bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Marine Algae-Derived Phycocyanin Nanoparticles as Safe and Effective Sunscreen Ingredients
Authors: Cao Jin , Zheng Xiaodan , Li Zhiye , Zheng Mingxue , Qian Chenyao , Shen Song , Qi Xueyong
Published: July 2023

UV radiation poses risks to human skin, including skin cancer. Synthetic chemical sunscreens that protect against UV radiation can have health and environmental concerns. Researchers are studying natural molecules that absorb UV light to find safer alternatives. Marine algae, with unique bioactive substances developed to survive extreme marine conditions, have gained attention as natural photoprotective agents. In this study, phycocyanin nanoparticles (PCNP) were fabricated and characterized using genipin as a crosslinker. PCNP showed a normal particle size distribution, with an average diameter of 175.2 nm. Both PC and PCNP exhibited excellent biocompatibility and did not harm cells. They also demonstrated concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, effectively scavenging free radicals. PCNP had enhanced UV radiation absorption, particularly in the UVB range, likely due to the synergistic effect between PC's internal capacity and the advantages of nanoparticles in the PCNP gel. The PCNP gel showed limited skin permeability, indicating its safety and suitability for topical application, making it a potential candidate as a safe and effective sunscreen ingredient.
What does virtual reality tell us about emotion recognition deficits in psychopathy? Evidence from a new paradigm.
Authors: Pereira Leonor , Pasion Rita , Paiva Tiago O. , Neves Rui , Lima Camilla , Barbosa Fernando
Published: July 2023

Certain aspects of social deviance in psychopathy can be explained by deficits in recognizing facial expressions of emotion. Still, important questions remain unanswered regarding this relationship especially because literature still lacks: (a) a dimensional approach to psychopathy integrating the dominant models in the field; (b) multi-level data from behavioral ratings to physiological indicators; and (c) tasks providing high ecological validity by resorting into virtual reality (VR). This study aims to address these issues. The sample included 83 community-dwelling adult volunteers. Psychopathic dimensions of personality were measured with the Triarchic Measure of Psychopathy and Self-Report Psychopathy. Participants completed a VR task, which required them to identify avatars’ emotional facial expressions (happiness, sadness, fear, and neutral) under different eye-gaze conditions (eye contact 20% or 80% of the time). Behavioral ratings and eye-tracking data were collected. We hypothesized that fearlessness psychopathy traits would be related to increased deficits in fear recognition and less attention toward the eyes. No evidence was found however for emotion recognition deficits in psychopathy – although sadness was rated as a more positive-valenced emotion in individuals scoring higher in affective-psychopathic traits. Less attention toward the eyes was found uniquely in disinhibition traits. We discuss these results in light of their implications for how social information is processed and encoded in psychopathy.
Expression analysis of BACH1 with clinical variables using the US breast cancer patient cohort
Authors: Dowling N. Maritza , Khramtsova Galina , Olopade Olufunmilayo , Lee Bok-Soon , Lee Jiyoung
Published: July 2023

Background
Studies on functional roles of BACH1 reveal that BACH1 promotes cancer metastasis and regulates metabolic networks for metastatic processes. However, little is known about BACH1 protein expression in breast tumors and its relevance to clinical variables as a biomarker for patients with breast tumors.
Methods
Using a tissue microarray (TMA) of breast tumor tissues isolated from a patient cohort (N = 130) expression of BACH1 and its target gene MCT1 (encoded by SLC16A1) were monitored by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays and scored for further analyses. We examined the association between scores of BACH1 (Allredscoretotal) or MCT1 (Hscoretotal3x2x1x) with clinical variables including: breast cancer subtypes, tissue types, tumor size, patient’s racial/ethnic background, and age group. Groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test (or the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test when appropriate) for numerical data. A proportional odds ordinal logistic model was used to examine multiple covariates. Associations between variables were evaluated with the Spearman’s correlation coefficient.
Results
BACH1 and MCT1 expression were detected in 90.76% (N = 118/130) and 92.30% (N = 120/130) of patients by IHC, respectively, in our study. After dichotomizing tumor size (small: 3–25 in diameter vs. big: 27–85 mm in diameter), BACH1 expression scores were significantly higher (p = 0.015) in the bigger tumor group (mean [SD]; 4.20 [1.796]) compared with the smaller tumor group (3.920 [1.693]). Of interest, we also observed significantly higher BACH1 scores (p = 0.004) in tumors from Black women (3.971 [1.514]; N = 69) compared with those of White women (3.02 [1.942]; N = 49). Consistent with mRNA expression analysis, BACH1 expression is most abundant in the basal-like tumors among all subtypes, specifically in Black women, whereas MCT1 expression scores are considerably higher in the basal-like tumors regardless of race. In addition, there was a positive association between BACH1 and MCT1 IHC scores in tumors from Black women, although a weak association between them in tumors from White women. In general, we did not detect associations between MCT1 IHC scores and race, tumor size, tissue types, or patient’s age.
Conclusions
We found strong associations of BACH1 expression with tumor size and the basal-like subtype, respectively. Importantly, BACH1 expresses significantly higher in tumors from Black women than White women, as well as in the basal-like subtype of breast tumors from Black women. Our study suggests that BACH1 expression could serve as a potential race-associated biomarker indicating poor prognosis.
Enhancing Accuracy in Cost Estimation for Façade Works: Integration of Case Based Reasoning, Random Forest, and Artificial Neural Network Techniques
Authors: Luong-Duc Long , Anh-Thong Kim
Published: July 2023

