bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parasitoid Wasps Can Manipulate Host Trehalase to the Benefit of Their Offspring
Authors: Song Yan , Gu Fengming , Zhou Weihong , Li Ping , Wu Fuan , Sheng Sheng
Published: September 2022

Trehalase is an essential hydrolase of trehalose in insects. However, whether and how trehalase performs in the association of parasitoid wasps and their hosts still remains unknown. Here, the exact function of trehalase of the general cutworm Spodoptera litura after it was parasitized by its predominant endoparasitoid Meterous pulchricornis was elucidated. Two trehalase genes (SlTre1, SlTre2) were identified, and they were highly expressed five days after parasitization by M. pulchricornis. Then, we successfully silenced SlTre1 and SlTre2 in parasitized third instar S. litura larvae. The content of glucose, which is the hydrolysate of trehalose, was significantly decreased after silencing SlTres in parasitized S. litura larvae, and the activities of trehalase were also notably reduced. In addition, the cocoon weight, the emergence rate, proportion of normal adults, and the body size of parasitoid offsprings were significantly decreased in SlTre1- or SlTre2-silenced groups compared to the controls. These results implied that parasitization by parasitoids regulated the trehalase of host larvae to create a suitable nutritional environment for the parasitoid offspring. The present study broadens the knowledge of trehalase in the interaction between parasitoids and their hosts and is of benefit to biological control of S. litura acting by parasitoid wasps.
Reconstruction of 3D Shower Shape with the Dual-Readout Calorimeter
Authors: Ko Sanghyun , Yoo Hwidong , Ha Seungkyu
Published: September 2022

The dual-readout calorimeter has two channels, Cherenkov and scintillation, that measure the fraction of an electromagnetic (EM) component within a shower by using different responses of each channel to the EM and hadronic component. It can measure the energy of EM and hadronic shower simultaneously—its concept inspired the integrated design for measuring both EM and hadronic showers, which left the task of reconstructing longitudinal shower shapes to the utilization of timing. We explore the possibility of longitudinal shower shape reconstruction using signal processing on silicon photomultiplier timing, and 3D shower shape by combining lateral and longitudinal information. We present a comparison between Monte Carlo (MC) and reconstructed longitudinal shower shapes from the simulation, and the application of 3D shower shapes associated with the dual nature of the calorimeter to identify electrons, hadrons, and hadronic punch-thru or muons.
Sensitivity Analysis of Artificial Neural Networks Identifying JWH Synthetic Cannabinoids Built with Alternative Training Strategies and Methods
Authors: Burlacu Catalina Mercedes , Burlacu Adrian Constantin , Praisler Mirela
Published: September 2022

This paper presents the alternative training strategies we tested for an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) designed to detect JWH synthetic cannabinoids. In order to increase the model performance in terms of output sensitivity, we used the Neural Designer data science and machine learning platform combined with the programming language Python. We performed a comparative analysis of several optimization algorithms, error parameters and regularization methods. Finally, we performed a new goodness-of-fit analysis between the testing samples in the data set and the corresponding ANN outputs in order to investigate their sensitivity. The effectiveness of the new methods combined with the optimization algorithms is discussed.
Irisin, an Effective Treatment for Cardiovascular Diseases?
Authors: Liu Chen , Wei Aili , Wang Tianhui
Published: September 2022

Irisin, as one of the myokines induced by exercise, has attracted much attention due to its important physiological functions such as white fat browning, the improvement in metabolism, and the alleviation of inflammation. Despite the positive role that irisin has been proven to play in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, whether it can become a biomarker and potential target for predicting and treating cardiovascular diseases remains controversial, given the unreliability of its detection methods, the uncertainty of its receptors, and the species differences between animals and humans. This paper was intended to review the role of irisin in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, the potential molecular mechanism, and the urgent problems to be solved in hopes of advancing our understanding of irisin as well as providing data for the development of new and promising intervention strategies by discussing the causes of contradictory results.
Thermal Contact Resistance between Mold Steel and Additively Manufactured Insert for Designing Conformal Channels: An Experimental Study
Authors: Souza Andrews , Capela Paulina , Lopes Vítor , Prior Filipe , Puga Hélder , Soares Delfim , Teixeira José
Published: September 2022

The focus of this research is on thermal contact resistance between a mold and its insert, specifically inserts made by additive manufacturing (AM). Using a thermal steady-state system and varying contact pressures (0, 50, 75, and 100 bars), we present experimental results of the thermal contact resistance at the contact interface between steel A (1.2344), obtained from an extruded rod, and steel B (1.2709), produced by laser powder bed fusion. Thermal tests were performed for unbonded and bonded configurations. Results showed that increasing the contact pressure allows the system equilibrium to be reached at lower temperatures. Furthermore, thermal tests showed that in the transition zone of the bonded configuration, a well-defined resistance is not formed between the two steel samples as it occurs in the unbonded configuration. For the unbonded configuration, the thermal contact resistance values decrease with increasing applied contact pressure, improving the system’s heat transfer.
Penicillium digitatum as a Model Fungus for Detecting Antifungal Activity of Botanicals: An Evaluation on Vietnamese Medicinal Plant Extracts
Authors: Tran Hanh My , Le Diep Hong , Nguyen Van-Anh Thi , Vu Tao Xuan , Thanh Nguyen Thi Kim , Giang Do Hoang , Dat Nguyen Tien , Pham Hai The , Muller Marc , Nguyen Huy Quang , Tran Van-Tuan
Published: September 2022

