bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rice Root-Associated Endophytic Microbiome in Correspondence To Different Levels of Salinity At Indian Sundarban Areas
Authors: Das Gargi , Dhal Paltu Kumar
Published: December 2021

The present study attempted to analyse rice root endogenous microbial diversity and their relationship with soil salinity and physicochemical factors in the salt stressed region of Sundarbans, India using amplicon metagenomics approaches. Our investigation indicates, the unique microbiome at slightly acidic nutrient enriched non-saline zone characterized by microbial genera that reported either having plant growth promotion (Flavobacterium, Novosphingobium and Kocuria) or biocontrol abilities (Leptotrichia) whereas high ionic alkaline saline stressed zone dominated with either salt-tolerant microbes or less characterized endophytes (Arcobacter and Vogesella). The number of genera represented by significantly abundant OTUs was higher at the non-saline zone compared to that of the saline stressed zone probably due to higher nutrient concentrations and the absence of abiotic stress factors including salinity. Physicochemical parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were found significantly positively correlated with Muribaculaceae highly enriched at the non-saline zone. However, relative dissolved oxygen was found significantly negatively correlated with Rikenellaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae, enriched in the non-saline soil. This study gives a well resolved picture of microbial community composition impacted by salinity and other rhizospheric soil factors.
Visualization of Hidden Structure and Shape in Ct Image via Non-Linear Perspective Foreground and Back Ground Projection
Authors: pan parthee , Perinbam Raja Paul , Murthy Krishna , Nagalingam Shanker Rajendiran , s krishna kumari , B chinthamani
Published: December 2021

The neurologist analyse the brain images to diagnose the disease via structure and shape of the part in the scanned Medical images such as CT, MRI, and PET.The Medical image segmentation perform less in the regions where no or little contrast,artefacts over the different boundary regions. The manual process of segmentation show poor boundary differentiation dueto discernibility in shape and location, intra and inter observer reliability. In this paper, we propose a dyadic Cat optimization (DCO) algorithm to segment the regions in the brain from CT and MRI image via Non- linear perspective Foreground and Back Ground projection. The DCO algorithm remove the artefacts in the boundary regions and provide the exact structure and shape of the brain regions. The DCO algorithm show the region boundary such as plerygomaxillary fissure, occipital lobe, vaginal process zygomatic arch, maxilla and piriform aperture with high visibility in the regions of inadequately visible boundary and distinguish the deformable shape. The DCO algorithm show the increased SSIM and 90 percent accuracy.
BRCA1 Interactors - Rad50 and BRIP1: As Prognostic and Predictive Molecules for the Severity of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Laha Suparna , Katheeja Muhseena N , Das Shankar , Das Ranajit
Published: December 2021

BRIP1 is one of the major interacting partner of BRCA1 which plays an important role in repair by homologous recombination (HR). This gene is mutated in around 4% cases of breast cancer, however, its mechanism of action is unclear. In this study, we presented the fundamental role of BRCA1 interactors BRIP1 and RAD50 in the development of differential severity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer(TNBC) among various affected individuals. We showed that in some TNBC lines like MDA-MB-231 the functioning of both BRCA1/TP53 is compromised. Furthermore, the sensing of DNA damage is affected, depicted through the low expression of damage sensing molecule Rad50 and reduced formation of H2AX foci. Due to less damage sensing capability and low availability of BRCA1 at the damage sites, the repair by HR becomes inefficient leading to more damage. Accumulation of damage sends a signal for over activation of NHEJ repair pathways. Over expressed NHEJ molecules with compromised HR and checkpoint conditions lead to higher proliferation and error-prone repair, which increases the mutation rate and corresponding tumor severity. The severity phenotypes were more in cells having compromised BRCA1-BRIP1 functioning. The in silico analysis of the TCGA-UCSC xena datasets with genes expression in deceased population shows a significant correlation of BRCA1 expression with OS in TNBCs (0.0272). The association of BRCA1 with OS becomes stronger with the addition of BRIP1expression (0.000876**). Since the overall survival(OS) is directly proportional to the extent of severity, the data analysis hints at the role of BRIP1 in controlling the severity of TNBC.
Do High-mobility Group Box 1 Gene Polymorphisms Affect the Incidence of Differentiation Syndrome in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia?
Authors: Hoseinzadeh Ghazaleh , Mohammadzadeh Zahra , Chahardouli Bahram , Moghaddam Kamran Ali , Mousavi Seyed Asadollah , Omidkhoda Azadeh , Rostami Shahrbano
Published: December 2021

