bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Synonymous Variant in IL7R Causes Preferential Expression of the Soluble Isoform
Authors: Mackeh Rafah , El Bsat Yasmin , Elmi Asha , Bibawi Hani , Karim Mohammed Yousuf , Hassan Amel , Lo Bernice
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) is primarily expressed on lymphoid cells and plays a crucial role in the development, proliferation, and survival of T cells. Autosomal recessive mutations that disrupt IL-7Rα chain expression give rise to a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which is characterized by lymphopenia and a T−B+NK+ phenotype. The objective here was to diagnose two siblings displaying the T−B+NK+ SCID phenotype as initial clinical genetic testing did not detect any variants in known SCID genes.

Methods

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was utilized to identify potential variants causing the SCID phenotype. Splicing prediction tools were employed to assess the deleterious impact of the mutation. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing, flow cytometry, and ELISA were then used to validate the pathogenicity of the detected mutation.

Results

We discovered a novel homozygous synonymous mutation in the IL7R gene. Our functional studies indicate that this variant is pathogenic, causing exon 6, which encodes the transmembrane domain, to be preferentially spliced out.

Conclusion

In this study, we identified a novel rare synonymous mutation causing a loss of IL-7Rα expression at the cellular membrane. This case demonstrates the value of reanalyzing genetic data based on the clinical phenotype and highlights the significance of functional studies in determining the pathogenicity of genetic variants.
Impact of an Oral Health Education Program on the Oral Health Literacy of Refugees
Authors: Muller Romana , Bilich Lisa , Jones Merri
Published: April 2024

Inadequate comprehension of healthcare information contributes to poor health outcomes. Ethnic minorities are one of the populations most affected by low health and oral health literacy (OHL). The hypothesis of the current study was that an oral health education program (OHEP) can improve the OHL, oral health awareness and behaviors of refugees. We also hypothesized that there will be a difference between OHL in English and native language in the Pre-intervention phase. Fifty-two adult refugees participated in an educational program that included a comprehensive and culturally sensitive PowerPoint presentation and hands-on learning activities on oral health topics. The study used a cross-sectional pre-post study design. Before the program (Pre-intervention group), participants completed 2 surveys: Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees in a bilingual format, and the Estimate of Oral Health Literacy-Bilingual40 (EOHL-BL40) in English, and in the participants’ native language. Immediately after an OHEP (Post-intervention group), participants completed the EOHL-BL40 survey in English only. Two weeks after OHEP (Follow-up intervention), participants completed again the Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees and the Estimate of Oral Health Literacy-Bilingual40 (EOHL-BL40) in English only. The mean percentage of words understood on Pre-intervention EOHL-BL40 survey were significantly higher in native languages (47.3% ±3.7%) compared with survey in English (15.3% ±1.2%, P < 0.001). Post-intervention scores, immediately after educational program, were higher (28.6% ±2.4%), P < 0.001) for survey in English compared with the Pre-intervention (15.3% ±1.2%). The follow-up (2 weeks later) scores (25.5% ±2.4) were slightly lower than Post-intervention but still significantly higher (P < 0.001) than Pre-intervention. Results for both Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees surveys were similar: the OHEP positively affected oral health awareness and oral health behaviors. Results of the study suggested that OHEP may improve oral health literacy, oral health awareness, and personal oral hygiene practices of refugees.
The Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Wendy , Francis Heather , Lucien Abbie , Wheeler Tyler-Ann , Gandy Milena
Published: April 2024

It is increasingly recognized that cognitive symptoms are a common sequelae of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and are associated with adverse functional consequences. However, estimates of cognitive impairment (CIm) prevalence vary widely. This study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of CIm among adults with RRMS and investigate moderators of prevalence rates. Following prospective registration (PROSPERO; CRD42021281815), electronic databases (Embase, Scopus, Medline, and PsycINFO) were searched from inception until March 2023. Eligible studies reported the prevalence of CIm among adults with RRMS, as determined through standardized neuropsychological testing and defined as evidence of reduced performance across at least two cognitive domains (e.g., processing speed, attention) relative to normative samples, healthy controls, or premorbid estimates. The electronic database search yielded 8695 unique records, of which 50 met selection criteria. The pooled prevalence of cognitive impairment was 32.5% (95% confidence interval 29.3–36.0%) across 5859 participants. Mean disease duration and age were significant predictors of cognitive impairment prevalence, with samples with longer disease durations and older age reporting higher prevalence rates. Studies which administered more extensive test batteries also reported significantly higher cognitive impairment prevalence. Approximately one third of adults with RRMS experience clinical levels of CIm. This finding supports the use of routine cognitive testing to enable early detection of CIm, and to identify individuals who may benefit from additional cognitive and functional support during treatment planning.
Simultaneous Minimization of Water Age and Pressure in Water Distribution Systems by Pressure Reducing Valves
Authors: Korder Kristina , Cao Hao , Salomons Elad , Ostfeld Avi , Li Pu
Published: April 2024

Pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are essentially used to reduce operational pressures in water distribution systems (WDSs) to minimize water leakage. However, water age in a WDS is an important variable describing the water quality and should be kept as low as possible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the possibility and potential of simultaneously minimizing both pressure and water age by using PRVs. To determine the optimal location and setting of PRVs, a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is formulated with minimization of the sum of the weighted total water age and pressure as the objective function, where the weighting factor can be defined by the user’s preference. The equality constraints consist of the hydraulic equations and water age functions to describe pressure and water age in the distribution network, while the inequality constraints ensure them in the defined operating ranges, respectively. Applying the proposed approach to two case studies, the results show that both water age and pressure can indeed be significantly reduced by the optimized position and setting of the PRVs.
Assessing Aspects of Cadmium Supply, Recycling and Environmental Pollution with Respect to Future Photovoltaic Technology Demands and Envionmental Policy Goals
Authors: Sverdrup Harald Ulrik , van Allen Ole , Haraldsson Hördur Valdimar
Published: April 2024

Cadmium has appeared as an important element for certain types of solar cells and rechargeable batteries. It is possible that there will be a large increase in demand for technical cadmium in the future. This is in conflict with environmental policies for phasing out cadmium from any technical use worldwide because of its great toxicity to humans. Cadmium toxicity is on par with that of mercury, and data suggests that cadmium exposure has no safe lower limit. There is no shortage of cadmium to extract, and no shortage from lack of cadmium available in the future zinc flow is to be expected. There is a global treaty to ban it from all use. The Integrated Assessment Model WORLD7 was used to assess different aspects of the supply of cadmium to society. It would be possible to produce at least 250,000 tons/year; in reality, the 2023 production is about 24,000 tons/year. The price is about 3500–4500 $/ton and is volatile. Because there is a United Nations agreed global policy to phase out cadmium from all use, demand for cadmium will soon not be met, and there will be an actual shortage of cadmium for any use, including photovoltaic technologies and semiconductors. This is good news for nature, but bad news for the CdTe and CIGS types of photovoltaic panels. It is estimated that only 25% of the planned future capacity may not be available unless good substitutes for cadmium can be found.
Unpacking the Myth in the Associations Between Self-control and Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Comparison Between Traditional and Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model Analyses
Authors: QI Di , LI Xiaomin , ZHU Shimin
Published: April 2024

Internet gaming is becoming increasingly popular; however, children and adolescents are highly vulnerable to gaming disorder due to the underdevelopment of cognitive control. Longitudinal research providing empirical evidence confirming the stability and direction of the association between self-control and gaming disorder is scarce. This study is aimed at clarifying whether prospective relationships exist between self-control and gaming disorder in children and adolescents or whether they are associated due to common causes. We examined the temporal dynamics of the associations between self-control and gaming disorder symptom severity using a traditional cross-lagged panel model (CLPM; aggregating between- and within-person variance) and a random intercept CLPM (RI-CLPM; disaggregating between- and within-person effects) with three-annual wave data from a large cohort of primary and secondary students (N = 1359, mean age 12.67 (SD 1.40), 834 (61.7%) girls). The traditional CLPM indicated a unidirectional negative relationship from self-control to later gaming disorder (B with 95% confidence interval [CI] =  − 0.12 [− 0.19, − 0.040]), whereas the RI-CLPM analysis revealed no prospective relationship between self-control and gaming disorder (95% CIs of Bs all contain 0), indicating that self-control was neither the cause nor the result of gaming disorder in children and adolescents. Our study revealed that the nature of the relationship between self-control and gaming disorder tends to be correlational but not causal. The potential common underlying factors for future research are discussed.
Selection and characterization of lead-tolerant sweetpotato cultivars for phytoremediation
Authors: Daurov Dias , Lim Ye-Hoon , Park Sul-U , Kim Yun-Hee , Daurova Ainash , Sapakhova Zagipa , Zhapar Kuanysh , Abilda Zhanar , Toishimanov Maxat , Shamekova Malika , Zhambakin Kabyl , Kim Ho Soo , Kwak Sang-Soo
Published: April 2024

Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic heavy metals (HMs) for plants and the environment. Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam], the sixth most important food crop in the world, is tolerant to various environmental stresses, owing to its high antioxidant capacity. In this study, we selected sweetpotato cultivars showing high tolerance to lead (Pb) for phytoremediation-related applications. Young seedlings of 20 sweetpotato cultivars were treated with 30 mM Pb. Daeyumi (KO-12) and Dahomi (KO-5) were selected as Pb-tolerant and -sensitive cultivars, respectively, based on their photosynthetic activity and growth inhibition index (I50). In the Pb treatment, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents of KO-12 were 1.5-fold less than those of KO-5. In addition, KO-12 showed a higher ability to accumulate Pb in roots and leaves than KO-5. Expression levels of four Pb-responsive genes, including the metallothionein gene IbMT1, were higher in the roots and leaves of KO-12 than in those of KO-5. Interestingly, KO-12 showed greater tolerance to high Pb concentrations than sunflower and rapeseed, which have been well-studied for phytoremediation. Our results suggest that sweetpotato is a suitable biomaterial for the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with HMs, including lead, for sustainable agriculture.
Workaholism and workplace incivility: a moderated dual-process model
Authors: Liu Xiayi , He Peixu , Jiang Shaojing
Published: April 2024

