bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual antibody inhibition of KLK5 and KLK7 for Netherton syndrome and atopic dermatitis
Authors: Chavarria-Smith Joseph , Chiu Cecilia P.C. , Jackman Janet K. , Yin Jianping , Zhang Juan , Hackney Jason A. , Lin Wei-Yu , Tyagi Tulika , Sun Yonglian , Tao Janet , Dunlap Debra , Morton William D. , Ghodge Swapnil V. , Maun Henry R. , Li Hong , Hernandez-Barry Hilda , Loyet Kelly M. , Chen Emily , Liu John , Tam Christine , Yaspan Brian L. , Cai Hao , Balazs Mercedesz , Arron Joseph R. , Li Jing , Wittwer Arthur J , Pappu Rajita , Austin Cary D. , Lee Wyne P. , Lazarus Robert A. , Sudhamsu Jawahar , Koerber James T. , Yi Tangsheng
Published: December 2022

The epidermis is a barrier that prevents water loss while keeping harmful substances from penetrating the host. The impermeable cornified layer of the stratum corneum is maintained by balancing continuous turnover driven by epidermal basal cell proliferation, suprabasal cell differentiation, and corneal shedding. The epidermal desquamation process is tightly regulated by balance of the activities of serine proteases of the Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLK) family and their cognate inhibitor lymphoepithelial Kazal type–related inhibitor (LEKTI), which is encoded by the serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 5 gene. Imbalance of proteolytic activity caused by a deficiency of LEKTI leads to excessive desquamation due to increased activities of KLK5, KLK7, and KLK14 and results in Netherton syndrome (NS), a debilitating condition with an unmet clinical need. Increased activity of KLKs may also be pathological in other dermatoses such as atopic dermatitis (AD). Here, we describe the discovery of inhibitory antibodies against murine KLK5 and KLK7 that could compensate for the deficiency of LEKTI in NS. These antibodies are protective in mouse models of NS and AD and, when combined, promote improved skin barrier integrity and reduced inflammation. To translate these findings, we engineered a humanized bispecific antibody capable of potent inhibition of human KLK5 and KLK7. A crystal structure of KLK5 bound to the inhibitory Fab revealed that the antibody binds distal to its active site and uses a relatively unappreciated allosteric inhibition mechanism. Treatment with the bispecific anti-KLK5/7 antibody represents a promising therapy for clinical development in NS and other inflammatory dermatoses.
A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase II Clinical Study To Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Camostat Mesylate (DWJ1248) in Adult Patients with Mild to Moderate COVID-19
Authors: Kim Yeon-Sook , Jeon Seng-Ho , Kim Junghee , Koh Jong Hoon , Ra Seung Won , Kim Ji Won , Kim Yeonjae , Kim Choon Kwan , Shin Yun Chul , Kang Beo Deul , Kang Seung ji , Park Chul Hee , Lee Boyoung , Lee Ji Yeon , Lee Chung Hoon , Choi Jae-phil , Kim Jin Yong , Yu Shi Nae , Peck Kyong Ran , Kim Sung-Han , Heo Jung Yeon , Kim Hyun ah , Park Hyun-jin , Choi Jongwon , Han Jumi , Kim JooHyun , Kim Hyoung jun , Han Se Hee , Yoon Aeri , Park MiHee , Park SuJung , Kim YuKyung , Jung Minji , Oh Myoung-don
Published: December 2022

Although several antiviral agents have become available for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, oral drugs are still limited. Camostat mesylate, an orally bioavailable serine protease inhibitor, has been used to treat chronic pancreatitis in South Korea, and it has an
in vitro
inhibitory potential against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Disinfectant Susceptibility of Third-Generation-Cephalosporin/Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from the Oral Cavity of Residents of Long-Term-Care Facilities
Authors: Haruta Azusa , Kawada-Matsuo Miki , Le Mi Nguyen-Tra , Yoshikawa Mineka , Kajihara Toshiki , Yahara Koji , Kitamura Norikazu , Kutsuno Shoko , Arai Chika , Takeuchi Maho , Sugawara Yo , Hisatsune Junzo , Tsuga Kazuhiro , Ohge Hiroki , Sugai Motoyuki , Komatsuzawa Hitoshi
Published: December 2022

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are becoming a serious concern worldwide. We previously reported the isolation of third-generation-cephalosporin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria from the oral cavity of residents of a long-term-care facility (LTCF).
Butyrate Ameliorates Intraocular Bacterial Infection by Promoting Autophagy and Attenuating the Inflammatory Response
Authors: Singh Sukhvinder , Singh Pawan Kumar , Kumar Ashok
Published: December 2022

Despite an important link between the gut and ocular health, the role of the gut-eye axis remains elusive in ocular infections. In this study, we investigated the role of butyrate, a gut microbial metabolite, in the pathobiology of intraocular bacterial (
Staphylococcus aureus
) infection, endophthalmitis.
Genome Sequence of the Euphotic Hawaiian Gammaproteobacterium HetDA_MAG_MS8, in the Order
Nevskiales
, Family
Oceanococcaceae
, Genus
Oceanococcus
Authors: Mahdavi Kaveh A. , Graham Elaina D. , Heidelberg John F. , Webb Eric A.
Published: December 2022

