bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Networks, Cultural Pride, and Historical Loss Among Non-Reservation American Indian / Alaska Native Emerging Adults
Authors: Kennedy David P. , Brown Ryan A. , D’Amico Elizabeth J. , Dickerson Daniel L. , Johnson Carrie L. , Malika Nipher , Rodriguez Anthony , Arvizu-Sanchez Virginia
Published: November 2023

Health disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations in the United States are the result of historical traumas, such as colonization, forced relocation, and federal policies focused on cultural assimilation. Culturally-tailored health interventions aim to address intergenerational trauma by emphasizing cultural strengths and building positive social connections. In this article, we explore the social network characteristics of participants of the first culturally-tailored health intervention for AI/AN emerging adults (18-25) living outside of tribal lands. Participants (N = 150; 86% female) were recruited across the United States via social media and completed online egocentric network interviews prior to the start of intervention workshops. Participants’ networks were diverse in composition and structure. They were primarily composed of family and friends, were people they had regular contact with, were similar age, and provided participants with support. We tested for significant associations between network characteristics, individual characteristics (age, gender, travel to reservations, speaking tribal languages, etc.) and two dependent measures: 1) cultural pride and belongingness and 2) thoughts of historical loss. Multiple regression results show that higher proportions of network members who discussed AI/AN identity with participants and having more network members who engage in traditional practices was associated with stronger cultural pride and belongingness. Higher proportions of network members having discussion of AI/AN identity with participants was also associated with more frequent thoughts of historical loss. Controlling for network factors, no individual characteristics were associated with either dependent variable. We discuss implications for the development of culturally-tailored health interventions.
Mapping of Carbon Dioxide Emissions at Provincial Scale: A Case Study of Guizhou Province in Western China
Authors: Zeng Canying , Wu Shaohua , Cheng Min , Zhou Hua , Li Fanglin
Published: November 2023

Accurate spatial distribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is essential information needed to peaking emissions and achieving carbon neutral in China. The aim of this study was to map CO2 emissions with high spatial resolution at provincial scale and then explore the scale effect on mapping results. As an example, the spatiotemporal pattern and factors influencing CO2 emissions were examined in Guizhou Province in Western China. With the proposed method, a reasonable spatial distribution of CO2 emissions with high spatial resolution was obtained, which had accurate information on spatial details. The optimal resolution of CO2 emissions at the provincial scale under high spatial resolution was approximately 90 m and 1,260 m. Emissions of CO2 were spatially heterogeneous in Guizhou, with high emissions in centers of big cities that gradually spread and decreased from city centers. From 2009 to 2019, the spatial distribution of CO2 emissions developed from agglomeration to dispersion. Areas of high carbon emissions decreased, those of medium carbon emissions increased, and many areas changed from no emissions to carbon emissions. Industrial land had the highest emissions, followed by commercial and transportation lands. Emissions from rural residential land in Guizhou were much higher than those from urban residential land. Over 10 years, changes occurred in the relation between interregional economic level of Guizhou and CO2 emissions, with the relation changing from linear into an inverted U-shaped relation. The effect of industrial structure on CO2 emissions decreased, and the linear increase between CO2 emissions and the urban scale became more evident. The results of this study will contribute to accurate monitoring and management of carbon emissions in Guizhou, as well as provide support to formulate policies related to controls on carbon emissions in different regions.
Using short hold times to mitigate LME cracking in electrode indent of resistant spot welded third generation advanced high strength steel
Authors: Sherepenko Oleksii , Barber Brendan , Neeb Mikayla , Pearson Kate , Shojaee Mohammad , Kim JiUng , Patel Meet , DiGiovanni Christopher , Midawi Abdelbaset R.H. , Ghassemi-Armaki Hassan , Biro Elliot
Published: November 2023

Third generation Advanced High Strength Steels (3gAHSS) crucial for the future of automotive design. When Zn-coated for corrosion protection and subjected to resistance spot welding. they can be prone to liquid metal embrittlement cracking (LME) The influence of hold time variation on LME in the electrode indent above the expulsion limit was investigated in this study. Welds were conducted with hold times of 100 ms, 167 ms, 400 ms, and 1000 ms. LME severity was measured using cracking index, revealing that LME severity peaked at a hold time of 167 ms and reduced with both longer hold times, corresponding the observations in the literature, but also decreased for shorter hold time, contradicting the literature. Finite Element (FE) simulations were performed to understand this behavior, highlighting that the timing of electrode retraction significantly affects the cooling and reheating of the weld, altering the thermal stresses that cause LME. A short hold time (100 ms) prompts radial heat dissipation into the bulk, minimizing surface thermal gradients in radial direction and thus leading to reduced LME. Conversely, at 167 ms (standard AWS hold time), heat extraction by the electrodes towards the sheet surface creates steep radial temperature gradient at the electrode-sheet interface, increasing thermal stress at the surface and promoting LME. At longer hold times (400 and 1000 ms), the prolonged electrode contact cooled and supported the sheet surface longer, resulting in lower temperatures and stress levels at electrode release, leading to less severe LME compared to moderate hold times.
The impact of psychosocial factors on depression among individuals Quarantined during COVID-19: Analysis of the 2020 korean community health survey
Authors: Han Won-Gu , Bae Sung-Man
Published: November 2023

