bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Análise da cobertura vacinal da influenza na região da Planície Litorânea do Estado do Piauí de 2015 a 2020
Authors: Silva Milena Maria Carvalho da , Silva Isaac Gonçalves da , Silva Taynara Lais , Santos Victória Andressa de Paiva Pereira , Sousa Daniele de Brito , Araujo Geovana Almeida dos Santos , Silva Marciele Freire da , Vasconcelos Iohana Santos de , Lima Gerlane Xavier de , Albuquerque Thamiris de Alcântara
Published: December 2021

Objetivo: Analisar a cobertura vacinal da influenza na Região da Planície Litorânea do Estado do Piauí no período de 2015-2020. Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória, com abordagem quantitativa. Os dados foram coletados através do Sistema de Informação do Programa Nacional de Imunização (SIPNI) e se referem a cobertura vacinal da influenza na Região da Planície Litorânea, localizada no Estado do Piauí. Optou-se por incluir no trabalho quatro grupos prioritários: crianças de 6 meses a menores de 6 anos, gestantes, pessoas acima de 60 anos e trabalhadores da saúde. Os dados coletados foram tabulados e analisados no software Microsoft Office Excel. Os resultados da análise descritiva foram apresentados através de tabelas e gráficos. Resultados: Verificou-se que muitos municípios não conseguiram cumprir a meta de cobertura vacinal preconizada pelo Ministério da Saúde. Os grupos de crianças e de gestantes obtiveram os menores percentuais de vacinação. Os idosos e os trabalhadores da saúde, mesmo não atingindo a meta em todos os anos, conseguiram os melhores percentuais de vacinação. Conclusão: Foi possível verificar oscilações das médias da cobertura vacinal nos públicos analisados, sendo que a maioria dessas médias estiveram abaixo da meta preconizada pelo Ministério da Saúde para cobertura vacinal da Influenza. Diante disso, ressalta-se a importância da avaliação da cobertura vacinal de forma individual para conhecer a realidade local de cada município, e dessa forma, planejar ações diferenciadas considerando as necessidades de cada região.
BUILDING STUDENT RESUME USING THE EPORTFOLIO APPROACH
Authors: Mgarbi Hanae , Yassin CHKOURI Mohamed , Tahiri Abderrahim
Published: December 2021

Before the development of the web, we talk
about the portfolio; it was represented by a simple
portfolio of student skills in paper form. This form of
representation of skills and professional career has
continued to develop over the years. After a succession of
several stages in the concept of the portfolio, this simple
paper form was transformed into a digital form called an
e-portfolio [1, 5], which is centered on the personal and
collective learning dynamics throughout the life of the
student [10]. The resume is the first door to professional
integration [7]. But the paper resume remains a document
too linear and has not adapted to the complexity of current
modes and channels of communication. The objective of
our research work is the building resume student using the
e-portfolio approach, allowing students to build and
improve academic and extra-academic achievements while
being part of a lifelong learning approach, to develop their
digital identity and visibility by capitalizing on training
achievements and skills obtained.
THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN AFRICA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND NIGER REPUBLIC
Authors: Iliyasu Rufai , Etikan Ilker , Adamu Hassan , Ibrahim Z , Manzo I , Saleh Auwalu , Muhammad Sabo
Published: December 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) outbreak has developed a major public health concern, particularly in northern hemisphere countries. The novel COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in 2019 presented obstacles to the scientific community and healthcare providers. The disparities across Africa highlight the value of assessment that go further than a continent- wide case number, which can distort the true situation on the ground. We wanted to look at epidemiology. In this review using data on confirmed cases and deaths, we attempt to assess the COVID-19 situation in Nigeria and Niger. We also contrasted the patterns of disease transmission and death. The main objective of this research is to address: How do the two countries relate in terms of COVID-19 distribution and mortality. The World Health Organization database, which updates data on the global number of confirmed cases and deaths for the Covid-19 pandemic on a regular basis, was used to get the reported numbers of cases and deaths between the two countries. A Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the average daily reported Covid-19 cases and death and annual cumulative cases and death between the two countries under study. Bivariate correlation analysis was conducted to assess the measure of direction and strength of association that exits between daily new cases and daily new death and also assess the same in terms of annual cumulative cases and death from 1 st April, 2020 to 31st March 2021. In Nigeria, the COVID19 spread pattern was similar to that of Niger. The daily deaths and cases distribution in Niger resembled those of Nigeria, so on daily basis in Niger they record 13.65 covid19 cases on average while Nigeria on average in daily basis they record 445.62 new cases of Covid-19. Then for the new death in Niger the average death on daily basis stand to be 0.50 compare to Nigeria on average which has 5.63 reported new death on daily basis. So for the bivariate correlation re
ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDITS (ABC) IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: Naveen H. M.
Published: December 2021

