bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Dioxide Methanation Enabled by Biochar-Nanocatalyst Composite Materials. A Mini-Review
Authors: Tang Mengqi , Gamal Ahmed , Bhakta Arvind K. , Jlassi Khouloud , Abdullah Aboubakr M. , CHEHIMI Mohamed M.
Published: December 2023

Due to the ever increasing global warming, the scientific community is concerned with finding immediate solutions to reduce or utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) and convert it in useful compounds. In this context, the reductive process of CO2 methanation is well investigated and attractive due to its simplicity. However, it requires the development of highly active catalysts. In this mini-review, the focus is on biochar-immobilized nanocatalysts for CO2 methanation. We summarize the recent literature on the topic, reporting strategies for the design of biochar with immobilized nanocatalysts and their performances in CO2 methanation. We review the thermochemical transformation of biomass into biochar and its decoration with CO2 methanation catalysts. We also tackle direct methods of obtaining biochar-nanocatalysts, in one pot, from nanocatalyst precursor-impregnated biomass. We review the effect of the initial biomass nature, as well as the conditions that permit to tune the perfomances of the composite catalysts. Finally, we discuss the CO2 methanation performances and how they could be improved keeping in mind low operation cost and particularly sustainability.
Metabolic Signature of Warburg Effect in Cancer: An Effective and Obligatory Interplay between Nutrient Transporters and Catabolic/Anabolic pathways to Promote Tumor Growth
Authors: Mathew Marilyn , Nguyen Nhi , Bhutia Yangzom , Sivaprakasam Sathish , Ganapathy Vadivel
Published: December 2023

Aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells, originally observed by Warburg 100 years ago, which involves production of lactate as the end product of glucose breakdown even in the presence of adequate oxygen, is the foundation for the current interest in cancer cell-specific reprograming of metabolic pathways. The renewed interest in cancer cell metabolism has now gone well beyond the original Warburg effect related to glycolysis to other metabolic pathways to include amino acid metabolism, one-carbon metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway, nucleotide synthesis, antioxidant machinery, etc. Since glucose and amino acids constitute the primary nutrients that fuel the altered metabolic pathways in cancer cells, the transporters that mediate the transfer of these nutrients and their metabolites not only across the plasma membrane but also across the mitochondrial and lysosomal membranes have become an integral component of expansion of the Warburg effect. In this review, we focus on the interplay between these transporters and metabolic pathways that facilitates the metabolic reprogramming which has become the hallmark of cancer cells. The beneficial outcome of this recent understanding of the unique metabolic signature surrounding the Warburg effect is the identification of novel drug targets for development of a new generation of therapeutics to treat cancer.
Marine Streptomyces-Derived Novel Alkaloids Discovered in the Past Decade
Authors: Liu Zijun , Sun Wenyan , Hu Zhe , Wang Wei , Zhang Huawei
Published: December 2023

Natural alkaloids of actinomycetes origin and synthetic derivatives have always been among the important suppliers of small-molecule drugs. Among their biological sources, Streptomyces is the highest and most extensively researched genus. Marine-derived Streptomyces strains harbor unconventional metabolic pathways and have been demonstrated to be efficient producers of biologically active alkaloids since more than 60% of these compounds exhibit valuable activity such as antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory activity, etc. This review comprehensively summarizes novel alkaloids produced by marine Streptomyces discovered in the past decade, focusing on their structural features, biological activity and pharmacological mechanisms. Future perspectives on the discovery and development of novel alkaloids from marine Streptomyces are also provided.
zk-DASTARK: A quantum-resistant, data authentication and zero-knowledge proof scheme for protecting data feed to smart contracts
Authors: Chaudhry Usama Habib , Arshad Razi , Khalid Ayesha , Ray Indranil Gosh , Hussain Mehdi
Published: December 2023

With the emergence of blockchain and smart contracts, traditional digital applications 1
such as identity management, supply chain management, banking and finance etc. are expected 2
to be transformed into Decentralized Applications (DApps). Blockchain interoperability is a new 3
and exciting aspect of blockchain technology that is quickly gaining popularity in many industries. 4
However, the widespread use of blockchains has not yet been achieved because DApps running on the 5
blockchain using smart contracts require access to authentic off-chain data. Users are more conscious 6
of their personal data privacy and consequently are more reluctant to share their data, posing a 7
challenge in the adoption of DApps. To solve this challenge, we present a novel quantum-resistant, 8
data authentication and zero-knowledge proof scheme named zk-DASTARK. Based on our proposed 9
scheme, we present a novel framework which can be used to feed authenticated off-chain data to 10
DApps without compromising user data privacy. Our proposed framework is quite efficient against 11
well-known off-chain data authentication frameworks. The proposed framework is implemented on 12
state-of-the-art quantum-resistant IOTA Blockchain and is highly efficient as it takes approximately 13
60 ms to generate a proof and approximately 10 ms to verify a proof.
Fracture Rate and Causes of Ceramic Crown Fracture: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Chang Han Chao , Chiu Grace S. , Lan Ting-Hsun
Published: December 2023

To determine the fracture rate of ceramic crowns and causes of ceramic crown failure, this study used keywords—namely “endocrown,” “veneered fixed dental prosthesis,” “monolithic lithium disilicate (LS2),” and “all-ceramic single crown”—to search for articles published in English from 2005 to 2023 in the PubMed electronic database. Rather than using the Boolean logic algorithm between MESH terms and keywords, we accurately calculated the numbers of final clinically tracked cases with crown fractures from the contents of articles. The titles and abstracts of many related articles focused on implant or abutment fracture, while crown fracture was investigated and mentioned only in the main texts of the articles. Our studies included those crowns as well as having more complete data collection. Our search yielded 228, 93, 404, and 358 articles for the keywords “endocrown,” “veneered fixed dental prosthesis,” “monolithic lithium disilicate (LS2),” and “all-ceramic single crown,” respectively. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) to assess article quality, and our inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCT) and cohort study articles involving more than 3 years of follow-up and more than 20 cases. After reviewing, 16 high-quality articles were selected for analysis. The 4.4% crown fracture rate recommended on the basis of most clinical results was achieved in only 6 of the 16 articles. In these 6 articles, the researchers concluded the following reasons that may cause the crown fractures: the thickness of the veneer ceramic material; the connector dimensions; pontic span of the fixed prosthesis; the type of cement; the treatment of the ceramic surface before luting. Other articles inferred that the computer-aided design libraries that were insufficient for the creation of appropriate anatomically supported frameworks for prostheses with ceramic veneers; the thermal expansion coefficient and fracture toughness of the framework material did not match those of the veneer ceramic, resulting in an insufficient area supporting the ceramic veneer then leads to premature crown failure after a long period chewing. The future prospective for material developing could focus on solving those problems and have better clinical results.
Improvement and Investigation of Electrostatic Comb Actuator Performance
Authors: Sun Hao , Liu Yuxin , Lin Yu-Sheng
Published: December 2023

We present a design of electrostatic comb driver to improve and investigate its actuation performance. The proposed electrostatic comb actuator (ECA) is composed of two set of interdigitated comb microstructures, the inner combs are fixed to form the fish-bone microstructures and the outer combs are movable and connected to crab-leg flexure beams microstructures. The ECA is investigated to optimize the actuation performance by changing the comb shape and the intersection angle of crab-leg flexure beams. The comb shapes are compared between the traditional rectangle shape and the trapezoid shape, while the intersection angles of crab-leg flexure beams are compared between 45°, 60°, and 90° on the influences of ECA displacement and stability characteristics. These parameters are investigated for their impacts on the dynamic comb displacement and driving voltage. Under the condition of a driving DC bias voltage of 100 volts, the ECA displacement is firstly increased and then gradually decreased by increasing the comb finger length. The maximum displacement of ECA with trapezoid comb is 47.2 μm while that of ECA with rectangle comb is 22.4 μm. By using trapezoid comb shape to replace the rectangle comb under the same conditions, the ECA displacement is improved 2-fold. To enhance the stability of ECA system, the intersection angle of 90˚ of crab-leg flexure beams shows highest stability that is great better than the intersection angle of 45° and 60° of crab-leg flexure beams by increasing the driving different DC bias voltage to 100 volts on ECA. The stability of the ECA with the intersection angle of 90° of crab-leg flexure beams is enhanced 1.1-fold and 1.4-fold compared to that of 45° and 60° of crab-leg flexure beams, respectively. This design provides an optimized approach to the electrostatic comb actuator that can be used expansively in the gyroscope, motion sensor, position sensor, imaging sensor, optical sensor, and so on.
ENGLISH TEACHERS’ ABILITY IN IDENTIFYING AND PRODUCING ACADEMIC TEXTS: A GENRE-BASED CASE STUDY IN SRAGEN
Authors: Djatmika, M.A. Djatmika , Santosa Riyadi , Wiratno Tri , Sugiarti Rara , Wibowo Agus Hari
Published: December 2023

This research was conducted to examine the ability of English teachers of senior high schools in Sragen Regency in identifying and producing texts with various types of genres that are needed to be developed into teaching materials. Members of High School English Teachers Association in the regency were involved in the research. An instrument in the form of test was distributed to all the members of the association measuring their capability in identifying various of texts, in producing them, as well as in using them in composing a journal article. The responses given by the teachers show that they actually do not have good knowledge and language skills in identifying as well as producing texts in certain types. Furthermore, they also got problems in positioning what type of text to which part of a journal article. This condition indicates that the teachers still need upgrading program for their language skills to compose a journal article, and in addition they need others to give a hand during the process of article writing.
ALGORITHM AND SOFTWARE OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL SELECTION SYSTEM
Authors: Yamburenko Viktor , Liutenko Iryna , Kopp Andrii , Holovnia Dmytro
Published: December 2023

