bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arabic Sentiment Analysis of YouTube Comments: NLP-Based Machine Learning Approaches for Content Evaluation
Authors: Musleh Dhiaa A. , Alkhwaja Ibrahim , Alkhwaja Ali , Alghamdi Mohammed , Abahussain Hussam , Alfawaz Faisal , Min-Allah Nasro , Abdulqader Mamoun Masoud
Published: July 2023

YouTube is a popular video-sharing platform that offers a diverse range of content. Assessing the quality of a video without watching it poses a significant challenge, especially considering the recent removal of the dislike count feature on YouTube. Although comments have the potential to provide insights into video content quality, navigating through the comments section can be time-consuming and overwhelming work for both content creators and viewers. This paper proposes an NLP-based model to classify Arabic comments as positive or negative. It was trained on a novel dataset of 4212 labeled comments, with a Kappa score of 0.818. The model uses six classifiers: SVM, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, KNN, Decision Tree, and Random Forest. It achieved 94.62% accuracy and an MCC score of 91.46% with NB. Precision, Recall, and F1-measure for NB were 94.64%, 94.64%, and 94.62%, respectively. The Decision Tree had a suboptimal performance with 84.10% accuracy and an MCC score of 69.64% without TF-IDF. This study provides valuable insights for content creators to improve their content and audience engagement by analyzing viewers’ sentiments toward the videos. Furthermore, it bridges a literature gap by offering a comprehensive approach to Arabic sentiment analysis, which is currently limited in the field.
Transfer Learning Approach to Seed Taxonomy: A Wild Plant Case Study
Authors: Ibrahim Nehad M. , Gabr Dalia G. , Rahman Atta , Musleh Dhiaa , AlKhulaifi Dania , AlKharraa Mariam
Published: July 2023

Plant taxonomy is the scientific study of the classification and naming of various plant species. It is a branch of biology that aims to categorize and organize the diverse variety of plant life on earth. Traditionally, plant taxonomy has been performed using morphological and anatomical characteristics, such as leaf shape, flower structure, and seed and fruit characters. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and especially deep learning can also play an instrumental role in plant taxonomy by automating the process of categorizing plant species based on the available features. This study investigated transfer learning techniques to analyze images of plants and extract features that can be used to cluster the species hierarchically using the k-means clustering algorithm. Several pretrained deep learning models were employed and evaluated. In this regard, two separate datasets were used in the study comprising of seed images of wild plants collected from Egypt. Extensive experiments using the transfer learning method (DenseNet201) demonstrated that the proposed methods achieved superior accuracy compared to traditional methods with the highest accuracy of 93% and F1-score and area under the curve (AUC) of 95%, respectively. That is considerable in contrast to the state-of-the-art approaches in the literature.
Optimal Feature Analysis for Identification Based on Intracranial Brain Signals with Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Li Ming , Qi Yu , Pan Gang
Published: July 2023

Biometrics, e.g., fingerprints, the iris, and the face, have been widely used to authenticate individuals. However, most biometrics are not cancellable, i.e., once these traditional biometrics are cloned or stolen, they cannot be replaced easily. Unlike traditional biometrics, brain biometrics are extremely difficult to clone or forge due to the natural randomness across different individuals, which makes them an ideal option for identity authentication. Most existing brain biometrics are based on an electroencephalogram (EEG), which typically demonstrates unstable performance due to the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Thus, in this paper, we propose the use of intracortical brain signals, which have higher resolution and SNR, to realize the construction of a high-performance brain biometric. Significantly, this is the first study to investigate the features of intracortical brain signals for identification. Specifically, several features based on local field potential are computed for identification, and their performance is compared with different machine learning algorithms. The results show that frequency domain features and time-frequency domain features are excellent for intra-day and inter-day identification. Furthermore, the energy features perform best among all features with 98% intra-day and 93% inter-day identification accuracy, which demonstrates the great potential of intracraial brain signals to be biometrics. This paper may serve as a guidance for future intracranial brain researches and the development of more reliable and high-performance brain biometrics.
Deep Learning for Dental Diagnosis: A Novel Approach to Furcation Involvement Detection on Periapical Radiographs
Authors: Mao Yi-Cheng , Huang Yen-Cheng , Chen Tsung-Yi , Li Kuo-Chen , Lin Yuan-Jin , Liu Yu-Lin , Yan Hong-Rong , Yang Yu-Jie , Chen Chiung-An , Chen Shih-Lun , Li Chun-Wei , Chan Mei-Ling , Chuo Yueh , Abu Patricia Angela R.
Published: July 2023

