bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Loss of the Kidney Urate Transporter, Urat1, Leads to Disrupted Redox Homeostasis in Mice
Authors: Jamshidi Neema , Nigam Kabir B. , Nigam Sanjay K.
Published: March 2023

High uric acid is associated with gout, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. URAT1 (SLC22A12), originally discovered in mice as Rst, is generally considered a very selective uric acid transporter compared to other closely-related kidney uric acid transporters such as OAT1 (SLC22A6, NKT) and OAT3 (SLC22A8). While the role of URAT1 in regulating human uric acid is well-established, in recent studies the gene has been linked to redox regulation in flies as well as progression of renal cell carcinoma. We have now identified over twenty metabolites in the Urat1 knockout that are generally distinct from metabolites accumulating in the Oat1 and Oat3 knockout mice, with distinct molecular properties as revealed by chemoinformatics and machine learning analysis. These metabolites are involved in seemingly disparate aspects of cellular metabolism, including pyrimidine, fatty acid, and amino acid metabolism. However, through integrative systems metabolic analysis of the transcriptomic and metabolomic data using a human metabolic reconstruction to build metabolic genome-scale models (GEMs), the cellular response to loss of Urat1/Rst revealed compensatory processes related to reactive oxygen species handling and maintaining redox state balances via Vitamin C metabolism and cofactor charging reactions. These observations are consistent with the increasingly appreciated role of the antioxidant properties of uric acid. Collectively, the results highlight the role of Urat1/Rst as a transporter strongly tied to maintaining redox homeostasis, with implications for metabolic side effects from drugs that block its function.
Spatial Distribution and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Citrus Fruits
Authors: García-Nicolás María , Ledesma-Escobar Carlos A. , Priego-Capote Feliciano
Published: March 2023

Citrus fruits are recommended components of the human diet because of their enriched composition in bioactive compounds and health benefits. Among their notable components are phenols, with a special emphasis on flavonoids, limonoids, and carboxylic acids. In this research, we have carried out a spatial metabolomics analysis for the characterization of these bioactive families in three citrus fruits, namely, lemons, limes, and mandarins. Sampling was undertaken, for which the juices and three fruit tissues, namely, albedo, flavedo, and segments, were analyzed. This characterization allowed for the determination of 49 bioactive compounds in all the samples. The composition of the different extracts was correlated with the antioxidant capacity measured by the DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching assays. Flavonoids, found in the albedo and flavedo at higher concentrations, were the main components responsible for DPPH radical scavenging activity. On the other hand, the combined action of flavonoids and limonoids contributed to explaining the antioxidant activity measured by the β-carotene bleaching assay. Generally, the antioxidant capacity of juices was lower than that estimated for extracts from citrus tissues.
The Key Role of Mitochondrial Function in Health and Disease
Authors: San-Millán Iñigo
Published: March 2023

The role of mitochondrial function in health and disease has become increasingly recognized, particularly in the last two decades. Mitochondrial dysfunction as well as disruptions of cellular bioenergetics have been shown to be ubiquitous in some of the most prevalent diseases in our society, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple diseases have yet to be elucidated, making it one of the most significant medical challenges in our history. However, the rapid advances in our knowledge of cellular metabolism coupled with the novel understanding at the molecular and genetic levels show tremendous promise to one day elucidate the mysteries of this ancient organelle in order to treat it therapeutically when needed. Mitochondrial DNA mutations, infections, aging, and a lack of physical activity have been identified to be major players in mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple diseases. This review examines the complexities of mitochondrial function, whose ancient incorporation into eukaryotic cells for energy purposes was key for the survival and creation of new species. Among these complexities, the tightly intertwined bioenergetics derived from the combustion of alimentary substrates and oxygen are necessary for cellular homeostasis, including the production of reactive oxygen species. This review discusses different etiological mechanisms by which mitochondria could become dysregulated, determining the fate of multiple tissues and organs and being a protagonist in the pathogenesis of many non–communicable diseases. Finally, physical activity is a canonical evolutionary characteristic of humans that remains embedded in our genes. The normalization of a lack of physical activity in our modern society has led to the perception that exercise is an “intervention”. However, physical activity remains the modus vivendi engrained in our genes and being sedentary has been the real intervention and collateral effect of modern societies. It is well known that a lack of physical activity leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and, hence, it probably becomes a major etiological factor of many non–communicable diseases affecting modern societies. Since physical activity remains the only stimulus we know that can improve and maintain mitochondrial function, a significant emphasis on exercise promotion should be imperative in order to prevent multiple diseases. Finally, in populations with chronic diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction is involved, an individualized exercise prescription should be crucial for the “metabolic rehabilitation” of many patients. From lessons learned from elite athletes (the perfect human machines), it is possible to translate and apply multiple concepts to the betterment of populations with chronic diseases.
Acoustic Characterization and Quality Assessment of Cremona’s Ponchielli Theater
Authors: Tronchin Lamberto , Bevilacqua Antonella , Yan Ruoran
Published: March 2023