There is a lot of routine work in any organization, including in recruitment agencies. Effective management organization and automation of activities of employees of recruiting agencies is not an easy task. The system should automate the routine actions of workers of recruiting agencies and be convenient for their clients. This paper proposes an approach to automating the selection of necessary medical staff. Not all information systems used by recruiting agencies can compare candidates and generate results that include several of the best candidates. Based on the analysis of the subject area, groups of parameters that significantly affect the choice of medical personnel were determined. The proposed approach is to analyze the request from the client, and then in the system find requests of other clients similar to it in terms of parameters, for which a candidate has already been found. The next step is to take the profiles of healthcare professionals that have been suggested for these requests (they act as benchmarks) to further compare them with existing candidates. Each employee profile parameter has its own similarity function. Available candidates will receive scores and will be ranked. We also additionally adjust the assessment by comparing candidates with the current request. Software was developed to automate the selection of medical personnel. For its implementation, a three-level client-server architecture is proposed. MVC (Model View Controller) architecture was chosen for the server part. The Single Page Application architectural template is used for the client part. The server part is divided into three layers, which further demarcate and structure the responsibilities of the system components. .NET technologies are used to implement business logic. SQL Server is used for the server and database provider. The use of the software implementation of the developed system demonstrated quite good results. The average time for selecting the 10 best candidates out of 500 is 0.4 seconds, and the processing of only 1 resume by a person takes several minutes.
THE IMPACT OF CSR ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: CONTROVERSIAL EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE AND REASONS BEHIND IT
Authors: Nashchekina Olga , Koptieva Hanna , Tymoshenkov Ihor
Published: December 2023

Business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly relevant today because it allows companies to align interests of different groups of stakeholders through creating a shared value. To integrate CSR in a company’s business model effectively, it is important to understand the relationship between CSR and financial performance. However, a large number of studies on the impact of CSR on a company’s bottom line have yielded controversial results. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of discrepancies in the results of empirical studies on the relationship between CSR and financial performance reported in the literature and summarize the reasons and methodological issues underlying the lack of consensus regarding this relationship. We show that most authors observed a positive impact of CSR on financial performance, however some authors reported a negative, U-shaped, inverted U-shaped, and S-shaped relationships, as well as the absence of any impact of CSR on financial performance. The discrepancy in the results can be related to a multidimensional and heterogeneous nature of CSR, and hence, to the lack of uniformity in measuring it. Similarly, financial performance can also be measured through a variety of indicators, both accounting- and market-based. The differences in the measurement methodology make the results of different studies less comparable. The relationship between CSR and financial performance can also depend on the approach to CSR used by companies. If CSR serves as an instrument for wealth creation, its impact on financial performance should be positive by definition. If CSR is based on purely ethical considerations, it may be merely a cost-center with no economic benefits. The relationship between CSR and financial performance can be weakened or strengthened by a large number of external and internal situational factors, such as the institutional environment, industry dynamism, company size, form of ownership and many others that can have a moderating effect on the relationship. The causality within this relationship can be bidirectional and result in a virtuous cycle, but it can also be reversed and asymmetrical. The ambiguity of the results reported in the literature can be connected with a delayed effect of CSR on financial performance, when it takes some time for investments in CSR to pay off in terms of financial benefits.
Designing the International Network of Tér és Forma, 1928–1939. A Hungarian Architectural Journal’s Data-Driven Analysis
Authors: Sebestyén Ágnes Anna
Published: December 2023

Architectural periodicals were the major means of transferring textual and visual information about the current production, discourses, and problems of architecture during the interwar era. Illustrated magazines were widely available, and the immaterial sites of architectural publications became equally important as the construction site itself. In interwar Hungary, the architectural journal Tér és Forma (Space and Form) was the major organ of modern architecture under the editorship of the architect Virgil Bierbauer between 1928 and 1942. The periodical included the latest examples of modern architecture in Hungary and the current international scene covering most of Europe with an outlook on the USA, South America, and Japan. Bierbauer relied on his extensive international network of professional connections for transferring information and creating content for his journal. My paper focuses on the digital processing and analysis of Tér és Forma using the Croatian Artists Networks Information System (CAN_IS) as a digital network analysis tool. It allows the representation of the international relations of the journal based on its content, and the changes in editorial directions and its social network. My paper considers the methodology of organising the information extracted from the system and how this knowledge can be visualised. My paper also addresses the problems of legibility and distortion in data visualisations.
Seasonal variation in the diversity and species richness of spiders in the Indian Thar desert.
Authors: KASHMEERA NEISSERIL ANIRUDHAN , Sudhikumar Ambalaparambil Vasu
Published: December 2023

The Thar desert constitutes a unique ecosystem in India which supports distinct fauna adapted to it. But there is only limited information about the diversity of spiders in this area. A survey on spider fauna of the Thar desert of Rajasthan was conducted using collection methods like ground collection, aerial sampling, beating and litter sampling. Alpha diversity parameters such as indices, richness and abundance was also measured. Effect of seasons on spider population was also evaluated. This study revealed the presence of 127 species of spiders belonging to 61 genera and 17 families from the Thar desert. Maximum Shannon index was during summer and Simpson index during monsoon. Highest species richness was noticed during monsoon while abundance was higher during winter. This study reveals that the Thar desert ecosystem supports a variety of habitats facing species loss due to anthropogenic disturbances and the information on indicator species like spiders can be used for conservation planning for the native fauna.
An Investigation into Employees’ Factors of Flexible Working Hours (FWH) for Productivity in Saudi: A Qualitative Triangulation
Authors: Mohiya Mohamed
Published: December 2023

Background One of the most controversial HRM topics that has received extensive attention from academics and practitioners communities over the past two decades is Flexible Working Hours (FWH) and its impact on productivity. Nevertheless, the work is mostly focused on business and organizational aspects neglecting the employees’ health perspectives. Most importantly, there is a lack of a strong theoretical foundation. Thus, unlike other work, the present study focuses heavily on the employees’ perspective based on a theory; namely: Social Exchange Theory (SET). SET is valuable because it magnifies the importance of the employee as a partner who is in reciprocal social relations. This study aims to explore and evaluate the antecedents of FWH, mainly: employees’ health-related factors, which affect their productivity. Key major concepts to emerge from the literature analysis are brought together, and grouped under mindfulness/well-being. Methods Two triangulated sets of qualitative data were collected, namely: semi-structured interviews and document analysis (cross-sectional and longitudinal). Thirty-two interviews were conducted with employees and with management. Document analysis is a novel source of data that was extracted from the company’s internal technological platform and contains employees’ first-hand computerized typewritten comments about FWH. Results The adopted qualitative triangulated methods assist in interrogation to allow other undiscovered factors to emerge from the analysis of the data which are grouped as sub-themes under quality of time, namely: mid-break, morning and evening person, sleeping and tardiness, and social life. The most significant factors found affecting employees’ decision to demand FWH for productivity are midday breaks, traffic/transportation, and schooling. Conclusions The finding reveals that HR practitioners need to recognize employees’ health and social factors before applying FWH practice. This research lies in the fact that it is one of the first HR health studies to contribute to advancing theoretical and empirical knowledge, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Based on findings from this empirical inquiry, this present research makes an original and important contribution to HR health scholarship and reflects theoretical rigor (Social Exchange Theory), methodological (triangulation methods), empirical, and practical. For example, theoretical contributions regarding SET’s reciprocity “black box” were highlighted.
Research on Automatic Generation Technology of Double Helix Shaped conformal cooling channels for Injection Mold
Authors: Wang Jing , Cheng Fangqi , Wei Yehua
Published: December 2023

The conformal cooling channel is more and more favored by the mold enterprises because of its excellent cooling performance. However, the current design of conformal cooling channel generally has the problems of complex, time-consuming and error prone design process. The spiral cooling channel is a very important cooling channel structure in injection mold, and its application is extremely common in practical mold engineering cases. For a long time, designers have had to rely on manual construction of spiral cooling channel, which is a cumbersome and inefficient design process. Inspired by the spring structure and based on the design characteristics of spiral cooling channel, this paper puts forward an automatic generation method of conformal cooling channel based on the basic requirements of conformal cooling channel design in engineering practice. The basic idea of this method firstly is to generate the initial trajectory lines and store them in a list in the specified order. Then, based on the initial trajectory line as the basic geometry, a series of control points are generated, and all control points, including the inlet and outlet coordinate points, are sorted. Finally, generate a spline curve based on the control points and scan along the spline curve with the specified cross-section to form cooling channels. Experimental results show that this method can significantly decrease the time of design and guide users to quickly complete the design, while reducing design errors to improve working efficiency.
Analysis of bamboo fibres and their associated dye in the parasite-host dynamics of freshwater fish
Authors: MacAulay Scott , Masud Numair , Cable Jo
Published: December 2023

