bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manganese drives ferroptosis of cancer cells via YAP/TAZ phase separation activated ACSL4 in OSCC
Authors: Chen Hao , Cui Hao , Liu Wei , Li Bo‐Wen , Tian Zhen , Zhao Yu‐Yue , Yu Guang‐Tao
Published: March 2024

Objective

Ferroptosis has been defined as a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by iron‐dependent lipid peroxidation. Manganese has been used to induce ferroptosis in cancer cells recently. This study aims to investigate whether manganese can induce ferroptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the underlying biological mechanisms.

Materials and Methods

Cancer cells with or without manganese treatment were analyzed by RNA‐sequencing to identify ferroptosis‐related genes. Next, the activation of YAP/TAZ/ACSL4‐ferroptosis signaling pathway was detected. Bioinformatic analysis and immunofluorescence assay were used to explore the phase separation of YAP/TAZ. Finally, specimens of OSCC patients were applied to analyze the clinical significance of YAP/TAZ/ACSL4.

Results

RNA‐sequencing analysis showed the ferroptosis‐related genes and YAP/TAZ were upregulated after manganese treatment. The results of immunofluorescence, ELISA, western blotting, etc. further confirmed that manganese‐induced ferroptosis depends on YAP/TAZ/ACSL4 signaling pathway. Moreover, the activation of ACSL4 was achieved by YAP/TAZ phase separation. The survival analysis in OSCC specimen suggested that the higher level of YAP/TAZ‐ACSL4 axis expression indicates longer survival.

Conclusions

Manganese induces YAP/TAZ phase separation and subsequent ACSL4 activation via YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation, which facilitates ferroptosis of OSCC. Then YAP/TAZ‐ACSL4 axis can be used as a potential prognostic predictor of OSCC patients.
High level of C3 is associated with Th2 immune response and liver fibrosis in patients with schistosomiasis
Authors: Wang Xianmo , Gong Quan , Nie Hao , Tu Jiancheng , Fan Wen , Tan Xiaoping
Published: March 2024

Long‐term infection of schistosomiasis will seriously affect the liver health of patients. The serum of 334 chronic Schistosoma japonicum patients and 149 healthy volunteers was collected. Compared with heathy people, the level of C4 (complement 4) was increased, and the level of C3 (complement 3) was in an obvious skewed distribution. ELISA was performed to detect the serum cytokines, the results showed that the levels of IFN‐γ (interferon‐γ), IL (interleukin)‐2 and TNF‐α (tumour necrosis factor‐α) were reduced, while the levels of Th2 cytokines (IL‐4, IL‐6 and IL‐10) were increased. In the serum of patients with high C3, the secretion of HA (hyaluronic acid), LN (laminin), IV‐C (type IV collagen) and PCIII (type III procollagen) were increased, the activation of hepatic stellate cells was promoted. Exogenous human recombinant C3 made mice liver structure of the mice damaged and collagen deposition. IFN‐γ and IFN‐γ/IL‐4 were decreased, while HA, LN, PCIII and IV‐C were increased, and the expressions of α‐SMA and TGF‐β1 in liver tissues were up‐regulated. However, the addition of IFN‐γ partially reversed the effect of C3 on promoting fibrosis. High level of C3 is associated with Th2 immune response and liver fibrosis in patients with schistosomiasis.
An ontology‐based rule mapping approach for integrating IFC and CityGML
Authors: Ji Yuxin , Wang Yiran , Wei Yuxiang , Wang Jihua , Yan Wei
Published: March 2024

Building information modeling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) are often integrated to achieve more refined urban management. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and City Geography Markup Language (CityGML) are widely used standards in BIM and GIS. The main problem of the transformation of these two standards lies in the gap between them in geometry and semantics. This article introduces an ontology‐based rule mapping approach, achieving the transformation from IFC to CityGML through coordinate system conversion, geometric expression conversion, and semantic mapping. For semantic mapping, we have designed and established rules, enabling the effective mapping of the IFC model to the CityGML level of detail 0 (LOD0) to LOD4 model based on entities, appearance properties and building properties. To fully demonstrate the entire process, we give a detailed elaboration of the conversion of several IFC models.
Experimental Study of Lubricant Distribution and Lubrication Enhancement Induced by Ball Bearing Cage
Authors: Jin Xuyang , Li Xinming , Liu Yao , Gao Junbin , Bai Linqing
Published: March 2024

The bearing cage played a pivotal role in affecting the lubricant redistribution and lubrication states. In this study, a cage unit is incorporated into an optical ball-on-disc apparatus for the purpose of a quantitative study of cage-induced lubrication phenomena. It is found that the presence of the lubricant layer on the ball surface, shaped by the cage, affects the inlet lubricant supply of contact between the ball and the glass disc. Thereafter, the oil reservoirs surrounding the contact area and the film thickness were measured. The results showed that the lubricant reservoirs and inlet lubricant supplement were significantly improved with the employment of the cages. In addition, the lubrication state transformed from starved to fully flooded, effectively enhancing the lubrication state. Moreover, the lubricant on the steel ball surface moved from the side bands to the central rolling track, indicating that the lubricant redistribution was the main reason for the lubricating enhancement. Notably, the groove modification on the inner surface of the cage pocket facilitated the directional lubricant migration and the migration effect depended on the groove angles. In conclusion, these results offer an in-depth understanding of the bearing lubrication mechanism, thereby inspiring advancements in cage design and lubricant flow regulation.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Using Reversible Turbomachinery for Pumped Thermal Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Parisi Simone , Desai Nishith B. , Haglind Fredrik
Published: March 2024

