bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seasonal distribution, source identification, health and eco-toxicological risk assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediment from the Danube River in Hungary
Authors: Grmasha Ruqayah Ali , Stenger-Kovács Csilla , Al-sareji Osamah J. , Al-Juboori Raed A. , Meiczinger Mónika , Andredaki Manolia , Idowu Ibijoke A. , Hashim Khalid S.
Published: April 2023

The Danube is one of the largest transboundary rivers word-wide, having several tributaries. The discharges from industrial activities and wastewater treatment facilities affect the river's aquatic environment. These discharges pose a serious risk to aquatic life by degrading the water and sediment quality. Therefore, 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds in six different locations were examined along the river over 12 months to investigate the temporal and special variations of the compounds in water and sediment. The findings highlighted a broad variance range in PAHs concentration in water within a year, ranging from 224.85 ng/L in summer to 365.87 ng/L in winter, whereas PAHs in sediment samples recorded values ranging from 316.72 ng/g in dry weight in summer to 422.98 ng/g in dry weight in winter. The overall results indicate that the putative anthropogenic sources of PAHs were of pyrolytic and pyrogenic origin, with pyrogenic sources being more prominent. Generally, except for Acenaphthylene and Fluorene concentrations, the eco-toxicological concerns for the aquatic environment of the Danube River do not pose a significant threat. In addition, the combined impact of the 16 PAHs pollutants in sediments suggests a low chance for negative biological impacts and low ecological risk. The total ILCR for both children and adults is more than 1/104 in all seasons, with the highest values recorded in spring followed by winter time, which becomes a matter of urgency.
Numerical Simulation of the Effects of Deposits on the Flow Fields and Separation Performance of Cyclones in a Commercial RFCC Reactor
Authors: Zhou Faqi , Dai Chaolei , Guo yanan , Xu Jun , Fu Shuangcheng , Chong peng
Published: April 2023

Carbon deposits in Residue Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) separators could be a safety hazard, they reduce efficiency, may also cause unscheduled shutdowns in industrial production. In this paper, the effect of coking on flow fields and separation performances was studied with an industrial cyclone separator. The time-averaged and dynamic flow-fields were affected significantly by the coking, as well as separation performance. The tangential and axial velocities decreased due to increased coking, with a maximum decrease of 102.9% and 60.7%, respectively. And the pressure drops decreased due to the vortex dissipation losses, with a maximum decrease of 33.8%. The vorticity also aggravated the breakage with the increasing coking as the breakage position moved up to the cone section. The instability of the flow-field affected the separation efficiency, and the separation efficiency, in turn, as a function of coking types, with a maximum decrease of 18.9%. With increased coking, both the pressure eccentricity and dynamic pressure standard deviation increased. And the main frequency of pressure fluctuation decreased from 37 Hz to 9 Hz. This study has the potential to further the understanding of the flow-field characteristics and performance for different coking types in cyclone separators.
Myeloid PTEN controls STING-induced inflammation and necroptosis through NCID/NRF2 signaling in APAP-induced liver injury
Authors: Yang Tao , Qu Xiaoye , Zhao Jiaying , Wang Xiao , Wang Qian , Dai Jingjing , Zhu Chuanlong , Li Jun , Jiang Longfeng
Published: April 2023

Background
Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10(PTEN) signaling has been known to play a critical role in maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis, which also has an essential role in the inflammatory response. However, it remains unidentified whether and how the myeloid PTEN may govern the innate immune signaling stimulator of interferon genes (STING) mediated inflammation and hepatocyte necroptosis in APAP-induced liver injury (AILI).
Methods
Myeloid-specific PTEN knockout (PTENM−KO) and floxed PTEN (PTENFL/FL) mice were treated with APAP (400 mg/kg) or PBS. In a parallel in vitro study, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were isolated from these conditional knockout mice and transfected with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Notch1 knockout (KO) or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated STING activation vector followed by LPS (100 ng/ml) stimulation.
Results
Here, we report that myeloid-specific PTEN knockout (PTENM−KO) mice were resistant to oxidative stress-induced hepatocellular injury with reduced macrophage/neutrophil accumulation and proinflammatory mediators in AILI. PTENM-KO increased the interaction of nuclear Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) in the macrophage nucleus, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Mechanistically, it is worth noting that macrophage NICD and NRF2 co-localize within the nucleus under inflammatory conditions. Additionally, Notch1 promotes the interaction of immunoglobulin kappa J region (RBPjκ) with NRF2. Disruption of the Notch1 signal in PTEN deletion macrophages, reduced RBPjκ and NRF2 binding, and activated STING signaling. Moreover, PTENM-KO macrophages with STING activated led to TNF-α release and ROS generation, resulting in hepatocyte necroptosis upon co-culture with primary hepatocytes.
Conclusions
Our findings demonstrate that the myeloid PTEN-NICD/NRF2-STING axis is critical to regulating oxidative stress-induced liver inflammation and necroptosis in AILI and implies the therapeutic potential for managing sterile liver inflammation.
Growth hormone reduces aneuploidy and improves oocytes quality by JAK2-ERK1/2 pathway in aging mice
Authors: Luo Yunyao , Zeng Xi , Zhu Ling , Li Chong , Xie Juan , Dong Qiang , Sun Qingyuan , Huang Guoning , Li Jingyu
Published: April 2023

