bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ELID Dressing Behaviors of Non-Abrasive Iron-Based Grinding Wheels
Authors: Zhang Huali , Zhang Minghui , Kuai Jicai , Ardashev Dmitrii V.
Published: October 2023

Non-abrasive iron-based grinding diamond wheels, lacking abrasive particles, negate the concern of detached passivated abrasives scratching the polished surface. During the Electrolytic In-Process Dressing (ELID) polishing process, α-Fe2O3 particles form on the oxide film surface of the iron-based grinding diamond wheel devoid of abrasives. These particles assume the role of the grinding diamond wheel for polishing. Therefore, the ELID electrolytic performance and the oxide film formation performance of the non-abrasive iron-based grinding diamond wheel significantly influence the formation of α-Fe2O3 particles and the subsequent ELID polishing performance. Our studies investigating the ELID dressing behavior of the non-abrasive iron-based grinding diamond wheel have analyzed the influence mechanism of the electric field, flow field, and pulse energy on its ELID dressing. Moreover, the roundness of the ELID dressing grinding diamond wheel, oxide film properties, and α-Fe2O3 particle content were measured, and plate glass was polished using the ELID non-abrasive iron-based grinding diamond wheel. The results illustrate that the non-abrasive iron-based grinding diamond wheel exhibits excellent ELID dressing performance. The diamond wheel’s roundness is less than 0.001 mm, the oxide film uniformly covers the surface, the content of α-Fe2O3 particles is evenly distributed, and the surface accuracy of the polished plate glass is approximately 0.5 nm. These findings provide a compelling case for the continued use and development of grainless iron-based grinding diamond wheels in precision grinding operations.
Research on the Identification of a Winter Olympic Multi-Intent Chinese Problem Based on Multi-Model Fusion
Authors: Liu Pingshan , Liang Qi , Cai Zhangjing
Published: October 2023

Aiming at addressing the inability of traditional web technologies to effectively respond to Winter-Olympics-related user questions containing multiple intentions, this paper explores a multi-model fusion-based multi-intention recognition model BCNBLMATT to solve this problem. The model is proposed to address the characteristics of complex semantics, strong contextual relevance, and a large number of informative features of the Chinese problem text related to the Winter Olympics, as well as the limitations of the traditional word vector model, such as insufficient expression in the textual representation and the relative concern mechanism of feature expression. The BCNBLMATT model first obtains a comprehensive feature vector representation of the problem text through BERT. Then, a multi-scale text convolutional neural network model and a BiLSTM-Multi-heads attention model (a joint model combining a bidirectional long- and short-term attention network with a multi-head attention mechanism) are used to capture local features at more scales and contextually critical information features at more levels. Finally, the two obtained kinds of features are concatenated and fused to obtain richer and more comprehensive information about the problem text features, which improves the model’s performance in the multi-attention recognition task. Comparative experiments on the Winter Olympics Chinese question dataset and the MixATIS question dataset show that the BCNBLMATT model significantly improves the three metrics of macro-averaged precision, macro-averaged recall, and macro-averaged F1 value and exhibits better generalization. This study provides an effective solution to the multi-intent recognition task for Winter Olympic problems, overcomes the limitations of traditional models, and provides new ideas for improving the performance of multi-intent recognition.
Virtual Space-Time DiversityTurbo Equalization Using Cluster Sparse Proportional Recursive Least Squares Algorithm for Underwater Acoustic Communications
Authors: Han Zhen , Tao Weiliang , Zhang Dan , Jiang Peng
Published: October 2023

The oceanic positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) network requires high-quality underwater acoustic message transmission. Turbo equalization technology has exhibited superior performance for underwater acoustic (UWA) communications compared with conventional channel equalizers. To overcome the performance reduction caused by severe doubly selective UWA channels, the virtual space-time diversity soft direct-adaptation turbo equalization is proposed for UWA communications. The proposed scheme improves the ability of the typical turbo equalizer to deal with both Doppler and multipath effects for time varying channels. We utilize a fractionally spaced soft interference cancellation equalizer (FS-SE) instead of a hard decision to constitute the soft-input soft-output (SISO) equalizer. Combined with another virtual time-reversal mirror equalizer component, we can obtain virtual space and time diversity with only a single receiving transducer and mitigate the error propagation phenomenon of the feedback filter. To satisfy the sparse UWA channel, the ℓp,q-PRLS algorithm is applied to adaptive updates for FS-SE. In the proposed scheme, an adjustable interpolator and digital phase-locked loop are embedded into the equalizer to overcome the residual Doppler frequency shift and recover the timing distortion. Results of simulations and field lake trial show that the proposed scheme achieves better performance than existing ones under the same equalizer order.
The Influence of Ionizing Radiation on Paclitaxel-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on PLGA
Authors: Domańska Izabela M. , Figat Ramona , Zalewska Aldona , Cieśla Krystyna , Kowalczyk Sebastian , Kędra Karolina , Sobczak Marcin
Published: October 2023

