bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Carbon Stock and CO2 Production Potential for Soils of Coniferous-Broadleaved Forests
Authors: Ryzhova I. M. , Podvezennaya M. A. , Telesnina V. M. , Bogatyrev L. G. , Semenyuk O. V.
Published: September 2023

Abstract—

The assessment of carbon stocks in soils of coniferous and broadleaved forests, agrocenoses, fallow lands, and floodplains has been performed for the territory of the Chashnikovo Agrobiological Station of Moscow State University. The typology of litter horizons, the contents of plant detritus in the them, and the ratio of the thicknesses of litter subhorizons have been determined as indicators of the organic matter decomposition intensity. For mineral soil profile, total organic carbon stocks in the layers of 0–30 and 0–100 cm layers and the stock of biologically active carbon in the layer of 0–20 cm layer have been determined. Maximum organic matter accumulation in litters and moderate accumulation in mineral profile is typical of soddy-podzolic soils (Retisols) under coniferous forests. The litter carbon stocks in spruce forests differ by almost an order of magnitude depending on the position in the tessera. Minimum carbon accumulation in litters is characteristic of the soils of upland and floodplain meadows. Alluvial soils of floodplain meadows are characterized by the highest stock of total carbon, as well as carbon of biologically active soil organic matter. The potential of CO2 production by soil determined the structural and functional litter characteristics and the stock of biologically active organic matter in the upper (0–20 cm) soil layer depend on several factors: vegetation type, hydromorphism degree, and agricultural use at present and in the past. Soils of coniferous forests in comparison with soils of broadleaved forests are characterized by lower rates of litter decomposition due to the biochemical features of plant remains and are assumed to have a lower potential for CO2 production. Soils of natural herbaceous ecosystems, especially floodplain meadows, are characterized by the maximum potential production of carbon dioxide due to intense decomposition of plant residues and high stock of biologically active organic matter carbon.
Ludwig’s angina, anterior neck abscess and cavernous venous thrombosis following third molar extraction
Authors: Koussa Sara , Majagi Anusha , Wang Kaylee , Devara Anupama
Published: September 2023

Ludwig’s angina (LA) is a rapidly progressing cellulitis that develops after oral infections or molar extractions, typically causing fever and chills and rarely progressing to trismus and cyanosis. It is associated with risk factors including diabetes mellitus, heavy alcohol use, oral malignancy, poor dentition or an immunocompromised state. This case report reviews a previously healthy patient with no appreciable risk factors presenting with LA following a third molar extraction, complicated by extensive anterior deep neck space abscesses, cavernous venous thrombosis and Lemierre’s Syndrome. Our case demonstrates the importance of early intervention when suspecting LA to prevent life-threatening complications and death.
Uptake of human papillomavirus vaccination and its associated factors among adolescents in Gambella town, Southwest, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Woldehawaryat Eyob Getachew , Geremew Alehegn Bishaw , Asmamaw Desale Bihonegn
Published: September 2023

Objective

To assess the uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and its associated factors among adolescents in Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia.

Design

A community-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia.

Participants

A total of 882 adolescents were included between May and July 2022.

Outcome

Uptake of HPV vaccination.

Methods

A cluster sampling technique was used to select study participants. An interviewer-administered and pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. The collected data were entered into Epi-data V.4.6 and exported to STATA V.16 for cleaning, coding and analysis. A binary logistic regression model was used to test the association between independent and dependent variables. Variables with a p<0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression were considered statistically significant factors for the uptake of HPV vaccination.

Results

A total of 825 adolescents participated in this study. Among participants, 48% (95% CI 44.6% to 51.4%) have been vaccinated for HPV. Ever heard of the HPV vaccine (AOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.23 to 5.08), good knowledge of HPV infection (AOR 3.62, 95% CI 2.17 to 6.02), good knowledge of the HPV vaccine (AOR 5.54, 95% CI 3.28 to 9.36) and attitude towards the HPV vaccine (AOR 2.74, 95% CI 1.88 to 3.98) were significantly associated HPV vaccination.

Conclusion

In the current study, the uptake of HPV vaccination was found to be low. The finding highlights the importance of promoting community health education about HPV infection and vaccines and providing behaviour change education, which plays a substantial role in promoting the uptake of HPV vaccination.
Improving personalised care, through the development of a service evaluation tool to assess, understand and monitor delivery
Authors: Johnson Louise , Kirk Hayden , Clark Beth , Heath Stephanie , Royse Carolyn , Adams Carl , Portillo Mari Carmen
Published: September 2023

