bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the Cytochrome P450 Enzymes Using Lopinavir/Ritonavir in Colorectal Cancer: A Study in Monolayers, Spheroids and In Vivo Models
Authors: Alaei Maryam , Nazari Seyedeh , Pourali Ghazaleh , Asadnia AliReza , Moetamani-Ahmadi Mehrdad , Fiuji Hamid , Tanzadehpanah Hamid , Asgharzadeh Fereshteh , Babaei Fatemeh , Khojasteh-Leylakoohi Fatemeh , Saeed Gataa Ibrahim , Ali Kiani Mohammad , Ferns Gordon , Lam Alfred , Hassanian Seyed , Khazaei Majid , Giovannetti Elisa , Avan Amir
Published: August 2023

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme has been shown to be expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its dysregulation is linked to tumor progression and a poor prognosis. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of targeting CYP450 using lopinavir/ritonavir in CRC. The integrative systems biology method and RNAseq were utilized to investigate the differential levels of genes associated with patients with colorectal cancer. The antiproliferative activity of lopinavir/ritonavir was evaluated in both monolayer and 3-dimensional (3D) models, followed by wound-healing assays. The effectiveness of targeting CYP450 was examined in a mouse model, followed by histopathological analysis, biochemical tests (MDA, SOD, thiol, and CAT), and RT-PCR. The data of dysregulation expressed genes (DEG) revealed 1268 upregulated and 1074 down-regulated genes in CRC. Among the top-score genes and dysregulated pathways, CYPs were detected and associated with poor prognosis of patients with CRC. Inhibition of CYP450 reduced cell proliferation via modulating survivin, Chop, CYP13a, and induction of cell death, as detected by AnnexinV/PI staining. This agent suppressed the migratory behaviors of cells by induction of E-cadherin. Moreover, lopinavir/ritonavir suppressed tumor growth and fibrosis, which correlated with a reduction in SOD/thiol levels and increased MDA levels. Our findings illustrated the therapeutic potential of targeting the CYP450 using lopinavir/ritonavir in colorectal cancer, supporting future investigations on this novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of CRC.
The Role of Undecenoic Acid on the Preparation of Decorated MCM-41/Polyethylene Hybrids by In Situ Polymerization: Catalytic Aspects and Properties of the Resultant Materials
Authors: Cerrada María L. , Bento Artur , Pérez Ernesto , Lourenço João P. , Ribeiro M. Rosário
Published: August 2023

Functionalized polyethylene-based nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization of ethylene with modified or neat MCM-41 nanoparticles (NMCM-41). Two different synthetic approaches were investigated to improve the compatibility between the hydrophobic HDPE matrix and the hydrophilic NMCM-41: (i) incorporation of UA into the polymeric matrix by copolymerization with ethylene, promoted by the zirconocene catalyst under homogeneous conditions, in the presence of pristine NMCM-41; (ii) use of undecenoic acid (UA) as an interfacial agent to obtain decorated NMCM-41 to be used as nanofiller for the in situ ethylene polymerization, catalyzed by Cp2ZrCl2/MAO under supported conditions. The strong polar character of the carboxylic group is expected to either increase the hydrophilicity of the HDPE chains (strategy i) or interact with the NMCM-41 surface and provide an additional link to the polymeric chains via copolymerization of the vinyl group under supported conditions (strategy ii). Although metallocene catalysts have been shown to copolymerize olefins with functional monomers, the presence of oxygen-containing compounds in the reaction media strongly affects the polymerization activity as a result of the interaction of functional groups with the electrophilic active center of the catalyst. Thus, UA was pre-contacted with tri(isobutyl)aluminum (TIBA) prior to its use in the polymerization to reduce the deactivating character of the carboxylic acid groups towards the zirconocene catalyst. The influence of the UA presence on the polymerization behavior of the protection step is discussed, and the polymerization activities observed for the different approaches are compared. In addition, the thermal behavior and structural details of the resulting materials have been characterized. The impact of using neat or functionalized NMCM-41 on the final dispersion within the polymeric matrix is also analyzed, which is correlated with the mechanical performance exhibited by these HDPE_UA_NMCM-41 nanocomposites.
Excitatory Neurons Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Show Transcriptomic Differences in Alzheimer’s Patients from Controls
Authors: Sagar Ram , Azoidis Ioannis , Zivko Cristina , Xydia Ariadni , Oh Esther S. , Rosenberg Paul B. , Lyketsos Constantine G. , Mahairaki Vasiliki , Avramopoulos Dimitrios
Published: August 2023

The recent advances in creating pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells and differentiating them into a variety of cell types is allowing us to study them without the caveats associated with disease-related changes. We generated induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) from eight Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and six controls and used lentiviral delivery to differentiate them into excitatory glutamatergic neurons. We then performed RNA sequencing on these neurons and compared the Alzheimer’s and control transcriptomes. We found that 621 genes show differences in expression levels at adjusted p < 0.05 between the case and control derived neurons. These genes show significant overlap and directional concordance with genes reported from a single-cell transcriptome study of AD patients; they include five genes implicated in AD from genome-wide association studies and they appear to be part of a larger functional network as indicated by an excess of interactions between them observed in the protein–protein interaction database STRING. Exploratory analysis with Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) suggests distinct clusters of patients, based on gene expression, who may be clinically different. Our research outcomes will enable the precise identification of distinct biological subtypes among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, facilitating the implementation of tailored precision medicine strategies.
Assessing the Long-Term Production of Suspended Sediment and the Climate Changes Impact on Its Deposition in Artificial Lakes—A Case Study of Lake Trakošćan, Croatia
Authors: Oskoruš Dijana , Leskovar Karlo , Pavlić Krešimir , Tošić Igor
Published: August 2023