The effect of ionizing radiation (γ-rays and electron beam) on anticancer drug delivery systems (DDSs) properties was evaluated concerning potential sterilization. For this purpose, paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded nanoparticles were obtained using a biodegradable, self-developed copolymer of l-lactide and glycolide (PLGA), synthesized in the presence of bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate catalyst. The nanoparticles were obtained with a high encapsulation efficiency of PTX (EE = 94.2%). The average size of the nanoparticles was 253.5 nm. The influence of irradiation (sterilization dose, 25 kGy) on the microstructure and the physicochemical and thermal properties of the polymer matrix was investigated, as well as the effect of irradiation on the morphology and physicochemical properties of the pharmaceutical formulations of the nanoparticles. Additionally, an in vitro drug release study was conducted regarding any alterations in the kinetic profiles of drug release. It was confirmed that the irradiation with both types of ionizing radiation, i.e., γ-rays and electron-beam (EB), slightly decreased the average molecular weight of the polymer matrix. While only negligible changes in the microstructure and thermal properties of PLGA were observed after irradiation with EB, the average length of lactidyl blocks (lLL) in the copolymer chains irradiated with γ-rays decreased from 4.33 to 3.35. Moreover, the contribution of crystalline phase (Xc) in γ-irradiated samples decreased significantly from 35.1% to 22.7%, suggesting a dominant mechanism of chain scission over cross-linking in PLGA samples irradiated with γ-rays. In vitro drug release results demonstrate a sustained and controlled release of PTX from the nanoparticles based on PLGA. The kinetics of drug release was defined as first order with non-Fickian diffusion. Only negligible differences in the kinetic profiles of PTX release from PLGA drug carriers were observed after irradiation. The overall results suggest good resistance of PLGA nanoparticles to irradiation within the conditions used and the great potential of EB in the sterilization process of the polymeric DDSs.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Trade of NFTs at Major Auction Houses: From Hype to Reality
Authors: Bourron Christine
Published: October 2023

On 11 March 2021, amidst the lingering grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, the art world witnessed an extraordinary event. Christie’s, the renowned auction house, hosted a groundbreaking auction counting just one lot: a Non-Fungible Token (NFT)—a digital asset that had been generating buzz in recent times. The astounding price fetched by the NFT sent shockwaves through the art world. While the 255-year-old auction house was known for selling unique assets, its auctioning of an NFT was surprising as Christie’s online marketplace was not on the blockchain, contrarily to NFT platforms such as Opensea, Nifty Gateway, etc. The resounding success, however, of its historic auction was followed by a surge of NFT off-chain sales at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips. While extensive research has been done on the trade of NFTs on the blockchain, little research exists on the trade of NFTs at public auction houses. Based on more than two years’ tracking of NFTs auctioned at major auction houses, our research identifies three phases in the development of the trade and provides valuable insights into the unique factors that contributed to the growth of NFTs at public auctions between the springs of 2021 and 2023.
CO2, CH4, and CO Emission Sources and Their Characteristics in the Lamto Ecological Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire)
Authors: Tiemoko Dro Touré , Yoroba Fidèle , Kouassi Komenan Benjamin , Diawara Adama , Kouadio Kouakou , Bouo Francois-Xavier Djezia Bella , Yapo Assi Louis Martial , Kouman Abraham , Ramonet Michel
Published: October 2023

CO2, CH4, and CO are the most critical atmospheric gases in terms of their impact on the radiative system, air quality, and health. This work provides information on the direction of source areas and potential sources of emissions and shows many aspects of these gases by a statistical analysis using bivariate polar diagrams and local weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind speed, and wind direction), recorded at the Lamto station (LTO, 6°31′ N and 5°2′ W) in Côte d’Ivoire over the 2014–2018 period. The results show that the main regions contributing to the high concentrations of CH4 (>1925 ppb) and CO2 (>420 ppm) in the great dry season (GDS), great wet season (GWS), short dry season (SDS), and short wet season (SWS) are the north and north-west sectors of Lamto. In these directions, CH4 and CO2 concentrations are associated with wind speeds less than 6 m.s−1, due to the influences of local sources as emissions resulting from the degradation of organic matter submerged during the impoundment of the Taabo dam, and/or human activities linked to the practice of intensive agriculture. In addition, the high concentrations of CO (>350 ppb) are observed in GDS in the north, north-west, north-east, and east sectors for wind speeds less than or equal to 9 m.s−1, due to the influences of both local and distant sources. The correlation coefficients between CH4 and CO and between CH4 and CO2 are positive and significant in all sectors. However, those calculated between CO2 and CO have showed both low and high values in all seasons.
The Influence of pH Dynamics on Modeled Ammonia Emission Patterns of a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Cattle Building
Authors: Hempel Sabrina , Vu Huyen , Amon Thomas , Janke David
Published: October 2023

