bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hif-2α regulates lipid metabolism of alcoholic fatty liver disease through mitophagy
Authors: Wu Mei-fei , Zhang Guo-dong , Liu Tong-tong , Shen Jun-hao , Cheng Jieling , Shen Jie , Yang Tian-yu , Huang Cheng , Zhang Lei
Published: June 2022

Background Disorder of lipid metabolism plays an essential role in both initiation and progression of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), and fatty acid βoxidation is increasingly being considered a crucial factor controlling lipid metabolism. Hif-2α is a member of the Hifs family of nuclear receptors, taking part in regulating hepatic fatty acid β-oxidation. However, its functional role in AFLD and its underlying mechanism remains unclear.Results Hif-2α was upregulated in EtOH-fed mice and EtOH-induced AML-12 cells. Inhibition or silence of Hif-2α led to the enhancement of fatty acid β-oxidation and BNIP3-dependent mitophagy. Further studies have shown that downregulation of Hif-2α was well established to activate the PPARα/PGC-1α signaling pathway concerned in hepatic fatty acid β-oxidation by mediating BNIP3-dependent mitophagy, and ultimately delaying the progression of AFLD. Conclusions Hif-2α induces liver steatosis, which promotes the progression of AFLD. Our results preciously developed a novel Hif-2α-BNIP3-dependent mitophagy regulatory pathway interconnected with EtOH-induced lipid accumulation and might be a potential therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of AFLD.
Comparison of Two Erythronium sibiricum Bulb Polysaccharides in Anti-asthmatic Mechanisms Based on Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 Balances
Authors: Gao Shanshan , Wang Mei , Zhou Yue , Liu Rongchang , Xie Xiangyun , Li Xue , Chen Chunli
Published: June 2022

This study investigated and compared the effects and mechanisms of two kinds of Erythronium sibiricum (Fisch. & C. A. Mey.) Krylov (E. sibiricum) bulb polysaccharides (E1P and ESBP) on asthma, which was based on helper T (Th) 1/Th2 and Th17/regulatory T cell (Treg) balances. E1P and ESBP improved pulmonary pathological states, reduced the recruitments of lung inflammatory cells and serum IgE in asthmatic mice. E1P and ESBP also suppressed Th2 and Th17 cytokine hypersecretion while enhancing Th1 and Treg cytokine secretion. The changes in related gene and protein expressions of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg balances induced by ovalbumin were reversed after the intervention of E1P and ESBP. Additionally, E1P lacked significant effects on IFNγ and IL-10 cytokines, RORγt mRNA and T bet protein compared with ESBP. E. sibiricum bulb polysaccharides ameliorated asthma by modulatingTh1/Th2 and Th17/Treg balances, and ESBP might exhibit a more comprehensive therapeutic action on asthma than E1P.
Facile Synthesis of chitosan-g-PVP/f-MWCNTs for application in Cu(II) ions removal and for bacterial growth inhibition in aqueous solutions
Authors: Rabei Samira T. , Mohamed Yasser Mahmoud A , Abdel-Monem Reham A , Nazer Hossam A El
Published: June 2022

Chitosan-grafted-4-vinylpyridine (Cs-g-PVP) was prepared utilizing free radical copolymerization method. The chemical structure of the produced Cs-g-PVP was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy, in addition thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to assess its thermal stability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine its morphology. Enhancement of the chemical and physical proprieties was achieved by adding functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) to produce two polymeric hybrids of Cs-g-PVP/f-MWCNTs (I and II) with 3wt% and 5wt% f-MWCNTs, respectively. Characterization of these hybrids was performed using TGA, SEM and EDX analysis. Using a batch adsorption approach, the produced grafted copolymer (Cs-g-PVP) and the hybrids (Cs-g-PVP/f-MWCNTs I and II) were tested for adsorption of Cu(II) ions in aqueous solution using initial concentration of CuCl2 equals to 5x10− 3 mol/L at different pH values (i.e. 4, 7, and 9). Antibacterial activity of the Cs-g-PVP and the hybrids was evaluated against three Gram + ve bacteria (Staphylococcus aurous, Bacillus Subtitles and Streptococcus faecalis) and three Gram –ve bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The results showed that the efficiency of the Cs-g-PVP copolymer showed significant increase after inclusion of the f-MWCNTs substrate towards Cu(II) removal and antibacterial agent.
PINK1 Phosphorylates Drp1S616 to Improve Mitochondrial Fission and Inhibit the Progression of HFpEF
Authors: Shou Jian , Huo Yunlong
Published: June 2022

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major subtype of HF with no effective treatments. Mitochondrial dysfunctions relevant to the imbalance of fusion and fission occur in HFpEF. The aim of the study is to investigate molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunctions in HFpEF.Methods and Results: The HFpEF model was established by feeding Dahl/SS rats with high salt, showing risk factors such as hypertension, mitochondrial dysfunctions and so on. Physiological and biological measurements showed a decrease in the expression of mitochondrial function related genes, ATP production, and mitochondrial fission index in HFpEF. PINK1 knockout in H9C2 cardiomyocytes also showed the same effects. Moreover, PINK1 myocardium-specific overexpression to HFpEF rats activated the Drp1S616 phosphorylation and enhanced the mitochondrial fission to slow the progression of HFpEF. Conclusions: PINK1 can phosphorylate Drp1S616 to improve mitochondrial fission, relieve mitochondrial dysfunctions and slow the progression of HFpEF, which highlights the potential treatment of HFpEF.
Pathophysiology of COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2 mimics neoplastic cells, and long COVID-19 syndrome can be a Warburg effect and ACE-2 internalization consequence
Authors: Zanella Luiz Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Barros D'Elia
Published: June 2022

