bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Efficacy of Acupuncture-Related Therapy in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Haiyan , Wan Renhong , Chen Shuai , Qin Haiyan , Cao Wei , Sun Luqiang , Shi Yunzhou , Zheng Qianhua , Li Ying
Published: October 2022

Background. Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common sequela of herpes zoster, and the efficacy of the treatment regimens recommended in the guidelines is not entirely reliable. Acupuncture and moxibustion are widely used complementary alternative therapies that have a positive effect on the treatment of PHN. However, there are various forms of acupuncture and moxibustion, and there are differences in efficacy between the different forms. Methods. The retrieval work of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for PHN in English databases (including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science) and Chinese databases (including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WeiPu database, WanFang database, and China Biomedical Literature Database) were conducted from the time of database creation to June 2022. Literature screening, data extraction, and evaluation of risk of bias for the included studies were carried out independently by two researchers, and data analysis was performed using Stata 14.2 software. Results. A total of 30 RCTs including 2138 patients with PHN were included. In terms of pain improvement, acupoint embedding + Western medicine group, bloodletting-cupping group, and bloodletting-cupping + Western medicine group ranked top. In terms of total efficiency, acupuncture + Western medicine group, bloodletting-cupping + Western medicine group, and acupoint embedding group ranked top. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of adverse events between treatment regimens. Conclusions. In a comprehensive comparison of the outcome indicators of 14 different treatment regimens, we considered acupoint injection + Western medicine and bloodletting-cupping + Western medicine to be the best combinations for the treatment of PHN. Due to the limitations of the study, the above conclusions still need to be validated in further multi-centre, large-sample prospective randomised controlled clinical trials.
Preliminary Investigation on the Relationship between Raman Spectra of Beef and Metmyoglobin and Metmyoglobin Reductase Activity
Authors: Zhang Tonggang , Li Yalei , Luo Ruiming , Bo Shuang
Published: October 2022

A hand-held Raman spectroscopic device was used as a rapid nondestructive testing device to predict the metmyoglobin (MetMb) and metmyoglobin reductase activity (MRA) values on the surface layer of fresh beef. Longissimus dorsi muscles were from 10 young bulls (Holstein-Friesian) from two different cattle farms (group

A
=
5

and

B
=
5

). The Raman spectra of 100 samples were correlated with the MetMb and MRA values using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Two groups could be discriminated, and the separate correlation models were better than the joint correlation model for the fresh beef. The coefficients of determination are

R

2

=
0.81

(group A) and

R

2

=
0.87

(group B) for MetMb and

R

2

=
0.80

(group A) and

R

2

=
0.85

(group B) for MRA. The results show the usefulness of Raman spectra in predicting the inner traits such as MetMb and MRA during meat storage. In conclusion, it is feasible to determine the MetMb and MRA values by Raman spectroscopy. Color is an important indicator of beef freshness and can vary depending on the age, sex, and breed of the cow. They play a very important role in human nutrition. The color of meat is an important indicator of meat freshness, and many researchers are already investigating the causes of color changes. The research was conducted in this environment.
si-PDGFRβ-Loaded Exosomes Suppress the Progression of Glioma by Inhibiting the Oxidative Associated PI3K/Akt/EZH2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Li Yuping , Yu Hailong , Ma Qiang , Wei Min , Liu Xiaoguang , Qi Yajie , Li Chen , Dong Lun , Zhang Hengzhu
Published: October 2022

This study investigated the possibility of exosomes loaded with si-PDGFRβ ability to suppress the progression of glioma. Common gliomas develop from neuroglial progenitor cells. Many variables affect the survival rate and occurrence of gliomas. Understanding oxidative stress processes and creating new, efficient treatments are crucial because oxidative stress is linked to the development of brain tumors. For this purpose, selected clinical samples were subjected to various tests like quantitative real-time PCR, Cignal Finder RTK signaling 7-pathway reporter array analysis, CCK-8 analysis, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting. Here, we demonstrated that PDGFRβ expression was increased in glioma patients. Following that, cell-derived exosomes were extracted and collected and traced in vivo, and selected tissue samples were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. The results indicated that the knockdown of PDGFRβ (si-PDGFRβ) inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells. Besides this, si-PDGFRβ-loaded exosomes induced a similar antitumor effect in glioma cells. The anticancer effect of si-PDGFRβ-loaded exosomes was mediated by the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt/EZH2 pathway. Finally, we verified that this exosome delivery system, si-PDGFRβ-loaded exosomes, had robust targeting and no associated toxicity. In conclusion, the study confirmed that si-PDGFRβ-loaded exosomes inhibit glioma progression via inactivating the PI3K/Akt/EZH2 signaling pathway.
Mechanical and Wear Studies on AA7075/Nano TiC/Graphite Hybrid Composites for Tribological Applications
Authors: Scaria Clement Tom , Pugazhenthi R. , Daniel Ajith Arul , Santhosh K.
Published: October 2022

The current paper aims to study wear behaviour of AA7075 reinforced with different weight percentage of nano-TiC and graphite particles under dry sliding condition. TiC particles are taken in different weight percentages (5%, 10%, and 15%), and graphite was chosen as (3%, 4%, and 5%) along with three different levels of sliding speed, applied load, and sliding velocity. The fabrication was conducted using stir casting equipment, and the experiments were done using Taguchi’s L27 orthogonal array. The Taguchi and ANOVA results applied load and percentage of TiC are the most influencing parameters which influences wear loss and friction coefficient
Risk Assessment and Analysis of Biomass Energy Engineering Project Management under the Concept of Sustainable Development
Authors: Gao Chunyan
Published: October 2022

Energy is the foundation of national economic and social development. With the rapid development of the global economy, energy shortage has become an urgent problem for countries to solve, and it has gradually become a bottleneck restricting Chinese current and future development. The ecological environment pollution is caused by the development and utilization of traditional energy. The problem is getting worse. How to develop and utilize clean energy while improving the environment and reducing pollution has become one of the important issues that countries need to solve urgently. Biomass energy (referred to as biomass energy) is widely distributed, renewable, and easy-to-use green energy, and its effective development and utilization is of great strategic significance for driving the development of emerging energy industries, preventing global warming, and promoting the establishment of a circular society. Therefore, it is of great scientific, economic, and social significance to develop and utilize biomass energy efficiently, relieve the pressure of energy demand, improve the environment of the ecosystem, and ensure regional economic development. For this reason, this paper designs energy complementation and bidirectional coupling between gas-electric systems, highly nonlinear operation characteristics of gas network components, gas network pipeline leakage failure modes, and multiple failure modes of compressor stations and carries out probabilistic risk assessment of gas-electricity integrated energy system.
The Pharmacological Mechanism of Curcumin against Drug Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Findings of Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Xie Han , Huang Guirui , Zou Jianhua , Zhu Qianru , Liang Zimao , Huang Xingxing , Zhai Xiangyang , Zhang Ruonan , Chen Bi , Li Keshuai , Sui Xinbing , Yu Lili , Cui Hongsheng , Wu Qibiao
Published: October 2022

The pharmacological mechanism of curcumin against drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. This study aims to summarize the genes and pathways associated with curcumin action as an adjuvant therapy in NSCLC using network pharmacology, drug-likeness, pharmacokinetics, functional enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and molecular docking. Prognostic genes were identified from the curcumin-NSCLC intersection gene set for the following drug sensitivity analysis. Immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy sensitivity analyses were performed using external cohorts (GSE126044 and IMvigor210) and the CellMiner database. 94 curcumin-lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) hub targets and 41 curcumin-lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) hub targets were identified as prognostic genes. The anticancer effect of curcumin was observed in KEGG pathways involved with lung cancer, cancer therapy, and other cancers. Among the prognostic curcumin-NSCLC intersection genes, 20 LUAD and 8 LUSC genes were correlated with immunotherapy sensitivity in the GSE126044 NSCLC cohort; 30 LUAD and 13 LUSC genes were associated with immunotherapy sensitivity in the IMvigor210 cohort; and 12 LUAD and 13 LUSC genes were related to chemosensitivity in the CellMiner database. Moreover, 3 LUAD and 5 LUSC genes were involved in the response to targeted therapy in the CellMiner database. Curcumin regulates drug sensitivity in NSCLC by interacting with cell cycle, NF-kappa B, MAPK, Th17 cell differentiation signaling pathways, etc. Curcumin in combination with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or targeted drugs has the potential to be effective for drug-resistant NSCLC. The findings of our study reveal the relevant key signaling pathways and targets of curcumin as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of NSCLC, thus providing pharmacological evidence for further experimental research.
Hospital Acquired Pathogenic Escherichia coli from Clinical and Hospital Water Samples of Quetta Balochistan
Authors: Akbar Ali , Naeem Wajeeha , Liaqat Faiza , Sadiq Muhammad Bilal , Shafee Muhammad , Gul Zareen , Khan Shabir Ahmad , Mengal Hasina , Chein Su Hlaing , Qasim Sadia , Arshad Muhammad , Rehman Fazal Ur , Sher Hassan
Published: October 2022