We present a metagenome-assembled genome (MAG), HetDA_MAG_MS8, that was determined to be unique via relative evolutionary divergence (RED) scores and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values. HetDA_MAG_MS8 is in the order
Nevskiales
, genus
Oceanococcus
, and was assembled from a heterocytous cyanobiont enrichment from the Hawaii Ocean Time Series.
Determining the Position of the South Magnetic Pole from the Data of the Russian Round-the-World Expeditions of 1820 (Bellingshausen) and 2020 (Admiral Vladimirskii). I. The Bellingshausen Expedition
Authors: Merkouriev S. A. , Boyarskikh V. G. , Demina I. M. , Ivanov S. A. , Soldatov V. A.
Published: December 2022

In the course of the 2019−2020 round-the-world expedition of the oceanographic research vessel Admiral Vladimirskii, which repeated the route of F. Bellingshausen and M. Lazarev in 1820, a large volume of magnetic data was obtained, including the data about the Antarctica area. One of the purposes of the performed investigation was to determine the position of the South magnetic pole from experimental data. This was the reason to revisit the data on the declination, which were obtained during the Bellingshausen expedition, and determine the position of the South magnetic pole from those data. In the first part of the present paper, to solve this problem, we propose and realize several methods, which were preliminarily tested on model examples. In the second part, the position of the South magnetic pole is determined from the data on the measurements of the magnitude and components of the magnetic field carried out onboard the oceanographic research vessel Admiral Vladimirskii.
Erratum to: Bioindicators of the Upper Neopleistocene Karginsky and Sartansky Deposits of the Kolyma Lowland and Features of Their Taphonomy under Multiple Exposure to Cryogenic Factors
Authors: Zanina O. G. , Lopatina D. A.
Published: December 2022

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0869593822960012
Refractory fulminant colitis following ocrelizumab therapy requiring colectomy in a patient with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Malloy Reuben , Fernandes Richard , Begun Jakob , An Yoon-Kyo
Published: December 2022

A woman in her 40s was referred for acute and chronic postprandial abdominal cramps on a background of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis on ocrelizumab therapy as well as coeliac disease on a gluten-free diet, with a family history of ulcerative colitis. Initial colonoscopy demonstrated mild patchy colitis. The patient was trialled on mesalazine, which was ceased due to intolerance. Subsequently, she continued on mercaptopurine monotherapy for management of mild symptoms. Despite this, her symptoms rapidly progressed, with endoscopic and histological evidence of severe rectal-sparing pancolonic inflammation, consistent with severe ocrelizumab-induced colitis. This was refractory to intravenous methylprednisolone and intravenous cyclosporine rescue therapy, requiring surgical management with a subtotal colectomy and subsequent ileorectal anastomosis, after which she remained in clinical, endoscopic and histological remission.
Effectiveness of a training intervention in increasing the use of misoprostol in postabortion care in Malawi: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Magreta Chakhame Bertha , Darj Elisabeth , Mwapasa Mphatso , Kafulafula Ursula , Chiudzu Grace , Maluwa Alfred , Malata Address , Odland Jon Øyvind , Odland Maria Lisa
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The study was conducted to determine effectiveness of a training intervention in increasing use of misoprostol in management of incomplete abortions.

Design

A quasi-experimental study with training intervention on use of misoprostol in treatment of incomplete abortion.

Setting

Five secondary-level public hospitals in Malawi, one in urban and four in semiurban settings. Three intervention and two control sites.

Participants

Records of women treated for first-trimester incomplete abortion from March to May 2020 (baseline) and April to June 2021 (endline). Clinical data were collected from 865 records, 421 before and 444 after the intervention in all study sites.

Intervention

Three-hour theoretical training sessions for 81 healthcare workers were conducted in July 2020 at the three intervention sites.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Proportion of women with incomplete abortion treated with misoprostol before and after the intervention. The proportion of women treated with sharp curettage at the study sites.

Results

At the intervention sites, there was a significant increase in use of misoprostol from 22.8% (95% CI 17.9% to 28.0%) to 35.9% (95% CI 30.5% to 41.6%) and significant reduction in use of sharp curettage from 48.1% (95% CI 41.9% to 54.3%) to 39.4% (95% CI 35.3% to 42.6%) p<0.01 at baseline and endline, respectively. The use of misoprostol was significantly higher at the intervention sites with OR of 5.02 (95% CI 1.7 to 14.7) p<0.05 compared with control sites at the endline in multivariable models, and there was a difference in the difference of 14.4% ((95% CI 10.4% to 18.2%) p<0.001) between the intervention and control sites after the intervention.

Conclusions

A training intervention effectively increased the use of misoprostol in the treatment of incomplete abortions. Increasing misoprostol use will make treatment of incomplete abortion cheaper, easier and more easily accessible. Making quality postabortion care accessible to more women may reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Further training interventions are recommended.
Low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study from a Danish diabetes outpatient clinic
Authors: Okdahl Tina , Wegeberg Anne-Marie , Pociot Flemming , Brock Birgitte , Størling Joachim , Brock Christina
Published: December 2022

Objectives

To investigate low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes and explore associations to clinical aspects as well as microvascular and macrovascular complications.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting

The outpatient diabetes clinic at the Department of Endocrinology at Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.

