bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scutellarin acts via MAPKs pathway to promote M2 polarization of microglial cells
Authors: Chen Haolun , Yang Li , Zhang Xiaolina , Jia Qiuye , Li Juanjuan , Zheng Liyang , Liu Tengteng , Qi Zhi , Yuan Yun , Wu Chunyun
Published: May 2022

Scutellarin, an herbal agent, is known to possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In activated microglia, it has been reported that this is achieved through acting on the MAPKs, a key pathway that regulates microglia activation. This study sought to determine if scutellarin would affect the commonly described microglia phenotypes, namely, M1 and M2, thought to contribute to pro- and anti-inflammatory roles, respectively. This is in consideration of its potential effect on the polarization of microglia phenotypes that are featured prominently in cerebral ischemia. For this purpose, we have used an experimentally induced cerebral ischemia rat model and LPS-stimulated BV-2 cell model. Thus, by Western blot and immunofluorescence, we show here a noticeable increase in expression of M2 microglia markers, namely, CD206, Arg1, YM1/2, IL-4 and IL-10 in activated microglia both in vivo and in vitro. Remarkably, scutellarin treatment markedly augmented the increased expression of the respective markers in activated microglia. It is therefore suggested scutellarin can exert the polarization of activated microglia from M1 to M2 phenotype. Because M1 microglia are commonly known to be proinflammatory, while M2 microglia are anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect, it stands to reason therefore that with the increase of M2 microglia which became predominant by scutellarin, the local inflammatory response is ameliorated. More importantly, we have found that scutellarin promotes the M2 polarization through inhibiting the JNK and p38 signaling pathways, and concomitantly augmenting the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. This lends its strongly support from observations in LPS activated BV-2 microglia treated with p38 and JNK inhibitors in which expression of M2 markers was increased; on the other hand, in cells subjected to ERK1/2 inhibitor treatment, the expression was suppressed. In light of the above, MAPKs pathway is deemed to be a potential target of scutellarin in mitigating microglia mediated neuroinflammation in activated microglia.
Imaginary Powers of (K,1)-generalized Harmonic Oscillator
Authors: Teng Wentao
Published: May 2022

See Manuscript PDF file for complete Abstract.In this paper we will define and investigate the imaginary powers of the (k,1)-generalized harmonic oscillator −4 k, 1 = −kxk4 k + kxk and prove the Lp-boundedness (1 < p < ∞) and weak L1-boundedness of such operators. It is a parallel result to the Lp-boundedness (1 < p < ∞) and weak L1-boundedness of the imaginary powers of the Dunkl harmonic oscillator −4 k + kxk2. To prove this result, we develop the Calder´on–Zygmund theory adapted to the (k,1)-generalized setting by constructing the metric space of homogeneous type corresponding to the (k,1)-generalized setting, and show that are singular integral operators satisfying the corresponding H¨ormander type condition.
Documenting manifestations and impacts of recessive ataxia to develop patient-reported outcome.
Authors: Tremblay Marjolaine , Girard-Côté Laura , Brais Bernard , Gagnon Cynthia
Published: May 2022

Background. Autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias (ARCA) are a group of rare inherited disorders characterized by degeneration or abnormal development of cerebellum. Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is the second most prevalent in Europe. Objectives. The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of manifestations and impacts of ARSACS. Methods. A systematic review of literature has been conducted followed by a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and discussion groups to get the experience of people affected. Results. According to the PROMIS framework, results show manifestations and impacts in three components of health: physical, mental, and social. Fatigue and struggles with balance and dexterity are the are the physical manifestations of the disease most often cited by participants. Negative affects like frustration and depression are among the mental health impacts with some loss in cognitive abilities. Social health is the least documented component; nonetheless, people with the disease report significant impacts in terms of social relationships, activities and work. Conclusions. These findings shed a new light on the experience of people with recessive ataxia and identify key aspects to assess to improve their overall health.
The efficacy of platelet rich plasma in pelvic organ prolapse surgery : A protocol for scoping review
Authors: Saputra Akbar Novan Dwi , Rizal Dicky Moch , Pangastuti Nuring , Ayuandari Sarrah
Published: May 2022

Background : Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous, self-blood product, anticoagulated blood product generated by centrifugation method of whole blood that primarily contains platelets at amounts up to 5 times those found in physiologic platelet concentrations. PRP contains multiple growth factors such as transforming growth factor (TGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 within the alpha granules of platelets (IGF-1). Platelets also contain antibacterial and fungicidal proteins, metalloproteinases, coagulation factors, and membrane glycoproteins, which can regulate inflammation by promoting the production of various integrins, interleukins, and chemokines. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the genitalia organ, bladder, rectum, and intestine protrude into the vaginal canal or even out of it due to the weakening of ligaments and muscles that serve as suspensors for the pelvic organs. Surgery is one of the treatment options for pelvic organ prolapse. The use of platelet rich plasma in pelvic organ prolapse surgery is becoming much more common. The goal of this procedure is to reconstruct the anatomical components of the pelvic supporting tissues and increase the healing process. To determine the efficacy of PRP on pelvic organ prolapse surgery, we will synthesize the available research on the use of platelet rich plasma for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. The goal of this study is to conduct a scoping study of the published research on the efficacy of platelet rich plasma for the surgery procedure of female pelvic organ prolapse. Methods/design : This review was conducted on research articles in PubMed, Proquest, EBSCO, ScienceDirect databases published between January 2010 – Desember 2021 regarding the use of platelet rich plasma for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. All primary research in human, case reports and case series will be included to evaluate the outcome of platelet rich plasma as an adjunct to conventional surgery in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Discussion : This review will offer actual evidence of PRP's efficacy for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. This is a new approach, and the findings of this study are expected to inform clinical practice and ongoing research focused on improving outcome of pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Trial registration number : osf.io/gyr72
Parameters for drilling a stepped microhole of nitride ceramics using Taguchi-based grey relational analysis method
Authors: Chang Dar-Yuan , Lin Chien-Hung , Chien Hsiang-Cheng
Published: May 2022

