bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation, Characterization of Fiber Content, and Antioxidant Activity of Corncob (Zea mays L.) during Alkalization
Authors: Suryanto Edi , Taroreh Mercy I.R.
Published: July 2022

Corncob fiber powder was prepared by alkaline process, and their effects were investigated on the composition, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties of dietary fiber (DF) products. DF content was determined using AOAC enzymatic-gravimetric analysis,

while chemical composition in fiber was observed on

cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The results showed that cellulose content of significantly increased while hemicellulose and lignin was observed decreasing. Correspondingly, content of the insoluble, soluble, and total DF of corncob was increased by 14.72-20.77, 28.86-47.43, and 15.12-21.42%, respectively. Furthermore, the particle size of DF is distributed in a range from 58.50-83.90 µm. XRD analysis showed the characteristics of cellulose that exhibited increasing crystalline degree from 29.33% to 53.53% and 59.62%, respectively. FTIR shows that the DF matrix structure does not change and in the presence of special structures of cellulose compounds. The SEM results showed that the alkaline process could significantly decrease the particle size and influence on the physicochemical and functional properties of corncob insoluble DF. The results also showed that DF extract has lower DPPH radical scavenging activity. The results suggest that corncob DF have good potential candidate for dietary fiber containing antioxidant ingredient and for their further applications in food.
RAPD Profiles of Rhynchostylis gigantea (Lindl.) Ridl. Collected from Puspa Nirmala Orchids Banyumas, Central Java
Authors: Susanto Agus Hery , Romadhoni Ali , Dwiati Murni
Published: July 2022

Rhynchostylis gigantea (Lindl.) Ridl. is an orchid species spread over Southeast Asia countries. This species is very popular among ornamental plant collectors, especially due to its densely pack inflorescences. Hence, it is commercially found in many ornamental plant nursuries, such as Puspa Nirmala Orchids Banyumas, Central Java. Further development of the species should be supported by scientific data, particularly regarding the genetic variation. One of the molecular markers commonly used to study genetic variation is Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). This study aims to assess genetic variation of R. gigantea cultivars of Puspa Nirmala Orchids Banyumas collection  by RAPD profiles. Genomic DNAs were extracted from leaf samples of eight R. gigantea individuals, while RAPD markers were amplified using five random primers (OPA-15, OPK-16, OPP-15, OPP-08 and OPO-08). Descriptive analysis was employed on the data obtained. It was revealed that all of the primers resulted in a 100% monomorphism. This indicates an extremely low genetic variation among R. gigantea population of Puspa Nirmala Orchids collection, which is probably due to the same origin from a selected hybrid of the same crosses.
Co-Precipitation Synthesis of Clay-Magnetite Nanocomposite for Adsorptive Removal of Synthetic Dye in Wastewater of Benang Bintik Batik
Authors: Karelius Karelius , Sadiana I Made , Fatah Abdul Hadjranul , Agnestisia Retno
Published: July 2022

Clay is a natural material that has been widely applied as a low-cost adsorbent for removing various contaminants from wastewater. To improve its characteristics and activity, natural clay from Central Kalimantan was activated by acid and calcination treatments, then synthesized with magnetite (Fe3O4) in nanocomposite by co-precipitation method. The obtained nanocomposite was further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, vibrating sample magnetometry, and transmission electron microscopy methods. The results showed that co-precipitation method has been successfully produced clay-magnetite nanocomposite from activated clay with specific surface area, saturation magnetization, and particle size were 37.458 m2/g, 24.910 emu/g, and 50 nm, respectively. The obtained natural clay, activated clay, and clay-magnetite nanocomposite were then evaluated for adsorptive removal of naphthol blue black (NBB) synthetic dye from wastewater generated by an industry of Benang Bintik batik in Central Kalimantan using a batch system. The results showed that optimum pH for adsorptive removal process from these adsorbents were 2, while the optimum contact times of natural clay, activated clay, and clay-magnetite nanocomposite were 90, 60, and 60 minutes, respectively. The clay-magnetite nanocomposite also showed a much better removal efficiency (99.58%) than activated clay (86.28%) and natural clay (68.27%). The utilization of clay-magnetite nanocomposite as adsorbent not only can increase its removal efficiency against NBB dye, but also can facilitate the separation of the adsorbent solid phase from wastewater using an external magnetic field after the adsorptive removal process.
Effect of Addition Elephant Grass Cellulose and CaCO3 Oyster Shell Waste as Bioplastic Composites
Authors: Aulia M Prayogie , Rizki Reza , Aprilia Sri , Mulana Farid
Published: July 2022

The effect of adding cellulose and CaCO3 as a bioplastic filler was studied. The source of cellulose is obtained from elephant grass plants, while CaCO3 is obtained from oyster shell waste. The primary raw material for bioplastics is tapioca starch with glycerol as a plasticizer using the solution casting method. The resulting bioplastics are thin and transparent but not very elastic, with a thickness is 1 mm. The mechanical properties test of bioplastics obtained tensile strength between 1-3 MPa and elongation between 1-4.4%. Physical properties test results obtained density between 0.313-0.33 g/mL and water absorption between 31.94-81.16%. The morphological test showed that the bioplastic surface was getting more uneven with more CaCO3 filler. The use of cellulose fillers without the combination obtained better results than cellulose and CaCO3 fillers.
IDENTIFIKASI KERENTANAN BANJIR BANDANG MENGGUNAKAN METODE AHP (ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS) BERBASIS SIG DI SUB DAS AIR MULAK, KABUPATEN LAHAT (Identification of Flash Flood Vulnerability Using GIS-Based AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) Method in Air Mulak Sub-watershed, Lahat Regency)
Authors:   Program Studi Teknik Sipil, Institut Teknologi Pagar Alam, Dhiniati Fameira , Dinata Alharia
Published: July 2022