Cost management plays a very important role in the success of the project. Good, timely and prompt control of costs can ensure project implementation progress as well as project efficiency. Currently, to shorten the construction time, the investors have contracted in the form of Design & Build. Therefore, accurate cost estimation at the early stage can increase the competitiveness of the contractor. The estimates currently in use lack high accuracy. Therefore, this paper intends to introduce new computational methods and more accuracy which base on Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, particulars: Case Based Reasoning (CBR), Random Forest (RF) model and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). In order to be materialized and easy to understand, the above methods will be applied in estimating the cost of facade work which normally, account for about 20-30% of the total construction cost. Thus, creating models provide the accuracy of the cost at the early stages of the project very helpful for decision maker. Solver in the excel tool, Python 3.10.9 and Spyder IDE 5.4.1 and SPSS Neural Networks 22 by IBM Software Group were used to establish the model for CBR, RF and ANN respectively. The cost data of thirty-six actual cases of residential building projects were used as examination, the data was randomly separated from the data set for training and testing purposes.
Preparation of block copolymer-stabilised microspheres of common polymers and their use as microplastics proxies in degradation studies
Authors: Madsen Jeppe , Rech Arianna , Hartmann Nanna B. , Daugaard Anders E.
Published: July 2023

The environmental fate and impact of microplastics as well as their possible physiological effects, are expected to depend on their physico-chemical characteristics, including polymer types and surface chemistry. There is thus a clear need to develop a broad range of model microplastic particles to study the fate and effects of environmentally relevant microplastics. Here, a simple one-pot procedure to prepare sub-10 µm poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG)-stabilised glycol modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETG), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycarbonate (PC) and polycaprolactone (PCL) particles is described. The prepared particles can be dried and directly re-suspended in water, making them easy to handle and relevant mimics of microplastics. In addition the method was extended to prepare somewhat larger polyethylene-based (PE) particles and control PET particles were also prepared. Selected microparticles were subjected to aerobic biodegradation studies and compared with non-stabilised PET particles. All particles exhibited some degradation. For PLA and PET particles, the degradation corresponded well to the amount of surface stabilising MPEG groups or known impurities, confirming that these polymers do not degrade under the applied conditions but that the stabilising groups do. PCL particles degraded relatively rapidly, consistent with literature data and their relatively small size. PE-based particles degraded more than expected if only degradation of the stabilising groups was taken into account, indicating that the surface chemistry of these particles plays a role in bulk degradation. These studies thus demonstrate the effect of varying the type of polymer and improves the understanding of how surface chemistry affects the degradation of microparticles.
Immune-Related Genes for the Prediction of Response to Imatinib therapy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Yang Pu , Yu Qian
Published: July 2023

Background. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant hyperplastic tumor that originates from pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. The introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has significantly enhanced the survival rate of CML patients. This study aimed to identify immune-related genes (IRGs) associated with the response to imatinib therapy in CML. Methods. We obtained gene expression profiles of CML patients treated with imatinib from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The patients were classified into high- and low-score groups based on their immune score, as determined by the ESTIMATE algorithm. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed IRGs in CML. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to investigate potential mechanisms. Hub genes were identified using the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The predictive value of these genes was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Furthermore, we validated these genes in an independent cohort of patients treated with imatinib. Results. The immune score emerged as a novel predictor of response to imatinib therapy in CML. A total of 428 differentially expressed IRGs were identified. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the IRGs were involved in immune-related pathways, such as the T cell receptor signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. Based on five modules in WGCNA and the top-ranked degree, 10 hub genes were identified. ROC curve analysis indicated that IL10RA, SCN9A, and SLC26A11 genes may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting the response to imatinib. Conclusion. These findings enhance our understanding of the functional characteristics and immune-related molecular mechanisms involved in the response to imatinib and provide potential predictive biomarkers.
RUNX1-ETO and CBFβ-MYH11 converge on aberrant activation of BCAT1 to confer a therapeutic vulnerability in core binding factor-acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Wang Siyang , Liu Yabin , Zhao Xujie , Wang Xiaoling , Lou Jiacheng , Jin Peng , Zhang Yi , Wang Kankan
Published: July 2023

