bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT CONSTRUCTION OF UAV GROUND CONTROL STATIONS
Authors:   ”Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Brașov, Romania, PRISACARIU Vasile , BOȘCOIANU Mircea ,   ” Transilvania” University of Brașov, Romania, BĂLOS Dănuț ,   ”Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Brașov, Romania, CIOACĂ Cătălin ,   "Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Brașov, Romania, POP Sebastian ,   Aerodrone Ltd. Brașov, Romania, VLĂDĂREANU Luige ,   IMSAR București, Romania, VLĂDĂREANU Victor ,   IMSAR București, Romania, TRAVEDIU Ana-Maria ,   IMSAR București, Romania
Published: February 2022

The safety levels of the flight have determined the operating standards of the UAS which are transposed into the operating capabilities and the high levels of reliability of the ground command and control systems / ground equipment. The ground control station (GCS) or C3 is a subsystem of the UAS that has its own command and control technologies in flight and communications with high speeds of data transfer over long distances. The ground control stations (GCS) of unmanned aerial vehicles allow a single operator to handle all flight-related tasks simultaneously with the acquisition of data from areas of interest. The article contains an overview of the construction stages of an experimental model of the portable ground station for the command and control of unmanned aerial vehicles on board.
SUPERSONIC AIR INLET FOR A HIGH VELOCITY PROPULSION SYSTEM
Authors:   University of Craiova, Romania, TUDOSIE Alexandru-Nicolae , PRISACARIU Vasile ,   “Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Brasov, Romania
Published: February 2022

The paper aims to determine the optimal geometry, the control law and the operational limits of a supersonic air inlet; its operation control consists of its central cone positioning, with respect to the flight Mach number, keeping in sight the necessity of a suitable parameters’ distribution into engine’s combustion chamber. Inlet’s optimal architecture shall be determined (based on an algorithm regarding the maximization of the total pressure recovery), using basic planar geometry principles. Based on the optimal geometry of the inlet, its flow rate characteristic and its control law, as well as inlet’s operation limits were calculated and graphically represented.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPTS OF USE OF ROMANIAN AVIATION IN THE TWO WORLD CONFLAGRATIONS AND IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD
Authors:   ”Dimtrie Cantemir” Christian University, Bucharest, Romania, RĂPAN Florian
Published: February 2022

Romania has dedicated to world aviation top personalities such as Traian Vuia, Aurel Vlaicu and Henri Coandă, being among the first countries in the world not only in the construction of aircraft lighter or heavier than air, but also through the procedures of conquest of airspace. Romania - as a country with significant possibilities in the field of aeronautical construction and the use of aviation for military purposes - has paid the necessary attention to capitalizing on its own and international experience. Thus, between the two world wars, in our country the concept of aviation use in combat experienced an evolution corresponding to the policy of that period of the Romanian state.
POWER DISTANCE INDEX AND ITS ROLE IN THE EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Authors:   ”Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Braşov, Romania, DUCU Adrian-Gabriel
Published: February 2022

Enveloping a wide-range spectrum of political, cultural, and ethical aspects, the power distance index essentially summarizes the acceptance of hierarchical structures. The number of micro ecosystems in which hierarchy and power-centered forms of organization prevail is undoubtedly large, given the fact that authoritarian regimes have been mostly abolished and invalidated during relatively recent history, and many people are still unconsciously reminiscing on their unwritten rules of conduct. This paper intends to take a closer look into the impact that various power distance index values have on organizational culture, with multinationals being the niche thoroughly studied. By analyzing official performance reports in correlation with dr. Geert Hofstede’s premises, the author intends to give insight into how overall worker performance is affected by autocracy, inequality, and responsibility centralization, which are all consequences of high-power distance indexes.
PENTINGNYA MANAJEMEN STRATEGIS KEPALA SEKOLAH DALAM PEMBELAJARAN DARING DI PUSAT KEGIATAN BELAJAR MASYARAKAT [THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRINCIPAL’S STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN ONLINE LEARNING AT PUSAT KEGIATAN BELAJAR MASYARAKAT]
Authors: Lenny Lenny
Published: February 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic situation, one of the most affected sectors is education. Distance learning become the only possible way to execute the learning process for both formal and nonformal education institutes. The principal is the key to success of the progress and continuity of their organization. By being able to identify the problems that the organization is facing, the principal is responsible for formulating strategic steps and then implement those steps. The role of the principal really matters. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the role of the principal in implementing the strategic management during online learning. This is an evaluative study using qualitative research method. The data is collected through deep interviews with the source person and continuous observation done by the writer. In this research, the writer concludes that the role of the principal at PKBM XYZ is important. She and her team have implemented the strategic steps that they formulated together. Therefore, the online learning process may run effectively and efficient for the students. Nevertheless, by implementing those strategic steps, she has created a comfortable work situation for the staff. The obstacles occurred during the implementation process are basically technical issues and can be solved. The evaluation result from this implementation conclude that the principal will keep putting her best effort to maximize her role as leader.
PENGARUH PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE DAN ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR TERHADAP KNOWLEDGE SHARING PADA SEKOLAH BINA BANGSA BANDUNG [THE EFFECT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR ON KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN BANGSA SCHOOL BANDUNG]
Authors: Trifenanto Jesica
Published: February 2022

