bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The potential use of ultrasound-assisted bleaching in removing heavy metals and pigments from soybean oil using kinetic, thermodynamic and equilibrium modeling: Linear and nonlinear approach and error analysis
Authors: Abedi Elahe , Amiri Mohammad Javad , Sayadi Mehran
Published: February 2021

In this research, the sorption behavior (kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic modeling) of heavy metals (Cu (II) and Fe (II)) and pigments (carotenoid and chlorophyll) on activated bentonite clay was investigated for soybean oil under industrial (IBM) and ultrasonic bleaching method (UBM). The results indicated that a nonlinear fitting approach with a higher coeﬃcient of determination (R2) and lower Chi-square (χ2) values was more appropriate to estimate kinetic and isotherm parameters than the linear fitting approach. The adsorption of metal ions and pigments on activated bentonite clay under UBM was quite well by the pseudo-ﬁrst-order model. In both bleaching methods, the equilibrium adsorption data follows the Freundlich isotherm model, presenting the sorption occurrence tends to be on a heterogeneous surface by multi-layer adsorption. The results indicated that the adsorption thermodynamics was endothermic nature and the process was spontaneous between 35 and 65 ˚C.
Managing a sustainable integrated inventory model for imperfect production process with type one and type two errors
Authors: Rizky Novrianty , Wangsa Ivan Darma , Jauhari Wakhid Ahmad , Wee Hui Ming
Published: February 2021

This study develops a sustainable integrated inventory model for controllable lead time with defective items, errors in inspection, and variable lead-time. The research investigates the effect of controlling lead time and capital investment in the setup cost. We assume that the buyer receives a lot size that may contain some defective items with a known defective probability. The buyer’s inspector conducts a 100% quality inspection and may incorrectly classify a non-defective item as a defective item (type one (I) error), or incorrectly classify a defective item as a non-defective item (type two (II) error). The mathematical inventory model considering carbon emission cost is developed, and the solution procedure is designed to derive the optimal solution. Finally, numerical examples and sensitivity analysis are given to illustrate the results.
Exposure effects of the UV-filter 4-MBC to "Solea senegalensis" metamorphosis
Authors: Araújo Mário , Soares Amadeu , Monteiro Marta
Published: February 2021

Many personal care products integrate UV-filters, such as 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) which has been detected in aquatic habitats. Possible effects of 4-MBC to aquatic organisms have been poorly studied. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to study the effects of 4-MBC exposure to Solea senegalensis during metamorphosis, a sensitive life stage of this flatfish. To achieve this, at the beginning of metamorphosis (13 days after hatching, dah) fish were exposed to 4-MBC (0.2–2.0 mg L− 1) for 48 h. After this period, fish were transferred to clean medium and were fed and maintained until more than 80% of fish in control group completed the metamorphosis (24 dah). Mortality, malformations and metamorphosis progression were studied on a daily basis. In addition, growth, behavior and biochemical markers of neurotransmission (acetylcholinesterase, AChE), oxidative stress (catalase, CAT; glutathione S-transferase, GST, and lipid peroxidation, LPO) and anaerobic metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) were determined at the end of the experiment. An acceleration of metamorphosis progression was observed during and 2 days after the 4-MBC exposure in all concentrations tested. In addition, decreased length, inhibition of CAT activity and induction of oxidative damage (LOEC = 0.928 mg L− 1 4-MBC for length, CAT and LPO) were observed. A short-term exposure to 4-MBC at the onset of metamorphosis, a critical period of development, affected S. senegalensis at several levels of organization, even after nine days in clean medium, including growth and metamorphosis progression, suggesting possible long-term adverse effects to this species.
Coupling Fuzzy logic and Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) with GIS for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) in Ziz upper watershed, SE Morocco
Authors: Manaouch Mohamed , Mohamed Sadiki , Imad Fenjiro
Published: February 2021

