bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Signatures and Therapeutic Value Based on the Notch Pathway in Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Li Ziyao , Xin Shiyong , Yu Shuanbao , Liang Jing , Zhang Xuepei
Published: January 2022

The Notch family of genes encodes a group of highly conserved cell surface membrane receptors, which are involved in one of the key pathways that determine cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in embryonic tissues. Furthermore, abnormal expression of Notch genes is closely related to the occurrence and development of several cancers. To date, no specific treatment of RCC has been reported to relate to the Notch pathway. Therefore, we detected Notch pathway genes in series of tumors, as well as potential compounds targeting the Notch pathway, with a focus on the mechanism of Notch pathway action in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). Samples from KIRC patients were divided into three clusters based on the mRNA expression of Notch pathway genes. In addition, we investigated the potential targets of the Notch pathway, predicted the IC50 of several classical targeted therapies, and analyzed their correlation with the Notch pathway. Finally, LASSO regression analysis was performed to build a model to predict survival in KIRC patients. These results suggest that therapies targeting the Notch pathway could be more efficiently studied based on the Notch score and that we can predict the prognosis of patients with KIRC based on the expression of Notch pathway genes. Most importantly, these results may provide a solid theoretical basis for future research on therapeutic targets for patients with KIRC.
Sustainability and Environmental Impact of Ethanol and Oxyhydrogen Addition on Nanocoated Gasoline Engine
Authors: Padmanabhan Sambandam , Giridharan K. , Stalin Balasubramaniam , Elango V. , Vairamuthu J. , Sureshkumar P. , Jule Leta Tesfaye , Krishnaraj Ramaswamy
Published: January 2022

Climate change, clean air, renewable energy, nontoxic surroundings, and the opportunity to live in a healthy community are just few of the issues that environmental sustainability addresses. To improve environmental health and quality of life, several researchers have turned their attention to alternative energy sources like ethanol and oxyhydrogen. In latest years, significant progress has been made in the development of ethanol and hydrogen as clean energy sources. A higher octane rating is achieved by mixing ethanol with gasoline rather than using regular gasoline. A novel mix of oxyhydrogen, ethanol, and gasoline is ecologically friendly while simultaneously increasing the performance of gasoline engines. In this study, a nanoparticle‐coated piston on a low heat rejection gasoline engine fuelled by an ethanol‐gasoline mix with oxyhydrogen addition was investigated. It has been evaluated that thermal efficiency improved by up to 25% while fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 28% on a volume basis compared to the baseline engine. Furthermore, the decrease in harmful carbon monoxide reached around 10%, and the reduction in unburned hydrocarbon emissions reached 18%.
Effect of Sand Faction Percentage in Soil Mixture towards Soil Support Power for Dam Construction
Authors: Afriani Lusmeilia , Perdana Ryzal
Published: January 2022

Knowledge of soil, which is an essential construction material, has great importance for dam construction. The level of density and carrying capacity of the soil is very important and should be taken into consideration in the planning and designing stages of civil construction, considering the soil functions as a means to withstand the load or structure built on it. Stabilization using sand soil material is one of the ways to meet the strength requirements of soil carrying capacity when there is no suitable soil material found in the nearby area. This paper aims to elucidate the physical properties of clay using a mixture of fine sand to reduce the risk of shrinkage when used for dam construction. Several analyses were carried out to find out the effect of the fine sand percentage in the clay mixture to decrease the swelling test value and permeability test of the soil carrying capacity for dam construction. The types of soil tested were silt clays taken from Tritisan subdistrict of East Lampung which were then stabilized using fine sand material from Central Lampung, Indonesia. This research was conducted using a mixture of sand, with percentages of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Subgrade tests such as CBR and permeability tests were also undertaken to investigate other soil properties from each sample. The results indicate that a higher percentage of sand causes decreasing water content. Thus, the value of the carrying capacity of the soil is increasing. The findings can be used to facilitate the increasing use of clay mixtures with the percentage of fine sand in case suitable clay material cannot be found around dam construction sites. The implications with suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Intake of Animal Protein and Dietary Sources in the Colombian Population: Results of the National Nutrition Survey (ENSIN-2015)
Authors: Herrán Oscar F. , Zea María del Pila
Published: January 2022

Background. There is a lack of knowledge in Colombia about dietary intake and sources of animal protein. Design. Cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys. Setting. Colombia. Participants. n = 32,457 participants aged from 1 to 64 years. The sample analyzed included 21,036 boys and nonpregnant girls, 10,099 adults, and 1,322 pregnant women, 118 of whom were below 18 years of age. Results. Protein intake was 32.9 g/d (95% CI: 32.4, 33.4) per 1,000 kilocalories. The relative contribution (%) of total protein to the total energy intake/day (acceptable macronutrient distribution) was 13.2% (95% CI: 13.0, 13.3). The acceptable macronutrient distribution (AMDR) for animal protein for those aged 1 to 64 years was 7.8% (95% CI: 7.6, 8.0), with a minimum of 7.1% (95% CI: 6.7, 7.5), which was for children aged from 13 to 17 years, and a maximum of 8.3% (95% CI: 8.1, 8.5), for children aged from 1 to 4 years (

