bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WITHDRAWN: Industry 4.0 and Renewable Energy Nexus
Authors: Bildirici Melike , Kayıkçı Fazıl
Published: July 2022

In line with the fourth industrial revolution programs, most of the countries have imposed variety of regulations or policies for the goals of energy conservation, sustainable development, and industrial transition. This paper tested the relation among macroeconomic variables such as economic growth, renewable electricity generations (% of GDP), Industry 4.0 investment, which is proxied by ICT goods and service exports (% GDP) and research and development expenditure for G20 countries in 2000–2019 period by employing Panel Quantile Regression approach. According to results, these variables relate to each other. Elasticities are greater than 1 in most cases except growth elasticity of renewable energy production is greater than 1. Results indicate that economic growth improves both Industry 4.0 process and renewable energy output while Industry 4.0 process improves renewable energy output. These results suggests for policymakers to accelerate economic growth policies and promote Industry 4.0 advancements to have more renewable energy output.Jel Codes: O14, O32, O44, Q20, Q42
In vitro comparison of the Viability and Proliferation of Human Gingival Fibroblasts and Osteoblast-like MG-63 Cells on Three Different Temporary Cements Used in Dental Implants
Authors: Yaghobee Siamak , Aslroosta Hoori , Hasannia Sadegh , Poursafar Farzaneh
Published: July 2022

Background: Regarding retained cement acts as an idiopathic cause for early implant loss, cement selection with the least toxicity in the peri-implant hard and soft tissues is important. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of three different types of temporary cements and titanium cemented with each cement after direct exposure to human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and MG-63 osteoblast-like cells.Methods: In this in vitro study, zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE), eugenol-free zinc oxide (ZONE), and resin (R) cements prepared in cylindrical forms with a similar dimension were used. Each cement was placed on titanium disks to prepare cemented titanium samples. MTT assay was applied at 24- and 72-hour, and 7-day intervals to evaluate cytotoxicity.Results: All the cements decreased cell viability in both cell lines significantly. None of the cements exhibited cellular viability percentages higher than the minimum percentage (70%) required for biocompatibility. The cemented titanium disks’ cytotoxicity was not significantly different from the cement-only samples (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the sensitivity of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells and HGF to the cements evaluated. Conclusions: The composition of the cement had a significant role in the host cell response. This study showed that dental cements could cause tissue toxicity in the gingiva and bones, finally affecting implant survival.
A comparative assessment of flood susceptibility modelling of GIS-based TOPSIS, VIKOR and EDAS techniques in the Sub-Himalayan foothills region of Eastern India
Authors: Mitra Rajib , Das Jayanta
Published: July 2022

In the Sub-Himalayan foothills region of eastern India, floods are considered the most powerful annually occurring natural disaster, which causes severe losses to the socio-economic life of the inhabitants. The present study tested three comprehensive and systematic MCDM techniques such as Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacijaik Ompromisno Resenje (VIKOR), and Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) in Koch Bihar district for comparative assessment of the flood susceptible zones. The 21 indicators, i.e., elevation, slope, drainage density, geomorphology, rainfall deviation, aspect, curvature, lineament density, lithology, long-term annual rainfall, land use land cover, modified fournier index, modified normalized difference water index, normalized difference vegetation index, roughness, soil, sediment transport index, stream power index, topographic positioning index, terrain ruggedness index, and topographic wetness index were considered as the essential flood conditioning parameters. The multicollinearity statistics were employed to erase the issues regarding highly correlated parameters (i.e., MFI and long-term annual rainfall). The Spearman's rank (rₛ) tests among the three models revealed that TOPSIS-EDAS persisted in a high correlation (rₛ = 0.714) in contrast to the relationships between VIKOR-EDAS (rₛ = 0.651) and TOPSIS-VIKOR (rₛ= 0.639). The model's efficiency was statistically judged by applying the Receiver Operating Characteristic-Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Square Error (MSE), and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) techniques to recognize the better-suited models for mapping the flood susceptibility. The performance of all techniques is found good enough (ROC-AUC = > 0.700 and MAE, MSE and RMSE = < 0.300). However, TOPSIS and VIKOR have manifested an excellent outcome and are highly recommended for identifying flood susceptibility in such active flood-prone areas.
Isolation, Purification and Characterization of Hyaluronidase and Phospholipase a 2 Enzymes of Echis Ocellatus and Naja Nigricollis Snake Venoms
Authors: E. Egbe N. , Y. Dan V. M. , U. Hassan A. , Ozojiofor U. O.
Published: July 2022

