bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new trypan blue agar plate assay for in vivo evaluation of gut damage in Folsomia candida springtail
Authors: Kwak Jin Il , Kim Lia , An Youn-Joo
Published: March 2023

Although the springtail Folsomia candida is a representative soil test species and a widely used biological indicator, current toxic endpoints are limited and required to expand at the individual level. For instance, there is no simple and efficient method for evaluating gut barrier damage in Folsomia candida except for histopathological evaluation or electron microscopic analysis. Because the evaluation of intestinal tissue damage by environmental pollutants can be linked to the gut microbiome and digestive enzyme results, the present study proposes an efficient method for evaluating the gut damage in springtail using trypan blue dye to visualize adverse effects. The media, staining, and depuration periods were optimized, and the proposed method was validated using F. candida exposed to model chemicals (Cu and Cr). The optimal parameters were determined as 1) 0.1% trypan blue + 0.8% agar + 5% sugar plate for 15 min, followed by 2) depuration on an 0.8% agar + 10% sugar plate for 3 h. This new method is expected to provide a simple and cheap tool for evaluating gut damage in springtails compared with histopathological evaluation or electron microscopic analysis. Furthermore, this method can expand individual-level toxic endpoints for springtails.
Exploration of the Shared Gene Signatures and Molecular Mechanisms Between Breast Cancer and Endometriosis
Authors: Hai Linyue , Cao Xuchen , Xiao Chunhua
Published: March 2023

Background
Globally, breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Early diagnosis and survival outcomes will be improved through the identification of modifiable risk factors and the development of better disease management strategies. There are many similarities between endometriosis and breast cancer, both in terms of risk factors and developmental characteristics. Thus, it would be beneficial to explore the common mechanisms behind the onset of BC and endometriosis to develop more effective intervention strategies in the future. In this study, bioinformatics was used to explore the key molecules and pathways that mediate the co-occurrence of BC and endometriosis.
Method
From the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, datasets for BC (GSE15852) and endometriosis (GSE5108) were downloaded. By using the GEO2R online tool, we were able to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two diseases. Afterward, a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed based on DEG enrichment analysis. Additionally, the hub genes were identified using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. We investigated the relationship between hub gene expression levels and clinical expression, pathological stage, age, and prognosis. As a final step, transcription factor interaction, stemness score, and immune cell infiltration analysis were conducted on hub genes in BC.
Results
We identified 33 overlapping DEGs (18 downregulated genes and 15 upregulated genes) for further analysis. The significant functional pathways of DEGs were enriched in regulating the pluripotency of stem cells and the mis-regulation of transcription in cancer. Additionally, five key hub genes were identified, including HOXA10, PAX8, MSX1, FGFR1, and INHBA. Pathological stages, age, stemness score, and immune infiltration were associated with the expression level of hub genes.
Conclusion
A novel insight into the molecular mechanism of endometriosis complicated with BC is provided by the finding that HOXA10, PAX8, MSX1, FGFR1, and INHBA were hub genes for the co-occurrence of BC and endometriosis.
Prognostic Value of Clinical and Computed Tomography Score in Predicting Outcome of Patients with COVID-19: A prospective study in Iran
Authors: Mahdavi Arash , Khalili Nastaran , Dehkordi Saeid Alerasoul , Tajbakhsh Ardeshir , Davarpanah Amir H. , Mahdavi Ali , Zolghadr Zahra , Langroudi Taraneh Faghihi , Taheri Morteza Sanei , Shabestari Abbas Arjmand
Published: March 2023

Background:
Different clinical and radiologic factors predict poor outcomes in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Thus, we aimed to investigate the performance of two separate clinical and radiologic (CT) scoring systems in detecting the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 using a low-dose protocol for CT imaging.
Methods:
Eighty-six patients with confirmed COVID-19 were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent low-dose chest CT at the initial workup. By evaluating the extent of lung involvement on patients’ initial CT scan, scores from 0 to 4 were assigned to the five lobes and the lingula. Clinical score was based on the following factors: age, sex, presence of comorbidities, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. After at least 15 days of follow-up, the disease outcome was classified as either severe (intensive care unit admission, intubation, or death) or favorable. ROC analysis was used to evaluate the ability of each scoring system to predict patients' outcomes.
Results:
After follow-up, 80.2% and 15.1% of cases had developed favorable and severe outcomes (respectively), and 4.7% were lost to follow-up. Those with severe outcomes had a significantly higher clinical score and CT score than patients with favorable outcomes (p < 0.001 and p= 0.012, respectively). The intra-class correlation coefficient value for the CT score was 0.95. The optimal threshold of the CT score for identifying patients with severe outcomes was 7.5 (area under curve= 0.721) with 77% sensitivity and 65% specificity; the clinical score cut-off was 9.25 (area under curve= 0.832) with 92.3% sensitivity and 72.1% specificity.
Conclusions:
Both CT and clinical scoring systems displayed a quick, safe, and objective method for predicting outcomes in patients with COVID-19. However, compared with imaging, stratification of patients based on clinical factors seems to be a stronger predictor of outcome.
Analysis of m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns and immune infiltration characterization in schizophrenia
Authors: li mengdie , Wang Ping , Zhang Yan , Yang Yating , Zhang Ling , Zhang Kai , Bao Tianhao , Liu Huanzhong
Published: March 2023

