bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progression of Type 1 Diabetes: Circulating MicroRNA Expression Profiles Changes from Preclinical to Overt Disease
Authors: Santos Aritania Sousa , Ferreira Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto , da Silva Amanda Cabral , Alves Laís Isidoro , Damasceno Jullian Gabriel , Kulikowski Leslie , Cunha-Neto Edecio , da Silva Maria Elizabeth Rossi
Published: July 2022

Aims/Hypothesis. The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis and progression has been described but remains elusive. Objectives. To evaluate the potential biological involvement of miRNA expression in the immune response and beta cell function in T1D. Methods.We screened 377 serum miRNAs of 110 subjects divided into four groups: healthy individuals (control group) and patients at different stages of T1D progression, from the initial immunological manifestation presenting islet autoantibodies (AbP group) until partial and strong beta cell damage in the recent (recent T1D group) and long-term T1D, with 2 to 5 years of disease (T1D 2-5y group).Results. The results revealed 69 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in relation to controls. Several miRNAs were correlated with islet autoantibodies (IA2A, GADA, and Znt8A), age, and C-peptide levels, mainly from AbP, and recent T1D groups pointing these miRNAs as relevant to T1D pathogenesis and progression. Several miRNAs were related to metabolic derangements, inflammatory pathways, and several other autoimmune diseases. Pathway analysis of putative DEM targets revealed an enrichment in pathways related to metabolic syndrome, inflammatory response, apoptosis and insulin signaling pathways, metabolic derangements, and decreased immunomodulation. One of the miRNAs’ gene targets was DYRK2 (dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 2), which is an autoantigen targeted by an antibody in T1D. ROC curve analysis showed hsa-miR-16 and hsa-miR-200a-3p with AUCs greater than for glucose levels, with discriminating power for T1D prediction greater than glucose levels. Conclusions/Interpretation. Our data suggests a potential influence of DEMs on disease progression from the initial autoimmune lesion up to severe beta cell dysfunction and the role of miRNAs hsa-miR-16 and hsa-miR-200a-3p as biomarkers of T1D progression.
Antimalarial Activity of Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of Leaves of Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae) against Plasmodium berghei in Mice
Authors: Melese Birru Eshetie , Adela Alemu Muluken , Tsegaw Weredekal Asegedech , Belay Asrie Assefa , Geta Mengistie Mestayet
Published: July 2022

Background. Current malaria treatment is associated with continued development of drug resistance. Thus, there is a need to develop safe and effective new treatments from different sources. Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae) is a plant used for the treatment of malaria in Ethiopian traditional medicine. This study was aimed at evaluating of antimalarial activity of the crude extract and fractions of S. nigrum L. (Solanaceae) leaves against P. berghei infection in mice. Method. Both prophylactic and suppressive models were used in evaluating antimalarial activity using the ANKA Plasmodium strain. In these models, male mice were randomly grouped into eleven groups (n = 5). Mice in group I were given 4% Tween-80, mice from group II up to X were given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of plant extract, and the last group (XI) was treated with chloroquine (25 mg/kg). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Results. Crude extract of leaves of S. nigrum showed chemosuppression of 30.68 (

P
<
0.05

), 42.42 (

P
<
0.01

), and 50.75% (

P
<
0.001

) at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses of the extract, respectively. At doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, the chloroform fraction produced a chemosuppressive effect of 40.15% (

P
<
0.01

), 53.78% (

P
<
0.001

), and 65.15% (

P
<
0.001

) and a chemoprophylactic effect of 42.7% (

P
<
0.05

), 51.84% (

P
<
0.001

), and 67.17% (

P
<
0.001

) when compared with negative control. In the suppressive model, the ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated a mean chemosuppression of 56.81% (

P
<
0.001

), 65.9% (

P
<
0.001

), and 70.83% (

P
<
0.001

). Similarly, in the prophylactic model, the fraction showed suppression of 42.70% (

P
<
0.05

), 53.11% (

P
<
0.001

), and 71.03% (

P
<
0.001

) at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses. On the acute oral toxicity test, the extracts were safe at 2 g/kg dose. Conclusion. S. nigrum L. has antimalarial activity and supports the traditional medical practice.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Magnetized Lanthanum (III)-Based Metal-Organic Framework for the Organic Dye Removal from Water
Authors: Alzahrani Fatimah Mohammed , Alsaiari Norah Salem , Katubi Khadijah Mohammedsaleh , Amari Abdelfattah , Tahoon Mohamed A.
Published: July 2022