Participants

100 participants with type 2 diabetes confirmed by a haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)≥6.5% for a minimum of 1 year and 21 healthy controls.

Outcome measures

Serum levels of 27 inflammation-related biomarkers measured by immunoassay. Associations with microvascular and macrovascular complications, body weight, glycaemic control, medication and sex were investigated in the diabetes cohort.

Results

Serum levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and eotaxin were elevated in type 2 diabetes (p<0.05), while interleukin (IL)-7 was decreased (p<0.001). IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-15, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were increased with body weight (p<0.05), while eotaxin and TNF-α were increased with elevated HbA1c levels (p<0.04). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor therapy was associated with lower levels of induced protein-10, MDC and thymus and activation regulated chemokine (p<0.02), while females had higher levels of MDC (p=0.027). Individuals with ≥3 diabetic complications had elevated levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-15 and CRP compared with those with ≤3 (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The level of low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity, glycaemic regulation, therapeutical management, sex and complications. Our results underline the importance of addressing inflammatory issues in type 2 diabetes, as these may predispose for crippling comorbidities.
Who gets access to an interprofessional team-based primary care programme for patients with complex health and social needs? A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Jopling Sydney , Wodchis Walter P , Rayner Jennifer , Rudoler David
Published: December 2022

Objectives

To determine whether a voluntary referral-based interprofessional team-based primary care programme reached its target population and to assess the representativeness of referring primary care physicians.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of administrative health data.

Setting

Ontario, Canada.

Intervention

TeamCare provides access to Community Health Centre services for patients of non-team physicians with complex health and social needs.

Participants

All adult patients who participated in TeamCare between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2017 (n=1148), and as comparators, all non-referred adult patients of the primary care providers who shared patients in TeamCare (n=546 989), and a 1% random sample of the adult Ontario population (n=117 753).

Results

TeamCare patients were more likely to live in lower income neighbourhoods with a higher degree of marginalisation relative to comparison groups. TeamCare patients had a higher mean number of diagnoses, higher prevalence of all chronic conditions and had more frequent encounters with the healthcare system in the year prior to participation.

Conclusions

TeamCare reached a target population and fills an important gap in the Ontario primary care landscape, serving a population of patients with complex needs that did not previously have access to interprofessional team-based care.

Strengths and limitations

This study used population-level administrative health data. Data constraints limited the ability to identify patients referred to the programme but did not receive services, and data could not capture all relevant patient characteristics.
How much of the stalled mortality trends in Scotland and England can be attributed to obesity?
Authors: Walsh David , Tod Elaine , McCartney Gerry , Levin Kate Ann
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The rate of improvement in all-cause mortality rates has slowed in the UK since around 2012. While evidence suggests that UK Government ‘austerity’ policies have been largely responsible, it has been proposed that rising obesity may also have contributed. The aim here was to estimate this contribution for Scotland and England.

Methods

We calculated population attributable fractions (PAFs) resulting from changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) between the mid-1990s and late 2000s for all-cause mortality among 35–89-year olds in 2017–2019. We used BMI data from national surveys (the Scottish Health Survey and the Health Survey for England), and HRs from a meta-analysis of 89 European studies. PAFs were applied to mortality data for 2017–2019 (obtained from national registries), enabling comparison of observed rates, BMI-adjusted rates and projected rates. Uncertainty in the estimates is dominated by the assumptions used and biases in the underlying data, rather than random variation. A series of sensitivity analyses and bias assessments were therefore undertaken to understand the certainty of the estimates.

Results

In Scotland, an estimated 10% (males) and 14% (females) of the difference between observed and predicted mortality rates in 2017–2019 may be attributable to previous changes in BMI. The equivalent figures for England were notably higher: 20% and 35%, respectively. The assessments of bias suggest these are more likely to be overestimates than underestimates.

Conclusions

Some of the recent stalled mortality trends in Scotland and England may be associated with earlier increases in obesity. Policies to reduce the obesogenic environment, including its structural and commercial determinants, and reverse the impacts of austerity, are needed.
The Lower Cretaceous sequence of western Alaska—demise of the Koyukuk terrane?
Authors: Hudson Travis L. , Blodgett Robert B. , Wilson Frederic H.
Published: December 2022

Lower Cretaceous marine sedimentary rocks, deposited in shallow shelf and basin settings and unconformity-bound, are well exposed in southwest Alaska. Collections of Early Cretaceous fossils from across western Alaska show that similar and coeval Lower Cretaceous clastic rocks are widely distributed though only locally exposed. Volcanic rocks become an important part of the Lower Cretaceous sequence in the Yukon-Koyukuk basin, where they have been interpreted to represent a mobile intra-oceanic island arc, the Koyukuk terrane, that collided with Arctic Alaska to form the Brooks Range orogen. The volcanic rocks are chemically unlike Aleutian arc rocks but share compositional characteristics with spatially related, mid-Cretaceous alkaline intrusive rocks. The volcanic-bearing sequence was also deposited on an angular unconformity, includes both shallow shelf and basin depositional settings, and is unconformably overlain by mid-Cretaceous clastic rocks. The volcanic rocks are therefore considered part of the Lower Cretaceous sequence now identified across western Alaska. In this interpretation, the Lower Cretaceous volcanic rocks are an initial expression of the mid-Cretaceous tectonic regime that included extensional exhumation and subsidence, crustal and upper mantle melting, and high-temperature metamorphism in the hinterland of the Brooks Range orogen. The Cretaceous heating that led to hinterland crust and upper mantle change may have been caused by deep mantle disturbances in a postsubduction setting. This interpretation has implications for the timing of contractional orogenesis, the location and nature of the related continental borderland, and the tectonic setting for development of the Anguyucham and related oceanic terranes.
An Accelerated Three-Term Extension of a Descent Nonlinear Conjugate Gradient Method
Authors: Aminifard Zohre , Babaie-Kafaki Saman , Mirhoseini Nasrin
Published: December 2022