Issues related to snakebite has for long been of high economic and medical importance. Management and treatment of snake envenomation has always been an issue, especially in remote areas, where anti-snake venom and facilities for its storage are not available, coupled with the high specificity and instability of anti-venom. Venom enzymes are usually responsible for almost all the activity of snake venom after bite. This research was aimed at evaluation and characterization of Hyaluronidase and Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) Enzymes of Echis ocellatus and Naja nigricollis snake venoms. Isolation and purification of these enzymes were done using a two-step process which included gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, active fractions were applied to ion–exchange chromatography on DEAE (Diethylaminoethyl) cellulose. Individual active fractions of each venom, were then subjected to SDS–PAGE for molecular weight extrapolation. Enzyme characterization was done on the two isolated enzymes for the two snake venom used. N. nigricollis enzymes were revealed to have an optimum temperature of 35 oC and 55oC, while that of E. ocellatus had 37 oC and 40oC, with a pH of 3.5 and 8.0 for both the venom enzymes. Velocity kinetics carried out shows that N. nigricollis PLA2 has the highest Vmax value of 30.567mg/min, while E. ocellatus PLA2 however has the highest Km value of 4.5378mg/ml. Purification and characterization done in this research has revealed/confirmed that these venoms contains Hyaluronidase and PLA2 enzymes, giving a better perception on this enzymes which will aids in the management and treatment of snake envenomation from these snakes.
Neovascularization in the outer membrane of chronic subdural hematomas from the dural border cell layer of the dura mater
Authors: Kim Hyun , Choi Yoori , Lee Youngsun , Won Jae-Kyung , Lee Sung Ho , Suh Minseok , Lee Dong Soo , Kang Hyun-Seung , Cho Won-Sang , Cheon Gi Jeong
Published: July 2022

Chronic subdural hematomas (cSDHs) are generally known to result from traumatic tears of bridging veins. However, the causes of repeat spontaneous cSDHs are still unclear. We investigated the changes in vasculature in the human dura mater and outer membrane (OM) of cSDHs to elucidate the cause of their spontaneous repetition. The dura mater was obtained from a normal control participant and a patient with repeat spontaneous cSDHs. The pathological samples from the patient included the dura mater and OM tightly adhered to the inner dura. The samples were analyzed with a particular focus on blood and lymphatic vessels by immunohistochemistry, 3-dimensional imaging using a transparent tissue clearing technique, and electron microscopy. The dural border cell (DBC) layer of the dura mater and OM were histologically indistinguishable. There were 5.9 times more blood vessels per unit volume of tissue in the DBC layer and OM in the patient than in the normal control. The DBC layer and OM contained pathological sinusoidal capillaries not observed in the normal tissue; these capillaries were connected to the middle meningeal arteries via penetrating arteries. In addition, marked lymphangiogenesis in the periosteal and meningeal layers was observed in the patient with cSDHs. Neovascularization in the OM seemed to originate from the DBC layer; this is a potential cause of repeat spontaneous cSDHs. Embolization of the meningeal arteries to interrupt the blood supply to pathological capillaries via penetrating arteries may be an effective treatment option.
Development and validation of the nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer after radical cystectomy
Authors: Wu Baorui , Wang Changming , Shen Deyun , Zhou Jing , Xiao Jun
Published: July 2022

Background
Accurate survival prediction in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is critical for clinical decision-making. The study aimed to build and validate a practical nomogram to predict the cancer-specific survival (CSS) and assist to formulate clinical-decision for patients with MIBC.
Methods
The data of 5,474 MIBC patients who underwent radical cystectomy were included from the SEER database between 2004 and 2014. These patients were randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort with a 7:3 ratio. The nomogram for predicting the CSS was constructed on the basis of univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to compare the survival patterns in the different subgroups. Finally, the model was assessed by the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), area under the curve (AUC) and calibration plot.
Results
A total of 5,474 patients diagnosed with MIBC were identified and randomized into training (n = 3,832) and validation (n = 1,642) cohort. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, race, T stage, N stage, tumor size, regional nodes positive and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors of CSS and were integrated to develop a nomogram for predicting prognosis. Kaplan-Meier curves showed all these variables could influence the prognosis of MIBC patients. The C-indexes of the nomogram were 0.698 (0.685–0.709) in training cohort and 0.685 (0.665–0.705) in validation cohort, respectively. The AUCs of the nomogram were 0.747 for 3-year survival, 0.75 for 5-year survival in the training cohort and 0.742 for 3-year survival, 0.739 for 5-year survival in the validation cohort, respectively. The calibration plots also showed good performance. All the patients were divided into high-risk group and low-risk group based on our model, significant survival difference was also observed between high and low risk groups (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
We have created a nomogram to predict the cancer-specific survival for MIBC patients underwent radical cystectomy, which may provide a reference for clinical decision-making of postoperative treatment and improve prognosis for individual patients.
Formation, Chemical Evolution, and Solidification of the Calcium Carbonate Dense Liquid Phase
Authors: De Yoreo James , Jin Biao , Chen Ying , Pyles Harley , Baer Marcel , Legg Ben , Wang Zheming , Washton Nancy , Mueller Karl , Baker David , Schenter Gregory , Mundy Chris
Published: July 2022

