bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SMART TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING IOT
Authors: K Arjun , T Gadiyar H Manoj , K Swaroop , S Varun , Samani Bhavish , Rao M P Saketh ,   Visvesvaraya Technology University
Published: September 2023

— The book provides a summary of the ongoing issue of traffic congestion in numerous Indian cities. India's biggest issues with traffic congestion are primarily related to one or more of the following, such as poor traffic management practices, insufficient law enforcement, and signal failures. There shouldn't be any traffic jams because it greatly slows the speed of freight vehicles, lengthens lines at checkpoints and toll booths, costs untold numbers of productive man-hours in lost travel time, and causes physical and emotional exhaustion in people. Aside from that, the vehicles stuck traffic problems results roughly 40% higher pollution than individuals who regularly travel on roadways by way of additional fuel is consumed and therefore causing far to much carbon dioxide emissions, which would necessitate periodic maintenance. Our trials based on current data show that the suggested strategy can shorten the consumer's travel and waiting times. To address the sub risks to humanity, we devised a technical workaround employing IoT.
IMPACT OF MOTIVATION FACTORS ON THE EMPLOYEES OF AIRLINES INDUSTRY
Authors:   Nshm Knowledge Campus Kolkata Group of Institution, Mitra Arpita
Published: September 2023

Employees play pivotal role in shaping the accomplishment expansion and even downfall of an organization. Hence there is a need for proper motivation of the employees so that they feel instigated and energized in their task that paves the way for the betterment of the organization. This analysis will predict the potency and efficacy of Human Resource Management approach and methodologies adopted by Human Resource Management of the Airlines Industries to persuade rather influencing their employees thus bestowing them with prolificacy and self -contentment about their job. The study focuses on the action performed by Human Resource Management in stimulating the employees and recognizing several workers inspiration factors for the development of a superior organization. No matter whatever may be the circumstances, there is consistently and invariably its necessary and high demand for the commitment of the staffs in Airlines Industry. Employee Motivation is of foremost important concern that affect the performance level of employees in Aviation Industry. The main concern of this research work is to bring into lime light the various facets that helps in stir up and dynamize the spirit of the employees , so that they can never feel pressurized by their work load and enjoy every bit of their job to the optimum.
MULTIBIT MEMORY CELL DESIGN USING MULTIPLE VALUED LOGIC
Authors: Kumari M. Mani , Priya K. Padma ,   JNT University
Published: September 2023

The semiconductor market has been growing gradually over the long term, despite periodic troughs and peaks, and it is projected that this trend will continue in the years to come. The NAND Flash, which is designed for the data storage market, and the NOR Flash, which is addressing both the code and data storage segments due to its versatility, are the only types of Flash cells and architectures that can currently be considered industry standards. In this paper, a novel multibit flash memory cell is proposed. Multi valued logic allows for the storage of many bits in a single cell. The multilevel approach, where two bits are stored at the same level, should also be understood. The MultipleValued Logic system is one of the most promising approaches for achieving future beyond-binary electronics and systems. Multiple-valued logic can improve circuit connectivity, reduce chip space, and improve bus efficiency because more logic levels are used per line than in conventional binary logic. Mentor graphics software is used to assess the performance measures.
EFFECT OF EARTHQUAKE FORCE ON DIFFERENT TYPE OF BRACINGIN FRAME STRUCTURE
Authors: More Prof. Nilesh , More Abhyuday , Omkar Chatur , Saurabh Badhe , JanhavI Pawar ,   Sanghavi COE, Nashik
Published: September 2023

A Bracing is a system that is provided to minimize the lateral deflection of the structure. The use of braced frames has become more popular in high rise structure and also in seismic design of structure. So, this Study aims to investigate the effect of earthquake on structure with different shapes of bracings. In this project a concrete frame is modeled by using Etabs Software with different type of bracing and effect of these different bracing on earthquake affected structure is studied for different parameter like storey drift and bending moment in column and story displacement. Among these numbers of trials which type of bracing at critical storey is more suitable in seismic areas would be selected for the structure from the observed results.
EFFECT OF EARTHQUAKE FORCE ON DIFFERENT TYPE OF BRACING IN FRAME STRUCTURE
Authors: More Prof. Nilesh , More Abhyuday , Omkar Chatur , Saurabh Badhe , Janhavi Pawar ,   Sanghavi COE
Published: September 2023