The objective of this paper is to assess the techno-economic performance of different cycle configurations for pumped thermal energy storage (PTES), including the effects of charging electricity costs. Reversible turbomachinery was employed to reduce the capital cost of the system. Brayton cycles with different working fluids and a subcritical Rankine cycle operating with ammonia were compared. Both liquid and packed bed thermal storages were investigated. A new cost correlation for turbomachines, initially established for the turbines of organic Rankine cycles, was developed for compressors and reversible machines. This correlation is based on the number of stages and physical size of the machine, which were estimated considering thermodynamic as well as mechanical limitations. The results indicate that for a plant size of 50 MW and a discharge duration of 8 h, the Brayton system with liquid storage and helium as a working fluid has the lowest levelized cost of storage at 0.138 $/kWh, mainly due to the high thermal conductivity of the fluid. Packed bed thermal energy storage systems were found to be more expensive than liquid storage systems due to the large cost of the pressure vessels, with cost parity reached at a discharge duration of 4 h. However, at this duration, lithium-ion batteries are likely to be cheaper. The results suggest that the levelized cost of storage for the Rankine cycle-based system is slightly higher at 0.151 $/kWh.
Deposition rate and optical emissions in niobium oxide processes by reactive sputtering
Authors: Saccoman João , Neto Nilton Francelosi A. , da Silva José H. D.
Published: March 2024

Niobium oxide films find various applications, such as antireflective optical layers, gas sensors, and solar cells. They also show promise for emerging applications such as electrochromic and photocatalytic devices. In order to optimize the deposition of niobium oxide films by RF reactive sputtering, a detailed investigation of the plasma parameters was performed. A pure metallic target and a mixture of Ar and O2 in different proportions were used in the experiments. The deposition power was varied between 120 and 260 W, while the total pressure was kept at 0.67 Pa throughout. Deposition rates, discharge self-bias voltage, and plasma optical emissions were monitored and analyzed. Additionally, computer simulations of the process utilizing existing models were conducted and a comparative analysis with the experimental results was performed. The main findings include mapping the deposition conditions as functions of oxygen flow rate. The flow ranges in which the deposition regime changes from metallic to oxygen contaminated target conditions were identified. The narrow O2 flow range associated with the regime changes was characterized by significant changes in the self-bias voltages and plasma emissions from oxygen, argon, and niobium. The observations evidence the importance of the detailed analysis of the deposition process to get the desired stoichiometry and optimized film properties.
Inhibition of atomic layer deposition of TiO2 by functionalizing silicon surface with 4-fluorophenylboronic acid
Authors: Silva-Quinones Dhamelyz , Mason John R. , Norden Robert , Teplyakov Andrew V.
Published: March 2024

As the size of the components in electronic devices decreases, new approaches and chemical modification schemes are needed to produce nanometer-size features with bottom-up manufacturing. Organic monolayers can be used as effective resists to block the growth of materials on non-growth substrates in area-selective deposition methods. However, choosing the appropriate surface modification requires knowledge of the corresponding chemistry and also a detailed investigation of the behavior of the functionalized surface in realistic deposition schemes. This study aims to investigate the chemistry of boronic acids that can be used to prepare such non-growth areas on elemental semiconductors. 4-Fluorophenylboronic acid is used as a model to investigate the possibility to utilize the Si(100) surface functionalized with this compound as a non-growth substrate in a titanium dioxide (TiO2) deposition scheme based on sequential doses of tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium and water. A combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry allows for a better understanding of the process. The resulting surface is shown to be an effective non-growth area to TiO2 deposition when compared to currently used H-terminated silicon surfaces but to exhibit much higher stability in ambient conditions.
A statistical acoustics approach for estimating population-scale bowhead whale migration speed and direction
Authors: Thode Aaron M. , Blackwell Susanna B.
Published: March 2024

Bowhead whales vocalize during their annual fall migration from the Beaufort Sea to the Bering Sea, but the calling rates of individual animals are so low that tracking an individual trajectory is impractical using passive acoustic methods. However, the travel speed and direction of the migrating population can be inferred on a statistical basis by cross-correlating time sequences of call density measured at two locations spaced several kilometers apart. By using the triangulation abilities of a set of vector sensors deployed offshore the Alaskan North Slope between 2008 and 2014, call density time sequences were generated from 1-km wide and 40-km tall rectangular “zones” that were separated by distances ranging from 3.5 to 15 km. The cross-covariances between the two sequences generate a peak corresponding to the average time it takes for whales to travel between the zones. Consistent westward travel speeds of ∼5 km/h were obtained from four different locations on 6 of the 7 years of the study, independent of whether the zones were separated by 3.5, 7, or 15 km. Some sites, however, also revealed a less prominent eastern movement of whales, and shifts in migration speed were occasionally detectable over week-long time scales.
Dolphin and porpoise detections by the F-POD are not independent: Implications for sympatric species monitoring
Authors: Cosentino Mel , Marcolin Cristina , Griffiths Emily T. , Sánchez-Camí Estel , Tougaard Jakob
Published: March 2024

