bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emodin Protects SH-SY5Y Cells Against Zinc-Induced Synaptic Impairment and Oxidative Stress Through the ERK1/2 Pathway
Authors: Chen Qian , Lai Chencen , Chen Fa , Ding Yuanting , Zhou Yiyuan , Su Songbai , Ni Ruiqing , Tang Zhi
Published: February 2022

Zinc is an essential trace element important for the physiological function of the central nervous system. The abnormal accumulation of zinc inside neurons may induce mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which contribute to many brain diseases. We hypothesized that natural anthraquinone derivative emodin can protect against neurotoxicity induced by pathological concentrations of zinc via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway and alleviate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y 26 cells) was treated with zinc sulfate and different concentrations of emodin, and changes in the levels of ETK1/2 expression, oxidative stress (DCFH-DA staining), mitochondrial function (JC-1 staining), lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal staining), and DNA oxidation (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine staining) were examined. Emodin ameliorated zinc-induced altered expression of levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (not total ETK1/2) and synaptic proteins (presynaptic SNAP 25, synaptophysin and postsynaptic PSD95) in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, emodin inhibited the generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress and facilitated the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in SH-SY5Y cells. In conclusion, our results indicated that emodin exerts neuroprotective effects against zinc by normalizing synaptic impairment by decreasing the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, reducing reactive oxygen species and protecting mitochondrial function.
Coexistence of Multiple Attractors in a Novel Simple Jerk Chaotic Circuit With CFOAs Implementation
Authors: Wang Qiao , Tian Zean , Wu Xianming , Tan Weijie
Published: February 2022

A novel, simple Jerk chaotic circuit with three current feedback operational amplifiers included (CFOA-JCC) is proposed, which has a simpler circuit structure, fewer components, but higher frequency characteristics. The dynamic behaviors of CFOA-JCC are analyzed, including equilibrium, stability, Lyapunov exponent, bifurcation diagram, offset boosting, and phase diagram. Furthermore, the frequency spectrum characteristic of the ordinary op-amps Jerk chaotic circuit was compared with CFOA-JCC under the same circuit parameters, and the chaotic attractor frequency of CFOA-JCC can reach about 650 kHz, much better than that of ordinary op-amps (12 kHz). Numerical simulation shows that CFOA-JCC has coexisting attractors, verified by hardware circuit experiments.
Effect of Narcissistic Personality on Entrepreneurial Intention Among College Students: Mediation Role of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy
Authors: Gao Sun-Yu , Huang Jianhao
Published: February 2022

Exploring the factors influencing entrepreneurial intention is crucial to entrepreneurial practice and education. For a comprehensive understanding of the influence of narcissistic personality on entrepreneurial intention, this study analyzed the relationship between narcissistic personality, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention in college students sampled from three higher vocational colleges in Beijing, China. A total of 252 valid questionnaires were collected. The results show that the narcissistic personality of the college students has a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy of the college students has a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention and plays a partial mediation role in the relationship between narcissistic personality and entrepreneurial intention. Thus, the study results provide some reference for further improving entrepreneurial practice and education.
Austrian College Students’ Experiences With Digital Media Learning During the First COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Kovacs Carrie , Jadin Tanja , Ortner Christina
Published: February 2022

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many nations to shut-down schools and universities, catapulting teachers and students into a new, challenging situation of 100% distance learning. To explore how the shift to full distance learning represented a break with previous teaching, we asked Austrian students (n = 874, 65% female, 34% male) which digital media they used before and during the first Corona lockdown, as well as which tools they wanted to use in the future. Students additionally reported on their attitudes and experiences with online learning. Results showed that students used certain tools, such as video, audio, e-assessments, and web conferencing systems, much more often during lockdown than they had before. Their use of classic digital media, such as e-mail, social communication tools, such as chat or online forums, and other interactive tools, such as wikis or educational games, hardly changed at all. Their attitudes toward multimedia learning were positively related to their media use. In their open responses (n = 137), students identified advantages of online learning (flexibility and self-directed learning), as well as disadvantages (limited social interaction) and challenges (motivation and self-discipline). As a group, they also expressed a clear preference for a balanced combination of online- and offline teaching in the future. However, individual students did prefer fully online or offline learning modes, depending on their personal circumstances and educational goals. We view this as a call to researchers and educators alike to explore ways in which the advantages of online and face-to-face learning can best be combined to meet the changed needs and expectations of organizations, students, and teachers in a future “after Corona.”
Analysis on the Influence Path of User Knowledge Withholding in Virtual Academic Community – Based on Structural Equation Method-Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Le Chengyi , Li Wenxin
Published: February 2022

