bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association between Cranial Base and Maxillomandibular Sagittal and Transverse Relationship: A CBCT Study
Authors: Alhazmi Nora , Almihbash Abdulaziz , Alrusaini Salman , Bin Jasser Saud , Alghamdi Mohammad Saleh , Alotaibi Ziad , Alshamrani Ahmed Mohammed , Albalawi Maram
Published: September 2022

The cranial base has a crucial effect on the position of the maxilla and mandible. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the cranial base sagittal and transverse dimensions in different skeletal patterns. This is a retrospective study of pre-existing CBCT images of 132 subjects (60 males and 72 females) from Saudi Arabia with a mean age of 35 years old. The grouping of the subjects was based on the ANB angle of Steiner’s analysis. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the means of the sagittal and transverse dimensions between different skeletal patterns, followed by a post hoc test for individual comparisons. Logistic regression analysis was performed to test the relationship between gender, age, and cephalometric values between the three groups. The significance level was 0.05. One-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in posterior cranial base length (p < 0.05) and total cranial base length (p < 0.05) among different skeletal patterns. Tukey’s post hoc analysis showed that skeletal class II had a smaller posterior cranial base and total cranial base length when compared to the other groups. The class II skeletal pattern has a smaller posterior cranial base and total cranial base when compared to skeletal class I and class III skeletal patterns.
Moore–Gibson–Thompson Thermoelastic Model Effect of Laser-Induced Microstructures of a Microbeam Sitting on Visco-Pasternak Foundations
Authors: Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Dassios Ioannis , Moaaz Osama
Published: September 2022

Due to the intricacy of this topic, the thermal study of microstructures on triple-parameter foundations subjected to ultrafast laser pulses has not received much attention. It is necessary to determine the thermal performance of a structure to examine the thermoelastic properties that are caused by a heat source that is generated by a laser pulse. In this paper, the framework of a microscale beam is presented; it was exposed to harmonically fluctuating heat and rested on a visco-Pasternak base under the impact of axial stress. The Euler-Bernoulli beam model was used for this objective, and a very short laser pulse heated the medium. In addition, the Moore–Gibson–Thompson (MGT) non-Fourier thermoelastic theory was used to attempt to explain the thermal variables of the system, and the equations regulating the vibration of thermo-elastic microbeams were then constructed. A semi-analytical strategy is described to examine the properties of the studied field variables. This methodology uses the Laplace transform as well as an approximate computational method for inverse transformations. The influences of the operative parameters on the thermal deflection, axial thermal stress, displacement fields, and temperature change are presented. These effects include damping constants, laser pulses, and the stiffness of viscoelastic and elastic foundations. In addition, the results that were found were compared with previous literature in order to validate the derived model. Finally, more computational outcomes are presented to study the properties of different temperature factors including in the MGT thermoelastic model.
Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence for Enterprise Management in the Era of Industry 4.0
Authors: Mah Pascal Muam , Skalna Iwona , Muzam John
Published: September 2022

Introduction: The advances in the digital era have necessitated the adoption of communication as the main channel for modern business. In the past, business negotiations, profiling, seminars, shopping, and agreements were in-person but today everything is almost digitalized. Objectives: The study aims to examine how the Internet of things (IoTs) connects text-object as part of NLP and AI responding to human needs. Also, how precipitated changes in the business environment and modern applications such as NLP and AI embedded with IoTs services have changed business settings. Problem statement: As communication takes lead in the business environment, companies have developed sophisticated applications of NLP that take human desires and fulfill them instantly with the help of text, phone calls, smart records, and chatbots. The ease of communication and interaction has shown a greater influence on customer choice, desires, and needs. Modern service providers now use email, text, phone calls, smart records, and virtual assistants as first contact points for almost all of their dealings, customer inquiries, and most preferred trading channels. Method: The study uses text content as part of NLP and AI to demonstrate how companies capture customers’ insight and how they use IoTs to influence customers’ reactions, responses, and engagement with enterprise management in Industry 4.0. The “Behavior-oriented drive and influential function of IoTs on Customers in Industry 4.0” concept was used in this study to determine the influence of Industry 4.0 on customers. Results: The result indicates the least score of 12 out of 15 grades for all the measurements on a behavior-oriented drive and influential function of IoTs on customers. Conclusion: The study concluded that NLP and AI are the preferred system for enterprise management in the era of Industry 4.0 to understand customers’ demands and achieve customer satisfaction. Therefore, NLP and AI techniques are a necessity to attain business goals.
The Role of Knee Flexors Hypertonia in the Decision-Making of Hamstring Lengthening Surgery for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Manikowska Faustyna , Brazevič Sabina , Jóźwiak Marek , Lebiedowska Maria K.
Published: September 2022