This article develops a theory involving SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiological mechanisms based on an extensive literature review and is reinforced by two years of dealing with COVID-19 patients in different footage of the natural history of the disease. SARS-CoV-2 mimics the Warburg effect (W.E.), a well-described mechanism in neoplastic cells to obtain energy and substrates to enable cell growth. The W.E. is responsible for characteristic clinical and laboratory findings such as elevated lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), lactate, uraemia, and acidosis, in addition to explaining why a specific profile of patients evolves into severe forms of the disease. This article also exposes a hypothesis for maintaining the inflammatory status after acute SARS-COV-2 infection, "The Long COVID-19 Syndrome". Assessment of the PubMed platform followed by evaluation of articles that supported issues regarding COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 AND AEROBIC GLYCOLISIS/WARBURG EFFECT. COVID-19 is a biphasic infectious disease (such as yellow fever) that causes tenacious immune-metabolic changes that impact the inflammatory status. The hyperlactatemia (type B) in COVID-19 is due to the metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis (W.E.), and it can differentiate chronic or acute COVID-19 inflammatory status from septic shock hyperlactatemia, especially when associated with negative cultures. This article sheds light on the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and possibilities for treatment and improvement in the clinical management of patients affected by this severe and catastrophic disease. The COVID-19 signature is the Warburg effect + ACE-2 + innate response + hypoxia + phenylalanine (Phe) and tryptophan (Try) metabolism. The disease’s magnitude is directly proportional to the patient's exposure to hypoxia.
Effect of laser beam offset on dissimilar laser welding of tantalum to 304 stainless steel
Authors: Meng Xiangyi , Song Fan , Xia Hongbo , Chen Xi , Zhao Xiaoye , Chen Bo , Song Xiaoguo , Tan Caiwang
Published: June 2022

Cylinders made of tantalum (Ta) and tubes made of 304 stainless steel (304SS) were successfully joined by laser welding under different offsets. The experimental results indicated that satisfactory weld formations were obtained. The fusion zone (FZ) was found to consist of the Fe-Cr solution and the Fe2Ta phase. In addition, the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer was generated at Ta/FZ interface. When the laser beam offset was -0.2 mm (0.2 mm laser beam offset on the 304 stainless steel side), the interfacial IMC consisted of Fe2Ta. Thicker IMC with the compositions of Fe2Ta+FeTa was generated at offsets of 0 mm (center) and +0.2 mm (0.2 mm laser beam offset on the Ta side). Numerical simulation results showed that the interfacial peak temperature would be increased when the laser beam offset from 304 stainless steel side to Ta side, which led to the thicker IMC and new generation of FeTa. The microhardness in the FZ also fluctuated since the FZ was composed of hard Fe2Ta and soft Fe-Cr solution. Tensile test results indicated that the highest value of 308.3 MPa was obtained under the laser beam offset of -0.2 mm.
Performance of a single-epoch GNSS integer least-squares ambiguity resolution in the coordinate domain as an ill-posed problem
Authors: Fischer Artur
Published: June 2022

When a single-epoch observation set is processed, an instantaneous, precise GNSS positioning is an ill-posed problem. To deal with this ill-posed positioning problem, the integer-valued ambiguity parameters can be resolved in the coordinate domain to reduce the dimension of a search space. The ill-posed problem is then smoothed because the unknowns of n -dimensional search space are implicitly expressed in the constant three-dimensional space. So, the number of redundant data can now be large enough to perform integer ambiguity resolution. One of the methods which resolve integer ambiguities in the coordinate domain is the Modified Ambiguity Function Approach. This method searches discreetly for optimal integer-valued ambiguity parameters in the constant threedimensional space using the coordinate function. Due to the ill-conditioning of the single-epoch GNSS mathematical model, the weak approximate GNSS position and its variance-covariance matrix of poor properties still present the problem for well-performing instantaneous integer ambiguity resolution in the coordinate domain. The issue is stabilizing the single-epoch math model by regularization to improve localizing and shaping the search region in the three-dimensional space to contain the actual GNSS position more frequently, representing optimal ambiguities in the sense of integer-least squares principle. The innovation of this contribution is to improve the properties of a single-epoch approximate GNSS position and its variance-covariance matrix in the sense of meansquared error by regularizing real-valued ambiguity parameters. Thus, the float baseline solution conditioned on regularized float ambiguities is an indirectly regularized approximate GNSS position with the variance-covariance matrix of better precision. A regularized approximate position is promising because its overall accuracy increases thanks to the successful variance reduction. Despite the indirect regularization, an improved initial position is biased, resulting from the biased least-squares estimation. However, the optimal RP values obtained within the quality-based Mean-Squared Error criterion properly govern the contribution of variance reduction in the solution with the regularized bias. In the presence of bias, the regularized single-epoch integer least-squares estimator performs well in the context of correct integer ambiguity resolution in the coordinate domain.
Method of applying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for landslides identification in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Vanderhorst Hamlet Reynoso
Published: June 2022