P
=
0.018

). For all groups, animal protein made up the majority of total proteins, with 62.6% (95% CI: 61.7, 63.6) for preschoolers, 55.8% (95% CI: 53.2, 58.4) for school-aged children, 54.6% (95% CI: 53.0, 56.1) for adolescents, 58.1% (95% CI: 57.5, 58.7) for adults, and 57.5% (95% CI: 55.2, 59.7) for pregnant women (

P
=
0.027

). The three main dietary sources of animal protein were red meat (17.8%), chicken (16.3%), and eggs (10.5%). The sources of vegetal protein were bread-arepa-pasta (20.0%), cereals (19.8%), and legumes (8.2%). Conclusions. Protein intake is excessive according to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), while it is not excessive from the perspective of the AMDR.
Resveratrol Alleviates Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance by Downregulating Long Noncoding RNA
Authors: Liu Zhihong , Zhang Zhimei , Song Guangyao , Wang Xing , Xing Hanying , Wang Chao
Published: January 2022

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a crucial factor in the progression of insulin resistance (IR). Resveratrol (RSV) exhibits promising therapeutic potential for IR. However, there are few studies on whether RSV improves IR through lncRNA. This study aimed to determine whether RSV could influence the expression of lncRNA and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Mice were divided into three groups: control group, high-fat diet (HFD) group, and HFD + RSV group. We conducted a high-throughput sequencing analysis to detect lncRNA and mRNA expression signatures and the ceRNA-network in the skeletal muscles of mice that were fed an HFD to induce IR. Hierarchical clustering, gene enrichment, and gene ceRNA-network analyses were subsequently conducted. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were selected and validated via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The biological functions of the selected lncRNAs were investigated by silencing the target genes via lentivirus transfection of C2C12 mouse myotube cells. RSV treatment reversed the expression of 338 mRNAs and 629 lncRNAs in the skeletal muscles of mice with HFD-induced IR. The results of the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database analyses indicated that the differentially expressed mRNAs modulated type II diabetes mellitus. After validating randomly selected lncRNAs via RT-qPCR, we identified a novel lncRNA, NONMMUT044897.2, which was upregulated in the HFD group and reversed with RSV treatment. Additionally, NONMMUT044897.2 was proven to function as a ceRNA of microRNA- (miR-) 7051-5p. Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 (SOCS1) was confirmed as a target of miR-7051-5p. We further performed lentivirus transfection to knock down NONMMUT044897.2 in vitro and found that NONMMUT044897.2 silenced SOCS1 and potentiated the insulin signaling pathway. Hence, RSV mimicked the silencing effect of lentivirus transfection on NONMMUT044897.2. Our study revealed that RSV reduced IR in mouse skeletal muscles via the regulation of NONMMUT044897.2.
Spontaneous Complete Remission of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Absence of Disease-Modifying Therapy following Severe Pulmonary Involvement by Coronavirus Infectious Disease-19
Authors: Barkhordar Maryam , Rostami Fatemeh Tajic , Yaghmaie Marjan , Abbaszadeh Mehrdad , Chahardouli Bahram , Mousavi Seied Asadollah
Published: January 2022

Coronavirus infectious disease-19 (COVID-19) usually alters the innate and adaptive immune setting by excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to a deviation in the natural course of simultaneous malignant disease. In the absence of disease-modifying therapy, complete remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an extraordinary event caused mainly by an immune-related mechanism secondary to a severe infectious process. We present a 57-year-old woman with a new diagnosis of AML associated with a 11q23/KMT2A abnormality who had achieved temporary spontaneous remission in the absence of disease-modifying therapy following the severe pulmonary infection with coronavirus lasting for six months. We review the literature and explain the potential impact of stimulated immune responses by COVID-19 on induction of remission in a patient with AML that could provide an excellent opportunity for new immune-based therapies to evolve for the hematologic malignancies. Despite the high ability of the immune process to destroy the malignant cells, the remission of duration is usually short. Therefore, it seems that continuing treatment after SR of AML by a consolidation regimen or bone marrow transplantation, based on a risk-adapted treatment approach, may reduce the recurrence risk.
Integrative Modeling of Multiomics Data for Predicting Tumor Mutation Burden in Patients with Lung Cancer
Authors: Wang Jun , Chen Peng , Su Mingyang , Zhong Guocheng , Zhang Shasha , Gou Deming
Published: January 2022