A Bracing is a system that is provided to minimize the lateral deflection of the structure. The use of braced frames has become more popular in high rise structure and also in seismic design of structure. So, this Study aims to investigate the effect of earthquake on structure with different shapes of bracings. In this project a concrete frame is modeled by using Etabs Software with different type of bracing and effect of these different bracing on earthquake affected structure is studied for different parameter like storey drift and bending moment in column and story displacement. Among these numbers of trials which type of bracing at critical storey is more suitable in seismic areas would be selected for the structure from the observed results.
YETİŞKİN ERKEK FUTBOLCULARDA BİLİNÇLİ FARKINDALIK, BİLİŞSEL YENİDEN DEĞERLENDİRME VE BASTIRMA ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN İNCELENMESİ
Authors: AKBAŞ Yasin , TİNGAZ Emre Ozan , ORHAN Özlem , BURUŞ Murathan
Published: September 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı yetişkin erkek futbolcularda bilinçli farkındalık, bilişsel yeniden değerlendirme ve bastırma arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Araştırmaya, 2021-2022 sezonunda Türkiye’de çeşitli liglerde oynayan 17-43 yaş aralığında (M= 23.36, SS= 6.00) 186 erkek futbolcu katılmıştır. Çalışma verileri “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Sporcu Bilinçli Farkındalık (Mindfulness) Ölçeği” ve “Sporcu Duygu Düzenleme Ölçeği” kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Verileri analiz etmek için SPSS 23.00 kullanılmıştır. İlk olarak değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiyi saptayabilmek için Pearson korelasyon analizi yapılmış ve daha sonra bilinçli farkındalığın, bilişsel yeniden değerlendirme ve bastırma üzerindeki yordayıcı rolünü test etmek için çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizi yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda bilinçli farkındalık ve bilişsel yeniden değerlendirme arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu, bilinçli farkındalık ve bastırma arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olmadığı; bilinçli farkındalığın bilişsel yeniden değerlendirmedeki toplam varyansın %27’sini anlamlı bir şekilde yordadığı ve bastırmanın ise anlamlı bir yordayıcısı olmadığı bulgulanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, bu araştırmanın modelinden nedensel bir çıkarım yapmak mümkün olmasa da mevcut örneklem grubunda, bilinçli farkındalık arttıkça bir duygu düzenleme stratejisi olan bilişsel yeniden değerlendirme becerisi de artmaktadır. Dahası, bilişsel yeniden değerlendirmenin bir kısmından bilinçli farkındalık sorumludur. Bununla birlikte, bilinçli farkındalık bir duygu düzenleme stratejisi olan bastırma ile ilişkili değildir.
TÜRKİYE ERKEK BASKETBOL SÜPER LİG TAKIMLARININ 2020-2021 SEZONU BAŞARILARININ OYUN TİPİ İSTATİSTİKLERİNE GÖRE İNCELENMESİ
Authors: AKINCI Yasin , YAPAR Ahmet
Published: September 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı, 2020-2021 Basketbol Süper Ligi normal sezonunda oynanan müsabakalardaki oyun tipi istatistiklerini ve playoff’a kalan 8 takım ile kalamayan 8 takım arasındaki farklı incelemektir. Normal sezonda 16 takım arasında oynanan 480 müsabaka sistematik gözlem yolu ile incelenmiş ve 12 oyun tipinde sayı girişimi ve kazanılan sayı olarak toplamda 5760 istatistik kaydedilmiştir. Playoff’a kalan ve playoff dışı kalan gruba ait oyunla tipi istatistikleri karşılaştırmak için Bağımsız örnekler t testleri kullanılmıştır. Bu iki grubu ayırt etmeye katkıda bulunan oyun tipi istatistikleri değişkenlerini keşfetmek için ayırıcı fonksiyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular playoff’a kalan takımların sayı girişimlerinde catch and shoot, isolation ve transition sayı girişimi ortalamalarının kalamayan takımlardan anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğunu göstermiştir. Playoff’a kalan takımların en çok sayı girişimi Isolation ve Transition oyun tiplerindenden geldiği ayrıcı fonksiyon analizini bulgularında gözlenmiştir. Playoff’a kalan takımların Isolation ve Pick and Roll Roller oyun tipinden kazandıkları sayı ortalamalarının kalamayan takımlara göre istatiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu gözlenmiştir. Ayrıcı fonksiyon analizi bulguları isolation ve pick and roll handler oyun tipinin takım başarısına en büyük katkıyı yapan değişkenler olduğu göstermiştir. Bu sonuçlar Türkiye Basketbol Süper Ligi’nin yüksek tempoda, şut ağırlıklı, dış oyuncuların pick and roll oyunuyla ve ayrıca pivot oyuncuların sırtı dönük oyunuyla çembere atış yaptığı bir lig olduğunu göstermektedir.
SPORDA YARALANMAYA NEDEN OLAN FAKTÖRLER ÖLÇEĞİ (SYNFÖ): GEÇERLİK VE GÜVENİRLİK ÇALIŞMASI
Authors: KOÇ Harun , KAYNAR Ömer
Published: September 2023

Bu araştırmada sporda yaralanmaya neden olan faktörler ölçeğinin geçerli ve güvenilir olarak geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma daha önce sporda en az 1 kez yaralanma hikâyesi yaşayan 424 birey üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada ölçeğin yapısının ortaya konması ve doğrulanması amacıyla Açımlayıcı ve Doğrulayıcı Faktör Analizi, madde analizi, güvenirlik ve test tekrar test analizleri yapılmıştır. Yapılan analizler sonucunda faktör yükleri .46 ve .87 arasında olan 26 maddeli 4 faktörlü ölçme aracı elde edilmiştir. Bu faktörler Kişisel Faktörler (KF), Psikolojik Faktörler (PF), Çevresel Faktörler (ÇF) ve Antrenöre Bağlı Faktörler (ABF) olarak adlandırılmıştır. Özdeğeri 10,22 olan KF faktörü 9 maddeden oluşmakta ve toplam varyansın %39,33’sini açıklamaktadır. Özdeğeri 5,31 olan PF faktörü 6 maddeden oluşmakta ve toplam varyansın % 20,42’ini oluşmaktadır. ÇF faktörünün özdeğeri 2,60 ve 6 maddeden oluşup toplam varyansın % 9,98’ini açıklamaktadır. Özdeğeri 2,07 olan ABF faktörü 5 maddeden oluşmakta ve toplam varyansın % 7,95’ini açıklamaktadır. SYNFÖ’nün doğrulayıcı faktör analizi sonuçlarında; elde edilen uyum indeksi değerleri, yeterli ve kabul edilebilir aralıkta bulunmuştur. Alt-üst grup ortalamaları farkı anlamlı, madde toplam korelasyonuna ait değerlerin .69 ile .88 arasında olduğu saptanmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda Sporda Yaralanmaya Neden Olan Faktörler Ölçeği’nin geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğu saptanmıştır.
ПАНДЕМИЯ COVID-19 КАК ИНСТРУМЕНТ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ БОРЬБЫ В ИТАЛИИ И ГЕРМАНИИ*
Authors: Мелихова Д.В. , Черемных Д.Н.
Published: September 2023

