bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAINTENANCE PERALATAN PRODUKSI DI PONDOK PESANTREN DARUL MUTTAQIN KOTA BATU
Authors: Dwi Widodo Teguh , Wahyudi Ari , Raharjo Rudianto , Bintarto Redi , Wahyudiono Arif
Published: September 2023

Darul Muttaqin Islamic boarding school product production activities are very dependent on the equipment that supports the production of these products. By increasing the reliability of production equipment, production from Islamic boarding schools will increase so that the economic level can be achieved well. Production equipment whose reliability is maintained by maintenance includes chili sauce making machines, tempe chips making machines, transportation equipment and other workshop equipment. The maintenance process is carried out by starting with mapping damage data for each component of the existing equipment. This data is taken from several sources that are close to or equal to existing treatments. From the existing analysis, several care and maintenance processes need to be carried out on certain parts of the equipment. The problem found by the Darul Mutaqin Islamic boarding school is a lack of knowledge regarding the proper maintenance process. This maintenance is carried out by the students of the Darul Mutaqin Islamic boarding school with direction and supervision from the service team from the Mechanical Engineering department of Brawijaya University. This activity will result in an increase in students' skills in the field of maintenance.
PEMANFAATAN MESIN PENGERING MINYAK DALAM PENINGKATAN PRODUKSI USAHA KERIPIK SINGKONG CAHAYA BANGKA
Authors: Oktriadi Yudi , Husman Husman , Masdani Masdani , Sukanto Sukanto , Afriadi Achmad , Alfarisyi Febrian , Abdallah Fajar
Published: September 2023

Based on direct observation with partners, the problems faced are that in the process of drying the oil of cassava chips, they still use manual methods by drying them on a container for 15 minutes with the amount of cassava chips dried as much as 2 kg and this manual process still leaves oil on the cassava chips until they are marketed which in the future will make the cassava chips quickly unfit for consumption. The problem faced by the cassava chip business partner “Cahaya Bangka” is that they cannot be stored longer / not durable. The expected benefits of the partner can increase the amount of production, faster production time, and also produce more products and last longer/durable. The influence on sales is quite large because buyers are not brave enough to buy cassava chips in large quantities. The solution given to partners is to utilize a cassava chip oil dryer machine with the implementation method of providing short training on the operation and maintenance of the cassava chip oil dryer machine so that partners understand how to use and maintain the machine properly and correctly. With the cassava chip oil dryer machine, the drying process of cassava chips with a total of 10 kg of cassava chips in 4 minutes can increase the amount of production, the production process time becomes faster and the cassava chips become more durable than before.
Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Problem Based Learning Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa Kelas XI SMAN 1 Lambitu
Authors: Syahrul Syahrul , Nasir Muh. , Nurfathurrahmah Nurfathurrahmah
Published: September 2023

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh model pembelajaran Problem Based Learning Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Kelas XI  SMAN 1 Lambitu. Rancangan penelitian menggunakan metode quasi eksperimen dengan desain Post-test Control-group, Populasi yang digunakan adalah siswa kelas XI sebanyak 2 kelas dengan jumlah 24 orang. Siswa tersebut aktif belajar di SMAN 1 Lambitu Tahun pelajaran 2021-2022, Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas XI semester II sebanyak 1 kelas yang berjumlah 12 orang siswa, satu kelas sebagai kelas eksperimen diterapkan model Problem Based Learning dan satu kelas sebagai kelas kontrol tidak diterapkan model Problem Based Learning. Penelitian ini dilakukan di SMAN 1 Lambitu, penulis mengumpulkan data hasil belajar kognitif ini adalah dengan menggunakan Lembar soal Post-test, Uji hipotesis penelitian menggunakan uji-t dengan bantuan program computer SPSS 14 For windows pada taraf signifikan 5% sebelum uji hipotesis,data terlebih dahulu dilakukan uji prasyarat yaitu uji normalitas dan homogenitas data. Hasil penelitian menunjukan terdapat pengaruh model pembelajaran Problem Based Learning terhadap hasil belajar siswa kelas XI SMAN 1 Lambitu, hasil ini ditunjukan dengan angka signifikan sebesar 0,019 lebih kecil dari 0,05.
Ekstrak Daun Sirsak dan Gamal Terhadap Mortalitas Kumbang Bubuk Benih Jagung
Authors: Berek Maria C.L. , Santiari Made , Atini Blasius
Published: September 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui persentase mortalitas hama kumbang bubuk, mengetahui LC50 ekstrak daun sirsak, ekstrak daun gamal dan kombinasi ekstrak daun sirsak dan daun gamal dan kombinasi keduanya untuk mematikan hama kumbang bubuk (Sitophilus zeamais M.) dan untuk mengetahui ekstrak daun mana yang paling efektif untuk membunuh hama kumbang bubuk (Sitophilus zeamais M.). Penelitian dilaksanakan pada bulan Juni-Juli 2022 di Laboratorium Pendidikan Biologi, Universitas Timor. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 perlakuan  yaitu 0 (kontrol), 3%, 6%, dan 9% masing-masing dengan 5 ulangan. Nilai LC50 diperoleh dari analisis probit. Nilai letal konsentrasi (LC50) ekstrak  daun sirsak dan ekstrak  daun gamal berturut-turut sebesar 9.616% dan 6.724%. Nilai letal konsentrasi (LC50) kombinasi ekstrak  daun sirsak dan daun gamal tidak ada yang dihitung karena rasio jumlah respon terhadap jumlah subjek adalah sama. Presentase mortalitas hama kumbang bubuk tertinggi terjadi ketika diberikan perlakuan konsentrasi 9 % ekstrak daun gamal dan konsentrasi 9 % ekstrak daun sirsak.  Pemberian perlakuan konsentrasi 3 % kombinasi ekstrak daun sirsak dan daun gamal telah dapat mematikan seluruh hama uji. Kombinasi ekstrak  daun gamal dan daun sirsak adalah ekstrak yang paling efektif membunuh hama kumbang. Namun jika dilihat dari nilai LC50 maka ekstrak yang paling efektif membunuh hama adalah ekstrak  daun gamal diantara kedua ekstrak  daun.
Effects of Process Parameters on the Dimensions and Mechanical Properties of L-DED AISI 316L Stainless Steel
Authors: Park Jiyoung , Nam Hyunji , Jin Qing-Ye , Lee Wookjin
Published: September 2023

In this study, AISI 316L stainless steels were manufactured by the L-DED process with various laser scanning speeds and laser powers, in order to analyze how volumetric energy density (VED) can affect their final shape, microstructure and mechanical properties. Under various VED conditions, it was found that a higher VED decreases the formation of lack of fusion when the powder feed rate is adequate, and the ratio of VED and powder feed rate affect the dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the L-DED processed AISI 316L were not significantly influenced by the laser scanning speed when the same VED was used, indicating that the solidification rate and solidification cell size are mainly determined by the VED.
The Rho GTPase exchange factor Vav2 promotes extensive age-dependent rewiring of the hair follicle stem cell transcriptome
Authors: Lorenzo-Martín L. Francisco , Bustelo Xosé R.
Published: September 2023

Both the number and regenerative activity of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are regulated by Vav2, a GDP/GTP exchange factor involved in the catalytic stimulation of the GTPases Rac1 and RhoA. However, whether Vav2 signaling changes in HFSCs over the mouse lifespan is not yet known. Using a mouse knock-in mouse model, we now show that the expression of a catalytically active version of Vav2 (Vav2Onc) promotes an extensive rewiring of the overall transcriptome of HFSCs, the generation of new transcription factor hubs, and the synchronization of many transcriptional programs associated with specific HFSC states and well-defined signaling pathways. Interestingly, this transcriptome rewiring is not fixed in time, as it involves the induction of 15 gene expression waves with diverse distribution patterns during the life of the animals. These expression waves are consistent with the promotion by Vav2Onc of several functional HFSC states that differ from those normally observed in wild-type HFSCs. These results further underscore the role of Vav2 in the regulation of the functional state of HFSCs. They also indicate that, unlike other Vav2-dependent biological processes, the signaling output of this exchange factor is highly contingent on age-dependent intrinsic and/or extrinsic HFSC factors that shape the final biological readouts triggered in this cell type.
Uber structure's managerial algorithmic communication and drivers' health issues: sensemaking of work strategic resistance
Authors: El Bourkadi Salma
Published: September 2023

This article focuses on the role that algorithms play as a communicative infrastructure that contributes to poorer occupational health in the gig economy by interviewing 50 Uber drivers based on the life-story methodological approach. Specifically, the paper draws attention to Uber structure's managerial algorithmic communication and its effects on drivers' occupational health by engaging with Giddens's theoretical framework of structure-agency and Weick's theory of sensemaking. Furthermore, the study also explores the different factors contributing to the construction of individual and collective resistance of drivers to Uber's monopoly. The findings reveal that Uber's structure imprisons the users' freedom of negotiation and action, which creates a stressful work environment as managerial algorithmic communication only functions effectively in ideal working conditions, while abnormality is very frequent in a profession like transportation. Driver agency consists of organizing individual and collective resistance to change Uber's work decisions and weaken them. On an outside platform, resistance strategies are deployed by drivers to pressure Uber, with the goal of protecting their occupational health.
Applications of machine learning in familial hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Luo Ren-Fei , Wang Jing-Hui , Hu Li-Juan , Fu Qing-An , Zhang Si-Yi , Jiang Long
Published: September 2023

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common hereditary cholesterol metabolic disease that usually leads to an increase in the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma and an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. The lack of disease screening and diagnosis often results in FH patients being unable to receive early intervention and treatment, which may mean early occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Thus, more requirements for FH identification and management have been proposed. Recently, machine learning (ML) has made great progress in the field of medicine, including many innovative applications in cardiovascular medicine. In this review, we discussed how ML can be used for FH screening, diagnosis and risk assessment based on different data sources, such as electronic health records, plasma lipid profiles and corneal radian images. In the future, research aimed at developing ML models with better performance and accuracy will continue to overcome the limitations of ML, provide better prediction, diagnosis and management tools for FH, and ultimately achieve the goal of early diagnosis and treatment of FH.
Sex-specific prevalence and risk factors of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease among 75,570 individuals in eastern China
Authors: Chang Mingxing , Shao Zhihao , Wei Wei , Shen Peipu , Shen Guifang
Published: September 2023

Background

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a newly proposed definition and there is limited data on MAFLD prevalence. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MAFLD in an eastern Chinese population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included participants from an eastern Chinese population who underwent regular health checkups. Based on current diagnostic criteria, MAFLD was diagnosed in individuals with both hepatic steatosis and metabolic disorders. The overall and stratified prevalence derived based on sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and various metabolic disorders were estimated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for MAFLD.

Results

Among the 75,570 participants, the overall prevalence of MAFLD was 37.32%, with higher rates in men (45.66%) than in women (23.91%). MAFLD prevalence was highest in men aged 40–49 years (52.21%) and women aged 70–79 years (44.77%). In all the BMI subgroups, the prevalence was higher in men than in women. In both sexes, the prevalence of MAFLD increased as BMI levels increased. Furthermore, MAFLD was associated with metabolic disorders, especially in the female participants with severe obesity (odds ratio 58.318; 95% confidence interval: 46.978–72.397).

Conclusion

MAFLD is prevalent in the general adult population in eastern China. Sex-specific differences in MAFLD prevalence were identified based on age, BMI, and metabolic disorders. MAFLD is associated with metabolic disorders, particularly obesity.
Optimal design and control of permanent magnet assisted dual rotor motor
Authors: Kong Xiaoguang , Zhang Yaowen , Xu Gepeng
Published: September 2023

As high-performance motors, permanent magnet motors are widely used in a wide range of applications. It has become a consensus to mine reluctance torque in permanent magnet motors. The combination of permanent magnet motors and reluctance motors to generate higher output torque is one of the hotspots in motor research. A dual-rotor motor can be formed by connecting a coaxial connector or a concentric end disk, which can make the motor generate higher torque. However, although the motor torque has been improved, the cogging torque still affects the output torque of the motor. This paper describes a method to reduce the cogging torque of the permanent magnet rotor of the permanent magnet-assisted double rotor motor. By analyzing the motor power equation, it is concluded that the pole arc coefficient, the thickness of the magnetic steel, the length of the air gap, and the slot width of the stator have four influences on the teeth. For the parameters of the slot torque, the upper and lower limits of the parameter value are obtained according to the size of the motor. A certain parameter is taken as a fixed value, and the remaining parameters are uniformly valued. Use parametric scanning to determine the optimal value range of the parameter, and use Maxwell for parameterization. Simulation and analysis show that the cogging torque of the motor is reduced by 90% and the torque ripple is reduced by 50%. In order to simplify the motor control system, this paper designs a fuzzy controller based on granular functions, and the fuzzy rules of the fuzzy controller are to perform feature sampling and fit the response function, eliminating fuzzification and defuzzification, improving the response speed of fuzzy control, and simplifying the control system.
Associations between greenspace characteristics and population emotion perceptions in three dimensions
Authors: Cao Zheng , Cao Ye , Wu Zhifeng
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Mental disorders are considered to be the most significant threat to public health. Mitigation effects of urban green spaces have been widely documented. However, the conclusions are inconsistent because of the representativeness of the original data.

Method: We measured the mental perception of urban green spaces using geospatial big data instead of field observation or questionnaire data. Street view data were applied to calculate urban green space characteristics in three dimensions.

Results: The positive mental perception percentage around the chosen urban parks increased as the buffer diameter decreased. The temporal variations of positive mental perceptions around the selected urban parks exhibited an obvious peak-trough shape. The spatial associations between the positive mental perception percentage and urban green space characteristics varied geographically. The spatial associations became less similar as the spatial buffer diameter decreased. At the same spatial scale level, the green view played a dominant role in the spatial distribution of positive mental perceptions.

