bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Spraying Process on Physicochemical Properties and Vegetation Restoration of Vegetative Cement-Soil
Authors: LIU Liming , LI Mingwei , ZHOU Mingtao , XU Wennian , XIA Dong , SUN Xiaojun
Published: October 2023

In order to explore the influence of spraying process on the physical and chemical properties of vegetative cement-soil and the effect of vegetation restoration, this paper first prepared the same ratio vegetative cement-soil and sprayed it onto three different zones with the same slope ratio. The spraying processes are: dry-spraying (G), wet-spraying (S), and wet-praying plus dry-spraying (S&G), respectively. Then these three indexes of the vegetative cement-soil’s physical and chemical properties, plant seeds germination rate and the vegetation coverage were monitored. The results showed that different spraying techniques had different effects on the physical and chemical properties of vegetative cement-soil which can be explained in the following aspects: (1)Bulk density: G > S&G > S; (2)Porosity: S > S&G > G; (3) Compactness: G > S&G > S; (4)pH value: Spraying process has no obvious effect on pH value of vegetative cement-soil; (5)Organic matter : the initial content was basically the same, later, S and S&G were slightly larger than G; (6)Available nutrients: the initial value was basically the same, later, the available nutrients of these three processes all have some loss that was affected by rainfall, and process S was more obvious. (7)Seeds germination. Spraying process had a great influence on seed germination. G was more suitable for seed germination of herbaceous plants but shrub seeds had poor germination in vegetation cement-soil. Herbaceous plants and shrub seeds germinated better in the vegetative cement-soil with S and S&G. (8)From the aspects of vegetation coverage speed and total coverage, G and S&G were superior to S. In conclusion, from the perspective of vegetation and slope protection functions, the collaborative spraying process of S&G can effectively improve the physical and chemical properties of the vegetative cement-soil habitat substrate, promote the plant seeds germination and fast vegetation coverage, therefore, the collaborative spraying process of S&G can be used as the preferred spraying process of the vegetative cement-soil habitat construction technology.
Dielectric Modulated Negative Capacitance Heterojunction TFET as Biosensor: Proposal and Analysis
Authors: Mishra Varun , Agarwal Lucky , Tiwari Chandni , Rathi Vikas
Published: October 2023

In this article, a label-free biosensor with a single cavity that uses a negative capacitance heterojunction charge-plasma-based tunnel FET (NC-HJ-CP-TFET) is presented and examined. To increase ON-state current, ferroelectric material (Si:HfO2) has been added to a stack with a gate insulator and low energy bandgap material (Si0.5Ge0.5). In terms of biosensing properties, comparisons have been made between NC-HJ-CP-TFET and Si-based NC-CP-TFET. The different bio-analytes employed in this work are Streptavidin (K = 2.1), APTES (K = 3.57), Bacteriophage (K = 6.3), Protein (K = 8), and Gelatin (K = 12). Benchmarking is done to compare prospective biosensors to literature that has already been reported. The maximum ON-state current sensitivity (SION), transconductance-based sensitivity (Sgm), ION/IOFF, and subthreshold swing (SS) obtained are 2×108, 4×108, 2.3×1011, and 17.9 mV/decade, respectively, for NC-HJ-CP-TFET with permittivity of K = 12 with fully filled nanogap of neutral bio-analyte..
The deficiency of hereditary protein C caused arterial thrombosis of the extremities and myocardial infarction in one case
Authors: Xia Binfeng , Zhang Li , Wang Ru , Huang Huihui , Kong Min , Yin Xia
Published: October 2023

We report a patient with both arterial thrombosis of the extremities and myocardial infarction. There was no obvious cardiac vascular stenosis after coronary computed tomography angiography examination, and the patient's myocardial infarction was considered to be caused by coronary artery embolism. Genetic testing confirmed that the patient had inherited protein C deficiency. After lifelong anticoagulant therapy with rivaroxaban, no further arteriovenous thrombosis events occurred. We propose that for patients with multiple arterial thrombosis or myocardial infarction patients without obvious risk factors of coronary heart disease, inherited or acquired thrombophilia should be screened according to the individual condition of the patient, which is beneficial to the etiological diagnosis, treatment and prevention of adverse events.
Synergistic Effects of Erythromycin and Budesonide on the Mitigation of Tracheal Stenosis through Transformation of the Macrophage Phenotype and Upregulation of HDAC2
Authors: gan jinghua , Liu Guangnan
Published: October 2023

