bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting CXCR4 abrogates resistance to trastuzumab by blocking cell cycle progression and synergizes with docetaxel in breast cancer treatment
Authors: Liu Shuying , Xie Shelly M. , Liu Wenbin , Gagea Mihai , Hanker Ariella B. , Nguyen Nguyen , Raghavendra Akshara Singareeka , Yang-Kolodji Gloria , Chu Fuliang , Neelapu Sattva S. , Hanash Samir , Zimmermann Johann , Arteaga Carlos L. , Tripathy Debasish
Published: February 2023

Background: Although trastuzumab and other HER2-targeted therapies have significantly improved survival in patients with HER2 overexpressed or amplified (HER2+) breast cancer, a significant proportion of patients do not respond or eventually develop clinical resistance. Strategies to reverse trastuzumab resistance remain a high clinical priority. We were the first to report the role of CXCR4 in trastuzumab resistance. The present study aims to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting CXCR4 and better understand the associated mechanisms.
Methods: Immunofluorescent staining, confocal microscopy analysis, and immunoblotting were used to analyze CXCR4 expression. BrdU incorporation assays and flow cytometry were used to analyze dynamic CXCR4expression. Three-dimensional co-culture (tumor cells/ breast cancer-associated fibroblasts / human peripheral blood mononuclear cells) or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assay was used to mimic human tumor microenvironment, which is necessary for testing therapeutic effect of CXCR4 inhibitor or trastuzumab. The FDA-approved CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, trastuzumab, and docetaxel chemotherapy were used to evaluate therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Reverse phase protein array and immunoblotting were used to discern the associated molecular mechanisms.
Results: Using multiple cell lines and patient breast cancer samples we confirmed CXCR4 drives trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ breast cancer and further demonstrated that the increased CXCR4 expression in trastuzumab-resistant cells is associated with cell cycle progression with a peak in the G2/M phases. Blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 inhibits cell proliferation by downregulating mediators of G2-M transition, leading to G2/M arrest and abnormal mitosis. Using multiple trastuzumab-resistant cell lines and an in vivo established trastuzumab-resistant xenograft mouse model, we demonstrated that targeting CXCR4 with AMD3100 suppresses tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, and synergizes with docetaxel.
Conclusions: Our findings support CXCR4 as a novel therapeutic target and a predictive biomarker for trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ breast cancer.
Comparison of short-term surgical outcomes and long-term survival between emergency and elective surgery for colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Haiyan , Jin Yongyan , Wang Jun , Chen Guofeng , Chen Jian , Yu Shaojun
Published: February 2023

Objective: The objective of this study was to summarize relevant data from previous reports and perform a meta-analysis to compare short-term surgical outcomes and long-term oncological outcomes between emergency and elective surgery for colorectal cancer(CRC).
Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and Embase databases and relevant data were extracted. Postoperative morbidity, hospital mortality within 30 days, postoperative recovery, overall survival(OS) and relapse-free survival(RFS) were compared using a fixed or random-effect model.
Results: 28 studies involving 353,686 participants were enrolled for this systematic review and meta-analysis, and 23.5%(83,054/353,686) of CRC patients underwent emergency surgery. The incidence of emergency presentations in CRC patients ranged from 2.7% to 38.8%. Lymph node yield of emergency surgery was comparable to that of elective surgery(WMD:0.70, 95%CI:-0.74,2.14, P=0.340; I2=80.6%). Emergency surgery had a higher risk of postoperative complications(OR:1.83, 95%CI:1.62-2.07, P<0.001; I2=10.6%) and hospital mortality within 30 days(OR:4.62, 95%CI:4.18-5.10, P<0.001; I2=42.9%) than elective surgery for CRC. In terms of long-term oncological outcomes, emergency surgery was significantly associated with poorer RFS (HR: 1.51, 95%CI:1.24-1.83, P<0.001; I2=58.9%) and OS(HR:1.60, 95%CI: 1.47-1.73, P<0.001; I2=63.4%) of CRC patients. In addition, the subgroup analysis for colon cancer patients revealed a pooled HR of 1.73 for OS(95% CI:1.52-1.96, P<0.001), without the evidence of significant heterogeneity(I2=21.2%).
Conclusion: Emergency surgery for CRC had an adverse impact on short-term surgical outcomes and long-term survival. A focus on early screening programs and health education were warranted to reduce emergency presentations of CRC patients.
Legume intake and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies
Authors: Patel Linia , Patel Linia , Vecchia Carlo La , Negri Eva , Mignozzi Silvia , Augustin Livia , Levi Fabio , Serraino Diego , Giacosa Attilio , Alicandro Gianfranco
Published: February 2023

