bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beamforming Based Algorithm for 5G Applications
Authors: Yousef Yousef Ali , Solymani Reza Soleymani , Shayan Y. , S Jala
Published: July 2022

In cellular networks, the performance of the adaptive beamforming algorithms is severely degraded by the presence of the interfering signals. In this paper, we introduce a beamforming based algorithm for 5G applications named Direction Finding for Beamforming and Synthesizing (DFBS). This algorithm combines the Direction of Arrival (DOA), adaptive beamforming, and the radiation pattern synthesizing. The proposed algorithm uses the DOA technique to feed the adaptive beamforming algorithms with estimations of the desired user direction, desired user signal, and the interfering signals with their directions as initial values. In addition, we use the adaptive beamforming process to supply the radiation pattern synthesizing algorithms with an initial radiation pattern, and the required positions of nulls. At the beamformer output, we evaluate our proposed mechanism in terms of the error convergence, tracking capabilities, and the obtained radiation pattern characteristics. At the synthesizer output, we carry out analysis in terms of the convergence speed and the resultant radiation pattern attributes to investigate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The simulation results show that, our proposed algorithm has significantly fast convergence, reliable tracking capabilities, and radiation patterns with very low Side Lobe Levels (SLL).2010 MSC: 00-01, 99-00
High-refractive index and mechanically cleavable non-van der Waals InGaS3
Authors: Ghazaryan Davit , Toksumakov Adilet , Ermolaev Georgy , Slavich Alexander , Doroshina Natalia , Sukhanova Ekaterina , Yakubovsky Dmitry , Syuy Alexander , Novikov Sergey , Oreshonkov Aleksandr , Tsymbarenko Dmitry , Popov Zakhar , Kvashnin Dmitry , Vyshnevyy Andrey , Arsenin Aleksey , Volkov Valentyn
Published: July 2022

The growing families of two-dimensional crystals derived from naturally occurring van der Waals materials offer an unprecedented platform to investigate elusive physical phenomena and could be of use in a diverse range of devices. Of particular interest are recently reported atomic sheets of non-van der Waals materials, which could allow a better comprehension of the nature of structural bonds and increase the functionality of prospective heterostructures. Here, we study the optostructural properties of ultrathin non-van der Waals InGaS3 sheets produced by standard mechanical cleavage. Our ab initio calculation results suggest an emergence of authentically delicate out-of-plane covalent bonds within its unit cell, and, as a consequence, an artificial generation of layered structure within the material. Those yield to singular layer isolation energies of ~ 50 meVÅ-2, which is comparable with the conventional van der Waals material’s monolayer isolation energies of 20 - 60 meVÅ-2. In addition, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the structural, vibrational, and optical properties of the materials presenting that it is a wide bandgap (2.73 eV) semiconductor with a high-refractive index (> 2.5) and negligible losses in the visible and infrared spectral ranges. It makes it a perfect candidate for further establishment of visible-range all-dielectric nanophotonics.
A tunable metal free perfect absorber based on hybrid graphene-dielectric metasurface in the mid-infrared regime
Authors: Xu Wei , Cheng Hongbo , Luo Xin , Cheng Ziqiang , Ke Chan , Zhai Xiang
Published: July 2022

Since the metal-based optical absorbers will introduce some disadvantages, such as low melting point, easy conductivity and thermal conductivity, these factors limit their further application in thermophotovoltaics, modulators, photodetector and other fields. In this paper, a tunable metal free perfect absorber based on hybrid graphene-dielectric metasurface is proposed in the mid-infrared regime. According to the results of finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, a perfect absorption peak realizes at the wavelength of 9059 nm, which can be explain by using the coupled mode theory, and the absorption of the structure can be dynamically adjusted by changing the Fermi energy of graphene film. Moreover, the absorption performance of this metal free structure manifests polarization insensitive and keeps good for wide angles of incidence. Therefore, we believe our proposed absorber has great application potential in the fields of photovoltaic and thermal detection.
Sex differences in the sustained attention of elementary school children
Authors: Barel Efrat , Tzischinsky Orna
Published: July 2022

Background: The study investigates sex differences in sustained attention among children. Methods: Forty-five children (23 girls) from Grades 2 to 5 (mean age of 7.47±0.73 years) wore an actigraph for a continuous five to seven days including school and non-school days. Sustained attention using the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) was measured twice a day on two school days and on one non-school day. Results: No sex differences were found for sleep patterns. However, sex differences in PVT performance were documented. While boys were faster (shorter reaction time) and showed fewer lapses than girls, they showed higher number of false starts than girls, on both weekdays and weekends. Conclusions: The findings suggest that sex differences should been taken into account in studies investigating neurobehavioral functioning, particularly, sustained attention across various age groups.
Administration of Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor enhanced CAR T-cell expansion and cellular immunity recovery without inducing cytokine release syndrome：a retrospective study
Authors: Jiang Ying , Feng Dan , Wang Chun , Zhang Yanlei , Zhao Chuxian , Li Su , Qin Youwen , Chang Alex H. , Zhu Jun
Published: July 2022