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and drug resistance of Escherichia coli present in urinary tract infected patients and hospital drinking water. A total of eighty urine samples from clinically suspected patients and thirty tap water samples from hospital vicinity were collected and analyzed for the presence of E. coli. The isolates were preliminary identified based on morphological characteristics, biochemical test and further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using uidA primer. Isolates were subjected to antibiogram studies and analyzed for the presence of drug resistance (ESBL blaCTX-M-15, tetA, and TMP-SMX dfrA1) and pathogenicity associated pyelonephritis-associated pili (PAP) and Heat-labile (LT) toxin genes. Urine samples 19/80 (23.75%) and water samples 8/30 (26.7%) were found contaminated with E. coli. It was found that 12/19 (63%) bacterial isolates were extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers in clinical and 6/8 (75%) in water isolates whereas tetracycline resistance in clinical and water isolates was 11/19 (58%) and 6/8 (75%), respectively. The trimethoprim resistance gene was confirmed in 12/19 (63%) in clinical and 2/8 (25%) in water isolates. All the clinical and water isolates were found carrying pili PAP gene. It was concluded that the presence of drug resistant and pathogenic E. coli in clinical and water samples is extremely alarming for public health due to cross contamination and bacterial transfer from clinical samples to water and vice versa.
Multi-Flexible Body Dynamics Modeling and Experimental Study of the Patient Rehabilitation Transfer Device
Authors: Ren Wu , Zhang Kailu , Zhang Xueling , Zhao Ziya , Lin Fei , Xie Kai , Li Jia , Yu Yi
Published: October 2022

Objectives. The patient rehabilitation transfer device is a typical personnel transfer equipment, which is mainly composed of outriggers, support arm, lifting arms, hooks, handrails, hydraulic cylinders, and other components. The existing research on the device is mainly focused on the configuration design and transfer mode, and the research on its dynamic characteristics during the transfer process has not been thoroughly discussed. Methodology. Based on the existing research, a portable hydraulic rehabilitation patient transfer device has been developed. Then the multi-rigid body dynamic and finite element flexible body models were established. Next, the dynamic characteristic difference between the two models of the device was studied. Results. As shown in the results, the finite element multi-flexible body model has obvious flexible vibration in the lifting stage, and the amplitude reaches 16 mm in the motion startup stage due to the influence of rigid-flexible coupling. The tip acceleration of the flexible body model was also influenced by the vibration, and the maximum acceleration value reaches 0.06 m/s2. According to the test results, the maximum acceleration of the terminal reaches 0.05 m/s2, which is close to the finite-element multi-flexible model simulation results. The experimentally measured natural frequency of the device is 3.1 Hz, which is also close to 3.2 Hz calculated by the simulation. Because the flexible component in the flexible model is only the lift arm, the natural frequency is slightly larger than the experimental value. Conclusion. According to the stress value of the finite element multi-body model motion process, the maximum stress appears at the moment when the motion reaches the top end, and the instantaneous stress reaches 206 Mpa, which is in line with the allowable stress range of the material design. The data obtained in this study will provide help for the follow-up clinical rehabilitation and intelligent device research.
Transcription Factor p300 Regulated miR-451b Weakens the Cigarette Smoke Extract-Induced Cellular Stress by Targeting RhoA/ROCK2 Signaling
Authors: Shen Wen , Wang Shukun , Wang Ruili , Zhang Yang , Tian Hong , Wang Xi , Wu Xin , Yang Xiaolei , Wei Wei
Published: October 2022

Background. A previous study identified miR-451b as a potential biomarker in smoker with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the function and molecular mechanisms of miR-451b in the pathogenesis of COPD remain elusive. Methods. Macrophages and lung fibroblasts were exposed to 10% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) solution for 24 h. Expression miR-451b and its potential transcription factor p300 were detected. The association between p300 and miR-451b, miR-451b and RhoA was validated by luciferase reporter assay. The release of IL-12 and TNF-αby macrophages was measured by ELISA assay, and Transwell assay was performed to analyze its migration and invasion. Collagen protein of fibroblasts was detected by Western blotting. Results. Results showed that p300 and miR-451b was downregulated, while RhoA was upregulated in CSE-induced macrophages and lung fibroblasts. The stimulation of CSE promoted the degradation of p300 by ubiquitination, and RhoA was confirmed as the target gene of miR-451b. MiR-451b overexpression significantly decreased the release of IL-12 and TNF-α, downregulated the expression of RhoA, ROCK2, and p65, and suppressed cell migration and invasion in CES-induced macrophages. In addition, miR-451b overexpression decreased the expression of RhoA, ROCK2, COL1A1, and COL2A1 in lung fibroblasts. Conclusions. Our data suggest that p300/miR-451b protects against CSE-induced cell stress possibly through downregulating RhoA/ROCK2 pathway.
A Novel Expert System for Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia
Authors: Terzi Erol , Sarıbacak Bünyamin , Sağlam Fatih , Cengiz Mehmet Ali
Published: October 2022

Diagnosis of a disease is one of the most important processes in the field of medicine. Thus, computer-aided detection systems are becoming increasingly important to assist physicians. The iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a serious health problem that requires careful diagnosis. Diagnosis of IDA is a classification problem, and there are various studies conducted. Researchers also use feature selection approaches to detect significant variables. Studies so far investigate different classification problems such as outliers, class imbalance, presence of noise, and multicollinearity. However, datasets are usually affected by more than one of these problems. In this study, we aimed to create multiple systems that can separate diseased and healthy individuals and detect the variables that have a significant effect on these diseases considering influential classification problems. For this, we prepared different datasets based on the original dataset whose outliers were removed using different outlier detection methods. Then, a multistep classification algorithm was proposed for each dataset to see the results under irregular and regulated conditions. In each step, a different classification problem is handled. The results showed that it is important to consider each question together as it can and should change the outcome. Dataset and

