bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Prognostic Nomogram for Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma Based on Clinical and Pathological Parameters
Authors: Wu ShiShou , Liu Yifei , Jiang Lei , An Licai , Zhang Yuanfeng , Gao Yuan , Wang Yunjun , Li Na , Yu Guohua
Published: January 2024

Objects: To establish a risk hierarchical model to evaluating the prognostic of ENKTCL based on the clinical and pathological parameters.
Methods: 1.Based on the prognostic analysis of IHC and QDB results, the prognostic model was established (NK/T cell lymphoma International prognostic Index，NIPI). 2. The data was analyzed by R.4.1.0 and the threshold was determined. AUC was used to compare with other prognostic risk models of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma.
Results: 1. NIPI based on age, MTP53, Ki67, LDH, hemoglobin and lymphocyte/platelet ratio was divided all patients into four groups with different prognostic risk. There was significant difference among different groups by NIPI(IHC) (P<0.001)and the AUC was 0.72. There was no significant difference in prognosis by Ann Arbor stage. There were significant differences in prognosis among different prognostic model groups（PIPI=0.00036、PPINK＝0.00017、PNRI＜0.001）. There was significant difference among the four groups by NIPI(QDB) (P＝0.00014) and the AUC was 0.800.
Conclusion: 1. NIPI can predict the prognostic risk of ENKTCL patients and can help to achieve individual accurate diagnosis and treatment. 2. QDB analysis has more prominent advantages in accurate diagnosis and treatment, and it is expected to become an important experimental technique for clinical laboratory detection.
STIM1/Orai1-mediated Ca 2+ influx contributes to the ASM phenotype modulation and ASM-related ECM deposition in asthma
Authors: Ni Hangqi , Li Ting , Chen Junjun , Wei Yuying , Xia Mengling , Wang Qing
Published: January 2024

Background: Phenotype modulation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC), defined as a more proliferative/synthetic type switched from contractile cells, plays an important role in airway remodeling of asthma. STIM1 and Orai1, the key aspects mediating store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), have been shown to promote ASMC proliferation and migration. In this study, we explored the role of STIM1/Orai1-mediated SOCE in ASMC phenotype transition, and further investigated their involvement in the extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in asthma.
Methods: The ASMCs from C57BL/6 mice were prepared and incubated with PDGF-BB to induced the phenotype switching. SKF-96365, an inhibitor of STIM1/Orai1, was used to detect the effect of SOCE in the ASMC phenotype transition and ASMC-related ECM doposition. Cell counting kit-8 assay, immunocytochemistry staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blot assay were employed to detect the ASMC’s proliferation and the expressions of contractile proteins, inflammatory cytokines as well as exacellular matrix. Moreover, we prepared the asthmatic mice model with SKF-96365 intranasal or intratracheal instillation and western blot assay were employed to determine the effect of SOCE repression in ECM deposition in vivo.
Results: We prepared the “proliferative/synthetic” type ASMCs with PDGF-BB treatment. and detected the increased expressions of STIM1 and Orai1 in phenotype switched ASMCs, accompanied by an enhance of SOCE. SKF-96365 could obviously block the activation of SOCE in ASMC. Meanwhile, the addition of SKF-96365 in phenotype switched ASMCs could significantly attenuate their increased proliferation ability, inflammatory cytokines secretion, and decreased contractile proteins contents induced by PDGF-BB. Moreover, we detected that PDGF-BB-induced “proliferative/synthetic” ASMCs can produce more ECM components, including collagen I, elastin and fibronectin, and metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as MMP2 and MMP9, which could be inhibited by the STIM1/Orai1 blocker SKF-96365. In vivo experiments also showed the similar results that SKF-96365 reduced the ECM deposition and MMPs production in the asthmatic mice model.
Conclusion: These observations demonstrated the prominent role of STIM1/Orai1-mediated SOCE in the phenotype modulation of ASMCs and their influence in the ASMC-induced excessive and altered ECM deposition. Therefore, our results indicated that STIM1/Orai1-mediated SOCE may take part in the airway remodeling of asthma.
Synthesis of novel biphenyls containing thiophene, pyridazinimine and 1,3,4-thiadiazole moieties, and their effects on the mortality, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acridiidae)
Authors: Eldebss Taha M. A. , Shaurub El-Sayed H. , Mekky Ahmed E. M. , Shaaban Mohamed R. , Farag Ahmad M.
Published: January 2024

Biphenyls acting on insects are an intensive research area now. In order to search for novel biphenyl candidates, a series of biphenyl derivatives containing thiophene, pyridazinimine and 1,3,4-thiadiazole moieties were synthesized. Their insecticidal activities on the newly molted fifth nymphal instars of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, were screened. Additionally, the effect of the most toxic compound on the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), in the thoracic muscles and the midgut was also evaluated. The synthesized compounds were characterized through 1HNMR, 13C NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Bioassay indicated that they showed insecticidal activity; the compound 11 with thiophene nucleus (8-13), phenylamino group and ethyl carboxylate moiety, in a certain arrangement, in addition to biphenylcarbonyl was the most toxic one, with LC50 of 42.90 ppm using leaf – dip technique. This compound increased the activity of MDA and GST, whereas the activity of CAT decreased. The present work demonstrated that biphenyl derivatives can be used as possible major compounds to develop novel insecticides. Additionally, antioxidant biomarkers such as MDA and GST and CAT were involved in the free radical scavenging in response to exposure of S. gregaria to the target compound 11.
A Model Transformation Method Based on Simulink/Stateflow for Validation of UML Statechart Diagram
Authors: Wu Runfang , Du Ye , Li Meihong
Published: January 2024