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) are tools for site recognition, 3D reconstruction, and inspections in risky areas. As manufacturers identify their multiple applications, significant improvements in hardware and software are made, transforming traditional workflows into a digital one. These workflows support the pre- and post-construction of buildings, houses, and infrastructures against the inflictions of natural or human-made disasters. In the Dominican Republic, the construction and maintenance of infrastructure projects are a continuous tasks carried out before natural events. However, the knowledge of “how”, the context, and effectiveness of the tool are still under development, generating techniques and approaches to solve problems easily and faster. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to develop a case in which a human made landslide is evaluated utilising a UAV in contrast to complex site explorations. Three approaches were taken: (1) Images with GPS coordinates for infrastructure location, (2) 3D reconstruction for landslide site measurements and slope recognitions with contour lines, then, (3) videos of the site with 360° approach. 5 elements at risk were identified: houses, road, landslide zone, infrastructure proximity and school. The element evaluated was the landslide zone for identification of the cause. The findings showed that construction works of a bridge in the surroundings was the most remarkable factor that influenced the occurrence of a 60.82° and 52% slope in an average of the steep in the rotational landslide. Furthermore, the UAV was a useful tool for data acquisition.
Deep reinforcement learning based Adaptive Modulation for OFDM Underwater Acoustic Communication System
Authors: Cui Xuerong , Yan Peihao , Li Juan , Li Shibao , Liu Jianhang
Published: June 2022

Due to the time-varying and space-varying characteristics of the underwater acoustic channel, the communication process may be seriously disturbed. Thus, the underwater acoustic communication system is facing the challenges of alleviating interference and improving communication quality and communication efficiency through adaptive modulation. In order to select the optimal modulation mode adaptively and maximize the system throughput ensuring that the bit error rate (BER) meets the transmission requirements, this paper introduces deep reinforcement learning (DRL) into orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) acoustic communication system. The adaptive modulation is mapped into a Markov decision process with unknown state transition probability. Thereby, the underwater communication channel environment is regarded as the state of DRL, and the modulation mode is regarded as action. The system returns channel state information (CSI) and signal noise ratio (SNR) in every time slot through the feedback link. Because the Deep Q-Network (DQN) optimizes in the changing state space of each time slot, it is suitable for a variety of different CSI. Finally, simulations in different underwater environments (SWellEx-96) show that the proposed adaptive modulation scheme can obtain lower BER, and improve the system throughput effectively.
Identification and determination of malaria infection in asymptomatic person in endemic Area of Sistan & Balouchistan Province, Iran
Authors: Mirahmadi Hadi , Khorashad Alireza Salimi , Yusefnia Hossein , Badirzadeh Alireza , Fallahi Shirzad , Azizi Seyed Ghader , Raeghi Saber , Barzegar Gholamreza , Solgi Rahmat
Published: June 2022

The presence of symptomless malaria infection in endemic areas and misdiagnosis can lead to failure in malaria eradication strategies. The present study was performed to assessment the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers in the Saravan and Suran district, an endemic area of malaria infection in Sistan and Baluchistan Province (2019–2020) using microscopic methods, ELISA, RDT test, multiplex nested-PCR and LAMP. The samples (n = 525) were collected from asymptomatic person of Saravan and Suran district to assessment malaria infection by using microscopic, ELISA, RDT test, multiplex nested-PCR and LAMP techniques. The microscopic and RDT tests were negative for malaria infection. Based on the ELISA test, 2 and 26 out of 525 samples was positive for P. falciparum and P.vivax antigens, respectively. The multiplex nested-PCR and LAMP techniques could detect only 2 and 3 cases of P. vivax, respectively. To improve the sensitivity, specificity and high reliability of malaria removal, especially in endemic areas, all sensitive tools such as microscopy, RDT, LAMP and nested PCR should be used.
Hailstorms and rainstorms versus supercells - a regional analysis of convective storm types in the Alpine region
Authors: Feldmann Monika , Gabella Marco , Hering Alessandro , Berne Alexis
Published: June 2022

The behaviour of severe thunderstorms, particularly supercells, in complex terrain is still poorly understood. Utilising six years of radar-based thunderstorm data in the Swiss radar domain, we study different thunderstorm types in separate topographical regions. We classify the storms as ordinary thunderstorms, intense and severe rainstorms, hail and severe hailstorms and supercellular storms.
After identifying the overlaps between the storm categories of rainstorms, hailstorms and supercells, their intensity life cycles are investigated. This analysis allows the identification of predictors for intensification within severe storm life cycles. One of the most important predictors is the detection of a rotating mesocyclone in a supercell before the onset or intensification of hail.
We then divide the radar domain into sub-regions ranging from the Po Valley, the Southern Prealps, main Alpine ridge, Northern Prealps, Swiss Plateau and Jura. This regional split separates storms in different terrain complexities. An investigation of the intensity distribution of storms in each region shows a clear intensity decrease over the main Alpine ridge, intermediate values over the moderately complex Prealpine regions and peaks for the flat Po Valley and Swiss Plateau.
Low-dose CT I mage D enoising M ethod B ased on Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Jiao Fengyuan , Yang Zhixiu , Shi Shaojie , Cao Weiguo
Published: June 2022

