bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proven Impossible
Authors: Gusfield Dan
Published: February 2024

In mathematics, it simply is not true that 'you can't prove a negative'. Many revolutionary impossibility theorems reveal profound properties of logic, computation, fairness and the universe, and form the mathematical background of new technologies and Nobel prizes. But to fully appreciate these theorems and their impact on mathematics and beyond, you must understand their proofs.
This book is the first to present these proofs for a broad, lay audience. It fully develops the simplest rigorous proofs found in the literature, reworked to contain less jargon and notation, and more background, intuition, examples, explanations, and exercises. Amazingly, all of the proofs in this book involve only arithmetic and basic logic – and are elementary, starting only from first principles and definitions. Very little background knowledge is required, and no specialized mathematical training – all you need is the discipline to follow logical arguments and a pen in your hand.
Opera in the Viennese Home from Mozart to Rossini
Authors: November Nancy
Published: February 2024

Domestic musical arrangements of opera provide a unique window on the world of nineteenth-century amateur music-making. These arrangements flourished in especially rich variety in early nineteenth-century Vienna. This study reveals ways in which the Viennese culture of musical arrangements opened up opportunities, especially for women, for connoisseurship, education, and sociability in the home, and extended the meanings and reach of public concert life. It takes a novel stance for musicology, prioritising musical arrangements over original compositions, and female amateurs' perspectives over those of composers, and asks: what cultural, musical, and social functions did opera arrangements serve in Vienna c.1790–1830? Multivalent musical analyses explore ways Viennese arrangers tailored large-scale operatic works to the demands and values of domestic consumers. Documentary analysis, using little-studied evidence of private and semi-private music-making, investigates the agency of musical amateurs and reinstates the central importance of women's roles.
Evangelizing Korean Women and Gender in the Early Modern World
Authors: Broomhall Susan
Published: February 2024

This monograph examines how Korean women and men came to engage with Catholic missions during Europe's late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a profoundly volatile period in East Asian history during which political, cultural, and social disruption created opportunities for new interactions in the region. It analyzes the nature of that engagement, as women and men became both subjects for, and agents of, catechizing practices. As their evangelization, experience of faith, proselytizing, and suffering were recorded in mission archives, the monograph explores contact between Catholic Christianity and Korean women in particular. Broomhall demonstrates how gender ideologies shaped interactions between missionary men and Korean women, and how women's experiences would come to be narrated, circulated, and memorialized.
Spatially Resolved Observations of Meteor Radio Afterglows With the OVRO‐LWA
Authors: Varghese S. S. , Dowell J. , Obenberger K. S. , Taylor G. B. , Anderson M. , Hallinan G.
Published: February 2024

We conducted an all‐sky imaging transient search with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Long Wavelength Array (OVRO‐LWA) data collected during the Perseid meteor shower in 2018. The data collection during the meteor shower was motivated to conduct a search for intrinsic radio emission from meteors below 60 MHz known as the meteor radio afterglows (MRAs). The data collected were calibrated and imaged using the core array to obtain lower angular resolution images of the sky. These images were input to a pre‐existing LWA transient search pipeline to search for MRAs as well as cosmic radio transients. This search detected 5 MRAs and did not find any cosmic transients. We further conducted peeling of bright sources, near‐field correction, visibility differencing and higher angular resolution imaging using the full array for these 5 MRAs. These higher angular resolution images were used to study their plasma emission structures and monitor their evolution as a function of frequency and time. With higher angular resolution imaging, we resolved the radio emission size scales to less than 1 km physical size at 100 km heights. The spectral index mapping of one of the long duration event showed signs of diffusion of plasma within the meteor trails. The unpolarized emission from the resolved radio components suggest resonant transition radiation as the possible radiation mechanism of MRAs.
An Improved Stochastic Model for the Geodetic GNSS Receivers Under Ionospheric Scintillation at Low Latitudes
Authors: Luo Xiaomin , Lin Yingzong , Dai Xiaolei , Bian Shaofeng , Chen Dezhong
Published: February 2024

The receiver tracking error stochastic (RTES) model can improve GNSS precise point positioning (PPP) performance under ionospheric scintillation. However, it relies on scintillation products derived from ionospheric scintillation monitoring receivers (ISMRs), which means the RTES model cannot be used for abundant geodetic GNSS receivers. In this study, we propose an improved RTES, referred to as Impr_RTES model, to mitigate scintillation effects on geodetic GNSS receivers at low latitudes, where severe scintillation frequently occurs. In the Impr_RTES model, the tracking error variances at the output of code delay locked loop are calculated by using the indexS4c, and these of phase locked loop are modeled by using the rate of total electron content index (ROTI) andS4c. BothS4cand ROTI can be derived from geodetic GNSS receivers. The performance of the Impr_RTES model is validated by using the data sets from ISMR and geodetic receivers, respectively. Using one month of GPS data collected at HNLW station installed with ISMR in Hainan of China from 1 to 28 February in 2023, statistical results indicate that the PPP solution based on Impr_RTES model can improve the positioning accuracy by approximately 22.6%, 23.8%, and 30.2% in the east, north, and up directions, respectively, over the elevation angle stochastic (EAS) model. Meanwhile, the positioning performance of Impr_RTES PPP is comparable to that of RTES PPP. For the GPS data from geodetic receivers, experimental results suggest that compared with EAS, the Impr_RTES model can obviously mitigate scintillation effects on PPP.
Genomic alterations in oral multiple primary cancers
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Cai Xinjia , Jing Fengyang , Li Xuefen , Zhang Jianyun , Zhang Heyu , Li Tiejun
Published: February 2024

