bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laboratory evaluation of properties of modified asphalt binder with different types of additives
Authors: Al-gurah Esraa R. , Al-ghurabi Sahar J. , Al-Humeidawi Basim H.
Published: September 2023

This research aims to assess the properties of Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) binder prepared with different types of additives such as (Waste low density polyethylene (W-LDPE) and crumb rubbers (CR)and Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS)). Most of these additives are sustainable materials since it is derived from old scrap materials. All the above-mentioned materials (W-LDPE, CR and SBS) were added with percentages of (2, 4, and 6 percentage) of the weight of pure asphalt binder. Several tests were conducted to evaluated the properties of improved asphalt binder such as penetration test, Ductility test, Softening point test, Rotational viscosity test as well as thin-film oven test. The results of investigation revealed that, the using of different types of PMB significantly improved the physical properties and performance of asphalt. The using of sustainable waste materials such as W-LDPE and CR significantly improve the properties of PMB and contribute in recycling great amount of waste materials. Also, the results showed that the using of high percentage of SBS (6%) significantly increase the viscosity of asphalt binder and that can affect workability of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) compared with same percentages of W-LDPE and CR).
Evaluation of the Selected Sustainable Indicators for Urban Roads Network: Al-Kufa City as a Case Study
Authors: Al-shammari A , Al-jameel H
Published: September 2023

One of the major concerns of the modern world is sustainable development. Sustainable transportation development is crucial in light of the increasing congestion and pollution in urban areas. Al-Kufa City is one of the most significant cities in Iraq. This study focuses on specific criteria such as public transportation, pedestrian facilities, pavement markings, noise level, and population density on the number of existing roads. The collected data showed that the average percentage of public transportation at selected locations is 4% for buses and 24.6% for minibuses with unplanned routes. Furthermore, pavement markings cover only about 0.48% of the whole network. Regarding the noise level, it was high and exceeded the standard limitations, reaches to 93.48 dBA. At the same time, the indicator of pedestrian facilities showed a significant lack of footbridges. Finally, the density of roads per population is 60.32km/100000 which is less than the expected value. Therefore, actions and improvements are necessary for the short and long term to develop a sustainable city living environment.
Investigating the Key Components of Walking Behaviour in Baghdad City
Authors: Subhi Farah Ahmed , Jameel Abeer Khudhur
Published: September 2023

In Iraq, walking is primarily used for short trips despite its importance as a sustainable mode of transportation. To improve walking as a means of transportation, it should be considered in transportation planning. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing walking behaviour in Baghdad City from the perspective of road users. An electronic self-designed questionnaire was utilized to gather information, consisting of two parts. The first part includes demographic questions while the second part includes questions related to walking preferences, timing, destinations, and obstacles. The results indicate that 26.242% of respondents prefer walking while 37.113% may walk if the conditions are favourable and 36.645% prefer other modes of transportation. The key factors influencing walking effectiveness are car ownership, trip distance, weather conditions, and availability of safe walking infrastructure.
Review of traffic demand management strategies
Authors: Muslih Muneer , Abduljabbar Ahmed , Joni Hasan
Published: September 2023

This review article seeks to determine the most effective strategies to reduce traffic congestion which have been implanted in different countries and cities around the world. In this review, previous research work was gathered focusing on approaches for mitigating traffic congestion issues. The paper discovered that there are two ways to control congestion which are through supply-side actions, and demand-side actions, the paper also discovered that traffic modelling and simulation software packages are crucial to decision-makers because of its capability to evaluate and simulate the effects of any suggested improvements or strategies to reduce traffic congestions for a certain street network and for a whole city.
Evaluation of the Pavement Distress and its Impact on the Sustainability of the Traffic Operation for Selected Roads in Al-Diwaniyah City
Authors: Al-Zubaidi Manal Ghadban , Zubaidi Hamsa , Al-Humeidawi Bassim H.
Published: September 2023

Roads and transportation infrastructure are critical assets for supporting political stability as well as economic and sustainable expansion in developing countries. Yet, pavement maintenance backlogs and the high capital expenditures of road rehabilitation need the adoption of pavement evaluation methods to ensure the best value for the investment. road maintenance is considered one of the main factors for preserving the road structurally and functionally, and before carrying out maintenance, pavement defects must be identified by evaluating the condition of the pavement to perform the appropriate maintenance. In this study, the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) method was relied upon to evaluate roads in Al-Diwaniyah City. Where several data were collected for the study, including the number of crashes for each region, the number of lanes, street width, the presence of a median, and the pavement condition evaluated for the regions with the highest crash rate, which are Al-Askari District with 707 crashes, Al-Urouba District with 379 crashes, Al-Wahda District with 271 crashes, Al-Jamhouri District with 235 crashes, and Al-Jazaer District with 212 crashes. This study is considered the first study to evaluate roads in Al-Diwaniyah city. The results of the study showed that the condition of the roads ranged from poor to satisfactory and there is no road reach to serious and failed. The results showed that the worst road is Al-Askari District, which lacks a lot of maintenance, at a rate of PCI 52.1. It is followed by Al-Wahda District with a PCI rate of 57.6, Al-Jamhouri District with a PCI rate of 67.2, Al-Urouba District with a PCI rate of 70.7, and Al-Jazaer District with a PCI rate of 73.7. The deterioration of the pavement surface condition affects the rash rate, and it is more dangerous when it is correlated to other road factors. Additionally, it was noted that the most prominent defects in the pavement surface of the five evaluated roads are: potholes, rutting, longitudinal and transverse cracks, corrugation, patching, raveling, depressions, and alligator cracks. The study recommended conducting more research on evaluating more roads in Al-Diwaniyah City on an annual basis and conducting periodic maintenance in order to improve the status of this city, which suffers from neglect in all respects, measures must be taken to enhance the environment and economy, sustain the streets, reduce maintenance costs, ensure traffic safety, and protect the lives of citizens.
Traffic Safety Risk Assessment for Selected Roads in Al-Qadisiyah Province
Authors: Al-Gharabi Amjad Hussein , Zubaidi Hamsa , Das Subasish
Published: September 2023