Ammonia emission rates from naturally ventilated livestock housing systems can be estimated in multiple ways. By coupling different modeling approaches towards a semi-mechanistic barn-scale ammonia emission model, we investigated the influence of urine puddle pH dynamics on the (sub)daily and seasonal pattern of ammonia emissions. We compared the simulated ammonia emission patterns using about ten months of on-farm measurements obtained from a naturally ventilated dairy cattle building with a scraped solid floor in Northern Germany. The dataset included gas concentration measurements as well as wind data (ranging from 0 m s−1 to about 8.6 m s−1) and air temperature data (ranging from about −4 ∘C to about 32 ∘C), the average number of housed cows (about 380) and information on the average cow mass (about 700 kg). In addition, the average dry matter intake, total gross energy intake and nitrogen intake were used to model the ammonia emission potential. In the emission modeling, we considered two potential types of pH dynamics in the urine puddles: a saturating scenario and a peaking scenario. For both of them, 21 different combinations of initial pH and maximum pH were considered within a range of 6.5 to 11. We showed that the non-linear interaction of the puddle pH and temperature caused specific emission patterns, where the degree of influence of the two parameters changed over the course of the emission process. Low initial pH values together with high asymptotic pH values were associated with the largest emissions. Considering the same asymptotic pH value, the higher the initial pH value, the lower the observed emissions; especially when assuming peak pH dynamics, the emission values were significantly lower. In natural pH settings (i.e., low to intermediate initial pH and intermediate asymptotic pH), the winter emissions were considerably lower than the summer emissions (i.e., the winter emission was about half of the summer emission, as observed in the on-farm studies). In contrast, artificial pH settings with high pH values led to markedly lower emissions in the summer (i.e., the summer emission was about the same as winter emission), reducing the total annual emission value. Our sensitivity study indicated that the urine puddle alkalizing dynamics play a key role in the overall emission model accuracy in order to capture seasonal and diurnal variability of the ammonia emission of naturally ventilated dairy cattle barns in mechanistic modeling approaches. Thus, future studies should investigate the range of pH dynamics that naturally occur in urine puddles in cattle barns depending on the flooring material, the entry of litter or feed leftovers, the cleaning and cooling system (e.g., in terms of use of water) and so on in order to further refine the emission model.
Characteristics Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds Pollution in Residential Buildings in Northeast China Based on Field Measurement
Authors: Sun Wen , Yan Weidong , Huang Kailiang , Song Jiasen , Liu Guoqi
Published: October 2023

A total of 8 mechanically ventilated residential buildings and 8 naturally ventilated residential buildings were selected to analyze the pollution characteristics of indoor VOCs under different ventilation modes in the severe cold area of northeast China. On typical meteorological days in each season, VOCs were detected on site, and ventilation modes were investigated by long-term online monitoring. The test results showed that the TVOC (total volatile organic compounds) concentrations varied greatly in different seasons or different functional rooms, and the TVOC concentration was the highest in winter, with a value of 0.994 mg/m3. The kitchen was the place with the most serious VOC pollution, and the TVOC concentration could reach 1.403 mg/m3. Benzene series and methylsiloxane had the highest detection rates, but the detected concentrations were low, and the average concentrations were 0.025 mg/m3 and 0.013 mg/m3 respectively. Among the VOC types with a detection rate greater than 50%, the average proportions of aldehydes, alkanes, and benzene series were 18.7%, 15.39%, and 14.38%, respectively. And their mass ratios were also high, which were 14.90%, 30.85%, and 15.70%, respectively. The annual daily average ventilation duration of mechanically ventilated residential buildings was 7.84 h longer than that of naturally ventilated residential buildings. The median TVOC concentrations of mechanically ventilated residential buildings and naturally ventilated residential buildings were 0.621 mg/m3 and 0.707 mg/m3, respectively. The fresh air system was applicable in the severe cold area of northeast China.
Interaction between Air Pollutants and Pollen Grains: Effects on Public and Occupational Health
Authors: Capone Pasquale , Lancia Andrea , D’Ovidio Maria Concetta
Published: October 2023

There has been an insurgence of allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and rhinitis in industrialized countries in the last few decades as a result of the interaction between air pollutants and pollen, which has become a global and dramatic health problem. Air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon dioxide affect the physical, chemical and biological properties of pollen such as the pollen content, production, and allergenicity, exacerbating symptoms in vulnerable subjects. When investigating these interactions and their effects, the environmental impact of climate change, weather variables and urbanization should be taken into account as well as the pollen species, type of pollutant, conditions of exposure, and individual susceptibility. Up to 25% of asthma adult cases are work-related, because several categories of workers in different sectors are exposed to aeroallergens and outdoor air pollutants. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the significant impacts of occupational allergies on worker’s health and quality of life. In summary, to assess the effect of interactions between air pollutants and pollen on public and occupational health, all the factors that play a role in this context will be investigated, including environmental factors, individual susceptibility in relation to pollen species, type of pollutants, and conditions of exposure.
Characterization of Rabbit Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells after Cryopreservation
Authors: Koung Ngeun Sai , Shimizu Miki , Kaneda Masahiro
Published: October 2023

