bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Loading Harmine On Nanographene Changes The Inhibitory Effects of Free Harmine Against MCF7 and Fibroblast Cells
Authors: Mortazavi Newsha , Heidari Mahboobeh , Rabiei Zohreh , tahmasebi sattar , Monazzah Maryam
Published: February 2021

Today cancer is one of the main causes of death all over the world. Chemotherapy, which is one of the main therapies in the treatment of cancer, causes several side effects by damaging healthy cells. Therefore, carbon nanomaterial systems have been developed to optimize therapeutics procedures with the least negative consequences. Targeting nanographene oxide (NGO) with folic acid (FA) molecules allows the recognition of MCF-7 cells, which are folic acid receptor (FR) positive. Harmine is a pharmacologically active secondary metabolite that is produced by Peganum harmala. It is found that this metabolite induces apoptosis to human breast cancer cell lines by intercalating DNA molecules. In this study, harmine was loaded on FA-NGO (FA-NGO/harmine) via π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions and the cytotoxicity against MCF-7, as FR positive cancerous cell, and fibroblast cells, as normal FR negative cell, were investigated. The in vitro studies illustrated that FA-NGO/harmine have remarkably higher cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells, about 60% cell loss, in comparison with free harmine with 40% cell loss (in the concentration of 40 μg. mL-1). However, the released amount of harmine into normal fibroblast cells was considerably low, only 28% cell loss in dose of 40 μg. mL-1. Our results suggest that the controlled release of harmine into FR positive cancerous cells might have a substantially high cytotoxicity effect.
Effect Judicial Independence on the Foreign Direct Investment in South and South-East Asian Countries
Authors: Mohammadf Faruque
Published: February 2021

Judicial Independence is one of the most important characteristics of quality and well functioning judiciary. Efficient and independent courts play crucial role to enforce contract and property rights efficiently and impartially, ensure individual liberty and create favorable environment for domestic as well as foreign investment and facilitate the economic development. It is proved that de facto judicial independence has a robust highly significant impact on economic growth. Foreign Direct Investment, a source of capital and an element of globalization plays an important role in the economic development of the countries. It is one of important source of capital which stimulate domestic investment, creates new employment and expedites the transfer of technology. The objective of this study is to examine whether judicial independence has an impact to attract foreign direct investment in south and south-east asia region.
A Novel Approach for Design and Investigation of Dual Material Stack Gate Oxide TFET using Oxide Strip Layer Mechanism
Authors: Nigam Kaushal , Nishad Dharmender
Published: February 2021

In this paper, for the first time, we use a distinctive approach based on oxide strip layer in dual material stack gate oxide-tunnel field-effect transistor (DMSGO-OSL-TFET) to improve the DC, analog/RF, and linearity performance. For this, a stack gate oxide with workfunction is considered to enhance the ONstate current (ION ) and reduce the ambipolar current (Iamb). For this case, the gate electrode is tri-segmented, named as tunnel gate (M1), control gate (M2) and auxiliary gate (M3) with different gate lengths (L1, L2, L3) and work functions (φ1, φ2, φ3), respectively. To maintain dual-work functionality, the possible combinations of these work functions are considered. Technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations are performed and noted that the workfunction combination (φ1 = φ3 < φ2) outperforms compared to other structures. Where φ1 on the source side is used to enhance the ION , while φ3 (equal to φ1) is used on the drain side to minimize the Iamb. To further enhance the device performance, a high-K oxide strip layer is considered on the drain side to suppress the (Iamb) whereas, a low-K oxide strip layer is used at the source junction to maximize the ION . Moreover, length of gate segments, oxide strip layer height, and thickness are optimized to achieve a better ION , switching ratio, subthreshold swing (SS) and reduce the (Iamb) which helps in the gain of device and design of analog/RF circuits. The proposed device as compared to dual material control gate-oxide strip layer-TFET (DMCG-OSL-TFET) shows improvement in ION /IOF F (∼ 4.23 times), 84 % increase in transconductance (gm), 136 % increase in cut-off frequency (fT ), 126 % increase in gain bandwidth product (GBP), point subthreshold swing (15.8 mV/decade) and other significant improvements in linearity performance parameters such as gm3, VIP3, IIP3, IMD3 making the proposed device useful for low power switching, analog/RF and linearity applications.
Production of Electricity and Improved Conversion Efficiency By Using Ionic Liquid in Photogalvanic Cell
Authors: Bendary Samar H. , Betiha Mohamed A. , Mahmoud Sawsan A.
Published: February 2021

