bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective optimization strategy of islanding microgrid based on improved NSGA-II algorithm
Authors: Zhu Xulei , Guo Xingzhong
Published: March 2023

Aiming at the microgrid system with distributed energy sources such as wind, diesel generator, and fuel cell and flexible load in islanding mode, the optimal dispatching model is established to consider the optimal load and reduce the economic cost. This study adopts the improved NSGA-II algorithm, which can improve the optimization efficiency and get the optimal solution better. The simulation analysis of the microgrid in the islanded mode is carried out within a cycle of 24 h. The results of the model show that this strategy can effectively optimize the load curve and reduce the current cost of supply.
Anaerobic acetogenic treatment of palm oil mill effluent for COD removal
Authors: Wajdi M , Muda K
Published: March 2023

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a form of wastewater that is dark brownish and contains a high concentration of contaminants such as chemical oxygen demand (COD). Conventional biological treatments, such as ponding, are widely utilized and require large amounts of land to be occupied for extended periods to cure POME efficiently. The goal of this research is to examine the effect of 5, 7, and 9-day hydraulic retention times on the COD removal of POME in a batch mode utilizing anaerobic acetogenic treatment followed by anaerobic polishing. The findings indicate that increasing HRT improves the removal efficiency of POME treatment. COD had a removal efficiency of 53%, 63%, and 62% for 5,7, and 9 days, respectively. Seven and nine HRT days performed better than five HRT days. This study establishes the suitability of the anaerobic acetogenic process for the treatment of POME.
A comparative review on Malaysia’s water quality index model with international water quality index models for surface water quality classification
Authors: Liang Y Q , Yong E L , Annammala K V , Bidin K , Nainar A , Mazilamani L S , Mohamad N A
Published: March 2023

Water Quality Index (WQI) is a grading and classification system. It is used to quantify the overall water quality status of a water resource for a given location and time. This paper aims at comparing the advantages and the limitations across several different types of WQI models (CCMEWQI, NSFWQI, IWQI, WQI Malaysia), in order to provide suggestions to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of the WQI models. IWQI and CCMEWQI are fully unbiased due to no weightage, however, statistical technique is recommended to be included in parameter selection step to increase its accuracy. WQI Malaysia is less sensitive in detection of emerging contaminants, as it is confined to six target specific parameters. To acquire more comprehensive result, upgrades should be made to optimise parameter selection and weightage assignment of different WQI models. Combined value and weightage method for each subindex could be considered in the WQI index calculation.
Suspended sediment concentration prediction using long short-term memory (LSTM) networks at the Vu Gia Thu Bon catchment, Viet Nam
Authors: Luu D V , Doan T N C , Vo N D
Published: March 2023

Understanding changes in sediment dynamics can significantly impact the sustainable development of the world. Modelling suspended sediment plays a crucial role because it allows decision makers and managers to formulate solutions that can avert the blockage of the sediments in a watershed. Estimates of suspended sediment is useful for global ecosystem service assessments and identify vulnerable aspects under climate change. In this study, it is suggested that the suspended sediment concentration at the Vu Gia-Thu Bon catchment in Vietnam be predicted using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. Both the monthly suspended sediment concentration at the Thanh My station and the monthly runoff data are inputs. The findings compare the actual data to the predicted concentrations of suspended sediment. The training and testing sets use monthly data from 1978 to 2005 and from 2006 to 2019, respectively. To determine the best LSTM model for the catchment, the research analyzes different scenarios with various hyperparameters. The contrast demonstrates that the LSTM model can forecast suspended sediment concentration time series at the catchment.
Parameters of income level and season to determine the rate of household solid waste generation
Authors: Putri N S R , Muda K
Published: March 2023

Household solid waste is the most significant part of municipal solid waste. This research is a case study that proves the effect of economic and climate conditions on solid waste generation rate. The research location is Palembang, Indonesia (2017), with one year’s dry and rainy seasons. This study has more variation in measuring the level of waste generation than previous studies. This study has proven an influence between income levels and climatic conditions on the rate of municipal solid waste generation. Based on the experience of measuring solid waste in the sample, many important aspects have not been analysed and affect the solid waste generation rate. Therefore, more variables are needed for similar research in the future to obtain results that are closest to the conditions in the field.
Research on mechanism of gully consolidation and check dam efficiency in reducing erosion based on GeoWEPP model in Yangjiagou Watershed
Authors: Wang X , Huo A , Zhao Z
Published: March 2023

