bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Acidity Study of Na-ZSM-5 Zeolite
Authors: Mikhailov S. , Monzharenko M. , Brovko R. , Doluda V.
Published: September 2022

Zeolites are a special class of structured aluminosilicates with a developed inner surface and a large number of micropores, which allows them to be used as sorbents, membrane materials, and catalysts. Zeolite ZSM-5 is an aluminosilicate formed by parallel channels with a diameter of 5.3–5.6Å interconnected by sinusoidal channels with a diameter of 5.1–5.5Å. At the same time, the presence of aluminum atoms in the zeolite crystal lattice makes it possible to carry out dehydrogenation, esterification, isomerization, and aromatization reactions, and the presence of microchannels significantly increases the number of collisions of reacting compounds, which leads to a significant increase in the rate of chemical transformations in such systems. The synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite using structure-directing agents has been known since the late 70s of the last centuries, while the high cost of structure-directing agents used and the long duration of hydrothermal synthesis and the need for subsequent post-synthetic procedures lead to a high cost of the resulting zeolite. One of the possible ways to reduce the cost of the synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite is the direct use of ZSM-5 zeolite as a structure-forming agent, while the synthesis conditions play a decisive role in the structure of the resulting zeolite. The article presents the results of a study of the synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite and a study of its acidic properties using locally produced reagents. Zeolite was prepared using pre-milled silica gel, sodium hydroxide, and sodium aluminate. The pre-weighed silica gel sample was filled with sodium hydroxide solution and stirred at 70 ℃ to form a colloidal solution, after which the pre-prepared sodium aluminate solution was added, and hydrothermal synthesis was carried out at 180 ℃ for 24 hours. During the synthesis, the Si/Al ratio was varied in the range from 7.5 to 2000, while the resulting acidity ranged from 0.002 to 0.265 mmol(NH3)/g(ZSM-5). It was found that the synthesis of ZSM-5 using pre-prepared reagent solutions is superior to the method using direct dissolution of solid reagents in an autoclave. An increase in the Si/Al ratio from 7.5 to 100 leads to a corresponding increase in surface acidity from 0.066 mmol(NH3)/g(ZSM-5) to 0.265 mmol(NH3)/g(ZSM-5). A further increase in the Si/Al ratio to 2000 leads to a decrease in surface acidity to 0.002–0.005 mmol(NH3)/g(ZSM-5). A reliable and simple method for the synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite has been developed, providing a zeolite yield of up to 97%.
Phytoplankton and water quality of some tributaries of the Ob River
Authors: Barsukova Natalia N. , Bazhenova Olga P. , Kolesnichenko Larisa G.
Published: September 2022

Based on the materials of studies of phytoplankton of the tributaries of the Ob (Tom’, Ket’, Vasyugan) in the summer of 2019, the species composition, taxonomic structure, abundance and biomass of phytoplankton were established, the water quality class and trophic status were determined. The basis of the species richness of phytoplankton in the tributaries is created by green algae (Chlorophyta), the parameters of alpha diversity indicate the average complexity of the structure of phytoplanktocenosis. In terms of phytoplankton biomass, the trophic status of the rivers varied from mesotrophic to eutrophic category, the water quality class corresponded to class 3 “satisfactory purity”.
Diversity of algae and cyanobacteria on the ecological altitudinal profile from mountain forest to tundra (Northern Urals)
Authors: Novakovskaya Irina V. , Patova Elena N. , Dubrovskiy Yuri A. , Novakovskiy Alexander B.
Published: September 2022

We studied the species richness of cyanobacteria and algae of biological soil crusts on bare substrates in different mountain vegetation types at the Northern Urals. The diversity and structure of BSC algal communities showed a relationship with environmental factors (altitude, soil pH and humidity, and illumination). The dominant complex of cyanobacteria and algal species in BSC was specific for each type of plant community. The species diversity and morphological organization of the BSC algae thalli can be used as indicators for assessing possible transformation of the structure of plant communities under climatic changes in mountainous areas.
An archive of the published photographs of diatoms
Authors: Lyakh Anton M.
Published: September 2022

An information system designed for the remote work with digital images of diatoms is described in the paper. Photographs of diatoms published in scientific articles were used as data. During taxonomic identification, hydrobiologists often refer to such publications to compare the studied organism with the typical representatives of genera or species. The created information system “Arkhip” (3d-microalgae.org/arxip) allows to index and consolidate the information about the published photos in a single database, which will help to speed up the identification of diatom species.
Conventional to Comfortable or Respectable to Practical: The Evolution of Women’s Golf Clothing in Britain, 1890–1935
Authors: Skillen Fiona , Beatty Lauren
Published: September 2022