В статье рассматриваются методы использования пандемии COVID-19 как инструмента достижения политических целей на примере Германии и Италии. С помощью изучения официальных заявлений, публичных высказываний в СМИ и социальных сетях политиков обеих стран были выявлены наиболее типичные способы внедрения пандемии в политический дискурс. Для большей полноты исследования в его рамки были включены высказывания политиков как находящихся у власти и принимающие ключевые решения по борьбе с распространением ковида, так и оппозиционных лидеров. На основе эмпирических данных были сделаны общие выводы по обеим странам, а также выявлены специфические особенности во взаимодействии немецких и итальянских политиков с таким инфоповодом как коронавирус.
ПАНДЕМИЯ COVID-19: ВЗГЛЯД ВИККАНСКОГО ЖРЕЦА
Authors: Власенко А.А.
Published: September 2023

В публикации представлено интервью с верховным жрецом викканского ведовства1, основателем викканского ковена2 Виктором Арадией. Это разговор о том, как пандемия коронавируса в России повлияла на религиозную и социальную жизнь виккан; как в условиях пандемии изменились способы проведения шабашей3 и других религиозных мероприятий, и что виккане думают о причинах возникновения COVID-19. Идея такого интервью появилась в ходе наблюдений за викканами – за их высказываниями в социальных сетях и на тематических форумах, за дискуссиями по поводу отношения к пандемии, вакцинации, режиме самоизоляции, за зарождением гипотез о происхождении COVID-19, за появляющимися в СМИ новостями о различных ограничениях, накладываемых властями на практикующих массовые религиозные обряды в условиях карантина. Интервью записано летом 2022 года, что позволило взглянуть на события пандемии с определенной дистанции и сделать ряд выводов о ее значении для викканского сообщества России.
Effect of graded posterior element and ligament removal on annulus stress and segmental stability in lumbar spine stenosis: a finite element analysis study
Authors: Lin Maohua , Doulgeris James , Dhar Utpal Kanti , O’Corner Timothy , Papanastassiou Ioannis Dimitri , Tsai Chi-Tay , Vrionis Frank D.
Published: September 2023

The study aimed to investigate the impact of posterior element and ligament removal on the maximum von Mises stress, and maximum shear stress of the eight-layer annulus for treating stenosis at the L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels in the lumbar spine. Previous studies have indicated that laminectomy alone can result in segmental instability unless fusion is performed. However, no direct correlations have been established regarding the impact of posterior and ligament removal. To address this gap, four models were developed: Model 1 represented the intact L2-L5 model, while model 2 involved a unilateral laminotomy involving the removal of a section of the L4 inferior lamina and 50% of the ligament flavum between L4 and L5. Model 3 consisted of a complete laminectomy, which included the removal of the spinous process and lamina of L4, as well as the relevant connecting ligaments between L3-L4 and L4-L5 (ligament flavum, interspinous ligament, supraspinous ligament). In the fourth model, a complete laminectomy with 50% facetectomy was conducted. This involved the same removals as in model 3, along with a 50% removal of the inferior/superior facets of L4 and a 50% removal of the facet capsular ligaments between L3-L4 and L4-L5. The results indicated a significant change in the range of motion (ROM) at the L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels during flexion and torque situations, but no significant change during extension and bending simulation. The ROM increased by 10% from model 1 and 2 to model 3, and by 20% to model 4 during flexion simulation. The maximum shear stress and maximum von-Mises stress of the annulus and nucleus at the L3-L4 levels exhibited the greatest increase during flexion. In all eight layers of the annulus, there was an observed increase in both the maximum shear stress and maximum von-Mises stress from model 1&2 to model 3 and model 4, with the highest rate of increase noted in layers 7&8. These findings suggest that graded posterior element and ligament removal have a notable impact on stress distribution and range of motion in the lumbar spine, particularly during flexion.
Kre6 (yeast 1,6-β-transglycosylase) homolog, PhTGS, is essential for β-glucan synthesis in the haptophyte Pleurochrysis haptonemofera
Authors: Inukai Mayuka , Kobayashi Naoya , Endo Hirotoshi , Asakawa Koki , Amano Keisuke , Yasuda Yuki , Cenci Ugo , Colleoni Christophe , Ball Steven , Fujiwara Shoko
Published: September 2023

