bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-word immunogenicity of a recombinant subunit COVID-19 vaccine and effectiveness against omicron infection: a prospective, multi-centre, longitudinal cohort study in Alzheimer's disease patients
Authors: Weng Youhong , Huang Yihua , Zhang Jiangtao , Wu Yahan , He Qing , Litchev Sofia , Wu Aimee , Ling Zongxin , Zhao Longyou , Liao Rongxian , Shao Li , Wang Minchao , Lai Yunru , Li Jie , Xu Yu , Gong Ruoyao , Zhang Zhihua , Wang Yuwei , Lu Shaohong , Lv Hao , Kong Qingming
Published: April 2024

Introduction Vaccination is an essential strategy against COVID-19 in the current era of emerging variants. This study evaluates the real-world immunogenicity and effectiveness of the recombinant subunit COVID-19 vaccine (Zifivax) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.Methods 249 AD patients were enrolled in a multicentre, longitudinal cohort study. Levels of RBD-IgG, neutralization antibody activity, and cytokines were identified to evaluate the immune responses. Clinical outcomes were assessed within one month following Omicron infection..Results Following three doses, the vaccine induced a robust immune response, elevating neutralizing antibodies and activating T-cells. AD patients exhibited significantly higher humoral immune responses compared to unvaccinated counterparts. Following Omicron infection, unvaccinated patients experienced higher levels of Th1/Th2-type cytokines than vaccinated individuals. Vaccination correlated with increased survival rates and extended survival times after infection..Discussion The findings highlight the vaccine's efficacy in reducing severe illness, and preventing death in AD patients facing Omicron infection.
A Large-Scale Mixed Reality Stadium for Training Combination Tactics in Basketball
Authors: Saiki Hayato , Hirokawa Masakazu , Hassan Modar , Suzuki Kenji
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes a mixed reality (MR)-based large-scale environment for training combination tactics in basketball. This MR environment enables human players to practice various combination tactics such as ball passing and screens with virtual players overlaid in the real environment using a see-through head-mounted display (HMD). Positions of human players and the ball were tracked using an optical motion capture system and transmitted to a unity-based control system, facilitating quantitative and real-time evaluation of gameplay. The evaluation was conducted through coaching experiments using the MR system involving novice players, along with validation evaluation experiments between the developed environment and real space through skilled basketball players. The coaching experiment with novice learners demonstrated that the proposed MR environment was more effective than conventional methods for training combination tactics.Additionally, the validation experiment with skilled players showed no significant differences in player behavior between the proposed environment and the real space, suggesting that the observed coaching results could be transferrable to real courts. These results demonstrate the potential of MR technology in skill training involving multiplayer coordination.
DNA Methylation Patterns in Umbilical Cord Blood from Infants of Methadone Maintained Opioid Dependent Mothers
Authors: Adegboyega Oluwatobi O. , Betal Suhita Gayen nee’ , Urday Pedro , Huang Rachel , Bodycot Katherine , Al-Kouatly Huda B. , Solarin Kolawole , Chan Joanna SY. , Addya Sankar , Boelig Rupsa C. , Aghai Zubair H.
Published: April 2024

Methadone maintenance treatment for opioid dependent mothers is standard of care. Infants of methadone maintained opioid dependent (MMOD) mothers have better outcomes compared to infants of opioid dependent mothers without treatment. However, when compared to non-exposed infants, infants of MMOD mothers are associated with worse outcomes. We conducted a pilot study to examine genome wide differential DNA methylation using cord blood samples from sixteen term and near-term infants of MMOD and opioid naïve mothers, excluding Infants with chorioamnionitis. A total of 152 differentially methylated loci were identified at a difference > + 2, < -2 and p-value < 0.05. There were 90 hypermethylated loci (59 annotated genes) and 62 hypomethylated loci (38 annotated genes) observed. The hypermethylated and hypomethylated DNA changes involved multiple genes, pathways and networks that may explain some of the changes seen in infants of MMOD mothers. Top hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes involved areas of cell growth, neurodevelopment, vision and xenobiotic metabolism functions. Our data may explain the role of key pathways and genes relevant to neonatal outcomes seen from methadone exposure in pregnancy. Functional studies on the identified pathways and genes could lead to improved understanding of the mechanisms and identify areas for intervention.
Assessing Formal Mental Health Help-seeking Perceptions, and Attitudes towards Campus-based Mental Healthcare Services amongst University Students in Rwanda.
Authors: Ingabire Sandrine , Norvixoxo Kwame Samuel
Published: April 2024