Background The global delay in women’s reproductive age has raised concerns about age-related infertility. The decline in oocyte quality is a limiting factor of female fertility; however, strategies to maintain the oocyte quality of aging women are not available. Here, we investigated the effects of growth hormone (GH) supplementation on aneuploidy of aging oocytes.Methods For the in vivo experiments, the aging mice (8-month-old) were intraperitoneally injected with GH every day for 8 weeks. For the in vitro experiments, germinal vesicle oocytes from aging mice were treated with GH. The impacts of GH on ovarian reserve before superovulation was evaluated. Oocytes were retrieved to determine oocyte quality, aneuploidy and developmental potential parameters. Quantitative proteomics analysis was applied to investigate the potential targets of GH in aging oocytes.Results In this study, we showed that GH supplementation in vivo not only alleviated the decline in oocyte number caused by aging, but also improved the quality and developmental potential of aging oocytes. Strikingly, we found that GH supplementation reduced aneuploidy in aging oocytes. Mechanically, in addition to improving mitochondrial function, our proteomic analysis indicated that the ERK1/2 pathway might be involved in the reduction in aneuploidy of aging oocytes, as confirmed both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, JAK2 might mediate the regulation of ERK1/2 by GH.Conclusions In summary, our findings reveal that GH supplementation protects oocytes from aging-related aneuploidy and enhances the quality of aging oocytes, which has clinical implications in assisted reproduction of aging women.
Pre-pubertal sublingual immunotherapy is more effective than immunotherapy during puberty in allergic rhinitis and asthma
Authors: Zhu Yongjun , Cheng Nan , Xiao Yun , Yan Lin , Fan Dachuan , Cao Wei , Yang Jianming
Published: April 2023

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of sublingual-specific immunotherapy (SLIT) and pulmonary function in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma before and after puberty.
Methods: This retrospective analysis included 136 patients aged 4-18 years with allergic asthma and rhinitis who received two years of SLIT treatment. Patients were divided into two groups based on age: the prepubertal group (4-10 years old) and the pubertal group (11-18 years old). After half a year, one year, and two years of SLIT, the total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total rhinitis medication score (TRMS), daytime asthma symptom score (DASS), nighttime asthma symptom score (NASS), total asthma medication score (TAMS), asthma control test (ACT), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF%) were evaluated and compared with the baseline before treatment.
Results: In both groups, TNSS, TRMS, DASS, NASS, TAMS, ACT, and PEF% improved significantly after half a year, one year, and two years of SLIT treatment. After half a year of treatment, prepubertal patients showed better therapy for TNSS, DASS, NASS, and TAMS compared to the pubertal group. The TAMS of the pubertal group was higher than that of the prepubertal group after one year of treatment. Finally, the PEF% showed better therapy compared to the pubertal group.
Conclusion: SLIT treatment with Dermatophagoides farinae drops can effectively control the symptoms of rhinitis and asthma in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma before and after puberty, reduce the use of symptomatic drugs, significantly improve the pulmonary function of patients, and have better effects on asthma in prepubertal children than in adolescents.
Impact of General Anesthesia on Ablation Catheter Stability During Pulmonary Vein Isolation: An Assessment based on a Novel Measurement Approach
Authors: Kuno Shimpei , Nakano Yusuke , Suzuki Yasushi , Ando Hirohiko , Suzuki Wataru , Takahashi Hiroshi , Amano Tetsuya
Published: April 2023

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), is performed under general anesthesia (GA) or conscious sedation (CS). GA during PVI may improve treatment outcomes, via improving catheter stability. However, the improvement in catheter stability with GA compared to that with CS is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to verify the influence of GA on ablation catheter stability during PVI compared with that of CS by directly assessing catheter movement. Patients who underwent initial ablation using the EnSite Precision™ mapping system were recruited. The patients were divided into two groups (GA group or CS group), and the ablation catheter stability during PVI by the distance traveled by the catheter distal tip per second, clinical periprocedural characteristics, and periprocedural complications was compared. Among 69 consecutive patients, data from 30 patients (17 patients in the GA group and 13 patients in the CS group) and the distance traveled per second on 148,976 points/patient were evaluated. The GA group had a significantly smaller catheter tip travel distance than the CS group (0.92 (0.82‒1.16 vs. 1.25 (1.14‒1.38), p = 0.01). Therefore, GA during PVI for AF provides greater catheter stability than CS, which may contribute to more accessible and safer PVI procedures.
Identification of the key roles of different hexokinases on the diagnosis, prognosis, tumor immunity, drug response: evidence from pan-cancer analysis and construction prognostic HKs signatures
Authors: Shang Zebin , Qiu Wanting , Wang Guanghui , Zhang Qiang
Published: April 2023

