bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depiction of Aquifer plausible zones and protective capacity using hydraulic parameters in Modomo/Kajola, Ile-Ife, Southwestern, Nigeria
Authors: Olumurewa Kayode Oladele , Adenika Charles Itunu , Ariyibi Emmanuel Abiodun
Published: October 2023

This study is intended at depicting the aquifer plausible zones in Modomo/Kajola, Ile-Ife using Dar Zarrouk parameters. The study area is situated amid latitudes 830,00–830,500 mN and longitudes 663,500–664,000 mE, overlying pegmatite and granite gneiss in the basement complex terrain. Twenty-eight (28) Schlumberger-array vertical electric soundings (VES) were carried out within the study area with the help of Terrameter SAS 300C. The VES interpretation result reveals three to five geo-electric layers: topsoil, clay/sand/lateritic layer, weathered layer, fractured basement, and fresh basement. The geoelectric sections showed the main aquifers to be unconfined, semi-confined, and confined composed of sandy clay, clayey sand, and sand with different thicknesses (aquifer thickness varying from 3.3 m to 15.8 m with a mean value of 9.9 m). The aquifer hydraulic characteristics show that the longitudinal conductance (L) varies from 0.014 Ωm to 1.000 Ωm with a mean value of 0.132 Ωm, the transverse resistance (T), varies from 677.4 Ωm2 to 6465.7 Ωm2 with a mean value of 2291.2 Ωm2. The Hydraulic conductivity (K) values vary from 29.4 m/day to 126.9 m/day with a mean value of 50.5 m/day. The transmissivity (Tr) values attained at many layers vary from 418.7 m2 /day to 465.1 m2 /day, with a mean value of 449.4 m2 /day. The GSLI values vary from 2.25 to 4.25 with a mean value of 2.9. Three aquifer plausible zones were depicted involving sandy clay, clayey sand, and sand.
PFP-FM: An Accelerated FM-index
Authors: Hong Aaron , Oliva Marco , Köppl Dominik , Bannai Hideo , Boucher Christina , Gagie Travis
Published: October 2023

FM-indexes are a crucial data structure in DNA alignment, but searching with them usually takes at least one random access per character in the query pattern. Ferragina and Fischer observed in 2007 that word-based indexes often use fewer random accesses than character-based indexes, and thus support faster searches. Since DNA lacks natural word boundaries, however, it is necessary to parse it somehow before applying word-based FM-indexing. Last year, Deng et al. proposed parsing genomic data by induced suffix sorting and showed the resulting word-based FM-indexes support faster counting queries than standard FM-indexes when patterns are a few thousand characters or longer. In this paper we show that using prefix-free parsing—which takes parameters that let us tune the average length of the phrases—instead of induced suffix sorting, gives a significant speedup for patterns of only a few hundred characters. We implement our method and demonstrate it is between 3 and 18 times faster than competing methods on queries to GRCh38, and is consistently faster on queries made to 25,000, 50,000, and 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes. Hence, it seems our method accelerates the performance of count over all state-of-the-art methods with a minor increase in the memory. The source code for PFP-FM is available at https://github.com/marco-oliva/afm.
Design optimization of a novel symmetrical differential lever displacement magnification compliant mechanism
Authors: Huynh Ngoc Thai , Nguyen Minh Huy , Dinh Le Cao Ky
Published: October 2023

Compliant mechanisms with flexure hinges work based on the deformation of a flexure hinge. The high displacement amplification ratio of the compliant mechanism gives it a large working space, an issue that has been challenging to solve for researchers. Therefore, this study proposes grey relational analysis and the TOPSIS method, the EDAS method and the Taguchi method as means of optimising the displacement magnification of a novel symmetrical differential lever displacement magnification compliant mechanism. The model of the mechanism studied here was designed by SolidWorks. The design variables of the model consisted of variable A, variable B, variable C and variable D. The design variables and their levels were used to create 27 different models with Minitab experimental design software. The displacement and stress of the 27 models was then analysed with the finite element method (FEM) in ANSYS. The results of the FEM analysis were used in optimisation with the methods mentioned above. The FEM results indicated that the designed variables significantly affected the displacement and stress of the symmetrical differential lever displacement magnification compliant mechanism. Issues were also confirmed with five optimisation methods. The predicted and optimal values of the displacement were 0.11276 mm and 0.1179 mm, with error of 4.36%. The input displacement was 0.01 mm, while the displacement magnification ratio was 11.79 times.
The relationship of social support to posttraumatic growth in COVID-19 among college students after experiencing campus lockdown: The effects of belief in a just world and meaning in life
Authors: Wu Aoyu
Published: October 2023

