bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct Pathway Activities are Associated with Prognosis and Response to Bortezomib- containing Treatment in MCL1-M Based Molecular Subtypes of Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Yang Yuan , Jiang Sitao , Du Hang , Tang Jingling , Xiao Pengli , Wu Yin , Li Jiuyi , Feng Jing , Wei Yanfei , Samo Ayaz Ali , Lu Xuzhang , Fan Xiaolong
Published: March 2024

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent hematological malignancy and remains incurable with remarkable heterogeneity in prognosis and treatment response across the patients. Clinical diagnosis and the existing molecular classification systems are inadequate for predicting treatment responses. Based on the convergence between plasma cell development and MM pathogenesis, we identified a gene co-expression module centered on the plasma cell survival regulator MCL1 (MCL1 module, MCL1-M) in the transcriptomes of pre-treated MM, which enabled stratification of MM patients into MCL1-M high and MCL1-M low molecular subtypes with subtype-specific prognosis and response to Bortezomib-containing treatment. Here, we aimed to examine the mechanism underlying the disparate prognosis and treatment responses between the two molecular subtypes. Our findings reveal that MCL1-M high MM displays significant activation of pathways associated with cell proliferation, while MCL1-M low MM exhibits activation of immune-related signaling pathways. The relative enrichment of immune cells within the bone marrow microenvironment of MCL1-M low MM, particularity plasmacytoid dendritic cells, likely contributes to the activation of immune-related signaling pathways in this subset of myeloma cells. Using phase III trial data, we show that responses to Bortezomib-containing treatment is associated with the extent of unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling activity. Further, Bortezomib-mediated killing of MM cells could be enhanced or inhibited by in vitro manipulation of UPR activities in representative cell lines. In conclusion, MCL1-M based molecular subtypes of MM are characterized by distinct signaling activities from both malignant cells and bone marrow microenvironment, which may drive distinct prognosis and treatment responses.
Neoadjuvant treatment using chemotherapy and targeted therapy in a patient with resectable lung adenocarcinoma harboring BRAF V600E-mutation
Authors: Xiong Bingwan , Jiang Wenyang
Published: March 2024

In recent years, there has been significant progress in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Besides conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy have demonstrated considerable efficacy in treating advanced NSCLC patients in both first and second-line settings. However, neoadjuvant therapy, as a promising therapeutic approach, requires further evaluation of its efficacy. Although targeted therapy for some common driver genes (EGFR, ALK) has been established as an effective treatment in the neoadjuvant setting, the efficacy of targeted therapy for other rare mutations remains uncertain. Within NSCLC, BRAF is one such rare driver gene and published data on the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with targeted therapy for the BRAF V600E mutation in the treatment of advanced NSCLC is limited. Here, we report the first case successful neoadjuvant chemotherapy with targeted therapy followed by radical surgical excision in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma harboring the BRAF V600E mutation. The case informs us that chemotherapy with targeted therapy could be administered as a neoadjuvant strategy for selected cases of NSCLC harboring the BRAF V600E mutation.
CircRNA-0013747 induces mesangial cell proliferation in IgA nephropathy by targeting the Warburg effect via miR-330- 3p/PKM2 signaling
Authors: Zou Huimei , Chen Peilei , Deng Wenli , Liu Lu , Liu Miao , Xu Lifen , Xie Yin , Chen Min , Yu Jie , Luo Yingqin , Liu Xingmei , Liu Jun , Zhang Fan
Published: March 2024

Aberrant mesangial cell proliferation is a prevailing histopathological feature of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and is the primary driver of glomerular sclerosis and impaired renal function in IgAN patients. Prior research has revealed that PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect) frequently promotes mesangial cell growth and contributes to the development of various acute and chronic kidney diseases. However, the expression and functionality of PKM2 in IgA nephropathy, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms governing its abnormal expression, remain elusive. Circular RNAs, a subset of noncoding RNAs, have garnered increasing attention due to mounting evidence of their pivotal roles in the initiation and progression of numerous disorders. The present study aimed to explore the effects of circRNA_0013747 on IgAN and the potential underlying mechanisms. The results indicated notable overexpression of circRNA_0013747 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated human mesangial cells (HMCs) and kidney biopsy samples from IgAN patients. CircRNA_0013747 was shown to facilitate mesangial cell proliferation and activate PKM2-mediated aerobic glycolysis, although these effects were mitigated by an increase in miR-330-3p. Mechanistically, circRNA_0013747 physically interacted with microRNA-330-3p (miR-330-3p) and hindered its function by directly binding to it. These findings imply that circRNA_0013747 can enhance glycolysis and proliferation in mesangial cells by modulating the miR-330-3p/PKM2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, the present results underscore the possibility of circRNA_0013747 serving as a promising therapeutic target for IgAN, suggesting new prospects for treating this disease.
Cytoskeletal gene alterations linked to sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hong Xiao , Chen Hangyu , Zhang Lei , Duolikun Maimaitiyasen , Zhen Baixin , Kuerban Subinuer , Li Xuehui , Wang Yuxi , Chen Long , Lin Jian
Published: March 2024

