bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Caracterización de operaciones en la red de aprovechamiento del servicio público de aseo de Sogamoso
Authors: Pineda-Melgarejo Ricardo Javier , Rojas-Baracaldo Álvaro Javier , Toro-Perea Edward Fernando , Patiño Sandra Milena
Published: April 2024

A partir de estudios previos de investigación, surge la necesidad de aplicar técnicas de simulación de operaciones en las micro rutas de aprovechamiento del servicio público de aseo de Sogamoso. El objetivo de esta investigación es caracterizar las operaciones en el proceso de transporte, selección y clasificación de residuos sólidos aprovechables para estudios posteriores poder evaluar la rentabilidad económica de las micro rutas que optimice el manejo de los residuos desde la fuente hasta los transformadores finales. La gestión sostenible de los residuos, el uso eficiente de los recursos y la participación ciudadana en la prevención y valorización, se alinean con los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS 11 y 12). La población de estudio son los recicladores de oficio de la red de aprovechamiento de servicio público de aseo en Sogamoso, quienes conocen la información necesaria de caracterización de las operaciones para apuntar los resultados hacia el aseguramiento de la gestión sostenible de residuos con la participación ciudadana en la prevención y valorización de los residuos que se producen en la ciudad de Sogamoso.
Based on previous research studies, the need arises to apply operations simulation techniques to the micro-routes of the public sanitation service in Sogamoso. The objective of this research is to characterize the operations in the process of transportation, selection and classification of usable solid waste for subsequent studies to evaluate the economic profitability of the micro routes that optimize the management of waste from the source to the final transformers. Sustainable waste management, efficient use of resources and citizen participation in prevention and recovery are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS 11 and 12). The study population are the recyclers of the public waste management network in Sogamoso, who know the necessary information to characterize the operations in order to point the results towards ensuring sustainable waste management with citizen participation in the prevention and recovery of waste produced in the city of Sogamoso.
Ecografía de diafragma en unidad de cuidados intensivos UCI.
Authors: Tamayo-Gonzalez Ingrid Esperanza , Ruiz-Serna Oscar Humberto , Guillermo-Guzman David
Published: April 2024

Objetivo: Analizar la efectividad de la ecografía diafragmática para predecir el resultado de la extubación en el paciente adulto en la UCI. Metodología: Es una revisión bibliográfica, y por consiguiente, se realizó la búsqueda de información en las bases de datos Wiley, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, de acuerdo a los criterios de inclusión. Resultados: En sus principales hallazgos se evidencia que la ecografía diafragmática es una herramienta predictora de la extubación en el paciente adulto, con las variables de excursión diafragmática, fracción de engrosamiento y/o espesor diafragmático. Conclusión: Este estudio contiene implicaciones prácticas que se pueden tener en cuenta en el control y manejo del paciente críticamente enfermo con el fin de lograr metas de extubación exitosa por medio de mediciones ultrasonográficas del musculo diafragma.
Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of diaphragmatic ultrasound to predict the outcome of extubation in the adult patient in the ICU. Methodology: It is a bibliographic review, and therefore, the information search was carried out in the Wiley, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases, according to the inclusion criteria. Results: In its main findings it is evident that diaphragmatic ultrasound is a predictive tool for extubation in adult patients, with the variables of diaphragmatic excursion, thickening fraction and/or diaphragmatic thickness. Conclusion: This study contains practical implications that can be taken into account in the control and management of critically ill patients in order to achieve successful extubation goals through ultrasonographic measurements of the diaphragm muscle.
Integrating Digital Humanities Courses into University-level Language Studies Curriculum
Authors: Olivieri Simona
Published: April 2024

This article presents the courses on digital humanities (DH) offered by the Seminar für Semitistik und Arabistik at Freie Universität Berlin in three semesters in the period 2021–2023. The article provides an overview of the organizational background, the rationale for the selected teaching format, and the syllabus developed. In the discussion section, we present our observations based on the teaching activities and feedback from the course participants. The article aims to discuss methods of teaching DH at the university level as well as to document a teaching format that links together teaching, training and research.
Integrating Digital Editions and Methods for Text Editing and Analysis in Undergraduate Literary Studies
Authors: Stoyanova Silvia
Published: April 2024

This article evaluates the integration of digital editions, computational text analysis and digital scholarly editing in the context of an introductory undergraduate course on Italian literature and digital humanities taught at a US university. It offers specific examples of employing the apparatus of several digital platforms dedicated to the study of foundational authors in the Italian literary tradition (Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio and Leopardi), and of gaining familiarity with a suite of digital tools for text analysis and editing, namely Voyant Tools, Recogito, Oxygen, Gephi, Transkribus Lite and OpenRefine. The discussion of digital project interfaces examines the student user experience of different design approaches, while the illustrations of tool exercises explore how these could support the close attention to a text and facilitate the navigation between its micro and macro frameworks of interpretation. The article furthermore suggests that digital text analysis could reinforce student appreciation of the signifying value of textual form and genre, and that the pedagogical method of digital text editing creates opportunities for situated learning. In conclusion, it argues that the academic work of students at the undergraduate level could be harnessed by the scaffolded methods of faculty-led digital research projects and contribute to the creation of public knowledge.
Mapping the Archives: Epistolary Networks and the State Papers of England, 1523–1540
Authors: Burge Caitlin
Published: April 2024

