bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Special Orthogonal Group Optimization for Coarse Alignment Method of SINS on a Rocking Base
Authors: Pei Fujun , Li Siyuan , Peng Li , Yin Shunan
Published: November 2022

In order to solve the coarse alignment problem of the strapdown inertial navigation system on a rocking base, a fast coarse alignment method using the Special Orthogonal Group optimization has been proposed in this paper. In this method, based on the alignment idea of tracing gravitational apparent motion in inertial frame, the model of coarse alignment on a rocking base has been established using the Special Orthogonal Group directly. A new attitude error function has been proposed on the basis of the cosines between the measurement vector and predictive vector to describe the error between the estimated attitude and the true one. In order to directly reflect the change in the attitude error in the new innovation term and enable the attitude error to converge to zero as fast as possible, the gradient of the new attitude error function has been selected as the new innovation term to compensate for the attitude in the estimation process. Finally, the stability of the proposed optimization estimation method has been proved by employing the Lyapunov stability theory. Simulation and experiment results show that the method presented in this paper exhibits good performance in terms of alignment accuracy and time and can be applied to coarse alignment under a rocking base under different environments.
A Novel Approach for Risk Assessment of Building Damage via Metro Tunnel Construction
Authors: Wang Hai-Lin , Liu Yuan , Jiang Yuan , Wang Zhi-Teng
Published: November 2022

The impact of shield construction on the surrounding buildings involves numerous factors, and the factors are uncertain and ambiguous, which have a great impact on the progress and safety of the project. Therefore, this paper developed a systematic approach for the risk assessment of existing buildings adjacent to tunneling excavation. Firstly, a risk assessment system for adjacent buildings in shield tunneling environments was proposed. Secondly, the weighting of factors was calculated by Pythagorean fuzzy AHP. Then, the VIKOR method was used to divide the risk of existing buildings adjacent to tunneling excavation into five uneven levels. Finally, the extended VIKOR with interval numbers was first introduced in risk assessment of building adjacent to tunneling environment to determine a specific building risk level. The proposed approach was successfully applied to the risk assessment of several buildings adjacent to tunnel construction of Metro Line 4 of Changsha. The accuracy and effectiveness of the constructed new approach were verified by comparing the obtained evaluation results with the actual situation on‐site. This work provides a new method for similar engineering risk assessment.
Modeling and Simulation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Integrated with Anaerobic Digester, Thermal Storage Unit and Solar Collector: A Net Zero Emission System
Authors: Naseer Muhammad Nihal , Kamal Khurram , Abid Muhammad , Iqbal Asif , Khan Hamdullah , Zubair Ch. Muhammad , Kumar Sagar , Ratlamwala Tahir Abdul Hussain , Muhammad Nauman Malik
Published: November 2022

Energy production from clean and green sources is one of the eminent challenges to mankind. Overall, all industrial sectors contribute to CO2 emission, but the energy production sector is a major contributor. In recent years, CO2 emissions from the energy sector have increased by 1.7%. Therefore, the development of alternative energy production sources is a pivot for researchers. In this regard, the fuel cell has been a promising technology but still accompanied by the release of greenhouse gasses but relatively lower than that of fossil fuels. The integration of the fuel cell to the biogas has been a promising factor to reduce emissions. This study contributes to the same by producing a self-sustaining biogas-fuel cell multigeneration system for cold areas. Mathematical modeling of all complements of the system, i.e., anaerobic digester, solid oxide fuel cell, solar collector, and thermal storage system, is provided. MATLAB/Simulink environment is used for simulation of the system. The proposed system will use an anaerobic digester for methane production. Hence, produced methane will be used to power solid oxide fuel cell. The electricity of the fuel cell will power the residential place, and the thermal potential of the exhaust will be stored. In daylight, the solar thermal potential will be utilized for district heating. In the absence of solar light, stored thermal energy will be used for district heating and hot water supply. Additionally, the CO2 emitted from the system will not be released into the environment but stored for industrial purposes. The best area of application of the proposed system is cold areas such as Switzerland.
Effects of Crocodile Oil (Crocodylus siamensis) on Liver Enzymes: Cytochrome P450 and Glutathione S-Transferase Activities in High-fat DietFed Rats
Authors: Santativongchai Pitchaya , Srisuksai Krittika , Parunyakul Kongphop , Thiendedsakul Piriyaporn , Lertwatcharasarakul Preeda , Fungfuang Wirasak , Tulayakul Phitsanu
Published: November 2022

Crocodile oil is a highly effective treatment for ailments ranging from skin conditions to cancer. However, the effects of the oil on liver detoxification pathways are not well studied. This study aimed to investigate the effects of crocodile oil on the detoxification enzyme activities and the mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in rats. The rats were divided into four groups (n = 7/group): rats received a standard diet (C), a high-fat diet or HFD (H), and HFD with 1 ml (HCO1) and 3 ml (HCO3) of the oil per kg body weight. Interestingly, the oil yields from this study presented alpha-linolenic acid (0.96%) at similar levels compared with fish oil. The results revealed that HFD significantly increased the activity and relative gene expression of CYP1A2 in the H group (

P
<
0.05

), whereas 3% crocodile oil normalized the enzyme activities compared to the C group. This suggested inhibiting the HFD-induced expression of CYP1A2 mediated by the omega-3 fatty acids found in the oil. Also, crocodile oil supplementation did not reduce the activities of GST. However, the relative gene expression of GSTA1 was significantly decreased (

P
<
0.05

) in the HCO1 and HCO3 groups compared to the H group, which might be attributed to the lower lipid peroxidation that occurred in the liver tissues. Therefore, it could be suggested that using crocodile oil could help in liver detoxification through the CYP1A2 even when offered with a HFD.
El futuro de las Isapres
Authors: De Elejalde Ramiro
Published: November 2022

El sistema de seguros privados de salud arrastra problemas crónicos hace varios años. El principal es que el marco regulatorio tiene serias deficiencias: se permite a las Isapres ofrecer miles de planes, cada plan tiene una cobertura compleja y poco transparente que es difícil de entender y, aunque con ciertos límites, las Isapres pueden cambiar el precio de los planes (primas) año a año. Este deficiente diseño regulatorio es responsabilidad de los distintos gobiernos, pero también de los esfuerzos de las Isapres para influir sobre la regulación (algo que se denomina captura regulatoria en economía). Continuar leyendo...
Geographic Patterns in U.S. Lung Cancer Mortality and Cigarette Smoking
Authors: Shreves Alaina H. , Buller Ian D. , Chase Elizabeth , Creutzfeldt Hannah , Fisher Jared A. , Graubard Barry I. , Hoover Robert N. , Silverman Debra T. , Devesa Susan S. , Jones Rena R.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Despite the success of smoking cessation campaigns, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Variations in smoking behavior and lung cancer mortality are evident by sex and region.

Methods:

Applying geospatial methods to lung cancer mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and county-level estimates of smoking prevalences from the NCI's Small Area Estimates of Cancer-Related Measures, we evaluated patterns in lung cancer mortality rates (2005–2018) in relation to patterns in ever cigarette smoking prevalences (1997–2003).

Results:

Overall, ever smoking spatial patterns were generally associated with lung cancer mortality rates, which were elevated in the Appalachian region and lower in the West for both sexes. However, we also observed geographic variation in mortality rates that is not explained by smoking. Using Lee's L statistic for assessing bivariate spatial association, we identified counties where the ever smoking prevalence was low and lung cancer rates were high. We observed a significant cluster of counties (n = 25; P values ranging from 0.001 to 0.04) with low ever smoking prevalence and high mortality rates among females around the Mississippi River region south of St. Louis, Missouri and a similar and smaller cluster among males in Western Mississippi (n = 12; P values ranging from 0.002 to 0.03) that has not been previously described.

Conclusions:

Our analyses identified U.S. counties where factors other than smoking may be driving lung cancer mortality.

Impact:

These novel findings highlight areas where investigation of environmental and other risk factors for lung cancer is needed.
HER2 Copy Number and Resistance Mechanisms in Patients with HER2-positive Advanced Gastric Cancer Receiving Initial Trastuzumab-based Therapy in JACOB Trial
Authors: Pietrantonio Filippo , Manca Paolo , Bellomo Sara Erika , Corso Simona , Raimondi Alessandra , Berrino Enrico , Morano Federica , Migliore Cristina , Niger Monica , Castagnoli Lorenzo , Pupa Serenella Maria , Marchiò Caterina , Di Bartolomeo Maria , Restuccia Eleonora , Lambertini Chiara , Tabernero Josep , Giordano Silvia
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

In JACOB trial, pertuzumab added to trastuzumab-chemotherapy did not significantly improve survival of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer, despite 3.3 months increase versus placebo. HER2 copy-number variation (CNV) and AMNESIA panel encompassing primary resistance alterations (KRAS/PIK3CA/MET mutations, KRAS/EGFR/MET amplifications) may improve patients’ selection for HER2 inhibition.

Experimental Design:

In a post hoc analysis of JACOB on 327 samples successfully sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS; Oncomine Focus DNA), HER2 CNV, HER2 expression by IHC, and AMNESIA were correlated with overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) by univariable/multivariable models.

Results:

Median HER2 CNV was 4.7 (interquartile range, 2.2–16.9). HER2 CNV-high versus low using the median as cutoff was associated with longer median PFS (10.5 vs. 6.4 months; HR = 0.48; 95% confidence interval: 0.38–0.62; P < 0.001) and OS (20.3 vs. 13.0 months; HR = 0.54; 0.42–0.72; P < 0.001). Combining HER2 CNV and IHC improved discriminative ability, with better outcomes restricted to HER2-high/HER2 3+ subgroup. AMNESIA positivity was found in 51 (16%), with unadjusted HR = 1.35 (0.98–1.86) for PFS; 1.43 (1.00–2.03) for OS.

In multivariable models, only HER2 CNV status remained significant for PFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P = 0.004). Higher ORR was significantly associated with IHC 3+ [61% vs. 34% in 2+; OR = 3.11 (1.89–5.17)] and HER2-high [59% vs. 43% in HER2-low; OR = 1.84 (1.16–2.94)], with highest OR in the top CNV quartile. These biomarkers were not associated with treatment effect of pertuzumab.

