bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small Non-Coding RNAs as New Biomarkers to Evaluate the Quality of the Embryo in the IVF Process
Authors: Toporcerová Silvia , Špaková Ivana , Šoltys Katarína , Klepcová Zuzana , Kľoc Marek , Bohošová Júlia , Trachtová Karolína , Peterová Lucia , Mičková Helena , Urdzík Peter , Mareková Mária , Slabý Ondřej , Rabajdová Miroslava
Published: November 2022

The increased interest in assisted reproduction through in vitro fertilization (IVF) leads to an urgent need to identify biomarkers that reliably highly predict the success of pregnancy. Despite advances in diagnostics, treatment, and IVF approaches, the 30% success rate of IVF seems insurmountable. Idiopathic infertility does not have any explanation for IVF failure especially when a patient is treated with a healthy competitive embryo capable of implantation and development. Since appropriate intercellular communication is essential after embryo implantation, the emergence of the investigation of embryonic secretome including short non-coding RNA (sncRNA) molecules is crucial. That’s why biomarker identification, sncRNAs secreted during the IVF process into the blastocyst’s cultivation medium, by the implementation of artificial intelligence opens the door to a better understanding of the bidirectional communication between embryonic cells and the endometrium and so the success of the IVF. This study presents a set of promising new sncRNAs which are revealed to predictively distinguish a high-quality embryo, suitable for an embryo transfer in the IVF process, from a low-quality embryo with 86% accuracy. The identified exact combination of miRNAs/piRNAs as a non-invasively obtained biomarker for quality embryo determination, increasing the likelihood of implantation and the success of pregnancy after an embryo transfer.
Examining Nurses’ Vengeful Behaviors: The Effects of Toxic Leadership and Psychological Well-Being
Authors: Koç Oktay , Şahin Hayrettin , Öngel Gökten , Günsel Ayşe , Schermer Julie Aitken
Published: November 2022

Toxic leadership is becoming increasingly common in healthcare organizations and there is strong need for studies focusing on organizational factors that can trigger revenge. Additionally, how psychological well-being functions in shielding against toxicity has not been adequately studied. Hence, this study aims to examine the relationship between toxic leadership and vengeful behaviors of nurses, along with the contingency of psychological well-being on the relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, we attempt to examine the antecedent effect of toxic leadership on vengeful behaviors based on self-reports from 311 nurses. Using partial least squares and moderation analyses, the results show that toxic leadership is an important antecedent of vengeful behaviors among nurses. However, the results provide no statistical evidence to support a moderating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between toxic leadership and vengeful behaviors. This study reveals that nurses exposed to toxic behaviors by their superiors are more likely to engage in vengeance and highlights the fact that nurses are suffering psychologically during the pandemic.
Critical Success Factors of Underground Logistics Systems from the Project Life Cycle Perspective
Authors: Xue Dan , Zhao Xiaojing , Dong Jianjun , Ren Rui , Xu Yuanxian , Chen Zhilong
Published: November 2022

The surging demand for logistics systems brought about by the vigorous development of e-commerce makes urban traffic more and more congested. The need for a sustainable transition in terms of urban transportation infrastructure also encourages the further innovation of logistics systems. The urban underground logistics system (ULS) emerges as a promising alternative for realizing efficient large-scale freight distribution in megacities. However, there are relatively few studies that have explored the factors that determine the uptake of ULSs in practice. This paper thus aims to identify the critical success factors of ULSs throughout project life cycle stages. Firstly, a desktop study and a study using the Delphi method were conducted to extract the critical success factors (CSFs) of ULS projects. Secondly, a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on the perceived significance of the selected success factors from ULS professionals. Thirdly, the intergroup comparison of the significance of CSFs and exploratory factory analysis were used to ascertain the critical factors and latent determinants influencing the development of ULS projects. In total, 36 CSFs in the four life cycle stages of ULS projects were finalized. The identified factors represent the seven latent determinants in developing a ULS project, namely, overall feasibility and acceptance of the ULS, prototype system, and business model, competence and resources for ULS construction and operation, station layout and intermodal transportation, government policies and incentives, long-term planning of the underground space and logistics network, and market investigation and forecasting. The research findings of the paper help guide practitioners and policy makers on decisions made during ULS planning and construction and provide a reference performance evaluation framework for ULS projects.
Modeling Patient-Specific CAR-T Cell Dynamics: Multiphasic Kinetics via Phenotypic Differentiation
Authors: Paixão Emanuelle A. , Barros Luciana R. C. , Fassoni Artur C. , Almeida Regina C.
Published: November 2022

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy revolutionized cancer treatment and consists of the genetic modification of T lymphocytes with a CAR gene, aiming to increase their ability to recognize and kill antigen-specific tumor cells. The dynamics of CAR-T cell responses in patients present multiphasic kinetics with distribution, expansion, contraction, and persistence phases. The characteristics and duration of each phase depend on the tumor type, the infused product, and patient-specific characteristics. We present a mathematical model that describes the multiphasic CAR-T cell dynamics resulting from the interplay between CAR-T and tumor cells, considering patient and product heterogeneities. The CAR-T cell population is divided into functional (distributed and effector), memory, and exhausted CAR-T cell phenotypes. The model is able to describe the diversity of CAR-T cell dynamical behaviors in different patients and hematological cancers as well as their therapy outcomes. Our results indicate that the joint assessment of the area under the concentration-time curve in the first 28 days and the corresponding fraction of non-exhausted CAR-T cells may be considered a potential marker to classify therapy responses. Overall, the analysis of different CAR-T cell phenotypes can be a key aspect for a better understanding of the whole CAR-T cell dynamics.
N6-Methyladenosine Modification of CIRCKRT17 Initiated by METTL3 Promotes Osimertinib Resistance of Lung Adenocarcinoma by EIF4A3 to Enhance YAP1 Stability
Authors: Ji Ying , Zhao Qing , Feng Wei , Peng Yue , Hu Bin , Chen Qirui
Published: November 2022

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a key role in regulating the drug resistance of numerous human tumors. However, whether circKRT17 involves in the osimertinib resistance of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains undetermined. Methods: Relative mRNA/circRNA and protein levels were detected by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Localization of circKRT17 and YAP1 was determined by FISH and immunofluorescence staining. Cell growth and apoptosis were evaluated using colony formation, EdU assays, and flow cytometry. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification was analyzed by MeRIP. The interplay between EIF4A3 and circKRT17 or YAP1 was verified by RNA pull-down or/and RIP assays. Subcutaneous tumor growth was monitored in nude mice, and Ki-67 and TUNEL staining were carried out to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Results: CircKRT17 and METTL3 were elevated in osimertinib-insensitive LUAD tissues and cells. Knockdown of circKRT 17 and METTL3 increased the sensitivity of LUAD cells to osimertinib. Knockdown of METTL3 decreased the expression of circKRT17 by inhibiting m6A modification. CircKRT17 promoted the stability and nuclear transportation of YAP1 by recruiting EIF4A3 in LUAD cells. Overexpression of YAP1 abolished the impacts of circKRT17 knockdown on the osimertinib sensitivity of LUAD cells. CircKRT17 knockdown increased the repressive effects of osimertinib on tumor growth in vivo by inhibiting YAP1 signaling. Conclusion: METTL3 initiated the m6A modification of circKRT17, thus promoting osimertinib resistance of LUAD by enhancing YAP1 stability through EIF4A4 recruitment.
Postoperative Chemoradiotherapy versus Radiotherapy Alone in Major Salivary Gland Cancers: A Stratified Study Based on the External Validation of the Distant Metastasis Risk Score Model
Authors: Yan Wenbin , Huang Lili , Jiang Jianyun , Shen Chunying , Ou Xiaomin , Hu Chaosu
Published: November 2022

Background: The role of additional chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for distant metastasis (DM) on the resected malignancy of the major salivary gland (SGM) remained unknown. We conducted this study to externally validate a recently reported DM risk score model and compare the survival outcome between adjuvant CRT and RT alone. Materials: We retrospectively reviewed the patients with SGM following postoperative radiotherapy (PORT). The cumulative incidence of DM was assessed using a competing risk method. Multivariate analysis was performed with Cox proportional-hazards regression to identify significant predictors for DM. Patients were classified as high- and low-risk subgroups with the cutoff value of the DM risk score model. The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was conducted to minimize the bias of the groups. Results: A total of 586 eligible patients were analyzed and 67 cases underwent adjuvant CRT. The 5-year incidence of DM was 19.5% (95% CI 16.0–23.0%). The model reasonably discriminated the DM risk between the high- and low-risk subgroup in our cohort, and the c-index was 0.75. No survival benefit was observed for the CRT group compared with RT alone in the entire cohort after IPTW (p = 0.095). After subgroup analysis, increased mortality was identified with the administration of CRT in the low-risk subset (p = 0.002) while no significant difference in OS was illustrated in the high-risk subgroup (p = 0.98). Conclusions: This external validation provides further exploration of the DM risk score model in major SGM. Our results demonstrated no support for the utility of additional chemotherapy to PORT in the major SGM, especially in the low-risk subgroup of patients with DM.
Histone Chaperones and Digestive Cancer: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Zhao Zhou , Cai Zhaolun , Jiang Tianxiang , Han Junhong , Zhang Bo
Published: November 2022

Background: The global burden of digestive cancer is expected to increase. Therefore, crucial for the prognosis of patients with these tumors is to identify early diagnostic markers or novel therapeutic targets. There is accumulating evidence connecting histone chaperones to the pathogenesis of digestive cancer. Histone chaperones are now broadly defined as a class of proteins that bind histones and regulate nucleosome assembly. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple histone chaperones are aberrantly expressed and have distinct roles in digestive cancers. Objective: The purpose of this review is to present the current evidence regarding the role of histone chaperones in digestive cancer, particularly their mechanism in the development and progression of esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. In addition, the prognostic significance of particular histone chaperones in patients with digestive cancer is discussed. Methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases to identify studies on histone chaperones and digestive cancer from inception until June 2022. Results: A total of 104 studies involving 21 histone chaperones were retrieved. Conclusions: This review confirms the roles and mechanisms of selected histone chaperones in digestive cancer and suggests their significance as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, due to their non-specificity, more research on histone chaperones should be conducted in the future to elucidate novel strategies of histone chaperones for prognosis and treatment of digestive cancer.
Antitumor Activities of Interleukin-12 in Melanoma
Authors: Gao Wei , Pan Jun , Pan Jianping
Published: November 2022