A prevalent engineering task in practice is calculating the annual balance of sediments on some watercourses. This is particularly challenging when assessing the backfilling of river reservoirs that have a multifunctional purpose. Trakošćan Lake was built in the period from 1850 to 1862 as a pond and landscape addition to the park and Trakošćan castle. After 60 years, the lake was drained in 2022, and the work began on sediment excavation to improve the lake’s ecological condition due to about 200,000 cubic meters of deposited silt in the lake. In this research, the annual sediment production is calculated for the long-term period 1961–2020, based on empirical parametric methods (Fleming, Brunne). The results are compared with results from previous projects and recent sediment deposit investigations. Since there are no changes in LC/LU on this natural catchment, the decreasing trends in long-term sediment transport were compared with meteorological values, daily rainfall, and snow days. It is concluded that the intensity characteristics of the rainfall should be investigated more in detail and could provide much more tangible information regarding climate change impacts. Some targets for future monitoring design and research techniques are set.
X-ray Structures and Hirshfeld Studies of Two Dinuclear Cd(II) Complexes with a s-Triazine/Pyrazolo Ligand and Pesudohalides as a Linker
Authors: Soliman Saied M. , Al-Rasheed Hessa H. , AL-khamis Sarah A. , Haukka Matti , El-Faham Ayman
Published: August 2023

The two dinuclear Cd(II) complexes [Cd(BPMST)(SCN)]2 (1) and [Cd(BPMST)(N3)Cl]2 (2) of a s-triazine/pyrazolo ligand (BPMST) were synthesized. The preparation of both complexes was performed in a water–ethanol solvent mixture and involved the mixing of the functional ligand BPMST with CdCl2 in the presence of thiocyanate or azide as linkers, respectively. The dinuclear formula of both complexes and the involvement of the pesudohalide as a linker between the Cd(II) centers were approved by single crystal X-ray structures. The Cd(II) was hexa-coordinated and the CdN5S (1) and CdN5Cl (2) coordination environments had distorted octahedral geometry. In the [Cd(BPMST)(SCN)]2 and [Cd(BPMST)(N3)Cl]2, the BPMST acted as a pincer tridentate N-chelate. In the case of 1, the SCN¯ acted as a μ(1,3) bridging ligand between the Cd(II) centers, while the N3¯ had a μ(1,1) bridging mode in 2. As a result, the Cd…Cd distance was significantly longer in 1 (5.8033(5) Å) than in 2 (3.796(2) Å). In both complexes, the Cd(II) had distorted octahedral coordination geometry. Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed to inspect the supramolecular aspects of the two Cd(II) complexes. The C…H, N…H and S…H contacts were important in the case of [Cd(BPMST)(SCN)]2 (1). Their percentages were calculated to be 14.7, 17.0 and 13.4%, respectively. In the case of [Cd(BPMST)(N3)Cl]2 (2), the most significant contacts were the Cl…H, C…H and N…H contacts. Their contributions in the molecular packing were 16.5, 9.7 and 25.3%, respectively. The propensity of atom pairs of elements to form contacts in the crystal structure was analyzed using enrichment ratio (EXY).
Exploring the Crystalline Structure of Gold Mesocrystals Using X-ray Diffraction
Authors: Chumakova Aleksandra , Kirner Felizitas , Chumakov Andrei , Roth Stephan V. , Bosak Alexeï , Sturm Elena V.
Published: August 2023

Mesocrystals are a class of nanostructured material where individual nanocrystals are arranged in a distinct crystallographic orientation. The multiple-length-scale order in such materials plays an essential role in the emergent physical and chemical phenomena. Our work studies the structure of a faceted mesocrystal composed of polystyrene-functionalized single crystalline gold nanoparticles using complementary ultrasmall- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS and WAXS) with electron microscopy. The results of the data analysis shed some light on the details of the microscopic structure of mesocrystals and their structuration principle.
Notes on the Summer Life History Traits of the Non-Native Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) (Linnaeus, 1758) in a High-Altitude Artificial Lake
Authors: Douligeri Alexandra S. , Ziou Athina , Korakis Athanasios , Kiriazis Nikolaos , Petsis Nikolaos , Katselis George , Moutopoulos Dimitrios K.
Published: August 2023

