bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cancer Immunotherapy by the Biological Macromolecule Nocardia rubra Cell-Wall Skeleton
Authors: Wu Jie , He Baojun , Miao Miao , Han Xibin , Dai Hongyan , Dou Heng , Li Yanqiu , Zhang Xiaoqing , Wang Guangchuan
Published: August 2022

The biological macromolecule Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) has well-established immune-stimulating and anti-tumor activities. However, the role of Nr-CWS on natural killer (NK) cells remains unclear. Here, we explore the function and related mechanisms of Nr-CWS on NK cells. Using a tumor-bearing model, we show that Nr-CWS has slightly effect on solid tumor. In addition, using a tumor metastasis model, we show that Nr-CWS suppresses the lung metastasis induced by B16F10 melanoma cells in mice, which indicates that Nr-CWS may up-regulate the function of NK cells. Further investigation demonstrated that Nr-CWS can increase the expression of TRAIL and FasL on spleen NK cells from Nr-CWS treated B16F10 tumor metastasis mice. The spleen index and serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2 in B16F10 tumor metastasis mice treated with Nr-CWS were significantly increased. In vitro, the studies using purified or sorted NK cells revealed that Nr-CWS increases the expression of CD69, TRAIL, and FasL, decreases the expression of CD27, and enhances NK cell cytotoxicity. The intracellular expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, perforin (prf), granzyme-B (GrzB), and secreted TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 of the cultured NK cells were significantly increased after treatment with Nr-CWS. Overall, the findings indicate that Nr-CWS could suppress the lung metastasis induced by B16F10 melanoma cells, which may be exerted through its effect on NK cells by promoting NK cell terminal differentiation (CD27lowCD11bhigh), and up-regulating the production of cytokines and cytotoxic molecules.
Thrombospondin 2 is a Functional Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Lin Yuxiang , Lin E. , Li Yan , Chen Xiaobin , Chen Minyan , Huang Jun , Guo Wenhui , Chen Lili , Wu Long , Zhang Xiang , Zhang Wenzhe , Jin Xuan , Zhang Jie , Fu Fangmeng , Wang Chuan
Published: August 2022

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a more aggressive biological behavior and unfavorable outcome. Circulating and histological expression of THBS2 has been demonstrated to be a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in patients with various types of tumors. However, few studies have evaluated the predictive and prognostic value of THBS2 in TNBC specifically.

Methods: In total, 185 triple-negative breast cancer patients (TNBC) with preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. Serum THBS2 (sTHBS2) level was measured both prior to the start of NAC and at surgery by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histological THBS2 (hTHBS2) expression in patients with residual tumors was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining method. Correlations between variables and treatment response were studied. Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazard regression model were applied for survival analysis. Functional activities of THBS2 in TNBC cells were determined by CCK-8 assay, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assay.

Results: Of the 185 patients, 48 (25.9%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR) after completion of NAC. Elevated pCR rates were observed in patients with a lower level of sTHBS2 at surgery and higher level of sTHBS2 change (OR = 0.88, 95%CI: 0.79–0.98, p = 0.020 and OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.02–1.23, p = 0.015, respectively). In survival analysis, hTHBS2 expression in residual tumor was of independent prognostic value for both disease-free survival (HR = 2.21, 95%CI = 1.24–3.94, p = 0.007) and overall survival (HR = 2.07, 95%CI = 1.09–3.92, p = 0.026). For functional studies, THBS2 was indicated to inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of TNBC cells in vitro.

Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the value of serum THBS2 level to predict pCR for TNBC patients and the prognostic performance of histological THBS2 expression in non-pCR responders after NAC. THBS2 might serve as a promising functional biomarker for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Radiological Screening Methods in Deceased Organ Donation: An Overview of Guidelines Worldwide
Authors: Chotkan K. A. , Mensink J. W. , Pol R. A. , Van Der Kaaij N. P. , Beenen L. F. M. , Nijboer W. N. , Schaefer B. , Alwayn I. P. J. , Braat A. E.
Published: August 2022

Organ transplantation is performed worldwide, but policies regarding donor imaging are not uniform. An overview of the policies in different regions is missing. This study aims to investigate the various protocols worldwide on imaging in deceased organ donation. An online survey was created to determine the current policies. Competent authorities were approached to fill out the survey based on their current protocols. In total 32 of the 48 countries approached filled out the questionnaire (response rate 67%). In 16% of the countries no abdominal imaging is required prior to procurement. In 50%, abdominal ultrasound (US) is performed to screen the abdomen and in 19% an enhanced abdominal Computed Tomography (CT). In 15% of the countries both an unenhanced abdominal CT scan and abdominal US are performed. In 38% of the countries a chest radiographic (CXR) is performed to screen the thorax, in 28% only a chest CT, and in 34% both are performed. Policies regarding radiologic screening in deceased organ donors show a great variation between different countries. Consensus on which imaging method should be applied is missing. A uniform approach will contribute to quality and safety, justifying (inter)national exchange of organs.
Integrated Industrial Reference Architecture for Smart Healthcare in Internet of Things: A Systematic Investigation
Authors: Aguru Aswani Devi , Babu Erukala Suresh , Nayak Soumya Ranjan , Sethy Abhisek , Verma Amit
Published: August 2022

Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the efflorescing technologies of recent years with splendid real-time applications in the fields of healthcare, agriculture, transportation, industry, and environmental monitoring. In addition to the dominant applications and services of IoT, many challenges exist. As there is a lack of standardization for IoT technologies, the architecture emerged as the foremost challenge. The salient issues in designing an IoT architecture encompass connectivity, data handling, heterogeneity, privacy, scalability, and security. The standard IoT architectures are the ETSI IoT Standard, the ITU-T IoT Reference Model, IoT-A Reference Model, Intel’s IoT Architecture, the Three-Layer Architecture, Middle-Based Architecture, Service-Oriented Architecture, Five-Layer Architecture, and IWF Architecture. In this paper, we have reviewed these architectures and concluded that IWF Architecture is most suitable for the effortless development of IoT applications because of its immediacy and depth of insight in dealing with IoT data. We carried out this review concerning smart healthcare as it is among the major industries that have been leaders and forerunners in IoT technologies. Motivated by this, we designed the novel Smart Healthcare Reference Architecture (SHRA) based on IWF Architecture. Finally, present the significance of smart healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have synthesized our findings in a systematic way for addressing the research questions on IoT challenges. To the best of our knowledge, our paper is the first to provide an exhaustive investigation on IoT architectural challenges with a use case in a smart healthcare system.
Research and Development of Fault Diagnosis Methods for Liquid Rocket Engines
Authors: Wang Tao , Ding Lin , Yu Huahuang
Published: August 2022

Currently, considerable efforts are being focused on the development of reusable rockets and smart rockets due to the heavy requirements of future next-generation aerospace transportation. Safety, low-launching cost, and repeatability are expected from liquid rocket for fulfilling the big dreams of space transportation, exploration, and travelling. Therefore, research on fault detection of the liquid rocket engines (LRE) is critical for satisfying the above claims. Therefore, a comprehensive survey on the research and development of fault diagnosis systems and methods for the liquid rocket engines is presented. First, development history of liquid rocket engine diagnostic systems is reviewed thoroughly. Then three broad headings of the fault detection approaches of liquid rocket engines are divided through the summary and analysis of the existing methods, including approaches using signal processing, model-driven approach, and approach using artificial intelligence (AI). Then the paper discusses the concrete algorithms according to the classification features of the algorithms. In the end, the future developments of the fault detection approaches are presented, which will mainly pay attention to the reusability and intelligence of the rockets.
CFD Investigation into Flow Characteristics of a Special Splash Lubrication in Light Helicopters
Authors: Liu He , Dai Yu , Jia Jifu , Zhu Xiang
Published: August 2022

Lubricating oil flow characteristics are the primary concern in the main reducer of light helicopters. To improve the lubricating performance of the main reducer, a special lubrication system is innovatively constructed by adding two oil-guiding tubes to the hub of the output gear, and the influence of the oil-guiding tubes is investigated through CFD (computational fluid dynamics) techniques. A CFD model of the gearbox integrated with the VOF (volume of fluid) technique was established to explore the flow characteristics of the oil–air two-phase flow inside the gearing system. To validate the proposed CFD model, a specialized testing rig is devised and manufactured to examine the features of oil distribution. The effects of the structure parameters of the oil-guiding tubes and operating conditions on the lubrication performance are explored. Comparing experimental and numerical findings reveals that the inner diameter of the oil-guiding tube and the rotational speed of the driven gear have a significant influence on the lubrication performance. In contrast, the length of the installation end of the oil-guiding tube, its angle, and the oil-immersion depth show little impact.
Comparative Analysis of Soil Fertility, Productivity, and Sustainability of Organic Farming in Central Europe—Part 2: Cultivation Systems with Different Intensities of Fertilization and Legume N2 Fixation as well as Perspectives for Future Development
Authors: Kolbe Hartmut
Published: August 2022

In the course of the broad expansion of organic farming, a considerable increase in the number of different cultivation types has also occurred. Compared to the formerly ideal forms with arable farming and animal husbandry around 0.5–1.0 LU ha−1 and the corresponding use of organic manure, an increasing differentiation of cultivation systems can be observed today. There are market crop systems without livestock and purchased fertilizer with less than 20% legumes and forage cropping systems with more than 2.5 LU ha−1 livestock and a cultivation of grain and forage legumes of more than 50% in the crop rotations. From a long list of corresponding survey studies of farms in agricultural practice as well as a number of important long-term field trials, in this overview paper it was possible to investigate and to discuss both the manifold possibilities and the limitations of intensification in organic agriculture by a comparative analysis of results from a wide range of cropping systems from Central Europe. The short-term as well as the long-term effects on the development of yield and quality performance of crop rotations, nutrient management, and soil fertility, as well as of important environmental effects, were quantified, and aspects of further development and sustainability of organic farming systems were shown in detail.
Female Collectors for Exhibition History of Non-Conformist Art in France: Marie-Thérèse Cochin Gallery Case
Authors: Vinogradova Ekaterina
Published: August 2022