Microdrilling is an essential process in the semiconductor industry to produce microholes for wafer testing instruments such as a wafer probe card. The microholes are laid on an insulating ceramic plate in an array form for piloting microprobes to their specified positions, which are commonly machined by a peck-drilling process. This study investigated the parameters of cutting speed, feed rate, and depth in the peck-drilling process for making a stepped microhole of nitride ceramic plates. A two-level microdrilling experiment was first carried out to investigate the thrust force in drilling a 310-µm-diameter through microhole for checking the interactivity between the drilling parameters. After clarifying parametric interactions, Taguchi’s three-level fractional-factorial experiment of a stepped microhole was performed to derive “preferred factorial level set” for minimizing the thrust force and improving hole characteristics. Furthermore, Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) model was built to infer “optimal parameters level design” for considering the multi-characteristic problem of the microhole drilled. Experimental validations were implemented to confirm the analytical results. Experimental data provide useful references for drilling a stepped microhole of nitride ceramic plates.
Activation of NF-κB signaling by dense granule protein GRA15 of a newly discovered type 1 Toxoplasma gondii strain
Authors: Guo Guanghao , Cui Jianmin , Song Lindong , Tang Lvqing , Fan Sijie , Zhao Junlong , Hu Min , Shen Bang , Fang Rui , Zhou Yanqin
Published: May 2022

Background
It has been reported that the NF-κB pathway, an important component of host defense system against pathogens infections, can be modulated by GRA15 of type 2 Toxoplasma gondii strains. A newly reported Toxoplasma strain (T.gHB1) belonging to type 1 showed polymorphic phenotypes comparable to the classic type 1 parasite, such as virulence determinant mechanisms. Therefore, it is worth investigating whether the novel type 1 Toxoplasma strain (T.gHB1) has an effect on host NF-κB signaling pathway.
Methods
The effects of T.gHB1 on host NF-κB pathway was investigated in HEK293T cells. The GRA15 gene product was analysed by bioinformatics method and its effect on NF-κB was examined by detection of the levels of phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 by Western blotting (WB) and indirect fluorescence assay (IFA). Functional domain of GRA15 was mapped by using the luciferase reporter assay and its effects on p65 nuclear translocation and IκBα phosphorylation were examined by IFA and WB, respectively.
Results
We demonstrated that the NF-κB pathway signaling can be activated by the newly identified type 1 T.gHB1 strain of Toxoplasma, while other known type 1 RH parasites exerted an inhibitory effect. T.gHB1 GRA15 possesses only one transmembrane region with an extended C terminal region, which is distinct from other known GRA15 from type 2 parasites. T.gHB1 GRA15 could clearly induce IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation. Dual luciferase assays in HEK293T cells revealed a requirement for 194–518 aa of T.gHB1 GRA15 to effectively activate NF-κB.
Conclusions
The overall results indicated that the newly discovered type 1 isolate T.gHB1 and its GRA15 gene product can activate NF-κB through a classical pathway in mammalian cells. These results provide new sights for our understanding of the interaction between Toxoplasma parasites and its host.
Highly efficient CRISPR–Cpf1 genome editing toolkit development for Corynebacterium glutamicum and its application for vitamin production
Authors: Su Rui , Wang Ting , Bo Taidong , Cai Ningyun , Yuan Meng , Wu Chen , Jiang Hao , Peng Huadong , Chen Ning , Li Yanjun
Published: May 2022

Corynebacterium glutamicum has industrial track records for producing a variety of valuable products such as amino acids. Although CRISPR-based genome editing technologies have undergone immense developments in recent years, the suicide-plasmid-based approaches are still predominant for C. glutamicum genome manipulation. In this study, we developed a RecombinAtion Prior to Induced Double-strand-break (RAPID) genome editing technology for C. glutamicum, as Cpf1 cleavage was found to disrupt RecET-mediated homologous recombination (HR) of the donor template into the genome. The RAPID toolbox enabled highly efficient gene deletion and insertion, and notably, a linear DNA template was sufficient for gene deletion. Due to the simplified procedures and iterative operation property, this methodology could be widely applied in C. glutamicum genetic manipulations. As a proof of concept, a high-yield D-pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)-producing strain was constructed, which, to the best of our knowledge, achieved the highest reported titer of 18.62 g/L from glucose only.
QTL Analysis and Development of HRM Markers Associated with Fruit Shape in Interspecific Pears (Pyrus pyrifolia × P. bretschneideri)
Authors: Cho Sun-Heum , Oh Sewon , Han Hyeondae , Kim Keumsun , Jeong Hae Won , Kim Daeil
Published: May 2022