Background: Epigenetic modification has provided novel insight for understanding the complex mechanism of psychiatric disorders. However, how m6A RNA methylation modification played a role in schizophrenia (SCZ) remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of m6A modification and their relationship with the immune infiltration characteristics of SCZ.
Methods: We searched the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Finally, 391 postmortem brains of SCZ were used to assess the differential expression level of m6A methylation regulators between SCZ and controls. The relative expression abundance of immune cells and immune functions was examined by Single-Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA).
Results: We found significant differences in the expression levels of m6A regulators between SCZ and controls. Logistic-LASSO regression analysis identified the 6 key m6A regulators, and the risk scores could well distinguish SCZ and controls. There were significant differences in immune cells and immune functions. We identified 4 potential m6A methylation modification key genes of SCZ.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that m6A regulators and immune infiltration characteristics might play an important role in the pathogenesis of SCZ. However, we need more clinical evidence to validate these found.
A review of economic studies evaluating the treatment of ventilator associated pneumonia
Authors: Miranda Tatiane , Silva Ligiane , Simões Marcia
Published: March 2023

Background: The clinical definition of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is infection arising during intubation. The topic has attracted considerable interest as a subject of clinical efficacy research. Cost is an important factor when we consider similar options of antibiotic treatments. This study aims to review pharmacoeconomic evaluations made of different VAP treatments and summarize the evaluation methods utilized.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). The search strategy was created considering the “PICOS” question, and data was sourced from PubMed, LILACS, Web of Science and Scopus databases, on October 2022. Inclusion and exclusion criterials were applied to filter the results.
Findings: The search resulted in 574 studies, of which 12 were used. Of these, four studies evaluated empirical therapy. Antibiotic analysis was performed in eight case studies of Gram-negative infections and four of Gram-positive spectrum. The most prevalent analysis mode was Cost-effectiveness. Cost-minimization, Cost-benefit and general costs comparison were also seen. Different modellings were applied when performing the pharmacoeconomic analysis, such as Tree decision, Markov cohort, as well as methodologies like discrete event micro simulation and sequential simulation. Monte Carlo simulation was then used in five studies to analyze model sensitivity. The Linezolid treatment was shown to be more cost-effective than vancomycin in MRSA pneumonia. Doripinem also showed similar behavior when compared to imipinem in all included studies. Ceftazidime-avibactam and ceftalozane-tazobactam presented an advantage in cost-effectiveness when compared with meropenem. Clarithromycin and ceftriaxone+sulbactam+disodiumedetate used in adjuvant treatments, promoted reduction of the costs in patients with A. baumannii. Meropenem-varbobactam was also found to be a cost-effective treatment option when compared with standard therapies used in patients with CRE-KPC infections.
Conclusion: Even though many models were used in pharmacoeconomic evaluations for VAP, Cost-effectiveness was clearly the most prevalent one. In short, the studies showed an advantage when using new medications. Nonetheless, we must be cautious when interpreting such findings, since they reflect a different reality for each country. Long-term impact and resource availability should also be considered.
Spatial accessibility of continuous maternal and perinatal healthcare services in Mozambique
Authors: Li Qin , Kanduma Elsa , Ramiro Isaías , Xu Dong , Marlene Rosa , Chaquisse Eusebio , Yang Yili , Wang Xiuli , Pan Jay
Published: March 2023

Maternal and perinatal healthcare remain insufficient in impoverished regions such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and removing geographic barriers to access continuous maternal and perinatal healthcare services (CMPHS) has been addressed as a critical strategy. Based on the framework of maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) proposed by WHO, access to CMPHS in Mozambique was assessed as the integration of three independent service packages, namely antenatal care (ANC), institutional delivery (ID), and postnatal care (PNC). We perform a spatial overlap analysis to identify eight types of multi-level healthcare access zones and reveal the geographic barriers for women of reproductive age (WoRA) reaching CMPHS. We find that access to reaching ANC, ID, and PNC varied significantly, with access to ANC being the best and PNC being the worst. More than 51% of the WoRA were not able to access any service package as part of CMPHS, while only about 21% could access CMPHS in a timely manner. Similar research should be carried out in SSA countries to identify resource shortage area and successful experiences should be learned to broad CMPHS coverage with particular focus.
In silico evaluation of anti SARS-CoV-2 antibodies neutralization power: A blueprint with monoclonal antibody Sotrovimab
Authors: Ashoor Dana , Marzouq Maryam , Fathallah M-Dahmani
Published: March 2023

Immune escape caused by genetic variations of SARS-CoV-2 S protein immunogenic epitopes affects the efficiency of monoclonal antibody-based therapy of COVID-19. Therefore, predicting the effects of these variations on immune escape is important to adapt rapidly anti SARS-CoV-2 Mab therapy. We herein describe a computational method to evaluate the neutralizing power a monoclonal antibody specific of a given SARS-CoV-2 variant and to compare it to its potential neutralizing power of others and emergent variants. The method’s calls for building in silico complex between the spike protein of a SARS-CoV-2 variant and a neutralizing antibody, analyzing the molecular interactions pattern and calculating the binding energy. This data is assigned a neutralizing value of 100% to which can be compared the neutralization value of any SARS-CoV-2 variant determined after molecular replacement in the complex of the RBD sequence with the RBD of this variant. Application of this method to the class 3 neutralizing antibody Sotrovimab and 24 variants and subvariants showed that the affinity binding and neutralizing power, decreased gradually with new variants. This method is of interest to adapt the use of therapeutic antibodies to the treatment of emerging variants. It could be applied to antibody-based treatment of other viral infections.
MaGNIFIES: Manageable GAN Image Augmentation Framework for Inspection of Electronic Systems
Authors: Ghosh Pallabi , Lee Gijung , Zhu Mengdi , Dizon-Paradis Olivia P. , Botero Ulbert J. , Woodard Damon L. , Forte Domenic
Published: March 2023

Electronic counterfeiting is a long-lasting problem that continues to cost original manufacturers billions, fund organized crime, and jeopardize national security and mission-critical infrastructures. Manual inspection is a popular and standardized way to detect counterfeit electronic components but, it is time-consuming and requires subject matter experts for classification. State-of-the-art machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision-based physical inspection methods are promising to alleviate these issues. However, the main bottleneck for doing so is a lack of high-quality, publicly available counterfeit image data for training. Producing such datasets is also time-consuming and often requires expensive equipment. In addition, most test labs are not allowed to freely publish images taken from their customer's chips. One solution to this data shortage bottleneck can be addressed by augmenting synthetic data. In this paper, (i) data multiplication using Progressive GAN, StyleGAN and classical methods in counterfeit data domain are explored (ii) a novel framework, named MaGNIFIES, is proposed and (iii) an efficient Convolutional Neural Network architecture is proposed, that can detect defective parts by training only on the synthetic dataset generated using (i) or (ii). For proof of concept, we have used low-quality images of resistors and capacitors with and without scratch defects as counterfeit and golden components respectively. We have also illustrated how our approach using MaGNIFIES addresses the shortcomings of the existing augmentation methods. Separate data augmentation detection models are trained with each type of augmented data generated using MaGNIFIES as well as existing techniques and tested on a test set of real data.
Item distribution, internal consistency and structural validity of the German language Person-centred climate questionnaire - Staff version (PCQ-G-S): a cross-sectional study
Authors: WILFLING Denise , MÖHLER Ralph , BERG Almuth , Dörner Jonas , BARTMANN Natascha , KLATT Thomas , MEYER Gabriele , HALEK Margareta , KÖPKE Sascha , DICHTER Martin N.
Published: March 2023

Background
Person-centredness is considered as best practice for people with dementia. A frequently used instrument to assess person-centredness of a care environment is the Person-centred Climate Questionnaire (PCQ). The questionnaire comprises of 14 items with the three subscales a climate of safety, a climate of everydayness and a climate of community.
Aim
The aim of the study is to describe the translation process of the English language Person-centred Climate Questionnaire (Staff version, Patient version, Family version) into German language (PCQ-G) and to evaluate the first psychometric properties of the German language Person-centred Climate Questionnaire– Staff version (PCQ-G-S).
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study. The three versions of the 14-item English PCQ were translated into German language (PCQ-G) based on the recommendations for cross-cultural adaption of measures. Item distribution, internal consistency and structural validity of the questionnaire were assessed among nursing home staff (PCQ-G-S). Item distribution was calculated using descriptive statistics. Structural validity was tested using principal component analysis (PCA), and internal consistency was assessed for the resulting subscales using Cronbach’s alpha. Data collection took place from May to September 2021.
Results
A total sample of 120 nurses was included in the data analysis. Nine out of 14 items of the PCQ-G-S demonstrated acceptable item difficulty, while five times showed a ceiling effect. The PCA analysis demonstrated a strong structural validity for a three-factor solution explaining 68.6% of the total variance. The three subscales demonstrated a strong internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha scores of 0.8 for each of the subscales.
Conclusion
The analysis of the 14-item German version (PCQ-G-S) showed first evidence for a strong internal consistency and structural validity for evaluating staff perceptions of the person-centredness in German nursing homes. Based on this, further investigations for scale validity of the PCQ-G versions should be carried out.
MetaInvert: A new soil invertebrate genome resource provides insights into below-ground biodiversity and evolution
Authors: Collins Gemma , Schneider Clément , Boštjančić Ljudevit Luka , Burkhardt Ulrich , Christian Axel , Decker Peter , Ebersberger Ingo , Hohberg Karin , Lecompte Odile , Merges Dominik , Muelbaier Hannah , Romahn Juliane , Römbke Jörg , Rutz Christelle , Schmelz Rüdiger , Schmidt Alexandra , Theissinger Kathrin , Veres Robert , Lehmitz Ricarda , Pfenninger Markus Markus , Balint Miklos
Published: March 2023

