bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bevacizumab Treatment for Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lazurko Caitlin , Linder Revital , Pulman Kate , Lennox Genevieve , Feigenberg Tomer , Fazelzad Rouhi , May Taymaa , Zigras Tiffany
Published: September 2023

Serous epithelial ovarian cancer, classified as either high-grade (90%) or low-grade (10%), varies in molecular, histological, and clinicopathological presentation. Low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) is a rare histologic subtype that lacks disease-specific evidence-based treatment regimens. However, LGSOC is relatively chemo-resistant and has a poor response to traditional treatments. Alternative treatments, including biologic therapies such as bevacizumab, have shown some activity in LGSOC. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to determine the effect and safety of bevacizumab in the treatment of LGSOC. Following PRISMA guidelines, Medline ALL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase all from the OvidSP platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Registry were searched from inception to February 2022. Articles describing bevacizumab use in patients with LGSOC were included. Article screening, data extraction, and critical appraisal of included studies were completed by two independent reviewers. The effect of bevacizumab on the overall response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and adverse effects were summarized. The literature search identified 3064 articles, 6 of which were included in this study. A total of 153 patients were analyzed; the majority had stage IIIC cancer (56.2%). The overall median response rate reported in the studies was 47.5%. Overall, bevacizumab is a promising treatment for LGSOC, with response rates higher than traditional treatment modalities such as conventional chemotherapy, and is often overlooked as a treatment tool. A prospective clinical trial evaluating the use of bevacizumab in LGSOC is necessary to provide greater evidence and support these findings.
Blind Source Separation of Intermittent Frequency Hopping Sources over LOS and NLOS Channels
Authors: Ghosh Anushreya , Dong Annan , Haimovich Alexander , Simeone Osvaldo , Dabin Jason
Published: September 2023

This paper studies blind source separation (BSS) for frequency hopping (FH) sources. These radio frequency (RF) signals are observed by a uniform linear array (ULA) over (i) line-of-sight (LOS), (ii) single-cluster, and (iii) multiple-cluster Spatial Channel Model (SCM) settings. The sources are stationary, spatially sparse, and their activity is intermittent and assumed to follow a hidden Markov model (HMM). BSS is achieved by leveraging direction of arrival (DOA) information through an FH estimation stage, a DOA estimation stage, and a pairing stage with the latter associating FH patterns with physical sources via their estimated DOAs. Current methods in the literature do not perform the association of multiple frequency hops to the sources they are transmitted from. We bridge this gap by pairing the FH estimates with DOA estimates and labeling signals to their sources, irrespective of their hopped frequencies. A state filtering technique, referred to as hidden state filtering (HSF), is developed to refine DOA estimates for sources that follow a HMM. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of separating multiple intermittent FH sources.
Digital Education Colonized by Design: Curriculum Reimagined
Authors: Costa Cristina , Bhatia Priyanka , Murphy Mark , Pereira Ana Lúcia
Published: September 2023

This paper enlists Paulo Freire’s work to explore the interplay between technology and pedagogy from a decolonial approach, thus stressing the importance of adopting a critical stance to the facilitation of digital education experiences. It starts by denouncing digital education as entrapped in digital capitalism, contending how curricular practices are likely to be subjugated to technological function. Through such a conceptual lens, digital curriculum design is explored from a perspective of learning solidarity, aiming to disrupt the instrumentalization of education and creating educational experiences that cater for a humanizing process of education. The paper aims to contribute with ideas towards a framework of critical digital education, deeming the interactive and creative side of technologies as well as the socio-affective dimension of education crucial to the decolonization of different ways of (curricular) knowing.
An Improved CNN for Polarization Direction Measurement
Authors: Han Hao , Liu Jin , Wang Wei , Gao Chao , Shi Jianhua
Published: September 2023

Spatially polarization modulation has been proven to be an efficient and simple method for polarization measurement. Since the polarization information is encoded in the intensity distribution of the modulated light, the task of polarization measurement can be treated as the image processing problem, while the pattern of the light is captured by a camera. However, classical image processing methods could not meet the increasing demand of practical applications due to their poor computational efficiency. To address this issue, in this paper, an improved Convolutional Neural Network is proposed to extract the Stokes parameters of the light from the irradiance image. In our algorithm, residual blocks are adopted and different layers are connected to ensure that the underlying features include more details of the image. Furthermore, refined residual block and Global Average Pooling are introduced to avoid overfitting issues and gradient vanishing problems. Finally, our algorithm is tested on massive synthetic and real data, while the mean square error (MSE) between the extracted values and the true values of the normalized Stokes parameters is counted. Compared to VGG and FAM, the experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm has outstanding performance.
Prediction of Residual Electrical Life in Railway Relays Based on Convolutional Neural Network Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory
Authors: Liu Shuxin , Li Yankai , Gao Shuyu , Xing Chaojian , Li Jing , Cao Yundong
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we address several issues with existing methods for predicting the residual electrical life of railway relays. These issues include the difficulty of single feature prediction in characterizing the degradation process, the neglect of temporal and backward–forward correlations in the degradation process, and low prediction accuracy. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel approach that combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) to facilitate the life prediction of railway relays and provide an accurate data basis for the maintenance of railway relays. Firstly, we collected voltage and current signals from railway relay electrical life tests and extracted feature parameters that captured the relay’s operating state. Next, we applied Spearman correlation coefficient analysis combined with random forest importance analysis to perform double-feature selection. This process eliminates redundant feature parameters and identifies the optimal feature subset. Finally, we constructed a convolutional neural network bidirectional long short-term memory (CNN BiLSTM) prediction model to accurately predict the remaining electrical life of the railway relay. Through our analysis of the prediction results, we observed that the CNN BiLSTM model achieves an effective prediction accuracy of 96.3%. This accuracy is significantly higher, more stable, and more practical compared to other prediction models such as recurrent neural networks (RNNs), long short-term memory (LSTM), and BiLSTM models. Overall, our proposed CNN BiLSTM model offers higher accuracy, better stability, and greater practicality in predicting the remaining electrical life of railway relays.
Importance of Business Process Quality for Creating Added Value and Raising Reputation of Companies in Low-Carbon Economy
Authors: Straková Jarmila , Kostiuk Yaroslava
Published: September 2023

In an era of increasing environmental challenges, the transition to a low-carbon economy is an essential step for the manufacturing and industrial sectors. The quality of business processes plays a key role in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. The objective of the paper was, thus, to analyze the break-even point in core and supporting business processes using the proposed linear model based on regression analysis. The aim was to identify the impact of qualitative processes in the pre-production, production, and post-production phases on reaching the break-even point and how these processes affect profits in engineering companies operating in low-carbon sectors. The results suggest that supporting quality processes would generate the highest profit. Investing in improving the quality of core and supporting business processes has a twofold impact, as it improves the bottom line of enterprises through enhancing their reputation as socially responsible businesses. Corporate reputation based on corporate social responsibility in a low-carbon economy represents a valuable intangible asset that helps industrial companies to develop a sustainable and thriving low-carbon business ecosystem.
Influence of Ethanol Blended Diesel Enriched with Hydroxy Gas in Dual-Fuel Mode on Common Rail Direct Injection Engine
Authors: Sekar Dhileepan , Ilangovan Devi , Taipabu Muhammad Ikhsan , Viswanathan Karthickeyan , Wu Wei
Published: September 2023

This study investigated the impact of dual-fuel operation using ethanol-blended diesel fuel enriched with hydroxy gas on CRDI engine performance, combustion, and emission characteristics. Neat diesel fuel was used to run the engine, along with a 20% volume fraction of an ethanol-diesel mixture that had been enhanced with three distinct streams of hydroxy gas, namely 1, 1.5, and 2 LPM. Hydroxy gas was generated by an electrolysis technique using a plate-type dry cell electrolyser (316 L stainless steel) in the presence of a NaOH catalyst. Compared to E20 (Ethanol 20%) fuel, HHO gas enrichment with lower proportions of ethanol blend E20 + 2LPM had a 2.74% increase of BTE and a 5.89% decrease of BSEC at a 5.02 bar BMEP condition. Similarly, HC, CO, and smoke emissions decreased by 4.61%, 5.19%, and 3.1%, while NOx emissions and EGT increased by 3.22% and 3.06% compared to E20. With the addition of HHO gas, combustion characteristics such as HRR, CP, and ignition delay improve while the combustion duration increases. At maximum BMEP, cylinder pressure and heat release rate increase by 3.18% and 6.58% for E20 + 2LPM HHO, respectively. It was found that the 20% volume of the ethanol-diesel blend, with 2 LPM of hydroxy gas, positively affects engine characteristics.
Cross-Cutting CFD Support for Efficient Design of a Molten Salt Electric Heater for Flexible Concentrating Solar Power Plants
Authors: Drosatos Panagiotis , Itskos Grigorios , Nikolopoulos Nikolaos
Published: September 2023

This study focuses on the optimization of an electric heater design for molten salt pre-heating in a supercritical CO2–molten-salt loop. The scope of the investigation is to analyze typical designs of similar components for identifying possible malfunctions and defining proper modifications in the geometry and operating conditions to address such technical issues and optimize the attained thermal efficiency. By performing computational fluid dynamics simulations for reference designs of such components, two particularities pertinent to the temperature distribution are identified as the most likely ones: the development of hot spots and thermal stratification. As a further step, new designs and operating conditions are proposed and their effects on eliminating the hot spots and stratification development phenomena are evaluated. It is shown that the homogeneous distribution of heat flux density across the heating elements is the most favorable option for avoiding the development of hot spots, while the mitigation of thermal stratification is possible through the development of turbulent flow. The proposed design and operating conditions are expected to facilitate the optimization of molten-salt electric heater operation and promote the development of next-generation molten-salt–supercritical-CO2 concentrating solar power plants.
Economic Analysis of a Photovoltaic Hydrogen Refueling Station Based on Hydrogen Load
Authors: Song Lifei , Gao Weijun , Zhang Liting , Li Qifen , Ren Hongbo
Published: September 2023