Mental health issues are prevalent among college students, but only a fraction of them seek professional mental health support. This is especially so in Africa where there is little to no sufficient mental health services. The lack of comprehensive data about prevalence further exacerbates the problem. The aim of this study is to assess perceptions, behaviour and attitudes towards formal mental health help-seeking behaviour among university students. The study used a mixed-method design and employed an online survey to collect data from 185 college students enrolled in 15 universities in Rwanda. A descriptive approach was used in analysing the data. The study found that the majority of students (61.6%) acknowledged the value of seeking help, and perceived mental disorders to be like any other medical illnesses. However, only 9.7% of that number sought professional help. Privacy concerns, trust issues and perceived lack of comfort when seeking help were the main justifications why they did not seek mental help support. Participants overall showed positive attitudes towards campus-based mental healthcare services. However, they are hesitant to patronise these services due to the unavailability of established wellness centres in some schools. Also, due to the limited number of trained mental health professionals in Rwanda, some of the wellness centres in these higher education institutions employ students. This could explain the trust and privacy concerns raised by the students. Consequently, they prefer informal ways of seeking help, such as talking to friends and family, as they deem them more trustworthy. However, none of the study participants could account for the sufficiency of this approach. The study recommends the use of digital platforms that will leverage access to professional mental healthcare in and outside of Rwanda for students.
Identification of potential Ferroptosis-Related Biomarkers and Immune Infiltration in Human Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Wang Dinghui , Yang Huiping , Xiong Tianhua , Xiong Bingquan , She Qiang , Liu Bin
Published: April 2024

Background
The role of structural remodeling in the development and persistence of atrial fibrillation atrial fibrillation (AF) is significant, although its mechanism remains unknown at present. This study aims to explore the transcriptomic mechanisms of AF structural remodeling through bioinformatics analysis.
Methods
These microarrays GSE14975, GSE31821 and GSE79768 were acquired from the GEO database. Next, a series of bioinformatics methods were used, such as R language, DAVID, STING, and Cytoscape software, to study the DEG between AF and control samples. Then, we found genes related to ferroptosis from FerrDb database and conducted joint analysis with differentially expressed genes (DEG). In addition, we predicted several transcription factors that regulate DEG and conducted immune infiltration analysis using CIBERSORT software.
Results
a total of 363 up-regulated DEGs and 308 down-regulated DEGs were identified from atrium cordis samples of 16 AF patients and 13 controls. Functional changes of DEGs mainly focus on positive regulation of inflammatory response, signal transduction, inflammatory response, immune response, oxidation-reduction process and extracellular matrix organization. Eleven DE-FRGs were identified, including HSPB1, ALOX15, ETV4, ACO1, CHAC1, FH, PARP15, IFNG, ACSL1, FABP4 and IL1B and several TFs (POLE2, GATA5, CEBPA, ATF3, MEF2C) were predicted via Cytoscape software. Macrophage M2 was found to occupy the largest proportion of all the immune cells.
Conclusion
The occurrence of AF may be a result of fibrosis caused by myocardial cell ferroptosis and imbalance of the immune microenvironment. Obtained DE-FRGs HSPB1, ALOX15, ETV4, ACO1, CHAC1, FH, PARP15, IFNG, ACSL1, FABP4 and IL1B and predicted TFs POLE2, GATA5, CEBPA, ATF3, MEF2C can be seen as potential targets for preventing AF.
Study on selected properties of the surface layer of magnesium alloys after impulse shot peening
Authors: Skoczylas Agnieszka , Zaleski Kazimierz , Ciecieląg Krzysztof , Matuszak Jakub
Published: April 2024

Shot peening is a commonly used method of finishing machine elements in the manufacturing process. One variation of shot peening is the impulse shot peening. This paper presents the influence of impulse shot peening technological conditions on the surface roughness (parameters Ra and Rt) and topography, microhardness. The FEM was used to determine the S11 stresses. In the experiment and simulation tests, AZ31 and AZ91HP magnesium alloy samples were used. Variable parameters in the impulse shot peening process were: impact energy E: 15 ÷ 185 mJ, ball diameter d: 3 ÷ 15 mm and impact density j: 3 ÷ 44 mm− 2. As a result of the tests carried out, it was found that after impulse shot peening, the surface topography is change, microirregularities are flattened, numerous depressions are formed, which can be potential lubrication pockets. The 2D surface roughness parameters for most impulse shot peening conditions are lower than for the pre-machining. The roughness parameters for magnesium alloy AZ91HP are lower than for AZ31. This is most likely due to the lower elongation A. The microhardness after impulse shot peening increased by 20 HV to 87 HV. As a result of FEM of the impulse shot peening, compressive stresses S11 were created in the surface layer. The depth of occurrence of S11 stresses is from 1.5 to 3.5 mm, and their value for the AZ91HP magnesium alloy samples are 10–25% lower than for the AZ31 alloy samples. The most favorable results of the tested properties of the surface layer were obtained for E = 100 mJ, d = 10 mm, j = 11 mm− 2.The abstract serves both as a general introduction to the topic and as a brief, non-technical summary of the main results and their implications.
WITHDRAWN: The ability of Lupine plant extract to adhere to copper surfaces in sulphamic acid and prevent corrosion
Authors: Alatawi Raedah A.S. , Keshk Ali A. , Alhawiti Aliyah S. , Bukhari Abeer Abdulaziz H. , Alatawi Omar M. , Elsayed Nadia H. , Al-Rasheed Hessa H.
Published: April 2024