Surfactant were widely applied in photogalvanic cells (PGC), and a limited number of studies have reported to used ionic liquid (IL), although it has more advantages than the conventional surfactants due to their specific chemical and physical properties such as the high electrolytic properties, the strong hydrophobic interactions between Cnmim+ and hydrophobic portion of other surfactant and co-surfactant behavior. In this work, Synthesis of IL Diethyl ammonium tetrachloro ferrate (DATF) was done through two step method. The composition of the produced IL was investigated by FTIR and 1HNMR spectra techniques. IL was known as a salt in the liquid state or a salt with melting point below the boiling point of water. PGC can be described as an electrochemical cell, where the change in both voltage and current results from photochemically generated changes in the proportional concentrations of the reactants during the oxidation-reduction reaction in the cell. The present study has shown electrical cell performance of the PGC as PPP 96.2μW, iSC 370 μA, VOC 650 mV, η 1.9 %, and t0.5 105 minutes, for PGC system containing Tris (2,2'-bipyrdyl) Ruthenium (II) chloride hexahydrate (TBRC) as photosensitize, Oxalic acid (OX) as reductant and (DATF) as IL under artificial and low illumination intensities, this system not yet reported in the literature. The study of variation of the different cell parameters has shown optimum cell performance at an optimal value of these cell fabrication parameters, and a preliminary mechanism for the production of energy in PGC was also proposed.
Dielectric Properties and Impedance Spectroscopy of RF Sputtered Nanocrystalline (Mg0.95Zn0.05)TiO3 Films for Electronic Applications
Authors: Gogoi Pallabi , PNVVL Pramila Rani , Emmanuel K A , Singh L Robindro , D Pamu
Published: February 2021

Oxide thin films attracted significant attention because of their favorable responses, especially dielectric and stable electrical properties. In this study, nanocrystalline (Mg0.95Zn0.05)TiO3 (MZT) films are deposited on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si and quartz substrates by radio-frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering. The effect of deposition gas ratio, i.e., the proportion of oxygen and argon (O2/Ar) on broad band and microwave dielectric properties and impedance spectroscopy of MZT films are investigated. The dielectric properties showed a wide range of variation with the different O2/Ar ratios. The MZT film deposited in a pure oxygen environment showed the best dielectric properties, and the plasma survived which shows that the target is not fully oxidized. The impedance spectroscopy of the film deposited under a pure oxygen environment exhibited the single semi-circular arc. The Ag/ MZT/Pt thin films capacitors exhibited the best dielectric constant with low loss tangent. The microwave dielectric constant measured at different spot frequencies in the GHz range displayed inferior dielectric response as compared to their bulk counterparts. An equivalent circuit model to explain the Nyquist plots of MZT films are worked out. The observed electrical and dielectric characteristics of the thin films suggest interesting applications in dielectric mirror and integrated circuits.
Comparative Activities of Sitafloxacin Against Recent Clinical Isolates in Hospitals Across China
Authors: Wu Shi , Yang Yang , Guo Yan , Yin Dandan , Zheng Yonggui , Han Renru , Ding Li , Zhu Demei , Hu Fupin
Published: February 2021

Sitafloxacin is one of the newer generation fluoroquinolones. Considering the ever-changing antimicrobial resistance, it is necessary to monitor the activities of sitafloxacin against recent pathogenic isolates. Therefore, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of sitafloxacin and comparators by broth microdilution or agar dilution method against 1101 clinical isolates collected from 2017 to 2019 in 31 hospitals across China. Sitafloxacin was highly active against gram-positive isolates evidenced by the MICs required to inhibit the growth of 50%/90% isolates (MIC50/90): ≤ 0.03/0.25, ≤ 0.03/0.125, ≤ 0.03/2, 0.125/0.25, 0.25/2, and 0.125/0.125 mg/L for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-susceptible coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MSCNS), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), methicillin-resistant CNS, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. Sitafloxacin inhibited 82.8% of the MRSA strains and 97.5% of MRCNS strains. Sitafloxacin was also potent against ciprofloxacin-susceptible Escherichia coli (MIC50/90: ≤ 0.03/0.06 mg/L) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (MIC50/90: ≤ 0.03/0.125 mg/L), non-ESBL-producing E. coli (MIC50/90: ≤ 0.03/1 mg/L) and K. pneumoniae (MIC50/90: ≤ 0.03/0.5 mg/L), Haemophilus influenzae (MIC50/90: ≤0.015/0.06 mg/L), Haemophilus parainfluenzae (MIC50/90: 0.125/0.5 mg/L), Moraxella catarrhalis (MIC50/90: ≤ 0.015/≤ 0.015 mg/L), Bacteroides fragilis (MIC50/90: 0.06/2 mg/L), Peptostreptococcus (MIC50/90: 0.125/4 mg/L), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (≤ 0.03/≤ 0.03 mg/L). However, sitafloxacin was less active for E. faecium, ciprofloxacin-resistant and/or ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains. Sitafloxacin was superior or comparable to most of the comparators in activities against the above-mentioned isolates. So sitafloxacin is still highly active against most of the clinical isolates in hospitals across China, proving its utility in treatment of the above-mentioned susceptible strains.
Impact of Climate Change Adaptation on Food Security: Evidence from Semi-Arid Lands, Kenya
Authors: Ndiritu S. Wagura , Muricho Geoffrey
Published: February 2021

The paper investigates the impact of climate change adaptation on food security in the Semi-Arid parts of Kenya. Our research used a sample of 440 households, and an endogenous Switching regression is estimated to account for the heterogeneity in the decision to adapt or not, and for unobservable characteristics of pastoralists. We examined how pastoralists’ decision to adapt, that is to implement a set of strategies; storage/purchase of fodder, change in water management, partial shift to other livelihoods, banking livestock assets and herd management. The results demonstrate that climate change adaptation increases food security among pastoralists significantly. Pastoralists who have not adapted are seven percentage points more likely to be food secure if they had adapted to climate change while adopters are 27 percentage points likely to be food insecure if they had not adapted. The paper recommends the strengthening of policies on adaptation to climate change in the Semi-Arid lands where pastoralism is the primary means of livelihood. Although pastoralists have information on the effect of climate change on their livestock, incomplete information on the mechanism of adaptation remains a hurdle. Consistent climate change monitoring, timely warning systems and communication of pertinent information to pastoralists is fundamental.
A Self-healing Hydrogel Electrolyte Towards All-in-one Flexible Supercapacitors
Authors: Ma Wen-Bin , Zhu Ke-Hu , Ye Shi-Fang , Wang Yao , Guo Lin , Tao Xue-Yu , Guo Li-Tong , Fan He-Liang , Liu Zhang-Sheng , Zhu Ya-Bo , Wei Xian-Yong
Published: February 2021

The autonomously self-healable all-in-one supercapacitor is prepared by in situ rapid polymerization of electrode materials on the surface of self-healing poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel electrolyte containing sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The self-healing PVA electrolyte has been achieved by physical interaction, in which dynamic hydrogen bonds between PVA chains can readily break and reform, allowing PVA hydrogel electrolyte to self-heal and regain its mechanical and electrochemical properties. The obtained PVA hydrogel displays fast self-healing capability, reliable mechanical performance (stress at 290 KPa after stretching to 238 %) and high ionic conductivity (57.8 mS cm− 1). Based on these excellent properties, an all-in-one supercapacitor with self-healing characteristics is assembled by in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of self-healable PVA electrolyte. The self-healable all-in-one supercapacitor exhibits specific capacitance 470 mF cm− 2 at current density of 0.2 mA cm− 2 and energy density 32 µWh cm− 2 at power density 100 µW cm− 2. The broken device can be repaired itself and there is a 63% capacitance retention for the healable supercapacitor. This self-healing supercapacitor will promote the development of self-healing energy storage devices in wearable electronics.
Preparation, Raman Spectroscopy, Surface Morphology and Optical Properties of TiPcCl2 Nanostructured Films: Thickness Effect
Authors: Hamdalla Taymour , Darwish A.A.A. , Al-Ghamdi S.A. , Alzahrani Ahmed Obaid M. , El-Zaidia E.F.M. , Alamrani Nasser A. , Elblbesy Mohamed A. , Yahia I.S.
Published: February 2021

Phthalocyanines are of a broad interest in photovoltaic applications. In this study, films of titanium-phthalocyanine-chloride (TiPcCl2) were prepared by the thermal evaporation method. The molecular structure was studied by Raman spectrometer, showing a match between the spectra of the powder and the prepared films. The films' surface was examined by the atomic force microscope, revealing grain size and surface roughness of TiPcCl2 thin films to be 223 and 41 nm, respectively, for a 100 nm thickness. The energy gap was determined to be 1.5 eV, with no observable effect by the thickness change. Additionally, the linear and nonlinear optical constants were calculated from reflectance and transmittance measurements. The values of third nonlinear susceptibility are in order of 10− 12 esu, which is compatible with other phthalocyanines. The nonlinear optical constants indicate that TiPcCl2 films could also be used for optical laser limiters.
Effect of BDNF on Differentiation of Circulating Th17 and Treg Cells in SLE Patients and Exploration of Signal Transduction Pathways
Authors: Tian Bailing , Hou Xiaoyu , Zhao Mengmeng
Published: February 2021

Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) is mainly derived from lymphocytes. The serum BDNF level in SLE is decreased, and BDNF may be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Our aim is to determine whether BDNF affects the differentiation of CD4+T cells into regulatory T(Treg) or T helper 17(Th17). 30 patients were selected. TGF-β and IL-6 were added to induce differentiation of Treg and Th17. After co-cultured with BDNF, the percentages of CD4+CD25+CD127low and CD4+IL-17A+ were detected by Flow cytometry, and the expression of Foxp3mRNA and RORγtmRNA were detected by Rt-PCR. Under the condition of Th17 and Treg polarization, after co-cultured with BDNF and TrkB IgG, the phosphorylation of Akt, mTORC1 and ERK1/2 were detected by western-blot, the percentages of CD4+CD25+CD127low and CD4+IL-17A+ were detected by Flow cytometry. Under the condition of Th17 polarization, with the increase of BDNF concentration(60ng/ml, 120ng/ml, 350ng/ml), the percentages of CD4+IL-17A+ and the expression of RORγtmRNA were decreased(p<0.01; p<0.001). Under the condition of Treg polarization, the percentages of CD4+CD25+CD127low and the expression of Foxp3mRNA were increased(p<0.001). Regardless of Th17 or Treg polarization, the phosphorylation of Akt, mTORC1 and ERK1/2 in the BDNF group were reduced(p<0.001), and the phosphorylation of Akt, mTORC1 in the TrkBIgG group were enhanced(p<0.001). BDNF down-regulates the differentiation of Th17 and promotes the differentiation of Treg in SLE through inhibiting the activation of PI3K-Akt-mTORC1 axis and ERK1/2 pathway. BDNF could play a certain role in maintaining the balance of Treg/Th17 ratio in SLE.
A New Approach to The Pathogenesis of Down Syndrome: An Integrated Quantitative Neuro-Transcriptome Analysis of Several Brain Areas in Human Trisomy 21.
Authors: Rodriguez-Ortiz Alejandra , Villegas Julio Cesar Montoya , Sánchez-Gomez Adalberto , Soto José María Satizábal , Mina-Paz Yecid , García-Vallejo Felipe
Published: February 2021

Background: Although Down syndrome (DS) is a trisomy of chromosome 21 being the most frequent human chromosomal disorder mainly associated with variable levels of intellectual disability and other dysfunctions, the only dose disbalance effect would not enough to explain its genetic and functional complexity neurophenotype. In this context, we aimed to analyze and compare the disruption of transcriptome of several brain areas from individuals with DS and euploid controls as a new approach to consider a global systemic differential disruption of gene expression beyond of chromosome 21. Methodology: To perform the analysis carried out in the present study, we used data from a DNA microarray experiment with ID GSE59630 previously deposited in the GEO DataSet of NCBI database. The array contained log2 values of 17,537 human genes expressed in several aeras of human brain. The data was collected from 58 postmortem brain samples of individuals with DS and 58 samples from euploid controls. We calculated the differential gene expression (Z-ratio) of all genes from the microarray according to the several brain areas, gene distribution per chromosome and age ranks. Results: We found several differences in gene expression along the DS brain transcriptome, not only in the genes located at chromosome 21 but in other chromosomes. Moreover, we registered the lowest Z-ratio correlation between the age ranks of 16-22 weeks of gestation and 39-42 years (R2=0.06) and the highest Z-ratio correlation between the age ranks of 30-39 years and 40-42 years (R2=0.89). The analysis per brain areas showed that the hippocampus and the cerebellar cortex had the most different gene expression pattern when compared to the brain as a whole. Conclusions: Our results revealed the complexity of gene expression networks in the transcriptome profiles of hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DFC) and cerebellar cortex (CBC). Moreover, our approach opens a new vision of the genomic complexity of DS as a pathology of multiple and complex variables that are playing altogether to modeling their pathogenesis.
Dual Plate Fixation of Mason Type III and IV Radial Neck Fractures: a Mid-term Follow-up of 9 Cases
Authors: Ye Kai , Qin Hui , An Zhiquan
Published: February 2021

Background: Radial head and neck fractures commonly occur in elbow injuries. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the dual plate fixation technique for fractures of the radial neck.Methods: This prospective study included 9 patients who were referred to our department by trauma surgeons between July 2014 and March 2018. 8 patients had a Mason type III fracture, and 1 patient had a Mason type IV fracture. The functional outcomes of dual plate fixation were evaluated via the range of motion (ROM) of the elbow joint, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI), and the Broberg and Morrey Index. Radiographic images were also reviewed during follow-up.Results: After a mean follow-up period of 50 months (24–69), the mean elbow flexion was 134°, extension was 5°, pronation was 76°, and the mean supination was 78°. The mean DASH score was 6.3. The mean MEPI was 97, and the mean Broberg and Morrey Index was 97. At the time of the last follow-up, the average humeroradial joint space was 2.5 mm, and the average inclination of the radial head relative to the neck was 2.2°. There were no incidences of wound infection, delayed union, nonunion of the fracture, or secondary displacement.Conclusions: Mason type III–IV radial neck fractures can be fixed using the dual plate technique with sufficient midterm results for both fractures that involve the radial head and those that do not. Trial registration: 2020-KY-096(K)
Low Fidelity VTOL UAV Design Optimization using an Open Source Framework
Authors: Sethi Nikhil , Ahlawat Saurav , Nallanthighal Raghava
Published: February 2021

An all-electric unmanned aerial system with both VTOL and Fixed wing capabilities is designed and optimized for long range surveillance, dynamic target monitoring and disaster relief operations. Such applications are common military practice. The UAV is equipped with onboard computers and sensors and is capable of carrying 1kg of relief payload upto 100 Km. The entire low fidelity design process- from concept to render is carried out using completely open-source tools, libraries and in-house code. A prototype is fabricated, integrated and tested as well. The challenges faced and primary differences are discussed parallelly. A comparison with commercial codes and programs is also done in some areas to give an overview of key capabilities and possible caveats.
“Hyper-Hypermethylated Status” of the MGMT Gene Promoter Confers Additional Survival Benefits in IDH-Wild-Type Glioblastoma Patients
Authors: Kim Moonsik , Yoo Jihwan , Roh Yun Ho , Chang Jong Hee , Kim Se Hoon
Published: February 2021

IntroductionMethylation status of the O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter plays key role in glioblastoma (GBM) with respect to the patient’s responses to temozolomide chemotherapy and disease prognosis. Although the cut-off value of MGMT methylation (≥10%) is currently widely used to dichotomize the MGMT status as “methylated” or “unmethylated” in pyrosequencing (PSQ) analysis, it is still unclear whether it reflects the actual MGMT methylation status of the patients. Thus, we investigated if there is a so called “hyper-hypermethylation cut-off value” that confers additional survival benefits in IDH-wild-type GBM patients. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 110 isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wild-type GBM patients who underwent gross total resection followed by the standard treatment. Predictive “hyper-hypermethylated” cutoff values that yielded maximal differences in survival were investigated. ResultsThe estimated hyper-hypermethylated cutoff value was 40%. The median OS values for unmethylated, low-methylated, and hyper-hypermethylated groups were 16, 17, and 23 months, respectively. With regard to disease progression, the median progression-free survival (PFS) values were 11, 14, and 16 months, respectively. The hyper-hypermethylated MGMT cutoff values were correlated with significantly improved overall survival (OS), compared to the low-methylated (p=0.039, HR=3.86, CI=1.1 to 13.8) or unmethylated groups (p=0.023, HR=3.92, CI=1.21 to 12.6). ConclusionThus, in addition to the standard MGMT cut-off point of 10%, we suggest that a so-called “hyper-hypermethylated” MGMT cut-off point may confer additional survival benefits in IDH-wild-type GBM patients.
Preventing Nugget Shifting in Joining of Dissimilar Steels via Resistance Element Welding: A Numerical Simulation.
Authors: Rao Zhenghua , Liu Lei , Wang Yaqiong , Ou Liang , Liu Jiangwei
Published: February 2021

