bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations to DNA methylation patterns induced by chemotherapy treatment are associated with negative impacts on the olfactory pathway
Authors: Ho Peh Joo , Khng Alexis Jiaying , Benita Kiat-Tee Tan , Lim Geok Hoon , Tan Su-Ming , Veronique Kiak Mien Tan , Shea Ying Cong Tan Ryan , Elaine Hsuen Lim , Philip Tsau-Choong Iau , Chew Ying-Jia , Lim Yi Ying , Hartman Mikael , Tan Ern Yu , Li Jingmei
Published: June 2023

Background
Exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment may alter DNA methylation (DNAm) in breast cancer patients.
Methods
We performed DNAm analysis in 125 breast cancer patients with blood drawn before and after chemotherapy, using the Illumina MethylationEPIC array. DNAm changes of 588,798 individual CpGs and 41,222 promoters were evaluated using linear regression models adjusted for monocyte proportion. Gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA) were conducted to identify key Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes or KEGG pathways associated with chemotherapy. Results were validated in a separate cohort of breast cancer patients who were treated (n = 1,244) and not treated (n = 897) by chemotherapy (1,817 blood, 337 saliva).
Results
A total of 142 differentially methylated CpGs and 11 promoters were significantly associated with chemotherapy after multiple testing corrections in both the paired sample and single time point analyses. GSEA of 41,222 chemotherapy-associated promoters (pre-ranked by Z scores) revealed six suppressed biological processes that survived Bonferroni correction (GO:0007606, sensory perception of chemical stimulus; GO:0007608, sensory perception of smell; GO:0009593, detection of chemical stimulus; GO:0050906, detection of stimulus involved in sensory perception; GO:0050907, detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception; and GO:0050911, detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception of smell). The same six biological processes were significantly suppressed in the validation dataset. The KEGG pathway olfactory transduction (hsa04740) was also found to be significantly suppressed (uncorrected ppaired−samples=6.65e-5, psingle−timepoint−blood=1.01e-15 and p single−timepoint−saliva=3.10e-55).
Conclusion
The enrichment of imprinted genes within biological processes and pathways suggests a biological mechanism by which chemotherapy could affect the perception of smell.
Estimation of Gray Matter Fiber Direction Based on Anisotropy Diffusion
Authors: Pan Yingyu , Wang Yuanjun
Published: June 2023

In high-angle resolution diffusion imaging, the spherical deconvolution method can acquire information on fiber orientation in the white matter of the brain. However, this method views gray matter as isotropic diffusion, therefore SD has very limited use in gray matter. Related studies have shown that there are multiple cytosomes and dendrites in gray matter, and these structures result in the movement of water molecules in gray matter that are not simply free diffusion, and if viewed as completely isotropic, it will bring large uncertainties in the estimation of fiber orientation in superficial white matter regions. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a Multi-Anisotropy Response Function Constrained Spherical Deconvolution (MARF-CSD) method to solve the fiber orientation distribution functions of two anisotropic tissues in white matter and gray matter. In addition, in this paper, we use a modified damp Richardson-Lucy (dRL) method instead of the traditional non-negative least squares (NNLS) method for model solving. We use the diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to model the white matter and gray matter signals, respectively, MARF-CSD method is compared with multi-shell constrained spherical deconvolution (MSCSD) by simulated data and brain data,. The simulated data results show that MARF-CSD can accurately solve the two anisotropic fiber direction distribution functions, and the dRL method greatly reduces the number of pseudo-peaks compared with the NNLS method. Results from brain data show that the MARF-CSD method has significant similarity to the fiber orientation estimated by the MSCSD method in white matter, but the MARF-CSD method shows anatomically plausible peaks in most gray matter voxels and the orientation is mostly perpendicular to the fiber tracts in the deep white matter region, obtaining a continuous fiber connection from the white matter to the gray matter of the brain.
Association of NPHS2, PON1 and KCNJ11 Gene Polymorphisms with Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Rizvi Saliha , Raza S. Tasleem , Rashid Gowhar , khan farheen
Published: June 2023

Purpose: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) affects almost 40% of diabetic patients and is clinically categorized by declining glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria and hypertension, ultimately leads to renal failure. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several genetic loci associated with DN, including various genetic variants. This study was thus conducted to find an association of NPHS2, PON1 and KCNJ11 gene variants with the risk of DN.
Method: This case-control study was performed in 300 unrelated subjects consisting of 150 DN patients and 150 controls that were age, sex and ethnicity matched. Genotyping was done using PCR-RFLP and primers amplification refractory mutation system-PCR approach. Results were analyzed using SPSSS ver.21 software.
Result: In context to KCNJ11, OR values for KK and EE genotypes were 4.163(P<0.001) and 0.397(P=0.001), respectively. Frequencies of K and E alleles were 57.33% and 42.67% in DN cases as compared to 39% and 61% in controls (OR=2.101, 0.476). The OR values for K and E alleles were 2.101(P<0.001) and 0.476(P<0.001), respectively. In PON1, the OR values for AA and GG genotypes were 0.66(P=0.08) and 5.86(P=0.011) respectively. The OR values for A and G alleles were 0.64 (P=0.021)and 1.569 (P=0.021)respectively. No significant association of NPHS2 gene was observed on comparing genotype and allele frequencies among cases and controls.
Conclusion: KCNJ11and PON1 genes could serve as genetic biomarkers for establishing DN susceptibility. Early identification of genetic risk factors in patients enables earlier intervention, eventually delaying and dropping the effect of DN.
Sublingual capillary de-recruitment with preserved recruitability in resuscitated patients with circulatory shock
Authors: Bertacchi Massimiliano , Wendel-Garcia Pedro D. , Hana Anisa , Ince Can , Maggiorini Marco , Hilty Matthias P.
Published: June 2023

