bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inclusive DFT Insight into Sensing Mechanism of Cyclotetrapyrole Towards Lung Irritants
Authors: Ullah Saif , Sadia Haleema , Ullah Faizan , Jadoon Tabish
Published: November 2021

The development of smart sensing devices for toxic analytes detection especially lung irritants is much essential. The cyclic conducting polymers having infinite 𝜋-conjugation are proved to be highly sensitive for toxic analytes. Herein, by using the DFT approach, we investigated the sensing mechanism of cyclotetrapyrole (CTPy) for accurate detection of phosgene, diphosgene, chloropicrin and chlorine at the B3LYP-D3/6-31+ G (d, p) level. The calculated interaction energies show the physisorption of lungs irritants over the CTPy surface. Natural bond orbital (NBO) and charge decomposition (CDA) analyses predict charge transfer interactions in the complexes. The reduced density gradient (RDG) approach reveals that charge transfer electrostatic hydrogen bonding interactions dominate in the complexes. The sensitivity of CTPy towards lung irritants is further illustrated by the reduction in HOMO-LUMO energy gaps, red shifting of \({{\lambda }}_{\text{m}\text{a}\text{x}}\) in UV–Visible specta. Density of state (DOS) analysis affirm that enhanced conductivity upon complexation is due to the origination of new energy states in occupied and virtual orbitals nearer to the Fermi level. Moreover, PDOS spectra show that CTPy primarily contributes to the energy of HOMO. The outcome of the current study depicts appreciable sensitivity of CTPy towards lung irritants. We believe that the upshot of the current findings and their forecasts will provide useful guidelines for an experimentalist to design highly sensitive sensors for toxic analytes using CTPy.
Comparative Analysis of Three Pairs of Surrogate Redox Partners for in Vitro Activity Reconstitution of Class I Cytochrome P450 Enzymes
Authors: Liu Xiaohui , Li Fengwei , Sun Tianjian , Guo Jiawei , Zhang Xingwang , Zheng Xianliang , Du Lei , Zhang Wei , Ma Li , Li Shengying
Published: November 2021

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) are highly attractive biocatalysts due to their versatile catalytic activities. A vast majority of P450s require redox partner (RP) proteins to sequentially transfer two electrons for O2 activation and substrate oxidation. However, little information is available on cognate RPs for P450s, which greatly limits P450 function exploration and practical application. Thus, the stategy of building various hybrid P450 catalytic systems with surrogate RPs has often adopted to engineer P450 biocatalysts for different purposes. In this study, we comprehensively compare three pairs of frequently-used surrogate redox partners SelFdx1499/SelFdR0978, Adx/AdR and Pdx/PdR and in terms of their electron transfer properties. The three selected bacterial Class I P450s to accept electrons from RPs include PikC, P450sca-2 and CYP-sb21, which are responsible for production of macrolide antibiotics, the cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin, and a hair-growth-stimulating agent. Both experimental studies and structural analysis show that SelFdx1499/SelFdR0978 is the most promising RP compared to Adx/AdR and Pdx/PdR. The results provide insights into the domination for P450-redox partner interactions in modulating the catalytic activity of P450s. This study not only produces a more active biocatalyst but also suggests a general chose for a universal reductase which would facilitate engineering of P450 catalyst.
Visual Reaction Time: A Tool for Reducing Road Traffic Collisions and Driving Simulator.
Authors: Rajdeep Prashant , Patel Lajja , CD Steffy , Panchal Preeti
Published: November 2021

Objective- Attenuating post lockdown vehicular speed by employing visual reaction time as a tool to prime the citizens for creating decorum of driving and checking the road traffic fatalities.Background- It is indispensable to curb the driving speed post lockdown to avoid accidents. Even though, the impact of inactivity on RT has been well established, an insight into the new method can deal with the gross issue of road traffic casualty worldwide. Method- Using a web-based platform (http://physicsiology.com), quantification of post lockdown speed was achieved for 643 participants under average speed before lockdown and RT measurement. Results- Compared to pre lockdown vehicular speed, reduced post lockdown speed was well calculated and suggested. Also, there was a correlation between RT, age, and days of lockdown.Conclusions- Containment of speed can be achieved to prime people through RT. Additionally, RT can determine the rate of change of frequency (ROCOF) for detecting the swiftness of action (i.e., the brain's ability to deal with the transition between reaction times of different events) required for averting road traffic collisions. Compelling to suggest a need for a humanoid simulator that can garner real-time data.Application- Suggesting a fresh outlook for designing a contraption for a better appraisal of the fleet in driving skills, thus beaconing the course towards restraining road traffic fatalities
Modelling the Potential Acute and Post-Acute Burden of COVID-19 Under the Australian Border Re-Opening Plan
Authors: Angeles Mary Rose , Dona Sithara Wanni Arachchige , Nguyen Dieu , Le Long , Hensher Martin
Published: November 2021