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the predominant type of oral cancer, while some patients may develop oral multiple primary cancers (MPCs) with unclear etiology. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and genomic alterations of oral MPCs. Clinicopathological data from patients with oral single primary carcinoma (SPC, n = 202) and oral MPCs (n = 34) were collected and compared. Copy number alteration (CNA) analysis was conducted to identify chromosomal-instability differences among oral MPCs, recurrent OSCC cases, and OSCC patients with lymph node metastasis. Whole-exome sequencing was employed to identify potential unique gene mutations in oral MPCs patients. Additionally, CNA and phylogenetic tree analyses were used to gain preliminary insights into the molecular characteristics of different primary tumors within individual patients. Our findings revealed that, in contrast to oral SPC, females predominated the oral MPCs (70.59%), while smoking and alcohol use were not frequent in MPCs. Moreover, long-term survival outcomes were poorer in oral MPCs. From a CNA perspective, no significant differences were observed between oral MPCs patients and those with recurrence and lymph node metastasis. In addition to commonly mutated genes such as CASP8, TP53 and MUC16, in oral MPCs we also detected relatively rare mutations, such as HS3ST6 and RFPL4A. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated that most MPCs patients exhibited similarities in certain genomic regions within individuals, and distinct differences of the similarity degree were observed between synchronous and metachronous oral MPCs.
A novel saliva-based miRNA profile to diagnose and predict oral cancer
Authors: Balakittnen Jaikrishna , Ekanayake Weeramange Chameera , Wallace Daniel F. , Duijf Pascal H. G. , Cristino Alexandre S. , Hartel Gunter , Barrero Roberto A. , Taheri Touraj , Kenny Liz , Vasani Sarju , Batstone Martin , Breik Omar , Punyadeera Chamindie
Published: February 2024

Oral cancer (OC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer. Despite the high incidence and unfavourable patient outcomes, currently, there are no biomarkers for the early detection of OC. This study aims to discover, develop, and validate a novel saliva-based microRNA signature for early diagnosis and prediction of OC risk in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) miRNA sequencing data and small RNA sequencing data of saliva samples were used to discover differentially expressed miRNAs. Identified miRNAs were validated in saliva samples of OC (n = 50), OPMD (n = 52), and controls (n = 60) using quantitative real-time PCR. Eight differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-7-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-215-5p, miR-431-5p, miR-486-3p, miR-3614-5p, and miR-4707-3p) were identified in the discovery phase and were validated. The efficiency of our eight-miRNA signature to discriminate OC and controls was: area under curve (AUC): 0.954, sensitivity: 86%, specificity: 90%, positive predictive value (PPV): 87.8% and negative predictive value (NPV): 88.5% whereas between OC and OPMD was: AUC: 0.911, sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 82.7%, PPV: 74.2% and NPV: 89.6%. We have developed a risk probability score to predict the presence or risk of OC in OPMD patients. We established a salivary miRNA signature that can aid in diagnosing and predicting OC, revolutionising the management of patients with OPMD. Together, our results shed new light on the management of OC by salivary miRNAs to the clinical utility of using miRNAs derived from saliva samples.
Hydrodynamic function and spring constant calibration of FluidFM micropipette cantilevers
Authors: Bonyár Attila , Nagy Ágoston G. , Gunstheimer Hans , Fläschner Gotthold , Horvath Robert
Published: February 2024

Fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) fuses the force sensitivity of atomic force microscopy with the manipulation capabilities of microfluidics by using microfabricated cantilevers with embedded fluidic channels. This innovation initiated new research and development directions in biology, biophysics, and material science. To acquire reliable and reproducible data, the calibration of the force sensor is crucial. Importantly, the hollow FluidFM cantilevers contain a row of parallel pillars inside a rectangular beam. The precise spring constant calibration of the internally structured cantilever is far from trivial, and existing methods generally assume simplifications that are not applicable to these special types of cantilevers. In addition, the Sader method, which is currently implemented by the FluidFM community, relies on the precise measurement of the quality factor, which renders the calibration of the spring constant sensitive to noise. In this study, the hydrodynamic function of these special types of hollow cantilevers was experimentally determined with different instruments. Based on the hydrodynamic function, a novel spring constant calibration method was adapted, which relied only on the two resonance frequencies of the cantilever, measured in air and in a liquid. Based on these results, our proposed method can be successfully used for the reliable, noise-free calibration of hollow FluidFM cantilevers.
Insights and implications of sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis
Authors: Zhang Yuan-Yuan , Xie Na , Sun Xiao-Dong , Nice Edouard C. , Liou Yih-Cherng , Huang Canhua , Zhu Huili , Shen Zhisen
Published: February 2024