The phenomenon of knowledge withholding is a vital issue that undermines knowledge sharing and innovation, hinders the development of offline and online organizations. Clarifying the relationship between influencing factors and knowledge withholding is significant to improve the phenomenon of knowledge withholding in offline and online organizations. Few types of research focus on the online virtual academic community and integrate the three factors of knowledge, individual, and environment to research knowledge withholding. To solve the limitation, this research is based on sociology and psychology-related theories. The two dimensions of enabling and inhibition are divided into factors affecting knowledge withholding. An attempt is made to explore the path between the three types of factors influencing knowledge, individual and environment, and knowledge withholding. This study collected data from 616 users in China’s virtual academic community. It used a structural equation model combined with a cross-layer connected neural network to conduct an empirical analysis on the proposed hypothesis. The results found that: in the virtual academic community, knowledge power in the enabling dimension is the main reason for users to form knowledge psychological ownership, which affects users’ knowledge withholding. However, the effect of professional commitment on users’ knowledge psychological ownership is not significant. After SEM-ANN model fitting, the combined inhibitory effect of community privacy protection and community reciprocity on user knowledge withholding in the inhibition dimension is significantly improved. This research has a specific guiding significance for enhancing the knowledge withholding phenomenon of the virtual academic community and creating an excellent academic exchange atmosphere.
Validation of the Double Mediation Model of Workplace Well-Being on the Subjective Well-Being of Technological Employees
Authors: Chang Shu-Ya , Hsu Hsiang-Chen
Published: February 2022

In recent years, workplace well-being has been a popular research topic, because it is helpful to promote employees’ welfare, thereby bringing valuable personal and organizational outcomes. With the development of technology, the technology industry plays an important role in Taiwan. Although the salary and benefits provided by the technology industry are better than other industries, the work often requires a lot of time and effort. It is worth paying attention to whether a happy workplace will bring subjective well-being for the technology industry in Taiwan. This study explored the influence of workplace well-being, job involvement, and flow on the subjective well-being. The research was conducted by a questionnaire survey. A total of 256 employees in the technology industry in the Nanzi Processing Zone in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan were surveyed. Collected data were analyzed by statistical methods, such as multivariate and structural equation models. The study results indicated that workplace well-being, flow, and job involvement have a positive and significant impact on the subjective well-being. In addition to having a direct impact on subjective well-being, flow is also a significant variable to mediate the impact of workplace well-being to subjective well-being. In addition, job involvement also affects subjective well-being through flow, which means that the state of selflessness at work is the most important factor affecting subjective well-being. Finally, based on the research findings, the researcher provided practical suggestions to the government and the technology industry.
Serum Neurofilament Light Predicts 6-Month Mental Health Outcomes in a Cohort of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Wang Duo-Zi , Guo Fu-Qiang , Guo Lei , Yang Shu , Yu Neng-Wei , Wang Jian , Wang Jian-Hong
Published: February 2022

Background

Mental health problems after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) have caused wide public concerns, and the study on early identification of these disorders is still an open issue. This study aims to investigate the predictive effect of circulating neurofilament light (NfL) on long-term mental health status of AIS patients.

Methods

This study collected demographic information and mental health measurements from 304 AIS patients from May 1, 2016 to Dec 31, 2019. Baseline serum neurofilament light (NfL) was determined within 2 h since patient admission. Six months after AIS onset, the degree of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia was assessed by the Chinese versions of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), respectively. Subjects were divided into the high NfL group and the low NfL group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with these mental health problems.

Results

The high NfL group had significantly higher PHQ-9, GAD-7, and ISI scores than the low NfL group. The prediction of serum NfL for major depression generated a sensitivity of 70.27%, a specificity of 67.79% and an AUC of 0.694. The prediction of serum NfL for anxiety generated a sensitivity of 69.23%, a specificity of 64.02%, and an AUC of 0.683. The prediction of serum NfL for insomnia generated a sensitivity of 75.00%, a specificity of 66.43% and an AUC of 0.723. Higher serum NfL was a risk factor of post-AIS depression [ORs (95% CI): 4.427 (1.918, 10.217)], anxiety [ORs (95% CI): 3.063 (1.939, 6.692)], and insomnia [ORs (95% CI): 4.200 (1.526, 11.562)].

Conclusions

These findings imply that circulating NfL might be a potential biomarker of long-term mental health problems after AIS.
How Social Experiences Affect Interpretation Bias Among Individuals With Non-clinical Depression: The Role of Ostracism
Authors: Bar-Sella Avigail , Richter Thalia , Zilcha-Mano Sigal , Okon-Singer Hadas
Published: February 2022

Background

Extensive knowledge and research indicate that interpretation bias is very common among individuals with sub-clinical and clinical levels of depression. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of social experiences in enhancing interpretation bias. Given the major relevance of social experiences in the context of depression, the present study investigated the role of potential interactions between social experiences and levels of depression symptoms in the interpretation of ambiguous information.

Method

Seventy participants underwent a laboratory controlled manipulation either of social ostracism or of overinclusion. Participants completed a computerized task that measured both direct and indirect interpretation bias and reported their level of depression symptoms.

Results

The findings show that ostracism enhanced interpretation bias when symptom levels were higher, while overinclusion did not. This interaction effect between social ostracism and symptom level was found both for direct and for indirect interpretation bias.