Background
Leukopenia and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) are two major toxicities of CAR-T cell therapy. GM-CSF is an ideal candidate treatment for leukopenia except for its potential aggravation of CRS. We hypothesized that the optimal timing of supplemental with GM-CSF in a shortage of host immunity and CAR T-cell was chosen as avoidance of CRS. In the study we evaluated the safety and efficacy of GM-CSF intervention post-CAR T-cell therapy while circulating CAR T-cell declined.
Methods
Nine patients received GM-CSF therapy who displayed moderate leukopenia with white blood cell counts (WBC) < 3000 cells/mm3 and absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) < 1500 cells/mm3 with concomitant declination of circulating CAR T-cell after CAR T-cell therapy.
Results
The median duration of GM-CSF intervention was 15 days (4–30). CAR T-cell expansion was observed in eight patients (8/9), including cerebrospinal fluid of one patient and peripheral blood (PB) of other seven patients. And the peaks of CAR T-cell levels in cerebrospinal fluid and PB appeared in day 6 and day 7 (2–11) following the initiation of GM-CSF administration. Also, increased white blood cells in PB was observed in all patients. The median onset and duration time of WBC recovery were 9 (1–14) and 17(3–53) days. Moreover, the increment of WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte and CD3-CD16 + CD56 + natural killer cell in PB was observed. In addition, no CRS or fatal infection occurred during GM-CSF treatment.
Conclusion
This study provides evidence for the clinical feasibility of combining CAR T-cell therapy with the GM-CSF to treat leukopenia patients with concomitant declination of circulating CAR T-cell.
Numerical simulation of fault deformation and seismic activity in the southern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Li Yuan , Liu Xia , Rodkin Mikhail , Pang Yajin
Published: July 2022

The moderate-strong (M ≥ 5, since 1976; or M ≥ 6.5, overall) earthquakes of the north and south trending (NS-trending) faults and their adjacent in the southern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has prominent spatial concentration distribution characteristics. However, research on the relationship between southern Tibet faults is limited. Hence, this study used a two-dimensional viscoelastic finite element model to simulate crustal movement in southern Tibet based on 1991–2015 GPS velocity data. The current deformation field, tectonic stress field, fault slip, and stress accumulation rate distribution were obtained to determine the relationship between fault activity and earthquake distribution. The results showed that the research area was simultaneously affected by NE-trending compression and uneven EW-trending tensile force, and crustal deformation exhibited simultaneous NS-trending compression and EW-trending stretching. The EW- and NWW-trending faults around the research area and the internal NS-trending faults differed in their mechanical properties and movement modes. NS faults were primarily subjected to extension stress with normal motion. Remarkable differences were appeared between different fault segments, controlling of distribution of moderate-strong earthquakes, and types of earthquake ruptures. The concentrated distribution of moderate-strong (M ≥ 5, since 1976; or M ≥ 6.5, overall) earthquakes on the NS-trending normal fault and its vicinity depended largely on the high slip rate, strong tensile stress and geometric strike of the fault segment. This study is helpful to fully understand the differences in normal fault activity in southern Tibet, and is also the basis for seismic risk assessment.
Novel vitamin K3 analogues containing 3-N-substituted aromatic and piperazine rings with selective in vitro anticancer activity against HeLa, U87 MG, and MCF-7
Authors: Abdassalam Aesha FSH. , Deniz Nahide Gulsah , SAYIL CIGDEM , Onay-Ucar Evren , Mertoglu Elif , Arda Nazli
Published: July 2022

In this study, firstly, five novel vitamin K3 analogues were synthesized by the reactions of vitamin K3 (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, also known as menadione) with some aromatic and heterocyclic ring substituted nucleophiles such as 2,4-dimethoxyaniline, 4-methoxyaniline, 4-benzylpiperidine and 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine in ethanol/Na2CO3, and 1-(diphenylmethyl)piperazine in chloroform/triethylamine (TEA) at room temperature. Their structures were elucidated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), attached proton test nuclear magnetic resonance (APT-NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Secondly, in vitro cytotoxic effects of vitamin K3 analogues were investigated by MTT assay against three cancer cell lines (HeLa, U87 MG, and MCF-7) to evaluate their anticancer activity and a human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK-293) to check their cancer cell selectivity. One of the compounds, namely 2-((2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)amino)-3-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione, was found to inhibit the growth of HeLa cervical cancer cells selectively, even better than vitamin K3, at a non-toxic concentration for healthy cells. The selectivity index of this compound for HeLa cells was calculated approximately as 3. Vitamin K3 was more effective against U87 MG and MCF-7 cells than its derivatives, moreover it was the only compound, which was significantly toxic to breast cancer cells, but its selectivity was poor. Furthermore, anticancer properties of piperazine derivatives of vitamin K3 were investigated by us for the first time in this study.
Mitochondrial COX 1 gene sequence based molecular identification of chelonian tick Amblyomma geoemydae with special prominence on phylogenetic perusal, from Kerala, India.
Authors: Athira Kumichiyil Kumaran , Anis Kupzhuppilly Varghese , Aneesh Embalil Mathachan , Aneesh Embalil Mathachan
Published: July 2022