With the growth of the fashion and textile industries into the 21st Century, associated pollution has become pervasive. Of these pollutants, fibre-based microplastics are the most common types of plastics recovered from aquatic ecosystems encouraging the increased trend in organic fibre usage. Often marketed as biodegradable and ‘environmentally friendly’, organic textile fibres are seen as less harmful. Here, we assess the health effects of reconstituted bamboo viscose fibres, processed bamboo-elastane fibres (both at 700 fibres/L) and their associated dye (Reactive Black-5, at 1 mg/L) on fish, with an emphasis on disease resistance utilising an established host-parasite system: the freshwater guppy host (Poecilia reticulata) and Gyrodactylus turnbulli (monogenean ectoparasite). Following three weeks exposure to the bamboo fibres and associate dye, half the experimental fish were infected with G. turnbulli, after which individual parasite trajectories were monitored for a further 17 days. Overall, exposure to reconstituted bamboo-viscose fibres, processed bamboo-elastane fibres or dye were not associated with any change in host mortality nor any significant changes in parasite infection burdens. When analysing the routine metabolic rate (RMR) of fish, we noted that uninfected fish had, on average, significantly impacted RMR when exposed to processed bamboo elastane (increased RMR) and reconstituted bamboo viscose (decreased RMR). Hosts exposed to reconstituted bamboo viscose and the associated dye treatment showed significant changes in RMR pre- and post-infection. This study bolsters the growing and needed assessment of the potential environmental impacts of alternative non-plastic fibres; nevertheless, more research is needed in this field to prevent potential greenwashing.
Study of Hydrogeochemical and Geochemical Properties of Surface Water (Case Study: Comparison of two Adjacent Catchments, Cheshmeh Kileh and Shiroud, Northern Iran)
Authors: Issa Nikoo Shiroud , Ganji Ali Reza , Kandelous Ali Moghimi , Asiabar Saeid Hakimi
Published: December 2023

Cheshmeh Kileh and Shiroud are among the most important rivers of western Mazandaran Province (northern Iran). Sampling sites were determined based on the design of the DEM and geogenic and anthropogenic effects, and water and sediment samples were collected in September 2021. Hydrogeochemical and qualitative diagrams of irrigation were drawn based on the laboratory reported values. The heavy metals, irrigation and industrial indices were calculated for water samples and heavy metals indices were calculated for sediments. Also, dendrograms were drawn to evaluate heavy metals in water and sediment. The results showed that the amount of calcium and sulfate ions at the source of Seh-Hezar sub-river was higher than other samples in this sub-river, which is caused by the dissolution of gypsum in the structure of the Karaj Formation located in Maraan upstream. In Cheshmeh Kileh Catchment, one of the samples had a higher amount of bicarbonate, sodium, potassium and heavy metals ions than other samples due to the infiltration of landfill waste water. The hydrogeochemical diagrams for Shiroud Catchment showed that in the estuary, the phenomenon of saltwater infiltration has occurred due to excessive sand and gravel harvesting. Given industrial quality indices, some samples have sedimentation properties and some have corrosion properties. Accordingly, when using surface water in this region for industrial activities, further case studies are needed. The quality of irrigation water at some stations was unsuitable for agricultural activities in some indices. Also, the statistical charts show scatters in the samples of the source and landfill leachate.
Enhancing In-vehicle Multi-turn Dialogue Text Rewriting with Lightweight Text Filtering
Authors: Xue Pengpeng , Tan Liang , Lin Long , She Kun
Published: December 2023

Deep learning has advanced intelligent vehicle development, improving communication and language comprehension. The Transformer model is currently the mainstream approach for text rewriting(coreference resolution) in vehicle dialogue systems, aiming to detect and rephrase sentences that require modification. Nonetheless, the Transformer model, consisting of a stack of Transformer blocks, is complex and extensive, making it inefficient for processing tasks. Accordingly, this paper proposes a proficient approach, denoted as FM-Transformer, for text rewriting of multi-round in-vehicle dialogues. The improvement idea is to add a lightweight text filtering module before the Transformer model, which can quickly classify whether the text of vehicle dialogues needs to be written or not, and only send the sentences that need to be modified into the Transformer model. After analysis, we adopt Fasttext as the lightweight text filtering module. Before and after the improvement of the model, we carried out a control experiment to verify the effectiveness of the FM converter by using a multi-turn vehicle voice conversation data set. The results showed positive results in terms of accuracy and time efficiency, highlighting the potential of FM converters to generate higher quality and more efficient response text.
Novel small multidrug resistance protein Tmt endows the Escherichia coli with triphenylmethane dyes bioremediation capability
Authors: Wang Zhou , Zhou Haoqiang , Cheng Yilan , An Lijin , Yan Dazhong , Chao Hongjun , Wu Jing
Published: December 2023