Melanoma is the most common and serious malignant tumor among skin cancers. Although more and more studies have revolutionized the systematic treatment of advanced melanoma in recent years, access to innovative drugs for melanoma is still greatly restricted in many countries. IL-12 produced mainly by antigen-presenting cells regulates the immune response and affects the differentiation of T cells in the process of antigen presentation. However, the dose-limited toxicity of IL-12 limits its clinical application. The present review summarizes the basic biological functions and toxicity of IL-12 in the treatment of melanoma and discusses the clinical application of IL-12, especially the combination of IL-12 with immune checkpoint inhibitors, cytokines and other therapeutic drugs. We also summarize several promising technological approaches such as carriers that have been developed to improve the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of IL-12 or IL-12 encoding plasmid application.
BRAF V600E Mutation in Ameloblastoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mamat @ Yusof Mohd Nazzary , Ch’ng Ewe Seng , Radhiah Abdul Rahman Nawal
Published: November 2022

The discovery that ameloblastoma has a high mutation incidence of BRAF V600E may enable a better investigation of pathophysiology. However, there is inconsistent evidence regarding this mutation occurrence and its association with clinical information. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to pool the overall mutation prevalence of BRAF V600E in reported ameloblastoma cases and to determine its association with patient demographic and clinicopathological features. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive article search was conducted through four databases (Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science). Seventeen articles between 2014 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria with 833 ameloblastoma cases. For each included study, the significance of BRAF V600E on the outcome parameters was determined using odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Meta-analysis prevalence of BRAF V600E in ameloblastoma was 70.49%, and a significant meta-analysis association was reported for those younger than 54 years old and in the mandible. On the contrary, other factors, such as sex, histological variants, and recurrence, were insignificant. As a result of the significant outcome of BRAF V600E mutation in ameloblastoma pathogenesis, targeted therapy formulation can be developed with this handful of evidence.
Interaction of Arsenic Exposure and Transcriptomic Profile in Basal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Kibriya Muhammad G. , Jasmine Farzana , Munoz Aaron , Islam Tariqul , Ahmed Alauddin , Tong Lin , Rakibuz-Zaman Muhammad , Shahriar Mohammad , Kamal Mohammed , Shea Christopher R. , Graziano Joseph H. , Argos Maria , Ahsan Habibul
Published: November 2022

Exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) is recognized as risk factor for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). We have followed-up 7000 adults for 6 years who were exposed to As and had manifest As skin toxicity. Of them, 1.7% developed BCC (males = 2.2%, females = 1.3%). In this study, we compared transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing data from the very first 26 BCC cases and healthy skin tissue from independent 16 individuals. Genes in “ cell carcinoma pathway”, “Hedgehog signaling pathway”, and “Notch signaling pathway” were overexpressed in BCC, confirming the findings from earlier studies in BCC in other populations known to be exposed to As. However, we found that the overexpression of these known pathways was less pronounced in patients with high As exposure (urinary As creatinine ratio (UACR) > 192 µg/gm creatinine) than patients with low UACR. We also found that high UACR was associated with impaired DNA replication pathway, cellular response to different DNA damage repair mechanisms, and immune response. Transcriptomic data were not strongly suggestive of great potential for immune checkpoint inhibitors; however, it suggested lower chance of platinum drug resistance in BCC patients with high UACR compared high platinum drug resistance potential in patients with lower UACR.
Obesity Influences the Expression of Key Immunomodulators in Normal Human Breast Tissue, Basal-like Breast Cancer Patients, and Cell Lines
Authors: King DeQuarius , Khodary Muhammad G. , Samuel Temesgen , Yates Clayton , Bedi Deepa
Published: November 2022

Among the different components of the breast cancer microenvironment are adipocytes, which are mainly composed of differentiated adipocytes and adipose progenitors. The role of obesity in tumor progression has become a key topic in clinical studies, but the mechanics of this are still misunderstood. There is significant evidence of serum amyloid (SAA1), an acute-phase protein, being heavily expressed in inflamed, septic conditions. VTCN1 and VSIR, members of the immunoglobulin family, are key players in T-cell regulation. The present study investigates the differentially expressed genes caused by adipose-conditioned media on the novel triple-negative breast cancer cell lines MDA MB 231 and MDA MB 468. RNA sequencing of adipocyte-conditioned media (ACM)-treated MDA MB 231 and MDA MB 468 cells were analyzed and compared using the gene sequencing enrichment analysis database (GSEA). GSEA was also done on microarray data from obese, non-tumorous breast tissue patients (GSE:33526) to show significantly upregulated immunomodulators. Obesity was also shown to influence gene expression related to immune sensing and evasion in a dataset analysis of basal-like obese patients (GSE:79858). We showed obesity significantly upregulated immunomodulators related to immune suppression in non-tumorous, basal-like patients, as well as in novel basal-like TNBC cell lines.
Protection Effect of Ammonia on CeNbTi NH3-SCR Catalyst from SO2 Poisoning
Authors: Gao Yang , Cao Li , Wu Xiaodong , Zhang Xu , Ma Ziran , Ran Rui , Si Zhichun , Weng Duan , Wang Baodong
Published: November 2022