The application of lupine extract in a 2 M sulfamic acid (H2NSO3H) solution effectively prevented copper corrosion. Various techniques were employed to conduct these experiments, including mass loss ML, dynamic potential polarization PL, and electrochemical impedance EIS. Theoretical calculations, such as DFT, Fukui function, and Monte Carlo simulations, were also utilized. FT-IR spectroscopy was utilized to analyze the surface composition of Cu. The shape of the Cu surface was determined using advanced nanotechnology techniques, specifically scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The investigation focused on the impact of Lupine extract on Cu corrosion in sulfamic acid at a temperature of 250C. The inhibition rate of Cu corrosion was assessed using mass loss (ML) as the primary measurement method. After conducting a thorough analysis of its interaction with copper surfaces, it was determined that the substance exhibits chemical adsorption characteristics and adheres to the Langmuir isotherm model. Upon examining the PL curves, it becomes evident that the Lupine extract functions as a mixed-type inhibitor. The effectiveness of inhibition was observed to rise as the concentration of Lupine increased. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that increased temperatures have a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of inhibition. The density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo simulation (MC) were utilized to compare the experimental results with the theoretical calculations.
The Effectiveness of Socially Assistive Robots in Improving Children’s Pain and Negative Affectivity during Needle-based Invasive Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Pan Xin-yun , Bi Xuan-yi , Nong Yan-ning , Ye Xu-chun , Yan Yan , Shang Jing , Zhou Yi-min , Yao Yu-zhe
Published: April 2024

Background The ability of socially assistive robots (SARs) to treat dementia and Alzheimer’s disease has been verified. Currently, to increase the range of their application, there is an increasing amount of interest in using SARs to relieve pain and negative emotions among children in routine medical settings. However, there is little consensus regarding the use of these robots. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SARs on pain and negative affectivity among children undergoing invasive needle-based procedures. Design This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook guidelines. Methods The PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, and WanFang databases were searched from inception to January 2024 to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0 (RoB2.0) to assess the risk of bias among the included studies, and we used RevMan 6.3 software to conduct the meta-analysis. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Results Ten RCTs involving 815 pediatric subjects were selected for this review and reported outcomes related to pain and emotions during IV placement, port needle insertion, flu vaccination, blood sampling, and dental treatment. Children undergoing needle-related procedures with SARs reported less anxiety (SMD= -0.36; 95% CI= -0.64, -0.09; P = 0.01) and fewer distressed avoidance behaviors (SMD= -0.67; 95% CI= -1.04, -0.30; P = 0.0004) than did those receiving typical care. There were nonsignificant differences between these groups in terms of in pain (SMD = -0.02; 95% CI = − 0.81, 0.78; P = 0.97) and fear (SMD = 0.38; 95% CI= -0.06, 0.82; P = 0.09). The results of exploratory subgroup analyses revealed no statistically significant differences based on the intervention type of robots or anesthetic use. Conclusions The use of SARs is a promising intervention method for alleviating anxiety and distress among children undergoing needle-related procedures. However, additional high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to further validate these conclusions. Registrations The protocol of this study has been registered in the database PROSPERO (registration ID: CRD42023413279).
Role of CD64 on CD14+ CD16+ Monocytes in Mediating the Effect of genus Collinsella on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Yu Ru yi , Chen Guoyong , xia dong
Published: April 2024

Objective Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have explored the association between gut microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the role of monocytes in this relationship remains unclear.Methods We performed a bidirectional and mediation Mendelian randomization(MR) study using summary statistics from the genome-wide association studies of gut microbial taxa (Dutch Microbiome Project, n = 7738), immune cells (GWAS Catalog, (accession numbers from GCST0001391 to GCST0002121, n = 3757), and NAFLD (the FinnGen study, 2568 cases and 409613 controls). We utilized two-sample MR analysis to assess the association between gut microbes and NAFLD and calculated the mediating effects of immune cells on this association. The primary methods for causal inference were Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW) test and Bayesian Weighted Mendelian Randomization (BWMR). A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to ensure the robustness of our results.Results genus Collinsella is the most significant taxon causally associated with NAFLD among five microbial taxa [odds ratio = 1.453, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.120–1.883, P-value = 0.0048]. The BWMR analysis confirmed this causal relationship. The univariable MR analysis showed that CD64 on CD14 + CD16 + monocyte was causal immune cell for NAFLD. (OR = 1.227, 95% CI = 1.036–1.453, P = 0.018). The mediation MR analysis showed that CD64 on CD14 + CD16 + monocyte mediated the causal effects of genus Collinsella on NAFLD (proportion mediated = 13.5%, 95% CI = 1.4–30.8%).Conclusion Our study identified a causal relationship between genus Collinsella and NAFLD, with a proportion of the effect mediated by a specific monocyte.
Collision Avoidance Method for Unmanned Ships by Using A Modified APF Algorithm
Authors: Li Lianbo , Wu Wenhao , Li Zhengqian , Wang Fangjie
Published: April 2024

