bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distribution of ticks in the Western Palearctic: an updated systematic review (2015–2021)
Authors: Noll Madeleine , Wall Richard , Makepeace Benjamin L. , Vineer Hannah Rose
Published: April 2023

Background

The distributions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens are thought to have changed rapidly over the last two decades, with their ranges expanding into new regions. This expansion has been driven by a range of environmental and socio-economic factors, including climate change. Spatial modelling is being increasingly used to track the current and future distributions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens and to assess the associated disease risk. However, such analysis is dependent on high-resolution occurrence data for each species. To facilitate such analysis, in this review we have compiled georeferenced tick locations in the Western Palearctic, with a resolution accuracy under 10 km, that were reported between 2015 and 2021

Methods

The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for peer-reviewed papers documenting the distribution of ticks that were published between 2015 and 2021, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The papers were then screened and excluded in accordance with the PRISMA flow chart. Coordinate-referenced tick locations along with information on identification and collection methods were extracted from each eligible publication. Spatial analysis was conducted using R software (version 4.1.2).

Results

From the 1491 papers identified during the initial search, 124 met the inclusion criteria, and from these, 2267 coordinate-referenced tick records from 33 tick species were included in the final dataset. Over 30% of articles did not record the tick location adequately to meet inclusion criteria, only providing a location name or general location. Among the tick records, Ixodes ricinus had the highest representation (55%), followed by Dermacentor reticulatus (22.1%) and Ixodes frontalis (4.8%). The majority of ticks were collected from vegetation, with only 19.1% collected from hosts.

Conclusions

The data presented provides a collection of recent high-resolution, coordinate-referenced tick locations for use in spatial analyses, which in turn can be used in combination with previously collated datasets to analyse the changes in tick distribution and research in the Western Palearctic. In the future it is recommended that, where data privacy rules allow, high-resolution methods are routinely used by researchers to geolocate tick samples and ensure their work can be used to its full potential.

Graphical Abstract
ATG5 as biomarker for early detection of malignant mesothelioma
Authors: Tomasetti Marco , Monaco Federica , Strogovets Olga , Volpini Luca , Valentino Matteo , Amati Monica , Neuzil Jiri , Santarelli Lory
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease with grim prognosis due to lack of effective treatment options. Disease prediction in association with early diagnosis may both contribute to improved MPM survival. Inflammation and autophagy are two processes associated with asbestos-induced transformation. We evaluated the level of two autophagic factors ATG5 and HMGB1, microRNAs (miRNAs) such as miR-126 and miR-222, and the specific biomarker of MPM, soluble mesothelin related proteins (Mesothelin) in asbestos-exposed individuals, MPM patients, and healthy subjects. The performance of these markers in detecting MPM was investigated in pre-diagnostic samples of asbestos-subjects who developed MPM during the follow-up and compared for the three groups.

Results

The ATG5 best distinguished the asbestos-exposed subjects with and without MPM, while miR-126 and Mesothelin were found as a significant prognostic biomarker for MPM. ATG5 has been identified as an asbestos-related biomarker that can help to detect MPM with high sensitivity and specificity in pre-diagnostic samples for up to two years before diagnosis. To utilize this approach practically, higher number of cases has to be tested in order to give the combination of the two markers sufficient statistical power. Performance of the biomarkers should be confirmed by testing their combination in an independent cohort with pre-diagnostic samples.
Multi-channel deep learning model-based myocardial spatial–temporal morphology feature on cardiac MRI cine images diagnoses the cause of LVH
Authors: Diao Kaiyue , Liang Hong-qing , Yin Hong-kun , Yuan Ming-jing , Gu Min , Yu Peng-xin , He Sen , Sun Jiayu , Song Bin , Li Kang , He Yong
Published: April 2023

Background

To develop a fully automatic framework for the diagnosis of cause for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) via cardiac cine images.

Methods

A total of 302 LVH patients with cine MRI images were recruited as the primary cohort. Another 53 LVH patients prospectively collected or from multi-centers were used as the external test dataset. Different models based on the cardiac regions (Model 1), segmented ventricle (Model 2) and ventricle mask (Model 3) were constructed. The diagnostic performance was accessed by the confusion matrix with respect to overall accuracy. The capability of the predictive models for binary classification of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or hypertensive heart disease (HHD) were also evaluated. Additionally, the diagnostic performance of best Model was compared with that of 7 radiologists/cardiologists.

Results

Model 3 showed the best performance with an overall classification accuracy up to 77.4% in the external test datasets. On the subtasks for identifying CA, HCM or HHD only, Model 3 also achieved the best performance with AUCs yielding 0.895–0.980, 0.879–0.984 and 0.848–0.983 in the validation, internal test and external test datasets, respectively. The deep learning model showed non-inferior diagnostic capability to the cardiovascular imaging expert and outperformed other radiologists/cardiologists.

Conclusion

The combined model based on the mask of left ventricular segmented from multi-sequences cine MR images shows favorable and robust performance in diagnosing the cause of left ventricular hypertrophy, which could be served as a noninvasive tool and help clinical decision.
Further improvement of finite-time boundedness based nonfragile state feedback control for generalized neural networks with mixed interval time-varying delays via a new integral inequality
Authors: Zamart Chantapish , Botmart Thongchai
Published: April 2023

This article investigates new delay-dependent finite-time boundedness for generalized neural networks (GNNs) with mixed-interval time-varying delays based on nonfragile feedback control to achieve the improved stability criterion. We also propose a new integral inequality with an exponential function to estimate the derivative of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF). Furthermore, the well-known Wirtinger’s inequality is a particular case of the new integral inequality. Using a toolbox optimization in MATLAB, we derive and solve new delay-dependent conditions in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Additionally, we give three numerical examples to show the advantages of our obtained methods. The examples can apply the continuous time-varying delays that do not need to be differentiable. One of them presents the benchmark problem’s real-world application, which is a four-tank system.
Global classical solutions to the viscous two-phase flow model with slip boundary conditions in 3D exterior domains
Authors: Li Zilai , Liu Hao , Wang Huaqiao , Zhou Daoguo
Published: April 2023

We consider the two-phase flow model in 3D exterior domains with slip boundary conditions. We establish the global existence of classical solutions of this system, provided that the initial energy is suitably small. Furthermore, we prove that the pressure has large oscillations and contains vacuum states when the initial pressure allows large oscillations and a vacuum. Finally, we also obtain the large-time behavior of the classical solutions.
Solvability and Volterra property of nonlocal problems for mixed fractional-order diffusion-wave equation
Authors: Adil Nauryzbay , Berdyshev Abdumauvlen S. , Eshmatov B. E. , Baishemirov Zharasbek D.
Published: April 2023

The paper is devoted to the study of one class of problems with nonlocal conditions for a mixed diffusion-wave equation with two independent variables. The main results of the work are the proof of regular and strong solvability, as well as the Volterra property of three problems with conditions pointwise connecting the values of the tangent derivative of the desired solution on one of the characteristics with derivatives in various directions of the solution on an arbitrary curve lying inside the characteristic triangle for a fractional-order diffusion-hyperbolic equation.
Blockchain enabled zero trust based authentication scheme for railway communication networks
Authors: Feng Yuan , Zhong Zhangdui , Sun Xiaofang , Wang Lei , Lu Yunlong , Zhu Yongsheng
Published: April 2023

With the introduction of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, the railway communication network has the characteristics of complex structure and blurred boundaries, which leads to a series of security threats including information leakage and malicious access. Specifically, the third-party cloud services are difficult to be supervised, and network traffic is untrustworthy. To ensure system security, we propose a zero-trust security model in this paper. Then, we introduce blockchain and Merkle tree to build a distributed identity storage scheme for guaranteeing reliable, confidential and efficient data updates, and improving authentication efficiency. Furthermore, the proxy was introduced for two-way authentication with cloud servers, so that internal and external threats could be counteracted. Moreover, reputation assessment mechanism has been adopted to reduce the possibility of nodes accessing malicious cloud services. Performance analysis demonstrated that the proposed security model is able to enhance the security, efficiency and stability of the system, and consequently can guarantee the safety and reliability of railway transportation.
Efficacy and factors influencing outcomes of customized music therapy combined with a follow-up system in chronic tinnitus patients
Authors: Liu Yuehong , Yang Siyi , Wang Yulu , Hu Jiahua , Xie Hongbo , Ni Tianyi , Han Zhao
Published: April 2023

Backgrounds

Tinnitus is a meaningless sound signal perceived by the patients in the absence of auditory stimuli. Due to the complex etiology and unclear mechanism, specific therapies for tinnitus are still in the exploratory stage. In recent years, personalized and customized music therapy has been proposed as an effective method for tinnitus treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of customized therapy with a well-designed follow-up system in the treatment of tinnitus through a large sample one arm study and to identify the relevant factors affecting the treatment outcome.

Methods

The study investigated a total of 615 patients with unilateral or bilateral chronic tinnitus who received personalized and customized music therapy for 3 months. A complete follow-up system was designed by the professionals. Questionnaires of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects and relevant factors affecting the efficacy of therapy.

Results

The results showed a decreasing trend in THI and VAS scores after 3 months of therapy, with statistically significant differences between pre- and post-therapy time points ( P < 0.001). All patients were divided into 5 groups according to THI scores, and the mean reduction score in catastrophic, severe, moderate, mild and slight group was 28, 19, 11, 5, 0 respectively. The proportion of tinnitus patients with anxiety was higher than that with depression (70.57% and 40.65%, respectively), and there were statistically significant differences between HADS-A/D scores pre- and post-therapy. Binary logistic regression showed that the baseline of THI, VAS scores, the duration of tinnitus and the state of anxiety prior to therapy were significant influencing factors of therapeutic efficacy.

Conclusions

The magnitude of reduction in THI scores after music therapy depended on the severity of the patients’ tinnitus, the higher the initial THI scores, the greater the potential for improvement in tinnitus disorders. Music therapy also reduced the anxiety and depression levels of tinnitus patients. Therefore, personalized and customized music therapy with a comprehensive follow-up system may be an effective treatment option for chronic tinnitus patients.

Graphical Abstract
A study on the construction of knowledge graph of Yunjin video resources under productive conservation
Authors: Lu Lu , Liang Xu , Yuan Gaoteng , Jing Lulu , Wei Chen , Cheng Chen
Published: April 2023

Nanjing Yunjin, a highly representative Chinese silk weaving handicraft, was included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. However, due to modern silk weaving technology advancements, aesthetic style evolution, and inadequate public recognition of Yunjin culture, the art faces a decline in market recognition and practitioners, posing a risk to its preservation. Addressing this issue necessitates product innovation, efficient knowledge storage, management, and utilization, and enhancing public cultural identity for Yunjin. Following the government’s “productive conservation” concept for intangible cultural heritage (ICH) projects in the handicraft category, this study uses Yunjin video resources as the primary data source. It constructs a domain knowledge graph (DKG) using an ontological approach to effectively and systematically preserve Yunjin knowledge. Furthermore, the study leverages Neo4j network topology to reveal intricate and diverse relationships within Yunjin knowledge, uncovering rich cultural connotations. Lastly, Cypher is employed for semantic queries, graph visualization, and domain expert evaluation. Evaluation results indicate that the constructed Yunjin DKG meets quality standards, supporting the development of products that align with market aesthetics while preserving Yunjin’s intrinsic cultural values. This approach fosters a complementary relationship between economic benefits and ICH. Additionally, the Yunjin DKG application presents a technical path for knowledge interconnection, integration, and discovery within ICH projects in the handicraft category.
Deciphering the potential ability of RG108 in cisplatin-induced HEI-OC1 ototoxicity: a research based on RNA-seq and molecular biology experiment
Authors: Zhang Dongdong , Sun Yixin , Lei Min , Wang Yue , Cai Chengfu
Published: April 2023

Background

Drug-induced hearing loss (DIHL) is very common, and seriously affects people's happiness in life. RG108 is a small molecule inhibitor. RG108 is protective against DIHL. Our purpose is to probe the incidence of RG108 on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

Materials and methods

In our research, the ototoxicity of RG108 was investigated in HEI-OC1. We observed under the microscope whether RG108 had an effect on cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cells. RNA-seq experiments were further performed to explore possible gene ontology (GO) and pathways. ROS assay was applied to supervisory the effect of RG108 on oxidative harm of auditory cells. In auditory cells, RG108 was tested for its effects on apoptosis-related proteins by Western blotting (WB).

Results

GO analysis showed that RG108 associated with apoptosis. KEGG analysis shows RG108 may act on PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (PASP) in hearing loss. BIOCARTA analysis showed that RG108 may affect oxidative stress by activating NRF2 pathway. ROS ascerted that RG108 could rescue oxidative harm in HEI-OC1. RG108 rescued cisplatin-induced significant increase in Bax and significant decrease in BCL2. RG108 attenuates cisplatin-induced cochlear apoptosis through upregulated phosphorylated PI3K and phosphorylated AKT and down-regulated caspase3. MTT experiments showed that both PI3K and AKT inhibitors could significantly rescue the damage caused by cisplatin to HEI-OC1. RG108 significantly increases the level of NRF2/HO-1/NQO1 in cisplatin-induced cells.

Conclusion

Overall, these results provide evidence that NRF2/PI3K-AKT axis may mediate RG108 in the treatment of DIHL, which provide a broader outlook on drug-induced deafness treatment.
Sleep as a vital sign
Authors: Hirschtritt Matthew E. , Walker Matthew P. , Krystal Andrew D.
Published: April 2023

Sleep is causally linked to the maintenance of every major physiological body system and disturbed sleep contributes to myriad diseases. The problem is, however, is that patients do not consistently, nor spontaneously, report sleep problems to their clinicians. Compounding the problem, there is no standard-of-care approach to even the most rudimentary of sleep queries. As a result, sleep disturbances remain largely invisible to most clinicians, and consequentially, unaddressed for the patient themselves – thereby exacerbating physical and mental health challenges due to unaddressed sleep problems. In this review, we argue that all patients should be routinely screened with a short, readily available, and validated assessment for sleep disturbances in clinical encounters. If the initial assessment is positive for any subjective sleep-related problems, it should prompt a more thorough investigation for specific sleep disorders. We further describe how a program of short and simple sleep health screening is a viable, efficacious yet currently missing pathway through which clinicians can 1) screen for sleep-related problems, 2) identify patients with sleep disorders, 3) rapidly offer evidence-based treatment, and (if indicated) 4) refer patients with complex presentations to sleep medicine specialists.
Do it fast! Early access to specialized care improved long-term outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: data from the REAL multicenter observational study
Authors: Albuquerque Cleandro Pires , Reis Ana Paula Monteiro Gomides , Vargas Santos Ana Beatriz , Bértolo Manoel Barros , Júnior Paulo Louzada , Neubarth Giorgi Rina Dalva , Radominski Sebastião Cezar , Guimarães Maria Fernanda B. Resende , Bonfiglioli Karina Rossi , L Cunha Sauma Maria de Fátima , Pereira Ivânio Alves , Brenol Claiton Viegas , Henrique Mota Licia Maria , Santos-Neto Leopoldo , Castelar Pinheiro Geraldo Rocha
Published: April 2023

Background

Early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) offers an opportunity for better treatment outcomes. In real-life settings, grasping this opportunity might depend on access to specialized care. We evaluated the effects of early versus late assessment by the rheumatologist on the diagnosis, treatment initiation and long-term outcomes of RA under real-life conditions.

Methods

Adults meeting the ACR/EULAR (2010) or ARA (1987) criteria for RA were included. Structured interviews were conducted. The specialized assessment was deemed “early” when the rheumatologist was the first or second physician consulted after symptoms onset, and “late” when performed afterwards. Delays in RA diagnosis and treatment were inquired. Disease activity (DAS28-CRP) and physical function (HAQ-DI) were evaluated. Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, chi-squared and correlation tests, and multiple linear regression were performed. For sensitivity analysis, a propensity score-matched subsample of early- vs. late-assessed participants was derived based on logistic regression. The study received ethical approval; all participants signed informed consent.

Results

We included 1057 participants (89.4% female, 56.5% white); mean (SD) age: 56.9 (11.5) years; disease duration: 173.1 (114.5) months. Median (IQR) delays from symptoms onset to both RA diagnosis and initial treatment coincided: 12 (6–36) months, with no significant delay between diagnosis and treatment. Most participants (64.6%) first sought a general practitioner. Notwithstanding, 80.7% had the diagnosis established only by the rheumatologist. Only a minority (28.7%) attained early RA treatment (≤ 6 months of symptoms). Diagnostic and treatment delays were strongly correlated (rho 0.816; p < 0.001). The chances of missing early treatment more than doubled when the assessment by the rheumatologist was belated (OR 2.77; 95% CI: 1.93, 3.97). After long disease duration, late-assessed participants still presented lower chances of remission/low disease activity (OR 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.99), while the early-assessed ones showed better DAS28-CRP and HAQ-DI scores (difference in means [95% CI]: -0.25 [-0.46, -0.04] and − 0.196 [-0.306, -0.087] respectively). The results in the propensity-score matched subsample confirmed those observed in the original (whole) sample.

Conclusions

Early diagnosis and treatment initiation in patients with RA was critically dependent on early access to the rheumatologist; late specialized assessment was associated with worse long-term clinical outcomes.
Constructing European “Souths” through Crises
Authors: Koutrolikou Penny
Published: April 2023

Crisis has been one of the most popular words in Europe since the turn of the millennium, exemplified by the “Eurozone crisis,” the so-called “refugee crisis,” and the latest Covid-19 crisis—among others. Drawing on critical analyses of crises and on imagined geographies of Otherness, this paper aims to discuss how diverse “Souths” are produced within the aforementioned entangled crises in/of Europe and what significations these Souths bear for Europe as well as for themselves. In doing so, it examines how in the Eurozone crisis the European South, and particularly Greece, signified an “under-developed” South that “needed” to be disciplined and guided in order to become European while becoming the “shield” for Northern banks. Second, within the so-called Europe’s “refugee crisis,” it will explore how the European South is simultaneously constructed as the “example” of solidarity, the failed gatekeeper, and the de facto prison guard of the European heartlands. Through these shifting significations in crises, the South emerges as an Other crucial for the hegemonic project of the European Union and, discursively materially and affectively, the territory of necropolitical apparatuses “shielding” the European heartland from threats.
Making Use of Everything: Tangier and Its Southern, Peripheral Practices
Authors: Simone AbdouMaliq
Published: April 2023

Reflecting on the variegated trajectories of urban development in Tangier, a city both in and out of conventional senses of the global South, the essay reflects on “Southern questions” in terms of peripheries everywhere. Here, the notion of peripheries as extensions of something integral is displaced in favor of the ways in which geographical and political binaries extend each other, albeit with marked power differentials, into incompleteness. So, instead of the South embodying specific capacities, enclosures, ontologies, and potentials, it is rather its various tracks and circulations, rather than consolidations, that engender dispositions beyond clear apprehension or capture. Thinking of such extensions through the lens of Blackness, the South becomes a mode of exposure to a wider world that both unsettles the ruling calculus of what counts as lives worth living and pieces together territories of operation that cut across technologies of bordering even as borders remain obdurate and exclusionary. Here the South is a space within and beyond capture, a periphery that can appear anywhere. What becomes important, then, are the relays between those who venture off, seek to cultivate, or are enfolded into new terrain and those who remain, bear witness to changing or obdurate conditions in place, with each position remaining somewhat peripheral and independent upon each other.
Dynamic de novo adipose tissue development during metamorphosis in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Tsuyama Taiichi , Hayashi Yusaku , Komai Hanae , Shimono Kohei , Uemura Tadashi
Published: April 2023

Adipose tissue is a central organ for controlling systemic metabolism both in invertebrates and vertebrates. Here, we have investigated the developmental processes of the adult-type fat body (AFB) in Drosophila. We have established genetic tools that allow visualization and genetic manipulations of cells in the AFB lineage from early in metamorphosis. We identified precursor cells that give rise to the AFB and delineated dynamic cellular behaviors underlying AFB formation. These precursor cells displayed polarized cell shapes and oriented motility, with emigration from the thorax and subsequent dispersal to the abdomen and head. After the migration period, these cells adhered to each other, assembling into the AFB with a sheet-like architecture. Continuous cell proliferation occurred during and after the large-scale migration to achieve appropriate fat tissue mass. Homotypic cell fusion after the sheet formation contributed to the establishment of multinucleated cells in the AFB. We also examined candidate gene functions, and our results argue that ecdysone signaling and the transcription factor Serpent support adult fat body organogenesis.
Increasing Step Frequency Reduces Patellofemoral Joint Stress and Patellar Tendon Force Impulse More at Low Running Speed
Authors: HAGEN MICHIEL , VANMECHELEN ANNA , CLOET EMILE , SELLICAERTS JAN , VAN WELDEN KAAT , VERSTRAETE JESPER , CATELLI DANILO S. , VERSCHUEREN SABINE , VANRENTERGHEM JOS
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar tendinopathy are important running-related overuse injuries. This study investigated the interaction of running speed and step frequency alterations on peak and cumulative patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS) and patellar tendon force (PTF) parameters.

Methods

Twelve healthy individuals completed an incremental running speed protocol on a treadmill at habitual, increased and decreased step frequency. Peak PFJS and PTF, peak rate of PFJS and PTF development, and PFJS and PTF impulse per kilometer (km) were calculated using musculoskeletal modeling.

Results

With increasing running speed, peak PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) and peak rate of PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) development increased, whereas PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) impulse per km decreased. While increasing step frequency by 10%, the peak PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) and the PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) impulse per kilometer decreased. No significant effect of step frequency alteration was found for the peak rate of PFJS (P = 0.008) and PTF (P = 0.213) development. A significant interaction effect was found for PFJS (P < 0.001) and PTF (P < 0.001) impulse per km, suggesting that step frequency alteration was more effective at low running speed.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of step frequency alteration on PFJS and PTF impulse per km is dependent on the running speed. With regard to peak PFJS and PTF, step frequency alteration is equally effective at low and high running speeds. Step frequency alteration was not effective for peak rate of PFJS and PTF development. These findings can assist the optimization of patellofemoral joint and patellar tendon load management strategies.
Töpferin und der Schmied (Text)
Authors: Jud Peter
Published: April 2023

Peter Jud widmet sich in seiner Dissertation einer von ihm selbst geleiteten Grabung in der keltischen Siedlung Basel-Gasfabrik, bei der u.a. zwei Töpferöfen und Reste einer Schmiede freigelegt wurden. Die Auswertung liegt nun als zweibändiges Materialheft vor. Nach dem „Pflichtteil“, d.h. der Vorlage von Befunden und Funden, öffnet der Autor den Horizont weiter und kommt z.B. bei seinen Überlegungen zur Keramikproduktion in der keltischen Siedlung zu hochinteressanten Schlussfolgerungen, indem er auch Ergebnisse der ethnologischen Forschung mit einbezieht. Ebenso spannend zu lesen sind die Ausführungen zu den in der Siedlung immer wieder zum Vorschein kommenden menschlichen Skeletten oder Skelettteilen. Das Werk ist insgesamt so gut geschrieben, dass es auch für archäologisch gebildete Laien zugänglich ist.
Band A: Text
Band B: Katalog
Nigella sativa L. seed extracts promote wound healing progress by activating VEGF and PDGF signaling pathways: An in vitro and in silico study
Authors: Palanisamy Chella Perumal , Alugoju Phaniendra , Jayaraman Selvaraj , Poompradub Sirilux
Published: April 2023

Background: A significant area of clinical research is the development of natural wound healing products and the management of chronic wounds. Healing wounds with medicinal plants has been a practice of ancient civilizations for centuries. Nigella sativa L (N. sativa) is a medicinal plant that has several pharmacological properties.

Methods: The present study evaluated the wound healing properties of Nigella sativa L. (N. sativa) seed extracts using normal cell lines such as normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were analyzed through western blot analysis. Furthermore, computational analyses were carried out to screen the potential bioactive compounds for wound healing applications.

Results: The results of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay revealed that, all the tested solvent extracts of N. sativa seeds (including ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and petroleum ether) did not exert any cytotoxic effects at the tested concentrations. Furthermore, the western blot analysis showed elevated levels of VEGF and PDGF upon treatment with N. sativa seed extracts. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of N. sativa extracts identified 268 phytocompounds. Molecular docking studies revealed that three phytocompounds of N. sativa extracts, including tricyclo[20.8.0.0(7,16)]triacontane, 1(22),7(16)-diepoxy-, adaphostin and obeticholic acid had strong binding affinity with wound healing-related target proteins, showing docking scores ranging from -5.5 to -10.9 Kcal/mol. These compounds had acceptable Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties.

Conclusions: Based on these results, N. sativa seed extracts might possess potential wound healing properties owing to the presence of a wide range of bioactive components.
Floating photovoltaic systems: photovoltaic cable submersion testing and potential impacts
Authors: Rebelo Ricardo , FIALHO Luis , Novais Maria Helena
Published: April 2023

Background: Floating photovoltaics (FPV) is an emerging technology that is gaining attention worldwide. However, little information is still available on its possible impacts in the aquatic ecosystems, as well as on the durability of its components. Therefore, this work intends to provide a contribution to this field, analysing possible obstacles that can compromise the performance of this technology, adding to an increase of its reliability and assessing possible impacts.

The problem under study is related to the potential submersion of photovoltaic cables, that can lead to a degradation of its electrical insulation capabilities and, consequently, higher energy production losses and water contamination.

Methods: In the present study, the submersion of photovoltaic cables (with two different insulation materials) in freshwater and artificial seawater was tested, in order to replicate real life conditions, when FPV systems are located in reservoirs or in the marine environment. Electrical insulation tests were carried out weekly to assess possible cable degradation, the physical-chemical characteristics of the water were also periodically monitored, complemented by analysis to detect traces of copper and microplastics in the water.

Results: The results showed that the submersion of photovoltaic cables with rubber sheath in saltwater can lead to a cable accelerated degradation, with reduction of its electrical insulation and, consequently, copper release into the aquatic environment.

Conclusions: The test results pointed a probable relationship between submersion of cables with rubber outer shell and water freezing temperatures and the occurrence of accelerated degradation of the cable insulation layer. Reduced insulation resistance values were measured in this cable type after the occurrence of such temperatures, both in salt and freshwater, the cable presented visible exterior degradation signs. For this case copper residues were detected in the water.
Evaluation of the Feynman Propagator by Means of the Quantum Hamilton-Jacobi Equation
Authors: Fusco Girard Mario
Published: April 2023

It is shown that the complex phase of the Feynman propagator is a solution of the quantum Hamilton–Jacobi equation, namely, it is the quantum Hamilton's principal function (or quantum action). Therefore, the Feynman propagator can be computed either by means of the path integration, or by the way of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation. This is analogous to what happens in classical mechanics, where the Hamilton's principal function can be computed either by integrating the Lagrangian along the extremal paths, or as a solution of partial differential equation, namely the classical Hamilton–Jacobi equation. If the path is decomposed in the classical one and quantum fluctuations, the contribution of these quantum fluctuations satisfies a non-linear partial differential equation, whose coefficients depend on the classical action. When the contribution of the quantum fluctuations depend only on the time, it can be computed by means of a simple integration. The final results for the propagators in this case are equal to the Van Vleck–Pauli–Morette expressions, even though the two derivations are quite different.Quanta 2023; 12: 22–26.
Assessment of coping with illness among patients with hepatitis C – on example of research in Poland
Authors: Sierpińska Lidia
Published: April 2023

Introduction: In Poland approximately 2% of the population are infected with HCV. The majority (70-80%) of persons infected with HCV develop chronic hepatitis C which, when untreated, may lead to cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. The skills of coping with stress and acceptance of chronic illness may motivate patients for participation in treatment and leading a health-promoting life style.
Objective: The aim of the study was assessment of coping with illness in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Materials and Method: The study included 220 adults with chronic hepatitis C, and was conducted by the method of a diagnostic survey using the Polish questionnaire: Brief Method of Assessment of Coping with Illness (Krótka Metoda Oceny Radzenia Sobie z Chorobą - KMORSZCH), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and an author-constructed questionnaire.
Results:  The examined group of patients with hepatitis C most strongly presented style oriented on emotions and passivity (mean score 1.20), and style focused on problem solving (mean score 1.05), followed by respondents who presented avoidance-oriented style (mean score 0.98), whereas the style focused on seeking the best solution to the problem was most rarely chosen (mean score 0.77). It was found that the more frequently the respondents presented style oriented on experiencing emotions and passivity, to the significantly lower degree they accepted their illness. Patients with higher education significantly more often presented style focused on seeking the best solution to the problem (p<0.045),while those with the lowest level of education significantly more frequently were oriented on experiencing emotions and passivity (p<0.001). Rural inhabitants significantly more often presented style oriented on experiencing emotions and passivity (p<0.002). The remaining independent variables: gender, age, marital status, number of years of illness, and occupational activity had an insignificant effect on the selection of the style of coping with hepatitis C.  
Conclusions: The results of the study confirm the need for psychotherapeutic actions with respect to patients with hepatitis C in order to help them cope with the chronic disease, because they most often chose style oriented on emotions and passivity. Psychological assistance should be provided especially for the group of patients who have difficulty with acceptance of the illness.
SIBO - the present knowledge within the contekst of clinical dependencies and therapy
Authors: Więckowska-Deroń Marta , Leszcz Monika , Bieńko Karolina , Białek Justyna , Ćwik-Błotnicka Dominika , Borczyk Joanna
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The gut microbiome is an integral part of the body, and the eubiosis conditio significantly  influences homeostasis. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is connected with an increased numer of bacteria, it causes gastrointestinal symptoms. The main symptoms are abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. SIBO correlates with the occurrence of other chronic diseases. The basis of treatment are antibiotics. There are also scientific reports on supplementing pharmacological therapy with dietary management.
Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the current knowledge on the bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. Particular attention took notice of to the relationship  between SIBO and other chronic diseases as well as potential and applied treatments.
Material and methods: The review includes publications published in 2020-2023 and certain works published earlier, in the years 2008-2017. Data were collected using PubMed, ScienceDirect i Google Scholar.
Results: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is heterogeneous disorder. Its symptoms are nonspecific. SIBO is related to several different diseases and corresponds with them. Empirical treatment consists in administration of antibiotics. Supplementing therapy with alternative methods for example probiotic and diet therapy  promotes success in treating.
Conclusions: The lack of standarized therapeutic menagment and focused on bacterial eradication only approach makes, SIBO is recurrent ailment. More research is needed. The important thing is holistic approach on etiology, pathogenesis and therapy.
Impact of E-learning on the Higher Education Sector during the COVID-19 pandemic through Pedagogy tools: An observational Study
Authors: Dhiraj Ankit , Kumar Prof. Dr. Sanjeev
Published: April 2023

El modo físico y la educación superior en todo el mundo se recuperan durante la pandemia de covid-19. Todas las actividades educativas se convirtieron al modo en línea, donde especialmente los sectores de educación superior no estaban preparados y, simultáneamente, nuevas técnicas pedagógicas se incorporaron a la posibilidad de impartir clases en línea. El propósito de este estudio fue el desarrollo de nuevas herramientas pedagógicas y su implementación en los sectores de educación superior. La pandemia de covid-19 nos enseñó cómo usar la nueva tecnología y el avance en la educación superior y lo que puede ser mejor para esta sociedad. Para cumplir con este objetivo, realizamos una encuesta en la que preguntamos sobre el impacto de las nuevas herramientas pedagógicas en los sectores de educación superior y sus opiniones sobre diferentes aspectos de la educación en línea durante los períodos de pandemia. El cuestionario se preparó y distribuyó en los sectores de educación superior y analizó los puntos de vista de los encuestados y sus opiniones sobre las herramientas pedagógicas y los datos. Los siguientes datos fueron analizados utilizando el software SPSS 2.0 para el estudio. Los encuestados procedían de los siguientes datos en varias regiones del norte de la India. Se distribuyeron un total de 350 cuestionarios; de los cuales se recibieron 320. Se utilizó la Escala Likert de 5 puntos, donde 01 representaba "totalmente en desacuerdo" y una puntuación de 5 representaba "Totalmente de acuerdo".
La difusión de la energía nuclear en el sur de Europa: los grandes proyectos de Cataluña
Authors: Acosta Ortega Faustino
Published: April 2023

El crecimiento esperado de la demanda eléctrica y la insuficiencia de las fuentes de producción tradicionales (basadas en la producción hidroeléctrica y en centrales térmicas convencionales) llevaron a que las empresas eléctricas en Cataluña proyectasen la construcción de hasta ocho plantas nucleares de alrededor de 1.000 MW de potencia. Los efectos de la crisis del petróleo sobre la demanda provocaron una sustancial reducción del proyecto, que se vio limitado a cuatro unidades con autorización previa a mediados de la década de 1970. A diferencia de lo ocurrido con las centrales de primera generación, las empresas promotoras fueron las principales protagonistas de las decisiones relacionadas con el emplazamiento, la tecnología y los suministradores, sujetas tan solo a las preceptivas autorizaciones, mínimos requeridos de participación nacional y principios de seguridad nuclear.
Equivalence theorem for the spectral density of light waves scattered from different types of anisotropic media
Authors: Zhang Junhao , Xiao Yingying , Ji Xiaoling , Wu Hao , Wang Tao
Published: April 2023

The spectral density equivalence theorem of light waves on scattering from different types of anisotropic media is discussed. The possibility of producing identical spectral density distribution as light waves are scattered by different anisotropic media is also discussed. Moreover, the conditions under which a determinate anisotropic medium and random anisotropic medium may produce identical spectral densities are obtained. It is shown that the complete equivalence theorem in whole space or the partial equivalence theorem in some special planes can be realized under particular conditions.
Integrated optical pattern generation on thin-film lithium niobate with electro-optic modulators and phase-change material cells
Authors: Bente Ivonne , Brückerhoff-Plückelmann Frank , Bankwitz J. Rasmus , Wendland Daniel , Lomonte Emma , Lenzini Francesco , Wright C. David , Bhaskaran Harish , Pernice Wolfram H. P.
Published: April 2023

Reconfigurable photonic integrated circuits enable high-bandwidth signal shaping with the prospect for scalability and compact footprint. Cointegration of electro-optical tunability with nonvolatile attenuation through functional materials allows for implementing photonic devices that operate on both phase and amplitude. Based on this approach, we propose an integrated photonic design for optical pattern generation deploying a continuous-wave laser and a single electrical function generator. We employ the nonvolatile and reconfigurable phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) as a tunable attenuator for an integrated photonic circuit on the lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) platform. The GST can be switched between its amorphous and crystalline phases, leading to an optical contrast of ≅18dB. Combining this with integrated electro-optical modulators with a 4 GHz bandwidth in LNOI enables the generation of short optical pulses, based on the principles of inverse discrete Fourier transform.
Sensitive enhancement of cat state quantum illumination
Authors: He De , Feng X. N. , Wei L. F.
Published: April 2023

Quantum illumination is a binary hypothesis testing to detect a possible low-reflective object. Theoretically, both cat state illumination and Gaussian-state illumination possess the upper bound of 3dB sensitivity gain, over the usual coherent state illumination, for the significantly low illuminating intensity. Here, we investigate further how to enhance the quantum advantage of quantum illumination by optimizing the illuminating cat states for larger illuminating intensity. By comparing the quantum Fisher information or error exponent, we show that the sensitivity of the quantum illumination with generic cat states proposed here can be optimized further, and the 10.3% sensitive enhancement over the previous cat state illumination can be obtained.
Optical near fields for ablation of periodic structures
Authors: Xu Yi-Shi , Li Zhen-Ze , Fan Hua , Liu Yue-Feng , Xia Hong , Juodkazis Saulius , Chen Qi-Dai , Wang Lei
Published: April 2023

The formation mechanism of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) has been a key to high-resolution sub-diffraction lithography or high-efficiency large-area nanotexturing. We show the evolution of LIPSS formation from a nanohole seed structure to high-spatial-frequency LIPSS by using a tightly focused and rectangular-shaped laser beam with different shape–polarization orientations. Formation of LIPSS based on light intensity distribution without invoking any long-range electromagnetic modes achieved quantitative match between modeling and experiment. Our results clearly show the entire step-like and deterministic process of LIPSS evolution based on experimental data and numerical simulations, revealing the dominant structural near-field enhancement on the ripple formation. A rectangular-shaped beam with an aspect ratio of 7:3 was used to break the symmetry of a circularly shaped focus. By azimuthally rotating the orientation of the focal spot and the polarization, it is possible to visualize the far-field effect for the initial seed structure formation and the competition between the far and near fields in the subsequent structure evolution.
Enhanced nonlinearities in hybrid structure based on nanoporous membrane and a metallohelicate with promising application in nanophotonics and NLO
Authors: Waszkowska Karolina , Cheret Yohan , Guichaoua Dominique , Travers Théo , El-Ghayoury Abdelkrim , Gindre Denis , Göring Petra , Lelonek Monika , Andrushchak Anatoliy , Goncharova Irina , Sahraoui Bouchta
Published: April 2023

The main purposes of this work are designing new hybrid structures based on alumina nanoporous membranes with specific metallosupramolecular structure as well as studies of their usefulness in nonlinear optics (NLO). The NLO studies of the hybrid material is performed on the basis of two methods: the first by the Maker fringe technique, where the second harmonic generation (SHG) signal is recorded by rotating the sample; and the second by SHG imaging microscopy, where the SHG signal is collected point by point on the sample surface. The enhanced SHG signals were obtained without the use of the corona poling method needed during the experiment on thin films in our previous works and clearly shows the efficiency of hybrid materials based on nanoporous membranes as promising materials in devices developed based on NLO.
Non-quantum chiral structure in a free-running VCSEL
Authors: Gu Shuangquan , Zhou Pei , Li Nianqiang
Published: April 2023

We report on the occurrence of a non-quantum chiral structure in a free-running vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with a small misalignment between birefringence and dichroism. Through high-resolution phase diagrams, we show how oscillations evolve in parameter space for different values of the misalignment. Unlike a previously reported non-quantum chiral dynamic system involving closed rings in parameter space, this work manifests another case, i.e., the chiral structure exists in some open parameter spaces. Furthermore, the possible underlying physical mechanism of the emergence of the structures is offered through bifurcation analysis.
Boosting the performance of loss-tolerant measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
Authors: Ding Hua-Jian , Ma Xiao , Liu Jing-Yang , Zhang Chun-Hui , Zhou Xing-Yu , Wang Qin
Published: April 2023

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution can remove all possible detector side channels, and is robust against state preparation flaws when further combined with the loss-tolerant method. However, the secure key rate in this scenario is relatively low, thus hindering its practical application. Here, we first present a four-intensity decoy-state protocol where the signal intensity is modulated only in Z basis for key generation while the decoy intensities are modulated in both Z and X bases for parameter estimation. Moreover, we adopt collective constraint and joint-study strategy in statistical fluctuation analysis. We have also experimentally demonstrated this protocol and the result indicates high performance and good security for practical applications.