This study aims to determine the effect of psychological empowerment, emotional intelligence, and organizational citizenship behavior on knowledge sharing in educators and education staff at Bina Bangsa School Bandung. The data in this study were obtained from the distribution of questionnaires given to 64 educators and education staff in the school. Further research data were analysed using SEM analysis with Partial Least Square (PLS) technique. The research itself uses a quantitative approach with the path analysis method to find out the coefficient effect of each of the variables. In order to collect the data with the census method using a questionnaire. The issue from the research stated that psychological empowerment, emotional intelligence, and organizational citizenship behavior have a positive effect on knowledge sharing in Bina Bangsa School. Furthermore, psychological empowerment and emotional intelligence have a positive effect on knowledge sharing through organizational citizenship behavior.

 
THE EFFECT OF WORK MOTIVATION, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TOWARDS TEACHERS’ COMPETENCE IN INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING
Authors: Kartono Mely
Published: February 2022

This research is a quantitative study using path analysis, which aims to measure the effect of work motivation, classroom management and critical thinking skills towards teachers’ competence in IBL. The subjects involved in this study are 34 teachers at XYZ School. Data collection was obtained by distribution of questionnaires as primary data, analyzed using SmartPLS. Interviews and observation using checklist as secondary data were also recorded to observe data triangulation. The research was conducted on 28th March 2016 until 1st April 2016. The results obtained are that work motivation, classroom management and critical thinking skills has an effect of -0.619, 0.409, and -0.174 towards teachers’ competence in IBL respectively. Work motivation has an effect of 0.082 and 0.147 towards classroom management and critical thinking skills respectively. Critical Thinking Skills has the strongest effect of 0.708 towards Classroom Management.
Dangerous Implication Of Takfir
Authors: Royana Agam
Published: February 2022

Faith is a fundamental principle in religion. It is the foundation of belief in living which is based on God's rules. In Islam faith is an initial unitary step in undergoing worship which is called the pillars of faith. They are belief in Allah SWT, angels, scriptures, prophets, afterlife, and in the good and bad conditions which are had by His servants. However, in modernity and the treasures of Islam, Islam seems to be a late religion to be born. By reviving the strong desire in the golden era of the Salaf al-S{alih{, but with a textual understanding and regardless of the historical context. Some people are not aware that time is changing, dynamic and developing, but Islam tends to be an exclusive, old-fashioned and not in line with modernity. A textual understanding emerges too much religious believers which had been reproached by previous believers. In fact, the Qur'an has presented testimony in its diction, reminded its people not to be too much, strict and radical. The Messenger of Allah himself in his sunnah forbade his fellow to be too much in practicing Islam, spend all night in worship and tahajjud, or fast all day or even not get married. The phenomenon of over-practicing in religion cannot be underestimated, especially in this age of pluralism. Rigidity, and self-righteousness and even labeling other groups having different views as kafir or unbelievers really have negative effects, impacts and consequences. No wonder these dynamics make Moslems dichotomous and splitted, even easily played to fight against each other. This journal tries to present how much the effect, impact and bad consequences on the label of kafir on other Moslems. The researcher hopes to reduce people's carelessness on labeling other Moslems as kafir.
Development of a telehealth obesity OSCE and reliable checklist for assessment of resident physicians: A pilot study
Authors: Cameron Natalie A , Kushner Robert F
Published: February 2022

Background: Obesity is a major public health problem, yet residents undergo little formal training and assessment in obesity-related care. Therefore, we aimed to develop an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and reliable checklist based on published obesity competencies for medical education to assess resident ability to take a patient-centered obesity-focused history over telehealth. Methods: We developed a 15-minute telehealth obesity OSCE for residents modified from a script used to assess medical student obesity competencies. We designed three checklists to assess resident skills in history taking, communication and professionalism. Encounters were completed over a video platform and checklists over a secure, online platform. We recruited 26 volunteer post-graduate year 2-3 internal medicine residents at an academic medical center, and two standardized patients (SPs) to portray patients struggling with obesity. After OSCE completion, we assessed the reliability of each checklist by calculating the percent agreement between standardized patients and the kappa (κ) statistic on each checklist overall and by each checklist item. Resident performance was assessed as the percentage of history taking questions asked during the encounter and as the mean communication and professionalism scores on a scale of 1 through 5 with 1 representing unacceptable/offensive behavior and 5 representing excellent skills. Results: Overall agreement between SPs on the history taking, communication and professionalism checklists were 83.2% (κ = 0.63), 99.5% (κ = 0.72) and 97.8% (κ =0.44), respectively. On average, residents asked 64.8% of questions on the history taking checklist and scored 3.8 and 3.9 out of 5 on the communication and professionalism checklists, respectively. Conclusions: Results from this pilot study suggest that our telehealth obesity OSCE and checklists can be used by other institutions to assess key obesity competencies among residents on a virtual platform. Integrating obesity OSCEs and other educational interventions into residency curricula are needed to improve resident ability to take an obesity-focused history.
Tailoring the crystal structure of CaTiO3 by multielement doping for photo-assisted activation of NO
Authors: Ji Yilong , Ding Bo , Ni Wen , Li Xiazhang , He Xiaojun , Chen Zhiyuan , Ran Songlin , LÜ Hui-Hong
Published: February 2022