Immunotherapy has been widely used in the treatment of lung cancer, and one of the most effective biomarkers for the prognosis of immunotherapy currently is tumor mutation burden (TMB). Although whole‐exome sequencing (WES) could be utilized to assess TMB, several problems prevent its routine clinical application. To develop a simplified TMB prediction model, patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were randomly split into training and validation cohorts and categorized into the TMB‐high (TMB‐H) and TMB‐low (TMB‐L) groups, respectively. Based on the 610 differentially expressed genes, 50 differentially expressed miRNAs and 58 differentially methylated CpG sites between TMB‐H and TMB‐L patients, we constructed 4 predictive signatures and established TMB prediction model through machine learning methods that integrating the expression or methylation profiles of 7 genes, 7 miRNAs, and 6 CpG sites. The multiomics model exhibited excellent performance in predicting TMB with the area under curve (AUC) of 0.911 in the training cohort and 0.859 in the validation cohort. Besides, the significant correlation between the multiomics model score and TMB was observed. In summary, we developed a prognostic TMB prediction model by integrating multiomics data in patients with LUAD, which might facilitate the further development of quantitative real time‐polymerase chain reaction‐ (qRT‐PCR‐) based TMB prediction assay.
Association between Phenotypic Age and Mortality in Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Ma Qiong , Li Bo-Lin , Yang Lei , Zhang Miao , Feng Xin-Xin , Li Qian , Liu Hui , Gao Ya-Jie , Ma Wen-Zhuo , Shi Rui-Juan , Xue Yan-Bo , Zheng Xiao-Pu , Gao Ke , Mu Jian-Jun
Published: January 2022

Background. Chronological age (CA) is not a perfect proxy for the true biological aging status of the body. A new biological aging measure, phenotypic age (PhenoAge), has been shown to capture morbidity and mortality risk in the general US population and diverse subpopulations. This study was aimed at evaluating the association between PhenoAge and long-term outcome of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods. A total of 609 multivessel CAD patients who received PCI attempt and with follow-up were enrolled. The clinical outcome was all-cause mortality on follow-up. PhenoAge was calculated using an equation constructed from CA and 9 clinical biomarkers. Cox proportional hazards regression models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to evaluate the association between PhenoAge and mortality. Results. Overall, patients with more diseases had older PhenoAge and phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel). After a median follow-up of 33.5 months, those with positive PhenoAgeAccel had a significantly higher incidence of all-cause mortality (

P
=
0.001

). After adjusting for CA, Cox proportional hazards models showed that both PhenoAge and PhenoAgeAccel were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Even after further adjusting for confounding factors, each 10-year increase in PhenoAge was also associated with a 51% increased mortality risk. ROC curves revealed that PhenoAge, with an area under the curve of 0.705, significantly outperformed CA, the individual clinical chemistry measure, and other risk factors. When reexamining the ROC curves using various combinations of variables, we found that PhenoAge provides additional predictive power to all models. Conclusions. In conclusion, PhenoAge was strongly associated with all-cause mortality even after adjusting for CA. Our findings suggest that PhenoAge measure may be complementary in predicting mortality risk for patients with multivessel CAD.
Single Reflect-Mirror Laser Communication Tracking-Pointing System Load Technology for Micronanosatellite
Authors: Chi Tie , Zhang Lizhong , Meng Lixin
Published: January 2022

In order to realize low-orbit microsatellite laser communication, L- and U-frame structures are designed, respectively, for the payload of single-lens reflex (SLR) laser communication tracking and pointing system. According to the characteristics of each load structure, the detailed system design is carried out, and the modal analysis is carried out on the key structural parts of the L- and U-frames to ensure the reliability of each load structure. The pointing accuracy of the two load structures is also calculated and analyzed. Finally, the conclusion is that both of the two load structures can meet the technical and accuracy requirements of low-orbit communication, but obviously, the U-frame structure has higher accuracy, greater pitching angle, and better reliability; eventually, the U-frame structure is adopted in this design. Then, we have completed the manufacture and assembly of the principle prototype and carried out a vibration test experiment on the principle prototype. The results show that the U-type loading structure SLR laser communication tracking and pointing system achieves the expected design purpose and can meet the technical requirements of the low-orbit microsatellite laser communication.
Interaction of Anisotropic Dark Energy with Generalized Hybrid Expansion Law
Authors: Alam Md Khurshid , Singh S. Surendra , Devi L. Anjana
Published: January 2022

Interaction of dark energy in the anisotropic locally rotationally symmetric (LRS) Bianchi type-I metric is investigated in the context of modified

f

R
,
T

theory of gravity, where

R

is the Ricci scalar and

T

is the trace of stress energy momentum tensor. We choose the particular form of the functional

f

R
,
T

=

f

1

R

+

f

2

T

; then, we find the exact solutions of the field equations by applying inhomogeneous equation of state,

p
=
ω
ρ
−
Λ

t

, and a generalized form of hybrid expansion law. The transition of deceleration to acceleration is observed in this model. It is also observed that the universe shows accelerated expansion at late epoch. The derived model overlaps with

Λ
CDM

at late time which is in agreement with present observation. Energy conditions of the derived model are also investigated. From the plot, we observe the age of universe

t

0

≈
13.821
 
Gyr

for the observed

H

0

≈
70.07
 

Kms

‐
1

Mpc

‐
1

. The physical and geometrical behaviours of these models are also discussed.
LT Codes with Double Encoding Matrix Reorder Physical Layer Secure Transmission
Authors: Zhang Hang , Niu Fanglin , Yu Ling , Zhang Si
Published: January 2022

