bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STRATEGI PEMASARAN LOSTVINYL BAND DALAM MENINGKATKAN POPULARITAS DI SUMATERA UTARA
Authors: Fajri Galuh Septian , Ritonga Muhammad Husni
Published: June 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi, mendeskripsikan, dan menyelidiki bagaimana strategi pemasaran musik band LostVinyl di Sumatera Utara menyebabkan popularitas band ini semakin meningkat di era musik digital. Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi deskriptif kualitatif, termasuk prosedur pengumpulan data seperti observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi, di samping strategi untuk menilai validitas data, seperti metode triangulasi data. Dalam penelitian khusus ini, proses analisis data melibatkan reduksi dan tampilan data, serta penarikan kesimpulan dari data. Temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa strategi pemasaran karya musik yang dimanfaatkan oleh band LostVinyl di era digital adalah dengan menggunakan dan memaksimalkan media sosial atau metode internet marketing dimana pengguna internet mendominasi dalam pemasaran, yang kini ramai dan mudah diakses oleh banyak orang. Penelitian ini dicapai dengan menggunakan strategi pemasaran internet di mana pengguna media sosial mendominasi dalam pemasaran. Teknik-teknik ini meliputi: (1) penggunaan media sosial dalam promosi, seperti YouTube dan Instagram; (2) pembuatan konten content marketing untuk materi promosi yang akan diletakkan di media sosial, seperti blog, podcast, dan video; dan (3) penggunaan pemasaran konten dalam kombinasi dengan strategi promosi lainnya. (3) Platform media sosial yang digunakan untuk mobile marketing harus mudah diakses melalui smartphone dan memiliki basis pengguna yang besar untuk memastikan bahwa audiens yang dituju tercapai dan bahwa tujuan pemasaran yang dimaksud tercapai.
Mathematical modeling for the control of fly-borne mastitis disease in cattle
Authors: Adeyemi Moses Olayemi , Oluyo Temitayo Olabisi
Published: June 2023

Several diseases cause losses in cattle farming, especially in the dairy industry among which mastitis disease (Bovine mastitis) is the leading cause of health and economic damages globally as it results in animals' ill health and reduced quality and quantity of milk produced by infected cows. Some mathematical studies have been conducted that focused on mastitis transmission from one udder-quarter to another in an infected cow, even though clinical studies established the cow–cow and flies–cow transmissions. The present study, therefore, proposed a mathematical model for the control of mastitis disease in cattle in the presence of flies as vectors. The formulated model was shown to have non-negative solutions in feasible regions for both cattle and flies populations. Furthermore, the model has a stable disease-free equilibrium if the sum of the effective reproduction numbers for cattle–cattle and fly–cattle transmissions (ℜch and ℜch) is less than unity, and there is a possibility of multiple endemic equilibria if otherwise. The numerical results indicated that the infectious populations can be reduced if the rates of the control parameters are increased, thereby curtailing or eradicating mastitis in the cattle population.
Comparison of bilateral differential characteristics of corneal biomechanics between keratoconus and normal eyes
Authors: Xian Yiyong , Zhao Yu , Sun Ling , Zhang Xiaoyu , Ding Lan , Liu Zesheng , Li Yuan , Ding Yanlan , Jiang Lin , Zhou Xingtao , Shen Yang
Published: June 2023

Purpose: To compare bilateral differences in corneal biomechanics between keratoconus and normal eyes.

Methods: In this case-control study, 346 eyes of 173 patients (aged 22.1 ± 6.1 years) with keratoconus (KC group) and 378 eyes of 189 patients (aged 26.7 ± 5.6 years) with ametropia (control group) were enrolled. Corneal tomography and biomechanical properties were examined using Pentacam HR and Corvis ST, respectively. The corneal biomechanical parameters were compared between eyes with forme fruste keratoconus (FFKC) and normal eyes. Bilateral differences in corneal biomechanical parameters were compared between the KC and control groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess discriminative efficacies.

Results: The areas under the ROC curves (AUROCs) of stiffness parameter at the first applanation (SP-A1) and Tomographic and Biomechanical Index (TBI) for identifying FFKC were 0.641 and 0.694, respectively. The bilateral differential values of major corneal biomechanical parameters were significantly increased in the KC group (all p < 0.05), except for the Corvis Biomechanical Index (CBI). The AUROCs of the bilateral differential values of the deformation amplitude ratio at 2 mm (ΔDAR2), Integrated Radius (ΔIR), SP-A1 (ΔSP-A1), and the maximum inverse concave radius (ΔMax ICR) for discriminating keratoconus were 0.889, 0.884, 0.826, and 0.805, respectively. The Logistic Regression Model-1 (comprising of ΔDAR2, ΔIR, and age) and the Logistic Regression Model-2 (comprising of ΔIR, ΔARTh, ΔBAD-D, and age) had AUROCs of 0.922 and 0.998, respectively, for discriminating keratoconus.

Conclusion: The bilateral asymmetry of corneal biomechanics was significantly increased in keratoconus compared with normal eyes, which may be helpful for the early detection of keratoconus.
Vancomycin-loaded silk fibroin microspheres in an injectable hydrogel for chronic osteomyelitis therapy
Authors: Zhang Peng , Sun Yusheng , Yang Haizhen , Liu Dong , Zhang Feng , Zhang Yu , Zhong Wentao , Zuo Baoqi , Zhou Zhiqiang
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Chronic osteomyelitis remains a clinical challenge in orthopedics.