Background Metabolic reprogramming is a key feature of cancer cells and is considered a new hallmark of cancer. With our increasing understanding and appreciation of tumor biology and metabolic complexity, targeting or regulating the expression of certain key metabolic enzymes of metabolic reprogramming may be important strategies for tumor therapy. Glycolysis is an essential part of the complex network of glucose metabolism, and hexokinases (HKs) are the key factors of the glycolysis pathway. Although HKs have also received attention in tumors, their roles in tumors are still not fully and systematically explored, particularly in immunization.Methods Through using multiple online datasets, including the TCGA database, Genecards database, CellMiner database, and Deepscreening database, and combining multiple algorithms, the association of HKs with prognosis, Tumor microenvironment (TME), Tumor immunity, and drug sensitivity were investigated. HKs were also evaluated for their prognostic relevance to specific tumor types and their synergistic effects by constructing prognostic HKs signatures. In particular, the deep learning algorithm predicted the active molecules binding to HKs.Results Cox and survival analysis suggested that HKs were significant factors influencing tumor progression. HKs expression levels strongly correlated with TME, RNAss, and Tumor immunity. Their influences varied in diverse tumors or some specific tumor types. In addition, the relationship between gene expression of HKs and drug sensitivity was investigated, and the results suggested the potential of targeting HKs, especially HKDC1 to improve drug resistance. Furthermore, a validation screen of drug prediction and molecular docking obtained several molecules targeting HKs. Finally, the roles of HKs were confirmed in Brain Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (LAML) by constructing the HKs signatures, further, their homogeneity and heterogeneity were elaborated.Conclusion Our systematic study revealed the significant roles of HKs in tumorigenesis and metastasis, as well as their impact and diverse correlations on tumor immune and metabolic activity. The clinical application of HKs is a viable target and offers the new clinical prospects, especially in the development of personalized medicines for the treatment of LGG and LAML.
Discovery and evaluation of active compounds from Xuanfei Baidu Formula against COVID-19 via SARS-Cov-2 Mpro
Authors: Zhang Min , Liu Liting , Zhao Yao , Cao Yipeng , Zhu Yan , Han Lifeng , Yang Qi , Wang Yu , Dang Ruoyu , Wang Changjian , Zhang Han , Wang Yuefei , Zhang Junhua
Published: April 2023

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is still a widespread concern. As one of the effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, Xuanfei Baidu formula (XFBD) shows significant efficacy for treatment of COVID-19 patients. However, its antiviral compounds and mechanism are still unclear.
Purpose: In this study, we explored the bioactive compounds of XFBD and its antiviral mechanism by integrating computational analysis and experimental testing.
Methods Aiming at the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), as a key target in virus replication, the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay was built to screen out satisfactory natural inhibitors from XFBD. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) were undertaken to verify the binding affinity of Mpro-ligand. Omicron BA.1.1 and BA.2 variants were used to evaluate the antiviral activity of the focused compounds in non-cytotoxicity concentrations. For introducing the molecular mechanism, computational modeling and NMR spectra were employed to predict the binding mode and binding site of Mpro-ligand.
Results From a library of 83 natural compounds, acteoside, licochalcone B, licochalcone D, linoleic acid, and physcion showed the satisfactory inhibition effect on Mpro with IC50 from 1.93 to 42.96 µM, which were further verified by SPR. Showing the excellent binding affinity, acteoside was witnessed to gain valuable insights into the thermodynamic signatures by ITC and presented antiviral activity on Omicron BA.1.1 and BA.2.3 variants in vitro. The results revealed that acteoside inhibited Mpro via forming the hydrogen bond between 7-H of acteoside and Mpro.
Conclusion Acteoside is regarded as a representative active natural compound in XFBD to inhibit replication of SARS-CoV-2, which provides the antiviral evidence and some insight into the identifications of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro natural inhibitors.
Paranormal beliefs are driving the bias seen in the classification of ambiguous stimuli in perceptual decision-making paradigm
Authors: Narmashiri Abdolvahed , Sohrabi Ahmad , Hatami Javad
Published: April 2023

Previous studies showed that paranormal believers are more tendency to find meaningful patterns in noise. This study develops these results via examine the sensory biases correlated to paranormal beliefs by using a perceptual decision-making task. To investigate whether paranormal believers differ in their sensitivity to recognizing significant face and house patterns in visual noise levels (from 40–70%), we used a face/house categorization task. The results show that paranormal believers are less efficient at discrimination between face and house stimulus in visual noise levels. It reflects a correlation between paranormal beliefs and a tendency for ambiguous stimuli. Our results revealed that paranormal beliefs are effective in face/house categorization task in the perceptual decision-making paradigm. Also, these findings show the effects of prior beliefs on cognitive processes and emphasize the influence of personal characteristics such as gender, age, and education on paranormal beliefs.
The Sensitivity of the North American Monsoon to Gulf of California Sea Surface Temperatures
Authors: Wallace Brendan , Minder Justin
Published: April 2023