The Ponchielli theater of Cremona was built in 1808 after a fire destroyed the old wooden structure. The interior, the architecture and the shape of the plan layout are reminiscent of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, a masterpiece by the architect Piermarini, albeit on a smaller scale. The four orders of balconies crowned by the top gallery are typical features of a 19th Century Italian Opera theater. Acoustic measurements have been undertaken across the stalls and in some selected boxes according to ISO 3382. The main acoustic parameters resulting from the measurements have been used for the acoustic calibration of a 3D model representing the Ponchielli theater. The calibration has been used to compare different scenarios involving the acoustic response of the main hall at 50% and 100% occupancy. The outcomes indicate that no significant change can be detected when the seats are provided with robust upholstery, which can be considered a positive result, especially for the actors who are not forced to change their effort between rehearsal and live performance. In order to contextualize the measured values in relation to the optimal ones, a comparison with other Italian Opera theaters provided with similar architectural characteristics has been carried out. Overall, the findings indicate that the acoustics of the Ponchielli theater are suitable for both music and speech in line with the other selected theaters, as these places were mainly created for multifunctional purposes in the 19th Century.
An Efficient Boosting-Based Windows Malware Family Classification System Using Multi-Features Fusion
Authors: Chen Zhiguo , Ren Xuanyu
Published: March 2023

In previous years, cybercriminals have utilized various strategies to evade identification, including obfuscation, confusion, and polymorphism technology, resulting in an exponential increase in the amount of malware that poses a serious threat to computer security. The use of techniques such as code reuse, automation, etc., also makes it more arduous to identify variant software in malware families. To effectively detect the families to which malware belongs, this paper proposed and discussed a new malware fusion feature set and classification system based on the BIG2015 dataset. We used a forward feature stepwise selection technique to combine plausible binary and assembly malware features to produce new and efficient fused features. A number of machine-learning techniques, including extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest, support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), are used to confirm the effectiveness of the fusion feature set and malware classification system. The experimental findings demonstrate that the XGBoost algorithm’s classification accuracy on the fusion feature set suggested in this paper can reach 99.87%. In addition, we applied tree-boosting-based LightGBM and CatBoost algorithms to the domain of malware classification for the first time. On our fusion feature set, the corresponding classification accuracy can reach 99.84% and 99.76%, respectively, and the F1-scores can achieve 99.66% and 99.28%, respectively.
Fewer Dimensions for Higher Thermal Performance: A Review on 2D Nanofluids
Authors: Pereira José , Moita Ana , Moreira António
Published: March 2023

The current work aims to offer a specific overview of the homogeneous dispersions of 2D nanomaterials in heat transfer base fluids—so-called 2D nanofluids. This data compilation emerged from the critical overview of the findings of the published scientific articles regarding 2D nanofluids. The applicability of such fluids as promising alternatives to the conventional heat transfer and thermal energy storage fluids is comprehensively investigated. These are fluids that simultaneously possess superior thermophysical properties and can be processed according to innovative environmentally friendly methods and techniques. Furthermore, their very reduced dimensions are suitable for the decrease in the size of thermal management systems, and the devices have attracted a lot of attention from researchers in different fields. Some examples of 2D nanofluids are those which incorporate graphene, graphene oxide, hexagonal boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles, and hybrid formulations. Although the published results are not always consistent, it was found that this type of nanofluid can improve the thermal conductivity of traditional base fluids by more than 150%, achieving values of approximately 6500 W·m−1·K−1 and interface thermal conductance above 50 MW·m−2·K−1. Such beneficial features permit the attainment of increments above 60% in the overall efficiency of photovoltaic/thermal solar systems, a 70% reduction in the entropy generation in parabolic trough collectors and increases of approximately 200% in the convective heat transfer coefficient in heat exchangers and heat pipes. These findings identify those fluids as suitable heat transfer and thermal storage media. The current work intends to partially suppress the literature gap by gathering detailed information on 2D nanofluids in a single study. The thermophysical properties of 2D nanofluids and not of their traditional counterparts, as it is usually encountered in the literature, and the extended detailed sections dedicated to the potential applications of 2D nanofluids are features that may set this research apart from previously published works. Additionally, a major part of the included literature references consider exclusively 2D nanomaterials and the corresponding nanofluids, which also constitutes a major gathering of specific data regarding these types of materials. Upon its conclusion, this work will provide a general overview of 2D nanofluids.
Recovering Microscopic Images in Material Science Documents by Image Inpainting
Authors: Kim Taeyun , Yeo Byung Chul
Published: March 2023