This paper proposed a dynamic collision avoidance method based on Artificial Potential Field (APF) algorithm for unmanned ships, and improves the defects of traditional APF respectively: In order to make unmanned ships perform collision avoidance operation safely and comply with good seamanship and the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGS), this paper introduces a ship domain priority judgment encounter situation, so that the algorithm can make collision avoidance operations compatible with the actual; For the path interference and target unreachability problems, this paper introduces a new attractive potential field function for improvement, which divides the attractive potential field of the target point into multiple segments simultaneously. Meanwhile, the repulsive force on own ship is reduced when own ship is close to the target point, to avoid the path interference and overcome the target unreachability problem. Finally, for the path oscillation problem, this paper refers to partial ideas of the Dynamic Window Approach (DWA) to integrate the potential field based on the traditional APF. By comparing with the traditional APF algorithm, the overall smoothing degree is improved by 71.8% comprehensively, and the effectiveness and superiority of the algorithm are verified.
Comparative evaluation of haemato-biochemical and oxidative stress markers in natural patent and latent infection of Theileria equi in horses
Authors: Parashar Rahul , Singla L.D. , Kaur Paramjit , Sharma S.K.
Published: April 2024

Relative association of haemato-biochemical findings with oxidative stress markers was evaluated between natural patent and latent infection of Theileria equi in horses to divulge the roll of these parameters in the pathogenesis of illness due to non-availablity in literature. Blood was collected from 429 equines of 16 districts of the Punjab and samples positive by microscopy (patent Group I; n = 13), by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (latent group II; n = 38) and healthy control (group III, n = 64) were compared for haematological-biochemical index and stress parameters. Significant anaemia in both group I and group II, and considerable neutrophilia and lymphocytopenia in group I in comparison to group II and group III was observed. Significant elevation in creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase and glucose while reduction in iron was noticed in both group I and group II. More level of lipid peroxides in patent group I followed by latent group II indicated more lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes and oxidative stress in declining order when compared with Group III. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GST) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) levels were lowered in Group I. An inverse association of RBC count with lipid peroxidation (PLO) and GSH and a direct relationship with catalase, SOD and FRAP was revealed. Findings indicated that oxidative damage plays an imperative function in pathogenesis of anaemia in horses due to T. equi infection and can be utilized as significant marker for latent and patent infection after well thought-out correlation with other haemato-biochemical findings.
Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieval on Particulate Observing Scanning Polarimeter (POSP) Data over Land using a new Look-up table (LUT) Search Method
Authors: Ji Zhe , Li Zhengqiang , Zhang Ying , Ma Yan , Shi Zheng , Yan XiaoXi , Xie Yisong , Zheng Yang , Chen Zhenting
Published: April 2024

Accurate estimation of Land Surface Reflectance (LSR) is the key to Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrievals. However, it is noted that the band-specific LSRs retrieved using Look-Up Tables (LUTs) are typically pseudo-LSRs obtained by atmospheric corrections to the AOD predetermined in the LUTs that do not match the surface constraints established by the true LSRs alone. As a result, there is an uncertain error in modeling reflectance at the top of atmosphere (TOA) using pseudo-LSRs calculated by linear interpolation. This study proposed a new LUT search method to improve the AOD retrievals of the Particle Observing Scanning Polarimetry (POSP) sensor onboard the China GaoFen-5 (02) satellite. LSR atmospherically corrected using ERA5 reanalysis data and POSP AOD products for the year 2022 was adopted to create a new full-spectrum LSR self-consistent surface constraint. Results showed that the AOD of POSP in January 2023 retrieved using the new method agrees with the ground-truth AOD values from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) site observations with the correlation coefficient (R) at 0.703 and the root mean square error (RMSE) at 0.068. 76.77% of the values fell into the expected error (EE) envelope of range ± (0.05 + 0.15 AODAERONET), and 67.35% met the accuracy requirements of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).
Mixed polyanion Na2O-CuO-V2O5-P2O5 glass and glass ceramic cathode network: Relationship between structure and electrochemical performance
Authors: Grandhe Radhika , KATTA VAMSI KRISHNA , Padala Missak Swarup Raju , Ravuri Balaji Rao
Published: April 2024

This investigation presents mixed polyanion G-NaCu1 − x(VO)xPO4 (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5,0.7and 0.9 mol%) glass-based cathode material network prepared using the melt-quenching process followed by heat-treating at its Tcfor 5h to form its glass-ceramic(GC- NaCu1 − x(VO)xPO4). The best crystalline NaV2O5 (ICSD 760908) NaCu(PO4)(ICSD 581303), and Na2Cu(P2O7)(ICSD 556822) phases precipitated in the glass network during crystallization will accommodate sudden volume changes, resulting to trigger the fast diffusion of Na+ ions in the glass-ceramic network leading to fast rate capability and voltage for longer durations. The lowest charge transfer resistance Rct = 7.086x103Ω from 1st to 1000 cycles and highest retention of discharge capacity (99.71%) when the current rate is decreased from 10C to 0.1C, determines its long-term cycle life stability and rate capability more than other crystalline compounds.
The relationship between perfectionism and quality of sleep: A cross-sectional study among Sudanese medical students
Authors: Elbadawi Mohamed H. , Mubasher Amr A. , Abdulgalil Alaa A. , Fadul Mohamed H. , Elameen Nafisa Elameen Nimir , Elamin Ragad Magdi Mohammed , Mohamed Waad A. , Alsaid Aya Mujtaba Taha
Published: April 2024