Conclusions:

HER2 CNV-high assessed by NGS may be associated with better ORR, PFS, and OS in a JACOB subgroup, especially if combined with HER2 3+. The negative prognostic role of AMNESIA requires further clinical validation.
Dipeptidyl-Peptidase 4 Inhibitor-Induced Variants of Bullous Pemphigoid: A Case Series of Four Patients
Authors: Balighi Kamran , Heidari Sama , Kavyani Mohammadreza , Kamyab Hesari Kambiz , Tootoonchi Nasim
Published: November 2022

Bullous pemphigoid is the most common acquired bullous disease with an autoimmune basis and a tendency to involve mostly old people. By rising incidence of diabetes all over the world, consumption of antidiabetes medications has also increased. One of the most used antidiabetes drugs is gliptin family (dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitor). Recently, this class of oral antidiabetic agents showed a correlation with the occurrence of bullous pemphigoid and its subtypes, including mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigoid nodularis. We are reporting a case series of 4 diabetes patients that we diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid subtypes (mucous membrane pemphigoid, pemphigoid nodularis, and its rarest subtype, linear IgA bullous dermatosis) after taking different drugs of gliptin family.
Say on pay determinants in Brazilian public companies
Authors: Sorensen Ingrid Ramos Lima , Bortolon Patricia Maria
Published: November 2022

This article examines how performance, compensation, and corporate governance are related to the rejection of compensation proposals in Brazil. Regulatory changes have expanded the disclosure of compensation and introduced distance voting, providing new information which was hand collected from 895 minutes of shareholders' meetings and 1,074 voting tables. The sample consists of data from 179 Brazilian companies between 2015 and 2018. Rejection dependent variables were regressed using logit models that considered random effects panel data as well as Bernoulli’s method of quasi-likelihood. The percentage of companies with rejected proposals is below 3%, which is as low as the figure reported internationally. Performance coefficients are positive relative to compensation proposal rejections. Perhaps investors believe that good performance encourages majority shareholder abuse. Certain aspects of compensation are more important than the total amount in explaining rejection rates, which may indicate a certain investor ability to analyze beyond the total compensation figure. The quality of corporate governance is positively associated with rejections while the concentration of control is negatively associated with rejections. The difficulty of rejecting a proposal may explain this result. The findings indicate that these investors are aware of the perverse incentives that good performance can represent, analyze various aspects of the remuneration proposal, and may vote against it under more favorable governance environments. This last aspect suggests that improving corporate governance regulation and expanding opportunities for participation are effective paths for increasing the voice of shareholders.
Repair of Limb Ischemia Is Dependent on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Specific-SHP-1 Regulation of TGF-β1
Authors: Wang Chen , Nistala Ravi , Cao Min , Li De-Pei , Pan Yi , Golzy Mojgan , Cui Yuqi , Liu Zhenguo , Kang XunLei
Published: November 2022

Background:

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) therapy has shown promise for tissue regeneration after ischemia. Therefore, there is a need to understand mechanisms underlying endogenous HSCs activation in response to ischemic stress and coordination of angiogenesis and repair. SHP-1 plays important roles in HSC quiescence and differentiation by regulation of TGF-β1 signaling. TGF-β1 promotes angiogenesis by stimulating stem cells to secrete growth factors to initiate the formation of blood vessels and later aid in their maturation. We propose that SHP-1 responds to ischemia stress in HSC and progenitor cells (HSPC) via regulation of TGF-β1.

Methods:

A mouse hind limb ischemia model was used. Local blood perfusion in the limbs was determined using laser doppler perfusion imaging. The number of positive blood vessels per square millimeter, as well as blood vessel diameter (μm) and area (μm
2
), were calculated. Hematopoietic cells were analyzed using flow cytometry. The bone marrow transplantation assay was performed to measure HSC reconstitution.

Results:

After femoral artery ligation, TGF-β1 was initially decreased in the bone marrow by day 3 of ischemia, followed by an increase on day 7. This pattern was opposite to that in the peripheral blood, which is concordant with the response of HSC to ischemic stress. In contrast, SHP-1 deficiency in HSC is associated with irreversible activation of HSPCs in the bone marrow and increased circulating HSPCs in peripheral blood following limb ischemia. In addition, there was augmented auto-induction of TGF-β1 and sustained inactivation of SHP-1-Smad2 signaling, which impacted TGF-β1 expression in HSPCs in circulation. Importantly, restoration of normal T GF-β1 oscillations helped in the recovery of limb repair and function.

Conclusions:

HSPC-SHP-1-mediated regulation of TGF-β1 in both bone marrow and peripheral blood is required for a normal response to ischemic stress.
Reading the Confucian Cosmology of the Book of Changes as an Aestheticism
Authors: Ames Roger T.
Published: November 2022

This early Chinese cosmology made explicit in the Book of Changes that serves as the evolving interpretive context for the Confucian tradition is fundamentally an aestheticism in which each person is a specific focus within which the unbounded field of experience is implicated. What in Whiteheadian terms makes this Confucian cosmology an aesthetic order rather than reductionistic rational order, is that it is holistic, unbounded, inclusive, and resolutely anarchic. This is but to say that, in the patterned order of the cosmos in which no single privileged order predominates, all things without exception not only have their own unique role in aspiring to make the most of themselves, but by participating fully in this process of identity formation itself they become collaborators in the production of the contrapuntal harmony of the social, natural, and cosmic order.
John Dewey, Eastern Philosophy, and the American Avant-Garde: Art and Education in Becoming
Authors: Granger David A.
Published: November 2022

This article begins with a brief comparative analysis of John Dewey’s pragmatic naturalism and several prominent themes from Zen and Confucianism often associated with Dewey. These conceptual themes are then used to examine the combined influence of Dewey and Eastern philosophy on two leading 20th Century American avant-garde artists, John Cage and Allan Kaprow. It is then argued that the work of these artists suggests avenues for cultural enrichment and personal growth and renewal through the arts that reject the dualistic and reductionist premises of Western liberal individualism and its excesses; the disembodied and detached subject of Descartes; the invariant “true” or essential self of Plato; de-situated and compartmentalized views of human experience; and the supposition that the arts are superfluous adornments to the more practical affairs of daily living, all of which tend to disrupt democratic forms of life but remain commonplace in prevailing sociocultural norms and institutional practices (including formal schooling) in the U.S.
Self-Cultivation Through the Art of Calligraphy: From Past to the Future
Authors: Hung Ruyu
Published: November 2022

Aesthetic education plays an important role for the cultivation of self in Chinese tradition. In Chinese tradition, philosophy, education, ethics, and metaphysics are closely interwoven. Confucius takes the educated person as one who develops and optimises her potential in every aspect of life including knowledge, skills, habits of mind, manners and dispositions, and artistic taste. The aim of Confucian education is to ‘develop a whole person’ – chéngrén (成人 or 成為全人). There are many different approaches to the cultivation of the whole human person such as the study of classics, moral refinement, spiritual practice, and artistic education. Among the various different art media, calligraphy in Chinese tradition occupies a special and irreplaceable status. However, in the modern times the most radical changes of calligraphy have taken place in the content and artistic expression, the way of writing, the materials, the utensils, and the cultural form. The avant-garde art of calligraphy brings a novel perspective of self-cultivation. This article will take the modern artist XU Bing(徐冰, 1955 -)’s work as the example to examine the meaning of self-cultivation. Overall, this article explores how calligraphy as art is taken as an important means of self-cultivation from the perspectives of tradition and avant-garde. Through history, calligraphy plays a vital role in art and education not only in Chinese culture but also in the global context.
The Arts as Practices of Care in a Socially Just Curriculum
Authors: Mansfield Janet E.
Published: November 2022

If schools are part of our caring infrastructure, then a diminished arts curriculum is an assault on the possibilities for justice and affective equality for students and teachers. Tracing the intimate relationship between the arts and care, I argue that an art-less school environment is indicative of a care-less society. The arts engage both rationalities of, and ‘aesthetics of difference’, enabling an ethics of care. While it retains and critically examines traditional artistic canons, this contemporary notion of aesthetics is non-hierarchical and broader than Kantian variants (the beautiful and the ugly). Transcending paltry modes of moral reasoning around curriculum, it interrogates the “culture of neglect” surrounding the liberal individual imposed by 40 years of miserable neoliberal governmentality, and, through recognising and celebrating the signifying power of the arts, advocates for a rich, inclusive resistance which is vital when our judgment is deeply challenged by virtual and simulated worlds.
miR-125b Promotes the Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC)
Authors: Yan Yan , Wu Zengbo , Chen Xianzhuo
Published: November 2022

miR-125b is involved in several tumors. However, miR-125b’s role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unclear. Tumor tissues and oral normal mucosa tissues of OSCC patients were collected to measure miR-125b level. Oral cancer Tca8113 cells were separated into control group,
miR-125b inhibitor group, and miR-125b mimics group, followed by measuring miR-125b level by real time PCR, cell survival, migration and invasion, PI3K/mTOR signaling protein level by Western blot. miR-125b was upregulated in OSCC tumor tissues and related to clinical/TNM stage, metastasis
and overall survival (P < 0.05). miR-125b overexpression significantly promoted tumor cell behaviors and increased PI3K/mTOR phosphorylation (P < 0.05); while inhibiting miR-125b expression significantly inhibited tumor cell biological behaviors, and decreased PI3K/mTOR
phosphorylation (P < 0.05). miR-125b level is increased in OSCC tumor tissues, which is related to clinicopathological characteristics. miR-125b overexpression promotes OSCC cell behaviors by regulating PI3K/mTOR signaling.
miR-145 from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSC) Improves Cardiac Function After Myocardial Infarction in Rat with Diabetes
Authors: Qin Chuanyu , Wen Mingli
Published: November 2022