The sensitivity of North American Monsoon rainfall to sea surface temperatures (SST) in the Gulf of California (GoC) is assessed using a set of convection-permitting regional climate models. Simulations are performed from May through September 1994 and consist of one control run and two experimental runs that positively and negatively perturb SSTs exclusively within the GoC. Averaged across the season, rainfall increases by 23% in response to spatial mean warming of 1.4 K for the GoC. The direct conversion of GoC moisture into precipitation accounts for 19% of this total increase in rainfall. Increases in rainfall early in the season are more strongly supported by changes in mean thermodynamics that favor stronger moisture flux convergence. Additionally, enhanced inland moisture transport from the GoC increases the amount of convective available potential energy across the region and allows for stronger vertical convective fluxes that intensifies precipitation. A secondary mean circulation response also favors greater precipitation and is related to the advection of cooler air off the mountains of the Sierre Madre Occidental over the GoC. This cooler air mass lowers geopotential heights and drives a cyclonic wind anomaly that favors enhanced flow from the GoC towards the Sierre Madre Occidental mountain range. Later in the season, comparatively smaller increases in rainfall are attributed to increases in local terrestrial evaporation that serve as a positive feedback to initial increases in rainfall driven by perturbed SSTs.
Polyurea Membrane as potential purifying technology for Water Cleaning: Kinetic and Equilibrium Modeling of Dyes Adsorption
Authors: Calvo Pablo , de Oliveira Lilian , Oliveira Nicole , Molina Eduardo Ferreira
Published: April 2023

A treatment of water from aqueous solutions was reported in this work using polyurea (PU) as a novel adsorbent. Dyes with different characteristics (Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB)) were examined for their adsorption on polyurea. The PU membrane was achieved by a reaction between a polyetheramine and polyisocyanate using sol-gel chemistry. FTIR results confirmed the formation of urea groups, and the polymeric membrane showed high homogeneity, making it a viable purifying technology for wastewater. The high swelling capacity of the membrane showed an important role in CR dye diffusion/adsorption. PU membranes exhibited excellent adsorption to CR anionic dye, with a removal efficiency of more than 85%. However, MB dye adsorption was not favorable, suggesting a high affinity with anionic species. Adsorption of CR dye onto PU followed the pseudo-second order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. The intraparticle diffusion model demonstrated that the swelling of PU facilitated the asorption/diffusion process and accelerated the mass transfer of the CR dye onto the membrane. Our findings suggest that PU membranes derived from commercially available reagents are promising for the decontamination of dye wastewater.
Experiences of Nurses and Midwives with the Use of Indecorously Structured Duty Rosters at Selected Health Facilities in Ho, Volta Region of Ghana: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Dartey Anita Fafa , Tackie Vivian , Lotse Comfort Worna , Sagbo Francis Mawougnon , Dodoo Lily
Published: April 2023

Background Decent working time in the health sector is critical to providing quality care. It balances health workers’ well-being with health service requirements, including providing healthcare 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Nursing and midwifery staff form the largest group in the health workforce, and comprehending their experience and challenges around duty roster is critical to effectively improving and enhancing nurses’ work conditions, and job satisfaction and increasing the quality of care. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of nurses and midwives using indecorously structured hospital duty rosters at selected health facilities in Ho, the Volta Region of Ghana.Method A descriptive qualitative design was used to explore the experiences of nurses and midwives with the hospital duty roster at selected health facilities in Ho, the Volta Region of Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect the data and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis by a deductive approach. The researchers read through the raw data and created a list of initial codes to represent new concepts of interest.Results It was found that the duty roster is often organized in ways that are detrimental to nurses’ and midwives’ health and wellbeing, their job performance, and subsequently, to the patient care they provide. Also, nurses and midwives are at considerable risk for work-related stress, burnout, and mental health problems as they do not employ effective coping strategies toward the hospital duty roster.Conclusion Our findings highlight several factors that may be important in influencing nurses’ choice of shift patterns and the resulting outcomes for quality of care and the staff themselves. Further research should explore the extent to which nurses’ preferences are considered when designing the hospital duty roster.
A Boolean Circuit-Based Revocable Ciphertext Policy Attribute-Based Encryption Scheme
Authors: Ma Chao , Gao Haiying , Hu Bin
Published: April 2023

Attribute-based encryption is a new cryptosystem that supports fine-grained access control of cloud data, and its access control function is realized through the interaction of attributes and access structures. To achieve more flexible access control, attribute revocation has become an important problem that must be considered in the application process of attribute-based encryption. We propose and implement an efficient revocable ciphertext policy attribute-based encryption scheme based on the improvement of the scheme proposed by Tomida et al. Our scheme has the following features: (i) it is adaptively secure under the Matrix Decisional Diffie-Hellman assumption; (ii) it supports the multi-use of attribute class and the negation of attribute value; (iii) it supports the revocation of system attributes. (iv) the update of the key and ciphertext is completed by the trusted center and the cloud server respectively, which reduces the revocation overhead for users.
The optimization of residual stress in arc bridge Hastelloy X components fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Liu Yi , Fang Xuewei , Li XinZhi , Huang Ke
Published: April 2023