In the present study, the biology of the pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus in the artificial lake of Aoos, located in northwestern Greece, was investigated. The samplings of the pumpkinseed were conducted from the shore using a portable electrofishing device over a 4-month period (July 2021–October 2021). A total of 581 specimens were caught, with an average length of 62 mm. The sex ratio of female to male was estimated to be 1.0:1.7, and the percentage of mature specimens was estimated for all of the months to be above 52%, matching the highest percentage in July (57.4%). The b value of the length–weight relationship ranged from 3.16 in September to 3.31 in July. The value of the L∞ and K was estimated to be equal to 119 mm and 0.36 years−1, respectively, and the value of φ′ was equal to 3.707. The total mortality was estimated to be equal to 1.63 ± 0.48 y−1 (R2 = 0.96), and the natural and fishing mortalities were 0.83 and 0.80, respectively. The maximum age was 6 years, and the theoretical maximum age was 8 years. In the current study, the value of the L∞ was estimated to be near the European average but significantly lower than the North American one, whereas the value of the K was slightly higher than the European average. The small size of the specimens obtained in Aoos Springs was most likely owed to the combined impact of the investigated lake’s high altitude and low food availability, resulting in a limited factor for species expansion.
PPG Signals-Based Blood-Pressure Estimation Using Grid Search in Hyperparameter Optimization of CNN–LSTM
Authors: Mahardika T Nurul Qashri , Fuadah Yunendah Nur , Jeong Da Un , Lim Ki Moo
Published: August 2023

Researchers commonly use continuous noninvasive blood-pressure measurement (cNIBP) based on photoplethysmography (PPG) signals to monitor blood pressure conveniently. However, the performance of the system still needs to be improved. Accuracy and precision in blood-pressure measurements are critical factors in diagnosing and managing patients’ health conditions. Therefore, we propose a convolutional long short-term memory neural network (CNN–LSTM) with grid search ability, which provides a robust blood-pressure estimation system by extracting meaningful information from PPG signals and reducing the complexity of hyperparameter optimization in the proposed model. The multiparameter intelligent monitoring for intensive care III (MIMIC III) dataset obtained PPG and arterial-blood-pressure (ABP) signals. We obtained 75,226 signal segments, with 60,180 signals allocated for training data, 12,030 signals allocated for the validation set, and 15,045 signals allocated for the test data. During training, we applied five-fold cross-validation with a grid-search method to select the best model and determine the optimal hyperparameter settings. The optimized configuration of the CNN–LSTM layers consisted of five convolutional layers, one long short-term memory (LSTM) layer, and two fully connected layers for blood-pressure estimation. This study successfully achieved good accuracy in assessing both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by calculating the standard deviation (SD) and the mean absolute error (MAE), resulting in values of 7.89 ± 3.79 and 5.34 ± 2.89 mmHg, respectively. The optimal configuration of the CNN–LSTM provided satisfactory performance according to the standards set by the British Hypertension Society (BHS), the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for blood-pressure monitoring devices.
Reasons for Delayed Diagnosis of Pediatric Acute Appendicitis during the COVID-19 Era: A Narrative Review
Authors: Pantalos George , Papachristidou Smaragda , Mavrigiannaki Eleftheria , Zavras Nikolaos , Vaos George
Published: August 2023

Global pandemics cause health system disruptions. The inadvertent disruption in surgical emergency care during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been the topic of several published studies. Our aim was to summarize the reasons that led to the delayed diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis during the COVID-19 era. This systematic literature search evaluated studies containing pediatric appendicitis patient data regarding outcomes, times to hospital admission or times from symptom onset to emergency department visit. Studies elucidating reasons for delays in the management of pediatric appendicitis were also reviewed. Ultimately, 42 studies were included. Several reasons for delayed diagnosis are analyzed such as changes to public health measures, fear of exposure to COVID-19, increased use of telemedicine, COVID-19 infection with concurrent acute appendicitis, recurrence of appendicitis after non-operative management and increased time to intraoperative diagnosis. Time to hospital admission in conjunction with patient outcomes was extracted and analyzed as an indicative measure of delayed management. Delayed diagnosis of acute appendicitis has been documented in many studies with various effects on outcomes. Suspicion of pediatric acute appendicitis must always lead to prompt medical examination, regardless of pandemic status. Telemedicine can be valuable if properly applied. Data from this era can guide future health system policies.
Addressing Challenges of Opportunistic Computed Tomography Bone Mineral Density Analysis
Authors: Bott Kirsten N. , Matheson Bryn E. , Smith Ainsley C. J. , Tse Justin J. , Boyd Steven K. , Manske Sarah L.
Published: August 2023

Computed tomography (CT) offers advanced biomedical imaging of the body and is broadly utilized for clinical diagnosis. Traditionally, clinical CT scans have not been used for volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) assessment; however, computational advances can now leverage clinically obtained CT data for the secondary analysis of bone, known as opportunistic CT analysis. Initial applications focused on using clinically acquired CT scans for secondary osteoporosis screening, but opportunistic CT analysis can also be applied to answer research questions related to vBMD changes in response to various disease states. There are several considerations for opportunistic CT analysis, including scan acquisition, contrast enhancement, the internal calibration technique, and bone segmentation, but there remains no consensus on applying these methods. These factors may influence vBMD measures and therefore the robustness of the opportunistic CT analysis. Further research and standardization efforts are needed to establish a consensus and optimize the application of opportunistic CT analysis for accurate and reliable assessment of vBMD in clinical and research settings. This review summarizes the current state of opportunistic CT analysis, highlighting its potential and addressing the associated challenges.
Human Parainfluenza Virus (HPIV) Detection in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in the Western Cape, South Africa during 2014–2022 Reveals a Shift in Dominance of HPIV 3 and 4 Infections
Authors: Parsons Jane , Korsman Stephen , Smuts Heidi , Hsiao Nei-Yuan , Valley-Omar Ziyaad , Gelderbloem Tathym , Hardie Diana
Published: August 2023