In order to solve the problems of artifacts and noise in low-dose computed tomography ( CT ) images in clinical medical diagnosis, an improved image denoising algorithm under the architecture of generative adversarial network ( GAN ) is proposed. First, a noise model based on Style GAN2 is constructed to estimate the real noise distribution, and the noise information similar to the real noise distribution is generated by as the experimental noise data set. Then, a network model with encoder-decoder architecture as the core based on GAN idea is constructed, and the network model is trained with the generated noise data set until it reaches the optimal value. Finally, the noise and artifacts in low-dose CT images can be removed by inputting low-dose CT images into the denoising network. The experimental results show that the constructed network model based on GAN architecture can improve the utilization rate of noise feature information and the stability of network training, remove image noise and artifacts, and the reconstructed image has rich texture and realistic visual effect.
Salivary oxidative stress as a health indicator for titanium-zirconia tissue-level implants in diabetic patients: a cross-sectional study.
Authors: Marconcini Simone , Giammarinaro Enrica , Correja Joao Andre , Maltagliati Alberto , Salvado Francisco , Covani Ugo
Published: June 2022

Background: Diabetes is a chronic condition associated to higher levels of systemic oxidative stress. This might pose a risk of failure for implant therapies. However, there is insufficient data regarding the long-term implant survival in patients with diabetes assessing different implant designs and complementary information related to patients’ general oral health status. The aim of this cohort study was to investigate the survival and success rates of titanium-zirconia tissue-level dental implants in patients with a history of T2DM and to assess the outcome according to glycemic control and oxidative stress levels.Methods: The present cross-sectional study evaluated the implant success among a cohort of patients diagnosed with diabetes type II and rehabilitated with titanium-zirconia tissue-level implants. Blood and salivary oxidative stress has been scored at different time points with U CARR units. Results: Thirty-seven implants in twenty-eight patients have been included in the analysis. All implants were healthy, not showing pathological bone loss neither signs or symptoms of mucositis/peri-implantitis at the last follow-up visit. Local and systemic stress appeared unrelated. The blood test scored an average value of 367±71.8 U CARR which is to be expected in a diabetic cohort, with no difference on the basis of glycemic control. The average salivary test score was 2203±364 U CARR, which is within the limits of a healthy range. This test was found to be higher in diabetic patients showing poor glycemic control. Conclusion: Tissue level implants are a reliable solution in diabetic patients with varying levels of glycemic control and systemic oxidative stress, as long as the general oral health is preserved. Assessment of salivary antioxidants could be a non-invasive beneficial procedure to routing patients to the appropriate treatment plan, discouraging elective surgical procedure unless strict hygiene measures are followed.
In Silico Analysis of TUBA4A Mutations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to Define Mechanisms of Microtubule Disintegration
Authors: Ganne Akshatha , Balasubramaniam Meenakshisundaram , Ayyadevara Haarika , Kiaei Lily , Reis Robert J. Shmookler , Varughese Kottayil I. , Kiaei Mahmoud
Published: June 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an inexorably progressive and degenerative disorder of motor neurons with no currently-known cure. Studies to determine the mechanism of neurotoxicity and the impact of ALS-linked mutations (SOD1, FUS, TARDP, C9ORF72, PFN1, TUBA4A and others) have greatly expanded our knowledge of ALS disease mechanisms and have helped to identify potential targets for ALS therapy. Cellular pathologies (e.g., aggregation of mutant forms of SOD1, TDP43, FUS, Ubiqulin2, PFN1, and C9ORF72), mitochondrial dysfunction, neuro­inflammation, and oxidative damage are major pathways implicated in ALS. Nevertheless, the selective vulnerability of motor neurons remains unexplained. The importance of tubulins for long-axon infrastructure, and the special morphology and function of motor neurons, underscore the central role of the cytoskeleton. The recent linkage of mutations to the tubulin α chain, TUBA4A, to familial and sporadic cases of ALS provides a new investigative opportunity to shed light on both mechanisms of ALS and the vulnerability of motor neurons. In the current study we investigate TUBA4A, a structural microtubule protein with mutations causal to familial ALS, using molecular-dynamic (MD) modeling of protein structure to predict the effects of each mutation and its overall impact on GTP binding, chain stability, tubulin assembly, and aggregation propensity. These studies predict that each of the reported mutations will cause notable structural changes to the TUBA4A (α chain) tertiary protein structure, adversely affecting its physical properties and function. Molecular docking and MD simulations indicate certain α chain mutations (e.g. K430N, R215C, and W407X) will cause structural deviations that impair GTP binding, and may prevent tubulin polymerization. Furthermore, several mutations (including R320C and K430N) confer a significant increase in predicted aggregation propensity of TUBA4A mutants relative to wild-type. Taken together, these in silico modeling studies revealed structural perturbations and disruption of GTP binding, culminating in failure to form the tubulin heterocomplex, which may account for an important mechanism and a trigger in initiation of motor neuron degeneration in ALS.
Metabolic reprogramming of OPA1-deficient cells
Authors: Dai Wenting , Wang Zhichao , Wang Qiong A. , Chan David , Jiang Lei
Published: June 2022

