bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estudo comparativo das técnicas de colagem direta e indireta de braquetes em Ortodontia
Authors: Soares Ayrla da Cunha , Dutra Kalêcia dos Santos , Verde Giselle Maria Ferreira Lima , Monte Thiago Lima , Rêgo Marconi Raphael de Siqueira
Published: May 2023

O presente estudo objetivou comparar as descrições de ambas as técnicas de fixação de braquetes direta e indireta, de modo à evidenciar suas vantagens e desvantagens. A abordagem metodológica foi empregada através de pesquisas sistemáticas nas plataformas Pubmed e Biblioteca Vitual em Saúde (BVS), como critérios de inclusão, foram considerados artigos experimentais no quais foram utilizadas técnicas de colagem direta ou indireta em pacientes ortodônticos, em português ou inglês, publicados até 2012. Foram excluídos resumos, anais de eventos, dissertações, monografias, teses e livros que não contemplassem o tema da revisão. Resultados: Com base nos critérios de inclusão, foram selecionados 234 estudos baseados na leitura dos títulos e objetivos, após descarte dos artigos duplicados e dos demais que não estavam de acordo com os critérios estabelecidos, 32 artigos foram selecionados para leitura completa e, destes, 11 estudos foram incluídos no estudo por preencher todos os requisitos necessários. Conclusão: A técnica indireta tornou a fase de colagem de braquetes ortodônticos mais eficazes, diminuindo o tempo de atendimento ao paciente, contudo, as técnicas direta e indireta possuem precisão na colagem, e resistência a cisalhamento, taxas de falhas equivalentes.
GPS technology as a tool to aid pasture management on dairy farms
Authors: Hofmann Wayne , Neal Mark , Woodward Siimon , ONeill Tania
Published: May 2023

This research determined the accuracy and precision of Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled devices as a potential tool to automate the recording of onfarm grazing events, which can be used to indicate productivity of paddocks (with number of grazings per year), or, when combined with other farm data, estimate nergy harvested. Static tests were initially conducted to determine the devices’ accuracy (location error) and precision (Circular Error Probability; CEP). Based on 11 Agtech and 22 mOOvement devices tested, the mean location error was 5.4 m and 34.2 m, respectively. The 95% CEP was 13.9 m and 77.6 m, respectively. In the subsequent on-farm study, 11 cows in a 400- cow milking herd were fitted with an Agtech and mOOvement ear tag and two with digitanimal collars. Data were analysed for the AM and PM grazing periods for four days. The digitanimal collars recorded 62.3% of total observations in the correct paddock, instead of adjacent paddocks or races, compared with 52.5% for the Agtech devices and 45.2% for the mOOvement ear tags. These results suggested that GPS technology isfeasible for the automated recording of grazing events. However, a longer-term study is required to demonstrate the value this technology could have for farmers.
INNOVATION IN THE CITY : KETAHANAN PANGAN BERBASIS ZONASI DI KOTA MALANG
Authors: Suroto Suroto , Yoesrona Tubara Sayyid Pratama
Published: May 2023

Didalam makalah ini dalam terdapat berbagai macam rumusan Masalah yaitu : 1. Bagaimana membuat Inovasi dengan mengolah limbah organik sisa makanan di kawasan Kota 2. Bagaimana cara menciptakan Ketahanan Pangan di Masyarakat Kota, khususnya Kota Malang Tujuan Dari penulisan makalah ini, adapun tujuannya yaitu : 1. Membuat Inovasi mengolah limbah organik menjadi pakan alternatif 2. Menjaga Ketahanan Pangan di Kawasan Kota makalahPenanganan limbah di kawasan kota perlu menjadi pembahasan dan realisasi penanganan secara baik. Persoalan lingkungan selalu menjadi wacana namun nol dalam realisasi. Dari berbagai macam probelamatika masalah lingkungan di kawasan kota diharapkan dapat mengatasi secara komprehensif dan tersistem dengan kolabroasi dari berbagai unsur elemen pemerintah, swasta dan masyarakat. Solusi alternatif adalah memanfaatkan limbah organik sisa makanan sebagai bahan media maggot. Maggot merupakan pupa dari lalat hitam yang bisa bermanfaat sebagai pakan alternatif salah satunya lele. Hal ini karena maggot memiliki nutrisi yang tinggi. Dari sini akan muncul berbagai ide menarik lainnya untuk dikembangkan di kawasan kota dengan kolaborasi pemerintah, swasta dan masyarakat sipil. Manfaat yang didapatkan dari penanganan limbah sisa makanan adalah bisa meningkatkan taraf ekonomi kelompok yang terlibat, pencemaran lingkungan bisa teratasi dan membuka peluang usaha bagi masyarakat.
STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI BAWASLU KOTA TANGERANG DALAM UPAYA PENINDAKAN PELANGGARAN ALAT PERAGA KAMPANYE PADA PEMILU 2019
Authors: Wati Lina , Delima Isniyunisyafna Diah
Published: May 2023