In an effort to make modification on the classical Polak–Ribière–Polyak method, Wei et al. suggested an efficient nonlinear conjugate gradient method which possesses the sufficient descent property when the line search fulfills the strong Wolfe conditions (by restricting the line search parameters). Here, we develop a three-term extension of the method which satisfies the sufficient descent condition independent of the line search. Also, under a backtracking Armijo-type line search, we establish global convergence of the method without convexity assumption. Using a scalar approximation of the Hessian of the objective function, we suggest an acceleration scheme that can be used in the iterative line search methods of unconstrained optimization. At last, practical merits of the proposed method are investigated by numerical experiments on a set of CUTEr test functions as well as the well-known image restoration problem. The results show numerical efficiency of the method.
Dual-Channel Capsule Generative Adversarial Network Optimized with Golden Eagle Optimization for Pediatric Bone Age Assessment from Hand X-Ray Image
Authors: Jasper Gnana Chandran J. , Karthick R. , Rajagopal R. , Meenalochini P.
Published: December 2022

Bone age assessment (BAA) is mainly utilized for detecting the growth of pediatrics because a large number of bone diseases occur at young age. Several algorithms related to BAAs were used for detecting the maturity of bones, but it does not provide sufficient accuracy, and also increased the error rate. To deal with these problems, the dual-channel capsule generative adversarial network optimized with Golden eagle optimization (GEO) is proposed in this paper for pediatric BAA from hand X-ray image (DCCGAN-GEO-BAA-HX-ray). Initially, the input hand X-ray imageries are collected from the dataset of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) pediatric bone age (BA). Then, region of interest (RoI) of input hand X-ray imageries is segmented based on Tsallis entropy-based multilevel 3D Otsu thresholding (TE-3D-Otsu). Here, TE-3D-Otsu method segments the RoI region of wrist, thumb, middle finger, little finger, which enhance the classification accuracy. Moreover, the segmented RoI is given to DCCGAN that predicts the BAA. Generally, the DCCGAN does not reveal any adoption of optimization methods to scale the optimum parameters to ensure accurate classification. Therefore, GEO is used for optimizing the weight parameters of DCCGAN. The proposed DCCGAN-GEO-BAA-HX-ray method is executed in MATLAB and its performance is examined under performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F-scores, specificity, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and computational time. Finally, the proposed DCCGAN-GEO-BAA-HX-ray approach attains 14.68%, 7.142%, 9.23% and 4.65% higher accuracy, 38.18%, 12.02%, 11.56% and 7.59% lower computational time is compared with existing FRCNN-AF-SFO-BAA-HX-ray, DCNN-W-CTO-BAA-HX-ray, CNN-MLP-BAA-HX-ray and CNN-BAA-HX-ray methods.
Water Eutrophication Evaluation Based on the Improved Projection Pursuit Regression Model Under the Hesitant Fuzzy Environment
Authors: Song Chenyang , Xu Zeshui , Li Bo
Published: December 2022

The water eutrophication restricts the development of economy and society in China, which attracts increasing attention. It also affects the health and ecological environment. The evaluation of water eutrophication is very complicated due to the dynamic variability of the water quality data. This paper adopts the hesitant fuzzy set (HFS) to depict the massive data of samples and uncertain preference information of experts, which reduces the complexity of calculation and avoids the loss of information. After that, we construct the projection index function based on the main factors of water eutrophication. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to determine the global optimal projection direction by optimizing the projection index function. Therefore, we construct an improved projection pursuit regression (PPR) model. Finally, the water eutrophication evaluation of several lakes in China is used to demonstrate the improved PPR model. Also, the comparative analysis and contribution rate analysis are conducted to validate its rationality and advantages.
Study on the secondary structure and hydration effect of human serum albumin under acidic pH and ethanol perturbation with IR/NIR spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Hui , Liang Mengying , Li Shuangshuang , Tian Mengyin , Wei Xiaoying , Zhao Bing , Wang Haowei , Dong Qin , Zang Hengchang
Published: December 2022