Popliteal angle (PA) and the knee position at the end of the swing phase during walking (Kts) are considered criteria for treatment selection and outcome prediction of hamstring lengthening surgery in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the relationships among Kts, PA, and hypertonia are not clear. This study aimed to determine whether hamstrings hypertonia affects the values of PA and Kts, and how it may affect the hamstring lengthening decision for CP. One hundred and twenty-six subjects with CP (male = 72, female = 54; age = 11.1 ± 3.9 years) underwent gait analysis and examination of hamstrings hypertonia (Tardieu scale) and length (PA). We found that Kts increased with PA (Kts = 5.00 + 0.31 × PA (r = 0.39; p < 0.001)). Every 10° change of PA leads to 3° improvement of knee position in walking. Kts were larger (p < 0.001) in the limbs with (20.40 ± 11.27°) than without (15.60 ± 9.99°) knee flexors hypertonia (Tardieu slow); and were larger (p < 0.001) in the limbs with (20.39 ± 11.01°) than without (14.85 ± 9.89°) knee flexors hypertonia (Tardieu fast). PAs were larger (p < 0.05) in the limbs with (42.81 ± 12.66°) than without (38.96 ± 14.38°) hypertonia (Tardieu fast). Kts = 13.93° and PA = 30° were cutoff values of the presence of hypertonia with sensitivities of 75.0% and 89.1%, respectively. Kts increased with the PA in ambulatory CP. It is estimated that pathological increase of Kts occurs at PA ≥ 40°. The hypertonia of knee flexors affected Kts and PA. The presence of knee flexors hypertonia should be considered in the decision-making of hamstring lengthening for individuals with CP if Kts ≥ 13.93° and PA ≥ 30°.
The Impact of the 4.0 Paradigm in the Italian Agricultural Sector: A Descriptive Survey
Authors: Maffezzoli Federico Angelo , Ardolino Marco , Bacchetti Andrea
Published: September 2022

This paper investigates how much Italian farms are involved in the so-called “Agriculture 4.0” (Agri 4.0) journey. The paper focuses on analyzing the knowledge and adoption levels of specific 4.0-enabling technologies while also considering the main benefits and obstacles. A descriptive survey was carried out on a total of 670 respondents related to agricultural companies of different sizes. The findings from the survey demonstrate that Italian farms are in different positions in their journey toward the Agri 4.0 paradigm, mainly depending on their size in terms of revenues and land size. Furthermore, there are strong differences concerning both the benefits and obstacles related to the adoption of the Agri 4.0 paradigm, here depending on the technology adoption level. Regarding future research, it would be interesting to carry out the same study in other countries to make comparisons and suitable benchmark analyses. Although scholars have debated about the adoption of technologies and the benefits related to the Agri 4.0 paradigm, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no empirical surveys have been carried out on the adoption level of digital solutions in agriculture in specific countries.
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Non-Steady-State Particulate Matter Filtration Process in Woven Fiber
Authors: Zheng Chaohe , Zhao Haibo , Huang Haokai , Wang Kun , Wang Haoming
Published: September 2022

To enhance the design process of high-performance woven fibers, it is vital to clarify the evolution of particle dendrites, the dynamic pressure drop, and the capture efficiency with respect to dust loading during the non-steady-state filtration process. A general element (orthogonal elliptical fibers) of woven filter cloths is numerically simulated using the 3D lattice Boltzmann-cell automation (LB-CA) method, where gas dynamics is solved by the LB method while the solid particle motion is described by the CA probabilistic approach. The dendrite morphologies are evaluated under various particle diameters, aspect ratios, packing densities, and inlet fluid velocities. For submicron particles in the “Greenfield gap” range, it is revealed that the normalized pressure drop is an exponential function of the mass of deposited particles, and the rate of increase is exactly proportional to the perimeter of the elliptical fibers. Moreover, the normalized capture efficiency is a linear function of the deposited mass. It is not advisable to increase the packing density too much, as this might simply increase the pressure drop rather than enhancing the normalized capture efficiency. It is also worth noting that the fitting slope is more likely to grow linearly once the aspect ratio exceeds 1.6, indicating that orthogonal elliptical woven fibers offer higher capture efficiency than normal orthogonal cylindrical woven fibers. The work is beneficial to gain insights into the angular distribution of particle dendrites, as well as the prediction of dynamic growth of pressure drop and capture efficiency of the elliptical fiber. These efforts could help to deepen the understanding and realize assistant designing for the filtration performance of woven fiber in the future.
The Impact of Physical Activity on the Circadian System: Benefits for Health, Performance and Wellbeing
Authors: Weinert Dietmar , Gubin Denis
Published: September 2022