The high rainfall for a long time resulted in flash floods that hit three villages in Lahat Regency, submerged dozens of residents' houses, damaged several public facilities, and cut off-road access. From this incident, spatial information is needed related to areas prone to flash floods so that the negative impacts can be minimized. This study aims to identify the vulnerability of flash floods in the Air Mulak Watershed. This research uses the AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) method for rational decision-making of all parameters, integrated with GIS (Geographical Information System) applications. The results of the consistency test for all parameters, the CR value of 0.97% is smaller than 10% and is considered consistent. The results of scoring all parameters are then overlaid by giving weight to each parameter, and it can be seen that the distribution of flash flood susceptibility in Air Mulak Sub-Watershed with a very high percentage of 0.20%, high class of 4.75%, moderate class of 15.78%, low at 43.50%, and very low at 35.78%. The results showed that the parameters that greatly affect flash flooding in the Air Mulak Sub-Watershed are altitude, river density, slope, and distance from the river because the area is where water accumulates from upstream of the river when it rains with high intensity.
Self-Folding Rigid Origami Based on Auxetic Kirigami
Authors: Sempuku Kotaro , Tachi Tomohiro
Published: July 2022

Kirigami is a transformable system obtained by adding cuts on a sheet material and bending or folding the sheet. It is reported that when a tensile force is applied to a thin sheet with a slit pattern, three-dimensional corrugated surfaces are induced by the out-of-plane buckling. We
aim to apply buckling-induced kirigami to architectural- scale deployable structures by applying a rigid origami model, i. e., a kinematic model in which rigid bodies are connected by rotating hinges, to such kirigami systems. We propose a parametric family of kirigami structures where two
crease lines are added to kirigami connections. We show that the structures form one-DOF mechanisms by showing the kinematic equivalence to a degree-4 single vertex rigid origami. Also, we show that the structure within a specific parameter range can expand in two principal directions, and
thus macroscopically forms an auxetic (Poisson's ratio becomes negative) material through an analysis using singular value decomposition. Furthermore, we propose a family of auxetic cellular materials obtained by assembling these structures in multiple layers. Then, we show some results in
experiments on self-folding. Finally, we propose a method of using thick panels for this structure.
Kecanduan Smartphone dan Stres Akademik di Masa Pandemi : Sebuah Studi Potong Lintang
Authors: Sumiyarini Retno , Yuliyani Amini
Published: July 2022

ABSTRAK

Pendahuluan : Kecanduan smartphone merupakan perilaku terlalu lama menggunakannya tanpa melihat dampak negatif sehingga akan berpengaruh terhadap kesehatan. Kecanduan smarphone dipicu perubahan pembelajaran di masa pandemi yang mengharuskan mahasiswa banyak mengakses smartphone. Selain itu banyak mahasiswa yang merasakan stres karena ketidakmampuan adaptasi dengan situasi membuat mereka mencari pelampiasan, salah satunya adalah dengan bermain smartphone. Latar belakang tersebut mendorong penelitian ini yang bertujuan mengetahui hubungan kecanduan smartphone  dengan stres akademik di masa pandemi pada mahasiswa keperawatan Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Yogyakarta.

Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada bulan Februari-Juni 2022. Populasi dalam penelitian ini yaitu mahasiswa keperawatan Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Yogyakarta. Dengan responden sejumlah 96 orang. Instrumen yang digunakan yaitu smartphone addiction scale dan academic stress scale. Analisis data menggunakan univariat dan bivariat dengan uji Gamma.

Hasil dan pembahasan:  Mayoritas responden (69,8%) mahasiswa mengalami kecanduan smartphone pada level sedang dengan stress akademik yang terbanyak berada pada level sedang (70,8%). Selain itu, penelitian ini membuktikan bahwa stress akademik memiliki korelasi positif dengan kecanduan smartphone dengan nilai signifikasi P = 0,000

Kesimpulan: Stress akademik memiliki korelasi yang bermakna dengan kecanduan smartphone.

Kata Kunci: Kecanduan Smartphone, Stres Akademik.
STUDY OF EQUIPMENT FOR CONDUCTING SOIL COMPACTIONS FOR SMALL CONSTRUCTION OBJECTS
Authors: Vasyliev Oleksii , Yakovenko Andrii , Pustovit Yurii
Published: July 2022