Despite the ubiquity of workaholism and workplace incivility, extant research lacks sufficient empirical support on the underlying mechanisms between them, which hinders curtailing the uncivil behavior of workaholics. To systematically investigate the underlying mechanisms, we proposed two mediators: emotional exhaustion and psychological entitlement. The former illustrates why workaholics engage in uncivil behaviors uncontrollably from the existing conservation of resources perspective, which captures the behavioral dimension of workaholism. The latter explains why workaholics engage in workplace incivility voluntarily from a novel moral licensing perspective, which captures the overlooked cognitive dimension of workaholism. Further, we incorporate supervisor-subordinate guanxi as a critical moderator that helps differentiate the above two mediators. Results across two studies suggested that supervisor-subordinate guanxi alleviates the indirect effects of workaholism on workplace incivility via emotional exhaustion, while magnifying the indirect effects via psychological entitlement. Overall, these findings provide evidence that workaholism can also psychologically free employees to engage in subsequent uncivil behaviors.
Efficient single-pixel imaging based on a compact fiber laser array and untrained neural network
Authors: Lai Wenchang , Lei Guozhong , Meng Qi , Wang Yan , Ma Yanxing , Liu Hao , Cui Wenda , Han Kai
Published: April 2024

This paper presents an efficient scheme for single-pixel imaging (SPI) utilizing a phase-controlled fiber laser array and an untrained deep neural network. The fiber lasers are arranged in a compact hexagonal structure and coherently combined to generate illuminating light fields. Through the utilization of high-speed electro-optic modulators in each individual fiber laser module, the randomly modulated fiber laser array enables rapid speckle projection onto the object of interest. Furthermore, the untrained deep neural network is incorporated into the image reconstructing process to enhance the quality of the reconstructed images. Through simulations and experiments, we validate the feasibility of the proposed method and successfully achieve high-quality SPI utilizing the coherent fiber laser array at a sampling ratio of 1.6%. Given its potential for high emitting power and rapid modulation, the SPI scheme based on the fiber laser array holds promise for broad applications in remote sensing and other applicable fields.

Graphical Abstract
L-cysteine contributes to destructive activities of odontogenic cysts/tumor
Authors: Li Ji , Feng Chunyu , Pang Xiaochan , Li Xiang , Dou Xinyu , Jiang Erhui , Shang Zhengjun
Published: April 2024

Background

Odontogenic cysts/tumor can cause severe bone destruction, which affects maxillofacial function and aesthetics. Meanwhile, metabolic reprogramming is an important hallmark of diseases. Changes in metabolic flow affect all aspects of disease, especially bone-related diseases. At present, the researches on pathogenesis of odontogenic cysts/tumor are mainly focused on the level of gene regulation, but the effects of metabolic alterations on odontogenic cysts/tumor have still underexplored.

Materials and methods

Imaging analysis was used to evaluate the lesion size of different odontogenic lesions. Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were utilized to detect the differences in bone destruction activity in odontogenic cysts and tumors. Furthermore, metabolomics and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were conducted for the metabolomic features and key metabolite screening, respectively. The effect of ferroptosis inhibition on bone destruction was confirmed by IHC, immunofluorescence, and malondialdehyde colorimetric assay.

Results

The bone destruction activity of ameloblastoma (AM) was the strongest and the weakest in odontogenic cysts (OC). High-throughput targeted metabolomics was used to map the metabolomic profiles of OC, odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) and AM. WGCNA and differential analysis identified L-cysteine in OKC and AM. Cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH) was further screened by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The functions of L-cysteine were further validated. Finally, we confirmed that CTH affected destructive activities by regulating the sensitivity of epithelial cells to ferroptosis.

Conclusion

High-throughput targeted metabolomics performed on diseased tissue confirmed the unique alteration of metabolic profiles in OKC and AM. CTH and its metabolite L-cysteine are the key factors regulating destructive activities.
Significance and implications of FHIT gene expression and promoter hypermethylation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Authors: Mohammad Fozia , Pandith Arshad A. , Rasool Shayaq Ul Abeer , Guru Faisal R. , Qasim Iqbal , Geelani Sajad , Nisar Syed , Baba Shahid M. , Ganie Farooq A. , Kouser Safiya , Rasool Javid
Published: April 2024

Background

Fragile histidine triad (FHIT) has been documented to play a vital role in various cancers including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Keeping in view the plausible role of FHIT gene, we aimed to examine DNA promoter hypermethylation and mRNA expression in ALL cases in Kashmir (North India).

Methods

A total of 66 cases of ALL were analyzed for FHIT mRNA expression and promoter methylation by qRT-PCR and Methylation Specific-PCR (MS-PCR) respectively.