Methods: In this study, silk fibroin microspheres (SFMPs) loaded with vancomycin are entrapped in an injectable silk hydrogel to form a vancomycin delivery system for treatment of chronic osteomyelitis.

Results and Discussion: Vancomycin showed continuous release from the hydrogel for up to 25 days. The hydrogel shows strong antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and a long antibacterial duration of 10 days without a decrease in the antibacterial effect. The injection of vancomycin-loaded silk fibroin microspheres entrapped in the hydrogel into the infected site of rat tibia reduced bone infection and improved bone regeneration compared with other treatment groups.

Conclusion: Thus, the composite SF hydrogel features a sustained-release profile and good biocompatibility, making it promising for application in osteomyelitis treatment.
Exploiting multi-granularity visual features for retinal layer segmentation in human eyes
Authors: He Xiang , Wang Yiming , Poiesi Fabio , Song Weiye , Xu Quanqing , Feng Zixuan , Wan Yi
Published: June 2023

Accurate segmentation of retinal layer boundaries can facilitate the detection of patients with early ophthalmic disease. Typical segmentation algorithms operate at low resolutions without fully exploiting multi-granularity visual features. Moreover, several related studies do not release their datasets that are key for the research on deep learning-based solutions. We propose a novel end-to-end retinal layer segmentation network based on ConvNeXt, which can retain more feature map details by using a new depth-efficient attention module and multi-scale structures. In addition, we provide a semantic segmentation dataset containing 206 retinal images of healthy human eyes (named NR206 dataset), which is easy to use as it does not require any additional transcoding processing. We experimentally show that our segmentation approach outperforms state-of-the-art approaches on this new dataset, achieving, on average, a Dice score of 91.3% and mIoU of 84.4%. Moreover, our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on a glaucoma dataset and a diabetic macular edema (DME) dataset, showing that our model is also suitable for other applications. We will make our source code and the NR206 dataset publicly available at (https://github.com/Medical-Image-Analysis/Retinal-layer-segmentation).
How the informed relations between physical, digital and biological dimensions are changing the design practice, as well as the sustainability paradigm
Authors: Rotondi Carmen
Published: June 2023

In the “century of biotechnology”, a new form of “bio-digital industry” is emerging in which, thanks to increasingly sophisticated and digitized technologies that allow engineering and production on a biological quantum scale, it is possible to analyze and reproduce the generative, chemical, physical, and molecular processes underlying natural mechanisms. Inheriting methodologies and technologies from biological fabrication, bio-digital practices foster a new material-based biological paradigm that, bringing biomimicry to a material level, allows designers to observe substances and logic used by nature for assembling and structuring its materials, developing more sustainable and strategic ways for artifice manufacturing, as well as replicating complex, tailored, and emergent biological qualities. The paper aims to describe the new hybrid manufacturing techniques, demonstrating how the transition from form-based to material-based approaches also leads to the change of logic and conceptual frameworks in design practices, allowing greater alignment with the paradigms of biological growth. In particular, the focus is on informed relations between physical, digital, and biological dimensions, allowing interaction, development, and mutual empowerment between entities and disciplines belonging to them. Such a correlative strategy can help design to apply systemic thinking, from the scale of the material to that of the product and the process, paving the way to sustainable scenarios, not simply to reduce the human impact on the ecosystem but to enhance nature through original cooperation and integration forms between humans, biology, and machines.
Drug delivery system for the extended-release of larotrectinib based on a biocompatible Fe-based metal-organic framework: synthesis, characterization, in vitro release properties and antitumor evaluation
Authors: Gan Lu , Ji Peng , Zhang Jin-xiang , Chen Hao , Yao Yan-sheng , Ren Zhen-kun
Published: June 2023

Larotrectinib (Lar) is an orally administered tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) inhibitor with broad-spectrum antitumor activity that is available in clinical dosage forms as capsules and oral solutions. Currently, corresponding research is focused on developing new extended-release formulation systems for Lar. In this study, a biocompatible Fe-based metal-organic framework (Fe-MOF) carrier was synthesized by a solvent-based method, and a sustained-release drug delivery system (Lar@Fe-MOF) was constructed by nanoprecipitation and Lar loading. Lar@Fe-MOF was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and its drug loading capacity and drug release properties were measured by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Then, the toxicity and biocompatibility of the Fe-MOF carriers were evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and hemocompatibility assays. Finally, the anticancer potential of Lar@Fe-MOF was investigated. The TEM results showed that Lar@Fe-MOF had a homogeneous fusiform nanostructural morphology. The DSC and FTIR results showed that Fe-MOF carriers were successfully synthesized and loaded with Lar, which was mainly in an amorphous form. Lar@Fe-MOF showed a large drug loading capacity (–10%) and significant slow-release properties in vitro. The MTT assay results showed that Lar@Fe-MOF had good dose-dependent anticancer activity. The in vivo pharmacodynamic assay results showed that Fe-MOF significantly increased the anticancer activity of Lar and was biocompatible. In conclusion, the Lar@Fe-MOF system developed in this study is a promising drug delivery platform because it is easy to manufacture, has high biocompatibility and ideal drug release and accumulation, can effectively eliminate tumors with improved safety and is expected to further expand therapeutic applications.
Current progress on in vitro differentiation of ovarian follicles from pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Wu Genie Min Ju , Chen Andy Chun Hang , Yeung William Shu Biu , Lee Yin Lau
Published: June 2023

