bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Digital Technology Cycles and Local Economic Performance: The Balance between Concentration and Diversification
Authors: Woerter Martin , Heinrich Sebastian , Sarferaz Samad
Published: July 2023

The paper studies international dynamics in the development of digital technologies and their effect on local economic performance. We use a structural dynamic factor model to decompose trends in patenting activities across digital technology fields and countries into global and country-specific components. We then examine the impact of these global and country-specific digital technology development cycles on local economic performance and technological specialisation by regressing value added, employment, wages, labour productivity and digital technology specialisa-tion on world and country factors. The empirical results show that the global digital technology cycle plays a significant role in all countries. The study finds a positive relationship between the global digital technology cycle and the economic performance of a country’s ICT sectors. It shows that countries benefit from international efforts to develop digital technologies if their ICT sector encompasses a broad range of technologies and is not specialised in specific digital technologies
JEL classification: O31, O33, O47, C38, L86
A novel signature based on crosstalk between anoikis- and pyroptosis-associated genes for prediction of clinical outcomes, TME and treatment response of breast cancer
Authors: Liu Qian , Qu Fei , Wu Xuefang , Lu Rongrong , Huang Xiang , Yin Yongmei , Li Wei
Published: July 2023

Background:Breast cancer is nowthe most prevalent malignant among female population worldwide. Anoikis is a key progress during genesis and metastasis of malignant cells. Pyroptosis is a newly defined type of programmed cell death reported to have a dual effect on the development of carcinomas and had been reported to have the potential to affect anti-tumor immunity. However, few studies investigated the connections between anoikis, pyroptosis and prognosis in breast cancer.Methods:Anoikis and pyroptosis-related genes (APGs) were achieved from GeneCards and Harmonizome portals database. Based on expression profiles of APGs of patients from TCGA-BRCA cohort, differentiated expressed APGs between normal and tumoral tissues are identified. Next, by univariate Cox regression analysis of combined data of TCGA and GSE cohorts, prognostic APGs was defined. Then patients from both TCGA and GEO cohort were classified into three clusters by consensus clustering algorithm. Overlapped APGs between three clusters were identified as intersecting genes, based on expression of which, individuals are again assigned to two different gene clusters. Eventually, we successfully developed a PCA scoring signature and a nomogram system to accurately predict the prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy of breast cancer patients.Results:Patients were classified into three clusters based on APGs’ expression. Cluster A was featured by longest OS. According to the expression profile of 300 intersecting genes, patients were again divided into two different gene clusters. Subtype B is characterized with poorer diagnosis. Meanwhile, by means of principal component analysis, we successfully predicted clinical outcomes and treatment response to immunotherapy. Finally, we constructed an APG score-associated nomogram model to predict prognosis.Conclusion:We successfully established a scoring system based on anoikis and pyroptosis-related genes, as well as combined with clinicopathological features, to serve as a biomarker for prediction of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy efficacy in breast cancer.
Biosynthesis of apigenin glucosides in engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum
Authors: Amoah Obed Jackson , Ma Su Yeong , Thapa Samir Bahadur , Nguyen Hue Thi , Zaka Morshed Md , Sohng Jae Kyung
Published: July 2023

Background;
Glucosylation is a well-known approach to improve the solubility, pharmacological and biological properties of flavonoids. In recent years, efforts such as enzymatic synthesis have been developed to enhance the production of flavonoid glucosides. However, the low yield of products coupled with the requirement of expensive UDP-sugars limits the application of these systems for large-scale synthesis for human needs. C. glutamicum is a Gram-positive and generally regarded as safe (GRAS) bacteria frequently employed for the large-scale production of amino acids and bio-fuels. Due to the versatility of its cell factory system and its non-endotoxin producing properties, it has become an attractive system for the industrial-scale biosynthesis of alternate products. Here, we explored the cell factory of C. glutamicum for efficient glucosylation of flavonoids using apigenin as a model flavonoid.
Results;
For the production of apigenin glucosides, a promiscuous glycosyltransferase, YdhE from Bacillus licheniformis was successfully expressed in C. glutamicum. Additionally, the endogenous C. glutamicum genes galU1 encoding UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and pgm encoding phosphoglucomutase genes involved in the synthesis of UDP-glucose were overexpressed to create a C. glutamicum cell factory system capable of efficiently glucosylating apigenin with a high yield of glucosides in a comparatively short time. Consequently, the production of various apigenin glucosides was controlled under different temperatures yielding almost 4.2 mM of APG1(apigenin 4’-O-β-glucoside), 0.6 mM of APG2 (apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside), 1.7 mM of APG3 (apigenin 4’,7-O-β-diglucoside) and 2.1 mM of APG4 (apigenin 4’,5-O-β-diglucoside) after 40 h of incubation with the supplementation of 5 mM of apigenin.
Conclusion;
The developed C. glutamicum cell factory system highly glucosylated apigenin with higher efficiency and the high substrate susceptibility of C. glutamicum makes it the best alternative for large-scale biosynthesis of flavonoid glucosides. The developed system could be used to modify a wide range of plant secondary metabolites with increased pharmacokinetic activities on a large scale without the use of expensive UDP-sugars, thus making a cost-effective system.
Fabrication of Folic acid-cysteamine modified AgNPs as promising contrast agent for CT imaging
Authors: Lian Wei , Gan Min
Published: July 2023

