bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A long term resilient modulus rate dependent model for coarse fine mixtures geomaterials under freezing and thawing cyclic
Authors: Wang Ke , Tang Liang , Tian Shuang , Ling XianZhang , Ye Yangsheng , Cai Degou , Liu Min
Published: October 2022

The cyclic loading frequency (fcyc) effects on the resilient modulus (Mr) of freezing–thawing coarse–fine mixtures geomaterials (FTCFG) have always been a research hotspot. A series of long-term cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on FTCFG having different fines content (FC) under different number of freeze–thaw cycles (NFT) to investigate the effect of fcyc and deviator stress amplitude (qcyc) on the Mr of FTCFG. The freezing–thawing cyclic was found to improve the Mr of FTCFG. Additionally, Mr of FTCFG shown an obviously rate-dependent characteristics. Then three kinetic effects (rate effect, piston effect, and fatigue effect) are discussed in systemically which are related to qcyc, fcyc and moisture holding capacity (wh). Finally, a rate dependent model of long-term resilient modulus was developed to predict FTCFG materials’ resilient moduli as a function of qcyc, fcyc and wh. The comparisons between the calculation and experimental results reveal that the present model describes the Mr of FTCFG well.
Utilization of CO2 in supercritical conditions for the synthesis of cyclic poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) via emulsion and homogeneous reactions
Authors: Daneshyan Sahar , Sodeifian Gholamhossein
Published: October 2022

In this study, cyclic poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (cPNIPAAM) was synthesized in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) using emulsion and homogeneous reactions for the first time. This was accomplished by applying free radical polymerization and nitroxide compounds to produce low molecular weight precursors in the SC-CO2 solvent. The cyclization reaction occurred in a homogeneous phase in the SC-CO2 solvent, with dimethylformamide (DMF) serving as a co-solvent for dissolving the linear precursor. This reaction was also conducted in emulsion of SC-CO2 in water. The effects of pressure and time on the morphology, molecular weight, and yield of a difunctionalized chain were investigated, where a higher pressure led to a higher yield. The maximum yield was 64% at 23 MPa, and the chain molecular weight (Mw) was 4368 (gr/mol). Additionally, a lower pressure reduced the solubility of materials (particularly terminator) in SC-CO2 and resulted in a chain with a higher molecular weight 9326 (gr/mol), leading to a lower conversion. Furthermore, the effect of cyclization reaction types on the properties of cyclic polymers was investigated. In cyclic reactions, the addition of DMF as a co-solvent resulted in the formation of a polymer with a high viscosity average molecular weight (Mv) and a high degree of cyclization (100%), whereas the CO2/water emulsion resulted in the formation of a polymer with a lower Mv and increased porosity. Polymers were characterized by 1HNMR, FTIR, DSC, TLC, GPC, and viscometry tests. The results were presented and thoroughly discussed.
Infrasonic gliding reflects a rising magma column at Mount Etna (Italy)
Authors: Sciotto Mariangela , Watson Leighton M. , Cannata Andrea , Cantarero Massimo , De Beni Emanuela , Johnson Jeffrey B.
Published: October 2022

Infrasound is increasing applied as a tool to investigate magma dynamics at active volcanoes, especially at open-vent volcanoes, such as Mt. Etna (Italy), which are prodigious sources of infrasound. Harmonic infrasound signals have been used to constrain crater dimensions and track the movement of magma within the shallow plumbing system. This study interprets the remarkable systematic change in monotonic infrasound signals preceding a lava fountaining episode at Mt. Etna on 20 February 2021. We model the changing tones (0.7 to 3 Hz fundamental frequency) as a rise in the magma column from 172 ± 25 m below the crater rim to 78 ± 8 m over the course of 24 h. The infrasonic gliding disappears approximately 4 h before the onset of lava fountaining as the magma column approaches the flare of the crater and acoustic resonance is no longer supported. The featured 20 February event was just one of 52 lava fountain episodes that occurred at Mt. Etna over the course of 9 months in 2021 and was the only lava fountain episode where dramatic gliding was observed as a subsequent partial collapse of the crater prevented future resonance. The results presented here demonstrate that analysis of infrasonic gliding can be used to track the position of the magma free surface and hence may provide information on the processes taking place within the plumbing system before eruptive activity.
Thermal enhancement and numerical solution of blood nanofluid flow through stenotic artery
Authors: Sarwar Lubna , Hussain Azad , Fernandez-Gamiz Unai , Akbar Sobia , Rehman Aysha , Sherif El-Sayed M.
Published: October 2022

The blood flow through stenotic artery is one of the important research area in computational fluid mechanics due to its application in biomedicine. Aim of this research work is to investigate the impact of nanoparticles on the characteristics of human blood flow in a stenosed blood artery. In under consideration problem Newtonian fluid is assumed as human blood. Newtonian fluid flows through large blood vessels (more than 300 μm). The constitutive equations together with the boundary conditions are diminished to non-dimensional form by using boundary layer approximation and similarity transfiguration to attain the solution of velocity and temperature distribution of blood flow through arterial stenosis numerically with the help of Matlab bvp4c. The results for physical quantities at cylindrical surface are calculated and their effects are also presented through tables. The heat transfer rate increases throughout the stenosed artery with the concentration of copper nanoparticle. Velocity curve decreases by increasing the values of flow parameter and nanoparticle volume fraction. Temperature curve increases due to increase in the values of nanoparticle volume fraction and decrease in Prandtl number.
Evaluating the detectability of methane point sources from satellite observing systems using microscale modeling
Authors: Bhardwaj Piyush , Kumar Rajesh , Mitchell Douglas A. , Randles Cynthia A. , Downey Nicole , Blewitt Doug , Kosovic Branko
Published: October 2022

This study evaluates the efficacy of current satellite observing systems to detect methane point sources from typical oil and gas production (O&G) facilities using a novel very high-resolution methane concentration dataset generated using a microscale model. Transport and dispersion of typical methane emissions from seven well pads were simulated and the column enhancements for pseudo satellite pixel sizes of 3, 1, and 0.05 km were examined every second of the 2-h simulations (7200 realizations). The detectability of plumes increased with a pixel resolution, but two orders of magnitude change in emission rates at the surface results only in about 0.4%, 1.6%, and 47.8% enhancement in the pseudo-satellite retrieved methane column at 3, 1, and 0.05 km, respectively. Average methane emission rates estimated by employing the integrated mass enhancement (IME) method to column enhancements at 0.05 km showed an underestimation of the mean emissions by 0.2–6.4%. We show that IME derived satellite-based inversions of methane emissions work well for large persistent emission sources (e.g., super emitters), however, the method is ill-suited to resolve short-term emission fluctuations (< 20 min) in typical well site emissions due to the limitations in satellite detection limits, precision, overpass timing, and pixel resolution.
Gut microbiome diversity of porcine peritonitis model of sepsis
Authors: Chalupova Miroslava , Horak Jan , Kramna Lenka , Nalos Lukas , Stengl Milan , Chudejova Katerina , Kraftova Lucie , Cinek Ondrej , Klein Pavel , Matejovic Martin , Hrabak Jaroslav
Published: October 2022

Animal models are essential in understanding of the mechanisms of sepsis moreover the development and the assessment of emerging therapies. In clinically relevant porcine model, however, a significant variability in the host response has been observed among animals. Thus, there is a strong demand to better understand the potential sources of this heterogeneity. In this study, we compared faecal microbiome composition of 12 animals. Three samples were collected at different time points from each animal. Bacteriome was subjected to 16S rDNA profiling. A significant difference in bacterial composition was associated with the season (p < 0.001) but not with the sex of the pig (p = 0.28), the timing of sample collection (p = 0.59), or interactions thereof (all p > 0.3). The season batch explained 55% of the total variance in the bacteriome diversity. The season term was highly significant from the high-resolution level of the bacterial amplicon sequencing variants up to the level of phylum. The diversity of the microbiome composition could significantly influence experimental model of sepsis, and studies are warranted to demonstrate the effects of gut microbiome diversity on the host-response. If confirmed, control of the gut microbiome should become a standard part of the pre-clinical sepsis experiments.
Investigating attentional scope as a novel indicator of emotional state in animals
Authors: Hamlaoui Anne , Keeling Linda , Burman Oliver , Verbeek Else
Published: October 2022

In humans, contrasting emotional states can lead to a broadening or narrowing of attentional scope. Whether this is also the case in animals has yet to be investigated. If confirmed, measurement of attentional scope has potential as a novel cognitive method of welfare assessment. In this study, we therefore aimed to investigate a test of attentional scope as a measure of emotional state in animals. We did this by inducing four putatively different emotional states in dogs (N = 10), varying in valence (positive, negative) and arousal (high, low), in two different reward contexts (food rewards in Experiment 1, social rewards in Experiment 2) and then assessing dogs’ behavioural responses in a test of attentional scope. We also recorded heart rate variability (HRV) parameters as additional confirmatory affective indicators. In Experiment 1, the dogs showed a narrowing of attentional scope after the induction of both positively valenced emotional states. That dogs were in a positive state was supported by the reduced Standard Deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN) and the reduced Low Frequency (LF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) HRV. In Experiment 2, when responses to social rewards were examined, we did not detect any statistically significant differences in attentional scope between the emotional states, but dogs had a slightly narrow attentional scope in the negatively valenced emotional states. The LF tended to be reduced in the high arousal positive treatment. In conclusion, our study provides the first indication that emotional states can also alter attentional scope in animals. The results justify further investigation of this approach for use in animal welfare assessment, although additional studies are needed to refine predictions.
Low-voltage driving high-resistance liquid crystal micro-lens with electrically tunable depth of field for the light field imaging system
Authors: Wang Wenwen , Chen Wandi , Peng Yuyan , Zhang Yongai , Yan Qun , Guo Tailiang , Zhou Xiongtu , Wu Chaoxing
Published: October 2022

Light field imaging (LFI) based on Liquid crystal microlens array (LC MLAs) are emerging as a significant area for 3D imaging technology in the field of upcoming Internet of things and artificial intelligence era. However, in scenes of LFI through conventional MLAs, such as biological imaging and medicine imaging, the quality of imaging reconstruction will be severely reduced due to the limited depth of field. Here, we are proposed a low-voltage driving LC MLAs with electrically tunable depth of field (DOF) for the LFI system. An aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) film was deposited on the top of the hole-patterned driven-electrode arrays and used as a high resistance (Hi-R) layer, a uniform gradient electric field was obtained across the sandwiched LC cell. Experimental results confirm that the proposed LC MLAs possess high-quality interference rings and tunable focal length at a lower working voltage. In addition, the focal lengths are tunable from 3.93 to 2.62 mm and the DOF are adjustable from 15.60 to 1.23 mm. The experiments demonstrated that the LFI system based on the proposed structure can clearly capture 3D information of the insets with enlarged depths by changing the working voltage and driving frequency, which indicates that the tunable DOF LC MLAs have a potential application prospects for the biological and medical imaging.
Clinician preference instrumental variable analysis of the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation for atrial fibrillation prophylaxis in critical care
Authors: Wilson Matthew G. , Rashan Aasiyah , Klapaukh Roman , Asselbergs Folkert W. , Harris Steve K.
Published: October 2022

Atrial fibrillation is a frequently encountered condition in critical illness and causes adverse effects including haemodynamic decompensation, stroke and prolonged hospital stay. It is a common practice in critical care to supplement serum magnesium for the purpose of preventing episodes of atrial fibrillation. However, no randomised studies support this practice in the non-cardiac surgery critical care population, and the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation is unclear. We sought to investigate the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation in preventing the onset of atrial fibrillation in a mixed critical care population. We conducted a single centre retrospective observational study of adult critical care patients. We utilised a natural experiment design, using the supplementation preference of the bedside critical care nurse as an instrumental variable. Using routinely collected electronic patient data, magnesium supplementation opportunities were defined and linked to the bedside nurse. Nurse preference for administering magnesium was obtained using multilevel modelling. The results were used to define "liberal" and "restrictive" supplementation groups, which were inputted into an instrumental variable regression to obtain an estimate of the effect of magnesium supplementation. 9114 magnesium supplementation opportunities were analysed, representing 2137 critical care admissions for 1914 patients. There was significant variation in magnesium supplementation practices attributable to the individual nurse, after accounting for covariates. The instrumental variable analysis showed magnesium supplementation was associated with a 3% decreased relative risk of experiencing an atrial fibrillation event (95% CI − 0.06 to − 0.004, p = 0.03). This study supports the strategy of routine supplementation, but further work is required to identify optimal serum magnesium targets for atrial fibrillation prophylaxis.
Predicting mortality in the very old: a machine learning analysis on claims data
Authors: Krasowski Aleksander , Krois Joachim , Kuhlmey Adelheid , Meyer-Lueckel Hendrik , Schwendicke Falk
Published: October 2022

Machine learning (ML) may be used to predict mortality. We used claims data from one large German insurer to develop and test differently complex ML prediction models, comparing them for their (balanced) accuracy, but also the importance of different predictors, the relevance of the follow-up period before death (i.e. the amount of accumulated data) and the time distance of the data used for prediction and death. A sample of 373,077 insured very old, aged 75 years or above, living in the Northeast of Germany in 2012 was drawn and followed over 6 years. Our outcome was whether an individual died in one of the years of interest (2013–2017) or not; the primary metric was (balanced) accuracy in a hold-out test dataset. From the 86,326 potential variables, we used the 30 most important ones for modeling. We trained a total of 45 model combinations: (1) Three different ML models were used; logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGB); (2) Different periods of follow-up were employed for training; 1–5 years; (3) Different time distances between data used for prediction and the time of the event (death/survival) were set; 0–4 years. The mortality rate was 9.15% in mean per year. The models showed (balanced) accuracy between 65 and 93%. A longer follow-up period showed limited to no advantage, but models with short time distance from the event were more accurate than models trained on more distant data. RF and XGB were more accurate than LR. For RF and XGB sensitivity and specificity were similar, while for LR sensitivity was significantly lower than specificity. For all three models, the positive-predictive-value was below 62% (and even dropped to below 20% for longer time distances from death), while the negative-predictive-value significantly exceeded 90% for all analyses. The utilization of and costs for emergency transport as well as emergency and any hospital visits as well as the utilization of conventional outpatient care and laboratory services were consistently found most relevant for predicting mortality. All models showed useful accuracies, and more complex models showed advantages. The variables employed for prediction were consistent across models and with medical reasoning. Identifying individuals at risk could assist tailored decision-making and interventions.
Design, structural, spectral, DFT and analytical studies of novel nano-palladium schiff base complex
Authors: Akl Magda A. , El-Mahdy Nora A. , El-Gharkawy El-Sayed R. H.
Published: October 2022

A novel nano-palladium (II) Schiff base complex (C1) is synthesized by the reaction between palladium chloride and the Schiff base N, N’-1, 2-phenylene) bis (3 -aminobenzamide (A1). The prepared compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). A combined solvent sublation-ICP OES methodology has been studied for the preconcentration, separation and determination of trace palladium (II) in media of diverse origin using the Schiff base ligand (A1). The different experimental variables that affect the sublation efficiency (S, %) were thoroughly investigated viz.: pH of sample solution; amounts of A1, Pd (II) and TBAB; type and amounts of surfactants, types of organic solvent, temperature and stirring time. The method involves the determination of trace palladium (II) after selective separation by solvent sublation, thus eliminating the effect of foreign ions and increasing the sensitivity. Also, palladium is determined directly in the organic phase, which decreases the determination time and its loss during determination. At optimum conditions, the linear range of Pd (II) was 10.0–100.0 ngmL−1. The coefficient of determination, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.9943, 21.29 ngL−1 and 64.5 ngL−1, respectively. This sublation method was applied to real samples and recoveries of more than 95% were obtained in the spiked samples with a preconcentration factor of 100. The mechanism of solvent sublatation of the TBA.[PdII-(A1)2] ion pairs is discussed. The computational studying was estimated to approve the geometry of the isolated solid compounds.
Prevalence of acute neurological complications and pathological neuroimaging findings in critically ill COVID-19 patients with and without VV-ECMO treatment
Authors: Ippolito Angelo , Urban Hans , Ghoroghi Kimia , Rosbach Nicolas , Lingwal Neelam , Adam Elisabeth H. , Friedrichson Benjamin , Steinbicker Andrea U. , Hattingen Elke , Wenger Katharina J.
Published: October 2022

Acute brain injuries such as intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and ischemic stroke have been reported in critically ill COVID-19 patients as well as in patients treated with veno-venous (VV)-ECMO independently of their COVID-19 status. The purpose of this study was to compare critically ill COVID-19 patients with and without VV-ECMO treatment with regard to acute neurological symptoms, pathological neuroimaging findings (PNIF) and long-term deficits. The single center study was conducted in critically ill COVID-19 patients between February 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were extracted from the hospital’s databases. Retrospective imaging modalities included head computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Follow-up MRI and neurological examinations were performed on survivors > 6 months after the primary occurrence. Of the 440 patients, 67 patients received VV-ECMO treatment (15%). Sixty-four patients (24 with VV-ECMO) developed acute neurological symptoms (pathological levels of arousal/brain stem function/motor responses) during their ICU stay and underwent neuroimaging with brain CT as the primary modality. Critically ill COVID-19 patients who received VV-ECMO treatment had a significantly lower survival during their hospital stay compared to those without (p < 0.001). Among patients treated with VV-ECMO, 10% showed acute PNIF in one of the imaging modalities during their ICU stay (vs. 4% of patients in the overall COVID-19 ICU cohort). Furthermore, 9% showed primary or secondary ICH of any severity (vs. 3% overall), 6% exhibited severe ICH (vs. 1% overall) and 1.5% were found to have non-hemorrhagic cerebral infarctions (vs. < 1% overall). There was a weak, positive correlation between patients treated with VV-ECMO and the development of acute neurological symptoms. However, the association between the VV-ECMO treatment and acute PNIF was negligible. Two survivors (one with VV-ECMO-treatment/one without) showed innumerable microhemorrhages, predominantly involving the juxtacortical white matter. None of the survivors exhibited diffuse leukoencephalopathy. Every seventh COVID-19 patient developed acute neurological symptoms during their ICU stay, but only every twenty-fifth patient had PNIF which were mostly ICH. VV-ECMO was found to be a weak risk factor for neurological complications (resulting in a higher imaging rate), but not for PNIF. Although logistically complex, repeated neuroimaging should, thus, be considered in all critically ill COVID-19 patients since ICH may have an impact on the treatment decisions and outcomes.
Effect of standardized training in combination with masseter sensitization on corticomotor excitability in bruxer and control individuals: a proof of concept study
Authors: Boscato Noéli , Exposto Fernando G. , Costa Yuri M. , Svensson Peter
Published: October 2022

Recently, it has been proposed that bruxism could represent an overlearned behavior due to the absence of corticomotor plasticity following a relevant tooth-clenching task (TCT). This study assessed the modulatory effects of a nerve growth factor (NGF) injection on masseter muscle corticomotor excitability, jaw motor performance, pain, and limitation in bruxer and control participants following a TCT. Participants characterized as definitive bruxers or controls were randomly assigned to have injected into the right masseter muscle either NGF or isotonic saline (IS), resulting in a study with 4 arms: IS_Control (n = 7), IS_Bruxer (n = 7); NGF_Control (n = 6), and NGF_Bruxer (n = 8). The primary outcome was the masseter motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude measured at baseline and after a TCT. After the interventions, significantly higher and lower MEP amplitude and corticomotor map area were observed, respectively, in the IS_Control and NGF_Control groups (P < 0.05). Precision and accuracy depended on the series and target force level with significant between-group differences (P < 0.01). NGF‐induced masseter muscle sensitization, in combination with a training-induced effect, can significantly impact the corticomotor excitability of the masseter muscle in control participants indicating substantial changes in corticomotor excitability, which are not observed in bruxers. These preliminary findings may have therapeuthic implications for the potential to “detrain” and manage bruxism, but further studies with larger sample sizes will be needed to test this new concept.
Characterizing the metabolic effects of the selective inhibition of gut microbial β-glucuronidases in mice
Authors: Letertre Marine P. M. , Bhatt Aadra P. , Harvey Michael , Nicholson Jeremy K. , Wilson Ian D. , Redinbo Matthew R. , Swann Jonathan R.
Published: October 2022

The hydrolysis of xenobiotic glucuronides by gut bacterial glucuronidases reactivates previously detoxified compounds resulting in severe gut toxicity for the host. Selective bacterial β-glucuronidase inhibitors can mitigate this toxicity but their impact on wider host metabolic processes has not been studied. To investigate this the inhibitor 4-(8-(piperazin-1-yl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-[1,2,3]triazino[4′,5′:4,5]thieno[2,3-c]isoquinolin-5-yl)morpholine (UNC10201652, Inh 9) was administered to mice to selectively inhibit a narrow range of bacterial β-glucuronidases in the gut. The metabolomic profiles of the intestinal contents, biofluids, and several tissues involved in the enterohepatic circulation were measured and compared to control animals. No biochemical perturbations were observed in the plasma, liver or gall bladder. In contrast, the metabolite profiles of urine, colon contents, feces and gut wall were altered compared to the controls. Changes were largely restricted to compounds derived from gut microbial metabolism. This work establishes that inhibitors targeted towards bacterial β-glucuronidases modulate the functionality of the intestinal microbiota without adversely impacting the host metabolic system.
Flexible pressure and temperature dual-mode sensor based on buckling carbon nanofibers for respiration pattern recognition
Authors: Pang Zhoujun , Zhao Yu , Luo Ningqi , Chen Dihu , Chen Min
Published: October 2022

Breathing condition is an essential physiological indicator closely related to human health. Wearable flexible breath sensors for respiration pattern recognition have attracted much attention as they can provide physiological signal details for personal medical diagnosis, health monitoring, etc. However, present smart mask based on flexible breath sensors using single-mode detection can only detect a relatively small number of respiration patterns, especially lacking the ability to accurately distinguish mouth breath from nasal one. Herein, a smart face mask incorporated with a dual-sensing mode breathing sensor that can recognize up to eight human respiration patterns is fabricated. The breathing sensor uses novel three dimensional (3D) buckling carbon nanofiber mats as active materials to realize the function of pressure and temperature sensing simultaneously. The pressure model of the sensors shows a high sensitivity that are able to precisely detect pressure generated by respiratory airflow, while the temperature model can realize non-contact temperature variation caused by breath. Benefit from the capacity of real-time recognition and accurate distinguishing between mouth breath and nasal breath, the face mask is further developed to monitor the development of mouth breathing syndrome. The dual-sensing mode sensor has great potential applications in health monitoring.
Efficacy of PACE4 pharmacotherapy in JHU-LNCaP-SM preclinical model of androgen independent prostate cancer
Authors: Mekdad Nawel , Tran Thi Minh Hue , Desjardins Roxane , Kwiatkowska Anna , Couture Frédéric , Day Robert
Published: October 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a complex disease progressing from in situ to invasive or metastatic tumors while also being capable of modulating its androgen dependence. Understanding how novel therapies are working across the different stages of the disease is critical for their proper positioning in the spectrum of PCa treatments. The targeting of proprotein convertase PACE4 (Paired basic Amino Acid-Cleaving Enzyme 4) has been proposed as a novel approach to treat PCa. Animal studies performed on LNCaP xenografts, an androgen-dependent model, already yielded positive results. In this study, we tested PACE4 inhibition on JHU-LNCaP-SM, a newly described androgen-independent model, in cell-based and xenograft assays. Like LNCaP, JHU-LNCaP-SM cells express PACE4 and its oncogenic isoform PACE4-altCT. Using isoform-specific siRNAs, downregulation of PACE4-altCT resulted in JHU-LNCaP-SM growth inhibition. Furthermore, JHU-LNCaP-SM responded to the PACE4 pharmacological inhibitor known as C23 in cell-based assays as well as in athymic nude mice xenografts. These data support the efficacy of PACE4 inhibitors against androgen independent PCa thereby demonstrating that PACE4 is a key target in PCa. The JHU-LNCaP-SM cell line represents a model featuring important aspects of androgen-independent PCa, but it also represents a very convenient model as opposed to LNCaP cells for in vivo studies, as it allows rapid screening due to its high implantation rate and growth characteristics as xenografts.
Action of silicon on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and on physiological mechanisms mitigates water deficit in sugarcane and energy cane plants
Authors: Teixeira Gelza Carliane Marques , de Prado Renato Mello , Rocha Antonio Márcio Souza , de Oliveira Filho Antonio Santana Batista , da Sousa Junior Gilmar Silveira , Gratão Priscila Lupino
Published: October 2022

Production of sugarcane and more recently of energy cane strengthen renewable bioenergy production capacity. However, droughts resulting from climate change have limited the production of these crops. One of the strategies to attenuate water deficit damage in these crops is the use of silicate, which contributes to plant physiology. This strategy is likely to increase water use efficiency, thus promoting crop sustainability. Notwithstanding, studies on this issue are still incipient. This study assesses whether Si applied via fertigation and foliar spraying in the seedling production phase and as a complement after seedling transplanting to the soil is efficient in attenuating water deficit in sugarcane and energy cane. The study further elucidates physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved in this process. For this, the authors conducted two experiments: one with sugarcane and the other with energy cane. Treatments were arranged in randomized blocks with 5 replications, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme. Factors consisted of the absence (-Si) and presence of Si (+ Si) applied via fertigation and foliar spraying; and two water regimes: 70% (without water deficit) and 30% (severe water deficit) of the soil water retention capacity. Silicon was supplied during the formation phase of presprouted seedlings and during the transplanting of seedlings to pots filled with samples of Entisol (Quartzipsamment). In these pots, water regimes were induced from 7 to 160 days after transplanting. Severe water deficit reduced the water content and water potential of plants. This situation induced oxidative stress and impaired gas exchange and photosynthetic water use efficiency, reducing plant growth. Silicon supply via fertigation in association with foliar spraying in the seedling formation phase with complementation after transplanting was efficient in increasing Si accumulation in the plants. Silicon was effective in attenuating severe water deficit damage up to initial culm formation through mechanisms that maintain water and physiological balance by favoring the antioxidant defense system in sugarcane and energy cane plants.
Event-triggered adaptive sliding mode control for consensus of multiagent systems with unknown disturbances
Authors: Chen Tianxing , Zhuang Xuebin , Hou Zhiwei , Chen Hongbo
Published: October 2022

In this paper, a novel robust distributed consensus control scheme based on event-triggered adaptive sliding mode control is proposed for multiagent systems with unknown disturbances in a leader-follower framework. First, an adaptive multivariate disturbance observer is utilized to compensate for the disturbance of each agent. Next, a distributed consensus control protocol is constructed via integral sliding mode control, in which a novel adaptive law is designed for the switching gain to overcome the unknown perturbations. An event-triggered strategy is designed to update the control input. Furthermore, the feasibility of the proposed scheme is rigorously analyzed by Lyapunov theory, and a lower bound expression for the inter-event time is derived to guarantee that Zeno behavior can be excluded. The proposed nonlinear consensus algorithm is remarkable in that it does not require any information about the bounds of the disturbances. Finally, compared with existing methods, the proposed algorithm is validated through detailed numerical simulations. In addition, the proposed algorithm is applied to a group of UAVs in this paper, and the results show that it has more application value.
Elk-1 regulates retinal ganglion cell axon regeneration after injury
Authors: Noro Takahiko , Shah Sahil H. , Yin Yuqin , Kawaguchi Riki , Yokota Satoshi , Chang Kun-Che , Madaan Ankush , Sun Catalina , Coppola Giovanni , Geschwind Daniel , Benowitz Larry I. , Goldberg Jeffrey L.
Published: October 2022

Adult central nervous system (CNS) axons fail to regenerate after injury, and master regulators of the regenerative program remain to be identified. We analyzed the transcriptomes of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) at 1 and 5 days after optic nerve injury with and without a cocktail of strongly pro-regenerative factors to discover genes that regulate survival and regeneration. We used advanced bioinformatic analysis to identify the top transcriptional regulators of upstream genes and cross-referenced these with the regulators upstream of genes differentially expressed between embryonic RGCs that exhibit robust axon growth vs. postnatal RGCs where this potential has been lost. We established the transcriptional activator Elk-1 as the top regulator of RGC gene expression associated with axon outgrowth in both models. We demonstrate that Elk-1 is necessary and sufficient to promote RGC neuroprotection and regeneration in vivo, and is enhanced by manipulating specific phosphorylation sites. Finally, we co-manipulated Elk-1, PTEN, and REST, another transcription factor discovered in our analysis, and found Elk-1 to be downstream of PTEN and inhibited by REST in the survival and axon regenerative pathway in RGCs. These results uncover the basic mechanisms of regulation of survival and axon growth and reveal a novel, potent therapeutic strategy to promote neuroprotection and regeneration in the adult CNS.
The association of egg consumption with blood pressure levels and glycated hemoglobin in Spanish adults according to body mass index
Authors: Mesas Arthur Eumann , Garrido-Miguel Miriam , Fernández-Rodríguez Rubén , Fernández-Franco Sofía , Lugones-Sánchez Cristina , García-Ortiz Luis , Martínez-Vizcaíno Vicente
Published: October 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of egg consumption with blood pressure (BP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In addition, it was assessed whether this association changes according to body weight status. This cross-sectional study is based on multicenter data from Spanish adult participants in the EVIDENT II trial. Egg consumption was assessed with a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and data on BP and HbA1c were collected using standardized procedures. Linear regression and ANCOVA models adjusted for the main confounders were performed. The analyses were stratified by body weight status. A total of 668 participants were analyzed (mean age 52.4 ± 11.8 years, 62.3% women). Compared with lower consumption, higher egg consumption was associated with lower systolic (ß =  − 6.15 ± 1.74; p-for-trend = 0.017), diastolic (ß =  − 4.41 ± 1.03; p-for-trend = 0.002), and mean arterial pressure (ß =  − 4.99 ± 1.17; p-for-trend = 0.003) and with lower HbA1c (ß =  − 0.19 ± 0.06; p-for-trend = 0.019) levels. These associations lost statistical significance in the adjusted analyses. The results did not vary by body weight status. In conclusion, consumption of up to 1 egg per day is not associated with BP or HbA1c, even in overweight or obese individuals. Our findings suggested that this frequency of egg consumption is safe as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle for cardiometabolic risk.
Rural–urban disparities in birth interval among women of reproductive age in Nigeria
Authors: Wegbom Anthony Ike , Bademosi Adetomi , Edet Clement Kevin , Green Kinikanwo Innocent , Sapira-Ordu Leesi , Fagbamigbe Adeniyi Francis
Published: October 2022

Nigeria like most developing nations still faced with a higher rate of short birth interval (SBI), and its associated consequences, such as adverse maternal and child health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the distribution and factors associated with SBI in rural and urban Nigeria. The data for this study were extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS). Statistical analyses were descriptive analysis and binary logistic model. The proportions of SBI in rural and urban Nigeria were 20.7% and 20.3% respectively. Women’s age, geopolitical region, education level, and the number of children ever born were significantly associated with SBI in rural and urban Nigeria. Maternal Wealth index and antenatal care visits were only significant in rural while working status was only significant in urban Nigeria after controlling for other factors. Higher odds of SBI for middle class women than poor women (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.06–1.35), and increase in ANC visits reduces the odds of having SBI: 4–7 visits (AOR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.77–0.98) and > 7visits (AOR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69–0.99). There were slight disparities in the prevalence of short birth intervals in rural and urban areas. Wealth index and ANC visits were only significant in rural Nigeria. Public health awareness campaigns should be strengthened to drive the importance of birth spacing techniques such as the utilization of modern contraceptives and breastfeeding in all the geo-political regions and across all age strata. Women particularly those residing in the rural areas should be encouraged to advance their education to at least a secondary level and enlightened on the importance of ANC.
Claudin-3 inhibits tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis via regulating the PI3K signaling pathway in lymphatic endothelial cells
Authors: Lei Ningjing , Cheng Yanru , Wan Jiajia , Blasig Rosel , Li Anqi , Bai Yueyue , Haseloff Reiner F. , Blasig Ingolf E. , Zhu Linyu , Qin Zhihai
Published: October 2022

Claudin-3 is a tight junction protein that has often been associated with the progression and metastasis of various tumors. Here, the role of claudin-3 in tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis is investigated. We found an increased lymphangiogenesis in the B16F10 tumor in claudin-3 knockout mice, accompanied by augmented melanoma cell metastasis into sentinel lymph nodes. In vitro, the overexpression of claudin-3 on lymphatic endothelial cells inhibited tube formation by suppressing cell migration, resulting in restricted lymphangiogenesis. Further experiments showed that claudin-3 inhibited lymphatic endothelial cell migration by regulating the PI3K signaling pathway. Interestingly, the expression of claudin-3 in lymphatic endothelial cells is down-regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor C that is often present in the tumor microenvironment. This study indicates that claudin-3 plays an important role as a signaling molecule in lymphatic endothelial cell activity associated with tumor lymphangiogenesis, which may further contribute to melanoma metastasis.
A machine learning approach utilizing DNA methylation as an accurate classifier of COVID-19 disease severity
Authors: Bowler Scott , Papoutsoglou Georgios , Karanikas Aristides , Tsamardinos Ioannis , Corley Michael J. , Ndhlovu Lishomwa C.
Published: October 2022

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing cases with variable outcomes continue globally because of variants and despite vaccines and therapies. There is a need to identify at-risk individuals early that would benefit from timely medical interventions. DNA methylation provides an opportunity to identify an epigenetic signature of individuals at increased risk. We utilized machine learning to identify DNA methylation signatures of COVID-19 disease from data available through NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus. A training cohort of 460 individuals (164 COVID-19-infected and 296 non-infected) and an external validation dataset of 128 individuals (102 COVID-19-infected and 26 non-COVID-associated pneumonia) were reanalyzed. Data was processed using ChAMP and beta values were logit transformed. The JADBio AutoML platform was leveraged to identify a methylation signature associated with severe COVID-19 disease. We identified a random forest classification model from 4 unique methylation sites with the power to discern individuals with severe COVID-19 disease. The average area under the curve of receiver operator characteristic (AUC-ROC) of the model was 0.933 and the average area under the precision-recall curve (AUC-PRC) was 0.965. When applied to our external validation, this model produced an AUC-ROC of 0.898 and an AUC-PRC of 0.864. These results further our understanding of the utility of DNA methylation in COVID-19 disease pathology and serve as a platform to inform future COVID-19 related studies.
Potential clinical and economic benefits of remote deep brain stimulation programming
Authors: Pintér Dávid , Járdaházi Evelyn , Janszky József , Kovács Norbert
Published: October 2022

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) teleprogramming may help reducing travel-related and other financial burdens for patients and maintaining DBS care in special situations. To determine travel-related burdens of DBS patients and explore effects of COVID-19 on DBS care. Travel- and visit-related data of 319 patients were retrospectively analyzed for the first year, five years, and ten years after initiating DBS. Frequencies of in-person and telemedicine visits over the 18-month periods just before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hungary were also compared. Average travel distance during an in-person visit was 415.2 ± 261.5 km, while average travel time was 342.1 ± 199.4 min. Travel costs for the first year, five years, and ten years were 151.8 ± 108.7, 461.4 ± 374.6, and 922.7 ± 749.1 Euros, respectively. Travel distance, age, and type and severity of disease could help identify patients who would particularly benefit from teleprogramming. We detected a significant decrease in the number of visits during COVID-19 pandemic (from 3.7 ± 2.1 to 2.4 ± 2.7; p < 0.001) which mainly resulted from the decreased frequency of in-person visits (3.6 ± 2.0 vs. 1.7 ± 1.8; p < 0.001). Our results support the introduction of DBS teleprogramming in Hungary which could save money and time for patients while maintaining a secure delivery of DBS.
Relationship between blood pressure and intraocular pressure in the JPHC-NEXT eye study
Authors: Yasukawa Tomoyo , Hanyuda Akiko , Yamagishi Kazumasa , Yuki Kenya , Uchino Miki , Ozawa Yoko , Sasaki Mariko , Tsubota Kazuo , Sawada Norie , Negishi Kazuno , Tsugane Shoichiro , Iso Hiroyasu
Published: October 2022

Although a positive link between hypertension and intraocular pressure (IOP) has been suggested, the individual effects of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) on IOP remain unclear, particularly among Japanese populations. Here, we conducted a large-scale, cross-sectional study to determine individual and combined effects of SBP/DBP and hypertension on IOP. In total, 6783 Japanese people aged over 40 years underwent systemic and ophthalmological examinations, including measurements of blood pressure and IOP, conducted using non-contact tonometers. After adjusting for a priori known confounding factors, SBP and DBP levels were found to be positively correlated with IOP levels. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio when comparing the hypertensive and normotensive groups for the prevalence of ocular hypertension was 1.88 (95% confidence interval, 1.14–3.08). When analysing the combined effects of SBP and DBP on ocular hypertension, SBP elevation had a greater effect on ocular hypertension than DBP increase. In conclusion, SBP and DBP levels and the prevalence of systemic hypertension were found to be positively associated with IOP levels and the prevalence of ocular hypertension in an ophthalmologically healthy Japanese population. Our findings suggest that systemic blood pressure control may be key for controlling IOP.
Development of a functional composite for the evaluation of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy
Authors: Inagaki Tomonori , Hashizume Atsushi , Hijikata Yasuhiro , Yamada Shinichiro , Ito Daisuke , Kishimoto Yoshiyuki , Torii Ryota , Sato Hiroyuki , Hirakawa Akihiro , Katsuno Masahisa
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to develop a functional measurement that combines quantitative motor evaluation index of various body regions in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). We assessed subjects with SBMA and healthy controls with quantitative muscle strength measurements and functional scales. We selected tongue pressure, grip power, % peak expiratory flow (%PEF), timed walking test, and % forced vital capacity (%FVC) as components. By combining these values with Z-score, we created a functional composite (SBMA functional composite: SBMAFC). We also calculated the standardized response mean to compare the sensitivity of SBMAFC with that of existing measurements. A total of 97 genetically confirmed patients with SBMA and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. In the longitudinal analysis, the standardized response mean of SBMAFC was larger than that of existing rating scales. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the SBMAFC is capable of distinguishing between subjects with early-stage SBMA and healthy controls. SBMAFC is more sensitive to disease progression than existing functional rating scales and is a potential outcome measure in clinical trials of SBMA.
Relationship between liver fat content and lifestyle factors in adults with metabolic syndrome
Authors: Laine Saara , Sjöros Tanja , Garthwaite Taru , Saarenhovi Maria , Kallio Petri , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Vähä-Ypyä Henri , Sievänen Harri , Vasankari Tommi , Laitinen Kirsi , Houttu Noora , Saukko Ekaterina , Knuuti Juhani , Saunavaara Virva , Heinonen Ilkka H. A.
Published: October 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between liver fat content (LFC), sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), fitness, diet, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with metabolic syndrome. A total of 44 sedentary adults (mean age 58 [SD 7] years; 25 women) with overweight or obesity participated. LFC was assessed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, SB and PA with hip-worn accelerometers (26 [SD 3] days), fitness by maximal bicycle ergometry, body composition by air displacement plethysmography and nutrient intake by 4-day food diaries. LFC was not independently associated with SB, PA or fitness. Adjusted for sex and age, LFC was associated with body fat%, body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, and with insulin resistance markers. There was and inverse association between LFC and daily protein intake, which persisted after further adjusment with body fat%. LFC is positively associated with body adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors, and inversely with daily protein intake. SB, habitual PA or fitness are not independent modulators of LFC. However, as PA is an essential component of healthy lifestyle, it may contribute to liver health indirectly through its effects on body composition in adults with metabolic syndrome.