In traditional wireless sensor networks, information transmission usually uses data encryption methods to prevent information from being stolen illegally. However, once the encryption methods are leaked, eavesdropping nodes can easily obtain information. LT codes are rateless codes; if it is attacked by random channel noise, the decoding process will change and the decoding overhead will also randomly change. When it is used for physical layer communication of wireless sensor networks, it ensures that the destination node recovers all the information without adding the key, while the eavesdropping node can only obtain part of the information to achieve wireless information security transmission. To reduce the intercept efficiency of eavesdropping nodes, a physical layer security (PLS) method of LT codes with double encoding matrix reorder (DEMR-LT codes) is proposed. This method performs two consecutive LT code concatenated encoding on the source symbol, and part of the encoding matrix is reordered according to the degree value of each column from large to small, which reduces the probability of eavesdropping nodes recovering the source information. Experimental results show that compared with other LT code PLS schemes, DEMR-LT codes only increase the decoding overhead by a small amount. However, it can effectively reduce the intercept efficiency of eavesdropping nodes and improve information transmission security.
[Retracted] The Function of circRNA‐0047604 in Regulating the Tumor Suppressor Gene DACH1 in Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhao Bingkun , Zhou Rong , Ji Changle , Liu Diya , Wu Tianqi , Xu Hui , Lan Dongmei , Yao Chao , Xu Yuanzhi , Fang Lin
Published: January 2022

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females. Dachshund Homolog 1 (DACH1) gene is regarded as an important tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer which plays an important regulatory role in the development disease progression, particularly in carcinomas. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNA (miRNA), regarded as a novel group of noncoding RNAs, are always involved in regulating gene expression. In this work, hsa_circ_0047604 expressed lower in breast cancer tissue and played the role of sponge of miR‐548o. By this way, hsa_circ_0047604 could upregulate DACH1 to inhibit breast cancer. In conclusion, this study revealed that hsa_circ_0047604 acted as a tumor suppressor and regulated breast cancer progression via hsa_circ_0047604–miR‐548o–DACH1 axis, which might provide a therapeutic method for breast cancer.
The Protective Effects of a Modified Xiaohua Funing Decoction against Acute Liver Failure in Mice Induced by D-Gal and LPS
Authors: Zhao Jindong , Liu Lili , Xin Ling , Lu Yunxia , Yang Xiaojun , Hou Yong , Shi Mei , Han Sha , Zhou Hao , Liu Yonghua , Fang Zhaohui , Li Yan , Zhang Guoliang
Published: January 2022

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a modified Xiaohua Funing decoction (Xfd) on acute liver failure (ALF) and determine whether the protective mechanisms are related to alterations in the gut microbiota. Methods. An animal model of ALF was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-Gal, 0.5 g/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg). Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the following 4 groups: the control group (saline, Con), model group (D-Gal/LPS, Mod), silymarin pretreatment group (200 mg/kg, Sil), and modified Xfd pretreatment group (650 mg/kg, Xfd). The Sil and Xfd groups received the respective intervention orally for 14 days and 2 h before D-Gal/LPS treatment. The liver injury markers included alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and liver histology. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to assess the effects on the caecum content. Results. D-Gal/LPS treatment caused severe ALF, illustrating that the ALF model was successfully established. The administration of Sil and Xfd greatly reduced the serum ALT and AST levels and improved the pathological signs of liver injury. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups. In contrast to the Mod group, the Sil and Xfd groups showed a shift toward the Con group in terms of the gut microbiota structure. The abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the Mod group significantly differed from those in the Con group. The Sil and Xfd groups showed restoration of the disordered microbiota. Significantly increased relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Candidatus_Saccharimonas and a markedly decreased Muribaculaceae abundance were found in the Sil and Xfd mice compared with those in the Mod mice (

P
<
0.01

,

P
<
0.05

). Interestingly, a negative correlation was observed between the abundances of the gut microbiota constituents, specifically Clostridia_UCG-014, and ALT and AST levels. Conclusion. In summary, our results indicate that Xfd may protect the liver and modify the gut microbiota in ALF mice.
Experimental Study on Temperature Field Evolution Mechanism of Artificially Frozen Gravel Formation under Groundwater Seepage Flow
Authors: Wang Tian-liang , Zhang Fei , Wang Yang , Wu Zhen , He Ya-meng , Yue Zu-run
Published: January 2022