Microscopic images in material science documents have increased in number due to the growth and common use of electron microscopy instruments. Through the use of data mining techniques, they are easily accessible and can be obtained from documents published online. As data-driven approaches are becoming increasingly common in the material science field, massively acquired experimental images through microscopy play important roles in terms of developing an artificial intelligence (AI) model for the purposes of automatically diagnosing crucial material structures. However, irrelevant objects (e.g., letters, scale bars, and arrows) that are often present inside original microscopic photos should be removed for the purposes of improving the AI models. To avoid the issue above, we applied four image inpainting algorithms (i.e., shift-net, global and local, contextual attention, and gated convolution) to a learning approach, with the aim of recovering microscopic images in journal papers. We estimated the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and ℓ1/ℓ2 errors, which are often used as measures of image quality. Lastly, we observed that gated convolution possessed the best performance for inpainting the microscopic images.
Comparison of Algorithms to Compute Relaxation Time Maps in Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Rodriguez Ignacio , Izquierdo-Garcia Jose Luis , Yazdanparast Ehsan , Castejón David , Ruiz-Cabello Jesús
Published: March 2023

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides detailed information about the structure and function of tissues in the human body. In particular, measuring relaxation times, such as T1 and T2, can provide important insights into the composition and properties of different tissues. Accurate relaxation time mapping is therefore critical for clinical diagnosis and treatment planning, as it can help to identify and characterize pathological conditions, monitor disease progression, and guide interventions. However, the computation of relaxation time maps in MRI is a complex and challenging task that requires sophisticated mathematical algorithms. Thus, there is a need for robust and accurate algorithms that can reliably extract the desired information from MRI data. This article compares the performance of the Reduced Dimension Nonlinear Least Squares (RD-NLS) algorithm versus several widely used algorithms to compute relaxation times in MRI, such as Levenberg-Marquardt and Nelder-Mead. RD-NLS simplifies the search space for the optimum fit by leveraging the partial linear relationship between signal intensity and model parameters. The comparison was performed on several datasets and signal models, resulting in T1 and T2 maps. The algorithms were evaluated based on their fit error, with the RD-NLS algorithm showing a lower error than other fit-ting algorithms. The improvement was particularly notable in T1 maps, with less of a difference in T2 maps. Additionally, the average T1 values computed with different algorithms differed by up to 14 ms, indicating the importance of algorithm selection. These results suggest that the RD-NLS algorithm outperforms other commonly used algorithms for computing relaxation times in MRI.
The Effect of Sous-Vide Processing Time on Chemical and Sensory Properties of Broccoli, Green Beans and Beetroots
Authors: Czarnowska-Kujawska Marta , Draszanowska Anna , Chróst Michał , Starowicz Małgorzata
Published: March 2023

Vegetables are a natural source of bioactive compounds, however, their content is strongly affected by the preparation methods. The study aimed to find the balance between high health-promoting properties, resulting from well-retained minerals content, and sensory properties by testing different times of sous-vide cooking of vegetables at 85 °C. For each vegetable, broccoli, green beans and beetroots, three times options of sous-vide treatment were individually applied. No effect of sous-vide cooking on dry matter content was found for tested vegetables, with the exception of dry mass loss of beetroots cooked for 180 min. The results of potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus determination, confirmed that the sous-vide technique often allows for the retention of these minerals at a level not lower than in raw vegetables. For both broccoli and beetroots, it was observed that the longer the sous-vide processing time, the lower the color intensity, and in the case of each tested vegetable, the worse the consistency. Therefore, the study proves that this method of heat treatment reduces the loss of minerals and preserves the desired color of studied vegetables.
Exploration of Vehicle Target Detection Method Based on Lightweight YOLOv5 Fusion Background Modeling
Authors: Zhao Qian , Ma Wenyue , Zheng Chao , Li Lu
Published: March 2023

Due to the explosive increase per capita in vehicle ownership in China brought about by the continuous development of the economy and society, many negative impacts have arisen, making it necessary to establish the smart city system that has rapidly developing vehicle detection technology as its data acquisition system. This paper proposes a lightweight detection model based on an improved version of YOLOv5 to address the problem of missed and false detections caused by occlusion during rush hour vehicle detection in surveillance videos. The proposed model replaces the BottleneckCSP structure with the Ghostnet structure and prunes the network model to speed up inference. Additionally, the Coordinate Attention Mechanism is introduced to enhance the network’s feature extraction and improve its detection and recognition ability. Distance-IoU Non-Maximum Suppression replaces Non-Maximum Suppression to address the issue of false detection and omission when detecting congested targets. Lastly, the combination of the five-frame differential method with VIBE and MD-SILBP operators is used to enhance the model’s feature extraction capabilities for vehicle contours. The experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms the original model in terms of the number of parameters, inference ability, and accuracy when applied to both the expanded UA-DETRAC and a self-built dataset. Thus, this method has significant industrial value in intelligent traffic systems and can effectively improve vehicle detection indicators in traffic monitoring scenarios.
Enhancing Utility in Anonymized Data against the Adversary’s Background Knowledge
Authors: Amiri Fatemeh , Khan Razaullah , Anjum Adeel , Syed Madiha Haider , Rehman Semeen
Published: March 2023

