bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Higher-order adaptive BFGS algorithm for nonconvex functions
Authors: Li Xiangli , Li Binglan , Wang Zhiling
Published: March 2024

Quasi-Newton methods are commonly used to solve unconstrained optimization problems, among which BFGS method is one of the most common quasi-Newton method, which has stable and good performance.Whether BFGS method has global convergence or not under weak Wolfe-Powell (WWP) line search is a widely concerned issue in recent years. BFGS method can be easily proved to have global convergence for convex functions, but not for general nonconvex functions. Therefore we propose an modified BFGS algorithm with global convergence, and the following properties are shown in this algorithm:(i) a special descent condition is proposed to classify the iteration points into two categories; (ii) we construct a new paraboloid and the corresponding projection technique by utilizing the information of the third-order expansion of the function; (iii) for the points satisfying the special descent conditions, the original BFGS update formula is used; (iv) for points that do not satisfy the conditions, they are projected onto the proposed paraboloid.Our new improved BFGS algorithm has global convergence under WWP search and also has good numerical performance.
ECG Captioning with Prior-Knowledge
Transformer and Diffusion Probabilistic Model
Authors: Tran Thi Diem , Tran Ngoc Quoc , Dang Thi Thu Khiet , Pham Hoai Luan , Nakashima Yasuhiko
Published: March 2024

Deep learning-based ECG interpretation has recently surfaced as a promising technique in automating report generation to reduce time and expense at the clinic. However, ECG descriptions generated by previous methods show considerable limitations compared with the diagnosis from cardiologists. This research proposes a deep network for extracting features by concatenating two networks: 1D input signal and 2D input spectrogram. Conjoining characteristics 1D and 2D push the captioning network based on the Transformer, focusing on complicated ECG components such as the P and T waves. Besides, we propose a novel approach for the prior knowledge module that utilizes the CO-attention Siamese Network to increase accuracy and performance to comprehend unique ECG characteristics. We also suggest an efficient augmentation technique to reduce the data imbalance and the FNet module to optimize the attention blocks in the Transformer design. The performance is validated using the PhysioNet Challenge 2021 database with approximately 88,243 twelve-lead ECG recordings. We train the model on free-text annotations of ECGs; the BLEU1, BLEU2, BLEU3, BLEU4, METEOR, ROUGE, and CIDEr scores are 0.88, 0.87, 0.81, 0.79, 0.62, 0.88, and 8.35, respectively, compared our output with generated captions based on the clinic standard. Using the public China Physiological Signal Challenge dataset, our proposal outperforms the earlier efforts for classification problems on the Sinus, First-degree atrioventricular block, and PVC rhythms. This study shows that a deep neural network appropriately trained on unstructured free-text physician annotations might lessen cardiologists' clinical workload when interpreting cardiovascular illness for patients. According to the concept, captioning ECG reports via a deep neural network may assist clinicians in evaluating ECG and reducing clinical workload.
Analysis of two glass eye (Jatim) beads unearthed from the Northern Wei tomb complex in Dongxin, Datong
Authors: Jia Yanqin , Cui Jianfeng , Cao Chenming
Published: March 2024

This study analyzed two glass eye beads discovered in an ancient tomb complex at Dongxin Furniture Square in Datong, Shanxi Province in China. The tomb complex was dated to the Northern Wei Dynasty (398–494 AD), when Datong was known as Pingcheng. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) as well as a 3D microscope system with ultra-depth of field to conduct non-destructive tests on the beads. We examined the beads’ manufacturing techniques, including matrices, eye patterns, and bead holes. The composition analysis revealed that both beads belonged to the Na2O–CaO–SiO2 glass system. The bases were colored using Co2+, whereas the white, red, and yellow colors of the eye patterns were achieved using SnO2, Cu2O, or Cu0, and PbSnO3, respectively. These findings indicated that both objects were Jatim beads originating in the Kingdom of Java in Southeast Asia. This study provides valuable insights into ancient trade routes between different regions and offers reliable scientific evidence of the glass trade and technical exchanges in ancient times.
The “Integration Of Sports And Medicine” To Promote The Change Of Adolescent Sports Behavior: Application Based On TTM
Authors: Zhang Tingran , Yang Yi , Liu Shiqi , Wang Kun , Liu Hengxu , Luo Jiong
Published: March 2024

Background Currently, sports related sudden death accidents have occurred frequently among Chinese teenagers due to insufficient physical exercise, resulting in a decline in physical fitness. Therefore, in the context of the "Healthy China 2030" strategic outline, it is urgent to solve the physical health problems of teenagers and promote their lifelong fitness habits.Method Through collecting relevant research documents and based on the transtheoretical model (TTM), this study focuses on the current situation, impact path, coping strategies, processes, and other issues of Chinese teenagers' fitness behavior, and constructs a model framework of "integration of sports and medicine" to promote the formation of teenagers' sports behavior.Results The study pointed out that the development of adolescent sports behavior requires schools, communities, and medical and health institutions to adopt integrated intervention measures, with "3 (sports knowledge and concepts, healthy lifestyle and behavior, sports skills training) + 6 (safety and first aid, scientific health concept, health information, infectious disease prevention, chronic disease prevention, basic medical treatment)" as the main content of the health fitness evaluation system, Only by designing a diversified intervention plan that conforms to the sports stage of each teenager can we successfully promote individual sports behavior to develop in a regular direction.Conclusions Guided by a cross theoretical model and starting from biomedical and non medical health interventions, the "integration of sports and medicine" intervention model can effectively integrate the health resources of adolescents, promote the development of extracurricular sports activities in schools, and improve their fitness behavior.
Compositional uniqueness and species contribution to beta diversity of aquatic macrophyte metacommunities from coastal wetlands
Authors: Rossano Claudio , Schneck Fabiana
Published: March 2024