The emergence of sports-specific clothing during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries has been explored by academics, yet with only a few exceptions which focus on sports such as swimming, riding and tennis, little has been written about the development of sportswear for women in Britain in this period. 1 Similarly, there has been little in the way of consideration given to the growth and development of women’s golf during this time. Yet, both are areas of considerable change and worthy of detailed study. In this article we will trace the developments of golf clothing for women from the early days of the formalized game in the late nineteenth century until the end of the inter-war period. In doing so we seek to highlight that golf fashions, like those in other sporting arenas, mirrored the changing expectations of female players whilst also reflecting the societal expectations of women of the period. We will discuss the everyday clothing worn by the pioneers of the game and the modifications they made to their garments in order allow them to play effectively. We will also explore the growth of specialist sports clothing developed specifically for golf and the ways in which these sports clothes were marketed and ultimately became fashionable modes of attire beyond the golf course by the end of the inter-war period.
Relación de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, con el nivel de actividad física y autopercepción de la condición física en adolescentes peruanos
Authors: Palacios Cartagena Roxana Paola , Pastor Cisneros Raquel , Mendoza Muñoz María , Adsuar Sala Jose Carmelo
Published: September 2022

La calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en los adolescentes es de vital importancia para su desarrollo integral, tanto a nivel fisiológico, psicológico como social. En este sentido, se debe prestar especial atención a los adolescentes, para que no les afecte posteriormente. El objetivo principal de este artículo es analizar la relación entre la percepción de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, nivel de actividad física y autopercepción de la condición física en adolescentes peruanos.Métodos: la muestra está compuesta por un total de 1229 estudiantes con edades comprendidas entre los 12 y los 17. El tipo de estudio fue descriptivo-comparativo. Todas las medidas utilizadas se obtuvieron mediante instrumentos auto-administrados como el Child Health Utility – 9 D (CHU9D), el EQ-5D-Y, el Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) y el International Fitness Scale (IFIS)Resultados:  en cuanto a la actividad física los resultados muestran que los varones (0.887) obtienen valores más elevados que las mujeres (0.867) mediante el instrumento CHU9D. De igual manera en el EQ5D-Y los chicos (0.899) también muestran valores superiores a las chicas (0.881). Así mismo observamos en el PAQ-A que los chicos (2.41) vuelven a indicar valores altos a diferencia de las chicas (2.27) Y en cuanto al IFIS, los chicos obtuvieron valores superiores en casi todos los ítems con excepción en la flexibilidad.Conclusiones: Se concluye que existe una relación directa entre la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y los niveles de actividad física
Sergey I. Achkasov. 60 years
Authors: Editorial Article
Published: September 2022

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Late results of surgery for incomplete internal fistula-in-ano
Authors: Kuzminov A. M. , Vyshegorodtsev D. V. , Korolik V. Yu. , Chernozhukova M. O. , Fomenko O. Yu.
Published: September 2022

AIM: to assess late results of surgery for incomplete internal anal fistulas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: the prospective cohort study included 156 patients with in complete internal anal fistulas in 2014-2017.

RESULTS: complete efficacy of the treatment was obtained in 132/147 (89.8%) patients, 106/117 (90.6%) revealed no anal incontinence (AI). Recurrence developed in 15/147 (10.2%) cases and 11/147 (7.5%) — anal incontinence. Newly developed incontinence was revealed in 7/117 (6.0%) patients: 6/117 (5.1%) had mild AI and 1/117 (0.9%) — moderate. The increase of AI degree showed 4/30 (13.3%) patients.

CONCLUSION: a differentiated approach to anal fistulas surgery made it possible to minimize risk of incontinence and recurrence.
Palliative primary tumor resection in minimally symptomatic patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous unresectable metastases: when is it necessary? (systematic review)
Authors: Alimova Iu. V. , Shelygin Yu. A. , Rybakov E. G.
Published: September 2022

AIM: to determine if there is an improvement in overall survival of palliative primary tumor resection (PTR) followed by chemotherapy in minimally symptomatic patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous unresectable metastases compared to those of upfront chemotherapy/radiotherapy (chemo/RT) alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: a systematic review based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were done on PubMed and Cochrane database.

RESULTS: eighteen non-randomized studies were identified, including a total of 2995 patients (1734 PTR and 1261 chemo/RT). Age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) staging of patients in the two groups were comparable in 12 studies and had significant differences in 4 studies. Median survival in the two groups was comparable in 13 studies (1460 patients: 787 PTR и 673 chemo/RT) and was significantly higher in PTR group in 5 studies (1535 patients: 947 PTR и588 chemo/RT). The rate of surgical intervention due to complications was 0-5.1% in PTR group and 4.4-48.1% in chemo/RT group in 17 studies. Thirty-day mortality was 0-4.8% in PTR group and 0-14% in chemo/RT group in 17 studies. One study had a high 30-day mortality rate in both groups (29.4% PTR и 19.3% chemo/RT, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: the question remains whether palliative primary tumor resection could improve overall survival of minimally symptomatic patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous unresectable metastases. However, the recent data showed that patients who underwent PTR could gain a cancer-specific survival benefit. This conclusion based on the results of nonrandomized comparative studies and data from early terminated RCTs. Further well-designed RCTs are required to reach definitive conclusions.
Airway remodeling: The Drosophila model permits a purely epithelial perspective
Authors: Ehrhardt Birte , El-Merhie Natalia , Kovacevic Draginja , Schramm Juliana , Bossen Judith , Roeder Thomas , Krauss-Etschmann Susanne
Published: September 2022

