bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in miR-134-3p expression and zDHHC3-AMPARs axis in association with aluminum neurotoxicity
Authors: Song Jing , Li Wenjing , Yuan Chunman , Gao Ting , Lu Xiaoting , Wang Linping , Niu Qiao
Published: January 2023

Aluminum (Al) is a neurotoxic substance associated with cognitive dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, but the mechanisms for aluminum neurotoxicity remain to be identified. In this work, we try to investigate a novel potential biomarker of cognitive dysfunction following aluminum exposure and the mechanism involved. Recently, miR-134-3p was reported as a novel regulator of cognitive function. To address this, we investigate the expression level of miR-134-3p in plasma from 280 aluminum factory workers and analyzed the correlation between miRNA-134-3p, blood Al concentration, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA scale) score. The results implied that occupational aluminum exposure elevated miR-134-3p expression in the plasma of workers accompanied by cognitive impairment. Our experiment studies using both animal models and PC12 cells validated the up-regulation of miR-134-3p caused by aluminum. In addition, we identified that palmitoylation enzyme zDHHC3 was the target of miR-134-3p, and the decreasing AMPAR receptors (AMPARs) trafficking was related to the learning and memory impairment induced by aluminum. More importantly, using transfection and interference approaches in PC12 cells, inhibition of miR-134-3p resulted in a recovery of zDHHC3-AMPARs axis to a certain extent in response to aluminum. In summary, miR-134-3p was found to be involved in aluminum neurotoxicity by targeting zDHHC3-AMPARs axis and could serve as a potential biomarker or helpful target.
Serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a marker of activity in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Abozeid Fatma , Ali karim , Bahgat Monir , Borg Asmaa , Maher Maha
Published: January 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disease of activity and remission. Lipocalin 2 (LCN2), the coding gene for NGAL is one of the most over-expressed genes in the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis (UC) and crohn’s disease (CD). In our research we investigated the utility of serum level of Lipocalin 2 in assessing the activity of IBD. This was a single center case control study.It was conducted on 60 IBD patients, 50% (30 patients) were in remission and 50% were active.There were 28 healthy control. Patients with IBD either UC or CD were enrolled from IBD clinic Mansoura specialized medical Hospital, Egypt. All patients and control group were subjected to investigations including complete blood count (CBC) ,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) ,C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) by ELISA.Patients only were subjected to fecal calprotectin besides sigmoidoscopy or ileo-colonoscopy.The activity of IBD was assessed for UC by MAYO score and CD by CDAI. NGAL showed significant increase among active IBD patients by mean ± SD ng/ml (37.04 ± 9.63) than patients in remission (20.65 ± 4.35) (table 2) .It showed highly significant correlation with clinical and endoscopic activity of IBD r = 0.80, P < 0.0001(table 3). Serum NGAL can easily discriminate patients with active IBD from healthy controls with AUC 95% C.I = 1.00 (0.94-1.0), at the cutoff 18.52, P < 0.0001, with sensitivity 100% and specificity 100%. While AUC of NGAL which can discriminate patients with active IBD and those in remission at the cutoff 26.95 was 0.97, P < 0.0001, with sensitivity 93.3% and specificity 93.3% (Fig. 1 A,B). In relation to fecal calprotectin, there was highly significant correlation between fecal calprotectin and serum NGAL (r = 0.69, P < 0.0001).Both CRP and ESR were positively correlated to NGAL by r = 0.38 and r = 0.29 (P < 0.05) respectively. Serum NGAL can easily discriminate patients with active IBD from healthy controls as well as among patients in active or remission of IBD. NGAL in comparison to other markers as fecal calprotectin or CRP or ESR shows better statistical performance for activity of IBD. This clarifies its ability to be a highly significant predictor of activity of IBD besides its lower cost.
Butyrate Inhibits the Mitochondrial Complex Ι to Mediate Mitochondria Dependent Apoptosis of Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Zhang Ke , Ji Xiawei , Song Zhengyang , Yu Tiantian , Shi Dibang , Wang Fangyan , Xue Xiangyang , Guo Junping
Published: January 2023