The epidemiology of human parainfluenza viruses (HPIV), particularly its role as a cause of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in infants, has not been formally studied in South Africa. We evaluated HPIV prevalence in diagnostic samples from hospitalized children from public sector hospitals in the Western Cape between 2014 and 2022. HPIV infection was detected in 2–10% of patients, with the majority of infections detected in children less than 1 year of age. Prior to 2020, HPIV 4 (40%) and HPIV 3 (34%) were the most prevalent types, with seasonal peaks in late winter/spring for HPIV 3 and autumn/winter for HPIV 4. HPIV 4A and 4B co-circulated during the seasonal activity between 2014 and 2017. Pandemic restrictions in 2020 had a profound effect on HPIV circulation and the rebound was dominated by waves of HPIV 3, accounting for 66% of detections and a sustained decline in the circulation of HPIV 1, 2 and 4. An immunity gap could account for the surge in HPIV 3 infections, but the decline in prior HPIV 4 dominance is unexplained and requires further study.
A Validated Composite Score Demonstrates Potential Superiority to MELD-Based Systems in Predicting Short-Term Survival in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis and Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis—A Preliminary Study
Authors: Lin Yan-Ting , Chen Wei-Ting , Wu Tsung-Han , Liu Yu , Liu Li-Tong , Teng Wei , Hsieh Yi-Chung , Wu Yen-Mu , Huang Chien-Hao , Hsu Chao-Wei , Chien Rong-Nan
Published: August 2023

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication in cirrhosis patients with ascites, leading to high mortality rates if not promptly treated. However, specific prediction models for SBP are lacking. Aims: This study aimed to compare commonly used cirrhotic prediction models (CTP score, MELD, MELD-Na, iMELD, and MELD 3.0) for short-term mortality prediction and develop a novel model to improve mortality prediction. Methods: Patients with the first episode of SBP were included. Prognostic values for mortality were assessed using AUROC analysis. A novel prediction model was developed and validated. Results: In total, 327 SBP patients were analyzed, with HBV infection as the main etiologies. MELD 3.0 demonstrated the highest AUROC among the traditional models. The novel model, incorporating HRS, exhibited superior predictive accuracy for in-hospital in all patients and 3-month mortality in HBV-cirrhosis, with AUROC values of 0.827 and 0.813 respectively, surpassing 0.8. Conclusions: MELD 3.0 score outperformed the CTP score and showed a non-significant improvement compared to other MELD-based scores, while the novel SBP model demonstrated impressive accuracy. Internal validation and an HBV-related cirrhosis subgroup sensitivity analysis supported these findings, highlighting the need for a specific prognostic model for SBP and the importance of preventing HRS development to improve SBP prognosis.
Academic Self-Efficacy and Value Beliefs of International STEM and Non-STEM University Students in Germany from an Intersectional Perspective
Authors: Preuß Judith Sarah , Zimmermann Julia , Jonkmann Kathrin
Published: August 2023

The expectancy–value theory (EVT) positions expectations and value beliefs as important predictors of academic success. We, thus, investigated the prevalence of academic self-efficacy and intrinsic, attainment, utility, and cost values amongst international STEM students in Germany, as well as their associations with gender, parental academic background, cultural characteristics, and their interplay. We also compared STEM to non-STEM students. Analyses with hierarchical multi-group regression models using data from 1590 international bachelor students (nSTEM = 882, nnon-STEM = 708) revealed high levels of academic self-efficacy, attainment, intrinsic, and utility values but also high costs. International STEM students indicated lower levels of academic self-efficacy than non-STEM students; all other results were similar in both subject-groups. There were no direct associations between gender and the expectancy–value components but continuous-generation students showed higher academic self-efficacy than first-generation students. Significant associations between cultural background and all expectancy–value components were identified, most of them applied to costs. In some cases, the associations differed by gender. Study-related language skills were related to all expectancy–value components whereas host- and home-culture orientations were distinctly associated with attainment, intrinsic, and utility values. Implications of the results for interventions supporting the academic success of international STEM students and future research needs are discussed.
Application of Voiceprint Recognition Technology Based on Channel Confrontation Training in the Field of Information Security
Authors: Gui Suying , Zhou Chuan , Wang Hao , Gao Tiegang
Published: August 2023