Nucleation is the seminal event in crystallization and predicting its progression is a key challenge across diverse scientific fields. Although classical nucleation theory successfully describes some systems, it fails to do so in a growing list of materials due to free energetic and kinetic complexities1. In particular, when systems are driven far from equilibrium, the high chemical potential opens pathways that pass through metastable polymorphs, amorphous states, and even dense liquid phases that can form absent the energy barrier normally opposing nucleation1-5. CaCO3 provides a canonical example6-8; following discovery of the CaCO3 “polymer-induced liquid precursor”9,10, which forms upon introduction of poly-ionic polymers10-12 like polyacrylic acid13,14, numerous studies have concluded that even pure CaCO3 possesses a dense liquid phase. This phase — likely stabilized by poly-ionic proteins15-19 — is proposed to serve as a precursor to biomineral formation15, transforming first to the amorphous phase and then to crystalline products3,20-22. Yet little is known about the mechanisms of CaCO3 dense liquid formation and solidification, its composition is unknown, and its relationship to the polymer-induced liquid-precursor remains unclear. Using in situ methods, we show that this phase forms by spinodal decomposition, is a bicarbonate comprised of 1Ca2+:2HCO3-:7±2H2O, and transforms to hollow particles of hydrated amorphous CaCO3 with the release of CO2 and H2O. Acidic proteins and polymers extend liquid phase lifetimes but leave this chemical pathway unchanged. Molecular simulations suggest the liquid phase forms via direct condensation of solvated Ca2+•(HCO3-)2 complexes that react due to proximity effects in the confinement of the liquid droplets. The findings provide an in-depth picture of CaCO3 nucleation via liquid-liquid phase separation, elucidating an often-proposed pathway by which nature orchestrates the complex process of biomineralization.
Nanoscale mapping of point defects with 4D-STEM
Authors: Minor Andrew , Mills Sean , Zeltmann Steven , Ercius Peter , Kohnert Aaron , Uberuaga Blas
Published: July 2022

Vacancies are missing atoms in a crystalline material, and occur both at equilibrium (varying with temperature) and out of equilibrium such as when crystalline materials are damaged with radiation or corrosion. While we know of their importance, particularly regarding diffusive mechanisms, it is not straightforward to experimentally measure their concentration or to visualize them directly. Traditionally, measurements such as positron annihilation spectroscopy and to some degree X-ray diffraction can measure average concentrations, but generally lack the ability to visualize or quantify a heterogenous concentration of vacancies that can occur at the level of individual defects and microstructural features. Here, we present a method to map vacancy concentrations and their distribution with 1 nm resolution. Our method utilizes a Au thin film as a model to demonstrate the method via four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) by correlating the differences between changes in lattice parameter and the volumetric thermal expansion during in situ heating experiments. The vacancy mapping methodology is also applied to non-equilibrium defects accumulated in pure Al via knock-on electron beam irradiation. Our method demonstrates the ability to map point defect concentrations in heterogeneous systems in situ with nanometer spatial resolution. The result is a technique that can provide direct measurements of vacancy concentrations at the level of individual defects in studies of materials in and out of equilibrium.
Accuracy of Different Electronic Apex Locators in Determination of Minimum Root Perforation Diameter
Authors: Koc Simay , Kuştarcı Alper , Er Kürşat
Published: July 2022

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the ability of Raypex 6 (VDW, Munich, Germany), Propex Pixi (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) Dentaport ZX (J. Morita, Irvine, California, USA), Apex ID (SybronEndo, Orange, CA, USA), Propex II (PRO; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and Dr.’s Finder NEO (Good Doctors, Incheon, Korea) to detect minimum root canal perforation diameter.Materials and Methods: One hundred single-rooted, extracted human teeth were artificially perforated by 5 burs in different diameters (1.25mm, 1.0mm, 0.75mm, 0.5mm, 0.25mm) in 5mm above the apex. Twenty teeth were assigned to each group. The actual canal lengths (AL) were measured up to the perforation site, and then alginate mold was used to embed the teeth. A size 40 K-file was used to electronically measure the perforations by each electronic apex locator (EAL). The obtained AL measurements for each tooth were then subtracted from the electronic canal length (EL). A two-way ANOVA test was performed for the statistical analyses at a significance level of 0.05. Results: No significant difference was found among the EALs at 1.25 and 1.00 mm perforation diameters (p>.05). At the perforation diameter of 0.75 mm, a significant difference was found between Propex Pixi and Dentaport ZX (p <.05). None of the EALs were able to detect the perforation at diameters of 0.50 and 0.25 mm.Conclusion: Although all EALs used in our study were unable to detect perforations at diameters of 0.5mm and 0.25mm, they were highly successful in determination of simulated root perforations at diameters of 1.25mm, 1mm, 0.75mm. Clinical Relevance: Perforation detection is of utmost importance affecting long-term prognosis of endodontic treatment. This study investigated the accuracy of EALs in the detection of root perforations of different diameters.
Osteoporotic bone loss from excess iron accumulation is driven by NOX4-triggered ferroptosis in osteoblasts
Authors: Zhang Hui , Wang Aifei , Li Guangfei , Zhai Qiaocheng , Huang Zhengyun , Wang Xiao , Cao Zihou , Liu Lulin , Liu Gongwen , Chen Bin , Zhu Keyu , Xu Ying , Xu Youjia
Published: July 2022