Background: Effective targeted therapy is an unmet clinical need for core binding factor-acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) characterized by RUNX1-ETO and CBFb-MYH11 fusions. However, therapeutically targeting oncogenic fusions involving transcription factors remains challenging. Recent studies point to aberrant amino acid metabolisms as actionable therapeutic targets.
Methods: We analyzed the expression of BCAT1in a large cohort of AML patients and a series of AML cell lines. Altered BCAA metabolism was assessed by metabolic profiling. Transcriptional activation of BCAT1by RUNX1-ETO and CBFb-MYH11 fusions was determined by ChIP-seq data, luciferase reporter assays, genetic manipulation, and chromatin conformation analysis. Anti-leukemic effects of inhibiting BCAT1 by genetic and pharmaceutical approaches were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.
Results: High expression of BCAT1was exclusively found in CBF-AML patients and subsequently led to reprogrammed BCAA metabolism. Mechanistically, RUNX1-ETO and CBFb-MYH11 fusion proteins bound to chromatin to activate BCAT1 expression in a similar wild-type RUNX1-dependent manner through rewiring the chromatin conformation at the BCAT1gene locus. Functionally, BCAT1 inhibition resulted in blunted cell cycle, enhanced apoptosis, and myeloid differentiation of CBF-AML cells in vitro, pointing to critical dependence on BCAA metabolism. Strikingly, in vivotherapeutic effects of inhibiting BCAT1 by its specific inhibitor, Gabapentin, were evidenced by delayed leukemia progression and improved survival using the xenografted mouse model.
Conclusions: RUNX1-ETO and CBFβ-MYH11 converge on aberrant activation of BCAT1, representing a targeted therapeutic opportunity for CBF-AML.
A Combination of Structure-based Virtual Screening and Experimental Strategies to Identify the Potency of Caffeic Acid Ester Derivatives as SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro Inhibitor from an In-house Database
Authors: Pojtanadithee Piyatida , Isswanich Kulpornsorn , Buaban Koonchira , Chamni Supakarn , Wilasluck Patcharin , Deetanya Peerapon , Wangkanont Kittikhun , Langer Thierry , Wolschann Peter , Sanachai Kamonpan , Rungrotmongkol Thanyada
Published: July 2023

Drug development requires significant time and resources, and computer-aided drug discovery techniques that integrate chemical and biological spaces offer valuable tools for the process. This study focused on the field of COVID-19 therapeutics and aimed to identify new active non-covalent inhibitors for 3CLpro, a key protein target. By combiningin silicoandin vitroapproaches, an in-house database was utilized to identify potential inhibitors. The drug-likeness criteria was considered to pre-filter 553 compounds from 12 groups of natural products. Using structure-based virtual screening, 296 compounds were identified that matched the chemical features of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpropeptidomimetic inhibitor pharmacophore models. Subsequent molecular docking resulted in 43 hits with high binding affinities. Among the hits, caffeic acid analogs showed significant interactions with the 3CLproactive site, indicating their potential as promising candidates. To further evaluate their efficacy, enzyme-based assays were conducted, revealing that two ester derivatives of caffeic acid (4kand4l) exhibited more than a 30% reduction in 3CLproactivity. Overall, these findings suggest that the screening approach employed in this study holds promise for the discovery of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. Furthermore, the methodology could be extended for optimization or retrospective evaluation to enhance molecular targeting and antiviral efficacy of potential drug candidates.
Perception of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic – a German service user survey
Authors: Ni Elisabeth , Hörger Jana , Schulz Maike , Botros Christina , Glotz Sabine , Spiegel Jennifer , Memarzadeh Sonja , Schwarz Julian , Rüsch Nicolas , Peter Sebastian , Frasch Karel , Saumweber Timo , Hardt Olaf , Bechdolf Andreas , Mahlke Candelaria
Published: July 2023

Purpose
COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions in daily living had society-wide impact on mental health, especially for people with mental disorders. So far, there is little evidence on how the pandemic impacted mental health care provision and perceived access to mental health care.
Methods
We present self-reported data on mental health and mental health service use comparing pre- and peri-pandemic conditions. Data was taken from an online survey promoted via leaflet and mailing lists with n = 189 individuals who at the time of the survey or before used mental health services. Responses were obtained between mid-July 2021 and mid-June 2022.
Results
Respondents were on average 34 years old, 83% were women, and the majority were university students. 38% of respondents regarded their mental illness as severe or very severe. Mental distress increased during the pandemic but returned to baseline after the end of the lockdown measures. One third (32%) of participants said that they delayed (26%) or avoided (6%) mental health treatment; 60% responded that access was restricted due to pandemic-related regulations.
Conclusion
People with mental disorders suffered from decreased mental health during the pandemic. At the same time, they perceived restrictions in mental health care provision and tended to delay mental health treatment due to the COVID-19-related restrictions. This may result in a higher burden of disease following the pandemic.
Trial registration
The study that this research is a part of is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04336527, April 7, 2020, updated May 31, 2023, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04336527.
Fine-grained image processing based on convolutional neural networks
Authors: Miao Zongcheng
Published: July 2023

