bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of blasting characteristics of interbedded rock mass based on particle expansion method
Authors: Xu Ruizong , Xie Liangfu , Liu Xuejun , Lu Gongda
Published: August 2023

In engineering, blasting is often used to achieve engineering purposes. Still, more studies are limited to a single rock layer, and there are few details on complex rock layers, such as interbedded rock bodies. This paper analyses the effects of the blasting environment, layer thickness, and inclination angle on the blasting effect from the levels of reflected stress, cracking state, and contact resultant force with the help of the particle expansion method. It is found that: (i) The blasting environment and layer thickness greatly influence the blasting effect, while the inclination angle has a minor influence. (ii) When the layer thickness in a hard rock environment is less than seven times the radius of the crushing zone, the reflective stress near the contact surface increases with the layer thickness, conversely, it decreases. (iii) For hard rock environments with layer thicknesses up to 3 times the radius of the crushing zone, the number of cracks increases with layer thickness at a rate of 68% per meter, conversely, it decreases at a rate of 6.5% per meter. For soft rock environments with layer thicknesses up to 1 times the radius of the crushing zone, the number of cracks decreases at a rate of 112% per meter with layer thickness. It increases at a rate of 10% per meter for layers between 1 and 2 times the radius of the crushing zone. (iv) The average contact resultantforce increases at a rate of 15.4% per meter when the layer thickness gradually increases to 10 times the radius of the crushing zone for hard rock environments and decreases at a rate of 51.7% per meter when the layer thickness increases to 1.5 times the radius of the crushing zone for soft rock environments, and converges if the layer thicknesses continue to increase for both soft rock and hard rock environments.
Simulation Analysis of Ni-based Dendritic Crystal Electrode Additive Manufacturing Based on COMSOL
Authors: Cao Lianmin , Chen Yixuan , Zhao Dongrui , Yang Hongjuan
Published: August 2023

Ni-based metal electrodes have been widely used as non-precious metal energy catalytic materials in the preparation of hydrogen and fuel cells fields. However, the commonly used foam electrodes have mostly disordered porous structures and low catalytic stability, making it cannot satisfy the requirements of efficient energy conversion. Therefore, it is necessary to design and prepare a low-cost, stable and reliable Ni-based catalytic electrode. This paper proposes an efficient additive manufacturing method based on jet electrodeposition and prepares Ni-based metal electrodes with unique dendritic structures. In this paper, the principle of additive manufacturing for dendritic electrodes is explained, and the macroscopic deposition environment is analyzed through finite element simulation, which can provide effective theoretical support for the reliable manufacturing process of dendritic electrodes.
Analyzing the characteristics of the upper mantle anisotropy beneath the northeastern North China Craton based on SKS wave splitting
Authors: Zhou Yi , Wang Xiang , Wang Jing
Published: August 2023

Based on teleseismic events recorded at 52 broadband temporary seismic stations in the Hebei Seismic Network, the SKS wave splitting parameters, including the polarization orientation of the fast shear wave and the delay time between the fast and slow waves at each station, were determined, and then, the structure of the upper mantle anisotropy beneath the northeastern North China Craton (NCC) was acquired. The results of this study reveal that the fast wave directions are basically in the NWW direction with a mean value of N99.2°E±15.4°, and the delay times are about 0.93±0.11 s, corresponding to a 107±13 km thick anisotropic layer. The research results imply that the anisotropy beneath the northeastern NCC mainly resides in the upper mantle, and most of it may reside in the asthenosphere. The results show that the anisotropy parameters of the Eastern Blocks (ENCC) and the Trans-North China Orogen (CNCC) are relatively consistent, indicating that the differences in the characteristics of the upper mantle anisotropy beneath the northeastern NCC are smaller. The deformation model of the crust and upper mantle could be both a simple asthenosphere flow model and vertical coherent deformation model based on comparison of the direction of the absolute plate movement, regional lithospheric extension, the crustal fast wave, and velocity field of China based on global positioning system (GPS) data.
Electrolyte component preference and surface integrity impact analysis for electrolytic plasma polishing of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys
Authors: Liu Xuexiang , Li Xuezhi , Zhang Jiajun
Published: August 2023

Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys is an excellent cobalt-based alloy material used in the manufacturing of medical metal parts, which often requires a high-quality surface finish. In this paper, electrolytic plasma polishing (EPP) technology is applied to the surface treatment of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy. Experiments are conducted to preference the additive components in the electrolyte to improve the surface quality after processing, and the effects of different types of complexing agents on the surface processing effect are investigated. The best polishing effect is obtained by mixing the electrolyte with ammonium sulfate and EDTA at a mass fraction of 4:1, resulting in the lowest surface roughness value of 0.0134µm and a high material removal rate of 4.935µm/min. Simultaneously, the addition of complexing agents further improves the wetting properties of the material surface. Polishing experiments are continued using the optimized electrolyte, and the surface integrity of the cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy is analyzed. The experimental results show that EPP can achieve a smooth and flat surface, and the surface profile curve after processing is stable and consistent. Additionally, the surface organization of the material changes, the surface layer hardness decreases and a more corrosion-resistant surface is obtained.
Thrust enhancement mechanism of a single and tandem flapping foil following an elliptical flapping trajectory
Authors: medna Venkata Ramana , Kumar A Sunny , swain Prafulla Kumar , bommana Divakar
Published: August 2023