Penelitian ini membahas mengenai strategi komunikasi Bawaslu Kota Tangerang dalam upaya penindakan pelanggaran alat peraga kampanye pada pemilu 2019, Bawaslu Kota Tangerang mencatat pada tahun 2019 pelanggaran kampanye di kota Tangerang merupakan yang terbanyak, Bawaslu Kota Tangerang telah mencopot sebanyak 1.500 baliho. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori manajemen komunikasi Mickhael Kaye peneliti ingin meneliti bagaimana perencanaan, pengorganisasian, pengarahan serta pengawasan yang berkaitan dengan komunikasi Bawaslu Kota Tangerang dalam upaya penindakan pelanggaran alat peraga kampanye pada pemilu 2019, metode penelitian yang di gunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif dengan jenis penelitian studi kasus. Hasil penelitian strategi komunikasi yang di gunakan oleh Bawaslu Kota Tangerang dalam upaya penindakan pelanggaran Alat peraga kampanye Bawaslu melakukan komunikasi secara persuasive, komunikasi internal, serta pengawasan melalui media sosial.
Kata Kunci : Pemilu, Bawaslu, Alat peraga kampanye
KINERJA BPBD DALAM MENANGGULANGI KEBAKARAN DI DAERAH PASAR BAWAH KOTA LAHAT TAHUN 2020
Authors: Dendi Okta Tri , Febriyanti Doris , Isabella Isabella
Published: May 2023

Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Lahat merupakan suatu instansi yang bergerak di bidang kebencanaan sehingga suatu daerah yang mempunyai bencana kebakaran permukiman ditanggungjawabkan oleh Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Lahat. Metode penelitian ini mengunakan metode kualitatif. dimulai dari metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi, metode analisis data deskriptif dengan empat macam sifat, yaitu analisis induktif, proses pengumpulan data, proses interaktif, dan proses siklus. Adapun hasil penelitian dalam kinerja Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Lahat dalam menanggulangi kebakaran daerah Pasar Bawah Lahat tahun 2020 kurang baik Karena dengan sistem pelayanan dari Badan penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Lahat mengenai pengaduan bencana terhadap masyarakat dan dengan keterbatasan anggaran masih tidak ada kejelasan dalam membuat Rancangan Anggaran Biaya untuk pelatihan dan sosialisasi serta dengan ketidak transparan terhadap anggaran Rekontruksi kebakaran Pasar Bawah Lahat tahun 2020 dan kurangnya pemahaman masyarakat terhadap Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Lahat. Maka dari itu Badan Penangulangan Bencana Daerah untuk memperbaiki secara sistem internal, mempersiapkan lebih baik terhadap masyarakat serta keterbukaan kepada masyarakat dalam hal kebencanaan sehingga yang diharapkan masyarakat itu sesuai dengan keinginan masyarakat.
PERTUMBUHAN PERKAMPUNGAN KUMUH DI INDONESIA
Authors: Zubaidah Siti , Kurniawan Irvan Arif
Published: May 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pertumbuhan kampung kumuh di Indonesia. Kemunculan permukiman kumuh di berbagai kota disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor, diantaranya ketidakseimbangan antara tingkat urbanisasi dengan ketersediaan lahan perumahan. Disamping itu kurangnya sinergi antara pemerintah dan masyarakat dalam menciptakan permukiman yang layak huni, pengelolaan tata ruang yang tidak teratur, kurangnya kepedulian masyarakat dalam mendirikan bangunan sesuai standar berlaku, serta lemahnya pengawasan pengawasan dalam izin mendirikan bangunan berdampak terhadap rendahnya kualitas hidup masyarakat miskin perkotaan di Indonesia. Salah satu intervensi kebijakan dalam mengatasi kampung kumuh dilaksanakan melalui Program Kotaku yang bertujuan untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan sosial yang bersifat kompleks, berbasis pemberdayaan masyarakat. Riset ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif deskriftif yang menganalisis pertumbuhan permukiman kumuh perkotaan Indonesia dengan menggunakan pemetaan data infografis berdasarkan Wilayah dan Provinsi. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pertumbuhan permukiman kumuh di perkotaan Indonesia masih terus meningkat berdasarkan data tahun 2017-2019 terjadi peningkatan mencapai 13.86%. Disamping itu  rumah tangga di permukiman kumuh tidak memiliki akses terhadap sumber air minum layak dan tidak memiliki akses terhadap sanitasi.
Menno Wigman, 1966-2018
Authors: Brouwer Carlijn
Published: May 2023

Het is 2002: zijn tweede bundel Zwart als kaviaar is zojuist verschenen en met de Jan Campert-prijs bekroond, en Ingmar Heytze noemt hem in een interview ‘met afstand de beste dichter van onze generatie’.1 Menno Wigman maakte rond de eeuwwisseling furore als dichter en bloemlezer, maar was aan het begin van zijn loopbaan vooral actief als vertaler. Even plotseling als zijn leven in 2018 ten einde kwam, was zijn vertaalcarrière rond 2000 een stille dood gestorven. Nadat hij zich jarenlang vol vuur had gestort op het vertalen van poëzie (met name Franse decadenten uit de negentiende eeuw als Jules Laforgue, Jean Lorrain en Charles Baudelaire), hield hij op een dag ‘gewoon op met gedichten vertalen’.2 Weliswaar is Wigmans vertaaloeuvre maar klein (het telt slechts zeven gepubliceerde bundels), het is betekenisvol, want de dichters die hij vertaalde vertonen een grote onderlinge samenhang en waren van grote invloed op zijn dichterschap: de hang naar het morbide, de afkeer van conformisme en een zwartgallig wereldbeeld stromen rechtstreeks over van de vertalingen van Rainer Maria Rilke, Gottfried Benn, Else Lasker-Schüler en de Franse decadenten in het werk van Wigman zelf. Om Wigman de dichter te begrijpen, is het belangrijk om door te dringen tot Wigman de vertaler: reden voor een verkenning.
A New Darkness: Gothic Impulses in the Art of Willie Doherty
Authors: Long Declan
Published: May 2023