A model extraction and transformation method based on state refinement and semantic mapping is proposed to address the challenges of modeling difficulty and resource consumption in the symbol verification process of software requirement modeling. Considering the characteristics of UML state diagrams, a semantic extraction approach from the statechart diagram to the validation model is proposed in this paper. The mapping of various elements from the state diagram to the validation model was defined in a rule-based manner, composite states were refined to reduce the hierarchical structure, and the effectiveness of the mapping was evaluated. Then, a semantic algorithm based on mapping rules was designed, and model transformation was achieved through a specific feedback process for railway turnout control. Finally, the protocol was detected using the NuSMV validation tool, and faults were injected to validate the transformed validation model. The results indicate that the algorithm has good accuracy and practicality.
Association between systemic immune inflammation index and osteoarthritis in US adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Fang Jianguo , Liu Cai , Wang Duojun , Zhang Hui , Xu Xin , Lin Zaijun
Published: January 2024

Background
The relationship between systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and the osteoarthritis (OA) has not been well established. This study aimed to investigate the associations between SII and OA risk using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2016.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from participants in NHANES 2005–2016. SII is calculated as platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore the link between SII and osteoporosis, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
A total of 18,459 participants were included, of which 1130 reported having OA. After adjusting for potential confounders, an inverse association was observed between SII and OA (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.07–1.51, p = 0.006). Moreover, we also identify that SII of 515.56 is the optimal cut-off value, indicating that when the SII value exceeds the cut-off value, the risk increases rapidly.
Conclusions
In this large, nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, higher SII was negatively associated with the risk of OA. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms.
A novel reinforcement learning-based hybrid intrusion detection system on fog-to-cloud computing
Authors: Najafli Sepide , Haghighat Abolfazl Toroghi , Karasfi Babak
Published: January 2024

The increasing growth of the Internet of Things and its open and shared character has led to a rise in new attacks exponentially. As a consequence, the quick detection of attacks in IoT environments is essential. The intrusion detection system (IDS) is responsible for protecting and detecting the type of attacks. Creating an IDS that works in real-time and adapts to environmental changes is critical. In this paper, we propose a deep reinforcement learning-based (DRL) adaptive IDS that addresses the mentioned challenges. DRL-based IDS helps to create a decision agent, who controls the interaction with the indeterminate environment and performs binary detection (normal/intrusion) in fog. For multi-class classification of attacks, we use the ensemble method in the cloud. The proposed approach is evaluated on the CICIDS2018 dataset, in binary and multiclass classification. The results show that the proposed model achieves a comparable performance in detecting intrusions and identifying attacks and it reduces the prediction time significantly. Furthermore, it is a suitable solution for underrepresented attacks. Overall, combining multiple methods can be a great way for an intrusion detection system.
Effect of Post COVID-19 hypoxia on Placenta of Pregnant Women: A possible Role of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α
Authors: Abbas Fatma , Abd-Elaziz Ebtihal A. , Helbawi Fatma M. , Abbas Asmaa , Abd-Elsamea Fatma Sayed , Tohamy Tohamy Anwar , Sobh Ahmed M. A.
Published: January 2024

The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) are considered master regulators of oxygen homeostasis and are oxygen level sensitive. Currently, there is no information regarding the expression of HIF-1α in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and its potential involvement in the placentation of this condition. The current study aims to detect the expression of HIF-1α and possible molecular link between the expression of HIF-1α and PLGF. A case-control study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital between January and September 2022. Placental tissue of post COVID-19 infected pregnant women (n = 34) and healthy control (n = 16) were collected and processed for gene expression of HIF-1α and PLGF by Quantitative real-time PCR. There was statistically significant higher median level of HIF-1α among cases compared to controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, there was a statistically significant higher median level of PLGF among cases compared to controls (P < 0.001). There was statistically significant moderate positive correlation between HIF-1α and PLGF gene (r = 0.636, P < 0.001) among studied samples, however no statistically significant correlation between the two genes among cases and controls groups separately. In conclusion, the higher levels of HIF-1α and PLGF in the placentas of post COVID-infected pregnant women compared to normal pregnant women indicate that COVID-19 hypoxia did not affect the process of placentation. This is confirmed also by the positive correlation between HIF-1α and PIGF in placental tissues among total studied samples.
Causal association of gut microbiota with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes and glycemic traits: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhao Jiaoyan , Xing Wenguo , Li Yuqian , Mao Zhenxing , Wang Chongjian , Zhang Shuhua , Li Zhuoyang , Li Yan , Li Jia , Yang Tianyv , Li Linlin
Published: January 2024

