bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical Characterisation of PSMA/GRPR-Targeting Heterodimer [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812 for PET Diagnostic Imaging of Prostate Cancer: A Step towards Clinical Translation
Authors: Lundmark Fanny , Abouzayed Ayman , Rinne Sara S. , Timofeev Vasiliy , Sipkina Nadezhda , Naan Maria , Kirichenko Anastasia , Vasyutina Maria , Ryzhkova Daria , Tolmachev Vladimir , Rosenström Ulrika , Orlova Anna
Published: January 2023

The development of radioligands targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) has shown promising results for the imaging and therapy of prostate cancer. However, studies have shown that tumors and metastases can express such targets heterogeneously. To overcome this issue and to improve protein binding, radioligands with the ability to bind both PSMA and GRPR have been developed. Herein, we present the preclinical characterization of [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812; a PSMA/GRPR-targeting radioligand for the diagnostic PET imaging of prostate cancer. This study aimed to evaluate [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812 to promote the translation of such imaging probes into the clinic. [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812 demonstrated rapid and specific binding to both targets in a PSMA/GRPR-expressing PC3-pip cell line. Results from the biodistribution study in PC3-pip xenografted mice showed specific binding to both targets, with the highest activity uptake at 1 h pi in tumor (PSMA+/GRPR+, 10.4 ± 1.0% IA/g), kidneys (PSMA+, 45 ± 16% IA/g), and pancreas (GRPR+, 5.6 ± 0.7% IA/g). At 3h pi, increased tumour-to-organ ratios could be seen due to higher retention in the tumor compared with other PSMA or GRPR-expressing organs. These results, together with low toxicity and an acceptable estimated dosimetry profile (total effective dose = 0.0083 mSv/MBq), support the clinical translation of [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812 and represent a step towards its first clinical trial.
Gut Microbiota and Breast Cancer: The Dual Role of Microbes
Authors: Álvarez-Mercado Ana Isabel , del Valle Cano Ana , Fernández Mariana F. , Fontana Luis
Published: January 2023

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and also one of the leading causes of mortality among women. The genetic and environmental factors known to date do not fully explain the risk of developing this disease. In recent years, numerous studies have highlighted the dual role of the gut microbiota in the preservation of host health and in the development of different pathologies, cancer among them. Our gut microbiota is capable of producing metabolites that protect host homeostasis but can also produce molecules with deleterious effects, which, in turn, may trigger inflammation and carcinogenesis, and even affect immunotherapy. The purpose of this review is to describe the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota may cause cancer in general, and breast cancer in particular, and to compile clinical trials that address alterations or changes in the microbiota of women with breast cancer.
Metastatic Prostate Cancer—A Review of Current Treatment Options and Promising New Approaches
Authors: Posdzich Philip , Darr Christopher , Hilser Thomas , Wahl Milan , Herrmann Ken , Hadaschik Boris , Grünwald Viktor
Published: January 2023

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone has been the standard of care for many years in men with metastatic prostate cancer. Due to the limited survival under this monotherapy, many new treatment options have been developed in the last few years. Regarding hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, combination therapies of two or three agents of ADT, androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI) and chemotherapy have been established and led to a significant benefit in overall survival. Additionally, in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, there are many new therapeutic approaches. Chemotherapy alone has been the standard of care in this situation. In the last years, some new therapeutic options have been developed, which led to an improved survival after progression under chemotherapy. These therapies include ARSI, PARP inhibitors and Lu-PSMA radioligand therapy. The use of a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) in this setting is a new promising therapeutic approach, which has not been established as standard of care yet. The role of immunotherapy in prostate cancer is still under investigation. Overall, many new treatment options make prostate cancer therapy a challenging and promising field.
Performance and Stability of Doped Ceria–Zirconia Catalyst for a Multifuel Reforming
Authors: Frontera Patrizia , Malara Angela , Macario Anastasia , Miceli Mariachiara , Bonaccorsi Lucio , Boaro Marta , Pappacena Alfonsina , Trovarelli Alessandro , Antonucci Pier Luigi
Published: January 2023

In the present work, the catalytic behavior of nickel-based catalysts supported on ceria/zirconia, undoped and doped with lanthanum and neodymium (3.5Ni/Ce0.8La0.5Nd0.2Zr0.13O2−x), was investigated under different reactions: steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming of different fuels (methane, biogas, and propane). The catalytic properties of these catalysts were evaluated at a temperature of 800 °C, under atmospheric pressure, at GSHV = 120,000 h−1, using steam/carbon and oxygen/carbon ratio, respectively, of S/C = 2.5 and O/C = 0.5 and, in the case of autothermal conditions, with the addition of H2S (100 ppm) as a contaminant. Depending on the tested fuel, ATR, SR, and POX reactions over doped and undoped catalysts showed different results. In particular, the doped catalyst, due to neodymium and lanthanum doping, better distributed nickel species on the catalyst surface, promoting a higher concentration of defect groups and oxygen vacancies. This resulted in improved catalytic performance and resistance to deactivation. Endurance catalytic test also confirmed the beneficial effect of the doped catalysts.
Capsazepine (CPZ) Inhibits TRPC6 Conductance and Is Protective in Adriamycin-Induced Nephropathy and Diabetic Glomerulopathy
Authors: Hagmann Henning , Khayyat Naghmeh Hassanzadeh , Matin Mahsa , Oezel Cem , Chen He , Schauss Astrid , Schell Christoph , Benzing Thomas , Dryer Stuart , Brinkkoetter Paul T.
Published: January 2023