The role of female collectors in the promotion of non-official Soviet art is rarely reflected in texts on the history of art. In the shadow of the well-known figures, their patronage stays obscure. This article proposes to reflect on the exhibition practice of the Marie-Thérèse first Gallery in order to add to art history by rethinking the context with a gendered lens.
Association of Oral Anticoagulation Prescription with Clinical Events in Patients with an Asymptomatic Unrepaired Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Golledge Jonathan , Jenkins Jason , Bourke Michael , Bourke Bernard , Singh Tejas P.
Published: August 2022

Background: Most abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have large volumes of intraluminal thrombus which has been implicated in promoting the risk of major adverse events. The aim of this study was to examine the association of therapeutic anticoagulation with AAA-related events and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with an unrepaired AAA. Methods: Patients with an asymptomatic unrepaired AAA were recruited from four sites in Australia. The primary outcome was the combined incidence of AAA repair or AAA rupture-related mortality (AAA-related events). The main secondary outcome was MACE (the combined incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death). The associations of anticoagulation with these outcomes were assessed using Cox proportional hazard analyses (reporting hazard ratio, HR, and 95% confidence intervals, CI) to adjust for other risk factors. Results: A total of 1161 patients were followed for a mean (standard deviation) of 4.9 (4.0) years. Of them, 536 (46.2%) patients had a least one AAA-related event and 319 (27.5%) at least one MACE. In the sample, 98 (8.4%) patients were receiving long-term therapeutic anticoagulation using warfarin (84), apixaban (7), rivaroxaban (6), or dabigatran (1). Prescription of an anticoagulant was associated with a reduced risk of an AAA-related event (adjusted HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.42, 0.90, p = 0.013), but not MACE (HR 1.16; 95% CI 0.78, 1.72, p = 0.476). Conclusions: These findings suggest that AAA-related events but not MACE may be reduced in patients prescribed an anticoagulant medication. Due to the inherent biases of observational studies, a randomized controlled trial is needed to assess whether anticoagulation reduces the risk of AAA-related events.
Understanding the Role of GLUT2 in Dysglycemia Associated with Fanconi–Bickel Syndrome
Authors: Sharari Sanaa , Kabeer Basirudeen , Mohammed Idris , Haris Basma , Pavlovski Igor , Hawari Iman , Bhat Ajaz Ahmad , Toufiq Mohammed , Tomei Sara , Mathew Rebecca , Syed Najeeb , Nisar Sabah , Maacha Selma , Grivel Jean-Charles , Chaussabel Damien , Ericsson Johan , Hussain Khalid
Published: August 2022

Fanconi–Bickel Syndrome (FBS) is a rare disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that is characterized by the accumulation of glycogen mainly in the liver. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner due to mutations in the SLC2A2 gene. SLC2A2 encodes for the glucose transporter GLUT2 and is expressed in tissues that are involved in glucose homeostasis. The molecular mechanisms of dysglycemia in FBS are still not clearly understood. In this study, we report two cases of FBS with classical phenotypes of FBS associated with dysglycemia. Genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed by whole-genome and Sanger sequencing, and patient PBMCs were used for molecular analysis. One patient had an exonic SLC2A2 mutation (c.1093C>T in exon 9, R365X), while the other patient had a novel intronic SLC2A2 mutation (c.613-7T>G). Surprisingly, the exonic mutation resulted in the overexpression of dysfunctional GLUT2, resulting in the dysregulated expression of other glucose transporters. The intronic mutation did not affect the coding sequence of GLUT2, its expression, or glucose transport activity. However, it was associated with the expression of miRNAs correlated with type 1 diabetes mellitus, with a particular significant overexpression of hsa-miR-29a-3p implicated in insulin production and secretion. Our findings suggest that SLC2A2 mutations cause dysglycemia in FBS either by a direct effect on GLUT2 expression and/or activity or, indirectly, by the dysregulated expression of miRNAs implicated in glucose homeostasis.
The Gelatinase Inhibitor ACT-03 Reduces Gliosis in the Rapid Kindling Rat Model of Epilepsy, and Attenuates Inflammation and Loss of Barrier Integrity In Vitro
Authors: Broekaart Diede W. M. , Zimmer Till S. , Cohen Sophie T. , Tessers Rianne , Anink Jasper J. , de Vries Helga E. , Gorter Jan A. , Prades Roger , Aronica Eleonora , van Vliet Erwin A.
Published: August 2022