The present work demonstrates the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Coffea arabica (C. arabica) leaf extract. The AgNPs prepared by green route from C. arabica leaf were characterized through UV-Visible, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Energy dispersive electron spectroscopy (EDS). Later, the prepared NPs were conjugated with cysteamine-folic acid and utilized as a contrast medium for in vitro targeted imaging of folic acid receptor-expressing malignant cells by computerized tomography (CT). At 80 kVp, the targeted cells exhibited CT values which were two times greater than that of the non-targeted cells. The results were compared with the folic acid-negative cell lines as well as the effective inhibition of folic acid receptor using free folic acid substrate. The outcome of the study suggests that the fabricated cysteamine-folic acid conjugated silver nanoparticles (FA-Cys-AgNPs) could be utilized as a potential contrast agent for molecular CT imaging. This information can be taken into consideration for applying AgNPs in enhancing radiation dose where nanoparticles containing greater X-ray attenuation were applied.
Deep Multi-Source Supervised Domain Adaptation with Class Imbalance
Authors: Ranvier Thomas , Elghazel Haytham , Coquery Emmanuel , Benabdeslem Khalid
Published: July 2023

Deep multi-source domain adaptation is based on deep neural networks and exploits knowledge from multiple source domains to improve predictions on a target domain.In this paper, we are especially interested in investigating domain adaptation in a supervised context, with limited data and class imbalance. We propose a new multi-source supervised domain adaptation approach that is able to transfer both shared knowledge across all source domains and source domain specific knowledge toward a target domain. Transfer contribution weights are computed during training based on domain divergence. They are used to balance each source domain impact on learning during the model training phase, limiting negative transfer as much as possible. We conduct extensive experiments to show that our approach competes and even outperforms other state-of-the-art domain adaptation approaches on both image benchmark datasets and real-world tabular medical data. We perform statistical analysis to better evaluate our experimental results, and conduct an ablation study to evaluate the usefulness of each component of the method.
Influence of Isomeric Composition and Sample Handling on the Liquid Density of Hydrofluorethers Measured by Vibrating Tube Densimeter at 0.1 MPa
Authors: Prokopová Olga , Blahut Aleš , Hajduch Jan , Kučnirová Kateřina , Čenský Miroslav , Aminian Ali , Richter Markus , Vinš Václav
Published: July 2023

Hydrofluoroethers (HFEs) represent a new family of promising engineering fluids suitable for technical cleaning, cooling of electronic and magnetic devices or as admixtures in refrigerant blends. Here we report accurate data for the liquid density at 0.1\,MPa and temperatures from $273.15\,\mathrm{K}$ to $343.15\,\mathrm{K}$ for a series of five HFEs; namely HFE-7000, HFE-7100, HFE-7200, HFE-7300, and HFE-7500. A highly sensitive vibrating tube densimeter with a borosilicate glass U-tube calibrated according to the procedure by Prokopov\'{a} et al. [J. Chem. Thermodyn. 173 (2022) 106855] provided density data with an expanded uncertainty ($k=2$) of $0.13\,\mathrm{kg\cdot m^{-3}}$. Influences such as sample degassing, water content or sample temperature before its dosing into the densimeter are discussed. Thanks to the high sensitivity of the used densimeter, an unexpected shift in the density of different HFE-7100 and HFE-7200 liquid samples was detected. Unlike other HFEs, HFE-7100 and HFE-7200 are mixtures of two hardly separable isomers, which were so far considered having identical thermophysical properties. Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the ratio of \textit{n}-isomer and \textit{iso}-isomer was inspected for various liquid samples. In the range of \textit{iso}-isomer mole fraction from 0.61 to 0.77, the new measurements revealed density differences of more than $5\,\mathrm{kg\cdot m^{-3}}$ in case of HFE-7100 and of about $3\,\mathrm{kg\cdot m^{-3}}$ in case of HFE-7200. Consequently, for some applications the properties of different HFE isomers cannot be considered identical. The Rackett-type correlation for the saturated liquid density was fitted using the new and the literature data.
Resistance training with progressive load associated with nutritional advice reduces the frequency of sarcopenia in older people
Authors: Pereira Milton Amaral , Silva Ana Carolina , Mapa Vinícius Camael , Peixoto Lilian Maria , Ferreira Joao Batista , Rosse Izinara Cruz , Oliveira Emerson Cruz , Becker Lenice Kappes , Coelho Daniel Barbosa
Published: July 2023

Background
Sarcopenia is a musculoskeletal, progressive, and generalized disorder characterized by decreased muscle strength and mass that is directly related to age, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition. Associated with aging and other factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, sarcopenia can decrease quality of life, central nervous system damage, reduced anabolic pathways, and increased low-grade chronic inflammation.
Aims
To evaluate the effect of 12-week progressive intensity Resistance Training (RT) associated with nutritional advice on the frequency of sarcopenia in older adults.
Methods
The participants received nutritional advice in group meetings immediately before the stard of the study and during the 12 weeks. The sarcopenia status of the participants was assessed at baseline and after a 12-week intervention.
Results
The RT associated with nutritional advice completely reduced the frequency of sarcopenia in the intervention group (p = 0.000). On the other hand, the control group increased the incidence of sarcopenia. After 12 weeks, progressive intensity RT associated with nutritional advice proved to be an effective treatment to reverse sarcopenia and keep the participants non-sarcopenic individuals.
Conclusion
The results of this study provide information about an efficient and non-pharmacological sarcopenia treatment.
Colonoscopy-assisted removal of foreign body impaction at the rectosigmoid junction: a case and review of the literature
Authors: Pengfei Zhou , Jiadong Zhang , Jigen Lu , Jiawen Wang
Published: July 2023

Introduction
Rectal foreign body embedded in the clinic is not common, patients due to a variety of reasons caused by different objects and appliances embedded in the rectum cannot be removed, although the clinical foreign body caused by perforation is relatively rare, but once such a symptom occurs, it will also pose a threat to the patient's life. This case show that we should accurately assess the patient's condition once a foreign body is embedded in the rectum, and select a timely and effective treatment plan to remove the foreign body.
Method
We analyzed the literature on the clinical signs and possible conditions in such cases and discussed the timeliness and rationality of the surgical and therapeutic options for this patient.
Results
The patient was a 54-year-old male who was hospitalized in our outpatient clinic on June 03, 2022 for a rectal foreign body that had been embedded for more than 1 day. The patient told us that he had used a glass electrode tube to assist in removing the foreign body one day earlier due to "prolapse of the anus", but the electrode tube was inadvertently inserted into the anus and could not be removed on his own. After completing the pre-surgical examination, the foreign body was dragged into the rectum with the assistance of colonoscopy, and the anus was dilated with comb-type pulling hook and anal fistula pulling hook to widen the anus and remove the foreign body, and then relieved the local symptoms of the anus with the Chinese medicine Gu's Surgical Therapy.
Discussion
Rectal foreign body implantation, although rare in clinical practice, should be treated in a multidisciplinary manner, considering the type of foreign body, its material, and the possible risks involved.
Effect of lactic acid bacteria and wheat bran on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of paper mulberry silage
Authors: Wang Ningwei , Wang Yan , Lin Yanli , Xu Gang , Ni Kuikui , Yang Fuyu
Published: July 2023

Backgrounds:
Paper mulberry has been considered as a high-quality protein feedstuff to cope with the shortage of feed and the development of livestock. In addition, the features of high moisture and low water-soluble carbohydrate concentration in fresh paper mulberry make it difficult to ensile. Therefore, it is important to find an optimal way to improve the paper mulberry silage quality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the application of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and wheat bran (WB) on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and microbial community of paper mulberry silage.
Results
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum and wheat bran alone or combination (LP + WB) addition on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of paper mulberry silage. After 60 days of ensiling, the employed three treatments had higher crude protein contents compared with control (P < 0.05). More importantly, WB and LP + WB treatments significantly reduced the pH value and NH3-N concentration, and increased lactic acid content (P < 0.05). Microbial analysis indicated that the bacterial community in WB and LP + WB treatments showed distinct difference with LP and control. Lactobacillus was the dominant genera in all treatments. However, at the species level, Lactobacillus farciminis became the most dominant bacteria in control and LP treatments while the dominant bacteria in WB and LP + WB were Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus farciminis. In addition, Lactobacillus brevis was positively relative to crude protein and lactic acid and negatively to pH and NH3-N. Overall, this study revealed that ensiling paper mulberry with WB or combination LP could improve silage quality through altering microbial community, which provided a practical approach for enhancing paper mulberry silage quality.
Conclusion
Wheat bran and combinations of Lactobacillus plantarum and wheat bran additions could reduce pH, NH3-N and increase LA content. The application of WB and LP + WB shifted the dominant bacteria species to Lactobacillus brevis. In summary, the addition of wheat bran and combinations of lactic acid bacteria and wheat bran were effective ways to enhance paper mulberry silage fermentation.
Identification of potential pseudogenes for predicting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ge Luqi , Jin Tiefeng , Zhang Wanli , Zhang Zhentao , Zhang Yiwen , Hu Xiaoping , Zhang Wen , Song Feifeng , Huang Ping
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a highly deadly malignant tumor with high recurrence and metastasis rates. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in tumor metastasis, recurrence, and resistance to drugs, which have attracted widespread attention in recent years. Research has shown that pseudogenes may regulate stemness to promote the progression of HCC, but its specific mechanisms and impact on prognosis remain unclear.
Methods
In this study, clinical prognosis information of HCC was first downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then we calculated the mRNA expression based stemness index (mRNAsi) of HCC. We also screened the differentially expressed Pseudogene (DEPs) and conducted univariate Cox regression analysis to investigate their effect on the prognosis of HCC. Further, genomic mutation frequency analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to compare the role of pseudogenes and stemness in promoting the progression of HCC. Finally, we conducted the correlation analysis to examine the potential mechanism of pseudogenes regulating stemness to promote the progression of HCC and detected the possible pathways through the Gene Ontology biological process (GO-BP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis.
Results
Herein, we revealed that the high stemness of HCC correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. We obtained 31 up-regulated and 8 down-regulated DEPs in HCC and screened CTB-63M22.1, a poor prognostic indicator of HCC. In addition, CTB-63M22.1 had a mutation frequency similar to mRNAsi and acted in a module similar to that of mRNAsi on HCC. We then screened two RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) LIN28B and NOP56 with the highest correlation with stemness. We also discovered that they were primarily enriched in the biological process as examples of mitotic nuclear division and cell cycle.
Conclusions
Collectively, these results revealed that pseudogenes CTB-63M22.1 may regulate cancer stemness by regulating RBPs, suggesting that CTB-63M22.1 may serve as an innovative therapeutic target and a reliable prognostic marker for HCC.
Optimizing the encapsulation behavior of egg yolk on DHA by vacuum low-temperature spray drying to improve the hydration properties of the powder
Authors: Sun Haoyang , Mourad Fayez Khalaf , Chen Nan , Zhang Xinyue , Li Qiqi , Li Xiaomeng , Ding Lixian , Dong Wanyi , Huang Xi , Shu Dewei , Cai Zhaoxia
Published: July 2023