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which excessively arise in diabetes and systemic inflammatory diseases, modify cellular lipids and cellular lipid composition leading to altered biophysical properties of cellular membranes. The impact of lipid peroxidation on transmembrane signaling routes is not yet well studied. The canonical transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPC6) is implicated in the pathogenesis of several forms of glomerular diseases. TRPC6 is sensitive to membrane stretch and relies on a distinct lipid environment. This study investigates the effect of oxidative alterations to plasma membrane lipids on TRPC6 activity and the function of the glomerular filter. Knockout of the anti-oxidative, lipid modifying enzyme paraoxonase 2 (PON2) leads to altered biophysical properties of glomerular epithelial cells, which are called podocytes. Cortical stiffness, quantified by atomic force microscopy, was largely increased in PON2-deficient cultured podocytes. PON2 deficiency markedly enhanced TRPC6 channel currents and channel recovery. Treatment with the amphiphilic substance capsazepine in micromolar doses reduced cortical stiffness and abrogated TRPC6 conductance. In in vivo studies, capsazepine reduced the glomerular phenotype in the model of adriamycin-induced nephropathy in PON2 knockout mice and wildtype littermates. In diabetic AKITA mice, the progression of albuminuria and diabetic kidney disease was delayed. In summary, we provide evidence that the modification of membrane characteristics affects TRPC6 signaling. These results could spur future research to investigate modification of the direct lipid environment of TRPC6 as a future therapeutic strategy in glomerular disease.
ABCA1-Mediated EMT Promotes Papillary Thyroid Cancer Malignancy through the ERK/Fra-1/ZEB1 Pathway
Authors: Park Ji-Hye , Myung Jae-Kyung , Lee Sun-Joo , Kim Hyewon , Kim Soyeon , Lee Seung-Bum , Jang Hyosun , Jang Won-Il , Park Sunhoo , Yang Hyunwon , Shim Sehwan , Kim Min-Jung
Published: January 2023

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most prevalent histological type of thyroid cancer (TC) worldwide. Although tumor metastasis occurs in regional lymph nodes, distant metastasis (DM) may also occur. Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is an effective treatment for TC; however, resistance to RAI occurs in patients with DM. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the efficacy of DM-related biomarkers as therapeutic targets for PTC therapy. ABCA1 expression was higher in aggressive BCPAP cells than in other PTC cells in terms of migration and invasion capacity. The knockdown of ABCA1 substantially decreased the expression of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker, N-cadherin, and EMT regulator (ZEB1), resulting in suppressed migration and invasion of BCPAP cells. ABCA1 knockdown also reduced ERK activity and Fra-1 expression, which correlated with the effects of an ERK inhibitor or siRNA-mediated inhibition of ERK or Fra-1 expression. Furthermore, ABCA1-knocked-down BCPAP cells suppressed cell migration and invasion by reducing Fra-1 recruitment to Zeb1 promoter; lung metastasis was not observed in mice injected with ABCA1-knocked-down cells. Overall, our findings suggest that ABCA1 regulates lung metastasis in TC cells.
Education for Sustainability: Understanding Processes of Change across Individual, Collective, and System Levels
Authors: Pöllänenv Elin , Osika Walter , Bojner Horwitz Eva , Wamsler Christine
Published: January 2023

Researchers and practitioners increasingly emphasise the need to complement dominant external, technological approaches with an internal focus to support transformation toward sustainability. However, knowledge on how this internal human dimension can support transformation across individual, collective, and systems levels is limited. Our study addresses this gap. We examined the narratives of participants in the sustainability course “One Year in Transition”, using micro-phenomenology and thematic analysis. Our results shed light on the dynamics of inner–outer change and action and the necessary capacities to support them. This related to changes regarding participants’ perspectives, which became more relational and interconnected. We also showed that participants increasingly seek an inner space that provides direction and freedom to act. The data suggested that this, over time, leads to increasing internalisation, and the embodiment of a personal identity as a courageous and principled change agent for sustainability. Our results complement extant quantitative research in the field by offering a nuanced picture of the entangled nature of inner–outer transformation processes and associated influencing factors. In addition, they point towards ways in which inner dimensions can be leveraged to achieve change, thus filling existing knowledge gaps for reaching sustainability and associated goals across all levels.
Highly Sensitive SF6 Decomposition Byproducts Sensing Platform Based on CuO/ZnO Heterojunction Nanofibers
Authors: Cui Xiaosen , Lu Zhaorui , Wang Zhongchang , Zeng Wen , Zhou Qu
Published: January 2023

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are two typical decomposition byproducts of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), commonly used as an insulating medium in electrical equipment; for instance, in gas circuit breakers and gas insulated switchgears. In our work, fiber-like p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction gas sensing materials were successfully prepared via the electrospinning method to detect the SF6 decomposition byproducts, H2S and SO2 gases. The sensing results demonstrated that p-CuO/n-ZnO nanofiber sensors have good sensing performance with respect to H2S and SO2. It is noteworthy that this fiber-like p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction sensor exhibits higher and faster response–recovery time to H2S and SO2. The enhanced sensor performances can probably be attributed to the sulfuration–desulfuration reaction between H2S and the sensing materials. Moreover, the gas sensor exhibited a high response to the low exposure of H2S and SO2 gas (below 5 ppm). Towards the end of the paper, the gas sensing mechanism of the prepared p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction sensors to SO2 and H2S is discussed carefully. Calculations based on first principles were carried out for Cu/ZnO to construct adsorption models for the adsorption of SO2 and H2S gas molecules. Information on adsorption energy, density of states, energy gap values and charge density were calculated and compared to explain the gas-sensitive mechanism of ZnO on SO2 and H2S gases.
Prevalence and Determinants of Depressive Symptoms among Young Adolescents in Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Singh Sarbhan , Lai Chee Herng , Iderus Nuur Hafizah Md , Ghazali Sumarni Mohd , Ahmad Lonny Chen Rong Qi , Cheng Lim Mei , Nadzri Mohamad Nadzmi , Zulkifli Asrul Anuar , Suppiah Jeyanthi , Zaki Rafdzah Ahmad , Farid Nik Daliana Nik , Supramanian Rama Krishna , Nordin Awatef Amer , Lin Chong Zhuo , Kaur Kushilpal , Ghazali Nur’ain Mohd
Published: January 2023

Depression is the most common mental health problem affecting adolescents globally, wherein its increasing prevalence together with the negative health impacts escalates the need for further research in this area. This work determined the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among young adolescents in Malaysia. A total of 1350 adolescent aged 13 to 14 years in school across nine secondary schools in Selangor state, Malaysia participated in a cross-sectional study. Independent variables were examined using the using the Global School-Based Student Health Survey included age, gender, ethnicity, alcohol intake, smoking and illicit drug use, loneliness, bullying, parental marital status, income and supervision; and the Health Literacy and Stigma questionnaire examined mental health literacy levels. Depressive symptoms were the dependent variable which was examined using the Center for Epidemiology Study Depression (CESD) instrument. Prevalence of depressive symptoms among all participants was 19 % (95% CI [16.9, 21.2]), with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms being reported among females 26.3% (95% CI [23.0, 29.8]) compared to males 11.7% (95% CI [9.4, 14.4]). Determinants namely females (AOR = 3.83; 95% CI [2.66, 5.52]), smoking (AOR = 6.16; 95% CI [3.15, 12.05]), been bullied (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI [2.51, 5.47]), felt lonely (AOR = 10.46; 95% CI [7.09, 15.42]) and having no parental supervision (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI [1.26, 2.53]) significantly increased the odds of depressive symptoms among all adolescents in the multivariate model. In addition, feeling lonely, being bullied and smoking were identified as common significant determinants of depressive symptoms across both genders. Feeling lonely (65% to 71%) and being bullied (10% to 19%) were ranked as the most important determinants of depressive symptoms among young adolescents. Tackling these factors would be instrumental in helping decision makers formulate depression prevention strategies and activities for adolescents.
A Novel Droplet Generator and a Bench-Testing Rig Enabling Research on Suspension Droplet Wall Impingement and Particle Deposition
Authors: Vulf Mikhail , Petrov Vladimir , Sulimov Artem , Simonova Anastasia , Kazak Andrey , Chugunov Svyatoslav , Kolomenskiy Dmitry
Published: January 2023

We present a novel device for generating suspension droplets and studying droplet impact against solid substrates. The proposed droplet generator extends beyond previous designs by introducing hydraulic machinery that includes separate hydraulic and test containers. This eliminates mixing between the test liquid and the hydraulic liquid above the latch that connects the two containers, thus ensuring reliable clogless operation. The device can produce droplets of controllable sizes between 0.75 and 4.4 mm, and droplets can contain suspension particles of 45 μm to 300 μm size. Repeatability tests show that, at constant control parameters, the median relative droplet size deviation from the target value is ±0.9% and the maximum relative deviation is ±9.1%. We also explore different collision scenarios, which we change from spreading to bouncing by varying the substrate wettability. In addition, the shape of the stain and the resulting spatial distribution of particles are found to be sensitive to particle size.
Finite Element Simulation of Stainless Steel Porous Scaffolds for Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Its Experimental Investigation
Authors: Xu Shubo , Ma Hailong , Song Xiujuan , Zhang Sen , Hu Xinzhi , Meng Zixiang
Published: January 2023

In recent years, bone defect and bone tissue damage have become common clinical diseases. The development of bionic bone has had an important impact on the repair and reconstruction of bone tissue. Porous scaffolds have the advantages of adjustable pore size and controllable shape, which can solve the problem of mismatch in the process of bone repair, but traditional processing methods cannot overcome the challenge of the preparation of complex porous scaffolds. Therefore, 316L porous stainless steel scaffolds with different pore sizes (200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm and 500 μm, respectively) were prepared by selective laser melting. Stress and strain were simulated and analyzed by using a finite element simulation method. Combined with a heat treatment experiment, a hardness test, a metallographic observation and a compression test, porous scaffolds were studied. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the scaffolds were studied and analyzed, and the optimized porous scaffolds were obtained. With reasonable melting parameters, the porous scaffolds that could meet the mechanical property requirements of load-bearing bone restorations were prepared by SLM.
One-Step Preparation of High Performance TiO2/CNT/CQD Nanocomposites Bactericidal Coating with Ultrasonic Radiation
Authors: Xiang Jin , Wang Shuchang , Cao Yuanxin , Fang Lining , Ke Wei , Guo Hui , Duan Baoyu , Yu Wenhe , Li Liang , Zhao Zilong
Published: January 2023

As an environmental semiconductor material, TiO2 has important applications in the fields of environmental protection and water treatment. The preparation of P25 particles into nano-functional material films with a high specific surface area has always been a bottleneck limiting its large-scale application. In this paper, a one-step method of preparing TiO2 nanocomposites by doping carbon nanotube (CNT) and carbon quantum dots (CQD) with tetrabutyltitanate and P25 TiO2 under ultrasonic radiation is proposed to synthesize a novel antifouling material, which both eliminates the bacterium of Escherichia coli and shows good photoelectric properties, indicating a great value for the industrial promotion of TiO2/CNT. This mesoporous composite exhibits a high specific surface area of 78.07 M2/g (BET) and a tested pore width range within 10–120 nm. The surface morphology of this composite is characterized by TEM and the microstructure is characterized through XRD. This preparation method can fabricate P25 particles into a nano-functional material film with a high specific surface area at a very low cost.
Ultrasonic-Induced Grain Refinement in Laser Cladding Nickel-Based Superalloy Reinforced by WC Particles
Authors: Wang Jizhuang , Zhou Jianzhong , Zhang Teng , Meng Xiankai , Li Pengfei , Huang Shu , Zhu Hao
Published: January 2023

Laser cladding was used to prepare three composite coatings, i.e., Inconel 718 nickel-based superalloy (IN718), IN718-50 wt.% WC created by adding tungsten carbide (WC) particles and IN718-50 wt.% WC assisted by ultrasonic vibration. The phase composition, microstructure evolution, microhardness, residual stress and tribological properties of the three coatings were studied. The addition of WC enhances hardness and improves tribological properties, but also causes aggregation and considerable formation of carbides associated with rough structure. Ultrasonic vibration greatly refines the solidification microstructure, as it can break the growing dendrites, reduce the aggregation of reinforced particles and refine solidified structure. The average microhardness of the latter two composite coatings was increased by 36.37% and 57.15%, respectively, compared with the first IN718 coating, and the last composite coating (ultrasonic assistance) had the lowest COF (0.494). The WC particles and refined carbides converted the wear mechanism from adhesive wear to abrasive wear. In addition, the resultant stress on the surface of the composite coating roughly doubled after adding 50 wt.% WC, and only increased by 49.53% with ultrasonic treatment. The simulation results indicate that acoustic cavitation mainly occurs in the middle and bottom of the molten pool and proper frequency ultrasonic is conducive to the generation of the cavitation effect.
The European Market Remains the Largest Consumer of Frogs’ Legs from Wild Species
Authors: Auliya Mark , Altherr Sandra , Hughes Alice , Nithart Charlotte , Ohler Annemarie , Bickford David
Published: January 2023

The loss of biodiversity due to overexploitation is well known, but a review and regulation of species used in the frogs’ legs trade has yet to be accomplished. This problem relates to supply (the capture and trade of wild populations) and demand (the main consumer being the EU). The EU’s responsibility should not be ignored, since unsustainable imports of certain species drives population decline and increases risk of extinction. For most organisms, including frog species in the frogs’ legs trade, commercial international trade remains unregulated, includes species in extinction-threat categories on the IUCN Red List, and is not economically sustainable. With a tradition of frogs’ legs consumption anchored in western EU countries, demand for many species from the principal supplying countries (Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Albania) has resulted in the overexploitation of the regional populations of many species. Unfortunately, legal trade takes place in the midst of numerous uncertainties, including unresolved taxonomic status for many frogs, no database or regulation of trade-relevant species, unknown population status, and no health standards for the animals involved in the trade. In addition, regional overharvest may increase the use of pesticides, there is uncertain but likely spread of disease along the trade chain, and certification schemes for frog farming operations are both not standardised and can lead to exotic invasive species escaping into naïve ecosystems. Mechanisms to help make the international trade in frogs’ legs sustainable are essential, and require international agreement and targeted efforts, ideally financed by the trade sector itself.
Concordance of Clinical, Histologic and Direct Immunofluorescence Findings in Patients with Autoimmune Bullous Dermatoses in Vietnam
Authors: Tran Giang Huong , Le Nhan Thi Ai , Dang Minh Hoang , Doan Thao Thi Phuong , Phung Thuy L.
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Autoimmune bullous dermatoses (ABD) represent a heterogeneous group of blistering disorders that may be debilitating with high morbidity. Clinical, histological, and direct immunofluorescence (DIF) studies are essential in establishing an accurate diagnosis of ABD, which is essential for its clinical management. Our study objective was to perform a systematic evaluation of ABD cases in a patient population at an academic medical center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and determine the degree of concordance of clinical, histological, and DIF findings in ABD. Methodology: A systematic retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 92 patients diagnosed with ABD by clinical, histological, and DIF studies at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, between September 2019 and September 2021. The clinical histories, H and E stained tissue sections, and DIF stains were evaluated by pathologists at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Results: ABD was evaluated as a whole and subdivided into an intraepidermal blister subgroup and a subepidermal blister subgroup. The analysis of paired diagnostic methods (clinical, histological, and DIF) for concordance with the final diagnosis was performed and showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the paired methods (McNemar’s test, p > 0.05). There was moderate concordance between the clinical, histological, and DIF diagnoses among all ABD cases (Brennan-Prediger coefficient Kappa test, κBP = 0.522, CI = 0.95). In the intraepidermal blister subgroup, the diagnostic accuracies of the histology and DIF stains were comparable to each other, and both were more accurate than a clinical diagnosis alone. In the subepidermal blister subgroup, there was no statistically significant difference in each pair of the three diagnostic methods (clinical, histological, and DIF) (McNemar’s test, p > 0.05). The concordance between the clinical, histological, and DIF diagnoses was high for the intraepidermal blister subgroup (Kappa test, κBP = 0.758, CI = 0.95). However, the concordance between the clinical, histological, and DIF diagnoses was slight for the subepidermal blister subgroup (Kappa test, κBP = 0.171, CI = 0.95). Conclusion: Histological evaluation is highly accurate in the diagnosis of the intraepidermal blister subgroup, but it is not as accurate in the diagnosis of the subepidermal blister subgroup in the Vietnamese patient cohort in which clinical, histological, and DIF studies were performed. DIF stains are a crucial diagnostic tool for ABD in this patient population.
VOCs from Exhaled Breath for the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Sukaram Thanikan , Apiparakoon Terapap , Tiyarattanachai Thodsawit , Ariyaskul Darlene , Kulkraisri Kittipat , Marukatat Sanparith , Rerknimitr Rungsun , Chaiteerakij Roongruedee
Published: January 2023

Background: Volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are understudied. We aimed to identify VOCs from the exhaled breath for HCC diagnosis and compare the performance of VOCs to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The performance of VOCs for predicting treatment response and the association between VOCs level and survival of HCC patients were also determined. Methods: VOCs from 124 HCC patients and 219 controls were identified using the XGBoost algorithm. ROC analysis was used to determine VOCs performance in differentiating HCC patients from controls and in discriminating treatment responders from non-responders. The association between VOCs and the survival of HCC patients was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard analysis. Results: The combination of 9 VOCs yielded 70.0% sensitivity, 88.6% specificity, and 75.0% accuracy for HCC diagnosis. When differentiating early HCC from cirrhotic patients, acetone dimer had a significantly higher AUC than AFP, i.e., 0.775 vs. 0.714, respectively, p = 0.001. Acetone dimer classified HCC patients into treatment responders and non-responders, with 95.7% sensitivity, 73.3% specificity, and 86.8% accuracy. Isopropyl alcohol was independently associated with the survival of HCC patients, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 7.23 (95%CI: 1.36–38.54), p = 0.020. Conclusions: Analysis of VOCs is a feasible noninvasive test for diagnosing and monitoring HCC treatment response.
A Machine Learning-Based Severity Prediction Tool for the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument
Authors: Haque Fahmida , Reaz Mamun B. I. , Chowdhury Muhammad E. H. , Shapiai Mohd Ibrahim bin , Malik Rayaz A. , Alhatou Mohammed , Kobashi Syoji , Ara Iffat , Ali Sawal H. M. , Bakar Ahmad A. A. , Bhuiyan Mohammad Arif Sobhan
Published: January 2023

Diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is a serious long-term complication of diabetes, which may lead to foot ulceration and amputation. Among the screening tools for DSPN, the Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI) is frequently deployed, but it lacks a straightforward rating of severity. A DSPN severity grading system has been built and simulated for the MNSI, utilizing longitudinal data captured over 19 years from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) trial. Machine learning algorithms were used to establish the MNSI factors and patient outcomes to characterise the features with the best ability to detect DSPN severity. A nomogram based on multivariable logistic regression was designed, developed and validated. The extra tree model was applied to identify the top seven ranked MNSI features that identified DSPN, namely vibration perception (R), 10-gm filament, previous diabetic neuropathy, vibration perception (L), presence of callus, deformities and fissure. The nomogram’s area under the curve (AUC) was 0.9421 and 0.946 for the internal and external datasets, respectively. The probability of DSPN was predicted from the nomogram and a DSPN severity grading system for MNSI was created using the probability score. An independent dataset was used to validate the model’s performance. The patients were divided into four different severity levels, i.e., absent, mild, moderate, and severe, with cut-off values of 10.50, 12.70 and 15.00 for a DSPN probability of less than 50, 75 and 100%, respectively. We provide an easy-to-use, straightforward and reproducible approach to determine prognosis in patients with DSPN.
Theranostics for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Choi Hyeryeon , Kim Kwangsoon
Published: January 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with poor prognosis. Current endocrine therapy or anti HER-2 therapy is not available for these patients. Chemotherapeutic treatment response varies among patients due to the disease heterogeneity. To overcome these challenges, theranostics for treating TNBC have been widely investigated. Anticancer material conjugated nanoparticles with target-binding ligand and tracer agents enable simultaneous drug delivery and visualization of the lesion with minimal off-target toxicity. In this review, we summarize recently FDA-approved targeted therapies for TNBC, such as poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, check point inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates. Particularly, novel theranostic approaches including lipid-based, polymer-based, and carbon-based nanocarriers are discussed, which can provide basic overview of nano-therapeutic modalities in TNBC diagnosis and treatment.
A Task Scheduling Optimization Method for Vehicles Serving as Obstacles in Mobile Edge Computing Based IoV Systems
Authors: Feng Mingwei , Yao Haiqing , Li Jie
Published: January 2023

In recent years, as more and more vehicles request service from roadside units (RSU), the vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication links are under tremendous pressure. This paper first proposes a dynamic dense traffic flow model under the condition of fading channel. Based on this, the reliability is redefined according to the real-time location information of vehicles. The on-board units (OBU) migrate intensive computing tasks to the appropriate RSU to optimize the execution time and calculating cost at the same time. In addition, competitive delay is introduced into the model of execution time, which can describe the channel resource contention and data conflict in dynamic scenes of the internet of vehicles (IoV). Next, the task scheduling for RSU is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem. In order to solve the problem, a task scheduling algorithm based on a reliability constraint (TSARC) is proposed to select the optimal RSU for task transmission. When compared with the genetic algorithm (GA), there are some improvements of TSARC: first, the quick non-dominated sorting is applied to layer the population and reduce the complexity. Second, the elite strategy is introduced with an excellent nonlinear optimization ability, which ensures the diversity of optimal individuals and provides different preference choices for passengers. Third, the reference point mechanism is introduced to reserve the individuals that are non-dominated and close to reference points. TSARC’s Pareto based multi-objective optimization can comprehensively measure the overall state of the system and flexibly schedule system resources. Furthermore, it overcomes the defects of the GA method, such as the determination of the linear weight value, the non-uniformity of dimensions among objectives, and poor robustness. Finally, numerical simulation results based on the British Highway Traffic Flow Data Set show that the TSARC performs better scalability and efficiency than other methods with different numbers of tasks and traffic flow densities, which verifies the previous theoretical derivation.
Extracurricular Program for Girls to Improve Competencies and Self-Concept in Science and Technology
Authors: Ruiz-Bartolomé Erica , Greca Ileana M.
Published: January 2023

The gender gap in STEM areas is still a reality that constitutes a global concern. Many initiatives have sought to strengthen the scientific-technological aspirations of girls, among them extracurricular programs such as the one we present here. Its design is based on the available scientific evidence to promote female interest and self-concept in those areas. In this study, we analyze the impact of the extracurricular activities on the development of competencies and perceptive self-evaluation skills among eight girls aged between 8 and 11 years old regarding science and technology. The results showed the effectiveness of the extracurricular activities both for the development of skills and for the improvement of levels of self-concept, interest, and participation, which leads us to highlight the need to promote initiatives of this sort in order to overcome gender stereotypes and to achieve equality.
Decompose Auto-Transformer Time Series Anomaly Detection for Network Management
Authors: Wu Bo , Fang Chao , Yao Zhenjie , Tu Yanhui , Chen Yixin
Published: January 2023

Time series anomaly detection through unsupervised methods has been an active research area in recent years due to its enormous potential for networks management. The representation and reconstruction of time series have made extraordinary progress in existing works. However, time series is known to be complex in terms of their temporal dependency and stochasticity, which makes anomaly detection difficult. To this end, we propose a novel approach based on a decomposition auto-transformer networks(DATN) for time series anomaly detection. The time series is decomposed into seasonal and trend components, and renovated as a basic inner block deep model. With this design, transformers can decompose complex time series in a progressive manner. We also design an auto-transfomer block that determines dependencies and representation aggregation at the sub-series level based on series seasonal and trend components. Moreover, the complex transformer decoder is replaced by a simple linear decoder, which makes the model more efficient. Extensive experiments on various public benchmarks demonstrate that our method has achieved state-of-the-art performance.
Next-Gen Mulsemedia: Virtual Reality Haptic Simulator’s Impact on Medical Practitioner for Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Kumar Abhishek , Srinivasan Bhavana , Saudagar Abdul Khader Jilani , AlTameem Abdullah , Alkhathami Mohammed , Alsamani Badr , Khan Muhammad Badruddin , Ahmed Zakir Hussain , Kumar Ankit , Singh Kamred Udham
Published: January 2023

Immersive technology is one of the emerging trends in education in the twenty-first century, whether that be university training programs, or real-world technical training. However, there has been very little research into the effects and consequences of virtual reality. Various types of eLearning have been used to transmit information in recent years, and especially for medical education, virtual reality plays a vital role in terms of providing effective training; the virtual reality app bridged the gap between traditional learning and practical exposure. This unified reality environment enables users to simulate real-life scenarios and obtain useful information that would otherwise be unavailable. In the real world, it is difficult to grasp. In India’s education sector, virtual reality technology is also being researched at an early stage. The goal of this research paper is to assess and explain the impact of virtual reality simulators on medical students’ desire to learn. In the classroom, the core motivation hypothesis is used to boost motivation. The attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model influenced the interpretation of virtual reality’s impact on student motivation and content update implementation. The study examined the numerous variables of virtual reality simulators and their impact on medical education, using the ARCS model as a factor analysis. According to the study, students wsould learn more and be more motivated if virtual reality simulators were used. Attention, relevance, satisfaction, and confidence indicators were used to develop motivational variables, and the results were significant. We have taken the sample of 607 students’ data for this analysis, through which we have identified the potential of VR made available to students, as well as the faculty, which has the potential to transform medical education. Instructors may be wary of incorporating new technology like VR into their curriculums, but with the support of their students’ learning habits, this may not be a problem. It may help instructors feel more confident, while also enhancing the relationship between faculty, librarians, and students.
Research on Sun-Oriented Spin-Stabilized Attitude Control of Micro/Nano Satellite Using Only Magnetic Control
Authors: Yuan Binwen , Yang Deng , Meng Ziyang
Published: January 2023

Sun-oriented attitude control is one of the most important attitude control modes for most micro/nano satellites, which directly affects the on-orbit energy acquisition. Therefore, it is of great importance to use the simplest sensors and actuators and the most reliable algorithm to achieve sun-oriented attitude control. A sun-oriented spin-stabilized attitude control method for micro/nano satellites using only magnetic control is proposed in this paper, in which the control progress is divided into four phases: initial damping phase, sun-aligned phase, spin-up phase, and spin-stabilized phase. The influence of the shadow zone of the orbit, offset installation of sun sensor and solar panel, limitation of the field of view of the sun sensor, and environmental disturbance torques are all considered in the proposed method. The control performance is evaluated by numerical simulations, and the simulation results show that the proposed method is applicable to the satellite equipped with a sun sensor and a 3-axis magnetometer as attitude sensors and three magnetic torquers installed orthogonally as attitude actuators. The proposed method is applicable to most Earth-orbit satellites for which the geomagnetic field can provide sufficient attitude control torque.
Symmetrical Hardware-Software Design for Improving Physical Activity with a Gamified Music Step Sensor Box
Authors: Ahmed Bilal , Putra Handityo Aulia , Kim Seongwook , Im Choongjae
Published: January 2023

Physical inactivity, the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, can harm the economy, national growth, community welfare, health, and quality of life. On the other hand, physical activities (PA) have numerous advantages, including fewer cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes, fewer psychological disorders, and improved cognitive abilities. Despite the benefits of PA, people are less likely to participate. The main factor is a lack of entertainment in exercise, which demotivates society from engaging in healthy activities. In this work, we proposed a hardware-software symmetry that can entertain people while performing PA. We developed a step-box with sensors and a gamified music application synchronized with the footsteps. The purpose of this study is to show that incorporating appropriate gamification allows participants to engage actively in tedious and economic exercises. Participants (N = 90) participated in 20-min daily exercise sessions for three days. A 5-point Likert scale was used to assess efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction following exercise sessions. The results show that the gamified sensor step-box increased efficiency, effectiveness, and participant satisfaction. The findings suggest that gamification fundamentals in simple exercises increase excitement and may help people to maintain PA.
Comprehensive Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Performance Degradation Mechanism, Prediction, and Optimization Studies
Authors: Peng Jingxuan , Zhao Dongqi , Xu Yuanwu , Wu Xiaolong , Li Xi
Published: January 2023