R

codes used in the study are available as supplementary files online.
Optimizing Joint Decisions of Dynamic Pricing and Ticket Allocation for High-Speed Railway with Operators’ Risk Preference
Authors: Meng Huaqin , Yan Zhenying , Wang Yu , Xu Yiwei
Published: October 2022

High-speed trains powered by electricity have low-carbon emissions and are the important intercity travel conveyances conducive to sustainable social development. The sustainable development of high-speed railway needs to improve the operating revenue and the resource utilization. Joint optimization of dynamic pricing and ticket allocation are often used to improve high-speed railway revenue and seat utilization in the literature. However, the uncertainty of demand makes joint decision-making difficult to be accurate. The risk preference of decision-makers also deeply affects the effect of joint decision-making. To cope with the uncertain demand and test the effect of operator risk preference on joint decision-making, this paper used chance constrained programming theory to optimize dynamic pricing and ticket allocation simultaneously. The presale period is divided into several stages. In each stage, ticket demand follows the normal distribution and changes with the price elasticity. Passengers choose tickets according to the multinomial logit model. The chance constrains reflect operators’ risk preference. The chance constrained stochastic nonlinear programming is proposed for joint decision of dynamic pricing and ticket allocation. Then, the combination algorithm of particle swarm optimization algorithm and mixed-integer linear programming was designed to solve the model. Finally, the numerical experiments according to actual operating scale were design to validate the model and algorithm. The results indicate that under different confidence levels, the proposed model and algorithm increase the total revenue by 11.84%-13.40% compared with the ticket allocation under the single fixed fare. The model can help the high-speed railway operators understand the impact of risk preference on joint decision-making, and provide decision support for them.
Role of Oxidative Stress in Retinal Disease and the Early Intervention Strategies: A Review
Authors: Wang Jun , Li Mengling , Geng Ziyue , Khattak Saadullah , Ji Xinying , Wu Dongdong , Dang Yalong
Published: October 2022

The retina, owing to its cellular anatomy and physical location, is susceptible to generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are associated with several major retinal diseases. When ROS exceeds the body’s natural antioxidants, the retina is in a state of oxidative stress, which is recognized as the pathogenesis of retinal diseases. The early stage of the pathogenic process is an adaptive change in which oxidative stress and endogenous defense mechanisms occur. If no treatment is applied, the retinal diseases will progress to the pathological stage with neuronal and vascular dysfunction or damage and even blindness. This review summarizes the role of oxidative stress in several common retinal diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. In addition, we discuss the early intervention strategies for these diseases. An outline is provided to identify potential intervention targets for further research. Early intervention for retinal diseases is necessary and urgent and may offer hope to improve patients’ quality of life through functional vision.
High-Discrimination Comparison Algorithm for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Innovation Ability in Colleges and Universities under Uncertain Information
Authors: Fu Ming , Wang Lifang , Cao Xueneng , Zheng Bingyun , Zhou Xianxian , Yin Shishu
Published: October 2022

The innovation ability of students is one of the most important objectives that need to be cultivated in colleges and universities. The comprehensive evaluation of innovation ability discussed in the study can be divided into two stages: the first stage can be called preliminary evaluation and its main target is to identify students with innovative potential; in the second stage, the target objects found in the previous stage will be evaluated quantitatively and ranked. However, it is always difficult to quantitatively evaluate the innovation ability by using traditional algorithms. Based on the above analysis, the study proposes an algorithm to quantitatively evaluate the innovation ability with the help of management thought and fuzzy mathematics. Data are the basis of evaluation, and the accuracy of the data directly determines the quality of the algorithm; the data structure of the incompletely probabilistic fuzzy set is proposed in the study; the data structure can fully consider the fuzziness of the problem and the hesitation in the decision-making process; it can save the original detailed data to the maximum extent. Certainly, certain information may be lost or only the value range can be determined; there are usually some unknowns in the evaluation data, and the consistency optimization model is proposed for solving the problem. Usually, there are certain contradictions among the evaluation data; the definition of the consistency degree is proposed in the study; the consistency can be verified in time after all the unknowns are obtained, and the automatic adjustment module will be activated immediately if the value of the consistency degree exceeds the warning threshold. Finally, after verifying the data consistency, the solution can be obtained by solving the optimization model. Several experiments have been carried out to verify the effectiveness and high-discrimination ability of the algorithm proposed in the study; meanwhile, the superiority of the algorithm is further verified through comparisons with other outstanding algorithms.
Two Computational Strategies for the Approximate Solution of the Nonlinear Gas Dynamic Equations
Authors: Nadeem Muhammad , Ali Mouad M. H.
Published: October 2022

In this article, we propose an idea of Sawi homotopy perturbation transform method (SHPTM) to derive the analytical results of nonlinear gas dynamic (GD) equations. The implementation of this numerical scheme is straightforward and produces the results directly without any assumptions and hypothesis in the recurrence relation. Sawi transform (ST) has an advantage of reducing the computational work and the error of estimated results towards the precise solution. The results obtained with this approach are in the shape of an iteration that converges to the precise solution very gradually. We provide the validity and accuracy of this scheme with the help of illustrated examples and their graphical results. This scheme has shown to be the simplest approach for achieving the analytical results of nonlinear problems in science and engineering.
The Association between Standardized Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration and Risk of Anemia: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhang Yang , Wang Xiaotong , Wang Jia , Hu Weiwei , Song Xiaolu , Yuan Ding , Yan Xianliang
Published: October 2022

The relationship between standardized serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and incident anemia in the United States (U.S.) is unclear. The purpose of our study was to examine the association between serum 25(OH)D and anemia risk. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the U.S. population participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2018. A generalized linear model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) plot curve were constructed to assess the relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentration and anemia incidence. Additionally, the association between serum 25(OH)D concentration and red blood cell (RBC) count and hemoglobin (HB) levels was investigated using generalized additive models with smooth functions. Subgroup analysis also was performed. A total of 29933 individuals were included in our research. After adjusting for known confounding variables, compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for association of serum 25(OH)D with anemia across the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 0.735 (0.651, 0.829), 0.527 (0.461, 0.602), and 0.696 (0.611, 0.792), respectively. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with anemia risk in a U-shaped pattern, as shown by an RCS plot (

P

for nonlinearity <0.001). In addition, RBC count and Hb levels initially increased and then decreased as serum 25(OH)D levels increased. Serum 25(OH)D concentration and risk of anemia are associated with a U-shaped curve in the U.S. general population. Serum 25(OH)D concentration in the range 59.7–70.3 nmol/l was associated with anemia incidence <1. Therefore, the risk of anemia can be reduced by close monitoring and appropriate vitamin D supplementation.
A Review on Polyaniline: Synthesis, Properties, Nanocomposites, and Electrochemical Applications
Authors: Majeed Abdulwahhab H. , Mohammed Leqaa A. , Hammoodi Omar G. , Sehgal Shankar , Alheety Mustafa A. , Saxena Kuldeep K. , Dadoosh Safaa A. , Mohammed Israa K. , Jasim Mustafa M. , Salmaan N. Ummal
Published: October 2022

The development in the use of polyaniline (PANI) in advanced studies makes us draw attention to the presented research and combine it into one study like this one. The unique composition of PANI qualifies it for use in electrochemical applications in addition to many other applications whose use depends on its mechanical properties. Based on this, it is necessary to limit the reactions that produce PANI and the cheapest cost, and then limit the current uses in the formation of nanocomposites with metals, their oxides, and/or carbon nanocomposites in order to determine what is missing from them and work on it again to expand its chemistry. The development in the use of PANI in advanced studies makes us draw attention to the research presented on PANI and combine it into one study. One of the very important things that made PANI possess a very huge research revolution are preparation in a variety of ways, easy and inexpensive, from which a daily product can be obtained with very high purity, as well as its distinctive properties that made it the focus of researchers in various scientific departments. The unique structure of PANI, which is easy to prepare in its pure form or with various chemical compounds including metals, metal oxides, and carbon nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide), qualifies it for use in electrochemical applications. The various studies reviewed showed that PANI gave good results in the applications of super capacitors. In some of the studies mentioned later, it gave a specific capacitance of 503 F/g, cycle stability 85% at 10,000 cycles, energy density 8.88 kW/kg, and power density 96 W h/kg. It was also noted that these values improved significantly when using PANI with its nanocomposites. Because of its good electrical conductivity and the possibility of preparing it with a high surface area with nanostructures in the form of nanowires, nanofibers, and nanotubes, PANI was used as a gas sensor. We have noticed, through the studies conducted in this field, that the properties of PANI as a basic material in gas sensors are greatly improved when it is prepared in the form of PANI nanocomposites, as explained in detail later. From this review, we tried with great effort to shed light on this attractive polymer in terms of its different preparation methods, its distinctive properties, its nanocomposites, and the type of polymerization used for each nanocomposites, as well as its applications in its pure form or with its nanocomposites in the supercapacitor and gas sensor applications.
Periodicity of Nonautonomous Fuzzy Neural Networks with Reaction-Diffusion terms and Distributed Time Delays
Authors: Hu Weiyi , Li Kelin , Zhao Shuyue
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the periodicity of a class of nonautonomous fuzzy neural networks with impulses, reaction-diffusion terms, and distributed time delays are investigated. By establishing an integro-differential inequality with impulsive initial conditions and time-varying coefficients, employing the

M

-matrix theory, Poincar mappings, and fixed point theory, several new sufficient conditions to ensure the periodicity and global exponential stability of the formulated system are obtained. It is worthwhile to mention that our technical methods are practical, in the sense that all new stability conditions are stated in simple algebraic forms, and an optimization method is provided to estimate the exponential convergence rate, so their verification and applications are straightforward and convenient. The validity and generality of our methods are illustrated by two numerical examples.
Exosome-Mediated Transfer of miR-3613-5p Enhances Doxorubicin Resistance by Suppression of PTEN Expression in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Luo Lin , Zhang Xin , Rousuli Yiliyaer , Aini Alibiyati
Published: October 2022

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, and patients easily develop resistance to the first-line drug doxorubicin. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of drug resistance in breast cancer is imperative. Exosomes mediate the crosstalk between neighboring cells and intercellular communication. Incorporation of miRNAs into exosomes prevents the degradation and facilitates the intercellular communication, which has been indicated in regulation of drug resistance. qRT-PCR revealed that miR-3613-5p is upregulated in drug-resistant breast cancer, and miR-3613-5p exists in exosomes. It is predicted that miR-3613-5p can bind to the tumor suppressor gene PTEN. In this study, our results showed that miR-3613-5p was upregulated in drug-resistant tissue and in exosomes of breast cancer cells resistant to doxorubicin. CCK8, crystal violet staining, and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that exosome mediated miR-3613-5p transfer and enhanced the resistance to doxorubicin of breast cancer cells. Western blotting showed that miR-3613-5p could target PTEN and regulate the expression of PTEN. Exosome-mediated transfer of miR-3613-5p enhanced the resistance to doxorubicin by inhibition of PTEN in breast cancer cells.
The Mechanism of Oxidative Stress in Cells Isolation, Identification, and Genome-Wide Sequence Analysis of Nitrite Amylolytic Bacillus
Authors: Jiang Jian
Published: October 2022

To improve the quality of traditional fermented pickles and reduce the nitrite content in the production process of pickles, the target bacteria for efficient nitrite degradation were screened from traditional fermented pickles. Pickles (picked vegetables), a traditional dish favored by many Chinese, are mildly salted and lactic acid-fermented vegetables in China. However, the presence of nitrite in pickles is a bottleneck which limits further development of the pickle industry. More attention is drawn to the problem of the presence of nitrite in pickles. Having harmful effect in the acidic environment produced by gastric acid, nitrite is converted into carcinogenic nitrosamine. After screening several nitrite-degrading bacteria in the early stage, a Gram-positive round ended Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is named as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JBA-CH9, which can degrade nitrite efficiently. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is a common bacterium in the food fermentation industry. Then, the optimum conditions for nitrite degradation of the strain were explored according to the inoculation amount, temperature and salinity, and the whole genome of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JBA-CH9 was sequenced. The results showed that the strain had the best degradation effect on nitrite under the conditions of inoculation amount of 9%, salinity of 5%, and 30°C, and the highest degradation rate of nitrite was 91.47%. The results of whole genome sequencing showed that the strain had a large number of functional genes related to amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids and contained nitrite reductase genes related to nitrite metabolism. Therefore, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JBA-CH9 is a functional strain that can degrade nitrite efficiently.
Comparison of Mirabegron plus Tamsulosin and Tamsulosin Monotherapy for the Treatment of Ureteral Stent-Related Symptoms: A Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Zhang Kai , Yan Wei , Li Hongbo , Chen Jie , Wang Qian , Chai Yali , Yuan Lihua , Zhu Gang
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of mirabegron plus tamsulosin to tamsulosin monotherapy in terms of ureteral stent-related discomfort after ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Methods: A total of 102 patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy and silicone ureteral stent placement were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either tamsulosin 0.4 mg once daily or mirabegron 50 mg + tamsulosin 0.4 mg once daily during the stenting period. Before the operation, the IPSS, QOL, and pain score were collected. On the day of ureteral stent removal, the USSQ, analgesic usage amount was collected and recorded. Results: The median USSQ-body pain score in the tamsulosin group and tamsulosin + mirabegron group was 15 and 16, respectively (p = 0.530). The median analgesic usage in the two groups was 3 and 2, respectively (p = 0.170). The median USSQ-urinary symptoms, USSQ-general health, USSQ-work performance, USSQ-sexual matters, and USSQ-additional problems in the two groups were 26 and 26 (p = 0.194), 11 and 12 (p = 0.068), 12 and 13 (p = 0.105), 2 and 2 (p = 0.437), 9 and 9 (p = 0.533), respectively. The international patients used more analgesics than Chinese patients (6 vs. 1, p = 0.015). Conclusion: Compared to tamsulosin alone, tamsulosin + mirabegron showed no additional benefit on the ureteral stent-related pain control after ureteroscopic lithotripsy and silicone stent placement. There was no significant difference on the analgesic usage and USSQ scores between the two groups. Chinese patients request fewer analgesics than international patients.
The Performance of Saccade Tasks Correlates with Cognitive Test Scores in Elderly Population: Evidence for the Usefulness of Oculomotor Tests in Cognitive Assessment
Authors: Wu Junru , Li Min , Ma Wenbo , Zhang Zhihao , Zhang Mingsha , Li Xuemei
Published: October 2022

Background: Among the elderly, dementia is a common and disabling disorder with primary manifestations of cognitive impairments. Diagnosis and intervention in its early stages is the key to effective treatment. Nowadays, the test of cognitive function relies mainly on neuropsychological tests, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). However, they have noticeable shortcomings, e.g., the biases of subjective judgments from physicians and the cost of the labor of these well-trained physicians. Thus, advanced and objective methods are urgently needed to evaluate cognitive functions. Methods: We developed a cognitive assessment system through measuring the saccadic eye movements in three tasks. The cognitive functions were evaluated by both our system and the neuropsychological tests in 310 subjects, and the evaluating results were directly compared. Results: In general, most saccadic parameters correlate well with the MMSE and MoCA scores. Moreover, some subjects with high MMSE and MoCA scores have high error rates in performing these three saccadic tasks due to various errors. The primary error types vary among tasks, indicating that different tasks assess certain specific brain functions preferentially. Thus, to improve the accuracy of evaluation through saccadic tasks, we built a weighted model to combine the saccadic parameters of the three saccadic tasks, and our model showed a good diagnosis performance in detecting patients with cognitive impairment. Conclusion: The comprehensive analysis of saccadic parameters in multiple tasks could be a reliable, objective, and sensitive method to evaluate cognitive function and thus to help diagnose cognitive impairments.
Efficacy of Individualized Homeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Cervical Spondylosis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Tomar Maneela , Bhowmik Nitai Chand , Singh Subhas , Sadhukhan Satarupa , Michael James , Parewa Maneet , Rai Shruti , Gupta Bharti , Vashisht Himani , Misra Pankhuri , Koley Munmun , Saha Subhranil
Published: October 2022

Introduction: Cervical spondylosis (CS) is a degenerative condition of the cervical spine, with approximately 80–90% of people suffering from disc degeneration by the age of 50 years. This trial attempts at evaluating the efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) against placebos in the treatment of CS. Methods: A 3-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at the Organon of Medicine outpatient department of the National Institute of Homoeopathy, India. Patients were randomized to receive either IHMs (n = 70) or identical-looking placebos (n = 70) in the mutual context of concomitant conservative and standard physiotherapeutic care. Primary outcome measures were 0–10 Numeric Rating Scales (NRSs) for pain, stiffness, numbness, tingling, weakness, and vertigo, and the secondary outcome was the Neck Disability Index (NDI), measured at baseline and every month until 3 months. The intention-to-treat sample was analyzed to detect group differences and effect sizes. Results: Overall, improvements were clinically significant and higher in the IHM group than the placebo group, but group differences were statistically nonsignificant with small effect sizes (all p > 0.05, two-way repeated measure analysis of variance). After 2 months of time points, improvements observed in the IHM group were significantly higher than placebo on a few occasions (e.g., pain NRS: p < 0.001; stiffness NRS: p = 0.024; weakness NRS: p = 0.003). Sulfur (n = 21; 15%) was the most frequently prescribed medication. No harm, unintended effects, or any serious adverse events were reported from either group. Conclusions: An encouraging but nonsignificant direction of effect was elicited favoring IHMs against placebos in the treatment of CS.
Cannabis Use and Heart Transplantation: Disparities and Opportunities to Improve Outcomes
Authors: Ilonze Onyedika J. , Vidot Denise C. , Breathett Khadijah , Camacho-Rivera Marlene , Raman Subha V. , Kobashigawa Jon A. , Allen Larry A.
Published: October 2022

Heart transplantation (HT) remains the optimal therapy for many patients with advanced heart failure. Use of substances of potential abuse has historically been a contraindication to HT. Decriminalization of cannabis, increasing cannabis use, clinician biases, and lack of consensus for evaluating patients with heart failure who use cannabis all have the potential to exacerbate racial and ethnic and regional disparities in HT listing and organ allocation. Here‚ we review pertinent pre-HT and post-HT considerations related to cannabis use‚ and relative attitudes between opiates and cannabis are offered for context. We conclude with identifying unmet research needs pertaining to the use of cannabis in HT that can inform a standardized evaluation process.
Come, Play with Me: Sītā, Agency and Presentist Concerns
Authors: Kirloskar-Steinbach Monika
Published: October 2022

Using some renditions of Sītā stories from the epic Rāmāyaṇa, this article will endeavor to make a case for reflecting on presentist concerns and interests and being aware of their impact on scholarship. Arguably, narrow syntactical and semantic analyses of translations and of purported convergences in historical and linguistic analyses do not suffice to give a handle on understanding how these concerns and interests might influence selection of pertinent sources and their readings. A more sustained analysis of their impact is needed. Shun Kwong-loi’s methodological work provides a good ground to take that conversation forward.
Gene expression of secretory proteins in the nuptial pads of three Lithobates species (Anura: Ranidae)
Authors: Schulte Lisa M. , Jendras Julia , Twomey Evan , Ramirez-Bautista Aurelio , Bossuyt Franky
Published: October 2022