With the goal of achieving “carbon peak in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060”, as clearly proposed by China, the transportation sector will face long–term pressure on carbon emissions, and the application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will usher in a rapid growth period. However, true “zero carbon” emissions cannot be separated from “green hydrogen”. Therefore, it is of practical significance to explore the feasibility of renewable energy hydrogen production in the context of hydrogen refueling stations, especially photovoltaic hydrogen production, which is applied to hydrogen refueling stations (hereinafter referred to “photovoltaic hydrogen refueling stations”). This paper takes a hydrogen refueling station in Shanghai with a supply capacity of 500 kg/day as the research object. Based on a characteristic analysis of the hydrogen demand of the hydrogen refueling station throughout the day, this paper studies and analyzes the system configuration, operation strategy, environmental effects, and economics of the photovoltaic hydrogen refueling station. It is estimated that when the hydrogen price is no less than 6.23 USD, the photovoltaic hydrogen refueling station has good economic benefits. Additionally, compared with the conventional hydrogen refueling station, it can reduce carbon emissions by approximately 1237.28 tons per year, with good environmental benefits.
Investigation of the Electrochemical and Thermal Characteristics of NCM811-21700 Cylindrical Lithium-Ion Battery: A Numerical Study and Model Validation
Authors: Liu Jie , Chavan Santosh , Kim Sung-Chul
Published: September 2023

Recently, there has been growing recognition of the significance of energy and environmental challenges. Utilization of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles has shown considerable potential and benefits for tackling these issues. The effective management of battery temperature has become a crucial factor in the advancement and widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. In this study, a thermo-coupled pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) electrochemical model is employed to simulate the heat generation of the NCM811-21700 cylindrical battery cell at various discharge rates at an ambient temperature of 25 °C, and is validated by experimental data. The validation results demonstrate that the thermo-coupled P2D model can effectively predict the battery voltage curve during the discharge process with less than 4% errors. Although there is a slightly larger error in the temperature prediction during the battery 2C and 3C discharge processes, the maximum error approaches 10%, which is still generally within an acceptable range. In addition, the battery’s electrochemical and thermal characteristics during discharge are presented. The suggested thermo-coupled electrochemical model can be used for applications in the thermal management system of the NCM811-21700 battery.
Syntaxonomy of Charophyte Algal Communities in the Northeastern Part of the Black Sea (Russia)
Authors: Afanasyev Dmitry F. , Berezenko Natalia S. , Barinova Sophia , Abdullin Shamil R.
Published: September 2023

Within the northeastern part of the Black Sea, the vegetation of charophytes was studied using the Braun-Blanquet approach. For the first time, five communities are described, including three associations and two subassociations from the alliance Charion canescentis Krausch 1964, the order Charetalia intermediae Sauer 1937, and the class Charetea intermediae F. Fukarek 1961. Diagnoses of the described syntaxa are given. A comparison with the Baltic and Mediterranean communities of charophytes is made. It is shown that all northeastern Black Sea communities with the dominance of charophytes, in contrast to Western European ones, include Lamprothamnium papulosum with high constancy. At the same time, the investigated communities are characterized by a lower occurrence and abundance of higher aquatic plants (except for Nanozostera noltei) and a slightly higher occurrence of red and green algae. An indirect ordination analysis showed the ecological isolation of the described phytocenoses and revealed two main factors influencing the floristic composition of communities—the granulometric composition of bottom sediments and water eutrophication.
Sampling Estimation and Optimization of Typical Forest Biomass Based on Sequential Gaussian Conditional Simulation
Authors: Luo Shaolong , Xu Li , Yu Jinge , Zhou Wenwu , Yang Zhengdao , Wang Shuwei , Guo Chaosheng , Gao Yingqun , Xiao Jinnan , Shu Qingtai
Published: September 2023