Purpose
The experience of quarantine due to COVID-19 has significantly affected people's mental health. This study aims to explore the relationship between psychosocial factors associated with COVID-19 and depression among adults who have experienced quarantine.
Methods
This study used the data from the 2020 Community Health Survey, and examined 780 individuals who experienced quarantine owing to COVID-19. This study investigated the impact of subjective health status, life changes owing to COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, institutional trust, and interpersonal trust on the depressive symptoms.
Results
According to multilevel regression analysis, age, subjective health status, life changes owing to COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, and interpersonal trust are significant predictors of depressive symptoms among isolated individuals.
Conclusions
The findings provide insights on various psychosocial variables significantly affecting depression among individuals who were quarantined owing to COVID-19. The results of this study contribute to establishing an effective support system for managing and preventing depression among isolated individuals in similar infectious disease outbreak situations in the future.
Blockchain-based PDF File Copyright Protection and Tracing
Authors: Gao Guangyong , Wan Xinyu , Guo Chongtao , Wu Bin
Published: November 2023

As network technology advances at a rapid pace, an increasing number of individuals are utilizing the Internet to transmit and receive information. However, copying, altering, and other malicious acts constantly threaten the copyright ownership of electronic documents in this open environment of the Internet. Numerous copyright theft, illegal transmission, information forgery, and other problems are emerging. Moreover, because of the absence of copyright protection methods, PDF file owners often need help to secure the subsequent legal use of their PDF files after uploading them to the Internet. Combining blockchain and data hiding of PDF files for the first time, we propose a blockchain-based copyright protection scheme for PDF files to uniformly handle the problems of copyright authentication, authenticity identification, and copyright disputes of PDF files. First, we propose a new information hiding algorithm based on the incremental update characteristics of PDF, which embeds copyright information in PDF files. Second, the scheme enables users to establish their access control policies via smart contracts and delivers on-chain PDF file proofs, which can be employed to validate the ownership rights of PDF files and track the transaction history of PDF files. We have implemented the system on the Ethereum platform and analyzed its security and traceability. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed information hiding algorithm possesses robust security and that the copyright registration method is rapid
Astragalus polysaccharides induce polarization of chicken macrophages HD11 by PI3k/AKT and MyD88/ERK pathways
Authors: Zhang Jingyan , liu qin , chen fubin , Feng Haipeng , Guo Zhiting , Wang Lei , Egide H. , Han Songwei , Xu Guowei , Wang Xuezhi , Li Jianxi X , Savelkoul Huub
Published: November 2023

It was found that APS is a superior regulator of mammalian macrophages. However, the immunomodulatory effects of APS on chicken macrophages remain largely unknown.This study evaluated the immunomodulatory activity of APS on HD11 macrophagesand to determine the underlyingmechanism. The mRNA levels of M1/M2 polarizing molecules, cytokines, TLRs and NF-κB p65 in HD11 macrophages were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. Western-blotting was used to determine the effects of APS on MyD88, PI3K, ERK, P-ERKand AKT protein expression. Remarkably, APS promoted the gene expression of M1-type polarizing molecules and inhibited the gene expression of CD206. APS significantly promoted the gene expression of IL-8 and IL-10, without affecting TNF-a. APS showed a significant inhibitory effect on TLR2 and TLR4 gene expression. Moreover, 50 µg/mL APS significantly induced the protein levels of MyD88, ERK, and inhibited the protein level of p-ERK. In addition, 200 µg/mL APS could significantly enhance the protein levels of PI3K, ERK, AKT and the mRNA level of NF-κB p65. These results suggested that APS acts as an immunomodulator which shows differential dose-dependent effects on chicken macrophages. With increased APS dose, the main signaling pathway involved in its immunoregulatory effects alters from the TLR2-MyD88-ERK to the TLR2/4-PI3K-AKT pathway.
Ocean-sourced snow: An unaccounted process on Arctic sea ice
Authors: Macfarlane Amy , Mellat Moein , Dadic Ruzica , Meyer Hanno , Werner Martin , Brunello Camilla , Arndt Stefanie , Krampe Daniela , Schneebeli Martin
Published: November 2023

