bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
História da Matemática: o que aborda a coleção “Matemática Essencial” para os anos finais do Ensino Fundamental
Authors: Goetz Giselle , Elis Lunkes Maiara
Published: January 2024

Neste trabalho, apresentamos os resultados obtidos em uma atividade realizada durante a disciplina de História da Matemática, no curso de Licenciatura em Matemática, cuja finalidade consiste em especificar as menções da História da Matemática (HM) em livros didáticos da disciplina nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental. Como fonte de análise foi selecionada a coleção “Matemática Essencial”, composta por quatro exemplares destinados a cada ano do ensino fundamental, níveis anos finais. Consideramos as menções à perspectiva histórica no decorrer do desenvolvimento dos capítulos com os conteúdos trabalhados em sala de aula, investigamos as citações e o surgimento ou desenvolvimento de conceitos históricos matemáticos entre os enredos de aplicação do conteúdo, assim como as orientações a professores contidas no livro didático. Após elencar os dados, estes foram registrados em uma planilha utilizando o Google Planilhas, otimizando as citações em página, conteúdo e análise das citações, posteriormente, foi comparado a outras coleções com o objetivo de identificar o número de citações e as demais prerrogativas. No total foram encontradas 36 menções na coleção analisada. Dentre elas, há afirmações condizentes com outros autores, bem como outras que apresentam divergências. Destacamos com este trabalho, a importância de abordar a HM uma vez que ressalta a interação e simplifica a compreensão dos conceitos históricos desta disciplina vista por muitos como difícil e desafiadora.
Atividades lúdicas no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática: percepção dos educandos do sexto ano do ensino fundamental
Authors: Lunkes Maiara Elis , Vitoria Zastrow Fabiane , Zuchello Fernando , Corso Talía
Published: January 2024

Este relato de experiência visa descrever a realização de uma prática educativa embasada na utilização de Jogos associados ao uso de Tecnologias Digitais no ensino da Matemática. As atividades lúdicas, como os jogos, colocam o aluno em uma posição protagonista no processo de ensino e aprendizagem, em que é levado a pensar, criticar, projetar, ensinar, resolver problemas e concluir objetivos. Incluir essas atividades no planejamento da disciplina não apenas torna as aulas mais dinâmicas, mas também pode contribuir para despertar o interesse dos estudantes pela Matemática, muitas vezes vista como uma disciplina desafiadora. O uso de abordagens mais lúdicas pode ajudar a quebrar barreiras e criar um ambiente de aprendizagem mais positivo. A prática foi realizada em uma Escola de Educação Básica, no município de Concórdia – SC. O objetivo principal foi compreender como a utilização dos recursos lúdicos, os jogos, no processo de ensino e aprendizagem, associados ao uso das tecnologias, podem auxiliar na transposição de conteúdos matemáticos. O público-alvo para a realização das atividades foram duas turmas do sexto ano do ensino fundamental. As principais atividades da prática foram exercícios relacionados a matemática básica, como jogos envolvendo questões de raciocínio lógico e também dinâmicas que exigiam que os alunos interpretassem a questão para que assim fossem capazes de resolvê-la. Os resultados obtidos foram coletados de anotações e observações realizadas pelos autores e também com o preenchimento de um questionário direcionado aos estudantes participantes, no qual pode-se concluir que as atividades foram positivas.
Cell encapsulation in inoculation beads for 3D growth experiments
Authors: Vázquez Alba García , Nguyen Thu Trang , Mitarai Namiko , Jauffred Liselotte
Published: January 2024

This protocol provides an experimental model system to study bacterial competition in quasi-spherical three-dimensional bacterial colonies. To do so we encapsulate populations of two fluorescent Escherichia coli strains in inoculation droplets. The inoculation droplets grow when embedded in a hydrogel with nutrients and develop 3D colonies with well-defined sectors-like regions. The protocol can be extended and used with a wide range of different bacteria or – potentially – other cell types.
The association of racism and discrimination in disparities of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: an analysis of PRAMS data
Authors: Lee Kiara , Pellowski Jennifer A. , Brayboy Lynae M. , Thompson Kathryn , Dunsiger Shira
Published: January 2024

Background
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal mortality. Racial disparities in maternal outcomes such as maternal mortality in the United States (US) are well-documented, but the relationship of racism and/or discrimination with one’s risk of developing a hypertension during pregnancy (HDP) is not well-studied.
Methods
Data from 17 sites that asked questions regarding experiences with racism and/or discrimination during pregnancy via the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 (2016–2020) was used. Logistic regression models were used compare the potential of stress induced HDP from perceived experiences of racism and/or discrimination versus the effect of systemic racism and/or discrimination (in healthcare settings and generally) on racial disparities in HDP diagnosis.
Results
Among 9,907 live births, 18% of participants reported they were diagnosed with hypertension during pregnancy, with non-Hispanic Black individuals having the highest rate (21.8%). Regarding experiences of racism and/or discrimination, 76.4% of participants responded “yes”, with all races/ethnicities studied here except non-Hispanic White individuals responding “yes” at rates higher than 89%. Perceived experiences of racism and/or discrimination did not statistically significantly affect one’s odds of being diagnosed with HDP (OR = 0.94, CI: 0.74, 1.20). Non-Hispanic Black individuals did not have statistically significantly higher odds of having hypertension during pregnancy compared to non-Hispanic White individuals.
Conclusions
Experiences of racism and/or discrimination drive racial disparities in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Public Health Implications:
It is vital to eliminate racist and discriminatory practices and behaviors to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
A discussion of a rationality and continuity related to Theta Functions by using the summation of Poisson
Authors: Louiz Akram
Published: January 2024

