bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NAD
+
precursors and bile acid sequestration treat preclinical refractory environmental enteric dysfunction
Authors: Malique Atika , Sun Shengxiang , Chandwe Kanta , Amadi Beatrice , Haritunians Talin , Jain Umang , Muegge Brian D. , Frein Jennifer , Sasaki Yo , Foster Amanda , Storer Chad E. , Mengesha Emebet , Kern Justin , McGovern Dermot P.B. , Head Richard D. , Kelly Paul , Liu Ta-Chiang
Published: January 2024

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is a diffuse small bowel disorder associated with poor growth, inadequate responses to oral vaccines, and nutrient malabsorption in millions of children worldwide. We identify loss of the small intestinal Paneth and goblet cells that are critical for innate immunity, reduced villous height, increased bile acids, and dysregulated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD
+
) synthesis signaling as potential mechanisms underlying EED and which also correlated with diminished length-for-age
z
score. Isocaloric low-protein diet (LPD) consumption in mice recapitulated EED histopathology and transcriptomic changes in a microbiota-independent manner, as well as increases in serum and fecal bile acids. Children with refractory EED harbor single-nucleotide polymorphisms in key enzymes involved in NAD
+
synthesis. In mice, deletion of
Nampt
, the gene encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD
+
salvage pathway, from intestinal epithelium also reduced Paneth cell function, a deficiency that was further aggravated by LPD. Separate supplementation with NAD
+
precursors or bile acid sequestrant partially restored LPD-associated Paneth cell defects and, when combined, fully restored all histopathology defects in LPD-fed mice. Therapeutic regimens that increase protein and NAD
+
contents while reducing excessive bile acids may benefit children with refractory EED.
AlmA involved in the long-chain
n
-alkane degradation pathway in
Acinetobacter baylyi
ADP1 is a Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase
Authors: Yin Chao-Fan , Nie Yong , Li Tao , Zhou Ning-Yi
Published: January 2024

Many
Acinetobacter
species can grow on
n
-alkanes of varying lengths (≤C40). AlmA, a unique flavoprotein in these
Acinetobacter
strains, is the only enzyme proven to be required for the degradation of long-chain (LC)
n
-alkanes, including C32 and C36 alkanes. Although it is commonly presumed to be a terminal hydroxylase, its role in
n
-alkane degradation remains elusive. In this study, we conducted physiological, biochemical, and bioinformatics analyses of AlmA to determine its role in
n
-alkane degradation by
Acinetobacter baylyi
ADP1. Consistent with previous reports, gene deletion analysis showed that
almA
was vital for the degradation of LC
n
-alkanes (C26–C36). Additionally, enzymatic analysis revealed that AlmA catalyzed the conversion of aliphatic 2-ketones (C10–C16) to their corresponding esters, but it did not conduct
n
-alkane hydroxylation under the same conditions, thus suggesting that AlmA in strain ADP1 possesses Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) activity. These results were further confirmed by bioinformatics analysis, which revealed that AlmA was closer to functionally identified BVMOs than to hydroxylases. Altogether, the results of our study suggest that LC
n
-alkane degradation by strain ADP1 possibly follows a novel subterminal oxidation pathway that is distinct from the terminal oxidation pathway followed for short-chain
n
-alkane degradation. Furthermore, our findings suggest that AlmA catalyzes the third reaction in the LC
n
-alkane degradation pathway.

IMPORTANCE

Many microbial studies on
n
-alkane degradation are focused on the genes involved in short-chain
n
-alkane (≤C16) degradation; however, reports on the genes involved in long-chain (LC)
n
-alkane (>C20) degradation are limited. Thus far, only AlmA has been reported to be involved in LC
n
-alkane degradation by
Acinetobacter
spp.; however, its role in the
n
-alkane degradation pathway remains elusive. In this study, we conducted a detailed characterization of AlmA in
A. baylyi
ADP1 and found that AlmA exhibits Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase activity, thus indicating the presence of a novel LC
n
-alkane biodegradation mechanism in strain ADP1.
Kefir4All, a citizen science initiative to raise awareness of the roles that microbes play in food fermentation
Authors: Walsh Liam H. , Breselge Samuel , Martin José Guilherme Prado , Coakley Mairéad , Ferguson Eimear , Stapleton Aimee , Crispie Fiona , O'Toole Paul W. , Cotter Paul D.
Published: January 2024