Genetic assessment and morphological features of a chelonian tick, Amblyomma geoemydae -Cantor, 1847 were determined for the first time in Kerala. Morphological features of Amblyomma geoemydae nymph were examined and photographed by using a high-quality ZIEZZ (Discovery.V20) microscope. The juvenile tick was identified as Amblyomma geoemydae evincing diverse external characters including the edge of the basis capituli is a round shape without cornua, hypostomal dental formula is 2/2, and the second segment of the palp is longer than the first and third. On the edge of the angular scutum have a pair of slightly convex eyes. The genetic confirmation was scrutinized by using sequences of mt COX1 gene. This investigation revealed the first molecular confirmation of A. geoemydae from Wayanad, Kerala. The evolutionary relationship was examined via neighbor-joining analysis and the phylogenetic tree was constructed through the Maximum Likelihood method. The identified A. geoemydae is genetically associated with some species under the same genera with high sequence similarity including A. marmoreum, A. ovale, and A. naponense. Some other species exhibit more sequence divergence such as A. imitator, and A. humerale. The findings provide evidence of dispersal of Ehrlichia, Francisella, and Borrelia miyamotoi vector have a significant role in Lyme disease and relapsing fever.
Assessment of different based regions of interest methods for [99mTc]Tc DAT-SPECT quantification using an anthropomorphic striatal phantom.
Authors: Alexandre-Santos Leonardo , Trevisan Ana Carolina , Pitella Felipe Arriva , Tumas Vitor , Silvah José Henrique , Kato Mery , Moraes Eder Rezende , Wichert-Ana Lauro
Published: July 2022

Background and Aims: Molecular imaging of the dopamine transporters (DAT) provides usefull information about neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s. This study assessed the accuracy and precision of DAT-SPECT quantification methods. Methods: Twenty-three DAT-SPECT images of a striatal phantom. The specific chambers (caudate and putamen) and the nonspecific background activity chamber were filled with 99m Tc in different specific to nonspecific ratios of activity (10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 to 1). Then, the specific binding ratio (SBR) was determined. Five methods using ROIs were assessed: (a) Manual ROIs on SPECT images; (b) TwoBox and (c) ThreeBox Methods and VOIs using structural images; (d) MRI and (e) CT. Accuracy was evaluated by the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and precision by the Pearson’s coefficient and linear regression. Results: The SBR quantified in the specific and striatal chambers resulted in a CCC increase with a decrease of the nominal values used. For lower SBR, MRI and CT showed higher CCCs when caudate (CCC MRI-CA = 0.89 e CCC CT-CA = 0.84) and putamen (CCC MRI-PU = 0.86 e CCC CT-PU = 0.82) were evaluated. For striatal assessments, the TwoBox method was the most accurate (CCC TWOBOX-ST = 0.95). High Pearson’s coefficients were found in the correlations between all methods. Conclusions: All five methods showed high precision even when applied in images with different activity. For the individual assessment of the caudate or putamen, MRI and CT were the most accurate. To assess the striatal chamber and in the absence of structural information, the TwoBox method is advisable.
Exogenous Ca2+ Regulating Nitrogen Assimilation for Improving Yield and Quality of Rice under Acid Rain Stress
Authors: Zhang Yuanqi , Liang Chanjuan
Published: July 2022

Acid rain threatens crop yield and nutritional quality, and Ca2+ can regulate plant responses to abiotic stresses. To improve the yield and nutritional quality of crops under acid rain stress, we applied exogenous Ca2+ to regulate nitrogen assimilation in rice seedlings under simulated acid rain stress (SAR, pH 4.5 or 3.0), taking yield and nutritional quality of rice as evaluation criteria. We found that Ca2+ (5 mM) maintained the total nitrogen content of rice at the seedling and booting stages to alleviate the inhibitory effect of SAR on rice yield. Meanwhile, Ca2+ improved the activity of glutamate synthase to eliminate the disruption of glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase balance under SAR. It decreased the efficiency of nitrogen assimilation, thereby reducing the inhibition of essential amino acid content in rice. The mitigation effect on pH 4.5 SAR was better than pH 3.0 SAR. Overall, Ca2+ may reduce the negative effect of acid rain on yield and nutritional quality of crops.
Evaluation of a Novel Case-Based Teaching Series for First Year Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Residents
Authors: Wang Lily , Henley Jessica , Philteos Justine , Horton Garret , Levin Marc , Saleem Ahmed , Monteiro Eric , Lin Vincent , Chan Yvonne , Campisi Paolo
Published: July 2022