Background
Circulatory shock and multi-organ failure remain major contributors to mortality in critically ill patients, resulting in decoupling of macro- and microcirculatory function. Recent studies have identified the recruitment of microcirculatory diffusion capacity as reflected by an increase in functional capillary density (FCD) in response to a topical nitroglycerin (NG) administration as a mechanism to increase oxygen delivery to the tissue. However, the effect of circulatory shock on microcirculatory recruitability remains unclear. We hypothesized that circulatory shock leads to microcirculatory de-recruitment reflected by a lower FCD and lower RBCv, similar maximum recruitable FCD (FCDNG) and RBCV (RBCvNG), and increased microcirculatory recruitability (ΔFCDNG and ΔFCDNG).
Methods
Sublingual handheld vital microscopy measurements and assessment of microcirculatory recruitability were performed after initial fluid resuscitation in mechanically ventilated patients consecutively admitted to the tertiary medical ICU of the university hospital of Zurich. The presence of circulatory shock was defined as > 3 of the following: cardiac index (CI) < 2.2 l/min/m2, lactate > 2 mmol/l, vasopressor dependent index (VDI) > 3, Mottling score ≥ 2, capillary refill time (CRT) > 3s, mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 65 mmHg or the use of ECLC. FCD, FCDNG, and ΔFCDNG were assessed using the MicroTools advanced computer vision algorithm.
Results
54 patients (57 ± 14y, BMI 26.3 ± 4.9kg/m2, SAPS 56 ± 19, 65% male) were included, 13 of which with circulatory shock (6 cardiogenic, 4 septic, 3 other). As compared to the controls, patients with circulatory shock presented with similar CI and MAP, but higher heart rate (p < 0.001), central venous pressure (p = 0.02), lactate (p < 0.001), CRT (p < 0.01), and Mottling score (p < 0.001). FCD and FCDNG were 15% and 10% lower in patients with circulatory shock (18.9 ± 3.2 to 16.9 ± 4.2, p < 0.01; 21.3 ± 2.9 to 19.3 ± 3.1; p = 0.03), while ΔFCDNG and ΔRBCvNG remained similar.
Conclusion
In patients presenting with comparable macrocirculatory status but clinical signs of impaired microcirculation and tissue hypoxia, monitoring of the sublingual microcirculation revealed signs of capillary de-recruitment and loss of recruitability potential suggesting microcirculatory tamponade associated with fluid resuscitation. These results indicate a potential benefit of monitoring microcirculation in critically ill patients in shock.
Community Advisory Boards: a bibliometrics analysis and future research directions
Authors: Mhando Frank
Published: June 2023

Community Advisory Boards (CABs) often form the structure for involving community members in a partnership, and can play an important role as collaborators, gatekeepers to the community and a bridge between communities and research institutions. In recognition of this, the Bagamoyo branch of the Ifakara Health Institute established a CAB in 2007 aiming to properly educate and empower elected CAB members to become full partners in all research activities concerning the public within Bagamoyo area. Understanding the challenges faced by the CAB in implementing their activities, the success made, and lessons learned could help guide future public health research and projects. This article presents viewpoints from the Bagamoyo Community Advisory Board members on the challenges, success and lesson learned. It provides the ideas, suggestions and critical reflections on how to improve community engagement in public research and projects.
Quality characteristics of Chinese steamed bread prepared from oat and corn flour mixture with different amylose concentrations
Authors: Jiang Congyun , Lin Songyi , Yang Yiying , Yang Xin , Yang Yumeng , Tang Yue
Published: June 2023