Circadian rhythms are an inherent property of all living systems and an essential part of the external and internal temporal order. They enable organisms to be synchronized with their periodic environment and guarantee the optimal functioning of organisms. Any disturbances, so-called circadian disruptions, may have adverse consequences for health, physical and mental performance, and wellbeing. The environmental light–dark cycle is the main zeitgeber for circadian rhythms. Moreover, regular physical activity is most useful. Not only does it have general favorable effects on the cardiovascular system, the energy metabolism and mental health, for example, but it may also stabilize the circadian system via feedback effects on the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the main circadian pacemaker. Regular physical activity helps to maintain high-amplitude circadian rhythms, particularly of clock gene expression in the SCN. It promotes their entrainment to external periodicities and improves the internal synchronization of various circadian rhythms. This in turn promotes health and wellbeing. In experiments on Djungarian hamsters, voluntary access to a running wheel not only stabilized the circadian activity rhythm, but intensive wheel running even reestablished the rhythm in arrhythmic individuals. Moreover, their cognitive abilities were restored. Djungarian hamsters of the arrhythmic phenotype in which the SCN do not generate a circadian signal not only have a diminished cognitive performance, but their social memory is also compromised. Voluntary wheel running restored these abilities simultaneously with the reestablishment of the circadian activity rhythm. Intensively exercising Syrian hamsters are less anxious, more resilient to social defeat, and show less defensive/submissive behaviors, i.e., voluntary exercise may promote self-confidence. Similar effects were described for humans. The aim of the present paper is to summarize the current knowledge concerning the effects of physical activity on the stability of the circadian system and the corresponding consequences for physical and mental performance.
A Study on Ergonomic Layout of Automotive Electronic Shift Buttons
Authors: Choi Gwanghyuck , Kim Hansol , Jeong Yihun , Son Minseok , Beck Donghyun
Published: September 2022

Automotive gear shifters are among the most important control devices in driving tasks, and their user-centered design has a direct impact on the driving performance and safety. In recent years, shift-by-wire systems with electronic shift buttons have replaced conventional transmission systems due to their advantages, such as the ease of shifting and space utilization inside vehicles. However, there are no minimum requirements or specific regulations for electronic shift button layouts. Thus, different car manufacturers and models have adopted different layouts, and this in turn has induced the risk of driver confusion/error in the shifting operation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the ergonomic performance of different electronic shift button layouts and examine the variance in performance depending on driving experience. Here, 21 survey respondents with different levels of driving experience subjectively evaluated 12 different shift button layouts for 7 ergonomic evaluation measures (accuracy, convenience, rapidity, learnability, intuitiveness, safety, and preference). The outcomes of the study elucidate ergonomic layouts that receive high rankings in each driving experience group (all, novice, and experienced drivers) and principles that should be considered when designing shift button layouts for each group. These findings are expected to contribute to the ergonomic design and international standardization of shift button layouts, thereby preventing driver confusion/errors and improving road safety.
Influence of Different Treatments and Conditions on Optical Properties of Monolithic Zirconia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Alnassar Talal M.
Published: September 2022

The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the influence of different treatments and conditions on the optical properties of monolithic zirconia. An electronic search was performed using the following databases: PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA), Web of Science (Clarivate, London, UK), Scopus (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands), Google Scholar (Google, Mountain View, CA, USA), and Embase (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands), with no restrictions on publication year and language. Based on the PICO format, the primary research question of this review was: “What is the impact of different treatments and conditions on the optical properties of monolithic zirconia?” From 145 relevant articles, 12 studies were chosen for systematic review (qualitative synthesis). A modified version of the “Guidelines for Reporting Pre-Clinical In-Vitro Studies on Dental Materials” was used to assess the overall quality of the included studies and any bias within them. The included studies assessed the optical properties (such as color stability, translucency, and surface gloss) of monolithic zirconia and other relevant ceramic materials using different treatments and conditions including aging (i.e., artificial, simulated, chemical, and hydrothermal), grinding/occlusal adjustment, glazing/external staining, toothbrushing, bleaching, and artificial gastric acid exposure. All the included studies (100%) reported a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the optical properties of monolithic zirconia samples as compared to those of other relevant ceramic materials. Overall, different treatments and conditions had a negative impact on the optical properties of monolithic zirconia. In conclusion, the optical features assessed for monolithic zirconia, such as color stability, translucency, and surface gloss, appeared to be significantly compromised by different treatments and conditions including aging, grinding/occlusal adjustment, glazing/external staining, toothbrushing, bleaching, and artificial gastric acid exposure. However, the change was clinically not perceivable in 25% (n = 3/12) of the included studies. Due to the heterogenic parameters in the included studies, it is recommended to perform future studies using standardized conditions with different stains of zirconia over an extended duration to obtain conclusive evidence.
Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry for Post-Earthquake Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in Jiuzhaigou
Authors: Fang Haoran , Shao Yun , Xie Chou , Tian Bangsen , Zhu Yu , Guo Yihong , Yang Qing , Yang Ying
Published: September 2022