Results

FHIT mRNA expression showed significantly decreased expression in ALL cases with mean fold change of 9.24 ± 5.44 as compared to healthy controls (p = 0.01). The pattern of FHIT deregulation in ALL cases differed significantly between decreased and increased expression (p < 0.0001). A threefold decreased expression was observed in 75% of ALL cases than healthy controls (− 3.58 ± 2.32). ALL patients with FHIT gene promoter hypermethylation presented significantly higher in 80% (53/66) of cases (p = 0.0005). The association of FHIT gene hypermethylation and its subsequent expression showed FHIT mRNA expression as significantly lower in ALL cases with hypermethylation (p = 0.0008). B-ALL cases exhibited a highly significant association between the methylation pattern and its mRNA expression (p = 0.000). In low range WBC group, a significant association was found between increased expression (26%) of the cases and methylated (4%)/unmethylated group 86% (p = 0.0006).

Conclusion

The present study conclude that FHIT gene hypermethylation and its altered expression may be linked in the pathogenesis of ALL and provide an evidence for the role of FHIT in the development of ALL.
Fasting and fasting-mimicking conditions in the cancer immunotherapy era
Authors: Pio Ruben , Senent Yaiza , Tavira Beatriz , Ajona Daniel
Published: April 2024

Fasting and fasting-mimicking conditions modulate tumor metabolism and remodel the tumor microenvironment (TME), which could be exploited for the treatment of tumors. A body of evidence demonstrates that fasting and fasting-mimicking conditions can kill cancer cells, or sensitize them to the antitumor activity of standard-of-care drugs while protecting normal cells against their toxic side effects. Pre- and clinical data also suggest that immune responses are involved in these therapeutic effects. Therefore, there is increasing interest in evaluating the impact of fasting-like conditions in the efficacy of antitumor therapies based on the restoration or activation of antitumor immune responses. Here, we review the recent progress in the intersection of fasting-like conditions and current cancer treatments, with an emphasis on cancer immunotherapy.
Conservation features of the terrestrial Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Lee Jasmine R. , Shaw Justine D. , Ropert-Coudert Yan , Terauds Aleks , Chown Steven L.
Published: April 2024

Conserving landscapes used by multiple stakeholder groups requires understanding of what each stakeholder values. Here we employed a semi-structured, participatory approach to identify features of value in the terrestrial Antarctic Peninsula related to biodiversity, science and tourism. Stakeholders identified 115 features, ranging from Adélie penguin colonies to sites suitable for snowshoeing tourists. We split the features into seven broad categories: science, tourism, historic, biodiversity, geographic, habitat, and intrinsic features, finding that the biodiversity category contained the most features of any one category, while science stakeholders identified the most features of any stakeholder group. Stakeholders have overlapping interests in some features, particularly for seals and seabirds, indicating that thoughtful consideration of their inclusion in future management is required. Acknowledging the importance of tourism and other social features in Antarctica and ensuring their integration into conservation planning and assessment will increase the likelihood of implementing successful environmental management strategies into the future.
Development and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of a nanosponge formulation loaded with Boswellia carterii oil extracts for the enhanced anti-inflammatory activity for the management of respiratory allergies
Authors: Taleb Sally Abou , Ibrahim Bassant M. M. , Mohammed Mona A. , Yassen Noha Nazeeh , Hessin Alyaa Farouk , Gad Shaimaa Ali , Darwish Asmaa Badawy
Published: April 2024

Purpose

In several nations, it has been known that Boswellia carterii (BC) plants have a long history of usage as an anti-inflammatory medicine. Our current study deals with the study of two different ways of extraction of BC volatile oil and fixed oil as main constituents (Octyl acetate, 46.46% and β-Boswellic acid, 10.21%, respectively), preparation, and evaluation of Nano sponges loaded with either dexamethasone (DEX) or B. carterii volatile/fixed oil mixture.

Methods

Nano sponges were created utilizing an ultrasound-assisted synthesis method. Using spectrophotometry, the entrapment efficiency (EE%) of drugs in Nano sponges was considered. Several techniques were used to characterize Nano sponges.

Results

EE% of drugs inside Nano sponges ranged from 99.15 ± 3.50 to 100% ± 4.76%. Particle size of Nano sponges ranged from 59.9 ± 26.3 to 229.2 ± 30.23 nm. Drugs released from Nano sponges bi-phasically according to Korsmeyer–Peppas model. The anti-inflammatory activity of either B. carterii oil mixture or Dexa salt and their Nano formulations (D4 and O1) in the treatment of respiratory allergy were evaluated in rat model mimicking chronic allergic respiratory diseases. Histopathologic examinations and measurement of Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and Interleukin β4 (ILβ4) levels exposed that, the treatment significantly lowered the levels of the inflammatory biomarkers in treated rats and exhibited improved histopathologic profiles when compared to positive control group.