Fruit shape is one of the important quantitative traits in pear (Pyrus spp.) breeding program, thus genetic study related to fruit shape could be beneficial to pear breeding. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was carried out using ‘Whangkeumbae’ (P. pyrifolia, round) × ‘Yali’ (P. bretschneideri, pyriform) and high-resolution melting (HRM) markers were developed. The genetic linkage map of ‘Whangkeumbae’ × ‘Yali’ was constructed using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from Axiom Pear 70K Genotyping Array and simple sequence repeats. The integrated genetic linkage map of ‘Whangkeumbae’ × ‘Yali’ showed ~90% of genome coverage, a total genetic distance of 998.2 cM, and a marker density of 1.6 cM. F1 progenies of ‘Whangkeumbae’ × ‘Yali’ showed normal distribution of fruit length (L), diameter (D), and L/D ratio. Three QTLs located in linkage group (LG) 6, 7, and 12 were identified with LOD thresholds of 2.8 to 3.0. Six HRM markers were developed using array-SNPs anchored in the QTLs and predicted fruit shape with 28.6 to 65.3% accuracy. Notably, accuracy was increased by ~90% using an HRM marker combination consisting of CBp06sn02, CBp07sn01, and CBp12sn03. These results could provide a better understanding of the genetic mechanism of fruit shape development and reducing pear breeding period.
Cytotoxic effect of ApoL1r in bovine epithelial kidney cells as an alternative treatment for Trypanosoma spp. in cattle. RH: ApoL1 effect in cattle kidney
Authors: Jaramillo-Delgado Ingrid Lorena , Agudelo-Florez Piedad , Ruiz-Buitrago Jhon Didier
Published: May 2022

ApoL 1 has been considered as a good alternative to Trypanosoma spp treatment but is also related to kidney cytotoxicity in some mammals. The cytotoxic effect of the recombinant ApoL1 (ApoL1r) protein on bovine renal epithelial cells was evaluated in vitro. This cytotoxic effect led to an up to 50% decrease in cell viability. These results were comparable to those obtained through positive damage control (MM8 at 200 and 250 ug/ml). It was determined that the ApoL1r protein could not be used in experimental animal models, specifically in cattle, due to the loss of cell viability that was generated.
Molecular Genetic and Taxonomical Relationship among Selected Setaria Species using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR's) and Microsatellite (SSRs) Markers
Authors: Ramesh Palakurthi , Yugandhar Poli , Juturu Vijaya Naresh , Mallikarjuna Gunti , Kumar Buchanapalli Sunil , Reddy Puli Chandra Obul , Reddy A. Madhusudhana , Reddy C. V Chandra Mohan , SEKHAR AKILA CHANDRA
Published: May 2022

Foxtail millet is small diploid (2n = 2x = 18), one of the oldest domesticated, self-compatible, C4 Panicoid cereal grains in Eurasia. Change in climatic conditions, ecological degradation, overexploitaion, and commercial cultivation has led to the genetic loss of landraces as well wild relatives of cultivated crops. Established genetic relations among the species are prerequisites for their future breeding programs to improve cultivars. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conserve plant genetic resources for sustainable agriculture. Keeping in view, we collected seven different species of Setaria that include S. italica, S. viridis, S. sphacelata S. pumila, S. glauca, S. verticillata, and S. intermedia from Andhra Pradesh, India. The specimens were examined for species identification and taxonomically described. In the present study, the trait "awn" was used as a key taxonomic character for the differentiation of two species viz., S. verticillata and S. intermedia. Earlier S. intermedia was merged in S. verticillata. We observed tremendous variation in phenotypic traits among weedy, wild, landrace, and cultivars of Setaria germplasm, indicating potential genotypic variation. To confirm the genetic variation, the selected Setaria sps were genotyped through ISSR and SSR genetic markers. The average number of amplicons amplified for ISSR and SSR markers was 3.75 and 2.45 alleles per locus, respectively. The Polymorphic information content (PIC) and Shannon information index (I) for ISSR and SSR markers had an average value of 0.34, 0.34, and 0.46, 0.58, respectively. Gene flow among seven Setaria species was relatively high (Nm > − 1.0). Two-way cluster analysis separated 12 accessions into two significant clusters using combined marker systems and agreed with Principal coordinate analysis. An Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) confirms that a substantial genetic variation among seven Setaria species. Morphological cluster analysis was almost similar to molecular cluster analysis.
Development of New Donepezil Analogues: Synthesis, Biological Screening and In Silico Study Rational
Authors: mahmoud ZeinabMahmoud , Sayed Hadeer S. , Mohamed Lamia W. , Mohamed Khaled O.
Published: May 2022