Objective: We investigated the molecular mechanisms of the combination of erythromycin and budesonide for the treatment for tracheal stenosis (TS).
Methods: The rabbit animal model of TS was established by scraping the inner wall of the trachea. and treated with erythromycin or budesonide afterwards. The treatment effects were evaluated by histological measurement. We quantify the mRNA expression of the M1 and M2 macrophage markers by quantitative PCR and the protein expression of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) by western blotting. We used RAW264.7 cells simulated with lipopolysaccharide and interleukin 4 to determine if erythromycin and budesonide can promote the transformation of macrophages by using flow cytometry. M1/M2 macrophages and fibroblasts were co-cultured, and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected by immunofluorescence.
Results: The rabbit TS model showed the formation of stenosis in the tracheal tissue, and the thickness of the tracheal mucosa and submucosa was significantly increased. These histological changes were recovered in the treatment groups, with the most recovery occurring with combination treatment of erythromycin and budesonide. The mRNA expression of iNOS, CD206, CD163, and Arg1 and the protein expression of HDAC2 were increased in the treated groups. In vitro, erythromycin combined with budesonide transformed naïve macrophages to M2 macrophages, and the ratio of M1 and M2 macrophages tended to be 1.0. The expression level of α-SMA was decreased in the co-culture of M1 and M2 with fibroblasts.
Conclusion: Erythromycin combined with budesonide can regulate the phenotype transformation of macrophages by upregulating HDAC2 and improving stenosis after tracheal injury.
How much vulnerable the flood-affected villagers are? An assessment of Livelihood Vulnerability to Flood Hazard in Assam, India
Authors: Saikia Ananya , Borthakur Monjit
Published: October 2023

This study is a micro-level analysis of the households’ livelihood vulnerability in a flood-prone district of Assam by employing LVI and LVI-IPCC approaches. A total of eight major components of livelihood vulnerability along with fifty-three sub-components or variables are considered in this study. Based on the geographic and socioeconomic specificities of the study area, new variables have been incorporated by the authors in estimating the Livelihood Vulnerability Index. The empirical results categorize the villages into most vulnerable, moderately vulnerable, and low vulnerable. Villages with exposure to natural disasters are more vulnerable due to low adaptive capacity and high sensitivity. However, many villages despite high exposure and sensitivity have been able to enhance adaptive capacity by adopting crop diversification, non-farm activities, out-migration, etc. The livelihood vulnerability assessment carried out in this paper is helpful in identifying the vulnerable communities, households, and societies in any developing region. Less variation in the sensitivity parameters of the communities is one of the key findings of this study. The low livelihood vulnerability of some villages is a result of their lack of exposure to flooding and erosion. In the lack of adaptive capacity, future exposure to erosion and flood may increase the livelihood risk of the low-susceptible villages. Therefore, in a flood-prone state like Assam, policy measures targeting adaptative behavior are crucial.
A New Fuzzy Bio-Inspired Based Classification to Cancer Detection
Authors: Abdolrazzagh-Nezhad Majid , Izadpanah Shaghayegh
Published: October 2023

There are several cancer detection methods with their own disadvantages in flexibility, non-linear complexity and sensitive in imbalance data. In this paper, a new fuzzy bio-inspired based classification method is designed to classify the imbalance medical data. The method consists of a new fuzzy draft of Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) and separating hyper-planes based on assigning binary codes to separated regions that called Hyper-Planes Classifier (HPC). Based on the technical review is done in the paper, the HPC has a better structural superiority than the other classification algorithms. The Fuzzy Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (FCOA) which fills up its challenge in proper tuning parameters, is proposed to optimize the weights of the separating hyper-planes with linear complexity time. The FCOA is designed based on a fuzzy inference system for the Egg Laying Radius (ELR) parameter setting to increase the efficiency of the generic COA. The proposed fuzzy bio-inspired based classification method is examined with four famous UCI cancer datasets based on one, two, three and four hyper-planes and compared with more than thirty previous researches. The results show that the proposed method is effective compared to the previous methods and also the COA.
Study protocol for A randomized controlled trial with Rituximab for Psychotic disorder in adults (RCT-Rits)
Authors: Bejerot Susanne , Eklund Daniel , Hesser Hugo , Hietala Max Albert , Kariis Tarmo , Lange Niclas , Lebedev Alexander , Montgomery Scott , Nordenskjöld Axel , Petrovic Predrag , Söderbergh Annika , Thunberg Per , Wikström Sverre , Humble Mats Bertil
Published: October 2023

