bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
EZH2-mediated epigenetic silencing of tumor- suppressive let-7c/miR-99a cluster by hepatitis B virus X antigen enhances hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis
Authors: Wu Chen-Shiou , Chien Yi-Chung , Yen Chia-Jui , Wu Jia-Yan , Bai Li-Yuan , Yu Yung-Luen 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-encoded X antigen, HBx, assists in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through complex mechanisms. Our results provide new insights into the EZH2 epigenetic repression of let-7c that promotes HCC migration induced by HBx. Thus, let-7c and HMGA2 represent key diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of HBV-related HCC.
Results
We investigated the epigenetic regulation of let-7c, an important representative miRNA in liver tumor metastasis, in human HCC cells to verify the effect of HBx. Based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) of mRNA isolated from tumor and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues of 24 patients with HBV-related HCC, EZH2 expression was significantly overexpressed in most HCC tissues (87.5%). We executed a miRNA microarray analysis in paired HBV-related HCC tumor and adjacent non-tumorous liver tissue from six of these patients and identified let-7c, miR-199a-3p, and miR-99a as being downregulated in the tumor tissue. Real-time PCR analysis verified significant downregulation of let-7c and miR-99a in both HepG2X and Hep3BX cells, which stably overexpress HBx, relative to parental cells. HBX enhanced EZH2 expression and attenuated let-7c expression to induce HMGA2 expression in the HCC cells. Knockdown of HMGA2 significantly downregulated the metastatic potential of HCC cells induced by HBx.
Conclusions
The deregulation of let-7c expression by HBx may indicate a potential novel pathway through deregulating cell metastasis and imply that HMGA2 might be used as a new prognostic marker and/or as an effective therapeutic target for HCC.
Characterization of Partially Defatted Moringa Seed Flour Obtained at Different Temperatures
Authors: Pageo S. , García-Mares F. J. , Ortolá M.D. , Juan-Borrás M. , Soriano M.D. , Castelló M.L. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
There is more and more interest in the search for new crops, which are well-adapted to climate change due to their low irrigation requirements and resistance to high temperatures. The plant, Moringa oleifera, is native to India and fulfils these characteristics. Moreover, each of its parts (leaves, pods, seeds, roots, flowers…) can be used for fodder, human food or pharmacological formulas due to the high levels in protein and antioxidants, among other components. This study focuses on the assessment of moringa defatted seeds (MDS) obtained after extracting oil from moringa seeds at different temperatures (from 70 to 220 ºC). Therefore, knowledge of their nutritional profile may offer up new possible uses in different food matrices, so contributing to the circular economy. The results showed that MDS had 50% proteins, 10% fats and 29% carbohydrates, the rest being water (4%) and ashes (7%). The highest temperature applied caused a significant reduction in the b* coordinate and luminosity, giving rise to MDS that were darker brown in color. This residue was rich in polyphenols (especially flavonols), which in some cases (p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and rutin) were enhanced at the highest temperature (220ºC), as was the total antioxidant capacity.
Not enough time to recover? Understanding the poverty effects of recurrent floods in the Philippines
Authors: Sauer Inga J. , Walsh Brian , Frieler Katja , Bresch David N. , Otto Christian 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Successful recoveries of households in the aftermath of extreme weather events are key to avoid long-term poverty implications. Yet, in frequently hit regions, there may not always be enough time for households to recover in-between recurrent events. There is a common narrative that the resulting incomplete recoveries aggravate adverse impacts, but there may also be counteracting mechanisms where a cluster of events leads to less destruction than a series of well-separated events because, after the first events, there are less assets left that can be destroyed by the subsequent events. To develop a systematic quantitative understanding for the interplay of the different mechanisms, we extend an agent-based household model to recurrent floods and study their welfare effects in the Philippines in dependence of household exposure and income. We find that incomplete recoveries increase cumulative consumption and well-being losses across the study period 2000-2018 by 50%. While low-income households suffer the highest well-being losses, lower-middle income households experience the largest relative increase in well-being (240%) and consumption losses (120%) due to incomplete recoveries. Our results show that the impacts of recurrent extreme weather events on households are not additive. In consequence, the well-being and consumption losses can be critically underestimated when concluding from the poverty implications of an individual event on the implications of recurrent events, as usually done in conventional disaster risk management. Thus, accounting for incomplete recoveries may allow to develop more effective risk management strategies and better prepare societies for an intensification of these events under global warming.