Evidence on the relationship between legume consumption and risk of specific cancer sites is inconclusive. We used data from a network of case-controls studies, conducted in Italy and in the Swiss Canton of Vaud between 1991 and 2009 to quantify the association between legume consumption and several cancer sites including oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, stomach, colorectum, breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate and kidney. Multiple logistic regression models controlled for sex, age, education, smoking, alcohol, body mass index and consumption of fruit, vegetables, processed meat and total calorie intake were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) of different cancer sites and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals(CI). For female hormone-related cancers, the models included also adjustments for age at menarche, menopausal status and parity. For all cancer sites considered, except endometrium, the OR for ≥ 2 portions of legumes per week vs < 1 portion were below unity, and were significant for oral cavity (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52–0.97), esophagus (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.29–0.86), larynx (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34–0.89), colorectum (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58–0.83) and kidney (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.49–0.95). For esophagus, colorectal, ovarian and kidney cancers we found a significant trend (OR for 1 portion per week: 0.82,0.88, 0.89 and 0.88 respectively. The analysis stratified by sex showed that most associations were limited to men. The inverse association found for several cancers suggest a possible role of legumes in preventing cancer risk. The sex-specific pattern of association requires further research.
Graph theoretical description of phase transitions in nanoscale assemblies of surfactants
Authors: Yang Ruochen , Bernardino Kalil , Xiao Xiongye , Gomes Weverson R. , Mattoso Davi A. , Kotov Nicholas A. , Bogdan Paul , de Moura André F.
Published: February 2023

Phase transitions are typically quantified using order parameters, such as crystal lattice distances, Legendre polynomials, and radial distribution functions (RDF). These parameters can identify even subtle changes in packing distances and symmetries, being ideally suited for crystalline materials or high-contrast phases with large structural differences. However, the structural changes are more difficult to quantify when the organizational pattern of constituent molecules becomes less ordered and more complex. This is the case for phases with high asymmetry and multiscale organization as well as for the structural fluctuations preceding phase transitions, which areessential for understanding the system pathways between phases. Here, we show that graph theoretical (GT) descriptors can successfully characterize different phases and pathways between them for hierarchically organized nanoscale systems exemplified by binary surfactant/water systems. We found that the GT centrality parameters and node-based fractal dimension can successfully identify complex phases more accurately than traditional analyses and quantify the system behavior preceding the transitions. The trajectories for GT parameter of closeness centrality reflect (1) fluctuation-induced breakup of micelles and (2) long-range cooperative interactions in the network of surfactant molecules. GT parametrization can be generalized for a wide range of nanoscale colloidal systems, which can facilitate identification of complex phases and engineer nanostructures at multiple scales.
RETRACTED: Effects of tocilizumab and dexamethasone on proinflammatory cytokines and antioxidants in acute kidney injury caused by oleic acid-induced ARDS
Authors: Erol Huseyin Serkan , Demirci Beste , Alhilal Mohammad , Terzi Funda
Published: February 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Crowdfunding and Sustainability of Watermills in the Himalayas: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Dwivedi Prasoom , Joshi Shivam , Dwivedi Alka , Khanduri Aditi , Banerjee Sriparna
Published: February 2023

This study visualizes crowdfunding as a strategically important tool for the revival and survival of watermills in Uttarakhand. There are 500,000 watermills in the region from Afghanistan to Myanmar, between 100,000 to 200,000 in India, and 60,000 in Uttarakhand. These watermills have the potential to generate electricity up to 65000 MW at the rate of 2500 MW/hr that could be monetized at $ 17 million per hour in the northern mountain ranges. These watermills are also used for grinding purposes leading to multidimensional ways for sustainable livelihood. These watermills contribute to the social capital of the region immensely. The Government of India has supported these traditional knowledge-based activities by providing capital support and fiscal incentives. It is observed that despite the availability of government funds, the water mill owners lack finance for revenue expenditure, which is one of the significant barriers to the sustenance of water mills. Repair and maintenance of watermills, support to scale-up activities and other marketing activities, etc. are examples of recurring revenue expenditure. The goal of this descriptive paper broader view of the concept and evolution of crowdfunding based on a bibliometric tool. It analyses all crowdfunding-related publications in Scopus-indexed journals. It analyses the parameters number of papers published during 2011-2021based on various parameters. This study identifies the donation-based method as the least researched method of crowdfunding. It is also brought out that the donation-based method will not be useful in the case of repetitive crowdfunding initiatives.
Nutrient utilization strategies and age-related changes in larix principis-rupprechtii forests of different origins
Authors: Liu Tairui , Bo Fujing , Tan Zhijie , Hu Ruyuan , Ren Xuming , Wang pingan , Guo Jinping , Zhang Yunxiang , Wang Qiwu
Published: February 2023

Aims: Investigations into the nutrient content and changes in the stoichiometry and nutrient resorption strategies of different original forests during their development are of great significance toward the establishment of healthy, high-quality forest ecosystems.
Methods: 24 sample plots with age gradients were established in natural Larix principis-rupprechtii forests and plantations, from which mature and senescent leaves, new branches, fine roots, and soil were collected for analysis. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents were determined, and the stoichiometric ratios and resorption efficiencies were calculated.
Results and Conclusions: The soil organic carbon and total nitrogen of the forests accumulated with advancing age, while the total phosphorus decreased due to higher consumption. Plantation trees tended to store scarce nutrients within inactive plant structures to prevent nutrient loss, whereas natural forest trees maintained a stable nutrient concentration within their active organs. Plantation and natural forest trees adopted highly conservative N and P utilization strategies through improved resorption efficiencies. However, natural forest change was weaker than in plantations. The mature leaves, litter, branches, and fine roots of natural forestswere more susceptible to soil P concentrations, whereas those of their plantation counterparts were more affected by soil N. Nutrient concentrations within the active organs of plantation trees were more strongly dependent on soil than natural forests. We considered that natural forests likely possessed a more extensive range of strategies to deal with the variable compositions and concentrations of soil nutrients, which might strengthen their resilience against the effects of aging.
Metachronous Inflammatory Pseudotumor involving the Lung and the Brain: a case report
Authors: Xu Ze Bing , Deng Yan , Wang Huan , Tang Mengyue
Published: February 2023