Background :
Perfectionism is characterized by the pursuit of perfection, the imposition of unreasonably high standards for performance, and a constant state of self-criticism of one's actions. Perfectionism leading to depression, OCD, and anxiety can affect the quality of sleep, leading to less productivity and less involvement in one's daily activities. One of the most affected groups is medical students who are more likely to develop sleep-deprived lifestyles; this can be due to the stressful environment of medical school and the perceived high academic load. This study aims to address the association between perfectionism among medical students and sleep quality.
Method :
The study utilized an analytical and facility-based cross-sectional study conducted in March 2023 at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan. We used two validated questionnaires which are: The Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (F-MPS and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire via social media platforms. Analysis has been done using SPSS version 21 by descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and regression.
Results:
233 medical students were included in the study. Almost 56% of them were females. Almost 60% of the sample suffered from poor sleep quality. There weren't any significant mean differences observed in gender or age regarding perfectionism and sleep quality. Only two domains of perfectionism were found to be significantly associated with sleep quality:” concerns over mistakes and doubts of action” and “concern with parent expectation and evaluation”( P < 0.01 for both domains). There was a positive and significant association between the total perfectionism scale and sleep quality(r = 0.222, P < 0.01).
Conclusion :
There is growing evidence of the association between sleep quality and perfectionism. Our study highlighted this association among medical students. We found that there was a small positive and significant association between total the perfectionism scale and sleep quality. But neither gender nor academic year showed to be contributing to this association. So our study demonstrates the effect of perfectionism in disturbing the sleep quality unbiased by either gender or academic year with potential clinical and therapeutic applications. These findings can benefit the medical students in the University of Khartoum and other medical students.
Preoperative prediction of bleeding complications in percutaneous nephrolithotomy using a machine learning model based on CT radiomics and clinical variables
Authors: Zou Xin-Chang , Yuan Rong Man , Zhou Jie , Zheng Guang Hao , Jin Meng , Zeng Tao , Chao Hai Chao
Published: April 2024

Background and objective
Radiomics and machine learning play a significant role in clinical medical research, particularly in the development of prediction models.This study aims to utilize radiomic features and clinical variables in combination with machine learning to predict the risk of postoperative bleeding after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).
Materials and Methods
A retrospective study analyzed 151 patients who had PCNL at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.Clinical variables linked to postoperative bleeding were identified using univariate analysis,and radiomic features were screened using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm(lasso regression).Logistic regression,Random Forest(RF),and Support Vector Machine(SVM) were then used to develop prediction models based on the correlated clinical variables and radiomic features.The predictive accuracy of these models was assessed through identification and calibration.
Results
The postoperative statistics revealed that the postoperative bleeding rate was 31.1%(n=47),the blood transfusion rate was 1.42%(n=3),and the final probability of requiring vascular embolization was 0.94%(n=2).The accuracy rates for predicting postoperative bleeding in patients with PCNL using logistic regression,RF and SVM algorithms were 75.6%,75.6%,and 71.1% respectively.The corresponding area under the curve AUC(95% CI) were 0.76(0.72-0.81),0.74(0.69-0.79) and 0.63(0.54-0.68).The top four prediction importance scores in logistic regression and RF algorithms were wavelet-HLH_glrlm_ShortRunLowGrayLevelEmphasis,wavelet-HLH_glrlm_LowGrayLevelRunEmphasis,stone shape,operation time and stone shape,stone diameter,operation time,Wavelet-HLH_glrlm_ShortRunLowGrayLevelEmphasis.
Conclusion
The logistic regression model demonstrated the highest efficiency in predicting postoperative bleeding in PCNL.Our study successfully developed an effective machine learning model that can assist urological surgeons in making appropriate treatment decisions for predicting postoperative bleeding in PCNL.
Construction of ecological security patterns and evaluation of connectivity stability under multi-scenario simulation: A case study in desert–oasis area of the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Cheng Wenhao , Ma Caihong , Li Tongsheng , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: April 2024

Land use change often has enormous impacts on ecosystem sustainability, and ecological security pattern (ESP) can improve ecological quality through spatial planning. Thus, this study explored a multi-scenario ESPs framework by coupling future land use simulation (FLUS) and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) for urban agglomerations along the Yellow River Basin in Ningxia, simulated land use change in 2035 under four development scenarios, identified ecological security networks, and assessed the stability of network connectivity in each scenario. The results showed that the areas of ecological sources under the natural development scenario (NDS), economic development scenario (EDS), food security scenario (FSS), and ecological protection scenario (EPS) were 834.82 km2, 715.46 km2, 785.56 km2, and 1091.43 km2, respectively. The overall connectivity (OG) values were 0.351, 0.466, 0.334, and 0.520, respectively. Under the EPS, the construction of ESPs has the largest area of ecological land use and the most stable network structure, which can not only effectively protect natural habitats but also reduce the cost of construction in reality. This study provides a valuable method for identifying ESPs that can respond to diversity and uncertainty for future development and can help decision makers improve the ecological quality of the study area considering different scales and development scenarios.
Research Article: In-Vitro Evaluation of The Stain Removal Efficacy Between Two Whitening Dentifrices During Orthodontic Treatment
Authors: Yeoh Zhen Herr Eugene , Khan Khairil Aznan Mohamed , Nor Murshida Marizan , Baharin Badiah , Rani Haslina
Published: April 2024