The partitioning of overall beta diversity into local contributions (LCBD) and species contributions (SCBD) has enhanced the understanding of the organization of metacommunities. Here, we evaluated LCBD and SCBD of aquatic macrophyte metacomunnities from 29 subtropical coastal wetlands, covering an extension of 640 km, in southern Brazil. Furthermore, we assessed the environmental uniqueness, considering both the physical and chemical variables of water in wetlands, as well as climatic variables. We assessed the environmental and spatial correlates of LCBD and the environmental correlates of SCBD. We expected that (i) more unique communities would be found in environmentally more unique wetlands; (ii) the compositional uniqueness would also be related to climatic variables that determine the hydrological changes in wetlands; (iii) the contribution of emergent species to beta diversity would be lower than of floating and submerged species. The compositional uniqueness did not present a clear spatial structure, being positively related to uniqueness in water chemistry and negatively to the mean air temperature during the driest quarter. The species contribution to beta diversity was higher for floating species than for emergent ones. Moreover, SCBD correlated to climatic variables and presented a positive relationship with site occupation, suggesting that more frequent species in terms of site occurrence" contribute most to beta diversity. Our results show the importance of local environmental and broader climatic predictors in determining the compositional uniqueness of macrophyte communities and the species contributions to overall beta diversity in the coastal wetlands of southern Brazil.
The clinical efficacy comparison of tibial cortex transverse transport and platelet-rich plasma treatment of severe diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Zhen Puxiang , Su Hongjie , Yang Sijie , Chen Xiang , Dong Shunan , Lin Zhanming , Liu Sainan
Published: March 2024

Objective The comparison analysis uses the clinical efficacy of the tibial cortex transverse transport and the enrichment of platelet plasma to treat severe diabetic foot ulcers and the effects of vascular endothelial cell vitality.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on two groups of patients treated at our hospital from July 2019 to June 2022. One group received tibial cortex transverse transport (TTT) and the other received platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Both groups had Wagner level 3 or greater. We compared clinical efficacy, wound healing, arterial and posterior tibial arterial blood flow rates, and horizontal SDF-1 levels in peripheral blood between the groups.Results TTT group had higher healing rates at 1.5-year follow-up than the PRP group (96.67% [29/30] versus 80% [24/30], p < 0.05). The healing time of the TTT group was shorter than the control group (3.02 ± 0.84 versus 6.04 ± 0.85 months, p = 0.000). The amputation rate (3.33% [1/30] versus 20% [6/30], p < 0.05) and recurrence rate (6.67% [2/30] versus 26.67% [8/30], p < 0.05) of the TTT group were lower than the control group. One month after surgery and last follow-up, the SDF-1 concentration in the perimeter of the TTT group was significantly higher than the PRP group (375.36 ± 13.52 versus 251.93 ± 9.82 pg/ml, p = 0.000; 256.62 ± 13.19 versus 239.95 ± 10.78 pg/ml, p = 0.000). The average blood flow speed in the arterial artery of the TTT group was faster than the PRP group (68.93 ± 2.69 versus 58.14 ± 2.48 cm/s, p = 0.000) 4 weeks postoperatively and (55.68 ± 3.43 versus 46.07 ± 3.02 cm/s, p = 0.000) last follow-up.Conclusion The findings showed that TTT had better efficacy than PRP in treating severe diabetic foot ulcers. It could effectively stimulate SDF-1 expression, promote vascular hyperplasia, and accelerate wound healing.
Association between serum total indoxyl sulfate, intraperitoneal inflammation, and peritoneal dialysis technique failure: a 3-year prospective cohort study
Authors: Stepanova Natalia , Driianska Victoria , Korol Lesya , Snisar Lyudmyla
Published: March 2024

Background
The impact of protein-bound uremic toxins, specifically indoxyl sulfate (IS) on peritoneal dialysis (PD) complications remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the link between serum total IS (tIS) levels, proinflammatory cytokines in serum and peritoneal dialysate effluent (PDE), and PD techniques survival.
Methods
In this prospective cohort study, 84 patients were followed up for three years and analyzed. Stratification into Low tIS (< 22.6 µmol/L) and High tIS (≥ 22.6 µmol/L) groups was based on the median serum tIS concentration. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier, receiving operation characteristic, and Cox regression analyses assessed associations between tIS levels, cytokine concentrations (IL-6, MCP-1, TNF-α), and PD technique failure.
Results
The High tIS group exhibited poor clinical characteristics compared with the Low-tIS group. Elevated tIS levels significantly correlated with higher PDE cytokine levels, without a corresponding rise in serum cytokine levels. Serum tIS levels ≥ 50 µmol/L predicted PD technique failure with 70.4% sensitivity and 87.9% specificity (p < 0.0001). The association between high tIS levels and PD technique failure persisted after adjusting for relevant factors (HR 3.14, 95% CI 1.13; 8.72), but the inclusion of PDE cytokines in the model diminished this association (HR 2.18, 95% CI 0.93; 5.14).
Conclusion
Our findings underscore the link between elevated tIS levels, peritoneal inflammation, and an increased risk of PD technique failure. Monitoring tIS levels in PD patients may be clinically relevant for risk assessment and personalized management, potentially enhancing long-term PD outcomes. Future research could explore interventions targeting tIS reduction to alleviate peritoneal inflammation and improve PD prognosis.
Area of residual tumor measurement after preoperative chemotherapy as an objective and quantitative method for predicting prognosis of gastric cancer: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Nagata Hiromi , Sakashita Shingo , Kojima Motohiro , Taki Tetsuro , Kuwata Takeshi , Yura Masahiro , Kinoshita Takahiro , Shitara Kohei , Ishii Genichiro , Sakamoto Naoya
Published: March 2024