Although photocatalysis exhibits great prospects in selective catalytic reduction of NOx (photo-SCR), the principles toward informed design of photo-SCR catalysts are lacking. Herein, based on inert CaTiO3, we tailor a crystal structure for high-efficiency deNOx by partially substituting Ca with Ce, and Ti with Fe and Mn. The pristine CaTiO3 is hard to remove NO in 100–300°C, while Ce-Fe-Mn doped CaTiO3 could achieve nearly 100% NO conversion at 135°C under light irradiation (GHSV = 72000 h− 1). The dopants enable CaTiO3 to activate NO and harvest visible light. By selectively activating gaseous molecules, Ti, Fe, and Mn present significant synergistic effects on accelerating the catalytic cycle of standard SCR. Moreover, it is firmly shown that the photocarriers intensify NO oxidation rather than NH3-to-NH2 transformation. This work provides new insights into the structure-activity relationship of perovskite-based catalysts, and deepens the understanding of the light-driven mechanism.
Spatiotemporal variations of water quality and driver forces detection in Yangtze River Basin, China from 2008 to 2020 by multi-statistical analyses
Authors: Liu Shasha , Fu Rui , Liu Yun , Suo Chengyu
Published: February 2022

Water quality deterioration is a prominent issue threatening water security throughout the world. Yangtze River Basin, as the largest river in China, is facing severe water pollution due to the intensive human activities. The analysis of water quality trends and identification of driver factors are significant for sustainable water quality management. Thus, spatiotemporal characteristics of the water quality from 2008 to 2020 were analyzed by using Mann–Kendall test and Rescaled Range analysis (R/S), respectively. Also, the drivers of the key monitoring indicators including permanganate index (CODMn), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total phosphorus (TP) were detected by multi-statistical analyses. The results showed that water quality was significantly improved, which was reflected from its mean concentration of NH3-N and TP, decreasing from 0.31 mg/L to 0.16 mg/L and 0.16 mg/L to 0.07 mg/L, respectively. However, the concentration of CODMn did not remarkably decline in the past 13 years. The R/S analysis indicated that the concentration of NH3-N would continue to decrease in the next 13 years, while CODMn might continue to increase, which should be of great concern to us. In terms of spatial distribution, the water quality in the upstream was significantly better than that of the mid-downstream. Multi-statistical analyses revealed that the temporal evolution of water quality was predominantly influenced by tertiary industry (TI), nitrogen fertilizer application rate (N-FAR), phosphate fertilizer application rate (P-FAR) and irrigation area of arable land (IAAL), with a contribution rate of 15.92%, 14.65%, 3.46% and 2.84% respectively. The spatial distinction of CODMn was mainly influenced by TI, while TP is primarily determined by anthropogenic activity factors including N-FAR, P-FAR and so on. This study was expected to provide deep insights into water quality evolution and foundations for water quality management in Yangtze River Basin.
First Two Year Observational Exploratory Real Life Clinical Phenotyping, And Societal Impact Study Of Parkinson’s Disease In Emiratis And Expatriot Population Of United Arab Emirates 2019-2021: The Empark Study
Authors: Metta Vinod , Ibrahim Huzaifa , Loney Tom , Amer Hani , Almuhairi Ali Al Hawai Danamir , Shamsi Abdulla Al , Mohan Sneha , Rodriguez Kislyn , Mohan Judith , O'Sullivan Margaret , Muralidharan Neha , Seetha Arun , Mazrooei Sheikha Al , DarMousa Khadeeja , Chung-Faye Guy , Mrudula Rukmini , Faluo-Pecurariu Cristian , Mattar Maryam , Borgohain Rupam , Chaudhuri Ray
Published: February 2022