Road risk assessments use the same methodology as regular risk assessments and describe all of the dangers that are connected to drivers who use their vehicles for daily-related objectives. These risks include the distance traveled, the duration of the trip, the planned breaks, the driver’s posture, the sorts of routes, and the available driving options. The manuscript explored traffic crashes, the geographical distribution of crashes, and the road characteristics to identify the riskiest roads in Al-Qadisiyah Province. Data was collected from Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital, and the data was divided into internal regions with 5996 crashes and external regions with about 6867 crashes. After compiling, indexing, and dividing the data, it was found that the critical crash times are at the beginning and end of the official working hours and at the time of rest after working hours. Likewise, the highest number of injuries are related to motorcyclists with 2447 crashes. It was also found that people (22-35) years old have the largest number of crashes followed by people 18 years old. After calculating the total number of accidents and the rate of accidents for all the roads selected for the study, the results indicated that the Diwaniyah-Daghara road had the highest number of accidents than the rest of the selected roads, as the number of accidents was 921 accidents, followed by the second place in terms of the number of accidents, the Diwaniyah-Sunya road, and after calculating the amount of danger for all roads ( There are 7 external roads and 3 internal roads). It is followed in second place by the Diwaniyah-Shafi’iyyah road with a crash severity of 15.05, and in third place by the Diwaniya-Daghara road with a severity of 13.65, whereas, Al-Askari road was ranked third with the number of crashes of 671, and now it ranks fifth with a severity of 8.31.
The cut off efficiency of sheet piles with variation of Water level: Al-hindiya barrage as case study.
Authors: Al-Sultani Wurood hu. , Al-Hadidi Maysam Th.
Published: September 2023

Al-Hindiya barrage is an important project to ensure safety of structures is considered as one of the important projects in Iraq, so it’s very important to checking it’s the extent of the efficiency of the cut-off wall can be determined by calculating the amount of seepage flow that occurred under the structure in different conditions, such as the difference in water levels in the upstream and downstream, using the Geo-studio SEEP/W program by taking a natural analysis and a differential analysis. Cut off and a significant drop, and also when the most dangerous flood situation occurs at the greatest level in the Upstream In this case, all the gates must be opened, i.e., a quick descent into the origin. This case was studied, and the efficiency of the cut-off wall was proven in the most dangerous case, and it is considered one of the indicators of peace for the Al-Hindiya barrage The finite element method was used to investigate cutoff walls and downstream filters to control seepage, exit hydraulic gradient, and uplift forces for dams, The Al-Hindiyah Bridge was studied and the error rate was less than 1%, studying the unloading situation at the highest level at a time approved by the executing company, and delaying the unloading process at this time at the start of the project operation This case was analyzed by studying the uplift pressure, seepage rate, seepage velocity, gradient and discharge at the upstream, i.e. from a point close to the face of the sheet pile and a point far from the face of the sheet pile at the downstream we conclude through this case the efficiency of the sheet pile at the point located in the backside, which shows the efficiency of the sheet pile significantly The study proved that when facing the Al-Hindiya Bridge, the state of flooding, all gates must be opened at an average speed for a period of 12 hours to get rid of the water in excess of the permitted storage The study proved the efficiency of the sheet bale when confronting the flood situation and at different times, by calculating the safety factor 2.24 within the permissible limits. Recommendations for suitable combinations of upstream cutoff and downstream filter are provide.