With the rapid development of big data, artificial intelligence, and Internet technologies, human–human contact and human–machine interaction have led to an explosion of voice data. Rapidly identifying the speaker’s identity and retrieving and managing their speech data among the massive amount of speech data have become major challenges for intelligent speech applications in the field of information security. This research proposes a vocal recognition technique based on information adversarial training for speaker identity recognition in massive audio and video data, as well as speaker identification when oriented to the information security domain. The experimental results show that the method projects data from different scene channels all onto the same space and dynamically generates interactive speaker representations. It solves the channel mismatch problem and effectively improves the recognition of the speaker’s voice patterns across channels and scenes. It is able to separate overlapping voices when multiple people speak at the same time and reduce speaker separation errors. It realizes speaker voice recognition for the information security field and achieves a recall rate of 89% in a large database, which is of practical value for the intelligent application field.
An Effective YOLO-Based Proactive Blind Spot Warning System for Motorcycles
Authors: Chang Ing-Chau , Yen Chin-En , Song Ya-Jing , Chen Wei-Rong , Kuo Xun-Mei , Liao Ping-Hao , Kuo Chunghui , Huang Yung-Fa
Published: August 2023

Interest in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is booming in recent years. One of the most effervescent ADAS features is blind spot detection (BSD), which uses radar sensors or cameras to detect vehicles in the blind spot area and alerts the driver to avoid a collision when changing lanes. However, this kind of BSD system fails to notify nearby vehicle drivers in this blind spot of the possible collision. The goal of this research is to design a proactive bus blind spot warning (PBSW) system that will immediately notify motorcyclists when they enter the blind spot or the area of the inner wheel difference of a target vehicle, i.e., a bus. This will increase the real-time functionality of BSD and can have a significant impact on enhancing motorcyclist safety. The proposed hardware is placed on the motorcycle and consists of a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and a dual-lens stereo camera. We use dual-lens cameras to capture and create stereoscopic images then transmit the images from the Raspberry Pi 3B+ to an Android phone via Wi-Fi and to a cloud server using a cellular network. At the cloud server, we use the YOLOv4 image recognition model to identify the position of the rear-view mirror of the bus and use the lens imaging principle to estimate the distance between the bus and the motorcyclist. Finally, the cloud server returns the estimated distance to the PBSW app on the Android phone. According to the received distance value, the app will display the visible area/blind spot, the area of the inner wheel difference of the bus, the position of the motorcyclist, and the estimated distance between the motorcycle and the bus. Hence, as soon as the motorcyclist enters the blind spot of the bus or the area of the inner wheel difference, the app will alert the motorcyclist immediately to enhance their real-time safety. We have evaluated this PBSW system implemented in real life. The results show that the average position accuracy of the rear-view mirror is 92.82%, the error rate of the estimated distance between the rear-view mirror and the dual-lens camera is lower than 0.2%, and the average round trip delay between the Android phone and the cloud server is about 0.5 s. To the best of our knowledge, this proposed system is one of few PBSW systems which can be applied in the real world to protect motorcyclists from the danger of entering the blind spot and the area of the inner wheel difference of the target vehicle in real time.
Design and Implementation of a Planar MIMO Antenna for Spectrum-Sensing Applications
Authors: Kumar Sachin , Raheja Dinesh , Palaniswamy Sandeep , Kanaujia Binod , Mostafa Hala , Choi Hyun , Kim Kang
Published: August 2023

Spectrum sensing is an important aspect in cognitive radio (CR) networks as it involves the identification of unused frequency spectra, which saves both bandwidth and energy. The design of a compact super-wideband (SWB) multi-input multi-output (MIMO)/diversity antenna with triple-band-notched features is presented for spectrum sensing in CR systems. The MIMO antenna comprises four identical semi-elliptical-shaped monopole resonators, which are orthogonally positioned and excited individually via tapered coplanar waveguide feed lines. Also, a mirror-slot analogous to the radiator is etched in the ground conductor of each antenna element to achieve SWB characteristics. In order to avoid interference with the SWB, the antenna radiator is loaded with a staircase-shaped slit and a pair of concentric slits, arranged like a complementary split-ring resonator. The antenna resonates from 1.2 to 43 GHz, exhibiting a bandwidth ratio of 36:1. In the MIMO antenna, the antenna elements are located orthogonally, and the isolation > 18 dB and envelope correlation coefficient < 0.01 are realized in the resonating band. The antenna offers a peak gain of 4 dBi, and a sharp reduction in gain at notch frequencies (3.5 GHz, 5.5 GHz, and 8.5 GHz) is achieved. The size of the MIMO antenna is 52 mm × 52 mm. The proposed compact-size antenna features a high bandwidth ratio and straightforward design procedure, and can be simply integrated into contemporary RF equipment. The presented SWB MIMO antenna outperforms SWB antenna designs reported in the open literature, which featured one or two notched bands, whereas it has three notched bands. Also, the three notches in the SWB are achieved without the use of any filters, which simplifies the antenna development process.
A Low-Complexity Fast CU Partitioning Decision Method Based on Texture Features and Decision Trees
Authors: Wang Yanjun , Liu Yong , Zhao Jinchao , Zhang Qiuwen
Published: August 2023