OPA1, a dynamin-related GTPase mutated in autosomal dominant optic atrophy, is essential for the fusion of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Although OPA1 deficiency leads to impaired mitochondrial morphology, the role of OPA1 in central carbon metabolism remains unclear. Here, we aim to explore the functional role and metabolic mechanism of OPA1 in cell fitness beyond the control of mitochondrial fusion. We applied [U-13C]glucose and [U-13C]glutamine isotope tracing techniques to OPA1-knockout (OPA1-KO) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) compared to OPA1 wild-type (OPA1-WT) controls. Furthermore, the resulting tracing data were integrated by metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to understand the underlying metabolic mechanism through which OPA1 deficiency reprograms cellular metabolism. OPA1-deficient MEFs were depleted of intracellular citrate, which was consistent with the decreased oxygen consumption rate in these cells with mitochondrial fission that is not balanced by mitochondrial fusion. Whereas oxidative glucose metabolism was impaired, OPA1‑deficient cells activated glutamine-dependent reductive carboxylation and subsequently relied on this reductive metabolism to produce cytosolic citrate as a predominant acetyl-CoA source for de novo fatty acid synthesis. Prevention of cytosolic glutamine reductive carboxylation by GSK321, an inhibitor of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), largely repressed lipid synthesis and blocked cell proliferation in OPA1-deficient MEFs. Our data support that, when glucose oxidation failed to support lipogenesis and proliferation in cells with unbalanced mitochondrial fission, OPA1‑deficiency stimulated metabolic anaplerosis into glutamine-dependent reductive carboxylation in an IDH1-mediated manner.
RETRACTED: Molecular and Structural characterization of β PFT Reveal a common Evolutionary Origin and Mode of action during Pore-Formation
Authors: Kashif Mohd. , Kumar Bhupendra , Akhter Yusuf , Ahmad Abrar , Khan Mohammad Imran , Zamzami Mazin A , Rahangdale Somnath
Published: June 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
A New insight into friction transfer behavior of MoCN coatings: the tribo-activated formation of carbonitride based nano-twisted helix wear debris
Authors: Kang Jian , Sui Xudong , Lu Xiaolong , Wang Wenchang , Hao Junying , Wan Yong , Liu Weimin
Published: June 2022

Molybdenum carbonitride coatings were deposited onto 304 steel substrate by magnetron sputtering method. A novel transition behavior of tribo-activated carbonitride based nano-twisted helix wear debris was discovered. The structure, mechanical and tribological properties of the coatings were investigated systematically. As the carbon content increases, the cross-sectional structure of the coating gradually becomes denser, while the hardness gradually decreases. Tribological test results show that the friction coefficients of 304 steel and MoN coatings are about 0.8–0.9, and both are mainly characterized by adhesive wear. With the increase of carbon content, the friction coefficient of the MoCN coating decreases gradually from 0.8 to about 0.55. The wear rate of the MoCN coatings is significantly influenced by the tribo-activated carbonitride based nano-twisted helix wear debris formed at the contact interface perpendicular to the sliding direction.
A simplified multi-mode adaptive displacement-based pushover analysis procedure for seismic response assessment of tall steel frame buildings
Authors: Ahmadi Adib , Jalilkhani Maysam , Babaei Mehdi
Published: June 2022

The multi-mode adaptive displacement-based pushover (MADP) method has recently been developed to use the advantages of two advanced ‘multi-mode’ and ‘adaptive’ pushover analysis (POA) methods and accurately estimate the seismic response of RC buildings. The procedure predicts the seismic response of the frames through several adaptive modal POAs. In MADP method, a POA is conducted for each mode and continued up to a target-displacement, calculated using the nonlinear time-history analysis (NTHA) of the equivalent single-degree-of-freedom system subjected to a set of ground motion records. However, this methodology is time-consuming and needs more computational effort. To overcome this drawback, a simplified MADP procedure (i.e., SMADP) is proposed in this paper, which benefits from a new simplified integration method to analyze the structures under the dynamic loads and estimate the modal target-displacements with less computational effort. Unlike MADP approach, the SMADP procedure can satisfactorily calculate the modal target-displacements without the need for updating them at each analysis step. The SMADP procedure is applied to the analysis of four tall steel frames with 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-stories, and the seismic demands are obtained for three various seismic risks. The NTHA results are also presented as the benchmark solution. The predictions from the original MADP and two advanced ‘multi-mode’ pushover methods are also provided for comparison. It is demonstrated that the SMADP approach can adequately predict the target-displacement of the structures and almost provide similar predictions of the original MADP method for the example structures with less computational effort.
Numerical prediction of the effect of thermal plume of a standing human on the airborne aerosol flow in a room Assessment of the social distancing rule
Authors: Hossain Mamdud , Chinenye-Kanu Nkemjika , Faisal Nadimul H , Prathuru Anil , Asim Taimoor , Banik Snehashish
Published: June 2022

Purpose:
The purpose of the study is to investigate the dispersion of droplet nuclei/aerosol which are produced during coughing and continuous talking in order to quantify the risk of infection due to airborne disease transmission.
Methods:
A three-dimensional modelling of aerosol transport due to human respiratory activities such as coughing and talking within a room environment has been simulated using CFD technique. An inert scalar transport equation was used to represent aerosol cloud, while turbulence was modelled with the \(k-ϵ\) turbulence model. A modified Wells-Riley equation was used to calculate the risk of infection based on quanta emission concept.
Results
The spatial and temporal distribution of aerosol cloud within the room is initially driven by the upward flowing thermal plume surrounding the human, but later driven by the flow field constrained by the walls and cooler air movement. While the cough generated aerosols are concentrated in a smaller space within the room, the continuous talk generated aerosols are distributed throughout the room.
Conclusion
Within an indoor environment, 2m distancing will not be enough to protect healthy people from aerosols coming from an infected person due to continuous talking with prolonged exposure.
Associations between maternal complications during pregnancy and childhood asthma: a retrospective cohort study in southern China
Authors: Tang Jie , Ma Ying , Wu Yu , Jiao Ting , Guo Shuangshuang , Zhang Dongying , Yang Jiewen , Deng Nali , Liang Zhijiang , Wang Harry H.X. , Bao Wei , Liu Xiaoqing
Published: June 2022

The associations between maternal complications during pregnancy and childhood asthma have rarely been investigated in low and middle-income countries. This study investigated the associations among the southern Chinese population using data from the Physical Health Monitoring Project of Primary and High School Students in Guangzhou. Information on maternal gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, gestational anemia, and hepatitis B during pregnancy was extracted from medical records. Ever diagnosis of asthma of the child was obtained by questionnaire. Binomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidential interval (CI) for childhood asthma. Mediation analyses were used to estimate the indirect effects of gestational complications on childhood asthma mediated through preterm birth, cesarean delivery, low birth weight, and non-breastfeeding in the first 6 months. We included 208,190 children, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, gestational anemia, or hepatitis B during pregnancy was positively associated with ever diagnosed childhood asthma, with the aOR of 1.66(95%CI 1.31–2.10), 1.68(95%CI 1.40–2.02), 1.69(95%CI 1.49–1.91) and 1.54(95%CI 1.13–2.08), respectively. A stronger association was observed for 2 or more gestational complications (aOR = 2.34, 95%CI 1.71–3.23) than 1 gestational complication (aOR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.62–1.99). A small proportion of the associations were mediated through preterm birth, cesarean delivery, low birth weight, and non-breastfeeding in the first 6 months. Gestational hypertension, diabetes, anemia, or hepatitis B during pregnancy was significantly associated with childhood asthma in the southern Chinese population, and the associations were partially explained by the mediated effects of cesarean delivery, preterm birth, low birthweight and non-breastfeeding in the first 6 months.
Model-based index reveals highly varied correlation between norovirus wastewater surveillance and gastroenteritis hospital admissions
Authors: Zhu Yifan , Saito Mayuko , Miura Takayuki , Kazama Shinobu , Sano Daisuke
Published: June 2022

Wastewater virus surveillance is a powerful complementary tool for epidemic monitoring and countermeasure, yet its quantitative implications, especially in a long-term perspective, have not been well studied. In this study, by monitoring the occurrence of human norovirus (NoV) GII in municipal wastewater for multiple years, we analyzed and modeled the long-term correlation between the wastewater surveillance results and gastroenteritis hospital admissions. We found the wastewater viral load correlated well with the patient viral load calculated from hospital admissions during an outbreak event, but the correlation became loosened in the subsequent non-outbreak period, implying the uncertainty introduced by mild and asymptomatic patients. Bayesian analysis revealed that the correlation varies greatly over time and is under the impact of factors with various timescales, each epidemic year and month has its own impact on the correlation. In the study period, a difference of up to 45 times was observed in the relative gap between wastewater viral load and estimated patient viral load. Our findings highlight that: 1) the uncertainty of wastewater surveillance can be attributed to factors under different temporal scales, and 2) considering the pathological and environmental impacts is crucial to the dependability when interpreting wastewater surveillance results.
Graph Theory-based Mild Cognitive Impairment Classification Using Functional Connectivity Analysis on EEG
Authors: Echeverri-Ocampo Isabel , Ardila-López Karen , Molina-Mateo José , Padilla-Buriticá Jorge Ivan , Llamur Ismael , Restrepo Francia , Segura-Giraldo Belarmino , Iglesia-Vaya Maria
Published: June 2022

Understanding how global brain networks are affected in mild cognitive impairment may explain the changes concerning the electrophysiology of the brain. We research functional changes within neuronal networks in frontal, temporal, parietal lobe and central zone using graph theory in visual oddball paradigm. Thirty subjects (19 females; mean age of 70.63 years old, age range 61 to 79 years old, 11 males; mean age of 70.36 years old, and age range 63 to 81 years old) 14 with mild cognitive impairment and 16 health control. Oddball protocol with target and no target stimuli electroencephalography (EEG) signal were analyzed through functional connectivity (FC) along with Change point detection method and a detailed preprocessing in order to detect dynamical changes in the signal, which reflect the non-stationary behavior of a given EEG signal. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Decision Tree (DT) were trained to classify brain activity in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Health Control (HC) subjects based on graph measurements and the physiology interpretation of the Mild Cognitive Impairment. The findings show that using a combination of EEG-based model-free functional connectivity measurements and machine learning to categorize cognitive impairment is effective. The research can be expanded upon to study the possibilities of identifying cognitive decline in real-time, dynamic, and complicated real-world circumstances.
Retrospective Study on Resting Saliva Volume as a Risk Factor for Dysgeusia
Authors: Shintani Tomoaki , Naito Mariko , Obayashi Nami , Ando Toshinori , Yanamoto Souichi , Kajiya Mikihito , Sugita Makoto , Kawaguchi Hiroyuki
Published: June 2022

The causes of dysgeusia include zinc deficiency, systemic illness, and drugs. Oral cavity diseases such as oral candidiasis and xerostomia, may present risk factors that are yet to be reported. This study investigated the relationship between saliva volume and taste function in patients with dysgeusia. A taste test was performed on 335 participants who complained of taste abnormalities. The recognition thresholds of 1 and 2 were defined as healthy and that of 3 or more was defined as dysgeusia. Participants were divided into dysgeusia and healthy groups and their clinical items, including resting saliva volume (RSV) and stimulated saliva volume (SSV) were compared. A multivariate logistic regression analysis focusing on RSV was performed. The participants with dysgeusia had a lower RSV than the healthy participants for all tastes, but not for SSV. Bases on the regression analysis, RSV was an independent predictor of dysgeusia for salty and bitter taste. The proportion of patients with decreased RSV increased as the number of taste qualities exceeding the reference recognition threshold increased. A decrease in RSV was associated with the increased recognition threshold for salty and bitter tastes. From this result, moisturizing the oral cavity may be useful for the treatment of dysgeusia.
Association between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality of adult patients undergoing craniotomy for brain tumors: data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database
Authors: Liu Yufei , Hu Haofei , Li Zongyang , Yang Jihu , Zhang Xiejun , Chen Lei , Chen Fanfan , Li Weiping , Ji Nan , Huang Guodong
Published: June 2022

Background: Evidence regarding the relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality of intracranial tumor patients undergoing craniotomy is still limited. Therefore, the present research was conducted to explore the link of the platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality. Methods: Electronic medical records of 18,642 adult patients undergoing craniotomy for brain tumors from 2012 to 2015 in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, were subject to secondary retrospective analysis. A binary logistic regression model evaluated the independent association between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality. A generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting was conducted to explore the exact shape of the curve between them. Additionally, We also conducted sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of the results, and performed subgroup analyses. Results: 18,063 patients were included in this study analysis. Of these, 47.49% were male. The mean preoperative platelet value was (244.12 ± 76.77)×109/L. The 30-day postoperative mortality of included participants was 2.5% (452/18,063). After adjusting covariates, the results showed that preoperative platelet was positively associated with 30-day postoperative mortality (OR=0.999, 95%CI: 0.997, 1.000). There was also a nonlinear relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality, and the inflection point of the platelet was 236. The effect sizes (OR) on the right and left sides of the inflection point were 1.002 (1.000, 1.004) and 0.993 (0.990, 0.995), respectively. And sensitive analysis demonstrated the robustness of the results. Subgroup analysis showed a stronger association between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality in non-emergency surgery patients when preoperative platelet value is less than 235×109/L.Conclusions: This research demonstrates a positive and non-linear relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality in U.S. adult brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy. Preoperative platelet is strongly related to 30-day postoperative mortality when the platelet is less than 235×109/L. Proper preoperative management of platelet and maintenance of platelet near inflection point (235) could reduce risk of 30-day postoperative mortality in these cases.
Can miRNA profiling be helpful in distinguishing rheumatic disorders?
Authors: Chaszczewska-Markowska Monika , Gębura Katarzyna , Świerkot Jerzy , Sokolik Renata , Bugaj Bartosz , Wielińska Joanna , Bogunia-Kubik Katarzyna
Published: June 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are inflammatory arthropathies. A combination of genetic, immunological and environmental factors contribute to pathogenesis of these rheumatic diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small 18–22 RNA molecules that function as post-transcriptional regulators and are known to be potent regulators of inflammatory responses. Their expression can be altered under conditions of pathophysiological stress, disease or treatment thus may be potentially used as diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers. Micro RNA profiles of AS, PsA and RA patients and controls were assessed by miRNA microarrays. We detected some significant differences in miRNA expression levels between patients with various rheumatic disorders and controls. Expression of miR-365a-3p was the only one that differed among AS patients and healthy controls. It was also lower in AS patients compared to PsA cases. Exprassion of miR-125a-5p was significantly down-regulated in both RA and PsA patients as compared to controls. In turn, miR-6891-3p levels were higher in PsA patients than in patients with AS and RA. These results imply that patients with various rheumatic diseases and healthy controls were characterized with diverse miRNA repertoires. As such, miRNA profiling can be potentially used to distinguish AS and RA from PsA disease.
WITHDRAWN: Neuroprotective Potential of Flaxseed Oil in Amelioration of Cadmium Induced Neurotoxicity
Authors: Mishra Devendra Kumar , Srivast Dipti , Fatima Zeeshan , Mohapatra Lucy , Awasthi Himani
Published: June 2022

