bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Student Motivation: Articulate Storyline Learning Media Experiment
Authors: Awwalina Jauharotul Ramadlani , Wachidah Kemil
Published: November 2022

This research investigates the impact of utilizing the learning media "Articulate Storyline" on the motivation of fourth-grade students in SDN Sekardangan. Recognizing the prevalence of motivation issues among students, this study employs an experimental approach with a "one group pretest posttest design" to examine the relationship between learning media and student motivation. The data was collected through a social studies learning motivation questionnaire administered to the research sample. The findings demonstrate a significant positive effect of implementing Articulate Storyline on student learning, highlighting its potential as an effective tool for enhancing motivation in educational settings. The implications of these results offer valuable insights for educators and policymakers aiming to foster a conducive learning environment. 

Highlights: 

The use of Articulate Storyline learning media significantly enhances student motivation.

Experimental study explores the impact of Articulate Storyline on fourth-grade students' motivation.

Findings highlight the positive influence of learning media on student motivation.

Keywords: Articulate Storyline, learning media, student motivation, experimental study, fourth-grade students.
Çalışma Sermayesi Yönetiminin Sistematik Derleme Yöntemine Göre İncelenmesi (2002-2021)
Authors: DEMİRTAŞ İbrahim , GENÇTÜRK Mehmet
Published: November 2022

Çalışma sermayesi yönetimi, nakit, ticari alacaklar ve stoklar yönetimi ile birlikte kısa vadeli borçların yönetimini de kapsamaktadır. İşletmenin ticari faaliyetlerine devam edebilmesi, büyümesi, rakipleri ile rekabet edip pazar payını artırabilmesi için çalışma sermayesi yönetimi oldukça önemlidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de yayınlanan ‘Çalışma Sermayesi Yönetimi’ alanında yapılan makalelerin sistematik derleme yöntemine göre incelenmesidir. Sistematik derlemede, konuya ilişkin yapılmış çalışmaların tamamı tespit edilir, dahil olma kriterlerine uyan tüm çalışmalar sistematik bir düzen dahilinde toplanır, özetlenir ve araştırmanın temeli oluşturulur. Araştırmanın örneklemini 2002-2021 yılları arasında yayınlanmış ampirik çalışmalar oluşturmaktadır. İncelenen 65 makale yıllara göre yayın sayısı, yazarlara göre dağılımı, yazarların cinsiyetlere dağılımı ve makalelerde kullanılan yöntemlere göre dağılımları sistematik derleme yöntemine göre analiz edilmiştir. Makalelerde veri seti olarak Borsa İstanbul’da işlem gören firmalar, özellikle imalat sektörü firmaları kullanıldığı görülmüştür. Yapılan bu çalışmanın hem finans sektörüne hem de çalışma sermayesi yönetimi, firma performansına yönelik yapılacak çalışmalara katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.
Identifying Anti-CRISPR Small Molecules via High-throughput Assay
Authors: Lim Donghyun , Sreeka Vedagopuram , Choudhary Amit
Published: November 2022

There is a high demand for anti-CRISPR molecules to precisely control CRISPR-associated nucleases. Small molecule anti-CRISPRs can be easily delivered to cells and improve CRISPR editing outcomes by their fast action and temporal control of nuclease activity, though no assays currently exist for the high-throughput identification of these compounds. Here we report a high-throughput assay platform to rapidly identify multiple small-molecule inhibitors of SpCas9.
Vessel size as a marker of survival in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer
Authors: Milosevic Vladan , Edelmann Reidunn J. , Winge Ingeborg , Strell Carina , Mezheyeuski Artur , Knutsvik Gøril , Askeland Cecilie , Wik Elisabeth , Akslen Lars A. , Östman Arne
Published: November 2022

Angiogenesis is crucial for tumor growth and is one of the hallmarks of cancer. In this study, we analyzed microvessel density, vessel median size, and perivascular a-SMA expression as prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer. Dual IHC staining was performed where alpha-SMA antibodies were used together with antibodies against the endothelial cell marker CD34. Digital images of stainings were analyzed to extract quantitative data on vessel density, vessel size and perivascular alpha-SMA status. The analyses in the discovery cohort (n = 108) revealed a statistically significant relationship between large vessel size and shorter disease specific survival (p = 0.007, log-rank-test; p = 0.01, HR 3.1; 95% CI: 1.3–7.4, Cox-regression analyses). Subset analyses indicated that the survival association of vessel size was strengthened in ER + breast cancer. To consolidate these findings, additional analyses were performed on a validation cohort (n = 267) where an association between large vessel size and reduced survival was also detected in ER + breast cancer (p = 0.016, log-rank-test; p = 0.02; HR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1–4.7, Cox-regression analyses). Alpha-SMA/CD34 dual IHC staining revealed breast cancer heterogeneity regarding vessel size, vessel density and perivascular a-SMA status. Large vessel size was linked to shorter survival in ER + breast cancer.
Wirelessly powered motor operation in dynamic scenarios using non-Hermitian parity-time symmetry
Authors: Kone Shrinathan Esaki Muthu Pandara , Yatsugi Kenichi , Iizuka Hideo
Published: November 2022

