bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteinuria as a Surrogate Endpoint for Disease Progression in IgA Nephropathy: Predicting Long-Term Treatment Effects of Sparsentan
Authors: George Juliet
Published: July 2023

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a rare, life-limiting disease for which there is significant unmet need. Until recently, drug development for IgAN had been impeded by the requirement for large-scale, long-term clinical trials to measure clinical outcomes. However, the recent establishment of ‘reduction in proteinuria’ as a surrogate endpoint to predict clinical outcomes in IgAN, as a basis for accelerated drug approval, has transformed the field. At the 60th European Renal Association (ERA) Congress in June 2023, two oral poster presentations focused on the use of early reduction in proteinuria as an endpoint for clinical studies in IgAN. Alex Mercer, Consultant in Clinical Drug Development at JAMCO Pharma Consulting in Stockholm, Sweden, presented data estimating the long-term clinical outcome of reductions in proteinuria (clinically meaningful extensions in time to kidney failure or death), which could help predict the future protective effect of any new intervention on kidney function. Following this, Jonathan Barratt, Mayer Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Leicester, and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist at Leicester General Hospital, UK, described findings from the prespecified interim analysis of the Phase III PROTECT study of sparsentan (a novel dual endothelin angiotensin receptor antagonist) in IgAN, which included reduction in proteinuria as a primary endpoint. In patients with IgAN at high risk of disease progression, sparsentan produced a rapid and significant reduction in proteinuria of a level that, according to the study data presented by Mercer, would correspond to a substantially lowered risk of kidney failure or death. Long-term data to confirm this predicted clinical outcome on disease progression are anticipated.
ERA 2023 Abstract Highlights
Authors: EMJ
Published: July 2023

The following selected highlights explore several fascinating abstracts that were presented at the 60th European Renal Association (ERA) Congress 2023. Topics covered include vascular access in haemodialysis, renal transplantation, acute kidney injury, IgA nephropathy, and cardiovascular risk in chronic kidney disease.
Bocatorta, a Brazilian Ghoul: Adaptations and Influence of Anglo Arabic Folklore in Monteiro Lobato
Authors: Kaminski da Silva Arthur Aroha
Published: July 2023

One case of Gothic adaptation of pre-Islamic folklore resides in the figure of the ghoul. This Mesopotamian mythical creature was reinvented by Antoine Galland in the European context around 1718, when he translate and rewrote the collection of Hindi-Persian-Arabic narratives known as the One Thousand and One Nights. This article analyses the influence of this European ghoul on the creation of Bocatorta, protagonist of an eponymous short story published by Monteiro Lobato – an important Brazilian writer – in his Urupês (1918). I examine the influence of Galland’s work on Lobato’s work, alongside that of Caliban from Shakespeare’s The Tempest (1611), one of Lobato’s main inspirations for the character of Bocatorta.
Formation of the phytopathogenic mycobiome of seeds of sunflower hybrids in the conditions of the Сentral Forest-Steppe of Ukraine
Authors: Turovnik Yu. , Parfeniuk A. , Beznosko I. , Mosiichuk I.
Published: July 2023

A high level of contamination of the seeds of sunflower plants with phytopathogenic micromycetes can lead to a significant decrease in the yield of this valuable crop, a decrease in the oiliness of the seeds, a deterioration of its sowing qualities, and an increase in the quantitative and qualitative losses of the crop during storage. As a result of the vital activity of microorganisms on plant seeds, both the sowing qualities of the seeds (germination energy, germination, viability and productivity) and food quality indicators are significantly reduced (the fatty acid composition changes, oiliness decreases and the acid number of the oil increases). Therefore, the goal of our work was to determine the number and spectrum of phytopathogenic micromycetes in the mycobiome of sunflower seeds in the conditions of the Central Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. According to the research results, it was found that the biological properties of Dushko and Oliver hybrids, in the conditions of traditional and organic cultivation technologies, can both suppress and stimulate the number of micromycetes in the seed mycobiome. The formation of the number of phytopathogenic micromycetes in the mycobiome of the seeds of Dushko and Oliver hybrids under the organic technology of growing sunflower plants was at the level of traditional technology and ranged from 5.0 to 5.5 thousand CFU/g in the fruit shell, and from 2.1 to 2.6 thousand CFU/g of dry seeds. The seed microbiome of the investigated sunflower hybrids is represented by micromycetes with phytopathogenic properties (A. alternata and F. oxysporum) and species capable of causing seed mold (Penicillium, Aspergillus), the frequency of which varies from 5 to 65%. Phytopathogenic fungi inhabiting the seeds of sunflower plants are a powerful factor in the biological pollution of agroecosystems and are capable of significantly reducing seed quality and nutritional quality indicators of seed production of sunflower plants.
Features of the growth and development of decorative lupine species in the conditions of the architectural and exposition plot at the VNAU
Authors: Neiko I. , Palamarchuk V. , Pantsyreva H. , Matusiak M. , Pantsyrev O.
Published: July 2023

The conducted research is devoted to modern decorative floriculture, which is a fast-growing industry, and its most important task is the constant expansion of the range of flower and decorative plants for various purposes in landscaping. It has been established that the source for enriching the cultural flora is the collection funds of ornamental plants collected in botanical gardens and arboretums as the main centers for the preservation of the gene pool of many plants and their cultural varieties. A wide variety of decorative and valuable lupins is available in the architectural and exposition site of the Department of Forestry, Horticulture, Horticulture and Viticulture of the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry, as well as the Podillia Botanical Garden of the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University. Decorative and valuable lupins have sufficient ecological plasticity, which is confirmed by growing in many introduction centers with different natural and climatic conditions. However, they are often not used in the decorative horticulture of flower arrangements in the Podillia area. It has been investigated that the main reason for the insufficient use of these species in landscaped settlements is the lack of information about their ecological and biological features and decorative properties, cultivation technologies and options for their use. However, the introduction of representatives of the genus Lupinus L., namely Lupinus polyphyllus L., into the culture contributes to the preservation of biodiversity and the involvement of a significant range of flower and ornamental plants in culture conditions. The replenishment of the collection of the architectural exhibition area of the VNAU with the introduced hybrids Gallery White and Gallery Red, the expansion of options for simple and complex garden compositions with their participation, their more even placement within the boundaries of populated areas will significantly bring the flower garden design of populated cities of Ukraine closer to the level of the best world examples.
NOÇÃO DE "PREÂMBULOS DA FÉ" EM TOMÁS DE AQUINO
Authors: Randazzo Gomes André Ricardo
Published: July 2023

Neste artigo, procurarei estudar a noção de “preâmbulos da fé” (praeambula fidei), tal como se encontra nas obras de Tomás de Aquino. Nem sempre essa noção é apresentada com essas palavras exatas. Mas é possível encontrar uma doutrina coerente desde as obras mais juvenis até as obras mais maduras de Tomás de Aquino. Farei a tradução de passagens que não tiverem sido ainda traduzidas ao português. Para fazer este estudo, irei me basear nos trabalhos de dois autores: John Wippel e Dennis Brand. E também, seguindo o exemplo desses autores, estudarei a utilidade que Tomás de Aquino atribui às verdades filosóficas na Suma Contra os Gentios, onde parece claro que Tomás usa tais preâmbulos da fé. Como resultado, poderemos ver a importância que Tomás de Aquino confere a certos conhecimentos demonstrados pelos filósofos, principalmente por Aristóteles, como, por exemplo, o conhecimento de que Deus existe. Veremos que, para Tomás de Aquino, estes conhecimentos estão pressupostos nos artigos de fé.
COMO VÁRIAS "IRRACIONALIDADES" DÃO PROVAS DE SEREM RACIONAIS.
Authors: Araújo Joaquim Carlos Senos de
Published: July 2023

A tradução aqui apresentada[1] trata de uma tese inédita acerca da possibilidade do pensamento económico, puramente dedutivo, do Neoclassicismo aprender com  um modelo da nova ciência informática, a saber, algumas ferramentas básicas e gerais do pensamento no cérebro humano, combinadas com informação/dados, poderão renovar a conceção que temos hoje acerca da própria complexidade do pensamento humano. No nosso cérebro existe, de modo inato, e por uma simples questão biológica de sobrevivência,  um hard-software herdado dos nossos antepassados. E é isto que se  assemelha  a uma utilização computacional de instruções (inatas, finitas, universais e permanentes) em série, reiterando o processamento seletivo da informação captada do mundo exterior.

 

[1] How Various “Irrationalities” Proven to be Rational. Academia Letters, Article 4579. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL4579. ©2022 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.
HISTÓRIA DA LOUCURA COMO UM “TRATADO POLICIAL” EM MICHEL FOUCAULT
Authors: Lira João Jânio da Silva , Sayão Sandro Cozza
Published: July 2023