Osteoporosis, a metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture, has led to a high risk of fatal osteoporotic fractures worldwide. Accumulating evidence has revealed that sexual dimorphism is a notable feature of osteoporosis, with sex-specific differences in epidemiology and pathogenesis. Specifically, females are more susceptible than males to osteoporosis, while males are more prone to disability or death from the disease. To date, sex chromosome abnormalities and steroid hormones have been proven to contribute greatly to sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis by regulating the functions of bone cells. Understanding the sex-specific differences in osteoporosis and its related complications is essential for improving treatment strategies tailored to women and men. This literature review focuses on the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis, mainly in a population of aging patients, chronic glucocorticoid administration, and diabetes. Moreover, we highlight the implications of sexual dimorphism for developing therapeutics and preventive strategies and screening approaches tailored to women and men. Additionally, the challenges in translating bench research to bedside treatments and future directions to overcome these obstacles will be discussed.
Dispersion curve engineering for automated topology design of a unit cell in spoof surface plasmon polaritons
Authors: Mirhadi Salma , Javidi Zahra , Komjani Nader
Published: February 2024

In this paper, an automatic design method is proposed for unit cell in spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPP) with an almost arbitrary dispersion curve. In this method, the pixel configuration is considered for the unit cell and, by using the binary particle swarm optimization method, the proper topology of the unit cell is explored so as to reach the target dispersion curve. Unlike the traditional method of controlling the dispersion curve, which is performed based on changing the geometric parameters of the predetermined unit cell, in this method, there is no need to know the shape of the unit cell, and the dispersion curve of the modes of SSPP unit cell can be controlled independently with more freedom. Two unit cell samples are designed in order to show the efficiency of the procedure. In the first sample, the dispersion curve is designed to have the lowest asymptotic frequency; in the second sample, the dispersion curve of the second mode is controlled independently from the first mode and is changed arbitrarily. SSPP transmission lines which are related to the unit cells of the two samples are designed, and it is demonstrated that measurement and simulation results are greatly in line with each other.
Unveiling the microbial communities and metabolic pathways of Keem, a traditional starter culture, through whole-genome sequencing
Authors: Rana Babita , Chandola Renu , Sanwal Pankaj , Joshi Gopal Krishna
Published: February 2024

Traditional alcoholic beverages have played a significant role in the cultural, social, and culinary fabric of societies worldwide for centuries. Studying the microbial community structure and their metabolic potential in such beverages is necessary to define product quality, safety, and consistency, as well as to explore associated biotechnological applications. In the present investigation, Illumina-based (MiSeq system) whole-genome shotgun sequencing was utilized to characterize the microbial diversity and conduct predictive gene function analysis of keem, a starter culture employed by the Jaunsari tribal community in India for producing various traditional alcoholic beverages. A total of 8,665,213 sequences, with an average base length of 151 bps, were analyzed using MG-RAST. The analysis revealed the dominance of bacteria (95.81%), followed by eukaryotes (4.11%), archaea (0.05%), and viruses (0.03%). At the phylum level, Actinobacteria (81.18%) was the most abundant, followed by Firmicutes (10.56%), Proteobacteria (4.00%), and Ascomycota (3.02%). The most predominant genera were Saccharopolyspora (36.31%), followed by Brevibacterium (15.49%), Streptomyces (9.52%), Staphylococcus (8.75%), Bacillus (4.59%), and Brachybacterium (3.42%). At the species level, the bacterial, fungal, and viral populations of the keem sample could be categorized into 3347, 57, and 106 species, respectively. Various functional attributes to the sequenced data were assigned using Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG), Non-supervised Orthologous Groups (NOG), subsystem, and KEGG Orthology (KO) annotations. The most prevalent metabolic pathways included carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, as well as the biosynthesis of glycans, secondary metabolites, and xenobiotic biodegradation. Given the rich microbial diversity and its associated metabolic potential, investigating the transition of keem from a traditional starter culture to an industrial one presents a compelling avenue for future research.
Comparison activity of pure and chromium-doped nickel oxide nanoparticles for the selective removal of dyes from water
Authors: Athab Zahraa H. , Halbus Ahmed F. , Mohammed Sura Bahaa , Atiyah Abbas J. , Ismael Hussein Idrees , Saddam Nahlah Salman , Baqir Sadiq J. , Alesary Hasan F. , Algburi Sameer , Al-Ansari Nadhir
Published: February 2024