Fifteen new benzothiophene-based compounds were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential anti-Alzheimer agents. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited remarkable AChE inhibitory activity and effectively inhibited self-mediated β-amyloid protein in vitro. Compound 3g (IC50 = 72.488 ± 3.69 µM) showed a significant β-amyloid inhibitory effect exceeding that of donepezil (IC50 = 87.414 ± 4.46 µM). Furthermore, compound 3j (IC50 = 0.498 ± 0.02 µM) showed the best inhibitory activity comparable to that of donepezil (IC50 = 0.404 ± 0.03µM). The in vivo evaluation of the promising compounds (3g and 3j) confirmed a significant memory improvement in scopolamine-induced memory impairment model in mice. The molecular docking simulation of compounds 3g and 3j in Torpedo californica-AChE (TcAChE) active site showed a good agreement with the obtained screening results. The in silico ADMET and other physicochemical parameters were also reported.
Hydrogen bonding propagated phase separation in quasi-epitaxial single crystals: a Pd-Br molecular insulator
Authors: Yoshida Takefumi , Takaishi Shinya , Guérin Laurent , Kojima Tatsuhiro , Ohtsu Hiroyoshi , Kawano Masaki , Miyamoto Tatsuya , Okamoto Hiroshi , Kato Kenichi , Takata Masaki , Hosomi Yuka , Yoshida Shoji , Shigekawa Hidemi , Tanaka Hisaaki , Kuroda Shin-ichi , Iguchi Hiroaki , Breedlove Brian , Li Zhao-Yang , Yamashita Masahiro
Published: May 2022

In condensed matter, phase separation is strongly related to ferroelasticity, ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, electron correlation, and crystallography. These ferroics are important for nano-electronic devices such as non-volatile memory. However, the quantitative information regarding the lattice (atomic) structure at the border of phase separation is unclear in many cases. Thus, to design electronic devices on the molecular level, a quantitative relationship must be established between the lattice and the electrons. Herein, we elucidated a PdII–PdIV/PdIII–PdIII phase transition and phase separation mechanism for [Pd(cptn)2Br]Br2 (cptn = 1R,2R-diaminocyclopentane), propagated through a hydrogen-bonding network. Although the Pd···Pd distance was used to determine the electronic state, the differences in the Pd···Pd distance and the optical gap between Mott–Hubbard (MH) and charge-density-wave (CDW) states were only 0.012 Å and 0.17 eV, respectively. The N–H···Br···H–N hydrogen-bonding network functioned as a jack, adjusting the structural difference dynamically, and allowing visible ferroelastic phase transition/separation in a fluctuating N2 gas flow. In addition, the effect of the phase separation on the spin susceptibility and electrical conductivity were clarified to represent the quasi-epitaxial crystals among CDW–MH states. These results indicate that the phase transitions and separations could be controlled via modifications at the atomic and molecular levels, such as the addition of hydrogen bonding.
Attributes of easy kernel removal in some Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes using path analysis
Authors: Sharifani M. Mehdi , Keramatlou Issa , Sabouri Hossein
Published: May 2022

This research was conducted to find the most significant variables affecting easy removal and color of the kernel in Persian walnut. Twenty-six botanical traits and fruit characteristics were employed to select fourteen walnut genotypes for analysis. Results of simple correlation analysis indicated significant positive correlation of ease of kernel removal and color with female bloom date, apex shape of nut, kernel shrivel and shell strength. On the other hand, nut shape and husk thickness indicated negative significant correlation with easy removal of the kernel and its color. Stepwise regression was applied to eliminate the effects of non-contributing characters and characters with low impact on ease of kernel removal and its color. The ease of kernel removal was significant in relation with shell strength, leaf width, female bloom date and shape of apex, with a coefficient of determination of 94%. Kernel color showed association with kernel shrivel, husk thickness and shell strength with a correlation coefficient of 0.84. Path analysis revealed highest positive direct effect of shell strength on ease of kernel removal. Comparison of direct and indirect effects on kernel color, indicated the highest negative direct effect was related to kernel shrivel on kernel color. Comprehending the relation between nut and kernel traits would be an appropriate guide for breeder to improve kernel quality in walnut.
The Content of the Concept "Mass" and the Law of Mass Conservation in the Phenomena of the Macro- and Microworld
Authors: Khachatur Kirakosyan
Published: May 2022

The regularities of motion of physical bodies are formed by the addition of two components: the longitudinal, considered in traditional physics as the only form of manifestation of motion, and the transverse component - always with the closed curvilinear trajectory. It is with the characteristics of the transverse component of the motion that the content of the concept of "mass" is related. From the proposed definitions of mass and energy, it follows that their equivalence is caused by the unity of their dimensionless components. The doublets of particles are separated, which are the carriers of mass-energy, the invariance of the number and potential of which is caused by the law of conservation of mass-energy. The oscillation of the mass of neutrino formations is considered taking into account the degree of compression of the environment for their production and research. One of the reasons for the violation of the law of conservation of mass with a constant number of composite particles is a temporal change in the order of the internal organization of particles. This phenomenon is related to the cosmological redshift, mutual removal of cosmological objects; it is assumed the presence of relation with dark energy.
Mental health literacy of Chinese nurses from general and psychiatric hospital: a multi-centered survey
Authors: Wang Anni , Jia Shoumei , Shi Zhongying , Sun Xiaoming , Zhu Yuan , Shen Miaoli , Tang Dayu , Chen Xizhu
Published: May 2022