Conclusion

Boswellia oil and its Nano sponge formulation O1 as well as Dexa salt Nano sponge formulation D4 had promising therapeutic effects on upper and lower respiratory allergic conditions.
Feed optimization based on force modelling and TLBO algorithm in milling Al 7075
Authors: Elly Ogutu Isaya , Yang Yin
Published: April 2024

Aluminium alloys find wide applications in structural industries. They are only second to steel when it comes to their applications. Their wide application is due to their numerous good properties. They have a high resistance to corrosion and high fatigue strength. Their specific density, electrical and thermal properties make them stand out amongst many structural metals. Al 7075 is an alloy of aluminium in which zinc is the dominant alloying element. This alloy is in the 7xxx series of aluminium alloys, a series considered to be the strongest with yield strengths greater or equal to 500 Mpa. It, therefore, finds a wide application in aircraft structural components manufacturing and other areas where high strength is a critical property. Therefore, this paper focuses on the CNC milling process of aluminium 7075 to establish force components models and the optimal values for the critical process parameters. The work reported in this paper involved designing experiments and the development of force components and resultant force models from the experimentally acquired data. The models were validated, and their prediction ability was within the accepted range. The validated force component models were used to investigate the interaction effects of the process parameters on the respective force components. The resultant force model was eventually used as the objective function in the TLBO algorithm to acquire the optimal force and control parameters. After that, the optimal resultant force was used as a constraint parameter to demonstrate feed optimization relative to the other parameters.
Neophobia, sensory experience and child’s schemata contribute to food choices
Authors: Finistrella Viviana , Gianni Nicoletta , Fintini Danilo , Menghini Deny , Amendola Silvia , Donini Lorenzo Maria , Manco Melania
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The aim of the present review is to analyze dynamic interactions between nutrigenomics, environmental cues, and parental influence, which can all lead to children’s neophobic reactions and its persistence in time.

Methods

We reviewed studies available on electronic databases, conducted on children aged from birth to 18 years. We also considered official websites of Italian Institutions, providing advice on healthy eating during infancy.

Results

Modern day societies are faced with an eating paradox, which has severe and ever-growing implications for health. In face of a wider availability of healthy foods, individuals instead often choose processed foods high in fat, salt and sugar content. Economic reasons surely influence consumers’ access to foods. However, there is mounting evidence that food choices depend on the interplay between social learning and genetic predispositions (e.g., individual eating traits and food schemata). Neophobia, the behavioral avoidance of new foods, represents an interesting trait, which can significantly influence children’s food refusal. Early sensory experiences and negative cognitive schemata, in the context of primary caregiver–child interactions, importantly contribute to the priming of children’s food rejection.

Conclusions

As neophobia strongly affects consumption of healthy foods, it will be relevant to rule definitively out its role in the genesis of maladaptive food choices and weight status in longitudinal studies tracking to adulthood and, in meanwhile, implement early in life effective social learning strategies, to reduce long-term effects of neophobia on dietary patterns and weight status.

Level of evidence

Level II, controlled trials without randomization.
Impact of Cosmetics and Cleansers in Atopic Dermatitis—How to Advise Patients
Authors: Marcelino João , Giménez-Arnau Ana M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

Atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema is a frequent chronic inflammatory skin disease. Taking care of the eczematous skin is important to reduce the inflammation and return it to a healthier looking nourished skin. Beyond recommending topical anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of emollients, recommendations on the correct use of other everyday skin products, as cleansers or make-up products, are lacking.

Recent Findings

The dry, itchy, and inflamed eczematous skin causes anxiety, poor self-image, low self-esteem, decreased social skills, and an overall decrease in a patients’ quality of life. The use of make-up has been shown to ameliorate these impacts. Knowledge on the components of cosmetic products can help suit the products to an eczematous skin. Existing data identifies agents more likely to cause allergic contact dermatitis and shows how to identify cosmetics that follow the principles of “hurdle technology,” how rubbing during cleansing is a significant and previously unrecognized exacerbation factor, and how cleansers interact with eczematous skin. An adequate choice of all these products allows a patient to enjoy its benefits, while preserving a healthier skin.

Guiding healthcare professionals on the composition of the cosmetics used, avoiding products with high allergenic properties, identifying products that follow the principles of “hurdle technology,” and educating patients on the appropriate use of make-up and cleansing products have a positive impact on the care of atopic dermatitis and should be part of a holistic approach to a patient.

Key messages

- Adverse reactions to cosmetics can come from allergic sensitization or irritant stimuli (like the rubbing associated with washing the skin).

- Optimizing the composition of the cosmetics used is essential. Ideally, the patients should distinguish the multiple components of a cosmetic, identifying potential risks.

- Avoid products with high allergenic properties, like fragrances or preservatives. Select products which follow the principles of “hurdle technology”: sterile cosmetic technology, good manufacturing practices, appropriate packaging, emulsion form, water activity, and pH control.