Recommendations for suitable combinations of upstream cutoff and downstream filter are provide
Recovery Nutrient from Agricultural Waste as An Effort To Develop Low-Carbon Agriculture In Thekelan Hamlet
Authors: Syafrudin  , Hardyanti N , Juliani H , Puspita A S , Octaviani Y N
Published: September 2023

Thekelan Hamlet is located on the slopes of Mount Merbabu which is included in the Mount Merbabu National Park area. The majority of people earn from agriculture and animal husbandry because there is still a lot of land for farming. In the process of agricultural activities, residual materials or so-called agricultural waste are produced in the form of solids or liquids. In Thekelan Hamlet there is no agricultural wastewater treatment, so there is a need for agricultural wastewater management. One of them is by reusing nutrients so that they are still useful and do not pollute the environment. In agricultural wastewater, many types of nutrients can be reused, such as nitrogen and phosphate. So that the recovered nutrient content can be reused and processed into fertilizer. This will support the development of low-carbon agriculture in Thekelan Hamlet. The activity of reusing nutrients from agricultural liquid waste is also supported by the existence of a building to catch and process nutrients for agricultural liquid waste. The agricultural liquid waste runoff will be made into waterways according to the elevation of the land to eventually be accommodated in a storage building and processed into fertilizer with a certain concentration.
Redesigning the Wastewater Treatment Plant for the Tofu Industry in Ledok Kulon Village, Bojonegoro Regency
Authors: Widiyanto A , Masduqi A A , Otok B
Published: September 2023

Currently, the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for the tofu industry in Ledok Kulon Village, Bojonegoro Regency uses an anaerobic-aerobic-anaerobic system. However, treated wastewater quality is still over maximum standard. To rectify this, the objective of the study was to technically improve the WWTP so that the treated wastewater could comply with the required quality standards for disposal into the environment. This was achieved without increasing the capacity of the WWTP by changing the function of each unit and modifying the flow patterns of the system. Additionally, the treatment system was altered from an anaerobic-aerobic-anaerobic to an anaerobic-aerobic system. Consequently, the WWTP redesigning calculations showed that the levels of BOD, COD, and TSS produced were 9.65 mg/L, 61.23 mg/L, and 2.16 mg/L, respectively, which met the required quality standards.
Annealing-induced changes in wear resistance and nanomechanical properties of CuZr metallic glass thin films
Authors: Gao Jianjing , He Nana , Rathan Athota , Agrawal Manoj Kumar , Mohanty Harsha
Published: September 2023

Over recent years, metallic glass thin films (MGTFs) have found extensive applications in advanced micro-engineering systems. Consequently, there is a need to thoroughly assess the nanomechanical and tribological behaviors of MGTFs to optimize the design of efficient components. In this study, we employed the nanoindentation technique in various modes to investigate the elastic heterogeneity, tribological response, and mechanical properties of CuZr amorphous films. Before conducting the mechanical tests, annealing treatments at 500 K and 600 K were performed to create samples with different stored energies. The thermal history analysis revealed that the annealing process reduced the stored energy in the microstructure. Furthermore, the pre-annealing treatment resulted in increased hardness and Young’s modulus of the thin films. Additionally, higher annealing temperatures significantly improved the wear resistance of the MGTFs. Observing the serration dynamics in the scratching test, we noticed that the annealing treatment induced larger shear bands on the wear track side. Moreover, the increase in annealing temperature led to a reduction in elastic heterogeneity, which was consistent with the enthalpy relaxation values in the samples. This suggests that the annealing temperature enhanced the densely packed atomic structure, leading to the stabilization of the thin films.
Thermal, chemical, tensile and morphological characterization studies of bamboo fibre extracted from the indian species bambusa bambos
Authors: Sethu Suresh , Kalimuthu Mayandi , Nagarajan Rajini , Ismail Sikiru O , Devi Kanniga , Muthukannan M , Murali M , Mohammad Faruq , Al-Lohedan Hamad A
Published: September 2023

The objective of this research is to investigate the extraction and characterization of a particular kind of Indian bamboo family plant known as Bambusa bambos. The fibres were extracted from the bamboo plant in the form of strips using the retting process and separated as thin fibres after the stamping process. The extracted raw bamboo fibres were chemically modified in a 5% alkali solution. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the thermal, crystalinity, and morphological properties of untreated and alkali (NaOH) treated bamboo fibres. The ASTM standard was followed for the chemical composition and tensile testing of raw and chemically treated bamboo fibres. In contrast to raw bamboo fibres, alkali-treated bamboo fibres had a 5% drop in hemicellulose concentration. In the alkali-treated state, weakly bonded containments were removed from the fiber's surface, exposing the cellulose over a wider surface area. As a result, the thermal stability of the alkali-treated fibres was enhanced as compared to raw bamboo fibres. The increased amount of cellulose content and decreasing aspect ratio of the alkali-treated bamboo fibers lead to increased tensile strength. A significant improvement in the crystallinity index (broad band width of the second peak) was observed in the alkali-treated condition, which may occur due to the removal of hemicelluloses. Based on their performance, the chemically treated bamboo fibres can be used as effective reinforcement elements for the development of polymer matrix composites in the automobile and construction industries.
Magnetostriction and volume magnetostriction of sputtered Tb20Fe24Co56 film
Authors: Huang Yi-Te , Ono Takahito
Published: September 2023