Adipose tissues (ADPs) are an alternative source for mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), given that conventional bone marrow (BM) collection is painful and yields limited cell numbers. As the need for easily accessible MSCs grows, cryopreservation’s role in regenerative medicine is becoming increasingly vital. However, limited research exists on the characteristics and functional properties of rabbit-derived MSCs from various anatomical sources before and after cryopreservation. We examined the effects of cryopreservation using Bambanker. We found that cryopreservation did not adversely affect the morphology, viability, and adipogenic or chondrogenic differentiation abilities of ADP MSCs or BM MSCs. However, there was a notable drop in the proliferation rate and osteogenic differentiation capability of BM MSCs post-cryopreservation. Additionally, after cryopreservation, the surface marker gene expression of CD90 was not evident in ADP MSCs. As for markers, ADIPOQ can serve as an adipogenic marker for ADP MSCs. ACAN and CNMD can act as chondrogenic markers, but these two markers are not as effective post-cryopreservation on ADP MSCs, and osteogenic markers could not be validated. The study highlights that compared to BM MSCs, ADP MSCs retained a higher viability, proliferation rate, and differentiation potential after cryopreservation. As such, in clinical MSC use, we must consider changes in post-cryopreservation cell functions.
VEGFA Status as a Predictive Marker of Therapy Outcome in Metastatic Gastric Cancer Patients Following Ramucirumab-Based Treatment
Authors: Schirizzi Annalisa , Arshadi Aram , Tolomeo Doron , Schirosi Laura , Valentini Anna Maria , De Leonardis Giampiero , Refolo Maria Grazia , Donghia Rossella , Storlazzi Clelia Tiziana , Zito Alfredo , Ricci Angela Dalia , Vallarelli Simona , Ostuni Carmela , Bencivenga Maria , De Manzoni Giovanni , Messa Caterina , Armentano Raffaele , Giannelli Gianluigi , Lotesoriere Claudio , D’Alessandro Rosalba
Published: October 2023

Metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) often has a poor prognosis and may benefit from a few targeted therapies. Ramucirumab-based anti-angiogenic therapy targeting the VEGFR2 represents a milestone in the second-line treatment of mGC. Several studies on different cancers are focusing on the major VEGFR2 ligand status, meaning VEGFA gene copy number and protein overexpression, as a prognostic marker and predictor of response to anti-angiogenic therapy. Following this insight, our study aims to examine the role of VEGFA status as a predictive biomarker for the outcome of second-line therapy with Ramucirumab and paclitaxel in mGC patients. To this purpose, the copy number of the VEGFA gene, by fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments, and its expression in tumor tissue as well as the density of micro-vessels, by immunohistochemistry experiments, were assessed in samples derived from mGC patients. This analysis found that amplification of VEGFA concomitantly with VEGFA overexpression and overexpression of VEGFA with micro-vessels density are more represented in patients showing disease control during treatment with Ramucirumab. In addition, in the analyzed series, it was found that amplification was not always associated with overexpression of VEGFA, but overexpression of VEGFA correlates with high micro-vessel density. In conclusion, overexpression of VEGFA could emerge as a potential biomarker to predict the response to anti-angiogenic therapy.
OutSplice: A Novel Tool for the Identification of Tumor-Specific Alternative Splicing Events
Authors: Bendik Joseph , Kalavacherla Sandhya , Webster Nicholas , Califano Joseph , Fertig Elana J. , Ochs Michael F. , Carter Hannah , Guo Theresa
Published: October 2023

Protein variation that occurs during alternative splicing has been shown to play a major role in disease onset and oncogenesis. Due to this, we have developed OutSplice, a user-friendly algorithm to classify splicing outliers in tumor samples compared to a distribution of normal samples. Several tools have previously been developed to help uncover splicing events, each coming with varying methodologies, complexities, and features that can make it difficult for a new researcher to use or to determine which tool they should be using. Therefore, we benchmarked several algorithms to determine which may be best for a particular user’s needs and demonstrate how OutSplice differs from these methodologies. We find that despite detecting a lower number of genes with significant aberrant events, OutSplice is able to identify those that are biologically impactful. Additionally, we identify 17 genes that contain significant splicing alterations in tumor tissue that were discovered across at least 5 of the tested algorithms, making them good candidates for future studies. Overall, researchers should consider a combined use of OutSplice with other splicing software to help provide additional validation for aberrant splicing events and to narrow down biologically relevant events.
The Polysomnographical Meaning of Changed Sleep Quality—A Study of Treatment with Reduced Time in Bed
Authors: d’Onofrio Paolo , Jernelöv Susanna , Rosén Ann , Blom Kerstin , Kaldo Viktor , Schwarz Johanna , Åkerstedt Torbjörn
Published: October 2023

Background: Reports of poor sleep are widespread, but their link with objective sleep (polysomnography—PSG) is weak in cross-sectional studies. In contrast, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between changes in subjective and objective sleep variables using data from a study of the reduction in time in bed (TIB). Methods: One sleep recording was carried out at baseline and one at treatment week 5 (end of treatment) (N = 34). Results: The Karolinska Sleep Quality Index improved and was correlated with improvement in sleep efficiency (r = 0.41, p < 0.05) and reduction in TIB (r = −0.47, p < 0.01) and sleep latency (r = 0.36, p < 0.05). The restorative sleep index showed similar results. Improvements in the insomnia severity index (ISI) essentially lacked correlations with changes in the PSG variables. It was suggested that the latter may be due to the ISI representing a week of subjective sleep experience, of which a single PSG night may not be representative. Conclusions: It was concluded that changes in the subjective ratings of sleep are relatively well associated with changes in the PSG-based sleep continuity variables when both describe the same sleep.
The Application of Human-Centric Lighting in Response to Working from Home Post-COVID-19
Authors: Roberts Frank , White Michael , Memon Saim , He Bao-Jie , Yang Siliang
Published: October 2023