Flapping foil devices have drawn considerable attention as a new means of thrust generation devices. The present study investigates the hydrodynamic performance mechanism of a single and tandem flapping foil undergoing different flapping trajectories with two different phase angles, 0° and 180°. The hydrodynamic efficiency, such as propulsive efficiency and wake structure of the single and tandem hydrofoil, are examined using computational methods. The effect of Strouhal number (St) and stream-wise gap (Gx) was also discussed along with the flapping trajectory. The results show that by implementing the new flapping trajectory, the induced thrust of the trailing foil can be enhanced up to 45% compared to the simple flapping. This study shed new light on improving biomimetic propulsion devices, as it aims to enhance the elicited thrust of the hydrofoil.
Data-driven identification of predictive risk biomarkers for subgroups of osteoarthritis using an interpretable machine learning framework: a UK biobank study
Authors: Gupta Ramneek , Nielsen Rikke Linnemann , Monfeuga Thomas , Kitchen Robert , Egerod Line , Leal Luis , Schreyer August , Sun Carol , Helenius Marianne , Simonsen Lotte , Willert Marianne , Tahrani Abd , McVey Zahra
Published: August 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is increasing in prevalence and has a severe impact on patients’ lives. However, our understanding of biomarkers driving OA risk remains limited. We developed a model predicting the five-year risk of OA, integrating clinical, lifestyle and biomarker data from the UK Biobank (19,120 patients with OA, ROC-AUC:0.72 95%CI (0.71 – 0.73)). Higher age, BMI, and prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs contributed most to increased OA risk prediction. 14 sub-groups of OA risk profiles were identified, and validated in an independent set of patients evaluating the 11-year OA risk, with 88% of patients uniquely assigned to one of the sub-groups. Individual OA risk profiles were characterised by personalised biomarkers. Omics integration demonstrated the predictive importance of key OA genes and pathways (e.g. GDF5 and TGF-β signalling) and identified OA-specific biomarkers (e.g. CRTAC1 and COL9A1). In summary, this work identified opportunities for personalised OA prevention and insights into its underlying pathogenesis.
Impact of Radiological and Pathological Splenic Vein Involvement in Patients with Resectable Pancreatic Body or Tail Cancer
Authors: KURIYAMA Naohisa , MIZUNO Shugo , SAKAMOTO Tatsuya , FUJIMURA Yu , YUGE Takuya , NOGUCHI Daisuke , ITO Takahiro , HAYASAKI Aoi , FUJII Takehiro , IIZAWA Yusuke , MURATA Yasuhiro , TANEMURA Akihiro , NAGATA Motonori , USUI Miki , KISHIWADA Masashi
Published: August 2023

Purpose
Several studies have reported a negative impact on survival associated with splenic vessel involvement, especially splenic artery (SpA) involvement, in patients diagnosed with pancreatic body or tail cancer. However, there is limited research on splenic vein (SpV) involvement. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the significance of splenic vessel involvement, especially SpV involvement, in patients with resectable pancreatic body or tail cancer.
Methods
Between January 2007 and December 2021, 116 consecutive patients underwent distal pancreatectomies for pancreatic body or tail cancer. Among them, this study specifically examined 88 patients with resectable pancreatic body or tail cancer to elucidate prognostic factors using a multivariable Cox proportional analysis. The Kaplan–Meier method evaluated the impact of SpV involvement in terms of both radiological and pathological aspects and the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy.
Results
Higher pre-operative carcinoembryonic antigen levels, larger tumour size, pathological SpV invasion, and non-completion of adjuvant therapy were identified as independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Additionally, patients with radiological SpV encasement had significantly worse prognoses in terms of OS (p = 0.039) and RFS (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of multidetector-row computed tomography for detecting pathological SpV invasion were 81.0% and 61.2%, respectively. However, the prognostic impact of neoadjuvant therapy could not be determined, regardless of radiological SpV involvement.
Conclusion
Radiological and pathological SpV involvement is a poor prognostic factor for patients with resectable pancreatic body or tail cancer. New innovative treatments and effective neoadjuvant therapy regimens are required for patients with SpV involvement.
Changes in PD-L1 expression on microvessel endothelial cells during melanoma tumor growth and the regulation by anlotinib
Authors: Feng Yingfang , Gao Yuan , Qin Tingting , Zhang Yan , Liu Shaochuan , Wang Jing , Li Kai
Published: August 2023