The traditional classical sampling statistics method ignores the spatial location relationship of survey samples, which leads to many problems. This study aimed to propose a spatial sampling method for sampling estimation and optimization of forest biomass, achieving a more efficient and effective monitoring system. In this paper, we used Sequential Gaussian Conditional Simulation (SGCS) to obtain the biomass of four typical forest types in Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, China. In addition, we adopted a geostatistical sampling method for sample point layout and optimization to achieve the purpose of improving sampling efficiency and accuracy, and compared with the traditional sampling method. The main results showed that (1) the Gaussian model, exponential model, and spherical model were used to analyze the variogram of the four typical forests biomass, among which the exponential model had the best fitting effect (R2 = 0.571, RSS = 0.019). The range of the exponential model was 8700 m, and the nugget coefficient (C0/(C0 + C)) was 11.67%, which showed that the exponential model could be used to analyze the variogram of forest biomass. (2) The coefficient of variation (CV) based on 323 biomass field plots was 0.706, and the CV based on SGCS was 0.366. In addition, the Overall Estimate Consistency (OEC) of the simulation result was 0.871, which can be used for comparative analysis of traditional and spatial sampling. (3) Based on the result of SGCS, with 95% reliability, the sample size of traditional equidistant sampling (ES) was 191, and the sampling accuracy was 95.16%. But, the spatial sampling method based on the variation scale needed 92 samples, and the sampling accuracy was 93.12%. On the premise of satisfying sampling accuracy, spatial sampling efficiency was better than traditional ES. (4) The accuracy of stratified sampling (SS) of four typical forest areas based on 191 samples was 97.46%. However, the sampling accuracy of the biomass variance stratified space based on the SGCS was 93.89%, and the sample size was 52. Under the premise of satisfying the sampling accuracy, the sampling efficiency was obviously better than the traditional SS. Therefore, we can obtain the conclusion that the spatial sampling method is superior to the traditional sampling method, as it can reduce sampling costs and solve the problem of sample redundancy in traditional sampling, improving the sampling efficiency and accuracy, which can be used for sampling estimation of forest biomass.
Spatiotemporal Trends of Forest Carbon Stock and Its Response to Environmental Factors in the Yangtze River Basin during 2005–2020
Authors: Cao Jiaxi , Chen Ye , Hu Yue , Zhang Jian , Chen Yiming , Yang Bo , Wu Shuhong
Published: September 2023

It is of great significance to accurately assess the carbon sink capacity and trend of forest ecosystems on a regional scale, which is a key step to realizing sustainable forest management and carbon sink. Based on several remote sensing datasets, this study analyzes the dynamic characteristics of forest carbon stock in the Yangtze River Basin and its response to environmental factors using the Mann–Kendall nonparametric test, correlation analysis, and BP neural network during 2005–2020. The results show that forest carbon stock in the Yangtze River Basin shows a fluctuating upward trend, with an average annual growth rate of 0.91%. Forest carbon stock in western high-altitude areas and areas with high human activity in the east showed a downward trend, while the central plains showed a stable growth trend. In the vast plains of the Yangtze River Basin, a suitable drought degree (−0.5 < SPEI < 0.5) is helpful to the accumulation of forest carbon reserves. In the future, rich forest resources should be fully developed to promote synergy between environmental protection and economic development from the perspective of developing green carbon trading, such as the carbon-sink forestry projects of CCER.
Application of ChatGPT-Based Digital Human in Animation Creation
Authors: Lan Chong , Wang Yongsheng , Wang Chengze , Song Shirong , Gong Zheng
Published: September 2023

Traditional 3D animation creation involves a process of motion acquisition, dubbing, and mouth movement data binding for each character. To streamline animation creation, we propose combining artificial intelligence (AI) with a motion capture system. This integration aims to reduce the time, workload, and cost associated with animation creation. By utilizing AI and natural language processing, the characters can engage in independent learning, generating their own responses and interactions, thus moving away from the traditional method of creating digital characters with pre-defined behaviors. In this paper, we present an approach that employs a digital person’s animation environment. We utilized Unity plug-ins to drive the character’s mouth Blendshape, synchronize the character’s voice and mouth movements in Unity, and connect the digital person to an AI system. This integration enables AI-driven language interactions within animation production. Through experimentation, we evaluated the correctness of the natural language interaction of the digital human in the animated scene, the real-time synchronization of mouth movements, the potential for singularity in guiding users during digital human animation creation, and its ability to guide user interactions through its own thought process.
Haemorrhagic Artefacts Produced by Ant Activity on Human Cadavers in the Early Post-Mortem Period
Authors: Kumar Yogesh , Guareschi Edda E. , Bharti Himender , Magni Paola A.
Published: September 2023

Forensic entomology is primarily focused on using carrion blow flies and beetles (Diptera and Coleoptera) to estimate the time since death. However, insect artefacts, such as footprints, defecations, regurgitations, and splatters are also considered within the disciplines of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA), and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have been studied in forensic pathology for their potential to alter bodies. Although ant activity has been mostly reported as “dry marks” (abrasions) on decomposing bodies, their colonisation of congested or hypostatic anatomical regions can produce alterations that mimic active or recent haemorrhages. Therefore, if a body exhibits external haemorrhage/s without any apparent origin, artefacts caused by insects, such as ants, should be considered. This study describes ten cases of post-mortem ant activity observed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India), and analyses the resulting external haemorrhagic artefacts, which exhibit different patterns of morphology, distribution, and location. The study proposes a classification system to aid in identifying bloodstain patterns caused by ant activity, assisting in determining the mechanism/s of the lesions, the original position of the body, and any subsequent interactions with the surrounding environment. Ultimately, this classification can improve the accuracy of reconstructing the events that occurred during the early post-mortem period, as well as the circumstances surrounding death.
Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Endoscopy Practitioner Risk Factors, Ergonomic Challenges and Prevention—Narrative Review and Perspectives
Authors: Durič Tadej , Cibulková Ivana , Hajer Jan
Published: September 2023