Background:
The role of inflammation in the aetiology of schizophrenia has gained wide attention and research on the association shows an exponential growth in the last 15 years. Autoimmune diseases and severe infections are risk factors for the later development of schizophrenia, elevated inflammatory markers in childhood or adolescence are associated with a greater risk of schizophrenia in adulthood, individuals with schizophrenia have increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to healthy controls, and autoimmune diseases are overrepresented in schizophrenia. However, treatments with anti-inflammatory agents are so far of doubtful clinical relevance.
The primary objective of this study is to test whether the monoclonal antibody rituximab, directed against the B-cell antigen CD20 ameliorates psychotic symptoms in adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and to examine potential mechanisms. A secondary objective is to examine characteristics of inflammation-associated psychosis and to identify pre-treatment biochemical characteristics of rituximab responders. A third objective is to interview a subset of patients and informants on their experiences of the trial to obtain insights that rating scales may not capture.
Methods: A proof-of-concept study employing a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled design testing the effect of B-cell depletion in patients with psychosis. 120 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) (ICD-10 codes F20, F25) will receive either one intravenous infusion of rituximab (1000 mg) or saline. Psychiatric measures and blood samples will be collected at baseline, week 12, and week 24 post-infusion. Brief assessments will also be made in weeks 2 and 7. Neuroimaging and lumbar puncture, both optional, will be performed at baseline and endpoints. Approximately 40 of the patients and their informants will be interviewed for qualitative analyses on the perceived changes in well-being and emotional qualities, in addition to their views on the research.
Discussion: This is the first RCT investigating add-on treatment with rituximab in unselected SSD patients. If the treatment is helpful, it may transform the treatment of patients with psychotic disorders. It may also heighten the awareness of immune-psychiatric disorders and reduce stigma.
Trial registration: NCT05622201, EudraCT-nr 2022-000220-37 version 2.1. registered 14th of October 2022.
Response of winter climate and extreme weather to projected Arctic sea-ice loss in very large-ensemble climate model simulations
Authors: Ye Kunhui , Woollings Tim , Sparrow Sarah , Watson Peter , Screen James
Published: October 2023

Very large initial-condition ensemble simulations have been performed to advance understanding of mean climate and extreme weather responses to projected Arctic sea-ice loss under 2°C global warming above preindustrial levels. These simulations better sample internal atmospheric variability and extremes for each model compared to that from the Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project (PAMIP). The mean climate response is mostly consistent with that from the PAMIP multi-model ensemble, including tropospheric warming, reduced midlatitude westerlies and storm track activity, equatorward shift of the eddy-driven jet and increased mid-to-high latitude blocking. Two resolutions (N144 and N216) of the same model exhibit significant differences in stratospheric circulation and jet latitude response. The response of temperature and precipitation extremes largely follows the seasonal-mean response. The responses are weak, and sub-sampling confirms that large ensembles (>=400) are needed to robustly estimate the seasonal-mean large-scale circulation response, and very large ensembles (>=1000) for regional climate and extremes.
Detection of Pharmacolipidodynamic Effects Following the Intravenous and Oral Administration of Gefitinib to C57Bl/6JRj Mice by Rapid UHPLC/MS Analysis of Plasma
Authors: Plumb Robert S , Gethings Lee A , Isaac Giorgis , Munjoma Nyasha C , Wilson Ian D
Published: October 2023

Omics based biomarker technologies including metabolic profiling ( metabolomics /metabonomics) and lipidomics are making a significant impact on disease understanding, drug development, and translational research. A wide range of patho-physiological processes involve lipids, monitoring changes in lipid concentration can give valuable insights into drug toxicity and off target pharmacology. Here we report changes in plasma lipid profiles of male C57Bl/6JRj mice following the PO and IV administration of the TKI inhibitor gefitinib were studied using untargeted LC/MS. Statistical analysis the data obtained for both the IV and PO samples showed time-related changes in the amounts of lipids from a number of classes affected. The largest changes were associated with a rapid onset of these changes following gefitinib administration followed by a gradual returning to the type of profiles seen for predose samples by 24 h post dose. Investigation of the lipids responsible for the variance observed in the data showed that GPE, GPI, GPA, PC and LPC were subject to the largest disruption with both transient increases and decreases in relative amounts seen in response to administration of the drug. The pattern of the changes in the relative amounts of the lipids subject to change appeared to correlate with the pharmacokinetics of gefitinib (and its major metabolites) and supports the concept of a distinct pharmacometabodynamic relationship
Modification of bearing capacity of rock-socketed pile: considering concrete-rock interface roughness and gravity stress of concrete
Authors: chen renyi , Yin Yonggao , He Min
Published: October 2023

The mobilization of side resistance has a significant effect on load-transfer characteristics and the ultimate bearing capacity of rock-socketed piles. A better understanding of the shear mechanism of concrete-rock interface is of great significance to load transfer of rock-socketed piles. However, the calculation of the bearing capacity of rock-socketed pile in the current code does not consider the effects of the roughness of the concrete-rock interface and gravity stress of concrete. A series of direct shear tests of concrete–rock interface samples confirm that the shear strength of the concrete–rock interface is increase with interface roughness and concrete gravity stress. The numerical results show that roughness and concrete can significantly affect the friction resistance distribution of pile, especially for hard rock. A modified vertical bearing capacity formula of rock-socketed pile is presented based on numerical simulation. It is indicated that the modified formula can better describe the bearing characteristics of rock-socketed piles, and the calculated results are closer to the measured values than the specifications by two real experimental cases.
Association between Meteorological Factors and Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections in central China: a 6-years retrospective cohort of 2441 children with UTIs
Authors: LI Changzhen , TANG Feng , ZENG Ye , LUO Wanjun , LIU Jianjun , WANG Xiaomei
Published: October 2023