Este artigo busca apresentar uma hipótese interpretativa para a obra História da loucura (1961), do filósofo francês Michel Foucault. Trata-se de situar um modo de ler o texto de 1961, dando especial atenção ao conceito de polícia. Isso em razão de que nessa obra ao analisar questões como medicina, loucura etc., Foucault acabou por construir uma interpretação de dispositivos sociais relacionados à prática do enclausuramento, que desembocou no nascimento da polícia moderna. Grosso modo, a ideia é aprofundar um tema ainda pouco estudado no autor, seguindo a linha de raciocínio de Edgardo Castro (2019), que destaca haver na obra deste “um breve tratado sobre a polícia”.
A VirB4 ATPase of the mobile accessory genome orchestrates core genome-encoded features of physiology, metabolism, and virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TBCF10839
Authors: Wiehlmann Lutz , Klockgether Jens , Hammerbacher Anna-Silke , Salunkhe Prabhakar , Horatzek Sonja , Munder Antje , Peilert Janno Florian , Gulbins Erich , Eberl Leo , Tümmler Burkhard
Published: July 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa TBCF10839 is a highly virulent strain that can persist and replicate in human neutrophils. Screening of a signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) TBCF10839 transposon library in phagocytosis tests identified a mutant that carried the transposon in the VirB4 homolog 5PG21 of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE)-associated type IV secretion system of the pKLC102 subtype. 5P21 TBCF10839 insertion mutants were deficient in metabolic versatility, secretion, quorum sensing, and virulence. The mutants were efficiently killed in phagocytosis tests in vitro and were avirulent in an acute murine airway infection model in vivo. The inactivation of 5PG21 silenced the rhl, las, and pqs operons and the gene expression for the synthesis of hydrogen cyanide, the antimetabolite l-2-amino-4-methoxy-trans-3-butenoic acid, and the H2- and H3-type VI secretion systems and their associated effectors. The mutants were impaired in the utilization of carbon sources and stored compounds that are not funneled into intermediary metabolism. This showcase demonstrates that a single gene of the mobile accessory genome can become an essential element to operate the core genome-encoded features of metabolism and virulence.
Research on the coordinated development of resource-based cities in Sichuan Province: from the perspective of industrial structure and ecological environment
Authors: Liu Kexin , Fan Xinyue , Yang Xiaoyi , Zhang Yongqiang , Feng Tingting
Published: July 2023

During their journey of developing, resource-based cities gradually deplete the resources on which they rely for survival. Scientific and reasonable research on the industrial and ecological aspects of resource-based cities is conducive to the coordinated development of cities. In order to further analyze the industrial structure of resource-based cities systematically and analyze the comprehensive level of resource-based cities from multi-dimensional perspective. This paper took 8 resource-based cities in Sichuan Province as the research object, and constructed the index system from two systems: industrial structure and ecological environment, then the shift-share analysis, entropy weight method and capacity coupling coefficient model were used to analyze their level of industrial structure, ecological environment and the coupling relationship respectively. According to the results of the study, it can be concluded that the main influencing factor in the development of industrial structure is the industrialmix effect, while the ecological level presents a decreasing level due to the lack of control of total industrial solid waste and energy consumption. The coupling degree between industrial structure and ecological environment in resource-based cities in Sichuan Province is relatively stable, and the coupling coordination degree also gradually tends to a stable state. In the subsequent development, the focus should be on the coal mining and dressing industry and the power, heat production and supply industry. Starting with the actual industrial structure of resource-based cities and specific indicators that affected the ecological environment, this paper hereby analyzed the development momentum and unified and coordinated development status of resource-based cities. The main purpose of this paper is providing some technical support for resource-based cities to improve their coordinated urban development, and giving policy suggestions for the coordinated development of resource-based cities.
Enhancing oil-water flow simulation in shale reservoirs with fractal theory and meshless method
Authors: Liu Wenbo , Zhang Guangming
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Simulating oil and water flow in shale reservoirs is challenging due to heterogeneity caused by fractures. Conventional grid-based methods often have convergence issues. We propose a new approach using fractal theory and meshless methods to accurately model flow.

Methods: A mathematical model describing oil-water flow in fractured horizontal shale wells was developed. The meshless weighted least squares (MWLS) method was used to numerically solve the model. Modeling points were placed flexibly, informed by fractal theory.

Results: The MWLS solution aligned well with reference solutions but had enhanced flexibility. Comprehensive analysis showed the effects of modeling parameters like fracture properties on production.

Discussion: The proposed methodology enabled accurate prediction of shale oil production. Convergence was improved compared to grid-based methods. The flexible modeling approach can be tailored to specific reservoir conditions. Further work could expand the model complexity and types of reservoirs.
Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio, are they markers of COVID-19 severity or old age and frailty? A comparison of two distinct cohorts
Authors: Levy Yochai , Derazne Estela , Shilovsky Alex , Kagansky Dana , Derkath Alex , Chepelev Victor , Mazurez Evelina , Stambler Ilia , Kagansky Nadya
Published: July 2023

The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are simple markers of systemic inflammatory responses. It has been previously suggested that they can predict COVID-19 severity. Age and frailty may also influence their values. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 severity versus age and frailty on NLR and PLR values. This was a retrospective, observational two cohorts’ comparative study. The first cohort is comprised of patents positive for SARS-CoV-2, with mild or asymptomatic disease, admitted to designated COVID-19 departments in a large geriatric medical center (GMC). The second included patients with COVID-19 admitted to designated COVID-19 departments in a large general hospital for symptomatic disease from March 2020 to March 2021. We compared baseline characteristics including comorbidities and chronic medications, disease symptoms, laboratory tests and compared the NLR and PLR between the two groups. The 177 patients admitted to the COVID-designated department in the GMC were over three decades older than the 289 COVID-19 patients admitted to the general hospital care (HC). They had substantially more comorbidities and chronic medications. All common disease symptoms were significantly more common in the HC group. Almost two thirds of the GMC patients remained asymptomatic compared to 2.1% in the HC group. Inflammatory markers, such as CRP and LDH, were significantly higher in the HC group. The NLR and PLR were both significantly higher in the GMC cohort comprised of older frailer patients with milder disease. NLR and PLR seem to be affected more by age and frailty than COVID-19 severity.
LuxR402 of Novosphingobium sp. HR1a regulates the correct configuration of cell envelopes
Authors: Segura Ana , Molina Lázaro
Published: July 2023