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance degradation analysis and optimization studies are important prerequisites for its commercialization. Reviewing and summarizing SOFC performance degradation studies can help researchers identify research gaps and increase investment in weak areas. In this study, to help researchers purposely improve system performance, degradation mechanism analysis, degradation performance prediction, and degradation performance optimization studies are sorted out. In the review, it is found that the degradation mechanism analysis studies can help to improve the system structure. Degradation mechanism analysis studies can be performed at the stack level and system level, respectively. Degradation performance prediction can help to take measures to mitigate degradation in advance. The main tools of prediction study can be divided into model-based, data-based, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based, and image-based approaches. Degradation performance optimization can improve the system performance based on degradation mechanism analysis and performance prediction results. The optimization study focuses on two aspects of constitutive improvement and health controller design. However, the existing research is not yet complete. In-depth studies on performance degradation are still needed to achieve further SOFC commercialization. This paper summarizes mainstream research methods, as well as deficiencies that can provide partial theoretical guidance for SOFC performance enhancement.
An Overview of Green Bioprocessing of Algae-Derived Biochar and Biopolymers: Synthesis, Preparation, and Potential Applications
Authors: Alazaiza Motasem Y. D. , Albahnasawi Ahmed , Eyvaz Murat , Al Maskari Tahra , Nassani Dia Eddin , Abu Amr Salem S. , Abujazar Mohammed Shadi S. , Bashir Mohammed J. K.
Published: January 2023

Algae have the potential to be used as a feedstock for the synthesis of valuable compounds and biofuels. In addition, algal waste can be further transformed into biofuel, biogas, and biochar using different thermochemical processes such as microwave pyrolysis, pyrolysis, torrefaction, and hydrothermal conversion. Due to its high specific surface area, rapid electron transport, and graphitic carbon structure, algal biochar carbonized at high temperatures has shown outstanding performance for applications as CO2 adsorbents, supercapacitors, and persulfate activation. Due to the combination of various functional groups and porous structures, the algae biomass pyrolysis at a moderate temperature produced high-quality biochar that shows high performance in terms of pollutant removal, while low-temperature pyrolysis produces coal fuel from algae via torrefaction. Over time, there have been exponentially more petroleum-based polymers created that have harmful impacts on both humans and the environment. As a result, researchers are becoming more interested in algae-based biopolymers as a potential alternative strategy for establishing a sustainable circular economy globally. The advantages of microalgal biopolymer over other feedstocks are its capacity to compost, which provides greenhouse gas credits, its quick growth ability with flexibility in a variety of settings, and its ability to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Study of the Wet Desulfurization Reaction of ZnO Sorbents at High Temperatures
Authors: Ciro Erwin , Dell’Era Alessandro , Hatunoglu Arda , Bocci Enrico , Del Zotto Luca
Published: January 2023

Hot gas conditioning is a remarkable stage for decreasing typical and harsh contaminants of syngas produced in the biomass gasification process. Downstream contaminants containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S) can significantly deteriorate fuel stream conversion reactors and fuel cell systems. Thus, an effective gas cleaning stage is required to remove critical streams that endanger the whole pathway toward the biomass conversion process. In this work, we studied H2S capture from biofuel syngas by using a kinetic deactivation model to analyze the effect of the operating conditions on the adsorption performance. Furthermore, the particle sorbent influence on other reactions, such as methane reforming and water gas shift (WGS), were also evaluated. Breakthrough curves were plotted and fitted following a first-order linearized deactivation model to perform both the H2S adsorption capacity and thermodynamic analysis. Moreover, the influence of the operating conditions was studied through a breakthrough curve simulation. By using the Arrhenius and Eyring–Polanyi expressions, it was possible to calculate the activation energy and some thermodynamic parameters from the transition state theory. Finally, a mathematical analysis was performed to obtain the diffusion coefficient (D) and the kinetic reaction constant (k¯0) of H2S gas within ZnO particles, considering a spherical geometry.
Research on Air Gap Magnetic Field Characteristics of Trapezoidal Halbach Permanent Magnet Linear Synchronous Motor Based on Improved Equivalent Surface Current Method
Authors: Li Bo , Zhang Jun’an , Zhao Xiaolong , Liu Bo , Dong Hao
Published: January 2023

Accurate analysis of the air gap magnetic field is the focus of research in the field of precision permanent magnet linear synchronous motors. In this paper, the two-dimensional air gap magnetic field of a secondary trapezoidal Halbach permanent magnet array coreless permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) was taken as our research object. On the basis of the equivalent surface current method, we proposed an improved equivalent analytical algorithm with a trapezoidal side length unit. The equivalent analytical model of the magnetic induction vector of the two-dimensional air gap was established, and the air gap magnetic field of the trapezoidal Halbach array coreless PMLSM was calculated. At the same time, we analyzed the influence of the bottom angle α of a trapezoidal permanent magnet equivalent width coefficient αw, pole height coefficient αh, and air gap height coefficient αg on the amplitude (Bpeak) and total harmonic distortion (THDB) of the central magnetic field in the air gap. The results show that α and αw have a significant influence on the Bpeak and THDB of the central magnetic field air gap. With the synergy of α and αw, we identified the “flux convergence” effect, which makes the maximum range of Bpeak α > 90° and αw < 0.5. We also found the “equilateral” effect, which causes the minimum region of THDB to change linearly. The calculation results of the improved equivalent surface current analytical model established in this paper agree with those verified by the finite element method. The calculation is convenient, and the accuracy of the result is high. This research provides a new method for analyzing the air gap magnetic field of a permanent magnet with a nonrectangular cross-section and lays a theoretical foundation for optimizing the PMLSM pole model.