Systematically implementing personalised care has far reaching benefits to individuals, communities and health and social care systems. If done well, personalised care can result in better health outcomes and experiences, more efficient use of health services and reduced health inequalities. Despite these known benefits, implementation of personalised care has been slow. Evaluation is an important step towards achieving the ambition of universally delivered personalised care. There are currently few comprehensive assessments or tools that are designed to understand the implementation of personalised care at a service or system level, or the cultural, practical and behavioural factors influencing this. The aim of this paper is to describe the development and testing of a system-wide evaluation tool. The tool offers a process through which healthcare systems can better understand the current delivery of personalised care and the factors influencing this. With a focus on implementation, the development of the tool was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, and its content is structured using behaviour change theory (COM-B Theory of Behaviour Change Model). The tool consists of four mirrored surveys, which were developed using an iterative exploratory design. This included a series of testing cycles, in which its structure and content were continually refined. To date, it has been used by 24 clinical services, involving 397 service users, 313 front-line practitioners, 73 service managers and 40 commissioners. These services have used the evaluation process to initiate quality improvement, targeted at one of the more aspects of personalised care. The use of the COM-B model increases the likelihood of those improvements being sustained, through identification of the core factors that enable or limit personalised care behaviours among healthcare staff. We have shown this process to be applicable in a wide range of settings, thus it potentially has broad applicability as a tool for cultural change and quality improvement. The next stage of this work will focus on implementation and evaluation, to fully understand if and how the tool can be used to drive improvements in personalised care delivery.
Measurements of the Cherenkov effect in direct detection of charged particles with SiPMs
Authors: Carnesecchi F. , Sabiu B. , Strazzi S. , Vignola G. , Agrawal N. , Alici A. , Antonioli P. , Arcelli S. , Bellini F. , Cavazza D. , Cifarelli L. , Colocci M. , Durando S. , Ercolessi F. , Falchieri D. , Ficorella A. , Fraticelli C. , Garbini M. , Giacalone M. , Gola A. , Hatzifotiadou D. , Jacazio N. , Margotti A. , Malfattore G. , Nania R. , Noferini F. , Paternoster G. , Pinazza O. , Preghenella R. , Rath R. , Ricci R. , Rignanese L. , Romanenko G. , Rubini N. , Scapparone E. , Scioli G. , Zichichi A.
Published: September 2023

In this paper, different Silicon PhotoMultiplier (SiPM) sensors have been tested with charged particles to characterize the Cherenkov light produced in the sensor protection layer. A careful position scan of the SiPM response has been performed with different prototypes, confirming the large number of firing cells and proving almost full efficiency, with the SiPM filling factor essentially negligible. This study also allowed us to study the time resolution of such devices as a function of the number of firing cells, reaching values below 20 ps. These measurements provide significant insight into the capabilities of SiPM sensors in direct detection of charged particles and their potential for several applications.
Characterization of the immunomodulatory protein isolated from guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) churna, an ayurvedic rejuvenator
Authors: Shruthi Raju R. , Aranha Ivan , Venkatesh Yeldur P.
Published: September 2023

Objective: Guduchi [Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) f. and Thoms.], a rasayana (rejuvenator) in the traditional system of Indian medicine (Ayurveda), is known for its diverse bioactivities. The aim of this study was to isolate the immunomodulatory protein (ImP) from commercial guduchi churna (stem powder) and characterize it.

Methods: Guduchi churna extract following 80% ammonium sulfate precipitation was chromatographed on Q-Sepharose. Purified guduchi ImP was evaluated for its lymphoproliferative and macrophage activation properties, structural relatedness to certain plant lectins, amino acid composition, stability to trypsin, and N-terminal sequencing.

Results: The purified protein, obtained in a yield of 140[Formula: see text]mg/100[Formula: see text]g guduchi churna, showed a molecular mass of [Formula: see text] kDa by SDS-PAGE. Guduchi ImP (10 [Formula: see text]g) showed seven-fold increase over control in mitogenic activity of murine splenocytes, and a four-fold increase over control in nitric oxide (NO) release from murine peritoneal exudates cells (PECs). These activities were abolished in pronase-treated guduchi ImP. Guduchi ImP does not agglutinate rabbit erythrocytes. Rabbit antiserum to guduchi stem ImP strongly reacted with purified guduchi ImP, and did not recognize common plant lectins (concanavalin A (Con A), poke weed mitogen (PWM) and garlic lectin). Amino acid composition of guduchi ImP shows high content of acidic amino acids, serine (12.4%) and cysteine (10.2%); guduchi ImP is highly stable to trypsin and has a blocked N-terminus.