This essay traces the development of gothic impulses in the art of Northern Irish visual artist Willie Doherty (b.1959, Derry), considering, briefly, the disquieting ambiguities of his early photographs, before studying specific examples of moving-image work made in the years following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The essay centres on the gothic attributes of films that present enigmatic characters in states of enduring confinement and existential uncertainty. Depicting these sometimes spectral figures in settings where the real seems to coincide with the unreal, the natural with the supernatural, Doherty draws on and defamiliarizes Northern Ireland’s conditions of aftermath, while also widening his artistic lens to take account of other connections, other contexts. Two short, looping film works –  The Amnesiac (2015) and Endless (2020), each focusing on the sustained suffering and shame of a solitary male figure – are analyzed in detail. Both films, in different ways, exemplify the combination of strict aesthetic control and symbolic or thematic ‘excess’ that characterizes Doherty’s approach to the gothic.
‘A Poem Made Flesh’: Necromancing the Sovereignty Goddess in Emma Donoghue’s Hood
Authors: Cassidy Lauren
Published: May 2023

This essay explores the role of the sovereignty goddess in Emma Donoghue’s Hood (1995) and its protagonist’s efforts to come to terms with the death of her newly deceased girlfriend. Taking its impetus from Donoghue’s self-characterization as a literary ‘grave robber’, this essay examines how Hood’s protagonist, Pen, necromances the sovereignty goddess in an effort to produce and legitimize a recognizable lesbian subject in late twentieth-century Ireland. Framing Donoghue’s queer, feminist engagement with the goddess in relation to Mikhail Bakhtin’s theorization of the ‘chronotope’ – a narratological device that expresses a novel’s interfused time and space – this essay illustrates how Pen’s posthumous re-construction of her partner, Cara, comes to function as an anthropomorphic chronotope, whose body delineates the temporal, geographical, and generic boundaries of the novel. At the same time, drawing on Kristevan notions of abjection, it also traces how the simulacrum of Cara’s corpse decays across the novel, and explores the implications of this dissolution on the viability of the queer sovereignty mode the novel envisages. Refiguring the novel as a gothic tale about lesbian love, death, and grief, this essay demonstrates how Hood deploys an abject sovereignty goddess to both deconstruct the nightmare of Ireland’s social and cultural history, and produce inchoate, utopian daydreams for the nation’s future. In doing so, it argues that Hood performs a post-mortem on both Cara’s memory and the sovereignty tradition itself, resurrecting the goddess to mourn the Irish canon’s hetero-patriarchal sovereignty tradition, even as it facilitates the necromantic conversion of Ireland into a queer nation.
Model-based climate change adaptational potential and productivity of some cowpea genotypes and its sensitivity to bias adjustment
Authors: Adusei Grace , Aidoo Moses Kwame , Srivastava Amit Kumar , Asibuo James Yaw , Gaiser Thomas
Published: May 2023

Grain legumes are essential for the protein supply to an ever-growing population in Africa. However, little is known about the adaptational potential and thus resilience to abiotic stress of major grain legumes under future climatic change for the evaluation of climate change impact and adaptation. This study assessed the adaptation potential of some cowpea genotypes to future climate change in the moist (Kumasi—Ghana) and dry savanna (Ouagadougou—Burkina Faso) biomes of West Africa based on a validated process-based SIMPLACE model using the output of four global circulation models (GCMs) for two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs, i.e., ssp126 and 585). In addition, it assesses the sensitivity of the cowpea model to bias corrections of the GCM outputs. In comparison of future socioeconomic pathways with historic time series, the use of bias-corrected climate model output slightly increased the rate of the phenological development of the genotypes in the future period except in Ouagadougou, in the ssp585 scenario. Without bias correction, this increase of the rate of phenological development in the future scenarios was less pronounced. With bias correction, the total aboveground biomass and yield of all genotypes were reduced in both SSPs. The change in the average water stress and phosphorous stress were genotype specific. Despite a general yield decline in both SSPs, the genotypes Asontem and GH6060 exhibited the adaptational potential to future climate change in the moist and dry savanna biomes. This is by a higher accumulation of total aboveground biomass, higher yield, and tolerance to high temperature as well as high water use and photosynthetic efficiency due to higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, despite faster phenological development.
Fluid-solid coupling model and biological features of large vestibular aqueduct syndrome
Authors: Chen Zewen , Luo Mengjie , Zhou Can , Bie Xu , Yu Shen , Sun Xiuzhen
Published: May 2023

Objective: Computed tomography (CT) images of the temporal bone of large vestibular aqueduct syndrome (LVAS) patients were used to establish 3D numerical models based on the structure of the inner ear, which are, in turn, used to construct inner ear fluid-solid coupling models. The physiological features and pathophysiology of LVAS were analyzed from a biomechanical perspective using finite element analysis.

Methods: CT images of the temporal bone were collected from five children attending the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University in 2022. The CT images were used to build 3D models of the inner ear containing the vestibular aqueduct (VA) by Mimics and Geomagic software, and round window membrane models and fluid-solid coupling models were built by ANSYS software to perform fluid-solid coupling analysis.

Results: By applying different pressure loads, the deformation of the round window membranes occurred, and their trend was basically the same as that of the load. The deformation and stress of the round window membranes increased with the increase in load. Under the same load, the deformation and stress of the round window membranes increased with the expansion of the midpoint width of the VA.

Conclusion: CT images of the temporal bone used clinically could establish a complete 3D numerical model of the inner ear containing VA. Fluctuations in cerebrospinal fluid pressure could affect inner ear pressure, and VA had a limiting effect on the pressure from cerebrospinal fluid. The larger the VA, the smaller the limiting effect on the pressure.
Measuring and modeling macrophage proliferation in a lab-on-CMOS capacitance sensing microsystem
Authors: Smith Kyle , Lin Ching-Yi , Gilpin Yann , Wayne Elizabeth , Dandin Marc
Published: May 2023

We report on the use of a lab-on-CMOS biosensor platform for quantitatively tracking the proliferation of RAW 264.7 murine Balb/c macrophages. We show that macrophage proliferation correlates linearly with an average capacitance growth factor resulting from capacitance measurements at a plurality of electrodes dispersed in a sensing area of interest. We further show a temporal model that captures the cell number evolution in the area over long periods (e.g., 30 h). The model links the cell numbers and the average capacitance growth factor to describe the observed cell proliferation.
Dynamic and self-biodegradable polysaccharide hydrogel stores embryonic stem cell construct under ambient condition
Authors: Yang Kuan , Wei Wei , Gao Li Ting , Zhao Xin Yi , Liu Zhenqi , Li Jianhui , Li Haopeng , Miyatake Hideyuki , Ito Yoshihiro , Chen Yong Mei
Published: May 2023

The proper microenvironment is critical for the storage and transportation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). To mimic a dynamic 3D microenvironment as it exists in vivo and consider “off-the-shelf” availability reaching the destination, we proposed an alternative approach that allows for facile storage and transportation of stem cells in the form of ESCs-dynamic hydrogel construct (CDHC) under ambient conditions. To form CDHC, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were in-situ encapsulated within a polysaccharide-based dynamic and self-biodegradable hydrogel. After storing CDHC in a sterile and hermetic environment for 3 days and then transferring to a sealed vessel with fresh medium for another 3 days, the large and compact colonies retained a 90% survival rate and pluripotency. Furthermore, after transporting and arriving at the destination, the encapsulated stem cell could be automatically released from the self-biodegradable hydrogel. After continuous cultivation of 15 generations of retrieved cells, automatically released from the CDHC, the mESCs underwent 3D encapsulation, storage, transportation, release, and continuous long-term subculture; resumed colony forming capacity and pluripotency were revealed by stem cell markers both in protein and mRNA levels. We believe that the dynamic and self-biodegradable hydrogel provides a simple, cost-effective, and valuable tool for storing and transporting “ready-to-use” CDHC under ambient conditions, facilitating “off-the-shelf” availability and widespread applications.
Lactic acid production from food waste at an anaerobic digestion biorefinery: effect of digestate recirculation and sucrose supplementation
Authors: Bühlmann Christopher H. , Mickan Bede S. , Tait Stephan , Batstone Damien J. , Bahri Parisa A.
Published: May 2023

Low lactic acid (LA) yields from direct food waste (FW) fermentation restrict this production pathway. However, nitrogen and other nutrients within FW digestate, in combination with sucrose supplementation, may enhance LA production and improve feasibility of fermentation. Therefore, this work aimed to improve LA fermentation from FWs by supplementing nitrogen (0–400 mgN·L−1) as NH4Cl or digestate and dosing sucrose (0–150 g·L−1) as a low-cost carbohydrate. Overall, NH4Cl and digestate led to similar improvements in the rate of LA formation (0.03 ± 0.02 and 0.04 ± 0.02 h−1 for NH4Cl and digestate, respectively), but NH4Cl also improved the final concentration, though effects varied between treatments (5.2 ± 4.6 g·L−1). While digestate altered the community composition and increased diversity, sucrose minimised community diversion from LA, promoted Lactobacillus growth at all dosages, and enhanced the final LA concentration from 25 to 30 g·L−1 to 59–68 g·L−1, depending on nitrogen dosage and source. Overall, the results highlighted the value of digestate as a nutrient source and sucrose as both community controller and means to enhance the LA concentration in future LA biorefinery concepts.
Controlled growth of titanium dioxide nanotubes for doxorubicin loading and studies of in vitro antitumor activity
Authors: Zhang Yunshan , Huang Tuo , Lv Wanwan , Yang Kai , Ouyang Cuiling , Deng Minxin , Yi Rongyuan , Chu Hui , Chen Jian
Published: May 2023