Artificially ground freezing method is increasingly applied in formations with high permeability. The groundwater seepage flow should be considered because an excessive groundwater seepage flow would make the merging of the frozen wall challenging. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the temperature field and frozen wall merging characteristics at varying groundwater seepage flow rates in gravel formation. Results show that the heat exchange between the seepage flow and freezing pipes delays the merging of the frozen wall and reduces its total thickness. The groundwater seepage flow restricts the freezing of the upstream zone and accelerates the freezing of the downstream zone. The upstream and downstream temperature fields are symmetrical in nonseepage flow conditions but are asymmetrical in the presence of seepage flow. The merged frozen wall presents an arched shape and shifts to the downstream zone. The “scouring effect” and “water barrier effect” simultaneously act on the merging process of the frozen wall. The total thickness of the frozen wall decreases by more than 30% when the flow rate increases from 0 to 5.0 m/d. Optimising the layout of the freezing pipes in gravel formations is a reasonable solution for a safe and economical design.
Path Planning for Multi-Vehicle-Assisted Multi-UAVs in Mobile Crowdsensing
Authors: Song Jiancheng , Liu Liang , Liu Yulei , Xi Jie , Zhai Wenbin
Published: January 2022

Due to the capability of fast deployment and controllable mobility, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play an important role in mobile crowdsensing (MCS). However, constrained by limited battery capacity, UAVs cannot serve a wide area. In response to this problem, the ground vehicle is introduced and used to transport, release, and recycle UAVs. However, existing works only consider a special scenario: one ground vehicle with multiple UAVs. In this paper, we consider a more general scenario: multiple ground vehicles with multiple UAVs. We formalize the multi-vehicle-assisted multi-UAV path planning problem, which is a joint route planning and task assignment problem (RPTSP). To solve RPTSP, an efficient multi-vehicle-assisted multi-UAV path planning algorithm (MVP) is proposed. In MVP, we first allocate the detecting points to proper parking spots and then propose an efficient heuristic allocation algorithm EHA to plan the paths of ground vehicles. Besides, a genetic algorithm and reinforcement learning are utilized to plan the paths of UAVs. MVP maximizes the profits of an MCS carrier with a response time constraint and minimizes the number of employed vehicles. Finally, performance evaluation demonstrates that MVP outperforms the baseline algorithm.
Using Digital Technologies in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal
Authors: Portela Diana , Brito Duarte Vital , Monteiro Hugo
Published: January 2022

Digital technologies revolutionized the way we dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and outstood the obvious societal change in the information age. Currently, data are an essential element of any health institution. Their use has the potential to radically reduce the cost and time needed to strengthen scientific evidence on the effectiveness of interventions. Likewise, information and the potential of these technologies have become a crucial part of the response to the pandemic. Effective implementation of data management strategies has depended on the adoption of digital technologies and their integration with health policies and care systems. In August 2020, Nature Medicine published an article about technological maturity and digital responses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to provide a contextualization of the technologies adopted in Portugal in the current crisis while highlighting, when applicable, requirements, potentials, constraints and aspects of possible improvements. The digital maturity of health services is a gradual process that requires preparation, adaptation and response. The future of public health and health care systems will be increasingly digital, and it is necessary to promote a culture of innovation, coordinate and standardize processes and make room for a new paradigm of sustainable digital transformation.
Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Finerenone in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Zheng Yaning , Ma Sheng , Huang Qiaomu , Fang Yu , Tan Hongjin , Chen Yong , Li Cairong
Published: January 2022

Background: The phase III clinical trial of the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone (BAY 94-8862) has been completed, aiming to investigate renal and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the efficacy and safety of finerenone in renal function remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of finerenone in treating the patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: Databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on patients with DKD receiving finerenone treatment from inception to September 2021. Data including patient characteristics and interested outcomes were extracted, and the dichotomous data and continuous variables were evaluated using risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and mean differences (MD) with 95% CIs, respectively. Results: A total of 4 RCTs involving 13,945 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Analysis results demonstrated that patients receiving finerenone showed a significant decrease in changing urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) from baseline (MD: −0.30; 95% CI [−0.33, −0.27], p = 0.46, I2 = 0%) (p < 0.05). The number of patients with ≥40% reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline in the finerenone group was significantly smaller than that in the placebo group (RR: 0.85; 95% CI [0.78, 0.93], p = 0.60, I2 = 0%) (p < 0.05). No difference was found in adverse events between the finerenone and placebo groups (RR: 1.00; 95% CI [0.98, 1.01], p = 0.94, I2 = 0%) (p = 0.65). The incidence of hyperkalemia was higher in the finerenone group than that in the placebo group (RR: 2.03; 95% CI [1.83, 2.26], p = 0.95, I2 = 0%) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Finerenone contributes to the reduction of UACR and can ameliorate the deterioration of renal function in patients with T2D and CKD. The higher risk of hyperkalemia was found in the finerenone group compared with placebo; however, there was no difference in the risk of overall adverse events.
Seasonal Variation and Risk of Febrile Seizures: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Christensen Kirstine Juul , Dreier Julie W. , Skotte Line , Feenstra Bjarke , Grove Jakob , Børglum Anders D. , Mitrovic Mitja , Cotsapas Chris , Christensen Jakob
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Onset of febrile seizures varies with calendar season. However, it has not previously been assessed, how season of birth interacts with age and peak risk of febrile seizures, and whether season of birth correlates with the cumulative risk of febrile seizures at 5 years of age (i.e., when children are no longer of risk of febrile seizures). Methods: We identified all singleton children born in Denmark between 1977 and 2011 who were alive at 3 months of age (N = 2,103,232). We used the Danish Civil Registration System to identify age and sex of the children and the Danish National Patient Register to identify children hospitalized with febrile seizures from 3 months to 5 years of age. Follow-up ended on December 31, 2016, when all children had reached 5 years of age. Results: The relative risk of admission with a first febrile seizure varied with calendar month; in February (a winter month in Denmark), the risk was more than doubled (hazard ratio: 2.10 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.03–2.18]) compared with August (a summer month in Denmark). The age-specific incidence of a first febrile seizure by birth month identified the highest peak incidence of a first febrile seizure among children born in November (reaching a peak incidence of 350 first admissions with a febrile seizure per 100,000 person months at age 16 months) as compared to children born in July (reaching a peak incidence of 200 first admissions with a febrile seizure per 100,000 person months at age 16 months). However, the cumulative incidence of any admission with febrile seizures before 5 years was not correlated with season of birth (3.69% [95% CI: 3.64–3.74%] for winter births, 3.57% [95% CI: 3.52–3.62%] for spring births, 3.55% [95% CI: 3.50–3.59%] for summer births, and 3.64% [95% CI: 3.59–3.69%] for fall births). Discussion/Conclusion: The study found a significant seasonal variation in onset of the first febrile seizure and in the age-specific peak incidence of febrile seizures. However, there was no correlation between season of birth and cumulative incidence of febrile seizures at 5 years of age suggesting that children who are predisposed to febrile seizures will eventually go on to experience a febrile seizure regardless of season of birth.
The Effectiveness of Flipped Classroom Learning Model for Increasing Students’ Reading Comprehension in Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Rachmat Miftahul , Muliastuti Liliana , Iskandar Ifan
Published: January 2022