Discussion: Shrinking the deviations of urban green space characteristics and increasing the mean and maximum values of urban green space characteristics will favor the improvement of public mental health. This study provides a reference for explaining ecological scientific questions using spatiotemporal big data. It also provides insights into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between ecological processes and public health.
Modeling hyperthermal events in the Mesozoic-Paleogene periods: a review
Authors: Zhang Yinggang , Mills Benjamin J. W. , He Tianchen , Hu Xiumian , Zhu Maoyan
Published: September 2023

Hyperthermal events, which are characterized by rapid and extreme warming, occurred at several points throughout the Mesozoic to Paleogene periods. Model simulation studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanisms behind these events, including the carbon fluxes required to drive observed warming and isotope dynamics, the impact of warming on continental weathering, seawater pH, ocean anoxia, and the mechanism that terminated the warming. Studies using simple box models, Earth system box models, or 3D Earth system models have suggested that warming had a significant biogeochemical impact and would enhance continental weathering, increase ocean anoxia, and drive marine acidification. However, the magnitudes of these impacts remain debated and require further modeling work, as do the reconstructions of carbon fluxes and compositions. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge on hyperthermal events and proposes possible modeling development directions to better understand the causes and impacts of these events. Particularly, new long-term ‘semi-spatial’ Earth system models are promising tools for providing new solutions and perspectives on the biogeochemical responses to warming events and the carbon fluxes behind hyperthermal events from the Mesozoic to Paleogene periods.
Cost-effectiveness of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy with adjuvant pembrolizumab for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer in the United States
Authors: Tian Wentao , Niu Lishui , Wang Ziqi , Lu Ruoyu , Xiao Gang , Deng Fuxing , Tanzhu Guilong , Zhou Rongrong
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Perioperative (neoadjuvant and adjuvant) pembrolizumab has shown favorable efficacy in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of this treatment from the perspective of the United States healthcare payers.

Methods

We established a Markov model to compare the cost-effectiveness of perioperative pembrolizumab with that of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 21-day cycles, utilizing data from the phase 3 KEYNOTE-671 trial. Additional data were extracted from other publications or online sources. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the findings. A willingness-to-pay threshold of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained was established. The main outcomes of this study were the measurement of QALYs, overall costs, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and net monetary benefit (NMB).

Results

During a 10-year time horizon, the total costs of perioperative pembrolizumab and the control treatment were $224,779.1 and $110,026.3, respectively. The QALYs were 4.19 and 2.97 for the two treatments, respectively, which led to an ICER of $94,222.29 per QALY gained. The NMB at the WTP threshold at $150,000 per QALY gained was $67,931.3. One-way sensitivity analysis identified the cost of pembrolizumab as the primary factor influencing cost-effectiveness. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated a 97.7% probability of perioperative pembrolizumab being cost-effective at the WTP threshold.

Conclusions

From the perspective of the United States healthcare payers, perioperative pembrolizumab is a cost-effective treatment for patients with early-stage NSCLC.
Artificial intelligence in food biotechnology: trends and perspectives
Authors: Amore Antonella , Philip Sheryl
Published: September 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the creation of intelligent systems able to execute specific tasks which would normally need human intelligence to function. Today, AI is widely used to assist research and development in industrial biotechnology. Many biotech firms rely on AI tools. The food industry is among the industrial sectors where AI has only recently been explored. AI enhances food biotechnology by supporting food enzymes engineering, microbial metabolic engineering, food safety and, in general, food microbiology. The use of AI tools in the food industry ranges from food processing – including all aspects of the production of food ingredients – to food quality and safety. This paper highlights the emerging importance of AI in some specific sectors of food biotechnology: development of new process-aid enzymes, precision fermentation, food safety and toxicity, food microbiology, and the study of the interplay between food and gut microbiome. These represent only a few examples of the myriad of applications that AI is seeing and will see in the food biotech sector. This Perspective paper intends to stimulate the discussion around the intricate relationship between AI and such research topics.
Genomic insight and physiological characterization of thermoacidophilic Alicyclobacillus isolated from Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Kim Hye Won , Kim Na Kyung , Phillips Alex P. R. , Parker David A. , Liu Ping , Whitaker Rachel J. , Rao Christopher V. , Mackie Roderick I.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Alicyclobacillus has been isolated from extreme environments such as hot springs, volcanoes, as well as pasteurized acidic beverages, because it can tolerate extreme temperatures and acidity. In our previous study, Alicyclobacillus was isolated during the enrichment of methane oxidizing bacteria from Yellowstone Hot Spring samples.

Methods

Physiological characterization and genomic exploration of two new Alicyclobacillus isolates, AL01A and AL05G, are the main focus of this study to identify their potential relationships with a thermoacidophilic methanotroph (Methylacidiphilum) isolated from the same hot spring sediments.

Results and discussion

In the present study, both Alicyclobacillus isolates showed optimal growth at pH 3.5 and 55°C, and contain ω-alicyclic fatty acids as a major lipid (ca. 60%) in the bacterial membrane. Genomic analysis of these strains revealed specific genes and pathways that the methanotroph genome does not have in the intermediary carbon metabolism pathway such as serC (phosphoserine aminotransferase), comA (phosphosulfolactate synthase), and DAK (glycerone kinase). Both Alicyclobacillus strains were also found to contain transporter systems for extracellular sulfate (ABC transporter), suggesting that they could play an important role in sulfur metabolism in this extreme environment. Genomic analysis of vitamin metabolism revealed Alicyclobacillus and Methylacidiphilum are able to complement each other’s nutritional deficiencies, resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship, especially in vitamin B1(thiamin), B3 (niacin), and B7 (biotin) metabolism. These findings provide insights into the role of Alicyclobacillus isolates in geothermal environments and their unique metabolic adaptations to these environments.
Structure modification of an antibiotic: by engineering the fusaricidin bio-synthetase A in Paenibacillus polymyxa
Authors: Li Yunlong , Chen Sanfeng
Published: September 2023

Fusaricidin, a lipopeptide antibiotic, is specifically produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa strains, which could strongly inhibit Fusarium species fungi. Fusaricidin bio-synthetase A (FusA) is composed of six modules and is essential for synthesizing the peptide moiety of fusaricidin. In this study, we confirmed the FusA of Paenibacillus polymyxa strain WLY78 involved in producing Fusaricidin LI-F07a. We constructed six engineered strains by deletion of each module within FusA from the genome of strain WLY78. One of the engineered strains is able to produce a novel compound that exhibits better antifungal activity than that of fusaricidin LI-F07a. This new compound, known as fusaricidin [ΔAla6] LI-F07a, has a molecular weight of 858. Our findings reveal that it exhibits a remarkable 1-fold increase in antifungal activity compared to previous fusaricidin, and the fermentation yield reaches ~55 mg/L. This research holds promising implications for plant protection against infections caused by Fusarium and Botrytis pathogen infection.
Immature event-related alpha dynamics in children compared with the young adults during inhibition shown by day-night stroop task
Authors: Güntekin Bahar , Alptekin Simay , Yıldırım Ebru , Aktürk Tuba , Uzunlar Hakan , Çalışoğlu Pervin , Ada Figen Eroğlu , Atay Enver , Ceran Ömer
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Inhibitory control develops gradually from infancy to childhood and improves further during adolescence as the brain matures. Related previous studies showed the indispensable role of task-related alpha power during inhibition both in children and young adults. Nonetheless, none of the studies have been able to investigate the direct differences in brain responses between children and young adults when confronted with a stimulus that should be inhibited. Because, unlike event-related designs, task-related designs involve continuous tasks over a certain period, which precludes the possibility of making such a comparison. Accordingly, by employing event-related design, the present study first time in the literature, aimed to analyze the event-related alpha phase locking and event-related alpha synchronization/ desynchronization to differentiate the inhibitory processes in children compared to young adults.

Methods

Twenty children between the ages of 6 to 7  years and 20 healthy young adult subjects between the ages of 18 to 30  years were included in the study. Day-night Stroop task was applied to all subjects during 18-channel EEG recordings. Event-related time-frequency analysis was performed with the complex Morlet Wavelet Transform for the alpha frequency band (8–13  Hz). Event related spectral perturbation (ERSP) in three different time windows (0–200  ms, 200–400  ms, 400–600  ms) and Event-related phase locking in the early time window (0–400  ms) was calculated.

Results

The children had increased alpha power in early and late time windows but decreased alpha phase locking in the early time windows compared to young adults. There were also topological differences between groups; while young adults had increased alpha phase-locking in frontal and parietal electrode sites, children had increased occipital alpha power and phase locking.

Discussion

The shift in event-related alpha power observed from posterior to anterior regions with age may suggest a progressive maturation of the frontal areas involved in inhibitory processes from childhood to adulthood. The results of the present study showed that children and young adults had different EEG oscillatory dynamics during inhibitory processes at alpha frequency range.
Dose distribution prediction for head-and-neck cancer radiotherapy using a generative adversarial network: influence of input data
Authors: Gu Xiaojin , Strijbis Victor I. J. , Slotman Ben J. , Dahele Max R. , Verbakel Wilko F. A. R.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

A three-dimensional deep generative adversarial network (GAN) was used to predict dose distributions for locally advanced head and neck cancer radiotherapy. Given the labor- and time-intensive nature of manual planning target volume (PTV) and organ-at-risk (OAR) segmentation, we investigated whether dose distributions could be predicted without the need for fully segmented datasets.

Materials and methods

GANs were trained/validated/tested using 320/30/35 previously segmented CT datasets and treatment plans. The following input combinations were used to train and test the models: CT-scan only (C); CT+PTVboost/elective (CP); CT+PTVs+OARs+body structure (CPOB); PTVs+OARs+body structure (POB); PTVs+body structure (PB). Mean absolute errors (MAEs) for the predicted dose distribution and mean doses to individual OARs (individual salivary glands, individual swallowing structures) were analyzed.

Results

For the five models listed, MAEs were 7.3 Gy, 3.5 Gy, 3.4 Gy, 3.4 Gy, and 3.5 Gy, respectively, without significant differences among CP-CPOB, CP-POB, CP-PB, among CPOB-POB. Dose volume histograms showed that all four models that included PTV contours predicted dose distributions that had a high level of agreement with clinical treatment plans. The best model CPOB and the worst model PB (except model C) predicted mean dose to within ±3 Gy of the clinical dose, for 82.6%/88.6%/82.9% and 71.4%/67.1%/72.2% of all OARs, parotid glands (PG), and submandibular glands (SMG), respectively. The R2 values (0.17/0.96/0.97/0.95/0.95) of OAR mean doses for each model also indicated that except for model C, the predictions correlated highly with the clinical dose distributions. Interestingly model C could reasonably predict the dose in eight patients, but on average, it performed inadequately.