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) materials are suitable for use as drug carriers due to their natural biocompatibility and nontoxicity. The aim of the study presented in this paper was to investigate the controlled growth of TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) of different sizes via an anodization method, in order to delineate whether the size of NTs governs their drug loading and release profile as well as their antitumor efficiency. TiO2 NTs were tailored to sizes ranging from 25 nm to 200 nm according to the anodization voltage employed. The TiO2 NTs obtained by this process were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering The larger TiO2 NTs exhibited greatly improved doxorubicin (DOX)-loading capacity (up to 37.5 wt%), which contributed to their outstanding cell-killing ability, as evidenced by their lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Comparisons were carried out of cellular uptake and intracellular release rates of DOX for large and small TiO2 NTs loaded with DOX. The results showed that the larger TiO2 NTs represent a promising therapeutic carrier for drug loading and controlled release, which could improve cancer treatment outcomes. Therefore, TiO2 NTs of larger size are useful substances with drug-loading potency that may be used in a wide range of medical applications.
The flavagline FL3 interferes with the association of Annexin A2 with the eIF4F initiation complex and transiently stimulates the translation of annexin A2 mRNA
Authors: Grindheim Ann Kari , Patil Sudarshan S. , Nebigil Canan G. , Désaubry Laurent , Vedeler Anni
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Annexin A2 (AnxA2) plays a critical role in cell transformation, immune response, and resistance to cancer therapy. Besides functioning as a calcium- and lipidbinding protein, AnxA2 also acts as an mRNA-binding protein, for instance, by interacting with regulatory regions of specific cytoskeleton-associated mRNAs.

Methods and Results: Nanomolar concentrations of FL3, an inhibitor of the translation factor eIF4A, transiently increases the expression of AnxA2 in PC12 cells and stimulates shortterm transcription/translation of anxA2 mRNA in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate. AnxA2 regulates the translation of its cognate mRNA by a feed-back mechanism, which can partly be relieved by FL3. Results obtained using the holdup chromatographic retention assay results suggest that AnxA2 interacts transiently with eIF4E (possibly eIF4G) and PABP in an RNA-independent manner while cap pulldown experiments indicate a more stable RNA-dependent interaction. Short-term (2 h) treatment of PC12 cells with FL3 increases the amount of eIF4A in cap pulldown complexes of total lysates, but not of the cytoskeletal fraction. AnxA2 is only present in cap analogue-purified initiation complexes from the cytoskeletal fraction and not total lysates confirming that AnxA2 binds to a specific subpopulation of mRNAs.

Discussion: Thus, AnxA2 interacts with PABP1 and subunits of the initiation complex eIF4F, explaining its inhibitory effect on translation by preventing the formation of the full eIF4F complex. This interaction appears to be modulated by FL3. These novel findings shed light on the regulation of translation by AnxA2 and contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of eIF4A inhibitors.
Metformin impairs trophoblast metabolism and differentiation in a dose-dependent manner
Authors: Nashif Sereen K. , Mahr Renee M. , Jena Snehalata , Jo Seokwon , Nelson Alisa B. , Sadowski Danielle , Crawford Peter A. , Puchalska Patrycja , Alejandro Emilyn U. , Gearhart Micah D. , Wernimont Sarah A.
Published: May 2023

Metformin is a widely prescribed medication whose mechanism of action is not completely defined and whose role in gestational diabetes management remains controversial. In addition to increasing the risk of fetal growth abnormalities and preeclampsia, gestational diabetes is associated with abnormalities in placental development including impairments in trophoblast differentiation. Given that metformin impacts cellular differentiation events in other systems, we assessed metformin’s impact on trophoblast metabolism and differentiation. Using established cell culture models of trophoblast differentiation, oxygen consumption rates and relative metabolite abundance were determined following 200 µM (therapeutic range) and 2000 µM (supra-therapeutic range) metformin treatment using Seahorse and mass-spectrometry approaches. While no differences in oxygen consumption rates or relative metabolite abundance were detected between vehicle and 200 µM metformin-treated cells, 2000 µM metformin impaired oxidative metabolism and increased the abundance of lactate and TCA cycle intermediates, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, and malate. Examining differentiation, treatment with 2000 μM, but not 200 µM metformin, impaired HCG production and expression of multiple trophoblast differentiation markers. Overall, this work suggests that supra-therapeutic concentrations of metformin impair trophoblast metabolism and differentiation whereas metformin concentrations in the therapeutic range do not strongly impact these processes.
The role of pyroptosis in inflammatory diseases
Authors: Chai Rong , Li Ying , Shui Linna , Ni Longxing , Zhang Ansheng
Published: May 2023

Programmed cell death has crucial roles in the physiological maturation of an organism, the maintenance of metabolism, and disease progression. Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death which has recently received much attention, is closely related to inflammation and occurs via canonical, non-canonical, caspase-3-dependent, and unclassified pathways. The pore-forming gasdermin proteins mediate pyroptosis by promoting cell lysis, contributing to the outflow of large amounts of inflammatory cytokines and cellular contents. Although the inflammatory response is critical for the body’s defense against pathogens, uncontrolled inflammation can cause tissue damage and is a vital factor in the occurrence and progression of various diseases. In this review, we briefly summarize the major signaling pathways of pyroptosis and discuss current research on the pathological function of pyroptosis in autoinflammatory diseases and sterile inflammatory diseases.
Live or death in cells: from micronutrition metabolism to cell fate
Authors: Wang Yuting , Wu Wei , Gong Jianke
Published: May 2023