In the field of computer vision, convolutional neural networks are deep learning algorithms that can classify or detect images by learning image features. In order to achieve advanced recognition and analysis of images, multi-layer neural network models are employed in the discipline of image processing to gather and recall intricate aspects and patterns in the pictures. In this paper, we summarize and analyze the fine-grained image processing methods based on convolutional neural networks, including fine-grained image segmentation, image super-resolution reconstruction, and image edge detection methods. We also analyze the research progress of the three techniques both domestically and internationally. At the same time, experimental comparisons are conducted on mainstream datasets in the corresponding fields to obtain the performance of various fine-grained image processing methods. Finally, the development of convolutional neural networks in the field of fine-grained image processing is prospected.
Cyber-Physical Security Framework for Critical Infrastructure Protection in Power Systems
Authors: Jha Rahul Kumar
Published: July 2023

The increasing instabilities in power transmission and distribution necessitate power grid operators to enhance their utilization of communication infrastructure for the purpose of monitoring and controlling the grid. However, this heightened communication activity also creates a larger vulnerability for malicious individuals. Incidents of cyber-attacks on power grids have already caused significant, temporary blackouts in recent times. This study examines the communication infrastructure of power grids and identifies the fundamental cybersecurity challenges that arise as a result. Subsequently, a wide range of potential attack vectors and scenarios that pose a threat to power grid security are identified. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the adoption of a defense-in-depth strategy that includes measures for device and application security, network security, physical security, as well as policies, procedures, and awareness. Within each of these categories, this paper present a comprehensive collection of cutting-edge approaches and highlight additional opportunities to enhance cybersecurity in interconnected power grids.
Multimodal data integration using machine learning to predict the risk of clear cell renal cancer metastasis: A retrospective multicentre study
Authors: Yang Youchang , Ren QingGuo , Yu Rong , Wang JiaJia , Yuan ZiYi , Jiang QingJun , Guan Shuai , Tang XiaoQiang , Duan TongTong , Meng XiangShui
Published: July 2023

Purpose: To develop and validate a predictive combined model for metastasis in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) by integrating multimodal data.
Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical and imaging data (CT and ultrasound) of patients with ccRCC confirmed by pathology from three tertiary hospitals in different regions were collected from January 2013 to January 2023. We developed three models, including a clinical model, a radiomics model, and a combined model. The performance of the model was determined based on its discriminative power and clinical utility. The evaluation indicators included AUC value, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and DCA(Decision Curve Analysis) curve.
Results:A total of 251 patients were evaluated. Patients (n=166) from Shandong University Qilu Hospital (Jinan) were divided into the training cohort, of which 50 patients developed metastases; patients (n=37) from Shandong University Qilu Hospital (Qingdao) were used as testing set 1, of which 15 patients developed metastases; patients (n=48) from Changzhou Second People's Hospital were used as testing set 2, of which 13 patients developed metastases. In the training set, the combined model showed the highest performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.924) in predicting lymph node metastasis, while the clinical and radiomics models both had AUCs of 0.875 and 0.870, respectively. In the testing set 1, the combined model had the highest performance (AUC, 0.877) for predicting lymph node metastasis, while the AUCs of the clinical and radiomics models were 0.726 and 0.836, respectively. In the testing set 2, the combined model had the highest performance (AUC, 0.849) for predicting lymph node metastasis, while the AUCs of the clinical and radiomics models were 0.708 and 0.804, respectively. The DCA curve showed that the combined model had a significant prediction probability in predicting the risk of lymph node metastasis in ccRCC patients compared with the clinical model or the radiomics model.
Conclusion: The combined model was superior to the clinical and radiomics models in predicting lymph node metastasis in ccRCC patients.
Key parameters of gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting in close-distance seam group
Authors: Hu Chaowen , Yang Xiaojie , Li Qian , Hu Bing , Li Yongyuan , Jiang Qi , Sun Fulong
Published: July 2023

During the process of close-distance seam group mining, the coal pillar in the upper coal seam is a stress-concentrated area, which leads to a loss of stability of the roadway during mining of the lower coal seam. This lack of stability introduces great safety hazards to coal mines. To solve the problem of stress concentration of coal pillars, the method of gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting is proposed to remove the coal pillar. In this study, FLAC3D was used to analyze the depth and angle of pre-split blasting. LS-DYNA was used to analyze the spacing of the blasthole. Using the methods of theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, we determined that the optimal depth of the pre-split blasting was 6 m, the optimal angle for pre-split blasting was 15°, and the optimal spacing of the blasthole was 500 mm. A field test was carried out in the 1010201 ventilation roadway of the Yuwang Coal Mine, China. The on-site peeping results showed that when the spacing of the blasthole is 500 mm, connecting cracks can form under the action of blasting stress. After the working surface is mined, the roof strata could collapse and fill the gob over time when the depth and angle of the pre-split blasting are 6 m and 15°, respectively.
Development and validation of the pharmacist care model and definitions
Authors: Al-Worafi Yaser Mohammed
Published: July 2023