The current study involves a synthesis of a composite of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) with a chromium dopant to yield (Cr/NiONPs). Synthesis of nickel oxide was performed by the co-precipitation method. The synthesis of the composite was conducted by the impregnation method. FTIR, EDX, SEM, and XRD were used to characterize the synthesized materials. The synthesised materials’ point zero charges (PZC) were performed using the potentiometric titration method. The obtained results show that the PZC for neat nickel oxide was around 5, and it was around 8 for Cr/NiONPs. The adsorption action of the prepared materials was examined by applying them to remove Reactive Red 2 (RR2) and Crystal Violate (CV) dyes from solutions. The outcomes demonstrated that Cr/NiONPs were stronger in the removal of dyes than NiONPs. Cr/NiONPs achieved 99.9% removal of dyes after 1 h. Adsorption isotherms involving Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were also conducted, and the outcomes indicated that the most accurate representation of the adsorption data was offered by Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Additionally, it was discovered that the adsorption characteristics of the NiONPs and Cr/NiONPs correspond well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Each of the NiONPs and Cr/NiONPs was reused five times, and the results display that the effectiveness of the removal of RR2 dye slightly declined with the increase in reuse cycles; it lost only 5% of its original efficiency after the 5 cycles. Generally, Cr/NiONPs showed better reusability than NiONPs under the same conditions.
Toxoflavin analog D43 exerts antiproliferative effects on breast cancer by inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis and DNA damage
Authors: Wu Tingyue , Liu Wenjing , Chen Hui , Hou Lei , Ren Wenlong , Zhang Longlong , Hu Jinhui , Chen Haijun , Chen Ceshi
Published: February 2024

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is regarded as the deadliest subtype of breast cancer because of its high heterogeneity, aggressiveness, and limited treatment options. Toxoflavin has been reported to possess antitumor activity. In this study, a series of toxoflavin analogs were synthesized, among which D43 displayed a significant dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806). Additionally, D43 inhibited DNA synthesis in TNBC cells, leading to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Furthermore, D43 consistently promoted intracellular ROS generation, induced DNA damage, and resulted in apoptosis in TNBC cells. These effects could be reversed by N-acetylcysteine. Moreover, D43 significantly inhibited the growth of breast cancer patient-derived organoids and xenografts with a favorable biosafety profile. In conclusion, D43 is a potent anticancer agent that elicits significant antiproliferation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage effects in TNBC cells, and D43 holds promise as a potential candidate for the treatment of TNBC.
Wavelet-based information theory in quantitative assessment of AFM images’ quality
Authors: Pruchnik Bartosz Czesław , Putek Piotr Adam , Gotszalk Teodor Paweł
Published: February 2024

The quantitative assessment of the image quality produced by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an ongoing and challenging task. In our study, we demonstrate Shannon’s application of information theory for measuring image quality. Specifically, we propose quantifying the loss of image information due to the various distortion processes by exploring the relationship between image information based on the information channel capacity (ICC), spectral image representation, and visual quality. Since the ideal image is unavailable, the power and noise spectrum, the critical input information for the image quality evaluation, must be robustly estimated in the proposed method. The classical, most popular Welch method for spectral estimation uses an average of several windowed periodograms and can produce biased spectrum estimates. Therefore, in our work, we discuss an alternative technique based on the wavelet transform that can be applied to solve this challenging problem, specifically in the case of noisy, uncertain AFM measurements. Finally, we validate the performance of the enhanced ICC-wavelet-based algorithm with noisy measurement AFM data.
Optimum phosphate ion removal from aqueous solutions using roller kiln industrial solid waste
Authors: Ali Dalia A. , Abdelwahab Walaa A. , Roushdy Mai H.
Published: February 2024

Water scarcity is the most imperative predicament that concerns the population. In this research, a roller kiln (RK) industrial solid waste was used in the adsorption of phosphate ions from aqueous solutions thus converting a waste to wealth through aiding in serving as a water treatment application. The RK waste was produced from an Egyptian factory with a flow rate of million tons/day. Surface characterization for this solid waste was performed including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), zeta potential (ZP), and particle size distribution (PSD). Based on the kinetics and isotherm studies, the pseudo first order (PFO) kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model were the best-fitted models with the experimental data as well as the Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm model indicated that the adsorption type was physical. The attained experimental results were then optimized to attain the experimental conditions at which the optimum adsorption percentage was achieved using response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum percentage removal of phosphate ions 99.5 (%) was achieved at the following experimental conditions; pH 8, temperature = 25 °C, contact time = 9 min, initial phosphate ion concentration = 10 mg/L and adsorbent dose 0.5 = g/L.
Influence of teach-back strategy on hemodialysis related knowledge level, self-efficacy and self-management in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis
Authors: Xia Fuhai , Wang Guoqing
Published: February 2024

To investigate the effect of teach-back strategy on hemodialysis related knowledge level, self-efficacy and self-management among hemodialysis patients. The research is a quasi-randomized control trial. A total of 92 patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were randomly divided into observation group (n = 46) and control group (n = 46) by random number table method. The control group received conventional health education, and the observation group received teach-back. The intervention lasted six months. The hemodialysis related knowledge level, self-efficacy and self-management of the two groups were evaluated before and after the intervention. There were no significant difference on hemodialysis related knowledge level, self-efficacy and self-management scores between the two groups before intervention (P > 0.05). After intervention, the scores of hemodialysis knowledge in the observation group was higher than that in the control group and before intervention. The total scores of self-efficacy and items “3,4,5” were higher than those of the control group. The total scores of self-efficacy and item “1~6” in the observation group were higher than before intervention. The total scores of self-management and the three subscales of “problem solving”, “partnership” and “emotional processing” were higher than those of the control group and before intervention. All of the above differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Teach-back is helpful to improve the hemodialysis related knowledge level, self-efficacy and self-management level of patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, and it is worth to be popularized clinically.
Antibacterial mouthwash alters gut microbiome, reducing nutrient absorption and fat accumulation in Western diet-fed mice
Authors: Carvalho Lucas Rannier Ribeiro Antonino , Boeder Ariela M. , Shimari Miho , Kleschyov Andrei L. , Esberg Anders , Johansson Ingegerd , Weitzberg Eddie , Lundberg Jon O. , Carlstrom Mattias
Published: February 2024

Prolonged use of antibacterial mouthwash is linked to an increased risk of systemic disease. We aimed to investigate if disturbing the oral microbiota would impact the lower gut microbiome with functional effects in diet-induced obesity. Mice were exposed to oral chlorhexidine and fed a Western diet (WD). Food intake and weight gain were monitored, and metabolic function, blood pressure, and microbiota were analyzed. Chlorhexidine reduced the number of viable bacteria in the mouth and lowered species richness in the gut but with proportional enrichment of some bacteria linked to metabolic pathways. In mice fed a Western diet, chlorhexidine reduced weight gain, body fat, steatosis, and plasma insulin without changing caloric intake, while increasing colon triglycerides and proteins, suggesting reduced absorption of these nutrients. The mechanisms behind these effects as well as the link between the oral microbiome and small intestinal function need to be pinpointed. While the short-term effects of chlorhexidine in this model appear beneficial, potential long-term disruptions in the oral and gut microbiota and possible malabsorption should be considered.
Forensic investigation of falsified antimalarials using isotope ratio mass spectrometry: a pilot investigation
Authors: Newton Paul N. , Chesson Lesley A. , Mayxay Mayfong , Dondorp Arjen , Tabernero Patricia , Howa John D. , Cerling Thure E.
Published: February 2024

We explored whether isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is useful to investigate the origin of falsified antimalarials. Forty-four falsified and genuine antimalarial samples (artesunate, artemether-lumefantrine, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and sulphamethopyrazine-pyrimethamine) were analyzed in bulk for carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) element concentrations and stable isotope ratios. The insoluble fraction (“starch”) was extracted from 26 samples and analyzed. Samples of known geographical origin maize, a common source of excipient starch, were used to produce a comparison dataset to predict starch source. In both an initial (n = 18) and a follow-on set of samples that contained/claimed to contain artesunate/artemether (n = 26), falsified antimalarials had a range of C concentrations less than genuine comparator antimalarials and δ13C values higher than genuine comparators. The δ13C values of falsified antimalarials suggested that C4 plant-based organic material (e.g., starch derived from maize) had been included. Using the known-origin maize samples, predictions for growth water δ18O values for the extracted “starch” ranged from − 6.10 to − 1.62‰. These findings suggest that IRMS may be a useful tool for profiling falsified antimalarials. We found that C4 ingredients were exclusively used in falsified antimalarials versus genuine antimalarials, and that it may be possible to predict potential growth water δ18O values for the starch present in falsified antimalarials.
Bioactive glass–ceramics containing fluorapatite, xonotlite, cuspidine and wollastonite form apatite faster than their corresponding glasses
Authors: Kirste Gloria , Contreras Jaimes Altair , de Pablos-Martín Araceli , de Souza e Silva Juliana Martins , Massera Jonathan , Hill Robert G. , Brauer Delia S.
Published: February 2024

Crystallisation of bioactive glasses has been claimed to negatively affect the ion release from bioactive glasses. Here, we compare ion release and mineralisation in Tris–HCl buffer solution for a series of glass–ceramics and their parent glasses in the system SiO2–CaO–P2O5–CaF2. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction analysis of glass–ceramic degradation, including quantification of crystal fractions by full pattern refinement, show that the glass–ceramics precipitated apatite faster than the corresponding glasses, in agreement with faster ion release from the glass–ceramics. Imaging by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray nano-computed tomography suggest that this accelerated degradation may be caused by the presence of nano-sized channels along the internal crystal/glassy matrix interfaces. In addition, the presence of crystalline fluorapatite in the glass–ceramics facilitated apatite nucleation and crystallisation during immersion. These results suggest that the popular view of bioactive glass crystallisation being a disadvantage for degradation, apatite formation and, subsequently, bioactivity may depend on the actual system study and, thus, has to be reconsidered.
Dynamic accelerated stress test and coupled on-line analysis program to elucidate aging processes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Authors: Birkner Lena , Foreta Michael , Rinaldi Ali , Orekhov Anton , Willinger Marc-Georg , Eichelbaum Maik
Published: February 2024

