bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O-GlcNAcylation inhibition redirects the response of colon cancer cells to chemotherapy from senescence to apoptosis
Authors: LOISON Ingrid , PIOGER Adrien , PAGET Sonia , METATLA Ines , Consortium OrgaRES , Vincent Audrey , ABBADIE Corinne , DEHENNAUT Vanessa
Published: June 2024

The potential use of pro-senescence therapies, known as TIS (Therapy-Induced Senescence), for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) generated significant interest since they require lower doses compared to those required for inducing apoptosis. However, the senescent cell cycle-arrested cancer cells are long-lived, and studies have revealed escape mechanisms contributing to tumor recurrence. To deepen our understanding of the survival pathways used by senescent cancer cells, we delved into the potential involvement of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). HBP provides UDP-GlcNAc, the substrate for O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), which catalyzes O-GlcNAcylation, a post-translational modification implicated in regulating numerous cellular functions and aberrantly elevated in CRC. In this study, we demonstrated that TIS induced in HCT116 and LS174T colorectal cancer cells by low-dose SN38 or etoposide treatment was accompanied with a decrease of GFAT (the rate limiting enzyme of the HBP), OGT and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) expression correlated with a slight reduction in O-GlcNAcylation levels. Further decreasing this level of O-GlcNAcylation by knocking-down GFAT or OGT redirected the response to subtoxic chemotherapy doses from senescence to apoptosis, in correlation with an enhancement of DNA damages. Pharmacological inhibition of OGT with OSMI-4 in HCT116 and LS174T cells and in a patient-derived colon tumoroid model supported these findings. Taken together, these results suggest that combing O-GlcNAcylation inhibitors to low doses of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs could potentially reduce treatment side effects while preserving efficacy. Furthermore, this approach may increase treatment specificity, as CRC cells exhibit higher O-GlcNAcylation levels compared to normal tissues.
Reducing classical communication costs in multiplexed quantum repeaters using hardware-aware quasi-local policies
Authors: Haldar Stav , Barge Pratik , Cheng Xiang , Chang Kai-Chi , Kirby Brian , Khatri Sumeet , Wong Chee Wei , Lee Hwang
Published: June 2024

Future quantum networks will have nodes equipped with multiple quantum memories, allowing for multiplexing and entanglement distillation. In this work, we introduce "quasi-local" policies for multiplexed quantum repeater chains. In fully-local policies, nodes make decisions based only on knowledge of their own states. In our quasi-local policies, nodes have increased knowledge of state of the repeater chain, but not necessarily global knowledge. Our policies exploit the observation that for most decisions the nodes have to make, they only need to have information about the connected region of the chain they belong to, and not the entire chain. In this way, we not only obtain improved performance over local policies, but we reduce the classical communication (CC) costs inherent to global-knowledge policies. Our policies also outperform the well-known and widely studied nested purification and doubling swapping policy in practically relevant parameter regimes. Via analytical and numerical results, we also identify the parameter regimes in which distillation makes sense and is useful. We also address the question: "Should we distill before swapping, or vice versa?'' Finally, we propose an experimental implementation of a multiplexing-based repeater chain, and experimentally demonstrate the key element, a high-dimensional biphoton frequency comb, and evaluate its anticipated performance.
Evaluation of Aerosol Loading and its Relationship with Geopotential Height in Nigeria’s Guinea Coast
Authors: Ibe Onyinyechi Caroline , Nwofor Okechukwu Kelechi , Okoro Ugochukwu Kingsley
Published: June 2024

The aim of this research work is to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of aerosol optical depth over Nigeria’s Guinea Coast (Longitude 3–12°E, Latitude 4–9°N) comparing aerosol loading within the Guinea Coast region of Nigeria, investigating the relationship between aerosol loading and geopotential height, assessing the vertical distribution of aerosol loading and ascertaining the relationship between aerosol loading and observe the effects of meteorological factors on aerosol loading. Aerosol optical depth data was obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer, while the geopotential height and meteorological parameters were retrieved from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications-2 platform. The result obtained showed that aerosol loading/distribution was highest during the dry seasons, especially the coastal areas like Lagos, Warri, and Port Harcourt; this is the season when harmattan dust prevails. Aerosol loading was less in the study location during the dry season because of wet scavenging during this period. Geopotential height values tends to be increasing in the study location. In assessing the vertical distribution of aerosols at different pressure levels, a positive significant association was noticed between aerosol optical depth and geopotential height. It also noted a higher wind speed in the north and the coast of the study region and lower in the south of the region; with the specific humidity pattern at 1000-hpa directly correlating with geopotential height and inversely with wind speed.
Factors associated with pre-treatment hyperferritinemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Chang Yu Ping , Huang Chiuan-Bo , Kao Jia-Horng , Su Tung-Hung , Huang Shang-Chin , Tseng Tai-Chung , Chen Pei-Jer , Liu Chun-Jen , Liu Chen-Hua
Published: June 2024