The NEP, 2020 reiterates the holistic and
multidisciplinary education. Even engineering
institutions, such as IITs, will move towards more
holistic and multidisciplinary education with more arts
and humanities. The Academic Bank of Credits (ABCs)
shall be a national-level facility to promote flexibility of
curriculum framework and interdisciplinary academic
mobility of students across HEIs with appropriate credit
transfer mechanism. It will enable the integration of
multiple disciplines of higher learning, leading to the
desired outcomes including enhanced creativity,
innovation, higher order thinking and critical analysis.
Academic Bank of Credits is essentially a credit-based,
and highly flexible, student-centric facility. Students are
eligible for Credit transfer, Credit accrual and Credit
redemption through ABCs. The present article
enlighten the readers with regard to Objectives of ABCs
; Functions of ABCs ; Organizational Structures of
ABCs ; Implementation Plan for ABCs ; and Eligibility
Criteria for HEIs to register with ABCs. The
Regulations presented in this article are called as the
University Grants Commission (Establishment and
Operation of Academic Bank of Credits in Higher
Education) Regulations, 2021 which will be implemented
from the academic year 2021-22.
COVID-19 PATIENTS ANALYSIS AND RISK PREDICTION BASED ON LIFESTYLE DISEASES THROUGH INDIAN DATASET
Authors: Patil Vijaykumar , Ingle Dr. Dayanand
Published: December 2021

A Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a
transferable virus triggered by a recently revealed
coronavirus. World Health Organization (WHO) declared
it as pandemic worldwide. COVID-19 was originated from
Wuhan, a city of China and spared over the more than 190
countries over the word. The USA, Spain, Italy, France
even India and every country suffered a lot by this
epidemic. The indications of COVID-19 are Fever, Cough,
Shortness of breath or trouble in breathing, Chills,
Repeated shaking with chills, Muscle torment, Headache,
Sore throat which is normal as any formal flue which each
individual feel during season transition. In this article, the
statistical analysis like chi-square analysis, age-wise and
diseases-wise classification of recovered and deceased
patients are performed and also the different types of
Machine Learning models like Multiple linear regression,
Naive Bayes Classifier, and Multilayer Perceptron
Classifier are proposed for formal analysis and risk
prediction of patients with different age group and
individuals having lifestyle-based diseases with COVID-19.
The dataset used for this study downloaded
from covid19india.org, available in .csv format which
included travel history of patients, relation with any
existing COVID-19 patient, and record of any lifestylebased diseases like diabetes, hypertension, respiratory
problem, etc.
REVIEW PAPER ON HARVESTING ENERGY USING PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS
Authors: Wakchaure Niharika , Waghmare Shashank , Rakshe Ruchira , Rai Sharma Minaxi , Joshi Ashish
Published: December 2021

A life of human beings is dependent on the
energy which they consume for their everyday purpose, it
can be for illumination, running a gadget and many other
purposes which contribute towards the development of
mankind and also for economic growth. If global energy
consumption is taken into consideration, every resource
has its own quantity. As the years pass by, one can observe
the depletion of naturally available conventional
resources of energy. Hence, the world has been shifting to
renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, tidal
power. Even though, there isn’t any greater
transformation in the energy consumption from the
conventional sources due to their higher efficiency
deliveries. If an alternative energy resource has to be
discovered, one has to look for the sources available in the
surrounding. When the road traffic is considered for an
instance, the number of vehicles travelling are enormous
and due to the movement, every vehicle induces a certain
number of vibrations into the pavement below which
collectively turns out to be plenty if the vibrations from
all the vehicles are to be taken in account. The researchers
have come up with a technology to harness this energy
and make it usable to the consumers. To convert one form
of energy to another, a transducer can be used which is
capable of transforming the entire input energy into an
output voltage. This form of output is said to be called
‘piezoelectricity’ where the incident pressure is
potentially converted into electricity that can be utilized
for numerous purposes.
FRAMEWORK FOR TRACKING FITNESS USING DATA ANALYTICS
Authors: Shruthika M Suma
Published: December 2021

— Today, all the devices around are built with the
capacity to produce and store data in its most relevant
form. Unless and until interesting insights and data which
are meaningful can be extracted, the data stored will be of
no use. Fitness tracking smart watches like fitbit track and
store data like the number of steps walked, the quality of
sleep, heart rate (beats per minute), the number of calories
burned in a particular day and many other various
activities. From this health tracking system, the fitbit
application gathers a huge amount of data and allows us to
analyze the fitness data collected by the application. By
employing techniques like data exploration, modelling,
deploying and integrating, we will be able to arrive with
very useful insights.
HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN AZINTAN, NORTHWESTERN LIBYA
Authors: sera Ali Ben
Published: December 2021

The groundwater aquifers in Azintan,
northwestern Libya suffer from an acute shortage of
water. The groundwater was evaluated to determine its
suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes from
major two aquifers in north and south of Azintan area.
This study carried out to assess the groundwater quality
and to identify major affecting variables. Twelve
samples from the two aquifers were collected. The two
aquifers were collected and analyzed for total dissolved
,
2+ , Mg 2+ solid (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, Ca
. The results show -
and HCO3 2-
, CO3 2-
, SO4 -
, Cl +
, K+ Na
that, the groundwater in many places is dominated by
. Two -
and HCO3 2-
, SO4 - higher concentrations of Cl
water types were recognized in this region are Cl-SO4-
Na-Ca and Cl-SO4-Na. Gibbs and Piper method, as well
as the hardness, soluble sodium percentage and the
permeability index all have been used to assess the
diagram quality of the groundwater of aquifers. Further,
the multiple correlations and Cluster Analysis of
groundwater quality parameters were carried out for
further classification and interpretation of the
groundwater quality. Finally, water qualities in the study
area are compared with Libyan standards and WHO
guidelines of drinking water and irrigation purposes.
A SURVEY ON MACHINE LEARNING
Authors: C H Bhoomika , B H Rakshitha
Published: December 2021