The application of hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) in greenhouse gas emission free heavy-duty vehicles requires extremely durable PEMFC components with service lives in the range of 30,000 h. Hence suitable test and analysis methods are required that reflect realistic operation scenarios, but significantly accelerate aging. For this purpose, a dynamic accelerated stress test was developed, which is coupled with a comprehensive in-depth in-situ and ex-situ analysis program to determine the aging processes of a PEMFC membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The test comprehends dynamic cycling between low, moderate and high load, different temperature and humidity conditions as well as recovery sequences to distinguish between reversible and irreversible failure modes. All phases of the PEMFC system (i.e. solid, liquid and gaseous) are monitored on-line during aging by sophisticated electrochemical, mass spectrometric and ion chromatographic analytical methods. The structural and elemental composition of the MEA before and after the aging program (post-mortem) are investigated by X-ray fluorescence, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This program was able to age a commercial PEMFC to end-of-life in 1000 h, while providing an accurate picture of the aging processes involved.
Fructose regulates the pentose phosphate pathway and induces an inflammatory and resolution phenotype in Kupffer cells
Authors: Lodge Mareca , Scheidemantle Grace , Adams Victoria R. , Cottam Matthew A. , Richard Daniel , Breuer Denitra , Thompson Peter , Shrestha Kritika , Liu Xiaojing , Kennedy Arion
Published: February 2024

Over-consumption of fructose in adults and children has been linked to increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recent studies have highlighted the effect of fructose on liver inflammation, fibrosis, and immune cell activation. However, little work summarizes the direct impact of fructose on macrophage infiltration, phenotype, and function within the liver. We demonstrate that chronic fructose diet decreased Kupffer cell populations while increasing transitioning monocytes. In addition, fructose increased fibrotic gene expression of collagen 1 alpha 1 (Col1a1) and tissue metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (Timp1) as well as inflammatory gene expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnfa) and expression of transmembrane glycoprotein NMB (Gpnmb) in liver tissue compared to glucose and control diets. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) revealed fructose elevated expression of matrix metallopeptidase 12 (Mmp12), interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (Il1rn), and radical S-adenosyl methionine domain (Rsad2) in liver and hepatic macrophages. In vitro studies using IMKC and J774.1 cells demonstrated decreased viability when exposed to fructose. Additionally, fructose increased Gpnmb, Tnfa, Mmp12, Il1rn, and Rsad2 in unpolarized IMKC. By mass spectrometry, C13 fructose tracing detected fructose metabolites in glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Inhibition of the PPP further increased fructose induced Il6, Gpnmb, Mmp12, Il1rn, and Rsad2 in nonpolarized IMKC. Taken together, fructose decreases cell viability while upregulating resolution and anti-inflammatory associated genes in Kupffer cells.
Light curve analysis and evolutionary status of four newly identified short-period eclipsing binaries
Authors: Darwish Mohamed S. , Abdelkawy Ali G. A. , Hamed Gamal M.
Published: February 2024

We present the physical and orbital parameters of four short-period eclipsing W UMa systems: $$ZTFJ000030.44 +391106.9$$

Z
T
F
J
000030.44
+
391106.9

(referred to as S1), $$ZTFJ000817.08+402532.1$$

Z
T
F
J
000817.08
+
402532.1

(referred to as S2), $$ZTFJ002158.44+252934.04$$

Z
T
F
J
002158.44
+
252934.04

(referred to as S3), and $$ZTFJ003357.62+415747.8$$

Z
T
F
J
003357.62
+
415747.8

(referred to as S4). The absolute parameters and evolutionary status of these systems are determined, and new times of minima are calculated. Additionally, we present the 3D fill-out configuration for each system. The four Systems exhibit moderate contact W UMa binary with a fill-out factor of 49%, 38%, 28%, and 51%, respectively. Comparing the systems’ periods, we observed a proportional relationship, where shorter periods correspond to lower fill-out factors, and longer periods were associated with higher fill-out factors. Based on the derived surface temperatures and mass ratios of the components, all systems are classified as A-type W UMa binaries. The obtained parameters in addition to a list of previously published data are then utilized to derive an updated Mass-Luminosity relation (M-L) for both A and W-type eclipsing W UMa systems. A comparison with previously published relations reveals that the majority of the EW systems lie between 0.2 and 2 Msun on the M-L diagram. Moreover, we discuss the dynamical evolutionary aspects and evolutionary status of the four components, along with their positions on the Zero Age Main Sequence (ZAMS) and Terminal Age Main Sequence (TAMS).
Associations between gut microbiota and three prostate diseases: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Xiaoyang , Dong Qiang
Published: February 2024