Background
This in-vitro study aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of a newly developed whitening dentifrice, Dentaklin White (TG), to Colgate Total® Whitening (CG), utilising a toothbrushing simulator machine.
Methods
Twenty enamel specimens were prepared and randomly divided into CG and TG. Orthodontic brackets were attached to the enamel specimens and were then stained with a mixture of coffee, tea, and chlorhexidine. A short 0.019x0.025” stainless steel (SS) archwire was ligated onto the brackets subsequently. All the specimens were subjected to a toothbrushing simulator for specific duration. The CIE L*a*b* colour change (ΔE) was evaluated using digital image analysis at T1 (2 weeks), T2 (4 weeks), and T3 (12 weeks) compared to T0 (baseline). Archwire roughness was analysed using a profilometer at T4 (2 years) compared to T0.
Results
The results indicated that there was a significant change in tooth colour associated with brushing duration for both CG and TG (p < 0.05) with no significant difference between the two dentifrices (p > 0.05). Both dentifrices notably removed more stains at Site A (p < 0.05) and increased wire surface roughness (p < 0.05) without a statistically difference between them (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
Dentaklin White (TG) demonstrated comparable efficacy to Colgate Total® Whitening (CG).
Genome-wide identification of the oat DMP gene family and its expression analysis in response to seed aging
Authors: Ma Yuan , Liu Huan , Wang Jinglong , Zhao Guiqin , Niu Kuiju , Zhou Xiangrui , Zhang Ran , Yao Ruirui
Published: April 2024

Background:
The Domain of unknown function 679 membrane proteins (DMPs) family, as a green plant-specific membrane protein, plays an important role in plant reproductive development, stress response and aging. To identify the DMP gene members of oat (AsDMP) and to investigate their family structural features and tissue expression profile characteristics, a study was conducted. Based on the whole genome and transcriptome data, in this investigation, we have scrutinized the physicochemical properties, gene structure, cisacting elements, phylogenetic relationships, conserved structural (CS) domains, CS motifs and expression patterns of the AsDMP family of oat.
Results
The DMP family genes of oat were found distributed across 17 chromosomal scaffolds with 33 members. We could divide the AsDMP genes into five subfamilies based on phylogenetic relationships. The gene structure suggests that oats may have also undergone an intron loss event during evolution. Covariance analysis suggests that genome-wide duplication/segmental duplication may be the major contributor to the expansion of the AsDMP gene family. Ka/Ks selective pressure analysis of oat DMP gene family, suggests that DMP gene pairs tend to be conserved over evolutionary time. The upstream promoter of these genes containing several cis-acting elements indicates a plausible role in abiotic stress and hormone induction. Gene expression pattern according to transcriptome data revealed participation of the DMP genes in tissue and organ development. In this study, AsDMP genes (AsDMP1, AsDMP19, and AsDMP22) were identified as potentially regulating oat seed senescence, and can be used as candidate genes for seed longevity and anti-aging germplasm breeding studies in oat. The study provides valuable information on the regulatory mechanism of the AsDMP gene family in the aging process of oat germplasm, and also provides theoretical support for further function investigation in the oat DMP gene and the molecular mechanism of seed anti-aging.
Conclusions
In this study, we found that the AsDMP gene is involved in the aging process of oat seeds, which is the first report on the potential role of DMP genes in oat seeds.
MicroRNA-195-5p targets neurofibromin 2 to mediate hyperoxia-induced alveolar dysplasia
Authors: Bai Dongqin , Wu Di , Yang Miao , Wu Bo , Xu Wei
Published: April 2024