Compaction of soils of different composition is widely used in all types of construction. To carry out these works, the domestic industry produces various types of machinery and equipment. The range of these tools is constantly expanding. Their capacity is also growing and their working bodies are improving. Under these conditions, the issue of increasing productivity, and quality of work is very important, which is possible only with the right choice of general structural schemes of machines and their parameters. One of the important parameters of the compaction process is the time factor or the ability to change the effect of vibration on the treated medium. Increasing the time of exposure of the working equipment to the material to be compacted, or the intensity of the action improves the conditions of formation of the structure of the rolling layer, and its greatest strength is achieved. When performing work on private plots of small area, compact road equipment, such as a mini-roller, has found wide application in the process of soil compaction, which involves work in a limited space. This paper proposes the design of such a technique, which is equipped with a mechanism for smooth change of force that excites vibration. To perform soil compaction operations for small objects, we have proposed to use an advanced manual vibrating roller with a step change of static torque and autonomous power supply from the battery, which is connected to the drive through the inventory. The change of static moment occurs due to the change of the angle of inclination from the centre of unbalance to the axis of rotation of the shaft. If it is necessary to arrange the foundations for laying various road and decorative coatings in individual construction, a vibrating roller is used, which not only has a compact design, but also does not require mandatory wide-amplitude manoeuvres for high-quality compaction of the material. Changing the static torque of the operator while driving allows you to quickly adjust to different types of soil, and battery operation allows you to stay out of power for a while, which gives an additional advantage, especially important when working on remote construction sites.
Tithonian-Hauterivian chronostratigraphy (latest Jurassic-Early Cretaceous), Mediterranean-Caucasian Subrealm and southern Andes: A stratigraphic experiment and Time Scale
Authors: Scott Robert W.
Published: July 2022

New radioisotopic dates of Tithonian-Hauterivian strata in the Neuquén Basin significantly recalibrate Early Cretaceous numerical ages. In order to evaluate the implications of these revised ages, a graphic correlation experiment of twenty-three Andean Tithonian to Hauterivian sections integrated the ranges of 254 species, sequence boundaries, polarity chrons, and radioisotopic ages that compose the ANDESCS DB. This database accurately reproduces the order of Andean ammonite zones and places them in a relative metric scale of a composite reference section. The ranges in the ANDESCS DB were correlated with the LOK2016 DB that comprises Tithonian-Albian ammonites, calpionellids, nannofossils, and polarity chrons in Mediterranean-Caucasian Subrealm stage reference sections. In 2017 these ranges were calibrated to GTS2016 mega-annums (MA). Although most Andean ammonoids were endemic to the Indo-Pacific Subrealm, nannofossils, calpionellids and polarity chrons were present in both areas. This stratigraphic experiment correlates base Berriasian as defined in France within the Substeueroceras koeneni Zone. In Andean sections this boundary is correlated with the Crassicolaria/Calpionella zone boundary dated at about 141 Ma. The base of the Valanginian defined by Calpionellites darderi correlates with the Neocomites wichmanni Zone of the Neuquén Basin (NB) recalibrated at 139.50 Ma, which is confirmed by multiple dates in Argentina, Mexico, Tibet, and elsewhere. The base Hauterivian correlates with base of Holcoptychites neuquensis Zone in the NB recalibrated at 131 Ma. Top of Hauterivian is in the Sabaudiella riverorum Zone in the NB and is dated at 127 Ma below an unconformity. Previous cyclostratigraphic astrochronologic cycles are averaged and calibrate the duration of the Tithonian at 5.67 myr, the Berriasian at 5.27 myr, the Valanginian at 5.30 myr, and the Hauterivian at 5.60 myr. The age of each stage is recalibrated by adding revised durations to the most common age of base Valanginian of 139.5 Ma. These ages revise the Berriasian to Hauterivian stages time scale, and the ages of stage boundaries are on average 2.8 myr longer than proposed by the new Neuquén Basin radioisotopic dates.
Curcumin ameliorate cortical histomorphological deficits in Streptozocin and western diet induced neurodegeneration in Wistar Rats
Authors: Mohammed Abdullahi Abiodun , Akinola Oluwole Busayo
Published: August 2022

We employed a rodent model to typify histomorphological changes connected to dementia-like symptoms and co-morbid insulin resistance; we examined neuronal density and morphological changes in the neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC); evaluated amyloid beta (Aβ) deposits and probed the association between phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), serine/threonin protein kinase (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) activity and oral curcumin regimen. 36 adult Wistar rats were randomized into six groups (n=6) and treated with: (olive oil) control group; (curcumin) for positive control; High Fat Diet (HFD) and three doses of Streptozotocin (STZ) for diabetic; (HFD, three doses of STZ and concurrent curcumin) preventive; (pre-treatment with curcumin, followed by HFD and three doses of STZ) protective group; (HFD, three doses of STZ followed by curcumin) for therapeutic group. Cortical sections were stained for histological and histochemical investigations. ELISA was used for quantifying PI3K, AKT and GSK3β activity. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey’s post hoc test. p<0.05 was considered significant. Findings indicate that oral curcumin significantly reduced blood glucose and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was associated with cyto-architectural deficits observed in the PFC, while curcuminn ameliorated observed changes; furthermore, Oral curcumin reduced Aβ deposits in the PFC of the model. The impaired activity of PI3K, AKT and GSK-3β of the model was ameliorated by oral curcumin. The study concluded that oral curcumin showed ameliorative potentials on the PFC of adult male Wistar rats against neuronal death associated with dementia and insulin resistance.
Distribution of Pfmdr 1 and Kelch 13 Genes among the Children 5 Years and Below Attending a Secondary Health Facility in Akure, South-West, Nigeria.
Authors: AFOLABI OLAJIDE JOSEPH , Oluwafemi Olubanke Rosena , Oniya Mobolanle Oladipo
Published: August 2022