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are endopeptidases responsible for the cleavage of intra- and extracellular proteins. Several brain MMPs have been implicated in neurological disorders including epilepsy. We recently showed that the novel gelatinase inhibitor ACT-03 has disease-modifying effects in models of epilepsy. Here, we studied its effects on neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Using the rapid kindling rat model of epilepsy, we examined whether ACT-03 affected astro- and microgliosis in the brain using immunohistochemistry. Cellular and molecular alterations were further studied in vitro using human fetal astrocyte and brain endothelial cell (hCMEC/D3) cultures, with a focus on neuroinflammatory markers as well as on barrier permeability using an endothelial and astrocyte co-culture model. We observed less astro- and microgliosis in the brains of kindled animals treated with ACT-03 compared to control vehicle-treated animals. In vitro, ACT-03 treatment attenuated stimulation-induced mRNA expression of several pro-inflammatory factors in human fetal astrocytes and brain endothelial cells, as well as a loss of barrier integrity in endothelial and astrocyte co-cultures. Since ACT-03 has disease-modifying effects in epilepsy models, possibly via limiting gliosis, inflammation, and barrier integrity loss, it is of interest to further evaluate its effects in a clinical trial.
In Vitro Evidence of Statins’ Protective Role against COVID-19 Hallmarks
Authors: Fiore Donatella , Proto Maria Chiara , Franceschelli Silvia , Pascale Maria , Bifulco Maurizio , Gazzerro Patrizia
Published: August 2022

Despite the progressions in COVID-19 understanding, the optimization of patient-specific therapies remains a challenge. Statins, the most widely prescribed lipid-lowering drugs, received considerable attention due to their pleiotropic effects, encompassing lipid metabolism control and immunomodulatory and anti-thrombotic effects. In COVID-19 patients, statins improve clinical outcomes, reducing Intensive Care Unit admission, the onset of ARDS, and in-hospital death. However, the safety of statins in COVID-19 patients has been debated, mainly for statins’ ability to induce the expression of the ACE2 receptor, the main entry route of SARS-CoV-2. Unfortunately, the dynamic of statins’ mechanism in COVID-19 disease and prevention remains elusive. Using different in vitro models expressing different levels of ACE2 receptor, we investigated the role of lipophilic and hydrophilic statins on ACE2 receptor expression and subcellular localization. We demonstrated that the statin-mediated increase of ACE2 receptor expression does not necessarily coincide with its localization in lipid rafts domains, particularly after treatments with the lipophilic atorvastatin that disrupt lipid rafts’ integrity. Through a proteomic array, we analyzed the cytokine patterns demonstrating that statins inhibit the release of cytokines and factors involved in mild to severe COVID-19 cases. The results obtained provide additional information to dissect the mechanism underlying the protective effects of statin use in COVID-19.
Enhancement of Nitric Oxide Bioavailability by Modulation of Cutaneous Nitric Oxide Stores
Authors: Suschek Christoph V. , Feibel Dennis , von Kohout Maria , Opländer Christian
Published: August 2022

The generation of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin plays a critical role in wound healing and the response to several stimuli, such as UV exposure, heat, infection, and inflammation. Furthermore, in the human body, NO is involved in vascular homeostasis and the regulation of blood pressure. Physiologically, a family of enzymes termed nitric oxide synthases (NOS) generates NO. In addition, there are many methods of non-enzymatic/NOS-independent NO generation, e.g., the reduction of NO derivates (NODs) such as nitrite, nitrate, and nitrosylated proteins under certain conditions. The skin is the largest and heaviest human organ and contains a comparatively high concentration of these NODs; therefore, it represents a promising target for many therapeutic strategies for NO-dependent pathological conditions. In this review, we give an overview of how the cutaneous NOD stores can be targeted and modulated, leading to a further accumulation of NO-related compounds and/or the local and systemic release of bioactive NO, and eventually, NO-related physiological effects with a potential therapeutical use for diseases such as hypertension, disturbed microcirculation, impaired wound healing, and skin infections.
Bio-inspired Machine Learning for Distributed Confidential Multi-Portfolio Selection Problem
Authors: Khan Ameer Tamoor , Cao Xinwei , Liao Bolin , Francis Adam
Published: August 2022

The recently emerging multi-portfolio selection problem lacks a proper framework to ensure that client privacy and database secrecy remain intact. Since privacy is of major concern these days, in this paper, we propose a variant of Beetle Antennae Search (BAS) known as Distributed Beetle Antennae Search (DBAS) to optimize multi-portfolio selection problems without violating the privacy of individual portfolios. DBAS is a swarm-based optimization algorithm that solely shares the gradients of portfolios among the swarm without sharing private data or portfolio stock information. DBAS is a hybrid framework, and it inherits the swarm-like nature of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm with the BAS updating criteria. It ensures a robust and fast optimization of the multi-portfolio selection problem whilst keeping the privacy and secrecy of each portfolio intact. Since multi-portfolio selection problems are a recent direction for the field, no work has been done concerning the privacy of the database nor the privacy of stock information of individual portfolios. To test the robustness of DBAS, simulations were conducted consisting of four categories of multi-portfolio problems, where in each category, three portfolios were selected. To achieve this, 200 days worth of real-world stock data were utilized from 25 NASDAQ stock companies. The simulation results prove that DBAS not only ensures portfolio privacy but is also efficient and robust in selecting optimal portfolios.
CK1α/RUNX2 Axis in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment: A Novel Therapeutic Target in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Fregnani Anna , Saggin Lara , Gianesin Ketty , Quotti Tubi Laura , Carraro Marco , Barilà Gregorio , Scapinello Greta , Bonetto Giorgia , Pesavento Maria , Berno Tamara , Branca Antonio , Gurrieri Carmela , Zambello Renato , Semenzato Gianpietro , Trentin Livio , Manni Sabrina , Piazza Francesco
Published: August 2022