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) has been widely used in various fields, but due to the inherent complex thermal history and ultra-high solidification rate in the L-PBF process, detrimental residual stresses inevitably form inside the component. In this study, the formation mechanisms of residual stress and the strategies to reduce them were investigated during L-PBF of Hastelloy components. Components with simple block geometry were first fabricated with different deposition strategies, i.e., scanning island size and rotation angle. The microstructure and residual stress of these samples were characterized. The optimal deposition strategy in terms of maximum tensile residual stress was then used to deposit the arc bridge components with complex geometry. The results clearly show that different deposition strategy is needed for components with complex geometry due to the change in cross-sectional area and the different heat transfer behavior between the new deposition layer and the previously deposited solid layer. Finally, the arch bridge samples with no warping deformation were achieved by optimized random scanning strategies and crossline scanning strategies. The results provided in this study thus provide a theoretical basis for tailoring residual stress during L-PBF of complex components.
APE1 promotes radiation resistance against radiation-induced pyroptosis by inhibiting the STING pathway in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhou Jing , Wei Zixin , Yang Chuan , Jia Dexin , Pan Bo , Zeng Yuan , Sun Di , Yu Yan
Published: April 2023

Background: Mammalian apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1, APEX1) is a multifunctional enzyme that maintains cell homeostasis. It is involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway and plays a key role in radiation-induced DNA damage response. Nevertheless, the relationship between APE1-driven radiation resistance and pyroptosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.
Methods: The up-regulated expression gene APE1 that was screened out through differential expression analysis of biogenic data and RNA-seq results. The q-PCR experiments and immunohistochemical these two techniques were used to detect its expression both in lung adenocarcinoma and normal lung tissues. The effect of APE1 on the proliferation was determined by two experiments as CCK-8 and EdU. The Transwell and scratch tests were both used to evaluate the invasion and migration ability. The effect of APE1 on DNA damage and radiotherapy sensitivity was determined by clonal formation, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Through biogenic analysis and enrichment of APE1 related molecules and pathways, the regulation of APE1 on STING and its downstream signaling pathways was verified by western blot. In addition, APE1 directly interacts with AIM2 and DDX41 detected by RNA-seq and co-immunoprecipitation to inactivate the interferon gene stimulating factor (STING) pathway, thereby inhibiting pyroptosis after radiotherapy. The effect of APE1 on tumor occurrence and radiotherapy in vivo was observed in nude mouse model.
Results: The expression level of APE1 was significantly increased in LUAD and can promote the activity levels of proliferation, migration and invasion in LUAD cells. APE1 plays an anti-radiation role by regulating STING pathway through DDX41. APE1 can induce pyroptosis of cells after radiotherapy through AIM2; APE1 can promote tumor generation, enhance tumor load and inhibit radiosensitivity in vivo.
Conclusions: APE1 protects LUAD cells against radiation-induced damage and induces radio-resistance by targeting the STING pathway. could induce pyroptosis and negatively regulate by interaction with AIM2 and DDX41. APE1 inhibitors should be considered for enhancing the radiosensitivity of LUAD cells and improving patient prognosis and therapeutic outcomes. Thus, APE1 may play a role in affecting tumor immune microenvironment and tumor immunotherapy.
The Ljubljana 1895 earthquake: source parametres from the inversion of macroseismic data
Authors: Jukić Ivana , Pettenati Franco , Sirovich Livio , Cecić Ina , Costa Giovanni , Suhadolc Peter
Published: April 2023

The 14 April 1895 earthquake (Mw 6.1, in the Ljubljana area, Slovenia) is still not fully explained. The aim of this paper is to derive information on its source from the inversion of an updated dataset of intensities (evaluated using EMS-98). This was done by the KF-NGA automatic non-linear geophysical inversion, with a Niching Genetic Algorithm technique, already presented in other articles. The distribution of damage caused by this earthquake is not homogeneous, often with significant differences of intensity between neighboring sites. The statistical analysis of intensities, epicentral distances and sites geology suggests some site effects. Despite this, the resulting solution is compatible with the regional seismotectonics, i.e. an almost pure dip-slip mechanism: strike angle 282°5°, dip 38°±7°, rake 86°±9° (±180° because of the intrinsic ambiguity of the KF-NGA inversion). Since the rake angle is close to 90°, there is an almost perfect ambiguity between the two planes of the focal mechanism. Thus, our solution has a Dinaric direction and could be associated with either a fault plane dipping NE or with one dipping SW.
Fuzzy Second Order Change in Home Energy Economy: Photovoltaic cells for sustainability in Mexico
Authors: Rivera Rubén Chávez , Brotons-Martínez José Manuel , Ramos-Sánchez Jesús Ricardo
Published: April 2023