Soil invertebrates are among the least understood metazoans on Earth. Thus far, the lack of taxonomically broad and dense genomic resources has made it hard to thoroughly investigate their evolution and ecology. With MetaInvert we provide draft genome assemblies for 232 soil invertebrate species, representing 14 common groups and 94 families. We show that this data substantially extends the taxonomic scope of DNA- or RNA-based taxonomic identification. Moreover, we demonstrate that theories of genome evolution cannot be generalised across evolutionarily distinct invertebrate groups. The soil invertebrate genomes presented here will support the management of soil biodiversity through molecular monitoring of community composition and function, and the discovery of evolutionary adaptations to the challenges of soil conditions.
Does fertility affect growth? Evidence and simulation results from alternative quantile regression estimators
Authors: Marques André M.
Published: March 2023

While the effect of various factors on fertility choice has been intensively studied, few studies identify declining fertility's impact on subsequent growth. We employ instrumental variables derived from spatial interactions across 5564 cities to identify the heterogeneous effects of declining fertility on subsequent economic growth in Brazil's city-level data. The gain by reducing one birth may translate to a cumulative growth increase of 0.5 percentage points in places where the pace of economic development is low. On the median, the extent of the estimate suggests that a unity decrease in the total fertility rate might lead to an increase in cumulative growth of 0.25 percentage points in the following ten years. The simulation results, designed for two-stage quantile regression estimators, indicate the sample sizes for which the asymptotic properties tend to hold and show that the convolution-smoothed approach with the triangular kernel performs better in finite samples in most scenarios.
Exploring the Diversity of Phytophthora spp. and the role Phytophthora multivora in Cork and Holm Oak coastal forests in Italy
Authors: Aurangzeb Wajid , Guidoni Leonardo , Morales-Rodriguez Carmen Morales , Cecca Daniele , Vannini Andrea
Published: March 2023

Phytophthora cinnamomi and Phytophthora multivora are considered important forest pathogens in different areas of the world. However, while P. cinnamomi presence and impact are widely reported, little is known about the presence of Phytophthora multivora in the Mediterranean evergreen oak forests and its possible role in their decline syndrome. The present study was conducted to identify the presence of P. cinnamomi, P. multivora, and other Phytophthora species in the Castelporziano Presidential Estate in Italy using classical (baiting) and metabarcoding (HTS). A total of 52 rhizosphere soil samples were collected from declining oak stands, from which 254 isolates of oomycetes taxa were obtained among which Phytophthora cinnamomi, P. multivora, P. plurivora, P. gonapodyides, and P. bilorbang were identified based on morphological traits and barcoding. The results of HTS analysis revealed the presence in the rhizosphere of 20 different Phytophthora spp. including all the taxa obtained through baiting. Interestingly, the Phytophthora soilborne community did not differ among tree hosts. Phytophthora cinnamomi was the most common species in the investigated site. The aggressiveness of P. multivora to holm and cork oak was evaluated on 3 months old seedlings using soil infestation and keeping P. cinnamomi as the positive control. Soil inoculation test demonstrated the aggressiveness of P. multivora on both holm oak and cork oak. Phytophthora multivora resulted by far less aggressive than P. cinnamomic. Holm oak resulted the most sensitive host to both pathogens. While P. multivora seems to play a relevant role in the decline of forest and urban ecosystems in Australia, its role in evergreen oak decline seems to be limited at the moment. However, in consideration of its sensible activity as a fine root feeder and adaptation to dry environments, its role in holm and cork oak decline could become relevant in the medium-term specifically in association with climate changes.
Isolation, characterization and evaluation of putative new bacteriophage species to control bacterial spot on tomato in Brazil
Authors: de Sousa Dayane Maria , Janssen Luis , Rosa Raphael Barboza , Belmock Aline , Yamada Jaqueline Kiyomi , Corrêa Roberto Franco Teixeira , Andrade Miguel de Souza , Inoue-Nagata Alice Kazuko , Ribeiro Bergmann Morais , Pontes Nadson de Carvalho
Published: March 2023

Bacterial spot is a highly damaging tomato disease caused by several species of the genus Xanthomonas. Bacteriophages have been studied for their potential use as a biological control method for bacterial diseases. Parte superior do formulário In the present study, bacteriophages were obtained from soil and tomato leaves in commercial fields in Brazil with the aim of obtaining biological control agents against bacterial spot. Phage isolation was carried out through co-cultivation with isolates of Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans (Xp), which was prevalent in the collected areas. In the host range evaluation, no phage was able to induce a lytic cycle in all bacterial isolates. Then, in the in vivo tests, when Xpisolates were sensitive to the used phages, we observed that the prior application of phage suspension led to a reduction in the severity of the disease. The disease control level provided by phage application was equal to or greater than that obtained by the use of copper hydroxide. Electron microscopy analysis showed that all phages had similar morphology, with head-tails structure, similar to those viruses of the order Caudovirales. The observed short, non-contractile tubular tails strongly indicated that phages belong to the family Autographiviridae. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed it, and revealed that the phages belong to the genus Pradovirus. The phages are closely related to each other and potentially belong a new species of the genus. These phages will be evaluated in future studies against other tomato Xanthomonads strains to assess their potential as biological control agents.
Annular gas-assisted water jet guided laser manufacturing groove structure of Inconel 718 alloy
Authors: Zhao Chuang , Zhao Yugang , Zhao Dandan , Meng Shuo , Zhang Guiguan , Cao Chen , Zhang Haiyun , Meng Jianbing
Published: March 2023

Inconel 718 offers high oxidation resistance, mechanical strength, and heat resistance, which enables turbofan engines to maintain excellent performance in an operating environment of 1000°C. These properties make Inconel 718 difficult to machine by conventional machining techniques. Water jet guided laser (WJGL) is a composite processing technology that combines water cooling and laser processing technology. Therefore, it is advantageous and promising in processing Inconel 718. However, the water layer on the substrate surface in processing limits WJGL 's ability to ablate the metal, which leads to burrs formed when manufacturing groove structures. Therefore, a new method for manufacturing groove structure on Inconel 718 by Annular gas-assisted water jet guided laser (AGAWJGL) is proposed in this paper. This method reduces burrs and improves material removal efficiency by removing the water layer from the substrate surface with the gas-assisted. Then, groove processing experiment are performed on Inconel 718 alloy sheets with thickness of 1 mm. The experimental results show that the average size of burrs reduces 36%, and the depth of grooves increases 13%. These provide the theoretical foundation for the WJGL machining of Inconel 718.
Identifying the Relationship between Environmental Degradation and Economic Growth: A Focus on the Environmental Impacts of Rice Cultivation in the Top Ten Rice-Producing Countries
Authors: Ul-Haq Jabbar , Visas Hubert , Cheema Ahmed Raza , Aslam Noreen , Saboori Behnaz
Published: March 2023

In this study, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) was tested for the first time in the agriculture sector of ten rice-producing countries namely China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, the Philippines, and Brazil, using panel data from 1995 to 2018. Once the EKC was tested at the aggregate level, the results were compared with those of the model disaggregated by the agriculture sector. We examined the relationship between environmental degradation (i.e., PM2.5, PM10, and CH4 emitted during rice cultivation processes) and economic growth, as well as agricultural growth, alongside other explanatory variables. Employing panel econometrics techniques, there is evidence of the EKC with an inverted U-shaped at both aggregate and disaggregate models. Including additional environmental explanatory variables such as urbanization, population density, and financial development, our results are robust and significant. The validity of the inverted U-shaped EKC suggests that compact environmental legislation, efficient energy use, and green technologies can reduce emissions as the economy and agriculture sectors expand
Plant fibre diagnosis: refining analytical approaches using blind testing
Authors: Waudby Denis , Thompson Jill , Evans Adrian
Published: March 2023

A range of plant fibres was used in prehistoric Europe for cordage, woven textiles and string. The analysis of degraded archaeological specimens to determine which types were being used is often challenging, partly due to uncertainties around the reliability of identification techniques. Here, two established diagnostic approaches are standardised, quantified, and blind tested in terms of their combined ability to separate reference material from nettle (Urtica dioica L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). These approaches are longitudinal microfibrillar angle (MFA) and cross-sectional circularity (Ct) used in a two-step procedure to analyse a set of randomly selected modern fibres (n=48, 16 from each species). The overall success rate for identification was 66.7% but this varied between the species, and the results show differences in the efficacy of the methods. In the first stage, MFA distinguished between hemp and flax/nettle, with 81.3% of the hemp samples being successfully identified. Twenty-seven samples proceeded to stage 2 and were classified using Ct analysis after which 66.7%% of all flax, and 50% of all nettle samples were identified successfully. This suggests that some evidence for the use of wild nettles may have been under-represented in archaeological reports.
A Numerical Study of the Effect of Magnetic field in the Entrance region of a Couette flow in a Duct Filled with Porous Material under the Local Thermal Non-Equilibrium
Authors: Bhargavi D. , Gupta Nitish , Narayana P. A. Lakshmi
Published: March 2023