The F-POD is designed for passive acoustic monitoring of odontocetes. The offline classifiers can identify and separate porpoise-like sounds from dolphin-like sounds. We show that these two classifiers are not working independently. Run together, virtually no detections of both species were reported within the same minute, whereas 10% of the detection positive minutes were reported positive for both species when the two classifiers were run sequentially. This has important implications for interpretation of data in areas containing both species groups, and we call for reporting all analysis details in such studies and for further description and analysis of the classifiers.
Acoustic separation and concentration of exosomes for nucleotide detection: ASCENDx
Authors: Naquin Ty D. , Canning Aidan J. , Gu Yuyang , Chen Jianing , Naquin Chloe M. , Xia Jianping , Lu Brandon , Yang Shujie , Koroza Aleksandra , Lin Katherine , Wang Hsin-Neng , Jeck William R. , Lee Luke P. , Vo-Dinh Tuan , Huang Tony Jun
Published: March 2024

Efficient isolation and analysis of exosomal biomarkers hold transformative potential in biomedical applications. However, current methods are prone to contamination and require costly consumables, expensive equipment, and skilled personnel. Here, we introduce an innovative spaceship-like disc that allows Acoustic Separation and Concentration of Exosomes and Nucleotide Detection: ASCENDx. We created ASCENDx to use acoustically driven disc rotation on a spinning droplet to generate swift separation and concentration of exosomes from patient plasma samples. Integrated plasmonic nanostars on the ASCENDx disc enable label-free detection of enriched exosomes via surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Direct detection of circulating exosomal microRNA biomarkers from patient plasma samples by the ASCENDx platform facilitated a diagnostic assay for colorectal cancer with 95.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity. ASCENDx overcomes existing limitations in exosome-based molecular diagnostics and holds a powerful position for future biomedical research, precision medicine, and point-of-care medical diagnostics.
Beyond T cell exhaustion: TIM-3 regulation of myeloid cells
Authors: Dixon Karen O. , Lahore Gonzalo Fernandez , Kuchroo Vijay K.
Published: March 2024

T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3) is an important immune checkpoint molecule initially identified as a marker of IFN-γ–producing CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells. Since then, our understanding of its role in immune responses has significantly expanded. Here, we review emerging evidence demonstrating unexpected roles for TIM-3 as a key regulator of myeloid cell function, in addition to recent work establishing TIM-3 as a delineator of terminal T cell exhaustion, thereby positioning TIM-3 at the interface between fatigued immune responses and reinvigoration. We share our perspective on the antagonism between TIM-3 and T cell stemness, discussing both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms underlying this relationship. Looking forward, we discuss approaches to decipher the underlying mechanisms by which TIM-3 regulates stemness, which has remarkable potential for the treatment of cancer, autoimmunity, and autoinflammation.
Complete genome sequence of
Mycobacterium smegmatis
phage Rummer, a subcluster A3 actinophage
Authors: Bailey Dondra S. , Dotson Dominique R. , Berkes Charlotte , Agbede Oluwanifemi , Augustin Marcelaine , Blackman-Murray Imani , Chambers Talaeya , Felber Nicolas , Fleming Dy'Mon , Frazier Loretta , Gray Natalie , Harrison Ayanna , Hernandez Genesis , Iwuchukwu Nina , Iwuji Chika , Jackson Taysha , Jefferson Angelic , Jordan Daya , Jordan Miracle , Nicolas Brian , Person Monae , Richardson Ga'Nayah , Roman Ashley , Stevens Christian , Suggs My'Sean , Thompson Nahshon , Timmons-Smith Summer , Wilfong Shiaishea , Wilson-Wheatley Micaela
Published: March 2024

Bacteriophage Rummer is a siphovirus morphology actinophage isolated from
Mycobacterium smegmatis
. Rummer has a 50,908 base pair genome encoding 89 predicted protein-coding genes and three tRNAs. Based on gene content similarity to sequenced actinobacteriophages, Rummer is assigned to phage subcluster A3.
Draft genome sequences of two β-glucuronidase positive strains of
Salmonella enterica
subspecies
salamae
isolated from reptile feces in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Claussen Maike , Schmidt Stefan
Published: March 2024

Two
Salmonella enterica
isolates obtained from reptile feces displayed β-glucuronidase activity. Nearly complete genome sequences were obtained after shotgun sequencing and
de novo
genome assembly. By comparison to reference genomes, both isolates were identified as
Salmonella enterica
subspecies
salamae
with the sequence type identified as 1208 and the serotype as 42:r:-.
Landscape of IGH germline genes of Chiroptera and the pattern of
Rhinolophus affinis
bat IGH CDR3 repertoire
Authors: Ma Long , Liu Longyu , Li Jun , Zhou Hao , Xiao Jiaping , Ma Qingqing , Yao Xinsheng
Published: March 2024