Conclusion: Guduchi ImP is an acidic, non-lectin ImP with a high content of serine and cysteine, and appears to have an immense potential for future structural, immunological, and therapeutic studies.
A Survey on the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management
Authors: Hamissi Asma , Dhraief Amine
Published: September 2023

The Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) system is a set of services offering an automated management of the airspace and thus providing safe and secure Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flights in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace. Controlled airspace refers to the portion of the airspace that is under the authority of Air Traffic Control (ATC) and where separation services are offered, while uncontrolled airspace refers to the portion of airspace where aircraft are not regulated by ATC. This article is a comprehensive survey of the existing UTMs development efforts with a focus on the different UTMs architectures, the provided services, the used communication technologies and the decision-making process within UTMs. We firstly review the different UTM architecture and propose a novel UTM taxonomy based on high-level qualitative criteria. Secondly, we detail the services provided by UTMs with an emphasis on the used technologies in the identification, the surveillance, the monitoring, and the deconfliction services. Effective decision-making is crucial, particularly in emergency scenarios such as Air-to-Ground (A2G) communication loss, battery or motor malfunction, or encountering aerial obstacles, among other potential hazards. Despite its significance, the UTM decision-making process is not enough considered in the literature and especially in UTM surveys. We analyze and compare in this article both the centralized and decentralized UTM decision-making. Centralized decision-making is not conducted in real-time and primarily relies on Air-to-Ground (A2G) communication. In the decentralized case, the decision-making process primarily relies on communication and collaboration among UAVs with varying degrees of autonomy. We show in this paper that centralized decision-making may encounter issues with packet loss and imperfect data, which can negatively impact the quality of decision-making. We also highlight that the decentralized decision-making may also face challenges related to security and scalability, which can hinder its effectiveness. Finally, evaluating the performance of UTMs on a real environment raises several challenges and the simulation is a cost-effective alternative. Hence, we provide a summary of the existing UTMs simulators and discuss their main features.
A Survey on Graph Counterfactual Explanations: Definitions, Methods, Evaluation, and Research Challenges
Authors: Prado-Romero Mario Alfonso , Prenkaj Bardh , Stilo Giovanni , Giannotti Fosca
Published: September 2023

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) perform well in community detection and molecule classification. Counterfactual Explanations (CE) provide counter-examples to overcome the transparency limitations of black-box models. Due to the growing attention in graph learning, we focus on the concepts of CE for GNNs. We analysed the SoA to provide a taxonomy, a uniform notation, and the benchmarking datasets and evaluation metrics. We discuss fourteen methods, their evaluation protocols, twenty-two datasets, and nineteen metrics. We integrated the majority of methods into the GRETEL library to conduct an empirical evaluation to understand their strengths and pitfalls. We highlight open challenges and future work.
Design, Deployment, and Evaluation of an Industrial AIoT System for Quality Control at HP Factories
Authors: Le Duc Van , Yang Joy Qiping , Zhou Siyuan , Ho Daren , Tan Rui
Published: September 2023

Enabled by the increasingly available embedded hardware accelerators, the capability of executing advanced machine learning models at the edge of the Internet of Things (IoT) triggers interest of applying Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) systems for industrial applications. The
in situ
inference and decision made based on the sensor data allow the industrial system to address a variety of heterogeneous, local-area non-trivial problems in the last hop of the IoT networks. Such a scheme avoids the wireless bandwidth bottleneck and unreliability issues, as well as the cumbersome cloud. However, the literature still lacks presentations of industrial AIoT system developments that provide insights into the challenges and offer lessons for the relevant research and industry communities. In light of this, we present the design, deployment, and evaluation of an industrial AIoT system for improving the quality control of HP Inc.’s ink cartridge manufacturing lines. While our development has obtained promising results, we also discuss the lessons learned from the whole course of the work, which could be useful to the development of other industrial AIoT systems for quality control in manufacturing.
The Emerging Concept of Transportome: State of the Art
Authors: Ruffinatti Federico Alessandro , Scarpellino Giorgia , Chinigò Giorgia , Visentin Luca , Munaron Luca
Published: September 2023

The array of ion channels and transporters expressed in cell membranes, collectively referred to as the transportome, is a complex and multifunctional molecular machinery; in particular, at the plasma membrane level it finely tunes the exchange of biomolecules and ions, acting as a functionally adaptive interface that accounts for dynamic plasticity in the response to environmental fluctuations and stressors. The transportome is responsible for the definition of membrane potential and its variations, participates in the transduction of extracellular signals, and acts as a filter for most of the substances entering and leaving the cell, thus enabling the homeostasis of many cellular parameters. For all these reasons, physiologists have long been interested in the expression and functionality of ion channels and transporters, in both physiological and pathological settings and across the different domains of life. Today, thanks to the high-throughput technologies of the postgenomic era, the omics approach to the study of the transportome is becoming increasingly popular in different areas of biomedical research, allowing for a more comprehensive, integrated, and functional perspective of this complex cellular apparatus. This article represents a first effort for a systematic review of the scientific literature on this topic. Here we provide a brief overview of all those studies, both primary and meta-analyses, that looked at the transportome as a whole, regardless of the biological problem or the models they used. A subsequent section is devoted to the methodological aspect by reviewing the most important public databases annotating ion channels and transporters, along with the tools they provide to retrieve such information. Before conclusions, limitations and future perspectives are also discussed.
Towards High Solar Contribution in Hybrid CSP-Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Plants
Authors: Rovira Antonio , Barbero Rubén , Ortega Guillermo , Subires Antonio , Muñoz Marta
Published: September 2023