Machine learning is a category of an Artificial
Intelligence (AI). The goal of machine learning is to
understand the structure of data and design a models using
that particular data that can be understood and utilized by
people. Machine learning forms to be an important
application of an Artificial Intelligence (AI). This paper
provides the information about the introduction,
advantages, disadvantages and applications of Machine
Learning. Also, this helps individual to understand why we
needs to choose Machine Learning.
A Case Report of Extensively Drug Resistant Typhoid in Karachi, Pakistan: A Major Health Concern to Curb the Outbreak
Authors: Akbani Sarah Kamran , Bibi Fazeela
Published: December 2021

The disease burden of extensively drug resistant typhoid in developing countries is a major emerging issue that cannot be ignored. Since its emergence from multidrug strains, the majority of typhoid cases in Karachi, Pakistan, have been extensively drug resistant, mostly infecting younger patients. In the study, the authors analysed one such case in an adolescent male and discussed how, by the implementation of national health policies, the spread of these infectious diseases could be prevented and the overall burden on the healthcare system decreased in areas with already limited resources.
Portal Hypertension in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Era of Non-invasive Assessment
Authors: Lesmana Cosmas Rinaldi Adithya , Paramitha Maria Satya , Hasan Irsan , Sulaiman Andri Sanityoso , Gani Rino Alvani
Published: December 2021

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the emerging global health problems due to an increase of burden worldwide. It has been known that NAFLD is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. The progression of NAFLD is a complex and multifactorial mechanism. Portal hypertension is still the main key in liver disease progression management. In NAFLD, portal hypertension might occur in the non-cirrhotic condition. Hepatic vein pressure gradient measurement has been considered as the gold standard for portal pressure assessment; however, due to its invasiveness and the need for a high-expertise centre, it is considered a non-practical measurement tool in clinical practice. Many other non-invasive parameters have been developed to replace the invasive measurement; however, there are still some limitations with regard to the technical issue, patient’s condition, and its accuracy in the different stages of the disease. Therefore, the authors review portal hypertension related to the clinical course of NAFLD, and the development of portal pressure evaluation in patients with NAFLD.
Diagnostic signifcance of new hematological parameters in coronavirus infection
Authors: Baranovskaya I. B. , Sysoeva I. P.
Published: December 2021

Bacterial infection, and as a result, sepsis is a formidable complication in patients with new coronavirus infection, and one of the leading factors in hospital mortality. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic costs of health care for biochemical monitoring have increased signifcantly. There is a need for a new approach to the analysis and, possibly, structuring of the results of routine studies obtained through a general blood test. The aim of the work is to assess the diagnostic capabilities of the new hematological parameters NEUT-RI – neutrophil reactivity and NEUT-GI – neutrophil granularity obtained using the Sysmex XN hematological analyzer from the standpoint of sepsis diagnostics. We analyzed laboratory data from a sample of patients with coronavirus infection (n = 449). Subsequently, the general statistical population was divided into two groups according to the level of procalcitonin – PCT (cut off = 0.5 ng/ml). With PCT < 0.5 ng/ml, the presence of sepsis was considered as ‘unlikely’, with PCT > 0.5 ng/ml as ‘highly likely’ event. For mathematical data processing, traditional statistical analysis, ROC analysis and the author’s ‘probabilistic approach’ were used. According to the data obtained, at PCT < 0.5 ng/ml, there is a correlation of average strength between C-reactive protein and procalcitonin (r = 0.49, p < 0.05). In the range of high concentrations of procalcitonin (PCT > 0.5 ng/ml), the mathematical relationship between similar biochemical markers is lost. The absence of the informative value of lactate dehydrogenase in terms of the diagnosis of sepsis has been established. According to the research results, NEUT-RI ≥ 56.9 Fl with a probability of 72% (specifcity 62.0%, sensitivity 83.5%) indicates the presence of sepsis. The probability of an alternative prognosis (presence or absence of sepsis) in one or another interval of the NEUT-RI and NEUT-GI values was calculated. The narrow quantitative ranges of the NEUT-RI parameter were identifed, in which the probability of sepsis is absent – 0% (35–45 Fl) and very high – 77% (65–75 Fl).
Role of non-resident subpopulations of mucosal and adaptive immune systems in patients with chronic periodontitis
Authors: Mudrov V. P. , Davidova N. V. , Kazakov S. P. , Mishina T. E.
Published: December 2021

Periodontal bacterial bioflm causes an innate and adaptive immune response of the host mucosa, leading to inﬂammation and destruction of the tissues supporting the periodontal. The progression of periodontitis depends not only on bacteria, since an inadequate immune response to microorganisms can accelerate the development of periodontitis. However, the exact mechanisms of the development of immune reactions remain unclear. Recent studies emphasize the existence of a typical innate response of resident and extravasated immune cells.