The magnetostriction and volume magnetostriction of sputtered amorphous Tb20Fe24Co56 (TFC) films are investigated. In recent years, knowledge of volume magnetostriction is needed in terms of actuator applications utilizing the volume magnetostriction effect. This TFC film with the composition selected in this study is known to exhibit small Joule magnetostriction in Tb-Fe-Co system, and the volume magnetostriction of Tb-Fe-Co thin film systems may be observed more significantly. A bilayer cantilever structure is used to evaluate the magnetostriction performance, which indicates that the largest magnetostriction coefficient and volume magnetostriction of the TFC films are 54 and 48 ppm at an external magnetic field of 7490 Oe, respectively. The Ar gas pressure during sputter deposition is selected to be in the range of 0.7 to 8 Pa in consideration of the deposition quality of the TFC film. The residual stress shifts to the tensile side as the Ar gas pressure increases while the stress field affects the magnetostriction performance. The value of the Joule magnetostriction of the TFC film is almost as same as the volume magnetostriction, which shows that the volume magnetostriction is the dominant mechanism of the magnetic field-induced strain. The homogeneous distribution of elements in the amorphous TFC films possibly makes the Joule magnetostriction small. Since the magnetization of the TFC film is sensitive to strain, the stress field in the in-plane direction strongly constrains the magnetic moment in the out-of-plane direction, and this constraint affects the magnetostriction and magnetization properties. This strain-sensitive magnetic film opens up new possibilities for microdevices using magnetostrictive TFC films via volume magnetostriction.
New environmentally friendly substance formulation based on steel slag for the manufacture of stoneware
Authors: Zhou Miao , Wang Yuzheng , Li Laishi , Wu Yusheng , Xu Pengchen , Ma Minglong , Yu Mingming
Published: September 2023

In this paper, stoneware was prepared using steel slag shale as the main raw material. A typical ceramic sintering procedure was used to evaluate the effects of a sintering temperature of 1050∼1130 °C on the linear shrinkage, water absorption, bulk density, and flexural strength parameters of stoneware samples. The stoneware samples were characterized by XRF, XRD, and SEM. The results showed that the performance of the steel slag content of 40% at sintering temperature of 1110 °C was better than the other samples. The main phases of the sample are composed of the quartz phase, the pyroxene phase, and the anorthite phase. Among them, the water absorption rate is 1.36%, the linear shrinkage rate is 11.36%, the bulk density is 2.46 g cm−3, and the flexural strength is 71.13 Mpa. Anorthite and pyroxene improve the bending strength of stoneware samples, which is realized by the prestress mechanism.
Investigation on the tensile rheological behavior of pa6 film based on fractional order model
Authors: Li Bowen , Liao Guangkai , Liu Jiaxin , Xie Zhenyan , Cui Lingna , Yang Yunlong , Liu Yuejun
Published: September 2023

This paper presents the research results on the rheological behavior of Polyamide 6 (PA6) film during uniaxial stretching. The creep and relaxation tests of PA6 films were conducted on dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tester under uniaxial tensile conditions. And analyzed the PA6 film creep behavior under different stress and temperature, the stress relaxation behavior under different strain. With the increase of temperature or stress, the creep behavior of PA6 film was enhanced. With the increase of strain, the relaxation of PA6 film showed an enhanced tendency. Fractional-order Maxwell model, fractional-order Kelvin model and fractional-order linear body model were used to fit and analyze the experimental data under different conditions. The results showed that the fractional-order linear body model was better suited for describing the rheological behavior of PA6 film under uniaxial stretching. Then, the fractional-order linear body model was used to fit and analyze the creep and relaxation curves under different conditions, and the rheological properties of PA6 film were discussed according to the fitting results. The results indicated that the rheological elements in the internal microstructure of PA6 film were more easily activated under high stress state, and the macroscopic viscous characteristics were more obvious under high strain state. The above results will provide a theoretical basis to further explore the deformation mechanism of PA6 film during tensile tests.
Synthesis, physicochemical characteristics, cytocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of iron-doped biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles with incorporation of silver
Authors: Nie Lei , Chang Pengbo , Okoro Oseweuba Valentine , Ayran Musa , Gunduz Oguzhan , Hu Kehui , Wang Tianwen , Shavandi Amin
Published: September 2023

The application of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has been widely explored due to its extensively documented multi-functionality. The present study attempts to synthesize a new type of BCP nanoparticles, characterised with favourable cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties via modifications in their structure, functionality and assemblage, using dopants. In this regard, this study initially synthesized iron-doped BCP (FB) nanoparticles with silver subsequently incorporated into FB nanoparticles to create a nanostructured composite (FBAg). The FB and FBAg nanoparticles were then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that silver was present in the FBAg nanoparticles, with a positive correlation observed between increasing AgNO3 concentrations and increasing shape irregularity and reduced particle size distribution. Additionally, cell culture tests revealed that both FB and FBAg nanoparticles were compatible with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). The antibacterial activity of the FBAg nanoparticles was also tested using Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus, and was found to be effective against both bacteria. The inhibition rates of FBAg nanoparticles against E. coli and S. aureus were 33.78 ± 1.69–59.03 ± 2.95%, and 68.48 ± 4.11–89.09 ± 5.35%, respectively. These findings suggest that the FBAg nanoparticles have potential use in future biomedical applications.
Advances in memristor based artificial neuron fabrication-materials, models, and applications
Authors: Bian Jingyao , Liu Zhiyong , Tao Ye , Wang Zhongqiang , Zhao Xiaoning , Lin Ya , Xu Haiyang , Liu Yichun
Published: September 2023