Airway remodeling is an umbrella term for structural changes in the conducting airways that occur in chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The pathobiology of remodeling involves multiple mesenchymal and lymphoid cell types and finally leads to a variety of hardly reversible changes such as hyperplasia of goblet cells, thickening of the reticular basement membrane, deposition of collagen, peribronchial fibrosis, angiogenesis and hyperplasia of bronchial smooth muscle cells. In order to develop solutions for prevention or innovative therapies, these complex processes must be understood in detail which requires their deconstruction into individual building blocks. In the present manuscript we therefore focus on the role of the airway epithelium and introduce Drosophila melanogaster as a model. The simple architecture of the flies’ airways as well as the lack of adaptive immunity allows to focus exclusively on the importance of the epithelium for the remodeling processes. We will review and discuss genetic and environmentally induced changes in epithelial structures and molecular responses and propose an integrated framework of research for the future.
Ferroptosis-related gene ATG5 is a novel prognostic biomarker in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shi Ming , Du Jiangnan , Shi Jingjing , Huang Yunchuanxiang , Zhao Yan , Ma Lan
Published: September 2022

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), is a malignant tumor that originates in the mucosal epithelium of the nasopharynx. Ferroptosis plays a key role in tumor suppression, while its prognostic value and critical factors in NPC have not been further explored. We select the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HNSCC dataset and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset of NPC samples, and find that ferroptosis-related factor ATG5 shows a high expression level with poor overall survival (OS) in HNSCC and NPC samples and is positively correlated with PD-L1/PD-L2 expression (p < 0.05). Furthermore, ATG5 high expression HNSCC patients show poor efficacy and short survival after receiving immune checkpoint blockade therapy treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, ATG5 is significantly positively correlated with G2M checkpoint pathway (ρSpearman = 0.41, p < 0.01), and G2M checkpoint inhibitor drugs have lower IC50 in HNSCC patients with high expression of ATG5 (p < 0.01), indicating the potential value of G2M inhibitors in HNSCC/NPC treatment. In summary, our study shows that ferroptosis-related factors play a key role in immune infiltration in NPC and HNSCC, and ATG5, as a key immune invasion-related ferroptosis-related factor, has the potential to be a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential target in therapy for NPC and HNSCC.
Coating bacteria for anti-tumor therapy
Authors: Wang Jiahui , Guo Ning , Hou Weiliang , Qin Huanlong
Published: September 2022

Therapeutic bacteria have shown great potential on anti-tumor therapy. Compared with traditional therapeutic strategy, living bacteria present unique advantages. Bacteria show high targeting and great colonization ability in tumor microenvironment with hypoxic and nutritious conditions. Bacterial-medicated antitumor therapy has been successfully applied on mouse models, but the low therapeutic effect and biosafe limit its application on clinical treatment. With the development of material science, coating living bacteria with suitable materials has received widespread attention to achieve synergetic therapy on tumor. In this review, we summarize various materials for coating living bacteria in cancer therapy and envision the opportunities and challenges of bacteria-medicated antitumor therapy.
Quantitative detection of dengue serotypes using a smartphone-connected handheld lab-on-chip platform
Authors: Moser Nicolas , Yu Ling-Shan , Rodriguez Manzano Jesus , Malpartida-Cardenas Kenny , Au Anselm , Arkell Paul , Cicatiello Chiara , Moniri Ahmad , Miglietta Luca , Wang Wen-Hung , Wang Sheng Fan , Holmes Alison , Chen Yen-Hsu , Georgiou Pantelis
Published: September 2022

Dengue is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world. Rapid, accurate and scalable diagnostics are key to patient management and epidemiological surveillance of the dengue virus (DENV), however current technologies do not match required clinical sensitivity and specificity or rely on large laboratory equipment. In this work, we report the translation of our smartphone-connected handheld Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platform for the quantitative detection of two dengue serotypes. At its core, the approach relies on the combination of Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) microchip technology to integrate an array of 78 × 56 potentiometric sensors, and a label-free reverse-transcriptase loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay. The platform communicates to a smartphone app which synchronises results in real time with a secure cloud server hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS) for epidemiological surveillance. The assay on our LoC platform (RT-eLAMP) was shown to match performance on a gold-standard fluorescence-based real-time instrument (RT-qLAMP) with synthetic DENV-1 and DENV-2 RNA and extracted RNA from 9 DENV-2 clinical isolates, achieving quantitative detection in under 15 min. To validate the portability of the platform and the geo-tagging capabilities, we led our study in the laboratories at Imperial College London, UK, and Kaohsiung Medical Hospital, Taiwan. This approach carries high potential for application in low resource settings at the point of care (PoC).
Human fetal skin derived merkel cells display distinctive characteristics in vitro and in bio-engineered skin substitutes in vivo
Authors: Michalak-Micka Katarzyna , Rütsche Dominic , Mazzone Luca , Büchler Vanessa L. , Moehrlen Ueli , Klar Agnes S. , Biedermann Thomas
Published: September 2022