Although there is some evidence to suggest that LuxR-solo proteins participate in inter-species or even inter-kingdom communication, most of the LuxR-solo protein functions are unknown. We have characterized the LuxR402 regulator of Novosphingobium sp. HR1a, a bacterial strain with the ability to establish high numbers in the plant rhizosphere and able to degrade a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. LuxR402 controls the aggregation state of the bacterial culture; cultures of a mutant strain lacking this regulator flocculate in less than 3 h without agitation. We have demonstrated that the bacterial surface of the mutant is highly hydrophobic and that the mutant cells assimilate sugars slower than the wild-type. The flocculation mechanism has been demonstrated to be involved in the survival of the strain under unfavorable conditions; the luxR402 gene is repressed and produces flocculation in the presence of salicylate, a substrate that, although being assimilated by Novosphingobium, is toxic to cells at high concentrations. The flocculation of cultures in industrial setups has mainly been achieved through the addition of chemicals; these studies open up the possibility of controlling the flocculation by regulating the level of expression of the luxR402 gene.
Time-locked acute alpha-frequency stimulation of subthalamic nuclei during the evaluation of emotional stimuli and its effect on power modulation
Authors: Muhammad Naeem , Sonkusare Saurabh , Ding Qiong , Wang Linbin , Mandali Alekhya , Zhao Yi Jie , Sun Bomin , Li Dianyou , Voon Valerie
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) studies in Parkinson's Disease (PD) targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN) have characterized its spectral properties across cognitive processes. In emotional evaluation tasks, specific alpha frequency (8–12 Hz) event-related de-synchronization (ERD) (reduced power) has been demonstrated. The time-locked stimulation of STN relative to stimuli onset has shown subjective positive valence shifts with 10 Hz but not with 130 Hz. However, neurophysiological effects of stimulation on power modulation have not been investigated. We aim to investigate effects of acute stimulation of the right STN on concurrent power modulation in the contralateral STN and frontal scalp EEG. From our previous study, we had a strong a priori hypothesis that negative imagery without stimulation would be associated with alpha ERD; negative imagery with 130 Hz stimulation would be also associated with alpha ERD given the lack of its effect on subjective valence ratings; negative imagery with 10 Hz stimulation was to be associated with enhanced alpha power given the shift in behavioral valence ratings.

Methods

Twenty-four subjects with STN DBS underwent emotional picture-viewing tasks comprising neutral and negative pictures. In a subset of these subjects, the negative images were associated with time-locked acute stimulation at either 10 or 130 Hz. Power of signals was estimated relative to the baseline and subjected to non-parametric statistical testing.

Results

As hypothesized, in 130 Hz stimulation condition, we show a decrease in alpha power to negative vs. neutral images irrespective of stimulation. In contrast, this alpha power decrease was no longer evident in the negative 10 Hz stimulation condition consistent with a predicted increase in alpha power. Greater beta power in the 10 Hz stimulation condition along with correlations between beta power across the 10 Hz stimulation and unstimulated conditions suggest physiological and cognitive generalization effects.

Conclusion

Acute alpha-specific frequency stimulation presumably was associated with a loss of this expected decrease or desynchronization in alpha power to negative images suggesting the capacity to facilitate the synchronization of alpha and enhance power. Acute time-locked stimulation has the potential to provide causal insights into the spectral frequencies and temporal dynamics of emotional processing.
Evaluation of the diagnostic efficiency of voided urine fluorescence in situ hybridization for predicting the pathology of preoperative “low-risk” upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Xu Ben , Zhang Jia-En , Ye Lin , Yuan Chang-Wei
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the clinical utility of voided urine fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for predicting the pathology of preoperative “low-risk” upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).

Methods

Information of patients preoperatively diagnosed with “low-risk” UTUC receiving radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) between May 2014 and October 2019 were retrospectively collected. All of the patients accepted the FISH test and then were divided into two groups according to the results of FISH. The diagnostic value of FISH was assessed through the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and area under the curve. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine FISH as a predictive factor of tumor final stage and grade of preoperative “low-risk” UTUC.

Results

In total, 129 patients were included. Of them, 70 (54.2%) were marked with positive FISH result. The difference at final pathology in tumor stage and tumor grade between these two groups of FISH (-) and FISH (+) had significantly statistical significance (p<0.001). Regarding to the tumor stage at final pathology, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FISH were 70.7 (58.9-80.3)68.5 (54.3-80.1)75.7 (63.7-84.8) and 62.7 (49.1-74.7), respectively. Regarding to the tumor grade at final pathology, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FISH were 64.7 (53.5-74.6), 65.9 (50.0-79.1), 78.6 (66.8-87.1) and 49.1 (36.5-62.3), respectively. The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that FISH could predict the pathologic characteristics of preoperative “low-risk” UTUC independently.