The water isotope composition of the winter snow cover on Arctic sea ice is strongly enriched in heavy isotopes near the snow-sea ice interface, incompatible with typical enrichment values through snow metamorphism processes alone. Our stratigraphic investigations from the MOSAiC expedition, using computed tomography combined with isotopic analyses of the snow, highlight that approximately 20% of the snowpack is not of meteoric origin but created from the sea ice. Here, we show that sea ice sublimation under the high-temperature gradients during the Arctic winter produces a snow-like structure and significantly contributes to the total snow water equivalent on Arctic sea ice. This, until now, unaccounted oceanographic source of “snow” furthers our understanding of i) vapor fluxes and gas exchange through the snowpack with biogeochemistry applications, ii) the formation of saline Arctic snow, and contribution to sea salt aerosols, iii) uncertainties in mass balance and physical properties of snow, and iv) additional uncertainties in precipitation estimates when compared to in situ measurements. Ultimately, regional differences in precipitation will result in varying local temperature gradients and therefore different contributions of ocean-sourced snow, and understanding this is essential for improving the accuracy of modeled sea ice predictions.
On-demand Ride Platform with Customer Quality Preference
Authors: Ma Lina , Tao Zhijie , Wei Qiang
Published: November 2023

With the development of on-demand ride service platforms, consumers' expectation of drivers' service quality is becoming higher. However, few research of on-demand ride service platforms takes customer's quality preference into consideration. In this paper, we consider a on-demand ride service platform that customers are sensitive to the waiting time and the quality of service. To meet the customer's quality expectation, the platform can screen the drivers by imposing a minimum service quality level. We consider both scenarios that the customers' sensitivity to service quality are homogeneous or heterogeneous. Under both scenarios, we characterize the firm's optimal pricing/waging and quality screening decision. We also found that the customer's heterogeneity in service sensitivity may either better off or worse off the platform.
WITHDRAWN: Theoretical analysis model and optimization scheme of shape-effect damage in cut blasting
Authors: qin huifeng , Zhao Yan , wang hailong , ge lijie
Published: November 2023

To explore the rock-breaking mechanism of cut blasting under the influence of empty holes, based on the principles of the empty hole effect, stress concentration effect and expansion space theory, the stress distributions of empty hole walls are calculated, and a two-dimensional damage analysis model of shape-effect segmented blasting is established. On this basis, the theoretical analysis model of square hole cutting is given as an optimization scheme, and the model is demonstrated by numerical simulation. The results show that the optimized load function γq2sinθ with time is consistent with the actual stress of the hole wall, and the change trend of the theoretical calculation is consistent with the simulation results. The change in the shape of empty holes in a rock mass will affect the stress distribution of the surrounding rock mass. The stress waves with square holes cause tensile–shear failure in a wide range of rock around the hole wall, while the rock near the circular hole wall produces ring-shaped failure. The reflected tensile stress waves are influenced by the impedance of the circular hole. In the optimized scheme, the cracks around the holes are uniformly connected, the rock mass collapses inward under the influence of the holes and the two-stage stress waves, and the utilization rate of the hole space reaches 56.091%.
The beneficial effect of silicon to reduce the nitrate content of sorghum
Authors: Rivai Reza Ramdan , Kobayashi Masaru
Published: November 2023

Purpose: Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is one of the major fodder crops. Supplying sorghum with a sufficient amount of nitrogen (N) is essential to achieve a good yield and quality of forage. However, N excess may cause an accumulation of nitrate in the plant, which can be toxic to ruminant livestock animals. Silicon (Si) application reportedly enhances the utilization of N and reduces the nitrate content in several plant species. However, our knowledge is still limited regarding the interaction between Si and N in sorghum. Hence, this study investigated the possibility of nitrate content reduction by Si application in sorghum.
Methods: We analyzed the nitrate content in the shoot of hydroponically grown seedlings, with or without Si application. It was then further evaluated in mature plants under high N supply with 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 mg SiO2 L–1. We also considered possible mechanisms of the Si-N interaction.
Results: The application of Si reduced nitrate content without significantly affecting the growth and dry matter production. The effect of Si application on the N metabolism of sorghum plants was confirmed by a modulated expression of the genes for N transport and assimilation, in which an upregulation of the cytokinin signal transduction pathway might be involved. In addition, the in vitro digestibility was not significantly affected by Si application.
Conclusion: Silicon application has a beneficial effect on fodder sorghum production in reducing nitrate content without compromising the biomass yield and quality.
Host factors associated with vaginal microbiome structure in pregnancy: results from the ECHO cohorts
Authors: McKee Kimberly S. , Bassis Christine M. , Golob Jonathan , Palazzolo Beatrice , Sen Ananda , Comstock Sarah S. , Rosas-Salazar Christian , Stanford Joseph B. , O’Connor Thomas , Gern James E. , Paneth Nigel , Dunlop Anne L. , None Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Pro
Published: November 2023