Conclusion

Whereas previous research showed the existence of interpretation bias among people with symptoms of depression, the present study expands previous knowledge by shedding light on the conditions under which interpretation bias emerges, suggesting that ostracism enhances negative interpretation of ambiguous information when levels of depression symptoms are higher.
How Fast Are the Asian Countries Progressing Toward Green Economy? Implications for Public Health
Authors: Shao Ming , Jin Hui , Tsai Fu-Sheng , Jakovljevic Mihajlo
Published: February 2022

Monitoring progress toward green economy has been a key policy focus globally. The purpose of our study is to assess Asian countries' green development performance and also the progress toward green economy overtime. To achieve this goal, we propose a green development index (GDI) to assess the level and ranking of green development for Asian countries, and then we measure the progress toward green economy by the method based on the compound annual growth rate (CAGR). The result shows that the northeast Asian countries together with Singapore and Israel are leaders in green development performance across Asia, but the most progress toward green economy has been achieved by some medium green development level countries, like China. Countries with the fastest movement away from green economy are some laggard countries with poor green development performance, such as Syria and Yemen. More generally, the leading countries have reached a high green development level, and the medium ones move fast toward green economy, whereas some laggards get worse. We also discuss the implications for public health in environmental protection, green consumption, and green production.
Are Healthcare Expenditures Related to Economic Growth in China? Bootstrap ARDL Approach
Authors: Chang Yu-Cheng , Chang Tsangyao , Wang Mei-Chih
Published: February 2022

This study attempts to investigate whether healthcare expenditures (HCE) are related to economic growth in China using a newly developed Bootstrap autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) test for China over the period of 1990–2019. To avoid omitted variable bias, we use the ratio of the population of 65 years old over the total population (aging ratio) as a control variable. Empirical result indicates that no cointegration among these three variables. Granger causality test based on Bootstrap ARDL model demonstrates that one-way Granger causality running from HCE to aging ratio and from economic growth to both HCE and aging ratio. Empirical results have important policy implications for China understudy
Social Pension Scheme and Health Inequality: Evidence From China's New Rural Social Pension Scheme
Authors: Yuan Hui , Chen Shuoqi , Pan Guochen , Zheng Lingyun
Published: February 2022

Health equality is an essential component of social justice, and the social policies should be as conducive to promoting health equality as possible. Based on the data from China, this article uses the regression discontinuity design method and the technique of decomposition of concentration index to examine whether the social pension schemes can significantly reduce health inequality among the residents, and tries to compute the contribution rate of pension benefit in alleviating the health inequality. Our results show that the pension benefit can improve the health level of the rural subscribers, especially for the low-income population. Implement of New Rural Pension Scheme contributes to reducing the health inequality among the rural elderly with contribution rate of 39.32%. Our results contain important policy implications.
Universal Health Insurance Coverage and the Economic Burden of Disease in Eastern China: A Pooled Cross-Sectional Analysis From the National Health Service Survey in Jiangsu Province
Authors: Zhou Shenping , Zhou Chenyu , Yuan Qin , Wang Zhonghua
Published: February 2022

China has achieved universal social health insurance coverage, but it is unclear whether this has alleviated the economic burden of disease for individuals. This was investigated in the present study by analyzing National Health Service Survey (2008–2018) data from Jiangsu province. Ordinary least squares and binary multivariate logistic regression of pooled cross-sectional data were carried out to evaluate the effect of universal health insurance coverage and other socioeconomic factors on the economic burden of disease. Total health expenses (THE) first increased and then decreased during the survey period while out-of-pocket health expenses (OOP) decreased except for urban residents, for whom OOP increased after 2013. Household catastrophic health expenditure (HCHE) was stable between 2008 and 2013 but increased after 2013. Social health insurance had a significant positive effect on the annual THE and OOP and a negative effect on HCHE, however, universal health insurance coverage could alleviated THE and the economic burden of disease on individuals (OOP) while it was insufficient to protect against the economic risk of diseases (HCHE), with greater benefits for urban as compared to rural residents. Other socioeconomic factors including age, marital status, education, income, and health status also influenced the economic burden of disease.
Deep Active Learning via Open-Set Recognition
Authors: Mandivarapu Jaya Krishna , Camp Blake , Estrada Rolando
Published: February 2022