Mathematical philosophy is built by defining logical concepts such as the concept of infinity and the concept of continuity. Hence, mathematicians are not those who can calculate, but those who can understand the mathematical concepts and can develop them in order to make new mathematical findings or to transform an hypothesis into a philosophical truth. However, mathematicians are also alarmed scientists who can verify doubted formulas by disproving a mathematical proof or finding a counterexample. It is therefore false to think that mathematicians can’t surprise nowadays with new findings. This is a mathematical demonstration and discussion concerning a special case of functions related to Theta Functions and it is a logical opportunity for those who study the summation of Poisson. This work starts by using a formula of Poisson in order to make a mathematical representation for the studied function then a new approximation of this case of functions is demonstrated. Furthermore, we discuss the consequences if this studied function gives only irrationals as outputs then we use the definition of the continuity of real functions in order to make a demonstration for the continuity of the same Function. Finally, the lovers of mathematics are invited to understand the demonstrations of this article and the discussions of the continuity contradictions in order to develop new findings related to Theta Functions and the summation of Poisson
Prevalence of Internet Addiction and Its Associated Risk Factors among Medical Students in Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mohamed Khalid Osman , Soumit Sozan Mudather , Elseed Aziza Abdalmahnoud , Allam Wamda Ahmed , Soomit Amro Mudather , Humeda Humeda Suekit
Published: January 2024

Background: Internet addiction (IA) has been studied extensively and shown to have adverse social, psychological, and functional consequences. This has become a global health issue, particularly among young adults. Unfortunately, few studies have been conducted among medical students in Sudan. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of internet addiction and determine its associated risk factors among medical students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students using a systematic sampling technique. An online structured questionnaire was used, which included sociodemographic data and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to assess the presence and severity of IA, as well as the Kessler Questionnaire to assess psychological distress.
Results: Of 307 medical students participating in this study, 63.8% were female. The majority (78.5%) were aged 18–22 years, and the prevalence of internet addiction was 75.5% (n = 232). The Addiction levels were as follows: mild,39.7%; moderate, 33.2%; and severe, 2.6%. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that being a female medical student was associated with 1.9 times Internet addiction (OR = 1.87, p = 0.033). Psychological distress was associated with a 6.368-fold higher risk of internet addiction compared to non-distressed students (OR = 6.368, p = 0.000). Additionally, students in the clinical years had a lower risk of internet addiction, specifically the fourth and fifth years (OR = 0.325, p = 0.010; OR = 0.398, p = 0.043, respectively).
Conclusions: This study found a high prevalence of internet addiction among medical students at National University, which is strongly associated with mental distress. Effective awareness programs are required to educate students on limiting excessive internet usage and addressing associated risk factors. Future research should include longitudinal or multi-university studies to further investigate the relationship between internet addiction and mental distress in a robust manner.
Terminal Unfolded Protein Responses-related genes predict prognosis and associate with proliferation and apoptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Yang Riwei , Liang Leqi , Ao Shan , Chen Zugen , Chen Zude , Deng Tuo
Published: January 2024

Background
Terminal unfolded protein response (TUPR), a self-destruct mechanism of cells, initiates when irreversible endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) occurs and causes cell apoptosis. Current studies show that TUPR also leads to apoptosis in carcinoma, which plays an indispensable role in development of tumors. However, understanding the specific role of TUPR in ccRCC cells is important for the treatment of tumors.
Methods
Based on 9 TUPR-associated genes, clusters of ccRCC patients were identified by unsupervised clustering. Prognostic models were constructed by LASSO regression and multivariate cox regression. Tunicamycin (Tm) was used to induce TUPR in ccRCC cells, and gene expression, proliferation, and apoptosis of ccRCC cells under TUPR were investigated by RT-qPCR, EdU and immunofluorescence staining respectively.
Results
ccRCC patients were distinguished into two clusters with various signatures. We confirmed that the TUPR-related prognostic model had a good predictive ability. 12 hours-Tm treatment induced TUPR in ccRCC cells and inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Silencing STT3B increased the sensitivity, inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of ccRCC cells.
Conclusion
TUPR-associated genes were significantly correlated with clinical features of ccRCC patients, and were involved in ccRCC proliferation and apoptosis, which may become a new treatment option. STT3B may serve as a promising ccRCC therapeutic target.
Dexmedetomidine Ameliorates X-Ray-Induced Myocardial Injury Via Alleviating Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis and Autophagy
Authors: Zhang Runze , Xie Kangjie , Lian Yanhong , Hong Shufang , Zhu Yuntian
Published: January 2024