Micronutrients and cell death have a strong relationship and both are essential for human to maintain good body health. Dysregulation of any micronutrients causes metabolic or chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiometabolic condition, neurodegeneration, and cancer. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal genetic organism for researching the mechanisms of micronutrients in metabolism, healthspan, and lifespan. For example, C. elegans is a haem auxotroph, and the research of this special haem trafficking pathway contributes important reference to mammal study. Also, C. elegans characteristics including anatomy simply, clear cell lineage, well-defined genetics, and easily differentiated cell forms make it a powerful tool for studying the mechanisms of cell death including apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Here, we describe the understanding of micronutrient metabolism currently and also sort out the fundamental mechanisms of different kinds of cell death. A thorough understanding of these physiological processes not only builds a foundation for developing better treatments for various micronutrient disorders but also provides key insights into human health and aging.
Spiral growth of multicomponent crystals: theoretical aspects
Authors: Redkov Alexey
Published: May 2023

This paper presents recent advances in the theory of multicomponent crystal growth from gas or solution, focusing on the most common step-flow mechanisms: Burton-Cabrera-Frank, Chernov, and Gilmer-Ghez-Cabrera. Analytical expressions for the spiral crystal growth rate are presented, taking into account the properties of all species involved in the growth process. The paper also outlines theoretical approaches to consider these mechanisms in multicomponent systems, providing a foundation for future developments and exploration of previously unexplored effects. Some special cases are discussed, including the formation of nanoislands of pure components on the surface and their self-organization, the impact of applied mechanical stress on the growth rate, and the mechanisms of its influence on growth kinetics. The growth due to chemical reactions on the surface is also considered. Possible future directions for developing the theory are outlined. A brief overview of numerical approaches and software codes that are useful in theoretical studies of crystal growth is also given.
Harnessing the power of Raman spectroscopic imaging for ophthalmology
Authors: Li Jing , Yan Peirao , Li Yong , Han Ming , Zeng Qi , Li Juan , Yu Zhe , Zhang Dongjie , Chen Xueli
Published: May 2023

Eye diseases can cause great inconvenience to people’s daily life; therefore, it is necessary to study the causes of ocular diseases and related physiological processes. Raman spectroscopic imaging (RSI) is a non-destructive, non-contact detection technique with the advantages of label-free, non-invasive and highly specific. Compared with other mature imaging technologies, RSI can provide real-time molecular information and high-resolution imaging at relatively low cost, making it very suitable for quantitative detection of biological molecules. RSI can reflect the overall situation of the sample, revealing the content distribution of the same substance in different areas of the sample. This review focuses on the recent advances in ophthalmology, with particular emphasis on the powerful use of RSI techniques, as well as its combination with other imaging techniques. Finally, we prospect the wider application and future potential of RSI approaches in ophthalmology.
Identification of intestinal microbiome associated with lymph-vascular invasion in colorectal cancer patients and predictive label construction
Authors: Chen Chuanbin , Chen Kang , Huang Zigui , Huang Xiaoliang , Wang Zhen , He Fuhai , Qin Mingjian , Long Chenyan , Tang Binzhe , Mo Xianwei , Liu Jungang , Tang Weizhong
Published: May 2023

Objective

To identify differences between the composition, abundance, and biological function of the intestinal microbiome of patients with and without lymph-vascular invasion (LVI) colorectal cancer (CRC) and to construct predictive labels to support accurate assessment of LVI in CRC.

Method

134 CRC patients were included, which were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of LVI, and their intestinal microbiomes were sequenced by 16SrRNA and analyzed for differences. The transcriptome sequencing data of 9 CRC patients were transformed into immune cells abundance matrix by CIBERSORT algorithm, and the correlation among LVI-associated differential intestinal microbiomes, immune cells, immune-related genes and LVI-associated differential GO items and KEGG pathways were analyzed. A random forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) model were constructed to predict the LVI of CRC patients based on the differential microbiome.

Result

There was no significant difference in α-diversity and β-diversity of intestinal microbiome between CRC patients with and without LVI (P > 0.05). Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis showed 34 intestinal microbiomes enriched in CRC patients of the LVI group and 5 intestinal microbiomes were significantly enriched in CRC patients of the non-lymph-vascular invasion (NLVI) group. The RF and XGB prediction models constructed with the top 15% of the LVI-associated differential intestinal microbiomes ranked by feature significance had good efficacy.

Conclusions

There are 39 intestinal flora with significantly different species abundance between the LVI and NLVI groups. g:Alistipes.s:Alistipes_indistinctus is closely associated with colorectal cancer vascular invasion. LVI-associated differential intestinal flora may be involved in regulating the infiltration of immune cells in CRC and influencing the expression of immune-related genes. LVI-associated differential intestinal flora may influence the process of vascular invasion in CRC through a number of potential biological functions. RF prediction models and XGB prediction models constructed based on microbial markers of gut flora can be used to predict CRC-LVI conditions.
A 3-year study of Candida infections among patients with malignancy: etiologic agents and antifungal susceptibility profile
Authors: Sharifi Mahdieh , Badiee Parisa , Abastabar Mahdi , Morovati Hamid , Haghani Iman , Noorbakhsh Mahta , Mohammadi Rasoul
Published: May 2023

Objective

Opportunistic fungal infections by Candida species arise among cancer patients due to the weakened immune system following extensive chemotherapy. Prophylaxis with antifungal agents have developed the resistance of Candida spp. to antifungals. Accurate identification of yeasts and susceptibility patterns are main concerns that can directly effect on the treatment of patients.