Introduction
First-year resident physicians began training in July 2020 in an environment of decreased clinical case exposure and increased feelings of insecurity secondary to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To support resident learning, the University of Toronto Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery piloted a novel virtual case-based discussion series for first-year residents.
Methods
A weekly virtual resident-led case-based discussion series was designed. In 2020/2021, six residents (“Cohort 1”) and four staff otolaryngologists participated. A Likert survey retrospectively evaluated participant comfort level on a scale of 1 to 5, from “not well prepared or comfortable” to “very well prepared or comfortable” in seven clinical areas, at the beginning of the post-graduate year (PGY-1) August 2020, and in May 2021. Qualitative data collected assessed strengths and weaknesses of the intervention. In July 2021, the new 2021/2022 PGY-1 cohort (“Cohort 2”) also completed cross-sectional surveys in August 2021 and March 2022 to assess their comfort levels with consult management at the two separate timepoints.
Results
Cases presented revealed areas for practical, systemic, and cultural improvement. With respect to clinical decision making, both “Cohort 1” and “Cohort 2” residents reported increased comfort level in all areas assessed. “Cohort 1” residents reported percentage increase in comfort level addressing all consults of 28%, triaging consults overnight of 24%, pediatric consults of 30%, otology consults of 32%, airway consults of 30%, epistaxis consults of 28%, and peritonsillar abscess consults of 24%. “Cohort 2” residents reported increase in comfort level managing all consults of 32%, triaging consults overnight of 30%, pediatric consults of 38%, otology consults of 2%, airway consults of 30%, epistaxis consults of 18%, and peritonsillar abscess consults of 24%. All respondents agreed the intervention would benefit residents of other programs as a prolonged orientation to residency and a safe and confidential forum to discuss best practices.
Discussion
A weekly case discussion series potentially improves both resident education and patient care. It facilitated real-time discussion of topics relevant to self-perceived knowledge deficits, timely advice on management of a new and changing population of COVID patients and brought to attention hidden curriculum topics for exploration.
Conclusion
The case series described could be applied to benefit residents in Otolaryngology and other surgical specialty programs nationwide during, and following, the pandemic.
Sustainable circular economy production system with emission control in LED bulb companies
Authors: John Ezhilarasan Peter , Mishra Umakanta
Published: July 2022

Mother Earth has a completely sustainable circular life cycle pattern. In its life cycle, there is no harm created to any living creature or to the environment. In this paper, a sustainable circular economic production and consumption system in a led bulb firm that follows the same cycle pattern as our planet is developed. The circular economy concept, green technology, and carbon cap- and- trade policy is introduced in this model to control the carbon emission rate and resource depletion in LED firms. The profit function is maximized by Lagrange’s multipliers method and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) criteria. The optimal order quantity and circularity index of the LED bulb are found for a wise production process. The concavity of the optimal profit function is proved by using the Hessian matrix method. Different linear and non-linear combinations of demand and profit functions were discussed. This article claims that the circularity level of LED bulbs has influenced their selling price, cost, and demand. The green technology and carbon cap and trade policy enhanced the sustainability of LED bulb companies. To get a clear understanding of the implication of this model in LED bulb companies the numerical examples, result in discussion and optimal solution table are provided. Sensitivity analysis is presented. Managerial implication explained in terms of arrived results. Limitations and possible future extensions of this model are given in the conclusion section.
Exploring the Knowledge, Thoughts, and Experiences of Virtual Reality Training in Elite Football and Baseball.
Authors: Dowsett Ross , Kinrade Noel , Lawson Dillon , Whiteside David , Barnett Cleveland , Magistro Daniele , Wilkins Luke
Published: July 2022

Despite the perceived benefits of implementing virtual reality (VR) training in elite sport (Gray, 2019), arguably the most important element – the thoughts, knowledge, and experiences of practitioners – has been largely understudied. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore practitioners’ knowledge of VR, current and past usage, important factors for implementation, and perceived obstacles in elite football and baseball via an online questionnaire. Football respondents (n = 25) represented practitioners from major football leagues across the world, and baseball respondents (n = 15) represented practitioners from Major League Baseball. Both football and baseball respondents reported that the most important factor for implementation of VR training was improvement in on-field performance, whether this be mental, tactical, or technical. Furthermore, both football and baseball respondents highlighted cost as the biggest obstacle at their current club. Notably, Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that football respondents perceived coach (p = .02) and executive approval (p < .001) as significantly greater obstacles than baseball respondents. Regression analyses showed that a lack of executive approval was best predicted by the obstacle of cost (p = .02), whereas a lack of coach approval was best predicted by general negative perceptions of VR (p < .01). Mann Whitney U tests also revealed that football respondents had a significantly higher mean rating for obstacles (p < .01) and significantly lower perceived knowledge of sport-specific VR than the baseball respondents (p < .001). These findings have considerable implications with regard to the potential application of VR training in football and baseball.
Clinical heterogeneity and molecular characteristics in a group of Chinese patients with dysferlinopathy
Authors: Wang Ning , Han Xu , Hao Shengpu , Han Jingzhe , Sun Shuyan , Tang Jin , Lu Yanpeng , Wu Hongran , Ma Shaojuan , Ji Guang , Song Xueqin
Published: July 2022