Background
Radiotherapy is one of the major local treatments for tumors. However, some complications may occur during the treatment, which includes radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). However, there is no uniform standard for the prevention of RIHD currently. Dexmedetomidine is reported to have cardio protection effects, while its role in radiation-induced myocardial injury is unknown. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the radioprotective effect of dexmedetomidine in X-ray radiation-treated mice.
Methods
9 male mice were randomized into 3 groups: control, 16Gy, and 16Gy + Dex. The 16Gy group was exposed to a single dose of 16Gy X-ray radiation. 16Gy + Dex group was pretreated with dexmedetomidine before X-ray radiation. The control group was treated with saline and did not receive X-ray radiation. The myocardial tissues were collected 16 weeks after X-ray radiation and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, TUNEL staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Besides, we established a radiation-injured cardiomyocyte model. Cell viability was assessed with CCK-8 assay and cell apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometry. Protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, LC3 I/II, Beclin-1, and p62 was detected through western blot assay.
Results
The results showed that 16Gy X-ray radiation resulted in significant changes in myocardial tissues, increased myocardial apoptosis, and activated autophagy. Pretreatment with dexmedetomidine significantly protects mice against 16Gy X-ray radiation-induced myocardial injury by inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy.
Conclusion
In summary, our study confirmed the radioprotective effect of dexmedetomidine against 16Gy X-ray radiation-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy activation.
Diverging impacts of climate change on the global potential diversity of food crops
Authors: Heikonen Sara , Heino Matias , Jalava Mika , Siebert Stefan , Viviroli Daniel , Kummu Matti
Published: January 2024

Climate change alters the climatic suitability of important food production areas, likely shifting the spatial distribution and diversity of future production. In existing research, there is limited knowledge on the future climatic suitability of croplands for food crop types beyond the staple four: rice, maize, wheat, and soybean. Further, focusing on a limited number of crop types has hindered analysing how the diversity of food crop production might change in the future. This study extends existing knowledge by projecting geographical shifts in the climatic niches of 27 major food crops and assessing how these shifts affect current crop production and the potential diversity of food crops on the current global croplands. We define the climatic niche for each crop according to the historical climatic extent of their current cultivation areas and perform future analyses at 1.5–5°C global warming. We find that in regions located in low latitudes, 10% – 32% of current production would shift outside the crop specific climatic niches, and potential crop diversity would decline on half of the current cropland area already at 2°C global warming. In contrast, we find increasing potential crop diversity in mid-to-high latitudes, providing opportunities for climate change adaptation. These results highlight large regional differences in the adaptation potential and vulnerability of the global food system at varying levels of global warming.
A Molecular Video-derived Foundation Model Streamlines Scientific Drug Discovery
Authors: Cheng Feixiong , Xiang Hongxin , Zeng Li , Hou Linlin , Li Kenli , Fu Zhimin , Qiu Yunguang , Nussinov Ruth , Hu Jianying , Zeng Xiang-Xiang , Rosen-Zvi Michal
Published: January 2024

Precise capture of three-dimensional (3D) dynamic conformation during molecular representation learning is crucial for accurate prediction of drug targets and molecular properties. In this study, we propose a molecular video-based foundation model, named VideoMol, pretrained on 120 million frames of 2 million unlabeled drug-like and bioactive molecules with 3D conformations. VideoMol renders the molecular 3D conformation as a 60-frame dynamic video and designs three self-supervised learning strategies on molecular videos to capture diverse conformational changes. We demonstrate high performance of VideoMol in predicting molecular targets and properties across 44 benchmark drug discovery datasets. VideoMol achieves high accuracy in identifying antiviral molecules against SARS-CoV-2 across 11 high-throughput experimental datasets from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and other diverse disease-specific drug targets. We further present high interpretability of VideoMol through observed key chemical substructures related to dynamic 3D conformational changes compared to traditional state-of-the-art deep learning approaches. In summary, VideoMol offers a powerful tool to expedite drug discovery and development.
In-Human Assessment of Radio Frequency Induced Heating for Implants during MRI
Authors: Jiang Changqing , Zhang Feng , Li Yichao , Niu Xiaoyue , Xu Boya , Long Tiangang , Gu Yiyuan , Zhang Zhaoyuan , Yuan Qunran , Li Peishan , Zhang Boyang , Yao Qingyu , Li Luming
Published: January 2024