Purpose
Growing evidence from observational studies reveals that gut microbiota is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), type 1 diabetes (T1D) and glycemic traits. Aiming to comprehensively explore these causal relationships, we conducted a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Method
We conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data. The gut microbiota-related GWAS data were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium, and the summary statistics for T2D and T1D from the GWAS database. Besides, the 3 glycemic traits (2h-glucose, fasting glucose, fasting insulin) summary statistics were all obtained from Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium (MAGIC). The selection of instrumental variables strictly conformed to a set of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR-Egger, weighted mode and simple mode were used to access the causal association. Several sensitivity analyses are used to ensure the robustness of the results.
Results
According to causal effect models with MR analysis, we identified 7 significant causal relationships between gut microbiota and diabetes (T2D/T1D) and glycemic traits, including phylum Verrucomicrobia, genus Actinomyces, family Veillonellaceae, class Melainabacteria, order Gastranaerophilales, family unknownfamily.id.1000001214 and phylum Proteobacteria. Evidence from multiple sensitivity analyses further supports these associations.
Conclusions
Our research revealed that gut microbiota was causally associated with diabetes (T2D/T1D) and glycemic traits and may provide fresh ideas for early detection and treatment.
NFIB controls chemosensitivity in small cell lung cancer by suppressing Notch signaling activity
Authors: Qin Weixin , Wang Ziyan , Deng Shuzhe , Qiu Huilei , Meng Hongxue , Geng Jingshu
Published: January 2024

Background: Small cell lung cancer(SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor type, characterized by universal acquired therapeutic resistance during rapidly recurrence. However, we have a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying development of resistance. NFIB is a bona fide oncogene in SCLC with effects on proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis inhibition.
Methods: The expression of NFIB and related genes was evaluated in SCLC cells and tissue specimens, by western blot, RT-PCR immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. The relationship between genes was verified by ChIP-PCR experiments. CCK8 assays was used for drug resistance experiments.
Results: NFIB is highly correlated with NE markers and may be participated in the generating of tumor heterogeneity mediated in part by Notch1. The suppressive effect of NFIB on Notch1 is relieved and led to NE gene inhibiting when SCLC cells lack of NFIB. These cells are slow growing and also relatively chemoresistant. Importantly, Notch blockade in combination with chemotherapy alleviates the formation of intratumoral heterogeneity and enhances chemosensitivity.
Conclusions: NFIB can be both tumor-pro-tumorigenic and chemosensitizing in SCLC. NFIB knockdown results in endogenous activation of the Notch pathway. These results uncover the dual character of oncogene as NFIB in SCLC and offer perspectives for efficacious combination therapies that might also hold promise for treating human SCLC.
Comparison of two surveillance criteria for detecting ventilator associated problems in critically- ill patients who have COVID-19
Authors: Güven Damla Karadeniz , Metan Gökhan , Dizman Gülçin Telli , Durhan Gamze , Topeli Arzu , Demir Ahmet Uğur
Published: January 2024

Background
We aimed to compare the effectiveness of traditional Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and Ventilator associated event (VAE) surveillance definitions in the determination of mechanical ventilator related infectious complications in patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) for COVID-19 associated respiratory insufficiency.
Methods
This study was conducted in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Hacettepe University Hospital in Ankara between July 2020 and June 2021. Seventy-seven COVID-19 patients who required MV more than 48 hours were included. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP)/PNEU definition was used for VAP surveillance. NHSN Ventilator-associated event (VAE) criteria were used for VAE surveillance. Kappa analysis was performed to evaluate the concordance between VAP and VAE.
Results
The incidence of VAP was found as 13.55 (95% confidence interval (CI), 9.33–19.03) per 1000 ventilator days and the incidence of VAE was 6.16 (95% CI, 3.44–10.16) per 1000 ventilator days. Infectious Ventilator Associated Complication (IVAC) was detected in 10 (13%) patients, and 4 (5.2%) patients had Possible Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (PVAP). Eleven patients met both VAP and VAE criteria, however, VAP and VAE were detected on the same MV day in only 1 (9%) patient. VAP was detected before VAE in 8 (72%) patients. The concordance between VAP and VAE was low (0.260).
Conclusions
VAP criteria detected higher rate of ventilator associated infections when compared with VAE. There was no correlation between two algorithms. There is a risk of underestimation of ventilator associated infectious complications when using VAE criteria for surveillance.
Evaluation of the polycaprolactone (PCL) hydrolytic degradation in acid solvent and its influence on the electrospinning process
Authors: Anaya-Mancipe Javier Mauricio , Figueirdo Agnes Chacor , Rabello Lucas Gomes , Dias Marcos Lopes , Thiré Rossana Mara S. M.
Published: January 2024