Oat and corn Chinese steamed bread (OCCSB) preparations were examined to improve corn utilization. The optimal formulation of OCCSB and its quality characteristics with different amounts of amylose were investigated. The formula was optimized by a textural profile analysis of Chinese steamed bread (CSB) prepared with oat flour and corn flour supplemented with different concentrations of amylose. Rheological measurements, scanning electron microscopy, color metrics, and quality scores were used to compare CSB with the optimal formulation and commercial corn products prepared with 20% or 25% commercial corn flour. The optimal formula was a flour mixture containing 28% Yunnan corn flour with 36.98 ± 3.86% amylose, 6% Sichuan corn flour with 26.11 ± 2.61% amylose, and 2% oat flour. OCCSB had the lowest gas porosity, best aspect ratio, and highest quality score, outperforming commercial products with a smooth yellow surface and compact structure. OCCSB also had the best quality score compared to the two commercial corn CSB preparations. CSB prepared with a corn and oat flour mixture achieved higher quality characteristics than that prepared with 20% or 25% commercial corn flour. The results provide a theoretical basis for improving the utilization of corn resources in staple foods.
Complement gene mutations in children with C3 glomerulopathy: Do they affect clinical outcome?
Authors: Günay Neslihan , Dursun Ismail , Gökce İbrahim , Kara Mehtap Akbalık , Tekcan Demet , Çiçek Neslihan , Bayram Meral Torun , Koyun Mustafa , Dinçel Nida , Dursun Hasan , Saygılı Seha , Yıldırım Zeynep Nagehan Yürük , Yüksel Selçuk , Dönmez Osman , Yel Sibel , Kılıç Beltinge Demircioğlu , Aydoğ Özlem , Atmış Bahriye , Yılmaz Aysun Çaltık , Bakkaloğlu Sevcan Azime , Aytaç Mehmet Baha , Taşdemir Mehmet , Demir Belde Kasap , Soylu Alper , Çomak Elif , Özşahin Aslı Kantar , Kaçar Alper , Canpolat Nur , Yılmaz Alev , Girişgen İlknur , Akkoyunlu Kadirye Betül , Alpay Harika , Poyrazoğlu Hakan M
Published: June 2023

Background C3 glomerulopathy(C3G) is a complement-mediated disease caused by abnormalities in the alternative complement pathway. Although genetic studies are not required for diagnosis, they are valuable for treatment planning and prognosis prediction. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical phenotypes, kidney survival, and response to MMF treatment in pediatric C3G patients with and without mutations in complement related genes.Methods Sixty pediatric C3G patients were included, divided into two groups based on complement related gene mutations. Demographic and clinical-pathological findings, treatment modalities, and outcome data were compared, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed for kidney survival.Results Out of the 60 patients, 17 had mutations, with the most common mutation in the CH gene (47%). The mean age at diagnosis was significantly higher in the group with mutation (12.9 ± 3.6 vs 11.2 ± 4.1 years p = 0.039). While the patients without mutation were most frequently presented with the nephritic syndrome (44.2%), patients with the mutation were most likely to have asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (%47.1, p = 0.043). Serum parameters and histopathological characteristics were similar between the groups, but hypoalbuminemia was more common in patients without mutation. During a 45-month follow-up,10 patients progressed to CKD5, with four having a genetic mutation. The time to develop CKD5 was longer in the mutation group but not significantly different. MMF treatment had no effect on C3G progression in either group.Conclusions This study is the largest pediatric study examining the relationship between genotype and phenotype in C3G. We showed that in the mutation group often presented with asymptomatic urinary abnormalities, were diagnosed relatively late, but were not different from the mutation group in terms of MMF treatment response and kidney survival.
Quantification of Expected Information Gain in Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity Tests
Authors: Lu Zhong-Lin , Zhao Yukai , Lesmes Luis Andres , Dorr Michael
Published: June 2023

We introduce expected information gain to quantify measurements and apply it to compare visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) tests. We simulated observers with parameters covered by the visual acuity and contrast sensitivity tests and observers based on distributions of normal observers tested in three luminance and four Bangerter foil conditions. We first generated the probability distributions of test scores for each individual in each population in the Snellen, ETDRS and qVA visual acuity tests and the Pelli-Robson, CSV-1000 and qCSF contrast sensitivity tests and constructed the probability distributions of all possible test scores of the entire population. We then computed expected information gain by subtracting expected residual entropy from the total entropy of the population. For acuity tests, ETDRS generated more expected information gain than Snellen; scored with VA threshold only or with both VA threshold and VA range, qVA with 15 rows (or 45 optotypes) generated more expected information gain than ETDRS. For contrast sensitivity tests, CSV-1000 generated more expected information gain than Pelli-Robson; scored with AULCSF or with CS at six spatial frequencies, qCSF with 25 trials generated more expected information gain than CSV-1000. The active learning based qVA and qCSF tests can generate more expected information than the traditional paper chart tests. Although we only applied it to compare visual acuity and contrast sensitivity tests, information gain is a general concept that can be used to compare measurements and data analytics in any domain.
Investigation of the electrochemical behavior of AlCoCrfeNi-ZrO2 high entropy alloy composites prepared with mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering
Authors: Hajilou Narjess , Javaheri Masoumeh , Ebadzadeh Touradj , Farvizi Mohammad
Published: June 2023