Radio frequency induced heating of medical implants during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses a serious threat to patient safety, and in vivo assessment of heating permits individualized on-site safety assessment. Based on the proton resonance frequency (PRF) thermometry, we developed a method for the in vivo evaluation of implant heating. It combined PRF signals around the implants with bioheat transfer law to reduce the interference of metal artifacts and to estimate the RF heating at implant surface. To apply this idea, we proposed a PRF-based test module consisting of processes of thermometry-heating-thermometry and verified its feasibility in phantom. Then, we validated this module for electrodes in the pig brain and investigated the effect of its parameters, as a result, the heating assessment could be achieved in approximately 2 min with a mean difference to probe measurement of 0.6 °C. Finally, we demonstrated the clinical translation in a patient with a conventional deep brain stimulation device and derived the individualized safe RF condition under 3.0T MRI. This study presents a practical solution for the in-human safety assessment of implants during MRI, which can be beneficial for both clinical and research purposes.
The First Case of Multiple Myeloma Treated With ASCT followed by Anti-BCMA CART Cells using Retroviral Vector
Authors: zhi guo , Liqiong Liu , wenxiang zhu , ning liu , shiting gong , qihong ma , huanhuan zhou , nan zhong , wei dai , lijun zhao , rui sun , jianxun wang , yuanyuan shi
Published: January 2024

B- cell maturation antigen (BCMA) -targeted chimeric antigen receptor-T (CART) cell therapy has shown great promise in the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). In this case, we reported a case of a 41-year-old male patient with MM who finally developed multi-line drug resistance, refractoriness and bone marrow suppression after multiple lines of high-intensity chemotherapy. After physician evaluation, this patient was recommended to receive autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) support followed by immunotherapy with autologous anti-BCMA CART cells. The CART product was a novel anti-BCMA CART based on retroviral vectors (RV). The patient achieved VGPR 1 month after anti-BCMA CART infusion and the remission has been ongoing for 3 months to date. Grade 3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was observed while no immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) was found. This was the first clinical MM case report of anti-BCMA CART cells using retroviral vector, which demonstrated that the RV-based anti-BCMA CAR-T cells had good therapeutic effect and high safety in triple-refractory MM patients.
Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: Potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia
Authors: Alkathiry Hadil A. , Alghamdi Samia Q. , Sinha Amit , Margos Gabriele , Stekolnikov Alexandr A. , Alagaili Abdulaziz N. , Darby Alistair C. , Makepeace Benjamin L. , Khoo Jing Jing
Published: January 2024

Background
Trombiculid mites are globally distributed, highly diverse arachnids that largely lack molecular resources such as whole mitogenomes for the elucidation of taxonomic relationships. Trombiculid larvae (chiggers) parasitise vertebrates and can transmit bacteria (Orientia spp.) responsible for scrub typhus, a zoonotic febrile illness. Orientia tsutsugamushi causes most cases of scrub typhus and is endemic to the Asia-Pacific Region, where it is transmitted by Leptotrombidium spp. chiggers. However, in Dubai, Candidatus Orientia chuto was isolated from a case of scrub typhus and is also known to circulate among rodents in Saudi Arabia and Kenya, although its vectors remain poorly defined. In addition to Orientia, chiggers are often infected with other potential pathogens or arthropod-specific endosymbionts, but their significance for trombiculid biology and public health is unclear.
Results
Pooled chiggers of 10 species were collected from rodents in southwestern Saudi Arabia and screened for Orientia DNA by PCR. Two species (Microtrombicula muhaylensis and Pentidionis agamae) produced positive results for the htrA gene, although Ca. Orientia chuto DNA was confirmed by Sanger sequencing only in P. agamae. Metagenomic sequencing of three pools of P. agamae provided evidence for two other bacterial associates: a spirochaete and a Wolbachia symbiont. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and multi-locus sequence typing genes placed the spirochaete in a clade of micromammal-associated Borrelia spp. that are widely-distributed globally with no known vector. For the Wolbachia symbiont, a genome assembly was obtained that allowed phylogenetic localisation in a novel, divergent clade. Cytochrome c oxidase I (coi) gene barcodes for Saudi Arabian chiggers enabled comparisons with global chigger diversity, revealing several cases of discordance with classical taxonomy. Complete mitogenome assemblies were obtained for the three P. agamae pools and almost 50 SNPs were identified, despite a common geographic origin.
Conclusions
P. agamae was identified as a potential vector of Ca. Orientia chuto on the Arabian Peninsula. The detection of an unusual Borrelia sp. and a divergent Wolbachia symbiont in P. agamae indicated links with chigger microbiomes in other parts of the world, while coi barcoding and mitogenomic analyses greatly extended our understanding of inter- and intraspecific relationships in trombiculid mites.
Combination of Chinese and Western Medicine: Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen in the Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (COVID-19)
Authors: Tang Min , Li Na , Dao Jinhua , Wang Jianqiong , Tao Rui , Xu Ning
Published: January 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen in treating patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).
Methods: We conducted a study involving 14 cases of COVID-19 infection within a unit group in Laos. During the treatment regimen, these patients received the antiviral drugs Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen as prescribed. We utilized laboratory results of viral nucleic acid tests as observational parameters and statistically analyzed the data using SPSS 26.0 software (t-test). Our data analysis aimed to determine if there were significant differences in the Ct values of the N gene and ORF1ab gene of SARS-CoV-2 before and after treatment.
Results: The results indicated statistically significant differences in the N gene (t = -7.014, P < 0.001) and ORF1ab gene (t = -7.398, P < 0.001). Post-treatment, the values of the N gene and ORF1ab gene were significantly higher than their pre-treatment values, signifying that the combined utilization of Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen had a substantial impact on the treatment of COVID-19.
Conclusion:Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen effectively inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2, resulting in a marked improvement in the clinical symptoms of the patients. Laboratory test results also indicated a significant reduction in viral load. These findings provide substantial evidence supporting the efficacy of the combination of Molnupiravir and Lianhua Qingwen in the treatment of COVID-19.
Early coagulation changes and survival outcomes, a multi-perspective retrospective analysis post severe burn
Authors: Huang Shengyu , Ma Qimin , Liao Xincheng , Yin Xi , Shen Tuo , Liu Xiaobin , Tang Wenbin , Wang Yusong , Wang Lei , Xin Haiming , Li Xiaoliang , Chang Liu , Chen Zhaohong , Liu Rui , Wu Choulang , Wang Deyun , Guo Guanghua , Zhu Feng
Published: January 2024