As the number of digital archives increases – both traditional archives that have been digitized and ‘born digital’ collections – so, too, grows the number of tools and methodologies through which they can be better understood. This article explores how archives can be ‘mapped’ digitally, using network analysis to examine epistolary networks built on the State Papers archives of England. It will outline some of the core contributors to the archives, while also pointing to smaller actors and collections, whose place in the epistolary network and the archives are best revealed when viewed at scale within this ‘mapping’ process. This article demonstrates that – as with any other historical dataset – understanding the archives and the ways in which they are constructed is vital to further quantitative analysis, and how this is turn may bolster digital historical narratives. As such, this article not only demonstrates the outcomes of adopting digital methodologies, and how they may shape ongoing historical research and narratives, but also illustrates the ways in which the adoption of these quantitative measures allows for a critical reconsideration of historical sources, their origins and the ways in which they can be used.
Enriching Portuguese Medieval Texts with Named Entity Recognition
Authors: Inês Bico Maria , Baptista Jorge , Batista Fernando , Cardeira Esperança
Published: April 2024

Historical data poses unique challenges to natural language processing (NLP) and information retrieval (IR) tools, including digitization errors, lack of annotated data, and diachronic-specific issues. However, the increasing recognition of the value in historical documents has promoted efforts to semantically enrich and optimize their analysis. This article contributes to this endeavour by enriching the Corpus de Textos Antigos through NLP tools and techniques to enhance its usability and support research. The corpus undergoes linguistic annotation, including part-of-speech tagging, lemma annotation and named entity recognition (NER). Subsequently, the article delves into the tasks of entity disambiguation and entity linking, which involve identifying and disambiguating named entities by referring to a knowledge base (KB). Addressing the challenges posed by factors such as text state, epoch and the chosen KB, the article presents insights into related work, annotation results and the linguistic interest of a medieval annotated corpus for named entities. It concludes by discussing the challenges and providing avenues for future research in this domain.
Daydreaming as spontaneous immersive imagination: A phenomenological analysis
Authors: Lawson Emily , Thompson Evan
Published: April 2024

Research on the specific features of daydreaming compared with mind-wandering and night dreaming is a neglected topic in the philosophy of mind and the cognitive neuroscience of spontaneous thought. The extant research either conflates daydreaming with mind-wandering (whether understood as task-unrelated thought, unguided attention, or disunified thought), characterizes daydreaming as opposed to mind-wandering (Dorsch, 2015), or takes daydreaming to encompass any and all “imagined events” (Newby-Clark & Thavendran, 2018). These dueling definitions obstruct future research on spontaneous thought, and are insufficiently precise to guide empirical studies. They also fail to illuminate the phenomenal core of daydreaming, namely, its dreamlike qualities. Although daydreaming is related to both mind-wandering and narrative imagination, it is not reducible to either. We argue that daydreams are experiences of spontaneous, immersive imagination in the waking state. The main task of our investigation is to distinguish daydreaming, conceptually and phenomenologically, from mind-wandering, on the one hand, and night dreaming, on the other. Although daydream experiences can vary widely, we distinguish prototypical experiences of daydreaming from adjacent imaginative activity, including fleeting imagery and “focused daydreaming,” or crafted visualization. We consider our phenomenological analysis as preparatory work for conceptually distinguishing different spontaneous and imaginative states so that they can be investigated accordingly with questionnaires and qualitative methods. We argue that precision about the phenomenal character of daydreaming can guide neurophenomenological investigations, help delimit studies on individual variance in daydreaming features, and identify differences among daydreaming, mind-wandering, and night dreaming conceptually and phenomenologically, and possibly eventually in terms of neural correlates.
Effect of background color on visual perception of text in children with ophthalmopathology
Authors: Rychkova S. I. , Abugova T. D. , Likhvantseva V. G. , Sandimirov R. I.
Published: April 2024