Joining the advanced high strength steels and the conventional steels is a critical issue for the manufacturing of lightweight vehicles. Resistance element welding (REW) is an emerging joining method for dissimilar metals and alloys by applying an auxiliary rivet-like resistance element in resistance spot welding (RSW). In this study, an electrical-thermal-mechanical coupled REW model for high-strength dual-phase (DP) steel and Q235 steel was developed by considering contact resistances as functions of temperature and surface contacting area. The results show that the welding element in REW serves to concentrate the current flow and thus Joule heat generation at the faying interface between the element and workpiece. For welding DP600 and Q235 workpieces with a small thickness ratio (≤0.4) or a high electrical resistivity ratio (≥3), REW could effectively mitigate nugget shifting between workpieces and reducing the thermal excursion to electrode as compared to RSW. Adding well-designed insulation layers in REW could further concentrate the current within the welding element, and enables a large-sized nugget at a lower current. This study is significant because it provides a better understanding to the electrical-thermal-mechanical behaviors with interfacial contacts in REW and contributes to its further advance.
Actirhodobacter Atrilutea Gen. nov., sp. nov., Isolated from the Surface Water of the Yellow Sea
Authors: Xue Hua-Peng , Zhang Dao-Feng , Xu Lin , Zhang Ai-Hua , Huang Jian-Ke , Liu Chuang
Published: February 2021

A gram-stain-negative, aerobic, orange-pigmented bacterial strain, designated as HHU K3-1T, was isolated from the surface water of the Yellow Sea. The strain was observed to grow on 2216E agar medium, and optimal growth occurred at pH 7.0, at 28 ℃ and with 2.0% (w/v) NaCl supplement. The major fatty acids (>10%) were summed feature 3 (C16:1ω6c/C16:1ω7c), C17:1ω6c and summed feature 8 (C18:1ω6c/C18:1ω7c). Strain HHU K3-1T was found to contain ubiquinone-10 as the predominant quinone and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and sphingoglycolipid (SGL). The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain HHU K3-1T shared highest similarities with Pelagerythrobacter marensis KCTC 22370T (97.7%) and Qipengyuania oceanensis MCCC 1A09965T (96.9%). However, a phylogenetic tree based on 288 orthologous clusters (OCs) indicated that HHU K3-1T was close related to Parapontixanthobacter aurantiacus MCCC 1A09962T. The pairwise AAI and evolutionary distance between HHU K3-1T and Parapontixanthobacter aurantiacus MCCC 1A09962T is 67.1% and 0.43, respectively, which meet the recently proposed standard to differentiate genera in the family Erythrobacteraceae. On the basis of the result obtained by the polyphasic taxonomic study, the strain HHU K3-1T can be considered to represent a novel genus in the family Erythrobacteraceae, for which the name Actirhodobacter atrilutea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HHU K3-1T (= MCCC 1K04225T = KCTC 72834T = CGMCC 1.17395T).
Temporal Changes in Immune Responses within the Tumor Microenvironment in the 4T1.2-HER2 Mammary Tumor Model
Authors: Xu Yitong , Rogers Connie
Published: February 2021

Background: The murine 4T1.2 triple-negative breast cancer model is widely used, but is poorly immunogenic with no defined tumor-associated antigens. A modified 4T1.2 model has been developed that stably expresses a surrogate tumor antigen, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). The goal of the current study was to characterize host immune responses in the 4T1.2-HER2 tumor model, focusing on the tumor microenvironment (TME) during the early stage of tumor development. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were orthotopically inoculated with 4T1.2-HER2 tumor cells and sacrificed at day (D) 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 post tumor inoculation. The phenotype and function of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were assessed. Results: 4T1.2 and 4T1.2-HER2 tumor cells had similar proliferation rates in vitro. In contrast to the rapid progression of the parental 4T1.2 model, the 4T1.2-HER2 model demonstrated initial tumor growth followed by spontaneous tumor regression by D18 post tumor inoculation, which was not observed in scid mice. Following tumor regression, mice demonstrated either a second phase of tumor outgrowth or complete tumor rejection. Within the TME, the percentage of T cells was reduced at D9 and increased during tumor regression through D18 (p<0.05), whereas the percentage of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) increased during the initial tumor growth and was reduced by D18 (p<0.01). There was a stepwise increase in the percentage of IFNg+, IL-2+ and perforin+ T cells and NK cells peaking at D12-15. Furthermore, tumor regression occurred concurrently with HER2-specific IFNg production from tumor-infiltrating immune cells at D12 and D15 (p<0.05). During the second phase of 4T1.2-HER2 tumor growth, tumor volume was negatively correlated with immune infiltration (r=0.662, p=0.052). Conclusions: These results suggest that the integration of a surrogate tumor antigen, human HER2, into the clinically relevant, yet poorly immunogenic 4T1.2 breast cancer model enhanced its immunogenicity and induced HER2-specific immune responses.
Permeability Prediction in the South Georgia Rift Basin – Applications to CO2 Storage and Regional Tectonics
Authors: Akintunde Olusoga Martins , Knapp Camelia C. , Knapp James H.
Published: February 2021