High entropy alloys (HEAs), especially AlCoCrFeNi have received much attention in recent years due to their unique properties. In this regard, the investigation of the various properties of this alloy has been the subject of recent fundamental research. In this study, the electrochemical behavior of Zirconia reinforced AlCoCrFeNi alloy has been investigated. To this end, the Open Circuit Potential (OCP) and Tafel tests were carried out on the samples of AlCoCrFeNi -x%wt. ZrO2 (x = 0, 5, 10) composites in the 3.5% wt. NaCl solution. The SEM images were taken from the corrosion products during tests. Then, to investigate the effect of time on the type and rate of corrosion, the samples were soaked in the mentioned solution for 24, 48, and 72 h, and then an impedance test was carried out. The results of the Tafel test and SEM images illustrated that the addition of zirconia up to 5%wt. and 10% wt. to the mentioned alloy caused corrosion resistance decrease, and increase, respectively. Increasing the FCC in AlCoCrFeNi − 5%wt. ZrO2 due to the addition of reinforcement particles decreased the corrosion resistance. The improvement of the corrosion resistance at 10% wt. of zirconia can be attributed to the increase in the ceramic phase with a high electric resistance as well as consistency between passive layers. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) in Open Circuit Potential (OCP) indicated that the zirconia addition to the AlCoCrFeNi system delays the formation of passive layers for up to 72 hours; because it leads to creating a rough surface.
The concentrations of interleukin-6, insulin, and glucagon in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL6 and INS genes
Authors: Król Magdalena , Urbanowicz Iwona , Kepinska Marta
Published: June 2023

Background
Obesity and diabetes are a problem of modern medicine. Although the environmental factors contributing to the development of these diseases are widely known, research into genetic factors is still ongoing. At the same time, the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of obesity and diabetes is increasingly emphasized. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of two selected polymorphisms (rs1800795, rs3842729) on the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Methods
In this study, 118 participants were examined, including a control group (non-obese and non-diabetic group), an obese group, and a diabetic group. Genotype analysis was performed using the PCR-RFLP method.
Results
It has been shown that in patients with the G/G genotype within the rs1800795 polymorphism (IL6), the chance of developing type 2 diabetes is several times lower compared to patients with the G/C and C/C genotypes. However, the rs3842729 polymorphism (INS) does not directly affect the risk of obesity or type 2 diabetes (T2D), although elevated insulin concentrations have been observed in obese and diabetic patients.
Conclusions
These results confirm the impact of the rs1800795 polymorphism on the development of diabetes, however, this relationship is more complex and requires further research on other factors.
XR-based technical instructions in organized testing: User behaviour and design performance
Authors: Rantakokko Satu , Rousi Rebekah
Published: June 2023

Extended reality (XR) is changing the way humans interact with information. Developers are currently experiencing a need to understand more about the use and design of XR-delivered information. Humans are active agents within human-technology interaction. There is a need to systematically study how human agency affects the nature of XR content and how this knowledge can be applied within the content design process. The present article focuses on the context of an iterative co-design process for XR-based technical instructions. The research question is: In what ways can technology-based user behavior inform the design of XR-based technical instructions? Studies exist concerning XR-based technical instructions, yet the comparability of these studies is low. User characteristics among other variables influence the results of using XR-based technical instructions. The method comprises two experimental studies that aimed to identify how users notice and act upon or ignore both designed and unintended features of XR-based technical instructions. A framework for systematically testing XR-based technical instructions was developed and applied. The results indicate that verbal evaluations of the XR-based technical instructions may not be reliable. A systematic mixed method test process is crucial transitioning the design of technical instructions to a new medium. Conclusion: There is a need for a systematic method to test how users notice and act upon the intended features of XR-based instructions. The specific target users need to be involved in this iterative process.
An Evaluation of the Seasonal Caribbean Hydroclimate in Low and High-Resolution CESM and other CMIP6 Models
Authors: Martinez Carlos Javier , Simpson Isla R. , Fasullo John T. , Prein Andreas F.
Published: June 2023

The Caribbean and Central American hydroclimate is understudied and complex in part due to its data sparsity, varied topographies, and multi-faceted interactions with the tropics and mid-latitudes. Recent work developed a refined and comprehensive understanding of the observed hydroclimate that has yet to be explored in global circulation models. This study investigates the simulation of the Caribbean hydroclimate using a suite of station and gridded observational datasets, the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) at high (0.25x0.25°) and low (0.9x1.25°) resolution, CESM2 at low (0.9x1.25°) resolution, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) High-Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP), and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Seamless System for Prediction and Earth System Research (GFDL-SPEAR). The simulated climatologies (1983-2014) of the annual rainfall cycle and total moisture fluxes, and climatological correlation coefficients of sea surface temperatures (SST), sea-level pressure (SLP), and zonal/meridional low-level winds onto indices of seasonal Caribbean rainfall totals are calculated to investigate inter-model differences. Generally, fully coupled CESM, GFDL-SPEAR-MED, and CMIP6 simulations underestimate precipitation across the Caribbean, with some improvements using high-resolution (<0.5°) simulations. The underestimations are largest during the Early-Rainy Season (ERS; mid-April to mid-June). Coupled models also show a moisture divergence bias associated with a stronger/west-displaced North Atlantic Subtropical High (NASH), a weaker / southward displaced Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and stronger Caribbean Low-Level Jet (CLLJ). Precipitation and large-scale dynamic biases in experiments with observation-based SSTs are smaller, regardless of their spatial resolution, suggesting SST biases in coupled models may contribute to precipitation and dynamic biases. The findings emphasize the importance of both high-resolution and accurate simulation of coupled dynamical interactions in global circulation models to accurately simulate the Caribbean’s hydroclimate, and, therefore, provide reliable future climate projections for the region.
“The will to live!” The perceptions of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in relation to antifibrotic treatment: a qualitative study
Authors: Generoso Liliane Neto , Assis Marcella Guimarães , de Leucas Paula Lages Barsand , Luz Maria Bernardes , Moura Mariana Parreira , Silva Marcos Lucas Mateus , Mancuzo Eliane Viana
Published: June 2023

