bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitophagy in atherosclerosis: from mechanism to therapy
Authors: Zhang Yanhong , Weng Jiajun , Huan Luyao , Sheng Song , Xu Fengqin
Published: May 2023

Mitophagy is a type of autophagy that can selectively eliminate damaged and depolarized mitochondria to maintain mitochondrial activity and cellular homeostasis. Several pathways have been found to participate in different steps of mitophagy. Mitophagy plays a significant role in the homeostasis and physiological function of vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and macrophages, and is involved in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). At present, many medications and natural chemicals have been shown to alter mitophagy and slow the progression of AS. This review serves as an introduction to the field of mitophagy for researchers interested in targeting this pathway as part of a potential AS management strategy.
Crosstalk between TLR8 and RIG-I-like receptors enhances antiviral immune responses
Authors: Vlaming Killian E. , van Wijnbergen Kelly , Kaptein Tanja M. , Nijhuis Monique , Kootstra Neeltje J. , de Bree Godelieve J. , Geijtenbeek Teunis B.
Published: May 2023

Background

Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been investigated due to their potential dual effects as latency reverting agents and immune modulatory compounds in people living with HIV (PLWH). Here, we investigated whether co-stimulation of TLR7/8 agonists with RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) agonists enhances antiviral immunity.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) were incubated with TLR and RLR-agonists for 24 h and innate and adaptive immune responses were determined (maturation markers, cytokines in supernatant, ISG expression).

Results

Both TLR7 and TLR8 agonists induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in DCs as well as PBMCs. TLR8 agonists were more potent in inducing cytokine responses and had a stronger effect on DC-induced immunity. Notably, while all compounds induced IL-12p70, co-stimulation with TLR8 agonists and RLR agonist polyI: C induced significantly higher levels of IL-12p70 in PBMCs. Moreover, crosstalk between TLR8 and RLR agonists induced a strong type I Interferon (IFN) response as different antiviral IFN-stimulated genes were upregulated by the combination compared to the agonists alone.

Conclusion

Our data strongly suggest that TLR crosstalk with RLRs leads to strong antiviral immunity as shown by induction of IL-12 and type I IFN responses in contrast to TLRs alone. Thus, co-stimulation of TLRs and RLRs might be a powerful strategy to induce reactivation of latent reservoir as well as antiviral immunity that eliminates the reactivated cells.
Salt altered rhizosphere fungal community and induced soybean recruit specific species to ameliorate salt stress
Authors: Yuan Ming , Zhang Di , Wang Zhen , Zhu Zhijia , Sun Haoyue , Wang Wei , Han Dezhi , Qu Zhongcheng , Ma Bo , Wang Junqiang , Wang Lianxia , Han Dongwei
Published: May 2023

Different crop genotypes showed different adaptability to salt stress, which is partly attributable to the microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Yet, knowledge about how fungal communities of different genotypes in soybean respond to salt stress is limited. Here, qPCR and ITS sequencing were used to assess the response of rhizobial fungal communities of resistant and susceptible soybean to salt stress. Moreover, we isolated two fungal species recruited by resistant soybeans for validation. The assembly of fungal community structure might be strongly linked to alterations in fungal abundance and soil physicochemical properties. Salt stress derived structural differences in fungal communities of resistant and susceptible genotypes. The salt-resistant genotype appeared to recruit some fungal taxa to the rhizosphere to help mitigating salt stress. An increase of fungal taxa with predicted saprotrophic lifestyles might help promoting plant growth by increasing nutrient availability to the plants. Compared with the susceptible genotypes, the resistant genotypes had more stronger network structure of fungi. Lastly, we verified that recruited fungi, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus, can soybean adapt to salt stress. This study provided a promising approach for rhizospheric fungal community to enhance salt tolerance of soybean from the perspective of microbiology and ecology.
Integrative analysis revealed the role of glucagon-like peptide-2 in improving experimental colitis in mice by inhibiting inflammatory pathways, regulating glucose metabolism, and modulating gut microbiota
Authors: Li Dongyue , Gao Yanhong , Cui Lanrong , Li Yang , Ling Hao , Tan Xin , Xu Hongyu
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by recurrent and remitting inflammation of the mucosa of the colon and rectum, the incidence of which is on the rise. Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is a newly discovered neurotrophic factor, but its efficacy and mechanism of action in UC remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and potential targets of GLP-2 on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in mice through integrative analysis.

Methods

The effects of GLP-2 on UC were assessed by calculating the disease activity index, colonic mucosal damage index, and pathological histological scores. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of GLP-2, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3). The 16SrRNA gene was used to detect changes in gut microbiota in mouse colonic tissues, and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) blood glucose levels were used to analyze the differences in flora.

Results

The results showed that GLP-2 could reduce the inflammation of UC mice, which may be achieved by inhibiting the potential targets of NF-κB, and Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT3 inflammatory pathways, regulating sugar metabolism, increasing dominant species, and improving microbial diversity.