COVID-19 has caused a considerable proportion of the public to work from home, either part- or full-time, in unregulated domestic conditions, which have not been designed for commercial activities. This study determined what existing lighting conditions were present in a selection of work-from-home (WFH) environments (Objective One) through quantitative lux level and equivalent melanopic lux (EML) readings by evaluating them against regulatory standards, where further study is required to validate the results with a larger dataset. This study also investigated the social demand for human-centric lighting (HCL) installations within WFH environments (Objective Two) through qualitative questionnaires by considering key parameters: sustainability, practicality, and cost. The results of Objective One showed that compliance with general safety lighting requirements was achieved by 80% of the installations. The mean lux level recorded was 452.4 lux and 0.729 uniformity, which fell below commercial requirements defined for commonly performed WFH activities; 34.3% of recorded EML dropped below the regulatory requirements under daylight conditions. When isolated to artificial lighting, only 7.5% of the required EML was achieved. The results of Objective Two showed that generally participants did not feel that their WFH installations were unsuitably lit, however, 46.2% of participants identified noticeable headaches or eye strain when working from home. A total of 80% of participants highlighted that HCL task lighting would be preferable. It was also found that participants were willing to invest in circadian lighting for health, where 63.2% of them would not accept a reduction in efficiency of over 10% compared to non HCL. Wellbeing was found to be participants’ key preference for their lighting systems, followed by efficiency, home impact, and cost.
Experimental Study on Dynamic Characteristics of Saturated Soft Clay with Sand Interlayer under Unidirectional and Bidirectional Vibration
Authors: Wang Sui , Cai Yuanqiang , Zhang Liyong , Pan Yongjian , Chen Bin , Zhao Peng , Fang Yuanming
Published: October 2023

The marine and alluvial plains along the southeastern coast of China are widely distributed in sandy formations, including smaller sand lenses and interlayers. The interlayers of sand have a significant impact on the mechanical properties of soft clay. In this paper, a large number of undrained unidirectional and bidirectional cyclic loading tests for soft clay with sand interlayers were carried out by a dynamic triaxial test system. Test results show that, under unidirectional and bidirectional cyclic vibration, the area of the hysteresis loop decreases and the slope of the connecting line at both ends of the hysteresis loop increases with the increasing of frequency. For the same vibration frequency, the area of the bidirectional vibration hysteresis loop and the slope of the connecting line at both ends are smaller than that of the unidirectional cyclic vibration. Under the same dynamic stress ratio, cumulative axial deformation caused by unidirectional and bidirectional vibration increases with the increasing frequency. Under unidirectional vibration, dynamic elastic modulus decreases at first, and then increases with the increasing frequency. For the same frequency, dynamic elastic modulus of the sample increases with the increase in cycles. Due to the effect of radial cyclic stress, the curves of dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio with frequency under bidirectional vibration are opposite to those under unidirectional vibration.
Green Building Consumption Perception and Its Impact on Fitness Service Purchasing Intentions: An Extended Institutional Analysis and Development Decision-Making Model Analysis
Authors: Hou Yuyang , Chen Sen , Yao Zhenning , Huang Qian , Shen Xinyi , Cao Luning , Cheng Junyang , Gui Fuwei , Zhang Yujie , Wang Xinbo
Published: October 2023

Green buildings play a pivotal role in advancing ecological civilization and promoting green, low-carbon development. Numerous studies have delved into the construction techniques, process attributes, economic benefits, risk management, and benefit assessments associated with green buildings. Concurrently, research on the profitability models, marketing strategies, and public purchasing intentions of commercial fitness clubs has also yielded extensive findings. Yet, there is a noticeable gap: limited research has investigated the nexus between green building development and consumers’ propensity to purchase fitness services from these commercial establishments. Building upon the foundation set by previous scholars and employing the Extended IAD Decision-Making Model, this study utilizes the PLS-SEM method to analyze collected questionnaire data. Through path analysis, we examine the relationships between variables. Our findings indicate that: (1) Positive perceptions of green building consumption bolster the purchasing intentions toward fitness services in commercial fitness clubs. (2) Perceived risk mediates the relationship between green building consumption perceptions and consumers’ fitness service purchasing intentions in commercial fitness clubs. (3) Environmental awareness enhances the correlation between green building consumption perceptions and the propensity to purchase services in these clubs. The goal of this research is to underscore the importance of green buildings both in environmental and economic contexts and to offer insights that can elevate the profitability of commercial fitness clubs.
Fatty Pancreas Is a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 2956 Patients
Authors: Lipp Mónika , Tarján Dorottya , Lee Jimin , Zolcsák Ádám , Szalai Eszter , Teutsch Brigitta , Faluhelyi Nándor , Erőss Bálint , Hegyi Péter , Mikó Alexandra
Published: October 2023

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. Recently, fatty pancreas (FP) has been studied thoroughly, and although its relationship to PC is not fully understood, FP is suspected to contribute to the development of PC. We aimed to assess the association between PC and FP by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. We systematically searched three databases, MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL, on 21 October 2022. Case–control and cross-sectional studies reporting on patients where the intra-pancreatic fat deposition was determined by modern radiology or histology were included. As main outcome parameters, FP in patients with and without PC and PC in patients with and without FP were measured. Proportion and odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for effect size measure. PC among patients with FP was 32% (OR 1.32; 95% CI 0.42–4.16). However, the probability of having FP among patients with PC was more than six times higher (OR 6.13; 95% CI 2.61–14.42) than in patients without PC, whereas the proportion of FP among patients with PC was 0.62 (95% CI 0.42–0.79). Patients identified with FP are at risk of developing PC. Proper screening and follow-up of patients with FP may be recommended.
The Relationship between Furin and Chronic Inflammation in the Progression of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Afsar Selim , Turan Gulay , Guney Gurhan , Sahin Gozde , Talmac Merve Aldıkactıoglu , Afsar Cigdem Usul
Published: October 2023

Objective: The current study aimed to delineate the relationship between furin and chronic inflammation while cervical intraepithelial neoplasia progresses to cancer. Study Design: This cross-sectional study included 81 women who required colposcopic examinations. The study groups were formed based on pathological results: Group I included women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I (n = 30); Group II included women with CIN II-III (n = 28); and Group III included women with cervical cancer (CC) (n = 23). Furin, ki-67, and p16 levels were evaluated based on immunostaining intensity. The inflammatory indices were calculated in parallel with the literature from routine blood samples retrieved within one week before the procedure. Results: Furin expression gradually increased from CIN I to CIN II-III and from CIN II-III to CC, respectively (p < 0.001, p = 0.005). NLR, MLR, PLR, and SII were significantly higher in the CC group (p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis unveiled that NLR, MLR, PLR, and SII predicted the presence of CC with a cutoff value of 2.39 for NLR (sensitivity: 91.3%, specificity: 63.8%, AUROC: 0.79, p < 0.001); a cutoff value of 0.27 for MLR (sensitivity: 78.3%, specificity: 72.4%, AUROC: 0.77, p = 0.009); a cutoff value of 123 for PLR (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 41.4%, AUROC: 0.70, p = 0.04); and a cutoff value of 747 for SII (sensitivity: 69.6%, specificity: 90.7%, AUROC: 0.71, p = 0.014). Conclusion: Furin expression increased gradually in parallel with the severity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The inflammatory indices were higher in the presence of CC and denoted a good discrimination ability for predicting cervical cancer.
Depth of Invasion: Influence of the Latest TNM Classification on the Prognosis of Clinical Early Stages of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Association with Other Histological Risk Factors
Authors: Navarro Cuéllar Ignacio , Espías Alonso Samuel , Alijo Serrano Francisco , Herrera Herrera Isabel , Zamorano León José Javier , Del Castillo Pardo de Vera José Luis , López López Ana María , Maza Muela Cristina , Arenas de Frutos Gema , Ochandiano Caicoya Santiago , Tousidonis Rial Manuel , García Sevilla Alba , Antúnez-Conde Raúl , Cebrián Carretero José Luis , García-Hidalgo Alonso María Isabel , Salmerón Escobar José Ignacio , Burgueño García Miguel , Navarro Vila Carlos , Navarro Cuéllar Carlos
Published: October 2023

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), in its 8th edition, introduces modifications to the previous TNM classification, incorporating tumour depth of invasion (DOI). The aim of this research is to analyse the prognosis (in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival) of clinical early stage (I and II) squamous cell carcinomas of the oral tongue according to the DOI levels established by the AJCC in its latest TNM classification to assess changes to the T category and global staging system and to evaluate the association between DOI and other histological risk factors. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal observational study of a series of cases was designed. All patients were treated with upfront surgery at our institution between 2010 and 2019. The variables of interest were defined and classified into four groups: demographic, clinical, histological and evolutive control. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out and survival functions were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Statistical significance was established for p values below 0.05. Results: Sixty-one patients were included. The average follow-up time was 47.42 months. Fifteen patients presented a loco-regional relapse (24.59%) and five developed distant disease (8.19%). Twelve patients died (19.67%). Statistically significant differences were observed, with respect to disease-free survival (p = 0.043), but not with respect to overall survival (p = 0.139). A total of 49.1% of the sample upstaged their T category and 29.5% underwent modifications of their global stage. The analysis of the relationship between DOI with other histological variables showed a significant association with the presence of pathological cervical nodes (p = 0.012), perineural invasion (p = 0.004) and tumour differentiation grade (p = 0.034). Multivariate analysis showed association between depth of invasion and perineural invasion. Conclusions: Depth of invasion is a histological risk factor in early clinical stages of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Depth of invasion impacts negatively on patient prognosis, is capable per se of modifying the T category and the global tumour staging, and is associated with the presence of cervical metastatic disease, perineural invasion and tumoural differentiation grade.
Influence of Macrophages on Vascular Invasion of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Emboli Measured Using an In Vitro Microfluidic Multi-Cellular Platform
Authors: Gadde Manasa , Mehrabi-Dehdezi Melika , Debeb Bisrat G. , Woodward Wendy A. , Rylander Marissa Nichole
Published: October 2023