Spiking neural network (SNN), widely known as the third-generation neural network, has been frequently investigated due to its excellent spatiotemporal information processing capability, high biological plausibility, and low energy consumption characteristics. Analogous to the working mechanism of human brain, the SNN system transmits information through the spiking action of neurons. Therefore, artificial neurons are critical building blocks for constructing SNN in hardware. Memristors are drawing growing attention due to low consumption, high speed, and nonlinearity characteristics, which are recently introduced to mimic the functions of biological neurons. Researchers have proposed multifarious memristive materials including organic materials, inorganic materials, or even two-dimensional materials. Taking advantage of the unique electrical behavior of these materials, several neuron models are successfully implemented, such as Hodgkin–Huxley model, leaky integrate-and-fire model and integrate-and-fire model. In this review, the recent reports of artificial neurons based on memristive devices are discussed. In addition, we highlight the models and applications through combining artificial neuronal devices with sensors or other electronic devices. Finally, the future challenges and outlooks of memristor-based artificial neurons are discussed, and the development of hardware implementation of brain-like intelligence system based on SNN is also prospected.
Engineering vascularized organotypic tissues via module assembly
Authors: Zhou Zhenzhen , Liu Changru , Guo Yuting , Pang Yuan , Sun Wei
Published: September 2023

Adequate vascularization is a critical determinant for the successful construction and clinical implementation of complex organotypic tissue models. Currently, low cell and vessel density and insufficient vascular maturation make vascularized organotypic tissue construction difficult, greatly limiting its use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. To address these limitations, recent studies have adopted pre-vascularized microtissue assembly for the rapid generation of functional tissue analogs with dense vascular networks and high cell density. In this article, we summarize the development of module assembly-based vascularized organotypic tissue construction and its application in tissue repair and regeneration, organ-scale tissue biomanufacturing, as well as advanced tissue modeling.
Screening for quality with process analytical technology in a health-system pharmacy: A primer
Authors: Almeter Philip J , Isaacs James T , Hunter Aaron N , Lyman Thomas A , Zapata Stephanie P , Henderson Bradley S , Larkin Seth A , Long Lindsey M , Bossle Megan N , Bhaktawara Smaran A , Warren Matthew F , Lozier Austin M , Melson Joshua D , Fraley Savannah R , Relucio Eunice Hazzel L , Felix Margaret A , Reynolds Jeffrey W , Naseman Ryan W , Platt Thomas L , Lodder Robert A
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The University of Kentucky Drug Quality Study team briefly reviews the growing concerns over pharmaceutical manufacturing quality in the globalized environment, reviews the historical approach by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that prioritizes process over product in enforcing quality with manufacturers, reviews the science of process analytical technology (PAT) such as near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, illustrates the use of PAT methods for assessing uniformity and quality in injectable pharmaceuticals, and demonstrates the application of NIR spectroscopy in a health-system pharmacy setting while maintaining current good practice quality guidelines and regulations (cGxP).

Given that the current approach to monitoring quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing was developed in the late 1960s at a time when manufacturing was mostly domestic, the current approach prioritizes process over product, and the global footprint of manufacturing is straining federal resources to fulfill their task of monitoring quality, an approach to augment the quality monitoring process has been developed. PAT methodologies are supported by FDA for monitoring quality and offer a fast, low-cost, nondestructive solution. Given that the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education has not required qualitative/quantitative analysis and drug assaying in the pharmacy curriculum for several decades, the authors spend time explaining the science behind one of these PAT methodologies, NIR spectroscopy. This primer reviews the application of this technology in the health-system pharmacy setting and the relevant clinical applications.

Conclusion

Utilizing PAT methodologies such as NIR spectroscopy, health-system pharmacies can gain insights about whether process controls are in place or lacking in FDA-approved formulations.
An integrated analysis identifies six molecular subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma revealing cellular and molecular landscape
Authors: Li Lixing , Shen Lu , Wu Hao , Li Mo , Chen Luan , Zhou Qiang , Ma Jingsong , Huai Cong , Zhou Wei , Wei Muyun , Zhao Mingzhe , Zhao Xianglong , Du Huihui , Jiang Bixuan , Sun Yidan , Zhang Na , Qin Shengying , Xing Tonghai
Published: September 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has been found to have a high mortality rate. Despite continuous efforts, current histopathological classification is insufficient to guide individualized therapies of PDA. We first define the molecular subtypes of PDA (MSOP) based on a meta-cohort of 845 samples from 11 PDA datasets. We then performed functional analyses involving immunity, fibrosis and metabolism. We recognized six molecular subtypes with different survival statistics and molecular composition. The squamous basal-like (SBL) subtype had a poor prognosis and high infiltration of ENO1+ (Enolase 1)/ADM+ (Adrenomedullin) cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The immune mesenchymal-like (IML) subtype and the normal mesenchymal-like (NML) subtype were characterized by genes associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) activities and immune responses, having favorable prognoses. IML was featured by elevated exhausted immune signaling and inflammatory CAFs infiltration, whereas NML was featured with myofibroblastic CAFs infiltration. The exocrine-like (EL) subtype was high in exocrine signals, while the pure classical-like (PCL) subtype lacked immunocytes infiltration. The quiescent-like (QL) subtype had diminished metabolic signaling and high infiltration of NK cells. SBL, IML and NML were enriched in innate anti-PD-1 resistance signatures. In sum, this MSOP depicts a vivid cell-to-molecular atlas of the tumor microenvironment of PDA and might facilitate to design a precise combination of therapies that target immunity, metabolism and stroma.
Reconciling two concepts of money: Karl Marx and Tony Lawson
Authors: Li Xiuhui
Published: September 2023