In many applications, data is easy to acquire but expensive and time-consuming to label, prominent examples include medical imaging and NLP. This disparity has only grown in recent years as our ability to collect data improves. Under these constraints, it makes sense to select only the most informative instances from the unlabeled pool and request an oracle (e.g., a human expert) to provide labels for those samples. The goal of active learning is to infer the informativeness of unlabeled samples so as to minimize the number of requests to the oracle. Here, we formulate active learning as an open-set recognition problem. In this paradigm, only some of the inputs belong to known classes; the classifier must identify the rest asunknown. More specifically, we leverage variational neural networks (VNNs), which produce high-confidence (i.e., low-entropy) predictions only for inputs that closely resemble the training data. We use the inverse of this confidence measure to select the samples that the oracle should label. Intuitively, unlabeled samples that the VNN is uncertain about contain features that the network has not been exposed to; thus they are more informative for future training. We carried out an extensive evaluation of our novel, probabilistic formulation of active learning, achieving state-of-the-art results on MNIST, CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, and FashionMNIST. Additionally, unlike current active learning methods, our algorithm can learn even in the presence of out-of-distribution outliers. As our experiments show, when the unlabeled pool consists of a mixture of samples from multiple datasets, our approach can automatically distinguish between samples from seen vs. unseen datasets. Overall, our results show that high-quality uncertainty measures are key for pool-based active learning.
Surface Morphologies in a Mars-Analog Ca-Sulfate Salar, High Andes, Northern Chile
Authors: Hinman Nancy W. , Hofmann Michael H. , Warren-Rhodes Kimberly , Phillips Michael S. , Noffke Nora , Cabrol Nathalie A. , Chong Diaz Guillermo , Demergasso Cecilia , Tebes-Cayo Cinthya , Cabestrero Oscar , Bishop Janice L. , Gulick Virginia C. , Summers David , Sobron Pablo , McInenly Michael , Moersch Jeffrey , Rodriguez Constanza , Sarazzin Philippe , Rhodes Kevin L. , Riffo Contreras Camila Javiera , Wettergreen David , Parro Victor
Published: February 2022

Salar de Pajonales, a Ca-sulfate salt flat in the Chilean High Andes, showcases the type of polyextreme environment recognized as one of the best terrestrial analogs for early Mars because of its aridity, high solar irradiance, salinity, and oxidation. The surface of the salar represents a natural climate-transition experiment where contemporary lagoons transition into infrequently inundated areas, salt crusts, and lastly dry exposed paleoterraces. These surface features represent different evolutionary stages in the transition from previously wetter climatic conditions to much drier conditions today. These same stages closely mirror the climate transition on Mars from a wetter early Noachian to the Noachian/Hesperian. Salar de Pajonales thus provides a unique window into what the last near-surface oases for microbial life on Mars could have been like in hypersaline environments as the climate changed and water disappeared from the surface. Here we open that climatological window by evaluating the narrative recorded in the salar surface morphology and microenvironments and extrapolating to similar paleosettings on Mars. Our observations suggest a strong inter-dependence between small and large scale features that we interpret to be controlled by extrabasinal changes in environmental conditions, such as precipitation-evaporation-balance changes and thermal cycles, and most importantly, by internal processes, such as hydration/dehydration, efflorescence/deliquescence, and recrystallization brought about by physical and chemical processes related to changes in groundwater recharge and volcanic processes. Surface structures and textures record a history of hydrological changes that impact the mineralogy and volume of Ca-sulfate layers comprising most of the salar surface. Similar surface features on Mars, interpreted as products of freeze-thaw cycles, could, instead, be products of water-driven, volume changes in salt deposits. On Mars, surface manifestations of such salt-related processes would point to potential water sources. Because hygroscopic salts have been invoked as sources of localized, transient water sufficient to support terrestrial life, such structures might be good targets for biosignature exploration on Mars.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients After Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
Authors: Zheng Zhihuan , Wu Ziqiang , Li Kaixuan , Zhu Quan , Li Haozhen , Liu Xuesong , Wang Guilin , Tang Zhengyan , Wang Zhao
Published: February 2022

Objective

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been overlooked for many years. This research was aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of VTE in patients after TURP.

Methods

A total of 451 patients who underwent TURP between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical data of the patients were collected, such as basic demographic data, prostate volume, creatinine values, hemoglobin values, surgery duration, Caprini score, international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) score, plasma D-dimer levels, and so on. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify the potential risk factors of VTE. Venous ultrasonography of lower extremities was performed routinely to detect VTE for patients after TURP.

Results

In total, 36 (8%) out of the 451 patients suffered from VTE. A total of 12 (2.7%) patients were confirmed with deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Two patients (0.4%) were identified with pulmonary embolism (PE). Twenty-two (4.9%) patients were suffered from superficial venous thrombosis. Furthermore, according to the results of multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, having a history of VTE (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 10.980, 95% CI = 2.265–53.223), complicated with postoperative bladder hematoma (aOR = 6.302, 95% CI = 2.265–17.532), D-dimer >1.25 mg/L (aOR = 4.402, 95% CI = 1.798–10.774), and age >65 (aOR = 3.106, 95% CI = 1.084–8.893) were independent risk factors of VTE after TURP. In addition, the nomogram prediction model is a useful auxiliary prevention tool of VTE.

Conclusion

The incidence of VTE is severely underestimated in patients following TURP. A lot of asymptomatic VTEs have been overlooked. Early detection and diagnosis of VTE are essential. Nevertheless, further verifications based on the results of large-scaled studies are still needed.
Physical Activity Levels of a Multi-Ethnic Population of Middle-Aged Men Living in Saudi Arabia and Factors Associated With Physical Inactivity
Authors: AlFaris Nora A. , Alshwaiyat Naseem M. , AlTamimi Jozaa Z. , Alagal Reham I. , Al-Jamal Hamid A. , AlKehayez Nora M.
Published: February 2022

Objectives:This study investigated physical activity levels and factors related to physical inactivity in a multi-ethnic population of middle-aged men living in Saudi Arabia.

Methods:This is a cross-sectional study in which 1,800 men aged 36–59 years old from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia participated. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the physical activity levels. The weight and height were measured and used to calculate the body mass index.

Results:Among all participants, 35.3% are physically inactive. The participants with the lowest and highest rates of physical inactivity were from the Philippines (15.5%) and Saudi Arabia (57.8%), respectively. This study suggests that the risk of physical inactivity among participants is positively or negatively affected by various factors, including nationality, residency period in Saudi Arabia, living with/without family, education level, monthly income, and body mass index.

Conclusion:The prevalence of physical inactivity is relatively high among middle-aged men in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed significant differences in physical activity levels based on nationality, other sociodemographic variables and body weight status.
A Method for Determining the Safe Thickness of Concrete Retaining Walls Based on Slab Structure Theory
Authors: Liu Yankai , Chen Mengjun , Li Wei , Cheng Bingchuan
Published: February 2022

The safe thickness of concrete retaining walls for curtain grouting on tunnel faces is an essential factor related to tunnel safety and grouting effects. In this research, the concrete retaining wall was simplified into a standard rectangular slab structure. The Rankine active earth pressure theory and the plastic hinge theory were used to analyze the lateral force of the concrete retaining wall. By deriving the safety-thickness equation of the concrete retaining wall, a quantitative criterion that can display the mechanism of the concrete retaining wall was obtained. The traditional empirical formula and Kalmykov formula had a particular connection with the method in this paper in determining the safe thickness of the concrete retaining wall. This was negatively related to the compressive (tensile) strength of the concrete and the groundwater level and positively associated with the buried depth of the tunnel. The conversion relationship between the traditional empirical formula and the theoretical formula was established, and the exact solution formula for the value of safety coefficient K0 was given. Finally, the rationality of the theoretical formula was verified by a field test, in novel work that provides a reference for similar projects.
Slip Estimation for Mars Rover Zhurong Based on Data Drive
Authors: Zhang Tianyi , Peng Song , Jia Yang , Tian He , Sun Junkai , Yan Chuliang
Published: February 2022

China’s Mars rover Zhurong successfully landed on Mars on 15 May 2021, and it is currently conducting an exploration mission on the Red Planet. This paper develops slip estimation models for the Mars rover Zhurong based on the data drive approach. Data were obtained by Zhurong’s validator ground indoor tests, and the test site was equipped with a low-gravity simulation device and simulated Mars soil to simulate the Mars conditions as much as possible. The obtained slip models trained by BP and GA-BP algorithms were applied to estimate Zhurong’s longitudinal (slip_x) and lateral slip (slip_y) on Mars, and the slip estimation values were used to display Zhurong’s actual driving path. The analyzed results prove that the GA-BP slip models perform better than the BP models, and can both be applied for correcting Zhurong’s path. The proposed models have high potential in guiding the path planning and monitoring of the slip for the Mars rover Zhurong.
Assessing the Feasibility of a Cold Start Procedure for Solid State Batteries in Automotive Applications
Authors: Hughes Ryan , Vagg Christopher
Published: February 2022

This paper addresses the thermal management of a solid polymer electrolyte battery system, which is currently the only commercialized solid-state battery chemistry. These batteries aim to increase the range of electric vehicles by facilitating a lithium metal anode but are limited by operational temperatures above 60 °C. The feasibility of a cold start procedure is examined, which would enable a solid polymer battery to be used, without preconditioning, in a wide variety of ambient temperatures. The proposed solution involves dividing the solid-state battery into smaller sub-packs, which can be heated and brought online more quickly. Thermal modelling shows a cold start procedure is theoretically feasible when using a small liquid electrolyte lithium battery at the start. The key bottlenecks are the rate at which the solid-state batteries can be heated, and the discharge rates they can provide. After resistive heating is used for the first solid-state module, all subsequent heating can be provided by waste heat from the motor and operating battery modules. Due to the insulation required, the proposed system has lower volumetric, but higher gravimetric energy density than liquid electrolyte systems. This work suggests that with suitable system-level design, solid-state batteries could be widely adopted despite temperature constraints.
Effect on Osteoclast Differentiation and ER Stress Downregulation by Amygdalin and RANKL Binding Interaction
Authors: Trang Nguyen Minh , Kim Eun-Nam , Lee Hyun-Su , Jeong Gil-Saeng
Published: February 2022