Conclusions

FISH was qualified with relatively high diagnostic estimates for predicting tumor stage and grade of preoperative “low-risk” UTUC, and could be an independent predictive factor in clinical practice. For preoperative “low-risk” UTUC patients but with positive FISH result, choosing nephron-sparing surgery may require special caution.
Effects of high-intensity interval training on vascular function in patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fuertes-Kenneally Laura , Blasco-Peris Carles , Casanova-Lizón Antonio , Baladzhaeva Sabina , Climent Vicente , Sarabia José Manuel , Manresa-Rocamora Agustín
Published: July 2023

Background: Exercise training improves endothelial function in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the influence of training variables remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), compared to moderate intensity training (MIT) and other exercise modalities (i.e., resistance and combined exercise), on endothelial function, assessed by arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), in patients with CVD. Secondly, we investigated the influence of other training variables (i.e., HIIT protocol).

Methods: The PICOS strategy was used to identify randomised and non-randomised studies comparing the effect of HIIT and other exercise modalities (e.g., MIT) on endothelial function in patients with CVD. Electronic searches were carried out in Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science up to November 2022. The TESTEX scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Random-effects models of between-group mean difference (MD) were estimated. A positive MD indicated an effect in favour of HIIT. Heterogeneity analyses were performed by the chi-square test and I2 index. Subgroup analyses evaluated the influence of potential moderator variables.

Results: Fourteen studies (13; 92.9% randomised) were included. Most of the studies trained 3 days a week for 12 weeks and performed long HIIT. No statistically significant differences were found between HIIT and MIT for improving brachial FMD in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (8 studies; MD+ = 0.91% [95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.06, 1.88]). However, subgroup analyses showed that long HIIT (i.e., > 1 min) is better than MIT for enhancing FMD (5 studies; MD+ = 1.46% [95% CI = 0.35, 2.57]), while no differences were found between short HIIT (i.e., ≤ 1 min) and MIT (3 studies; MD+ = −0.41% [95% CI = −1.64, 0.82]). Insufficient data prevented pooled analysis for EPCs, and individual studies failed to find statistically significant differences (p > .050) between HIIT and other exercise modalities in increasing EPCs.

Discussion: Poor methodological quality could limit the precision of the current results and increase the inconsistency. Long HIIT is superior to MIT for improving FMD in patients with CAD or HFrEF. Future studies comparing HIIT to other exercise modalities, as well as the effect on EPCs and in HF with preserved ejection fraction are required.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, identifier CRD42022358156.
Advancing the study of life and death education: theoretical framework and research inquiries for further development
Authors: Phan Huy P. , Chen Si-Chi , Ngu Bing H. , Hsu Chao-Sheng
Published: July 2023

Life and death education, also known aslife educationanddeath education, is an interesting subject that may coincide with the subject of lifespan development. In brief, from our theoretical perspective, which guides our teaching and curriculum development, life education considers personal understanding of life functioning on a daily basis, whereas death education explores matters that are related to death and dying. For example, how can a social worker utilize his life knowledge, or life wisdom, to assist a relative to understand the intricate nature of death? In a similar vein, how can a senior citizen use her personal experience of Buddhist meditation practice to overcome a minor Covid setback? Central to our teaching practice is the premise of ‘active transformation’ (i.e., transforming life knowledge into positive practice) and the premise of ‘theoretical infusion’ (e.g., the infusion of a distinctive epistemological belief in the teaching of life) that would, in turn, help to enhance and facilitate deep, meaningful understanding of life and death. The purpose of the present article is for us to discuss a proposition of a theoretical-conceptual model, which depicts the ‘unification’ or integration of three major viewpoints of life and death: thesocial viewpoint, thephilosophical viewpoint, and thepsychological viewpoint. We theorize that unification of the three theoretical viewpoints may help provide grounding for effective teaching and holistic understanding of the subject contents of life and death. Such discourse, importantly, may also assist to advance the scope and complexity of the lifespan development subject. Finally, in addition to our theoretical-conceptual model of life and death, we propose three major research inquiries for development: themeaning of situated mindset, theunderlying nature of spiritual transcendence, andproposition of appropriate methodological accountsfor usage. Overall, then, we purport that our conceptual analysis and discussion overview, based on philosophical reflection, may serve to stimulate interest, intellectual curiosity, scholarly dialog, etc.
Needs assessment for behavioral parent training for ADHD in Brazil
Authors: Bado Patricia , da Costa Raquel , Bernardes Camila , Tripp Gail , Mattos Paulo , Furukawa Emi
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a debilitating condition affecting children and their families worldwide. Behavioral parent training is a recommended form of empirically supported non-pharmacological intervention for young children with mild to moderate ADHD. However, access to such treatment is limited in many countries. Here we identify the treatment needs of Brazilian families with children demonstrating symptoms of ADHD, and the barriers families face in accessing behavioral treatment.