Background
Although sorafenib has been consistently used as a first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), most patients will develop resistance, and the mechanism of resistance to sorafenib needs further study.
Methods
Using KAS-seq technology, we obtained the ssDNA profiles within the whole genome range of 7721 cells treated with sorafenib for differential analysis. We then intersected the differential genes obtained from the analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in GSE109211 who were ineffective and effective with sorafenib treatment, constructed a PPI network, and obtained hub genes. We then analyzed the relationship between the expression of these genes and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Results
In this study, we identified 7 hub ERGs (ACTB, CFL1, ACTG1, ACTN1, WDR1, TAGLN2, HSPA8) related to drug resistance, and these genes are associated with the cytoskeleton.
Conclusions
The cytoskeleton is associated with sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Using KAS-seq to analyze the early changes in tumor cells treated with drugs is feasible for studying the drug resistance of tumors, which provides reference significance for future research.
Heterogeneous expression of the atypical chemokine receptor ACKR3 in glioblastoma patient-derived tissue samples and cell cultures.
Authors: Isci Damla , Kuppens Amandine , Scalisi Joshua , Cokaiko Julie , D’Uonnolo Giulia , Wantz May , Szpakowska Martyna , Chevigné Andy , Rogister Bernard , Neirinckx Virginie
Published: March 2024

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive glial tumor of the adult brain, associated with invariably fatal outcome, and a deeper understanding of the underlying malignant mechanisms is necessary to address the current therapeutic failure. We previously demonstrated the role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in GBM cell migration and resistance to ionizing radiation. The atypical receptor ACKR3, responsible for CXCL12 scavenging, was previously suggested as additional important player in the context of GBM.
Methods: Flow cytometry was used on GBM cell lines and patient-derived GBM cell cultures to quantify the level of ACKR3 expression. Moreover, we have at our disposal patient- derived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, which is used for immunofluorescent analysis to characterize precisely ACKR3-positive cells. We used also an orthotopic xenograft model to study the impact of ACKR3 in vivo. Finally, qPCR analysis was also realized to study different gene expression on GBM cells.
Results: Following validation of our detection tools, we observed that ACKR3 is expressed within GBM patient tumor tissue, distributed in diverse cell types. In contrast to CXCR4, ACKR3 expression in patient-derived stem-like cells (GSCs) remains very low while ACKR3gene expression by tumor cells appears to be modulated by the in vivo environment. Using overexpression models, we also showed that in vitro ACKR3 had no significant effect on cell proliferation or invasion.
Conclusions: Altogether, these results suggest that ACKR3 plays a minor role in malignant GBM cells, although its expression is possibly regulated by in vivo influences. The subtle and multifaceted functions ACKR3 could exert in GBM should therefore only be tackled within a comprehensive tumor microenvironment considering tumoral but also non-tumoral cells.
Effects of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic parameters of women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wen Xinling , Li Fen , Yu Xuewen , Wang Li
Published: March 2024

Objective
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine and metabolic disease. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic parameters of PCOS women.
Methods
A total of 60 PCOS women with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to vitamin D group (2000 IU/day) or control group. The observational parameters were measured at baseline and after treatment (4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks), including body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin release test, and lipid metabolism parameters.
Results
The serum 25(OH)D concentrations at different time points after vitamin D supplementation were significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.05). In addition, with the extension of treatment time, the serum 25(OH)D concentration gradually increased. The BMI, WHR, insulin concentrations and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in women of Vitamin D group after 12 weeks of treatment were significantly lower than that in women of control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, The serum insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR at different time points of OGTT, serum TG, TC and LDL-C concentrations in women of vitamin D group (obesity) were significantly lower than that in control group (obesity) (P < 0.05). The BMI, WHR, TG, TC and LDL-C concentration in women of vitamin D group (IR) were significantly lower compared with control group (IR) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was seen in metabolic parameters between vitamin D group (non-obesity) and control group (non-obesity) (P > 0.05), and these differences of metabolic parameters were also not observed between vitamin D group (non-IR) and control group (non-IR) (P > 0.05).
Conclusion
The findings of this study supported that vitamin D supplementation had beneficial effects on metabolic parameters of PCOS women, especially in women with obesity or IR.
Effect of visceral fat on onset of metabolic syndrome
Authors: Bushita Hiroto , Ozato Naoki , Mori Kenta , Kawada Hiromitsu , Katsuragi Yoshihisa , Osaki Noriko , Mikami Tatsuya , Itoh Ken , Murashita Koichi , Nakaji Shigeyuki , Tamada Yoshinori
Published: March 2024