This paper proposes and analyses several configurations for hybridising concentrating solar power (CSP) plants with combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT). The objective is to increase the solar contribution to a large extent, much higher than those obtained in integrated solar combined cycles but maintaining synergies, which are usually lost when increasing the solar share. For that, two thermal energy management systems are introduced at different temperature levels. First, a configuration with only the low-temperature system is proposed. Then, an enhanced configuration with the low- and high-temperature systems is conceived. These configurations are compared to reference CSP and CCGT state-of-the-art plants. The analyses include different strategies of operation and two sizes for the thermal energy storage system. The results show that the first proposed configuration introduces some synergies but cannot improve the performance of the reference CSP and CCGT working separately, due to an issue with the solar dumping on days with high solar irradiation. The enhanced configuration overcomes this problem and maintains the synergies, leading to an improvement from both the thermodynamic and economic points of view, increasing the solar contribution and decreasing the levelized cost of energy over the reference plants.
The Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Polish Version of the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale Tool
Authors: Pawlak Natalia , Serafin Lena , Czarkowska–Pączek Bożena
Published: September 2023

Background. Nursing is considered one of the most stressful occupational groups. Work-related stress is a major health risk for workers worldwide. Therefore, it is critical to continually monitor nurses’ stress levels based on important aspects of nurses’ work identified as stressors. Methods. A total of 331 nurses participated. The cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument was carried out based on six of the seven steps proposed: forward translation of ENSS, comparison of the two translated versions, blind back translation, comparison of the two back-translated versions of ENSS, pilot testing of the prefinal version of ENSS, and full-psychometric testing of the prefinal version of the translated instrument. The reliability of the scales was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega internal consistency coefficients. Results. The results indicate that each of the distinguished subscales is unique, but at the same time, they are all related to each other as different dimensions of stress. Conclusions. The Polish version of the ENSS tool is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the level of stress experienced by nurses.
Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of an Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mouse Model for Immunotherapy
Authors: Lee Yi-Mei , Hsu Chia-Lang , Chen Yu-Hsin , Ou Da-Liang , Hsu Chiun , Tan Ching-Ting
Published: September 2023

The immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), anti–programmed death-1 (anti–PD-1), has shown moderate efficacy in some patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Because of this, it is imperative to establish a mouse tumor model to explore mechanisms of antitumor immunity and to develop novel therapeutic options. Here, we examined the 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO)–induced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) model for genetic aberrations, transcriptomic profiles, and immune cell composition at different pathologic stages. Genomic exome analysis in OSCC-bearing mice showed conservation of critical mutations found in human HNSCC. Transcriptomic data revealed that a key signature comprised of immune-related genes was increased beginning at the moderate dysplasia stages. We first identified that macrophage composition in primary tumors differed across pathologic stages, leading to an oncogenic evolution through a change in the M1/M2 macrophage ratio during tumorigenesis. We treated the 4NQO-induced OSCC-bearing mice with anti–PD-1 and agonistic anti-CD40, which modulated multiple immune responses. The growth of tumor cells was significantly decreased by agonistic anti-CD40 by promoting an increase in the M1/M2 ratio. By examining cross-species genomic conservation in human and mouse tumors, our study demonstrates the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of OSCC and the regulation of contributing immune-related factors, and aims to facilitate the development of suitable ICI-based treatments for patients with HNSCC.
A Review of the Impact of Climate Change on Water Security and Livelihoods in Semiarid Africa: Cases From Kenya, Malawi, and Ghana
Authors: Dinko Dinko Hanaan , Bahati Ibrahim
Published: September 2023

Within semiarid Africa, precipitation is the most important hydrological variable upon which livelihoods are carved since it determines the cycle of rainfall and water security needed for agriculture. However, research shows that climate change has largely altered that. This article critically reviews the extensive literature on climate-water-livelihoods in semiarid sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the common threads that underlie them. By comparing three cases in three different regions (Ghana for West Africa, Kenya for East Africa, and Malawi for Southern Africa), this article provides a basis for cross-comparison and a framework for understanding the impact of climate change on water security and livelihoods in semiarid Africa. A cross-country, cross-region comparison of the impact of climate change on water security is essential for long-term and medium-term preparedness for adaptation to climate-induced water insecurity. Crucially, this calls for a renewed focus on the synergies between climate change and social, ecological, political, and economic factors, which have often been ignored in the water insecurity and climate change discourse on semiarid areas.
Capacity-Building for Successful Climate Justice Collaborations
Authors: Sarang Surbhi , Prabhakar Ranjani
Published: September 2023