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in plasma and plays an essential physiological role in the human body. Ethanol precipitation is the most widely used way to obtain HSA, and pH and ethanol are crucial factors affecting the process. In this study, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics were used to investigate the changes in the secondary structure and hydration of HSA at acidic pH (5.6–3.2) and isoelectric pH when ethanol concentration was varied from 0% to 40% as a perturbation. IR spectroscopy combined with the two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) analysis for acid pH system proved that the secondary structure of HSA changed significantly when pH was around 4.5. What’s more, the IR spectroscopy and 2DCOS analysis showed different secondary structure forms under different ethanol concentrations at the isoelectric pH. For the hydration effect analysis, NIR spectroscopy combined with the McCabe–Fisher method and aquaphotomics showed that the free hydrogen-bonded water fluctuates dynamically, with ethanol at 0–20% enhancing the hydrogen-bonded water clusters, while weak hydrogen-bonded water clusters were formed when the ethanol concentration increased continuously from 20% to 30%. These measurements provide new insights into the structural changes and changes in the hydration behavior of HSA, revealing the dynamic process of protein purification, and providing a theoretical basis for the selection of HSA alcoholic precipitation process parameters, as well as for further studies of complex biological systems.
DEVELOPMENT LINKAGES OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM’S COFFEE AND TEA SECTOR: GLOBAL AND REGIONAL VALUE CHAIN PERSPECTIVES
Authors: AZALIE IZNI AZREIN NOOR , KAMARULZAMAN NORZURIANIE HAJI
Published: December 2022

The development of agriculture and agrifood-based products is at the forefront of Brunei Vision 2035, Brunei Darussalam’s most aggressive economic drive to date. One such instance of agri-food production is locally made coffee and tea products, which is taking place in the country despite the limited amounts of domestic raw materials available. The presence of this sector in the market, therefore, warrants further investigation. This case study uses Michael Porter’s Value Chain Analysis (VCA) and Gereffi’s Global–Regional Value Chain (GRVC) theory to analyze Brunei’s coffee and tea Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by mapping and tracing the origins of inputs; identifying local and regional value-adding processes; and pinpointing firms’ strategies towards building their capacities and capabilities. The aim is to establish the competitiveness of this sector against regional and global well-known brands. As such, this paper highlights inter-firm linkages of coffee and tea production in Brunei and positions Brunei’s firms in Shih’s GVC smiling curve, relative to its partners based on levels of value-addedness and functional complexities. While limited to conventional coffee and tea producers, this study provides a starting point in the hybrid use of VCA and GRVC to understand local–regional development linkages that exist in small national economies like Brunei Darussalam which are necessary for firms to remain competitive. It also contributes to policy learning and knowledge enrichment for the government, consumers, and industrialists alike, by highlighting the lessons gained from this sector’s experiences.
sGrow: Explaining the Scale-Invariant Strength Assortativity of Streaming Butterflies
Authors: Sheshbolouki Aida , Özsu M. Tamer
Published: December 2022

Bipartite graphs are rich data structures with prevalent applications and characteristic structural features. However, less is known about their growth patterns, particularly in streaming settings. Current works study the patterns of static or aggregated temporal graphs optimized for certain downstream analytics or ignoring multipartite/non-stationary data distributions, emergence patterns of subgraphs, and streaming paradigms. To address these, we perform statistical network analysis over web log streams and identify the governing patterns underlying the bursty emergence of mesoscopic building blocks, 2, 2-bicliques, leading to a phenomenon that we callscale-invariant strength assortativity of streaming butterflies. We provide the graph-theoretic explanation of this phenomenon. We further introduce a set of micro-mechanics in the body of a streaming growth algorithm,sGrow, to pinpoint the generative origins.sGrowsupports streaming paradigms, emergence of four-vertex graphlets, and provides user-specified configurations for the scale, burstiness, level of strength assortativity, probability of out-of-order records, generation time, and time-sensitive connections. Comprehensive evaluations on pattern reproducing and stress testing validate the effectiveness, efficiency, and robustness ofsGrowin realization of the observed patterns independent of initial conditions, scale, temporal characteristics, and model configurations. Theoretical and experimental analysis verifysGrow’s robustness in generating streaming graphs based on user-specified configurations that affect the scale and burstiness of the stream, level of strength assortativity, probability of out-of-order streaming records, generation time, and time-sensitive connections.
Self-Adhesive Ionomers for Alkaline Electrolysis: Optimized Hydrogen Evolution Electrode
Authors: Tee Hui Min , Park Habin , Shah Parin N. , Trindell Jamie A. , Sugar Joshua D. , Kohl Paul A.
Published: December 2022

Hydrogen produced through low-temperature water electrolysis using anion exchange membranes (AEM) combines the benefits of liquid-electrolyte alkaline electrolysis and solid-polymer proton exchange membrane electrolysis. The anion conductive ionomers in the oxygen-producing anode and hydrogen-producing cathode are a critical part of the three-dimensional electrodes. The ionomer in the hydrogen-producing cathode facilitates hydroxide ion conduction from the cathode catalyst to the anode catalyst, and water transport from the anode to the cathode catalyst through the AEM. This ionomer also binds the catalyst particles to the porous transport layer. In this study, the cathode durability was improved by use of a self-adhesive cathode ionomer to chemically bond the cathode catalyst particles to the porous transport layer. It was found that the cathode ionomers with high ion exchange capacity (IEC) were more effective than low IEC ionomers because of the need to transport water to the cathode catalyst and transport hydroxide away from the cathode. The cathode durability was improved by using ionomers which were soluble in the spray-coated cathode ink. Optimization of the catalyst and ionomer content within the cathode led to electrolysis cells which were both mechanically durable and operated at low voltage.
Virtual reality does not fool the brain only: spinal excitability changes during virtually simulated falling
Authors: Grosprêtre Sidney , Eon Pauline , Marcel-Millet Philémon
Published: December 2022