Methods

A qualitative needs assessment was undertaken with parents (n = 23), educators (n = 15), and healthcare providers (n = 16). Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted, and common themes were identified through inductive coding of participants’ responses.

Results

Participants reported a lack of accessible behavioral treatment, and delays in accessing treatment when available. The majority of parents had not received behavioral parent training, despite it being a recommended form of treatment. Parents, educators and healthcare providers strongly endorsed a need for practical tools to manage the behavior of children with ADHD.

Conclusion

Existing services might not meet the needs of children with ADHD and their families in Brazil. Easily accessed behavioral parent training programs are recommended to address the identified treatment gap for Brazilian children with ADHD and their families.
Dilemmas and theoretical exploration of China’s rural land property rights system reform
Authors: Laiyou Zhou , Jiawei Luo
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The property rights system, as the core component of the land system, is related to the long-term stability of the country, the well-being of farmers and the realization of the value of ecological products. The reform of China’s rural land property rights system has long been controversial. This paper compares the main historical lines of the reform of the rural land property rights system since the founding of New China, notes its dilemmas, and theoretically explores its development.

Methods

This article adopted literature analysis method(LAT), Sorted out the historical mainline of rural land property rights system reform since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, proposed its reform path.

Results

The paper finds that the two main difficulties of the reform are the weakening of collective property rights, leading to the disintegration of rural public services, and the refinement of farmers’ property rights, leading to an increase in agricultural operation costs. These issues lead to extremely high transaction costs in the process of agricultural production and operation, making agricultural production a worthless business activity.

Discussion

This paper argues that a complete market structure is a “unified” market structure that includes the government and the market, in which the government plays the role of defining property rights and reducing transaction costs.
Research on Unmanned Surface Vessel Aggregation Formation Based on Improved A* and Dynamic Window Approach Fusion Algorithm
Authors: Wei Ge-An , Zhang Jian-Qiang
Published: July 2023

The traditional A* and DWA fusion algorithm has three problems in the task of aggregation formation: one is the lack of meeting coordination strategy, the other is the inability to unify the terminal course, and the third is too many turning points in the global path. To solve the above problems, an improved algorithm is proposed. Firstly, by smoothing the global planning path, the stability of a USV heading in the navigation is improved. Then, by adding the key points of the global path, a guide path is formed to unify the terminal heading range. Finally, by adding an encounter coordination strategy, aggregation efficiency is improved. Simulation experiments were carried out in the Python environment based on this algorithm. The results show that the improved algorithm can improve the navigation obstacle avoidance ability of USVs and guide multiple USVs to finish the task of aggregation formation.
Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG) Control Strategy Based on Improved Damping and Angular Frequency Deviation Feedforward
Authors: Wang Sue , Xie Yuxin
Published: July 2023

The output active power of a grid-connected inverter controlled by a traditional virtual synchronous generator (VSG) has the problems of oscillation and steady-state errors. A VSG control strategy based on improved damping and angular frequency deviation feedforward is proposed. This strategy reduces the steady-state error of active power by adding a transient damping link to a traditional VSG damping feedback channel. At the same time, the angular frequency deviation feedforward compensation is used to improve the response speed of the VSG to the active power instruction and reduce the active power overshoot in the dynamic process. First, the VSG active power closed-loop small-signal model is established. The effects of inertia and damping on the dynamic and steady-state performance of the VSG are analyzed by the root locus method. The effect of the proposed control strategy on the system is analyzed by using a closed-loop zero-pole diagram. This strategy improves the precision of active power control the dynamic performance of the system effectively. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control strategy are verified by Matlab/Simulink simulation and semi-physical simulation platform RT-LAB.
Generating Potential Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor Molecules Based on Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Ohue Masahito , Kojima Yuki , Kosugi Takatsugu
Published: July 2023

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are associated with various diseases; hence, they are important targets in drug discovery. However, the physicochemical empirical properties of PPI-targeted drugs are distinct from those of conventional small molecule oral pharmaceuticals, which adhere to the ”rule of five (RO5)”. Therefore, developing PPI-targeted drugs using conventional methods, such as molecular generation models, is challenging. In this study, we propose a molecular generation model based on deep reinforcement learning that is specialized for the production of PPI inhibitors. By introducing a scoring function that can represent the properties of PPI inhibitors, we successfully generated potential PPI inhibitor compounds. These newly constructed virtual compounds possess the desired properties for PPI inhibitors, and they show similarity to commercially available PPI libraries. The virtual compounds are freely available as a virtual library.
Inhibitor Design Strategy for Myostatin: Dynamics and Interaction Networks Define the Affinity and Release Mechanisms of the Inhibited Complexes
Authors: Nagy-Fazekas Dóra , Fazekas Zsolt , Taricska Nóra , Stráner Pál , Karancsiné Menyhárd Dóra , Perczel András
Published: July 2023

Myostatin, an important negative regulator of muscle mass, is a therapeutic target for muscle atrophic disorders such as muscular dystrophy. Thus, the inhibition of myostatin presents a strategy to treat these disorders. It has long been established that the myostatin prodomain is a strong inhibitor of the mature myostatin, and the minimum peptide of the prodomain—corresponding to the α1-helix of its lasso-region—responsible for the inhibitory efficiency was defined and characterized as well. Here we show that the minimum peptide segment based on the growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), which we found to be more helical in its stand-alone solvated stfate than the similar segment of myostatin, is a promising new base scaffold for inhibitor design. The proposed inhibitory peptides in their solvated state and in complex with the mature myostatin were analyzed by in silico molecule modeling supplemented with the electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy measurements. We defined the Gaussian–Mahalanobis mean score to measure the fraction of dihedral angle-pairs close to the desired helical region of the Ramachandran-plot, carried out RING analysis of the peptide-protein interaction networks and characterized the internal motions of the complexes using our rigid-body segmentation protocol. We identified a variant—11m2—that is sufficiently ordered both in solvent and within the inhibitory complex, forms a high number of contacts with the binding-pocket and induces such changes in its internal dynamics that lead to a rigidified, permanently locked conformation that traps this peptide in the binding site. We also showed that the naturally evolved α1-helix has been optimized to simultaneously fulfill two very different roles: to function as a strong binder as well as a good leaving group. It forms an outstanding number of non-covalent interactions with the mature core of myostatin and maintains the most ordered conformation within the complex, while it induces independent movement of the gate-keeper β-hairpin segment assisting the dissociation and also results in the least-ordered solvated form which provides extra stability for the dissociated state and discourages rebinding.
Impact of High-Pressure Homogenization on Enhancing the Extractability of Phytochemicals from Agri-Food Residues
Authors: Pirozzi Annachiara , Donsì Francesco
Published: July 2023

The primary objective of the Sustainable Development Goals is to reduce food waste by employing various strategies, including the reuse of agri-food residues that are abundantly available and the complete use of their valuable compounds. This study explores the application of high-pressure homogenization (HPH), an innovative nonthermal and green treatment, for the recovery of bioactive compounds from agri-food residues. The results demonstrate that the optimized HPH treatment offers advantages over conventional solid/liquid extraction (SLE), including shorter extraction time, solvent-free operation, low temperatures, and higher yields of phenol extraction (an approximately 20% improvement). Moreover, the micronization of agri-food residue-in-water suspensions results in a decrease in the size distribution to below the visual detection limit, achieved by disrupting the individual plant cells, thus enhancing suspension stability against sedimentation. These findings highlight the potential of HPH for environmentally friendly and efficient extraction processes.
Molecular Biomarkers and Recent Liquid Biopsy Testing Progress: A Review of the Application of Biosensors for the Diagnosis of Gliomas
Authors: Wu Yuanbin , Wang Xuning , Zhang Meng , Wu Dongdong
Published: July 2023

Gliomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors, with a high mortality rate. Early and accurate diagnosis of gliomas is critical for successful treatment. Biosensors are significant in the detection of molecular biomarkers because they are simple to use, portable, and capable of real-time analysis. This review discusses several important molecular biomarkers as well as various biosensors designed for glioma diagnosis, such as electrochemical biosensors and optical biosensors. We present our perspectives on the existing challenges and hope that this review can promote the improvement of biosensors.
One Material-Opposite Triboelectrification: Molecular Engineering Regulated Triboelectrification on Silica Surface to Enhance TENG Efficiency
Authors: Arkan Mesude Zeliha , Kinas Zeynep , Yalcin Eyup , Arkan Emre , Özel Faruk , Karabiber Abdulkerim , Chorążewski Mirosław
Published: July 2023

Molecular engineering is a unique methodology to take advantage of the electrochemical characteristics of materials that are used in energy-harvesting devices. Particularly in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) studies, molecular grafting on dielectric metal oxide surfaces can be regarded as a feasible way to alter the surface charge density that directly affects the charge potential of triboelectric layers. Herein, we develop a feasible methodology to synthesize organic–inorganic hybrid structures with tunable triboelectric features. Different types of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with electron-donating and withdrawing groups have been used to modify metal oxide (MO) surfaces and to modify their charge density on the surface. All the synthetic routes for hybrid material production have been clearly shown and the formation of covalent bonds on the MO’s surface has been confirmed by XPS. The obtained hybrid structures were applied as dopants to distinct polymer matrices with various ratios and fiberization processes were carried out to the prepare opposite triboelectric layers. The formation of the fibers was analyzed by SEM, while their surface morphology and physicochemical features have been measured by AFM and a drop shape analyzer. The triboelectric charge potential of each layer after doping and their contribution to the TENG device’s parameters have been investigated. For each triboelectric layer, the best-performing tribopositive and tribonegative material combination was separately determined and then these opposite layers were used to fabricate TENG with the highest efficiency. A comparison of the device parameters with the reference indicated that the best tribopositive material gave rise to a 40% increase in the output voltage and produced 231 V, whereas the best tribonegative one led to a 33.3% rise in voltage and generated 220 V. In addition, the best device collected ~83% more charge than the reference device and came up with 250 V that corresponds to 51.5% performance enhancement. This approach paved the way by addressing the issue of how molecular engineering can be used to manipulate the triboelectric features of the same materials.
Supramolecular Assemblies of Fluorescent Nitric Oxide Photoreleasers with Ultrasmall Cyclodextrin Nanogels
Authors: Martins Tassia J. , Parisi Cristina , Suzuki Yota , Hashimoto Takeshi , Nostro Antonia , Ginestra Giovanna , Hayashita Takashi , Sortino Salvatore
Published: July 2023