Soil erosion is an crucial problem faced by ecological management in the world today. As a part of “Gully Consolidation and Highland Protection (GCHP)” project, check dam plays an important role. In this study, the applicability of GeoWEPP model in typical small watersheds of the Loess Plateau was evaluated, and the erosion and sediment production of check dams under the time scale scenarios of 10, 20, 50 and 100 years were simulated to study the response of hydraulic erosion to check dam. The results show that the relative error δ between the runoff data generated by GeoWEPP simulation and the measured data is less than 15%, the correlation coefficient γ is greater than 0.994, and the Nash efficiency coefficient NSE is greater than 0.98, indicating that the model has good applicability. And the results show that with the increase of time, the effect of the check dam in controlling soil erosion has declined. Under the condition that other parameters remain unchanged, the sediment yield changes little in the first 10 or even 20 years after the construction of the check dam. After 50 years, sediment yield increased significantly, and the role played by the silt dam was significantly weakened. This study is of great significance for reducing soil erosion and promoting the sustainable development of the Loess Plateau.
Risk quotient analysis and total maximum daily load estimation for Kedah River, Malaysia
Authors: Ariff F A M , Wahid M A , Ghafar B H A , Ghosh G C
Published: March 2023

Kedah River plays an important role in providing habitat for aquatic plants, animals, and it has been widely used by humans for recreation purposes. However, rapid development and urbanization activities along the river have significantly impacted the surface water quality in the watershed. Nowadays, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is one of the best approaches for restoring an impaired watershed. TMDL is used to identify the maximum concentration of pollutants that a waterbody can receive without violating the water quality standards. This study was intended to conduct a TMDL assessment for five water quality parameters which are turbidity, suspended solids (SS), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3N). The calculation includes identifying the existing load, target pollutant load, and the endurance capacity of load using secondary data adopted from DOE. Risk Quotients (RQs) analysis was included in this TMDL study to address the water health systematically. From the result, most of the existing pollutant from year 2013 to 2017 exceeded the standard value of Class IIA by NWQS especially for SS, BOD, and NH3N.
IoT based real-time monitoring system of rainfall and water level for flood prediction using LSTM Network
Authors: Faudzi A A M , Raslan M M , Alias N E
Published: March 2023

Floods in recent years have frequently resulted in environmental, economic, as well as loss of human life. People are less aware of incoming floods if there is no early warning system. This proposal outlines the design of a monitoring system to obtain real-time data on rain gauge and water level. The monitoring system is based on IoT via a GSM network to provide real-time data cloud and dashboard display on Grafana platform. The rainfall forecasting model used Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to predict future rainfall and water level values which could cause floods. The result was experimented with using historical data since the current data of the monitoring system is insufficient yet to make an accurate prediction. The main findings of the research are the predicted values of streamflow and rainfall for historical data, also water level and rain gauge for new data. The primary result was experimented with using historical data on two rainfall stations and one streamflow. Also, the primary result was experimented with using new data on two water level stations and one rainfall. The forecasting method that applied LSTM showed high accuracy of the result reaching more than 90%. Based on these results, the system can be used as a non-structural solution to alleviate the damage caused by urban floods.
Growth pattern of Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis using CO2 in biogas from anaerobic digestion of tofu wastewater: A preliminary study
Authors: Hamidah U , Cahyani P , Tjandra B , Ajijah N , Widyarani  , Sintawardani N
Published: March 2023

Liquid waste from tofu production can be treated by anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. The main components of biogas are CH4 (methane) and CO2 (carbon dioxide), but usually, biogas also contains water, H2S (hydrogen sulfide) or other sulfuric compounds, and other trace gases and impurities. Therefore, purification and upgrading the biogas are necessary to improve its quality as a fuel. One of the alternative methods of biogas purification is by reducing CO2 content using microalgae culture, which involves the ability of microalgae to use the CO2 in biogas for photosynthesis. In this research, Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis were tested for their ability to grow under biogas produced from anaerobic digestion of tofu wastewater aeration in a batch system. The results indicated that Chlorella vulgaris could grow better than Arthrospira platensis on the same flow rate of input biogas. Despite the ability of Chlorella vulgaris to use CO2 in biogas, the cell numbers in culture aerated with biogas were lower than with air, which indicated an inhibition by biogas on Chlorella vulgaris growth.
Building rating tools integration in building information modeling (BIM)
Authors: Lai K E , Rahiman N A , Ali K N , Kamaruddin T , Shukery N M , Razak I A
Published: March 2023

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has a high potential to assist in designing a green building. Integrating BIM and building rating tools can help designers design buildings that fit the minimum requirements of green certification. Without BIM, green certifications are performed manually and after project completion. Incorporating BIM and building rating tools in the early decision-making process of a project is more significant to enhance building sustainability. The study aims to review the extent of integration of building rating tools with BIM for green certification in the current research. Upon screening the relevant publications, it is discovered that only a small number of studies have been conducted that link BIM and green assessment tools. Only a total of 19 studies are eligible for the review process. The content analysis results of these studies point out that LEED is the most used building rating tool for integration with BIM. The integration is mostly made by using Autodesk Revit and Dynamo. The major focus for the integration is on the energy and atmosphere sub-category as the credit allocation is the highest. More studies integrating the BIM-building rating tool are needed to automate the green certification process.
A mini review and bibliometric analysis of palm oil mill effluent in past five years
Authors: Mohd Pauzi F , Muda K , Basri H F , Omoregie A I , Hong C Y , Aftar Ali N S , Mohamed Najib M Z , Mohd Amin M F , Ismail S , Mohamad Shahimin M F , Dahalan F A
Published: March 2023