Background
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of cardiovascular and lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, early detection is important to prevent MetS. This study analysed the effects of visceral fat on MetS using health examination. A MetS onset prediction algorithm was developed.
Methods
Health examination data were obtained from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project conducted in Aomori Prefecture in Japan, wherein labels indicated the development of MetS within the three years (213 onset and 1320 non-onset cases). The data were divided into training and test data (8:2 ratio), and 18 onset prediction models were developed to support the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) value. The onset labels and non-invasive input data were used as the output and input variables, respectively. We selected the model with the highest area under the curve (AUC) score when conducting five-fold cross validation, and the AUC of the test data was calculated. Feature impact was calculated based on SHAP.
Results
There were 169 and 1058 people in the metabolic and non-metabolic syndrome groups, respectively. The visceral fat area was significantly higher in the onset group than in the non-onset group (p < 0.00001). The cut-off value based on the receiver operating characteristic curve was 82 cm2, and the AUC was 0.86. Machine learning was employed on six items reported to contribute to the onset of MetS in addition to visceral fat to build an onset prediction algorithm. The cross-validation AUC = 0.90 and test AUC = 0.88 indicated a high-accuracy algorithm. The visceral fat was found to be the main factor, as confirmed by conventional feature importance in machine learning.
Conclusions
Visceral fat is crucial to determining the onset of MetS in the future. A high-accuracy onset prediction algorithm was developed based on non-invasive parameters, including visceral fat.
Circulating C-reactive protein levels as a prognostic biomarker in breast cancer across body mass index groups
Authors: Holm Jonas Busk , Baggesen Emma , Cronin-Fenton Deirdre , Frystyk Jan , Bruun Jens Meldgaard , Christiansen Peer , Borgquist Signe
Published: March 2024

Purpose
Obesity and systemic inflammation are associated with breast cancer (BC) outcomes. Systemic inflammation is increased in obesity. We examined the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) overall, and according to body mass index (BMI).
Methods
We assembled a cohort of women with BC (stage I-III) seen at Aarhus University Hospital between 2010 and 2020 who donated blood at BC diagnosis (N = 2,673). CRP levels were measured and divided into quartiles. We followed patients from surgery to recurrence, contralateral BC, other malignancy, death, emigration, or end-of-follow-up. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) to compare outcomes across CRP quartiles, overall and stratified by BMI (normal-weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2), overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2), and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2)).
Results
During follow-up, 368 events (212 recurrences, 38 contralateral BCs, and 118 deaths) occurred (median follow-up 5.55 years). For DFS, high CRP (CRP ≥ 3.24 mg/L) was associated with an increased risk of events (HRadj:1.58 [95%CI = 1.12–2.24]). In BMI-stratified analyses, high CRP was associated with elevated risk of events in normal-weight and overweight (HRadj:1.70 [95%CI = 1.09–2.66]; HRadj:1.75 [95%CI = 1.08–2.86]), but in obesity, the estimate was less precise (HRadj:1.73 [95%CI = 0.78–3.83]). For OS, high CRP was associated with increased risk of death (HRadj:2.47 [95%CI = 1.62–3.76]). The association was strong in normal-weight and overweight (HRadj:3.66 [95%CI = 1.95–6.87]; HRadj:1.92 [95%CI = 1.06–3.46]), but less clear in obesity (HRadj:1.40 [95%CI = 0.64–3.09]).
Conclusion
High CRP levels at BC diagnosis were associated with inferior prognosis in early BC irrespective of BMI, although less clear in patients with obesity.
Study on influence of laser processing parameters on thermal effects and surface morphology of GDL
Authors: Xie Xuan , Tang Changwu , Wang Changguo , Xu Sheng , Yin Bifeng
Published: March 2024

Traditional macroscopic structural design for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) has gradually become insufficient to meet the demands for improving fuel cell performance. Femtosecond laser processing is a promising solution capable of achieving precise control over the material structure and improving the quality of the processed material. In this study, femtosecond laser processing technology is used to modify the surface microstructure of gas diffusion layers (GDL) in PEMFC, aiming to enhance the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow and electrochemical performance. In this paper, a novel coupled model based on the coupling of the two-temperature equation, phase transition and thermal stress is proposed. Comparison of the effects of different laser processing parameters on the surface morphology and thermal effects of carbon fibre materials. The impact of repetition rate on the heat-affected zone and pit quality is most significant. When rate increases from 100 kHz to 400 kHz, the heat-affected zone decreases from 42.8% to 29.3%. This process model can provide guidance and prediction for optimizing the laser processing parameters and improving the performance of the microporous structures.
GiMeFive: Towards Interpretable Facial Emotion Classification
Authors: Wang Jiawen , Kawka Leah
Published: March 2024