Background
Concerns have grown that post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 may affect significant numbers of survivors. However, the analyses used to guide policy-making for Australia’s national and state re-opening plans have not incorporated non-acute illness in their modelling. We therefore develop a model by which to estimate the potential acute and post-acute COVID-19 burden using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with the re-opening of Australian borders and the easing of other public health measures, with particular attention to longer term, post-acute consequences and the potential impact of permanent functional impairment following COVID-19.
Methods
A model was developed to estimate the burden of COVID-19 using DALYs. It was then applied to different scenarios drawn from the Doherty Institute’s modelling report, to estimate the likely DALY losses under the Australian national reopening plan. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were performed to examine the robustness of the results.
Results
Mortality was responsible for 72%-74% of the total base case COVID-19 burden. Long COVID and post-intensive care syndrome accounted for at least 19% and 3% of the total base case DALYs respectively. When included in the analysis, permanent impairment could contribute up to 51%-55% of total DALYs lost.
Conclusions
The impact of Long COVID and potential long-term post-COVID disabilities could contribute substantially to COVID-19 burden in Australia’s post-vaccination setting. As vaccination coverage increases, the share of COVID-19 burden driven by longer-term morbidity rises relative to mortality. As Australia re-opens, better estimates of COVID-19 burden can assist with decision-making on pandemic control measures and planning for the healthcare needs of COVID-19 survivors. Our estimates highlight the importance of valuing the morbidity of post-COVID-19 sequelae, above and beyond simple mortality and case statistics.
Clinicopathological and Ultrasound Features as Risk Stratification Predictors of Clinical and Pathological Nodal Status in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Study of 748 Patients
Authors: ZHANG Cui , LI Baojun , ZHANG LEI , CHEN Fengjiao , ZHANG Yanhua , CHENG Wen
Published: November 2021

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common histological type of thyroid malignancy that tends to metastasize to cervical lymph nodes. In the present study, we aimed to investigate which clinicopathologic and ultrasound features of PTC are associated with clinical lymph node metastasis (LNM) and numbers of pathological LNM.Methods: From January 2016 to December 2018, we identified a cohort of patients with PTC who underwent cervical ultrasonography and were diagnosed through operation and pathology. Clinical N1(cN1) and >5 pathologic N1(pN1) was performed in accordance with a standardized protocol. A model to determine the intermediate risk stratification of the 2015 ATA was established using the outcomes of univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: we collected 748 PTC patients in the final inclusion criteria. From the analyses, primary tumor size >21mm, capsule contact, extrathyroidal extensions (ETE), postsurgical radioiodine (RAI) treatment and central LNM remained independent risk factors for cN1 in PTC patients. Multifocality, primary tumor size >21mm, capsule contact, ETE and RAI treatment are significant independent risk factors for >5 pN1. Primary tumor size >21mm, capsule contact, ETE and RAI treatment were independent risk factors for both cN1 and >5 pN1.Conclusions: We conclude that primary tumor size >21mm, capsule contact, ETE and RAI treatment were independent predictors of for intermediate risk of recurrence in patients with PTC. Ultrasonography is a good technique for the preoperative lymph node staging of PTC and is helpful for detecting LNM.
Characterization of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase Activase (Rca) Genes in Durum Wheat
Authors: Nigro Domenica , Giove Stefania L. , Colasuonno Pasqualina , de Pinto Roberta , Marcotuli Ilaria , Gadaleta Agata
Published: November 2021

Durum wheat is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crop in the Mediterranean area. Its production has been triggered by drought and rising temperature, both affecting the photosynthetic machinery. Rubisco is one of the most important enzymes in plants. Despite its major role in the control of carbon cycle it has a very low efficiency, which is restored by the action of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase (Rca), a protein belonging to the AAA+ family. The main objective of our work was to isolate and characterize Rca genes in durum wheat and determine their phylogeny with other main crops and model species. Besides a genetic and physical position of Rca1 gene was allowed in a RIL mapping population previously developed. In silico analysis, performed in order to understand whether Rca1 gene was differentially expressed under stress condition, highlighted that homoeologous Rca1 genes have different expression levels especially after infections by Zymoseptoria, powdrey mildew and fusarium. A deeper knowledge of Rca genes structures as well as a better understanding of their physiological role in durum wheat might be of greater importance in panning future modern breeding programs to improve crop yield in adverse environmental condition.
The Effect of Functional Mandibular Advancement for Adolecent Patients with Skeletal Class Ⅱ Malocclusion on the TMJ——a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ding Lan , Chen Rui , Liu Jiaxin , Wang Yuan , Chang Qian , Ren Liling
Published: November 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether functional mandibular advancement will induce or aggravate temporomandibular joint disorders.Methods: All searched databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails were searched. Gray literature and unpublished literature was also searched. Randomized controlled trails directly observe the condition of patients’ TMJ after finishing treatment will be considered to include in our study. Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of included studies according to the established inclusion criteria.Result:Finally 13 researches were statistically pooled in meta-analysis. The number of samples under investigated among primary studies was 285 individuals ,there were 142 patients who developed temporomandibular symptoms during or after treatment. But all the subjective symptoms disappeared during follow-up time. The statistical outcomes proved that patients recieved FMA didn’t show more tendency to develop temporomandibular symptoms[I²=25%, OR=0.39, 95%CI (0.22 ,0.68), p=0.001].Conclusion: (1) TMJ symptoms may occur during the functional oral appliance wearing, but the symptoms will release or disappear during follow-up period. (2) Less convinced evidence indicate that slightly previous TMD will be improved after treatment. (3) There is TMJ disc anterior displacement observed during treatment, but most of them will return to the normal position later. (4) Moderate evidence support that FMA will not induce or aggravate TMD.
Crossword Puzzle as a Learning Tool to Enhance Learning about Anticoagulant Therapeutics
Authors: Bawazeer Ghada , Sales Ibrahim , Alhammad Abdullah , Aldemerdash Ahmed , Mahmoud Mansour , Aljuhani Majeda , Albogumi Huda
Published: November 2021

BackgroundEducational games make the learning process more enjoyable, fun, and create a competitive classroom environment that can positively affect learning. This study sought to implement and evaluate pharmacy students’ perceptions towards using crossword puzzles (CWPs) as a learning tool in the pharmacotherapy cardiovascular module focusing on the therapeutics of anticoagulants.MethodsClues for the puzzle were developed, validated, and piloted by course faculty. A free internet puzzle generator was used to create puzzles with 10 to 20 clues. Students were given 30 minutes to solve the puzzle following the completion of the didactic topic. An 8-item survey instrument and Pharmacists’ Inventory of Learning Styles (PILS) questionnaire were administered to examine students’ perceptions of the game and their learning style preference, respectively.ResultsOver three consecutive course offerings, 267 students participated in the activity from both undergraduate programs (Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Most students expressed favorable perceptions of the puzzle. Female and BPharm students had significantly more favorable perceptions than male students and PharmD students on several perception items. There was no association between student perceptions and their learning styles.ConclusionCWP presented an innovative, creative, and easy active learning tool to enhance students’ learning and engagement.
Accurate Optimization Technique for Phase-Gradient Metasurfaces used in Compact Near-Field Meta-Steering Systems
Authors: Singh Khushboo , Afzal Muhammad U. , Esselle Karu P.
Published: November 2021

Near-field Meta-Steering (NFMS) is a constantly evolving and progressively emerging novel antenna beam-steering technology that involves an elegant assembly of a base antenna and a pair of phase-gradient metasurfaces (PGMs) placed in the near-field region of the antenna aperture. The upper PGM in a Near-Field Meta-Steering system receives an oblique incidence from the lower PGM at all times, a fact that is ignored in the traditional design process of upper metasurfaces. This work proposes an accurate optimization method for metasurfaces in NFMS systems to reduce signal leakage by suppressing the grating lobes and side lobes that are innate artifacts of beam-steering. We detail the design and optimization approach for both upper and lower metasurface. Compared to the conventionally optimized compact 2D steering system, the proposed system exhibits higher directivity and lower sidelobe and grating lobe levels within the entire scanning range. The broadside directivity is 1.4 dB higher, and the sidelobe level is 4dB lower in comparison. The beam-steering patterns for the proposed 2D compact design are experimentally validated, and the measured and predicted results are in excellent concurrence. The versatile compatibility of truncated PGMs with a low gain antenna makes it a compelling technology for wireless backhaul mesh networks and future antenna hardware.
Process Development of Ergothioneine by Submerged Fermentation of a Novel Medicinal Mushroom Panus Conchatus
Authors: Zhu Min , Han Yiwen , Hu Xuechao , Ren Lujing
Published: November 2021

Ergothioneine is a natural and safe antioxidant playing an important role in anti-aging and the prevention of various diseases. Mushrooms are the main dietary source of ergothioneine. This study aims to report a kind of medicinal mushroom Panus conchatus with great potential for the bioproduction of ergothioneine. Molasses and soy peptone could promote cell growth of Panus conchatus and enhance the accumulation of ergothioneine. Meanwhile, three precursors of cysteine, histidine and methionine were added to the broth, and the highest ergothioneine concentration of 148.79mg/L was obtained when adding 0.4 g/L cysteine. Finally, the crude ergothioneine extract was purified and further evaluated. The ergothioneine from Panus conchatus showed higher antioxidant activity than vitamin C and glutathione with good stability at lower pH environment. This research would provide a new method for the bioproduction of ergothioneine and lay foundation for the in-depth study about the exploration of natural products from Panus conchatus.
Intrinsic Topological Magnons In Arrays of Magnetic Dipoles
Authors: Mellado Paula
Published: November 2021

We study a simple magnetic system composed of periodically modulated magnetic dipoles with an easy axis. Upon adjusting the modulation amplitude alone, chains and two-dimensional stacked chains exhibit a rich magnon spectrum where frequency gaps and magnon speeds are easily manipulable. The blend of anisotropy due to dipolar interactions between magnets and geometrical modulation induces a magnetic phase with fractional Zak number in infinite chains and end states in open one-dimensional systems. In two dimensions it gives rise to topological modes at the edges of stripes. Tuning the amplitude in two-dimensional lattices causes a band touching, which triggers the exchange of the Chern numbers of the volume bands and switches the sign of the thermal conductivity.
Pharmacokinetics, Bioavailability and Tissue Distribution of Chitobiose and Chitotriose in Rats
Authors: Chen Mai , Jin Jiayang , Ji Xiaoguo , Chang Kunlin , Li Juan , Liming Zhao
Published: November 2021