Haptophytes synthesize unique β-glucans containing more β-1,6-linkages than β-1,3 linkages, as a storage polysaccharide. To understand the mechanism of the synthesis, we investigated the roles of Kre6 (yeast 1,6-β-transglycosylase) homologs, PhTGS, in the haptophyte Pleurochrysis haptonemofera. RNAi of PhTGS repressed β-glucan accumulation and simultaneously induced lipid production, suggesting that PhTGS is involved in β-glucan synthesis and that the knockdown leads to the alteration of the carbon metabolic flow. PhTGS was expressed more in light, where β-glucan was actively produced by photosynthesis, than in the dark. The crude extract of E. coli expressing PhKre6 demonstrated its activity to incorporate 14C-UDP-glucose into β-glucan of P. haptonemofera. These findings suggest that PhTGS functions in storage β-glucan synthesis specifically in light, probably by producing the β-1,6-branch.
Extrusion-based 3D printing of osteoinductive scaffolds with a spongiosa-inspired structure
Authors: Kühl Julie , Gorb Stanislav , Kern Matthias , Klüter Tim , Kühl Sebastian , Seekamp Andreas , Fuchs Sabine
Published: September 2023

Critical-sized bone defects resulting from trauma, inflammation, and tumor resections are individual in their size and shape. Implants for the treatment of such defects have to consider biomechanical and biomedical factors, as well as the individual conditions within the implantation site. In this context, 3D printing technologies offer new possibilities to design and produce patient-specific implants reflecting the outer shape and internal structure of the replaced bone tissue. The selection or modification of materials used in 3D printing enables the adaption of the implant, by enhancing the osteoinductive or biomechanical properties. In this study, scaffolds with bone spongiosa-inspired structure for extrusion-based 3D printing were generated. The computer aided design process resulted in an up scaled and simplified version of the bone spongiosa. To enhance the osteoinductive properties of the 3D printed construct, polycaprolactone (PCL) was combined with 20% (wt) calcium phosphate nano powder (CaP). The implants were designed in form of a ring structure and revealed an irregular and interconnected porous structure with a calculated porosity of 35.2% and a compression strength within the range of the natural cancellous bone. The implants were assessed in terms of biocompatibility and osteoinductivity using the osteosarcoma cell line MG63 and patient-derived mesenchymal stem cells in selected experiments. Cell growth and differentiation over 14 days were monitored using confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) quantification, gene expression analysis, and quantitative assessment of calcification. MG63 cells and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) adhered to the printed implants and revealed a typical elongated morphology as indicated by microscopy. Using DNA quantification, no differences for PCL or PCL-CaP in the initial adhesion of MG63 cells were observed, while the PCL-based scaffolds favored cell proliferation in the early phases of culture up to 7 days. In contrast, on PCL-CaP, cell proliferation for MG63 cells was not evident, while data from PCR and the levels of calcification, or alkaline phosphatase activity, indicated osteogenic differentiation within the PCL-CaP constructs over time. For hMSC, the highest levels in the total calcium content were observed for the PCL-CaP constructs, thus underlining the osteoinductive properties.
Human bone marrow stromal cells: the impact of anticoagulants on stem cell properties
Authors: Ferencakova Michaela , Benova Andrea , Raska Ivan , Abaffy Pavel , Sindelka Radek , Dzubanova Martina , Pospisilova Eliska , Kolostova Katarina , Cajka Tomas , Paclik Ales , Zikan Vit , Tencerova Michaela
Published: September 2023

Background: Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are the source of multipotent stem cells, which are important for regenerative medicine and diagnostic purposes. The isolation of human BMSCs from the bone marrow (BM) cavity using BM aspiration applies the method with collection into tubes containing anticoagulants. Interactions with anticoagulants may affect the characteristics and composition of isolated BMSCs in the culture. Thus, we investigated how anticoagulants in isolation procedures and cultivation affect BMSC molecular characteristics.

Methods: BM donors (age: 48–85 years) were recruited from the hematology clinic. BM aspirates were obtained from the iliac crest and divided into tubes coated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or heparin anticoagulants. Isolated BMSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry and RNA-seq analysis. Further cellular and molecular characterizations of BMSCs including CFU, proliferation and differentiation assays, cytometry, bioenergetic assays, metabolomics, immunostaining, and RT-qPCR were performed.

Results: The paired samples of isolated BMSCs obtained from the same patient showed increased cellular yield in heparin vs. EDTA samples, accompanied by the increased number of CFU colonies. However, no significant changes in molecular characteristics were found between heparin- and EDTA-isolated BMSCs. On the other hand, RNA-seq analysis revealed an increased expression of genes involved in nucleotide metabolism and cellular metabolism in cultivated vs. non-cultivated BMSCs regardless of the anticoagulant, while genes involved in inflammation and chromatin remodeling were decreased in cultivated vs. non-cultivated BMSCs.

Conclusion: The type of anticoagulant in BMSC isolation did not have a significant impact on molecular characteristics and cellular composition, while in vitro cultivation caused the major change in the transcriptomics of BMSCs, which is important for future protocols using BMSCs in regenerative medicine and clinics.
Effects of clinical medications on male fertility and prospects for stem cell therapy
Authors: Mo Peiting , Zhao Ziran , Ke Xinpeng , Fan Yong , Li Chaohui
Published: September 2023

An increasing number of men require long-term drug therapy for various diseases. However, the effects of long-term drug therapy on male fertility are often not well evaluated in clinical practice. Meanwhile, the development of stem cell therapy and exosomes treatment methods may provide a new sight on treating male infertility. This article reviews the influence and mechanism of small molecule medications on male fertility, as well as progress of stem cell and exosomes therapy for male infertility with the purpose on providing suggestions (recommendations) for evaluating the effect of drugs on male fertility (both positive and negative effect on male fertility) in clinical application and providing strategies for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
Quantitative composite testing model based on measurement uncertainty and its application for the detection of phthalate esters
Authors: Huang Lina , Hu Yi , Li Guanwei , Ouyang Caiding , Yi Lezhou , Wu Shanshan , Zhu Zhenhai , Ma Tongmei
Published: September 2023