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant plasma cell (PC) neoplasm, which also displays pathological bone involvement. Clonal expansion of MM cells in the bone marrow causes a perturbation of bone homeostasis that culminates in MM-associated bone disease (MMABD). We previously demonstrated that the S/T kinase CK1α sustains MM cell survival through the activation of AKT and β-catenin signaling. CK1α is a negative regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin cascade, the activation of which promotes osteogenesis by directly stimulating the expression of RUNX2, the master gene regulator of osteoblastogenesis. In this study, we investigated the role of CK1α in the osteoblastogenic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and its involvement in MM–MSC cross-talk. We found that CK1α silencing in in vitro co-cultures of MMs and MSCs modulated RUNX2 expression differently in PCs and in MSCs, mainly through the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our findings suggest that the CK1α/RUNX2 axis could be a potential therapeutic target for constraining malignant PC expansion and supporting the osteoblastic transcriptional program of MSCs, with potential for ameliorating MMABD. Moreover, considering that Lenalidomide treatment leads to MM cell death through Ikaros, Aiolos and CK1α proteasomal degradation, we examined its effects on the osteoblastogenic potential of MSC compartments.
Comprehensive Analysis of Serum Small Extracellular Vesicles-Derived Coding and Non-Coding RNAs from Retinoblastoma Patients for Identifying Regulatory Interactions
Authors: Manukonda Radhika , Yenuganti Vengala Rao , Nagar Nupur , Dholaniya Pankaj Singh , Malpotra Shivani , Attem Jyothi , Reddy Mamatha M. , Jakati Saumya , Mishra Dilip K , Reddanna Pallu , Poluri Krishna Mohan , Vemuganti Geeta K. , Kaliki Swathi
Published: August 2022

The present study employed nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission electron microscopy, immunoblotting, RNA sequencing, and quantitative real-time PCR validation to characterize serum-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from RB patients and age-matched controls. Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze functions, and regulatory interactions between coding and non-coding (nc) sEVs RNAs. The results revealed that the isolated sEVs are round-shaped with a size < 150 nm, 5.3 × 1011 ± 8.1 particles/mL, and zeta potential of 11.1 to −15.8 mV, and expressed exosome markers CD9, CD81, and TSG101. A total of 6514 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 123 DE miRNAs, and 3634 DE lncRNAs were detected. Both miRNA-mRNA and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network analysis revealed that the cell cycle-specific genes including CDKNI1A, CCND1, c-MYC, and HIF1A are regulated by hub ncRNAs MALAT1, AFAP1-AS1, miR145, 101, and 16-5p. Protein-protein interaction network analysis showed that eye-related DE mRNAs are involved in rod cell differentiation, cone cell development, and retinol metabolism. In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the RB sEV RNAs and regulatory interactions between them.
Role of Transmembrane Water Exchange in Glioma Invasion/Migration: In Vivo Preclinical Study by Relaxometry at Very Low Magnetic Field
Authors: Ruggiero Maria Rosaria , Ait Itto Hamza , Baroni Simona , Pierre Sandra , Boutonnat Jean , Broche Lionel M. , Aime Silvio , Berger François , Geninatti Crich Simonetta , Lahrech Hana
Published: August 2022

This work shows that the longitudinal relaxation differences observed at very low magnetic fields between invasion/migration and proliferation processes on glioma mouse models in vivo are related to differences in the transmembrane water exchange basically linked to the aquaporin expression changes. Three glioma mouse models were used: Glio6 and Glio96 as invasion/migration models and U87 as cell proliferation model. In vivo proton longitudinal relaxation-rate constants (R1) at very low fields were measured by fast field cycling NMR (FFC-NMR). The tumor contribution to the observed proton relaxation rate, R1tum (U87: 12.26 ± 0.64 s−1; Glio6: 3.76 ± 0.88 s−1; Glio96: 6.90 ± 0.64 s−1 at 0.01 MHz), and the intracellular water lifetime, τin (U87: 826 ± 19 ms; Glio6: 516 ± 8 ms; Glio96: 596 ± 15 ms), were found to be good diagnostic hallmarks to distinguish invasion/migration from proliferation (p < 0.01 and 0.001). Overexpression of AQP4 and AQP1 were assessed in invasion/migration models, highlighting the pathophysiological role of these two aquaporins in water exchange that, in turn, determine the lower values in the observed R1 relaxation rate constant in glioma invasion/migration. Overall, our findings demonstrate that τin and R1 (measured at very low fields) are relevant biomarkers, discriminating invasion/migration from proliferation in vivo. These results highlight the use of FFC-NMR and FFC-imaging to assess the efficiency of drugs that could modulate aquaporin functions.
Intestinal Klebsiella pneumoniae Contributes to Pneumonia by Synthesizing Glutamine in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Wang Yihui , Yang Qin , Zhu Yinghong , Jian Xingxing , Guo Jiaojiao , Zhang Jingyu , Kuang Chunmei , Feng Xiangling , An Gang , Qiu Lugui , Li Guancheng , He Yanjuan , Zhou Wen
Published: August 2022