A hybrid composite based on metal-organic framework (MOF) was chemically fabricated by embedding the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles within amino-functionalized porous La-MOF (MOF/NH2) to produce a highly efficient and reusable composite of MOF/NH2/Fe3O4. Different proper techniques were used for the characterization of surface morphology and chemical arrangement of the prepared MOF/NH2/Fe3O4 composite. The characterization results using various techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller analysis (BET), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) approved the successful fabrication of MOF with amino arms on its surface besides the well magnetization using magnetic nanoparticles. The MOF/NH2/Fe3O4 composite showed enhanced adsorption capacity (618 mg/g) toward methyl orange (MO) anionic dye which is higher than many commercial reported adsorbents due to the presence of many types of adsorption sites (NH2 groups and lanthanum sites), large surface area of MOF, and the synergetic effect of magnetic nanoparticles. Moreover, the MOF/NH2/Fe3O4 composite showed selective adsorption of MO dye from dye mixtures owing to the electrostatic attraction. Also, the MOF/NH2/Fe3O4 composite retained over 90% of its efficiency for the dye removal even after six successive cycles. So, the present study provided a practical strategy for the design of functional MOF hybrid composites. Furthermore, due to the adaptability of its architectural form, it is a potential adsorbent material for industrial wastewater treatment uses.
Deep-Learning-Based Financial Message Sentiment Classification in Business Management
Authors: Shao Chen , Chen Xiaochen
Published: July 2022

A deep-learning-based financial text sentiment classification method is proposed in this paper, which can provide a reference for business management. In the proposed method, domain adaptation is adopted to solve the common problem of insufficient labeled samples in the financial textual domain. Specifically, in the classification process, the seq2seq model is firstly adopted to extract the abstract from the financial message, which can reduce the influence of invalid information and speed up processing. In the process of sentiment classification, a bidirectional LSTM model is adopted for classification, which can more comprehensively make use of context information. Experiments are carried out to testify the proposed method through the open-source data set. It can be seen that the proposed method can effectively transfer from the reduced Amazon data set to the StockTwits financial text data set. Compared with the parameter-frozen-based method and the SDA-based method, the recognition rates have improved by 0.5% and 6.8%, respectively. If the target domain data set can be directly adopted for training, the recognition rate of the proposed method is higher than that of the SVM method and the LSTM method by 8.3% and 4.5%, respectively.
[Retracted] Degradation of Toxic Dye and Antimicrobial and Free Radical Potential of Environmental Benign Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Rajeshkumar Shanmugam , Santhoshkumar Jayakodí , Parameswari R. P. , Saravanan S. , Balusamy Sri Renukadevi , Arunachalam Kalirajan
Published: July 2022

Several industries have become major contributors to waterbody contamination due to the improper removal of dyes and effluents into water bodies. Due to their carcinogenic properties and low biodegradability, dye degradation is a considerable danger to people, animals, and the oceanic environment. As part of this study, Andrographis paniculata leaf extract was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent to synthesize zinc nanoparticles and degrade dyes such as methyl red and eosin. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 430 nm in the UV spectrum. The FTIR result showed a band at 597.93 cm−1 that confirmed the formation of zinc nanoparticles. AFM results revealed spherical ZnONPs. The SEM results predicted an average particle size of 60 nm for crystalline particles. Biologically synthesized zinc nanoparticles exhibited greater antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas spp. and Proteus spp. but lesser activity against Klebsiella spp. and S. aureus. At 1000 μg/ml concentration, ZnONPs had the highest antioxidant activity of 45.34%. An ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometer measured dye degradation progress between 300 and 800 nm. For methyl red, the maximum absorption peak was measured at 415 nm, and for eosin, the maximum peak value was measured between 500 and 515 nm.
Identification of Voltage Sag Sources in the Electrified Railway Power Supply System Based on CNNs
Authors: Liu Yuxin , Zhang Jingjing , Jia Haowei , Yuan Lin , Zhou Min
Published: July 2022

In order to solve the problems of long classification time and low accuracy of traditional voltage sag source identification methods, on the basis of CNNs, the author conducts an in-depth study on the identification of voltage sag sources in the electrified railway power supply systems. Firstly, study and research from three methods of line fault analysis, simulation verification method, and power quality analysis method are conducted. In order to improve the classification and identification of compound-voltage sag sources when the distribution network contains harmonics, the author proposes a new method for the classification and identification of compound-voltage sag sources based on the eigenvalue synthesis method. Among them, according to the different voltage sag waveform characteristics caused by different composite voltage sag sources, the three-phase voltage unbalance is defined, and the result is obtained by combining the compound-voltage sag source including single-phase grounding with the voltage sag source compounded by induction motor startup and transformer input. After experiments and research, the proposed method is verified by simulation experiments, the results show that the method can classify and identify the types and fault sequences of the compound-voltage sag sources well, and the identification accuracy rate is higher than 96%.
Effect of Mechanical Properties on Fibre Addition of Flax and Graphene-Based Bionanocomposites
Authors: Natrayan L. , Kaliappan S. , Sethupathy Baskara S. , Sekar S. , Patil Pravin P. , Velmurugan G. , Tariku Olkeba Tewedaj
Published: July 2022