Background
Dysferlinopathy is an autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the dysferlin (DYSF) gene. This study presents the clinical features and mutational spectrum of a Chinese cohort.
Methods
We reviewed the clinical, pathological data and results of DYSF mutations of 26 Chinese patients with dysferlinopathy screened by immunohistochemistry staining and mutations in DYSF genes.
Results
Among 26 patients with dysferlinopathy, 18 patients (69.2%) presented as LGMD2B, 4 (15.4%) had a phenotype of Miyoshi myopathy (MM), and 4 (15.4%) presented as atypical asymptomatic hyperkalemia(hyperCKemia). 15 patients (57.7%) were originally misdiagnosed as inflammatory myopathy or other diseases. 15 novel mutations were identified among the 40 mutation sites identified in this cohort.
Conclusions
Dysferlinopathy is a clinically heterogeneous group of disorders with various phenotypes, and has a high proportion of novel mutations and a high rate of misdiagnosis before immunohistochemistry staining and genetic analysis.
A regional analysis of the industry performance of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality with the use of input-output tables
Authors: Neethling Roan , Grobler Wynand
Published: July 2022

The aim of this paper is to form an input-output table for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality by means of the non-survey method that is based on the estimates of the location quotient, which is derived from the South African National Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality is a region with major potential in its economic development and growth structures since it is host to the largest Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in Southern Africa. Economic trends and economic analysis present imperative information that illustrates the strength of the region and the neighbouring population. The information provided from the economic analysis can support businesses and potential investors in making strategic judgements concerning the development in a community. The data can also be utilised to classify possible opportunities as the central region in the community. These probable opportunities may cause the specific region’s connection to the regions industry, local amenities and institutions. The first step in the investigation will be to acquire the input-output table for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality originating from the South African national input-output table by means of the Flegg technique, which is an established systemic method to measure the input coefficient of a given sub-national economy with indication to a specific time period. The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality is a region with a rich history and the potential for growth is significant. Policy direction within the region should focus more on agricultural production, manufacturing, finance and trade, which will enable economic growth and employment opportunities.
Nonlinear relationship between glycated hemoglobin and cognitive impairment after acute mild ischemic stroke
Authors: Xu Lei , Xiong Qin , Du Yang , Huang Lu-wen , Yu Ming
Published: July 2022

Background: Stroke is the second most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Even mild stroke survivors have an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Studies have been conducted on the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and cognitive decline, but the findings have been inconsistent. Therefore, this study examined the link between HbA1c levels and cognitive impairment following acute mild ischemic stroke.Methods: Data from 311 patients with acute mild ischemic stroke admitted to Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan Province, China, from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018, were evaluated. Fasting venous blood was taken to assess HbA1c levels on the day after admission. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) 3-6 months after stroke onset. We used a generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting (penalty spline method) to assess the nonlinear relationship between HbA1c and poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).Results: This study included 311 patients aged 23 to 96 years old (mean age: 67.37±11.92 years), of whom 198 (63.67%) were men. Among the 311 stroke patients, 120 (38.59%) had PSCI. After adjusting for potential confounders, there was a nonlinear relationship between HbA1c and PSCI, with an inflection point of 8.2. To the left of the inflection point, the effect size, 95% confidence interval, and P value were 0.87, 0.58 to 1.31, and 0.5095, respectively; however, to the right of the inflection point, these numbers were 1.96, 1.08 to 3.58, and 0.0280.Conclusion: We found a nonlinear relationship between HbA1c and PSCI. When HbA1c was greater than 8.2%, HbA1c was positively correlated with PSCI.
Prevention of Age-related Neuromuscular Junction Degeneration in Sarcopenia by Low-magnitude High-frequency Vibration
Authors: Cheung Wing-Hoi , Bao Zhengyuan , Cui Can , Liu Chaoran , Long Yufeng , Wong Ronald Man Yeung , Qin Ling , Rubin Clinton , Chow Simon Kwoon-Ho
Published: July 2022

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) degeneration is one of the pathological factors of sarcopenia. Low-magnitude high-frequency vibration (LMHFV) was previously reported effective in alleviating the progress of sarcopenia in SAMP8 mice. In this study, we observed more acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) branching in sarcopenic NMJ in humans. Utilizing a validated non-sarcopenic (SAMR1) versus sarcopenic (SAMP8) animal model, NMJ degeneration was observed to precede the onset of sarcopenia where the SAMR1 mice presented better NMJ function and more intact NMJ structure. After the treatment of LMHFV in SAMP8, progress of sarcopenia and NMJ degeneration were both alleviated with increased Dok7 expression, one protein important for NMJ assembly and function. In vitro, when Dok7 expression was knocked down, myotube diameter and acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) cluster formation were decreased, that could not be retarded by LMHFV. Further mechanistic investigation showed that LMHFV could suppress ERK1/2 activation and the blockade of ERK1/2 phosphorylation promoted AChRs clustering and increased Dok7 expression. In myotubes with ERK1/2 phosphorylation blocked, knocking down Dok7 could still reduce AChRs cluster formation, which could not be retarded by LMHFV. Therefore, effectiveness of LMHFV on Dok7 expression in NMJ degeneration was shown to act through suppressing ERK1/2 phosphorylation.
Assessment of mechanism involved in the apoptotic and anticancer activity of Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles
Authors: Doğan Murat
Published: July 2022

