bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The metabolic and redox signaling of the nucleoredoxin-like 2 gene supports brain function
Authors: Léveillard Thierry
Published: December 2022

The nucleoredoxin genes NXNL2 encodes by alternative splicing for a secreted truncated thioredoxin that mediates neuronal survival and a thioredoxin enzyme that regulates the phosphorylation of TAU. Behavioral analyses of young Nxnl2-/- mice demonstrate that this gene is involved in regulating of brain functions and is essential for learning and memory exerting positive effects on long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. LTP dysfunction on the young Nxnl2-/- mice can be fully corrected by the synergistic action of the two products of the Nxnl2 gene. The expression pattern of the Nxnl2 gene in the brain shows a predominant expression in circumventricular organs, such as the area postrema. Glucose metabolism of the hippocampus of young Nxnl2-/- mice is abnormal, as shown by metabolomic analyses of hippocampal tissue specimens. Aging Nxnl2-/- mice have brain stigmata of tauopathy. This late occurring tauopathy can be prevented, although at modest efficacy, by recombinant AAVs encoding RdCVF2 and RdCVF2L when administrated to young animals. The NXNL2 metabolic and redox signaling in the brain announces a new area of ​​research in neurodegenerative diseases.
Developing and Assessing the Validity of a Metric to Quantify the Competitiveness of Surgical Residency Programs
Authors: Treffalls Rebecca N , Haideri Umme Farwa , Treffalls John A , Engledow Kevin , Davies Mark G
Published: December 2022

As surgical residencies become increasingly competitive, efforts are needed to improve the definition and measurement of competitiveness. Historically, most applicants utilize match rate to determine how competitive a residency is. However, there is limited data validating the use of match rate as a metric for competitiveness, and such use can lead to applicant self-selection. Metrics to measure competitiveness have been created by other studies; however, such metrics are specific to fellowships or are not straightforward enough for general use. An applicant's competitiveness is often determined based on metrics, such as the United States Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2, letters of recommendation, clerkship grades, research, and volunteering. In addition to match rate, applicants often use metrics of prior matched applicants to determine how competitive a specialty is. While metrics have continuously increased over time, it is unknown how applicant metrics correlate with the standard methods of assessing competitiveness, such as match rate. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple metric to assess the competitiveness of general and subspecialty surgical residency programs.
Protocol for the assay of biliverdin by the recombinant protein HUG
Authors: Tramer Federica , Perez Rocio Cardenas , Sist Paola , Passamonti Sabina
Published: December 2022

Biliverdin is a secondary metabolite of heme catabolism. It is formed by the reaction catalyzed by heme oxygenase, which converts the heme group contained in proteins, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, and catalase, to biliverdin, iron (II), and CO in equimolar amounts, consuming NADPH. Biliverdin is then reduced to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase (again by the simultaneous oxidation of NADPH), which together forms an intracellular redox couple. Heme oxygenase-1 is an inducible enzyme induced by hypoxic conditions, increased availability of heme, or proinflammatory mechanisms, such as LPS, UV radiation, etc. Moreover, both heme oxygenase-1 and biliverdin reductase play roles other than catalysis, by modulating specific metabolic pathways at the transcriptional level. We present here a protocol for the determination of biliverdin based on its enzymatic conversion to bilirubin, which specifically binds to the recombinant protein HUG, resulting in fluorescence emission. This method allows the measurement of bilirubin and biliverdin in nM concentrations.
An update to: Tracking TAU in neurons: How to grow, fix and stain primary neurons for the investigation of TAU in all developmental stages
Authors: Buchholz Sarah , Bell-Simons Michael , Haag Natja , Zempel Hans
Published: December 2022

Primary murine neurons are a well-established tool for investigating TAU in the context of neuronal development and neurodegeneration. However, culturing primary neurons is usually time-consuming and requires multiple feeding steps, media exchanges, proprietary media supplements, and/or preparation of complex media. Here we describe i) a relatively cheap and easy cell culture procedure for the cultivation of forebrain neurons from embryonic mice (E13.5) based on a commercially available neuronal supplement (NS21), ii) a protocol for the cultivation of hippocampal and cortical neurons from postnatal (P0-P3) animals, as well as iii) basic fixation and immunofluorescence techniques for the staining of neuronal markers and endogenous TAU. We demonstrate a staining technique, which minimizes antibody consumption and allows for fast and convenient processing of samples for immunofluorescence microscopy of endogenous TAU in primary neurons. We also provide a protocol that enables cryopreservation of fixed cells for years without measurable loss of TAU signal. In sum, we provide reliable protocols enabling microscopy-based studies of TAU in primary murine neurons.
Targeted treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma
Authors: Riskjell Anne Iren , Mäkinen Vivi-Nelli , Paulsen Birgitte Sandfeld , Aggerholm-Pedersen Ninna
Published: December 2022

Background
Soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) is a heterogeneous group of sarcomas with a low incidence. The treatment of advanced disease is poor, and the mortality is high. In other types of cancer, targeted treatment has shown promising results. Therefore, we aimed to generate an overview of the clinical experiences with targeted treatments based on a pre-specified target in patients with STS.
Methods
A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase databases. The programs ENDNOTE and COVIDENCE were used for data management. The literature was screened to assess the article’s eligibility for inclusion. A total of 31 articles were included in this review.
Results
Twenty-eight targeted agents were used in the treatment of 80 patients with advanced STS and a known pre-specified genetic alteration. MDM2-inhibitors were the most studied drug (n = 19), followed by crizotinib (n = 9), ceritinib (n = 8) and 90Y-OTSA (n = 8). All patients treated with MDM2 inhibitor achieved a treatment response of stable disease (SD) or better with a treatment duration of 4 to 83 months. For the remaining drugs, a more mixed response was observed. The evidence is low since most studies were case reports or cohort studies, where only a few STS patients were included.
Conclusion
Many targeted agents are available that can precisely target specific genetic alterations in advanced STS. The MDM2 inhibitor has shown promising results and must be considered in patients with MDM2 amplification; however, further investigation is needed to identify the potential survival effect of targeted treatment in sarcoma.
Influence of calcium nanoparticles on antioxidant enzymes, total carbohydrates content and isozymes of in vitro cultured Lupinus termis under cadmium stress.
Authors: Khalaf Basma M.M. , Mohsen Awatif A. , El-Kemary Maged , Dowidar Samha M.A. , Abo-Hamad Shaimaa A. , Elhaak Mahmoud A.A. , Elsherif Doaa E.
Published: December 2022

Tissue culture technique was carried out in order to assess the possible effects of calcium nanoparticles either Ca(OH) 2 or CaO at concentration of 100 and 50 µM, respectively on peroxidase and catalase enzymes, total soluble carbohydrates content, starch content and isozymes of peroxidase and amylase of Lupinus termis callus at 30 days of growth. The experimental plant tissues were grown in culture using B 5 medium amended with either different concentrations of CdCl 2 (20 and 60 mg/l) or calcium nanoparticles either Ca(OH) 2 or CaO at concentrations of 100 and 50 µM, respectively. Ca nanoparticles decreased the harmful effects of Cadmium as the activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were reduced by applying nanoparticles either Ca(OH) 2 or CaO to media having different concentrations of Cd. The content of Starch Tissue culture technique was carried out on Lupinus termis plant.was increased only by addition of Ca nanoparticles either Ca(OH) 2 or CaO and their mixture to 60 mg/l Cd. Isozyme profile of peroxidase and amylase in callus showed 2 isoforms of POD and three isoforms of amylase varied in their intensity and thickening in response to different treatments.
Progesterone Acts Synergistically with Niraparib in Ovarian Cancer by Promoting Ferroptosis via the PR/SCD1/ Fatty Acid Oxidation Pathway
Authors: Wu Nayiyuan , Fang Chao , Zhang Xiu , Zhu Miaochen , Wang Zhibin , Jian Lian , Tan Weili , Wang Ying , Li He , Xu Xuemeng , Zhou Yujuan , Wang Jing , Liao Qianjin
Published: December 2022

PARP inhibitors (PARPi) play an increasing role in the treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, more than 40% BRCA1/2-deficient patients do not respond to PARPi, and wild-type BRCA cases have no significant benefit. Here, we demonstrated progesterone acted synergistically with niraparib in ovarian cancer cells with or without BRCA deficient. This synergism has been confirmed in the ovarian cancer organoid model and in vivo experiments. Furthermore, progesterone can enhance activity of niraparib in ovarian cancer via ferroptosis induction by upregulating progesterone receptor (PR)/SCD1-mediated fatty acid metabolism and enhancing mitochondrial damage. In clinical cases, PR and SCD1 were expressed at higher levels in PARPi sensitive cases compared with resistant cases, and high PR expression was associated with improved prognosis and higher sensitivity to PARPi in OC. This study provides new strategies for improving the efficacy of PARPi in ovarian cancer.
An investigation on the mechanical and microstructural properties of pigeon pea stalk ash concrete: An approach towards environmental sustainability
Authors: Krishnan Anitha , Subramanian Senthil Selvan
Published: December 2022

The concept of sustainability in agricultural residue management has gained increasing traction around the world in recent years. After harvesting, large volumes of waste are generated that are often dumped into the environment, causing pollution. In addition to preventing environmental degradation, these wastes can also be used in the concrete industry to reduce mineral resource depletion. With this approach, sustainable development is possible. According to the results of this investigation, the effect of pigeon pea stalk ash (PPSA) as a partial replacement of cement in concrete, a series of experimental tests were performed. It has been found that the compressive strength increases for the mixes from 4 to 8% of cement replacement. In contrast, the strength decreases when the percentage replacement of pigeon pea stalk ash with cement exceeds 8%. Based on the experimental results, concrete infused with 8% pigeon pea stalk ash increased its compressive strength by 6.96%. The compressive strength decreased with a further increase in PPSA content. Although the split tensile strength value of PPSA8 concrete was same value compared to the control concrete, even an 8% PPSA concrete has higher strength than other replacement levels. Concrete with 8% PPSA content was observed to have a higher flexural strength than control concrete. PPSA concrete was prepared with pigeon pea stalk waste up to 8% substitution of cement. PPSA concrete has reduced permeability and higher resistance to acid attack. All the strength and durability test results revealed that PPSA concrete type was superior to the control concrete in terms of mechanical qualities and durability characteristics. The present work discusses concrete's improved economic and environmental aspects with incorporated pigeon pea stalk ash. Hence, this study points toward the highest potential use of more concerned about agricultural wastes like pigeon pea stalk ash in green concrete.
Intensifying screen based radioluminescence imaging
Authors: Wang Yirong , Cao Xin , Liang Xiaoyan , Guo Jiaxu , Wang Jing , Kang Fei , Cao Xu
Published: December 2022

Background
Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) is an attractive technique to visualize radioactive molecular imaging tracers, but its clinical translation is challenged by the weak intensity and poor penetration. Although enhancing strategies based on in situ secondary-excited fluorescence were proposed, the tissue absorption of the in-situ fluorescence was still nonignorable, and the biosafety of the fluorescent materials was non-optimum for clinical use. we proposed an intensifying screen based radioluminescence imaging (ISRLI) technique by replacing the CL-enhancing fluorescent materials within the biological tissue with an intensifying screen on the outside surface of the tissue, which allows γ-ray, instead of in situ fluorescence, to penetrate biological tissue without energy loss and then converts radioactive energy into fluorescence outside the tissue.
Result
The signal intensity of ISRLI was significantly higher than that of CLI for 18F (4478 ± 81.98 vs 293.7 ± 12.67, p < 0.0001) and for 32P (17459 ± 392.98 vs 968 ± 79.54, p < 0.0001), 15.2- and 18.04-fold higher in mean value, respectively. The signal intensity of CLI and ISRLI was linearly well-correlated to the absolute radioactivity (r2 > 0.99). For imaging 18F-FDG, the minimum detection limit of ISRLI was 0.001–0.01 µCi, but that number of CLI was 0.1-1µCi, indicating the sensitivity of ISRLI was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of CLI. In tumor imaging with 18F-FDG on mice, the photon yield rate of ISRLI was significantly higher than that of CLI (2355 ± 357.4 vs 193 ± 44.06, p = 0.0039 < 0.01), 12.2-fold higher in mean value. In lymphography imaging with 99mTc-dextran (99mTc-DX) on rabbits, ISRLI visualized and located the popliteal lymph nodes with a fine consistency to single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT).
Conclusion
Compared with Cerenkov luminescence, the proposed ISRLI generates a stronger signal with a 15-fold higher intensity and without energy loss in penetrating tissue. This radioluminescence technique may provide a new perspective for the clinical translation of optical imaging.
Experimental Evolution of Various Machine Learning Algorithms for Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks using Software Defined Radio
Authors: GINKAWAR SWETHA , Bhandari B. N. Bhandari
Published: December 2022

A cognitive radio is a wireless communication system that uses the spectral environment to improve the efficiency of its operations. One of the most important phases of this system is the spectrum sensing. This process involves detecting the presence of signals in a specific frequency band. This paper presents a variety of machine learning-based solutions that are designed to improve the efficiency of the spectrum sensing process. These include K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Logistic regression, and Support vector machine (SVM) algorithms. The paper also shows how these solutions can be used in cooperative spectrum sensing by using non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) technique. The main objective of these solutions is to provide a comprehensive view of the presence of primary users (PUs) in a real-time dataset which is prepared using software defined radio (SDR). They are then used to identify the state of each user in a given area by providing an optimal boundary between presence and absence of primary users to achieve improved performance. The performance of these algorithms is analyzed by taking into account various factors such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1_score and confusion matrix.
The relationship between serum IgE level and IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Mozooni Zahra , Faraji Fatemeh , Minaeian Sara , Bahadorizadeh Leyla
Published: December 2022

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignancy of the digestive system in the world. The immune system is one main constituent of the tumor microenvironment. The discovery of the immune system components that are involved in cancer development has an important role in the detection of novel biomarkers for prognosis, treatment monitoring, and the development of immune-based therapies. This study investigated the serum IgE levels and expression of IL-4 and IL-13 in the tissue and serum of CRC patients and explored their possible association with pathological and clinical factors.
Materials and Methods: 36 patients with CRC and 36 healthy individuals were involved in the study. Tissue and blood samples were collected. Serum levels of IgE and IL-4 and IL-13 were analyzed using the ELISA method. The quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) technique was used to assess the expression levels of the cytokines in CRC tissue samples in comparison with the adjacent control tissue.
Results: Our results revealed that the serum level of IL-4 and IL-13 and also their gene expression levels were significantly decreased in CRC patients compared to the controls. Although the serum level of IgE was reduced in patients compared to the control group, it was not significant.
Conclusion: These results indicated that IL-4 and IL-13 levels and serum levels of IgE may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for CRC.
Clinical results of intramedullary and hemiarthroplasty in treatment of intertrochanteric fracture with coronal fracture in elderly
Authors: Qiu Wangbao , Shi Baoqing , Wang Hangban , Liang Wei
Published: December 2022

Objective: To campare the effectiveness of intramedullary and hemiarthroplasty in treatment of intertrochanteric fracture with coronal fracture in elderly
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 50 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture with coronal fracture who performed operation between July 2017 and February 2022. According to the different surgical methods ,the patients divided into 2 groups: Group A(27 cases , performed with PFNA/Intertan) and Group B(23 cases, performed with hemiarthroplasy). There was no significant difference in age,gender,BMI,preoperative VAS score,preoperative hemoglobin and serum albumin levels，preopertive prepare time(P＞0.05).Operation time, intraoperative blood loss ,length of hospital stay,postoperative VAS score,postoperative hemoglobin and serum albumin levels,complication，Harris score of postoperative 1,3,6 months were record and compared between the two groups.
Results: There was no significant difference in operation time, length of hospital stay, postoperative hemoglobin and serum albumin level，complications between the two groups. There was significant difference in intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (P=0.001). The postoperative VAS scores of the two groups were no significant difference, but the postoperative VAS score were significant greater than preoperative in intra-group . Both of the two operations could effectively relieve pain. The Harris scores of the two groups were statistically significant at 1 month and 3 months after operation, and the function of hemiarthroplasty was better than that of intramedullary fixation, but there was no statistical significance between the two groups at 6 months. However, both surgical can significantly improve the function of patients.
Conclusion: Both PFNA/Intertan intramedullary fixation and hemiarthroplasty can achieve good results for intertrochanteric fractures combined with coronal fractures. The existence of coronal fracture can increase the difficulty of operation. The early functional recovery of hemiarthroplasty is better than that of intramedullary fixation, but with the passage of time, intramedullary fixation can also achieve better function.
The Distribution of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells subsets and Up-regulation of Programmed Death-1/PD-L1 axis in Peripheral Blood of Adult CAP Patients
Authors: Gong Haihong , Zhao Jingquan , Xu Wenshuai , Wan Yinghua , Mou Xiangdong , Zhang Mingqiang
Published: December 2022

Background:
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been reported to expand and have a potent ability in the expansion of regulatory T cells in malignant and infectious disease. The current study was performed to investigate the role of MDSCs and possible immune mechanisms in dampening immune responses of CAP.
Methods:
The distribution of MDSCs subsets, the PD-1/PD-L1(L2) level of MDSCs subsets and Tregs in the peripheral blood of adult CAP patients and healthy control were measured by flow cytometry analysis.
Results:
PBMCs from CAP patients contained an elevated frequency of both G-MDSC (4.92+0.30 vs 2.25+0.21,p<0.0001) and M-MDSC (19.40+1.30 vs 9.64+0.57,p<0.001) compared to healthy controls. Treg cells in the peripheral blood of CAP patients exhibited increased expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4, accompanied by no difference of their frequency. Moreover, up-regulated expression of PD-L1 on MDSC subsets in the peripheral blood of CAP patients was also revealed. Of note,the frequency of circulating MDSCs subset displayed a positive correlation with neutrophil count percentage in blood in CAP patients.
Conclusions:
In summary, the significant expansion of circulating MDSCs subsets and the up-regulated expression of PD-1/PD-L1 level in CAP patients may suggest the possible involvement of PD-1/PD-L1axis in MDSCs mediated Treg dysfunction at least partially in CAP patients .
The reliability and validity of developing a Chinese Version of a New Toileting Tasks
Authors: Zhuang Hongxia , Wang Xueqi , Jing Xiaolei , Xu Hao
Published: December 2022

Background: Stroke has become an increasingly serious public health issue worldwide,The assessment of stroke patients' ability to use the toilet can help medical staff master the recovery of patients' daily living ability.This study aimed to present study developed a Chinese version of the toileting tasks assessment form (TTAF) for toileting capacity assessment of patients with Hemiparetic Stroke in China.
Methods: This work was carried out strictly in accordance with the Brislin translation model. After which, the reliability and validation of the new developed scale was estimated. 200 hemiparetic stroke patients (149 females, mean age 66.5 ± 9.5 years) were recruited from the first affiliated hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China to complete the scales. The reliability analysis methods included homogeneity reliability, split-half reliability and test-retest reliability. And the reliability was estimated with intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], internal consistency (Cronbach’s α). The validity analysis was evaluated by surface validity, content validity and construct validity, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients was applied. Afterwards, exploring factor analysis and item analysis method were adopted to screen out the potential items within the scale. We used item analysis method and exploring factor analysis to screen the items.
Results: The Chinese version of TTAF covered 3 dimensions and 24 items: factor 1 (Starting movement of upper limbs, 6 items), factor 2 (Starting movement of lower limbs, 11 items）, factor 3 (Starting movement of Squats, 7 items). The TTAF showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.943) and substantial test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92, 95% confidence interval（CI）: 0.87-0.95). Fleiss’ κ coefficient for inter-rater reliability for each form item was 0. 78 to 1.00. Cohen’s κ coefficient for intra-rater reliability for each item was 0.68 to 0.96. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients for the mean score on our form and Barthel Index (BI) score for “toileting” ranged from 0.631- 0.893 (p < 0.001). The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the load values of 14 items were 0.547-0.858 (p < 0.01). The fitting indexes of the final model are as follows: χ2/df=1.131, RMSEA=0.084, CFI=0.911, NFL=0.861. The results showed that the model fit well.
Conclusion: The Chinese version of the TTAF scale had relatively high reliability and validity. It provides a reference basis for analyzing the influencing factors of metastasis disorder in stroke patients and formulating prevention and intervention measures through scale evaluation.
Estimation of Apple Mealiness by means of Laser Scattering Measurement
Authors: IIDA Daiki , KOKAWA Mito , KITAMURA Yutaka
Published: December 2022

Mealiness is a phenomenon in which intercellular adhesions in apples loosen during storage, causing soft and floury texture at the time of eating, and leading to lower consumer preference. Although apples can be stored and commercially sold throughout the year, the occurrence of mealiness is not monitored during storage. Therefore, the objective of this research was to non-destructively estimate the mealiness of apple fruit by means of laser scattering measurement. This method is based on laser light backscattering imaging but can quantify a wider range of backscattered light than the conventional method. Lasers with wavelengths of 633 nm and 850 nm were used as a light source, and after acquiring backscattered images, profiles and images were obtained. Profile features such as curve fitting coefficients and profile gradients, and image features such as statistical image features and texture features were extracted from the profiles and images, respectively. PLS, SVM, and ANN models were used for the estimation of mealiness. The results of the estimation based on these features showed that the ANN model combining both wavelengths had a higher performance (R = 0.634, RMSE = 7.621) than the models constructed from features calculated from the data obtained by a single wavelength. In order to improve the performance of model, we applied various ensemble learning. As a result, the ensemble model showed the highest performance (R = 0.682, RMSE = 7.281). These results suggest that laser scattering measurement is a promising method for estimating the apple fruit mealiness.
Experiences of different types of discrimination in the UK during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study
Authors: Paul Elise , Razai Mohammad S. , Burgess Rochelle A. , Burton Alexandra , Fancourt Daisy , McKinlay Alison
Published: December 2022

This study describes the causes and frequency of different types of discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic using mixed methods. Quantitative data on seven types of discrimination were collected from adults in the UCL Covid-19 Social Study in July 2020 and July 2021 (N = 15,154). From those reporting discrimination in July 2020, qualitative thematic analysis classified responses on discrimination from eight free-text questions collected October-November 2020 (N = 1,121). Younger age, belonging to an ethnic minority group, lower household income (< £30,000), higher educational attainment, and having a physical or mental health condition increased the likelihood of having experienced at least one type of discrimination in 2020 and 2021. Descriptions of discrimination related to health and disability, age, social class, race, and gender. Qualitative findings indicate that although there may have been fewer face-to-face instances of discrimination reported, systemic consequences of stigma were heightened during the first year of the pandemic.
Research on Resilience Assessment of Urban Epidemic Prevention Complex Network Driven by Improved SEIR Model
Authors: Zhu Shijie , Cao Lixia , Lang Hui , Wang Tonghui
Published: December 2022

Due to the unpredictability of Covid-19 and the complexity of community transmission, the existing theories and methods of system resilience assessment can not meet the needs of city epidemic prevention complex network resilience assessment. Therefore, this paper constructs a epidemic transmission complex network and studies the epidemic transmission model on the network---the Improved SEIR. And the paper predicts the development of the epidemic, point out the vulnerability of the network and the vulnerability of epidemic prevention. Then, according to the network structure of epidemic prevention and the results of SEIR model, the new theory and method of epidemic prevention resilience assessment in City A were constructed, and the resilience assessment of complex epidemic prevention network was divided into two dimensions: network structure resilience and urban function resilience. The new methods for the city epidemic prevention complex network resilience assessment are simulationed through measured data. The results show that when the epidemic comes, improving the resilience of urban epidemic prevention functions has a better effect on epidemic prevention and control. The paper integrates improved SEIR models with urban anti-epidemic measures, providing a new approach to resilience assessment of complex systems.
Sustainable developments in near-dry electrical discharge machining process using sunflower oil-mist dielectric fluid
Authors: BOOPATHI SAMPATH , Alqahtani Abdulrahman Saad , Mubarakali Azath , Panchatcharam Parthasarathy
Published: December 2022

In this study, a near-dry electrical discharge machining (NDEDM) process has been conducted using compressed air mixed with a low quantity of biodegradable refined sunflower oil (called oil-mist) to investigate the machining characteristics. The influences of oil flow rate (OR), air pressure (AR), spark current (SC), and pulse width (PW) on gas emission concentration (GEC), machining rate (MR), and surface roughness (SR) by the Box-Behnken method. The TOPSIS (The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution) technique estimates the parameter optimal set for the best machining characteristics. The optimal machining parameters have been used to examine the microstructure of the machined surfaces using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The 0.981 mg/min of GEC, 55.145 mg/min of machining rate, and 2.43 µm of surface roughness have been attained by the 14 ml/min flow rate, 7 bar of air pressure, 10 A spark current, and 48 µs pulse duration of the sun-flower oil-mist NDEDM process.
Long noncoding RNA LINC00673 sponges miR-188-3p to suppresses osteogenesis of human periodontal ligament stem cells through upregulating LEP
Authors: Yang Yang , Li Yilin , Yan Shuyun , Song Yang , Hu Jing , Li Wanheng , Wang Xuxia , Zhang Jun
Published: December 2022

Periodontitis and diabetes are both chronic diseases with a complex bidi- rectional relationship. Diabetes increases the risk of periodontitis by two to three times when compared to people who do not have diabetes. In this study, we used microarray analysis to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in response to advanced glycosylation end prod- ucts (AGEs) and conventional osteogenic induction, and we identified LINC00673 as the target. LINC00673, a recently discovered lncRNA, has been studied in various cancers. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of LINC00673 in PDLSCs exposed to the AGEs microenvi- ronment have never been fully explored. Following that, we predicted an interaction between LINC00673 and miR188-3p and confirmed the direct binding sites of miR-188-3p on LINC00673. MiR-188-3p overexpres- sion resulted in increased osteogenic differentiation, whereas LINC00673 overexpression reversed its suppression, indicating that LINC00673 acts as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-188-3p. By suppressing one another, LINC00673 and miR-188-3p form a network that controls LEP, its target gene. By inhibiting the canonical Wnt pathway, LEP decreased bone formation in PDLSCs. In conclusion, our findings provide new evi- dence that this lncRNA-miRNA (microRNA) regulatory network plays an important role in the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs and has the potential to be a therapeutic target for diabetes-related periodontitis.
The effect of impurities in coarse granules of aluminum on its hydrothermal oxidation for hydrogen production
Authors: Ambaryan Grayr , Kumar Vinod , Valyano Georgii , Kiseleva Elena , Buryakovskaya Olesya , Grigorenko Anatoly , Vlaskin Mikhail
Published: December 2022

This study is devoted to hydrothermal oxidation of aluminum – the exothermic process in which hydrogen and aluminum oxide (or hydroxide) are produced. In this work, the influence of the chemical purity of aluminum on the conversion degree of coarse aluminum at hydrothermal oxidation was studied. Distilled water and coarse granules of aluminum with an average size of ~ 7–10 mm of three different aluminum purity of 99.7, 99.9 and 99.99% were used in the experiments. The oxidation experiments were carried out inside 5-litter autoclave in an isothermal mode at temperatures from 200 to 280°C with a step of 20°C. The holding time at the set temperature changes from 4 to 10 hours. Our results showed that with the increasing of temperature and holding time, the conversion degree increases. It was showed that chemical purity of aluminum influence considerably the oxidation kinetics. More chemically pure aluminum oxidizes much faster, e.g. at a temperature of 280°C and a holding time of 10 hours, the conversion degree of granules with the chemical purity of 99.9% and 99.7% was less than 2%, while 99.99% aluminum was almost fully oxidized.
Novel biphotoswitchable forms of photoconvertible fluorescent proteins SAASoti: the role of the correlated motion(s) of the chromophore
Authors: Gavshina Alexandra , Solovyev Ilya , Marynich Nadya , Ivashina Tatyana , Khrenova Maria , Savitsky Alexander
Published: December 2022

The wild type SAASoti and its monomeric variant mSAASoti can undergo phototransformations including reversible photoswitching of the green form to a non-fluorescent state and irreversible photoconversion from green to red form. In this study we extend the photochemistry of mSAASoti variants bringing the ability of reversible photoswitching of the red form. This result is achieved by rational and site-saturated mutagenesis of the M163 and F177 residues that are known to be important for the flexibility of the phenyl part of the chromophore. Thus, novel mSAASoti variants are biphotochromic fluorescent proteins with efficient green-to-red photoconversion and photoswitching of both green and red forms. We got a 30-fold increase in the switching efficiency of the green form and the appearance of a comparable switching of the red form for the C21N/M163T mSAASoti variant. Dynamic network analysis reveals that efficient photoswitching occurs if motions of the H68 residue and phenyl fragment of chromophore are correlated and these moieties belong to the same community.
Single point motion kinematics convey emotional signals in children and adults
Authors: Roberti Elisa , Turati Chiara , Grosso Rossana Actis
Published: December 2022

This study investigated whether humans recognize different emotions conveyed only by the kinematics of a single moving geometrical shape and how this competence unfolds during development, from childhood to adulthood. To this aim, animations in which a shape moved according to a happy, fearful, or neutral kinematics were shown, in a forced-choice paradigm, to 7- and 10-year-old children and adults. Accuracy and response times were recorded, and the movement of the mouse while the participants selected a response was tracked. Results showed that both 10-year-old children and adults recognize happiness and fear when conveyed solely by different kinematic with an advantage for fearful stimuli. Fearful stimuli were accurately recognized also at 7-year-olds, together with neutral stimuli, while, at this age, the accuracy for happiness was not significantly different than chance. Overall, results demonstrate that emotions can be identified by kinematics alone during both childhood and adulthood. Moreover, kinematics contributes in various measures to the comprehension of emotions, with fear kinematic recognized earlier in development and more readily even later on, when all emotions are accurately labeled.
Enhancement of immiscible fluid mixing using passive micromixers to increase the performance of liquid-liquid extraction
Authors: Amini Younes , Shadman Mohammad Mahdi , hassanvand Amin , Ghazanfari V.
Published: December 2022

This paper aims to simulate an immiscible two-phase flow in two-dimensional micro mixers numerically. The effects of various parameters, including Capillary number, phase flow rate ratio, and channel width ratio, on the generation of droplets, were studied. Also, modification of T-shaped and cross-shaped micromixers was proposed. The results reveal that equidistant tiny droplets are generated in the modified micromixers compared to ordinary geometry under the same conditions. Moreover, this study demonstrates that the multiphase flows in micro-devices are very sensitive to even small changes in the channel geometry.
Synthesis of Crystalline Carbon Nitride with Molten Salt Thermal Treatment for Efficient Photocatalytic Reduction and Removal of U(Ⅵ)
Authors: Wu Zhiwen , Wang Bo , Zhu Yean , Xue Jinming , Nie Yidan , Xie Zongbo , Le Zhanggao
Published: December 2022

It is critical to recover uranium from wastewater containing U(VI) and to ensure the commercial development of nuclear related energy sources. With the rapid development of photocatalytic technology, the extraction and recovery methods of uranyl ions from contaminated areas has become clearer. However, it faces several challenges, such as low charge carrier migration and lack of active sites. In order to improve the efficiency of photocatalytic reduction of uranium, the crystallized carbon nitride (CCN) catalysts at different temperatures were successfully obtained and well characterized. The effects of catalyst dosage, pH value of solution and concentration of U(Ⅵ) on the photocatalytic reactions, as well as the photoreduction mechanisms were investigated in detail. The results demonstrate that CCN can effectively remove U(Ⅵ) by photocatalytic reduction, which has a great application prospect for the treatment of uranium-containing wastewater.
Associations of Parenting Stress with Anterior Thalamic Radiations and Reuniens Nuclei in the Developing Brain
Authors: Cheong Yong Jeon , Lee Seonkyoung , Yu Jinyoung , Ro Ji Hyeong , Jung Minyoung
Published: December 2022

Despite the importance of child-caregiver interactions in child development, the association between parenting stress and the brain development of children remains unclear. We investigated how parenting stress relates to neural connectivity in the white matter structures and whether it has any associations with volume of thalamic subfields in 47 typically developing children (24 girls, mean age: 8.96 years old). While parents completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), children underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) scanning. The six PSI subscales reflecting child characteristics were negatively associated with the mean fractional anisotropy values of the bilateral anterior thalamic radiations (ATRs), bridging thalamus to the prefrontal cortex. Our exploratory analysis on thalamic subfields disclosed significant negative associations between the six PSI subscales and the volume of the right reuniens nuclei (MV-re) that is situated in the medial ventral thalamus and mediates interaction between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. Considering a reduced white matter integrity in bilateral ATRs and smaller MV-re volume, parenting stress stemming from child-related features may reflect inefficient exchange of information via thalamocortical circuits in the developing brain. Our findings indicate the significance of interactions in child-caregiver dyads in brain development and particularly, thalamic structures.
A Hybrid Algortihm for Aadhaar Card Security Using Rsa With Rk and Gt
Authors: Lizy R.Felista Sugirtha , Raj V.Joseph
Published: December 2022

The protection of the underlying networking infrastructure against illegal access, misuse, or theft is known as network security. It entails establishing a secure infrastructure that allows devices, applications, users, and applications to operate safely. The primary purpose of this study is to improve the RSA algorithm's security. As a result, improvements in the Feistel (F) function integrating RSA, RK, and Game Theory's Mixed Strategy concepts are being made to improve the safety of the RSA cryptographic algorithm. The impact of the RK-GT-RSA algorithm has been analyzed using a number of performance metrics. By improving its Avalanche Effect, Speed, Throughput, and Power Consumption performance, the RK-GT-RSA algorithms are presented. The performance of the RK-GT-RSA algorithm has been improved, and experimental results have been shown.
The Role of RNA Methylation Modification Related Genes in Prognosis and Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Lin Ruoyang , Chen Renpin , Ye Lechi , Huang Zhiming , Lin Xianfan , Chen Tanzhou
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to analyze the effects of RNA methylation regulatory genes in prognosis and treatment of CRC. Prognostic signature associated with CRCs were constructed by differential expression analysis, Cox and LASSO analyses. ROC and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to validate the reliability of the developed model. Finally, normal and cancerous tissue were collected to validate gene by qRT-PCR. A prognostic risk model based on LRPPRC and UHRF2 was constructed and relevant to the OS of CRC. Ultimately, PCR validation showed that a significant upregulation in the expression of LRPPRC and UHRF2 in cancerous tissue. A prognostic risk model based on LRPPRC and UHRF2 was successfully built, and the model could predict the immunotherapy efficacy of CRC.
An Innovative Ferroptosis-related Genes Signature for Prediction of Prognosis and Immune Microenvironment in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Shihang , Xu Jian , Wang Jianguo , Shen Bingbing , Jiang Jianxin
Published: December 2022

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with high heterogeneity, which impedes prognostic prediction. Cuproptosis is an innovative copper-trigged modality of mitochondrial cell death. Ferroptosis is a unique form of programmed cell death with iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation. The target of this study was to establish a new signature with ferroptosis-related genes conjoining cuproptosis-related genes for the prediction of prognosis and tumor immunity in patients with HCC.
Method: The expression profiles and corresponding clinical data of HCC patients were retrieved from TCGA. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to identify the cuproptosis-related ferroptosis genes (CRFGs). A risk prognostic signature of 5-gene was constructed based on the CRFGs via the Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method. Subsequently, the prognostic performance of the signature was evaluated by survival analysis, nomogram, Cox regression, clinicopathological characteristics correlation analysis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Furthermore, the GO, KEGG pathway, GSEA, protein-protein interaction (PPI), the correlation between the signature risk score and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint, immune function, TMB, TIDE score, ESTIMATE score, and anticancer drug sensitivity were analyzed.
Results: The 5-CRFGs signature comprising ATG13, BAP1, ELAVL1, SLC38A1, and YY1AP1 were explored to ameliorate the prognosis prediction of HCC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and ROC curve revealed the high-risk group associated with a poorer prognosis compared to the low-risk group. Cox regression and stratified survival analysis demonstrated that this signature was a risk factor independent of various clinical parameters. Moreover, immune cell infiltration, immune function, immune checkpoint, increased TMB, decreased TIDE score, ESTIMATE score, and half-inhibitory concentration significantly differed between high-and low-risk subtypes, which implied that the signature had acceptable assessing potency in the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Conclusion: The novel cuproptosis-related ferroptosis gene signature indicated extraordinary predictive potency in prognosis and the immune microenvironment, which can provide a potentially promising therapeutic strategy for HCC patients.
Imagination Beyond National Jurisdiction - Computing and Envisioning Possible Sustainable Futures for the High Seas
Authors: Lübker Hannah Marlen , Keys Patrick W. , Merrie Andrew , Pereira Laura M. , Rocha Juan C.
Published: December 2022

The high seas are experiencing a stark increase in industrial activities, with resources being exploited unsustainably and shared unequally. This suggests the need for a transformation, a shift in the deeper structures of the system such as underlying paradigms and mind-sets. We created future visions by combining computational text analysis with a structured yet creative futuring approach. This process resulted in four science fiction stories, which aim to capture the complexity of the system, embrace the inherent uncertainty of the future and question current unsustainable trajectories, while emphasizing the vastness of future option space. The visions are analyzed using the concept of imaginaries, demonstrating that futuristic stories can be traced back to current realities and the scientific evidence they were based upon. We argue that engaging with alternative futures can open up transformative spaces to rethink the relationships between humans and the high seas, from which novel imaginaries can emerge.