Aims
The aim of this study was to develop and validate the pharmacist care model and definitions
Methodology
The pharmacist care model and definitions were developed and validated based on many steps, including an extensive literature review, experts’ opinions, and the Delphi method. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21 (SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 21.0, IBM Corp., USA). The qualitative part was manually analyzed, then summarized all transcripts.
Results
After an extensive literature review, discussion with experts and three rounds of the Delphi method with 70 international experts, including university professors and pharmacists, the pharmacist care model and definitions were developed and validated. The pharmacist care model contains the following themes: preventive medicine, self-care, dispensing and counselling, diseases and conditions management, patient & medications safety, tele-pharmacy, training pharmacy students and research. Five definitions of pharmacist care were developed during the literature review, qualitative interview, and rounds 1 and 2; however, the consensus was achieved for three definitions only, definition one with 92.42% agreement, definition two with 86.36% agreement and definition three with 80.30% agreement.
Conclusion
The pharmacist care model and definitions were developed and validated have been developed and validated and can be used to represent the actual contribution and impact of pharmacists on the patient’s care and health.
Modeling of the Cervical Spine as a System With Several Degrees of Freedom Subjected to a Non-periodic Excitation Force.
Authors: Kiala Georges Meya , Mosi Fabrice Bosikwa , Temo Vertome Sumuna , Mabenza Betty Miangindula , Bikuku Honoré Nkakudulu , Thsibamba Phyton Kabeya , Kalabo Louise Kikontwe , Kibimbi Patient Ngereza , Muamba Jean Mari Mbuyi
Published: July 2023

Background and rationale:
Previous cervical traction studies have investigated the impact of traction force intensity and duration of traction force on outcomes of cervical traction therapy.
Objective
The present study aims to demonstrate the impact of the intensity of the traction force and the time of the rise of this force on the measurement of separation during cervical spine traction.
Method
the human cervical spine was modeled as a system with eight degrees of freedom, an undamped system subjected, first of all, to a force of rectangular impulse then to a force of progressive intensity (sloping). The equations of motion describing this model were written and then solved using modal analysis. The intensity of the traction force and the time rise of the force were gradually modified in order to verify their impact on the evolution of the increase in intervertebral spaces.
Result
the numerical results showed that the intervertebral spaces calculated using different increments of the rise time (1'', 5'', 10'', 15'' and more) do not differ much and this remains proportional to the gradual increase in the tensile force applied (100N, 150N, 200N). A gradual increase in the intervertebral spaces has also been observed, these spaces being all the higher as the tensile force is greater.
Conclusion
This study confirms the need to monitor the speed of deployment of the traction force (rise time) as well as the progressive evolution of the widening of the intervertebral spaces, proportional to the traction force applied. However, it emphasizes that the time variation of the climb has almost no influence on the gain in intervertebral space. Hence the need on the one hand to monitor the speed of execution of the cervical traction to avoid damage to the anatomo- physiological structures and on the other hand the downward revision of the duration of a cervical traction session.
Charge-Delocalized Triptycene-Based Ionic Porous Organic Polymers as Solid Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Yuan Yufei , Wang Dan-Dong , Zhang Zhengyang , Bang Ki-Taek , Chen Huanhuan , Wang Rui , Wang Yanming , Kim Yoonseob
Published: July 2023

Ideal solid-state electrolytes for lithium (Li) metal batteries should conduct Li+ rapidly with low activation energy, exhibit a high Li+ transference number, form a stable interface with the Li anode, and be electrochemically stable. However, the lack of solid electrolytes that meet all these criteria has remained a considerable bottleneck in the advancement of lithium metal batteries. In this study, we present a design strategy combining all those requirements in a balanced manner. We prepared Li+-coordinated triptycene-based ionic porous organic polymers (Li+@iPOPs). The Li+@iPOPs with imidazolates and phenoxides exhibited a high conductivity of 4.38 mS cm−1 at room temperature, a low activation energy of 0.627 eV, a high Li+ transference number of 0.95, a stable electrochemical window of up to 4.6 V, excellent compatibility with Li metal electrodes, and high stability during Li deposition/stripping cycling. The high performance can be attributed to charge delocalization in the backbone, which facilitates the diffusion of coordinated Li+ through the porous space of the triptycene-based iPOPs. In addition, Li metal batteries assembled using Li+@Trp-Im-O-POPs as the solid electrolyte and a LiFeO4 cathode showed an initial capacity of 114 mAh g−1 and retained 86.7% of the capacity after 200 cycles.
Effect of imatinib on lipopolysaccharide‑induced acute lung injury and endothelial dysfunction through P38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Liu yaru , Li duanyang , li zhenyu , Zhang tianyi , Wang keruo , Liang xue , Zong xiaolong , Yang hong
Published: July 2023