Recent studies have shown that data are some of the most valuable resources for making government policies and business decisions in different organizations. In privacy preserving, the challenging task is to keep an individual’s data protected and private, and at the same time the modified data must have sufficient accuracy for answering data mining queries. However, it is difficult to implement sufficient privacy where re-identification of a record is claimed to be impossible because the adversary has background knowledge from different sources. The k-anonymity model is prone to attribute disclosure, while the t-closeness model does not prevent identity disclosure. Moreover, both models do not consider background knowledge attacks. This paper proposes an anonymization algorithm called the utility-based hierarchical algorithm (UHRA) for producing k-anonymous t-closed data that can prevent background knowledge attacks. The proposed framework satisfies the privacy requirements using a hierarchical approach. Finally, to enhance utility of the anonymized data, records are moved between different anonymized groups, while the requirements of the privacy model are not violated. Our experiments indicate that our proposed algorithm outperforms its counterparts in terms of data utility and privacy.
Inequalities and Reverse Inequalities for the Joint A-Numerical Radius of Operators
Authors: Altwaijry Najla , Dragomir Silvestru Sever , Feki Kais
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we aim to establish several estimates concerning the generalized Euclidean operator radius of d-tuples of A-bounded linear operators acting on a complex Hilbert space H, which leads to the special case of the well-known A-numerical radius for d=1. Here, A is a positive operator on H. Some inequalities related to the Euclidean operator A-seminorm of d-tuples of A-bounded operators are proved. In addition, under appropriate conditions, several reverse bounds for the A-numerical radius in single and multivariable settings are also stated.
Research on Multi-Time Scale SOP Estimation of Lithium–Ion Battery Based on H∞ Filter
Authors: Li Ran , Li Kexin , Liu Pengdong , Zhang Xiaoyu
Published: March 2023

Battery state of power (SOP) estimation is an important parameter index for electric vehicles to improve battery utilization efficiency and maximize battery safety. Most of the current studies on the SOP estimation of lithium–ion batteries consider only a single constraint and rarely pay attention to the estimation of battery state on different time scales, which can reduce the accuracy of SOP estimation and even cause safety problems. In view of this, this paper proposes a multi-time scale and multi-constraint SOP estimation method for lithium–ion batteries based on H∞ filtering. Firstly, a second-order RC equivalent circuit model is established with a ternary lithium–ion monolithic battery as the research object, and parameter identification is performed by using the recursive least squares method with a forgetting factor. Secondly, the H∞ filtering algorithm is applied to estimate the state of charge (SOC), and then the joint multi-time scale multi-constrained SOC-SOP estimation is performed. Finally, the joint estimation algorithm is validated under UDDS conditions. The mean absolute value relative error (MARE) of SOC estimation is 1.17%, and the MARE of SOP estimation at different time scales is less than 1.6%. The results indicate the high accuracy and strong robustness of the joint estimation method.
Effect of Missing Data Types and Imputation Methods on Supervised Classifiers: An Evaluation Study
Authors: Gabr Menna Ibrahim , Helmy Yehia Mostafa , Elzanfaly Doaa Saad
Published: March 2023

Data completeness is one of the most common challenges that hinder the performance of data analytics platforms. Different studies have assessed the effect of missing values on different classification models based on a single evaluation metric, namely, accuracy. However, accuracy on its own is a misleading measure of classifier performance because it does not consider unbalanced datasets. This paper presents an experimental study that assesses the effect of incomplete datasets on the performance of five classification models. The analysis was conducted with different ratios of missing values in six datasets that vary in size, type, and balance. Moreover, for unbiased analysis, the performance of the classifiers was measured using three different metrics, namely, the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), the F1-score, and accuracy. The results show that the sensitivity of the supervised classifiers to missing data differs according to a set of factors. The most significant factor is the missing data pattern and ratio, followed by the imputation method, and then the type, size, and balance of the dataset. The sensitivity of the classifiers when data are missing due to the Missing Completely At Random (MCAR) pattern is less than their sensitivity when data are missing due to the Missing Not At Random (MNAR) pattern. Furthermore, using the MCC as an evaluation measure better reflects the variation in the sensitivity of the classifiers to the missing data.
Investigation of the In Vitro and In Vivo Biocompatibility of a Three-Dimensional Printed Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Polylactic Acid Blend for the Development of Tracheal Scaffolds
Authors: Abdul Samat Asmak , Abdul Hamid Zuratul Ain , Jaafar Mariatti , Ong Chern Chung , Yahaya Badrul Hisham
Published: March 2023

Tissue-engineered polymeric implants are preferable because they do not cause a significant inflammatory reaction in the surrounding tissue. Three-dimensional (3D) technology can be used to fabricate a customised scaffold, which is critical for implantation. This study aimed to investigate the biocompatibility of a mixture of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polylactic acid (PLA) and the effects of their extract in cell cultures and in animal models as potential tracheal replacement materials. The morphology of the 3D-printed scaffolds was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the degradability, pH, and effects of the 3D-printed TPU/PLA scaffolds and their extracts were investigated in cell culture studies. In addition, subcutaneous implantation of 3D-printed scaffold was performed to evaluate the biocompatibility of the scaffold in a rat model at different time points. A histopathological examination was performed to investigate the local inflammatory response and angiogenesis. The in vitro results showed that the composite and its extract were not toxic. Similarly, the pH of the extracts did not inhibit cell proliferation and migration. The analysis of biocompatibility of the scaffolds from the in vivo results suggests that porous TPU/PLA scaffolds may facilitate cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation and promote angiogenesis in host cells. The current results suggest that with 3D printing technology, TPU and PLA could be used as materials to construct scaffolds with suitable properties and provide a solution to the challenges of tracheal transplantation.
Obliterative Endotheliitis Leading to Cystic Lung Necrosis in Severe COVID-19 during the First Wave of the Pandemic
Authors: Delteil Clémence , Carvelli Julien , Velly Lionel , Daniel Laurent , Capuani Caroline , Torrents Julia , Gainnier Marc , Bruder Nicolas , Piercecchi-Marti Marie-Dominique , Simeone Pierre
Published: March 2023

In the early months of the outbreak (2020–2022), COVID-19 was responsible for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and an exceptional number of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Weaning difficulties from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and many deaths related to COVID-19 were associated with persistent pulmonary hyperinflammation leading to pulmonary fibrosis and sometimes, in the first wave of the pandemic and before the use of dexamethasone was introduced, pulmonary cystic necrosis. A 72-year-old man hospitalized with severe COVID-19 required IMV and died on day 31 of refractory ARDS. Postmortem examination of the lungs found obliterative endotheliitis proximal to pulmonary cystic necrosis. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 envelope and complement/lectin (MASP-2) deposits near the endotheliitis lesions suggested that the virus acted directly on vascular involvement by a complement-mediated mechanism. Together with classic features of ARDS (epithelial lesions and diffuse alveolar damage), endothelial involvement with endotheliitis was the hallmark of severe COVID-19. Corticosteroids and complement blockade were sometimes beneficial for treating severe COVID-19, perhaps by preventing microvascular damage.
Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells within a Gelatin Matrix Acquire Enhanced Regenerative and Angiogenic Properties: A Pre-Clinical Study for Application to Chronic Wounds
Authors: Brembilla Nicolo Costantino , Modarressi Ali , André-Lévigne Dominik , Brioudes Estelle , Lanza Florian , Vuagnat Hubert , Durual Stéphane , Marger Laurine , Boehncke Wolf-Henning , Krause Karl-Heinz , Preynat-Seauve Olivier
Published: March 2023

This study evaluates the influence of a gelatin sponge on adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC). Transcriptomic data revealed that, compared to ASC in a monolayer, a cross-linked porcine gelatin sponge strongly influences the transcriptome of ASC. Wound healing genes were massively regulated, notably with the inflammatory and angiogenic factors. Proteomics on conditioned media showed that gelatin also acted as a concentrator and reservoir of the regenerative ASC secretome. This secretome promoted fibroblast survival and epithelialization, and significantly increased the migration and tubular assembly of endothelial cells within fibronectin. ASC in gelatin on a chick chorioallantoic membrane were more connected to vessels than an empty sponge, confirming an increased angiogenesis in vivo. No tumor formation was observed in immunodeficient nude mice to which an ASC gelatin sponge was transplanted subcutaneously. Finally, ASC in a gelatin sponge prepared from outbred rats accelerated closure and re-vascularization of ischemic wounds in the footpads of rats. In conclusion, we provide here preclinical evidence that a cross-linked porcine gelatin sponge is an optimal carrier to concentrate and increase the regenerative activity of ASC, notably angiogenic. This formulation of ASC represents an optimal, convenient and clinically compliant option for the delivery of ASC on ischemic wounds.
The Impact of BMI Changes on the Incidence of Glomerular Hematuria in Korean Adults: A Retrospective Study Based on the NHIS-HEALS Cohort
Authors: Kwon Yu-Jin , Kim Mina , Kim Hasung , Lee Jung Eun
Published: March 2023