Backgrounds: To investigate the association between meteorological factors and common uropathogens in children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) and assesses the potential influence of weather conditions on pediatric UTIs.
Methods: 2411 data from infants and children with UTIs in a children’s hospital from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between the monthly detection number of uropathogens and meteorological factors.
Results: Multiple linear stepwise regression analyses showed a positive correlation between monthly average temperature, precipitation volume, sunshine hours, monthly total number of uropathogens, and the number of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. Enterococcus faecium was predominant in <12-month-old children, while E. coli was dominant in the 3–18-year age category. E. faecium showed a higher prevalence in girls, while E. faecalis was more prevalent in boys. E. coli exhibited resistance rates of >40% to second- or third-generation cephalosporins in multiple age groups. E. faecium showed high resistance rates to tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, erythromycin, ampicillin, and penicillin, while Klebsiella pneumoniae displayed higher sensitivity to cephalosporin–sulbactam and sulfamethoxazole, but higher resistance rates to ampicillin, cefazolin and ceftazidime.
Conclusions: This study reveals the association between meteorological factors and uropathogens in children with UTIs, as well as the distribution, age-related characteristics, gender differences and antibiotic resistance profiles of pathogenic bacteria. These findings inform the development of targeted strategies for UTI prevention and treatment based on uropathogenic characteristics and meteorological conditions.
Micro dynamics of brain networking for major depression through amplitude modulation–based partial brain functional connectivity analysis
Authors: Yeh Jia-Rong , Yeh Szu-En , Peng Xiao-Jing , Fan Shou-Zen
Published: October 2023

Brain functional networking is complex and dynamical and micro dynamics analysis performs as a good solution to it. In this study, we postulated that micro dynamics of transitioning between states depend on the frequency, enabling the deconstruction of global microstates into a series of partial brain functional connectivities (PBFCs). We propose a novel approach that combines an amplitude modulation (AM)–based algorithm and PBFCs, leveraging a modified similarity measure to assess the differences between two sequences of dynamical state transitions. Moreover, this approach is promising for identifying biomarkers of major depression disorder (MDD). An open data set comprising 128-channel resting-state EEG recordings from both individuals with MDD and healthy controls was used. The results revealed that the characteristic dynamics of the components in the ultra-low-frequency band carrier (0.5–1 Hz) exhibited high accuracy for MDD diagnosis. Moreover, many biomarkers derived from specific PBFCs related to the ultra-low AM of the components of the alpha-band carrier exhibited high sensitivity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] > 0.9). Our novel approach can be used for characterising the intricate brain functional connectivity disparities between individuals with the disorder and their healthy counterparts and thus holds considerable promise for clinical diagnostic applications.
Validation of cross progeny variance genomic prediction using simulations and experimental data in winter elite bread wheat
Authors: Oget-Ebrad Claire , Heumez Emmanuel , Duchalais Laure , Goudemand-Dugué Ellen , Oury François-Xavier , Elsen Jean-Michel , Bouchet Sophie
Published: October 2023

The utilization of genomic prediction is increasing in crop breeding to parental selection and mating. The Usefulness Criterion (UC) that considers Parental Mean (PM), progeny Standard Deviation (SD) and selection intensity has been shown to increase the likelihood to get outstanding progenies compared to mating using PM alone while maintaining more diversity in the germplasm for next generations.
This study estimates our ability to predict UC and its two components (PM and SD) using simulations and experimental data (73-101 winter bread wheat crosses depending on the trait, with 54.8 progenies on average) including heading date, plant height, grain protein content and yield evaluation. The training population comprises 2,146 French varieties registered during the last 20 years and INRAE-AO breeding lines.
According to simulations, prediction ability increases with heritability and progeny size and decreases with QTL number, most notably for SD. We used as a reference a TRUE scenario, i.e. an optimal situation where TP is infinite and where marker effects are perfectly estimated. SD was strongly impacted by the quality of marker effect estimates. In simulations, considering the error in marker effect estimates improved SD predictions for quantitative traits with low heritability. In experimental data, the interest of this method was limited.
PM and UC were reasonably predicted for all traits, while SD was more challenging. This pioneering study experimentally validates genomic prediction of progeny variance. The ability of prediction depends on trait architecture while the realization of cross potential in the field necessitates a sufficient number of progenies.
An Improved Method for Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease using Deep Learning Models Enhanced with Metaheuristic Algorithm
Authors: Mallik Saurav , Majhi Babita , Kashyap Aarti , Mohanty Siddarth , Dash Sujata , Li Aimin , Zhao Zhongming
Published: October 2023