Background
Campus lockdown orders were issued for the purpose of preventing and controlling COVID-19, which resulted in psychological problems among college students. However, the experiences they have during the pandemic may also lead to positive personal changes, including posttraumatic growth (PTG). The current study examined the mediating role of belief in a just world and meaning in life in social support and PTG during the COVID-19 campus lockdown.
Method
An online survey was conducted on 1711 college students in Hebei Province, China. Based on the survey results, a structural equation model was established.
Results
Social support positively predicted PTG. Furthermore, belief in a just world and meaning in life played a mediating role between social support and PTG respectively. Besides, social support could also predict PTG through the multiple serial mediating effect of belief in a just world and meaning in life.
Conclusions
These results indicated mechanisms by which social support influenced PTG, and this provided insights into how to promote post-traumatic growth among university students in the post-pandemic period.
Signal Slice and Tensor-Based Blind Separation of Underdetermined Mixtures
Authors: Luo Weilin , Jin Hongbin , Cheng Wei , Li Hao , Zuo Jiajun , Li Xiaobai
Published: October 2023

A novel underdetermined blind separation method is proposed based on signal slice and tensor decomposition to explore effective statistical information and improve separation performance. Firstly, the whitening signal is partitioned into several slices, and the delay covariance matrix of each slice is calculated. These delay covariance matrices are then stacked into third-order tensors and compressed into low-dimensional core tensors using high-order singular value decomposition. Next, the third-order tensors are decomposed using canonical polyadic decomposition through weight nonlinear least square to obtain the mixed matrix. Finally, by leveraging signal independence, a matrix diagonalization method is employed to recover the source signals. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively suppresses the influence of Gaussian noise and improves the estimation accuracy. Moreover, the proposed method achieves superior separation results compared to seven representative approaches.
Estrogens alter epigenetic profile during male germ cell differentiation and histone-to-protamine exchange in mice
Authors: Ded Lukas , Zatecka-Lanska Eva , Vaculikova Eliska , Frolikova Michaela , Sanovec Ondrej , Palenikova Veronika , Simonik Ondrej , Dorosh Andrej , Margaryan Hasmik , Elzeinova Fatima , Kubatova Alena , Peknicova Jana , Paradowska-Dogan Agnieszka , Steger Klaus , Komrskova Katerina
Published: October 2023

Spermatogenesis starts with the onset of puberty within the seminiferous epithelium of the testes. It is a complex process under intricate control of the endocrine system. Physiological regulation by steroid hormones in general and by estrogens in particular are due to their chemical nature, which is prone to be disrupted by exogenous factors acting as endocrine disruptors (EDs). 17α-Ethynylestradiol (EE2) is an environmental pollutant with a confirmed ED activity and a well-known effect on spermatogenesis and chromatin remodeling in haploid germ cells. The aim of our study was to assess possible effects of two doses (2.5ng/ml; 2.5µg/ml) of EE2 on both histone-to-protamine exchange and epigenetic profiles during spermatogenesis performing a multi/transgenerational study in mice. Our results demonstrated an impaired histone-to-protamine exchange with a significantly higher histone retention in sperm nuclei of exposed animals, when this process was accompanied by the changes of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) abundancies with a prominent effect on H3K9Ac and partial changes in protamine 1 promoter methylation status. Furthermore, individual changes in molecular phenotypes were partially transmitted to subsequent generations, when no direct trans-generational effect was observed. Finally, the uncovered specific localization of the histone retention in sperm nuclei and their specific PTMs profile after EE2 exposure may indicate an estrogenic effect on sperm motility and early embryonic development via epigenetic mechanisms.
Radical Pair Model for Magnetic Field Effects on NMDA Receptor Activity
Authors: Nair Parvathy S , Zadeh-Haghighi Hadi , Simon Christoph
Published: October 2023

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor is a prominent player in brain development and functioning. Perturbations to its functioning through external stimuli like magnetic fields can potentially affect the brain in numerous ways. Various studies have shown that magnetic fields of varying strengths affect these receptors. We propose that the radical pair mechanism, a quantum mechanical process, could explain some of these field effects. Radicals of the form [RO● Mg(H2O)n+●], where R is a protein residue that can be Serine or Tyrosine, are considered for this study. The variation in the singlet fractional yield of the radical pairs, as a function of magnetic field strength, is calculated to understand how the magnetic field affects the products of the radical pair reactions. Based on the results, the radical pair mechanism is a likely candidate for explaining the magnetic field effects observed on the receptor activity. The model predicts changes in the behaviour of the system as magnetic field strength is varied and also predicts certain isotope effects. The results further suggest that similar effects on radical pairs could be a plausible explanation for various magnetic field effects within the brain.
Developing a set of emergency department performance measures to evaluate delirium care quality for older adults: A modified e-Delphi study
Authors: Filiatreault Sarah , Kreindler Sara A. , Grimshaw Jeremy M. , Chochinov Alecs , Doupe Malcolm B.
Published: October 2023