Mammalian female reproduction requires a functional ovary. Competence of the ovary is determined by the quality of its basic unit–ovarian follicles. A normal follicle consists of an oocyte enclosed within ovarian follicular cells. In humans and mice, the ovarian follicles are formed at the foetal and the early neonatal stage respectively, and their renewal at the adult stage is controversial. Extensive research emerges recently to produce ovarian folliclesin-vitrofrom different species. Previous reports demonstrated the differentiation of mouse and human pluripotent stem cells into germline cells, termed primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs). The germ cell-specific gene expressions and epigenetic features including global DNA demethylation and histone modifications of the pluripotent stem cells-derived PGCLCs were extensively characterized. The PGCLCs hold potential for forming ovarian follicles or organoids upon cocultured with ovarian somatic cells. Intriguingly, the oocytes isolated from the organoids could be fertilizedin-vitro. Based on the knowledge ofin-vivoderived pre-granulosa cells, the generation of these cells from pluripotent stem cells termed foetal ovarian somatic cell-like cells was also reported recently. Despite successfulin-vitrofolliculogenesis from pluripotent stem cells, the efficiency remains low, mainly due to the lack of information on the interaction between PGCLCs and pre-granulosa cells. The establishment ofin-vitropluripotent stem cell-based models paves the way for understanding the critical signalling pathways and molecules during folliculogenesis. This article aims to review the developmental events duringin-vivofollicular development and discuss the current progress of generation of PGCLCs, pre-granulosa and theca cellsin-vitro.
Risk factors for recurrence after surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta in children: a single-center experience based on 51 children
Authors: Zhao Zhenjiang , Pan Zhengxia , Wu Chun , Tian Jie , Qin Jinjie , Zhang Yulin , Jin Xin
Published: June 2023

Background

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA), is a congenital malformation, often combined with several cardiac abnormalities. At present, the operation effect is satisfactory, but postoperative restenosis is still a matter. Identification of risk factors for restenosis and prompt therapy adjustments may improve patient outcomes.

Materials and methods

A retrospective clinical study of patients under 12 who had CoA repair in 2012–2021, with a randomized cohort population of 475 patients.

Results

A total of 51 patients (M/F: 30/21) with a mean age of 5.33 (2.00–15.00) months and a median weight of 5.60 (4.20–10.00) kg. The mean follow-up was 8.93 (3.77–19.37) months. Patients were divided into 2 groups: no-restenosis (n-reCoA) (G1, 38 patients) and restenosis (reCoA) (G2, 13 patients). ReCoA was defined as a restenosis requiring interventional or surgery or a pressure gradient >20 mmHg at the repair site as reported by B-ultrasound with the presence of an upper and lower limb blood pressure gradient or growing dysplasia. The overall reCoA incidence was 25% (13/51). In multivariate COX regression, smaller preoperative z-score of the ascending aorta (P = 0.009, HR = 0.68) and transverse aortic arch (P = 0.015, HR = 0.66), arm-leg systolic pressure gradient ≥12.5 mmHg at discharge (P = 0.003, HR = 1.09) were independent risk factors for reCoA.

Conclusion

The overall outcome of CoA surgery is successful. Smaller preoperative z-score of the ascending aorta and transverse aortic arch, and an arm-leg systolic pressure gradient ≥12.5 mmHg at discharge increase reCoA risk, and closer follow-up for such patients are required especially within 1 postoperative year.
XCT analysis of drill cores of Opalinus clay and determination of sample size for effective properties evaluation
Authors: Keller Lukas M.
Published: June 2023

In Switzerland, the Opalinus Clay unit was chosen as host rock for a repository for nuclear waste and has recently been investigated in a deep drilling campaign at possible repository construction sites. X-ray images of drill cores were compiled into virtual rock columns and were statistically analyzed with respect to layered compositional variations. This provides insight into scale-dependent homogenization and improves sampling strategy. To predict the repository behavior, using continuum-based models of Opalinus Clay, requires the knowledge of effective properties related to a minimum volume at which Opalinus Clay behaves homogeneously. It turned out that with respect to rock composition, such a volume does not exist in the sense that a single sample of manageable size provides a reliable mean composition. This is because the variation of the cm to dm thick layers, which differ in composition, does not sufficiently homogenize even at the 10-m scale. Thus, effective properties must be obtained by averaging several handleable samples. Regarding the composition of Opalinus Clay at a particular location, about 30 samples, distributed over the whole thickness, with a length of about 30 cm should be measured so that the relative error of the mean value is not higher than 5%–10%. For the statistical analyses computed tomography (CT) values of X-ray data were calibrated with respect to rock composition based on laboratory measurements. The CT values are largely controlled by the respective volume fraction of calcite, quartz, and porous clay matrix. These three components form >80 vol% of the sedimentary rocks studied (also above and below Opalinus Clay). The relationship between CT value and component contents depends on the rock type. The use of data from different rock types to calibrate CT values with respect to composition can lead to erroneous results.
Effect of bubble volume on the sweeping velocity of air bubbles in horizontal pipelines in water supply system
Authors: Hu Jianyong , Yang Chengzhi , Zhang Yuzhou , Song Hongge , Lu Miao , Meng Zhenzhu , Zhang Jinxin
Published: June 2023