A fundamental issue in the design of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched egg yolk powder (EYP) is the enhancement of hydration properties, which is an essential criterion for the evaluation of powders with promising functional properties. In this study, the effects of vacuum low-temperature spray drying (VLTSD), high-temperature spray drying (HTSD), and freeze-drying (FD) on the hydration properties of DHA-enriched EYP were investigated. The encapsulation efficiency of DHA-enriched EYP prepared by VLTSD, HTSD and FD were 97.15%, 96.51% and 81.31%, respectively. According to the quality analysis, VLTSD had the best protection for DHA-enriched EYP in terms of chromaticity, bulk density, storage stability and sensory evaluation. The most striking finding of this study was the DHA-enriched EYP prepared by VLTSD exhibited desirable solubility, dispersibility and stability during rehydration, which was well predicted by low-field NMR. Furthermore, at the microscopic level, SEM images and FTIR spectra revealed that VLTSD enhanced the hydration properties by protecting the structural integrity and increasing the hydrogen bonding of the DHA-enriched EYP. This article provided new insights into the improvement of the properties of DHA-enriched EYP, especially the hydration properties.
Circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in preeclampsia with varying disease severity
Authors: PALM Klara , CLUVER Catherine , LANGENEGGER Eduard , TONG Stephen , WALKER Susan , IMBERG Henrik , HASTIE Roxanne , BERGMAN Lina
Published: July 2023

Background
Preeclampsia affects about 5% of pregnancies and is diagnosed by new onset of hypertension with end-organ dysfunction. It is hypothesized that systemic inflammation causes maternal vascular endothelial dysfunction and vascular injury.
Objective
To assess whether plasma concentrations of the circulating inflammatory proteins Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) are increased in women with preeclampsia with end-organ complications (severe disease with high morbidity), compared with women with preeclampsia without end-organ complications (hypertension and excessive proteinuria only).
Study Design
We used samples from a large prospective biobank collection (Preeclampsia Obstetric Adverse Event biobank), and two large, randomized preeclampsia therapeutic treatment trials. All samples were collected in Cape Town, South Africa. The last plasma sample collected prior to birth was analyzed for IL-6, VCAM-1 and CRP concentrations. We categorized cases according to disease severity and compared circulating levels of these analytes. Covariate adjustment was performed for maternal age, body mass index, gestational age and time from sampling to delivery as covariates.
Results
Of 183 women we included, 119 had preeclampsia without end-organ complications. The remaining 64 had preeclampsia with severe features: 49 had one end-organ complication and 15 had multiple end-organ complications.
Compared with women without end-organ complications, those with preeclampsia with multiple end-organ complications had a 4.9-fold (95% CI, 1.81–13.09, p=0.001) increase in IL-6 and a 1.7-fold (95% CI, 1.11–2.72, p=0.012) increase in VCAM-1 plasma concentrations. Comparing women with multiple end-organ complications to those with one end-organ complication, plasma concentrations of IL-6 were 3.2-fold (95% CI, 1.18–8.39, p=0.018) increased, while there was no statistically significant difference for VCAM-1 (1.2-fold higher, 95% CI, 0.79-1.91, p=0.50). Plasma concentrations of CRP did not differ between the groups.
Conclusion
Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and VCAM-1, but not CRP, were increased among women with preeclampsia and end-organ complications, compared with women without end-organ complications. IL-6 and VCAM-1 could be drivers of disease in preeclampsia and potentially useful to identify women at high risk of severe disease.
Schur type comparison theorems for affine curves
Authors: Howard Ralph
Published: July 2023