Background.
Older adults are at high risk of developing delirium in the emergency department (ED); however, it is under-recognized in routine clinical care. Lack of detection and treatment is associated with poor outcomes, such as mortality. Performance measures (PMs) are needed to identify variations in quality care to help guide improvement strategies. The purpose of this study is to gain consensus on a set of quality statements and PMs that can be used to evaluate delirium care quality for older ED patients.
Methods.
A 3-round modified e-Delphi study was conducted with ED clinical experts. In each round, participants rated quality statements according to the concepts of importance and actionability, then their associated PMs according to the concept of necessity (1–9 Likert scales), with the ability to comment on each. Consensus and stability were evaluated using a priori criteria using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was examined to identify themes within and across quality statements and PMs, which went through a participant validation exercise in the final round.
Results.
Twenty-two experts participated, 95.5% were from west or central Canada. From 10 quality statements and 24 PMs, consensus was achieved for six quality statements and 22 PMs. Qualitative data supported justification for including three quality statements and one PM that achieved consensus slightly below a priori criteria. Three overarching themes emerged from the qualitative data related to quality statement actionability. Nine quality statements, nine structure PMs, and 14 process PMs are included in the final set, addressing four areas of delirium care: screening, diagnosis, risk reduction and management.
Conclusion.
Results provide a set of quality statements and PMs that are important, actionable, and necessary to a diverse group of clinical experts. To our knowledge, this is the first known study to develop a de novo set of guideline-based quality statements and PMs to evaluate the quality of delirium care older adults receive in the ED setting.
Alkaline Delignification of Tropical Hardwoods: A promising Approach for Sustainable Material Development
Authors: Maturana Juan Carlos , Arroyave Catalina , Hurtado Alejandro , Echeverría Félix , Correa Esteban
Published: October 2023

Wood delignification is a promising approach for developing sustainable materials from tropical hardwoods. This study investigated the uniformity and efficiency of partial alkaline delignification of three commercially important tropical hardwoods (Andiroba, Sande, and Choiba) using a mixed aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite (NaOH/Na2SO3) as a pretreatment for densification. The effects and distribution of the solution under the influence of the anatomical features of each hardwood were analyzed using FT-IR, optical microscopy, and SEM. The process resulted in the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose in varying proportions between the center and ends of the wood. This reduction in lignin and hemicellulose content led to a decrease in MOE, MOR, and hardness of the delignified wood. Additionally, the results suggest that sodium accumulation in the wood structure may also modify its mechanical properties. The relationship between the chemical treatment and the anatomical characteristics of the wood species was found to influence delignification, which in turn affected the effectiveness of densification and subsequent compression. The findings of this study suggest that alkaline delignification is a promising approach for developing new materials from tropical hardwoods, but further research is needed to optimize the process and minimize the negative impact on mechanical properties.
LNC000152 participates in aluminum-induced reactive astrocyte proliferation by promoting GFAP expression
Authors: Zhang Zhuoran , Li Xiaoyan , Ma Limin , Wang Shanshan , Zhang Jingsi , Zhou Yue , Guo Xin , Niu Qiao
Published: October 2023

Aluminum is a metal element with significant neurotoxicity, and there is a substantial correlation between aluminum exposure and cognitive dysfunction. GFAP is widely used as a marker of reactive astrocyte proliferation in response to pathological injury of the central nervous system. Studies of various neurodegenerative diseases have confirmed that the expression changes of GFAP are associated with nerve injury. We investigated the role of LNC000152 in aluminum-induced reactive proliferation of astrocytes. By establishing two aluminum-exposed cell models of primary rat astrocytes and CTX-TNA2 cell lines, we examined the expression of LNC000152 and GFAP, detected cell proliferation with EdU and cell cycle changes with flow cytometry. The effect of aluminum to promote glial cell proliferation was verified; the expression levels of LNC000152 and GFAP increased with the concentration of aluminum exposure. Intervention of LNC000152 expression by siRNA technology revealed that LNC000152 affected glial cell responsive proliferation by influencing GFAP expression. These results suggest that LNC000152 plays a role in the reactive proliferation of astrocytes induced by aluminum.
Interaction of Cuminaldehyde with Bovine Serum Albumin and Human Serum Albumin
Authors: BORAH R.
Published: October 2023

Cuminaldehyde, an oxidized aldehyde monoterpene, present in green cumin seeds (CuminumcyminumLinn,FamilyApiaceae), is traditionally used for the treatment of abdominal colic, dyspepsia , diarrhoea and jaundice. Also, many studies have reported the antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal effects of Cuminaldehyde. Serum albumins are the major soluble and small molecule-binding proteins, present in abundance in the circulatory system of a wide variety of organisms. Studies on the interaction of bioactive molecules with Bovine serum albumin(BSA) and Human serum albumin(HSA) have attracted enormous interest due to its direct consequence on drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic efficacy and drug designing. Our present study is carried out to understand the mechanism of interaction of pharmaceutically important component of spices, Cuminaldehyde with BSA and HSA. Fluorescence spectroscopic measurements confirmed that Cuminaldehyde interacted with BSA and HSA and quenched its fluorescence intensity via static quenching mechanism. The change in secondary conformation of BSA and HSA upon interaction with Cuminaldehyde was explored by UV-Visible absorption studies. The location of binding site for Cuminaldehyde in BSA and HSA was investigated by site probe displacement experiments and the results indicated that Cuminaldehyde was bound to BSA and HSA at site I. Thermodynamic studies revealed that vander Waal’s interaction and hydrogen bonding play a major role in Cuminaldehyde-BSA system while electrostatic interaction plays vital role in Cuminaldehyde-HSA system.
Co-assessment of costs and environmental impacts for off-grid direct air carbon capture and storage (DACS) systems
Authors: Gutsch Moritz , Leker Jens
Published: October 2023