Earthquakes cause a huge number of landslides and alter the regional landslide risk distribution. As a result, after a significant earthquake, the landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) must be updated. The study goal was to create seismic landslide susceptibility maps containing landslide causative variables which are adaptable to great changes in susceptibility after the Jiuzhaigou earthquake (MS 7.0) and to perform a rapid update of the LSM after the earthquake by means of the distributed scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DS-InSAR) technique. We selected the territory of Jiuzhaigou County (southwestern China) as the study region. Jiuzhaigou is a world-renowned natural heritage and tourist area of great human and ecological value. For landslide susceptibility mapping, we examined the applicability of three models (logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest) for landslide susceptibility mapping and offered a strategy for updating seismic landslide susceptibility maps using DS-InSAR. First, using logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest techniques, susceptibility models of seismic landslides were built for Jiuzhaigou based on twelve contributing variables. Second, we obtained the best model parameters by means of a Bayesian network and network search, while using five-fold cross-validation to validate the optimized model. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the SVM model and RF model had excellent prediction capability and strong robustness over large areas compared with the LR models. Third, the surface deformation in Jiuzhaigou was calculated using DS-InSAR technology, and the deformation data were adopted to update the landslide susceptibility model using the correction matrix. The correction of deformation data resulted in a susceptibility class transition in 4.87 percent of the research region. According to practical examples, this method of correcting LSMs for the continuous monitoring of surface deformation (DS-InSAR) was effective. Finally, we analyze the reasons for the change in the revised LSM and point out the help of ecological restoration in reducing landslide susceptibility. The results show that the integration of InSAR continuous monitoring not only improved the performance of the LSM model but also adapted it to track the evolution of future landslide susceptibility, including seismic and human activities.
SPM: A Novel Hierarchical Model for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Combined ACDs in a Blockchain-Based Cloud Environment
Authors: Yang Xin , Smahi Abla , Li Hui , Zhang Huayu , Li Shuo-Yen Robert
Published: September 2022

Cloud computing provides blockchain a flexible and cost-effective service by on-demand resource sharing, which also introduces additional security risks. Adaptive Cyber Defense (ACD) provides a solution that continuously changes the attack surface according to the cloud environments. The dynamic characteristics of ACDs give defenders a tactical advantage against threats. However, when assessing the effectiveness of ACDs, the structure of traditional security evaluation methods becomes unstable, especially when combining multiple ACD techniques. Therefore, there is still a lack of standard methods to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of ACDs. In this paper, we conducted a thorough evaluation with a hierarchical model named SPM. The proposed model is made up of three layers integrating Stochastic Reward net (SRN), Poisson process, and Martingale theory incorporated in the Markov chain. SPM provides two main advantages: (1) it allows explicit quantification of the security with a straightforward computation; (2) it helps obtain the effectiveness metrics of interest. Moreover, the hierarchical architecture of SPM allows each layer to be used independently to evaluate the effectiveness of each adopted ACD method. The simulation results show that SPM is efficient in evaluating various ACDs and the synergy effect of their combination, which thus helps improve the system configuration accordingly.
Correction: Jang, J.; Lee, H.-N. Profitable Double-Spending Attacks. Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 8477
Authors: Jang Jehyuk , Lee Heung-No
Published: September 2022

There was an error in the original publication [...]
Maritime Moving Target Joint Localization and Kinematic State Estimation Using GNSS-Based Multistatic Radar
Authors: Wang Binbin , Cha Hao , Zhou Zibo , Zuo Lei
Published: September 2022

A global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-based multistatic radar is explored for target localization and kinematic state estimation. Since any point on the earth can be illuminated by a minimum of four satellites of each GNSS constellation at any time, GNSS-based passive radars can be inherently considered multistatic radars. In this paper, a method for jointly estimating the target position and velocity by utilizing both the time delays and Doppler shifts has been proposed, and an analytical accuracy analysis is also provided. In the new method, the bistatic range and Doppler for each path are firstly estimated by the range-Doppler (RD) method, and then by using the bistatic ranges and Doppler shifts. The least squares method is applied to estimate the target position and velocity simultaneously. Compared with the precedent target localization and velocity estimation method, the proposed method achieves a better estimation result with simple procedures. Simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
PTG-PLM: Predicting Post-Translational Glycosylation and Glycation Sites Using Protein Language Models and Deep Learning
Authors: Alkuhlani Alhasan , Gad Walaa , Roushdy Mohamed , Voskoglou Michael Gr. , Salem Abdel-badeeh M.
Published: September 2022