The rapid advancement of information technology, particularly in artificial intelligence and communication, is driving significant transformations in video coding. There is a steadily increasing demand for high-definition video in society. The latest video coding standard, versatile video coding (VVC), offers significant improvements in coding efficiency compared with its predecessor, high-efficiency video coding (HEVC). The improvement in coding efficiency is achieved through the introduction of a quadtree with nested multi-type tree (QTMT). However, this increase in coding efficiency also leads to a rise in coding complexity. In an effort to decrease the computational complexity of VVC coding, our proposed algorithm utilizes a decision tree (DT)-based approach for coding unit (CU) partitioning. The algorithm uses texture features and decision trees to efficiently determine CU partitioning. The algorithm can be summarized as follows: firstly, a statistical analysis of the new features of the VVC is carried out. More representative features are considered to extract to train classifiers that match the framework. Secondly, we have developed a novel framework for rapid CU decision making that is specifically designed to accommodate the distinctive characteristics of QTMT partitioning. The framework predicts in advance whether the CU needs to be partitioned and whether QT partitioning is required. The framework improves the efficiency of the decision-making process by transforming the partition decision of QTMT into multiple binary classification problems. Based on the experimental results, it can be concluded that our method significantly reduces the coding time by 55.19%, whereas BDBR increases it by only 1.64%. These findings demonstrate that our method is able to maintain efficient coding performance while significantly saving coding time.
Prototype-Based Support Example Miner and Triplet Loss for Deep Metric Learning
Authors: Yang Shan , Zhang Yongfei , Zhao Qinghua , Pu Yanglin , Yang Hangyuan
Published: August 2023

Deep metric learning aims to learn a mapping function that projects input data into a high-dimensional embedding space, facilitating the clustering of similar data points while ensuring dissimilar ones are far apart. The most recent studies focus on designing a batch sampler and mining online triplets to achieve this purpose. Conventionally, hard negative mining schemes serve as the preferred batch sampler. However, most hard negative mining schemes search for hard examples in randomly selected mini-batches at each epoch, which often results in less-optimal hard examples and thus sub-optimal performances. Furthermore, Triplet Loss is commonly adopted to perform online triplet mining by pulling the hard positives close to and pushing the negatives away from the anchor. However, when the anchor in a triplet is an outlier, the positive example will be pulled away from the centroid of the cluster, thus resulting in a loose cluster and inferior performance. To address the above challenges, we propose the Prototype-based Support Example Miner (pSEM) and Triplet Loss (pTriplet Loss). First, we present a support example miner designed to mine the support classes on the prototype-based nearest neighbor graph of classes. Following this, we locate the support examples by searching for instances at the intersection between clusters of these support classes. Second, we develop a variant of Triplet Loss, referred to as a Prototype-based Triplet Loss. In our approach, a dynamically updated prototype is used to rectify outlier anchors, thus reducing their detrimental effects and facilitating a more robust formulation for Triplet Loss. Extensive experiments on typical Computer Vision (CV) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, namely person re-identification and few-shot relation extraction, demonstrated the effectiveness and generalizability of the proposed scheme, which consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art models.
Research on the Energy Management Strategy of a Hybrid Energy Storage Type Railway Power Conditioner System
Authors: Wang Ying , Guo Ya , Chen Xiaoqiang , Zhang Yunpeng , Jin Dong , Xie Jing
Published: August 2023

High-speed railways generate a large amount of regenerative braking energy during operation but this energy is not utilized efficiently. In order to realize the recycling of regenerative braking energy of high-speed railways, the hybrid energy storage type railway power conditioner (RPC) system is proposed. The working principle and the control strategy of the system are studied. The energy management strategy consisting of a hybrid energy storage system charging and discharging strategy and variational modal decomposition (VMD) power allocation strategy is proposed. Three system operation modes are proposed: the power of the hybrid energy storage system is decomposed by VMD and an interrelationship number is proposed to determine the lithium battery and supercapacitor power. The hardware-in-the-loop test experiments are conducted by the StarSim power electronics small-step real-time simulator from Modeling Tech and the validation analysis is carried out on MATLAB/Simulink with the actual measurement data of a traction substation on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang line. The results verify that the proposed strategy can effectively recycle the regenerative braking energy, realize the peak-shaving effect on the load, and reduce the energy consumption of the train.
Identification and Functional Characterization of the Nonexpressor of Pathogenesis-Related Genes 1 (NPR1) Gene in the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis)
Authors: Jiang Dong , Yang Guoqun , Chen Kebin , Yu Peiyao , Chen Jiali , Luo Yong , Li Ning , Huang Li-Jun
Published: August 2023

Tea is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages globally. The leaves of the tea plants serve as the raw materials for tea production, making tea tree cultivation widespread as an economically significant tree species. Nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1) is a key regulator of the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway, playing a significant role in the plant’s response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the NPR1-like gene family in tea plants remains elusive. This study aims to systematically analyze the NPR1-like gene family in tea plants. Four CsNPR1-like genes were identified and categorized into three branches based on phylogenetic analysis. Collinearity analysis demonstrated conservation of the NPR1-like gene across different species. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements suggested that CsNPR1-like genes may be involved in various hormonal and stress responses. Protein structure analysis revealed that the CsNPR1-likes exhibited typical ANK and BTB/POZ structural domains. The protein interaction network identified various known and novel NPR1-interacting proteins, including the TGA transcription factor, which was further confirmed in planta. Meta-analysis of transcriptome data indicated that CsNPR1-like genes had spatiotemporal expression patterns and were induced by drought and cold stresses. Additionally, CsNPR1a activates the accumulation of the acidic SA-dependent pathogenic-associated protein PR1 but not the basic chitinase (PR3) in a transient expression assay. This study provides comprehensive information for investigating the NPR1-like gene family in tea plants.
Isolation of Aroma-Producing Wickerhamomyces anomalus Yeast and Analysis of Its Typical Flavoring Metabolites
Authors: Zhang Jing , He Yiguo , Yin Liguo , Hu Rong , Yang Jiao , Zhou Jing , Cheng Tao , Liu Hongyu , Zhao Xingxiu
Published: August 2023