Motors arise as a heart of the mobility society, and wirelessly operated motors may improve our standard of living. Wireless power transfer in the kilohertz and megahertz range has been extensively explored, finding various potential applications in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and medical implantations. However, most of the experimental works on such wireless power transfer have only considered static loads. Wirelessly powered motors would fail to continuously operate in dynamic scenarios, e.g., the rotating speed of the motors is varied. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the operation of a motor, where the power is wirelessly transferred to via coils, is robust against the rotating speed by employing the analogy with non-Hermitian parity-time (PT) symmetry. In addition, our system is robust for misalignment of the coils. Our results open up opportunities of robust operation of motors via wireless power transfer in dynamic scenarios towards autonomous vehicles.
An Improved blockchain-based secure medical record sharing method
Authors: Bodur Hüseyin
Published: November 2022

Today, the confidentiality and security of patient medical records is of great importance. A database where patient records are kept should not fall into the hands of malicious persons. In addition to keeping medical records confidential and secure, their sharing among various entities such as individuals or institutions must be auditable and controllable. This study proposes a method that enables the storage, access, and sharing of medical data without risking security vulnerability. In the proposed method, data are stored on the cloud, whereas data access information and hash values are stored on a blockchain. The three consensus mechanisms (Proof ofWork (PoW), Proof of Stake (PoS), and Proof of Authority (PoA).) for the proposed scheme are implemented and compared with studies in the literature in terms of security analysis.The performance analysis of the proposed method showed that the Proof of Work gives the best result in terms of block size, while the Proof of Stake gives the best results in terms of block creation time and memory usage. The security analysis showed that the proposed method has many security features and is strong against attacks.
The research on safe range of the anterior transpedicular screw in lower cervical vertebrae
Authors: Ye Sen-qi , Zhang Ji-hui , Hou Zhi-peng , Gu Yong-jie , Yu Liang , Zhao Liu-jun
Published: November 2022

Objective: Exploring the safe range of anterior transpedicular screw (ATPS) in the lower cervical spine.
Methods: Fifty healthy adult cervical spine CT imaging data were selected from our institution for this study. The image data was imported into Mimics 21.0 software in DICOM format for 3D model reconstruction. Then, using the intersection of the pedicle axis and the anterior wall of the vertebral body as the screw entry point, a 3.5 mm simulated screw was inserted. The simulated screw was rotated and moved with the intersection acting as its center. On the horizontal view, the included angle (α) between the simulated screw axis and the mid-sagittal plane, the width of the pedicle, and the distance between the transverse point and the mid-sagittal plane at the anterior vertebral body wall were measured from C3 to C7; On the sagittal view, the included angle (β) between the simulated screw axis and the plane of the anterior vertebral body wall, the height of pedicle, and the distance between the sagittal intersection point and the upper endplate were measured C3 to C7.
Results: No matter in the transverse or sagittal planes, C7 had the largest average safety range, while C3 was the smallest. The average safety range of screw placement on the transverse plane increased from C3 to C7, ranging from 5.25°to 9.43°, of which C7 was the largest (9.43°) and C3 was the smallest (5.25°). The average safety range of screw placement on the sagittal plane showed a trend of first increasing, then decreasing, and then increasing, ranging from 12.57° to 14.70°, of which C7 was the largest (14.70°), and C3 was the smallest (12.57°). There was no statistical difference between the left and right pedicles of the same cervical level (P>0.05).
Conclusions: When the entry point was determined, there was a certain safety range for ATPS in the lower cervical spine. Those are helpful for the clinical application of ATPS technology. However, the individual anatomy of the cervical spine is relatively different, and sufficient preoperative preparations should still be made to ensure the safety and accuracy of screw placement.
The fk-Based Direct Exact Stiffness Matrix Method for Broadband Seismogram Synthesis of a Multi-Scale Crustal Structure Due to Finite Fault Kinematic Sources
Authors: Ba zhenning , Fu Zhanyuan , Zhao Jingxuan , Liu Yue , Sang Qiaozhi
Published: November 2022

Broadband seismograms due to kinematic sources are synthetized using a fk-based direct exact stiffness matrix method. The proposed method imposed no limitations on layer-thickness and frequency, by which the multi-scale characteristics of the crustal model (the velocity and thickness vary from centimeter-level in the near-surface to kilometer-level in deep zones) are well captured without extra computations. The formalized exact global matrix for the fine crustal structure attains symmetric and strongly banded features, which is readily tackled with the developed large-scale matrix inverse algorithms. Seismogram synthesis up to 20Hz is calculated to evaluate effects of fault depth, dip and shallow velocity on ground motion. Results exhibit that the duration of velocity pulse is affected by fault depth, whereas the amplitudes are decreased and the hanging wall effects tend to less striking with increasing buried depth. As the fault dip increases, the location of horizontal velocity maximum moves from hanging wall to the footwall side and the amplitude of vertical acceleration becomes larger owing to the fault mechanism. The ground-motion variability is increased with decreasing shallow velocity, and the distribution pattern of acceleration maximum between two source models is remarkably different. The spectral acceleration shows a dramatic increase of energy for random source model considering perturbations, signifying the predominant effects of source model in ground motion simulation.
Lactoferrin alleviates Western diet-induced cognitive impairment through the microbiome-gut-brain axis
Authors: He Qian , Wu Jiangxue , Li Deming , Guo Ya-Xin , Fan Jingbo , Wu Qingyang , Wang Hai-Peng , Wan Zhongxiao , Xu Jia-Ying , Qin Li-Qiang
Published: November 2022