To evaluate the expression of PD-L1 on MEC in tumor and normal tissues, IF was used to detect the expression of PD-L1+CD31+ VECs and PD-L1+ Podoplanin + LECs in tumor, ear and kidney tissues. We found that the MEC PD-L1 in tumor showed an upward trend with tumor progression. The expression of PD-L1 in MEC in normal tissues is associated with the type of microvessels and tumor progression. The MEC PD-L1 expression in tumor is significantly down-regulated at 22th day in An5-9 group. In the early treatment group (An5-9), anlotinib increased the LEC PD-L1 but had no significant effect on VEC PD-L1 of ear, while decreased the LEC PD-L1 in kidney. In conclusion, the MEC-PD-L1 in melanoma increased with tumor growth and was downregulated significantly by early treatment of anlotinib, which proposes a potentiality of its enhancement on the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 antibody. Anlotinib had no significant effect on the MEC PD-L1 of ear excepting the upregulation of LEC PD-L1 in early treatment group, while decreased such expression in kidney, hence the risk of possible renal damage by CD8 + T cells in the treatment of anlotinib should be bewared.
The Effectiveness of Using Tax Incentives in Attracting Foreign Direct Investment in the Czech Republic
Authors: AMPONSAH ISAAC ASAMOAH
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between inward foreign direct investment (FDI) as a percentage of GDP and several selected variables, including the inflation rate, GDP growth rate, exchange rate, corruption perception index, trade as a percentage of GDP, and corporate income tax rate in the Czech Republic from 1995 to 2018. Using correlation analysis and regression analysis with SPSS, we determined that inbound FDI as a percentage of GDP does not have a significant link with the rate of corporate income tax, trade as a percentage of GDP, inflation rate, or GDP growth rate. However, the study revealed a moderate yet significant relationship between inward FDI and the exchange rate and the corruption perception index. As a result, the study concluded that inward foreign direct investment in the Czech Republic is closely linked to the institutional quality of the host country, as evidenced by the observed relationship between inward FDI as a percentage of GDP and the corruption perception index.
A mathematical model for the cylindrical grinding responses of 18CrNiMo7-6 alloy steel
Authors: Zhang Jianwei , Lu Yazhou , Wu Shaoyang , Peng Zhenlong , Zhang Zhipeng , Wang Bingbing , Zhao Minghao
Published: August 2023

Due to its exceptional mechanical properties, 18CrNiMo7-6 alloy steel is one of the preferred materials for producing critical components of high-speed heavy-duty gearboxes. To study the relationship between cylindrical grinding parameters, i.e., workpiece speed, wheel speed and grinding depth, and grinding responses (grinding force, temperature and surface residual stress), dimensional analysis and finite element simulation of cylindrical grinding for 18CrNiMo7-6 alloy steel are performed. A mathematical model of grinding force and residual stress of cylindrical grinding is proposed, and the numerical and experimental verifications of 18CrNiMo7-6 cylindrical alloy steel are carried out. Numerical verification shows that the maximum relative errors of grinding force and residual stress models are 7.9% and 11.2%, respectively. The experimental results reveal that the maximum absolute errors were 1.31 N and 33.7 MPa, respectively. The results indicate that the proposed model could be used as a guide for practical grinding operation, which is helpful to optimize machining parameters, improve production efficiency and ensure high quality machining results.
Prognostic nomogram and epidemiological analysis for lung atypical carcinoid: A SEER database and external validation study
Authors: Yi Xinglin , He Yi , Qian Gangzhen , Chen Zhujun , Zhang Meixia , Qin Jiayi , Zhou Xiangdong , Luo Hu
Published: August 2023

Purpose
We aimed to investigate the annual percentage change (APC) in the proportion of AC in lung carcinoids to determine the epidemiology of AC and to develop a comprehensive nomogram that could reliably evaluate the prognosis of patients with AC.
Methods
The demographic and treatment information of AC patients were extracted retrospectively from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER) and a separate medical centre in China. A joinpoint regression model was applied to determine the proportional trend of the AC. Univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-based Cox regression models were used to identify independent factors, and a nomogram and web-based predictor were developed to evaluate prognosis individually. The receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under the ROC, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis were performed to assess the model.
Results
Most patients with AC were women (60.5%); the mean age of AC patients was 63.4 years, with a lower tumour site (42.7%), T1 (51.5%), N1 (64.4%), and M0 (87.1%). The proportion of patients with AC and pulmonary carcinoids increased annually from 6.3% in 2004 to 10.5% in 2010 and 16.1% in 2019. Age at diagnosis, primary tumour site, surgery, and tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage were independent risk factors in patients with AC. The nomogram predicted 1, 3, and 5 years of AC with excellent accuracy and discrimination.
Conclusion
The proportion of patients with AC and pulmonary carcinoids increased annually. The nomogram and web-based predictors were more accurate and discriminative than the TNM stage.
Impact of Mobile Application and Outpatient Follow-up on Renal Endpoints and Physiological Indices in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Southwest China
Authors: Shi Yu , Pu Shi , Peng Hongmei , Zhang Jing , Li Yang , Huang Xia , Song Caiping , Luo Yu
Published: August 2023

Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health concern, and patient self-management is an effective approach to manage the condition. However, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of mobile app for self-management interventions among Chinese CKD patients. This study aimed to investigate whether using a mobile application combined with traditional outpatient follow-up can improve health outcomes of CKD patients.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study recruited CKD patients with stage 1–5 who were not receiving renal replacement therapy from a CKD management center. Two groups were established: the APP + outpatient follow-up group and the traditional outpatient follow-up group. Baseline data was collected from January 2015 to December 2019, followed by a three-year long-term follow-up until December 2022. Laboratory data, all-cause mortality, and renal replacement treatment were then collected and compared between the two groups.
Results
5326 patients were included in the study, including 2492 in the APP + outpatient group and 2834 in the traditional outpatient group. After IPTW virtualization matching, the final matched the APP + outpatient group consisted of 2489 cases (IQR, 33–55) and 2850 (IQR, 33–55) in the traditional outpatient group. By the end of the study, it was observed that the laboratory data of Phosphorus, Sodium, Triglyceride, Hemoglobin showed significant improvements, Furthermore the APP + outpatient group demonstrated superior results compared to the traditional outpatient group (P < .05). And it was observed that there were 34 deaths (1.4%) in the APP + outpatient group and 46 deaths (1.6%) in the traditional outpatient group(P = .49). After matching for renal replacement therapy outcomes, the two groups were found to be comparable (95% CI [0.72–1.08], P = .23), with no significant difference. However, it was noted that the traditional outpatient group had a lower incidence of using temporary catheters during initial hemodialysis (95% CI [8.4%-29.8%], P < .001).
Conclusion
The development and application of an app combined with outpatient follow-up management can improve patient health outcomes. However, to ensure optimal preparation for kidney replacement therapy, patients in CKD stages 4–5 may require more frequent traditional outpatient follow-ups, and further develop an information-based decision-making support tool for renal replacement therapy.
The role of WHO/MMV genotyping in differentiating Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence from re-infections in the POR phase in Sri Lanka
Authors: de A.W.Gunasekera W.M.K.T. , Premaratne Risintha , Handunnetti Shiroma , Weerasena OVDSJ , Premawansa Sunil , Fernando Deepika
Published: August 2023

Background
Sri Lanka after eliminating malaria in 2012, is in the prevention of re-establishment (POR) phase. Being a tropical country with high malariogenic potential, maintaining vigilance is important. All malaria cases are investigated epidemiologically and followed up by integrated drug efficacy surveillance (iDES). Occasionally, that alone is not adequate to differentiate Plasmodium falciparum re-infections from recrudescences. This study evaluated the World Health Organization (WHO) and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) recommended genotyping protocol for merozoite surface proteins (msp1, msp2) and glutamate-rich protein (glurp) to discriminate P. falciparum recrudescence from re-infection in POR phase.
Method
All P. falciparum patients detected from April 2014 to December 2019 were included for this study. Patients were treated and followed up by iDES up to 28 days and were advised to get tested if they develop fever at any time over the following year. Basic socio-demographic information including history of travel was obtained. Details of the malariogenic potential and reactive entomological and parasitological surveillance carried out by the AMC to exclude the possibility of local transmission was also collected. WHO/MMV genotyping was performed for initial and any recurrent infections. Classification of recurrent infections as recrudescence or re-infection was done based on epidemiological findings and was compared with the genotyping outcome.
Results
Among 106 P. falciparum patients, six had recurrent infections. All the initial infections were imported, with a history of travel to malaria endemic countries. In all instances, the reactive entomological and parasitological surveillance had no evidence for local transmission. Five recurrences occurred within 28 days of follow up and were classified as recrudescence. They have not travelled to malaria endemic countries in between the initial and recurrent infections. The other had the recurrent infection after 105 days. It was assumed a re-infection, as he had traveled to the same malaria endemic country in between the two malaria attacks. Genotyping confirmed the recrudescence and the re-infection.
Conclusions
The WHO/MMV genotyping method accurately differentiated re-infections from recrudescence. Since re-infection without a history of travel to a malaria-endemic country would mean local transmission, combining genotyping outcome with epidemiological findings will assist classifying malaria cases without any ambiguity.
Prolonged Door-to-Balloon time leads to glycocalyx damage and endothelial dysfunction in patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction and cardiogenic shock
Authors: Vahldieck Carl , Fels Benedikt , Löning Samuel , Nickel Laura , Weil Joachim , Kusche-Vihrog Kristina
Published: August 2023