To improve the quantitative detection efficiency of chemical analysis and reduce the detection cost, the sample pass rate was estimated and mathematical statistics were used to calculate the optimal group size (Kopt) of the composite testing to save on the maximum workload. A quantitative composite testing model was developed based on chemical analysis measurement uncertainty. Using this model, the maximum allowable number of composited samples (Kmax) is first calculated using parameters of regulated limits (L), limit of quantification (LOQ), and method measured uncertainty (Urel) to ensure that the sensitivity of the composite testing can meet the limit requirements. Finally, the appropriate composite group size (Ka) can be obtained by creating a balance between Kopt, Kmax, and the practical information used for that particular test. Furthermore, based on a constructed model, a practical quantitative composite testing method of 3–10 samples was established for the routine detection of toy phthalates (PAEs). The experimental results showed that the quantitative limits of 7 PAEs were 9.1–41.8 mg/kg, the relative expansion uncertainties were 16.6%–23.2%, and the recovery rates were 91.0%–112.3%, with a relative deviation of less than 10%. All these meet international PAEs standards. Compared with the traditional individual and qualitative composite testing, this model will not decrease the detection sensitivity, but can save up to 17.9%–80.4% of the workload when it is employed in toy PAEs testing with the pass rate of 80%–99%. This quantitative composite testing method will be implemented in the coming revision of ISO 8124-6 toy PAEs standards.
Exploring system dynamics of complex societal issues through socio-scientific models
Authors: Ke Li , Kirk Eric , Lesnefsky Rebecca , Sadler Troy D.
Published: September 2023

Research on socio-scientific issues (SSI) has revealed that it is critical for learners to develop a systematic understanding of the underlying issue. In this paper, we explore how modeling can facilitate students’ systems thinking in the context of SSI. Building on evidence from prior research in promoting systems thinking skills through modeling in scientific contexts, we hypothesize that a similar modeling approach could effectively foster students’ systematic understanding of complex societal issues. In particular, we investigate the affordances of socio-scientific models in promoting students’ systems thinking in the context of COVID-19. We examine learners’ experiences and reflections concerning three unique epistemic features of socio-scientific models, (1) knowledge representation, (2) knowledge justification, and (3) systems thinking. The findings of this study demonstrate that, due to the epistemic differences from traditional scientific modeling approach, engaging learners in developing socio-scientific models presents unique opportunities and challenges for SSI teaching and learning. It provides evidence that, socio-scientific models can serve as not only an effective but also an equitable tool for addressing this issue.
Diagnostic workup of endocrine dysfunction in recurrent pregnancy loss: a cross-sectional study in Northeast China
Authors: Zhang Liyang , Du Yushu , Zhou Jingshuang , Li Jiapo , Shen Hongfei , Liu Yilin , Liu Chuanyang , Qiao Chong
Published: September 2023

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of abnormal endocrine dysfunction for recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) amongst patients with two versus three or more pregnancy losses.

Methods

This cross-sectional study retrospectively collected pre-pregnancy data of 537 women diagnosed with RPL in Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from 2017 to 2022, including the baseline data of patients and the test results of endocrine factors. Several endocrine dysfunction included in this study were: thyroid dysfunction, obesity, hyperprolactinemia, polycystic ovary syndrome and blood glucose abnormality. Furthermore, vitamin D level were collected to study its relationship with endocrine dysfunction. Finally, we subdivided the patients according to the number of previous pregnancy loss and compared the prevalence of endocrine dysfunction between subgroups.

Results

Among 537 RPL patients, 278 (51.8%) patients had abnormal endocrine test results. The highest incidence of endocrine dysfunction was thyroid dysfunction (24.39%, 131/537), followed by hyperprolactinemia (17.34%, 85/490), obesity (10.8%, 58/537), polycystic ovary syndrome (10.50%, 56/533), and abnormal blood glucose (5.29%, 27/510). Only 2.47%(13/527) of patients have vitamin D level that reach the standard. After subdividing the population according to the number of pregnancy loss, we did not find that the incidence of endocrine dysfunction (P=0.813), thyroid dysfunction (P=0.905), hyperprolactinemia (P=0.265), polycystic ovary syndrome (P=0.638), blood glucose abnormality (P=0.616) and vitamin D deficiency (P=0.908) were different among patients with two versus three or more pregnancy losses. However, obesity (P=0.003) was found more frequently observed in patients with more times of pregnancy loss.