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and are central to human, animal, environmental, and planetary health. They play a particularly important role in the food chain and the production of high-quality, safe, and health-promoting foods, especially fermented foods. This important role is not always apparent to members of the public. Here, we describe Kefir4All, a citizen science project designed to provide the general public with an opportunity to expand their awareness, knowledge, and practical skills relating to microbiology, introduced through the medium of producing fermented food, i.e., milk kefir or water kefir. During the course of Kefir4All, 123 citizen scientists, from second-level school and non-school settings, participated in a study to track changes in the microbial composition of kefirs, by performing and recording details of milk kefir or water kefir fermentations they performed in their homes or schools over the 21-week project. At the start of the study, the citizen scientists were provided with milk or water kefir grains to initiate the fermentations. Both types of kefir grain are semi-solid, gelatinous-like substances, composed of exopolysaccharides and proteins, containing a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast. The experimental component of the project was complemented by a number of education and outreach events, including career talks and a site visit to our research center (Kefir Day). At the end of the study, a report was provided to each citizen scientist, in which individualized results of their fermenting activities were detailed. A number of approaches were taken to obtain feedback and other insights from the citizen scientists. Evaluations took place before and after the Kefir4All project to gauge the citizen scientist’s self-reported awareness, knowledge, and interest in microbiology and fermented foods. Further insights into the level of citizen science participation were gained through assessing the number of samples returned for analysis and the level of participation of the citizen scientists throughout the project. Notably, the survey results revealed a self-reported, increased interest in, and general knowledge of, science among the Kefir4All citizen scientists after undertaking the project and a willingness to take part in further citizen science projects. Ultimately, Kefir4All represents an example of the successful integration of citizen science into existing education and research systems.
Building-level wastewater surveillance localizes interseasonal influenza variation
Authors: Germano Emma R. , Flores Tiffany , Freed Grace S. , Kim Kang , Tulinsky Grace H. , Yang Annie , Rose Oliver J. , Ray Caroline A. , Autry April , Catallozzi Marina , Mailloux Brian J. , Miranda JJ L.
Published: January 2024

Influenza virus poses a recurring threat to public health and infects many populations in annual waves of generally unpredictable magnitude and timing. We aimed to detect the arrival and estimate the case magnitude of seasonal influenza A in urban New York City college dormitory buildings. Our wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) program measured viral RNA in the sewage outflow of three dormitories at Barnard College in 2021 and 2022. Wastewater test positivity strongly correlated with New York County clinical cases (Kendall’s τ = 0.58). Positive wastewater samples are also associated with campus clinical cases. The 2022 data stand in stark contrast to the 2021 results by revealing the more frequent and earlier presence of influenza A. The increase in positive tests is significant (
P
< 0.01). It is further noteworthy that positive samples were not evenly distributed among buildings. Surveillance additionally identified the influenza A H3 subtype but did not detect any influenza B. We also systematically analyzed our viral purification protocol to identify in which fraction influenza can be found. While virus can be found in solid fractions, a substantial quantity remains in the final liquid fraction. Our work focuses on individual buildings rather than larger sewersheds because buildings may localize interseasonal influenza variation to specific subpopulations. Our results highlight the potential value of building-level WBS in measuring influenza incidence to help guide public health intervention.

IMPORTANCE

Seasonal influenza remains a major public health burden. We monitored influenza A in dormitory wastewater of a New York City college in 2021 and 2022. Longitudinal samples acquired over consecutive years allowed measurement of individual buildings between seasons. We uncovered building-level changes in the magnitude and timing of test positivity concordant with clinical cases. Surveillance also localized the heterogeneity of influenza variation during the large 2022 seasonal surge. The ability to detect such changes could be leveraged as part of a public health response.
TransFAIR study: a European multicentre experimental comparison of EHR2EDC technology to the usual manual method for eCRF data collection
Authors: Ammour Nadir , Griffon Nicolas , Djadi-Prat Juliette , Chatellier Gilles , Lewi Martine , Todorovic Marija , Gómez de la Cámara Augustín , García Morales Maria Teresa , Testoni Sara , Nanni Oriana , Schindler Christoph , Sundgren Mats , Garvey Almenia , Victor Tomothy , Cariou Manon , Daniel Christel
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Regulatory authorities including the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency are encouraging to conduct clinical trials using routinely collected data. The aim of the TransFAIR experimental comparison was to evaluate, within real-life conditions, the ability of the Electronic Health Records to Electronic Data Capture (EHR2EDC) module to accurately transfer from EHRs to EDC systems patients’ data of clinical studies in various therapeutic areas.

Methods

A prospective study including six clinical trials from three different sponsors running in three hospitals across Europe has been conducted. The same data from the six studies were collected using both traditional manual data entry and the EHR2EDC module. The outcome variable was the percentage of data accurately transferred using the EHR2EDC technology. This percentage was calculated considering all collected data and the data in four domains: demographics (DM), vital signs (VS), laboratories (LB) and concomitant medications (CM).

Results

Overall, 6143 data points (39.6% of the data in the scope of the TransFAIR study and 16.9% when considering all data) were accurately transferred using the platform. LB data represented 65.4% of the data transferred; VS data, 30.8%; DM data, 0.7% and CM data, 3.1%.

Conclusions

The objective of accurately transferring at least 15% of the manually entered trial datapoints using the EHR2EDC module was achieved. Collaboration and codesign by hospitals, industry, technology company, supported by the Institute of Innovation through Health Data was a success factor in accomplishing these results. Further work should focus on the harmonisation of data standards and improved interoperability to extend the scope of transferable EHR data.
Adoption of electronic health record systems to enhance the quality of healthcare in low-income countries: a systematic review
Authors: Woldemariam Misganaw Tadesse , Jimma Worku
Published: January 2024

Background

Electronic health record (EHR) systems are mentioned in several studies as tools for improving healthcare quality in developed and developing nations. However, there is a research gap in presenting the status of EHR adoption in low-income countries (LICs). Therefore, this study systematically reviews articles that discuss the adoption of EHR systems status, opportunities and challenges for improving healthcare quality in LICs.