Obesity and recurrent hematuria are known risk factors for chronic kidney disease. However, there has been controversy on the association between obesity and glomerular hematuria. This study aimed to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and weight change and recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease using a large-scale, population-based Korean cohort. Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease according to the BMI group. Compared with the BMI 23–25 kg/m2 group, the HR (95% CI) for incident recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease was 0.921 (0.831–1.021) in the BMI <23 kg/m2 group, 0.915 (0.823–1.018) in the BMI 25–30 kg/m2 group, and 1.151 (0.907–1.462) in the BMI ≥30 kg/m2 group. Compared with the stable weight group, the HRs (95% CIs) for incident recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease were 1.364 (1.029–1.808) and 0.985 (0.733–1.325) in the significant weight loss and gain groups, respectively. Despite adjusting for confounders, this result remained significant. Baseline BMI was not associated with the risk of incident recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease. Weight loss greater than 10% was associated with the incidence of recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease. Therefore, maintaining an individual’s weight could help prevent recurrent and persistent hematuria in glomerular disease in middle-aged and older Korean adults.
Vitamin A Deficiency and Its Association with Visceral Adiposity in Women
Authors: Góes Érica , Cordeiro Adryana , Bento Claudia , Ramalho Andrea
Published: March 2023

Body adiposity is associated with increased metabolic risk, and evidence indicates that vitamin A is important in regulating body fat. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum concentrations of vitamin A and its association with body adiposity in women with the recommended intake of vitamin A. A cross-sectional study was designed with 200 women divided into four groups according to Body Mass Index (BMI): normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), class I obesity (OI), and class 2 obesity (OII). The cut-off points to assess inadequate participants were retinol < 1.05 µmol/L and β-carotene < 40 µg/dL. Body adiposity was assessed through different parameters and indexes, including waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), hypertriglyceridemic waist (HW), lipid accumulation product (LAP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), and Body Adiposity Index (BAI). It was observed that 55.5% of women had low serum concentrations of β-carotene (34.9 ± 13.8 µmol/L, p < 0.001) and 43.5% had low concentrations of retinol (0.71 ± 0.3 µmol/L, p < 0.001). Women classified as OI and OII had lower mean values of β-carotene (OI—35.9 ± 4.3 µg/dL: OII—32.0 ± 0.9 µg/dL [p < 0.001]). IAV showed significant negative correlation with retinol (r = −0.73, p < 0.001). Vitamin A deficiency is associated with excess body adiposity in women with the recommended intake of vitamin. Greater body adiposity, especially visceral, was correlated with reduced serum concentrations of vitamin A.
Dimethyloxalylglycine Attenuates Steroid-Associated Endothelial Progenitor Cell Impairment and Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head by Regulating the HIF-1α Signaling Pathway
Authors: Shao Wenkai , Li Zilin , Wang Bo , Gong Song , Wang Ping , Song Beite , Chen Zhixiang , Feng Yong
Published: March 2023

Endothelial impairment and dysfunction are closely related to the pathogenesis of steroid-associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH). Recent studies have showed that hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays a crucial role in endothelial homeostasis maintenance. Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) could suppress HIF-1 degradation and result in nucleus stabilization by repressing prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) enzymatic activity. Our results showed that methylprednisolone (MPS) remarkably undermined biological function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) by inhibiting colony formation, migration, angiogenesis, and stimulating senescence of EPCs, while DMOG treatment alleviated these effects by promoting HIF-1α signaling pathway, as evidenced by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining, colony-forming unit, matrigel tube formation, and transwell assays. The levels of proteins related to angiogenesis were determined by ELISA and Western blotting. In addition, active HIF-1α bolstered the targeting and homing of endogenous EPCs to the injured endothelium in the femoral head. Histopathologically, our in vivo study showed that DMOG not only alleviated glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis but also promoted angiogenesis and osteogenesis in the femoral head as detected by microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) analysis and histological staining of OCN, TRAP, and Factor Ⅷ. However, all of these effects were impaired by an HIF-1α inhibitor. These findings demonstrate that targeting HIF-1α in EPCs may constitute a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of SONFH.
Cooling Energy and Climate Change Nexus in Arid Climate and the Role of Energy Transition
Authors: Khourchid Ammar M. , Al-Ansari Tareq A. , Al-Ghamdi Sami G.
Published: March 2023

Buildings are significant contributors to climate change through their energy consumption, particularly in countries with hot and dry climates where cooling services require substantial amounts of energy. Climate change is expected to increase cooling demand, further exacerbating the problem. This study investigates the impact of climate change on cooling demands in different building types in Qatar and evaluates related environmental impacts. Using a high-resolution regional climate model, future climate data were obtained for 2071 and 2100 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5. The energy consumption of eight prototype buildings was simulated under baseline and future climates, and the environmental impacts were assessed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for natural gas and solar power as energy sources. The study found that the cooling demand could increase by 13–53% and 19–67% in 2071 and 2100, respectively, with buildings having higher thermal insulation and lower window-to-wall ratio being less affected by climate change. The LCA results showed that replacing natural gas with solar power can reduce cooling energy-associated CO2 emissions by 92%. However, challenges such as human toxicity and metal depletion need to be addressed. The study highlights the importance of considering potential climate change scenarios to develop more resilient buildings and encourages implementing efficient recycling and waste management strategies before implementing PV panels.
Petal-like g-C3N4 Enhances the Photocatalyst Removal of Hexavalent Chromium
Authors: Yu Huijuan , Ma Qiang , Gao Cuiping , Liao Shaohua , Zhang Yingjie , Quan Hong , Zhai Ruiqi
Published: March 2023