Landslides have become a destructive geo-hazard in many countries, which seriously cause damage to the human lives, infrastructure and properties. They result from the movement of soil on unstable slopes in mountainous areas. This caught attention to study the increasing incidences of landslides in many areas including Morocco. In this study, the fuzzy logic and analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) integrated with the geographic information system (GIS) are used to determinate the landslide susceptibility modeling in the Ziz upper watershed, southeast Morocco. The geo-environmental data that were used in the landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) included: elevation, lithology, slope, land use/land cover (LULC), river, road, fault, and rainfall maps. FAHP model showed that 16.7% of the study area had high landslide susceptibility. However, the riskiest areas are situated in the upstream western parts. The resultant map of landslides hazards was validated using an inventory of 148 landslides events in the study area. The FAHP model showed a significant performance, the area under curve (AUC) value for this case study is 0.885.
Assessment of survival potential of four grid-connected solar photovoltaic power stations in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Li Chong
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study is to analyze the feasibility of the construction of 1-MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (GCSPV) power stations at four locations of Jiangsu province, China. The economic, emission, sensitivity and risk analyses of the proposed systems are all performed using the RETScreen clean energy management software. The GCSPV system in Xuzhou is more economically viable than those in other regions under consideration, while this system in Nanjing is relatively less economically viable. The GCSPV power stations in Xuzhou have the largest annual Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions reduction due to its largest electricity production from the proposed system. The sensitivity analysis results on NPV show significant variations due to the variations of electricity export rate (EER) and initial costs (ICs) parameters. The NPV of the proposed system increases from 707,589 $ to 2,046,766 $ with the increase of the EER, while the NPV of the system decreases with the increase of the ICs at the same of EER. The risk analysis shows the largest influence on the NPV of the project is the change of the EER with positive correlation, while the least impact on the NPV is the debt term with positive correlation.
Increased Circulating Levels of EDA in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Deng Xia , Li Yanyan , Wu Xunan , Zhao Li , Li Haoxiang , Chen Ke , Zhang Panpan , Zhao Zhicong , Qiu Yue , Yang Ling , Yuan Guoyue
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUNDEtodysplasin A (EDA), a newly discovered hepatokine, has recently been considered to be closely related to glycolipid metabolism disorders, but the pathophysiological effects of EDA are still poorly understood. This study was the first time to determine the level of serum EDA in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, and to explore the relationships between serum EDA levels and various metabolic indexes.METHODS A total of 184 subjects were enrolled in the study, including 92 subjects with newly diagnosed T2DM and 92 subjects with age- and sex- matched normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Serum EDA levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And oral glucose tolerance test, glycosylated hemoglobin c(HbA1c), blood lipid and insulin were also measured. Insulin resistance (IR) and islet β-cell function were assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA).RESULTSSerum EDA levels were significantly increased in the T2DM group than in the NGT group (359.91 ± 117.99 vs. 265.82 ± 86.51pg/mL, P<0.001). Serum EDA levels were positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1c, 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose(2hPG), fasting plasma insulin (FIns), fasting C peptide (FCP), triglyceride (TG), HOMA-IR, and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and HOMA-β (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that 2hPG and FIns were independent influencing factors of serum EDA level (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that serum EDA level was significantly independent correlated with T2DM (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serum EDA level are significantly higher in T2DM patients, indicating that circulating EDA may be involved in the pathogenesis of T2DM.
Increased serum IL-6 is predictive of long-term cardiovascular events in high-risk patients submitted to coronary angiography: an observational study.
Authors: Mossmann Márcio , Wainstein Marco Vugman , Mariani Stéfani , Machado Guilherme Pinheiro , Araujo Gustavo Neves , Gonçalves Sandro Cadaval , Bertoluci Marcello
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammation-related cytokine associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular events. In a previous study, we demonstrated that increased IL-6 was predictive of sub-clinical atherosclerotic coronary disease in intermediate-risk patients undergoing coronary angiography. In the present study, we investigated whether increased serum IL-6 is predictive of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients.

METHODS

In this observational study, consecutive patients referred for elective coronary angiography due to stable chest pain/myocardial ischemia had IL-6 measured immediately before the procedure. Long-term follow-up was performed by phone call or e-mail, and their clinical registries were revised. The primary outcome was a composite of new myocardial infarction, new ischemic stroke, hospitalization due to heart failure, new coronary revascularization, cardiovascular death, and death due to all causes.

RESULTS

From the 141 selected patients, 100 completed the IL-6 analysis and were followed for a mean of 5.5 years. The median age was 61.1 years, 44% were men, and 61% had type-2 diabetes. The median overall time-to-event for the primary outcome was 297 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI] = 266.95–327.16). A receiver operator characteristic curve defined the best cut-off value of baseline serum IL-6 (0.44 pg/mL) with sensitivity (84.37%) and specificity (38.24%) to define two groups. High IL-6 level was moderately predictive of cardiovascular events. ( p for interaction = 0.015) (hazard ratio = 2.81; 95% CI = 1.38–5.72, p=0.01). The subgroup analysis did not find interactions between patients with or without diabetes, obesity, or hypertension.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary study indicates that, in high-risk symptomatic patients undergoing elective coronary angiography, increased pre-procedure serum levels of IL-6 predicted long-term cardiovascular outcomes. These results were similar irrespective of diabetes, hypertension, or obesity status. IL-6 must be studied in larger long-term follow-up studies as a potential tool to re-classify patients with increased cardiovascular risk.
Device-independent verification of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering
Authors: Zhao Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Chao , Cheng Shuming , Li Xinhui , Guo Yu , Liu Bi-Heng , Ku Huan-Yu , Chen Shin-Liang , Wen Qiaoyan , Huang Yun-Feng , Xiang Guoyong , Li Chuan-Feng , Guo Guangcan
Published: February 2021