The effect of the magnetic field on Couette flow in a porous-filled duct under local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) is examined in the present analysis. The bottom plate is moving and experiencing isoflux boundary conditions, whereas the top plate is stationary and adiabatic. The porous region's unidirectional flow fits the Darcy Brinkman (DB) model. The investigations further quantify the impact of the thermal conductivity ratio (κ), Hartmann number (MH), and Biot number (BiH), on heat transfer enhancement. For the coupled energy equations, a successive accelerated replacement (SAR) method is used to generate numerical solutions. The present investigation gives the temperatures in the solid and, the fluid phases in dimensionless form, dimensionless temperature based on the bulk mean temperature and, the local Nusselt number profiles. In the Couette flow model, the magnetic field influences the temperature field in both phases. Additionally, for each Hartmann number, the temperature of the solid phase is greater than that of the fluid phase, validating LTNE. For the thermal field, the fully developed condition is validated in the LTNE model. This study is primarily concerned with modeling high-performance matrix heat exchangers.
Identification of Immune Microenvironment Changes, Immune-Related Pathways and Genes in Male Androgenetic Alopecia
Authors: Xiong Hongdi , Tang Lulu , Chen Haiju , Wu Yi , Li Wenyu , Wen Sijian , Lin Youkun
Published: March 2023

Although Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) is classified as a non-inflammatory alopecia, histological evidence of microinflammation has long been recognized. However, the changes in the immune microenvironment, the immune-related pathway and the expression of Immune-related genes (IRGs) involved in AGA remain unclear. The microarray gene expression data (GSE36169) from patients with male AGA were analyzed. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) among statistically changed genes was done. KEGG and GO analyses among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were performed. DEGs were screened to identify IRGs based on the ImmPort database. The cytohubba-MCC plugin of Cytoscape was applied to screen hub immune genes. The infiltration levels of 28 immune cells were quantified adopting single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithm. The microarray gene expression data (GSE90594) of male AGA was analyzed to validate hub IRGs genes and differential infiltrated immune cells. The ssGSEA revealed γδT cell, central memory CD8+ T cell, mast cell, immature B cell, activated CD8+ T cell, effector memory CD4+ T cell, eosinophil and neutrophil were significantly increased infiltration in the bald scalp. GSEA showed statistically changed genes were most enriched in immune related pathways, including innate immune system, adaptive immune system, cytokine signaling, interferon-γ signaling, interferon signaling and interleukins signaling. The four hub IRGs, including MMP9, PTPRC, BMP2 and THBS1, were enriched in the pathways of allograft rejection, coagulation and interferon-γ response. In summary, we proposed that the increase in γδ T cells, central memory CD8+ T cells, activated CD8+ T cell as well as the infiltration of mast cells contributed to immune microenvironment changes in male AGA. The 4 hub IRGs may be involved in the development and progression of hair loss in male AGA through interferon-γ signal pathways.
A random 2D walk of a submerged free-floating disc in a convective layer
Authors: Frick Peter , Popova Elena , Sukhanovskii Andrei , Vasiliev Andrei
Published: March 2023

Free motions of a thermally insulating disc submerged in a liquid layer heated from below are studied experimentally. The disc is fixed at a certain height from the bottom of the convective cell, but can move freely in horizontal directions. Blocking of vertical motion and heat flux leads to the appearance of large-scale vortices, which in turn, drags the disk. The interplay of the large-scale circulation and the disk produces complex two-dimensional disk motions. The disc dynamics is mainly determined by large-scale modes: toroidal vortex with descending fluid in the center and large-scale vortices along each coordinate, existing on the background of intense, but relatively short-lived small-scale convective cells. The wandering disk forms a cold spot above itself, which affects large-scale circulation but has little effect on cell convection at scales on the order of the layer thickness, which provide the main heat transport and dominate the upper part of the layer. Despite the essentially three-dimensional flow structure, which is fundamentally different from that of the convective flow in an elongated tank with one-dimensional disk motions, the travels along each coordinate look similar to one-dimensional motions.
Deformation failure characteristics and control measures of a shallow loess tunnel in water-rich strata
Authors: Lei Hao , Tang Kunjie , Zhao Kai , Liu Yuhang , Liu Tong
Published: March 2023

With the acceleration of tunnel construction, it is inevitable to cross the collapsible loess region. The engineering properties of loess are very poor in the water-rich environment. Additionally, if the buried depth is shallow, the load bearing capacity is further weakened, which can increase the difficulty of tunnel construction. Therefore, this paper provides a case study on the Pangwan Tunnel based on a geological survey, numerical simulation, and on-site monitoring. The failure characteristics of the studied area under the original support scheme are analyzed in detail, and the extreme deformation mechanism is discussed combining the geological conditions and surrounding rock properties. The results show that there are five main reasons resulting in the extreme deformation of the Pangwan Tunnel, which are: abundant groundwater, low strength of surrounding rock, disintegration of loess after water immersion, depth of tunnel is shallow, and unreasonable original support scheme with low bearing capacity. Then, the corresponding countermeasures are proposed, which are advance drainage, large arch foot and foot-lock bolt, sealing tunnel face and grouting timely, as well as advance pipe shed and small pipe grouting. Finally, from the feedbacks of numerical analysis and field application results, extreme deformation of the Pangwan Tunnel is effectively controlled. This work can provide some helpful guidance for similar projects.
Topical hydrogen peroxide solution 40%in the treatment of genital warts
Authors: Mohamed Hassan Abou Khodair , Aboelwafa Hany Othman , Saleh Fatma Hassan
Published: March 2023