Chitooligosaccharides (COSs) have various physiological activities and broad application prospects; however, their pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution remain unclear. In this study, a sensitive and selective ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method for determining chitobiose (COS 2) and chitotriose (COS 3) in rat serum and tissues was developed. This method was successfully validated based on FDA guidelines in terms of selectivity, calibration curves (lower limit of quantification was 0.002 µg/mL for COS 2 and 0.02 µg/mL for COS 3), precision (intra-day relative standard deviation of 0.04–3.55% and inter-day relative standard deviation of 1.94–11.63%), accuracy (intra-day relative error of -1.81–11.06% and inter-day relative error of -9.41–8.63%), matrix effects, recovery (97.10–101.29%), stability, dilution integrity, and carry-over effects. Then, the method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of COS 2 and COS 3 after intragastric and intravenous administration. After intragastric administration, COS 2 and COS 3 were rapidly absorbed, reached peak concentrations in the serum after approximately 0.45 h, and showed rapid elimination with clearances greater than 18.82 L/h/kg and half-lives lower than 6 h. The absolute oral bioavailability of COS 2 and COS 3 was 0.32–0.52%. COS 2 and COS 3 were widely distributed in Wistar rat tissues and could penetrated the blood-brain barrier without tissue accumulation.
Interaction Between a Robot and Bunimovich Stadium Billiards
Authors: Vasconcelos J. V. A. , Miranda-Filho L. H. , Souza A. J. F. , Romaguera A. R. C. , Barbosa A. L. R.
Published: November 2021

The robot–environment–task triad provides many opportunities to revisit physical problems with fresh eyes. Hence, we develop a simple experiment to observe chaos in classical billiards with a macroscopic 3.38-meter long setup. Using a digital video camera, one records the dynamic time evolution of the interaction between a robot and Bunimovich stadium billiards with specular reflection. From the experimental time series, we calculate the Lyapunov exponent λ as a function of a geometric parameter. The results are in concordance with theoretical predictions. In addition, we determine the Poincaré surface of section from the experimental data and check its sensitivity to the initial conditions as a function of time.
The Relationship Between Paroxysmal Vertigoes and Right-To-Left Shunt: A Large Observational Study
Authors: Liu Kaiming , Tian Xiulin , Hong Wenwu , Xiao Yujin , Chen Juanyan , Jin Haiti , Xu Xiaopei , Zang Tao , Zhang Liang , Pan Mengxiong , Zou Xiaodong
Published: November 2021

Background

The association between paroxysmal vertigo and right-to-left shunt (RLS) is rarely reported. We investigated the incidence and correlation of RLS in patients with different paroxysmal vertigo diseases.
Methods

This large observational study included patients with paroxysmal vertigo from seven different hospitals in China from 2017 to 2021 (NCT04939922). Migraine patients within the same period were included for comparison. Demographic data and medical history were collected, contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) was performed, and the clinical features, dizziness handicap inventory, and incidence of RLS in each group were recorded.
Results

This study used a consecutive sampling of 4536 patients from seven centres, and a total of 2751 patients were enrolled. The proportion of RLS in patients with migraine with aura (MA), migraine without aura (MoA), vestibular migraine (VM) with headache, VM without headache, and benign recurrent vertigo (BRV) was significantly higher than that in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s disease (MD), and vestibular paroxysmia (VP) (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference between the frequency of RLS in patients with BRV and those with MoA (P=0.931), MA (P=0.997), VM with migrainous headache (P=0.787), and VM without migrainous headache (P=0.754). There was a positive correlation between the RLS grade and the dizziness handicap inventory scores of VM and BRV patients (P<0.01).
Conclusions

RLS was significantly associated with BRV and VM. RLS may be involved in the pathogeneses of BRV and VM and may serve as a reference index for the differential diagnosis of central and peripheral vertigo.
Trial registration:

CHRS, NCT04939922, registered 14 June 2021- retrospectively registered, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov
Strikingly Distinctive NH3-SCR Behavior over Cu-SSZ-13 in the Presence of NO2
Authors: Shan Yulong , He Guangzhi , Du Jinpeng , Sun Yu , Liu Zhongqi , Fu Yu , Liu Fudong , Shi Xiaoyan , Yu Yunbo , He Hong
Published: November 2021

Commercial Cu-exchanged small-pore SSZ-13 (Cu-SSZ-13) zeolite catalysts are highly active for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3, but distinct from other catalyst systems, their activity is unexpectedly inhibited in the presence of NO2. Here, we combined kinetic experiments, in-situ/operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to obtain direct evidence that under reaction conditions, strong oxidation by NO2 forces Cu ions to exist mainly as fixed framework Cu2+ species (fw-Cu2+), which impede the formation of dynamic binuclear Cu+ species that serve as the main active sites for the standard SCR (SSCR) reaction. As a result, the SSCR reaction is significantly inhibited by NO2 in the zeolite system, and the NO2-involved SCR reaction occurs with an energy barrier higher than that of the SSCR reaction on dynamic binuclear sites. Moreover, the NO2-involved SCR reaction tends to occur at the Brønsted acid sites (BAS) rather than the fw-Cu2+ sites. This work clearly explains the strikingly distinctive selective catalytic behavior in the zeolite system.
Liraglutide Preserves CD34 + Stem Cells from Dysfunction Induced by High Glucose Exposure
Authors: Sforza Annalisa , Vigorelli Vera , Rurali Erica , Gambini Elisa , Arici Martina , Rinaldi Raffaella , Fiorina Paolo , Barbuti Andrea , Raucci Angela , Rocchetti Marcella , Pompilio Giulio , Genovese Stefano , Vinci Maria Cristina
Published: November 2021

Background: Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have shown to reduce mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since the impairment in number and function of vasculotrophic circulating CD34+ hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) in T2D has been reported to increase cardiovascular (CV) risk, we hypothesized that one of the mechanisms whereby GLP-1 RAs exert CV protective effects may be related to the ability to improve CD34+ HSPC function.Methods: In cord blood (CB)-derived CD34+ HSPC, the expression of GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) mRNA, receptor protein and intracellular signaling was evaluated by RT-qPCR and by Western Blot respectively. CD34+ HSPCs were exposed to high glucose (HG) condition and GLP-1RA liraglutide (LIRA) was added before as well as after functional impairment. Proliferation, CXCR4/SDF-1α axis activity and intracellular ROS production of CD34+ HSPC were evaluated. Results: CD34+ HSPCs express GLP-1R at transcriptional and protein level. LIRA treatment prevented and rescued HSPC proliferation and CXCR4/SDF-1α axis activity from HG-induced impairment. LIRA stimulation promoted intracellular cAMP accumulation as well as ERK1/2 and AKT signaling activation. The selective GLP-1R antagonist exendin (9-39) abrogated LIRA-dependent ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation along with the related protective effects. Conclusion: We provided the first evidence that CD34+ HSPC express GLP-1R and that LIRA can favorably impact on cell dysfunction due to HG exposure. These findings open new perspectives on the favorable CV effects of GLP-1 RAs in T2DM patients.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Surveillance Policies to Control the COVID-19 Pandemic in São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Barberia Lorena G , Moreira Natália de P. , Kemp Brigina , Veras Maria Amelia de Sousa Mascena , Zamudio Marcela , Rosa Isabel Seelaender Costa , Carvalho Rebeca de J. , Sousa Tatiane M.
Published: November 2021

Background: Surveillance efforts are critical to pandemic control, especially where the state is the primary health provider, such as Brazil. When public health testing guidelines limit RT-PCRs, there are reductions in detection efforts aimed at early recognition, isolation, and treatment of those infected with the virus.Methods: We conducted an interrupted time series analysis with a segmented regression model using publicly available data to analyze if changes in the state’s guidelines improved RT-PCR testing outcomes in Brazil’s most affluent and largest state, São Paulo, from March 2020 to June 2021. Results: The São Paulo state’s policy guidelines have changed substantially over time. In the first months, the public health system restricted RT-PCR testing to hospitalized cases. Testing was expanded to permit symptomatic testing of non-hospitalized persons only in July 2020. In September 2020, there was a review of the national surveillance guidelines and case definition was expanded to permit case confirmation based on clinical, laboratory and image data criteria other than an RT-PCR test. In February 2021, policies were revised to instruct public health agencies to increase epidemiological monitoring with genomic data. Results show an uneven improvement in testing outcomes following these changes across the state’s regional health departments. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that lower RT-PCR testing and genomic surveillance efforts are associated with areas characterized by a higher population concentration and a greater reliance of the population on the public health system.
The Critical Role of Glutamine Transporter ASCT2 in Parkinson’s Disease Progression
Authors: Mantena Rohit , Leonardi Donna
Published: November 2021

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and it plagues millions of people worldwide. PD presents with the loss of dopaminergic neurons, associated with increased oxidative stress. Glutathione (GSH) is a prominent antioxidant; in PD, however, GSH levels are significantly diminished. A precursor for GSH is the amino acid glutamine, which is converted to glutamate and then to GSH. The carrier for glutamine is a transport membrane protein, named ASCT2, and this protein regulates glutamine uptake. In various forms of cancer, inhibition of ASCT2 has led to oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis.This research looked to elucidate the role ASCT2 can play in PD progression by using α-synuclein transfected SH-SY5Y neurons as an in vitro model of PD. V-9302 is a competitive inhibitor of ASCT2 and was used to diminish ASCT2 transport and glutamine uptake to examine the in vitro hallmarks of PD progression. Increasing V-9302 concentrations (decreased ASCT2 activity) led to lower cell viability, higher ROS levels, and higher α-synuclein levels. Also, increasing V-9302 concentrations led to a decrease in intracellular glutamine, glutamate, and GSH levels. In addition, a power regression model was generated for each of glutamine, glutamate, and GSH vs α-synuclein to test the biomarker potential of each of these molecules for PD progression. Each of these molecules fit the regression model extraordinarily. The findings suggest that inhibition of ASCT2 lead to the heightened hallmarks of PD progression. Future research could examine the exciting therapeutic potential of upregulating ASCT2 on PD progression.
Osseus: A Method Based on Artificial Intelligence and Electromagnetic Waves for Ancillary Diagnosis of Osteoporosis
Authors: Albuquerque¹ Gabriela , Cruz¹ Agnaldo , Carvalho¹ Dionísio , Mayrink¹ Nadja , Pinheiro¹ Bruno , Campos¹ Antonio , Lima² Josivan Gomes , Henriques Jorge , Valentim¹ Ricardo
Published: November 2021

Background: Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density, which causes fractures and compromises people's quality of life. Diagnostic devices for assessing this health condition, such as Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), are very costly. Therefore, it is impracticable to meet the demand for tests in Brazil's 5,568 municipalities. Given that, we proposed a pre-clinical validation of a prototype developed to aid bone mineral density classification. Thus, Osseus integrates a microcontroller with other peripheral devices to measure the electromagnetic permittivity at the middle phalanx of the middle finger, with two antennas operating in the 2.45 GHz frequency range. Using Artificial Intelligence to identify risk factors alongside signal attenuation measurement indicates the need for DXA. Results: We conducted tests with plaster, Galliformes, and porcine bones. Comparison of the measurements of the original and mechanically altered samples have demonstrated that the device can handle the complexity of the tissues within the bone structure and characterize its microarchitecture. Conclusions: Osseus is a prototype and has been preliminarily validated. There is a lack of validation studies with the reference/gold standard that are currently under development. Osseus enables early detection of osteoporosis, reduces costs, and optimizes high-complexity testing referrals.
A Data-driven Minimum Stiffness Prediction Method for Machining Regions of Aircraft Structural Parts
Authors: Chen Jiarui , Li Yingguang , Liu Xu , Deng Tianchi
Published: November 2021