Background: Functional and organic ophthalmopathology can cause reading diffi culties in children. Color diagnostics and color correction represent promising areas in the care of such patients. However, there are currently very few publications devoted to this topic. Purpose: The aim is to determine the most effective Methods for assessing the effect of color on visual acuity and reading speed in children with ophthalmopathology. Materials and methods: A total of 51 schoolchildren aged 10 to 16 years were observed, divided into: 1) 17 children the control group with high visual acuity; 2) 17 children with mild bilateral amblyopia; 3) 17 children with congenital partial atrophy of the optic nerve of both eyes (PAON). To study the effect of the color background on visual perception in all groups, we used: 1) the B.Bourdon test with paper of different colors; 2) assessment of visual acuity with a standard test and with colored overlays; 3) eading speed assessment on a white background and with colored overlays. Results: Indicators of the volume of attention according to the B. Bourdon test with a pink background were lower in the group of children with PAON compared with children with amblyopia (p = 0.012). Signifi cantly less attention with a blue background was observed in the group of children with PAON compared with the control group (p = 0.04). The use of individually selected color overlays allowed 64.7 % of children with amblyopia and 76.5 % of children with PAON to increase visual acuity for close range by 0.1–0.2, as well as increase reading speed by 17.6–19.2 % in amblyopes and by 31.1–31.2 % in children with PAON. Conclusion: The use of color overlays is the most effective and convenient method for assessing the impact of color on visual functions. The individual selection of color overlays in most children with amblyopia and PAON improves visual acuity for close range and increases reading speed.
The wettability of RGP contact lenses
Authors: Conway M. , Eddleston M.
Published: April 2024

In this article, we will examine the role of the polymer chemist, the manufacturing lab, the practitioner and fi nally the patient, in providing the eye with the most comfortable and wettable GP contact lens possible.
Semilinear multi-term fractional in time diffusion with memory
Authors: Vasylyeva Nataliya
Published: April 2024

In this study, the initial-boundary value problems to semilinear integro-differential equations with multi-term fractional Caputo derivatives are analyzed. A particular case of these equations models oxygen diffusion through capillaries. Under proper requirements on the given data in the model, the classical and strong solvability of these problems for any finite time interval [0, T] are proved via so-called continuation method. The key point in this approach is finding suitable a priori estimates of a solution in the fractional Hölder and Sobolev spaces.
Assessing REALTER simulator: analysis of ocular movements in simulated low-vision conditions with extended reality technology
Authors: Barbieri Mattia , Albanese Giulia A. , Merello Andrea , Crepaldi Marco , Setti Walter , Gori Monica , Canessa Andrea , Sabatini Silvio P. , Facchini Valentina , Sandini Giulio
Published: April 2024

Immersive technology, such as extended reality, holds promise as a tool for educating ophthalmologists about the effects of low vision and for enhancing visual rehabilitation protocols. However, immersive simulators have not been evaluated for their ability to induce changes in the oculomotor system, which is crucial for understanding the visual experiences of visually impaired individuals. This study aimed to assess the REALTER (Wearable Egocentric Altered Reality Simulator) system’s capacity to induce specific alterations in healthy individuals’ oculomotor systems under simulated low-vision conditions. We examined task performance, eye movements, and head movements in healthy participants across various simulated scenarios. Our findings suggest that REALTER can effectively elicit behaviors in healthy individuals resembling those observed in individuals with low vision. Participants with simulated binocular maculopathy demonstrated unstable fixations and a high frequency of wide saccades. Individuals with simulated homonymous hemianopsia showed a tendency to maintain a fixed head position while executing wide saccades to survey their surroundings. Simulation of tubular vision resulted in a significant reduction in saccade amplitudes. REALTER holds promise as both a training tool for ophthalmologists and a research instrument for studying low vision conditions. The simulator has the potential to enhance ophthalmologists’ comprehension of the limitations imposed by visual disabilities, thereby facilitating the development of new rehabilitation protocols.
Genome-scale model development and genomic sequencing of the oleaginous clade Lipomyces
Authors: Czajka Jeffrey J. , Han Yichao , Kim Joonhoon , Mondo Stephen J. , Hofstad Beth A. , Robles AnaLaura , Haridas Sajeet , Riley Robert , LaButti Kurt , Pangilinan Jasmyn , Andreopoulos William , Lipzen Anna , Yan Juying , Wang Mei , Ng Vivian , Grigoriev Igor V. , Spatafora Joseph W. , Magnuson Jon K. , Baker Scott E. , Pomraning Kyle R.
Published: April 2024

The Lipomyces clade contains oleaginous yeast species with advantageous metabolic features for biochemical and biofuel production. Limited knowledge about the metabolic networks of the species and limited tools for genetic engineering have led to a relatively small amount of research on the microbes. Here, a genome-scale metabolic model (GSM) of Lipomyces starkeyi NRRL Y-11557 was built using orthologous protein mappings to model yeast species. Phenotypic growth assays were used to validate the GSM (66% accuracy) and indicated that NRRL Y-11557 utilized diverse carbohydrates but had more limited catabolism of organic acids. The final GSM contained 2,193 reactions, 1,909 metabolites, and 996 genes and was thus named iLst996. The model contained 96 of the annotated carbohydrate-active enzymes. iLst996 predicted a flux distribution in line with oleaginous yeast measurements and was utilized to predict theoretical lipid yields. Twenty-five other yeasts in the Lipomyces clade were then genome sequenced and annotated. Sixteen of the Lipomyces species had orthologs for more than 97% of the iLst996 genes, demonstrating the usefulness of iLst996 as a broad GSM for Lipomyces metabolism. Pathways that diverged from iLst996 mainly revolved around alternate carbon metabolism, with ortholog groups excluding NRRL Y-11557 annotated to be involved in transport, glycerolipid, and starch metabolism, among others. Overall, this study provides a useful modeling tool and data for analyzing and understanding Lipomyces species metabolism and will assist further engineering efforts in Lipomyces.
Illumina and Nanopore sequencing in culture-negative samples from suspected lower respiratory tract infection patients
Authors: Ma Lichao , Zhu Chi , Yan Tianli , Hu Yun , Zhou Juan , Li Yajing , Du Furong , Zhou Jianping
Published: April 2024

Objective

To evaluate the diagnostic value of metagenomic sequencing technology based on Illumina and Nanopore sequencing platforms for patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infection whose pathogen could not be identified by conventional microbiological tests.

Methods

Patients admitted to the Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital were retrospectively studied from August 2021 to March 2022. Alveolar lavage or sputum was retained in patients with clinically suspected lower respiratory tract infection who were negative in conventional tests. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were obtained using bronchoscopy. Sputum samples were collected, while BALF samples were not available due to bronchoscopy contraindications. Samples collected from enrolled patients were simultaneously sent for metagenomic sequencing on both platforms.

Results

Thirty-eight patients with suspected LRTI were enrolled in this study, consisting of 36 parts of alveolar lavage and 2 parts of sputum. According to the infection diagnosis, 31 patients were confirmed to be infected with pathogens, while 7 patients were diagnosed with non-infectious disease. With regard to the diagnosis of infectious diseases, the sensitivity and specificity of Illumina and Nanopore to diagnose infection in patients were 80.6% vs. 93.5% and 42.9 vs. 28.6%, respectively. In patients diagnosed with bacterial, Mycobacterium, and fungal infections, the positive rates of Illumina and Nanopore sequencer were 71.4% vs. 78.6%, 36.4% vs. 90.9%, and 50% vs. 62.5%, respectively. In terms of pathogen diagnosis, the sensitivity and specificity of pathogens detected by Illumina and Nanopore were 55.6% vs. 77.8% and 42.9% vs. 28.6%, respectively. Among the patients treated with antibiotics in the last 2 weeks, 61.1% (11/18) and 77.8% (14/18) cases of pathogens were accurately detected by Illumina and Nanopore, respectively, among which 8 cases were detected jointly. The consistency between Illumina and diagnosis was 63.9% (23/36), while the consistency between Nanopore and diagnosis was 83.3% (30/36). Between Illumina and Nanopore sequencing methods, the consistency ratio was 55% (22/42) based on pathogen diagnosis.

Conclusion

Both platforms play a certain value in infection diagnosis and pathogen diagnosis of CMT-negative suspected LRTI patients, providing a theoretical basis for clinical accurate diagnosis and symptomatic treatment. The Nanopore platform demonstrated potential advantages in the identification of Mycobacterium and could further provide another powerful approach for patients with suspected Mycobacterium infection.
Study on the inhibition activity and mechanism of Tanreqing against Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Zhang Wenxia , He Min , Kong Nana , Niu Yuxiao , Li Anhong , Yan Yuzhong
Published: April 2024

Objective

To evaluate the antibacterial effect of Tanreqing (TRQ) against K. pneumoniae and its inhibition activity on bacterial biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo, and to explore the mechanism of the inhibitory effects of TRQ on K. pneumoniae biofilm formation.

Methods

An in vitro biofilm model of K. pneumoniae was established, and the impact of TRQ on biofilm formation was evaluated using crystal violet staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the clearance effect of TRQ against K. pneumoniae in the biofilm was assessed using the viable plate counting method; q-RT PCR was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of different concentrations of TRQ on the expression of biofilm-related genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae; The activity of quorum sensing signal molecule AI-2 was detected by Vibrio harveyi bioluminescence assay; Meanwhile, a guinea pig lung infection model of Klebsiella pneumoniae was constructed, and after treated with drugs, pathological analysis of lung tissue and determination of bacterial load in lung tissue were performed. The treatment groups included TRQ group, imipenem(IPM) group, TRQ+IPM group, and sterile saline group as the control.

Results

The formation of K. pneumoniae biofilm was significantly inhibited by TRQ in vitro experiments. Furthermore, when combined with IPM, the clearance of K. pneumoniae in the biofilm was notably increased compared to the TRQ group and IPM group alone. q-RT PCR analysis revealed that TRQ down-regulated the expression of genes related to biofilm formation in K. pneumoniae, specifically luxS, wbbm, wzm, and lsrK, and also inhibited the activity of AI-2 molecules in the bacterium. In vivo experiments demonstrated that TRQ effectively treated guinea pig lung infections, resulting in reduced lung inflammation. Additionally, when combined with IPM, there was a significant reduction in the bacterial load in lung tissue.