Accurate diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) at an early stage is challenging for clinicians as its progression is very slow. Currently many machine learning and deep learning approaches are used for detection of PD and they are popular too. This study proposes four deep learning models and a hybrid model for the early detection of PD. Further to improve the performance of the models, grey wolf optimization (GWO) is used to automatically fine-tune the hyperparameters of the models. The simulation study is carried out using two standard datasets, T1,T2-weighted and SPECT DaTscan. The metaherustic enhanced deep learning models used are GWO-VGG16, GWO-DenseNet, GWO-DenseNet + LSTM, GWO-InceptionV3 and GWO-VGG16 + InceptionV3. Simulation results demonstrated that all the models perform well and obtained near above 99% of accuracy. The AUC-ROC score of 99.99 is achieved by the GWO-VGG16 + InceptionV3 and GWO-DenseNet models for T1, T2-weighted dataset. Similarly, the GWO-DenseNet, GWO-InceptionV3 and GWO-VGG16 + InceptionV3 models result an AUC-ROC score of 100 for SPECT DaTscan dataset.
Preliminary Studies on the Development of Plasma Sprayed YSZ/Gd1.8Yb0.2Zr2O7 Thermal Barrier Coating from Powders Synthesized by Solution Combustion Method
Authors: GK Kishor , N Balaji , S Senthil Kumar , G Sreedhar , T Aruna S
Published: October 2023

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) play a vital role in enhancing the lifetime of gas turbine engine components. In recent years, research has been concentrated on the development of bilayer ceramic topcoats containing TBCs. Among the promising ceramic topcoats, rare earth zirconates and in particular Gd2Zr2O7 is a promising topcoat material because of its high-temperature stability, lower thermal conductivity and calcium magnesium alumino-silicate (CMAS) resistance. In the present study, a bilayer TBC system containing YSZ/ytterbia doped gadolinium zirconate (Gd1.8Yb0.2Zr2O7) is developed by atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process from flowable powders synthesized by solution combustion process by varying the plasma spray parameters. The solution combustion method yields flowable ceramic powders in a single step. The hot corrosion behavior of the best coating was tested by spreading a fused Na2SO4 + V2O5 mixture (~ 25 mg/cm2) on the surface of the coating and subjecting it to heat treatment at 910°C for 30 h. Post-hot corrosion tests, the phase, microstructure and elemental analysis of the coating were carried out using an X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray analyzer respectively. The details of the synthesis of Gd1.8Yb0.2Zr2O7 powder, plasma spraying of the bilayer coatings and characterization of the TBC are discussed in detail. The bilayer coating exhibited a thermal conductivity of 1.054 W/mK at 21°C compared to conventional YSZ coating.
Analysis of the mechanisms involved in the proliferation and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma by whole transcriptome sequencing
Authors: Ruan Xiaoxu , Zhang Shudi , Peng Xiaoya , Ma Yifan , Chai Lin , Xu Qing , Deng Chao
Published: October 2023

Background
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for approximately 90% of malignant epithelial tumors of the oral and maxillofacial region. OSCC has a high rate of metastasis and poor prognosis. The specific process of oral mucosal carcinogenesis and progression is very complicated.
Methods
Five OSCC patients' cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were collected for whole transcriptome sequencing analysis to screen differentially expressed mRNA, long-stranded noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) and bioinformatics [gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis with genomic database (KEGG) pathway analysis and transcript enrichment analysis, etc.]. Target molecules closely associated with oral squamous cell carcinogenesis, migration, and invasion were identified using a miRNA-circRNA association network.
Results
We screened 2310 mRNAs differentially expressed in cancer and paraneoplastic tissues, of which 1019 were upregulated and 1291 were downregulated; 14216 differentially expressed lncRNAs, of which 8829 were upregulated and 5387 were downregulated; and 167 differentially expressed circRNAs, of which 18 were upregulated and 149 were downregulated. Oral squamous cell carcinoma cells had a higher level of hsa circ 0001847 expression than hok cells (P < 0.05). Reduced hsa circ 0001847 expression inhibited oral squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
OSCC tissues contain differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, and these differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs may be involved in the development of OSCC.
Urban HEART Porto Alegre: assessing inequalities in Brazil
Authors: Bublitz Alexandre , Rosa Roger dos Santos
Published: October 2023

The Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) is a tool developed by the World Health Organization to assess and create responses to health inequalities within the urban environment using disaggregated indicators for neighborhoods and city regions. The aim of this study is, firstly, to establish the Urban HEART Matrix within the city of Porto Alegre, one of the main cities from the south of Brazil, and secondly, to create a composite indicator that facilitates comparative analyses among different neighborhoods and regions of the city. A total of 17 indicators were selected across five domains: physical environment and infrastructure, social and human development, economics, governance, and health. These indicators were then organized according to each neighborhood or region of the city within the Urban HEART Matrix, being classified according to the 25th and 75th percentiles. For the analysis among the indicators, we chose to develop a Resulting Indicator. This indicator was calculated based on the variation expressed in standard deviations from the mean of each of the indicators. A resulting indicator was then calculated from the mean between the five domains. The implementation of Urban HEART Porto Alegre permitted the development of a set of useful information about the city that allowed to analyze different intra-urban determinants and to compare neighborhoods and regions within the city. The analysis of different data and indicators about the city allows an easier assessment of social inequalities, demonstrating which neighborhoods need greater attention from public entities and bringing the debate on social determinants to the city. The disaggregated evaluation of the indicators is fundamental for the creation of more assertive and focused public policies that can effectively impact society.
Concordance of genomic mutations between tissue and ctDNA in non-small cell lung cancer: impact of time interval stratified by stage, smoking history and treatment
Authors: Li Kun , Zhang Nana , Xu Bing , Liu Zichen , Zhao Dan , Dong Yujie , Mu Jing , Lin Haifeng , Shan Guangyu , Gao Sihang , Yu Bo , Pan Xiaoxi , Wang Yanrong , Zhang Dongxing , Che Nanying , Ji Xiaoyong
Published: October 2023