Inflammatory pseudotumors (IPT) is a rare neoplasm and frequently involved in the lung during childhood. IPT metachronous or synchronize involves lung and brain is quite rare. Only five cases were reported in English literature and all of them were male children and adolescents, here we reported the sixth case in the middle-aged woman. The definitive diagnosis of the lesions depends on histopathology, which radiological appearance is easily mimic lung cancer combined with brain metastasis.
Identifying the characteristics of and factors driving spatiotemporal water quality variations in the Yellow River Basin, China, from 2008 to 2020
Authors: Liu Shasha , Qiu Yue , Fu Rui , Liu Yun , Suo Chengyu
Published: February 2023

The assessment of water quality has drawn much attention due to its implications in identifying pollution sources and enhancing living environments. We currently lack a systematic understanding of spatiotemporal water quality variations and their drivers in the Yellow River Basin. Therefore, we investigated the spatial and temporal fluctuations in water parameters and the possible factors driving these changes in the watershed. Rescaled range analysis, Pearson correlation test, and a generalized linear model were employed. Over the last 13 years, the permanganate index (CODMn) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) have declined at rates of 0.26 and 0.18 (mg L-1) year-1, respectively, whereas the dissolved oxygen has increased at a rate of 0.19 (mg L-1) year-1. The effective control of CODMn (94.27%) and NH3-N (96.30%) is vital to reduce pollutant discharge and increase ecological protection and restoration. Geographically, the middle reaches had poor water quality and showed a significant positive correlation between NH3-N and coal reservation ( r = 0.89; P < 0.05). The total nitrogen concentrations followed increasing spatiotemporal trends, which may be indicative of the deterioration of major water quality parameters in the near future. Our findings offer insights into the spatiotemporal variations in water quality and the factors driving these changes in the Yellow River Basin. These results can help establish theoretical references for water quality protection and management.
Prevalence of respiratory pathogens in COVID patients
Authors: MICHEL Johnny , STOICA Maria-Alexandra , AOUITI-TRABELSI Myriam , DE OLIVEIRA Fabienne , HONG Eva , JOLY Luc-Marie , DEGHMANE Ala-Eddine , PLANTIER Jean-Christophe , TAHA Muhamed-Kheir
Published: February 2023

Background: Management of a novel respiratory virus causing severe pneumonitis included the use of antibiotics to prevent bacterial co-infections and secondary infections. However, the impact of this antibiotic use on the selection of resistant bacterial isolates needs to be evaluated.
Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study from November 14, 2020 to December 31, 2021 to assess the prevalence of several members of the nasopharyngeal microbiota from PCR-positive SARS-CoV-2 subjects. The study population corresponded to 1030 nasopharyngeal swabs positive for SARS-CoV-2 at the university hospital of Rouen site in symptomatic patients aged 16 years and older. Real-time PCR was used to detect the presence of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumonia, Neisseria meningitidis and influenza A virus. An analysis of the ftsI gene was further used to analyze beta-lactam resistance in H. influenzae.
Results: The results reveled less than expected carriage rate with 5% for H. influenzae, 1.2% for N. meningitidisand 3.7% for S. pneumoniae and an absence of influenza A. On the other hand, there was a significant difference (p<0.01) between the "carriage" and "no carriage" groups on age, sex, oxygen therapy and orotracheal intubation, implying a more severe evolution of the COVID-19 in carriers. Analysis of the ftsI gene reveals 26% of predicted resistance to amoxicillin without resistance to third generation cephalosporins.
Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted bacterial and viral epidemiology, leading to lower circulation of several respiratory pathogens.
Facile hermetic TEM grid preparation for molecular imaging of hydrated biological samples at room temperature
Authors: Ren Gang (Gary) , Kong Lingli , Liu Jianfang , Zhang Meng , Lu Zhuoyang , Xue Han , Ren Amy , Liu Jiankang , Li Jinping , Ling Wai Li
Published: February 2023

Although structures of vitrified supramolecular complexes have been determined at near-atomic resolution, elucidating in situ molecular structure in living cells remains a major challenge. Here, we apply a novel but simple liquid-cell technique, developed previously for real-time imaging of the dynamics at a liquid-gas interface, to image wet biological samples. With extra scattering from the liquid phase, the transmission electron micrographs show amplitude contrast comparable to that in negatively stained samples. Single-molecule domains are resolved in the protein complex GroEL imaged in buffer solution at room temperature. Moreover, various stages of virus cell entry, which are transient events with very few structural information to date, are also captured. Morphological details are reconstructed using the technique of individual particle electron tomography. These results demonstrate that this approach can be a valuable yet cost-effective technique complementary to other microscopy techniques for addressing important biological questions at the molecular level.
Dose optimization of silicon for boosting Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi colonization and cadmium stress mitigation in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Zia Ubaid Ullah , Niazi Abdul Rehman , Ahmad Zahoor , Alharby Hesham F. , Waraich Ejaz Ahmad , Abbasi Asim , Iqbal Muhammad Aamir , Ahmed Sarfraz , Hina Shozab
Published: February 2023