Pre-treatment host and viral factors may affect serum ferritin levels in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We delineated pre-treatment factors associated with hyperferritinemia in these patients. 1682 eligible patients underwent pre-treatment assessment for serum ferritin and various host/viral factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate factors associated with hyperferritinemia. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that age > 50 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.74), p = 0.008), fibrosis stage ≥ F3 (adjusted OR: 1.36 (95% CI: 1.04–1.77), p = 0.02), fibrosis index based on four parameters (FIB-4) > 3.25 (adjusted OR: 1.46 (95% CI: 1.11–1.92), p = 0.01), presence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) (adjusted OR: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.21–1.76), p = 0.001), and alanine transaminase (ALT) > 2 folds upper limit of normal (ULN) (adjusted OR: 2.87 (95% CI: 2.20–3.75), p < 0.001) were associated hyperferritinemia. The log10 value of HBV or HCV viral load was not associated with the log10 value of ferritin level (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient: -0.025, p = 0.81 and 0.002, p = 0.92). In conclusion, host factors, rather than viral factors, are associated with hyperferritinemia in patients with HCV.
Precision Medicine in Obesity: Revealing the Role of SPON2 in Inflammation Through Gwas Analysis in Admixture Brazilian Population.
Authors: Costa Ryan , Coelho Raísa , Cruz Álvaro , Teixeira Helena , Melo Ana Paula , Silva Hatilla , Gomes Luciano , Costa Gustavo , Santana Cinthia , Machado Adelmir , Pinheiro Gabriela , Campbell Monica , Rafaels Nicholas , Barnes Kathleen , Barreto Mauricio L , Figueiredo Camila , Fernandes Jamile
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Obesity is recognized as a chronic condition with a multifactorial etiology, marked by persistent systemic low-level inflammation.
Objectives: This study aims to explore and evaluate the role of genetic factors in predisposition to obesity within a diverse, mixed-race population.
Methods: We conducted a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) involving 1,036 individuals, comprising 333 eutrophic and 703 people with overweight, to pinpoint genetic variants linked to obesity. Genotyping was carried out using the MEGA chip by Illumina. Following this, imputation was performed using the CAAPA reference panel. We conducted in silico analyses using different platforms. Additionally, in a subset of 657 participants, we quantified levels of 11 cytokines (Eotaxin, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-6, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-8, and TNFα) in peripheral blood. We examined their relationship with the genotypes of the variants identified in the GWAS study.
Results: We identified thirty-five variants that exhibited suggestive associations (5 x 10-8 < p-value < 1 x 10-5) with weight excess. Chromosome 4 harbored the main genes linked to this outcome (SPON2, RNF212, COL4A3, TMED11P and PCSK2) expressed in adipose tissue. Furthermore, we found a variant within the ZZEF1 gene on chromosome 17. Notably, variants such as rs10014526-T and rs77703123-T, in TMED11P displayed high linkage disequilibrium (LD) with variants in SPON2, rs75448245-G, rs11538062-T and rs75654334-T and in COL4A3, rs13419630-A, all negatively associated with the outcome. In contrast, the rs781851-G variant, in the ZZEF1 gene showed a positive association with the outcome. These polymorphic alleles were associated with variations in serum levels of the cytokines IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12.
Conclusions: Our study implies that candidate genes linked to weight excess, notably SPON2, are connected to a perturbed immune pathway that underlies the characteristic inflammation seen in obesity. These novel uncovered associations in our study could potentially advance the field of precision medicine to treat obesity.
Intradermally injected abobotulinumtoxinA, administered in intact animals preemptively, before surgery, alleviates post-surgical pain, reduces distress and normalizes behavior in a translational animal model
Authors: Kalinichev Mikhail , Cornet Sylvie , Castel David , Meilin Sigal , Horne Ron , Pons Laurent , Evans Stephen M. , Lezmi Stephane
Published: June 2024

Previously, abobotulinumtoxinA (aboBoNT-A) injected intraoperatively using intradermal (ID) route was shown to result in effective, but delayed post-surgical analgesia in pigs. Here, we explore the efficacy of preemptively administered aboBoNT-A in intact animals on pain and associated anxiety/depression-like reactivity following a surgery on the lower back of pigs. AboBoNT-A (200 U/animal) or saline, distributed across ten injection points, were injected around anticipated incision via ID route 15, 5, or 1 day before surgery (part A) or via ID, intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) routes 15 days before surgery (part B). Animals were assessed for mechanical sensitivity, distress behaviors, and latency to approach the investigator before and after surgery for 7 days. AboBoNT-A, injected ID 15 days before surgery, didn’t alter any baseline behaviors, but largely prevented the onset of post-surgical allodynia, distress and normalized approaching behavior. Injections made 5 days before surgery led to similar analgesic responses, while those made 1 day before surgery were less effective. IM or SC injections of aboBoNT-A were ineffective. Thus, aboBoNT-A administered ID between 15 and 5 days before surgery represents the most optimal conditions for postoperative analgesia. These findings warrant for clinical investigation of analgesic efficacy of preemptively administered aboBoNT-A in postsurgical pain.
Discerning Sustainability: Analyzing Asia's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through AI
Authors: Ramrakhiani Nikita , Chitale Devashish , Kukreja Anup , Mhetre Kunal
Published: June 2024