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is one of the most widely used biopolymers in biomedicine for the production of scaffolds and biomaterials in tissue engineering. This is due to its characteristics as a drug carrier, as well as excellent controlled release properties compared to other biopolymers. Electrospinning is a technique often employed for manufacturing mats with this application, although chlorinated or fluorinated solvents are predominantly used, presenting high cellular toxicity. A viable alternative as a green solvent is glacial acetic acid in the preparation of electrospinning solutions. In this study, we investigated the molecular degradation via acid hydrolysis of PCL in acidic solvents (acetic acid/formic acid) and how the contact time (storage) influences the morphology of the produced structures. Solutions containing 30% by weight of PCL in acetic acid/formic acid (9:1) were prepared and stored at 35°C for up to 14 days. Subsequently, samples were tested by electrospinning to assess the resulting morphology. To analyze the acid degradation of PCL, samples were evaluated by GPC, XRD, and FTIR, revealing an approximately 50% reduction in molar mass during the solubilization process. This allowed for better chain packing, generating higher crystallinity indices, increasing from approximately 37–49%, due to the storage time of the solutions. On the other hand, it was observed that this reduction in molar mass resulted in lower molecular interactions and entanglement of the chains, reflecting in the formation of unstable Taylor cones that produced mats with various morphologies, including fibers, beaded fibers, and isolated beads. However, this degradation demonstrated an increase in water adsorption capacity, indicating exposure of hydrogen bonds from the acid hydrolysis of the ester linkage in PCL, an important feature for applications in regenerative medicine. This highlights the high potential of these hydrolyzed materials for cell anchoring applications in tissue engineering.
Quantum Support Vector Machine for Prostate Cancer Detection: A Performance Analysis
Authors: Maouaki Walid El , Said Taoufik , Bennai Mohamed
Published: January 2024

This study addresses the urgent need for improved prostate cancer detection methods by harnessing the power of advanced technological solutions. We introduce the application of Quantum Support Vector Machine (QSVM) to this critical healthcare challenge, showcasing an enhancement in diagnostic performance over the classical Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach. Our study not only outlines the remarkable improvements in diagnostic performance made by QSVM over the classic SVM technique, but it delves into the advancements brought about by the quantum feature map architecture, which has been carefully identified and evaluated, ensuring it aligns seamlessly with the unique characteristics of our prostate cancer dataset. This architecture succeded in creating a distinct feature space, enabling the detection of complex, non-linear patterns in the data. The findings reveal not only a comparable accuracy with classical SVM (92%) but also a 7.14% increase in sensitivity and a notably high F1-Score (93.33%). This study's important combination of quantum computing in medical diagnostics marks a pivotal step forward in cancer detection, offering promising implications for the future of healthcare technology.
An enrichment approach for the recovery of viral and bacterial genomes from coral metagenomes
Authors: Wallace Bailey A. , Varona Natascha S. , Silveira Cynthia B.
Published: January 2024

Difficulties in obtaining viral and bacterial genomes from corals have hindered the mechanistic understanding of these holobionts. Here, we introduce a size-fractionation approach to enrich viruses and bacteria from coral samples (tissues, mucus, and skeleton) for metagenome sequencing. Enriched metagenomes reduced host and Symbiodium DNA from 70 to 36% while increasing bacterial recovery by 9-fold. Remarkably, bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes were only recovered from the enriched metagenomes, and viral genome recovery increased by 3-fold, expanding the diversity of viruses detected. The high recovery of viral and bacterial genomes described here will facilitate the expansion of functional genomic studies in coral holobionts.
Relationship between gut microbiota and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Shao Xinran , Jiang Jiuzhi , Fei Xiang , Zhang Ying , Zhang Dongxiao , Cui Jianchun
Published: January 2024

Purpose: Hashimoto's thyroiditis（HT）is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. Observational studies have proved that the gut microbiome is related to the occurrence of HT, but the causal relationship between HT and gut microbiome. However, the causal relationship between gut microbiome and HT remains to be determined. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the relationship between HT and gut microbiome.
Methods: In this study, bidirectional Mendelian randomization was used to explore the relationship between HT and gut microbiome. GWAS data of gut microbiota were obtained from the MiBioGen database, containing 18340 samples. HT data is from the IEU open GWAS database, which contains 568833 samples. The methods used for MR analysis in this paper include inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, weighted mode, Mr egger, and simple mode. F-statistics and sensitivity analysis were used to measure bias and reliability. SNPs were used as instrumental variables in Mendelian randomization studies.
Results: After FDR correction, we found a total of 9 bidirectional causal relationships between gut microbiome and HT. Five of them demonstrated the influence of gut microbiome on HT, respectively are genus Anaerostipes (OR=1.239296,95%CI 1.03378-1.485669, p=0.020389)，family Alcaligenaceae (OR=0.742608, 95%CI 0.61164-0.901619，p=0.002645 )、genus Ruminococcaceae (OR=0.89581, 95%CI 0.810137-0.990542,p=0.03193)、genus Prevotella7 (OR=0.895026,95%CI 0.810775-0.988031,p=0.027898)、phylum Verrucomicrobia (OR=0.838726,95%CI 0.722321-0.973889,p=0.021051 ). Four described the effect of HT on the gut microbiome as follows, phylum Verrucomicrobia (OR=0.968114, 95%CI 0.938525-0.998637,p=0.040743)，class Deltaproteobacteria (OR=0.970233, 95%CI 0.942334-0.998958,p=0.042353)，family Verrucomicrobiaceae (OR=0.963272，95%CI 0.933234-0.994277,p=0.020607)，family Christensenellaceae（OR=1.044625, 95%CI 1.003784-1.087127,p=0.031903). No obvious horizontal pleiotrophy was found by MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO global test.
Conclusions: This Mendelian randomization study revealed the relationship between gut microbiome and autoimmune disease ——HT, which may provide a new direction for the future research on the interaction mechanism between the two, and provide a new reference for the study of risk factors of HT. In turn, we can use the intestinal flora as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of HT.
Relaxed minds for healthier food choice at school: A field experiment in southern Mexico
Authors: Viera Marcos Esau Dominguez , Mecheva Margarita de Vries , Nguyen Trang , Berg Marrit van den
Published: January 2024