Purpose
Anticancer drug therapy plays an indispensable role in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC), and pathologists usually evaluate the effectiveness of therapy using surgically resected specimens. Measurement of the area of the residual tumor (ART) has been reported to be a quantitative and useful method for prognosticating several cancers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of ART in predicting the outcomes of patients with GC after preoperative chemotherapy.
Methods
In this single-center retrospective study, we examined the relationship between ART and survival outcomes. We included 92 patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy followed by radical gastrectomy for GC. Digital images were used to measure the area of residual cancer cells in the largest slice of the tumor of each patient's surgical specimen. We subclassified the patients into two groups: ART-0 (ART < 0.1 mm2, excluding carcinoma in situ) and non-ART-0, and compared their clinicopathological factors and prognosis.
Results
Significant differences were noted in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival between ART-0 and non-ART-0. Multivariate analysis revealed that non-ART-0 and ypN-positive status were independent poor prognostic factors for RFS. Subgroup analysis with ypN and ART showed that the patient groups with ypN-negative and ART-0 had a significantly better prognosis (P < 0.001) than the other groups.
Conclusion
The ART-based assessment is a promising quantitative tool for predicting the prognosis of patients with GC who undergo preoperative chemotherapy and radical gastrectomy.
Exploring the Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Gut Microbiota: A Multi-Omics Approach
Authors: Zhang Chunying , Li Mengjiao , Lyu Mengyuan , Zhou Yanbing , Wang Yili , You Liting , Liu Tangyuheng , Peng Wu , Bai Hao , Zhao Zhenzhen , Ying Binwu
Published: March 2024

Background: A number of unanswered questions remain regarding the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and our gut microbiota, which consists of microbial life within our bodies. Multi-omics is an effective strategy to reveal the mechanism of disease, including tuberculosis, but there are few reports on TB by using multi-omics.
Methods: In this study, we integrated omics analysis to investigate the altered gut microbiota and fecal metabolomic profiles in TB patients using 16S rDNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A total of 29 untreated TB patients and 29 health controls (HCs) were recruited in this study. we sequenced the 16S rDNA V3-V4 variable regions to obtain the intestinal microbiota and evaluated the diagnostic ability for TB of the differential intestinal microbiota. Then the fecal metabolic profiles were investigated by LC-MS.
Results: the intestinal microbiota in TB patients was significantly changed compared with that in HCs. Nine differential intestinal microbiota (genus)，including Akkermansia, Erysipelotrichaceae, Clostridium_innocuum_group, Eubacterium_hallii_group, Eubacterium_ventriosum_group, Lachnospira, Ruminococcus_2, Roseburia and Blautia, can distinct TB patients from HCs with high accuracy (sensitivity 79.3%, specificity 89.7%). A total of 33 significantly differential-metabolites in TB patients were identified by the metabolomics analysis, and the indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) enriched in TB patients showed the strongest correlation with intestinal microbiota.
Conclusions: The gut microbiota composition and metabolic profiles significant changed in TB patients in TB patients, which can be used as potential preventive and therapeutic targets for TB, and IPA enriched in TB patients may play an important role in the pathogenesis of TB.
Sodium Alginate Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Hydrogel beads for Oral Drug Delivery
Authors: Ullah Hidayat , Akram Muhammad , Khan Haiqa , Irfan Muhammad , Hassan Ayaz
Published: March 2024

Hydrogels based on biopolymers demonstrate great potential for drug delivery applications because they are not only biocompatible but also various release profiles of therapeutic agent can be achieved by altering polymeric matrix. Particularly, oral drug delivery is the most preferred and convenient route for drug administration showing high patient compliance. The aim of this study is to synthesize composite hydrogel beads and examine their potential for oral administration using paracetamol as a model drug. Therefore, native sodium alginate of different viscosity and composite hydrogel beads based on sodium alginate and carboxy methyl cellulose of different polymer concentrations were synthesized using calcium chloride dihydrate as a crosslinking agent. These hydrogels beads were then characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray crystallography. The surface morphology of prepared hydrogel beads was visualized by scanning electron microscope. Their average weight and dimensions were measured and their swelling behavior at different pH (distilled water and PBS pH 7 and 5.8 respectively) were analyzed. It was shown that the swelling of the synthesized hydrogels was affected by the variation in pH. Moreover, the amount of drug loading in sodium alginate was lower than the amount loaded in composite hydrogel beads. Furthermore, drug release studies of containing hydrogels showed that drug release rate found to be high in composite hydrogels (715 ug per bead) as compared to native hydrogels (439 ug per bead). These hydrogels can be suitable for oral administration following further in vivo studies.
Physical frailty, preserved ratio impaired spirometry and the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease：a population-based cohort study
Authors: Liu Chao , Xiong Hui , Han Xia , Lv Yanling , Wang Decai , Hu Jiannan , Li Ziling , Ma Xinyue , Zhu Yunfei , Chen Liangkai , Xu Shuyun
Published: March 2024