Let $c, \overline c\colon [a,b]\to \mathbb R^2$ are two convex planar curve parameterized by affine arc length and $A$ is the area bounded by the image of $c$ and its endpoints and $\overline A$ the corresponding area for $\overline c$. If the affine curvatures are related by $\varkappa(s) \le \overline\varkappa(s)$, then $A \ge \overline A$. If either $\varkappa$ or $\overline \varkappa$ is $C^1$ then equality holds if and only if $\overline c$ is the image of $c$ under a special affine motion. Also for any point of a convex curve we define \emph{adapted affine coordinates} centered at the point and give sharp estimates on the coordinates of the curve in terms of bounds on the curvature. Proving these bounds involves generalizing classical comparison theorems of Strum-Liouville type to higher order and nonhomogenous equations. These estimates allow us to give sharp upper bounds on the areas of triangles with whose vertices are on a curve in terms of the curvature and a affine length between the points.
The effects of IRL-1620 in post-ischemic brain injury: A systematic review of experimental studies
Authors: Moustakas Dimitris C. , Mani Iliana , Iacovidou Nicoletta , Xanthos Theodore
Published: July 2023

Introduction Endothelin (ET) is a vasoconstrictive substance, which consists of 21 amino acid residues with two disulfide bonds. Studies showed that endothelin is involved in the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system, and acts as a regulator in the differentiation, proliferation, and migration of neurons during pre- and post-natal development. IRL-1620 (Sovateltide) an endothelin-B receptor agonist, has previously been shown to increase cerebral blood flow, to have anti-apoptotic activity and to produce neurovascular remodeling when administered intravenously following acute cerebral ischemic stroke in rats. The aim of this study is to systematically investigate whether stimulation of ETB receptors by its agonist IRL-1620 (INN, sovateltide), may be used as a first-in-class neuronal progenitor cell therapeutic for the treatment of ischemia–induced brain injury. Methodology A systematic review was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Eligible studies published in MEDLINE (PubMed) and Scopus databases, up to the study data collection time point (December 2022) were selected to be included in the review. The database https://ClinicalTrials.gov, and Pharmazz Inc. were searched for unpublished or ongoing trials. Only studies in English language were selected. No restriction on the year of publication were set, while restrictions on the publication type were posed, i.e. Only experimental animal studies were requested. Results Seven studies were included in the review, all in animal rat models. Mortality was assessed in 3 studies, and in all, in the IRL-1620 treated group it was significantly lower at 24h post-intervention in comparison to that of the vehicle groups. Difference was even higher on day 7 (11.1%vs56.3%) or day 10 (0%vs16-25%). IRL-1620 was associated with lower neurological deficit at 24h and on day 7 (p < 0.001). However, when IRL-1620 was administered, spontaneous activity was significantly (p < 0.01) increased. Differentiation potential of neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs), mitochondrial fate, vascular endothelian growth factor (VEGF) and infract volume improved with IRL-1620 administration. Conclusion In general, administration of the ETB agonist, enhanced neurogenesis and neuroprotection, lowered mortality rate and improved all motor performance tests. Future studies should investigate the effects of IRL-1620 in other common causes of cerebral ischemia including cardiac arrest.
Disruption of p54nrb's gene regulatory function by caspase-2 exhibits a multifaceted role in tumor cell death susceptibility
Authors:   , Eichler Madeleine
Published: July 2023

Caspase-2 is the evolutionary most conserved member of the caspase family and was shown to be involved in genotoxic stress induced apoptosis, control of aneuploidy, and ageing related metabolic changes. However, its role in apoptosis seems redundant due to the observation, that knockout does not inhibit apoptotic signalling exclusively. Instead, knockout of caspase-2 leads to tumor susceptibility in vivo, which led to the assumption, that caspase-2 has non-apoptotic functions and can act as a tumor suppressor. The underlying mechanism of the tumor suppressor activity of caspase-2 has not been clarified so far. Furthermore, caspase-2, has a prominent, and as pro-enzyme exclusive localisation in the nucleus and other subcellular compartments, implicating a distinct and location specific role. In this study, a novel caspase-2 specific substrate, termed p54nrb, was identified. P54nrb is harbouring a caspase-2 specific cleavage site at the aspartate residue D422, and cleavage of p54nrb leads apparently to disruption of its putative DNA binding domain at the C-terminus. P54nrb is a nuclear multifunctional RNA and DNA binding protein, known for roles in transcriptional regulation, DNA unwinding and repair, RNA splicing, and retention of defective RNA. Overexpression of p54nrb has been observed in several human cancers, such as cervix carcinoma, melanoma, and colon carcinoma. Data from this study revealed, that depletion of p54nrb in tumor cell lines results in a loss of resistance to drug induced cell death and to reduced capability of anchorage independent growth, which is functionally equivalent to a reduced tumorigenic potential. Meanwhile, p54nrb depletion alone is not cytotoxic. The investigation of p54nrb dependent gene regulations by high resolution quantitative proteomics uncovered an altering expression of multiple tumorigenic genes. For two of these candidates, the tumorigenic protease cathepsin-Z and the anti-apoptotic gelsolin, p54nrb dependent expression was detected universally in all three investigated tumor cell lines, cervix carcinoma, melanoma, and colon carcinoma. Additionally, a direct interaction of p54nrb with the cathepsin Z and gelsolin encoding DNA, but not with their corresponding mRNA, could be demonstrated. Conjointly, this study unveils a novel mechanistic feature of caspase-2 as a tumor suppressor. The caspase-2—p54nrb axis can orchestrate the levels of several tumorigenic proteins and thereby determine the cell death susceptibility and long-term tumor survival. These findings might be of great value for future therapeutic interventions and for overcoming drug resistance of tumors.
Integrating music and mathematics for connecting across multiple constructs of fractional understanding: an RME task design journey
Authors:   , Lovemore Tarryn Shirley
Published: July 2023