Introduction
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are typically treated with antifibrotic drugs, which act by slowing the progression of the disease, thus reducing the frequency of exacerbations and increasing survival. Although safe, such drugs have adverse effects and do not reduce the degree of dyspnoea or improve patient quality of life. In this study, we discuss the perceptions of individuals with IPF in relation to antifibrotic treatment.
Methods
This was a qualitative study of 17 patients with IPF on antifibrotic treatment for ≥ 6 months, followed at a referral centre for interstitial diseases. We collected data through semi-structured interviews and the six phases of thematic analysis was used.
Results
The results obtained allowed us to construct three thematic categories: the will to live; perceptions about improvement, delayed progression or worsening of the clinical condition resulting from the treatment; and perceptions about adverse effects of the treatment and their repercussions on daily life. The desire to stay alive or to reduce physical suffering was understood as a motivation to seek treatment. Some patients reported improvement in their clinical condition after starting antifibrotic. Tolerance to adverse effects was high among the participants, and even those who experienced significant drug-related adverse effects did not discontinue the treatment.
Conclusion
The will to live appears to motivate patients to use antifibrotics, even without the promise of a cure or changes in clinical status. In addition, adverse events, even when aggressive, do not seem to deter patients with a devastating disease from continuing treatment.
Die Bedeutung sozialer Vergleiche bei der Wahrnehmung visueller Verkehrssicherheits­botschaften von Influencerinnen auf Instagram
Authors: Kaup Stefanie
Published: June 2023

Soziale Vergleichsprozesse in Social Media tragen zur Identitätsbildung junger Frauen bei. Vor diesem Hintergrund bieten Influencerinnen für die Verkehrssicherheitsarbeit das Potenzial, relevante Meinungen, Einstellungen und Verhaltensweisen der Zielgruppe zu beeinflussen. Mit dem Verständnis von Medienaneignung als interaktionalen Prozess untersucht diese Studie, wie 13- bis 22-jährige Frauen visuelle Verkehrssicherheitsbotschaften zum Fahrradhelm-Tragen auf Instagram wahrnehmen, bewerten und interpretieren. Dazu wurde ein Instagram-Profil mit 30 variantenreichen Fotos einer fiktiven Mode-Influencerin entwickelt. Um sowohl Bedingungen der Aufmerksamkeitszuwendung bei der Bildrezeption als auch nachgelagerte Sinnkonstruktionen der Rezipientinnen zu ermitteln, wurde eine explorative Eyetracking-Untersuchung mit 30 Frauen und wurden mit der Hälfte dieser Frauen postrezeptive Leitfadeninterviews durchgeführt. Im Eyetracking zeigte sich, dass 20- bis 22-jährige Rezipientinnen ihre visuelle Aufmerksamkeit stärker auf Helme auf inszenierten Bildern richten, während 13- bis 19-jährige Frauen Helme eher auf realitätsnahen Bildern fokussieren. Bei der Bildbewertung und -interpretation im Rahmen der Leitfadeninterviews stellt die wahrgenommene Glaubwürdigkeit der Influencerin den zentralen Bezugspunkt dar. Aufgrund des Identifikationspotenzials begünstigen professionell erstellte ästhetische Bilder realitätsnaher Situationen soziale Vergleichsprozesse. Unterstellen die Befragten der Influencerin eine persuasive Intention oder ein inkonsistentes Verhalten, werten sie die entsprechenden Bilder ab. Die empirischen Erkenntnisse erlauben erste Empfehlungen für die praktische Verkehrssicherheitsarbeit und identifizieren weiteren Forschungsbedarf zur persuasiven Kommunikation in sozialen Netzwerken.
Parametrization and thermodynamic scaling of pair correlation functions for the fractional quantum Hall effect
Authors: Fulsebakke Jørgen , Fremling Mikael , Moran Niall , Slingerland Joost K.
Published: June 2023