Large thin-walled structural parts have been widely used in aircrafts for the purpose of weight reduction. These parts usually contain various thin-walled complex structures with weak local stiffness, which are easy to deform during machining if improper cutting parameters are selected. Thus, local stiffness has to be seriously considered during the machining parameter planning. Existing stiffness calculation methods mainly include mechanics calculation methods, empirical formula methods, finite element methods, and surrogate-based methods. However, due to the structural complexity, these methods are either inaccurate or time consuming. To address this issue, this paper proposes a data-driven method for stiffness prediction of aircraft structural parts. First, machining regions of aircraft structural part finishing are classified into bottom, sidewall, rib and corner to further define the minimum stiffness of machining regions. Then, by representing the part geometry with attribute graph as the input feature, while computing the minimum stiffness using FEM as the output label, stiffness prediction is turned to a graph learning task. Thus, a graph neural network (GNN) is designed and trained to map the attribute graph of a machining region to its minimum stiffness. In the case study, a dataset of aircraft structural parts is used to train four GNN models to predict the minimum stiffness of the defined four types of machining regions. Compared with FEM results, the average percentage errors on the test set are 6.717%, 7.367%, 7.432% and 5.962% respectively. In addition, the data driven model once trained, can greatly reduce the time in predicting the stiffness of a new part compared with FEM, which indicates that the proposed method can meet the engineering requirements in both accuracy and computational efficiency.
Appraisal of Anchor Arrangement and Size On Sand-Geogrid Interaction In Direct Shear
Authors: Abdi Mahmood Reza , Chafjiri Mehdi PourRamezan
Published: November 2021

Soil – reinforcement interaction is a major factor in the analysis and design of reinforced earth structures. In current research the effects of attaching elements of different size and numbers as anchors on enhancement of interaction at soil - geogrid interface under direct shear conditions were studied. Poorly and well graded sands (SC & Sf), a high density polyethylene geogrid, anchors with three different size and numbers (layouts) and clamping length of 2cm from shear surface were used. Samples were prepared dry at a relative density of 80% in a 30×30cm direct shear box and subjected to normal pressures of 12.5, 25 and 50kPa with the shear load applied at a rate of 1mm/min. Results of the assessment show that anchored geogrids improve shear resistance at interface mainly due to mobilization of passive soil resistance that is significantly influenced by the magnitude of the normal pressure and the number and size of anchors. Interaction enhancements achieved varied between a minimum of 8% and a maximum of 42%.
End-to-End Joint Multi-Object Detection and Tracking for Intelligent Transportation Systems
Authors: Xu Qing , Lin Xuewu , CAI Mengchi , Guo Yu-ang , Zhang Chuang , Li Kai , Li Keqiang , Wang Jianqiang , Cao Dongpu
Published: November 2021

Environment perception is one of the most critical technology of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Motion interaction between multiple vehicles in ITS makes it important to perform multi-object tracking (MOT). However, most existing MOT algorithms follow the tracking-by-detection framework, which separates detection and tracking into two independent segments and limit the global efficiency. Recently, a few algorithms have combined feature extraction into one network; however, the tracking portion continues to rely on data association, and requires complex post-processing for life cycle management. Those methods do not combine detection and tracking efficiently. This paper presents a novel network to realize joint multiobject detection and tracking in an end-to-end manner for ITS, named as global correlation network (GCNet). Unlike most object detection methods, GCNet introduces a global correlation layer for regression of absolute size and coordinates of bounding boxes, instead of offsetting predictions. The pipeline of detection and tracking in GCNet is conceptually simple, and does not require complicated tracking strategies such as non-maximum suppression and data association. GCNet was evaluated on a multi-vehicle tracking dataset, UA-DETRAC, demonstrating promising performance compared to state-of-the-art detectors and trackers.
Identification of CircRNA-Associated ceRNA Networks Using Longissimus Thoracis of Pigs of Different Breeds and Growth Stages
Authors: Zhuang Xiaona , Lin Zekun , Luo Junyi , Chen Ting , Xi Qianyun , Zhang Yongliang , Sun Jiajie , Xie Fang
Published: November 2021