Deep convolutional neural networks have been shown to successfully recognize facial emotions for the past years in the realm of computer vision. However, the existing detection approaches are not always reliable or explainable, we here propose our model GiMeFive with interpretations, i.e., via layer activations and gradient-weighted class activation mapping. We compare against the state-of-the-art methods to classify the six facial emotions. Empirical results show that our model outperforms the previous methods in terms of accuracy on two Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) benchmarks and our aggregated FER GiMeFive. Furthermore, we explain our work in real-world image and video examples, as well as real-time live streams. Our code and supplementary material are available at https: //github.com/werywjw/SEP-CVDL.
Differential changes in the morphology and fuel loads of British obligatory and partial migrant passerines over half a century
Authors: Pickett Holly , Robinson Robert , Nudds Robert L.
Published: March 2024

Migratory distances and stop-over locations are changing for many passerines in response to climate change. Morphological changes have been linked to rising global temperatures in both migrants and residents, but the implications of these changes on fuel loads, and associated flight ranges are little studied. Wing length (lwing) and body mass (Mb) changes between 1964 and 2020 were calculated for 15 British migrant and partially migrant passerines. Changes in fuel load (Mf) and lean body mass (Mb−lean) were also estimated and used to predict flight ranges. Twelve of the species have undergone morphological and eight fuel load changes. Nine species were estimated to have reduced flight ranges, indicating that the morphological changes have not compensated fully for the reduction in flight range experienced since 1964. Partial migrants showed greater decreases in flight ranges than did full migrants, which may indicate greater behavioural plasticity in the former. Those species which do not adapt morphologically or behaviourally may be unable to complete long migrations, resulting in restriction to sub-optimal breeding/wintering habitats, or a need for more stops en route. This highlights the importance of conserving migratory stop-overs in the Mediterranean and north Africa.
Heat Removal from a Human Eye for Different Environmental Conditions - A CFD Study Using a Full-Scale Manikin
Authors: Feyli Farnaz , Yaghoubi Mahmood , Ahmadi Goodarz , Abouali Omid
Published: March 2024

The eye is an important organ of the human body, and its physiology can change mainly due to the ambient air temperature and velocity. In this study, a three-dimensional computational model for airflow around a full-scale manikin and the flow inside the eye is developed and used to evaluate the heat removal from the manikin eyes due to natural and forced convection under different environmental conditions. For natural convection, it was assumed that the movement of surrounding air was only due to the buoyancy effect in the body's thermal plume. Uniform air velocity and temperature far from the manikin were assumed for combined natural and forced convection. For simulating the velocity and temperature distribution, equations of continuity, momentum, energy, and turbulence transport model were solved numerically. The results for specific conditions were compared with the available experimental data reported in the literature and acceptable agreement was found. The validated computation model was used for several simulations of wind velocities and air temperatures. It was found that the eye surface temperature distribution predicted by the present model is closer to the experimental data than the earlier numerical studies for detached eyeballs using a constant convective heat transfer coefficient. The present results showed that the convective heat transfer coefficient over an eye surface depends strongly on the airflow velocity and temperature near the head.
The effects of radiotherapy and prognostic nomogram for pancreatic cancer patients with liver-only metastases
Authors: Liu Miaomiao , Yang Ping , Peng Jin , Zhou Fuxiang
Published: March 2024

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of radiotherapy on pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis only, and to establish a prognostic model.
Methods: Pancreatic cancer patients with liver-only metastases were obtained from 2010 to 2019 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Then they were divided into a radiotherapy group and a non-radiotherapy group. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) before and after propensity score matching(PSM) was compared between the two groups. The radiotherapy group was then divided into training and validation cohorts. The prognostic nomogram for 6-, and 12-mouth CSS was constructed based on the training set. In addition, 38 patients were recruited from our hospital as an external validation set. The calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, Harrell’s concordance index (C-index), decision curve analysis (DCA), and Kaplan-Meier analysis based on risk stratification were performed to evaluate and verify this model.
Results: A total of 17453 patients with hepatic oligometastatic pancreatic cancer were included, of which 622 ( 3.6 % ) received radiotherapy and 16831 ( 96.4 % ) did not. Radiotherapy can significantly prolong survival time [median CSS: 8 months vs 5 months (HR, 0.716; 95%CI=0.655–0.783; p<0.001)]. After PSM, similar results can be obtained [median CSS: 8 months vs 7 months (HR, 0877; 95% CI=0.772–0.997; P=0.045)]. Independent prognostic factors in radiotherapy patients included age, race, histology, N staging, surgery, and chemotherapy. The ROC, C-index and Calibration curves showed good discrimination and calibration. DCA and KM curves further demonstrated the model's clinical applicability.
Conclusion: Radiotherapy significantly improves survival compared to non-radiotherapy. Patients younger than 70 years old, non-black, with no lymph node metastasis, primary tumor surgery, and systemic chemotherapy have better prognosis. Finally, we developed and validated a model for prognostication and patient counseling.
The analysis of the dry bulb temperature database measured at Beer Sheva, Israel with regard to the global climate change theses
Authors: Kudish Avraham I , Evseev Efim G
Published: March 2024

A database consisting of dry bulb temperatures monitored at Beer Sheva, Israel between August 1988 and December 2023 was first analyzed to determine the corresponding average monthly diurnal (06:00–18:00), nocturnal (18:00–06:00) and daily (24h) values. The database was then studied to determine if any trends in the dry bulb temperatures existed during the time intervals under investigation. Positive trends were observed for all months during all time intervals with the exception of April within the diurnal and daily time intervals. The positive trends were greatest during February in all time intervals (~ 1°C/decade) and smallest in June during the diurnal and daily time intervals and October during the nocturnal time interval (~ 0.30 to 0.45°C/decade). The dry bulb temperatures measured during 2023 was then extricated from the initial database. An inter-comparison was then performed between the average monthly values during the time intervals under investigation between 2023 and corresponding values of the now 1988–2022 database. The degree of deviation between the 2023 average monthly values relative to the 1988–2022 average monthly values was based upon the ratio of the difference between the average monthly values and the standard deviation of the 1988–2022 database. The most significant positive deviations between 2023 and the 1988–2022 database were observed during the months July through September and, in general, the positive deviations occurred between July and December. A similar analysis, i.e., intercomparison, with regard to the average monthly maximum and minimum values between 2023 and 1988–2022 database. Significant positive deviations were observed during all months with regard to the minimum values, whereas positive deviations with regard to maximum values were only detected from July to December. Consequently, the monthly average daily temperature range (DTR) was reduced during 2023 relative to that observed between 1988–2022. The monthly average DTR was reduced during 2023 by a maximum of 5.2°C in April and a minimum of 0.2°C in July.
Investigating the Therapeutic Potential of Uric Acid in Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from the cGMP-PKG Signaling Pathway
Authors: C Tara SR , Li Lifang , Jiang Qiuhong , Mao Yu-Rong , Wei Shoupeng , Lo Ambrose , Huang Dong-feng
Published: March 2024

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, both contributing to disease progression. Uric acid (UA) has emerged as a potential therapeutic agent due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. However, the precise mechanisms underlying UA's role in AD pathogenesis remain unclear.
Methods: BV2 microglial cells were subjected to treatments with UA, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or a combination of both. Analyses of gene expression profiling, protein assessment, ELISA, ROS assays, and proteomic analysis were performed. Statistical analyses involved one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's multiple comparison tests and Student’s unpaired t-test for group comparisons.
Results: UA treatment markedly suppressed LPS-induced upregulation of NF-𝜅B and NLRP3 mRNA expression (p < 0.001). Inflammatory cytokine release (IL-1β and TNF𝜶) was reduced by up to 50% (p < 0.05) with UA treatment, while oxidative stress was mitigated, evidenced by an 84% reduction in ROS levels (p < 0.001) and a 32% increase in antioxidant enzyme activity (p < 0.01). Proteomic analysis unveiled significant alterations in key signaling pathways pertinent to AD pathology, including downregulation of cholesterol metabolism (p < 0.05) and upregulation of cGMP-PKG (p < 0.001) and Wnt signaling pathways (p < 0.001). Notably, UA treatment induced increased expression of Atp2b4, a pivotal regulator of calcium homeostasis, suggesting its potential role in mediating the observed antioxidative effects.
Conclusions: UA exhibits promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects in BV2 microglial cells, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic avenue for AD. These findings offer valuable insights into UA's molecular mechanisms and advocate for further investigation to validate its clinical efficacy in managing AD. Understanding UA's role in modulating neuroinflammatory pathways and oxidative stress could pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions in AD management.
Household Food Insecurity, Coping Strategies and Associated Factors among Pension Beneficiaries in the Gondar City Administration, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Gebremichael Tseganesh , Ali Esmael , Atnafu Azeb , Gelaw Aschalew , Tariku Amare
Published: March 2024

Background: Food insecurity is a major public health problem in developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Pension beneficiaries are vulnerable to poverty for various reasons. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, coping strategies and associated factors for household food insecurity among pension beneficiaries in the Gondar City Administration.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 01, 2022, to August 4, 2022. A total of 615 pension beneficiaries were included in the study. Household food insecurity (HFI) was assessed by using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). A structured questionnaire was used to gather demographic and socioeconomic data. An ordinal logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors of household food insecurity.
Result: The prevalence of household food insecurity was 75.9% (95% CI: 72.4- 79.4). The proportions of households that had mild, moderate and severe food insecurity were 14.5%, 18.4% and 43.1%, respectively. The demographic variables, such as sex, marital status, occupation, family size, and socioeconomic variables, such as livestock, local aid, remittance, monthly income, and house ownership, were found to be independent factors influencing the occurrence of household food insecurity. Households of male pension beneficiaries were nearly twice as likely to be food insecure than females were. Households of pension beneficiaries who had their own house were less likely to be affected by different levels of food insecurity. The most common coping mechanisms identified involved decreasing the amount and frequency of meals and eating cheap and low-quality foods.
Conclusion: A large proportion of pension beneficiaries experienced different levels of food insecurity, with the highest proportion being severely insecure. Policy makers should put particular emphasis on the availability of local aid and access to credit to pension beneficiaries.
Multimodal prehabilitation for colorectal cancer patients: study protocol of a nationwide multicentre study with uniform prehabilitation protocols
Authors: Sabajo C. R. , Dieleman J. P. , Dekker J. W. , Heuvel B. , Klaase J. M. , Slooter G. D.
Published: March 2024