Excess iron accumulation is a risk factor for osteopenia and osteoporosis, and ferroptosis is becoming well understood as iron-dependent form of cell death resulting from lipid peroxide accumulation. However, any pathological impacts of ferroptosis on osteoporosis remain unknown. Here, we show that ferroptosis is involved in excess-iron-induced bone loss and demonstrate that osteoporotic mice and humans have elevated skeletal accumulation of the NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) enzyme. Mechanistically, we found that the NOX4 locus contains iron-response element-like (IRE-like) sequences that are normally bound (and repressed) by the iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) protein. Binding with iron induces dissociation of IRP1 from the IRE-like sequences and thereby activates NOX4 transcription. Elevated NOX4 increases lipid peroxide accumulation and causes obvious dysregulation of mitochondrial morphology and function in osteoblasts. Excitingly, the osteoporotic bone loss which we initially observed in an excessive-iron accumulating mouse line (Hepc1−/−) was blocked upon treatment with the ferroptosis-inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Ferr-1) and with the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO), suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing osteoporotic bone loss based on disruption of ferroptosis.
Elemental, fatty acid, and protein composition of appendicoliths: Clues for understanding the pathogenesis of acute appendicitis
Authors: Prieto James M. , Wang Andrew W. , Halbach Jonathan , Cauvi David M. , M.D James , Gembicky Milan , Ghassemian Majid , Quehenberger Oswald , Kling Karen , Ignacio Romeo , DeMaio Antonio , Bickler Stephen W.
Published: July 2022

Appendicoliths are commonly found obstructing the lumen of the appendix at the time of appendectomy. To identify factors that might contribute to their formation we investigated the composition of appendicoliths using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, gas chromatography, polarized light microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and protein mass spectroscopy. Forty-eight elements, 32 fatty acids, and 109 human proteins were identified within the appendicoliths. The most common elements found in appendicoliths are calcium and phosphorus, 11.0 + 6.0 and 8.2 + 4.2 % weight, respectively. Palmitic acid (29.7%) and stearate (21.3%) are the most common fatty acids. Some stearate is found in crystalline form—identifiable by polarized light microscopy and confirmable by X-ray crystallography. Appendicoliths have an increased ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (ratio 22:1). Analysis of 16 proteins common to the appendicoliths analyzed showed antioxidant activity and neutrophil functions (e.g., activation and degranulation) to be the most highly enriched pathways. Considered together, these preliminary findings suggest oxidative stress may have a role in appendicolith formation. Further research is needed to determine how dietary factors such as omega-6 fatty acids and food additives, redox-active metals, and the intestinal microbiome interact with genetic factors to predispose to appendicolith formation.
Related factors and characteristics of malocclusion in preschool children aged 3–6 years
Authors: Otsugu Masatoshi , Sasaki Yumi , Mikasa Yusuke , Kadono Maika , Sasaki Hidekazu , Kato Takafumi , Nakano Kazuhiko
Published: July 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occlusal traits, oral habits, and nose and throat conditions by age and to assess the association between malocclusion and its environmental factors in preschool children.Materials and Methods: A total of 503 healthy children (258 boys and 245 girls aged 3–6 years) were recruited. Occlusal traits were assessed visually to record sagittal, vertical, and transverse malocclusion, and space discrepancies. Lip seal was recorded by an examiner, and oral habits (finger sucking, lip sucking or lip biting, nail biting, chin resting on a hand) and nose and throat conditions (tendency for nasal obstruction, allergic rhinitis, palatine tonsil hypertrophy) were assessed by a questionnaire completed by the parents. The prevalence of each item was calculated, and binary logistic regression was used to examine the factors related to malocclusion.Results: 62.0% of preschool children in the present study exhibited malocclusion, and 27.8% exhibited incompetent lip seal. Nail biting was the most frequent oral habit with a prevalence of 18.9%. Nasal obstruction was recorded in 30.4% of children. The results of binary logistic regression showed that incompetent lip seal was significantly related to malocclusion, and that nail biting was significantly negatively related.Conclusions: Incompetent lip seal is significantly associated with malocclusion, but nail biting may not necessarily be a deleterious habit for the occlusion in preschool children.Clinical Relevance: Malocclusion in early childhood is strongly affected by environmental factors.
Dynamic Distribution Strategy of Distributed Tasks Based on Limited Synchronous Parallel
Authors: Zhu Weibo , Xue Meiting , Xu Peiran , Zhang Jilin , Sun Chao
Published: July 2022

In a distributed deep learning system based on mobile service computing, there may be differences in performance between computing nodes, which may be affected by the external environment, resulting in training interruption or low convergence speed. Therefore, in this study, we propose a strategy to dynamically adjust the number of tasks between computing nodes for a scenario in which node performance changes lead to the slow training of distributed deep learning systems. Based on this, we designed a distributed parallel computing strategy called weight-based load balancing (WLBS). The WLBS divides and adjusts the task volume of computing nodes through initial division and partial adjustment; thus, computing nodes with lagging performance can exert their maximum computing power under the premise of reducing the lag impact on the entire system training. Experiments show that in distributed deep learning model training, the WLBS can effectively reduce the model training time while ensuring the accuracy of the model.
Modified Emden type Oscillator Equations with Exact Harmonic Solutions
Authors: YESSOUFOU Akim Boukola , ADJAÏ Kolawolé Kêgnidé Damien , AKANDE Jean , MONSIA Marc Delphin
Published: July 2022

This paper is devoted to investigating the existence of exact harmonic solutions and limit cycles of certain modified Emden type equations. The exact and general solutions obtained are in opposition to the predictions of classical existence theorems.
Immediate versus Postponed Drainage for Infected Necrotizing Pancreatitis: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hu Yu-wei , Zeng Qin , Yang Guang-yu , Wang Yu , Wang Lu , Sun Ming-wei , Zeng Jun , Jiang Hua , Wang Kai
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND
Acute pancreatitis is the most common gastrointestinal disease worldwide for hospital admission, and infected pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis is a potentially lethal complication, which is the most dreadful one associated with a poor prognosis: mortality is approximately 15% and up to 30–39%. Depending on the very high mortality and morbidity, infected necrotizing pancreatitis always requires intervention at the early stage. The current standard approach for infected necrotizing pancreatitis is a minimally invasive step-up approach with catheter drainage as the first step. International guidelines advise delay in catheter drainage and antibiotics treatment until the infected collection has become a “wall-off”, which takes 4 weeks to develop. However, no clear evidence from clinical studies was seen to suggest superiority for the postponed catheter drainage. We will perform the first systematic review and meta-analysis to explore whether immediate catheter drainage improves the survival rate of patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis compare with postponed catheter drainage.
Methods
We will search the randomized controlled trial (RCT) literature involving and nonrandomized clinical cohort studies of immediate catheter drainage in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis in 5 electric databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM). Studies including patients under 18 years of age or pregnant women will be excluded. We will define the overall mortality of patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis as the primary outcome. Besides, the incidences of bleeding resulting in intervention, perforation of a visceral organ leading to intervention, enterocutaneous fistula, pancreatic cutaneous fistula, incisional hernia and wound infection, the total length of stay, endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and severe complications will be regarded as the secondary outcomes. Quality assessment of the included studies will be independently performed according to the Version 2 of the Cochrane tool for assessing the risk of bias in a randomized trial (RoB2) for RCTs and the Non-Randomized Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I) Tool for Observational Studies. Meanwhile, the level of evidence for results will be assessed by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. All analyses will be conducted by using the RevMan (Version 5.4; Cochrane, Oxford, UK).
Results
From our study, we will ascertain whether immediate catheter drainage improves the survival rate of patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis compare with postponed catheter drainage.
Trial registration:
PROSPERO registration number CRD42021291734.
Synergistic antitumor effect of all-trans retinoic acid on regorafenib-treated human colon cancer cell lines via modulation of the AMPK/VEGF/ERK/NFKB/caspase-3 signaling axis
Authors: Hamada marium , Mehanna Radwa , Hasseb Mohammad , Houssen Maha
Published: July 2022

Purpose
Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Angiogenesis mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays important roles in cancer progression, and activated mitogen protein kinase (AMPK) has also been shown to exert both positive and negative effects on angiogenesis and different oncogenic signaling pathways. The multikinase inhibitor regorafenib prevents the activation of numerous kinases involved in angiogenesis, proliferation, and metastasis. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has also been demonstrated to inhibit the growth and the development of different types of tumors. This study aims to assess the antitumor effects of ATRA in regorafenib-treated human colon cancer cell lines and investigate the molecular mechanism mediating these effects.
Methods
The levels of VEGF, AMPK, extracellular signalregulated protein kinase 1 (ERK1), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and caspase-3 activity was assessed colorimetrically.
Results
ATRA potentiated AMPK and caspase-3 activities and reduced the levels of VEGF, ERK1, and NF-κB levels in regorafenib-treated human colon cancer cell lines.
Conclusion
ATRA exerted synergistic antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and proapoptotic effects on regorafenib-treated colorectal cancer cells by modulating the AMPK/VEFG/ERK/NF-κB/caspase-3 signaling axis.
Potential molecular mechanisms of postoperative restenosis in lower extremity atherosclerotic occlusive disease
Authors: lu zilin , Jian Dong , Li Shuangshuang , Ma Chao , Lu Feng , Li Mingtao , Du Pengcheng , Zhou Jian
Published: July 2022

Arteriosclerosis obliterans of lower limbs is a common peripheral arterial disease in clinics. With the development of endovascular therapy, the commonly used clinical treatment methods include balloon stent endovascular therapy and plaque resection. However, these treatment methods are often accompanied by high restenosis rate. This study aims to find a new treatment method from the genetic level.
Association between School Mask Mandates and SARS-CoV-2 Student Infections: Evidence from a Natural Experiment of Neighboring K-12 Districts in North Dakota
Authors: Sood Neeraj , Heick Shannon , Stevenson Josh , Høeg Tracy
Published: July 2022