Pneumonia accounts for a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. It has been previously shown that intestinal Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia) enriches in MM and promotes MM progression. However, what role the altered gut microbiota plays in MM with pneumonia remains unknown. Here, we show that intestinal K. pneumonia is significantly enriched in MM with pneumonia. This enriched intestinal K. pneumonia links to the incidence of pneumonia in MM, and intestinal colonization of K. pneumonia contributes to pneumonia in a 5TGM1 MM mice model. Further targeted metabolomic assays reveal the elevated level of glutamine, which is consistently increased with the enrichment of K. pneumonia in MM mice and patients, is synthesized by K. pneumonia, and leads to the elevated secretion of TNF-α in the lung normal fibroblast cells for the higher incidence of pneumonia. Inhibiting glutamine synthesis by establishing glnA-mutated K. pneumonia alleviates the incidence of pneumonia in the 5TGM1 MM mice model. Overall, our work proposes that intestinal K. pneumonia indirectly contributes to pneumonia in MM by synthesizing glutamine. Altogether, we unveil a gut–lung axis in MM with pneumonia and establish a novel mechanism and a possible intervention strategy for MM with pneumonia.
The Emergence of the Ubiquity of Cerium in Heterogeneous Oxidation Catalysis Science and Technology
Authors: Brazdil James F.
Published: August 2022

Research into the incorporation of cerium into a diverse range of catalyst systems for a wide spectrum of process chemistries has expanded rapidly. This has been evidenced since about 1980 in the increasing number of both scientific research journals and patent publications that address the application of cerium as a component of a multi-metal oxide system and as a support material for metal catalysts. This review chronicles both the applied and fundamental research into cerium-containing oxide catalysts where cerium’s redox activity confers enhanced and new catalytic functionality. Application areas of cerium-containing catalysts include selective oxidation, combustion, NOx remediation, and the production of sustainable chemicals and materials via bio-based feedstocks, among others. The newfound interest in cerium-containing catalysts stems from the benefits achieved by cerium’s inclusion, which include selectivity, activity, and stability. These benefits arise because of cerium’s unique combination of chemical and thermal stability, its redox active properties, its ability to stabilize defect structures in multicomponent oxides, and its propensity to stabilize catalytically optimal oxidation states of other multivalent elements. This review surveys the origins and some of the current directions in the research and application of cerium oxide-based catalysts.
Associations between Self-Perceived and Desired Health-Related Physical Fitness in Spanish Children
Authors: Redondo-Gutiérrez Laura , Afonso Rocío Carballo , Molina Antonio , Sanchez-Lastra Miguel A. , Ayán Carlos
Published: August 2022

Health-related physical fitness (HRPF) has emerged as an important marker of health among children. It is usually defined as a multidimensional construct consisting of cardiorespiratory endurance; muscular strength and endurance; and flexibility. Currently, health policies are aimed at getting children to increase their HRPF levels. Understanding the relationship between the perceived and the desired levels of fitness can be important to avoid the abandoning of physical activity practice. We analyzed the associations between the self-perceived and the desired health-related physical fitness. A modified version of the self-perceived HRPF questionnaire was completed by 330 children (148 girls, mean age: 10.78 ± 0.67 years, and 182 boys, mean age: 10.82 ± 0.61 years). Fitness was measured through tests selected from the Eurofit battery. The questions regarding desired HRPF showed moderate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α: 0.671) and good test–retest reliability (ICC: 0.761). In general, children shared a desire to improve their self-perceived HRPF. Those who perceived themselves as already being fit were the ones who showed the strongest desire for achieving higher HRPF levels.
COVID-19 and Vulnerable Children Well-Being: Interview with Left-Behind Children in Rural China
Authors: Tadesse Endale , Khalid Sabika , Lianyu Cai , Gao Chunhai
Published: August 2022

Purpose of the study: This study sought to explore the psychological well-being, academic adjustment, and quality of parental attachment of LBC during COVID-19 based on Left-Behind Children’s (LBC) word of mouth. Method: In light of the abundance of quantitative studies, this qualitative study explored the psychological, academic, and parental attachment experiences of rural LBC during COVID-19. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 LBCs aged 10–15 in May 2021. Result: The study results reveal that LBCs developed severe psychological illnesses after the pandemic severely disrupted their already disturbed lives. Our findings showed that most LBCs feel they do not need their parents, which reflects their long record of hopelessness and agony regarding the absence of their parents. Conclusion: Although COVID-19 is a global problem, its impact was particularly devastating for LBCs who have nobody around who could help them with their academic, personal and social need. In the modern COVID-19 era, it seems that Chinese grandparenting has become unreliable in the face of radical change in contemporary Education, society, and the economic system. Therefore, this study suggests that the Chinese government should seek to identify and monitor these children by working with NGOs that target such children.
Evolution of Heterogeneity and Chemical Functionality during the Oxidation of Graphite
Authors: Kumar Harish V. , Oyer Andrew J. , Huang Kevin Y. -S. , Adamson Douglas H.
Published: August 2022