Background: Malaria parasite resistant has been a major barrier to effective treatment of malaria. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the distribution of P. falciparum resistant kelch protein gene on chromosome 13 (Kelch 13) and multidrug resistant (Pfmdr1) mutant genes among children aged five years and below who attended Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Nigeria. Methods: Thin and thick smears were prepared from the blood collected aseptically through venepuncture from five hundred (500) children. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain demographic data from the respondents. Two hundred malaria positive samples were randomly selected from the 500 samples for PCR analysis to detect Pfmdr1 and Kelch 13 mutant genes. Results: The results showed that of the 500 respondents, 288 (57.6%) were males while 212 (42.4%) were females. Pfmdr1distribution include: mixed group (mutant/wild) 38.5%, mutant gene 35.5%, wild gene 20.5% and the resistant genes were absent in 5.5% of the infected children. The mixed group of Pfmdr1 gene was higher among infants (51.9%), children with birth order 4 (60.0%) and children that have blood group B (51.3%), however, there is no significant difference in the distribution of Pfmdr1 between gender (χ2 = 0.634, df = 1, p>0.05). There was a point mutation in the codon position 557 where the amino acid Alanine was replaced by Serine in the PfK13.Conclusions: The presence of Pfmdr1 mutant genes and point mutation in the PfK13 gene of P. falciparum among children, calls for development of innovative drugs targeted on these resistant strains.
An Augmented Reality Assistance System to See-Through Vehicle Components
Authors: Poschke Alexander , Jütte Lukas , Küster Benjamin , Overmeyer Ludger
Published: July 2022

Limited visibility during the operation of forklifts is one of the most significant sources of danger in in-plant material handling. Existing systems record concealed areas via cameras and display them directly on monitors in the driver's cab. Augmented reality (AR) allows to display information directly in the driver's field of view (FoV). Concealed areas could thus be overlaid with the camera images, while nothing is displayed in areas with a clear view, allowing the real environment to be perceived. This research aims to demonstrate the suitability of AR as an assistance system for forklifts. The assistance system combines various sensors for pose determination, RGB-D cameras for environment recording and a head-mounted display (HMD) for visualization. We define requirements from a safety perspective and classify our system with respect to these requirements. The results show the suitability of AR technology as a driver assistance system. At the same time, they show challenges in accuracy and latency.
Multi-perspective comparison of the immune microenvironment of primary colorectal cancer and liver metastases
Authors: He Yangsong , Li Danxiu , Fan A-hui , Wang Boda , Ji Kun , Wang Xin , Zhao Xiaodi , Lu Yuanyuan
Published: August 2022

Background Liver metastases are a major contributor to the poor immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer patients. However, the distinctions in the immune microenvironment between primary tumors and liver metastases are poorly characterized. The goal of this study was to compare the expression profile of multiple immune cells to further analyze the similarities and differences between the microenvironments of liver metastases and the primary tumor. Methods Tissues from 17 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent resection of primary and liver metastases was analyzed using multispectral immunofluorescence. The expression of multiple immune cells (CD8, Foxp3, CD68, CD163, CD20, CD11c, CD66b, CD56, PD-L1, INF-γ, Ki67 and VEGFR-2) in the tumor center (TC), tumor invasive front (<150 µm from the tumor center, TF) and peritumoral region (≥150 µm from the tumor center, PT) was evaluated via comparison. The expression of CD68 and CD163 in different regions was further analyzed based on the cell colocalization method. In addition, different immune phenotypes were studied and compared according to the degree of CD8 infiltration.Results The expression trends of 12 markers in the TF and TC regions were basically the same in the primary tumor and liver metastasis lesions. However, in comparison of the TF and PT regions, the expression trends were not identical between primary and liver metastases, especially CD163, which was more highly expressed in the PT region relative to the TF region. In the contrast of different space distribution, the expression of CD163 was higher in liver metastases than in the primary foci. Further analysis of CD68 and CD163 via colocalization revealed that the distribution of macrophages in liver metastases was significantly different from that in the primary foci, with CD68-CD163+ macrophages predominating in liver metastases. In addition, among the three immunophenotypes, CD163 expression was highest in the immune rejection phenotype. Conclusions The immune cells found in the primary tumors of colorectal cancer differed from those in liver metastases in terms of their spatial distribution. More immunosuppressive cells were present in the liver metastases, with the most pronounced differential distribution found for macrophages. CD68-CD163+ macrophages may be associated with intrahepatic immunosuppression and weak immunotherapeutic effects.
Bioactivity and mechanical properties characterization of bioactive glass incorporated with graphene oxide
Authors: El-khooly M. S. , Abdraboh A. S. , Baker A. M. , Ereiba KH. T.
Published: August 2022

In this study, the bioactivity and the mechanical properties (Mechanical compressive stresses, Hardness, and density) of bioglass (BG) and bioglass/graphene oxide (BG/GO) were investigated. Bioglass in chemical composition [60SiO2_35CaO_5P2O5] was prepared via the sol-gel method. GO was added to the bioglass (BG) with different contents (0.5, 1, 2, and 3) wt.% named as 0.5%GO, 1%GO, 2%GO, and 3%GO samples respectively. The synthesized specimens were characterized by several techniques (FT-IR, XRD, and SEM). Compressive stresses, Hardness, and density were studied also by different techniques to obtain the optimum Mechanical samples. The biological activity was studied by an in-vitro test in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 33 days. Results showed that: the 0.5%GO sample exhibited optimum mechanical compressive strength by approximately 82% compared to the BG sample. Hardness was increased from 0.5%GO sample up to 1%GO sample compared to BG sample and gradually decreased in 2%GO Sample and 3%GO. Bioactivity results showed deposition of HA layer on the bioglass surface and there was no significant change in it with the addition of graphene oxide.
Research on the impact resistance of periodic multilayer helical bionic structure based on osteon microstructure
Authors: Liu Yuxi , Li Aihua , Li Yanhua , Chen Song
Published: August 2022

It is found that the osteon is composed of thin and thick lamellae which are periodic and approximately concentric, every 5 lamellae is a cycle, the periodic helix angle of mineralized collagen fibers in two adjacent sub-lamellae is 30°. Four bionic composite models with different fiber helix angles were established and fabricated according to the microstructure of mineralized collagen fibers in osteon. Based on the impact analysis of four kinds of bionic composite models, the effects of the fiber periodic spiral structure on the impact resistance and energy dissipation of multi-layer bionic composite were investigated. The analysis results show that the fiber helix angle affects the impact damage resistance and energy dissipation of multi-layer fiber reinforced composites. Among the four kinds of multi-layer composite models, the composite model with helix angle of 30° has better comprehensive ability to resist impact damage. The test results show that the impact damage area of the specimen with 30° helix angle is smallest among the four types of bionic specimens, which is consistent with the results of finite element impact analysis. Furthermore, in the case of without impact damage, the smaller the fiber helix angle is, the more uniform the stress distribution is and more energy is dissipated in the impact process. The periodic spiral structure of mineralized collagen fibers in osteon are the result of natural selection of biological evolution. This structure can effectively improve the ability of cortical bone to resist external impact. The research results can provide useful guidance for the design and manufacture of high-performance and strong impact resistant bionic composites.
The construction of ceRNA prognostic regulatory network for ESCA by weighted gene co-expression network analysis and tumor-infiltrating immune cell analysis
Authors: Pang Feng , Bu Su , Liu Chunlai , Mei Yunqing , Zhou Dongsheng , Zhou Lei , Li Qingchuan
Published: July 2022

Esophageal cancer (ESCA) is the most common and aggressive tumor worldwide, and the long-term survival of ESCA patients remains poor. The competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) hypothesis has been mostly applied in the study of molecular biological mechanisms of cancer occurrence and progression. However, studies on comprehensive analysis of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA prognostic regulatory network of ESCA based on high-throughput sequencing and the large-scale sample size is limited. Here, the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs were retrieved from both 555 Esophagus Mucosa (GTEx) as normal and 162 ESCA samples (TCGA). We applied the limma and edgeR packages to identify differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs. We also applied the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify differentially expressed pattern of mRNAs and lncRNAs. Then we further used MiRcode, starBase, miRTarBase, miRDB, and TargetScan to predict interactions between lncRNAs, miRNAs, and target mRNAs. Importantly, the 275 overlapped genes were analyzed by univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazard regression, and we set up a survival model for 5-year OS with 8 genes (SH3BP4+RUNX3+IGF2+COX20+TIAM2+BCAT1+NME2+HOXC8), of which the AUC was only 0.853 at 5th year. Finally, we constructed a ceRNA network including 99 lncRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 6 mRNAs through these 8 genes. Consequently, these 6 hub genes might act as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of ESCA. Furthermore, BCAT1 may be involved in regulating immune cell infiltration and macrophage polarization, Ultimately, We verified that the expression of BCAT1 was significantly increased in Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues, and its expression was correlated with DFS, which may provide new treatment strategies for ESCA.
Akebia saponin D acts via the PPAR-gamma pathway to reprogramme a pro-neurogenic microglia that can restore hippocampal neurogenesis in mice exposed to chronic mild stress
Authors: Zhang Jinqiang , Liu Qin , Su Dapeng , Li Liangyuan , Xiao Chenghong , Jiang Weike , You Zili , Zhou Tao
Published: August 2022

Using drugs to modulate microglial function may be an effective way to treat disorders such as depression that involve impaired neurogenesis. Akebia saponin D (ASD) can cross the blood-brain barrier and exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, so we wondered whether it might influence adult hippocampal neurogenesis to treat depression. We exposed C57BL/6 male mice to chronic mild stress (CMS) as a model of depressive-like behaviors, then gave them ASD (40 mg/kg) intraperitoneally once daily for 3 weeks. We investigated the effects of ASD on microglial phenotype, hippocampal neurogenesis, and animal behavior. We found that CMS upregulated pro-inflammatory factors and downregulated anti-inflammatory factors in dentate gyrus of mice, while decreasing sucrose preference and prolonging immobility time in the forced swimming test. CMS also inhibited hippocampal neurogenesis. ASD treatment induced Arg-1+ microglia and increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the dentate gyrus of CMS mice, and partially reversed all these stress effects. Conditioned medium from microglia treated with ASD and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strongly increased levels of phospho-TrkB in neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs), while promoting their proliferation, survival and neuronal differentiation. An antagonist of TrkB blocked the pro-neurogenic, anti-depressant effects of ASD. Furthermore, ASD activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) in dentate gyrus of CMS mice as well as in primary microglial cultures treated with LPS. Blocking the PPAR-γ using GW9962 suppressed the ASD-reprogrammed Arg-1+ microglia and BDNF expression in dentate gyrus of CMS mice. Such blockade abolished the promoted effects of ASD-treated microglia on NSPC proliferation, survival and neurogenesis. The pro-neurogenic and anti-depressant effects of ASD were blocked by GW9962. These results suggested that ASD acts via the PPAR-γ pathway to induce a pro-neurogenic microglia in dentate gyrus of CMS mice that can increase BDNF expression and promote NSPC proliferation, survival, and neurogenesis. Our results justify further studies of ASD as a potential treatment for depression and may inspire new lines of research targeting the PPAR-γ pathway in disorders involving impaired neurogegammnesis.
A detailed description of the distress trajectory from pre to post treatment in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Lacourt Tamara , Koncz Zsuzsa , Tullos Emily A , Tripathy Debu
Published: July 2022