This study assesses the role of miR-145 from BMSC in the cardiac function after MI in rat with diabetes. Rat with T1DM model was established and then were treated with PBS, DM-BMSC with overexpression of miR-145, BMSC with the knockdown of miR-145 respectively after twenty-four hours
followed by analysis of the remodeling of vessels and protein, mRNA expressions. miR-145 in DM-BMSC was significantly reduced compared with control group and DM-BMSC prolonged the survival rate of rats. The formation of blood capillary and axon growth in DM-BMSC was increased and decreased
in BMSC with knockdown of miR-145. The therapeutic action of DM-BMSC could be improved notably and remodeling of vessels and protein was increased. Smad1 was a target gene of miR-145. In conclusion, cardiac function and neurological recovery in MI is improved by miR-145 through targeting Smad1
expression, indicating that miR-145 might be a novel target for the treatment of MI.
miR-134 Inhibits Cervical Cancer Cell Invasion via Targeting Cortactin
Authors: Zhu Fang , Li Yachai , Li Xiaodan
Published: November 2022

Cervical cancer is a common malignancy, and miR-134 involves in multiple tumors. The present study aims to explore its expression and role in cervical cancer. miR-134 level in cervical cancer and para-carcinoma tissues was detected by RT-PCR. Cells were transfected with miR-134 mimics
or inhibitor followed by measuring cell behaviors. The results of bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-134 targeted the downstream CTTN. miR-134 inhibited the biological behaviors of cervical cancer cells through suppressing the downstream cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42)/neural Wiskott-Aldrich
syndrome protein (N-WASP) signals. Moreover, miR-134, through regulating CTTN, negatively regulated invasion and inhibited the degradation of extracellular matrix in cervical cancer cells. In conclusion, miR-134 targets CTTN to inhibit the invasion of cervical cancer, thereby inhibiting metastasis.
miR-155 Derived from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Secreted Exosomes Reduces Kidney Rejection in Rat Allogeneic Transplantation Model via SDF-1/CXCR4
Authors: Tang Hongmei , Quan Yangya , Xiao Pengfei , Wu Meili
Published: November 2022

Aberrantly expressed miR-155 is associated with renal rejection after allogeneic transplantation. This study mainly explored the mechanism of miR-155 derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-secreted exosomes (BMSC-exo) in renal rejection after allogeneic transplantation. Thirty
Fischer rats and 40 Lewis rats were used as donors and recipients, respectively. The Lewis rats were randomized into 4 groups (10 rats per group): Control group, miR-155 group, positive control group and CXCR4 agonist group. The following indicators were monitored in BMSC-exo: miR-155 expression,
serum creatinine level, renal histopathological changes, CADI score, number of cells that were positive for TGF-β, Smad3 and α-SMA, as well as the protein levels of Smad3, TGF-β, CXCR4 and SDF-1. miR-155 expression in BMSC-exo was significantly higher than
that in HKb-20 cells. On the 7th day after surgery, the serum creatinine levels of rats in the miR-155 group and positive control group reduced significantly, while decreasing slowly in the control group and CXCR4 agonist group. The CADI scores of rats in the miR-155 group and positive control
group were significantly higher than those in the control group and CXCR4 agonist group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found either between the miR-155 group and positive control group, or between the control group and CXCR4 agonist group (P > 0.05). Rats in
the control group and CXCR4 agonist group had more cells that were positive for TGF-β, Smad3 and α-SMA, while those in the miR-155 group and positive control group showed less. The Smad3, TGF-β, CXCR4 and SDF-1 proteins were weakly expressed in the miR-155
group and positive control group, but strongly expressed in the control group and CXCR4 agonist group. No significant difference in the protein levels was found either between the miR-155 group and positive control group, or between the control group and CXCR4 agonist group (P >
0.05). miR-155 derived from BMSC-exo is protective against allogeneic kidney transplantation. Specifically, BMSC-exo-derived miR-155 blocked the activity of SDF-1/CXCR4 and TGF-β/Smad3 pathways, thereby downregulating the expression of α-SMA. As a result, it ameliorated
renal fibrosis and alleviated renal dysfunction, ultimately leading to the prevention and reduction of renal rejection following allograft transplantation.
miR-139 Protects Liver Tissue Damage and Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Mice by Up-Regulating (Silent Mating Type Information Regulation 2 Homolog-1) SIRT1
Authors: Luo Haizhao , Liang Yunyi , Liang Weiqiang , Li Huixian , Shu Yi
Published: November 2022

Diabetes affects human health. This study aimed to investigate the molecular regulation mechanism of miR-139 on liver injury and oxidative stress in diabetic mice. The diabetic mice were divided into miR-139 inhibitor group, si-SIRT group, miR-139 mimic group, and the mRNA expression
and protein level of miR-139 and SIRT1 were analyzed, respectively. Bioinformatics revealed the relationship between miR-139 and SIRT1. In addition, histological analysis and oxidation reaction indicators were performed on mouse livers induced by high glucose. After induction, a mouse diabetes
model was established with highly expressed ALT. Bioinformatics found that miR-139 negatively regulated SIRT1. Furthermore, markers of hepatic oxidative stress were increased and blood glucose levels decreased in mice overexpressing miR-139. Up-regulation of miR-139 can protect the liver tissue
of diabetic mice from oxidative stress injury by inhibiting the expression of SIRT1, and si-SIRT treatment reversed the increased blood glucose level and oxidative stress injury caused by the reduction of miR-139.
Effect of Static Pressure on Early Apoptosis of Condylar Chondrocytes by Activating Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 (TRPM7) Channel
Authors: Hongyu Zhang , Zhuo Wang , Changjiang Liu , Pingjie Wei , Fang Sun , Lanlan Zhao , Peng Xiao
Published: November 2022