Natural fibre-based polymer nanocomposites have played an essential role in many industry domains for four to five years because of their strong mechanical and physical qualities. The primary goal of this research is to establish the mechanical and morphological properties of nanocomposite materials in natural environments. Flax fibre was employed as a reinforcement, nanographene powder was used as a filler, and epoxy resin was used as a matrix material to achieve the goals above, keeping the following restrictions in mind: (i) fibre length (15, 30 and 45 mm), (ii) fibre content (10, 15 and 20 mm), and (iii) wt.% of nanofiller (2.5, 5 and 7.5 wt.%). The composite materials were laminated using the compression moulding process per the Taguchi L9 design. The mechanical characteristics of the material, such as flexural, tensile, and impact properties, were examined according to ASTM standards. The mechanical characteristics of combinations A2, B2, and C2 are the best when compared to other combinations. The graphene-based nanocomposites revealed that 2.5 wt.% graphene contributes 33.08% of mechanical properties, the 5 wt.% graphene contributes 36.4%, and the 7.5 wt.% graphene contributes 30.53%. Including 5 wt.% graphene content provides the highest mean values of mechanical strength like 36.59 MPa tensile, 40.25 MPa flexural, and 31.68 kg/m2 of impact. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the cracked specimens were used better to understand the failure process of composites during mechanical testing.
Predictive Value of MRI with Serum Lectin-Reactive Alpha-Fetoprotein for Liver Cancer Recurrence after Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation
Authors: Zhang Guangfeng , Yun Yongxing , Lin Chunming , Li Huafeng
Published: July 2022

Objective. To explore the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with serum lectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) for liver cancer recurrence after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods. This study included 94 liver cancer patients admitted for RFA treatment and 82 healthy subjects. MRI was performed to record the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The serum concentrations of AFP-L3 were quantified in all participants. The correlation of the AFP-L3 serum level and ADC value with clinical efficacy following RFA was analyzed. Moreover, the prognostic factors affecting liver cancer recurrence were analyzed, as well as the predictive effect of the ADC value and AFP-L3 on liver cancer recurrence. Results. The serum AFP-L3 level was higher in liver cancer patients than the healthy controls with a lower ADC value. Besides, the patients with tumor residuals had lower ADC values and higher serum AFP-L3 levels than those with complete ablated tumor. The combined detection of the ADC value and serum AFP-L3 level had a sensitivity of 87.50% and a specificity of 87.18% for diagnosing complete ablation after RFA treatment. The number of tumor nodules, tumor diameter, AFP, AFP-L3, and the presence of liver cirrhosis are all independent risk factors for liver cancer recurrence within one year. Meanwhile, the combined detection of the ADC value and serum AFP-L3 level had a good predictive effect on liver cancer recurrence with the sensitivity of 92.86% and a specificity of 69.62%. Conclusion. The ADC values combined with serum AFP-L3 detection had good predictive effects on complete ablation and recurrence of liver cancer after RFA treatment.
[Retracted] HS3ST1 Promotes Non‐Small‐Cell Lung Cancer Progression by Targeting the SPOP/FADD/NF‐κB Pathway
Authors: Ji Xianxiu , Cheng Kebin , Gao Caixia , Xie Huikang , Zhu Ren , Luo Jie
Published: July 2022

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan is a key component of cell microenvironment and plays an important role in cell‐cell interaction, adhesion, migration, and signal transduction. Heparan sulfate 3‐O‐sulfotransferase 1 (HS3ST1) is a metabolic‐related gene of HS. The present study was aimed at exploring the role of HS3ST1 in the progress of non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our results illustrated that HS3ST1 promoted the malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells both in vitro and in vivo. HS3ST1 was found to inhibit spot‐type zinc finger protein (SPOP) expression, which might inhibit the NF‐κB pathway activation through mediating the degradation of Fas‐associated death domain protein (FADD). By analyzing NSCLC patient samples, we also found increased HS3ST1 expression and decreased SPOP expression in tumor tissues in contrast with those in adjoining normal tissues. In conclusion, HS3ST1 promotes NSCLC tumorigenesis by regulating SPOP/FADD/NF‐κB pathway.
Influencing Factors of Physical Activity in Patients with Lung Cancer Surgery and Its Correlation with Exercise Self-Efficacy and Perceived Social Support
Authors: Zhang Na , He Xin , Zhang Huanhuan , Zhu Yajing , Liu Yan
Published: July 2022

Purpose. The aim of the study is to understand the current status of physical activity in patients with lung cancer surgery, explore its influencing factors, and analyze the correlation between physical activity and exercise self-efficacy and perception of social support. Methods. The General Information Questionnaire was designed for 145 patients, Chinese version of EPIC-PAQ physical activity scale for lung cancer patients. The Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (SEE) is used to evaluate the ability of people to organize and execute motor behaviors in various difficult situations. The Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) was used to emphasize individual self-understanding and self-feeling. Results. The median and quartile of total physical activity scores in lung cancer surgery patients were 73.0 (34.8, 129.7) points; univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in physical activity levels among lung cancer surgery patients with different ages, work status before hospitalization, and perceived disease severity. The results of multivariate analysis showed that age, perceived disease severity, exercise self-efficacy, and total score of perceived social support affected the physical activity level of patients (

P
<
0.05

). Efficacy were positively correlated with perceived social support (

P
<
0.01

). Conclusion. The level of physical activity of patients undergoing lung cancer surgery needs to be further improved. Physical activity is affected by patient age, perceived disease severity, exercise self-efficacy, and perceived social support and is positively correlated with exercise self-efficacy and perceived social support. Medical staff should provide targeted activity guidance according to the age and other characteristics of patients undergoing lung cancer surgery, enhance patients’ exercise self-efficacy and comprehend social support, and improve their physical activity level, thereby promoting patients’ early recovery.
Impacts of Circadian Gene Period2 Knockout on Intestinal Metabolism and Hepatic Antioxidant and Inflammation State in Mice
Authors: Zhen Yongkang , Xi Zanna , Hu Liangyu , Chen Yifei , Ge Ling , Wei Wenjun , Loor Juan J. , Yang Qingyong , Wang Mengzhi
Published: July 2022