Trapped air bubbles in pipelines significantly affect the safety and efficiency of water supply systems, potentially inducing water hammer and leading to pipeline explosions and interruptions. This study investigates the sweeping velocity of air bubbles in horizontal pipelines by analyzing the forces acting on a single air bubble and deriving a theoretical expression for calculating the sweeping velocity. Physical model experiments and numerical simulations are conducted to examine the variations in sweeping velocity with respect to bubble volume and dimensionless bubble volume. Results indicate that the sweeping velocity increases with bubble volume, and the diameter of the pipeline significantly affects the movement of air bubbles. These findings contribute to a better understanding of air bubble behavior in horizontal pipelines and can inform strategies for mitigating risks associated with trapped air bubbles, ultimately improving the safety and reliability of water supply systems.
Research progress on the mechanism of ferroptosis and its role in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: He Wei , Chang Lu , Li Xinlu , Mei Yan
Published: June 2023

Ferroptosis is iron-dependent regulatory cell death (RCD). Morphologically, ferroptosis is manifested as mitochondrial atrophy and increased mitochondrial membrane density. Biochemically, ferroptosis is characterized by the depletion of glutathione (GSH), the inactivation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and an increase in lipid peroxides (LPO)and divalent iron ions. Ferroptosis is associated with various diseases, but the relationship with diabetic retinopathy(DR) is less studied. DR is one of the complications of diabetes mellitus and has a severe impact on visual function. The pathology of DR is complex, and the current treatment is unsatisfactory. Therefore, exploring pathogenesis is helpful for the clinical treatment of DR. This paper reviews the pathological mechanism of ferroptosis and DR in recent years and the involvement of ferroptosis in the pathology of DR. In addition, we propose problems that need to be addressed in this research field. It is expected to provide new ideas for treating DR by analyzing the role of ferroptosis in DR.
COVID-19 vaccine coverage, safety, and perceptions among patients with diabetes mellitus in China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Li Haolong , Ping Fan , Li Xiaomeng , Wang Zhihong , Xiao Jianzhong , Jiang Hongwei , Xue Yaoming , Quan Jinxing , Yao Hebin , Zheng Xianling , Chen Yanming , Li Yufeng , Yu Xiaohua , Xu Lingling , Feng Xinxin , Wang Siyu , Li Yongzhe , Xiao Xinhua
Published: June 2023

Aims

Diabetes mellitus (DM), one of the most common chronic diseases in China, is a risk factor for SARS-COV-2 infection and poor prognosis of COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine is one of the key measures to control the pandemic. However, the actual coverage of COVID-19 vaccination and associated factors remain unclear among DM patients in China. We conducted this study to investigate the COVID-19 vaccine coverage, safety, and perceptions among patients with DM in China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of a sample of 2200 DM patients from 180 tertiary hospitals in China was performed using a questionnaire developed through the Wen Juan Xing survey platform to collect information regarding their coverage, safety, and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccination. A multinomial logistic regression analysis model was performed to determine any independent relationships with COVID-19 vaccination behavior among DM patients.

Results

In total, 1929 (87.7%) DM patients have received at least one dose COVID-19 vaccine, and 271 (12.3%) DM patients were unvaccinated. In addition, 65.2% (n = 1434) were booster vaccinated against COVID-19, while 16.2% (n = 357) were only fully vaccinated and 6.3% (n = 138) were only partially vaccinated. The prevalence of adverse effects after the first dose of vaccine, the second dose of vaccine, and the third dose of vaccine were 6.0%, 6.0%, and 4.3% respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that DM patients complicated with immune and inflammatory diseases (partially vaccinated: OR = 0.12; fully vaccinated: OR = 0.11; booster vaccinated: OR = 0.28), diabetic nephropathy (partially vaccinated: OR = 0.23; fully vaccinated: OR = 0.50; booster vaccinated: OR = 0.30), and perceptions on the safety of COVID-19 vaccine (partially vaccinated: OR = 0.44; fully vaccinated: OR = 0.48; booster vaccinated: OR = 0.45) were all associated with the three of vaccination status.

Conclusion

This study showed that higher proportion of COVID-19 vaccine coverage among patients with DM in China. The concern about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine affected the vaccine behavior in patients with DM. The COVID-19 vaccine was relatively safe for DM patients due to all side effects were self-limiting.
The role of lean six sigma in driving sustainable manufacturing practices: an analysis of the relationship between lean six sigma principles, data-driven decision making, and environmental performance
Authors: Huang Jing , Irfan Muhammad , Fatima Syeda Saman , Shahid Rao Muhammad
Published: June 2023

Introduction: In an increasingly competitive manufacturing sector, companies are adopting innovative approaches, such as the Lean Six Sigma methodology, to enhance their operations, competitiveness, and sustainability. This study explores the effect of Lean Six Sigma methodology and data-driven decision-making on sustainable manufacturing practices.