In this study, 21 strains of aroma-producing yeast were isolated from Sichuan paocai juice of farmers in western, eastern and southern Sichuan. One strain, Y3, with the best aroma-producing characteristics, was screened using an olfactory method and a total ester titration method, and was identified as Wickerhamomyces anomalus. The total ester content of Y3 fermentation broth was as high as 1.22 g/L, and there was no white colonies or film on the surface. Meanwhile, the Y3 strain could tolerate 14% salt concentration conditions and grow well in a pH range of 3–4. Through sensory analysis, the fermented mustard with a ratio of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum to Y3 of 1:1 showed the highest overall acceptability. Ethyl acetate with its fruit and wine flavor was also detected in the fermented Sichuan paocai juice with a mixed bacteria ratio of 1:1, analyzed with SPME-GC–MS technology, as well as phenylethyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, isothiocyanate eaters, myrcene and dimethyl disulfide. These contributed greatly to the unique flavor of Sichuan paocai. In general, Wickerhamomyces anomalus Y3 enhanced the aroma of the fermented Sichuan paocai.
Dynamics of Amino Acid Metabolism, Gene Expression, and Circulomics in a Recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Line Adapted to Moderate and High Levels of Extracellular Lactate
Authors: Chitwood Dylan G. , Uy Lisa , Fu Wanfang , Klaubert Stephanie R. , Harcum Sarah W. , Saski Christopher A.
Published: August 2023

The accumulation of metabolic wastes in cell cultures can diminish product quality, reduce productivity, and trigger apoptosis. The limitation or removal of unintended waste products from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell cultures has been attempted through multiple process and genetic engineering avenues with varied levels of success. One study demonstrated a simple method to reduce lactate and ammonia production in CHO cells with adaptation to extracellular lactate; however, the mechanism behind adaptation was not certain. To address this profound gap, this study characterizes the phenotype of a recombinant CHO K-1 cell line that was gradually adapted to moderate and high levels of extracellular lactate and examines the genomic content and role of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) and gene expression on the adaptation process. More than 500 genes were observed on eccDNAs. Notably, more than 1000 genes were observed to be differentially expressed at different levels of lactate adaptation, while only 137 genes were found to be differentially expressed between unadapted cells and cells adapted to grow in high levels of lactate; this suggests stochastic switching as a potential stress adaptation mechanism in CHO cells. Further, these data suggest alanine biosynthesis as a potential stress-mitigation mechanism for excess lactate in CHO cells.
Increased Levels of miR-15b-5p and miR-20b-5p in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma with Hepatic Metastases
Authors: Dobre Maria , Poenaru Radu Cristian , Niculae Andrei Marian , Vladut Catalina , Herlea Vlad , Milanesi Elena , Hinescu Mihail Eugen
Published: August 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of cancer. The symptoms appear in advanced stages, and diagnostic and prognostic tests for the early detection of PDAC and disease evolution are not available. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with cancer development and progression, and some miRNAs have been reported to promote specific metastasis. In this study we aimed to identify the miRNAs dysregulated in PDAC tumoral tissues and a subset of miRNAs associated with tumoral characteristics, mainly metastasis presence and site. For this, the expression of 84 miRNAs was evaluated by qPCR in 30 tumoral tissues and 16 samples of non-tumoral pancreatic tissues. The comparison revealed 32 dysregulated miRNAs (19 upregulated and 13 downregulated) in the PDAC group. Reactome pathway over-representation analysis revealed that these miRNAs are involved in several biological pathways, including “ESR-mediated signaling”, “PIP3 activates AKT signaling”, and “Regulation of PTEN”, among others. Moreover, our study identified an upregulation of miR-15b-5p and miR-20b-5p in the tumoral tissues of patients with hepatic metastasis, outlining these miRNAs as potential markers for hepatic metastasis. No significant difference in miRNA expression was observed in relation to anatomic location, lymphovascular invasion, lung metastasis, and the presence of diabetes.
Multiple Sclerosis Heritability Estimation on Sardinian Ascertained Extended Families Using Bayesian Liability Threshold Model
Authors: Nova Andrea , Fazia Teresa , Saddi Valeria , Piras Marialuisa , Bernardinelli Luisa
Published: August 2023