Background: This study is to detect the Ca2+ permeability of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channel under Static pressure, and to verify the effection of pressure on cell apoptosis through TRPM7 channel mediated Ca2+ influx. Materials
and Methods: Rat condylar chondrocytes cells are divided into control group, pressure group and FTY720 group. TRPM7 protein content is detected by westernblot. Calcium current is detected by colorimetry, and flow cytometry is used to detect apoptotic cells. Results: The cell morphology
is spindle or spindle shape with clear boundary. The nucleus is oval and located in the center of the cell. Compared with the control group, the protein content of TRPM7, the calcium concentration was significantly higher (P <0.05). apoptosis in the pressure group is significantly
increased than that in the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Static pressure upregulates the expression of TRPM7 in chondrocytes, resulting in the increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration, which leads to apoptosis through signal pathway.
The Effect of Metformin on the Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Chondrocytes with a Hypertrophic Phenotype
Authors: Zhu Zhehui , Meng Weidong , Liu Shizhang
Published: November 2022

Objective: To investigate the effect of metformin on the differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells into chondrocytes with a hypertrophic phenotype and related mechanisms. Methods: BMSCs were induced to differentiate into cartilage in vitro. The mRNA
expression of chondrocyte markers and hypertrophic markers was analyzed. BMSCs were induced in vitro with metformincontaining and metformin-free chondrogenic medium, and Col2, SOX9, Runx2, and Col10 mRNA expression and AMPK protein expression in the metformin group and the control group
were analyzed. Results: BMSCs were positive after induction into chondrocytes. The mRNA expression of Col2 and SOX9 was significantly increased on day 7. The mRNA expression of Runx2 and Col10 was significantly elevated at 14 days. Treatment with metformin at a concentration of 10 mM
significantly reduced the cell viability of BMSCs. Significantly more Col2 and SOX9 mRNA expression was present in the experimental group than in the control group, whereas Runx2 and Col10 mRNA levels were significantly lower. In addition, AMPK protein expression significantly improved when
compared to the control group. Conclusion: Metformin inhibits the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes with a hypertrophic phenotype; metformin activates AMPK during inhibition of the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes with a hypertrophic phenotype.
When Do Imposed Sanctions Work? The Role of Target Regime Type
Authors: Zarpli Omer
Published: November 2022

A number of studies on sanction effectiveness have highlighted the importance of regime type and how it affects the sensitivity of sanctioned states (target) to the economic costs of sanctions. The scholarly consensus holds that mainly because of their responsiveness to domestic audiences, democratic regimes are most likely to give in to the demands of the sanctioning state (sender). I argue that regime type is important not only in influencing leaders’ sensitivity to economic costs—which create incentives to back down—but also to the audience costs—which create incentives to stand firm. I argue that taking the audience cost into account would lead to different predictions about the effect of democracy. Particularly, I argue that the effect of democracy is inverted- U shaped, where full democracies have no higher likelihood of meeting the demands of the sender than mixed (hybrid) regimes. Using a newly released dataset on economic sanctions between 1950-2020, I find robust support for my argument.
Interventions to Prevent Prison Violence: A Scoping Review of the Available Research Evidence
Authors: Day Andrew , Newton Danielle , Cooke David , Tamatea Armon
Published: November 2022

Although a reasonably large body of knowledge is now available to describe prison violence, much less is known about the effectiveness of violence prevention interventions. In this scoping review, ten different research databases were searched to identify recent evaluation studies that adopted an experimental or quasi-experimental design. A total of 18 separate evaluation studies met the study inclusion criteria which were then categorised in relation to whether they aimed to address individual, situational, or social drivers of violence. The strength and utility of the evidence base in terms of selecting and implementing new prevention initiatives in prison settings is considered.
The Well-Being Impacts Associated with College in Prison: A Comparison of Incarcerated and Non-Incarcerated Students Who Identify as Women
Authors: Moore Sarah Y. , Erzen Tanya
Published: November 2022

Benefits of college in prison (CIP) programs often center on reduced recidivism and other post-release adjustment outcomes. This article argues for broader recognition of positive outcomes to include well-being, coping, and academic engagement for incarcerated students, noting the specific challenges for female-identifying inmates with backgrounds that often include high levels of abuse and violence. Using longitudinal data from female-identifying students in a CIP program and comparison data from a matched non-incarcerated sample, improvements in these outcome measures are demonstrated as incarcerated students remain in the program. Importantly, their measures of well-being, coping, and academic engagement were significantly better than the matched non-incarcerated sample for most measures. Further, the possible underlying mechanism for the findings is discussed, linking them to program characteristics that emphasize the development of community, agency, and personalized—in-person education—qualities that are in alignment with trauma-informed practices.
The primary energy factor and carbon intensity of waste energy
Authors: Hitchin Roger
Published: November 2022