Methods: The study employs thematic analysis to clarify and identify principle nodes and themes, including Six Sigma, quality improvement, management approaches, and front-line worker perspectives. The analysis aims to deepen understanding of Lean Six Sigma principles and their implications for sustainable manufacturing practices.

Results: The analysis identifies employee motivation, balanced scorecards, company culture, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and data-driven decision-making as key drivers of sustainable manufacturing practices. Evidence suggests that implementing Lean Six Sigma methodology, promoting data-driven decision-making, and nurturing a positive company culture enhances environmental performance in the manufacturing industry.

Discussion: The findings indicate that Lean Six Sigma, data-driven decision-making, and a positive company culture are effective strategies to enhance sustainability in manufacturing, offering valuable insights for companies seeking to improve sustainability while maintaining competitiveness. This study underlines the potential of Lean Six Sigma as a cornerstone of sustainable manufacturing practices.
Differences across herds with different dairy breeds in daily milk yield based proxies for resilience
Authors: Adriaens Ines , Bonekamp Gerbrich , Ten Napel Jan , Kamphuis Claudia , De Haas Yvette
Published: June 2023

Global sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss and food security require food systems to become more resource efficient and better embedded in the local environment. This needs a transition towards more diverse, circular and low-input dairy farming systems with animals best suited to the specific environmental conditions. When varying environmental challenges are posed to animals, cows need to become resilient to disturbances they face. This resilience of dairy cows for disturbances can be quantified using sensor features and resilience indicators derived from daily milk yield records. The aim of this study was to explore milk yield based sensor features and resilience indicators for different cattle groups according to their breeds and herds. To this end, we calculated 40 different features to describe the dynamics and variability in milk production of first parity dairy cows. After correction for milk production level, we found that various aspects of the milk yield dynamics, milk yield variability and perturbation characteristics indeed differed across herds and breeds. On farms with a lower breed proportion of Holstein Friesian across cows, there was more variability in the milk yield, but perturbations were less severe upon critical disturbances. Non-Holstein Friesian breeds had a more stable milk production with less (severe) perturbations. These differences can be attributed to differences in genetics, environments, or both. This study demonstrates the potential to use milk yield sensor features and resilience indicators as a tool to quantify how cows cope with more dynamic production conditions and select animals for features that best suit a farms’ breeding goal and specific environment.
Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of two-component system (TCS) genes in Brassica oleracea in response to shade stress
Authors: Sadaqat Muhammad , Umer Basit , Attia Kotb A. , Abdelkhalik Amr F. , Azeem Farrukh , Javed Muhammad Rizwan , Fatima Kinza , Zameer Roshan , Nadeem Majid , Tanveer Muhammad Hammad , Sun Sangmi , Ercisli Sezai , Nawaz Muhammad Amjad
Published: June 2023

The Two-component system (TCS) consists of Histidine kinases (HKs), Phosphotransfers (HPs), and response regulator (RR) proteins. It has an important role in signal transduction to respond to a wide variety of abiotic stresses and hence in plant development. Brassica oleracea (cabbage) is a leafy vegetable, which is used for food and medicinal purposes. Although this system was identified in several plants, it had not been identified in Brassica oleracea yet. This genome-wide study identified 80 BoTCS genes consisting of 21 HKs, 8 HPs, 39 RRs, and 12 PRRs. This classification was done based on conserved domains and motif structure. Phylogenetic relationships of BoTCS genes with Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Glycine max, and Cicer arietinum showed conservation in TCS genes. Gene structure analysis revealed that each subfamily had conserved introns and exons. Both tandem and segmental duplication led to the expansion of this gene family. Almost all of the HPs and RRs were expanded through segmental duplication. Chromosomal analysis showed that BoTCS genes were dispersed across all nine chromosomes. The promoter regions of these genes were found to contain a variety of cis-regulatory elements. The 3D structure prediction of proteins also confirmed the conservation of structure within subfamilies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the regulation of BoTCSs were also predicted and their regulatory roles were also evaluated. Moreover, BoTCSs were docked with abscisic acid to evaluate their binding. RNA-seq-based expression analysis and validation by qRT-PCR showed significant variation of expression for BoPHYs, BoERS1.1, BoERS2.1, BoERS2.2, BoRR10.2, and BoRR7.1 suggesting their importance in stress response. These genes showing unique expression can be further used in manipulating the plant’s genome to make the plant more resistant the environmental stresses which will ultimately help in the increase of plant’s yield. More specifically, these genes have altered expression in shade stress which clearly indicates their importance in biological functions. These findings are important for future functional characterization of TCS genes in generating stress-responsive cultivars.
Discovery of non-reference processed pseudogenes in the Swedish population
Authors: Ten Berk de Boer Esmee , Bilgrav Saether Kristine , Eisfeldt Jesper
Published: June 2023