Human skin contains specialized neuroendocrine Merkel cells responsible for fine touch sensation. In the present study, we performed in-depth analysis of Merkel cells in human fetal back skin. We revealed that these Merkel cells expressed cytokeratin 20 (CK20), were positive for the neuroendocrine markers synaptophysin and chromogranin A, and the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo2. Further, we demonstrated that Merkel cells were present in freshly isolated human fetal epidermal cells in vitro, and in tissue-engineered human dermo-epidermal skin substitutes 4 weeks after transplantation on immune-compromised rats. Merkel cells retained the expression of CK20, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and Piezo2 after isolation and in culture, and in the skin substitutes after transplantation. Interestingly, we observed that in fetal skin and in skin substitutes, only Merkel cells were positive for CK8, while in culture, also non-Merkel cells showed positivity for CK8. In summary, human fetal Merkel cells showed phenotypical features confirming their cell identity. This findings are of pivotal importance for the future application of fetal tissue-engineered skin in clinics.
Influence of the parameters of the convolutional neural network model in predicting the effective compressive modulus of porous structure
Authors: Lu Yongtao , Huo Yi , Yang Zhuoyue , Niu Yibiao , Zhao Ming , Bosiakov Sergei , Li Lei
Published: September 2022

In recent years, the convolutional neural network (CNN) technique has emerged as an efficient new method for designing porous structure, but a CNN model generally contains a large number of parameters, each of which could influence the predictive ability of the CNN model. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the setting of each parameter in the CNN model. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the sensitivity of the parameters in the CNN model for the prediction of the mechanical property of porous structures. 10,500 samples of porous structure were randomly generated, and their effective compressive moduli obtained from finite element analysis were used as the ground truths to construct and train a CNN model. 8,000 of the samples were used to train the CNN model, 2000 samples were used for the cross-validation of the CNN model and the remaining 500 new structures, which did not participate in the CNN training process, were used to test the predictive power of the CNN model. The sensitivity of the number of convolutional layers, the number of convolution kernels, the number of pooling layers, the number of fully connected layers and the optimizer in the CNN model were then investigated. The results showed that the optimizer has the largest influence on the training speed, while the fully connected layer has the least impact on the training speed. Additionally, the pooling layer has the largest impact on the predictive ability while the optimizer has the least impact on the predictive ability. In conclusion, the parameters of the CNN model play an important role in the performance of the CNN model and the parameter sensitivity analysis can help optimize the CNN model to increase the computational efficiency.
Multifunctional biomaterial platforms for blocking the fibrosis process and promoting cellular restoring effects in myocardial fibrosis therapy
Authors: Yue Tian , Xiong Shiqiang , Zheng Dezhi , Wang Yi , Long Pan , Yang Jiali , Danzeng Dunzhu , Gao Han , Wen Xudong , Li Xin , Hou Jun
Published: September 2022

Myocardial fibrosis is the result of abnormal healing after acute and chronic myocardial damage and is a direct cause of heart failure and cardiac insufficiency. The clinical approach is to preserve cardiac function and inhibit fibrosis through surgery aimed at dredging blood vessels. However, this strategy does not adequately address the deterioration of fibrosis and cardiac function recovery. Therefore, numerous biomaterial platforms have been developed to address the above issues. In this review, we summarize the existing biomaterial delivery and restoring platforms, In addition, we also clarify the therapeutic strategies based on biomaterial platforms, including general strategies to block the fibrosis process and new strategies to promote cellular restoring effects. The development of structures with the ability to block further fibrosis progression as well as to promote cardiomyocytes viability should be the main research interests in myocardial fibrosis, and the reestablishment of structures necessary for normal cardiac function is central to the treatment of myocardial fibrosis. Finally, the future application of biomaterials for myocardial fibrosis is also highlighted.
The role of place branding in promoting social capital in urban areas (case study: Ahvaz, Iran)
Authors: Ramezi Mansour , Yeganeh Mansour , Bemanian Mohammadreza
Published: September 2022

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of neighborhood branding in increasing its social capital. The issue of social capital at the neighborhood scale is one of the most important components of quality and for achieving various aspects of sustainability in human life in urban societies. Examining the background of this issue shows that paying attention to the potential of place branding as an essential and effective component in increasing the social capital in neighborhoods has not been seriously studied. This study aims to know the components and measures of place branding that can significantly impact increasing social capital. The conceptual model of this research has been tested in 13 neighborhoods of Ahvaz city and using the opinions of 663 residents of these neighborhoods. The research results show that social capital in neighborhoods is directly related to the brand of those neighborhoods. This study is limited to metropolises with diversity of architecture and diversity of texture and social structure in Iran. The results show that place branding with a coefficient of 0.77 has the highest impact on social values. The impact of place branding on social solidarity, social security, social participation, and place-belonging is equal to 0.61, 0.55, 0.39, and 0.33, respectively.
Triggering cell death in cancers using self-illuminating nanocomposites
Authors: Rajh Tijana , Koritarov Tamara , Blaiszik Ben , Rizvi Syeda Fatima Z. , Konda Vani , Bissonnette Marc
Published: September 2022