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been shown to disrupt normal lung development and function by blocking alveolation and vascularization, leading to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). However, the role of miR-195-5p in BPD has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to understand whether the biological role of miR-195-5p in BPD is achieved by targeting neurofibromin 2 (NF2) regulation. Here, we report that miR-195-5p plays a key role in hyperoxia-induced alveolar dysplasia in BPD. First, increased expression of miR-195-5p was detected in the lung tissues of hyperoxia-induced rat models of BPD and neonatal rat lung type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECIIs) exposed to hyperoxic conditions. Second, NF2, a tumor suppressor gene that plays an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of AECIIs, was identified as the specific target of miR-195-5p. Cell-based luciferase analysis revealed that the overexpression of miR-195-5p and its target gene NF2 in lung AECIIs could partially alleviate the impaired differentiation of AECIIs induced by hyperoxia, suggesting that miR-195-5p could hinder the differentiation of AECII into AECI by inhibiting NF2 expression. Finally, animal intervention experiments confirmed that miR-195-5p aggravated alveolar dysplasia in BPD by downregulating NF2 expression. In conclusion, our study confirmed a novel mechanism wherein miR-195-5p exacerbates alveolar dysplasia in BPD by inhibiting AECII differentiation to AECI by targeting NF2. These results may help clarify some molecular mechanisms of the poor proliferation and differentiation of AECII in BPD alveolar dysplasia and provide novel targets for future clinical molecular interventions.
Inter-joint coordination with and without dopaminergic medication in Parkinson's disease: a case-control study
Authors: Saegner Karolina , Romijnders Robbin , Hansen Clint , Holder Jana , Warmerdam Elke , Maetzler Walter
Published: April 2024

Background
how the joints exactly move and interact and how this reflects PD-related gait abnormalities and the response to dopaminergic treatment is poorly understood. A detailed understanding of these kinematics can inform clinical management and treatment decisions. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of different gait speeds and medication on/off conditions on inter-joint coordination, as well as kinematic differences throughout the whole gait cycle in well characterized pwPD.
Methods
29 controls and 29 PD patients during medication on, 8 of them also during medication off walked a straight walking path in slow, preferred and fast walking speeds. Gait data was collected using optical motion capture system. Kinematics of the hip and knee and coordinated hip-knee kinematics were evaluated using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) and cyclograms (angle-angle plots). Values derived from cyclograms were compared using repeated-measures ANOVA for within group, and ttest for between group comparisons.
Results
PD gait differed from controls mainly by lower knee range of motion (ROM). Adaptation to gait speed in PD was mainly achieved by increasing hip ROM. Regularity of gait was worse in PD but only during preferred speed. The ratios of different speed cyclograms were smaller in the PD groups. SPM analyses revealed that PD participants had smaller hip and knee angles during the swing phase, and PD participants reached peak hip flexion later than controls. Withdrawal of medication showed an exacerbation of only a few parameters.
Conclusions
Our findings demonstrate the potential of granular kinematic analyses, including > 1 joint, for disease and treatment monitoring in PD. Our approach can be extended to further mobility-limiting conditions and other joint combinations.
Trial registration:
The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022998).
Clinical utility of the pan-immune-inflammation value in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients
Authors: 寇 晓萱 , Qing Qiuying , Jin Linlin , Li Dong , Zhou Fei , Zhang Xiaoyong , Liu Hongyan
Published: April 2024

Objectives
The prognosis of pan-immune inflammatory value (PIV) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical utility of the PIV in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients.
Methods
138 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma diagnosed for the first time were retrospectively collected. The optimal cutoff value for baseline PIV, determined by the maximally selected rank statistics method for OS. Based on the estimated cutoff value, 106 patients (75.5%) were included in the low PIV cohort (≤ 765.31) and 32 patients (24.5%) were included in the high PIV cohort (> 765.31).
Results
In the study, we showed that a novel pan-immune inflammatory value has an independent prognostic impact in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Our results showed that high PIV is associated with a poorer OS prognosis. In addition, patients with high PIV and no surgery for the first time had a worse prognosis when stratified by baseline PIV and treatment regimen. Furthermore, early PIV variation and baseline as biomarkers to predict overall survival have added value, as its inclusion in the multivariate model also increased the concordance index.
Conclusions
In this study, we identified PIV as a novel biomarker that is strongly associated with the overall prognosis of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at first diagnosis. Of course, prospective validation of dynamic evaluation is still needed.
Investigating the impact of concurrent type 2 diabetes on the occurrence of liver cancer in 2501 patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Lai Changxiang , Zhang Xiulian , Xian Wenjie , Zhong Wenqing , Tang Qiyuan , Li Zhiyu , Zhou Xuan , Chen Ruikun , Tang Qingrong , wang fang
Published: April 2024