Conclusion

The prevalence of endocrine dysfunction in RPL population is high. There is no difference in the prevalence of endocrine dysfunction, except for obesity, among patients with two or more pregnancy losses, which may suggest investigations of endocrine dysfunction when patients have two pregnancy losses.
Exercise for optimizing bone health after hormone-induced increases in bone stiffness
Authors: Hughes Julie M. , Guerriere Katelyn I. , Popp Kristin L. , Castellani Colleen M. , Pasiakos Stefan M.
Published: September 2023

Hormones and mechanical loading co-regulate bone throughout the lifespan. In this review, we posit that times of increased hormonal influence on bone provide opportunities for exercise to optimize bone strength and prevent fragility. Examples include endogenous secretion of growth hormones and sex steroids that modulate adolescent growth and exogenous administration of osteoanabolic drugs like teriparatide, which increase bone stiffness, or its resistance to external forces. We review evidence that after bone stiffness is increased due to hormonal stimuli, mechanoadaptive processes follow. Specifically, exercise provides the mechanical stimulus necessary to offset adaptive bone resorption or promote adaptive bone formation. The collective effects of both decreased bone resorption and increased bone formation optimize bone strength during youth and preserve it later in life. These theoretical constructs provide physiologic foundations for promoting exercise throughout life.
Design of external shading devices in Mansehra, Pakistan and their role in climate change
Authors: Iqbal Asifa , Nazir Humaira , Awan Muhammad Ashar
Published: September 2023

With the rising global temperatures, developing countries are one of the most adversely affected countries by climate change. Furthermore, changes in lifestyle and unsustainable ways of development have resulted in a shift away from passive strategies in the construction industry, which contribute to excessive energy consumption. This demands immediate action to use passive strategies and one of the most widely used passive strategies is shading devices, which can significantly lower the indoor temperature and give the structure the most efficient energy performance. Shading devices were a dominant identity of traditional architecture in Pakistan; however, it has been evident during the past decade the use of such devices has become obsolete due to modernized solutions. This study aims to examine the performance and effectiveness of shading devices in terms of heat gain and daylight levels in residential areas. A comparative case study methodology has been used. The fixed overhanging shading devices of six residential units in Mansehra City, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, have been used. Sun angles are calculated through the SketchUp tool Curic Sun to analyze and determine the performance of overhanging in both summers and winters. This article reveals south shading devices as an essential part of houses built before 2,000 in Mansehra City. Though, houses built after 2,000 do not consider using south shading devices to maximize energy use. This study emphasizes considering the type, design, and use of shading devices according to the building’s orientation to improve building performance and energy efficiency.
New directions for the realisation of SDGs given the economic and welfare costs incurred by air pollution
Authors: Jasińska-Biliczak Anna , Ikwuwunna Eugene
Published: September 2023

Air pollution is a multidisciplinary research field, which affects sustainable development (SD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its multi-level cause and effect shows the direct influence of air pollution on human health, standards and costs of living, health treatment, and the economies of states. Poor air quality, as an SDG factor, may affect both lower wellbeing and economic growth. As developed economies have faced problems due to poor air quality, they have worked out solutions based on their technological engagement. However, emerging economies are still facing poor air quality as a main problem affecting their economic growth. The particulate matter factor, according to the air quality study, was used as the basis for comparative and statistical research. The findings of the study indicate that air pollution causes a serious impact relating to workforce productivity, absence from work, mortality, and even lower crop yields. There is an obvious research gap in the investigated field of comparative studies considering air pollution as an SD factor, understood as an economic concept. Therefore, the current study is proposed to fulfil this gap, contribute to the knowledge base of the factors affecting human development, and expand the statistical data based on the findings from a comparison between Poland and Germany on their performance in air quality tests. This is a novel approach pointing to air pollution as the proposed focus of research for the realisation of SDGs.
Case report: Heterozygous mutation in HTRA1 causing typical cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy
Authors: Li Yu-Ming , Jia Wei , Xin Tao , Fang Yu-Qing
Published: September 2023

Background: Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by baldness, recurrent ischemic stroke, lumbago, headache, and dementia which is closely related to homozygous mutations of the high-temperature requirement serine peptidase A1 (HTRA1) gene. Heterozygous mutations of HTRA1 are usually considered to be non-pathogenic. Although it has been revealed that only a few patients with heterozygous mutations could present some manifestations, their clinical symptoms were atypical, milder, and always with a lower frequency of extra-neurological features. Here, a rare patient with heterozygous mutation of HTRA1 who had all typical features of CARASIL as well as severe clinical symptoms and rapid progression was initially reported in our study.

Case presentation: A 43-year-old female patient presented with a gradual onset of headache and cognitive decline. As time progressed, her headache intensified and symptoms of dementia began to manifest gradually. During her early years, she had thinning hair and subsequently experienced two occurrences of ischemic strokes in her thirties. Furthermore, she also had a history of lumbago and urinary retention before visiting our hospital. The patient’s magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of widespread white matter lesions, infarctions, and microbleeds, in addition to lumbar disc herniation and degenerative lesions. The observed clinical characteristics had a strong correlation with CARASIL, and the patient was diagnosed with a heterozygous missense mutation of 905G>A (Arg302Gln) in the HTRA1 gene. The patient has been under continuous follow-up for a duration exceeding 3 years subsequent to her release from the hospital. She underwent cystostomy, and symptoms of bulbar paralysis developed in a progressive way. Currently, there has been a notable decrease in motor function and activities of daily living, resulting in the individual being confined to bed for a duration exceeding 1 year.

Conclusion: This case suggests that patients carrying a heterozygous mutation in G905A may also have typical clinical features of CARASIL, which allows us to have a more comprehensive understanding of CARASIL.
Multi-gene panel testing and association analysis in Cypriot breast cancer cases and controls
Authors: Zanti Maria , Loizidou Maria A. , O’Mahony Denise G. , Dorling Leila , Dennis Joe , Devilee Peter , Easton Douglas F. , Panayiotidis Mihalis I. , Hadjisavvas Andreas , Michailidou Kyriaki
Published: September 2023

Introduction: It is estimated that around 5% of breast cancer cases carry pathogenic variants in established breast cancer susceptibility genes. However, the underlying prevalence and gene-specific population risk estimates in Cyprus are currently unknown.