Synthesis Of Zeolite Granules From NaCl Activated- Nano Zeolite Ore To Remove Calcium Ions From Groundwater
Authors: Hasan Faten , alghoraibi ibrahim 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Conventional water softening is often basis on the ion exchange process, utilizing a plastic polymeric material in the form of small beads called resins, or using geopolymers such as zeolites. The scope of this research is to minimize water hardness especially calcium hardness via an easy, environmental, and affordable method. A natural material Syrian zeolite ore was utilized in this work and improved by grinding to particle size ranges from 100 to 200 nm and treated with 1M NaCl solution. Both the natural zeolite ore and nano-activated zeolite were characterized chemically and structurally by FTIR, EDS, and FESEM techniques which revealed that Nano-activated zeolite was successfully synthesized. The obtained zeolite powder was formed into spherical millimeter-sized granules using a natural binder, bentonite clay (Aleppo Bellone), at a ratio of 1:1. The swelling index of the granules was measured and it was about 19%. The granules were tested in a gravity filtration process at a slow flow rate of 0.5 mL.min− 1. g− 1 using natural groundwater. The results showed that calcium ions were removed effectively from the groundwater, with a removal percentage of around 47.36%.
Estimated indirect costs of haemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis from a patient’s perspective at an Academic Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa (Running title: Indirect costs of peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis)
Authors: MOALOSI KOTULO , SIBANDA MNCENGELI , KURDI AMANJ , GODMAN BRIAN , MATLALA MOLIEHI 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
In South Africa (SA), End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients can be on either Haemodialysis (HD), which is performed by a health care professional in a hospital thrice weekly; or they could be on Peritoneal dialysis (PD), which they can perform daily at home. There needs to be more studies within the South African healthcare sector on the cost of ESRD and especially the indirect costs associated with being on dialysis. This study aimed to determine and compare the indirect costs associated with HD and PD from the patients’ perspective at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH) in Pretoria. The study used a cross-sectional prospective quantitative study design. The researcher used face-to-face interviews to collect data and the human capital approach to calculate productivity losses. The study population included all patients over 18 receiving HD or PD for over three months; 54 patients participated (28 on HD and 26 on PD). The study took place for seven months, from September 2020 to March 2021. Haemodialysis patients incurred greater productivity losses per annum ($8127.55) compared to PD (R$3365.34); the difference was statistically significant with a P-value of 0.000. More HD (96.4%) patients were unemployed than (76.9%) PD patients.
A preliminary study on the digital evaluation of absolute marginal discrepancy of fixed dental prostheses
Authors: Liang Shanshan , Yuan Fusong , Sun Yuchun , Li Deli , Jia Lu 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background In clinical practice, the control of the marginal fit of fixed dental prostheses is hindered by the evaluation method, which needs to be further improved to increase its clinical applicability. We aimed to develop a fully digital method to quantitatively evaluate the absolute marginal discrepancy of fixed dental prostheses based on the digital impression technology and reverse engineering software.
Methods A digital workflow and the conventional impression combined with the lost-wax heat-pressed technique were adopted to separately fabricate ten glass ceramic fixed dental prostheses. These twenty fixed dental prostheses were seated on the abutment, and the absolute marginal discrepancy was evaluated using the method developed in this study. One-way analysis of variance was used to statistically analyze the measurement results.