- Appropriate use of make-up is important for better care and quality of life of AD patients. Guidance on their use and appropriate cleansing products and techniques are essential to prevent exacerbations.
An overall review on influence of root architecture on soil carbon sequestration potential
Authors: Srivastava R. K. , Yetgin Ali
Published: April 2024

Soil carbon sequestration is a vital ecosystem function that mitigates climate change by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Root characteristics such as depth, diameter, length, and branching pattern affect soil carbon dynamics through root-soil interactions and organic matter breakdown. Here we review field surveys, laboratory analysis, and mathematical modeling to understand how root structures affect soil carbon storage. Further, certain root features increase soil carbon sequestration, suggesting that selective breeding and genetic engineering of plants could maximize this ecological benefit. However, more research is needed to understand the complex interactions between roots, soil biota, and soil organic matter under changing environmental conditions. In addition, the benefit of climate change mitigation methods and soil carbon models from the inclusion of root architecture was reviewed. Studies in the realm of root-soil interactions encompass a variety of academic fields, including agronomy, ecology, soil science, and plant physiology. Insights into how roots interact with their soil environment and the effects of these interactions on plant health, agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability have been gained through this research.
OBMI: oversampling borderline minority instances by a two-stage Tomek link-finding procedure for class imbalance problem
Authors: Leng Qiangkui , Guo Jiamei , Tao Jiaqing , Meng Xiangfu , Wang Changzhong
Published: April 2024

Mitigating the impact of class imbalance datasets on classifiers poses a challenge to the machine learning community. Conventional classifiers do not perform well as they are habitually biased toward the majority class. Among existing solutions, the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) has shown great potential, aiming to improve the dataset rather than the classifier. However, SMOTE still needs improvement because of its equal oversampling to each minority instance. Based on the consensus that instances far from the borderline contribute less to classification, a refined method for oversampling borderline minority instances (OBMI) is proposed in this paper using a two-stage Tomek link-finding procedure. In the oversampling stage, the pairs of between-class instances nearest to each other are first found to form Tomek links. Then, these minority instances in Tomek links are extracted as base instances. Finally, new minority instances are generated, each of which is linearly interpolated between a base instance and one minority neighbor of the base instance. To address the overlap caused by oversampling, in the cleaning stage, Tomek links are employed again to remove the borderline instances from both classes. The OBMI is compared with ten baseline methods on 17 benchmark datasets. The results show that it performs better on most of the selected datasets in terms of the F1-score and G-mean. Statistical analysis also indicates its higher-level Friedman ranking.
Theoretical analysis of hydrogen solubility in direct coal liquefaction solvents
Authors: Zhang Xiaobin , Wang Aoqi , Wang Xingbao , Li Wenying
Published: April 2024

The cyclic hydrogenation technology in a direct coal liquefaction process relies on the dissolved hydrogen of the solvent or oil participating in the hydrogenation reaction. Thus, a theoretical basis for process optimization and reactor design can be established by analyzing the solubility of hydrogen in liquefaction solvents. Experimental studies of hydrogen solubility in liquefaction solvents are challenging due to harsh reaction conditions and complex solvent compositions. In this study, the composition and content of liquefied solvents were analyzed. As model compounds, hexadecane, toluene, naphthalene, tetrahydronaphthalene, and phenanthrene were chosen to represent the liquefied solvents in chain alkanes and monocyclic, bicyclic, and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The solubility of hydrogen X (mol/mol) in pure solvent components and mixed solvents (alkanes and aromatics mixed in proportion to the chain alkanes + bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, bicyclic saturated aromatic hydrocarbons + bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons + compounds containing heteroatoms composed of mixed components) are determined using Aspen simulation at temperature and pressure conditions of 373–523 K and 2–10 MPa. The results demonstrated that at high temperatures and pressures, the solubility of hydrogen in the solvent increases with the increase in temperature and pressure, with the pressure having a greater impact. Furthermore, the results revealed that hydrogen is more soluble in straight-chain alkanes than in other solvents, and the solubility of eicosanoids reaches a maximum of 0.296. The hydrogen solubility in aromatic ring compounds decreased gradually with an increase in the aromatic ring number. The influence of chain alkanes on the solubility of hydrogen predominates in a mixture of solvents with different mixing ratios of chain alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons. The solubility of hydrogen in mixed aromatic solvents is less than that in the corresponding single solvents. Hydrogen is less soluble in solvent compounds containing heteroatoms than in compounds without heteroatoms.
Conversion of Lithium Chloride into Lithium Hydroxide Using a Two-Step Solvent Extraction Process in an Agitated Kühni Column
Authors: Peeters Nand , Riaño Sofía , Binnemans Koen
Published: April 2024

A significant consequence of the green transition is the growing demand of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), as they are essential for electrical vehicles. In turn, the demand for the raw materials that are needed to produce LIBs is increasing. A common LIB cathode type for electrical cars is lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC). Since cobalt is currently considered as a critical raw material, nickel-rich NMC cathodes are now designed with lower cobalt contents. The synthesis of these new NMC types requires LiOH instead of Li2CO3, which was used for Co-richer NMC materials in the past. Most production routes of LiOH start from Li2CO3 or Li2SO4. However, LiCl could also be a potential precursor for LiOH, as it could be obtained from various lithium sources. A two-step solvent extraction process (SX) was developed for direct conversion of LiCl into LiOH, using a phenol (butylhydroxytoluene or BHT) and a mixture of quaternary ammonium chlorides (Aliquat 336) in an aliphatic diluent (Shellsol D70) as the solvent. The SX process was validated in counter-current mode using a rotary agitated Kühni extraction column. The use of a column instead of mixer-settlers reduced the CO2 uptake by the final product (LiOH), which prevented the partial conversion of LiOH to Li2CO3. A total of 75 L of LiCl feed solution was processed in the Kühni column to obtain a solution of LiOH with a final purity of more than 99.95%, at a yield of 96%.