Bioinspired photocatalysis has resulted in efficient solutions for many areas of science and technology spanning from solar cells to medicine. Here we show a new bioinspired semiconductor nanocomposite (nanoTiO2-DOPA-luciferase, TiDoL) capable of converting light energy within cancerous tissues into chemical species that are highly disruptive to cell metabolism and lead to cell death. This localized activity of semiconductor nanocomposites is triggered by cancer-generated activators. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is produced in excess in cancer tissues only and activates nearby immobilized TiDoL composites, thereby eliminating its off-target toxicity. The interaction of TiDoL with cancerous cells was probed in situ and in real-time to establish a detailed mechanism of nanoparticle activation, triggering of the apoptotic signaling cascade, and finally, cancer cell death. Activation of TiDoL with non-cancerous cells did not result in cell toxicity. Exploring the activation of antibody-targeted semiconductor conjugates using ATP is a step toward a universal approach to single-cell-targeted medical therapies with more precision, efficacy, and potentially fewer side effects.
Assessing cellular internalization and endosomal escape abilities of novel BUFII-Graphene oxide nanobioconjugates
Authors: Torres-Vanegas Julian Daniel , Cifuentes Javier , Puentes Paola Ruiz , Quezada Valentina , Garcia-Brand Andres J. , Cruz Juan C. , Reyes Luis H.
Published: September 2022

Cell-penetrating agents based on functionalized nanoplatforms have emerged as a promising approach for developing more efficient and multifunctional delivery vehicles for treating various complex diseases that require reaching different intracellular compartments. Our previous work has shown that achieving full cellular coverage and high endosomal escape rates is possible by interfacing magnetite nanoparticles with potent translocating peptides such as Buforin II (BUF-II). In this work, we extended such an approach to two graphene oxide (GO)-based nanoplatforms functionalized with different surface chemistries to which the peptide molecules were successfully conjugated. The developed nanobioconjugates were characterized via spectroscopic (FTIR, Raman), thermogravimetric, and microscopic (SEM, TEM, and AFM) techniques. Moreover, biocompatibility was assessed via standardized hemocompatibility and cytotoxicity assays in two cell lines. Finally, cell internalization and coverage and endosomal escape abilities were estimated with the aid of confocal microscopy analysis of colocalization of the nanobioconjugates with Lysotracker Green®. Our findings showed coverage values that approached 100% for both cell lines, high biocompatibility, and endosomal escape levels ranging from 30 to 45% and 12–24% for Vero and THP-1 cell lines. This work provides the first routes toward developing the next-generation, carbon-based, cell-penetrating nanovehicles to deliver therapeutic agents. Further studies will be focused on elucidating the intracellular trafficking pathways of the nanobioconjugates to reach different cellular compartments.
Electrodeposited Fe on Cu foam as advanced fenton reagent for catalytic mineralization of methyl orange
Authors: Vainoris Modestas , Nicolenco Aliona , Tsyntsaru Natalia , Podlaha-Murphy Elizabeth , Alcaide Francisco , Cesiulis Henrikas
Published: September 2022

In many countries, the textile industry remains the major contributor to environmental pollution. Untreated textile dyes discharged into water negatively impact the performance of aquatic organisms and may cause a variety of serious problems to their predators. Effective wastewater treatment is a key to reducing environmental and human health risks. In this work, the Fe/Cu catalysts were used in heterogeneous Fenton’s reaction for the degradation of high concentrations of methyl orange (model azo dye) in aqueous solutions. For the first time, the catalysts were prepared onto commercial copper foams by potentiostatic electrodeposition of iron using an environmentally friendly electrolyte. The influence of electrodeposition conditions, H2O2 concentration, dye concentration and temperature on the model dye degradation was investigated. It was revealed that both the surface area and the catalyst loading play the major role in the effective dye degradation. The experimental results involving spectrophotometric measurements coupled with total carbon and nitrogen quantification suggest that a solution containing up to 100 mg/L of methyl orange can be successfully decolorized within 90 s at 50°C using porous Fe/Cu catalyst in the presence of hydrogen peroxide that largely surpasses the current state-of-the-art performance. Already within the first 10°min, ∼ 30% of total methyl orange concentration is fully mineralized. The described process represents a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way to treat azo dyes in aqueous solutions.
Increased serum piwi-interacting RNAs as a novel potential diagnostic tool for brucellosis
Authors: Wang Cheng , Zhang Cuiping , Fu Quan , Zhang Nan , Ding Meng , Zhou Zhen , Chen Xi , Zhang Fengmin , Zhang Chunni , Zhang Chen-Yu , Wang Jun-Jun
Published: September 2022

Background

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have emerged as potential novel indicators for various diseases; however, their diagnostic value for brucellosis remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of altered serum piRNAs in patients with brucellosis.

Methods

Illumina sequencing via synthesis (SBS) technology was used to screen the serum piRNA profile in brucellosis patients, and markedly dysregulated piRNAs were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay in two sets from a cohort of 73 brucellosis patients and 65 controls.