Background: phenotypic differences in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) among locals (Emiratis) and Expatriots (Expats) living in United Arab Emirates have not been described and could be important to unravel local aspets of clinical heterogenecity of PD pointing towards genetic and epigenetic variations. Objective: To investigate range and nature of motor and nonmotor clinical presentations of PD and its impact on time to diagnosis, local service provisions, quality of life in Emiratis and Expats in UAE as well as address the presence of current unmet needs on relation to care and aetiopathogenetovty of PD related to possible genetic and epigenetic factors. Methods: a cross-sectional one point in time prospective, observational real-life study of 171 patients recruited from PD and Neurology clinics across United Arab Emirates from 2019-2021. primary outcomes were sociodemographic data, motor and nonmotor symptoms (NMS) including cognition and sleep, and quality of life (QOL) assessments,Results: 171 PD patients (52 Emiratis 119 Expats) were included with mean age (Emiratis 48.5 +/- 13.05, Expats 64.15+/-7.7) and mean disease duration (Emiratis 4.8+/-3.2, Expats 6.08+/-2.7)In the e miratis there was a significant mean delay in initiating treatment after diagnosis (Emiratis 1.2+/0.9, Expats 1.6+/1,1 yrs) while from a clinical phenotyping aspect 25% of Emirati females had a predominant lower limb onset PD. NMS burden was ----and fatigue and sexual dysfunction occur independent of disease duration and disease severity in both Emiratis and Expats however, anxiety contributes to 43% of sexual dysfunction among Emiratis and 41% among Expats. Emotional well-being and Social Stigma aspects of QoL measurements predicted worse QOL in Emiratis while lack of social support impaired QOL in Expats. Awareness for advanced therapies was low and only 25% of Emiratis were aware of deep brain surgery compared to 69% Expats. 2% of Emiratis compared to 32% of Expats for Apomorphine infusion and none (0%) Emiratis were aware of intrajejunal levodopa infusion compared to 13% of expats.Conclusion: Our pilot data suggest clinical phenotypic differencesin presentation of PD in Emiratis popuulation of UAE compared to expats . Worryingly the data also shows delayed treatment initiation as well as widespread lack ot knowledge of advanced therapies in the Emirati poopulation.
North-African doctors as second victims of medical errors
Authors: Boussarsar Mohamed , Saida Imen Ben , Grira Sabil , Toumi Radhouane , Ghodhbani Amani , Ennouri Emna , Meddeb Khaoula , Saad Helmi Ben
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Physicians involved in medical errors (MEs) can experience loss of self-esteem and negative psychological experiences. They are called “second victims” of the ME. Aims. To i) describe the profile, the types and the severity of MEs, and ii) explore the psychological impact on “second victims” to better understand how they cope.Methods. It was a cross sectional retrospective study conducted from March to August 2018. All physicians working at Farhat Hached and Sahloul university hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire about their possible MEs. The impact of MEs was evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (scoring, 0-88) (subscales ranges; intrusion, (0-32); avoidance, (0-32); hyperarousal, (0-24)). The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was made when the total IES-R score exceeded 33. The coping strategies were evaluated using Ways of Coping Checklist Revised (WCC-R) scale (scoring, problem-focused, (10-40); emotion focused, (9-36); seeking social support, (8-32)). Results. Among 393 responders, 268 (68.2%) reported MEs. Wrong diagnosis (40.5%), faulty treatment (34.6%), preventive errors (13.5%) and faulty communication (6.4%) were the main frequent types of MEs. The most common related causes of MEs were inexperience (47.3%) and job overload (40.2%). The physicians’ median(range) score of the IES-R was 19(0-69). According to the IES-R score, the most frequent psychological impacts were median(range): intrusion, 7(0-28) and avoidance symptoms, 7(0-24). PTSD symptoms affected 23.5% of physicians. Female sex and serious MEs were identified as predictors of PTSD. On the WCC-R check list, coping was balanced between the three coping strategies median(range), problem focused, 28.5(10-40); emotion-focused, 24(9-36) and seeking social support 21(8-32). Conclusion. There is a relatively high impact of ME within these North-African university hospital physicians. Coping was balanced within different three strategies as reported worldwide. Physicians adopted more likely constructive changes than defensive ones.
Utilizing Bioinformatics Process to Compare the Single-Cell Sequencing Results of Normal and Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Tissue Samples to Obtain Key Genes from Holistic Level
Authors: Yu Yang , Ding Zheng , Shi Enyi , Gu Tianxiang
Published: February 2022