Heritability studies represent an important tool to investigate the main sources of variability for complex diseases, whose etiology involves both genetics and environmental factors. In this paper, we aimed to estimate multiple sclerosis (MS) narrow-sense heritability (h2), on a liability scale, using extended families ascertained from affected probands sampled in the Sardinian province of Nuoro, Italy. We also investigated the sources of MS liability variability among shared environment effects, sex, and categorized year of birth (<1946, ≥1946). The latter can be considered a proxy for different early environmental exposures. To this aim, we implemented a Bayesian liability threshold model to obtain posterior distributions for the parameters of interest adjusting for ascertainment bias. Our analysis highlighted categorized year of birth as the main explanatory factor, explaining ~70% of MS liability variability (median value = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.73), while h2 resulted near to 0% (median value = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.09). By performing a year of birth-stratified analysis, we found a high h2 only in individuals born on/after 1946 (median value = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.93), meaning that the genetic variability acquired a high explanatory role only when focusing on this subpopulation. Overall, the results obtained highlighted early environmental exposures, in the Sardinian population, as a meaningful factor involved in MS to be further investigated.
Small Muddy Paleochannels and Implications for Submarine Groundwater Discharge near Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Authors: White Scott M. , Smoak Erin , Leier Andrew L. , Wilson Alicia M.
Published: August 2023

The spatial variations in Quaternary sediments on the inner continental shelf are produced by the progression of depositional environments during the latest sea-level rise, and this sedimentary architecture plays a fundamental role in controlling groundwater discharge. However, coincident seismic mapping, sediment cores, and hydrological studies are rare. Here, we combine high-resolution, 0.5–10 kHz, high-frequency seismic profiles with sediment cores to examine the nature of the sediment deposits, including paleochannels, where submarine groundwater discharge has also been studied in a 150 km2 area of the inner shelf north of Charleston, South Carolina. We used high-frequency seismic reflection to interpret seismic facies boundaries, including 16 paleochannel crossings, to 20 km offshore. From 13 vibracores taken at the intersections of the seismic lines, we defined seven lithofacies representative of specific depositional environments. The paleochannels that we cored contain thick layers of structureless mud sometimes interbedded with silt, and mud is common in several of the nearshore cores. Our results indicate that paleochannels are often mud-lined or filled in this area and were most likely former estuarine channels. Neither the paleochannels nor a mud layer were found farther than 11 km off the present shoreline. This offshore distance coincides with the strongest pulses of groundwater discharge, emerging just beyond the paleochannels. This suggests that the muddy paleochannel system acts as a confining layer for submarine groundwater flow.
Study Protocol for a Hospital-to-Home Transitional Care for Older Adults Hospitalized with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in South Korea: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jo Heui-Sug , Kim Woo-Jin , Park Yukyung , Hwang Yu-Seong , Han Seon-Sook , Heo Yeon-Jeong , Moon Dahye , Kim Su-Kyoung , Lee Chang-Youl
Published: August 2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition characterized by persistent inflammation in the airways, resulting in narrowing and obstruction of the air passages. The development of COPD is primarily attributed to long-term exposure to irritants, such as cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants. Among individuals hospitalized for exacerbations of COPD, approximately one in five is readmitted within 30 days of discharge or encounters immediate post-discharge complications, highlighting a lack of adequate preparedness for self-management. To address this inadequate preparedness, transitional care services (TCS) have emerged as a promising approach. Therefore, this study primarily aims to present a detailed protocol for a multi-site, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) aimed at enhancing self-management competency and overall quality of life for patients with COPD through the provision of TCS, facilitated by a proficient Clinical Research Coordinator. The RCT intervention commenced in September 2022 and is set to conclude in December 2024, with a total of 362 COPD patients anticipated to be enrolled in the study. The intervention program encompasses various components, including an initial assessment during hospitalization, comprehensive self-management education, facilitation of social welfare connections, post-discharge home visits, and regular telephone monitoring. Furthermore, follow-up evaluations are conducted at both one month and three months after discharge to assess the effectiveness of the intervention in terms of preventing re-hospitalization, reducing acute exacerbations, and enhancing disease awareness among participants. The results of this study are expected to provide a basis for the development of TCS fee payment policies for future health insurance.
Matching Mechanics and Energetics of Muscle Contraction Suggests Unconventional Chemomechanical Coupling during the Actin–Myosin Interaction
Authors: Pertici Irene , Bongini Lorenzo , Caremani Marco , Reconditi Massimo , Linari Marco , Piazzesi Gabriella , Lombardi Vincenzo , Bianco Pasquale
Published: August 2023

The mechanical performances of the vertebrate skeletal muscle during isometric and isotonic contractions are interfaced with the corresponding energy consumptions to define the coupling between mechanical and biochemical steps in the myosin–actin energy transduction cycle. The analysis is extended to a simplified synthetic nanomachine in which eight HMM molecules purified from fast mammalian skeletal muscle are brought to interact with an actin filament in the presence of 2 mM ATP, to assess the emergent properties of a minimum number of motors working in ensemble without the effects of both the higher hierarchical levels of striated muscle organization and other sarcomeric, regulatory and cytoskeleton proteins. A three-state model of myosin–actin interaction is able to predict the known relationships between energetics and transient and steady-state mechanical properties of fast skeletal muscle either in vivo or in vitro only under the assumption that during shortening a myosin motor can interact with two actin sites during one ATP hydrolysis cycle. Implementation of the molecular details of the model should be achieved by exploiting kinetic and structural constraints present in the transients elicited by stepwise perturbations in length or force superimposed on the isometric contraction.