If the presence of entanglement could be certified in a device-independent (DI) way, it is likely to provide various quantum information processing tasks with unconditional security. Recently, it was shown that a DI protocol, combining measurement-device-independent techniques with self-testing, is able to verify all entangled states, however, it imposes demanding requirements on its experimental implementation. In this work, we propose a much less-demanding protocol based on Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering to certify entanglement. We establish a complete framework for DI verification of EPR steering in which all steerable states could be verified. We then analyze its robustness towards noise and imperfections of self-testing by considering the measurement scenario with three settings at each side. Finally, a four-photon experiment is implemented to demonstrate that even Bell local states can be device-independently verified. Our work may pave the way for realistic applications of secure quantum information tasks.
Mapping the health systems response to violence against women: A comparative analysis of five LMIC settings (2015-2020)
Authors: Sikder Shegufta Shefa , Ghoshal Rakhi , Deosthali Padma , Jaishwal Chandni , Roy Nobhojit
Published: February 2021

Background

Violence against women (VAW) is prevalent globally, and the health sector is a key entry point for survivors to receive care. However, documentation on the rollout of health system response to violence against women is lacking in low and middle-income countries. This paper maps the operationalization of health systems response to violence against women in five low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to identify core learnings.
Methods

We selected five LMIC contexts that were actively addressing national-level health system response from 2015 to 2020 and where we had access to practitioners directly engaged in national rollout. We synthesized publicly available data and program reports according to the components of the Health Systems Framework to Address VAW.
Results

One-stop centers were found to be the dominant model of care located in hospitals implemented by the health systems in four countries except Brazil, where one-stop centers are not located in hospitals and do not provide health services. While each setting has implemented in-service training as key to addressing provider knowledge, attitudes and practice, significant gaps remain in addressing frequent staff turnover, provision of training at scale, and documentation on the impact of training. Health system protocols for VAW address sexual violence but do not uniformly include clinical and health policy responses for other forms of violence. In Brazil, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, harmful practices such as virginity testing remain within clinical protocols. Providing privacy to survivors within health facilities was a universal challenge.
Conclusions

Significant efforts have been made to address provider attitudes towards provision of care and in protocolized delivery of care to survivors, primarily through one-stop centers. Improvements can be made in data collection on training impact on provider attitudes and practices, in provider identification of VAW survivors, and in prioritization of VAW within health system budgeting, staffing, and political priorities. Beyond hospital-based one-stop centers at tertiary and district levels, primary health facilities need to provide first-line support for survivors to avoid delays in response to VAW as well as for secondary prevention.
WITHDRAWN: Mechanism of action of levocarnitine for the treatment of spermatogenic dysfunction in rats and spermatogonia
Authors: Wang Jisheng , Bao Binghao , Meng Fanchao , Deng Sheng , Dai Hengheng , Feng Junlong , Li Haisong , Wang Bin
Published: February 2021

The mechanism of action of levocarnitine (LEV) in the treatment of spermatogenic dysfunction was unclear. We used GTW to construct a cell model (using spermatogenic GC-1 spg cells) and an animal model (using rats) of spermatogenic dysfunction. LEV and LY294002 (a PI3K pathway inhibitor) were then administered. By assessing proliferation, mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis, and sex hormone levels, the underlying mechanism was explored. We found that (I) by regulating PI3K/AKT pathway-related protein expression, LEV increased the percentages of GC-1 spg cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases, increased the mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreased apoptosis, thereby improving the sperm count and motility and (II) LEV and significantly increased the T, FSH, and LH serum levels, thereby improving the spermatogenic function of rats.
WITHDRAWN: The efficient operating parameters estimation for a simulated plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
Authors: singh Krishna veer , Khandelwal Rajat , Bansal Hari Om , Singh Dheerendra
Published: February 2021

Battery replacement and fuel costs are the major recurring costs over a lifetime for HEVs. Here, the authors attempt to identify the optimal operating points for the minimum and maximum state of charge (SoC) along with power ratings of the motor and fuel converter to increase the battery life and fuel economy without any detrimental effect on vehicle performance. The simulations have been carried out on Ford C-Max Energi (2016) as a representative for PHEVs based on the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) and Highway (HWY) driving cycles. The software used for these simulations is the Future Automotive Systems Technology Simulator (FASTSim), developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The optimal determined values of the parameters led to a 3.8% reduction in the present value of the lifetime cost while improving the battery lifetime by over 18%. At the same time, a 4.3% improvement in the driving range have also been observed. This study will help in achieving optimal cost reduction in these vehicles.
Work Ability of Thai Ageing Workers in Southern Thailand: A Comparison of Formal and Informal Sectors
Authors: Thanapop Chamnong , Thanapop Sasithorn
Published: February 2021

Background

Thai society has been moving towards an ageing society. The independent elderly persons needed to continue decent work after retirement. This study analyses the association of work ability, individual and work-related factors with Work Ability Index (WAI) of the formal and informal sectors in a southern Thailand community.
Methods

This cross-sectional study with multi-stage sampling employs in 324 Thai elderly workers, aged between 45 and 70, working in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Data collection of socio-demographic status, health history, work-related factors questionnaires were done with anthropometric data and WAI instrument between March and September 2019. The descriptive and logistic regression analysis were used for the association analysis.
Results

Participants were predominantly general labour (23.8%), female (70.7%). Smoking and alcohol consumption was more than 70% and obesity was more than 60%. Nearly half of them were NCDs patient (48.2%). Total average WAI at 40.6 (S.D. = 4.6) and 37.5 (S.D. = 5.0) for formal and informal sectors, respectively. Nearly Fifty-two per cent (51.9%) of the participants had received sometimes occupational health services and frequently accessed to health promotion 78.1%. There was no association of work sector and WAI. The workers of age 55 years and above (OR = 1.45; 95% CI [1.21, 1.74]), the presence of NCDs (OR = 2.85; 95% CI [1.69, 4.80]), and unsafe working practice (OR = 2.11; 95% CI [1.26, 3.55]) have a higher risk of low to moderate WAI.
Conclusions

The age group, presence of NCDs and safety practices, associated with work ability of the Thai’s ageing workers. It suggested that promoting healthy behaviour and work environment may be an important strategy to improve ageing worker’s work ability and health. The ageing health services should cooperate with occupational health programmes in order to improve work ability and productivity of ageing workers for life-long working.
A Survey of Deep Learning Techniques for Misuse-Based Intrusion Detection Systems 
Authors: Lansky Jan , Mohammadi Mokhtar , Mohammed Adil Hussein , Karim Sarkhel H.Taher , Rashidi Shima , Rahmani Amir Masoud , Hosseinzadeh Mehdi
Published: February 2021

The ever-increasing complication and severity of the computer networks' security attacks have inspired security researchers to apply various machine learning methods to protect the organizations' data and reputation. Deep learning is one of the exciting techniques that recently have been widely used by intrusion detection systems (IDS) to secure computer networks and hosts' performance. This survey article focuses on the signature-based IDS using deep learning techniques and puts forward an in-depth survey and classification of these schemes. For this purpose, it first presents the essential background concepts about IDS architecture and various deep learning techniques. It then classifies these schemes according to the type of deep learning methods applied in each of them. It describes how deep learning networks are utilized in the misuse detection process to recognize intrusions accurately. Finally, a complete analysis of the investigated IDS frameworks is provided, and concluding remarks and future directions are highlighted.
Malnutrition status, and its Associated Factors among Adult HIV Positive Attending ART at Public Hospitals of Bench Sheko Zone, South West, Ethiopia, 2020
Authors: Shifera Nigusie , Molla Abebaw , Mesafint Gebremeskel , Gichew Simegnew , Matiyas Rahel , Yosef Tewodros
Published: February 2021

Background: Almost 1.9 billion adults worldwide are overweight or obese, while 462 million are underweight. These are primarily found in countries with low and middle-incomes, like Ethiopia. Under nutrition is the frequent health problem among peoples living with HIV/AIDS, however no large-scale research, including a number of health facilities has been conducted in Ethiopia. So this study aimed to assess the nutritional status and under nutrition related factors among HIV/AIDS patients attending ART follow-up in public hospitals of Bench Sheko zones, south west, Ethiopia.Methods: In November/2020, a cross-sectional facility study design was carried out in all public hospitals in the Bench Sheko zone. To pick the study participants, a systematic sampling technique was used. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews and entered into Epi-data 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 24 for statistical analysis. In order to identify the candidate and independent determinants of under-nutrition, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out respectively. Independent determinants of under-nutrition were measured using adjusted odds ratio with their corresponding 95% confidence level at P-value of < 0.05 cut of point.Results: A total of four hundred two adult HIV-positive patients who were attending in ART clinics were participated with 98% response rate. The proportion of under nutrition (BMI<18.5 kg/m2), normal nutrition (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) and overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) patients were 29.2% [95% CI: (24.6-33.5)], 61.2% [95% CI: (56.5-66.3)], and 9.6% [95% CI: (6.6-12.9)] respectively. Out of under nutrition patients, severe malnutrition (BMI<16 kg/m2) accounted of 5.6%. Factors food insecurity [AOR: 3.26, 95% CI: (1.79-5.92)], poor ART adherence [AOR: 4.22, 95% CI: (1.47-12.14)], CD4 cell count ≤ 200 [AOR: 5.73, 95% CI: (2.45-13.13)], and substance user [AOR: 4.11, 95% CI: (2.31-7.30)] was independent factors of under nutrition.Conclusion: This study found that the prevalence of malnutrition was high compared to other settings. The government should also pay due attention to improving the treatment of HIV/AIDS by offering nutritional support services in hospitals. Moreover policymaker and heath care professionals consider the effects of these factors for nutrition while providing ART service.
TNFRSF21 participates in Streptococcus agalactiae-induced inflammatory necrosis through the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway
Authors: Yuan Lu , Ruan Jian , Zhang Mangling , Jiang Xiaojun , Li Jun , Cai Yafi
Published: February 2021

Bovine mastitis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) has resulted in substantial economic loss to the animal husbandry industry; however, the associated molecular mechanism remains unclear and the role of TNFRSF21 in the inflammatory response caused by S. agalactiae is unknown. In this study, we focused on bacterial isolation and identification, histological observations, and provide the first report of the association between TNFRSF21 and pyroptosis. The results showed that S. agalactiae-induced inflammation can cause increasing damage of the tissue and pyroptosis ratio, significantly increased the level of inflammatory cytokine production (e.g., NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β), and upregulate TNFRSF21 following S. agalactiae infection in a time-dependent manner. In conclusion, these findings indicated that it may fight against the inflammatory response induced by S. agalactiae by inhibiting TNFRSF21 expression and reducing NLRP3 inflammasome pathway-mediated inflammatory necrosis.
BMSC cells alleviate liver injury induced by ulcerative colitis via repairing the intestinal-liver barrier and activating hepatocyte growth factor
Authors: Deng Zhejun , Zhang Qifang , Meng Yunchao , Zhao Lei , Luo Wenjie , Zhang Jing , Hu Jie , Jiang Haixing
Published: February 2021

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC), belongs to inﬂammatory bowel diseases (IBD), frequently induces liver inflammation and injury. Previous studies have proved that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can suppress inflammation and improve intestinal mucosal injury in colitis, however, the eﬀects of BMSCs on colitis-induced liver injury and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated the eﬀects and mechanisms of BMSCs in acute ulcerative colitis Balb/C mice, which were induced by 4 % dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). Methods: In this study, BMSCs derived from Balb/C mice were administrated by single intravenous injection with a dose of 5*10^7 cells/kg. And then, the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. Firstly, degree of liver injury in colitis mice was evaluated by hepatic ALT, AST, ALP and TBIL levels, which were measured by speciﬁc determination kits, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IFNγ and LPS were examined by ELISA. Secondly, as the indicator of intestinal-liver barrier disorder, tight junction proteins were analyzed by western blot. Thirdly, the pathological changes in colon and liver were detected by H&E staining. At last, homing of BMSCs to lesion tissues was investigated by Immunofluorescence. Results: The results indicated that histopathological changes in model mice had been greatly alleviated, BMSCs infusion remarkably decreased the serum ALT, AST, ALP and TBIL level, and meanwhile reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver tissues. Furthermore, homing of BMSCs was observed in colon and liver, and the disorder of intestinal-liver barrier was declined significantly. Conclusions: In conclusion, BMSCs alleviate liver injury induced by ulcerative colitis via repairing the intestinal-liver barrier and activating hepatocyte growth factor, it has potential application prospects in the treatment of liver injury induced by ulcerative colitis.
The potential role of hsa_circ_0005505 in the rupture of human intracranial aneurysm
Authors: Chen Xin , Yang Shuzhe , Yang Junhua , Liu Qingyuan , Li Maogui , Wu Jun , Wang Hao , Wang Shuo
Published: February 2021

Background

Recently, abundant numbers of studies have revealed many functions of circular RNAs in multiple diseases, however, the role of circular RNA in the rupture of human intracranial aneurysm is still unknown. This study aims to explore the potential functions of circular RNA in the rupture of human intracranial aneurysms.
Results

The differentially expressed circular RNAs between un-ruptured intracranial aneurysms (n = 5) and ruptured intracranial aneurysms (n = 5) were analyzed with the Arraystar human circRNAs microarray and total of 13175 circular RNAs were detected. Among them 63 circular RNAs upregulated and 54 circular RNAs downregulated significantly in ruptured intracranial aneurysms compared with un-ruptured intracranial aneurysms (p < 0.05, Fold Change > 1.5). 5 upregulated circular RNAs were selected for further study (hsa_circ_0001947, hsa_circ_0043001, hsa_circ_0064557, hsa_circ_0058514, hsa_circ_0005505). The results of qPCR showed only hsa_circ_0005505 significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). The expression of hsa_circ_0005505 was higher in ruptured intracranial aneurysm tissues. And our in vitro data showed that hsa_circRNA_005505 promotes the proliferation the migration and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell.
Conclusions

This study revealed an important role of hsa_circ_0005505 in the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell, and indicated that hsa_circ_0005505 may associated with the pathological process of intracranial aneurysms.
Removal of Organic Pollutantsfrom Produced Water by Batch Adsorption Treatment
Authors: Khader Eman Hashim , Mohammed Thamer Jassim , Mirghaffari Nourollah , Salman ali Dawood , Juzsakova Tatjána , Abdullah Thamer Adnan
Published: February 2021

This paper investigates the adsorption of oil, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity of the produced water (PW) which accompanies the oil exploration and production after treatment by using powdered activated carbon (PAC), clinoptilolite natural zeolite (CNZ) and synthetic zeolite type X (XSZ). Moreover, the paper deals with the comparison of pollutant removal over different adsorbents. Sorption was carried out in batch sorption system. The operating factors including adsorbent dosage, time, pH, oil concentration and temperature were investigated to determine the optimum operational conditions. Three adsorption isotherm models (Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models) were applied. The kinetics of the oil sorption and the change in COD content over on PAC and CNZ were studied by using pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetics models. Maximum oil removal efficiencies (99.57, 95.87 and 99.84%), COD and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), respectively were found at PAC adsorbent dose of 0.25 g/100 mL. However, maximum turbidity removal efficiency (99.97%) was obtained when zeolite X was used at 0.25g/100 mL concentration. It is not very different from that obtained over PAC (99.65%). The results proved that adsorption over PAC is most effective compared to zeolites in the removal of organic pollutants from PW. Also, regeneration of the consumed adsorbents was carried out in this work to find out the possibility of reusing the adsorbents. The consumed powdered activated carbon and zeolites can be effectively regenerated and reused by chemical treatment and thermal treatment respectively.
Comparative Evaluation of Clinical and Radiological Parameters Following the Use of Biphasic Alloplastic Material With Amniotic Membrane/ Collagen Membrane for the Management of Periodontal Intra-bony Defects – a Prospective Double Blinded Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Venkatesan Nivedha , Lavu Vamsi , Balaji S.K
Published: February 2021

Background: The concept of periodontal regeneration has been revolutionised since the introduction of growth factors and bioactive bone substitutes which ensures optimal regeneration of the diseased periodontium. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of Amniotic membrane + Biphasic Calcium phosphate as compared to Collagen membrane + Biphasic Calcium phosphate for the management of periodontal intrabony defectsMethods: 50 systemically healthy patients with localised moderate to severe periodontitis, sites which had a Probing Pocket Depth (PPD) ≥6 mm and an intrabony component of ≥3 mm as detected on Intra oral periapical radiographs (IOPAR) and bone sounding were recruited based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly allocated by computer generated tables to CM+BiCP and AM+BiCP groups. The amount of bone fill and changes in Probing Pocket Depth, Clinical Attachment Level were measured at baseline and six months.Results: The results of the present study showed a mean reduction in the PPD of 2.89±.69 mm in the CM+BiCP group and 2.95±.57 mm in the AM+BiCP group and CAL gain of 2.60±1.43 mm in CM+BiCP group 3.18±1.13 mm in the AM+BiCP group at 6 months follow-up with no statistical significance between the groups. In terms of Defect resolution, 98.62 ± 6.51 % was achieved in CM +BiCP group and 98.25 ± 7.21 % in AM +BiCP group. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that AM can be used as a barrier membrane, in conjunction with Biphasic calcium phosphate, and provides comparable results to Collagen membrane with Biphasic calcium phosphate when used in the management of periodontal intrabony defects. Trail registration: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (IEC/18/DEC/145/51) and was registered in the Clinical Trial Registry of India [Ref No: CTRI/2020/03/0240075].
RAMS11 Promotes CRC Through Mtor-Dependent Inhibition of Autophagy, Suppression of Apoptosis, and Promotion of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: KHAN Md Zahirul ISLAM , LAW Helen Ka-Wai
Published: February 2021

BackgroundLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) associated with diverse biological processes of cells. Over the past decades, cumulating research evidences revealed that abnormal expressions of lncRNAs are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation, progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapies. Moreover, their usefulness as candidate biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and prognosis are well evident throughout previous literature. In the current study, we examined the role and molecular mechanisms of newly identified lncRNA named RNA associated with metastasis-11 (RAMS11) in CRC development. MethodsThe expression of RAMS11 in CRC cell lines DLD-1, HT-29, HCT-116, and SW480 and colon normal cells CCD-112-CoN were evaluated by quantitative RT-qPCR. The results showed that the RAMS11 is significantly upregulated in CRC cell lines compared to the normal cells. The CCK-8 proliferation assay, colony formation assay, and migration assay were performed to evaluate the biological and physiological functions of RAMS11 in vitro. To decipher the molecular mechanisms of RAMS11 medicated CRC progression, we further performed western blot analysis of the key pathway proteins (e.g., AMPK, AKT, and mTOR).ResultsOur results revealed that higher expression of RAMS11 is associated with increased CRC proliferation, migration, and development of metastasis. Knockdown of RAMS11 induced autophagy, apoptosis along with reduction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) suggesting that RAMS11 is involved in CRC progression. The molecular mechanisms of RAMS11 indicated that knockdown of RAMS11 significantly inhibited CRC carcinogenesis through mTOR-dependent autophagy induction. ConclusionsIn sum, our results suggested that RAMS11 is an important oncogene in CRC pathogenesis. Targeting RAMS11 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for CRC management.
Determination of Dislocation Density and Correlation Length of Si, Ti, Au and Zno on Ge by Peak Profile
Authors: Bilgili Ahmet Kürşat , ÇAĞATAY Rabia , DERVİŞOĞLU Hasan Celal , ÖZTÜRK Mustafa Kemal
Published: February 2021

In this study, X-ray diffraction peaks of Si, Ti, Au and ZnO grown on Ge substrate with thickness of 500 nm by using sputtering method are analyzed to determine correlation length and dislocation density. It is seen that in most dense region of peaks, peak behaviour is in accordance with Gauss function. Right and left tails of peaks are in good accordance with q3 law. For randomized dislocations, obeying q3 law is typical and they can be monitored with w-scans by using open detectors. Whole profile is fitted with a limited dislocation dispersion. Edge dislocation density and correlation length are determined in the degree of 1010cm-2 and 103 nm, respectively. In order to gain these values, semi-experimental equations in Kragner method are used. For making a good fit, fit iteration step is taken as 9x106.
MA Nagement of METastatic Disease In Campania (MAMETIC): Epidemiologic Data and Palliative Radiotherapy in an Italian Region. Study Protocol
Authors: Franco Rossella Di , Cascella Marco , Fusco Mario , Borzillo Valentina , Scipilliti Esmeralda , D'Ippolito Emma , Ferraioli Piera , Petito Angela , Cuomo Arturo , Pignata Sandro , Napoli Marilena Di , Rossetti Sabrina , Celentano Egidio , Crispo Anna , Grimaldi Maria , Muto Paolo
Published: February 2021

Background. In the Italian Campania Region, 30.517 new cases of solid cancer have been diagnosed, in 2019. Of those, patients with metastatic disease are up to 20%. This class of patients is extremely diversified and copious, and the offer of radiotherapy may vary in different geographical areas within the same region. The aim of this observational multicenter retrospective and prospective trial is to evaluate the occurrence of metastatic disease in several areas of a great Italian region, the management of the disease through RT approaches, and its impact on cancer-related pain and overall HRQoL. Methods. This is a multicenter, retrospective and prospective observational investigation. The retrospective part of the study concerns all patients enrolled with a diagnosis of metastatic disease and treated in RT centers within the Campania Region between January 2019 to July 2020. The prospective phase is going to involve all the metastatic patients with an indication of palliative RT. Considering regional epidemiological data, we expect an enrollment of 12.500-21.000 patients in 5 years.Conclusion. The MAMETIC Trial is an epidemiological study designed for investigating the different prevalence of tumors in the metastatic phase within a regional area, and for evaluating the local response to the patient's request. It can be a unique opportunity, not only to highlight possible geographic differences but also to regularly collect and share data to standardize the therapeutic offer within the regional area. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04595032.
The Protective Effects of Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia Against Osteoarthritis in Rats - Role of Nitric Oxide
Authors: Wang Tianci , Ren Dong , Su Yunshan , Lu Jian , Li Ming , Chen Yufeng , Wang Pengcheng
Published: February 2021

The study explored the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) on osteoarthritis (OA). CIHH conditioning was realized by exposing rats to hypobaric hypoxia environment mimicking 5,000 m high-altitude (PB=404 mmHg, PO2=84 mmHg) 6 h per day, once daily for 28 days. OA model was induced by surgically-induced medial meniscal tear. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 5 groups: preconditioning group （CIHH + OA）, postconditioning group （OA + CIHH）, control group, inhibitor group [OA + inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor], blank control group. The expression iNOS, nitric oxide (NO) content levels in the joint fluid were measured at 1, 2, 3 weeks after the OA modelling. Results revealed that OA modelling induced cartilage degeneration, up-regulated iNOS expression, increased joint fluid NO content. CIHH preconditioning and postconditioning reduced cartilage degeneration, prevented the NO production. Inhibitor groups showed alleviated joint degeneration than control group, but not as effective as CIHH condition. These results suggest that both CIHH preconditioning and postconditioning plays a protective role on OA, one of the mechanism was inhibiting the overexpression of iNOS and NO production.
The Effects of Sorafenib and Natural Killer Cell Co-injection in Combinational Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma; In Vivo
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Faezeh , Ai Jafar , Hajifathali Abbas , Muhammadnejad Samad , Ebrahimi-Barough Somayeh , Seyhoun Iman , Movahhed Tahereh Komeili , shirian Sadegh , Hosseinzadeh Fatemeh , Ahmadpour Sajjad , Alijani Mohammadreza , Verdi Javad
Published: February 2021

Background: Natural killer cells (NKC) and Sorafenib (Sor) are two important agents for treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Over the last decade, the interaction of Sor and NKC against HCC tumors has been very challenging. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of combination therapy of NKC plus Sor for HCC in vivo. Methods: Subcutaneous xenograft models of HCC were established in nude mice. For safety assessment of the treatment, the kidney and liver functions were analyzed. Paraffin embedded tumor sections were histopathologically studied and IHC tests were done to evaluate the angiogenesis (CD34) and proliferation (Ki67) indexes. The TUNEL assay was performed to identify tumor apoptosis. Serum levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ were measured by ELISA assay and expression levels of major inflammatory cytokines and cytoplasmic granules in xenograft HCC tumors were quantified by using real-time PCR.Results: Combination therapy with NKC and Sor significantly inhibited necrosis and apoptosis in tumor cells and increased angiogenesis and proliferation of HCC cells compared to monotherapy of NKC or Sor alone. The serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ as well as the expression levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, ILs-1, 6 and 10, granzyme B and perforin in the xenograft HCC tumor tissues of mouse treated with both NKC and Sor were significantly decreased than those detected in xenograft HCC groups treated with NKC or Sor alone.Conclusion: Combination therapy of the specific dosage of NKC and Sor cannot inhibit the HCC xenograft growth rate through a synergistic effect. All experimental procedures were performed according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) guide for the care and use of Laboratory animals and were approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of Tehran University (IECTU) of Medical Sciences (IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1397.181)
Study of Oxidative Stress Indices, Morphological Response, Mineral Absorption in Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.) Under Cadmium Stress and Bioinformatics of HMA Poteins
Authors: Kolahi Maryam , Kazemi Elham Mohajel , Yazdi Milad , Goldson-Barnaby Andrea
Published: February 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Stress distribution pattern in the distal radioulnar joint before and after ulnar shortening osteotomy in patients with ulnar impaction syndrome
Authors: Hontani Kazutoshi , Matsui Yuichiro , Kawamura Daisuke , Urita Atsushi , Momma Daisuke , Hamano Hiroki , Iwasaki Norimasa
Published: February 2021

Ulnar shortening osteotomy (USO) for ulnar impaction syndrome potentially leads to degenerative changes of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the sigmoid notch morphology on the stress distribution pattern of the DRUJ using computed tomography (CT) osteoabsorptiometry (CT-OAM). We reviewed the pre- and postoperative transverse CT images of 15 wrists that had undergone USO. The examined wrists were classified into two groups based on the sigmoid notch morphology: the linear-type notch (type L) and the curved-type notch (type C). We calculated and statistically compared the percentage of the high-density area (%HDA) in each divided region of the sigmoid notch. In type L, %HDA was significantly larger in the distal-dorsal region of the sigmoid notch before USO. Postoperatively, in type L, no specific regions showed significantly different %HDA. In type C, %HDA was significantly larger in the distal-volar region of the sigmoid notch before USO. Postoperatively, %HDA of type C was significantly larger in the proximal-volar region. Our results suggest that in patients with USO, morphological evaluation of the sigmoid notch can serve as a predictor of osteoarthritis in the DRUJ with or without USO.
Fluorescent Polyimide Films Produced With Diatomite and Mesoporous Silica as Promising High-Tech Material
Authors: Carlini Riccardo , Khalid Mohamed Ali , Yang Yuxiang , Zhao Yue , Liu Xiangnong , Garrone Eufrosina , Dai Anbang , Diao Guangxiang
Published: February 2021

Due to their excellent properties, polymides (PIs) result promising as high-performance materials in different technological fields. In this research, both micron-sized tubular mesoporous silica (mSiO2) and double-tube tubular diatomite particles with cadmium sulfide quantum dots are prepared by chemical deposition method. A cluster of type fluorescent particles is prepared by self-assembling carbon quantum dots (CDs) on the inner surface of the above materials. Then, a fluorescent polyimide film is prepared by uniform dispersion of fluorescent particles. The study of different properties of the film becomes then mandatory to evaluate possible application perspectives. Therefore, after synthesizes, all samples were investigated in term of chemical structure, microstructure and fluorescence properties by infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Fluorescence performance of diatomite-based fluorescent particles (diatomite@CdS@CDs) results not as good as the mSiO2-based fluorescent particles (mSiO2@CdS@CDs) ones; the mechanical properties of the composite film deteriorate as the content of the inorganic component increases. The performance of PI/mSiO2@CdS@CDs is 7.6 times the PI/diatomite@CdS@CDs ones.
Hypoxia-related Genes as Prognostic Signature to Predict Prognosis and Immune Microenvironment of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Qiu Yuqin , Qi Xuewei , Liu Zeyu , Xu Jingnan , Wang Xiaogang , Huang Jinchang , Jiang Xin
Published: February 2021

Background: Hypoxia is widespread in solid tumors and is directly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) aggressiveness, poor prognosis, and immunotherapy resistance. In this study, we aimed at developing a hypoxia-related marker to improve the prognosis prediction in CRC.Methods: We used gene expression data of CRC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas Database and the hypoxia gene set to obtain a hypoxia gene expression matrice of 479 CRC patients. The prognostic model was constructed by screening hypoxia risk genes that were significantly associated with prognosis by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The predictive performance of the prognostic model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curve analyses and ROC curve analysis and validated in the GSE17536 dataset of Gene Expression Omnibus database. Finally, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration and expression of immunosuppressive genes in CRC patients at high and low risk of hypoxia.Results: We constructed a hypoxia risk prognostic model composed of two hypoxia-related genes (SLC2A3 and ENO3), which was proved to have better sensitivity and specificity after a series of validation. Independent prognostic analysis revealed that the risk score can serve as an independent prognostic factor for CRC. The infiltration of natural killer resting cells, activated master cells and T-cell regulatory cells were significantly increased in the hypoxia high-risk group, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis showed that gene sets involved in tumor proliferation and differentiation, immune tolerance as well as hypoxia were also significantly enriched in this group. Negatively regulated genes in the Cancer Immunity Cycle, as well as immune checkpoints, were upregulated in the high hypoxia risk group, forming an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and mediating the immune escape. Conclusions: In summary, we constructed and validated a reliable hypoxia risk model that can independently predict the prognosis of CRC patients and reflect the status of the immune microenvironment, which is beneficial for screening CRC prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.