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that showed demonstrated a beneficial effect on cognitive function in several mouse models; however, its mechanisms are not fully elucidated. This study investigated whether Lf improves high-energy-dense 'Western'-style diets (WD)-induced cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation through microbiome-gut-brain axis. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the CON, WD, Lf, and Lf+AB groups. The mice in the latter three groups fed with WD. The Lf group was intragastrically administered with Lf and the Lf+AB group additionally drank a solution with antibiotics. Some of the mice in the CON, WD, and Lf groups were killed at 2 weeks. The experiments ended at 16 weeks. Behavioral tests, neuroinflammation, and gut microbiota were analyzed. WD resulted in neuroinflammation and impaired cognition. Lf improved the cognitive function as indicated by behavioral tests including nesting behavior test, novel object recognition test, and the Morris water maze test. It also increased the length and curvature of postsynaptic density as observed with a transmission electron microscope and upregulated the related protein expression, suggesting the improvement of the hippocampal neurons and synapses. Lf suppressed microglia activation and proliferation as revealed by immunofluorescence analysis. It decreased the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and downregulated their protein expressions in the hippocampus region. Lf also inhibited the activation of NF‐κB/NLRP3 inflammasomes in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, WD impaired gut permeability and induced gut dysbiosis. Lf upregulated the expression of tight junction proteins, and increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes at phylum and Roseburia at genus, bothare beneficial for anti-obesity, gut barrier, and cognitive function. The antibiotics supplemented in the Lf+AB group eliminated the effects of long-term Lf intervention on cognitive impairment, suggesting that gut microbiota participated in Lf action. The 2-week Lf intervention prevented WD-induced gut microbiota alteration without inducing behavioral changes; these findings supported the timing sequence of gut microbiota to the brain. In Conclusion, our findings demonstrated that Lf intervention alleviated cognitive impairment by inhibiting microglial activation and neuroinflammation through the microbiome-gut-brain axis.
Effect of Increased Mechanical Strength on the Machinability of Graphite Cast Irons in Face Milling
Authors: Reis Alcione dos , Silva Leonardo R Ribeiro da , Silva Aline Elias da , Barbosa Lucas Melo Queiroz , Machado Álisson Rocha , de Andrade Cássio Luiz Francisco , Guesser Wilson Luiz
Published: November 2022

Due to the low cost and high vibration damping capacity, gray cast irons are commonly used in machine tool bases, in addition to applications with noise restrictions, such as engine blocks, housings, and brakes. The matrix's graphite, sulfides, and ferrite/pearlite ratio are some of the most important parameters governing the machinability of the gray cast irons. This work aims to evaluate the machinability of high-resistance gray cast irons of the FC 300 grade, in two versions, with the addition of molybdenum (FC 300(Mo)) and with refined graphite and addition of molybdenum (FC 300(Mo+RG)), for use in cylinder heads and engines blocks, compared to materials that have been used for this purpose, gray cast iron FC 250 and the compacted graphite cast iron FV450. The face milling process was chosen for the tests, as it is widely used in manufacturing cylinder heads and engine blocks. Uncoated cemented carbide tools with tangential rhomboid geometry were used in the experiments. Analysis of tool life and wear mechanisms and machined surfaces' quality (Ra roughness parameter) where the output variables are considered. The materials were characterized according to the cementite interlayer spacing and microhardness of the perlite matrix, the number of eutectic cells, and the distribution of manganese sulfide inclusions, with those characterizations being correlated with the machinability results. The cutting speed and feed were varied, and the dry condition was used. Among the gray cast irons investigated, the FC 300(Mo+RG)presented worse machinability rates because of its greater mechanical resistance and hardness. Regarding the surface finish, at the beginning of the tool life tests (without considering tool wear) and employing the highest cutting speed, the FC 300(Mo+RG)showed the best results, but at the lowest cutting speed, the worst.
How can cry acoustics associate newborns’ distress levels with neurophysiological and behavioral signals?
Authors: LAGUNA ANA , PUSIL SANDRA , ACERO IRENE , VALDIVIA JONATHAN ADRIAN ZEGARRA , PALTRINIERI ANNA LUCIA , PIRAS PAOLO , PALOMARES CLAUDIA , ALGAR OSCAR GARCIA , ORLANDI SILVIA
Published: November 2022

Even though infant crying is a common phenomenon in humans' early life, it is still a challenge for researchers to properly understand it as a reflection of complex neurophysiological functions. Our study aims to determine the association between neonatal cry acoustics with neurophysiological signals and behavioral features according to different distress levels of newborns. Multimodal data from 25 healthy term newborns were collected simultaneously recording infant cry vocalizations, electroencephalography (EEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and videos of facial expressions and body movements. Results showed correlations between most of the features extracted from the signals depending on the infant’s arousal state, among them: fundamental frequency (F0), brain activity (delta, theta and alpha frequency bands), cerebral and body oxygenation, heart rate, facial tension and body rigidity. Additionally, these associations reinforce that what is occurring at an acoustic level can be characterized by behavioral and neurophysiological patterns. Our findings strengthen the potential of crying as a biomarker evidencing the physical, emotional and health status of the infant becoming a crucial tool for caregivers and clinicians.
Safe basins of escape of a weakly-damped particle from a truncated quadratic potential well under harmonic excitation
Authors: Genda Attila , Fidlin Alexander , Gendelman Oleg
Published: November 2022