There is still considerable debate about whether mask mandates in the K-12 schools limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in children attending school. Randomized data about the effectiveness of mask mandates in children is still entirely lacking. Our study took advantage of a unique natural experiment of two adjacent K-12 school districts in Fargo, North Dakota, one which had a mask mandate and one which did not in the fall of the 2021-2022 academic year. In the winter, both districts adopted a masks-optional policy allowing for a partial crossover study design. We observed no significant difference between student case rates while the districts had differing masking policies (IRR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.07) nor while they had the same mask policies (IRR 1.04; 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.16). The IRRs across the two periods were also not significantly different (p = 0.40). Our findings contribute to a growing body of literature which suggests school-based mask mandates have limited to no impact on the case rates of COVID-19 among K-12 students.
Double narrowband induced perfect absorption photonic sensor based on graphene-dielectric-gold hybrid metamaterial
Authors: Liu Zhimin M. , Zhuo Shanshan S. , Zhou Fengqi Q. , Zhang Xiao , Qin Yipeng P. , Luo Xin , Ji Cheng , Yang Guangxin X.
Published: July 2022

Double narrowband induced perfect absorption in the terahertz region is achieved in a graphene-dielectric-gold hybrid metamaterial, whose physical mechanism is analyzed using the coupled-mode theory (CMT), which agreed well with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. This study found that the Fermi level of graphene can be adjusted to improve the absorptivity when the refractive index (RI) nd of the chosen dielectric cannot achieve a good absorption effect. In addition, the blue shift of absorption spectrum can be used in the design of dual-frequency electro-optical switches, of which the modulation degree of amplitude (MDA) can reach as high as 94.05% and 93.41%. Most significantly, the RI sensing performance is investigated, which shows an ultra-high absorption sensitivity SA = 4.4 o/RIU, wavelength sensitivity Sλ = 9.8 o/RIU, and phase shift sensitivity Sφ = 2691 o/RIU. At last, an interesting finding is that the two peaks (R1 and R2) of plasmon-induced absorption (PIA) show different polarization characteristics (insensitive or sensitive) to the incident light angle. Undoubtedly, this paper is of great significance to the research and design of terahertz photonic devices and sensors.
CSF1R Contributes to Vascular Association of Microglia and Stress Regulation in Schizophrenia
Authors: Tian Li , Yan Ling , Li Yanli , Fan Fengmei , Xuan Fang-Ling , Feng Wei , Chithanathan Keerthana , Li Wei , Huang Junchao , Li Hongna , Gou Mengzhuang , Chen Wenjin , Tian Baopeng , Wan Zhiren , Tan Shuping , Zharkovsky Alexander , Hong Elliot , Tan Yunlong
Published: July 2022

Whether and how microglia contribute to stress and anxiety in schizophrenia are not well established. We hypothesized that microglial colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) regulates stress susceptibility in schizophrenia via the hippocampus and associated cortical regions. A cohort of first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients (n=51) and age- and sex-paired healthy controls (HCs) (n=46) were first recruited. Compared to HCs, FES patients showed higher scores of perceived stress scale (PSS, p<0.01), lower levels of CSF1R mRNA (Log2FC=-0.195, FDR=0.003) and protein (18.31±0.95 vs. 20.49±0.90 µg/ml, p<0.05) in the blood, and smaller volumes of the superiorfrontal gyrus (39.13±0.64 vs. 40.80±0.76 cm3, FDR<0.05) and parahippocampal gyrus (3.51±0.048 vs. 3.72±0.058 cm3, FDR<0.05). CSF1R facilitated the negative superiorfrontal gyral association with PSS (β=6.109, 95% CI: 1.642~10.578, p<0.01) in HCs but not FES patients. CSF1R-associated gene network contributed to brain development. We further studied a chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) mouse model combined with a CSF1R inhibitor (CSF1Ri). Both CUS and CSF1Ri enhanced anxiety in mice (both p<0.001). RNA-seq revealed downregulation of genes for cell adhesion and angiogenesis after CUS-CSF1Ri treatment. Immunostaining showed downregulation of CD31 and preferential loss of vessel-associated IBA1+-microglia induced by CUS or CSF1Ri (p<0.05). Oligodendrocyte precursor cells were however increased after CUS-CSF1Ri treatment (p<0.01). These results suggest that microglial CSF1R showed a protective effect on stress and anxiety in FES patients and CUS mice via contribution to angiogenesis.
Blockade of αvβ8 integrin synergizes with checkpoint inhibition to enhance anti-tumor immunity through Cxcl9-dependent augmentation of CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity
Authors: Larrick Jasmine , Ma Hsiao-Yen , Whitty Caroline , Luster Andrew , Ren Xin , Sheppard Dean
Published: July 2022