Purpose
The concordance between tumor tissue and liquid biopsies has been extensively investigated in previous studies. Among the influential factors, the time interval between tissue and blood draw has received significant attention, but its impact on the concordance between tissue and liquid biopsies has yielded inconsistent results. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the time interval between tissue and blood draw on the concordance between tissue and liquid biopsies while adjusting potential confounding factors such as clinical stage, smoking history, and treatment.
Methods
A total of 116 paired tissue and plasma lung cancer samples were collected from Beijing Chest Hospital and sequenced by hybridization capture-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) using a targeted enrichment panel covering 20 lung cancer-related genes. Mutation profiles obtained from tissue and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) were compared. The impact of time interval between tissue and blood draw on the concordance between tissue and liquid biopsies was assessed, stratifying the analysis based on clinical stage, smoking history, and treatment using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test.
Results
ctDNA was detected in 49.14% (57/116) of clinical lung cancer samples. TP53 and EGFR carried the most mutations, both in tissue and ctDNA. Among the tissue mutations, 37.39% (83/222) were detected in paired ctDNA samples, while 89.25% (83/93) of ctDNA mutations were detected in paired tissue samples. The stratified analysis results demonstrated a significant correlation between concordance rates and the time interval between tissue and blood draw when stratified by clinical stage (P < 0.001, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test). Additionally, the genomic characteristics observed in tissue and ctDNA samples from two clinical lung cancer patients exhibited tumor heterogeneity.
Conclusion
The time interval between tissue and blood draw had a significant impact on the concordance between tissue and liquid biopsies when stratified by clinical stage. Furthermore, ctDNA demonstrated the ability to overcome tumor heterogeneity to some extent, indicating its potential as a viable alternative to tissue biopsies when tumor tissue is not accessible.
Unraveling the Distinct Effects of CuOx and PtCu alloy Sites in Pt−Cu Bimetallic Catalysts for CO Oxidation at Different Temperature
Authors: Nan Bing , Li Yunan , Guo lingling , Du Meng , Tian Chen , Zhao Gui , Liu Zhengwu , Liang Zhenye , Hou Kunming , Chen Jun-Xiang , Liu Xi , Jiang Luozhen , lina li
Published: October 2023

The crucial role of different active sites in various reactions has been realized, while the distinguishing contribution of various species at different reactive temperature range is still scarcely presented. In this work, PtCu/MgO catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation method, and displayed superior performance compared to the related monometallic Pt/MgO or Cu/MgO catalyst. With the aid of comprehensive characterization techniques, it was discovered that there was an obvious reconstruction of platinum-copper oxide cluster to PtCu alloy-CuOx interface under reductive and oxidized conditions. The synergistic effect between PtCu alloy and CuOx species enables a good CO oxidation activity. In situ DRIFTS/CO-TPR and isotope labeling experiments indicated that the CO oxidation can be motivated at ~ 50 °C on surface CuOx species through M-vK mechanism, in which CuOx can provide abundant active oxygen species. As the increase of reaction temperature, a moderate CO adsorption on PtCu alloy avoids CO toxicity on Pt site and guarantees enough sites for the activation of gases oxygen into active oxygen species to promote CO oxidation by L-H mechanism. This work provides new idea for designing bimetallic catalysts with high performance for the low temperature CO oxidation and related reactions.
Exfoliation of an extruded Mg-4Li-1Ca alloy in presence of glucose and bovine serum albumin
Authors: Zeng Rongchang , Cai Lei , Zeng Mei-Qi , Liu Meng-Jie , Bao Jing-Yu , Ren Yu-Qian , Kannan M. Bobby , Cui Lan-Yue , Liu Cheng-Bao , Zhang Fen , Li Shuo-Qi
Published: October 2023