There are two fundamental theories of the nature of money: the commodity theory and the credit theory. These theories, with their contrasting core emphases on a commodity or on debt, are widely recognised as being wholly incompatible. However, we argue that the core emphases at least are reconcilable in determining a more sustainable way of conceptualising money. We demonstrate, first, the fatal problems of the two conceptions of money, and the necessity of reconciling their contrasting core emphases to address the puzzle of money. Second, we find another theoretical tradition represented by Karl Marx and Tony Lawson that provides methods to achieve the desired reconciliation. Marx applies duality analysis to the nature of money, and Lawson draws on social positioning theory. This paper can aid scholars in better understanding the nature of money.
NLRP3 Inhibition Leads to Impaired Mucosal Fibroblast Function in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Weber Simone , Sitte Selina , Voegele Anna-Lena , Sologub Ludmilla , Wilfer Angelika , Rath Timo , Nägel Andreas , Zundler Sebastian , Franchi Luigi , Opipari Anthony W , Sonnewald Sophia , Reid Stephen , Hartmann Arndt , Eichhorn Philip , Handtrack Claudia , Weber Klaus , Grützmann Robert , Neufert Clemens , Schellerer Vera S , Naschberger Elisabeth , Ekici Arif B , Büttner Christian , Neurath Markus F , Atreya Raja
Published: September 2023

Background and Aims

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by mucosal inflammation and sequential fibrosis formation, but the exact role of the hyperactive NLRP3 inflammasome in these processes is unclear. Thus, we studied the expression and function of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the context of inflammation and fibrosis in IBD.

Methods

We analysed intestinal NLRP3 expression in mucosal immune cells and fibroblasts from IBD patients and NLRP3-associated gene expression via single-cell RNA sequencing and microarray analyses. Furthermore, cytokine secretion of NLRP3 inhibitor treated blood and mucosal cells, as well as proliferation, collagen production, and cell death of NLRP3 inhibitor treated intestinal fibroblasts from IBD patients were studied.

Results

We found increased NLRP3 expression in the inflamed mucosa of IBD patients and NLRP3 inhibition led to reduced IL-1β and IL-18 production in blood cells and diminished the bioactive form of mucosal IL-1β. Single cell analysis identified overlapping expression patterns of NLRP3 and IL-1β in classically activated intestinal macrophages and we also detected NLRP3 expression in CD163+ macrophages. In addition, NLRP3 expression was also found in intestinal fibroblasts from IBD patients. Inhibition of NLRP3 led to reduced proliferation of intestinal fibroblasts, which was associated with a marked decrease in production of collagen type I and type VI in IBD patients. Moreover, NLRP3 inhibition in intestinal fibroblasts induced autophagy, a cellular process involved in collagen degradation.

Conclusions

In the presented study, we demonstrate that inhibiting NLRP3 might pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches in IBD, especially to prevent the severe complication of intestinal fibrosis formation.
Genetic adaptations in the population history of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Kishino Hirohisa , Nakamichi Reiichiro , Kitada Shuichi
Published: September 2023

A population encounters a variety of environmental stresses, so the full source of its resilience can only be captured by collecting all the signatures of adaptation to the selection of the local environment in its population history. Based on the multiomic data of Arabidopsis thaliana, we constructed a database of phenotypic adaptations (p-adaptations) and gene expression (e-adaptations) adaptations in the population. Through the enrichment analysis of the identified adaptations, we inferred a likely scenario of adaptation that is consistent with the biological evidence from experimental work. We analyzed the dynamics of the allele frequencies at the 23,880 QTLs of 174 traits and 8,618 eQTLs of 1,829 genes with respect to the total SNPs in the genomes and identified 650 p-adaptations and 3,925 e-adaptations [false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.05]. The population underwent large-scale p-adaptations and e-adaptations along 4 lineages. Extremely cold winters and short summers prolonged seed dormancy and expanded the root system architecture. Low temperatures prolonged the growing season, and low light intensity required the increased chloroplast activity. The subtropical and humid environment enhanced phytohormone signaling pathways in response to the biotic and abiotic stresses. Exposure to heavy metals selected alleles for lower heavy metal uptake from soil, lower growth rate, lower resistance to bacteria, and higher expression of photosynthetic genes were selected. The p-adaptations are directly interpretable, while the coadapted gene expressions reflect the physiological requirements for the adaptation. The integration of this information characterizes when and where the population has experienced environmental stress and how the population responded at the molecular level.
Understanding Boredom and Leisure in Later Life: A Systematic Review
Authors: An Jaesung , Payne Laura L , Lee Milae , Janke Megan C
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives

Anecdotal evidence and references to boredom appear frequently in mass media, but only a few studies directly examine the phenomenon of boredom, and existing literature within the context of leisure has primarily focused on adolescents. Social isolation and loneliness often intertwine with boredom, and chronic conditions are major factors that increase the risk of experiencing boredom in later life. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the significance of boredom among older adults and assess the existing literature to gain a more holistic understanding of boredom and how it has been studied among older adults in the context of leisure.

Research Design and Methods

Following the PRISMA guidelines, this study gathered literature from 5 electronic databases through December 2022. This systematic review investigated both qualitative and quantitative evidence, and standardized data extraction and study quality assessments were conducted.

Results

A comprehensive search initially revealed 2,757 potentially relevant articles, 8 of which met the full inclusion criteria. Three studies investigated the phenomenon of leisure-boredom, and 5 studies assessed the experience of boredom in general and its relationship with leisure engagement. A majority of the studies, especially ones that examined older adults’ experience of overall boredom experience, lacked a thorough description of the phenomenon and did not use reliable and/or valid measurements.

Discussion and Implications

Findings from 8 articles offer insights into boredom; however, the discussion examines the limitations of these studies and reasons why studying boredom is important. We also speculate as to why little research has addressed leisure boredom among older adults and propose a research agenda for increasing our understanding of the ways older adults experience boredom, the effects boredom has on health and well-being, and how boredom can be alleviated and/or managed in the context of leisure.
Association of health literacy with smoking behavior among Chinese men
Authors: Wang Lanlan , Li Yinghua , Li Li , Zhang Gang
Published: September 2023

Health literacy may constitute a modifiable determinant of smoking behavior and intention to quit. Little is known about the extent to which health literacy affects smoking or quitting smoking. We assessed the nationally representative cross-sectional datasets from the China Health Literacy Surveillance (CHLS) initiated in 2018. Using polytomous logistic regression models, the study investigated the association of health literacy with smoking behavior and the intention to quit smoking among men aged 15–69 in China. After confounding factors were controlled, compared with having below basic health literacy, having adequate health literacy appeared to be an independent protective factor from current smoking [current smoking vs never smoking: adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.81–0.96; p = 0.003; current smoking vs former smoking: adjusted OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64–0.92; p = 0.003], while having intermediate health literacy was associated with current smoking vs never smoking (adjusted OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.17; p = 0.011) or former smoking vs never smoking (adjusted OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06–1.40; p = 0.005). And having adequate health literacy was associated with intending to quit among current smokers (adjusted OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10–1.42; p < 0.001). Findings provide evidence that health literacy may serve as a critical and independent protective factor for reducing poor smoking behavior or enhancing cessation intention among men. Efforts should focus on developing and evaluating intervention to control tobacco use among men with low health literacy level.
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on life expectancy in Australia, 2020-22
Authors: Adair Tim , Houle Brian , Canudas-Romo Vladimir
Published: September 2023

Background

Australia provides a valuable international case study of life expectancy during the pandemic. In contrast to many other countries, it experienced relatively stringent restrictions and low COVID-19 mortality during 2020–21, followed by relaxation of these restrictions when high vaccination rates were achieved. This study measures Australia’s life expectancy trends and the contributions of age group and causes of death, during the pandemic.

Methods

Trends in life expectancy at birth in Australia and its states and territories were measured from 2020 to 2022. The contributions of age group and cause of death to these trends were measured using decomposition methods. Life expectancy was compared with other high-income countries.

Results

Australia’s life expectancy fell by more than half a year in 2022, following a sharp increase in 2020 and moderate decline in 2021. For the 3 years 2020 to 2022, life expectancy was 0.13 years (95% confidence interval 0.07-0.19) higher for males and 0.09 years (0.03-0.14) higher for females versus 2017–19. Australia’s life expectancy increase in 2020 was larger than that in the vast majority of other high-income countries, but its decline in 2022 was greater than in other countries whose life expectancy rose in the first year of the pandemic. The small negative contribution of COVID-19 deaths to life expectancy in Australia was more than offset by lower non-communicable disease mortality. There were only small differences in life expectancy change between the states with the most stringent restrictions (Victoria and New South Wales) and the rest of Australia.