The escalating global apprehension regarding climate change and its consequences on the environment have incited extensive inquiry into the origins and repercussions of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Amongst the distinct geographical regions worldwide, Asia is a substantial contributor to these emissions, necessitating an exhaustive examination of its constituent elements which encompass land utilization, industrial undertakings, and various other demographic factors. This instigates the basis for our research with the intent of exploring multifaceted dimensions of CO2 emissions in Asian countries, with a pronounced emphasis on emissions stemming from environmental Indicators. The inherent objective of our research is to stratify the per capita CO2 emissions of these nations into discrete categories predicated on sustainability benchmarks. In this research, we work with AI algorithms like Decision tree, Random Forest and logistic regression, to ascertain and substantiate the classifications which can be categorized with regards to their CO2 emissions. The amalgamation of these algorithms with data visualization tools like Tableau and Power BI contribute towards identifying existing patterns and add a dynamic edge to our model. The aim of the research is to analyze the cause of disparities between CO2 emissions and develop insights to reduce or mitigate the effects of emissions on the environment while maintaining industrial development & quality of life. Unveiling critical discernments into the several factors that wield influence over CO2 emissions to mitigate the effects is a crucial need today. The findings also identify the leading contributors among Asian nations in terms of CO2 emissions. The key focus of this research is about the significance of adopting sustainable methodologies to curtail CO2 emissions within Asian countries while maintaining a balance with their overall development. This endeavor not only distinguishes the nations with the loftiest emissions but also Gives input pertaining to assign priority in their efforts to mitigate their environmental footprint. By leveraging the insights emanating from this investigation, policymakers, environmental advocates, and stakeholders can devise strategies to achieve sustainability and alleviate the detrimental ramifications of CO2 emissions in the region. This research serves as an indispensable initial stride toward a more ecologically aware and sustainable future for Asian nations and the global community at large.
A novel study of β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors present on PBMCs, T cells, monocytes and NK cells by radioligand method: quantitation and correlations
Authors: Peklo M. M. , Smolyakova E. V. , Lipatova L. N. , Kashirina N. M. , Skoblov Y. S. , Skoblova N. A. , Slinkin M. A. , Rybalkin I. N. , Rutkevich P. N. , Chusovitina O. K. , Yanushevskaya E. V. , Zykov K.A. , Vlasik T.N.
Published: June 2024

β-adrenoreceptor (ADRB) ligands are actively used in the therapy of bronchopulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. When using these drugs, it is important to assess changes in ADRB content in different tissues, ADRB1 in cardiovascular disease and ADRB2 in bronchopulmonary disease. Direct measurement of ADRB content in lung and heart cells is not possible in most cases. It was previously shown that ADRB2 content in peripheral blood lymphocytes (or mononuclear cells) is significantly correlated with that in myocardial cells. It has been suggested that blood lymphocytes can be used to monitor ADRB content in solid organs. However, estimation of ADRB1 content in myocardium from the content of this receptor in peripheral lymphocytes is not possible because of the low content of ADRB1 in lymphocytes. In the present study we performed simultaneous determination of ADRB1 and ADRB2 both in the total population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in isolated subpopulations of monocytes, T-lymphocytes and NK-cells from 23 healthy donors using the radioligand method modified by us earlier. The highest amount of ADRB2 was detected in NK cells, followed by PBMCs, monocytes and T cells (in descending order). The content of these receptors on all blood cell subpopulations was significantly correlated with each other, suggesting the possibility of using PBMCs to monitor ADRB2 in solid organs. We first detected the presence of ADRB1 in monocytes in 43% of donors and in NK cells in 35% of donors.
Genetic causality between 731 immune cell phenotypes and chronic kidney disease in Europeans: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Tang Qiao , Xu Shang , Du HaiYang , Xia Zhongyuan , Sun Qian
Published: June 2024

Background
Previous studies have demonstrated that various immune cell types are strongly associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the exact causal relationship is unclear.
Methods
Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of 731 immune cell phenotypes and CKD were obtained from IEU OpenGWAS and FinnGen datasets, respectively. A bidirectional MR study was then performed to investigate the genetic causality between them using MR egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), simple mode and weighted mode, of which the results of IVW were considered to be the main ones. Finally, to identify whether the results of MR were reliable, sensitivity analyses were performed to detect heterogeneity and multiplicity, and a leave-one-out method was employed to check the stability. In addition, the FDR adjustment method was conducted to check the strength of genetic causality.
Results
Before FDR adjustment, 40 immune cell phenotypes were identified as genetically causative for CKD, and CKD was genetically causative for 33 immune cell phenotypes (P < 0.05). After FDR adjustment (PFDR < 0.05), two immune cell phenotypes were identified as potentially genetically causative for CKD. However, there was no statistically significant genetic causality of CKD on immune cell phenotype (PFDR > 0.05). At a looser threshold (PFDR < 0.6), CKD was identified as potentially genetically causative for five immune cell phenotypes.
Conclusion
This study explores the genetic causality between immune cells and CKD through a genetic approach, which enhances the understanding of the interactions between immune responses and CKD, thereby offering directions for future clinical research.
Antibacterial Activity of Green Synthesized Copper Oxide Nanoparticles against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Khairy Toka , Amin Dina Hatem , Salama Hanaa Mohamed , Mohamed Iman , Elnakib Mostafa , Gebreel Hassan Mahmoud , Elnabi Hayam Abd
Published: June 2024