This study investigated the level of mental health literacy (MHL) among Chinese nurses, identifying the influential factors and exploring the relationship between mental health literacy and mental health status. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was undertaken of 777 nurses in 13 general hospitals and 12 psychiatric hospitals using the Mental Health Literacy Scale-Chinese version, Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, and a demographic questionnaire, with stratified cluster sampling method employed. The total score on the Mental Health Literacy Scale-Chinese version among the nurses was 93.25 (SD = 10.52). Psychiatric nurses had higher levels of core MHL with more knowledge of mental disorders, higher ability to seek professional help, as well as recognize mental illness than nurses in general hospitals did, while they also had a lower level of acceptance of patients with mental illness. A multiple regression analysis revealed that nurses who have fewer depressive symptoms, being unmarried or divorced, with more education or higher professional titles had higher levels of core MHL, and that those nurses with longer work duration had lower acceptance of patients with mental illness. Therefore, the mental health literacy of Chinese nurses is moderate to low, and more mental health education programs or actions emphasizing knowledge, ability, recognition, and especially acceptance need to be implemented to improve the mental health literacy of nurses, with more focus on core MHL for general nurses and social acceptance for psychiatric nurses. Nurses with more depressive symptoms, less education, lower professional titles, longer work duration, and being married should be the given more attention in promotion programs.
Impact of the Temperature on the Interactions Between Common Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain and the Human ACE2
Authors: Forest-Nault Catherine , Koyuturk Izel , Gaudreault Jimmy , Pelletier Alex , L’Abbé Denis , Cass Brian , Bisson Louis , Burlacu Alina , Delafosse Laurence , Stuible Matthew , Henry Olivier , Crescenzo Gregory , Durocher Yves
Published: May 2022

Several key mutations in the Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) have been identified to influence its affinity for the human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Here, we perform a comparative study of the ACE2 binding to the wild type (Wuhan) RBD and some of its variants: Alpha B.1.1.7, Beta B.1.351, Delta B.1.617.2, Kappa B.1.617.1, B.1.1.7+L452R and Omicron B.1.1.529. Using a coiled-coil mediated tethering approach of ACE2 in a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based assay, we measured interactions at different temperatures. Binding experiments at 10°C enhanced the kinetic dissimilarities between the RBD variants and allowed a proper fit to a Langmuir 1:1 model with high accuracy and reproducibility. The Omicron RBD variant has the highest affinity for ACE2, followed by the Alpha (N501Y) and Beta (K417N, E484K, N501Y) variants. However, variants with the L452R mutation, i.e. the B.1.1.7+L452R (L452R, N501Y; which we called AlphaP), Delta (L452R, T478K) and Kappa (L452R, E484Q) showed faster kinetics resulting in significatively lower affinities compared to the other variants. Our study emphasizes the importance of SPR-based assay parameters in the acquisition of quality data and offers a powerful tool to deepen our understanding of the role of the various RBD mutations in ACE2 interaction binding parameters.
Machine Learning Validation of Numerical Method Based Computational Analysis of Cysts and Malignant Tumors in Breast
Authors: Aziz Rabia Musheer , Makrariya Akshara
Published: May 2022

Tumor is an abnormal tissue which can be appeared at any part of the body. It can be classified to either benign or malignant. One of the most common women's tumors that infest the breast. Various benign disorders like development of cysts in woman’s breast occur due to hormonal changes and are at the risk of becoming malignant. A number of thermal models are reported to differentiate between normal and malignant tissues of breast. But no thermal model is reported in study the effect of benign disorders on the literature to distinguish between benign and malignant disorders in woman’s breast. An attempt has been made in this paper to study the thermal disturbances caused by cysts and malignant tumors in the fat tissues of woman’s breast. The model is developed for a two-dimensional steady state case using penne’s bio heat equation and incorporating parameters like thermal conductivity, blood mass flow rate and self-controlled metabolic heat generation. The appropriate adiabatic boundary conditions have been framed for various environmental conditions. The finite element method has been employed to obtain the solution. The results have been obtained for different sizes of spherical shaped cysts and different depth of tissues in hemispherical shaped woman’s breast. The relation of size and position of the cysts have been studied with the thermal distribution in various tissues layers of the woman’s breast. The comparison of thermal profiles for cysts and malignant tumors in woman’s breast has been performed. A contrast in thermal behavior of cyst and malignant tumor in woman’s breast is observed which can be useful to distinguish between the malignant tumor and cyst in woman’s breast to prevent false positive test for malignant tumor. Accordingly, this study found that there are various factors that could affect the cancer classification and prediction. Therefore in this study, Breast cancer data classification have been done using three classification techniques which are Artifical Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF) in order to improve the performance of the model trained the model with selected features according to the analysis done.
Quantifying groundwater phosphorus flux to rivers in a typical agricultural watershed in eastern China
Authors: Pan Zheqi , Hu Minpeng , Shen Hong , Wu Hao , Zhou Jia , Wu Kaibin , Chen Dingjiang
Published: May 2022

Increasing evidence indicates that groundwater can contain high dissolved phosphorus (P) concentrations, thereby contributing as a potential pollution source for surface waters. However, limited quantitative knowledge is available concerning groundwater P fluxes to rivers. Based on monthly hydrochemical monitoring data for rivers and groundwater in 2017-2020, this study combined baseflow separation methods and a load apportionment model (LAM) to quantify contributions from point sources, surface runoff and groundwater/subsurface runoff to riverine P pollution in a typical agricultural watershed of eastern China. In the studied Shuanggang River, most total P (TP) and dissolved P (DP) concentrations exceeded targeted water quality standards (i.e., TP ≤ 0.2 mg P L-1, DP ≤ 0.05 mg P L-1), with DP (76 ± 20%) being the major riverine P form. Observed DP concentrations in groundwater were generally higher than those of river waters. There was a strong correlation between river and groundwater P concentrations, implying that groundwater might be a considerable P pollution source to rivers. The nonlinear reservoir algorithm estimated that baseflow/groundwater contributed 66-68% of monthly riverine water discharge on average, which was consistent with results estimated by an isotope-based sine-wave fitting method. The LAM incorporating point sources, surface runoff and groundwater effectively predicted daily riverine TP (calibration: R2 = 0.76-0.82, NSE = 0.61-0.77; validation: R2 = 0.88-0.98, NSE = 0.54-0.64) and DP loads (calibration: R2 = 0.73-0.84, NSE = 0.67-0.72; validation: R2 = 0.88-0.97, NSE = 0.56-0.83). The LAM estimated point source, surface runoff and groundwater contributions to riverine loads were 15-18%, 14-35% and 46-70% for TP loads, and 7-9%, 10-32% and 59-82% for DP loads, respectively. Groundwater was the dominant riverine P source due to long-term accumulation of P from excess fertilizer and farmyard manure applications. The developed methodology provides an alternative method for quantifying P pollution loads from point sources, surface runoff and groundwater to rivers. This study highlights the importance of controlling groundwater P pollution from agricultural lands to address riverine water quality objectives, and further implies that decreasing fertilizer P application rates and utilizing legacy soil P for crop uptake are required to reduce groundwater P loads to rivers.
Instruction of Molecular Structure Similarity and Scaffolds of Drugs Used in Ebola Virus Treatment by Atom Pair and Scaffold Network Graph Algorithm: a Combination of Favipiravir and Molnupiravir
Authors: Gider Veysel , Budak Cafer
Published: May 2022

Drug-drug similarities play a very important role in modern medicine, chemistry, and biology. Having in-depth knowledge of the therapeutic structures of drugs aids wet laboratory work and can greatly improve drug research and development efficiency. Many computational methods have been developed for the analysis of such drug similarities. One of the diseases studied for treatment in this area is the Ebola virus. The Ebola virus is a deadly pathogen. Although many researchers around the world have made various efforts on this deadly pathogen, the mortality rate is quite high. Computational approaches are considered to be very useful for antiviral drug discovery. Developing specific antiviral drugs is expensive and takes a long time. By providing an opportunity for the rapid deployment of effective therapeutics, reusing FDA-approved drugs could provide treatments with known preclinical, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicity profiles that can enter clinical trials rapidly. The approach in this study is the idea that the combination of drugs may be more effective for the treatment of Ebola due to their similarities and similarities of drugs approved for Ebola, unlike previous studies. For this reason, similarity analyzes of drugs approved for the treatment of the Ebola virus or investigated in clinical studies were performed with the Atom Pair fingerprint algorithm. Then, molecule and infrastructure molecular scaffolds of the drugs selected according to this similar result were created with Scaffold Network Graph (SNG) algorithms and drug structures were analyzed. Public databases (PubChem, DrugBank) and drugs published in the literature for the treatment of Ebola were used for analysis. The molecular, molecular infrastructure and core structures of the drugs that show the most similarity to the FDA approved drugs, which were analyzed with the Scaffold Network Graph algorithm, are shown graphically. When these results were evaluated, it was seen that a combination of Favipiravir, which has also been used in previous outbreaks, and Molnupiravir, which is currently the first approved oral drug candidate for COVID-19, could be effective in the treatment of Ebola. We also think that knowing the chemical structure similarities of drugs currently used to develop other drugs or drug combinations, their inhibitors, and the core structure or structures in drug molecules that are effective against the Ebola virus will be beneficial for chemists.
Neuroimaging characteristics and genetic correlations in pediatric mitochondrial disorders: a cohort study from China
Authors: Hu Chaoping , Shen Jin , Shi Yiyun , Yu Lifei , Li Xihua , Zhao Lei , Zhou Shuizhen , Wang Yi
Published: May 2022