A weakly damped particle's safe basins (SBs) of escape from a symmetrically truncated, quadratic potential well under harmonic excitation are investigated. It is assumed that the excitation frequency is in the vicinity of the resonant frequency of the potential well. An analytic approach to determine the size and location of the non-escaping set in the plane of the initial conditions (IC) depending on several model parameters (damping coefficient, excitation amplitude, frequency and phase) is introduced. The essential behavior of an SB can be described using only two parameters. The analytic approach also explains why and how the erosion of the SB becomes more sudden if the damping coefficient is increased, which is of upmost importance from an engineering perspective.
Fibrotic matrix induces mesenchymal transformation of epithelial cells in oral submucous fibrosis
Authors: Jiao Kai , Xu Hao-qing , Guo Zhen-xing , Gao Jia-lu , Wang Shu-yan , Yan Jian-fei , Han Xiao-xiao , Qin Wen-pin , Lu Weicheng , Gao Chang-he , Niu Li-na
Published: November 2022

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a precancerous state of the oral mucosa; however, whether and how the fibrotic matrix of OSF is involved in the malignant transformation of epithelial cells remains unknown. Herein, oral mucosa tissue from patients with OSF, arecoline-induced rat OSF models, and their controls were used to observe the extracellular matrix changes and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in fibrotic lesions, and to explore the effects and mechanism of matrix stiffness on epithelial cell EMT. Compared with the controls, oral mucous tissues from patient exhibited increased number of myofibroblasts, decreased number of blood vessels and increased type I and type III collagen levels, with thicker, less porous, and disorderly arranged fibers. The oral mucous tissues from humans and OSF rats showed increased stiffness compared with the controls, accompanied by increased EMT activities of epithelial cells. Moreover, stiff collagen constructs caused increased EMT and proliferation of epithelial cells compared with soft constructs, and caused increased expression of Piezo1 and YAP. The EMT activities of stiff construct-cultured epithelial cells were significantly increased by exogenous Piezo1 activation, and decreased by YAP inhibition. During ex vivo implantation, the cells in the epithelium of the stiff group showed increased EMT activities and increased levels of Piezo1 and YAP compared with those in the sham and soft groups. We concluded that increased stiffness of the fibrotic matrix in OSF led to increased proliferation and EMT of mucosal epithelial cells, in which the Piezo1-YAP signal transduction is important.
Valence Engineering Driven Multiple Mechanisms of Superior Antioxidant Nanosheets for Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Liu Quan , Ren Yaping , Jia Huimin , Tong Yuping , Kotha Sumasri , Mao Xiaobo , Huang Yongwei , Zheng Zhi , He Weiwei
Published: November 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and highly lethal lung disease that largely associated with oxidative stress. Unfortunately, there is currently no effective antioxidant therapy targeting oxidative stress pathogenesis. One key and great challenge is finding ideal antioxidant materials with superior anti-fibrotic effects. In this study, we report novel antioxidant V4C3 nanosheets (V4C3 NSs) for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis by scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. It is found that the subtle auto-oxidation can adjust the valence composition of V4C3 NSs and prominently improve their antioxidant behavior. The valence engineering triggers the multiple antioxidant mechanisms of electron transfer, H atom transfer and enzyme like catalysis, thus endowing V4C3 NSs with broad-spectrum, high-efficiency and persistent antioxidant capacity. Benefiting from the super antioxidant properties and high biocompatibility, V4C3 NSs can significantly prevent myofibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix abnormality, thus alleviating the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by ROS scavenging, anti-inflammation and rebuilding antioxidant defenses in the bleomycin-induced animal model. This study not only provides an important strategy for designing excellent antioxidant nanomaterials, but also proposes a nanoscheme for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and other oxidative stress-related diseases.
Risk factors and ultrasound aspects associated with Urogenital Schistosomiasis among primary school children in Mali (West Africa)
Authors: Agniwo Privat , Sidibé Bakary , Diakité Assitan Traoré , Niaré Safiatou Doumbo , Guindo Hassim , Akplogan Aristode , Ibikounlé Moudachirou , Boissier Jerôme , Dabo AAbdoulaye
Published: November 2022