Methods

Over a period of three years, 325 cancer patients suspected to Candida infections were included in the current investigation. The clinical isolates were molecularly identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). All strains, were examined for in vitro susceptibility to the amphotericin B, itraconazole, fluconazole, and anidulafungin according to the CLSI M27 document.

Results

Seventy-four cancer patients had Candida infections (22.7%). Candida albicans was the most common species (83.8%). Antifungal susceptibility results indicated that 100% of the Candida isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B; however, 17.6%, 9.4%, and 5.4% of clinical isolates were resistant to anidulafungin, fluconazole, and itraconazole, respectively.

Conclusion

The findings of the present work shows a warning increase in resistance to echinocandins. Since all fluconazole resistance isolates were obtained from candidemia, we recommend amphotericin B as the first line therapy for this potentially fatal infection.
Probiotics therapy show significant improvement in obesity and neurobehavioral disorders symptoms
Authors: Cai Yichen , Liu Pan , Zhou Xiaolan , Yuan Jun , Chen Qiu
Published: May 2023

Obesity is a complex metabolic disease, with cognitive impairment being an essential complication. Gut microbiota differs markedly between individuals with and without obesity. The microbial–gut–brain axis is an important pathway through which metabolic factors, such as obesity, affect the brain. Probiotics have been shown to alleviate symptoms associated with obesity and neurobehavioral disorders. In this review, we evaluated previously published studies on the effectiveness of probiotic interventions in reducing cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety associated with obesity or a high-fat diet. Most of the probiotics studied have beneficial health effects on obesity-induced cognitive impairment and anxiety. They positively affect immune regulation, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, hippocampal function, intestinal mucosa protection, and glucolipid metabolism regulation. Probiotics can influence changes in the composition of the gut microbiota and the ratio between various flora. However, probiotics should be used with caution, particularly in healthy individuals. Future research should further explore the mechanisms underlying the gut–brain axis, obesity, and cognitive function while overcoming the significant variation in study design and high risk of bias in the current evidence.
The clinical significance of macrolide resistance in pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jiang Ting-ting , Sun Lin , Wang Tian-yi , Qi Hui , Tang He , Wang Ya-cui , Han Qian , Shi Xiao-qing , Bi Jing , Jiao Wei-wei , Shen A-dong
Published: May 2023

Background

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a commonly occurring pathogen causing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. The global prevalence of macrolide-resistant MP (MRMP) infection, especially in Asian regions, is increasing rapidly. However, the prevalence of MRMP and its clinical significance during the COVID-19 pandemic is not clear.

Methods

This study enrolled children with molecularly confirmed macrolide-susceptible MP (MSMP) and MRMP CAP from Beijing Children’s Hospital Baoding Hospital, Capital Medical University between August 2021 and July 2022. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, chest imaging presentations, and strain genotypes were compared between patients with MSMP and MRMP CAP.

Results

A total of 520 hospitalized children with MP-CAP were enrolled in the study, with a macrolide resistance rate of 92.7%. Patients with MRMP infection exhibited more severe clinical manifestations (such as dyspnea and pleural effusion) and had a longer hospital stay than the MSMP group. Furthermore, abnormal blood test results (including increased LDH and D-dimer) were more common in the MRMP group (P<0.05). Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) was performed on 304 samples based on four loci (Mpn13-16), and M3562 and M4572 were the major types, accounting for 74.0% and 16.8% of the strains, respectively. The macrolide resistance rate of M3562 strains was up to 95.1%.

Conclusion

The prevalence of MRMP strains in hospitalized CAP patients was extremely high in the Baoding area, and patients infected with MRMP strains exhibited more severe clinical features and increased LDH and D-dimer. M3562 was the predominant resistant clone.
Dense agent-based HPC simulation of cell physics and signaling with real-time user interactions
Authors: Merchant Naman , Sampson Adam T. , Boiko Andrei , Falconer Ruth E.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Distributed simulations of complex systems to date have focused on scalability and correctness rather than interactive visualization. Interactive visual simulations have particular advantages for exploring emergent behaviors of complex systems. Interpretation of simulations of complex systems such as cancer cell tumors is a challenge and can be greatly assisted by using “built-in” real-time user interaction and subsequent visualization.

Methods

We explore this approach using a multi-scale model which couples a cell physics model with a cell signaling model. This paper presents a novel communication protocol for real-time user interaction and visualization with a large-scale distributed simulation with minimal impact on performance. Specifically, we explore how optimistic synchronization can be used to enable real-time user interaction and visualization in a densely packed parallel agent-based simulation, whilst maintaining scalability and determinism. We also describe the software framework created and the distribution strategy for the models utilized. The key features of the High-Performance Computing (HPC) simulation that were evaluated are scalability, deterministic verification, speed of real-time user interactions, and deadlock avoidance.

Results

We use two commodity HPC systems, ARCHER (118,080 CPU cores) and ARCHER2 (750,080 CPU cores), where we simulate up to 256 million agents (one million cells) using up to 21,953 computational cores and record a response time overhead of ≃350 ms from the issued user events.