The rapid progress of modern industry not only brings convenience to people’s lives, but also brings negative effects. Industrial development produces a large amount of waste metal, which brings harm to the environment and human health. Carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was successfully prepared using the thermal-polymerization method and petal-like g-C3N4 (CA-g-C3N4) was impregnated with citric acid (CA). Compared with g-C3N4, CA-g-C3N4 showed extremely high photocatalytic activity because the petal-like g-C3N4 (CA-g-C3N4) had a larger specific surface area, which increased the active sites on the surface of the photocatalyst and improved the photocatalytic activity. After citric acid treatment, the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) by g-C3N4 increased from 48% to 93%. The photocatalytic materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis). In summary, this study confirmed that citric acid can improve the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 by increasing its specific surface area and the active site of the photocatalytic material so as to achieve the purpose of removing hexavalent chromium from water.
Visual Autism
Authors: Reynolds Margaret , Culican Susan M.
Published: March 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. It affects approximately 2.2% of children. Both genetic and environmental risk factors have been identified for ASD. Visual comorbidities are relatively common among children with ASD. Between 20 and 44% of ASD children have visually significant refractive error, on-third have strabismus, and one-fifth have amblyopia. In addition, ASD is 30 times more common in children with congenital blindness. It is unknown whether the association of ASD with visual morbidity is causal, comorbid, or contributing. Structural and functional abnormalities have been identified in MRIs of ASD children, and ASD children have been noted to have aberrant eye tracking. ASD children with visually significant refractive errors and poor spectacle compliance (present in 30% of ASD children) offer the opportunity for investigation into how improved visual acuity influences ASD behaviors. In this review, we focus on what is known of the visual system, refractive surgery, and ASD.
The Use of DArTseq Technology to Identify Markers Related to the Heterosis Effects in Selected Traits in Maize
Authors: Bocianowski Jan , Tomkowiak Agnieszka , Bocianowska Marianna , Sobiech Aleksandra
Published: March 2023

Spectacular scientific advances in the area of molecular biology and the development of modern biotechnological tools have had a significant impact on the development of maize heterosis breeding. One technology based on next-generation sequencing is DArTseq. The plant material used for the research consisted of 13 hybrids resulting from the crossing of inbred maize lines. A two-year field experiment was established at two Polish breeding stations: Smolice and Łagiewniki. Nine quantitative traits were observed: cob length, cob diameter, core length, core diameter, number of rows of grain, number of grains in a row, mass of grain from the cob, weight of one thousand grains, and yield. The isolated DNA was subjected to DArTseq genotyping. Association mapping was performed using a method based on the mixed linear model. A total of 81602 molecular markers (28571 SNPs and 53031 SilicoDArTs) were obtained as a result of next-generation sequencing. Out of 81602, 15409 (13850 SNPs and 1559 SilicoDArTs) were selected for association analysis. The 105 molecular markers (8 SNPs and 97 SilicoDArTs) were associated with the heterosis effect of at least one trait in at least one environment. A total of 186 effects were observed. The number of statistically significant relationships between the molecular marker and heterosis effect varied from 8 (for cob length) and 9 (for yield) to 42 (for the number of rows of grain). Of particular note were three markers (2490222, 2548691 and 7058267), which were significant in 17, 8 and 6 cases, respectively. Two of them (2490222 and 7058267) were associated with the heterosis effects of yield in three of the four environments.
Threatened Habitats of Carnivores: Identifying Conservation Areas in Michoacán, México
Authors: Del Moral-Alvarez Marisol , Ortega-Huerta Miguel A. , Nuñez Rodrigo
Published: March 2023