Conclusion

We demonstrated the influence of the CT scan, and PTV and OAR contours on dose prediction. Model CP was not statistically different from model CPOB and represents the minimum data statistically required to adequately predict the clinical dose distribution in a group of patients.
Do a pedagogical agent’s clothing and an animated video’s setting affect learning?
Authors: Decker Daniela , Merkt Martin
Published: September 2023

Pedagogical agents are often used to enhance social cues in learning materials. The inclusion of pedagogical agents raises several design questions, for example on what kind of clothing the agent should wear. Further, it is not yet clear how the setting of an animated learning video (i.e., the digitally created background) affects learning. In an online experiment (N = 200), we investigated whether creating thematically appropriate clothing and setting has some added value in that it improves learning outcomes in comparison to more neutral assets. Whereas all participants acquired knowledge from the animated video, there were no main effects of clothing and setting for any of the dependent variables, but an interaction for learning outcomes (ηp2=0.02), indicating that the appropriately dressed agent worked better combined with the inappropriate setting than with the appropriate setting. Overall, given those non-significant main effects and the small effect size of the interaction, there seem to be some degrees of freedom for designers of pedagogical agents in animated learning videos. However, these degrees of freedom may be limited to at least moderate (i.e., neutral) levels of appropriateness.
Research and evaluation on students’ emotional attachment to campus landscape renewal coupling emotional attachment scale and public sentiment analysis: a case study of the “Heart of Forest” in Beijing Forestry University
Authors: Zhang Ruoshi
Published: September 2023

In the era of stock renewal, the construction of university campuses in China’s first-tier cities has shifted from demolition and construction to renewal and upgrading, in which public landscape space is the main environment for students’ daily life, learning and entertainment. Especially during the outbreak of the recent COVID-19 epidemic, it has become an important way for students to interact with nature and obtain emotional healing. In the existing studies, there is a lack of discussion on the correlation between the spatial characteristics of the updated campus landscape and students’ emotional attachment, and there are few quantitative studies. Based on this, this paper takes the “Heart of Forest” landscape space as an example, and integrates multi-dimensional quantitative methods including emotional attachment scale and public semantic analysis to study and evaluate the characteristics of landscape space that affect students’ emotional attachment. The results show that: (1) Overall, the landscape space renewal of the Heart of Forest provides students with positive emotional experiences and effectively enhances students’ emotional attachment as well as sense of belonging to the campus. (2) Among them, the material characteristics of the site including nature-related elements, materials, structures play a positive role in promoting the vast majority of students in the process of establishing emotional attachment, which is particularly obvious for students majoring in landscape, architecture and urban planning. (3) Whether the public social space can effectively provide students with a good emotional experience is closely related to the frequency and purpose of students’ use of the space. (4) The interactive characteristics such as changeability and playability fail to promote emotional attachment because of lacking of management and maintenance. The renewal and transformation of the “Heart of Forest” landscape space is generally successful in promoting students’ emotional attachment, and provides a reference for the future campus landscape renewal design from different angles. In addition, the quantitative study of emotional attachment constructed in this paper coupled with multi-dimensional data provides a method for the evaluation of students’ emotional experience of campus landscape.
Determination of genetic correlation between tobacco smoking and coronary artery disease
Authors: Zhu Zhouhai , Liu Qiang , Li Meng , Yao Yinghao , Qi Feiyan , Xu Yi , Lu Sheming , Yang Zhongli , Guan Ying , Li Ming D. , Yao Jianhua
Published: September 2023

Backgrounds

Tobacco smoking is an important risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), but the genetic mechanisms linking smoking to CAD remain largely unknown.

Methods

We analyzed summary data from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of the UK Biobank for CAD, plasma lipid concentrations (n = 184,305), and smoking (n = 337,030) using different biostatistical methods, which included LD score regression and Mendelian randomization (MR).

Results

We identified SNPs shared by CAD and at least one smoking behavior, the genes where these SNPs are located were found to be significantly enriched in the processes related to lipoprotein metabolic, chylomicron-mediated lipid transport, lipid digestion, mobilization, and transport. The MR analysis revealed a positive correlation between smoking cessation and decreased risk for CAD when smoking cessation was considered as exposure (p = 0.001), and a negative correlation between the increased risk for CAD and smoking cessation when CAD was considered as exposure (p = 2.95E-08). This analysis further indicated that genetic liability for smoking cessation increased the risk of CAD.

Conclusion

These findings inform the concomitant conditions of CAD and smoking and support the idea that genetic liabilities for smoking behaviors are strongly associated with the risk of CAD.
Social determinants of health: critical consciousness as the core to collective impact
Authors: Doll Joy , Malloy Julie , Gonzales Roger
Published: September 2023

Social determinants of health have become widely recognized as important to overall health. Many areas of social determinants of health are growing from policy to reimbursement to the connecting of health and social care. The efforts around social determinants of health require reflection and awareness of structural issues. The work of Paulo Freire in critical consciousness provides guidance for how to engage in social determinants of health efforts. This manuscript offers a summary of the social determinants of health under the guidance of critical consciousness to build skills and interactions to promote social care to build toward health equity.
Effect of hexavalent chromium on growth performance and metabolism in broiler chicken
Authors: Zhuo Guorong , Wang Lei , Ali Muhammad , Jing Zheng , Hassan Mohammad Farooque
Published: September 2023

Hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) is one of the most hazardous heavy metals in the environment and is toxic to living organisms causing tissue damage, disruption of the intestinal microbiota and cancer. However, there is little information on the relationship between the Cr (VI) and broiler chickens. The current study was performed to investigate the effect of Cr (VI) on growth performance, serum biochemical analysis, histopathological observations, and metabolomics analysis in broilers. Results show that Cr (VI) exposure significantly decreased the body weight (p < 0.01) and caused liver damages in broilers. With the extension of Cr (VI) action time, the liver appeared obvious pathological changes, including hepatic cord disorder, incomplete hepatocyte additionally, decreased serum biochemical indices of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), total protein (TP), phosphatase (ALP), and globin (GLB) significantly (p < 0.01). Moreover, metabolomics analysis indicated that 29 differential metabolites were identified, such as phytosphingosine, L-Serine, 12, 13-DHOME, Alpha-dimorphecolic acid, L-Methionine, L-Phenylalanine, 3-Dehydroshikimate, L-Tyrosine, and N-Acetyl-L-phenylalanine were significantly decreased under the action of Cr (VI) (p < 0.05). These 29 differential metabolites are mainly involved in 35 metabolic pathways, such as aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, sphingolipid, and linoleic metabolism. The study revealed that exposure to Cr (VI) resulted in a decrease in growth performance and metabolism, with the hazards and toxicity in broiler chicken. The findings provided new insight and a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between Cr (VI) and broiler chickens.
Decentralized Differential Aerodynamic Control of Microsatellites Formation with Sunlight Reflectors
Authors: Chernov Kirill , Monakhova Uliana , Mashtakov Yaroslav , Biktimirov Shamil , Pritykin Dmitry , Ivanov Danil
Published: September 2023

The paper presents a study of decentralized control for a satellite formation flying mission that uses differential lift and drag to enforce the relative positioning requirements. All spacecraft are equipped with large sunlight reflectors so that, given the appropriate lighting conditions, the formation as a whole can be made visible from the Earth as a configurable pixel image in the sky. The paper analyzes the possibility of achieving a pre-defined lineup of the formation by implementing decentralized aerodynamic-based control through the orientation of sunlight reflectors relative to the incoming airflow. The required relative trajectories are so-called projected circular orbits which ensure the rotation of the image with the orbital period. The choice of the reference trajectory for each satellite is obtained by minimizing the total sum of relative trajectory residuals. The control law is based on the linear-quadratic regulator with the decentralized objective function of reducing the mean deviation of each satellite’s trajectory relative to the other satellites. The accuracy of the required image construction and convergence time depending on the initial conditions and orbit altitude are studied in the paper.
Boosting the Lithium Storage Properties of a Flexible Li4Ti5O12/Graphene Fiber Anode via a 3D Printing Assembly Strategy
Authors: Zhao Chenpeng , Wang Rui , Fang Biao , Liang Han , Nie Biyuan , Wang Ruyi , Xu Biao , Feng Songyang , Li Ruqing , Li Shuaifei , Xiong Yuhui , Shao Yuye , Mo Runwei
Published: September 2023

Traditional lithium-ion batteries cannot meet the high flexibility and bendability requirements of modern flexible electronic devices due to the limitations of the electrode material. Therefore, the development of high-performance flexible energy storage devices is of great significance for promoting flexible electronics. In recent years, one-dimensional flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries have been rapidly developed due to their advantages of high flexibility and bendability. However, it remains highly challenging to realize 1D flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries with excellent electrochemical properties and good mechanical performance. In this work, a reduced graphene oxide-based printing ink is proposed for the fabrication of flexible Li4Ti5O12/graphene fiber electrodes using a 3D printing assembly strategy. It is noteworthy that the green reducing agent vitamin C was used to reduce the graphene oxide in one step, which improved the conductivity of the fiber electrode. Furthermore, a 3D conductive network was constructed inside the fiber electrodes due to the high specific surface area of the reduced graphene oxide, which enhanced the electronic conductivity and ion mobility. The fiber electrode not only exhibits good mechanical performance, but also has excellent electrochemical properties. Equally importantly, the method is simple and efficient, and the working environment is flexible. It can precisely control the shape, size and structure of the one-dimensional fiber flexible electrode, which is of great significance for the development of future flexible electronic devices.
Comparative Analysis of Cytokine Profiles in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood Serum in Patients with Acute and Subacute Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Sabirov Davran , Ogurcov Sergei , Shulman Ilya , Kabdesh Ilyas , Garanina Ekaterina , Sufianov Albert , Rizvanov Albert , Mukhamedshina Yana
Published: September 2023

Background: Cytokines are actively involved in the regulation of the inflammatory and immune responses and have crucial importance in the outcome of spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Examining more objective and representative indicators of the patient’s condition is still required to reveal the fundamental patterns of the abovementioned posttraumatic processes, including the identification of changes in the expression of cytokines. Methods: We performed a dynamic (3, 7, and 14 days post-injury (dpi)) extended multiplex analysis of cytokine profiles in both CSF and blood serum of SCI patients with baseline American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades of A. Results: The data obtained showed a large elevation of IL6 (>58 fold) in CSF and IFN-γ (>14 fold) in blood serum at 3 dpi with a downward trend as the post-traumatic period increases. The level of cytokine CCL26 was significantly elevated in both CSF and blood serum at 3 days post-SCI, while other cytokines did not show the same trend in the different biosamples. Conclusions: The dynamic changes in cytokine levels observed in our study can explore the relationships with the SCI region and injury severity, paving the way for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of SCI and potentially more targeted and personalized therapeutic interventions.
Neuroinflammation in the Central Nervous System: Exploring the Evolving Influence of Endocannabinoid System
Authors: Rathod Sumit S. , Agrawal Yogeeta O. , Nakhate Kartik T. , Meeran M. F. Nagoor , Ojha Shreesh , Goyal Sameer N.
Published: September 2023

Neuroinflammation is a complex biological process that typically originates as a protective response in the brain. This inflammatory process is triggered by the release of pro-inflammatory substances like cytokines, prostaglandins, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species from stimulated endothelial and glial cells, including those with pro-inflammatory functions, in the outer regions. While neuronal inflammation is common in various central nervous system disorders, the specific inflammatory pathways linked with different immune-mediated cell types and the various factors influencing the blood-brain barrier significantly contribute to disease-specific characteristics. The endocannabinoid system consists of cannabinoid receptors, endogenous cannabinoids, and enzymes responsible for synthesizing and metabolizing endocannabinoids. The primary cannabinoid receptor is CB1, predominantly found in specific brain regions such as the brainstem, cerebellum, hippocampus, and cortex. The presence of CB2 receptors in certain brain components, like cultured cerebellar granular cells, Purkinje fibers, and microglia, as well as in the areas like the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum is also evidenced by immunoblotting assays, radioligand binding, and autoradiography studies. Both CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors exhibit noteworthy physiological responses and possess diverse neuromodulatory capabilities. This review primarily aims to outline the distribution of CB1 and CB2 receptors across different brain regions and explore their potential roles in regulating neuroinflammatory processes.
Synergistic Power of Piceatannol and/or Vitamin D in Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ezz Eldeen Nehal , Moustafa Yasser M. , Alwaili Maha Abdullah , Alrehaili Amani A. , Khodeer Dina M.
Published: September 2023

Oxidative stress and epigenetic alterations, including the overexpression of all class I and II histone deacetylases (HDACs), particularly HDAC2 and HDAC4, have been identified as key molecular mechanisms driving pulmonary fibrosis. Treatment with piceatannol (PIC) or vitamin D (Vit D) has previously exhibited mitigating impacts in pulmonary fibrosis models. The present study investigated the effects of PIC, Vit D, or a combination (PIC-Vit D) on the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the lungs; the phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway; and the antioxidant status of the lungs. The objective was to determine if the treatments had protective mechanisms against pulmonary fibrosis caused by bleomycin (BLM) in rats. Adult male albino rats were given a single intratracheal dosage of BLM (10 mg/kg) to induce pulmonary fibrosis. PIC (15 mg/kg/day, oral (p.o.)), Vit D (0.5 μg/kg/day, intraperitoneal (i.p.)), or PIC-Vit D (15 mg/kg/day, p.o. plus 0.5 μg/kg/day, i.p.) were given the day following BLM instillation and maintained for 14 days. The results showed that PIC, Vit D, and PIC-Vit D significantly improved the histopathological sections; downregulated the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and TGF-β in the lungs; inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway; decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition including collagen type I and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA); and increased the antioxidant capacity of the lungs by increasing the levels of glutathione (GSH) that had been reduced and decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with the BLM group at a p-value less than 0.05. The concomitant administration of PIC and Vit D had a synergistic impact that was greater than the impact of monotherapy with either PIC or Vit D. PIC, Vit D, and PIC-Vit D exhibited a notable protective effect through their antioxidant effects, modulation of the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and TGF-β in the lungs, and suppression of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.