Methods: We performed sequencing on a population-based case-control study of 990 breast cancer cases and 1094 controls from Cyprus using the BRIDGES sequencing panel. Analyses were conducted separately for protein-truncating and rare missense variants.

Results: Protein-truncating variants in established breast cancer susceptibility genes were detected in 3.54% of cases and 0.37% of controls. Protein-truncating variants in BRCA2 and ATM were associated with a high risk of breast cancer, whereas PTVs in BRCA1 and PALB2 were associated with a high risk of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative disease. Among participants with a family history of breast cancer, PTVs in ATM, BRCA2, BRCA1, PALB2 and RAD50 were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Furthermore, an additional 19.70% of cases and 17.18% of controls had at least one rare missense variant in established breast cancer susceptibility genes. For BRCA1 and PALB2, rare missense variants were associated with an increased risk of overall and triple-negative breast cancer, respectively. Rare missense variants in BRCA1, ATM, CHEK2 and PALB2 domains, were associated with increased risk of disease subtypes.

Conclusion: This study provides population-based prevalence and gene-specific risk estimates for protein-truncating and rare missense variants. These results may have important clinical implications for women who undergo genetic testing and be pivotal for a substantial proportion of breast cancer patients in Cyprus.
KD_ConvNeXt: knowledge distillation-based image classification of lung tumor surgical specimen sections
Authors: Zheng Zhaoliang , Yao Henian , Lin Chengchuang , Huang Kaixin , Chen Luoxuan , Shao Ziling , Zhou Haiyu , Zhao Gansen
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Lung cancer is currently among the most prevalent and lethal cancers in the world in terms of incidence and fatality rates. In clinical practice, identifying the specific subtypes of lung cancer is essential in diagnosing and treating lung lesions.

Methods: This paper aims to collect histopathological section images of lung tumor surgical specimens to construct a clinical dataset for researching and addressing the classification problem of specific subtypes of lung tumors. Our method proposes a teacher-student network architecture based on a knowledge distillation mechanism for the specific subtype classification of lung tumor histopathological section images to assist clinical applications, namely KD_ConvNeXt. The proposed approach enables the student network (ConvNeXt) to extract knowledge from the intermediate feature layers of the teacher network (Swin Transformer), improving the feature extraction and fitting capabilities of ConvNeXt. Meanwhile, Swin Transformer provides soft labels containing information about the distribution of images in various categories, making the model focused more on the information carried by types with smaller sample sizes while training.

Results: This work has designed many experiments on a clinical lung tumor image dataset, and the KD_ConvNeXt achieved a superior classification accuracy of 85.64% and an F1-score of 0.7717 compared with other advanced image classification methods
Identification of a novel locus C2 controlling canary yellow flesh color in watermelons
Authors: Park Girim , Shahwar Durre , Jang Gaeun , Shin Jagyeong , Kwon Gibeom , Kim Younjae , Hong Chang Oh , Jin Bingkui , Kim Hoytaek , Lee Oakjin , Park Younghoon
Published: September 2023

The flesh color of watermelon is an important trait that is determined by carotenoid composition and affects consumers’ fruit desirability. Although a complete dominant control by C locus (Cllcyb) for canary yellow flesh (CY) over red flesh has been reported, red and CY colors frequently appear as a mixed pattern in the same flesh (incomplete canary yellow, ICY) in F1 and inbred lines carrying dominant C alleles. Therefore, we examined the genetic control of the mixed color pattern in ICY using whole-genome resequencing of three ICY (ICY group) and three CY inbred lines (CY group), as well as genetic linkage mapping of an F2 population. The segregation pattern in 135 F2 plants indicated that CY is controlled by a single locus (named C2) dominant over ICY. The whole-genome resequencing of ICY and CY inbred lines revealed an ICY/CY-specific region of approximately 27.60–27.88 Mb on Chr. 2 that was polymorphic between the ICY and CY groups. Our genetic map, using nine cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers developed based on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms from the ICY/CY-specific region, confirmed that C2 is located on Chr. 2 and cosegregated with the marker (M7) derived from a non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene (ClPPR, Cla97C02G039880). Additionally, 27 watermelon inbred lines of ICY, CY, and red flesh were evaluated using previously reported Cllcyb (C locus)-based markers and our C2 locus-linked ClPPR-based marker (M7). As a result, dominant alleles at the C2 locus were required to produce CY, in addition to dominant alleles at the C locus, while a recessive homozygous genotype at the C locus gave the red flesh irrespective of the genotype at the C2 locus. Using a ClPPR-based cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence developed in this study and Cllcyb-based markers, watermelon cultivars with CY, ICY, and red flesh could be successfully discerned, implying that the combined use of these markers will be efficient for marker-assisted selection of flesh color in watermelon breeding.
ITRPCA: a new model for computational drug repositioning based on improved tensor robust principal component analysis
Authors: Yang Mengyun , Yang Bin , Duan Guihua , Wang Jianxin
Published: September 2023

Background: Drug repositioning is considered a promising drug development strategy with the goal of discovering new uses for existing drugs. Compared with the experimental screening for drug discovery, computational drug repositioning offers lower cost and higher efficiency and, hence, has become a hot issue in bioinformatics. However, there are sparse samples, multi-source information, and even some noises, which makes it difficult to accurately identify potential drug-associated indications.