Large-scale deployment of direct air carbon capture and storage (DACS) is required to offset CO2 emissions. To guide decision-making, a combined assessment of costs and environmental impacts for DACS systems is necessary. The present work presents a cost model and life cycle assessment for several combinations of off-grid DACSs, powered by photovoltaic (PV) energy and heat pumps combined with battery storages to mitigate intermittency of the PV energy source. Utilization factors of DACSs are estimated for different locations, power of PV systems and battery capacities. We find that the cost optimal layout for a DACS in Nevada (USA) with a nominal CO2 removal capacity of 100,000 tCO2/year consists of 100MW PV and 300MWh battery. Costs are $755 and $877 for gross and net removal of 1 tCO2. The cost difference is explained by a carbon removal efficiency (CRE) of 88%. Of 16 evaluated environmental impact categories mineral resource use is most problematic. We conceive a dashboard which allows to track how changes to technical parameters, such as energy consumption or adsorbent degradation, impact costs, CRE and combined environmental impacts. In an optimized scenario and including tax credits, costs for net-removal of 1tCO2 will be $216 at a CRE of 93%.
Super-resolved snapshot hyperspectral imaging of solid-state quantum emitters for high-throughput integrated quantum technologies
Authors: Liu Jin , Liu Shunfa , Li Xueshi , Liu Hanqing , Qiu Guixin , Ma Jiantao , Nie Liang , Ni Hai-Qiao , Niu Zhichuan , Qiu Cheng-wei , Wang Xue-Hua
Published: October 2023

Solid-state quantum emitters coupled to integrated photonic nanostructures are quintessential for exploring fundamental phenomena in cavity quantum electrodynamics and widely employed in photonic quantum technologies such as non-classical light sources, quantum repeaters, and quantum transducers, etc. One of the most exciting promises from integrated quantum photonics is the potential of scalability that enables massive productions of miniaturized devices on a single chip. In reality, the yield of efficient and reproducible light-matter couplings is greatly hindered by the spectral and spatial mismatches between the single solid-state quantum emitters and confined or propagating optical modes supported by the photonic nanostructures, preventing the high-throughput realization of large-scale integrated quantum photonic circuits for more advanced quantum information processing tasks. In this work, we introduce the concept of hyperspectral imaging in quantum optics, for the first time, to address such a long-standing issue. By exploiting the extended mode with a unique dispersion in a 1D planar cavity, the spectral and spatial information of each individual quantum dot in an ensemble can be accurately and reliably extracted from a single wide-field photoluminescence image with super-resolutions. With the extracted quantum dot positions and emission wavelengths, surface-emitting quantum light sources and in-plane photonic circuits can be deterministically fabricated with a high-throughput by etching the 1D confined planar cavity into 3D confined micropillars and 2D confined waveguides. Further extension of this technique by employing an open planar cavity could be exploited for pursuing a variety of compact quantum photonic devices with expanded functionalities for large-scale integration. Our work is expected to change the landscape of integrated quantum photonic technology in which solid-state quantum emitters play essential roles as superior quantum light sources and efficient spin-photon interfaces.
Global research of artificial intelligence in lung Cancer: A bibliometric and visualized study
Authors: Yang Qiwei , Wang Ziyi , Lv Ling , Liu Zhenghua , Men Wanfu , Li Wenya
Published: October 2023

Background: In recent years, the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has created new opportunities for lung cancer research, and a large number of academic research results have been published. We used a bibliometric approach to visualize and analyze the scientific research results related to AI in lung cancer in the 21st century, and summarize the current status and research hotspots in this field.
Methods: Published scientific literature related to AI in lung cancer was searched in The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). R software, Citespace, VOSviewer, Microsoft Excel 2019 and Tableau were used for bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping visualization.
Results: The number of publications increased annually from 2000 to 2022, and the United States and Stanford University were the most influential countries and research institutions, respectively. The most prominent researcher is Philippe Lambin from Maastricht University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Journal of Clinical Oncology is the most cited journal, and Frontiers in Oncology is the most productive journal. Machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), pulmonary nodules, radiomics, and prognosis are the most frequently occurring keywords and trending topics in the field.
Conclusions: AI has a wide range of promising applications in lung cancer, and more and more researchers are devoted to this field of study. The results of our bibliometric analysis provide researchers with a more intuitive understanding of the current status and trends of research in this field. Quantitative and visual analysis can guide scholars worldwide in their research and exploration.
Vitamin D3 Supplementation Could Improve the Effect of Exercise Training on Type 2 Diabetes -Induced Metabolic Disorders via BDNF/Irisin Axis in Elderly Women
Authors: Mashhadi Marjan Rostamian , Bijeh Nahid , Rashidlamir Amir , Raoof Ali Akbar
Published: October 2023