Methods

We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses in articles selected from PubMed, Science Direct, IEEE Xplore, citations and manual searches. We focused on peer-reviewed articles published from January 2017 to 30 September 2022, and those focusing on the status, challenges or opportunities of EHR adoption in LICs. However, we excluded articles that did not consider EHR in LICs, reviews or secondary representations of existing knowledge. Joanna Briggs Institute checklists were used to appraise the articles to minimise the risk of bias.

Results

We identified 12 studies for the review. The finding indicated EHR systems are not well implemented and are at a pilot stage in various LICs. The barriers to EHR adoption were poor infrastructure, lack of management commitment, standards, interoperability, support, experience and poor EHR systems. However, healthcare providers’ perception, their goodwill to use EMR and the immaturity of health information exchange infrastructure are key facilitators for EHR adoption in LICs.

Conclusion

Most LICs are adopting EHR systems, although it is at an early stage of implementation. EHR systems adoption is facilitated or influenced by people, environment, tools, tasks and the interaction among these factors.
Navigating the machine learning pipeline: a scoping review of inpatient delirium prediction models
Authors: Strating Tom , Shafiee Hanjani Leila , Tornvall Ida , Hubbard Ruth , Scott Ian A.
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Early identification of inpatients at risk of developing delirium and implementing preventive measures could avoid up to 40% of delirium cases. Machine learning (ML)-based prediction models may enable risk stratification and targeted intervention, but establishing their current evolutionary status requires a scoping review of recent literature.

Methods

We searched ten databases up to June 2022 for studies of ML-based delirium prediction models. Eligible criteria comprised: use of at least one ML prediction method in an adult hospital inpatient population; published in English; reporting at least one performance measure (area under receiver-operator curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive or negative predictive value). Included models were categorised by their stage of maturation and assessed for performance, utility and user acceptance in clinical practice.

Results

Among 921 screened studies, 39 met eligibility criteria. In-silico performance was consistently high (median AUROC: 0.85); however, only six articles (15.4%) reported external validation, revealing degraded performance (median AUROC: 0.75). Three studies (7.7%) of models deployed within clinical workflows reported high accuracy (median AUROC: 0.92) and high user acceptance.

Discussion

ML models have potential to identify inpatients at risk of developing delirium before symptom onset. However, few models were externally validated and even fewer underwent prospective evaluation in clinical settings.

Conclusion

This review confirms a rapidly growing body of research into using ML for predicting delirium risk in hospital settings. Our findings offer insights for both developers and clinicians into strengths and limitations of current ML delirium prediction applications aiming to support but not usurp clinician decision-making.
MUSTARD SNEAKERS: FINDING A MARKET
Authors: Amornsirikul Wattanai , Racela Olimpia C.
Published: January 2024

This case focuses on Mustard Sneakers, a design and boutique founded and co-owned by Nida Karnkorkul who has a background in design and a passion for simple, comfortable streetwear. The case describes Nida’s journey from conceiving the Mustard Sneakers brand, acquiring resources and strategic partnerships for the sneakers to be produced, distributed, and marketed mainly within Thailand; up to its established product offerings that had (1) expanded to tees; caps; socks; tote bags, (2) gained presence in third-party online retail platforms, and (3) were ordered by consumers within the Asia region by mid 2022. Coinciding with those company outcomes, the case also describes, in body text and in several exhibits, the nature of competition and recent demand of sneakers/athleisure footwear globally and in selected markets, particularly Thailand during the COVID19 pandemic. By May 2022, the Thailand government had announced its intentions to relax COVID19 restrictions and return to ‘normal’ effective 1 July 2022. As such, as indicated in the title, this case can be used to engage students in analyzing and discussing the growth/expansion opportunities that Nida can consider, which growth/expansion opportunities should be seized, and how a corresponding strategy and action plan could be implemented.
Efficient Bike-sharing Repositioning with Cooperative Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Jing Yao , Guo Bin , Liu Yan , Zhang Daqing , Zeghlache Djamal , Yu Zhiwen
Published: January 2024

As an emerging mobility-on-demand service, bike-sharing system (BSS) has spread all over the world by providing a flexible, cost-efficient, and environment-friendly transportation mode for citizens. Demand-supply unbalance is one of the main challenges in BSS because of the inefficiency of the existing bike repositioning strategy, which reallocates bikes according to a pre-defined periodic schedule without considering the highly dynamic user demands. While reinforcement learning has been used in some repositioning problems for mitigating demand-supply unbalance, there are significant barriers when extending it to BSS due to the dimension curse of action space resulting from the dynamic number of workers and bikes in the city. In this paper, we study these barriers and address them by proposing a novel bike repositioning system, namely BikeBrain, which consists of a demand prediction model and a spatio-temporal bike repositioning algorithm. Specifically, to obtain accurate and real-time usage demand for efficient bike repositioning, we first present a prediction model ST-NetPre, which directly predicts user demand considering the highly dynamic spatio-temporal characteristics. Furthermore, we propose a spatio-temporal cooperative multi-agent reinforcement learning method (ST-CBR) for learning the worker-based bike repositioning strategy in which each worker in BSS is considered an agent. Especially, ST-CBR adopts the centralized learning and decentralized execution way to achieve effective cooperation among large-scale dynamic agents based on Mean Field Reinforcement Learning (MFRL), while avoiding the huge dimension of action space. For dynamic action space, ST-CBR utilizes a SoftMax selector to select the specific action. Meanwhile, for the benefits and costs of agents’ operation, an efficient reward function is designed to seek an optimal control policy considering both immediate and future rewards. Extensive experiments are conducted based on large-scale real-world datasets, and the results have shown significant improvements of our proposed method over several state-of-the-art baselines on the demand-supply gap and operation cost measures.
Open Problems Column
Authors: Gasarch William
Published: January 2024