Background:Urogenital schistosomiasis is endemic in Mali and a major cause of morbidity in large parts of the world. It is of great socioeconomic and public health importance and has important consequences. The aim of our work was to study the risk factors and ultrasound aspects associated with urogenital schistosomiasis.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in November 2021 with 971 children aged 6 to 14 years randomly recruited in six schools in three districts in the Kayes region. Demographic, socioeconomic and clinical data were collected. Hematuria was systematically searched by strips and Schistosoma haematobium eggs in urine detected by the filtration method. The urinary tract was examined by ultrasound. Associations between each of these variables and disease infection were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.
Results: The overall prevalence was 50.2% with an average intensity of 36 eggs (1 to 1020 eggs)/10mL of urine. Urogenital schistosomiasis infection did not vary according to sex or age group. There is no correlation between risk factors and the urogenital schistosomiasis infection. Hematuria was strongly associated with urogenital schistosomiasis infection (p<0.0001). Among the 240 children who participated to the ultrasound examinations, focal lesion on bladder was observed, while ultrasound findings of the urethra and kidneys revealed a very low rate of dilatation.
Conclusion: This work shows that parasitological findings and ultrasound signs, especially bladder lesions, were strongly associated with urinary schistosomiasis (p<0.0001). Despite of mass drug administration based on Praziquantel urogenital schistosomiasis infection is still endemic in the study site.
Impact of climate change on nomadic herders’ livelihoods: a case study of Bakarwal tribe in the western Himalayas in India
Authors: Ahmed Sharief , Iqbal Zaffar , Antahal Prakash C.
Published: November 2022

This study quantifies the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of nomadic herders in the western Himalayas in India, who depend on natural resources for their livelihood, and are herding livestock. In this research paper, we have collected primary data from 235 nomadic herders on their perceptions regarding the variables of climate change. We analysed the primary data using factor analysis and found that due to climate change, in the last few decades, nomads are experiencing reduced and untimely rainfall and increased temperature which ultimately results in the reduced growth of pasture, reduced quality and quantity of pasture, pasture plants are replacing by weedy plants, harvesting time of pasture reduced, drying of sources of water in later days at winter residence, seasons have changed, experiencing unstable weather, and reduced grazing areas are bringing the drought-like situation in the area. Further, this creates major challenges in raising livestock with less pasture, water availability, increased environmental diseases risk bringing starvation and death of livestock, reduced milk, wool and meat quality and quantity, and the reduced market price of final goods. Which brings a serious impact on the economic activities of nomadic herders in the region. Climate change also forced the nomadic herders in the region to early migration, which let them face difficulties like ice over the mountain passes, lesser grass along the paths for grazing, unexpected avalanches, thunderstorm or hailstorm and intense rains on the way to the uplands. Finally, this study brings to the notice of policymakers, climatologists, local governments, and animal health departments that climate change is changing the endangering the life of nomadic herders and we should develop appropriate plans to minimise the loss.
Characterizing Urban Sprawl of a Rapidly Growing Non-Metro Region in India: A Geospatial-Based Landscape Metrics Analysis for Salem, India
Authors: Linda Theres B , Selvakumar R , Sathyakumar Vasu
Published: November 2022

Unrestrained urbanisation is a significant challenge to sustainable development, particularly in rapidly developing countries like India. Widespread informal urbanisation in resource-poor areas leads to inadequate urban physical infrastructures like housing, transportation, water supply, and waste management. In this context, generating cost-effective information on urban sprawl patterns can assist planners in proactively enhancing physical Infrastructure and efficiently orienting urban development. However, the existing research on urban sprawl has predominantly focused on the large megapolises, leading to an extensive knowledge gap on non-metro regions that also experience significant urban development pressure. This study addresses this gap by focusing on the Salem region in Tamil Nadu, India. The study uses freely available remote sensing data and GIS-based landscape metrics to describe Salem and nearby urban centers' growth patterns from 2000 to 2020. The study methodology includes three primary analyses: i) Buffer analysis to fix the urban growth threshold around each town; ii) Centroid shift analysis to identify the macro urbanisation pattern; and iii) Landscape metrics analysis for micro-level urban growth characterisation. The study results show that the neighbouring towns influence Salem's growth. The Omalur's directional growth and proximity suggest it could become a Salem satellite town in the coming decades. These findings provide essential inputs for planning a more sustainable Salem city and contribute to the current literature gap on the sprawl characteristics of India's non-metro cities.
S100 proteins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hu Yihong , Han Yucheng , He Minhui , Zhang Yanqun , Zou Xianqiong
Published: November 2022

The most common tumor affecting the head and neck is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Characteristics of HNSCC include rapid onset, a lack of early diagnosis, drug resistance, relapse and systemic adverse effects, leading to inadequate prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Notably, previous research suggests that there is an association between S100 proteins and HNSCC. S100A8, S100A9 and S100A14 interfere with tumor cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle. S100A4 enhances cancer stem cell properties, and interacts with actin and tropomyosin to promote tumor cell migration. S100A1, S100A8, S100A9, S100A10, S100A14 and S100P are involved in the occurrence and development of HNSCC via Hippo, nuclear factor κB, phosphatidylinositol kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin and other signaling pathways. In addition, certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs are involved in regulating the expression of S100 proteins in HNSCC. Reducing the expression of certain members of the S100 protein family may improve the chemosensitivity of HNSCC. Collectively, these results suggested that S100 proteins may act as markers and targets for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.
Performance of monocyte distribution width in predicting the need for respiratory support in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Daorattanachai Kiattichai , Hirunrut Chachchom , Pirompanich Pattarin , Weschawalit Sinee , Srivilait Winchana
Published: November 2022