BackgroundThe thoracic aortic aneurysms especially ascending aortic aneurysms are lethal and tend to be rupture and dissected. The prognosis of untreated aortic aneurysms is worse compared with surgical treatment, however surgical treatment is still a challenging operation with massive trauma and hard to perform on the appropriate time. Medical treatment is mainly to treat the risk factors but not the pathogenesis. With the exploration of the mechanisms of the diseases from onset to development till deterioration or even death leading, the medicine treatment of aortic aneurysms will become more well-targeted and effective.The single cell RNA sequencing is widely used to reveal the function of an individual cell in the context of its microenvironment. After the gene differences study at the cell clusters level, we attempt to obtain the overall differential expression analysis through the algorithm on this basis. This is not only an overall exploration of the mechanism of this disease, but also an attempt to propose a new analytical method to incorporate both local and holistic results from the single-cell sequencing outcome. MethodsAll DEGs are obtained by starting from the processing of the original samples. After ensuring no statistical significance, we extracted gene expression array and finally to the results intersection of the edgeR and DESeq models. The following part is bioinformatics analysis process, including enrichment analysis such as GO analysis and KEGG pathways, the presentation of PPI network, and the target prediction associated with network analysis used to select the hub genes.ResultsBy comparing the gene expression of normal ascending aorta tissue and ascending aorta tissue of ATAA patients, we screened 1390 DEGs, including 526 up-regulated DEGs and 864 down-regulated DEGs. The selected hub genes are: CDC20, CCNB2, BUB1B, BIRC5, PTTG1, ESPL1, PPP1R12B, MYLK, MYL9, MYH14, MYH11. In the classification process using k-means clustering algorithm, MYLK and MYH11 gene showed the characteristics of being in the center and difficult to be classified, indicating that they have a certain pivotal effect. It is consistent with the observation of the characteristics of the small world network. The results obtained by this method is highly compatible with the consensus，and can explain the mechanisms of the aortic aneurysms progressing. ConclusionCDC20, CCNB2, BUB1B, BIRC5, PTTG1, ESPL1 genes as down-regulated hub genes, PPP1R12B, MYLK, MYL9, MYH14, MYH11 were up-regulated hub genes associated with ATAA. MYLK and MYH11 are in the strong group in the consensus of experts. Also, we provided a method to convert single-cell mRNA sequencing results to whole-exome sequencing results, thereby enabling further thinking about molecular pathways of disease at the global and local level in single cell sequencing result.
Assessment of Clinical Features and Morphological Characteristics of Myocardial Bridging Involving the Left Circumflex Artery Using Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography
Authors: Wang Peipei , Yuan Ming-Yuan
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinical features and morphological characteristics of myocardial bridging involving the left circumflex artery and its branches using coronary computed tomography angiography.
Methods
We enrolled 23 patients (mean age: 55.65 ± 13.28 years) with myocardial bridging of the left circumflex artery between January 1, 2014 and July 31, 2020. All patients underwent coronary computed tomography angiography and electrocardiography. The morphology, clinical findings, and coronary computed tomography angiography -derived fractional flow reserve were compared for patients with myocardial bridging of a single left circumflex artery (n = 23), right coronary artery (n = 10), and left anterior descending artery (n = 23).
Results
Myocardial bridging of the left circumflex artery were more commonly superficial (superficial myocardial bridging: 22 vs. deep myocardial bridging: 1) while bridging in the left anterior descending artery was mostly located in the middle segment (91%, 21/23), and bridging in the left circumflex artery was mostly located on the distal-segment or obtuse marginal branch (87%, 20/23). The 95% confidence interval of myocardial bridging thickness, myocardial bridging length, arterial diameter in systole and diastole period of the myocardial bridging of the proximal segment was: 0.24 (0.05, 0.43), 2.88 (2.32, 3.42), 1.67 (1.47, 1.87), and 1.74 (1.54, 1.95), respectively. 95% confidence interval of computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve in the proximal and distal segments of bridging were 0.96 (0.96, 0.97) and 0.93 (0.92, 0.94), respectively. All heart dominance showed right coronary dominance (73.91%, 17/23) or co-dominance (26.09%, 6/23).
Conclusions
All patients with bridging segments in the left circumflex artery have right coronary dominant or co-dominant hearts. Bridging of the left circumflex artery is mostly long and located in the distal segment. Computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve showed a low value in diagnosing myocardial ischemia resulting from myocardial bridging of the left circumflex artery.
A new perspective of Ferroptosis in People with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis basing on a bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Li Xiaobin , Tao Xiaohua , Ding Xiaoxia
Published: February 2022

Patients with psoriasis (Ps) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are reported with increased cancer risk, but the underlying correlation in less clear. This study was performed to identify the possible association of ferroptosis with Ps and PsA using bioinformatics methods. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between blood samples from patients with PsA and Ps as well as normal control (CL), and the overlapped as well as merged DEGS between the two sets were used for further analysis including the hub genes exploration, enrichment analysis, interaction network construction and engaged pathway analysis. The expression level of ferroptosis related genes among above two sets were performed and the association of key ferroptosis related genes and hub genes was explored to clarify whether ferroptosis correlated with Ps and PsA. The findings revealed a correlation between ferroptosis regulatory genes and hub genes in both Ps and PsA groups, and it appeared to be stronger in the PsA group. Furthermore, most of the correlations are negative. And the similar results were found in the validation dataset. In conclusion, ferroptosis may be a potential research point in psoriasis and psoriasis arthritis development and increased cancer risk.
Sex-Specific Differences in the Efficacy of Traditional Low Frequency Versus High Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain
Authors: Conic Rosalynn RZ , Caylor Jacob , Cui Christina L. , Reyes Zabrina , Nelson Eric , Yin Sopyda , Lerman Imanuel
Published: February 2022