Exfoliation corrosion (EFC) on extruded Mg-4Li-1Ca alloys as bone implant materials has not been reported. This study aimed to elucidate the degradation mechanism of a novel corrosion type-exfoliation occurred on an extruded Mg-4Li-1Ca alloy under the interaction of glucose (Glu) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in Hank’s solution. The alloy microstructure, chemical composition, texture, stress distribution and Volta potential maps were characterized using metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction, and scanning Kelvin Probe. The alloy corrosion behavior was investigated via electrochemical testing and hydrogen evolution rate methods. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, and fluorescence microscopy were used to analyze the corrosion products and the adsorption of the organic molecules. The experimental results indicated that the anodic second phase (Mg2Ca) were distributed in lamellar and rod-like patterns along the extrusion direction of the alloy, a lower Volta potential for Mg2Ca, texture and residual stresses also promote EFC. An increase in Glu concentration exacerbated the EFC, whereas BSA inhibited the EFC of the alloy. Higher Glu concentrations in BSA in turn inhibited EFC since Glu can complex with amino acids in proteins to form Glu-amino acid amides, which promoted protein adsorption and thereby forming a dense protective film on the alloy surface. The preferential dissolution of the Mg2Ca phase particles led to the complexation and adsorption of Glu and protein. This study enriches the understanding of the corrosion types in biomedical Mg-4Li-1Ca alloy and paving the way for enhancing the EFC resistance of the alloy.
Hydrogeochemistry and human health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution of groundwater in Tarkwa, a mining community in Ghana
Authors: Gwira Harry , Osae Richard , Abasiya Christopher , Peasah Michael , Owusu Felix , Loh Seyram
Published: October 2023

The current study investigated the geochemical characterization and contamination of groundwater quality in Tarkwa, a mining community in Ghana. Total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, total dissolved solids, total hardness, heavy metals, and cyanide (CN) were all assessed in 74 groundwater samples. Other parameters assessed included pH, electrical conductivity, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, and pH. Using the method recommended by the USEPA, a health risk assessment was carried out. Among the parameters which exceeded their WHO recommended threshold were pH (4.9–7.7), Conductivity (150–1082), Turbidity (1.4-139.5), Magnesium (1.9 mg/L-395.5 mg/L), Nitrate (4.5 mg/L-760 mg/L), phosphate (2.3 mg/L-80 mg/L), Sulphate (10 mg/L -855.6 mg/L), CN (1.6mg/L-16 mg/L), As (0.001mg/L-0.015 mg/L), Hg (0.001 mg/L-0.005 mg/L), Cd (ND-0.009 mg/L), Mn (0.004 mg/L-1.38 mg/L), Ni (0.002 mg/L-0.118 mg/L). The study also showed that the groundwater in Tarkwa is naturally hard, making Ca and Mg ions the main ions determining the chemistry of the water. Similar to this, the most significant factors affecting water chemistry were rock dominance and precipitation dominance. Due to high levels of CN, As, and Cd, health risk evaluation revealed that prolonged intake of groundwater from Tarkwa is linked to both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risk. Children were shown to be more vulnerable to both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risks than adults.
Identification and characterization of a marine bacterium extract from Mameliella sp. M20D2D8 with antiviral effects against influenza A and B viruses
Authors: Park Sang-Ik , Kim Hyo-Jin , Park Jun-Gyu , Moon Kyeong-Seo , Jung Su-Bin , Kwon Yong Min , Kang Nam Seon , Kim Jeong-Hyeon , Nam Sang-Jip , Choi Grace , Baek Yeong-Bin
Published: October 2023

Despite of significant improvement in vaccines and chemotherapeutic drugs, infectious RNA viruses have still wreaked the largest havoc on global economy and caused a severe threat to animal and human health by emerging and re-emerging outbreaks. To curb the challenge of viral adaptation and evolution, continued and increased vigilance will be required. Particularly, antiviral drugs derived from a new, natural sources provide an attractive strategy for controlling problematic viral diseases. In this antiviral study, we discovered a previously unknown bacterium, Mameliella sp. M20D2D8, by conducting a thorough antiviral screening of marine microorganisms. M20D2D8 extract exhibited a remarkable antiviral activity with great safeness and effectiveness against broad-spectrum infections of influenza virus A/PR8 (IC50 = 2.93 µg/mL, SI = 294.85), A/Phil82 (IC50 = 1.42 µg/mL, SI = 608.38) and B/Yamagata (IC50 = 1.59 µg/mL, SI = 543.33) in vitro. After comparative study of pre, co- and post-treatment, the antiviral action was found to be associated with post-entry stages of viral replication. Particularly, M20D2D8 extract suppressed viral replication by enhancing apoptosis-mediated host immune reaction. Moreover, it efficiently suppressed viral genome replication, protein synthesis and infectivity, resulting in successful protections in two different cell lines of MDCK and A549 cells. Collectively, our findings highlight the identification of antiviral capabilities within a remarkable marine bacterium, potentially serving as a crucial element in future drug development for the control of viral diseases.
CIGSS Electrodeposition from Improved Electrolytes
Authors: Saeed Mahfouz , González-Peña Omar I.
Published: October 2023

Due to its wider band-gap than CuInGaSe2 [CIGS], Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 [CIGSS] offers significant superiority compared to CuInGaSe2 as solar cell thin film. According to earlier reports, the manufacturing of CIGSS requires the addition of elements during the annealing process using a hydrogen sulfide partial pressure or from the vapor phase using a lengthy and difficult-to-control procedure. Our CIGSS electrodeposition electrolyte is comparable to the CIGS electrodeposition electrolyte in composition, but it also adds sulfur thiosulphate as a sulfur source, and the pH of the electrolyte is sustained below 2. The method creates the CIGSS compound with the desired stoichiometry without adding any elements from the vapor phase during annealing. There are supplied example polarization curves for several speeds of disk rotation. The annealing procedure did not require the addition of any metal.
Exploring the current problem of target delineation based on the characteristics of axillary lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Li Guanglie , Yao Jijin , Chang Yue , Zhang Fan , Wang Siyang
Published: October 2023