The lack of the permeability log data necessary to assess reservoir injectivity as well as aid in the correlation and interpretation of existing porosity and resistivity logs for reservoir quality characterization for potential CO2 storage in the heterogenous and complex South Georgia Rift (SGR) basin provides the motivation for this study. The focus was on the Triassic-Jurassic red beds buried, entrenched beneath the Cretaceous-Cenozoic Coastal Plain sediments. Moreover, the significant cost typically between $10 M to $100M associated with drilling and logging for in situ permeability coupled with the limited resolution of existing core data further makes this work necessary. The purpose is to relate, use the interpretation of the predicted permeability distribution to assess feasibility for safe and long-term CO2 sequestration. This study also intends to establish the impacts of active and passive tectonism that has shaped and/or re-shaped the evolution of the basin on the present-day permeability. A methodology was applied that utilizes the pore space and geohydraulic properties of the reservoir from existing laboratory and well data to produce a newly derived permeability log. It shows a non-uniform distribution with depths possibly due to geologic changes in the confined and heterogeneous red beds. The derived log displays characteristics consistent with observations from the porosity and resistivity logs. The interpretation of these logs provides evidence for the presence of low permeable, tightly cemented and compacted red beds. We conclude that the low permeability aided by the low resistivity depicted in the red beds suggests increased confining stress and reduced injectivity, and that the uncharacteristically low permeability reflects a deformed basin shaped with episodes of uplift and erosion.
Vaporization Enthalpies and Vapor Pressures of the Major Components of Opopanax Oil, α-Santalene, cis α Bisabolene, cis α-Bergamotene,
Authors: Barton Dustin , Chickos James S
Published: February 2021

The vapor pressures and vaporization enthalpies of the major components of opopanax oil, a medicinal that has been in use since biblical times, are evaluated by correlation gas chromatography. Two sets of hydrocarbon standards are used, n-alkanes and a mixture of cyclic and polycyclic hydrocarbons. Two of the oil’s sesquiterpene components, evaluated in a previous study, were used both as standards and also as targets. Their use as targets was in an effort to confirm both their identity in the oil and the reproducibility of their properties. All correlations produce reproducible vaporization enthalpies and vapor pressures at ambient temperatures. At elevated temperatures, the use of the two different sets of standards resulted in some divergence in vapor pressure. Experiments are described aimed at attenuating this divergence. The results are compared to existing data.
Establishment of a Rodent Model of Neural Injury After High Frequency Monopolar Stimulation of the Motor Cortex
Authors: Yu Tao , Guo Lanjun , Russell Jennifer Sasaki , Sall Jeffrey W.
Published: February 2021

Direct electrical motor cortex stimulation with short-train high-frequency stimulation (HFS) for motor evoked potentials (MEPs) has been used intraoperatively during supratentorial surgeries, but the safety threshold is poorly defined. The goal of this study is to establish a rat model for the investigation of neural damage in the cerebral cortex caused by high current HFS to aid in defining safety thresholds. We performed bilateral craniotomy on 12 rats. Cerebral sensory-motor cortex was stimulated with a high-frequency current for 100 times. The rats were sacrificed and the brains were sliced for Nissl, DAPI, and IBA-1 staining. Severe neural damage of the cerebral cortex was found in all cases, including markedly shrunken and pyknotic cells. IBA-1 staining revealed reactive microglia morphology in the lesion area. DAPI staining showed nucleus degeneration and deformation. The cell density were significantly lower within the lesion area compared to the contralateral side. This study has established a brain lesion model caused by HFS on rats. These results suggest HFS may carry a risk of serious neural damage if repeatedly applied to the same brain site. More experiments are needed to fully understand the safety threshold of direct cortical stimulation with HFS for clinical use.
Time Series Analysis on Incidence of Pulmonary Tuberculosis With Weather Factors During 2004-2017 in Guangdong Province, China
Authors: Qin Tianyu , Hao Yu , He Juan
Published: February 2021

Background: Although the occurrence of some infectious diseases including TB was found to be associated with specific weather factors, few studies have incorporated weather factors into the model to predict the incidence of tuberculosis (TB). We aimed to establish an accurate forecasting model using TB data in Guangdong Province, incorporating local weather factors.Methods: Data of sixteen meteorological variables (2003-2016) and the TB incidence data (2004-2016) of Guangdong were collected. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was constructed based on the data. SARIMA model with weather factors as explanatory variables (SARIMAX) was performed to fit and predict TB incidence in 2017. Results: Maximum temperature, maximum daily rainfall, minimum relative humidity, mean vapor pressure, extreme wind speed, maximum atmospheric pressure, mean atmospheric pressure and illumination duration were significantly associated with log(TB incidence). After fitting the SARIMAX model, maximum pressure at lag 6 (β= -0.007, P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.011, -0.002, mean square error (MSE): 0.279) was negatively associated with log(TB incidence), while extreme wind speed at lag 5 (β=0.009, P < 0.05, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.013, MSE: 0.143) was positively associated. SARIMAX (1, 1, 1) (0, 1, 1)12 with extreme wind speed at lag 5 was the best predictive model with lower Akaike information criterion (AIC) and MSE. The predicted monthly TB incidence all fall within the confidence intervals using this model. Conclusions: Weather factors have different effects on TB incidence in Guangdong. Incorporating meteorological factors into the model increased the accuracy of prediction.
Clinical Outcomes in 2481 Unselected Real-World Patients Treated With a Polymer-Free Sirolimus-Eluting Stent: 3 Years Results From the NANO Multicenter Registry
Authors: Dai Yi , Wang Rutao , Chen Fengying , Zhang Yaojun , Liu Yi , Huang He , Yang Ping , Zhang Ruining , Zheng Bo , Gao Chao , Chen Yundai , Tao Ling
Published: February 2021