Results

Illumina SBS technology results showed that seven piRNAs were markedly elevated in brucellosis patients compared to normal controls. The seven upregulated piRNAs were further validated individually by qRT-PCR, of which three piRNAs (piR-000753, piR-001312, and piR-016742) were confirmed to be significantly and steadily increased in the patients (> 2-fold, P < 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUCs) for the three piRNAs ranged from 0.698 to 0.783. The AUC for the three piRNAs combination was 0.772, with a specificity of 86% and a positive predictive value of 90%, respectively.

Conclusions

The three-piRNA panel identified in this study has potential as a novel blood-based auxiliary tool for brucellosis detection.
Influenza A virus NS1 protein represses antiviral immune response by hijacking NF-κB to mediate transcription of type III IFN
Authors: Lee Meng-Chang , Yu Cheng-Ping , Chen Xing-Hong , Liu Ming-Tsan , Yang Ji-Rong , Chen An-Yu , Huang Chih-Heng
Published: September 2022

Background

Non-structural protein 1 (NS1), one of the viral proteins of influenza A viruses (IAVs), plays a crucial role in evading host antiviral immune response. It is known that the IAV NS1 protein regulates the antiviral genes response mainly through several different molecular mechanisms in cytoplasm. Current evidence suggests that NS1 represses the transcription of IFNB1 gene by inhibiting the recruitment of Pol II to its exons and promoters in infected cells. However, IAV NS1 whether can utilize a common mechanism to antagonize antiviral response by interacting with cellular DNA and immune-related transcription factors in the nucleus, is not yet clear.

Methods

Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq) was used to determine genome-wide transcriptional DNA-binding sites for NS1 and NF-κB in viral infection. Next, we used ChIP-reChIP, luciferase reporter assay and secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) assay to provide information on the dynamic binding of NS1 and NF-κB to chromatin. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) transcriptomic analyses were used to explore the critical role of NS1 and NF-κB in IAV infection as well as the detailed processes governing host antiviral response.

Results

Herein, NS1 was found to co-localize with NF-κB using ChIP-seq. ChIP-reChIP and luciferase reporter assay confirmed the co-localization of NS1 and NF-κB at type III IFN genes, such as IFNL1, IFNL2, and IFNL3. We discovered that NS1 disturbed binding manners of NF-κB to inhibit IFNL1 expression. NS1 hijacked NF-κB from a typical IFNL1 promoter to the exon-intron region of IFNL1 and decreased the enrichment of RNA polymerase II and H3K27ac, a chromatin accessibility marker, in the promoter region of IFNL1 during IAV infection, consequently reducing IFNL1 gene expression. NS1 deletion enhanced the enrichment of RNA polymerase II at the IFNL1 promoter and promoted its expression.

Conclusion

Overall, NS1 hijacked NF-κB to prevent its interaction with the IFNL1 promoter and restricted the open chromatin architecture of the promoter, thereby abating antiviral gene expression.
Developing a play-anywhere handheld AR storytelling app using remote data collection
Authors: Raeburn Gideon , Welton Martin , Tokarchuk Laurissa
Published: September 2022

Immersive story experiences like immersive theater productions and escape rooms have grown in popularity in recent years, offering the audience a more active role in the events portrayed. However, many of these activities were forced to close at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, arising from restrictions placed on group activities and travel. This created an opportunity for a story experience that users could take part in around their local neighborhoods. Five mobile applications (apps) were developed toward this goal, aiming to make effective use of available local map data, alongside virtual content overlaid on users' surroundings through Augmented Reality (AR), to offer additional story features not present in the real environment. The first two apps investigated the feasibility of such an approach, including the remote field testing of the apps, where participants used their own devices across a variety of locations. Two follow-up apps further aimed to offer an improved user experience, also adopting a more standardized testing procedure, to better ensure each app was completed in an intended manner by those participating remotely. Participants rated their experience through immersion and engagement questionnaire factors that tested for their appropriateness to rate such experiences, in addition to providing their feedback. A final app applied the same AR story implementation to a curated site-specific study, once pandemic restrictions had eased. This combination of remote studies and subsequent curated study offered a reverse methodology to much previous research in this field, but was found to offer advantages in corroborating the results of the remote studies, and also in offering new insights to further improve such an AR story app, that is designed to be used at an outdoor location of the user's choosing. Such an app offers benefits to those who may prefer the opportunity to take part in such an activity solo or close to home, as well as for storytellers to develop an outside story for use at a variety of locations, making it available to a larger audience, without the challenges and costs in migrating it to different locations.
Cardiac magnetic resonance defines mechanisms of sex-based differences in outcomes following cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Bivona Derek J. , Tallavajhala Srikar , Abdi Mohamad , Oomen Pim J. A. , Gao Xu , Malhotra Rohit , Darby Andrew , Monfredi Oliver J. , Mangrum J. Michael , Mason Pamela , Mazimba Sula , Salerno Michael , Kramer Christopher M. , Epstein Frederick H. , Holmes Jeffrey W. , Bilchick Kenneth C.
Published: September 2022

Background

Mechanisms of sex-based differences in outcomes following cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are poorly understood.