The calculation of pair correlations and density profiles of quasiholes are routine steps in the study of proposed fractional quantum Hall states. Nevertheless, the field has not adopted a standard way to present the results of such calculations in an easily reproducible form. We develop a polynomial expansion that allows for easy quantitative comparison between different candidate wavefunctions, as well as reliable scaling of correlation and quasihole profiles to the thermodynamic limit. We start from the well-known expansion introduced by Girvin [PRB, 30 (1984)] (see also [Girvin, MacDonald and Platzman, PRB, 33 (1986)]), which is physically appealing but, as we demonstrate, numerically unstable. We orthogonalize their basis set to obtain a new basis of modified Jacobi polynomials, whose coefficients can be stably calculated. We then apply our expansion to extract pair correlation expansion coefficients and quasihole profiles in the thermodynamic limit for a wide range of fractional quantum Hall wavefunctions. These include the Laughlin series, composite fermion states with both reverse and direct flux attachment, the Moore-Read Pfaffian state, and BS hierarchy states. The expansion procedure works for both abelian and non-abelian quasiholes, even when the density at the core is not zero. We find that the expansion coefficients for all quantum Hall states considered can be fit remarkably well using a cosine oscillation with exponentially decaying amplitude. The frequency and the decay length are related in an intuitive, but not elementary way to the filling fraction. Different states at the same filling fraction can have distinct values for these parameters. Finally, we also use our scaled correlation functions to calculate estimates for the magneto-roton gaps of the various states.
Water quality parameters assessment of Ras El-Ain Natural Ponds, Tyr, Lebanon
Authors: Khatib Milad , Daoud Mohamad , Arairo Wahib , Saba Marianne , Mortada Hussein
Published: June 2023

Lebanon's natural water resources are facing serious problems related to quality and quantity. Unregulated resource planning and rising demand are the main factors. Water resources are used in several ways. However, due to the over-exploitation, and random use of surface water resources, Lebanon is facing severe problems related to water need and accessibility. This study focused on the Ras El-Ain area located in the South of Lebanon that dedicated, along with other reservoirs, to supply potable water for Tyr and the surrounding villages. Nowadays, the water of these natural ponds has been polluted significantly due to unrestricted liquid and solid waste disposal. Physicochemical and microbiological water characteristics, following the LIBNOR guidelines, of four selected samples from each natural pond were tested. In addition, another sample was taken from a water reservoir that collects water from these natural ponds. The obtained results were used to evaluate the extent of pollution in these natural ponds using PhreeQC software. The novelty of this study stems from the fact that it is the first to shed light on the degree of pollution level in the Ras El-Ain ponds, Lebanon (an unstudied area).
Contribution of hydrogeochemical and statistical tools to the acquisition of water quality in the Bouchegouf Plain (northeast Algeria)
Authors: Majour Habiba , Sedrati Nassima , Hani Samir , Attoui Badra , Bounab Samia , Hani Azzedine
Published: June 2023

The Bouchegouf Plain is an industrial and mainly agricultural region. The results of analyses revealed high concentrations of physicochemical and bacteriological parameters in surface and underground waters. The objective of this research is to study the impact of the various discharges on water and the environment. Physicochemical and bacteriological analysis methods are used to characterize the surface and groundwaters. The synthesis of geological, hydrogeological and physicochemical data made it possible to develop models of underground flows and to delimit the perimeters of protection of the wells. The results showed a significant threat to the environment (Mellah and Seybouse streams) and to the waters of the alluvial aquifer. Indeed, the high concentrations of physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, in particular at the point of discharge of the yeast plant, can have harmful effects on fauna, flora and human health (waterborne diseases). Simulations of groundwater flows and pollutant transfer showed that groundwater is strongly affected by the drainage of the Seybouse wadi. Road traffic can also be the source of accidental pollution.
Administration of Inhibitory Molecules through Nanoparticles in
Breast Cancer Therapy
Authors: Quijia Christian Rafael , Enríquez Andreina Quevedo , Zappia Carlos Daniel , Peroni Roxana Noemí , Chorilli Marlus
Published: June 2023

According to Global Cancer Statistics, breast cancer is the second leading cause
of mortality in women. While there are several treatments for breast cancer, they are not always
effective. In most cases, after initial treatment, patients may present a low response to
therapy, more severe relapses, and even drug resistance. Hence, more effective and targeted
therapies are needed. Recently, the use of nanoparticles has emerged as a promising alternative
that will allow the controlled release of drugs in response to stimuli, precise delivery to
the site of action, lower levels of toxicity, and fewer side effects. In this review, we provide
an overview of the recent evidence proposing the delivery of inhibitory molecules encapsulated
in nanoparticles as a new therapy for breast cancer that targets the signaling pathways
governing the processes of tumor formation, maintenance, and expansion.
Structure of the Blood Brain Barrier and its Role in the Transporters for the
Movement of Substrates across the Barriers
Authors: S Ankul Singh , Vellapandian Chitra
Published: June 2023