The foliar applied Silicon (Si) has potential to ameliorate heavy metals especially cadmimum (Cd) toxicity, however Si dose optimization is strategically important for boosting growth of soil microbes and Cd stress mitigation.. Thus, the current research was performed to assess the Si induced physiochemical and antioxidant traits alterations along with Mycorrhizal (VAM) status in maize roots under Cd stress.The trial included foliar Si application at the rate of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 ppm while Cd stress was induced after full germination. The response variables included various physiochemical traits such as leaf pigments, protein and sugar contents etc. along with VAM alterations under induced Cd stress. The results revealed that foliage applied Si in higher dose remained effective in improving the leaf pigments,proline, soluble sugar, total proteins, and all free amino acids. Additionally, the same treatment remained unmatched in terms of antioxidant activity compared to lower doses of foliar applied Si.Moreover, VAM was recorded to be at peak under 20 ppm Si treatment. Thus, these encouraging findings may serve as baseline to develop Si foliar application as biologically viable mitigation strategy for maize grown in Cd toxic soils, future studies must test more doses with respect to to varying Cd stress levels along with determining the most responsive crop stage for Si foliar application.
GANT61 induces cell cycle resting and autophagy by down-regulating RNAP III signal pathway and tRNA-Gly-CCC synthesis to combate chondrosarcoma
Authors: Yifeng Sun , Fang Qiongxuan , Liu Wei , Liu Yi , Zhang Chunming
Published: February 2023

Chondrosarcoma is ineffective for conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy with a poor prognosis. Hedgehog (Hh) signal pathway plays a crucial role in tumor growth and progression, which is constitutive activated in chondrosarcoma. GLI transcription factors as targets for new drugs or interference technology for the treatment of chondrosarcoma are of great significance. In this study, we indicated that the Hedgehog-GLI1 signal pathway is activated in chondrosarcoma, which further enhances the RNAP III signal pathway to mediate endogenous tRNA fragments synthesis. Downstream oncology functions of endogenous tRNA fragments, such as “cell cycle” and “death receptor binding”, are involved in malignant chondrosarcoma. The GANT61, as an inhibitor of GLI1, could inhibit chondrosarcoma tumor growth effectively by inhibiting the RNAP III signal pathway and tRNA-Gly-CCC synthesis in vivo. Induced G2/M cell cycle resting, apoptosis and autophagy were the main mechanisms for the inhibitory effect of GANT61 on chondrosarcoma, which correspond with the above-described downstream oncology functions of endogenous tRNA fragments. We also identified the molecular mechanism by which GANT61-induced autophagy is involved in ULK1 expression and MAPK signaling pathway. Thus, GANT61 will be an ideal and promising strategy for combating chondrosarcoma.
Analysis of the relationship between plasma carnitine levels and non-valvular atrial fibrillation
Authors: Jiang Zong-dian , Zhao Yun-fei , Yang Dong-hui , Sun Jing-yi
Published: February 2023

Objective
To investigate the correlation between plasma carnitine levels and atrial fibrillation and its predictive value in atrial fibrillation by analyzing the changes of plasma carnitine levels in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by metabolomics methods.
Methods
The clinical data of consecutive patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation admitted to the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University from January 2020 to January 2022 and patients with sinus rhythm admitted for other reasons during the same period were collected, and the relationship between plasma carnitine levels and atrial fibrillation was investigated by analyzing the general clinical characteristics (including age, sex, blood pressure, blood lipids, body mass index, history of smoking, history of alcohol consumption, blood uric acid, left atrial internal diameter, history of hypertension, history of cerebral infarction, history of coronary artery disease) and laboratory test results such as plasma carnitine levels in both groups.
Results
In our study, a total of 195 patients were included in this study, including 90 patients in the atrial fibrillation group (including 45 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 45 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation) and 105 patients in the sinus rhythm group. The plasma free carnitine CO, acetyl carnitine C2, propionyl carnitine C3, butyryl carnitine C4, isovaleryl carnitine C5, hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine C5-OH, palmitoyl carnitine C16, octadecanoyl carnitine C18, and 26-carbonyl carnitine C26 were significantly higher in the atrial fibrillation group than in the sinus rhythm group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The plasma acetylcarnitine C2, hydroxybutyrylcarnitine C4-OH, palmitoylcarnitine C16, and hydroxypalmitoylcarnitine C16:1-OH levels were significantly higher in the persistent AF group than in the paroxysmal AF group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age, high-density lipoprotein, left atrial internal diameter, and free carnitine CO were independent risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation.
Conclusion
Patients with atrial fibrillation have altered plasma levels of some carnitine, and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation may be related to disturbances in the metabolism of this part of carnitine. Free carnitine CO is an independent correlate of atrial fibrillation, and its elevated levels suggest that patients may be prone to atrial fibrillation.
Transfer of the high-temperature adult-plant stripe rust resistance gene Yr62 in four Chinese wheat cultivars
Authors: Zhou Jianian , Zheng Xiaochen , Tan Wenjing , Ma Chunhua , Tian Ran , Yan Qiong , Feng Junming , Zhang Liangqi , Jia Guoyun , Xia Chongjing , Yang Suizhuang , Kang Zhensheng , Chen Xianming , Li Xin , Zhou Xinli
Published: February 2023