Medicinal plants play important roles in traditional medicine, and numerous compounds among them have been recognized for their antimicrobial activity. However, little is known about the potential of Vietnamese medicinal plants for antifungal activity. In this study, we examined the antagonistic activity of twelve medicinal plant species collected in Northern Vietnam against Penicillium digitatum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. The results showed that the antifungal activities of the crude extracts from Mahonia bealei, Ficus semicordata, and Gnetum montanum were clearly detected with the citrus postharvest pathogen P. digitatum. These extracts could fully inhibit the growth of P. digitatum on the agar medium, and on the infected citrus fruits at concentrations of 300–1000 µg/mL. Meanwhile, the other tested fungi were less sensitive to the antagonistic activity of the plant extracts. In particular, we found that the ethanolic extract of M. bealei displayed a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against all four pathogenic fungi. Analysis of this crude extract by enrichment coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that berberine and palmatine are major metabolites. Additional inspections indicated berberine as the key compound responsible for the antifungal activity of the M. bealei ethanolic extract. Our study provides a better understanding of the potential of Vietnamese medicinal plant resources for combating fungal pathogens. This work also highlights that the citrus pathogen P. digitatum can be employed as a model fungus for screening the antifungal activity of botanicals.
Efficacy and Safety of Etelcalcetide in Hemodialysis Patients with Moderate to Severe Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Monciino Paola , Magagnoli Lorenza , Fasulo Eliana , Frittoli Michela , Leotta Chiara , Pham Hoang Nhat , Stucchi Andrea , Ciceri Paola , Galassi Andrea , Cozzolino Mario
Published: September 2022

Background. Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects and tolerability of etelcalcetide in HD patients with SHPT. Methods. An observational study was conducted on 16 hemodialysis patients with SHPT treated with etelcalcetide. All patients were followed up for a duration of 6 months. The primary endpoints were the reduction in mean PTH ≥ 30% and ≥40% from baseline after 6 months of etelcalcetide. All patients were divided into two groups (group A versus group B) based on baseline serum PTH level prior to etelcalcetide: above and below the median serum PTH (1300 pg/mL), respectively. Results. After 6 months, a significant decrease in PTH levels was achieved by all patients receiving etelcalcetide (p = 0.015). Both primary endpoint of reduction in PTH ≥ 40% at 6 months (p = 0.01), and the secondary endpoint of reduction in median PTH values (p = 0.0001) and median percentage reduction in PTH values (p = 0.009) were significantly achieved in group A. In contrast, a greater decline of calcium (p = 0.028) and phosphorus was reached in group B than group A. Dialysis vintage ≥ 36 months, arteriovenous fistula (AVF)-based hemodialysis, post-diluition hemodiafiltration (HDF) method, and baseline values of PTH < 1300 pg/mL can positively influence the achievement of the endpoints. Furthermore, the baseline PTH < 1300 pg/mL, among these variables, was the only one showing statistically significant relevance (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.32–3.96, p = 0.015). The history of cinacalcet use negatively correlated with the possibility to reach therapeutic targets with etelcalcetide (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26–0.85, p = 0.031). Treatment with etelcalcetide was well tolerated and no adverse effects were observed. Conclusions. In our study, patients with low baseline PTH levels showed a better response to etelcalcetide than patients with higher PTH levels. Consequently, the possibility to reach desirable therapeutic targets could depend on SHPT severity at the time of initiation of therapy.
Heat Shock Proteins and Antioxidant Genes Involved in Heat Combined with Drought Stress Responses in Perennial Rye Grass
Authors: Rahman Md Atikur , Woo Jae Hoon , Song Yowook , Lee Sang-Hoon , Hasan Md Mahadi , Azad Md Abul Kalam , Lee Ki-Won
Published: September 2022

The frequent occurrence of heat and drought stress can severely reduce agricultural production of field crops. In comparison to a single stress, the combination of both heat (H) and drought (D) further reduce plant growth, survival and yield. This study aimed to explore the transcriptional responses of heat shock protein (HSP) and antioxidant genes under H combined D stress in perennial rye grass (PRG). The results demonstrated that oxidative stress indicators (hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation) significantly increased, particularly in the case of combined H and D treatment, suggesting that oxidative stress-induced damage occurred in plants under the combined stresses. Transcriptional responses of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 90-6 (HSP90-6), and the mitochondrial small heat shock protein HSP26.2 (HSP26.2) occurred rapidly, and showed high level of expression particularly under H and D stress. Antioxidant genes including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), catalase (CAT), copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), peroxidase (POD), ferredoxin–thioredoxin (FTR), thioredoxin (Trx), 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin (2-Cys Prx) showed response to combined H and D, followed by either D or H stress alone in rye grass. An interactome map revealed the close partnership of these heat shock protein genes and antioxidant genes, respectively. These candidate genes were predominantly linked to stress responses and antioxidant defense in plants. These findings may advance our understanding about the HSP and the antioxidant genes underlying combined abiotic stress response and tolerance in perennial rye grass.
Fluorescent Molecular Logic Gates and Pourbaix Sensors in Polyacrylamide Hydrogels
Authors: Scerri Glenn J. , Caruana Melchior , Agius Nicola’ , Agius Godfrey , Farrugia Thomas J. , Spiteri Jake C. , Johnson Alex D. , Magri David C.
Published: September 2022