Since Covid-19 Pandemic hit Indonesia and the teaching learning in the classroom cannot be obtains and make unpleased teaching learning process, researcher used a flipped classroom learning model for teaching students’ reading comprehension as the solution. This model includes active learning; student involvement and modern technology by using ICT. In a flipped classroom, the material given through videos and Power Point via WhatsApp group and students watched in their homes before the virtual class is obtained. The objective of this research is to know the effectiveness of flipped classroom learning model for increasing students’ reading comprehension. The researcher took the samples from fourth semester students in extensive reading course from the English education department of UIN Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten. After this experimental research process has been completed, this flipped classroom learning model increasing students' reading comprehension.
Platelet and Megakaryocyte Roles in Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Authors: Koupenova Milka , Livada Alison C. , Morrell Craig N.
Published: January 2022

Classically, platelets have been described as the cellular blood component that mediates hemostasis and thrombosis. This important platelet function has received significant research attention for >150 years. The immune cell functions of platelets are much less appreciated. Platelets interact with and activate cells of all branches of immunity in response to pathogen exposures and infection, as well as in response to sterile tissue injury. In this review, we focus on innate immune mechanisms of platelet activation, platelet interactions with innate immune cells, as well as the intersection of platelets and adaptive immunity. The immune potential of platelets is dependent in part on their megakaryocyte precursor providing them with the molecular composition to be first responders and immune sentinels in initiating and orchestrating coordinated pathogen immune responses. There is emerging evidence that extramedullary megakaryocytes may be immune differentiated compared with bone marrow megakaryocytes, but the physiological relevance of immunophenotypic differences are just beginning to be explored. These concepts are also discussed in this review. The immune functions of the megakaryocyte/platelet lineage have likely evolved to coordinate the need to repair a vascular breach with the simultaneous need to induce an immune response that may limit pathogen invasion once the blood is exposed to an external environment.
Characterization of Potassium-Induced Natriuresis in Hypertensive Postmenopausal Women During Both Low and High Sodium Intake
Authors: Preston Richard A. , Afshartous David , Caizapanta Evelyn V. , Materson Barry J. , Rodco Rolando , Alonso Eileen , Alonso Alberto B.
Published: January 2022

Background:

Potassium-induced natriuresis may contribute to the beneficial effects of potassium on blood pressure but has not been well-characterized in human postmenopausal hypertension. We determined the time course and magnitude of potassium-induced natriuresis and kaliuresis compared with hydrochlorothiazide in 19 hypertensive Hispanic postmenopausal women. We also determined the modulating effects of sodium intake, sodium-sensitivity, and activity of the thiazide-sensitive NCC (sodium-chloride cotransporter).

Methods:

Sixteen-day inpatient confinement: 8 days low sodium followed by 8 days high sodium intake. During both periods, we determined sodium and potassium excretion following 35 mmol oral KCl versus 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide. We determined sodium-sensitivity as change in 24-hour systolic pressure from low to high sodium. We determined NCC activity by standard thiazide-sensitivity test.

Results:

Steady-state sodium intake was the key determinant of potassium-induced natriuresis. During low sodium intake, sodium excretion was low and did not increase following 35 mmol KCl indicating continued sodium conservation. Conversely, during high sodium intake, sodium excretion increased sharply following 35 mmol KCl to ≈37% of that produced by hydrochlorothiazide. Under both low and high sodium intake, 35 mmol potassium was mostly excreted within 5 hours, accompanied by a sodium load reflecting the steady-state sodium intake, consistent with independent regulation of sodium/potassium excretion in the human distal nephron.