A kinetic study of graphite oxidation provided several insights into the mechanism of graphite oxide (GO) synthesis. The oxidation was observed to occur in two distinct stages, with the first stage lasting for 20 to 30 min and including a rapid disruption of the graphene sp2 network, the introduction of oxygen functional groups, and an increase in the spacing between the sheets. The second stage saw a marked decrease in the rate of change in spacing, a significant increase in the homogeneity of the GO, little to no further disruption of the sp2 network, and continuing evolution of the oxygen functionality. The study was based on the analysis by Raman spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TGA of material taken at various times from a modified Hummers oxidation reaction following work up.
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Indications for Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) in Patients with Pancreatic and Biliary Disease—Novel Interventional Procedures
Authors: Prager Manfred , Prager Elfi , Sebesta Christian , Sebesta Christian
Published: August 2022

There is growing evidence supporting the substantial, essential and indispensable role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as a key diagnostic armamentarium for upper GI oncologic surgery. Well described in countless publications, EUS holds that position in gastroenterological expert centers all over Europe. Despite its undisputable contributions to oncologic upper GI surgery, the availability of this technique at the expert level shows up in an irregular spread pattern. Endoscopic ultrasound’s primary use during the first few years after its creation was the detection of pancreatic cancer. From then on, EUS developed in different directions, becoming a diagnostic tool that increasingly better defines its status as a method of minimally invasive therapeutic applications and a useful addition to surgical options. As a result, several surgical interventions could even be replaced by ultrasound-targeted interventions. This process took place in just a few years and was made possible by technical development that sensibly combined high-resolution ultrasound with therapeutic endoscopy. The present article will serve to cover the most prevalent uses with supporting data considering the growing list of suggested indications for EUS while also examining cutting-edge initiatives that might soon become the standard of clinical practice. Endoscopic centers with high expertise are needed to train future experts in the growing field of EUS interventions.
Broadening the Dental Hygiene Students’ Perspectives on the Oral Health Professionals: A Text Mining Analysis
Authors: Nagatani Yukiko , Imafuku Rintaro , Nakai Yukie
Published: August 2022

Professional identity formation, an important component of education, is influenced by participation, social relationships, and culture in communities of practice. As a preliminary investigation of dental hygienists’ professional identity formation, this study examined changes in the dental hygiene students’ perceptions of oral health professionals over the three years of their undergraduate program. At a Japanese dental hygiene school, 40 students participated in surveys with open-ended questions about professional groups several times during their studies. The text data were analyzed through content analysis with text mining software. The themes that characterized their dental hygienist profession perceptions in their programs each year were identified as: “Supporters at the dental clinic”; “Engagement with interprofessional care” and “Improved problem-solving skills for clinical issues regarding the oral region”; and “Active contribution to general health” and “Recognition of the roles considering relationships” (in the first, second, and third years, respectively). The students acquired professional knowledge and recognized the significance and roles of oral health professionals in practice. They gained more learning experiences in their education, including clinical placements and interprofessional education. This study provides insight into curriculum development for professional identity formation in dental hygiene students.
Technologies for Teaching Mathematics in a Multilingual Digital Environment
Authors: Dubinina Galina , Konnova Larisa , Stepanyan Irina
Published: August 2022

The article considers the expansion of digital technologies and their impact on training modern specialists. The increase in the volume of information, students’ requests for interdisciplinary practice-oriented training, and the involuntary transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged changes in the ways educational information is presented. The multilingual approach, enhanced by digitalization, also contributes to these transformations. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology aimed at improving the perception and understanding of mathematics. The experience of combining digital training in mathematics, multilingual technologies and scaffolding is considered. Scaffolding is implemented in a digital environment and is extended by the reverse scaffolding approach, when the educational material first appears without prompts, and then the prompts are given from complex to simple. Based on the idea of presenting information in various ways, a test was created on the Moodle LMS platform. The surveys showed that the current generation of students prefers educational information based on visualization and supporting symbolic signs. When presenting new material and generating training tests, the teacher should refer to inter-subject multilingualism, reinforcing it with a professional context. Digital implementation of scaffolding proved to be especially in demand during the transition to online learning.
KDE-Based Ensemble Learning for Imbalanced Data
Authors: Kamalov Firuz , Moussa Sherif , Avante Reyes Jorge
Published: August 2022