Objectives
Metabolic disorders are commonly linked to the process of aging and menopause. It is assumed that exercise and vitamin D (VitD) can have positive effects on the body, specifically via changes in irisin and brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) levels. This study aimed to investigate the concurrent effect of VitD3 and exercise training on insulin resistance, memory performance, irisin, and serum BDNF in postmenopausal women with diabetes.
Methods
In the present study, forty participants were randomly assigned into four groups of placebo, VitD3, placebo + combined exercise, and VitD3 + combined exercise (n = 10 for each group). The exercise groups received the related treatments for 8 weeks. Before the implementation of interventions and 24 hours after the last session, short-term/working memory performance, insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA), fasting blood sugar (FBS), cholesterol, low/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL/HDL), triglyceride (TG), VitD3 levels, fasting serum BDNF and irisin were measured.
Results
Our data indicated the highest reduction in HOMA, insulin, cholesterol, TG, LDL (P < 0.001), FBS (P < 0.01), but the highest amount of increase in irisin and BDNF (P = 0.007; P = 0.004, respectively) and Digit Span Forwards and Backwards tests (P = 0.002 and P = 0.006, respectively) in VitD3 + combined exercise compared with the placebo group.
Conclusion
Our findings showed that the combination of VitD3 supplementation and aerobic training/MSROM, compared with mono-therapy can effectively attenuate insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk factors, and improve memory performance in postmenopausal women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, in part due to the signaling of BDNF and irisin.
Short-chain-fatty acid valerate reduces voluntary alcohol intake in male mice
Authors: Bokoliya Suresh C , Russell Jordan , Dorsett Yair , Panier Hunter , Singh Vijender , Daddi Lauren , Yuan Hanshu , Dedon Liv R. , Liu Zhongmao , Barson Jessica R. , Covault Jonathan , Bubier Jason A. , Zhou Yanjiao
Published: October 2023

Background
Despite serious health and social consequences, effective intervention strategies for habitual alcohol binge drinking are lacking. Development of novel therapeutic and preventative approaches is highly desirable. Accumulating evidence in the past several years has established associations between the gut microbiome and microbial metabolites with drinking behavior, but druggable targets and their underlying mechanism of action are understudied.
Results
Here, using a drink-in-the-dark mouse model, we identified a microbiome metabolite-based novel treatment (sodium valerate) that can reduce excessive alcohol drinking. Sodium valerate is a sodium salt of valeric acidshort-chain-fatty-acid with similar structure as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Ten days of oral sodium valerate supplementation attenuates excessive alcohol drinking by 40%, reduces blood ethanol concentration by 53%, and improves anxiety-like or approach-avoidance behavior in male mice, without affecting overall food and water intake. Mechanistically, sodium valerate supplementation increases GABA levels across stool, blood, and amygdala. It also significantly increases H4 acetylation in the amygdala of mice. Transcriptomics analysis of the amygdala revealed that sodium valerate supplementation led to changes in gene expression associated with functional pathways including potassium voltage-gated channels, inflammation, glutamate degradation, L-DOPA degradation, and psychological behaviors. 16S microbiome profiling showed that sodium valerate supplementation shifts the gut microbiome composition and decreases microbiome-derived neuroactive compounds through GABA degradation in the gut microbiome.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that the sodium valerate holds promise as an innovative therapeutic avenue for the reduction of habitual binge drinking, potentially through multifaceted mechanisms.
Experiences of parents of children receiving immunotherapy for neuroblastoma in China: a qualitative study
Authors: Li Xiaohua , Bu Weizhen , Ji Ziling , Wang Xiao , Hu Xiaojing , Xuan Yan
Published: October 2023

Objective This study aimed to capture and explore the experience of parents of children receiving immunotherapy for neuroblastoma in China.
Design and method A phenomenological qualitative study design was used, and
a purposive sampling technique to recruit parents of children with neuroblastoma from August to September 2023 at Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center Boao worldlight hospital.Semi-structured interviews were conducted to document the experience of participants.Colaizzi's seven-step data analysis method was used to analyse the data to reveal the themes of the phenomenon.
Results Fourteen parents participated in the study.A total of six themes were extracted on parents' experience of caring for a child with neuroblastoma during the immunotherapy:worry and fear; feeling support;expection and hope;just wishing the child to live and healthy;expection for new drugs and financial stress.
Conclusion These findings make an important contribution to healthcare professionals’ understanding the experience of parents of children with neuroblastoma receiving immunotherapy.Worry and fear and Financial stress issues are likely to be heavier in this population. Oncology specialist nurses should to pay attention to the experience of parents, promote health education according to the needs of parents, improve social support, and then improve the quality of care for children with NB in China.
Resveratrol activates autophagy to protect the skin from UVA- induced photoaging by regulating the AMPK pathway
Authors: Xia Yangmin , Zhang Hao , Wu Xiangyi , Xu Ye , Tan Qian
Published: October 2023