Background
Cervical cancer (CC) is a common gynecological malignant tumor with high morbidity worldwide. Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by the intestinal flora, was reported to inhibit cervical carcinogenesis. This study aimed to further investigate the pro-apoptotic effects of butyrate on CC and the underlying mechanisms.
Methods
Human Hela and Caski cells were used in this study. Cell proliferation was assessed using CCK-8 and EdU staining. Cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell and wound healing assay. The cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay was performed for the mitochondrial function. Western blot and RT-qPCR were carried out to examine the related genes and proteins of mitochondrial complex Ι and apoptosis. The metabolite changes were analyzed by energy metabolomics and assay kits. The association between G protein-coupled receptor 41, 43, 109a and CC prognosis was analyzed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).
Results
CCK-8 results showed that the butyrate treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of CC cells, which was confirmed by EdU staining and cell cycle. The data of Transwell and wound healing assay unraveled that the migration of cervical cells was dramatically reduced after butyrate treatment. Additionally, the invasion was also observed to be decreased by butyrate. The western blot analysis showed that cleaved-Caspase 3 and cleaved-PARP, the executors of apoptosis, were increased by butyrate treatment. The results of Annexin V/PI staining and TUNEL also found the increase of apoptotic cells induced by butyrate. The expression of Cytochrome C, Caspase 9, BAX, but not Caspase 12 or 8, were up-regulated under butyrate exposure. The accumulated ROS was observed in butyrate-treated cells. Furthermore, energy metabolism showed that levels of mitochondrial NADH and NAD + decreased after butyrate treatment, which was consistent with the results of the NAD+/NADH Assay Kit. Western blot results also demonstrated that mitochondrial complex Ι reduced by butyrate.
Conclusions
Collectively, our results revealed that butyrate can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of CC cells, and induce mitochondrial dependent apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial complex Ι.
The first homosporous lycophyte genome revealed the association between the dynamic accumulation of LTR-RTs and genome size variation
Authors: Yu Ji-Gao , Tang Jun-Yong , Wei Ran , Lan Mei-Fang , Xiang Rui-Chen , Zhang Xian-Chun , Xiang Qiao-Ping
Published: January 2023

Lycophytes and euphyllophytes (ferns and seed plants) are the two surviving lineages of vascular plants. The modern lycophytes (clubmosses) are herbaceous found either heterosporous (Isoetales and Selaginellales) or homosporous (Lycopodiales). The contrasting genome size between homosporous and heterosporous plants has long been an attractive topic. Most clubmosses are the resource plants of Huperzine A (HupA) which is invaluable for treating Alzheimer’s disease, but the evolutionary trajectory of whichin land plants is unexplored. To better understand these fundamental questions, the genome data of a homosporous lycophyte is urgently required. We generated the Lycopodium clavatum L. genome by applying a reformed pipeline for filtering out non-plant sequences. The obtained genome size is 2.30 Gb, distinguished in more than 85% repetitive elements of which 62% is LTR. Two whole genome duplications (WGDs) are rigorously detected. The content of LTR-RTs was more than ten times higher in homosporous lycophytes than heterosporous ones, although most appeared within one Mya. Then, we find that the LTR-RTs’ birth-death mode (a much greater birth and extremely slower death) contributes the accumulation of LTR-RTs resulting homosporous lycophyte genome expansion, while in heterosporous lycophytes, the mode is exactly the opposite. Furthermore, the five necessary enzymes of the HupA biosynthetic pathway were identified in the L. clavatum genome, but absent in the other land plants. This decoded genome data will be a key cornerstone to elucidating the fundamental aspects of lycophyte biology and land plant evolution.
Insights into oxygen mass transport mechanisms in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells with microelectrode
Authors: Chen Sifan , Niu Jianchun , Zhang Shuomeng , Zhang Qinghua , Chen Shiyuan , Wu Liang , Zhang Jianlin , Wang Miao , Lu Shanfu , He Qinggang
Published: January 2023

The mass transport of oxygen in the cathode catalyst layer of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) has a great impact on cell performance. However, some bulk average methods are unable to study the permeation properties of oxygen near the triple phase boundary of HT-PEMFCs due to the size mismatch. Here, we developed a microelectrode integrated system to quantitatively study the O2 mass transport behavior at the Pt/ binder interface under actual operating temperatures (100-180 °C). The oxygen diffusion coefficients and solubility obtained from potential-step chronoamperometry and a modified Cottrell equation follow the diffusion "ball-cage" model and the The mass transport of oxygen in the cathode catalyst layer of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) has a great impact on cell performance. However, some bulk average methods are unable to study the permeation properties of oxygen near the triple phase boundary of HT-PEMFCs due to the size mis-match. Here, we developed a microelectrode integrated system to quantitatively study the O2 mass transport behavior at the Pt/ binder interface under actual operating temperatures (100-180 °C). The oxygen diffusion co-efficients and solubility obtained from potential-step chronoamperometry and a modified Cottrell equation follow the diffusion "ball-cage" model and the dual-mode solubility model. Subsequently, molecular dynamics simulations were used to describe the key structural elements and diffusion behavior of oxygen molecules from the microscopic perspective. These results provide a scientific approach to study the mass transfer process of oxygen at the local environment, endowing with insightful strategies for future improvement and applications of HT-PEMFCs.
Long-term Sedentary Behavior is Associated with Depression: A Cross-sectional Analysis from NHANSE 2017-2018
Authors: Mo Hongfei , Zhang Mengying , Peng Junge , Xiao Jiang , Wang Guirong , Li Yan
Published: January 2023

