bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vibration characteristics of FG saturated porous annular plates integrated by piezoelectric patches on visco‐Pasternak foundation
Authors: Allah Gholi Amir Masoud , Khorshidvand Ahmad Reza , Jabbari Mohsen , Khorsandijou S. Mahdi
Published: January 2024

The vibrational behavior of a three‐layered annular plate is considered in the present study. The plate is composed of a functionally graded (FG) porous core which is saturated by fluid and two piezoelectric patches that are bonded to the core and are subjected to the electric field. The whole of the structure is also rested on visco‐Pasternak elastic foundation. The material properties of the FG porous core vary through the thickness direction based on different patterns which are called porosity distributions. Love‐Kirchhoff's hypothesis and Hamilton's principle is employed to extract the governing motion equations and boundary conditions and following it, they are solved by generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) for various boundary conditions. After ensuring the validity of the results by comparing them with known data in the literature, the effect of the most important parameters on the results is considered. It is seen that the effect of the porosity coefficient on the natural frequencies is completely dependent on the pores’ distribution patterns. Also, increasing in externally applied voltage to the piezoelectric facesheets, leads the results to enhance. The outcomes of this work can help to design and create smart structures and systems such as sensors and actuators.
Effect of carbon black and curing system on rubber–metal interface strength of automotive components
Authors: Drobilik Michal , Stenicka Martin , Poschl Marek , Zadrapa Petr , Stocek Radek
Published: January 2024

Rubber–metal parts inside the car require rubber compounds capable of ensuring optimal function and maximum service life without interface delamination. From this perspective, the strength of the bond which is created by the chemical interaction of rubber and metal by an adhesive is decisive for ensuring the functionality of the entire compound. It is dependent not only on the choice of the right adhesive but also on the rubber compound ingredients and their amount. Here, the influence of different types of carbon blacks as well as different curing systems in combination with a commonly used adhesive is described. The durability of the metal–adhesive–rubber bond is characterized by a specially designed shear strength analysis under quasi-static loading, whereas a significant influence of the structure of the carbon black has shown. It has also been observed that the presence of monosulphidic bonds has a positive effect on the shear strength.
Conventional vs. diode laser stapedotomy: audiological outcomes and clinical safety
Authors: Ordóñez Ordóñez Leonardo Elías , Cerón Perdomo Daniela , González Saboya Claudia Paola , Osorio Mejía Felipe , Medina-Parra Jorge , Angulo Martínez Esther Sofía
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To compare the hearing results and clinical safety of patients undergoing stapes surgery with conventional technique and diode laser.

Methods

Retrospective observational study, which included patients treated with primary stapes surgery performed between January 2009 and January 2020. Three audiometric measurements (PTA, GAP and SDS) were evaluated as main results, evaluated by analysis of covariance (controlling the preoperative value). Intraoperative and postoperative complications were also analyzed. Outcomes were measured 6 months (± 1 month) after surgery.

Results

153 cases were included, 97 operated with conventional technique and 56 with laser technique. Postoperative GAP ≤ 10 dB was obtained in 85.6% of the total sample, 82.5% in the conventional technique and 91.1% in the laser technique. Analysis of covariance showed no significant differences in the three surgery outcomes between the two groups (PTA, p = 0.277; GAP, p = 0.509 and SDS, p = 0.530). Regarding surgical complications, sensorineural damage was higher in the conventional technique group (p = 0.05). On the other hand, there were four cases of facial paresis, all in the laser group, three of them with the 980 nm laser.

Conclusions

Stapedotomy offered a high percentage of hearing success in the two groups studied. There were no significant differences in audiometric result, but there was a differential presentation of complications, being more frequent sensorineural hearing loss in the conventional technique group and facial paresis in the laser group.
Plus moist HS-W®: a new nasal packing material for the middle meatus in endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Wakasugi Ryo , Sasaki Takanobu , Takano Satoshi , Kamada Hisashi , Yoshioka Kuniaki , Tochigi Kaori , Ikeda Ryo , Takahashi Nao , Matsuyama Hiroshi , Horii Arata
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Removal of the current calcium alginate packing materials to the middle meatus in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is usually accompanied by discomfort or pain owing to the hard and brittle nature of these materials. Plus moist HS-W® is a new calcium alginate packing material released in 2022 developed to overcome this issue by changing the uronic acid component. We aimed to compare the discomfort/pain during the removal of Plus moist HS-W® with Kaltostat®, as well as their suitability as packing materials in ESS.

Methods

Kaltostat® and Plus moist HS-W® were used as packing materials in 22 and 21 patients who underwent ESS in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Patients were asked to rate the pain during the packing removal 10 days after ESS using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The ratio of residual packing materials, number of suctions (insertions/extractions of the suction cannula), and time required to remove packing materials were measured. Postoperative complications such as hemorrhage, local infection, lateralization of the middle turbinate, and synechia of the middle meatus were also evaluated.

Results

The Plus moist HS-W® group exhibited significantly lower NRS pain scores, a lower ratio of residual packing materials, a reduced number of suctions, and a shorter time required to remove the packing. No obvious postoperative complications occurred in both groups except for one suspicious case of a slight infection in the Kaltostat® group.

Conclusion

Compared with Kaltostat®, Plus moist HS-W®, characterized by better gelatinization than Kaltostat®, benefits patients by minimizing discomfort/pain during removal.

Level of evidence

Level 3.
ART and AutoART ECAP measurements and cochlear nerve anatomy as predictors in adult cochlear implant recipients
Authors: Schrank Leonhard , Nachtigäller Pascal , Müller Joachim , Hempel John-Martin , Canis Martin , Spiegel Jennifer L. , Rader Tobias
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this retrospective study is to compare the results of electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) measurements using automatic auditory response telemetry (AutoART) with those obtained by ART in adults. The study also aimed to evaluate the predictive value of intraoperative ART and AutoART ECAPs for speech intelligibility (SI) and hearing success (HS), and to determine if cochlear nerve (CN) cross-sectional area (CSA) obtained preoperatively by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans could predict ART and AutoART ECAPs and SI and HS outcome.

Methods

The study analyzed and correlated ART and AutoART ECAP thresholds at electrodes E2, E6, and E10, as well as averaged ECAP thresholds over electrodes E1–E12, using data from 32 implants. Correlations were also examined for ART and AutoART ECAP slopes. In addition, averaged ART and AutoART ECAP thresholds and slopes over all 12 electrodes for each participant were correlated with CN CSA measured from MRI sequences. SI of the monosyllabic Freiburg Speech Test at 65 dB sound pressure level was examined along with averaged ART and AutoART thresholds and slopes over all 12 electrodes. A parallel analysis was performed for HS, derived from the difference between baseline and 6-month SI. Finally, correlations between CN CSA and SI, as well as CN CSA and HS were examined.

Results

The results of the study showed a significant positive correlation between ART and AutoART ECAP thresholds and as well as slopes for E2, E6, E10 and averaged thresholds and slopes of E1–E12. However, no significant correlation was observed between ART and AutoART averaged ECAP thresholds and slopes and either SI and HS or CN CSA. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between CN CSA and SI and HS.

Conclusion

While AutoART is a reliable and safe program for measuring ECAPs in adults, the study found no preoperative prognostic information on intraoperative ECAP results using parameters extracted from current MRI sequences or pre-/intraoperative information on subsequent hearing outcome using ECAP and CN CSA.
Mucosal neuroimmune mechanisms in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) pathogenesis
Authors: Leech Tom , Peiris Madusha
Published: January 2024

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic condition characterised by visceral pain in the distal oesophagus. The current first-line treatment for GORD is proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), however, PPIs are ineffective in a large cohort of patients and long-term use may have adverse effects. Emerging evidence suggests that nerve fibre number and location are likely to play interrelated roles in nociception in the oesophagus of GORD patients. Simultaneously, alterations in cells of the oesophageal mucosa, namely epithelial cells, mast cells, dendritic cells, and T lymphocytes, have been a focus of GORD research for several years. The oesophagus of GORD patients exhibits both macro- and micro-inflammation as a response to chronic acidic reflux at the epithelium. In other conditions of the GI tract, such as IBS and IBD, well-characterised bidirectional processes between immune cells and mucosal nerve fibres contribute to pathogenesis and symptom generation. Sensory alterations in these conditions such as nerve fibre outgrowth and hypersensitivity can be driven by inflammatory processes, which promote visceral pain signalling. This review will examine what is currently known of the molecular pathways linking inflammation and sensory perception leading to the development of GORD symptoms and explore potentially relevant mechanisms in other GI regions which may indicate new areas in GORD research.
Limitations of estimating branch volume from terrestrial laser scanning
Authors: Morhart Christopher , Schindler Zoe , Frey Julian , Sheppard Jonathan P. , Calders Kim , Disney Mathias , Morsdorf Felix , Raumonen Pasi , Seifert Thomas
Published: January 2024

Quantitative structural models (QSMs) are frequently used to simplify single tree point clouds obtained by terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). QSMs use geometric primitives to derive topological and volumetric information about trees. Previous studies have shown a high agreement between TLS and QSM total volume estimates alongside field measured data for whole trees. Although already broadly applied, the uncertainties of the combination of TLS and QSM modelling are still largely unexplored. In our study, we investigated the effect of scanning distance on length and volume estimates of branches when deriving QSMs from TLS data. We scanned ten European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) branches with an average length of 2.6 m. The branches were scanned from distances ranging from 5 to 45 m at step intervals of 5 m from three scan positions each. Twelve close-range scans were performed as a benchmark. For each distance and branch, QSMs were derived. We found that with increasing distance, the point cloud density and the cumulative length of the reconstructed branches decreased, whereas individual volumes increased. Dependent on the QSM hyperparameters, at a scanning distance of 45 m, cumulative branch length was on average underestimated by − 75%, while branch volume was overestimated by up to + 539%. We assume that the high deviations are related to point cloud quality. As the scanning distance increases, the size of the individual laser footprints and the distances between them increase, making it more difficult to fully capture small branches and to adjust suitable QSMs.
Broadband electrical conductivity of metal/carbon nanotubes polyamide 6 composites fabricated by reactive encapsulation
Authors: Oliveira Filipa M. , Ezquerra Tiberio A. , Denchev Zlatan Z.
Published: January 2024

This is the first broadband dielectric spectroscopy study on the temperature- and frequency-dependent electrical conductivity of polyamide 6 (PA6) composites containing both metal microparticles (Al, Fe, or Cu) and carbon nanotubes (CNT). The dually reinforced PA6 hybrids are prepared through compression molding of metal- and CNT-loaded microparticles (MP). These MP are synthesized by activated anionic ring-opening polymerization (AAROP) of ε-caprolactam in suspension, carried out in the presence of the micron-sized metal powders and the nanosized CNT fillers, with a combined load of up to 10 wt%. The good dispersion of the two loads by the AAROP strategy results in a notable increase in the electrical conductivity by up to 11 orders of magnitude. Moreover, the frequency-dependent behavior of the measured conductivity obeys the so-called universal dynamic response. This response involves a direct current (d.c.) electrical conductivity ($${\sigma }_{{\text{dc}}}$$

σ
dc

) observed beyond a critical frequency, $${F}_{{\text{c}}}$$

F
c

, followed by a power-law response characterized by an exponent s, which fluctuates between 0.11 and 0.43. The $${\sigma }_{{\text{dc}}}$$

σ
dc

of the binary composites spans from 1.42 $$\times$$
×
10−5 to 1.63 $$\times$$
×
10−2 S/cm, this increase being attributed to the synergetic effect between CNT and the metal particles that contribute to the carrier mobility within the conductive network.

Graphical Abstract
Local Alien Enfranchisement and External Efficacy Perceptions: Intended and Unintended Effects on Non-citizens and Citizens
Authors: Kayran Elif Naz , Nadler Anna-Lena
Published: January 2024

Do citizens and non-citizens perceive themselves as more politically influential in contexts with more immigrant-inclusive local enfranchisement policies? Despite long-standing debates about the unequal responsiveness in the political systems of many advanced democracies, we still know little about whether targeted public policies at the local level can alter perceptions of political representation among residents. Importantly, little attention has been paid to the potential intended and unintended consequences of local electoral policies on external efficacy and research designs that include non-citizen residents. In this paper, we argue and test whether local alien enfranchisement raises external efficacy among non-citizens as a highly effective marker of immigrant inclusivity. Next, considering the potential spill-over effects of alien enfranchisement on citizens, we examine whether such electoral expansion is associated with a perceived increase in competition for political influence and a subsequent decline in citizens’ external efficacy. Empirically, we focus on the Swiss case and exploit local electoral institutions’ sub-national and temporal variation using longitudinal data from the Swiss Household Panel from 1999 to 2014. The paper adds to earlier work by proposing local policy context regarding non-citizen enfranchisement as one of the predictors of external efficacy on the resident population. Our findings suggest that perceived political influence among non-citizens is higher in municipalities with inclusive enfranchisement. We find no evidence for citizens experiencing lower external efficacy when voting rights are extended, making alien enfranchisement potentially a valuable tool to improve political integration among immigrants in today’s diverse democracies.
Evaluation of Tamsulosin 0.4 mg versus 0.8 mg in management of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement
Authors: Osman Tarek , Elawady Hossam , Fawaz Khaled , Shabayek Mohamed , Essam Mohammed Darweesh , Osman Dana , ElSaeed Karim Omar
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To compare the efficacy and the safety of Tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day and 0.8 mg/day in patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic obstruction.

Patients and Methods

A prospective interventional, double-blinded, controlled study was carried out on 93 patients who met the criteria and divided randomly into two groups: group A for Tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day and group B for Tamsulosin 0.8 mg/day. International prostate symptom score, post void residual urine volume, and maximum flow rate of urine were assessed before and after 4 weeks of treatment.

Results

Both study groups showed a significant reduction in storage sub-score but only frequency was significantly reduced in group B (P < 0.001). On the other hand, Tamsulosin 0.8 mg was superior to Tamsulosin 0.4 mg regarding voiding sub-score except for straining (P = 0.325). Accordingly, the total international prostate symptom score was significantly improved in group B versus group A (P < 0.001). Furthermore, maximum flow rate and post-void residual urine volume were notably improved in Group B as compared to Group A (P < 0.001). Of all adverse events only dizziness was noted to be statistically significant in Group B versus Group A (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Tamsulosin 0.8 mg has shown better outcomes in treating patients who suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement than Tamsulosin 0.4 mg, and besides that, it is well tolerated.

Trial registration number

M S 292/2020, SID: 373, date: 22/4/2020.
Preoperative dietitian-led Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) Clinic for adults living with obesity undergoing gynaecology, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernia repair procedures: a pilot parallel randomised controlled trial
Authors: Griffin Sally B. , Palmer Michelle A. , Strodl Esben , Lai Rainbow , Chuah Teong L. , Burstow Matthew J. , Ross Lynda J.
Published: January 2024

Obesity can increase the risk of postoperative complications. Despite increased demand for patients living with obesity to lose weight prior to common surgical procedures, the impact of intentional weight loss on surgical outcomes is largely unknown. We aimed to conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a full-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effect of preoperative dietitian-led Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) Clinic on surgical outcomes in gynaecology and general surgeries. Between August 2021 and January 2023, a convenience sample of adults living with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) awaiting gynaecology, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and ventral hernia repair procedures were randomised to dietitian-led VLCD (800–1000 kcal using meal replacements and allowed foods), or control (no dietary intervention), 2–12 weeks preoperatively. Primary outcome was feasibility (recruitment, adherence, safety, attendance, acceptability and quality of life (QoL)). Secondary outcomes were anthropometry and 30-d postoperative outcomes. Outcomes were analysed as intention-to-treat. Fifty-one participants were recruited (n 23 VLCD, n 28 control), mean 48 (sd 13) years, 86 % female, and mean BMI 35·8 (sd 4·6) kg/m2. Recruitment was disrupted by COVID-19, but other thresholds for feasibility were met for VLCD group: high adherence without unfavourable body composition change, high acceptability, improved pre/post QoL (22·1 ± 15 points, < 0·001), with greater reductions in weight (–5·5 kg VLCD v. −0·9 kg control, P < 0·05) waist circumference (–6·6 cm VLCD v. +0·6 control, P < 0·05) and fewer 30-d complications (n 4/21) than controls (n 8/22) (P > 0·05). The RCT study design was deemed feasible in a public hospital setting. The dietitian-led VLCD resulted in significant weight loss and waist circumference reduction compared with a control group, without unfavourable body composition change and improved QoL.
Identification of clinically relevant patient endotypes in traumatic brain injury using latent class analysis
Authors: Qiu Hongbo , Zador Zsolt , Lannon Melissa , Farrokhyar Forough , Duda Taylor , Sharma Sunjay
Published: January 2024

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex condition where heterogeneity impedes the advancement of care. Understanding the diverse presentations of TBI is crucial for personalized medicine. Our study aimed to identify clinically relevant patient endotypes in TBI using latent class analysis based on comorbidity data. We used the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database, which includes 2,629 adult TBI patients. We identified five stable endotypes characterized by specific comorbidity profiles: Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Healthy, Renal Failure with Hypertension, Alcohol Abuse, and Hypertension. Each endotype had distinct clinical characteristics and outcomes: The Heart Failure and Arrhythmia endotype had lower survival rates than the Renal Failure with Hypertension despite featuring fewer comorbidities overall. Patients in the Hypertension endotype had higher rates of neurosurgical intervention but shorter stays in contrast to the Alcohol Abuse endotype which had lower rates of neurosurgical intervention but significantly longer hospital stays. Both endotypes had high overall survival rates comparable to the Healthy endotype. Logistic regression models showed that endotypes improved the predictability of survival compared to individual comorbidities alone. This study validates clinical endotypes as an approach to addressing heterogeneity in TBI and demonstrates the potential of this methodology in other complex conditions.
Comparison of the DNBSEQ platform and Illumina HiSeq 2000 for bacterial genome assembly
Authors: Hu Tongyuan , Chen Jianwei , Lin Xiaoqian , He Wenxin , Liang Hewei , Wang Mengmeng , Li Wenxi , Wu Zhinan , Han Mo , Jin Xin , Kristiansen Karsten , Xiao Liang , Zou Yuanqiang
Published: January 2024

The Illumina HiSeq platform has been a commonly used option for bacterial genome sequencing. Now the BGI DNA nanoball (DNB) nanoarrays platform may provide an alternative platform for sequencing of bacterial genomes. To explore the impact of sequencing platforms on bacterial genome assembly, quality assessment, sequence alignment, functional annotation, mutation detection, and metagenome mapping, we compared genome assemblies based on sequencing of cultured bacterial species using the HiSeq 2000 and BGISEQ-500 platforms. In addition, simulated reads were used to evaluate the impact of insert size on genome assembly. Genome assemblies based on BGISEQ-500 sequencing exhibited higher completeness and fewer N bases in high GC genomes, whereas HiSeq 2000 assemblies exhibited higher N50. The majority of assembly assessment parameters, sequences of 16S rRNA genes and genomes, numbers of single nucleotide variants (SNV), and mapping to metagenome data did not differ significantly between platforms. More insertions were detected in HiSeq 2000 genome assemblies, whereas more deletions were detected in BGISEQ-500 genome assemblies. Insert size had no significant impact on genome assembly. Taken together, our results suggest that DNBSEQ platforms would be a valid substitute for HiSeq 2000 for bacterial genome sequencing.
Development of patient-reported outcome for adult spinal deformity: validation study
Authors: Fujimori Takahito , Nagamoto Yukitaka , Takenaka Shota , Kaito Takashi , Kanie Yuya , Ukon Yuichiro , Furuya Masayuki , Matsumoto Tomiya , Okuda Shinya , Iwasaki Motoki , Okada Seiji
Published: January 2024

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a complex condition that combines scoliosis, kyphosis, pain, and postoperative range of motion limitation. The lack of a scale that can successfully capture this complex condition is a clinical challenge. We aimed to develop a disease-specific scale for ASD. The study included 106 patients (mean age; 68 years, 89 women) with ASD. We selected 29 questions that could be useful in assessing ASD and asked the patients to answer them. The factor analysis found two factors: the main symptom and the collateral symptom. The main symptom consisted of 10 questions and assessed activity of daily living (ADL), pain, and appearance. The collateral symptom consisted of five questions to assess ADL due to range of motion limitation. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the change of main symptom and satisfaction was 0.48 (p < 0.001). The effect size of Cohen’s d for comparison between preoperative and postoperative scores was 1.09 in the main symptom and 0.65 in the collateral symptom. In conclusion, we have developed a validated disease-specific scale for ASD that can simultaneously evaluate the benefits and limitations of ASD surgery with enough responsiveness in clinical practice.
Human Vγ9Vδ2 T cell expansion and their cytotoxic responses against cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Sawaisorn Piamsiri , Gaballa Ahmed , Saimuang Kween , Leepiyasakulchai Chaniya , Lertjuthaporn Sakaorat , Hongeng Suradej , Uhlin Michael , Jangpatarapongsa Kulachart
Published: January 2024

Human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes are regarded as promising effector cells for cancer immunotherapy since they have the ability to eliminate several tumor cells through non-peptide antigen recognition. However, the cytotoxic function and the mechanism of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells leading to specific killing of cholangiocarcinoma cells are yet to be confirmed. In this study, we established a protocol for ex vivo expansion of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells from healthy donors’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells by culture with zoledronate and addition of IL-2, and IL-15 or IL-18 or neither. Testing the cytotoxic capacity of cultured Vγ9Vδ2 T cells against cholangiocarcinoma cell lines showed higher reactivity than against control cells. Surface expression of CD107 was detected on the Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, suggesting that these cells limit in vitro growth of cholangiocarcinoma cells via degranulation of the perforin and granzyme pathway. Analysis of molecular signaling was used to demonstrate expression of pro- and anti-survival genes and a panel of cytokine genes in Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. We found that in the presence of either IL-15 or IL-18, levels of caspase 3 were significantly reduced. Also, IL-15 and IL-18 stimulated cells contained cytotoxicity against cholangiocarcinoma cells, suggesting that stimulated Vγ9Vδ2 T cells may provide a feasible therapy for cholangiocarcinoma.
Importance of Per2 in cardiac mitochondrial protection during stress
Authors: Bhaskara Meghana , Anjorin Olufisayo , Yoniles Arris , Liu Jianyun , Wang Meijing
Published: January 2024

During myocardial injury, inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress significantly increase to impair cardiac mitochondria. Emerging evidence has highlighted interplays between circadian protein—period 2 (Per2) and mitochondrial metabolism. However, besides circadian rhythm regulation, the direct role of Per2 in mitochondrial performance particularly following acute stress, remains unknown. In this study, we aim to determine the importance of Per2 protein’s regulatory role in mitochondrial function following exposure to inflammatory cytokine TNFα and oxidative stressor H2O2 in human cardiomyocytes. Global warm ischemia (37 °C) significantly impaired complex I activity with concurrently reduced mitochondrial Per2 in adult mouse hearts. TNFα or H2O2 decreased Per2 protein levels and damaged mitochondrial respiratory function in adult mouse cardiomyocytes. Next, mitochondrial membrane potential ($$\Delta \psi$$

Δ
ψ

M) using JC-1 fluorescence probe and mitochondrial respiration capacity via Seahorse Cell Mito Stress Test were then detected in Per2 or control siRNA transfected AC16 Human Cardiomyocytes (HCM) that were subjected to 2 h-treatment of TNFα (100 ng/ml) or H2O2 (100 μM). After 4 h-treatment, cell death was also measured using Annexin V and propidium iodide apoptosis kit through flow cytometry. We found that knockdown of Per2 enhanced TNFα-induced cell death and TNFα- or H2O2-disrupted $$\Delta \psi$$

Δ
ψ

M, as well as TNFα- or H2O2-impaired mitochondrial respiration function. In conclusion, Per2 knockdown increases likelihood of cell death and mitochondrial dysfunction in human cardiomyocytes exposed to either TNFα or H2O2, supporting the protective role of Per2 in HCM during stress with a focus on mitochondrial function.
Preparation of stable colloidal dispersion of surface modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles for magnetic heating applications
Authors: Sabzi Dizajyekan Behnam , Jafari Arezou , Vafaie-Sefti Mohsen , Saber Reza , Fakhroueian Zahra
Published: January 2024

The effect of surface modification on enhancing the magnetic heating behavior of magnetic nano fluids were investigated, for this purpose Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using co-precipitation method and surface modification was done using citric acid, ascorbic acid, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Experimental heating tests using AC magnetic field were done in the frequency of 100 kHz and different magnetic field (H) intensities. Theoretically the specific absorption rate (SAR) in magnetic nano fluids is independent of nanoparticles concentration but the experimental results showed different behavior. The theoretical SAR value @ H = 12kA.m–1 for Nano fluids containing bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles was 11.5 W/g but in experimental tests the obtained value was 9.72 W/g for nano fluid containing 20,000 ppm of dispersed nanoparticles. The experimental SAR calculation was repeated for sample containing 10,000 ppm of nanoparticles and the results showed increase in experimental SAR that is an evidence of nanoparticles agglomeration in higher concentrations. The surface modification has improved the dispersion ability of the nanoparticles. The Ratio of SAR, experimental, 20000ppm to SAR, experimental, 10000ppm was 0.85 for bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles dispersion but in case of surface modified nanoparticles this ratio has increased up to 0.98 that shows lower agglomeration of nanoparticles as a result of surface modification, although on the other hand the surface modification agents were magnetically passive and so it is expected that in constant concentration the SAR for bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles to be higher than this variable for surface modified nanoparticles. At lower concentrations the dispersions containing bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed higher SAR values but at higher concentrations the surface modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed better results although the active agent amount was lower at them. Finally, it should be noted that the nanoparticles that were surface modified using polymeric agents showed the highest decrease in experimental SAR amounts comparing theoretical results that was because of the large molecules of polymers comparing other implemented surface modification agents.
Serum uric acid is inversely associated with lung function in US adults
Authors: Luo Wen , Wang Chen , Wang Wanyu , Yao Xiangyang , Lu Fang , Wu Dinghui , Lin Yihua
Published: January 2024

The relationship between serum uric acid and lung function has been controversial. This study aims to determine whether there is an independent relationship between serum uric acid and lung function in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2012. Serum uric acid was considered the exposure variable, and lung function (FEV1 and FVC) was the outcome variable. Multivariable linear regression was conducted with adjustments for potential confounders. The total number of participants from NHANES (2007–2012) was 30,442, of which 7514 were included in our analysis after applying exclusion criteria. We observed that serum uric acid was negatively associated with FEV1 and FVC after adjusting for confounders (β for FEV1 [− 24.77 (− 36.11, − 13.43)] and FVC [− 32.93 (− 47.42, − 18.45)]). Similarly, serum uric acid showed a negative correlation with FEV1 and FVC after adjusting for confounding variables both in male and female populations. The relationship between serum uric acid and FEV1 and FVC remained consistent and robust in various subgroups within both male and female populations, including age, race, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, and income-poverty ratio. Serum uric acid is negatively associated with FEV1 and FVC in the US general healthy population. This negative relationship is significant in both the male and female populations.
Two-substrate enzyme engineering using small libraries that combine the substrate preferences from two different variant lineages
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Arka , Karu Kersti , Dalby Paul A.
Published: January 2024

Improving the range of substrates accepted by enzymes with high catalytic activity remains an important goal for the industrialisation of biocatalysis. Many enzymes catalyse two-substrate reactions which increases the complexity in engineering them for the synthesis of alternative products. Often mutations are found independently that can improve the acceptance of alternatives to each of the two substrates. Ideally, we would be able to combine mutations identified for each of the two alternative substrates, and so reprogramme new enzyme variants that synthesise specific products from their respective two-substrate combinations. However, as we have previously observed for E. coli transketolase, the mutations that improved activity towards aromatic acceptor aldehydes, did not successfully recombine with mutations that switched the donor substrate to pyruvate. This likely results from several active site residues having multiple roles that can affect both of the substrates, as well as structural interactions between the mutations themselves. Here, we have designed small libraries, including both natural and non-natural amino acids, based on the previous mutational sites that impact on acceptance of the two substrates, to achieve up to 630× increases in kcat for the reaction with 3-formylbenzoic acid (3-FBA) and pyruvate. Computational docking was able to determine how the mutations shaped the active site to improve the proximity of the 3-FBA substrate relative to the enamine-TPP intermediate, formed after the initial reaction with pyruvate. This work opens the way for small libraries to rapidly reprogramme enzyme active sites in a plug and play approach to catalyse new combinations of two-substrate reactions.
Modelling the wind potential energy for metallurgical sector in Albania
Authors: Dhoska Klodian , Bebi Elena , Markja Irida , Milo Parid , Sita Ermil , Qosja Serxhi
Published: January 2024

The metallurgical industry, in the context of the global energy crisis and the new European green deal, needs urgent investments on energy and resource efficiency. The metallurgical sector, which includes the production of different metals is an energy-intensive industry that requires large amounts of energy for various processes such as smelting, refining, and casting. One of the largest consumptions of energy in Albania comes from the metallurgical sector during the production of iron, steel, chromium and aluminum which corresponds respectively to three private companies called “Kurum International Ltd”, “AlbChorme Ltd” and “Everest Ltd”. During the last three years, these companies have temporary interrupted the production process due to the higher electricity price that come from imports. Based on it, our research work presents the energy efficiency analysis in the Albanian metallurgical sector by focusing on the implementation of wind energy in the above mentioned private metallurgical companies, because adding new generation capacity from Renewable Energy Sources in a context of industrial energy communities, will contribute to improve the security of supply for this industry. The Wind Balkan Atlas, New European Wind Atlas, and Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) has been used to select the appropriate areas and to develop the wind potential distribution maps, as well as to select the most suitable type of wind turbine based on capacity factors. Two areas were selected close to the metallurgical sectors in the regions of “Vajkal” in Bulqizë and “Selitë e Malit” in Tirana. It has been installed the power of 9 MW for each wind farm, with a capacity factor of 40% and 36.6% respectively, and with a total annual energy production of about 60 GWh/year, these wind farms will cover about 26% of the total annual consumption of companies. Clean Energy Management Software (RETScreen Expert) was used for the detailed economic analysis and environmental impact of proposed wind farms. The economic sensitivity analysis of the proposed wind farms showed that even for the highest installation cost value of 1350 €/kW, for discount rates 5, 7, and 11%, the LCoE values are within the statistically established range for wind farms in Europe.
Silver nanoparticles improve the fungicidal properties of Rhazya stricta decne aqueous extract against plant pathogens
Authors: Al-Sahli Sarah A. , Al-Otibi Fatimah , Alharbi Raedah I. , Amina Musarat , Al Musayeib Nawal M.
Published: January 2024

One of the most promising, non-toxic, and biocompatible developments for many biological activities is the green synthesis of nanoparticles from plants. In this work, we investigated the antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized from Rhazya stricta aqueous extract against several plant pathogenic fungi. UV–visible spectroscopy, Zeta potential analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the biosynthesized AgNPs. Drechslera halodes, Drechslera tetramera, Macrophomina phaseolina, Alternaria alternata, and Curvularia australiensis were tested for their potential antifungal activity. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) of Aq. AgNPs and Alkaline Aq. AgNPs was observed at 405 nm and 415 nm, respectively. FTIR analysis indicated hydroxyl, nitrile, amine, and ketone functional groups. Aq. AgNPs and Alka-line Aq. AgNPs had velocities of − 27.7 mV and − 37.9 mV and sizes of 21–90 nm and 7.2–25.3 nm, respectively, according to zeta potential studies and TEM. The antifungal examination revealed that all species' mycelial development was significantly inhibited, accompanied by severe ultra-structural alterations. Among all treatments, Aq. AgNPs were the most effective fungicide. M. phaseolina was statistically the most resistant, whereas A. alternata was the most vulnerable. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on R. stricta's antifungal activity against these species.
QEEG findings in nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis
Authors: Skadorwa Tymon , Strzelecka Jolanta
Published: January 2024

Despite the undertaken treatment, children with nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis (NSC) are burdened with problems with speech development, visuospatial and other cognitive deficits. The electroencephalographic assessment has not influenced the diagnostics and treatment strategy of craniosynostosis so far but the introduction of quantitative EEG (QEEG) protocols renewed an interest in the functional aspect of this disease. In this study we retrospectively assessed the QEEG records of 25 children with NSC aged 1–18 months (mean age 9.62 months) before and after surgery. In each case, the amplitude, interhemispheric (ICoh) and intrahemispheric (HCoh) coherence indices were calculated. Obtained data were compared to age-matched control group of 25 normocephalic children. Children with NSC presented significantly lower values of amplitudes and intrahemispheric coherence in occipital, posterior parietal and posterior temporal regions than normocephalic children. The values of amplitudes, ICoh and HCoh in pre- and postoperative QEEG records mostly remained unchanged, with a slight improvement in HCoh in centro-parietal area. These findings suggest that NSC children present their own QEEG profile. The operative treatment improves an intrahemispheric connectivity, but there still exists a significant difference in the occipitotemporal, frontotemporal and centro-frontal areas, which may be considered as a functional substrate of reported speech and neurocognitive problems. QEEG findings in nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis.
Screening patients requiring secondary lumbar surgery for degenerative lumbar spine diseases: a nationwide sample cohort study
Authors: Park Hangeul , Lee Juhee , Choi Yunhee , Kim Jun-Hoe , Kim Sum , Kim Young-Rak , Lee Chang-Hyun , Park Sung Bae , Kim Kyoung-Tae , Rhee John M. , Kim Chi Heon
Published: January 2024

This study aims to identify healthcare costs indicators predicting secondary surgery for degenerative lumbar spine disease (DLSD), which significantly impacts healthcare budgets. Analyzing data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) database of Republic of Korea (ROK), the study included 3881 patients who had surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH), lumbar spinal stenosis without spondylolisthesis (LSS without SPL), lumbar spinal stenosis with spondylolisthesis (LSS with SPL), and spondylolysis (SP) from 2006 to 2008. Patients were categorized into two groups: those undergoing secondary surgery (S-group) and those not (NS-group). Surgical and interim costs were compared, with S-group having higher secondary surgery costs ($1829.59 vs $1618.40 in NS-group, P = 0.002) and higher interim costs ($30.03; 1.86% of initial surgery costs vs $16.09; 0.99% of initial surgery costs in NS-group, P < 0.0001). The same trend was observed in LDH, LSS without SPL, and LSS with SPL (P < 0.0001). Monitoring interim costs trends post-initial surgery can effectively identify patients requiring secondary surgery.
Fertility detection of unincubated chicken eggs by hyperspectral transmission imaging in the Vis-SWNIR region
Authors: Ghaderi Mahdi , Mireei Seyed Ahmad , Masoumi Aminollah , Sedghi Mohammad , Nazeri Majid
Published: January 2024

Detection of infertile eggs prior to incubation can lead to an increase in the hatchability rate and prevent the wastage of billions of non-fertile eggs ended up by failed incubation. In this study, the feasibility of a line-scan hyperspectral imaging system in the visible and short-wavelength near-infrared region was assessed for early detection of non-fertile eggs on day 0 before incubation. A total of 227 white-shell eggs including 131 fertile and 96 infertile eggs were collected from a flock with similar conditions in terms of hen age, feeding, and management. Hyperspectral images of eggs were captured on day 0 before incubation in a transmittance mode of illumination and then the eggs were incubated in a commercial incubator. The edge detection method was used to segment the egg, including both the white and yolk, from the background, and the image spectral information was extracted from the egg region. After applying various pretreatment methods, different classifiers including soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), and artificial neural networks (ANN) classifiers were utilized to extract the predictive models. Following the acceptable results of SIMCA analysis accomplished by 1st derivative pretreatment (accuracy of 86.67%), the discrimination power plot was used to select the most informative wavebands. The results showed that by using fewer variables in effective wavebands better performance (precision and accuracy of 92.59% and 93.33%, respectively) could be obtained in comparison with the ANN classifier based on the whole spectral data (precision and accuracy of 89.29% and 91.11%, respectively). This study revealed the potential application of hyperspectral transmittance imaging in the Vis-SWNIR region to discern the fertile and infertile eggs before starting the incubation process.
Edge computing-based proactive control method for industrial product manufacturing quality prediction
Authors: Chen Mo , Wei Zhe , Li Li , Zhang Kai
Published: January 2024

With the emergence of intelligent manufacturing, new-generation information technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence are rapidly integrating with the manufacturing industry. One of the primary applications is to assist manufacturing plants in predicting product quality. Traditional predictive models primarily focus on establishing high-precision classification or regression models, with less emphasis on imbalanced data. This is a specific but common scenario in practical industrial environments concerning quality prediction. A SMOTE-XGboost quality prediction active control method based on joint optimization hyperparameters is proposed to address the problem of imbalanced data classification in product quality prediction. In addition, edge computing technology is introduced to address issues in industrial manufacturing, such as the large bandwidth load and resource limitations associated with traditional cloud computing models. Finally, the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed method are validated through a case study of the brake disc production line. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms other classification methods in brake disc quality prediction.
IDSL.GOA: gene ontology analysis for interpreting metabolomic datasets
Authors: Mahajan Priyanka , Fiehn Oliver , Barupal Dinesh
Published: January 2024

Biological interpretation of metabolomic datasets often ends at a pathway analysis step to find the over-represented metabolic pathways in the list of statistically significant metabolites. However, definitions of biochemical pathways and metabolite coverage vary among different curated databases, leading to missed interpretations. For the lists of genes, transcripts and proteins, Gene Ontology (GO) terms over-presentation analysis has become a standardized approach for biological interpretation. But, GO analysis has not been achieved for metabolomic datasets. We present a new knowledgebase (KB) and the online tool, Gene Ontology Analysis by the Integrated Data Science Laboratory for Metabolomics and Exposomics (IDSL.GOA) to conduct GO over-representation analysis for a metabolite list. The IDSL.GOA KB covers 2393 metabolic GO terms and associated 3144 genes, 1,492 EC annotations, and 2621 metabolites. IDSL.GOA analysis of a case study of older versus young female brain cortex metabolome highlighted 82 GO terms being significantly overrepresented (FDR < 0.05). We showed how IDSL.GOA identified key and relevant GO metabolic processes that were not yet covered in other pathway databases. Overall, we suggest that interpretation of metabolite lists should not be limited to only pathway maps and can also leverage GO terms as well. IDSL.GOA provides a useful tool for this purpose, allowing for a more comprehensive and accurate analysis of metabolite pathway data. IDSL.GOA tool can be accessed at https://goa.idsl.me/.