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis and a lack of effective treatments. It is widely established that understanding the interactions between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and the tumor microenvironment is essential for identifying distinct targeting markers that help with prognosis and subsequent development of effective treatments. In this study, we present a 3D in vitro microfluidic IBC platform consisting of THP1 M0, M1, or M2 macrophages, IBC cells, and endothelial cells. The platform comprises a collagen matrix that includes an endothelialized vessel, creating a physiologically relevant environment for cellular interactions. Through the utilization of this platform, it was discovered that the inclusion of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) led to an increase in the formation of new blood vessel sprouts and enhanced permeability of the endothelium, regardless of the macrophage phenotype. Interestingly, the platforms containing THP-1 M1 or M2 macrophages exhibited significantly greater porosity in the collagen extracellular matrix (ECM) compared to the platforms containing THP-1 M0 and the MDA-IBC3 cells alone. Cytokine analysis revealed that IL-8 and MMP9 showed selective increases when macrophages were cultured in the platforms. Notably, intravasation of tumor cells into the vessels was observed exclusively in the platform containing MDA-IBC3 and M0 macrophages.
Do Obesity-Related Traits Affect Prostate Cancer Risk through Serum Testosterone? A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Yuan Chi , Jian Zhongyu , Feng Shijian , Wang Menghua , Xiang Liyuan , Li Hong , Jin Xi , Wang Kunjie
Published: October 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether testosterone mediates or confounds the effect of obesity-related traits on prostate cancer (PCa) using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Materials and Methods: Data of obesity-related traits (body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index [WHRadjBMI]) were obtained from up to 806,834 people of European ancestry; data of testosterone (bioavailable testosterone [BT], total testosterone [TT], and sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG]) were extracted from up to 194,453 participants in the UK Biobank; and the summary-level data of PCa (79,194 cases and 61,112 controls) were obtained from the PRACTICAL consortium. Result: The results supported the causal relationship between higher BMI and a reduced risk of PCa (OR = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86–0.96). Furthermore, increased BT levels were associated with an elevated risk of PCa (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06–1.24). Importantly, our analysis revealed a unidirectional causal effect—higher BMI was linked to lower BT levels (beta = −0.27, 95% CI: −0.3–−0.24), but not the other way around. This suggests that BT may mediate the effect of BMI on PCa rather than confound it. Our multivariable MR results further demonstrated that considering BT as a mediator led to the weakening of BMI’s effect on PCa risk (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.90–1.05), while the impact of BT on PCa remained unchanged when accounting for BMI. Moreover, we identified a significant indirect effect of BMI on PCa risk (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.98). Conclusion: Our study provided genetic evidence that serum BT can mediate the effect of BMI on the risk of PCa, indicating the possible mechanism by which obesity reduces PCa risk.
RAGE as a Novel Biomarker for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Applegate Catherine C. , Nelappana Michael B. , Nielsen Elaine A. , Kalinowski Leszek , Dobrucki Iwona T. , Dobrucki Lawrence W.
Published: October 2023

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) has been implicated in driving prostate cancer (PCa) growth, aggression, and metastasis through the fueling of chronic inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes and analyzes the current clinical and preclinical data to provide insight into the relationships among RAGE levels and PCa, cancer grade, and molecular effects. A multi-database search was used to identify original clinical and preclinical research articles examining RAGE expression in PCa. After screening and review, nine clinical and six preclinical articles were included. The associations of RAGE differentiating benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) or normal prostate from PCa and between tumor grades were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI). Pooled estimates were calculated using random-effect models due to study heterogeneity. The clinical meta-analysis found that RAGE expression was highly likely to be increased in PCa when compared to BPH or normal prostate (OR: 11.3; 95% CI: 4.4–29.1) and that RAGE was overexpressed in high-grade PCa when compared to low-grade PCa (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.8–3.4). In addition, meta-analysis estimates of preclinical studies performed by albatross plot generation found robustly positive associations among RAGE expression/activation and PCa growth and metastatic potential. This review demonstrates that RAGE expression is strongly tied to PCa progression and can serve as an effective diagnostic target to differentiate between healthy prostate, low-grade PCa, and high-grade PCa, with potential theragnostic applications.
Human Breast Tissue Microbiota Reveals Unique Microbial Signatures that Correlate with Prognostic Features in Adult Ethiopian Women with Breast Cancer
Authors: Desalegn Zelalem , Smith Alana , Yohannes Meron , Cao Xueyuan , Anberber Endale , Bekuretsion Yonas , Assefa Mathewos , Bauer Marcus , Vetter Martina , Kantelhardt Eva Johanna , Abebe Tamrat , Starlard-Davenport Athena
Published: October 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in Ethiopia. Overall, women of African ancestry have the highest death toll due to BC compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The cause of the disparity in mortality is unclear. Recently, studies conducted in the United States and other high-income countries highlighted the role of microbial dysbiosis in BC initiation, tumor growth, and treatment outcome. However, the extent to which inter-individual differences in the makeup of microbiota are associated with clinical and histopathological outcomes in Ethiopian women has not been studied. The goal of our study was to profile the microbiome in breast tumor and normal adjacent to tumor (NAT) tissues of the same donor and to identify associations between microbial composition and abundance and clinicopathological factors in Ethiopian women with BC. We identified 14 microbiota genera in breast tumor tissues that were distinct from NAT tissues, of which Sphingobium, Anaerococcus, Corynebacterium, Delftia, and Enhydrobacter were most significantly decreased in breast tumors compared to NAT tissues. Several microbial genera significantly differed by clinicopathological factors in Ethiopian women with BC. Specifically, the genus Burkholderia more strongly correlated with aggressive triple negative (TNBC) and basal-like breast tumors. The genera Alkanindiges, Anoxybacillus, Leifsonia, and Exiguobacterium most strongly correlated with HER2-E tumors. Luminal A and luminal B tumors also correlated with Anoxybacillus but not as strongly as HER2−E tumors. A relatively higher abundance of the genus Citrobacter most significantly correlated with advanced-stage breast tumors compared to early-stage tumors. This is the first study to report an association between breast microbial dysbiosis and clinicopathological factors in Ethiopian women.
Risk Factors and Prognosis of Stroke in Gynecologic Cancer Patients
Authors: Kwon Ji Young , Park Kena , Song Jeong Min , Pyeon Seung Yeon , Lee Seon Hwa , Chung Young Shin , Lee Jong-Min
Published: October 2023