Background
Damage to the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC) and endothelial dysfunction have been reported to develop during cardiac ischemia-and-reperfusion injury (IRI), such as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). For patients with acute ischemic syndromes and cardiogenic shock a door-to-balloon time (D2B) < 60 min with rapid revascularization was shown to reduce both mortality and nonfatal complications. Here, we hypothesize that prolonged D2B is associated with an unfavorable outcome for the eGC of patients with STEMI.
Methods
Data of 126 individuals were analyzed in this study. Sixty-three STEMI patients with cardiogenic shock in the event of STEMI were included. All received revascularization through primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). 63 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers served as controls. After stimulating endothelial cells with patient sera, the nanomechanical properties of the eGC were analyzed using the atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation technique. Serum levels of eGC components as well as complement anaphylatoxins and angiopoetin-2 were measured via ELISA. Nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined chemiluminescence-based.
Results
eGC height and stiffness (both, p < 0.001) as well as NO concentration (p < 0.001) were reduced after STEMI. Longer D2B led to significantly higher amounts of eGC components (syndecan-1: 35.5 vs. 136.7 ng/ml; p < 0.001 / heparan sulfate: 4.6 vs. 10.8 ng/ml; p < 0.001 / hyaluronic acid: 116.7 vs. 182.9 µg/ml; p < 0.0001) and troponin-t (p < 0.01) in the patient sera. Notably, D2B had a strong impact on patient outcome. D2B > 60 min led to pronounced loss of eGC height and stiffness (both, p < 0.001), activated the complement system (p < 0.001), and prolonged the hospital stay (p < 0.01) compared to D2B ≤ 60 min.
Conclusion
Increased D2B led to severe eGC shedding and endothelial dysfunction in a temporal context. In addition, levels of syndecan-1 and proinflammatory mediators correlated with prolonged D2B, indicating a time-dependent immune reaction during cardiogenic shock with increased IRI to the eGC and prolonged hospitalization. D2B therefore appears to be a crucial factor for endothelial IRI in the case of STEMI with cardiogenic shock. Combining the clinical evaluation of the eGC condition with levels of biomarkers such as syndecan-1 might serve as important predictor for eGC impairment of STEMI patients with cardiogenic shock in the future.
Divya cave - the longest cave in the Perm region (Russia)
Authors: Kazantseva Alena , Krasikov Alexey , Kadebskaya Olga
Published: August 2023

The work is a review of contemporary research carried out in Divya Cave, the longest cave in the Perm region. This is one of the largest and most beautiful limestone caves in the Urals, the first mention of which dates back to the 70s of the 18th century. The cave provides the richest material for geologists, karstologists and speleologists, as it is a relic of an ancient aquifer and it is truly a natural museum, where almost all types of secondary calcite formations found in caves are collected. The remoteness of the cave from roads and settlements has never stopped explorers. The first plan of Divya Cave was drawn up in 1949. Subsequently, many speleologists continued to explore the cave, but not all passages were marked on the latest maps. Hydrogeological and hydrochemical research was done for the first time in 1948, 1956, 1962 and 1967. Numerous springs between the village of Divya and Divya Cave were surveyed, water temperature and flow rates were measured and the hydrochemical indicators of water in the cave lakes were studied. Modern data on the composition of water from surface runoff and the sources flowing from the cave were required. Findings of cryogenic calcite in 1968 prompted further research related to the study of cave deposits, using isotopic analysis methods, taking into account their dating, to determine the migration of permafrost boundaries. Our research was carried out between 2016 and 2020. Significant results obtained during this period include an instrumental and semi-instrumental topographical survey of the cave and surface, followed by the creation of a combined plan, studies of cryogenic mineralization, isotopic studies of water and speleothem and their dating.
Tropical Cyclones in Global High-Resolution Simulations using the IPSL Model
Authors: Bourdin Stella , Fromang Sébastien , Caubel Arnaud , Ghattas Josefine , Meurdesoif Yann , Dubos Thomas
Published: August 2023

Despite many years of extensive research, the evolution of Tropical Cyclone (TC) activity in our changing climate remains uncertain. This is partly because the answer to that question relies primarily on climate simulations with horizontal resolutions of a few tens of kilometers. Such simulations have only recently become accessible for most modeling centers, including the IPSL.
Using recent numerical developments in the IPSL model, we perform a series of historical atmosphericonly simulations that follow the HighResMIP protocol. We assess the impact of increasing the resolution up to 25 km on TC activity. In agreement with previous work, we find a systematic improvement of TC activity with increasing resolution. However, a clear signature of TC frequencies convergence with resolution is still lacking. Cyclogenesis geographical distributions also improve at the scale of individual basins. This is particularly true of the North Atlantic, where the agreement with the observed distribution is impressive at 25 km. In agreement with the observations, TC activity correlates with the large-scale environment and ENSO in that basin. By contrast, TC frequencies remain too small in the Western North Pacific at 25 km, where significant biases of humidity and vorticity are found compared to the reanalysis.
Despite the few minor weaknesses we identified, our results demonstrate that the IPSL model is a suitable tool for studying TCs on climate time scales. This work thus opens the way for further studies contributing to our understanding of TC climatology.
Integrative Bioinformatics and In Vitro Exploration of EVI2A Expression: Unraveling its Immunological and Prognostic Implications in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Li Sheng , Xiong Situ , Zheng Fucun , Zhan xiangpeng , Zeng jin , Fu Bin , Xu Songhui , Liu Xiaoqiang
Published: August 2023