The period circadian regulator 2 (Per2) gene is important for the modulations of rhythmic homeostasis in the gut and liver; disruption will cause metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver. Herein, we investigated the alterations in intestinal metabolic and hepatic functions in Per2 knockout (Per2-/-, KO) and wild-type (Per2+/+, WT) mice. Growth indices, intestinal metabolomics, hepatic circadian rhythms, lipid metabolism, inflammation-related genes, antioxidant capacity, and transcriptome sequencing were performed after euthanasia. Data indicated that KO decreased the intestinal concentrations of amino acids such as γ-aminobutyric acid, aspartic acid, glycine, L-allothreonine, methionine, proline, serine, and valine while it increased the concentrations of carbohydrates such as cellobiose, D-talose, fucose, lyxose, and xylose compared with WT. Moreover, the imbalance of intestinal metabolism further seemed to induce liver dysfunction. Data indicated that Per2 knockout altered the expression of hepatic circadian rhythm genes, such as Clock, Bmal1, Per1, Per3, Cry1, and Cry2. KO also induced hepatic lipid metabolism, because of the increase of liver index and serum concentrations of low-density lipoprotein, and the upregulated expression of Pparα, Cyp7a1, and Cpt1. In addition, KO improved hepatic antioxidant capacity due to the increase activities of SOD and GSH-Px and the decrease in concentrations of MDA. Lastly, KO increased the relative expression levels of hepatic inflammation-related genes, such as Il-1β, Il-6, Tnf-α, Myd88, and Nf-κB p65, which may potentially lead to hepatic inflammation. Overall, Per2 knockout induces gut metabolic dysregulation and may potentially trigger alterations in hepatic antioxidant and inflammation responses.
Energy-Efficient Resource Allocation in Cognitive Wireless-Powered Hybrid Active-Passive Communications
Authors: Luo Jianjun , Li Ming , Ning Xin
Published: July 2022

Integrating hybrid active-passive communications into cognitive radio can achieve a spectrum- and energy-efficiency information transmission, while the resource allocation has not been well studied particularly for the network with multiple secondary users (also termed as the Internet of Things (IoT) users). In this article, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the energy efficiency of all the IoT nodes in a cognitive wireless-powered hybrid active-passive communication network by taking the interference from the IoT node to the primary link, the energy causality constraint, and the minimum throughput constraint per IoT node. By using the Dinkelbach method and introducing auxiliary variables, we devise an iterative algorithm to optimally solve the formulated problem. Computer simulations are provided to validate the quick convergence of the iterative algorithm and the advantages of the proposed scheme in terms of the energy efficiency.
Quality Evaluation of Ideological and Political Education in Universities Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Ding Yunxia , Zeng Wei , Ning Zhen
Published: July 2022

At present, there are some problems in the research of curriculum ideological and political quality evaluation, such as insufficient theme attention, insufficient theoretical research, incomplete data collection, and so on. This study aims to use the BP neural network in the ideological and political quality evaluation system so that the system can more comprehensively and accurately reflect the actual situation of students and point out the direction for the development of students’ ideological and political education. The construction of this system can provide a very considerable and accurate way for the quality evaluation of ideological and political education of college students and especially solves the problems of human subjective, factor errors, and the setting of evaluation index weights in the evaluation system.
Building an Urban Smart Community System Based on Association Rule Algorithms
Authors: Wenwen Zhou
Published: July 2022

Intelligent system development is an integral component of smart community development and has a significant impact on the development of smart communities. Some cities continue to implement personalized smart community services, resulting in the formation of smart city communities with unique characteristics. Urban smart communities are based on the principle of owner-occupant convenience, integrating a wealth of community information and making it more relevant to each and every resident through intelligent management. Increasing information transmission rates have enhanced the ability of smart community systems to integrate information, but the smart community recommendation method is still based on traditional categorized recommendations. This paper addresses the deficiency of recommended information in smart urban communities. By analyzing user interaction and operation data, we can determine the interest and recognition of browsing attractions among users. Compared to conventional classification recommendations, weighted association rules can identify potentially very important rules applicable to small groups, thereby meeting the needs of various groups and enabling personalized services. Through continuous feedback from user behavior data, the system gradually identifies the community information that users are interested in during the specific recommendation process. After testing, the smart community system’s recommendation accuracy and real-time performance have vastly improved in comparison to categorical recommendations, and it can effectively meet the needs of tenants for community recommendations.
Application of Internet of Things in Online Teaching of Adult Education Based on Android Voice Assistant
Authors: Shen Yingjie
Published: July 2022