Results Using the fully digital quantitative evaluation method, the mean value of absolute marginal discrepancy for fixed dental prostheses fabricated by the conventional method was 106.69 ± 6.46 μm, and that fabricated by the digital workflow was 102.55 ± 6.96 μm. The difference in the absolute marginal discrepancy of three-unit all-ceramic fixed dental prostheses fabricated using the two methods was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
Conclusions The digital quantitative evaluation method for absolute marginal discrepancy was preliminarily established and applied in three-unit ceramic fixed dental prostheses. This study provided a fully digital quantitative method for the absolute marginal discrepancy of three-unit fixed dental prostheses, which allows for improvements in measurement, thus facilitated quality control of the marginal fit of fixed dental prostheses. This lays the foundation for the development of an automated software platform for evaluating marginal fit of dental prostheses.
An improved non-local means algorithm for CT image denoising
Authors: Huihua Kong , Wenbo Gao , Yunxia Di 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The non-local means (NLM) is a classical image denoising algorithm. However, the denoising effect of the NLM algorithm is easily affected by the noise level of neighboring pixel and image edge information, which leads to poor denoising effect for high noise level image. In this paper, an improved NLM (I-NLM) denoising algorithm is proposed, which can extract the gradient information of the image more accurately by fusing the Laplacian of Gaussian operator. At the same time, the algorithm combines the real domain information and the gradient information of the image to calculate the weight of the similarity between the image blocks. Experimental results show that compared with the traditional NLM algorithm, the proposed I-NLM algorithm can effectively preserve the edge of the image while suppressing the noise, and recover the CT images with high Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and SSIM values.
Mathematical modelling of thermal waves inside human eye due to instantaneous heat flux in context of generalized heat transfer theory with relaxation times
Authors: Tiwari Rakhi , Kumar Roushan , Sachan Satyam 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Being a most sensitive organ of the human body, eyes are significantly affected from the environmental/thermal changes. Therefore, mathematical modelling of the heat transport inside the human eye has become a topic of immense interest for the scientific community. The current article establishes a new mathematical model to observe the impact of the temperature distributions inside each part of the human eye. A bio-heat transfer model concerning two relaxation times (dual phase lag) is taken into account for the study of the heat flux in the eye. Closed-form solutions are determined by adopting a normal model analysis approach. Quantitative results are evaluated in the space and the time domain. Influences of the prominent parameters such as porosity parameter, activation energy, blood perfusion quantity and ambient temperature are observed on the temperature distributions for each part of the human eye. Influences of the phase lag parameters on the temperature distributions are obtained inside different layers of eye. Advantages of the present heat transfer model are established by comparing the present numerical results with the corresponding results under the theory of the old established bio heat transfer model having one relaxation parameter (LS model) and classical theory of heat transfer (CTE model) without relaxation time.
Sarcopenia and nutritional status are associated with Severe Postoperative Complications in Gastric Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Sun Sida , Zhao Fuya , He Cankun , Qian Huiyang , Chen Huizhong , Zhou Junfeng , He Qingliang 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the risk of severe postoperative complications (SPCs) in patients with gastric cancer and to construct a nomogram based on independently related factors to identify high-risk patients.Methods We retrospectively analyzed 297 consecutive patients undergoing gastrectomy in this multicenter study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by preoperative computed tomography of the L3 skeletal muscle area. Nutritional status was assessed according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria. According to the Clavien–Dindo classification system, SPCs were classified as C-D Grade ≥ IIIa. A nomogram consisting of the independent risk factors was constructed to quantify the individual risk of SPCs.Results Of the 297 patients analyzed in this study, 86 (28.96%) were diagnosed with malnutrition, 55 (18.52%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia, and 24 (8.08%) were diagnosed with SPCs. Patients who developed SPCs had longer hospital stays (SPCs vs. non-SPCs: 23 vs. 11 days, P < 0.001) and higher hospitalization expenses (SPCs vs. non-SPCs: 121456¥ vs. 72012¥, P < 0.001) than those who did not. Logistic analysis revealed that malnutrition (P < 0.001), sarcopenia (P = 0.017), combined resection (P = 0.028), and duodenostomy (P = 0.001) independently predicted the occurrence of SPCs. The nomogram exhibited good discrimination, with a discriminant consistency index of 0.822, and the calibration was also excellent.Conclusions Sarcopenia, malnutrition, combined resection and duodenostomy are independent predictors of SPCs. Our nomogram exhibited good discrimination and was practical for identifying patients at high risk of SPCs.