Objective

To use cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to define mechanisms of sex-based differences in outcomes after CRT and describe distinct CMR-based phenotypes of CRT candidates based on sex and non-ischemic/ischemic cardiomyopathy type.

Materials and methods

In a prospective study, sex-based differences in three short-term CRT response measures [fractional change in left ventricular end-systolic volume index 6 months after CRT (LVESVI-FC), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) 6 months after CRT, change in peak VO2 6 months after CRT], and long-term survival were evaluated with respect to 39 baseline parameters from CMR, exercise testing, laboratory testing, electrocardiograms, comorbid conditions, and other sources. CMR was also used to quantify the degree of left-ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony by deriving the circumferential uniformity ratio estimate (CURE-SVD) parameter from displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) strain imaging. Statistical methods included multivariable linear regression with evaluation of interaction effects associated with sex and cardiomyopathy type (ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy) and survival analysis.

Results

Among 200 patients, the 54 female patients (27%) pre-CRT had a smaller CMR-based LVEDVI (p = 0.04), more mechanical dyssynchrony based on the validated CMR CURE-SVD parameter (p = 0.04), a lower frequency of both late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (p < 0.0001), a greater RVEF (p = 0.02), and a greater frequency of LBBB (p = 0.01). After categorization of patients into four groups based on cardiomyopathy type (ischemic/non-ischemic cardiomyopathy) and sex, female patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy had the lowest CURE-SVD (p = 0.003), the lowest pre-CRT BNP levels (p = 0.01), the lowest post-CRT BNP levels (p = 0.05), and the most favorable LVESVI-FC (p = 0.001). Overall, female patients had better 3-year survival before adjustment for cardiomyopathy type (p = 0.007, HR = 0.45) and after adjustment for cardiomyopathy type (p = 0.009, HR = 0.67).

Conclusion

CMR identifies distinct phenotypes of female CRT patients with non-ischemic and ischemic cardiomyopathy relative to male patients stratified by cardiomyopathy type. The more favorable short-term response and long-term survival outcomes in female heart failure patients with CRT were associated with lower indexed CMR-based LV volumes, decreased presence of scar associated with prior myocardial infarction and ICM, and greater CMR-based dyssynchrony with the CURE-SVD.
Age-related changes in the risk of high blood pressure
Authors: Cheng Weibin , Du Yumeng , Zhang Qingpeng , Wang Xin , He Chaocheng , He Jingjun , Jing Fengshi , Ren Hao , Guo Mengzhuo , Tian Junzhang , Xu Zhongzhi
Published: September 2022

Background and aims

Understanding the age-related trend of risk in high blood pressure (BP) is important for preventing heart failure and cardiovascular diseases. But such a trend is still underexplored. This study aims to (a) depict the relationship of BP patterns with age, and (b) understand the trend of high BP prevalence over time in different age groups.

Materials and methods

Health check-up data with an observational period of 8 years (January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2018) was used as the data source. A total of 71,468 participants aged over 18 years old with complete information on weight, height, age, gender, glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were included for analysis. Generalized additive models were adopted to explore the relationship between the risk of high BP and age. Variance analysis was conducted by testing the trend of high BP prevalence in age groups over time.

Results

Risk of high SBP showed a continuous rise from age 35 to 79 years and a concurrent early increase in the risk of high DBP; after age 50–65 years, high DBP risk declined. The risk of SBP rises linearly with age for men, whereas increases non-linearly for women. In addition, a significant increasing trend of high SBP risk among middle-aged people was found during the past decade, men experienced a later but longer period of increase in high SBP than women.

Conclusion

The high SBP risk progresses more rapidly in the early lifetime in women, compared to the lifetime thereafter. Thresholds of increasing trend of SBP suggest a possible need for hypertension screening in China after the age of 40.
Evaluation of the role of combining inter-arm systolic pressure difference and derivatives of pulse volume recording in detecting subclavian artery stenosis
Authors: An Xuanqi , Dong Hui , Deng Yu , Chen Yang , Zou Yubao , Zhang Weiguo , Jiang Xiongjing
Published: September 2022

Background

Subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) is a peripheral arterial disease of asymptomatic appearance and disastrous consequences. The traditional screening method remains unsatisfactory.

Objective

The study aimed to assess the diagnostic performances of inter-arm systolic pressure difference (IASBPD), derivatives of pulse volume recording (PVR), and their combination in detecting subclavian artery stenosis.

Materials and methods

The present study was a retrospective analysis of clinical data from inpatients suspected of supra-arch artery stenosis in Fuwai hospital during 1 year, who underwent selective arterial angiographies. We obtained simultaneous blood pressure measurements on four limbs and pulse waves for calculating IASBPD and PVR derivatives prior to the angiographies. We utilized the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) to calculate the optimal cut-off value of IASBPD, upstroke time (UT), and upstroke time per cardiac cycle (UTCC) for detecting SAS. Moreover, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of IASBPD, UT, UTCC, and their combinations for diagnosing SAS (Clinical trial number: NCT03521739).