Indonesia and Malaysia are countries with the highest palm oil production globally. Indonesia is leading the list, followed by Malaysia and Thailand. Palm oil production generates countless benefits to the economy, environment, and society of the contributed countries. This industry provides high income and collection of methane gas for biogas generation and economy of the local community. However, despite the benefits, this industry has some difficulties, including treating the Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). POME contains a complex microbial structure and a high amount of oil, grease, and suspended solids. The existing treatment of POME consists of many drawbacks that lead to poor quality of the effluent and failure to meet the minimum requirement from the Department of Environment (DOE). Advance Oxidization Process (AOP), bio granulation, and ponding system are among the research that have been tried to treat POME. The local government still uses old-style treatment types such as Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS), ponding system, and anaerobic digester tank. This review paper presents a mini review of positive and negative consequences the palm oil industry as well as examine a bibliometric study towards the modern research development of the POME. This mini review concludes that the palm oil industry encourages the positive impact in economy, environment and social to the many parties especially country and local community. Besides that, the existing treatment of the POME have to be improved appropriate with the increment of the demand and era.
Elemental analysis of air-conditioning insulation materials using X-ray fluorescence
Authors: Zainal Abidin A M
Published: March 2023

Way forward in the Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 (2021) is towards low carbon growth with strategies, such as transition to circular economy which is one of the focus for the research in using recycled materials as a sustainable alternative to the existing heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) insulation materials. In response to the challenges with regards to the green building materials, the study aims to explore potential sustainable alternative HVAC thermal insulation to the existing insulation materials in the market. Rockwool (fibreglass), open cell nitrile rubber, and open cell polyurethane (PU) foam were tested for the presence of metallic and non-metallic elements, and alkalis by way of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The chemical elements present consist of post-transition metals (Silicone and Aluminium), a range of transition metals (Iron, Zinc, and Copper), halogen (Chlorine), non-metal (Sulphur) and alkali earth (Magnesium and Calcium), which may contribute to the insulation material being non-degradable, thus pose a risk to the environment and human beings. Future research area should focus on the feasibility of integrating with recycled or natural materials to reduce the chemical content.
Hybrid shipyard concept for improving green ship recycling competitiveness
Authors: Zainol I , Siow C L , Ahmad A F , Zoolfakar M R , Ismail N
Published: March 2023

This article presents the concept of a hybrid shipyard, a new idea in shipyard design that integrated ship recycling activity into a conventional shipyard. The essence of this hybrid concept is resource sharing and maximising facility utilisation. This article describes the issues arise in ship recycling yards and related works taken to overcome the problems. It also describes the basic process of each segment and includes the relevant aspects of yard facilities and layout based on the previous literature. Furthermore, the shipyard capacity was analysed to explore the available resources in conventional shipyards to adapt ship recycling. Lastly, this article provides insight into the prospect of the hybrid concept to improve ship recycling yard competitiveness.
The effect of Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) on mechanical properties to cemented sludge by FCSS method
Authors: Simarmata D C V , Satomi T , Takahashi H
Published: March 2023

A large amount of high-water content sludge is often generated from the landslide phenomenon. The recycling process is necessary to reduce the soil waste and transportation cost. This work demonstrates an experimental scale recycling process by applying fiber-cement stabilized soil (FCSS) method. FCSS method implements the addition of EFB and cement to the sludge for the soil improvement which is expressed in failure strength and hydraulic conductivity. Therefore, the unconfined compression strength (UCS) and permeability test are conducted with a variative amount of EFB, and cement. The water content used in this work is 60 and 100%. Moreover, the effect of EFB length is examined in the UCS test by applying the 10- and 30-mm length. The results show that the increased amount of EFB and cement inclines the failure strength values. As the target value sets to 123 kPa, most mixing conditions in water 60% satisfies the target while the mixing condition with high EFB and cement are above the target in water 100%. In addition, the 30-mm EFB performs better compared to 10-mm. Therefore, the permeability test applies only 30-mm. In contrast, the increased amount of EFB and cement decreases the hydraulic conductivity.
Spatiotemporal changes of green cover pattern in urban areas of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
Authors: Seevarethnam M , Selvanayagam V , Rusli N
Published: March 2023

Sri Lanka’s cities are subject to varying green cover patterns due to rapid population growth in urban areas. Over the last two decades, urbanization has driven the rampant development of built-up areas, predominantly residential development. As a developing city in Sri Lanka, Batticaloa involves rapid construction development after the civil war. This trend increases pressure on green cover, making the city population more susceptible to urban challenges. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of green cover changes in selected urban areas in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, from 2000 to 2020. Three (3) nearby areas were selected for the study, namely Kallady, Arayamapthy, and Kattankudy. ArcGIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis was used to identify the green cover pattern and changes using Landsat Images. The changing patterns were detected between 2000 - 2010 and 2010 – 2020. The study reveals that the total loss of green cover was high in the first decade, approximately 44.15%, which has slightly increased about 12.58% in the second decade of the selected years. The Kattankudy zone shows a high built-up density, while the Arayampathy zone is low. This pattern has led to the further loss of green cover in the Kattankudy zone, while the other two (2) zones are significantly mixed with the green cover. A significant proportion of the green cover is occupied by the newly built-up areas, mainly residential areas throughout the period. Thus, the green cover conservation should prioritize the built-up expansion to protect the environment. The residential green cover is essential for humans’ daily lives, and one of the most vital mechanisms in the urban green cover system cannot be ignored. This finding can contribute to the land use planning application and make policies to conserve the green cover in the future.
Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma Diagnosed From Serous Effusion by Integration of Cytologic Features and Ancillary Studies
Authors: Li Jinnan , Zhu Xianglan , Deng Xueqin , Zhang Wenyan , Jiang Yong , Wan Yin , Chen Jie , Li Cong , Liu Weiping , Zhao Sha , Su Xueying
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To explore the approach to the diagnosis of malignant serous effusion (SE) caused by angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL).

Methods

The clinical, cytomorphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular features of 6 patients were summarized.

Results

Clinically, SE caused by AITL was predominant in middle-aged and older male patients with multiple SEs and lymphadenopathy. Cytomorphology showed small to medium-sized, irregular lymphocytes with clear cytoplasm and mixed with various inflammatory cells and apoptosis. Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg–like cells were detected in 2 of 6 cases. Furthermore, 2 patterns of cytomorphology were described for the first time. Flow cytometry revealed abnormal T-cell populations with loss of surface CD3 (3/4 cases) and CD7 (3/4 cases). In addition, B-cell populations lacking surface immunoglobulin (Ig) were identified in 2 of 4 cases. Immunocytochemical staining revealed expression of at least 2 T follicular helper markers. Epstein-Barr virus–encoded RNA (EBER)–positive cells were demonstrated in 4 of 5 cases. Clonal T-cell receptor γ chain rearrangement was detected in 6 cases, and 3 of them had concomitant clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangement. Moreover, 2 cases revealed discrepant findings regarding IgH/Igκ rearrangements in cytohistologic correlation.

Conclusions

This study broadens the morphologic spectrum of malignant SE caused by AITL and provides diagnostic criteria in routine practice.
High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma With Malignant Effusions as the Initial Presentation
Authors: Al-Jumaili Zubaidah , Helen Zhang Y , Wang Wei J , Mai Brenda , Wang Xiaohong I , Ahmed Ahmed , Wang Wei , Hu Shimin , James You M , Hu Zhihong
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Malignant effusion is usually caused by metastatic carcinoma. Malignant lymphoma is often not included as a top differential diagnosis of malignant effusion. Here, we describe 3 cases of young female patients with no significant past medical history who presented with fluid overload and were diagnosed with high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL).

Methods

We conducted histopathologic examination and immunophenotypic and cytogenetic analyses on three cases using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and karyotyping. We also included patients’ clinical and radiological findings in our case reports.

Results

Histologic examination of the effusion samples showed numerous intermediate to large lymphoma cells with irregular nuclear contours and fine chromatin. The lymphoma cells were positive for CD10, CD20, BCL2, BCL6, and PAX5 and negative for CD34, cyclin D1, HHV-8, and TdT. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–encoded small RNAs was negative. The proliferation index by Ki-67 stain was more than 80%. Flow cytometry showed CD10-positive B cells with monotypic immunoglobulin light chain expression. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated MYC, BCL2, or BCL6 rearrangements. These 3 patients were diagnosed as having HGBL with double-/triple-hit rearrangements. Despite receiving aggressive chemotherapy, all 3 patients had a dismal clinical course, with 2 patients dying less than 2 years after initial diagnosis.

Conclusions

High-grade B-cell lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnoses of malignant effusions. Flow cytometric and FISH analyses of the body fluid specimens are essential to reach an accurate and timely diagnosis.
Integrated Genomic DNA/RNA Profiling vs Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization in the Detection of MYC and BCL2 (and BCL6) Rearrangements in Large B-Cell Lymphomas: Updates Amid the New WHO Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms
Authors: de Lima Guido Luiz Paulo , Chapman Jennifer , Cassidy Daniel P
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms whose molecular and cytogenetic profile has predictive and prognostic implications. The concept of double-hit lymphomas (DHLs) was recently updated in the fifth edition of the World Health Organization classification, with the exclusion of MYC and BCL6 rearranged tumors from the group. Now, DHLs are referred to as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma/high-grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the current gold standard for detecting rearrangements in LBCLs, but comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) has recently been suggested to be at least as accurate as FISH in classifying these neoplasms and providing additional genetic information.

Methods

We analyzed a cohort of 131 patients in whom FISH and CGP studies were performed as part of our normal clinical workflow and compared the effectiveness of FISH and CGP in detecting these clinically relevant rearrangements.

Results

Our findings are in agreement with our previously published study, which analyzed a cohort of 69 patients, supporting our hypothesis that the best approach to maximize detection of DHLs while limiting waste seems to be a combination of CGP and MYC break-apart FISH testing, the latter to capture the presence of non–IGH::MYC events.

Conclusions

Our study supports the combined use of FISH and GCP rather than either method alone to better detect MYC and BCL2 (and BCL6) gene rearrangements.
Validation and Recalibration of the Asbestos Removal Exposure Assessment Tool (AREAT)
Authors: Franken Remy , Schinkel Jody , Spaan Suzanne
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The Asbestos Removal Exposure Assessment Tool (AREAT) was previously developed to estimate exposure to respirable asbestos fibres during abatement processes. The current study describes the validation and recalibration of the AREAT model with external data. During model validation, the AREAT model was expanded to be able to estimate asbestos exposure from an additional source category: ‘unspecified asbestos remnants’.

Methods

The validation dataset (n = 281) was derived from exposure measurement studies where for each exposure measurement the AREAT model parameters were coded and estimates were calculated. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and intra class correlation coefficients (icc) were calculated as an indication of the agreement between the AREAT estimates and measured concentrations. In addition, the bias and the proportion of measurements with higher concentrations than model estimates were calculated. To expand and investigate model performance on exposure from ‘unspecified asbestos remnants’, a separate dataset was created with measurements collected during working with unspecified asbestos remnants, and similar validation comparisons were performed. Lastly, linear regression techniques were used to investigate possible improvements in model parameters. The model was recalibrated on a combined dataset consisting of the validation dataset and the original calibration dataset to increase model robustness.

Results

The validation comparisons showed good relative agreement (r) between AREAT estimates and measurements (r = 0.73) and a moderate absolute agreement (icc = 0.53). The overall relative bias was 108%, indicating an overall overestimation of exposure, and 4% of the estimated concentrations were higher than the actual measured concentrations. For the data subset concerning unspecified asbestos remnants, a moderate correlation between model estimates and measurement outcomes was found (r = 0.63). However, based on the low number of data in this subset, and moderate r, it was decided that cleaning of unspecified asbestos remnants is out of scope until more data are available. The results of this validation study suggested that two input parameters (product type friable material, efficacy of control measure foam) underestimated exposure. The effects of these parameters were updated to improve model performance. Compared to the original model, the recalibrated model resulted in slightly higher explained variance (62% compared to 56%) and lower uncertainty (15 compared to 17.3).

Conclusion

The original AREAT model provided reliable asbestos exposure estimates with a sufficient level of conservatism taking into account the 90-percentile estimates. The model was further improved via the addition of a new feature and recalibration to predict asbestos exposure during the clean-up of unspecified asbestos remnants.
The Dorsal Nasal Complex in Asians: Anatomical Variations and Injection Guide for Botulinum Toxin Type A
Authors: Sun Yixin , Li Yunzhu , Lu Xiaoyue , Yu Panxi , Jin Lin , Zhang Mengyuan , Xia Zenan , Li Zhijin , Zhu Lin , Wang Hayson Chenyu , Chen Zhen , Zeng Ang , Yu Nanze , Long Xiao
Published: March 2023

Background

Multiple muscles contribute to the formation of dorsal nasal lines (DNLs) and affect nasal aesthetics. Few attempts have been made to explore the range of distribution of DNLs in relation to injection planning.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to classify the distribution types of DNLs and propose a refined injection technique validated by clinical study and cadaver dissection.

Methods

Patients were classified into 4 types according to their DNL distribution type. Botulinum toxin type A injections were administered at 6 regular points and 2 optional points. The effect on wrinkle reduction was assessed. Patient satisfaction was recorded. Cadaver dissection was conducted to explore the anatomical evidence of DNL variation.

Results

The study included 349 treatments in 320 patients (269 females and 51 males), whose DNLs were classified into complex type, horizontal type, oblique type, and vertical type. The severity of DNLs was significantly reduced after treatment. Most patients were satisfied. From the cadaver study, connecting muscular fibers were clearly observed among the muscles involved in the formation of DNLs, and these muscles were collectively named the dorsal nasal complex (DNC) by the authors. Four anatomical variations of the DNC were discovered, corroborating the DNL classification system.

Conclusions

A novel anatomical concept, the DNC, and a classification system for DNLs were proposed. Each of the 4 distribution types of DNLs corresponds to a specific anatomical variation of the DNC. A refined injection technique for DNLs was developed, and its efficacy and safety were demonstrated.
An integrated complete-genome sequencing and systems biology approach to predict antimicrobial resistance genes in the virulent bacterial strains of Moraxella catarrhalis
Authors: Bristy Sadia Afrin , Hossain Md Arju , Hasan Md Imran , Mahmud S M Hasan , Moni Mohammad Ali , Rahman Md Habibur
Published: March 2023

Moraxella catarrhalis is a symbiotic as well as mucosal infection-causing bacterium unique to humans. Currently, it is considered as one of the leading factors of acute middle ear infection in children. As M. catarrhalis is resistant to multiple drugs, the treatment is unsuccessful; therefore, innovative and forward-thinking approaches are required to combat the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). To better comprehend the numerous processes that lead to antibiotic resistance in M. catarrhalis, we have adopted a computational method in this study. From the NCBI-Genome database, we investigated 12 strains of M. catarrhalis. We explored the interaction network comprising 74 antimicrobial-resistant genes found by analyzing M. catarrhalis bacterial strains. Moreover, to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the AMR system, clustering and the functional enrichment analysis were assessed employing AMR gene interactions networks. According to the findings of our assessment, the majority of the genes in the network were involved in antibiotic inactivation; antibiotic target replacement, alteration and antibiotic efflux pump processes. They exhibit resistance to several antibiotics, such as isoniazid, ethionamide, cycloserine, fosfomycin, triclosan, etc. Additionally, rpoB, atpA, fusA, groEL and rpoL have the highest frequency of relevant interactors in the interaction network and are therefore regarded as the hub nodes. These genes can be exploited to create novel medications by serving as possible therapeutic targets. Finally, we believe that our findings could be useful to advance knowledge of the AMR system present in M. catarrhalis.
Integrative analysis of multi-omics and imaging data with incorporation of biological information via structural Bayesian factor analysis
Authors: Bao Jingxuan , Chang Changgee , Zhang Qiyiwen , Saykin Andrew J , Shen Li , Long Qi ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: March 2023

Motivation

With the rapid development of modern technologies, massive data are available for the systematic study of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Though many existing AD studies mainly focus on single-modality omics data, multi-omics datasets can provide a more comprehensive understanding of AD. To bridge this gap, we proposed a novel structural Bayesian factor analysis framework (SBFA) to extract the information shared by multi-omics data through the aggregation of genotyping data, gene expression data, neuroimaging phenotypes and prior biological network knowledge. Our approach can extract common information shared by different modalities and encourage biologically related features to be selected, guiding future AD research in a biologically meaningful way.

Method

Our SBFA model decomposes the mean parameters of the data into a sparse factor loading matrix and a factor matrix, where the factor matrix represents the common information extracted from multi-omics and imaging data. Our framework is designed to incorporate prior biological network information. Our simulation study demonstrated that our proposed SBFA framework could achieve the best performance compared with the other state-of-the-art factor-analysis-based integrative analysis methods.

Results

We apply our proposed SBFA model together with several state-of-the-art factor analysis models to extract the latent common information from genotyping, gene expression and brain imaging data simultaneously from the ADNI biobank database. The latent information is then used to predict the functional activities questionnaire score, an important measurement for diagnosis of AD quantifying subjects’ abilities in daily life. Our SBFA model shows the best prediction performance compared with the other factor analysis models.

Availability

Code are publicly available at https://github.com/JingxuanBao/SBFA.

Contact

qlong@upenn.edu
Divergent roles of sirtuin 1 in human granulosa-lutein cells: similarities to human chorionic gonadotropin
Authors: Meidan Rina , Szymanska Magdalena
Published: March 2023

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide–dependent deacetylase that modifies gene expression through histone deacetylation. It also deacetylates nonhistone substrates, e.g., tumor suppressor p53, NOS3, HIF1A, NFKB, FOXO3a, PGC-1α, and PPARγ. Consequently, it regulates a wide range of physiological functions including cell cycle control, energy expenditure, oxidative stress response, apoptosis, and aging. SIRT1 is expressed in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) of various species including humans at different stages of the reproductive cycle. The importance of SIRT1 in female reproduction is supported by the findings that SIRT1-knockout mice exhibit defects in reproductive tissue development. These mice were found to have a thin-walled uterus, small ovaries, with follicles present but no corpora lutea. This review aims to provide state-of-the-art information on SIRT1’s mode of action and its roles in human granulosa-lutein cells and GCs from other species where data are available. It also discusses the overlapping actions of SIRT1 and human chorionic gonadotropin on the production of critical GC-borne factors.
The MC1R r allele does not increase melanoma risk in MITF E318K carriers
Authors: Wallingford Courtney K , Demeshko Anastassia , Krishnakripa Asha Krishnankutty , Smit Darren J , Duffy David L , Betz-Stablein Brigid , Pflugfelder Annette , Jagirdar Kasturee , Holland Elizabeth , Mann Graham J , Primiero Clare A , Yanes Tatiane  , Malvehy Josep , Badenas Cèlia , Carrera Cristina , Aguilera Paula , Olsen Catherine M   , Ward Sarah V , Haass Nikolas K , Sturm Richard A , Puig Susana  , Whiteman David C   , Law Matthew H , Cust Anne E , Potrony Miriam , Soyer H  Peter  , McInerney-Leo Aideen M
Published: March 2023

Background

Population-wide screening for melanoma is not cost-effective, but genetic characterization could facilitate risk stratification and targeted screening. Common Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) red hair colour (RHC) variants and Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) E318K separately confer moderate melanoma susceptibility, but their interactive effects are relatively unexplored.

Objectives

To evaluate whether MC1R genotypes differentially affect melanoma risk in MITF E318K+ vs. E318K– individuals.

Materials and methods

Melanoma status (affected or unaffected) and genotype data (MC1R and MITF E318K) were collated from research cohorts (five Australian and two European). In addition, RHC genotypes from E318K+ individuals with and without melanoma were extracted from databases (The Cancer Genome Atlas and Medical Genome Research Bank, respectively). χ2 and logistic regression were used to evaluate RHC allele and genotype frequencies within E318K+/– cohorts depending on melanoma status. Replication analysis was conducted on 200 000 general-population exomes (UK Biobank).

Results

The cohort comprised 1165 MITF E318K– and 322 E318K+ individuals. In E318K– cases MC1R R and r alleles increased melanoma risk relative to wild type (wt), P < 0.001 for both. Similarly, each MC1R RHC genotype (R/R, R/r, R/wt, r/r and r/wt) increased melanoma risk relative to wt/wt (P < 0.001 for all). In E318K+ cases, R alleles increased melanoma risk relative to the wt allele [odds ratio (OR) 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.67–2.49); P = 0.01], while the r allele risk was comparable with the wt allele [OR 0.78 (0.54–1.14) vs. 1.00, respectively]. E318K+ cases with the r/r genotype had a lower but not significant melanoma risk relative to wt/wt [OR 0.52 (0.20–1.38)]. Within the E318K+ cohort, R genotypes (R/R, R/r and R/wt) conferred a significantly higher risk compared with non-R genotypes (r/r, r/wt and wt/wt) (P < 0.001). UK Biobank data supported our findings that r did not increase melanoma risk in E318K+ individuals.

Conclusions

RHC alleles/genotypes modify melanoma risk differently in MITF E318K– and E318K+ individuals. Specifically, although all RHC alleles increase risk relative to wt in E318K– individuals, only MC1R R increases melanoma risk in E318K+ individuals. Importantly, in the E318K+ cohort the MC1R r allele risk is comparable with wt. These findings could inform counselling and management for MITF E318K+ individuals.
Cutaneous features at injection sites of intravenous mephedrone
Authors: de Dios Manuel Agud , Arroyo-Andres Jorge , Rubio-Muniz Carmen , Garrido Maria Concepcion , Tarin-Vicente Eloy
Published: March 2023

We present the cutaneous adverse effects of subcutaneous extravasation of mephedrone resulting in thrombotic vasculopathy and chronic ulcerations. Due to the increasing use of mephedrone, especially among the community of men who have sex with men, general physicians and dermatologists should be familiarized with these possible events.
Enhancer RNA IRS2e is essential for IRS2 expression and the oncogenic properties in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Yan Lingyan , Wang Jiayun , Guo Jihua , Jia Rong
Published: March 2023

The crucial roles of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression in human diseases have drawn wider and wider attention in recent years. However, the specific expression profile and function of eRNAs are still rarely discussed in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression and function of an uncharacterized eRNA, insulin receptor substrate 2 enhancer RNA (IRS2e), in OSCC. We found that IRS2e was overexpressed in HNSC and its overexpression was positively correlated with a poor prognosis. The downregulation of IRS2e by short hairpin RNA significantly inhibited cell growth and induced cellular apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in OSCC cells. Furthermore, the ablation of IRS2e inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanically, IRS2e is essential for the expression of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2), an oncogene nearby IRS2e in chromosome 13. Altogether, our study demonstrated that IRS2e is a novel oncogenic eRNA required for oncogene IRS2 expression in OSCC.
Functional gradients in prefrontal regions and somatomotor networks reflect the effect of music training experience on cognitive aging
Authors: Guo Sijia , Feng Liangfeng , Ding Rui , Long Siyu , Yang Hua , Gong Xun , Lu Jing , Yao Dezhong
Published: March 2023

Studies showed that the top-down control of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) on sensory/motor cortices changes during cognitive aging. Although music training has demonstrated efficacy on cognitive aging, its brain mechanism is still far from clear. Current music intervention studies have paid insufficient attention to the relationship between PFC and sensory regions. Functional gradient provides a new perspective that allows researchers to understand network spatial relationships, which helps study the mechanism of music training that affects cognitive aging. In this work, we estimated the functional gradients in four groups, young musicians, young control, older musicians, and older control. We found that cognitive aging leads to gradient compression. Compared with young subjects, older subjects presented lower and higher principal gradient scores in the right dorsal and medial prefrontal and the bilateral somatomotor regions, respectively. Meanwhile, by comparing older control and musicians, we found a mitigating effect of music training on gradient compression. Furthermore, we revealed that the connectivity transitions between prefrontal and somatomotor regions at short functional distances are a potential mechanism for music to intervene in cognitive aging. This work contributes to understanding the neuroplasticity of music training on cognitive aging.
Screening Antibacterial Constituents of Scutellaria Radix Based on Spectrum–Effect Relationships Between HPLC Fingerprints and the Inhibition of Oral Bacteria
Authors: Huang Zhen , Yu Yi , Yang Hai-Li , Wang Yu-Fei , Huang Jin-Lian , Xiao Lei , Liang Ming , Qi Jin
Published: March 2023

Scutellaria Radix (SR) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine in clinics for the therapy of upper respiratory tract infectious diseases. Modern pharmacological investigations indicate that SR exerts a significant bacteriostatic effect on different oral bacteria, but few studies have systematically investigated the main active constituents of SR causing this activity. Spectrum–effect correlation analysis was applied to screening anti-oral-microbial constituents from SR. The aqueous extract of SR was divided into fractions of different polarity and the active fraction was screened using the agar diffusion method. Eighteen batches of SR were further prepared and the chromatography fingerprint was established using high-performance liquid chromatography. The antibacterial activities of these constituents were examined against different oral bacteria. Finally, the spectrum–effect relationship between the fingerprint and those antibacterial effects was analyzed by gray correlation analysis and partial least squares regression. Five active constituents were screened out and their antibacterial activity was systematically confirmed by a knockout/in strategy combined with a biofilm extraction method, which indicated that these five compounds were responsible for the antibacterial activity of SR. These results form the basis for further development and improved quality control of SR in the treatment of oral diseases.
Cardiomyocyte-specific PCSK9 deficiency compromises mitochondrial bioenergetics and heart function
Authors: Laudette Marion , Lindbom Malin , Arif Muhammad , Cinato Mathieu , Ruiz Mario , Doran Stephen , Miljanovic Azra , Rutberg Mikael , Andersson Linda , Klevstig Martina , Henricsson Marcus , Bergh Per-Olof , Bollano Entela , Aung Nay , Gustav Smith J , Pilon Marc , Hyötyläinen Tuulia , Orešič Matej , Perkins Rosie , Mardinoglu Adil , Levin Malin C , Borén Jan
Published: March 2023

Aims

Pro-protein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which is expressed mainly in the liver and at low levels in the heart, regulates cholesterol levels by directing low-density lipoprotein receptors to degradation. Studies to determine the role of PCSK9 in the heart are complicated by the close link between cardiac function and systemic lipid metabolism. Here, we sought to elucidate the function of PCSK9 specifically in the heart by generating and analysing mice with cardiomyocyte-specific Pcsk9 deficiency (CM-Pcsk9−/− mice) and by silencing Pcsk9 acutely in a cell culture model of adult cardiomyocyte-like cells.

Methods and results

Mice with cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of Pcsk9 had reduced contractile capacity, impaired cardiac function, and left ventricular dilatation at 28 weeks of age and died prematurely. Transcriptomic analyses revealed alterations of signalling pathways linked to cardiomyopathy and energy metabolism in hearts from CM-Pcsk9−/− mice vs. wild-type littermates. In agreement, levels of genes and proteins involved in mitochondrial metabolism were reduced in CM-Pcsk9−/− hearts. By using a Seahorse flux analyser, we showed that mitochondrial but not glycolytic function was impaired in cardiomyocytes from CM-Pcsk9−/− mice. We further showed that assembly and activity of electron transport chain (ETC) complexes were altered in isolated mitochondria from CM-Pcsk9−/− mice. Circulating lipid levels were unchanged in CM-Pcsk9−/− mice, but the lipid composition of mitochondrial membranes was altered. In addition, cardiomyocytes from CM-Pcsk9−/− mice had an increased number of mitochondria–endoplasmic reticulum contacts and alterations in the morphology of cristae, the physical location of the ETC complexes. We also showed that acute Pcsk9 silencing in adult cardiomyocyte-like cells reduced the activity of ETC complexes and impaired mitochondrial metabolism.

Conclusion

PCSK9, despite its low expression in cardiomyocytes, contributes to cardiac metabolic function, and PCSK9 deficiency in cardiomyocytes is linked to cardiomyopathy, impaired heart function, and compromised energy production.