The primary purpose of these research was to demonstrate the preventive effect of IMA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in acute lung injury(ALI) mouse models and Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). LPS stimulation for 24h to induce ALI and inflammation of cells. The pathological results of lungs was evaluated by W/D ratio, pulmonary vascular permeability measurement and immunohistochemistry of myeloperoxidase(MPO). Cell viability was measured using CCK8 assay. Expression of pro-inflammatory mediators was analyzed by RT-PCR and ELISA. The protein level was analyzed by Western blot. The structure of cell junction was detected by immunofluorescence. IMA dose-dependently improved pulmonary pathological damage induced by LPS, reduced the lung wet/dry weight ratio and MPO expression in lung tissue. IMA decreased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) inflammatory cell count, as well as the release of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in blood. Pretreatment with IMA in HUVECs significantly attenuated LPS-induced actin stress fiber formation and VE-cadherin disruption. In addition, IMA down-regulated the mRNA abundances of Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), IL-6 and TNF-α expression, the phosphorylation of protein p-p65, p-IκBα, p-p38, p-ERK and p-JNK induced by LPS were attenuated after IMA treatment in vivo and in vitro. In summary, IMA modulate of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways as well as the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines to prevent cellular damage due to LPS infection. These results indicate that in the treatment of LPS-induced acute lung injury, IMA could be a potential modulator.
WITHDRAWN: Resistance evaluation of eleven potato varieties against potato leaf-roll virus and physiological responses to virus infection
Authors: Bao Sarina , Chen Enfa
Published: July 2023

Potato leaf-roll virus (PLRV) is a prevalent and serious viral disease affecting potato production. Like other viruses, controlling PLRV through selective breeding and planting resistant varieties is the most effective and economical measure. However, in China, commercial potato cultivars have not been well characterized for resistance to PLRV. This study evaluated the resistance of eleven potato varieties and found that infection rates varied significantly among the varieties (ranging from 21–90.7%). Two varieties (Kexin NO.1 and DongNong 308) showed strong resistance to PLRV, while HuTou exhibited tolerance, and NeiShu NO.7, LongShu NO.3, and ZhongShu NO.11 showed moderate resistance. Atlantic and Desiree showed moderate susceptibility, whereas Shepody, Faverita, and Russet Burbank were susceptible to PLRV. Moreover, the study investigated the activities of the Nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in the leaves of different varieties during infection with PLRV, revealing significantly higher levels of NO, SOD, and POD in PLRV-inoculated resistant and moderately resistant varieties compared to susceptible and non-inoculated plants. Moreover, CAT activities were lower in susceptible varieties and decreased significantly in susceptible genotypes than non-inoculated plants. These findings suggest that antioxidant enzymes may play an essential role in the defense mechanism of potato plants against viral infections, emphasizing the practical importance of selective breeding to develop PLRV-resistant potato varieties.
Mass production of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on soybean mill waste inoculated with Burkholderia arboris and planted to sorghum
Authors: Chourasiya Dipanti , Ramesh Aketi , Maheshwari Hemant Singh , Prakash Anil , Drijber Rhae , Sharma Mahaveer P
Published: July 2023

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are being used as a new generation biofertilizers to increase plant growth by improving plant nutrition and bio-protection. However, because of its obligatory nature of plant host, large-scale multiplication of AM propagules is challenging, which limits the scope of its applicability. The purpose of current study was to evaluate Burkholderia arboris’sability to increase AM production in soybean mill waste planted with sorghum as host plant. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design comprising of four inoculation treatments (B. arboris, AM fungi, B. arboris plus AM fungi, and a no inoculum as control) under sterilized and unsterilized conditions. AM production was investigated microscopically through spore density and root colonization, as well as biochemically using AM-specific lipid biomarker, 16:1w5cis derived from neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) fractions from both soil and roots.
Integrating B. arboris with AM fungi in organic amended pots was found to increase AM fungal production by 62.16 spores/g soil and root colonization by 80.85%. Biochemical parameters also increased with B. arboris inoculation: 5.49 nmol PLFA/g soil and 692.68 nmol PLFA/g root and 36.72 nmol NLFA/g soil and 3147.57 nmol NLFA/g root. Additionally, when compared to other combinations, co-inoculation increased glomalin related soil protein and root biomass. The principal component analysis (PCA) further explained the higher contribution of B. arboris to AM fungi multiplication under unsterilized conditions. In conclusion, adding B. arboris to organic potting mixes could be a promising and cost-effective approach of increasing AM inoculum density for commercial production.
Drug-Refractory Irritability and Related Factors in Autistic Children
Authors: Aykutlu Hasan Cem , Bozatlı Leyla , Görker Işık , Okyar Esra , Uzun-Çiçek Ayla , Ucuz İlknur , Doğru Hicran , Baykal Saliha , Bilaç Öznur , Arslan Esra Nisa , Yıldız Nazike , Alnak Alper , Turnalı Nursena , Sobay Nurten Selin
Published: July 2023