Methods: In this article, we propose a new scheme with improved tensor robust principal component analysis (ITRPCA) in multi-source data to predict promising drug–disease associations. First, we use a weighted k-nearest neighbor (WKNN) approach to increase the overall density of the drug–disease association matrix that will assist in prediction. Second, a drug tensor with five frontal slices and a disease tensor with two frontal slices are constructed using multi-similarity matrices and an updated association matrix. The two target tensors naturally integrate multiple sources of data from the drug-side aspect and the disease-side aspect, respectively. Third, ITRPCA is employed to isolate the low-rank tensor and noise information in the tensor. In this step, an additional range constraint is incorporated to ensure that all the predicted entry values of a low-rank tensor are within the specific interval. Finally, we focus on identifying promising drug indications by analyzing drug–disease association pairs derived from the low-rank drug and low-rank disease tensors.

Results: We evaluate the effectiveness of the ITRPCA method by comparing it with five prominent existing drug repositioning methods. This evaluation is carried out using 10-fold cross-validation and independent testing experiments. Our numerical results show that ITRPCA not only yields higher prediction accuracy but also exhibits remarkable computational efficiency. Furthermore, case studies demonstrate the practical effectiveness of our method.
Integration of the metabolome and transcriptome reveals the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in Plumeria rubra
Authors: Sun Rong , Liu Shan , Gao Jinglei , Zhao Lihua
Published: September 2023

Plumeria rubra L. cv. Acutifolia is an ornamental tree that displays a good drought-tolerance level. However, the molecular mechanisms of P. rubra adaptation to drought stress remains unclear. Here, drought-simulating pot experiments were conducted to explore drought stress response mechanism of P. rubra. Transcriptome analysis revealed 10,967 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 6,498 of which were increased and 4,469 decreased. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the DEGs were enriched in binding category, in metabolic process category, and in catalytic activities category. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that 9 pathways were significantly enriched, including biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (ko01110), plant hormone signal transduction (ko04075) and so on. In addition, the transcription factor families of AP2/ERFs, bZIP, and C2H2 were significantly upregulated while the families of bHLH, MYB-related, and NAC were significantly downregulated. Moreover, the results of metabolomics analysis indicated that some compounds were accumulated under drought stress, especially flavonoids. Overall, it was speculated that under drought stress, P. rubra first activates the plant hormone signal transduction pathway to regulate hormone contents. Then osmotic regulating substances such as organic acids and amino acids are accumulated to maintain osmotic balance. Finally, flavonoid levels are increased to scavenge reactive oxygen species. These results preliminarily revealed the molecular mechanisms adopted by P. rubra in response to drought stress.
Case Report: Characterization of known (c.607G>C) and novel (c.416C>G) ELANE mutations in two Mexican families with congenital neutropenia
Authors: Núñez-Núñez María Enriqueta , Lona-Reyes Juan Carlos , López-Barragán Brenda , Cruz-Osorio Rosa Margarita , Gutiérrez-Zepeda Bricia Melissa , Quintero-Ramos Antonio , Becerra-Loaiza Denisse Stephania
Published: September 2023

The most common causes of congenital neutropenia are mutations in the ELANE (Elastase, Neutrophil Expressed) gene (19p13.3), mostly in exon 5 and the distal portion of exon 4, which result in different clinical phenotypes of neutropenia. Here, we report two pathogenic mutations in ELANE, namely, c.607G>C (p.Gly203Arg) and a novel variant c.416C>G (p.Pro139Arg), found in two Mexican families ascertained via patients with congenital neutropenia who responded positively to the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment. These findings highlight the usefulness of identifying variants in patients with inborn errors of immunity for early clinical management and the need to rule out mosaicism in noncarrier parents with more than one case in the family.
GPX8 regulates pan-apoptosis in gliomas to promote microglial migration and mediate immunotherapy responses
Authors: Chen Zigui , Zheng Dandan , Lin Ziren , Zhang Chunyuan , Wei Cheng , Deng Xiandong , Yan Peng , Zheng Chuanhua , Lan Chuanliu , Qin Chengjian , Wei Xuanlei , Qin Deling , Wu Yongfang , Peng Jun , Miao Changfeng , Lu Liuxue , Xia Ying , Luo Qisheng
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Gliomas have emerged as the predominant brain tumor type in recent decades, yet the exploration of non-apoptotic cell death regulated by the pan-optosome complex, known as pan-apoptosis, remains largely unexplored in this context. This study aims to illuminate the molecular properties of pan-apoptosis-related genes in glioma patients, classifying them and developing a signature using machine learning techniques.

Methods

The prognostic significance, mutation features, immunological characteristics, and pharmaceutical prediction performance of this signature were comprehensively investigated. Furthermore, GPX8, a gene of interest, was extensively examined for its prognostic value, immunological characteristics, medication prediction performance, and immunotherapy prediction potential.

Results

Experimental techniques such as CCK-8, Transwell, and EdU investigations revealed that GPX8 acts as a tumor accelerator in gliomas. At the single-cell RNA sequencing level, GPX8 appeared to facilitate cell contact between tumor cells and macrophages, potentially enhancing microglial migration.

Conclusions

The incorporation of pan-apoptosis-related features shows promising potential for clinical applications in predicting tumor progression and advancing immunotherapeutic strategies. However, further in vitro and in vivo investigations are necessary to validate the tumorigenic and immunogenic processes associated with GPX8 in gliomas.