Wheat stripe rust is one of the diseases that seriously affect wheat production worldwide. Breeding resistant cultivars is an effective measure to control this disease. The wheat stripe rust resistance gene Yr62 has high-temperature adult-plant resistance (HTAP). In this study, PI 660060, a single gene line containing Yr62, was crossed with four Chinese wheat cultivars, namely, LunXuan987 (LX987), Bainongaikang58 (AK58), ZhengMai9023 (ZM9023) and HanMai6172 (H6172). F1 seeds of four cross combinations were harvested and self-crossed in the field. Then 33 lines with good agronomic traits and high disease resistance were screened in the F9 generation. SSR markers Xgwm251 and Xgwm192 flank linked with the Yr62 were used to detect the presence of Yr62 in these 33 F9 lines. Among them, 22 lines successfully introduced the resistance gene Yr62 and evaluated the agronomic traits. Finally, nine lines with good agronomic traits and disease resistance were successfully selected. The wheat lines finally screened in this study provide material support for the future breeding of wheat for stripe rust resistance.
Tissue-specific profiling of age-dependent miRNAomic changes in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Wang Xueqing , Jiang Quanlong , Zhang Hongdao , He Zhidong , Song Yuanyuan , Chen Yifan , Tang Na , Zhou Yifei , Li Yiping , Antebi Adam , Wu Ligang , Han Jing-Dong , Shen Yidong
Published: February 2023

Ageing in various tissues exhibits common and distinct features. It is critical to decipher the mechanisms underlying ageing in individual tissues. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators in ageing and are recently highlighted as a new class of intercellular signalling molecules. However, little is known about the tissue-specific transcriptomic changes of miRNAs during ageing. C. elegans is a well-established model organism in ageing research. In this study, we isolated five major somatic tissues in young and aged worms and profiled the age-dependent miRNAomic changes within these tissues. In addition to the diverse ageing-regulated miRNA expression across tissues, we discovered numerous miRNAs in the tissues without their transcription. We further profiled miRNAs in the extracellular vesicles (EVs) and found that worm miRNAs undergo inter-tissue trafficking via EVs in an age-dependent manner. Using these datasets, we uncovered the interaction between mir-1 from body wall muscle and DAF-16/FOXO in the intestine, suggesting mir-1 as a messenger in inter-tissue signalling. Taken together, our study systematically investigated miRNAs in the somatic tissues and EVs during ageing, providing a valuable resource to study tissue-autonomous and nonautonomous functions of miRNAs in ageing.
Smart Monitoring System for Silkworm Incubator Using FPGA
Authors: R Mepco Schlenk Engineering College R Assistant Professor Kama , Seruvan D. Senthoor , Kumar K. R.Sathish
Published: February 2023

Sericulture is a growing business in modern world. As silk is consider as one of the richest crop, the demand for silk in world market is rising exponentially. Even though India is a largest consumer of silk but lag in production. China secures the first place in silk production. To nullify the growing demand for silk an automated system is introduced to increase the production of the silk using sensors and FPGA. Temperature, Humidity, light intensity plays major role in Sericulture. A Constant environmental parameters are needed to make silkworms alive .It is proved that a temperature of 27 °C to 28 °C is needed for silkworm to survive. For monitoring purpose humidity sensor (DHT11), gas sensor (MQ5), LDR sensor, temperature sensor(LM35) are used, to monitor environmental parameters of the incubator. SPARTAN 3E is used as a controller to operate cooler and light according to the sensor reading changes. To predict the health conditions of the silkworm, an enhanced Image processing algorithms has been used.
Variation of Soil Gas 222rn/220rn Concentration Ratios Along the Pinarbaşi Segment of Izmi̇r Fault
Authors: Masruoğlu Gülse , ALTUN Ceren , ŞENTÜRK Muhammed Zeki , İçhedef Mutlu , TAŞKÖPRÜ Caner
Published: February 2023

Measurements of 222Rn and 220Rn activity were carried out along the Pınarbaşı segment of the Izmir fault (IF) to get new information on the Izmir Fault (IF) and its seismicity. İzmir Fault is one of the most important active tectonic structures in Turkey's Active Fault Map. Due to very intense urbanization, there is not enough information about the fault. This study also discusses the usability of the 222Rn/220Rn ratio as a geodynamic precursor.
How to Annotate Patient Monitoring Alarms in Intensive Care Medicine for Machine Learning
Authors: Klopfenstein Sophie Anne Inès , Flint Anne Rike , Heeren Patrick , Prendke Mona , Chaoui Amin , Ocker Thomas , Chromik Jonas , Arnrich Bert , Balzer Felix , Poncette Akira-Sebastian
Published: February 2023

Alarm fatigue, a multi-factorial desensitization of personnel toward alarms, can harm both patients and healthcare staff in intensive care units (ICU). False and non-actionable alarms contribute to this condition. With an increasing number of alarms and more patient data being routinely collected and documented in ICUs, machine learning could help reduce alarm fatigue. As data annotation is complex and resource intensive, we propose a rule-based annotation method combining alarm and patient data to classify alarms as either actionable or non-actionable. This study presents the development of the annotation method and provides resources that were generated during the process, such as mappings.
The Relationship of Fibrinogen to Albumin Ratio with the Presence and Severity of Sepsis in Neonates
Authors: Dong Geng , Ma Tingting , Xu Zhe , Zhang Min , Hu Yidi , Yang Junmei , Li Tiewei
Published: February 2023