Dye contamination in printing and dyeing wastewater has long been a major concern due to its serious impact on both the environment and human health. Recently, biological processes have emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of dye pollutants. In this study, a triphenylmethane transporter gene (tmt) was identified from 6 distinct clones screening from a metagenomics library of the printing and dyeing wastewater treatment syste. Escherichia coli expressing tmt revealed 98.1% decolorization efficiency of triphenylmethane dye malachite green within 24 h under shaking culture condition. The tolerance to malachite green was improved over eight-fold in the Tmt strain compared of the none-Tmt expressed strain. Similarly, the tolerance of Tmt strain to other triphenylmethane dyes like crystal violet and brilliant green, was improved by at least four-fold. Site-directed mutations, including A75G, A75S and V100G, were found to reinforce the tolerance of malachite green, and double mutations of these even further improve the tolerance. Therefore, the tmt has been demonstrated to be a specific efflux pump for triphenylmethane dyes, particularly the malachite green. By actively pumping out toxic triphenylmethane dyes, it significantly extends the cells tolerance in a triphenylmethane dye–rich environment, which may provide a promising strategy for bioremediation of triphenylmethane dye pollutants in the environments.
Characterisation of Tunnelling Nanotubes in Oral Carcinoma Cell Lines
Authors: Khoury Samantha , Tran Thi Minh Hy , Johnson Michael , Aung Lin Htet , Wu Ziwei , Pearn Lauren , Tran Ngoc Ha , Nguyen Phuong Thao , Stapleton Sarah , Sais Dayna , Tran Nham
Published: December 2023

In our study, we discovered the presence of tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) in three oral carcinoma cell lines, suggesting an alternative form of cellular communication. These TNTs act as channels for the movement of membrane-bound vesicles and microRNAs (miRNAs), indicating their potential influence on cancer progression and intercellular interactions. Our findings demonstrate that TNTs can form spontaneously under normal growth conditions, not just as a stress response. Through time-lapse microscopy, we captured the rapid and dynamic process of TNT formation, typically occurring within 20-40 minutes, via two primary methods: actin-driven cellular extensions and sustained connectivity during cell division. We also successfully visualised the active transfer of miRNA mimics through these TNTs. Notably, we detected the presence of AGO2 protein within the TNTs, implying its involvement in the delivery of miRNAs to recipient cells. Our study adds to the overall understanding of TNTs in the context of oral cancer biology and suggests a broader role for these structures in molecular transport.
Hydrological and Morphometric Characterization of Anambra-Imo River Basin Using Remote Sensing
Authors: Nnaji Chidozie Charles , Onyekachi Mark Nzubechi , Nwankwo Ekene Jude , Emenike PraiseGod , Chibueze Chekwubechukwu Victory , Ogarekpe Nkpa
Published: December 2023

Environmental problems related to flooding, water management and landslide often emanate from disruption of river basin within a geographical locality. In this study, the Anambra-Imo River Basin which drains the five southeastern states of Nigeria and a part of Kogi State in the northcentral was studied by combining the remote sensing technique and GIS. With the aid of digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the geographical region, the linear and spatial morphometric attributes of the basins such as Drainage density (Dd), Drainage texture (Dt), Circularity ratio (Rc), Elongation ratio (Re), Constant of channel maintenance (Cm), Form factor (Rf), Infiltration number (If), Stream frequency (Sf), Length of overland flow (Lo), and Compactness index (Ci) were obtained. The results of the analysis showed that the basins have a well-developed dendritic and parallel type drainage pattern with a NE-SW orientation suggesting a relationship between fracture orientation and physographic features. Anambra Basin is a 6th order basin having a total of 1462 streams with a length of 13682.9 km; while Imo River Basin is a 5th oreder basin having a total of 208 streams with a ttal length of 1320.57 km. Morphometric analyses yielded an infiltration number of 0.3 and 0.11, elongation ratio of 0.35 and 0.29, form factors of 0.26 and 0.54; compactness index of 1.4 and 1.06; length of overland flow of 0.46 and 2.18; Circularity ration of 0.49 and 0.84; constant of channel maintenance given of 0.93 and 4.34; Relief ratio of 0.61 and 0.35; and ruggedness number of 0.19 and 1.5 for Anambra and Imo river basin respectively. These results have thrown light on the underlying factors responsible to flooding and gullying in the study area as a combination of climatic and geological characteristics of the study area.
Endobronchial ultrasound using guide sheath-guided transbronchial lung biopsy in ground- glass opacity pulmonary lesions without fluoroscopic guidance
Authors: Park Jongsoo , Kim Changwoon , Jang Jong Geol , Lee Seok Soo , Hong Kyung Soo , Ahn June Hong
Published: December 2023

Diagnosing ground-glass opacity (GGO) pulmonary lesions poses challenges. This study evaluates the utility of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy (RP-EBUS-TBLB) in diagnosing GGO pulmonary lesions. A total of 1651 RP-EBUS procedures were performed during the study period. This study analyzed 115 GGO lesions. The EBUS visualization yield was 80.1%. Of 115 lesions, 69 (60%) were successfully diagnosed. The average size of diagnosed lesions was significantly larger than that of undiagnosed lesions (21.9 ± 7.3 vs. 17.1 ± 6.6 mm, p < 0.001). Diagnostic yield varied by lesion size: 50.0% for lesions < 20 mm, 65.1% for 20–30 mm lesions, and 85.7% for lesions > 30 mm. The mixed blizzard sign on EBUS appeared in 60.6% of mixed GGO lesions, with no cases in pure GGO lesions. Multivariable analyses showed that lesion size (odds ratio [OR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.16; p < 0.001) and mixed blizzard sign on EBUS (OR, 20.92; CI, 7.50-58.31; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with diagnostic success. Pneumothorax and hemoptysis occurred in 1.7% and 2.6% of patients, respectively. RP-EBUS-TBLB without fluoroscopic guidance is a viable diagnostic approach for GGO pulmonary lesions with acceptable complications.
A Cable-Driven Robotic Platform to Modulate and Study Head-Neck Movements
Authors: Bales Ian , Zhang Haohan
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces a novel cable-driven robotic platform to assist with and train head-neck movements. Poor postural control of the head-neck can be a debilitating symptom of neurological disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Current treatments using static neck collars are inadequate and there is a need to develop new devices to empower movements and facilitate physical rehabilitation of the head-neck. Existing exoskeletons using rigid linkages are limited by their restrictive structure. By contrast, the cable-driven robot presented in this paper does not constrain motion and allows for wide-range, six degrees-of-freedom control of the head-neck. We present the mechatronic design and control implementations of this robot, as well as a user study to demonstrate its feasibility to assist with head-neck motion and apply a resistive moment on the head using a target reaching task. Our results show that neck muscle activation increased by 19% when moving the head against a resistive force field and decreased by 28-43% when assisted by the robot in two different assistive control modes. Overall, these results provide a scientific justification for future design and control optimizations to enable movement and studies to identify personalized rehabilitation for motor training.
Spatial and Temporal Changes of Aridity in Argentina and its Relationship with Some Oceanic-Atmospheric Teleconnection Patterns
Authors: Blanco Pedro S. , Doyle Moira E.
Published: December 2023

This paper analyzes spatial and temporal changes of aridity in Argentina (1961–2018). The aridity degree, using CRU monthly data, was defined through six climate types classified by De Martonne Aridity Index (DMI). Argentina presents a very arid, arid and semiarid region that extends from Puna to Patagonia, alongside two humid and very humid regions: one located in the Chaco-Pampas Plains and Mesopotamia, and another in the Patagonian Andes. Between these regions, there are subhumid areas with marked aridity variations. These structures persist over time, but in their bordering areas advances or setbacks were observed, with major changes in the Andes (more arid conditions) and Buenos Aires southwest (more humid conditions) during the historical period. The contribution of temperature and precipitation changes to these DMI changes was quantified, indicating that precipitation modulated the DMI spatial changes, while temperature intensified or weakened the magnitudes of these changes. The extension variations of the arid and semiarid regions in Argentina were related to three climate variability modes (El Niño – Southern Oscillation [ENSO], Pacific Decadal Oscillation [PDO] and South Atlantic Ocean Dipole [SAOD]). Significant correlations were found with PDO (r < 0) and SAOD (r > 0), which indicate that an increase in the area occupied by arid and semiarid climates are associated with PDO negative phase or SAOD positive phase. Moreover, when these phases occur simultaneously, the expansion of arid and semiarid regions is larger than under the action of an individual forcing.
Systemic Inflammation and Acute Kidney Injury After Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Mannion John D , Rather Assar , Fisher Adrianne , Gardner Kelly , Ghanem Nesreen , Dirocco Sheila , Siegelman Gary
Published: December 2023

The relative importance of systemic inflammation among other causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) was investigated in this retrospective review.
The WBC on the first postoperative day (POD # 1 WBC) and the derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were used as measures of inflammation in 1224 consecutive patients undergoing colon procedures. AKI was determined using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria and AKI-related complications were documented. Patients without preoperative infection (aseptic population) and the entire population (total population) were examined.
AKI occurred in 24.6% of the total population and correlated with complications: postoperative infections (P = 0.016), chronic renal insufficiency (CRI, P < 0.0001), non-infectious complications (P = 0.010), 30-day readmissions (P = 0.001), and length of stay (LOS, P < 0.0001).
For the total population, there was a link between inflammation (POD # 1 WBC) and AKI (P = 0.0001), on univariate regression. Medications with anti-inflammatory properties reduced AKI: ketorolac (P = 0.047) and steroids (P = 0.038). Similarly, in an aseptic population, inflammation (POD # 1 NLR) contributed significantly to AKI (P = 0.000). On multivariable analysis, the POD #1 WBC and NLR, were independently associated with AKI (P = 0.000, P = 0.022).
Inflammation, in the total or aseptic populations, was a predictor of complications: postoperative infections (P =0.002, P = 0.008), in-hospital complications (P = 0.000, P = 0.002), 30-Day readmissions (P = 0.012, P = 0.371), and LOS (P <0.0001, P = 0.006).
Systemic inflammation, whether septic or aseptic, is an important cause of AKI and complications.
Two-sample Mendelian randomization to study the causal relationship between hyperthyroidism and intervertebral disc degeneration
Authors: Yang Shengqi , Guo ji , Zhai Weifeng , Xie Yue , Jia Yongwei
Published: December 2023