Post-translational glycosylation and glycation are common types of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) in which glycan binds to protein enzymatically or nonenzymatically, respectively. They are associated with various diseases such as coronavirus, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes diseases. Identifying glycosylation and glycation sites is significant to understanding their biological mechanisms. However, utilizing experimental laboratory tools to identify PTM sites is time-consuming and costly. In contrast, computational methods based on machine learning are becoming increasingly essential for PTM site prediction due to their higher performance and lower cost. In recent years, advances in Transformer-based Language Models based on deep learning have been transferred from Natural Language Processing (NLP) into the proteomics field by developing language models for protein sequence representation known as Protein Language Models (PLMs). In this work, we proposed a novel method, PTG-PLM, for improving the performance of PTM glycosylation and glycation site prediction. PTG-PLM is based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and embedding extracted from six recent PLMs including ProtBert-BFD, ProtBert, ProtAlbert, ProtXlnet, ESM-1b, and TAPE. The model is trained and evaluated on two public datasets for glycosylation and glycation site prediction. The results show that PTG-PLM based on ESM-1b and ProtBert-BFD has better performance than PTG-PLM based on the other PLMs. Comparison results with the existing tools and representative supervised learning methods show that PTG-PLM surpasses the other models for glycosylation and glycation site prediction. The outstanding performance results of PTG-PLM indicate that it can be used to predict the sites of the other types of PTMs.
Sulfur Dioxide and Sulfolane as Additives in Organic Electrolytes to Develop Room-Temperature Sodium Batteries
Authors: Ruiz-Martínez Débora , Gómez Roberto
Published: September 2022

Sodium metal anodes have attracted great attention for the development of a next generation of high-energy batteries because of their high theoretical capacity (1166 mAh·g−1), low redox potential (−2.71 V vs. SHE), and abundance. However, sodium reacts with most of the liquid electrolytes described to date and it has the shortcoming of dendrite formation during sodium deposition. Several strategies have been proposed to overcome these issues, including the incorporation of electrolyte additives. This work reports on the use of SO2 and sulfolane as additives in organic electrolytes to modify the sodium–electrolyte interphase, making the sodium plating/stripping process more robust. Not only is the process more stable in the case of sodium metal anodes, but also the use of copper substrates is enabled. In fact, high-quality sodium films on copper have been attained by adding small mole fractions of the additives, which paves the way for the development of anode-free batteries. In a general vein, this work stresses the importance of researching on compatible and cost-effective additives that can be easily implemented in practice.
Anticancer Activity, Mechanism, and Delivery of Allyl Isothiocyanate
Authors: Tarar Ammar , Peng Sarah , Cheema Soha , Peng Ching-An
Published: September 2022

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a phytochemical that is abundantly present in cruciferous vegetables of the Brassicaceae family, such as cabbage, broccoli, mustard, wasabi, and cauliflower. The pungent taste of these vegetables is mainly due to the content of AITC present in these vegetables. AITC is stored stably in the plant as its precursor sinigrin (a type of glucosinolate), which is physically separated from myrosin cells containing myrosinase. Upon tissue disruption, myrosinase gets released and hydrolyzes the sinigrin to produce AITC and by-products. AITC is an organosulfur compound, both an irritant and toxic, but it carries pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Despite the promising anticancer effectiveness of AITC, its clinical application still possesses challenges due to several factors, i.e., low aqueous solubility, instability, and low bioavailability. In this review, the anticancer activity of AITC against several cancer models is summarized from the literature. Although the mechanism of action is still not fully understood, several pathways have been identified; these are discussed in this review. Not much attention has been given to the delivery of AITC, which hinders its clinical application. However, the few studies that have demonstrated the use of nanotechnology to facilitate the delivery of AITC are addressed.
Optimization and Scale-Up of Fermentation Processes Driven by Models
Authors: Du Yuan-Hang , Wang Min-Yu , Yang Lin-Hui , Tong Ling-Ling , Guo Dong-Sheng , Ji Xiao-Jun
Published: September 2022

In the era of sustainable development, the use of cell factories to produce various compounds by fermentation has attracted extensive attention; however, industrial fermentation requires not only efficient production strains, but also suitable extracellular conditions and medium components, as well as scaling-up. In this regard, the use of biological models has received much attention, and this review will provide guidance for the rapid selection of biological models. This paper first introduces two mechanistic modeling methods, kinetic modeling and constraint-based modeling (CBM), and generalizes their applications in practice. Next, we review data-driven modeling based on machine learning (ML), and highlight the application scope of different learning algorithms. The combined use of ML and CBM for constructing hybrid models is further discussed. At the end, we also discuss the recent strategies for predicting bioreactor scale-up and culture behavior through a combination of biological models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models.
Bim Expression Modulates Branching Morphogenesis of the Epithelium and Endothelium
Authors: Sorenson Christine M. , Song Yong-Seok , Wang Shoujian , Darjatmoko Soesiawati R. , Saghiri Mohammad Ali , Ranji Mahsa , Sheibani Nader
Published: September 2022

Branching morphogenesis is a key developmental process during organogenesis, such that its disruption frequently leads to long-term consequences. The kidney and eye share many etiologies, perhaps, due to similar use of developmental branching morphogenesis and signaling pathways including cell death. Tipping the apoptotic balance towards apoptosis imparts a ureteric bud and retinal vascular branching phenotype similar to one that occurs in papillorenal syndrome. Here, to compare ureteric bud and retinal vascular branching in the context of decreased apoptosis, we investigated the impact of Bim, Bcl-2’s rival force. In the metanephros, lack of Bim expression enhanced ureteric bud branching with increases in ureteric bud length, branch points, and branch end points. Unfortunately, enhanced ureteric bud branching also came with increased branching defects and other undesirable consequences. Although we did see increased nephron number and renal mass, we observed glomeruli collapse. Retinal vascular branching in the absence of Bim expression had similarities with the ureteric bud including increased vascular length, branching length, segment length, and branching interval. Thus, our studies emphasize the impact appropriate Bim expression has on the overall length and branching in both the ureteric bud and retinal vasculature.
Generation and Functional Characterization of PLAP CAR-T Cells against Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Yekehfallah Vahid , Pahlavanneshan Saghar , Sayadmanesh Ali , Momtahan Zahra , Ma Bin , Basiri Mohsen
Published: September 2022

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is one of the cancer treatment modalities that has recently shown promising results in treating hematopoietic malignancies. However, one of the obstacles that need to be addressed in solid tumors is the on-target and off-tumor cytotoxicity due to the lack of specific tumor antigens with low expression in healthy cells. Placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) is a shared placenta- and tumor-associated antigen (TAA) that is expressed in ovarian, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancers and is negligible in normal cells. In this study, we constructed second-generation CAR T cells with a fully human scFv against PLAP antigen andthen evaluated the characteristics of PLAP CAR T cells in terms of tonic signaling and differentiation in comparison with ΔPLAP CAR T cells and CD19 CAR T cells. In addition, by co-culturing PLAP CAR T cells with HeLa and CaSki cells, we analyzed the tumor-killing functions and the secretion of anti-tumor molecules. Results showed that PLAP CAR T cells not only proliferated during co-culture with cancer cells but also eliminated them in vitro. We also observed increased secretion of IL-2, granzyme A, and IFN-γ by PLAP CAR T cells upon exposure to the target cells. In conclusion, PLAP CAR T cells are potential candidates for further investigation in cervical cancer and, potentially, other solid tumors.
Serum Magnesium Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Al Wadee Zahraa , Ooi Soo Liang , Pak Sok Cheon
Published: September 2022

Aims: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects patients’ quality of life and health. Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral and a potent antioxidant. Mg deficiency can worsen oxidative stress caused by sleep deprivation or disorders. The impact of OSA on serum Mg levels and its health consequences remain unclear. Data Synthesis: This study systematically reviewed clinical studies investigating the serum Mg levels of OSA patients and the potential relationships with other biomarkers. Six articles were included for qualitative synthesis and quantitative analysis. Two out of four studies that compared OSA patients to healthy controls found them to have significantly lower serum Mg levels. Our meta-analysis with three studies shows that patients with OSA had significantly lower serum Mg with an effect size of −1.22 (95% CI: −2.24, −0.21). However, the mean serum Mg level of OSA patients (n = 251) pooled from five studies (1.90 mg/dL, 95% CI: 1.77, 2.04) does not differ significantly from the normal range between 1.82 to 2.30 mg/dL. OSA severity appears to affect serum Mg negatively. Serum Mg levels generally improve after treatment, coinciding with the improvement of OSA severity. Low serum Mg levels correlate with the worsening of cardiovascular risk biomarkers of C-reactive protein, ischaemia-modified albumin, and carotid intima-media thickness. The serum Mg levels also potentially correlate with biomarkers for lipid profile, glucose metabolism, calcium, and heavy metals. Conclusions: Sleep deprivation appears to deplete Mg levels of OSA patients, making them at risk of Mg deficiency, which potentially increases systemic inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
DNA Damage Response Differentially Affects BoHV-1 Gene Transcription in Cell Type-Dependent Manners
Authors: Tang Linke , Yuan Weifeng , Li Shitao , Ding Xiuyan , Zhu Liqian
Published: September 2022

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), an important pathogen of cattle, is also a promising oncolytic virus. Recent studies have demonstrated that the virus infection induces DNA damage and DNA damage response (DDR), potentially accounting for virus infection-induced cell death and oncolytic effects. However, whether the global DDR network affects BoHV-1 productive infection remains to be elucidated. In this study, we show that global DDR induced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation prior to BoHV-1 infection differentially affected transcription of immediate early (IE) genes, such as infected cell protein 0 (bICP0) and bICP22, in a cell-type-dependent manner. In addition, UV-induced DDR may affect the stabilization of viral protein levels, such as glycoprotein C (gC) and gD, because the variation in mRNA levels of gC and gD as a consequence of UV treatment were not in line with the variation in individual protein levels. The virus productive infection also affects UV-primed DDR signaling, as demonstrated by the alteration of phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) protein levels and γH2AX formation following virus infection. Taken together, for the first time, we evidenced the interplay between UV-primed global DDR and BoHV-1 productive infection. UV-primed global DDR differentially modulates the transcription of virus genes and stabilization of virus protein. Vice versa, the virus infection may affect UV-primed DDR signaling.
The Role of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3 in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Li Ben , Syed Muzammil H. , Khan Hamzah , Singh Krishna K. , Qadura Mohammad
Published: September 2022

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are proteins found in the cytosol that contribute to disorders related to the cardiovascular system, including atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. Functionally, FABPs serve as intracellular lipid chaperones, interacting with hydrophobic ligands and mediating their transportation to sites of lipid metabolism. To date, nine unique members of the FABP family (FABP 1–9) have been identified and classified according to the tissue in which they are most highly expressed. In the literature, FABP3 has been shown to be a promising clinical biomarker for coronary and peripheral artery disease. Given the rising incidence of cardiovascular disease and its associated morbidity/mortality, identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment is critical. In this review, we highlight key discoveries and recent studies on the role of FABP3 in cardiovascular disorders, with a particular focus on its clinical relevance as a biomarker for peripheral artery disease.
The Evolution of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Ragoonanan Dristhi , Sheikh Irtiza N. , Gupta Sumit , Khazal Sajad J. , Tewari Priti , Petropoulos Demetrios , Li Shulin , Mahadeo Kris M.
Published: September 2022

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy is a revolutionary treatment for pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients (AYA) with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. While the landscape of immunotherapy continues to rapidly evolve, widespread use of CAR T therapy is limited and many questions remain regarding the durability of CAR T therapy, methods to avoid CAR T therapy resistance and the role of consolidative stem cell transplant. Modified strategies to develop effective and persistent CAR T cells at lower costs and decreased toxicities are warranted. In this review we present current indications, limitations and future directions of CAR T therapy for ALL in the pediatric and AYA population.
Implementation of an Integrated Dielectrophoretic and Magnetophoretic Microfluidic Chip for CTC Isolation
Authors: Zhao Kai , Zhao Penglu , Dong Jianhong , Wei Yunman , Chen Bin , Wang Yanjuan , Pan Xinxiang , Wang Junsheng
Published: September 2022

Identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a majority of various cell pools has been an appealing topic for diagnostic purposes. This study numerically demonstrates the isolation of CTCs from blood cells by the combination of dielectrophoresis and magnetophoresis in a microfluidic chip. Taking advantage of the label-free property, the separation of red blood cells, platelets, T cells, HT-29, and MDA-231 was conducted in the microchannel. By using the ferromagnet structure with double segments and a relatively shorter distance in between, a strong gradient of the magnetic field, i.e., sufficiently large MAP forces acting on the cells, can be generated, leading to a high separation resolution. In order to generate strong DEP forces, the non-uniform electric field gradient is induced by applying the electric voltage through the microchannel across a pair of asymmetric orifices, i.e., a small orifice and a large orifice on the opposite wall of the channel sides. The distribution of the gradient of the magnetic field near the edge of ferromagnet segments, the gradient of the non-uniform electric field in the vicinity of the asymmetric orifices, and the flow field were investigated. In this numerical simulation, the effects of the ferromagnet structure on the magnetic field, the flow rate, as well as the strength of the electric field on their combined magnetophoretic and dielectrophoretic behaviors and trajectories are systemically studied. The simulation results demonstrate the potential of both property- and size-based cell isolation in the microfluidic device by implementing magnetophoresis and dielectrophoresis.
Camrelizumab-Induced Isolate Abducens Neuritis: A Rare Ophthalmic Immune-Related Adverse Events
Authors: Hou Yanli , Su Qiang , Tang Simeng , Li Hongyang
Published: September 2022

Background: Anti-tumor immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors induces several immune-related adverse events. Camrelizumab-related isolate abducens neuritis is rare. Case presentation: We report on a 67-year-old man with esophageal cancer who presented with acute-onset isolated right abducens cranial nerve palsy after ten cycles of Camrelizumab treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed thickening and post-contrast enhancement at the cisternal segment of the right abducens nerve. The diagnosis was immune-related abducens neuritis caused by Camrelizumab. We put him on oral taper corticoids (methylprednisone) for neuritis treatment without Camrelizumab suspension. One month after treatment, he recovered completely. At the last follow-up, one year after the onset of diplopia, the patient was in good condition without neurological symptom recurrence. Conclusion: Abducens neuritis is a rare immune-related adverse outcome of Camrelizumab. The present case proves the efficacy and safety of using corticoids in the treatment of abducens neuritis.
Evaluation of Rhesus Macaque Models for Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Zhu Yong , Xiong Yanan , Zhang Jin , Tong Haiyang , Yang Hongyi , Zhu Qingjun , Xu Xiaoyan , Wu De , Tang Jiulai , Li Jinhua
Published: September 2022

Animal models play a central role in all areas of biomedical research. The similarities in anatomical structure and physiological characteristics shared by non-human primates (NHPs) and humans make NHPs ideal models with which to study human disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP). However, the methodologies for systematically evaluating NHP models of CP have rarely been assessed, despite the long history of using NHP models to understand CP. Such models should be evaluated using multidisciplinary approaches prior to being used to research the diagnosis and treatment of CP. In this study, we evaluated rhesus macaque CP models established by partial resection of the motor cortex and intrathecal injection of bilirubin. Abnormal posture, motor dysfunction, gross and fine motor behavior, and muscular tension were evaluated, and changes in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia were observed using 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging. The results clearly demonstrated the utility of the established evaluation methodology for assessing CP models. This model evaluation methodology may guide researchers through the model building process.
A Simulation-Based Study of the Effect of Brake Light Flashing Frequency on Driver Brake Behavior from the Perspective of Response Time
Authors: Hsieh Min-Chih , Chen Lan-Xin , Lee Yu-Chi , Liu Qin-Ming
Published: September 2022

To prevent vehicle crashes, studies have proposed the use of flashing signals (brake lights or other light indicators) to improve the driver’s response time when the leading vehicle is braking. However, there are no consistent results on the ideal flashing frequency of the brake lights. This study aimed to investigate different brake light flashing frequencies to assess their impact on braking response time. Twenty-four participants aged 25 to 30 were recruited. Two driving speed environments (50 and 80 km/h), three deceleration rates (0.25, 0.6, and 1 g), and four brake light flashing frequencies (0, 2, 4, and 7 Hz) were examined. Braking response time, average braking force, and braking response time ratio were used to evaluate the driving behavior. The results showed that the braking response time and average braking force were affected by the deceleration rate in the 50 km/h driving environment. In the 50 and 80 km/h driving environments, although there were no significant differences among the three deceleration rates, the braking response time decreased by 3–7% under the flashing brake light condition. These findings can be used as a reference for safety designs as well as future studies on driving behavior.
Software Architecture and Non-Fungible Tokens for Digital Twin Decentralized Applications in the Built Environment
Authors: Teisserenc Benjamin , Sepasgozar Samad M. E.
Published: September 2022

Blockchain technology (BCT) can enable distributed collaboration, enhance data sharing, and automate back-end processes for digital twin (DT) decentralized applications (dApps) in the construction industry (CI) 4.0. The aim of this paper was to propose a software architecture and to develop a framework of smart contracts for blockchain-based digital twin (BCDT) dApps throughout the lifecycle of projects in CI 4.0. This paper leveraged the existing literature and action research interviews to identify and validate the critical industry problems, functional requirements (FRs), and non-functional requirements (NFRs) to be addressed by BCDT dApps in CI 4.0. Basic use cases were developed to design a framework of smart contracts for BCDT dApps throughout the lifecycle of projects. The analysis of an online survey was used to identify the key requirements and enablers to propose a software architecture for BCDT applications and to validate the requirements for developing the framework of a smart contract for BCDTs. The findings were: (1) The identification of key problems in CI 4.0 for each BIM/BCDT dimension (3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D, 8D, and contractual (cD)) and the related FRs and NFRs for BCDT applications. Additionally, key use cases were designed to address the problems identified. (2) The proposed BCDT architecture permitted us to narrow gaps in the literature on blockchain-based decentralized digital twins. Moreover, the proposed BCDT architecture and smart-contract framework addressed the main requirements in the literature on BCDTs. (3) The study leveraged the non-fungible token (NFT) standard to develop a framework for smart contracts that addressed the key use cases and the related industry problems and functional requirements that were identified. The study also considered the contractual dimension (cD) as an overarching dimension in relation to the other BCDT dimensions. (4) We also compared the costs of several public blockchains for executing the proposed smart-contract framework throughout the lifecycle of a medium-sized building project. The cost analysis permitted the development of criteria to evaluate the suitability of blockchain networks for BCDT applications in CI 4.0 depending on the principal blockchain networks’ properties (security, decentralization, scalability, and interoperability). Finally, this study resulted in a novel framework that included software architecture, smart-contract use cases, and selection criteria among blockchain networks for BCDT dApps in CI 4.0.