Differentiation syndrome (DS) is an inflammatory complication seen in some patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) undergoing differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO). It is unknown how DS occurs, but it is believed that it is caused by inflammatory cytokines release from differentiating leukemic cells. High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a DNA-binding protein that acts as a cytokine outside of cells and may play a role in inflammation. This study was conducted to determine whether HMGB1 polymorphisms (rs1360485, rs2249825 and rs1060348) are associated with the incidence of differentiation syndrome in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients treated with all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide. One hundred and thirty APL patients and 100 healthy controls were included. Seventeen patients with differentiation syndrome were selected according to the PETHEMA criteria. Tetra-primer ARMS polymerase chain reaction (tetra-ARMS PCR) was used to determine the genotype distribution of polymorphisms. DNA sequencing was done to validate the results. In both healthy and APL patients, AA was the most frequent genotype in rs1360485 followed by AG and GG. CC, CG, and GG were the most frequent genotypes in rs2249825 polymorphism in the order mentioned. CC was more frequent than CT, and CT was more frequent than TT in rs1060348. There was no correlation between HMGB1 polymorphisms and the incidence of differentiation syndrome based on genetic models (p-value > 0.05). As a result, HMGB1 polymorphisms are not probably associated with DS development in APL patients treated with ATRA and ATO.
Atomistic Evidence of Nucleation Mechanism for the Direct Graphite-to-Diamond Transformation
Authors: Luo Duan , Yang Liuxiang , xie hongxian , Sriniva Srilok , Tian Jinshou , Sankaranarayanan Subramanian , Arslan Ilke , Yang Wenge , Mao Ho-Kwang , Wen Jianguo
Published: December 2021

The direct graphite-to-diamond transformation mechanism has been a subject of intense study and remains debated concerning the initial stages of the conversion, the intermediate phases, and their transformation pathways. Here, we successfully recover samples at early conversion stage by tuning high-pressure/high-temperature conditions and reveal direct evidence supporting the nucleation-growth mechanism. Atomistic observations show that intermediate orthorhombic graphite phase mediates the growth of diamond nuclei. Furthermore, we observe that quenchable orthorhombic and rhombohedra graphite are stabilized in buckled graphite at lower temperatures. These intermediate phases are further converted into hexagonal and cubic diamond at higher temperatures following energetically favorable pathways in the order: graphite -> orthorhombic graphite -> hexagonal diamond, graphite -> orthorhombic graphite -> cubic diamond, graphite -> rhombohedra graphite -> cubic diamond. These results significantly improve our understanding of the transformation mechanism, enabling the synthesis of different high-quality forms of diamond from graphite.
Outcomes of Post-Traumatic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in Young Patients with and Without Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) at a Level-1 Trauma Center
Authors: Al-Thani Hassan , Al-Hassani Ammar , El-Menyar Ayman , Asim Mohammad , Fawzy Ibrahim
Published: December 2021

Background

We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of post-traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in young patients with and without Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.
Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted for trauma patients who developed ARDS at a level I trauma facility between 2014 and 2020. Data were analyzed and compared between ECMO and non-ECMO group.
Results

We identified 85 patients with ARDS (22 patients had ECMO support and 63 matched patients managed by the conventional mechanical ventilation; 1:3 matching ratio). The two groups were comparable for age, sex, injury severity score, abbreviated injury score, shock index, SOFA score, and head injury. Kaplan Meier survival analysis showed that the survival in the ECMO group was initially close to that of the non-ECMO, however, during follow-up, the survival rate was better in the ECMO group, but did not reach statistical significance (Log-rank, p=0.43 and Tarone-Ware, p=0.37). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that acute kidney injury (AKI) (Odds ratio 13.03; 95% CI 3.17-53.54) and brain edema (Odds ratio 4.80; 95% CI 1.10-21.03) were independent predictors of mortality. Sub-analysis showed that in patients with severe Murray Lung Injury (MLI) scores, non-ECMO group had higher mortality than the ECMO group (100% vs 36.8%, p=0.004).
Conclusion

Although ARDS is uncommon in young trauma patients, it has a high mortality. ECMO therapy was used in a quarter of ARDS cases. AKI and brain edema were the predictors of mortality among ARDS patients. ECMO use did not worsen the outcome in trauma patients; however, the survival was better in those who had severe MLI and ECMO support. Further prospective study is needed to define the appropriate selection criteria for the use of ECMO to optimize the outcomes in trauma patients.
Comparative Phylogenomic Analysis of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases From Fusarium Species
Authors: Dauda Wadzani Palnam , Glen Elkanah , Abraham Peter , Adetunji Charles Oluwaseun , Morumda Daji , Abraham Shittu Emmanuel , Wabba Grace Peter , Ogwuche Israel Ogra , Azameti Mawuli K.
Published: December 2021

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) are a unique multifamily class of enzymes that possess the capability to exhibit catalytic versatility in several biochemical reactions which entails metabolite biosynthesis, primary and secondary metabolism. Fusarium spp. is an important microorganism with many members known to produce secondary metabolites that cause plant diseases and mycotoxicoses in animals and humans. In this present study, from the initially screened 4,579 proteins, we elucidated the nature of abundance, evolutionary relationships, classification and cellular location of 320 cytochrome P450 from 17 phytopathogenic members of Fusarium species. The total CYPs protein sequences were phylogenetically grouped into seventeen (17) clades. Eighty-six (86) CYPs families and forty-eight (48) clans were identified. Twenty-seven (27) families were each found in only one species. The CYPs were found to be majorly localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. The non-ribosomal peptide synthetase-like (NRPS-like) gene cluster was the predominant secondary metabolic-related gene cluster across all the seventeen selected Fusarium species except in F. cucurbiticola and F. solani, where PolyKetide Synthase (PKS) was the most prevalent. The presence of numerous families and clans as observed in in this study shows the expansions of the CYPs families across Fusarium species, this CYPs family and clan expansion is often associated with the evolvement of several fungal traits that include their pathogenicity adaptation to survive on an extensive range of toxic substrates. Identification of P450 proteins in these pathogenic fungi provides fundamental information for further basic and applied biological research into the physiological and toxigenic roles of P450s in Fusarium species.
Characterisation of Disease Patterns of Dermatomyositis with Different Initial Manifestations
Authors: Sun Yue , Li Dai-Feng , Zhang Yin-Li , Xu Liang , Li Tian-Fang
Published: December 2021

Objectives
To study the characteristics and prognosis of dermatomyositis (DM) with different initial symptoms.
Patients and methods:
A retrospective analysis was performed on the patients who were first diagnosed with DM from 1 Jan. 2019 to 1 Jan. 2021. According to different initial symptoms, patients were divided into five groups, including rash, myasthenia, arthritis, respiratory symptom and atypical symptom group. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded. All patients were followed up until 31st May 2021.
Results
In total 136 patients, rash (40%) was the most common initial symptoms of DM, followed by respiratory symptoms (22%), arthritis (20%), muscle weakness (10%) and atypical symptoms (8%). Rash groups and atypical groups had a higher positive rate of anti-TIF1γ antibodies than arthritis groups and respiratory symptom groups (P < 0.05). Respiratory symptom and arthritis groups had a higher positive rate of anti-Ro52 antibodies than rash and myasthenia groups (P < 0.05). Respiratory groups had a higher incidence of ILD than rash and atypical groups. The FVC and DLCO in respiratory group were significantly lower than rash, arthritis and atypical groups (P < 0.05). The 3-year survival rate of rash groups was significantly higher than myasthenia groups and arthritis groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
DM patients with different initial manifestations had different pulmonary function tests, myositis antibodies and prognosis.
Comparison of the Floristic Composition and Diversity of Two Wetlands in Ethiopian
Authors: Moges Admasu , Dibaba Abyot
Published: December 2021

The main purpose of this study was to determine and compare the floristic composition and diversity indices of Washa and Borale Wetlands, located in Central Ethiopian. As revealed in the result, 74 species belonging to 26 families, and 57 genera were identified. Asteraceae and Poaceae were the most dominant families contributing 24.56% and 14.04% to the total genera, and 20.27% and 16.22% to the total species identified, respectively. Of the total, about 92% plant species were herbs, whereas 1% was climber, the least one. The alpha diversity of the Washa and Borale wetlands were 51 and 64, respectively. The average richness of the Washa and Borale wetlands were 12.3 ±0.91, and 15.35 ± 0.89, respectively. Likewise, the Shannon diversity (H’) and evenness (E) of Washa and Borale sites were 2.24 and 0.87, and 2.67 and 0.97 respectively. Accordingly, based on their average values, the diversity, evenness and richness indices were higher in Borale than Washa sites, and showed significance difference between the two wetlands (P < 0.05). Likewise, in both sites, especially in Borale, the majority of the species were native, annual and upland, implying the suitability of the wetlands to these native, but to annual and upland invaders due to the ecological and hydrological modifications of the wetlands, and competitive exclusion of the native aquatic plants by upland annual plants. Generally, many of the wetlands’ species were annual and upland invaders. Hence, in-situ and ex-situ strategic plans are required for restoring the wetlands via giving priority.
Evaluation of Neoproterozoic Source Rock Potential in SE Pakistan and Adjacent Bikaner- Nagaur Basin India Based on Integrated Geochemical, Geological, and Geophysical Data
Authors: Yasin Qamar , Baklouti Syrine , Sohail Ghulam Mohyuddin , Asif Muhammad , Xufei Gong
Published: December 2021

Discoveries of heavy crude oil in the Neoproterozoic rocks (Infracambrian rock sequence) from the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin of India emphasizes the significance to study and explore the Neoproterozoic source rocks potential in the southeastern part of Pakistan. This study evaluates the potential of the source rock in the Infracambrian rock sequence (Salt Range Formation) based on surface geochemical surveys, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, source biomarkers, geophysical characterization, and seismic inversion using machine learning for maturity index estimation. Core samples of Infracambrian rock were extracted for Rock-Eval pyrolysis and biomarker characterization. Also, 81 geo-microbial soil and gas samples were collected from the surface to explore the petroleum system and potential source rocks in the subsurface. We followed the standard laboratory procedures to investigate the origin and concentration of hydrocarbons gases at the surface, thermal maturity, the source facies, and the environment of deposition of organic matter. The results show that the investigated samples are characterized by restricted marine clay devoid of carbonate source facies with thermal maturity in the early-stage of the oil generation window. Surface geochemical samples also confirm higher concentrations of thermogenic C2-C4 hydrocarbons over the vicinity of anticlinal structures proving the existence of an effective migration path along deep-seated faults to the surface. The inverted maturity index profile demonstrates a reasonable correlation of thermal maturity with the surface geochemical survey, source biomarkers, and Rock-Eval pyrolysis. It validates the reliability of multilayer linear calculator and particle swarm optimization algorithms for inverting seismic reflection data into a maturity index profile. The obtained results indicate a higher probability of heavy and light oil along the eastern flank of Pakistan, where Infracambrian rocks are thicker and more thermally mature, and deep-seated pledged structural closures occur, in comparison to the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin, India.
A Nomogram for Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Takotsubo Syndrome
Authors: Chen Jun , Wang Yimin , Shou Xinyang , Liu Qiang , Mei Ziwei
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND
Despite the large number of studies focus on the prognosis and in-hospital outcomes risk factors of patients with takotsubo syndrome, there was still lack of utility and visual risk prediction model for predicting the in-hospital mortality of patients with takotsubo syndrome.
OBJECTIVES
Our study aimed to establish a utility risk prediction model for the prognosis of in-hospital patients with takotsubo syndrome (TTS).
METHODS
The study is a retrospective cohort study. Model of in-hospital mortality of TTS patients was developed by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Calibration and discrimination were used to assess the performance of the nomogram. The clinical utility of the model was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA).
RESULTS
Overall, 368 TTS patients (320 Survivals and 48 deaths) were included in our research from MIMIC-IV database. The incidence of in-hospital mortality with TTS is 13.04%. Lasso regression and multivariate logistic regression model verified that potassium, pt, age, myocardial infarction, WBC, hematocrit, anion gap and SOFA score were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality of TTS patients. The nomogram demonstrated a good discrimination with a AUC of ROC 0.811(95%Cl: 0.746-0.876) in training set and 0.793(95%Cl: 0.724-0.862) in test set. The calibration plot of risk prediction model showed predicted probabilities against observed death rates indicated excellent concordance. DCA showed that the nomogram has good clinical benefits.
Conclusion
We developed a nomogram that predict hospital mortality in patients with TTS according to clinical data. The nomogram exhibited excellent discrimination and calibration capacity, favoring its clinical utility.
G-domain prediction across the diversity of G protein families
Authors: Sanghavi Hiral , Rashmi Richa , Dasgupta Anirban , Majumdar Sharmistha
Published: December 2021

Guanine nucleotide binding proteins are characterized by a structurally and mechanistically conserved GTP-binding domain (G domain), indispensable for binding GTP. The G domain comprises five adjacent consensus motifs called G boxes, which are separated by amino acid spacers of different lengths. Several G proteins, discovered over time, are characterized by diverse function and sequence. This sequence diversity is also observed in the G box motifs (specifically the G5 box) as well as the inter-G box spacer length. The Spacers and Mismatch Algorithm (SMA) introduced in this study can predict G-domains in a given protein sequence, based on user-specified constraints for approximate G-box patterns and inter-box gaps in each G protein family. The SMA parameters can be customized as more G proteins are discovered and characterized structurally. Family-specific G box motifs including the less characterized G5 box were predicted with higher accuracy. Overall, our analysis suggests the possible classification of G protein families based on family-specific G box sequences and lengths of inter-G box spacers.
SMA can be implemented via a web-based server at https://labs.iitgn.ac.in/datascience/gboxes/
Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Pre- Versus Post-operative Radiotherapy for Patients With Oral Cancer
Authors: Silfverschiöld Maria , Carlwig Kristin , Greiff Lennart , Nilsson Per , Wennerberg Johan , Zackrisson Björn , Östensson Ellinor , Sjövall Johanna
Published: December 2021

Background: Treatment for resectable oral cavity cancer (OCC) often includes combinations of surgery and radiotherapy (RT), but there is no conclusive information on by which order these measures are best administered. The aim of this study was to assess cost-effectiveness of two alternative treatment regimens for patients with OCC, reflecting pre-and post-operative RT.Methods: The study was performed on data from the ARTSCAN 2 randomised, controlled trial, which compares pre-operative accelerated RT with post-operative conventionally fractionated RT. Two-hundred-fifty patients were randomised and 240 were eligible for treatment outcomes. Costs were retrieved from the hospital’s economic systems and national registries. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated, and a sensitivity analysis was performed. Overall survival (OS) was used as effect measure in the analysis.Results: Two-hundred-nine patients completed the treatment and had retrievable data on costs. There was no statistically significant difference in OS between the treatment modalities (log-rank p=0.23). OS at three years was 67% and 74% for pre- and post-operative RT, respectively. Mean direct costs per patient were € 65 958 for pre-operative RT and € 53 172 for post-operative RT, while indirect costs were € 75 874 and € 73 184, respectively. All projected results indicated that post-operative RT was cost-effective in comparison to pre-operative RT.Conclusions: Post-operative RT for patients with resectable OCC is cost-effective compared to pre-operative RT.
Copper Phosphotungstate-Catalyzed Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural In A Biphasic System
Authors: Castro Gabriel Abranches Dias , Lopes Neide Paloma Gonçalves , Fernandes Sergio Antonio , Silva Márcio José da
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we have described a novel route to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a valuable platform-molecule obtained from biomass, using transition metal-exchanged Keggin heteropolyacid salts as catalysts, in microwave-assisted reactions carried out in a water-ethyl acetate biphasic system. To avoid the use of homogenous Brønsted acid catalysts, which are corrosive and difficult to be reused, we have exchanged the protons of the Keggin heteropolyacids by transition metal cations. These salts were evaluated in the fructose dehydration, being the Cu3/2PW12O40 the most active and selective catalyst, achieving 81 % of HMF yield, after 15 min reaction at 413 K under microwave irradiation (MWI). The effects of metal cation, anion, and heteropolyanion present in the catalyst were evaluated. The greatest efficiency of Cu3/2PW12O40 was attributed to its high Lewis acidity strength, which allows that it coordinate with water molecules, consequently generating H3O+ ions in the reaction medium. Even though the catalyst has been water-soluble, it was easily reused removing the extracting phase, and adding a new load of the substrate to the remaining aqueous phase. This way, it was successfully reused without loss activity.
Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Choosing by Advantages (CBA) to Determine the Optimal Location for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Farms
Authors: Goh Hui Hwang , Li Chunyu , Zhang Dongdong , Dai Wei , Lim Chee Shen , Kurniawan Tonni Agustiono , Goh Kai Chen
Published: December 2021