Discussion

This study provides new insight into the potential of GLP-2 for achieving more ideal UC treatment goals in future.
PLC regulates spontaneous glutamate release triggered by extracellular calcium and readily releasable pool size in neocortical neurons
Authors: Feldthouse Maya G. , Vyleta Nicholas P. , Smith Stephen M.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Dynamic physiological changes in brain extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]o) occur when high levels of neuronal activity lead to substantial Ca2+ entry via ion channels reducing local [Ca2+]o. Perturbations of the extracellular microenvironment that increase [Ca2+]o are commonly used to study how [Ca2+] regulates neuronal activity. At excitatory synapses, the Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) and other G-protein coupled receptors link [Ca2+]o and spontaneous glutamate release. Phospholipase C (PLC) is activated by G-proteins and is hypothesized to mediate this process.

Methods

Patch-clamping cultured neocortical neurons, we tested how spontaneous glutamate release was affected by [Ca2+]o and inhibition of PLC activity. We used hypertonic sucrose (HS) to evaluate the readily releasable pool (RRP) and test if it was affected by inhibition of PLC activity.

Results

Spontaneous glutamate release substantially increased with [Ca2+]o, and inhibition of PLC activity, with U73122, abolished this effect. PLC-β1 is an abundant isoform in the neocortex, however, [Ca2+]o-dependent spontaneous release was unchanged in PLC-β1 null mutants (PLC-β1–/–). U73122 completely suppressed this response in PLC-β1–/– neurons, indicating that this residual [Ca2+]o–sensitivity may be mediated by other PLC isoforms. The RRP size was substantially reduced after incubation in U73122, but not U73343. Phorbol esters increased RRP size after PLC inhibition.

Discussion

Together these data point to a strong role for PLC in mediating changes in spontaneous release elicited by [Ca2+]o and other extracellular cues, possibly by modifying the size of the RRP.
Case report: Utilizing diffusion-weighted MRI on a patient with chronic low back pain treated with spinal cord stimulation
Authors: Ailes Isaiah , Syed Mashaal , Matias Caio M. , Krisa Laura , Miao Jingya , Sathe Anish , Fayed Islam , Alhussein Abdulaziz , Natale Peter , Mohamed Feroze B. , Talekar Kiran , Alizadeh Mahdi
Published: May 2023

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dwMRI) has increasingly demonstrated greater utility in analyzing neuronal microstructure. In patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP), using dwMRI to observe neuronal microstructure can lead to non-invasive biomarkers which could provide clinicians with an objective quantitative prognostic tool. In this case report, we investigated dwMRI for the development of non-invasive biomarkers by conducting a region-based analysis of a 55-year-old male patient with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) treated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS). We hypothesized that dwMRI could safely generate quantitative data reflecting cerebral microstructural alterations driven by neuromodulation. Neuroimaging was performed at 6- and 12- months post-SCS implantation. The quantitative maps generated included diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters; fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD) computed from whole brain tractography. To examine specific areas of the brain, 44 regions of interest (ROIs), collectively representing the pain NeuroMatrix, were extracted and registered to the patient's diffusion space. Average diffusion indices were calculated from the ROIs at both 6- and 12- months. Regions with >10% relative change in at least 3 of the 4 maps were reported. Using this selection criterion, 8 ROIs demonstrated over 10% relative changes. These ROIs were mainly located in the insular gyri. In addition to the quantitative data, a series of questionnaires were administered during the 6- and 12-month visits to assess pain intensity, functional disability, and quality of life. Overall improvements were observed in these components, with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) displaying the greatest change. Lastly, we demonstrated the safety of dwMRI for a patient with SCS. In summary, the results from the case report prompt further investigation in applying dwMRI in a larger cohort to better correlate the influence of SCS with brain microstructural alterations, supporting the utility of dwMRI to generate non-invasive biomarkers for prognostication.
Comparison of machine learning models based on multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound videos for the prediction of prostate cancer
Authors: Qi Xiaoyang , Wang Kai , Feng Bojian , Sun Xingbo , Yang Jie , Hu Zhengbiao , Zhang Maoliang , Lv Cheng , Jin Liyuan , Zhou Lingyan , Wang Zhengping , Yao Jincao
Published: May 2023

Objective

To establish machine learning (ML) prediction models for prostate cancer (PCa) using transrectal ultrasound videos and multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and compare their diagnostic performance.

Materials and methods

We systematically collated the data of 383 patients, including 187 with PCa and 196 with benign lesions. Of them, 307 patients (150 with PCa and 157 with benign lesions) were randomly selected to train and validate the ML models, 76 patients were used as test set. B-Ultrasound videos (BUS), mpMRI T2 sequence (T2), and ADC sequence (ADC) were obtained from all patients. We extracted 851 features of each patient in the BUS, T2, and ADC groups and used a t-test, the Mann–Whitney U test, and LASSO regression to screen the features. Support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), adaptive boosting (ADB), and gradient boosting machine (GBM) models were used to establish radiomics models. In addition, we fused the features screened via LASSO regression from three groups as new features and rebuilt ML models. The performance of the ML models in diagnosing PCa in the BUS, T2, ADC, and fusion groups was compared using the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

Results

In the test cohort, the AUC of each model in the ADC group was higher than that of in the.BUS and T2 groups. Among the models, the RF model had the best diagnostic performance, with an AUC of 0.85, sensitivity of 0.78 (0.61–0.89), specificity of 0.84 (0.69–0.94), and accuracy of 0.83 (0.66–0.93). The SVM model in both the BUS and T2 groups performed best. Based on the features screened in the BUS, T2, and ADC groups fused to construct the models, the SVM model was found to perform best, with an AUC of 0.87, sensitivity of 0.73 (0.56–0.86), specificity of 0.79 (0.63–0.90), and accuracy of 0.77 (0.59–0.89). The difference in the results was statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The ML prediction models had a good diagnostic ability for PCa. Among them, the SVM model in the fusion group showed the best performance in diagnosing PCa. These prediction models can help radiologists make better diagnoses.
Postoperative clinical outcome and complications of combined cannulated cancellous screw with Kirschner wire in adolescent femoral neck fractures
Authors: Kenmegne Guy Romeo , Zou Chang , Lin Yixiang , Yin Yijie , Huang Shengbo , Fang Yue
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Fractures of the femoral neck account for less than 1% of pediatric and adolescent fractures. Due to the high incidence of complications, and the age of the patients, the choice of fixation approach remains controversial among orthopedic surgeons. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative outcomes and complications of femoral neck fracture in adolescents with open physis, following transphyseal fixation using a combined cannulated cancellous screw and Kirschner wire fixation.

Methods

Data of 19 patients aged between 12 and 19 years from January 2010 to January 2021 were retrospectively studied. The follow-up period was 1–11 years (5.83 ± 3.76 years). The variables of interest including demographic and clinical variables [age, BMI, gender, side of injury, fracture classification, operation time, time to surgery, and length of hospital stay (LOS)], postoperative outcomes, and complications (fracture healing time, nonunion, coxa vara, osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, screw loosening, and femoral shortening) were analyzed. The assessment of the hip function was done on the final follow-up using the Ratliff scoring system.

Results

There was a male predominance of 76%; the mean age was 16.14 ± 1.57 years and the most frequent mechanism of injury was fall from a height. Delbet type II and III were the most encountered. The mean intraoperative time was 54.71 ± 7.85 min, the LOS was 8.34 ± 1.81days, and the time to surgery was 2.60 ± 1.16 days; the fracture healing time was 3.31 ± 1.04 months. The postoperative complications encountered were coxa vara osteoarthritis, spontaneous dislocation, and neck shortening. Clinical assessment revealed good results in 89% of patients and fair results in 11% of patients.

Conclusion

Transphyseal fixation using cannulated cancellous screw combined with Kirschner wire in our patients provided acceptable results. Thus, this approach can be a viable alternative in the management of adolescent femoral neck fracture with open physis.
Vitamin D3 alleviates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats by inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation via the SREBP-1-c/ PPARα-NF-κB/IR-S2 signaling pathway
Authors: Reda Doha , Elshopakey Gehad E. , Albukhari Talat A. , Almehmadi Samah J. , Refaat Bassem , Risha Engy F. , Mahgoub Hebatallah A. , El-Boshy Mohamed E. , Abdelhamid Fatma M.
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disease characterized by fat deposits in liver cells, which can lead to hepatitis and fibrosis. This study attempted to explore the protective effect of vitamin D3 (VitD) against NAFLD.

Methods: Adult male albino rats were randomized into four separate groups: the negative control group was fed a standard rat chow; the positive group received a high-fat diet (20%) and 25% fructose water (NAFLD); the VitD control group was intramuscularly treated with VitD (1,000 IU/kg BW) 3 days per week for 10 weeks; and the NAFLD group was treated with VitD therapy. Biochemical and hepatic histological analyses were performed. Hepatic oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions were also studied. Hepatic expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1-c (SREBP-1-c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α), and insulin receptor substrate-2 was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results and discussion: The NAFLD rats exhibited elevated terminal body weight, hepatic injury markers, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance. Moreover, the NAFLD rats had increased SREBP-1-c expression and reduced PPAR-α and IRS-2 expressions. Histological analysis showed hepatic steatosis and inflammation in the NAFLD group. In contrast, VitD administration improved the serum biochemical parameters and hepatic redox status in NAFLD rats. Also, VitD treatment ameliorated hepatic inflammation and steatosis in the NAFLD group by decreasing the expression of SREBP-1-c and increasing the expression of PPAR-α. Overall, these results suggest that VitD could have a protective effect against NAFLD and its associated complication.
SiPM cross-talk in liquid argon detectors
Authors: Boulay M. G. , Camillo V. , Canci N. , Choudhary S. , Consiglio L. , Flammini A. , Galbiati C. , Ghiano C. , Gola A. , Horikawa S. , Kachru P. , Kochanek I. , Kondo K. , Korga G. , Kuźniak M. , Mazzi A. , Moharana A. , Nieradka G. , Paternoster G. , Razeto A. , Sablone D. , Thorpe T. N. , Türkoğlu C. , Wang H. , Rescigno M. , Sanfilippo S.
Published: May 2023