In prior studies, Quercetin was revealed to exhibit anticancer features in a variety of cancer cell lines. However, the impact of Quercetin on neuroblastoma is unknown. This study looked into the potential cytotoxic effects of Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) on the SH-SY5Y cell line. In this study, NPs containing Quercetin was prepared and characterization studies were performed. The vitality of the cells was measured using the XTT test after 24 hours of treatment with various concentrations of Quercetin (0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 µg/mL). ELISA kits were used to detect the amounts of cleaved PARP, BCL-2, 8-Hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), cleaved caspase 3, Bax, total oxidant, and total antioxidant in the cells. The results of the chitosan NPs characterization investigation revealed that the particle size, encapsulation effectiveness, and drug release profile of NPs were all appropriate for cell culture studies. Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan NPs significantly reduced cell viability in SH-SY5Y cells at different concentrations (**p < 0.05). 2 µg/mL Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan NPs significantly enhanced the levels of 8-oxo-dG, cleaved caspase 3, Bax, cleaved PARP, and total oxidant in ELISA testing. However, treatment with 2 µg/mL of Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan NPs did not affect the amount of BCL-2 protein. Overall, Quercetin and Quercetin-loaded chitosan NPs caused significant cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells via producing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and eventually apoptosis.
Economic Growth with Foreign Trade on the Reverse Gear: India’s Re-experimentation
Authors: Mallik Jayanta Kumar
Published: July 2022

Hikes in customs tariffs in the period from 2011 (a de-facto reversal of the tariff reforms done during 1992-2008) and surge in the number of anti-dumping procedures initiated (ADPINI) by India in recent years make it a phenomenon of foreign trade on the reverse gear, although there is no apparent dilution in the emphasis on export promotion. This paper probes the interplay of some the long-term determinants of economic growth (such as, technological progress and human capital formation) associated with the changes noticed in foreign trade using data for the 1980-2020 period and deploying autoregressive distributed lag models. Tariff and ADPINI significantly influenced the import demand. Education, innovation, and competition are crucial determinants of productivity. The worsening in the position in all the three were responsible for the sharp drop in productivity growth in recent years. Erosion in competition and subdued productivity growth adversely impacted India’s export performance, post-2011. The argument that the recent slow growth in India’s exports was due to the slowdown in world economic activity is not assisted by data. These findings yield answers to a set of policy questions and provide an alternative on the economic slowdown in India during 2017-20. The long-term determinants of growth were crucial in the perceived-to-be-short term variation in economic growth in India, and this has relevance for the current policy debate on economic growth, globally and in India. The country experience may contribute to the understanding of contemporary growth process. JEL Codes: F13, F14, O4.
Spatial green growth in China: Exploring the positive role of investment in the treatment of industrial pollution
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Hayat Naveed , Saeed Muhammad Ali , Sattar Abdul , Wahab Salman
Published: July 2022

The industrial sector of China is critical to the country's economic growth. On the other side, industrialization has resulted in a high rate of emissions, pushing China to spend extensively on industrial pollution remediation. As a result, this study looks at the relationship between investment completed in the treatment of industrial pollution (ICITP) and economic development. A time-fixed effect spatial error model was used to analyse regional data from China from 1999 to 2018. The data reveal a positive association between ICTIP and regional economic growth, both in the short and long term. Furthermore, the negative consequences of urban wages and foreign investment on ICTIP are having the reverse effect on regional green development, necessitating ecologically friendly actions to mitigate the negative environmental effects of both.JEL Codes: E62, Q56, R23, C21.
Optimization of ultrasonic assisted extraction and biological activity of total polyphenols from Toona sinensis using response surface methodology
Authors: Wen Yao , Mai Xueying
Published: July 2022

To optimize the extraction process and activity detection of total polyphenols from Toona sinensis. A Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology was employed to further optimize ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions for T. sinensis stems total polyphenols (TSTP). The results showed that optimized extraction conditions were ultrasonic power of 200 W, liquid-solid ratio of 50 mL/g, ultrasonic temperature of 60°C and ultrasonic time of 22 min. Under these conditions, the mean experimental value of extraction yield (8.13%) was achieved, which was about 49.44% higher than that of distilled water leaching extraction. As compared to TSTP, TSTP after purification (TSPTP) had higher purity of 57.70%, which was nearly 45.33% higher than that of TSTP (12.37%). TSPTP had higher α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities as well as DPPH· and ABTS·+ scavenging activities with an IC50 value of 0.201, 0.041, 0.27 and 0.07 mg/mL. TSPTP from T. sinensis could be considered as multifunctional bioactive ingredients to be used in anti-hyperglycemic pharmaceutical formulation and antioxidant.
Co-culture of the Potential First Reported Streptomyces flavalbus of Sonneratia alba from Ujung Piring, Jepara, Indonesia
Authors: Azhar Nuril , Yudiati Ervia
Published: July 2022