The traditional environmental movement has historically excluded communities of color and ignored environmental issues of concern to them. This has impeded partnerships with climate justice communities and groups and perpetuated inequitable climate policies. For climate justice to be achieved, the traditional environmental movement must repair relationships, collaborate with climate justice communities on just and equitable terms, and incorporate climate justice into its agenda. These efforts will succeed only if traditional environmental organizations invest in building their capacity to engage in climate justice work, including training staff in new skills such as cultural competency. This article examines the barriers impeding climate justice partnerships and details the skills organizations must develop to overcome these barriers. The article then explores systems of accountability to hold organizations responsible for building their capability to engage in climate justice partnerships and recommends criteria to assess their progress.
A hybrid spatiotemporal deep belief network and sparse representation-based framework reveals multilevel core functional components in decoding multitask fMRI signals
Authors: Song Limei , Ren Yudan , Xu Shuhan , Hou Yuqing , He Xiaowei
Published: September 2023

Decoding human brain activity on various task-based functional brain imaging data is of great significance for uncovering the functioning mechanism of the human mind. Currently, most feature extraction model-based methods for brain state decoding are shallow machine learning models, which may struggle to capture complex and precise spatiotemporal patterns of brain activity from the highly noisy fMRI raw data. Moreover, although decoding models based on deep learning methods benefit from their multilayer structure that could extract spatiotemporal features at multiscale, the relatively large populations of fMRI datasets are indispensable, and the explainability of their results is elusive. To address the above problems, we proposed a computational framework based on hybrid spatiotemporal deep belief network and sparse representations to differentiate multitask fMRI (tfMRI) signals. Using a relatively small cohort of tfMRI data as a test bed, our framework can achieve an average classification accuracy of 97.86% and define the multilevel temporal and spatial patterns of multiple cognitive tasks. Intriguingly, our model can characterize the key components for differentiating the multitask fMRI signals. Overall, the proposed framework can identify the interpretable and discriminative fMRI composition patterns at multiple scales, offering an effective methodology for basic neuroscience and clinical research with relatively small cohorts.
Executive functions–based reading training engages the cingulo-opercular and dorsal attention networks
Authors: Taran Nikolay , Farah Rola , Gashri Carmel , Gitman Ester , Rosch Keri , Schlaggar Bradley L. , Horowitz-Kraus Tzipi
Published: September 2023

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a computerized executive functions (EFs)–based reading intervention on neural circuits supporting EFs and visual attention. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analysis was conducted focusing on large-scale attention system brain networks, during an fMRI reading fluency task. Participants were 8- to 12-year-old English-speaking children with dyslexia (n = 43) and typical readers (n = 36) trained on an EFs-based reading training (n = 40) versus math training (n = 39). Training duration was 8 weeks. After the EFs-based reading intervention, children with dyslexia improved their scores in reading rate and visual attention (compared to math intervention). Neurobiologically, children with dyslexia displayed an increase in functional connectivity strength after the intervention between the cingulo-opercular network and occipital and precentral regions. Noteworthy, the functional connectivity indices between these brain regions showed a positive correlation with speed of processing and visual attention scores in both pretest and posttest. The results suggest that reading improvement following an EFs-based reading intervention involves neuroplastic connectivity changes in brain areas related to EFs and primary visual processing in children with dyslexia. Our results highlight the need for training underlying cognitive abilities supporting reading, such as EFs and visual attention, in order to enhance reading abilities in dyslexia.
Gaps in Human Rights Law? Detention and Area-Based Restrictions in the Proposed Border Procedures in the EU
Authors: Wessels Janna
Published: September 2023

With the legislative proposals presented as the New Pact on Migration and Asylum on 23 September 2020, the European Commission sought to overcome the political impasse in reform efforts of the Common European Asylum System. A key element of this legislative package is the broader use of border procedures. The rationale is that by ‘keeping’ certain asylum seekers at the borders or in transit zones, return policies would become more effective. This paper undertakes a legal assessment of the proposed border procedures in light of legal obligations arising from the Human Rights to liberty and freedom movement. It argues that the qualification of asylum seekers’ entry as unauthorised seemingly pushes into a gap in human rights law, allowing for detention and area-based restrictions. However, a reconstruction of the applicable human rights standards shows that the blanket use of such measures is in fact unlawful, such that the proposal will have to be amended in that regard.
Therapeutic Potential of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Engineered with Different Concentrations of TNFα and IFNg
Authors: Alsharidah Mansour , Elsafadi Mona , Al Rugaie Osamah , Mahmood Amer , Mohany Khalid M. , Al-Regaiey Khalid A. , Alyahya Khaleel I. , Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Moneim Hafez , El Sadik Abir , Abumaree Mohammad
Published: September 2023