Global-scale GWAS Associates a Subset of SNPs with animal-adapted variants in M. tuberculosis Complex
Authors: Brenner Evan P. , Sreevat Srinand 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Background
While Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) variants are clonal, variant tuberculosis is a human-adapted pathogen, and variant bovis infects many hosts. Despite nucleotide identity between MTBC variants exceeding 99.95%, it remains unclear what drives these differences. Markers of adaptation into variants were sought by bacterial genome-wide association study of single nucleotide polymorphisms extracted from 6,360 MTBC members from varied hosts and countries.
Results
The search identified 120 genetic loci associated with MTBC variant classification and certain hosts. In many cases, these changes are uniformly fixed in certain variants while absent in others in this dataset, providing good discriminatory power in distinguishing variants by polymorphisms. Multiple changes were seen in genes for cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, pathways previously proposed to be important for host adaptation, including Mce4F (part of the fundamental cholesterol intake Mce4 pathway), 4 FadD and FadE genes (playing roles in cholesterol and fatty acid utilization), and other targets like Rv3548c and PTPB, genes shown essential for growth on cholesterol by transposon studies.
Conclusions
These findings provide a robust set of genetic loci associated with the split of variant bovis and variant tuberculosis, and suggest that adaptation to new hosts could involve adjustments in uptake and catabolism of cholesterol and fatty acids, like the proposed specialization to different populations in MTB lineages by alterations to host lipid composition. Future studies are required to elucidate how the associations between cholesterol profiles and pathogen utilization differences between hosts and MTBC variants, as well as the investigation of uncharacterized genes discovered in this study. This information will likely provide an understanding on the diversification of MBO away from humans and specialization towards a broad host range.
Probiotic properties and antibiotic susceptibility assessment of Streptococcus thermophilus isolates
Authors: Hamdaoui Nora , Azghar Ali , Benkirane Chaymae , Bouaamali Haytham , Mohamed Mouncif , Ou-yahia Douaae , Guerrouj Bouchra El , Assahraou Abdessalam , Maleeb Adil , Mustapha Meziane , Alkowni Raed , Jodeh Shehdeh 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Background
Streptococcus thermophilus were considered one of probiotic bacterial strain; found in milk, cheese, and yogurt, that providing health benefits to humans. Due to their probiotic potentiality, S. thermophilus can be very helpful in replacing chemicals preservatives. This study came out to investigate the probiotic activity of ten S. thermophilus isolates obtained from raw cow milk in eastern Morocco against multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Escherichia coli (ATCC: 25922 and 35218). Besides their antioxidant potential, bile salts tolerance as well as their antibiotic susceptibility, were evaluated
Result
The results showed remarkable in vitro inhibitory ability of the studied S. thermophilus isolates against the tested multidrug-resistant bacteria, as reported for S. thermophilus CFS and supernatant against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC29213), confirming their potential as antibacterial agents. The mixtures of NaOH, catalase and proteinase K showed no inhibition zones against all tested multidrug-resistant bacteria; suggesting the main antibacterial effect of all isolates based on acids, hydrogen peroxide and/or proteins. For the antioxidant activity, the DPPH inhibition values varied between 18.97% and 44.44%, for the bacterial isolate ST9 and ST5, respectively. Notably, S. thermophilus isolates were able to survive up to 6h of incubation with a concentration of 0.1% of bile salt at 37°C. Thus, ST5 could be considered as the most promising bacterial isolate in terms of antioxidant activity. All isolates of S. thermophilus exhibited sensibility to all tested antibiotics except for rifampicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole compared to the standards proposed by the European committee on antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
Conclusions
The tested isolates were exhibited excellent antibacterial and potential antioxidant activities. In addition to that, these isolates were reported to resist rifampicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole antibiotics. These findings presage the use of S. thermophilus isolates as good probiotics.