Marine Actinobacteria from mangrove are rich in novel secondary metabolites resource as a promising antibacterial agent. The silent gene assessment by gen co-cuture fermentation of Actino-Actino, Actino-other bacteria and Actino-fungi is an alternative approach to create the novel product. This research aims to discover and identify the potential Actinobacteria from the mangrove sediment and root with co-culture as an antibacterial agent. 28 strains of Actinobacteria were found, composed of 17 strains from the sediment and 11 strains from the endophyte root of Sonneratia alba. Out of 580 fermentation, 540 fermenter co-cultures and 34 single fermenter cultures were assessed. Twenty-one pairs of co-culture were resulted positively against Staphylococcus aureus, and 16 pairs were positive against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The highest clearance zone against S. aureus was obtained from 10 (Actino)-Aspergillus fumigatus (dead body) extract (21.57±0.90 mm) while against P. aeruginosa was resulted from co-culture strains 3/37 extract (19.18±0.80 mm). Strains 41 was identified as Streptomyces flavalbus (98.07%) with accession number MZ540332. This is the first report of Streptomyces flavalbus, a novel species from mangrove sediments, and the second one from natural habitat. Other Actinobacterias (6, 10, and 37) strains were identified as Streptomyces albogriseolus (99.79%), Streptomyces labedae (99%), and Streptomyces rochei (93.52%). It is concluded that co-culture is a valuable strategy to develop the new Actinobacteria product as a powerful antibacterial agent.
Adaptive finite-time command filter tracking control of nonlinear system with multiple high-order coupling terms and disturbances
Authors: Zhuang Xinhai , Liu Enyong , Zhang Xinghui , Zhang Ancai , Qiu Jianlong
Published: July 2022

This paper is devoted to the research of adaptive command filter tracking control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems. The coexistence of multiple high-order coupling terms, unknown coefficients of time-varying function and uncertain external disturbances makes the studied system essentially different from the existing results. By skillfully combining adaptive technology, command filter control and backstepping method, a new type of adaptive command filter tracking control algorithm is designed. This controller not only solves the problem of complex explosion, but also introduces compensation signals to achieve higher precision tracking effect. Ultimately, the validity of the control algorithm is verified by numerical simulation and practical application model simulation experiments.
SB939 is analyzed by STAT3 to inhibit breast cancer cell metastasis-related genes
Authors: ling jun , Wang Baozhen , Qin Chenhui , Chen Jing , Ma Lei , Cai Weiji , Sun Haotong , Li Tao , Xu Fang
Published: July 2022

Background:The histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) Pracinostat (SB939) plays a vital role in inhibiting metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer by downregulating FN1 expression levels through the STAT3 signaling pathway.SB939 has low cytotoxicity and may become a new generation of targeted agents against breast cancer tumors. This study aimed to investigate the association value of STAT3 and FN1 as breast cancer (BRCA) biomarkers and integrated several cancer databases and electronic computer technology to evaluate the effect of SB939 on breast cancer metastasis.Methods:GESA，GEPIA, GENT2,UALCAN, GeneMANIA, STRING,LinkedOmics, and TIMER were utilized in this study.Result:The analysis showed that SB939 inhibited the enrichment of the STAT3 pathway and affected the expression of FN1. Among them, FN1 expression was significantly higher in breast cancer tissues than in normal tissues, and in addition, STAT3 was highly expressed in many tumors. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that increased expression of STAT3 and FN1 correlated with low survival in breast cancer patients with OS, RFS, and DSS, and FN1 had the highest correlation with MMP2. Furthermore, MMP2 shares a pathway with STAT3 to induce metastasis of breast cancer cells.Conclusions: SB939 may be used as a new class of small molecule compounds in the clinic for the treatment of breast cancer.
MXene-derived C-doped TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction as a high-performance visible-light photocatalyst
Authors: Chen Kai , Yan Kang , Xie Qun , Zhu Hui , Li Xuanke , Dong Zhijun , Yuan Guanming , Zhang Jiang , Cong Ye
Published: July 2022

Fabrication TiO2 with conductive two-dimensional materials is an effective strategy to improve its photocatalytic activity. Herein, a well-defined carbon doped TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojucntion is constructed via in-situ controllable oxidation of Ti3C2 MXene in carbon dioxide. The formed carbon doped TiO2 nanoparticles as the photocatalyst uniformly disperse on the surface of Ti3C2 MXene and generate electrons and holes under the irradiation. The two-dimensional Ti3C2 MXene, ascribing to its excellent conductivity, acts as the electron transport channels and accelerates the separation of photo-generated electrons and holes. Meanwhile, due to its large specific surface area and good solubility, Ti3C2 MXene may facilitate to enhance the adsorption of pollutant on the photocatalyst as well as the absorption of photocatalyst for visible light. Therefore, the unique properties of TiO2 and Ti3C2 MXene are integrated in a complementary way and significantly improve the photocatalytic performance of the composites. The proper content of Ti3C2 MXene and TiO2 in the composite is crucial for enhancing the photocatalytic performance, which can be effectively tuned by varying the oxidation temperature. In this work, C-TiO2/Ti3C2 oxidized at 400 oC presents the optimum photocatalytic performance.
Fluid shear stress promotes periodontal ligament cells proliferation via p38-Amot-YAP/TAZ.
Authors: Shi Qiusheng , Zheng Lisha , Na Jing , Li Xinyang , Yang Zhijie , Chen Xinyuan , Song Yaxin , Li Chiyu , Zhou Lulin , Fan Yubo
Published: July 2022