Background
Patients with COPD are prone to be accompanied by frailty, whether frailty poses a burden of developing COPD in in the general population remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to explore whether prefrailty and frailty increase the risk of COPD, and whether the risk of COPD is significantly increased in the preserved ratio impaired spirometry population with frailty.
Methods
We included 412,351 adults without COPD at baseline in UK Biobank study. Frailty phenotypes were assessed using five components (weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, slow gait speed, and low grip strength). Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the association between frailty and the incidence of COPD, as well as the impact of frailty in conjunction with preserved ratio impaired spirometry on the incidence of COPD.
Results
Among all participants, 243,777 (59.1%) were nonfrailty, 155,114 (37.6%) were prefrailty, and 13,460 (3.3%) were frailty. During a median follow-up of 13.5 years, 10,695 COPD cases were recorded. In the multivariable-adjusted model, frailty and prefrailty significantly increased the risk of COPD (HR 2.22, 95%CI: [2.07, 2.38] for frailty and HR 1.45, 95%CI: [1.39, 1.51] for prefrailty). The hazard ratio for the incidence of COPD in individuals with both frailty and preserved ratio impaired spirometry was 4.34 (95%CI: 3.69, 5.12).
Conclusions
Prefrailty and frailty were associated with an increased risk of COPD. Such association was independent of socioeconomic factors, lifestyles, morbidities, and genetic susceptibility, and modified by preserved ratio impaired spirometry status.
A meshless and binless approach to compute statistics in 3D Ensemble PTV
Authors: Ratz Manuel , Mendez Miguel A.
Published: March 2024

We propose a method to obtain super-resolution of turbulent statistics for three-dimensional ensemble particle tracking velocimetry (EPTV). The method is "meshless" because it does not require the definition of a grid for computing derivatives, and it is "binless" because it does not require the definition of bins to compute local statistics. The method combines the constrained radial basis function (RBF) formalism introduced Sperotto et al. (Meas Sci Technol, 33:094005, 2022) with a kernel estimate approach for the ensemble averaging of the RBF regressions. The computational cost for the RBF regression is alleviated using the partition of unity method (PUM). Three test cases are considered: (1) a 1D illustrative problem on a Gaussian process, (2) a 3D synthetic test case reproducing a 3D jet-like flow, and (3) an experimental dataset collected for an underwater jet flow at Re = 6750 using a four-camera 3D PTV system. For each test case, the method performances are compared to traditional binning approaches such as Gaussian weighting (Agüí and Jiménez, JFM, 185:447-468, 1987), local polynomial fitting (Agüera et al, Meas Sci Technol, 27:124011, 2016), as well as a binned version of the RBF statistics.
A new 2D-HLSM-CECP hyperchaotic map and its application on image encryption using fractal-based permutation and cross coupled diffusion
Authors: Zhang Zeyu , Zhang Wenqiang , Wang Mingxu , Ren Na , Wang Liming , Zhang Jiao , Zhao Yue , Wang Hongjiang
Published: March 2024

To enhance the security of the image encryption algorithm (IEA) based on chaotic system, this paper firstly introduced a new hyperchaotic map called two-dimensional hyperchaotic Logistic-Sine map coupled exponential control parameter (2D-HLSM-CECP) coupled with the two-dimensional Logistic map and the Sine map, which displays better hyperchaotic behavior and randomness than some existing chaotic systems. Then, this work further represents a novel IEA based on 2D-HLSM-CECP, fractal sorting matrix and cross coupled diffusion. The new 2D-HLSM-CECP is used to generate two chaotic sequences, which played a significant role in the whole encryption and decryption part. All pixels of the plain-image are confused and diffused based on fractal sorting matrix and global cross coupled operation respectively. Theoretical analysis and simulation results demonstrate that the 2D-HLSM-CECP-IEA has splendid achievement in well-known security indicators. Thus, the 2D-HLSM-CECP-IEA is highly secure as a conclusion.
Comparative Study on Seismic Behavior of Regularand Irregular Building in Sloping Ground
Authors: Khand Parash Kunwar , Poudel Prakash , Poudel Amit
Published: March 2024

Building in steep and seismically active areas creates distinct challenges requiring an in-depth understanding of seismic irregularities and behavior. This study examines the seismic performance of buildings on sloping terrain, with a focus on areas such as Nepal. It takes into account a variety of configurations, including Step Back, Step Back Set Back, Split Foundation, and Split Foundation Set Back. Slope stability factors are assessed and soil-structure interaction (SSI) dynamics are integrated into the analysis of regular and irregular structures, including Plan Regular and Plan Irregular designs. The study uses ETABS v16.2.1 for non-linear time history analysis in order to investigate the impact of irregularities, the influence of SSI, and seismic responses. The outcomes show that flexible bases influence lateral movement and time periods by reducing base shear. The study intends to provide essential information for future seismic-resistant slopeside structures, directing resilient construction practices in challenging terrains.
Assessment of wheat chlorophyll content based on an improved whale optimization algorithm
Authors: Song Yufei , Meng Xi , Zhou Yi , Li Yan , Liu Zhiguo
Published: March 2024