Background Mitochondrial disorders present with high clinical, genetic and neuroimaging heterogeneity. The spectrum of neuroimaging characteristics expanded fast based on the expanding of molecular etiologies. Methods In this study, we retrospectively recruited a cohort of primary pediatric mitochondrial disorder patients with confirmed genetic diagnosis. The clinical presentation, brain CT/MRI data, genetic results and biological dysfunction were collected and reviewed.Results Seventy-seven patients were enrolled, including 54 patients with mtDNA (70.1%) and 23 patients with nDNA mutations (29.9%). The most common MRI findings were deep nuclei lesion (65.1%), brain atrophy (50.0%), cortical and subcortical white matter lesion (36.4%), deep white matter lesion (30.3%), and diffused cerebral atrophy (10.6%). Overall lesion in diffused deep white matter was more common in nDNA-mutated patients (p=0.0365). Deep nuclei lesion was observed most frequently in patients with mutations in MT-ATP6, MT-ND6, and NDUFAF5 genes, while cortical/subcortical white matter lesion was common in patients with MT-TL1 gene, mtDNA large-scale deletion, or NDUFAF5 gene defects. The most common MRI finding in patients with m.3243A>G mutation was simultaneous cortical/subcortical white matter and deep nuclei involvement (9/24, 37.5%), followed by cortical grey/subcortical white matter lesion (7/24, 29.2%), unilateral or bilateral lesion in deep nuclei (5/24, 20.8%), whereas some patients showed normal MRI (3/24, 12.5%). The most common MRI change in POLG-mutated patients was brain atrophy (4/4,100%), lesion in deep nuclei (3/4, 75%), deep white matter (2/4, 50%) and cortical grey/subcortical white matter lesion (1/4,25%). Heatmap showed multi deep nuclei lesion was more common in patients with OXPHOS subunits defects; cortical grey and subcortical white matter lesion was more common in dysfunction of mtDNA maintenance, expression and translation; and lesion in deep white matter was more common in patients with dysfunction of metabolism of cofactors. Discussion Neuroimaging findings in pediatric mitochondrial disorder patients are variable. The most common patterns are deep nuclei lesion, brain atrophy, cortical grey/subcortical white matter lesion, deep white matter lesion, and cerebellar atrophy. There are some correlations between brain MRI results of patients and their genetic defects, as well as biological dysfunction.
Efficacy and Safety of Pre-Gastroscopy Commercial Carbohydrate Beverage (Resource®) vs. Plain Water: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Lua Bee Chen , Has Mohd Nizam Md , Wong Mung Seong , Lee Yeong Yeh , Zakaria Andee Dzulkarnaen , Zakaria Zaidi , Zain Wan Zainira Wan , Aziz Syed Hassan Syed Abd , Yahya Maya Mazuwin , Wong Michael Pak-Kai
Published: May 2022

Background & AimsClinical benefits and safety of carbohydrate loading pre-gastroscopy remain unclear. We aimed to determine the effects of a commercial carbohydrate beverage versus plain water given pre-gastroscopy on gastric residual volume and well-being, and to determine adverse events.MethodologyThis was a single centre, single-blinded, parallel-group, sex-stratified randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized either to carbohydrate beverage group (Resource®, Nestle Health Science) or control group (250mls plain water) given pre-gastroscopy. Gastric contents were aspirated into a suction reservoir bottle to determine the gastric residual volume (GRV). Visual analogue scale (VAS) of well-being (anxiety, hunger, thirst, tiredness, and weakness) was compared before and after the intervention. Adverse events were also evaluated post-intervention.ResultsOf 369 screened, 78 participants (36 males, mean age 49 ± 14.3 years) were randomized. Compared with the control group, carbohydrate beverage was associated with significantly higher GRV (p < 0.001). Anxiety was less after intervention with carbohydrate beverage (p = 0.016), and after adjustment for confounders, fewer participants also experienced hunger (p = 0.043) and thirst (p = 0.021). No serious adverse events were reported with both interventions.ConclusionCommercial carbohydrate beverage is associated with higher gastric residual volume, better well-being and safe.Trial registrationClinicaltrial.gov. Identifier: NCT03948594Date of registration: 14/05/2019
Characterization of mixing by CFD simulation and optimization of mixing frequency to break scum and enhance methane yield in Chinese dome digester
Authors: Agbor-ambang Mfor Ebot , Fujiwara Masaaki , Bhatia Pranshu , Kishi Masatoshi , Sekine Mutsumi , Salangsang Maria Cecilia , Matsuyama Tatsushi , Toda Tatsuki
Published: May 2022

The Chinese dome digester (CDD) is a self-mixed, low-cost, and most popular digester that faces the challenge of scum formation due to insufficient mixing. Mixing intensity in CDD is controlled by gas valve operation during gas production and usage. This study explores computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation to characterize mixing in CDD and the effect of mixing frequency on the performance of semicontinuous anaerobic digestion (AD) to improve mixing intensity, break scum and enhance methane yield. ANSYS software was applied to simulate the flow fields of a lab-scale CDD and four CDDs were operated at different mixing frequencies (0, 4, 6, and 8 times per day) to investigate the optimum mixing frequency that could break scum. 45% of CDD working volume was dead zones at the top of CDD which nurtured scum. In the AD experiments, scum thickness increased progressively in the non-mixed digester (2.2 ± 0.12 cm), compared to the mixed digesters, 4, 6, and 8 times per day (0.23 ± 0.05, 0.83 ± 0.11, and 1.31 ± 0.16 cm, respectively). The optimum mixing frequency was 4 times per day and the energy required to break scum was 6.12 ± 0.25 Joules per mixing cycle. The average methane yields for 0, 4, 6, and 8 times per day were 206.39 ± 192.09, 601.45 ± 88.80, 555.83 ± 59.92 and 493.11 ± 109.76 mL g-VS− 1, respectively. This study proves that scum can be broken in CDD by an optimum mixing frequency of 4 times per day without additional investment cost.
Hyaluronic acid-coated Bi:Cu2O: an H2S-responsive agent for colon cancer with targeted delivery and enhanced photothermal performance
Authors: Cheng Yuying , Bo Haiji , Qin Ruomeng , Chen Fulai , Xue Fengfeng , An Lu , Huang Gang , Tian Qiwei
Published: May 2022