Background:The emergence of the novel coronavirus caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in a global pandemic whose clinical features ranged from asymptomatic infection to a severe fulminant respiratory distress and death. The monocyte distribution width (MDW) is a novel inflammatory biomarker that reflects morphological changes in response to inflammation and has been shown to useful in identifying COVID-19 identification and predicting death. There are limited data on the use of MDW for predicting the need for respiratory support.The aim of the study was to determinethe performance of MDW in predicting the need for respiratory support in patients with SAR-CoV-2 infection.Methods:Our retrospective cohort study was conducted at Thammasat University hospital, Thailand. Hospitalized COVID-19 adult patients were enrolled. Respiratory support was any one of oxygen therapy, high flow nasal cannula, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation. The performance of MDW was measured using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AuROC) curve and multivariable logistic regression analysis evaluated the independent effect of MDW on respiratory support.Results:Of the 250 enrolled patients, 122 (48.8%) patients were received respiratory support. The mean MDW was significantly higher in respiratory support group: 27.2±4.6 vs 23.6±4.1 (p<0.001). An MDW≥25 alone had the best AuROC characteristics: 0.70 [95% confidence interval (CI); 0.65-0.76] for a sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of 71.9%, 68.2%, and 2.26, respectively. Combining age, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation increased the AUROC to 0.84 (95% CI; 0.79-0.88). Increasing age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.03], respiratory rate (aOR 1.11) and MDW≥25 (aOR 3.42) significantly increased the odds of needing respiratory support whilst a higher oxygen saturation significantly reduced it (aOR 0.81).Conclusion:MDW is a promising biomarker for predicting the need of respiratory support in COVID-19 patients and can easily be implemented in routine clinical practice.
Symptomatic vasospasm after resection of an intracranial epidermoid cyst: A case report
Authors: Higashino Masashi , Koyama Junji , Fujita Kenji , Akutsu Nobuyuki , Kawamura Atsufumi
Published: November 2022

We report a 10-year-old girl who developed symptomatic vasospasm after complete resection of a left cerebellopontine angle epidermoid cyst. Conservative management with intravenous hydration and administration of a corticosteroid and free radical scavenger was effective in resolving her symptoms and radiologic vasospasm. This rare complication should be considered even after an uneventful operation.
DarkFight: A detection method of violent behavior in dark place for intelligent monitoring system
Authors: Wang Jun , Xu Xiaolong
Published: November 2022

With the continuous development of deep learning, the use of deep learning methods for intelligent violent behavior recognition has become an active research field in computer vision. However, there are relatively few studies on violent behavior recognition in dark light environment. In this paper, we propose the DarkFight network model for violent behavior recognition in dark light environment. In the proposed DarkFight model, Resnet50 is used as the basic network model to extract features. In order to obtain multi-scale spatiotemporal features, DarkFight adds a multi-scale attention module PSA to the network. The DarkFight model uses Zero-DCE for low-light image enhancement. In order not to lose the spatiotemporal characteristics of the low-light environment, DarkFight uses the initial dark-light data and the enhanced data as the input to the two paths of the model. In addition, this paper researches the replacement of the traditional temporal global average pooling layer of the network with the BERT module to better utilize the temporal information when fusing the two path features. We construct a violent behavior dataset VDID (Violence Detection in Dark) in a dark-light environment, and conduct experimental verification on this dataset. The verification results show that the recognition precision of the DarkFight model increases by 2.51%, the accuracy increases by 3.4%, and the F1-score improves by 0.032.
A Novel Approach to Detect and Prevent Data Leakage in IoT using Blockchain Technology
Authors: M NAVANEETHAN , S JANAKIRAMAN
Published: November 2022

The Internet of Things is the next step in the evolution of communication and business(IoT). Real-world objects can create, receive, and exchange data in a seamless manner thanks to the Internet of Things. Several Internet of Things apps aims to automate processes and enable inanimate physical devices to work without human involvement. Existing and future IoT systems offer a lot of potential in terms of improving user comfort, efficiency, and automation. To integrate such a world in an ever-increasing way, high levels of security, privacy, authentication, and attack recovery are required. In this paper, the IoT data and logs are processed with a special Keyword Based Detection System (KBDS) based on the known data & log pattern and stored data attributes, and detect whether the data is shareable or not to the external world based on the sensitivity. Every data flow is noted and managed by the user in the User-Console. If the data is not shareable it will Alert-To-User (ATU). Then the data is getting stored in the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), the IPFS hash related to the data & logs will be stored in Blockchain. Using Smart contract the user can decide to share which data to respective third-party.
Characteristic of CuMn Alloy Films Prepared by Using Electrochemical Deposition
Authors: Lee Wen-Hsi , Puteri Narendra Gharini , Chang C. W.
Published: November 2022