The analysis of leaf information derived from digitized leaf images enables the efficient, noninvasive, and real-time estimation of chlorophyll content in a cost-effective manner, facilitating high-throughput assessment. In the present study, leaf color information was captured in various color spaces, such as RGB, HSI and L*a*b*. The entropy weighting method has been employed to estimate the chlorophyll content measured via Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) chlorophyll meter values. The a*, R-B-G, R-G, (a*+b*)/L, a*/b*, (R-G)/(R + G + B), (R-B)/(R + B), H/S and (R-G)/(R + G) exhibited strong correlations (R2 = 0.745) with the SPAD values. Furthermore, the swarm intelligence algorithm, viz. the improved whale optimization algorithm (IMWOA), was applied to assess wheat leaf chlorophyll content by selected image color indices. The experimental results indicate that the IMWOA can achieve the most accurate estimation, obtaining an R2 of 0.77 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.16.
In silico bioprospecting of receptors associated to act mechanism of Rondonin, an antifungal peptide from spider Acanthoscurria rondoniae haemolymph
Authors: Seif Elias Jorge Muniz , Icimoto Marcelo Yudi , Junior Pedro Ismael Silva
Published: March 2024

Multiresistant fungal species are associated with the development of diseases. Thus, there is a need to develop more efficient drugs for the treatment of these etiological agents. Rondonin is a peptide isolated from the hemolymph of spiders Acanthoscurria rondoniae. Previous studies showed that this peptide presented antifungal activity against Candida sp. and Trichosporon sp. strains, acting in genetic material. However, the molecular targets involved in your biological activity have not yet been described. To determine possible targets involved in the biological activity of Rondonin using bioinformatics tools. The PharmMapper server was used to search microorganism targets for Rondonin. The PatchDock server was used to perform molecular docking. UCSF Chimera software was used to evaluate these intermolecular interactions. In addition, the I-TASSER server was used to predict the target ligand sites. In the end, all predictions were contrasted with the sites previously described in the literature. Rondonin was consistent with the ligand sites of the following targets: outer membrane proteins F (id:1MPF) and A (id:1QJP), responsible for allowing the passage of small molecules through the plasmatic membrane, subunit of the flavoprotein fumarate reductase (id:1D4E), responsible for the metabolism of nitrogenous bases, and ATP-dependent Holliday DNA helicase junction (id:1IN4), associated with histone proteins that fold the genetic material. These interactions corroborate previous in vitro studies on Rondonin, which acts on fungal genetic material without plasmatic membrane rupture. Therefore, the bioprospecting methods used in this research were considered satisfactory since they showed agreement with previous results obtained in vitro.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome accelerate diabetic rat’s wound healing through inhibiting pyroptosis
Authors: Wu Yue , Wang Hongjin , Yu Miao , Liu Jun , Jin Yuanyuan , Cai Hui
Published: March 2024

Diabetic wounds are a type of wound that is characterized by protracted and refractory. In recent years, the use of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome(MSC-Exo)in wound treatment has made certain progress, especially bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell exosome (BMSC-Exo༉also have get achievement in wound treatment, and this paper aims to study whether bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes can promote the healing of diabetic wound and its mechanism. We conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments to verify whether BMSC-Exo can promote wound healing and promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts after high glucose treatment in diabetic rats. The expression of NLRP3, IL-18, IL-1β, caspase-1,and GSDMD proteins in rats and cells in each group was detected to verify the relationship between the mechanism of BMSC-Exo promoting wound healing and cell pyroptosis. The results showed that BMSCs-Exo can significantly improve the wound healing rate in diabetic rats and promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblast under high glucose conditions. At the same time, we confirmed that the pyroptosis in diabetic rat wound and fibroblast in high sugar was significantly increased, and BMSCs-Exo could significantly inhibit the pyroptosis in diabetic rat wound and fibroblast. These results suggest that BMSC-Exo inhibits cell pyroptosis through NLRP3/ caspase-1/GSDMD pathway in vivo and in vitro, and promotes wound healing in diabetic rats.
Role of Supplementation with Selenium and Myo-inositol vs. Selenium alone in patients of Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zuhair Varisha , Shaikh Areeba Tufail , Shafi Nimra , Babar Areesha , Khan Areeb , Sadiq Arooba , Ashraf Muhammad Afnan , Nihan Khuld , Hamza Muhammad , Khalid Burhan , Fatima Syeda Haya , Ali Eman
Published: March 2024