According to the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico, despite high investment costs and the lack of confidence in photovoltaics (PV) technology, the number of PV users has increased in recent years. In many cases, expected savings are not achieved, which can be put down to shortcomings in maintenance, an insufficient number of PVs, or obsolete equipment, among others. We consider three sets of factors that affect energy saving and sustainability: collateral factors, cognitive factors, and strategic change. The learning process approach is divided into two stages: first and second-order learning. We use fuzzy logic, fuzzy hamming distance and neural networks to emulate training - learning by analyzing the homeostatic sensitivity of the alpha coefficient in the transformation from first order to second order change through mean squared error and application of the backpropagation algorithm. Energy consumption records indicate that the oldest installations do not achieve energy saving due to bad practices in energy consumption and poor equipment maintenance. We found there was a positive disposition towards technological changes, while influencing others to decrease electricity consumption is weak. Evolution of training can be measured by a decrease in mean squared error, and the homeostatic process can be measured by applying α coefficient.
Brain radiotherapy and anlotinib had a good intracranial control on primary cardiac angiosarcoma with multiple metastases: a case report
Authors: Ma Ying-Ying , Li Zhi-Ke , Liao Zi-Yi , Peng Yang , Ma Dai-Yuan
Published: April 2023

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma (PCA) is a relatively rare and fatal disease with poor prognosis. It remains controversial whether its survival can be improved with additional treatment besides complete surgical excision. In this case,we presented a 52-year-old man with PCA in the right atrial who underwent a palliative resection, but suffered from metastases of the brain, lung and liver rapidly. He accepted multi-mode combination therapy including first-line chemotherapy, second-line anlotinib which was not only concurrent with brain radiotherapy but also concurrent with immunotherapy in the end. Although anlotinib combined with brain radiotherapy had a effectively control on the intracranial lesions, progression free survival was 5 months. But overall survival didn’t significantly prolonged, for he only survived for 12 months. In conclusion, the treatment for those metastatic PCA still needs further exploration.
Understanding preferences of stroke survivors for feedback provision about functional movement behavior from wearable sensors: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Demers Marika , Cain Amelia , Bishop Lauri , Gunby Tanisha , Rowe Justin B , Zondervan Daniel , Winstein Carolee J
Published: April 2023

Background In stroke rehabilitation, wearable technology can be used as an intervention modality by providing timely, meaningful feedback on motor performance. Stroke survivors’ preferences may offer a unique perspective on what metrics are intuitive, actionable, and meaningful to change behavior. However, few studies have identified feedback preferences from stroke survivors. This project aims to determine stroke survivors’ satisfaction with feedback from wearable sensors (both mobility and arm/hand use) and to identify preferences for feedback type and delivery schedule.Methods A sample of 30 chronic stroke survivors wore a multi-sensor system in the natural environment over a 1-week monitoring period. The sensor system captured time in active movement of each arm, arm use ratio, step counts and stance time symmetry. Using the data from the monitoring period, participants were presented with a movement report with visual displays of quantitative and qualitative feedback. A survey and qualitative interview were used to assess ease of understanding, actionability and components of feedback that users found most meaningful to drive lasting behavior change.Results Arm/hand use and mobility sensor-derived feedback metrics were easy to understand and actionable. The preferred metric to encourage arm/hand use was the hourly arm use bar plot, and similarly the preferred metric to encourage mobility was the hourly steps bar plot, which were each ranked as top choice by 40% of participants. Participants perceived that quantitative (i.e., step counts) and qualitative (i.e., stance time symmetry) mobility metrics provided complementary information. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: 1) Motivation for behavior change, 2) Real-time feedback based on individual goals, and 3) Value of experienced clinicians for prescription and accountability. Participants stressed the importance of having feedback tailored to their own personalized goals and receiving guidance from clinicians on strategies to progress and increase functional movement behavior in the unsupervised home and community setting.Conclusion The resulting technology has the potential to integrate engineering and personalized rehabilitation to maximize participation in meaningful life activities outside clinical settings in a less structured environment—one where stroke survivors live their lives.
Multicenter Real-World Study of Huaiqihuang Granules in the Treatment of Pediatric Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Nephritis
Authors: Tang Ying , Wu Yubin
Published: April 2023