The emergence and re-emergence of abundant viruses from bats that impact human and animal health have resulted in a resurgence of interest in bat immunology. Characterizing the immune receptor repertoire is critical to understanding how bats coexist with viruses in the absence of disease and developing new therapeutics to target viruses in humans and susceptible livestock. In this study, IGH germline genes of Chiroptera including
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
,
Phyllostomus discolor,
and
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
were annotated, and we profiled the characteristics of
Rhinolophus affinis
(RA) IGH CDR3 repertoire. The germline genes of Chiroptera are quite different from those of human, mouse, cow, and dog in evolution, but the three bat species have high homology. The CDR3 repertoire of RA is unique in many aspects including CDR3 subclass, V/J genes access and pairing, CDR3 clones, and somatic high-frequency mutation compared with that of human and mouse, which is an important point in understanding the asymptomatic nature of viral infection in bats. This study unveiled a detailed map of bat IGH germline genes on chromosome level and provided the first immune receptor repertoire of bat, which will stimulate new avenues of research that are directly relevant to human health and disease.

IMPORTANCE

The intricate relationship between bats and viruses has been a subject of study since the mid-20th century, with more than 100 viruses identified, including those affecting humans. While preliminary investigations have outlined the innate immune responses of bats, the role of adaptive immunity remains unclear. This study presents a pioneering contribution to bat immunology by unveiling, for the first time, a detailed map of bat IGH germline genes at the chromosome level. This breakthrough not only provides a foundation for B cell receptor research in bats but also contributes to primer design and sequencing of the CDR3 repertoire. Additionally, we offer the first comprehensive immune receptor repertoire of bats, serving as a crucial library for future comparative analyses. In summary, this research significantly advances the understanding of bats’ immune responses, providing essential resources for further investigations into viral tolerance and potential zoonotic threats.
Comprehensive seismic evidence for the inducing mechanism of extremely shallow 2019 Changning Ms 6.0 earthquake by solution salt mining, Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Anyiam Uzonna Okenna , Qian Jiawei , Tan Yuyang , Zhang Haijiang
Published: March 2024

In the Changning region of the Sichuan Basin, China, which has experienced decades-long injection of freshwater for commercial salt mining, a Ms 6.0 earthquake occurred in June 2019, along with four Ms >5 aftershocks. Using data from local and regional seismic stations, we determine accurate locations for this earthquake sequence, velocity structures, and excess pore fluid pressures of the source region. Our results show that the Ms 6.0 earthquake is extremely shallow (~1.6 km below mean sea level) and is associated with low Vs and high Vp/Vs values and excess fluid pressures, indicating a fluid-induced earthquake. The mainshock was likely the shallowest M >6.0 induced earthquake, and it was triggered by the combined effect of pore pressure increase from the diffusion of injected fluids, differential formation subsidence from salt caverns, and highly fractured slip-prone rocks enriched in quartz and silica content. Following Coulomb stress transfer from the mainshock, the sequence ruptured in a cascading manner involving preexisting oblique faults of varying dips.
Analytic expressions for quasinormal modes of the Reissner–Nordström-like black holes
Authors: Malik Zainab
Published: March 2024

The Reissner–Nordström metric encompasses three distinct interpretations: first, as a charged static black hole in the Einstein–Maxwell theory; second, within the brane world model, where the charge is construed as a tidal parameter emanating from extra dimensions; and third, in the context of the Einstein-aether theory, wherein the charge is associated with the aether parameter. Considering these interpretations, we derive analytic expressions for the proper oscillation frequencies of black holes, known as quasinormal modes, for scalar, electromagnetic and Dirac perturbations. Employing the higher WKB technique and an expansion in terms of the inverse multipole number, our analytic formulas exhibit notable agreement with previously published numerical data and time-domain integration results. Additionally, we verify the correspondence between null geodesics and eikonal quasinormal modes for these cases.
Properties of new even and odd nonlinear coherent states with different parameters
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Miao Rui-Jiao , Qi Xiao-Qiu
Published: March 2024

We construct a class of nonlinear coherent states (NLCSs) by introducing a more general nonlinear function and study their nonclassical properties, specifically the second-order correlation function [Formula: see text], Mandel parameter Q, squeezing, amplitude-squared squeezing and Wigner function of the optical field. The results indicate that the nonclassical properties of the new types of even and odd NLCSs crucially depend on the nonlinear functions. More concretely, we find that the new even NLCSs could exhibit the photon-bunching effect, whereas the new odd NLCSs could show the photon-antibunching effect. The degree of squeezing is also significantly affected by the parameter selection of these NLCSs. By employing various forms of nonlinear functions, it becomes possible to construct the NLCSs with diverse properties, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the corresponding experimental investigations.
Single-valued signals, multi-valued signals, and fixed point of contractive signals
Authors: Sahani S. K. , Pandey Binay Kumar , Pandey Digvijay
Published: March 2024