Background
Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a condition characterized by inflammation of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a predominant type, involving the gradual destruction of the thyroid gland. It affects females more than males, with global prevalence of around 10–12%. Multiple studies imply that a combination of selenium and myo-inositol supplements can restore a euthyroid state in patients with auto-immune thyroiditis. The objective of this meta-analysis is to pool available evidence on effectiveness of supplementation therapy on treatment of AIT.
Methods:
Google scholar and PubMed databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies which reported outcomes of combined treatment in restoring a euthyroid state, specifically comparing it with selenium-only treatment. Changes in TSH, T3, T4, TPOAb, and TgAb levels from baseline were defined as indicators to compare the effect of combined vs. selenium only treatment in restoring euthyroid levels. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and Newcastle Ottawa Scale were used to assess the quality of the randomized control trials included in the study. For statistical analysis, Review Manager (version 5.4, Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used.
Result:
We pooled 3 studies enrolling 151 participants in MI + Se group and 137 participants in Se group. Supplementation of Se with MI demonstrated a significant reduction in TSH levels compared to Se alone (SMD= -1.15, 95% CI: -1.60 to -0.69, p < 0.00001). MI + Se treatment also significantly reduced TgAb levels compared to Se (SMD= -0.51, 95% CI: -0.78 to -0.24, p = 0.0002). In contrast, TPOAB, T3 and T4 levels were non-significantly reduced from baseline in patients treated with MI + Se when compared to Se alone (SMD= -0.81, 95% CI: -0.44 to 0.09, p = 0.20), (SMD = 0.16, 95% CI: -0.09 to 0.42, p = 0.22), and (SMD = 0.30, 95% CI: -0.23 to 0.83, p = 0.26) respectively.
Conclusion:
Supplementation of Se with MI showed a significant reduction in TSH and TgAb levels compared to selenium-only treatment, with non-significant reduction in TPOAB, T3 and T4 levels. This entails the need for powered clinical trials and observational studies with longer follow-ups to critically assess the role of combined therapy in restoring euthyroid state in patients with AIT.
Timestamp System for Causal Broadcast Communication
Authors: Muñoz-Fernández Isabel , Arévalo-Viñuales Sergio , Herás-Quirós Pedro De las
Published: March 2024

In unreliable asynchronous distributed systems with failures, achieving a causal view of the system across all processes is a challenging task. The Causal Reliable Broadcast (CRB) abstraction is used to solve this task. When CRB is implemented with algorithms that use logical vector clocks to timestamp broadcast events, the causal relationships between broadcast events can be detected with maximal accuracy. However, this timestamping mechanism used by CRB might not be useful for systems that need to reason about the causal relationships among both broadcast and delivery events. To address this challenge, the paper proposes a Causal Timestamp System (CTS) based on vector clocks that timestamps broadcast and delivery events capturing with maximal accuracy the causal relationships among those events. CTS simplifies the formal verification and testing of implementations of CRB algorithms based on CTS. Additionally, a new Global State Monitoring (GSM) algorithm is proposed, tailored to a distributed system that uses CRB with CTS. GSM enables finer-grained assessment of global states and application-dependent predicates of that system. We clarify these concepts with an IoT example.
LAYN is correlated with immune infiltration, cancer associated fibroblasts and prognosis in bladder cancer
Authors: Zhang Zitong , Liu Yang , Huang Xiaoxue , Li Yilin , Zhang Xingyue , Pan Qiwen , Cai Lingling , Lu Jiangli , Zhang Yijun , Gao Jianming , Liu Ruiqi , He Liru
Published: March 2024

Background
LAYN is a novel gene in liver cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer for its diverse functions in tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the role of LAYN in shaping the TME remains to be elucidated in bladder cancer (BLCA).
Methods
Datasets (including RNA-sequencing, single-cell RNA-sequencing and survival data) were obtained from public databases. The correlation of LAYN with TME was analyzed with Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) site. Immunohistochemistry from a single institution was used to verify the relationship between LAYN expression and TME marker levels and the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Results
Enrichment analysis revealed that LAYN overexpression was associated with the regulation of immune infiltration and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) pathways and functions in BLCA. Notably, LAYN overexpression led to increased immune infiltration but also an exhausted TME according to the correlation analysis of immune cells such as CD8 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, immune-related markers, and CAF-related markers in the TCGA database. These findings were validated by immunohistochemistry at a single institution. Furthermore, higher LAYN expression levels were associated with worse survival in the TCGA dataset, the IMvigor210 dataset and the cohort from our center. Additionally, LAYN, TIM-3, FOXP3 and FAP were linked to poor outcomes in patients treated with immunotherapy.
Conclusions
Our study revealed a correlation between high LAYN expression and abundant immune infiltration and CAFs in BLCA. However, LAYN may play a role in the regulation of immune suppression and escape and could serve as a potential predictive marker for immune checkpoint inhibitor response and patient survival in BLCA.
Photogenetics Inhibits the Activity of Glutamate Neurons Projected from the Motor Cortex to the Ventroposterolateral Nucleus of the Thalamus to Alleviates Central Post-Stroke Pain in Rats
Authors: Deng Chao , Gu Ya-juan , Xu Tao
Published: March 2024

The "central sensitization" and "central imbalance" theories suggest that central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is the result of neuronal overactivity and an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory functions of the nervous system caused by damage to the sensory system. The ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus (VPL) and the primary motor cortex (M1) are key brain regions for nociceptive message transmission. However, the effects of inhibiting M1-VPL glutamatergic projections in CPSP remain unclear. his study investigates the efficacy of photogenetic inhibition of M1-VPL glutamatergic neuron excitability in a rat model of CPSP. CPSP rats underwent M1 injection with rAAV encoding an inhibitory photosensitive protein, followed by implantation of an optical fiber sleeve above the VPL and subsequent 10 W, 20 Hz, 5 ms yellow laser (589 nm) irradiation. The irradiation scheme was to start from the 3rd day after the CPSP mode, light for 2 min, turn off for 3 min, and repeat 6 times a day for 12 consecutive days. We observed that the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds were increased in CPSP rats, and the expressions of M1 pain-related factors c-Fos, vesicular glutamate transporter protein 2 (VGLUT2), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) were down-regulated. These findings indicate that photogenetic inhibition of M1-VPL glutamatergic projection can relieve pathologic pain in CPSP rats.
Morphological and molecular (SSRs) characterization of different diverse genotypes of blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)
Authors: Kumawat Radheshyam , Kumar Sanjeev , Kumar Susheel , Kashyap Subhash C. , Singh Aditi
Published: March 2024

Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is a leguminous crop and is an important source of plant-based protein. Thirty genotypes of Indian blackgram were analysed for genetic diversity using morphological, agronomical characters and SSR markers. Identifying elite lines is a major research priority for developing new varieties. The present investigation was carried out at the Advanced Centre for Rainfed Agriculture (ACRA) Dhiansar of SKUAST Jammu of UT of J & K during kharif 2021 to characterize all the eleven characters, viz., plant height, days to fifty percent flowering, number of branches per plant, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length, number of clusters per plant, 1000 seed weight and seed yield per plant morphologically and molecularly. Present study aimed to appraise highly diverse genotypes of blackgram and their associations between molecular markers and yield-contributing traits. Based on dendrograms and PCA values, results from field data and molecular data exhibited two genetically different groups of genotypes namely PU-15-2, PU-13-05 and AZAD-2 were found in group-1, while five genotypes, namely, PU-UPU-97-1, OU-40, PU-KUG216 and PU-15-32 were found in group-2 and such screened genotypes can be further used in the introgressions of specific traits from one group to another group of genotypes. Based on morphological and molecular data, two genetically diverse groups were constituted, and which can be recommended for further utilization in hybridization programs. Three markers namely viz., VR-102, CEDG-156 and CEDG-176 were identified and associated with seed yield per plant and could be useful in seed yield improvement programme of blackgram.
Diakonie, Mission, Kolonialismus : Ambivalenzen der neueren Christentumsgeschichte auf der Spur
Authors: Düker Malte
Published: March 2024

Während die Globalgeschichte der christlichen Mission zunehmend kritisch beurteilt wird, gilt das diakonische Handeln einzelner exzeptioneller Persönlichkeiten wie Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) weiterhin als vorbildlich. Doch so einfach ist es nicht. Ein Rückblick auf kirchenhistorische Erkundungsreisen zu Albert Schweitzers jungen Jahren im Elsass und zur Verflechtung von Kolonialismus und Missionsgeschichte in Windhuk, Namibia.
IMPACT OF THE IMPROVED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION ON THE MANUFACTURING URBAN CENTRES OF THE 19TH CENTURY U. P.
Authors: Dr. Sharad Bhatt
Published: March 2024

IMPACT OF THE IMPROVED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION ON THE MANUFACTURING URBAN CENTRES OF THE 19TH CENTURY U.P.
Análise do conhecimento dos professores de educação física da educação básica acerca do desenvolvimento psicomotor
Authors: Braz Letícia Maria Alvez , Silva Nadja Fonsêca da , Pontes Júnior José Airton de Freitas
Published: March 2024

A psicomotricidade define-se como a relação dos sujeitos como movimento, levando em consideração os aspectos relacionais, afetivos e cognitivos. O desenvolvimento psicomotor contribui para evitar dificuldades de aprendizagem e reeduca o tônus, a postura, a direção, a lateralidade, o ritmo etc. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento dos professores de Educação Física da Educação Básica de Fortaleza-CE sobre o desenvolvimento psicomotor. Trata-se de uma metodologia descritiva e exploratória, de abordagem quali-quantitativa. A amostra contou com 16 professores de Educação Física de ambos sexos, com idades entre 24 e 51 anos. O instrumento        utilizado para coleta de dados foi um questionário com questões sobre atuação e conhecimento voltados para a psicomotricidade. Os resultados demostraram que 43,8% dos participantes tiveram a disciplina de psicomotricidade durante a graduação e apenas 25% fizeram estágio na área, os demais não tiveram o conteúdo na graduação ou constou apenas superficialmente em outra disciplina. A maioria dos participantes utiliza ou busca utilizar a psicomotricidade em suas aulas e ressaltaram os desafios na utilização. O estudo destacou o contexto da Psicomotricidade nas aulas de Educação Física e fora do âmbito escolar, ressaltando a diferença de abordagem entre as duas e sua contribuição na vida dos indivíduos.
Palavras-chave: Psicomotricidade; Educação Física Escolar; Avaliação.
Contribution of the non-life insurance sector to the economic growth of Nepal: Analysis from the EGLS approach
Authors: Mani Upadhyaya Yadav , Raj Kharel Khom , Prasad Aryal Narayan , Dev Lamichhane Basu
Published: March 2024