Autistic children frequently exhibit irritability (aggression, self-injurious behavior, and severe tantrums), which leads to significant impairments. Two atypical antipsychotics have been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of irritability in autistic children, although a significant percentage of these children do not respond to this treatment. This study aimed to determine the frequency of drug refractory irritability (DRI) and identify the risk factors in a large clinical sample of autistic children. The medical records of 1279 children aged 2–18 years diagnosed with autism and undergoing clinical follow-up were retrospectively analyzed. Socioeconomic and clinical characteristics, co-occurring psychiatric disorders and physical conditions were recorded. Of the 1279 children, 8.2% met the DRI criteria. Older age, low maternal education, low family income, severe autism, language impairment, anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties, GIS and dental problems were found to increase the risk of DRI. Our findings indicate that a significant proportion of the clinical samples of autistic children had DRI. The physical, psychiatric, and environmental risk factors identified in our study also highlight heterogeneity in the etiology of DRI. Further research on DRI is needed to develop treatment and prevention strategies.
Boosting Infrared Target Detection: Unveiling the Power of ResNet-SA and Detection Block
Authors: Lin Jian , Li Shaoyi , Yang Xi , Niu Saisai , Yan Binbin , Fan Yonghua
Published: July 2023

We propose an IR-YOLOv5 to address the limitations of general target detection approaches in infrared scenes. Specifically, IR-YOLOv5 takes into account common issues present in infrared images, such as low resolution, high noise, low contrast, and small targets. To achieve an efficient interaction of information between different channels and obtain rich semantic information of targets in infrared images, the feature extraction network leverages the attention mechanism. Additionally, the detection scheme of YOLOv5 is enhanced, and a detection head designed for small and weak targets is incorporated to improve the detection probability of these targets in infrared images. Furthermore, the method proposes an efficient PANet target recognition network by designing the Detection Block module to effectively reduce the parameter size and ensure real-time operations of the detector while enhancing the detection accuracy. The proposed method is evaluated on the FLIR infrared autonomous driving dataset and outperforms yolov5 with a 4% improvement in mean Average Precision (mAP) and a reduced model parameter size.
Antioxidant genes variants and their interactions affect sperm DNA fragmentation
Authors: Sharif Fadel A. , Ashour Mohammed J. , Abuwarda Hadeer N. , Ismail Soher , Salem Noor , Suleiman Raed , Hassouna Nora
Published: July 2023

Background
Semen possesses a variety of antioxidant defense mechanisms which protect sperm DNA from the damaging effects of oxidative stress. Correlation between antioxidant genes variants and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) level is not sufficiently studied. Therefore, we investigated the association between several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): CYP1A1 (rs1048943A > G), CYP4F2 (rs2108622G > A), NRF2 (rs6721961C > A), PON1 (rs662A > G), NOS3 (rs1799983G > T), GSTM1 (null), CAT (rs1001179C > T), SOD2 (rs4880A > G), GSTP1 (rs1695A > G), PON2 (rs7493G > C), EPHX2 (rs1042064T > C), and AHR (rs2066853G > A) and elevated SDF.
Methods and Results
The study employed a case-control design where, the allele and genotype frequencies of the selected SNPs were compared between 75 semen samples with abnormal SDF (the cases) and 75 samples with normal SDF (the controls). DNA was extracted from the semen samples and allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) was used for genotyping the SNPs. Relevant data were collected from the patients’ records at Al-Basma Fertility Center. Suitable statistical tests and multifactorial dimensionality reduction (MDR) test were used to anticipate SNP-SNP interactions. Comparison of semen parameters revealed significant differences between cases and controls in terms of liquefaction time, sperm total motility, and normal form. Genotype frequencies of NOS3 G > T (GT), SOD2 A > G (AA and AG), EPHX2 T > C (CC and CT), and AHR G > A (GA and GG) were significantly different between cases and controls. Allele frequencies of SOD2 (G-allele), and EPHX2 (T-allele) also significantly varied between cases and controls. MDR analysis revealed that the NOS3, SOD2, EPHX2 SNPs combination has the highest impact on SDF.
Conclusions
The study findings suggest that genetic variations in genes involved antioxidant defenses contribute to abnormal SDF.
Characterizing Tumor Microenvironment and Risk Genes in Lung Adenocarcinoma through scRNA-seq and Bulk RNA-seq Data
Authors: HanZhang  , KaiWang  , Wang Yuhang , Ding Yun , Jia Xiaoteng , Sun Daqiang
Published: July 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is known to play a crucial role in the progression and spread of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the specific characteristics of LUAD and its associated microenvironment have yet to be fully understood. Here, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of 29 single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) samples from 19 LUAD patients, resulting in the construction of a LUAD single-cell atlas. This atlas provides an in-depth characterization of immune cells in the LUAD microenvironment, including CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and myeloid cells. With the combination of scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq of LUAD patients, we identify a set of risk genes and develop a reliable and robust Cox regression model to assess the risk of LUAD patients. Remarkably, the high-risk group assessed by this model exhibits poorer outcomes and demonstrates higher sensitivity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Further investigations into the functional roles of these risk genes reveal a potential interplay between exhausted CD8+ T cells and macrophage polarization. Moreover, we find that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) predominantly participate in antigen processing and presentation through the MHC-II signaling pathway. These findings greatly enhance our understanding of the LUAD microenvironment and hold promising implications for advancing diagnostics and prognosis in LUAD clinical settings.
Synthesis of new dithiocarbamate and xanthate complexes and their application in enrichment processes
Authors: Burdonov A. E. , Vchislo N. V. , Verochkina E. A. , Rozentsveig I. B.
Published: July 2023

Ore flotation is the main and defining technological process in ore benefication and non-ferrous metals production. The flotation process requires the use of a variety of chemical reagents, including collectors, frothers, surface modifiers, and pH regulators. The development and selection of suitable reagents for the processed material play a vital role in efficient flotation. The flotation activity of collectors depends fundamentally on the composition and structure of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic fragments forming the flotation agent molecule, as well as on the nature of the ore that undergoes flotation processing. In this regard, the identification and study of the “substance structure–flotation activity” relation, as well as the search for new effective flotation reagents gain importance within applied organic and organoelement chemistry and related branches of science and technology. In this article, we review syntheses of effective collector reagents, namely xanthates and dithiocarbamates, based on the literature data for the past five years. Where necessary, earlier sources are provided. The reaction conditions and yields of the target compounds are presented using schemes. In addition, we present the results of flotation tests on the surfaces of various ores and the data on the mechanism of concentrate extraction. According to the reviewed publications, the fixation of collector reagents on the surface of minerals can be regarded as a complexation process of the collector functional groups and metal ions located on the surface of the mineral.
Composite membranes for fuel cells
Authors: Lebedeva O. V. , Sipkina E. I.
Published: July 2023

The current ecological situation attracts particular attention to alternative energy sources with no detrimental impact on the ecosystem. In comparison with conventional energy sources, fuel cells exhibit the following advantages: small and compact size, light weight, lack of noise when working, and cost-effectiveness in terms of fuel consumption. Most importantly, fuel cells are environmentally friendly, since no harmful substances are released into the atmosphere during their operation. Their goal is to convert chemical energy from various sources into environmentally friendly electric power. At present, chemical sources of energy are used everywhere, including batteries for mobile phones, laptops, as well as cars and uninterruptible power supplies, to name a few. The main components of solid polymer fuel cells are proton-exchange membranes, the main function of which is to ensure the transfer of protons from the anode to the cathode. The proton conductivity of such materials is determined by the presence of hydrophilic channels that transport mobile protons. The proton-exchange membrane must meet the following requirements: electrochemical and chemical stability in aggressive chemical environments, mechanical and thermal strength, low permeability to reagent gases (fuel and oxidizer), high ion exchange capacity and electrical conductivity, as well as a relatively low cost. This paper considers perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes, organic–inorganic and acid–base composite membranes, as well as hybrid membranes obtained by sol-gel process, which can contribute to the development of technologies related to fuel cells in the future.
A review of current research in the field of chemistry and pharmacology of algae
Authors: Mitishev A. V. , Vodopyanova O. A. , Kurdyukov E. E. , Semenova E. F. , Fednina A. S.
Published: July 2023

Microalgae represent a large group of prokaryotic and eukaryotic, mainly photoautotrophic, single-cell or colony-forming microorganisms. These microorganisms are recognized as renewable, sustainable and economically profitable sources of biofuels and biologically active compounds for the production of drugs and food additives. Microalgae compounds, such as carbohydrates, peptides, lipids and carotenoids, attract particular attention in pharmaceutical biotechnology and medicine due to their antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. In addition, microalgae are suitable organisms for the production of recombinant proteins/ peptides, such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. In this work, we aim to review publications by domestic and foreign researchers on the pharmacological effects of biologically active microalgal compounds. The literature search was performed using the ResearchGate, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar and eLibrary databases covering the period from 2000 to 2022. The article provides information on a wide range of pharmacological effects of biologically active compounds of microalgae, which are shown to exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant, regenerating, hypotensive, immune-stimulating and anti-inflammatory activity. The mechanisms of the main pharmacological effects are described. The main pharmacological effect was established to be the antimicrobial action. The data presented in this review can be useful when determining promising directions for the development of drugs based on algae extracts.