Coagulation alterations manifest early after severe burns and are closely linked to mortality outcomes. Nevertheless, the precise characterization of coagulation changes associated with early mortality remains elusive. We examined alterations in indicators linked to mortality outcomes at both the transcriptome and clinical characteristic levels. At the transcriptional level, we pinpointed 28 differentially expressed coagulation-related genes (DECRGs) following burn injuries and endeavored to validate their causal relationships through Mendelian randomization. DECRGs tied to survival exhibit a significant association with neutrophil function, wherein the expression of CYP4F2 and P2RX1 serves as robust predictors of fatal outcomes. In terms of clinical indicators, early levels of D-dimer and alterations in serum calcium show a strong correlation with mortality outcomes. Coagulation depletion and fibrinolytic activation, stemming from the hyperactivation of coagulation pathways post-severe burns, are strongly linked to patient mortality. Monitoring these early coagulation markers with predictive value can effectively identify individuals necessitating priority critical care.
Intra and interspecies variation and population dynamics of Fasciola gigantica among ruminants in Sudan
Authors: Ibrahim Kamal , Chatanga Elisha , Mohamed Nouh S. , Ahmed Ayman , Alasmari Saeed , Almathen Faisal , Nakao Ryo , Salim Bashir
Published: January 2024

Fasciola gigantica is a widespread parasite that causes neglected diseases in livestock worldwide. Its high transmissibility and dispersion are attributed to its ability to infect intermediate snail hosts and adapt to various mammalian definitive hosts. This study investigated the variation and population dynamics of F. gigantica in cattle, sheep, and goats from three states in Sudan. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) genes were sequenced successfully to examine intra and inter-specific differences. ND1 exhibited higher diversity than COI, with 15 haplotypes and 10 haplotypes, respectively. Both genes had high haplotype diversity but low nucleotide diversity, with 21 and 11 polymorphic sites for ND1 and COI, respectively. Mismatch distribution analysis and neutrality tests revealed that F. gigantica from different host species was in a state of population expansion. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees and median networks revealed that F. gigantica in Sudan and other African countries had host-specific and country-specific lineages for both genes. The study also indicated that F. gigantica-infected small ruminants were evolutionarily distant, suggesting deep and historical interspecies adaptation.
Genome-wide Mendelian Randomization analysis reveals specific inflammatory traits as causal risk factors for oral cancer
Authors: Zhang Yapeng , Peng Xulin
Published: January 2024

Purpose
Previous research has suggested a potential connection between persistent inflammation and the risk of developing oral cancer. However, the causal relationships between inflammatory traits and oral cancer are not yet fully understood.
Methods
To delve deeper into this inquiry, we implemented a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, utilizing genetic data from previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In this analysis, we explored several inflammatory traits as potential exposures, while considering oral cancer as the outcome. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we employed the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary analytical approach, alongside tests for pleiotropy and heterogeneity.
Results
The IVW method identified two immune-mediated inflammatory diseases that showed associations with an increased risk of oral cancer. In particular, inflammatory bowel disease was found to be correlated with a higher risk of oral cancer (p < 0.001), as well as its subtypes such as Crohn's disease (p = 0.026). Additionally, elevated levels of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were found to be potentially associated with an increased risk of oral cancer (p = 0.048), while higher levels of IL-18 showed a protective effect on oral cancer (p = 0.011).
Conclusion
The results of this study offer compelling evidence supporting a causal link between distinct inflammatory traits and the susceptibility to oral cancer. These findings hold significant implications for the clinical management of oral cancer, spanning various aspects such as prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.
A vibration-resistant detection method of position and gap for seam tracking of Z-weave GMAW
Authors: Gao Jiapeng , Hong Bo , Jia Aiting , Zheng Yi
Published: January 2024