Introduction:
The current investigation aimed to explore the neuroprotective potential of flaxseed oil (FSO) in the amelioration of cadmium-induced neurotoxicity. Cadmium (Cd) is known as a strong neurotoxin heavy metal, which shows an impact on the brain by initiating oxidative stress and causing influences in the membrane. Flaxseeds have healthful attributes and are a rich source of ω-3 fatty acids: short-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, secoisolariciresinol diglycoside-SDG, solvent and insoluble filaments, α-linolenic acid, proteins and a variety of antioxidants. The neuroprotective effect of FSO was identified in rats along with the expression of caspase − 3 and Bcl-2 to establish the anti-apoptotic potential of FSO.
Methods
The rats were given the cadmium (5 mg/kg/day) orally for 30 days and simultaneously flaxseed oil (FSO) was also administered at the doses of 2ml/kg/day and 3ml/kg/day for 30 days. Morris water maze test (MWM) and Novel object recognition test (NOR) were conducted to assess the learning and memory parameters. We measured the levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (AChE), apoptosis and histopathology studies in the whole brain homogenate.
Results
Cadmium intoxication was allied with substantial damage to learning and memory in MWM and NOR tests. The Cd-ingested group presented a rise in the level of MDA, NO and AChE in the homogenate of the brain and a decline in the levels of GSH allied with the control group. The animals, given the dose of FSO, showed restoration of learning and memory capability with oxidative and cholinergic balance in the brain tissue and also decreased levels of caspase − 3 and Bcl-2 alike to the control sample.
Conclusion
The current study establishes the beneficial effects of flaxseed oil, which increases the level of GSH and antiapoptotic potential, whereas it also decreases the level of MDA, NO, and AChE in the brain which helps in neuroprotection and reduction of neuronal death, which was further confirmed by histopathological observations.
Structural Laser Modification of PbSe Films Electrical and Optical Properties
Authors: Olkhova Anastasiia A. , Patrikeeva Alina A. , Sergeev Maksim M.
Published: June 2022

PbSe chalcogenide films are widely used as photosensitive elements in gas analysis devices. High absorption in the IR spectrum region and low electrical resistance are important characteristics. Continuous laser radiation exposure of films in the near UV range makes it possible to achieve the desired characteristics, replacing oven heat treatment in the technological process. In the considered laser technology, PbSe films are subjected to photothermal action by a spot of focused radiation in the progressive scanning mode. In this work, changes in the optical and electrical film properties were studied, and the mechanism of structural laser modification was also considered.
Application of HPAA-RGD/si-circICA1 in the treatment of invasive thyroid cancer through targeting of the miR-486-3p/SERPINA1 axis
Authors: Dong Shuai , Xia Qing , Pan Jun , Du Xiao-Long , Wu Yi-Jun , Xie Xiao-Jun
Published: June 2022

Background
There are still no means and molecular markers to identify the invasion ability of thyroid cancer, and the early diagnosis and effective treatment of invasive thyroid cancer are quite difficult in current clinical treatment. In this study, we intend to explore the molecular markers of invasive thyroid cancer, design a targeted drug and provide new insights into the development of invasive thyroid cancer.
Methods
Overexpression and inhibition of circICA1 and miR-486-3p were performed in B-CPAP cells. The effects of circICA1 and miR-486-3p on thyroid cancer cells were assessed by analyzing the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of cells. The effects of the regulation of the miR-486-3p/SERPINA1 axis on thyroid cell metastasis was explored by qPCR and western blot analyses. Finally, an in vivo xenograft tumor model was constructed to assess the effects of hyperbranched polyamidoamine (HPAA)-RGD/si-circICA1 on the growth and metastasis of thyroid tumors.
Results
The expression of miR-486-3p in circICA1-inhibited B-CPAP cells was significantly increased. CircICA1 could promote the proliferation and invasion of thyroid cancer cells by regulating the miR-486-3p/SERPINA1 axis. In addition, the loading of HPAA-RGD enhanced the therapeutic effect of si-circICA1 against thyroid cancer.
Conclusion
RGD-modified HPAA loaded with si-circICA1 can effectively treat thyroid cancer metastasis, and is, therefore, a potentially effective treatment strategy for thyroid cancer.
Framework for Detection of Fraud at Point of Sale on Electronic Commerce sites using Logistic Regression
Authors: Alabi Olubunmi F. , David Amos A.
Published: June 2022

Many businesses have been positively impacted by electronic commerce (ecommerce). It has enabled enterprises and consumers to transact business digitally and experience diversity as long as the internet can be accessible and a gadget to surf the internet is available. Several governments have gradually adopted electronic payment throughout the country. The Nigerian government has also done a lot of prodding toward the adoption of a cashless economy, which includes embracing ecommerce. As ecommerce expands, so does actual and attempted fraud through this channel. According to the Nigerian Central Bank, electronic fraud would reach trillions of Naira by 2021. The purpose of this work was to employ logistic regression as a decision-making tool for detecting fraud in e-commerce platforms at the point of sale. The main contribution of this research is a model developed using for detecting fraud at the point of sale on electronic commerce platforms. The accuracy of the result is 97.8 percent. The result of this study will provide key decision makers in ecommerce firms with information on fraud patterns on their ecommerce platforms, this will enable them take quick actions to forestall these fraudulent attempts. Further research should be carried out in developing countries.