Recent research conducted by Nadler presented the concept of multi-valued contractive signals. There can be only one fixed point for the contraction signal of a complete metric space F into itself, according to the Banach contractions signal concept. Nadler presented a theorem that is very similar to this one for multi-valued contraction signals. Fixed points do occur, therefore multiple-valued contraction signals on two-dimensional metric spaces are studied in this paper. Although we acquired some new conclusions from our investigation, the results obtained are inferior to those obtained by Iseki’s theorems. We investigate the equivalence of the existence of fixed points of single-valued and multi-valued signals for particular classes of signals by proving some equivalence theorems for the completeness of 2-metric spaces. These theorems show that the existence of fixed points for single-valued signals is equivalent to the existence of fixed points for multi-valued signals.
Device Onboarding Using FDO and the Untrusted Installer Model
Authors: Cooper Geoffrey H.
Published: March 2024

FDO's untrusted model is contrasted with Wi-Fi Easy Connect to illustrate the advantages of each mechanism.
Comparative Analysis of Dynamic Power Consumption of Parallel Prefix Adder
Authors: Brzozowski Ireneusz
Published: March 2024

The Newcomb-Benford law, also known as Benford's law, is the law of anomalous numbers stating that in many real-life numerical datasets, including physical and statistical ones, numbers have a small initial digit. Numbers irregularity observed in nature leads to the question, is the arithmetical-logical unit, responsible for performing calculations in computers, optimal? Are there other architectures, not as regular as commonly used Parallel Prefix Adders, that can perform better, especially when operating on the datasets that are not purely random, but irregular? In this article, structures of a propagate-generate tree are compared including regular and irregular configurations—various structures are examined: regular, irregular, with gray cells only, with both gray and black, and with higher valency cells. Performance is evaluated in terms of energy consumption. The evaluation was performed using the extended power model of static CMOS gates. The model is based on changes of vectors, naturally taking into account spatio-temporal correlations. The energy parameters of the designed cells were calculated on the basis of electrical (Spice) simulation. Designs and simulations were done in the Cadence environment and calculations of the power dissipation were performed in MATLAB. The results clearly show that there are PPA structures that perform much better for a specific type of numerical data. Negligent design can lead to an increase greater than two times of power consumption. The novel architectures of PPA described in this work might find practical applications in specialized adders dealing with numerical datasets, such as, for example, sine functions commonly used in digital signal processing.
Fractional Statistics
Authors: Greiter Martin , Wilczek Frank
Published: March 2024

The quantum-mechanical description of assemblies of particles whose motion is confined to two (or one) spatial dimensions offers many possibilities that are distinct from bosons and fermions. We call such particles anyons. The simplest anyons are parameterized by an angular phase parameter θ. θ = 0, π correspond to bosons and fermions, respectively; at intermediate values, we say that we have fractional statistics. In two dimensions, θ describes the phase acquired by the wave function as two anyons wind around one another counterclockwise. It generates a shift in the allowed values for the relative angular momentum. Composites of localized electric charge and magnetic flux associated with an abelian U(1) gauge group realize this behavior. More complex charge-flux constructions can involve nonabelian and product groups acting on a spectrum of allowed charges and fluxes, giving rise to nonabelian and mutual statistics. Interchanges of nonabelian anyons implement unitary transformations of the wave function within an emergent space of internal states. Anyons of all kinds are described by quantum field theories that include Chern–Simons terms. The crossings of one-dimensional anyons on a ring are unidirectional, such that a fractional phase θ acquired upon interchange gives rise to fractional shifts in the relative momenta between the anyons. The quasiparticle excitations of fractional quantum Hall states have long been predicted to include anyons. Recently, the anyon behavior predicted for quasiparticles in the ν = 1/3 fractional quantum Hall state has been observed in both scattering and interferometric experiments. Excitations within designed systems, notably including superconducting circuits, can exhibit anyon behavior. Such systems are being developed for possible use in quantum information processing.
Review—Nanosystems-Enhanced Electrochemical Biosensors for Precision in One Health Management
Authors: Sable Harsh , Kumar Vaishali , Singh Vandana , Rustagi Sarvesh , Chaudhary Vishal , Pandit Soumya
Published: March 2024

One Health is a comprehensive and cohesive strategy that seeks to effectively manage and enhance the well-being of people, animals, and ecosystems in a sustainable manner. Electrochemical biosensors are indispensable vectors for One Health management, with diverse applications across industrial process control, environmental monitoring, healthcare, microbiology, and quality assurance. The integration of nanotechnology has propelled innovative sensing algorithms, enhancing the efficiency and precision of biosensors. Nanoscale material integration amplifies their ability to detect molecules and single biomolecules with nano-biosensors utilizing nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanorods, and quantum dots. Nanomaterials, distinguished by surface functionalities, tunability of physical/chemical properties, high detection sensitivity, large surface area, stability, and thermal/electrical conductivity, are instrumental in architecting nano-biosensors. The main limitations in current times are scalability, cross-sensitivity, complex immobilization pathways, and the toxicity factor of nanosensors, which are hazardous for the ecosystem as well as humans. This review explores the fundamentals of nanotechnology-enabled electrochemical biosensors, encompassing their composition, manufacturing materials, and diverse applications, highlighting their necessity in advancing biosensor technology to control environmental contamination/human diseases in order to manage One Health.
The Effect of Obstacle Geometric Feature in Parallel Flow Field on PEMFC Output Performance
Authors: Zhang Zongxi , Sui Zhike , Fan Xiang , Liu Xingru
Published: March 2024