For the brain to operate normally and to develop with structural integrity in addition to neuronal function,
blood-brain barrier present in brain capillaries serves as a vital barrier mechanism. In addition to the transport barrier
created by membranes, transporters, and vesicular processes, the structure and function of the BBB are summarised.
The physical barrier is created by endothelial tight junctions. The permeability and transport of molecules between
extracellular fluid and plasma are constrained by the presence of tight junctions between neighbouring endothelial
cells. Each solute must pass through both membranes in the luminal and abluminal divisions. The functions of the
neurovascular unit are described, with special emphasis on the pericytes, microglia, and astrocyte endfeet. The luminal
membrane contains five separate facilitative transport mechanisms, each of which is exclusive to a few substrates.
Nevertheless, the import of big-branched and aromatic neutral amino acids is facilitated by two key carriers
(System L and y+) in the plasma membrane. It is asymmetrically present in both membranes. The sodium pump
Na+/K+-ATPase is highly expressed in the abluminal membrane, where many Na+ dependent transport mechanisms
move amino acids against its concentration gradient. The trojan horse strategy, which uses molecular tools to bind
the medication and its formulations, is also preferred in drug delivery. The BBB's cellular structure, the transport
systems unique to each substrate, and the necessity to identify transporters with changes that assist the transfer of
various medications have all been changed in the current work. Nevertheless, to rule out the BBB passage for the
new class of neuroactive medications, the mixing of traditional pharmacology and nanotechnology needs to be focused
on outcomes that show promise.
WITHDRAWN: Monochasma savatieri Inhibits the Migration of the Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231
Authors: Gutierrez-Pajares Jorge L. , Zhang Mengya , Ma Funing
Published: June 2023

This article has been withdrawn from the journal Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry due to a Conflict of Interest between the authors.

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Analysis of Tolfenamic Acid using a Simple, Rapid, and
Stability-indicating Validated HPLC Method
Authors: Kazi Sadia Hafeez , Sheraz Muhammad Ali , Musharraf Syed Ghulam , Ahmed Sofia , Bano Raheela , Haq Faraz ul , Anwar Zubair , Ali Raahim
Published: June 2023

Background:

Tolfenamic acid (TA) belongs to the fenamates class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Insufficient information is available regarding the availability of a reliable and validated stability-indicating method for the assay of TA.

Objective:

A relatively simple, rapid, accurate, precise, economical, robust, and stability-indicating RP-HPLC method has been developed to determine TA in pure and tablet dosage forms.

Methods:

The method was validated according to the ICH guideline, and parameters like linearity, range, selectivity, accuracy, precision, robustness, specificity, and solution stability were determined. TLC and FTIR spectrometry were used to ascertain the purity of TA. The specificity was determined with known impurities and after performing forced degradation, while the robustness was established by Plackett-Burman's experimental design. The mobile phase used for the analysis was acetonitrile and water (90:10, v/v) at pH 2.5. The detection of the active drug was made at 280 nm using a C18 column (tR = 4.3 min.). The method's ap-plicability was also checked for the yellow polymorphic form of TA.

Results:

The results indicated that the method is highly accurate (99.39-100.80%), precise (<1.5% RSD), robust (<2% RSD), and statistically comparable to the British Pharmacopoeia method with better sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusion:

It was observed that the stress degradation studies do not affect the method's accuracy and specificity. Hence the proposed method can be used to assay TA and its tablet dosage form.
New Insights into the Relationship between Nutrition and Neuroinflammation
in Alzheimer's Disease: Preventive and Therapeutic Perspectives
Authors: De Marchi Fabiola , Vignaroli Francesca , Mazzini Letizia , Comi Cristoforo , Tondo Giacomo
Published: June 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive brain disorders characterized by inexorable
synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss. Since the most consistent risk factor for developing neurodegenerative
diseases is aging, the prevalence of these disorders is intended to increase with increasing
life expectancy. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia, representing
a significant medical, social, and economic burden worldwide. Despite growing research to
reach an early diagnosis and optimal patient management, no disease-modifying therapies are currently
available. Chronic neuroinflammation has been recognized as a crucial player in sustaining neurodegenerative
processes, along with pathological deposition of misfolded proteins, including amyloid-β
and tau protein. Modulating neuroinflammatory responses may be a promising therapeutic strategy in
future clinical trials. Among factors that are able to regulate neuroinflammatory mechanisms, diet, and
nutrients represent easily accessible and modifiable lifestyle components. Mediterranean diet and several
nutrients, including polyphenols, vitamins, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, can exert antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties, impacting clinical manifestations, cognitive decline, and
dementia. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the relationship between neuroinflammation,
nutrition, gut microbiota, and neurodegeneration. We summarize the major studies exploring
the effects of diet regimes on cognitive decline, primarily focusing on Alzheimer’s disease dementia
and the impact of these results on the design of ongoing clinical trials.
Design and Implementation of a Three-phase Asynchronous Motor Intelligent
Test System
Authors: Xie Yongchao , Yan Jun , Shi Jinyan , Duan Shuhua
Published: June 2023

Background:

The locomotive traction motor has gradually shifted from DC motors to
AC motors in high-speed railways, and the traction motor needs to be regularly maintained and tested
frequently.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to test the related motor performance by obtaining and analyzing
motor data from the test according to the standard "Three-phase Asynchronous Motor Test
Method (GB-T 1032-2012)". The performance of the tested motor has been evaluated to meet the
relevant requirements of the application. Thus, reasonable and scientific references have been offered
for the maintenance and repair of the motor.