Graphical Abstract
Enhancing physico-mechanical properties and thermal stability of geopolymer composites through nano-material incorporation
Authors: M.Khater Hisham , Gharieb Mahmoud
Published: April 2024

Influence of various types of nano powder on the physico-mechanical properties of geopolymer materials has been studied, in addition to studying their firing stability up to 1000 °C. Alumino–silicate materials used are kaolin, fired kaolin and lime stone. Materials prepared at water/binder ratios of 0.40; whereas the used equal volume of activator 5 M sodium hydroxide with liquid sodium silicate. Nano-kaolin admixed with Nano-powder as a partial replacement from metakaolin material. The control mixes incorporating either 7% Nano-glass or 5% Nano-silica fume. Nano-kaolin was partially replaced Nano-glass powder and Nano-silica fume. It is possible to use the mixes containing limestone and nano materials to solve the problem of using heat curing, thermal energy consumption and pollution by reducing the MK used for MK-geopolymer cement. Results indicated an enhancement in the physico-mechanical properties of mix incorporating 1: 6% and 2:3% of NK:N-glass and NK:N-silica fume, respectively. Firing of hardened geopolymer resulted in high thermal resistance up to 700 °C then exposed to decrease up to 1000 °C. However, no micro-cracks were noticed up to 800 °C for all samples as recorded by visual examination of the fired samples, while micro-cracks were recorded for hardened composites at 1000 °C.

Graphical Abstract
Fuelling entrepreneurial success: unravelling the nexus of financial resources, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and entrepreneurial intentions in Saudi micro and small enterprises
Authors: Alshebami Ali Saleh
Published: April 2024

This paper focuses on understanding how financial resources (FR) influence entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and extrinsic outcome expectations (EOE). It also examines the influence of intrinsic outcome expectations (IOE) on ESE. This study further investigates the impact of ESE on entrepreneurial intention (EI) and EOE. At the same time, it examines how EOE influences EI among micro and small entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The study also analyses the ability of ESE and EOE to mediate in the different relationships of the study. The author collected a sample of 201 micro and small entrepreneurs operating in various locations in Saudi Arabia through a self-administered online questionnaire. The data analysis was executed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling. The study’s findings reported exciting results, indicating the presence of a positive and significant relationship between FR and ESE, as well as EOE. They also revealed the presence of a positive relationship between IOE and ESE. ESE also showed the ability to positively and significantly influence EI and EOE. Furthermore, the relationship between EOE and EI reported unexpected negative results. Concerning the mediation result, ESE proved to mediate the relationship between FR and EI, as well as that between IOE and EI. Finally, EOE was unable to mediate the relationship between FR and EI. This study provides specific recommendations and implications for policymakers to benefit from its outcomes.
Moderating effects of self-esteem instability on the association between self-esteem level and emotional reactions to receiving comfort among Japanese university students
Authors: Ogawa Shota
Published: April 2024

The relationship between self-esteem and emotional reactions to receiving comfort has been extensively studied in social and personality psychology, but the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, this study investigated the association between emotional reactions to receiving comfort from friends and self-esteem by examining whether an instability in self-esteem mediates the association between self-esteem levels and comfort effectiveness. Japanese university students (N = 115) read a vignette involving comfort and completed a questionnaire evaluating the emotions they felt when a friend offered comfort. They also completed a daily measure of state self-esteem for 7 days, the perceived self-Esteem instability measure (P-SEI), and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES). Results were derived using multiple regression analysis. The interaction between P-SEI and RSES predicted gratitude when gender, friendship intimacy, seriousness, and controllability of the scenario were controlled for. The interaction between state self-esteem and instability was not significant. People with stable low self-esteem felt less grateful when comforted than those with unstable self-esteem, but they showed high gratitude and low hostility when comforted by a close friend. Although participants with stable low self-esteem were less impacted by comforted, the comfort provided by close friends induced positive emotions. This study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the correlations between self-esteem and the effectiveness of comfort by concurrently employing different self-esteem measurement tools and revealing the importance of the level and stability of self-esteem.
Automated Colorectal Polyps Detection from Endoscopic Images using MultiResUNet Framework with Attention Guided Segmentation
Authors: Ahamed Md. Faysal , Islam Md. Rabiul , Nahiduzzaman Md. , Chowdhury Muhammad E. H. , Alqahtani Abdulrahman , Murugappan M.
Published: April 2024