Objective. To investigate the quantitative composition of non-resident subpopulations of lymphocytes in salivary ﬂuid and to study the mechanisms of interaction of the cellular link of the innate and adaptive immune system in chronic generalized periodontitis of varying severity.

Materials and methods. 49 people aged 26–67 years of both sexes were examined with a diagnosis of chronic periodontitis. The comparison group consisted of 17 people aged 26–44 years with no periodontal diseases. The state of the cellular link of the adaptive and local immune system of the oral cavity was assessed by the following phenotypes: CD3–CD16+56+; CD3+CD16+56+; CD3+; CD3+HLA-DR+; CD19+, CD19+HLA-DR+; CD19+CD5+CD27–; CD19+CD5–СD 27–; CD19+СD5–CD27+.

Results. The number of T-NK cells decreased with a mild degree of periodontitis and increased with a severe degree. Similarly, CD3+HLA-DR+ decreased with mild periodontitis [Me = 0.148 cells/µl] and increased with moderate [Me = 0.247 cells/µl] and severe [Me = 0.448 cells/µl]. The number of B-lymphocytes with the CD19+, CD19+CD5+, CD19+CD5–CD27+ phenotype decreased to single cells per microliter during the development of the disease.

Conclusion. The imbalance of the immune system caused by pathogenic colonization of the periodontium, at different degrees of severity, is an important factor in the occurrence and development of periodontitis, in which various subsets of B cells of the adaptive immune system play a certain role, closely interacting with the cellular link of the innate mucosal immune system
Dynamics of level of class G antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 after new coronavirus infection COVID-19
Authors: Aleksanin S. S. , Alkhutova N. A. , Kovyazina N. A. , Rybnikov V. Yu.
Published: December 2021

The article presents the results of laboratory dynamic monitoring of the level of class G antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in 160 patients within 3–10 months after the new coronavirus infection COVID-19. There was no decrease in the level of class G antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 to the threshold values and below in 91.2% of the examined patients.
BRANEart: Identify Stability Strength and Weakness Regions in Membrane Proteins
Authors: Basu Sankar , Assaf Simon S. , Teheux Fabian , Rooman Marianne , Pucci Fabrizio
Published: December 2021

Understanding the role of stability strengths and weaknesses in proteins is a key objective for rationalizing their dynamical and functional properties such as conformational changes, catalytic activity, and protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. We present BRANEart, a new, fast and accurate method to evaluate the per-residue contributions to the overall stability of membrane proteins. It is based on an extended set of recently introduced statistical potentials derived from membrane protein structures, which better describe the stability properties of this class of proteins than standard potentials derived from globular proteins. We defined a per-residue membrane propensity index from combinations of these potentials, which can be used to identify residues which strongly contribute to the stability of the transmembrane region or which would, on the contrary, be more stable in extramembrane regions, or vice versa. Large-scale application to membrane and globular proteins sets and application to tests cases show excellent agreement with experimental data. BRANEart thus appears as a useful instrument to analyze in detail the overall stability properties of a target membrane protein, to position it relative to the lipid bilayer, and to rationally modify its biophysical characteristics and function. BRANEart can be freely accessed from http://babylone.3bio.ulb.ac.be/BRANEart.
Best-Compromise Control Strategy Between Mechanical Energy Expenditure and Foot Clearance for Obstacle-Crossing in Older Adults: Effects of Tai-Chi Chuan Practice
Authors: Kuo Chien-Chung , Chen Sheng-Chang , Wang Jr-Yi , Ho Tsung-Jung , Lu Tung-Wu
Published: December 2021

Background: Obstacle-crossing increases the risk of falls in older people. This study aimed to identify the effects of long-term Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) practice on the control strategies for obstacle-crossing in older people.

Methods: A multi-objective optimal control technique with measured gait data was used to identify the control strategies adopted by 15 long-term TCC practitioners and 15 healthy controls when crossing obstacles of different heights, in terms of the best-compromise weighting sets for the conflicting objectives of minimizing energy expenditure and maximizing the toe-obstacle and heel-obstacle clearances.

Results and Conclusions: The long-term TCC older practitioners adopted a best-compromise control strategy similar to those adopted by young adults, with greater weightings on the minimization of the mechanical energy expenditure and smaller weightings on foot-clearance as compared to non-TCC controls (TCC: 0.72, 0.14, 0.14; Control: 0.55, 0.225, 0.225). This strategy enabled the long-term TCC older practitioners to cross obstacles with significantly greater leading-toe clearances but with relatively less mechanical energy expenditure. With the current approach, further simulations of obstacle-crossing mechanics with a given weighting set will be useful for answering clinically relevant what-if questions, such as what abilities would be needed if the non-TCC older people were to cross obstacles using the crossing strategy of the TCC people.
The Effect of Axial Length Elongation on Corneal Biomechanical Property
Authors: Liu Guihua , Rong Hua , Zhang Ping , Xue Yu , Du Bei , Wang Biying , Hu Jiamei , Chen Zhi , Wei Ruihua
Published: December 2021

Background: To investigate the correlation between the corneal biomechanical parameter stress-strain index (SSI) and axial length (AL) in moderately elongated eye (MEE) and severely elongated eye (SEE).