Methods:

A three-phase AC asynchronous motor test system based on LabVIEW and an AC power
dynamometer was constructed based on the needs of the factory and type test of a three-phase AC
asynchronous motor. Ambient temperature measurement, insulation resistance measurement, DC
resistance measurement, no-load characteristics test, overspeed test, blocking characteristics test,
load test, and temperature rise test have been carried out. The data on voltage, current, speed, power,
and so on, have been collected. A 125 kW three-phase asynchronous motor was tested with the designed
system, and the parameters obtained from the system were compared with those from the
motor labels.

Results:

The three-phase AC asynchronous motor test system was designed based on LabVIEW and
AC dynamometer operating on an industrial computer with a precision measuring instrument. The
most advanced virtual instrument technology was used to combine the powerful data computing and
processing ability with the measurement and control ability of instrument hardware. The software
proved to be able to acquire data display, control, storage, and analysis simultaneously. In addition,
a high degree of intelligence, an automatic motor start and stop control, automatic synchronous acquisition
of test data, automatic data processing and calculation, and automatic test report generation
and printing function were covered in this system. The simulated results of the system agreed well with
the actual performance of the three-phase asynchronous motor, and helped the motor to operate well.

Conclusion:

The designed testing system exhibited a high automation ability, reliability, and accuracy.
It proved to be a time and manpower-saving technical method, improving the actual test efficiency,
and helped to reduce labor intensity dramatically.
Improved Two Stage Generative Adversarial Networks for Adversarial
Example Generation with Real Exposure
Authors: Goyal Priyanka , Singh Deepesh
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Deep neural networks due to their linear nature are sensitive to adversarial examples. They can easily be broken just by a small disturbance to the input data. Some of the existing methods to perform these kinds of attacks are pixel-level perturbation and spatial transformation of images.

Method:

These methods generate adversarial examples that can be fed to the network for wrong predictions. The drawback that comes with these methods is that they are really slow and computationally expensive. This research work performed a black box attack on the target model classifier by using the generative adversarial networks (GAN) to generate adversarial examples that can fool a classifier model to classify the images as wrong classes. The proposed method used a biased dataset that does not contain any data of the target label to train the first generator Gnorm of the first stage GAN, and after the first training has finished, the second stage generator Gadv, which is a new generator model that does not take random noise as input but the output of the first generator Gnorm.

Result:

The generated examples have been superimposed with the Gnorm output with a small constant, and then the superimposed data have been fed to the target model classifier to calculate the loss. Some additional losses have been included to constrain the generation from generating target examples.

Conclusion:

The proposed model has shown a better fidelity score, as evaluated using Fretchet inception distance score (FID), which was up to 42.43 in the first stage and up to 105.65 in the second stage with the attack success rate of up to 99.13%.
Performance Challenges and Solutions in Big Data Platform Hadoop
Authors: Singh Balraj , Verma Harsh K , Madaan Vishu
Published: June 2023

Background:

The present era demands continuous support to bring improvements in
executing complex analytics on large-scale data and to work beyond traditional systems.

Objective:

The need for processing diverse data types and solutions for different domains of the
industry is rising. Such needs increase the requirement for sophisticated techniques and methods to
enhance the existing platforms and mechanisms further. It provides an opportunity for the research
community to investigate further into the existing systems, find potential issues, and propose new
ways to improve the current systems. Hadoop is a popular choice to manage and process Big data.
It is an open-source platform and a front-runner in the batch processing of large-scale jobs. The
economy associated with the cluster in scaling is low as compared to other platforms. However, this
popularity by no means guarantees high performance in all scenarios. With the continuous evolution
in data development and industrial requirements, it is imperative to investigate and look into
new methods and techniques to bring advancements to the existing system.

Method:

A systematic review is represented in this paper to have an insight into the current progress
in this field. Research publications from various sources are taken and analyzed. The performance
of a cluster largely depends upon the different job processing mechanisms and policies associated
with it.

Conclusion:

While extensive studies and solutions are proposed, the performance bottlenecks in
terms of load balancing, resource utilization, content management, and efficient processing prevail.
Not many of the solutions are there on scheduling about the trade-off between different parameters,
the process of content splitting and merging is not explored to a large extent and the skew mitigation
solutions are more focused on Reduce side of the MapReduce while the Map side is not utilized
much for load balancing.