Bone diseases such as osteoporosis are the result of osteoclast over-activation. There are many therapeutic agents from natural compounds inhibiting the formation of osteoclast that have been reported and are continuously being interested. Amygdalin (AD) is isolated from seeds of Prunus armeniaca L. which has many pharmaceutical effects; however, the effect of AD on osteoclast formation and function remains unknown. Therefore, the underlying mechanism of AD on RANKL-induced osteoclast in RAW 264.7 cells was investigated. Molecular docking simulation revealed that AD can bind to the active sites of RANKL with negative binding affinities. Through TRAP activity, bone resorption, and migration, AD effectively inhibited osteoclast differentiation and function. Expression of transcription factors, such as NFATc1, c-fos, and osteospecific genes (including dcstamp, acp5, ATP6v0d2, and ctsk results) showed an osteoclast differentiated inhibitory effect by AD treatment. In addition, RANKL-induced activation of MAPK, ER stress, and ROS levels in RANKL-induced osteoclast was significantly inhibited while antioxidant enzymes were recovered in the presence of AD. These results suggest that AD may be a potential candidate derived from natural sources for the treatment of osteoclast bone-related diseases.
Does the Urban Environment Act as a Filter on the Individual Quality of Birds?
Authors: Saulnier Agnès , Bleu Josefa , Lemonnier Gildas , Uhlrich Pierre , Zahn Sandrine , Massemin Sylvie
Published: February 2022

Phenotypic divergences of birds are common between urban and natural habitats and can result from different selective pressures between habitats or maladaptation to the city. No uniform patterns were observed, especially concerning markers of bird health, such as, for example, telomere length. Telomeres are involved in maintaining genome integrity and naturally shorten with age, but environmental stressors can accelerate their attrition. Thus, telomere length can be an indicator of individual quality. Some studies showed that urban breeders had longer telomeres than forest individuals. Two hypotheses can explain this result: (1) urban breeders are younger than forests breeders, and (2) cities act as a filter on individuals and only high-quality birds can successfully reproduce. In this context, we compared the age category (molting pattern) and morphological and physiological characteristics of urban and forest Great Tits before and during breeding. No differences in age or body condition were observed. However, urban breeders were smaller and had shorter telomeres than birds captured in winter. Urban birds had longer telomeres than forest birds, only in winter. These results highlight that urban habitats potentially favor smaller birds. However, the decrease in telomere length between winter and reproduction only in the city suggest a higher cost of reproduction in the city compared to the forest.
Illegal Wildlife Trade in Traditional Markets, on Instagram and Facebook: Raptors as a Case Study
Authors: Nijman Vincent , Ardiansyah Ahmad , Langgeng Abdullah , Hendrik Rifqi , Hedger Katherine , Foreman Grace , Morcatty Thais Q. , Siriwat Penthai , van Balen S. (Bas) , Eaton James A. , Shepherd Chris R. , Gomez Lalita , Imron Muhammad Ali , Nekaris K. A. I.
Published: February 2022

Monitoring illegal wildlife trade and how the modus operandi of traders changes over time is of vital importance to mitigate the negative effects this trade can have on wild populations. We focused on the trade of birds of prey in Indonesia (2016–2021) in bird markets (12 markets, 194 visits), on Instagram (19 seller profiles) and on Facebook (11 open groups). We link species prevalence and asking prices to body size, abundance and geographic range. Smaller species were more traded in bird markets and less so online. Abundance in trade is in part linked to their abundance in the wild. Asking prices (mean of USD 87) are positively correlated with size and negatively with their abundance in the wild. Authorities seize birds of prey according to their observed abundance in trade, but only 10% of seizures lead to successful prosecutions. The trade is in violation of national laws and the terms and conditions of the online platforms; the low prosecution rate with minimal fines shows a lack of recognition of the urgency of the threat that trade poses to already imperilled wildlife. The shift of trade from physical bird markets to the online marketplace necessitates a different strategy both for monitoring and enforcement.
Disruptive Behavior Disorders: Symptoms, Evaluation and Treatment
Authors: Milone Annarita , Sesso Gianluca
Published: February 2022

Disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) refer to a group of conditions that typically share difficulties in modulating aggressive conducts, self-control, and impulses, with resulting behaviors that constitute a threat to others’ safety and to social norms [...]
Cyclic Behavior of High-Strength Lightweight Concrete Exterior Beam-Column Connections Reinforced with GFRP
Authors: El-Mandouh Mahmoud A. , Omar Mostafa. S. , Elnaggar Mohamed A. , Abd El-Maula Ahmed S.
Published: February 2022