The energy performance of appliances, buildings and groups of buildings is commonly assessed in terms of equivalent carbon emissions or primary energy, usually following procedures defined by regulations. The most appropriate treatment of energy (usually heat) that is rejected as waste from one process, but which may be a useful input to another process, is not obvious and has proved to be problematic. This note describes and illustrates how the situation can be handled by adapting a procedure that is already in use for somewhat similar purposes. The direct users of the approach are likely to be developers and system designers, but since the procedures are often set by regulation, the most important potential users are those responsible for the regulations

The principal features of the procedure are that

• The use of waste energy reduces the primary energy (or carbon emissions) attributed to the “donor” process: by allocating some of it to the eventual user: an equitable principle.

• The total primary energy (or carbon emissions) of the output streams equals the input to the transformation process: a fundamental requirement

• The PEF values of outputs are never negative: required for physical plausibility

• If there is only one useful output, all the primary energy is assigned to it: for consistency with the fundamental assumptions of the policy metric

• The PEF assigned to the recipient user is lower than that of the alternative supply (if its PEF is zero, so is the that of the waste heat)

The principal challenge is the need to define a “counterfactual” alternative source of energy for the recipient’s energy needs: options for this this discussed in the note

Practical application: The question of the most appropriate convention for the assignment of primary energy and carbon emissions to the application of energy flows that have traditionally considered to be waste has gained importance in recent years, especially in the context of energy distribution systems that transfer energy between buildings.

It seems reasonable that the “donor” of the waste energy should be incentivised by a reduction of the primary energy consumption or carbon emissions that is attributed to them (with the reduction balanced by a compensating attribution to the user of the “waste” energy). This is not reflected by the currently widespread convention that waste energy can always be considered to have a carbon intensity and primary energy factor (PEF) of zero.

This Technical Note sets out a procedure to achieve this. It is suggested that its application would result in a more equitable and consistent attribution of primary energy and carbon emissions and therefore more robust design of systems that reuse “waste” energy.
UFTDRDH: A novel user-oriented solution for full-text database retrieval in Chinese digital humanities
Authors: Yan Chengxi , Fang Xiaoke , Li Yang
Published: November 2022

Information technology boosts the development of database retrieval in the Chinese digital humanities domain. However, most database providers adopt a system-oriented design pattern, which fails to handle the problem of query gaps in users’ retrieval process. This issue seriously hinders the effective use of database retrieval functionalities, peculiarly among those historical and humanities researchers. To address it, we propose UFTDRDH, a novel user-oriented solution based on automatic query formulation (AQF) technologies, which integrates a human–machine interactive module for the selection of new query-related expansion terms and a powerful query expansion algorithmic component (UFTDRDH-QEV) optimised by a topic-enhancing relevance feedback model approach (ToQE). To verify the effectiveness of UFTDRDH, several comparative experiments are conducted, including quantitative evaluation for retrieval efficiency and user satisfaction, as well as qualitative studies for interpretative traceability. The empirical results are multidimensional and robust, which not only shows the positive effects of different AQFs on gap reduction, especially the importance of query expansion as the most effective technology, but also underlines the remarkably advantageous performance of UFTDRDH compared with traditional system-oriented automatic query expansion in different task contexts. We believe the application of UFTDRDH can further strengthen the research focus on user-centred design and improve the level of current full-text database retrieval in the field of Chinese digital humanities. Broadly speaking, this solution can be also extended to the full-text database retrieval in other languages and digital humanities domains.
‘A vision for the future’: Professional ethos as boundary work in Mozambique’s public sector
Authors: Schubert Jon
Published: November 2022

Global imaginaries of middle-classness, although resonating in very different ways in specific national contexts, more often than not conform to broadly capitalist-liberal aspirations, through globalised markers of consumption and individual social advancement. However, as this ethnographic material from Mozambique’s mining and hydrocarbons sector suggests, even under contemporary conditions of neoliberalism, alternative imaginings of middle-classness, based on technical competence, cosmopolitanism, work ethos and professionalism as contributing to a larger narrative of national progress persist as echoes of socialist technical assistance among the technocrats managing the sector. This article explores how professionalism is constructed across regime changes, from a socialist, high modernist socio-political project that has all but vanished today as a global emancipatory reference, to the current, neoliberal economic and political dispensation that requires of public administrators to promote a business-friendly climate. Professionalism, I show, cuts across generations despite considerable differences, indexing this class’s shifting claims on the state.
Associations of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use With Cognition, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Dillard Lauren K. , Pinto Alex , Mueller Kimberly D. , Schubert Carla R. , Paulsen Adam J. , Merten Natascha , Fischer Mary E. , Tweed Ted S. , Cruickshanks Karen J.
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Determine associations of hearing loss (HL) and hearing aid (HA) use with cognition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and depressive symptoms. Methods: Participants were from the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study or Beaver Dam Offspring Study. HL was defined as pure-tone average (.5–4.0 kHz) > 25 dB. A principal component analysis of 5 cognitive tasks measured cognition. The SF-12 measured mental and physical HRQoL. The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale measured depressive symptoms (score ≥ 16). Regression models returned beta (B) coefficients or odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: This study included 3574 participants. HL (vs. none) was associated with poorer cognition (B−.12 [−.18, −.06]), mental (B−.99 [−1.65, −.33]) and physical (B−.76 [−1.50, −.03]) HRQoL, and increased odds of depressive symptoms (OR 1.49 [1.16, 1.91]). HA users had better cognition than non-users. Discussion: HL likely impacts cognition and well-being. HA use may have cognitive benefits.
Effect of electromagnetic induction on the heat transmission in engine oil-based hybrid nano and ferrofluids: A nanotechnology application
Authors: Anantha Kumar K. , Sandeep N. , Samrat S.P. , Ashwinkumar G.P.
Published: November 2022