Skin photoaging is mostly caused by ultraviolet A (UVA), although active medications to effectively counteract UVA-induced photoaging have not yet been created. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol found in the skin of grapes, has been shown to have various biological functions such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. However, the role of resveratrol in UVA-induced photoaging has not been clarified. We investigated the mechanism of action of resveratrol by UVA irradiation of human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and innovatively modified a mouse model of photoaging. The results demonstrated that resveratrol promoted AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation to activate autophagy, reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibit apoptosis, and restore normal cell cycle to alleviate UVA-induced photoaging. In addition, subcutaneous injection of resveratrol not only improved the symptoms of roughness, erythema, and increased wrinkles in the skin of UVA photodamaged mice, but also alleviated epidermal hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation, reduced inflammatory responses, and inhibited collagen fiber degradation. In conclusion, our studies proved that resveratrol can treat UVA-induced photoaging and elucidated the possible molecular mechanisms involved, providing a new therapeutic strategy for future anti-aging.
The Utility of Monocyte-to-High-Density Lipoprotein- Cholesterol Ratio (MHR) in Estimating Renal Function Impairment: Cross-Sectional Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2018
Authors: Pan Yongdong , Qian Subo , Xu Guofeng
Published: October 2023

Background
Monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) is a good marker to evaluate the development and progression of atherosclerosis. There is a close correlation between atherosclerosis and renal function. However, the predictive values of MHR for renal function impairment have been underutilized. This study investigated the association of MHR with renal function impairment in the adult population of the United States.
Methods
This study included 31909 participants (≥ 18 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 that were grouped according to MHR tertiles. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) were calculated as the main indexes of renal function impairment were employed to investigate differences among the groups. Moreover, the relationship of MHR with renal function impairment was further explored using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis.
Results
The MHR tertile ranges are: <0.009, 0.009–0.013, > 0.013. There were statistically significant differences in all baseline variables between MHR groups (all P < 0.05). Overall, heightened MHR levels correlated positively with diminished eGFR as well as the presence of microalbuminuria (eGFR: OR:1.23, 95%CI:1.02–1.48, P = 0.03; microalbuminuria: OR:1.17, 95%CI: 1.01–136, P = 0.04), and there was no significant association with macroalbuminuria after fully adjusting for covariates. Segmenting MHR into tertiles unveiled that the middle tertile (Q2) bore no marked correlation with the trio of outcomes in contrast to the first tertile (Q1). Conversely, the third tertile (Q3) exhibited an amplified association with a reduced eGFR and the onset of microalbuminuria (eGFR: OR:1.52,95%CI:1.06–2.18, P = 0.03; microalbuminuria: OR:1.38, 95%CI: 1.01–1.87, P = 0.04). In RCS model, MHR was still correlated with decreased eGFR and microalbuminuria (P− overall<0.05), but not with macroalbuminuria, and the correlation between MHR and decreased eGFR was non-linear (P− non linear<0.05). In addition, in subgroup analysis, there was a stronger association in populations such as women and hypertension.
Conclusions
MHR was significantly related to decreased eGFR and microalbuminuria in the general population and this relationship appears even more pronounced in particular demographic subsets.
Ranking resilience: assessing the impact of scientific performance and the expansion of the Times Higher Education Word University rankings on the position of Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Slovak universities
Authors: Tóth Barbara , Motahari-Nezhad Hossein , Horseman Nicki , Berek László , Kovács Levente , Hölgyesi Áron , Péntek Márta , Mirjalili Seyedali , Gulácsi László , Zrubka Zsombor
Published: October 2023

University rankings are gaining importance worldwide. While the top-ranked universities are the subject of numerous academic publications, very little literature is available on universities in the lower two-thirds of the ranking list. In this study, we analysed the sensitivity of year to year changes in position in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE) of universities from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia using hypothetical scenarios of potential changes in their research outputs. A regression model was developed that quantifies the effect of the inclusion of institutions that are new to ranking as well as dropouts on the ranking list. We also developed a method to allow customized sensitivity analysis of the subsequent year's rank from an institution's projected research output, given its current rank and research output, assuming that other ranking indicators remain unchanged over 1–2 years. It should be noted that universities in the region have ranked below 800, and while research output has been increasing, it was observed that ranks worsen for most universities from these four countries. The field-weighted citation index and the total volume of publications had the highest effect on rankings, while the proportion of Scimago Q1 publications did not have a consistent effect on the projected next year's ranks. In most universities, the growth in research performance indicators were below the level that would be required to offset the rank changes due to the inclusion of new entrants in ranking. The findings of this research suggest that universities have to consider complex strategies to improve their ranking focusing on other activities than research such as reputation, internationalization, or industry income. With due caution, our results might be generalized to most of the universities below 800 in the THE. The rank prediction tool presented in this article is available online at https://hecon.uni-obuda.hu/en/rank-calculator/. JEL code I21, I23, I28
Taking stock of the pre-pandemic patterns of demographic and psychological antecedents of vaccination intention and behaviour – Results from representative surveys in 2016 and 2018
Authors: Eitze Sarah , Felgendreff Lisa , Seefeld Linda , Horstkötter Nina , Betsch Cornelia
Published: October 2023