Background
The aim of prehabilitation is to optimize patient specific modifiable risk factors before major surgery, in order to enhance the individual resilience. In recent years, a considerable amount of research has been done on the effectiveness of prehabilitation. Due to the lack of universal guidelines, prehabilitation has been conducted in various ways, making it difficult to estimate its effect. In the Netherlands, proposed uniform prehabilitation protocols were developed. The aim of this study is to analyse clinical outcomes of prehabilitation when implemented as standard of care according to the proposed uniform protocols.
Methods
Uniform prehabilitation protocols were created based on the multimodal program of the PREHAB randomized controlled trial. All hospitals in the Netherlands that implemented prehabilitation according to the proposed protocols, for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery, will be asked to participate. This study will recruit 535 patients who underwent prehabilitation and 535 one-to-one nearest neighbour propensity score matched patients who did not undergo prehabilitation (historical cohort). Clinical outcomes will be compared between the prehabilitation group and the historical cohort group using regression analyses. The primary outcome of interest is 90-day presence of postoperative complications. In addition, length of hospital stay and readmissions will be analysed.
Discussion
Prehabilitation has been proven to reduce the risk of complications and hospital length of stay. Prehabilitation has however been defined in various ways, since there is no standardized program. This multicentre cohort study will estimate the clinical effect of prehabilitation implemented as standard of care according to proposed uniform protocols. Furthermore, the presented protocols can be used by other hospitals to set up a prehabilitation program.
Reliable Noninvasive Methods for Assessing Nutritional Status and Basal energy Expenditure in MHD Patients: Focus on Basal Energy Expenditure
Authors: Wang Jenn-Yeu , Chen Shu-Chin , Chiang Ming-Chun , Lin Yuh-Feng , Hwang Betau , Wang Jenn Yeu
Published: March 2024

Our aim was to (1) evaluate the agreement between basal energy Expenditure (BEE) derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) immediately after hemodialysis (HD) and BEE determined using the Harris–Benedict equation and (2) identify the determinants of BEE in patients receiving HD. This cross-sectional study included 35 patients treated with HD two to three times a week from 2003 to 2004at Taipei Municipal Zhongxiao Hospital. BEE was measured using BIA immediately after HD. Next, Altman–Bland analysis of BEE was performed to evaluate the agreement between the BIA method and the Harris–Benedict method. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the association of BEE with demographic data, anthropometric data, and body composition. BEE derived from BIA immediately after HD exhibited poor agreement with BEE determined using the Harris–Benedict method and was nonsignificantly larger. BEE was also positively correlated with lean body mass. In the multiple linear regression analysis, lean body mass was the most powerful independent determinant of BIA-derived BEE. Gender-based differences, height and lean body mass were noted in the prediction of BIA-derived BEE. This study revealed that understanding of the changes of scheduled basal energy Expenditure is paramount and related to changes of lean body mass condition of maintenance hemodialysis patients.
Exploring the Impact of Rainfall Temporal Distribution and Critical Durations on Flood Hazard Modeling
Authors: Gomes Marcus N. , Jalihal Vijay , Mendiondo Eduardo Mario
Published: March 2024

Urbanization and climate change amplify challenges posed by floods for both city dwellers and planners. Flood modeling, rooted in geosciences and atmospheric sciences, operates in a non-linear and multi-modal fashion, marked by uncertainties from factors like soil infiltration characteristics, floodplain roughness, and spatio-temporal variations in rainfall volume, distribution, and intensities. This paper addresses these challenges by introducing a flood mapping methodology that incorporates synthetic design storms and compares them with a fitted median rainfall distribution derived from high-resolution observed rainfall data in the catchment. The flood hazard effect of choosing different rainfall temporal distribution methods is investigated. The Alternating Blocks Method and the Huff curves method, one of the most widely used methods in engineering hydrology, were chosen as representative synthetic rainfall methods for flood mapping assessment and compared against the measured median rainfall distribution. The framework was applied in a 131 km2 flood-prone urban catchment in Bangalore, India. Evaluation of different rainfall distributions reveals a potential 50% smaller areas with flood hazard, for the same return period and duration, simply by selecting a specific rainfall distribution compared to the expected fitted median rainfall distribution based on observed data. This research not only underscores the importance of appropriate rainfall distribution selection and critical rainfall duration, but also highlights the need for accurate data-driven methodologies in flood mapping, particularly in the face of urbanization and climate-induced complexities.
Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Annulation of N-Methoxy Amides and Arynes: Computational Mechanistic Insights and Substituents Effects
Authors: Alves Erick H. S. , Oliveira Daniel A. S. , Braga Ataualpa A. C.
Published: March 2024