CeNbTi catalyst was poisoned in different sulfur poisoning atmospheres at 300 °C for 6 h and then was evaluated for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3. The catalyst deactivation upon SO2 exposure was effectively inhibited in the presence of NH3. Temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) analyses were applied to identify deposit species on the poisoned catalysts by comparison with several groups of reference samples. Diffuses reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) over CeNbTi catalysts with different poisoning pretreatments and gas purging sequences were designed to investigate the roles of NH3 in the removal of surface sulfites and sulfates. More ammonium sulfates including ammonium bisulfate and ammonium cerium sulfate were generated instead of inert cerium sulfate in these conditions. The mechanisms about the formation and transformation of surface deposits upon sulfur poisoning w/wo NH3 were explored, which provided a basis for developing Ce-based mixed oxides as SCR catalysts for stationary sources.
Enhanced Fe(III)/Fe(II) Redox Cycle for Persulfate Activation by Reducing Sulfur Species
Authors: Yang Fujian , Yin Cheng , Zhang Mengqiao , Zhu Jiangwei , Ai Xiuyuan , Shi Wenchao , Peng Guilong
Published: November 2022

The activation of persulfate (PS) by Fe(III) for the removal of environmental organic pollutants was severely limited by the low reduction rate from Fe(III) to Fe(II). In present study, we reported that reducing sulfur species (i.e., SO32−, HSO3−, S2−, and HS−) under low concentration could significantly accelerate the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle in the Fe(III)/PS system. Under the condition of 1.0 mM Fe(III) and 4.0 mM PS, the removal performance of Fe(III)/PS system was poor, and only 21.6% of BPA was removed within 40 min. However, the degradation efficiency of BPA increased to 66.0%, 65.5%, 72.9% and 82.7% with the addition of 1.0 mM SO32−, HSO3−, S2−, and HS−, respectively. The degradation efficiency of BPA was highly dependent on solution pH and the concentration of reducing sulfur species. When the reductant was excessive, the removal efficiency would be significantly inhibited due to the elimination of reactive species. This study provided some valuable insights for the treatment of organic wastewater containing these inorganic reducing ions.
Vestibular Nuclei: A New Neural Stem Cell Niche?
Authors: Rastoldo Guillaume , Watabe Isabelle , Lapotre Agnes , Tonetto Alain , López-Juárez Alejandra , Tighilet Brahim
Published: November 2022

We previously reported adult reactive neurogliogenesis in the deafferented vestibular nuclei following unilateral vestibular neurectomy (UVN) in the feline and the rodent model. Recently, we demonstrated that UVN induced a significant increase in a population of cells colocalizing the transcription factor sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) and the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) three days after the lesion in the deafferented medial vestibular nucleus. These two markers expressed on the same cell population could indicate the presence of lesion-reactive multipotent neural stem cells in the vestibular nuclei. The aim of our study was to provide insight into the potential neurogenic niche status of the vestibular nuclei in physiological conditions by using specific markers of stem cells (Nestin, SOX2, GFAP), cell proliferation (BrdU) and neuronal differentiation (NeuN). The present study confirmed the presence of quiescent and activated adult neural stem cells generating some new neurons in the vestibular nuclei of control rats. These unique features provide evidence that the vestibular nuclei represent a novel NSC site for the generation of neurons and/or glia in the adult rodent under physiological conditions.
Preclinical Study of Plasmodium Immunotherapy Combined with Radiotherapy for Solid Tumors
Authors: Tao Zhu , Ding Wenting , Cheng Zhipeng , Feng Yinfang , Kang Zhongkui , Qiu Runmin , Zhao Siting , Hu Wen , Zhou Fang , Wu Donghai , Duan Ziyuan , Qin Li , Chen Xiaoping
Published: November 2022

Immune checkpoint blockade therapy (ICB) is ineffective against cold tumors and, although it is effective against some hot tumors, drug resistance can occur. We have developed a Plasmodium immunotherapy (PI) that can overcome these shortcomings. However, the specific killing effect of PI on tumor cells is relatively weak. Radiotherapy (RT) is known to have strong specific lethality to tumor cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that PI combined with RT could produce synergistic antitumor effects. We tested our hypothesis using orthotopic and subcutaneous models of mouse glioma (GL261, a cold tumor) and a subcutaneous model of mouse non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, LLC, a hot tumor). Our results showed that, compared with each monotherapy, the combination therapy more significantly inhibited tumor growth and extended the life span of tumor-bearing mice. More importantly, the combination therapy could cure approximately 70 percent of glioma. By analyzing the immune profile of the tumor tissues, we found that the combination therapy was more effective in upregulating the perforin-expressing effector CD8+ T cells and downregulating the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and was thus more effective in the treatment of cancer. The clinical transformation of PI combined with RT in the treatment of solid tumors, especially glioma, is worthy of expectation.
Mechanisms of Cadmium-Induced Testicular Injury: A Risk to Male Fertility
Authors: Ali Waseem , Ma Yonggang , Zhu Jiaqiao , Zou Hui , Liu Zongping
Published: November 2022