The present study contributes to bridging the gap in research related to the presence and distribution patterns of carnivore mammals in western México and identifies priority areas for biodiversity conservation in western Michoacán, México. The distribution of 11 carnivore species (Canis latrans; Urocyon cinereoargenteus; Herpailurus yagouaroundi; Leopardus pardalis; Leopardus wiedii; Puma concolor; Panthera onca; Conepatus leuconotus; Bassariscus astutus; Nasua narica; Procyon lotor) in western México was modeled through the application of a two-scale approach, including a large modeled region that corresponded to the western part of the country, for which consensus models were obtained that represent the species’ bioclimatic envelopes (historic occurrence records); and the second modeled study area that includes only the western portion of the state of Michoacán in which compounded models of the species’ habitat suitability (field occurrence records) for this region were proposed. Using species’ habitat suitability models as biodiversity units, prioritization exercises were carried out on important areas for the conservation of these species, as well as the comparison and analysis of the existing natural protected areas (NPA) and existing proposed conservation areas in the study area. The different exercises for prioritizing areas for conservation yielded similar results and show the potential percentages of the landscape that can be subjected to conservation programs. The highest conservation priority values were mainly located in the Costas del Sur and Cordillera del Sur provinces. This study signifies a flexible basis from which future studies on planning and designing a network of natural protected areas can be carried out in this region.
Development and Validation of a Novel Prognostic Tool to Predict Recurrence of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation after the First-Time Catheter Ablation: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Huang Junjie , Chen Hao , Zhang Quan , Yang Rukai , Peng Shuai , Wu Zhijian , Liu Na , Tang Liang , Liu Zhenjiang , Zhou Shenghua
Published: March 2023

There is no gold standard to tell frustrating outcomes after the catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). The study aims to construct a prognostic tool. We retrospectively analyzed 315 patients with PAF who underwent first-time ablation at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. The endpoint was identified as any documented relapse of atrial tachyarrhythmia lasting longer than 30 s after the three-month blanking period. Univariate Cox regression analyzed eleven preablation parameters, followed by two supervised machine learning algorithms and stepwise regression to construct a nomogram internally validated. Five factors related to ablation failure were as follows: female sex, left atrial appendage emptying flow velocity ≤31 cm/s, estimated glomerular filtration rate <65.8 mL/(min·1.73 m2), P wave duration in lead aVF ≥ 120 ms, and that in lead V1 ≥ 100 ms, which constructed a nomogram. It was correlated with the CHA2DS2-VASc score but outperformed the latter evidently in discrimination and clinical utility, not to mention its robust performances in goodness-of-fit and calibration. In addition, the nomogram-based risk stratification could effectively separate ablation outcomes. Patients at risk of relapse after PAF ablation can be recognized at baseline using the proposed five-factor nomogram.
Single-Center Experience with Simultaneous Mural Aortic Thrombosis and Peripheral Obstructive Disease in Pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 Era
Authors: Benedetto Filippo , La Corte Francesco , Spinelli Domenico , Piffaretti Gabriele , Trimarchi Santi , De Caridi Giovanni
Published: March 2023

Background: Mural aortic thrombosis associated with chronic peripheral obstruction of the lower limbs is an unusual event. Repeated embolism of instability aortic mural thrombosis caused acute limb ischemia (Rutherford 2 classification) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We report a single-center experience for patients with transmural aortic thrombosis and peripheral artery disease. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 54 patients with aortic mural thrombus disease with PAD presentation, treated at our center between 2013 and 2022. Results: Thirty patients (six with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection) underwent hybrid or staged treatment for an aortic lesion and for lower limb ischemia, by the placement of an endovascular aortic stent graft and a femoro-distal or a popliteal-distal bypass graft. The remaining 24 cases were only subjected to an intravascular treatment of the thoracic or abdominal aorta. Transient renal failure occurred in three patients. No embolic events were detected during the procedures. Aortic-related mortality was reported in just one patient who died from multiple organ failure. There was an embolic stroke in one patient with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection, three major amputations in patients with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and no aortic-related mortality. Conclusions: Stent coverage of complex aortic lesions, alone or in association with a distal bypass graft, supports this approach in a variety of settings. The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increased mortality and amputation rate.
The Use of Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UASs) for Quantifying Shallow Coral Reef Restoration Success in Belize
Authors: Peterson Emily , Carne Lisa , Balderamos Jamani , Faux Victor , Gleason Arthur , Schill Steven
Published: March 2023

There is a growing need for improved techniques to monitor coral reef restoration as these ecosystems and the goods and services they provide continue to decline under threats of anthropogenic activity and climate change. Given the difficulty of fine-scale requirements to monitor the survival and spread of outplanted branching coral fragments, Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UASs) provide an ideal platform to spatially document and quantitatively track growth patterns on shallow reef systems. We present findings from monitoring coral reef restoration combining UAS data with object-oriented segmentation techniques and open-source GIS analysis to quantify the areal extent of species-specific coverage across ~one hectare of shallow fringing reef over a one-year period (2019–2020) in Laughing Bird Caye National Park, southern Belize. The results demonstrate the detection of coral cover changes for three species (Acropora cervicornis, Acropora palmata, and Acropora prolifera) outplanted around the caye since 2006, with overall target coral species cover changing from 2142.58 to 2400.64 square meters from 2019 to 2020. Local ecological knowledge gathered from restoration practitioners was used to validate classified taxa of interest within the imagery collected. Our methods offer a monitoring approach that provides insight into coral growth patterns at a fine scale to better inform adaptive management practices for future restoration actions both within the park and at other reef replenishment target sites.