Background
Lacking physical activity (PA) is an important risk factor for depression, the continuous decline of PA inevitably leads to the prolongation of sedentary behavior (SB) among adults, and limited evidence suggests that SB is also an independent risk factor associated with depression.
Objective
This study is to investigate the association between long-term sedentary behavior (LTSB) and depression in a representative sample of the American adult population using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Materials and Methods
Data from NHANES 2017–2018 were aggregated, including demographic information, degree of depression, PA, duration of sedentary behavior, body index, etc. PA was assessed by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Depression was screened by a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in which includes several questions (Have little interest in doing things; Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless; Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much; etc.). Logistic regression was carried out to analyze associations between LTSB and depression.
Results
A total of 4728 adults (mean age 51.00 ± 17.49 years, 2310 males and 2418 females) were recruited in this study. The SB duration < 360 /d was negatively correlated with moderate to severe depression (r=-0.146, P = 0.029), while SB duration ≥ 720 min/d was a positive correlation with depression (r = 0.472, P = 0.001), significant correlations were not observed in other SB duration. LTSB had a significant effect on depression (OR = 1.484, 95% Cl: 1.176–1.817, P = 0.001), especially in moderate to severe depression (OR = 1.697, 95% Cl: 1.229–1.342, P = 0.001). The effects remained significant after adjusting for independent variables (OR = 1.429, 95% Cl: 1.122–1.820, P = 0.004), and this association was stronger in the occurrence of moderate to severe depression (OR = 1.586, 95% Cl: 1.139–2.210, P = 0.006). Furthermore, the detection rate of depression in females (710/2418, 29.36%) was higher than that in males (484/2310, 20.95%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001).
Conclusions
LTSB is a risk factor for depression, especially in moderate to severe depression. Middle-aged females who are not married tend to be the most likely to suffer from depression.
Research priorities to enhance life for people with spinal cord injury: a Swedish priority setting partnership
Authors: Wangdell Johanna , Melin Jeanttte , Axwalter Emelie , Åhrén Gunilla , Sunnerhagen Katharina Stibrant , Lundgren-Nilsson Åsa
Published: January 2023

Study Design
Mixed-method consensus development project.

Objective
To identify the top ten research priorities for spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting
Nationwide in Sweden in 2021–22.

Method
The priority setting partnership process proposed by the James Lind Alliance was used. It comprises two main phases: question identification and priority selection. People living with SCI, relatives of people with SCI as well as health professionals and personal care assistants working with people with SCI were included.

Results
In the first phase, 242 respondents provided 431 inputs addressing potentially unanswered questions. Of these inputs, 128 were beyond the scope of this study. The remaining 303 were merged to formulate 57 questions. The literature review found one questions answered, so 56 questions proceeded to the prioritisation. In the second phase, the interim prioritisation survey, 276 respondents ranked the 56 questions. The top 24 questions then proceeded to the final prioritisation workshop, at which 23 participants agreed on the top ten priorities.

Conclusions
This work reveals issues that persons living with SCI, relatives to persons with SCI as well as health care professionals and personal care attendants working with SCI find difficult to get answered.
The highest prioritised question in this study is to address specialist SCI care and rehabilitation, followed by questions addressing physical health. Other topics include Mental health, Ageing with SCI, Community support and personal care assistance, and Body functions. This result can guide SCI researchers to design appropriate studies for the questions that matter most to the people with SCI.
Comparison of the effects of pH-shifting, acetic acid modification and TGase treatment on the physicochemical and functional properties of wheat gluten protein
Authors: Dong Mengxue , Sun Yusha , Xiong Dandan , Song Qi , jia Jie , Liu Xuebo , Sheng Long , Duan Xiang
Published: January 2023

Wheat gluten protein (WGP) is a high-quality plant-based protein resource. However, due to its unique reticulation structure, the processing properties of WGP are extremely poor, limiting its application. To overcome these drawbacks, the aim of this study was to modify wheat gluten protein by three relatively novel and mainstream chemical modifications. The results showed that the pH-shifting treatment changed the apparent morphology of the protein, showing a uniform flocculent structure, leading to significant improvements in foaming capacity and emulsification property. After deamidation by acetic acid, the solubility of WGP was greatly improved (60.1%), which was nearly four times that of the control group (15.8%), and its foam stability was also significantly improved. The WGP had the highest thermal stability (deformation temperature up to 148 ℃) after TGase deamidation. These results indicate that the three modification methods improve the functional properties of WGP in different aspects and expand its application potential.
A multifunctional integrated biomimetic spore nanoplatform for successively overcoming oral biological barriers
Authors: Song Qingling , Yang Junfei , Wu Xiaocui , Jiao Jiannan , Zhao Hongjuan , Feng Qianhua , Zhang Zhenzhong , Zhang Yun , Wang Lei
Published: January 2023

The biological barriers have seriously restricted the efficacious responses of oral delivery system in diseases treatment. Utilizing a carrier based on the single construction means is hard to overcome these obstacles simultaneously because the complex gastrointestinal tract environment requires carrier to have different or even contradictory properties. Interestingly, spore capsid (SC) integrates many unique biological characteristics, such as high resistance, good stability etc. This fact offers a boundless source of inspiration for the construction of multi-functional oral nanoplatform based on SC without further modification. Herein, we develop a type of biomimetic spore nanoplatform (SC@DS NPs) to successively overcome oral biological barriers. Firstly, doxorubicin (DOX) and sorafenib (SOR) are self-assembled to form carrier-free nanoparticles (DS NPs). Subsequently, SC is effectively separated from probiotic spores and served as a functional vehicle for delivering DS NPs. As expect, SC@DS NPs can efficaciously pass through the rugged stomach environment after oral administration and further be transported to the intestine. Surprisingly, we find that SC@DS NPs exhibit a significant improvement in the aspects of mucus penetration and transepithelial transport, which is related to the protein species of SC. This study demonstrates that SC@DS NPs can efficiently overcome multiple biological barriers and improve the therapeutic effect.
The Level of Serum Leptin in Non-Obese Women with and without Gestational Diabetes in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq
Authors: Fattah Chro Najmadin , Rashid Polia Habeeb
Published: January 2023

Background: Obesity in pregnancy is correlated with pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Objective:The present work was carried out to compare serum leptin levels in non-obese pregnant women with and without GDM.
Methods: This study included 160 pregnant women with gestation ages of 28 – 35 weeks, of which 80 were in a study group (pregnant women with GDM) and the rest were in a control group (pregnant women without GDM). Participants’ age, family health history (Hx), previous Hx, gestational age, parity, and body mass index (BMI) were collected from the women using a questionnaire. Serum leptin level and fetal amniotic index (FAI) were also measured.
Results: Significant differences were seen between both groups in terms of their age (p<0.001), parity (p=0.05), BMI (p<0.001), and leptin level (p<0.001) in which women with GDM had higher BMI and leptin levels. The results also indicated that leptin level in the GDM women was correlated with their parity (p=0.04) and BMI (p<0.001), such that multiparous women and overweight women had higher levels of serum leptin.
Conclusion: Higher serum leptin was found in GDM women, and an increased gestational age was associated with increased leptin in both GDM and non-GDM women.
Blockchain Technologies in Healthcare System for Real Time Applications Using IoT and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Khan Shakir , Siddiqui Tamanna , Albahlal Bader M. , Alajlan Saad Abdullah , Mourade Azrour
Published: January 2023

Data transparency, flexible access, immutability, privacy, audit, traceability, data provenance, trust, and security are fundamental issues for modern healthcare data management systems. As a promising new technology, block chain has the potential to enhance healthcare data management functions by boosting data efficiency and guaranteeing trust. The present research looked into the benefits of block chain technology in healthcare and the challenges that have prevented its widespread implementation so far. Healthcare organisations around the world are using a variety of methods to modernise into more effective, coordinated and user-cantered structures. There is an increase in both human effort and security risks when dealing with massive amounts of data, such as reports and images for each individual. Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in healthcare aim to address these problems by enhancing patient care while reducing costs through more effective use of healthcare resources. However, many different types of intrusion can pose serious risks to IoT devices. In some cases, doctors will insist that their patients use only certain labs or pharmacies, regardless of the quality of the services they provide, simply to increase the doctor's bottom line. Because of this, protecting data is essential when discussing the Internet of Things. To solve these problems, Blockchain technology has emerged as the most reliable method for protecting the privacy of control systems in real time. In this paper, we will introduce a CNN-based healthcare data security framework using the blockchain technique by generating the hash of each data point, which will alert all users of the blockchain network to any unauthorised changes to data or breaches in the supply of medicines.
Identification of microRNA-143 as a diagnostic biomarker in gastric cancer
Authors: Ju Yeongdon , Choi Go-Eun , Lee Moon Won , Jeong Myeongguk , Kwon Hyeokjin , Kim Dong Hyeok , Kim Jungho , Jin Hyunwoo , Lee Kyung Eun , Hyun Kyung-Yae , Jang Aelee
Published: January 2023

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most common types of gastrointestinal cancers and has a high incidence and mortality around the world. To suppress the progression of GC, it is essential to develop diagnostic markers. MicroRNAs regulate GC development, but a clearer insight into their role is needed before they can be applied as a molecular markers and targets.
Methods: In this study, we assessed the diagnostic value of differentially expressed (DE) microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential diagnostic biomarkers for GC using data for 389 tissue samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 21 plasma samples from GC patients.
Results: The expression of hsa-miR-143-3p (also known as hsa-miR-143) was significantly downregulated in GC according to the TCGA data and plasma samples. The 228 potential target genes of hsa-miR-143-3p were analyzed using a bioinformatics tool for miRNA target prediction. The target genes correlated with extracellular matrix organization, the cytoplasm, and identical protein binding. Furthermore, the pathway enrichment analysis of target genes showed that they were involved in pathways in cancer, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)–protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and proteoglycans in cancer. The hub genes in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, were matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), CD44 molecule (CD44), and SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3).
Conclusions: This study suggests that hsa-miR-143-3p may be used as a diagnostic marker for GC, contributing via the pathways involved in the development of GC.
Neuroticism mediates the association between childhood abuse and well-being in adult volunteers from the community
Authors: Fujimura Yota , Shimura Akiyoshi , Morishita Chihiro , Tamada Yu , Tanabe Hajime , Kusumi Ichiro , Inoue Takeshi
Published: January 2023

Background: Previous studies reported that the experience of maltreatment in childhood reduces subjective well-being in adulthood, and that neuroticism is negatively associated with subjective well-being. However, the interrelationship between childhood maltreatment, adult life events, neuroticism, and subjective well-being has not been analyzed to date.
Methods: A total of 404 adult volunteers provided responses to the following questionnaires: 1) Childhood Abuse and Trauma Scale, 2) Life Experiences Survey, 3) Neuroticism Subscale of the Shortened Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, and 4) Subjective Well-Being Inventory. Using the path model, the interrelationship between these parameters was analyzed.
Results: The effect of childhood abuse on subjective well-being was indirect, and not direct, and was mediated by neuroticism. The effect of neuroticism on the negative, but not positive, change score on the Life Experiences Survey was significant. The indirect effect of neuroticism on subjective well-being was not significant via either negative or positive change scores.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that age, subjective social status, neuroticism, and negative and positive life events were significantly associated with subjective well-being. Furthermore, using path analysis, we demonstrated the mediating role of neuroticism in the indirect effect of childhood abuse on subjective well-being.
Analysis of inflammatory protein profiles in the circulation of COVID-19 patients identifies patients with severe disease phenotypes
Authors: Keur Nick , Saridaki Maria , Ricaño-Ponce Isis , Netea Mihai G. , Giamarellos-Bourboulis Evangelos J. , Gopalaiah Vinod Kumar Magadi
Published: January 2023

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can present with a broad range of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic to severe multiple organ failure. The severity of the disease can vary depending on factors such as age, sex, and ethnicity, as well as pre-existing medical conditions. Despite efforts to identify reliable prognostic factors and biomarkers, the predictive capacity of these markers for clinical outcomes remains poor. Circulating proteins, which reflect the active mechanisms in an individual can be easily measured in clinical practice, and therefore may be useful as biomarkers for COVID-19 disease severity. In this study, we sought to identify protein biomarkers and endotypes for COVID-19 severity and evaluate their reproducibility in an independent cohort.
Methods: We investigated a cohort of 153 Greek patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in which plasma protein levels were measured using the Olink Explore 1536 panel, which consists of 1472 proteins. We compared protein profiles from severe and moderate COVID-19 patients to identify proteins associated with disease severity. To evaluate the reproducibility of our findings, we compared the protein profiles of 174 patients with comparable COVID-19 severities in a US COVID-19 cohort to identify proteins consistently correlated with COVID-19 severity in both groups.
Results: We identified 31 differentially regulated proteins, 20 of which were also significantly different in our initial cohort. Moreover, we performed unsupervised clustering of patients based on 97 proteins with the highest fold changes in order to identify COVID-19 endotypes. Clustering of patients based on differentially regulated proteins revealed the presence of three clinical endotypes. While endotypes 2 and 3 were enriched for severe COVID-19 patients, endotypes 3 represented the most severe form of the disease.
Conclusions: These results suggest that identified circulating proteins may be useful for identifying COVID-19 patients with worse outcomes, and this potential utility may extend to other populations.
Trial registration: NCT04357366
Interlacing of the Zeros and d-Orthogonality
Authors: Romdhane Neila Ben , Boukattaya Hana
Published: January 2023

Connection between the interlacing of the zeros and the orthogonality of a given sequence of polynomials was done by K.Driver. In this paper, we attempt to extend this result to some particular cases of d-orthogonal polynomials. In fact, first, we characterize the 2-orthogonality of a given sequence {Pn}n≥0, with the existence of a certain ratio cn expressed by means of the zeros of Pn. Then, for the (d + 1)-fold symmetric polynomials, {Pn}n≥0, such that Pn has qn distinct positive real zeros, n = (d + 1)qn + j, j = 0,...,d, we study the connection between the interlacing of these zeros, the d-orthogonality and the positivity of the ratio cn. Finally, for two other particular cases of d-orthogonal polynomials, we give necessary and sufficient conditions on the zeros that will assure that the sequence {Pn}n≥0, satisfies a particular (d + 1)-order recurrence relation. Many examples to illustrate the obtained results are given.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2010). 42C05, 33C45.
Effects of streamwise turbine spacing on wake characteristics of wind farms
Authors: Wang Zewei , Dong Guodan , Li Zhaobin , Yang Xiaolei
Published: January 2023

In this work, the effects of streamwise turbine spacings on the wake characteristics of wind farms are investigated using large-eddy simulation with an actuator disk model for the wind turbine. The simulated farm consists of 10 × 10 wind turbines located in an aligned way. Three different streamwise turbine spacings, i.e., Sx /D = 6, 8 and 10 (where D is the rotor diameter), are considered. The simulation results showed that the effects of Sx are mainly located in the near wake (x/D < 10), where the turbulence intensity is higher for smaller values of Sx. In the far wake, the streamwise velocity deficit as well as the Reynolds stresses from cases with different streamwise turbine spacings are close to each other. Terms in the budget equation for the mean kinetic energy (MKE) are examined. The analysis showed that the vertical MKE transport via mean convection and turbulence convection plays a dominant role in the velocity recovery in wind farm wakes, which are different from that in the wind farm region where the streamwise MKE flux due to mean convection also plays an important role and the role of the vertical MKE transport is different. Lastly, an existing analytical model for the wind farm wake is tested using the simulation results. A modification to the analytical model is proposed to include the effect of vertical mean convection on the velocity recovery.
Effect of benthic fluxes on nutrient dynamics of bottom water during stratification in a brackish lake
Authors: Kwak Dong-Heui , Jeong Yong-Hoon , Choi Yong-Ho
Published: January 2023

We performed in-situ investigations using a benthic lander to examine changes in the sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and benthic nutrient fluxes during development of stratification in the downstream area of an artificially constructed brackish lake, Saemangeum Lake. During each measurement period, the water temperature and salinity in the water column showed a vertically stable stratified structure. The potential energy anomaly (PEA) was 88.1–125.7 J/m3, and the intensity of the stratification gradually strengthened during the entire measurement period. The DO concentration in the bottom water gradually decreased corresponding to the intensified stratification of water with the increase in temperature; thereby, establishing hypoxic conditions. As the stratification intensified, the SOD decreased with the decrease in DO concentration in the bottom water, and the benthic fluxes of NH4-N and PO4-P exhibited the opposite effect. When the effect of offshore water (through the sluice gate of the dike) was insignificant, the SOD contributed 33% of the net DO loss below the pycnocline. During this period, the benthic NH4-N and PO4-P fluxes were estimated to contribute 55% and 87% to the net fluxes of NH4-N and PO4-P, respectively, in the water column below the pycnocline. Additionally, the benthic NH4-N and PO4-P fluxes resulted in excess phosphorus in the bottom water. When the inflow of seawater through the sluice gate is sufficient, the flow in the upstream direction of the bottom layer will move the phosphorus-rich bottom water in the downstream, which is important for algae growth in the middle-upstream.
Effect of Cannabidiol in LPS-induced toxicity in astrocytes: Possible role for cannabinoid type-1 receptors
Authors: IBORK Hind , IDRISSI Sara EL , Zulu Simo SIYANDA , MILLER Robert , HAJJI Lhoussain , MORGAN Annabelle MANALO , TAGHZOUTI Khalid , ABBOUSSI Oualid
Published: January 2023

Cerebral metabolic abnormalities are common in neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies have shown that mitochondrial damage alters ATP production and increases Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) release which may contribute to neurodegeneration. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component derived from marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.), on astrocytic bioenergetic balance; in a primary cell culture model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neurotoxicity. Astrocytic metabolic profiling using an extracellular flux analyzer demonstrated that CBD decreases mitochondrial proton leak, increased spare respiratory capacity and coupling efficiency in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. Simultaneously CBD increased astrocytic glycolytic capacity and glycolysis reserve in a cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) dependent manner. CBD-restored metabolic changes were correlated with a significant decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration, and a reduction of ROS production in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. These results suggest that CBD may inhibit LPS-induced metabolic impairments and inflammation by enhancing astrocytic metabolic glycolysis versus oxidative phosphorylation through its action on CB1 receptors. The present findings suggest CBD as a potential anti-inflammatory treatment in metabolic pathologies and highlight a possible role for the cannabinoidergic system in the modulation of mitochondrial oxidative stress.
Hydro-morphometric characterization and management of a large subtropical coastal wetland (Norte Fluminense, Brazil)
Authors: Guimarães Édson Avelar , Debiase Paula , Kjerfve Björn , Molisani Mauricio
Published: January 2023

Large coastal wetlands usually consist of diverse geomorphological and hydrological units across continental, coastal, and marine zones. Management focuses on controlling the hydraulic systems. This study proposes hydro-morphometric characterization and management strategies for large complex coastal wetlands based on the coastal plain of the northern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our classification high-lights the complexity of these systems, which have been described as inland, marine-coastal and/or man-made wetlands. The delimitation was characterized by the flat to low relief, which comprises 52% of the area studied. The maintenance of the hydro-morphometric features of a wetland system and the operation of the seaward floodgates are fundamental strategies for the management of the system. In addition, a national park plays a key role in implementing management strategies and protecting not only macrohabitat, but also the water connectivity along the margins of the wetland. The occasional opening of the sandbar, connecting coastal lagoons to the coastal ocean, can disrupt water connectivity, and demands the implementation of effective management protocols.
Perception about malaria and understanding of malaria prevention information in selected rural communities of Nigeria
Authors: Oyeleye Solomon Abiodun
Published: January 2023

Studies have shown that social and cultural factors affect how people perceive diseases. Thus, the area of perception about malaria has been the focus of several scholarly interventions. However there has been limited investigation of the perception of people and their understanding of malaria prevention information in Nigeria. This study, anchored on the Health Belief Model, investigated the perception of selected rural dwellers in Oyo and Osun states, Nigeria, about malaria and their understanding of available malaria prevention information provided by Roll Back Malaria (RBM) in the two states. The study used Survey, Focus Group Discussion and analysis of secondary data. There were 2120 survey respondents selected through multi-stage sampling across 10 local government areas of Oyo and Osun states and 96 participants in 16 focus groups involving men, women and expectant mothers. The result of this study indicates that although respondents had a good understanding of the symptoms of malaria, a significant percentage still had a wrong perception about its cause, respondents had low level of exposure to the malaria prevention information and therefore a low recall of the messages on malaria prevention. Pearson Chi-Square test indicated significant relations between perception of the rural dwellers and their utilization of malaria prevention information (p.value = 37.947, DF = 16, Asymp.Sig. (2-sided) = .002 while a test of correlation of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of information about malaria prevention indicated positive and statistically significant relationship between the perception about malaria and knowledge of people of respondents on information on malaria prevention (r = 0.212 p < 0.01). The study recommends state governments should direct their broadcast stations to air malaria prevention jingles regularly as a part of social service among other efforts at devoting more resources to communication activities on the disease.
Two- and Three-Directional Synthesis by 3-7MCRs of Novel (Imidazolidine/Thiazolidine)-2,4-Diones: Characterization, Antibacterial, Anticonvulsant and Molecular Docking Investigation
Authors: Nyaki Hadiseh Yazdani , Mahmoodi Nosrat O. , Nahzomi Hossein Taherpour , Kokhdan Esmaeel Panahi
Published: January 2023

A variety of new compounds containing two or three biologically active nuclei of imidazolidine-2,4-dione and thiazolidine-2,4-dione (TZD) via optimization two and three directional 3 and 4MCRs Knoevenagel condensation (method A) and two and three directional 5 and 7 MCRs Bucherer-Bergs (method B). The structure of these derivatives was confirmed by FT-IR,1HNMR,13CNMR, and Elemental analysis. To evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of these derivatives, all the compounds were subjected to molecular docking studies for Anticonvulsant Drug Binding (ADB) to the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Inner Pore (VGCIP). The in silico molecular docking study results showed that molecules5c,9,7, and10among the synthesized compounds have the lowest docking score which shows the highest combined desire for the channel and have a good affinity toward the active pocket, thus, they may be considered good anticonvulsant agents. Also, to evaluate the antibacterial properties of these derivatives, they underwent molecular docking studies with four bacterial proteins. Gram-positive bacteria such asB. anthracis(PDB ID: 3TYE) andS. aureus(PDB ID: 3ACX) and gram-negative bacteriaE. coli(PDB ID: 1AB4) andP. aeruginosa(PDB ID: 5U39). The most significant overall score has been obtained forS. aureus(PDB ID: 3ACX) bacteria. A combination of10displays strong antibacterial activity against two gram-positive bacterial and compounds4aand7with gram-negative proteins bacterial. The highest binding affinity is related to compound7for gram-negativeP. aeruginosa(PDB ID: 5U39) bacterial proteins. The antibacterial properties of these derivatives were as well experimentally investigated.
High Throughput Low-Level Testosterone detection in Human Serum using a stand-alone LC-MS/MS Assay with Protein Precipitation
Authors: Fariha Ramisa , Hill Collin , Jabrah Mohannad , Spooner Adam , Tripathi Anubhav
Published: January 2023

The use of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry has been pivotal to recent clinical advancements in the detection and monitoring of the progression of different metabolic disorders. Such systems have been used to routinely monitor serum testosterone levels in patients, to both mitigate side effects of different medications, as well as diagnose androgen-associated disorders. To that end, the present study develops and validates an LC-MS/MS-based assay for the detection of total serum testosterone from only (100uL) of sample volume. To further increase the highthroughput capability of the developed diagnostic kit for routine clinical use on patient samples, the proposed method was additionally streamlined via semi-automatation on a JANUS® G3 Workstation liquid handler. The proposed diagnostic kit showcased high detection precision (CV<5%) as well as sample accuracy (93-108%), within a clinically relevant range of testosterone serum concentrations (5-1500ng/dl). Moreover, the assay showcased a lower limit of detection of 0.25ng/mL, which is significantly comparable to commercially established diagnostic tools. The developed method also exhibited high linearity over the specified testosterone serum range, with an obtained linearity of of R2>0.99 using both manual as well as automated sample preparation. Overall, the work shown presents an optimized, automatable LC-MS/MS-based testosterone diagnostic assay for the routine evaluation of patient testosterone levels in serum for clinical and research use.
Closing the knowledge gap on the composition of the asbestos bodies
Authors: Bardelli F. , Giacobbe C. , Ballirano P. , Borelli V. , Benedetto F. Di , Montegrossi G. , Bellis D. , Pacella A.
Published: January 2023