Furcation defects pose a significant challenge in the diagnosis and treatment planning of periodontal diseases. The accurate detection of furcation involvements (FI) on periapical radiographs (PAs) is crucial for the success of periodontal therapy. This research proposes a deep learning-based approach to furcation defect detection using convolutional neural networks (CNN) with an accuracy rate of 95%. This research has undergone a rigorous review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and has received accreditation under number 202002030B0C505. A dataset of 300 periapical radiographs of teeth with and without FI were collected and preprocessed to enhance the quality of the images. The efficient and innovative image masking technique used in this research better enhances the contrast between FI symptoms and other areas. Moreover, this technology highlights the region of interest (ROI) for the subsequent CNN models training with a combination of transfer learning and fine-tuning techniques. The proposed segmentation algorithm demonstrates exceptional performance with an overall accuracy up to 94.97%, surpassing other conventional methods. Moreover, in comparison with existing CNN technology for identifying dental problems, this research proposes an improved adaptive threshold preprocessing technique that produces clearer distinctions between teeth and interdental molars. The proposed model achieves impressive results in detecting FI with identification rates ranging from 92.96% to a remarkable 94.97%. These findings suggest that our deep learning approach holds significant potential for improving the accuracy and efficiency of dental diagnosis. Such AI-assisted dental diagnosis has the potential to improve periodontal diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient outcomes. This research demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of using deep learning algorithms for furcation defect detection on periapical radiographs and highlights the potential for AI-assisted dental diagnosis. With the improvement of dental abnormality detection, earlier intervention could be enabled and could ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes.
CircAFF1 Is a Circular RNA with a Role in Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Cell Migration
Authors: Centrón-Broco Alvaro , Rossi Francesca , Grelloni Chiara , Garraffo Raffaele , Dattilo Dario , Giuliani Andrea , Di Timoteo Gaia , Colantoni Alessio , Bozzoni Irene , Beltran Nebot Manuel
Published: July 2023

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), covalently closed RNAs that originate from back-splicing events, participate in the control of several processes, including those that occur in the development of pathological conditions such as cancer. Hereby, we describe circAFF1, a circular RNA overexpressed in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Using RH4 and RH30 cell lines, a classical cell line models for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, we demonstrated that circAFF1 is a cytoplasmatic circRNA and its depletion impacts cell homeostasis favouring cell migration through the downregulation of genes involved in cell adhesion pathways. The presented data underline the importance of this circular RNA as a new partial suppressor of the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma tumour progression and as a putative future therapeutic target.
Dysregulated Calcium Handling in Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hwang Sang Youn , Liu Hongqun , Lee Samuel S.
Published: July 2023

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a syndrome of blunted cardiac systolic and diastolic function in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms remain incompletely known. Since contractility and relaxation depend on cardiomyocyte calcium transients, any factors that impact cardiac contractile and relaxation functions act eventually through calcium transients. In addition, calcium transients play an important role in cardiac arrhythmias. The present review summarizes the calcium handling system and its role in cardiac function in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and its mechanisms. The calcium handling system includes calcium channels on the sarcolemmal plasma membrane of cardiomyocytes, the intracellular calcium-regulatory apparatus, and pertinent proteins in the cytosol. L-type calcium channels, the main calcium channel in the plasma membrane of cardiomyocytes, are decreased in the cirrhotic heart, and the calcium current is decreased during the action potential both at baseline and under stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptors, which reduces the signal to calcium-induced calcium release. The study of sarcomere length fluctuations and calcium transients demonstrated that calcium leakage exists in cirrhotic cardiomyocytes, which decreases the amount of calcium storage in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The decreased storage of calcium in the SR underlies the reduced calcium released from the SR, which results in decreased cardiac contractility. Based on studies of heart failure with non-cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, it is believed that the calcium leakage is due to the destabilization of interdomain interactions (dispersion) of ryanodine receptors (RyRs). A similar dispersion of RyRs may also play an important role in reduced contractility. Multiple defects in calcium handling thus contribute to the pathogenesis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
Detection of Single-Nucleotide and Copy Number Defects Underlying Hyperphenylalaninemia by Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Tendi Elisabetta Anna , Morello Giovanna , Guarnaccia Maria , La Cognata Valentina , Petralia Salvatore , Messina Maria Anna , Meli Concetta , Fiumara Agata , Ruggieri Martino , Cavallaro Sebastiano
Published: July 2023

Hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) is the most common inherited amino acid metabolism disorder characterized by serious clinical manifestations, including irreversible brain damage, intellectual deficiency and epilepsy. Due to its extensive genic and allelic heterogeneity, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology may help to identify the molecular basis of this genetic disease. Herein, we describe the development and validation of a targeted NGS (tNGS) approach for the simultaneous detection of single-nucleotide changes and copy number variations (CNVs) in genes associated with HPA (PAH, GCH1, PTS, QDPR, PCBD1, DNAJC12) or useful for its differential diagnosis (SPR). Our tNGS approach offers the possibility to detail, with a high accuracy and in a single workflow, the combined effect of a broader spectrum of genomic variants in a comprehensive view, providing a significant step forward in the development of optimized patient care and management.
A New Optical Interferometric Biosensing System Enhanced with Nanoparticles for Alzheimer’s Disease in Serum
Authors: Murillo Ana María M. , Laguna María Fe , Valle Luis G. , Tramarin Luca , Ramirez Yolanda , Lavín Álvaro , Santamaría Beatriz , Holgado Miguel
Published: July 2023

In this scientific work, we demonstrate, for the first time, a new biosensing system and procedure to measure specifically the total Tau (T-Tau) protein in serum, one of the most relevant biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a progressive brain disorder that produces neuronal and cognitive dysfunction and affects a high percentage of people worldwide. For this reason, diagnosing AD at the earliest possible stage involves improving diagnostic systems. We report on the use of interferometric bio-transducers integrated with 65 microwells forming diagnostic KITs read-out by using the Interferometric Optical Detection Method (IODM). Moreover, biofunctionalized silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) acting as interferometric enhancers of the bio-transducers signal allow for the improvement of both the optical read-out signal and its ability to work with less-invasive biological samples such as serum instead of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As a result, in this paper, we describe for the first time a relevant diagnostic alternative to detect Tau protein at demanding concentrations of 10 pg/mL or even better, opening the opportunity to be used for detecting other relevant AD-related biomarkers in serum, such as β-amyloid and phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau), neurofilaments, among others that can be considered relevant for AD.
Isometric Arm Forces Exerted by Females at Different Levels of Physical Comfort and Their EEG Signatures
Authors: Rahman Mahjabeen , Karwowski Waldemar , Sapkota Nabin , Ismail Lina , Alhujailli Ashraf , Sumano Raul Fernandez , Hancock P. A.
Published: July 2023

A variety of subjective measures have traditionally been used to assess the perception of physical exertion at work and related body responses. However, the current understanding of physical comfort experienced at work is very limited. The main objective of this study was first to investigate the magnitude of isometric arm forces exerted by females at different levels of physical comfort measured on a new comfort scale and, second, to assess their corresponding neural signatures expressed in terms of power spectral density (PSD). The study assessed PSDs of four major electroencephalography (EEG) frequency bands, focusing on the brain regions controlling motor and perceptual processing. The results showed statistically significant differences in exerted arm forces and the rate of perceived exertion at the various levels of comfort. Significant differences in power spectrum density at different physical comfort levels were found for the beta EEG band. Such knowledge can be useful in incorporating female users’ force requirements in the design of consumer products, including tablets, laptops, and other hand-held information technology devices, as well as various industrial processes and work systems.
Oxytocin Attenuates Yohimbine-Induced Reinstatement of Alcohol-Seeking in Female Rats via the Central Amygdala
Authors: Wilfur Samantha M. , McNeely Elizabeth C. , Lackan Aliya A. , Bowers Cassie P. , Leong Kah-Chung
Published: July 2023

Alcohol use disorder is a significant public health concern, further exacerbated by an increased risk of relapse due to stress. In addition, factors such as biological sex may contribute to the progression of addiction, as females are especially susceptible to stress-induced relapse. While there have been many studies surrounding potential pharmacological interventions for male stress-induced ethanol reinstatement, research regarding females is scarce. Recently, the neuropeptide oxytocin has gained interest as a possible pharmacological intervention for relapse. The present study examines how oxytocin affects yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol-seeking in female rats using a self-administration paradigm. Adult female rats were trained to press a lever to access ethanol in daily self-administration sessions. Rats then underwent extinction training before a yohimbine-induced reinstatement test. Rats administered with yohimbine demonstrated significantly higher lever response indicating a reinstatement of ethanol-seeking behavior. Oxytocin administration, both systemically and directly into the central amygdala, attenuated the effect of yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol-seeking behavior. The findings from this study establish that oxytocin is effective at attenuating alcohol-relapse behavior mediated by the pharmacological stressor yohimbine and that this effect is modulated by the central amygdala in females. This provides valuable insight regarding oxytocin’s potential therapeutic effect in female stress-induced alcohol relapse.
The Relationship between Parent-Offspring Communication and the School Adaptation of Leftover Children in Overseas Countries: The Mediating Role of Companionship and the Moderating Role of a Sense of Safety
Authors: Zhang Huilan , Shen Bingwei , Deng Chunkao , LYu Xiaojun
Published: July 2023

Background: In the diasporic eastern coastal region of China, leftover children are a unique group of children; their social adaptation challenges are more prominent due to transnational separation from parents. This study explores the relationship between parent-offspring communication and school adaptation among leftover children. Methods: We administered questionnaires to 957 children from six schools in June and December of 2022. All students in the sample were randomly selected from within the classrooms. In total, 561 (47.95% female, mean age = 12.84, SD = 0.95) of them were leftover children. Self-report questionnaires on communication with their parents, school adaptation, companionship, and feelings of safety were used in this investigation We subsequently used SPSS software and the PROCESS plugin to analyze the relationships between variables. Results: A significant and positive relationship was found between parent-offspring communication and school adaptation in leftover children. Companionship mediated this effect. Additionally, the impact of parent-offspring communication on companionship was moderated by a sense of safety. Conclusions: The study concluded that parent-offspring communication, school adaptation, companionship, and a sense of safety were all positively correlated. In addition, companionship partially mediated the relationship between parent-offspring communication and school adaptation. Moreover, a sense of safety played a moderating role. These conclusions can provide empirical support for improving the school adaptation of leftover children.
An Investigation towards Optimizing the Construction Materials and Configurations of Buildings for Improving Energy Efficiency and Consumption in Morocco
Authors: Lamrani Alaoui Ali , Amrani Abdel-Illah , Mousavi Ajarostaghi Seyed Soheil , Saffari Pour Mohsen , Salhi Jamal-Eddine , Daoudia Abdelkarim , Halimi Mohammed
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a thermal performance assessment of traditional building constructions and configurations in various Moroccan climates is carried out. This research focuses on enhancing conventional energy efficiency of buildings by investigating the thermal behavior of single clay walls, double clay walls, simple brick walls, and double brick walls based on long-term meteorological data using TRNSYS software. The roof pitch, thermal comfort and discomfort index, and building energy consumption are considered while selecting buildings for each temperature zone. It is noticed that the double brick construction is more efficient in all climatic zones of Morocco. Thus, this material reduces the yearly energy requirement of building by 22% to 25% compared to the usual brick building. On the coldest winter days, a 30° south-facing roof raises the internal temperature by 2.5 °C compared to a horizontal roof. Temperature increases could reduce the air conditioning energy usage by 7% to 32% and overcooling hours by 12% to 21% in cities above 30° N. In addition, the findings are interesting enough to inspire individuals to implement the recommended construction design and study energy efficiency and thermal comfort in Moroccan buildings. Consequently, reducing energy consumption, mitigating climate change, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Stabilization of Shield Muck Treated with Calcium Carbide Slag–Fly Ash
Authors: Wang Jinzhe , Fan Ying , Xiong Xixi , Zhao Fucai
Published: July 2023

Solidifying shield muck with calcium carbide slag and fly ash as curing agents was proposed as a highly efficient method for reusing waste shield muck. The compaction test, unconfined compression test, and dry–wet cycle test were used to evaluate the compressive strength, water immersion stability, and durability of the cured soil. The stress–strain curve and microscopic test were employed to analyze the compression damage law, mineral composition, and microscopic morphology of the cured soil, and to analyze the mechanism of calcium carbide slag–fly ash-cured shield muck. It was found that calcium carbide slag–fly ash can significantly improve the compressive strength of shield muck, and the strength of cured soil increases and then decreases with an increase in calcium carbide slag and fly ash and increases with curing age. The strength was highest when the content of calcium carbide slag and fly ash was 10% and 15%, respectively. Dry–wet cycle tests showed that the specimens had good water immersion stability and durability, and the stress–strain curve of the specimen changed from strain hardening to strain softening after dry–wet cycles. The internal particles of the cured soil were mainly cemented and filled with C-(A)-S-H colloid and calcium alumina (AFt), which both support the pores between the soil and form a skeleton structure to enhance the strength of the soil and lend it good mechanical properties.
Structural Performance of Strengthening of High-Performance Geopolymer Concrete Columns Utilizing Different Confinement Materials: Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Abadel Aref A.
Published: July 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different confinement materials in strengthening geopolymer concrete (GP) columns subjected to axial compression loading. This research encompassed both experimental and numerical analyses. The experimental phase involved testing seven circular GP columns, while the numerical phase involved developing 3D finite element (FE) models using ABAQUS software. The primary focus of this study was to assess the impact of using outer and inner steel tubes, as well as an outer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube and a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheet. To validate the FE models, the experimental results were utilized for comparison. The findings of this study revealed that the outer steel tube provided superior confinement effects on the GP column’s concrete core compared to the PVC tube and CFRP sheet. The axial capacities of the columns confined with steel, PVC, and CFRP materials were observed to increase by 254.7%, 43.2%, and 186%, respectively, in comparison to the control specimens. Furthermore, the utilization of all confinement materials significantly enhanced the absorbed energy and ductility of the columns. The FE models demonstrated a reasonably close match to the experimental results in terms of load–displacement curves and deformation patterns. This correspondence between the numerical predictions and experimental data confirmed the reliability of the FE models and their suitability for generating further predictions. In summary, this study contributes to the field by exploring the efficacy of various confinement materials in strengthening GP columns. The results highlight the superior performance of the outer steel tube and demonstrate the positive influence of PVC and CFRP materials on enhancing the structural behavior of the columns. The validation of the FE models further supports their reliability and their potential for future predictions in similar scenarios.
Experimental Investigations of the Seismic Response of a Large Underground Structure at a Soft Loess Site
Authors: Chen Xuan , Xiong Zhongming , Ren Chenhao , Liu Yue
Published: July 2023

Based on an underground structure located at a soft loess site in Xi’an as the engineering background, this paper investigated a seismic response and damage model of subway stations at a soft loess site using a large-scale shaking table test, considering the different characteristics of ground motions. The quantitative analysis of the acceleration response and the seismic subsidence of the soft loess site were subjected to different earthquake excitations; based on the experimental results and the corresponding analysis, the development and distribution of seismic structural damage were studied, and the damage mechanism of underground structures in a soft loess area under a strong earthquake was explored. The results indicate that the peak accelerations of the site soil first remained unchanged then increased significantly along the soil height, and the amplification effect of the acceleration response was the most significant at the soil surface. The soft loess soil underwent significant subsidence, and the underground structure was raised compared to both sides of the cover soil; the collapsibility of the soft loess soil was sensitive to strong earthquakes with vertical components. The underground structures in soft loess suffered heavy damage, which rapidly entered the elastic–plastic stage. The composite effect of the collapsibility and vertical seismic excitation impaired the load-carrying capacity of the middle columns, and the strong horizontal seismic excitation enlarged the lateral force and accelerated structural damage development; the underground structure reached failure when plastic damage expended most of the middle columns and structural joints. These results are significant for the seismic design of underground structures in adverse soil conditions.
The Impact of High-Density Urban Wind Environments on the Distribution of COVID-19 Based on Machine Learning: A Case Study of Macau
Authors: Zheng Liang , Chen Yile , Yan Lina , Zheng Jianyi
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 epidemic has become a global challenge, and the urban wind environment, as an important part of urban spaces, may play a key role in the spread of the virus. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the impact of urban wind environments on the spread of COVID-19 is of great significance for formulating effective prevention and control strategies. This paper adopts the conditional generative confrontation network (CGAN) method, uses simulated urban wind environment data and COVID-19 distribution data for machine training, and trains a model to predict the distribution probability of COVID-19 under different wind environments. Through the application of this model, the relationship between the urban wind environment and the spread of COVID-19 can be studied in depth. This study found that: (1) there are significant differences in the different types of wind environments and COVID-19, and areas with high building density are more susceptible to COVID-19 hotspots; (2) the distribution of COVID-19 hotspots in building complexes and the characteristics of the building itself are correlated; and (3) similarly, the building area influences the spread of COVID-19. In response to long COVID-19 or residential area planning in the post-epidemic era, three principles can be considered for high-density cities such as Macau: building houses on the northeast side of the mountain; making residential building layouts of “strip” or “rectangular” design; and ensuring that the long side of the building faces southeast (the windward side). (4) It is recommended that the overall wind speed around the building be greater than 2.91 m/s, and the optimal wind speed is between 4.85 and 8.73 m/s. This finding provides valuable information for urban planning and public health departments to help formulate more effective epidemic prevention and control strategies. This study uses machine learning methods to reveal the impact of urban wind environments on the distribution of COVID-19 and provides important insights into urban planning and public health strategy development.
Long Non-Coding RNAs and Metabolic Rewiring in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Dalmasso Bruna , Ghiorzo Paola
Published: July 2023

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. The reprogramming of energetic metabolism has long been implicated in pancreatic tumorigenesis and/or resistance to treatment. Considering that long non-coding RNA dysregulation has been described both in cancerogenesis and in the altered homeostasis of several metabolic pathways, metabolism-associated lncRNAs can contribute to pancreatic cancer evolution. The objective of this review is to assess the burden of lncRNA dysregulation in pancreatic cancer metabolic reprogramming, and its effect on this tumor’s natural course and response to treatment. Therefore, we reviewed the available literature to assess whether metabolism-associated lncRNAs have been found to be differentially expressed in pancreatic cancer, as well as whether experimental evidence of their role in such pathways can be demonstrated. Specifically, we provide a comprehensive overview of lncRNAs that are implicated in hypoxia-related pathways, as well as in the reprogramming of autophagy, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Our review gathers background material for further research on possible applications of metabolism-associated lncRNAs as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and/or as potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
‘Stealth’ Prostate Tumors
Authors: Wagaskar Vinayak G. , Zaytoun Osama , Bhardwaj Swati , Tewari Ash
Published: July 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the false negative rates of prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRI–ultrasound (US) 12-core systematic prostate biopsy (PBx) by analyzing radical prostatectomy specimens. Methods: This retrospective study included 3600 prostate cancer (PCa) patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Based on comparison of lobe-specific data on final pathology with preoperative biopsy and imaging data, the study population was subdivided into group I—contralateral (CL) benign PBx (n = 983), group II—CL and/or bilateral (BL) non-suspicious mpMRI (n = 2223) and group III—CL benign PBx + non-suspicious mpMRI (n = 688). This population was studied for the presence of PCa, clinically significant PCa (csPCa), extracapsular extension (ECE) (pathological stage pT3), positive frozen section and final positive surgical margin (PSM) in the CL lobe. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: In subgroups I, II and III, PCa was respectively detected in 21.5%, 37.7% and 19.5% of cases, and csPCa in 11.3%, 16.3% and 10.3% of cases. CL pT3 disease was seen in 4.5%, 4% and 5.5%, and CL surgical margins and/or frozen section analysis were positive in 6%, 7% and 5% of cases in subgroups I, II and III, respectively. Conclusions: There are still significant rates of false negatives in the standard care diagnostics of PCa. Further strategies are required to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and determination of tumor location.
Understanding WT1 Alterations and Expression Profiles in Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Niktoreh Naghmeh , Weber Lisa , Walter Christiane , Karimifard Mahshad , Hoffmeister Lina Marie , Breiter Hannah , Thivakaran Aniththa , Soldierer Maren , Drexler Hans Günther , Schaal Heiner , Sendker Stephanie , Reinhardt Dirk , Schneider Markus , Hanenberg Helmut
Published: July 2023

WT1 is a true chameleon, both acting as an oncogene and tumor suppressor. As its exact role in leukemogenesis is still ambiguous, research with model systems representing natural conditions surrounding the genetic alterations in WT1 is necessary. In a cohort of 59 leukemia/lymphoma cell lines, we showed aberrant expression for WT1 mRNA, which does not always translate into protein levels. We also analyzed the expression pattern of the four major WT1 protein isoforms in the cell lines and primary AML blasts with/without WT1 mutations and demonstrated that the presence of mutations does not influence these patterns. By introduction of key intronic and exonic sequences of WT1 into a lentiviral expression vector, we developed a unique tool that can stably overexpress the four WT1 isoforms at their naturally occurring tissue-dependent ratio. To develop better cellular model systems for WT1, we sequenced large parts of its gene locus and also other important myeloid risk factor genes and revealed previously unknown alterations. Functionally, inhibition of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay machinery revealed that under natural conditions, the mutated WT1 alleles go through a robust degradation. These results offer new insights and model systems regarding the characteristics of WT1 in leukemia and lymphoma.
Incidence and Mortality of Malignant Brain Tumors after 20 Years of Mobile Use
Authors: Uddin Mohy , Dhanta Rozy , Pitti Thejkiran , Barsasella Diana , Scholl Jeremiah , Jian Wen-Shan , Li Yu-Chuan (Jack) , Hsu Min-Huei , Syed-Abdul Shabbir
Published: July 2023

(1) Objective: This population-based study was performed to examine the trends of incidence and deaths due to malignant neoplasm of the brain (MNB) in association with mobile phone usage for a period of 20 years (January 2000–December 2019) in Taiwan. (2) Methods: Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and joinpoint regression analysis were used to examine the trends of incidence of MNB and deaths due to MNB in association with mobile phone usage. (3) Results: The findings indicate a trend of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest a weaker association between the growing number of mobile phone users and the rising rates of MNB, and no significant correlation was observed between MNB incidences and deaths and mobile phone usage. Ultimately, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage and further investigation is required by considering various other confounding factors and potential risks to obtain more definitive findings and a clearer picture.
Oxidation of Glycerol in Base-Free Aqueous Solution Using Carbon-Supported Pt and PtSn Catalyst
Authors: Faroppa María L. , Chiosso María E. , Musci Juan J. , Ocsachoque Marco A. , Merlo Andrea B. , Casella Mónica L.
Published: July 2023

In the present work, we studied the catalytic performance (activity and selectivity) of Pt supported on carbon systems and Pt modified with tin in the glycerol oxidation with H2O2 as the oxidising agent at atmospheric pressure, 60 °C, and base-free conditions. The glycerol conversion obtained with monometallic Pt catalyst was 37% and remained unchanged with the addition of Sn in a ratio Sn/Pt = 0.4. The two bimetallic PtSn catalysts were able to oxidise commercial glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and the selectivity to DHA reached 97% for the bimetallic catalyst with better conversion. In the reaction with crude glycerol, the conversion obtained was around 40% for the three catalysts, and the major product observed was glyceric acid. Both dihydroxyacetone and glyceric acid are high added value products with potential applications in different areas such as organic chemistry, medical and cosmetics industries.
Astragaloside IV Blunts Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and G2/M Arrest to Alleviate Renal Fibrosis via Regulating ALDH2-Mediated Autophagy
Authors: Li Dong , Liu Yuzhe , Zhan Quancao , Zeng Yan , Peng Ze , He Qifeng , Tan Qi , Cao Wenfu , Wang Shang , Wang Jianwei
Published: July 2023

Previous studies show that astragaloside IV (ASIV) has anti-renal fibrosis effects. However, its mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the anti-fibrosis mechanisms of ASIV on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in vivo and in vitro. A CKD model was induced in rats with adenine (200 mg/kg/d, i.g.), and an in vitro renal fibrosis model was induced in human kidney-2 (HK-2) cells treated with TGF-β1. We revealed that ASIV significantly alleviated renal fibrosis by suppressing the expressions of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, including fibronectin, vimentin, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and G2/M arrest-related proteins, including phosphorylated p53 (p-p53), p21, phosphorylated histone H3 (p-H3), and Ki67 in both of the in vivo and in vitro models. Transcriptomic analysis and subsequent validation showed that ASIV rescued ALDH2 expression and inhibited AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy. Furthermore, in ALDH2-knockdown HK-2 cells, ASIV failed to inhibit AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy and could not blunt EMT and G2/M arrest. In addition, we further demonstrated that rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, reversed the treatment of ASIV by promoting autophagy in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells. A dual-luciferase report assay indicated that ASIV enhanced the transcriptional activity of the ALDH2 promoter. In addition, a further molecular docking analysis showed the potential interaction of ALDH2 and ASIV. Collectively, our data indicate that ALDH2-mediated autophagy may be a novel target in treating renal fibrosis in CKD models, and ASIV may be an effective targeted drug for ALDH2, which illuminate a new insight into the treatment of renal fibrosis and provide new evidence of pharmacology to elucidate the anti-fibrosis mechanism of ASIV in treating renal fibrosis.
Role of CD93 in Health and Disease
Authors: Tossetta Giovanni , Piani Federica , Borghi Claudio , Marzioni Daniela
Published: July 2023

CD93 (also known as complement protein 1 q subcomponent receptor C1qR1 or C1qRp), is a transmembrane glycoprotein encoded by a gene located on 20p11.21 and composed of 652 amino acids. CD93 can be present in two forms: soluble (sCD93) and membrane-bound (CD93). CD93 is mainly expressed on endothelial cells, where it plays a key role in promoting angiogenesis both in physiology and disease, such as age-related macular degeneration and tumor angiogenesis. In fact, CD93 is highly expressed in tumor-associated vessels and its presence correlates with a poor prognosis, poor immunotherapy response, immune cell infiltration and high tumor, node and metastasis (TNM) stage in many cancer types. CD93 is also expressed in hematopoietic stem cells, cytotrophoblast cells, platelets and many immune cells, i.e., monocytes, neutrophils, B cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Accordingly, CD93 is involved in modulating important inflammatory-associated diseases including systemic sclerosis and neuroinflammation. Finally, CD93 plays a role in cardiovascular disease development and progression. In this article, we reviewed the current literature regarding the role of CD93 in modulating angiogenesis, inflammation and tumor growth in order to understand where this glycoprotein could be a potential therapeutic target and could modify the outcome of the abovementioned pathologies.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Problems among Children and Adolescents in Jordan: A Scoping Review
Authors: AlHamawi Rana , Khader Yousef , Abu Khudair Sara , Tanaka Eizaburo , Al Nsour Mohannad
Published: July 2023

Introduction: In Jordan, mental health morbidity among children and adolescents is on the rise. Several studies in Jordan have assessed mental health issues and their associated factors among adolescents; however, there remains a lack of a collation of data regarding such issues. Objectives: To review the prevalence rates of mental health problems among children and adolescents in Jordan to understand the evidence base concerning psychiatric morbidity. Methods: The PubMed database, Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library (VHL) Lilac, and APA PsycArticles were searched for literature published between January 2010 and May 2023. Studies were included if they were conducted on children and adolescents (≤19 years), were observational studies that reported prevalence data regarding psychosocial problems, and were studies conducted in Jordan. Results: The search yielded 211 records, of which 33 studies were assessed for eligibility and 28 met the inclusion criteria. The sample age ranged from 6–19 years. The prevalence rates ranged from 7.1% to 73.8% for depression, 16.3% to 46.8% for anxiety, 13.0–40.6% for ADHD, 11.7–55.2% for overall emotional and behavioral difficulties, 16.2–65.1% for PTSD, and 12–40.4% for eating disorders. Conclusions: The findings highlight the magnitude of mental health problems among children and adolescents and the heterogeneity of the results. Further studies are needed to investigate the prevalence of eating disorders among refugees, as well as sleeping disorders and substance use disorders among all adolescents.
Initial Effect of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Treatment in a Patient with Löwe Syndrome
Authors: Iotova Violeta , Karamfilova Teodora , Levkova Mariya , Gaydarova Mariya , Galcheva Sonya , Bliznakova Dimitrichka
Published: July 2023

Objectives: Löwe syndrome (the oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Löwe, OCRL, OMIM #309000, ORPHA: 534) is a very rare multisystem X-linked disorder characterized by ocular, kidney and nervous system anomalies. Case presentation: We present the first Bulgarian genetically confirmed patient with OCRL. The patient had facial dysmorphism, cryptorchidism, congenital cataracts, nystagmus, delayed physical and mental development, and poor nutritional status. He had severe rickets, metabolic acidosis, hypokalaemia, hypophosphataemia, and low IGF-1 levels at the age of three, in addition to his developmental delay. The molecular-genetic analysis reported a pathogenic variant c.1124A>G, p.H375R in the OCRL gene. This variant was inherited from the mother, who was a carrier. Following the diagnosis of OCRL, treatment with potassium citrate, phosphate, and calcitriol was initiated, along with an increase in caloric intake. Following general physical and biochemical improvement, therapy with rhGH started 4 years ago, and current results are presented. Conclusion: The patient with Löwe syndrome who was presented with a 6-year follow-up demonstrates the complexity of rare disease cases and the value of multidisciplinary care together with growth hormone treatment for better results in these patients.
From Past to Present: Decoding Precipitation Patterns in a Complex Mediterranean River Basin
Authors: Diodato Nazzareno , Bellocchi Gianni
Published: July 2023

Enhancing spatial data attributes is crucial for effective basin-scale environmental modelling and improving our understanding and management of precipitation patterns. In this study, we focused on reconstructing homogeneous areal precipitation data in the complex terrain of the Calore River Basin (CRB) in Southern Italy. Until 1869, weather observations in the region were inconsistent, unstandardised, and lacked coordination, but the establishment of meteorological observatories brought a more unified approach to weather monitoring. We relied on the rainfall data obtained from two of these historical observatories: Benevento (1869–present) and Montevergine (1884–present). We utilised a statistical regression framework that considered rainfall measurements and temporal properties from specific locations to reconstruct and visually analyse the evolution patterns of annual mean areal precipitation (MAP) in the CRB from 1869 to 2020. The analysis revealed that mean MAP decreased from 1153 mm yr−1 (1869–1951) to 998 mm yr−1 (1952–2020). This decrease was accompanied by a reduction in interannual variability (from 168 mm yr−1 to 147 mm yr−1 standard deviation), and the difference between the means was significant (p < 0.0001), suggesting a sudden shift in the time-series. These findings provide a basis for CRB water resource management and insights for modelling other complex Mediterranean basins.
Hybrid Materials Based on ZnO Nanoparticles and Organo-Modified Silica Coatings as Eco-Friendly Anticorrosive Protection for Metallic Historic Artifacts
Authors: Ioan Mihaela , Anghel Dan Florin , Anastasescu Mihai , Gifu Ioana Catalina , Alexandrescu Elvira , Matei Roxana Ioana , Petcu Cristian , Stanculescu Ioana , Sanda Georgiana Alexandra , Bala Daniela , Cinteza Ludmila Otilia
Published: July 2023

Cultural heritage metallic artifacts are often subjected to environmental factors that promote degradation through corrosion processes. Anticorrosion protection is needed both for the long-term preservation of outdoor monuments and the short-term conservation of archaeological artifacts. In this work, functional nanocoatings based on ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in a silica matrix are prepared as a replacement for a commercial Incralac lacquer. Facile sol–gel synthesis is employed for obtaining silica filmogenic materials, using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS). Silica-based nanocomposite coatings, with and without ZnO NPs and benzotriazole (BTA) as anticorrosion agents, applied on copper coupons by brushing are characterized by using VIS and FTIR spectroscopy, SEM and AFM and compared to Incralac lacquer as reference materials. The optical and morphological properties of the proposed silica coatings are similar to the Incralac specimens. The protective effect against corrosion is investigated on the copper coupons as model metallic objects subjected to a corrosion test by using potentiodynamic polarization in a 3.5% NaCl solution at ambient temperature. The influence of the presence of BTA and ZnO NPs in both silica and Incralac coatings is studied, and the variations in the anticorrosive, morphological and optical properties with the concentration of ZnO NPs are evidenced. The presence of moderate concentrations of ZnO in both nanomaterials leads to changes in the color parameters slightly above the limit accepted in the field of cultural heritage (ΔE* 5.09 and 6.13), while a high ZnO concentration of 3% leads to higher values (ΔE* > 10). Regarding the anticorrosive effect, the silica-based coatings with ZnO and BTA present similar efficiencies to that of the Incralac reference material (corrosion rates in the range of 0.044–0.067 mm/year for silica coatings compared to 0.055 mm/year for Incralac).
Multi-Scale Lightweight Neural Network for Steel Surface Defect Detection
Authors: Shao Yichuan , Fan Shuo , Sun Haijing , Tan Zhenyu , Cai Ying , Zhang Can , Zhang Le
Published: July 2023

Defect classification is an important aspect of steel surface defect detection. Traditional approaches for steel surface defect classification employ convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to improve accuracy, typically by increasing network depth and parameter count. However, this approach overlooks the significant memory overhead of large models, and the incremental gains in accuracy diminish as the number of parameters increases. To address these issues, a multi-scale lightweight neural network model (MM) is proposed. The MM model, with a fusion encoding module as its core, constructs a multi-scale neural network by utilizing the Gaussian difference pyramid. This approach enhances the network’s ability to capture patterns at different resolutions while achieving superior model accuracy and efficiency. Experimental results on a dataset from a hot-rolled strip steel plant demonstrate that the MM network achieves a classification accuracy of 98.06% in defect classification tasks. Compared to networks such as ResNet-50, ResNet-101, VGG, AlexNet, MobileNetV2, and MobileNetV3, the MM model not only reduces the number of model parameters and compresses model size but also achieves better classification accuracy.