Aiming at the failure problem of automatic weave weld tracking of V-butt welds with gaps due to arc light, molten metal splash, seam gap variations, and inertial vibration of the weave motion in the manufacture of weave gas metal arc welding for pipelines vessels and ships, a vibration-resistant detection method of position and gap based on laser vision sensing was proposed. In this method, an improved random sampling consistency algorithm and an adaptive grayscale centroid algorithm are proposed to overcome the interference of arc light and molten metal splash to achieve the simultaneous image detection of weld position and gap, as well as a moving polynomial fitting algorithm was proposed to overcome the interference of vibration at the direction of weave motion and to further correct the weld position. Finally, the experimental results of Z-weave welding seam tracking of S-curve welds show that the proposed method is effective and can significantly reduce the weld tracking error, which meets the requirements of practical welding. This study provides a novel solution for eliminating the vibration interference of system device in practical weave welding manufacture.
Improving Energy Efficiency Using IoT Technology through the Development of a Smart Network Clustering Path Determined by the Distance between Nodes
Authors: Radwan Abujassar
Published: January 2024

The main challenge for IoT-enabled networks lies in the transmission of large volumes of data produced by sensor nodes. The overconsumption of communication power presents a risk to the longevity of nodes. Hence, it is imperative to offer remedies for network-related problems such as Quality of Service (QoS), security, network heterogeneity, congestion avoidance, reliable routing, and energy conservation. Routing protocols are crucial for addressing the aforementioned issues of sending data across different firms. Data aggregation techniques are essential for the collection and consolidation of information in order to reduce traffic congestion , operational costs, energy consumption, and the lifespan of the network. Developing reliable, energy-efficient, and efficient route planning is challenging in scenarios where data is aggregated for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The current investigation presents a novel routing system named Cluster-based Energy-aware & Nearest Neighbour Protocol (CEnNP), which utilizes NS2 simulation. The technique use decision trees and neural networks to evaluate the probability of a successful delivery. When training the model, we consider various factors such as the predictability value obtained from the CEnNP routing scheme, node popularity, node power consumption, speed, and location. The simulation findings indicate that CEnNP outperforms a reliable routing system for NS2 1 in terms of successful deliveries, lost messages, overhead, and hop count. However , these enhancements result in only marginal increments in buffer length and buffer occupancy levels. The proposed hybrid routing technique consists of two main stages: cluster formation and intra-and inter-cluster routing. The findings indicate that CEnNP outperforms prior studies in terms of network resilience, packet transmission efficiency, end-to-end delay, and energy consumption
PEG-crosslinked O-carboxymethyl chitosan films with biodegradability and antibacterial activity for food packaging: preparation and properties
Authors: Yang Bing , Liu Baoliang , Gao Yuanyuan , Wei Junjie , Li Gang , Wang Linlin , Hou Zhaosheng , Zhang Hui
Published: January 2024

This study developed a kind of PEG − crosslinked O − carboxymethyl chitosan (O − CMC − PEG) with various PEG content for food packaging. The crosslinking agent of isocyanate-terminated PEG was firstly synthesized by a simple condensation reaction between PEG and excess diisocyanate, then the crosslink between O − carboxymethyl chitosan (O − CMC) and crosslinking agent occurred under mild conditions to produce O − CMC − PEG with a crosslinked structure linked by urea bonds. FT − IR and 1H NMR techniques were utilized to confirm the chemical structures of the crosslinking agent and O − CMC − PEGs. Extensive research was conducted to investigate the impact of the PEG content (or crosslinking degree) on the physicochemical characteristics of the casted O − CMC − PEG films. The results illuminated that crosslinking and components compatibility could improve their tensile features and water vapor barrier performance, while high PEG content played the inverse effects due to the microphase separation between PEG and O − CMC segments. The in vitro degradation rate and water sensitivity primarily depended on the crosslinking degree in comparison with the PEG content. Furthermore, caused by the remaining − NH2 groups of O − CMC, the films demonstrated antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. When the PEG content was 6% (medium crosslinking degree), the prepared O − CMC − PEG− 6% film possessed optimal tensile features, high water resistance, appropriate degradation rate, low water vapor transmission rate and fine broad-spectrum antibacterial capacity, manifesting a great potential for application in food packaging to extend the shelf life.
Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure response to spinal anaesthesia in euvolaemic vascular surgery patients
Authors: Gkounti Georgia , Loutradis Charalampos , Tzimou Myrto , Katsioulis Christos , Nevras Vasileios , Pitoulias Apostolos , Argiriadou Helena , Efthimiadis Georgios , Pitoulias Georgios
Published: January 2024