Conclusions

Australia’s life expectancy trends during 2020–22 were relatively favourable compared with other high-income countries, with the exception of its sharp decline in 2022 once restrictions were loosened.
Transversal Generalizations of Hyperplane Equipartitions
Authors: Frick Florian , Murray Samuel , Simon Steven , Stemmler Laura
Published: September 2023

The classical Ham Sandwich theorem states that any $d$ point sets in ${\mathbb {R}}^{d}$ can be simultaneously bisected by a single affine hyperplane. A generalization of Dolnikov asserts that any $d$ families of pairwise intersecting compact, convex sets in ${\mathbb {R}}^{d}$ admit a common hyperplane transversal. We extend Dolnikov’s theorem by showing that families of compact convex sets satisfying more general non-disjointness conditions admit common transversals by multiple hyperplanes. In particular, these generalize all known optimal results to the long-standing Grünbaum–Hadwiger–Ramos measure equipartition problem in the case of two hyperplanes. Our proof proceeds by establishing topological Radon-type intersection theorems and then applying Gale duality in the linear setting. For a single hyperplane, this gives a new proof of Dolnikov’s original result via Sarkaria’s non-embedding criterion for simplicial complexes.
A Method for Extending Target Regions of Genomic Profiling by Combining a Custom Probe Pool with a Commercial Targeted Panel
Authors: Kukita Yoji , Kunimasa Kei , Akazawa Takashi , Mizote Yu , Tahara Hideaki
Published: September 2023

Background

Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based genomic profiling is becoming widespread in determining treatment policies for patients with tumors. Commercially available gene panels for pan-tumor targets comprise hundreds of tumor-related genes but frequently lack genes of interest in specific tumor types. In this study, we demonstrate a method for extending target regions of genomic profiling by combining a custom probe pool with a commercial targeted panel.

Methods

We used TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) as a commercial targeted panel and a custom probe pool designed for all exons of the SMARCA2 gene. Sequencing libraries of custom targets were constructed using a portion of the TSO500 library solution before the hybridization-capture process. After hybridization capture, both libraries were combined and sequenced using a next-generation sequencer.

Results

Sequencing results showed that >96.8% and 100% of the target exons were covered at a depth of over 100× using the TSO500 and custom panels, respectively. The custom panels had slightly better median exon coverage than the TSO500. The combined libraries of the custom and TSO500 panels showed a mapped read ratio close to the mixing ratio. Analysis of mutation-free regions showed similar accuracies between the TSO500 and custom panels regarding variant calling.

Conclusions

Our devised method easily and affordably extends the targets beyond a ready-made panel. This method provides a valuable solution until the widespread adoption of whole-exome sequencing, which is costly for large target sizes.
Effects of the F94L myostatin gene mutation in beef × dairy crossed cattle on strip loin steak dimensionality, shear force, and sensory attributes
Authors: Waller Bryanne E , Whitewood Tatum A , Woerner Dale R , Garcia Samuel R , Wulf Duane M
Published: September 2023

Carcasses (n = 115) from steers resulting from the mating of four Limousin × Angus sires heterozygous for the F94L myostatin mutation to Jersey, Jersey × Holstein, and Holstein dams were utilized to evaluate the effects of one copy of the F94L allele on strip loin dimensionality, Warner–Bratzler shear force and slice shear force, and sensory panel ratings. In phase I of a two-phase study, 57 carcasses from two sires were utilized to obtain samples of longissimus dorsi (LD), psoas major (PM), gluteus medsius (GM), semitendinosus (ST), serratus ventralis, triceps brachii, and biceps femori muscles, which were vacuum packaged, aged until 10 d postmortem, and frozen. Frozen strip loins were cut into 14, 2.5-cm-thick steaks each, and individual strip loin steaks were imaged at a fixed height on a gridded background and processed through image analysis software. In phase II, to obtain a greater power of test for LD palatability attributes, 58 additional carcasses from three sires were utilized to obtain LD samples only for sensory panel and shear force analysis. Cooked steak sensory attributes evaluated by trained panelists were tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor, browned flavor, roasted flavor, umami flavor, metallic flavor, fat-like flavor, buttery flavor, sour flavor, oxidized flavor, and liver-like flavor. In strip loin steaks from carcasses with one F94L allele, LD muscle area was larger in steaks 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9, and steaks 1, 6, 7, and 9 were less angular than those from carcasses with no F94L allele (P < 0.05). Of the seven muscles observed, there were no shear force differences between F94L genotypes (P > 0.20). F94L genotype did not affect sensory panel ratings of LD and GM steaks (P > 0.07). Cooked ST steaks from carcasses with one F94L rated lower in fat-like flavor compared to those from carcasses with no F94L allele (P = 0.035). Cooked PM steaks from carcasses with one F94L allele rated lower in juiciness, fat-like flavor, buttery flavor, and umami flavor compared to those with no copies of the F94L (P < 0.04). In summary, one copy of the F94L allele utilized in beef × dairy cross steers improved strip loin steak dimensionality, did not affect cooked steak tenderness across seven muscles, and decreased fat-associated flavors in the PM and ST. The use of F94L homozygous terminal beef sires would be an easily implemented strategy for dairy producers to improve steak portion size and shape in carcasses from nonreplacement calves.