Introduction:Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an FDA-approved therapy for chronic pain, uses paresthesia (low frequency SCS (LF-SCS)) or paresthesia-free (high frequency SCS (HF-SCS)) systems, providing analgesia through partially-elucidated mechanisms, with recent studies indicating a sexual dimorphism in pain pathogenesis. We aim to evaluate SCS therapy sex effects based on paradigm, utilizing visual analog scores (VAS), perceived pain reduction (PPR), and opioid use.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of SCS patients implanted between 2004-2020 (n=237) was conducted. Descriptive statistics and linear mixed methods analyses were used. Results: HF-SCS was implanted in 94 patients (40 females, 54 males), and LF-SCS in 143 (70 females, 73 males). At 3 months and 6 months, HF-SCS (p<0.001) and LF-SCS (p<0.005) had lower VAS scores compared to baseline (p<0.005), with no differences across groups. PPR improved in both post-implantation (p<0.006) and at 3 months (p<0.004 respectively), compared to baseline persisting to 6 (p<0.003) and 12 months (p<0.01) for HF-SCS, with significantly better PPR for HF-SCS at 3 (p<0.008) and 6 (p<0.001) months compared to LF-SCS. LF-SCS patients used more opioids at every time point (p<0.05), with no differences compared to baseline. VAS for HF-SCS males, HF-SCS and LF-SCS females improved at 3 (p=0.001) and 6 months (p<0.05), and at 3 months for LF-SCS males (p<0.001). Female HF-SCS had improved PPR at 3 (p=0.016) and 6 (p=0.022) months compared to baseline, and at 6 (p=0.004) months compared to LF-SCS. Male HF-SCS and LF-SCS had improved PPR post-trial (p<0.05) and at 3 months (p<0.05), with HF-SCS having greater benefit at 3 (p<0.05) and 6 (p<0.05) months. LF-SCS males but not females used less opioids at 6 months (p=0.017) compared to baseline; however this effect did not persist. On linear mixed model analyses, including age, sex and stimulator type, VAS decreased with age and at each timepoint, with a trend towards increasing with sex, while PPR increased at 3 and 6 months and opioid use was decreased with HF-SCS use.Discussion:PPR at 3 and 6 months improved to a greater extent in HF-SCS. HF-SCS females had improved PPR at 3 and 6 months, and only LF-SCS males used less opioids at 6 months, potentially indicating sex-based pathway. Future studies should further elucidate differences in sex-based pathways and identify optimal SCS opioid-sparing paradigms for chronic pain patients.
The cofactor-dependent folding energy landscape of a light-sensing protein revealed by single-molecule pulling experiments
Authors: Maillard Rodrigo , Foroutannejad Sahar , Good Lydia , Lin Changfan , Ingram Zachariah , Tadesse Mahlet , Lucius Aaron , Crane Brian
Published: February 2022

The functional link between cofactor binding and protein activity is well established, but how cofactor interactions with the polypeptide reshape the folding energy landscape of large and multidomain proteins is unknown. Here, we use optical tweezers in combination with a novel analytical framework that integrates clustering, bootstrapping and global fitting of kinetic and thermodynamic data to dissect the folding mechanism of the light-sensing Drosophila cryptochrome (dCRY), a 542-residue protein that binds FAD, one of the most common, complex cofactors. We show that FAD binds to multiple dCRY folding intermediates, some of which contain large amounts of unfolded polypeptide. Yet, binding occurs with association kinetics above the diffusion-limit and at sub-nanomolar affinity. Surprisingly, the first parts of dCRY to fold are independent of FAD, but later steps are FAD-driven as the remaining protein folds around the cofactor. Thus, dCRY coordinates cofactor-dependent and independent folding mechanisms to attain its native state. Furthermore, we find that not all the FAD chemical moieties are strictly required for folding: whereas the isoalloxazine ring linked to ribitol and one phosphate group (i.e., FMN) are sufficient to drive complete dCRY folding, the adenosine ring plus the phosphate groups (i.e., AMP and ADP) only allow partially folded structures. Lastly, by combining the results from optical tweezers experiments with structural data, we propose a model for the dCRY folding pathway wherein regions known to undergo conformational transitions during signal transduction are the last to fold. Altogether, our single-molecule experiments and data analysis illustrate the power and broad applicability of optical tweezers to dissect complex mechanisms that couple the folding of large proteins to cofactor binding.
Key residue for aggregation of amyloid-β peptides
Authors: Itoh Satoru , Yagi-Utsumi Maho , Kato Koichi , Okumura Hisashi
Published: February 2022

Amyloid-b peptides (Abs) are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and have two isoforms: Ab40 and Ab42. Although the difference between Ab40 and Ab42 is only two additional C-terminal residues, Ab42 aggregates much faster and is more toxic than Ab40. It is unknown what role the C-terminal two residues play in accelerating aggregation. Clarifying the differences between the oligomerization processes of Ab40 and Ab42 is essential to elucidate the key factors of oligomerization. Performing Hamiltonian replica-permutation molecular dynamics simulations for Ab40 and Ab42 to investigate the early oligomerization process, we identified the key residue, Arg5, for the Ab42 dimerization. The two additional residues in Ab42 allow the C-terminus to form contact with Arg5, and this contact stabilizes the b-hairpin. This b-hairpin promotes the intermolecular b-bridge formation. We also conducted experiments on Ab aggregations to validate these simulation results and confirmed that mutations of Arg5 remarkably suppressed the Ab42 aggregation.
A Practical Approach to Estimating Expected Hitting Time with Applications to Climatology and Epidemiology
Authors: Zou Haolin , Cane Mark , Alemayehu Demissie , Peña Victor de la , Pena Victor de la
Published: February 2022