Using pooled vaginal microbiota data from pregnancy cohorts (N = 683 participants) in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, we analyzed vaginal 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequences to identify clinical and demographic host factors that associate with vaginal microbiota structure in pregnancy bothwithinandacrossdiverse cohorts. Using PERMANOVA models, we assessed factors associated with vaginal community structure in pregnancy and examined whether host factors were conserved across populations and tested the independent and combined effects of host factors on vaginal community state types (CSTs) using multinomial logistic regression models. Demographic and social factors explained a larger amount of variation in the vaginal microbiome in pregnancy than clinical factors. After adjustment, only lower education remained a robust predictor ofL. inersdominant and Diverse CSTs (OR = 8.44, 95% CI = 4.06–17.6 and OR = 4.18, 95% CI = 1.88–9.26, respectively). In random forest models, we identified specific taxonomic features of host factors, particularly urogenital pathogens associated with pregnancy complications (Aerococcus christenseniiandGardnerella vaginalis) among other facultative anaerobes and key markers of community instability (L. iners). Sociodemographic factors were robustly associated with vaginal microbiota structure in pregnancy and should be considered as sources of variation in human microbiome studies.
Design, Creation, and Use of The Test Us Bank (TUB) COVID-19 Sample Biorepository
Authors: Broach John , Achenbach Chad , Behar Stephanie , O’Connor Laurel , Tarrant Seanan , Ferranto Julia , Wright Colton , Hartin Paul , Orwig Taylor , Nanavati Janvi , Kalibala Benedict , Woods Kelsey , Shaw Bernadette , Flahive Julie , Barton Bruce , Hafer Nathaniel , Herbert Carly , Fahey Nisha , Gibson Laura , Simin Karl , Kowalik Timothy , Ward Doyle , Mirza Agha W , Murphy Rob , Caputo Matthew , Buchholz Bryan , Fantasia Heidi , Koren Ainat , Marchand Lisa , Oludare Simisola , Sogade Felix , Ritland Dana , Davis Cedrice , Grenier Allen , Baron Christi , Brent Ellie , McKenney Jennifer Bacani , Elder Nancy , Michaels LeAnn , Ferrara Laura , Theron Grant , Palmer Zaida , Levy Barcey , Daly Jeanette , Parang Kim , Schmidt Megan , Buxton Denis , Heetderks William , Manabe Yukari C. , Soni Apurv , McManus David
Published: November 2023

Shortly after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed a public health emergency (PHE) was declared and a multi-agency response was initiated within the US federal government to create and propagate testing capacity. As part of this response, an unprecedented program designated Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech was established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to facilitate the development of point-of-care tests for the COVID-19. The RADx Tech Clinical Studies Core (CSC), located at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), with partnering academic, private, and non-governmental organizations around the country, was tasked with developing clinical studies to support this work. This manuscript details development of a biorepository specifically focused on the collection and storage of samples designed for diagnostic platform development. It highlights the unified collection and annotation process that enabled gathering a diverse set of samples. This diversity encompasses the geography and backgrounds of the participants as well as sample characteristics such as variant type and RT-PCR cycle threshold (CT) value of the corresponding reference sample on a uniform clinical reference platform.
Robust compression and detection of epileptiform patterns in ECoG using a real-time spiking neural network hardware framework
Authors: Costa Filippo , Schaft Eline , Huiskamp Geertjan , Aarnoutse Erik , Klooster Maryse van ’t , Krayenbühl Niklaus , Ramantani Georgia , Zijlmans Maeike , Indiveri Giacomo , Sarnthein Johannes
Published: November 2023

Interictal Epileptiform Discharges (IED) and High Frequency Oscillations (HFO) in intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) may guide the surgeon by delineating the epileptogenic zone. We designed a modular spiking neural network (SNN) in a mixed-signal neuromorphic device to process the ECoG in real-time. We exploit the variability of the inhomogeneous silicon neurons to achieve efficient sparse and de-correlated temporal signal encoding. We interface the full-custom SNN device to the BCI2000 real-time framework and configure the setup to detect HFO and IED co-occurring with HFO (IED-HFO). We validate the setup on pre-recorded data and obtain HFO rates that are concordant with a previously validated offline algorithm (Spearman’s ρ = 0.75, p = 1e-4), achieving the same postsurgical seizure freedom predictions for all patients. In a remote on-line analysis, intraoperative ECoG recorded in Utrecht was compressed and transferred to Zurich for SNN processing and successful IED-HFO detection in real-time. These results further demonstrate how automated remote real-time detection may enable the use of HFO in clinical practice.
Design Method for Unbalanced Ternary Logic Family Based on Binary Memristors
Authors: Wang Xiaoyuan , Sun Yingfei , Zhou Jiawei , Chen Xinhui , Kang Sung Mo , Iu Herbert Ho-
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes a design method for unbalanced ternary logic family based on hybrid design of binary memristors and CMOS transistors, building on the foundational positive ternary logic circuits. By using the symmetry of negative and positive ternary logics, negative ternary TAND, TOR, TI, 1-3 decoder and 2-9 decoder are derived from the previously designed positive ternary basic logic gate circuits. Furthermore, negative ternary XOR, XNOR, 3-1 encoder, and 9-2 encoder are design-improved. For the first time, unbalanced ternary priority encoders is proposed, including a 3-1 priority encoder and a 9-2 priority encoder，of which the former is implemented with only 7 memristors. The functionalities of these circuits are demonstrated through LTSpice simulations. Finally, hardware experiments were performed on a stable 20×20 ZnO-based resistive switch array. Subsequent design of more complex digital logic circuits can benefit from this work.
Diatom-Inspired Silicification Process for Development of Green Flexible Silica Composite Aerogels
Authors: Maleki Hajar , Tan Valerie , Berg Florian
Published: November 2023

In this study, we have developed novel biomimetic silica composite aerogels and cryogels for the first time, drawing inspiration from the natural diatom's silicification process. Our biomimetic approach involved the modification of tyrosinase-mediated oxidized silk fibroin (SFO) surfaces with polyethyleneimine (PEI). This modification introduced ample amine groups onto the SF polymer, which catalyzed the silicification of the SFO-PEI gel surface with silicic acid. This process emulates the catalytic function of long-chain polyamines and silaffin proteins found in diatoms, resulting in a silica network structure on the primary SFO-PEI network gel's surface. The SFO-PEI gel matrix played a dual role in this process: 1) It provided numerous amine functional groups that directly catalyzed the silicification of silicic acid on the porous structure's exterior surface, without encapsulating the created silica network in the gel. 2) It served as a flexible mechanical support facilitating the creation of the silica network. As a result, the final ceramic composite exhibits a mechanically flexible nature (e.g., cyclic compressibility up to 80% strain), distinguishing it from conventional composite aerogels. By mimicking the diatom's silicification process, we were able to simplify the development of silica-polymer composite aerogels. It eliminates the need for surfactants, multi-step procedures involving solvent exchange, and gel washing. Instead, the reaction occurs under mild conditions, streamlining the composite aerogels fabrication process.
Later initiation of ECMO is associated with intracranial hemorrhage in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Saiydoun Gabriel , Bapst Blanche , Teiger Emmanuel , Folliguet Thierry , Gallet Romain , Palfi Stéphane , Mekantso-Dessap Armand , Mongardon Nicolas , Rancière Fanny , Faillot Matthieu
Published: November 2023

The occurrence of severe intracranial hemorrhage under venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine factors associated with the occurrence of severe intracranial hemorrhage under VV-ECMO in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Among the 43 COVID-19 VV-ECMO patients included (seven women, median age: 55 years), eight patients(19%) presented an intracranial hemorrhage during VV-ECMO treatment, and 10 patients didn’t show any signs of intracranial hemorrhage on brain imaging. Twenty-five patients didn’t have imaging during or after VV-ECMO treatment. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the delay from hospital admission to VV-ECMO initiation was longer in patients with intracranial hemorrhage than in patients without intracranial hemorrhage(log-rank test P=0.03). Minute ventilation before cannulation was significantly lower in patients with intracranial hemorrhage compared to patients without intracranial hemorrhage: median(range)= 7.7L/min (3.9–14.0) vs. 12.1L/min(8.3–16.0);P=0.04. Arterial lactate values were higher in patients with intracranial hemorrhage compared to patients without intracranial hemorrhage: median(range)= 3.0mmol/L(1.1–6.6) vs. 1.9mmol/L(1.1–2.8);P=0.03.
The occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage was associated with a longer period from hospitalization to VV-ECMO initiation, as well as hypoventilation and higher arterial lactate levels before VV-ECMO treatment.
Self-Reporting Photodynamic Nanobody Conjugate for Precise and Sustainable Large-Volume Tumor Treatment
Authors: Fan Jiangli , Chen Yingchao , Xiong Tao , Peng Qiang , Du Jianjun , Sun Wen , Peng xiaojun
Published: November 2023

Nanobodies (Nbs), the smallest antigen-binding fragments with high stability and affinity, bring a new opportunity to improve the specificity of photosensitizers for tumor tissue in photodynamic therapy (PDT) through an active targeting strategy. Nonetheless, the rapid metabolism of Nbs in vivo restricts the accumulation and retention of the photosensitizer at the tumor site, especially in large-volume tumors. Herein, we developed photodynamic conjugates, MNB-Pyra Nbs, through site-specific modification of 7D12 Nbs with the type I photosensitizer MNB-Pyra in a 1:2 ratio. The π − π stacking interactions of MNB-Pyra molecules within the conjugate causes fluorescence quenching, while the photosensitizer with long-term retention could be released by reactive oxygen species (ROS) cleavage, which is accompanied by fluorescence recovery for self-reporting. Moreover, the conjugation of MNB-Pyra and Nbs greatly improved the metabolism of the benzophenothiazine photosensitizer in vivo, leading to the clearance of MNB-Pyra Nbs in 24 h without illumination. Ultimately, a single dose of MNB-Pyra Nbs demonstrated highly effective tumor suppression (tumor inhibition rate > 95%) with high biosafety in the large-volume tumor model after three rounds of PDT. This self-reporting photodynamic nanobody conjugate is expected to promote the development of personalized precision PDT.
Pancancer Analysis of the Prognostic and immunological Role of FANCD2: A Potential Target for Carcinogenesis and Survival
Authors: zhao zedan , Wang Ruyu , Wang Ruixue , Song Jialing , Ma Fengjun , Pan Huafeng , Gao Cuiyun , Wang Deqiang , Chen Xuemei , Fan Xiangzhen
Published: November 2023