The mechanisms of the palladium(II)-catalyzed annulation reaction of N-methoxy amides and arynes were computationally investigated by density functional theory. The role of methoxy amide as a directing group was elucidated through the calculation of three different pathways for the C-H activation step, showing that the pathway where amide nitrogen acts as directing group is preferable. At the reductive elimination transition state an unstable seven membered-ring is formed preventing the lactam formation. A substituent effect study based on an NBO analysis, Hammet, and using a More O’Ferall-Jenks plot indicates that the C-H activation step proceeds via an electrophilic concerted metalation-deprotonation (eCMD) mechanism. The results show that electron-withdrawing groups increase the activation barrier and contribute to an early Pd-C bond formation and a late C-H bond breaking when compared with electron-donating substituents. Our computational results are in agreement with experimental data provided in the literature.
Physical Properties of Isolated Cellulose Fiber from Jute and Banana Fiber through Kraft Pulping: Promising Applications in Packaging and Regenerated Fibers
Authors: Rahman Md Mahfuzur , Payel Md. Turab Haque , Asaduzzaman Md. , Hossain Sajid , Ali Mohammad
Published: March 2024

Cellulose, a naturally abundant biopolymer, holds great potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers. However, the lack of knowledge and awareness regarding cellulose usage, especially derived from agricultural sources, has impeded the full exploitation of this highly biodegradable resource. This study aimed to extract and characterize cellulose from jute and banana fibers. The extracted cellulose exhibits a light yellow to white color, and microscopic analysis of the fibers showed micro fibrils. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) characterization indicated that the cellulose samples encompass both cellulose-I and cellulose-II structures. Moreover, increasing the M:L ratio of alkali enhanced the percentage of cellulose extraction. The findings of this study carry significant implications for the efficient production of cellulose fibers, with diverse applications spanning from high-volume products like regenerated fibers, automotive parts, packaging, absorbent products (diapers), textiles, and precast concrete, drug delivery mediums, electronics, additive manufacturing, bone and tissue scaffolding, and so on. This research opens the door to harnessing the potential of cellulose derived from jute and banana fibers in various industries.
Validation of the Social Functioning Questionnaire "SFQ" in Moroccan Dialectal Arabic
Authors: Yassine BENHADDOUCH , TOUHAMI Youssef OUAZZANI HOUSNI , FARES Nour El Houda , BENMAAMAR Soumaya , BOUT Amine , AARAB Chadya , ELFAKIR Samira , AALOUANE Rachid
Published: March 2024

The Social Functioning Questionnaire is a self-assessment scale developed to meet the need for a rapid assessment of social functioning.
The aim of this work is to validate the SFQ scale in Moroccan dialectal Arabic and its intercultural adaptation.
Method: We carried out a two-stage cross-sectional study: a qualitative phase aimed at translating the SFQ and a quantitative phase during which 81 patients followed in the psychiatric department and 40 control subjects with no psychiatric disorders completed the SFQ.
Results: Internal consistency was 0.76, and test-retest reliability was satisfactory.
Conclusion: The SFQ proves to be a reliable tool for gathering information on social functioning in our Moroccan context.
TRIPs-Py: Techniques for Regularization of Inverse Problems in Python
Authors: Pasha Mirjeta , Gazzola Silvia , Sanderford Connor , Ugwu Ugochukwu O.
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we describe TRIPs-Py, a new Python package of linear discrete inverse problems solvers and test problems. The goal of the package is two-fold: 1) to provide tools for solving small and large-scale inverse problems, and 2) to introduce test problems arising from a wide range of applications. The solvers available in TRIPs-Py include direct regularization methods (such as truncated singular value decomposition and Tikhonov) and iterative regularization techniques (such as Krylov subspace methods and recent solvers for ℓp-ℓq formulations, which enforce sparse or edge-preserving solutions and handle different noise types). All our solvers have built-in strategies to define the regularization parameter(s). Some of the test problems in TRIPs-Py arise from simulated image deblurring and computerized tomography, while other test problems model realistic problems in dynamic computerized tomography.Numerical examples are included to illustrate the usage as well as the performance of the described methods on the provided test problems. To the best of our knowledge, TRIPs-Py is the first Python software package of this kind, which may serve both research and didactical purposes.
Computational approaches: Atom-based 3D-QSAR, molecular docking, ADME-Tox, MD simulation and DFT to find novel multi-targeted Anti-tubercular agents
Authors: Panigrahi Debadash , Sahu Susanta Kumar
Published: March 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) has become the biggest threat towards human society due to the rapid rise in resistance of the causative bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) against the available anti-tubercular drugs. There is an urgent need to design new multi-targeted anti-tubercular agents to overcome the resistance species of MTB through computational design tools. With this aim in the present work, a combination of atom-based three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), six-point pharmacophore (AHHRRR), and molecular docking analysis was performed on a series of fifty-eight anti-tubercular agents. The generated QSAR model showed statistically significant correlation co-efficient R2, Q2, and Pearson r-factor of 0.9521, 0.8589, and 0.8988 respectively indicating good predictive ability. Molecular docking study was performed for the data set of compounds with the two important anti-tubercular target proteins, Enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) (PDBID: 2NSD) and Decaprenyl phosphoryl-β-D-Ribose 20-epimerase (DprE1) (PDBID: 4FDO). Using the similarity search principle virtual screening was performed on 237 compounds retrieved from the Pubchem database to identify potent multitargeted anti-tubercular agents. The screened compound, MK3 showed the highest docking score of -9.2 and − 8.3 Kj/mol towards both the target proteins InhA and DprE1 were picked for 100ns molecular dynamic simulation study using GROMACS. From the data generated, the compound MK3 showed thermodynamic stability and effective binding within the active binding pocket of both target proteins without much deviation. The result of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and energy gap analysis predicts the molecular reactivity and stability of the identified molecule. Based on the result of the above studies the proposed compound MK3 can be successfully used for the development of a novel multi-targeted anti-tubercular agent with high binding affinity and favourable ADME-T properties.
The impact of different mating systems on locomotion in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Han Rui , Zhang Jun , Wang Ruo-Xi , Xu Jia-Xin , Weng Kai-Chen , Wang An-Xin , Huang Hao , Lu Yu-Yuan , Chen Yi-Jie , Wang Yu-Chen
Published: March 2024