Hitting time, or first passage time, is the first time that a process reaches (from above or below) a pre-specified area. Estimating expected hitting time is an important practical problem in many areas of science. In this paper, we discuss a novel and practical approach to estimating expected hitting time of [b, ∞), for a pre-specified boundary level b, as a function of the inverse of existing projections. An important example are predictions from an ensemble of models. Convergence properties of the estimator are established. Applications of the approach in epidemiology and climatology are presented. The performance of the approach is evaluated using real data from climate variability (El Niño) and flu prevalence. It is shown that the proposed approach has superior performance compared to commonly used methods in terms of MSE and other measures of goodness-of-fit.
STS delivery PCL-MECM based hydrogel hybrid scaffold promote meniscal regeneration through controlling the phenotype of macrophages
Authors: Li Muzhe , Yin Han , Chen Mingxue , Deng Haotian , Tian Guangzhao , Yuan Zhiguo , Yan Zineng , Ning Chao , Wu Jiang , Zhang Runmin , Li Huiyun , Wei Fu , Chen Wei , Yi Guoliang , Sui Xiang , Guo Quanyi , Chen Zhiwei , Liu Shuyun
Published: February 2022

BackgroundMeniscus injury has a limited ability to heal itself and often results in the progression to osteoarthritis. Tissue engineering offers the possibility of regeneration of severely damaged meniscus. Immunomodulatory strategies based on biomaterials have a wide range of regenerative potential. Macrophages have a high degree of plasticity and will change in morphology and function under the influence of different tissues. M1 macrophages have pro-inflammatory properties, while M2 macrophages have tissue repair and remodeling functions. It has been reported many times that biological scaffolds induce M2 polarization, resulting in the increase of the M2: M1 macrophage phenotypic ratio, thereby promoting tissue repair. However, there is no report on meniscus repair and regenerative.ResultsIn this study, sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) delivery Polycaprolactone (PCL)-meniscus extracellular matrix (MECM) based hydrogel hybrid scaffold was fabricated. PCL provides mechanical support, MECM based hydrogel provides a microenvironment conducive to cell proliferation and differentiation, and STS is used to control the phenotype of macrophages. In vitro experiments, we confirmed that STS could not only transform macrophages from M1 to M2 polarization but also prevent meniscal fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) from oxidative stress, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degradation induced by inflammatory stimulation, thus having stronger proliferation activity. Results of subcutaneous implantation in vivo showed that hybrid scaffold could induce M2 polarization in the early stage. In addition, a hybrid scaffold seeded with MFCs could achieve good meniscus regeneration and chondroprotective effects in the rabbit.Conclusion STS delivery PCL-MECM based hydrogel hybrid scaffold promotes meniscal regeneration through controlling the phenotype of macrophage, which provides a new direction for tissue engineering meniscus regeneration.
Severe Heart Failure and Outcomes in 121 Children With Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study from Southwest China
Authors: Chen Cheng , Su Danyan , Qin Suyuan , Ye Bingbing , Huang Yanyun , Zhao Weiying , Huang Yuqin , Liu Dongli , Pang Yusheng
Published: February 2022

Objective
Heart failure is a common complication in children with dilated cardiomyopathy. The aim of this study was to determine whether severe heart failure at diagnosis was related to poor outcomes in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.
Methods
We analyzed medical data from 121 children with dilated cardiomyopathy in our hospital from 2003 to 2021. The children were grouped by the degree of heart failure. Cox regression analysis was performed to confirm whether severe heart failure was associated with poor outcomes.
Results
There were 121 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy in this research. The mean age of the 121 patients was 118.5 ± 63.0 months. Of these patients, 81 (67.8%) were sorted into a severe heart failure group and 39 (32.2%) were placed into a mild heart failure group. A comparison between the two groups showed that patients with severe heart failure were older and more likely to be male, have lower systolic blood pressure measurements, be admitted to the intensive care unit and be treated with β-blockers, loop diuretics, spironolactone and digoxin. In addition, they had larger systolic and diastolic left ventricular end-diastolic dimensional and lower left ventricular ejection fractional z-scores as well as being more prone to aortic and tricuspid regurgitations (P < 0.05 in all cases). After adjusting for age, sex, heart rate, left ventricular ejection fraction z-scores and drug, severe heart failure was found to be independently associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.27; P < 0.005).
Conclusions
Severe heart failure at diagnosis was related to a greater risk of death in children with dilated cardiomyopathy. Further prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the efficacy between the treatment undertaken for heart failure and outcomes in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.
The Role Of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing In Cardiac Tumor - A Case Report
Authors: Qi Xianjie , Shi Chao , Wei Ting , Zhang Shengqiang , Meng Jinjin , Jiang Yiyao
Published: February 2022

Background: The benign cardiac tumor is a common disease. We often completely removed it by operation. However, the characteristic of the tumor is not studied deeply. Here, we used the technique of single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze cell composition and growth patterns in a giant cardiac tumor. Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman presented to our hospital with 5 day of chest tightness, dyspnea, lower abdominal distension. Echocardiography revealed a mass in the right atrium. An emergency operation was carried out to prevent tumor shedding. The single-cell RNA sequencing was applied to analysis the nature of the tumor.Conclusion: Single-cell RNA sequencing is a good manner to analyze the growth pattern and search for therapeutic targets. Based on the result of single-cell RNA sequencing, it is helpful to reduce the recurrence of the tumor and benefit the quality of life of patients.
Application of vancomycin-impregnated calcium sulfate hemihydrate/nano- hydroxyapatite/chitosan injectable hydrogels combined with BMSCs sheet for the treatment of infected bone defects in rabbit model
Authors: Wang Yanjun , Zhao Zihou , Liu Shiyu , Luo Wen , Wang Guoliang , Zhu Zhenfeng , Ma Qiong , Liu Yunyan , Wang Linhu , Lu Shuaikun , Zhang Yong , Qian Jixian , Zhang Yunfei
Published: February 2022