Polyacrylamide hydrogels formed by free radical polymerisation were formed by entrapping anthracene and 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent logic gates based on photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and/or internal charge transfer (ICT). The non-covalent immobilisation of the molecules in the hydrogels resulted in semi-solid YES, NOT, and AND logic gates. Two molecular AND gates, examples of Pourbaix sensors, were tested in acidic aqueous methanol with ammonium persulfate, a strong oxidant, and displayed greater fluorescence quantum yields than previously reported. The logic hydrogels were exposed to aqueous solutions with chemical inputs, and the fluorescence output response was viewed under 365 nm UV light. All of the molecular logic gates diffuse out of the hydrogels to some extent when placed in solution, particularly those with secondary basic amines. The study exemplifies an effort of taking molecular logic gates from homogeneous solutions into the realm of solid-solution environments. We demonstrate the use of Pourbaix sensors as pE-pH indicators for monitoring oxidative and acidic conditions, notably for excess ammonium persulfate, a reagent used in the polymerisation of SDS-polyacrylamide gels.
Transcriptomics, Cheminformatics, and Systems Pharmacology Strategies Unveil the Potential Bioactives to Combat COVID-19
Authors: Adarshan Sivakumar , Akassh Sakthivel , Avinash Krishnakumar , Bharathkumar Mathivanan , Muthuramalingam Pandiyan , Shin Hyunsuk , Baskar Venkidasamy , Chen Jen-Tsung , Bhuvaneshwari Veluswamy , Ramesh Manikandan
Published: September 2022

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is becoming a global threat again because of the higher transmission rate and lack of proper therapeutics as well as the rapid mutations in the genetic pattern of SARS-CoV-2. Despite vaccinations, the prevalence and recurrence of this infection are still on the rise, which urges the identification of potential global therapeutics for a complete cure. Plant-based alternative medicine is becoming popular worldwide because of its higher efficiency and minimal side effects. Yet, identifying the potential medicinal plants and formulating a plant-based medicine is still a bottleneck. Hence, in this study, the systems pharmacology, transcriptomics, and cheminformatics approaches were employed to uncover the multi-targeted mechanisms and to screen the potential phytocompounds from significant medicinal plants to treat COVID-19. These approaches have identified 30 unique COVID-19 human immune genes targeted by the 25 phytocompounds present in four selected ethnobotanical plants. Differential and co-expression profiling and pathway enrichment analyses delineate the molecular signaling and immune functional regulations of the COVID-19 unique genes. In addition, the credibility of these compounds was analyzed by the pharmacological features. The current holistic finding is the first to explore whether the identified potential bioactives could reform into a drug candidate to treat COVID-19. Furthermore, the molecular docking analysis was employed to identify the important bioactive compounds; thus, an ultimately significant medicinal plant was also determined. However, further laboratory evaluation and clinical validation are required to determine the efficiency of a therapeutic formulation against COVID-19.
Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Organ Specificity of Specialized Metabolites in the Model Grass Brachypodium distachyon
Authors: Piasecka Anna , Sawikowska Aneta , Jedrzejczak-Rey Nicolas , Piślewska-Bednarek Mariola , Bednarek Paweł
Published: September 2022

Brachypodium distachyon, because of its fully sequenced genome, is frequently used as a model grass species. However, its metabolome, which constitutes an indispensable element of complex biological systems, remains poorly characterized. In this study, we conducted comprehensive, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomic examination of roots, leaves and spikes of Brachypodium Bd21 and Bd3-1 lines. Our pathway enrichment analysis emphasised the accumulation of specialized metabolites representing the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in parallel with processes related to nucleotide, sugar and amino acid metabolism. Similarities in metabolite profiles between both lines were relatively high in roots and leaves while spikes showed higher metabolic variance within both accessions. In roots, differences between Bd21 and Bd3-1 lines were manifested primarily in diterpenoid metabolism, while differences within spikes and leaves concerned nucleotide metabolism and nitrogen management. Additionally, sulphate-containing metabolites differentiated Bd21 and Bd3-1 lines in spikes. Structural analysis based on MS fragmentation spectra enabled identification of 93 specialized metabolites. Among them phenylpropanoids and flavonoids derivatives were mainly determined. As compared with closely related barley and wheat species, metabolic profile of Brachypodium is characterized with presence of threonate derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acids.
Improving Chemical Reaction Prediction with Unlabeled Data
Authors: Xie Yu , Zhang Yuyang , Wong Ka-Chun , Shi Meixia , Peng Chengbin
Published: September 2022

Predicting products of organic chemical reactions is useful in chemical sciences, especially when one or more reactants are new organics. However, the performance of traditional learning models heavily relies on high-quality labeled data. In this work, to utilize unlabeled data for better prediction performance, we propose a method that combines semi-supervised learning with graph convolutional neural networks for chemical reaction prediction. First, we propose a Mean Teacher Weisfeiler–Lehman Network to find the reaction centers. Then, we construct the candidate product set. Finally, we use an Improved Weisfeiler–Lehman Difference Network to rank candidate products. Experimental results demonstrate that, with 400k labeled data, our framework can improve the top-5 accuracy by 0.7% using 35k unlabeled data. When the proportion of unlabeled data increases, the performance gain can be larger. For example, with 80k labeled data and 35k unlabeled data, the performance gain with our framework can be 1.8%.
Home Oxygen Therapy (HOT) in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): Similarities, Differences and Doubts
Authors: Melani Andrea S. , Refini Rosa Metella , Croce Sara , Messina Maddalena
Published: September 2022

This narrative paper reviews the current knowledge of Home Oxygen Therapy (HOT) in stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), two major causes of Long-Term Oxygen Therapy (LTOT) prescription. There is evidence that LTOT improves survival in COPD subjects with chronic severe respiratory failure. HOT is also used to contrast exercise and sleeping hypoxemia and to improve Quality of Life (QoL) and symptoms. Ambulatory Oxygen Therapy (AOT) did not assure generalized improvements in symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL) of COPD subjects. There is short-term evidence in a real-life study that AOT may improve QoL in ILD subjects with Exercise Oxygen Desaturation (EOD) and exertional dyspnea. There are some differences between guidelines and practices, which translate into variations in characteristics and rates of ILD and COPD subjects admitted to LTOT and AOT. Indications on titration of oxygen flow and the best oxygen delivery device for optimal management of AOT in COPD and ILD subjects are often vague or lacking. More work is needed for optimizing and customizing HOT in COPD and ILD subjects.
Three-Degree-of-Freedom Voice Coil Actuator Driven by a Four-Phase Current
Authors: Heya Akira , Hirata Katsuhiro
Published: September 2022

Camera attitude control systems for robots require a compact structure and high responsiveness. However, due to the combination structure of several actuators, the camera attitude control system is large. To address this issue, this study proposes a three-degree-of-freedom (3DOF) voice coil actuator. A single actuator is used to generate 3DOF motion, which is driven by a four-phase current. This study also describes the basic structure and operating principle of the actuator and clarifies the torque characteristics using a three-dimensional (3D) finite element method (FEM). Furthermore, the dynamic modeling and control methods are presented. The FEM and dynamic simulation results reveal that the proposed actuator can be arbitrarily driven in 3DOF.
Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Work–Family Balance of Pediatric Surgeons
Authors: Schmedding Andrea , Assion Claudia , Mayer Steffi , Brunner Annika
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great challenge, especially for families. We aimed to analyze the impact of the pandemic on childcare for and the work–family balance of pediatric surgeons in Germany. An anonymized questionnaire on the working and familial situation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was sent to the members of the German Society of Pediatric Surgery and trainees in pediatric surgery (April–July 2021). One-hundred-fifty-three participants (59% female) completed the questionnaire. A total of 16% of the males and 62% of the females worked part-time. Most (68%) had underage children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 36% reported a decrease in patients and interventions, and 55% reported an increase in the organizational work-related burden. Childcare for underage children during lockdown was organized mainly with the help of institutional emergency childcare (45%), staying home (34%), one parent working from a home office (33%), or staying home by themselves (34%). Before the lockdown, 54% reported a good work–family balance. During the lockdown, this worsened by 42%. Most of the families had to organize themselves. Different means such as a home office, flexible working hours, and different models for childcare can help to improve the situation.
A Cache Efficient One Hashing Blocked Bloom Filter (OHBB) for Random Strings and the K-mer Strings in DNA Sequence
Authors: Prakasam Elakkiya , Manoharan Arun
Published: September 2022

Bloom filters are widely used in genome assembly, IoT applications and several network applications such as symmetric encryption algorithms, and blockchain applications owing to their advantages of fast querying, despite some false positives in querying the input elements. There are many research works carried out to improve both the insertion and querying speed or reduce the false-positive or reduce the storage requirements separately. However, the optimization of all the aforementioned parameters is quite challenging with the existing reported systems. This work proposes to simultaneously improve the insertion and querying speeds by introducing a Cache-efficient One-Hashing Blocked Bloom filter. The proposed method aims to reduce the number of memory accesses required for querying elements into one by splitting the memory into blocks where the block size is equal to the cache line size of the memory. In the proposed filter, each block has further been split into partitions where the size of each partition is the prime number. For insertion and query, one hash value is required, which yields different values when modulo divided with prime numbers. The speed is accelerated using simple hash functions where the hash function is called only once. The proposed method has been implemented and validated using random strings and symmetric K-mer datasets used in the gene assembly. The simulation results show that the proposed filter outperforms the Standard Bloom Filter in terms of the insertion and querying speed.
Mapping Alveolar Oxygen Partial Pressure in COPD Using Hyperpolarized Helium-3: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) COPD Study
Authors: Taskiran Naz , Hiura Grant , Zhang Xuzhe , Barr R. , Dashnaw Stephen , Hoffman Eric , Malinsky Daniel , Oelsner Elizabeth , Prince Martin , Smith Benjamin , Sun Yanping , Sun Yifei , Wild Jim , Shen Wei , Hughes Emlyn
Published: September 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema are characterized by functional and structural damage which increases the spaces for gaseous diffusion and impairs oxygen exchange. Here we explore the potential for hyperpolarized (HP) 3He MRI to characterize lung structure and function in a large-scale population-based study. Participants (n = 54) from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) COPD Study, a nested case-control study of COPD among participants with 10+ packyears underwent HP 3He MRI measuring pAO2, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and ventilation. HP MRI measures were compared to full-lung CT and pulmonary function testing. High ADC values (>0.4 cm2/s) correlated with emphysema and heterogeneity in pAO2 measurements. Strong correlations were found between the heterogeneity of global pAO2 as summarized by its standard deviation (SD) (p < 0.0002) and non-physiologic pAO2 values (p < 0.0001) with percent emphysema on CT. A regional study revealed a strong association between pAO2 SD and visual emphysema severity (p < 0.003) and an association with the paraseptal emphysema subtype (p < 0.04) after adjustment for demographics and smoking status. HP noble gas pAO2 heterogeneity and the fraction of non-physiological pAO2 results increase in mild to moderate COPD. Measurements of pAO2 are sensitive to regional emphysematous damage detected by CT and may be used to probe pulmonary emphysema subtypes. HP noble gas lung MRI provides non-invasive information about COPD severity and lung function without ionizing radiation.
Comparison of Four Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Respiratory Samples from Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
Authors: Salamanca-Neita Lorenzo H. , Carvajal Óscar , Carvajal Juan Pablo , Forero-Castro Maribel , Segura Nidya Alexandra
Published: September 2022