The present study showed a modulation of spinal excitability induced by virtual reality (VR). In the standing position, soleus H-reflex was downmodulated during a simulated falling, in the absence of apparent changes in body oscillations. Since the same behavior is usually observed during real falling, it was suggested that the visual cues provided by VR were sufficiently strong to lead the neuromuscular system to mimic the actual modulation.
Magnetic-Mixed Convection in Nanofluid-Filled Cavity Containing Baffles and Rotating Hollow-Cylinders with Roughness Components
Authors: Ali Mohammad Mokaddes , Akhter Rowsanara , Alim Md. Abdul , Miah Md. Musa
Published: December 2022

Mixed convective heat transfer in a nanofluid-filled lid-driven square cavity equipped with a rotating cylinder, horizontal baffles, and an external magnetic field is numerically examined in this study. A cylinder with triangular components is set at the centre of the cavity while two horizontal baffles are fixed to its vertical walls. The cavity is under the impact of the external magnetic field. Modified Maxwell’s model is taken into consideration to estimate the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. Galerkin FEM is applied to simulate nondimensional governing equations. The computations are carried out for specific ranges of physical parameters, and the results are illustrated through streamlines, isotherms, and average Nusselt number bar charts. Contours plotting indicate that flow circulation and distribution of temperature are significantly affected by the speed of a rotating rough cylinder. The fluid velocity remarkably increases with an increase in speed ratio and Reynolds number but it declines with Hartmann number, baffle length, and volume fraction. Heat transfer rate is substantially augmented by increasing the rotational speed of the rough cylinder, heights of triangular components, and suspended-nanoparticles which are also optimized for increasing baffle’s length and its horizontal arrangement. The findings of this investigation can be applied to improve the cooling efficiency of engineering equipment such as heat exchangers, energy storage systems, electronic equipment, solar collectors, and nuclear reactor safety devices.
Ordinal Analysis of Variation of Sensory Responses in Combination with Multinomial Ordered Logistic Regression vs. Chemical Composition: A Case Study of the Quality of a Sausage from Different Producers
Authors: Gadrich Tamar , Pennecchi Francesca R. , Kuselman Ilya , Hibbert D. Brynn , Semenova Anastasia A. , Cheow Pui Sze
Published: December 2022

The newly developed statistical technique of two-way ordinal analysis of variation (ORDANOVA) was applied for the first time to sensory responses in combination with multinomial ordered logistic regression of a response category vs. chemical composition. A corresponding tutorial is provided. As a case study, samples of a sausage from different producers, purchased at the same time from a market, were compared based on sensory responses of experienced experts. A decomposition of total variation of the ordinal data and simulation of the multinomial distribution of the relative frequencies of the responses in different categories showed a statistically significant difference between the producers’ samples, and an insignificant difference between the experts’ responses related to the same sample. The capabilities of experts were also evaluated. The influence of chemical composition of a sausage sample on the probability of a response category was modeled using multinomial ordered logistic regression of the response on mass fractions of the main sausage components. This statistical technique can be helpful for understanding sources of variation of sensory responses on food quality properties. It is also promising for a revision of specification limits for chemical composition, as well as for the prediction of sensory properties when the chemical composition of the product is subject to quality control.
Circulating GLP-1 Levels in Patients with Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
Authors: Chen Nan , Chen Yan , Lai Fenghua , Chen Li , Zeng Rui , Pei Ling , Wu Liting , Wang Chenxue , Li Yanbing , Xiao Haipeng , Cao Xiaopei
Published: December 2022

The sympathoadrenal system has been shown to stimulate the secretory activity of enteroendocrine cells, although the response is transient. Our aim was to investigate the effects of long-term catecholamine excess on circulating glucagon-likepeptide-1 (GLP-1) levels in patients with pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL). Thirty patients diagnosed with PPGL were analyzed. A significant negative association was observed between fasting plasma GLP-1 levels and elevated plasma-free metanephrine (

r
=
−
0.407
,
p
=
0.026

). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), serum creatinine, and the presence of hyperglycemia, the negative association between plasma GLP-1 and metanephrine persisted by multiple linear regression analysis (

β
=
−
0.493
,
p
=
0.013

). Positive correlations between fasting glucose and plasma metanephrine (

r
=
0.380
,
p
=
0.038

) and normetanephrine levels (

r
=
0.450
,
p
=
0.013

) were also found. Mean fasting levels of total GLP-1 increased significantly from 25.81 to 39.01 pmol/L (

p
=
0.017

) after PPGL resection. In conclusion, long-term overproduction of catecholamines appears to induce suppression of GLP-1 production compared to an acute response to a stress stimulus. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of GLP-1 secretion with chronic exposure to catecholamine.
Differences in Clinical and Imaging Features between Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Ma Xi , Lu Zhi-Yan , Qu Yan-Juan , Xing Li-Hong , Zhang Yu , Lu Yi-Bo , Dong Li , Li Hong-Jun , Li Li , Yin Xiao-Ping , Xu Chuan-Jun
Published: December 2022