Copper-manganese (Cu-Mn) alloys are usually used in resistance materials with a low resistance and low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). However, current research and development has been mainly focused on thin film materials deposited by the sputtering method, which is also by the cost due to its vacuum equipment. In the study, three kinds of electrochemical deposition methods were used to prepare a Cu-Mn-Cu switch structure. Firstly, we prepared the Al thick film as the sacrificial layer by screen printing on the Al2O3 substrate, and then transformed the Al thick film into the Cu thick film by the chemical oxidation-reduction replacement reaction at 80°C for 75 minutes. Secondly, the electroplating method was used to deposit Mn on the as-replaced Cu film. Based on the results of the SEM and XRD, it could be seen that a high quality and desired Cu-Mn 9:1 ratio could be obtained by depositing at 1.6V for 10 minutes. Finally, the top Cu layer was coated on the surface again by electroless plating to complete the sandwich structure of the Cu-Mn-Cu. Sequentially, annealing under normal pressure in reducing the atmosphere was done to make the Cu and Mn interdiffusion into the alloy phase. Both the XPS and Raman confirmed that annealing in a nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere could extremely reduce the possibility of manganese oxidation and showed promising electrical properties such as a low temperature coefficient of resistance at 900℃ (150 ppm).
Response of “Lollo Bionda” lettuce to drip and porous pipe irrigation
Authors: Kunze Alexander , Spreer Wolfram , Beck Michael , Kell Karin , Max Johannes F. J.
Published: November 2022

Under the impression of changing rainfall patterns, agriculture in Germany faces increasing drought stress problems and water saving irrigation is gaining importance in the agricultural practice. Porous pipes for subsurface irrigation are an innovative method which is promoted as a water-efficient way to apply irrigation water. In the present study “Ecotubes” porous pipe irrigation was used for irrigation of “Lollo Bionda” lettuce at the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf in Southern Germany and compared to state-of-the art drip irrigation both at surface and sub-surface installation. Four treatments were compared during three experimental cycles “summer”, “late summer” and “autumn”: (a) drip irrigation in standard surface installation (control), (b) sub-surface drip irrigation, (c) porous pipes at standard operation and (d) porous pipes at very low pressure. The treatments were compared in terms of crop development, irrigation water applied, yield and water use efficiency (WUE). The highest yields were observed at low pressure irrigation with porous pipes (39.4 t/ha) followed by subsurface drip irrigation (36 t/ha). However, it was shown that the total amount of irrigation water applied, rather than the irrigation method determined the overall yield level. Subsurface irrigation methods had the highest WUE with 50.5 and 49.6 kg/m3 for porous pipes and subsurface drip irrigation, respectively. The study shows that subsurface micro irrigation systems are good for water saving horticultural production in Germany. The use of porous pipes is a good option for subsurface irrigation depending on the technological development in terms of installation and recovery, and the durability of the material.
Temperature effect on electrochemical properties of lithium manganese phosphate with carbon coating and decorating with MWCNT for lithium-ion battery
Authors: Robles J. Herrera , Montes H. Camacho , Casillas P. E. García , Velasco-Santos C. , Martínez-Hernández A. L. , Herrera O. Raymond , Aquino J. A. Matutes , Coba L. Fuentes , Contreras L. Alvarez , Bordia R. K.
Published: November 2022

The ever-increasing demands for higher energy density and higher power capacity of Li-ion secondary batteries have led to a search for electrode materials whose capacities and performance are better than those available today. One candidate is lithium manganese phosphate, and it is necessary to understand its transport properties. These properties are crucial for designing high-power Li-ion batteries. In order to analyze the effect on the electronic conductivity with a conductor material, carbon nanotubes multi-walled, and glucose were used as a carbon source. Here the transport properties of LiMnPO4, LiMnPO4/C, and LiMnPO4/MWCNT are investigated using impedance spectroscopy. The electronic conductivity is found to increase with increasing the temperature from 2.92 x 10− 5 S cm− 1 to 6.11 x 10− 5 S cm− 1. The magnetization curves are investigated, and antiferromagnetic behavior below 34K is reported for the three compositions. The structural characterizations were explored to confirm the phase formation of material with XRD, TEM, and SEM
Short term effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors on lipid regulation in coronary artery disease patients undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Propensity-Matched Analysis
Authors: Lin Maoning , Shan Yu , Hu Xiaolong , Zhou Hui , Chen Zhezhe , Li Duanbin , Gao Menghan , Yang Siwei , Zhang Wenbin , Wang Min
Published: November 2022

Background
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are currently widely used hypoglycemic drugs. Due to its cardiorenal protective effect independent of hypoglycemic effect, it is turning out to be progressively significant in the cardiovascular field. However, the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on lipids is still controversial. We aimed to investigate whether the use of SGLT2 inhibitors could further down-regulate LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) level of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with background hypolipidemic therapy.
Methods
The longitudinal data were collected from Hospital Information System (HIS) of the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. SGLT2 inhibitor users and nonusers undergoing PCI were selected. Lipid data at baseline and 1-month follow-up after PCI were recorded. Propensity score 1:1 matching (PSM), inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), and overlap weighting (OW) were performed to adjust baseline demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results
We identified 2451 coronary artery disease patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. On the one month follow up after PCI, the serum lipid profile of all patients showed that triglyceride (TG) (1.26 [0.94;1.75] vs 1.47 [1.06;2.06], P < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (3.32 [2.83;3.90] vs 4.20 [3.51;5.13], P < 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) (1.69 [1.27;2.13] vs 2.43 [1.81;3.12], P < 0.001), and VLDL-cholesterol (VLDL-C) (0.34 [0.14;0.57] vs 0.46 [0.22;0.74], P < 0.001) decreased significantly; Free fatty acids (FFA) (0.48 [0.33;0.61] vs 0.45 [0.28;0.56], P < 0.001) increased; HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipoprotein(a) (Lpa) have no significant difference (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the changes of seven indexes of serum lipid profile in PSM cohort, including 361 SGLT2 inhibitor users and 361 nonusers (P > 0.05). Similar trends were observed in IPTW and OW cohorts (P > 0.05).
Conclusions
In coronary artery disease patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, SGLT2 inhibitors do not confer benefit or harm on lipid regulation in the context of the original hypolipidemic strategy.
Urolithin B attenuates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by modulating Nrf2-regulated anti-oxidation in rats
Authors: Li lizhiwei , Tang Hua , Chen Xin-xin , Li Xuan-xuan , Chen Mao-hua , Ba Hua-jun , Lin Qun , Dai Jun-xia , Cai Jian-yong , Lu Chuan , Chen Xian-dong , Sun Jun , Han Guo-sheng
Published: November 2022