Background:
Regional anaesthesia techniques provide highly effective alternatives to general anaesthesia. Existing evidence of the effect of spinal anaesthesia (SA) on cardiac diastolic function is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a single-injection, low-dose SA on left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressures (LVEDP) using echocardiography in euvolaemic patients undergoing elective vascular surgery.
Methods:
This is a prospective study in adult patients undergoing elective vascular surgery with SA. Patients with contraindications for SA or significant valvular disease were excluded. During patients’ evaluations fluid administration was targeted using arterial waveform monitoring. All patients underwent echocardiographic studies before and after SA for the assessment of indices reflective of diastolic function. LVEDP was evaluated using E/e’ ratio. Blood samples were drawn to measure troponin and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels before and after SA.
Results
A total of 62 patients (88.7% males, 71.00 ± 9.42 years) were included in the analysis. In total population, both end-diastolic (EDV, 147.51 ± 41.36 vs 141.72 ± 40.13 ml; p = 0.044) and end-systolic volume (ESV, 69.50 [51.50] vs 65.00 [29.50] ml; p < 0.001) decreased and E/e’ ratio significantly decreased (10.80 [4.21] vs 9.55 [3.91]; p = 0.019). In patients with elevated compared to those with normal LV end-diastolic pressures (LVEDP), an overall improvement in diastolic function was noted. The A increased (-6.58 ± 11.12 vs 6.46 ± 16.10; p < 0.001) and E/A decreased (0.02 ± 0.21 vs -0.36 ± 0.90; p = 0.004) only in the elevated LVEDP group. Patients with elevated LVEDP had a greater decrease in E/e’ compared to those with normal LVEDP (-0.03 ± 2.39 vs -2.27 ± 2.92; p = 0.002).
Conclusion
This study provides evidence that SA in euvolaemic patients undergoing elective vascular surgery improved LVEDP.
Enhancing Spectrum Sensing using Multiplex Relay Coded Protocol with Full Duplex and Half Duplex in Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: JONES J DAPHNEY JOANN , MUNISAMY M.BALASUBRAMANIAN
Published: January 2024

In a Cognitive radio network (CRN) the priority of radio frequency spectrum is assigned between Primary User (PU) and Secondary User (SU) to improve the competence of spectrum usage. Secondary users are meant to share the vacant frequency spectrum of the primary user. Due to the high computational complexity involved in regulating the best possible secondary users through spectrum sensing, we propose a “Multiplex Relay Coded “Protocol to concurrently sense and acquire the available spectrum. The MRC protocol makes use of both Full-Duplex (FD) and Half-Duplex (HD) techniques for dynamic spectrum sharing. A cooperative full-duplex/half-duplex communication switching Scheduling based on threshold and power allotment is examined to maximize the spectrum allocation of cognitive radio networks. The full-duplex improves spectrum usage but suffers from self-interference and half-duplex is preferred when there is a congested network to overcome collision. Simulation results show the sensing detection by analyzing the Probability of Detection with Probability of False Alarm, the spectrum usage between Primary User and Secondary User thus improving spectrum efficiency.
Leveraging Machine Learning for Predicting Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease Grades in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for T-cell Prolymphocytic Leukaemia
Authors: Chandra Gunjan , Wang Junfeng , Siirtola Pekka , Röning Juha
Published: January 2024

Orphan diseases, exemplified by T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia, present inherent challenges due to limited data availability and complexities in effective care. This study delves into harnessing the potential of machine learning to enhance care strategies for orphan diseases, specifically focusing on allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. The investigation evaluates how varying numbers of variables impact model performance, considering the rarity of the disease. Utilizing data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, the study scrutinizes outcomes following allo-HCT for T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. Diverse machine learning models were developed to forecast acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) occurrence and its distinct grades post-allo-HCT. Assessment of model performance relied on balanced accuracy, F1 score, and ROC AUC metrics. The findings highlight the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) classifier achieving the highest testing balanced accuracy of 0.58 in predicting aGvHD. However, challenges arose in its performance during multi-class classification tasks. While affirming the potential of machine learning in enhancing care for orphan diseases, the study underscores the impact of limited data and disease rarity on model performance.
New Solution Method for Solving Volterra Integral Equation Using Bernstein Polynomials
Authors: Zarnan Jumah Aswad , Hameed Wafaa Mustafa
Published: January 2024

Linear and nonlinear differential equations extensively used mathematical models for many interesting and important phenomena observed in numerous areas of science and technology. They are inspired by problems in diverse fields such as economics, biology, fluid dynamics, physics, differential geometry, engineering, control theory, materials science, and quantum mechanics. This special issue aims to highlight recent developments in methods and applications of linear and nonlinear differential equations. In addition, there are papers analyzing equations that arise in engineering, classical and fluid mechanics, and finance. In this paper a novel technique implementing Bernstein polynomials is introduced for the numerical solution of a Volterra integral equation. The obtained solutions are novel, and previous literature lacks such derivations. For this aim, we derive a simple and efficient matrix formulation using Bernstein polynomials as trial functions. Numerical examples are considered to verify the effectiveness of the proposed derivations and numerical solutions are compared with the existing methods available in the literature. The Volterra integral equation can be used to describe the capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor (PPC) in the electrostatic field. It is shown that the numerical results are excellent. The efficiency of the proposed numerical technique is exhibited through graphical illustrations and results drafted in tabular form for specific values of the parameters to validate the numerical investigation.
A Prediction Model for Air Pollution using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Kumar Lokesh Kumar Lokesh , Kumar Gaurav Kumar Dr. Gaurav
Published: January 2024