Patients with axillary lymph node metastasis after radical radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma are clinically visible, and the reasons for this condition are unclear. We conducted a retrospective study on a small sample to explore the characteristics of metastasis. We reviewed all nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients admitted to our department from 2015 to 2020 and selected 6 patients who developed axillary lymph node metastasis after treatment. These 6 patients all belonged to the N3 stage before treatment, and lymph node metastasis occurred in the axillary area on the same or more severely affected side of the supraclavicular lymph node metastasis. From the occurrence time of axillary lymph node metastasis, the closer the cervical lymph node metastasis to the subclavian region, the earlier and more extensive the axillary lymph node metastasis is. In summary, for patients with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis before treatment, there is a risk of axillary lymph node metastasis after treatment. For patients with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis that is lower or closer to the subclavian area, it is necessary to receive prophylactic radiotherapy in the ipsilateral axillary area during radiotherapy.
Directed physiological networks in the human prefrontal cortex at rest and post transcranial photobiomodulation
Authors: Shahdadian Sadra , Wang Xinlong , Liu Hanli
Published: October 2023

Cerebral infra-slow oscillation (ISO) is a source of vasomotion in endogenic (E; 0.005–0.02 Hz), neurogenic (N; 0.02–0.04 Hz), and myogenic (M; 0.04–0.2 Hz) frequency bands. In this study, we quantified changes in prefrontal concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (Δ[HbO]) and redox-state cytochrome c oxidase (Δ[CCO]) as hemodynamic and metabolic activity metrics, and electroencephalogram (EEG) powers as electrophysiological activity, using concurrent measurements of 2-channel broadband near-infrared spectroscopy and EEG on the forehead of 22 healthy participants at rest. After preprocessing, the multi-modality signals were analyzed using generalized partial directed coherence to construct unilateral neurophysiological networks among the three neurophysiological metrics (with simplified symbols of HbO, CCO, and EEG) in each E/N/M frequency band. The links in these networks represent neurovascular, neurometabolic, and metabolicvascular coupling (NVC, NMC, and MVC). The results illustrate that the demand for oxygen by neuronal activity and metabolism (EEG and CCO) drives the hemodynamic supply (HbO) in all E/N/M bands in the resting prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), we performed a sham-controlled study by delivering an 800-nm laser beam to the left and right prefrontal cortex of the same participants. After performing the same data processing and statistical analysis, we obtained novel and important findings: tPBM delivered on either side of the prefrontal cortex triggered the alteration or reversal of directed network couplings among the three neurophysiological entities (i.e., HbO, CCO, and EEG frequency-specific powers) in the physiological network in the E and N bands, demonstrating that during the post-tPBM period, both metabolism and hemodynamic supply drive electrophysiological activity in directed network coupling of the PFC. Overall, this study revealed that tPBM facilitates significant modulation of the directionality of neurophysiological networks in electrophysiological, metabolic, and hemodynamic activities.
Identification of Knowledge Anxiety factors among researchers Based on Grounded Theory
Authors: Zhenlei Yu , Chunxia Guo , Lin Song , Boyuan Ma , Qiang He
Published: October 2023

Based on a grounded theoretical analysis of interviews and open data, this study develops a model delineating the factors influencing Knowledge Anxiety, encompassing 5 primary categories and 20 subcategories. These categories encompass Academic Characteristics (knowledge quantity, knowledge quality, and knowledge content), Outer Environment (paid marketing, negative feedback, intense competition, and evaluation mechanism), and Cognitive Environment (work stress, scientific research funding, interpersonal relationships, Time limitation, and Cause difficult) which have been identified as external drivers influencing researchers' Knowledge Anxiety. Conversely, Ability Characteristics (scientific literacy, personality traits, English proficiency, and self-expectations) and Emotional Cognition (inertia thinking, negative self-concept, perceived risks, self-efficacy, and knowledge demand) have been recognized as internal drivers impacting researchers' Knowledge Anxiety. Findings reveal that external factors such as Academic Characteristics, Outer Environment, and Cognitive Environment directly impact researchers' susceptibility to Knowledge Anxiety. Internal factors, represented by Individual Competencies and Emotional Perception, also wield significant influence. Furthermore, external forces can affect Knowledge Anxiety either directly or indirectly by interfacing with internal determinants. This study underscores that researchers' Knowledge Anxiety emerges from intricate interactions among diverse factors, rather than stemming from a solitary cause. These insights furnish valuable comprehension and prospective strategies for mitigating Knowledge Anxiety among researchers, ultimately contributing to the advancement of research in this domain.