Stress leads to unhealthy food choices since the school-age stage. Yet, there is limited evidence particularly in low- and middle-income countries regarding the impact of stress-reduction strategies on school-age children’s food choices. Such aspects were crucial during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated psychological distress and unhealthier food choices among children. During the pandemic period, we conducted a field experiment in southern Mexico to assess the impact of stress-reduction strategies on the food choices of over 1,400 children aged 9–12. Half of the school-classes in the sample were randomly assigned to a stress reduction strategy namely meditation, which comprised six audios with basic relaxation techniques and intuitive messages to guide food choices. Additionally, all participants received information signalling that an amaranth snack was nutritious (i.e., the healthy snack), which was paired with a chocolate bar (i.e., the unhealthy snack) as part of a snack choice experiment. The meditation program effectively reduced stress among treated children. The effect was larger among students attending schools in lower-income areas. In general, we found that the share of students choosing the healthy snack did not differ between the treated and the control groups. Yet, we highlighted that meditation increased healthy snack choices by 4%-points among children that chose their snack for non-health or nutrition-related reasons. Upon collecting their snack, students had the chance to exchange their original choice for the other snack. Students that meditated were more likely to exchange their originally chosen “unhealthy snack” towards the healthy snack than students in the control group. Our study sheds some light on the relevance of addressing psychological well-being to complement other strategies to improve food choice at school.
Driving Sustainability in Power Generation: Amine Scrubbing Integration as a Cost-effective Measure for Carbon Dioxide Mitigation.
Authors: JOHNSON NNADIKWE , IKECHUKWU IKOKO , CHUKWUMA AKUCHIE JUSTIN
Published: January 2024

Given the imperative of security, sustainability of supply, strategic considerations, and energy independence, there is a widely acknowledged need to persist in utilizing coal as the primary fuel for electricity generation in power plants. However, in order to combat the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, it is crucial to advance the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that enable fossil fuel power plants to achieve zero emissions. These technologies play a pivotal role in capturing and effectively storing CO2, thus ensuring that coal-based power generation can continue while significantly reducing its environmental impact. By implementing CCS solutions, fossil fuel power plants can transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future.The utilization of chemical solvents for CO2 absorption, coupled with long-term storage, presents an intriguing and commercially viable technology for CO2 capture. However, the significant energy demands of the solvent regeneration process necessitate optimization, particularly in large-scale power plants. While the current cost of CO2 capture stands at approximately #55,000.00(Naira) per ton of CO2, the objective is to reduce this cost to below #25,000.00(Naira) per ton of CO2. This reduction in cost is essential to ensure the economic feasibility and widespread adoption of CO2 capture technologies in power generation.This research paper explores various approaches to address the energy demands associated with amine scrubbing integration in a commercial power plant. It provides a comprehensive analysis, both technically and economically, of the performance of these different approaches. While some of the proposed schemes may result in minor efficiency reductions, the key objective is to calculate the specific cost per ton of CO2 captured. The primary focus is on identifying the most suitable configuration to implement large-scale, cost-effective schemes that can serve as a foundation for CO2 capture demonstration projects. By determining the optimal configuration, this research aims to pave the way for the successful implementation of efficient and economically viable CO2 capture technologies in the power generation sector.
Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on Private Domestic Investment in Ethiopia.
Authors: Wogari Takele
Published: January 2024

This study examined the Effect of foreign direct investment on Private domestic investment in Ethiopia. The study employed the annual time series data from 1990 to 2019 for variables as gross fixed capital formation, real gross domestic product, Exchange Rate, Inflation and foreign direct investment (FDI). The study adopted an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and other econometric tools of analysis to answer the objectives set out in the study. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller, Phillip-Perron Unit Root Test and Bounds Test method of cointegration employed indicates that the series used in the model are all stationary with a unique long run relationship established among the variables. The study also established an inverse relationship between foreign direct investment and Private domestic investment within the period under reference. Using econometric procedures, unit root test of ADF revealed that some of the variables were integrated at First Difference. ARDL test indicated the existence of long-run relationship among the variables. In testing for causality with the use of granger causality test, the results obtained indicate that there is an existence of Uni-directional relationship between foreign direct investment and Private domestic investment in Ethiopia, meaning that foreign direct investment cause Private domestic investment in Ethiopia while Private domestic investment does not cause foreign direct investment. Based on the Finding the following recommendations among others were made: First, it recommends that the concerned body should put in place policy with respect domestic investment and there must be safety measures to protect domestic investors from falling out of business and domestic investment promotion measures that will stimulate domestic firms’ investment. Secondly in an attempt to control the birr exchange rate since it does have bearing on inflation, the government should put in place an enduring framework to strike the risk of the domestic producers for them to take innovative domestic investor that will have competitive advantage With foreign investor.
Posterior default mode network activity underlies distracted interoceptive attention and provides an objective basis for low mindfulness & depression
Authors: Mishra Jyoti , Ramanathan Dhakshin , Grennan Gillian , Nan Jason , jaiswal Satish , Purpura Suzanna , Manchanda James , Maric Vojislav , Balasubramani Pragathi
Published: January 2024

Interoceptive attention to internal sensory signals is fundamental to mindfulness. However, it is difficult to measure objectively, and the vast majority of investigations of the neural correlates of mindfulness-based attention rely on subjective and retrospective measures of distraction. In this study, we measured consistency of response times on a breath-monitoring task (instruction to respond every two breath cycles) to objectively measure interoceptive attention in individuals across the lifespan (15–91 years of age, n = 324). Consistently timed responses were indicative of on-task attention, whereas variable delayed responses indicated distraction or mind-wandering. Signifying the importance of interoceptive attention consistency, we observed that this measure was positively correlated across subjects with performance across several exteroceptive cognitive tasks. Electroencephalographic (EEG) source reconstruction demonstrated that distraction on the eyes-closed task was associated with elevated alpha band (8–12 Hz) brain activity particularly in posterior default mode network (pDMN) brain regions. The neural data revealed four important findings: 1) pDMN brain activity was inversely linked with functional connectivity to the fronto-parietal network (FPN), suggesting that pDMN-FPN interactions play a key role in the regulation of pDMN activity during interoceptive attention. 2) pDMN activity on distracted trials was inversely correlated with trait level mindfulness. 3) A key hub of the pDMN, the isthmus region of the posterior cingulate cortex (ICC), showed elevated activity on distracted trials in individuals with self-reported depressive symptoms. And 4) in an independent second experiment, pDMN activity was adaptively modulated by task difficulty that invoked different levels of distraction. These results identify an EEG-based neurophysiological marker (elevated pDMN alpha activity) underlying interoceptive distraction, which is correlated with subjective markers of mindfulness and depression and that can be adaptively modulated. Our findings, thus, provide a direct link between a neurophysiological substrate of interoceptive attention, and subjective ratings of mindfulness and depressed mood.
Rezension zu: Judith Herrin, Ravenna. Hauptstadt des Imperiums, Schmelztiegel der Kulturen
Authors: Oswald Pascal
Published: January 2024

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Two new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia (Acariformes: Trouessartiidae) from passerines (Passeriformes) from Asian Russia
Authors: Mironov Sergey V.
Published: January 2024

Two new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia (Astigmata: Trouessartiiidae) are described from passerine hosts from Northern Asia: Trouessartia aureolae sp. n. from the Yellow-breasted Bunting, Emberiza aureola Pallas (Emberizidae) and T. cyanoptilae sp. n. from the Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Cyanoptila cyanomelana (Temminck) (Muscicapidae). Trouessartia aureolae is very close to T. emberizae Mironov, 2021. The new species most clearly diﬀers from T. emberizae in the following features: in males, the membranous apophyses of adanal apodemes are triangular, and the anterior ends of epimerites IVa are roughly rounded; in females, setae h1 extend to the free margin of the interlobar membrane, and the primary spermaduct guide extends to the level of setae h2. Trouessartia cyanoptilae is most similar to T. microfolia Gaud, 1952 and T. saularis Constantinescu, 2018. The new species diﬀers from T. microfolia and T. saularis in the following features: in both sexes, setae d1 are absent; in males, the terminal lamellae are triangular with oblique posterior margin, thus, the whole posterior end of the opisthosoma resembles a fsh tail; in females, the collar of the spermathecal head is short and smooth.
FAUNISTIC AND TAXONOMIC DATA ON ORIBATID MITES (ACARI: ORIBATIDA) OF TAIWAN, WITH AN IDENTIFICATION KEY TO KNOWN SPECIES OF PERGALUMNA FROM THE ORIENTAL REGION
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G. , Jäger Peter
Published: January 2024

This study is based on oribatid mite materials collected from forest litter in Taiwan. In particular, in the course of our study, we recorded 10 species from 10 genera and eight families. Of these, two species (Scheloribates guhitanus, Setogalumna luzonica) have been recorded for the first time from Taiwan. Additionally, a supplementary description of Pergalumna kunsti is presented based on specimens from Taiwan. An identification key to the known species of Pergalumna from the Oriental region is presented.
A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES MYCETINOPUS STRIATIPEDIS GEN. AND SP. N. (ACARI: ACARIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH THE HANDSOME FUNGUS BEETLE MYCETINA MARGINALIS IN THE EASTERN PALEARCTIC
Authors: Klimov Pavel B. , Kolesnikov Vasiliy B. , Khaustov Alexander A.
Published: January 2024