The vast majority of the human genome is non-coding. There is a diversity of non-coding features, some of which have functional importance. Although the non-coding regions constitute the majority of the genome, they remain understudied, and for a long time, these regions have been referred to as junk DNA. Pseudogenes are one of these features. A pseudogene is a non-functional copy of a protein-coding gene. Pseudogenes may arise through a variety of genetic mechanisms. Processed pseudogenes are formed through reverse transcription of mRNA by LINE elements, after which the cDNA is integrated into the genome. Processed pseudogenes are known to be variable across populations; however, the variability and distribution remains unknown. Herein, we apply a custom-designed processed pseudogene pipeline on the whole genome sequencing data of 3,500 individuals; 2,500 individuals from the thousand genomes dataset, as well as 1,000 Swedish individuals. Through these analyses, we discover over 3,000 pseudogenes missing from the GRCh38 reference. Utilising our pipeline, we position 74% of the detected processed pseudogenes—allowing for analyses of formation. Notably, we find that common structural variant callers, such as Delly, classify the processed pseudogenes as deletion events, which are later predicted to be truncating variants. By compiling lists of non-reference processed pseudogenes and their frequencies, we find a great variability of pseudogenes; indicating that non-reference processed pseudogenes may be useful for DNA testing and as population-specific markers. In summary, our findings highlight a great diversity of processed pseudogenes, that processed pseudogenes are actively formed in the human genome; and that our pipeline may be used to reduce false positive structural variation caused by the misalignment and subsequent misclassification of non-reference processed pseudogenes.
Insights into chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic relationships within the Sesamum species complex (Pedaliaceae)
Authors: Zoclanclounon Yedomon Ange Bovys , Thamilarasan Senthil Kumar , Mo Youngjun , Ahn Byoung-Ohg , Kim Jeong-Gu , Lee Keunpyo
Published: June 2023

Background: In the Sesamum species complex, the lack of wild species genomic resources hinders the evolutionary comprehension of phylogenetic relationships.

Results: In the present study, we generated complete chloroplast genomes of six wild relatives (Sesamum alatum, Sesamum angolense, Sesamum pedaloides, Ceratotheca sesamoides (syn. Sesamum sesamoides), Ceratotheca triloba (syn. Sesamum trilobum), and Sesamum radiatum) and a Korean cultivar, Sesamum indicum cv. Goenbaek. A typical quadripartite chloroplast structure, including two inverted repeats (IR), a large single copy (LSC), and a small single copy (SSC), was observed. A total of 114 unique genes encompassing 80 coding genes, four ribosomal RNAs, and 30 transfer RNAs were counted. The chloroplast genomes (152, 863–153, 338 bp) exhibited the IR contraction/expansion phenomenon and were quite conserved in both coding and non-coding regions. However, high values of the nucleotide diversity index were found in several genes, including ndhA, ndhE, ndhF, ycf1, and psaC–ndhD. Concordant tree topologies suggest ndhF as a useful marker for taxon discrimination. The phylogenetic inference and time divergence dating indicate that S. radiatum (2n = 64) occurred concomitantly with the sister species C. sesamoides (2n = 32) approximately 0.05 million years ago (Mya). In addition, S. alatum was clearly discriminated by forming a single clade, showing its long genetic distance and potential early speciation event in regards to the others.

Conclusion: Altogether, we propose to rename C. sesamoides and C. triloba as S. sesamoides and S. trilobum, respectively, as suggested previously based on the morphological description. This study provides the first insight into the phylogenetic relationships among the cultivated and wild African native relatives. The chloroplast genome data lay a foundation for speciation genomics in the Sesamum species complex.
Phenotyping of a novel COL4A4 and novel GLA variant in a patient presenting with microhematuria and mildly impaired kidney function: a case report
Authors: Ponleitner Markus , Allmer Daniela Maria , Hecking Manfred , Gatterer Constantin , Graf Senta , Smogavec Mateja , Laccone Franco , Rommer Paulus Stefan , Sunder-Plassmann Gere
Published: June 2023

We describe the case of a 44-year-old male patient with a longstanding history of microhematuria and mildly impaired kidney function (CKD G2A1). The family history disclosed three females who also had microhematuria. Genetic testing by whole exome sequencing revealed two novel variants in COL4A4 (NM_000092.5: c.1181G>T, NP_000083.3: p.Gly394Val, heterozygous, likely pathogenic; Alport syndrome, OMIM# 141200, 203780) and GLA (NM_000169.3: c.460A>G, NP_000160.1: p.Ile154Val, hemizygous, variant of uncertain significance; Fabry disease, OMIM# 301500), respectively. Extensive phenotyping revealed no biochemical or clinical evidence for the presence of Fabry disease. Thus, the GLA c.460A>G, p.Ile154Val, is to be classified as a benign variant, whereas the COL4A4 c.1181G>T, p.Gly394Val confirms the diagnosis of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome in this patient.
Involvement of CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis by targeting eosinophils
Authors: Zhou Aina , Shi Chenxi , Fan Yuhui , Zheng Yushuang , Wang Jue , Liu Zhichen , Xie Huanxia , Liu Jisheng , Jiao Qingqing
Published: June 2023

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), whose prevalence and pathogenesis are age-related, is characterized by nasal tissue eosinophil infiltration. CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) pathway involves in the eosinophil-mediated inflammation, and inducible co-stimulator (ICOS)–ICOS ligand (ICOSL) signal can strengthen CD40-CD40L interaction. Whether CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL have a role in the development of CRS remains unknown.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL expression with CRS and underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Immunohistology detected the expression of CD40, CD40L, ICOS, and ICOSL. Immunofluorescence was performed to evaluate the co-localizations of CD40 or ICOSL with eosinophils. Correlations between CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL as well as clinical parameters were analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to explore the activation of eosinophils by CD69 expression and the CD40 and ICOSL expression on eosinophils.