This analysis investigates the control of electromagnetic induction over the flow and heat transmission in shear-thickening hybrid nano and ferrofluids for cooling/heating applications. The stream is time-free and not turbulent. The leading equations are equipped with buoyancy, irregular heat sink/source, and thermic heat effects. The transformed, resulting equalities are resolved with the help of the bvp5c package. Twin expositions are discussed for the hybrid nano (engine oil (EO) + aluminum oxide (Al2O3) + titanium dioxide (TiO2)) and hybrid ferro (EO + iron oxide (Fe3O4) + cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4)) cases. Numerical momentum, magnetic induction, and thermal profiles are obtained via graphical illustrations. Also, the tables present the friction factor and the measure of thermic transport. It divulges from consequences that the hybrid ferrofluids have a more conducive rate than hybrid nanoliquids, and the Nusselt number shrinks for uneven heat sink/source constraint values. Also, electromagnetic induction controls hybrid ferroliquid more than hybrid nanofluids. The prime application of the current research glimpsed in engineering practices viz. metal extrusion, synthetic fiber, microfluidics, glass fiber manufacture, etc.
Investigations on vortex evolution and wake dynamics of bio-inspired pitching hydrofoils
Authors: Wang Yefang , Shi Lei , Bayeul-Lainé Annie-Claude , Coutier-Delgosha Olivier
Published: November 2022

Recently, lots of oscillating targets inspired from motions of some insects and birds have been applied extensively to many engineering applications. The aim of this work is to reveal the performance and detailed flow structures over the pitching corrugated hydrofoils under various working conditions, using the SST [Formula: see text] transition model. First of all, the lift coefficients of a smooth oscillating airfoil at different reduced frequency and pitching angles show a good agreement with the experiments, characterized by the accurate prediction of the light and deep stall. For the pitching corrugated hydrofoils, it shows that the mean lift coefficient increases with the pitching magnitude, but it has an obvious drop at high reduced frequency for the case with large pitching amplitude, which is mainly induced by the pressure modification on the surface with smooth curvature, depending on the oscillation significantly. In addition, the mean drag coefficient also indicates that the drag turns into the thrust at high reduced frequency when the pitching amplitude exceeds to the value of 10°. Increasing the reduced frequency delays the flow structure and leads to the deflection of the wake vortical flow. The Reynolds number also has an impact on the hydrofoil performance and wake morphology. Furthermore, regarding the shape effect, it seems that hydrofoil A (consisting of two protrusions and hollows and the aft part with smooth curvature) achieves the higher lift than hydrofoil B (comprising several protrusions and hollows along the surface), specially at high reduced frequency. Although the frequency collected from two hydrofoils remains nearly the same near the leading edge and in the wake region, the high sub-frequency is evidently reduced for hydrofoil B in second and third hollows, due to the relatively stable trapped vortices. Then, the wake transition from the thrust-indicative to drag-indicative profile for hydrofoil B is also slower compared with hydrofoil A. Finally, it is observed that with the increase of the thickness, the lift/drag ratio decreases and the slow wake transition is detected for the thin hydrofoil, which is associated with the relatively low drag coefficient.
Analyzing the risk spillovers of international crude oil on China's corn and biofuel ethanol markets: A transition toward green economy and environmental sustainability
Authors: Zhang Jin , Lin Zhenqing , Li Jinkai
Published: November 2022

This study aims to analyze the risk spillover effects between the global crude oil market and the biofuel ethanol and corn markets in China, employing a DCC-GARCH-Copula-CoVaR model and basing the weekly price data from 2012 to 2021. The empirical results revealed that there were dynamic conditional correlations among international crude oil, China's biofuel ethanol, and corn markets. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the CoVaR and ΔCoVaR changed, which caused a sharp increase in the mean values and volatility. Additionally, China's biofuel ethanol market is more vulnerable to the risk spillovers from the international crude oil market than China's corn market. However, China's markets do not appear to have obvious risk spillover effects on the global market. The implications of the results are discussed in financial market supervision, including the risk management and portfolio adjustment.