Previous research has proven that the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) can be enhanced by introducing barriers in the parallel flow field, which improved reactant transport and induced adequate reaction. However, existing research on the geometric parameters of obstacles was insufficient, especially for the design of obstacle shapes and the size of the angle of incidence. In this study, five different shapes of obstacles was introduced which were dispersed and placed in a parallel flow field. The effects of these different shaped obstacles on PEMFC output performance were compared by simulation. When reactants passed through the obstruction, the velocity increased, leading to higher concentration of reactants in the catalytic layer. This resulted in more complete, reaction and improved the output performance. The study demonstrated that incorporating 16 uniformly placed obstacles in the sub-flow channel of parallel flow field, it was concluded that the output power of the parallel flow field with right-angled trapezoidal obstacles was higher which was 0.57 W cm−2. The size of the right-angled trapezoidal cut-in angle was discussed. It was found that the right-angled trapezoidal obstacle with the cut-in angle of 30°, length of 1 mm, width of 0.3 mm, and height of 1 mm, the net power density was 0.57 W cm−2, which was improved 43%. And water removal capacity increased 16%. Current density of the new flow field was 14% higher than that of the interdigitated flow field.
Joint Mechanism (Tunneling and Thermionic Emission) for Improved Performance of a Dielectric Modulated Transistor Biosensor
Authors: Yadav Shivendra , Gedam Anju , Sharma Rajesh Kumar , Aslam Mohd.
Published: March 2024

The manuscript deals with a novel biosensor structure and reports the effects of including thermionic emission in an electrically doped Tunnel FET. It comprises a comparative analysis between two biosensors based on a pure tunnelling transistor and a transistor which combines the tunnelling and thermionic emission carrier transport in the same device. The manuscript first discusses the physics of Tunnel FET when vertical thermionic emission is included with horizontal tunnelling through an additional electron source (AES). Subsequently, the biosensor is designed using the combined mechanism structure a comparative analysis of biosensors is done in terms of various DC and RF parameters for different biomolecules of proteins. Moreover, workfunction engineering is implemented to the combined mechanism biosensor and sensitivity is analyzed by drain current and transconductance.
A modeling analysis of whole body potassium regulation on a high-potassium diet: proximal tubule and tubuloglomerular feedback effects
Authors: Stadt Melissa M. , Layton Anita T.
Published: March 2024

Potassium homeostasis is maintained in the body by a complex system of regulatory mechanisms. This system, when healthy, maintains a small extracellular potassium concentration, despite large fluctuations of dietary potassium. The complexities of the system make this problem well suited for investigation with mathematical modeling. In this study, we extend our mathematical model to consider recent experimental results on renal potassium handling on a high potassium diet and investigate the impacts from a whole body perspective.
Lipopeptide Biosurfactants Enhanced Biohydrogen Evolution from Lignocellulose Biomass and Shaped the Microbial Community and Diversity
Authors: Phulpoto Irfan Ali , Bobo Wang , Qazi Muneer Ahmed , Yu Zhisheng
Published: March 2024

Biohydrogen is a renewable and clean energy source that can be produced from cheap and abundantly available lignocellulose biomass. However, the complex structure of lignocellulose requires various physicochemical and biological pretreatments, as it exhibits significant resistance to microbial degradation. Biosurfactants can play a vital role in facilitating the microbial degradation of lignocellulose and inducing enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, they can lower the surface tension to impede lignin‐cellulase interactions and alter the lignin characteristics. Indeed, the application of lipopeptide biosurfactants to enhance hydrogen production from lignocellulose biomass is poorly studied. Thus, this study investigates the influence of lipopeptide biosurfactants on biohydrogen enhancement from lignocellulose biomass and their impact on short‐chain fatty acid generation during anaerobic dark fermentation. Subsequently, Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing was employed to analyze the structure of microbial community and diversity significantly affected by the presence or absence of aided biosurfactants. Results revealed that the lipopeptide biosurfactant significantly improved the cumulative biogas and hydrogen production. The maximum cumulative hydrogen yield was achieved in lipopeptide‐assisted bioreactors including BioR_3, BioR_2, and BioR_4 (i.e., 4.68, 4.56, and 4.50 mmol/2 g of substrate, respectively), showing an increase of 30.79% to 36.03% higher than BioR_1 (3.44 mmol). In addition, lipopeptide biosurfactants also impacted the short‐chain fatty acid generation, where acetic acid, propionic acid, and isobutyric acid were found as major acids. On the other hand, various bacterial phyla, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetota, and Acidobacteriota, were detected in all bioreactors. Among the phyla, Firmicutes were predominated (54.74% to 86.38%) in lipopeptide‐assisted bioreactors, indicating that biosurfactants substantially influenced the microbial community structure during hydrogen production. Besides, Ruminiclostridium and Bacillus were significantly promoted in lipopeptide‐assisted bioreactors, representing efficient lignocellulose‐degrading and hydrogen‐producing genera. Conclusively, this study offers valuable insights into the underlying mechanism through which lipopeptide biosurfactants actively participate in biohydrogen production and illuminates the variations occurring within microbial communities.
Enhancing Heart Attack Prediction with Machine Learning: A Study at Jordan University Hospital
Authors: Alshraideh Mohammad , Alshraideh Najwan , Alshraideh Abedalrahman , Alkayed Yara , Al Trabsheh Yasmin , Alshraideh Bahaaldeen
Published: March 2024