Methods: This study included 117 eyes from 117 participants. Among them, 59 (50.4%) had MEE (AL<26 mm) and 58 (49.6%) had SEE (AL≥26 mm). AL was measured using Lenstar LS-900, and central corneal thickness (CCT) and anterior chamber volume (ACV) were measured using Pentacam. SSI was measured via corneal visualisation Scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST). Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student’s t-test, and Pearson and partial correlation analyses were used for statistical analyses.

Results: The mean (±SD) SSI was 1.08 ± 0.15 in the MEE group and 0.92 ± 0.13 in the SEE group (p < 0.01). SSI was positively correlated with age (MEE: r = 0.326, p < 0.05; SEE: r = 0.298, p < 0.05) in both groups; it was negatively correlated with AL (r = −0.476, p < 0.001) in the MEE group but not in the SEE group (p > 0.05). CCT was negatively correlated with AL (r = −0.289, p < 0.05) and ACV positively correlated with AL (r = 0.444, p < 0.001) in the MEE group. Neither CCT nor ACV was correlated with AL (p > 0.05) in the SEE group.

Conclusion: Corneal biomechanical parameter SSI, which represents the stiffness of corneal tissue, was lower in the SEE group than in the MEE group. When analyzed separately, SSI was negatively correlated with AL in the MEE group, but not in the SEE group, which may provide insight into different ocular growth patterns between lower myopia and higher myopia.
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 Regulation of the Primary Human Trophoblast Cell Transcriptome
Authors: Rosario Fredrick J. , Kelly Amy Catherine , Gupta Madhulika B. , Powell Theresa L. , Cox Laura , Jansson Thomas
Published: December 2021

Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (mTORC2) regulates placental amino acid and folate transport. However, the role of mTORC2 in modulating other placental functions is largely unexplored. We used a gene array following the silencing of rictor to identify genes regulated by mTORC2 in primary human trophoblast (PHT) cells. Four hundred and nine genes were differentially expressed; 102 genes were down-regulated and 307 up-regulated. Pathway analyses demonstrated that inhibition of mTORC2 resulted in increased expression of genes encoding for pro-inflammatory IL-6, VEGF-A, leptin, and inflammatory signaling (SAPK/JNK). Furthermore, down-regulated genes were functionally enriched in genes involved in angiogenesis (Osteopontin) and multivitamin transport (SLC5A6). In addition, the protein expression of leptin, VEGFA, IL-6 was increased and negatively correlated to mTORC2 signaling in human placentas collected from pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). In contrast, the protein expression of Osteopontin and SLC5A6 was decreased and positively correlated to mTORC2 signaling in human IUGR placentas. In conclusion, mTORC2 signaling regulates trophoblast expression of genes involved in inflammation, micronutrient transport, and angiogenesis, representing novel links between mTOR signaling and multiple placental functions necessary for fetal growth and development.
Combinatorial ECM Arrays Identify Cooperative Roles for Matricellular Proteins in Enhancing the Generation of TH+ Neurons From Human Pluripotent Cells
Authors: Ahmed Maqsood , Owens Matthew J. S. , Toledo Enrique M. , Arenas Ernest , Bradley Mark , ffrench-Constant Charles
Published: December 2021

The development of efficient cell culture strategies for the generation of dopaminergic neurons is an important goal for transplantation-based approaches to treat Parkinson’s disease. To identify extracellular matrix molecules that enhance differentiation and might be used in these cell cultures we have used micro-contact printed arrays on glass slides presenting 190 combinations of 19 extracellular matrix molecules selected on the basis of their expression during embryonic development of the ventral midbrain. Using long-term neuroepithelial stem cells (Lt-NES), this approach identified a number of matricellular proteins that enhanced differentiation, with the combination of Sparc, Sparc-like (Sparc-l1) and Nell2 increasing the number of tyrosine hydroxylase+ neurons derived from Lt-NES cells and, critically for further translation, human pluripotent stem cells.
Arbutin Alleviates the Liver Injury of α-Naphthylisothiocyanate-induced Cholestasis Through Farnesoid X Receptor Activation
Authors: Wu Peijie , Qiao Ling , Yu Han , Ming Hui , Liu Chao , Wu Wenjun , Li Baixue
Published: December 2021