Adult education is an important part of lifelong learning; with the rapid development of economy in recent years, the society has put forward many new requirements for lifelong education; and many new problems have emerged in adult higher education. Online education is the medium of distance learning. Due to the continuous development of Internet+ and the continuous growth and rapid development of online education, it provides unprecedented opportunities for the development and utilization of high-quality education resources. Based on the research on the recommendation method of online courses in adult higher education, this paper designs and develops an online education platform for Adult Higher Education. The intelligence of mobile devices has made mobile phones an indispensable device in people’s lives, excellent human-computer interaction design, and open-source kernel code that make Android the best choice for developing mobile applications. Therefore, in this paper, we will build an adult online education framework based on Android voice for Internet of things technology, design a monitoring node for Internet of things, design and implement an online education monitoring system for adult NB people, and research, collect, and send the learning status information of Internet of things technology. The results show that the function of the system can be effectively realized, the operation efficiency is high, and the personalized course design can be provided.
A Photoaging Intervention Delivered to Adolescents in Secondary Schools: A Feasibility Study
Authors: McNoe Bronwen M. , Morgaine Kate C. , Reeder Anthony I. , Iosua Ella
Published: July 2022

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation during adolescence can have a lasting effect on long-term skin cancer risk. Skin cancer prevention interventions for adolescents have been less commonly investigated than those for children and adults. The study objectives were to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a secondary school-based appearance focused intervention, including the development and testing of protocols and instruments, as a resource module that could be efficiently integrated into the secondary school science curriculum. This longitudinal study was conducted with a convenience sample of 38 13–14 year-old students attending one New Zealand (NZ) urban secondary school. The recruitment rate was excellent with only one student not participating because of parental concern. In terms of the implementation practicality, the intervention, as it stands, was extremely resource intensive, involving four research staff to deliver. This will not work if delivered in a classroom setting by a single teacher. However, the intervention was well received by students, so it shows promise if a less resource intensive version could be produced. The acceptability of the intervention with the students was good with the majority (61%) having no suggestions for improvements. Suggested improvements were minor and could be easily addressed.
Application of Nanomaterials in Visual Effects of National Costume Pattern Design
Authors: Lu Pei
Published: July 2022

Nanomaterials refer to new materials that are constructed from a unit structure of one to one hundred nanometers according to certain organizational rules. The purpose of this paper is to apply nanomaterials in the study of visual effects of ethnic dress pattern design. This paper first gives a brief overview of ethnic costumes, including the status quo, development, characteristics of ethnic costumes, and also studies the pattern design and visual effects of ethnic costumes, as well as the image shaping of pattern design. Then, the content of nanomaterials is elaborated. Finally, nanomaterials are applied in the design of ethnic costumes, and they are compared with traditional ethnic costumes, and the functionalities of the costumes and the visual effects of pattern design are observed, respectively. The results show that the overall average score of the visual effect test of ethnic dress pattern design using nanomaterials reaches 8.54 points, which verifies its effectiveness.
Evaluation and Analysis of Assisted Instruction and Ability Improvement Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Li Zhi , Guang Zhao , Sun Wen
Published: July 2022

Teachers are a very important part of university education. They have the responsibility of teaching and educating people, and it is also their unshakable responsibility to train all-round talents for the country. If we want to improve students’ quality, we must improve teachers’ teaching quality and pay attention to the research of teachers’ teaching ability. This paper analyzes the connotation of artificial intelligence-assisted instruction. Then, Bayesian active learning modeling is used. This paper mainly adopts the way of questionnaire and empirical research methods and launches a basic investigation on the teaching ability of university teachers. Through investigation, the following problems are summarized: (1) insufficient self-knowledge reserve and weak teaching theoretical foundation and (2) inaccurate orientation of teaching objectives and single teaching methods. Schools need to enrich training methods, establish multiple effective mechanisms for evaluation, meet the basic requirements of each teacher, and play the role of inspiring teachers. As for teachers, they need to have a good attitude, be full of interest in teaching and educating people, have a strong sense of responsibility, and constantly improve themselves and improve themselves.
Geospatial Immune Heterogeneity Reflects the Diverse Tumor–Immune Interactions in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Lin Youpei , Peng Lihua , Dong Liangqing , Liu Dongbing , Ma Jiaqiang , Lin Jian , Chen Xiaofang , Lin Penghui , Song Guohe , Zhang Mao , Liu Yuming , Rao Junhua , Wei Chen , Lu Ye , Zhang Shu , Ding Guangyu , Peng Zhenyu , Lu Haorong , Wang Xiaoying , Zhou Jian , Fan Jia , Wu Kui , Gao Qiang
Published: July 2022

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) exhibits extensive intratumoral heterogeneity and an extremely high mortality rate. Here, we performed whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, and multiplexed immunofluorescence on 207 tumor regions from 45 patients with iCCA. Over half of iCCA displayed intratumoral heterogeneity of immune infiltration, and iCCA were classified into sparsely, heterogeneously, and highly infiltrated subgroups with distinct immunogenomic characteristics. Sparsely infiltrated tumors displayed active copy-number loss of clonal neoantigens, and heterogeneous immune infiltration played an important role in the subclonal evolution across tumor subregions. Highly infiltrated tumors were characterized by extensive immune activation and a similar TCR repertoire across tumor subregions, but counteracted with T-cell exhaustion and pervasive antigen presentation defects. Notably, FGFR2 mutations and fusions correlated with low mutation burden and reduced immune infiltration. Our work delineated the dynamic tumor–immune interactions and developed a robust classification system to divide patients with iCCA into high and low immune evasion groups with different prognoses.

Significance:

This study elucidates the impact of spatial immune heterogeneity upon tumor evolution of iCCA and reveals distinct immune evasion mechanisms developed in different immune microenvironments, which can be exploited for the development of personalized immunotherapy strategies.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2221
Clinical and Preclinical Neuroimaging Changes in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 12: A Study of Three Chinese Pedigrees
Authors: Yao Tingyan , Qiao Hongwen , Sun Junyan , Li Xuying , Song Yang , Xu Fanxi , Gao Linlin , Zhang Dongling , Yan Zehong , Ye Chenfei , Lai Hong , Liang Zhigang , Wu Tao , Wang Chao-dong
Published: July 2022

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 12 (SCA12) is a rare SCA subtype with unclear clinical and imaging features. Also, the radiological changes in prodromal and early stages remain unknown. Methods: Ten symptomatic and two pre­symptomatic cases from three Chinese pedigrees received clinical assessments and imaging studies including routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and positron emission tomography (PET) using 18F-flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) to investigate glucose metabolism in brain and 18F-vesicle monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) to inspect the integrity of the dopaminergic neuron. Seventy-two healthy individuals were recruited as controls in the quantitative FDG-PET analysis. Imaging parameters were compared between symptomatic and presymptomatic cases with different disease durations. Results: Patients displayed prominent action tremor, moderate ataxia, and subtle parkinsonism with poor levodopa-response. MRI showed extensive but heterogeneous cerebral atrophy, which was most evident in the frontoparietal lobes. Cerebellar atrophy was apparent in later stages. DKI detected impaired fibers in the cerebellar peduncles. In both symptomatic and pre­symptomatic cases, PET-CT showed an earlier FDG decline than atrophic changes in multiple regions, and the frontoparietal lobes were the earliest and most severe. However, the VMAT2 density were normal in the putamen and caudate nucleus of most cases (7/8). Conclusions: We first found that hypometabolism in the cerebral cortex, but not cerebellum, is an early and prominent change in SCA12. The integrity of presynaptic dopaminergic neurons remains largely spared during the whole disease process.
Hemodynamic Effects of Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Dependent Signaling Through β3 Adrenoceptor Stimulation in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure: A Randomized Invasive Clinical Trial
Authors: Bundgaard Henning , Axelsson Raja Anna , Iversen Kasper , Valeur Nana , Tønder Niels , Schou Morten , Christensen Alex Hørby , Bruun Niels Eske , Søholm Helle , Ghanizada Muzhda , Fry Natasha A.S. , Hamilton Elisha J. , Boesgaard Søren , Møller Mathias B. , Wolsk Emil , Rossing Kasper , Køber Lars , Rasmussen Helge H. , Vissing Christoffer Rasmus
Published: July 2022

Background:

β3-AR (β3-adrenergic receptor) stimulation improved systolic function in a sheep model of systolic heart failure (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF]). Exploratory findings in patients with New York Heart Association functional class II HFrEF treated with the β3-AR-agonist mirabegron supported this observation. Here, we measured the hemodynamic response to mirabegron in patients with severe HFrEF.

Methods:

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial we assigned patients with New York Heart Association functional class III–IV HFrEF, left ventricular ejection fraction <35% and increased NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels to receive mirabegron (300 mg daily) or placebo orally for a week, as add on to recommended HF therapy. Invasive hemodynamic measurements during rest and submaximal exercise at baseline, 3 hours after first study dose and repeated after 1 week’s treatment were obtained. Predefined parameters for analyses were changes in cardiac- and stroke volume index, pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Results:

We randomized 22 patients (age 66±11 years, 18 men, 16, New York Heart Association functional class III), left ventricular ejection fraction 20±7%, median NT-proBNP 1953 ng/L. No significant changes were seen after 3 hours, but after 1 week, there was a significantly larger increase in cardiac index in the mirabegron group compared with the placebo group (mean difference, 0.41 [CI, 0.07–0.75] L/min/BSA;
P
=0.039). Pulmonary vascular resistance decreased significantly more in the mirabegron group compared with the placebo group (−1.6 [CI, −0.4 to −2.8] Wood units;
P
=0.02). No significant differences were seen during exercise. There were no differences in changes in heart rate, systemic vascular resistance, blood pressure, or renal function between groups. Mirabegron was well-tolerated.

Conclusions:

Oral treatment with the β3-AR-agonist mirabegron for 1 week increased cardiac index and decreased pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with moderate to severe HFrEF. Mirabegron may be useful in patients with worsening or terminal HF.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: 2016-002367-34.
Candesartan Cilexetil Attenuates Arrhythmogenicity Following Pressure Overload in Rats via the Modulation of Cardiac Electrical and Structural Remodeling and Calcium Handling Dysfunction
Authors: Chang Gwo‐Jyh , Yeh Yung‐Hsin , Chen Wei‐Jan , Ko Yu‐Shien , Lai Ying‐Ju , Lee Yun‐Shien
Published: July 2022

Background

Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with abnormal electrophysiology and increased arrhythmia risk. This study assessed whether candesartan cilexetil, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, could suppress arrhythmogenecity by attenuating cardiac electrical remodeling and calcium mishandling in rats with pressure‐overload hypertrophy.