Using plant extracts in the green synthesis of nanoparticles has become an environmentally acceptable approach. In our study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were synthesized using ethanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica and Simmondsia chinensis. CuO NP formation was confirmed by the change in color and by UV‒visible spectroscopy (CuO NPs peaked at a wavelength of 344 nm). TEM images confirmed the semispherical shape of the CuO NPs, with particle sizes ranging from 30.9 to 10.7 nm. The antibacterial activity of these NPs was evaluated by using the agar diffusion method against clinical isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CuO NPs ranged from 62.5 to 125 µg/ml. In contrast, the antioxidant activity and antibiofilm activity of CuO NPs ranged from 31.1 to 92.2% at 125–500 µg/ml and 62.2–95%, respectively, at 125 − 62.5 µg/ml. Our results confirmed that CuO NPs had IC50s of 383.41 ± 3.4 and 402.73 ± 1.86 at 250 µg/mL against the HBF4 cell line. Molecular docking studies with CuO NPs suggested that penicillin-binding protein 4 (PBP4) and beta-lactamase proteins (OXA-48) strongly bind to S. aureus and K. pneumoniae, respectively, with CuO NPs. Our study confirms the promising use of CuO NPs in treating pathogenic bacteria and that CuO NPs could be possible alternative antibiotics. This study supports the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in Egypt and worldwide.
Structural visualization analysis applied to the preservation of architectural heritage: the case of stilted houses in southwest China
Authors: Qian Cheng , Wang Tong , Yu Sihan
Published: June 2024

Architectural cultural heritage is critical to preserving global cultural and historical diversity. Despite China's abundance and distinctive architectural heritage resources, current approaches to analysis and preservation predominantly depend on traditional two-dimensional drawings and documents. These methods exhibit notable deficiencies in terms of accuracy, comprehensive restoration, and preservation. The vulnerability of these cultural heritages is further increased by inconvenient transportation and frequent natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides, placing more demands on preservation and restoration efforts, especially in Southwest China's hilly regions. In addition, the wide and dispersed distribution of buildings in this region adds another layer of complexity to the heritage protection process.This study focuses on the stilted houses, which are very typical of the Southwest. A comprehensive analysis was completed by classifying their structural types, performing geometric modeling, and combining real photos, exact dimensions, and material attributes. Five models were subjected to both dynamic and static analysis, as well as buckling, utilization rate, and ultimate state assessments. The data were displayed in a way that made it evident which structural forms had advantages and disadvantages, as well as which structural irrationality was present. Based on these findings, this study developed targeted architectural heritage protection techniques that were assessed using structural evaluations. These initiatives offer fresh approaches and insights into the preservation of architectural heritage.
Biological and Residual Activity of Candidate Larvicide Formulation, SumiLarv TM 2MR, against an Exotic Invasive Mosquito Anopheles stephensi Liston in Ethiopia
Authors: Yehwalaw Delenasaw , Erena Ebisa , Degefa Teshome , Zemene Endalew , Simma Eba A. , Kifle Yehenew G.
Published: June 2024

The study assessed the efficacy and residual activity of SumiLarv™ 2MR, SumiLarv™ 0.5G, and Abate®1SG (as a positive control) against Anopheles stephensi larvae in Awash Subath Kilo, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia. A semi-field experiment used plastic containers with capacities of 100L, 250L, and 500L. For SumiLarv 2MR, four 100L containers were treated with one disc each, compared to two untreated controls. Similarly, four 250L containers were treated with one disc each with two untreated controls. Eight 250L containers were treated with a half-dose to match one disc per 500L, alongside four untreated controls. For SumiLarv 0.5G and Abate 1SG, four 100L containers were treated with each larvicide, with two untreated controls. Each container received 20–25 third and fourth instar An. stephensi larvae. Observations of adult emergence were conducted until all pupae either emerged or died. The result revealed that SumiLarv 2MR had a nine-month residual efficacy, SumiLarv 0.5G had a seven-week efficacy, and Abate 1SG had a five-week efficacy. SumiLarv 2MR discs retained nearly 50% of their initial pyriproxyfen content after nine months, indicating potential for extended residual activity. The study highlights SumiLarv 2MR's long-term efficacy as a larvicide against An. stephensi in Ethiopia.
Dual focus of Technology Acceptance and TechnologyResistant Model: Deep Learning Approach
Authors: S Subhashini L D C , Sachithra Vilani , U.S. Samarasinghe
Published: June 2024