Purpose
EVI2A has emerged as a meaningful marker in various diseases, but its biological role and mechanism in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remain unexplored.
Methods
Utilizing TCGA and GEO databases, we analyzed EVI2A gene expression and conducted pan-cancer analysis. Clinical relevance was assessed through Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis, ROC curves, and nomogram. We explored the gene's immune relevance via tumor microenvironment (TME), Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub (TISCH), immune checkpoint, and immunotherapy sensitivity analyses. In vitro, assays validated EVI2A expression and its impact on KIRC behavior.
Results
EVI2A expression was upregulated in KIRC, correlating with tumor grade and T/N/M stage. EVI2A exhibited high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.906) and predicted poor overall and progression-free survival in KIRC patients. EVI2A expression showed significant associations with immunity, including TME scores and specific immune cell types like Tfh cells, CD4 memory T cells, and CD8 + T cells. High EVI2A expression indicated increased sensitivity to PD-1/CTLA-4 and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In vitro, the knockdown of EVI2A reduced KIRC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration.
Conclusion
Comprehensive analysis highlights EVI2A as a promising biomarker and novel therapeutic target for KIRC intervention. These findings have significant implications for further research and clinical applications.
Landscape of Metabolite-Protein Interaction Networks Reveals Prognostic Subtypes of Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Wu Yong , Chen Siyu , Zhu Jun , Wang Simin , Wu Jiangchun , Ju Xingzhu , Wu Xiaohua , Huang Yan , Chen Xiaojun
Published: August 2023

Background
Metabolic reprogramming, a hallmark of cancer, can promote tumorigenesis and tumour progression through metabolite-protein interactions (MPIs). However, MPI functions and related genes in ovarian cancer (OV) development and treatment remain largely unknown.
Methods
A TCGA-based metabolic heterogeneity analysis of pancancer was used to identify OV-specific metabolic altered genes (MIPros) and classify OV by MPIScore. MPIscores were based on hub genes intersecting the WGCNA module genes and DEGs of the PCA subtype and LASSO Cox regression analysis. A correlation analysis of the MPIscore, clinical features, functional and genomic characteristics, and the immune landscape was performed. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used for validation.
Result
In total, 323 OV-specific MIPros were identified by pancancer analysis and used for PCA. Two subtypes with different survival times, ages, and HRD scores were recognized. Five hub prognosis-related genes were included in the MPIscore, an independent prognostic factor (HR = 4.029, P = 0.0118) of patient survival, and possessed distinct metabolism-related pathways and clinical features. Genomic mutations were distributed diversely among MPIscore subgroups; comutations among frequently mutated were detected. Tumour microenvironment analyses correlated a high MPIscore with greater immune infiltration and TIDE scores, leading to poor responses to immunotherapy. Subtyping was consistent across multiple OV cohorts.
Conclusion
A new OV typing method was developed using specific MIPros, showing differences in metabolism, mutation, immune landscape, and drug response, improving understanding and clinical applications of OV metabolism heterogeneity.
Hawk: An Industrial-strength Multi-label Document Classifier
Authors: Javeed Arshad
Published: August 2023

There are a plethora of methods and algorithms that solve the classical multi-label document classification. However, when it comes to deployment and usage in an industry setting, most, if not all the contemporary approaches fail to address some of the vital aspects or requirements of an ideal solution: i. ability to operate on variable-length texts and rambling documents. ii. catastrophic forgetting problem. iii. modularity when it comes to online learning and updating the model. iv. ability to spotlight relevant text while producing the prediction, i.e. visualizing the predictions. v. ability to operate on imbalanced or skewed datasets. vi. scalability. The paper describes the significance of these problems in detail and proposes a unique neural network architecture that addresses the above problems. The proposed architecture views documents as a sequence of sentences and leverages sentence-level embeddings for input representation. A hydranet-like architecture is designed to have granular control over and improve the modularity, coupled with a weighted loss driving task-specific heads. In particular, two specific mechanisms are compared: Bi-LSTM and Transformer-based. The architecture is benchmarked on some of the popular benchmarking datasets such as Web of Science-5763, Web of Science-11967, BBC Sports, and BBC News datasets. The experimental results reveal that the proposed model outperforms the existing methods by a substantial margin. The ablation study includes comparisons of the impact of the attention mechanism and the application of weighted loss functions to train the task-specific heads in the hydranet.
Long-term effects of ipragliflozin on blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes: Insights from the randomized PROTECT study
Authors: Saito Yuichi , Tanaka Atsushi , Imai Takumi , Nakamura Ikuko , Kanda Junji , Matsuhisa Munehide , Uehara Hiroki , Kario Kazuomi , Kobayashi Yoshio , Node Koichi
Published: August 2023

Background/Aims
Although previous reports have shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have a blood pressure (BP) lowering effect, relevant long-term data is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the SGLT2 inhibitor ipragliflozin on BP, and associations between BP reduction and changes in cardiometabolic variables in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods
This was a sub-analysis of the PROTECT (Prevention of atherosclerosis by SGLT2 inhibitor: multicenter, randomized controlled study) trial, a multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint study to assess if ipragliflozin delays carotid intima-media thickness progression in patients with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomized to ipragliflozin and control groups. The primary endpoint of the present sub-analysis was the trajectory of systolic BP, which was measured in a routine clinical setting at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. Correlations between systolic BP changes and cardiometabolic variables during the follow-up period were also evaluated.
Results
A total of 232 patients with well-balanced baseline characteristics were included in each study group. During the 24-month follow-up, systolic BP was consistently lower in the ipragliflozin group than the control group. Throughout the 24-month observation period, mean systolic BP was lower in the ipragliflozin group by 3.6 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, 0.7 to 6.5 mm Hg) across several subgroups. Changes in systolic BP correlated significantly with changes in body mass index particularly in the ipragliflozin group, while no significant correlations between changes in systolic BP and carotid intima-media thickness, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were observed from baseline to 24 months.
Conclusions
Ipragliflozin treatment was associated with BP reduction throughout the 24-month follow-up period as compared to control treatment. BP reduction correlated with weight loss, which might be a major mechanism for the BP lowering effect of SGLT2 inhibitors.
Trial registration
University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry; UMIN000018440 and Japan Registry of Clinical Trials; jRCTs071180041 and jRCT1071220089.
Evaluation of biodiversity in farmland restoration project for protection of wetland ecology by planting different crops
Authors: Liu Changqing , Cheng Hai , Wu Yixin , Chen Tianwen , Deng Lina , Zhang Li , Feng Gongneng , Liang Huixing , Li Hongshan
Published: August 2023

