bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Upregulated SSB Is Involved in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression and Metastasis through the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Antiapoptosis, and Altered ROS Level Pathway
Authors: Wu Hao , Zhang Zhixin , Han Xinyu , Zhang Sai , Zhang Jinrui , Han Pinsheng , Zhang Youcheng , Bai Yi , Zhang Yamin
Published: February 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, finding new diagnostic and therapeutic targets is vital for HCC patients. Recent studies have shown that dysregulation of RNA-binding proteins is often associated with cancer progression. Several studies have reported that the RNA-binding protein SSB can promote cancer occurrence and progression and is linked to tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which could be a new diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. However, the expression and function of SSB in HCC remain to be elucidated. Therefore, this study is aimed at clarifying the expression and biological function of SSB in HCC through bioinformatics analysis combined with in vitro experiments. We found that SSB is highly expressed in HCC and is associated with the poor prognosis of HCC patients, and it can serve as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor. Knockdown of SSB can inhibit the growth of HCC cells in vitro, increase the level of apoptosis and the expression of pro-apoptosis-related proteins, and decrease the expression of antiapoptotic proteins. Meanwhile, SSB knockdown reduced HCC cell invasiveness, and the expression of EMT-related proteins changed significantly. We also found that the gene SSB was associated with the level of oxidative stress in liver cancer cells, and the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased after knockdown of SSB. The results of bioinformatics analysis also showed that high expression of SSB may affect the effect of checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. In conclusion, we found that SSB is highly expressed in HCC and that upregulated SSB can promote the proliferation and metastasis of HCC through antiapoptotic, altered intracellular oxidative stress level, and EMT pathways, which can serve as a new diagnostic marker and therapeutic target, and patients with high SSB expression may not have obvious ICB therapy effect.
Emodin Alleviates Lupus Nephritis in Rats by Regulating M1/M2 Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Xiong Weijian , Li Ying , Zhang Ling , Xiong Yanying , Zhong Jin , Li Xunjia , Luo Yan , Liu Hong , Kang Renhong , Chen Yunjie
Published: February 2023

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most common clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), causing death and disability. The current research study explored whether there was any improvement effect on LN after emodin administration. Network pharmacology was used to screen the target genes of emodin for the treatment of LN. LPS and IL-4 were employed for RAW264.7 macrophage M1/M2 polarization induction, and 0.1% HgCl2 was used for the LN rat model’s establishment. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the effect of 20, 40, and 80 µM emodin on RAW264.7 macrophage polarization. HE and PAS staining were subsequently conducted to detect 70 mg/kg emodin action on renal injury in LN rats. The effect of emodin on the content of urinary proteins and dsDNA antibodies was also determined. The results indicated that peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors gamma (PPARG) may be a target gene of emodin in LN, and emodin had no significant toxicity to macrophages at different concentrations. Compared with the control, emodin significantly inhibited LPS-induced polarization in M1 macrophages and improved that of IL-4-induced M2 macrophages. Besides, emodin alleviated kidney injury and markedly reduced the levels of urinary protein and dsDNA antibodies in rats. Moreover, after targeting interference with the PPARG expression, the improvement effect of emodin on LN is significantly reduced, indicating that emodin may relieve the symptoms of LN by activating the PPARG expression. Our study revealed that PPARG may be applied as a new therapy for LN.
Comparison of Ultrasound‐Assisted Low‐Dose Versus Medium‐Dose 5‐Fluorouracil and Triamcinolone Acetonide in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Scar
Authors: Liang Yimin , Ding Angang , Lv Dongze , Wang Danru , Zhou Renpeng
Published: February 2023

Intralesional 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) and triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) injection is effective for the treatment of hypertrophic scar. The side effects of current that recommended 45 mg/ml (high‐dose) 5‐FU have been reported. However, no previous study has investigated the efficacy and safety of low‐dose (2.5 mg/ml) 5‐FU with 4 mg/ml TAC or medium‐dose (10 mg/ml) 5‐FU with 4 mg/ml TAC for treatment of hypertrophic scar. Herein, a retrospective comparative study was conducted. The records of 70 patients, treated with low‐dose (2.5 mg/ml) 5‐FU and 4 mg/ml TAC every 4 weeks (Group 1) or medium‐dose (10 mg/ml) 5‐FU and 4 mg/ml TAC every 4 weeks (Group 2), were analyzed. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), vascularity, and thickness of hypertrophic scar at baseline and at 7th‐treatment (each group received 6 treatment sessions) were compared. The ultrasound showed the large vascular distribution in scar margins. Both groups gained clinical improvement in VSS, vascularity, and thickness. Group 2 (medium‐dose) exhibited significantly better improvement than Group 1 (low‐dose). However, the overall side effects rate was 11.4% in Group 1, significantly lower than 31.4% in Group 2. Scar margins were suggested to be target sites for injection. Medium‐dose (10 mg/ml) 5‐FU + 4 mg/ml TAC could effectively reduce the thickness of hypertrophic scar; however, the side effects rate was also higher in medium‐dose group than in low‐dose group.
Dexmedetomidine Combined with Low‐Dose Norepinephrine Continuous Pumping to Prevent Hypotension after Cesaresan Section: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhang Jin , Chen Jun , Zhang Fan , Song Yang , Wang Quan-Fang , Wang Shao-Lin
Published: February 2023

Objective. The aim of the study is to explore the clinical effect of dexmedetomidine combined with low‐dose norepinephrine (NE) continuous pumping in preventing supine hypotension. Methods. A total of 160 puerperaes who underwent elective cesarean section were selected. The puerperaes were equally divided into S group (saline), D group (dexmedetomidine), N group (norepinephrine), and DN group (dexmedetomidine combined with norepinephrine) by a random number table method. Apgar scores and umbilical cord venous blood gas values were recorded at 1 and 5 minutes. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in the age, gestational age, body mass index, bleeding volume, fluid supplement volume, Apgar scores of new borns at the 1st and 5th minute, the blood gas values of umbilical cord arterial and venous in the four groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the S group, the incidence of supine hypotension, the number of NE supplements, the supplementary doses of NE, and the incidence of adverse reactions were significantly reduced in the D, N, and DN groups after spinal anesthesia (P < 0.05). Compared with group D, the incidence of supine hypotension, the number of additional NE, additional dose of NE, and the incidence of adverse reactions in the DN group after spinal anesthesia were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the N group, the incidence of supine hypotension, the number of additional NE, the additional dose of NE, and the incidence of adverse reactions in the DN group after spinal anesthesia were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Dexmedetomidine combined with continuous pumping of low‐dose norepinephrine can effectively prevent the occurrence of supine hypotension, reduce the occurrence of other adverse reactions, and have no obvious adverse effects on neonates. Registration. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/enIndex.aspx; ChiCTR2000040979).
[Retracted] Long Noncoding RNA LINC01503 Silencing Suppresses KLK4 Expression to Impede Pancreatic Cancer Development as miR‐1321 Sponge
Authors: An Baiping , Cai Yi , Zhu Jie , Liu Yuan
Published: February 2023

Background. Long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 1503 (LINC01503) was reportedly oncogenic in several malignancies, whereas whether it contributed to pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis and progression requires to be verified. Methods. The expression pattern of LINC01503 was monitored via qRT‐PCR assay in normal cells and cancerous pancreatic cancer cells. The introduction of silencing LINC01503 was to verify the relation between LINC01503 expression and cell growth. Then, the targeting relationship of LINC01503 to miR‐1321 was confirmed by bioinformatics predication and luciferase reporter assay. In addition, luciferase reporter assays evaluated the binding of miR‐1321 to the 3′‐untranslated region of KLK4. Overexpressing KLK4 and inhibiting LINC01503 was introduced in tumor cells to investigate the corresponding impacts on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration. Results. LINC01503 and KLK4 were highly abundant in pancreatic cancer cells. Mechanistically, miR‐1321 bound to LINC01503 and KLK4. Downregulating LINC01503 promoted the availability of miR‐1321 in pancreatic cancer cells and thus repressed KLK4 expression. KLK4 overexpression abolished the impediment of LINC01503 depletion on cell proliferation and migration. Conclusion. Oncogenic function of LINC01503 was dependent on KLK4 upregulation by sponging miR‐1321. Revealing the tumor‐promoting property of LINC01503 in pancreatic cancer may confer new biomarkers for this malignancy.
CNN-Based Transfer Learning for 3D Knuckle Recognition
Authors: Shakor Mohammed Y. , Surameery Nigar M. Shafiq
Published: February 2023

A trustworthy and secure identity verification system is in great demand nowadays. The automatic recognition of the 3D middle finger knuckle is a new biometric identifier that could offer a precise, practical, and efficient alternative for personal identification. According to earlier studies, deep learning algorithms could be used for biometric identification. However, the accuracy of the current 3D middle finger knuckle recognition model is relatively low. Motivated by this fact, in this study, seven deep learning neural networks have been modified and trained to identify 3D middle finger knuckle patterns using transfer learning. Using the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s 3D knuckle image dataset, an extensive experiment was performed. Two sessions of data from different camera lenses were used to assess the performance of the suggested deep learning model. The results show that the InceptionV3 method significantly enhanced the recognition of 3D middle finger knuckle patterns with 99.07% accuracy, followed by Xception, NasNetMobile, and DenseNet201 (97.35%, 92.92%, and 92.59%, respectively), which is superior to the current middle finger knuckle recognition model. This accurate, fast, and automatic middle finger knuckle identification will help to be implemented in real-time and small-scale settings like offices, schools, or personal devices like laptops and smartphones, where training is simple.
Analysis of the Impact of County-Levelization on Economic Growth and Public Service Development Based on Panel Data
Authors: Xu Wangteng , Wang Shaojian
Published: February 2023

County-levelization has become an important vane and propeller of urban spatial development, which is closely related to economic development and public service development. County-levelization can effectively broaden the geographic scope of urban areas, enhance urban functions, and implement strategic planning measures for metropolitan areas. But what impact will such reform have on economic growth and public service development? What is the effect of the current policy of “abolishing counties and establishing districts” in the implementation process? Should the policy of “abolishing counties and establishing districts” be promoted or not? Based on a panel of 453 counties in China, this paper uses DID to analyze the impact of county zoning on county economic growth and public service development and uses PSM-DID to test the robustness. The study shows that county-levelization in China has had a positive effect on economic growth, but in the areas of education and health/public services, such reforms have only had a “squeeze effect” with minimal effect.
Intake of Fluted Pumpkin Seeds Rebalances Oxidative Stress Parameters in the Aged Rat’s Testes
Authors: Ezim Ogechukwu E. , Coker Mercy A. , Wofuru-Nyenke Chisa K. , Belonwu Donatus C. , Onyegeme-okerenta Blessing M. , Abarikwu Sunny O.
Published: February 2023

The effect of fluted pumpkin seeds (FPS) consumption on the antioxidant status of the testes of aged Wistar rats was evaluated in this study. Sixty (50 aged, 6 months old, and 10 young, 2 months old) rats were divided into six groups of 10 per each group. Testosterone (15 mg kg-1 body weight, once weekly for 40 days) was injected intraperitoneally and used as positive control. FPS intake (50, 100, and 200 mg kg-1 body weight) or vehicle control (corn oil) were administered orally, twice weekly for 40 days and compared with the untreated aged and young control rats. Changes in antioxidant status in the testis of the aged rats was reflected as increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and glutathione and decreased lipid peroxidation levels which were attenuated more efficiently by the lowest dose FPS (50 mg kg-1 body weight). Additionally, nitrite concentration that was found to be diminished in the aged rats was raised to the young control values after intake of the FPS (50 mg kg-1 body weight). As expected, testosterone injection increased endogenous testosterone concentration and also remained higher in the untreated aged animals than in young control and treated aged rats. In conclusion, compromised antioxidant defense system of the testes that is associated with ageing could be reversed to the status of the young control by the intake of FPS.
OxLDL-Induced Foam Cell Formation Inhibitory Activity of Pepsin Hydrolysate of Ark Shell (Scapharca subcrenata (Lischke, 1869)) in RAW264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Marasinghe Chathuri Kaushalya , Jung Won-Kyo , Je Jae-Young
Published: February 2023

Inhibitory effect of ark shell (Scapharca subcrenata (Lischke, 1869)) proteolytic hydrolysates (ASHs) on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced macrophage foam cell formation was investigated. Two types of ASHs were prepared by Alcalase® and pepsin, ASAH (ark shell-Alcalase® hydrolysates), and ASPH (ark shell-pepsin hydrolysate). Oil Red O staining results showed that ASPH suppressed foam cell formation and lipid accumulation more than ASAH in oxLDL-induced foam cell formation of RAW264.7 macrophages. ASPH reduced the levels of total cholesterol, cholesterol ester, and free cholesterol in oxLDL-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. It was found that ASPH increased cholesterol efflux and decreased cholesterol influx rate. In this regard, protein expressions of CD36 and scavenger receptor class A1 (SR-A1) for cholesterol influx and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) for cholesterol efflux were investigated. ASPH treatment resulted in an increase of ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression but downregulated CD36 and SR-A1 expression. Furthermore, ASPH suppressed production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and -1β, through regulating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in oxLDL-induced foam cell formation of RAW264.7 macrophages. Taken together, our data indicate that ASPH might be a useful ingredient in functional foods for ameliorating atherosclerosis by preventing foam cell formation.
Effect of Nuclear Energy Flexibility on Integrating Large-Scale Distributed Solar PV in an Existing Power Network
Authors: Alqahtani Bandar Jubran , Almerbati Abdulrahman Salman
Published: February 2023

This paper estimates the maximum integration level of residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity within the power network of the Duke Energy Progress (DEP) and Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) under two scenarios embodying different assumptions about the flexibility of nuclear power plant (NPP) operations. A mixed-integer optimization model was constructed and simulated to find out the maximum solar penetration level under each scenario and to calculate the expected total system’s electricity generation costs, energy mix, atmospheric emission reductions, and emission abatement costs. Analysis reveals that improving NPP operation maneuverability would increase the maximum solar PV penetration level in the DEP and DEC power networks by 39%, from 8.9% to 12.4% of the total system’s electricity generation. Consequently, it would further improve the electricity generations’ unit costs and CO2 emission reductions by 3% and 8% points, respectively. On the other hand, increasing the solar PV penetration limit under high flexible NPP operation scenario leads to increase in the CO2 emission abatement costs by 8% points. The results of the study indicate that the flexibility of existing power system resources may present a barrier for a large uptake of solar energy.
[Retracted] An Eight‐mRNA Prognostic Model to Predict Survival in Hepatic Cellular Cancer
Authors: Xia Dong , Liao Xuebin , Zhang Huamao
Published: February 2023

Background. Transcriptional dysregulation plays a critical role in the onset and development of malignant tumors. Employing gene dysregulation to forecast the change of tumors is valuable for cancer diagnosis. However, the prognostic prediction for HCC using combined gene models remains insufficient. Methods. The expression profiles of GSE103512 and TCGA‐LIHC were downloaded. Gene Ontology (Go) was used to evaluate the overlapping differential genes (DEG) in TCGA and GSE103512. The core genes in the critical module most significantly related to HCC were obtained by WGCNA. Eight genes most significantly related to HCC and OS were identified by reweighted coexpression network analysis and Cox regression. Results. We selected eight genes, FZEB1, CDK1, RAD54L, COL1A2, ATP1B3, CASP8, USP39, and HOXB7. Moreover, we constructed an eight‐gene model and forecasted the prognosis of HCC. ROC curve of the eight‐mRNA prognostic model was screened out (AUC = 0.635), suggesting that this model exhibited a good prediction performance. Survival analysis showed that the survival rate of patients in the high‐risk group was significantly lower than that in the low‐risk group. Conclusion. The eight‐mRNAs model might forecast the OS of HCC patients and advance remedial decision‐making.
Clinical Efficacy of 755 nm Laser Treatment of Lip Mucosal Pigmentation in Children with Peutz–Jeghers Syndrome
Authors: Xie Xiao-Yan , Fu Gui-Li , Yang Qian , Zeng Ying , Ke Huan , Lu Jing-Jing , Yi Hong
Published: February 2023

Peutz–Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by multiple gastrointestinal polyps and mucocutaneous pigmentation. Abnormal pigmentation typically develops in infancy or childhood. As PJS‐related facial pigmentation can lead to psychological burden due to its effects on esthetics, treatment is required. Herein, we report on the efficacy and safety of treatment of lip mucosal pigmentation using a Q‐switched 755 nm Alexandrite Laser in children with PJS, aged 2–12 years of age. A topical anesthetic was used prior to the application of laser therapy. A treatment efficacy of 100% was achieved with one to three treatments, with an excellent outcome achieved in five cases (62.5%) and a good outcome in three (37.5%). Recurrent pigmentation was observed in one case over the 6‐month follow‐up period. There were no adverse effects, such as scarring or hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. The treatment did cause pain, apprehension, and crying in some children, requiring special attention. Although our sample size is small, our findings do provide support of the high efficacy and safety of the Q‐switched 755 nm Alexandrite Laser for the treatment of lip mucosal pigmentation in children with PJS. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.
3,3′-Diindolylmethane Augments 5-Fluorouracil-InducedGrowth Suppression in Gastric Cancer Cells through Suppression of the Akt/GSK-3β and WNT/Beta-Catenin
Authors: Li Cong Shan , Nguyen Thi Van , Chai Ok Hee , Park Byung Hyun , Lee Ju-Seog , Kim Soo Mi
Published: February 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most lethal cancers in South Korea, and it is a cancer of concern worldwide. 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) is commonly used as the first-line therapy for advanced GC; however, its side effects often limit the dosage range and impair patients’ quality of life. Due to the limitations of current chemotherapy, new anticancer therapies are urgently needed. 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) has been reported to have the ability to protect against various types of cancer. Our study aimed to elucidate the anticancer effect of DIM in GC when treated with the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fu. In our results, combined treatment with DIM and 5-Fu resulted in higher apoptosis and lower cell proliferation than treatment with 5-Fu in SNU484 and SNU638 cell lines. Furthermore, when DIM and 5-Fu were administered together, cell invasion was diminished by mediated E-cadherin, MMP-9, and uPA; p-Akt and p-GSK-3β levels were reduced more significantly than when 5-Fu was administered alone. Moreover, in the Wnt signaling pathway, combined treatment of DIM and 5-Fu diminished β-catenin levels in the nucleus and inhibited cyclin D1and c-Myc protein levels. The Akt inhibitor, wortmannin, further inhibited the levels of β-catenin and c-Myc that were inhibited by DIM and 5-Fu. Furthermore, an animal xenograft model demonstrated that DIM combined with 5-Fu considerably reduced tumor growth without any toxic effects by regulating the Akt/GSK-3β and β-catenin levels. Our findings suggest that DIM significantly potentiates the anticancer effects of 5-Fu by targeting the Akt/GSK-3β and WNT/β-catenin because the combination therapy is more effective than 5-Fu alone, thereby offering an innovative potential therapy for patients with GC.
An FRLQG Controller-Based Small-Signal Stability Enhancement of Hybrid Microgrid Using the BCSSO Algorithm
Authors: Ensermu Ginbar , Vijayashanthi M. , Suresh Merugu , Shaik Abdul Subhani , Premalatha B. , Devadasu G.
Published: February 2023

The development of a network termed microgrid (MG) has been motivated owing to augmentation in renewable energy source (RES) infiltration along with the utilization of enhanced power electronic technologies. Recently, more popularity has been gained by the hybrid MG (HMG). Maintaining the power system’s (PS) small-signal stability (SSS) is highly complicated during the energy enhancement of RES. The enhancement of the SSS has been focused on by numerous existing methodologies; however, the optimal solution was not obtained by those methodologies. A new controller with the assistance of bell-curved squirrel search optimization (BCSSO) is proposed to address the aforementioned issue. Initially, for PSs such as photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, along with fuel cells, a mathematical model is ascertained. Then, in this, the converter design has been developed. The PV’s maximum power flow is recognized by maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in the bidirectional switched buck-boost converter (BSBBC), which is utilized in this research, and by utilizing the fuzzy ruled linear quadratic Gaussian (FRLQG), the converters are controlled to assure safe operation along with soft dynamics. By employing the BCSSO, the parameters are modified in this controller which in turn ameliorates the SSS. The experiential evaluation of the proposed system’s performance is analogized with the existing methodologies. Consequently, the outcomes confirmed that a better performance was attained by the proposed methodology than the prevailing works.
Understanding the Distribution Laws of In Situ Stress in Mines Based on Global Positioning System Data and Numerical Simulation Analysis
Authors: Liu Wentao , Zheng Zhongyou , Zhu Lei , Xu Kai , Liu Chengyong , Wu Yuyi , Hu Shunzhen
Published: February 2023

To ensure safe exploitation of the Muduchaideng Mine, we use a numerical simulation to invert the in situ stress field based on observation data from GPS stations, investigate differences in movement velocities at different locations, and analyze the lefthanded movement in the area around the wellfield. The relationship between the difference in motion velocity and the in situ stress field was explained through theoretical analysis. The law of in situ stress distribution was studied using data collected from the surrounding mines, and a regression equation as well as the relationship between the magnitudes of the three-way stresses was obtained. The inversion results were consistent with the measured data, indicating that inversion of the in situ stress field was accurate under the conditions found in the intact Ordos block. Additionally, the influence of tectonic stress on the key layer was larger than that on the bedrock of the coal seam roof, and the energy accumulated in the key layer was higher. The stress concentration coefficient of the key layer was similar to the variation law of the coal seam thickness. Therefore, the southwest area of the wellfield with a thicker coal seam is the key area for impact ground pressure prevention and control.
Model Construction and Parameters Acquisition of the Predicted Surface Movement Deformation under Thick Loose Layer Mining Area
Authors: Zhang Jinman , Li Jiewei , Xu Liangji , Xu Ruirui , Yue Caiya
Published: February 2023

In China, gas and oil reserves are very scarce, but coal resources are abundant in the energy architecture, which decides that coal will remain the dominant energy source for a long time in the future. The accurate prediction of the size and extent of surface movement after coal seam mining is of great significance for the safe promotion of production activities in the mine area and the safety of people’s lives and properties in the mine area. The surface movement deformation under thick loose seam conditions indicates the phenomenon of a large subsidence value and influence range. To predict the size and range of surface movement deformation under thick loose layer conditions accurately, a hyperbolic secant model is constructed based on the hyperbolic secant function. For high nonlinearity of the model parameters, the adaptive step fruit fly algorithm (ASFOA) is introduced into the process of solving the model parameters. Simulation experiments are conducted in three aspects: monitoring point antideficiency, antigross error, and parameter stability. The simulation results show that the ASFOA algorithm achieves high accuracy in finding the parameters of the hyperbolic secant model. The hyperbolic secant model was applied to the 11111 working face under the mining conditions of thick loose layer geology in the Huainan mine. The engineering application results indicate that the hyperbolic secant model performs well on the prediction of surface movement deformation under thick loose layer conditions.
A BP-IPSO Algorithm Suitable for Centralized Thermoelectric Generation System Power Tracking under Nonuniform Temperature Distribution
Authors: Du Qian , Chen Yan , Yang Xiao , He Xinying
Published: February 2023

The power-voltage (P-V) characteristic curve of the centralized thermoelectric generation (TEG) system under nonuniform temperature distribution (NTD) exhibits multiple extreme point characteristics, and the traditional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm is prone to fall into the local maximum power point (LMPP) and takes a long time to track. This paper designs a BP-IPSO algorithm based on back propagation neural network (BPNN) and improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) for MPPT. The algorithm firstly utilizes the good nonlinear function fitting ability of BPNN to obtain the fitting curve of the relationship between system control input and power output to establish the TEG array power prediction model. Then, the dynamic learning factor and weight coefficient are introduced into the traditional particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to search the output power prediction model and realize MPPT control. MATLAB/Simulink experiment results show that BP-IPSO algorithm can effectively avoid falling into LMPP, quickly and accurately track the global maximum power point (GMPP), and effectively suppress the oscillation of voltage and power during the tracking process. Especially in the start-up test experiment, compared with perturb and observe (P&O), PSO, and grey wolf optimizer (GWO), the energy generated by BP-IPSO increased by 12.84%, 3.18%, and 4.75%, respectively, which improved the system power generation efficiency.
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Pain Responses and Inflammation in Collagen‐Induced Arthritis Rats via Suppressing the TLR2/4‐MyD88‐NF‐κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Sun Shi-Yue , Yan Qi-Qi , Qiao Li-Na , Shi Yi-Nan , Tan Lian-Hong , Yang Yong-Sheng
Published: February 2023

Background and Purpose. Electroacupuncture (EA) is effective on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, but the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate the analgesic and anti‐inflammatory effects of EA in a chronic inflammatory animal model of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Experimental Approach. For the male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were immunized with bovine type II collagen followed by a booster injection 7 days later. Two weeks after the first immunization, EA stimulation (2/100 Hz, 1 mA, lasting for 30 min/day) was delivered to Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) or OxPAPC (TLR2/TLR4 inhibitor, 1.5 mg/kg) was injected by tail vein for 28 days. After intervention, the analgesic effect was evaluated from the aspect of pain responses including thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) and mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT). The anti‐inflammatory effect was assessed by paw edema detection, histopathological analysis, and Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) testing of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β), and interleukin 6 (IL‐6). The underlying molecular mechanism was analyzed through western blotting and double‐immunofluorescence labeling. Results. EA intervention and OxPAPC injection could relieve mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia caused by CIA. Paw edema and pathological damage of synovium were significantly ameliorated after EA intervention and OxPAPC injection. Furthermore, EA intervention and OxPAPC injection markedly reduced the contents of serum TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6, as well as the protein expression levels of synovial TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and NF‐κB p‐p65. In particular, the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 on synovial fibroblasts and macrophages in synovium was significantly reduced by EA intervention. Conclusions. Repeated EA stimulation at ST36 and SP6 can effectively relieve joint pain and synovial inflammation caused by RA in CIA rats. The analgesic and anti‐inflammatory effect of EA may be closely related to the inhibition of innate immune responses driven by the TLR2/4‐MyD88‐NF‐κB signaling pathway in the synovium.
All-Vacuum-Deposited Bifacial Cu2ZnSnSe4 Photovoltaic Cells with Sputtered Cd-Free Buffer Layer
Authors: Lai Fang-I , Yang Jui-Fu , Chen Wei-Chun , Hsu Yu-Chao , Kuo Shou-Yi
Published: February 2023

By depositing metal precursors on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates using evaporation and postselenisation and modifying the number of stacked metallic precursor layers, this study systematically analysed the effect of cation changes on the absorber layer and the solar cell properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe). Furthermore, in this study, an all-vacuum method was adopted to prepare a cadmium-free bifacial CZTSe solar cell and conducted damp heat tests on the device. The findings indicate that the increase in the number of stacked metallic precursor layers suppresses secondary phase generation, thereby enhancing the film performance and bifacial solar cell characteristics. The cadmium-free bifacial CZTSe solar cell prepared in this study exhibited the efficiency of 4.13% under bifacial incident light. Moreover, the degradation of the device was effectively mitigated in the damp heat tests compared with previously reported devices with metal substrates. These findings can provide new directions for research and lead to novel applications for CZTSe solar cells in the future.
An Overview of Algae for Biodiesel Production Using Bibliometric Indicators
Authors: Kombe Godlisten G.
Published: February 2023

Algae are a desirable biodiesel feedstock because they take up little space, have a high algal-cell biomass per unit area, and can sustainably meet a large portion of the world’s future energy needs. Using several bibliometric indicators, this study assesses the research productivity of algae for biodiesel production. The dataset was retrieved from the Scopus database using an appropriate keyword search. The VOSviewer v1.6.18 and Biblioshiny in

R

-studio were then utilised for bibliometric analysis and network visualisation. The study found that, with the first article being published in 1990 and an annual scientific growth rate of 14.76%, research on algae for the generation of biodiesel is still in its early phases. Although the possibility of utilising algae to produce biodiesel was originally mentioned in 1990, it was only until 2006 that several researchers started to show an interest in the subject. 101 articles were published in 2015, which is the most ever. The most prolific countries in terms of publications, ongoing collaborations and cooperation, best publishing institutions, and prestigious journals, as well as the most productive researchers and the most highly referenced works in the field, have all been recognised and presented. Finally, a keyword co-occurrence analysis of the subject was presented and discussed to provide research insights into the field. The bibliometric indicators of the study are intended to aid researchers in finding potential research topics, high-quality scientific literature, and suitable journals for publishing research on algae for biodiesel production.
A Dynamic Reactive Power Allocation Method for Sending‐End Power System of the UHVDC Delivering Large Terminal of Renewable Energy
Authors: Li Yecheng , Guo Pengcheng , Zhuang Wenbin , Li Zhiqiang , Huo Chengxiang , Zhang Jiahuan , Yue Lei , Xue Ancheng
Published: February 2023

Allocation of reactive power equipment can relieve the transient overvoltage, which is a big threat to the sending‐end electric power system of ultrahigh‐voltage direct current (UHVDC). However, the dynamic reactive power allocation mostly depends on the trial‐and‐error method, lacking in an optimal allocation method based on the quantitative evaluation index. To deal with the abovementioned problem, in this study, a dynamic reactive power optimal allocation method is proposed based on the reactive power compensation sensitivity. In detail, first, based on the existing transient overvoltage assessment index, the general form of reactive power optimization problem is proposed. Then, taking the sending‐end power system of UHVDC as an example, the reactive power allocation location is determined based on a reactive power compensation sensitivity. Furthermore, combined with the sensitivity, the compensation capacity of each place is determined by particle swarm optimization (PSO). The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively allocate the dynamic reactive power and suppress the transient overvoltage after fault.
Combined Protective Effects of Quercetin, Rutin, and Gallic Acid against Cadmium-Induced Testicular Damages in Young-Adult Rats
Authors: Onuoha Samuel C. , Ezim Ogechukwu E. , Chisom Nebeolisa E. , Chukwuebuka Chijioke B. , Abarikwu Sunny O.
Published: February 2023

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal that damages several tissues of animals and humans including the testis. The ameliorative effects of quercetin (QUE), rutin (RUT), and gallic acid (GAL) at 20 mg kg-1 body weight alone or in combination against testicular injury induced by Cd (24 mg kg-1 body weight) in male Wistar rats were evaluated in this study. Forty-two (42) rats were randomly grouped into six (6) groups: (1) vehicle control group, (2) Cd group, (3) RUT+Cd group, (4) GAL+Cd group, (5) QUE+Cd group, and (6) RUT+GAL+QUE+Cd group. At the end of the oral gavage of the tested chemicals, the rats were sacrificed, blood samples were collected, and testes were harvested and processed for biochemical assays. Cd exposure damaged the testis (smaller epithelium thickness and spermatogenesis index and sloughing of the epithelium); increased lipid peroxidation, glutathione S-transferase activity, and DNA fragmentation; and diminished glutathione reductase activity and serum testosterone level 40 days posttreatment. Treatment with the phenolics separately or in combination attenuated the effect of Cd on serum testosterone, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities, lipid peroxidation, and percent fragmented DNA. The increased nitric oxide concentration in the QUE+Cd group was attenuated to control values in the combined (RUT+GAL+QUE+Cd) exposure group. Coadministration of the phenolics appears to have more substantial protective effects than their single effects against Cd-induced testicular DNA damage, glutathione S-transferase activity, and the recovery of testosterone levels and spermatogenesis index. Overall, the tested phenolics can reduce testicular damage more efficiently in their combined form than individual administration.
Anodic Reaction in Syngas-Fueled Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Shin Hyun Ho , Choi Junil , Park Taiho , Kim Won Bae
Published: February 2023

Anode-supported proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (PC-SOFCs) fabricated with two representative proton-conducting oxides, BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BCZYYb) and BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ (BZY), were compared to obtain the insight into the electrochemical performances when fueled with syngas at 700°C and the correlation between the anode thickness (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mm) and operational stability. We have demonstrated that, in stability tests, the BCZYYb cells exhibited significantly higher maximum power density (MPD) than the BZY cells when operating on H2, 1.22 and 0.48 W/cm2 for the BCZYYb and BZY cells, but the BCZYYb cells degraded more rapidly than the BZY cells when operating on syngas. In addition, decreasing the anode thickness significantly enhanced the stability of BCZYYb cells operating on syngas, a reduction of 81, 76, and 71% in MPD for 1.6, 0.8, and 0.4 mm anode after 30 min. The electrochemical impedance spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the rapid degradation of cerate-based cells with syngas could be mainly attributed to the considerable increase in polarization resistance due to the phase decomposition of the electrolyte powder in the anode. Heterogeneous catalysis was performed to study the catalytic reaction of the H2–CO mixture over anode powders prepared with the two proton-conducting oxides (Ni-BCZYYb and Ni-BZY) in a fixed bed reactor, and the CO conversion and selectivity to CO2 and CH4 were determined. For all anode powders, continuous CO2 production was initially observed with CH4 formation, and no significant difference in catalytic activity trends was observed between both anode powders. An increased residence time substantially decreased the normalized CO2 yield, which was associated with the potential secondary reaction of CO2 with H2, CH4, or perovskite oxide. Based on the results of heterogeneous catalysis with both anode powders, the observed cell degradation on both cells during operation with syngas may be primarily attributed to carbon coking due to CO disproportionation; however, more than 4 times rapid degradation of the cerate-based cell when operating with syngas was clearly demonstrated to be attributed to the decomposition of the electrolyte powder in anode by the resulting CO2 from the catalytic reaction of the H2–CO mixture.
Highly Efficient Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane over Reduced Graphene Oxide-Supported Pd@NiP Nanoparticles at Room Temperature
Authors: Yang Lan , Liu Zien , Qu Bin , Tao Ye , Liu Yihui
Published: February 2023

Transition metal phosphating Pd@NiP nanoparticles supported by reduced graphene oxide were successfully synthesized by a one-step in situ synthesis method. The Pd@NiP/rGO nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal Raman spectroscopy (Raman), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and BET. Compared with Pd/rGO and Pd@Ni/rGO, Pd1@Ni12.5P40/rGO exhibited stronger catalytic activity, with TOF value reaching 133.33 min-1 and activation energy (Ea) of 29.31 kJ mol-1. This excellent catalytic performance may be related to the good dispersion of nanoparticles and the synergistic electron interactions between transition metal phosphating compounds.
Forecasting Wind Speed Using the Proposed Wavelet Neural Network
Authors: Mohammed Monem A. , Ahmed Layla A.
Published: February 2023

Wind energy is one of the speedy processing technologies in the energy generation industry and the most economical methods of electrical power generation. For the reliability of system, it is wanted to improve highly appropriate wind speed forecasting methods. The wavelet transform is a powerful mathematical technique that converts an analyzed signal into a time-frequency representation. This technique has proven useful in a nonstationary time series forecasting. The aims of this study are to propose a wavelet function by derivation of a quotient from two different Lucas polynomials, as well as a comparison between an artificial neural network (ANN) and wavelet-artificial neural network (WNN). We used the proposed wavelet, Mexican hat, Morlet, Gaussian, Haar, Daubechies, and Coiflet to transform the wind speed data using the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). MATLAB software was used to implement the CWT and ANN. The proposed models were applied in the meteorological field to forecast the daily wind speed data that were collected from the meteorological directorate of Sulaymaniyah which is a city located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq for the period (Jan. 2011–Dec. 2020). Five different performance criteria during calibration and validation, the root mean square error (

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PORTRAIT: THE PERCEPTION OF A PERSON BY A PERSON AND THE ART OF TRANSMITTING THE IDEOLOGICAL ESSENCE BY ARTISTIC MEANS
Authors: Artyomsteva Nataliya G.
Published: February 2023

Background. Th e article presents an overview and analytical study of the problem of perception of a person’s face by ordinary people and famous artists. Th e relevance of the research is dictated by attempts to solve the problem of the connection between the perceiver and the perceived subjects of the cognition process. The subject of the study was both the perception strategies of the perceiver, and the characteristics of the perceived person according to his portrait, his worldview. Objective. Review and analysis of studies devoted to the study of portrait perception strategies and the transmission of ideological characteristics by famous portrait artists. Methods. Review and analytical study of scientifi c literature in the fi eld of human perception by man, as well as analysis of the results of author’s research using methods of subjective semantics — content analysis and subjective scaling. Results. Th e fi rst part of the article presents the results of experiments on the perception of the image of a person’s face and its part, conducted within the framework of art studies, biology, technical sciences, pedagogy, various psychological schools, as well as by the author’s team over the past 25 years. Th e second part of the article off ers a theoretical analysis of the creative experience of famous artists in creating a portrait of a person. Special emphasis is placed on the transfer of a person’s worldview and personality in creating a portrait. Conclusion. In conclusion, the article identifi es new problems and directions of psychological research on the problem of perception of the ideological essence of a person by his face.
BILINGUAL CHILDREN’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE MENTAL STATE OF THE OTHER PERSON IN THE CONTEXT OF THE THEORY OF MIND
Authors: Kyuchukov H.S.
Published: February 2023

Background. How the bilingual children understand the false belief of other people is a relevantly new topic in the fi eld of the developmental psychology. Th is question is very important one, because from it depends how early the bilingual children develop the «theory of mind». Th e literature shows controversial evidences regarding the age of bilingual children when exactly the start to develop the theory of mind. It seems it depends on the languages the children speak, their culture and the communication with the members of the families. Why is the development of understanding of false belief tasks in bilingual children so important? It is not important for specialists in developmental psychology only; the relevant research data will be useful for educators as well. Children who develop an understanding of other people’s mental states are much better prepared for the process of mastering literacy in the primary grades. Objective of the paper is to examine the relation between the theory of mind and the development of some grammatical categories in the mother tongue and the second language of bilingual children. Methods. Th e article analyzes the results of a study of 120 children from Bulgarian minority backgrounds. Among them were 60 children from Romani-Bulgarian families and 60 from families of Turkish-Bulgarian origin between the ages of 3 and 5. Classical tests were conducted, including two using non-verbal tests, a test with qualifying questions using the verb «to say» to express subjective attitudes, and an evidentiality test in both the native language (Turkish and Romani) and the second language (Bulgarian). Children with Turkish background live in a small town and Roma children live in a village. My hypothesis is that knowledge of certain grammatical categories can contribute to the development of the theory of mind (mental state) in children, and the place of residence infl uences this process. Results. Th e data showed that Roma children did better on some tasks than children from Turkish families but were inferior on others. It was also found that the knowledge of grammatical categories does not aff ect the comprehension of the tasks of the theory of mind tests. Th e place of residence was also not related to the development of theory of mind of bilingual children belonging to national minorities. Conclusion. Th e study led to the conclusion that in several cultures where oral traditions play an important role in the cognitive and language development of children, such as the Roma, classical tests to assess mental states are not suffi - ciently eff ective. In such cases, it would be more adequate to use tasks specifi cally adapted to cultural peculiarities.