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. In Colombia, many commercial methods are now available to perform the RT-qPCR assays, and laboratories must evaluate their diagnostic accuracy to ensure reliable results for patients suspected of being positive for COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to compare four commercial RT-qPCR assays with respect to their ability to detect the SARS-CoV2 virus from nasopharyngeal swab samples referred to Laboratorio Carvajal IPS, SAS in Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia. We utilized 152 respiratory tract samples (Nasopharyngeal Swabs) from patients suspected of having SARS-CoV-2. The diagnostic accuracy of GeneFinderTM COVID-19 Plus RealAmp (In Vitro Diagnostics) (GF-TM), One-Step Real-Time RT-PCR (Vitro Master Diagnostica) (O-S RT-qPCR), and the Berlin modified protocol (BM) were assessed using the gold-standard Berlin protocol (Berlin Charité Probe One-Step RT-qPCR Kit, New England Biolabs) (BR) as a reference. Operational characteristics were estimated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, agreement, and predictive values. Using the gold-standard BR as a reference, the sensitivity/specificity of the diagnostic tests was found to be 100%/92.7% for GF-TM, 92.75%/67.47% for O-S RT-qPCR, and 100%/96.39% for the BM protocol. Using BR as a reference, the sensitivity/specificity for the diagnostic tests were found to be 100%/92.7% for the GF-TM assay, 92.72%/67.47% for the O-S RT-qPCR, and 100%/96.39% for BM. Relative to the BR reference protocol, the GF-TM and BM RT-PCR assays obtained similar results (k = 0.92 and k = 0.96, respectively), whereas the results obtained by O-S-RT-qPCR were only moderately similar. We conclude that the GF-TM and BM protocols offer the best sensitivity and specificity, with similar results in comparison to the gold-standard BR protocol. We recommend evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the OS-RT-qPCR protocol in future studies with a larger number of samples.
The Characteristics and Patterns of Drug-Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Eastern India
Authors: Giri Vishal Prakash , Giri Om Prakash , Pandey Pooja Tripathi , Mishra Kripa Nath , Prasad Ram Shanker , Lal Prabhat Kumar , Pratap Rana , Nikhil Nishant , Sufian Abu , Ahmad Reyaz , Kanodia Shubhra
Published: September 2022

Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major public health problem throughout the world and accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality rates in India, too. Early diagnosis is the corner stone of tuberculosis treatment. State-level and cluster-wise variations in drug resistance is a possibility and should be regularly checked in from time to time. Materials and Methods: The present prospective cohort study (January 2019 to May 2022) was conducted in Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital on drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Sputum specimens were collected from designated centers. Rapid molecular drug-resistance testing (genotypic tests) and growth-based drug-susceptibility testing (DST) (phenotypic tests) were performed in the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program certified Laboratory. Results: A total of 268 patients with drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis were included in the study group. The treatment outcomes revealed as cured in 100 (37.31%); treatment completed in 43 (16.04%); died in 56 (20.89%); treatment failed in 22 (8.21%); loss of follow up in 34 (12.69%); and transferred out in 13 (4.85%) drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Adverse events were recorded in 199 (74.25%) of the drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Conclusions: Drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients are a matter of concern and need to be addressed.
Searches for Lepton Flavor Violation in Tau Decays at Belle II
Authors: Banerjee Swagato
Published: September 2022

Searches for lepton flavor violation in tau decays are unambiguous signatures of new physics. The branching ratios of tau leptons at the level of 10−10–10−9 can be probed using 50 ab−1 of electron-positron annihilation data being collected by the Belle II experiment at the world’s highest luminosity accelerator, the SuperKEKB, located at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, KEK, in Tsukuba, Japan. Searches with such expected sensitivity will either discover new physics or strongly constrain several new physics models.
Urban Planning for Climate Change: A Toolkit of Actions for an Integrated Strategy of Adaptation to Heavy Rains, River Floods, and Sea Level Rise
Authors: Mariano Carmela , Marino Marsia
Published: September 2022

Cities and urban systems are the places most responsible for climate change, but at the same time they are the places where its effects are felt the most. A state-of-the-art analysis showed that Ecological–Environmental, Settlement, and Infrastructure and Service Systems are the components of cities most exposed to risk phenomena. Therefore, it is important to identify site-specific actions aimed at enhancing ecosystem services and building hierarchical ecological networks (green and blue infrastructures), according to an Ecosystem-based Approach (EbA). In this regard, the contribution presents the results of a research work on the theme of multi-risks connected to climate change, referring to heavy rains and river flood phenomena and sea level rise and proposes a systematisation of international best practices in the field of the Ecosystem-based Approach (EbA). Each best practice analysed is traced back to the three urban resilience macro-strategies of “defence”, “adaptation”, and “relocation/de-anthropisation”, already conceptualised by the authors during their joint research activity. The aim is to outline a synthetic toolkit of site-specific design actions, exportable to other contexts, intended as a tool to support the innovation of urban planning tools at the local level.
Willingness to Test for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection among First-Year Students of a Public University in the Volta Region of Ghana
Authors: Tepe-Mensah Mispa , Osarfo Joseph , Agbeno Evans Kofi , Ampofo Gifty Dufie
Published: September 2022

Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is key in HIV prevention. Young people aged 15–24 years carry a significant burden of new infections globally, but VCT uptake is low in this population. The study assessed university freshmen’s willingness to test for HIV now, among others, in a cross-sectional study as university campuses are places of risky sexual behaviour. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on age, sex, marital status, HIV/AIDS knowledge, previous history of testing, willingness to test now, and others. Summary statistics were reported while chi-square and logistic regression methods were used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables with p-values < 0.05 held significant. About 90% (374/412) of respondents had good HIV/AIDS knowledge based on criteria defined by the study, but only 23.3% (96/412) had ever tested and 66.3% (266/401) were willing to test now for HIV. Respondents’ sex, previous sexual intercourse, and whether respondents’ educational support was from parents or non-parents influenced willingness to test for HIV now. The study highlights what appears to be personal beliefs that can potentially hinder HIV testing and control efforts. Relevant stakeholders must address these gaps to improve testing. Further qualitative investigation will improve understanding of the dynamics informing willingness to test for HIV among young people generally.
Identification of Five Serotypes of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli from Diarrheic Calves and Healthy Cattle in Belgium and Comparative Genomics with Shigatoxigenic E. coli
Authors: Habets Audrey , Touzain Fabrice , Lucas Pierrick , Huong Nguyen Thi Thu , Iguchi Atsushi , Crombé Florence , Korsak Nicolas , Piérard Denis , Saulmont Marc , Cox Eric , Engelen Frederik , Mainil Jacques , Thiry Damien
Published: September 2022

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) produce attaching/effacing (AE) lesions and cause non-bloody diarrhea in mammals. A minority of bovine EPEC belong to one of the ten classical serotypes of human and bovine AE-STEC. The purpose of this study was to identify five non-classical O serotypes (O123/186, O156, O177, O182, and O183) among bovine EPEC and to characterize their virulence repertoires by whole genome sequencing. Around 40% of the 307 EPEC from 307 diarrheic calves, 368 EPEC from 47 healthy cattle, and 131 EPEC from 36 healthy calves in dairy farms were analyzed. Serotype O177 was the most frequent among EPEC from diarrheic and healthy calves, while the O156 was the most frequent in healthy cattle. The genomic analysis identified different H serotypes, MLSTypes, and/or eae gene subtypes among the O156 and O177 EPEC, while the O182 was homogeneous. The virulence gene profiles of bovine EPEC were closely related to each other and to the profiles of ten bovine and human AE-STEC. These results emphasize the need for additional studies to identify more O:H serotypes of bovine EPEC and to elucidate their origin and evolution of EPEC with regard to AE-STEC belonging to the same O:H serotypes.
Mutations in Exons 8 and 11 of c-kit Gene in Canine Subcutaneous Mast Cell Tumors and Their Association with Cell Proliferation
Authors: Chen Polly , Marconato Laura , Sabattini Silvia , Kiupel Matti
Published: September 2022

The prognostic significance of internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in exons 8 and 11 of c-kit has been well-described for canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs), but c-kit mutations have rarely been reported in subcutaneous MCTs. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of ITD mutations in exons 8 and 11 of c-kit in canine subcutaneous MCTs and to investigate its association with histologic grade, KIT pattern, and proliferation markers. ITD mutations in exons 8 and 11 of c-kit, mitotic count, Ki67 index, AgNOR number, Ki67xAgNOR score, KIT pattern, and histologic grade (two-tier system) were retrospectively recorded for 216 dogs with subcutaneous MCTs. ITD mutations in exons 8 and 11 of c-kit were detected in 23 (10.6%) and 12 (5.56%) subcutaneous MCTs, respectively. Exon 11 mutations were significantly associated with Kiupel high grade (p < 0.001) and increased mitotic count (p < 0.001) compared to subcutaneous MCTs with no mutations in exons 8 or 11 (p = 0.002) or subcutaneous MCTs with a mutation in exon 8 (p = 0.001). There was no significant association of either c-kit mutation with KIT patterns or proliferation activity. This study identified a higher prevalence of ITD mutations in exons 8 and 11 of c-kit in subcutaneous MCTs than previously reported. Like their cutaneous counterpart, subcutaneous MCTs with exon 11 mutations were more likely to be histologically high grade and have a higher mitotic count, whereas such associations were not observed in subcutaneous MCTs with exon 8 mutations.
Implication of Netrin-1 Gain of Expression in Canine Nodal Lymphoma
Authors: Tortereau Antonin , Milhau Nadège , Rhumy Elodie , Castets Marie , Ponce Frédérique , Mehlen Patrick , Marchal Thierry
Published: September 2022