Results

Compared with the non-eCRS subset, ECRS (eosinophilic CRS) subset showed significantly increased CD40, ICOS, and ICOSL expression. The CD40, CD40L, ICOS, and ICOSL expressions were all positively correlated with eosinophil infiltration in nasal tissues. CD40 and ICOSL were mainly expressed on eosinophils. ICOS expression was significantly correlated with the expression of CD40-CD40L, whereas ICOSL expression was correlated with CD40 expression. ICOS-ICOSL expression positively correlated with blood eosinophils count and disease severity. rhCD40L and rhICOS significantly enhanced the activation of eosinophils from patients with ECRS. Tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) obviously upregulated CD40 expression on eosinophils, which was significantly inhibited by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor.

Conclusions

Increased CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL expressions in nasal tissues are linked to eosinophils infiltration and disease severity of CRS. CD40-CD40L and ICOS-ICOSL signals enhance eosinophils activation of ECRS. TNF-α and IL-5 regulate eosinophils function by increasing CD40 expression partly via p38 MAPK activation in patients with CRS.
Impact of deicing salts on pervious concrete pavement
Authors: Feng Lichao , Zhang Yongran , Wang Xiaowei , Mery Stephene , Akin Michelle , Li Mengchao , Xie Ning , Li Zhenming , Shi Xianming
Published: June 2023

Two pervious concrete projects (named as SR28 and SR431), with the same mixture design but different winter maintenance activities, were included in this research. Both projects are located in the Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, United States. Testing results indicated that the mechanical properties were significantly higher in SR28 cored samples than the ones in SR431. It was found that the SR28 pieces have fewer air voids, while the SR431 samples have higher water absorption and hydraulic conductivity, and the SR28 samples show fare better performance against repeated freezing and thawing cycles than the SR431 ones. scanning electron microscope pictures of crack surfaces in cores taken from SR28 indicate that the cement binder phase has been largely retained. However, in the coring sample of SR431, needle-shaped residues can be seen within the cement binder phase and an abundance of precipitated micro-sized crystalized particles can be observed. On a micrometer scale, the μCT examination reveals that the porosity of SR28 samples is significantly less than that of SR431. The analyzing results give a clue to demonstrate the durability of pervious concrete pavement can be attributed to the construction quality control, maintenance activity, or the weather and locations of the field sites.
Investigation on characteristics and performance of bearing spacer ring
Authors: Guo Jiang , Zhao Yong , Long Pengyu , Wang Jinglin , Du Benyu , Rajpar Bilal Mustafa , Jin Zhuji , Tang Jiwu
Published: June 2023

Bearings are widely used in the industry due to their ability to support the movement of rotating bodies. The spacer rings are a key component of double-row roller bearings; therefore, the characteristics and properties of the spacer rings have a significant impact on the bearing functions. However, the lack of the characteristics and performance analysis of the spacer ring limits the improvement of bearing performance. To analyze the characteristics of spacer rings and establish a basis for improving their performance, a new testing method for the characteristics and performance of the spacer ring was presented and corresponding experiments were developed. The test procedure entails the evaluation of basic characteristics, surface properties, and serviceability. Basic characteristics were determined through element testing and cross-section morphological observation; surface properties were assessed through surface morphology and surface roughness detection; and serviceability was identified by cross-section hardness and frictional wear tests. The results show that the proposed test method can comprehensively characterize the performance of the spacer rings. The spacer ring composition mainly contains Fe, Al, P, Si, Ca, and S, which contribute to excellent wear resistance, hardness, strength, and corrosion resistance. The cross-sectional morphology exhibits porous characteristics, which enhance lubricity. In terms of surface property, the surface of the spacer ring is relatively flat, and the surface roughness is generally less than 0.6 μm Sa. The average friction coefficient is 0.85, and the friction and wear properties of the spacer ring are good. This study contributes to establishing the testing and evaluation criteria for the performance of spacer rings in engineering, which helps to improve the performance of bearings.
Case report: Regression of Glioblastoma after flavivirus infection
Authors: Garcez Patricia P. , Guasti André , Ventura Nina , Higa Luiza Mendonça , Andreiuolo Felipe , de Freitas Gabriella Pinheiro A. , Ribeiro Liane de Jesus , Maia Richard Araújo , de Lima Sheila Maria Barbosa , de Souza Azevedo Adriana , Schwarcz Waleska Dias , Caride Elena Cristina , Chimelli Leila , Dubois Luiz Gustavo , Ferreira Júnior Orlando da Costa , Tanuri Amilcar , Moura-Neto Vivaldo , Niemeyer Paulo
Published: June 2023