Discussion

The approach is viable and can be used to underpin transformative technologies offering immersive simulations such as Digital Twins. The framework explained in this paper is not limited to the models used and can be adapted to systems biology models that use similar standards (physics models using agent-based interactions, and signaling pathways using SBML) and other interactive distributed simulations.
How social interactions can affect Modern Code Review
Authors: Ciancarini Paolo , Kruglov Artem , Malikova Aygul , Pedrycz Witold , Succi Giancarlo
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Modern Code Review (MCR) is a multistage process where developers evaluate source code written by others to enhance the software quality. Despite the numerous studies conducted on the effects of MCR on software quality, the non-technical issues in the MCR process have not been extensively studied. This study aims to investigate the social problems in the MCR process and to find possible ways to prevent them and improve the overall quality of the MCR process.

Methodology

To achieve the research objectives, we applied the grounded theory research shaped by GQM approach to collect data on the attitudes of developers from different teams toward MCR. We conducted interviews with 25 software developers from 13 companies to obtain the information necessary to investigate how social interactions affect the code reviewing process.

Results

Our findings show that interpersonal relationships within the team can have significant consequences on the MCR process. We also received a list of possible strategies to overcome these problems.

Discussion

Our study provides a new perspective on the non-technical issues in the MCR process, which has not been extensively studied before. The findings of this study can help software development teams to address the social problems in the MCR process and improve the overall quality of their software products.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insights into the non-technical issues in the MCR process and the possible ways to prevent them. The findings of this study can help software development teams to improve the MCR process and the quality of their software products. Future research could explore the effectiveness of the identified strategies in addressing the social problems in the MCR process.
Association between corrected QT interval and long-term cardiovascular outcomes in elderly patients who had undergone endovascular therapy for lower extremity arterial disease
Authors: Chang Yao-Ting , Tzeng I-Shiang , Jang Shih-Jung , Liu Kuan-Liang , Hsieh Chien-An , Chou Hsin-Hua , Yeh Kuan-Hung , Huang Hsuan-Li ,   TRENDPAD Study Group
Published: May 2023

Background

Population-based studies have reported the association between prolonged corrected QT (QTc) intervals and an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Data regarding the association between longer QTc intervals and incident cardiovascular outcomes in patients with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) are scarce.

Objective

To examine the impact of QTc interval on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in elderly patients with symptomatic LEAD.

Methods

This cohort study extracted data from the Tzu-chi Registry of ENDovascular Intervention for Peripheral Artery Disease (TRENDPAD) and enrolled 504 patients aged ≥ 70 treated with endovascular therapy for atherosclerotic LEAD from July 1, 2005, to December 31, 2019. The main outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazard model to determine independent variables. We performed interaction analysis between corrected QT and other covariates and Kaplan-Meier analysis to compare the outcome of interest among the groups stratified by the tercile of QTc intervals.

Results

A total of 504 patients [235 men (46.6%); mean age, 79.9 ± 6.2 years; mean QTc interval, 459 ± 33 msec] entered the final data analysis. We categorized the baseline patient characteristics according to terciles of QTc intervals. During the median follow-up time of 3.15 (interquartile ranges, 1.65–5.42) years, we noted 264 deaths and 145 MACEs. The 5-year rates of freedom from all-cause mortality (71% vs. 57% vs. 31%, P < 0.001) and MACEs (83% vs. 67% vs. 46%, P < 0.001) were significantly different among the tercile groups. Multivariate analysis showed that a 1-SD increase in the QTc interval increased the risk of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.49, P < 0.001] and MACEs (HR 1.59, P < 0.001) after adjusting for other covariates. The interaction analysis showed that QTc interval and C-reactive protein levels were most strongly associated with death (HR = 4.88, 95% CI 3.09–7.73, interaction P < 0.001) and MACEs (HR = 7.83, 95% CI 4.14–14.79, interaction P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In elderly patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic LEAD, a prolonged QTc interval is associated with advanced limb ischemia, multiple medical comorbidities, increased risk of MACEs, and all-cause mortality.
Visual analysis based on CiteSpace software: a bibliometric study of atrial myxoma
Authors: Gao Ang , Yang Jinghua , Tian Tongru , Wu Yang , Sun Xiaoting , Qi Na , Tian Nan , Wang Xian , Wang Jisheng
Published: May 2023

Objective

To use CiteSpace and VOSviewer visual metrology to analyze the research status, frontier hotspots, and trends in research on atrial myxoma.

Methods

The Web of Science core collection database was used to retrieve relevant literature on atrial myxoma from 2001 to 2022. CiteSpace software was used to analyze keywords with a co-occurrence network, co-polymerization class, and burst terms, and a corresponding visual atlas was drawn for analysis.

Results

A total of 893 valid articles were included. The country with the highest number of articles was the United States (n = 186). The organization with the highest number of articles was the Mayo Clinic (n = 15). The author with the highest number of articles was Yuan SM (n = 12). The highest cited author was Reynen K (n = 312). The highest cited journal was Annals of Thoracic Surgery (n = 1,067). The most frequently cited literature was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995, which was cited 233 times. The keywords co-occurrence, copolymerization analysis, and Burst analysis revealed that the main research focuses were surgical methods, case reports, and genetic and molecular level studies on the pathogenesis of myxoma.

Conclusions

This bibliometric analysis revealed that the main research topics and hotspots in atrial myxoma included surgical methods, case reports, genetic and molecular studies.