Cholestasis is a kind of stressful syndrome along with liver toxicity, which has been demonstrated to be related to fibrosis, cirrhosis, even cholangiocellular or hepatocellular carcinomas. Cholestasis usually caused by the dysregulated metabolism of bile acids that possess high cellular toxicity and synthesized by cholesterol in the liver to undergo enterohepatic circulation. In cholestasis, the accumulation of bile acids in the liver causes biliary and hepatocyte injury, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is regarded as a bile acid–activated receptor that regulates a network of genes involved in bile acid metabolism, providing a new therapeutic target to treat cholestatic diseases. Arbutin is a glycosylated hydroquinone isolated from medicinal plants in the genus Arctostaphylos, which has a variety of potentially pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, antiviral, antihyperglycemic, and antioxidant activity. However, the mechanistic contributions of arbutin to alleviate liver injury of cholestasis, especially its role on bile acid homeostasis via nuclear receptors, have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that arbutin has a protective effect on α-naphthylisothiocyanate–induced cholestasis via upregulation of the levels of FXR and downstream enzymes associated with bile acid homeostasis such as Bsep, Ntcp, and Sult2a1, as well as Ugt1a1. Furthermore, the regulation of these functional proteins related to bile acid homeostasis by arbutin could be alleviated by FXR silencing in L-02 cells. In conclusion, a protective effect could be supported by arbutin to alleviate ANIT-induced cholestatic liver toxicity, which was partly through the FXR pathway, suggesting arbutin may be a potential chemical molecule for the cholestatic disease.
Negatively Regulated by miR-29c-3p, MTFR1 Promotes the Progression and Glycolysis in Lung Adenocarcinoma via the AMPK/mTOR Signalling Pathway
Authors: Li Yongmeng , Liu Yanfei , Jin Kai , Dong Rui , Gao Cun , Si Libo , Feng Zitong , Zhang Huiying , Tian Hui
Published: December 2021

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the major form of lung cancer that presents a major peril to public health. Owing to the high rates of morbidity, mortality and chemoresistance, it is necessary to develop more effective therapeutic targets of LUAD. Mitochondrial fission regulator 1 (MTFR1) affects the occurrence and development of some diseases by regulating mitochondrial dynamics and is dysregulated in LUAD. However, the functions and molecular mechanisms of MTFR1 in LUAD have not been investigated.

Methods: Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), bioinformatic analysis and western blot (WB) were performed to assess the expression of MTFR1 at both protein and mRNA levels. The biological functions of MTFR1 in LUAD cells were assessed based on various in vivo and in vitro experiments. The dual-luciferase reporter assay and some rescue experiments were performed to evaluate the underlying mechanism of MTFR1 in LUAD.

Results: MTFR1 was upregulated in LUAD cells and tissues and correlated with dismal clinicopathologic features and a worse prognosis of patients with LUAD. Functionally, MTFR1 overexpression stimulated the proliferation, invasion, migration and glycolytic capacity and impeded the apoptosis of LUAD cells; however, opposite results were obtained when MTFR1 expression was knocked down. MTFR1, which was directly targeted by miR-29c-3p, may exert its biological functions through the AMPK/mTOR signalling pathway.

Conclusion: MTFR1 promotes the progression of LUAD. Therefore, targeting MTFR1 can offer an effective therapeutic strategy for LUAD treatment.
MiR-125 Family in Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Authors: Wang Yang , Tan Jing , Wang Lu , Pei Gaiqin , Cheng Hongxin , Zhang Qing , Wang Shiqi , He Chengqi , Fu Chenying , Wei Quan
Published: December 2021

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are a serious threaten to the health of modern people. Understanding the mechanism of occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as reasonable prevention and treatment of them, is a huge challenge that we are currently facing. The miR-125 family consists of hsa-miR-125a, hsa-miR-125b-1 and hsa-miR-125b-2. It is a kind of miRNA family that is highly conserved among different species. A large amount of literature shows that the lack of miR-125 can cause abnormal development of the cardiovascular system in the embryonic period. At the same time, the miR-125 family participates in the occurrence and development of a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, including myocardial ischemia, atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, ischemic stroke, and heart failure directly or indirectly. In this article, we summarized the role of the miR-125 family in the development and maturation of cardiovascular system, the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and its important value in the current fiery stem cell therapy. In addition, we presented this in the form of table and diagrams. We also discussed the difficulties and challenges faced by the miR-125 family in clinical applications.
The Kinetics Studies on Hydrolysis of Hemicellulose
Authors: Yuan Qi , Liu Shan , Ma Ming-Guo , Ji Xing-Xiang , Choi Sun-Eun , Si Chuanling
Published: December 2021

The kinetics studies is of great importance for the understanding of the mechanism of hemicellulose pyrolysis and expanding the applications of hemicellulose. In the past years, rapid progress has been paid on the kinetics studies of hemicellulose hydrolysis. In this article, we first introduced the hydrolysis of hemicellulosesviavarious strategies such as autohydrolysis, dilute acid hydrolysis, catalytic hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Then, the history of kinetic models during hemicellulose hydrolysis was summarized. Special attention was paid to the oligosaccharides as intermediates or substrates, acid as catalyst, and thermogravimetric as analyzer method during the hemicellulose hydrolysis. Furthermore, the problems and suggestions of kinetic models during hemicellulose hydrolysis was provided. It expected that this article will favor the understanding of the mechanism of hemicellulose pyrolysis.
Integrative Transcriptomics and Proteomics Analyses to Reveal the Developmental Regulation of Metorchis orientalis: A Neglected Trematode With Potential Carcinogenic Implications
Authors: Gao Jun-Feng , Lv Qing-Bo , Mao Rui-Feng , Sun Yun-Yi , Chen Ying-Yu , Qiu Yang-Yuan , Chang Qiao-Cheng , Wang Chun-Ren
Published: December 2021

Metorchis orientalis is a neglected zoonotic parasite of the gallbladder and bile duct of poultry, mammals, and humans. It has been widely reported in Asian, including China, Japanese, and Korea, where it is a potential threat to public health. Despite its significance as an animal and human pathogen, there are few published transcriptomic and proteomics data available. Transcriptome Illumina RNA sequencing and label-free protein quantification were performed to compare the gene and protein expression of adult and metacercariae-stage M. orientalis, resulting in 100,234 unigenes and 3,530 proteins. Of these, 13,823 differentially expressed genes and 1,445 differentially expressed proteins were identified in adult versus metacercariae. In total, 570 genes were differentially expressed consistent with the mRNA and protein level in the adult versus metacercariae stage. Differential gene transcription analyses revealed 34,228 genes to be expressed in both stages, whereas 66,006 genes showed stage-specific expression. Compared with adults, the metacercariae stage was highly transcriptional. GO and KEGG analyses based on transcriptome and proteome revealed numerous up-regulated genes in adult M. orientalis related to microtubule-based processes, microtubule motor activity, and nucleocytoplasmic transport. The up-regulated genes in metacercariae M. orientalis were mainly related to transmembrane receptor protein serine/threonine kinase activity, transmembrane receptor protein serine/threonine kinase signaling pathway. Transcriptome and proteome comparative analyses showed numerous up-regulated genes in adult stage were mainly enriched in actin filament capping, spectrin, and glucose metabolic process, while up-regulated genes in metacercariae stage were mainly related to cilium assembly, cilium movement, and motile cilium. These results highlight changes in protein and gene functions during the development of metacercariae into adults, and provided evidence for the mechanisms involved in morphological and metabolic changes at both the protein and gene levels. Interestingly, many genes had been proved associated with liver fibrosis and carcinogenic factors were identified highly expressed in adult M. orientalis, which suggests that M. orientalis is a neglected trematode with potential carcinogenic implications. These data provide attractive targets for the development of therapeutic or diagnostic interventions for controlling M. orientalis.
Structural Power in Sustainability Transitions: Case Studies of Energy Storage Integration Into Regional Transmission Organization Decision Processes
Authors: Lenhart Stephanie , Fox Dalten
Published: December 2021

Highly technical rules for regional electricity markets shape opportunities for new technologies and the pace of transition to a cleaner and more distributed power system. We compare three case studies of regional transmission organizations and identify common mechanisms that describe the relationship between institutional design and administrative policy decisions. We compare industry actors, old and new, across these case studies to better understand structural power and institutional stability through four mechanisms drawn from the literature: (1) self-reinforcing interests, (2) participation in and position of groups, (3) influence over communication and information, and (4) control over problem framing and pace of decisions. A focus on the mechanisms that operate within RTO governance provides insight into needed RTO governance reform.
Translation: A Key Component of a Hundred-Year Project
Authors: Samphel Tsondue , Namgyal Dadul , Drongbu Dawa Tsering , Khangsar Karma Tenzin
Published: December 2021

The Emory-Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI) has embarked on a historic endeavor of introducing a systematic and sustainable science education program within the traditional Tibetan monastic institutions. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who conceived and supports this initiative, calls it a hundred-year project. From the very beginning, translation from English to Tibetan has been an integral part of this project because of the need to prepare course materials as well as to facilitate on-site classes and lab activities in the Tibetan language. Our translation process involves not just conveying novel and foreign concepts across cultures but doing so with a scientific language peppered with technical terms that are not readily representable in the target language. In addition to the linguistic barriers, cultural and technical ones further complicate the process of communication. A case in point is the concept of life, or correlation versus causation, or the view that consciousness is an emergent property of the brain, where each construct has its corresponding but differing concept in Tibetan Buddhism. When engaging with such existing parallel yet divergent terms or concepts, the translators must strike a delicate balance and avoid forsaking the distinctive characteristics and connotations involved. In this article, the ETSI translation team shares its journey—highlighting the needs felt, challenges faced, and solutions sought. We discuss the translation principles guiding our work and the handling of such scientific features as graphs, acronyms, units, chemical names, and formulas. We hope our work will inspire other similar projects around the globe and encourage them to continue bridging barriers to cross-cultural dialogues, promoting cross-fertilization of knowledge for human flourishing.
A Reflection on the State of Multisensory Human–Food Interaction Research
Authors: Velasco Carlos , Wang Qian Janice , Obrist Marianna , Nijholt Anton
Published: December 2021

We present a perspective article on the state of multisensory human–food interaction (MHFI) research and lay out some reflections for research and development in this area of inquiry, based on a revision of the different spaces that we have co-created with researchers in this space. We begin by conceptualizing and defining MHFI, before moving onto presenting some of its major themes, as well as possible ways in which such themes can guide future research in the area. This article provides key definitions and foundations for the area of MHFI, as well as a first point of contact for those interested in it.
Breathing In-Depth: A Parametrization Study on RGB-D Respiration Extraction Methods
Authors: Kempfle Jochen , Van Laerhoven Kristof
Published: December 2021