Purpose: To characterize the distress trajectory in patients with newly diagnosed, non-metastatic breast cancer from pre-neoadjuvant chemotherapy until 12 months after onset of treatment and to identify demographic and clinical predictors of distress in these patients. Methods: In a retrospective, longitudinal study, chart review data were abstracted for 252 eligible patients treated at a comprehensive cancer care center. The center screens for distress at least monthly with the Distress Thermometer; the highest distress score per month was included in the analyses. The growth trajectory was established using mixed modeling and predictors were added to the initial growth model in subsequent models. Results: Distress showed a cubic growth trajectory with highest distress prior to treatment onset followed by a steep decline in the first three months of treatment. A slight increase in distress was apparent over months 6-10. Being Hispanic was associated with a stronger increase in distress in the second half of the year (p=0.012). NACT was associated with lower distress and surgery with higher distress (both: p<0.001). Conclusions: Distress is at its peak prior to treatment onset and rapidly decreases once treatment has started. Oncologist should be aware that both completion of NACT and undergoing surgery are associated with increases in distress and Hispanic patients may be more at risk for an increase in distress at these times; this suggests that careful monitoring of distress during the treatment trajectory and in Hispanic patients in particular in order to provide timely support.
Assessment of Sex Bias in Housekeeping Gene Expression in Adipose Tissue Through the Massive Analysis of Transcriptomics Data
Authors: Guaita-Cespedes Maria , Grillo-Risco Rubén , Hidalgo Marta R. , Fernández-Veledo Sonia , Burks Deborah J. , Iglesia-Vayá María de la , Galán Amparo , Garcia-Garcia Francisco
Published: July 2022

Background: As the housekeeping genes generally involved in maintaining essential cell functions are typically assumed to exhibit constant expression levels across cell types, they are commonly employed as internal controls in gene expression studies. Nevertheless, multiple studies indicate that not all housekeeping genes display stable expression across cells and tissues and under various healthy and diseased conditions, which can introduce systematic errors into experimental results. The selection and validation of housekeeping genes as controls for each studied condition represent crucial steps in ensuring the validity of obtained results; however, up till now, sex has not been typically considered as a biological variable.Methods: In this study, we evaluate the expression profiles of six classical housekeeping genes (four metabolic: GAPDH, HPRT, PPIA, and UBC, and two ribosomal: 18S and RPL19) to determine expression stability in adipose tissues of Homo sapiens and Mus musculus and check sex bias and their overall suitability as internal controls. We also assess the stabile expression of genes included in distinct whole-transcriptome microarrays available from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify sex-unbiased housekeeping genes suitable for use as internal controls. We perform a novel computational strategy based on meta-analysis techniques to describe any sexual dimorphisms in mRNA expression stability.Results: Just above half of the considered studies informed properly about the sex of the samples. Found differences in the HKG expression stability in humans between female and male samples, with females presenting greater instability. The extensively used 18S gene displays sex-based variability in adipose tissue, although PPIA and RPL19 do not, and hence, represent robust housekeeping genes. All results generated during this study are readily available by accessing an open web resource (https://bioinfo.cipf.es/metafun-HKG) for consultation and reuse in further studies.Conclusions: This sex-based analysis proves that certain classical housekeeping genes fail to function adequately as controls when analyzing human adipose tissue considering sex as a variable. We confirm RPL19 and PPIA suitability as sex-unbiased human and mouse housekeeping genes derived from sex-specific expression profiles, and propose new ones such as RPS8 and UBB.
Aspirin use and risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A large case-control study
Authors: Sanat Zahra Momayez , Masoudi Sahar , Tabaeian Seidamir Pasha , Shorani Maryam Jameh , Soruri Majid , Pourshams Akram
Published: July 2022