GI endoscopy forms an important part in the daily practice of a gastroenterologist. Musculoskeletal injuries related to GI endoscopy are on the rise. Observational studies and surveys depict the importance of a proper ergonomic environment when performing GI endoscopy. Our aim is to describe the pathophysiology, risk factors and possible preventive measures to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries during gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. We review the most relevant studies that outline the gravity of the problem. A detailed analysis of proposed ergonomic recommendations is performed, outlining crucial steps in injury prevention. Proper ergonomic education is a key step in preventing occupational injury. Robotics and other mechanical solutions offer a variety of approaches to tackling the ergonomic challenge. Implementing proper ergonomic education and mechanical solutions lowers the possibility of occupational injury. The strategies and appliances presented are beneficial to all GI endoscopy practitioners.
Editorial for the Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Special Issue
Authors: Madrigal Irene
Published: September 2023

Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of neurological disorders that may give rise to delayed or impaired cognition, communication, adaptive behavior, and psychomotor skills [...]
Clonal Selection of Autochthonous Grape Varieties in Badacsony, Hungary
Authors: Farkas Eszter Alexandra , Jahnke Gizella , Szőke Barna , Deák Tamás , Oláh Róbert , Oláh Krisztina , Knolmajerné Szigeti Gyöngyi , Németh Csaba , Nyitrainé Sárdy Diána Ágnes
Published: September 2023

As the sensitivity of perennial crops to climate change becomes more pronounced, clonal selection, which is already very time-consuming for grapevine, may take even longer, while its importance is increasing. In the case of indigenous grapevine varieties, the purpose of clonal selection is twofold: to mitigate problems of cultivation and at the same time, to preserve the varietal character. The cultivation technique issue of ‘Kéknyelű’ is the low fertility (functionally female-flowered variety), and as for ‘Juhfark’ it is the significant susceptibility to grey rot. Based on daily meteorological data of 11 years, the years were classified into 3 groups and harvest data were analyzed within each group. Significant difference in yield was found between clone B.2. and the base ‘Kéknyelű’. Both clones of ‘Kéknyelű’ matured with significantly lower pH compared to the base variety. Given the acidic character of ‘Kéknyelű’ wine and the predicted rise in must °Brix and pH as a result of climate change, these differences may be useful in the future. Botrytis infection only showed statistically significant differences between year groups for ‘Juhfark’. It is intriguing that in most years, the rate of grey rot infection was lower in both clones compared to the base variety, especially in year groups 1 and 3 when the overall rate of Botrytis infection was quite low.
Influence of Artificial Shading and SiO2 on Agastache mexicana subsp. mexicana’s Ability to Survive under Water Stress
Authors: Reséndiz-Muñoz Juan , Cruz-Lagunas Blas , Fernández-Muñoz José Luis , de Jesús Adame-Zambrano Tania , Delgado-Núñez Edgar Jesús , Zagaceta-Álvarez María Teresa , Aguilar-Cruz Karen Alicia , Urbieta-Parrazales Romeo , Miranda-Viramontes Isaias , Morales-Barrera Judith , Sevilla-García Rufina , Gruintal-Santos Miguel Angel
Published: September 2023

Medicinal plants are crucial for developing new medicines; the Agastache mexicana subspecies mexicana (Amm) or “toronjil morado” is considered an at-risk plant because of its inability to grow outside of its natural habitat. This research aims to measure the response of Amm to achieve survival with low nutrient levels and water stress, supported by different dioxide silicon (SiO2) (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8%) and artificial shading (AS) levels (38, 87, and 94%). Applying AS and SiO2 supported gradual tolerance to the effects of both waterlogging and drought stresses. The survival values were statistically significant in the interaction and simple analysis of SiO2 and AS, where p = 0.0001. The highest survival percentage (SP) value was SP = 91.3% for treatment number six (τ6), where AS = 94% and SiO2 = 0.2%. Additionally, the index of survival efficiency under water stress (SIef) was calculated, with the highest value being SIef = 0.062 for the hypothetical interaction of AS = 94% and SiO2 = 0.4. Research has shown that applying both SiO2 and a high level of AS can guarantee the survival of Amm under water stress.
Plant Regeneration via Somatic Embryogenesis and Indirect Organogenesis in Blue Honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.)
Authors: Liu Yu , Zhan Ying , Fu Qiang , Li Songlin , Sun Xinyu , Wang Yaru , Yu Min , Qin Dong , Huo Junwei , Zhu Chenqiao
Published: September 2023

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.), which belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family, is an emerging fruit crop worldwide. For the development of a transgenic system and multipurpose tissue culture, this study for the first time established an in vitro regeneration system via somatic embryogenesis, as well as improving the previously established indirect organogenesis-based regeneration system. For embryogenesis, Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) showed the highest induction rate of the embryogenic callus (97.6%), and MS supplemented with 0.1 mg/L 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), 0.1 mg/L α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and 0.5 g/L activated carbon (AC) achieved the highest somatic embryo rate (28.3%). For indirect organogenesis, MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.1 mg/L NAA resulted in the highest non-embryogenic callus induction rate (98.9%) and adventitious shoot induction rate (51.6%). For adventitious root induction, MS supplemented with 1.0 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) achieved the highest root induction rate (96.0%) and average root length (4.6 cm), whereas MS supplemented with 0.5 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) resulted in the highest average regenerated root number (8.8). The total time for the regeneration from explants to soil-planted seedlings (10 euphylla) was 105 and 150 days with an efficiency of 44.1% and 23.9% through organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis, respectively. This study provides a powerful tool for rapid propagation, proliferation, and transformation, as well as laying a technological foundation for gene function research and genetic improvement of blue honeysuckle.
An Unusual Case of a Double Tricuspid and Mitral Valves Infective Endocarditis Complicated by Multiple Septic Embolisms Secondary to an Atrial Septal Defect: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Monari Caterina , Molinari Daniele , Cornelli Alessandro , Alessio Loredana , Coppolino Francesco , Barbareschi Consiglia , De Pascalis Stefania , Torella Michele , Cimmino Giovanni , De Feo Marisa , Coppola Nicola , Formisano Tiziana
Published: September 2023

Multivalvular endocarditis (MVE) is an uncommon infection that mostly involves mitral and aortic valves, and it is related to a higher risk of congestive heart failure and a higher mortality. We described a case of a bilateral MVE and performed a review of the literature on similar clinical cases. We reported an unusual case of a 68-year-old male patient with a tricuspid and mitral infective endocarditis due to a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus complicated by multiple right- and left-sided septic embolization (lungs, brain, spleen, L2–L3 vertebral bones) due to an unknown atrial septal defect identified and repaired during cardiac surgery. Despite the severity of the clinical case, the patient experienced a good clinical outcome also thanks to a multidisciplinary approach. We identified 21 case reports describing bilateral MVE. A multidisciplinary approach is essential in the management of valve diseases to improve the prognosis of patients, especially in bilateral MVE.
Spatial Variation in COVID-19 Mortality in New York City and Its Association with Neighborhood Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity Status
Authors: Friedman Samantha , Insaf Tabassum Z. , Adeyeye Temilayo , Lee Jin-Wook
Published: September 2023

We examined the association between variation in COVID-19 deaths and spatial differences in the racial, ethnic, and nativity-status composition of New York City neighborhoods, which has received little scholarly attention. Using COVID-19 mortality data (through 31 May 2021) and socioeconomic and demographic data from the American Community Survey at the Zip Code Tabulation Area level as well as United-Hospital-Fund-level neighborhood data from the Community Health Survey of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, we employed multivariable Poisson generalized estimating equation models and assessed the association between COVID-19 mortality, racial/ethnic/nativity-status composition, and other ecological factors. Our results showed an association between neighborhood-level racial and ethnic composition and COVID-19 mortality rates that is contingent upon the neighborhood-level nativity-status composition. After multivariable adjustment, ZCTAs with large shares of native-born Blacks and foreign-born Hispanics and Asians were more likely to have higher COVID-19 mortality rates than areas with large shares of native-born Whites. Areas with more older adults and essential workers, higher levels of household crowding, and population with diabetes were also at high risk. Small-area analyses of COVID-19 mortality can inform health policy responses to neighborhood inequalities on the basis of race, ethnicity, and immigration status.
Epigenetics of Trauma Transmission and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: What Does the Evidence Support?
Authors: Orton Sarah M. , Millis Kimberly , Choate Peter
Published: September 2023

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) results from teratogenic impacts of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Trauma and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can both cause neurodevelopmental impairment, and it has been proposed that FASD can amplify effects of trauma. Certain PAE and trauma effects are mediated via epigenetic mechanisms. The objective of this review is to present the current evidence for epigenetics in trauma transmission as it relates to FASD, to help bridge a potential knowledge gap for social workers and related health professionals. We include a primer on epigenetic mechanisms and inheritance, followed by a summary of the current biomedical evidence supporting intergenerational and transgenerational epigenetic transmission of trauma, its relevance to FASD, the intersection with social transmission, and finally the application to social work. We propose potential models of transmission, considering where social and epigenetic pathways may intersect and/or compound across generations. Overall, we aim to provide a better understanding of epigenetic-trauma transmission for its application to health professions, in particular which beliefs are (and are not) evidence-based. We discuss the lack of research and challenges of studying epigenetic transmission in humans and identify the need for public health interventions and best practices that are based on the current evidence.
The Role of Social Media in Building Pandemic Resilience in an Urban Community: A Qualitative Case Study
Authors: George Joel Oommen , Elayan Suzanne , Sykora Martin , Solter Marin , Feick Rob , Hewitt Christopher , Liu Yiqiao , Shankardass Ketan
Published: September 2023