Cadmium is a heavy toxic metal with unknown biological functions in the human body. Over time, cadmium accretion in the different visceral organs (liver, lungs, kidney, and testis) is said to impair the function of these organs, which is associated with a relatively long biological half-life and a very low rate of excretion. Recently studies have revealed that the testes are highly sensitive to cadmium. In this review, we discussed the adverse effect of cadmium on the development and biological functions of the testis. The Sertoli cells (SCs), seminiferous tubules, and Blood Testis Barrier are severely structurally damaged by cadmium, which results in sperm loss. The development and function of Leydig cells are hindered by cadmium, which also induces Leydig cell tumors. The testis’s vascular system is severely disturbed by cadmium. Cadmium also perturbs the function of somatic cells and germ cells through epigenetic regulation, giving rise to infertile or sub-fertile males. In addition, we also summarized the other findings related to cadmium-induced oxidative toxicity, apoptotic toxicity, and autophagic toxicity, along with their possible mechanisms in the testicular tissue of different animal species. Consequently, cadmium represents a high-risk factor for male fertility.
Novel Compound Heterozygous Variations in MPDZ Gene Caused Isolated Bilateral Macular Coloboma in a Chinese Family
Authors: Zhang Shuang , Zhang Fangxia , Wang Juan , Yang Shangying , Ren Yinghua , Rui Xue , Xia Xiaobo , Sheng Xunlun
Published: November 2022

Macular coloboma (MC) is a rare congenital retinochoroidal defect characterized by lesions of different sizes in the macular region. The pathological mechanism underlying congenital MC is unknown. Novel compound heterozygous variations, c.4301delA (p.Asp1434fs*3) and c.5255C>G (p.Ser1752Ter), in the multiple PDZ domain (MPDZ) proteins were identified via whole-exome analysis on the proband with isolated bilateral macular coloboma in a Chinese family. Segregation analysis revealed that each of the unaffected parents was heterozygous for one of the two variants. The results of the in silico and bioinformatics analysis were aligned with the experimental data. The knockdown of MPDZ in zebrafish caused a decrease in the ellipsoid zone, a destruction of the outer limiting membrane, and the subsequent RPE degeneration. Overall, the loss of MPDZ in zebrafish contributed to retinal development failure. These results indicate that MPDZ plays an essential role in the occurrence and maintenance of the macula, and the novel compound heterozygous variations were responsible for an autosomal recessive macular deficiency in this Chinese family.
Mitochondria Transfer in Brain Injury and Disease
Authors: Fairley Lauren H. , Grimm Amandine , Eckert Anne
Published: November 2022

Intercellular mitochondria transfer is a novel form of cell signalling in which whole mitochondria are transferred between cells in order to enhance cellular functions or aid in the degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria. Recent studies have observed intercellular mitochondria transfer between glia and neurons in the brain, and mitochondrial transfer has emerged as a key neuroprotective mechanism in a range of neurological conditions. In particular, artificial mitochondria transfer has sparked widespread interest as a potential therapeutic strategy for brain disorders. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms and effects of intercellular mitochondria transfer in the brain. The role of mitochondrial transfer in neurological conditions, including neurodegenerative disease, brain injury, and neurodevelopmental disorders, is discussed as well as therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria transfer in the brain.
Comparative Study of Anti-Sticking Properties of Coatings for Tire Molds
Authors: Zhang Xiuli , Liu Zhilan , Wang Xu , Xu Xiufang , Wu Yongling , Wu Diben
Published: November 2022

To improve the anti-sticking performance of tire molds, six types of coatings (i.e., nano-ceramic coating, bilayer waterborne polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)-based Whitford coating, PTFE, FEP, and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) aqueous dispersions) were selected to modify type-45 steel specimens by air spraying. Their wettability, microstructure, demolding force, and anti-fouling properties in rubber vulcanization tests were studied. The results show that the demolding forces of the coatings were at least 24% lower than that of uncoated surface. Whitford coating, PFA, and FEP coatings had zero demolding force and no pollutant residue. PTFE coating had no pollutant residue but had high demolding force. The other two coatings had poor anti-sticking property. Upon combining the surface morphology and chemical composition analysis results, the coating demolding force was related to the surface micro-morphology: smoother surfaces led to lower demolding forces, while the surface chemical composition had a direct influence on the rubber contaminant residual. The C–F bonds on the surfaces resulted in less rubber residual due to intrinsic low surface energy. X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) analysis showed that ZnS was one of the main pollutants after rubber vulcanization test.
Regulation of Macrophage Behavior by Chitosan Scaffolds with Different Elastic Modulus
Authors: Xu Jiawei , Guan Wenchao , Kong Yan , Liu Fang , Zhao Yahong , Li Guicai , Yang Yumin
Published: November 2022

Increasing evidence shows that the physical properties of biomaterials play an important role in regulating cell behavior and function, especially the mechanical properties of biomaterials. Macrophages can also be multidirectionally regulated by mechanical factors in the microenvironment, which simultaneously mediate biomaterials response that triggered by foreign body reactions (FBR). However, how the stiffness of biomaterials regulates macrophages and the underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. Our study demonstrates that chitosan freeze-dried scaffolds with different elastic modulus can modulate the proliferative capacity, growth morphology and polarization behavior of macrophages. The compression tests and morphology observation confirmed that the prepared lyophilized chitosan scaffolds possessed varied stiffness. The fluorescence staining experiments showed that the RAW macrophage cell lines exhibited differences in proliferation and morphology on the freeze-dried scaffolds with different stiffness. Macrophages in the 5% group (elastic modulus of 106.7 kPa) had the largest number and mean cell area. Furthermore, ELISA and qPCR results illustrated that macrophage polarization towards the M1/M2 phenotype was strongly influenced by the stiffness of the lyophilized scaffolds. The study may provide new insights and references for designing the elastic moduli of biomaterials for regulating immune responsiveness.
Correlation between Soil Structural Parameters and Soil Adhesion Based on Water Film Theory
Authors: Li Hang , Zhang Ze , Zhai Jinbang , Yang Linzhen , Long Haichao
Published: November 2022

The ability of soil particles to adhere to an external medium after acting with water is called soil adhesion, and the strength of soil adhesion is defined by the adhesive force. Soil adhesion is closely related to the material of the external medium and the soil type. In this study, a small-scale model was used to measure adhesive force. In order to study the effects of different particle sizes on soil adhesion, six soil samples from China (Lanzhou loess, Songling soil, Tahe soil, Harbin clay, loam, and Genhe red clay) were selected as research objects. The correlation between soil adhesion and parameters was analyzed by calculating the fractal dimension. It was confirmed that, with increases in moisture level, the fractal dimension was positively correlated with soil moisture content when the adhesive force was maximum. The fractal dimension had an impact on the peak value of the adhesive force and moisture. Soil clay content played a key role in soil adhesion.
Blast Resistance of a Masonry Wall Coated with a Polyurea Elastomer
Authors: Zu Xudong , Chen Taian , Cai Youer , Huang Zhengxiang , Xiao Qiangqiang
Published: November 2022

The coating of polyurea elastomers on walls is a hotspot in the protection field. This work combines a numerical simulation with experimental validation to examine the blast resistance after coating a polyurea elastomer on a 370 mm wall under a contact explosion. Firstly, the failure limit, failure mode, and failure mechanism of the 370 mm unreinforced wall under different strength loads are studied. In the case of the contact explosion, the increase in size of the 370 mm wall blasting pit gradually stops after the dose is increased to more than 1 kg. Thereafter, the energy of the explosive load wis released by splashing wall fragments as well as by the deflection and movement of the wall. Spraying double-sided polyurea reinforcement on the wall can effectively improve the resistance to damages caused by exposure to explosive loads and can inhibit the damage to the surrounding personnel and equipment caused by flying structural debris. When the polyurea thickness on the front surface is 6 mm, the optimal thickness of the back surface should be 2 mm.
Magnetron Sputtering of Transition Metal Nitride Thin Films for Environmental Remediation
Authors: Aissani Linda , Alhussein Akram , Zia Abdul , Mamba Gcina , Rtimi Sami
Published: November 2022

The current economic and ecological situation encourages the use of steel to push the technological limits and offer more cost-effective products. The enhancement of steel properties like wear, corrosion, and oxidation resistance is achieved by the addition of small amounts of chemical elements such as Cr, Ni, Si, N, etc. The steel surface can be protected by different treatments such as heating and coating, among others. For many decades, coatings have been an effective solution to protect materials using thin hard films. Several technologies for thin film deposition have been developed. However, some of them are restricted to certain fields because of their complex operating conditions. In addition, some deposition techniques cannot be applied to a large substrate surface type. The magnetron sputtering deposition process is a good option to overcome these challenges and can be used with different substrates of varying sizes with specific growth modes and for a wide range of applications. In this review article, we present the sputtering mechanism and film growth modes and focus on the mechanical and tribological behavior of nitride thin films deposited by the magnetron sputtering technique as a function of process conditions, particularly bias voltage and nitrogen percentage. The biomedical properties of transition metal nitride coatings are also presented.
Effect of Pipe Materials on Bacterial Community, Redox Reaction, and Functional Genes
Authors: Sun Shengxin , Zhou Yu , Yu Haitao , Li Weiying , Zhou Wenying , Luo Guanyuan , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2022