Netrin-1 is a member of the laminin superfamily, and is known to interact with specific receptors, called dependence receptors. While upon netrin-1 binding these receptors initiate positive signaling, in absence of netrin-1, these receptors trigger apoptosis. Tumor cells can avoid apoptosis by inactivating these receptors or by gaining ligand expression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of netrin-1, the ligand of dependence receptors, in canine healthy lymph nodes (LN), and in lymphomas and to evaluate efficiency of a netrin-1 interfering compound in cell cultures from canine lymphoma. Thirty-two control LN and 169 lymphomas were analyzed through immunohistochemistry. Netrin-1 was expressed in the nucleoli of lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells in controls. Acquisition of a cytoplasmic expression was present in B-cell lymphomas (23.1 % in low-grade and 50.6% in high-grade) and T-cell lymphomas (50.0 % in low-grade and 78.8 % in high-grade), with a significant difference between the high- and low-grade in B-cell lymphomas. Through flow cytometry, we showed a significant increase in netrin-1 expression in either high-grade B-cell and T-cell lymphomas (19 and 5, respectively) compared with healthy LN (5), likewise an RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated a significant increase in netrin-1 expression level in 14 samples of lymphomas compared with eight samples of healthy LN. A T-cell aggressive canine lymphoma cell line and four primary canine nodal lymphomas cell cultures were treated with a netrin-1 interfering antibody. Apoptosis by measuring caspase 3 activity was significantly increased in the cell line and viability was decreased in three of the four primary cell cultures. Together, these data suggest that netrin-1 expression is increased in lymphoma, and more specifically in high-grade lymphomas, and that netrin-1 can act as a survival factor for the neoplastic cells, and so be a therapeutic target.
Catenary-Powered Electric Traction Network Modeling: A Data-Driven Analysis for Trolleybus System Simulation
Authors: Paternost Rudolf Francesco , Mandrioli Riccardo , Barbone Riccardo , Ricco Mattia , Cirimele Vincenzo , Grandi Gabriele
Published: September 2022

In the context of smart cities, direct current overhead contact lines, usually adopted to power urban transportation systems such as trolleybuses, tramways, metros, and railways, can serve as a backbone to connect different modern emerging technologies. Among these, in-motion charging (IMC) trolleybuses with on-board batteries are expected to be very impactful on the DC network’s power flow and may require specific voltage and current control. These factors motivate the development of a simulation tool able to emulate these devices’ absorption and their effect on the supply infrastructure. The main innovative value of the work is to improve a simulation model of a trolleybus grid through a data-driven approach by using measurements of voltage and current output from a traction substation. The measurements are essential for understanding the behavior of vehicle weight variation throughout the day. Thanks to this information, a characterization of the current draw by conventional trolleybuses and IMC trolleybuses is then provided for each trolleybus route in a specific power section of the Bologna trolleybus system. By integrating the variation in vehicle weight within the model, a simulation of a possible daily operation of a trolleybus feeding section has been performed, obtaining a 7% error between the daily energy calculated from the simulation and that obtained through measurements. This analysis demonstrates the feasibility of the adopted simulation tool, which can also be used to evaluate additional hypothetical trolleybus operation scenarios. One of these possible scenarios considers IMC vehicles, and it is also evaluated in this paper.
Trends in Hospitalization and Mortality from Cervical Cancer in Brazil Are Linked to Socioeconomic and Care Indicators
Authors: Sousa Luiz Vinicius de Alcantara , Paiva Laércio da Silva , Alcantara Stefanie de Sousa Antunes , Fonseca Fernando Luiz Affonso , Carvalho Luis Eduardo Werneck de , Adami Fernando
Published: September 2022

We aimed, through an ecological survey of cervical cancer outcomes in Brazil, to analyze the influence of socioeconomic and care indicators of social vulnerability. The study sample (2010–2015) is composed of women diagnosed with cervical cancer, in different regions of the country. Data were collected from the Department of Health, in addition to searching the social vulnerability database of the Institute of Applied Economic Research. The incidence of age-standardized hospital admission declined over the years of the study in almost all regions but only one region showed a significant decline in indices of social vulnerability. In two other regions, one important indicator (human capital) significantly decreased. There was a positive correlation between vulnerability indices and age-standardized hospital admissions in most of the country. Decreasing vulnerability by easy access to cancer screening and early treatment improves cervical cancer outcomes.
Factors Influencing the Utilization of Antenatal Services among Women of Childbearing Age in South Africa
Authors: Nxiweni Putunywa Zandrina , Oladimeji Kelechi Elizabeth , Nanjoh Mirabel , Banda Lucas , Anyiam Felix Emeka , Hyera Francis Leonard Mpotte , Apalata Teke R. , Mbokazi Jabu A. , Oladimeji Olanrewaju
Published: September 2022