Background; The visible result of a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection caused by one or more of the roughly 100 known strains is genital warts. The most prevalent STD in the world is HPV, and infections with it are strongly linked to major morbidity and death. Numerous malignancies and lesions of the mucosa and epithelium are caused by HPV. Women under the age of 25 are most typically affected by HPV infections,
Aim and objectives; to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical hydrogen peroxide solution 40% in treatment of genital warts,
Subjects and methods; this study was a randomized controlled trial that was conducted on 52 patients attending the Dermatology outpatient clinic at Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University. The selected subjects were divided into 26 patients treated with topical H2O2 as Hydrogen peroxide group and 26 patients treated with saline as control group.
Result; There is statistically significant positive correlation between Size of wart after ttt and number of wart after ttt. There is statistically significant reduction in the number of warts with decrease its number after ttt. However, there is no statistically significant correlation between the size and number of warts after ttt with other clinical variables,
Conclusion; One possible course of therapy for genital warts may be hydrogen peroxide solution, particularly the 40% concentration. As a novel topical therapy for genital warts, it is very efficient, secure, affordable, and simple to apply,
Measurement of Shear Strength of Unsaturated Gypseous Soil with Different Degrees of Saturation by Triaxial Test
Authors: Abood Ahmed , Fattah Mohammed , Al-Adili Aqeel
Published: March 2023

The purpose of the present work is to assess the suitability of unsaturated gypseous soil as subgrade layer for carrying machines foundations. An extensive laboratory testing program was carried out to study the geotechnical properties and the behavior of unsaturated gypseous soil. Gypseous soil samples were brought from a region in Tikrit city in Salah Al-Dean governorate, north of Baghdad. The tests include physical tests such as moisture content, specific gravity, classification tests, relative density, compaction's Proctor, and consolidated undrained triaxial test. Chemical tests were also carried out. The specimen was prepared by using vacuum pump and suction operation (the value of the suction operation ranges -20 kPa approximately), where this method using to the granular soil suction operation such as sandy gypseous soil to pull void air spaces out of the soil until the soil grains of holds together. Therefore, once the sample former is removed the suction will stop the sample from collapsing. Then, triaxial test was carried out on the gypseous soil. The tests were performed for samples at 35% relative of density for the natural, unsaturated, and fully saturated gypseous soil at degrees of saturation (30%, 60%, and 80%). It was found that increasing the moisture of the gypseous soil at all degrees of saturation causes a decrease in the angle of internal friction for both the total and effective stresses (ϕ, and ϕ'), where the decrease ranged between (25.5° - 5.0°) in relation to the total stresses, and (27.5° - 5.5°) in relation to the effective stresses. While the soil cohesion for both of the total and effective stresses (c, and c') increased with the increase of gypseous soil moisture up to the saturation degree (60%), this leads to an increase in shear strength of the soils. Then a gradual decrease was observed at the saturation degrees (80%, and 100%), respectively. Thus, this leads to a decrease in shear strength of the soil, which ranged from (12.5 - 9.5) kPa for the total stresses, and between (11.5 - 9.0) kPa for the effective stresses, respectively.
Kinome-wide synthetic lethal screen identifies PANK4 as modulator of resistance in glioblastoma
Authors: Vella Viviana , Ditsiou Angeliki , Chalari Anna , Eravci Murat , Wooler Sarah K , Gagliano Teresa , Bani Cecilia , Kerschbamer Emanuela , Pearl Frances M.G. , Lopez Gianluca , Peng Ling , Stebbing Justin , Klinakis Apostolos , Giamas Georgios , Xu Bin , Zhang Yongchang
Published: March 2023

Temozolomide (TMZ) represents the cornerstone of therapy for glioblastoma (GBM). However, acquisition of resistance limits its therapeutic potential and therefore poses the need to identify new therapeutic combinations that could improve treatment outcomes. Despite the human kinome has proved to be an undisputable source of druggable targets, our knowledge remains confined to a limited fraction of it, with a multitude of under-investigated proteins yet to be characterised. Using a kinome-wide RNAi screen, we found that abrogation of pantothenate kinase 4 (PANK4) enhances the antiproliferative effects of TMZ in GBM in vitro. Further validation of our top-hit across various TMZ-resistant GBM cell models, patient-derived GBM cell lines and tissue samples, as well as in vivo studies, corroborated the potential translational significance of our findings. We showed that PANK4 expression is induced during TMZ treatment, and its expression is associated with a worse clinical outcome. Using a Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic approach, a comprehensive global protein dynamics analysis was undertaken to identify key response signatures upon PANK4 knockdown, in the presence or absence of TMZ. We revealed that silencing of PANK4 leads to a marked downregulation of a subset of proteins involved in cellular detoxification. More specifically, as cells undergo genotoxic stress during TMZ exposure, PANK4 depletion represents a synthetic vulnerability, focal point that can lead to critical cellular damage, accumulation of toxic metabolites, and subsequent cell death. Taken together, we unveil a previously unreported role for PANK4 in mediating therapeutic resistance to TMZ in GBM.
The Use of Historical Data and Global Climate Models to Assess Historical and Future Surface Water and Groundwater Availability in the Trinity River Basin in Texas
Authors: Milmo Molly , McDowell Jeremy , Yesildirek Monica , Harwell Glenn
Published: March 2023