In the present study, the effect of pipe materials on water quality as well as the microbial community was researched with static devices as well as dynamic ones. Five kinds of pipe materials (SP: steel plastic composite pipe, SS: stainless steel pipe, DI: ductile iron pipe, CI: cast iron pipe, GS: galvanized steel pipe) were chosen, and the soaking experiment was carried out with bench-scale devices. To further investigate the performance of pipe materials over a long term, a pilot-scale simulated drinking water distribution system was constructed, and the water quality parameters were monitored for six months. The pipe materials were ranked as SP, DI, and CI by the order of increasing turbidity, CODMn, and NH3-N. Furthermore, the biofilm samples were analyzed via pyrosequencing and COG functional categories. The DI biofilm possessed the highest bacterial diversity with a Shannon index of 3.56, followed by SP (3.14) and CI (0.77). The presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB), iron-oxidizing bacteria (IOB), iron-reducing bacteria (IRB), and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)was identified, and NRB composed the largest share in all pipe materials (13.0%–17.2%), with other redox bacteria making up a minor proportion (0.02%–1.52%). NRB and IRB inhibited the corrosion process while IOB and SRB enhanced it. Most dominant genera present in samples were derived firstly from soil or active sludge, indicating a turbidity problem due to soil contamination in the distribution network.
Associations between Epiphytic Bryophyte and Woody Plant Species in a Temperate Deciduous Broad-Leaved Forest
Authors: Chen Yun , Wang Senlin , Liu Wenxin , Liu Fengqin , Shao Yizhen , Wang Jing , Yuan Zhiliang
Published: November 2022

Determining whether epiphytic bryophytes have ecological preferences for woody plants remains difficult. Here, our primary aim in developing the torus-translation test is to evaluate the associations between epiphytic bryophytes and woody plants at the species, genus, or family levels in a 100 m × 100 m forest dynamics plot in a temperate, deciduous broad-leaved forest (China). We collected all the epiphytic bryophyte species on woody plants and recorded the woody plant species in the 1-ha plot in 2020. All the epiphytic bryophytes on the trees from the ground level up to 2 m were collected. We recorded 988 epiphytic bryophyte specimens belonging to 61 species in 254 woody plants. The Torus-translation test showed that 93.44% (57/61), 93.44% (57/61), and 98.36% (60/61) of the bryophyte species were significantly positively associated with the family, genus, and species of woody plants, respectively. A total of 317, 563, and 857 significant positive associations concerning the family, genus, and species of the woody plants were observed among the 61 examined bryophyte species. In addition, few significant negative associations were identified regarding the family, genus, and species of woody plants. More rare bryophyte species were positively correlated with woody plants than dominant bryophyte species. Our study demonstrates that most epiphytic bryophytes exhibit ecological habitat preferences for woody plants. These observations highlight the importance of the species composition of woody plants with respect to the maintenance of epiphytic bryophytes’ diversity. Epiphytic bryophytes’ growth preference for woody plants, especially rare bryophyte species, should be considered in the process of bryophyte diversity conservation in temperate, deciduous broad-leaved forests.
A Semi-Supervised Machine Learning Approach in Predicting High-Risk Pregnancies in the Philippines
Authors: Macrohon Julio Jerison E. , Villavicencio Charlyn Nayve , Inbaraj X. Alphonse , Jeng Jyh-Horng
Published: November 2022

Early risk tagging is crucial in maternal health, especially because it threatens both the mother and the long-term development of the baby. By tagging high-risk pregnancies, mothers would be given extra care before, during, and after pregnancies, thus reducing the risk of complications. In the Philippines, where the fertility rate is high, especially among the youth, awareness of risks can significantly contribute to the overall outcome of the pregnancy and, to an extent, the Maternal mortality rate. Although supervised machine learning models have ubiquity as predictors, there is a gap when data are weak or scarce. Using limited collected data from the municipality of Daraga in Albay, the study first compared multiple supervised machine learning algorithms to analyze and accurately predict high-risk pregnancies. Through hyperparameter tuning, supervised learning algorithms such as Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, Naïve Bayes, and Multilayer Perceptron were evaluated by using 10-fold cross validation to obtain the best parameters with the best scores. The results show that Decision Tree bested other algorithms and attained a test score of 93.70%. To address the gap, a semi-supervised approach using a Self-Training model was applied to the modified Decision Tree, which was then used as the base estimator with a 30% unlabeled dataset and achieved a 97.01% accuracy rate which outweighs similar studies.
Angiogenetic Factors in Chronic Subdural Hematoma Development
Authors: Petrov Andrey , Ivanov Arkady , Dryagina Natalia , Petrova Anna , Samochernykh Konstantin , Rozhchenko Larisa
Published: November 2022

The levels of angiogenic factors were analyzed in eight patients who underwent the embolization of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) with non-adhesive liquid embolic agents. Four of these patients had previously undergone surgical treatment for hematoma removal and had recurrences of a similar volume, and four had an increase in hematoma volume due to rebleeding. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP 9), angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) in the arterial and venous blood were analyzed. The most significant results were obtained from the peripheral venous blood samples. The levels of VEGF in the samples of all the patients were close to normal or slightly decreased. There was an increase in the MMP9 levels (the factor that contributes to the disintegration of the vessel wall components) in all the patients. The Ang2 and especially the PDGF TGF-β1 (the factor that plays an important role in the growth of the vessel wall from the already existing blood vessel tissue) levels were distinctly low in most of the cases and slightly elevated only in a number of patients who had previously been operated on. The results obtained show that there is an imbalance in the angiogenesis factors in patients with rebleeding CSDH. At the same time, the factors determining the formation of the vessel wall were reduced, and the levels of factors contributing to the degradation of extracellular matrix components were significantly increased. Such factors could help us to anticipate the increased risk of hemorrhages. Highlights: The levels of VEGF, MMP 9, Ang2, TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB in the arterial and venous blood were analyzed. The most significant results were obtained from the peripheral venous blood samples. The results obtained show that there is an imbalance in the angiogenesis factors in patients with rebleeding CSDH. Such a profile of factors could help us to anticipate the increased risk of hemorrhages.
Proteomic Analysis of Pleural Effusions from COVID-19 Deceased Patients: Enhanced Inflammatory Markers
Authors: Razaghi Ali , Szakos Attila , Alouda Marwa , Bozóky Béla , Björnstedt Mikael , Szekely Laszlo
Published: November 2022