Over the past few decades, air pollution and preventive measures have proven scientifically challenging and the issue is still unending on a worldwide scale. The number of contaminants in the air is increasing daily as a result of the expanding population and the settling of more people in metropolitan regions. They have an impact on people's respiratory and cardiovascular systems, which raises the population's risk of disease and increases mortality. To better enhance public health, several attempts have been made by governmental organizations to comprehend and forecast the Air Quality Index. Without a doubt, the most crucial stage in prediction is the creation of a predictive model of the air quality, which will aid in environmental management and raise public awareness. The most important component of tracking air pollution is air quality prediction. Many methods will be useful in developing an effective model for pollution prediction. It is evident that the best approach for prediction is to use an artificial neural network. Therefore, this study was conducted by gathering data on air pollutants for the U.P. state city of MEERUT and creating an optimum model for the forecast of air quality.
Image Denoising by Linear Regression on Non-Local Means Algorithm
Authors: Direk Tugay
Published: January 2024

Non-Local Means (NL-Means) algorithm which removes the noise from the image have been used in the field widely due to its good performance especially for MR images. Its main idea is using all the pixels which are local and non-local in an image and taking weighted averaging of all values. One negative side of this method is that it considers all pixels in the image without looking at their similarity. This paper proposes a NL-Means algorithm with pixel selection by applying linear regression analysis using root mean squared error (RMSE) value. After regression analysis, RMSE of the neighborhoods is used to exclude non-similar pixels during noise removal. Lastly, obtained results are evaluated by quantitative and qualitative methods.
Jiuzhuan Huangjing Pills alleviate fatigue by preventing energy metabolism dysfunctions in mitochondria.
Authors: Shen Pan , Yu Wei-mei , Deng Bing , Ao Ting , Tao Yu-xuan , Ni Zhe-xin , Huang-fu Chao-ji , Wang Ning-ning , Hu Yang-yi , Sun De-zhi , Bai Zhi-jie , Xia Tian-tian , Yu Jie , Gao Yue , Yang Xing-xin , Wang Cheng , Zhou Wei
Published: January 2024

Background
Fatigue exerts a profound impact on the efficiency of work and learning, as well as overall health, in a significant portion of the global population. Unfortunately, current anti-fatigue medications have fallen short in delivering satisfactory outcomes, underscoring the imperative for extensive research into the development of therapeutic interventions to effectively manage fatigue and mitigate its associated adverse effects.
Purpose
The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dietary supplement Jiuzhuan Huangjing Pills (JHP) in improving fatigue induced by exercise and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms.
Methods
The weight-loaded forced swimming test was employed to establish a fatigue model in mice. C2C12 cells stimulated with H2O2 were employed to establish an in vitro oxidative stress model. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were conducted to measure oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and energy metabolism-related markers in both in vivo and in vitro models. Immunofluorescence assays were performed to assess mitochondrial membrane potential and cell apoptosis. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to identify metabolites in tissues and the JHP-derived ingredients, respectively. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were applied to reveal the potential key genes and pathways targeted by the main ingredients.
Results
JHP significantly increased the swimming time of mice and improved abnormal changes in fatigue indicators caused by intensity exercise. Mechanistically, JHP improved fatigue by protecting against structural damage and functional disorders of mitochondria through the reduction of oxidative stress, thereby preventing cell death and enhancing energy metabolism. Consistent with JHP, the ingredients derived from JHP also displayed similar protective effects against fatigue-induced oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial damage and cellular apoptosis. Importantly, JHP alleviated oxidative stress mainly by modulating the abundances of organic acids and lipids. The main ingredients of JHP as bioactive components exert their effects by binding to key genes involved in pathways crucial in fatigue.
Conclusions
Taken together, our findings demonstrated that JHP can serve as a candidate dietary supplement to improve exercise-induced fatigue without causing adverse effects, acting through the modulation at both metabolite and gene levels to ensure cellular survival and energy metabolism, ultimately enhancing overall energy production in the body.
The resolvent kernel on the discrete circle and twisted cosecant sums
Authors: Jorgenson Jay , Karlsson Anders , Smajlovic Lejla
Published: January 2024

In this paper we present a general unifying principle for computing finite trigonometric sums of types that arise in physics and number theory. We obtain formulas that are more general than previous expressions and deduce linear recursions, which are computationally more efficient than the degree two recursions proved by Zagier in [Za96]. As an application, we provide an answer to a question posed by Xie-Zhao-Zhao in [XZZ22 concerning special values of Dirichlet L-functions. The proofs use the combinatorial Laplacian on cyclic graphs and their twisted coverings. The techniques therefore connect the trigonometric sums to spectral invariants of graphs and open up for future investigations.