The wetland played a crucial role in producing oxygen and purifying the air, so the conservation projects were essential in response to natural and perceived destruction. The farmland restoration project was utilized to repair the southern buffer zone of Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland National Nature Reserve for Rare Birds on the investigation and analysis of migratory birds, soil fauna and crops. In this paper, the five different crops of colza oil, mustard, Chinese cabbage, wheat, barley were planted in the restoration plots, which was eaten by migratory birds overwinter resulting to the low yield of crops. The species and biomass of soil fauna in non-winter (7 species and 98 soil fauna) were more than that in winter (6 species and 54 soil fauna), and the results of restoration plots was more than that in control. The variety and number of migratory birds had a significant improvement (18 species and 164231 migratory birds), which was owed to different crops and soil fauna. This study found that farmland restoration project could significantly improve the ecological environment of wetland, enrich the biodiversity and attract more migratory birds for inhabit.
Immunological and Prognostic Roles of Complement C1q binding protein in Breast Cancer
Authors: Fu Zi-Tong , Chu Yi-Jun , Hao Yi , Ma Jian-Li , Wang Qin , Zhang Xing-Da , Wu Hao
Published: August 2023

Background
Complement C1q binding protein (C1QBP) is upregulated in breast cancer (BRCA) and is involved in cell growth, immunity, and apoptosis. This study explores the potential relationship of C1QBP with the development, prognosis, and immune response of BRCA.
Methods
All original data were downloaded from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. C1QBP expression was analyzed in normal and cancerous tissues by gepia2. The CIBERSORT algorithm evaluated the relationship between C1QBP expression and immune infiltration through the TCGA dataset. To analyze the mechanisms of C1QBP in BRCA, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), and weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) package were used. The analyses of the relevance of C1QBP to cancer drug sensitivity were performed by using the GDSC database.
Results
The expression of C1QBP in BRCA tissues was significantly upregulated and high C1QBP expression in BRCA patients was associated with poor prognosis. The co-expression between C1QBP and immune-related genes such as CXCL16 as well as tumor regulatory genes, such as DGUOK and FXN, existed in BRCA. C1QBP was related to the infiltration of regulatory T cells and other immune cells in BRCA. High expression of C1QBP negatively affected the drug sensitivity of commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs. Finally, we presented a nomogram model that can predict BRCA prognosis.
Conclusion
C1QBP affects the development, immune infiltration, drug treatment effect and prognosis of BRCA through various pathways and may become the potential prognostic and immunologic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for BRCA.
Dynamical analysis of nonlinear smoking mathematical model: Levenberg- Marquardt backpropagated intelligent networks
Authors: Bilal Muhammad , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Ahmad Iftikhar , Bilal Shafia , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study is to explain the design and analysis of a differential system representing a non-linear smoking mathematical (NSM) model by leveraging the strength of the stochastic method via an artificial Neural Network with Levenberg Marquardt technique (NNs-LMBT), which allows for a more accurate, reliable, and efficient calculation procedure of the dynamics. The NSM model is developed along with experiments that use integer and nonlinear mathematical forms to assign five classes of differential operators to potential smokers, occasional smokers, smokers, smokers who temporarily quit smoking, and smokers who permanently quit smoking. The NSM system is numerically computed using Adams methods, and the results are input into the proposed NNs-LMBT to determine the approximated solution of five distinct examples by incorporating 15% of the data for testing and validation and 85% for training. The given NNs-LMBTs accuracy is demonstrated by comparing the findings from the Adam method's obtained dataset for various scenarios indicating variations in Natural Death frequency. An index of relationships between potential and occasional smokers Index of the relationship between light and heavy smokers, an Index of smoking cessation, The fraction of smokers who effectively quit, and the relationship between smokers and those who temporarily quit but then relapse. In numerical replications of the NNs-LMBTs, the usage of state transitions, error histograms, regression, mean square error, and correlation is also investigated to check their capacity, validity, consistency, correctness, and competence.
Molecular basis of Gabija anti-phage supramolecular assemblies
Authors: Fu Tian-Min , yang Xiao-yuan , Shen Zhangfei , Lin Qingpeng
Published: August 2023