Aims: In this study, the authors aimed to examine the functional activities (adhesion, proliferation, and migration) of hMSCs under the effects of various concentrations of inflammatory mediators, such as TNFα or IFNg. Methods: HMSCs were exposed to various
concentrations of the inflammatory mediators TNFα or IFNg, and the effects of TNFα or IFNg on the functional properties of hMSCs were determined using multiple functional assays (adhesion, proliferation, and migration). HMSC expression of genes (cytokine, chemokine,
and adhesion molecule genes) was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). Results: TNFα promoted their proliferation and migration especially at 100 ng/ml, while IFNg increased proliferation only at concentrations of 10 ng/ml and proliferation
at 50 and 100 ng/ml. Conclusion: This study evaluated the suitability of hMSCs in treating inflammatory diseases, which are characterized by high levels of inflammatory mediators such as TNFα or IFNg, and proved that the treatment of hMSCs with TNFα or IFNg
at higher concentrations has a protective effect.
Reference intervals for total serum homocysteine concentration in shenzhen adults investigated with the aid of nanomaterials
Authors: Cai Xiaoming , Deng Bin , Li Weijie , Zeng Haiyan , Zhou Fangbing , Yang Ruwen , Cheng Liping , Zhang Runling , Yu Bohai
Published: September 2023

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, assessing the reference intervals of total serum homocysteine concentration is a critical step in the process of preventing cardiovascular disease. The primary goals of this study were to evaluate gender- and
age-related differences in homocysteine concentration in the general population of Shenzhen and possible influencing factors. This retrospective study enrolled 2665 healthy subjects aged 18 to 89 years (mean age, 46.68 years). Blood samples were collected and serum indexes were detected with
the aid of magnetic nanoparticles, and serum homocysteine concentration was evaluated by the circulating enzymatic method. The reference intervals (5th and 95th percentiles) of total serum homocysteine concentrations were analyzed by the Hoffmann approach. This approach has been widely used
to evaluate reference intervals for various analytical parameters. There were significant differences between males and females in some anthropometric and laboratory indexes in the Shenzhen general population. Men had higher levels of creatinine, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, and homocysteine,
whereas women had higher levels of estimated glomerular filtration rate and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Further studies showed that the reference intervals of total serum homocysteine showed significant differences between males and females and among subjects of different ages. These concentrations
were higher in males (mean, 12.74 μmol/L) than in females, and the reference intervals increased with age. Men aged 18 to 40 years had a higher risk of hyperhomocysteinemia than women of the same age. Age- and gender-specific reference ranges of serum homocysteine were defined.
Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) adorned starch-functionalized magnetite nanocomposite: Investigation of cytotoxicity, analgesic and anaesthetic activities
Authors: Cai Liang , Su Han , Wang Fang , Huang Jingyuan , Lu Kai
Published: September 2023

In current days, the biosynthesis of magnetic bio-nanocomposites have emerged incredibly as the new-generation catalytic materials. This report demonstrates the devising of a hybrid Ag NP decorated starch biomolecule modified Fe3O4(Fe3O4@starch/Ag) bio-nanomaterial. Physicochemical features of the material were further characterized over a range of advanced methods like SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD and ICP-OES. For investigating the antioxidant potentials of AgNO3, Fe3O4@starch, and Fe3O4@starch/Ag, the DPPH analysis was applied in the BHT presence as the positive control. The IC50of the Fe3O4@starch/Ag was 160μg/mL. To survey the cytotoxicity activities of AgNO3, Fe3O4@starch, and Fe3O4@starch/Ag, MTT way was applied on normal cell. After oral administration, paw edema was significantly decreased in mice. The results of anesthetic activity were indicated that the nanoparticles made the local anesthetic effects in guinea pig and frog models. CH3COOH-induced writhing episodes were dose-dependently and significantly decreased. In addition, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties were determined in several doses.
Effect of propofol on lymphocyte subsets and postoperative cognitive function in lung cancer model rats through JAK/STAT signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Peng , Zhang Xueting , Kang Liuyu
Published: September 2023