Digital health care is becoming increasingly important, and the possibilities and chances of digital health care for elderly people are particularly high.There is a substantial part of the elderly population that does not use theinformation technology, which is a precondition for using digital health careservices. In this piece, elderly person’s acceptance to use and resistant to useof such technologies remain an open-ended research problem. The study aimsto develop an integrated model based on a human-centric perspective, sociotechnical characteristics, and aging specific constructs to offer a more accurateindulgent of consumer acceptance or resistance of technology in the aspect ofelderly context. The study integrated Theory of Planned Behavior, Status quobias, Equity-implementation model and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Useof Technology2 model to come up with a dual phenomenon conceptual modelof technology acceptance and resistance. Two-phased multi-analytical models were used. The scope of the study included older adults (people aged 65years or older) in Sri Lanka. The multiple regression analysis and Model 4 ofthe PROCESS macro results revealed that human centric, socio technical andaging specific factors significantly influence on elders to use technology; interestedly, human-centric factors negatively influenced. Moreover, socio-technicalfactor was not a significant predictor in elders’ resistant to use technology. The mediating analysis results showed that propensity related to technology was asignificant mediator on the relationships between Human centric and Technology use; Aging specific and Technology use; Human centric and Resist usingtechnology; and Aging specific and Resist using technology. Thereafter, thedata is trained and tested using a deep learning approach. The model can performed F-measure of 72.85% for predicting technology acceptance or rejection.Technology has been advancing at a faster speed than we have ever imagined.Understanding personal variables such as human-centric and aging specific thataffect the adaptation and resistant process in technology provides valuable information for developers and social planners in the design and execution oftechnology for the elder community
Numerical study on instability of rock structural planes induced by stress disturbances
Authors: Hu Minghui , Liu Richeng , Li Shuchen , Yuan Chao , Feng Xianda
Published: June 2024

The activities in deep underground engineering may induce variations in the stress state of the rock, increasing the risk of engineering disasters. The decrease in normal stress σn and the increase in shear stress τs are considered as important causes for activation of rock structural planes to induce rockburst, earthquake and other disasters. In this study, numerical simulations are performed to reveal the influences of different stress paths on the dynamic slip mechanism of rock structural planes. The results show that the rock structural plane loaded to the near-critical failure state enters a slow slip state as the stress varies, and the frictional strength decreases with the exponentially increasing shear displacement ds, eventually resulting in dynamic slip. The displacement-driven mode overestimates the friction parameters µ by up to 14.5% compared with the stress-driven mode. The slow slip continuously weakens the ability of the structural plane to tolerate stress variation. The continuity and discontinuity of stress variation on structural plane affect the strengthening mode of µ. The stepwise stress path causes the stress on the structural plane to change dramatically, and may either cause the structural plane return to a slow-slip state or activate the structural plane to dynamic slip. Compared with the variation stress in σn, the variation stress in τs is more sensitive to triggering dynamic slip. The ds before dynamic slip is an important reference for evaluating the extent to tolerate stress variation. With increasing ds from 0.68 mm to 1.26 mm, the τs required to trigger dynamic slip decreases from 1.67 MPa to 1.49 MPa, suggesting that the ability of structural planes to tolerate stress variation is reduced.
Sentiment Analysis for Social Media Presence
Authors: Saya Sashank , Malawade Shreelaxmi K , Krishna Smaranya Vijaya , S Vaishnavi K , B Shylaja
Published: June 2024

This Flask - React application offers a versatile platform for sentiment analysis on both text and image data. It includes functionalities for batch text sentiment prediction, single text input analysis, and image sentiment prediction with generated captions. Leveraging machine learning and deep learning techniques, the app provides insights into sentiment distribution, catering to diverse use cases such as social media monitoring and content moderation. Through this project, we provide real – time solutions for the analysis of comments and images with the use of a Gradient Boosting Classifier and the VGG16 convolutional model with an accuracy of 82% when compared with the output of the sentiment module itself present in TextBlob.
The role of CCT5 in human tumors: a pan-cancer analysis
Authors: Ahmed Md. Zabir , Billah Md Mohtasim , Ferdous Jannatul , Antar Shoriful Islam , Mamun Abdullah Al , Hossain Md. Jubayer
Published: June 2024

CCT5, a molecular chaperone protein, was analyzed in 33 different tumor types by pan-cancer analysis. This study investigated various aspects such as gene expression, proteomic expression, immune infiltration, DNA methylation, genetic alterations, survival, enrichment analysis, and prognostic significance. The results showed that CCT5 is highly expressed in most tumors, and its overexpression is associated with poor overall and disease-free survival, as well as poor prognosis in different tumor types. Immune infiltration analysis revealed a correlation between CCT5, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), CD8 + T cells, and NK cells, and the prognosis of patients with different tumor types was significantly correlated with the expression of these three tumor-infiltrating immune cells. This study suggested that CCT5 regulates the number of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, thereby affecting the prognosis of these tumors. Enrichment analysis revealed the association of CCT5 with cell cycle and RNA-binding pathways. CCT5 is highly expressed in tumors, with reduced promoter and N-shore methylation, indicating its potential oncogenic and epigenetic roles. These findings suggest that CCT5 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and target for immunotherapy in cancer cell proliferation and development.
Trends in distribution of harm-reducing equipment for people who inject drugs in Norway, 2016-2022. A nationwide data collection
Authors: Skogen Jens Christoffer , Gottschlich Katharina Natalie , Blindheim Martin , Årstad Janne
Published: June 2024