Critically ill COVID-19 patients with pleural effusion experience longer hospitalization, multisystem inflammatory syndrome, and higher rates of mortality. Generally, pleural effusion can serve as a diagnostic value to differentiate cytokine levels. This study aimed to evaluate the pleural effusions of COVID-19 deceased patients for 182 protein markers. Olink® Inflammation and Organ Damage panels were used to determine the level of 184 protein markers, e.g., ADA, BTC, CA12, CAPG, CD40, CDCP1, CXCL9, ENTPD2, Flt3L, IL-6, IL-8, LRP1, OSM, PD-L1, PTN, STX8, and VEGFA, which were raised significantly in COVID-19 deceased patients, showing over-stimulation of the immune system and ravaging cytokine storm. The rises of DPP6 and EDIL3 also indicate damage caused to arterial and cardiovascular organs. Overall, this study confirms the elevated levels of CA12, CD40, IL-6, IL-8, PD-L1, and VEGFA, proposing their potential either as biomarkers for the severity and prognosis of the disease or as targets for therapy. Particularly, this study reports upregulated ADA, BTC, DPP6, EDIL3, LIF, ENTPD2, Flt3L, and LRP1 in severe COVID-19 patients for the first time. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis indicates the involvement of JAK/STAT pathways as a core regulator of hyperinflammation in deceased COVID-19 patients, suggesting the application of JAK inhibitors as a potential efficient treatment.
The Outcome- or Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of LUS-Based Care or CXR-Based Care of Neonatal Lung Diseases: The Clinical Practice Evidence from a Level Ⅲ NICU in China
Authors: Liu Jing , Zhang Xin , Wang Yan , Li Jie , Yan Wei , Qin Sheng-Juan , Ren Xiao-Ling , Fu Wei
Published: November 2022

Objective: To compare the effect of managing neonatal lung disease with lung ultrasound (LUS) or chest X-ray (CXR) monitoring on health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Methods: The data obtained from the NICU of the Beijing Chaoyang District Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital were used as the study group, as LUS has completely replaced CXR in managing newborn lung disease in the hospital for the past 5 years. The primary outcomes of this study were the misdiagnosis rate of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), the using status of mechanical ventilation, the incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and the survival rate in hospitalized infants. The secondary outcomes included the use pulmonary surfactant (PS), and the mortality rate of severe diseases (such as pneumothorax, pulmonary hemorrhage and RDS, etc.). Results: Managing neonatal lung disease with LUS monitoring may enable the following effects: The frequency of ventilator use reducing by 40.2%; the duration of mechanical ventilation reducing by 67.5%; and the frequency of ventilator weaning failure being totally avoided. A misdiagnosis rate of 30% for RDS was also avoided. The dosage of PS was significantly reduced by 50% to 75%. No BPD occurred in the LUS-based care group for 5 years. The fatality rates of RDS, pneumothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage decreased by 100%. The poor prognosis rate of VLBW infants decreased by 85%, and the total mortality rate of hospitalized infants decreased by 90%. Therefore, the cost of LUS-based care was inevitably saved. Conclusions: Diagnosing and managing neonatal lung diseases with LUS monitoring have significant benefits, and this technology should be widely promoted and applied around the world.
An Enhanced Machine Learning Approach for Brain MRI Classification
Authors: Siddiqi Muhammad Hameed , Azad Mohammad , Alhwaiti Yousef
Published: November 2022

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive technique used in medical imaging to diagnose a variety of disorders. The majority of previous systems performed well on MRI datasets with a small number of images, but their performance deteriorated when applied to large MRI datasets. Therefore, the objective is to develop a quick and trustworthy classification system that can sustain the best performance over a comprehensive MRI dataset. This paper presents a robust approach that has the ability to analyze and classify different types of brain diseases using MRI images. In this paper, global histogram equalization is utilized to remove unwanted details from the MRI images. After the picture has been enhanced, a symlet wavelet transform-based technique has been suggested that can extract the best features from the MRI images for feature extraction. On gray scale images, the suggested feature extraction approach is a compactly supported wavelet with the lowest asymmetry and the most vanishing moments for a given support width. Because the symlet wavelet can accommodate the orthogonal, biorthogonal, and reverse biorthogonal features of gray scale images, it delivers higher classification results. Following the extraction of the best feature, the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is employed to minimize the feature space’s dimensions. The model was trained and evaluated using logistic regression, and it correctly classified several types of brain illnesses based on MRI pictures. To illustrate the importance of the proposed strategy, a standard dataset from Harvard Medical School and the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS), which encompasses 24 different brain disorders (including normal), is used. The proposed technique achieved the best classification accuracy of 96.6% when measured against current cutting-edge systems.