Results

We consecutively enrolled 320 eligible patients. Based on SAS’s definition of stenosis above 50%, the area under the curve of IASBPD, UT, and UTCC were 0.84, 0.76, and 0.80 (P < 0.001). And their corresponding cut-off points were 9 mmHg, 202 milliseconds, and 23.2%. The sensitivity and specificity of IASBPD ≥ 9 mmHg were 57.0 and 94.1%. UT ≥ 202 ms and UTCC ≥ 23.2% yielded similar sensitivity (72.6 vs. 72.6%, P > 0.05), but UTCC had higher specificity (81.1 vs. 72.4%, P < 0.05). The sensitivity of the combination of IASBPD and UT (85.2%) or UTCC (78.5%) was significantly higher than IASBPD alone (57%, P < 0.05). The specificity of either combination decreased to 67.6 and 76.8% (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This present study showed that the combinations of IASBPD and PVR-derived parameters promoted diagnostic sensitivity and preserved adequate specificity than those alone for detecting SAS.
Determinants of the time-to-peak left ventricular dP/dt (Td) and QRS duration with different fusion strategies in cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Odland Hans Henrik , Holm Torbjørn , Cornelussen Richard , Kongsgård Erik
Published: September 2022

Background

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is helpful in selected patients; however, responder rates rarely exceed 70%. Optimization of CRT may therefore benefit a large number of patients. Time-to-peak dP/dt (Td) is a novel marker of myocardial synergy that reflects the degree of myocardial dyssynchrony with the potential to guide and optimize treatment with CRT. Optimal electrical activation is a prerequisite for CRT to be effective. Electrical activation can be altered by changing the electrical wave-front fusion resulting from pacing to optimize resynchronization. We designed this study to understand the acute effects of different electrical wave-front fusion strategies and LV pre-/postexcitation on Td and QRS duration (QRSd). A better understanding of measuring and optimizing resynchronization can help improve the benefits of CRT.

Methods

Td and QRSd were measured in 19 patients undergoing a CRT implantation. Two biventricular pacing groups were compared: pacing the left ventricle (LV) with fusion with intrinsic right ventricular activation (FUSION group) and pacing the LV and right ventricle (RV) at short atrioventricular delay (STANDARD group) to avoid fusion with intrinsic RV activation. A quadripolar LV lead enabled pacing from widely separated electrodes; distal (DIST), proximal (PROX) and both electrodes combined (multipoint pacing, MPP). The LV was stimulated relative in time to RV activation (either RV pace-onset or QRS-onset), with the LV stimulated prior to (PRE), simultaneous with (SIM) or after (POST) RV activation. In addition, we analyzed the interactions of the two groups (FUSION/STANDARD) with three different electrode configurations (DIST, PROX, MPP), each paced with three different degrees of LV pre-/postexcitation (PRE, SIM, POST) in a statistical model.

Results

We found that FUSION provided shorter Td and QRSd than STANDARD, MPP provided shorter Td and QRSd than DIST and PROX, and SIM provided both the shortest QRSd and Td compared to PRE and POST. The interaction analysis revealed that pacing MPP with fusion with intrinsic RV activation simultaneous with the onset of the QRS complex (MPP*FUSION*SIM) shortened QRSd and Td the most compared to all other modes and configurations. The difference in QRSd and Td from their respective references were significantly correlated (β = 1, R = 0.9, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Pacing modes and electrode configurations designed to optimize electrical wave-front fusion (intrinsic RV activation, LV multipoint pacing and simultaneous RV and LV activation) shorten QRSd and Td the most. As demonstrated in this study, electrical and mechanical measures of resynchronization are highly correlated. Therefore, Td can potentially serve as a marker for CRT optimization.
High platelet distribution width is an independent risk factor of postoperative pneumonia in patients with type A acute aortic dissection
Authors: Xie Xi , Yan Danyang , Liu Xin , Wang Yanjie , Deng Ying , Yao Run , Li Ning
Published: September 2022

Background

Platelet distribution width (PDW), as a widely applied and reliable marker of platelet activation, was associated with adverse outcomes in cardiovascular diseases. However, there is little literature on the relationship between PDW and postoperative pneumonia in patients with type A acute aortic dissection (AAAD).

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we collected consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery for AAAD at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2020. Patients were divided into three tertiles on the basis of the PDW. The independent effect of the PDW on postoperative pneumonia was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis, and smooth curve fitting was performed to visualize the linear relationship between PDW and the risk of postoperative pneumonia in patients with AAAD.

Results

A total of 210 patients with AAAD were enrolled and the overall incidence of postoperative pneumonia was 25.24% (n = 53). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that PDW was positively associated with the risk of postoperative pneumonia (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13, P < 0.05) after adjusting the confounders. Compared with the lowest PDW tertile, the risk of postoperative pneumonia increased by 1.21-fold in the medium PDW tertile (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 0.73–6.72) and by 3.16-fold in the highest PDW tertile (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.40–12.33). A straight-line relationship was observed between PDW and postoperative pneumonia risk in smoothing spline fitting.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that high PDW is an independent risk factor of postoperative pneumonia in patients with AAAD. Preoperative PDW may serve as an available indicator of pneumonia, which helps identify AAAD patients with a high risk of postoperative pneumonia.