Solar energy is a critical component of the energy development strategy. The location of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants has a significant impact on the cost of power production. A favorable situation would result in significant cost savings and increased electricity generation efficiency. California is located in the United States of America's southwest region, a place blessed with an abundance of solar energy. In recent years, the state's economy and population have expanded quickly, resulting in increased need for power. The study examines south of California for an area that is well-suited for the building of large photovoltaic (PV) plants to meet local electricity needs. To begin, this article imposed some limits on the selection of three potential solar project locations (S1, S2, and S3). Then, a more systematic approach to solar plant site selection was presented, focusing on five major characteristics (economic, technological, social, geographical, and environmental). This is the first time that the Choosing by Advantages (CBA) approach has been used to determine the locations of photovoltaic (PV) plants, with possible locations ranked S2>S1>S3. It was compared to more classic methodologies such as Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The findings of this study suggest that the CBA strategy not only streamlines the solar plant selection process, but also more closely aligns with the objectives and desires of investors.
Detection of Candidate Gene LsACOS5 and Development of InDel Marker for Male Sterility by DdRAD-Seq and Whole-Genome Sequencing in Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa L.)
Authors: seki kousuke
Published: December 2021

A new breeding method of F1 hybrid using male sterility would open an exciting frontier in lettuce breeding, a self-pollinating crop. Male sterility is a crucial trait in F1 hybrid breeding. It is essential to map the causative gene for using male sterility. The ms-S, male-sterile gene of ‘CGN17397’, was mapped to LG8 by double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) and narrowed down between two markers using two F2 populations. This region spans approximately 10.16 Mb, where 94 genes were annotated according to the lettuce reference genome sequence (version8 from crisphead cultivar ‘Salinas’). The whole-genome sequencing of the male-sterile and fertile lines of ‘CGN17397’ revealed that only one gene differed in the area of Lsat_1_v5_gn_8_148221.1, a homolog of Arabidopsis acyl-CoA synthetase5 (AtACOS5), and was deleted in the male-sterile lines. It was reported that AtACOS5 was needed for pollen wall formation and that the null mutants of AtACOS5 were entirely male sterility. Thus, I concluded that Lsat_1_v5_gn_8_148221.1 designated as LsACOS5 was a biologically plausible candidate gene for the ms-S locus. By using the structural polymorphism of LsACOS5, an insertion/deletion (InDel) marker was developed to select the male-sterile trait. The results obtained here provide valuable information for the genic male-sterility in lettuce.
Efficacy and Safety of PD-1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Locally Advanced and Advanced NSCLC Patients With Chronic Viral Infection
Authors: Zhao Zhiting , Hu Ran , Chen Yan , Zhou Guoren , Yu Shaorong , Lu Jianwei , Feng Jifeng
Published: December 2021

IntroductionImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become new research hotspots in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, but the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for patients with chronic viral infection are still unclear, because existing clinical trials often exclude those patients. Methods We identified 78 locally advanced or advanced NSCLC patients with chronic viral infection treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors alone or combined with the chemotherapy/bevacizumab therapy, of whom 60 with hepatitis B, 2 with hepatitis C, and 16 with syphilis. Objective response rates were assessed using the RECIST v1.1. Adverse events were graded following the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0. ResultsObjective responses were observed in 19 out of 78(24.36%) patients, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 69.23% (54/78). No patient achieved a complete response. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.49 months (95% CI:3.71-9.27). PFS was 1.44 months (95%CI:0.00-4.34) for monotherapy versus 7.34 months (95%CI:4.50-10.18) for combination therapy (P=0.053). Patients in the first-line treatment group revealed relatively higher ORR and longer PFS (ORR: 48.00% vs. 13.20%, P = 0.001; PFS: 7.67 months vs. 5.57 months, P = 0.129). Patients with combined radiotherapy showed longer PFS than those without combined radiotherapy (14.07 vs.4.62, P=0.027). The incidence of adverse events of any grade was 73.07% (57/78), among which there were 7 cases of grade 4 adverse events. The incidence of leukopenia was the highest (57.69%), followed by anemia (25.64%) and elevated hepatic transaminase (24.36%). Hepatic transaminase increased in 26.7% (16/60) of HBV patients, and remained unchanged in 65.0% (39/60) patients.ConclusionsThe PD-1 inhibitor showed an acceptable toxicity profile and moderate efficacy on locally advanced and advanced NSCLC patients with chronic viral infection, but still has the potential to increase the incidence of hepatitis. We recommend that those patients be monitored closely and treated with antiviral therapy.
TULP3 Silencing Suppresses Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer Via the PTEN/Akt/Snail Signaling Pathway
Authors: Liu Rui , Song Jun , Fu Qingsheng , Liu Gang , Zhang Chengxiong , Wang Bing , Li Zhi
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Tubby-like protein 3 (TULP3), a member of the tubby family, has been related to the development of nervous system by gene knockout researches. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism and role of TULP3 in the gastric cancer are not clear. Current research is the first probe into the regulatory effect of TULP3 in the gastric cancer.
Methods

Western blotting together with real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed for the quantitative detection of TULP3 expression in the gastric cancer and consecutive non-cancerous tissues, and gastric cancer cells. Kaplan-Meier method along with Log-rank test was exploited for the determination of the disease-free survival rate and overall survival time of patient containing with different expression of TULP3 in tumors. The roles of TULP3 in invasion, migration as well as proliferation of the gastric cancer cell in vivo and in vitro through utilizing colony formation test, MTT test, wound-healing test, transwell test and mouse xenograft model. Western blotting assay was implemented in order to clarify the potential molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, electron microscopy and western blot were evaluated TULP3 expression in gastric cancer patient extracted serum exosomes.
Results

TULP3 expression levels were remarkably up-regulated in the gastric cancer tissues and cells. Subsequent functional assays demonstrated that TULP3 downregulation suppressed invasion, migration as well as the proliferation of the gastric cancer cell. Mechanism assays depicted that the PTEN/Akt/Snail signaling pathway can inhibit invasion, migration as well as the proliferation of the gastric cancer cell via TULP3 silencing. Finally, we found that the expression of TULP3 could be determined in the extracted serum exons. The expression of TULP3 in gastric cancer group was higher in comparison with normal group.
Conclusion

Our outcomes reveal that TULP3 probably play a role in the diagnosis together with the prognostic biomarkers of gastric cancer.
Age at Smoking Onset and Risk of Heavy Cigarette Smoking Among Iranian Adult Male: An Application of Generalized Additive Model
Authors: Manoochehri Zohreh , Faradmal Javad , Moghimbeigi Abbas
Published: December 2021

Background: Because the age at which a person first starts smoking has such a strong correlation with future smoking behaviours, it's crucial to examine its relationship with smoking intensity. However, it is still challenging to accurately identify this relationship due to limitations in the methodology of the performed studies .Therefore the main purpose of this study is to evaluate this relationship and also to identify the other risk factors affecting smoking intensity using an appropriate model.Methods: Data from 913 Iranian male current smokers over the age of 18 was evaluated from a national cross-sectional survey of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in 2016. Individuals were classified into: light, moderate, and heavy smokers. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to assess the relationship.Results: 246 (26.9%) subjects were light smokers, 190 (20.8%) subjects were moderate smokers and 477 (52.2%) subjects were heavy smokers. According to the GAM results, the relationship was nonlinear and smokers who started smoking at a younger age were more likely to become heavy smokers. The factors of unemployment (OR = 1.364), retirement (OR = 1.217), and exposure to secondhand smoke at home (OR = 1.364) increased the risk of heavy smoking. but, smokers with high-income (OR = 0.742) had a low tendency to heavy smoking. Conclusions: GAM identified the nonlinear relationship between the age of onset of smoking and smoking intensity. Tobacco control programs should be focused on young and adolescent groups and poorer socio-economic communities.
Bioinformatics Analysis for Identifying Micro-RNAs, Long Noncoding RNAs, Transcription Factors, Immune Genes Regulatory Networks, and Potential Therapeutic Agents for Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Using an Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Zhou Jiefang , Ji Xiaowei , Shen Xiuwei , Yan Kefeng , Huang Peng , Huang Chunyan
Published: December 2021