Conclusion

TRQ as a potential therapeutic agent plays a great role in the treatment of K. pneumoniae infections, particularly in combination with conventional antibiotics. And TRQ can enhanced the clearance effect on the bacterium by inhibiting the K. pneumoniae biofilm formation, which provided experimental evidence in support of clinical treatment of TRQ against K. pneumoniae infections.
Second booster dose improves antibody neutralization against BA.1, BA.5 and BQ.1.1 in individuals previously immunized with CoronaVac plus BNT162B2 booster protocol
Authors: Campos Guilherme R. F. , Almeida Nathalie Bonatti Franco , Filgueiras Priscilla Soares , Corsini Camila Amormino , Gomes Sarah Vieira Contin , de Miranda Daniel Alvim Pena , de Assis Jéssica Vieira , Silva Thaís Bárbara de Souza , Alves Pedro Augusto , Fernandes Gabriel da Rocha , de Oliveira Jaquelline Germano , Rahal Paula , Grenfell Rafaella Fortini Queiroz , Nogueira Maurício L.
Published: April 2024

Introduction

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines production and distribution enabled the return to normalcy worldwide, but it was not fast enough to avoid the emergence of variants capable of evading immune response induced by prior infections and vaccination. This study evaluated, against Omicron sublineages BA.1, BA.5 and BQ.1.1, the antibody response of a cohort vaccinated with a two doses CoronaVac protocol and followed by two heterologous booster doses.

Methods

To assess vaccination effectiveness, serum samples were collected from 160 individuals, in 3 different time points (9, 12 and 18 months after CoronaVac protocol). For each time point, individuals were divided into 3 subgroups, based on the number of additional doses received (No booster, 1 booster and 2 boosters), and a viral microneutralization assay was performed to evaluate neutralization titers and seroconvertion rate.

Results

The findings presented here show that, despite the first booster, at 9m time point, improved neutralization level against omicron ancestor BA.1 (133.1 to 663.3), this trend was significantly lower for BQ.1.1 and BA.5 (132.4 to 199.1, 63.2 to 100.2, respectively). However, at 18m time point, the administration of a second booster dose considerably improved the antibody neutralization, and this was observed not only against BA.1 (2361.5), but also against subvariants BQ.1.1 (726.1) and BA.5 (659.1). Additionally, our data showed that, after first booster, seroconvertion rate for BA.5 decayed over time (93.3% at 12m to 68.4% at 18m), but after the second booster, seroconvertion was completely recovered (95% at 18m).

Discussion

Our study reinforces the concerns about immunity evasion of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron subvariants, where BA.5 and BQ.1.1 were less neutralized by vaccine induced antibodies than BA.1. On the other hand, the administration of a second booster significantly enhanced antibody neutralization capacity against these subvariants. It is likely that, as new SARS-CoV-2 subvariants continue to emerge, additional immunizations will be needed over time.
Current progresses and challenges for microbiome research in human health: a perspective
Authors: Filardo Simone , Di Pietro Marisa , Sessa Rosa
Published: April 2024

It is becoming increasingly clear that the human microbiota, also known as “the hidden organ”, possesses a pivotal role in numerous processes involved in maintaining the physiological functions of the host, such as nutrient extraction, biosynthesis of bioactive molecules, interplay with the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems, as well as resistance to the colonization of potential invading pathogens. In the last decade, the development of metagenomic approaches based on the sequencing of the bacterial 16s rRNA gene via Next Generation Sequencing, followed by whole genome sequencing via third generation sequencing technologies, has been one of the great advances in molecular biology, allowing a better profiling of the human microbiota composition and, hence, a deeper understanding of the importance of microbiota in the etiopathogenesis of different pathologies. In this scenario, it is of the utmost importance to comprehensively characterize the human microbiota in relation to disease pathogenesis, in order to develop novel potential treatment or preventive strategies by manipulating the microbiota. Therefore, this perspective will focus on the progress, challenges, and promises of the current and future technological approaches for microbiome profiling and analysis.
Thymoquinone is a natural antibiofilm and pathogenicity attenuating agent in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Al-Rabia Mohammed W. , Asfour Hani Z. , Alhakamy Nabil A. , Abdulaal Wesam H. , Ibrahim Tarek S. , Abbas Hisham A. , Salem Ibrahim M. , Hegazy Wael A. H. , Nazeih Shaimaa I.
Published: April 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosa belongs to the critical pathogens that represent a global public health problem due to their high rate of resistance as listed by WHO. P. aeruginosa can result in many nosocomial infections especially in individuals with compromised immune systems. Attenuating virulence factors by interference with quorum sensing (QS) systems is a promising approach to treat P. aeruginosa-resistant infections. Thymoquinone is a natural compound isolated from Nigella sativa (black seed) essential oil. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentration of thymoquinone was detected followed by investigating the antibiofilm and antivirulence activities of the subinhibitory concentration of thymoquinone against P. aeruginosa PAO1. The effect of thymoquinone on the expression of QS genes was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, and the protective effect of thymoquinone against the pathogenesis of PAO1 in mice was detected by the mouse survival test. Thymoquinone significantly inhibited biofilm, pyocyanin, protease activity, and swarming motility. At the molecular level, thymoquinone markedly downregulated QS genes lasI, lasR, rhlI, and rhlR. Moreover, thymoquinone could protect mice from the pathologic effects of P. aeruginosa increasing mouse survival from 20% to 100%. In conclusion, thymoquinone is a promising natural agent that can be used as an adjunct therapeutic agent with antibiotics to attenuate the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa.
Extending heart preservation to 24 h with normothermic perfusion
Authors: Spencer Brianna L. , Wilhelm Spencer K. , Stephan Christopher , Urrea Kristopher A. , Palacio Daniela Pelaez , Bartlett Robert H. , Drake Daniel H. , Rojas-Pena Alvaro
Published: April 2024