Objectives. The clinical and imaging features of asymptomatic carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and symptomatic COVID-19 patients. Methods. The clinical and chest computed tomography imaging data of 47 asymptomatic carriers and 36 symptomatic COVID-19 patients were derived. All patients underwent 4–6 CT scans over a period of 2–5 days. Results. The bulk of asymptomatic carriers who developed symptoms and most of the COVID-19 patients were older than 18 years of age with a decreased lymphocyte count, abnormal hepatic and renal function, and increased D-dimer and C-reactive protein. In the early stage, the pulmonary lesion involved mostly 1–2 lobes at the peripheral area in asymptomatic carriers but more than three lobes at both the central and peripheral areas in COVID-19 patients. In the progression stage, the lesion of asymptomatic carriers extended from the peripheral to the central area, and no significant difference was found in the lesion range compared with the symptomatic control group. In early improvement stage, the lesion was rapidly absorbed, and lesions were located primarily at the peripheral area in asymptomatic carriers; contrastingly, lesions were primarily located at both the central and peripheral areas in symptomatic patients. Asymptomatic carriers reflected a significantly shorter duration from disease onset to peak progression stage compared with the symptomatic. Conclusions. Asymptomatic carriers are a potential source of transmission and may become symptomatic COVID-19 patients despite indicating less severe pulmonary damage, earlier improvement, and better prognosis. Early isolation and intervention can eliminate such carriers as potential sources of transmission and improve their prognosis.
A Novel SIR Approach to Closeness Coefficient‐Based MAGDM Problems Using Pythagorean Fuzzy Aczel–Alsina Aggregation Operators for Investment Policy
Authors: Ul Haq Iftikhar , Shaheen Tanzeela , Ali Wajid , Senapati Tapan
Published: December 2022

In this study, a novel Pythagorean fuzzy aggregation operator is presented by combining the concepts of Aczel–Alsina () T‐norm and T‐conorm operations for multiple attribute group decision‐making (MAGDM) challenge for the superiority and inferiority ranking (SIR) approach. This approach has many advantages in solving real‐life problems. In this study, the superiority and inferiority ranking method is illustrated and showed the effectiveness for decision makers by using multicriteria. The Aczel–Alsina aggregation operators on interval‐valued IFSs, hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs), Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFSs), and T‐spherical fuzzy sets (TSFSs) for multiple attribute decision‐making (MADM) issues have been proposed in the literature. In addition, we propose a Pythagorean fuzzy Aczel–Alsina weighted average closeness coefficient () aggregation operator on the basis of the closeness coefficient for MAGDM challenges. To highlight the relevancy and authenticity of this approach and measure its validity, we conducted a comparative analysis with the method already in vogue.
MiR-181a-5p Delivered by Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes Alleviates Klebsiella pneumonia Infection-Induced Lung Injury by Targeting STAT3 Signaling
Authors: Hu Ren-Jing , Chen Xiao-Chun , Xu Lei , Rui Xiao-Hong , Wan Lin , Lu Jie , Liu Jun , Pei Hao
Published: December 2022

Background. Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneu) is a leading cause of gram-negative pneumonia, which requires effective treatment. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell- (ADSC-) derived exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have presented the inhibitory effect of multiple diseases. However, the function of ADSC-derived exosomal miRNAs in K. pneu remains unclear. Aim. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of ADSC-derived exosomal miR-181-5p on K. pneu infection-induced lung injury. Methods. C57BL/6 mouse model was established by infection of K. pneu. ADSCs and exosomes were extracted and characterized in vitro. The translocation of ADSC-derived exosomes to bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) was detected. The level of miR-181a-5p was detected by real-time PCR. The secretion of inflammatory factors was determined by ELISA. The interaction between miR-181a-5p with STAT3 was identified. Results. We successfully isolated the ADSCs that express positive markers CD90 and CD105 rather than CD31 and CD45. The exosomal miR-181a-5p secreted by ADSCs were internalized by BMDM and K. pneu infection stimulated the miR-181a-5p level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and BMDM. ADSC-derived exosomal miR-181a-5p repressed pulmonary outgrowth and dissemination of K. pneu infection in mice, repressed cellular infiltration in lung tissue, and attenuated the inflammasome activity and the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the lung. Mechanically, miR-181a-5p was able to inhibit STAT3 expression at posttranscriptional levels and repressed Nlrp3 and Asc expression in BMDM. Conclusion. Consequently, we concluded that ADSC-derived exosomal miR-181a-5p alleviated Klebsiella pneumonia infection-induced lung injury by targeting STAT3 signaling. ADSC-derived exosomal miR-181a-5p may serve as a potential candidate for the treatment of Klebsiella pneumonia infection-induced lung injury.
Parameter Study and Economic Efficiency Optimization for Laser Cladding with Wide-Band Fiber Laser
Authors: Hu Bin , Han Jianhai , Wang Junhua
Published: December 2022