As depth cameras have gotten smaller, more affordable, and more precise, they have also emerged as a promising sensor in ubiquitous systems, particularly for detecting objects, scenes, and persons. This article sets out to systematically evaluate how suitable depth data can be for picking up users’ respiration, from small distance changes across the torso over time. We contribute a large public dataset of depth data over time from 19 persons taken in a large variety of circumstances. On this data, we evaluate and compare different state-of-the-art methods and show that their individual performance significantly depends on a range of conditions and parameters. We investigate the influence of the observed torso region (e.g., the chest), the user posture and activity, the distance to the depth camera, the respiratory rate, the gender, and user specific peculiarities. Best results hereby are obtained from the chest whereas the abdomen is least suited for detecting the user’s breathing. In terms of accuracy and signal quality, the largest differences are observed on different user postures and activities. All methods can maintain a mean accuracy of above 92% when users are sitting, but half of the observed methods only achieve a mean accuracy of 51% while standing. When users are standing and additionally move their arms in front of their upper body, mean accuracy values between the worst and best performing methods range from 21 to 87%. Increasing the distance to the depth camera furthermore results in lower signal quality and decreased accuracy on all methods. Optimal results can be obtained at distances of 1–2 m. Different users have been found to deliver varying qualities of breathing signals. Causes range from clothing, over long hair, to movement. Other parameters have shown to play a minor role in the detection of users’ breathing.
Association Between Social Support and Medication Literacy in Chinese Patients With Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Qiao Li , Ding Siqing , Zhong Zhuqing , Liu Xiaoqing , Lai Lin , Zheng Feng
Published: December 2021

Background: The level of medication literacy is very important to control symptoms and improve the prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The positive role of social support is able to promote patient health outcomes. However, few studies have addressed the association between social support and medication literacy in patients with CHD. The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of medication literacy and social support, and confirm the association between them in patients with CHD.

Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated 416 participants, and was conducted in a grade a hospital in China. Three different survey instruments were applied: The Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Chinese Version of the Medication Literacy Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale. Pearson correlation analysis and ordinal logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze data.

Results: The results showed that the mean score of medication literacy among the 416 participants was 4.96 ± 4.68, 48.8% (203) participants with inadequate medication literacy. The independent determinants of medication literacy include gender, education level, course of disease, number of medicines, and subjective support in social support. The mean score of social support was 41.05 ± 6.16. The Pearson correlation analysis indicated that social support was positively correlated with medication literacy (r = 0.398, P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The study shows that the level of medication literacy and social support for patients with CHD are inadequate. Social support levels could have a positive effect on medication literacy of patients.
Cerebrovascular Disease and Statins
Authors: Beltrán Romero Luis M. , Vallejo-Vaz Antonio J. , Muñiz Grijalvo Ovidio
Published: December 2021

Elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is a causal factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); accordingly, LDL-C lowering is associated with a decreased risk of progression of atherosclerotic plaques and development of complications. Currently, statins play a central role in any ASCVD management and prevention strategies, in relation to their lipid-lowering action and potentially to pleiotropic effects. After coronary artery disease, stroke is the most frequent cause of ASCVD mortality and the leading cause of acquired disability, a major public health problem. There is often a tendency to aggregate all types of stroke (atherothrombotic, cardioembolic, and haemorrhagic), which have, however, different causes and pathophysiology, what may lead to bias when interpreting the results of the studies. Survivors of a first atherothrombotic ischemic stroke are at high risk for coronary events, recurrent stroke, and vascular death. Although epidemiological studies show a weak relationship between cholesterol levels and cerebrovascular disease as a whole compared with other ASCVD types, statin intervention studies have demonstrated a decrease in the risk of stroke in patients with atherosclerosis of other territories and a decrease in all cardiovascular events in patients who have had a stroke. The Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) trial demonstrated the benefit of high doses of atorvastatin in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. In this review, we discuss the evidence, use and recommendations of statins in the primary and secondary prevention of stroke, and their role in other scenarios such as the acute phase of ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, cardioembolic stroke, small vessel disease, and cognitive impairment.
The Emerging Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Arterial, Venous and Cancer-Associated Thrombosis
Authors: Zhou Yilu , Tao Weimin , Shen Fuyi , Du Weijia , Xu Zhendong , Liu Zhiqiang
Published: December 2021

Neutrophils play a vital role in the formation of arterial, venous and cancer-related thrombosis. Recent studies have shown that in a process known as NETosis, neutrophils release proteins and enzymes complexed to DNA fibers, collectively called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Although NETs were originally described as a way for the host to capture and kill bacteria, current knowledge indicates that NETs also play an important role in thrombosis. According to recent studies, the destruction of vascular microenvironmental homeostasis and excessive NET formation lead to pathological thrombosis. In vitro experiments have found that NETs provide skeletal support for platelets, red blood cells and procoagulant molecules to promote thrombosis. The protein components contained in NETs activate the endogenous coagulation pathway to promote thrombosis. Therefore, NETs play an important role in the formation of arterial thrombosis, venous thrombosis and cancer-related thrombosis. This review will systematically summarize and explain the study of NETs in thrombosis in animal models and in vivo experiments to provide new targets for thrombosis prevention and treatment.