Increased life expectancy and cancer prevalence rates expose patients to a higher risk of developing other comorbidities such as stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for and prognosis of stroke in patients with gynecological cancers. A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with cervical, endometrial, and epithelial ovarian cancers. Patients were classified into three groups based on the period of stroke onset: at least one year before cancer diagnosis, within one year before cancer diagnosis to six months after the last treatment date, and six months after the last treatment date. Among the 644 patients, stroke occurred in 54 (8.4%). In univariate analysis, stroke was significantly associated with overall survival. In contrast, in multivariate analysis, stroke was significantly associated with age and hypertension, but not with overall survival. Age, pulmonary thromboembolism/deep vein thrombosis, histological grade, and tumor stage were significantly associated with overall survival. Therefore, it is important to establish an appropriate examination and treatment plan for patients with gynecologic cancers using a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the patient’s age, medical condition, and tumor characteristics rather than excessively considering the adverse effects of stroke on cancer prognosis.
High Photocatalytic Efficiency of Al2O3-TiO2 Coatings on 304 Stainless Steel for Methylene Blue and Wastewater Degradation
Authors: Camacho-González Mónica Araceli , Lijanova Irina Victorovna , Reyes-Miranda Joan , Sarmiento-Bustos Estela , Quezada-Cruz Maribel , Vera-Serna Pedro , Barrón-Meza Miguel Ángel , Garrido-Hernández Aristeo
Published: October 2023

This work explores the novelty of achieving high photocatalytic efficiency and remarkable bactericidal activity with Al2O3-TiO2 coatings on perforated 304 stainless steel (SS) substrates, placed transversely along an airlift reactor of 0.980 L for wastewater treatment under visible light irradiation. The Al2O3-TiO2 coatings achieved methylene blue and total organic carbon (TOC) concentration reductions of 97.3 and 96.51%, respectively, in a wastewater sample with heterogeneous photocatalsis. The Al2O3-TiO2 coatings resulted in a 33.30% reduction in total and fecal coliforms and a remarkable 94.23% decrease in Salmonella spp. in the wastewater sample. XRD confirmed the TiO2 anatase–rutile phases and Al2O3 α-γ phases in the coating. The particle size distribution ranges from 100 to 500 nm, and the coating surface was homogeneous without cracks confirmed using SEM and AFM, respectively. The roughness and thickness of the coatings were 85 ± 5 nm and 250 ± 50 nm, respectively.
Calcein-Modified CeO2 for Intracellular ROS Detection: Mechanisms of Action and Cytotoxicity Analysis In Vitro
Authors: Chukavin Nikita N. , Ivanov Vladimir K. , Popov Anton L.
Published: October 2023

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are metal-oxide-based nanozymes with unique reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging abilities. Here, we studied new CeO2 NPs modified with calcein (CeO2-calcein) as an intracellular ROS inactivation/visualization theranostic agent. The molecular mechanisms of the CeO2-calcein intracellular activity, allowing for the direct monitoring of ROS inactivation in living cells, were studied. CeO2-calcein was taken up by both normal (human mesenchymal stem cells, hMSc) and cancer (human osteosarcoma, MNNG/Hos cell line) cells, and was easily decomposed via endogenous or exogenous ROS, releasing brightly fluorescent calcein, which could be quantitatively detected using fluorescence microscopy. It was shown that the CeO2-calcein has selective cytotoxicity, inducing the death of human osteosarcoma cells and modulating the expression of key genes responsible for cell redox status as well as proliferative and migration activity. Such cerium-based theranostic agents can be used in various biomedical applications.