The long-term clinical data evaluating the safety and efficacy of the novel polymer-free sirolimus-eluting Nano plus stent (Lepu Medical, Beijing, China) is limited. We evaluated the 3-year clinical outcomes of a polymer-free sirolimus-eluting, Nano plus stent for the treatment of coronary artery disease in the NANO multicenter Registry. The NANO all-comers Registry trial was a prospective, multicenter clinical registry conducted in 26 centers between August 2016 and January 2017. A total of 2481 consecutive patients were exclusively treated with the Nano plus stent. The main clinical endpoint, target lesion failure (TLF, defined as cardiac death, target vessel nonfatal myocardial infarction, and clinically driven target lesion revascularization [CD-TLR]), was analyzed at 3 years. The incidence of TLF was 6.8% (168/2481). The rates of its individual components were as follows: cardiac death 3.8% (94/2481), target vessel nonfatal myocardial infarction 0.7% (18/2481), and CD-TLR 2.9% (68/2481). The rate of definite/probable stent thrombosis was 0.5% (13/2481). Diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction, age, chronic renal failure, in-stent restenosis, chronic total occlusion and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% were the independent predictors of 3-year TLF. The TLF was relatively low in patients treated with polymer-free Nano plus stent at 3 years. The polymer-free Nano plus stent showed a favorable safety and efficacy profile in the real-world patients.Clinical trial registrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT02929030.
Approximate Stochastic Response of Hysteretic System With Fractional Element and Subjected to Combined Stochastic and Periodic Excitation
Authors: Kong Fan , Han Renjie , Zhang Yuanjin
Published: February 2021

A method based on statistical linearization is proposed, for determining response of the single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hysteretic system endowed with fractional derivatives and subjected to combined periodic and white/colored excitation. The method is developed by decomposing the system response into a combination of a periodic and of a zero-mean stochastic components. In this regard, first, the equation of motion is cast into two sets of coupled fractional-order non-linear differential equations with unknown deterministic and stochastic response components. Next, the harmonic balance method and the statistical linearization for the fractional-order deterministic and stochastic subsystems are used, to obtain the Fourier coefficients of the deterministic component and the variance of the stochastic component, respectively. This yields two sets of coupled non-linear algebraic equations which can be solved by appropriate standared numerical method. Pertinent numerical examples, including both softening and hardening Bouc-Wen hysteretic system endowed with different fractional-orders, are used to demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of the proposed method.
Synergistic Effects of Ca2+ and High-Valence Nb5+ co-Doping on the Structural, Optical and Magnetic Properties of BiFeO3
Authors: Xian Huimin , Tang Lingyun , Mao Zhongquan , Zhang Jiang , Chen Xi
Published: February 2021

The structural, optical and magnetic properties of BiFeO3, BiFe0.99Nb0.01O3 and Bi1 − xCaxFe0.99Nb0.01O3 (BCFNO, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel method are investigated. It has been found that a phase transition from the rhombohedral R3c structure (x ≤ 0.10) to the ideal cubic perovskite structure (x = 0.25) which can be attributed to Ca2+ doping. Increasing Ca2+ dopants results in the increase of oxygen vacancies. As doping amount x increase, the band gap of BCFNO decreases and the valence band spectra indicates that it’s a p-type semiconductor, which indicates their favorable potential in photocatalytic applications. The remnant magnetization Mr of BCFNO reaches a maximum value (0.146 emu/g about 15 times compared with pure BFO) at x = 0.10. This enhancement of magneitic properties in BCFNO can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of A and B site ions co-doping. Higher valance Nb doping cause the size effect and the magnetic polarons bounded to the impurities by Ca ions.
Outcomes of Early-onset Preeclampsia With Severe Features at the University Hospital in Southern Thailand: a 15-year Experience
Authors: Khwankaew Noppasin , Sawaddisan Rapphon , Suwanrath Chitkasaem , Geater Alan
Published: February 2021