Background
Choice of bone substitutes for the therapy of infected bone defects (IBDs) attracts surgeons’ attention for years. However, single-stage bioabsorbable material that provides carriers for antibiotic releasing as well as scaffold for BMSCs sheet need further exploration. Our study was designed to investigate the effect of vancomycin-loaded calcium sulfate hemihydrate/nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan (CSH/n-HA/CTS) hydrogels combined with BMSCs sheet as bone substitute in the treatment of IBDs.
Methods
The BMSCs were harvested and cultured into cell sheet. After successful establishment of animal model with chronic osteomyelitis, the 48 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. Animals in group A were treated with thorough debridement as control. Group B were managed with BMSCs sheet. CSH/n-HA/CTS hydrogels were implanted in group C, and group D were treated with CSH/n-HA/CTS + BMSCs sheet. Gross observation and 3D reconstruction of Micro CT were performed to assess the osteogenic and infection elimination ability. Histological staining (Hematoxylin and eosin and Van Gieson) was used to observe inflammatory cell infiltration and formation of collagen fiber 4, 8 ,12 weeks after implantation.
Results
The bone defect of the control group was not repaired in 12 weeks as chronic osteomyelitis still existed. HE staining showed a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration around the tissue, and VG staining showed no new collagen fiber formation. In the group of BMSCs sheet, though new bone formation was observed by gross observation and Micro-CT scan, the infection was not effectively controlled due to the unfilled cavity. Some neutrophils and only a small amount of collagen fiber could be observed. Both groups of hydrogels and hydrogels/BMSCs achieved satisfactory repair effect and infection control. 3D reconstruction of Micro-CT at 4 weeks showed that the hydrogels/BMSCs sheet group had higher reconstruction efficiency and better bone modeling with normal morphology. HE staining showed little aggregation of inflammatory cells, and VG staining showed a large number of new collagen fibers.
Conclusions
Our preliminary results proved that compared with single material, the novel antibiotic-impregnated hydrogels acted as superior scaffold for BMSCs sheet and excellent antibiotics vector against infection, which provided a basis for applying tissue engineering technology to the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis.
Acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage with acute pulmonary embolism: A difficult decision?
Authors: Li Che , Chu Zhenliang , Zhang Bing , Zheng Jifeng
Published: February 2022

Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and pulmonary embolism are potentially life-threatening conditions with high morbidity and mortality, However, acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is rare, and whether anti-coagulation is a difficult choice for doctors. We report the case of a 70-year-old man with a 3-day history of abdominal pain accompanied by a black stool, He was admitted to our department, then, he was diagnosed with gastric ulcers, and he suffered from a near-syncopal episode accompanied by heavy sweating. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) revealed a partial embolism in the two side pulmonary arteries. Anticoagulant treatment was performed after a complete hematologic assessment for 20 days. The patient improved and was discharged home on warfarin anticoagulation for 3 months without any complications. For patients with a high bleeding risk of pulmonary embolism, clinicians should evaluate adequately before deciding to take anticoagulant therapy.
Photo-crosslinked gelatin methacryloyl strengthened with nanoparticles for regeneration of rabbit calvarial defects
Authors: Lee Dana , Park Jin-Young , Seo Young-Wook , Jin Xiang , Hong Jongmin , Bhattacharyya Amitava , Noh Insup , Choi Seong-Ho
Published: February 2022

Background
Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMa) hydrogel has been regarded as a promising biomaterial in the field of bioprinting and biofabrication. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of photo-crosslinked GelMa hydrogel and calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CNp) when applying different fabrication methods for bone regeneration.
Methods
Four circular defects were created in the calvaria of 10 rabbits. Each defect was randomly allocated to the following study groups: 1) the sham control group; 2) the GelMa group (defect filled with crosslinked GelMa hydrogel); 3) the CNp-GelMa group (GelMa hydrogel crosslinked with nanoparticles); 4) CNp + GelMa group (crosslinked GelMa loaded with nanoparticles). At two, four and eight weeks, samples were harvested, and histological and micro-computed tomography analyses were performed.
Results
Histomorphometric analysis showed that CNp-GelMa and CNp + GelMa groups at 2 weeks were significantly greater in total augmented area compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Greatest new bone area was observed in the CNp-GelMa group, however this was without statistical significance (P > 0.05). Crosslinked GelMa hydrogel with nanoparticles exhibited good biocompatibility with minimal inflammatory reaction.
Conclusion
Crosslinked GelMa hydrogel with calcium phosphate nanoparticles might enhance new bone formation. Further improvement in mechanical stability and resistance to enzymatic degradation is needed prior to application in bone regenerative procedures.