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) causes a wide range of irreversible injuries. Cerebral IR injury (IRI) refers to further brain tissue damage after regaining blood flow following cerebral ischemia. Methods to treat IRI are still far from being established. Oxidative stress is one of the main mechanisms of IRI initializing, and considered as an essential entry point of the treatment of IRI. Urolithin B (UB, 3-Hydroxy-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one) is a metabolite of ellagitannins, which are antioxidant polyphenols and has been found to be protective against oxidative stress in a variety of diseases. It is unclear how UB affects cerebral IRI, however. In our present study, using a neurological deficit score, we found that UB could suppress IR-induced neurological functional damage. 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and neuron nissl staining showed that cerebral infarction was improved after administration of UB. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dNTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and Caspase-3 measurement indicated that UB inhibited neuronal apoptosis. The oxidative stress level, reduced by UB, was analyzed by malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and immunohistochemistry of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and 8-hydroxyl-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Mechanically, UB stimulated Nrf2/HO-1signaling pathway. The injection of ATRA, an Nrf2 inhibitor, significantly reduced UB's neuroprotective effects mentioned above. To sum up, UB inhibits oxidative stress caused by IR through activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, and could potentially be used for the treatment of IRI.
Dating Greek Papyri Images with Machine Learning
Authors: Paparrigopoulou Asimina , Pavlopoulos John , Konstantinidou Maria
Published: November 2022

Dating papyri accurately is crucial not only to editing their texts, but also for our understanding of palaeography and the history of writing, ancient scholarship, material culture, networks in antiquity, etc. Most ancient manuscripts offer little evidence regarding the time of their production, forcing papyrologists to date them on palaeographical grounds, a method often criticized for its subjectivity. By experimenting with data obtained from the Collaborative Database of Dateable Greek Bookhands and the PapPal online collections of objectively dated Greek papyri, this study shows that deep learning dating models, pre-trained on generic images, can achieve accurate chronological estimates for a test subset (67.97% accuracy for bookhands and 55.25% for documents). To compare the estimates of these models with those of humans, experts were asked to complete a questionnaire with samples of literary and documentary hands that had to be sorted chronologically by century. The same samples were dated by the models in question. The results are presented and analysed.
Evaluation of the growth rates and related prognostic factors in radiation-induced meningiomas
Authors: Entenmann Christian Joachim , Bubeníková Adéla , Blažko Jana , Zápotocký Michal , Kruseová Jarmila , Sumerauer David , Trková Kateřina , Sochová Vladimíra , Koblížek Miroslav , Kynčl Martin , Malinová Běla , Bradáč Ondřej ,   Vladimír Beneš 3rd
Published: November 2022

Purpose
Literature dedicated to growth patterns and growth rate influencing factors of radiation-induced meningiomas (RIMs) is limited. To deliver new insights into the topic, a volumetric growth analysis of RIMs was performed.
Methods
This single-center, retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with intracranial meningioma who received radiation treatment at least > 5 years before the RIM diagnosis. Volumetric analysis of individual RIMs was performed using 3D volumetry at the time of RIM diagnosis and during follow-up. RIM growth was determined by calculating absolute (AGR), and relative (RGR) growth rates. Prognostic factors associated with RIM growth were evaluated.
Results
A total of 26 patients with 33 meningiomas were enrolled in the study and radiologically/clinically followed up during a median duration of 5.6 years (IQR, 3.9–8.8 years). Median AGR was 0.19 cm3 per year and the median RGR was 34.5% per year. Surgically managed RIMs were more likely fast-growing compared to observed ones based on the AGR (p < 0.002). The recurrence rate after total resection was 14.3%. A larger RIM volume at diagnosis was associated with symptomatic presentation (p = 0.007). Younger age at RIM diagnosis was associated with higher tumor growth (RGR ≥ 30%, p = 0.040). A significant correlation was found between the length of latency period and the RGR (p = 0.005).
Conclusion
To diagnose RIM as early as possible comprehensive MRI surveillance is required. Younger patients with shorter latency periods may profit from shortened MRI intervals, with further management being dependent on the growth rate and symptomatology.