With the aim of investigating the cladding geometry characteristics by a wide-band fiber laser with coaxial rectangular nozzle, and optimizing the powder efficiency and deposition speed for economy efficiency, Fe-based alloy powder was deposited on AISI 1045 substrate by a 3000 W fiber laser in this study. Laser power (P), scan speed (V), and powder feed rate (F) were selected for a factorial design. The effects of the three process parameters on the geometry characteristics and economic efficiency of single tracks were statistically analyzed, and a linear regression model was established between the combined parameters and the relevant characteristics (including track height, ratio of track width to height, powder efficiency, and deposition speed). A process map was developed with the track shape and key economic indexes as boundaries. A flat-top feature of the track profile was found and can be utilized to achieve good cladding evenness. The process map showed that the powder efficiency and deposition speed were higher than 50% and 20 mm3/s, respectively, when selecting process parameters in the as-built operation window.
Proportion of Chromosomal Disorders and Their Patterns among Births with Congenital Anomalies in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
Authors: Gebremeskel Aragie Teshome , Seyoum Gedion Girma
Published: December 2022

Introduction. Worldwide, surveys have shown that the frequency of chromosomal disorders among births with congenital anomalies varies greatly from country to country. It is well known that chromosomal disorders are an important cause of premature death or life-long disability; however, the absence of local epidemiological data on their birth prevalence and outcomes impedes policy and service development in many countries and continents. Therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis intend to show the pooled proportion of chromosomal disorders among births with congenital anomalies in Africa. Methods. From PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the studies that examined the incidence, prevalence, and types of chromosomal disorders using PRISMA guidelines. A weighted inverse variance random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled proportion of chromosomal disorders among births with congenital anomalies. Results. From the total of 3,569 studies identified, 1,442 were from PubMed, 108 were from Cochrane Library, 1,830 were from Google Scholar, and 189 were from other sources. After duplication was removed, a total of 844 articles remained (2725 were removed by duplication). Finally, 144 full-text studies were reviewed and 60 articles with 52,569 births having congenital anomalies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for this meta-analysis. The pooled proportion of chromosomal disorders among births with congenital anomalies was 8.94% (95% CI; 7.02, 10.86; I2 = 98.8%;p<0.001). Conclusions and Future Implications. In the current systematic review and meta-analysis, the pooled proportion of chromosomal disorders among births with congenital anomalies in Africa was small. Down syndrome (trisomy 21) accounted for more than 80% of chromosomal disorders. The pooled proportion of chromosome disorders was the highest in North African regions and countries compared to other regions of the continent. Healthcare managers should focus on establishing proper cytogenetic diagnostic facilities in collaboration with well-trained genetic counseling services in the continent.
The Effect of Dietary Protein Intake on the Risk of Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Chen Lingling , Du Shuli , Song Honghua , Chen Jing , Lv Cuiting , Li Chunhui
Published: December 2022

Background. The results of epidemiological studies on the association between dietary protein intake and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are controversial. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies were established to attain comprehensive findings regarding the association between dietary protein and the risk of GDM. Methods. Bibliographic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to discover papers related to dietary protein and the risk of GDM. The summary relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through a random effect model for the analysis of the highest versus the lowest categories of dietary proteins. Results. A significantly increased risk of GDM among women who consumed the highest amount of animal protein was observed (summarized risk estimate: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.17; I2 = 50.8%). No significant associations were identified regarding vegetable protein (summarized risk estimate:0.99, 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.23, I2 = 63.8%) and total protein (summarized risk estimate: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.41; I2 = 35.4%). Conclusion. This review revealed that total protein intake had no relationship with the risk of GDM, while animal protein increases this risk. Further larger prospective cohort studies are required to confirm our results.
The Novel Action of miR-193b-3p/CDK1 Signaling in HCC Proliferation and Migration: A Study Based on Bioinformatic Analysis and Experimental Investigation
Authors: Pang Xue , Wan Wei , Wu Xingxing , Shen Yu
Published: December 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common human malignancy with high mortality and dismal prognosis. A growing number of novel targets underlying HCC pathophysiology have been detected using microarray high throughput screening platforms. This study carried out bioinformatics analysis to explore underlying biomarkers in HCC and assessed the potential action of the miR-193b-3p/CDK1 signaling pathway in HCC progression. A total of 241 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from GSE33294, GSE104310, and GSE144269. Functional analysis results implicated that DEGs are significantly associated with “cell cycle,” “cell division,” and “proliferation.” The protein–protein interaction network analysis extracted ten hub genes from common DEGs. Ten hub genes were significantly overexpression in HCC tissues. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that 10 hub genes were linked with a poorer prognosis in HCC patients. Functional assays showed that CDK1 knockdown repressed HCC cell proliferation and migration. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-193b-3p could target CDK1 3′ untranslated region, and miR-193b-3p negatively modulated CDK1. Enforced CDK1 expression attenuated miR-193b-3p-modulated suppressive actions on HCC cell proliferation and migration. To summarize, we performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and identified 10 hub genes linked to the prognosis in HCC patients. Functional analysis revealed that CDK1, negatively regulated by miR-193b-3p, may act as an oncogene to promote HCC cell proliferation and migration and may predict poor prognosis of HCC patients. However, the role of CDK1/miR-193b-3p may still require further investigation.