According to previous observational researches and clinical trials, the gut microbiota is related to prostate diseases. However, the potential association between gut microbiota and prostate disorders is still uncertain. We first identified groups of gut microbiota based on the phylum, class, order, family, and genus levels from consortium MiBioGen. And we acquired prostate diseases statistics from the FINNGEN study and PRACTICAL consortium. Next, two-sample Mendelian randomization was used to investigate the potential associations between three prevalent prostate disease and gut microbiota. In addition, we performed a reverse MR analysis and Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) test for further research. We investigated the connection between 196 gut microbiota and three prevalent prostate diseases. We identified 42 nominally significant associations and 2 robust causative links. Upon correction for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure, our analysis revealed a positive correlation between the risk of prostatitis and the presence of the taxonomic order Gastranaerophilales. Conversely, the risk of prostate cancer exhibited an inverse correlation with the presence of the taxonomic class Alphaproteobacteria. Our study revealed the potential association between gut microbiota and prostate diseases. The results may be useful in providing new insights for further mechanistic and clinical studies of prostate diseases.
Hymenopteran parasitoid complex and fall armyworm: a case study in eastern India
Authors: Pal Subhajit , Bhattacharya Swarnali , Dhar Tapamay , Gupta Ankita , Ghosh Arunava , Debnath Sandip , Gangavarapu Nikhitha , Pati Prajna , Chaudhuri Nilanjana , Chatterjee Hirak , Senapati Sabita Kumar , Bhattacharya Prateek Madhab , Gathala Mahesh Kumar , Laing Alison M.
Published: February 2024

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) has significantly affected maize crop yields, production efficiency, and farmers’ incomes in the Indian Eastern Gangetic Plains region since it was first observed in India in 2018. A lack of awareness by maize growers of the appropriate selection, method, and timing of insecticide application not only creates a barrier to sustainable FAW control but also contributes to increased environmental pollution, reduced human health and increased production costs. We demonstrated that FAW inflicted the most damage in early whorl growth stage of maize, regardless of whether chemical insecticides were applied. FAW egg masses and larvae collected from maize fields in which no insecticides had been sprayed showed high parasitism rates by parasitoid wasps; in contrast fields that had been sprayed had much lower rates of parasitism on FAW. Ten hymenopteran parasitoids were observed in maize fields across the study region, suggesting a diversity of natural methods to suppress FAW in maize at different growth stages. These included two FAW egg parasitoids and eight FAW larval parasitoids. Microplitis manilae Ashmead was the most abundant FAW larval parasitoid species, and Telenomus cf. remus was the dominant FAW egg parasitoid species. Endemic FAW parasitoids such as those observed in this study have great potential as part of a sustainable, cost-effective agroecological management strategy, which can be integrated with other methods to achieve effective control of FAW.
Exploring the spiritual needs of patients with advanced cancer in China: a qualitative study
Authors: Cheng Qinqin , Chen Yongyi , Duan Yinglong , Xie Jianfei , Zhang Qinghui , Zheng Hongling
Published: February 2024

This qualitative study aimed to gain a deep understanding of the spiritual needs of patients with advanced cancer. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis. Two researchers coded the interviews independently in NVivo 12 plus and developed major themes and subthemes by inductive and constant comparison. This study was conducted in the inpatient ward of a tertiary cancer hospital in Hunan Province, Chinese Mainland. Eligible participants with advanced cancer were recruited using the purposive sampling method. The sample size was determined by data saturation. All interviews were conducted face-to-face individually from May 2021 to July 2021. A total of 13 patients with advanced cancer patients were interviewed. Six themes were identified, namely being treated as normal and independent individuals, receiving and giving love, seeking inner peace, connecting with spiritual sources, finding meaning and purpose, and preparing for death. Different categories of spiritual needs of patients with advanced cancer were identified in this study. Healthcare professionals need to develop interventions that aim to meet patients’ spiritual needs.
Vascular compactness of unruptured brain arteriovenous malformation predicts risk of hemorrhage after stereotactic radiosurgery
Authors: Huang Po-Wei , Peng Syu-Jyun , Pan David Hung-Chi , Yang Huai-Che , Tsai Jo-Ting , Shiau Cheng-Ying , Su I-Chang , Chen Ching-Jen , Wu Hsiu-Mei , Lin Chung-Jung , Chung Wen-Yuh , Guo Wan-Yuo , Lo Wei-Lun , Lai Shao-Wen , Lee Cheng-Chia
Published: February 2024