The impact of mating systems on individual behavior and physiology is a significant topic within evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology. This study aims to explore the effects of different mating systems on locomotion in Drosophila melanogaster. By employing various mating contexts such as virginity, monogamy, polygamy, and serial monogamy, the study measures the locomotion of both male and female fruit flies. Results indicate that virgin males exhibit higher locomotion levels including activity level and moving average speed, whereas males in serial monogamy show a notable decrease in activity. In contrast, female locomotion does not significantly differ across mating systems. These findings highlight the influence of mating behaviors on male physiological states and suggest potential implications for lifespan related to mating strategies. This research provides novel insights into the impact of mating strategies on the behavioral and physiological mechanisms in animals, and establishes a fundamental understanding of the application of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism in the study of behavioral biology.
A fast and feature-retained simplification method for point cloud
Authors: Zhang Haiquan , Luo Yong
Published: March 2024

In order to solve the problem that the speed of feature-based point cloud simplification methods is slow, a fast and feature-retained point cloud simplification method based on voxel convex hull is proposed in this paper, which avoids the calculation of a large number of features and has good simplification effect. In this method, point cloud is quickly voxelized, and then the voxels are divided into two types according to the number of points in each voxel: less-point voxel and more-point voxel. Less-point voxels are simplified directly using uniform sampling method. More-point voxels are simplified by using the voxel convex hull method. The convex hull volume and directed projection area of points within each more-point voxel are calculated as voxels’ feature values, and then the point cloud is divided into groups according to the feature values and points in different groups are simplified separately. Finally, the simplified point cloud is obtained by fusing the simplification results of less-point voxels and more-point voxels. The reduction ratio of point cloud is controllable and the parameters are easy to be set in this method. Experiments show that the simplification time of this method is more than 50% lower than that of the simplification method based on features and clustering. The retention of point cloud features of this method is obviously higher than that of traditional methods such as uniform sampling method, and the average curvature is improved by about 10%. Surface reconstruction experiment shows this method does well in sharp features retaining. Moreover, the reduction ratio of this method is controllable, and the parameters are flexible and easy to be set.
The Relationship among Disconnection and Rejection Schema, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation, Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Undergraduate Student NSSI: A Moderated-Moderated Mediation Effect Study
Authors: Jun	Ahn Hyeong , Chang Seok-jin
Published: March 2024

The Disconnection and rejection schema and difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). This study examined whether trait mindfulness moderates the association between disconnection and rejection schema, difficulties in emotion regulation and NSSI. Past research has shown mindfulness and self-compassion to be positively related. However, little is known about their interrelationship and the NSSI. We hypothesized that mindfulness would attenuate NSSI, and that the level of self-compassion would modulate this effect. A convenience sample of 454 college student (40.1% male, 59.9% female) aged 19 to 29 years (M = 22.9, SD = 2.2) completed an online questionnaire that disconnection and rejection schema, NSSI, difficulties in emotion regulation, mindfulness, and self-compassion. When mindfulness and self-compassion were in harmony, NSSI decreased significantly. Self-compassion was found to reduce NSSI in participants who developed mindfulness, while it tended to worsen NSSI in participants unfamiliar with mindfulness. The results from this sample highlight the positive interconnections between mindfulness and self-compassion can be leveraged to alleviate the risk factors of NSSI in college students. To maximize the synergistic effects of these two approaches, it is recommended to prioritize mindfulness interventions.