Methods and Results

Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly subjected to abdominal aorta banding or sham procedure and received either candesartan cilexetil (3.0 mg/kg per day) or vehicle by gavage for 5 weeks. Pressure overload was characterized by compensated left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and fibrosis, increased LV pressure and its decay time, and prolonged corrected QT interval, all of which were attenuated by candesartan cilexetil treatment. Candesartan cilexetil–treated banded rat hearts displayed shorter QT intervals and lower vulnerability to atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias than vehicle‐treated banded hearts. Candesartan cilexetil prevented banding‐induced prolonged action potential duration and reduced the occurrence of triggered activity in LV papillary muscles. In addition, the prolonged time to 50% cell relengthening and calcium transient decay time were normalized in LV myocytes from candesartan cilexetil–treated banded rats, along with a normalization of decreased SERCA2a (sarco[endo]plasmic reticulum calcium‐ATPase) expression in LV tissues. Furthermore, candesartan cilexetil normalized depressed transient outward potassium current densities and protein and mRNA levels of both voltage‐gated potassium 4.2 and 4.3 channel subunits (Kv4.2 and Kv4.3) in banded rats.

Conclusions

Candesartan cilexetil protects the heart from pressure overload‐induced adverse electrical remodeling by preserving potassium channel densities. In addition, calcium handling and its molecular regulation also improved after treatment. These beneficial effects may contribute to a lower susceptibility to arrhythmias in hearts from candesartan cilexetil–treated pressure‐overloaded rats.
Association of High‐Sensitivity Troponin T and I Blood Concentrations With All‐Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Outcome in Stable Patients—Results From the INTERCATH Cohort
Authors: Bay Benjamin , Goßling Alina , Blaum Christopher M. , Kroeger Friederike , Koppe Luise , Lorenz Thiess , Koester Lukas , Clemmensen Peter , Westermann Dirk , Kirchhof Paulus , Blankenberg Stefan , Zeller Tanja , Seiffert Moritz , Waldeyer Christoph , Brunner Fabian J.
Published: July 2022

Background

The association between high‐sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) and high‐sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) and outcome when adjusted for confounders including the angiographical severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains largely unknown. We therefore aimed to explore whether hsTnT and hsTnI blood levels increase with CAD severity and add independent predictive information for future major adverse cardiovascular events and all‐cause mortality in stable patients.

Methods and Results

Patients from the INTERCATH cohort with available coronary angiography and hsTnT and hsTnI concentrations were included. Troponin concentrations were quantified via hsTnT (Roche Elecsys) and hsTnI (Abbott ARCHITECT STAT). To investigate the association of hsTnT and hsTnI with outcome, a multivariable analysis adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein), NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide), and Gensini score was carried out. Of 1829 patients, 27.9% were women, and the mean age was 68.6±10.9 years. Troponin blood concentrations were higher in patients with diagnosed CAD compared with those without. Using a linear regression model current smoking, arterial hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP, NT‐proBNP, and CAD severity as graded by the Gensini and SYNTAX scores were associated with high‐sensitivity troponin levels. Patients were followed for 4.4 years (25th and 75th percentiles: 4.3, 4.4). After multivariable adjustment, all‐cause mortality was predicted by hsTnT (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7 [95% CI, 1.5–2.2],
P
<0.001) as well as hsTnI (HR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2–1.8],
P
<0.001). However, only hsTnI (HR, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0–1.4],
P
=0.032) remained as an independent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events after adjusting for most possible confounders, including CAD severity (hsTnT: HR, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9–1.2],
P
=0.95).

Conclusions

After adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP, NT‐proBNP, and CAD severity, hsTnT and hsTnI were independently associated with all‐cause mortality, but only hsTnI was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in stable patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Registration

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/
; Unique identifier: NCT04936438.
Rural Residence and Antihypertensive Medication Use in US Stroke Survivors
Authors: Tran Phoebe M. , Tran Lam T. , Zhu Cenjing , Chang Tiffany , Powers Inna P. , Goldstein Larry B. , Lichtman Judith H.
Published: July 2022

Background

Relatively greater increases in hypertension prevalence among US rural residents may contribute to geographic disparities in recurrent stroke. There is limited US information on poststroke antihypertensive medication use by rural/urban residence. We assessed antihypertensive use and lifestyle characteristics for US rural compared with urban stroke survivors and residence‐based trends in use between 2005 and 2019.