Developing biocompatible nitric oxide (NO) photoreleasing nanoconstucts is of great interest in view of the large variety of biological roles that NO plays and the unique advantage light offers in controlling NO release in space and time. In this contribution, we report the supramolecular assemblies of two NO photodonors (NOPDs), NBF-NO and RHD-NO, as water-dispersible nanogels, ca. 10 nm in diameter, based on γ-cyclodextrins (γ-CDng). These NOPDs, containing amino-nitro-benzofurazan and rhodamine chromophores as light harvesting antennae, can be activated by visible light, are highly hydrophobic and can be effectively entrapped within the γ-CDng. Despite being confined in a very restricted environment, neither NOPD suffer self-aggregation and preserve their photochemical and photophysical properties well. The blue light excitation of the weakly fluorescent γ-CDng/NBF-NO complex results in effective NO release and the concomitant generation of the highly green, fluorescent co-product, which acts as an optical NO reporter. Moreover, the green light excitation of the persistent red fluorescent γ-CDng/RHD-NO triggers NO photorelease without significantly modifying the emission properties. The activatable and persistent fluorescence emissions of the NOPDs are useful for monitoring their interactions with the Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, whose growth is significantly inhibited by γ-CDng/RHD-NO upon green light irradiation.
Fascinating Furanosteroids and Their Pharmacological Profile
Authors: Dembitsky Valery M.
Published: July 2023

This review article delves into the realm of furanosteroids and related isoprenoid lipids derived from diverse terrestrial and marine sources, exploring their wide array of biological activities and potential pharmacological applications. Fungi, fungal endophytes, plants, and various marine organisms, including sponges, corals, molluscs, and other invertebrates, have proven to be abundant reservoirs of these compounds. The biological activities exhibited by furanosteroids and related lipids encompass anticancer, cytotoxic effects against various cancer cell lines, antiviral, and antifungal effects. Notably, the discovery of exceptional compounds such as nakiterpiosin, malabaricol, dysideasterols, and cortistatins has revealed their potent anti-tuberculosis, antibacterial, and anti-hepatitis C attributes. These compounds also exhibit activity in inhibiting protein kinase C, phospholipase A2, and eliciting cytotoxicity against cancer cells. This comprehensive study emphasizes the significance of furanosteroids and related lipids as valuable natural products with promising therapeutic potential. The remarkable biodiversity found in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems offers an extensive resource for unearthing novel biologically active compounds, paving the way for future drug development and advancements in biomedical research. This review presents a compilation of data obtained from various studies conducted by different authors who employed the PASS software 9.1 to evaluate the biological activity of natural furanosteroids and compounds closely related to them. The utilization of the PASS software in this context offers valuable advantages, such as screening large chemical libraries, identifying compounds for subsequent experimental investigations, and gaining insights into potential biological activities based on their structural features. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that experimental validation remains indispensable for confirming the predicted activities.
A Novel Variable Selection Method Based on Binning-Normalized Mutual Information for Multivariate Calibration
Authors: Zhong Liang , Huang Ruiqi , Gao Lele , Yue Jianan , Zhao Bing , Nie Lei , Li Lian , Wu Aoli , Zhang Kefan , Meng Zhaoqing , Cao Guiyun , Zhang Hui , Zang Hengchang
Published: July 2023

Variable (wavelength) selection is essential in the multivariate analysis of near-infrared spectra to improve model performance and provide a more straightforward interpretation. This paper proposed a new variable selection method named binning-normalized mutual information (B-NMI) based on information entropy theory. “Data binning” was applied to reduce the effects of minor measurement errors and increase the features of near-infrared spectra. “Normalized mutual information” was employed to calculate the correlation between each wavelength and the reference values. The performance of B-NMI was evaluated by two experimental datasets (ideal ternary solvent mixture dataset, fluidized bed granulation dataset) and two public datasets (gasoline octane dataset, corn protein dataset). Compared with classic methods of backward and interval PLS (BIPLS), variable importance projection (VIP), correlation coefficient (CC), uninformative variables elimination (UVE), and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), B-NMI not only selected the most featured wavelengths from the spectra of complex real-world samples but also improved the stability and robustness of variable selection results.