Background
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 5%. The incidence and mortality rates of PDAC are increasing, and the results of medical treatments remain unsatisfactory. Some conflicting evidence suggests that aspirin intake may reduce the risk of PDAC. This study aimed to evaluate the association between regular low-dose aspirin use (80-mg aspirin tablets, 5–7 tablets/week) and the risk of PDAC.
Methods
This prospective, hospital-based, case-control study was performed on 470 PDAC patients (case group) and 526 controls, who were matched in terms of sex and age, in Tehran, Iran from 2011 to 2018. The participants were interviewed regarding the patterns of aspirin use. Data are expressed as mean ± SD or frequency and percentage as appropriate. Differences in frequency between the case and control groups were evaluated based on the analysis of the contingency table (χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test). The propensity score models were designed to calculate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for PDAC with respect to aspirin use, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, opium use, diabetes mellitus, place of residence, and family history of cancer in first-degree relatives.
Results
About 60% of PDAC patients were male in this study. Nearly 30% of PDAC patients had a family history of cancer in one of their first-degree relatives, 26% were smokers, 16% were opium users, and 15% had a history of diabetes. Aspirin was used by 22.5% of PDAC patients and 18.06% of the controls. Aspirin use (OR: 1.037, 95% CI: 0.95–1.12) was not associated with PDAC. A possible reduction in the risk of PDAC was reported in individuals who used aspirin for more than 10 years (OR: 0.927, 95% CI: 0.86–0.99).
Conclusion
Overall, aspirin use was not associated with a reduced risk of PDAC. Based on the results, long-term aspirin use may play a role in PDAC prevention.
Bioinformatic analysis of ferroptosis-related genes and immune cell infiltration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: zhang huan , Axinbai Malina , Zhao Yuqing , Wei Jiaoyang , Qu Tongshuo , Kong Jinmin , He Yongqiang , Zhang Liping
Published: August 2022

Background
The morbidity and mortality rates for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been steadily increasing in recent years. Studies have shown that ferroptosis plays a significant role in the development of NAFLD, but the exact mechanism has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to identify and validate the potential ferroptosis-related genes involved in NAFLD development and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of the disease.
Methods
We downloaded microarray datasets GSE72756 and GSE24807 at the Gene Expression Comprehensive Database to identify deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) between samples from NAFLD and healthy individuals. Among these DEGs, we extracted DEGs related to ferroptosis. Another microarray dataset, GSE89632, was used to validate the ferroptosis-related gene expression. In addition, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of ferroptosis-related genes was developed utilizing the STRING online tool. The target genes were also analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Finally, competing endogenous RNA networks were constructed, and the CIBERSORT package was used to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells in NAFLD.
Results
We identified that five ferroptosis-related genes (SCP2, MUC1, DPP4, SLC1A4, and TF) could be promising diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD. According to the GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, these ferroptosis-related genes are mainly involved in the metabolic process.NEAT1-miR-1224-5p-SCP2, NEAT1-miR-485-5p-MUC1, MALAT1-miR-485-5p-MUC1, and CNOT6-miR-145-5p-SLC1A4 are likely to be potential RNA regulatory pathways affecting the development of NAFLD. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that immune cell infiltration was significantly different between the two tissues.
Conclusions
This work identified five ferroptosis-related genes as potential biomarkers for diagnosing NAFLD. The revealed correlations between the expression levels of these genes and immune cell infiltration might shed light on the study of the molecular mechanism underlying the disease.
Dysregulation of PLOD2 promotes tumor metastasis and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Li Keren , Niu Yi , Li Kai , Zhong Chengrui , Qiu Zhiyu , Yuan Yichuan , Shi Yunxing , Lin Zhu , Huang Zhenkun , Zuo Dinglan , Yuan Yunfei , Li Binkui
Published: August 2022

Background: Metastasis is a major factor associated with high recurrence and mortality in hepatocellular carcinoma patients while the underlying mechanism of metastasis remains elusive. In our study, PLOD2 was shown to be involved in the process of metastasis in HCC. Methods: TCGA database and HCC tissue microarrays were used to evaluate the expression of genes. In vitro migration, invasion, in vivo subcutaneous tumor model and in vivo lung metastasis assays were used to determine the role of PLOD2 in tumor growth and metastasis in HCC. RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis were performed to uncover the downstream factor of PLOD2 in HCC cells. A luciferase reporter assay was performed to evaluate the interaction between PLOD2 and IRF5.Results: The expression of PLOD2 in HCC tissues was higher than that in adjacent tissues, and increased PLOD2 expression was often found in advanced tumors and was correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In vitro experiments, knockdown of PLOD2 reduced the migration and invasion of human HCC cells. Loss of PLOD2 suppressed human HCC growth and metastasis in a subcutaneous tumor model and a lung metastasis model. BIRC3 was proven to be the downstream factor of PLOD2 in human HCC cells. In addition, PLOD2 was transcriptionally regulated by IRF5 in HCC cells. Conclusion: High expression of PLOD2 was regulated by IRF5, which was correlated with the poor survival of HCC patients. PLOD2 enhanced HCC metastasis via BIRC3, suggesting that PLOD2 might be a valuable prognostic biomarker for HCC treatment.
Microbiological characteristics of bread dough and nutritional quality of “ Tabnen-naow ”, ethnic artisan bread in Burkina Faso
Authors: TAPSOBA François , OUEDRAOGO Nicolas , KAGAMBEGA Boureima , OUEDRAOGO Ali , ZONGO Oumarou , NIKIEMA Fulbert , SAVADOGO Aly
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological characteristics of bread dough and nutritional quality of “Tabnen-naow”, an ethnic artisan bread larged consumed in Burkina Faso. Originate from Boussé, this bread is spreading to the outskirts of Ouagadougou for several reasons such as the increase in the price of industrial bread and especially the supposed low glycemic index of artisanal bread. For purpose, Surveys were conducted among artisan bakers on 5 artisan bread production units in Ouagadougou using survey forms in order to take out the production diagram. The microbiological characteristics of bread dough were evaluated using microbiology standard methods. Lastly, nutritional quality of ethnic artisan bread was determined usind standard techniques. All The bakers were male, between 22 and 34 years old with an average age of 27.8 ± 5.1 years. They all used wheat flour mainly (80%) from the Grand Moulin du Faso (GMF). The baker's dough fermentation used dry or lyophilized yeasts and were carried out at ambient temperature. The interest microorganisms (yeasts, lactic acid bacteria) were present in all the samples of bread dough. The yeast (2.5 108 CFU/g) and lactic acid bacteria were abundant in yeast (2.5 108 CFU/g) apart from the one bread dough which had a low lactic acid bacterial load. The ethnic artisan bread contains carbohydrates (88.20-89.05%), proteins (9.60–10.60%) and minerals such as iron (11.56 to 89.27 mg / kg), calcium (00.00-290.03 mg / kg and zinc (69.18 ± 36.74 to 389.10 ± 32.89 mg / kg). The nutritional composition showed that ethnic artisan bread can contribute significantly to the nutritional diet and food security.
Generalized Properties of Generalized Fuzzy sets GFScom and Its Application
Authors: Zhang Shengli , Chen Jing
Published: August 2022

We further continually develop the theory of a generalized fuzzy set with contradictory, opposite and medium negation (GFScom) . The generalized properties (including convexity and concavity) of GFScom are discussed. By introducing GFScom to Mamdani fuzzy systems, we propose new constructive approaches from any (infinite) input-output data pairs to approximate any continuous function on a compact set to a desired degree of accuracy, and investigate the approximation error bounds for the classes of the constructed fuzzy systems. Furthermore, the new better sufficient conditions for this class of fuzzy systems to be universal approximators are provided. For Mamdani fuzzy systems, the novel conditions require a smaller number of known fuzzy sets than all previously published classical conditions. Finally, we illustrate several cases and compare the new results to published error bounds through numerical cases.
An emerging disease on young apple trees associated with crown and collar canker and necrosis caused by Cytospora balanejica sp. nov. in Iran
Authors: Azizi Razmig , Ghosta Youbert , Ahmadpour Abdollah
Published: August 2022

Apple is the most important fruit tree in West Azarbaijan province of Iran. However, a disease with crown and collar canker and necrosis was observed in three young apple orchards in Urmia, affected 15% and 1% of ‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ cultivars, respectively. A fungus with typical characteristics of the asexual morph of Cytospora was regularly isolated from the diseased tissues. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis inferred from the combined dataset of the ITS–rDNA, parts of LSU, tef1-α, rpb2 and act1 genes revealed that the isolates represent a new species of Cytospora, described herein as Cytospora balanejica sp. nov.. Pathogenicity of all isolates was confirmed on the cv. ‘Red Delicious’ based on Koch’s postulates. Also, the reaction of 12 apple cultivars was assessed against five selected isolates with higher virulence. Results showed that except cv. ‘Braeburn’ which did not produce any symptoms of infection, the other 11 cultivars showed characteristic symptoms including sunken and discolored bark and wood. The mean length of discolored area was different among the 11 so-called susceptible cultivars, hence cvs. ‘M4’ and ‘Golden delicious’ had the highest and the lowest lesion length, respectively. Moreover, the aggressiveness of five tested isolates was varied and the isolates BA 2–4 and BA 3–1 had the highest and lowest aggressiveness, respectively. Based on our observations on the potential ability of the fungus in causing the disease on young and actively growing apple trees, it will be a serious threat to apple cultivation and industry.
Inspection of defects in friction stir welded Al -7075 alloy using computer tomography
Authors: Delgado-Pamanes Miguel , Santana Carlos , Flores-Pinedo Rafael , Cabriales Roberto , Zambrano-Robledo Patricia , Reyes-Osorio Luis A.
Published: July 2022

The identification of defects is of great interest in the high-quality manufacturing of advance materials. The evaluation of tunnel defects in Al-7075 sheets processed by friction stir welding (FSW) using computed tomography (CT) and finite element method is explored in this work. The effect of axial force and temperature generated during the FSW was assessed. Four rotary speeds were evaluated (1600, 1700,1800 and 1900 rpm), each at two different welding speeds (15 and 30 mm/min). These joints are CT-scanned reconstructing the voxels from the X-Ray images. NEO insights software is used for measurement and evaluation of the voxel data from sectioned zones within the welded joints. It was selected a voxel size of 46 mm, a spot size of 59 mm and a magnification of 4.35 using a Cu filter of 0.5mm. The distance from the x-axis of the X-Ray source was 300 mm. The conditions are observed to differ between each welded joint. The 3D images of the welds showed the forms, places, and levels of the detected defects. The tunnel defects were detected at 2 mm form the bottom edge of the weld plates, and the tendency for the defects were reduce for 1900 rpm based on CT scans. The numerical results of FSW revealed that with higher rotational speed, the heat generated, and strain were increased, while the stress was lowered for higher welding speeds. The coupling of CT and numerical results provide an in-depth understanding of material flow and defect formation during friction process.