Background: There are many reasons why people decide for or against vaccination. Besides socio-demographic characteristics, the 5C antecedents of vaccination (confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility) are a helpful tool for identifying target groups and the public’s broader informational needs. In this study, the 5C antecedents were used to explain vaccination behaviour (a) in general over the last five years, (b) for specific vaccines and (c) for target groups, such as the elderly, parents, and healthcare workers. The intention to get an influenza vaccination was also analysed for certain target groups.
Methods: The 5C antecedents of vaccination, self-reported vaccination behaviour and intention to vaccinate were collected in two representative telephone surveys – one in 2016 (n1 = 5,012) and another in 2018 (n2 = 5,054). Logistic regressions reveal the predictive value of socio-demographic variables and psychological antecedents for vaccination behaviour and intention.
Results: Confidence in safety and effectiveness was always an important predictor. Furthermore, complacency (the underestimation of risk) and even structural barriers were important psychological predictors of vaccination behaviour. Overall, psychological antecedents had higher explanatory power than socio-demographic variables.
Conclusions: The pattern of vaccine hesitancy slightly differed between vaccinations and target groups, and an understanding of pre-pandemic patterns is urgently needed to detect changes in vaccine hesitancy patterns caused by the pandemic and to target vaccination deficits that it has caused.
Assessment of the childhood neurodevelopmental status based on the diagnosis of congenital or acquired hypothyroidism
Authors: Amirikandbon Zeinab , Moienafshar Atousa , Shariatpanahi Ghazal , Mojtahedi Sayed Yousef , Tavakolizadeh Reza
Published: October 2023

Background
Misdiagnosis and delay in the treatment of hypothyroidism, due to the role of thyroid hormone in the metabolism and neurodevelopment of children, can cause irreversible sequelae. This study was conducted to compare neurodevelopmental status of children with congenital or acquired hypothyroidism.
Methods
In a cohort study, neurodevelopmental status of two groups of 30 children with congenital or acquired hypothyroidism, was evaluated by the ages and stages questionnaire.
Results
There was no significant difference in childhood neurodevelopment, based on the diagnosis of congenital or acquired hypothyroidism. In congenital hypothyroidism, later diagnosis and lower thyroxine level were associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Conclusion
Neonatal diagnosis and early treatment of hypothyroidism can prevent late neurodevelopmental disorders.
Vehicle state and parameter estimation based on improved extend Kalman filter
Authors: Liu Yingjie , Cui Dawei , Peng Wen
Published: October 2023

In order to reduce the influence of historical measurement data errors in the process of vehicle state estimation and improve the accuracy of the vehicle state estimation, a limited memory random weighted extended Kalman filter (LMRWEKF) algorithm is proposed. Firstly, a 3-DOF nonlinear vehicle dynamics model is established. Secondly, the limited memory extended Kalman filter is formed by fusing the limited memory filter and the extended Kalman filter. Then, according to the random weighting theory, the weighting coefficients that obey Dirichlet distribution are introduced to further improve the filtering estimation accuracy. Finally, a virtual test based on the ADAMS/CAR is used for the experimental verification. The results show that the error in the longitudinal velocity and the yaw rate is small, especially in the mean value of estimation error of side slip angle which is different in just 0.015 degrees between the virtual test and the simulation result. And also, the results compared with traditional methods indicate that the proposed LMRWEKF algorithm can solve the problem of vehicle state estimation with the performance of noise fluctuation suppression and higher estimation accuracy. The mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) are considered to verify the estimation accuracy of the proposed algorithm. And the comparison results indicate that the estimation accuracy of the LMRWEKF algorithm is significantly higher than those of the EKF and DEKF methods.
Etkileşimli Öykülemede İzleyici Perspektifi ve Görsel Tasarım ile Desteklenen Anlatı
Authors: Kaya Kaan
Published: October 2023

İnsan bilincinin doğuşundan bu yana hayatın bir parçası olan öykülere gelişen teknoloji ile yeni bir bakış açısı kazandırılmıştır. Video oyunları ve etkileşimli kurgu yapıtları ile izleyiciye sunulan etkileşimli öyküler, izleyicinin deneyimlediği öyküde pasif bir gözlemci olduğu geleneksel anlatıların aksine, aktif bir rol vererek onu öykü dokusunun temel bir parçası haline getirmektedir. Tasarımcının ve izleyicinin birlikte şekillendirdiği bu anlatılar sonsuz deneyim potansiyeline sahiptir. Ancak etkileşimli bir medyada kurgulanan anlatının kararlı ilerleyebilmesi için izleyici perspektifinin yönlendirilebilmesi kritik önem taşımaktadır ve diğer görsel anlatı türlerinde yer alan kontrol metotları etkileşimli öyküleme yapısı için çoğu zaman yetersizdir. İzleyiciye dayatılabilecek sabit ve önceden kurgulanmış bir perspektif, etkileşimli öykülemenin sunduğu en temel özellik olan kapsayıcılık kavramını olumsuz etkileyebilmektedir. Bu nedenle etkileşimli öykülemenin farklı görsel anlatı yapısı izleyici perspektifinin yönlendirilebilmesi için yaratıcı çözümler gerektirmektedir. Etkileşimli öykülemede kapsayıcılık algısını bozmadan izleyici perspektifini yönlendirmek amacıyla geliştirilmiş çözümlerin incelendiği bu çalışmada, görsel tasarımın anlatı yapısı üzerindeki etkileri örnekler ile irdelenmiştir.
Ecological flow research and optimal selection of the most ecologically relevant hydrologic indicators at the Jingjiang River's three outlets
Authors: Wang Hongxiang , Yan Yiyang , Huang Lintong , He Ning , Guo Wenxian
Published: October 2023