Purpose Previous studies have shown that fibrinogen and albumin are closely related to sepsis. However, the role of fibrinogen (FIB) to albumin (ALB) ratio (FAR) in sepsis was still unclear, especially in neonates. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating whether FAR could independently predict the presence and severity of sepsis in neonates. Methods In this paper, clinical and laboratory data of 1292 neonates were retrospectively collected and divided them into three groups according to clinical diagnosis: control group (n = 555), mild sepsis group (n = 312), and severe sepsis group (n = 425). Neonates with sepsis were further divided into mild sepsis and severe sepsis group according to the severity of sepsis. All statistical analyses were performed using the statistical package SPSS 26.0, as appropriate. Results FAR levels were higher in neonates with sepsis. The prevalence of neonates with overall sepsis, mild sepsis and severe sepsis increased significantly from FAR tertile 1 to tertile 3. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that FAR was an independent risk factor for the presence of sepsis (OR = 8.641, 95% CI 5.708–13.080, P < 0.001) and severe sepsis (OR = 2.817, 95% CI 1.701–4.666, P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that FAR had a well discriminatory power in predicting sepsis (AUC = 0.67,95% CI 0.64–0.70, P < 0.001) and severe sepsis (AUC = 0.60, 95% CI, 0.57–0.64, P = 0.018). Conclusion In the current study, we demonstrated that FAR was an independent predictor for the presence and severity of neonatal sepsis.
A comprehensive analysis reveals the therapeutic value of TRPV1 in cancers
Authors: zhang Xuchao , Li Yanan , Guo Xianfeng , Gong Han , Li Ji , Wang Zi , Gao Ziling
Published: February 2023

Background
Transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) plays a pivotal role in neurons and is closely related to pain transduction. However, the role of TRPV1 in pan-cancer remains unclear.
Methods
Data visualization was performed using TCGA, GETx, GEPIA2, TIMER, TISIDB, DiseaseMeth, GeneMANIA, GSEA, and Depmap Portal database and R language.
Results
We explored the pan-cancer expression patterns and prognostic value of TRPV1 across multiple databases and found that TRPV1 served as a tumor suppressor in most cancers. In particular, genetic alteration and DNA methylation analysis across 33 tumors revealed that gene deletion and DNA hypermethylation may contribute to its downregulation. We further constructed a transcription factors-TRPV1 regulatory network and revealed a series of key upstream transcription factors of TRPV1 in certain cancers. Additionally, we studied the relationship between TRPV1 levels and the tumor microenvironment, immune cells, immune checkpoints, and its sensitivity to small-molecule inhibitors.
Conclusions
Our study curated both the genetic and epigenetic status of TRPV1 and its regulatory networks in cancers and highlighted that TRPV1 could serve as a prognostic biomarker and is correlated with immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Purification and characterization of cysteine protease of Sarcocystis fusiformis from infected Egyptian water buffaloes
Authors: Barakat Amal Z. , Abdel-Aty Azza M. , Ibrahim Marwa K. , Salah Hala A. , Hegazy Usama M. , Azouz Rasha A.M. , Bassuiny Roqaya I. , Shaapan Raafat M. , Mohamed Saleh A.
Published: February 2023

Sarcocystis spp. infects water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) causing sarcocystosis. In the present study, Sarcocystis fusiformis was recognized in Egyptian water buffaloes based on histological observation and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer 1( ITS1), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX-1) gene fragments. Chemotherapy and vaccines against Sarcocystis spp. could potentially target proteases because they may play a crucial role in the infection. Cysteine proteases are multifunctional enzymes involved in vital metabolic processes. However, the involvement of proteases in S. fusiform infection has not yet been characterized. Here, the purification and study on some biochemical properties of protease isolated from cysts of S. fusiform were carried out. Protease with a molecular weight of 100 kDa was purified. The purified protease exhibited maximum activity at pH 6 and a temperature of 50°C. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), the maximum velocity (Vmax) and the turnover number (Kcat) were determined. The complete inhibition effect of cysteine inhibitors indicated that the purified enzyme is cysteine protease. The results suggested that S. fusiform proteolytic enzyme may be necessary for parasite survival in the water buffaloes by digesting host tissues. Therefore, cysteine protease could be a suitable target for vaccinations.
A Robust Lateral Shift Free (LSF) Electrothermal Micromirror With Flexible Multi-Morph Beams
Authors: Xie Huikai , Yang Hengzhang , Ren Anrun , Ding Yingtao , Xiao Lei , Pan Teng , Yan Yangyang , Jiao Wenlong
Published: February 2023

Electrothermal bimorph-based scanning micromirrors typically employ widely-used silicon dioxide (SiO2) as the electrical and thermal isolation material. However, due to the brittle nature of SiO2, such micromirrors may not be able to even survive a slight collision, which greatly limits their application range. To improve the robustness of electrothermal micromirrors, a polymer material is incorporated to partially replace SiO2 as the electrical and thermal isolation material as well as the anchor material. In particular, photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) is used to simplify the fabrication process. In this work, PSPI-based electrothermal micromirrors have been designed, fabricated and tested. The PSPI-type micromirrors achieved a maximum optical scan angle of ± 19.6 ° and a maximum vertical displacement of 370 µm both at only 4 Vdc. With a mirror aperture size of 1mm × 1 mm, the PSPI-type micromirrors withstood over 200 g accelerations from either vertical or lateral directions in the impact experiment. In the drop test, the PSPI-type micromirrors survived falls to a hard floor at heights up to 21 cm. In the standard frequency sweeping vibration test, the PSPI-type micromirrors withstood 21 g and 29 g acceleration in the vertical and lateral vibration, respectively. In all these experimental tests, the PSPI-type micromirrors demonstrated at least 4 times better robustness compared to the SiO2-type micromirrors fabricated in the same batch.
Hyperthermia inhibited cellular function and induced immunogenic cell death of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Huaqi Yin , Bingqi Dong , Yanhui Zhao , Yongkang Ma , Shiming Zhao , Zhenghui Sun , Zheng Du , Jiangshan Peng , Tiejun Yang
Published: February 2023