This paper describes the results of a study that was done by the USGS to assess recent (2017) water availability, forecast long-term trends in water availability, assess changes in water availability, and forecast future water availability in the Trinity River Basin in Texas. The Trinity River Basin surface water model and Trinity River alluvium aquifer (TRAA) groundwater model were created to evaluate future conditions under different global climate models (GCM). The results of this study show minimal overall changes in water availability for both surface water and groundwater. Trend analyses using historical data (1900–2017) indicated an increase of annual precipitation on the watersheds that drain into the reservoirs in Regional Water Planning Group C. However, the Trinity River Basin surface water model GCM ensemble mean annual precipitation indicates a downward trend, resulting in a downward trend in surface runoff. Additionally, the GCM ensemble mean for the Trinity River Basin surface water model and the TRAA groundwater model both indicate a downward trend in recharge while the TRAA model GCM ensemble mean indicates an upward trend in the amount of groundwater leaving the aquifer to rivers and streams resulting in an upward trend of cumulative storage change.
A magyarok vándorlása a koronavírus idején
Authors: Zöldi László Zoltán , Ligeti Anna Sára , Csányi Zoltán , Urbán Ferenc
Published: March 2023

Tanulmányunk a koronavírus-járvány magyar állampolgárok nemzetközi vándorlására gyakorolt hatásait vizsgálja. A magyarok ki- és visszavándorlását érintő változások számszerűsítéséhez a járvány előtti adatokra építő, hibrid – gépi tanulási módszerekkel kiegészített – megszakított idősoros elemzéseket végeztünk. Előbb havi szintű szimulációs modelleket alkottunk a 2020-as és 2021-es évek folyamataira nézve, majd összehasonlítottuk ezeket a tényleges vándorlási adatokkal. Eredményeink szerint a koronavírus-járvány következtében az eredetileg várt kivándorlásoknak csak 75%-a, a visszavándorlásoknak pedig 88%-a valósult meg. A COVID sokkhatása a visszavándorlások tekintetében csak évközi torzulásokat okozott. Ezzel szemben a kivándorlásokra gyakorolt hatások a vizsgált időszakban tartósak maradtak. Miközben az Ausztriába irányuló mozgásokat a korábbi évekre jellemző szezonális mintázat felborulása és a kivándorlások halasztása jellemezte, addig az Egyesült Királyságba és Írországba irányuló havi kivándorlásoknak körülbelül a fele teljes egészében elmaradt. Tanulmányunk egyik fontos következtetése, hogy a világjárvány vándorlási hatásainak megértéséhez csak a migráció egy dinamikusabb és rugalmasabb értelmezése révén kerülhetünk közelebb.
Modelling and design of permanent magnet multipoles for beam transport and focusing. II. Configuring the quad
Authors:   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Amoskov Victor M. , Vasiliev Vyacheslav N. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Gapionok Elena I. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Gulbekian Georgy G. ,   Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Edamenko Nikolai S. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Ivanenko Ivan A. ,   Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Kazarinov Nikolay Y. ,   Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Kalagin Igor V. ,   Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Kaparkova Marina V. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Kukhtin Vladimir P. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Lamzin Evgeny A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Makarov Anatoly A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Nezhentzev Andrey N. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Ovsyannikov Dmitrij A. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Ovsyannikov (jr) Dmitry A. ,   St Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, Osipov Nikolai F. ,   Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Rodin Igor Y. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Sytchevsky Sergey E. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Firsov Alexey A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Shatil Nikolay A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus
Published: March 2023

An optimized magnetic specification has been searched for a PM quadrupole constructed for the DC-140 cyclotron in JINR, Dubna. The field inhomogeneity should be reduced to come closer to an ideal distribution. The quad parameters should be determined with very high mechanical and magnetic precision in order to reach the specified gradient. Results of the analytic study based on a 2D model gave initial values for the PM blocks dimensions and orientations. To ensure stringent performance criteria, parametrized 2D and 3D models of the quad were built. These models were used to optimize the magnet configuration, analyze its sensitivity to various errors and derive parameter tolerances. Additional adjustment to suitable field quality is foreseen using results of a trajectory analysis and acceptance inspection. The design parameters for the best suited magnet configuration are presented and the performance criteria are defined. However, an electromagnetic analysis of the selected configuration has revealed that the relative field error adopted previously as the optimization criterion gives low accuracy estimate. Alternative estimations are proposed utilizing the field gradient error as the basic criterion to satisfy the constraint on the field inhomogeneity.