Cold static storage (CSS) for up to 6 h is the gold standard in heart preservation. Although some hearts stored over 6 h have been transplanted, longer CSS times have increased posttransplant morbimortality. Transmedics® Organ Care System (OCS™) is the only FDA-approved commercial system that provides an alternative to CSS using normothermic ex situ heart perfusion (NEHP) in resting mode with aortic perfusion (Langendorff method). However, it is also limited to 6 h and lacks an objective assessment of cardiac function. Developing a system that can perfuse hearts under NEHP conditions for >24 h can facilitate organ rehabilitation, expansion of the donor pool, and objective functional evaluation. The Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory at the University of Michigan has worked to prolong NEHP to >24 h with an objective assessment of heart viability during NEHP. An NEHP system was developed for aortic (Langendorff) perfusion using a blood-derived perfusate (leukocyte/thrombocyte-depleted blood). Porcine hearts (n = 42) of different sizes (6–55 kg) were divided into five groups and studied during 24 h NEHP with various interventions in three piglets (small-size) heart groups: (1) Control NEHP without interventions (n = 15); (2) NEHP + plasma exchange (n = 5); (3) NEHP + hemofiltration (n = 10) and two adult-size (juvenile pigs) heart groups (to demonstrate the support of larger hearts); (4) NEHP + hemofiltration (n = 5); and (5) NEHP with intermittent left atrial (iLA) perfusion (n = 7). All hearts with NEHP + interventions (n = 27) were successfully perfused for 24 h, whereas 14 (93.3%) control hearts failed between 10 and 21 h, and 1 control heart (6.6%) lasted 24 h. Hearts in the piglet hemofiltration and plasma exchange groups performed better than those in the control group. The larger hearts in the iLA perfusion group (n = 7) allowed for real-time heart functional assessment and remained stable throughout the 24 h of NEHP. These results demonstrate that heart preservation for 24 h is feasible with our NEHP perfusion technique. Increasing the preservation period beyond 24 h, infection control, and nutritional support all need optimization. This proves the concept that NEHP has the potential to increase the organ pool by (1) considering previously discarded hearts; (2) performing an objective assessment of heart function; (3) increasing the donor/recipient distance; and (4) developing heart-specific perfusion therapies.
Serum MMP-8 and TIMP-1 concentrations in a population-based cohort: effects of age, gender, and health status
Authors: Ranta Julia , Havulinna Aki S. , Tervahartiala Taina , Niemi Katriina , Aarabi Ghazal , Vihervaara Terhi , Salomaa Veikko , Sorsa Timo , Pussinen Pirkko J. , Salminen Aino
Published: April 2024

Background

Matrix-degrading proteinases and their regulators, such as matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), may contribute to various pathological events. Elevated MMP-8 concentrations have been associated with e.g., cardiovascular diseases and periodontitis. However, there is little knowledge on the physiological concentrations of these molecules in serum, or the effect of demographic or lifestyle factors on their levels.

Design and methods

We investigated the effect of various demographic characteristics and behavioral habits, such as aging, sex, smoking, and BMI, on serum concentrations of MMP-8 and TIMP-1. We used the FINRISK97 cohort (n = 8,446), which has comprehensive information on demographic and lifestyle factors, clinical data, laboratory measurements, and register data available. Further, we investigated the concentrations of MMP-8, TIMP-1, and the MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio in different age groups of healthy and diseased participants. A t-test was used to compare log-transformed mean levels in different groups and linear regression was used to evaluate the association between MMP-8 and TIMP-1 and selected diseases and background variables.

Results

MMP-8 levels decreased with increasing age in the whole population and for women, while TIMP-1 concentration increased slightly with age for the whole population and both genders separately (p for linear trend <0.001). The concentrations of MMP-8 were lower and TIMP-1 higher in men compared to women (p < 0.001). Additionally, a significant positive association was found for MMP-8 and smoking, CRP, and an inverse association with obesity and fasting time. For TIMP-1, significant positive associations were found with smoking, CRP and obesity, and an inverse association with prevalent diabetes.