Using lightweight reinforced concrete beams with glass fiber bars (GFRP) is one approach for achieving the requirement seismic design idea of “strong-columns weak-beams”. Twelve full-scale normal-strength concrete (NC with fc` = 32 MPa) and high-strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC with fc` = 42, 49 and 52 MPa) exterior beam-column joints have been tested under cyclic loadings. The beams were reinforced with conventional steel bars (CS) and GFRP using steel fibers (SF). The experimental joint shear force was compared with that estimated by some international codes such as the American Concrete Institute (ACI-19), the Egyptian code (ECP-07), and the New Zealand Code (NZS-06). Nonlinear finite element analysis (ABAQUS) was carried out. In the present study, three main parameters were explored (1) HSLWC, (2) GFRP ratios equal to 0.70%, 1.03% and 1.37%, (3) SF ratios equal to 0.0%, 0.75% and 1.50%. The findings of the experiment revealed that increasing the concrete strength from NC with conventional steel bars to high-strength lightweight concrete HSLWC (fc` = 42 MPa) with the same ratio of GFRP bars enhanced the first cracking load by about 25%. Increasing the SF ratio to 1.50% enhanced the failure load by 18–24% when compared with non-fiber specimens. The predicted joint shear strength estimated using the equations of the ACI 318-19 and ECP-07 are conservative for HSLWC exterior beam-column connection reinforced with GFRP bars but the predicted joint shear strength by using the equations of the NZS-07 is on the borderline for some cases. The finite element program ABAQUS can be used successfully to forecast the behavior of HSLWC beam-column connections reinforced with GFRP under seismic loadings.
Microtentacle Formation in Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Reader Jocelyn C. , Fan Cong , Ory Eleanor Claire-Higgins , Ju Julia , Lee Rachel , Vitolo Michele I. , Smith Paige , Wu Sulan , Ching Mc Millan Nicol , Asiedu Emmanuel B. , Jewell Christopher M. , Rao Gautam G. , Fulton Amy , Webb Tonya J. , Yang Peixin , Santin Alessandro D. , Huang Huang-Chiao , Martin Stuart S. , Roque Dana M.
Published: February 2022

Background: The development of chemoresistance to paclitaxel and carboplatin represents a major therapeutic challenge in ovarian cancer, a disease frequently characterized by malignant ascites and extrapelvic metastasis. Microtentacles (McTNs) are tubulin-based projections observed in detached breast cancer cells. In this study, we investigated whether ovarian cancers exhibit McTNs and characterized McTN biology. Methods: We used an established lipid-tethering mechanism to suspend and image individual cancer cells. We queried a panel of immortalized serous (OSC) and clear cell (OCCC) cell lines as well as freshly procured ascites and human ovarian surface epithelium (HOSE). We assessed by Western blot β-tubulin isotype, α-tubulin post-translational modifications and actin regulatory proteins in attached/detached states. We studied clustering in suspended conditions. Effects of treatment with microtubule depolymerizing and stabilizing drugs were described. Results: Among cell lines, up to 30% of cells expressed McTNs. Four McTN morphologies (absent, symmetric-short, symmetric-long, tufted) were observed in immortalized cultures as well as ascites. McTN number/length varied with histology according to metastatic potential. Most OCCC overexpressed class III ß-tubulin. OCCC/OSC cell lines exhibited a trend towards more microtubule-stabilizing post-translational modifications of α-tubulin relative to HOSE. Microtubule depolymerizing drugs decreased the number/length of McTNs, confirming that McTNs are composed of tubulin. Cells that failed to form McTNs demonstrated differential expression of α-tubulin- and actin-regulating proteins relative to cells that form McTNs. Cluster formation is more susceptible to microtubule targeting agents in cells that form McTNs, suggesting a role for McTNs in aggregation. Conclusions: McTNs likely participate in key aspects of ovarian cancer metastasis. McTNs represent a new therapeutic target for this disease that could refine therapies, including intraperitoneal drug delivery.
GPR64, Screened from Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Is a Potential Target for Antibody-Based Therapy for Various Sarcomas
Authors: Nakamura Koichi , Asanuma Kunihiro , Okamoto Takayuki , Yoshida Keisuke , Matsuyama Yumi , Kita Kouji , Hagi Tomohito , Nakamura Tomoki , Sudo Akihiro
Published: February 2022

Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive and the second most common bone tumor in adolescent and young adult patients. The 5-year survival rate is 60–70% for localized disease but 30% for patients with metastases. Here, we aimed to identify a therapeutic target for Ewing sarcoma and evaluate antibody-based therapeutic agents using in vitro and in vivo models. We identified G protein-coupled receptor 64 (GPR64) as a therapeutic target for Ewing sarcoma via next-generation RNA-sequencing. GPR64v205 mRNA was expressed in HTB166, A673, MG63, 143B, HS-Sy II, and HT1080 cell lines as well as in Ewing sarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, and synovial sarcoma tissues. GPR64 expression was observed in 62.5% of sarcoma cases and was overexpressed in 33.9% cases. GPR64-specific monoclonal antibodies were tested as near-infrared probes for in vivo imaging using subcutaneous tumor mouse xenografts. Fluorescence intensity was stronger for the AF700-labeled anti-GPR64 antibody than that for the AF700-labeled isotype control antibody. GPR64 was detected in engrafted tumors of A673, 143B, HT1080, and the epididymis but not in other resected tissues. The anti-GPR64 antibody showed excellent binding to GPR64-positive tumors but not to healthy tissues. This antibody has potential for drug delivery in the antibody-based treatment of sarcomas.
Collagen Biomarkers Quantify Fibroblast Activity In Vitro and Predict Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nissen Neel I. , Johansen Astrid Z. , Chen Inna , Johansen Julia S. , Pedersen Rasmus S. , Hansen Carsten P. , Karsdal Morten A. , Willumsen Nicholas
Published: February 2022