Purpose: To evaluate outcomes and factors associated with adverse outcomes among patients with early-onset preeclampsia with severe features at Songklanagarind Hospital. Methods: A retrospective study of 326 singleton women with early-onset preeclampsia with severe features treated at Songklanagarind Hospital between 2004-2019 was conducted. Baseline characteristics, management and outcomes were reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of adverse outcomes. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: There were no maternal mortalities, with 3.1% stillbirths and 6.7% neonatal deaths. High maternal serum creatinine (OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.27-8.36, p = 0.01) was significantly associated with adverse maternal outcomes. Early gestational age at delivery [< 28 weeks (OR 16.63, 95% CI 6.95-39.80, p <0.01), 28-32 weeks (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.54-6.85, p <0.01)], maternal diabetes mellitus (OR 5.62, 95% CI 1.43-22.06, p = 0.01), high maternal serum creatinine (OR 2.66, 95%CI 1.20-5.93, p = 0.02) and elevated serum aminotransferases (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.19-4.29, p = 0.01) were associated with serious adverse perinatal outcomes.Conclusions: Early-onset preeclampsia with severe features had favorable outcomes. Maternal diabetes mellitus, high serum creatinine, elevated serum aminotransferases and early gestational age at delivery were factors associated with poor outcomes.
Bereziskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the Weyl system PtBi2
Authors: Veyrat Arthur , Labracherie Valentin , Acharya Rohith , Bashlakov Dima , Caglieris Federico , Facio Jorge , Shipunov G. , Graf Lukas , Schoop Johannes , Naidyuk Yurii , Giraud Romain , Brink Jeroen van den , Buechner Bernd , Hess Christian , Aswartham Saicharan , Dufouleur Joseph
Published: February 2021

Symmetry breaking in topological matter became, in the last decade, a key concept in condensed matter physics to unveil novel electronic states. In this work, we reveal that broken inversion symmetry and strong spin-orbit coupling in trigonal PtBi2 lead to a Weyl semimetal band structure, with unusually robust two-dimensional superconductivity in thin fims. Transport measurements show that high-quality PtBi2 crystals are three-dimensional superconductors (Tc≈600 mK) with an isotropic critical field (Bc≈50 mT). Remarkably, we evidence in a rather thick flake (60 nm), exfoliated from a macroscopic crystal, the two-dimensional nature of the superconducting state, with a critical temperature Tc≈370 mK and highly-anisotropic critical fields. Our results reveal a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition with TBKT≈310 mK and with a broadening of Tc due to inhomogenities in the sample. Due to the very long superconducting coherence length ξ in PtBi2, the vortex-antivortex pairing mechanism can be studied in unusually-thick samples (at least five times thicker than for any other two-dimensional superconductor), making PtBi2 an ideal platform to study low dimensional superconductivity in a topological semimetal.
Novel Hierarchical Structure of MoS2/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx Composites for Dramatically Enhanced Electromagnetic Absorbing Properties
Authors: Du Heng , Zhang Qipeng , Zhao Biao , Marken Frank , Gao Qiancheng , Lu Hongxia , Guan Li , Wang Hailong , Shao Gang , Xu Hongliang , Zhang Rui , Fan Bingbing
Published: February 2021

In order to prevent the microwave leakage and mutual interference, more and more microwave absorbing devices are added into the design of electronic products to ensure its routine operation. In this work, we have successfully prepared MoS2/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx hierarchical composites by one-pot hydrothermal method and focused on the relationship between structures and electromagnetic absorbing properties. Supported by comprehensive characterizations, MoS2 nanosheets were proved to be anchored on the surface and interlayer of Ti3C2Tx through a hydrothermal process. Additionally, TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained in situ. Due to these hierarchical structures, the MoS2/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites showed greatly enhanced microwave absorbing performance. The MoS2/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites exhibit a maximum reflection loss value of −33.5 dB at 10.24 GHz and the effective absorption bandwidth covers 3.1 GHz (13.9–17 GHz) at the thickness of 1.0 mm, implying the features of wide frequency and light weight. This work in the hierarchical structure MoS2/TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites opens a promising door to the exploration of constructing extraordinary electromagnetic wave absorbents.
Effectiveness of Home and Community Exercise Interventions in Improving Indices of Adiposity and Health Outcomes in Adults Living With HIV: a Protocol for a Systematic Review.
Authors: Aminde Jeannine Anyingu , Harris Neil , Thng Caroline , Desbrow Ben
Published: February 2021

Background: Disorders of adipose distribution in people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been associated with significant metabolic derangements that increase their risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Systematic reviews focusing on centre-based supervised exercise interventions demonstrate that these interventions improve adipose distribution in people living with HIV (PLWH). However, there is need to examine the effectiveness of more flexible home/community self-managed exercise. The aim of this review will be to synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of home and community exercise interventions to improve adiposity indices in PLWH.Methods: The following databases will be searched from inception; PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Clinicaltrials.gov. In addition, reference lists searching and forward citation searching will be performed. Screening of studies and data extraction will be conducted by two independent reviewers using a pre-established checklist and no language restrictions will be applied. The quality of included studies will be evaluated with the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Risk of bias tool for controlled and uncontrolled before-after studies. A random-effects meta-analysis will be used to pool effect estimates for primary outcomes (measures of total body adiposity, adipose distribution, and regional adiposity). However, if pooling is deemed inappropriate due to substantial differences between studies, a narrative synthesis will be performed. This protocol is written according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols 2015 statement (see Additional file 1).Discussion: This review shall provide evidence to support or disapprove the prescription of self-managed home exercise interventions in a particularly vulnerable population. We will equally explore the potential impact of technology in improving adherence. Our findings could help guide clinicians involved in the care of PLWH in prescribing exercise and inform the design of future trials and research. Systematic review registration: This protocol was submitted with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 11/01/2021.