Nepal’s non-life insurance sector holds immense potential to drive economic growth and boost the nation towards a secure financial future. Embracing this potential is a goal and a pivotal catalyst for substantial change. The study aims to determine how the non-life insurance sector can drive economic growth in Nepal. The methodology of this study uses quantitative analysis of financial data from 2013 to 2022 from 20 non-life insurance companies in Nepal and econometric modeling to assess the sector’s impact on economic growth. Using Panel EGLS (Estimated Generalized Least Squares) regression analysis, the findings show that with one-unit increments in total investment, total premium, and total tax paid, GDP is expected to change by approximately 591.52, –920.54 and 8,470.65 units, respectively. In contrast, the coefficient for total profit is –910.3477 and is not statistically significant. The study’s main conclusion implies that the insurance sector contributes to the country’s economic growth by investing in productive activities and paying taxes to the government. Still, it also imposes a cost on the economy by charging high premiums to the insured. The profitability of the insurance sector does not affect the GDP, which indicates that the insurance sector is competitive and efficient or that other factors determine the GDP besides the insurance sector. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the non-life insurance sector’s role in Nepal’s economic development and informs evidence-based policy decisions.
RECONSTRUIR O ESTADO DE DIREITOS. REINVENTAR OUTRA GESTÃO DO DIREITO À OUTRA EDUCAÇÃO
Authors: Arroyo Miguel
Published: March 2024

As análises se estruturam em torno das seguintes questões: Estaríamos em tempos de desmonte do Estado de Direitos Humanos? De desmonte de nossas fracas tradições democráticas? De imposição de um Estado de Mercado e do Capital? De destruição do Estado de Providencia de Direitos Sociais? A análise avança interrogando se estamos em tempos de resistências ao Estado de Mercado e de reinvenção do Estado de Direitos Humanos focando como questões centrais as questões históricas na gestão dos direitos humanos e na gestão do direito à educação. Tempos de Reconstruir o Estado de Direitos e de reinventar outra gestão do direito à outra educação?
COBERTURA E ATENDIMENTO DA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL: CONTRADIÇÕES, DESAFIOS E PERSPECTIVAS PARA O NOVO FUNDEB
Authors: Dias Adelaide Alves , Santos Joedson Brito dos
Published: March 2024

O texto discute a cobertura e atendimento da educação infantil considerando as perspectivas para o Novo Fundeb. Utiliza o método do materialismo histórico-dialético e o corpus da pesquisa são os dados da PNAD e do Censo Escolar, em parte sistematizados pelo Laboratório de Dados Educacionais/UFPR. Os resultados apontaram avanços nos indicadores de cobertura e atendimento e nas políticas de financiamento de EI, com as conquistas do Novo Fundeb. Mas também revelaram contradições e desafios persistentes à garantia do direito à educação das crianças, principalmente, as negras, indígenas e pobres.
PROJETOS POLÍTICO-PEDAGÓGICO DE CURSOS DE PEDAGOGIA DO RS E AS CIÊNCIAS DA EDUCAÇÃO
Authors: Osório Mara Rejane Vieira
Published: March 2024

Este trabalho problematiza a relação entre projetos político-pedagógicos (PPP) e as ciências da educação em cursos de pedagogia de universidades públicas do RS.  O estudo foi de natureza qualitativa com análise documental e discursiva. Como inspiração teórica, a pesquisa seguiu pistas de estudos foucaultianos e sobre currículo. Argumento que o afastamento das ciências da educação, nos PPP, pode indicar um deslocamento das concepções humanistas, progressistas, para concepções utilitárias e pragmáticas.
Negative pressure protection with one-way surge tanks in bidirectional water delivery systems
Authors: Chang Yutong , Yu Xiaodong , Zhang Jian , Chen Xuyun , Chen Nan , Shi Lin
Published: March 2024

Water hammer protection is one of the key factors for the safe operation of the long-distance water delivery systems, which has lots of useful results. However, the protection experiences for bidirectional water delivery systems using the same pipeline are lacking. In this study, the protection method with one-way surge tanks in the bidirectional water delivery system is investigated. The theoretical formula for one-way surge tank setting is derived based on the theory of water hammer propagation, and the pump head and bidirectional water hammer protection constraints. Subsequently, the pump trip transient processes in an actual system are simulated. Finally, different kinds of one-way surge tank protection schemes are compared. The results show that the pressure along the pipeline after the pump trip can meet the standard when using the one-way surge tank protection scheme calculated by the theoretical formula. The proposed method can provide the effective protection strategy for the bidirectional water delivery systems.
A holistic approach for performance evaluation of wastewater treatment plants: integrating grey water footprint and life cycle impact assessment
Authors: Jamshidi Shervin , Farsimadan Mohammad , Mohammadi Hanieh
Published: March 2024

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have positive and negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) can provide a more holistic framework for performance evaluation than the conventional approach. This study added water footprint (WF) to LCIA and defined ϕ index for accounting for the damage ratio of carbon footprint (CF) to WF. The application of these innovations was verified by comparing the performance of 26 WWTPs. These facilities are located in four different climates in Iran, serve between 1,900 and 980,000 people, and have treatment units like activated sludge, aerated lagoon, and stabilization pond. Here, grey water footprint (GWF) calculated the ecological impacts through typical pollutants. Blue water footprint (BWF) included the productive impacts of wastewater reuse, and CF estimated CO2 emissions from WWTPs. Results showed that GWF was the leading factor. ϕ was 4–7.5% and the average WF of WWTPs was 0.6 m3/ca, which reduced 84%, to 0.1 m³/ca, through wastewater reuse. Here, wastewater treatment and reuse in larger WWTPs, particularly with activated sludge had lower cumulative impacts. Since this method takes more items than the conventional approach, it is recommended for integrated evaluation of WWTPs, mainly in areas where the water–energy nexus is a paradigm for sustainable development.