Access to quality care before, during, and after childbirth remains an effective means of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. Therefore, the study identified factors influencing the utilization of prenatal care services among women of childbearing age in South Africa. This is a retrospective study based on secondary data from the South African Demographic Health Survey (DHS) conducted from 1998 to 2016. In South Africa, 21.0% of mothers had used ANC services. Higher odds of seeking prenatal care were found in women aged 35 years and older (cOR = 1.26, 95% CI; 1.08–1.47, p = 0.003), married or cohabiting (cOR = 1.13, 95% CI; 1.004–1.27) observed, p = 0.043), higher level of education (tertiary education: cOR = 0.55, p = 0.001), female residents in urban areas (cOR = 1.35, 95% CI; 1.20–1.52, p = 0.001), higher wealth index (cOR = 1.32, 95% CI; 1.15–1.51, p = 0.001), employed (cOR = 1.48, 95% CI; 1.29–1.70, p = 0.001) and media exposure (cOR = 1.27, 95% CI; 1.12–1.44), p = 0.001). The findings of this study provide insight into the need to make maternal health services more accessible, more widely used, and of a higher quality. This requires effective strategic policies that promote patronage to reduce maternal mortality and improve newborn outcomes in South Africa.
Violencia política de género. Leyes y protocolos en América Latina
Authors: Albaine Laura
Published: September 2022

Este trabajo se propone brindar una aproximación a las estrategias legales y/u otros marcos regulatorios en materia de violencia política de género que configuran el escenario institucional de abordaje de América Latina. En este sentido, se presentan diversos tipos de leyes adoptadas y protocolos de actuación para prevenir, atender y sancionar esta problemática. Así, se intenta reflexionar sobre el deber de los Estados de actuar frente a esta expresión de violencia de género, a la vez de contribuir al debate sobre los avances y retos aún pendientes para diseñar e implementar estrategias de acción efectivas capaces de promover la no impunidad de estos tipos de actos.
Determination of in vitro digestibility and some quality characteristics of fermented sucuk foods produced for dogs
Authors: KAHRAMAN Oğuzhan , İNAL Fatma , GÜLŞEN Nurettin , ALATAŞ Mustafa Selçuk
Published: September 2022

The aim of current study was to determine in vitro digestibility, some microbiological properties and shelf life of fermented sucuk foods consisting mixture of animal and vegetable natural foods produced for dogs. Grain-inclusive and grain-free (GF) formulations were prepared. Grain-inclusive group was subgrouped as cooked (CG) and uncooked grain (UCG). In vitro digestibility, nutrient composition, pH and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of 3 groups of sucuk foods were determined at 0, 1, 3, and 6 months after production. Microbiological characteristics (Aerobic colony number, E. coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus, coliform bacteria, yeast mold, Salmonella spp.) and lactic acid levels of sucuks were determined at the end of 1, 3, and 6-months of storage (+4°C). There were differences in nutrient compositions of groups and storage times within groups (P<0.05). All sucuk foods were negative for E. coli and Salmonella spp. Count of aerobic colonies were 5.8x107, 3.0x107 and 3.1x109 CFU/g in CG, UCG and GF, respectively. Total yeast-mold counts were between 5.5x103-9.6x104 CFU/g. The highest pH drop (5.38 to 4.25) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (92.02%) were determined in CG sucuk (P<0.05). TBARS value of UCG group was the highest at the end of the 6-months storage (P<0.05). Lactic acid levels were not different between storage times and groups (P>0.05). As a result, healthy and highly digestible sucuk foods were obtained for dogs, which contain sufficient and balanced nutrients and have a long shelf life.
Pelayan Publik yang tidak Mencari Keuntungan Diri: Sebuah Refleksi Nehemia 5:14-19
Authors: Pranata Hadi , Hamenda Priska Petrecia
Published: September 2022

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk membangun sebuah refleksi teologis berdasarkan teks Nehemia 5:14-19 tentang sikap Nehemia yang tidak mencari keuntungan diri sendiri dalam membangun tembok Yerusalem. Metode yang digunakan adalah refleksi naratif atas teks kitab suci, Nehemia 5:14-19.
Yohanes Pembaptis dan Fenomena Post-Truth di Era Digital: Sebuah Kajian Lukas 3:19-20
Authors: Karinda Rocky Samuel
Published: September 2022

Pembacaan Lukas 3:19-20 tidak banyak menjadi perhatian karena terhenti pada pemahaman sebagai pemisah antara pelayanan Yohanes Pembaptis dan misi Yesus. Artikel ini berisi kajian kritik teks dan sosio-historis yang berupaya memunculkan sisi yang terpinggirkan ketika membaca Lukas 3:19-20, yaitu Lukas yang mengungkapkan pertarungan jatidiri antara Herodes dan Yohanes Pembaptis sebagai landasan penting dalam kehidupan beriman komunitas Lukas.  Melalui kajian ini akan didapatkan pemahaman bahwa Lukas 3:19-20 adalah sebuah penegasan jatidiri bagi komunitas Lukas mengenai perilaku kehidupan yang harus dipelihara dalam kehidupan beriman maupun bermasyarakat yaitu menampilkan jati diri yang berintegritas, berhati Nurani dan konsisten, dalam praktiknya menolak bungkam terhadap praktik kejahatan.