Methods and Results

US stroke survivors with hypertension were identified in the 2005 to 2019 national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. We ascertained the survey‐weighted prevalence of reported antihypertensive use and lifestyle characteristics (ie, physical activity, diabetes, cholesterol, body mass index, and smoking) among respondents with hypertension in odd years over this period by rural/urban residence. Separate trend analyses were used to detect changes in use over time. Survey‐weighted logistic regression was used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted (sociodemographic and lifestyle factors) odds ratios for antihypertensive use by year. Our study included 82 175 individuals (36.4% rural residents). Lifestyle characteristics were similar between rural and urban residents except for higher smoking prevalence among rural residents. Antihypertensive use was similar between rural and urban stroke survivors in unadjusted and adjusted analyses (>90% in both populations). Trend analyses showed a small but significant increase in antihypertensive use over time among urban (
P
=0.033) but not rural stroke survivors (
P
=0.587).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that poststroke antihypertensive use is comparable in rural and urban residents with a reported history of hypertension, but additional work is merited to identify reasons for a trend for increased use of these drugs among urban residents.
Investigating the Effect of Jo-Ha-Kyū on Music Tempos and Kinematics across Cultures: Animation Design for 3D Characters Using Japanese Bunraku Theater
Authors: Dong Ran , Cai Dongsheng , Hayano Shingo , Nakagawa Shinobu , Ikuno Soichiro
Published: July 2022

Bunraku theater is a traditional Japanese performing art. Bunraku puppeteering can invoke deep unconscious affective reactions from the audience, overcoming what is known as the uncanny valley effect. The authors analyze Bunraku plays, showing that the music tempo and puppet movements follow the Jo-Ha-Kyū principle, which refers to recursive and fractal artistic modulations such as changes of tempo and rhythm breaks. The authors then illustrate the difference between Bunraku and European dance and finally propose the application of Jo-Ha-Kyū in character animation design.
It ain’t easy being orange: lizard colour morphs occupying highly vegetated microhabitats suffer greater ectoparasitism
Authors: BeVier Graham T. , Ayton Cole , Brock Kinsey M.
Published: July 2022

Intraspecific colour morphs usually differ in more traits than just colour. These traits can manifest as differences in morph physiology, behaviour, and ecology. Ecological differences among colour morphs, such as the degree of parasitism, can influence the evolution, maintenance, and loss of morphs from populations. High ectoparasite load can directly and deleteriously impact host fitness, and thus could influence colour morph persistence in populations if certain morphs are more frequently exposed to parasites or are more susceptible to parasitism. The Aegean wall lizard, Podarcis erhardii, is a colour polymorphic island lizard that is parasitized externally by ticks and mites. These ectoparasites can affect aspects of host lizard behaviour and physiology – including thermoregulation and body mass – and therefore are an important factor influencing the ecology and fitness of P. erhardii. We find that among sympatric colour morphs, ectoparasite loads differ; namely, monochromatic orange morphs have the highest numbers of ectoparasites, and in general, morphs with orange alleles (orange, orange-white, and orange-yellow) are more heavily parasitized by ticks and mites than the other morphs. Our results indicate that morphs with orange alleles tend to occupy microhabitats with significantly more vegetation cover and thus may increase their exposure to ticks and mites. Ecological differences between morphs could be an important factor contributing to demonstrated patterns of orange morph rarity and loss in P. erhardii populations.
Seven new species of Licuala (Livistoninae, Arecaceae) from New Guinea
Authors: BARFOD ANDERS S. , HEATUBUN CHARLIE D.
Published: July 2022

Based on newly gained insights from intensified fieldwork, we describe seven new species of Licuala from New Guinea and adjacent islands. All species are illustrated and provided with information on their habitat, conservation status and morphological affinities.
The genus Callitriche (Plantaginaceae, Callitricheae) in Morocco
Authors: LANSDOWN RICHARD V. , RHAZI LAILA , SABER ER-RIYAHI , EL MADIHI MOHAMMED , GRILLAS PATRICK
Published: July 2022

This article presents information on the distribution and ecology of Callitriche species in Morocco, based on field survey, literature review, and examination of herbarium specimens. Taxa reported erroneously from the country are discussed and new information is presented on the morphology of C. mathezii and C. truncata subsp. truncata.
A new diatom (Bacillariophyta) species from Indonesian urban areas, description of Microcostatus labrisicus sp. nov.
Authors: MATEUSZ RYBAK , NATALIA KOCHMAN-KĘDZIORA , OKTIYAS MUZAKY LUTHFI
Published: July 2022

Microcostatus labrisicus sp. nov., a terrestrial species, is described from mosses growing on concrete flower beds in Gaharu Park (Sambas city, Borneo Island). Its morphology was studied with light and scanning electron microscopy revealed a set of unique morphological features. The new species differs from all other Microcostatus species by having an unusual arrangement of longitudinal depressions, positioned on both sides of sternum. They are separated by thickened fascia with the shape of a symmetric double-headed axe. A detailed morphological comparison taxa with similar morphological characteristics and additional information on the associated diatom flora is also provided.
On the nomenclatural type of Triticum durum (Poaceae: Triticeae)
Authors: FERRER-GALLEGO P. PABLO , LAGUNA EMILIO , OBÓN CONCEPCIÓN , ALCARAZ FRANCISCO , RIVERA DIEGO
Published: July 2022

The nomenclatural type of Triticum durum is discussed. The name is lectotypified using a specimen collected in the North of Africa and preserved at Herb. P.