Objective
The primary aim of this study was to meticulously investigate the potential causal relationship between hyperthyroidism and intervertebral disc degeneration(IDD) through the application of a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach.
Methods
A thorough analysis was conducted, leveraging information on 9,851,867 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with disc degeneration and 958,783,836 SNPs associated with hyperthyroidism, meticulously collected from pooled gene-wide association study (GWAS) data. Notably, the GWAS pooled data for hyperthyroidism and disc degeneration originated from European populations, with a robust dataset of 484,598 samples for hyperthyroidism and 463,010 samples for disc degeneration. With disc degeneration as the outcome variable and hyperthyroidism as the exposure factor, instrumental variables closely linked to hyperthyroidism were scrupulously identified as single nucleotide polymorphisms. Subsequently, a rigorous two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was executed, employing three distinct methodologies: inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger regression, and the weighted median method. These methodologies were specifically chosen to comprehensively evaluate the causal relationship between hyperthyroidism and the risk of intervertebral disc degeneration, quantified by odds ratio (OR) values.
Results
The inclusion of 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables yielded robust outcomes. MR-Egger regression analysis revealed an absence of horizontal pleiotropy of genes (P = 0.910). Furthermore, the results from the inverse variance weighting method indicated that an escalated prevalence of hyperthyroidism was notably associated with an increased risk of intervertebral disc degeneration. Specifically, a significant 10% rise in the risk of intervertebral disc degeneration was observed for each standard deviation increase in log-transformed hyperthyroidism (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.18).
Conclusion
In summation, these comprehensive findings strongly suggest the existence of a potential causal association between hyperthyroidism and the progressive development of intervertebral disc degeneration. This nuanced exploration contributes significantly to our understanding of the interplay between hyperthyroidism and disc degeneration and holds implications for future research and clinical considerations.
Heart rate variability parameters and youth depression: Exploring the role of the high-frequency band
Authors: Zhong Yiwen , Lai Chengcai , Shen Baoying , Li Bowei , Shen Ying , Xi Juzhe , Gao Yue , Fan Xiwang
Published: December 2023

Background
We try to explore the association between depression symptoms and HRV parameters in youth, due to the Heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as a potential physiological indicator for depression.
Methods
A total of 118 participants diagnosis with MDD and a healthy control group were recruited. HRV measurements were recorded using the Bodychecker, and an animal experiment was conducted to validate the clinical findings.
Results
Our results showed a significant association between youth depression symptoms and the high-frequency (HF) band of HRV in both clinical and animal data.
Conclusion
These findings suggested the potential of the HF band as a screening tool for youth depression.
Piriformospora indica promotes plant growth, reduces lodging, and enhances seed yield and quality in onion (Allium cepa L.)
Authors: YALAMALLE VISHWANATH ROHIDAS , DINESH ITHAPE , GAWANDE SURESH JANARDHAN , KHANDAGALE KIRAN
Published: December 2023

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of P. indica in onion seed crop. Among the various bioagents, P. indica was the best treatment. P. indica treatment resulted in reduced lodging, improved seed yield, and enhanced seed quality. Onion seed crop is pollinated by insects, primarily by honeybees, which are highly susceptible to pesticide applications. Therefore, onion seed bulb treatment with P. indica can be an essential component of integrated crop management in onion seed production.
The Effect of Metaverse on L2 Vocabulary Learning, Retention, Student Engagement, Presence, and Community Feeling
Authors: Celik Ferdi , Baturay Meltem Huri
Published: December 2023

This research explores the potential of Metaverse-Based Language Teaching by testing it on a second language vocabulary lesson with a social constructivist approach on high school students. The study investigates the multifaceted impacts of it on vocabulary learning and retention, engagement, community feeling, and diverse dimensions of presence, namely social, cognitive, teaching, and overall presence. Adopting a quasi-experimental design, the study provides an in-depth controlled trial. The participants in this study consisted of 86 (43 male, 43 female) high school second language students, which are assigned to two groups: the control group, following a traditional teaching method, and the experimental group, engaged with a metaverse-based, social constructivist learning environment. Pre- and post-tests are employed to quantitatively assess vocabulary learning and retention and reveal substantial improvements in both areas. A series of carefully selected psychometric scales capture core aspects of engagement, community feeling, and presence. The findings reveal increased levels of engagement and a sense of presence, and connectedness within the language learning community, which confirms the efficacy of the MBLT. However, the improvement in social presence does not reach statistical significance. Cumulatively, the findings of this research transcend mere quantifiable improvements in vocabulary acquisition and retention. They reveal a holistic transformation of the language learning experience by emphasizing the significance of social interactions and digital embodiment in high school second language education through metaverse. The research highlights the metaverse's potential in shaping the future of language education, reimagining traditional paradigms, and proposing a new era of immersive, interactive, and transformative pedagogy.