Efforts have been made to address the adverse impact of heart disease on society by improving its treatment and diagnosis. This study uses the Jordan University Hospital (JUH) Heart Dataset to develop and evaluate machine‐learning models for predicting heart disease. The primary objective of this study is to enhance prediction accuracy by utilizing a comprehensive approach that includes data preprocessing, feature selection, and model development. Various artificial intelligence techniques, namely, random forest, SVM, decision tree, naive Bayes, and K‐nearest neighbours (KNN) were explored with particle swarm optimization (PSO) for feature selection. These results have substantial implications for early disease detection, diagnosis, and tailored treatment, potentially aiding medical professionals in making well‐informed decisions and improving patient outcomes. The PSO is used to select the most compelling features out of 58 features. Experiments on a dataset comprising 486 heart disease patients at JUH yielded a commendable classification accuracy of 94.3% using our proposed system, aligning with state‐of‐the‐art performance. Notably, our research utilized a distinct dataset provided by the corresponding author, while alternative algorithms in our study achieved accuracies ranging from 85% to 90%. These results emphasize the superior accuracy of our proposed system compared to other algorithms considered, particularly highlighting the SVM classifier with PSO as the most accurate, contributing significantly to improving heart disease diagnosis in regions like Jordan, where cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality.
Right Femoral Fragility Fracture in an Adolescent with Vitamin D Deficiency from COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Confinement
Authors: Rajendran Suhasheni , Lee Ze Chen , Seow Chu Ee , Khaw Chong Hui
Published: March 2024

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major impacts in various aspects of our life. In Malaysia, a Movement Control Order was imposed in March 2020. For almost two years, school going children and adolescents were not able to attend school physically, and their physical activity was confined within their room or house on most days. Case Description. We describe a case of a 14-year-old boy who was previously active in sports and sustained a low trauma fracture at the right neck of the femur following a prolonged period of extreme sedentary life along with poor dietary intake during the COVID-19 pandemic period. He underwent open reduction and screw fixation for the right neck femur fracture. He was thin with a low BMI (15.62 kg/m2) and a significant loss of muscle bulk in all limbs. Laboratory tests showed vitamin D deficiency (15.3 nmol/L) and the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) showed a low Z-score for the total spine (−2.2) and total hip (−3.9). He was treated with activated vitamin D and vitamin D3 replacement. Sports physician was involved for individualized postoperative rehabilitation. Successive clinic visits showed remarkable improvements in physical fitness, sports participation, and normalization of vitamin D levels. Conclusion. A high degree of suspicion is needed to rule out secondary causes in adolescents who present with unusual fragility fractures.
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Refine Outcomes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated with Anthracycline-Free Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Martín Miguel , Yoder Rachel , Salgado Roberto , del Monte-Millán María , Álvarez Enrique L. , Echavarría Isabel , Staley Joshua M. , O'Dea Anne P. , Nye Lauren E. , Stecklein Shane R. , Bueno Coralia , Jerez Yolanda , Cebollero María , Bueno Oscar , García Saenz José Ángel , Moreno Fernando , Bohn Uriel , Gómez Henry , Massarrah Tatiana , Khan Qamar J. , Godwin Andrew K. , López-Tarruella Sara , Sharma Priyanka
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

Stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL) are associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) and long-term outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in the setting of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The impact of sTILs on refining outcomes beyond prognostic information provided by pCR in anthracycline-free neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is not known.

Experimental Design:

This is a pooled analysis of two studies where patients with stage I (T>1 cm)–III TNBC received carboplatin (AUC 6) plus docetaxel (75 mg/m2; CbD) NAC. sTILs were evaluated centrally on pre-treatment hematoxylin and eosin slides using standard criteria. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the effect of variables on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results:

Among 474 patients, 44% had node-positive disease. Median sTILs were 5% (range, 1%–95%), and 32% of patients had ≥30% sTILs. pCR rate was 51%. On multivariable analysis, T stage (OR, 2.08; P = 0.007), nodal status (OR, 1.64; P = 0.035), and sTILs (OR, 1.10; P = 0.011) were associated with pCR. On multivariate analysis, nodal status (HR, 0.46; P = 0.008), pCR (HR, 0.20; P < 0.001), and sTILs (HR, 0.95; P = 0.049) were associated with OS. At 30% cut-point, sTILs stratified outcomes in stage III disease, with 5-year OS 86% versus 57% in ≥30% versus <30% sTILs (HR, 0.29; P = 0.014), and numeric trend in stage II, with 5-year OS 93% versus 89% in ≥30% versus <30% sTILs (HR, 0.55; P = 0.179). Among stage II–III patients with pCR, EFS was better in those with ≥30% sTILs (HR, 0.16; P, 0.047).