SiPM-based readouts are becoming the standard for light detection in particle detectors given their superior resolution and ease of use with respect to vacuum tube photo-multipliers. However, the contributions of noise detection such as the dark rate, cross-talk, and after-pulsing (AP) may significantly impact their performance. In this work, we present the development of highly reflective single-phase argon chambers capable of displaying light yields up to 32 photo-electrons per keV, with approximately 12 being primary photo-electrons generated by the argon scintillation, while the rest are accounted by optical cross-talk. Furthermore, the presence of compound processes results in a generalized Fano factor larger than 2 already at an over-voltage of 5 V. Finally, we present a parametrization of the optical cross-talk for the FBK NUV-HD-Cryo SiPMs at 87 K that can be extended to future detectors with tailored optical simulations.
Genotyping-by-sequencing provides new genetic and taxonomic insights in the critical group of Centaurea tenorei
Authors: De Luca Daniele , Del Guacchio Emanuele , Cennamo Paola , Paino Luca , Caputo Paolo
Published: May 2023

Centaurea L. is one of the most widespread, differentiated, and critical genera of Asteraceae in the Euro-Mediterranean area, with more than 100 currently recognized species inhabiting the region. The controversial C. tenorei group, narrowly endemic to the Peninsula of Sorrento (Campania region, southern Italy), includes three weakly differentiated microspecies: C. tenorei Guss. ex Lacaita, C. montaltensis (Fiori) Peruzzi and C. lacaitae Peruzzi. However, their taxonomic distinctiveness and relationships with close or sympatric species are still unclear. In particular, the existence in several localities of individuals with intermediate morphology suggests inadequate taxonomic assessment within the group or hybridization and introgression with other species. In this study we aimed at defining population structure in this complex. With this objective, we sampled the three currently accepted species from their loci classici (i.e., the localities in which the taxa were originally described) and from other localities throughout the range, including populations of difficult identification occurring where the ranges of different taxa overlap. We employed a panel of SNPs obtained via genotyping-by-sequencing for investigations on genetic structure, admixture and ploidy inference, the latter also compared with chromosome counts. Our results showed that Centaurea tenorei s.l. is consistently tetraploid, contradicting the current taxonomy that was also based on ploidy level. Population structure analyses indicated the presence of four to seven clusters, most of which with clear evidence of admixture. Furthermore, contrarily to what previously supposed, we demonstrated a remarkable contribution of C. deusta, more that of C. cineraria in the genetic make-up of C. tenorei. However, we found a population of C. cineraria outside its ecological range, probably driven by climate change, which could be responsible in the future of further hybridization phenomena.
High suicidality predicts overdose events among people with substance use disorder: A latent class analysis
Authors: Schmidt Renae D. , Horigian Viviana E. , Shmueli-Blumberg Dikla , Hefner Kathryn , Feinberg Judith , Kondapaka Radhika , Feaster Daniel J. , Duan Rui , Gonzalez Sophia , Davis Carly , Vena Ashley , Marín-Navarrete Rodrigo , Tross Susan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and continues to be a major public health concern. Suicide risk is highly prevalent among individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders, making them more prone to adverse substance use related outcomes including overdose. Identifying individuals with SUD who are suicidal, and therefore potentially most at risk of overdose, is an important step to address the synergistic epidemics of suicides and overdose fatalities in the United States. The current study assesses whether patterns of suicidality endorsement can indicate risk for substance use and overdose.

Methods

Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to assess patterns of item level responses to the Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (CHRT-SR), which measures thoughts and feelings associated with suicidal propensity. We used data from 2,541 participants with SUD who were enrolled across 8 randomized clinical trials in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network from 2012 to 2021. Characteristics of individuals in each class were assessed, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine class membership as a predictor of overdose. LCA was also used to analyze predictors of substance use days.

Results

Three classes were identified and discussed: Class (1) Minimal Suicidality, with low probabilities of endorsing each CHRT-SR construct; Class (2) Moderate Suicidality, with high probabilities of endorsing pessimism, helplessness, and lack of social support, but minimal endorsement of despair or suicidal thoughts; and Class (3) High Suicidality with high probabilities of endorsing all constructs. Individuals in the High Suicidality class comprise the highest proportions of males, Black/African American individuals, and those with a psychiatric history and baseline depression, as compared with the other two classes. Regression analysis revealed that those in the High Suicidality class are more likely to overdose as compared to those in the Minimal Suicidality class (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Suicidality is an essential factor to consider when building strategies to screen, identify, and address individuals at risk for overdose. The integration of detailed suicide assessment and suicide risk reduction is a potential solution to help prevent suicide and overdose among people with SUD.
Endosomal trafficking protein TBC-2 is required for the longevity of long-lived mitochondrial mutants
Authors: Traa Annika , Shields Hazel , AlOkda Abdelrahman , Rudich Zenith D. , Ko Bokang , Van Raamsdonk Jeremy M.
Published: May 2023

Mutations that result in a mild impairment of mitochondrial function can extend longevity. Previous studies have shown that the increase in lifespan is dependent on stress responsive transcription factors, including DAF-16/FOXO, which exhibits increased nuclear localization in long-lived mitochondrial mutants. We recently found that the localization of DAF-16 within the cell is dependent on the endosomal trafficking protein TBC-2. Based on the important role of DAF-16 in both longevity and resistance to stress, we examined the effect of disrupting tbc-2 on lifespan and stress resistance in the long-lived mitochondrial mutants nuo-6 and isp-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Loss of tbc-2 markedly reduced the long lifespans of both mitochondrial mutants. Disruption of tbc-2 also decreased resistance to chronic oxidative stress in nuo-6 and isp-1 mutants but had little or no detrimental effect on resistance to other stressors. In contrast, tbc-2 inhibition had no effect on oxidative stress resistance or lifespan in isp-1 worms when DAF-16 is absent, suggesting that the effect of tbc-2 on mitochondrial mutant lifespan may be mediated by mislocalization of DAF-16. However, this result is complicated by the fact that deletion of daf-16 markedly decreases both phenotypes in isp-1 worms, which could result in a floor effect. In exploring the contribution of DAF-16 further, we found that disruption of tbc-2 did not affect the nuclear localization of DAF-16 in isp-1 worms or prevent the upregulation of DAF-16 target genes in the long-lived mitochondrial mutants. This suggests the possibility that the effect of tbc-2 on lifespan and stress resistance in the long-lived mitochondrial mutants is at least partially independent of its effects on DAF-16 localization. Overall, this work demonstrates the importance of endosomal trafficking for the extended longevity and enhanced stress resistance resulting from mild impairment of mitochondrial function.
A 7-Step Guideline for Qualitative Synthesis and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Health Sciences
Authors: Glisic Marija , Raguindin Peter Francis , Gemperli Armin , Taneri Petek Eylul , Salvador Dante Jr. , Voortman Trudy , Marques Vidal Pedro , Papatheodorou Stefania I. , Kunutsor Setor K. , Bano Arjola , Ioannidis John P. A. , Muka Taulant
Published: May 2023

Objectives: To provide a step-by-step, easy-to-understand, practical guide for systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team of researchers with extensive experience in observational studies and systematic review and meta-analysis was established. Previous guidelines in evidence synthesis were considered.

Results: There is inherent variability in observational study design, population, and analysis, making evidence synthesis challenging. We provided a framework and discussed basic meta-analysis concepts to assist reviewers in making informed decisions. We also explained several statistical tools for dealing with heterogeneity, probing for bias, and interpreting findings. Finally, we briefly discussed issues and caveats for translating results into clinical and public health recommendations. Our guideline complements “A 24-step guide on how to design, conduct, and successfully publish a systematic review and meta-analysis in medical research” and addresses peculiarities for observational studies previously unexplored.

Conclusion: We provided 7 steps to synthesize evidence from observational studies. We encourage medical and public health practitioners who answer important questions to systematically integrate evidence from observational studies and contribute evidence-based decision-making in health sciences.
High Enthalpy Non-Equilibrium Expansion Effects in Turbulent Flow of the Conical Nozzle
Authors: Shen Junmou , Shao Zongjie , Ji Feng , Chen Xing , Lu Hongbo , Ma Handong
Published: May 2023

High enthalpy stagnation gas can be converted into hypervelocity flow through the contraction—expansion nozzle. The enthalpy flow in the nozzle can be divided into three regions: an equilibrium region, a non-equilibrium region, and a frozen region. The stagnation gas with a total enthalpy of 13.4 MJ/kg is used to analyze the thermochemical non-equilibrium effects. At the selected conditions, the effects of a conical nozzle under different expansion angles of the expansion section, curvature radius of the throat, throat radius, and convergence angle of the convergent section are investigated. Based on the Spalart–Allmaras one-equation turbulence model with the Catris–Aupiox compressibility correction, a multi-block solver for axisymmetric compressible Navier–Stokes equations is applied to simulate the thermochemical non-equilibrium flow in several high enthalpy conical nozzles. The multi-species two-temperature equation is employed in the calculation. The results reveal three interesting characteristics: Firstly, the thermochemical non-equilibrium effects are sensitive to the maximum expansion angle and throat radius but not to the radius of throat curvature and contraction angle. Secondly, as the maximum expansion angle decreases and the throat radius increases, the flow approaches equilibrium state. When the maximum expansion angle decreases from 12° to 4°, the freezing temperature decreases from 2623 K to 2018 K. When the throat diameter increased from 10 mm to 30 mm, the freezing temperature decreased from 2442 K to 2140 K. Finally, the maximum expansion angle and throat radius not only affect the position of the freezing point but also the flow field parameters, such as temperature, Mach number, and species mass fraction.
The Effect of Calorie Restriction on Protein Quality Control in Yeast
Authors: Uvdal Petter , Shashkova Sviatlana
Published: May 2023

Initially, protein aggregates were regarded as a sign of a pathological state of the cell. Later, it was found that these assemblies are formed in response to stress, and that some of them serve as signalling mechanisms. This review has a particular focus on how intracellular protein aggregates are related to altered metabolism caused by different glucose concentrations in the extracellular environment. We summarise the current knowledge of the role of energy homeostasis signalling pathways in the consequent effect on intracellular protein aggregate accumulation and removal. This covers regulation at different levels, including elevated protein degradation and proteasome activity mediated by the Hxk2 protein, the enhanced ubiquitination of aberrant proteins through Torc1/Sch9 and Msn2/Whi2, and the activation of autophagy mediated through ATG genes. Finally, certain proteins form reversible biomolecular aggregates in response to stress and reduced glucose levels, which are used as a signalling mechanism in the cell, controlling major primary energy pathways related to glucose sensing.
Applications of Biomimicry in Architecture, Construction and Civil Engineering
Authors: AlAli Mariam , Mattar Yara , Alzaim Mhd , Beheiry Salwa
Published: May 2023

Globally, the construction sector is regarded as one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, freshwater usage, resource utilization, and solid waste generation. With a constantly growing population and increased urbanization, this is only predicted to rise. Thus, achieving sustainable development in the construction sector has become an urgent necessity. The adoption of biomimicry in the construction sector is one of the most innovative concepts towards the shift into sustainable practices in construction. However, it has been noticed that the concept of biomimicry is very broad, relatively new, and abstract. Thus, after reviewing previously conducted research on the subject, a noticeable lack of knowledge on the effective implementation of the biomimicry concept was found to be present. Therefore, this research seeks to fill this knowledge gap whereby it aims to explore the development of the biomimicry concept in the field of architecture, building construction, and civil engineering with a systematic review approach of research related to biomimicry in these three fields. This aim is guided by an objective of developing a clear understanding of the application of the biomimicry concept in architecture, building construction, and civil engineering fields. The timeframe considered for this review is between 2000 and 2022. The qualitative exploratory nature of this research focuses on reviewing databases such as Science Direct, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and MDPI, as well as book chapters, editorials, and official websites to extract relevant information using an eligibility criterion of title and abstract review, inclusion of key terms, and detailed review of chosen articles. This study will improve the understanding of the biomimicry concept and how it can be applied in the built environment.
Manufacture of Bilayered Composite Hydrogels with Strong, Elastic, and Tough Properties for Osteochondral Repair Applications
Authors: Yao Hui , Wang Congcong , Zhang Yuchen , Wan Ying , Min Qing
Published: May 2023

Layered composite hydrogels have been considered attractive materials for use in osteochondral repair and regeneration. These hydrogel materials should be mechanically strong, elastic, and tough besides fulfilling some basic requirements such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. A novel type of bilayered composite hydrogel with multi-network structures and well-defined injectability was thus developed for osteochondral tissue engineering using chitosan (CH), hyaluronic acid (HA), silk fibroin (SF), CH nanoparticles (NPs), and amino-functionalized mesoporous bioglass (ABG) NPs. CH was combined with HA and CH NPs to build the chondral phase of the bilayered hydrogel, and CH, SF, and ABG NPs were used together to construct the subchondral phase of the bilayer hydrogel. Rheological measurements showed that the optimally achieved gels assigned to the chondral and subchondral layers had their elastic moduli of around 6.5 and 9.9 kPa, respectively, with elastic modulus/viscous modulus ratios higher than 36, indicating that they behaved like strong gels. Compressive measurements further demonstrated that the bilayered hydrogel with an optimally formulated composition had strong, elastic, and tough characteristics. Cell culture revealed that the bilayered hydrogel had the capacity to support the in-growth of chondrocytes in the chondral phase and osteoblasts in the subchondral phase. Results suggest that the bilayered composite hydrogel can act as an injective biomaterial for osteochondral repair applications.
Oral Health in migrants children in Melilla, Spain
Authors: Kizi Gunel , Raquel Barata Ana , Ventura Irene , Flores-Fraile Javier , Ribas-Perez David , Castaño-Seiquer Antonio
Published: May 2023

Numerous developing countries’ socioeconomic and political issues resulted in a significant migratory phenomenon, which poses a health burden for the nations that receive migrant populations. Often, the greatest age group of migrants is children and teens. Oral problems are one of the most common reasons that immigrants in the receiving nations visit the healthcare system. Cross-sectional research was conducted on children and teenagers housed at the Temporary Stay Center for Immigrants (CETI) of the Autonomous City of Melilla (Spain) with the aim of identifying the state of the oral cavity of these group of migrants. Information on the condition of the research group’s oral cavity was gathered using the World Health Organization’s standards. The research comprised all of the children and teenagers who were enrolled in the CETI for a defined period of time. A total of 198 children were assessed. It was determined that 86.9% of the youngsters were of Syrian descent. There were 57.6% males and a 7.7 (±4.1) average age. The average caries index for children under the age of six was dft =6.4 (±6.3), and for children aged six to eleven, it was 7.5 (±4.8), taking into account both the temporary and permanent dentition, and for children aged twelve to seventeen, it was 4.7 (±4.0). A total of 50.6% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 needed extractions, compared to 36.8% of children under the age of 6. The population under study had a significant incidence of sextants where bleeding occurred during periodontal probing (mean 3.9 (±2.5)), according to an examination of the community periodontal index (CPI). It is crucial to study the oral cavity status of refugee children when designing intervention programs to improve their oral health and provide health education activities that favour the prevention of oral diseases.
Home-Based Exercise Training in the Recovery of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Case Series Study
Authors: Astley Camilla , Leal Gabriela Nunes , Gil Saulo , Suguita Priscila , Fink Thais , Bain Vera , Pereira Maria Fernanda Badue , Marques Heloisa Helena , Sieczkowska Sofia , Prado Danilo , Lima Marcos Santos , Carneiro Camila G. , Buchpiguel Carlos Alberto , Silva Clovis Artur , Gualano Bruno
Published: May 2023

Objective: To assess the potential therapeutic role of exercise on health-related quality of life, assessed by the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), coronary flow reserve (CFR), cardiac function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers in multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) patients. Methods: This is a case series study of a 12-wk, home-based exercise intervention in children and adolescents after MIS-C diagnosis. From 16 MIS-C patients followed at our clinic, 6 were included (age: 7–16 years; 3 females). Three of them withdrew before the intervention and served as controls. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life, assessed PODCI. Secondary outcomes were CFR assessed by 13N-ammonia PET-CT imaging, cardiac function by echocardiography, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers. Results: In general, patients showed poor health-related quality of life, which seemed to be improved with exercise. Additionally, exercised patients showed improvements in coronary flow reserve, cardiac function, and aerobic conditioning. Non-exercised patients exhibited a slower pattern of recovery, particularly in relation to health-related quality of life and aerobic conditioning. Conclusions: Our results suggest that exercise may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of post-discharge MIS-C patients. As our design does not allow inferring causality, randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.
High-Density Ice Ih Obtained by Crystallization of Water in a High-Frequency Electromagnetic Field
Authors: Kudryakov Igor V. , Efimchenko Vadim S. , Fetisov Gleb G. , Korotkova Maria A. , Oganov Artur R.
Published: May 2023

The processes of crystallization and melting, and the structure of ice formed under freezing in an alternating electromagnetic field with a frequency of 2.45 GHz have been studied using thermometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Using X-ray powder diffraction at 85 K, it was determined that the obtained samples consisted of several phases of hexagonal ice Ih, with a density 0.43 ÷ 2.58% higher than that of ordinary ice. The time necessary for this ice to crystallize was approximately 2.2 times shorter than that of ordinary ice not exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field. According to the data of differential scanning calorimetry, the melting of this ice was accompanied by an endothermic heat effect 9% greater than that of ordinary ice, and a melting point that was 1 °C lower. A similar effect is typical of the melting of metastable phases. We assume that the formation of ice Ih with increased density results from the action of an alternating electromagnetic field on the network of hydrogen bonds of liquid water which is a precursor for ice formation.
Fiducial Markers Allow Accurate and Reproducible Delivery of Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
Authors: Moskalenko Marina , Jones Bernard L. , Mueller Adam , Lewis Shirley , Shiao Jay C. , Zakem Sara J. , Robin Tyler P. , Goodman Karyn A.
Published: May 2023

Fiducial markers are utilized for image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) alignment during the delivery of liver stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT). There are limited data demonstrating the impact of matching fiducials on the accuracy of liver SBRT. This study quantifies the benefit of fiducial-based alignment and improvements in inter-observer reliability. Nineteen patients with 24 liver lesions were treated with SBRT. Target localization was performed using fiducial markers on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Each CBCT procedure was retrospectively realigned to match both the liver edge and fiducial markers. The shifts were recorded by seven independent observers. Inter-observer variability was analyzed by calculating the mean error and uncertainty for the set-up. The mean absolute Cartesian error observed from fiducial and liver edge-based alignment was 1.5 mm and 5.3 mm, respectively. The mean uncertainty from fiducial and liver edge-based alignment was 1.8 mm and 4.5 mm, respectively. An error of 5 mm or greater was observed 50% of the time when aligning to the liver surface versus 5% of the time when aligning to fiducial markers. Aligning to the liver edge significantly increased the error, resulting in increased shifts when compared to alignment to fiducials. Tumors of 3 cm or farther from the liver dome had higher mean errors when aligned without fiducials (4.8 cm vs. 4.4 cm, p = 0.003). Our data support the use of fiducial markers for safer and more accurate liver SBRT.
Radial Basis Function Finite Difference Method Based on Oseen Iteration for Solving Two-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations
Authors: Mu Liru , Feng Xinlong
Published: May 2023

In this paper, the radial basis function finite difference method is used to solve two-dimensional steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. First, the radial basis function finite difference method with polynomial is used to discretize the spatial operator. Then, the Oseen iterative scheme is used to deal with the nonlinear term, constructing the discrete scheme for Navier–Stokes equation based on the finite difference method of the radial basis function. This method does not require complete matrix reorganization in each nonlinear iteration, which simplifies the calculation process and obtains high-precision numerical solutions. Finally, several numerical examples are obtained to verify the convergence and effectiveness of the radial basis function finite difference method based on Oseen Iteration.
Interval Load Forecasting for Individual Households in the Presence of Electric Vehicle Charging
Authors: Skala Raiden , Elgalhud Mohamed Ahmed T. A. , Grolinger Katarina , Mir Syed
Published: May 2023

The transition to Electric Vehicles (EV) in place of traditional internal combustion engines is increasing societal demand for electricity. The ability to integrate the additional demand from EV charging into forecasting electricity demand is critical for maintaining the reliability of electricity generation and distribution. Load forecasting studies typically exclude households with home EV charging, focusing on offices, schools, and public charging stations. Moreover, they provide point forecasts which do not offer information about prediction uncertainty. Consequently, this paper proposes the Long Short-Term Memory Bayesian Neural Networks (LSTM-BNNs) for household load forecasting in presence of EV charging. The approach takes advantage of the LSTM model to capture the time dependencies and uses the dropout layer with Bayesian inference to generate prediction intervals. Results show that the proposed LSTM-BNNs achieve accuracy similar to point forecasts with the advantage of prediction intervals. Moreover, the impact of lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the load forecasting model is examined, and the analysis shows that there is no major change in the model performance as, for the considered households, the randomness of the EV charging outweighs the change due to pandemic.
Deep and Machine Learning Models to Forecast Photovoltaic Power Generation
Authors: Cantillo-Luna Sergio , Moreno-Chuquen Ricardo , Celeita David , Anders George
Published: May 2023

The integration and management of distributed energy resources (DERs), including residential photovoltaic (PV) production, coupled with the widespread use of enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence, have led to the emergence of new tools, market models, and business opportunities. The accurate forecasting of these resources has become crucial to decision making, despite data availability and reliability issues in some parts of the world. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a deep and machine learning-based methodology for PV power forecasting, which includes XGBoost, random forest, support vector regressor, multi-layer perceptron, and LSTM-based tuned models, and introduces the ConvLSTM1D approach for this task. These models were evaluated on the univariate time-series prediction of low-volume residential PV production data across various forecast horizons. The proposed benchmarking and analysis approach considers technical and economic impacts, which can provide valuable insights for decision-making tools with these resources. The results indicate that the random forest and ConvLSTM1D model approaches yielded the most accurate forecasting performance, as demonstrated by the lowest RMSE, MAPE, and MAE across the different scenarios proposed.
Release Characteristics of Potassium during Biomass Combustion
Authors: Zhang Feng , Hou Xiuqin , Xue Xingchang , Ren Jiyun , Dong Lingxiao , Wei Xumeng , Jian Lin , Deng Lei
Published: May 2023

To investigate the release characteristics of potassium during biomass combustion, experimental studies were conducted on three typical biomass fuels in a reactor with a fixed-bed system. The effects of fuel type, combustion temperature, exposure time, oxygen concentration, and water-washing pretreatment were evaluated. The results show that the K release ratio in corn straw increases with the increment in exposure time when the temperature is between 700 and 900 °C. When burned at 900 °C for 40 min, 17.73% of K is released in the volatile combustion stage, while only 2.62% is released in the char combustion stage. When burned at 700–900 °C, the K release ratios in both corn and wheat straw improve slightly with the elevation in oxygen concentration. Water washing significantly reduces the ratio and the amount of K release from corn straw during combustion. The effect of temperature and atmosphere on K release from the water-washed sample is similar to that for the raw sample.
Dynamic Simulation of a Gas and Oil Separation Plant with Focus on the Water Output Quality
Authors: Jonach Thorsten , Haddadi Bahram , Jordan Christian , Harasek Michael
Published: May 2023

Gas and oil separation plants are the first main step in the production of hydrocarbon products. Depending on the properties of the recovered components from the well heads, and the physical properties in the underground rock reservoir, the plant design can vary in different ways. In mature oil and gas fields, secondary recovery methods are often used, which include the injection of large amounts of water into the underground reservoir, to induce the production flow of the wells. The handling of this water is of significant interest, in terms of production efficiency and pollution reduction, because the water comes into contact with the environment during and after recovery operations. In this work, a model of an exemplary gas and oil separation plant was created in Aspen HYSYS V10. A particular focus was placed on the modeling of oil residues in the water-bearing plant components. This model was then extended by the implementation of different process control schemes, to create a predictive model that could represent dynamic operating states in the plant components. Two different dynamic changes were then simulated using this model, to showcase the capabilities and capacities of the model.