Two South African curricular aims: appreciating creativity in mathematics and developing conceptual understanding, motivated this study. Negative views towards mathematics and challenges in teaching and learning fractions at primary school level are reported in literature, with the part-whole construct of fractions often the sole teaching focus. Despite challenges in curriculum integration (high demands on teachers and diluting disciplines), benefits, such as motivation and creative thinking, are noted. I recognised music-mathematics integration as an opportune context for designing tasks to support learners in moving flexibly between the fraction as ratio, fraction as measure and part-whole constructs. Guided by Realistic Mathematics Education principles, I embarked on a participatory dual-design experiment in task design, grappling within three micro-Communities of Practice (micro-CoPs) and across two planes: the Design-Theorising Plane and the Grounded-Practice Plane. In the Design-Theorising Plane, I worked with my two doctoral supervisors, grappling with design obstacles and finding resolutions. COVID-19 restrictions shifted our meetings to online platforms, allowing documentation and analysis of the task design process through recording functions. In the Grounded-Practice Plane, I worked within two separate micro-CoPs, both at independent schools (eight and two participating teachers respectively). Data on the teachers’ interrogation and implementation of the designed tasks were obtained via formal and informal interviews. Their reflections informed ongoing adaptations to the task design. Data were analysed in a matrix I designed and via NVivo coding. Findings include both the product of the task design journey (eight music-mathematics lessons, resources, and representations) and the process (ten groupings of Obstacle-Resolution Cycles). Three key questions (relating to music-mathematics fidelity; to task simplification for implementation; and to appropriate music-mathematics representation) were used in addressing each Obstacle-Resolution Cycle. Designing tasks to teach the part-whole construct of fractions was relatively straightforward, but designing tasks to teach the fraction as ratio and fraction as measure constructs was more challenging. These constructs could not be conflated by superimposing the music and mathematical linear representations. Aligning them, however, allowed for moving flexibly between the constructs. The teachers reported that the integrated music-mathematics tasks and supporting resources enhanced their learners’ fractional problem-solving abilities, simultaneously promoting more positive learner dispositions towards mathematics.
A proteção do indivíduo ante o uso da força pelos estados no sistema interamericano de direitos humanos
Authors: Nascimento Nathan Gomes Pereira do , Toledo André de Paiva
Published: July 2023

O presente estudo busca aferir a efetividade do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos no sentido de proteger os direitos inerentes à pessoa humana diante do uso da força por parte dos Estados. Para tal, a partir do uso da técnica de pesquisas documentais qualitativas e exploratórias de fontes bibliográficas, desenvolvidas sob o modelo teórico hermenêutico-argumentativo e sob os métodos dialético e comparativo, analisa-se detalhadamente as disposições do sistema interamericano sobre o uso da força pelo Estado, aferindo quais são os parâmetros estabelecidos a partir dos instrumentos normativos e da exegese exarada pela Comissão e Corte Interamericanas. Ademais, detalha-se a responsabilidade internacional dos Estados no momento em que praticam o ato ilícito de utilizarem de sua força coercitiva fora dos parâmetros estabelecidos pelo Sistema Interamericano. Diante disso conclui-se, tendo em vista o fato de que o referido sistema estabelece parâmetros claros de limitação da prerrogativa estatal de uso da força e, também, prevê mecanismos processuais de acesso do indivíduo a um órgão jurisdicional, peticionando pela proteção dos seus direitos, que o Sistema Interamericano garante ao indivíduo efetiva proteção dos seus direitos diante do uso da força pelo Estado, seja prevenindo violações ou promovendo a devida responsabilização internacional dos Estados violadores.
Agricultural land suitability assessment with GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis and geostatistical approach in semi-arid regions
Authors: TUĞAÇ Murat Güven , TERCAN Abdullah , TORUNLAR Harun , KARAKURT Erol , USUL Mustafa
Published: July 2023

For sustainable land use planning, evaluating land characteristics and making suitable land use decisions is a priority and critical step. In order to make these evaluations safely, spatial analyzes of many criteria should be made. In this study, the suitability of the land for wheat production was evaluated by Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in semi-arid conditions. In obtaining the land suitability map; fuzzy set model, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS are integrated. Ecological criteria weights for agricultural land suitability were determined by AHP. In the suitability analysis, a total of criteria including soil and topographic features were evaluated. Geostatistical analysis approach was applied to determine the spatial variability of soil properties (sand, clay, silt, pH, OM, CEC, ESP, CaCO3, EC). The lowest variation among soil properties was observed in pH (3.8%), while the largest variation was observed in ESP content (107.5%). The nugget/sill ratio is poor for EC and pH, while other soil properties are moderately spatially dependent. According to the results of the analysis, 25.7% (3.226 km2) of the area is highly suitable, while 27.6% (3.457 km2) is moderately suitable and 19.5% (2.440 km2) is marginally suitable for wheat cultivation. In addition, 27.2% (3.415 km2) of the area is not suitable for agricultural production. The use of geostatistical modeling, MCDA and GIS together is very beneficial in making agricultural land management decisions.
Artificial intelligence-based approach to study the impact of climate change and human interventions on groundwater fluctuations
Authors: Singla Chetan , Aggarwal Rajan , Kaur Samanpreet , Sharma Rohit
Published: July 2023

Water resource management is highly impacted by variations in rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature, and potential evapotranspiration. The rice area is also a key aspect for groundwater declination due to high-water consuming crop. Groundwater in Central Punjab has declined at an alarming rate over the last two decades. The decisions regarding water resource management need accurate information for the groundwater level. Therefore, to explore the main reason for the depletion of groundwater, it is essential that the most influential factors responsible for groundwater depletion should be addressed. A study was conducted in Central Punjab by using artificial neural network (ANN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models during 1998–2018 to forecast the groundwater depth. ANN performed better than MLR. The sensitivity analysis showed that tubewell density, rice area, and rainfall are highly responsible for groundwater fluctuation.
Relación de los humanos con los bosques desde la perspectiva de la bioética forestal compleja
Authors: Arce Rojas Rodrigo S.
Published: July 2023

El presente artículo revisa la forma de relacionarnos con los bosques desde una perspectiva de bioética forestal compleja. Para el efecto se realiza una investigación bibliográfica y se complementa con las experiencias del autor como un activista en el reconocimiento del valor de toda expresión de vida en los bosques como socioecosistemas. De la revisión se concluye que la bioética forestal redefine las relaciones entre los seres humanos y los bosques en tanto nos hace ver que nuestras concepciones y valoraciones, nuestras formas de actuar y de comportarnos tienen repercusión en el estado de conservación de los bosques. Aunque se reconoce la pluralidad de éticas respecto al bosque lo que se requiere es una ética convergente, intercultural, biocultural, ecofeminista, compleja, que permita poner en diálogo las diversas perspectivas. Se requiere que las diversas aproximaciones antropocéntricas, biocéntricas, ecocéntricas, geocéntricas y cosmocéntricas reconozcan el giro ontológico hacia la valoración de toda expresión de vida humana y más que humana como una forma de cohabitar en convivencialidad, en el cuidado, en el respeto y la armonía con la tierra. En otras palabras, hablamos de un humanismo ecologizado.
Identification of Novel Stemness-based Subtypes and Construction of a
Prognostic Risk Model for Patients with Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Shen Fangfang , Li Feng , Ma Yong , Song Xia , Guo Wei
Published: July 2023

Background:

Although cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to tumorigenesis, progression, and
drug resistance, stemness-based classification and prognostic signatures of lung squamous cell carcinoma
(LUSC) remain unclarified. This study attempted to identify stemness-based subtypes and develop a
prognostic risk model for LUSC.

Methods:

Based on RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene-Expression Omnibus
(GEO) and Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium (PCBC), mRNA expression-based stemness index
(mRNAsi) was calculated by one-class logistic regression (OCLR) algorithm. A weighted gene coexpression
network (WGCNA) was employed to identify stemness subtypes. Differences in mutation, clinical
characteristics, immune cell infiltration, and antitumor therapy responses were determined. We constructed
a prognostic risk model, followed by validations in GEO cohort, pan-cancer and immunotherapy datasets.

Results:

LUSC patients with subtype C2 had a better prognosis, manifested by higher mRNAsi, higher
tumor protein 53 (TP53) and Titin (TTN) mutation frequencies, lower immune scores and decreased immune
checkpoints. Patients with subtype C2 were more sensitive to Imatinib, Pyrimethamine, and
Paclitaxel therapy, whereas those with subtype C1 were more sensitive to Sunitinib, Saracatinib, and Dasatinib.
Moreover, we constructed stemness-based signatures using seven genes (BMI1, CCDC51, CTNS,
EIF1AX, FAM43A, THBD, and TRIM68) and found high-risk patients had a poorer prognosis in the
TCGA cohort. Similar results were found in the GEO cohort. We verified the good performance of risk
scores in prognosis prediction and therapy responses.

Conclusion:

The stemness-based subtypes shed novel insights into the potential roles of LUSC-stemness
in tumor heterogeneity, and our prognostic signatures offer a promising tool for prognosis prediction and
guide therapeutic decisions in LUSC.
A Review on Bioremediation Using Nanobiotechnology and Microbial
Heavy Metal Resistance Mechanisms
Authors: Garg Vanya , Arora Ashish , Prakash Anupam
Published: July 2023

Various human actions have raised the level of heavy metal (HM) pollution in the environment.
From contaminated water and soil, the HMs infiltrate into the agricultural crops that are
consumed by animals as well humans. Deposition of heavy metals leads to DNA damage and
several digestive, reproductive, and respiratory system-related health problems. Various microorganisms
have evolved mechanisms of HM resistance, tolerance, detoxification, and metabolization.
Physicochemical methods of HM treatment are expensive and non-ecofriendly. Therefore,
remediation of contaminated soil and water using microorganisms or bioremediation has become
a topic of interest for scientists. Bioremediation is a cheaper, eco-friendly and more efficient
method. The present review attempts to describe various mechanisms (biosorption, bioaccumulation,
biotransformation and active export) by which microbes resist and remediate heavy metal
pollution. In addition, the role of different types of consortia/co-culture in bioremediation has
been discussed. Microbes, such as fungi, bacteria, and protozoa can remove metals both singly
and in amalgamation. Furthermore, an advanced nanotechnology approach for metal ion treatment
from wastewater has been briefly discussed. To fully utilize the microbial potential for heavy
metal removal and create better strategies to alleviate environmental pollution, a deeper
knowledge of the molecular, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms used by these species is required.
Optimization on turmeric extraction to obtain curcuminoid with low-cost operation technique
Authors: Fadila Abil , Mardawati Efri , Nurliasari Desy , Kastaman Roni , Harnesa Putri Selly
Published: July 2023