Recent evidence has shed light on the significant role of FANCD2 in cancer initiation, development, and progression. However, a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of FANCD2 has been lacking. In this study, we have conducted a thorough investigation into the expression profiles and prognostic significance of FANCD2, as well as its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and immune cell infiltration, using advanced bioinformatic techniques. The results demonstrate that FANCD2 is significantly upregulated in various common cancers and is associated with prognosis. Notably, higher expression levels of FANCD2 are linked to poor overall survival, as indicated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Additionally, we have observed a decrease in the methylation of FANCD2 DNA in some cancers, and this decrease is inversely correlated with FANCD2 expression. Genetic alterations in FANCD2 predominantly manifest as mutations, which are associated with overall survival, disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and progression-free survival in certain tumor types. Moreover, FANCD2 exhibits a strong correlation with infiltrating cell levels, immune checkpoint genes, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). Enrichment analysis further highlights the potential impact of FANCD2 on Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway and cell cycle regulation. Through this comprehensive pan-cancer analysis, we have gained a deeper understanding of the functions of FANCD2 in oncogenesis and metastasis across different types of cancer.
Fisetin suppresses chondrocyte senescence and attenuates osteoarthritis progression by targeting SIRT6
Authors: Wang Xuezhong , Li Xuyang , Zhou Jianlin , Lei Zheng , Yang Xiaoming
Published: November 2023

Background
Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, is a highly prevalent age-related joint disease particularly in subjects over 65 years old. The chronic rise of senescent cells closely correlates with age-related diseases including OA, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is implicated in the pathogenesis of OA cartilage degeneration. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is probable to be a key senescence-related regulator. Fisetin (FST), a natural flavonol of the flavonoid family, is recommended to be a senolytic that extends health and lifespan. However, the potential chondroprotective effects of FST on OA rats remain largely unclarified. This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effects of FST on OA joint cartilage and the relationship with SIRT6, and the detailed mechanisms from both anti-inflammatory and anti-senescent perspectives.
Methods
Rats were subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery to induce the experimental OA model in vivo. Chondrocytes treated with IL-1β were utilized to mimic the OA cell model in vitro. Intra-articular injection of FST, OSS_128167 (OSS, SIRT6 inhibitor), and MDL800 (MDL, SIRT6 agonist) in vivo or incubation with IL-1β-induced rat chondrocytes in vitro were performed to determine the effects of FST on OA and the link with SIRT6.
Results
SIRT6 level was negatively correlated with OA severity. SIRT6 downregulation was validated in joint cartilages of DMM rats and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Of note, We demonstrated FST could activate SIRT6. Both the administration of FST and activation of SIRT6 using MDL rescued cartilage erosion, decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, prevented cartilage from apoptosis, and improved detrimental senescence-related phenotype. The alleviative effects of FST against inflammation, ECM degradation, apoptosis, and senescence were also confirmed in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes.
Conclusion
SIRT6 loss occurs in articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of OA, which is linked to aging. FST attenuates injury-induced aging-related phenotype changes in chondrocytes by targeting SIRT6.
Digital Twin-Driven Lifecycle Management for Motorized Spindle
Authors: Kai-Guo Fan , Liu Jiahui
Published: November 2023

A digital twin-driven lifecycle management system for motorized spindle is proposed to monitor the lifespan of motorized spindle. The lifecycle management system is designed and developed based on the combined programming of MATLAB, ANSYS and LabVIEW. The lifespan prediction models are built according to the digital twin data of thermal characteristics of motorized spindle. The digital twin for thermal characteristics is realized through correcting the thermal boundary conditions according to the thermal boundary correction models which are established according to the measured and simulated temperatures at thermal key points. The temperature domain model of cooling channel is constructed to monitor the working status of the cooling system. The experimental results show that the digital twin-driven lifecycle management system can effectively monitor the status and remaining lifespan of the motorized spindle, which provides a basis for lifecycle management of motorized spindle.
The use of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction: a feasibility study
Authors: Zhang Da-Kun , Li Yunlin , Guan Jing-Bo , Li Zhi-Xuan , Sun Min
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to explore the value of SWE in evaluating vascular and nonvascular erectile dysfunction. In this study, ED patients enrolled (n = 114) received SWE and PCUD exams. The PSV and EDV were used as the classification standard. The performance of the SWE was assessed with the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity and specificity. The rigidity alterations of corpus cavernosum penis with age was also investigated. SWE values of CCP before ICI negatively correlated with age of patients in vascular ED group (r = -0.288, P<0.05). In erectile or flaccid state, the SWE value of vascular ED was significantly larger than non-vascular ED. When the cut-off value for SWE values of CCP 0.88 m/s in erectile state and 2.32 m/s in flaccid state, the areas under the ROC curve were 0.700 (sensitivity: 77.78%, specificity: 60.00%) and 0.612(sensitivity: 68.52%, specificity: 51.67%) in erectile or flaccid state, respectively. This study provides preliminary evidence that SWE in flaccid state could be non-invasive methods used to moderate predict vascular ED.
Bacterial succession during terrestrial and marine decomposition in fish and pig models to estimate Post- Mortem Interval: Death and Decomposition
Authors: Zedi Saniya , Khandeparkar Rakhee , Render Riya , Gracias Magaly
Published: November 2023

Marine forensics is emerging rapidly with an aim to legally protect the aquatic wild life from pollution and anthropogenic activities along with scientific investigation of human and non-human death in any sort of water body. The fate of a carcass is not well understood in marine system yet a large amount of body deposition and recreation death could be seen. The study is conducted to identify time-dependent microbial biomarkers of decomposition in non-human models (Fish and Pig) to determine Post Mortem Interval (PMI). Shift in the bacterial community from fresh stage to active decay stage in both models till skeletisation on terrestrial and marine environment was observed, which was supported by change in nutrient profile of the area keeping a note of traditional changes like early death changes, livor, algor, rigor mortis and entomological evidences. Bacteria from genusAcinetobacter, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Pantoea, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Wohlfahrtiimonas, Brachybacterium, Myroides, Bacillus, Kurthia, Staphylococcus, MetalysinibacillusandPlanococcuswere isolated from different organs of fish including some pathogenic bacteria likeKlebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus arlettaeandBacillus cereuspresent in the gills, tissue, liver andClostridium perfringensfrom pig. In pig during marine decomposition bacteria of genusKlebsiella, Cytobacillus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Pseudoalteromonas, Shewanella, Clostridium, Tenacibaculum, Aeromonas, andPsychrobacterwere isolated. The bacterial community from both the models were identified using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. Much attention has been given to dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) during the early stages of decomposition in aquatic environment which attracts scavangers and microbes, their enhanced breakdown activity is depicted by the increased ammonia levels and high phosphorus release in water. Terrestrial skeletonization is achieved in 7 days on contrary marine environment pose a great challenge due to high scavenging activity resulted in loss of tissue in 3 days merely during the study and it is observed that the decomposition studies in marine environment greatly rely on the ecosystem of the area especially the allochthonous and autochthonous bacteria.
Phytochemical compositions and in vitro anticancer effects of ethanolic extracts from Syrian hawthorn fruit on the human breast cell line MDA-MB-231
Authors: assaad Thaer , Al-Mardini Mohammad Amer , darouish Manal , Yousif Manhal , Youssef Aeham , nasser Anas , Mohammed Roua , Zahra Rema , Abass Layana , moulla Ali , assaad Lana
Published: November 2023

Hawthorn is an important medicinal plant among other wide spread herbal species. Only few studies have been performed to exhibit therapeutic effects of hawthorn extracts on cancer cell lines. Herein, three types of hawthorn fruits were collected from different places in Syria, samples were air dried until reaching a constant dry weight and then powdered. Hawthorn bioactive compounds were extracted from the powder with absolute ethanol. Qualitative phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins and glycosides in the three types of hawthorn fruits. The red hawthorn contained anthracene derivatives, unlike both yellow and green hawthorns. FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups such as alcohols, alkanes, alkyl halides, aromatic groups and alkenes. UV‒Visible analysis represents the absorption spectrum and shows a broad absorption band at 350–400 nm and a peak at approximately 300 nm. Chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed 13, 5 and 22 chemical constituents representing an average of 100% in the EOs of yellow, green and red hawthorn respectively. Cell proliferation assessment results showed that hawthorn inhibits cell viability of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells lines, which was strongly related to increasing concentration of hawthorn.
Can mycoplasma DNA level and NK cell counts determine the sensitivity of mycoplasma pneumonia patients to macrolide antibiotics treatment at early stage
Authors: Kai-jing Zhang , Xin-feng Zhao , Xiao-Hui Huang , Xiao-juan Lv
Published: November 2023

Purpose
Our study aimed to evaluate if DNA level of mycoplasma pneumoniae (MPDNA) and natural killer (NK) cell counts could differentiate macrolide-sensitive or macrolide-unresponsive mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MSMPP or MUMPP) children.
Methods
A total of 120 children with MPP admitted to our hospital from August 2022 to August 2023 were retrospectively included in our study. Based on their responses to macrolide antibiotics in 72 hours, they were classified into MSMPP and MUMPP groups. Data included white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (N), lymphocytes (L), monocytes (M), platelet (PLT), C reactive protein (CRP), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), procalcitonin (PCT), T cell (CD4 + and CD8+), B cell, NK cell levels. Moreover, lung consolidation and pleural effusion were also included. Univariate logistic analysis was performed to screen indicators that were significantly associated with MSMPP and MUMPP, and those indicators were further subjected to multivariate analysis. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and area under curve (AUC) were used to estimate predictive value of indicators.
Results
The age and sex between MSMPP and MUMPP groups had no significant difference. The level of L, PLT, total T cell, CD4 + T cell, CD8 + T cell, and NK cell were significantly higher whereas the MPDNA level was lower in MSMPP group than MUMPP group. Meanwhile, there were less cases with lung consolidation or pleural effusion in MSMPP group compared to MUMPP group. Multivariate analysis identified NK cell count as an independent risk factor for MUMPP patients. Moreover, the AUC of NK cell count for predicting MSMPP or MUMPP was 0.753.
Conclusions
In the MUMPP group, the level of lymphocytes including T cells was decreased and more lung complications were detected compared to the MSMPP group. We identified NK cell count as an independent risk factor for differentiating MUMPP. Meanwhile, the combination of NK cell counts and MPDNA level had robust ability for predicting MUMPP.
Geostatistical and Spatial Correlation Analysis Using GIS for Chinese Geological Heritage
Authors: Luan Fuming , Wang Fang
Published: November 2023