Purpose Exploring the occurrence of adverse outcomes time in patients with chronic Hepatitis B virus infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus who develop liver cancer.Methods A total of 2501 patients who were hospitalized at Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital from January 2017 to January 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were collected. The patients were divided into diabetes group and non-diabetes group based on whether they had type 2 diabetes at admission. Through subsequent follow-ups, the occurrence of liver cancer in the two groups of patients during the follow-up period was observed, with follow-up time ending in January 2014. At the same time, the Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the impact of coexisting type 2 diabetes on the risk of developing hepatitis B virus-related liver cancer.Results 2,501 patients were followed up on average for 43.8 ± 5.2 months, with a total of 23 cases of liver cancer occurring during the follow-up period. Among them, 61 patients were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (diabetes group), with an average follow-up duration of 44.7 ± 9.6 months and 7 cases of liver cancer occurring during the follow-up period, with a 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer of 15%. In the non-diabetes group of 2,440 patients, the average follow-up duration was 43.8 ± 5.0 months, with 16 cases of liver cancer occurring during the follow-up period and a 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer of 2.3%. The difference in cumulative incidence of liver cancer between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Results of Cox univariate regression analysis showed that the risk of liver cancer in the diabetes group was 6.968 times higher than that in the non-diabetes group (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.240–21.671, P = 0.02); after adjusting for factors such as age, gender, history of hepatitis B, family history of liver cancer, antiviral treatment, different liver inflammation and fibrosis, and alcohol consumption in the Cox regression multivariate analysis, the risk of liver cancer in diabetic patients with hepatitis B virus infection was 3.833 times higher than that in the non-diabetes group (95% CI: 1.134–12.952, P = 0.031).Conclusion Type 2 diabetes and hepatitis B virus are related to the incidence of liver cancer, and the presence of type 2 diabetes increases the risk of liver cancer occurrence within 5 years in patients infected with hepatitis B virus.
“Knowing how to play the game”: Clinician experiences of treating patients with a compensable injury in Australia
Authors: Sim Alison , McNeilage Amy G. , Rebbeck Trudy , Ashton-James Claire E.
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Previous research indicates that the compensation process is stressful for people with a compensable injury, contributing to poorer recovery. However, little is known about the challenges faced by clinicians who work in this setting. This study aims to qualitatively explore the experiences of clinicians delivering care to patients with compensable injuries in Australia.
Materials and methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 experienced clinicians providing care to compensable patients in Australia. The interviews were transcribed, and data were analysed using reflective thematic analysis.
Results
Participants described their work as challenging due to factors such as high patient distress, poor clinical outcomes, and high administrative load. However, they responded to these challenges in varying ways. While some reported feelings of vicarious injustice, emotional exhaustion, and self-doubt, others derived a sense of meaning, purpose, and mastery from these challenges. Clinician responses to the challenge of working with people with a compensation claim were associated with access to mentoring, continuous education and training, and a supportive workplace culture.
Conclusion
Clinicians reported both positive and negative responses to the challenges of working with people with a compensable injury. Understanding individual and workplace factors shaping clinician responses to the demands of working with compensable patients may be crucial for retaining the clinical workforce and improving access to compensable care.
An intelligent threshold selection method to improve orbital angular momentum-encoded quantum key distribution under turbulence
Authors: Li Jia-Hao , Tang Jie , Wang Xing-Yu , Xue Yang , Yu Hui-Cun , Deng Zhi-Feng , Cao Yue-Xiang , Liu Ying , Wu Dan , Hu Hao-ran , Wang Ya , Lun Hua-zhi , Wei Jia-hua , Zhang Bo , Liu Bo , Shi Lei
Published: April 2024

The high-dimensional quantum key distribution (HD-QKD) encoded by orbital angular momentum (OAM) presents significant advantages in terms of information capacity. However, perturbations caused by free-space atmospheric turbulence introduce random fluctuations in OAM transmittance, impacting the performance of the system. Currently, there exists a gap in theoretical analysis concerning the statistical distribution of OAM-encoded QKD systems. In this study, we analyze the security of QKD systems by combining probability distribution of transmission coefficient (PDTC) of OAM with decoy-state BB84 method. To address the problem that the invalid key rate is calculated in the part transmittance interval of the post-processing process, an intelligent threshold method based on neural network is proposed to improve OAM-encoded QKD, which aims to conserve computing resources and enhance system efficiency. Our findings reveal that the ratio of root mean square (RMS) OAM-beam radius to Fried’s atmospheric coherence width plays a crucial role in ensuring secure key generation. Moreover, the training error of neural network is at the magnitude around 10 −3 , indicating the ability to predict optimization parameters quickly and accurately. This research contributes to the advancement of parameter optimization and prediction for free-space OAM-encoded HD-QKD systems. Furthermore, it provides valuable theoretical insights to support the development of free-space experimental setups.
C-Dots/UiO-66-NH 2 -enhanced composite modified electrode for simultaneous detection of Pb 2+ and Cd 2+
Authors: Chen Shaohua , Wang Yihua , Zhang Biao , Li Mingming , Zhang Jinhua , Hu Qiangfei , Qian Quan
Published: April 2024

Carbon dots and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used in a variety of applications such as sensing, energy storage, and catalysis, with fewer applications in electrochemical sensing. In this study, C-Dots/UiO-66-NH2 was prepared as a modified material for glassy carbon electrodes for the detection of cadmium and lead ions in water by electrochemical methods (DPV) by selecting m-phenylenediamine as a source of carbon dots and amino-functionalized zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks, which are the combination of these two popular materials. Due to the complexation of amino groups with metal ions, a sufficient amount of amino groups provided a good interface for the adsorption of metal ions. Under the optimal deposition conditions, C-Dots/UiO-66-NH2 exhibited good linearity and excellent detection limits for metal ions (Cd2+, Pb2+) in the concentration range of 30 to 180 µg/L. The results showed that C-Dots/UiO-66-NH2 was suitable for the determination of Cd2+ and Pb2+ in water. In addition, the C-Dots/UiO-66-NH2/GCE sensor has good immunity to interference and detection stability.