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) has become one of the potential plants to be developed due to its numerous benefits from the active ingredient, curcuminoid. Curcuminoid has antibacterial, antioxidant, and antihepatotoxic properties that can enhance the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. The process to obtain curcuminoid can be carried out through an extraction process using a solvent. This research aimed to optimize the extraction process of curcuminoid from turmeric at a lower cost. The response surface methodology with a central composite design was used in this study to optimize the concentration of ethanol solvent (50-90%, v/v) and the flow rate of ethanol solvent (20-40 mL/minute) on the yield and curcuminoid. The research results indicate that the optimum conditions for the percolation extraction process (ethanol concentration = 90% and ethanol flow rate = 20 mL/minute) result in a yield value of 22.75% (w/w) and curcuminoid content of 13.54% (w/v). The curcuminoid was characterized based on several parameters, including water content of 11.15% (w/w) and antioxidant activity of 98.39% (w/v). The research concludes that the optimum results of the process conditions demonstrate the percolation extraction method with the variables of ethanol concentration and minimal ethanol solvent flow rate, which require lower costs while yielding optimum yield and curcuminoid content. Therefore, this can be applied in further research on curcumin production or its application in the food and non-food industries.
Evangelicals, Feminists, and the 'Unlikely' Discursive Alliance at the Heart of British Transphobia
Authors: Morgan Rebecca Jane
Published: July 2023

This article reconsiders the popular conception that anti-trans feminists in the United Kingdom are acting as 'useful idiots' for the Christian Right (most visibly conservative evangelicals) in their campaign to reverse the trend towards public acceptance of trans people. It argues that the discursive similarities between the writings of these two factions can be traced back to a genuine set of shared beliefs, most of all the belief that the body and mind are best treated as a single contiguous entity, and that body/mind dualism is undesirable as a matter of principle. In demonstrating this point, the article re-examines some of the founding documents of anti-trans feminism and anti-trans evangelicalism, including Janice Raymond's The Transsexual Empire (1979) and Oliver O'Donovan's Transsexualism and Christian Marriage (1982), exploring in particular the role that opposition to 'Gnosticism', a dualistic set of Christian mysticisms, played in shaping how these authors conceptualised trans identity. Drawing on evidence submitted by anti-trans feminists and conservative evangelicals to two recent UK Government consultations, it then delineates how this long-standing rhetorical overlap manifested to tangibly contribute to the stalling of key trans rights objectives in the UK. 
The Transhumanist Concept of Self-optimization in Religious-pedagogical Reflection
Authors: Reimer Tibor
Published: July 2023

The contemporary culture is explicitly permeated with ideas of Transhumanism. Based on principles such as technologizing and self-optimization, Transhumanism promotes the idea of constantly pushing the boundaries of immediate physical and psychological human existence. Self-optimization is about improving physical and cognitive as well as emotional and social performance. In this article, we want to explore the question of how religious education reflection takes up the transhumanist concept of self-optimization and to what extent it can be addressed in religious education. We will first focus on the basics of Transhumanism and then we will examine the topic of human nature and corporeality from a transhumanist perspective and try to implement it didactically in religious education.
Młodzież w (po)pandemicznym Kościele
Authors: Kurzydło Dariusz
Published: July 2023

Pandemia koronawirusa sparaliżowała codzienne funkcjonowanie wielu instytucji, także skomplikowała życie w Kościele. Nie spowodowała jednak kryzysu religijnego, który ma bardziej złożone korzenie i zdaniem wielu badaczy jest raczej wynikiem podążania za decyzją wynikającą z powodów światopoglądowych niż medycznych. Niezależnie od tego wciąż pogarsza się kondycja psychiczna ludzi młodych, co ma bezpośredni związek z obecną destrukcją życia społecznego. Autor w niniejszym artykule dokonuje analizy wypowiedzi adolescentów dotyczących warunków, jakie stawiają Kościołowi, by zechcieli w nim pozostać. Na ich podstawie próbuje naszkicować nowy paradygmat pracy z młodzieżą, wykorzystując wskazania autorów nowego Dyrektorium katechetycznego dotyczące inspiracji katechumenalnej. Autor konkluduje, że podstawą budowania modelu formacyjnego jest uznanie, że podmiotem wychowania jest osoba-w-rozwoju. Wiąże tę tezę z zainteresowaniem młodzieży wstąpieniem do takiej wspólnoty eklezjalnej, która potrafi docenić aktualne wyzwania, przed jakimi stoi nastolatek.