This paper explores the influence of social media in fostering resilience within an urban spatial context, specifically in Bangalore, India, during the COVID-19 lockdown, a period marked by a surge in digital communication due to movement restrictions. To control the rapid spread of the virus, over 1.38 billion people were given stay-at-home orders by the government of India during the onset of the pandemic. The restrictions in movement forced individuals to shift to online modes of connection and communication. As the field of digital epidemiology, that is, the use of digital tools and data to understand and improve health took center stage during the pandemic, the focus shifted towards the social media landscape, which is often associated with its negative aspects, such as misinformation. However, this paper delves into social media’s potential to build resilience on a local scale, particularly given its increased usage during the pandemic. Through in-depth online interviews with eight urban residents, we conducted a thematic analysis to understand social media’s role during the lockdown. Results indicate that social media facilitated effective information exchange and fostered a sense of community. Furthermore, it engendered an environment conducive to prosocial behavior, a known resilience amplifier. We also highlight the importance of baseline context regarding the users directly engaged in social media data generation with respect to digital epidemiology analytics tools for large-scale social media data and the need for qualitative input feeding into their design. Our study highlights the need for a balanced perspective on social media use in times of crisis, recognizing its potential to boost community resilience in an urban setting, and further enriching digital epidemiology approaches.
Green Social Prescribing in Practice: A Case Study of Walsall, UK
Authors: Sun Qian , Loveday Mary , Nwe Saw , Morris Nike , Boxall Emily
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a case study of Green Social Prescribing (GSP) in Walsall, a medium-sized urban area located in the West Midlands, UK. GSP is a means of enabling health professionals to refer people to a range of local non-clinical nature-based activities, e.g., community gardening and conservation volunteering. As a new practice to address multiple challenges in health and sustainability, GSP has been promoted by the UK government and the NHS in the past few years. There is as yet limited evidence and knowledge about how this approach is implemented at a local level. This paper addresses this gap of knowledge, by exploring how GSP is implemented in Walsall as a case study. Based on extensive engagement and research activities with the local partners to collect data, this paper reveals the local contexts of GSP, the referral pathways, and people’s lived experience, discussing the challenges, barriers, and opportunities in delivering GSP at the local level. This study suggests that a more collaborative and genuine place-based approach is essential, and alongside GSP, investment into infrastructure is needed to move the health paradigm further from ‘prevention’ to ‘promotion’ so that more people can benefit from what nature can offer.
β-Catenin and SOX2 Interaction Regulate Visual Experience-Dependent Cell Homeostasis in the Developing Xenopus Thalamus
Authors: Gao Juanmei , Lu Yufang , Luo Yuhao , Duan Xinyi , Chen Peiyao , Zhang Xinyu , Wu Xiaohua , Qiu Mengsheng , Shen Wanhua
Published: September 2023

In the vertebrate brain, sensory experience plays a crucial role in shaping thalamocortical connections for visual processing. However, it is still not clear how visual experience influences tissue homeostasis and neurogenesis in the developing thalamus. Here, we reported that the majority of SOX2-positive cells in the thalamus are differentiated neurons that receive visual inputs as early as stage 47 Xenopus. Visual deprivation (VD) for 2 days shifts the neurogenic balance toward proliferation at the expense of differentiation, which is accompanied by a reduction in nuclear-accumulated β-catenin in SOX2-positive neurons. The knockdown of β-catenin decreases the expression of SOX2 and increases the number of progenitor cells. Coimmunoprecipitation studies reveal the evolutionary conservation of strong interactions between β-catenin and SOX2. These findings indicate that β-catenin interacts with SOX2 to maintain homeostatic neurogenesis during thalamus development.
Interaction of Blenoxane and Congeners Bleomycins A2 and B2 with Human Plasma Proteins Using Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy
Authors: Longo Edoardo , Siligardi Giuliano , Hussain Rohanah
Published: September 2023

Bleomycin is a glycopeptide congeners’ family of antitumor antibiotics employed for the treatment of several types of tumors such as squamous cell carcinomas and malignant lymphomas. The general chemical structure is constituted by three main portions: (i) a metal binding domain that is recognized to be responsible for the DNA cleavage activity; (ii) a DNA binding domain via the 1-4’ bithiazole moiety; and (iii) a carbohydrate domain thought to be responsible for the accumulation of bleomycin in some cancer cells. To date, a limited number of protein interactions with bleomycin have been studied, but the plasma binding has not yet been determined. Here, we explore this aspect of the protein binding capacity of bleomycin to the two most abundant plasma proteins, human serum albumin (HSA) and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), which are known to bind and to be carriers of many drug molecules using spectroscopic techniques, such as circular dichroism, UV-vis absorbance, and fluorescence. The results showed that bleomycin binds to plasma proteins with an order-of-magnitude higher affinity for AGP than HSA. This is particularly important as AGP is an acute phase protein and is overexpressed in cancer patients. This should be taken into consideration as it could affect the therapeutic effect of the bleomycin dosage.
Effect of Targeted Cytokine Inhibition on Progression of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis Following Intra-Articular Fracture
Authors: Valerio Michael S. , Edwards Jorge B. , Dolan Connor P. , Motherwell Jessica M. , Potter Benjamin K. , Dearth Christopher L. , Goldman Stephen M.
Published: September 2023