We describe unusual heteromorphic deutonymph of Mycetinopus striatipedis gen. and sp. n. (Acari: Acaridae) phoretic on the handsome fungus beetle Mycetina marginalis (Coleoptera, Endomychidae) in the Eastern Palearctic. These deutonymphs have a unique combination of character states that make them very distinct in the family Acaridae: an unpaired pigmented spot on the anterior propodosoma is present; supracoxal setae scx filiform and bifurcate; genu I with two solenidia; tibia-tarsi I–II are distinctly elongated and striated; vertical setae ve are present, and tarsal setae aa are lacking. Our work emphasizes the importance of continued exploration and documentation of the biodiversity of astigmatid mites associated with invertebrate hosts.
A NEW SPECIES OF WINTERSCHMIDTIA OUDEMANS (ACARI: ASTIGMATA: WINTERSCHMIDTIIDAE) FROM PERU
Authors: Kolesnikov Vasiliy B. , Khaustov Alexander A. , Petrov Alexander V. , Klimov Pavel B.
Published: January 2024

Phoretic deutonymphs of Winterschmidtia tawantinsuyuca sp. n. (Acari: Winterschmidtiidae) are described from Peru. This is the fourth species of the genus recorded in the Neotropical realm. Similar to the three other Peruvian species, the new species is phoretic on bark beetles, but this is the first finding of Winterschmidtia on the beetles of the genus Xyleborus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). The new species differs from all others in the ornamentation on of its prodorsal shield.
A NEW SPECIES OF THE FEATHER MITE GENUS DOLICHODECTES (ACARIFORMES: PROCTOPHYLLODIDAE) FROM THE DARK-SIDED FLYCATCHER MUSCICAPA SIBIRICA (PASSERIFORMES: MUSCICAPIDAE) FROM BURYATIA
Authors: Mironov Sergey V.
Published: January 2024

A new feather mite species, Dolichodectes sibiricus sp. n. (Pterodectinae), is described from the Dark-sided Flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica Gmelin, JF, captured on the southern coast of Lake Baikal, Buryatia, Russia. The new species is closest to D. allocaulus (Gaud and Mouchet 1957) and D. platynocercus (Gaud and Mouchet, 1957) from Africa and is distinguished from them in the following features. In males of D. sibiricus, the lateral enlargements of opisthosomal lobes are of a complicated form and consist of distinct angular projections bearing setae f2 and rounded ledges at level of setae h2, and the aedeagus extends to the level of setae ps3; in females, the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields lack ornamentation, the terminal appendages at their bases are 2–2.5 times thicker that setae h2, and setae e2 are situated closer to the level of setae e1 than to the posterior margin of the hysteronotal shield. Brief comments on the systematics of the genus Dolichodectes, a key to the known species, an updated checklist of the world fauna, as well as host associations are provided.
A REVIEW OF RAPHIGNATHUS (ACARI: RAPHIGNATHIDAE) OF ASIAN RUSSIA
Authors: Khaustov Alexander A.
Published: January 2024

The genus Raphignathus Dugès (Acari: Raphignathidae) of Asian Russia is reviewed. Raphignathus sakhalinensis sp. n. is described based on female and male specimens collected from spruce bark on Sakhalin Island; R. longipes sp. n. is described based on female and male specimens collected from various regions of Russia (Bashkortostan, Tyumenskaya Oblast, the Respublika Altay and Kamchatka). Raphignathus fani Doğan and Ayyildiz and R. ozkani Doğan are recorded from Russia for the first time and redescribed. Raphignathus gracilis (Rack) is recorded from Asian Russia for the first time. A key to the species of Raphignathus of Russia is also provided.
THE COMPLETE MITOCHONDRIAL GENOME OF NEOSEIULUS CALIFORNICUS (MESOSTIGMATA, PHYTOSEIIDAE) AND CONTROL REGION POLYMORPHISM
Authors: Uroshlev L. A. , Vasilenko O. V. , Meshkov Y. I. , Andrianov B. V.
Published: January 2024

Neoseiulus californicus is widely used as an effective biocontrol agent of spider mites. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of N. californicus was determined using Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology. The complete mitochondrial genome is 21,318 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rRNA genes and 22 transfer RNA genes. Its AT content is 78.4%. All start and stop codons of the protein-coding genes are canonical, except for the missing stop codon for the cox3 gene. The control region was polymorphic in length between the sublines of N. californicus due to variable number of direct repeats. The mitogenome presented in this paper contributes to the study of the genetic structure of N. californicus biocontrol populations.
El lector adolescente en Los inocentes de Oswaldo Reynoso
Authors: Aréstegui Buscaglia Claudia
Published: January 2024

Los inocentes es un libro de cuentos de realismo urbano publicado en 1961. Este se centra en cinco adolescentes miembros de una «collera». El presente artículo busca responder cómo es el lector adolescente y cómo se refleja en la obra en cuestión. Se plantea la hipótesis de que lo hace mediante las particularidades del lenguaje literario del autor, así como en la profundización de los problemas propios de la adolescencia y de la búsqueda de la identidad masculina.
Urgência odontopediátrica no ensino da Odontologia
Authors: Rodrigues Guedes Fernanda , Moreira Herval Alex , Turrioni Ana Paula
Published: January 2024