The aim of the study was to investigate whether morphology (i.e. compact/diffuse) of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) correlates with the incidence of hemorrhagic events in patients receiving Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) for unruptured bAVMs. This retrospective study included 262 adult patients with unruptured bAVMs who underwent upfront SRS. Hemorrhagic events were defined as evidence of blood on CT or MRI. The morphology of bAVMs was evaluated using automated segmentation which calculated the proportion of vessel, brain tissue, and cerebrospinal fluid in bAVMs on T2-weighted MRI. Compactness index, defined as the ratio of vessel to brain tissue, categorized bAVMs into compact and diffuse types based on the optimal cutoff. Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the independent factors for post-SRS hemorrhage. The median clinical follow-ups was 62.1 months. Post-SRS hemorrhage occurred in 13 (5.0%) patients and one of them had two bleeds, resulting in an annual bleeding rate of 0.8%. Multivariable analysis revealed bAVM morphology (compact versus diffuse), bAVM volume, and prescribed margin dose were significant predictors. The post-SRS hemorrhage rate increased with larger bAVM volume only among the diffuse nidi (1.7 versus 14.9 versus 30.6 hemorrhage per 1000 person-years in bAVM volume < 20 cm3 versus 20–40 cm3 versus > 40 cm3; p = 0.022). The significantly higher post-SRS hemorrhage rate of Spetzler-Martin grade IV–V compared with grade I–III bAVMs (20.0 versus 3.3 hemorrhages per 1000 person-years; p = 0.001) mainly originated from the diffuse bAVMs rather than the compact subgroup (30.9 versus 4.8 hemorrhages per 1000 person-years; p = 0.035). Compact and smaller bAVMs, with higher prescribed margin dose harbor lower risks of post-SRS hemorrhage. The post-SRS hemorrhage rate exceeded 2.2% annually within the diffuse and large (> 40 cm3) bAVMs and the diffuse Spetzler-Martin IV–V bAVMs. These findings may help guide patient selection of SRS for the unruptured bAVMs.
Real-time ex vivo monitoring of NK cell migration toward obesity-associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma following modulation of CX3CR1
Authors: Mylod Eimear , O’Connell Fiona , Donlon Noel E. , Davern Maria , Marion Caroline , Butler Christine , Reynolds John V. , Lysaght Joanne , Conroy Melissa J.
Published: February 2024

Oesophagogastric adenocarcinomas (OAC) are poor prognosis, obesity-associated cancers which may benefit from natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapies. Cellular immunotherapies encounter two key challenges to their success in OAC, namely recruitment to extratumoural tissues such as the omentum at the expense of the tumour and an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) which can hamper NK cell function. Herein, we examined approaches to overcome the detrimental impact of obesity on NK cells and NK cell-based immunotherapies. We have demonstrated that NK cells migrate preferentially to the chemotactic signals of OAC patient-derived omentum over tumour in an ex vivo model of immune cell migration. We have identified CX3CR1 modulation and/or tumour chemokine profile remodelling as approaches to skew NK cell migration towards tumour. We also report targetable immunosuppressive facets of the obese OAC TME which dampen NK cell function, in particular cytotoxic capabilities. These data provide insights into approaches to therapeutically overcome key challenges presented by obesity and will inform superior design of NK cell-based immunotherapies for OAC.
Targeting autophagy as a therapeutic strategy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Bwanika Henri Colyn , Leo Isabelle Rose , Struyf Nona , Talanti Asimina , Aswad Luay , Konnur Aishwarya , Björklund Ann-Charlotte , Heyman Mats , Rassidakis Georgios , Erkers Tom , Seashore-Ludlow Brinton , Jafari Rozbeh , Pokrovskaja Tamm Katja
Published: February 2024

Autophagy is activated in response to a variety of stress conditions including anti-cancer therapies, and tumors cells often depend on autophagy for survival. In this study, we have evaluated inhibition of autophagy as therapeutic strategy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children, both as a single treatment and in combination with glucocorticoid (GC) Dexamethasone (Dexa). Analysis of proteomics and RNA-seq of ALL cell lines and primary samples identified an upregulation of Vps34 and ATG14 proteins and autophagy and lysosomal pathway enrichment in a genetic subgroup with a recurrent t(12;21) translocation. Cells from this sugbroup were also significantly more sensitive to the selective autophagy or lysosomal inhibitors than cells with other genetic rearrangements. Further, combination of Dexa with either lysosomal or autophagy inhibitors was either synergistic or additive in killing leukemic cells across various genetic and lineage backgrounds, for both cell lines and primary samples, as assessed using viability assays and SynergyFinder as well as apoptotic caspase 3/7-based live-cell assays. Our data demonstrate that targeting autophagy represents a promising strategy for the treatment of pediatric ALL, both as a selective modality for the t(12;21) pre-B-ALL subgroup, and in combination treatments to sensitize to GC-induced cytotoxicity.
ATP6AP1 as a potential prognostic biomarker in CRC by comprehensive analysis and verification
Authors: Zhang Shijie , Wang Yan , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Min , Wu Hao , Tao Yuwen , Fan Wentao , Liu Li , Wang Bangting , Gao Wenqing
Published: February 2024

The role of ATP6AP1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains elusive despite its observed upregulation in pan-cancer. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the clinical significance of ATP6AP1 and its relationship with the immune infiltration in CRC. Transcriptome data of CRC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed using the combination of R packages and tumor-related databases, including TIMER2, TISIDB, cBioPortal, and MethSurv. The tissue arrays and immunohistochemical staining were performed to verify the expression and clinical characteristics of ATP6AP1. The results revealed that ATP6AP1 expression was significantly elevated in CRC and associated with poor clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrated ATP6AP1 expression was correlated with the infiltration of immune cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the microenvironment of CRC. Moreover, ATP6AP1 was found to be linked to various immune checkpoints and chemokines, with enrichment of cytoplasmic vesicle lumen, endopeptidase regulator activity, and endopeptidase inhibitor activity observed in the high ATP6AP1 expressional group. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that ATP6AP1 upregulation may serve as a biomarker for poor diagnosis in CRC and offer a potential target for immunotherapy in CRC.