Conclusions:

Potassium-induced natriuresis was not greater in sodium-sensitive versus sodium-resistant hypertensives or hypertensives with higher versus lower basal NCC activity. We studied an acute KCl challenge. It remains to further characterize potassium-induced natriuresis during chronic potassium increase and when potassium is administered a complex potassium-containing meal.
‮نصوصٌ جديدة في صناعة الحبر والمداد‬‎
Authors: ‮عيد الرواضية‬‎ ‮المهدي‬‎
Published: January 2022

‮المستخلص‬‎

‮تعرض هذه المقالة لنصوص تُنشر لأول مرة عن صناعة الأحبار وطريقة تركيبها باستخدام المواد الأساسية المختلفة، إضافة لبعض الوصفات المتصلة بالكتابة على المخطوط ومحو الكتابة، مما ورد في مخطوطة كتاب «التذكرة» لقطب الدين النهروالي (ت ‭٩٩٠‬هـ/ ‭١٥٨٢‬م)، وهي نماذج جيدة تُضاف إلى ما وصلنا من تركيبات الحبر وصناعته. وتهدف هذه المقالة إلى إطلاع الباحثين على الوصفات التي أوردها النهروالي، والتعريف بها وبمضمونها ومدى أصالتها وقيمتها، ومحاولة الكشف عن مصدره الذي أخذ عنه، أم أنها من مجرباته الشخصية ومما تعاطى عمله بمعرفته الذاتية؟‬‎
Democratising Participatory Research
Authors: Martinez-Vargas Carmen
Published: January 2022

In this book Carmen Martinez-Vargas explores how academic participatory research and the way it is carried out can contribute to more, or less, social justice. Adopting theoretical and empirical approaches, and addressing multiple complex, intersectional issues, this book offers inspiration for scholars and practitioners to open up alternative pathways to social justice, viewed through a Global South lens.

Martinez-Vargas examines the colonial roots of research and emphasises the importance of problematising current practices and limitations in order to establish more just and democratic participatory research practices. Although practitioners have been challenging the Western roots of research and participatory research for decades, their goals can be compromised by pluralities and contradictions in the field. This book aims not to replicate past participatory research approaches, but to offer an innovative theoretical foundation—the Capabilities Approach—and an innovative participatory practice called ‘Democratic Capabilities Research’.

Democratising Participatory Research is not only timely and relevant in South Africa, but also in the Global North owing to the current crisis of values jeopardising the peaceful existence of diverse societies. The book gives essential recommendations for capabilities and human development scholars to reframe their perspectives and uses of the Capabilities Approach, as well as for participatory practitioners to critically reflect on their practices and their often limited conceptualisation of participation.
7. Broadening Our Participatory Evaluations
Authors: Martinez-Vargas Carmen
Published: January 2022

Chapter Seven explores the cases of two of the twelve co-researchers through the qualitative data collected in the case study. These two cases were selected due to the students’ different levels of enjoyment in their capabilities sets when they began the project.

This chapter highlights what a capabilities analysis of DCR adds to current evaluative spaces. Its analysis is people-centred. That is, the chapter presents students’ valuable capabilities to understand how a specific participatory research project influenced them in ways they had reason to value, in terms of what and who they want to be, and how they want to lead their lives (Sen, 1999). This chapter shows international researchers how to evaluate participatory projects/DCR projects through a decolonial capabilities lens. The chapter visualises the importance of understanding co-researchers’ lives, thereby encouraging practitioners from the Global North and South to explore these capabilities not only prior to undertaking participatory projects, but also after concluding them, in order to understand the impact they have had on the research team.
Consistency evaluation of lung adenocarcinoma tissue and circulating tumor cells related gene mutation detection based on multi-site immunomagnetic beads
Authors: Xue Keying , Luo Bingqing , Li Xiaoqing , Deng Weixian , Zeng Chunyan , Zuo Cuiyun
Published: January 2022

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility of genetic testing using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) instead of tumor tissues in lung adenocarcinoma to break through its limitation. Separation system for epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and Vimentin expressing CTCs was constructed and used to capture CTCs in the blood samples of 57 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Genetic mutations of genes involved in targeted therapies were detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in tissues from these patients. Blood CTC samples with the gene mutations identified by tissue-NGS were selected and corresponding gene mutations were detected by Sanger sequencing. The specificity of the CTC separation system was 95.48% and the sensitivity was 90.85%. The average number of CTCs in the blood of patients with lung adenocarcinoma was 12.47/7.5 mL. Comparison of the tissue-NGS with the CTC-Sanger sequencing showed that the consistencies of genetic mutations of EGFR ( n = 24), KRAS ( n = 9), TP53 ( n = 19), BRAF ( n = 1), ERBB2 ( n = 2), and PIK3CA ( n = 3) were 92.31%, 75.00%, 86.36%, 50.00%, 66.67%, and 75.00%, with an overall consistency of 84.06%. The CTC separation system established in this study shows high specificity and sensitivity. CTCs can be used as a suitable alternative to tumor tissues that are difficult to obtain in clinical practice and overcome the difficulties in tumor tissue collection, which is of significance in guiding clinical medication and individualized treatment with significant clinical application value in terms of genetic testing for targeted therapies in tumor treatment.
Agri-investment scholars of the world unite! The finance-driven land rush as boundary object
Authors: Ouma Stefan
Published: January 2022