O estudo teve o objetivo de analisar o perfil de atendimento de urgência em Odontopediatria, além de identificar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos discentes de Graduação em uma Universidade Federal brasileira. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com duas vertentes, retrospectiva e prospectiva. Na vertente retrospectiva, foram analisadas fichas de atendimento a crianças menores de 12 entre os anos de 2016 e 2019. Na vertente prospectiva, foram avaliadas as dificuldades dos discentes durante os procedimentos odontopediátricos de urgência, por meio da aplicação de questionário. Foram incluídas 4.785 fichas de atendimento. O procedimento mais realizado pelos alunos foi a exodontia simples (31,0%). Observou-se alto grau de dificuldade para os alunos de 7º, 8º e 9º períodos, especialmente nos procedimentos de endodontia e manejo do traumatismo dentário. Verificou-se uma necessidade de maior acompanhamento e apoio aos alunos nos atendimentos em Odontopediatria no serviço de urgência.
BIOECONOMIA BIOTECNOLÓGICA NA AMAZÔNIA OCIDENTAL
Authors: Siqueira Picanço Carlos Adriano , Vasconcellos Sobrinho Mário
Published: January 2024

Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender a bioeconomia na Amazônia Ocidental, com ênfase na vertente biotecnológica como um caminho alternativo para o desenvolvimento sustentável. A pesquisa adotou um método qualitativo de estudo de caso, centrando-se nas iniciativas implementadas pelo Programa Prioritário de Bioeconomia (PPBio) no estado do Amazonas. Para a coleta de dados secundários, recorreu-se ao site oficial do PPBio, e a análise foi conduzida seguindo a matriz proposta por Costa et al. (2022). A análise enfatizou aspectos como os objetivos das iniciativas, suas estratégias territoriais, a importância tecnológica, a aderência aos princípios de sustentabilidade e a categorização nas tipologias definidas por Bugge, Hansen e Klitkou (2016). Os resultados do estudo destacaram o potencial da bioeconomia como uma alternativa sustentável para o desenvolvimento na região, possibilitando impulsionar o desenvolvimento econômico e a conservação da biodiversidade. Evidenciou-se também a necessidade de monitorar e adaptar continuamente as estratégias para assegurar um futuro mais sustentável, tanto na Amazônia Legal quanto em um contexto global.
Exploring the Molecular Targets and Therapeutic Potential of Coptisine in Colon Cancer: A Network Pharmacology Approach
Authors: Yang Jing , Tao Qing , Li Jun , Xie Yang , Tang Chaotao , Huang Xia , Chen Youxiang , Zeng Chunyan
Published: January 2024

Introduction:

Colon cancer is a frequent malignancy, and surgery is still the
primary therapy for people with colon cancer. Other treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy,
and biologic therapy, may be utilized as a supplement. Chemotherapy, a
prominent treatment for colon cancer, has failed to provide positive outcomes. This necessitates
the development of more effective and less harmful treatment drugs. Coptisine
was discovered to inhibit the development of colon cancer cell line HCT-116 in vivo, decrease
the growth of HCT-116 cells, and cause apoptosis in vitro in colon cancer. Coptisine
(COP) has shown antitumor activity in colon cancer, but its molecular mechanism
and its molecular targets have not been fully understood.

Methods:

In this study, the biological behavior was verified in vitro. The targets of
Huanglian alkaloids on colon cancer were predicted, and the protein-protein interaction
(PPI) network was constructed. The core targets of safranine for colon cancer were extracted
and analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment to identify the possible molecular
mechanisms of safranine treatment. Western blot was used to detect the changes of related
pathway proteins in colon cancer cells. The differential expression of hub genes in
colon cancer was analyzed using the GEPIA2 website. The binding ability of safranine
to the target was verified by molecular docking. Finally, the targets were preliminarily
verified by q-PCR analysis.

Results:

Coptisine can inhibit the survival, migration, and proliferation of colon cancer
cells DLD1 and HCT-116. Based on network pharmacology, ninety-one targets for
colon cancer were screened. ESR1, ALB, AR, CDK2, PARP1, HSP90AB1, IGF1R, CCNE1,
and CDC42 were found in the top 10. Enrichment analysis showed that these targets
were mainly related to pathways in cancer, FC γ R-mediated phagocytosis, prostate
cancer, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, the oestrogen signal pathway, proteoglycan
in cancer and the PI3K-Akt signal pathway. WB results showed that after the treatment
of colon cancer DLD1 cells with coptisine, the expression of P-AKT and AKT decreased,
that of its downstream protein Bcl-2 decreased, and that of BAX increased. Differential
expression analysis of hub genes showed that CCNE1, CDK2, HSP90AB1, and
CHEK2 were upregulated in colon cancer samples, and molecular docking showed that
these targets had a good ability to bind to coptisine. After the treatment of colon cancer
DLD1 cells with coptisine, q-PCR results showed that CCNE1 and HSP90AB1 were significantly
downregulated, while CDK2 and CHEK2 had no significant changes.

Conclusion:

Coptisine may be a candidate drug for the treatment of colon cancer, and
its therapeutic effect may be related to the cancer pathway and PI3K-Akt signalling pathway.
CCNE1 and HSP90AB1 may be potential targets of coptisine in the treatment of
colon cancer.