Taking Chinese geoparks as the research object, this study adopts mathematical, statistical, and ArcGIS spatial analyses, to investigate Chinese geological heritage in 2010 and 2022. The results are as following. (1)In 2010 and 2022, the spatial distribution pattern of tourism income and number in Chinese national geoparks all show ‘low in the West and high in the East’. Provinces with high values have the most obvious changes, and tend to expand overall, and both the number and proportion are more than 15 and 51% in 2022. The spatial structure evolved from a few isolated ‘patches’ in 2010 to a continuous distribution ‘plane block’ in 2022. The provinces with middle values were relatively stable on the whole. The provinces with low values have obvious changes, and have tended to shrink overall, their evolution characteristics and trends are exactly the opposite of those of provinces with high value, which basically show a relationship of ‘loss and growth’. (2)In both periods, GMI showed a very significant negative spatial correlation. The degree of agglomeration of geological heritage showed a trend of evolving from weak to ‘strong dispersion’, indicating that the agglomeration trend is gradually weakening. (3)During the two periods, Chinese geological heritage showed only a positive spatial correlation (HH and LL) between the 31 provinces, and the change trends in these two types of provinces were completely different. (4) In terms of tourism income indicators, the number and proportion of national geoparks in high-value clusters are decreasing and concentrated in east China, while those belonging to low-value clusters are generally on the rise, mainly distributed in southwest, central, north, and northeast China.
A Smart Contract-Driven Access Control Schemewith Integrity Checking for Electronic Health Records
Authors: Li Hongzhi , Li Dun , Xiao Lijun , Liang Wei
Published: November 2023

The application of healthcare systems has led to an explosive growth in personal electronic health records (EHRs). These EHRs are generated from different healthcare institutions and stored in cloud data centers, respectively. However, data owners lose the authority to control and track their private and sensitive EHRs. In fact, data owners cannot establish rules for EHRs exchanging and sharing, nor can they verify the integrity of EHRs stored in semi-trusted clouds. Hence, a individual-centric access control framework is required to realize data access control. In this study, we construct a data access control framework, which integrates the decentralized smart contracts and role-based access control (RBAC) to provide fine grained data access control services. Besides, this scheme allows data owners to define access control policies using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and further translate these policies into immutable blockchain transactions. Furthermore, we combine blockchain and bilinear mapping to design a data integrity verification system for users to check the integrity of their cloud stored EHRs. Finally, we analyze the security of this scheme and develop a prototype system to evaluate the performance. Both theoretical analysis and experiment results indicate that this scheme can realize fine-grained data access control and efficient data integrity verification
Study on the characteristics of genetic diversity of different populations of Guizhou endemic plant Rhododendron pudingense based on SSR molecular markers
Authors: He Shuang , Yuan Congjun , Zhang Panli , Wang Haodong , Luo Dali , Dai Xiaoyong
Published: November 2023

Background
Rhododendron pudingense, firstly discovered in Puding county of Guizhou province in 2020, have adapted to living in rocky fissure habitat, which has important ornamental, and economic values. However, the genetic diversity and population structure of this species have been rarely described, which seriously affects the collection and protection of wild germplasm resources.
Results
In the present study, 13 pairs of primers for polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were used to investigate the genetic diversity of 65 R. pudingense accessions from four different geographic populations. A total of 254 alleles (Na) were obtained with an average of 139.6 effective alleles (Ne) per locus. The average values of polymorphic information content (PIC), observed heterozygosity (Ho), and expected heterozygosity (He) were 0.8826, 0.4501, and 0.8993, respectivelysuggesting high genetic diversity. The average genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) was 0.1182, suggested that moderate divergence occurred in R. pudingense population. The average values of genetic differentiation coefficient and gene flow among populations were 0.1279 and 1.8984, respectively. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that most of the population differences (89%) were attributed to within-population variation. The UPGMA clustering analysis showed consistent results with the genetic distance and genetic identity analysis, indicating that the genetic background between the populations of Wanmo (WM) and Puding (PD) were similar, while the populations of Zhenning (ZN) and Qinglong (QL) showed significant genetic difference.
Conclusions
This is the first comprehensive analysis of genetic diversity and population structure of R. pudingense in Guizhou province. The research results revealed the high genetic diversity and moderate population diferentiation in this horticulture plant. This study provide a theoretical basis for the conservation of wild resources of the R. pudingense and lay the foundation for the breeding or cultivation of this new species.