Chromosome evolution in a genus that deviates from the standard karyotype formula of Lacertidae
Authors: Naveira Horacio , Rojo Verónica , Gómez-Seoane Iván , Ferguson-Smith Malcolm A. , Pereira Jorge C. , Martínez-Lage Andrés 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
This paper describes the preparation of flow-sorted chromosome paints from the Iberian Rock lizard I. monticola, and exemplifies their subsequent use in cross-species chromosome painting for carrying out comparative analyses of chromosome evolution in the congeneric species I. galani and I. bonnali, as well as in two other species of Lacertini, namely Lacerta schreiberi and Timon lepidus, whose sex chromosomes were also studied through comparative genomic hybridization. Most species of Lacertini possess a diplod number of 2n = 38, with 36 acrocentric macrochromosomes and 2 microchromosomes. However, the nine species included in the genus Iberolacerta do not possess microchromosomes, and additionally very conspicuous differences from the standard Lacertini karyotype are observed in the three Pyrenean species of this genus, including I. bonnali, with several biarmed metacentrics and a Z1Z2W multiple sex-chromosome system. All the species of the familiy Lacertidae, so far with the possible exception of L. schreiberi, appear to share homologous Z chromosomes, which date back to the last common ancestor of the whole group. We provide conclusive evidence that L. schreiberi should no longer be considered an exception to this rule, demonstrate that the loss of microchromosomes in Iberolacerta was produced by their fusion to a middle-sized chromosome, that the multiple sex-chromosome system of the Pyrenean species of Iberolacerta originated from the fusion of the ancestral W chromosome with one of the shortest autosomes, and provide additional evidence of the fast evolution of DNA sequences linked to the W chromosome in Lacertini.
Coffee and the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 observational studies
Authors: Liu Yongsheng , Wang Yongyi , Lai Xiaodong , Gao Jian , Fan Wei , Wang Chuanying , Yang Tianwen , Yao Jie , Lei Youchun 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common metabolic disorder. According to some epidemiological studies and different meta-analysis, it is not clear that whether the relevance of the occurrence and progression of NAFLD and coffee consumption is very close. So we conducted the present article to make it clear. METHODS The PubMed, Cochrane library and Embase were searched up to December 1, 2022. We performed the meta-analysis of not regular coffee vs. regular coffee drinking and coffee drinking vs. the progression of NAFLD, and conducted subgroup analysis of participants, kinds of coffee, methods of diagnosis to verify that relationship. The pooled odds ratio (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) IV. Random and 95% CIs were calculated by random-effects model. RESULTS Eleven articles were included, including 7093 cases and 20625 non-cases. Whether regular coffee drinking or not was not significantly associated with NAFLD occurrence, and OR were 0.84 (95% CI: 0.43–1.62). Moreover, the pooled SMD IV. Random. from the comparison of coffee drinking vs. the progression of NAFLD was − 0.12(95%CI :-0.31-0.07), showing not statistical significance. What’s more, subgroup analysis of people being obese or not, methods of diagnosis of NAFLD, types of coffee, suggested non beneficial efficacy of coffee drinking on NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS The existing evidence showed coffee drinking did not significantly decrease the occurrence and progression of NAFLD. In addition, different kinds of coffee failed to show any beneficial efficacy on NAFLD. Thus, coffee is not recommended for people to decrease the occurrence and slow the progression of NAFLD. As we were unable to assess the components of coffee on NAFLD, the results of this meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution. Further study is needed to assess the influence of main ingredient of coffee, caffeine, on NAFLD.