Inhibition of the TGF-β activating integrin, αvβ8, can dramatically enhance the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibition in multiple checkpoint resistant tumor models, but the mechanisms underlying this dramatic synergy have not been previously explored. In this study, we used single cell RNA sequencing to investigate the mechanisms of synergy between inhibition of αvβ8 and PD1 in the EMT-6 model, a checkpoint resistant model of triple negative breast cancer. Combination therapy dramatically enhanced interferon gamma (Ifnγ) expression by CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, activated interferon signaling throughout the tumor microenvironment, specifically increased Cxcl9 secretion by tumor macrophages and enhanced Gzmb expression and tumor cell killing by CD8+ T cells. The protective effects of combination therapy were inhibited by Cxcl9 blockade. These findings suggest that Ifnγ-mediated induction of Cxcl9 is an important driver of synergy between αvβ8 and checkpoint inhibition and raise the possibility that Cxcl9 might be useful as an early PD biomarker of effective combination therapy.
A Novel Correlation Gaussian Process Regression-Based Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: HE Yulin , LI Xu , YUAN Zhenhao , Fournier-Viger Philippe , HUANG Joshua Zhexue
Published: July 2022

One obvious defect of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is that the prediction performance of ELM is sensitive to the random initialization of input-layer weights and hidden-layer biases. GPRELM integrating Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) into ELM is a newly-proposed, simple and effective strategy to make ELM insensitive to the random initialization. However, the kernel based GPRELM (kGPRELM) exists serious over-fitting. In this paper, we analyze the reason for over-fitting of kGPRELM in theory and further propose a correlation based GPRELM (cGPRELM) which uses the correlation coefficient to measure the similarity between two different hidden-layer output vectors. cGPRELM reduces the possibility that covariance matrix becomes an identity matrix with the increase of hidden-layer nodes and thus controls the over-fitting effectively. Meanwhile, cGPRELM works well for improper initialization intervals where ELM and kGPRELM can't provide the good predictions. The experimental results on real classification and regression data sets demonstrate the feasibility and superiority of cGPRELM, which not only obtains the better generalization performance but also has the lower computational complexity.
Characteristics of dentists and patients associated with appropriate antibiotic prescriptions by French dentists: a cross-sectional study using Health Insurance databases
Authors: Simon Maïa , Pereira Ouarda , Constant Marie-Louise , Guillet-Thibault Julie , Pulcini Céline , Thilly Nathalie
Published: July 2022

Background – The use of antibiotics in dental care is often unnecessary or inappropriate. Our objectives were to identify (i) clusters of dentists grouped according to their appropriateness score based on proxy indicators’ results; and (ii) dentists’ and patients’ characteristics associated with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions.Methods – We used data of the Health Insurance reimbursement databases on antibiotics prescribed in 2019 by general dental practitioners of the Grand Est region in France. The appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions was estimated by the results of recently published proxy indicators. We conducted a cluster analysis according to an appropriateness score calculated for each dentist, using the Ward method. We then conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses to identify characteristics associated with these clusters.Results – We included 3,014 dentists, which were grouped into three clusters. We identified several characteristics significantly associated with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions. Overall, dentists had more appropriate prescription practices when they were male, having a predominant surgery practice in the Lorraine area for less years, when they had healthier patients (i.e. younger, with no chronic diseases, and who received less procedures), and when they had a more prudent use of drugs in general (i.e. less drug expenses, less prescriptions of all drugs, less prescriptions of antibiotics and less prescriptions of systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).Conclusions – We identified clusters and characteristics associated with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions made by dentists, which might help guiding antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
Comparison of the upper and lower airway microbiome in early postoperative lung transplant recipients
Authors: Li Chun-xi , You Zhi-xuan , Liu Hai-yue , Lin Yan-xia , Pan Jian-bing , You Chang-xuan , Su Jin
Published: July 2022

Background
The unique airway microbiome is associated with the development of transplant complications. It is necessary to explore an appropriate sampling strategy because of the irrationality and infeasibility for long-term collection of lower airway samples for microbial analysis. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we compared paired nasal swab (NS) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) microbiome from 17 early postoperative lung transplant recipients (LTRs).
Results
The microbiome between the two compartments were significantly different in Shannon diversity and beta diversity, but similar in richness (observed OTUs). Planococcaceae sp., Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus and Stenotrophomonas were identified as core NS-associated microbiome. Xanthomonadaceae sp., Ralstonia, Stenotrophomonas, Pedobacter, Chryseobacterium, Planococcaceae sp., Variovorax and Comamonadaceae sp. were identified as BALF‐associated microbiome. In addition, other differences were observed between the two samples. The within-subject dissimilarity was higher than the between-subject dissimilarity, indicating a greater impact of sampling sites than sampling individuals on microbial difference.
Conclusions
There were both difference and homogeneity between NS and BALF microbiome in early postoperative LTRs. High levels of pathogens were detected in both samples, suggesting that both of them can reflect the diseases characteristics of transplanted lung. The differences between upper and lower airway microbiome mainly come from sampling sites instead of sampling individuals.
Immuno-enhancement effects of barely β-glucan and barley extracts in arsenic trioxide -induced immunosuppressed rat model
Authors: El-Rahman Hanaa Abd
Published: July 2022