With changes in people’s living environment, the incidence of lung cancer is on the rise, seriously affecting people’s physical and mental health. Previous studies have shown that, propofol is used for treating lung cancer. Whether propofol affects lymphocyte subsets and
postoperative cognitive function in rats with lung cancer remains unclear. In this study, we established and intervened rat lung cancer model, followed by Flow Cytometry/financal capacity model (FCM) analysis of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and apoptosis level. Morris water maze method
was used to test cognitive function; while CCK-8 method and Transwell assessed tumor cells activities. qRT-PCR (Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction) and Western blot detected the expression of genes and proteins, respectively. Lung tissue of rats was swollen and alveolar damage
was more serious, with tumor cell proliferation in high-dose propofol group being significantly inhibited with reduced migration ability and increased apoptosis. Moreover, Bcl-2 level in the JAK/STAT inhibitor group was lowest, and each lymphocyte subset index increased significantly, while
the latency and swimming distance of rats decreased significantly. The expressions of JAK, STAT, and Bcl-2 mRNA in the high-dose propofol+JAK/STAT agonist group were significantly reduced. These expressions were directly regulated by propofol in the higher than high-dose propofol group (P
<0.05), suggesting that propofol can directly regulate JAK, STAT, and Bcl-2. Propofol thus improves the lung cancer rats by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling and down-regulating Bcl-2.
High performance of active carbon-based supercapacitor introduced with NiSO4 and CoSO4 redox active electrolytes in acid media
Authors: Jiang Huaning , Tian Ying , Zhao Guozhi , Zhou Xiaohui , Teng Yingli
Published: September 2023

The effects of incorporating NiSO4 and CoSO4 as redox additives into an H2SO4 acid medium to improve the functionality of a capacitor that is based on active carbon were studied using impedance spectroscopy, galvanostatic charge-discharge,
and cyclic voltammetry. The power density (432 W kg−1 and 426 W kg−1), energy density (55.2 Wh kg−1 and 49.8 Wh kg−1), and specific capacitance (924 F g−1 and 842 F g−1) were achieved in electrolytes
of NiSO4–H2SO4 and CoSO4–H2SO4, respectively, assuming a density of 1 A g−1, through diffusion-controlled redox reactions at the negative electrode.
Cyclical Links Between Daily Partner Interactions and Sleep Quality in Older Adult Couples: The Mediating Role of Perceived Partner Responsiveness and Negative Affect
Authors: Xie Yuxi , Lemay Edward P. , Feeney Brooke C.
Published: September 2023

Researchers have found significant associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality. However, most existing studies are cross-sectional, few have focused on the aging population, and few have considered mechanisms underlying such associations. To address these gaps, 238 older adult couples completed 7-day daily diaries, reporting on their daily relationship, emotional, and sleep experiences. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that husbands’ higher negative partner interactions and lower positive partner interactions were indirectly associated with their own and their wives’ decreased sleep quality that night via lower perceived partner responsiveness and increased negative affect. Moreover, decreased sleep quality was associated with participants’ and their partners’ increased negative partner interactions and participants’ decreased positive partner interactions the next day, with no significant gender differences. This research provides a foundation for future research on cyclical associations between romantic relationship experiences and sleep quality, with implications for relationship-based interventions to improve sleep quality.
Sliding-mode control of electro-hydraulic positioning tracking system combining K-observer and nonlinear disturbance observer
Authors: Gao Yicheng , Shen Gang , Li Xiang , Zhu Zhencai , Guo Yongcun , Wang Qingguo
Published: September 2023

High-precision position control of hydraulic systems is of great significance in industrial applications. However, unknown external force disturbance, measurement noise, and other uncertain nonlinearities widely exist in electro-hydraulic servo systems, which severely degrade the system performance. To handle this problem, a sliding-mode controller based on K-observer with nonlinear disturbance observer is proposed for electro-hydraulic position systems in this article. The nonlinear disturbance observer is to estimate and eliminate the time-varying external force disturbance. The sliding-mode controller based on K-observer is to reach low gain observation of states and improve the system performance by reducing the chattering of the sliding-mode algorithm. The proposed controller is proved to be stable by the Lyapunov stability criterion. Comparative experiments support that the controller has high precision and strong robustness.
“It is not Working for Them but with Them”: Adult Educators Roles With Community Groups in Transforming Communities
Authors: Biney Isaac Kofi
Published: September 2023

This paper reflects on Freire’s discourse on liberating education and adult educators’ educational roles with community groups in transforming communities. Mineral-rich communities in Ghana are in danger of losing water bodies, rich arable lands, and forest vegetation cover through “galamsey,” which refers to the gathering of rich mineral resources illegally for sale. Yet the fourth Industrial Revolution Age positions adult educators strategically in making learning the needed skill among community groups to improve communities. This qualitative study adopted a convenience sampling procedure to select and interview eight graduate students in a higher education institution (HEI) in Ghana. Data were analyzed using thematic and narrative approaches. The results indicate that adult educators’ educational roles are empowering, yet they should employ more dialogical, story-telling, and conversational approaches; and must listen to community members’ views on community development programs. The study concludes that adult educators drive community development programs via inclusiveness and networks to make communities sustainable.
Development and implementation of the lung volume reduction pulmonary rehabilitation tool to identify eligibility for lung volume reduction in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during pulmonary rehabilitation
Authors: Buttery Sara C , Williams Parris J , Brighton Lisa J , Batista Craig , Dewar Amy , Hogg Lauren , Ingram Karen , Korff Gemma , Koulopoulou Maria , Lammin Helen , Maddocks Matthew , McDonnell Lynn , Mehta Bhavin , Meyrick Victoria , Pritchard Lisa , Smith Oliver , Trivedi Puja , Lawson Rod A , Hopkinson Nicholas S
Published: September 2023

Background

Completion of pulmonary rehabilitation is recognised in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) guidelines as a key opportunity to consider systematically whether a respiratory review to assess potential suitability for a lung volume reduction (LVR) procedure might be appropriate. We describe the development of a simple decision-support tool (the LVR-PR tool) to aid clinicians working in pulmonary rehabilitation, to operationalise this process.