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive primary brain cancer. In preclinical studies, Zika virus, a flavivirus that triggers the death of glioblastoma stem-like cells. However, the flavivirus oncolytic activity has not been demonstrated in human patients. Here we report a glioblastoma patient who received the standard of care therapy, including surgical resection, radiotherapy and temozolomide. However, shortly after the tumor mass resection, the patient was clinically diagnosed with a typical arbovirus-like infection, during a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. Following the infection resolution, the glioblastoma regressed, and no recurrence was observed. This clinical response continues 6 years after the glioblastoma initial diagnosis.
To explore the effectiveness of atorvastatin in the postoperative formation of collateral blood vessels after encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis in patients with moyamoya disease: a prospective double-blind randomized controlled study
Authors: Gao Gan , Wang Qian-Nan , Hao Fang-Bin , Wang Xiao-Peng , Liu Si-Meng , Wang Min-Jie , Han Cong , Bao Xiang-Yang , Duan Lian
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The aim of this large, prospective, double-blind randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effect of atorvastatin on the formation of collateral blood vessels in patients after encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) and to provide a theoretical basis for clinical drug intervention. Specifically, we will determine whether atorvastatin has an effect on the development of collateral vascularization and on cerebral blood perfusion after revasculoplasty in patients with moyamoya disease (MMD).

Methods and analysis

Overall, 180 patients with moyamoya disease will be recruited and randomly assigned to the atorvastatin treatment group or the placebo control group in a 1:1 ratio. Before revascularization surgery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and digital subangiography (DSA) examination will be routinely performed on the enrolled patients. All patients will receive intervention via EDAS. According to the randomization results, patients in the experimental group will be treated with atorvastatin (20 mg/day, once a day, for 8 weeks) and patients in the control group will be treated with placebo (20 mg/day, once a day, for 8 weeks). All participants will return to the hospital for MRI scan and DSA examination 6 months after EDAS surgery. The primary outcome of this trial will be the difference in the formation of collateral blood vessels revealed by DSA examination at 6 months after EDAS surgery between the two groups. The secondary outcome will be an improvement in the dynamic susceptibility contrast sequence cerebral perfusion on MRI at 6 months after EDAS, compared to the preoperative baseline.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital. All participates will voluntary provide written informed consent before participating in the trial.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, ChiCTR2200064976.
Intensity discrimination and neural representation of a masked tone in the presence of three types of masking release
Authors: Kim Hyojin , Epp Bastian
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Hearing ability is usually evaluated by assessing the lowest detectable intensity of a target sound, commonly referred to as a detection threshold. Detection thresholds of a masked signal are dependent on various auditory cues, such as the comodulation of the masking noise, interaural differences in phase, and temporal context. However, considering that communication in everyday life happens at sound intensities well above the detection threshold, the relevance of these cues for communication in complex acoustical environments is unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of three cues on the perception and neural representation of a signal in noise at supra-threshold levels.

Methods

First, we measured the decrease in detection thresholds produced by three cues, referred to as masking release. Then, we measured just-noticeable difference in intensity (intensity JND) to quantify the perception of the target signal at supra-threshold levels. Lastly, we recorded late auditory evoked potentials (LAEPs) with electroencephalography (EEG) as a physiological correlate of the target signal in noise at supra-threshold levels.

Results

The results showed that the overall masking release can be up to around 20 dB with a combination of these three cues. At the same supra-threshold levels, intensity JND was modulated by the masking release and differed across conditions. The estimated perception of the target signal in noise was enhanced by auditory cues accordingly, however, it did not differ across conditions when the target tone level was above 70 dB SPL. For the LAEPs, the P2 component was more closely linked to the masked threshold and the intensity discrimination than the N1 component.

Discussion

The results indicate that masking release affects the intensity discrimination of a masked target tone at supra-threshold levels, especially when the physical signal-to-noise is low, but plays a less significant role at high signal-to-noise ratios.
Pain through the perspective of art and creativity: insights from the Unmasking Pain project
Authors: Johnson Mark I. , Chazot Paul , Cole Frances , Cruickshank Rosemary , Fuller Dawn , Keyse Charlotte , Singh Balbir , Strickson Adam J. , Tabasam Ghazala , Tregidden Emma , Thompson Kate , Woodall James
Published: June 2023

People struggle to tell their story of living with pain and when they do it is articulated in a way that may not be understood, heard or taken seriously. Unmasking Pain is an artist-led project that explored creative approaches to tell stories of life with pain. The project was led by a dance theatre company that specialises in storytelling and emotional experiences for players and audiences. The project involved artists and people living with ongoing pain co-creating activities and environments to curiously explore “oneself”, through imagination and creative expression. This article discusses insights and perspectives emerging from the project. The project revealed the power of art to make-sense of oneself with or without pain, and how art facilitates expression of complex inner experience and personal stories. People described Unmasking Pain as “explorative joy despite pain”, and “a new set of rules” that contrasts with those experienced during clinical encounters. We discuss how art has the potential to improve clinical encounters and promote health and well-being, and whether artist-led activities are an intervention, therapy, or something else. Pain rehabilitation specialists from the project described Unmasking Pain as “freeing-up thinking”, allowing conceptual thought beyond the biopsychosocial model of pain. We conclude that art has the potential to shift people living with pain from “I can't do, I am not willing to do it” to “Perhaps I can, I'll give it a go, I enjoyed”.