Conclusion

The association of serum MMP-8 and TIMP-1 concentrations with cardiometabolic risk is frequently investigated. MMP-8 levels decrease significantly with age and fasting time. In addition, sex, smoking, and obesity are associated with both MMP-8 and TIMP-1 concentrations. These factors should be carefully considered in epidemiological studies on serum MMP-8 and TIMP-1.
Teachers’ perceptions of the barriers to STEM teaching in Qatar’s secondary schools: a structural equation modeling analysis
Authors: Sellami Abdellatif , Santhosh Malavika , Bhadra Jolly , Ahmad Zubair
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Educators play a pivotal role in shaping students’ academic achievements, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. The instructional techniques employed by teachers significantly impact students’ decisions to pursue or persist in STEM disciplines. This research aims to explore the challenges faced by high school STEM teachers in Qatar in delivering effective STEM instruction.

Methods

Data was collected through a survey administered to 290 high school STEM teachers across thirty-nine schools in Qatar. The survey targeted teachers in the 11th and 12th grades. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the data and examine teachers’ perceived barriers to effective STEM instruction.

Results

The findings revealed various barriers hindering STEM instruction. These barriers were categorized into school-related, student-related, technology-related, and teaching-related factors. All the hypothesized teaching barriers [i.e., (student-related: β = –0.243, p < 0.001); (school-related: β = –0.122, p < 0.001), (technologyrelated: β = –0.123, p = 0.040); and (instruction-related: β = –0.112, p < 0.018)] were negatively related to teachers’ STEM teaching. Among the various obstacles, it appears that the most formidable challenges for high school STEM teachers are related to students (β = –0.243, p < 0.001).

Discussion

Understanding these barriers is crucial for informing educational policies and developing strategies to enhance STEM learning in Qatar’s high schools. Addressing these barriers is essential to provide adequate resources, professional development opportunities, and support systems. By addressing these challenges, Qatar can foster a conducive environment for effective STEM instruction, thereby nurturing a future generation of STEM professionals.
Facilitating agency in Norwegian pupils struggling to stay in school—An alternative approach to emancipatory education
Authors: Tokheim Ivan , Jobst Solvejg , Dyngeland Espen Søreide , Kråkenes Maria Sundfør , Skrobanek Jan
Published: April 2024

In this article we discuss a Norwegian alternative educational program which aids pupils struggling to stay in school. The practice displays an unconventional but promising approach to emancipatory education by facilitating agency in struggling pupils. We begin by providing some context on the Norwegian educational system and the Nordic model of education. Thereafter, we clarify our perception of educational equality and its underlying conditions. We then apply the chordal triad of agency as a heuristic framework for the qualitative analysis of our data material, consisting of three individual interviews, a focus group interview (N=6) and a guided tour at the location of the educational practice. The gathered testimonies suggest great potential in the program's ability at facilitating agency in at-risk pupils aged 9–16, thereby reducing chances of school dropout and social exclusion. Based on respondents' reflections, we conclude with some discussion comparing the studied practice to the formal Norwegian education system and its shortcomings in accommodating for certain pupil groups struggling to adapt to traditional schooling.
Research on electric vehicle charging load prediction method based on spectral clustering and deep learning network
Authors: Xin Fang , Yang Xie , Beibei Wang , Ruilin Xu , Fei Mei , Jianyong Zheng
Published: April 2024

With the increasing prominence of environmental and energy issues, electric vehicles (EVs) as representatives of clean energy vehicles have experienced rapid development in recent years, and the charging load has also exhibited statistical characteristics. Accurate prediction of EV charging load is crucial to improve grid load dispatch and intelligent level. However, current research on EV charging load prediction still faces challenges such as data reliability, complexity and variability of charging behavior, uncertainty, and lack of standardization methods. Therefore, this paper proposes an electric vehicle charging load prediction method based on spectral clustering and deep learning network (SC-CNN-LSTM). Firstly, to address the insufficient amount of EV charging load data, this paper proposes to use Monte Carlo simulation to sample and simulate historical load data. Then, in order to identify the internal structure and patterns of charging load, the sampled and simulated dataset is clustered using spectral clustering, dividing the data into different clusters, where each cluster represents samples with similar charging load characteristics. Finally, based on the different sample features of each cluster, corresponding CNN-LSTM models are constructed and trained and predict using the respective data. By modifying the model parameters, the prediction accuracy of the model is improved. Through comparative experiments, the proposed method in this paper has significantly improved prediction accuracy compared to traditional prediction methods without clustering, thus validating the effectiveness and practicality of the method.
Causal associations between autoimmune diseases and sarcopenia-related traits: a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Chunlan , He Ying
Published: April 2024

Background:

Sarcopenia is common in patients with autoimmune diseases (ADs); however, the causal associations between ADs and sarcopenia remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the causal associations using bi-directional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Methods:

Exposure-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were extracted from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). GWAS statistics for common ADs [Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis (PSO), and multiple sclerosis (MS)] and sarcopenia-related traits [hand grip strength (HGS), appendicular fat-free mass (FFM), and walking pace] were obtained from public datasets. Inverse-variance weighting as the main method was used to evaluate the causal effect.

Results:

Genetically predicted CD had causal effects on whole-body FFM (β = −0.005, p = 0.001), leg FFM (βleft = −0.006, p = 1.8E-4; βright = −0.007, p = 2.0E-4), and arm FFM (βleft = −0.005, p = 0.005; βright = −0.005, p = 0.001), while RA had causal effects on 8 sarcopenia-related traits, namely, HGS (βleft = −2.06, p = 2.8E-38; βright = −2.311, p = 2E-20), whole-body FFM (β = −0.842, p = 4.7E-10), leg FFM (βleft = −0.666, p = 2.6E-6; βright = −0.073, p = 2.1E-3), arm FFM (βleft = −0.63, p = 4.4E-6; βright = −0.736, p = 4.4E-8), and walking pace (β = −1.019, p = 6.2E-14). In the reverse direction, HGS (odds ratio [OR]left = 10.257, p = 3.6E-5; ORright = 16.445, p = 3.7E-7) had causal effects on CD, while HGS (ORleft = 0.994, p = 0.004; ORright = 0.993, p = 1.4E-4), leg FFM (ORleft = 1.003, p = 0.005; ORright = 1.005, p = 1.9E-4), and walking pace (OR = 0.985, p = 5.7E-5) were causally associated with RA. No evidence showed causal associations of UC, SLE, PSO, or MS with sarcopenia-related traits.

Conclusion:

Our study demonstrated that the genetic susceptibility to CD and RA was associated with high risk of sarcopenia, and some sarcopenia-related traits had causal effects on CD or RA.
Altered circular RNA expressions in extracellular vesicles from bronchoalveolar lavage fluids in mice after bacterial infections
Authors: Lee Heedoo , Hong Rokgi , Jin Yang
Published: April 2024

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of transcripts that often are generated by back-splicing that covalently connects the 3′end of the exon to the 5′end. CircRNAs are more resistant to nuclease and more stable than their linear counterparts. One of the well-recognized roles of circRNAs is the miRNA sponging effects that potentially lead to the regulation of downstream proteins. Despite that circRNAs have been reported to be involved in a wide range of human diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases, they have not been studied in inflammatory lung responses. Here, we analyzed the circRNA profiles detected in extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from the broncho-alveolar lavage fluids (BALF) in response to LPS or acid instillation in mice. Next, we validated two specific circRNAs in the BALF-EVs and BALF cells in response to endotoxin by RT-qPCR, using specific primers targeting the circular form of RNAs rather than the linear host RNAs. The expression of these selected circRNAs in the BALF inflammatory cells, alveolar macrophages (AMs), neutrophils, and lung tissue were analyzed. We further predicted the potential miRNAs that interact with these circRNAs. Our study is the first report to show that circRNAs are detectable in BALF EVs obtained from mice. The EV-cargo circRNAs are significantly altered by the noxious stimuli. The circRNAs identified using microarrays may be validated by RT-qPCR using primers specific to the circular but not the linear form. Future studies to investigate circRNA expression and function including miRNA sponging in lung inflammation potentially uncover novel strategies to develop diagnostic/therapeutic targets.
Evaluating the causal association between bronchiectasis and different types of inflammatory bowel disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zeng Qian , Hu Da , Li Yuan , Zhou Zhiwei , Wu Jinfeng , Li Xiaodong , Yu Xiqiu
Published: April 2024

Background and objectives

Previous observational studies have established a connection between bronchiectasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but none of these studies have provided a clear explanation for the underlying cause of this relationship. The present study thus implemented Mendelian randomization (MR) design to explore possible bidirectional relationships between IBD and bronchiectasis risk, with an additional focus on Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) as IBD subtypes.

Materials and methods

A large genome-wide association study (GWAS)-derived data pool was leveraged to examine the relationships between bronchiectasis and IBD, CD, and UC. Two-sample MR analyses were performed with an inverse variance weighted (IVW) approach supplemented with the MR-Egger and weighted median methods. Sensitivity analyses were used to further assess the reliability of the main MR study findings. The possibility of reverse causation was also evaluated using a reverse MR approach.

Results

The IVW MR analytical approach revealed that IBD (p = 0.074), UC (p = 0.094), and CD (p = 0.644) had no significant impact on the incidence of bronchiectasis, with the converse also being true (p = 0.471, p = 0.700, and p = 0.099, respectively).

Conclusion

This MR analysis demonstrated that the higher occurrence of bronchiectasis in patients with IBD is not caused by genetic predisposition.