Conclusions:

sTILs density was an independent predictor of OS beyond clinicopathologic features and pathologic response in patients with TNBC treated with anthracycline-free CbD chemotherapy. Notably, sTILs density stratified outcomes beyond tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and pathologic response. These findings highlight the role of sTILs in patient selection and stratification for neo/adjuvant escalation and de-escalation strategies.
Clinical Impact of Proton Pump Inhibitor and Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker for Predicting the Curability of Endoscopic Resection in Ulcerative Early Gastric Cancer
Authors: Uno Konomu , Shimura Takaya , Inaguma Shingo , Kuroyanagi Keita , Nishigaki Ruriko , Kanno Takuya , Sasaki Makiko , Fukusada Shigeki , Sugimura Naomi , Mizuno Yusuke , Nukui Takayuki , Kojima Yuki , Tanaka Mamoru , Ozeki Keiji , Kubota Eiji , Takahashi Satoru , Kataoka Hiromi
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Endoscopic diagnosis is essential for predicting the curability of early gastric cancer (EGC; R0 resection) before treatment, but the relationship between ulcerative lesions and clinical outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) on the morphological changes of ulcerative EGCs and its relevance to the clinical outcomes. Methods: Altogether, 143 patients with differentiated ulcerative EGC that were resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection were retrospectively identified and divided into the following two cohorts depending on their PPI/P-CAB administration status: PPI/P-CAB (n = 76) and non-PPI/P-CAB (n = 67) cohorts. Furthermore, in each cohort, the patients were further divided into the improved and unimproved subgroups based on the ulcerative changes. Results: In the PPI/P-CAB cohort, the deep submucosal invasion and lymphovascular invasion rates were significantly higher in the unimproved subgroup than in the improved subgroup, resulting in a significantly lower R0 resection rate. Contrarily, no significant differences were found between the two subgroups in the non-PPI/P-CAB cohort. The significance of PPI/P-CAB administration was observed only in the ulcerative EGCs with open-type atrophy (R0 resection rate; improved vs. unimproved, 90.9% vs. 48.0%, p = 0.001). When the finding of improved ulcer with PPI/P-CAB administration was used as the indication of endoscopic resection in ulcerative EGCs with open-type atrophy, high sensitivity (78.9%) and accuracy (76.3%) rates for the curability were observed, which were higher than those of conventional endoscopic diagnosis alone (p = 0.021). Conclusion: PPI or P-CAB administration might contribute to the potential selection of ulcerative EGCs, enabling endoscopic curative resection.
Cardiovascular Management of Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: From Pretransplantation to Survivorship: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Hayek Salim S. , Zaha Vlad G. , Bogle Carmel , Deswal Anita , Langston Amelia , Rotz Seth , Vasbinder Alexi , Yang Eric , Okwuosa Tochukwu ,   on behalf of the American Heart Association Cardio-Oncology Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing
Published: March 2024

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can cure various disorders but poses cardiovascular risks, especially for elderly patients and those with cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular evaluations are crucial in pretransplantation assessments, but guidelines are lacking. This American Heart Association scientific statement summarizes the data on transplantation-related complications and provides guidance for the cardiovascular management throughout transplantation. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation consists of 4 phases: pretransplantation workup, conditioning therapy and infusion, immediate posttransplantation period, and long-term survivorship. Complications can occur during each phase, with long-term survivors facing increased risks for late effects such as cardiovascular disease, secondary malignancies, and endocrinopathies. In adults, arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation and flutter are the most frequent acute cardiovascular complication. Acute heart failure has an incidence ranging from 0.4% to 2.2%. In pediatric patients, left ventricular systolic dysfunction and pericardial effusion are the most common cardiovascular complications. Factors influencing the incidence and risk of complications include pretransplantation therapies, transplantation type (autologous versus allogeneic), conditioning regimen, comorbid conditions, and patient age. The pretransplantation cardiovascular evaluation consists of 4 steps: (1) initial risk stratification, (2) exclusion of high-risk cardiovascular disease, (3) assessment of cardiac reserve, and (4) optimization of cardiovascular reserve. Clinical risk scores could be useful tools for the risk stratification of adult patients. Long-term cardiovascular management of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors includes optimizing risk factors, monitoring, and maintaining a low threshold for evaluating cardiovascular causes of symptoms. Future research should prioritize refining risk stratification and creating evidence-based guidelines and strategies to optimize outcomes in this growing patient population.