Methods

We took an iterative mixed methods approach, which was partnership-based and involved an initial consensus survey, focus groups and an observational study cohort at multiple pulmonary rehabilitation centres.

Results

Diagnosis (97%), exercise capacity (84%), breathlessness (78%) and co-morbidities (76%) were acknowledged to be essential items for assessing basic LVR eligibility. Collating prior investigations and assessing patient understanding were considered useful but not essential. Clinician concerns included; streamlining the tool; access to clinical information and investigations; and care needed around introducing LVR therapies to patients in a PR setting. Access to clearer information about LVR procedures, the clinician’s role in considering eligibility and how educational resources should be delivered were identified as important themes from patient group discussions. The LVR-PR tool was considered to be feasible and valid for implementation in a variety of PR services across the UK subject to the provision of appropriate health professional training. Clinicians working in specialist LVR centres across the UK who were not otherwise involved in the development process confirmed the tool’s validity using the content validity index (CVI).

Interpretation

The LVR-PR tool appears to be an acceptable tool that can be feasibly implemented in PR services subject to good quality educational resources for both patients and healthcare professionals.
Pre-pregnancy obesity is not associated with poor outcomes in fresh transfer in vitro fertilization cycles: a retrospective study
Authors: Tao Ping , Yan Xiaohong , Yao Yan , Wang Zhanxiang , Li Youzhu
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The impact of body mass index (BMI) on in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been well acknowledged; however, the reported conclusions are still incongruent. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BMI on IVF embryos and fresh transfer clinical outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective cohort analysis included patients who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment and fresh embryo transfer from 2014 to March 2022. Patients were divided into the underweight group: BMI < 18.5 kg/m2; normal group: 18.5 ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m2; overweight group: 24 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2; and obesity group: BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2. A generalized linear model was used to analyze the impact of BMI on each IVF outcome used as a continuous variable.

Results

A total of 3465 IVF/ICSI cycles in the embryo part; and 1698 fresh embryo transplanted cycles from the clinical part were included. Available embryos rate (61.59% vs. 57.32%, p = 0.007) and blastocyst development rates (77.98% vs. 66.27%, p < 0.001) were higher in the obesity group compared to the normal BMI group. Also, the fertilization rate of IVF cycles in the obesity group was significantly decreased vs. normal BMI group (normal: 62.95% vs. 66.63% p = 0.006; abnormal: 5.43% vs. 7.04%, p = 0.037), while there was no difference in ICSI cycles. The clinical outcomes of overweight and obesity groups were comparable to the normal group. The gestational age of the obesity group was lower compared to the normal group (38.08 ± 1.95 vs. 38.95 ± 1.55, p = 0.011). The adjusted OR (AOR) of BMI for the preterm birth rate of singletons was 1.134 [(95% CI 1.037–1.240), p = 0.006]. BMI was significantly associated with live birth rate after excluded the PCOS patients [AOR: 1.042 (95% CI 1.007–1.078), p = 0.018]. In young age (≤ 35 years), clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were positively correlated with BMI, AOR was 1.038 [95% CI (1.001–1.076), p = 0.045] and 1.037 [95% CI (1.002–1.074) p = 0.038] respectively.

Conclusion

Being overweight and obese was not associated with poor IVF outcomes but could affect blastocyst formation. ICSI could help to avoid low fertilization in obese patients. Also, obesity was associated with increased rates of premature singleton births.
Tumor lysis syndrome in premature infant prompting early resection of a large sacrococcygeal teratoma: a case report
Authors: Dey Aditi , Wyrebek Rita , Torres Loraine , Escoto Danilo , Shakeel Fauzia , Mayer Jennifer
Published: September 2023

Background

Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) are the most common congenital neoplasm and often require resection soon after birth. There are rare reports of cardiac arrest during surgery due to manipulation of the tumor triggering secondary necrosis and hyperkalemia.

Case presentation

This case describes a very preterm infant with a SCT who develops spontaneous preoperative tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). The medical team utilized rasburicase and the patient underwent total gross resection at 40 h of life.

Conclusions

We emphasize the importance of the early recognition and management of tumor lysis syndrome in SCT with rasburicase, aggressive management of hyperkalemia and consideration of early resection of SCTs even in the case of a very premature infant.