Background: Long-term artificial selection for growth rate and lean meat rate has eventually led to meat quality deterioration. Muscle fiber type is a key factor that markedly affects meat quality. circRNAs have been reported to participate in diverse biological activities, including myofiber growth and development; thus, we herein compared porcine circRNA transcriptome between oxidative and glycolytic muscle tissues. Results: Longissimus thoracis muscle tissues were obtained from Lantang and Landrace pigs at birth (LT1D and LW1D, respectively) and 90 postnatal days (LT90D and LW90D, respectively). Hematoxylin and eosin staining and quantitative real-time PCR revealed that all structural traits of the muscle showed large variations between different breeds and growth stages. In total, 329 known miRNAs and 42,081 transcript candidates were identified; 6,962 differentially expressed transcripts were found to play a key role in myogenesis by gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses. In addition, 3,352 circRNAs were identified using five predicting algorithms, and 104 circRNA candidates were differentially expressed. Integrated analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs, mRNAs, and circRNAs led to the identification of 777, 855, and 22 convincing ceRNA interactions in LT1D vs. LT90D, LW1D vs. LW90D, and LT90D vs. LW90D, respectively. Finally, we identified a circRNA candidate circKANSL1L, which showed high homology between mice and pigs, and it was found to inhibit the proliferation of C2C12 cells but promote their differentiation.Conclusions: We identified genome-wide circRNAs in 0- and 90-day-old Lantang and Landrace pigs by RNA-seq and found that circRNAs were abundant, differentially expressed, and associated with myogenesis. Our results should serve as a reference for future studies on pork quality.
Expanding Arsenal Against Diabetes Mellitus Through Nanoformulations Loaded With Glimepiride and Simvastatin: A Comparative Study
Authors: Pandey Narendra Kumar , SINGH SACHIN KUMAR , Kumar Bimlesh , Gulati Monica , Vishwas Sukriti , Khursheed Rubiya , Dureja Harish , Chellappan Dinesh Kumar , Jha Niraj Kumar , Sharma Ankur , Jha Saurabh Kumar , Gupta Piyush Kumar , Gupta Saurabh , Gupta Gaurav , Prasher Parteek , Dua Kamal
Published: November 2021

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most common and life-threatening diseases found across the globe. It occurs due to insulin resistance (IR). Major causes of IR include obesity, sedentary life style and hyperlipidemia. Glimepiride (GLM) is one of the most common oral sulphonyl ureas that is being used to treat diabetes and Simvastatin (SIM) is one of the most common statins that is used to treat hyperlipidaemia. However, both the drugs suffer from dissolution rate limited oral bioavailability. In the present study two such drugs, GLM and SIM were co-formulated into nanosuspension (NS) as well as self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (L-SNEDDS). Both formulations were spray dried for solidification and evaluated for their antidiabetic potential against high fat diet and streptozotocin induced rat model. The study showed significant (p< 0.05) decrease in lipid/cholesterol and blood glucose levels and significant increase in antioxidant levels in the rats treated with NS and SNEDDS containing the drugs alone as well as their combination as compared to their unprocessed forms. However, the efficacy was more prominent in case of combination possibly due to dual benefits i.e., decrease in IR due to statin and control of blood glucose level. Among NS and SNEDDS, NS was found more efficacious than that of the SNEDDS possibly due to higher enhancement of oral bioavailability in case of NS.
TMCO1expression Promotes Cell Proliferation and Induces Epithelial-mesenchymal Transformation in Human Gliomas
Authors: gao lun , Ye Zhang , Liu Jun-Hui , Yang Ji-An , Li Yong , Cai Jia-Yang , Wang Yi-Xuan , Tong Shi-Ao , Deng Gang , Chen Qian-xue
Published: November 2021

Transmembrane and coiled-coil domains 1 (TMCO1) is a recently discovered transmembrane protein of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which plays a critical role in maintaining calcium homeostasis. TMCO1 dysfunction has been proved to be closely related to a variety of human diseases, including glaucoma, deformities, mental retardation and tumorigenesis. However, the role of TMCO1 in gliomas remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to detect the role of TMCO1 in the pathogenesis and progression of gliomas. This study demonstrated that TMCO1 was up-regulated in gliomas and its overexpression predicted poor prognosis. We also revealed that the expression of TMCO1 was associated with the World Health Organization (WHO) grade of gliomas. Knockdown of TMCO1 inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of U87 and U251cells. In addition, TMCO1 induced GBM cell migration and invasion by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These dates collectively proved the crucial role of TMCO1 as a novel prognostic factor and underlying therapeutic target for glioma patients.
Biotic resistance or invasional meltdown? Diversity reduces invasibility but not exotic dominance in southern California epibenthic communities
Authors: Beshai Ryan Amir , Truong Danny , Henry Amy , Sorte Cascade
Published: November 2021

High community diversity may either prevent or promote the establishment of exotic species. The biotic resistance hypothesis holds that species-rich communities are more resistant to invasion than species-poor communities due to greater interspecific competition. Conversely, the invasional meltdown hypothesis proposes that greater exotic diversity increases invasibility via facilitative interactions between exotic species. To evaluate the degree to which biotic resistance or invasional meltdown influences marine community structure during the assembly period, we studied the development of marine epibenthic “fouling” communities at two southern California harbors. We found that fewer exotic species established as total and exotic richness increased during community assembly and that this effect remained after accounting for space availability. We also found that changes in exotic abundance decreased over time. Throughout the assembly period, gains in exotic abundance were greatest when space was abundant and richness was low. Altogether, we found greater support for biotic resistance than invasional meltdown, suggesting that both native and exotic species contribute to biotic resistance during early community development. However, this resistance may not reduce the total dominance of exotic species.
Studium als sozialer Raum. Ein Schreibgespräch zwischen Studierenden und Lehrenden.
Authors: Lohner David , Mozer Pia , Schmid-Walz Sabrina , Neukirch Marie , Karrer Maria , Weinmann Sophia
Published: November 2021

Das Studium unter den Bedingungen der Corona-Pandemie ist durch zahlreiche, vorwiegend quantitative Studien untersucht worden. Der Beitrag wirft einen qualitativen Blick auf die Erfahrung der Studierenden und Lehrenden der Studiengänge Pädagogik und Ingenieurpädagogik des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie (KIT). Aspekte eines (teil-)digitalisierten Studiums werden in einem Schreibgespräch erörtert und durch Aussagen aus Interviews belegt. So zeigt sich, dass frontale Lehrangebote von digital-asynchronen Formaten wie Vorlesungsaufzeichnung oder Blended-Learning profitieren können, wohingegen diskursives Lernen im digitalen Raum nur teilweise abgebildet werden kann. Die sozialen Aspekte des Studien-alltags und die zwischenmenschliche Kommunikation sind im Digitaleneingeschränkt. Die Auswirkungen des überwiegend virtuellen Studienbetriebs auf fachlich-inhaltliche und sozial-kommunikative Aspekte am Standort werden im Beitrag beleuchtet. Dabei wird der Frage nachgegangen, wie das Studium in der Zeit nach der Corona-Pandemie aufgestellt werden sollte, um sozialen Austausch zu ermöglichen und weiter der erhöhten Flexibilität und den durch die Digitalisierung vergrößerten didaktischen Möglichkeiten Rechnung zu tragen.
Lehrer*innenbildung im Kontext kultureller Veränderungsprozesse.
Authors: Uta Hauck-Thum
Published: November 2021

Lehrer*innenbildung an Hochschulen findet aktuell im digitalen Raum statt, da Lehrangebote pandemie-bedingt nicht länger ortsgebunden ausgebracht werden können. Die größten Herausforderungen für Studierende ergeben sich dabei in erster Linie aus der Nutzung digitaler Angebotsstrukturen. Unter Digitalisierung wird in der Breite nach wie vor die Verwendung online-basierter (Lern-)Plattformen zur Verteilung von Materialien verstanden, die ihre ursprüngliche Struktur und die damit verbundenen Aufgabenformate auch in digitaler Form beibehalten. Außer Acht gelassen werden dabei oft einschneidende kulturelle Veränderungsprozesse und das damit einhergehende Verständnis einer neuen Lehr- und Lernkultur, das bereits während des Studiums angebahnt werden sollte, um überfällige Transformationsprozesseim Bildungssystem endlich flächendeckend anzustoßen. Damit Lehrer*innenbildung dementsprechend anschlussfähig bleibt, bedarf es einer grundsätzlichen Umorientierung, damit relevante Fragestellungen im Rahmen von Seminaren partizipativ umgesetzt und kooperativ bearbeitet werden können. Der Beitrag veranschaulicht anhand eines universitären Seminarkonzeptes im Lehramtsstudium an Grundschulen, wie Studierende vielfältige Erfahrungen mit veränderten Lehr- und Lernprozessen gemäß der Kultur der Digitalität machen können, indem sie aktiv an gemeinschaftlichenGestaltungsprozessen partizipieren.
Digitale Öffentlichkeit als Demokratie 2.0
Authors: Tannrath Michelle
Published: November 2021

Der Beitrag intendiert, die digitale Öffentlichkeit als einen neuen politischen Raum vorzustellen. Welch einschneidende Veränderungen der digitale Wandel mit sich bringt, soll anhand eines Vergleichs gesellschaftlicher Aspekte vor und nach der Etablierung des Internets aufgezeigt werden. Im Zuge dieses Vergleichs kristallisiert sich eine Ambivalenz der neuen Demokratieform heraus. Mit ihren vielfältigen Partizipationsmöglichkeiten zeigt sich die digitale Demokratie einerseits höchst demokratiefördernd. Auf der anderen Seite trägt die neugeschaffene Freiheit jedoch zu einem Erstarken rechtspopulistischer Bewegungen bei. Es wird daher für eine Verantwortungsethik der mediatisierten Welt sowie für eine verstärkte Vermittlung einer Medienkompetenz plädiert, um das Potenzial der digitalen Demokratie ausschöpfen und den demokratiegefährdenden Tendenzen entgegensteuern zu können.
Bericht zur Diskussionsrunde „Fehlende Nachrichten- und Informationskompetenz – Kann Medienbildung die Demokratie retten?“
Authors: Merz Olga
Published: November 2021

Berichtet wird im Beitrag über eine von der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung des Saarlandes veranstaltete Diskussionsrunde zum Thema „Fehlende Nachrichten- und Informationskompetenz – Kann Medienbildung die Demokratie retten?“. Als pädagogisches Handlungsfeld fokussiert die Medienpädagogik traditionell Kinder und Jugendliche, in dieser Veranstaltung wurde dagegen die Informationskompetenz der Erwachsenen in den Blick genommen. Diskussionsgrundlage bildete die Studie „Quelle: Internet?“ der Stiftung Neue Verantwortung. Darin wurde im Rahmen einer Onlinebefragung untersucht, wie sich Erwachsene im Internet informieren und dabei ein Mangel an „Nachrichten- und Informationskompetenz“ festgestellt. Auf Basis der Studie erörterten die Diskussionsteilnehmer*innen, welche Kompetenzen benötigt werden, um sich in den heutigen medialen und onlinebasierten Öffentlichkeiten zurechtzufinden. Daran anknüpfend wurde die Bedeutung von Medienbildung als Ermöglicherin partizipativer, demokratischer Prozesse diskutiert.

 

Aufzeichnung des Livestreams der Veranstaltung unter: youtube.com/watch?v=Vm3XLW0ba1c.