The early detection of colorectal polyps is crucial for the reduction of mortality rates. However, manually identifying polyps is time-consuming and expensive, increasing the risk of missing them. Our paper aims to address this issue by presenting an automated segmentation approach for colorectal polyps. This paper proposes a method that combines a skip connection with hybrid attention guidance (AG) using attention guidance (AG) and residual path frameworks to identify salient features. Furthermore, we augment test samples using original, horizontal flip, and vertical flip transformations to enhance model robustness through Test Time Augmentation (TTA). The model was trained with Kvasir-seg samples and evaluated on Kvasir-seg and CVC-ClinicDB datasets to gauge generalizability. A significant accuracy (0.9546), a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.8557, a Cross-section over Union (IoU) of 0.8824, a Recall (0.8221), a Precision (0.8922), an area under Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC-AUC) of 0.9454, and an area under Precision-Recall (AUC-PR) of 0.8717 were achieved without TTA. Through TTA integration, accuracy (0.9993), DSC (0.8663), IoU (0.8277), Recall (0.8060), Precision (0.9364), and ROC-AUC (0.9587) have been improved. A comparison of our framework with state-of-the-art models demonstrated its effectiveness and segmentation capabilities. Additionally, the proposed model contains only 0.47 million parameters and a weight size of 6.71 MB, illustrating its potential for clinical diagnostics. A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system improves patient outcomes by detecting colorectal polyps early and improving segmentation accuracy.
Back to the Future: A Case of Severe ARDS Responsive to Shunned Therapies, A Review of the Past, and a Road Map to Future Investigations
Authors: Keith Philip , Choe Carol , Rikard Ben , Stoudemire Kari , Guffey Amanda , Scott L. Keith
Published: April 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a reminder of the limited treatments available for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The pandemic has highlighted the need to identify different clinical phenotypes of ARDS and investigate various interventions and treatments, both new and old.

Case Presentation

We present a patient with severe ARDS secondary to COVID-19 who rapidly deteriorated despite neuromuscular blockade and prone ventilation. He was aggressively managed using a combination of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), high dose methylprednisolone, TPE, and direct instillation of liquid surfactant. He had an excellent clinical response and ultimately discharged to inpatient rehabilitation, then home, totally independent.

Conclusion

Relatively few effective treatment options exist for ARDS. Our patient’s response to a combination of interventions that have fallen out of clinical practice serves as a reminder that research is needed to help identify distinct phenotypes so that clinical trials can be designed to investigate interventions and treatments specific to the different phenotypes.
Digital intermediate product imports and firms’export quality: evidence from China
Authors: Ren Wanwan , Lin Tianhan , Hao Yuqian
Published: April 2024

Based on the ‘Statistical Classification of Digital Economy and Its Core Industries (2021)’ published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, this paper proposes a more accurate method to identify digital intermediate products by matching China Industrial Classification code with Harmonized System code, and investigates the connection between digital intermediate product imports and firms’ export quality using China’s firm-level data from 2000 to 2013. Our estimations show that digital intermediate product imports can significantly promote the quality of firms’ export products through both the productivity channel and the quality production capacity channel, and the conclusion still holds after a series of endogeneity tests and robustness tests. Moreover, considering the heterogeneity effect of digital intermediate product imports with different characteristics, we find that high-quality and diversified digital intermediate product imports will strengthen the quality upgrading effect of firms’ export products, while the effect of improving the technical content is not significant. This paper provides a new path for firms, especially those in developing countries, to upgrade export quality.
SSCNet: learning-based subspace clustering
Authors: Xie Xingyu , Wu Jianlong , Liu Guangcan , Lin Zhouchen
Published: April 2024

Sparse subspace clustering (SSC), a seminal clustering method, has demonstrated remarkable performance by effectively solving the data sparsity problem. However, it is not without its limitations. Key among these is the difficulty of incremental learning with the original SSC, accompanied by a computationally demanding recalculation process that constrains its scalability to large datasets. Moreover, the conventional SSC framework considers dictionary construction, affinity matrix learning and clustering as separate stages, potentially leading to suboptimal dictionaries and affinity matrices for clustering. To address these challenges, we present a novel clustering approach, called SSCNet, which leverages differentiable programming. Specifically, we redefine and generalize the optimization procedure of the linearized alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), framing it as a multi-block deep neural network, where each block corresponds to a linearized ADMM iteration step. This reformulation is used to address the SSC problem. We then use a shallow spectral embedding network as an unambiguous and differentiable module to approximate the eigenvalue decomposition. Finally, we incorporate a self-supervised structure to mitigate the non-differentiability inherent in k-means to achieve the final clustering results. In essence, we assign unique objectives to different modules and jointly optimize all module parameters using stochastic gradient descent. Due to the high efficiency of the optimization process, SSCNet can be easily applied to large-scale datasets. Experimental evaluations on several benchmarks confirm that our method outperforms traditional state-of-the-art approaches.