Imbalanced class distribution affects many applications in machine learning, including medical diagnostics, text classification, intrusion detection and many others. In this paper, we propose a novel ensemble classification method designed to deal with imbalanced data. The proposed method trains each tree in the ensemble using uniquely generated synthetically balanced data. The data balancing is carried out via kernel density estimation, which offers a natural and effective approach to generating new sample points. We show that the proposed method results in a lower variance of the model estimator. The proposed method is tested against benchmark classifiers on a range of simulated and real-life data. The results of experiments show that the proposed classifier significantly outperforms the benchmark methods.
Short-Term Wind Power Prediction Based on LightGBM and Meteorological Reanalysis
Authors: Liao Shengli , Tian Xudong , Liu Benxi , Liu Tian , Su Huaying , Zhou Binbin
Published: August 2022

With the expansion of wind power grid integration, the challenges of sharp fluctuations and high uncertainty in preparing the power grid day-ahead plan and short-term dispatching are magnified. These challenges can be overcome through accurate short-term wind power process prediction based on mining historical operation data and taking full advantage of meteorological forecast information. In this paper, adopting the ERA5 reanalysis dataset as input, a short-term wind power prediction framework is proposed, combining light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), mutual information coefficient (MIC) and nonparametric regression. Primarily, the reanalysis data of ERA5 provide more meteorological information for the framework, which can help improve the model input features. Furthermore, MIC can identify effective feature subsets from massive feature sets that significantly affect the output, enabling concise understanding of the output. Moreover, LightGBM is a prediction method with a stronger ability of goodness-of-fit, which can fully mine the effective information of wind power historical operation data to improve the prediction accuracy. Eventually, nonparametric regression expands the process prediction to interval prediction, which significantly improves the utility of the prediction results. To quantitatively analyze the prediction results, five evaluation criteria are used, namely, the Pearson correlation coefficient (CORR), the root mean square error (RMSE), the mean absolute error (MAE), the index of agreement (IA) and Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE). Compared with support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models, the present framework can make full use of meteorological information and effectively improve the prediction accuracy, and the generated output prediction interval can also be used to promote the safe operation of power systems.
Rock Macro–Meso Parameter Calibration and Optimization Based on Improved BP Algorithm and Response Surface Method in PFC 3D
Authors: Ren Junqing , Xiao Ming , Liu Guoqing
Published: August 2022

In order to obtain the calibration law of rock macro and meso parameters under three-dimensional conditions, based on the parallel bond model, starting with the basic theory of PFC and the qualitative relationship between macro and meso parameters, an orthogonal experimental scheme is designed. An improved BP algorithm is proposed, which has a function with gradient factor, adaptive Nesterov momentum method, and adaptive learning rate for the lightweight analysis of meso parameters. The sensitivity between macro and meso parameters is quantified, and the key meso parameters are screened out. Based on the lightweight model, the correlation and influence mechanisms between macro and meso parameters are analyzed. It was found that the elastic modulus increases linearly with the increase in equivalent modulus. The parallel bond stiffness ratio can inhibit the growth of the elastic modulus, and the elastic modulus decreases greatly when the stiffness is relatively high. There is a linear relationship between Poisson’s ratio and stiffness ratio, and the increase in the friction coefficient will cause the nonlinear decrease in it. The strength parameters have an incentive effect on the peak strength. When the tensile and shear strengths of the parallel bond are at a high level, the combination has the most significant effect on the increase in the peak strength. The internal friction angle mainly has a certain influence on the postpeak strength of the rock, because it has a control effect on the particle sliding on both sides of the shear zone when the sample is loaded after the peak. Based on the central composite experimental design and response surface method, a nonlinear model of macro–meso parameters described by multiple subresponse surfaces is obtained. Finally, the mathematical model of parameter calibration is established, and the optimal solution of rock meso parameters is obtained by using optimization techniques. Through the example verification, it was found that the numerical experiment and laboratory test results are close in the stress characteristics, stress evolution, and failure mode of the sample, which proves the effectiveness and reliability of the calibration method. The research results have a certain reference value for PFC parameter calibration.
Numerical Simulation on Borehole Instability Based on Disturbance State Concept
Authors: Wang Daobing , Qu Zhan , Ren Zongxiao , Shan Qinglin , Yu Bo , Zhang Yanjun , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2022

This paper carries out a study on the numerical simulation of borehole instability based on the disturbance state concept. By introducing the disturbance damage factor into the classical Mohr–Coulomb yield criterio, we establish a finite element hydro-mechanical coupling model of borehole instability and program the relevant field variable by considering elastic–plastic deformation in borehole instability, the distribution of the damage disturbance area, the variation of porosity and permeability with the disturbance damage factor, etc. Numerical simulation shows that the borehole stability is related to the action time of drilling fluid on the wellbore, stress anisotropy, the internal friction angle of rock, and borehole pressure. A higher horizontal stress difference helps suppress shear instability, and a higher rock internal friction angle enhances shear failure around the borehole along the maximum horizontal principal stress. When considering the effect of the internal friction angle of rock, the rock permeability, disturbance damage factor, and equivalent plastic strain show fluctuation characteristics. Under the high internal friction angle of rock, a strong equivalent plastic strain area and disturbance damage area occur in the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress. Their cloud picture shows the mantis shape, where the bifurcation corresponds to the whiskers of the shear failure area in borehole instability. This study provides a theoretical basis for solving the problem of borehole instability during drilling engineering.