Harm-reducing strategies are interventions designed to mitigate the adverse effects of substance use when abstinence is not a feasible option. Evidence supports the effectiveness and efficacy of harm reduction as a broad framework for addressing illicit drug use. To ensure the implementation of these measures, Alcohol and Drug Research Western Norway was mandated by the Norwegian Directorate of Health in 2016 to annually assess municipalities' adherence to harm-reduction guidelines. This study aims to present national trends in the distribution of harm-reducing equipment in Norway from 2016 to 2022. Specifically, we investigated the proportion of distributing municipalities, additional equipment distributed, and the population coverage. Our findings indicate an increased coverage in the distribution of harm-reducing equipment in Norway between 2016 and 2022. This positive trend demonstrates progress in addressing the negative consequences of drug use and aligns with Norwegian national strategies to mitigate drug-related harms. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of these harm-reduction strategies and identify areas for improvement within the Norwegian context, especially related to use of opioid analgesics.
Multi-omics analysis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection in Rhipicephalus microplus cells reveals antiviral tick factors.
Authors: Petit Marine , Flory Charlotte , Gu Quan , Fares Mazigh , Davies Kelsey , Score Alan , Lamont Douglas , Sakyi Lesley Bell- , Scaturro Pietro , Brennan Benjamin , Kohl Alain
Published: June 2024

The increasing prevalence of tick-borne arboviral infections worldwide necessitates advanced control strategies, particularly those targeting vectors, to mitigate the disease burden. However, the cellular interactions between arboviruses and ticks, especially for negative-strand RNA viruses, remain largely unexplored. Here, we employed a proteomics informed by transcriptomics approach to elucidate the cellular response of the Rhipicephalus microplus-derived BME/CTVM6 cell line to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infection. We generated the first de novo transcriptomes and proteomes of SFTSV- and mock-infected tick cells, identifying key host responses and regulatory pathways. Additionally, interactome analysis of the viral nucleoprotein (N) integrated host responses with viral replication mechanisms. Finally, our dsRNA-mediated gene silencing screen revealed two novel anti-SFTSV effectors, the RNA helicases, DHX9 and UPF1. Collectively, our results provide new insights into the antiviral responses of Rhipicephalus microplus vector cells and highlight critical SFTSV restriction factors, while enriching transcriptomic and proteomic resources for future research.
Multilocus sequencing analysis of the rhizobial symbionts isolated from Acacia salicina (Lindl.) grown in different regions in Tunisia reveals novel Bradyrhizobium species
Authors: Rejili Mokhtar , Bouznif Besma , Benabderrahim Mohamed Ali , Mars Mohamed
Published: June 2024

In this study, we investigated various chromosomal and symbiotic markers in 40 bacterial strains that nodulating an invasive alien Acacia salicina Lindl. In Tunisia never described worldwide. Our findings showed that the native rhizobia in Tunisia associated to A. salicina are grouped into eight distinct RAPD electrophoretic types (RETs) (genotypes). Sequence analyses of rrs and three housekeeping genes (recA, rpoB and glnII) assigned sixteen isolates to three putative new lineages within Bradyrhizobium genus. Seven strains were clustered with B. rifense CTAW71T with low bootstrap support (91%), five strains were grouped with B. niftali CNPSo3448T with a very low bootstrap support (60%), and four strains occupied a separate position between B. shewense ERR11T and B. centrosematis A9T. All strains were not able to grow at 37°C, pH 12 and more than 0.5% NaCl and showed a different response to different antibiotics, with no growth in presence of Gentamicin. Based on nodC phylogeny and cross inoculation tests, these 16 strains are clustered within the two symbiovar retamae (six strains) and cyanophyllae (ten strains). According to the symbiotic gene sequence and the nodulation phenotype with A. salicina and A. saligna, the reference strain B. diversitatis CNPSo4019T would be, interestingly, considered for the first time as a new member of the symbiovar cyanophyllae.
Linking sea and land systems through food web models and value chains: a portrait of the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Ortega Miquel , Lloret-Lloret Elena , Coll Marta
Published: June 2024

In various parts of the world, the fisheries sector is undergoing a rapid transition due to a combination of ecological and economic stressors. In this context, there is a growing interest in employing integrated ecological-economic tools that facilitate the adoption of ecosystem-based fisheries practices within a value chain perspective. These tools aim to contribute to find management options that decrease ecological impacts while increasing socioeconomic benefits. Our study integrates a food-web model with a value-chain model for an area of the Mediterranean Sea. This case study may provide valuable insights for decision-makers: 1) it allows the calculation of indicators that go beyond species evaluation and fisheries incomes, which are relevant for assessing fisheries management; 2) it offers a more comprehensive perspective on what should be considered priority fisheries species and their key characteristics; and 3) it supports the identification of key actors of the fisheries value chain and generates pertinent information to use in vertically integrated decision-making initiatives.
Analytical performance of OncoPrism-HNSCC, an RNA-based assay to inform immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment decisions for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hiken Jeffrey , Earls Jon , Flanagan Kevin C. , Wellinghoff Rachel L. , Ponder Michelle , Messina David N. , Glasscock Jarret I. , Duncavage Eric J.
Published: June 2024

Background
While immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies can significantly improve outcomes for patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-HNSCC), only about 15–20% benefit from such treatments. Clinical tests that guide the use of ICIs are therefore critically needed. OncoPrism-HNSCC was developed to address this need. The assay combines next generation RNA sequencing-based immunomodulatory gene expression signatures with machine learning algorithms to generate an OncoPrism Score that classifies patients as having low, medium, or high likelihood of disease control in response to ICI treatment. Also, OncoPrism-HNSCC leverages the same FFPE patient tumor RNA used for ICI response prediction to identify rare cases where oncogenic rearrangements in NTRK1/2/3 or ALK genes, which may indicate the use of potentially highly effective targeted therapies. The clinical performance of OncoPrism-HNSCC has been validated. Here, we report its analytical performance in the presence of potentially confounding sources of variation.
Methods
The assay’s analytical sensitivity was assessed by varying RNA input quantity and quality, observing the effect on ICI response prediction scores. Analytical specificity was tested by spiking increasing percentages of genomic DNA into input RNA. Intra-assay and inter-assay precision were evaluated, and the analytical sensitivity, specificity, and precision of gene fusion detection were assessed. Concordance with orthogonal methods of gene fusion detection was tested on 67 FFPE clinical samples.
Results
Varying RNA inputs as low as four-fold below the nominal input amount had little effect on ICI response prediction scores. RNA quality levels below the test threshold had no significant effect. Genomic DNA spike-ins up to 30% had only a small effect on scores. The pooled standard deviation for multiple operators, reagent lots, batches, and sequencers yielded an overall variance represented by just 0.87% of the score range of the test (0–100). NTRK and ALK gene fusion detection was 100% concordant with orthogonal methods.
Conclusions
Robust and reliable analytical performance of the OncoPrism-HNSCC assay supports its clinical use, even in the presence of variation typically encountered in the laboratory setting.
Triglyceride Composition of Unprocessed Cow’s Milk
Authors: Evsiukova Alexandra
Published: June 2024

The research compared fresh cow’s milk from various farms on a number of indicators, including fatty acid and triglyceride composition. The resulting minimal and maximal values for each fatty acid made it possible to reveal the effect of various factors on the fatty acid composition. The triglyceride test demonstrated the dominant triglycerides and their mass fraction typical of cow’s milk fat. Some samples had an altered triglyceride composition with bovine fat mixed with milk fat. The main triglyceride groups were classified as C50, C52 and C54, which are characteristic of cow’s milk fat: they proved dominant when the fat phase samples were analyzed for bovine fat. The method proved effective in cow’s milk fat phase triglyceride tests.
An explainable machine learning approach to the prediction of pipe failure using minimum night flow
Authors: Hayslep Matthew , Keedwell Edward , Farmani Raziyeh , Pocock Josh
Published: June 2024

Both minimum night flow (MNF) and pipe failures are common ways of understanding leakage within water distribution networks (WDNs). This article takes a data-driven approach and applies linear models, random forests, and neural networks to MNF and pipe failure prediction. First, models are trained to estimate the historic average MNF for over 800 real-world DMAs from the UK. Features for this problem are constructed from pipe records which detail the length, diameter, volume, age, material, and number of customer connections of each pipe. The results show that 65% of the variation in historic average MNF can be explained using these factors alone. Second, a novel method is proposed to deconstruct the models' predictions into a leakage contribution score (LCS), estimating how each individual pipe in a DMA has contributed to the MNF. In order to validate this novel approach, the LCS values are used to classify pipes based on historic pipe failure and are compared against models directly trained for this. The results show that the LCS performs well at this task, achieving an AUC of 0.71. In addition, it is shown that both LCS and directly trained models agree in many cases on an example real-world DMA.
Evaluating storage conditions and enhancement strategies on viral biomarker recovery for WBE applications
Authors: Subroyen Sueyanka , Pillay Leanne , Bux Faizal , Kumari Sheena
Published: June 2024

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable disease surveillance tool. However, little is known on how factors such as transportation, storage, and wastewater characteristics influence the accuracy of the quantification methods. Hence, this study investigated the impact of storage temperatures and physicochemical characteristics of wastewater on SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A stability using droplet digital PCR. Additionally, strategies to enhance viral recovery were explored. Municipal influent wastewater stored between ±25 and −80 °C was assessed for a period of 84 days to determine viral degradation. Degradation up to 94.1% of influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 was observed in all samples with the highest at ±25 °C. Viral degradation was correlated to the changes in wastewater physicochemical characteristics. The low degradation observed of SARS-CoV-2 in the spiked pellets were indicative of viral adhesion to wastewater solids, which correlated with changes in pH. Ultrasonication frequencies ranging from 4 to 16 kHz, increased SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in the supernatant between 3.30 and 35.65%, indicating viral RNA attachment to wastewater solids. These results highlight the importance of additional pretreatment methods for maximizing RNA recovery from wastewater samples. Based on these findings, it was deduced that wastewater preservation studies are essential, and pretreatment should be included in the WBE methodology.
Percepciones comunitarias sobre el patrimonio cultural de la ciudad de San Luis, Argentina
Authors: Giacomasso María Vanesa
Published: June 2024

En este artículo se presenta un estudio sobre las percepciones, usos y valoraciones del patrimonio cultural por parte de los y las habitantes de la ciudad de San Luis, provincia de San Luis (Argentina). El objetivo de esta investigación consistió en identificar la visión de la comunidad en torno a los bienes y expresiones culturales locales, con el fin de identificar fortalezas y debilidades en la sustentabilidad sociocultural del patrimonio, que puedan ser de utilidad para la toma de decisiones en las políticas públicas de gestión patrimonial. Para ello, se realizó un cuestionario on line a 300 habitantes sanluiseños; este fue distribuido mediante la técnica de muestreo «bola de nieve», a partir de diversos agentes vinculados con el patrimonio de San Luis. Este trabajo, complementario a un estudio anterior, enfatiza en la dimensión etaria y cómo esta opera en las formas de percibir y vincularse con el patrimonio cultural. Los resultados muestran, en general, una falta de reconocimiento, identificación y participación patrimonial por parte del grupo etario más joven y, al mismo tiempo, una baja movilización en su defensa en todas las franjas etarias. Se concluye sobre la importancia de educar en patrimonio para fortalecer procesos de apropiación y activación desde las juventudes, y así también promover instancias participativas que involucren a las comunidades locales.
Nickel and Oxo-Vanadium Complexes of Adenine on Modified Mesoporous MCM-41 as Chemoselective, Efficient, and Reusable Catalysts in the Oxidation of Sulfides and Oxidative Coupling of Thiols
Authors: khanmoradi maryam , Sayadian Masoumeh , Nikoorazm Mohsen
Published: June 2024

Background:

A highly efficient superior catalyst of Ni (II) and VO (IV) metal complexes
supported on MCM-41 has been synthesized and developed for chemoselective oxidation
of sulfides to sulfoxides and oxidative coupling of thiols to their corresponding disulfides
using H2O2 as a green and efficient procedure. All sulfoxides and disulfides were obtained in
short reaction times with excellent yields. The over-oxidation of sulfides or thiols was not observed
and all products were synthesized in high purity. These catalysts could be recovered and
reused several times without any significant loss in their catalytic activity. Compared to the old
catalysts in the literature, these catalysts showed better activity and selectivity for the synthesis
of sulfoxide and disulfide derivatives, which shows the novelty of this work.

Methods:

At first, the mesoporous MCM-41 was synthesized, and further, its surface was modified
by (3-chloropropyl)-triethoxysilane (CPTES). Then, the modified MCM-41 (nPrCl-MCM-
41) was functionalized by adenine. In the next step, the functionalized MCM-41 (6AP-MCM-
41) was used as support for the immobilization of nickel and oxo-vanadium as final catalysts
(Ni-6AP-MCM-41 or VO-6AP-MCM-41). The structure and properties of these catalysts have
been identified by XRD, SEM, TGA, FT-IR, and AAS spectral analyses. These catalysts were
used in the chemoselective oxidation of sulfides and oxidative coupling of thiols.

objective:

Nickel and oxovanadium complexes supported on MCM-41 mesoporous and their application in catalytic selective sulfide and thiol oxidation

Results:

These complexes catalyzed all reactions well at room temperature. According to the
results obtained, the hydroxyl groups of some derivatives, including 2-(methylthio) ethanol or
2,2-(phenylthio) ethanol, remained unchanged during the reaction.

Conclusion:

The method has been found to possess the advantages of low cost, high efficiency,
high yields, recovery, and reusability for several runs without significant loss in the catalytic activity.
Comparison of Efficacy and Safety between Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Targeted Drugs in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Su Chenguang , Liao Zheng , Wang Zixiang , Pei Yinxuan , Li Weiwei , Liu Jinlong
Published: June 2024

Background:

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) are becoming a new treatment
approach for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, the results
regarding its efficacy compared with the standard regimen of targeted therapy are not consistent.

Aims:

Our aim was to conduct a meta-analysis of existing studies to reveal the differences in the
efficacy and safety of the two systems of treatment.

Methods:

The related studies were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library,
and Embase from inception to June 30th, 2022. Data on overall survival (OS), progression-free
survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and rate of treatment-
related adverse events (TrAEs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled and
analyzed by Stata 12.0 software.

Results:

A total of ten high-quality controlled clinical studies with 5,539 patients with uHCC
were included. The hazard ratio (HR) of the OS and PFS were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.74-0.86) and
0.72 (95% CI, 0.58-0.89), respectively. In addition, the odds ratio (OR) of the ORR and DCR
were 3.39 (95% CI, 2.75-4.17) and 1.20 (95% CI, 0.84-1.73), respectively. The ORR of ICIs
monotherapy, ICIs plus anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and ICIs plus ICIs were
16% (95% CI, 0.13-0.18), 17% (95% CI, 0.10-0.27), and 20% (95% CI, 0.16-0.24), respectively.
For all included studies, the OR of the overall TrAEs was 0.51(95% CI, 0.22-1.18), and
grade ≥ 3 TrAEs was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.53-1.14).

Conclusion:

ICIs were more effective than targeted drugs concerning survival periods and ORR
in patients with uHCC while maintaining a stable safety profile.