Background: As a novel strategy, hyperthermia has been widely applied to cancer treatment recent years for its multiple anti-tumor effects. Especially, the potential influences of hyperthermia on tumor immune microenvironment may contribute to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. However, the role of hyperthermia on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is not well understood until now.
Methods: In present study, we primarily evaluated the effects of hyperthermia on cellular function via cellular proliferation, migration assay, invasion and apoptosis assays. In addition, the influence of hyperthermia on immunogenicity of RCC cells were analyzed using flow cytometry analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and IF staining.
Results: our results showed that hyperthermia could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of RCC cells, and promote cell apoptosis. In addition, hyperthermia was verified to improve the immunogenicity of RCC cells via inducing immunogenic cell death.
Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that hyperthermia was expected to be a promising therapeutic strategy for RCC.
Neonatal hypoglycemia: What can we improve?
Authors: Delgado Carolina Solé , Ros Itziar Marsinyach , Luna Manuel Sánchez
Published: February 2023

Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia is a frequent problem with potential neurological adverse effects, and it involves a significant number of admissions to neonatal units with the consequent mother-child separation, difficulty in establishing breastfeeding, and increased hospital expenditure.
Although any newborn can suffer hypoglycemia, certain patients are at higher risk, such as late preterm infants, those born with low birth weight or high birth weight for their gestational age, or children of mothers with diabetic pathology. Strategies to detect and prevent hypoglycemia in this subgroup of patients is a common practice in neonatology units.
This study aims to analyze the impact of this situation in our center, in order to identify , areas for improvement.
Material and methods: we performed a retrospective review of medical charts of newborns, at term or near term, admitted for hypoglycemia in a tertiary hospitalization center during 2019 and 2020.
Results: 232 patients were admitted for hypoglycemia during this period, accounting for 11.5% of total admissions. Of these, 185 (79%) had known risk factors for hypoglycaemia. The median gestational age was 37 (interquartile range (IQR) 36-38) and weight 2450 g (IQR 2255 - 2935 g). The most frequent risk factor was late prematurity (30.8%), followed by low birht weight (26%). Ninety percent had a pathological first blood glucose level, the value of which correlated inversely with the time of fluid therapy and, also, with the age at admission (p=0.02. Pearson correlation (PC) -0.172). The median cronological age at admission was 6 (RIQ 4-10). 16.75% of the patients (31/185) had not taken early enteral feedings (neither formula bottle nor breastfeeding) before the first glycemic control. A total of 42.7% were exclusively breastfed (BF), 31.3% fed with adapted formula (AF), and in 9.5% of the patients it could not be determined whether they had received or not an early feeding. The mean of the first glycemic value was significantly lower in those who did not take an early feed (mean 28.4, SD 1.7) than those who did (mean 35.2 SD 0.88) and was lower in those who were admitted earlier (mean 5.9 hours SD 0.44 vs. 8 hours SD 0.56).
Conclusion: Admissions for neonatal hypoglycemia are frequent. Early intake was associated with a higher first glycemic control. This measure was only fulfilled within some patients in our center, so there is an opportunity for improvement.
Trial registration: Retrospectively registered
Alkyl-Parity Controlled Switching of Polar/Antipolar Organic Semiconductors
Authors: Inoue Satoru , Higashino Toshiki , Nikaido Kiyoshi , Miyata Ryo , Matsuoka Satoshi , Tanaka Mutsuo , Tsuzuki Seiji , Horiuchi Sachio , Kondo Ryusuke , Sagayama Ryoko , Kumai Reiji , Hasegawa Tatsuo
Published: February 2023

The odd-even effects are renowned as a mysterious phenomenon in broad fields of science but have never been established as an effective approach for materials engineering. We demonstrate that the parity of alkyl carbon number n can cause alternating emergence of polar/antipolar organic semiconductor crystals. This is achieved by the development of a series of polar rod-like molecules, composed of a linkage between extended π-core (head) and alkyl chains (tail), exhibiting both high layered crystallinity and well-balanced end-to-end affinity. The molecules are unidirectionally aligned to form two-dimensional array, and the eventual polar monomolecular layers present two distinct types of interlayer stacking depending on the parity of n: alternating head-to-head and tail-to-tail (antipolar) alignment in odd-n crystals, and uniform head-to-tail (polar) alignment in even-n crystals. The latter allows to obtain polar semiconductor films that considerably improve interfacial carrier transport characteristics. The findings are key for creating polarity-controlled optoelectronic materials and devices.
1,3,4-Oxadiazole derivatives as potential antifungal agents: Synthesis, characterization, Ct-DNA binding, molecular docking, and TD-DFT studies
Authors: Mehandi Rabiya , Sultana Razia , Ahmedi Saiema , Fatima Aysha , Islam Khursheed ul , Rana Manish , Manzoor Nikhat , Javed Saleem , Haque Mohammad Mahfuzul , Iqbal Jawed , uddin Rahis , Nishat Nahid
Published: February 2023