The use of novel tools to understand tumour-fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and novel anti-fibrotic treatments are highly needed. We established a pseudo-3D in vitro model including humane pancreatic fibroblasts (PFs) and pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in combination with clinical collagen biomarkers, as a translational anti-fibrotic drug screening tool. Furthermore, we investigated the prognostic potential of serum collagen biomarkers in 810 patients with PDAC. PFs and CAFs were cultured in Ficoll-media. Cells were treated w/wo TGF-ß1 and the anti-fibrotic compound ALK5i. Biomarkers measuring the formation of type III (PRO-C3) and VI (PRO-C6) collagens were measured by ELISA in supernatant at days 3, 6, 9, and 12. PRO-C3 and PRO-C6, and their association with overall survival (OS), were evaluated in serum with PDAC (n = 810). PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 were upregulated in CAFs compared to PFs (p < 0.0001.). TGF-ß1 increased PRO-C3 in both PFs and CAFs (p < 0.0001). The anti-fibrotic compound ALK5i inhibited both PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 (p < 0.0001). High serum levels of PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 in patients with PDAC were associated with short OS (PRO-C3: HR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.29–1.71, p < 0.0001 and PRO-C6: HR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.14–1.50, p = 0.0002). PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 have the potential to be used both pre-clinically and clinically as a measure of tumor fibrosis and CAF activity.
The Role of p53 Family in Cancer
Authors: Zawacka-Pankau Joanna E.
Published: February 2022

This Special Issue covers a broad topic on the role of the p53 protein family in cancer [...]
Oncogenic Alterations in Histologically Negative Lymph Nodes Are Associated with Prognosis of Patients with Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Tian Yiping , Lai Qian , Zheng Yuansi , Ying Lisha , Wang Canming , Jin Jiaoyue , Huang Minran , Wu Yingxue , Li Huizhang , Zhang Jianjun , Su Dan
Published: February 2022

Background: Survival of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) varies greatly. We sought to explore whether presence of oncogenic alterations in histologically-negative lymph nodes (LNs) can be of prognostic significance in stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: Genomic analysis of oncogenic alterations was applied to 123 stage I LUAD tumors. The same genomic variants identified in primary tumors were examined in corresponding histologically-negative LNs. Results: A total of 102 (82.9%) patients had at least one canonical oncogenic alteration detected in primary tumors, and 57 LNs from 12 patients (11.8%) were found to carry the identical oncogenic alterations detected in the corresponding primary tumor tissues, including EGFR mutations (six cases), KRAS mutations (three cases), ALK fusion (one case), BRAF mutation (one case) and HER2 & NRAS co-mutations (one case). None of these LNs was found to have occult tumor cells by routine pathological assessment or immunohistochemistry staining using antibodies against pan-cytokeratins (AE1/AE3) and the epithelial marker Ber-EP4. The detection rate of oncogenenic alterations in LN was significantly higher in RAS-mutant tumors than EGFR mutant tumors (36.36% verse 7.41%, p = 0.017). Patients with oncogenic alterations in LN showed inferior disease-free survival (DFS, p = 0.025) and overall survival (OS, p = 0.027). Furthermore, patients with RAS-mutations detected in LN had the worst DFS and OS (p = 0.001). Among the 11 patients with RAS mutation in primary tumors, DFS and OS in the four patients with mutations detected in LN were significantly shorter than the remaining seven patients without mutations LN (DFS, p = 0.001, OS, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Genomic analysis has the potential to detect oncogenic alterations in regional LNs for localized LUAD and presence of oncogenic alterations in regional LN may be associated with inferior clinical outcome of stage I LUAD, particularly for certain molecular subgroups. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04266691
Vegetation Ecology of Debris-Covered Glaciers (DCGs)—Site Conditions, Vegetation Patterns and Implications for DCGs Serving as Quaternary Cold- and Warm-Stage Plant Refugia
Authors: Fickert Thomas , Friend Donald , Molnia Bruce , Grüninger Friederike , Richter Michael
Published: February 2022

Scientific interest in debris-covered glaciers (DCGs) significantly increased during the last two decades, primarily from an abiotic perspective, but also regarding their distinctive ecology. An increasing body of evidence shows that, given a minimum of debris thickness and sufficient substrate stability, DCGs host surprisingly diverse plant assemblages, both floristically and structurally, despite being obviously cold and in parts also highly mobile habitats. As a function of site conditions, floristic composition and vegetation structure, DCGs represent a mosaic of environments, including subnival pioneer communities, glacier foreland early- to late-successional stages, morainal locations, and locally, even forest sites. On shallow supraglacial debris layers, cryophilous alpine/subnival taxa can grow considerably below their common elevational niche due to the cooler temperatures within the root horizon caused by the underlying ice. In contrast, a greater debris thickness allows even thermophilous plant species of lower elevations to grow on glacier surfaces. Employing the principle of uniformitarianism, DCGs are assumed to have been important and previously undocumented refugia for plants during repeated Quaternary cold and warm cycles. This review and recent study summarize the current knowledge on the vegetation ecology of DCGs and evaluates their potential function as plant habitat under ongoing climate warming.