This response addresses several of the issues raised by the commentaries on my book Farming as Financial Asset: Global Finance and the Making of Institutional Landscapes (2020). Reflecting upon the intentions and limitations of the book, it makes a call for treating agri-investments to which scholars contribute from different geographical, theoretical, and methodological angles. In detail, it engages with the question of how farmland investments relate to other ‘asset classes’ in terms of the practical (and political) problem of institutional investibility, the material and human dimensions of institutional landscapes, the ownership question, as well as the challenge to write a book that has a global historical outlook and offers situated accounts at the same time. It also engages with questions of comparativism, methodology, and the political implications of an opening-the-black box approach.
Incremental Shuttle Walk Test and Body Composition Measures: Useful Predictive Factors For Complications After Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Surgery?
Authors: Siddaiah-Subramanya Manjunath , Sinha Yashashwi , Kamarajah Sivesh K. , Ghoneim Abdulrahman , Halle-Smith James , Tan Benjamin HL
Published: January 2022

Background:

Oesophagogastric cancer resection carries a morbidity, as high as 60%. Better patient selection, not only with regards to clinical stage but also fitness, reduces morbidity, and improves outcome. Assessment of body composition measures in particular sarcopenia and the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) are 2 such tools to evaluate patients’ fitness. We investigate the usefulness of these 2 tools in predicting post-operative outcomes following oesophagogastric resection.

Methods:

All patients who underwent oesophagogastric cancer resection between 2017 and 2019 and consented to participate in ISWT were included in the study. Patient demographics, comorbidity profile and distance walked in ISWT were collected from an electronic database kept locally. Body composition measures were calculated using pre-operative staging CT scans. Outcomes assessed included overall complications, major complications (Clavien-Dindo III-V) and overall survival.

Results:

Sixty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-nine percent of the cohort were males and the median age was 67. The majority had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (85%) and the overall complication rate was 69% with a major complication rate of 34%. There was no difference in complication rates between groups of patients who managed an ISWT distance of >350 m and ≤350 m. Multi-variate analyses showed that total fat index ( P = .041), myosteatosis (OR: 3.89; 95% CI: 1.04-16.76; P = .039) and sarcopenic obesity ( P = .028) were independent predictors of overall complications. The presence of sarcopenic obesity was associated with poorer overall survival ( P = .047). There was no correlation between skeletal muscle index and ISWT.

Conclusion:

ISWT does not predict post-operative morbidity following oesophagogastric cancer resection. However, sarcopenic obesity was associated with both higher overall complication rates and decreased overall survival. The assessment of body composition using CT scans is a useful pre-operative assessment tool for prediction of outcomes in patients undergoing oesophagogastric cancer resection
Site splitting at M3 in allanite-(Ce)
Authors: Shen Can , Shu Zhengxiang , Gu Xiangping , Dick Jeffrey , Feng Yuzhou , Zheng Hui , Lu Anhuai
Published: January 2022

We report the crystal structure of allanite-(Ce), with composition (Ca1.0REE0.9□0.1)Σ2.0(Al1.46Fe3+0.52Fe2+0.76Mg0.12Ti0.15)Σ3.01Si3O12(OH) from the Xinfeng rare earth element (REE)-bearing granite in Guangdong Province, China. It has the unit cell a = 8.9550(4) Å, b = 5.77875(16) Å, c = 10.2053(4) Å, β = 114.929(5)° and Z = 2 in space group P21/m and is characterised by site splitting at M3 into M3a and M3b, at a distance of 0.38(3) Å, which are occupied partially by Fe0.764Mg0.12 and Ti0.15, respectively. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and refined with anisotropic full-matrix least-squares refinement on F2 to R1 = 2.82%, wR2 = 7.77% for 1856 independent reflections (8772 collected reflections). However, M3 splitting is not present in either ferriallanite-(Ce) or epidote, in which M3 is almost fully occupied either by Fe2+ or by Fe3+. Comparisons of bond lengths and volumes in cation polyhedra among allanite-(Ce), ferriallanite-(Ce) and epidote tend to indicate that the essential factor that facilitates site splitting of M3 in allanite-(Ce) is heterovalent substitution and occupation of a crystallographic site between Fe2+(Mg2+/Mn2+)–Al3+(Ti4+), a common phenomenon in minerals, such as the plagioclase series. Fine structure analysis of the M3 split model revealed that deformation of A2 is related closely to distorted M3, which is consistent with Fe2+ incorporation following REE substitution.