Scientific ecological hydrological indicators provide constraints that contribute to the healthy operation and restoration of river ecosystems. Daily flow data from three Jing River outlets (SongZiKou (SZK), TaiPingKou (TPK), and OuChiKou (OCK)) spanning 1955–2019 were used. We employed innovative methods, such as IHA–RVA and annual distribution, to establish ecological flow thresholds. Surplus and deficit indicators were used to analyze annual and seasonal runoff dynamics. The PCA/RVA method identified relevant hydrological indicators and assessed hydrological changes influenced by the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Key findings include suitable ecological flow thresholds for the flood season (SZK/TPK/OCK – 218.6/94.5, 51.7/96.0, and 60.9–4,494.5 m3/s, respectively). The TGR impacted the flow duration curve, causing deficits during the flood season (up to 0.99, OCK) and surpluses in non-flood seasons (up to 5.04, OCK). The study assessed the Jing River watershed's response to hydrological changes, notably due to the reservoir's water storage and flow interruption during the dry season, revealing declining low pulse count (SDG) and duration (MTS) and increasing high pulse duration (GJP). This research employs innovative methods and hydrological indicators, enhancing understanding of Jing River watershed ecological hydrology, and offering essential data for water resource management and ecosystem health.
Nexus of land use land cover dynamics and extent of soil loss in the Panjkora River Basin of eastern Hindu Kush
Authors: Rahman Haseeb Ur , Shakir Muhammad
Published: October 2023

The increasing population, deforestation and conversion of agricultural land to the built-up areas are putting pressure on land resources. Moreover, among land degradation, soil loss is one of the common issues that has had adverse consequences for natural ecosystems, thus affecting livelihoods. The Panjkora River Basin is selected as the study area due to its very fragile soil and having shown regular soil loss activity. In the study area, the scientific communities are consistently insisting on monitoring the LULC changes and exploring the extent of soil loss. To achieve the stated objectives, the RUSLE approach was applied to generate maps of soil loss for the years 1990, 2005 and 2020. The analysis revealed that during the past three decades (1990–2020), the built-up areas have been increased by 20%. Contrary to this, a decrease of 3% in barren land, 2% in area under water, 3% in snow cover and 13% in area under vegetation have been recorded. The analysis further revealed that the maximum actual annual soil loss consistently increased from 5,195 tons/ha/year in 1990 to 6,247 tons/ha/year in 2005 and 8,297 tons/ha/year in 2020. This research implies that geospatial technologies are effective tools for modeling the erosion of soil.
Protection of the upper hemisphere of a critical information infrastructure facility
Authors: Loskutov I. A. , Repenko V. A.
Published: October 2023

Objective. Structuring of publicly available information regarding the protection of the upper hemisphere of CII objects.

Method. The following methods of scientific cognition are used: systematization, description, analysis, deduction. The article consists of three sections. First, an analysis of the current state of the issue of the need for protection from UAVs is carried out. Accounting is not only military infrastructure, but also civil. In addition, for analysis, the separation of drone attacks is carried out in order to physically destroy the CII object / its part or attack the technical component. In the second part of the work, the analysis of the regulatory framework of Russia and the EU countries is carried out. The greatest emphasis is placed on domestic legislation and the identification of problem areas in relation to the research topic. In the third part of the work, a draft of proposals for the protection of CII objects from threats emanating from UAVs is presented. To do this, the analysis of drone varieties is carried out, the requirements for the system of protection and search for intruders are determined.

Result. The article investigates the problems of protecting CII objects from drone attacks. A constant increase in UAV attacks on civilian and military infrastructure was noted, problems of the regulatory framework of Russia in the direction were identified, a proposal for the protection of the upper hemisphere was developed.

Conclusions. The conducted research is of an overview nature. The materials presented in the paper can serve as a basis for further research in the direction and for the development of relevant regulatory documents.
Additional functions and additional boundary conditions in heat conduction problems for multilayer bodies
Authors: Klebleev R. M.
Published: October 2023

Objective. The purpose of the study is to develop a technique for obtaining an analytical solution to the thermal conductivity problem for a 2-layer plate under boundary conditions of the 1st kind.

Method. The research method is based on the integral method. In this case, an additional function (DF), additional boundary conditions (ABC) and local coordinate systems are introduced. The DF describes the temperature over time at one of the points of the twolayer system. Its use reduces the partial differential equation to an ordinary equation. DKUs allow you to perform equations on boundaries.

Result. It is shown that satisfying the equations on the boundaries leads to their fulfillment inside the domain. Note that additional boundary conditions are satisfied for any other method of obtaining analytical solutions. The only difference is that they are not accepted as conditions subject to separate consideration. An additional function is also a quantity that is determined by any other method of obtaining a solution. The only difference is that it is not singled out for separate consideration.

Conclusion. It can be stated that the introduction of an additional function and additional boundary conditions does not distort the original formulation of the problem and is only a means to significantly simplify the process of obtaining an approximate analytical solution and the final expression for it.