Background: Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is one of the most common secondary glomerular diseases. Effective treatment of HSPN is particularly important. The therapeutic efficacy of Huaiqihuang(HQH) granules for HSPN has only been investigated in small, single-center studies. Multicentered, large sample, real-world study is still lacking.
Methods: In this real-world study, 835 children with HSPN from 21 hospitals were divided into isolated hematuria and proteinuria groups. Patients were treated with Huaiqihuang granules combined with conventional treatment (HQH group) or conventional treatment alone (control group). The remission rate of HQH group and control group were compared using life table method, factors associated with remission were identified using Cox regression analyses, and the incidence of adverse events was observed.
Results: Patients were aged 8.85 ± 2.86 years on average, and 58% were male. In 154 HSPN patients with isolated hematuria. The 12th week remission rate of HQH group was 58.31 %( 95%CI, 49.38%–67.50%) while that in the control group was 26.99 %( 95%CI, 15.03%–45.52%), the hazard ratio(HR) of HQH treatment for hematuria remission was 2.77 (95% CI, 1.57–4.89; p < 0.01) in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Of 681 patients with proteinuria, those treated with HQH had 12th week remission rate of 76.81%( 95% CI,72.97%– 80.45%) while those in the control group was 67.70 %(95% CI, 60.00%–75.18%),the HR of HQH treatment for proteinuria remission was 1.23(95% CI, 1.01–1.50; p = 0.04) in multivariate Cox regression analysis.Stratified analysis indicated in patients with non-nephrotic-range proteinuria, the HR of HQH treatment for proteinuria remission were 1.26 (95% CI, 1.01–1.59; p = 0.04) The incidence of adverse reactions did not differ between the Huaiqihuang and control groups (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Huaiqihuang granules combined with conventional treatment can significantly increase the remission rate in cases of isolated hematuria HSPN and HSPN with proteinuria and be a protective factor on isolated hematuria HSPN and non-nephrotic-range proteinuria (NNRP)-type HSPN, with good safety.
Optimal Solar power plant sizing for high power demands using PSO algorithm and PVsyst: case study FITOULINA Tunisian group company
Authors: Arab Marwa Ben , Khamekhem Siwar , Rekik Mouna , Krichen Lotfi , Ayed Mohamed Ben , Amor Mohamed Ben
Published: April 2023

The importance of photovoltaic technology in Industry 4.0 cannot be overstated. As it is well-known, this technology harnesses the solar energy which is becoming a widely popular renewable energy source, and converts it into a clean electricity through the photovoltaic cells. This technology offers competitive benefits to the company, such as a saved cost, an enhanced process efficiency and then productivity, an increased energy independence, and a reduced carbon emission. In addition, the company gains a better decision making by the data analytics which provide a real-time insight and make more informed decisions. In this topic, the considered study deals with an optimal sizing of Solar Power Plant (SPP) for high power demands. Famously, the two important technologies of any SPP are the Photovoltaic Panels (PVPs) and the inverters. For that, an optimal sizing algorithm for the SPP using Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) algorithm and PVsyst is proposed. This optimal sizing is composed of two key parts: the first one aims to calculate the PVP different characteristics and consequently determines the number of PVPs and inverters that should be fixed in the SPP to satisfy the company demand. The second part deals with a mathematical optimized configuration based on three PSO algorithms. This optimized algorithm aims to seek the optimal SPP inverters and PVPs sizing to guarantee the company best energy efficiency by following four main cases. Fitoulina Tunisian group that required to cover 920.04kW of its power demand by photovoltaic technology, was presented as a case study to highlight the performance of this proposed algorithm. As a result, the algorithm reveals the necessity of installing 1394 PVPs connected to 8 inverters by following the fourth case of the proposed algorithm.
H2Valdien derivatives induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells via a p53-dependent pathway.
Authors: Li Hongling , Ma Weijie , Pan yang , Shao Xiangxiang , Pan Xuhong , Li Linyu , Zhou Xuan , Song pengfei
Published: April 2023

Objective: In this study, two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, HepG2 (p53+/+) and Hep3B (p53-/-), were used with different p53 mutation statuses. The role of p53 in the induction of cytotoxicity by H2Valdien derivatives was investigated, as well as how p53 regulates GADD45a and p21. To examine whether the mechanism of action of H2Valdien derivatives on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells is related to p53 deficiency.
Methods: Cell viability was analyzed using the CCK-8 assay, and RNA sequencing was used for differential gene expression and enrichment analyses. The expression of apoptosis and cell cycle related proteins was analyzed by western blotting. DAPI and TUNEL staining techniques were employed to effectively visualize the nuclear morphology and apoptotic properties of the cells under investigation. Cell proliferation ability was assessed using colony formation assays, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was detected by JC-1 staining. Cell cycle progression was assessed by flow cytometry.
Results: H2Valdien derivatives (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/L) inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Hep3B cells and the formation of cell colonies in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased the MMP of HepG2 cells, but had no effect on the MMP of Hep3B cells. H2Valdien derivatives upregulated cleaved caspase-9, cleaved PARP, and Bax in HepG2 cells but not in Hep3B cells. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that H2Valdien derivatives increased p53, p21, and GADD45A expression, and western blotting and flow cytometry confirmed this finding. Despite the induction of p21 and GADD45a in Hep3B cells, there was no change in related proteins associated with drug concentration.
Conclusion: GADD45a and p21 expression is regulated by H2Valdien derivatives in a p53-dependent manner, and p53 has a pro-apoptotic impact on H2Valdien derivative-induced toxicity. H2Valdien derivative-induced apoptosis and cycle hinder are reduced by p53 deletion.
Macroscopic sarcocystosis in a pig carcass from an Italian abattoir
Authors: Rubiola Selene , Pasquariello Linda , Panebianco Felice , Capucchio Maria Teresa , Colombino Elena , Bordese Federica , Giobbio Enrique , Fioriello Lisa , Braghin Silvia , Korpysa-Dzirba Weronika , Różycki Mirosław , Chiesa Francesco
Published: April 2023

Different food-safety institutions, including the European Food Safety Authority, encourage monitoring and characterising Sarcocystis spp. in animals and foodstuffs; among meat-producing animals, domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) can host two different Sarcocystis spp., that is Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis suihominis. Herein, we report for the first time the presence of macrocysts of Sarcocystis miescheriana in a domestic pig resulting in carcass condemnation. In June 2022, the carcass of a clinically healthy sow was condemned due to the detection of multifocal macroscopic white oval lesions. Affected muscle samples were submitted to histological and molecular analyses targeting the mtDNA cox1 and 18S rRNA genes. At gross examination and histology, well demarcated, oval or elongated macrocysts up to 8 mm in length characterized by a calcified central core surrounded by fibrosis were detected. The molecular amplification and sequencing of the cox1 mtDNA and 18S rRNA genes revealed the presence of Sarcocystis miescheriana DNA in all sampled macrocysts. Our study provides the first molecularly confirmed case of Sarcocystis miescheriana infection in a domestic pig in Italy. The present report highlights the need to increase data related to the occurrence and the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in meat-producing animals, and in wild and domestic pigs in particular, taking into account the zoonotic potential of Sarcocystis suihominis and the possible financial losses related to carcass discard due to macroscopic Sarcocystis spp. lesions.
Study the Influence of Zirconium Oxide Nanofillers on the Transverse and Impact Stresses of Heat-Cure Acrylic Resin Polymerization
Authors: Alfahdawi Ibrahim H. , Abdulateef Mohamed Abdulmunem
Published: April 2023

Objective: Despite being the more material widely using in dental field for the construction of removable prosthesis base, it is not sufficient for meet ideal functional requirement for dental restorations.
Purpose: The goal of this research was to see how various concentrations of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanofiller powder (2%, 4%, 6%, & 8%) affected the transverse and impact strengths of hot-cured polymer resin polymerization.
Procedure: ZrO2 powder samples of various doses (2%, 4%, 6%, & 8%) are embedded within hot-cured acrylic resin as well as handled under optimized conditions (L/P ratio of 1:3 (by volume), traditional packing process, and short curing cycle (90 minutes with 74 ºC then for 30 minutes with 100 ºC) was using to fabricate samples of PMMA of dimensions (65 x 10 x 2.5 mm) for the transverse strength and (60 x 7 x 4mm) for the impact strength. Polymethyl methacrylate with no additives has been prepared as an original approach. All specimens had been exposed to two types of mechanical examinations: transverse stress and impact stress. Transverse stress (MPa) in addition to impact stress (J) values are collect, tabulated, as well as statistical analyze. To evaluate significant among range for the experimental samples, each ANOVA as well as Tukey's examinations are being used, that are statistical significance whenever the probability values are 0.05.
Results: The adding of ZrO2 nanofillers for polymethyl methacrylate elevated its transverse and impact strengths significantly.
Conclusion: Polymethyl methacrylate and zirconium oxide nanofillers does have the possibility to serve as a credible denture base material with increased transverse and impact strengths. Material characteristics have been enhanced by incorporating 8% weight percent ZrO2 concentration, according to the report's findings.
Towards a Domain-specific Language for Developing Concurrent Applications using BIP Framework
Authors: Le-Khanh Trinh , Nguyen Son
Published: April 2023

Concurrent systems play a crucial role in modern software development, enabling applications to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and improve performance by utilizing the full potential of modern hardware. The Behavior-Interaction-Priority (BIP) framework is a model-driven approach for designing and verifying concurrent and distributed systems. To apply BIP in designing a system, designers first analyze the system's requirements to construct BIP connectors describing the coordination between the system's components. Based on these connectors, developers create a BIP model for verification that uses model checkers and JavaBIP artifacts for implementation following an exogenous approach. However, constructing the BIP connectors and creating BIP/JavaBIP artifacts require a certain level of expertise in formal methods, model-driven design, and concurrent systems. Consequently, the developers might need to invest time and effort to learn the framework and associated tools. In this work, we propose a novel mechanism to reduce developers' manual efforts when applying the BIP framework, including (1) a pseudo-natural language for specifying behavioral constraints without learning the BIP framework and (2) a compiler for automatically generating the BIP/JavaBIP artifacts, which are then used for developing concurrent software following the exogenous approach. We illustrate the feasibility of our approach by introducing OCCIwareBIP, a framework for designing, validating, and implementing concurrent cloud applications.
A comparison of the absolute and relative real analytic torsion forms
Authors: Zhu Jialin
Published: April 2023

In this paper we establish a comparison formula of the absolute and relative real analytic torsion forms over fibrations with boundaries. The key tool is a gluing formula of analytic torsion forms proved by M. Puchol, Y. Zhang and the author. As a consequence of the comparison formula, we prove another version of the gluing formula of the analytic torsion forms conjectured originally by the author.