark W
Published: April 2023

Introduction Chronic viral hepatitis, a leading cause of global deaths, is caused by three enveloped viruses from distinct families: hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis D virus (HBV, HCV, and HDV). Despite having different replication strategies, all three viruses rely on secretion through the host endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway to maintain chronic infection. Thus, targeting key genes in this pathway offers the potential for pan-viral therapies to treat chronic hepatitis.
Methods Transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) was knocked down using siRNA in cell culture models of HBV, HCV and HDV and virus secretion was measured. The effect of TM6SF2 polymorphisms on virus blood markers was examined in a cohort of people with hepatitis B.
Results Knockdown of TM6SF2 in cell culture models reduced secretion of infectious HCV virions, HDV virions and HBV subviral particles. Moreover, we show that a TM6SF2 polymorphism (rs58542926 CT/TT, which causes protein misfolding and reduced TM6SF2 in the liver) correlates with lower concentrations of subviral particles in blood from people with hepatitis B, complementing our previous work showing decreased HCV viral load.
Conclusions The host protein TM6SF2 is a novel drug target due to its key role in secretion of HBV, HCV and HDV. This provides the exciting potential for pan-viral agents to treat all people with chronic viral hepatitis.
The need to account for Argos Doppler errors when estimating habitat use from Argos Doppler locations: evidence and solution
Authors: Karagicheva Julia , Linscott Jennifer , Piersma Theunis , Hooijmeijer Jos C.E.W. , Howison Ruth A. , Loonstra A.H. Jelle , Senner Nathan R. , Verhoeven Mo A. , Rakhimberdiev Eldar
Published: April 2023

Background. Due to the large errors in Argos Doppler location estimates, Argos-based satellite transmitter data are rarely used in studies of fine-scale habitat selection by animals. Novel state-space models (SSMs) for path reconstruction from animal movement data improve location estimates, delivering refined estimations of an animal’s most likely path and, also, re-estimating the uncertainties for each location. However, the SSM-refined uncertainties are still relatively large and the true locations of animals tracked with PTTs (Platform terminal transmitters) remain impossible to determine. We suggest an approach that uses the SSM-refined location uncertainties to quantify the probabilities of an animal’s occurrence in each habitat and infer which of the habitats it most likely visited.Methods. We test the performance of our approach against habitat use assays based on most likely locations from raw Argos Doppler estimates and Argos Doppler estimates refined with an SSM. For this, we combine a GPS tracking dataset (2214 location fixes) from one individual and an Argos-PTT tracking dataset (1708 location points) from 14 individual Continental Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa limosa) breeding in agricultural grasslands in The Netherlands utilizing both simulations and empirical data to assess habitat use.Results. The approach that accounted for location uncertainties on top of a state-space model improved habitat assignments in the simulation study by 5% compared with only the SSM-refined Argos location points and by 23% compared with the raw Argos locations. We provide working code in R that can be reproduced for the analysis of habitat selection of animals followed with PTTs.Conclusions. Low-precision tracking data may be suitable to study habitat selection if location uncertainties are taken into account. The approach presented here has the potential to considerably improve the validity of such analyses, opening up new opportunities for the use of Argos Doppler data in analyses of habitat selection by animals. Since Argos Doppler location uncertainty parameters are required for the inference of the most likely used habitat, it is crucial that users acquire this information from Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) when initiating a new study.
Neurovascular Coupling During Auditory Stimulation: Event-related Potentials and Fnirs Hemodynamic
Authors: Muñoz Vanesa , Muñoz-Caracuel Manuel , Angulo-Ruiz Brenda Y. , Gómez Carlos M.
Published: April 2023

Intensity Dependent Amplitude Changes (IDAP) have been extensively studied using Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) and have been linked to several psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to explore the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in IDAP paradigms and to relate it to ERPs. Thirty-three and thirty-one subjects participated in two experiments, respectively. The first experiment consisted of the presentation of three-tone intensities (77.9dB, 84.5dB, and 89.5dB) lasting 500 ms, each type randomly presented 54 times, while the second experiment consisted of the presentation of five-tone intensities (70.9dB, 77.9dB, 84.5dB, 89.5dB, and 95.5dB) in blocks composed of eight tones of the same intensity lasting 70 ms each one, in total 20 blocks were presented. EEG was used to measure ERP components: N1, P2, and N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude. fNIRS allowed the analysis of the hemodynamic activity in the auditory and prefrontal cortices. The results showed an increase in N1, P2, and N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude with auditory intensity. Similarly, oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations showed amplitude increases and decreases, respectively, with auditory intensity in the auditory and prefrontal cortices. Spearman correlation analysis showed a relationship between the left auditory cortex and N1 and the right dorsolateral cortex and P2 amplitude. These results suggest that there is a brain response to auditory intensity changes that can be obtained by EEG and fNIRS, supporting the neurovascular coupling process. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding and application of fNIRS in auditory paradigms and highlights its potential to be used in a complementary manner to ERPs.