This issue's Open Problem Column is by William Gasarch and is Placing Pennies on a Chessboard to Obtain Distinct Distances.
Distributed Computing Column 86
The Environmental Cost of Our Conferences
Authors: Alistarh Dan
Published: January 2024

Overview. In this Winter edition of the column, we cover a novel topic for our community, namely the environmental cost of our conferences, specifically in terms of CO2 emissions. The idea of having this column was sparked by the work of the DISC 2023 environmental chairs Laurent Feuilloley and Tijn de Vos, who performed a detailed study for this latest edition of the conference. I suggested the authors to distill their detailed study to a shorter, less technical variant, complete with some higher-level observations and possible recommendations for reducing the environmental cost of our scientific meetings. I would encourage the readership to read at least the introductory section, and consider some of the suggested approaches, and possibly consider other creative alternatives. Unfortunately, it appears clear that we as a community will have to ponder this topic again in the future.
The Environmental Cost of Our Conferences: The CO2 Emissions due to Travel at PODC and DISC
Authors: Feuilloley Laurent , de Vos Tijn
Published: January 2024

The symptoms of the ongoing climate crisis are becoming more and more prevalent, with floods, droughts, and other extreme weather events taking place more and more often [12]. It is clear that action has to be taken now. In the Paris Agreement, world leaders have committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C [16]. This means emissions must peak before 2025, should decline by 45% by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050. In the years since the Paris Agreement (2015), computer science conferences have been taking little to no action on this front, although the issue has been put on the table several years ago [17]. A commonly-voiced opinion is that our conference-based system is bad for the climate, but is difficult to change. Discussions on this topic, e.g. at business meetings, often mention that we do not have enough data, and that some alternatives could exist, but would have some drawbacks, and would maybe not be effective.
SIGACT News Online Algorithms Column 41: 2023 in review
Authors: Amouzandeh Aflatoun , Schmitt Sören , van Stee Rob
Published: January 2024

In this column, we will discuss some papers in online algorithms that appeared in 2023. As usual, we make no claim at complete coverage here, and have instead made a selection. If we have unaccountably missed your favorite paper and you would like to write about it or about any other topic in online algorithms, please don't hesitate to contact us!
Mitochondrial-derived microprotein MOTS-c attenuates immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by suppressing lipid infiltration
Authors: Kumagai Hiroshi , Kim Su-Jeong , Miller Brendan , Natsume Toshiharu , Wan Junxiang , Kumagai Michi Emma , Ramirez Ricardo , Lee Shin Hyung , Sato Ayaka , Mehta Hemal H. , Yen Kelvin , Cohen Pinchas
Published: January 2024

MOTS-c, a mitochondrial microprotein, attenuates immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. MOTS-c treatment improves systemic inflammation and skeletal muscle AKT/FOXOs signaling pathways. Furthermore, unbiased RNA sequencing and subsequent assays revealed that MOTS-c prevents lipid infiltration in skeletal muscle. Since lipid accumulation is one of the common pathologies among other skeletal muscle atrophies induced by aging, obesity, cancer cachexia, and denervation, MOTS-c treatment could be effective in other muscle atrophy models as well.
Evaluation of Phytase Impact on In Vitro Protein and Phosphorus Bioaccessibility of Two Lupin Species for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Azcuy Rosendo L. , Casaretto Matías E. , Márquez Lorenzo , Hernández Adrián J. , Morales Gabriel A.
Published: January 2024

Legumes are an important source of protein, lipids, and other essential nutrients. As the demand for protein and lipids continues to surge on a global scale, there is a growing interest in incorporating legumes into aquafeeds. This shift is driven not only by the escalating growth of the aquaculture sector in recent years but also by the imperative to diminish the dependency on traditional resources like fishmeal (FM) and fish oil. Amongst legumes, different lupin species had been identified as a potential protein source to partially reduce the inclusion of FM in countries such as Australia, Chile, and the European Union. A comprehensive evaluation of their nutritional profiles, overall characteristics, and potential antinutritional factors is essential for informed utilization and the implementation of nutritional enhancement strategies. In pursuit of this goal, an in vitro gastrointestinal simulation system was devised to replicate the digestive conditions of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The study focused on determining the bioaccessibility of protein and phosphorus within two sweet lupin varieties (alkaloids < 0.05) with high (Lupinus mutabilis) and low (Lupinus angustifolius) native phytic acid content evaluated as whole (W) or dehulled (D) seeds meals and the effect of a single dose of phytase (2,500 FTU/kg DM). Additionally, regular soybean meal (SBM) served as reference (10 treatments with 3 replicates). A 2,500 FTU/kg DM phytase dose increased the levels of PO4−3 released throughout the intestinal phase by 122.6% for L. mutatabilis W, 116.3% for L. mutatabilis D, 65.2% for L. angustifolius W, 59.0% for L. angustifolius D, and 91.8% for SBM compared to controls without phytase. The bioaccessibility of amino acids in varieties treated with phytase increased with respect to the control without phytase. L. mutabilis was found to be a potentially viable alternative as a good quality protein source for the manufacture of environmentally friendly aquafeeds.
Morphological, Biochemical, and Molecular Diversity Assessment of Egyptian Bottle Gourd Cultivars
Authors: Ibrahim Ehab A. , Alhaithloul Haifa A. S. , Shamseldin Sahar A. M. , Awaly Sara B. H. , El-Latif Hesham Abd , Abdelkader Mohamed F. M. , Alqahtani Mesfer M. , Alzuaibr Fahad Mohammed , Alasmari Abdulrahman , Sukar Noha A. , Diyasty Mohamed Z. , Abdein Mohamed A.
Published: January 2024

The genetic variability and relationships between ten bottle gourd cultivars were evaluated based on morphological, biochemical, and molecular parameters. The results displayed high variability among selected cultivars in terms of photosynthetic pigments, total free amino acids, total phenol content, isozymes pattern, and protein electrophoresis. Furthermore, differences in molecular markers were revealed by the SCoT technique. The peroxidase (POD) and polyphenyl oxidase (PPO) isozymes patterns did not detect significant differences in bands among cultivars. The protein patterns revealed seventeen bands ranging from 126 to 9 kDa and five polymorphic bands representing 29.41%. On the other hand, eight SCoT primers were used to evaluate the genetic variability and relationships between the ten Egyptian bottle gourd cultivars. The results of SCoT analysis detected 44 amplicons with 50% polymorphism. In addition, the results of the phylogenetic tree that is constructed based on the similarity coefficient revealed by SCoT analysis confirm the results of biochemical analysis indicating a genetic relationship between the most efficient bottle gourd cultivars (S1 and S2 cultivars). In addition, there is a genetic relationship among the less efficient bottle gourd cultivars (S4 and S5 cultivars). These results could be beneficial to distinguish among bottle gourd cultivars in the plant breeding programs.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Accelerate Recovery of Acetic Acid‐Induced Chronic Gastric Ulcer by Regulating Ekt/Akt/TRIM29 Axis
Authors: Zhao Feiyue , Fan Zhibin , Jia Ruikang , Liu Qichao , Wang Menglei , Sui Jianliang , Liu Huiyun
Published: January 2024

Chronic gastric ulcer (CGU), a prevalent digestive disease, has a high incidence and is seriously harmful to human health. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proven to have beneficial therapeutic effects in many human diseases. Here, a CGU model induced by acetic acid in mice was used to evaluate the repair effects and potential mechanism of human umbilical cord‐derived MSCs (hUC‐MSCs) and hUC‐MSCs derived conditioned medium (hUC‐MSC‐CM). We found that hUC‐MSCs and hUC‐MSC‐CM treatment significantly repaired morphological characteristics of CGU, improved proliferation and decreased apoptosis of gastric cells, and promoted the generation of new blood vessels in granulation tissues. In addition, we could detect the homing of MSCs in gastric tissue, and MSCs may differentiate into Lgr5‐positive cells. As well as this, in vitro experiments showed that hUC‐MSC‐CM could promote cell proliferation, stimulate cell cycle progression, and reduce the incidence of apoptosis. The transcriptome of cells and the iTRAQ proteome of gastric tissues suggest that MSCs may play a therapeutic role by increasing the expression of TRIM29. Additionally, it was found that knocking down TRIM29 significantly decreased the ameliorative effects of hUC‐MSC‐CM on cell apoptosis. As a result of further molecular experiments, it was found that TRIM29 is capable of phosphorylating Erk/Akt in specific cell type. As a whole, it appears that hUC‐MSCs can be an effective therapeutic approach for promoting gastric ulcer healing and may exert therapeutic effects in the form of paracrine and differentiation into gastric cells.
Post‐Fire Behavior of Modified SIFCON One‐Way Plates with Waste Tire Rubber under Flexural Load: Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Hashim Ali M. , Al-Shathr Basil S.
Published: January 2024

In this research, an experimental and numerical investigation was conducted to study the flexural behavior of modified slurry‐infiltrated fiber concrete slurry‐infiltrated fibrous concrete (SIFCON) one‐way plates after being subjected to a high temperature. The first part is an experimental work to ensure that the model developed is adequate, while the second part is a 3D finite element modeling of the SIFCON plates with the program ABAQUS using a sequentially coupled thermal displacement analysis. The experimental program included testing eight modified SIFCON plates containing waste powder rubber as a partial substitute for natural sand (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%). All adopted specimens had identical dimensions (1,000 mm length, 300 mm width, and 50 mm thickness). Four specimens were exposed to fire for 2 hr at a constant temperature of 600°C, after which they were rapidly cooled by spraying them with water. Test results showed that increasing the powder rubber content of burned and unburned modified SIFCON specimens decreased the failure load and increased the specimens’ ductility factor, as well as the ultimate and service deflections. During the test, the failure of SIFCON was observed to be gradual, and the plates remained in contact even after the ultimate load was attained, whereas the failure of the reference mix (without wasted rubber) was observed to be more rapid than that of other SIFCON mixtures. For the flexural test, it gives desirable strength and good fire resistance. This study provides guidance for the study of SIFCON with waste rubber. Overall, the percentage of error between the experimental and numerical results for the load capacity and midspan displacement was about 5.05% and 8.65%, respectively.
Correlation Analysis and Prediction of the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Coastal Soft Soil in the Jiangdong New District, Haikou, China
Authors: Yang Yongchang , Song Xinying , Zhang Shuai , Hu Jun , Ruan Ming , Zeng Dongling , Luo Han , Wang Jiangsi , Wang Zhixin
Published: January 2024

The compressibility and shear strength of soil play a crucial role in engineering design and construction. For this study, samples were collected from the indoor geotechnical tests conducted on the fourth layer of the third series of the Haikou Formation. By conducting a correlation analysis of various physical properties of soil and utilizing the random forest algorithm, we developed a predictive model for the compressibility and shear strength of coastal soft soil. Initially, we proposed an empirical formula that utilizes mathematical statistical analysis methods to characterize the correlation between the indicators of this soil. Subsequently, we employed the feature selection guided by the aforementioned data analysis results to establish a random forest model. This model predicts the compressive modulus, compressibility coefficient, cohesion, and internal friction angle of the soil. The results indicate that the established model exhibits strong predictive capabilities, with the mean squared error values of compression modulus (0.012), compression coefficient (1.21× 10−6), cohesion (0.081), and internal friction angle (0.003). The data analysis methods, fitting parameters, empirical formulas, and random forest model employed in this study hold substantial value in guiding the preliminary evaluation stage of engineering projects with limited data. This study helps to save time and cost of geotechnical investigation for soft soils in the area.
Supplementary Table 4 from SLFN11 is a BRCA Independent Biomarker for the Response to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer and Clear Cell Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Akashi Hidehiko , Yachida Nozomi , Ueda Haruka , Yamaguchi Manako , Yamawaki Kaoru , Tamura Ryo , Suda Kazuaki , Ishiguro Tatsuya , Adachi Sosuke , Nagase Yoshikazu , Ueda Yutaka , Ueda Masashi , Abiko Kaoru , Kagabu Masahiro , Baba Tsukasa , Nakaoka Hirofumi , Enomoto Takayuki , Murai Junko , Yoshihara Kosuke
Published: January 2024

Supplementary Table 4
Supplementary Table 2 from SLFN11 is a BRCA Independent Biomarker for the Response to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer and Clear Cell Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Akashi Hidehiko , Yachida Nozomi , Ueda Haruka , Yamaguchi Manako , Yamawaki Kaoru , Tamura Ryo , Suda Kazuaki , Ishiguro Tatsuya , Adachi Sosuke , Nagase Yoshikazu , Ueda Yutaka , Ueda Masashi , Abiko Kaoru , Kagabu Masahiro , Baba Tsukasa , Nakaoka Hirofumi , Enomoto Takayuki , Murai Junko , Yoshihara Kosuke
Published: January 2024

Supplementary Table 2
Figure S6 from Delivery versus Potency in Treating Brain Tumors: BI-907828, a MDM2-p53 Antagonist with Limited BBB Penetration but Significant In Vivo Efficacy in Glioblastoma
Authors: Zhang Wenjuan , Vaubel Rachael A. , Oh Ju-Hee , Mladek Ann C. , Talele Surabhi , Zhang Wenqiu , Waller Katie L. , Burgenske Danielle M. , Sarkaria Jann N. , Elmquist William F.
Published: January 2024

Organ distribution of BI-907828 in FVB wild-type and P-gp-knockout mice after an intraperitoneal infusion to steady state. (A) Total drug concentration in mouse plasma and major organs. (B) Organ-to-plasma concentration ratio (Kp, partition coefficient) of BI-907828 at steady state. ****P < 0.0001
Figure S5 from Delivery versus Potency in Treating Brain Tumors: BI-907828, a MDM2-p53 Antagonist with Limited BBB Penetration but Significant In Vivo Efficacy in Glioblastoma
Authors: Zhang Wenjuan , Vaubel Rachael A. , Oh Ju-Hee , Mladek Ann C. , Talele Surabhi , Zhang Wenqiu , Waller Katie L. , Burgenske Danielle M. , Sarkaria Jann N. , Elmquist William F.
Published: January 2024

Distribution of BI-907828 in plasma, brain and spinal cord after a single intravenous administration of 10 mg/kg. (A-B) Concentration-time profiles of BI-907828 in (A) FVB BCRP-knockout and (B) triple-knockout mice. (C-D) Tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio-time profiles of BI-907828 in FVB wild-type, triple-knockout, BCRP-knockout, P-gp-knockout mice. Data represent mean ± S.D. (n = 4 at each time point).
Figure S4 from Site-Specific Dolasynthen Antibody–Drug Conjugates Exhibit Consistent Pharmacokinetic Profiles across a Wide Range of Drug-to-Antibody Ratios
Authors: Clardy Susan M. , Uttard Alex , Du Bingfan , Catcott Kalli C. , Lancaster Kelly L. , Ditty Elizabeth , Sadowsky Jack , Zurita Jeffrey , Malli Naniye , Qin LiuLiang , Bradley Stephen P. , Avocetien Kenneth , Carter Tyler , Kim Dokyong , Nazzaro Mark , Xu Ling , Pillow Thomas H. , Zacharias Neelie T. , Lewis Gail D. , Rowntree Rebecca K. , Iyengar Radha , Lee David H. , Damelin Marc , Toader Dorin , Lowinger Timothy B.
Published: January 2024

Figure S4 compares the body weights of mice dosed with DAR2 and DAR18 ADCs at matched payload and antibody doses
Table S1 from Structural Insight into Geranylgeranyl Diphosphate Synthase (GGDPS) for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Pham Andrew C. , Holstein Sarah A. , Borgstahl Gloria E.O.
Published: January 2024

Residues involved in the hGGDPS oligomerization
Supplementary Figure 3 from T cell–Dependent Bispecific Therapy Enhances Innate Immune Activation and Antibody-Mediated Killing
Authors: Besla Rickvinder , Penuel Elicia , Del Rosario Geoff , Cosino Ely , Myrta Szymon , Dillon Mike , Lazar Greg A. , Nickles Dorothee , Spiess Christoph , Yu Shang-Fan , Polson Andrew G.
Published: January 2024

NK cells exposed to TDB-treated cells have increased cytolytic function.
Figure S3 from Bexmarilimab Activates Human Tumor-Associated Macrophages to Support Adaptive Immune Responses in Interferon-Poor Immune Microenvironments
Authors: Rannikko Jenna H. , Bono Petri , Hynninen Johanna , Hollmén Maija
Published: January 2024

Clever-1 expression in monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
Level of Awareness and Challenges in Republic Act 9184 Procurement Procedures: A Basis for Training and Internal Policy Development
Authors: Dagohoy Abigail Marie V. , Salvatierra Armelyn C. , Constantino Ma. Lourdes L. , Matudan Nhorvic M. , Malang Bernandino
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

 

End-users, who act as the origin of all procurement requests, are responsible for providing technical specifications, scope of work, and terms of reference, conducting a market survey, recommending the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), providing technical advice, assisting in the preparation of bidding documents, and attending all stages of the procurement. This study aims to evaluate two essential aspects related to the execution of procurement activities: the level of knowledge and understanding among end-users and the difficulties they encounter while conducting procurement activities.  

This research used a mixed-methods approach, involving surveys and interviews, to collect data about the awareness levels and difficulties encountered by the participants regarding RA 9184 procurement procedures. In research, "mixed method" refers to a methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques in a single study to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a research issue by harnessing the advantages of both data types.

The survey assessed respondents' knowledge of various procurement processes, revealing that they generally have good awareness. Procurement planning was well understood, while document preparation and electronic procurement had slightly lower but still decent awareness levels. Statistical analysis, including Pearson correlation and p-values, showed that awareness was significantly related to years of service in certain procurement aspects but not in post-qualification and awards. Respondents reported occasional difficulties, with the majority having no major issues. However, challenges in areas like canvassing, market study, and document preparation were identified, indicating the need for adjustments or assistance. Other difficulties included a lack of training, technical specification preparation, supplier availability, and failed bidding.

In conclusion, policymakers should implement clear procurement request guidelines following RA 9184. These guidelines should specify procedures and required documents, reducing delays and inefficiencies and saving time and resources. Additionally, issuing agency memoranda designating specific End-Users fosters coordination. It serves as a direct point of contact with the BAC Secretariat, ensuring informed Project Management Officers (PMOs) have access to guidance and support. The establishment of a dedicated committee for updating End-Users on specifications and providing annual GPPB-recognized training, which ensures alignment with changing requirements, market conditions, and legal compliance, enhancing procurement efficiency and expertise, should also be imposed.
Pag-IBIG Awareness and Financial Habits of Overseas Filipino Workers
Authors: Sorita Irene , Zapanta Tina Marie , Celis Keziah Chim , Orfanel Christine Joy , Manes Luisito
Published: January 2024

Many Filipinos prefer to work outside of the country because the opportunities and earnings are far superior to those offered in the Philippines. This correlational study aims to determine the awareness on Pag-IBIG Fund services and financial behavior and habits of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) members. The level of awareness of the Pag-IBIG Fund services includes Knowledge, Trust and Credibility, Sources and Channels, and Perceived Benefits, Barriers, and Engagement of OFW members while the efficiency level of financial behavior and habits of the members considers Savings Behavior, Investment Behavior, and Debt Management as factors. Furthermore, this study utilized a researchers-made survey questionnaire conducted to 300 respondents. Results revealed that OFW members are highly aware of the services offered by Pag-IBIG and they have high efficiency level when it comes to financial behavior and habits. Moreover, the correlation between years of employment and level of awareness on Pag-IBIG Fund services of the respondents as well as the efficiency level of financial behavior and habits and respondents’ demographic profiles are not significant. Further, the study exposed that OFW members exhibit a high level of efficiency in their financial behavior and habits, especially in savings and investment and a highly satisfactory awareness on Pag-IBIG Fund services. Specifically, age, gender, and civil status do not strongly influence financial efficiency while educational attainment impacts savings and debt management efficiency. Hence, these findings highlight the importance of education and awareness in fostering better financial habits among OFW members.
Exploring the School Heads Working Condition in Supporting Communities of Practice (CoP) and Technical Assistance (TA) to Teachers: A Multiple Case Study
Authors: Catedral1 Rey R. , Datulayta Rene G. , Lawan Pilot B. , Lumbu-an Jenevieve D. , Carbon Rechiel B.
Published: January 2024

This study explored the school heads’ working conditions in supporting Communities of Practice and Technical Assistance to teachers as vehicles to address problems in the teaching and learning processes and promote learning and collaboration within organizations. A qualitative research design employing multiple case study methods was utilized. The study included one (1) Principal-in-Charge (PIC), three (3) school heads, and three (3) master teacher positions. A total of seven (7) participants participated in this study. Moreover, the study employed semi-structured interview guide questions. The data were analyzed using Colizzi's thematic analysis.

 The results showed that the working conditions supporting the communities of practice and technical assistance to teachers are classroom observation, learning action cell, In-Service Training (InSeT), and conference and urgency. The following working conditions may affect or influence school heads and master teachers in supporting communities of practice and technical assistance to teachers: intellectance (openness to new experiences), communication channels, schedules, lack of leadership, and knowledge of technical assistance providers. Participants experienced challenges, motivations, fulfillment, and positivity in implementing CoPs and TAs. The following themes were coded on the influence of experiences on communities of practice and technical assistance to teachers: positivity, flexibility, thriving, social support and interaction, and positivity.

The openness to new experiences, such as a sense of curiosity, open-mindedness, and acceptance of novel experiences, is needed for CoPs and TAs to prosper in school. Communication channels should be clear and appropriate to their audience, allow deeper conversations, and exchange ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data in CoP and TA should be understood with clarity and purpose. School leaders must be empowered with managerial and leadership skills to support and influence communities of practice and technical assistance to teachers.
Improving Reading Literacy Rate of ALS (Alternative Learning System) Students Through Casaup-Literacy Program
Authors: Galang Ruby T. , Arrozal Jocelyn , Batu Cecile B. , Cortez Leila
Published: January 2024

ne of the imminent programs the government instituted for this concern is the Alternative Learning System (ALS) which aims at providing opportunities for students who are not succeeding in the traditional classroom setting to obtain academic credit, career exploration activities, and extended teacher/peer support in an alternative setting where the ultimate goal is that obtaining a diploma. The study aimed to determine the reading levels of the respondents before and after the administration of a reading intervention program. The Reading program was conceptualized as an extended service to enhance the reading abilities of the ALS students. It employed the descriptive type of research to gather facts and information regarding the reading performance levels of the respondents. The respondents of the study consisted of 70 students from ALS Program of the DepEd ALS Program. The researchers utilized the Functional Literacy Test (FLT) a standardized reading assessment tool which was administered before the intervention and after the reading program. T-test was used in the treatment of the data. Based on the findings; generally, the respondents’ age ranges from 15-23 with a minimal percentage of the ages 42-51. This shows that students tend to stop their education after attending basic education. The mean results of the pre-test which is 4.0294 are far behind the results of the post-test, which is 9.4411 mean, this indicates a highly significant difference is evident in the statistical treatment. A t-value of -29.583 resulted and a p-value of 0.000 was obtained from the data. This proves a high significance is displayed in the results and that the intervention program has proven its effectiveness in the reading performance of the ALS Students.
Toward a Convivial Design
Authors: Franzato Carlo
Published: January 2024

This article is inspired by the work of Ivan Illich, especially Tools for Conviviality, which critiques industrialization and elaborates Illich's proposal for conviviality and is a major influence on post-development theory. In the early 1970s, Illich anticipated issues that design begins to explore only at the end of the twentieth century. This article discusses what he anticipated and develops this into practical suggestions for the evolution of design. Above all, the article provides suggestions for two intertwined design fields: design for sustainability and codesign. An analysis of Illich's work allows for the identification of three methodological movements acting toward a convivial design: (1) conduct a critique of the status quo, (2) imagine alternative proposals, and (3) carefully qualify the ethos of alternatives.
Service Design as Formgiving: Breaking Free from the Marketing-Dominant Logic
Authors: Secomandi Fernando
Published: January 2024

This article presents a critique of Vargo and Lusch's service-dominant logic (SD Logic) and proposes an alternative basis for service design. The proposed approach builds upon the formgiving tradition outlined in Maldonado's definition of industrial design. More specifically, the article questions SD Logic's neglect of service materiality and emphasizes the need for a deliberate reevaluation of formgiving, taking into account the unique materiality of services exchanged in face-to-face interactions.
Neotypification of Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight ex Hook.f.: a name applied to a widely distributed, polyphyletic group of plants
Authors: ALDUGHAYMAN MAJED , THOROGOOD CHRIS J. , HAWKINS JULIE A.
Published: January 2024

The name Cistanche tubulosa s.l. is used from Africa and the Middle East to South and Central Asia and China, however this name is applied to plants that have been shown to comprise a polyphyletic group. Maintaining the use of this species name across distinct lineages is untenable, but inclusion of a type specimen in further analyses is needed to correctly apply names to revised taxa and to evaluate the recent decision to place the name in synonymy under the name C. tinctoria (Forssk.) Beck. Therefore, we proposed a neotype for Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight ex Hook.f. We contextualise the relevant taxonomy with a broader discussion on taxonomic challenges in the genus Cistanche in which several species are traded for herbal medicine, rare, or are of conservation concern.