1,3,4-Oxadiazole-based heterocyclic analogs (3a–3m) were synthesized via cyclization of Schiff bases with substituted aldehydes in the presence of bromine and acetic acid. The structural clarification of synthesized molecules was carried out with various spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR, UV–visible spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (LCMS). The TD-DFT studies were also confirmed the structure of drug molecules. In vitro antifungal activity was performed against C. Albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis and analogs 3g, 3i, and 3m showed potent MIC at 200 µg/ml and excellent ZOI measurements of 17-21 nm. The cell viability on human hepatoma cells (Huh7) for lead molecules 3g, 3i, and 3m was found to be 99.5%, 92.3%, and 86.9% at 20 μM, 10 μM, and 20 μM respectively. The antioxidant activity of the lead molecules 3g, 3i, and 3m were estimated and exhibited great IC50 values of 0.104 ± 0.021, 0.145 ± 0.05, and 0.165 ± 0.018 μg/mL with DPPH and 0.107 ± 0.04, 0.191 ± 0.12, and 0.106 ± 0.08 with H2O2 respectively. The DNA binding interaction mode for the lead molecules was also carried out with Ct-DNA using the absorption, emission, CV, CD, and Time resolve fluorescence techniques. The results showed good binding constant (Kb) values 9.1×105, 9.94×105, and 9.32×105 M−1 for 3g, 3i, and 3m respectively. The results were further validated by In-silico molecular docking and pharmacokinetics properties of lead drug molecules were also studied with PDB ID: 1BNA and 5FSA to explore the best hits.
Exploring the volatility spillover dynamics among Non-fungible Token Coins and Bitcoin
Authors: Kumar Anoop S , Padakandla Steven Raj , Suvvari Anandarao
Published: February 2023

We explore the volatility spillover dynamics between Non-fungible token coins ( NFTC) and Bitcoin. Towards this, we employ DCC GARCH models on daily returns of Bitcoin along with three NFTCs, namely Decentral land, Theta and Eijin coin from 18-01-2018 to 03-12-2021. Our results show significant return and volatility spillover between NFTCs and Bitcoin. We find that the NFTC market is significantly affected by fluctuations in the Bitcoin market. Based on the results, we advise against the inclusion of NFTCs in a cryptocurrency portfolio
JEL Codes: G110, G150, C580
An experimental study on the conversion of CaO to CaSO4 during diesel particulate filter regeneration
Authors: Tanaka Kotaro , Sakai Yasuyuki , Ishii Yudai , Yokobayashi Yusuke , Sakaida Satoshi , Konno Mitsuru
Published: February 2023

The deposition of ash on a diesel particulate filter (DPF) results in an increase in pressure drop across aftertreatment system, which leads to reduced capacity for soot and an increase in frequency of regeneration to eliminate the soot. To estimate the amount of ash and design a reduction method for the accumulated ash on the DPF, a deeper understanding of the ash generation mechanism is required. Previous studies have found that ash sampled at exhaust manifolds mainly comprises typical metal oxides, whereas ash accumulated on DPFs primarily comprises typical metal sulfates. However, the conversion mechanism from metal oxides to metal sulfates is not well understood. Herein, the formation mechanism of calcium sulfate (CaSO4), which is the main component of ash on DPFs, was investigated using a flow reactor. Calcium oxide (CaO), which is the main component of ash sampled at exhaust manifolds, was made to react with SO2, SO3, O2, and H2O, when passed through a diesel oxidation catalyst. Quantitative analysis of the ash components in the products was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The concentrations of SO2, SO3, and H2O during the reaction were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Based on the experimental results, it was found that CaSO4 mainly formed from the reaction of CaO with SO2 and SO3; whereas, H2O inhibited CaSO4 formation owing to the change in physicochemical properties of CaO.
Intravenous sildenafil for treatment of early and late pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants
Authors: Schroeder Lukas , Monno Paulina , Strizek Brigitte , Dresbach Till , Mueller Andreas , Kipfmueller Florian
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Data is lacking on the effect of continuous intravenous sildenafil treatment in preterm infants with early- and late-pulmonary hypertension (PH), especially in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.

Patients and Methods

Preterm infants (<37 weeks of gestational age) with intravenous sildenafil treatment and diagnosis of PH between 01/12 and 12/21 were retrospectively screened for analysis. The primary clinical endpoint was defined as response to sildenafil according to the improvement of the oxygenation index (OI), the saturation oxygenation pressure index (SOPI) and PaO2/FiO2-ratio. Early-PH was defined as diagnosis <28 day of life (DOL), late PH ≥28 DOL.

Main Results

60 infants were finally included, with 47% ELBW infants. Early-PH was diagnosed in 97% and the primary endpoint was reached in 58%. The likelihood to die during in-hospital treatment was more than three times higher (72 vs 20%, p<0.001) in infants without response to sildenafil. The echocardiographic severity of PH and right-ventricular dysfunction (RVD) decreased significantly from baseline to 24 h (p=0.038, and p=0.009, respectively).

Conclusion

Sildenafil treatment leads to significant improvement of the oxygenation impairment in 58% of the preterm infants, with similar response rates in ELBW infants. Intravenous sildenafil treatment is associated with a significant decrease of the PH-severity and RVD.