Background
Endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-responsive theranostic agents have attracted extensive attention due to their specificity for colon cancer. However, the development of such agents with high enrichment in tumors and excellent photothermal performance remains challenging.
Results
We prepared hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated Bi-doped cuprous oxide (Bi:Cu2O@HA) via a one-pot method. The HA specifically targets colon cancer tumor cells to improve the enrichment of Bi:Cu2O@HA at tumor sites, while the doped Bi both enhances the photothermal performance of the H2S-triggered Cu2O and serves as an agent for tumor imaging. The results in this work demonstrated that the Bi:Cu2O@HA nanoparticles exhibit good biocompatibility, target colon cancer tumor cells, facilitate computed tomography imaging, and enhanced H2S-responsive photothermal therapy performance, resulting in an excellent therapeutic effect in colon cancer.
Conclusions
The novel Bi:Cu2O@HA nanoparticles exhibit excellent tumor targeting and photothermal therapeutic effects, which provide new strategies and insights for colon cancer therapy.
Bending modulus of the rippled graphene: the role of thickness
Authors: Wang Mingjian , Zhu Ranran , Tan Zhenquan , Dai Shuyu , Liu Lizhao
Published: May 2022

Bending modulus is a key parameter to characterize the stiffness of materials. Commonly, it is believed that the bending modulus is closely related to the thickness as described by the thin plate theory. However, the thin plate theory fails in multilayer van der Waals materials like multilayer graphene, suggesting a more complex relationship between the bending modulus and thickness. Here rippled graphene structures containing non-hexagonal carbon rings with different thicknesses are constructed to study the thickness dependent bending modulus by the first-principles calculations. It is found that the bending modulus of rippled graphene depends on several factors, such as geometry, bending curvature and thickness. Particularly, for the egg-tray graphene structures with similar structural pattern and bending curvature, i.e., eliminating the effects of structural pattern and bending curvature, the bending modulus could show a linear relationship to the thickness. Moreover, this linear relationship is very robust even in the case of changing the thickness through heteroatom doping.
Groundwater quality delineation based on AHP method and GIS: a case study in Regueb basin, Central-Tunisia
Authors: missaoui rim , NCIBI Kaouther , Abdelkarim bilel , Bouagila Abedlhakim , Choura Abedjabbar , HAMDI Mongi , HAMED Younes
Published: May 2022

The Regueb basin constitutes an important agricultural area in Sidi Bouzid region (central Tunisia). Water scarcity and quality degradation propose an adequate management strategy. This strategy influenced by several parameters. In this context, the combining AHP approach with GIS tools was used as a method to study the water irrigation quality according to six parameters (EC, TDS, Na+, SO42−, Cl− and SAR). The finality result was shown as a map present the lateral variation of equality index in Regueb basin. The most parameter that influent the water quality are EC and TDS, with mean concentrations of 2200 mgL− 1 and 15400 mgL− 1, respectively. Water quality map show a variation throws out the basin indicate that the most affected zone is located near the Sebkhat mechiguigue. The dissolving of evaporate sediments (halite and gypsum) in groundwater explains the relevance of the Na+, Cl− and SO42− where the quality degradation condition was conserved. This work also prove that the systematic control of wells is essential for a good evaluation resource. This study can have used as a foundation of a new management strategy help to minimise the degradation of groundwater quality in Regueb basin.
Racial and Gender Disparities in different regions of the United States in patients with metastatic lung and bronchial cancer
Authors: Desai Devashish , Singhal Sachi , Khosla Akshita , Potdar Rashmika
Published: May 2022

Background: Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US, making up almost a quarter of all cancer deaths. Disparities exist upon closer examination: African American (AA) males were found to have a higher incidence of developing lung cancer compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Some plausible reasons for higher incidence rates in AA patients may be due to differences in smoking habits, socioeconomic variables, and metabolism of tobacco carcinogens. Along with these factors, societal differences and lack of resources are postulated to play a significant role. These differences were also observed in clinical trials with an underrepresentation of minorities. A niche deficit exists in outcomes of racial minorities with metastatic lung and bronchial cancer.Methods: Data for this study was obtained from the 2016-18 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). This is maintained as part of the Health Care Utilization Project (HCUP) of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It is the largest all-payer inpatient care database in the US and comprises a 20% stratified random sample of all US hospital discharges. Further details: https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/Results: We identified 238,516 patients with Metastatic Lung and bronchial cancer, of which 77.45% were Caucasians, 12.48% AAs, 4.74% Hispanics, and 2.81 % Asians and Pacific Islanders (API). Almost 40% of the study population is from the Southern region, followed by 24.25% in Midwest, 20.56% in the Northeast, and 14.81% in the West. Other race populations had the most reported deaths (10.42%), followed by APIs (10.30%), Native Americans (8.67%), Hispanics (8.75%), AAs (8.66%), and Caucasians (8.34%) (p <0.000). AAs had significantly higher deaths in the South (17.24%) and APIs had significantly higher deaths in the West (12.21%) compared to other regions (p <0.0001). With and without adjusting all the other variables, AAs (OR = 1.069 (1.046 - 1.091)), APIs (OR = 1.230 (1.184 - 1.278)), Native Americans (OR = 1.207 (1.091 - 1.336)), and Others (OR = 1.300 (1.250 - 1.351)) have significantly higher odds of dying when compared to Caucasians.The odds of all-cause mortality for African Americans and Asians and Pacific Islanders remain higher in comparison in all the regions.Conclusions: Racial minorities remain at higher odds of all-cause mortality in all regions, and focused programs to improve their access to healthcare, insurance and resources should help alleviate these disparities.