Periodontal ligament (PDL) cells are a promising tool for periodontal regeneration therapy. Achieving a sufficient number of PDL cells is essential to PDL regeneration. In our study, appropriate flow shear stress (FSS, 1–6 dyn/cm2) promotes the proliferation of PDL cells. FSS remodels cytoskeleton and focal adhesion in a duration-dependent manner. FSS induces PDL cells to form the actin cap within 10 min, flattens the nuclei, and increases the nuclear pore size, which promotes nuclear translocation of YAP/TAZ. FSS activates p38, which plays a dual function in YAP/TAZ regulation. p38 regulates the phosphorylation of Akt and cofilin, as well as induced F-actin polymerization to induce YAP/TAZ activity. In addition, p38 inhibits pLATS and consecutively regulates angiomotin (AMOT) and YAP/TAZ phosphorylation. AMOT competitively binds to F-actin and YAP/TAZ to participate in FSS-mediated YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation and cell proliferation. Taken collectively, our results provide mechanistic insights into the role of p38-Amot-YAP/TAZ in FSS-mediated PDL cells proliferation and indicate potential applications in dental regenerative medicine.
Gaussian Boson Sampling Compilation
Authors: Alarcon Sonia Lopez , Rueda Federico
Published: July 2022

Gaussian Boson Sampling is gaining relevance among the multiple technologies currently implementing quantum computing. The problem of sampling out of a boson distribution across multiple modes has a strong mathematical connection with combinatorics problems, with multiple practical applications that would classically be unfeasible to solve within reasonable time. The software stack that accompanies this GBS approach, and that takes the application from its high level description to the hardware implementation, is the main focus of this paper. The general compilation process of Gaussian Boson Samplers is described in detail. The specifics of the Strawberry Fields (Xanadu) compilation and simulation framework are discussed, along with its time profiling, and time implications on computationally significant problem sizes. Last, a compilation step to reduce the hardware description complexity is presented, demonstrating a linear reduction on the overall number of operators when the number of Gaussian operators increases.
Anatomical type analysis of right interlobar artery based on chest thin-slice CT scan and three-dimensional reconstruction
Authors: Long-fei WANG , Lei ZHAO , Chang-sheng LV , Qing-tao XV , Rong WANG
Published: July 2022

Purpose To analysize and summarize branching patterns types of the interlobar portion of right pulmonary arteries (RPA) through chest thin-slice CT scan and three-dimensional reconstruction.Methods A total of 179 patients (58 males and 121 females, with an average age of 53.9 years) were retrospectively included from December 2020 to December 2021 in the Thoracic Surgery Department of Ningbo First Hospital. All patients completed preoperative thin-slice CT scan and three-dimensional reconstruction of the chest. The clinical data and branching patterns were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results The branching patterns types of the interlobar portion of RPA were divided into 4 types according to the order and number of branches: Type I (145/179, 81.0%), Asc.A2, MA, A6; Type II (28/179, 15.6%) , Asc.A2 deletion, MA, A6; Type III (5/179, 2.8%), Asc.A2, A6, MA; Type IV (1/179, 0.6%), MA, Asc.A2, A6; I type is the most common. Further, according to the number of branches of MA and A6, it can be subdivided into 15 sub-categories.Conclusion Chest thin-slice CT scan and 3D reconstruction can provide surgeons accurate lung anatomy, which helps surgeons make preoperative planning, and complete surgery successfully.
Application of machine learning method in clinical fitting of Ortho-K lens for myopia correction
Authors: Gong Jiaming , Li Kangmei , Hu Jun , Chen Chaoyang , Chen Hao , Cao Qianqian , Wu Ge
Published: July 2022

PurposeAiming at the problem that the complex structure of Ortho-K lens makes the clinical fitting process cumbersome, time-consuming and labor-intensive, a machine learning method was proposed to predict the Alignment Curve (AC) and Target Power (TP) of orthokeratology in vision shaping treatment (VST) to assist in fitting.MethodsThe clinical data of 1235 patients were selected in this study. The AC parameters and TP parameters of the Ortho-K lens worn by the patients were used as target predictors, respectively. A feature engineering study was performed on the input variables to construct the most appropriate feature input dimension and type, and four machine learning algorithms (including Random Forest, Gaussian Process, Support Vector Machine, and Linear Regression) were used to predict AC and TP, respectively. Then optimize the hyper-parameters of the machine learning model to achieve the best predictive performance of the machine learning model.ResultsGaussian Process and Random Forest performed best in predicting AC and TP, with R2 of 0.84 and 0.88, respectively. During the testing process of the test set, the prediction results of the best machine learning model showed a high degree of consistency with the traditional clinical diagnosis results.ConclusionThe machine learning predictive diagnosis method proposed in this study is significantly more efficient than other auxiliary diagnosis methods. The predictive ability of the machine learning model reduces the number of times the patient needs to replace the test piece, which greatly improves the success rate and diagnostic efficiency of the test piece.