Barely β-glucans are polysaccharides that are biologically active and have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study examined the effects of barely β-glucan and barley extracts on sodium trioxide-induced immunosuppression. Fifty-four male albino rats (weighing 100 ± 25 g) were divided into eight groups, each including six rats in this investigation. Group 1: PBS was injected intraperitoneally into the rats, while saline was given orally (negative control). Groups 2–8 received daily intraperitoneal injections of As2O3 (5 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. The second group serves as a positive control. The rats in groups 3, 4, and 5 were given daily doses of β-glucan extracts of 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, with ATO (arsenic triodide). Groups 6, 7, and 8 were given barley extract at doses of 0.7,1.4, and 2.8 g/kg bw/day, respectively, with ATO. After the treatments were completed, all of the rats were slaughtered for biochemical, hematological, and histopathological analysis. Barley β-glucan and barley extracts increased CAT and GPx activity while lowering MDA levels in the spleen tissue of rats. They also improved haematological and histopathological changes caused by arsenic trioxide. The levels of IgG and IgM in the groups treated with barley β-glucan extract were considerably greater than those in the groups treated with barley extract. The cytokine levels, hepatic, and renal biomarker markers were all affected by arsenic trioxide. Our findings show that barley extracts and barely β-glucan extracts could be employed as a component of functional foods to boost immunity.
Microbiome-inspired phyllospheric synthetic communities increase microbial diversity and productivity of field-grown plants of Agave tequilana
Authors: Flores-Núñez Víctor , Camarena-Pozos David , Chávez-González Daniel , Alcalde-Vázquez Raúl , Vázquez-Sánchez Nélida , Hernández-Melgar Alan , Xool-Tamayo Jorge , Moreno-Ulloa Aldo , Partida-Martínez Laila
Published: July 2022

Agaves are plants native to North America that sustain life in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
Previous studies revealed that cultivated plants of Agave tequilana had lower microbial diversity and functionality compared to wild species. Here, we tested if microbiome-inspired phyllospheric synthetic communities, based on microbial hubs or enriched phyllospheric microbial functions, could increase microbial diversity and plant fitness in A. tequilana.
We applied seven functional and three random syncoms on one-year-old plants of A. tequilana in the field and monitored their development for two years. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the composition and diversity of the phyllospheric prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities associated with A. tequilana were affected by the season, with greatest diversity observed during the dry months. The addition of functional syncoms promoted phyllospheric microbial communities with a higher diversity, greater capacity to consume carbon sources, and more integrated and complex networks. Additionally, plants treated with functional syncoms had an increased content of sugars (oBrix, a measure of productivity in agaves) in the stems, and higher leaf metabolic diversity.
Our work demonstrates that inoculation of syncoms formulated based on functional analyses of microbiome data represents an effective biotechnological tool to improve the sustainability and productivity of crops of arid ecosystems.
Impacts of residual 3D printing metal powders on immunological response and bone regeneration: An in vivo study
Authors: Tang Jincheng , Sang Zhuo , Zhang Xiaolei , Song Changhui , Tang Wei , Luo Xiaoping , Yan Ming
Published: July 2022

Background
Residual powder is a defect in powder bed fusion-based additive manufacturing (3D printing), and it is difficult to completely remove it from as-printed materials. In addition, it is not necessary to apply 3D printed implants with residual powder in the clinic. The immunological response triggered by the residual powder is an important area of study in medical research.
Methods
To further understand the possible immunological reactions and hidden dangers caused by residual powders in vivo, this study compared the immunological reactions and osteolysis caused by typical powders for four implant materials: 316L stainless steel, CoCrMo, CP-Ti, and Ti-6Al-4V (particle size range of 15–45 µm), in a mouse skull model. Furthermore, the possible immunological responses and bone regeneration induced by the four 3D printed implants with residual powder in a rat femur model were compared.
Results
In the mouse skull model, it was found that the 316L-S, CoCrMo-S, and especially the 316L-M powders, upregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, increased the ratio of RANKL/OPG, and activated more functional osteoclasts, resulting in more severe bone resorption compared with those in other groups. In the rat femur model, which is more suitable for clinical practice, there is no bone absorption in implants with residual powders, but they show good bone regeneration and integration ability because of their original roughness. The results indicate that the expressions of inflammatory cytokines in all experimental groups were the same as those in the control group, showing good biological safety.
Conclusions
The results answered some critical questions related to additively manufactured medical materials in vivo and indicated that as-printed implants may have great potential in future clinical applications.
Circular RNA hsa_circ_0117530 sequesters miR-874 to upregulate ZEB1 and promote cervical carcinoma progression
Authors: Wang Yijun , Chen Aner , Zheng Chenyang , Zhao Lingjun
Published: July 2022

Cervical cancer is one of the three most common tumors in women. In this study, we found that ZEB2 was significantly overexpressed in cervical cancer. It was found that that circular RNA circ-0117530 transcribed by ZEB2 was significantly overexpressed in cervical cancer tissues. Circ-0117530 promoted growth, invasion, and migration in cervical cancer cell lines. Dual-luciferase assays showed that that circ-0117530 regulated ZEB1 expression by sponging miR-874. These results suggest that the ZEB family is closely related to the occurrence and development of cervical cancer. Overall, we found that circ-0117530 regulates the occurrence and development of cervical cancer through the miR-874/ZEB1 axis, which may provide a potential new therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer.