bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seroreactivity of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen among hepatitis B surface antigen‐screened negative blood donors and its implications for blood safety in a resource‐constrained country
Authors: Yu Rhoda T. , Punzalan Kenneth Aristotle P. , Bhatnagar Sonu , Lutero Raymond B. , Chamen Iza Mae S. , Masangkay Catherine B. , Arcellana‐Nuqui Elizabeth Y. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesTransfusion‐related hepatitis B infections have been reduced significantly with the implementation of blood screening using both serology and nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) in developed countries. However, in resource‐constrained countries, where NAT is inaccessible, the risk persists from early acute and occult cases. This study aimed to determine the antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc) reactive rate among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)‐screened negative blood donors and its impact on blood safety in the Philippines.Materials and MethodsA total of 1602 HBsAg‐negative samples, randomly collected from nine leading blood service facilities representative of each region in the Philippines, were tested for anti‐HBc immunoglobulin M (IgM), Total and antibodies to HBsAg (anti‐HBs) using the Architect i2000SR Immunoassay Analyser (Abbott Laboratories, IL). Anti‐HBc IgM and/or Total repeat reactive were further tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) NAT using the Cobas TaqScreen MPX v2.0 (Roche Diagnostics, Basel).ResultsOverall, 19.16% HBsAg‐negative samples (n = 307/1602) were reactive for either anti‐HBc IgM or Total or a combination of both, of which 1.3% (n = 4/307) had detectable HBV‐DNA and 80.5% (n = 247/307) were anti‐HBs positive. About the anti‐HBs titres, 30.27% (n = 485/1602) were positive (≥10 IU/L) with 55.67% (n = 270/485) having titres ≥100 IU/L. Anti‐HBs‐only‐positive samples were 14.85% (n = 238/1602).ConclusionWe observed a high anti‐HBc reactive rate (19.16%) with 3.7% anti‐HBc‐only reactive (anti‐HBs negative) and 1.3% HBV‐DNA positive. This warrants the need to reconsider existing screening practices to improve blood safety in the country.
TRIBOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF BIODIESEL DERIVED WASTE PALM COOKING OIL (WPCO)
Authors: Nasaruddin Noorannisa Irdina , Hamdan Siti Hartini , Halid Izzati 
Published: January 2024

The demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources is rising globally, which has increased interest in biodiesel manufacturing. The generation of biodiesel derived waste palm cooking oil (WPCO) is the main topic of this study. A versatile and easily accessible feedstock for the synthesis of biodiesel is palm frying oil, which is frequently used in culinary applications. WPCO is transformed into biodiesel using a process called transesterification, in which the oil's triglycerides combine with an alcohol, usually methanol, in the presence of a catalyst.
The oils were analyzed for their chemical and physical properties such as viscosity and density. The frictional test was carried out using Pin-on-Disc Tribometer for different loads and speeds. The findings show that lubricants based on WPCO and WPME have remarkable anti-wear properties and have promise for usage in industrial and automotive applications. WPCO is found to have better performance to be used as an engine lubricant while WPME has the lowest potential to be a lubricant because of its low viscosity and high coefficient of friction. It can be found that WPCO which has higher viscosity presents a wear scar diameter of 1.888 mm and a total average CoF of 0.4296. As for WPME, the wear scar diameter is 2.062 mm with a CoF of 0.5483. The surface area of WPCO values was found to be about 9.2% less than WPME. The higher the CoF, the larger the wear scar diameter. The lubricant film of WPME is too thin to provide total surface separation. Contact between the surface asperities occurs.
Injury hospitalisations for children and young people: a 20-year review
Authors: Pollock Zoe , Draper Glenn , Constantine Will , Chalker Elizabeth , Freebairn Louise 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundChildhood injuries can have significant lifelong consequences. Quantifying and understanding patterns in injury severity can inform targeted prevention strategies and policies. This study examines the characteristics of child injury hospitalisations in the Australian Capital Territory over 20 years.MethodsThis study is a retrospective analysis of Admitted Patient Care Collection data for persons aged 0–24 years who were hospitalised for an injury between July 2000 and June 2020. Injury severity was assessed using International Classification of Injury Severity Scores based on survival risk ratios.ResultsThe age standardised rate for injury hospitalisations increased significantly from 10.2 per 1000 in 2000/2001 to 21.0 per 1000 in 2019/2020, representing an average annual per cent change of 3.6%. Almost two-thirds of injuries were for men, however the rate of injury hospitalisations increased more rapidly in women. The majority of injuries (81.8%) were classified as minor. The proportion of injuries classified as serious increased with age. For moderate and serious injuries, injuries to the head were the most common type of injury, while falls were the leading cause. Self-harm injuries emerged as a leading contributor to the increase in injuries in young people aged 13–24 years old.ConclusionThis study emphasises the concerning upward trend in injury hospitalisations among children and young people over the past two decades. Given Australia is yet to formalise a national injury prevention strategy, understanding the patterns and characteristics of injuries is vital to developing effective prevention interventions to reduce harm and improve child safety.
Piña, Why is the Sky Blue? Crafting Cyber Transfeminist and Filipinx Futurisms through Creative Technologies
Authors: Largo Marissa , Pino Fritz 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Stephanie Comilang and Simon Speiser’s Piña, Why is the Sky Blue? (2022) animates speculative aesthetics through creative technologies that give rise to decolonial futures. The installation centers on the fictive artificial intelligent figure, Piña, who carries Philippine and Ecuadorian ancestral and matriarchal data into the present and to diasporic communities who have been separated from this knowledge and culture by colonial suppression and global migration. Recapitulating the connection of these two former Spanish colonies, the artist duo generates Piña as a gender-fluid embodiment of digital systems designed to archive and convey Philippine and Ecuadorian Indigenous worldviews for the future. Echoing the aesthetic and political impulses of Indigenous futurisms and Afrofuturism, the authors argue that this work crafts Filipinx futurisms, global Indigenous resurgence, and what the authors coin as “cyber transfeminist aesthetics” by eluding binary categorizations—both gendered and computational, collapsing geographies and temporalities through virtual reality and enlivening ancestral epistemologies.
Combination antimicrobial therapy: in vitro synergistic effect of anti-staphylococcal drug oxacillin with antimicrobial peptide nisin against Staphylococcus epidermidis clinical isolates and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms
Authors: Sharafi Toktam , Ghaemi Ezzat Allah , Rafiee Maryam , Ardebili Abdollah 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus to form strong biofilm on plastic devices makes them the major pathogens associated with device-related infections (DRIs). Biofilm-embedded bacteria are more resistant to antibiotics, making biofilm infections very difficult to effectively treat. Here, we evaluate the in vitro activities of anti-staphylococcal drug oxacillin and antimicrobial peptide nisin, alone and in combination, against methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) clinical isolates and the methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43,300. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBEC) of oxacillin and nisin were determined using the microbroth dilution method. The anti-biofilm activities of oxacillin and nisin, alone or in combination, were evaluated. In addition, the effects of antimicrobial agents on the expression of icaA gene were examined by quantitative real-time PCR. MIC values for oxacillin and nisin ranged 4–8 µg/mL and 64–128 µg/mL, respectively. Oxacillin and nisin reduced biofilm biomass in all bacteria in a dose-dependent manner and this inhibitory effect was enhanced with combinatorial treatment. MBEC ranges for oxacillin and nisin were 2048–8192 µg/mL and 2048–4096 µg/mL, respectively. The addition of nisin significantly decreased the oxacillin MBECs from 8- to 32-fold in all bacteria. At the 1× MIC and 1/2× MIC, both oxacillin and nisin decreased significantly the expression of icaA gene in comparison with untreated control. When two antimicrobial agents were combined at 1/2× MIC concentration, the expression of icaA were significantly lower than when were used alone. Nisin/conventional oxacillin combination showed considerable anti-biofilm effects, including inhibition of biofilm formation, eradication of mature biofilm, and down-regulation of biofilm-related genes, proposing its applications for treating or preventing staphylococcal biofilm-associated infections, including device-related infections.
Integrating network pharmacology and animal experimental validation to investigate the action mechanism of oleanolic acid in obesity
Authors: Liu Tianfeng , Wang Jiliang , Tong Ying , Wu Lele , Xie Ying , He Ping , Lin Shujue , Hu Xuguang 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Obesity, a condition associated with the development of widespread cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and other health complications, has emerged as a significant global health issue. Oleanolic acid (OA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound that is widely distributed in various natural plants, has demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties. However, the mechanism by which OA fights obesity has not been well studied.

Method
Network pharmacology was utilized to search for potential targets and pathways of OA against obesity. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to validate the interaction of OA with core targets, and an animal model of obesity induced by high-fat eating was then employed to confirm the most central of these targets.

Results
The network pharmacology study thoroughly examined 42 important OA targets for the treatment of obesity. The key biological processes (BP), cellular components (CC), and molecular functions (MF) of OA for anti-obesity were identified using GO enrichment analysis, including intracellular receptor signaling, intracellular steroid hormone receptor signaling, chromatin, nucleoplasm, receptor complex, endoplasmic reticulum membrane, and RNA polymerase II transcription Factor Activity. The KEGG/DAVID database enrichment study found that metabolic pathways, PPAR signaling pathways, cancer pathways/PPAR signaling pathways, insulin resistance, and ovarian steroidogenesis all play essential roles in the treatment of obesity and OA. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to screen nine main targets: PPARG, PPARA, MAPK3, NR3C1, PTGS2, CYP19A1, CNR1, HSD11B1, and AGTR1. Using molecular docking technology, the possible binding mechanism and degree of binding between OA and each important target were validated, demonstrating that OA has a good binding potential with each target. The molecular dynamics simulation’s Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), and Radius of Gyration (Rg) further demonstrated that OA has strong binding stability with each target. Additional animal studies confirmed the significance of the core target PPARG and the core pathway PPAR signaling pathway in OA anti-obesity.

Conclusion
Overall, our study utilized a multifaceted approach to investigate the value and mechanisms of OA in treating obesity, thereby providing a novel foundation for the identification and development of natural drug treatments.
Electroconvulsive therapy for adolescents with severe depressive episode and suicidality: retrospective comparison between responders and non-responders
Authors: Ren Hao , Wang Xinglian , Zhang Zheng , Zhong Xiufen , Luo Qinghua , Qiu Haitang , Huang Yan 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
For adolescents with major depression who exhibit suicidal tendencies, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is increasingly adopted in clinical practice. Yet, the precise mechanisms behind its effectiveness remain elusive, and studies on factors that influence treatment outcomes are scarce.

Methods
In this retrospective comparative study, we included all adolescent severe depressive episode patients with suicidal tendencies admitted to the Psychiatry Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between 2017 and 2021 and received ECT treatment. By collecting data on personal history, medical history, and standard treatment features, we established demographic, disease, medication, and ECT treatment factors variables. Patients were divided into effective and ineffective groups based on the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale scores, and differences between outcomes were compared. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors independently associated with ineffectiveness.

Results
A total of 494 adolescent severe depressive episode patients with suicidal behavior who received ECT were included in this study. According to CGI-I scores, the treatment was effective in 361 patients (73.1%) and ineffective in 133 patients (26.9%). Logistic regression analyses showed that 8 to 12 and 12 to 16 ECT sessions reduced the risk of ineffectiveness compared to fewer than 4 sessions. The risk of ineffectiveness decreased with age and increased with comorbidity with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Compared to sertraline, escitalopram was associated with a heightened risk of futility, whereas olanzapine and aripiprazole demonstrated a reduced risk when contrasted with quetiapine.

Conclusions
ECT's ineffectiveness in treating adolescent severe depressive episode with suicidal behavior decreases with age, and comorbidity with OCD significantly increases the risk of treatment failure. Fewer than 8 ECT sessions may hinder achieving satisfactory results.
Using formative research to inform a mental health intervention for adolescents living in Indian slums: the ARTEMIS study
Authors: Mukherjee Ankita , Yatirajula Sandhya Kanaka , Kallakuri Sudha , Paslawar Srilatha , Lempp Heidi , Raman Usha , Essue Beverley M. , Sagar Rajesh , Singh Renu , Peiris David , Norton Robyn , Thornicroft Graham , Maulik Pallab K. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Adolescents are vulnerable to stressors because of the rapid physical and mental changes that they go through during this life period. Young people residing in slum communities experience additional stressors due to living conditions, financial stress, and limited access to healthcare and social support services. The Adolescents’ Resilience and Treatment nEeds for Mental Health in Indian Slums (ARTEMIS) study, is testing an intervention intended to improve mental health outcomes for adolescents living in urban slums in India combining an anti-stigma campaign with a digital health intervention to identify and manage depression, self-harm/suicide risk or other significant emotional complaints.

Methods
In the formative phase, we developed tools and processes for the ARTEMIS intervention. The two intervention components (anti-stigma and digital health) were implemented in purposively selected slums from the two study sites of New Delhi and Vijayawada. A mixed methods formative evaluation was undertaken to improve the understanding of site-specific context, assess feasibility and acceptability of the two components and identify required improvements to be made in the intervention. In-depth interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders (adolescents, parents, community health workers, doctors, and peer leaders), along with quantitative data from the digital health platform, were analysed.

Results
The anti-stigma campaign methods and materials were found to be acceptable and received overall positive feedback from adolescents. A total of 2752 adolescents were screened using the PHQ9 embedded into a digital application, 133 (4.8%) of whom were identified as at high-risk of depression and/or suicide. 57% (n = 75) of those at high risk were diagnosed and treated by primary health care (PHC) doctors, who were guided by an electronic decision support tool based on WHO’s mhGAP algorithm, built into the digital health application.

Conclusion
The formative evaluation of the intervention strategy led to enhanced understanding of the context, acceptability, and feasibility of the intervention. Feedback from stakeholders helped to identify key areas for improvement in the intervention; strategies to improve implementation included engaging with parents, organising health camps in the sites and formation of peer groups.

Trial Registration
The trial has been registered in the Clinical Trial Registry India, which is included in the WHO list of Registries, Reference number: CTRI/2022/02/040307. Registered 18 February 2022.
Lead generation of UPPS inhibitors targeting MRSA: Using 3D-QSAR pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulations
Authors: Qandeel Basma M. , Mowafy Samar , Abouzid Khaled , Farag Nahla A. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUndecaprenyl Pyrophosphate Synthase (UPPS) is a vital target enzyme in the early stages of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. UPPS inhibitors have antibacterial activity against resistant strains such as MRSA and VRE. In this study, we used several consecutive computer-based protocols to identify novel UPPS inhibitors. The 3D QSAR pharmacophore model generation (HypoGen algorithm) protocol was used to generate a valid predictive pharmacophore model using a set of UPPS inhibitors with known reported activity. The developed model consists of four pharmacophoric features: one hydrogen bond acceptor, two hydrophobic, and one aromatic ring. It had a correlation coefficient of 0.86 and a null cost difference of 191.39, reflecting its high predictive power. Hypo1 was proven to be statistically significant using Fischer’s randomization at a 95% confidence level. The validated pharmacophore model was used for the virtual screening of several databases. The resulting hits were filtered using SMART and Lipinski filters. The hits were docked into the binding site of the UPPS protein, affording 70 hits with higher docking affinities than the reference compound (6TC, − 21.17 kcal/mol). The top five hits were selected through extensive docking analysis and visual inspection based on docking affinities, fit values, and key residue interactions with the UPPS receptor. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations of the top hits were performed to confirm the stability of the protein–ligand complexes, yielding five promising novel UPPS inhibitors.
Graphical Abstract
In vitro antibacterial and anti-biofilm potential of an endophytic Schizophyllum commune
Authors: Sharma Avinash , Rashid Muzamil , Chauhan Pooja , Kaur Sukhraj , Kaur Amarjeet 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe emergence of antibiotic resistance in pathogens is one of the major health concerns facing mankind as different bacterial strains have developed resistance to antibiotics over the period of time due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Besides this, ability to form biofilms is another major factor contributing to antibiotic resistance, which has necessitated the need for exploration for novel and effective compounds with ability to inhibit biofilm formation. Endophytic fungi are reported to exhibit antibacterial and anti-biofilm potential and could serve as a potent source of novel antibacterial compounds. Majority of the bioactivities have been reported from fungi belonging to phylum Ascomycota. Endophytic basidiomycetes, inspite of their profound ability to serve as a source of bioactive compounds have not been exploited extensively. In present study, an attempt was made to assess the antibacterial, anti-biofilm and biofilm dispersion potential of an endophytic basidiomycetous fungus Schizophyllum commune procured from the culture collection of our lab. Ethyl acetate extract of S. commune showed good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica and Vibrio cholerae. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the extract were in the range of 1.25-10 mg/ml against the tested bacterial pathogens. The mode of action was determined to be bactericidal which was further confirmed by time kill studies. Good anti-biofilm activity of S. commune extract was recorded against K. pneumoniae and S. enterica, which was further validated by fluorescence microscopy. The present study highlights the importance of endophytic basidiomycetes as source of therapeutic compounds.
Rasal1 regulates calcium dependent neuronal maturation by modifying microtubule dynamics
Authors: Deurloo M. H. S. , Eide S. , Turlova E. , Li Q. , Spijker S. , Sun H.-S. , Groffen A. J. A. , Feng Z.-P. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Rasal1 is a Ras GTPase-activating protein which contains C2 domains necessary for dynamic membrane association following intracellular calcium elevation. Membrane-bound Rasal1 inactivates Ras signaling through its RasGAP activity, and through such mechanisms has been implicated in regulating various cellular functions in the context of tumors. Although highly expressed in the brain, the contribution of Rasal1 to neuronal development and function has yet to be explored.

Results
We examined the contributions of Rasal1 to neuronal development in primary culture of hippocampal neurons through modulation of Rasal1 expression using molecular tools. Fixed and live cell imaging demonstrate diffuse expression of Rasal1 throughout the cell soma, dendrites and axon which localizes to the neuronal plasma membrane in response to intracellular calcium fluctuation. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrate direct interaction of Rasal1 with PKC, tubulin, and CaMKII. Consequently, Rasal1 is found to stabilize microtubules, through post-translational modification of tubulin, and accordingly inhibit dendritic outgrowth and branching. Through imaging, molecular, and electrophysiological techniques Rasal1 is shown to promote NMDA-mediated synaptic activity and CaMKII phosphorylation.

Conclusions
Rasal1 functions in two separate roles in neuronal development; calcium regulated neurite outgrowth and the promotion of NMDA receptor-mediated postsynaptic events which may be mediated both by interaction with direct binding partners or calcium-dependent regulation of down-stream pathways. Importantly, the outlined molecular mechanisms of Rasal1 may contribute notably to normal neuronal development and synapse formation.