Intra-articular fractures (IAF) result in significant and prolonged inflammation, increasing the chances of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Interleukin-one beta (IL-1β) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) are key inflammatory factors shown to be involved in osteochondral degradation following IAF. As such, use of targeted biologics such as Infliximab (INX), a TNF-α inhibitor, and Anakinra (ANR), an interleukin-one (IL-1) receptor antagonist (IL1RA), may protect against PTOA by damping the inflammatory response to IAF and reducing osteochondral degradation. To test this hypothesis, IAFs were induced in the hindlimb knee joints of rats treated with INX at 10 mg/kg/day, ANR at 100 g/kg/day, or saline (vehicle control) by subcutaneous infusion for a period of two weeks and healing was evaluated at 8-weeks post injury. Serum and synovial fluid (SF) were analyzed for soluble factors. In-vivo microcomputed tomography (µCT) scans assessed bone mineral density and bone morphometry measurements. Cationic CA4+ agent assessed articular cartilage composition via ex vivo µCT. Scoring according to the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) guidelines was performed on stained histologic tibia sections at the 56-day endpoint on a 0–6 scale. Systemically, ANR reduced many pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced osteochondral degradation markers Cross Linked C-Telopeptide Of Type II (CTXII, p < 0.05) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP, p < 0.05). ANR treatment resulted in increased chemokines; macrophage-chemotractant protein-1 (MCP-1), MPC-3, macrophage inhibitory protein 2 (MIP2) with a concomitant decrease in proinflammatory interleukin-17A (IL17A) at 14 days post-injury within the SF. Microcomputed tomography (µCT) at 56 days post-injury revealed ANR Treatment decreased epiphyseal degree of anisotropy (DA) (p < 0.05) relative to saline. No differences were found with OARSI scoring but contrast-enhanced µCT revealed a reduction in glycosaminoglycan content with ANR treatment. These findings suggest targeted cytokine inhibition, specifically IL-1 signaling, as a monotherapy has minimal utility for improving IAF healing outcomes but may have utility for promoting a more permissive inflammatory environment that would allow more potent disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs to mitigate the progression of PTOA after IAF.
Effect of Repeated Bolus and Continuous Glucose Infusion on DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Healthy Male Volunteers
Authors: Bragagna Laura , Polak Christina , Schütz Lisa , Maqboul Lina , Klammer Carmen , Feldbauer Roland , Draxler Agnes , Clodi Martin , Wagner Karl-Heinz
Published: September 2023

Glucose variability (GV), which describes fluctuations in blood glucose levels within the day, is a phenomenon that is increasingly becoming the target of scientific attention when it comes to increased risk of coronary heart disease. Effects of GV may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemia can lead to oxidative stress resulting in molecular damage due to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To discover more about the immediate effects of GV, continuous vs. bolus intravenous glucose administration was applied to 10 healthy men aged 21–30 years over a time frame of 48 h. Whole blood and plasma were analyzed for DNA damage using a comet assay with 3 different treatments (lysis buffer, H2O2, and the lesion-specific enzyme formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG)) as well as for the oxidative stress markers protein carbonyls (PC), unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). A significant time effect was found in the three DNA damage treatments as well as in PC and UCB possibly due to circadian changes on oxidative stress, but no intervention group effect was observed for any of the markers. In conclusion, bolus vs. continuous glucose administration had no significant acute effect on DNA damage and markers of oxidative stress in healthy men.
Various LncRNA Mechanisms in Gene Regulation Involving miRNAs or RNA-Binding Proteins in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Main Signaling Pathways and Networks
Authors: Braga Eleonora A. , Fridman Marina V. , Burdennyy Alexey M. , Loginov Vitaly I. , Dmitriev Alexey A. , Pronina Irina V. , Morozov Sergey G.
Published: September 2023

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial players in the pathogenesis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A competing binding of lncRNAs and mRNAs with microRNAs (miRNAs) is one of the most common mechanisms of gene regulation by lncRNAs in NSCLC, which has been extensively researched in the last two decades. However, alternative mechanisms that do not depend on miRNAs have also been reported. Among them, the most intriguing mechanism is mediated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) such as IGF2BP1/2/3, YTHDF1, HuR, and FBL, which increase the stability of target mRNAs. IGF2BP2 and YTHDF1 may also be involved in m6A modification of lncRNAs or target mRNAs. Some lncRNAs, such as DLGAP1-AS2, MALAT1, MNX1-AS1, and SNHG12, are involved in several mechanisms depending on the target: lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA interactome and through RBP. The target protein sets selected here were then analyzed using the DAVID database to identify the pathways overrepresented by KEGG, Wikipathways, and the Reactome pathway. Using the STRING website, we assessed interactions between the target proteins and built networks. Our analysis revealed that the JAK-STAT and Hippo signaling pathways, cytokine pathways, the VEGFA-VEGFR2 pathway, mechanisms of cell cycle regulation, and neovascularization are the most relevant to the effect of lncRNA on NSCLC.