As one of the most prevalent anti-phage defense systems in prokaryotes, Gabija consists of a Gabija protein A (GajA) and a Gabija protein B (GajB). The assembly and function of the Gabija system remain unclear. Here we present cryo-EM structures of GajA and the GajAB complex, revealing tetrameric and octameric assemblies, respectively. In the center of the complex, GajA assembles into a symmetric tetramer, which recruits two sets of GajB dimer at opposite sides of the complex, resulting in a 4:4 GajAB supramolecular complex for anti-phage defense. Further biochemical analysis showed that GajA alone is sufficient to cut double-stranded DNA and plasmid DNA, which can be inhibited by ATP. Unexpectedly, the GajAB displays enhanced activity for plasmid DNA, suggesting a role of substrate selection by GajB. Together, our study defines a framework for understanding anti-phage immune defense by the GajAB complex.
Class Ⅱb Histone Deacetylase Participates in Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Mice via HSP90/GR Signaling Pathway
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Xinlin , Wang Jiao , Jin Qiqi , Cai Weicha , Pan Chi , Nivar John , Tao Yuanxiang , Cao Hong , Li Jun
Published: August 2023

Objective: Multiple factors contribute to the development of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND). This study was designed to investigate whether group class Ⅱb histone deacetylases were involved in the formation of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly mice by regulating the degree of acetylation of HSP90 and related protein functions and quantities.
Methods: C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into five groups: control naive (group Control), anesthesia (group Anesthesia, referred to as anesthesia group), anesthesia plus splenectomy surgery (group Surgery), anesthesia plus splenectomy surgery plus the inhibitor ACY-1215 (group Ricolinostat), and anesthesia plus splenectomy surgery plus dissolvent (group Vehicles). After the mice were trained for Morris Water Maze (MWM) test for five days, anesthesia and operational surgery were carried out on the following day. Cognitive function was assessed on 1st and 3rd days post-surgery. The hippocampi were harvested on days 1, 3, and 7 post-surgeries for quantitative RT-PCR, Western blots, and ELISA assays.
Results: The mice with the splenectomy surgery displayed impaired spatial learning and memory in the MWM test, which marked the increase of the HDAC6 and deacetylated its downstream protein HSP90 at the molecular level. The hippocampus of surgical groups showed a decrease in acetylated HSP90, a rise in GR-HSP90 association, and an increase in GR translocation. The HDAC6 inhibitor can partly reverse the effect of the operation.
Conclusions: Abdominal surgery may impair hippocampal spatial memory, possibly through the increased HDAC6- triggered increase in the function of HSP90 and consequent strengthen in the negative role of steroids in cognitive function. Targeting HDAC6 may provide a potential avenue in the treatment of the impairment of cognitive function after surgery.
Statistically downscaled CMIP6 ocean variables for European waters
Authors: Kristiansen Trond , Butenschön Momme , Peck Myron
Published: August 2023

Climate change impact studies need climate projections at scales relevant to planning and management and to be available across a range of climate scenarios. To address current gaps, we statistically downscaled (SD) 4–7 CMIP6 models for four key indicators of marine habitat conditions: temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll across European waters for three climate scenarios SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5. The results provided ensemble averages and uncertainty estimates to serve as input data for projecting the potential success of a range of Nature-based Solutions, including the restoration of habitat-forming species like seagrass in the Mediterranean and kelp in coastal areas of Portugal and Norway. Validation of the ensemble with observations of four European regions (North Sea, Baltic Sea, Bay of Biscay, and Mediterranean Sea) indicated that the SD projections realistically captured the climatological conditions of the historical period 1993–2020. Model skill (Liu-Mean Efficiency, Pearson correlation) clearly improved for both surface temperature and oxygen across all regions with a higher skill for temperature than oxygen with a difference of 0.2–0.4 points. Warming was evident across all areas and large differences among scenarios fully emerged from the background uncertainties related to internal variability and model differences in the second half of the century. Scenario-specific differences in acidification significantly emerged from model uncertainty and internal variability leading to distinct trajectories in surface pH starting from before mid-century (e.g., present day). Deoxygenation is present across all domains, but the signal was significantly weaker compared to the other two pressures when compared to model uncertainty and internal variability. The impact of different greenhouse gas trajectories was also less distinct. There was substantial regional to local heterogeneity in these quantitively characteristics underscoring the importance of highly spatially resolved physical and biogeochemical projections to address how climate change may impact marine ecosystems.
XI Jinping’s thoughts on the Chinese Armed Forces in the current geopolitical context
Authors: Pedone Luiz , Molina Tatiana
Published: August 2023

In July 2022, the document Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the armed forces was released, a compilation of questions and answers following the president’s guidance included in the Chinese Constitution. On September 9, 2022, an official letter from the Communist Party of China (CPC) called for the study of President Xi’s thought book on the performance of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). From the second decade of the 21st century, at a time when the rise of a China-United States-Taiwan rivalry is taking place, is crucial to have an understanding of the relationship between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as well as the regional and international threats which brought to an end the peaceful period in East Asia, China’s new prominent role in the creation of a new world order, and the guidelines expressed in the document Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the armed forces.