Asbestos bodies (AB) form in the lungs as a result of a biomineralization process initiated by the alveolar macrophages in the attempt to remove asbestos. During this process, organic and inorganic material deposit on the foreign fibers forming an Fe-rich coating. The AB can begin to form in weeks or months, and thus quickly become the actual interface between asbestos and the lung tissue. Therefore, revealing their composition, and, in particular, the chemical form of Fe in the AB is essential to assess their possible role in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases. In this work we report the result of the first X-ray diffraction measurements performed on single AB embedded in the lung tissue samples of former workers of an asbestos plant. The combination with X-ray absorption spectroscopy data allowed to reveal that Fe is present in the AB as an admixture of two Fe-oxy(hydroxides): ferrihydrite and goethite. The presence of goethite, which can be explained in terms of the transformation of ferrihydrite (a metastable phase) due to the acidic conditions induced by the alveolar macrophages, has toxicological implications that are discussed in the paper.
Preoperative albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio is an independent prognostic factor for patients with stage I non small cell lung cancer undergoing surgical resection
Authors: Xu Chunhua , Li Li , Wang Yuchao , Yuan Qi , Wang Wei , Zhang Qian , Chi Chuanzhen
Published: January 2023

Background
Previous studies have shown that albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) is a novel prognostic biomarker in various diseases. In this study, we investigated the correlation between AFR and clinical outcomes in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
A total of 212 stage I NSCLC patients who underwent surgical resection were enrolled in this study. Risk factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression analyses. The association between OS, RFS and AFR was assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method using log-rank test.
Results
The AFR was significantly associated with tumor stage. Preoperative AFR was an effective predictor for OS in NSCLC patients with a cut-off value of 10.36 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.785 (P < 0.001). The univariate and multivariate Cox analyses indicated that AFR was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and RFS (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis confirmed that patients with high AFR levels showed significantly higher RFS (P = 0.016) and OS (P = 0.041) than those with low AFR levels.
Conclusions
This study indicated that elevated preoperative AFR might be an independent prognostic factor for stage I NSCLC patients.
The Economics of Phosphorus: Does its Price Reflect its Attributes? An economic and geopolitical analysis of the market for phosphate rock
Authors: Bonini Caterina , Wesenbeeck Cornelia F.A.
Published: January 2023

Modern agriculture relies on phosphorus usage through inorganic fertilizers, which are made with phosphorus extracted form of phosphate rock (PR). Fertilizer demand is increasing because of dietary changes and increased population, and is expected to increase at higher rate in the upcoming years. Although the demand is increasing, prices do not seem to reflect the immanent scarcity as phosphate rock mines are being depleted fast. Furthermore, a complex geopolitical economy emerges from a situation of a potential future monopoly of Morocco in the market. This paper firstly, tests whether information regarding phosphate rock scarcity and geopolitical complexity is reflected in its prices by testing whether the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) holds. The analysis demonstrates a market failure, and concludes that this can be attributed to (1) lack of inclusion of all available information in agents’ price expectation formation, (2) uncertainty about the size of reserves, per se and due to technological changes, and (3) the long horizon for full depletion. In addition, we argue that futures prices are inadequate to capture the geopolitical aspect of the market, related to the dominant position of Morocco.
Effect of general and surface anesthesia on micro-plasma radiofrequency of hypertrophic scar: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Meng Fanting , Wu Qian , Fu Qiang , Zhou Guiwen , Tian Xiaoming , Ding Hongfan , Zheng Can , Xu Xiao , Chen Minliang
Published: January 2023

Background
Although micro-plasma radiofrequency (MPR) treatment has a significant effect on scars, patients require anesthesia to relieve the significant discomfort it produces. Whether anesthesia impacts efficacy is unclear.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of different anesthesia on MPR for hypertrophic scars.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study involving 101 people was conducted to investigate the effectiveness and safety of general and topical anesthetics for the treatment of MPR scars. The primary measures of outcome were the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores before the first treatment and six months after the last treatment, as well as the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores on the day and the day after the final treatment.
Results
The differences in scar pigmentation, vascularity, and overall VSS scores were higher in the general anesthesia group than in the surface anesthesia group. Patients in the general anesthesia group had a lower pain level than those in the surface anesthesia group. After adjusting for confounding factors and propensity score matching, the outcome of VSS and VAS scores was stable. There was no statistical difference in the adverse effects and satisfaction between the two groups.
Conclusion
General anesthesia, as opposed to surface anesthesia, may not only ensure safety but also increase the effectiveness of MPR and lessen postoperative pain in the treatment of hypertrophic scars.