Many amphibian species possess male-specific secretory breeding glands. In anurans, such specialized glands are often present as nuptial pads at the first digit of the hand, which are pressed against the female during amplexus. However, the role of nuptial pad secretions remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the inner morphology as well as the RNA expression patterns of the nuptial pads of several Central American Lithobates species (Ranidae). As shown for the breeding glands of other amphibian species, the Lithobates nuptial pads are composed of large specialized mucus glands, excreting proteinaceous content to the surface. Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed that for one of the species the most highly expressed transcripts encoding secretory proteins in the nuptial pads are sodefrin precursor-like factor (SPF) proteins, known to have a pheromone function in multiple amphibian species. The other two species, however, lack high expression of SPF transcripts but express other secretory proteins, whose roles in amphibian breeding glands remain unknown. Several of these proteins are highly expressed in all samples, suggesting a direct role during courtship or for the maintenance/development of the glands.
The “Endless Perspective” to University – Industry – Government Relations
Authors: Simões Pedro Costa , Moreira António Carrizo , Dias Carlos Mendes
Published: October 2022

Since the emergence of the Triple Helix, expansions to Quadruple, Quintuple, N-tuple helices, and models decomposing higher-order helices into multiple interrelated triple helices, or two-layer triple helices have been proposed. Albeit presenting alternative conceptual frameworks these different Helix models seem unsuited to address internal boundaries to the institutional spheres of the university, industry, and government. Addressing this circumstance, the present article pursues the research purpose of conceptualizing a perspective that opens the possibility of analysis to occur between but also within the boundaries of the institutional spheres. To that effect it advocates the application of different reference frames (scopes) to capture the dynamics that empirically emerge from the system under research. The novelty of this study is that it expands the existing theory by proposing that adding “scopes” (instead of introducing new helices) can increase the analytical potential of the Triple Helix.
Summer Anticyclonic Eddies Carrying Kuroshio Waters Observed by a Large CPIES Array West of the Luzon Strait
Authors: Zhao Ruixiang , Zhu Xiao-Hua , Zhang Chuanzheng , Zheng Hua , Zhu Ze-Nan , Ren Qiang , Liu Yansong , Nan Feng , Yu Fei
Published: October 2022

The Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) in summer is weak and has rarely been reported by in situ observations. Here, we describe a new form of Kuroshio water intrusion that is strongest during the summer, the North Luzon Warm Eddy (NLWE), which is an anticyclonic eddy originating north of Luzon Island. From early July to mid-September 2018, two NLWEs moving northwestward were captured by a mooring array consisting of 27 current- and pressure-recording inverted echo sounders (CPIESs). The three-dimensional CPIES estimates reveal that the NLWEs carried large amounts of saline Kuroshio waters (S > 34.7 psu) in the subsurface, which was also evidenced by Argo float profiles. The Kuroshio intrusion was confined to waters shallower than the 14.8°C isotherm. Historical data for NLWEs suggest that they occur mostly during the summer but are absent between November and March, which is attributed to seasonal wind stress curl (WSC). However, because the seasonal signal of WSC during summer is small, intraseasonal WSC is directly responsible for the generation of NLWEs.

Significance Statement

This paper describes a new type of Kuroshio water intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS)—the North Luzon Warm Eddy (NLWE), which is an anticyclonic eddy generated north of Luzon Island. The eddy mostly occurs during summer when the Kuroshio intrusion is commonly considered the weakest. From observations of a large CPIES array, we provide a cradle-to-grave picture of the NLWE. NLWEs are estimated to contribute almost half of the westward Luzon Strait transport during the summer and, as such, play an important role in the seasonal stratification and circulation in the northeastern SCS.
Development of lightweight micro-porous materials for acoustic applications
Authors: Kenchappa Bharath , Shivakumar Kunigal
Published: October 2022

A novel processing technique is developed and demonstrated for fabrication of micro-porous materials using different size hollow microbubbles for acoustic applications. Physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of this material were measured and reported. The materials processed and fabricated were repeatable, consistent in quality, lightweight (bulk density less than 0.45 g/cc) and reasonably strong for the acoustic applications. 25 mm thick specimens were made of three different size group microbubbles: small (10–180 μm), medium (10–500 μm) and large size (150–850 μm), these are naturally available from coal burned electric power plants. These bubbles were selected because of near spherical shape, surface roughness, possibility of interconnectivity of particles and pore sizes. The specimens were tested in impedance tube and sound absorption and transmission were measured as a function of frequency (250–1600 Hz). The absorption coefficient increased with the increase in microbubble size which gave rise to a material with a simultaneously greater pore size and a greater porosity. Similarly, the transmission loss increased with the decrease in microbubble size, because of the decrease in the pore size, and porosity (low permeability). Therefore, an acoustic system could be designed and fabricated for any geometry by proper selection of hollow microbubble size and their distribution to achieve a targeted acoustic response.