Objectives
We identified functional genes and studied the underlying molecular mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) using bioinformatics tools.
Methods
Original gene expression profiles were obtained from the GSE21610 and GSE112556 datasets. We used GEO2R to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed on DEGs. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks of DEGs were constructed using STRING and hub genes of signaling pathways were identified using Cytoscape. Aberrant hub gene expression was verified using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Connectivity Map was used to predict the drugs that could treat DCM.
Results
The DEGs in DCM were mainly enriched in the nuclei and cytoplasm and involved in DCM- and chemokine-related signaling pathways. In the PPI network, 32 nodes were chosen as hub nodes and an RNA interaction network was constructed with 517 interactions. The expression of key genes (JPIK3R1, CCR9, XIST, WDFY3.AS2, hsa-miR-144-5p, and hsa-miR-146b-5p) was significantly different between DCM and normal tissues. Danazol, ikarugamycin, and semustine were identified as therapeutic agents against DCM using CMAP.
Conclusion
The identified hub genes could be associated with DCM pathogenesis and the above drugs could be used for treating DCM.
Alternative Polyadenylation Associated with Prognosis and Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Yuzhi , Xu Yunfei , Zhang Yi
Published: December 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most widely spread cancers globally. Aberrant alternative polyadenylation (APA) plays a role in cancer onset and its progression. Consequently, this study focused on highlighting the role of APA events and signals in the prognosis of patients with CRC. The APA events, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), somatic mutations, copy number variants (CNVs), and clinical information of the CRC cohort were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and UCSC (University of California-Santa Cruz) Xena database. The entire set was sorted into two sets: a training set and a test set in a ratio of 1:1. 197 prognosis-related APA events were collected by performing univariate Cox regression signature in patients with CRC. Subsequently, a signature for APA events was established by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox analysis. The risk scores were measured for individual patients on the basis of the signature and patients were sorted into two groups; the high-risk group and the low-risk group as per their median risk scores. Kaplan-Meier curves, principal component analysis (PCA), and time-dependent receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves revealed that the signature was able to predict patient prognosis effectively and further validation was provided in the test set and the entire set. Both the groups highlighted various distributions of mutations and CNVs. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) alone and in combination with the signature predicted the prognosis of CRC patients, but the gene frequencies of TMBs and CNVs did not change in the low- and high-risk groups. Moreover, immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatments showed different responses to PD-1 inhibitors and 26 chemotherapeutic agents in the low and high-risk groups based on the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) and genomics of drugs sensitivity in cancer (GDSC) databases. This study helped in understanding APA events during the progression of CRC in great detail, and the signature for prognosis-related APA events can work as the potential predictors for survival and treatment in patients with CRC.
Investigation on the Effect of Dynamic Fracture Toughness to Zirconia Ceramic Grinding Performance with Different Grain Sizes
Authors: Yan Can , Deng Zhaohui , Xia Tao , Liu Wei , Zhang Hua
Published: December 2021

To reveal the material removal mechanism of zirconia ceramics, an improved prediction models of the critical grinding force and maximum subsurface damage depth models are developed based on the dynamic fracture toughness. The effects of three different grain sizes on the material removal mechanism during brittle- ductile transition process of zirconia ceramics is analyzed through grinding experiments. And the influence of grain size on grinding force, workpiece surface roughness, surface fragmentation rate and subsurface damage depth in grinding are discussed. The results of the experiment results indicated that the value of dynamic fracture toughness tends to decrease with an increase in equivalent grinding thickness, and the ductile removal range of zirconia ceramics expands for the reason that the critical grinding force considering dynamic fracture toughness is higher than the static grinding force considering static fracture toughness, and the maximum subsurface damage depth is closer to actual maximum subsurface damage depth. Besides the smaller the grain size of zirconia ceramics, the higher the surface quality of grinding.
Voltage Stability Assessment of Grid Connected PV Systems With FACTS Devices
Authors: Abdullah Melat , Hassan Lokman , Moghavvemi M.
Published: December 2021

Three static techniques (i.e., Power flow, Continuation Power Flow (CPF), and the Q-V curve) were used to assess the voltage stability of the power grid with a Solar Photovoltaic Generator (SPVG) and FACTS devices under nominal and heavy loading conditions. A static model is proposed for the power system that includes conventional power generation units and SPVGs with FACTS devices. Two models of SPVG were used (i.e., PV model and PQ model) to elucidate the effect of the SPVGs on the voltage stability under various operating conditions. The best location for FACTS devices was obtained under nominal and heavy load conditions using static techniques. The series and shunt FACTS devices under nominal and heavy loading conditions were compared using the abovementioned static techniques. The interaction between SPVGs and FACTS devices is detailed in this paper. The proposed approach was tested on the New England 39-bus standard test system, and the results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method under various operating conditions.
A Closed-Form Analytical Solution to the Complete Three-Dimensional Unsteady Compressible Navier-Stokes Equation
Authors: Amoloye Taofiq Omoniyi
Published: December 2021

The three main approaches to exploring fluid dynamics are actual experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical solutions. Numerical simulations and theoretical solutions are based on the continuity equation and Navier-Stokes equations (NSE) that govern experimental observations of fluid dynamics. Theoretical solutions can offer huge advantages over numerical solutions and experiments in the understanding of fluid flows and design. These advantages are in terms of cost and time consumption. However, theoretical solutions have been limited by the prized NSE problem that seeks a physically consistent solution than what classical potential theory (CPT) offers. Therefore, the current author embarked on a doctoral research on the refinement of CPT. He introduced the Refined Potential Theory (RPT) that provides the Kwasu function as a physically consistent solution to the NSE problem. The Kwasu function is a viscous scalar potential function that captures known and observable unsteady features of experimentally observed wall bounded flows including flow separation, wake formation, vortex shedding, compressibility effects, turbulence and Reynolds-number-dependence. It is appropriately defined to combine the properties of a three-dimensional potential function to satisfy the inertia terms of the NSE and the features of a stream function to satisfy the continuity equation, the viscous vorticity equation and the viscous terms of the NSE.
RPT has been verified and validated against experimental and numerical results of incompressible unsteady sub-critical Reynolds number flows on stationary finite circular cylinder, sphere and spheroid. It is concluded that the Kwasu function is a physically consistent and closed-form analytical solution to the NSE problem.
A Velocity-Independent DOA Estimator of Underwater Acoustic Signals Via An Arbitrary Cross-Linear Nested Array
Authors: Ning Gengxin , Wang Yu , Jing Guangyu , Zhao Xuejin
Published: December 2021

In this paper, an estimator for underwater DOA estimation is proposed by using a cross-linear nested array with arbitrary cross angle. The estimator excludes the variation acoustic velocity by deriving the geometric relation of the cross-linear array on the proposed algorithm. Therefore, compared with traditional DOA estimation algorithms via linear array, this estimator eliminates systematic errors caused by the uncertainty factor of the acoustic velocity in the underwater environment. Compared with the traditional acoustic velocity independent algorithm, this estimator uses the nested array and improves the performance of DOA estimation. In addition, the estimator is based on arbitrary angle of the cross-linear array, so it is more flexible in practical applications. Numerical simulations are provided to validate the analytical derivations and corroborate the improved performance in underwater environments where the actual acoustic velocity is not accurate.
Multistable Dynamics in a Hopfield Neural Network Under Electromagnetic Radiation and Dual Bias Currents
Authors: Wan Qiuzhen , Yan Zidie , Li Fei , Liu Jiong , Chen Simiao
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates a Hopfield neural network (HNN) under the simulation of external electromagnetic radiation and dual bias currents, in which the fluctuation of magnetic flux across the neuron membrane is used to emulate the influence of electromagnetic radiation. Utilizing conventional analytical methods, the basic properties of the proposed Hopfield neural network are discussed. Due to the addition of electromagnetic radiation and dual bias currents, the Hopfield neural network shows high sensitivity to system parameters and initial conditions. The proposed Hopfield neural network possesses multistability with periodic attractor, quasi-periodic attractor, chaotic attractor and transient chaotic attractor, and all of the attractors are hidden attractors because there is no equilibrium point in the system. In particular, when the neuron membrane magnetic flux is different, the system can present transient chaos with different chaotic times. More interestingly, with the change of system parameters, the proposed Hopfield neural network can exhibit parallel bifurcation behaviors. Finally, the Multisim simulation and hardware experiment results based on discrete electronic components are conducted to support the numerical ones. These results could give useful information to the study of nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the Hopfield neural network.
XGBoost automates the characterisation of reversibly actuating planar-flow-casted NiTi shape memory alloy foil
Authors: DUTTA RITABAN , Chen Cherry , Renshaw David , Liang Daniel
Published: December 2021

Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloys (SMAs) are smart materials able to recover their original shape under thermal stimulus. Near-net-shape NiTi SMA foils of 2 meters in length and width of 30 mm have been successfully produced by a planar flow casting facility at CSIRO, opening possibilities of wider applications of SMA foils. The study also focuses on establishing a fully automated experimental system for the characterisation of their reversible actuation, significantly improving SMA foils adaptation into real applications. Artificial Intelligence involving Computer Vision and Machine Learning based methods were successfully employed in the development of the automation SMA characterisation process. The study finds that an Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) Regression model based predictive system experimented with over 175,000 video samples could achieve 99% overall prediction accuracy. Generalisation capability of the proposed system makes a significant contribution towards the efficient optimisation of the material design to produce high quality 30 mm SMA foils.
Extracellular matrix derived from Wharton’s Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes angiogenesis via integrin αVβ3/c-Myc/P300/VEGF
Authors: Ma Beilei , Wang Tengkai , Li Juan , Wang Qian
Published: December 2021

Background

Angiogenesis is required in many physiological conditions, including bone regeneration, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. Cell-derived extracellular matrix (CD-ECM) could guide intricate cellular and tissue processes such as homeostasis, healing and regeneration.
Methods

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect and mechanism of ECM derived from decellularized Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) on endothelial cell viability and angiogenesis.
Results

In this study, we found for the first time that WJ-MSCs ECM could improve the angiogenesis ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with a time-dependent manner in vitro. Mechanically, WJ-MSCs ECM activated the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/P38 signaling pathway via integrin αVβ3, which further promoted the expression of the cellular (c)-Myc. Further, c-Myc increased histone acetylation levels of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoter by recruiting P300, which ultimately promoting VEGF expression.
Conclusions

Extracellular matrix derived from Wharton’s Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes angiogenesis via integrin αVβ3/c-Myc/P300/VEGF. This study is expected to provide a new approach to promote angiogenesis in bone and tissue regeneration.