bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An ESR1-Related Gene Signature Identifies Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Imputed Susceptibility to Endocrine Therapy
Authors: Almouhanna Firas , Hess Jochen
Published: January 2024

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. New personalized treatment strategies represent an unmet medical need to improve the overall survival and the quality of life of patients, which are often limited by the toxicity of established multimodal treatment protocols. Several studies have reported an increased expression of the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) in HNSCC, but its potential role in the disease outcome of these tumors remains elusive. Using an integrative analysis of multiomics and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSC, we established a prognostic risk model based on an ESR1-related 25-gene set. The prognostic value was confirmed in an independent cohort of HNSCC and other solid tumors from TCGA. Finally, we performed in silico drug sensitivity modeling to explore potential vulnerabilities for both risk groups. This approach predicted a higher sensitivity for HNSCC, with prominent ESR1 pathway activity under treatment with specific estrogen receptor modulators. In conclusion, our data confirm the involvement of ESR1-related pathway activity in the progression of a defined subset of HNSCC, provide compelling evidence that these tumors share a specific vulnerability to endocrine therapy, and pave the way for preclinical studies and clinical trials to demonstrate the efficacy of this new therapeutic option.
Plasma-Activated Media Produced by a Microwave-Excited Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Is Effective against Cisplatin-Resistant Human Bladder Cancer Cells In Vitro
Authors: Jo Ara , Joh Hea-Min , Bae Jin-Hee , Kim Sun-Ja , Chung Jin-Woong , Chung Tae-Hun
Published: January 2024

Media exposed to atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitrite (NO2−), and nitrate (NO3−) being among the most detected species due to their relatively long lifetime. In this study, a standardized microwave-excited (ME) APP jet (APPJ) source was employed to produce gaseous RONS to treat liquid samples. The source was a commercially available plasma jet, which generated argon plasma utilizing a coaxial transmission line resonator at the operating frequency of 2.45 GHz. An ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer was used to measure the concentrations of H2O2 and NO3− in plasma-activated media (PAM). Three different types of media (deionized water, Hank’s balanced salt solution, and cell culture solution Dulbecco’s modified eagles medium [DMEM]) were utilized as liquid samples. Among these media, the plasma-treated DMEM was observed to have the highest levels of H2O2 and NO3−. Subsequently, the feasibility of using argon ME-APPJ-activated DMEM (PAM) as an adjuvant to enhance the therapeutic effects of cisplatin on human bladder cancer cells (T-24) was investigated. Various cancer cell lines, including T-24 cells, treated with PAM were observed in vitro for changes in cell viability using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A viability reduction was detected in the various cancer cells after incubation in PAM. Furthermore, the study’s results revealed that PAM was effective against cisplatin-resistant T-24 cells in vitro. In addition, a possible connection between HER expression and cell viability was sketched.
The Clinical Findings, Pathogenic Variants, and Gene Therapy Qualifications Found in a Leber Congenital Amaurosis Phenotypic Spectrum Patient Cohort
Authors: Sather Richard , Ihinger Jacie , Simmons Michael , Lobo Glenn P. , Montezuma Sandra R.
Published: January 2024

This retrospective study examines the clinical characteristics and underlying genetic variants that exist in a Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) patient cohort evaluated at the inherited retinal disease (IRD) clinic at the University of Minnesota (UMN)/M Health System. Our LCA cohort consisted of 33 non-syndromic patients and one patient with Joubert syndrome. We report their relevant history, clinical findings, and genetic testing results. We monitored disease presentation utilizing ocular coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF). Electroretinogram testing (ERG) was performed in patients when clinically indicated. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and genetic counseling was offered to all evaluated patients. Advanced photoreceptor loss was noted in 85.7% of the subjects. All patients who underwent FAF had findings of either a ring of macular hypo/hyper AF or peripheral hypo-AF. All patients had abnormal ERG findings. A diagnostic genetic test result was identified in 74.2% of the patients via NGS single-gene testing or panel testing. Two patients in our cohort qualified for Luxturna® and both received treatment at the time of this study. These data will help IRD specialists to understand the genetic variants and clinical presentations that characterize our patient population in the Midwest region of the United States.
Thermophilic PHP Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (Cap8C and Wzb) from Mesophilic Bacteria
Authors: Aberuagba Adepeju , Joel Enoch B. , Bello Adebayo J. , Igunnu Adedoyin , Malomo Sylvia O. , Olorunniji Femi J.
Published: January 2024

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) of the polymerase and histidinol phosphatase (PHP) superfamily with characteristic phosphatase activity dependent on divalent metal ions are found in many Gram-positive bacteria. Although members of this family are co-purified with metal ions, they still require the exogenous supply of metal ions for full activation. However, the specific roles these metal ions play during catalysis are yet to be well understood. Here, we report the metal ion requirement for phosphatase activities of S. aureus Cap8C and L. rhamnosus Wzb. AlphaFold-predicted structures of the two PTPs suggest that they are members of the PHP family. Like other PHP phosphatases, the two enzymes have a catalytic preference for Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ ions. Cap8C and Wzb show an unusual thermophilic property with optimum activities over 75 °C. Consistent with this model, the activity–temperature profiles of the two enzymes are dependent on the divalent metal ion activating the enzyme.
Key Proteins of Replication Stress Response and Cell Cycle Control as Cancer Therapy Targets
Authors: Khamidullina Alvina I. , Abramenko Yaroslav E. , Bruter Alexandra V. , Tatarskiy Victor V.
Published: January 2024

Replication stress (RS) is a characteristic state of cancer cells as they tend to exchange precision of replication for fast proliferation and increased genomic instability. To overcome the consequences of improper replication control, malignant cells frequently inactivate parts of their DNA damage response (DDR) pathways (the ATM-CHK2-p53 pathway), while relying on other pathways which help to maintain replication fork stability (ATR-CHK1). This creates a dependency on the remaining DDR pathways, vulnerability to further destabilization of replication and synthetic lethality of DDR inhibitors with common oncogenic alterations such as mutations of TP53, RB1, ATM, amplifications of MYC, CCNE1 and others. The response to RS is normally limited by coordination of cell cycle, transcription and replication. Inhibition of WEE1 and PKMYT1 kinases, which prevent unscheduled mitosis entry, leads to fragility of under-replicated sites. Recent evidence also shows that inhibition of Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), such as CDK4/6, CDK2, CDK8/19 and CDK12/13 can contribute to RS through disruption of DNA repair and replication control. Here, we review the main causes of RS in cancers as well as main therapeutic targets—ATR, CHK1, PARP and their inhibitors.
Exploitation of Autophagy Inducers in the Management of Dementia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Corasaniti Maria Tiziana , Bagetta Giacinto , Nicotera Pierluigi , Maione Sabatino , Tonin Paolo , Guida Francesca , Scuteri Damiana
Published: January 2024

The social burden of dementia is remarkable since it affects some 57.4 million people all over the world. Impairment of autophagy in age-related diseases, such as dementia, deserves deep investigation for the detection of novel disease-modifying approaches. Several drugs belonging to different classes were suggested to be effective in managing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by means of autophagy induction. Useful autophagy inducers in AD should be endowed with a direct, measurable effect on autophagy, have a safe tolerability profile, and have the capability to cross the blood–brain barrier, at least with poor penetration. According to the PRISMA 2020 recommendations, we propose here a systematic review to appraise the measurable effectiveness of autophagy inducers in the improvement of cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms in clinical trials and retrospective studies. The systematic search retrieved 3067 records, 10 of which met the eligibility criteria. The outcomes most influenced by the treatment were cognition and executive functioning, pointing at a role for metformin, resveratrol, masitinib and TPI-287, with an overall tolerable safety profile. Differences in sample power, intervention, patients enrolled, assessment, and measure of outcomes prevents generalization of results. Moreover, the domain of behavioral symptoms was found to be less investigated, thus prompting new prospective studies with homogeneous design. PROSPERO registration: CRD42023393456.
Inhibition of Bromodomain Proteins Enhances Oncolytic HAdVC5 Replication and Efficacy in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Models
Authors: Miao Tizong , Symonds Alistair , Hickman Oliver J. , Wu Dongsheng , Wang Ping , Lemoine Nick , Wang Yaohe , Linardopoulos Spiros , Halldén Gunnel
Published: January 2024

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most aggressive type of pancreatic cancer, which rapidly develops resistance to the current standard of care. Several oncolytic Human AdenoViruses (HAdVs) have been reported to re-sensitize drug-resistant cancer cells and in combination with chemotherapeutics attenuate solid tumour growth. Obstacles preventing greater clinical success are rapid hepatic elimination and limited viral replication and spread within the tumour microenvironment. We hypothesised that higher intratumoural levels of the virus could be achieved by altering cellular epigenetic regulation. Here we report on the screening of an enriched epigenetics small molecule library and validation of six compounds that increased viral gene expression and replication. The greatest effects were observed with three epigenetic inhibitors targeting bromodomain (BRD)-containing proteins. Specifically, BRD4 inhibitors enhanced the efficacy of Ad5 wild type, Ad∆∆, and Ad-3∆-A20T in 3-dimensional co-culture models of PDAC and in vivo xenografts. RNAseq analysis demonstrated that the inhibitors increased viral E1A expression, altered expression of cell cycle regulators and inflammatory factors, and attenuated expression levels of tumour cell oncogenes such as c-Myc and Myb. The data suggest that the tumour-selective Ad∆∆ and Ad-3∆-A20T combined with epigenetic inhibitors is a novel strategy for the treatment of PDAC by eliminating both cancer and associated stromal cells to pave the way for immune cell access even after systemic delivery of the virus.
Mapping the Landscape of Misinformation Detection: A Bibliometric Approach
Authors: Sandu Andra , Ioanăș Ioana , Delcea Camelia , Geantă Laura-Mădălina , Cotfas Liviu-Adrian
Published: January 2024

The proliferation of misinformation presents a significant challenge in today’s information landscape, impacting various aspects of society. While misinformation is often confused with terms like disinformation and fake news, it is crucial to distinguish that misinformation involves, in mostcases, inaccurate information without the intent to cause harm. In some instances, individuals unwittingly share misinformation, driven by a desire to assist others without thorough research. However, there are also situations where misinformation involves negligence, or even intentional manipulation, with the aim of shaping the opinions and decisions of the target audience. Another key factor contributing to misinformation is its alignment with individual beliefs and emotions. This alignment magnifies the impact and influence of misinformation, as people tend to seek information that reinforces their existing beliefs. As a starting point, some 56 papers containing ‘misinformation detection’ in the title, abstract, or keywords, marked as “articles”, written in English, published between 2016 and 2022, were extracted from the Web of Science platform and further analyzed using Biblioshiny. This bibliometric study aims to offer a comprehensive perspective on the field of misinformation detection by examining its evolution and identifying emerging trends, influential authors, collaborative networks, highly cited articles, key terms, institutional affiliations, themes, and other relevant factors. Additionally, the study reviews the most cited papers and provides an overview of all selected papers in the dataset, shedding light on methods employed to counter misinformation and the primary research areas where misinformation detection has been explored, including sources such as online social networks, communities, and news platforms. Recent events related to health issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic have heightened interest within the research community regarding misinformation detection, a statistic which is also supported by the fact that half of the papers included in top 10 papers based on number of citations have addressed this subject. The insights derived from this analysis contribute valuable knowledge to address the issue, enhancing our understanding of the field’s dynamics and aiding in the development of effective strategies to detect and mitigate the impact of misinformation. The results spotlight that IEEE Access occupies the first position in the current analysis based on the number of published papers, the King Saud University is listed as the top contributor for the misinformation detection, while in terms of countries, the top-5 list based on the highest contribution to this area is made by the USA, India, China, Spain, and the UK. Moreover, the study supports the promotion of verified and reliable sources of data, fostering a more informed and trustworthy information environment.
Prognostic Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Strain in Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Tsampasian Vasiliki , Merinopoulos Ioannis , Ravindrarajah Thuwarahan , Ring Liam , Heng Ee Ling , Prasad Sanjay , Vassiliou Vassilios S.
Published: January 2024

Background: Recent data have suggested that global longitudinal strain (GLS) could be useful for risk stratification of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic role of GLS in patients with AS and also its incremental value in relation to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Methods: We analysed all consecutive patients with AS and LGE-CMR in our institution. Survival data were obtained from office of national statistics, a national body where all deaths in England are registered by law. Death certificates were obtained from the general register office. Results: Some 194 consecutive patients with aortic stenosis were investigated with CMR at baseline and followed up for 7.3 ± 4 years. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, only increasing age remained significant for both all-cause and cardiac mortality, while LGE (any pattern) retained significance for all-cause mortality and had a trend to significance for cardiac mortality. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis demonstrated that patients in the best and middle GLS tertiles had significantly better mortality compared to patients in the worst GLS tertiles. Importantly though, sequential Cox proportional-hazard analysis demonstrated that GLS did not have significant incremental prognostic value for all-cause mortality or cardiac mortality in addition to LVEF and LGE. Conclusions: Our study has demonstrated that age and LGE but not GLS are significant poor prognostic indicators in patients with moderate and severe AS.
Advancements in Revascularization Strategies for Acute Mesenteric Ischemia: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Gries Jacob J. , Virk Hafeez Ul Hassan , Chen Bing , Sakamoto Takashi , Alam Mahboob , Krittanawong Chayakrit
Published: January 2024

Even with modern advancements in the management of acute mesenteric ischemia over the past decade, morbidity and mortality remain high, and the best primary treatment modality is still debated amongst interventionalists. Traditionally, interventionalists have favored an open surgical approach but are now trending for endovascular interventions due to apparent reduced mortality and complications. Newer studies suggest hybrid approaches, and intestinal stroke centers may be superior to either strategy alone. This narrative review will explore the natural history of acute mesenteric ischemia with the aim of increasing interventionalist awareness of modern advancements in revascularization strategies for this devastating disease.
Enhanced Removal of Dissolved Effluent Organic Matter in Wastewater Using Lignin-Based Biochar Supported Fe–Cu Bimetallic Oxide Catalyst
Authors: Wang Wenpeng , Kong Fanlong , Wu Huazhen , Zhai Chunyan , Li Yang , Wang Sen , Yang Hong
Published: January 2024

The effluent discharged from wastewater treatment facilities frequently enters the ocean, posing a considerable threat to the health of marine life and humans. In this paper, an alkali lignin-based biochar-loaded modified Fe–Cu catalyst (FeCu@BC) was prepared to remove soluble microbial products (SMP) from secondary effluent as disinfection by-products precursors at ambient temperature and pressure. The humic acid (HA) was taken as the representative substance of SMP. The results showed that the maximum removal efficiency of HA reached 93.2% when the FeCu@BC dosage, pH, initial HA concentration, and dissolved oxygen concentration were 5.0 g/L, 7, 100 mg/L, and 1.75 mg/L, respectively. After three cycles, the removal efficiency of HA could be maintained at more than 70%. The quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (EPR) results showed that •OH and 1O2 were involved in the degradation of HA in the FeCu@BC catalyst reaction system, with 1O2 playing a dominant role. Theoretical calculations confirmed that •OH and 1O2 were more prone to attack the C=O bond of the side chain of HA. After processing by the FeCu@BC catalyst, the yield of chlorinated disinfection by-products from secondary effluent had decreased in an obvious manner. This study provides a new solution to efficiently solve the problem of chlorinated disinfection by-products from HA.
Black Lives Matter and Partisan Media
Authors: Kim Sei-Hill , Kotva Zdenek Rusek , Zain Ali , Chen Yu
Published: January 2024

Analyzing data from a survey of U.S. adults (N = 509), our study examines the role of partisan media in (a) shaping people’s perceptions of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, (b) producing an echo-chamber effect, influencing users to believe that other people have an opinion similar to their own, and (c) creating a polarized public opinion environment, where people hold more extreme perspectives on BLM. Left-wing media consumption was positively correlated with favorable perceptions of BLM, while right-wing media consumption had a negative correlation, suggesting that partisan media could influence users’ own perceptions of BLM. Also, left-wing media consumption was positively correlated with the belief that others held favorable views of BLM, while right-wing media consumption was negatively correlated with such a belief, suggesting that partisan media could affect one’s beliefs about others’ perceptions. Supporting its role in producing an echo-chamber effect, frequent right-wing media usage was associated with a smaller difference between one’s own views and their assessment of others’ views regarding BLM. Finally, there was a positive correlation between left-wing media consumption and having extreme perceptions of BLM, suggesting that the use of left-wing media could play a role in creating a polarized public opinion climate.
Not Batting an Eye: Figurative Meanings of L2 Idioms Do Not Interfere with Literal Uses
Authors: Kyriacou Marianna , Köder Franziska
Published: January 2024

Encountering idioms (hit the sack = “go to bed”) in a second language (L2) often results in a literal-first understanding (“literally hit a sack”). The figurative meaning is retrieved later, subject to idiom familiarity and L2 proficiency, and typically at a processing cost. Intriguingly recent findings report the overextension of idiom use in inappropriate contexts by advanced L2 users, with greater L2 proficiency somewhat mitigating this effect. In this study, we tested the tenability of this finding by comparing eye-movement patterns for idioms used literally, vs. literal control phrases (hit the dirt) in an eye-tracking-while-reading paradigm. We hypothesised that if idiom overextension holds, processing delays should be observed for idioms, as the (over)activated but contextually irrelevant figurative meanings would cause interference. In contrast, unambiguous control phrases should be faster to process. The results demonstrated undifferentiated processing for idioms used literally and control phrases across measures, with L2 proficiency affecting both similarly. Therefore, the findings do not support the hypothesis that advanced L2 users overextend idiom use in inappropriate contexts, nor that L2 proficiency modulates this tendency. The results are also discussed in light of potential pitfalls pertaining to idiom priming under typical experimental settings.
Influence of Thermal Annealing on Mechanical and Optical Property of SiO2 Film Produced by ALD
Authors: Zhi Xintao , Li Xiaopeng , Yuan Songmei , Wang Dasen , Wang Kehong
Published: January 2024

The application range of fused silica optical components can be expanded and the cost of fused silica components can be reduced by depositing the same material film on fused silica substrate. However, due to the different manufacturing process, the performance of ALD SiO2 film is lower than that of fused silica substrate, which also limits the use of this process. In this paper, ALD SiO2 film with different thicknesses were deposited, and then the structure and properties were tested. Finally, the ALD SiO2 film was treated via the annealing process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the ALD SiO2 film had good compactness and substrate adhesion. The Raman spectra showed that the ALD SiO2 film and substrate had the same structure, with only slight differences. The XRD pattern showed that ALD-fused silica did not crystallize before or after annealing. The infrared spectra showed that there was an obvious Si-OH defect in the ALD SiO2 film. The laser damage showed that the ALD SiO2 film had a much lower damage threshold than the fused silica substrate. The nanoindentation showed that the mechanical properties of the ALD SiO2 film were much lower than those of the fused silica substrate. After a low-temperature annealing treatment, the ALD SiO2 film Si-OH defect was reduced, the ALD SiO2 film four-member ring content was increased, the elastic modulus of the ALD SiO2 film was increased from 45.025 GPa to 68.025 GPa, the hardness was increased from 5.240 GPa to 9.528 GPa, and the ALD SiO2 film damage threshold was decreased from 5.5 J/cm2 to 1.3 J/cm2.
Modeling of Effect of Infill Density Percentage on Rotating Bending Fatigue Behavior of Additive-Manufactured PLA Polymers
Authors: Ftoutou Ezzeddine , Allegue Lamis , Marouani Haykel , Hassine Tarek , Fouad Yasser , Mrad Hatem
Published: January 2024

Nowadays, 3D PLA-printed parts are widely used in many applications, essentially using the fused filament fabrication technique. While the influence of printing parameters on quasi-static mechanical characterization has been extensively considered within the literature, there are limited accounts of this effect on fatigue performance. The two main aims of this research are first to investigate the effects of the infill density percentage on the fatigue life of dog-bone samples under rotating bending cycling loads, and second to model the fatigue life using Wöhler and Basquin models. The experiments exhibit a high variability of results, especially for low cyclic loads. The S–N curves show that the number of cycles at failure increases with the increase in the infill density percentage and decreases with the increase in loads. Investigations allow the formulation of each constant model as a function of the infill density percentage. The new fatigue model formulations exhibit good agreement with the experimental data. As an outcome of this study, the fatigue model for 3D-printed parts may be expressed as a function of the infill density percentage using fewer tests in the future and for other polymers used in fused filament fabrication.
Low-Cyclic Reversed Loading Tests on Full-Scale Precast Concrete Composite Wall Connected by Tooth Groove and Grouted Sleeve
Authors: Luo Xiaoyong , Chen Qi , Deng Chao , Luo Wangcheng , He Yang
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a novel precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve was introduced, which is produced in factories by means of structure-insulation integrated prefabrication, and the prefabrication and assembly process were presented minutely. To verify the feasibility and reliability of this novel tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection method and explore the joint connection performance and the seismic performance of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve, low-cyclic reversed loading tests with an axial compressive ratio of 0.1 were performed on two full-scale precast concrete composite walls. Moreover, the failure mode, hysteretic curve, skeleton curve, stiffness degradation, displacement ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and reinforcement strain were comprehensively discussed. The research results showed that under the vertical axial load and low-cyclic reversed load, the distributed reinforcements in the wall panel only played a structural role, while the connecting reinforcements at horizontal joints can always effectively transfer stress without bond failure, and the tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection performance was reliable. In addition, the hysteretic curves of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve were full, showing good ductile deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity. In general, the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve not only possessed favorable seismic performance but also showed obvious advantages such as green energy saving, high assembly rate, and less on-site wet operation, which can be applied to practical engineering under reasonable design.
Improvement of Superconducting Joint Properties for GdBa2Cu3Ox Bulk Superconductors Joined with ErBa2Cu3Ox Superconductor Using Local Melt-Growth Method
Authors: Takemura Kento , Sudo Kimiaki , Sakafuji Masaki , Yokoyama Kazuya , Oka Tetsuo , Sakai Naomichi
Published: January 2024

The important factors in obtaining a high-quality superconducting joint were investigated for the superconducting joint of a GdBa2Cu3Ox (GdBCO) bulk superconductor with sintered ErBa2Cu3Ox (ErBCO) using the local melt-growth method. REBCO (RE: rare earth) bulk superconductors can be used as strong magnets by magnetizing them, but they require large bulk sizes for their application. Although the superconducting joint presents a viable solution, many possibilities for property improvement remain, such as property degradation, depending on the joining direction. By varying the joining thermal conditions and confirming the elemental distribution, magnetization properties near the joined part and the effects of these on the joining properties are clarified, and a method for fabricating high-performance joined samples is obtained. Microstructure segregation was rarely observed at the center of the joined part regardless of the joining direction, and the superconducting properties were negligible and small. The Jc-B results are almost identical to those of the GdBCO matrix at a low field, confirming that the joined part minimally interferes with the superconducting current. Furthermore, by lowering the maximum temperature, shortening the holding time at the maximum temperature, and increasing the cooling rate, the region of mutual solid solution was reduced, and the Jc-B under the self-magnetic field was enhanced. These results contribute to the development of the superconducting joining method, a critical aspect of larger bulk superconductors.
Surface Characterization of Metallic Materials in the Case of the Turning Process of NiTi Alloy
Authors: Zawada-Tomkiewicz Anna , Tomkiewicz Dariusz
Published: January 2024

A study was made of the machinability of NiTi alloy in turning, under conditions resulting in a small cutting layer. The experiment involved cutting with variable feeds ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 mm/rev. The cutting conditions were carefully chosen, considering the rounding radius of the cutting edge. The machined surface was examined and measured in 3D using a confocal microscope and in 2D with a contact profilometer. These measurements were used to estimate hmin, leading to the development of a surface formation model that considers both the lateral material flow due to hmin and the lateral material flow due to altered thermodynamic conditions from the previous blade pass. A method for evaluating the surface and selecting its characteristics was proposed based on analyses derived directly from surface features: PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and EMD (Empirical Mode Decomposition) with the Hilbert transform (Hilbert–Huang transform). PCA analysis facilitated the examination of individual surface component variances, while analysis of the IMF components enabled the assessment of surface component energy combined with instantaneous frequencies.
Analysis of Cutting Forces and Geometric Surface Structures in the Milling of NiTi Alloy
Authors: Kowalczyk Małgorzata
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a study of the total cutting force used and selected parameters of the geometric structure of the surface (e.g., Sa, Sz) during the end milling process of NiTi alloy. The input parameters included are cutting speed (vc), feed per tooth (fz), and radial depth of cut (ae). A Box–Behnken experimental design was employed to conduct the research. The obtained experimental results were utilized within the framework of a response surface methodology (RSM) to develop mathematical and statistical models capable of predicting cutting force components and selected 3D surface parameters. These models provide valuable insights into the relationships between the cutting parameters and the output variables, facilitating the optimization of the NiTi alloy milling process. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the behavior of NiTi alloy during the milling process and offer information for process optimization. By employing a Box–Behnken experimental design, it was possible to investigate the effects of different parameter combinations on the components of total cutting force and selected 3D surface parameters according to ISO 25178, thus aiding in the identification of optimal milling conditions to achieve desired outcomes in the machining of NiTi alloy.
A Generalised Intelligent Bearing Fault Diagnosis Model Based on a Two-Stage Approach
Authors: Kiakojouri Amirmasoud , Lu Zudi , Mirring Patrick , Powrie Honor , Wang Ling
Published: January 2024

This paper introduces a two-stage intelligent fault diagnosis model for rolling element bearings (REBs) aimed at overcoming the challenge of limited real-world vibration training data. In this study, bearing characteristic frequencies (BCFs) extracted from a novel hybrid method combining cepstrum pre-whitening (CPW) and high-pass filtering developed by the authors’ group are used as input features, and a two-stage approach is taken to develop an intelligent REB fault detect and diagnosis model. In the first stage, various machine learning (ML) methods, including support vector machine (SVM), multinomial logistic regressions (MLR), and artificial neural networks (ANN), are evaluated to identify faulty bearings from healthy ones. The best-performing ML model is selected for this stage. In the second stage, a similar evaluation is conducted to find the most suitable ML technique for bearing fault classification. The model is trained and validated using vibration data from an EU Clean Sky2 I2BS project (An EU Clean Sky 2 project ‘Integrated Intelligent Bearing Systems’ collaborated between Schaeffler Technologies and the University of Southampton. Safran Aero Engines was the topic manager for this project) and tested on datasets from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and the US Society for Machinery Failure Prevention Technology (MFPT). The results show that the two-stage model, using an SVM with a polynomial kernel function in Stage-1 and an ANN with one hidden layer and 0.05 dropout rate in Stage-2, can successfully detect bearing conditions in both test datasets and perform better than the results in literature without the requirement of further training. Compared with a single-stage model, the two-stage model also shows improved performance.
A Comparative Analysis of Multi-Criteria Decision Methods for Personnel Selection: A Practical Approach
Authors: Pinto-DelaCadena Pablo A. , Liern Vicente , Vinueza-Cabezas Andrea
Published: January 2024

This research focused on decision-making supported by multi-criteria decision methods, specifically TOPSIS, OWA, and their respective variants within personnel selection. The study presented models aimed at facilitating the selection of the best candidate for a job through competency-based assessments and comparing the application of four methods across various scenarios. We employed methods such as TOPSIS, OWA, and two variations (Canós–Liern method and an OWA model based on mathematically replicating expert opinion). Each model provided distinct rankings and demonstrated adaptability to specific situations within a company. Furthermore, it was emphasized that each method could and should be tailored according to the company’s reality to derive maximum benefit from its implementation. A crucial aspect of securing the best candidates involves understanding the context and identifying the appropriate methodology.
Archimedean Copulas-Based Estimation under One-Parameter Distributions in Coherent Systems
Authors: Triantafyllou Ioannis S.
Published: January 2024

In the present work we provide a signature-based framework for delivering the estimated mean lifetime along with the variance of the continuous distribution of a coherent system consisting of exchangeable components. The dependency of the components is modelled by the aid of well-known Archimedean multivariate copulas. The estimated results are calculated under two different copulas, namely the so-called Frank copula and the Joe copula. A numerical experimentation is carried out for illustrating the proposed procedure under all possible coherent systems with three components.
Proposal of a Framework for Evaluating the Importance of Production and Maintenance Integration Supported by the Use of Ordinal Linguistic Fuzzy Modeling
Authors: Díaz Cazañas Ronald , Delgado Sobrino Daynier Rolando , De La Paz Martínez Estrella María , Petru Jana , Díaz Tejeda Carlos Daniel
Published: January 2024

Over the years, the integration of Production Management and Maintenance Management has gained significant attention from the scientific community due to its benefits for the company. When searching through the states of the art and practice, it is possible to understand that one of the main challenges for the integration is the lack of systematic, methodological, and scientific approaches and evaluation systems that lead companies into a successful implementation and a clear understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of the process. This paper introduces an original framework that conducts the processes of evaluation, weighting, and aggregation of set of novel indicators proposed by the authors. The main output of the proposal is an integral index that allows us to qualify, in a linguistic domain, the importance of the Production and Maintenance Management integration. At the same time, the proposed framework includes a methodology to evaluate the consensus of the experts, based on the use of linguistic terms with a membership function of the triangular type, which attempts to overcome some deficiencies of previous models identified by the authors in a detailed and complex analysis of the scientific literature. The proposed framework is applied in a plant of the Cuban mechanical industry. The results of this application are clearly presented and discussed, allowing us to verify and validate the proposal while also contributing to its ease of understanding and ultimately to the successful integration of the production and maintenance tasks in the given company.
Effectiveness of Acupotomy Combined with Epidural Steroid Injection for Lumbosacral Radiculopathy: A Randomized Controlled Pragmatic Pilot Study
Authors: Lee Jin-Hyun , Lee Sang-Hyun , Suh Hae Sun , Hwang Man-Suk , Jang Semin , Choi Sooil , Lim Young-Soo , Byun Sang Hyun , Yoon Sang-Hoon , Park Sukhee , Park Tae-Yong
Published: January 2024

Background and Objectives: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and safety of acupotomy combined with epidural steroid injection (ESI) in lumbosacral radiculopathy and examine its feasibility for the main study. Materials and Methods: This randomized, controlled, two-arm, parallel, assessor-blinded, pragmatic study included 50 patients with severe lumbosacral radiculopathy who had insufficient improvement after an ESI. Patients were randomized (1:1 ratio) into a combined treatment (acupotomy + ESI, experimental) and an ESI single treatment (control) group. Both groups underwent a total of two ESIs once every 2 weeks; the experimental group received eight additional acupotomy treatments twice a week for 4 weeks. Types of ESI included interlaminar, transforaminal, and caudal approaches. Drugs used in ESI comprised a 5–10 mL mixture of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (2.5 mg), mepivacaine (0.3%), and hyaluronidase (1500 IU). The primary outcome was the difference in changes from baseline in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores between the groups at weeks 4 and 8. The incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) was calculated to evaluate the cost-effectiveness between the groups. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed at all visits. Results: Mean ODI scores for the experimental and control groups were −9.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −12.71, −6.17) and −2.16 (95% CI: −5.01, 0.69) at week 4, and −9.04 (95% CI: −12.09, −5.99) and −4.76 (95% CI: −7.68, −1.84) at week 8, respectively. The difference in ODI score changes was significant between the groups at week 4 (p = 0.0021). The ICUR of the experimental group versus the control group was as economical as 18,267,754 won/quality-adjusted life years. No serious AEs were observed. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the potential clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupotomy combined with ESI for lumbosacral radiculopathy and its feasibility for a full-scale study. Larger, long-term follow-up clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Influence of Femtosecond Laser Surface Modification on Tensile Properties of Titanium Alloy
Authors: Zhou Kai , Nie Xiaoyuan , Che Xingbang , Xiao Han , Wang Xuwen , Liao Junming , Wu Xu , Yang Can , Li Chunbo
Published: January 2024

Titanium alloy components often experience damage from impact loads during usage, which makes improving the mechanical properties of TC4 titanium alloys crucial. This paper investigates the influence of laser scanning irradiation on the tensile properties of thin titanium alloy sheets. Results indicate that the tensile strength of thin titanium alloy sheets exhibits a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease. Different levels of enhancement are observed in the elongation at break of a cross-section. Optimal improvement in the elongation at break is achieved when the laser fluence is around 8 J/cm2, while the maximum increase in tensile strength occurs at approximately 10 J/cm2. Using femtosecond laser surface irradiation, this study compares the maximum enhancement in the tensile strength of titanium alloy base materials, which is approximately 8.54%, and the maximum increase in elongation at break, which reaches 25.61%. In addition, the results verify that cracks in tensile fractures of TC4 start from the middle, while laser-induced fracture cracks occur from both ends.
Diversity of Microorganisms and Their Metabolites in Food
Authors: Rocha João Miguel , Kovacevik Biljana , Veličkovska Sanja Kostadinović , Tamame Mercedes , Teixeira José António
Published: January 2024

Throughout history as well as the present, food microorganisms have been proven to play a significant role in human life [...]
Removal of Fe3+ Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption on Natural Eco-Friendly Brazilian Palygorskites
Authors: Middea Antonieta , Spinelli Luciana dos Santos , de Souza Junior Fernando Gomes , Fernandes Thais de Lima Alves Pinheiro , de Lima Luiz Carlos , Barthem Vitoria Maria Tupinamba Souza , Gomes Otávio da Fonseca Martins , Neumann Reiner
Published: January 2024

This work focuses on the characterization of five palygorskite clays from the Brazilian state of Piaui and their feasibility as eco-friendly adsorbents for the removal of Fe3+ ions from aqueous solutions. For characterization, we applied the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), size distribution measurements, density measurement by He pycnometry, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), zeta potential measurement, hydrophobicity determination by contact angle, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis (BET technique) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Batch experiments were performed in function of process parameters such as contact time and initial concentration of Fe3+. The natural palygorskites (Palys) had excellent performance for the removal of Fe3+ from aqueous solutions by adsorption (around 60 mg/g), and the Langmuir is supposedly the best model fitted the experimental data.
Potential of Tryptamine Derivatives as Multi-Target Directed Ligands for Alzheimer’s Disease: AChE, MAO-B, and COX-2 as Molecular Targets
Authors: Asghar Saira , Mushtaq Nousheen , Ahmed Ahsaan , Anwar Laila , Munawar Rabya , Akhtar Shamim
Published: January 2024

Extensive research has been dedicated to develop compounds that can target multiple aspects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment due to a growing understanding of AD’s complex multifaceted nature and various interconnected pathological pathways. In the present study, a series of biological assays were performed to evaluate the potential of the tryptamine analogues synthesized earlier in our lab as multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) for AD. To assess the inhibitory effects of the compounds, various in vitro assays were employed. Three compounds, SR42, SR25, and SR10, displayed significant AChE inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 0.70 µM, 0.17 µM, and 1.00 µM, respectively. These values superseded the standard drug donepezil (1.96 µM). In the MAO-B inhibition assay, SR42 (IC50 = 43.21 µM) demonstrated superior inhibitory effects as compared to tryptamine and other derivatives. Moreover, SR22 (84.08%), SR24 (79.30%), and SR42 (75.16%) exhibited notable percent inhibition against the COX-2 enzyme at a tested concentration of 100 µM. To gain insights into their binding mode and to validate the biological results, molecular docking studies were conducted. Overall, the results suggest that SR42, a 4,5 nitro-benzoyl derivative of tryptamine, exhibited significant potential as a MTDL and warrants further investigation for the development of anti-Alzheimer agents.
Study of pH and Thermodynamic Parameters via Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of a Recombinant Human Lactoferrin
Authors: Álvarez-Mayorga Beatriz L. , Romero-Gómez Sergio , Rosado Jorge L. , Ocampo-Hernández Janet , Gómez-Guzmán J. , Ortiz-Frade Luis
Published: January 2024

The production of human recombinant proteins to be used for therapeutic or nutritional purposes must focus on obtaining a molecule that is as close as possible to the native human protein. This biotechnological tool has been documented in various studies published in recent decades, with lactoferrin being one of those that has generated the most interest, being a promising option for recombinant technology. However, stability studies including thermodynamic parameters have not been reported for recombinant lactoferrin (Lf). The objective of this work was to obtain the human recombinant protein using the yeast Komagataella phaffii to study structural changes modifying pH and temperature using circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD). Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔH, ΔS and Tm were calculated and compared with commercial human lactoferrin. We propose the potential use of CD and thermodynamic parameters as a criterion in the production of recombinant proteins to be used in the production of specialized recombinant proteins.
Prediction of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Band Gap by Multiple Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Feng Shun , Wang Juan
Published: January 2024

As an indicator of the optical characteristics of perovskite materials, the band gap is a crucial parameter that impacts the functionality of a wide range of optoelectronic devices. Obtaining the band gap of a material via a labor-intensive, time-consuming, and inefficient high-throughput calculation based on first principles is possible. However, it does not yield the most accurate results. Machine learning techniques emerge as a viable and effective substitute for conventional approaches in band gap prediction. This paper collected 201 pieces of data through the literature and open-source databases. By separating the features related to bits A, B, and X, a dataset of 1208 pieces of data containing 30 feature descriptors was established. The dataset underwent preprocessing, and the Pearson correlation coefficient method was employed to eliminate non-essential features as a subset of features. The band gap was predicted using the GBR algorithm, the random forest algorithm, the LightGBM algorithm, and the XGBoost algorithm, in that order, to construct a prediction model for organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites. The outcomes demonstrate that the XGBoost algorithm yielded an MAE value of 0.0901, an MSE value of 0.0173, and an R2 value of 0.991310. These values suggest that, compared to the other two models, the XGBoost model exhibits the lowest prediction error, suggesting that the input features may better fit the prediction model. Finally, analysis of the XGBoost-based prediction model’s prediction results using the SHAP model interpretation method reveals that the occupancy rate of the A-position ion has the greatest impact on the prediction of the band gap and has an A-negative correlation with the prediction results of the band gap. The findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between the prediction of band gaps and significant characteristics of organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites.